Conflict resolution

Cameron was in the lab testing bloods and thinking about House. It had been nearly a week since she had confronted him in the office during the so-called 'assessment'. She had gone home that night in high spirits, believing that a bridge had finally been crossed, convinced that she had not mistaken the signs of House's attraction. They had been so close – there was no way he'd condone such proximity unless he actually wanted her to be there; and he hadn't pushed her away when she had initiated a kiss. But then again, he didn't actually kiss back. Maybe House was merely humouring her? Cameron hadn't known what to expect after that, but her boss had all but ignored her throughout the week. She had said she'd be willing to wait, and she was. But the prospect of another year of unrequited desire was enough to make even the most determined person depressed. The whole thing was utterly perplexing and infuriating. Another trademark House experience. To make matters worse, her car was in the shop and she had been getting a lift with Foreman in the mornings and running back in the evenings. She hated having her independence compromised even in this small way. Cameron sighed and switched out the plates, making a note on the pad beside the microscope.

"How's it going?". Eye to the equipment, she hadn't noticed House enter. He took up a position to her left, leaning against the counter.

"Fine", the immunologist replied shortly. Her reflections, and the fact that the tests were so far proving inconclusive, had done nothing for her mood.

House folded his arms. "Care to elaborate? It's hard for me to stimulate my brain when all I get is one-word answers from my employees".

"Well, if you want stimulation, you'd be better served going to see employee Chase. He's been pretty chipper lately", replied Cameron, not looking up from the lens.

"Yeah. I think he's secured a date with Mathilde. Wilson will be crushed".

This answer did cause Cameron to look up. "Mathilde? You've been speaking to her?", she said with unexpected heat, before trying to cover herself. "I mean, it's none of my business, really. It's-". Cameron returned to the tests, though she could feel her cheeks flushing. God, you're pathetic.

House tilted his head to one side, the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Meh, she's not my type".

"Blonde hair and big tits not doing it for you?", she muttered while making a second note.

"The blonde hair I like", House admitted. She could see him looking at her out of the corner of her eye. "But she seems a bit ordinary, and I prefer complicated". You and me both, brother, thought the immunologist. "Move over, I want to check your work", he said, back to business.

"I'm nearly done". Cameron didn't move except for switching in another plate.

"I said move over. You're probably missing something".

"And I said that I'm nearly done". House's chat of another woman had thoroughly annoyed her, and she wasn't about to cede control of the medicine, the one thing she could dictate, to her troublesome boss.

Suddenly House moved directly behind his subordinate and placed his hands on her waist. Cameron barely had time to register what was happening before she felt House lift her like she was nothing and deposit her to the side, notepad and all. He looked into the microscope while Cameron composed herself by straightening the slightly crumpled lab coat and taking a deep breath. Suddenly, on the spur of the moment, she balled her hand into a fist and punched him on his left upper arm. "Ouch. That was uncalled for, don't you think?". House remained peering into the lens.

"Uncalled for? I'll give you uncalled for". Cameron felt her anger rise at his blasé attitude and a week of complete indifference. And now he had strolled in and forcibly removed her. She drew her arm back to strike again. Quick as a flash, the diagnostician turned and seized hold of her right hand with his left. "Don't", he said. Not to be deterred she swung with her left, and again House's right snaked out and gripped her by the wrist. They stood staring at each other, breathing heavily, arms fixed in the air either side. "Did you not hear what I said?", House growled.

"I heard. I just chose to ignore it. Like you've been ignoring me all week", Cameron retorted, her eyes belligerent.

"I haven't been ignoring you".

"Right. I get that what I said may have been hard for you to hear but you've barely said a word to me since last Friday". The immunologist could feel her boss' fingers tighten slightly. His hands were warmer than she anticipated and, if he cared to notice, he would be able to feel her pulse quicken.

"That doesn't mean I've been ignoring you". House shifted his grip slightly upwards so that both his hands now engulfed hers. Their gazes remained locked.

"It sure felt that way", Cameron replied, though her anger was fading away to be replaced by another emotion entirely.

"And how do you feel now, Dr. Cameron?". House began walking forwards, forcing her to backpedal. In a matter of moments Cameron had her back to the wall, fingers still intertwined with those of her boss. She looked up into his eyes. Normally so blue, now impossibly black as they swallowed the dim light in the laboratory. She could make out the tiny creases in the bronzed skin of his face and his mouth, slightly opened, seemed to smile slightly.

"I feel", Cameron began, breathing in his scent, moving her fingers in his, filling her eyes with the solidity of his form, "intoxicated".

House's gaze flickered at this, and a low rumble escaped his throat. "Well, I hope you're not too drunk because I have a couple of questions to ask. Cameron only nodded, not trusting herself to speak. "Do you like me?", he asked.

The immunologist swallowed. "What do you think, Dr. House?".

"I think that I want you to answer the question". The diagnostician was done playing games.

"Yes, I like you".

"How much?".

"A lot", she answered immediately. House nodded, processing the information. "And now I have a question for you, boss". The other smirked but inclined his head in assent. "When I asked you last year if you liked me, you said no".

"I did".

"Were you lying?".

