House noisily yawned as he leaned forward, and carefully placed his bad leg atop the coffee table before him. He lazily reached for the remote, and began to mind-numbingly flip through the variety of channels. It wasn't until he tore his focus away from the screen, reaching for his bottle of Vicodin, that he heard the repetitive knocking at his front door.
He couldn't be sure, but he was fairly certain that the knocking grew louder with every second he took to heft himself off the couch, and towards the door. He grumbled underneath his breath, and threw open the door so fast that it slipped his hand and banged against the opposite wall.
"Cameron." His greeting was a blunt as his tone of voice. "I don't think the Russians heard you."
"That makes me wonder why you didn't," she scornfully remarked before slapping a hand over her mouth. The resulting blush tinted her cheeks pink.
A smirk pulled at the edges of his lips, but he said let the awkwardness of the moment soak in with a relish, rather than replying back. He heavily leaned on his cane, and jerked his head towards the inside of his apartment.
Cameron took the invite for what it was, and practically ran in – her hands twisting around one another in her nervousness.
House regarded her coolly for a brief moment, before he cleared his throat and asked, "To what do I owe the pleasure, Cameron?"
"I need you," she blurted out. Her eyes widened comically, large and hazel, before she corrected herself. "I meant your help. I need your help. We need your help."
Her previously pink blush deepened to a beautiful scarlet.
House offered her an one-armed shrug. "Everyone wants me – in every way." His grin was more of a leer, than anything. "Don't be embarrassed," he flapped his free hand against his thigh. "I'm used to it."
"You know what I meant, House." She managed to roll her eyes. "We need your help on a case. Now. It's urgent." Ah, the color was returning to her flushed cheeks. Trust work to bring some sense to the timid, young doctor.
"We," House drawled thoughtfully. "I do threesomes, but I draw the line at men."
"Yeah, I know," she snapped, "You just do them with hookers. Which is so much better." The sound of her hand smacking over her lips again was both amusing, and surprisingly loud.
"Wow," House crowed; a twinkle in his eye. "You've finally grown a backbone." He actually sounded impressed. "I mean, it's a unnerving to see little Allison trying to act tough. Very entertaining, though."
"House," she sighed, "House. House wake up."
House's eyes snapped open, and he wildly glanced around the room until his focus landed on a very concerned, very worried Cameron. She looked exhausted as she hovered by his side. He pulled away on instinct, and croaked, "What?"
"You're running a fever. We need to bring it down. If it goes any higher you can start-"
"Convulsing," he finished. He could feel the sweat dripping from his brow, and clumping his damp hair to his clammy forehead.
"Yes," she replied in relief. "We're going to need to move you to an ice bath. Okay?" Her hazel eyes were probing his face; trying to determine whether or not he was fully aware of the situation.
"I just got shot a few hours ago," he gruffly stated. "I don't think putting me in an ice bath is exactly a great idea. Do you?"
Cameron looked genuinely confused. It took the doctor a moment to realize why.
"How long ago was it?" She looked away. "How long?"
"It's been over a week," she finally admitted in a whisper.
House closed his eyes with a groan. He gingerly touched his jaw; grimacing when he finally realized the scruff that had grown there. He weakly dropped his hand at his side, and met Cameron's eyes with a sharp clarity.
"I had a dream," he mumbled. "You were there. You came over." He frowned as his fever spiked, and his words sounded distant to his own ears. "That wasn't a dream. Was it?"
Cameron felt her breath catch in the back of her throat, but she said nothing as she dabbed a wet cloth against House's forehead. He managed to feebly grab her wrist. "It wasn't a dream, was it?"
The young woman was glad when the nurses burst into the room, and began helping him maneuver from the stretcher to the tub of ice they had set up across the room. The doctor managed to send Cameron a sharp glare before his face slackened, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He convulsed violently, and watched in horror as someone shoved an object in his mouth.
"Doctor!" Someone was shouting, but she couldn't tell who. "Doctor, we need to get him in the bath. Now!"
She could only offer a numb nod before darting forward, and helping them drag House's seizing form into the tub. She stood back again, and allowed the nurses to to their job.
The auburn-haired woman turned, bit her bottom lip, and willed the tears to go away. She absently reached a trembling hand to and caressed her stomach – as if to soothe it.
TBC...
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