A/N: Thanks for all the comments :) I'm glad you enjoyed part I. I hope you enjoy this as much, if not more.
Part II
"Umm…where's House?" Taub inquired as he sat at the conference table with Thirteen and Foreman.
"It's only ten," Foreman chuckled. "He'll be along eventually. Go do your clinic hours. We don't have a case right now anyway."
"Who died and made you the boss?" Chase grumbled as he chewed on his pencil.
"Just go," Foreman said, glaring at all of them until they got up and left.
Noon came and went, but there was no sign of House. Cuddy was pacing her office, wringing her hands. "Where would he be? He's not answering his phone."
"He never answers his phone," Wilson pointed out as he sat on her couch. "He's either drinking his face off in some depressing bar, or he's with a hooker. Or both. If he doesn't show up tomorrow we'll go to his apartment and check up on him."
"He's not even supposed to be at his apartment! You're supposed to be looking out for him since he got back from Mayfield!"
"I'm not his keeper! Nobody rules House. Not even me. I'm sure he's fine."
"I'm going to hold you to that for now," Cuddy said. "But if something's happened to him, I'm holding you responsible."
"Relax, Cuddy. Don't get your thong in a twist."
She blinked. "Wow, you've definitely been around House too much. You're starting to talk like him."
"He's fine, Cuddy. Just let him be."
XXX
Two days later there was still no sign of House. "Now can we call the police?" Cuddy all but whined.
"Let's check out his apartment first before we call anyone."
"Fine. I'll get my coat."
When Wilson talked the building manager into letting them in, it was eerily quiet, like nobody had been there for days. "Hey look, here's a note," Wilson said as he picked up the pad pf paper with House's unique scrawl and read the note aloud.
"Wilson, I know you're here looking for me. Cuddy probably has her thong in a twist right about now but I'm not dead in a ditch somewhere. I've simply moved on. Nolan was right. Being at PPTH was toxic and I needed a clean break and a fresh start. I'm totally fine so you don't have to worry. A moving company will be coming by in a few days to pack up my apartment. So don't bother asking them where my stuff is going. They won't know, either. It's been fun. Have a nice life."
"What the hell?" Cuddy said as she snatched the pad from him. "This makes no sense. Why would he just...take off without telling anyone?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. But he says he's fine so we should respect that and leave him alone."
Cuddy blinked. "What? Just like that? You're not even going to try and find out where he is?"
"What would be the point? He made it clear that he doesn't want us to know where he is." Wilson glanced at his watch. "I have to get back to the hospital. Are you coming?"
She nodded and followed him out, letting the building manager know so he could lock up. When they returned to the hospital, Chase was heading out. "Have you heard from House?" Wilson asked him.
"No. But he's fine. He's with Cameron."
Wilson and Cuddy both looked shocked, and Chase chuckled. "Come on, you didn't even consider that? Cameron quits and then House disappears? It's not rocket science."
"Are you sure?" Cuddy demanded.
"Pretty sure. She came home, packed her bags and called a cab. Then House pulled up and she got into his car."
"Where was she going?"
"She didn't tell me, but Chicago is my guess. She packed all her clothes and that was that."
Wilson went to his office and called House's cell, and amazingly he picked up. "Took you long enough."
"House! Where the hell are you? Cuddy is going insane."
"Figures she'd get her thong in a twist. I'm fine. Cameron is taking good care of me. If you know what I mean." House chuckled in a leering way and Wilson could almost see his over exaggerated wink in his mind.
"So Chase was right? You really did run off with her?"
"Chase knew?" House asked, and then there was silence. "Of course he did. You seem surprised by this. You really shouldn't be."
"You can't just quit."
"Well I did. I even emailed Cuddy my resignation letter which she'd see if she actually checked her inbox. Gotta go. I'll let you know where to send my Piano." And with a click, he was gone.
XXX
Cameron climbed back into bed holding two coffee mugs and handed one to House. "Yay for complimentary coffee makers," she cheered. They'd been staying at a hotel near the hospital since they arrived in town a few days ago and were actively searching for a place to live. It all seemed surreal to House, but it felt right, especially with Cameron.
"So what's first on the agenda?" House asked as he sipped his coffee and leaned back against the pillows to enjoy it.
"Northwestern Memorial. I spoke to someone who can get us an interview. He seemed very interested in you."
House's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"
"Oh yeah. So let's get showered and head over there."
"He wants to see us today?"
