A GAME OF TWO HALVES
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
Chapter Two: Manhunt
Allison Cameron rushed into Princeton Hospital with little regard to her haggard appearance. She had been on one of her rare outing the night before, a blind date set up by a friend. Despite her good intentions, Cameron though that she had suffered throughout the entire ordeal, making herself not think of work-related subjects, which of course, meant House.
YESTERDAY 7:30PM
Cameron arrived at the exclusive restaurant and seated at her reserved table for two, despite the fact that there were only about six other occupied tables. Her date had not yet arrived, but Cameron was known for her compulsive punctuality. She spent her time surveying the other people in the restaurant. Many appeared to be middle-aged, married couples who had just come for a quiet night out. Cameron hoped that her date was not a middle-aged, married man. She requested a glass of water and settled down to wait for her impending date.
Thirty-one minutes later, her mystery date arrived at his destination. She could feel him giving her a quick once-over with his eyes, and she was secretly pleased with his admiring look. She had gone through a great deal of trouble for this date, as she was a bit rusty in this area.
Speaking of which, her date wasn't too bad himself. Just over 6 foot, he had olive skin, jet black hair and was wearing a designer suit with stylish framed glasses, which Cameron suspected were only for fashion purposes.
"Hi there, you must be Allison" he approached.
"Yes" Cameron answered, standing up. "And you must be James, I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that our date was changed to eight o'clock."
"It wasn't, I'm sorry, that was my fault. I apologize for my lateness, I got caught up at the courthouse. I tried to call you, but you had your cellphone turned off." James's voice, filled with sincerity and sympathy replied.
"Oh, right. Well, no matter. Shall we order?" Cameron flushed.
"Sure, why not?"
As if on command, a waiter silently glided towards the table and quietly placed a set of menus in front of the pair, showing a selection of the most gourmet, yet the most priciest food available in the city.
"Well" James started "I'll have the lobster with the Greek salad with a garnish of lemon pepper nuts please. And the beautiful lady across from me shall have…?"
Cameron blushed, embarrassed, yet pleased. "Um, I'll have the Roasted Garlic Scallops with some fresh salad thanks."
The waiter nodded graciously and gracefully whisked away the menus and exchanged them with the wine menu.
"I feel like champagne" Cameron said. She looked at the waiter "Would you be able to recommend-"
"Actually" James said hastily, "I'll just go to the bar and get that for you shall I? It will be much quicker that way." He stood and made a beeline for the bar, returning with two crystal glasses flowing with champagne.
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Soon their food arrived, looking every bit as prestigious as the three Michelin star restaurant. Cameron and James both self-consciously sampled the food, before tucking into it with great gusto.
"So" Cameron enquired "You're a lawyer?"
"Yeah, I guess so. If you take shouting at people and waving your hands around in a courtroom as being lawyer-like qualities." His tone grew serious. "I was recently involved in a sexual abuse case of a 16 year old girl."
"Ah yes. How very…interesting." Cameron hesitated.
"Well, you get used to it after a while you know? You just have to get a strong outer-shell for this kind of job. So, what do you do?"
"I'm a doctor." Cameron replied. "At Princeton Hospital."
"Wow. That's pretty cool. So, what'd you get up to at the hospital today?"
"Um, well, I had one of my patient's die from an infectious snake bite."
"Hm, I see. Well, great." James gulped.
Cameron laughed. "You know, it happens all the time, you just have to make a strong shell for this kind of thing."
James let out a deep, rich laugh, causing Cameron to sit up, alert.
"You know Allison, many people would say that we'd make a great couple. A doctor and a lawyer, my parents would have a field day. More champagne?"
Cameron nodded and watched James as he strolled towards the bar, before focusing her attention back to her meal.
The rest of the evening passes nicely, with friendly banter and obvious attraction between the pair. He could be it, Cameron thought. He could be the one I'm looking for.
Dessert was uneventful, apart from the 'accidental' touching of knees between James and Cameron. Neither took their legs away.
After countless orders of champagne, every one brought by James despite having a wine waiter waiting eagerly nearby, Cameron contemplated on how to approach the cheque. Wanting to give the image of being a modern, chic woman, she offered to pay for her part of the bill.
"Sure, why not?" James had replied.
"Great, I'll just to the bathroom first." Cameron quickly pushed the chair out from under her and headed to the ladies. She secretly hoped that James would prove himself to be a gentleman by paying the bill while she was freshening up.
Finally satisfied, she returned to her table where the maitre' d was waiting for her.
"Madam, the cheque."
Cameron was slightly disappointed. So, he hadn't paid for her. Oh well, it didn't matter, he was great anyway. She glanced down at the cheque.
"Four hundred and ten dollars!"
"Yes, madam"
"So, out entire meal cost eight hundred and twenty dollars?"
The maitre' d gave her an oddly confused look.
"No madam. The full price of the meal is four hundred and ten dollats."
Cameron faltered. It was too much. Where was James?
"The man that accompanied you stated that he had to leave early. He said that you would sort out the payment." He gave her a look of pity. Cameron could fell the blood creeping up to her face.
"So, could you please go through the pricing of the cheque for…clarification please?"
"As you wish madam. The Lobster with Greek salad and garnish was eighty dollars. The Roasted Garlic scallops with salad was seventy five dollars. Between the pair of you were ten glasses of champagne at eleven dollars each, which is one hundred and ten dollars-"
Cameron was getting dizzy. "Wait. That only comes to…two hundred and sixty-five dollars."
"Yes, well, there were also the ten glasses of cognac at fourteen dollars fifty each, for the gentleman."
"I'm sorry, what? You said TEN glasses of cognac?" Cameron cried.
"Yes madam, every time he went to the bar for the champagne."
Cameron's heart dropped. However, there was nothing she could do about it. James had done a runner and left with the cheque. People were starting to look at her with the same knowing look of pity as the maitre' d.
"Um, here. Just put it through my card."
"Very good madam, hope you enjoyed your meal."
"Yeah, it was great, just great" Cameron muttered.
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TODAY 10:06AM
Cameron cringed at the memory of the past night. Not to mention the migraine she had from her hangover. I am never doing that again she mentally noted, at the same time vowing to herself never to tell her co-workers (and friends) at work about her date. She would die of embarrassment.
Cameron took a deep breath and entered the office of Gregory House, pushing the memory of him out of her mind. Chase and Foreman were already there, assessing their patient files with amused looks on their faces, like they had just shared a personal joke.
"Cameron, what took you so long? You're late by six minutes, that's a new record for you." Foreman stated.
"Give her a break Foreman" House interjected.
Cameron was surprised, and shocked briefly into muteness. "Uh, thanks--"
"After all, she had to go on the date last night with the LAWYER"
Cameron flushed.
Chase and Foreman sniggered with laughter, unable to conceal it for much longer.
House, Cameron noticed, was observing her intently.
Finally, he look away, his face giving away nothing.
