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Chapter 43

Cameron followed House to his place and waited outside while he ran inside to get something. A few minutes later, House strolled out of his condo, caring a small duffle bag. As he walked towards her, she couldn't help but think how handsome he was, even with his limp and his unshaven face. It was definitely part of his charm, she thought. She smiled but quickly let the smile fall to the wayside when he opened the back passenger door and tossed the bag into the backseat. She glanced over her shoulder at the bag but didn't say anything. House then opened the front passenger door and climb in.

Cameron looked at him. "You don't want to take your bike?"

"Nope. You said you intended on drinking and I didn't think riding on the back of my bike snockered would be a very smart thing to do."

Cameron laughed. "And the bag?"

"What? You didn't take me serious when I accepted your offer to baby sit you?" He said with a serious look.

"I don't expect you to baby sit me, House."

"Let's just get through tonight Cameron." He said, staring intently at her.

Cameron locked her eyes with his and wondered exactly what that statement meant, get through tonight. "Okay." She finally said and put her car into drive.

"Let's get this show on the road. We are wasting valuable drinking time." House said, trying to lighten the mood some.

"Where to?" She asked.

"Head towards downtown. I know the perfect place." He said and started playing with the radio.

Cameron headed in the direction House told her and twenty minutes later, they turned into a narrow alley. There was a blinking blue neon light above a side entrance that read "The Hideaway." Cameron pulled into a parking space in the back.

"This is definitely a hideaway." Cameron said loudly under her breath.

"That's the idea isn't it?" House shot back.

They both got out and walked into the small bar.

Cameron let her eyes adjust to the dimly lit area, instantly noticing the musty smell, which reminded her of a little bar along the wharf in Seattle where she had a drink at when she was there for a seminar last fall. She started to glance around the room when she felt House place his hand at the small of her back and guide her to a booth on the other side of the room. The seats of the booth were very worn and the table well used. She sat down and looked around at the characters that filled the room. They were all men. She noticed that there were none in suits but all were in jeans and work shirts and ball caps. Most were probably stopping by for a beer before heading home after a long hard week. The two pool tables in the back were surrounded by what looked like to be construction workers that were enjoying their Friday night. Cameron smiled to herself and thought how perfect the place felt.

House saw how she was scoping out the place. "Find anything or anyone interesting?"

"How did you find this place?" She asked still looking around the room.

"I stumbled in here one night after Stacy and I had broke up and I have been stumbling in here ever since."

House mentioning Stacy made Cameron look at him. "Well, it's a very interesting place."

"Do you approve?"

"Yes I do. Looks like a good place to get drunk." She said with a little laugh.

"I have definitely done some of that here. Sully has seen me at my worst."

"Sully?" Cameron asked curiously.

"That man over there." House pointed to the round, balding man waddling towards them.

Cameron looked in the direction House was pointing.

Before House could say anything else, a big boisterous voice with an Irish accent, sounded through the room. "Greg. How the hell are you?" He said as he took House's hand and squeezed it with both of his hands. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has." House answered with a smile.

Cameron noticed how genuinely glad the man was to see House.

"I see you brought a friend with you and what a beauty she is." Sully said looking Cameron up and down. "Does she have a name?"

"This is Dr. Allison Cameron." House replied.

Cameron smiled as Sully took her hand and gently squeezed it. She was surprised to hear House say her first name.

"Pleased to meet you my dear. I'm Sullivan MacNally but my friends call me Sully. I'm the owner of this fine establishment." He said with a grin that filled his plump round face.

"Nice to meet you Sully." Cameron said returning the grin.

"You must be pretty special." Sully said to her.

Cameron glanced at House awkwardly then back at Sully. "Why do you say that?"

"Because in the four years I have known this chap, he has never brought anyone in here with him."

House averted his eyes away from Cameron's sideways glance.

Sully could feel the awkwardness between the two and cleared his throat. "So, what brings you my way?"

"I had a craving for your greasy food and your cold beer." House answered, not revealing the real reason why he and Cameron were there.

Sully placed his hand over his heart. "Not because you missed me? I'm hurt Gregory."

Cameron smiled again at hearing House being called by his full name.

"So, what can I get you two."

House looked at Cameron.

Cameron realized he was waiting on her to order first. "I will have a beer and a shot of bourbon."

Sully reached over and squeezed Cameron's shoulder and looked at House. "At least you brought a Lass that knows how to drink."

House gave Cameron a surprised look. "I guess so. Bring us two ales and two shots of bourbon."

"Will do. How about two of my cheese burgers?" Sully asked.

"Sounds good to me but Cameron doesn't eat meat."

Sully didn't skip a beat. "Not a problem. I've been keeping up with the times. I can fix you one of those veggie burgers."

Cameron couldn't help but grin at the jolly, plump man. "That sounds great."

This pleased Sully. "The burgers and the first round are on the house." He said as he walked away to fix their food.

"I like him." Cameron said.

"Sully's a good man."

"So, am I really the first person you brought here?"

"Yep."

"Not even Wilson?"

House relaxed a little in the booth. "Sully knows that when I walk through that door, all I want to do is be alone and to drink."

They were interrupted slightly when the waitress sat their drinks in front of them.

Cameorn took a small sip of her beer.

House picked up his shot of bourbon. "Shall we?"

Cameron joined him and they both downed the shot in one swallow. House watched her. "I was half way expecting you to order one of those girly drinks."

"I said I wanted to drink."

"I know. I just didn't know if you knew how to drink."

"There's probably a lot you don't know about me." She said.

