A/N: I am pleased to present...my biggest update yet! If you get a chance, head on over to my new H/C fic, "Following". Oh, and congratulations to coveredinrain83, the lucky submitter of this story's 100th review!
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It had been almost a month since Cameron had returned, and House found himself spending most of his time in the office with her. The early awkwardness had grown into a companionable environment, and they often played their "case game" as they worked, respectively, on charting and video games. They'd listen to House's iPod sometimes, or rather, he'd plug it into the iHome that Cameron had brought in, and she wouldn't complain. Other times, they'd puzzle out cases together, each using their own slightly eccentric methods to try to unearth the solution.
Cameron had grown into a very capable doctor during her time away, and was becoming borderline brilliant since her reunion with House. He was still the real brains behind the operation, and that wasn't likely to change, but Cameron found herself being able to contribute more to the case, which she enjoyed.
They'd both stay later than they had to most nights, enjoying the easy companionship that had grown, rather than going home to be alone. It was on one of these nights that the dynamic changed. It had been a long day for Cameron, and she decided that it would be better for her to go home and get some sleep. She gathered her things and was almost to the door when House's voice stopped her.
"Do you want to come over and get some Chinese or something?" He asked. She was a little taken aback. House didn't usually invite people to come hang out at his apartment.
"Sure." She replied. "Want me to bring a movie?"
"Naah. You'd pick something girly. We can watch The O.C."
"Alright. I'll see you later."
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Cameron arrived at House's around 8. They'd never really specified a time, and she figured she shouldn't get there too early. House answered the door after a minute, wearing the same jeans and concert tee he'd had on at work. He held out a take-out menu as she settled on the couch.
"Pick out what you want and we'll order it now. It's just around the corner and they don't deliver, so I usually just walk." Cameron nodded and browsed through the menu, finally settling on the broccoli chicken. House phoned in the order, adding on egg rolls and wanton soup for both of them. He hung up the phone and turned towards Cameron, who was still seated on the couch.
"Will be weady in fiteen minutes." He announced to Cameron, imitating the voice of the Chinese woman who had taken his order. She laughed as he grabbed his coat and walked towards the door. "Coming?" He inquired.
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They walked down the sidewalk in a comfortable silence, enjoying the crisp air that shifted around them. Autumn in Princeton was always a beautiful sight. Before long, they had arrived at the Chinese place, which was little more than a room with a cash register and a cramped little table in the corner. House paid for the food while Cameron grabbed the chopsticks, and the bells over the door sounded as the two began their journey back to House's.
"What's the weirdest case you've ever had?" Cameron found herself wondering on their way back home.
"I'm not really sure." House replied honestly. "I have a tendency to get some pretty weird ones in this business." Cameron just laughed.
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"Eat the green onions!" House begged Cameron as he dug through his lo mein.
"If you don't like them, why do you order that?" She wondered.
"Because the rest of it is good. Why else?"
"You're like a five year-." Cameron was cut off as House deposited one of the offending onions in her open mouth. She just shook her head and offered the lid of her carry out box for the rest of said onions.
They watched the several episodes of the O.C., and Cameron found herself grinning as she wondered why House loved this show so much. She'd always thought it was more of a teenage girl thing. Still, she wasn't complaining. She was sick of being home alone, even if she would probably have been doing the same thing anyway. House was surprisingly good company.
"I can't believe you're actually being quiet."
"I can be quiet!" Cameron objected to the accusation.
"The only time you're quiet is when your depressed or fuming."
"Now you better be quiet, or I'll stab you with this." She waved a chopstick threateningly. He batted it away with one of his own and settled back into the couch and turned his attention back to the tv. Cameron sighed contentedly as she collected the empty Chinese cartons and disposed of them. She couldn't help but wonder if this was what House was like when he hung out with Wilson.
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"Twenty-four year old female." Cameron announced, walking into the conference room with a file. "Presents with muscle weakness and insomnia."
"Boring." Came House's reply.
"She's got the blood pressure of a 90 yr-old invalid." Cameron smirked as House reached for the file.
"Get a history." He told her.
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The history didn't reveal much, seeing as the patient had come in on her own and had no one to stop her from lying. The one interesting thing was that she had been diagnosed with a menstrual disorder earlier in the year. Cameron went to report her findings to House and see what he had discovered in his sojourn to the patient's house.
"Is she overweight?" His voice greeted her the instant she entered the office.
"Yes." Cameron replied. "Borderline obese. Why?" House took out a photo and slid it across the table towards her.
"I found this at her house. It's her, last year. Either she's a huge couch potato or we've got ourselves another symptom." Cameron looked at the picture and was surprised to find a pretty and very slim girl looking back at her. It was definitely the patient, albeit several hundred pounds lighter.
"Go get some blood work done." House decided.
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Cameron entered the patient's room again, smiling. This patient was one of the most pleasant the department had treated recently.
"Hello, Amanda. I'm just here to get a little blood. This might hurt a little, but it won't be much worse than a mosquito. Just a little more annoying." Cameron prepped the patient's arm quickly and inserted the needle. She had about three of the six vials filled when Amanda suddenly screamed.
"Get that out of my arm, you bitch!" The young woman demanded, her face contorted with rage.
"I just need to get a little bit more, I promise."
"Take it out! Now! God, you're stupid." The girl slapped Cameron across the cheek, and she withdrew the needle and gathered up the already collected blood without a word, exiting the room. Her face stung.
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"How's the blood work?" House inquired.
"I could only get four vials." Cameron replied neutrally, "But I have a new symptom for you. Mood swings." Cameron started to walk away, but stopped when she saw that House had his patented 'epiphany moment' expression on. Instead, she took a seat in her chair, wanting to hear about the diagnosis quickly, but not wanting to interrupt.
"Is she wearing a long-sleeved shirt?"
"Yes." Cameron replied, wondering what this had to do with the case, but wisely not asking.
"Check her arms."
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"You were right. She has red-blue streaks all over her arms. I'm betting it's all over the rest of her skin too."
"Good job. Now, what does she have, oh chosen one?"
"Cushing's." Cameron decided.
"You have done well, young Padawan. Start the treatment."
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Two days later, Amanda had been discharged. House had never even met her, and Cameron smiled at the fact that he could still diagnose anything without ever meeting the patient. He was less thrilled that the case had been solved and was moping around the office in boredom.
"Case?" He asked hopefully, as she walked into the room.
"Nope."
"Fake case?"
"Thirty-eight year old male. Various vague symptoms, including fever and fatigue."
"Fibromyalgia." House diagnosed without missing a beat. "Seven year old male. Complains of headaches, muscle spasms, lockjaw, and fever after falling off his bike."
"Tetanus." Cameron smiled.
"Forty year old female. Abdominal pain and infertility."
"Endometriosis." House grinned. "Sixty year old female. Arthritis, heart problems, and a pancreatic tumor. Benign."
"Umm." Cameron racked her brains but couldn't come up with anything. "I don't know." She admitted.
"It's been fun, Cameron." He grinned, happy to have won the round. "Look up the diagnosis for hemochromatosis before you leave, Cameron."
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Cameron had finished up her charts, replied to all her email, and at the urging up House, looked up hemochromatosis, and she was ready to leave. It had been a long day, and she still wasn't feeling the way she had five years ago. She gathered her belongings and prepared to head out the door, leaving House with one more imaginary case.
"Thirty-six year old female. Presents with insomnia, attention problems, and depression."
"The patient is broken."
"And what do you prescribe, Doctor?"
"Time."