Sorry for the long wait you guys! Time got away from me, I really got into American Horror Story so I started writing for that instead and before I knew it, it was June. But school is over so I have a hell of a lot more time to work on this!

"Thanks for this," said Dexter. She was sitting on one of the benches outside of the hospital, House having smuggled her out for a bit of fresh air. When he said nothing in reply, she kept talking. "So do you know what's wrong yet? With the whole bus thing?"

There was a long pause, which was typical for him. It was his response that shocked her. "Amber's dead." House spoke with a monotone, staring absently down at the ground as he sat beside her on the bench.

Dexter wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. Who was Amber? The name didn't sound familiar. Yet, she said, "I'm sorry to hear that." Clearly it was someone House knew and was perhaps very close to.

"No you're not, you don't even know who she is." He did not use an accusing tone, just his usual idle voice as he tried to play this off like it was no big deal, though Dexter was sure he was probably hurting.

"Would you have preferred if I said something like: I don't give a shit?" Dexter retorted. She had said those words because it was just something that people said to give their condolences. Not surprisingly, House had to create a problem that wasn't there. He was good at that.

Another long pause. House refused to look at her and just kept staring at the ground with a glassy look in his blue eyes; the same blue as Dexter's. "She was Wilson's girlfriend."

Oh god, he must be devastated, Dexter thought in regards to Wilson. She knew what it was like to lose a loved one. She had lost her mother, after all. Dexter put a hand on her father's knee and he finally looked at her. Neither of them spoke and neither of them had to. Tentatively, he placed his hand over hers and gave a gentle squeeze. It wasn't much. But it was enough. It was a gesture that Dexter appreciated.

"Have you taken your medicine yet?" House asked her.

"No, not yet."

When she gave that answer, he pulled out his bottle of Vicodin and handed her a pill. "Go nuts."

She really shouldn't. But as Dexter stared down at the pill that now rested in her palm, she didn't see anything wrong with taking it, her reason being that her father was a doctor and surely he wouldn't give her something she shouldn't have. Besides, there was a dull ache that resonated deep within her body ever since the accident and she knew that Vicodin would help with that.

"Cheers," said Dexter and then she put the pill in her mouth, swallowing it dry. "You know what would be really great right about now?"

"What?"

"Diner food." Dexter had been craving for food other than what was served in the hospital. It wasn't bad, but something she easily tired of. She wanted a really good burger and a chocolate milkshake.

House smirked. "Patients aren't supposed to leave the hospital." They looked at each other with the same exact expression. Fuck the rules. He grabbed his cane and stood up from the bench. "Let's go."

"''""""'"""'""

"Okay, that was terrifying," said Dexter as she took off the motorcycle helmet. She rode pillion for the first time in her life and had been holding onto House so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

"Yeah, I gathered when you were digging your nails into my skin." Secretly, he had not minded. Secretly, it had been nice. He would always act like the uncaring bastard, even when it came to Dexter. But that was all it was: an act. He was capable of caring. And his caring capability was what triggered the next statement. "You never told me why you were on the bus."

Dexter stood on the sidewalk in front of the diner and folded her arms across her chest. The bus accident was the last thing she wanted to talk about right now. She couldn't remember most of it. She didn't want to. Though she did remember her reason for being there in the first place. "You don't remember? I called you and said I was in town. You said to meet you at the bar."

House couldn't exactly remember all of this. Chase had used hypnotism on him to help him remember what happened at the bar. But he didn't recall seeing Dexter's face. And then the answer as to why hit him. He couldn't recall seeing her face because she had never made it.

"You were on the bus on the way to the bar while I was on my way leaving." That had to have been it.

Dexter nodded, figuring that this was the answer as well.

It made sense. And for some reason they just didn't notice each other when he had gotten on the bus with Amber. Maybe because she had had her headphones in and he had been drunk. It didn't matter now.

The two walked into the diner and were seated in a booth. Dexter did not hesitate to order a cheeseburger with a side of French fries and a chocolate milkshake while House ordered almost the same thing, but settled on a vanilla milkshake instead.

"So what's up with the new team? What happened with Cameron and Foreman and Chase?" Dexter asked while the pair waited for their food.

"Long story," House answered curtly. Talking about the new team would mean having to talk about Amber. And he wasn't quite ready to do that just yet. Or ever.

That answer wasn't satisfying enough to Dexter, who went on to say, "It's a good thing we've got time then." And they did pretty much have all the time in the world. Even when they would have to go back to the hospital, he worked there and she wasn't ready to be checked out just yet. It was as if they had all the time in the world.

Her reply did not encourage him. Instead, he changed the subject. "How's your aunt?"

Dexter scoffed quietly, shaking her head. "Now I know you don't really care about that answer. If you don't want to talk about your new team then just say so."

"I don't want to talk about my team," he deadpanned.

Good, he was still capable of being direct with her. That was all Dexter really wanted: for her father to be able to give it to her straight. No tiptoeing around each other. Just utter truth. Which brought her to her next point. "So, I know this is kind of random but… how do you feel about homosexual people? Lesbians in particular?"

"They do tend to make hotter sex tapes."

That was very discouraging. But Dexter felt like she couldn't let him know that. So thinking fast, she just played along. "Gross! I do not need to know about your porno preference." She chuckled and House actually gave a weak half smile.

Dexter dropped that topic faster than a hot potato. She wouldn't tell him. Not yet. Maybe she would just let him find out on his own. It would be pretty hard to keep it a secret from him if she did manage to get a date with Thirteen. She would just have to see where the road would lead her.