I don't thank people that often, but I really did feel good reading those reviews. So once again, a rare thank you to all of you. By the way, the majority of the reviews from the previous chapter has won me over to kick the rating up a notch. Sorry, man, but I do believe this is a democracy.

Chapter 6.

Sunlight crept into the room through a small opening from the drawn blinds of Cameron's apartment. The golden ray of light searched for House's closed eyes in a dire attempt to wake him from his slumber, for he was late for work.

He had sensed the light pale red under his eyelids. He felt the warmth the rays brought to his body. He felt an extra source of warmth coming from the weight on his chest. Suddenly lavender and coconut quickly invaded his nostrils. House's eyes fluttered open to find his female colleague's head resting on his chest. One arm followed the naked curve of her back while the other was behind his head. He stared at the ceiling, marveling at the wonderful feeling of comfort and happiness that had overcome his body at that moment. He hadn't felt this way in years. It was unfamiliar. It was strange. It was good.

He held Cameron tightly against his body. Cameron snuggled closer as she dug her head into House's chest, searching for a comfortable spot. She realizes what she was doing and slowly opened her eyes. She rubbed them, making sure she wasn't dreaming. It was too good to be true.

"Good morning," House greeted.

"Morning," Cameron smiled lightly, still sleep-disoriented.

Cameron glanced at her alarm clock.

"Whoa! Not morning!," Cameron alarmed and jumped to sit upright.

"Huh? What are you talking about?," House questioned.

"House, it's fucking noon!"

House sat up, back against the headboard.

"I've come in to work this late before. It's no biggie," House shrugged.

"Yes, it is a biggie," Cameron disagreed.

"Do you wish to elaborate on your theory?"

Cameron sighed.

"I'm always early, House. I've never come in this late before. And you hardly come in at this time. If we both show up at work late, then people might get suspicious that something is happening between us."

"Are you ashamed to be seen with a cripple?"

"No, no, it's not like that at all."

"Then who cares if we show up together."

Cameron huffed in frustration, "Can we at least come up with some reasonable explanation of our arrival?"

House rolled his eyes, for he thought Cameron was being over-paranoid.

"Okay. How about… We walk in, let everyone stare at us for a couple of seconds, then when they ask us why we're late and why we're coming in together, we can just say we had steamy, rough, hot sex in your apartment and that you forgot to set your alarm clock because the only thing on your mind last night was me. You see, it's the truth, it's reasonable, and it's evasive. We don't have to deal with their questions, and their virgin ears won't have to bleed from knowing that something actually happened. It's a win-win situation," House reasoned.

Cameron's jaw dropped slightly sometime during House's speech. She was staring at him dumbly. She rattled her head to rid herself of her reverie.

"Right, right. Whatever," Cameron said.

"Alrighty! Maybe we should get ready to go. We wouldn't want to be any later than we already are. Cuddy's going to have one hell of a cow," House smirked.

"Oh boy. Can't wait," Cameron said unenthusiastically.

Cameron swung her legs from under the covers and got up to stretch and look out her window. She was still naked, though it seemed as if she didn't mind at all. Once she had gotten up, House ogled at her up and down a million times as if she were some sort of glowing goddess. He watched as the evening sun caught every single unique curve of her beautiful body.

Cameron sensed his eyes on her. She glanced at House over her shoulder.

"Whadya think you're lookin' at?," Cameron asked flirtatiously, raising an eyebrow.

House immediately picked his jaw up from the ground and wiped the drool off his face.

"Obviously that ass of yours that is obviously a hundred times better than Cuddy's will ever be," House quickly covered. "Can you say 'A-OOO-GA!'"

Cameron chuckled. She walked out of the room, giving her hips an exaggerated tweak with every step.

House smiled. He laid back down and folded his arms under his head as he stared happily at the white ceiling.

House was forced to ride with Cameron, for his motorcycle was still soaked from being left out the previous night. He wasn't exactly forced anyway. He wouldn't have called it that. He kind of wished to ride with her. He enjoyed her company, and she enjoyed his. It was an unspoken symbiotic relationship.

There was some casual conversation during the car ride to the Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. House was very surprised that he was effortlessly and carelessly participating in a conversation that did not involve anyone with a fatal, life-threatening disease. It was unfamiliar. It was strange. It was good.

"Favorite genre of music," Cameron asked.

"Everything from Bach to the Black Eyed Peas. Wait. Alphabetically, that would kinda be a short list."

Cameron giggled. "Favorite non-alcoholic drink."

"Wat to the erzzle, as my pal Snoop would say."

House smiled as Cameron laughed. Everything she did looked so natural. Absolutely natural. The way she slept, the way she breathed, the way she blinked, ate, and smiled.

An epiphany struck House. House felt as if it was all too good to be true. He was afraid it would all come crashing down soon. He was going to enjoy the hell out of whatever this was as long as possible.

They arrived at the hospital. They managed to avoid the likes of the evil Dean of Medicine. Unfortunately they weren't able to avoid all the nurses at the nurse's station. Rumors were going to start spreading fast about their mysterious late arrival together and Cuddy was bound to find out.

House and Cameron quickly arrived at the conference room at a quarter to one. When they arrived, they were immediately met with the confused faces of Dr. Chase, Dr. Foreman, and Dr. Wilson.

"Well, well, well. What have we got here?," Chase questioned.

Cameron bit her bottom lip in nervousness. House glanced at Cameron and sensed this nervousness.

"Looks like we got a Jew, an Aussie, and a black guy," House replied.

Wilson rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry. What Dr. Chase meant to ask was 'Why are you two extremely late together?'"

Cameron's eyes widened at the question, for specific questions required specific answers.

"O-oh, well," Cameron stuttered, "we-"

"We," House cut in, "had steamy, rough, hot sex at her apartment and she forgot to set her alarm clock because the only thing on her mind last night was me. Pshh, women."

House rolled his eyes. The other three doctors were taken aback, as usual. Cameron stared at House in complete shock. She wasn't expecting him to actually have that as his explanation for their lateness. House simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Anyway," House continued, "Who wants to get some lunch? I'm famished!"

"But, you just got here," Foreman stated.

"Yes, but I just got here late. You see, there's a huge difference. Any cases yet?"

"Nope," Chase answered.

"Hmm," House looked over at Cameron whose eyes had drifted slightly towards the floor as her mouth was ajar. "Dr. Cameron!"

Cameron shook herself from her reverie and turned to her boss.

"Go find a case," House instructed Cameron. "Foreman, go steal some cars in the hood. Chase, go be me at the clinic. And Wilson, go to the cafeteria with me so you can buy me lunch. Apparently Dr. Cameron wasn't as filling last night as she was yummy."

House gave Cameron an extremely exaggerated wink, earning chuckles from the fellow doctors. Chase and Foreman eventually shrugged off all the comments made by House.

House was House.

House made his way to the cafeteria, dragging a mighty curious Wilson along with him. The someone who certainly knew House was certainly Dr. Wilson. And he didn't believe House was lying at all.