There's no excuse for the delay, guys. I'm sorry.

CHAPTER 13

I won't interfere anymore

They were sitting in the bar, Wilson staring at House in disbelief.

"Come again?" He said still not getting what his friend meant.

"I said she had Daddy issues, Wilson! Geez, what an idiot I have been." House scratched his chin and downed his shot asking for another one right away.

"How many drinks have you already had?" Wilson asked frowning. He immediately regretted having interfered in the first place.

"Does it matter?"

Wilson sighed and shifted in his seat. "So... can you tell me what happened?"

House didn't even look at him and when the bartender brought him another Scotch, he took a deep breath and while playing with the glass, he started speaking...

After he revealed everything that was bugging him, Wilson smirked and finished his tea.

"You, my friend, are nuts. What happened to her is terrible but I highly doubt it has anything to do with you."

House looked up at him and narrowed his eyes. He wanted to say something but since he managed to drink an enormous amount of whiskey on an empty stomach, he somehow couldn't even speak. And he didn't even have to as Wilson was not done by far.

"You only enjoy being miserable, and now when something good happened to you, you need to negate it, so that you can go back to being lonely, miserable, annoyed..." Wilson added and scowled. "You keep overthinking everything and destroy everything nice. Look at yourself. It's Christmas Day, ten in the morning. All you have is one friend..." Wilson pointed at himself. "And now, surprise, surprise, also a beautiful woman who loves you and who's waiting for you at home. I'm sure she's freaking out because she has no idea where you are, and...and you? Instead of spending the day with her, you are sitting in a nasty bar getting drunk for no reason."

"I... I don't en... enjoy..." House struggled to form a sentence before he stopped abruptly and looked at Wilson. "How can...can you be so...so sure she loves me?"

Wilson's eyes widened a little and he knew he was screwed, House could read him too well no matter how drunk he was.

"Have you... you spoken to her?" House asked angrily.

"Okay, okay... I admit."

"What...the...hell... Wilson?!"

"Look... You are drunk but before you try to act overprotective or to kick my ass, which in your state could end up horribly for you, hear me out." Wilson said with an amused half smile. "I always tell myself not to interfere but look at you! You are being impossible again! I'm doing you a favor."

"Huh... doubt... doubt it." House snapped.

"I met her about an hour ago in the store and I talked her into having a cup of coffee with me. And now I will tell you the same thing I told her. Yes, I did think it was a stupid idea for you to start up with her, she's young and she works for you but... I was wrong. She is in love with you. She was there in the store buying some food to make you breakfast... Why? Well, because she cares and you are here... why? Well, because you obviously don't, so now here's what's going to happen. We'll get out of here, you'll buy some flowers and I'll take you home where I'll make an idiot out of myself and tell her that you being so drunk is all my fault. And then, I'm gone and it's all up to you, I won't interfere anymore."

And that's exactly what they did.


Cameron was pacing the living room with her phone in her hand. She had sent House a couple of texts and tried to call him but he never answered and she was becoming more and more worried. She was dialing his number again when she heard the keys in the lock as well as two familiar voices.

They walked in and she could see House leaning against Wilson and her expression darkened immediately. She put her hands on her hips and frowned looking at them angrily.

"Where the hell have you been?" She snapped but got no response from her drunk boyfriend.

Wilson gave her an apologetic smile and led House to the couch where he collapsed mumbling something incomprehensible and reaching out to grab Cameron's hand. She jerked a little and looked at Wilson again.

"I am sorry, Allison." He said and took a deep breath. "I called House when we left the cafe because I... I needed to talk to him... about... something. Ahem, personal."

"Uh huh... Great." She pulled a face. "And this?" She asked and pointed at House who was lying there with his face buried in the couch still muttering something and Wilson had to smile when Aupa came to the couch and started licking House's face.

"You have a dog?" He asked trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes, don't change the subject."

"Oh, Cammy, aren't you... really... something." House mumbled and Wilson burst out laughing.

"It's not me, it's the dog, you dork!" She growled.

"Allison, please, I really am sorry, it was me who suggested we have a few drinks and I didn't realize he hadn't eaten anything and that he could get so drunk." At that point House fell off the couch and yelped. "We even bought you flowers... I am sorry." Wilson said again and turned to look down at House. "Where are the flowers?"

"It's not..." House started as he turned and curled up in a ball on the floor. "Lupus." He finished and fell asleep.

"I'll help you get him in the bed." Wilson offered but Cameron shook her head and smiled a little for the first time.

"No, let him suffer." She said and they watched Aupa who snuggled up to House. "How about I make us some coffee?"

"That would be great." Wilson returned the smile and they went to the kitchen leaving House on the floor.


They talked for nearly an hour, Cameron told him about the position at Princeton General and how eager she was to start a real job, probably in the ER, they laughed a lot whenever they looked at House sleeping on the floor and when Wilson left, she changed into her jeans and a thick sweater, she took her coat and decided to take Aupa to the dog park. House was still sound asleep on the floor and as she was passing by on her way out, she just threw a blanket over him with a slight frown.

When she returned two hours later chilled to the bone, she found House sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Good morning, sunshine." She said snidely and took off her coat. House turned to look at her, his face awfully pale. He gave her an uncertain smile and rubbed his forehead.

