Leading an elephant to water
A.N. These last few chapters have literally been 'a day in the life of House and Cameron'. I didn't plan on this level of detail when I set out on the London phase, but what can you do? As always, big thanks to readers, reviewers, followers, and favouriters. Stay safe out there.
"I need to sit down for a bit", said House as they swiped into their room. "My legs and feet are smarting like a bitch". The floor was a dark hard wood which, though it looked good, scored very low on the comfort scale. If anything, it served only to highlight how much his joints ached.
"No wonder. My watch says we've covered about fifteen miles today". Cameron hung up her coat and removed her hat, ruffling her hair. "Minibar?".
"You took the suggestion right out of my mouth. See if they've got any whiskey in there. I need a stiff one sharpish". He sank onto the bed and pulled out his phone, browsing the football news back home.
Cameron, meanwhile, had a root around the fridge in the corner. "Let's see…oh, they have Macallan!".
"Wow, really?". A ludicrously joyful tone.
"No", she grinned over her shoulder.
"I hate you and everything you stand for", grumped House from the sheets.
"Famous Grouse, some weird wine, and a few lagers. Wanna share this wine?", she waved the bottle, "it's from the famous vineyards of, er, Croatia".
"I think one of the last times I had wine was our first date at Café Spoleto".
"Then it's time we replaced that memory with this one".
"Fine, but only if you put out afterwards".
Cameron poured the drinks into a couple of plastic cups and handed one over before joining him on the bed. They clinked 'glasses' and took a tentative sip. "I mean, it's not terrible", she mused.
"I think all that Vicodin has shot my senses because I taste watery acid and that's it".
"Agreed. By the way, did you know that I was willing to put out even after Café Spoleto?".
House's eyes had been reading something on his phone but her words caused him to drop it and look across. "Huh, no kidding. But it went so poorly".
"Well, I was madly in love with you, wasn't I?".
"Hmm. And tonight?".
"Tonight is a foregone conclusion, my friend".
"Great. Just using the facilities and then I'm gonna rock your world". House swung his legs over the side, transferred his weight, and promptly collapsed in a heap of flailing limbs and obscenity, bashing the nightstand on the way down for good measure.
"House!", Cameron cried, throwing aside her cup and speeding around to his side of the bed, crouching down. "God, are you OK?!".
"Don't worry. I just slipped on this stupid plastic wallet thing". House pulled the offending item out from under his backside. It appeared to be a cleaning schedule document. Housekeeping had clearly not noticed its dislodging during the daily room visit. "Here, help me up. I twisted my knee".
She put his arm around her shoulders and gripped his waist, heaving him up to sit on the edge of the bed. "Thank God. I thought…I thought…your infarction…".
"I know. I'm fine. Hey", he said, stroking her cheek reassuringly, "I'm fine. Apart from the pain lancing up my left leg, that is. Pass me my drink?".
Cameron handed it over, still supporting him by the waist, though her fear at his state quickly turned to anger. "Who was the stupid bitch that left that there? I'm going down to the front desk right now and sorting this shit out. It's a fucking hazard".
"No, don't. Ordinarily, I'd be right on board, but I just wanna have a chill night. It'll be cool in an hour or so".
"They can't just do that. Hotel rooms should not be fucking obstacle courses!". He took a sip to hide his grin, but she noticed, and her anger quickly found a new target: "what the hell are you laughing at?".
"I think you've sworn more in the last few minutes than the whole three years prior. Also, can you imagine if our room was an obstacle course? How cool would that be?".
"Are you sure you're OK?". Despite his mirth, she was not ready to joke around just yet. "Sudden jolts can cause problems with your type of injury. Some studies have shown-".
"-don't worry about me". To emphasise the point, House got gingerly to his feet. "See? Easy. Now, I really do need to use the bathroom". With that, he hobbled off and closed the door.
A deep sigh accompanied Cameron's attempt to calm down.
The dropped wine was seeping into the bedsheets. In any other situation, she would immediately have looked to wipe it up, but the knowledge that it would probably stain brought her a tremor of vengeful satisfaction. The staff member responsible for House's fall would likely have to deal with it. What a shame. The phone in her coat pocket buzzed and she retrieved it before going back to sit on his side of the bed. A message from Chase. Hey. I'm in the bar with Foreman if you fancy joining?
