Reluctance
Chapter 6 – Licensed to Kill

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Though the sound overpowers,
Sing again with your dear voice revealing a tone.

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They couldn't have talked in the car if they wanted to; House had the stereo on, blaring The Who from the Corvette's sound system. The top was down, much to Cameron's delight, and her hair was caught in the wind, whipping around her face.

It was just beginning to get dark when they arrived at the restaurant. It was a fancy place, although House denied that there was any romantic atmosphere involved. He whipped into a parking space and cut the engine. By the time he had unbuckled and opened the door to get out, Cameron was standing on the sidewalk, arms crossed, tapping her foot with mock impatience. House sent her a glare and grabbed his cane, slowly exiting the car and trailing behind.

The place smelled of vanilla candles and red wine. House wrinkled his nose as he stepped through the door; definitely too girly. He mentally crossed the restaurant off of the list in his head. Next, House caught sight of the boy (obviously waiting for him to announce his name so he could lead them to their table) standing behind the pedestal. He was short and scrawny with shaggy blonde hair that hung in his face. Even the tux he was forced to wear for the job didn't help. Glasses perched on the end of his nose, House knew at once that the boy was trying to act older than he actually was. Taking this all in, House very nearly turned and fled from the restaurant to avoid him; he hated teenagers. Cameron noticed this as well and hovered behind House, preventing him from moving any direction except forward. She jabbed an elbow in his back, giving the boy (who by now was staring at them) a forced smile. Grumbling, House slowly shuffled forwards; this could be fun.

"Name?" the boy asked.

"Dr. James Wilson," House responded with a straight face.

The boy swallowed, looking for the name in the reservation book. House lingered in front of him, patiently waiting, eyes boring holes in the top of the boy's head. After a few tense moments, the boy (Zack, by his nametag) looked up.

"I-I'm sorry sir, but there are no reservations under the name Dr. James Wilson," Zack said cautiously.

Cameron hardly managed to contain her laughter. She looked at House from the corner of her eye, wondering how long he would let Zack think he was Wilson.

"Look again," House demanded.

Apparently a bit longer. Zack complied, shuffling through the pages of the book once more. The fear was evident on his face as he once again met House's gaze.

"I'm sorry. There isn't a Dr. James Wilson in the book," Zack shook his head.

House narrowed his eyes and leaned on his good leg, allowing Zack to see his cane for the first time. The teenager's eyes got big and he visibly cowered; he read House's invisible message. Not wanting to be on the receiving end of a cane when it was used like a baseball bat, Zack took a few steps back, putting more distance between himself and House. Gathering his courage, he spoke again.

"Look sir, I'm sorry but I can't let you have a table. We're busy and you need reservations. You aren't in the book so I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Zack stated.

This did it for Cameron. Something about this scrawny teenager attempting to stand up to House got to her. She broke into a smile, trying (but failing) to keep the giggles from coming. House, amused, sent her a glance.

"Of course I'm not in the book, Zack," House said.

This confused Zack. He gave House a look that begged for explanation. House closed the distance between himself and Zack with a few steps. Reaching over the pedestal, he extended his hand to Zack.

"Dr. Gregory House, licensed to kill," House uttered.

Zack accepted the handshake, afraid of what would happen to him if he didn't. House let his hand fall back to grasp the cane that had been leaning against his leg.

"Now, if you don't mind," House started, "check the book again. Make sure you look for the right name."

Soon after, House and Cameron found themselves seated at a table for two. They were situated near the middle of the dining room, a fairly busy place. Despite the dim lights and quiet conversations, House still felt like everybody was watching him. He focused on the dinner menu, making it through the appetizers before Cameron spoke.

"Red or white?" she asked.

House, hardly oblivious that the waiter had approached their table, looked up with a smirk.

"Hmmm… I'd have to say red. It compliments your complexion very nicely," House said.

Cameron rolled her eyes at him and lifted her gaze to the waiter.

"Red please," she decided for them.

The wine was brought to their table and House could hardly keep the sarcastic comments to himself when the waiter poured it for them. He picked up his glass and Cameron did the same.

"To Wilson," he toasted.

"To Wilson," she echoed.

The clink of glass on glass settled it.

Their talk was casual, the usual light banter between them remaining unchanged. However, something didn't feel quite right. House was bored, and he could tell that Cameron was as well. Her gaze kept flickering up over his shoulder, to the clock that hung on the wall. With an exasperated sigh, House set his wine glass on the table with a clank and reached for his cane.

"I think we picked the dud of all fancy restaurants," he said. "Let's bust this joint."

"No one could put it better," Cameron replied.

House tossed a few bills onto the table to pay for their drinks. They managed to make it as far as the entryway before Cameron realized she forgot her purse. She left House alone, hurrying back to the table. House leaned against the wall by the door, surveying the crowd around him as he watched her go. Ah, Zack was still here! House limped towards him, prepared to taunt some more, but he was interrupted by Cameron's hand on his arm. She had surprised him; he looked at his arm, as if to make a point that they were touching, before saying anything.

"I wasn't going to do anything, honest," he lied.

Cameron tugged at the sleeve of his jacket before releasing his arm from her grasp.

"Let's go," she said.

It was only six-thirty. They hadn't even ordered their food (that's how bored they were). They walked side by side to House's car, Cameron's heels and House's cane thumping on the walk.

"I want to drive your car," Cameron's wistful voice broke into his thoughts.

He looked at her closely. Reaching into his jacket pocket, House retrieved his precious car keys and held them up, jingling them in front of her face. Cameron's hand stretched out to snatch them from his grasp; the jingling was annoying her.

"What are you waiting for? Let's get this show on the road," House started for the passenger's side.

Cameron just stood there, the keys cold in her hand.

"I can't," she said.

"Jeez, it's not like I asked you to marry me," House replied.

Cameron, exasperated, threw up her hands in agitation.

"No… I can't," she said. "Meaning that I don't know how."

"Goodness, Dr. Cameron. How long does it take you to walk to work then, if you can't drive a car?" House teased, trying to hide his confusion. "About two hours? Three?"

"I can't drive a stick," she confessed, interrupting him.

House was flabbergasted.

"You can't? Didn't you grow up on a farm?" he asked.

"Yes, but my brother always drove the tractors," she said.

An amused look crossed House's face. He regarded her for a moment, testing her sincerity. Cameron crossed her arms, a matching look on her face. In a few steps, House was by her side. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the keys from her hand and opened the driver's side door. He noticed that the metal was warm from her grasp.

"Get in," he said.

Cameron made her way around the front of the car to climb into the passenger's side. With a thoroughly confused look aimed at House, she spoke again.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You really think you could learn to drive my car in a parking lot this small?" he answered. "Relax. We'll be back in time for the music."

Cameron smiled, sinking back into the leather seat.

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Of some world far from ours,
Where music and moonlight and feeling are one.

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A/N: Okay, totally not what I expected this chapter to be like. Did you enjoy? Leave lots of reviews. Boy that was a quick update! If you're nice, I'll get the next chapter up before I leave for Costa Rica.