Disclaimer: See Chp. I.
House sat silently, impatiently, at the large table in 'Interrogation Room One'.
He and Cameron had been, reluctantly, separated.
It was early evening by the time the two arrived at the police station to file the report.
"Why didn't you come in sooner?" questioned the bland detective.
House tapped his cane on the bare floor, bored.
"She was clearly in shock and in no condition to 'report' anything" House said blankly.
"You wouldn't have gotten anything out of her last night anyway— she was dead on her feet. I let her rest and brought her in now after she'd had some time to recover".
The detective scribbled a few notes on a coil-ring notebook before looking up at House.
"Is it your medical opinion that Dr. Cameron was in shock?" he asked.
House knit his brow in mock amazement.
"Do I have any other opinion?" he retorted.
"So, you approached your vehicle when you heard a voice?"
The female detective spoke softly, as if to a small child.
"Yes, that's right" Cameron nodded.
She had tied Houses' loose t-shirt at the bottom so that it fit her hips snugly.
"He demanded by purse. He held a knife to me so I reached out to give it to him".
"And..." the detective checked her notes, "that's when Dr. House came upon you?"
She looked Cameron in the eye.
"Yes" Cameron answered softly.
"He saved me".
"So... the woman is in such serious shock that you couldn't bring her in, so you just... what…took her home?"
House rolled his expressive eyes.
"She was in no condition to be alone" he said, exasperated, "so I took her to my place".
The detective arched a brow.
"You're her boss?" the detective questioned wryly, "and you took her to your place?"
House gazed at the incompetent fool blankly.
"We have a fairly close working-relationship".
The detective's eyebrows shot up.
"How close exactly?"
Houses' brow wrinkled as he narrowed his eyes.
"Not that close."
"So, Dr. House convinced your attacker that he had called the police?" asked the female detective, head down over her notebook.
"Yes." Cameron's throat was dry.
Her earlier energy was beginning to dwindle, leaving her worn and tired.
"There were sirens approaching. He got scared and took off with my purse."
Cameron rubbed her flushed face.
"Why didn't Dr. House actually call us?" questioned the detective, a note of suspicion in her voice.
"There was no time." Cameron's voice raised defensively.
"He saved my life" she insisted.
"So... you let her recover a bit before brining her in?" queried the detective blandly.
House raised his brows in feigned shock.
"You got all that just out of our little conversation? Egad man! Your perceptiveness is clearly wasted in such a basic occupation" House intoned dryly.
"We have your description, Dr. Cameron. We'll get it out there and contact you if we learn anything."
Cameron nodded weakly.
"Don't forget to contact your bank, credit card companies, cell phone provider, that sort of thing. And if your license was in your wallet, you might want to think about installing a home security system, just in case".
"Thank you" Cameron murmured.
Easing herself off the chair, she met Houses' gaze as he stood waiting in the doorway.
He took off his coat and draped it gently over her shoulders. He cupped her face in both hands, inspecting her closely.
"You're pale" he said softly.
Cameron closed her eyes and smiled faintly.
"Tired..." she breathed.
House wrapped a supporting arm around her waist and led her slowly out the door.
"Do you think they'll find him?" Cameron questioned absently.
House scoffed, helping her down the steps.
"You kidding? You just described the proverbial 'junkie in Hollywood'. We needn't have bothered." House grumbled.
"But" He added, forcing himself to brighten on her account.
"I've done my civic duty for today and I feel peachy. How 'bout you?" he joked.
Cameron blinked away an exhausted tear.
House stopped, sighing.
"Come on. I'll take you home."
They pulled up to the white stone steps of Cameron's townhouse just as the red sunset melted below the city skyline. Soft, twilight stars had appeared overhead.
They had ridden from the police station in a comfortable silence.
House turned off the ignition and reached for the handle.
Cameron placed a hand on his knee gently, very briefly.
"I'm okay. You don't need to trouble yourself."
House caught a quick glimpse of her hand on his leg before looking into her face seriously.
"You're still pretty weak. You're sure you..."
"I'm fine" she smiled, cutting him off.
"Besides, it'll take less time for me to get up those stairs by myself than for you to 'help' me" she laughed, exiting the vehicle and sliding his coat from her body.
House mustered a look of deep indignation: "Ouch".
Cameron smiled playfully at him and set the jacket carefully on the passenger seat before closing the door.
House nodded and turned the ignition.
"Get some rest. And take your time getting back- the place'll still be there" he grumbled.
Cameron laughed and turned, moving with some difficulty up the six or so granite steps leading to her home.
House watched her closely, assuring himself of her recovery.
Cameron stooped to dig a spare key out of its' hiding place and unlocked the door.
She turned, suddenly, to call to him from the landing.
"Did I say thank you?"
House waved a hand vaguely in her direction, gunned the engine and sped off.
A/N:I threw this part in because it seemed disconnected without it. Plus, there is a fantastic part between House and the Detective I LOVED and had to put in. Who can guess what it was?
