A/N - Hey everybody, Merry Christmas! I know I've been a bit invisible lately, but I started University this year and been very busy. But, I'm hoping this fluffy Xmas one-shot will get me back into writing again this holiday. Enjoy and review! :)

It was Christmas Eve and House was strolling back to his office, softly whistling Christmas songs and looking forward to going home to a bottle of bourbon and some Chinese food. As walked past the office, he was surprised to see Cameron sitting at the table, leaning over some files.

"Hey," he said, sticking his head round the door "what are you still doing here? It's Christmas Eve, shouldn't you be singing carols and drinking wine and watching 'It's A Wonderful Life' with your family or something?"

Cameron smiled a little as she glanced up, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm finishing up this filing. And no, House, I'm not going to be doing that this year. I don't know why you have this romanticised version of my life,"

With that, she turned back to the files. House watched her carefully. She was obviously in a crappy mood, and although House could have gone into his office, grabbed his things and gone home, he didn't want to anymore. Some small part of him was looking at his young employee and telling him that she needed him. Maybe it was because it was Christmas, maybe it was because seeing Cameron upset affected him more than he'd admit, maybe it was because House didn't really want to be alone at Christmas after all, but something made him limp into that room and start making coffee.

After a few minutes, he placed a steaming cup in front of Cameron, took a few charts off of her pile and sat down opposite her. She looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

"What?" he said "If we both do it, we can get it done quickly. Many hands and all that..." House quickly opened the chart in front of him and started working through it. Cameron just smiled to herself, taken back and slightly touched by his apparent compassion. But she knew better than to say something, so she quietly sipped her coffee and carried on with the paperwork.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, House finally spoke up.

"So, how come you're not with your family this year?" he asked, quite genuinely.

Cameron sighed and looked up. "I usually go to my parents in Chicago, but my Dad's been ill lately, and we didn't want to put him under too much stress. So we decided to go my brother's, but there's been a big snowstorm and I couldn't get a flight. So we decided to just see each other after the New Year."

"So you're upset because you can't be with them?" He wasn't quite sure why he asked that question, and hoped Cameron wouldn't bite his head off.

"No, not upset, just...disappointed I guess," she said with a sigh, leaning back and sipping her coffee. "I just love being with my nieces and nephews and watching them open presents and driving round the neighbourhoods looking at the lights and decorations," Cameron had a warm smile on her face as she reminisced.
"But it doesn't matter," she said, shaking her head and leaning back over the files. "I guess I'll have to settle for charting and watching soppy films by myself,"

House just looked at her, the soft light from the desk lamps casting a warm glow around her and illuminating her flawless, porcelain skin. He wanted to make her smile. He wanted to take her away from the charting and the work and give her the Christmas she deserved. He wanted to be alone as much as she did – he wanted to spend Christmas with her.

Suddenly, he got up from the desk and went into his office to get his coat and bag. Cameron watched him and sighed, assuming he was going home and leaving her to it. But he surprised her when he came back into the diagnostics room.

"Come on," he said "Get your things,"

"What?"

"You shouldn't be doing this on Christmas Eve – so let's go,"

When she hesitated, House sighed. "Look, you can stay here, finish the paperwork and then go home to an empty apartment and watch 'Love Actually' with some Ben & Jerry's, and I can go back to mine to watch General Hospital with some Chinese food, or you can come with me now and we can drive round looking at Christmas lights and judging other people's choice of decorations. The choice is yours."

Cameron smiled widely for the first time that night, got up and grabbed her coat, switching out the lights on her way.

"Lead the way," she smiled

House nodded and they headed out into the quiet hospital corridors.

"I'll show you this massive house on Park St – they have a huge Santa and sled on the roof and a 10 foot Snowman on the driveway," said House

Cameron smiled as they stepped into the lift. His excitement really was endearing. She would definitely rather be doing this than sitting at home by herself on Christmas Eve.

"Oh my Gosh, look at all those twinkly lights round the windows in that house! Oh, and that beautiful tree inside!" squealed Cameron and House slowly cruised through the neighbourhoods.

His car was now toasty and warm from the heaters, Christmas songs were playing softly on the radio and House couldn't keep the smile off his face as he watched Cameron. Her face lit up whenever a house decorated with lights came into view.

"Hey, check out that massive reindeer on top of that house!" said House, pointing towards a place on the left. He couldn't deny that he was enjoying himself too.

Probably due to the company more than anything.

They drove around for a while longer, laughing and joking with each other, gasping at the grand and beautiful displays people had and mocking the more pathetic attempts.

Then, Frank Sinatra's voice smoothed over the airwaves and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' drifted into the car.

