WrongObsession: Yeah. Things start to not jump all over now...sorta. =] I'm super glad you're enjoying it.
Anonymousow: You know...I never really looked at Remy shooting Allison as humorous until your review. I totally see where you're coming from. Lol.
Ina: You know...every time someone says hot'n'cold in a review, I run off to listen to Katy Perry. Haha.
Focus Fire On Skull: Well, writing is the socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. Haha. Not that I'm socially accepted when I complain about how my characters refuse to do what I want them to. xD Back when House and Thirteen got arrested, I was complaining bc it wasn't in the outline. My friend was like, "Uh...you know you don't have to write that, right?" Vet version of Thirteen? Awesome! And I'm already finished with NaNo. I hit 50,000 in the first week. I'm up above 60,000 now...just kinda writing on and off when I'm bored. I have a sequel I'm writing to this fic that I probably won't post. -facepalm-
Wow...so 4 reviews. Slow weekend or...was last chapter really that awful? Huh. Anyway...I think you'll all enjoy this chapter quite a bit. I've been told a few times it's the cutest one. -grin-
The black jacket and pink scarf with matching gloves Cameron had put on in the locker room were undeniably cute. Thirteen leaned against the doorway, holding the door open with her foot.
"Take a picture. It'll last longer," House commented as he walked by. "You're not as subtle with your staring as you think you are."
Thirteen snapped out of her thoughts and quickly looked away from Cameron. Fortunately, it didn't seem like the other doctor had noticed her staring or heard House as he walked past. "You ready to go?" She tugged on her own black jacket with two rows of buttons beside each other. It was simple, but warm enough to get her from the hospital to Cameron's car. She hadn't bothered with gloves.
"Yeah." Cameron smiled at her. She walked over and linked arms with her. Thirteen seemed to get rooted to her spot when she approached her and she practically had to drag her for the first few steps. "Come on, slowpoke."
"I'm not a slowpoke." Thirteen trailed behind her, occasionally glancing at their arms. She picked up speed after a moment so she was walking beside her. Anything she had been worried about drained from her mind and made her feel almost lightheaded. "It's snowing!" Clearing her throat, she almost blushed at her own excitement as they walked outside.
"So that's what that white stuff falling from the sky is," Cameron teased. Giant flakes were layering on the ground. There had to be at least an inch already. Tilting her head back, she stuck out her tongue.
Unlinking their arms, Thirteen smirked. She let Cameron have her fun trying to eat the snow and knelt down, gathering a handful of it before standing back up. "Hey, Dr. Cameron."
"Hm?" Cameron tilted her head down again. Thirteen's snowball hit her smack in the forehead. She clamped her eyes shut and scrunched up her face.
Thirteen started laughing. She knelt down and grabbed another handful, throwing it at the other doctor just as her hands moved from wiping away the last snowball.
"Uh!" Cameron moved her hands to cover her face. Peering through her fingers, she tried to make sure Thirteen wasn't about to hit her with another one. "That wasn't fair!"
"In the words of House," Thirteen mocked. She pretended to lean on an invisible cane and mock the tone of his voice. "Hey, hey, hey. If you wanted fair, you picked the wrong species."
"Oh, so that's how you wanna play?" Cameron knelt down and grabbed a handful of snow. Curving an arm around Thirteen's waist to keep her from running, she shoved the ice cold flurries down the back of her shirt. "Bet you're sober now, huh?"
Trying to bite back a yelp, Thirteen tensed her shoulders and leaned her head back. "You're so getting it!" She twisted out of Cameron's grip and gathered up an armful of snow.
"What are you doing with that?" Cameron asked slowly. She held her hands out in front of her to protect herself and backed out of the parking lot into a small stretch of snow covered grass. Noticing Thirteen was gaining on her and fast, she turned and ran. After a few steps, she tripped over her own feet and toppled forward onto her hands and knees. She had enough time to spin around and sit on her bottom before Thirteen dropped the pile of snow over her head. "That's cold!" she complained, shivering.
"Really? I never would have guessed." Thirteen knelt down beside her and began trying to scoop up handfuls of snow and drop it over her head.
"Stop!" Cameron squeaked, beginning to laugh hysterically. "Dr. Hadley! Thirteen! Remy! Hey!" She tried shoving her away but had her eyes closed and couldn't find her. "You are being so unreasonable!" she gasped through her laughter. "All I - I just - Hey!"