No thanks. You guys have fun though, she typed back. There was no way she was going to risk having her alone time with House shortened tonight.
Righto, he replied quickly. Did you have a nice day at the conference at least?
Yeah, pretty good. In truth she had only caught one of the morning panels.
Great. See you tomorrow!
Cameron had already placed her phone to the side and was reflecting on the day. It really could not have been more fulfilling—now, finally, it seemed she was beginning to make firm connections with House. He had admitted to harbouring insecurities about their relationship, but the truth was it was she who felt insecure, even inferior. At some point, hopefully soon, those doubts about her own suitability would fade away. In any case, the opportunity to monopolise his attention, free from cases, free from the other fellows, was simply too good to miss. Already she suspected that when they returned to the rough and tumble of Princeton this day would remain imprinted on her brain for many months.
On the spur of the moment she picked up her phone again. Swiping away without opening the reply from Chase, she fiddled with some of the settings then rapidly typed a few lines of text as House reappeared in the bathroom doorway.
"How's the knee?", she asked, quickly finishing her task before putting the device to sleep and into her jeans pocket. There had been no need to dress formally, since they weren't presenting until tomorrow.
"It's fine".
She looked up now, observing the tight line of his mouth and the fact that he was leaning heavily against the doorjamb. "House. How long have we known each other?".
"Dunno. Three years?".
"And how long did I say I'd been in love with you, both atop the hospital roof and just now?".
House tilted his head, unsure where this was leading. "Like two, two and a half years?".
"Right". Cameron got up from the bed and went over to him. "I know when you're in pain, House. And I know when you're lying". She reached up and brushed his cheek tenderly. "You don't need to be strong for me, Greg, not all the time. You've seen me crying in the lab; you've heard about my nightmares of the shooting. But you are also allowed to be vulnerable. In fact, I want you to be vulnerable".
"See, I wish you'd not said that last sentence, 'cos now that I know you want me to be vulnerable, the rebel in me dictates that I not be so. Sorry".
"Way ahead of you, pal", she grinned, retrieving her phone, unlocking it, and swiping to the note she had just composed in anticipation of his predictably Housian conundrum. "Read".
House raised an eyebrow but nevertheless traced his eyes over the screen. "'London Diary'. OK, are you a teenage girl?".
"Read", she repeated.
With an exaggerated sigh, he continued to read aloud. "'Friday. Wonderful day with House. British Museum, then Chinese dinner (kuàizi), then piano. Decided that I love his strength and the fact that he never shows pain. I just wish he stays like that forever'. Oh, you are good. See, now the rebel in me wants to disappoint the diary Cameron and show weakness after all".
"I know, right? So what's it gonna be, buster?". Cameron took back her phone and gazed into his familiar blue eyes.
"When did you write this? It seems awfully convenient".
"I started it yesterday", she lied.
"Upon reflection", he began slowly, "I don't mind admitting to you, between professionals, that my knee is, ah, pretty painful".
"No worries", she announced, patting his cheek. "Now, let's get you to the bed while I draw you a bath".
"I think I'd rather have sex, to be honest".
"Oh, we'll be having sex. In the bath. Lean on me". House half-hobbled half-hopped to the bed and sat back, Cameron plumping up his pillow, handing him the television control, and refilling his wine glass.
"You don't need to take care of me. It's just a painful leg. I've had plenty of experience with this kind of thing. It'll calm down in a bit". House felt a little embarrassed. Although the fall was not his fault, it nevertheless conveyed an uncomfortable sense of infirmity, as if he truly were an old man slipping and sliding around, unable to keep up.
"I want to. You may be used to this, but I wasn't allowed to help you get through it before". The moments he had been obviously struggling with his condition (pain both physical and psychological), and her own anguish at his state, flashed before her eyes. Those days of helpless inertia were over, and if she had anything to say about it they would not be returning.
"I had Wilson. And Vicodin".
Cameron had kissed his cheek and wandered towards the bathroom but she turned back in the doorway. "Well, now you have me, too. Whether you like it or not".
He sighed but took a sip of Croatian wine. "I take back what I said last year: maybe you do have one or two leadership qualities". An allusion to a time when Foreman had been granted temporary control of the department. The power had gone straight to his head, for he'd sent House and Cameron to the patient's home to look for evidence of Munchausen's syndrome.
