-1CHAPTER ONE – Close Quarters
A week had passed since the rendezvous with the four doctors and when House told the boys about the night, they didn't believe him so they were in the clear.
Cuddy was the most furious because she had her job on the line. So, to punish House, she gave him one week of clinic duty. House went off, of course.
"Hey, then you have to give yourself a week of clinic duty, too! You booked the rooms."
"No, I don't. You didn't want me, remember? Paybacks are hell."
"It's not that I didn't want you; I just wanted Cameron more."
"What?! You have another week of clinic duty!"
"You can't…that's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair."
"I've already had you, remember? In college?"
"Oh, so now that I'm old I'm not good enough for you? That's another week."
"I didn't say…what? Three weeks? Cuddy, give me a break!"
"Want to make it four?"
"NO...YES!"
"You got it."
House stormed out of her office but turned around at the door.
"You need to lay off watching The Breakfast Club Marathon!"
Cuddy watched him leave and as soon he turned the corner she smiled. She couldn't help it. He was such a little kid, and since she didn't have one he was the closest she would apparently get.
But then again, she and Wilson didn't use a condom that night. While House and Cuddy were in the Jacuzzi she'd asked him if he would father her child. He already knew she considered him once, and asked himself the question once before. So, there was a chance that Wilson may have made her pregnant.
Days later House and Cameron were the only ones in the diagnostics room; she at her computer pulling up his mail and he at the table, legs up, arms crossed, head on the back of the chair and softly snoring.
Cameron kept peeking over the computer to watch him; he was just so vulnerable and sweet-looking when he slept. She remembered watching him sleep a week earlier. She never thought she'd have the chance to watch him sleep again. She figured it was a one time thing and that it would never happen again.
She was wrong.
"What are you staring at?" House asked her without opening his eyes.
He knew she was watching him. House knew it. House knows everything.
"Nothing important," she answered then went back to her computer.
"Oh, is that how you describe your boss? I'm not important?"
"No. I've got other words that would describe you better. And none of them should be said in a church."
"You don't go to church," he told her.
"Neither do you."
"That's right. So you have to describe me," he said.
He lifted his head and looked at her peering over the computer.
"You're stubborn, a jerk, selfish, inconsiderate, rude…" she started off.
"No, no. I know that. How would you describe me physically? Like in bed."
"I've had better," she teased.
"Really?"
She smiled at him then winked. "No."
"Ok, so, I'm the best you've ever had. What else?"
"House, this isn't the place to be having this conversation."
"Why not?"
"Because, Chase or Foreman could come walking in…"
"I gave them so many tests they won't be back until tomorrow. Please, continue," he told her.
He grabbed the bottle of Vicodin off the desk and popped one.
"Continue what?" Cameron asked, playing stupid hoping he'd end the conversation.
"Our conversation. So, question: if this isn't the place, what kinda of place did you have in mind?" he asked her.
She looked at him then turned her attention back to the computer. He watched her for several minutes before she picked up the phone, asked the person to get on PM. A minute went by and she did some typing.
"Who are you talking to?"
"No one," she answered coyly.
She ended the conversation, looked at him evily and walked out without saying a word.
"Hey! Where are you going?" House hollered after her.
She turned around after the door closed behind her and motioned with a 'come hither' motion with her finger.
House didn't ask any questions. He jumped up as fast as he could, grabbed his cane and ran after Cameron in the hallway.