Chapter 7

What had he gotten himself into? A date with Cameron. A room with McDreamy. And he had forgotten to pack an extra bottle of Vicodin. If karma did exist, he had really pissed somebody off.

House got showered and dressed. He was the only one in the hotel room. He figured Shepherd was off spooning somewhere with Meredith Grey. Looking at himself in the mirror, he didn't like what he saw. House wasn't sure why anyone would. But he wanted to find out. If Cameron said she liked him, he wasn't going to let his self-destructive behavior, well, destruct him.

House closed his eyes. He could see Cameron in the blackness of his mind. She wouldn't leave his thoughts. She was so beautiful and good. He never wanted to mar that, and he would be damned before he'd allow someone else to either.

He checked himself one more time and went down to the meet and greet. He saw Foreman and George first. House could tell that Foreman was itching to mock him. House rolled his eyes, saying, "Oh, just say it man."

"So you're going to go through with this?" Foreman asked, his face twitching from withheld laughter.

"Through with what?" George asked. Foreman and House noticed that there was something about this doctor. He was innocent and different, but he had something that drew a person to him.

Foreman raised his eyebrows. "He has a date with Cameron," he said, choking on laughter.

House looked down, his mouth forming a straight line. "Why does Cameron tell you anything?" he asked sarcastically.

"She's going out with you?" George asked incredulously. Disappointment and near outrage was plastered on his face.

House looked at him with a dramatized expression of hurt. "Are you trying to give me a complex, Bambi?"

George blushed. "I'm sorry," he stammered. He then freaked out in a George O'Malley manner. "Dammit! What is it with these chicks and their bosses?"

Foreman and House stared at him. "They really screwed you up this year, haven't they?" House asked.

The rest of both gangs showed up in the dining hall. Alex sidled up next to Cameron. "So, this is a great convention, right?" He tried to look as manly and seductive as possible.

Cameron gave him a sideways glance. Smiling, she said, "Yeah, I can't wait to go to the Pier sometime during a break."

Alex rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, we could go tonight after this thing."

She smiled at him again. This one will never give up. "Sorry, Alex. I've already got a date." She walked away from him and headed towards Foreman, George, Wilson, and House.

Alex's face registered confusion. Chase was standing next to him. Alex watched as Cameron giggled at something George said. "I can't believe this," he told Chase. "How did O'Malley get to her first? I'm glad I gave him syphilis."

Chase's bottom lip dropped. "You gave him syphilis!" he cried. Then deciding he would rather not know why or how, he responded, "It's not O'Malley. She's going to dinner with House."

Alex really looked perturbed now. "The dude with the cane?" he asked stunned. "Women," he sighed, turning his head to scope out other female doctors.

Cristina and Burke were approaching the group. "Do you want to go out after this thing tonight?" he asked. His voice rumbled and was quite seductive.

Cristina wasn't even paying attention. "So you know House, right?" she asked. "Can you maybe get me on his good side or something?"

Burke squinted at the man. He was never usually jealous of another man, but he had always been a bit envious of Greg House's intelligence. Now he was irritated by Cristina's interest. He replied, "He doesn't have a good side to get on."

House turned as he saw Burke coming. "Dr. Burke," he said. "Heard you got shot. You piss off a patient, too?"

Burke smiled slightly as he looked down. "No, I was in the crossfire."

"Hmm," House mumbled thoughtfully. "Must just be me then."

Cameron's eyes warmed at his self deprecation. His biting humor could bite a little too hard sometimes, but she appreciated his originality and honesty. He would never tell her she was pretty if she wasn't, or smart, or a good doctor. House told her what he thought. The only thing he wouldn't tell her was how he felt about her.

"How are you, Greg?"

Everyone turned to see that Derrick and Meredith had joined the group. House gripped his cane a little tighter. "I got shot and have a limp," he announced. "What about you, McDreamy?"

The entire group's jaw fell collectively. "How did you know that we call…?" Izzie started to ask, but faded off when she saw Meredith's face.

House's lip turned to a smirk. "Nurse Brenda transferred to Seattle Grace two months ago. We're pen pals."

"Nurse Brenda," George whispered, shuddering at the very thought of her.

