Hello, readers! Thanks for sticking with me this far. Obviously I'm not writing as much. Summer is exceptionally busy- I'm taking summer courses, applying to grad school, and traveling a lot! I can't complain about the traveling; it's so pretty in Colorado. But now it's September and I've barely wrote. I am sorry all! I'm in an undergraduate research lab and applying for graduate school so it's HECTIC here. But I have not forgotten about this story, I promise.

I wanted to write longer chapters but found it would take me twice as long so I ended up publishing chapter 21 at about half the content I had wanted to. I'll try to be better.

This A/N will conclude with another reminder that I do not own any House M.D characters, story lines, etc. Also, this is a Mature-rated story. 18 plus only please.

She knew it was wrong but did it anyways.

Tap tap tap.

Out of protocol, unnecessarily cruel, but she did it anyways.

Tap tap tap.

"Would...would you stop that?"

Cameron grilled the team's newest patient. A young male who came in with an array of symptoms. He was annoyed at his doctor for tapping her pen against the clipboard. She was trying to get answers from him but he didn't comply and Allison had to do her job.

Cameron remembered her days of medical school when she learned along with her classmates about the proper code of handling patients. Information that came to her mind on a regular basis but she had to push it away. She violated nearly all bedside manner procedures every day. Thanks to the training of her boss.

To be fair, if her actions were not leading to the overall benefit of her patients, the young doctor would be nicer. But she learned on valuable thing from House: niceness gets you nowhere.

"I just said that I have hyperacusis. What kind of doctor-"

Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap tap tap.

She didn't care, only wanted to get answers. "Then make it easier on yourself. Tell me what you're lying about." Allison began tapping her pen harder.

"Okay!" The patient slammed his hand against the hospital bed in frustration. Right before the truth spewed from his lips, the door swung open, preceded by the banging of a cane against the glass.

"Stop," House limped in. "As much as it arouses me to see you acting like a drill sergeant, you don't have to. His wife already confessed to everything."

Allison's lips curved slightly and formed a pout. Only House noticed.

He noted that his girlfriend never acted like she just had before she was his girlfriend. He wondered if she was becoming sterner due to him. Probably. He kinda liked it. Badass, defending herself. Definitely a turn on for the elder doctor.

"Have lunch with me," the brunette turned 90 degrees and held the patient file at her side.

"How demanding. Hot."

"Is sex all you ever think about?"

House replied, "Basically. They weren't lying in health class when they said men think about sex 99% of the time."

"I'm sure," Cameron smirked and reached up to kiss House on the cheek. "You'll have to wait, I have clinic duty."

House mumbled in distress, "Come on, Cameron." He frowned in mock dismay.

"Blame Cuddy." Allison walked away.

"Demon woman!" House shook a fist in the air.

As morning progressed to evening, Wilson flipped through the stapled pages of notes. He would be speaking at an upcoming conference and his procrastination failed him. Wilson was not normally one to put off work, but he was tired and busy. The last thing he needed that day was for House to barge in with some problem. House's problems annoyed Wilson; they were often selfish endeavors that House could (and should) sort out himself.

Just three more paragraphs ...

"Oh, Jimmy!" House broke the silence with an abrupt call.

Great, Wilson thought.

"I got a problem."

"You always got a problem."

Before he could continue bothering his colleague and supposed friend, someone else entered the room. Someone very loud, because there was an echo.

"HOUSE."

Cuddy.

What came next was a collection of yells, accusations, and points.

"This is your fault!" She screamed.

House lifted a brow, "What is?"

Too perturbed to rebut, Cuddy tapped her foot and looked behind her. "You know-you, it's..."

"If this is your attempt at getting your point across-"

"We're getting sued, House! And it's your little girlfriend's fault. She," Cuddy growled, "she acted like you and because she isn't you, the patient got peeved and sued the hospital! House, I cannot believe this. You need to talk to her, the patient, something- do something."

House was quietly impressed. That quiet, repressed doctor who came to Princeton Plainsboro years ago turned into a confident, standoffish woman who took no shit from anyone. House was proud that Cameron stood up for herself, making hard decisions when necessary. But House felt responsible. Cameron would not have acted so harshly, in his opinion, if it wasn't for him. Of course Cameron makes her own decisions but he was rubbing off of her. House thought it best to discuss it with her, before Cuddy killed them both.

"Allison," he called to her down the hall.

Before Cameron could reply, her phone began to ring. She motioned up to House with her index finger, signalling him to hold his thought. "Hello?" She flipped her cell open.

House watched as Cameron's eyes grew wide and then squinted. He noticed a change in her posture. What puzzled him most was how she turned away from him and stepped out of the room in a rush, shielding the phone she had pushed against her ear.

"Mhmm, okay," she muttered once out of earshot. "Fine. Okay. See you then." Cameron shut off the phone with one, quick slam, and twirled around. She nearly yelped when she saw House directly in front of her.

"What was that about?"

She avoided his question at first, eyes shifting around his head, "Uhm, my mom's coming tomorrow."

House lifted a brow.

"Surprise?"