"God, I love this song," said Cameron, leaning back and closing her eyes. "It's probably my favourite Christmas song ever,"

House had an idea, and gently pulled the car to a stop at the side of the road in the small, quiet neighbourhood. He switched the engine off, causing Cameron to look over at him, but left the radio on as he stepped out the car. He walked around to the passenger door, and opened it for Cameron.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Cameron grinned and took House's hand. "You may,"

They left the passenger door open so Sinatra's voice could be heard and Cameron slipped into House's embrace. He held her left hand in his right and rested his other hand on her waist as she curled into him to keep warm.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Cameron looked up and met House's eyes before smiling.

"Why are you doing this House?" she asked as they swayed slowly. "You've been so nice and caring and a real gentleman tonight,"

"I'm always nice,"

"You're never nice,"

House laughed. "True." He sighed. "Maybe it's because it's Christmas – the season for good will and all..."

Cameron just looked at him and House sighed again, moving his hands to wrap around her waist.

"I don't know, Cameron. I just...I saw how deflated you were and I guess...I guess I just wanted to cheer you up. I mean, it's Christmas and you of all people deserve to be happy at Christmas."

Cameron smiled, willing herself not to cry at his kind words. She just smoothed her hands over the warm skin of his neck and reached up to place a soft kiss on his stubbled cheek.

"Thank you, House," she whispered and then rested her head on his shoulder. There was so much more she could have said, so much more she could have told him. But the last thing she wanted to do was ruin this perfect, intimate moment with the man she had so desperately wanted.

Faithful friends who are dear to us,
Will be near to us once more.

They swayed softly in the middle of the street, the cold whipping around their bodies. Cameron pressed her cheek against House's and House had to close his eyes as he thought only of her. Her gorgeous smell, her body pressed against his and her small warm hands smoothing over his neck. At that moment, he wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else or with anybody else.

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

As the song ended and faded into the next one, Cameron drew away from House's body, looking into his eyes, desperately trying to find the truth behind his words. As he smiled softly and said "Come on, let's get out of the cold," Cameron knew that he felt something. He didn't want to be alone either.

As House drove towards Cameron's apartment, all he could think about was the feel of her soft cheek touching his, the feel of her chest moving against him as she breathed. Why did she make him feel like this? She brought out a soft side he didn't even knew he had.

"I'll just drive you straight home," said House "then I can come and pick you up tomorrow and take you to the hospital to pick up your car."

"Ok," said Cameron, but then she turned towards House. "Maybe...if you pick me up, we could...get some lunch or something, y'know, seeing as its Christmas? But I mean, if you have plans, then it doesn't matter,"

House smiled. "Do I seem like the type of person that has plans on Christmas?"

Cameron just grinned and turned back to look out the window.

"I'd like that," House said finally, making Cameron smile even wider.

After a while in comfortable silence, they finally arrived at Cameron's apartment. House parked opposite and switched the engine off. Snow had just started to drift silently from the sky, settling quickly on the ground.

They sat there for a while, neither one wanting to part ways or be the first to say goodbye. Then Cameron turned in her seat and faced House.

"Look, it's late, and it's Christmas, and it's snowing and I had such a lovely time tonight, with you, so...do you just want to stay here tonight? You can just sleep on the couch if you like, but-"

House stopped Cameron's ramblings with a finger on her lips. He smiled. "I'll stay," he said quietly, making her smile under his finger. "Just to stop you rambling on though - plus I don't want to get stuck in this weather. And it's Christmas,"

They got out the car, and pulled their coats around their necks to protect their skin from the snow. They made their way up the steps to Cameron's front door, House more gingerly as not to slip.

"Wait!" he said, just they'd made it to the stop step and Cameron put her key in the lock.

"What's wrong?"

House glanced at his watch. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." Then he looked down at Cameron with a smile. He moved his hand up to rest softly on her cheek, cradling her face. Her cheeks were red with cold, making House smile even more. "Merry Christmas Cameron,"

Cameron laughed and looked up at him, leaning ever so slightly into his warm hand. "Merry Christmas, House,"

Before Cameron could do anything else, House smoothed his thumb over her cheek and over her bottom lip, gently tipping her face up towards him. Then he smiled and leaned down, resting his other hand on her waist.

"How about this for a cliché?" he teased, his breath warming her face.

As snow drifted around them, House's lips softly touched Cameron's, the warmth filling them both instantly. With a gentle tilt of his head, House deepened the kiss, finding so much comfort in the feel of her mouth against his. Cameron lifted her hands to the warm skin of his neck and smiled into the kiss, only making House grin in return.

As they parted, their foreheads touched, their breathing laboured and the smiled, slightly overwhelmed by the affection and happiness they both felt.

"Well, I guess Santa got my letters – looks like I got just what I wanted," teased Cameron.

House laughed. "That was incredibly corny,"

"I know, but I don't care," she smiled "Can we go inside now? It's getting colder,"

House reached over and unlocked the door. Then he quickly ducked his head and placed one sweet kiss on Cameron's mouth. "After you," he whispered.

Merry Christmas.