Disclaimer: NOT MINE…
A/N: I realize that I have no life…so here's a story…a little one shot that was something to do.
The sound of music, laughter, and glasses clinking could be heard outside the room before she had even stepped through the doors of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Entering through the large double doors of the assembly room she was greeted by the over friendly lobby nurse's assistant that greeted her every morning and a noise maker was thrusted into her hand. Her step never wavered as she continued into the large room which was surprisingly filled with staff members.
It took only a moment for her to locate the bar and stepping up to it she pointed to a beer so that she didn't have to speak above the music and was handed one. She felt him approaching before he stepped up next to her, his shoulder brushing against hers. "Going stag?" He breathed into her ear, his proximity and gravely voice causing an involuntary shiver to run throughout her body.
"I could ask you the same." She replied, taking a pull from her beer before turning her neck slightly to face him. She watched as he ignored her retort and signaled his scotch order to the bar keep. The drink was placed in front of him and he grasped the glass and swirled the liquor in it before taking a drink.
"I'm here for the free bar." He told her, placing his drink back on the counter top before finally bringing his gaze back to her.
"How do you know that's not why I'm here?" She retorted, taking another pull from her beer as Chase and Foreman approached, drinks in hand.
"Hello there." She greeted them, turning so that her back was against the bar so she could face them.
"Cameron." Chase and Foreman nodded their greeting.
"What happened to your dates?" Cameron asked the two of them as Wilson and Cuddy approached.
"Couldn't find anyone last minute I presume." House snickered as he turned to imitate Cameron's position against the bar. Ignoring his remark Chase spoke up.
"And you did?" Cuddy replied, grabbing beers and passing them to Chase, Foreman, and finally Wilson as she resumed her position at his side.
"Free bar." House replied, signaling for a refill on his already finished drink.
"I bet." Wilson muttered as Chase took the moment of silence to speak up.
"I guess we all went stag this year."
"Speaking of which," Foreman added. "Midnight is soon approaching and there's a lady in accounting who was throwing hints a while ago, excuse me." All but House smiled as they watched him disappear into the crowd and it took only a moment for Cuddy and Wilson to disappear to "socialize".
House soon turned back to the bar as Chase moved in on the other side of Cameron so that he was facing away from her, leaning on his elbows against the bar as she finished her beer. "If you're looking for someone to kiss at midnight, I'll be around." He told her.
"That was subtle." She laughed, placing her empty bottle on the bar and turning to face him. Chase only smiled back as she leaned against his shoulder, pushing him slightly. "I'll remember that, thank you." The disappointment on his face was evident and he looked to House who stood unmoving on the other side of her.
"You're welcome." He told her as Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives Me Crazy" began to play. "Dance?" He asked her, turning to stare out onto the dance floor.
"No thank you." She smiled as another beer was placed in front of her.
"Alright." He shrugged before making his way onto the makeshift dance floor without another thought.
She sighed as she took a sip and noticed the clock, five minutes till until a new year began and she would again ring it in alone. She sent a fleeting glance in House's direction from the corner of her eye to find him seated, grasping his half empty glass of scotch. She emitted another sigh before pushing herself away from the bar and through the middle of the room.
She felt his gaze on her back as she moved throughout the crowded room, exchanging smiles with familiar faces as she made her way to the balcony doors. The music faded magically as she closed the door, making her way to the far corner to avoid the cloud of smoke that blanketed it where she leaned against the railings. The body heat of the assembly room was suffocating and she enjoyed the feel of the cold air hitting her lungs as she breathed deeply.
The sight before her was truly beautiful, as it had been every year at about this time and she looked out over Princeton and began her annual tradition of analyzing the previous year. Still single, still taking House's bullshit, still waking up at six a.m. for her morning runs, still sorting his mail, still making his coffee, still…everything. Nothing had changed since she had begun her job there and she sighed as someone came to the door and announced the dropping of the ball. Cigarettes and cigars were put out and she heard the shuffling of feet as the disc jockey announced the final minute before the New Year.
Sighing once more she clamped her eyes shut, vowing that this year would be different; she would give up on him. Two years of fooling herself were enough; there was no sense in having feelings for a man who didn't reciprocate them. She snickered silently and reopened her eyes over Princeton, gripping the rails as a gust of wind picked up and chilled her bones.
"Ten…nine…eight….seven..." Hearing the mass of people counting down the New Year in unison she took one last look over Princeton. "Six…five…four…three…" Turning with her mind set on finding Chase she gasped when she turned into him, his piercing blue eyes penetrating her own. "Two…one…" They heard from inside, her gaze dropping to the concrete as "Happy New Year's" were exchanged inside and a chorus of "Old Lang Syne" began.
It took her only a moment to attempt to side step him and she gasped when she felt his lips crash down on her own. This action allowed his tongue to sweep past her lips and graze her own as he pulled her flush against him, his cane clattering onto the cement as he pulled her up into the kiss. Her hands instinctively came to his head where her fingers swept through his hair before feeling his wrap around her middle and attempt to pull her closer.
When she attempted to pull away for air he grasped her lower lip in his teeth, biting softly and growling before pulling her back to him, his tongue this time evading her mouth and taking the breath from her lungs. He pushed her towards the railings before the back of her knees touched them and the feel of the cold cement made her gasp for a breath that she didn't have. She broke away briskly and he placed his forehead against her own, placing a soft kiss on her lips as they both gasped for air.
"What was that?" She asked, smiling as his hands encircled her waist once again and he pulled her into him, her head against his chest.
"My New Year's Resolution." She heard him reply and she smiled into his chest when he took her hand and led her back through the crowd of laughing people and out the doors of Princeton Plainsboro to his car.
A/N: Review please…