"It's always great to see you, too, House," Derrick muttered.

Bailey finally came down the stairs. She was missing home and her baby like crazy. She had been cursing the Chief since their plane had taken off. Her knowing interns separated like the Red Sea so that she could pass through them. Bailey looked smart in an attractive pants suit. She made fast strides to the PPTH doctors. "Dr. House, nice to meet you," she declared. "I'm Miranda Bailey."

House shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, too," he told her as he looked her straight in the eye.

Bailey continued. "I know you're reputation, Dr. House. You're frightening. But I want you and all of yours to know," she said, pointing to Foreman, Chase, and Cameron, "that I will be a nightmare if you mess with my interns."

Chase broke in, saying, "Dr. Bailey, I'm sure—"

"No," she interrupted. "I have to get these fools back in one piece. They can't do that on their own."

House put his hand on his heart. "You have my word," he replied. Everyone was shocked that his answer showed no signs of attitude or rebellion.

"Thank you," she said, then headed for the bar.

Wilson stared at House. "How did she do that?" he asked him.

He rubbed his head. "She's spunky. And a hell of a lot more terrifying than Cuddy," he answered. Looking back at Bailey, he added, "I like her."

House turned to Cameron. "I think we've met enough people for an entire year's quota. Ready to go?"

TBC

Chapter 8

Cameron looked up at House, surprised. "I have to get changed. I didn't think we were going to leave yet," she rambled.

"Okay," he said. "I'll be down here."

After she was out of House's sight, she scurried to her room. Cameron put her dress on and rechecked her makeup and hair.

When she got back down to the lobby, she noticed that House wasn't wearing the same outfit either. His jeans were a darker blue and hugged his legs attractively. House had on his white t-shirt that brought out his eyes and the strength of his torso. A black jacket topped it off. Cameron thought that he could fit in LA. She knew that he looked amazing to her.

House swallowed as he watched Cameron walk towards him. All the men in the room were watching her. Her red dress was fashionable and skimmed over her figure in all the right places. The dress came to the middle of her thigh, leaving one's eye to follow her silky legs down to the tips of her toes. Her fire truck red shoes matched her dress. Cameron wore her silver pendant around her neck. It fell in between the low-cut slit perfectly. Her hair was half up so that strands could dance around her neck. She knew that the few extras minutes of preparation had been worth it when she saw the look on House's face. She could see his blue eyes sparkle at the sight of her several feet before she even reached him.

"Ready?" He murmured. House ignored the glee on Wilson's face.

Cameron smiled at him. "As I ever will be," she responded, breathily.

They stepped outside to see a waiting limo. She stopped so suddenly that she almost broke her heel. "House," she exclaimed. "We're riding to a restaurant in this?"

He nodded, but hid his gratefulness that she was impressed. "Sure," he said. "We don't have a car here, and you're nobody in LA if you don't have a limo."

They got in and sat in the back. He poured her some champagne. "I have a confession to make," he said nervously.

Here it comes, she thought worriedly. Cameron was so afraid that this date would go just like, or worse than, the last one. "What?" she almost pleaded.

"I don't have dinner reservations. Sure, I have reservations," he rambled. "Like, are you going to throw a drink in my face when I say something rude? Or will I burp during inappropriate intervals? But, dinner reservations, I don't have."

She shook her head to clear away the weirdness of his statements. "Where are we going?"

House took a sip of his champagne. "I have a friend out here that's doing me a favor."

Cameron stared at him, questioningly. "A friend? You?"

He rolled his head with exaggeration. "Okay, not a friend," he said, "but I saved his life about a decade ago and told me he owed me."

She tried to hide the curiosity that was washing over her face. "What does he owe you?"

"You'll see," he said with a secretive grin.

Cameron looked down now, remembering a conversation from earlier. "House, we need to talk about something first."

Fear hazed his eyes. He didn't respond, so she said, "You told the interns that they were screw-ups for sleeping with their boss. If that's what you think, why are you here with me now?"

House rubbed his forehead with his hand. "They're different," he replied. "They still act like they're in high school. Their internships are a huge game to them. They jump blindly. Except for that night with Chase, which you had a good reason for, you know what you're doing. You know what you want, Cameron. You're a woman. A strong woman."

