AN: Sorry it took a while for this chapter. I know House/Cam shippers wont like it, but before you lynch me, please remember I'm a House/Cam shipper too!

AN2: Tiredness is taking its toll on my muse. If you have any ideas for what you'd like to see happen, please let me know.

III

Cameron squared her shoulders and checked her reflection one last time. She felt nervous about doing this because she didn't understand what was happening. She also couldn't deny she felt a thrill at the thought of him seeing her looking dressed up for once and sharing dinner with him.

"At best he's being nice," she told her reflection. "At worst he's making things interesting for himself. Either way, this is not a date. Don't get your hopes up. We both know that that way lies only misery." She took a few deep breaths. "Here we go."

III

Cameron's recently reigned in nerves cranked themselves back up to gibbering idiot levels as soon as she entered House's office.

His desk had been covered with a bed sheet table cloth and two place settings laid out. The wine had been decanted to the coffee pot while the wine bottle stood in the middle of the table, holding the candle. The wineglass had also been pulled into service as a vase for the rose and two coffee mugs sat ready to serve as wine glasses. On the side of the desk sat a plate of bread rolls and in the background piano music gently drifted from the stereo.

"Just in time," House told her, bringing the plates through from the conference room.

"You changed." Cameron blurted.

House put the plates down. "Wilson keeps a spare suit here." He turned and looked at Cameron.

For a moment neither of them spoke. House's gaze travelled over her. The deep red wine colour of her dress brought out the warmth in her skin tone and made her hair shine. It pinched her waste and flared out over her hips, ending just below the knee. Her hair was swept up and piled on top of her head, tendrils escaping giving her a soft yet sophisticated look. He smiled tenderly. "You look beautiful." He told her.

Cameron smiled in reply. "You look good too. Only…" she walked up to him and took his jacket off, running her hands over his shoulders and down his arms. Her face was inches from his and he vividly recalled that kiss. He wondered if she was going to kiss him again.

House closed his eyes and inhaled her perfume.

If only things could stay like this, he thought. Just enjoying each other, not asking for anything or needing anything. But relationships weren't like that, unless you paid by the hour.

"It was too tight." She told him, once the jacket was off.

"Yeah, well, Wilson doesn't work out." House said lightly, opening his eyes again.

Cameron again felt trapped by his gaze. She swallowed. "He should."

House needed to break the spell. As long as she remained so close he was in danger of doing something monumentally stupid. He took the jacket from her and said. "Sit, before it gets cold."

Cameron sat and took a healthy drink of her wine to calm herself. She was thinking that it was a good thing there was a table between them, because after that little exchange, she honestly didn't trust herself not to do something monumentally stupid.

They ate in silence for a while before House asked. "So, things going well between you guys?"

Cameron had been lost in thought and took a moment to catch on to what he was saying. "Uh. Well, we've only had two dates, it's a bit early to be declaring undying love. But so far he hasn't grabbed my butt, made fun of women, gays or other races, he refused to let me pay for dinner and he's polite."

"Sounds perfect."

"There's no such thing as perfect."

"Sure there is, the perfect cocktail, the perfect vacation, the perfect woman."

"The perfect cocktail depends on personal taste, the perfect vacation is a dream and the perfect woman doesn't exist."

"When did you become so cynical."

"It's not cynical, it's realistic. If you expect perfection, you'll spend your life disappointed."

House thought about what she'd said a moment before asking. "So, what's your idea of true love, then?"

"I think it varies from person to person."

"That's a cop out."

Cameron thought for a moment. "Well I've never given it a lot of thought before, but I suppose if you're talking romantic love, it's all about trust."

House had expected something all together more girlie. "How so?"

"It's… I don't know how to explain it. But it's when you won't do something to hurt the person you love. Your actions are designed to help them, not hinder them. And when you know the person you're with only has your best interests at heart. Even if they do something you don't like, you know they're doing it because they believe it's best."

"I don't think that kind of selflessness exists."

Unfazed, Cameron continued. "You're right." House looked at her quizzically. Cameron smiled and explained. "Everyone is selfish. It's a basic human survival instinct. And what's the point in loving someone else if you don't take care of yourself?"

"Aah, so you believe that mumbo jumbo that you have to love yourself before you can love anyone else."

"No. If you had to do that, love would just die out. We're a very self critical race, on the whole."

"So you're saying that even a person in love will put what's best for him over what's best for the person he loves?"

"No, I'm saying it's love when you include the other person in your selfishness. What's good for them is good for you too."

House hadn't been expecting her to be so cynical. He'd assumed she'd believe in Prince Charming riding in to rescue the damsel.

