Chapter 1
"Why'd you rat your patient out to NASA?" Cameron asked curious about House's recent actions.
"Well, I don't know who's been gossiping about ethics instead of sex but I hope they've already been fired. Which number was it?
"Greta," Cameron replied.
"Number!"
"No number; the patient! How do you think she got your pager number? She came into the ER, didn't want to talk."
"I didn't rat her out."
"You lied?
"I suppose I should tell her that before she keys my car."
"Why lie?"
"I had to stop some leaky faucets."
"What did it matter?"
"It was no one's business."
"Right," Cameron replied.
"She's going to be the safest astronaut up there. Certainly more vigilant then the guy next to her who's got no clue about the aneurism in his head ready to pop," House stated confidently.
"Right," Cameron said in disbelief then turning and she slowly walked away.
"You've got a better reason?" Cameron turned back around in response.
"You couldn't kill her dream," Cameron said swiftly turning around and walking back towards her patient. House watches her walk away for a few moments.
"Cameron," House called to her as she walked away slowly hobbling after her. "So, what if I didn't want to kill her dream? What does that matter?"
"It matters because it tells me something… something about you," Cameron replied slightly curious about his approach. It seemed to Cameron, to be something he wouldn't want to continue a discussion about.
House tilted his head and said, "What does it tell you about me?"
"Why are you curious as to what your actions tell me?"
"Oh, you know me. I've been called a lion in bed," he said while waggling his eyebrows. "A lion's a form of cat. Just take that analogy and roll with it."
"If you were a cat you'd have died long ago," Cameron scoffed and crossed her arms. "It's interesting though; your curiosity I mean. What does my assessment of you matter? You could careless what people think of you. Why now?"
"I've changed!"
"No, you haven't!"
"No, I haven't," he promptly replied, "But…" he looked down while fiddling with his cane, "… you have always been able to read me well. You seem to understand me better then I understand myself. Sometimes I do things for reasons I can't figure out. Sometimes, I feel things… that I'm not used to feeling." House returned his gaze to Cameron's.
Cameron smiled, looked down at her watch and then back up into Houses gaze. "I'm off in five minutes. Come on," she said. She approached House as though to pass him and reached out and rubbed his left forearm with her left hand. "Let's go get food and I'll explain yourself to you." She then released his forearm and walked out of the ER towards the Doctor's lounge. House slowly turned, a smile briefly escaping his lips and within seconds he found himself following her towards the lounge.