The sound of running water filtered through to the bedroom. "Nah", she called back. "It's not leadership; it's love".
"The cheesiest thing I've ever heard…".
Before long she came back in and sat on the edge of the bed. "That was a good day. It was my first time on your bike".
"Yeah, right. You were terrified".
"Was a bit scary, not gonna lie. But if we crashed at least we'd have been fucked together, eh?".
"I'd have been more fucked. I gave you the helmet".
"Remember when we sat together on the woman's bed? I was this close to kissing you".
"I knew. Your pupils were completely blown".
"What would you have done if I had?", she laughed.
House took another thoughtful sip. "I mean…copped a feel? Obviously".
"Well", she replied getting up and kissing him, "why not cop a feel now? Make up for lost time?".
"I think instead…I'll stroke your cheek". House acted out his words, allowing his fingertips to entwine in her hair. "Lost time", he repeated softly.
"Mmm?", she whispered, relaxing into the contact. She always loved it when he played with her hair. The joy he seemed to take in such a simple thing made her glow inwardly and it felt great to boot.
"We lost time. Not doing this sooner".
"Not my fault—you were stubborn as a mule. I gave you enough clues. Turns out you can lead an elephant to water but you can't make him drink".
"I prefer 'rogue genius' to either 'mule' or 'elephant' but whatever. Hey?", he said.
Cameron had closed her eyes and was purring like a cat. "What?".
"How's that bath coming along?".
"Oh, fuck!". The eyes shot open and she stampeded into the bathroom, having completely forgotten about the running taps.
"Right. I salvaged it. The tub's pretty full but I found some nice bubbly stuff we can use. Let's go, elephant". Cameron helped House pull back the duvet covers and supported him as they hobbled into the bathroom.
"I think it's seized up", he spoke through gritted teeth.
"Nothing a good long soak won't fix. Sit on the toilet seat and I'll help you undress".
"I can do this myself…".
She looked down on him with a raised eyebrow. "You keep telling me not to be embarrassed, but it goes both ways. It's just you and me, House. No one else is here, and I want to do this with you. Plus, and I can't stress this enough, I want to see you naked".
"It's very hard to argue when you quote my own words back at me", he sighed.
Cameron grinned and helped him remove the fleeced sweater which she carefully folded on the little stool in the corner; then she removed his I'M WITH STUPID t-shirt, pulling it up over his arms. As ever, she couldn't resist skipping her eyes over his chest and arms which had reaped the benefit of several months' worth of consistent swimming. It was difficult to say for certain, since she saw him topless regularly nowadays, but she could swear he had bulked out over this time, shoulders and abs decidedly…solid. Yummy.
"Right", she cleared her throat. "You're gonna have to prop up a bit so I can remove your jeans. I'd like to take a closer look at your knee, too".
"Am I getting the proper Dr. Cameron treatment now?", he teased, following the instructions.
"Only my favourite patients experience this", she winked back, removing the final pieces of clothing and adding these to the pile of neatly folded items. She crouched down in front of him, examining the joint. "Looks sore. You've got some, er, swelling". At this, her gaze flicked upwards of its own accord before meeting his eyes, which had darkened suddenly. "We need to get you in the bath".
"You're pretty bossy when you're doctoring". With her help, he sank into the tub, allowing the warm bubbles to envelop his sore limbs.
"I learnt from the best". Cameron retrieved a washcloth and, still crouching to the side, began to carefully sponge his neck, torso, and arms, loving how the muscles flexed with each movement. House was an athletic man. Were it not for the years lost to his injury, he would certainly be fitter than her, even allowing for the age gap. Very gently, she next ran over his lower body, intentionally avoiding one particular area. Even though they had had sex many times, he still flinched a little when she caressed the infarction site. Cameron pretended not to notice, instead delicately massaging his twisted knee, ensuring that the sinews remained supple. "You're so hot, House", she whispered under her breath, rinsing the cloth. And he doesn't even know it.
The man, who had closed his eyes, obviously had not heard over the splashing water. "That feels good", he sighed contentedly. "Join me".
"Not yet", she replied, playfully flicking his nose with the cloth before standing up. "Be right back!".