She slipped her white lab coat from her shoulders to fall to the ground. She took off her shoes and carefully placed them beside the door. Chase followed her
with both of their cases and Cameron's wet jacket, all of which he set down alongside Cameron's shoes. He gathered her lab coat and tossed it on top of the
pile. Cameron flinch at the feel of Chase's hand on the small of her back, but allowed herself to be lead to her couch at the edge of the living room.

Cameron sat quietly. "Thanks," she said.

Chase offered a comforting smile. "Is there anything else I could do?"

Cameron shook her head and leaned against the back of the couch. She brought her hand to her forehead and rested her elbow on the side arm.

"Water," Chase said. "I'll get you some water." He ran his fingers through his damp hair and glanced around the apartment. He walked into the kitchen and
searched through the cupboards for a glass.

Cameron could hear the tap water from the living room. She brought her feet beneath her and sighed. He was trying to help, she knew that much. But at the
moment, all she needed was some brandy and a warm blanket. Cameron squeezed her eyes shut, but she couldn't help but see herself earlier that day. She had
cried like an emotional… woman. She now mentally kicked herself from reacting so violently in front of House, giving him that much satisfaction. What could
possibly drive him to do such a thing? Cameron snorted bitterly. And Wilson felt it was necessary to warn her not to break his heart. Caring for someone like
House was as masochistic as it was hopeless.

"He's sick," she whispered to the living room.

"Dr. House?" Chase asked, returning to the living room.

He set the glass of water on the coffee table in front of her and took a seat on the other side of the couch. Neither Chase nor Cameron had bothered to turn on the main light; they simply sat under the dim glow of a small lamp beside the sofa.
Chase watched her sip from the tall glass of water. Her hands shook, the water silently trembling against the crystal. She breathed heavily and slowly, each
exhalation quivering with the effort to not sob. Her eyes stared directly in front of her, while her mind settled into a quiet hum of muffled thoughts. The
rims of her eyes were red from refrained tears. Chase glanced around the room, admiring the large amount of books that rested on a hanging shelf above his head. He leaned forward and folded his hands into each other.

"I feel like I should be doing something better."

"What do you mean?"

Chase swallowed and stared at the dark green rug beneath his shoes. "As a friend I guess. To help you feel better. I've honestly never been one for
comforting others."

Cameron set the water back down. "I can tell."

"Ouch."

"You're doing fine, Robert. I just need some sleep."

"That's probably a good idea."

"Thanks for bringing me home."

"No problem."

Cameron smiled at his pronunciation of 'problem.' Its inflection was foreign and clearly brought out his accent.

"Problem," she repeated as American-ly as possible.

"Problem," Chase said.

"No… problem… not probe-lem."

"Ever think that maybe you're pronouncing it wrong?"

Cameron lowered her eyebrows. "I'm sorry what country are we in right now?"
Chase's laugh echoed through the living room. The atmosphere suddenly seemed warmer, more comforting. Cameron became aware of how is presence unobtrusively filled the room with a soothing air of affection. Cameron frowned and regarded her co-worker once again – this time without the reservations that had held her together since House's examination.

His golden blonde hair was tousled dry and stuck up in odd places. His eyes were dark with quiet concern. He wasn't amazingly attractive, but there was an endearing quality about his face; it seemed incredibly open and honest that night. All the contemptuous edge he displayed at work had dissolved into soft compassion. Cameron was surprised that a person could change so much from one place to another.

"Why are you so different now?" she suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Chase knew exactly what she meant.

Cameron shook her head slowly. "I don't know."

She titled her head and tried to pinpoint exactly what made him seem so much more… inviting. Cameron straightened the collar of his shirt and rubbed the material smooth against his chest. She smoothed his hair back down into a somewhat manageable style. Chase gazed into her pale green eyes, wishing he could read her thoughts. What was it about him that had changed so much in one night?

In him, she saw a brand new opportunity to feel. She had always put her emotions first in situations, always asking how a decision would make her feel afterward. Now, she wanted to scrap all that sentimental crap. It had been too long since she had had sex for sex. And somehow Cameron knew that that was
exactly what she needed that night. The answer to plain old physical need was sitting next to her. She brought her hands from the top of his head to the sides of his face. She leaned forward and pressed her lips roughly against Chase's, her eyes still staring into his. Chase hesitated, his hands on her hips, ready to pull her toward him or push her away. She was upset and vulnerable. Would she regret whatever happened between them that night? Would he be able to handle it if she did? Chase grimaced.

He pulled back and took her hands into his own. He kissed her gently on the forehead, resting his lips on her soft skin.

"Allison…"

Part of her was glad that he had pulled back.

She sighed. "Wow. Today has been…"

"Intense?"

"In a word? Yes."

Chase brought his arms around her body and stroked her soft hair. Her body ached with exhaustion and all rational thought had abandoned her. She needed something stable to cling to - something to steady her. Cameron smiled weakly and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her ear on his chest. There it is, she thought to herself as she fell asleep to its steady rhythm.

Robert and Allison both awoke to the ring of the telephone. Allison rose from Chase's chest and grabbed the cordless from the coffee table. She cleared her throat.

"H-hello?"

Chase rose to a sitting position and ran his fingers through his hair.

She took Chase's wrist, checking his watch. Seven A.M. She and Chase were exactly an hour late.

"I'll be right in," she said. A pause. "Yes?"

Cameron glanced at Chase. He watched her inquiringly.

"No. I don't know where he is." Cameron clicked off the phone. She stood and glanced around her apartment, unsure as to what she should do first.

"I – uh – don't think we have time for a shower." She sized him up and laughed. "I don't think I have anything that would fit you anyway."

"Right. I'll make do." Chase's pager beeped. He reached into his back pocket. "Guess who."

Relentless. House wouldn't miss the fact that both her and Chase were late on the same day. Their coming in to work together would only fuel his suspicions.

Cameron couldn't care less at the moment though. She walked to her room, rubbing her eyes.

"I don't think this will get past House," Chase called from the living room.

Cameron walked back into the living room – this time in a low-cut light blue sweater.

"I was just thinking the same thing. There's really nothing we can do about that."

"I know. Maybe it'll work to your benefit."

Cameron tilted her head questioningly. "You mean to make him jealous?"

Chase looked off to side and wet his lips. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft. "Allison, do you even like me?"

Cameron recognized the expression on his face – a thick mixture of a longing for 'yes' and a dread of 'no.' When House had denied liking her, it had been a slap in the face that stung for days – that still smarted whenever she recalled his rejection. And now it was her turn to hold another person's hopes in the cup of her hands.