House didn't answer immediately, his eyes unfocused as he thought back on that day in the past; considering now his future. She had been so beautiful then and was still. Doubts lingered, but sometimes there was nothing for it but to trust yourself to the unknown. Life was too short – he had learned that the hard way. House brought his eyes back to the woman before him. "Everybody lies", he said.

"Were you lying?", she persisted.

"Yes, I was".

"And…?". Cameron raised an eyebrow.

"And what?", House feigned ignorance, a smile playing on his lips.

"You know 'what', genius. I want to hear you say it".

House rolled his eyes, but his gaze quickly returned to her face. "I like you, Cameron".

Cameron decided not to push her luck and ask him 'how much?'. It was enough that he had confirmed his feelings. Instead, she pouted slightly and stepped away from the wall and towards her boss, leaving a sliver of space between them, though their hands were still locked together either side. There was so much she wanted to say to House: that she had dreamt of such an admission from him for over a year; that she was still tormented by nightmares of his shooting; that she thought of him as she fell asleep and as she woke up. All this could wait, however. "Now what do we do?", she whispered above the beating of her heart.

House brought their hands together against his chest, holding Cameron's fingers gently. "We have a tentative diagnosis of mutual attraction. Now it remains to test our theory". House looked into Cameron's eyes and saw lust. She would likely see the same thing in his. He had denied reality for too long. This was his future. Both doctors leaned in. The pagers at their belts erupted simultaneously, causing both of them to jump in surprise. House swore and, keeping hold of Cameron's hands in one of his, used a free one to consult the device. "It's Chase and Foreman. She's still seizing". House spoke the words regretfully.

"Would you mind checking mine? My hands are tied, you see", said Cameron lightly. She was crestfallen that their moment had been ruined but it didn't escape her notice that House had not released her hands even in a moment of surprise. She was touched and wouldn't be the first one to break contact, pager or no. Instead she turned her hip to House and gestured to her own beeper. The diagnostician carefully unclipped it, allowing his fingers to dip slightly beneath the hem of her pants. Cameron gasped, but the contact was too fleeting to enjoy. House silenced the alarm. "We should go".

"Yes". The immunologist must have allowed uncertainty to flash across her face, because House added: "we'll pick this up later, after the case. My office". He brought her hands up to his lips and brushed them lightly. "Come on. We'll discuss theories on the way".

The three doctors were in the locker room, changing into their casuals. The day had been long but, ultimately, successful. The patient's family had offered them a free meal at their Turkish restaurant by way of thanks, and Foreman and Chase were planning on heading over. Cameron had other plans, though she did enjoy Turkish food. The immunologist had been thinking about House all day since he had confessed his feelings in the lab, and they had shared a few glances during treatment. Nevertheless, as the day wore on and the time to their office rendezvous drew closer, she could feel nerves building. Doubts crept in. House had admitted an attraction, yes, but she was the one who had pushed it and put him on the spot. And what if his feelings had cooled off now that he'd had time to digest the information? What if he saw her as a girl with a crush and a saviour complex?

"You coming?", asked Foreman, shrugging into his coat and closing the locker.

Cameron snapped out of her reverie and hung up her lab coat. "No, I've got some paperwork I want to get done while it's still fresh".

"Why? Take a break. We did good work today", said Chase while glancing in the mirror. He had been much friendlier to Cameron since Mathilde had accepted his invitation to a date.

"I'm hoping to write up the procedure for publication, if you must know, and I want it to be perfect", replied Cameron. This was actually true – the case was an excellent candidate for a journal she'd had her eye on for a while. She'd written in decent journals before, but she had a good feeling about the medicine in this one. With a bit of luck, the article would be her calling card and help with career progression, if she ever felt like moving on from PPTH. Whether or not she did leave would, she suspected, be influenced by what happened later today. She loved her job, but she wanted House in her future more, and if that wasn't possible, self-preservation might lead her to depart. But such gloomy thoughts were not necessary yet.

Foreman peered at Cameron, studying the face of his colleague. "Are you OK? You look a million miles away". An image of the immunologist in Café Spoleto suddenly flashed through his mind. She had been wearing a similar expression. House. Both of them were largely absent this morning. Cameron had been sent to the lab. As for their boss, Foreman had assumed he'd gone to talk to Cuddy or Wilson.

"I'm fine. Just thinking on a few things for the paper. You're not gonna steal this one too, are you?", she joked.

The neurologist raised an eyebrow at her forced lightness but remained silent. Still, he lingered over his shoelaces. "I'm fine", reiterated Cameron. "Go. Have fun. Eat kebabs".

"I do like kebabs", Foreman admitted, looking over to the door where Chase was waiting impatiently. "Well, if you need any help with the, ah, write-up, let us know". Cameron inclined her head in appreciation and waved the others goodbye. The door shut behind them, leaving her alone in the locker room. Cameron briefly considered applying a little makeup and perfume but decided against it. She didn't want to go into this with any expectations or preconceptions; and she definitely didn't want to play her hand too soon. Whatever happened she would tell the truth and be herself.

With a final glance in the mirror, Cameron slammed the locker shut and went to discover her fate.