Thirteen stopped and looked at her. The poor doctor was covered in snow, grinning and trying to catch her breath. Thirteen was absolutely taken by her. Not taking time to debate between feelings and logic, she shoved her onto her back, sliding a hand under her head so it wouldn't hit the ground, and pressed her lips against Cameron's. Her insides felt like they turned to mush when Cameron kissed her back and her fingers entangled themselves in her hair. The snow under her was no longer cold and it felt like the world spun in a slow circle around them.
"You taste like something from Starbucks," Thirteen commented when she pulled back.
Cameron had to take a moment to compose herself. "Chai," she sputtered, looking absolutely flabbergasted. "Wilson got me addicted." She licked her lips and slowly sat up as Thirteen moved away from her. "I uh - I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything." Well, she wasn't flipping out. That was good. Thirteen wondered if she'd put her into some kind of shock though. "It's getting cold out here." That was a lie. She was as warm as could be. She got to her feet and held her hand down to help Cameron up.
Cameron gripped her hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Her legs felt wobbly from the lack of oxygen from both laughing so hard and kissing Thirteen. Her hand stayed connected to Thirteen's a few moments longer than it should have. "My car's on the other side of the parking lot."
Tingles engulfed Thirteen's hand when Cameron released it. "We should probably get walking before we freeze to death then."
"Yeah. Freeze to death," Cameron repeated in a mumble. She blinked a few times then shook her head and began walking across the parking lot.
Thirteen chuckled. She wasn't sure whether she herself or Cameron had closed the gap between them, but they ended up arm in arm again. She could still taste Cameron as she ran her tongue over her lips when they approached the car. "Before we leave, I was just thinking…" She was silent for a moment. "Maybe we could take Alex back to your house with us for a few hours."
"Do you think we'd be allowed to do that?" Cameron looked up at her and stopped by the hood of her car. "I mean, technically, we have no rights to do anything with him."
"Since when does House care about rights?" Thirteen asked. "He's stable right now. What if House is wrong about him having a chance? It's the beginning of December and what if he doesn't even make it till Christmas? Let's take him for awhile."
"Speaking of Christmas," Cameron said with a grin. "I got a recipe to Christmas cookies already. We could make them. Here, you warm up the car and I'll go see what I can do. I have to find something dry to wear anyway. I'm freezing."
"Sorry about that." Thirteen smirked and took the keys.
Thirteen wondered if she should have been the one to go in as she waited for Cameron to return. She could have had an easier time convincing House to let them take the kid. Leaning forward, she pressed her hands against the heater vents in attempt to warm them up. Her fingers were red from no gloves while attacking Cameron with snow. Her mind kept wandering back to the kiss and every time she thought about it her lips tingled. She wanted to do it again just as soon as Cameron got in the car, but she was pretty sure that wouldn't go over well.
"Hey."
Thirteen jumped as the backdoor opened and Cameron greeted her with a smile. She spun around and watched her place Alex in the car and then buckle him in. He was still in a hospital gown. "Looks like we'll have to stop somewhere and get you some clothes, Buddy."
"Really?!" Alex asked. He squirmed with excitement, making it difficult for Cameron to get him buckled in.
Knowing his immune system wasn't that great, Thirteen ruled out Wal-mart, Kmart, and Target. "We'll find somewhere to get you something to wear."
The local dollar store was definitely no JC Penny, but it suited the purpose. They found Alex a Go, Diego, Go sweat suit. Realizing her clothes were soaked from the snow and she had no extras, Thirteen ended up buying a red t-shirt and black sweatpants. It wasn't like she was going to be doing anything other than lounging around in Cameron's house getting fat off Christmas cookies.
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"I've never made Christmas cookies before," Alex commented. He was sitting on the counter with the bowl between his legs while holding a giant, wooden spoon that he was trying to stir the dough with.
"Me neither," Thirteen replied. "I guess this is new for both of us." She slid her finger around the top of the bowl then brought it to her mouth. "Mm."
Cameron shooed her away. "Wait until we bake them, Miss Impatience."
"Oh, come on." Thirteen grinned. "It's good." She got another finger full of cookie dough and ate it.
"You're worse than Alex." She tapped Thirteen's nose and left a spot of flour on her skin. The funny look Thirteen got as she crossed her eyes to look made Cameron laugh. "I can't believe you've never made Christmas cookies before."
"I can't believe you just put flour on my nose." Thirteen wiped it off with her shirtsleeve then got Cameron back by putting some on her cheek.
"I'm not getting into this," Cameron said. "I know how it'll turn out. I'll be on the floor and you'll be dumping the bag over my head."
"You learn fast." Thirteen hoisted herself up onto the counter beside Alex and opened a bag of green and red M&Ms. "Do we need all of these?" She tossed some into her mouth then gave a few to Alex.
