CHAPTER 50

Cameron's brow furrowed in confusion as House's left turn signal began to blink on and off, when they were already driving in the left lane and there was no exit in sight. She hoped he hadn't run out of gas or run into a problem with the car. He eased onto the shoulder of the road and put his hazard lights on, and she followed accordingly, turned her car off, and began to walk toward House, still sitting inside his car, waiting for the convertible top to close as intermittent raindrops began to tap the ground gently.

He sat with both his hands on the wheel staring vaguely into the dashboard with a face of stone, not wanting to move, as if the act of getting out of the car would make his impending departure a reality. He sensed Cameron standing outside his window and, with his gaze fixed and his head frozen, his fingers fumbled clumsily to find the correct button that would roll down his window, amid the unfamiliar instruments of his new car.

"You okay?" Cameron asked apprehensively, bending down to the window. House's vacant look and shallow sigh told her that he was going to say something he didn't want to talk about. He stroked his beard with his hand nervously before turning his countenance up to meet hers, his expressive eyes conveying a reluctant warning to her that she should prepare to learn something unpleasant.

She opened the door worriedly and knelt down so that her hands were on his thigh and she looked up at him from below. "What is it?" Not wanting to keep her in suspense, but not wanting to say what he had to tell her, he took her hands in one of his and stepped out of the car, coaxing her up so they were both standing, face-to-face. As he spoke, he avoided her probing eyes, instead favoring the view of the cars whipping by on the highway.

"Cuddy called me. I… have to go back to work." As was his way, it was only after he spoke that his eyes locked with hers, searching expectantly for her reaction. Her eyes became bloodshot and her breathing became shallow. It was evident that she was holding back tears.

"Well," she said softly. "We both knew you couldn't stay here forever."

He breathed out a silent, resigned snicker. "Yeah."

"When are you going?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"Right away."

"You need your stuff, right? Everything's still in my apartment," she pointed out.

"No time," he murmured. She nodded sympathetically.

She approached him slowly, and buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. He folded his arms around her and nuzzled against her forehead with his chin. "You know it's not that I…" he mumbled quietly.

"I know," she murmured, the sound muffled against his shirt.

His embrace strengthened, and as her body began to tremble with her soft sobs, he simply shook his head and sighed mournfully. The raindrops became heavier and more frequent, and within minutes they were soaked and shivering amid the downpour.

"Wow," Cameron said, indicating the rain with a weak smile. "Does the weather often serve as your metaphor?"

House chuckled. "Apparently, I'm just that good." He gently pressed her up against the car and brought his mouth down to hers in a passionate kiss that tasted of rain and tears. He clutched and tangled her wet hair and she grasped the back of his neck with both hands. They felt the car rock whenever another one whipped by them on the highway, some drivers honking their horns as they passed; but they remained connected to one another, unwilling to let go, resentful of the fact that they had finally come back together after such a long, difficult separation, only to be torn apart again so soon.

They reluctantly broke their kiss, and she began stroking up and down his chest with her hands, and he echoed her touch by running his hands up and down her arms.

"Take care of yourself," Cameron said earnestly.

"I will," he assured her. His face expressed 1000 inexpressible thoughts, which left him speechless.

"We'll work it out," said Cameron.

House nodded feebly, and he walked her the short distance to her car, leaning on her slightly for support, as his cane was still sitting in the Porsche. He kissed her once more before letting her sit, and he closed the door after her. She rolled down her window.

"Cuddy says she's sorry," said House, who then limped awkwardly back to his car.

She pulled out onto the expressway and then he did the same. He followed behind her for another 20 miles to the rhythm of the rain and the squeaking of the windshield wipers, until her exit came and she veered off the highway and disappeared from sight. He set his sights on the road ahead of him, accelerated sharply, and raced toward Princeton.