AN: Sorry for how long I'm taking to update. I just keep forgetting cause I'm traveling working so much. Hope you guys love the new chapter. With love, ART.

Chapter 4

The next thing Cameron knew it was Friday night and she was down at her favorite bar again, in her seat, staring at his, drinking the same drink, and blocking the rest of the bar out. Well, she tried to. It was kind of hard when tonight men seemed to come one right after the other to sit in his seat. There was apparently a big college sporting event or something of the sort. So, afterwards the bars were packed full of proud dads, cocky players, and the people who loved sports so watched anything they could.

It was really starting to get on her nerves since this wasn't even a sports' bar and most of the guys that sat in his seat usually asked, "So, did you see the game?"

She was about to cut tonight short and finish off the job at home. Cameron had begun this routine about Friday nights, since she had two days to recover usually, Cameron would drink 'til she was on the verge of passing out, she'd walk the short distance home, drink even more at home, and then pass out. That's how she could get at least seven hours of sleep. But it looked like Cameron was going to have to pass on the sleep tonight. She didn't have nearly enough alcohol at home to pass out now and she was becoming more and more disgruntled about the situation with each new suitor.

Just then another wise guy sat next to her. Why didn't these idiots get message from her body language? She could smell- "House! What are you doing here?"

"My rave keeps getting busted up and you looked like you needed rescuing," with that he sent a glare to a fellow in a jersey that he cut off to get to Cameron. The guy looked about to argue but closed his mouth when he saw House's intense glare get stronger.

"Thank you but I really was about to leave."

"Well, I just got here and my leg hurts therefore I'm not moving for a while," House said before he popped two bitter white pills down his throat without the beer sitting right in front of him. She rolled her eyes. She's not sure if she picked that up from House or Foreman. She took a gulp from her glass.

She waved her left hand high and the waitress pushed through the crowd of testosterone to bring a new glass and take the old one. Cameron smiled in understanding and the waitress smiled back before leaving.

"Am I picking up some vibes from you two? 'Cause if I'm right you just got three times hotter."

"No that stage is over in my life, House. Girls are too full of drama even in college."

She didn't need to look up to know House choked slightly on his drink and was staring at her. Instead of her usual glare, she was smirking at his seat that he seemed not to want to occupy. She had switched her right hand that covered her face to her left hand and peeked at House out of the corner of her eye.

His hair was the usual disheveled mess, as were his clothes; he had a little smile on his face as he stared at his drink. Probably thinking about something other than her. He never gave her a thought it seemed. Except maybe to think about the most embarrassing thing he could do or say to her. This is a complete lie.

Cameron never thought much of herself but he sure did. He could see in the way she acted around others. She was always second place in everything. She must be the second born out of two, House thought. House was too wrapped up in his thoughts about Cameron's Second Born behavior to notice anything. Especially, Cameron being harassed by the booth in front of theirs.

They were obviously drunken college boys looking for girls or a fight. The boys kept winking and making kissing sounds. That she could handle. What she couldn't handle was when that didn't get a reaction out of her they were making obscene gestures with their hands and mouths. She tried to ignore them but ducking her head to stare at her glass but they kept jeering at her and calling her names.

Cameron nudged House saying, "House I'd really like to go home now."

House snapped out of his thoughts and said genuinely, "I thought we were having a good time."

"They are, I'm not," she nodded her head to the college boys.

House frowned at the boys who pretended like they were having a serious discussion about Proust. "Are they bothering you?"

She nodded.

"All right. Let's go then. We need sleep anyways."

Cameron couldn't believe her ears that House would give up drinking so they could get some sleep. Then again she didn't know that deep down House was chivalrous. Messing with girls to flirt is okay but being obscene was just not classy in the slightest.

House got up and remembered how she was last time they were here so he held onto her elbow as she got up. Cameron would have jerked her arm away saying she could handle herself but didn't want to give these boys the wrong idea. As they passed the table someone smacked Cameron's ass and said, "Just as tight as I thought it would be."

House told Cameron to wait in her car and lock the doors. He turned on the table and said, "Any of you ass wipes have a problem?"

"Only that a dirty old man like yourself gets a nice slice like her," the most drunken one spoke up slurring his words substantially.

"I can't help if your dick is tiny. Women like more mature men. If you have a problem, meet me out in the parking lot."

House limped off as the drunkest one finished his beer and followed him out with his buddies close behind. House stood in the middle of the parking lot waiting.

"Come on we don't have all night. I plan on getting home at some time."

The guy lunged at House to punch him and House easily blocked it before bringing his cane down on the back of the guy's head. The drunkard slid to the ground unconscious while House twirled his cane with ease.

