Turbulence:

Part Seven

…

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters or storylines appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: It's easy for Cameron to fly free when the past is nothing but a memory. What happens when her old life finds her again?

…

House and Cameron went on companionably, much as they had been, for several days. The sexual aspect of their relationship kept any arguments in check, a major contributor to the week going smoothly. House had noticed that Cameron was a bit quieter than usual, but he shrugged it off, attributing it to her job. He had always suspected that a children's hospital was too much for her.

Cameron definitely was quieter, but it had nothing to do with her job. It was just that she had a hard time having day-to-day conversations with House after her talk with Lucy. She was purposefully waiting for a day off from work to have that all-important discussion, but it was hard to wait when these issues were weighing so heavily on her mind.

…

When the day finally came, she couldn't find the words. She'd come into "his" bedroom of her own volition—she hadn't been in there since the day he arrived. His things were strewn everywhere, simultaneously making a big mess and, in a way, claiming the space as his.

He looked up when she came in, a questioning look on his face. When the words wouldn't come, she followed instinct. She kissed him, and everything else followed naturally.

Since the first time they had sex, things had changed. Cameron was amazed, to be honest, at his enthusiasm. "Wham, bam, thank you ma'am" definitely didn't cover it. She hadn't expected him to be interested in giving her pleasure, but, to her surprise, he seemed to thrive on it. And before she could think any further on the matter, she was swept away with him, on a wave of pleasure he inflicted.

He enjoyed toying with her, teasing her body. His fingers played her like a piano, and his tongue, well… she had always wondered about that oral fixation of his.

He turned from teasing to fervent, making her shudder and moan with an intensity that almost scared her. In the short time he'd been with her, his observant mind had found and memorized all her trigger spots. She couldn't, didn't want to make him stop, and he brought her just to the edge of orgasm, panting and begging for more.

He smiled—that smile that always took her breath away—and climbed on.

He started out gently. She was surprised by the gentleness he was capable of. But right now she didn't want gentle. She moved her hips, trying to urge him on, but he continued at his own speed, keeping her at his mercy. He had the upper hand and he knew it. He thrived on this.

Steadily he increased the pace until he was straining against his orgasm as hard as she was working towards hers.

"Come for me," he whispered in her ear, knowing that this would be the turning point for her. She let out a cry, and he shuddered as the last of his self-control fell to pieces around him. His eyes still closed, he dropped down beside her, breathing heavily and willing his heart to stop racing.

Cameron, when she had finally recovered from her high, opened her eyes to see him watching her. Just the sight of him, the mussed hair, the unshaven face, the incredibly blue eyes, was enough to make her heart race again. And she knew, then, that she couldn't put this off any longer.

She looked towards the ceiling and sighed. "House…" she trailed off, collecting her thoughts. "If this is only going to be sex and nothing more, I don't want it."

When she glanced over, he was still watching her, and he didn't make any move to speak. She tried to continue, but looking into his eyes made it too hard to say what she needed to. She faced back towards the ceiling.

"I can get sex other places," she said softly. "I know our sex is really good. But I don't need it." She paused, getting to the crux of the matter. "What I do need is for things as they are to end. I don't want to just have sex with you. I want more."

She looked back at him. His expression was inscrutable, and he still didn't say a word. "Look, if it's a no, I can deal with that. I just need to know."

After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Come back to Princeton."

She sighed. "I can't. Too much history. I'm afraid I'll go back to how things were."

"What's so bad about that?" he challenged, and she looked at him like he was crazy.

"My work life was toxic. My home life was nonexistent. How I dealt with you and Chase both… with everybody," she paused. "I won't do that to myself again."

House studied her expression, looking for a chink in her armor. Yeah, her life back there was kind of screwed up. But they were all screwed up. Did she think a change of scenery would make everything better?

He took in the rest of her, studying the changes he saw. He knew she wasn't the same person he'd known back then. Yes, her experiences had left their mark. The scars were still there, ones from when he'd known her and a few new ones that he didn't recognize. But the pieces of the puzzle were coming together in his mind, and he finally began to understand. She wasn't damaged anymore, not really. She was whole.

Before he knew it, he felt envy bubbling up inside him. He wanted that. It was absolutely stupid to think that moving states could fix him. But how did she do it? How could he?

Cameron's voice brought him back to reality. "House?" she asked hesitantly, seemingly waiting for some kind of straight answer. Nothing was ever that simple.

"Don't come back to Princeton," he said, his voice low. He stood, gathering his clothes in an attempt to avoid her eyes.

"What then?" she asked, sitting up to follow his movements. "You aren't moving." It wasn't a question. She didn't need to ask.

He sighed. "I don't know." He limped out of the room, leaving her to wonder.

…

The next morning, Cameron walked into the guest bedroom to find him packing. She folded her arms, leaning on the doorframe. "This is it, then?"

"Not much point in staying," he responded without looking up. He continued packing, waiting for some response from her. He expected resistance. Begging, maybe. But when he did finally look up, she was gone.

…

House and Cameron stood on the front step, saying their goodbyes. House was afraid she would make a scene, but, as usual, she surprised him.

"If you change your mind I'll be around," Cameron said, her eyes soft, a slight smile gracing her lips. It grew into a grin. "Or if you finally manage to lose your license, I'm sure I can find something for you to do." Even House couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

"Hey," Cameron said, suddenly serious. "I'll miss you." She kissed him with an ardor he returned in full. Finally, after a few moments, she pulled her lips from his, enveloping him in a warm hug. His free hand moved up to the small of her back, holding her tightly against him. He wondered if it would be the last time.

She almost didn't hear his whisper as he began to pull away. "I'll miss you too."

…