Disclaimer - I don't own House. That makes me sad every time I recognize that. (goes off into a corner and weeps)
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Author's Note:
I just HAD to write a Christmas thing…
Luv
Creatress
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Hameron Lite
House secretly watched Thirteen, waiting for the perfect moment to do what he wanted to do. Thirteen, who was totally oblivious to his presence, was looking over a few files. She was sitting at the staff table, hunched over the papers before her, her dark brown hair spilling down her back, large eyes narrowed in concentration. She looked lovely. She'd had her back to the glass wall when he first walked by and for half a second, he'd thought it was Cameron before quickly realizing that it was probably her.
Thirteen was here early. Foreman and the other two still hadn't appeared. That was a check for the column of similarities between Cameron and Thirteen in the Cameron/Thirteen Venn diagram. One of many.
House played with the bit of Christmas decoration he'd swiped from the main hall before coming up to his office. There weren't any signs of the Holiday season in the Differentials Department.
That was the difference between Cameron and Thirteen. Actually, it was one of the few. Cameron would have had candy canes, stockings, and holly everywhere by this time of year. He glanced over at Thirteen. Cameron also would have noticed him watching by now.
House studied Thirteen again. She was Cameron minus everything that made the immunologist so… Cameron. And this made Thirteen less than perfect. However, she was still the closest thing he had to Cameron.
The head of the Differentials Department rolled his eyes toward the clock. He himself had shown up early today. Lord knew why… Possibly because he'd wanted to see his plan through before everybody got here and it got too awkward to do anything…
House sighed in boredom. It would take a while for the opportune moment to present itself, and hopefully everything would go right. His gut lurched a little and he frowned. He hadn't known he'd cared that much… Trying to get his mind off the young woman in the next room, House picked up his video game and started playing.
It would figure that as soon as he pressed the red Start button, Foreman would walk in. House stopped the game again and turned back to the window to stealthily observe him.
Foreman was usually the second to show up for work. Which was far from House's daily place of last. The neurologist certainly was House Lite. House minus everything that made him interesting, such showing up late, cruel sarcasm, a complete disregard for the rules, etc, etc… Of course, Foreman could easily bring these traits up and out in himself when the situation called for it. Underneath it all, he was as much as an ambitious, rule-breaker who'd do anything to get the job done, just like House. And underneath that, he was a good person. Draw checks in their Venn diagram and add up the totals.
House watched as Foreman leant over Thirteen to look at the files of today's victim. Surprised, Thirteen glanced up, and seeing that it was Foreman, gave him a bright grin in greeting, which Foreman returned with a small, but kind smile.
House suddenly noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Something at the end of the hallway. The opportune moment was… Here.
Time to set the plan in motion. House got up and picked up his cane, preparing to walk into his staff's office. The future depended on what happened in the next few moments. His heart thumped against his chest. Once again, he frowned, scared that he would care so much. Just as he was about to step out of the office, he stopped and picked up the Christmas decoration. As he walked toward the two, he gently played with it, hoping for some Christmas luck.
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Foreman and Thirteen suddenly noticed that a shadow had fallen over them. They both turned to see their boss, looking down on them with an unreadable expression on his face.
"House," Foreman greeted. He then took in House's tense form. "What's up?" he asked with a frown.
House shrugged and then thrust the green leaves over his fellows' heads. Both of them stared at the plant and then blinked dubiously at him. House nodded at the leaves. "Mistletoe," he said. "Kiss."
Foreman glanced at Thirteen, who was still staring at the plant with a deer-in-the-headlights look, before turning to House. "That's holly," he said, dryly.
House raised an eyebrow, and then inspected the plant. "Whatever. Let's just pretend it's mistletoe." He shook the holly over them. "Kiss," he repeated.
Foreman opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when Thirteen suddenly pressed her lips to his cheek. Foreman turned to her in surprise, but House only rolled his eyes.
"Not a sissy kiss," House groaned. "A real kiss." He shook the holly over them again, as if it would push them into a lip lock. "Come on, I don't have all day," he added, impatiently.
