"This place is packed House…we'll never get in!" Cameron gasped as he looked at the line up in front of a placed called Blue Sunrise.

"Such a pessimist, come on," House unfazed took her hand and led her through the throng.

They went to a side door where House knocked twice.

"Greg! It's been a long time! Come on it," a burly, towering man opened the door.

"Yeah been busy Roger," House brought Cameron from his side to the front now guiding her with a hand at the small of her back, "Roger this Allison, Allison Roger—I saved his life back in '99 so he has been getting me in ever since."

Cameron stuttered a "A nice to meet you," but was too flabbergasted by everything else (least of all House calling her Allison) to manage anything else.

She was told by Roger to follow him and she did, House at her back, hand firmly holding her. They went down stairs and through a hall. It was becoming increasingly evident they were in some kind of jazz club; they could hear a band warming up.

They came out in a smoky dimly lit large lounge type area that had a platform with a wood inlaid dance floor at one end a band was there tuning instruments; a grand piano was in the center but its player absent, tables surrounding and a bar behind opposite the platform.

"We are going to be to capacity tonight but I think I've still got your table open," Roger led them to a secluded table in a corner that still offered a nice direct view to the performers.

"Enjoy the show," Roger held his hand to House.

"We will and thanks for getting us in," House answered as they shook.

"Any time Greg, and again it was nice to meet you Allison," Roger nodded toward Cameron.

"And you Roger," she answered with a small smiled. She watched him leave then turned to House. She was surprised to find him holding out her chair.

"Thank you…" she offered quietly quickly sitting. House beamed and took the chair opposite her at the small table for two.

"I'm…I'm quite speechless…" she couldn't take it anymore. "What is going on? Really. You are acting so strange…are you feeling okay?" she reached to feel his forehead.

"Honey, you're a doctor, you know feeling my forehead will tell you absolutely nothing," he smirked.

"Stop! Stop calling me 'babe' 'honey'…Allison!" she threw up her hands desperately.

"Allison is your name," House pointed out, not irked by her outburst he actually found it a little comical though he knew he shouldn't.

"Not to you! To you I am Cameron…you don't call me Allison!"

"That's not true…" he tried to point out the various times he had but was interrupted.

"Yes it is! What is going on House…come on you are being nice…too nice. You are trying too hard. You helped me with my coat, you've helped me each time off the bike, you guided me down here with such care I haven't had since my mother…you held out my chair…you're buying me dinner for pete's sake! If there hadn't been a bet and the pictures I would think we were on a date!" she exclaimed feeling hurt and a bit misled.

House took a sip of the water that had been brought unnoticed by Cameron to hide his smile, "Maybe we are."

"Are what?" Cameron asked exasperated.

"On a date," House answered nonchalantly with a one shouldered shrug.

Her mouth fell to the table eyes wide. House chuckled at that, "You have a smudge," he pointed to just above her lip.

This distracted Cameron from his previous statement and she wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"No still there…" House sighed.

Cameron wiped again, "Did I get it?" she was completely mortified.

"No, lean forward, I'll get it."

Cameron weighed the humiliation of having him wipe her face against the risk of going the rest of the night with a smudge on her face. She leaned forward.

"A little closer," he said.

She was all but draped across the table, House meeting her.

"There it is…" House leaned it but instead of wiping away the smudge, which he had made up, he kissed her.

Startled Cameron first tried to pull back but a hand on her arm kept her from it. She decided she didn't really want to pull away anyway.

His lips were warm, tender and tasted a bit like lemon. From his water she decided and it was the last coherent though she had as he deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth just a little inviting him.

He accepted greedily, quickly. He pushed against her teeth and felt her smile, he explored rubbing his tongue over hers, teasing her with a soft thrusting that certainly alluded to other things and relished capturing the moan she had in the back of her throat, swallowing it into him. He slanted again, every caress a blatant show of ownership of possession; he took her every breath and kissed her beyond senseless.

A cough made House slowly pull away but he never looked to the person at their side till Cameron opened her eyes; he wanted to see the effect he had on her. When she did finally, it was an expression of passion, of arousal…the dewy eyes of satisfaction and surprise. He smiled to himself pleased, and then he acknowledge the waiter.

"Good evening! Which can I get you tonight, with or without?"

Cameron crinkled her brow wondering if the man was really being as cryptic as he sounded or if House had scrambled her brain that much.

"The Sunrise only serves the Chef's special on the weekends and it comes only two ways, with meat or vegetarian--without," House explained.

"Oh," she answered still breathing shallowly.

House grinned, "We'll have two with" he answered the waiter.

"Very good, if you need anything else, let me know," the waited noted the choices and discreetly blended into the building crowd.

"If you've changed your mind…if you've decided you have feelings for me…you have to say so…I can't keep playing these games with you…" Cameron focused her gaze around House's left shoulder, unable to look him in the eye, "You can't play like this…flirting in the office is one thing…but this," she waved at the space between them, "This isn't fair! You don't have the right to toy with me…" her voice was all but a hoarse whisper by the time she finished.

