Sorry about the delay. Life got in the way.

III.

"There's one more thing I want." He said and leaned against the back of his couch.

She turned and looked at him.

"I want to know why you need the lessons." He said and tilted his head waiting.

Cameron looked at him and opened her mouth to say something but closed it again after a few seconds and smiled subtly instead. When she made up her mind she shrugged. "You know what? Teach me one decent piece and I'll tell you. Till then, I'll take care of the paperwork." She added and left.

Having no interesting cases, the team spent the following day doing what they were supposed to do. Foreman and Chase were helping in the ER again, Cameron was doing House's paperwork and House was hiding somewhere. He only left his hiding place when Wilson suggested they have lunch in the cafeteria. It was risky but making Wilson buy him a burger and fries seemed worth a shot anyway.

"So? Any plans for tonight?" Wilson asked while munching on a steak. "I thought I could come by and we could watch Monster Jam or something."

House looked up at him and swallowed. It was almost a tradition for the two of them, hanging out on Friday night but this time House was not so sure he wanted Wilson at his place. "Um, I'll pass." He said trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "I'm not in a mood." He added with an indifferent shrug and took another bite of his burger.

"Really?" Wilson asked raising his eyebrows. "Should I worry about being replaced by Lou the Janitor? Is he your new BFF?"

House snorted but his eyes stayed fixed on his plate. He couldn't tell him the real reason why he didn't want him to come that night, actually he wasn't sure he knew the reason himself. Was he secretly enjoying the piano lessons with his young beautiful duckling? No, that couldn't be it. It was just another puzzle to solve... after all why would a grown up woman need to learn to play piano and seem so desperate about it?

"So?" Wilson asked again, apparently not any closer to leaving the subject. "Hooker night?"

"On Friday? Are you out of your mind?" House growled and looked at his friend. "Double prices."

"Ahh, okay." He smiled and took a sip of his soda. "Is your burger good?"

"Yeah, why?" House asked and narrowed his eyes at him.

"You barely touched it. You okay, House?" Wilson asked and frowned resting his elbows on the table.

"I'm fine." House hissed and ate a couple of fries to prove it.

Wilson leaned back in his seat and narrowed his eyes again. House was acting weird and he wanted to know why. But before he could ask more questions about his friend's well-being, he noticed that Cuddy walked in the cafeteria and he quickly poked House's arm. "You might wanna run, Forrest, run."

House got up quickly and made his way through the door leaving Wilson, half-eaten burger and full plate of fries on the table.

At about 5 House limped into his office resolved to pack his stuff and head home. He was bored. Watching TV with a coma guy and hiding in the restroom lost its appeal after several hours and he desperately needed some kind of distraction, a case, a dying patient, something. When he walked in, he noticed Cameron sitting on the floor surrounded by huge piles of papers. She wore dark jeans and a white lace T-Shirt, she was barefoot and her long brown hair flowed loosely down her back. He cleared his throat and she looked up at him with a tired smile.

"Just so you know, this is just one 'chapter from the book I like to call Never ending Story'." She said with a sigh and ran her hand through her hair. "The rest is in all the boxes in the Conference room."

"Yeah, I'm a little behind." He said and no matter how much he wanted to look elsewhere, he couldn't. When she noticed he was still staring at her, she gave him a quizzical look.

"Wanna help me?"

"Noo, you need to earn today's lesson." He said and stepped over one pile on his way to his desk.

"It's Friday, House." She stated matter-of-factly while putting another file away. "I'm sure you have better things to do."

"There's still enough time for me to do things after you leave." He said and sat down. "What is it?" He asked and pointed at a pile on his desk with an annoyed expression.

"Papers you have to sign." She replied and yawned.

"Me?" He exclaimed.

"Uh huh..." She said, stretched her back slightly and House couldn't help but watch her.

"And what happened to 'I'll take care of the paperwork'?" He growled.

