Chapter 11

House was irritated. As he undressed in the empty hotel room, he meditated on the fact that Cameron had been able to get under his skin tonight, but he hadn't bothered anyone.

That was one of the best dates he had ever been on because he usually screwed them up. His former patient had come through. Everything looked perfect. House looked down at his hand. The hand Cameron had held. It still tingled when he thought about it. He could still feel her touch and smell her perfume.

What was Cameron trying to pull? She had come on so strong before, but as soon as he opened up, she backed away. Was she trying to drive him crazy? Because it was working.

He knew that he had to come up with a plan as well. If she was going to step back from him, he was going to take two steps towards her.

Stripped down to his boxers, House pulled back the covers and got in bed. He turned on the television and watched a lacrosse game on ESPN. House's body relaxed as sleep washed over him. He jumped when the light came on.

"Hi, House," Derrick said as he and Meredith came further into the room.

House squeezed his eyes shut in pain. He did not want to deal with the vapidness of others; he had enough of his own. "Can't you find a supply closet somewhere?" House moaned.

"I take it your date didn't go so well," Derrick surmised. He sat on the bed and started untying his shoes.

"And why do you say that?" House practically snarled as he hit his pillow with his fist to readjust it.

"Well, because you're you for starters. And because you're in here alone," Derrick remarked. His eyes twinkled with victory.

House rolled his eyes. "Just because you bagged your employee the first round out, McDreamy, doesn't mean we all strive to be man-sluts," he countered. Then, with a pouty lip, he added, "There's just so much pressure to put out now."

Derrick kicked his shirt out of the way. "We're going to bed," he said, the twinkle now gone. House always had more poison on his tongue than Derrick could ever match.

House sat up. "You're not sleeping in here," he declared, staring at Meredith.

Meredith finally spoke. "Relax, Dr. House. We're just going to sleep. Nothing else," she reassured him.

"That better be it," House warned. "If I hear that bed squeak, so help me, I'll put you both in chemically induced comas."

"Dream sweetly, House," Derrick said dryly.

House shut out the light.

…………………………………

"How have you been, Addison?" Wilson asked. He had a hard time catching his breath as he looked at her in her deep green cocktail dress.

She had never been very good at lying to James Wilson, so she inhaled deeply and replied, "I've been better, Jimmy. A lot better, actually."

He put his head down and looked at the drink in his hand. "I heard about your divorce today. I'm sorry."

She gave him that same smile she always had fourteen years ago. "No you're not," she told him. "But thank you." Addison glanced down at his hand, noticing that he no longer wore a wedding ring. "You're not married?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

He shook his head. "Ended six months ago," he answered. Wilson gazed up and down Addison's body until his dark brown eyes rested on Addison's. Quietly he said, "I missed you, Ad."

She felt her stomach tensing from nerves as every cell in her body quivered. Addison knew why Wilson had switched back from calling her Addison to Ad. They were both free now, finally, and they both were equally aware of it. Not ready to address the situation, she changed the subject. "Do you want to get a bite to eat?" she asked.

He smiled. "I'm starving," he said anxiously, although she wasn't quite sure if he was actually talking about food or not. "Let's order room service. We can share in my room," he continued.

Addison was reluctant. "Aren't you rooming with Burke?"

Wilson shrugged. His face brightened with that boyish charm of his when he said playfully, "I'll put a tie around the door knob."

TBC

Chapter 12

House woke up with a headache. Sitting up, his head turned toward the other bed. Meredith and Derrick were still asleep, snuggling peacefully underneath the blankets. "For the love of everything sacred," he muttered as he grabbed his clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

Knowing that several of them were going to the Pier today after seminar, he put on one of his favorite t-shirts and a pair of new jeans he had just purchased before the trip. He looked in the mirror one last time, cursing mildly at what the day had in store for him.

House went downstairs to the hotel café to get some coffee and breakfast. Burke was sitting at the counter with his head in his hands. The diagnostician did not want to sit next to this man, but he had the urge to annoy him, so he climbed onto the stool. "You look like three day old hell."

