"This has got to be hurting your leg." She muttered against his lips.
"I'm fine." he said, his left arm holding her tightly to his body, his healing right hand cradled the back of her head and holding her against his lips, kissing her deeply.
"That was a subtle hint that I think we should stop." she murmured but her good arm remained tight around his neck and moved gently through his hair.
"You were the one that thought it was a good idea to straddle me in the first place." his arm flexed around her rubbing her against him is his lips moved down across her neck.
She moaned softly. "I've wanted to do it for so long." She whispered.
He stopped and closed his eyes, kissing her neck softly. "You've got me... you can have this when you want."
She sighed softly, moving her hand through his hair. "Then can we do this later, Greg." she lowered her lips to his ear, "Tomorrow. At home."
House growled softly, "You drive a hard bargain but I totally understand the need for home comforts in this sort of situation." He mumbled nipping the skin of her neck gently.
Her whole body shivered. She whimpered softly her head dropping to his shoulder.
"I've got you, Allie." he said pulling back slightly and moving his hands gently up and down her spine. "I've got you." His lips moved softly across her neck and down to her collar bone, soothing her.
She hummed slightly and relaxed against him almost sleepily.
"Come on, lets get you laid down." he said carefully lifting her right leg from across his lap and laying her down on the mattress. He lowered his own body until she was comfortably curled against his side.
Her forehead rested against his neck and her leg over his. "Are you okay?" He whispered.
"Yeah, just a little tired." she murmured.
He kissed her forehead. "Then sleep, Allie." he said stroking her hair gently.
She hummed softly. "Love you." she murmured and drifted into slumber.
House tensed.
Several minutes passed, the only sound in the room was Cameron's slow steady breathing.
She said it.
She said the "l-word" and meant it.
He gulped and breathed deeply before grinning to himself. "I love you too." he whispered to her the words he'd almost been longing to say for at least a week and longer. His hand stroked her back gently keeping her in blissful slumber but none the less he felt lighter for saying those soft words to her.
Those words, the feeling, the vision of her in his mind it had burned him from the inside out for so long, tormenting and torturing him with every spare minute of the day.
In the beginning her beautiful form had been the source of many dreams and fantasies which had been a sweet escape from his lonely life. But as time passed they became a glimpse of what he could have as her growing attraction to him became ever apparent, initially he shrugged off her feelings and his dreams but after they both persisted through Stacy's return his dreams were so sweet that when he woke up they seemed more like nightmares, taunting him with possibilities of future happiness.
It didn't feel like such a burden anymore, not now he knew it was shared.
He hated to admit it but guilt was such a motivator in this situation. If he hadn't felt guilty, if he hadn't almost lost her then he wouldn't have been so kind... he wouldn't have given in so easily. But give in he did and with her curled sleeping at his side and the taste of her lingering on his lips he felt happy.
He breathed deeply and closed his eyes resting his chin against her hair and drifted asleep, dreaming of a future that no longer tormented him.
House woke to the sound of someone creeping around the room.
"What are you doing here?" He hissed at Foreman who almost jumped out of his skin at the sound.
"I came in to check up on you two." he said quietly. "The door was locked but I didn't get any answer so I used a maintenance key."
"How original." House said sarcastically, "Did homie forget his bobby pin?"
Foreman rolled his eyes. "How's you're head?" he asked taking out a penlight and shining it in House's eyes.
"Ah, fine until someone shines a light in my eyes. And as I'm sure you can tell my charming personality hasn't been affected." House snarked in a quiet tone.
Foreman raised an eyebrow and glanced at Cameron.
"What was that look for?" House said darkly, a frown creasing his brow.
"Nothing." Foreman said looking away slightly guilty.
"I should think so, now where's Chase? I thought he was on Cameron's case too." he said looking around, the word Cameron rolling from his tongue with less ease than it used to.
"Paperwork; he's arranging her discharge papers." He said with a soft sigh as if he wasn't happy about the fact.
House smirked, "Plus he's still scared of Cameron's Dad."
Thank god! he thought, taking in Foreman's words.
"So when can she leave?" he asked in an almost normal tone.
"As soon as her physio session is over tomorrow morning... I'll have the refill for her meds sent up first thing."
"Good." House muttered the fingertips of his hand moving absentmindedly beneath her shirt at her hip causing her to stir slightly and shift closer to him.
Foreman frowned.
"Don't do that look again." House ordered, his brow creased in annoyance.
"Fine." he grumbled stepping back a little. "How's Cameron doing?"
"Tired after her physio hence the sleeping, but otherwise she's fine." He said as a murmur, "Her shoulder is healing well."
Foreman nodded and moved towards the door.
"Right, well I'm off. Goodnight."
The door closed behind him, neither of them expected him to reply.
And he didn't disappoint.
House sighed and kissed Cameron's hair gently, the sounds of gentle murmurs making their way through the glass door. House stayed alert his eyes focused on the shadows on the blinds.
His mother entered a few seconds later.
"Hi." she said in a soft tone, her eyes slightly sad.
"Hey. Mom... are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
He fixed her with the same poignant stare she had used on him in his youth.
"I talked to your father this afternoon. He's still at the hotel in New York but he wants to go home."
House nodded slightly. "Is he coming to pick you up?" he asked knowing that she was expected to go with his dad.
She sighed. "I'm sorry for what he did but..."
"Mom, it's fine. I'm a big boy now; I can take care of myself." He said with a soft grin. He glanced down at Cameron. "I think I know how it is... falling in love with someone who isn't good for you but still you can't live without."
She frowned. "But... but Allison's perfect."
"I know. I was talking about me." He said slightly sadly.
"Greg, you're not your father." She whispered.
"I know, but it doesn't mean I'm good for her." He said his eyes wavering from his mothers gaze.
"But you love her."
He stayed silent but nodded once.
"And it's obvious to anyone that she loves you so I don't see a problem."
"It's not really a problem, just a worry, a doubt." he mumbled.
"Greg, every one in a new relationship has doubts and worries but as long as you love her and trust her I know you can get through it."
House took a deep breath and nodded, with resolve coursing through him.
He'd always found emotions hard to understand, even in his own heart and mind but his mother's words forever seemed to pull him from the shadows of ignorance and confusion and give him comfort.
"I'd better go now. Your dad said he'd be here to pick me up in an hour."
House shifted trying to slide out from beneath his sleeping partner.
"No, no stay there." Blythe said softly. "That girl of yours needs her rest. So do you for that matter so don't get up to too much when you two go home tomorrow." She muttered with a sly grin around her mouth.
He rolled his eyes and shook his head, his lips forming his own small grin.
She reached forward and took his hand, the air of seriousness returning in a fraction of a second.
"I'm so proud of you." She whispered leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his forehead.
He closed his eyes and smiled softly, wondering how it was possible to feel so much like a man and so much like a child in the same instant. "Thanks Mom." he muttered squeezing her hand gently.
She pulled back and smiled down at him, the pride she had for him shining in her eyes. "Take care of her. And let her take care of you."
"I will." he promised.
"Good." she said stepping back. "Hopefully I'll see you soon, if not I did notice that there is a working telephone in your apartment, I'll leave a note of our number in case you forgot it." she said with a grin.
He rolled his eyes. "I call you soon."
"Glad to hear it. And don't forget what I said." She spoke as her hand fell on the door handle.
"Never."