A/N: And now for something...completely different.

Well sorta. Different in that this is NOT a House/Cameron fic. I decided to take a break and try something new. This is my first House/OFC (original female character for those who are unfamiliar with the term) fic so please, be gentle. Of course it will have its usual smut, sex, smex and cliffhangers so that won't change. I'm taking House out of his element and plopping him right in the middle of...wait for it..sunny California (Hence the title). It's been in my head since about April, nagging to get written, but I was working on "Pain Free" and then its sequel with my partner in crime, JBLovesSharks, and then I joined forces with the AWESOME Hughville to write "Ch-Ch-Changes." So now I'm ready to devote my time to this.

This is an AU fic. Yes, as much as I love House and the limp, it just doesn't work with this story, so he's on the Ketamine treatment. I've got a few chapters already mapped out so I'm still undecided if the treatment will wear off. You guys will be just as surprised as I will if/when it happens.

One more thing, I want to thank my lovely beta, Iyimgrace for being there to bounce ideas back and forth and for proof-reading it for accuracy/consistency. Actually this story came from helping her with a fic, and looking at Hollywood homes. I saw this one place and OMG...I could totally see House being there. And the rest, as they say, is history.

I'll stop rambling now. Please sit back, relax and enjoy.

Disclaimer: (Cuz ya know, someone might think I'm making money off this. Pssht!) House and its characters belong to FOX and David Shore. All other characters come from my perverted imagination.


Prologue

Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital

September, 2006

Cameron, Chase and Foreman all arrived roughly at the same time and dropped their things in the DDX room. It was to be House's first day back after having been on medical leave since the shooting and they were apprehensive as to what he would be like upon his return. Especially Cameron. She'd been doing some reading about Ketamine treatments and how they worked and she was anxious to find out if House was still pain free.

She immediately went to the coffee machine and began the morning brew, while Foreman sat down to read the latest journal and Chase took out his crossword. While the two men started talking about their weekends, Cameron tried to pay attention, but an incessant beeping was distracting her thoughts. "Shhh..guys. Do you hear that?" she inquired of them.

Foreman looked at her. "Hear what?"

"It sounds like...a clock radio alarm beeping or...something."

Both Foreman and Chase stopped to listen and they agreed that they could hear it too. "Where is it coming from?" Chase wondered aloud as his eyes scanned the room.

"Look around. It can't be very far." Chase and Foreman got up and began looking around the room, under things and on top of things while Cameron made her way to the direction of House's office.

"I'll check his office," Cameron volunteered as Chase snickered.

"Stay away from the second drawer. Porn collection," he called out and Foreman laughed.

The noise got louder as she approached House's desk. It was covered in a fine layer of dust and everything seemed to be in its proper place. Even his red/grey ball was sitting where it should have been.

She went around to his desk chair and began checking drawers, consciously avoiding the second drawer. That's when she saw it. Stuck underneath the desk was what looked to be a digital clock. However, upon closer investigation, it was much more. Not only was it a small digital clock, but it sat inside a mound of grey putty surrounded by several different colored wires. It was clearly an explosive device, and the clock was showing fifteen minutes before detonation as it counted down.

Chase looked over and saw her backing away slowly.

"Cameron? What's wrong?" he inquired, seriously concerned as to why she looked like she was going to pass out.

"Look..." she whispered, pointing to the device which was still quickly counting backwards.

Chase stood behind her and turned white. "Come on..we've got to get out of here."

They went into the conference room, and Foreman saw the looks on their faces. "What's going on?"

"There's a bomb under the desk!" Chase whispered. "Call security."

Foreman glanced at Cameron and pulled out a chair. "Here, sit down and put your head between your legs. Do it!"

Cameron did as she was told while Foreman took action. Within a couple of minutes, security and Cuddy were in the room. The security guard inspected the device and pulled out his walkie-talkie.

"Call the bomb squad. We have a live explosive device in House's office. I repeat, we have a live explosive device in House's office. Do you copy?"

There was static, and then a response. It almost sounded like the guy was laughing, making Cuddy scowl. "Sorry, did you say there's a live explosive in House's office?"

"Roger that. Start evacuation procedures. This thing is going to blow in ten minutes. Do you copy?"

"I copy that. Clear out."

"Who discovered it?" Cuddy demanded of the three doctors.

"I did," Cameron whispered.

The chief of security ran in and began ushering everyone towards the door. "Okay..everyone out of here, take the stairs and get the hell out! Do it quickly but calmly. We don't want a panic on our hands. Dr. Cuddy, you too."

Dr. Cuddy held her ground. "We need to evacuate everyone..."

"Let me worry about that," the former military man took her elbow and ushered her out of the office. "Just get out of the building and take these people with you. Are there any patients on this floor?"

"No," Cuddy said, shaking her head. "All the patients are on the floors below."

"Good. Now please, Dr. Cuddy, evacuate the building."

Foreman ushered all of them out into the hall and down the stairs. People moved swiftly down the stair well and through the halls, whispering to each other, and pushing to get to the exits. The patients who were able to be moved were also pushed out the doors via gurneys and wheelchairs. Security and police directed people to the available exits and tried to maintain some degree of order, shouting directions into their walkie-talkies.

When they got to the parking lot, there was chaos. People were clustered together, fire engines arrived followed by the bomb squad. The police moved the people back, sectioning off the area behind yellow tape to protect them from the blast radius. Just as they got everyone behind the yellow tape, there was what sounded like a sonic boom, followed by shattering glass. The blast could be heard for miles.

Chase, Foreman and Cameron huddled together as they watched in horror. Their hearts pounded and their ears rang. There was so much smoke, dust, and debris, people screaming and sirens wailing.

When the dust settled, the three doctors looked up to the sky to see the top floor of the hospital. But it was gone.


To Be Continued...