TITLE: Playing With The Sand

AUTHOR: Vid Z.

PAIRING: Hameron

TIMELINE: right after 3x03 Lines in the sand

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc of the TV show House, MD are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fic. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

AUTHOR'S NOTES #1:since TPTB pretend to be stupid and act as if Hameron never even existed, much less that they created it themselves, then to me there was never any of that atrocious Chameron crap, nor did Cameron ever sleep with Chase. Because, lets face it, the whole "arrangement" she proposed is so opposite of who she is that it is completely non-believable.

AUTHOR'S NOTES #2: I absolutely loved this ep. All those fabulous Hameron moments (like when House stared at Cameron and then said "You have pretty hair"), or Cameron's little obsession with trying to figure out House's reasons for relocating them allover the hospital, the comedy moments ("You can't stop our love!"; "If I forget about the carpet can I have her?"; House's impersonation of a southern states' religious leader,...), and of course all the moments it was so painfully obvious just how deeply Cameron loves House, that even I, oblivious as I am, could see it as plainly as day. It was a fantastic ep.

AUTHOR'S NOTES #3: you know what is strange to me? That Cameron never knew about Ali... Foreman met her, Cuddy met her, yet Cameron didn't.

SUMMARY: what happens when Cameron finds out about House's young admirer?

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"I heard about your little side-escapade with the 17 year old."

Were Cameron's words as she barged into House's office. Crossing her arms over her chest and leaning her weight on her right leg she bore holes into him, demanding an answer.

"And you came right in here, demanding to know if it's true." guessed House astutely. She said nothing, but he could detect a faint redding to her lovely face. "You're hot when you're jealous."

He wasn't willing to analyze the fact that when he'd accused Cuddy of being jealous he had marked her ugly, but when he'd accused Cameron of the same thing, being jealous of the very same girl, he had declared her hot. But it was true, Cameron WAS hot. As hot as the sun and the best thing was she didn't even know it, much less flaunt it. She was genuinely beautiful, inside and outside. Seeing her stiffen he sighed.

"Oh, unclench already." he finally grumbled. "Don't worry, she won't be coming back."

"Good." Cameron exhaled, turning around, and winced when she realized just what she'd let slip.

Of course, House would not be House if he didn't take the chance to needle her a little.

"On the other hand... maybe the spores weren't the reason she loved me, maybe her feelings were real. She did say to call her in 22 weeks when she's 18..." looking up at the ceiling he provoked, pretending to be musing deeply and loudly. "Maybe I'll do just that."

The intelligent brunette huffed in annoyance and hurt. "You're such a bastard, House."

Why did he always have to keep on needling her about her feelings for him? He had already rejected her, not once, but many times, why did he also have to rub salt into the wound in her heart?

She didn't know why she just kept on coming back, making herself vulnerable only to be hurt time and time again. Oh, yeah, she did know.

She was in love with him. Plain and simple. Unconditionally and forever. She knew there was a good, caring, loving man hidden beneath that tritanium shell and she wanted him to open the armor a little, just enough for her to get in and then close it behind her again if he wanted to. Just as long as he let her in. Only that and she'd be happy for the rest of her life and do her best to make him happy too.

Because that's what love is about, deriving your own happiness and pleasure from making the person you love happy.

"You know what I'm curious about?"

She knew it was a rhetorical question on his part and that she should just open the door and leave, but she couldn't help herself.

There was just something about this man that kept on pulling her back to him. Maybe she was a masochist, but she'd never be able to fully break away, would never be able to stop loving him.

She didn't know if he did it intentionally to play with her, or did she really at times manage to make a hole in his armor, but the way he looked at her at times, so vulnerable, exposed, hopeful and afraid, like the time she'd asked him if he liked her too, was what was giving her hope that maybe, just maybe, his courage wouldn't desert him for once and he wouldn't slam the door in her face, lying as he did back then that he didn't like her and didn't want her; but hold on to it long enough to give her the chance to in the meantime do something that would leave that door open, a way for her to get in whenever she wanted, i.e. stay in there all the time. She just wanted a chance to prove to him that she was not like Stacy, that she wouldn't hurt him nor abandon him when he'd need her, that once he had her, he would always have her, there at his side, where she belonged.

"What?"

"Is Cameron your maiden name or your dear husband's name?"

Sometimes she wondered if that was all she was to House, a puzzle. It was not something she wanted to be to him, especially not because she wanted to be so much more. "It was Dean's last name."

"So you took his name, even though you knew he'd die in less than a year, and then kept it, not going back to your maiden name even though he was dead." it was a statement, an incredibly rude one, but not a question, and House's sapphire eyes burned into her. There was nothing she could say to that comment, it was the truth, so she just stared levelly at him. Seeing the glare was all the answer she was willing to give, he continued "I wonder... If you and I ever married, would you have taken my name?"

That was it, she was not playing his games anymore. His needling had just hit much too close to home. Gathering her things, she threw her long hair over her shoulders and strode over to the door. Stopping there, with her hand on the handle, she thought it over for a second then turned back to him. He was still staring into her eyes, trying to annoy her into answering.

"The only way you'd ever get an answer to that question would be if you married me. But that would mean you'd have to get over yourself and let someone in, first, to even date. I guess you'll just never know the answer to your question, will? See you tomorrow."

With her last words she opened the door and disappeared down the corridor, leaving House staring after her, twirling his cane.

THE END

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