A/N: So, I know I'd said after my 'Deal' fic that I wanted to steer clear of anything quite so angsty for a good while, but this idea has been driving me crazy so I'm going to attempt to write it down and produce something darker again to see if I can achieve a better result. I will still continue on my 'Stitches' fic alongside this for those wanting a more light-hearted story line. I hope you enjoy, and please review! :)

"So the patient told you that they were clean and you decided to just go ahead and believe them... That wouldn't have anything to do with finding out the man is a single father of two now would it, Dr Cameron?"

"No... I 'believe' the drugs tests which came back negative for substance abuse. A slight anomaly due to the cough syrup he warned us he'd taken, but apart from that..."

"He's lying."

"... And the drugs test?"

"Do it again."

The brunette sighs in frustration, rolling her eyes irritably as Foreman comes up behind her and regards House warily.

"House, she did the test already. The man's in critical condition, we can't waste time with this-"

"- I wouldn't call finding out what crap already plagues his system so that we don't cause the man an accidental overdose to be 'wasting time', but then I suppose that's more your specialty!"

"Hey! I-"

"-I'll run the tests again."

The brunette interjects swiftly, harboring no wish to play witness to the men's irritable bickering. The light filtering in through the slanted blinds has taken on a hazy quality, and she imagines they all share the same common goal of making it home before midnight.

As she takes her leave, she catches Chase pipe up his disinclination to believe that her results could be off and House make some snide comment about the blond 'always siding with the one with the boobs' before the glass door to the office swings shut and leaves her standing in the relative calm of the hallway.

Smiling as she spies Wilson, he offers her a knowing grin as his eyes fall to the test sheets held in her hand.

"House forcing you to take a resit?"

It's an old joke, and neither of them are entirely sure when it originated, but she chuckles appreciatively and pats the pens protruding from the pocket of her lab coat, pushing her glasses pointedly up her sharp nose.

"I reckon I'll ace it this time around."

The oncologist grins at the childish inflection to her tone and bids her good luck as he carries on towards his office.

Heading off towards the labs, Cameron wonders how long it will take before House comes hounding her for something else.

She gives it about 10 minutes.

"I knew it."

Chase mutters as he stands behind the brunette, reading the test results over her shoulder.

"Yeah, well, so did I... But it was easier to just run them again..."

Rolling his eyes, the blond takes a seat on one of the stark lab stools and regards the younger doctor smugly.

"You mean it saved you arguing with House..."

"Uhuh, that's what I said; it was easier."

"Oh, Cameron..."

"Oh, Chase."

The surgeon scoffs amiably as the brunette mimics him, watching her absentmindedly as she goes about putting away the various vials resting on the sterile counter top.

"Hang on..."

"What's up?"

She glances up at him over the top over her glasses and he holds up a finger in a request she wait a second. Pressing print on the small PC to produce a paper copy of the figures flashing on the screen, he snatches the single sheet- still warm from the machine- up deftly and scans it with a frown.

"That's weird..."

"What is?"

"Well his bloods are clean, but there's a definite spike here... "

"Probably just residue on his skin."

"Well, yeah, but for it to show up this high... I mean, the guy could be running a meth lab from his basement!"

"Who runs a meth lab?"

House inquires as he limps into the lab, raising an eyebrow at Cameron who gives him a withering look and returns her attention to the sheet lying on the table top.

"Patient himself is clean... Tox-screens run on his hair and skin show high activity... Wherever this guy's been, he's had contact with pretty much your standard catalog of A and B grade street trade... Possibly commercial cleaning products also; see the marker? Think it's industrial bleach?"

Brow furrowing as he scans the various markings on the graph printed by the surgeon, House sighs, rubbing at his scruff moodily.

"And I'd had such high hopes for this case... Turns out the guy's just a regular scumbag. Find out what he's into and we'll take it from there. Chase, run his belongings, Cameron, get an address."

"Oh sure, because if he's dealing from home I'm sure he's going to be oh so forthcoming..."

Shrugging off the brunette's caustic sarcasm easily, House limps over to the patient's bag which sits sealed on the adjacent counter and rips open the protective plastic.

"House!"

"Relax, Cameron, we already tested for anthrax... Didn't we?"

Scowling at the graying doctor's lack of professionalism, Cameron sniffs irritably, pulling her long hair back into a neat ponytail as she glowers over the top of thin rims.

"We did."

"Well then... Ah, here we go!"

Plucking a battered wallet from the depths of the rucksack, House flips it open and locates a driver's license.

"Well, if this really is the patient's bag, and, judging by the smell of it, I'd say that's highly likely, then Mr Jorge Montez lives at 54E Montague Place. Cameron, be a doll and swing by on your way home. Take some sample bags and if you run into any low budget prostitutes while you're there, buy yourself a quickie on the House."

Smirking as his youngest employee rolls her eyes dramatically, House turns to Chase irritably when Ozzie pipes up uninvited.

"You can't have Cameron go on her own..."

"Why not? Last time I checked she was capable of both following directions and putting one foot in front of the other."

"... She's a girl!"

"Dude... She's right there!"

House whispers loudly, feigning camaraderie as he covers his mouth with his hand.

Sighing as she shucks her lab coat and drapes it over her arm, Cameron regards the boys wearily.

"Well, as Chase so cleverly observed; I'm genetically female. I drive past Montague when I go to the gym... I'm not sure I'm the best-"

"- Oh don't jump on whatever Chase says all the time! Don't be such a princess!"

"When do I ever agree with Chase?!"

The brunette cries, casting a belated apologetic glance towards the surgeon as he glowers at her.

"Look, House, I just mean like... I-"

"-Cameron, either do it or don't; your call... Besides, I'm sure gaining a better patient history isn't paramount to this guy's survival or anything."

Smirking when his young protegee responds with a venomous hiss of 'fine!' before stalking moodily from the room, he turns to Chase with an eyebrow raised in question as the younger man shakes his head with a frown.

"Are you crazy?"

"Nothing's been proven."

"House... You can't send Cameron on her own! Legal problems aside, you shouldn't be sending any of us out snooping about on our own! But-"

"-Funny. You didn't seem to mind when I sent you to go check that young blonde we had in last week's bedroom alone..."

"Because she was twenty-two and lived in a multistory mansion with her affluent parents! There were no guys hanging around outside with their shirts up to warn they were packing, holding back salivating dogs!"

"I'm sorry, which gritty movie showcasing the Projects are you taking reference from? So Montague's a little run down? Cameron's a big girl; she'll deal."

"... It's not right..."

"Well, if you want to play big brother, you go with her then. No one's stopping you."

"... I have a date tonight..."

"Well then."

"House. Get Foreman to go instead. Or get him to go with her..."

"He's on call."

"Then you-"

"-I too have a date. A date with Ms Croft... I do believe tonight we're headed to Ancient Egypt. Looks like Cameron's 'it'. Maybe next time she'll rethink her lack of a social life."