The following morning, one hour before lunch, Cameron was making her way back to the diagnostics room from the clinic when she spotted Chase standing near the coffee maker

The following morning, one hour before lunch, Cameron was making her way back to the diagnostics room from the clinic when she spotted Chase standing near the coffee maker. Last night, she had had difficulty to fall asleep, tossing and turning in bed till the wee hours of the morning. Alana had not complained at all; on the contrary, she had left for work sporting a wide grin. Foreman or House were nowhere to be seen. There had been no case for them that morning and House had just vanished. Looking at Chase through the glass pane, she realised that she was shaking. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked in the room uncertainly, stopping at arm's length to Chase.

"Chase, can I talk to you for a moment?" she started.

"Sure" Chase replied, his back still facing her. When he heard her voice no more, he turned round to take a look at Cameron. "Is something wrong?"

"No…" Cameron swallowed hard, trying to ignore the myriad of emotions that was swirling through her. "I wanted to talk about that night…"

Oh crap why this heart-to-heart now after so long? "Yes?"

"I know that night you must have felt…used although that wasn't my intention. That night I called you over, you instead of someone else because I knew I would be safe and comfortable with you. And I was right… That night, I had the most exhilarating making-out session with a guy ever," she admitted, chewing on her lower lip. As she glanced up, she saw that Chase was gaping at her, his eyes as big as saucers. "Really?" he croaked out.

Cameron laughed softly. "I wasn't faking or simulating those moans and gasps and groans," her voice falling to a whisper. She felt her cheeks burning up as images of that night gushed forward in her mind. She gulped. "When you said afterwards that this should not happen again, I knew it should be so only."

"Because of House?" Chase asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Cameron was expecting this retort from him. After all, Alana had had the same reaction the night before. "No. I just didn't want any kind of relationship with anyone at that time. But there's something I'd like to know… I believe you had a crush on me even before that night. Why didn't you want more from me then?"

"I saw you with House that morning and…" Chase broke off, horrified at what he had just blurted out.

He looked away quickly, memories flooding back.

It was the morning after that night. He had passed in front of House's office and what he saw inside had made him stop. Cameron was near the table, her hands on both hips, the slightest of smiles adorning her lips but her eyes were shining brightly. House was wearing a full smirk on his face but likewise he had a sparkle in his eyes. They were staring at each other, a silent battle going on as to whom would be the first one to succumb. They stood there in such close proximity, oblivious to what was going on around. After a couple of minutes, it had been too much for Chase to bear and he had walked from there dejectedly.

Cameron searched at the back of her mind and came up with that one moment in House's office that morning.

House had just signed some papers for her and she was about to walk away when House had said:

"How many?"

"What?"

"How many times did Chase and you do it last night?" House had asked standing up to come to rest just in front of her. "Actually you know I feel sorry for both of you. You must have used him up completely and I'm sure even then he couldn't keep up with you. So how many?"

"You think I'm gonna tell you so that you can go shoot your mouth off all around the hospital?" Cameron had replied, snorting.

Cameron had made an attempt to proceed towards the door but House had blocked her way.

"House let me go."

"Not until you tell me."

They had stood there for more than two minutes, their eyes boring into each other, neither of them giving in before House had said, "You know we can go on with this eye sex all day and night long. I'm not in a hurry.

"Wilson, help me." Cameron had said looking by the door at an imaginary figure. As soon as House had turned to snarl at him for his interruption, Cameron had run away giggling like a school girl.

"I hope for his sake that the condoms didn't break."

Cameron had stopped for a second to look back at House amusingly but all the while thinking, "If only you knew House what really happened and how wonderful it was."

"And?" Cameron looked at him questioningly. "And I knew that House still meant a lot to you then," he stated. And he still does. "Anyway, why are we having this conversation?"

Great House again. But then it's my fault really. When I had my thing for House I let it show so much. But I didn't say or do anything when I bounced back. Of course everyone will take it for granted that I still dig House. "I've been over House since quite some time now," she admitted quietly. "But since a couple of months, doubts, fears, regrets, desires have been plaguing me. I couldn't put a word to what I was feeling. It's only yesterday that Alana helped me realise what I really wanted." Opening her eyes she added meekly, "I want more from you if you consider me worth it. Take your time to think about it. There's no hurry." She approached him and lightly kissed his cheek. She then moved towards the door, pausing for a second to glance at Chase before walking out of the room.

