Disclaimer: I own nothing; otherwise Hameron would be a reality.

PLEASE

Chapter 4: His Please

Cameron strode down the hallway to House's office. The lights were off and the blinds were drawn, but she knew he was in there.

She entered his office, sliding through the blinds and sure enough he was there in his yellow chair with his feet up. She dove right in.

"Why did you send Chase to the lab?" She asked angrily. "Why couldn't you leave it alone? I told you I didn't want him there."

He remained silent; he only looked at her with those brilliant blue eyes. His face gave nothing away. He would most likely know how things had gone from the simple fact she was there, in his office.

"You just couldn't leave it alone, could you? You have to meddle in my life and you had to force the issue between Chase and me. You wanted him to see how I reacted just to the mere thought that I might have been pregnant and the relief I felt that I'm not. You had to break us up for the fun of it." She railed as she strode to stand beside his chair.

"No!" He said forcefully and rose to stand inches from her.

"Then what?" She shouted. Again, he was silent. She watched as he averted his gaze and the muscle twitched in his jaw. Cameron took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He had done it to her again, she couldn't believe it. He'd drawn her in and then pulled back. This silent treatment drove her nuts. She knew. She knew that hadn't been his intention, at least not in a malicious way. However, his difficulty in saying what he really thought or felt had always been one of the biggest obstacles for them, at least in her mind. She waited several moments for any kind of response from him and got none. "I'm done with this. I'm done with you."

She turned to leave, but just as she reached for the door he spoke.

"Please." He said softly. Unhurriedly, she turned and walked back to stand before him.

"Please… what?" She saw him swallow and take a deep breath. "Greg?"

His eyes jerked to hers at her use of his first name.

"Please. What?" She asked again, her voice softer this time.

"Please… don't leave." His words were barely audible.

"Why?" She wasn't asking why he didn't want her to leave, not exactly, not only that anyway. She needed to know why he'd done what he had. He looked into her eyes.

"Because I knew you weren't happy. With Chase. I don't think you even realized it, but I could tell."

"Why does my happiness matter to you?" Her stomach began to flutter in anticipation and hope.

"Because it does." She quirked an eyebrow at his answer. "It probably shouldn't. I don't have a right to care about it, but I do. It matters to me."

She smiled tenderly at him. And the tension left her body along with the anger. This was difficult for him, that wasn't news to her. He was trying though. He made an effort. He was being honest.

"You matter to me." He whispered and reached up to cup her face with his large hand. He stroked her cheek with his thumb.

She though that perhaps now he'd started talking it would be easier for him. She wasn't disappointed.

"You always have. I was in denial."

"I know the feeling." Cameron said with a soft laugh. She reached up to stroke his stubbled cheek, reveling in the feeling of the scruff against her palm. "I've been in denial for a long time myself. I've denied to myself that I could ever get over you."

His shoulders sagged in relief as tension seemed to flow out of his body.

"So, now what?" She asked and just like that the tension was back. Cameron stood on tiptoes and brushed a soft kiss against his lips. In part to soothe him. In part to encourage him.

"I don't need a detailed plan Greg. Just a few broad strokes. A hint of what you want. Okay?" She tried to reassure him and let him know that she needed… something.

He nodded and took a deep breath.

"Maybe… we could get something to eat. Together. Maybe we could do that again with some regularity and see where it goes." He said with a bit of nervousness in his voice. "You've just ended things with Chase, so when you're ready, we could go for that dinner. With the date part."

"You buying?" She grinned at him.

"Yes." He said with a smirk. "I might even spring for a movie occasionally."

"Well in that case…" She paused for a few seconds as if she was thinking about it. "I'm hungry now."

"Me too, how about that?"

"Good." He gave her one of those rare smiles, a small one, but it was a smile nonetheless.

"You don't have any needles in your pockets, do you?"

"No." She laughed. His hand slid to the back of her neck and as he pulled her closer he bent his head to hers.

Their lips met. Tenderly. Tentatively. She tilted her head and parted her lips inviting a deeper kiss. His tongue swept inside her mouth and caressed hers. She couldn't believe it… she was kissing House. Greg! No alterior motive, just an honest kiss and it was everything she'd dreamed it could be.

She pulled back from him slowly. "Let's get something to eat."

"Alright." He let her go and went to his desk to grab his backpack.

They walked side by side to the elevator.

"Just so you know." She spoke quietly as they stepped onto the elevator. "No matter what happens. Right here. Right now. I'm happier that I've been in a long time."

He turned to look at her, his face serious.

"Good to know." The she saw a mischievous glint in his eye. "Just so you know. I don't put out on the first date."

She laughed, truly laughed. "Good thing then, that this isn't our first date."

If anyone had been passing by at just that moment, they would have been surprised to hear the cranky Dr. House really laugh just as the elevator doors slid closed.

TBC with an epilogue