Disclaimer: Nope.

A/N: I've got to admit that I'm currently quite distracted by the World Cup. Luckily, the frequency of matches is lowering and I'll soon have more time to focus on the fic rather than rant about incompetence of referees and bad luck. I usually don't care much about football, but World Cups make me a fanatic.

I know, I know, you must think that I chose the single most corny quote possible but you're wrong. When a particularly corny thing is used so often that it crosses the line of corniness, we call it a classic. And classics are cool. Plus, just about every literate person has read the book at least once.

Chapter 37 – Can't take my eyes off you
(Month 2, Week 2)

Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: The Little Prince

"Again?" Wilson asked him, clearly surprised, "This is the third weekend in a row that you're busy." He paused a little before inquiring, "Can I join you?"

"I don't think that would be such a good idea," House answered.

"Why not?"

House gave him a pointed look.

"Oooh," Wilson grimaced, but then a thought occurred to him, "Wait a minute, I know your tricks. You're just trying to make me drop the subject, but it won't work this time. What are you really doing with her every weekend?"

House glared at Wilson but seeing that he won't relent, he reluctantly admitted, "We're seeing a marriage counsellor."

Wilson was dumbfounded at the revelation.

"Go ahead, rub it in…" House grumbled as he sat down behind his desk.

"Why would I?" Wilson finally spoke, "It's a smart thing to do. If I visited one, maybe I wouldn't be divorced now."

House immediately snatched the opportunity to mock Wilson and effectively steer the conversation away from his marriage, "It might work the first time you cheated on her but I highly doubt she'd be so forgiving the second time… or the third."

"She cheated on me," Wilson defended.

"This one. What about all the others?"

"You're making it sound like I married half of New Jersey."

"If you also count in those that you dated and had an affair with... Yeah, sounds about right. You're certainly not pacing yourself." House smirked and stood up. "You can drop by tomorrow, if you want," he added before walking out.

# # #

"Oh come on, it's not that difficult," House complained as Cameron fought another fit of laughter.

"I'm sorry," she managed to utter while clutching her stomach.

"If we fail at this, I'll make sure everyone knows it was your fault."

Finally managing to calm herself down, she objected, "That's not fair. If you didn't look at me that way…"

"What way?" House feigned innocence.

Cameron stammered, trying to find the right words and finally settling on, "Mischievously."

When he raised his eyebrows questioningly, she explained, "Like you want me to laugh."

"I do no such thing," he faked offense and she laughed again.

Taking a deep breath now, she suggested, "Let's try it again, but no foul play this time."

He set the egg timer once again and then locked his eyes with hers.

Looking in another person's eyes for 5 minutes sounds simple enough, but as Cameron was discovering, it was anything but. As much as she didn't mind any form of physical closeness, the intimacy of unwavering eye contact was proving to be more than she could handle. Perhaps it was true after all that eyes are the window to the soul. Eyesight may just be the most important sense when it comes to processing cues from the environment; it is what helps us create our own perception of the world around us. What remains to be answered is, if the outside world can also see inside a person through the same means. Are eyes truly a window or more of a mirror?

She sometimes compared eyes to the sky where the turbulent ever-changing weather represented human emotions. A single look to what lay above you could tell you everything you needed to know. The most beautiful shade of blue, undisturbed, except for the bright yellow orb illuminating the Earth; smatterings of white, resembling almost translucent cotton bolls being driven here and there by the light breeze; the entire expanse of the sky covered by a heavy greyness only illuminated by intermittent flashes of lightning; every shade of red, the sky as if painted by a great impressionist artist, a perfect painting of the sunset.

His eyes were now the dark engulfing blueness of a winter sky entrenched with a bone chilling cold. The air so cold that you could hardly breathe could only be interpreted as a warning, a last line of defence: stay away, there's nothing to see here. Go back inside, into the warmth of your bed.

This time she was determined to make it. She won't waver from his intense gaze and she won't let him distract her by his goofy expressions. She will neither defend nor attack; no pressure, no expectations, just a steady gaze.

Just when his eyes appeared to be softening, there was a knock on the door and she instinctively followed the origin of the sound with her eyes.

"No! Why did you look away?" House complained.

Realising what she had done, she apologised guiltily.

House sighed and then shouted, "Come in, it's open."

Wilson carefully opened the door and when he saw that the coast was clear, he entered more confidently. That's when the egg timer decided to go off and consequently attracted the gazes of all three doctors.

Wilson gave the couple a strange look which House answered with, "Don't ask."

He grabbed the timer and placed it in Cameron's hands, ordering, "I'm hungry. Go make me something to eat."

Cameron sighed and got on her way with Wilson following closely since he offered his help.

While they were making blueberry pancakes, Wilson started, "It's nice to actually see some food in his kitchen," and she smiled.

He paused before asking what really interested him, "So, you're OK now?"

"Define OK," she answered wryly.

She flipped a pancake and then inquired, "How much did he tell you?"

"He said that you're visiting a counsellor. I still can't believe you convinced him to do that… And I think it's a good thing," he added quickly, "He could use some counselling… of any kind."

Cameron smiled and turned around. She could just barely see House from where she was standing.

"Are you in love with him?" Wilson asked her gravely.

She snapped back to him and answered quickly, "What? No… I just…"

She found House with her eyes again. "I like him," she finally admitted and turned to Wilson to gauge his reaction.

"Enough to want to be with him even if it wasn't for the bet?"

She cast her eyes down and took a moment to compose herself. Admitting her defeat, she pleaded with him, "You can't tell him."

"I won't."

"I meant it. If he finds out…" There was desperation in her voice.

"I won't tell him," he repeated, "I promise."

It wasn't enough to convince her. She knew that there were no secrets between Wilson and House.

# # #

When they lay down in bed that night, House immediately turned on his side, facing away from Cameron.

"If I remember correctly, we're supposed to be cuddling," she commented as she got settled next to him.

"Did enough of that already this week. Besides, you were all over me when Wilson was here," he murmured into the pillow without moving a muscle.

"Excuse me, but as far as I can remember, you were the one who kept dragging me closer," she protested.

"Exactly. My cuddling duty for the week has been fulfilled."

He has made up his mind and she knew that he won't move. Should she? She was a bit afraid, because he sounded as if he was in no joking mood, but…

She gathered up all of her courage and carefully slid closer to him. She pressed herself against his back and wound her arm around his side, placing her palm on his upper abdomen.

"You just can't keep your hands off me, can you?" he grumbled.

She pressed a soft kiss against the nape of his neck and murmured, "Stop complaining."

Soon, both of them fell into a peaceful slumber.

A/N: Mind you, that eye contact exercise is not a staring contest, blinking is allowed, but that does not make it much easier. Laughing is actually a natural response and it takes some determination to keep a straight face, but to keep eye contact for 5 whole minutes, well…