Chapter 21

House hadn't thought about the fact that she might not be ready to go when he was, or that he wouldn't be ready to go when she was. She needed a key to his apartment. That was the thought that occurred to him when he saw her storm out of the clinic earlier. He didn't know what had happened, but she looked angry.

He watched Stacy come out of the same exam room Cameron had just stormed out of. He was torn between wanting to know what happened in that room and wanting to be as far away from Stacy as possible.

He was doing a damn good job of pretending that Stacy being here wasn't driving him insane, but it was. He didn't like that any minute he could turn a corner and she could be standing there. And he certainly didn't like that she was obviously seeking Cameron out, not to mention pissing Cameron off. He quickly made his way into Cuddy's office as soon as he saw the elevator Stacy had gotten in start moving.

xxxxxx

Cuddy wished that House hadn't managed to get to his staff before they met Stacy on their own accord. He had obviously done something to make Cameron react the way she had to Stacy. She had never heard Cameron speak to anyone the way she had to Stacy. She, of course, defended Cameron to her because she knew that Cameron had been going through a lot, although Cameron's attitude had seemed unprovoked.

It was obvious that Cameron and House had become involved in something, but with Wilson continuously insisting that the two of them were not dating, she was unsure what they had became involved in. But whatever it is, it involved Cameron being strongly protective of House and House strongly protective of Cameron and her niece. She was startled out of her thoughts when House popped his head in the door.

"You got a sec?" he asked curiously.

Cuddy sighed. "Depends."

"On what?" he asked already entering her office and sitting down in a chair.

"On whether or not you've done something that the hospital is going to be sued for later..."

"Do you mean today, or in the past? Because if you mean the past then I'm in trouble. Can I at least have my supper before you send me to bed Mommy?" he derided.

Cuddy slumped in her chair. "What is it House?" she asked already tired of playing whatever game they were about to start playing.
House smirked. "If you insist on letting her roam free around the hospital, tell her to quit harassing my immunologist."

Cuddy looked at him closely. "You look like Greg House... your voice sounds like his... but the words that sound like concern for Dr. Cameron are probably what's throwing me off."

"I'm not concerned for Dr. Cameron, I just don't feel like listening to Stacy cry when Cameron gets going. I have no doubt that Cameron can take care of herself when it comes to Stacy," he said evenly.

Cuddy groaned. "What happened?"

House shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just saw Cameron storm out of the clinic and Stacy storm out of the same room five minutes later." He said flatly, "Neither looked happy, although Cameron looked like she might hit someone."

Cuddy shook her head. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Make Cameron hate her. What did you say to her about Stacy?"

"I think the exact words I used the one and only time I ever spoke of Stacy with Cameron were, I used to live with someone once but it didn't work out. I don't know though. Maybe I looked sad when I said it and Cameron didn't like that. I didn't turn her against Stacy." he flung meanly, "Now are you going to talk to Stacy or are you going to make me do it. Because you're already making me treat the hubby, I might as well make the little missus cry while I'm at it."

Cuddy nodded. "Fine. I'll talk to Stacy."

House nodded and stood up. "Try not to be too nice. I actually want her to leave Cameron alone." he snapped before walking out of the office.

Cuddy sighed and dropped her head onto her desk for a brief moment before standing up and following House out. "House!" she yelled out to him.

House sighed since he was already in the elevator. He held his cane out to stop the doors from shutting and waited on her to enter the elevator. After she did he looked down at her.

"What?" he asked annoyed.

Cuddy looked up at him closely. "What exactly is going on between you and Dr. Cameron?"

House groaned and then thanked God when the elevator opened immediately following Cuddy's question to let people off of the second floor into the elevator. He quickly made his way off the elevator and onto the second floor. Not chancing to look behind him to see if Cuddy had followed, he stopped walking when he heard the elevator begin to ascend again.

Cuddy stands perfectly still so she doesn't make a noise and when House turns around to go back to the elevator she laughs loudly as he jumps slightly. "You didn't seriously think you outrun me did you?" she asked saucily,

"Nice." House said noticing the silent jab she threw while punching the call button on the elevator dejectedly.

"I asked you a question." Cuddy reminded as she stepped into the elevator after him again.

"No, I don't think you can out run me." he said in mock sadness.

"Not that one. The one about Dr. Cameron." she snapped.

House shrugged. "Why does it matter?" he asked quizzically.

Cuddy sighed. "It doesn't I guess. I mean it just seems like she's the only woman who can stand you. I assume something must be going on."

"You really shouldn't assume things like that Cuddy." House said knowingly.

"House."

"There's nothing going on." House said evenly.

"I see the way you look at her."

"That's nice." House said impatiently waiting for the doors to open.

"And the thing with the baby." Cuddy said ignoring him.

"Look at that... the door's open... time to go." House said limping briskly out the elevator the second the doors opened.

Cuddy shook her head. "Liar." she said to herself before getting out her phone to find Stacy.

xxxxxx

House walked into Wilson's office and shut the door behind him. Wilson looked up again and sighed. "I really got to learn how to lock that." he said sadly.

"Oh you... you know you want to talk to me." House said smiling.
"Well... yeah I do actually..."

House was quick to jump in and interrupt his train of thought. "I need your copy of my apartment key." he said swiftly.

Wilson pulled his keys out of his pocket. "Why? Are you scared I'm going to walk in on you and Cameron in some compromising position?" he asked cheekily.

