Amazing Grace- A House/NCIS story

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything House related except DVDs. Ryan is mine, though.

Chapter six:

"Do you guys do this often? Break and enter?" Tony asked Cameron as she drove along the Princeton streets.

Cameron laughed. "Actually, yeah. It's the best way to get all the details that the patients don't tell us. Either they don't think it's important, or it's something they're trying to hide. Isn't that the way you solve crimes?"

"Well, yes. The only difference is, if we get caught, we can't get arrested." He grinned.

Cameron smiled brilliantly and pulled the car up to a stop outside the house. "Ok, good thing you're tagging along then, huh DiNozzo?"

"So, where are you from?" he asked casually, once she had found the hidden spare key and let them inside.

Cameron smiled to herself, but played along. "Uh, Wisconsin. You?"

"New York. Siblings?"

"Three brothers, two sisters. Andrew's in the navy; Matt owns a nightclub; Sophie's a teacher; Nick's a chef; Jacqui's a interior decorator; and I'm the youngest. And you?"

"Ah, only little me, I'm afraid. Which you know I'm not complaining. Otherwise I'd have to share inheritance, and I really want a pony."

Cameron giggled, rummaging through drawers in the study. "I'm smelling wealth. Ha! See, anti-depressants. Prescribed to Captain Adam Roosevelt."

"Actually, I'm not going to inherit anything. My mom's dead and my father is an alcoholic serial-marrier."

Cameron winced slightly. "Sorry. It seems every guy I know has parent issues. That's why I tend to keep quiet my 'perfect all-American family living on the ranch one big happy family' childhood. I'd hate for people to think I'm rubbing their noses in their issues. Hobbies?"

"Stalking pretty women with idyllic childhoods," he joked. "Nah, music and movies. Making fun of McGee, hiding from Gibbs, the usual. You?"

"Dancing, reading, movies and music. I like to cook, but I prefer it when I'm at home. When we all cook together."

"Wow, Midwestern home cooking. Remind me to have you feed me before I go home," Tony said wistfully.

Cameron giggled and continued her search. Tony followed her into the master bedroom and plopped down onto the bed.

"So, let me get this straight. You're beautiful, a dancer, family-orientated, caring, sweet, beautiful, you cook, smart, beautiful and you're still single?"

Cameron blushed and paused from rifling through the nightstand. "It's not that simple. My work schedule isn't very flexible, and I don't go out a lot. Makes it hard to meet people."

Tony smiled and offered her his hand. "Well then... hi, my name's Tony and I think you're gorgeous."

Cameron couldn't believe what she was hearing, but in a good way. She smiled softly and shook his hand shyly. "Allison. And you're not too bad yourself."

Still slightly embarrassed about his outright interest in her, Cameron seemed flustered as she pulled her hand away and went to search under the bed, whilst Tony searched the closet.

"Hey, Tony?" Cameron's worried voice brought Tony to the bed. She held up a pillow with a large patch of what was unmistakably dried blood on it. Tony grimaced.

"Well, is that a new symptom or unrelated?"

"Whatever it is, it's not good," she replied grimly.

She bagged the pillowcase carefully, and Tony drew Adam's duffel bag out of the closet.

"Hey, lookie here," he exclaimed. Cameron looked up and saw him holding a bag of grass.

"What is that?" she asked him in confusion.

"This, Dr. Cameron, is foreign weed. Perfect for relieving stress on those long voyages to the middle east."

The two shared a look of concern. When they returned to the hospital, Cameron reported their findings to House and offered to take the grass and pillowcase to Abby in the lab.

"Whatever. Foreman, go ask the Captain about the weed. See if he remembers an unusual high."

Foreman nodded and he and Cameron left the office, she and Tony sharing a smile as she passed. House saw this and scowled. Gibbs saw both of these, and smiled to himself, but smacked Tony on the back of the head as his agent passed on his way to the coffeepot.

"Ow!"

"Abby?"

The forensic specialist turned as Cameron entered and turned down the music blaring through the speakers on her I-pod.

"Hi. Dr. Cameron, right?"

"Allison," she corrected, shaking hands. She held up the findings from the home.

"We found some blood on a pillow case in Adam's home, and something we think is some form of weed. Gibbs said to bring it to you."

Abby nodded and took the bag. "Sure, no probs."

Cameron looked around at the lab and it's equipment. "You're really at home here, aren't you?"

"Definitely."

"Is it okay if I hang around and help?"

Abby smiled at the other woman. "Sure. I'm just going to make sure the blood is the captain's and then I can analyse the grass. You can start the blood work if you want to help."

"Sure." Cameron pulled on a pair of gloves and set to work. "So, considering it seems you've been here since you arrived, have you met any of our team?"