Sighing, Cameron smiled at her. "You are awful." She reached into the bag and grabbed a couple herself to eat. "Steal those from Thirteen and put them in the bowl."
Despite Thirteen's protests, Alex took the bag of M&Ms and dumped them in the bowl. He began doing his best at stirring again. "It looks really good."
"Yeah, it does." Thirteen grabbed another spoon and began helping him stir. She lifted the spoon and looked it over then licked off some of the dough. "Tastes even better than it looks. Try it." She held the spoon out toward Cameron.
Cameron was about to tell she wasn't going to lick it after Thirteen had her mouth on it but quickly realized how foolish those words were at the moment. She smirked and walked around Alex. "You're like a little kid." Resting an arm across Thirteen's legs, she took the spoon from her and licked it clean. "That is really good." She pulled back the spoon and looked at it before tossing it in the sink.
"I told you so." She rested her hands on Cameron's arm and kicked her feet back against the cupboard underneath the counter for a moment.
"Come on. Don't be lazy." Cameron patted her knee then walked away to grab the cookie sheet.
"I'm not being lazy, I'm being hungry." Thirteen slid down from the counter.
"Well, if you would help we could get these cookies done a lot faster and you'd have something to eat." Cameron grabbed a cookie sheet and put it on the counter. "Put yourself to good use." She handed Thirteen a tablespoon and motioned toward the pan.
"Bossy." Thirteen grabbed the spoon from her and put herself to work putting the cookie dough on the pan.
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They settled in front of the TV after the cookies were done. Alex fell asleep on a sleeping bag on the floor with a half-eaten plate of cookies beside him.
Thirteen had curled up on a chair. She thought about sitting on the couch with Cameron but decided against it. A quarter of the way through whatever movie Alex was watching, she drifted into her own little world and stared down at her hands. She was snapped out of it when Cameron got to her feet. "Where are you going?"
"To clean up." She picked up the plates they had been using and smiled at Thirteen before going into the kitchen.
Thirteen sat there for a moment before following her. She stopped before she got into the kitchen and placed a hand on the wall. Chewing on her lower lip, she watched as Cameron began to put things back where they belonged.
"You look like you want to say something." Cameron glanced at her and tilted her head to the side. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Thirteen answered a bit awkwardly. "It's just…" She stopped herself. "It's nothing."
After drying off a spoon and putting it in the cupboard, Cameron turned to face her. She leaned back against the counter, placing her hands on the counter top. "Seriously," she said. "What's up?"
"I may have wanted to ask you something…" Thirteen glanced around the kitchen, looking anywhere but Cameron. "But I don't know what you think of this sort of things, so…" She forced an uneasy sort of smile and looked at Cameron then looked down at her hands.
Hit with realization, Cameron blinked a few times. "You're asking me out, aren't you?" She stepped away from the counter and brushed hands against her pants a few times.
"What?" Thirteen snapped her head up to look at her and widened her eyes.
"You're asking me out." She smirked and looked away from her.
"No!" Thirteen paused then lowered her voice. "Yes. It's just that, I don't even care that you'll never like me back."
"Remy." Cameron looked up at her again.
Thirteen avoided her eyes. "Just to be with you is enough."
"Remy." Cameron said her name a bit more slowly this time and took a few steps forward.
Thirteen swallowed. "These past few days, I wake up with an excuse to get out of bed, because I know I won't see you if I don't." She wrung her hands together in front of her and opened her mouth to keep going.
"Remy!" Cameron put her hands on her arms. "Stop talking so I can say yes."
Not sure if she heard her right, Thirteen took a few seconds to process the words. She grinned. "You could have saved me the embarrassment of saying all that stuff before I started talking."
"I liked what you had to say." Cameron glanced down almost shyly. "We could do something tonight."
"Can't." Thirteen sighed and frowned. "House wants me to go to a club and check out some band he hates. He thinks they're going to humiliate themselves and he wants all the detail."
"The band that got you arrested?" Cameron asked.
"Can we not ever bring that up again?" She groaned, "Yeah, that band."
"I could go with you," Cameron offered.
"I planned on drinking," Thirteen said slowly. She looked away from her again. It was the truth. It would be hard to go and not have anything to drink.
"How about we make a deal," Cameron said. "I won't be drinking, but I'll go with you tonight. Then maybe sometime we can do something that I'd like."
"Are you asking me out now?" Thirteen asked with a smirk.
"Maybe." Cameron grinned. "Are you saying yes?"
"Well, I'm definitely not saying no."