Like riding a bike (2)

A.N. House and Cuddy have a go-karting date in season 7. I've shamelessly stolen the idea. Also, I never did a disclaimer: I don't own House. Fox do. Glad that's cleared up.


House and Cameron each took a helmet and followed the attendant to the track. They listened to his instructions regarding the details of their karts before shaking their heads to a demonstration. The fellow nodded disinterestedly and walked away.

Cameron could sense the excitement of the man beside her. It was almost childlike and completely endearing. It never ceased to amaze her how a person as smart as he could take delight in such simple things—TV shows, Gameboys, sports. At times it felt as if she had to study so hard, pay such close attention to her work, simply to stay afloat; whereas House excelled at his job with room to spare. If she didn't harbour as deep an attraction towards him as she did, she imagined that this reality would be extremely galling. As it was, she regarded jealousy as completely futile. House was so far above most other doctors that it was easier simply to accept that, as far as medicine went, they were running in different races.

"OK, so, just to recap what that moron was saying, there is no stick, so all you have to do is brake, accelerate, and steer". House pointed out the relevant parts of the vehicle. "Think you can manage that?".

"Yes. It's a pity, though. I'm pretty good with a stick", Cameron winked suggestively.

House was unimpressed. "This is no time for fun and games, OK?".

"I beg to differ", she smirked. "This place is literally called 'Fun Frank's Karting'".

"Yeah, yeah. Now show me how you plan on setting up. Come. Sit". House gestured to the vehicle and watched as Cameron positioned herself in the seat and placed her hands on the wheel. "Not bad, not bad. Try putting one here and the other here, though". He took her hands and moved them into the new position. "That way you have more purchase and manipulating the wheel around the hairpins should be a bit easier".

"Huh, that actually does feel better". Cameron flexed her fingers on the wheel.

"OK, now, the key is to keep your body as loose as possible in the arms and legs so that you aren't white-knuckling the wheel or hammering the pedals…". House crouched down beside her and ran his hands down her arms, giving them a gentle squeeze. "Space your legs further apart so you have a stronger base. Like this". He nudged the inside of her thighs, lingering slightly longer than was necessary. She sighed softly. "No, don't. I'm trying to help you here", he remonstrated, apparently deadly serious.

"Oh, I know. I'm really appreciating it, thanks", Cameron smiled sweetly.

House raised an eyebrow but soldiered on regardless. "Now, while you want looseness in your limbs, you want strength in your core. This'll help you counteract the force of the corners and keep you on the right line".

"Like this?". Cameron did as she was told.

"Almost. Sit up a bit straighter, and make sure your butt is all the way back in the seat". She made the necessary adjustments while House looked on approvingly: "very good. Now, remember: arms, legs, core. Maintain that perfect triangle and you'll be fine. We're ready to give it a go. The aim is to use the brakes as sparingly as possible—the gas is your friend".

"Got it, thanks".

"You don't need to thank me, Cameron. We're in this together". House winked at her and wandered over to his own vehicle whilst she completed last minute tinkering and attempted not to over-interpret his admission that they were a team.

Get a grip, Allison. He's talking about go-karts.

Helmet secured, she hit the ignition button and cruised to the start line. The track was deserted.

House pulled up alongside, his eyes alight with barely contained excitement. "Shall we have a couple of practice laps before we get down and dirty? You can lead us off and I'll follow. Remember, always-".

Before he could finish, though, Cameron floored it, shooting from the start line with a roar and a screech of tyres.

House laughed through the smoke and set off in pursuit, pedal to the metal, observing her hair streaming out from under the helmet. After a few seconds of initial focus, he relaxed into the seat and breathed in contentedly, luxuriating in the smell of rubber and fumes.

Go-karts were no motorbikes but their closeness to the ground and their open cockpit at least helped make up for it. Nobody, not even Wilson, understood his fascination with such things. House could still remember the look of boredom on his father's face when he had tried to explain the intricacies of his new bike earlier this year. Motorbikes, wheels in general, gave him freedom. The fact of a mangled leg didn't matter because these perfect machines compensated for his imperfect body. And now, though he was fixed, he still chased the satisfaction they offered.

Up ahead Cameron ran wide a little, but she appeared to learn quickly and the next couple of turns she nailed the apex and tore into the straights. Still, House gradually gained ground as his experience began to show.

Cameron glanced quickly over her right shoulder and grinned at him.

House stuck his tongue out and allowed her to lead into the hairpin. He feinted an overtake on her left and she instinctively moved to cover; then, he darted down the inside and ripped into the final stretch. He didn't release the accelerator until he passed the painted chequered strip on the tarmac, turning in his seat to see his rival finish just a couple of lengths behind.