"Yeah, they stopped by to acquaint themselves with me."

Cameron nodded. "And? Impressions, thoughts?"

Abby paused thoughtfully. "Foreman seemed alright. Chase... he told me this strange story. Something about a great white, and-"

"Punching it on the nose," Cameron groaned. "Yeah, that's a well-known story. I apologise that you had to hear it."

Abby chuckled. "Don't worry. I told him how, with one of my ex-boyfriends, we once did it on a bed of nails. I think I scared him off."

Cameron laughed, picturing Chase's face. "Oh, I wish I could have been there. Hopefully, Foreman took a picture."

Abby grinned. "So, what's the nightlife around here like?"

"Uh, not bad. There's a few decent clubs and bars around, but not much outside of that. Why?"

"I'm a night bird. Maybe we could go out with Ziva tonight. Blow off some steam?"

Cameron considered it, and smiled excitedly. "That sounds like fun. Are you and Ziva close?"

"We have our moments. Sometimes you just really need a female friend, you know?"

"Oh I know. So I end up calling one of my sisters."

"Really? Where do they live?"

"Sophie's in Wisconsin still, in Madison; and Jacqui's in New York. Do you have any siblings?"

"A brother. I love him, but then there's times when I want to kill him."

Cameron laughed. "I know. I've also got three brothers. One of whom is in the navy. When he's away, I miss him like crazy; but when he's home, he drives me insane!"

"Apparently that's their job," Abby informed her. The computer beeped and interrupted their conversation.

"Well, the blood on the pillowcase is definitely Adam's," Cameron said, sighing as she looked at the results.

"Yeah, but look at the grass he's been smoking," Abby said in amazement, staring at her screen.

"Abbs, what you got?"

Both women turned in surprise to see Gibbs leading the others into the lab.

"Oh. Well, it's good to know this still works interstate," Abby muttered, turning to her boss.

"How did you know she had something?" Chase asked in confusion.

"Gibbs always knows," McGee said seriously.

Abby shushed him and pointed to the screen. "Well, I ran a sample of the weed and analysed it, and you'll never guess what was in it, Gibbs!"

"A partridge in a pear tree?" guessed Tony quietly and both Gibbs and Ziva smacked him on the back of the head.

"Actually, close Tony. Good guess," Abby replied.

"See? Good guess. No need to slap me again, I know when to shut up," he said quickly, dodging Ziva's out-stretched hand.

"The weed contained a pesticide, which is commonly used to fertilise fruit trees, but can tear up the lungs pretty bad if inhaled too often."

"Which explains where the blood came from," Cameron contributed.

"Adam admitted to the weed," Foreman announced. "He said they bought it on the black market in the Palestine market place, and a few of the men shared it among them on the trip back. The two men who died were the ringleaders. They bought it, and shared it around. Adam says he only took part in it once."

"He just must have been unlucky enough to get the slow spreading poisoned part, not the lethal part," Chase added.

"I'd say that makes him lucky, not unlucky," Cameron frowned.

House seemed light-hearted. "Ok, so we start him on hydrolyse, and he'll be fine. Nice to meet you guys; send me a postcard from DC."

His ducklings rolled their eyes in unison. "He should be fine now, but we'll observe him for a day or two just to make sure," Foreman told Gibbs.

"Boss, I think we should remain and observe their observations," Tony added quickly.

Cameron suppressed a grin, but Gibbs agreed to his request. "Sure, DiNozzo. We'll fly home tomorrow."

"In that case," Abby spoke up. "For our only night in New Jersey, Ziva, do you wanna hit the town with me and Allison?"

Ziva seemed pleased at the invitation. "Sure, as long as the dress code is casual."

"We're about the same build, you guys can borrow one of the many outfits I never get to wear, if you want," Cameron offered.

"If they get a night out, do we?" Tony asked Gibbs.

"Suit yourself, DiNozzo. Go nuts."

"Great! Who's in? I'll buy first round, boys?"

McGee, Chase and Foreman all agreed, whilst House and Gibbs declined.

"Sorry, I'll miss Desperate Housewives. But you can take Wilson as my sub. He'll even offer to be the designated driver," House offered, referring to his best friend, Dr. James Wilson.

"Volunteering me again, House?"

Wilson himself now entered the lab, and Cameron introduced them all. "It's nice to meet you all. The nurses are buzzing with all the gossip. It's like a feeding frenzy out there!"

"Wilson, the boys are going out for drinks tonight. You in?" Chase asked the oncologist.

"Sure, sounds great. What time?"

The boys arranged to meet at the pub round the street at seven; whilst the three girls decided to come to Cameron's apartment at six. Cameron couldn't wait.