"Gosh... I feel like shit."

"You look like one too." She replied with lack of interest and walked over to him putting a large pizza box on the table in front of him. "Pepperoni, the best cure for hangover."

She wanted to walk past him but he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him and she landed on his lap with a low yelp. As she unintentionally sat on his bad leg she heard his sudden sharp intake of breath but even though she tried to stand up quickly, he didn't let her.

"I screwed up again, didn't I?" He said looking straight into her eyes and caressing her back with his left hand. He leaned closer to her and kissed her cheek lightly. "I'm sorry."

She frowned a little and looked down nodding. "Okay..."

He tried to pull her even closer to him and kiss her but she pulled away with a grimace.

"You stink."

He chuckled a little and let her get up finally.

"I'll have a shower and then we'll have the pizza, how 'bout that?" He suggested and she nodded again before making her way to the bedroom to get changed.

When he walked out of the bathroom after a long shower, House found Cameron sitting on the couch with the dog in her lap watching some chick flick he didn't know. He shuddered.

"We aren't seriously watching that today, are we?"

"You aren't, I am." She replied without looking at him. He limped slowly and sat down next to her. Normally he would protest against having the dog there but somehow he knew he had no rights whatsoever at that moment.

He reached out and took a slice of pizza. When he took the first bite, he let out a happy sigh realizing it was the first thing he ate that day.

"This is... sooo good."

"Shush..." She snapped.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Pride and prejudice, you ignorant." She replied her eyes never leaving the TV screen.

"Jesus..." He rolled his eyes and took another bite.

"House, right now, it's just me and Mr. Darcy and you don't really exist, okay?" She snarled but he could hear a playful tone in her voice.

"Well... um... I believe there's also your rival now." He pointed at the TV and chuckled lightly.

"Are you telling me that Keira Knightley is hotter than me?" Cameron asked and looked at him raising an eyebrow. "And you better be careful with your response."

House grinned and leaned over to grab her face and kiss her.

"Ewww... Stop it!" She shrieked and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Of course not... But then again, I am also much better than that pretentious dummy." He said pointing at the TV once again.

"Well, I am pretty sure Mr. Darcy never got shitfaced on Christmas Day." She said.

House smiled. "You're too cute when you are angry."

"Huh, great... so you'll keep pissing me off just to make me act... cute?"

"Probably. But for the rest of the day I'll try not to." He shrugged and took another slice of pizza.

"Thank you very much."


When the movie finished, Cameron took Aupa out and when she came back, she couldn't help but smile. House made her a cup of tea that was waiting for her on the table, he lit a few candles in the room and as she was taking off her coat, he sat at the piano and started playing. She smiled and walked over to him with the cup in her hand. He motioned for her to sit next to him and she did.

He played for a while before she gave in and laid her head on his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head as he went on playing whatever came to his mind.

When he finished the last song, he closed the lid of the piano and sighed.

"Sorry 'bout today. I didn't mean to ruin the Christmas for you." He said in a low voice.

"You ruined it for yourself too..." She said with a shrug.

"I don't care about Christmas." He said indifferently and she looked up at him. "I do care about you, though."

She leaned and gave him a soft kiss. She tasted like the strawberry tea she was drinking and he pulled her in his arms gently, his lips never leaving hers.

"So, is there a sequel to the Darcy bullshit you were watching earlier?" He asked when he broke off the kiss.

"Why?" She asked.

"I don't know... I'm being nice, I guess. It's not too late and I don't think I can make you watch Evil Dead unless I want to end up dead myself." He gave her a smile.

"Actually, I did have another gift for you..." She said slowly and nuzzled up against him. "But after what happened, I guess you deserve a punishment rather than a gift."

"A punishment?" He said and smiled smugly.

"Not THAT kind of punishment..." She laughed and smacked him playfully. "I thought I could make you watch Ten Things I Hate About You with the dreamy Heath Ledger."

"Nooooo..." House screamed.

Cameron laughed and got up.

"So what's the gift?" He asked with interest. Cameron walked to the kitchen to wash the cup and when she returned to the room she winked at him.

"Meet me in the bedroom and you may find out."

He didn't hesitate a second and followed her immediately.

He found her sitting in the bed and he limped over to her slowly. He sat down on the edge of the bed and started caressing her shin gently giving her a soft smile.

"Come here." She whispered and grabbed his hand pulling him to her. They started kissing slowly and tenderly before he put his hand to the back of her neck running his thumb along her ear and she slipped her tongue in his mouth. She heard him moan lightly and smiled against his lips. She took of his T-Shirt and he moved on top of her slowly his lips never leaving hers. After a minute or two he broke off the kiss and gave her a smile.

"I love the gift so far." He said and his fingers traced over the skin of her arm watching the goosebumps his touch was causing.

"That's not it." She smiled.

"No?" He asked raising his eyebrow.

"No..." She whispered and gave him another deep kiss.

"So?" He gasped. She looked at him coyly and ran her fingers over his chest.

"I... I am on the pill so we don't have to... um." She felt strange telling him, she knew he would like it and yet the words got stuck in her throat. When he saw her blushing, he couldn't help but smile softly and pulled her to him kissing her soundly.

"I love it." He mumbled before moving down to kiss her neck.

TBC (I do promise you)