Tears stung her eyes. She was hoping it was from the alcohol. Before she could say anything, the limo stopped. They stepped out. All she saw was a big sea of concrete and several warehouses. "Are you planning to kill me?" she said with a laugh.

He smiled. "We live in Jersey. If I planned to whack you, I wouldn't wait until we got to LA," he teased.

House led her to the second warehouse. "You're favorite movie is Casablanca, right?"

Cameron's eyebrows rose. "Yeah, how did you know that?" she asked.

House feigned hurt, wiping away a fake tear. "I do listen to you every now and then. I heard you tell Foreman one day."

They entered the building. "I can't give you Africa," he said, flipping a switch. "But we'll always have Paris." His voice was gravelly and exciting.

Light poured over them. Cameron stared in awe. It was a movie set. They were standing in the middle of a fake street. A fake street in Paris. Quaint boutiques, cafes, and restaurants lined the roads. Little iron tables sat outside of the buildings on the sidewalk. At the back of the set, a down-sized replica of the Eiffel Tower was lit up. A table for two was set in front of the Tower. A single rose in a glass vase sat in the middle of the table. The table itself was encircled by pink, red, and white rose petals on the floor.

"Who the hell did you save: Martin Scorsese?" Cameron asked, gazing up and down the streets.

"Can't rightly say," House said. He scrunched his face seriously. "Doctor/Patient confidentiality and all that."

She smirked. "Because you always follow the rules."

They walked over to the table. Their dinner was already sitting on the plates. Cameron and House began eating. "You look good," Cameron told him. "LA suits you."

House gave a sideways smile. "I like it here," he joked. "I'm thinking about buying a blackberry."

She laughed. A while later, Cameron could no longer keep the question sitting on her tongue. "Why did you do all this?"

He looked at her like the answer was obvious. "You've had a rough year," he replied. "I haven't helped it any."

She knew he was starting to retreat. He had brought them this far, and now he was bailing. Her heart sank as she tried to hold on, asking, "So that's the only reason. This is an apology for all the crap that happened this year?"

He looked down. Cameron went on, saying, "I don't need an apology. Life happens. I don't want pity and I don't want to forgive you. I've always known you're going to do infuriating things. It's what you do. I have nothing to forgive you for."

"No," he said quietly. It was now or never. "I am not apologizing."

"Then what is this?" Cameron pleaded. "You have to tell me. You once promised me, House, that you wouldn't crush me. But you're crushing me now. You've got to be honest with me."

He saw the worry in her face. Pressure was building inside his chest. He sort of hoped it was a heart attack, because that would be a hell of a lot easier than this. Taking a deep breath, he said, "This is a date. I wanted it to be special. Because I like you."

Cameron had waited so long to hear those words that she didn't think she had heard him right. Smiling, she attempted to make a joke. "Good. If I look taken, maybe that Alex guy will leave me alone."

He chuckled, but secretly hated hearing that he was competing with someone like Alex Karev.

After dinner, he took her back to her hotel room. In the hallway, Cameron took the initiative and put her hand in his. House's hand felt warm and strong. She liked holding it. He almost could not take her touch. It was the first time he had felt her skin next to his in a more than professional way. His cane slipped a little as he tried to regain his mental balance. At her door, she turned to him. She knew that she was so close to having him. If she planned to get him and keep him, she was going to have to do something major.

Cameron knew how much puzzles drove him crazy. She was going to give him a big one. When she slid her hand from his, she made sure that she brushed the back of his hand. She gazed up at him with those honest, green eyes. "Chase told me that if I want you, I should take you. That I should jump you," she said.

House looked at her bewildered. He hadn't expected this response. But she went on to say, "I'm not going to do that though. Thank you for the dinner. Goodnight, House." She slipped her card in the lock and opened the door. She shut it on him before he could have time to say something.

TBC

Chapter 9

Wilson watched House and Cameron leave the hotel for their date. For once, he was jealous of his friend, but not because of Cameron. He was glad that House was finally moving forward, but it was at a time when Wilson's own life was stalling. Julie had left him. He was disappointed in himself for moving in with one of his own patients.