Thirteen smirked at Foreman. "He's the boss," she said and gently pressed her lips against his.
House sighed in relief and tossed the holly onto the table, and walked out of the office, cane preceding him.
When Thirteen pulled away and grinned at him, Foreman blinked a few times before letting a small smile form across his lips. "That was…" he muttered, trailing off.
Thirteen raised her eyebrows in a way that would have reminded their boss of Cameron. "Good enough for an encore?" she finished.
Foreman gave her a very Housian smirk. "Exactly."
Just as they moved in for another kiss, Taub appeared at the doorway. Before either of his colleagues noticed, he bolted.
Watching Taub's reaction, House chuckled. Within an hour, everyone would know…
House's prediction was right. Everyone had quickly gotten wind of Foreman and Thirteen. The PPTH did nothing if not talk.
Later that evening, House had gone for a quick talk with Wilson, who, it turned out, only called him to confirm the rumours that Foreman and Thirteen were now dating. House could stand only two minutes of Wilson's gushing before escaping. He was only happy that Foreman and Thirteen had the sense not to tell anyone about House's role.
Cameron was waiting for House when he returned to his office. She greeted him with a bright smile and an outstretched hand. "Two hundred dollars," she muttered. The smile, which was still on her face, seemed to contradict the disappointment she should have felt at losing their latest bet.
"You seem happy," House remarked, taking the money.
Cameron shrugged. "I'm not getting you a Christmas present this year," she stated.
House smirked at her, but decided not to comment on her lack of skills in the art of deception. A five-year-old could have seen through that lie. "Sucks," he said, counting the bills.
Cameron watched him for a second and leaned against his desk. "How did you know?" When House turned to her with a raised eyebrow, her smile quirked a bit more. "You made this bet and it was totally out of the blue." She shrugged. "That probably should have tipped me off, but…" She shook her head and looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Did Thirteen tell you she liked him?"
House pocketed his money and shook his head. "No."
Cameron studied him. "Foreman didn't tell you," she stated.
House inclined his head. "Definitely not."
"Then…" Cameron frowned, trying to figure out where House had gotten his information. "How did you…?"
House shrugged. "I'm a good judge of character and an absolute genius when it comes to romance and interpersonal interaction," he said, sarcastically.
Cameron was looking at him with a frown. "Oh," she said, nevertheless. "Okay."
'Ask her out, ask her out, ask her out…' a voice was saying in his head.
"What gave them away?" Cameron asked, curiously.
'Ask her out, ask her out…' He hesitated and then gave Cameron a playful smirk. "Lots of things. Too many to list and explain."
Cameron shrugged and grinned at him. "I've got time."
'Ask her out!' House forced himself to stop listening to it. He smiled, wryly. "I don't." He walked around her and picked up his coat. "I'm going home."
Cameron didn't reply for a second. Then she shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I'll be heading home, too." She started walking out of his office. She was at the door when House stopped her.
"Want a ride?"
Cameron turned in surprise and looked at him with a wide grin. "Sure," she said, happily.
House shrugged his coat on, allowing himself a smile for a half a second. "Let's go get your things then."
As they walked pass the Differentials office, Cameron looked through the glass wall and remarked, "It looks a little bare. I'll bring some stockings tomorrow."
House smirked at her spirit and was about to reply with a playfully sarcastic comment when Cameron looked around him and broke out into another smile. "Look," she said, nodding toward the end of the hall. House turned to see Foreman and Thirteen chatting and laughing. Foreman caught his eye and gave him a smile. House smirked and turned away.
"They go great together," Cameron said.
House nodded. 'Of course, they do. Because you and I do.' If House Classic and Cameron the First go great together, it would only make sense that House Lite and Cameron Jr. would go great together.
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Foreman watched House and Cameron disappear at the end of the hall.
"What is it?" Thirteen asked.
Foreman smirked. "I've got to get some mistletoe for them tomorrow," he answered.
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A/n
Totally random, but it just HAD to be written! Happy Holidays, everybody!
XOXO
luv
Creatress