Title:Mentor

A/N- Keep showing this author that kinda love in your reviews and I might just keep updating more frequently! WOW! YOu guys ROCK, so here's another chapter. (Sorry it's posted so late at night, but I work early in the morning tomorrow/today, and there was no guarantee that I'd wake up early enough to post before leaving for work!) Keep showin' me your love with reviews! You know I'm your slave!!-Andi

Chapter Three: How Beautiful

When Gregory House had entered the diner across the street for a nice lunch before going back to his hotel, the last thing he had expected was to recognize two girls from his lecture there. This surprised him only because one of the two was the girl he had meant to talk to afterwards. Taking a deep breath, he realized this was his chance to hopefully convince her to go to medical school.

Watching from a distance, House saw a young man approach the two girls from the counter. He was probably in his mid-twenties, dark hair, tall, and built. Observing closer, House saw the man put on a manipulative smile as he closed the distance.

Weaving his own way through the diner, House came over to the booth the young man had approached and heard him ask, "Can I join you?" Watching his protege fling her head upwards, her brown hair splaying out like a glossy halo, House made his move.

"Excuse me," House said to the young man, interrupting the would be come on, "but I need to borrow this one." He said pointing to Allison. The young man looked agitated. "Don't worry, I'm her doctor, and she seems to have an allergy to jack asses that randomly walk up and try and sit next to her without an invitation." When Allison snorted into her drink, the young man rolled his eyes and walked away. "Well, now that he's taken care of. Mind if I sit down?" Allison stammered a moment, "Sure!" She scooted over, making room for Dr. House on her side of the booth, knowing that Julia wanted nothing to do with him.

"Well. Now when do you plan on starting med-school?" House asked.

Allison stared for a moment, "I... I don't know. I just kind of-"

"Okay, let's start easier. Where did you learn all of that you rattled out during the lecture?" He asked. "How long have you been reading them?" He hammered on.

"Oh, well, I just finished Julia's intro on pharmacology yesterday. But about three weeks ago is when she gave me the first book." Allison felt her nervous energy building. She'd been seated far enough away that she hadn't gotten the opportunity to observe him. Realization struck her over how handsom he was and she could feel the heat building in her cheeks.

House nodded, she was more beautiful up close. Her face was a smooth complexion, that was hidden by very little make-up, something he always admired with women. There was a sense of honesty when women wore little or neutral make-up, as if they weren't trying to hide their face or were not afraid of being too closely observed.

"Well. Get caught up, get into medical school and don't let guys distract you." House stood up. "Last thing I need to explain is losing yet another potential student to unplanned pregnancy." He grumbled as he shifted a napkin over and started digging through his pockets.

Jaw nearly hitting the table, Allison took a moment to speak again, "It'll take me a while to catch up though-"

"It's your sophomore year, right? As long as your pre-requisites are out of the way, you could be only a semester behind. And if you're really that adement about catching up and lack a social life that badly, I guess you could take a summer semester and even out with your graduating class." He pointed out. Seeing the flush that was covering Allison's face, House realized how adorable and naive she was. He was surprised how refreshing it was to see an innocent woman like her. He even halted digging through his pockets for a pen long enough to look at her more clearly. "What's your name?"

"Allison... Cameron, Allison Cameron." She stumbled.

"Well," House finally withdrew a pen from his pocket, "if you keep me up to date with your progression, I might feel compelled to give you a recommendation to the medical school you choose. That is if you don't turn out to be a major misjudgement, it's so unfair when people learn the bare minimum and manage to dazzle you. Then I look like an idiot. In which case, I'm not going to waste my time. Keep in touch with your grades, and as long as you don't plan on going to Johns Hopkins, I'll write you a rec." House wrote something on Allison's napkin. "There's my e-mail. Keep in touch." House clicked his pen shut and went to walk away.

"Why? Why not Johns Hopkins?" Allison blurted out as his back distanced from her.

