Cameron was uncharacteristically nervous as she stared at her clothes in her closet. Finally, she picked her navy blue dress, discarded it for being too bland, picked a pink one, threw it to the side because it was too brilliant and settled for a red dressy shirt and some slacks. Checking her image in the mirror she just finished when House hollered her name.
She went into the hall to find House, Wilson, and Cuddy in her living room. House was actually dressed in something other than jeans and a t-shirt. She felt herself clench then chided silently for her silliness. She and House had been out to dinner tons of times since she came back. But none had the potential of being a date.
"Wow, Allison," Wilson said.
House rapped him with his cane. "Tongue in mouth, Jimmy. She's taken."
Cameron turned to Cuddy. "Bella has just been fed so she should be fine while we're gone."
"I have your cell numbers," she said. "Don't worry. Go have an adult night."
House walked her out. "Stop clenching," he instructed her.
She laughed and suddenly wasn't as nervous. This was House, after all. Since they had shared a kiss that night they hadn't had a repeat but Cameron was hoping to change that tonight. When House asked her to this date she nearly danced for joy.
"Any particular place to go?" he asked as they got into his car.
"Any place is fine by me," she told him.
He glanced at her. "I'm thinking steakhouse with peanut shells on the ground," he warned her.
"Excellent," she said, meaning it.
He cut his eyes to her to check to make sure she was serious then grinned. "Roadhouse it is."
The place wasn't fancy by any stretch of the imagination but Cameron had already had House with fancy and it just didn't splice.
While they waited for a table Cameron turned to House. "Can you believe Bella's already a month old?"
"A month old yesterday," House confirmed. "God, don't be one of those people who always laments about how time flies so fast the kid is gone before you know it."
"I won't," she promised. "She's gained two pounds."
"I always knew you had a nurturing way about you," he said, promptly ruining any niceness by leering at her swollen breasts.
"Behave," she told him as their name was called.
They both participated in adding peanuts on the ground while House gossiped about work. "That hateful receptionist nurse who has the personality of a pin cushion--"
"House," she interrupted. "She's very sweet."
"Yeah, well her sweet ass was just busted out because she was having an affair with Pennington. His wife found out and was pissed. Started screaming at her at work in front of God et al. It was a good blasting."
"Poor Jennifer."
He snorted. "Poor Jennifer should have kept her pants on."
"Dr. Pennington should have stayed faithful," she argued.
"I say they both should have been more discreet."
"I will agree with you on that account."
"Tanya in OB has a daughter who tried to kill herself last weekend."
Cameron gasped. "My God!"
"Yeah, they have her appointed to a crazy doctor."
"How old is she?"
"Twelve."
"That's kinda depressing."
He paused as their food was place in front of them. "Let's lighten up the mood then. Gina in radiology is pregnant and Dr. Millican just proposed to Dr. Moinester."
She laughed. "How do you know all this?"
He grinned. "My newest hiding place is the nurse's break room. I hear everything." He paused for a moment. "I've got some more good gossip."
"Oh?"
"I have it on good authority that a one Dr. Brandon Ashcroft was escorted by hospital security to an awaiting police cruiser."
She couldn't quite hide her smile. "Really. Does Marian know?"
"She's the one that told me and I can't tell you how strange it is that you two are on first name basis. I mean we've had a baby together and we don't use first names."
"You want me to call you Greg?"
He thought for a moment. "Naw. That, too, weirds me out."
He wanted to take her for drinks but she didn't want to stay gone from Bella. He walked her to her door like a gentleman. Then he gave her a less than chaste kiss for several minutes in the hallway.
She broke the kiss for air and some sanity. "You want to come in?" she asked.
"Don't want the neighbors complaining about the PDA?" he joked as he tried to compose himself.
She just smiled and opened her door. "Guys," she said as she flipped on the lamp, "we're...Oh my God!"
Cuddy sat up on the couch and pulled her shirt down, face a brilliant red. Wilson sat up from his position blushing as well.
House walked in behind Cameron, took in the scene of the flushed faces, swollen lips and ruffled clothes and grinned. "You two are so busted. Somebody's going to be grounded."
Cuddy tried to compose herself. "Um, Isabella is the perfect baby."
House had to comment. "You guys get bored so you had to create your own entertainment?"
Cameron smiled at Cuddy. "Congratulations. You two make a good couple."
Wilson tried to recover. "Thanks, Cam. We talked and decided to give it a shot."
"In our living room?" House asked.
"House!" admonished Cameron. "Leave them alone."
"If we leave them alone much longer they will christen our couch."
Cuddy, face turning from a red to a soft pink, stood up. "Allison, your baby was a jewel."
"We hardly heard a peep out of her."
House snorted. "Would you have been able to hear her over the moans?"
"House!" Cameron said, again. "Enough already."
He pouted. "Fine."
She smiled once more. "You guys want to watch a movie? I'm still keyed up."
"Allison," House said under his breath.
Cuddy, apparently, didn't hear him. Or just ignored him. "That would be great! We started watching the Batman movie but we got sidetracked."
"Heath Ledger is awesome," Cameron told her as she sat down next to Wilson. House had to take the recliner, frowning at the new couple. Halfway through the movie Wilson got up for a bathroom break and House stole his seat to sit next to Cameron, grabbing her hand to hold. When Wilson got back he glared at House. "Snooze ya lose," was House's mature response.
After the movie was over Cuddy and Wilson made their farewells. Once Cameron closed the door she raised an eyebrow at House. "Well, that was interested," she commented.
"I think I want to throw up," House told her.
She gave him a look. "I think it's sweet."
"Yeah, but not on your couch. I have to find another place to sit now."
"Greg, it's late. Are you going to spend the night or what?"
His answer was a kiss that took her breath away.
