Title: Damaged

Summery: Just read…
Spoilers: Up until midway through "Heavy" and takes a twist.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: You know I don't own it! I play.

Author's Note: Just to clarify days and times. Chapter 1 took place on a Monday night, Chapters 2 and 3 on Tuesday, and Chapter 4 three days later on Friday. It is now Saturday morning.

JasonsDaughter: Thanks for catching up on all my stories! Always glad to see another reader! SobePeachTea: Thanks! I'm defiantly not as good as the writers of House, but it's always good to be compared to them! Mariel3: Thank you! I'm glad you like, and I definitely try to keep the characters in, well, character! LOL

3:00 am

The first thing House thought when he woke up was, Oh shit, I'm gonna die. He felt pins and needles shooting down his left shoulder down his arm and into his hand. It was starting to go numb. And there was a heaviness across his chest, like a weight was laid down there. I'm going to die, he thought again. Heart attack. House raised his left arm but found he couldn't. This just keeps getting better.

He shook his head to clear it of the rest of its sleep-induced grogginess. House couldn't do anything until he could think clearly. Then, he heard a very quiet, yet distinguishable noise, and everything suddenly became right in the world. Well, not the world, but he realized he wasn't going to die. Cameron was snoring lightly next to him.

Thankfully, there was a lamp on the right side of the bed, so he reached over and turned it on. He glanced over at his new companion. She was lying on her side, head and neck in the crook of his shoulder and arm thrown across his chest. Well, that explains the tingling and heaviness. Her mouth was slightly open, and her hair fell over her forehead and cheek. For the first time since the attack, she looked peaceful.

He carefully brushed the hair out of her eyes. House looked at her closer, noticing smudges on her cheeks. Dried tears. She was crying in her sleep. He sighed. Maybe not so peaceful after all. He reached over and shut the lamp.

House then reached over and awkwardly began to stroke her arm. He wasn't used to having to comfort people, awake or asleep. Hence why he avoided grief stricken patients and families the most. But here he was trying to make Cameron as comfortable as possible.

"It'll be okay, Cameron," he said to the open room. "Just take it one day at a time."

She made a content noise and snuggled in closer to him. In a few minutes, he was asleep again.

When he woke up in the morning, she was gone.

House sat up with a start, grimacing at the pain in his leg from the unusual movement. He reached over and grabbed a Vicodin before getting out of bed. Then he made his way to find out where Cameron went to.

Not in the bathroom.

Not in the study/bedroom.

Not in the living room.

Wait… he smelled something. Bacon? He had bacon in the freezer? House slowly walked over to the kitchen and leaned against the doorway. He gave a sigh of relief. She didn't run away. Just ran to the kitchen.

"Morning."

Cameron jumped at the voice. "Oh! You scared me, House." She turned her attention back to the stove. "Want some coffee? When you mentioned that you didn't have much food, boy, you weren't kidding!"

"Apparently I had bacon and eggs."

"No, ShopRite had bacon and eggs. I took a trip up there this morning. You apparently never have."

House ignored that comment and fixed himself a cup of coffee. "So, how was your first night on the futon? Did you sleep well?"

He smiled as he saw Cameron give a little start, and he swore he saw her cheeks flush slightly.

"Umm… yes, I did, thank you. Very comfortable." She cleared her throat. "How about you?"

"Like a baby. Except," he said, rotating his arm for effect, "I think I slept on my left side wrong. My shoulder aches a bit this morning." He smiled into his coffee mug as he saw her flush again.

"Well, I'm sure when you take a Vicodin for your leg, that'll clear right up." She fixed him up a plate and put it on the table. "Now sit down and eat."

"Yes sir," he said giving her a mock salute. "So. Bacon and eggs. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"If you haven't had one yet from all those ruebens you're eaten, it's safe to say that this won't hurt you… too much."

House glanced over at her. She seemed better today, happier. She was smiling more and she was definitely showing a bit of her old attitude. Not to mention she worked his kitchen like she belonged there. It was good to see.

Cameron sat down next to him with her own plate. "So what are you plans today?"

"It's Saturday," he said, as if that would explain everything.

"So? What do you normally do on Saturdays?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Not even watch a movie? Read a book?"

"Do you understand what nothing means?"

"Well, I can't sit around and do nothing all day. I'll have to go out and find something to do."

"No, you won't."

"Excuse me," Cameron said in disbelief. "Did you just tell me I couldn't go out?"

Shit. It wasn't supposed to sound like that. "I meant, I don't want you going out by yourself."

"House, I'm going to have to be by myself eventually. Get used to it."

"Just not yet. It's too soon."

Cameron understood that he didn't only mean physically too soon. She nodded her head slightly. "So. Does that mean you're volunteering to go out with me today?"

Shit, again. "Well… ahhh… I don't know…" She couldn't stay cooped up indoors all weekend. He knew that. "Fine. I'll go with you."

She gave him a warm smile. "Thank you, House."

They spent all of Saturday shopping. It actually wasn't as bad as House thought it would be. She didn't drag him around any clothing stores, just bookstores, music stores and electronics. He even picked up an item or two himself. Shopping was actually… dare he say it? Fun.

By the time they were done, it was almost 6 pm. They picked up some Chinese food and decided to go see a movie: The Amityville Horror.

"You do know this was a hoax, right?"

"Shut up and enjoy the movie."

"And the original was kick ass, so this is probably going to suck."

"Would you stop?"

"Just don't grab my leg if you get scared. It hurts enough as it is."

"You want a double limp? Then. Shut. Up."

The movie wasn't half bad. Wasn't great, but watchable. Afterwards, tired, yet satisfied, they finally went home.

"Thank you for spending the day with me, House. It was great to actually go out and do something for the first time in a week."

"Yes. And I had… what's that word?"

"Fun," Cameron said with a giggle.

"That's it! Fun."

She smiled. "I'm going to hit the sack. I'm exhausted. See you tomorrow."

"G'night."

He went to bed shortly after her. Shortly after 3am, he was woken up by a warm body next to his. Cameron. House just gathered her closer to him and went back to sleep.