"I did." She said and turned her head to look at him. "I'm not going to fake your signature."

"Why not?" He asked dumbfoundedly and his eyes moved to her feet. Very soft, small and shapely feet. He gulped and looked down quickly.

"Sign it, please." She said softly and sighed before he reached out for a pen.

When he was done, he got up from his chair and limped over to her. He poked her thigh softly with his cane and she looked up at him.

"Let's get out of here. Weekend will officially start when you learn to play Chopsticks." He said and when she didn't seem to be moving he reached out his arm to help her from the floor. She smiled and took his hand getting up and quickly walking to where she had left her shoes.

Less than thirty minutes later Cameron was sitting at House's piano again staring helplessly at the notes in front of her.

"What's this?" House asked and pointed at the first note.

"I have no idea. Some kind of a Siamese note deformity?" She asked and scratched her chin.

"Cameron..." House sighed and she looked up at him shaking her head.

"It wasn't in the book. Honest!" She exclaimed apologetically. "I read it last night."

House gave her a soft half smile. "Move."

She moved to the right and he sat down next to her. "Right hand here, left hand here." He ordered and put her hands on the keyboard.

"Maybe if you played it first..." She suggested but he shook his head resolutely.

"You need to learn to read the music." He said and showed her the right keys. She watched his hands and wondered if she was ever going to be able to play herself. "Now, play." He said interrupting her thoughts.

She glanced at her fingers and then up at the notes before looking back down while pushing down the keys painfully slowly.

"No looking at hands." He said sternly.

"But..." She let out.

"Shhh, no talking either. Come on, you know what the notes are, play."

She was so concentrated that a little wrinkle appeared on her forehead and House's eyes wandered from her hands to her face.

"Good..." He whispered and she took a deep breath. "See? You're doing fine."

She somehow finished the silly song and her hands fell to her lap. She swallowed hard and turned her head to look at him while her leg brushed against his.

"House?" She said and looked straight into his eyes, which made him look at her as well. Her green doe eyes were glued to his making him feel somewhat nervous.

"Yes?" He replied and raised his eyebrow.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked and bit her bottom lip.

"Doing what?" His expression immediately darkened with an unreadable emotion.

"Helping me." She said softly.

"I told you... you want something, I want something." He answered with a little frown and got up from the bench suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He paced the room a little before stopping and staring at her again. "What?"

Cameron shrugged and looked out of the window. "Nothing. I just thought... Um, can I have some water please?" She asked in the end knowing the changing of subject was the best thing to do.

"Water?" House asked rather confusedly.

"Mm-hmm..." Cameron mumbled. "I'm thirsty."

House stared at her for some more before turning and limping to the kitchen. "I'll make you some tea unless you want Scotch or Vodka." He bawled with an annoyed tone.

"Thanks." She said so softly she knew he couldn't hear her. Something was really wrong. He was too different from what he acted like at work... he was always insulting all of them claiming everything they did was useless and that they were mediocre doctors. She could go on and on remembering all the offenses. But now? Now, when she really was useless and mediocre he would praise and encourage her? Why?

She was still sitting on the bench when she noticed he was returning to the room with a large mug in his left hand.

"I'm not putting that on the piano." He growled and placed the mug on the table. She merely nodded, got up and walked over to the couch before sitting down.

"Thank you." She said and grabbed the cup blowing on her hot tea to cool it and taking a sip.

House nodded and contemplated sitting down next to her but decided against it. Instead, he limped slowly to the piano, sat down and with a sigh he started playing. Whatever it was, it made Cameron turn and look at him.

The song was beautiful, she watched his fingers moving swiftly and eloquently over the row of keys, his face concentrated and even though she wanted to object that he was also looking at the keys, she wasn't able to utter a word. The music was minor key (she already knew what it was), smooth but not entirely sad, just thoughtful and somewhat soul-stirring. Her eyes wandered from his fingers to his face and she was surprised to see that he looked different... lost in thought and almost vulnerable.