She pulled up alongside him, eyes bright. "Wow, that was fun!".

"Yep. You nearly got me there. We'll make a racer out of you yet".

Cameron laughed. "Yeah, well, I guess I jumped the gun a bit, huh?".

House shrugged. "Nothing wrong with a bit of harmless cheating in my book". They wheeled back round, this time using the end as a new starting point. "Round two?".

Cameron only nodded, her face set with determination as they lined up.

"OK. Three, two, one….GO!".


The two doctors handed in their helmet and gloves and left the track. "Well, I have to say that I was very impressed with your skill there, Camster", said House as they reached his motorbike. "You put up more of a fight than Wilson, and we've been coming here for ages".

Cameron inclined her head in acknowledgement and leant against the bike, beside the other. "What can I say, I'm a quick study. My boss is pretty demanding, so I've learnt to adapt quickly".

House chuckled, but he played along, content to let her take the initiative. "That boss of yours sounds like a real piece of work. Did you say you were a doctor?".

She nodded, though looked at the floor. "He is a challenge, that's for sure. But he needs to be, I think. His job, our job, is so fluid, so important, so frenetic, that standards can't be allowed to drop or people die".

The man said nothing as he thought on her words.

"But part of me thinks that the preservation of life argument is only a part of the equation for him", she continued.

House accepted his role in this exchange. "I'm no medical expert, but I'd think that a doctor's purpose is only to save lives. What else is there?".

"The puzzle", she replied. "The kind of work we do, it's not normal medicine. We only get patients other doctors can't figure out. Most of them will be dead within a few days if we can't decipher their symptoms, come up with a diagnosis, and treat it accordingly".

"Decipher? It sounds like you're more of a detective hunting for clues than a doctor".

"Yes, exactly. We are hunting for clues, trying to solve the puzzle. I think this is what keeps my boss going more than anything—the quest for the perfect puzzle. I think the day he stops searching is the day that he stops hoping, maybe even stops living". Cameron ran a hand through her hair, though she didn't look at the other.

House, though, did turn towards the woman to his side. "He sounds like a complicated man. I bet you have a pretty interesting relationship with him".

Cameron met his gaze, a smile tugging at her lips. "Interesting is one way of putting it, yes. D'you wanna hear a secret...er, sorry, what was your name again?".

"Greg. And sure". House's eyes sparkled as he held out his hand.

"Hi, Greg. Allison", she replied, shaking his hand. "As I was saying: the truth is that I like my boss precisely because he is complicated".

"You like him? Like, like him, like him?".

"I do. Very much".

"Hmm. He must be a fair bit older than you, though. Wouldn't you be happier with someone your own age?". House looked straight into her eyes as he spoke, searching them for clues.

Cameron didn't turn away. "He's older, yes, but I don't see this as a problem. I guess I'm traditional, but I believe that, at root, any relationship is about attraction: be that physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, or whatever. As long as there is attraction then age doesn't really come into it".

"And what attracts you to him?". House knitted his hands in his lap but maintained his gaze.

The immunologist tilted her head a little, thinking. "All of the above, I'd say", she answered after a few moments.

"And you believe that your boss can satisfy the bases of your attraction? It seems to me like you're asking quite a lot of the man".

"You're right, I am asking a lot, and I don't know yet if he can meet some or even any of my needs. What I know is that I've seen glimpses of it all in him and I want more than anything to explore the possibilities we might have together, whether it lasts a week, a month, a year, or longer".

"And what about his needs? Can you meet them? He sounds like the kind of person who could be pretty demanding of a partner; the kind of person for whom 'normal' is nothing but emptiness." House looked at the ground.

Cameron replied instantly, regarding his profile. "I don't know if I'll be able to satisfy his boundless curiosity. But I do know that I'm not frightened of his demanding nature; in fact, I'm counting on it. I just want a chance, a chance to see if I can be what he requires".

House said nothing for a time, digesting her words. "Hmm, well", he said finally, taking one of her hands in both of his, "I don't know this man, but I think he'd probably be up for that. I mean, let's be honest, you are absolutely gorgeous".

She laughed and they shared a tender kiss.

"This has been a fun first date, thank you", he murmured.

Cameron nuzzled her nose to his. "You don't need to thank me, House. We're in this together".

He grinned and handed her the helmet. "Let's get some food. All that go-karting and now this talk? I'm famished".

She nodded, fixed the helmet, and hopped on, wrapping her arms tightly around the other and leaning against his back as the engine roared to life.