A/N: Ok, I was going to write a new chap for blood curse, but I'm tired and have a headache, so I'm just going to finish this last half of the too long chap 10. Enjoy and please review! I was majorly bummed about chap 10, I must confess. Was it bad?

Chapter 11: my special place

House and Cameron got into her car, and Cameron pulled out, but didn't head for home.

"You should have turned there."

"I know. I'm taking you somewhere special to me."

"Should I be worried?"

"Nope."

She drove until they hit the outskirts of the city, and kept going. She turned the radio to a hip-hop station, content that no love songs would play. House covered his ears, letting go of his jacket in the process.

When they were out in the middle of nowhere, Cameron turned on a gravel road, and drove another couple of miles before turning into a field. It was dark by this time.

"Here we are."

"There's nothing here."

"That's the whole point. Now, come on." She got out of the car, and went around to the other side, opened his door, took his hand and pulled him out.

He stood there, his hand in hers, and said, "Now what?"

"Now, this." She let go of his hand and climbed on the hood of her car, leaning against the windshield.

"Come on up."

He clambered up gracelessly, and sat close by her.

"And?"

"And look up." She looked up herself and he followed suit.

The clear night sky met his gaze, accentuated by millions of stars, and a full moon.

"Wow," he breathed.

"Yea, I love it out here. It's quiet and you can see the stars."

"You come out here to think, then?"

"To think, dream, whatever. It's a good place for that."

"Except for the insects."

"Yea, sorry, I forgot about those."

"Thanks for this. This is nice. I like quiet."

"I know."

"Happy birthday."

"Actually, this was a good one."

"I'm glad I could help out."

"Enjoy yourself today?" He asked her.

"Yep, I like planning things. I'm having fun with the wedding too. The rehearsal dinner is Friday, by the way."

"I figured, since the wedding's Saturday and all."

They sat in a companionable silence, looking at the sky, when Cameron felt his hand close over hers. She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"What do you see when you look up at the stars?" She asked.

"Stars."

"Look harder. I see endless possibilities, infinite distance, and a natural beauty like no other."

"I see…the big dipper."

"Ooo, where?"

He pointed and she followed his finger.

"I never looked for constellations before. I just looked at the sky as a whole."

"See, there's stuff you're missing too."

"See any others?"

"Orion's belt..right over there."

"I don't see it."

"That line right there, where I'm pointing. Are you blind?" He smirked as she elbowed him in the ribs.

"I see it now."

"No, you don't"

"Ok, fine, I don't."

"Well, it's there."

Time passed, and she was surprised to find herself dozing off. She lifted her head and looked over at him. He was still awake, staring at the stars.

"You ready to go back?" She asked.

"No, I think I still have a little more blood left that the mosquitos haven't taken."

She laughed at that, and said, "Well I'm ready."

"Were you thinking?" He asked her.

"Yes."

"What about?"

"Things."

"Not quite what I was looking for."

"Were you thinking?"

"Yes, same as you, about things."

"Let's get going, it's late."

She hopped off the car, and extended her hand to him. He opted not to take it, and got down smoother than she'd expected. They got in the car, and she drove back. They walked up to his place, leaning slightly on each other.

Once inside, it was clearly bedtime, as both were yawning, and nothing was on TV.

Cameron stared in disdain at the couch, then headed to brush her teeth, beating House to the bathroom. Once done, she opened the door to find him watching for her to come out, already in his pajamas.

"You done then?"

"Yea, good night."

"Good night." He got up and kissed her good night on his way to brush his own teeth, and she turned and headed for the empty living room.

"Where are you going?" He stopped her as she stepped out into the hallway.

"To bed."

"Well, it's painfully obvious you hate the couch. You spend the mornings rubbing your neck. You've said before you freeze out there. I just thought…" He shrugged and didn't finish his sentence.

"You thought what?" Cameron asked.

"That you might want to sleep someplace else; in here for example."

"I would like that, if you don't mind."

"I invited you, didn't I?"

"It sounded more like you expected me to ask."

"So, ask then." He averted his eyes from hers.

"Can I sleep in here?"

"Yes, you may. On the floor."

"Not much of an improvement from the couch," she said, looking doubtful.

"Or I guess you can crash in the bed," he told her quickly, making the words run together.

She grinned at that. "Are you nervous about me sleeping in your bed?"

"Not at all. There have been so many other women who've slept in it, what makes you so damn special?"

Her face took on a look hard as steel. "I'm not a hooker, and I'm sleeping with you, not with you," she replied tartly, going into the other room to change.

He called after her, "Which 'with you' carried the implication of sex?"

"The second one, that I'm not doing," she said, just as curtly.

"Thanks for clearing that up."

She was offended, that much was plain. He hadn't meant to cause that reaction, but it was par for the course. And he certainly wasn't one for apologies, so it was just going to have to hang in the air until she forgot about it.

He got in on his usual side of the bed, and left the light on for her so she wouldn't trip over the mess that lay about the room. He tried to ignore her presence when she entered, but it was difficult. She went around picking up various pieces of clothing and tossing them in a corner, for lack of a hamper.

"Stop the Ice Queen routine."

"Pardon?"

"You're mad, I get it. But freezing up is just going to make us both cold."

"I have no idea what you mean."

"She wants an apology. Of all the stupid things, a meaningless apology."

"If I implied anything earlier, I meant nothing by it."

"Is that your version of an apology?"

"It's as close to it as you're going to get."

"Then I'd better accept, huh?"

"I would."

"All right."

The tension in the air lessened, and she shut the light off, sat on the edge of her newly appointed side-of-the-bed, and chuckled lightly to herself.

"What now?"

"You have the left side."

"So? I figured you'd want to be closer to the heater."

"The left side is always the evil side. A mere coincidence? I think not."

"Ha, ha. I get it. Because I'm evil, I was inherently drawn to the left side. That's good."

"I thought so."

She sat there for a few more minutes, then swung her legs into the bed and laid her head on the pillow.

"This is much better, thank you."

"Sure, just hope I don't wake up to find you using me as your own personal pillow/teddy bear."

"Why? What would you do?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm sure I'll think of something."

"You don't scare me," she said, closing her eyes, with a smile on her face. She did roll around a lot. Who knew the position she'd end up in.

A/N: Okey, dokey, that's it for tonight. Please, please review! It would make my day. Give me some love!!