Disclaimer: not mine.

So...I got your really lovely reviews and I just HAD to update!

I really hope that you like this chapter. I enjoyed writing it anyway!

Please let me know and thanks for your reviews.

Especially:

SilvaK: This is for you! (Cos you like the conflict so much!)

Saz89: I really hope you like this chapter.

Limaccia: Hello again! I hope that you've been enjoying the fic so far.

violetbeetles29: I read your review and just had to post this chapter!

Boys Don't Cry: Yes, I like the idea of Chase and Foreman being seduced and turning to the dark side for a good cup of coffee...but then, coffee from vending machines really SUCKS!

I hope you guys like this chapter. As ever, I would LOVE to know what you think.

Enjoy!

There was something odd going on in the hospital.

Everyone seemed to know something that he didn't.

Greggory House hadn't seen Foreman and Chase since he'd sent them off to do a battery of tests on his latest victim/patient/whatever. Cameron, he hadn't seen since he'd ordered her to got o the clinic. Still…he knew there was something going on. He just wasn't sure what it was yet.

He checked the clock on the wall of gynaecologists' break room. 11.34am. His ducklings should have come back to him with something by now and Cuddy should have been yelling about something that he had or hadn't done. Instead, nothing.

He got to his feet. It was time to find out what was going on around here.

He walked through the lobby trying to ignore the furtive glances that were being sent his way.

Hmmm.

Perhaps he'd better check where his youngest duckling was right now. He didn't feel like talking to her- he was still too furious, but for some reason he wanted to know just what she was up to.

The nurse at the desk in the clinic was studiously ignoring him, so he banged hard on the counter to get her attention.

The young woman jumped, as did half of the people waiting in the clinic.

"Oh, good, you're up. For a second there I thought you'd dozed off," House told her sarcastically, "What exam room is Dr. Cameron in?"

The poor woman looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Dr. Cameron?"

"You know- leggy brunette, has the hots for me," he explained in a mock-patient tone.

"Dr. Cameron isn't here," she told him.

"Ok," he was beginning to feel impatient, "When did she check out?"

"She didn't."

"Ok," he was really pissed off now, "Well then I'll repeat my question: what exam room is she in?"

"She's not in any exam room," the poor woman tried to explain, "She isn't here. She didn't check out, because she didn't check in. She not here."

House stared at her for a moment. Why wasn't Cameron there? Why hadn't she checked in? Since when did she disobey him?

If she wasn't in the clinic, then where the hell could she be?

Suddenly, inspiration struck.

Could it be?

If he was right, then he had to admit that he felt grudgingly impressed. He headed off to confirm his theory.

In his haste, he didn't notice an amused looking Dr. Cuddy watching him from her office.

He was right.

Cameron, Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee were sipping coffee in the conference room while they worked on what appeared to be a differential diagnosis.

Cameron was scribbling something on the glass wall of the room so she noticed him first. For a second, her mind went back to that time he had cornered her in the lab to talk about some supposed 'mistake' that she had made. "Brrr. Icy," he'd said when she'd given him a cold stare. This time, it was his eyes that were freezing cold.

Their gazes locked briefly and then he had pushed open the door and walked in.

"My, my, isn't this cosy."

Foreman and Chase jumped in their seats guiltily.

"You two," he addressed his male ducklings, "Get working on those tests in the lab."

They made a move to leave, but Cameron's voice stayed them.

"The lab-techs are working on them," she told her boss calmly, "Which lets Foreman and Chase actually do some real medicine- rather than wasting their time in the lab."

House stared at her. He couldn't believe it; she was actually answering him back.

"And if I had wanted lab-techs to do them, I would have asked lab-techs to do them," his voice was dangerous.

"I figured it just slipped your mind," she said sweetly, "What will all the cases you've got on at the moment."

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's quality and not quantity that matters?"

"No, she was too busy teaching me good manners," she shot back, "Speaking of which, coffee?"

He felt his hackles rise at her breezy tone. "Thanks but I'm not staying. And neither are any of you. No one is working in this conference room until it's put back the way it was," he sent Cameron an accusing glare, "And you should be in the clinic."

"I did enough of your clinic hours while you were out," she snapped back, and then could have kicked herself for bringing up a subject that she wanted to avoid, "And the conference room is staying the way it is."

House theatrically raised his fingers to his throat: "Just checking to see if I actually died and made you head of my department," he explained, after a few seconds he said with a surprised air: "Nope. Apparently not."

She couldn't believe he was making references to his shooting. What was wrong with the man? Was he completely unaware that it might have affected the people around him too.

Anger made her snap back: "Well, at the rate your patient's relatives are filing complaints, it could happen yet."

Chase's jaw went slightly slack.

"You two," he sent a dark look in the two doctors' direction, "Get down to the lab right now."

They got to their feet.

"Stay where you are," Cameron snapped, causing both men to sit back down again, "We haven't finished our differential yet."

"And what patient are you diagnosing?" There was steel in his voice.

The question didn't need a response, but she answered it anyway.

"Our patient," she stressed.

"My patient," he shot back, "I am the attending on this case."

"Well then, please feel free to join in," she said with mock-graciousness.

"Cameron," he spoke quietly and dangerously, "This is my patient. Not yours. Mine."

"I thought we were on the same team," she replied innocently.

Anger drove him forward and suddenly they were toe-to-toe.

"I am still your boss," he growled.

She really hoped he couldn't hear that her heart was thumping.

"I never thought you were anything else, Dr. House," she responded, lying through her teeth.

"I don't care whose ass you had to kiss to fill my shoes while I was away, but this is my job and my department- get used to it." She could feel his angry breath on her face.

Did he seriously think that she was after his job? How wide of the mark could you get?

Feeling slightly more relaxed, she checked her watch casually: "What do you know? It's 12.15," her voice was filled with mock surprise and she turned to her two colleagues, "How about we go on lunch now? I'll be down in a second."

The two men correctly interpreted this as a dismissal and gladly made their escape.

As soon as they left the room, House said in a furious under-tone: "I don't know what the hell you think you're doing but-"

Cameron cut him off as she stepped around him: "I'm just doing my job, House. And, for the record, I don't want yours."

At the door, she turned back to look at him again: "House, the conference room is staying the way it is. We're not working anywhere else- get used to it," suddenly she gave an amused smile: "By the way, I hope you've been having fun looking over my patients files. Let me know when you get sick of chasing wild geese." Then she disappeared.

House was speechless with rage. He could do nothing but watch his employee's graceful retreat.

AN: So, I know there was no kick-boxing or anything, but it's the best I could do! Please let me know what you thought!