-!-

Chase remained rooted to the same position for some time, staring at the spot where Cameron had been standing. Slowly, a goofy grin appeared on his face before he started laughing like mad. He was ecstatic.

Oh my God, have I heard well? Did Cameron really say in the same breath that (a) she's over House and (b) she wants me? Her voice was still echoing in his head. "I've been over House since quite some time now…" She's over House! Wow! How did that happen? He had realised that the gorgeous and smart doctor had tugged at his heartstrings lightly a few months after she had been appointed. But when she had discovered a liking to House, Chase had pushed away his insignificant crush. But kissing her lips and tasting her that night had opened floodgates of emotions that had been so cumbersome to overcome.

"I want more from you if you consider me worth it..." But really I was only kidding myself. How can anyone ever get over Cameron? Of course I want more. The truth is that I've been hoping to hear these words for so long.

"The most exhilarating making-out session with a guy ever…"

"The most exhilarating making-out session…with a guy ever…"

"That night, I had the most exhilarating making-out session with a guy ever…"

Wait—What?

Chase froze in place, baffled. A voice screamed in his mind. With a guy?? That means there must have been an exhilarating making-out session with a girl then! Another voice argued, come on she just said it like that. But the other voice resumed more forcefully. You know perfectly well that Cameron never says anything just like that, especially today when she was being so cautious about each and everything that she was saying.

"Oh crap" Chase muttered under his breath. Maybe she was a little experimental in high school. There's nothing wrong in this, isn't it? Chase convinced himself. Was or still is? Alana…? Cameron's best friend had joined them a couple of times when Cameron, Foreman and him had gone out for drinks after work. The trust between them and the deep concern for each other had been evident. He walked towards the table by the window and took out a photo frame from a drawer. In the photograph, Cameron and Alana were in some park. Cameron had her head in Alana's lap. Alana's left hand rested on Cameron's head while her right hand was interlocked with Cameron's left over Cameron's belly. They were looking at each other, laughing merrily. Whoever had taken this photograph had captured the essence of their friendship.

Chase took out his cell phone from his pocket. "Hi Joe. Can we meet for lunch?... See you."

-!-

Cameron walked into the diagnostics room shortly after lunch to see that only Foreman was there at the table studying a file. Chase's lab coat was not where he had left it before lunch.

"Where's Chase?" Cameron asked Foreman.

"He's taken the rest of the day off. He said he had some personal matters to tend to."

Cameron flopped in the nearby chair, her mind racing. Oh no don't tell me that I scared him away… I didn't give him time to reply because I wouldn't have been able to bear his refusal right away. I should have known he wouldn't still be looking my way after so long. How ironic…When he wanted me, I didn't even care about him and now when it's my turn, he's already over me…

Cameron was still thinking when House wobbled into the room and found her staring into space, a half-smile on her face.

"Mind sharing your lesbian fantasies with us?" House hissed in her ear, bending over.

"Actually I was just in the middle of a threesome. You know with her sucking my left nipple and tweaking the other one, with him licking me down there and my left hand vigorously stroking his thing," Cameron elaborated, nodding towards House's crotch. Foreman let out a snort in the background.

"No need for so much sarcasm Cameron. I just don't like you thinking about someone else when I'm in the room," House managed to retort back after an uncharacteristic delay of a few seconds.

"You know why the delay? I'm sure he was picturing you, Cuddy and him in his mind and he just loooved what he saw although he will never admit it," Foreman winked at Cameron.

"I didn't know that you've changed your name from Eric Foreman to Matt Parkman." House rolled his eyes and hobbled towards his office, still a bit rattled.

Cameron smiled at Foreman and stood up to get some coffee. But as soon as she had her back to him, her expression changed to one of panic. Did I really scare you away Chase?

-!-

Joe strode in the coffee shop near the hospital, easily spotting Chase. He was sitting in their usual booth and staring into space, a frown on his face.

"Hi Rob."

"Hi" Chase greeted back morosely.

"What's the matter?"

"Cameron wants more from me."

"More?"

"She's over House and wants to have something with me."

Joe studied him before exclaiming, "Why are you saying this as if you've just lost your best friend when I'm still here and when Cameron has said what you were desperate to hear for so long?"