But now his stomach tingled with anticipation. Continually eyeing the staircase, he barely listened to the conversations swirling around him.

"So, she's really on a date with Dr. House?" George whined.

"Meredith, I can't believe you announced to everyone that I'm sleeping with Burke in order to save your own hide!" Cristina declared to her friend.

"Hey, check that chick out at the bar," Alex said to no one in particular. "She's hot. Bet she's vulnerable, too," he added as he moved that way.

"What? You didn't think everybody would find out when Burke started following you around with those big brown googly eyes demanding you give him a commitment?" Meredith retorted, swishing her hand to stay Cristina.

"He's not even nice," George continued to whimper about House.

"I do not follow Cristina around with big brown googly eyes," Burke snipped, towering over Meredith.

"Geez, these people can talk," Chase murmured to Foreman who chuckled in response.

"That's nothing," Izzie said, coming up from behind him. "Wait until they're caffeinated. Now that's a show."

Chase loved her smile. It was friendly and real. Blonde bangs brushed over her eyes slightly. Both men longed to push that hair away with their hands. Chase gave her the smile that had wooed many a patient into signing a dangerous affidavit and many a woman into his bed.

Foreman wasn't having it. "Izzie," he asked huskily but still politely, "we all thought we'd go to the Pier tomorrow after the last seminar. Would you like to come?"

Her face brightened with relief. Both doctors noticed that her shoulders relaxed as if she had been carrying a heavy load, but was no longer. They were right. Izzie was happy to do something that sounded like fun. Denny would have wanted her to. "Sure," she answered. "Which one of you is going to win me a stuffed animal?"

"I am," they answered simultaneously. Chase and Foreman competitively glared at each other.

Wilson stepped out of the pack when he saw her. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd ascended the stairs in what seemed to the oncologist as slow motion. No, he thought gleefully, no longer Shepherd. Wilson watched each graceful step. She looked just as beautiful now as she did fourteen years ago. Heat washed over him as the room started to blur. He could only see her. Past memories hit him straight in the eyes as he recalled each fateful event of 1993.

James Wilson was starting his first day of fellowship in a NYC hospital. He was eager, excited, and scared out of his mind. Getting married four years prior had been much less stressful than this. But it had gotten more stressful. It was his first marriage, and he had always hoped his last, but life was not going well at home. They were getting into more and more fights. She didn't like the fact that he was never home.

His strong stride made heads turn as he entered the hospital. But so did his gorgeous brown hair that tended to fall over his equally unsettling eyes. His mouth looked strong, yet sensitive. When he greeted a doctor or nurse with a "hello," everyone noticed his eloquent voice that seemed to glide like a swan on a lake.

Wilson was determined to do well. He wanted to be head of a department someday, to be on the board of directors in an amazing hospital. The young doctor refused to let anything stop him.

Until he saw her.

She was the most striking woman he had ever seen. Her long, slender body moved perfectly as if to music. Fiery red hair gleamed tauntingly in a professional yet stylish bun. She looked more like an actress or model than a doctor. Wilson chided himself for sounding misogynistic, but he almost could not think at all.

He had never seriously thought about being with another woman other than his wife until now. Wilson quickly discovered that she was doing her fellowship, too. At lunch, he hurried to sit down next to her, knowing that a woman like her wouldn't be in want of a tablemate for long. He always had known that he had a thing with women. Hopes, dreams, and aspirations—HDA—that had been the first thing he learned in college. Smiling, he said, "You can't sit by yourself in a cafeteria. Some creep will come along and sit down next to you."

Her bright green eyes warmed to his. Then she saw his wedding ring. With an eyebrow cocked, she said dryly, "I'm so glad you were here to protect me."

He cursed himself for flirting with her. It had been wrong, and she subtly had called him on it. The HDA tactics fell away until she saw the real James Wilson staring back at her. Sticking his hand out, he said, "I'm Jimmy Wilson."

She liked this version of the man a lot better than the first. "Better than Jimmy Olson, I suppose," she said with a friendly twinkle in her eyes. She shook his hand. "I'm Addison Montgomery."

His heart flopped in his chest. Oh, boyI'm in trouble, he thought, not realizing that he would say the same thing to his best friend fourteen years and two wives later.

TBC