Chapter 6

"Allison!"

Cameron managed a weak smile. "Hey Lisa. I'm sorry to intrude on you-"

"Not an intrusion at all. Come in, what's wrong?"

Cameron's eyes filled with tears. "We had a fight, I walked out, but it wasn't until I'd left, I realised I don't have anywhere to go any more."

Lisa enveloped Cameron in her arms and called for her husband. "Joe. Joe, Hunny?"

Joe appeared from one of the suite doors. "Yeah." He noticed Cameron. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Can you pop down to the reception and book Al a room? She needs somewhere to stay for the night."

Cameron pulled away and wiped at her eyes. "No really, I shouldn't have come. I'm sorry. Don't go to any trouble."

Joe smiled. "You are never any trouble." He kissed his wife's cheek as he left.

"Come on, you need a drink." Lisa led Cameron to the sofa then headed for the mini bar. "What's your poison?"

"Whiskey."

Lisa looked strangely at her.

"I developed a taste for it recently."

Lisa nodded. "His drink, right?"

Cameron nodded. Lisa poured their drinks and sat down next to Cameron, handing her a glass.

"Sorry I couldn't come with Joe today, but someone had to watch the kids. Joe's caught me up on most things you talked about today. I'm so sorry."

Cameron shook her head. "I just don't know where it's going to end. I'm so tired. I'm tired of worrying, tired of not sleeping, tired of wondering what's next? Part of me just wishes he'd attack me, then, one way or another, it'd be over."

"The police can't help?"

"There's no proof it's him."

"And the fight with Greg?"

"Over nothing. He's a grouch, there's nothing new there, but I'm so… on edge these days. Normally I can take his moods and sarcasm but recently I just… I just strike back. Just to strike at something, anything, you know?"

"I don't claim to know what you're going through, but I think I understand what you mean. Don't be too hard on yourself. You're being terrorised. No one deals well with that. How can you be rational and reasonable all the time with all this going on?"

Joe returned with a swipe card. "Got you the room next door so if you need us, we're just a knock away."

Cameron smiled. "Thank you. I will pay you pack, I promise."

Lisa hugged her. "What use is money if it can't spread a little happiness? OK, maybe happiness is a little too high to be aiming for with you right now, but we can at least make things easier for you."

Cameron smiled.

"Please let us do this for you." Lisa urged.

"OK. Thank you." Cameron held one arm out towards Joe who joined in their hug. "I love you guys." She began to cry again.

III

House tried Cameron's cell phone again and again, never getting through. At midnight he began trying her friends. Three calls later, one to Wilson, one to Chase and one to Foreman, he realised he didn't actually know any of her friends.

His only other hope was she'd gone to Joe's hotel. The man had money so he began with the best.

He called the Marriott, then the Westin Princeton but finally struck gold at the Hyatt Regency.

"Can you connect me with Allison Cameron's room, please?"

"Certainly sir, one moment."

House held the phone away from him and looked at it like it was poisonous. So she was staying with him.

He heard a voice on the phone but couldn't make the words out. He hung up.

He needed to get out. He grabbed his coat and headed for one of the bars down his street. He hadn't expected to find her. He had hoped he wouldn't find her. But she had gone to Joe. Run straight to him. He was sure of this because Cameron would never spend money on a luxury hotel like the Hyatt. She'd be a Holiday Inn kind of girl.

The worst part of it was that House knew, in no uncertain terms, that she's be sitting next to him on the sofa right now, if his own stupidity hadn't caused him to pick a fight with her.

It never occurred to his whiskey addled brain that if Cameron was staying in Joe's room, she wouldn't have appeared on the register. All his brain could see was a younger man, able bodied and handsome, in bed with Cameron. His Cameron.

III

Cameron put the phone down, wondering who it could have been. Had House tracked her down? If so, why hadn't he said anything? She didn't want to think it, but she had to wonder if she'd been followed here and the call was from Hank.

Cameron called down to the reception and asked them not to put any more calls through, and not to tell anyone she was here, or which room she was in.

Now wide awake, she turned the TV on. She doubted she'd get much sleep tonight. She missed House. So he was old, grumpy and disabled. There was something about him that made her feel comforted and safe. She hadn't realised that until now.

III

House sat at the Bar. He had a bottle of bourbon in front of him and a glass. The bottle was now only half full.

House looked at his reflection in the mirror behind the bar. He looked into his eyes, but the pain he saw made him look back down at his glass.

"Are you drinking to celebrate or forget?" asked a crisp English voice.

House looked at the stool beside him where a petite woman now sat.

"Take a guess."

The woman raised her eyebrows and ordered a Bacardi and coke from the barman.

"So, what are you trying to forget?" she asked him.

"Are you always this chatty?"

"Only when I'm depressed."

House didn't reply.

"Oh come on, misery loves company. Lighten up."

House took a long look at her. She had mid brown hair, short and businesslike. She was probably middle aged but looking good for it. Or she was in her 20's and looking bad for it! She wore jeans and shirt. She wasn't dressed to pull.

"What are you drinking for then?" he asked.

"To forget."

"Forget what?"

She sighed. "Home. I'm home sick."

"Go home then."

"Can't, got a contract to fulfil and the money's good."

"Stop whining then."

She laughed. "That's probably good advice." She held her hand out to him. "I'm Marie."

House looked at the hand for a few seconds before deciding to shake it. "Greg."

"And what are you forgetting?"

"If I wanted to be reminded, I wouldn't be trying to forget."

"Touché."

They talked back and forth for a while, about nothing, or at least nothing House would remember in the morning. At 3 am the barman declared it closing time and kicked them out. House got down from his stool but stumbled. Marie caught him.

"Hey! Careful."

House stood up but swayed.

"Do you live far?" she asked.

"Are you coming on to me?" House didn't remember the last time he'd felt this drunk.

"No, I'm worried about you. Someone needs to make sure you get home in one piece."

House laughed. "It'd be bad if I got home in two pieces, huh?"

"Where do you live?"

"Down the street. I'll be fine."

He limped towards the door, stumbled again, nearly falling and knocking two tables so the glasses fell off and shattered.

"Hey!" the bartender called out.

"I'll get him out." Marie assured him. She straightened Greg up and put his free arm over her shoulder. "Come on," she said, steering him towards the door. "You better not live ten blocks away!"

III

Marie took House's keys from him at the door. He'd made a few attempts to open it but the lock seemed to keep moving on him. Marie opened the door and helped him inside.

She sat him on the sofa.

"You're ver' kind." He slurred. The fresh night air seemed to make him even drunker than he'd been in the bar.

"Yeah, well, it's my good deed for the week."

"Have a drink with me?" he said, picking up the bottle of whiskey from the table. Marie took it from him.

"You've had enough."

"Coffee then?"

Marie considered the man before her. Handsome, intelligent, probably very funny when sober. She hadn't met many nice men out here. She didn't have the time. And a coffee might help sober him up.

"Sure, a coffee. I'll make it."

"Can you make mine Irish?"

Marie smiled. He was either a raging alcoholic, or he was still quite funny when drunk. She guessed she'd have to wait until morning to find out which.