Turning, House put on a devilish grin, "They don't like me much over there." He replied cryptically before disappearing into the crowd of diner patrons.

Allison was confused and elated as she held Dr. House's e-mail address in her hand.

"I suppose this means you're even more impressed with him, right?" Julia glared with annoyance in her eyes as she slurped the straw of her Cherry Coke.

Allison didn't reply, but the flush on her cheeks said it all. Julia just rolled her eyes and went on drinking her soda.

----------------------------

Reaching his hotel room, House flopped onto the bed with a large sigh. He didn't know what had just transpired at that diner, but it had been something very off script. The last thing he had intended to do was give the girl his e-mail address! Hell, he didn't even respond to the e-mails Wilson sent him. So why had he even offered it to Allison?

Allison... Cameron... She had been so adorable and flustered when he'd sat down next to her, her heart shaped face glowing brightly as her cheeks reddened. Her long brown hair looked so soft, that he had to keep himself from reaching out to touch it, just to see if it was as soft as it appeared. Her voice, her eyes, her lips. God, to be ten years younger and have an excuse to taste those full lips.

Shaking his head, House got up from the bed and began pacing. He had to shake these thoughts. He would be going home tomorrow morning. Home to Stacey and his job. Nearly 800 miles from that girl Allison and her big, beautiful eyes.

Jumping back onto his bed again with realization of his uncertainties, House tried to reason with himself, which proved most difficult. His brain was telling him that he never stood a chance with a girl like Allison and that he shouldn't hold his breath waiting for a message from her. But his heart kept pounding, wanting to believe that she would try and contact him. His brain told his heart that it was foolish, but his heart told his brain to stop being so pessimistic.

If there was anything House hated more than not being able to solve a puzzle, it was not being able to figure out himself. This conflict of his head and heart was going to drive him crazy.

------------------------

Over the course of the next week Allison spent a great deal of time with her Student Advisor. The two spent a ridiculous amount of time planning and re-planning the class scheduling that would lead to Allison's future.

By the end of the week, Allison had her second semester scheduled out, and she was soon bored with the remaining of her first semester. Luckily, she had managed to accomplish most of the classes she had needed from her freshmen year, only missing a few. Knowing she would be in hell starting the next semester, Allison tried hard not overwork herself the first half of the school year.

When the end of the week came, and Allison found temporary relief from the strains of classes and rescheduling her second semester course, she curled up on her bed and thought back on the previous weekend. Despite the stress the week had caused her, something felt elating about knowing she finally knew what she wanted to do with her life. She couldn't give Dr. House all of the credit, but she knew that he had influenced her quite a bit. Not too mention, his coming over and encouraging her in person, in his own cynical way, had definitely set her mind at ease with her decision. With that thought, Allison reached for her purse and began rummaging through it until she found a slightly torn up napkin.

Getting off of her bed, Allison went to her computer and sat down. When she'd logged into her e-mail inbox she selected a new composition and addressed it to Dr. House. It took a moment of staring at the blank e-mail before Allison decided what she wanted to say.

Dear Dr. House:

I don't know if you remember me. My name is Allison Cameron and I attended your lecture last weekend in Chicago. I just thought, since you gave me your e-mail, that I should at least tell you something very important. As of today, my course schedule has been reset and I am officially beginning my pre-med program next semester. I really just wanted to thank you. Even though you may not think it, your lecture really did make me want to go into this field. However, the fact that you went so far as to give me your e-mail and offer additional support, makes me hope that you'll continue to support me. So, thank you.

Sincerely,

Allison Cameron

Before Allison could think to edit the e-mail, she had clicked send. It wasn't until after a moment of thinking about what she'd written that she realized that she may have come across as insecure in the message. Damning her impatience to proofread, Allison grunted and left her desk to flop down on her bed once more. Why did school have to fry her brain so badly that she couldn't even take the five seconds to proofread an e-mail, rather than making an ass out of herself?

TBC

A/N- REvieW PLEASE :D-Andi