"Cameron said she had one of the best times that night 'with a guy' ever. It means she must also had one 'with a girl' isn't it?" Chase emphasised with air-quotes. "Or still does perhaps. Maybe she has a thing going on with Alana. Cameron keeps a picture of them in her drawer. Not the picture of her parents or that of her dead husband. A-la-na's photo. We both have seen them together. The love for each other is more than apparent. Maybe Cameron is bisexual." Chase stopped his rambling abruptly, his eyes wide.

Joe laughed out loud. "Aren't you drawing hasty conclusions from three small words?"

"Maybe," Chase agreed unwillingly, the slightest of smiles appearing on his face.

"Let's assume for one moment that you're right. That indeed Alana and Cameron had or have something between them. Would that be so dramatic or wrong?"

"I don't know…I'm so confused." Chase whined. "How would you feel if you found out that Teresa and Kristin were together?"

Joe sipped his coffee for a couple of minutes, reflecting deeply about his girlfriend Teresa and her best friend. "Frankly speaking, I'd be flattered."

"Flattered?" Chase was incredulous.

"Yeah. I tend to take out other people's frustrations on her. I don't always help around at home. I leave my things really messy. I don't always put the cap back on the toothpaste tube, which irritates her. I don't like to go shopping with her, even if the shopping's for me. Basically, I'm not very accommodating. On the other hand, Kristin's really something else. She's patient, understanding and non-judgemental. She comes running at one call from Teresa. Plus, they both love shopping, dancing, tidiness. Despite all the disadvantages that I have, if Teresa still wants to have me in her life, I'd be mad to complain," Joe explained.

Chase laughed lightly. "I've never looked at all this this way." They both continued to drink their coffee in comfortable silence.

"There's another aspect also. Cameron and Alana are best mates since high school. Cameron must have been through a rough patch after her husband's death. Alana maybe was there to comfort her," Joe added for some time. "You know it's funny. When a guy is in a problem, he comes to see his best mate and says two sentences about his pain. The best mate in question quietly nods, gives him a tap on the back, offers him a beer and they both go watch TV together. That's it."

"Thank God we're not like that," Chase grinned.

"We're not like the other guys because we've known each other since kindie back in Australia. We drink coffee instead of beer and we say more than two sentences." Joe smiled. "But girls, they are different when it comes to hurt and comfort. They talk, they actually converse. They hug, they cuddle and they kiss. When a girl kisses another girl, it does not necessary mean that they are lesbian or bi. It means that they get hurt, feel lonely and sometimes their pillows, teddy bears or even their dildos are not enough to keep them warm and satisfied late at night."
Chase was fascinated. "It's a whole new perspective to me," he confessed.

"That's my opinion. You need to make up your own now Rob. I suggest you take some time off and think carefully about everything."

"I'll do that." Chase nodded.

-!-

Cameron had barely had time to dump her bag on the floor and slump onto her couch when she heard the door of her apartment opening and Alana barged in.

"So what did he say?" Alana asked excitedly.

"Didn't your spy tell you?" Cameron rolled her eyes at her.

"Yeah my spy did tell me that you two talked alone in the diagnostics room for a long time a bit before lunch. Too bad my spy doesn't lipread. I'll have to do something about this," Alana replied, rubbing her chin.

"You actually have a spy at the hospital? I thought you were joking. Who is she?" Cameron was utterly puzzled.

"It could be a he. Forget about that. Tell me what happened."

"I told Chase everything I had on my heart," Cameron said nonchalantly.

"From the telltale disappointment in your voice, I presume it didn't go too well." Alana remarked gently.

"He went home just after we talked. He took the rest of the day off. I guess he didn't want to hurt me. He didn't want me to see the rejection on his face right away. When he says no to me tomorrow, it will at least look as if he's stayed awake all night long to make up his mind." Cameron scowled bitterly.

Alana sat down on the floor and rubbed Cameron's knees affectionately. "You know, for days, weeks, months, Chase must have hoped for a change of heart from you. At some point in time, he must have coaxed his heart to stop having any expectations. To hear all those things from you today must have been…strange. And you can't wait for one night."

"You're right. I'm being stupid," Cameron acknowledged.

Alana smiled. "No you're just being impatient Allison." She tickled Cameron's feet, causing the latter to twitch uncontrollably.

"Alana stop this! You know I'm ticklish!" Cameron shrieked out laughing.

"Alright I'll stop but you stop having negative thoughts. Chase will say yes tomorrow. Come on let me take you out for dinner." Alana stood up and offered her hand to Cameron.

"Let's go," Cameron accepted with a smile.

-!-