Rough Times

After a night of mind-blowing makeup sex, House and Cameron had fallen asleep quickly. After all, they did need their rest after such a workout. Plus, they had a job to do in the morning.

Though the two had drifted off into their own sweet slumbers, their minds drifted off towards Elizabeth Mattock. What was wrong with her, and what could they do to help? Neither House nor Cameron had seen a case like this, and it wasn't comforting that the tests weren't teaching them a single thing.

After much debate, Cameron had come to a conclusion. House was right.

&&&&&

House awoke to an annoying ringing. It wasn't his cell phone; it wasn't even his home phone. What in the world was causing such a horrible noise?

House felt Cameron's silky skin slip against his as she picked up the phone. It then dawned on him that he wasn't in fact in his own comfortable bed, and that horrible ringing was not from any phone that belonged to him. He also began to remember where he was and who was resting next to him as the foggy effects of sleep and vicodin began to wear off. "Cameron…"

"What?"

"What the hell was that noise?"

Cameron laughed. "That was the wake-up call," she said. "Come on, get up."

House forced a pillow over his face and hid himself from the light that was threatening to creep into the room. "Make it stop."

"Make what stop?" Cameron stared at the childish man hiding under his pillow.

House lifted his hand and pointed to the window, where a beautiful sunrise was appearing.

"House," said Cameron. "You can't make the sun stop. Besides, the sunrise is gorgeous! Come look!"

House shook his head violently under the pillow.

Cameron laughed at his juvenile behavior before getting up to close the blinds. She came back to the bed and sat down next to House after doing so. She tried to pull the pillow from his head, but it wouldn't budge. "Come on, House," she cooed. "You have to get up sometime…"

"And that time you speak of should not be before nine o'clock in the morning."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "If we want to get to Elizabeth before our meeting, we have to get going, so get up!"

"No," said House, being his usual stubborn self.

Cameron gave up for the time being and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" asked House. He still didn't take his head out from under the pillow, but he had felt Cameron get off the bed.

"I'm going to go watch the sunrise outside," said Cameron. "I'll be right out front if you need me."

House didn't respond, but Cameron knew he'd heard her.

&&&&&

Chase was leaning against the motel's outdoor railing watching the sun rise. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before because there had been so much on his mind. For starters, he had no idea what was happening to Elizabeth Mattock. The poor girl seemed doomed to die, and he didn't know how to help her. To add to those problems, it would appear that the CDC and Dr. Connor were going to make this diagnosis even harder.

And then there was Cameron. He'd given her space for the last two days. In that time, though, he'd done his best to be as kind, caring, and considerate to her as he could. He had refrained himself from assaulting House several times, but he'd done it for her. He'd even been working harder on the case, and he hoped she'd noticed.

Chase was gazing into the dazzling colors of the horizon. They mesmerized him as he tried to think of a plan. He needed a plan to win Cameron's heart, and he needed a plan to save Elizabeth's life. Could those two be one and the same?

&&&&&

Cameron walked out of the room, smiling lightly; she remembered the immature behavior of the man she had loved for years now. She had never thought that it would happen for her after her husband died. She never thought she would love again. And then there was House.

House had changed her life in more ways than one. He had been her mentor, her teacher, her boss, but also her friend. And deep down, she loved him above all else. It had crushed her that day nearly one year ago when he had said that he didn't feel the same way, but Cameron wouldn't give up. She knew she was right about House. She knew that he really did want to be with her, that he really did want to open up, but deep down he didn't know how.

And then there was Elizabeth. Cameron was still debating whether or not she had made the right move yesterday in stopping House. She knew she had her duties to consider, but deep down, she knew House was right. He was always right. Why would this time be any different? Cameron contemplated all of Elizabeth's symptoms and tests. Nothing was coming to her, and having Connor and the CDC on their backs wasn't helping matters much.

Cameron walked towards the balcony of the motel as she gazed into the sky. The colors lifted her mind deep into thought as she tried to think of a master plan. She needed a plan to convince House to open up, and she needed a plan to save a dying girl. Could those two be one and the same?

&&&&&

Chase turned his head as he heard footsteps coming down the walkway. It was Cameron, the one person he never minded seeing. He smiled in her presence.

"Good morning," said Cameron. She walked up to the balcony next to Chase and rested her arms on the rails.

"Good morning," replied Chase. He wanted so badly to talk to her, to tell her how he felt, but he didn't know how. Maybe starting with small talk was the best way to go. "So you must have had a rough night," he said.

Cameron smirked. "You could say that." She suddenly realized that Chase had been referring to her argument with House, so she wiped the smirk off of her face.

"Was he really hard on you?" Chase asked her sympathetically.

Cameron almost choked. If Chase didn't shut up now, she was going to crack up in laughter. "Yeah," she said. "He was pretty hard on me."

"I'm sorry," sighed Chase.

"It wasn't your fault," said Cameron quickly.

"Foreman and I should have backed you up."

Cameron was about to die. "I'm glad I took House on myself."

"We all know how House can be," said Chase. "I mean, Foreman and I really should have stood behind you on that one."

Cameron lifted her arms to her face so that she could cover the grin that was threatening to turn into laughter.

"Are you okay?" asked Chase. "Do you need to lie down?"

Cameron ran away from the balcony as a grin spread on her face. She burst into laughter as she reached the door to her motel room.

&&&&&

Cameron was bursting into laughter as she walked into the motel room. Her face was red and tears were about to stream down her eyes. Her abs clenched, and she gave way, letting herself slide down to the floor with her back against the door.

"What the hell is so funny?" asked House. He had finally managed to get out of bed and was currently searching his unorganized bag for something to wear.

"You mean besides you hair?" asked Cameron. Giggles erupted from her grin once again.

"What's wrong with my hair?" quipped House. He ruffled around his hair to make it even messier than it already was.

This made Cameron laugh even harder.

"Seriously," he said. "What's so funny?"

Cameron tried to answer House, but she couldn't bring herself to it without laughing again. House had to eventually pick her up off of the ground and set her on the bed. As soon as he had done so, Cameron fell back and began to take deep breaths to calm down. House watched her in amusement.

&&&&&

Chase became worried when he saw Cameron dart back in the direction of her own room. Her hand was over her mouth. Was she nauseous? Was she going to be sick? Curious, Chase made his way down the balcony path and followed in Cameron's footsteps. He was headed in the direction of her's and House's room to make sure she was all right. Hopefully House wasn't being hard on her again. Chase knocked on the door and called out to her. "Cameron!"

&&&&&

"Shhh!" House did his best to shush Cameron as he limped his way over to the door.

Cameron finally managed to calm down, and she crawled beneath the covers of the otherwise unused bed.

House opened the door to reveal Chase standing on the other side of it. "Oh god," he sighed. "You aren't selling bibles are you?"

Cameron started giggling.

Chase ignored House's comment and walked right past him towards the bed that Cameron was currently resting in. "Cameron, are you alright?"

"No," gibed House. "If you ask me, she's seriously on something." He made circles with his finger next to his ear to indicate that Cameron was mentally ill.

Cameron threw her pillow at House, and he had to duck to miss it.

"I'm fine, Chase," said Cameron. "Thank you."

Chase nodded. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Because you kind of darted back here pretty quickly. I just wanted to make sure."

"I'm fine, Chase, really." Cameron had to repeat it to convince the young Australian.

Chase took Cameron's word for it and got up. He made his way towards the door, glaring at House angrily along the way. Hopefully he wouldn't be giving her any more rough times.