"Yeah," she laughed. "Don't look so scared, House. Your reputation means more to just Cuddy, you know. She made you feel trapped, convinced you that you wouldn't be able to work anywhere else, but she underestimates you. A lot. You're better than just PPTH. You could live in Sweden and people would still flock to you."
He knew she was right, so why was he so nervous?
"Come on," she said as she tugged on his hand. "Shower, get dressed and let's at least see what he has to say."
"Who is he, anyway?" House asked as he took one more sip of the coffee before getting up.
"Chad Orbach, the head of Infectious Diseases."
"How do you know him?"
"He dated my older sister. Anyway, he says he's moving and that if he's going to surrender his department, it would rather be to you and that the chief of medicine also agreed. The timing is perfect, House. It doesn't get any better than this."
She was right again, of course. The timing was perfect. Almost too perfect.
House stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in nothing but a towel as he dried his hair while Cameron looked at him like he was an item on the menu.
"May I help you?" he asked, eyebrow arched as she sauntered over to him.
"No, I thought I'd help myself," she said as she placed her hand on his chest and then slowly moved it down his torso.
"I thought you were anxious to get going."
"I was until you came out looking like...this."
She tugged on the towel to reveal his semi-erection that was growing bigger by the second and took it in her small hand, giving it a squeeze.
"Unnghh," he groaned and watched her sink to her knees and take him into her mouth. "God..."
Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she pleasured him. His hand found its way into her hair as his other hand gripped his cane for support. "Cameron...that's...oh yeah...don't stop..."
He closed his eyes and tried to think back to the last time someone did that for him and couldn't remember. What Cameron was doing was incredible and he found himself reaching the point of no return.
"Cameron...I'm gonna...oh God!" he groaned right before he came down her throat. She took all of it, eagerly, and slowly pulled off of him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before she stood.
"Well, I guess we can go then. Once you get dressed," she said with a wicked smile as she went to the bathroom to freshen up, leaving him slack-jawed with amazement.
XXX
What they thought was going to just be a general meeting turned into an actual double interview, with Dr. Kitson, the Chief of Medicine, and Dr. Orbach, head of Infectious Diseases.
"I spoke with Dr. Cuddy of Princeton Plainsboro. She was very unhappy that you just up and left," Kitson said as he sat back in his chair, tapping his fingers against his chin.
House snickered. "I'll bet."
"Would you mind telling me why?"
"I've done all I can at that hospital and I felt I needed to spread my wings a little and see what else is out there. As you can see I'm not getting any younger. Life's too short to spend it all in one place. I have no doubt that my reputation will be an asset to wherever I end up."
"Interesting. Dr. Cuddy had a very different opinion."
"Yeah, she would."
"And what about you, Dr. Cameron?" Kitson asked her. "What is your opinion of Dr. House?"
"I worked on his team for three years and then came back earlier this year. He's brilliant and I learned a lot."
"Look let's cut to the chase," House said, sitting forward in his seat. "I want my own Diagnostics department and a team. And I want Dr. Cameron as a co-department head." He ignored her look of shock as she stared at him and continued. "If you can give me that, great. If not, I'll be looking elsewhere. I was told this is the best hospital in the state. Surely you'd want the best Infectious Disease specialist on the east coast."
Kitson smirked. "I would. But your lack of bedside manner worries me."
"Would I be required to work in a clinic or do rounds?"
"Of course not."
"Then my bedside manner is irrelevant."
"House only sees the patients when the situation calls for it," Cameron told Kitson. "Which isn't very often. He can be rude and crude but he does things because it's right. I'm sure you could look up his success rate and see that his reputation as a Diagnostician speaks for itself."
"Dr. Cameron?" Dr. Orbach said, drawing her attention to him. "Do you really want to work with Dr. House? Because from the sounds of it, you did well running the ER at Princeton Plainsboro. Dr. Cuddy was thrilled having you as head of that department."
"I enjoyed both departments," she said with a shrug. "But when I was in the ER, I missed the puzzle that came with working in Diagnostics. That's where I belong, if House wants me."
House gave her a wink and turned his attention back to Kitson. "So, if that's all, we have a hot date at the top of the John Hancock building in an hour."
"I'll have to review our budget but I will get back to you. How many doctors were you looking to hire for your team?"
"At least two. Three at the most, not including Dr. Cameron. She'll be my partner in crime, not an underling."
"No Survivor style hiring procedure?" Kitson said with amusement.
"She told you about that?"
"She did. And while I admit it did make me laugh, we're not budgeting forty doctors to with as you wish."
