Disclaimer: Chp. I ;)
Cameron blinked her eyes and sighed softly. She looked around the dim room. It was quite a bit darker— she must have been asleep for some time.
She stretched, tentatively, beneath the warmth of the blanket House had draped over her.
A sudden stab of pain reminded her to move with care. She rolled onto her back. Sitting up, she nervously brought her fingers to her tousled hair and smoothed its' roughness.
The heavy curtains were drawn, muting out the sunlight.
To her left, House sat at the piano, bent casually over the concealed keys, reading.
She watched him a moment before opening her mouth to speak.
"About 4:30" he said.
Cameron gaped, surprised, and then laughed softly.
"Wow" was all she could manage— she had slept for quite a while.
She rose carefully and drifted towards him slowly, her right arm wrapped protectively around her waist so that her hand covered her bandaged side.
He closed his book and set it aside, turning his body to face her.
Cameron caught a glance at the cover, "War and Peace", and smiled down at him.
"'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People'?" she teased.
He reached out without warning and lifted the edge of the t-shirt she wore, inspecting the bandage.
"Well" he mused, "you've been asleep so long I finished it. I figured, what the hell, I have time".
She laughed.
"You just happened to have Tolstoy lying around?
House shrugged casually.
Cameron, nodded, feigning seriousness.
"I see. They mixed it up with your 'Sports Illustrated'".
House blinked.
"No… I don't read 'SI' anymore- too many articles, not enough bikini babes".
Cameron bit back a laugh.
"This dressing needs to be changed" House said blankly and eased himself off the piano bench towards the direction of his bedroom.
Cameron moved carefully to the window and parted the heavy curtain. Afternoon sunlight flooded the room and in the light she gazed at her surroundings— book shelves, sparsely-furnished and hardly decorated, not that this surprised her. Leaning towers of books, sheet music, and various CDs, records and papers were stacked at various angles around the room.
Cameron smiled to herself.
"So this is where he lives" she said softly.
Closing her eyes against the light, Cameron gripped the piano for support and let the warm rays wash over her. She felt better— much better.
House stood in the doorway, as she had done only hours before, watching Cameron with gentle eyes, holding a small med kit.
As he moved towards Cameron, her eyes opened and she smiled bashfully.
"Are you in much pain?" he asked, retaking his seat at the piano and pulling her closer to him.
"No, not really".
She lifted his t-shirt above her stomach and turned her body so he would have a clearer view.
House squinted in the brightness.
"What'd you go and do that for?" he jerked his head in the direction of the bright window as he carefully peeled the bandage from her side.
"It's a beautiful day" Cameron breathed.
"Besides, how else would you see what you're doing?"
The side of Houses' mouth twitched into a vague smile.
"I don't need to see. I operate by skill alone" he joked.
Cameron smiled down at the top of his head.
House treated the wound and Cameron winced at the sting. She drew in a breath sharply.
House furrowed his brow.
"Sorry".
Cameron smiled.
"I'm okay".
House smoothed a fresh square of cloth over her injury. His warm hands held her bare waist as he traced a finer along the outline of the bandage, sealing the tape.
His hand brushed her bare stomach and the flesh rippled.
Cameron stifled a giggle, causing House to lean back abruptly.
"Ticklish". She bit her lip, embarrassed.
"Sorry".
He shrugged, more like twitched.
"Me too" he scoffed.
House looked up to meet her gaze and held it for a moment.
Cameron reached out and brushed the tips of her fingers lightly against his rough cheek.
"Have I said thank you?" she whispered.
House blinked, and Cameron withdrew her hand quickly, as if touching fire.
She cleared her dry throat and stepped away from him as he stood, cane in hand, moving towards the kitchen.
"Yes" he answered gruffly.
Cameron blushed, embarrassed, mentally berating herself for her stupidity.
House leaned against the entrance to the kitchen and faced her.
"Hungry?" he questioned casually.
Cameron inhaled, forcing herself to look at him.
"No" she smiled weakly.
"Thanks."
"You sure?" he pressed.
"Chen's down the street makes a pretty mean egg roll" he moved towards the phone.
Cameron smiled softly.
"Um... sure, if you want..." she trailed off.
She felt awkward, occupying so much of his attention like this.
"Great" he said, picking up the phone and dialing by memory, "I'm starved."
"Hot! hot... "Cameron laughed, noodles dangling from her lips.
House watched her struggle to poke the thin noodles into her mouth with her chop sticks.
He chewed thoughtfully on an egg roll and chuckled quietly.
"Maybe I was wrong" he smiled, dribbling plum sauce over his chicken-fried rice.
Cameron swallowed with some difficulty and dropped her chopsticks into the box she held in her lap.
She laughed at her lack of elegance.
"About what?" she asked, leaning forward to retrieve her soda from the coffee table.
They were seated at opposite ends of the sofa, House, leaning forward over the small oak table; Cameron curled at the other end, facing him.
"You" he spoke through a mouthful of rice.
"Maybe your cognitive skills are a bit lacking after last night— you can't even feed yourself" he joked flatly.
Cameron's cheeks flushed as she laughed honestly.
"Chopsticks never were my specialty" she smiled.
Giving up her fight with a piece of beef, she stabbed it instead and popped it into her mouth with an air of victory.
"I think I should take you to the police station before I take you home" House said, through bites.
Cameron's smile faded. She had all but forgotten her reason for being there— the events of last night which brought her to Houses' home, into his bed, and laughing over noodles now.
House noticed the change in her and knit his brow.
"Are you up to it?" he asked, concerned.
Cameron smiled.
"Yes, thanks" she nodded, reassuring him.
"But there's really no need to trouble yourself, I'll just call a cab..."
House shook his head at her.
"They're going to need me to verify your story. I was there, remember?"
Cameron laughed weakly. She blinked, her smile fading.
She lowered her gaze to the container in her lap.
"I'm sorry to trouble you like this" she said quietly.
House laughed abruptly.
"Are you kiddin'?" he picked up the remaining egg roll with his chopsticks and dropped it into her container.
"This is the most excitement I've had in weeks" he smiled.
Cameron smiled back softly and stabbed the egg roll with her chopstick, taking a bite.
"You're right" she said.
"Best egg roll I've ever tasted".
