AN: I don't own House, or the characters. Thank you so much to all of my reviewers! To answer some of your questions, Cameron is not going to go crazy stalker on House. She's going to play the game to get what she wants. Also, I will do my best to "get rid of the skank" as quickly as possible! I'm so glad you're all reading this and enjoying it (a little bit?).

Chapter 4

Cameron was fuming as she brushed her hair. Why on earth did she need to fall in love with a man who was such an asshole? Getting the last of the snarls out of her curls, she started to apply the curling iron. If she was going to see him, she might as well look damn good while she did it. Finishing with her hair, she whipped the shirt off over her head and tossed it onto the bed. She stepped into the bathroom and washed her face before applying some concealer to her under eyes, brushing on some mascara and glossing her lips. When the knock came on her bedroom door she was busy examining her naked form in the mirror above the sink. She marched over to the door.

"What? I'll be out in a minute, just let me throw my clothes from yesterday on so I can go get my bags."

"I already got them."

She was slightly stunned. House had done something nice.

"Oh, well thanks. You didn't have to. I was going to run down and do it in a minute. Can you hand me something to wear?"

"I want my shirt back. Fair trade."

Cameron grabbed the shirt off the bed and opened the door a crack, shoving the t-shirt through. House grabbed it and shoved an article of clothing at her and she blindly grabbed it, shutting the door. Then she realized it was a pair of lacy briefs. And nothing else. She could hear him laughing on the other side of the door.

"You were right; you didn't bring any clothes, that's all I could find in your bag."

Cameron yanked the briefs on and contemplated storming out there in all her glory, but she snagged her towel from the floor instead and opened the door after wrapping herself in it. House was sitting on her largest suitcase.

"Don't be juvenile. Give me my bags."

"Well here I was hoping you'd just come storming out here itching for a naked fight. The towel is cheating."

"House, I'm not kidding. Give me my clothes or…"

She looked around the room frantically. The guitar! She ran to it and hefted it in her hand.

"I will smash it to bits. I want my clothes. Back away or the guitar gets it."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

"Have you been talking to Wilson? This seems familiar."

House got off her bag and stepped away. She slowly walked over and nudged the luggage away from him, keeping the instrument out of his reach. She just needed one bag. When it was far enough out of his reach she bent down and grabbed the handle, pulling it towards the door. When she pulled it over the threshold she laid the guitar gently down outside the doorway and maneuvered herself and the bag into the room safely. Cameron leaned against the door and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You know there was a time when I think you would've been happy to be naked in my company."

Startled at the sound of his voice directly on the other side of the wood, Cameron jumped away from the door.

"I told you. I loved you. That's past tense and you never even liked me, so it's irrelevant now. Isn't it?"

She busied herself with unzipping her bag and pulling out jeans and a sweater.

"Actually it is. Cuddy and I are "dating" now, I guess. It's just fun to pour salt into the wound every now and then. We wouldn't want it to heal completely now would we."

Pausing in the middle of pulling her jeans on, Cameron felt her heart lurch. He was with Cuddy. Her hope was gone. All she had now was her anger.

"Oh, House, is that what you were doing when you managed to get my fiance to go into anaphylactic shock at his bachelor party? I always find it hilarious when someone tries to kill the man I'm going to marry."

She finished dressing, and he'd made no reply so far. She opened the door to find him staring daggers at her.

"That was an accident and I was hallucinating at the time."

Cocking her head and studying him, she decided to go for broke and make him doubt himself.

"It is a little interesting. You were always so sure you felt nothing for me. And yet, your subconscious wanted my fiance dead. Did you ever stop to wonder about the particular day you admitted yourself to the hospital? My wedding day. Couldn't face me? Or couldn't face the idea that I was getting over you?"

House glared at her, noticing the tears in her eyes and not caring. He'd hurt her repeatedly through the years, why not once more? He turned to leave.

"That's it, Cameron. It had nothing to do with two of my fellows and my father dying. Or my addiction to painkillers. Painkillers that I was taking for my CONSTANT PAIN! It was all about you, of course."