"Well, I'm all ears tonight."

"Get me drunk enough and there's no telling what I will reveal." She said mischievously.

"Definitely sounds like a good plan. I can even take pictures with my phone."

"No pictures! The last thing I need is you sending drunk pictures of me to everyone."

"Oh, but that would be so much fun." He continued to tease.

"I mean it House. No pictures." She tried to say seriously.

House had to laugh at her insistence about not taking pictures.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, letting the silence build between them.

Cameron glanced around the room and back at House who was also looking around the room. She took another sip of her beer and then cleared her throat. "Why did you bring me here? This is obviously your secret place."

"It is and you are sworn to secrecy. If you tell anyone I will have to kill you."

Cameron smiled as she took another drink. She was nervous and needed the alcohol to start working it's magic.

"I thought maybe you could use a place to get away tonight." House confessed.

"Thanks. I like it here." She said sincerely.

"Yeah. It kind of draws you in but don't plan on making it your place."

"Of course not." She said in a teasing voice.

They talked back and forth about nothing in particular when their food arrived. Cameron didn't realize how hungry she was until she smelled the food. "Wow. This smells great."

It didn't take long before they both dug into their food.

After a few bites, House stopped eating and watch Cameron as she ate. She was making all kinds of pleasing sounds as she chewed her food. House realized he was enjoying himself, watching her eat.

Cameron didn't notice that House was watching her. Before she knew it, she had finished the whole thing. "I can't believe I ate that whole burger. It was delicious."

"It must have been. From the sounds you were making, one would think you were having sex with the thing."

Cameron blushed and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "I was enjoying myself." She said in her defense.

After they finished eating, they continued to talk and ordered several more drinks.

Cameron suddenly realized she was starting to feel no pain. "Where are the bathrooms?" She asked, slightly slurring her words.

"In the back, by the pool tables." House answered with a grin, noticing the slurred words.

"I'll be right back." She said and slid out of the booth and carefully placed one foot in front of the other, hoping he wouldn't notice she was already a little drunk.

A few minutes later, Cameron headed back to where she and House were sitting.

House couldn't suppress the smile as he watched her sway a little as she made her way back to the booth. It was a side of her he had never seen before and he was enjoying it.

"Thanks for doing this." She said as she sat back down.

"Doing what? Getting you drunk. Trust me. It's a pleasure." House said with a half cocked grin.

They sat again in awkward silence when House ordered another round of drinks.

Cameron looked him. "If you keep ordering drinks, I'm not going to be able to walk out of here."

"I thought you wanted to forget about everything for awhile." He asked.

The light in Cameron's eyes dulled as thoughts of Christy and the days events filtered into her head.

House instantly saw the change in her face and without thinking, reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. Her eyes were closed. "Cameron?" He said softly.

Cameron didn't want to open her eyes and let him see the tears she was holding back. She needed to think about something else.

House pulled his hand away so the waitress could sit down their new round of drinks.

Cameron opened her eyes and quickly dried the wetness underneath them, hoping House didn't see but he didn't have to see to know how much emotion she was holding in.

"Let's talk about something else." She suddenly said and looked at the fresh beer and new shot of bourbon sitting in front of her. She quickly picked up the shot and downed it. "This shot will probably do me in." She said, feeling her head begin to swim.

House picked up his glass of scotch and took a sip, not saying anything.

"Chase stopped by to see me today." She suddenly said.

House noticed how heavy her words were becoming. "And?" He asked.

She glanced away from his intense look. "He told me about Brook and he told me that you knew. He said you threatened him. Is that true?"

"Chase can be such a girl. He's very dramatic."

"Sometimes." She said, blinking her eyes slowly. The alcohol was consuming her now.

House ran his finger through the sweat on the side of his glass. "I just thought it best he tell you and not me. Besides, he has been jerking your chain for weeks. You deserved to know the truth. I never thought Chase was good for you."

"Really. And who is?" She asked in an amused, drunk tone.

House watched her carefully. Her emerald eyes were glassed over and she was trying to keep a serious look on her face. "Someone who really deserves you."

Even drunk, Cameron was taken back by his answer. "Oh."

"I'm going to go take care of the tab. I think it's time we go."

"No. I'm having fun." She said with a pout.

"And it's starting to show." He said and went to pay the bill and to say goodnight to Sully.

House tossed his credit card on the bar and asked Sully for his tab.

Sully picked up the card. "It was good to see you Gregory. You usually aren't leaving sober."

"It was her turn tonight." House answered, nodding towards Cameron.

Both men watched has Cameron stood, swaying from side to side, trying to put her coat on.

"You better help her before she falls over." Sully chuckled. "Bring her back with you sometime."

"I might do that." He said as he signed the ticket.

On his way to the table, he pulled out the orange vile and popped a couple of pills and swallowed. Just as he was about to reach Cameron, he stopped and watched in amusement. She was quite a sight, he thought as she kept fighting with one of her coat sleeves. Finally he stepped closer and helped her with her jacket.

"Thanks." She mumbled.

"Let's go princess." He said and with his cane in one hand and his other arm wrapped around Cameron's waist, he guided her out of the little bar.

She managed to climb in the passenger seat of her jeep without any problems and House climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. He looked over to make sure her seat belt was fastened and saw that she was holding her hand in front of her face, counting her fingers.

She looked over at him and placed her hand against the side of his face. "What are you looking at Gregory." Cameron slurred heavily with a laugh.

"Just you." He answered and pulled out and headed towards Cameron's apartment.