Cameron flexes her fingers before crossing her arms over her chest so she quits fidgeting. She waits for him to say something, but she could wait for eons and never get one step closer to an answer.

"What do you want, House?"

"It's three o'clock."

"I know."

Her features are hard, demanding something from him that he thinks she should quit asking for.

"Thanks to your brilliance, she's expecting both of us."

"Why don't you lie? You like doing that."

House shakes his head roughly, beginning to feel the walls of the short hallway trying to swallow him.

"Just come on."

"No."

"If you don't come, she's going to ask me a million questions that ultimately end in me telling her that you're cheating on me with your ex. And then she'll give me that 'I know you're lying' look and immediately know that I've screwed up again."

"You should have thought about that before you griped at me for almost an hour after she called."

"Which I wouldn't have had to do if you'd have ignored my ringing cell phone."

"You were in the shower and it was six in the morning on a Saturday!"

"Exactly! Why would you pick up the phone?"
She takes a hostile step forward, her mouth tight and dark. "Because it was six in the morning on a weekend I was off and I thought the ringing was from my phone. I forgot where I was."

He's the one to take a powerful step to her this time.

"That didn't stop you from making lunch plans with her!"

"What was I supposed to say? 'No, I can't because your son is too stubborn and refuses to acknowledge any semblance of a relationship with me.'"

"Sounds fine to me."

With another step, she advances, able to feel the tough fabric of his blazer across her folded forearms.

"You need to get over yourself."

It's subtle, the slight movement of his head lowering and hers moving forward until their gazes are locked in silence for a long pause of rushed feet and papers being written on.

"I'm not going to wait for you forever, House."

The closeness is too much for him and he steps back with a hand already flying to his vicodin.

"What do you possibly expect from me? I mean, seriously, what's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me is that I was friendly to your mother. God forbid she think you're happy."

"I'm not happy."

"Neither am I."

"You texted me?"

Cameron wipes her mouth on a napkin before shaking her head. "You texted me."

Standing in front of her table, House leans on his cane with a sigh. "I think, and I know my brain's still a little screwed up from the coma, that we've been played."

"It would seem so." She looks at him a little longer, her fingers dancing across the table as if she's nervous.

"You might as well sit down, House."

The invitation is given freely, and whether or not he would have sat down without it, he's glad she's given it. The chair scrapes against the floor loudly, a few heads turning their way to look at the man sitting down opposite the pregnant woman.

Motioning towards the booths beside them, he says, "Can't fit in the booth?"

She picks up a fry and dips it into her ketchup.

"That's not funny."

"I'm pretty sure it is. What's this place called again?"

"The Pizza Place."

"Someone had a brain hemorrhage thinking of that name."

He doesn't see her smile, his gaze focused on the open menu and the absolute feeling of discomfort beginning to envelope him.

"House?"

"What?"

Fingers appear at the top of his menu and he stares at them as they pull the menu down to the small table, even long after they've left the laminated paper, he looks down at the spot they held.

"House?"

No time for showing weakness. He finally looks at her.

"You don't have to stay here. I mean," she leans forward on her elbows, "I can eat by myself if you –."

"No." He scratches his neck softly. "I'm starving."

Cameron smiles widely, not noticing as she picks up a slice of pizza that he almost smiles back.

"You're Dr. House?"

"Never heard of him."

The clerk at the front desk looks at House's cane before accepting the cash for their meal.

"He said you'd have a cane and a pregnant woman with you."

Taking a closer look at the middle aged man, House takes a mint beside the register and begins to unwrap it.

"He say why he told you to look out for this Dr. House?"

"He said to give you this."

The man hands House his change along with a white note card as Cameron emerges from the restroom. He doesn't hear her come up behind him, trying to peer over his shoulder as he reads it.

"What's that?"

Without hesitation he pockets the simple card with a shake of his head.

"Nothing. You ready?"

She could push him, but she won't. She's not quite sure she wants to do that game again.

"Are you kidding me?" Gently rubbing her hands over her quite distended belly, she shakes her head as he opens the front door. "I eat anymore and Brennan's going to hopping out right here."

"Just the honor alone of being born at such a place called 'The Pizza Place' should be worth it."

He falls into step with her, which is easier now that she's pregnant and she's as slow as him if not more so. A warm breeze tickles his neck and he fights the urge to look at her holding her abdomen softly.

"You parked nearby?"

"Yeah," her hair sticks to her cheek and she brushes it behind her ear carelessly. "Just up here."

A few more seconds of silence and they're standing beside her mundane vehicle, neither sure what they're supposed to do now.

"Well, I guess we have the lovely Jimmy to thank for setting this up."

"I guess," she agrees softly.

"Though," House looks up above them before glancing at her again, "he didn't pay, so I've got nothing to thank him for."

"It's not like you would've thanked him anyways."

"True, but I was talking theoretically, or hypothetically, one of those."

"Of course."

Cameron takes a quick look at her vehicle before looking back at him, noticing him doing the same thing, their eyes meeting briefly before darting off again. That's when she starts to laugh at the awkwardness that they've been dancing around this whole night.

"What's so funny?"

Covering her hand over her mouth, she shakes her head as she fights for a breath. "No, nothing, nothing like that. It's just…we're standing here like fools on our first date or something."

It's strange to hear her laugh, and almost as strange is to see her face free of the weight she doesn't realize she's carrying. Or it could just be the pregnant glow people always talk about.

"Does seem kinda backwards."

With a quick snort she nods her head. "It's very backwards."

She doesn't even finish the sentence before her hands are guiding her keys to unlock the car door, the moment already behind her of half-remembered memories that are only shared with herself now.

"Goodnight, House."

"Night, Cameron," he answers, watching her retreat.

She's gone by the time he reaches back into his jeans for the folded note card. The lamppost above gives him enough light to read the written words scrawled in Wilson's hand.

Open the door for her. Walk her to her car. Be nice. Say goodnight. And just kiss her.

"House?"

He doesn't turn his head. "Hmmm?"

"Are you ever happy?"

It'd be easy to lie, especially after their angry bout of sex that was supposed to end everything and instead keeps them tied to each other. He's not complaining.

House turns his head, barely able to see her eyes as they fight to stay open so late in the night, so early in the morning.

"Sometimes."