Chapter 7. Wise Men Say Only Fools Rush In

At noon, House and Cameron left the clinic. She locked up and hung a sign indicating that she'd be back by one, and then they walked the short distance to the diner. The stream that had formed during the storm in the alley between the strip of shops and Mo's was almost dry in the warm and sunny June day.

The diner seemed to be doing good business, but House's booth was free, and they slid across the leatherette benches, each taking a menu from under the tabletop jukebox. Spotting them, Linda came right over with a big smile and a full pot of coffee. "And how are my favorite doctors today?" she asked, pouring them each a cupful and making sure they had cutlery and napkins.

"Hungry," House answered, and Cameron chuckled. "I think I'll go with the chicken and dumplings today," he told Linda.

"Good choice," she said, jotting down his order and turning to Cameron.

"Tuna melt," she said with a smile.

"I coulda guessed that one," Linda said as she left to call in their orders.

While they waited for their food, Cameron leafed through the selections on the box. She had some idea of House's taste in music, but wondered if she'd find anything there he'd like.

House watched her with a pretty good idea of what she was up to. He'd looked through the offerings the first morning he'd eaten at the diner, after he'd gotten his first hint that Cameron was working at the clinic. One song had caught his eye, even then. "Try G8," he said.

She flipped until she came to the 'G's and had to smile when she saw what it was. "You've got to be kidding!" she said.

"Why?" He dug in his pocket and came up with a few quarters. "Go ahead. Play it."

"OK," she said, grinning at him and inserting the coins, then pushing the buttons. It wasn't long before the strains of 'I Can't Help Falling In Love With You' filled the diner, and Elvis' rich baritone began to sing.

Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you

Cameron had never really listened to the lyrics before, but she was struck by them now.

The song was halfway over when Linda returned with their food. "Didn't know you was an Elvis fan!" she said.

"Not really," House replied. "But he did have a way with a song."

Linda chuckled. "Enjoy your lunches." She placed their plates in front of them and went on to other customers.

"So I looked over the requirements for licensing in Maryland," House said before stuffing a forkful of his chicken in his mouth.

"I don't think you'll have a problem with that," Cameron said.

"No, but as you told me, at least at first it'll have to be restricted to a specific facility," he said. "It's kind of a catch-22. I need to have a job lined up at a hospital to get the license, but I'll probably need a license to get a job."

Cameron nodded. "Yes, I was hired at the clinic before I applied for my license, and Dr. Sweeney worked with me on the licensing." She could see how it would be a problem if he didn't have that. "Maybe I should hire you," she finally suggested.

"But then I'd be restricted to work at the clinic," he pointed out.

"Ye-es, that's true," she admitted. It was too bad he'd already dismissed that option.

They were almost finished with their food when the door opened and Pete came in. He grinned when he saw the two doctors. "Howdy!" he greeted them.

House rolled his eyes. "How're you doing today, Pete?" he asked. For some reason he'd developed a tender spot for the older man, but he'd never let on.

"Much better!" Pete said. "And hungry for some of Mo's chicken and dumplins! See you beat me to 'em."

"Seemed like a good day for them," House said.

"Are you feeling any after effects?" Cameron asked Pete.

"Nah! Just been over to Luther's, checkin' on my boat," he told them. "Seems I'll be able to give you that ride real soon, Doc."

House hadn't really taken his offer seriously, but now he was almost looking forward to going out with Pete. "Let me know when."

"Will do!" Pete said, then moved down to sit on a stool at the counter. All of the other booths were full, but he didn't seem to mind.

"We should have asked him to join us," Cameron said.

"Then we would have been obligated to stay until he was finished," House said with a shake of his head. "No, I'm sure he was more interested in seeing Linda than either of us."

Sure enough, Pete had ordered his lunch and now he was flirting with Linda, who seemed to find whatever he said extremely funny.

"Something else good came out of that storm," Cameron said with a smile.

"Yeah, but now how do we get her to bring us some dessert?" House asked. Just then his phone began to play 'Dancing Queen'. "I should have changed that," he said, debating about answering, but he was feeling pretty good, certainly good enough to deal with his erstwhile friend. "You have reached...no, I already used that one today."

"House, where the hell are you?" Wilson demanded. "You said you'd call back when you got a chance. That was two days ago!"

"Time flies when you're having fun," House quipped.

"I repeat, where are you?"

"Same place as before," House replied. "Well, technically several hundred yards south of where I was the last time you interrupted me."

"House, are you OK? You sound kind of...manic."

"I told you. I'm having fun. And I intend to continue to do so." He saw Linda heading their way. "Gotta go so I can order some dessert." House began to close his phone.

"Wait! Just tell me you're fine."

"I'm fine, Wilson and soon to be finer."

"You said something about a storm last time."

"Yeah. Didn't it hit there too?"

"The hurricane?"

"No, a snowstorm in the middle of June! Of course, the hurricane. But it's over now, the sun's shining, and lovely Linda is here to see what else I want to eat. Bye, Wilson."