Chp 5

Wilson froze when the doorbell rang. His hands, which were displayed across House's chest, fell to his sides as he sighed.

"I should get that."

"Why?" House pouted as Wilson left his lap and started heading for the doorway. The sudden lost of the oncologist's heat against his body and lips against his own made him mad. "We didn't order any food. Who could it be?"

Wilson stopped abruptly in his tracks and slowly turned around to face House. "You know, that's a really good question." He grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head. "Get dress and we'll find out."

House sighed but did as Wilson told him too. He buttoned his shirt and pulled his pants back on. As he was pulling up the zipper and snapping the button, Wilson answered the door.

Cameron stood on the other side, in the hallway, and she was shivering.

"Um, hi, Wilson. Can I come in?"

"Who is it!" House shouted. He grabbed his cane and pushed himself off the couch. When he turned towards the door, he watched Dr. Cameron make his way into his home. He suddenly became pissed.

"Hi, House."

House nodded and then turned to Wilson. "Uh, Wilson? Can I have a word with you in the kitchen?"

"Ooh! Great idea! I can make tea!" Wilson smiled and happily jogged into the kitchen. The banging of pots and mugs and the sound of water filling the kettle could soon be heard.

House sighed. "He's just so perky." He limped into the kitchen, ignoring Cameron's small smile. Wilson was holding two mugs, one in each hand, and before he could set them down on the counter, House had him pushed against the refrigerator.

"House, we have a guest. Now is not the time." Wilson's mouth was saying one thing, but his body was saying something different.

"Don't you mean an uninvited guest?"

"What? Why?"

"Why? Well, because we could be having a great shag right now, not having tea with Dr. Oh-pity-me-I-have-low-self-esteem."

Wilson rolled his eyes and broke free of House and the refrigerator. "That's not very nice. Cameron is more than welcomed here. I understand we were – "

" – Interrupted?" House raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yes, but she's here and we shouldn't shoo her away just because you're horny and I haven't had sex in two days."

"The two days thing isn't my fault."

"I wasn't blaming you." Wilson grabbed a third mug out of the cabinet and set it down to join the other two. "Plus, you had a hard day and your leg is hurting you."

"But I'm hard right now." A sudden pain shot through House's right leg and he winched. "Jinx."

"Ah, yes, but I'm a sexy jinx." Wilson grinned and placed a hand on House's shoulder. "Go out there and talk to Cameron."

House sighed and did as Wilson said. He was only obeying so much because he was in pain and the oncologist just looked so darn cute when he got his way. As he passed Wilson for the doorway, the kettle went off.

"Ooh, water's done!"

House rolled his eyes and continued limping.

"Fairy," he mumbled. Wilson heard.

"But I'm a – "

"Oh, shut up."

Cameron turned around at House's voice and saw him limping into the living room. He took a seat in his plush recliner and let out a sigh. He let his cane fall to the floor on the side and his eyes slide over to look at Cameron. She was seated on the edge of the couch, her coat still on, with hands folded neatly on her lap. She seemed a little out of place and uncomfortable. Good, House thought.

"So, what brings you to my humble adobe?"

"Oh, well, I was just in the neighborhood and – "

"Shouldn't you be heading home? Isn't it past your bedtime?"

Cameron cleared her throat and sifted in her seat. She was started to rethink this idea. "Yes, I am heading home, but Chase is giving me a ride and – did you know he lives near you?"

House's eyebrows rose and he seemed a little mortified. "Really?" Cameron nodded her head. "Damn. Now I have to move."

"Well, anyway, I recognized the street and saw it was yours, so I figured we make a detour and I could stop by and see how you are doing." House was looking at her oddly, like he really didn't like her at the moment and wanted to bash her with his cane. Maybe he didn't take as many Vicodin as she thought he would have by now. "It's just, you took a nasty fall and seemed to be in a lot pain, and I know Dr. Wilson gave you ride, but I wasn't sure how long he stayed and I thought you might be lonely, so I – "

"Enough." House cut her off and her mouth shut quickly. She sat up even straighter and brushed back a strand of her hair. She took a quick glance at the door and thought maybe if she went now she could make it before he thought to throw the cane. House noticed the glance. "If you want to leave, feel free to. I didn't ask you to stop by anyway."

Before Cameron could answer, Wilson came shuffling out of the kitchen, scowling. House saw the scowl and wanted to scowl himself. Something was up.

"What's wrong?"

"We have no sugar."

"What the hell? I just bought some – "

"Yeah, two years ago." He picked up his shoes lying near the hall closet and started putting them on.

"Where do you think you're going? We have business to take care of. Plus, Julie – "

"I'm going to run down to the store real quick and get sugar," Wilson said, quickly, before House could mention anything about Julie right now that would get Cameron's mind turning. "I'll be back in ten minutes."

House didn't like that idea. "Oh, come on Wilson. It's fine. I can live without sugar until tomorrow."