House nodded solemnly leaning his forearms against the table.

"Would you like me to tell you that when I was shot the first thing I thought of and the last thing I thought of was you?
"Would you like me to tell you that after the hallucination when I came to I was glad the first face I saw was yours. That you looking down on me made me want to fight, made want to try.
"Would you like me to say that I pushed every day of rehab for you because I realized I could have died without telling you that I cared?
"Or maybe you'd rather I said something about how it took getting shot, then thinking the ketamine was wearing off two months later to make me realize that you were the only one who had loved me through it all and would love me no matter the situation…" House paused seeing the tears starting slowly to trickle down her cheeks, "Because I can…but it wouldn't be me. It wouldn't be real." He lifted her hand off the table and laid it on his chest, over his heart, "I am real Allison and if pouring out words of manufactured emotions is what you want I can give it to you and perhaps in someway they would be somewhat real, but it would never be me. It's that simple, no games."

Cameron shook her head sadly, "That was not simple" she pulled back her hand, "and you can go to hell, because I am worth more then that little stunt you just pulled. You want to make fun of me that's fine, you want to throw back my loving you in my face go ahead but this is the last time. I won't apologize for being romantic or having a heart or wanting to know simply, without your layers of sarcasm, if you love me, if you even like me or you simply think I smell nice."

House drew a breath, "I like you—most the time. You do smell good…and I do love you. Is that simple enough?"

She blinked, "What?"

"I said I love you, now eat before it gets cold."

Cameron looked for a fleet second to the table and found a plate in front of her which she had no recollection of how it got there, her gaze then went right back to House. He however wasn't looking at her but was eating.

"What did you say? House you can't say something like that then go on eating!" she exclaimed.

"Like what?" he paused between bites.

"Like what you just said…"

"What? You wanted me to say what I felt plain and simple on your terms, I did, and now you want to question me about it? I really can't please you can I?" House looked toward the ceiling thoughtfully, "Are you sensing a strange and inescapable pattern?"

"You are incredible!" she folded her arms unbelieving.

"Yes I am, and you are such a girl," House pushed his plate away. Her face was incredulous as she stared at him tears still glistening.

"Ladies and gentlemen the Blue Sunrise is pleased to introduce, here by special request, one night only, the wonderful and talented Miss Norah Jones," Roger had succeed in getting everyone attention including House and Cameron's though theirs was easily lost again.

The lights were all but out now, low spot lights on the on the platform as soft, sweet music filled the room.

Like a flower waiting to bloom
Like a light bulb in a dark room
I'm just sitting here waiting for you
To come on home and turn me on

Cameron's had tears welling; this wasn't how she pictured it being with House…

"Look at me Allison," House prodded.

Cameron shook her head keeping her face turned to floor. "You don't get it House…you just don't get it," she shook her head miserably putting her napkin on the table she stood to leave.

"Wait," he reached for hand to stop her.

"No, I'm done; this whole night has been a catastrophe and humiliating. You don't care about me, about my feelings; you think it's a game. I've stood by you, stood up for you, I've been there behind you for you to fall back on, I've loved you without fail or pause but it's never mattered. I'm just a joke to you. I get it, but you don't have the right to humiliate me because of it."

She tried to pull away but he wasn't letting go. He rose to stand before her, he ran the back of his other hand against her cheek, "I care for you Allison—I love you. I'm not making fun of you, I am terrible at sentiment, I don't easily accept love nor do I give it easily. I've been emotionally turned off for so long I don't know how not to be. I've been angry and damaged but I love you, I need you. I need you to help turn me around, to help me start over, I need you to turn me back on…you can do it, only you, you've made it a habit of disarming me, finding my hidden rooms the places in me I'd locked and opening them. I've fought you because of that, but I'm done now, I love you, I want you. I want to be whole, I want to start over, start new…with you." He wet his lips, "So there it is, not so romantic or poetic but real…"

She didn't want to be moved by what he said, she wanted to walk away but it was impossible, "Oh Greg…I," she was helpless; she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.

Her clung to her, face in her hair he breathed in her scent. He held her felt her hot tears on his neck where she pressed her face.

He pulled to look at her, "No more tonight," he tipped her chin with his thumb, "no more talking or arguing just dance with me…I haven't danced in years…" he smiled brushing away what he hoped to be the last of her tears.

Her words were useless so she nodded.

The floor had only a few couples as House led Cameron to the center of the floor. He wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head on his shoulder.

My hi-fi's waiting for a new tune
The glass is waiting for some fresh ice cubes
I'm just sitting here waiting for you
To come on home and turn me on
Turn me on

"I love you Allison…"

She smiled into his icy blue eyes, "and I think you smell damn good Greg."

They laughed softly and House kissed away her remaining thoughts.

------Turn Me On------

Okay, well originally, this was supposed to be the end—sort of, but I went back and have written another little scene which ended up being long enough to stretch into another chapter. So this is TBC with one more chapter which will be coming soon! Thanks for reading!!!! You guys are great! Please, please review, I love reviews! Please, pretty, pretty please?

RA