A/N: Sorry for the wait on this fic! I'll try my best to be a little more consistent with my uploads from now on! Thanks for all the lovely reviews so far, and YES I am continuing with this, but I can understand how that could be hard to tell given as I've left House and his lot in limbo for over a month! Oops. Hope you enjoy, and please review! :)
As they stroll down the hallway towards the elevator, House keeps quiet about his evening spent with Cameron; not wanting to discuss the matter with Wilson. As it is, the oncologist is full of tales about his own evening, and he regales the story of how his ex-wife had deemed it entirely appropriate to show up for dinner unannounced with an injection of venom House knows to take with a pinch of salt. Slipping in a few sarcastic remarks here and there, House nods along without really listening, peeking stealthily through the glass doors to the ER as they pass; curious to see whether Cameron has come into work today.
Yes.
Of course she has.
He is careful not to linger, simply taking note of pale curls and the pink flash of her scrubs. She has her back to the door, standing between a dark-haired man in a lab coat and a stout young nurse, but, despite ditching the brunette waves she had shown preference when beneath his wing, he recognises her instantly.
Something in the way she stands perhaps.
He is sly in his observation, and Wilson remains oblivious; bidding his friend farewell as they reach the elevator and House presses a button deftly with the tip of his cane. None the wiser as to the greying doctor's uncharacteristically sociable home visit.
Cameron is a little less secretive.
The oncologist smiles as he spots the young doctor sat by herself in one of the booths at the far end of the lunch hall. For the blonde to be found dining alone is not uncommon; she appears well-liked by her team in the ER, but she is a woman perfectly at home in her own company. Wilson imagines it is for this reason she had so often spent her free time in the office trawling through paperwork when she had worked for House, rather than frequent the bustling food court.
Well. One of the reasons.
Clearing his throat politely before slipping into the bench opposite her, he returns her smile with his own and points to the sandwich that sits barely touched on her plate.
"Mayonnaise?"
"Yeah."
"You know you can ask for it without, right?"
"I did, but, you know... They're busy, and I guess so many people are asking for different things..."
She shrugs, and the oncologist grins as what little he knows about Cameron is so irrefutably predictable it borders on amusing.
"And you didn't want to cause a fuss..."
"No."
Rolling his eyes amiably, Wilson offers her the apple from his own tray- an impulsive buy in a vague attempt towards his five a day- and she accepts it gratefully; white teeth sinking into scarlet flesh.
"Chips and an apple; a meal fit for a Queen."
He muses, glancing at the empty packet of Doritos folded neatly beside her plate.
"Just what the doctor ordered."
She agrees, chuckling as he groans at her pitiful attempt at comedy, before nodding when he gestures inquisitively towards her unwanted sandwich.
"Speaking of which, how are you doing? House told me what happened."
"Not bad. Still a little sore from where they stitched me back up, but it's ok if I don't move around too much. I'm just overseeing the interns today, so no real stress.
She says it as though she is being punished, and Wilson smirks.
"Not quite your style? Still, everyone needs a rest now and then, Allison, I just hope you're being sensible when you get home! You should call on people to help you out and do your cooking and cleaning; make the most of your position."
He grants her a jocular wink and she smiles.
"Are you offering? Woah. First House, now you..."
She laughs amiably, while Wilson raises an eyebrow; suddenly curious.
"House?"
"Yeah, he came by mine when you told him I wasn't at work and he ended up helping me with dinner."
"House... Checked up on you?"
"Well... I think it was more a case of worrying about his reputation as the all-knowing, legendary doctor being called into question than it was checking if I was alright..."
Cameron blushes, nibbling at her apple awkwardly as Wilson frowns.
God, they're both just as bad as each other.
"Ok... But he cooked for you?"
"No, I cooked, I just asked if he would help so I could reach the plates and things that were high up."
"I see... So he stayed for dinner."
"Well, yeah..."
"And then... He went home?... Or?"
"Well, he's not going to have stayed about to read me a bedtime story."
The blonde sarks, her tone irritable, but her cheeks a telling pink.
"No. Sorry. I just... He didn't tell me he'd been round to yours, that's all."
"Don't worry, I know he's your boyfriend, I won't touch."
Wilson rolls his eyes as the blonde offers him a measured look, and he decides that no matter how irresponsible he may find the notion of House going after Cameron- he doesn't know her well enough to feel he can judge vice versa- the two are surprisingly well suited in their mannerisms.
"I don't think my heart could take it!"
He obliges theatrically, and she laughs before glancing up at the clock that hangs above the food counter and excusing herself.
The oncologist watches on sympathetically as she moves with noticeable care.
"So that's twice in one week now..."
"Well, if you keep on at it and improve your aim, you'll be hitting the bowl every time. Practise makes perfect."
"... Twice in one week that you've had dinner with Allison."
"Cameron?"
"... No... One of the other Allisons you've been cooking for and taking out to dinner."
"I didn't cook, she did. She asked me to stay, and, being a kind and compliant human being, I merely consented to her wishes."
"Doesn't sound like you."
"She was offering me home-cooked pasta, and I happen to know that she understands a thing or two about seasoning. It was a good offer compared to this."
House gestures towards the leftovers of the Chinese takeout they share.
"The food or the company?"
"Well, she doesn't ask nearly as many pointless and annoying questions as you do... But you do have childbearing hips."
"Just be careful, House."
"Be careful? Of what? Maybe you are talking about another Allison, because the Cameron I know deserves about as much caution as a toothless puppy."
"You have a thing for her-"
"-No. I just find it bad manners to watch a woman bleed unassisted."
"Oh come on, you've always had a thing for Cameron. Maybe not a crush, or an interest or anything like that, but there's always been this... This..."
"Thing?"
"Yes!"
"She doesn't repulse me quite as much as the other two did, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that constitutes a 'thing'. Maybe just a 'th' at a push."
Wilson rolls his eyes, uncomfortably aware of the brittle undertone to House's sarcasm.
He has a feeling he wasn't supposed to find out about the events of the previous night.
He's right.
"So what's the lovely doctor going around telling people, anyway?"
"Nothing, House. I asked her how she was over lunch and she just mentioned you'd been over for dinner. It's not like she couldn't contain her excitement and blurted it out."
"... You had lunch with Cameron?"
Oh. You definitely have a 'thing'.