"Dr. Cameron will have control over the hiring of fellows. I trust her judgement the same way she trusts mine."
"Understood. Is there a number where we can reach you?"
House wrote down his cell number. "Thanks for the interview. This looks like a nice hospital and I think we understand each other."
Kitson nodded. "I believe we do. Would you like a tour before you go? Dr. Orbach could show you the Infectious Diseases department."
"It would be a pleasure," Orbach nodded, still staring at Cameron in a way that House did not like.
"We don't have a lot of time," Cameron said, feeling the same way as House and wanting nothing more than to get out of there.
"It won't take long. It's not a very big department."
"Okay, sure," House said and reached for Cameron's hand, which wasn't lost on Orbach.
"If you'll follow me?"
It was a quick tour, but the department was impressive with its many doctors and staff. House could run diagnostics the way he wanted and not have to answer to anyone but the chief.
When they left, they went to the John Hancock lounge for lunch. "Well what do you think?" he asked as he sipped his beer.
"I think Orbach gives me the creeps but the department looks good. I'll be shocked if Kitson doesn't give you everything you want. He didn't seem to impressed by Cuddy or what she probably told him about you, which I'm sure was plenty. And I think if you take the job, Wilson will be out here like a moth to a flame."
House rolled his eyes. "Well then he can turn around and go right back to Princeton. I'm not leaving here. As far as I'm concerned, all of PPTH can kiss my ass."
Cameron tried to stifle a grin. "But it's such a nice ass."
He grinned back at her and reached across the table for her hand, which she took. It was a very un-House-like thing to do, but then he was doing a lot of things that were out of character for him. It was like he stepped out of Jersey and became someone else. House was still in there of course, but he seemed calmer and dare she say it, maybe even happy.
"I can hear the cogs turning," he said, throwing one of her phrases back at her. "What's wrong?"
"Absolutely nothing," she said and smiled, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Sometimes I still have to remind myself that you're really here, and this is really happening."
"Want me to pinch you?" he said and made a move to do so but she squirmed away laughing.
"Don't even!"
He took a sip of his beer and looked contemplative. "So what about your marriage?"
She stared off into space. "I don't know. I have to get divorce papers written up."
"Do you think he'll sign them?"
"I hope so. The marriage was over before it even started. I tried to make the best of it but it was no use."
"Well you can't marry someone when you're in love with someone else," House pointed out, and she looked at him again. "Can you?"
She smiled and gave his hand another squeeze. "No, you can't."
The looks that passed between them were smouldering, and House almost contemplated cancelling their order but then their meals arrived. Once they were done, they headed back to the hotel. As soon as the elevator doors closed, their lips found each other and he backed her up against the wall, pressing his body against hers.
"House," she moaned against his lips as his hands slipped under her shirt.
"Mhm?"
"Not here."
"No? Not up for a little love in an elevator?" he sang.
She gave him a look and he laughed as they reached their floor and the doors opened. For a man with a cane House could move pretty quickly, and once he had her behind closed doors, his lips were on hers again.
Their lips parted just long enough to get their shirts off before they fell onto the bed together and spent the rest of the day there, exploring each other's bodies, stopping only to order room service for dinner.
"We should have done this years ago," House whispered as they lay together in the darkened room. Cameron's fingers traced invisible patterns on his chest as she sighed, thoroughly content.
"You were too busy pushing me away."
"I didn't want to ruin you like I ruined Chase," he said softly.
"House...I'm sorry I said those things."
"Don't be. You were right. All of it."
She could sense his apprehension and glanced up at him. He was staring off into space as he gently stroked her hair.
"You're worried about Wilson and Cuddy aren't you?" she asked.
"Not worried so much as annoyed. We both know that she's not going to give me up without a fight. They'll probably come out here and they'll try to convince me this is a bad idea and that I'm better off at PPTH because I'll be fired sooner than later and I'll just end up crawling back to her in the end."
"That won't happen. You're so much better than that, House. You deserve a lot better and you should get everything you want."
"Including you?"
"Especially me," she chuckled.
He looked down at her and smiled, kissing the top of her head. "You've always believed in me. Despite everything I've done. Why?"
She glanced up at him again and gave him a small smile. "Because when you love someone it comes with the territory." Then she reached up and softly brushed her lips against his. She could still taste the wine they'd had with dinner as his tongue slipped past her lips to deepen the kiss and he covered her body with his once more.
Hmmm...this doesn't seem finished to me for some reason. How about you, my loyal readers? Maybe an Epilogue is in order?