He finished the song and lowered his hands away from the piano, his eyes fixed on the instrument.

Silence.

Cameron cleared her throat nervously and put her mug back on the table. "It was beautiful, what was it?"

House turned and looked at her and his face formed a peculiar, almost unreadable expression. Then he shrugged and looked away.

"Just a piece I thought you could learn." He said and got up quickly walking over to the cabinet where he kept the booze. He needed a drink.

"Um, well… but…" She mumbled and bit her bottom lip. "I don't think that's doable, House."

He poured himself a glass of whiskey and downed the shot. He immediately regretted havng played the piece. Why did he ever offer to teach her play?

"I thought it could be, um, okay. It's a decent song but not too difficult to play." He said and rubbed his thigh before taking out an orange bottle from his pocket and popping two Vicodin in his mouth. His leg didn't hurt that much but the found the pills comforting anyway.

She watched him and felt he was not comfortable having her around anymore. She got to know him well over the months of working for him and she knew she needed to leave. And more importantly, she felt the same.

She got up from the couch and walked over to the small table near the door where she had left her bag and her jacket.

"Um, can you e-mail me the sheet music?" She asked softly and turned her back to him while putting on her scarf and her jacket.

He looked at her and narrowed his eyes. "You're leaving?"

"It's late." She sighed while he took a few steps closer to her because he could barely hear what she said. When he stood right behind her she tried to straighten her jacket and her left elbow hit his ribs with a startling intensity.

"Owww…" House let out and staggered a little closing his eyes and gasping in pain. She turned quickly and her eyes widened.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" She let out guiltily putting her hand to her mouth.

"Uh huh…" He panted.

"I'm so sorry, House." She said and walked to him quickly. "Let me see."

"I'm fine, Cameron. Leave it." He groaned frowning. Yet, she put her palm to his ribcage and looked into his eyes.

"You should sit down." She said and moved him gently to his couch. She made him sit down while standing in front of him and a smile started tugging on the corners of her lips before she let out a low chuckle.

"You find it funny? Beating a cripple to a pulp?" He hissed which made her laugh out loud.

"I didn't mean to." She said with an innocent shrug and without giving it much thought her palm cupped his cheek. "Good thing I'm a doctor." Her action took him by surprise, especially when he felt her thumb caress his left temple slowly but he soon recovered from the shock and shook his head making her withdraw her hand.

"Only if you have X-ray vision." He grumbled and Cameron smiled.

"Can you send me the notes?" She asked changing the subject and he nodded. "Thanks." She added and grabbing her bag she left him apartment as quickly as she could.

Almost an hour and two glasses of Scotch later House found a yellowed sheet he had been looking for in one of his books. He limped to his couch and sat down with a sigh, his eyes watching the paper intently. The piece he chose for Cameron. The piece he hadn't played in over twenty years until that night.

He ran his fingers over the staff and licked his lips absentmindedly. Just looking at the notes was enough for him to hear the music in his head, the perfect, smooth passages, the emotion and harmony. He wasn't sure whether or not it was a good idea to have Cameron play it but there was no way back now.

He jerked when there was a knock on the door and he finished his drink before growling angrily and getting up.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Cameron again.

"Sorry, I must have forgotten my house keys here." She said and pursed her lips. House merely nodded and took a step back to let her in. She quickly made her way to the small table and bent down to get her keys which lay on the floor. She was about to leave when House spoke again.

"Wait…" He said and handed her a sheet of paper.

She glanced at the notes before a small signature caught her attention. She looked up at him with a quizzical look.

"You wrote it?" She asked.

House shook his head.

"But it says…"

He looked away and rubbed his face. "My Grandfather." He said with a somewhat sad tone in his voice. "Try not to lose it."

Once again thank you sooo much for the feedback. I lo-lo-love it... Hope you feel the same way about my story. Let me know, please.