"I'm sure Allison doesn't like tea without sugar." He grabbed his coat and shrugged it on.

"Oh, that's – "

"Ten minutes, House, and I'll be back. Promise." And with that, Wilson grabbed his keys and was out the door. House mumbled something that Cameron couldn't quite comprehend and slumped far in his chair.

"You might as well take off your coat. He'll be at least thirty minutes. He's like a chick: He'll be going in for sugar, but he'll come out with ten other things."

Cameron chuckled lightly at that and softly took of her coat. She neatly folded it in half and placed it next to her. It appears that she didn't catch on to Wilson saying 'we' instead of 'you' when referring to the lack of sugar.

"So," she began, trying to break the silence. "How is your leg?"

"It's bum. How's yours?"

Cameron mentally rolled her eyes. "House, that's not what I meant."

"I know, and don't worry. I'm a big boy; I can take care of it myself."

"Right," Cameron nodded. "Well, while Wilson's out getting sugar, is there anything I can get you to eat?"

"No, and you don't know where my food is anyway."

Cameron stood up, smiling a bit. "I'm sure I can figure it out. It's not like you keep your food in the bathroom."

"Maybe I do; maybe I don't. Either way, it doesn't matter because I'm not hungry." Cameron ignored him and made her way into the kitchen. But before she could take one step in, House's voice flooded her head. "I said I'm not hungry. There's no reason why you need to go into my kitchen."

Cameron swallowed hard. She turned gently and headed back for the couch. Maybe there was something in there she didn't want her to see, the immunologist thought. Or maybe House really did have something crawling up his butt and really wanted to be extra grumpy.

When she took her seat again, she casted her eyes over towards House. "Can I ask you a question?"

"No."

Cameron rolled her eyes and tried again. "Why not? The least we could do is make conversation. I mean, it's better than sitting in silence."

"I wouldn't be sitting in silence if you didn't show up," House glared.

"Well, I'm sorry." Pause. Silence. "I just wanted to check up on you. Why won't you let people care for you?"

"'Cause I'm not some charity case they can pry on and probe their icky fingers with. I want to be left alone."

"Then why let Wilson into your life?"

House wasn't expecting that. It was quite a random question, and now asked, the older doctor realized he never really thought about it.

"He's my best friend; why shouldn't he be in my life?"

"Yeah, but…How did you two meet?"

"In med school."

"Did you guys room together?"

"No."

"Then how – "

"What is this, twenty questions! For Christ's sake."

Cameron brushed back a strand of loose hair behind her ear and sat forward. Her eyes were staring deep into House, studying him. "How did you guys meet in med school?"

"Through a seminar, okay? I was pretty well known around the campus and Jimmy needed a diagnostics students to give a speech with. He asked me, I agreed, and the rest is history."

"But why did he stick around? I mean, after med school and especially after the infarction?"

If House wasn't really pissed off before, he was now.

"Listen, Cameron, I would really appreciate it you could but out of my personal life and especially get the hell out of my apartment."

Cameron sat up and grabbed her coat. As she put it, she noticed how flustered House had gotten and how uncomfortable the topic made him. She now knew that there was definitely something going on, and she was anxious to figure it out. There was a secret lurking around; it had to be told.

Standing up, Cameron pulled her coat tight and opened the door. She was greeted to Wilson walking down the hallway. She left the apartment before the oncologist could reach the door, and stepped away to let him pass.

"Hey. Leaving so early?" Wilson held two bags. Cameron suddenly remembered about what House said. It was obvious one thing of sugar didn't need two bags.

"Um, yeah, I'm tired and Chase is waiting for me. I should get going." She gave Wilson a small smile and headed down the hallway. When she was out of sight, Wilson just shrugged his shoulders and opened the door to the apartment.

"House, I'm back!" Wilson called out, shutting and locking the door behind him. He didn't see House anywhere as he walked into the kitchen. As he started putting the few extra things he got away, he heard footsteps coming towards him and the soft sound of a cane hitting the tiled floor. Shutting the refrigerator door, he turned around to see House standing there, staring at him.

"What did you say to scare off Cameron?" He grabbed the paper bags and tossed them in the trashcan.

"She was asking questions. I didn't like them so I told her to leave."

"What kind of questions?"

"Questions about me and you."

Wilson suddenly looked nervous. House got the drift why.

"No. No, nothing like that. She was asking questions referring to how we met and why you are still around."

"Oh." Pause. Wilson bit his bottom lip. "Still, it could mean she knows something."

"What's to know? I mean, we keep it very down low in the hospital, and no one shows up here. Plus, no one knows about your divorce with Julie yet."

"Yet?"

House rolled his eyes and approached Wilson. He pushed him up against the counter and captured his lips with his own. "I say we just forget about everything and go have wild, passionate sex. How does that sound?"

Wilson grinned and placed his hands on House's hips. "Wonderful." He gave House a kiss, swiping his tongue along his lower lip. "But just one thing."

"What?" House groaned.

"Can I be on top this time?"