"So your husband was wrong to marry you then? Watching him die wasn't good for you."

"Watching him die wasn't his choice, it was mine. He gave me plenty of outs, I chose not to take them."

"But if he'd really cared about you, he'd have pushed you away, knowing he would never be good for you."

Cameron laughed. "He wasn't Satan. He was a good kind man, who just happened to be dying. Yes, watching him die was hard, living without him was devastating. But if I could go back, I'd marry him again."

House paused to think up some more arguments.

"What's your idea of love, then?" Cameron asked.

"Love is a temporary cascade of hormones and endorphins which cause feeling of euphoria, causing people to make crappy choices."

"Wow. That's… harsh."

"But true."

Cameron thought a moment. "No, you've been in love before. The real kind, the kind that lasts five years anyway."

"I'm talking about what 99 of the population call love, which should more accurately be called lust."

"So what makes a long term love, in your opinion?"

"Who says what I had was love?"

Cameron realised he wasn't going to make this easy. "OK, so did you ever cheat on Stacey?"

"No."

"But you must have looked, seen people you liked, had opportunities. Why didn't you act on the impulse."

"Because I knew she'd leave me, and I selfishly didn't want that."

"So you did what was best for her."

"No," He was becoming exasperated. Explaining feelings wasn't one of the pastimes he enjoyed. "I did what was best for me."

"It amounts to the same thing."

"If you say so."

Cameron had pushed too far and knew she wouldn't get anything more. She changed the subject to something less contentious.

III

"I'll have to ask Wilson to bring me in some more." House shook the whisky bottle to emphasise how little was left.

Cameron finished her drink. "I'm going to go change. I'm beginning to feel faintly ridiculous."

"Who's going to see you? It's late, no one's walked past in an hour."

"It's not about being seen, it's about how I feel."

"Ah, I see. You're feeling silly for trying to seduce me."

"I did not try and seduce you. Whatever you think, and the rest of the hospital, for that matter, we aren't going to happen. Ever."

House laughed at her. "Did you miss that kiss last week?"

"Did you miss the needle I was holding?"

"You tell yourself what you have to to get through the night, we both know you still have feelings for me."

"Of course I do. But that doesn't mean I'm going to act on them."

"Sure," he said patronisingly.

"I mean it."

"I know."

Cameron shook her head and made to leave. But before she could reach the door, House had caught up with her, spun her around and before she knew what was happening, he was kissing her.

Cameron almost wanted to forget what a jerk he was and give in to how wonderful it felt, but she knew she had to stop this before it went too far. He was stronger than her but after a few moments she managed to push him off.

House looked shocked but quickly covered it.

"What the hell was that!" she demanded.

"Just trying to prove you were lying."

Cameron wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "You failed."

"This time, maybe."

"House, I," Cameron swallowed. "I could be on to something really good here with Doug. Why would you try and ruin that for me?"

"I was just proving my point."

"My god," Cameron said sadly. "What did they do to you?"

"Who?"

"I don't know, but you are the single most screwed up person I've ever met. Someone must have done that to you."

"Psych 101 rears its ugly head." House taunted.

"Just look at yourself. You know you have feelings for me, but you're so afraid of commitment that you deny them. At the same time, you don't want me to find someone else so you screw with anyone who shows any interest in me so that you can keep your options open."

"Ye-ah," he said scornfully. "I'm jealous of the men in your life. TB guy, Chase and the Waiter. Tough competition."

"You do it with Cuddy too. Everyone knows how you went out of your way to spoil her date a few weeks ago. You just can't let either of us get on with our lives. Just like you couldn't let Stacey go. Not until you had her, then you couldn't get rid of her fast enough. Let me get on with my life House. Please."

Cameron didn't stick around to hear his reply, but he did have the good grace to look slightly shame faced.

III

Cameron was setting her bed up on the floor when House came through to the conference room again. He'd been watching her, thinking how she looked, if anything, even sexier now. Her makeup was gone, her hair loose and she was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and grey sweat pants. Just like she'd look if she were coming to his bed. He pushed the thought aside and coughed to get her attention.

"Look, why don't you sleep in the chair. Better for you than the floor." He offered, magnanimously.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"I think I'll be able to restrain myself." He said sarcastically, backing up into his office. "But if you're worried about controlling yourself, I totally understand."

She realised she'd have to sleep in his office now, or he would have won. But if his goal was to get her in there in the first place, he'd win anyway.

She grabbed up her pillow and blanket, cursing his guile and wishing she could be one step ahead of him from time to time.