Maybe an M moment or two in this chapter, but nothing overly graphic.

Her shift ended at midnight, and at 12:21 she rang House's doorbell.

He didn't respond to her knock. She said his name.

When the door opened for her, she found him in pajama pants and an unwashed somewhat-white T-shirt. Immediately, she leaned in and kissed him. He kissed back, just like last time, but he seemed startled.

"You weren't expecting me," she said.

He seemed confused; for all his self-absorbedness, he must have been baffled that someone could want him.

All she could think to do was slip a hand under the rather disgusting T-shirt so she could tease him with fingers across his stomach. "You're gonna need to do a whole lot more than that if you want your job back," he said, the stubble of his beard brushing against her ear.

"You wanted me back." Almost methodically, her hand dipped down past his waistband. "Do you want me back?"

"Yes," he said reflexively.

Granted, sex with Greg House was not nearly as mind-blowing as she'd once imagined it to be (his leg really did restrict his movement quite a bit), but Cameron was pleased that she'd effectively put an end to their flirtatious friendship, and could maybe move on without experiencing flutters in her stomach whenever he passed by or visited her in the lab. But mostly, she was glad to see that she'd made him smile.

Early in the morning, he took out another condom, reached for her again, and this time almost made her scream. He knew exactly how, exactly where, to touch her. Maybe he did want her for more than just his team. But she wasn't about to set herself up to be knocked down again. If Chase could break her heart, imagine the damage that House could do to her.

"Good," was all he said as she caught her breath.

She sat up. "You know I was ready to come back anyway."

"I know." He ran a hand down her back with a gentleness she never would have expected from him. "Allison."

"No comments about my breasts."

"They're bouncier than I thought they would be. Rather impressive for an A-cup."

"You're an ass," she joked.

"So you're really done with the ER?"

She laid down again and turned on her side to face him. "As long as you know, which I'm sure you do, that this can only be a one-time thing. I'm not going to sleep with my boss on a regular basis."

"You have permission to sexually harass your boss once every three years, Dr. Cameron. We'll leave it at that."

And that was the end of their brief encounter as something more than a diagnostician and his former employee.

Cameron went to talk to Cuddy about a transfer the next day. Cuddy agreed to the rehire, admitting that Cameron was indeed far more likely to get the immunology attending position that would become available the next year if she was working in diagnostics rather than in the ER.

Cuddy asked her for three more weeks in the ER while the matter with the nurses was being settled. Cameron nodded and head for the door.

"Dr. Cameron."

Please don't say anything personal, Cameron thought.

"I want you to know that if I could legally fire him over this, I would."

"House?"

"No," Cuddy said, surprised. "Chase."

"I can assure you that Dr. Chase and I don't plan to bring our personal problems into the office."

"Tread lightly," Cuddy advised.

"Chase and I are –"

"I mean with House."