Ok, I'm so sorry it's been far too long for an update!! Anyway, I got the worst case of writers block in the history of man... but I'm back... enjoy the chap and I'm so sorry for the wait (accept my apologies and House/Cameron squee moments!!)

Chapter 18- The party (2)- Intrusions

"Oh, gosh, have a great time! Call me! Merry Christmas." Cameron said as she hugged Foreman. It was eleven o'clock, and the neurologist was leaving the party.

"Merry Christmas Cameron. Wilson!" He got the oncologists attention "Have a good one! And you, House… not that you will, on principle."

"Right." Was House's response.

"Merry Christmas, Foreman" Said Wilson. As the young doctor disappeared, Wilson turned to his best friend:

"You know, you could TRY to be happy this Christmas."

"I won't try NOT to be."

"You know what I'm saying, House" Wilson gave a knowing look to his friend, who typically just rolled his eyes.

It was then that Cuddy returned to the three:

"Allison, I haven't seen you on the dance floor, yet"

"Because I haven't been on the dance floor!" She laughed

"Well, come on then" Cuddy took Cameron by the hand and led her away to the crowded area in the middle of the room. They made it just as a remix of Madonna's song Music started. Most of the staff were dancing now, especially the younger staff members. For example, Chase was doing an excellent impression of a teenager with his girlfriend, who he was making out with whilst making an attempt at dancing. More like swaying every now and again. Cuddy nodded towards them to Cameron, who smiled and rolled her eyes. I must have been REALLY high, thought Cameron.

The Dean of Medicine and Immunologist were by far the most attractive women on the dance floor, and as they danced they certainly commanded attention from the men in the room. Especially two of the men, who were watching in silence now, subtlety be dammed. Cuddy and Cameron were having a blast, and they danced right through into D12's my band, a song which usually would have been detested by the two, had they not been under the influence of champagne, Christmas spirit, and Wilson or House (who had a much stronger effect than any alcohol ever could).

Both women were purposefully dancing in a way that Wilson and House were bound to notice, and enjoy. They did. Very much.

House loved the way that Cameron was laughing as she messed around on the dance floor with Cuddy, doing crazy little steps which reminded him of a little kid watching MTV, thinking she was Beyonce. Occasionally she would look over at him and smile, sometimes subconsciously, but he returned the smile and she carried on. She was beautiful.

"In a moment" said the DJ "I'm gonna play a song for all the couples in the room" He waited for some kind of audience response, but getting none continued "So if you've been waiting to do this all year, here's the opportunity. Go get your partners, people"

Cuddy and Cameron looked at each other, and they didn't need to communicate vocally to know what they were going to do. Cameron let go of Cuddy's hands (which she had been holding during the dancing) and waked over to House.

House realised that Cameron and Cuddy must have been dancing for a good forty five minutes. He started to worry when he heard the DJs little announcement. Then he saw Cameron coming over to him, and Wilson, damn him, got up and walked away, leaving them on their own.

"I'm not expecting you to dance with me. I just thought I'd say, I've been waiting to do this for well over a year." Her words and the confidence with which they were spoken surprised him, but did she really not believe he would dance with her? He could dance, he just refused to. But the resigned way she sat down next to him and watched as the rest of the room paired up, even Cuddy and Wilson, made him feel guilty, and predictable. The one thing he didn't want to be anymore.

"C'mon then." He held out a hand across the bar.

"What?"

"Dance with me." He smiled at the shock in her eyes. But it was good shock.

"I'd love to."

As they approached the dance floor hand in hand he was glad to notice that no one was paying them attention. It was a more private experience than he had feared, and as he snaked a hand (with cane) around her waist, and took up her hand with his, he actually felt relieved when her body rested close to his. He had missed this feeling, far more than he expected to. And in that moment he realised just how much he wanted the woman in front of him, and Wilson's last dime didn't matter anymore. He wasn't doing this to prove anyone wrong. Just because, he needed to.

House rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that night as the cliché began: All I want for Christmas is you. He couldn't believe that the rest of the room actually seemed pleased that this was the song chosen, and still slow danced to a song which was faster than they were moving.

During the slower start of the song House even surprised himself by lowering his hand to the base of Cameron's spine. But in typical House fashion, lowering his head to whisper in her ear he said:

"Please don't tell me that the lyrics of the song apply to us because I'll vomit"

She giggled but put her hand on the back of his neck to stop him moving back:

"I won't" she whispered back.

Cuddy and Wilson were dancing together far less intimately than the rest of the couples but Wilson nodded in their friend's direction. What Cuddy saw she found incredibly cute. And she was shocked that the words House and cute would ever relate to one another in her thoughts.

The usually solitary, grumpy, rude diagnostician and his young, kind protégé were dancing together. House had his hand on her lower back and was slightly bent down so he could talk to her. She was laughing at whatever he was whispering to her and her head was now resting on his shoulder, with her arms around his neck. They were so close they might as well be kissing one another, but Cuddy knew they wouldn't. Yet. She turned back to her own dance partner, because THAT was a moment she didn't want to intrude in.