A few questions were raised that hopefully I've answered in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it...Steph

CHAPTER TWELVE

The next day, Debra was back at Wilson's hotel room and they'd decided it'd be best to give up her room and she stay with him, saving loads of money for the both of them. They'd made a playful agreement he would sleep on top of the covers and she'd sleep under them. With the $500 she and Brenda split from Jerry's failed bribery to kill Debra, she was going to look for a furnished rental apartment on a month to month lease, although she hadn't told Wilson her plans yet.

Later that night House was in his apartment and wanted to call Cameron, but he didn't have the nerve yet to be the aggressor. Every man loves a woman to 'chase' her, and House was no exception. He kept flipping the channels absent-mindedly when his phone rang. He reached for it but when he put it to his ear he didn't say 'hello.'

"House?" Cameron asked, thinking maybe he'd dropped the phone or something.

"Yeah, hey, Cameron. What's up?" he asked, feeling like a high school boy.

"I was just…Jack just left and…no one to talk to." It was silent on House's end of the line. "But if you don't want to I'll…"

"No, no. We can talk," House answered, sitting up and putting his elbows on his knees.

Again it was silent, but on both their ends.

"How did you know Debra was in the hospital again yesterday morning?" he asked, but he didn't really care.

Dumb question, Greg!

"Brenda called me and suggested I bring some coffee for you guys. How is she feeling, by the way?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

"Oh, ok."

Doesn't even talk to his own cousin? Well, he did bring her that cute teddy bear.

"Cameron?"

"Yes?"

"What made you agree to the double date?"

"I didn't think I had a choice," she lied but she was just playing with him; she had a smile on her face but House could always tell when people did. "Debra twisted my arm."

"Oh, you did have a choice. But you don't have to…" House said, playing right into her game.

"No, no. I…want to go."

"Why?"

"Because you asked me out a while ago, remember?" she asked seriously, thinking he'd forgotten. "I think it'll be good for Debra to get out for a change, especially after what she'd been through."

"No, I didn't ask you out! I was delirious and didn't know what I was saying. What are you talking about?" he teased.

"You know! Anyway, I talked with my brother and…"

"And what?" he interrupted her.

"My brother said I'd never know if I'd miss a good thing if I didn't give you a chance."

"You're giving me a chance? Oh, how thoughtful of you," he teased then laughed.

Cameron didn't, though. "Yeah, I'm a sucker for emotionally damaged cripples, of which I guess I'm a cripple now with my leg." She laughed that time and he joined her.

Earlier the next morning, Wilson was awoken by Debra's cries and screams at Jerry and begging for the lives of House and Cameron. She had several dreamless nights and they both thought they were behind them.

"Jerry, don't!" she screamed out in her sleep, her feet only jerking this time but from her facial expressions Wilson knew it was a bad one. He sat up and looked down at her. Tears streamed from her face and her head rocked side to side.

"Debra…Deb…wake up," he said, softly at first then more urgently.

Her body shook and shot up from the bed, reaching out for someone. "Greggg…"

"Debra, you're fine. Wake up," he pleaded.

She turned to look at him and she burst into tears.

"He's gone…I…Greg…Jerry sh…"

"No, no, he's fine. You're fine…you're safe, Debra."

Wilson's heart broke for her. He wished he could take all her pain and the memory of that fateful day away from her, but he couldn't. All he could do was comfort her as best as he could. He put his arms around her and held her tightly. He gently rubbed her back and pressed her closer to him until her wails settled down and she was just down to heavy sniffles.

She wiped her nose with her hand and then laughed a little. She pushed herself away from him and looked at him very embarrassed.

"Jim, I…I'm sorry," she said, trying to hold back on her tears again.

"You know what drives me crazy about you?" he asked with a grin on his face. "You apologize too darn much!" he said then grinned and touched her gently on her forearm.

"I'm sorry…oh, I did it again, didn't I?" she asked then they laughed.

