Disclaimer: I forgot to say before that hardcore MerDer or McDreamy fans in general may light up torches after several chapters of this. So if you have matches and gasoline, you might not want to continue reading. George, Izzie, (not paired) and Burke/Cris fans will probably happily roast marshmallows, however, on the bonfire!

For House fans, it's a House/Cam ship.

Chapter 3

House walked into the conference room, finding Cameron alone at the table. Passing her, he limped to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup. He got her one, too.

Cameron looked up, surprised, when he handed her the coffee. "Thanks," she stammered.

"What are you doing?" He sat down across from her. House forced himself not to stare at her.

She was near contemptuous. "I'm reading. We have no patient, remember?"

He sighed. "We have no patient because we're leaving tomorrow, remember?" he said snidely.

"A trip to LA with you. What fun," she said sarcastically.

House smiled. "It will be if you have dinner with me."

He had said it so quietly, she thought she hadn't heard him right. "What?" she gasped.

House leaned over the table. "I already have reservations made."

She did not know what to say, so he kept going. "Make sure you're dressed like a model. Maybe we'll score free food."

This time, Cameron opened her mouth to say something, but Foreman and Chase busted into the room. "You'll never guess who's going to this thing," Chase said excitedly.

"Derrick Shepherd and Preston Burke." House replied, seemingly bored with the whole topic.

Chase's shoulders hunched as he stood there deflated. House cursed under his breath as he saw Cameron's face light up. She exclaimed, "Are you serious? Shepherd is the best neurosurgeon in the country. And Burke is almost a sure bet to win Chief at Seattle Grace when the current one retires."

"Oh, please," House whined. "They're surgeons! You can't find anyone more annoying and egocentric than a surgeon."

Chase, Cameron, and Foreman just stared at him, barely containing their laughter. House rolled his head in frustration. "Go do your jobs."

…………………………………………

Burke found Shepherd in the lobby of Seattle Grace. He put his hands on his hips, his eyes darting around observing the people in the hospital. "House is coming to the convention this year."

Derrick Shepherd rolled his eyes. "Oh, no. Gregory House?" he asked. When Burke nodded, he added, "Can there be anyone more obnoxious than that diagnostician? He would hit on Addison every time we saw him."

Burke laughed softly. He was anticipating a week away with Cristina. Ever since the shooting, he never felt like the man he had before. Burke wanted to prove to Cristina that he could be. Deep down, maybe he hoped she could prove it to him.

Derrick scratched the back of his head. "So what are we going to do?"

Burke blinked his thoughts of Cristina away. "About House?" he asked. Chuckling, he added, "We'll do what everyone does with Greg House. Hand him some Vicodin and step back."

TBC