He paused at the door to glance back at her. This beautiful broken girl that made him want to be more than he was, crying in his friend's living room. He couldn't tell if she was crying from the pain he'd just caused her, or if she was crying for him or just crying. In the end he decided to do what he did best. As House walked out and shut the door, he realized that the puzzle of Allison Cameron was going to be one of the hardest to solve yet. It was a good thing he was keeping his key.

Cameron really didn't do much all day. She ran to a deli down the street after drinking some coffee and puttering around the apartment for awhile. She ate her sandwich and watched some TV. When she got restless, she grabbed her purse and her coat and decided to go shopping. There were some cute little shops in the area and some retail therapy was in order after her House encounter that morning.

Making sure to lock the door behind her she got into the elevator and headed out. She window shopped for a bit, then went into a few boutiques. At the second store, Cameron fell instantly in love with one of the dresses on display. It wasn't her usual conservative style, though. This dress was a little on the sexy and short side. It was made of a deep dark blue silk and it was fitted. It would be tight and it would hit her thighs a few inches under the curve of her bottom. Completely different from anything she usually wore, it was beckoning to her. Where would she wear it? Maybe she could go out tonight. She could call Foreman or Taub and see if they wanted to grab a drink or something. Then she could wear her new dress. Even if all she did was wear it at home, she knew she'd feel sexy in it. Cameron made up her mind and asked the sales girl to take it down for her to try on. She took a deep breath in the dressing room after putting it on before she opened the door. She looked at herself in the mirror and her eyes widened. Perfect!

"I'm buying it."

It hugged her body like it had been made for her. The blue set off her eyes beautifully and it made her pale skin glow. She was definitely wearing this tonight, regardless of what she did.

After changing into her jeans and sweater and paying for the dress, she left with her spirits high. Now her mission was to find shoes. She finally found a pretty pair of strappy silver sandals. They were a little taller in the heel than she was used to but they went perfectly with the dress.

Glancing at her watch, Cameron realized it was after five and she was starving. She stopped at the same deli on her way back to the condo and got another sandwich before going into Wilson's building. She ate and called Foreman and Taub, getting voicemail for each of them. Calling Chase was out of the question. A niggling voice in her head told her she could call House. Maybe he'd like to get a drink. But, he was probably with Cuddy. Then an idea began to form.

She picked up her phone and called Cuddy.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Cuddy, its Cameron."

"Oh, Cameron! Chase told me you were in town and helped out last night. Thank you for that, by the way."

"It was no problem. Listen, I'm staying at Wilson's for a few days while he's out of town. I was wondering if you'd like to grab a drink or something. I've called Foreman and Taub, and I'm sure you understand why I haven't called Chase. I'm just in the mood to be social and I was hoping to have someone to do that with."

"Well I'll need to see if my babysitter can come over on short notice, so why don't I call you after I speak to her. It's been a long day and a drink sounds nice."

"Great, I'm hoping the others can join us, I'd like to catch up with everyone."

"Alright, I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye."

Cameron hung up feeling a little guilty. Then she called House.

"What?"

"So polite."

"People calling me should know I'm definitely not polite."

"Believe me, I know. I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I was rude and I'm sorry."

Silence on the other end. Then-

"You were pretty rude. Even after I got your bags for you."

Cameron huffed in annoyance. Typical House.

"Well, I think we both said some things that were regrettable. Anyway, I was wondering if you'd like to grab a drink tonight. I've called everyone else and they're either busy or not sure yet if they can make it."

"We tried the date thing, Cameron. It didn't work."

"This isn't a date! I wanted to go get a drink but I was hoping to have a drinking buddy instead of drinking alone. You of all people should know how much drinking alone sucks."

"If you buy, I'm in. Just don't whine anymore."

"Fine."

"When and where?"

"About 2 hours, the bar a few blocks from here. The piano bar, I'm not sure what it's called."

"I know it. I'll pick you up on my way."

"I'm not riding the motorcycle."

"Fine, I'll stop at the condo and we can walk from there."

"OK see you later."

House hung up and Cameron stared at the phone in her hand for a minute. Then she rushed to get ready. She had to put her game face on tonight. She wanted to ooze sex, to look breathtaking and amazing so he could look at her and Cuddy together. He wouldn't be able to help making comparisons. All she needed to do was plant the seed of doubt.