"Anyone else want to take on a cripple?" The other college guys did the smart thing and picked up their friend. "And if I ever hear of anyone bothering her again, I will find you. I'm a doctor so I could slip any kind of pill in your drink and no one would know."

He laughed like he was insane and the college boys quickened their pace. House's laugh diminished to a chuckle as he turned to Cameron's car. She rolled down the window as he approached.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes, thank you. That's twice you've saved me now."

"Twice?"

"Well, the first time was more of saving me from myself." The silence filled the night air and it didn't feel awkward for once. Cameron smiled ruefully. She did not like the sleepless night that was ahead of her. "I need to get home and check my suitcase. We'll be gone for a week right?"

"That's what Cuddy said."

"All right. I'll see you tomorrow at eight o' clock in the morning then," she smiled and pulled out of the tiny parking lot. Thankful she didn't have to walk home tonight.

The next morning, Foreman called a taxi, picked Chase, Cameron, and House up, and headed towards the airport. There was no way in hell House was going to drive there! His leg would have hated it, he would have gotten cranky, and the whole trip would have been for shit.

So they got paired off into twos to sit by each other. Of course Foreman and Chase sat next to each other. Cameron was still unsure how to handle House right now so she just put sat there quietly, contemplating her future. House was still cranking from having to wake up at seven to be ready by eight so they can make it on time for a ten o' clock flight. He wasn't very talkative at the moment.

Cameron wasn't sure if this was good or bad.

She decided to turn on her iPod and soon she fell asleep. The next thing she knew someone was poking her forehead in a constant rhythm in the same spot. She smacked the hand away sleepily.

"Quit it," she said irritably.

"You have to wake up," a voice made it through her sleep-muddled brain.

"I don't have to do shit."

House smiled. Tired Cameron was definitely one of the more fun Camerons. He poked her forehead again. Cameron snapped open her eyes and looked up at him, "Wake me like that again and I will break your finger."

Just then Cameron noticed House was at an odd angle. Then she noticed that she was slumped sideways-Oh, that's why. I hope I didn't-I did. Cameron sat up as the airplane was guided to the gate and wiped off her mouth sheepishly.

There was a small drool spot on House's shoulder. She had started that habit when she was 18 and didn't know how to stop it. She had gone to an ear, nose, throat specialist and they said her passage ways were clear, she tried sleeping on her back but she always ended up on her stomach, and she just was never a nose breather in her sleep. Cameron cleared her throat and straightened her clothes. "I hope that it wasn't too uncomfortable for you."

"I just hope you don't have rabies," House had a horrendously disgusted face on but he used to drool in his sleep and knew how embarrassing it could be. He nudged her playfully and she stopped worrying about getting everything ready.

"Did I sing again," she whispered in a hopeful way.

"Not a single note."

Cameron sighed in relief and sat back in her seat.

"Why can you be such a dick yet so understanding?" Cameron needed to know. She was tired of being jerked around by him.

"Because I would rather people be surprised by my occasional niceness rather than they think I'm nice."

"But why?" Cameron's voice lowered.

"Then I let less people down." This time it was House's turn to make sure he didn't leave anything on the plane as Cameron scrutinized him. She decided to drop it and watched everyone go about their business and file off the plane. That left only the Ducklings and House on the plane and they too filed off. Whenever they reached the terminal for the taxis, a wall of humidity hit them in the face. Chase actually coughed. Cameron suddenly remembered why she didn't miss her childhood home so much. The notes of a street player's trumpet drifted towards the busy terminal. It truly felt like something out of movie or novel. A taxi picked all four of them up and dropped them off at the Crescent Hotel. One building of the hotel looked modern while the other one looked to be straight out of A Streetcar Named Desire. They soon found their rooms and thankfully they were put in the newer one since the older building's elevator didn't work anymore.

Cameron sighed yet again as she remembered just who she was rooming with. Oh wells, he seemed not to be in a bad mood even if he started out cranky. House and Cameron were on the second highest floor and therefore had a sort of view of New Orleans. The building was only eight floors high but smaller buildings were in the vicinity. House plopped on the large bed closer to the window. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

"You know for how much of a dump this place looked, it does have pretty comfy beds."

"Isn't there a saying about books and their covers?"

"Not to my knowledge."

Cameron rolled her eyes. She was serious. Somewhere between getting off of the plane and the arrival at the hotel, Cameron slipped back into her uncaring of anything except a case, in this situation conference. She was angry at herself for letting herself get closer to House. It would ruin her career. It would ruin her life. She was always going to be little, naïve Cameron to everyone if she couldn't get over House. They would always look at her and think, "That's the girl who fell in love with House. And he was her boss, no less." She would forever be in his shadow and unable to escape him.