House rolled his eyes. "Yes, that's exactly it. Now can I have my key back?"

"Look if you're that mad about me just storming in last night, I won't do it again." Wilson said apologetically.

House groaned. "Oh would you shut up! I'm just going to let Cameron use it. You'll get it back you big baby." House snapped aggravated.

Wilson's eyes went big. "You're giving her your apartment key?"

"She needs a way to get into the apartment when I'm not there." he said logically.

Wilson handed him the key. "That's true." he said ignoring every instinct he had to say something about how big of a deal this was.

House took his and then turned around to leave missing the smile on Wilson's face.

xxxxxx

House walked into the conference room and smiled as he saw Cameron was alone in the room. He walked straight over to her and sat the key down in front of her. "Apartment key." he simply said before walking into his office.

Cameron looked down at the key for a moment before slipping it into her pocket and following after him. She watched him as he methodically stuck his ear buds in his ears and turned on his iPod and then flipped his Game Boy open to play. She walked into the office when he didn't acknowledge her and stood directly in front of him. When he still didn't acknowledge her she reached up and pulled the buds out of his ears.

"Barely moved in with me and she's already controlling as hell." House said smirking.

She smiled and pulled the key out of her pocket. When he saw it he sighed. "I thought you might need a way to get into the apartment when I'm not there."

A nervous look passed across her face. "What do you mean when you're not there?"

House saw the look on her face and stood up next to her. "You are safe at my place, even when I'm not there." he said trying to ease the nervous expression off her face.
Cameron shook her head trying to clear it. "No. I know... it just... it never occurred to me that you wouldn't be there when I was. Are you sure you don't mind me being in your apartment when you're not there?"

House looked at her closely. "Do you plan on snooping through my things?"

"No."

"Then no…I don't mind," he said smiling. He then reached out towards her so that she would look at him. "You are safe there Allison." he said gently.

"I know." she said looking back down at the floor.

He reached out and lifted her chin making her look at him eye to eye. "Do you?"

She shivered slightly at the contact and looked at him closely. She wasn't sure if he was experiencing the same thing she was when they touched, but she knew he was experiencing something. The look in his eyes gave it away. "I know." she said her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"He doesn't know where you are. He's not going to get to you. And he's not going to get to Mads." House said softly, "In fact I think you should go to the police."

She shook her head. "No. Rachel never reported him and I have no proof that he ever hit her. I have no proof that he's a violent jerk." she said angrily.

House nodded. "OK. So we can't go to the police unless he tries something now. You have enough clothes for tonight right?"

"Yeah." Cameron said nodding.

"Good. I don't want you going back to your apartment without back up." House said protectively.

Cameron nodded. "That's probably a good idea." she said before sighing, "Maybe I'm making too big a deal out of this."

House shook his head. "You're not. If he hit your sister, he wouldn't hesitate to hit you." he said forcefully then immediately said, "Sorry." when he saw her flinch.

"I'm sorry did I just hear him genuinely apologize about something?" came a voice from the door.

Cameron hurriedly brushed the tears off her face. There is no way I'm going to let myself appear weak in front of her she thought to herself. "We were talking if you don't mind." she snapped out.

"I don't think in the entire five years we dated I ever heard you apologize and actually sound like you meant it." Stacy said ignoring Cameron.

"And I'm sure there were so many moments when you truly deserved an apology," Cameron scoffed.

"Look little girl I've had enough of you..."

"Hey!" House snapped, "You barged into my office, interrupted a private discussion between me and her and now you want to speak to her as if she's beneath you. Not going to happen. What do you want Stacy?" he yelled.

"I needed to speak with you about Mark." she said her tone glacial, "Alone." she added when Cameron showed no signs of leaving.

"Nuh uh. You want to talk... talk. She's not going anywhere." he grumbled.

Stacy sighed. "Fine. Mark thinks that you should meet Mark and I for dinner tonight."

Cameron tensed beside him and he could practically feel it. "Does he now? And if I had plans for tonight?"

"Greg..."

Cameron cleared her throat gaining House's attention. "I think I'm going to just go home. If that's ok?" she said softly.

He looked at her carefully before looking back up at Stacy. "Excuse us for a minute." he said before pulling Cameron out into the conference room. "You ok?"

"I'm fine. It's just been a long day, and I'm tired. I just want to take Maddie back to the apartment and lie down."

"Ok. Do you want me to come with you?" House asked knowing that just a few minutes ago she was scared to be alone.

She shook her head. "No. It's fine... like you said he doesn't know where I am, and I'm safe there. Right?" she said her voice still a little shaky.

"Right." he said strongly.

"You should go to dinner with Mark and Stacy. The sooner you get him diagnosed the quicker you get her out of your life." she said then thought about what she had said and how it sounded, "I mean if that's what you want."

House looked back between Stacy and Cameron. His eyes finally resting on Cameron. "It is."
Cameron nodded and felt in her pocket for her key. Realizing it wasn't there she sighed. "I left my key on your desk." she said leading them both back into the office. She reached onto the desk and pocketed the key knowing that Stacy had seen her do it. "Goodnight Mrs. Warner." she said icily before turning to House. "Night." she said gently.

"Good night." he replied back just as gently. She was almost at the door when House called out to her. "Allison."

"Yeah."

"Lock the deadbolt. Just in case." he said with caution in his voice. Cameron nodded and walked out of the office leaving House and Stacy alone together.