Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 8.

A/N: Popcorn ready? :)


Chapter 9

As soon as Cameron came into view of House's office, she immediately noticed that all the blinds were drawn. He barricaded himself into his office, yet again, and that usually meant trouble. She almost reconsidered her decision of coming here when she remembered that she can still leave once she finds out the ridiculous reason behind his paging her. This should be over soon, and when she gets home she'll treat herself to a nice, hot, bubbly bath. She smiled before opening the door and entering his office.

He was lying on his recliner, resting his feet on the footstool.

Keeping the door open, she casually leaned on the door frame.

"What's the big emergency?"

He answered calmly, "Close the door."

She didn't budge, so he repeated his request, "Close the door, please," the 'please' part being obviously exaggerated.

She reluctantly moved and closed the door behind her, taking a step forward.

"I worked a double shift today, so I'm really tired and I would appreciate it if you stopped fooling around and told me what this is all about."

"Oh, you worked a double? Didn't know that."

She placed her hands on her hips and kept looking sternly at him.

"Well, my shoulder hurts… and my back too," he continued.

She was unrelenting, "What has that to do with me?"

He smirked, "Apparently you are famous in this hospital for your magic fingers."

She raised her eyebrows, her face softening slightly, "Where did you hear that?"

"Nurses talk. You shouldn't have been so generously providing people with your services if you wanted to keep it a secret."

She sighed, "I suppose so. So, you want me to give you a massage?"

He sat up and smiled, "Since you're offering…"

She appeared to be contemplating the decision, "Fine, but my back also hurts from being on my legs the whole day, so I propose a return service."

"You'll do me if I do you?" he smirked suggestively.

She laughed softly, "In a manner of speaking, yes."

He scooted forward on the recliner, "Me first."

Still smiling, she walked over to him, lifted her right leg over the recliner and sat down behind him.

She had no idea why she agreed to this, she really did just want to go home. No, of course she knew. She'd feel too guilty, if she just left him here in pain, damn her good conscious.

She gently rested her hands on his shirt-clad shoulders and he immediately responded by leaning forward and lowering his head slightly.

She couldn't remember when was the last time she was this close to him, if ever, and the intimacy of the whole situation was making her a little nervous. She was just being silly, what was there to be nervous about?

She started moving her hands, applying light pressure.

"Your right shoulder?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he answered just as softly.

She continued her movements, increasing the amount of pressure. Her fingers travelled higher towards his neck, where she was making small circular movements with her thumbs.

All the while, she was concentrating on his breathing, which was slow and even. He seemed to be perfectly relaxed. Every once in a while, especially after she pressed her fingers harder, he took a deeper breath and she could feel his torso expand under the palms of her hands.

She slid both hands lower to start working on his lower back, and he leaned further down to give her better access.

Gliding her hands over his back once more she told him, "All done."

"Mmm, the nurses weren't kidding, you really have some skilful fingers."

Smiling, she stood up, "My turn."

He raised his head to look up at her. "Do I really have to?" he asked, his face a mixture of hopeful and pleading.

"That was the deal."

He sighed theatrically and scooted backwards to give her enough space to sit down.

She did so and she willed herself not to jump when he rested his hands on her shoulders.

He ran his hands up and down her upper arms when he spoke, "Triceps Brachii, Deltoid, Trapezius."

He slowly traced her muscles with just the tips of his fingers, naming them, "Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Teres Major, Rhomboids."

He slid his hands over the sides of her back towards her lower back, "Latissimus Dorsi, Erector Spinae."

He finished the journey by resting his hands on her waist and naming the final muscle, "External oblique."

"That's how we studied in med school," he explained while beginning to massage her, "We'd find some girls and practiced our anatomy lessons on them."

"You felt them up," she stated.

"I'd prefer to think of it as a very enthusiastic and very voluntary help with our intellectual endeavours."

She laughed at that and he could feel the vibrations through his hands.

The rest of her session passed in silence and she began to gradually relax as he worked her tired muscles. By the time he was done, her eyelids were heavy. A few more minutes of this and she would probably doze off.

Noticing this, he nudged her, "Wakey, wakey."

She answered sleepily, "You're not half bad at this."

"Don't tell anyone, those nurses are all over me as it is."

He could hear laughter in her answer, "Of course."

She yawned, "I think it's time for me to go home, I can barely keep my eyes open."

She stood up and turned around to face him, "You going too?"

He swung his left leg over the recliner to meet his right one and held out his hands.

She gave him a curious look.

"My leg hurts," he gave her as an explanation.

She had no more strength in her to fight him, so she simply outstretched her arms and clasped his hands. She used all of her remaining energy to pull him up.

He sprung up right in front of her. For a moment neither of them moved, but then he tightened his hold on her hands and pulled her just that much closer.

She didn't resist. She couldn't resist. She was drained of all of her energy and will-power. She was nothing but a puppet and he was the puppeteer. If he went to throw her of the roof, she wouldn't struggle. That was the truth, well, most of it.

He let go of her left hand to place his palm on her cheek, caressing it gently.

He was encouraged by the fact that she didn't recoil. So far, so good.

Freeing his other hand, he rested it lightly on her hip, all the time keeping eye contact with her. This is it.

She saw the distance between them vanish, inch by inch and still, she couldn't move. Her stomach was in turmoil, her nerves getting the best of her, but she remained rooted to that spot, unmoving, yielding.

She closed her eyes the moment his lips touched hers, her right hand coming to rest on his bicep of its own volition. She could feel his body heat through the thin layers of cotton and it only served to lull her further into this dream-like state.

His lips started moving over hers, slowly, faintly, until she responded.

She lifted her left hand, just barely touching his hip.

Her mouth opened instinctively in response to his and their tongues touched lightly.

He kept the kiss tender; every movement on his part a deliberate action. All, until he carefully pulled away keeping his face close to hers, their breaths mingling.

She didn't move away immediately, still too caught up in the moment, and the effect of his proximity.

When she did come to her senses, she took a step backwards, slipping out of his arms. She looked into his eyes and whispered, "I can't do this, sorry… I can't…"

And with that she almost ran out of his office, not even bothering to close the door behind her.

House was left standing there, unsure of what to think or do. His plan only came as far as this. He was still staring at his door, where she left moments ago, when he heard someone knocking.

Right… Chase. He should probably let him in now. He walked towards the back of his office, drew up the blinds and opened the door.

He didn't have a chance to so much as look at the guy, as Chase stormed out of the office without a word.


A/N: Long, but I didn't want to break it up again, partially out of fear for what you guys would do to me. :) Hope it was worth the wait.