He saw her tears had dried and he saw one lone tear on her cheek. He reached out for it and wiped it away with his thumb, lingering longer than necessary.

"It's…I never thought it would take this long to…get over."

"You've been through a lot, Debra. To tell you the truth I don't know how I would have handled it. I'm kind of glad he knocked me out with…sorry," but her laughter made him laugh along with her.

"Well, maybe once I get home things will settle down a bit," she said hopefully.

Wilson regretted hearing her say that; he didn't want her to leave. He got to know her to a certain degree, but he wanted more time with her to get to know her better.

"You know, you are not really in shape quite yet to make the trip home. Maybe you should stay here with me…here in Jersey, I mean, until you can."

Wilson mentally crossed his fingers.

"No, Jim. I appreciate it but you have too much to deal with without me making things worse. I wished he did just kill…"

She started to cry uncontrollably again and Wilson died inside. The only thing he could do was hold her tighter. She returned the hug and put her arms around him.

"Don't you ever, EVER say that again, young lady!" Wilson yelled at her.

She pushed away from him and looked him in the eye, and for the first time noticed how deep his brown eyes really were. She could see herself get lost in them. But she couldn't control her tears.

"I did't mean tha'"

Wilson brought his hands up to her face, tightly on both cheeks, and held them firm. "Good! Because I never want you to hear…"

She nodded her head still in his hands and the pressure from his lower hand put her lips in the shape of an oval.

"eye wonn't" she said between her squished lips. And they couldn't help but laugh again.

He brought her head toward his and kissed her quickly on the forehead. She hesitated just two seconds and pulled her head back. This time, it was Wilson's turn to peer into her deep, azure eyes. Their eyes locked and neither one diverted them.

The air in the room had grown thick. Without thinking he brought her to him again and kissed her forehead, this time longer and gentler. When he pulled back her eyes were closed and her face looked so angelic to him. He pulled her to him again and their lips met for their first kiss, her eyes still closed. With their heads tilted their lips melded perfectly together and they both groaned deep within their throats.

Debra suddenly realized it wasn't a good idea to be kissing, but more afraid of where it would lead. So she broke free of their kiss.

"We…we shouldn't be…" she said breathlessly.

"I know, I know," he answered.

They couldn't help but keep their eyes on the other. And without thinking, their lips met again in a more feverish long, hard, sensual kiss. He gently lay her down on the bed, her hair flowing in soft curls around her face. With his right hand he ran his fingers through it and loved the softness and scent of her freshly washed hair.

"ggggg…Jim," she said, their lips still pressed together.

Debra lost herself with his soft, wet, warm lips pressed against hers and didn't finish. A second later she turned her head away from him to break the kiss then looked back at him.

"Jim, are you sure you want this to, uh…" she asked.

"Do you? I don't want you to think I'm pushing…"

"No, no, you're not. It's just…am I ready, with the transplant and all? Didn't the doctor say I shouldn't over exert myself?"

Wilson laid his head on the pillow, their arms still around the other. "Yeah, you're right." He was interested to know what she meant with 'over exert' herself. He thought he felt his cheeks blush.

He removed his arms from her and turned over on his other side, facing away from Debra. He didn't feel rejected because she made perfect sense. After she built herself up in such a frenzy fighting with House, he was afraid she would do the same if they did have sex. Then he laughed at himself for his House-ish ego.

Debra felt bad because she thought she hurt Wilson and she hated herself for it. She wanted to reach out for him, not just to make him feel better but to make herself feel better. She finally decided it'd be best to leave it alone and turned on her side, their backs together.

"Debra?" Wilson said, pushing his foot over to find hers. He gently rubbed the top of her foot under the covers and kept it there when he stopped.

Debra's heart raced when she thought he'd ask her to cuddle up with him.

"Yeah?"

"'nite."

She hesitated a moment with her eyes open. "'nite, James."

James?' She never called him James. Crap. Good job there, Ace.