Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

A/N: Finally some action! Things between House and Cameron take a step forward. I'm also I'm afraid you'll have to get by with this untilafter Tuesday, I'm going away on Monday and what with my Dad's girlfriend moving in with her other daughter and getting ready to go to Uni again things are rather hectic. Expect number twelve on either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Broken

Chapter 11

He was back at her apartment again. This was becoming a habit, and strangely enough he didn't feel in any great hurry to break it.

Once again she was sitting on the couch and he was in the armchair. He'd stretched his right leg out and Cameron was ignoring his foot on her coffee table, even if she was to protest he probably wouldn't move. She was hunched up on the couch; wedged into the corner furthest from him, hugging her knees.

"The look in his eyes… He just started at me the whole time… I think… I didn't look at him after the first few minutes. But I know he watched me walk in. Everyone was looking at me, but he was really looking, if you know what I mean."

House was quiet. He had a feeling that she needed to do this, to tell him exactly what she had experienced that afternoon. When Cameron stopped talking House stretched a little and made to get up.

"Are you going?" Her attention was immediately on him.

Was this a trick question? "Do you want me to go?"

"No." Cameron said a little too quickly. "I mean, you're welcome to stay… If you want." An uncomfortable silence. "I could… umm… make something for dinner…"

House removed his leg from her coffee table and leaned forward a little against the pain. "So you've got your appetite back."

Cameron laughed. "I guess so."

…

He couldn't sit there in the living room, watching as Cameron cooked them a meal. It was uncomfortable enough to just sit with her, having her cook a meal for them to share; that was a little too homely for his liking.

She was actually relieved when he suggested that they go out instead. With recent events she hadn't kept on top of the shopping the way she usually did. She knew that she had some spaghetti, she was pretty sure that she had at least one tin of mushroom soup, and there was half a block of week old cheese which she had kept on pushing to the back of the fridge because all her bread had been used up on soup.

Even as she spoke the words her mind was back-pedalling trying to come up with some sort of meal for two from the meagre contents of her fridge.

Perhaps he'd read her expression, or he'd not wanted to risk her cooking. Whatever it was she was glad.

Now they were sitting in a restaurant round the corner from House's place. Cameron guessed that he came here fairly regularly as at the door a waitress had greeted him with a "Usual place?" House had nodded and led Cameron to the back of the establishment.

It was almost gentlemanly the way that he held her chair for her. As he studied the menu, an act Cameron guessed was more for his, Cameron found herself looking at him in a way she'd told herself she wouldn't anymore.

…

"They've got to convict him." They were onto dessert and conversation had turned back to Kerr and the trial.

"By this time tomorrow he should be settling into his new permanent home."

"What if they don't?" It wasn't the words that made House look up, it was the tone. The urgency of her voice. There was fear in her eyes.

House couldn't lie to her. When the guy had got away from the police the first place he went was back to Cameron. What was stopping him from trying again?

He wanted to make some sarcastic comment about the jury or the trial, but none came to him. He wanted to at least make some comment that might get rid of that frightened look in her eyes.

He couldn't.

So with all his energy he stretched out his right arm, placed his hand over hers and squeezed.

…

"Detective Wallace said that he'd call tomorrow when the verdict's in." Cameron was standing at the doorway, House had told her he would just drop her off, but then he'd come right up to her apartment door. He was already regretting it, his leg was killing him.

"Good. What time?"

"In the morning, I think. Whenever the jury gets done. It won't take them that long, will it?" He saw the worry flash across her face again, and then it was gone. "God. This whole thing is making me paranoid." She took a deep steadying breath; in through the nose, out through the mouth. "I can do this. I'll be fine."

"You've done the hard bit. You've faced him. You can do anything." He adjusted his weight and leaned more heavily on his cane. Anybody else he would have just told them to get on with things and left, but something was keeping him here, here with Cameron.

His words had caught her attention. She could do anything. It was a cheesy comment and he'd intended it as such. But she couldn't help but be reminded of Wilson's earlier comments. He was pining for her?

If she could do anything, now was the time to talk to him.

"House. Could you come in for moment?"

…

She took another deep breath before she began. Her mind was racing through about a hundred different ways she could ask this question.

To her surprise House asked it first.

"You want to know why I'm doing all this, don't you? Why does House suddenly care so much?"

Cameron couldn't answer. As usual he had it completely right. She was heartened by the fact that he was acknowledging it.

Neither spoke. Each was waiting for the other to comment. House wouldn't let himself speak, he wanted to know what Cameron made of what he'd said, after all, he'd all but said he cared about her.

Cameron had to know for sure. "Do you mean it?"

An almost imperceptible nod.

Cameron grinned. "You care about me." She waited for House to deny it or alter his meaning but he said nothing. She made to step forward to sit on the couch, he was sitting in what she was rapidly coming to think of as House's chair, but as she got close he held up a hand.

House pressed his forehead against the cool handle of his cane. "No man should ever treat a woman the way Mike treated you." A long pause, this would be so much easier with some alcohol in his system. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the orange bottle. The next best thing. "I… It made me so angry seeing you like that… like this… what he…" He just couldn't find the words.

"House, you don't need to do this. Thank you. For letting me know." She sighed this was just going to make things more awkward. She turned her back on him and headed out towards the kitchen, the meal had made her fuzzy headed and this wasn't helping. She needed caffeine or a stiff drink.

Talking about feelings had never been his strong point, feelings and personal issues were two territories he didn't like to venture into and now he was getting dangerously far into both. Watching as Cameron walked away from him, even just into the other room, he felt as though he was watching her walk away for good. Kerr had almost caused that to happen.

Mentally he cursed himself for his complete inability to articulate what he felt and once again he wished for a drink. As Cameron walked into the kitchen he pushed himself up from his seat a little too fast.

His right leg started to buckle but he did his best to ignore it and forced himself forward wishing the Vicodin could get to work a little quicker.

With a speed he normally reserved for escaping from Cuddy he crossed the room. Suddenly he was face to face with Cameron and his lips were on hers. At first she resisted, caught of guard by his advance, then for second or two she relaxed a little to enjoy the kiss. But reason overrode her emotions and she pulled away leaving House looking bewildered.

"I'm sorry House. Could you leave now?"