Burke shot him a look, then laughed lightly. "I'm not sure what that means, but I didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Wilson keep you up all night playing truth or dare and knitting sweaters?" he asked, a glint in his blue eyes.

Burke scoffed, "I couldn't even get in my room. Karev saw him go in there with Addison."

House's eyebrows shot up. He was pretty sure Addison had been the love of Wilson's life. "They're both divorced," he said, not realizing that before.

"It's not like you to state the obvious, House," Burke mocked. "You jealous that Addison got to him first."

House gave him puppy-dog eyes. "Wilson means nothing to me. You know you're my one and only."

"I'm going to go take a swim," he announced, sliding of the chair. "Take care, House."

House was no longer paying attention. His eyes shifted upstairs at the thought of Wilson and Addison and what that might mean.

………………………………

"I can't believe we stayed up all night," Addison said in between bites from the breakfast Wilson had ordered in for them. She was still in her dress, propped up on the bed.

"We had a lot to catch up on, Ad," Wilson answered, sitting on the other bed, sipping his coffee.

That is the way they spent the night: Wilson on one bed while Addison was on the other. They talked about everything that had happened in their lives for the past fourteen years. Neither made the move to push it farther. Both were just happy to see each other again. "I lost my best friend when you left Addison," Wilson said, his long lashes sweeping over his cheeks.

She smiled humbly. "You didn't do so badly. You have House."

Wilson laughed. "House isn't as much fun to kiss." He noticed that Addison had shrunk uncomfortably at the mention of intimacy. "Why did you cheat on him, Ad?" he asked quietly.

She twirled her fork on her plate. "He had started ignoring me. I guess I realized one day that I had made a mistake. But you were gone," she said. Her green eyes pierced his hauntingly. "So I went to his best friend."

"I'm sorry for how I handled things," he said. His features looked downtrodden and guilty.

Addison tilted her head to one side. "It wasn't all your fault. Derrick once told me that he asked me out just so I would get away from you."

……………………………………

House leaned over to grab his wallet from his back pocket. He looked at the expectant waitress ruefully, saying, "I'm sorry. I left my wallet upstairs." House hurried back to his room to get it. His brows knit together as he watched Wilson plow through his door.

House followed him into the room. Wilson stood like a bull, his fists clenched at his sides. The man looked as if he were nearly quaking. Derrick and Meredith were still in bed, obviously woken up from the intrusion.

"What the Hell did you do?" Wilson bellowed

TBC

Chapter 13

"What are you talking about?" Derrick Shepherd asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"You asked out Addison to get her away from me," Wilson spat.

Meredith stared in confusion. "What?" she asked. Everyone ignored her.

"You barged into my room to ask me about what happened fourteen years ago?" Derrick asked incredulously. "I asked her out because I liked her. And I thought it might do her some good if she wasn't around you."

"You sorry son of a—"

"Wilson, I know you're in a rage right now," House cut in, trying to distract him, "but this whole outburst would be so much more fun for me if I knew what you all were talking about."

"Shut up, House," he barked, as he waved his hand in caution. "Not now."

Derrick rejoined the conversation. "You were never healthy for Addison, James. You never will be," he said.

Wilson smiled bitterly. "And you two had a healthy relationship? You fled to the other side of the country, got a girlfriend, dumped her for your wife, and then slept with said girlfriend after swearing to fix your marriage," he countered. "Aren't you just the regular shiny knight for perfect marriages?"

Derrick was no longer in love with Addison, but he felt the need to protect her. "Stay away from her," he threatened.

"Or what exactly?" Wilson taunted. "You've always been a coward, Shepherd. Always." Motioning to Meredith he said, "What's your plan? That ninety pound girl going to throttle me?"

"Stay away from my wife," he warned again.

"Stop!" Meredith shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "Addison is a grown woman," she reasoned, her head darting from one man to the other. "Let her be one." She shoved away Derrick's reaching arm and stomped out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

TBC