A/N: This was written as a Hameron Secret Santa ficathon over on Live Journal. The stipulations from the recipient were that it had to include the ballet, a drugstore and House's motorcycle. So here we go.
The [N]utcracker
"Hey House," Wilson said as he sauntered into his friend's office while holding something behind his back.
House glanced up from his PSP and glowered at Wilson. "Whatever you're hiding, which I assume is for me, since you're hiding it, I don't want any part of."
"No? Are you sure?"
"Hi, Wilson," Cameron said cheerfully as she entered House's office and plopped a pile of folders on his desk. "I've done all your charting. You just have to sign off on them and they're done."
"Hi, Cameron," Wilson smiled, all too knowingly at her, then back at House, causing both of them to be suspicious.
"What's going on?"
"Oh nothing," he said in a sing-song voice as he rocked on his heels. "I have tickets to the Nutcracker for tomorrow night that a patient gave me. I don't suppose you'd be interested..."
She snatched the tickets out of his hand before he could even finish the sentence and her eyes widened. "These seats are amazing!"
"Yes they are. But I can't use them. I have a hot date tomorrow night."
"With the hot nurse in Geriatrics?" House laughed. "Somehow that just seems so wrong, a hot nurse in that ward. I guess it helps to get those old guys blood flowing in all the right places."
"Not just the old guys," Wilson grinned, momentarily lost in his own reverie before he snapped out of it and cleared his throat. "Anyway, the tickets are yours if you want them."
"You're not giving them to House?"
"House hates the ballet. His theory is that guys only take women to shows whom they wanna see naked."
House could've sworn he saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes, but it was gone in an instant.
"Don't you have little bald kids to treat?" he asked Wilson, hoping he'd get the hint and leave. Which he did after saying goodbye to them both.
"As for you," he said, pointing at her, "don't you have a girlfriend or something you can take with you?" he asked her.
She smiled almost impishly. "Yeah, but I don't want to see her naked." And on that note, she turned around and walked out of his office, a slight sway in her hips.
XXX
"I think Cameron wants me to take her to the ballet," House said over lunch.
"So take her then. What's the big deal?"
"I also think she wants to see me naked."
Wilson almost choked on his salad and coughed until he spat out a wilted piece of lettuce. Once he regained his composure, he said, "what did she say exactly?"
House relayed the conversation after he'd left and Wilson nodded. "Oh yeah, she wants you to ask her. So ask her."
"Just like that?"
"Yeah, and not only that, you should romanticize it a bit."
"Roses are so cliché," House groaned as he munched on a fry.
"So get her something else. Didn't she like the corsage you got her on your first date?"
"Yeah."
"Then get her another one."
"What else?"
"Rent a limo."
House laughed. "And here I was going to take the motorcycle. I know she liked being on it before."
"Yeah but if it's the ballet she'll probably want to get all dolled up and you can't ride a motorcycle in a dress."
He had a point. There went that idea. The limo was a good one though. He'd definitely look into that. But he had to ask her first.
XXX
"So uh...have you found a hot date to the Ballet yet?" House asked Cameron once they were finally alone in the conference room.
"No, I haven't asked anyone," was her simple reply as she went through his mail.
"Well good. Because if you were still looking for someone to go with..."
She glanced up at him. "Are you offering, House? I thought you hated the ballet."
"I do. But I'd hate to see you have to endure it alone if you couldn't find anyone to go with you. I'm willing to step up. Take one for the team, as it were."
"You just want to see me naked," she giggled as she stood and faced him, amused by the surprised look on his face. "And yes. I'd love for you to take me. On one condition."
"Oh here we go," he groaned and rolled his eyes. "What?"
"It's a date."
He nodded as he nervously tapped his cane on the floor. "Whatever. I'll pick you up at seven."
"I'll be waiting."
XXX
House limped into the CVS pharmacy and stood before the racks of condoms. He had no idea why he forgot to bring them, but part of his brain told him that Cameron probably wouldn't put out anyway so he simply forgot to grab some on his way out. But he didn't like being unprepared so he grabbed the first box that caught his eye, paid, and returned to the limo.
When she opened the door dressed in red, his jaw practically dropped and he was speechless. It was the same dress she wore to the benefit a year ago and it seemed to fit her even better than it did before.
"Wow. Now I'm glad I didn't bring the motorcycle."
She giggled and grabbed her clutch purse. "So am I. Maybe next time you can take me for another ride on it?"
"Absolutely," he said as they walked outside and she gasped when she saw the limo.
"A limo, House?"
He shrugged as the driver got out and opened the door for them. Once inside, there was a corsage sitting on the seat.
"Wow. You went all out, didn't you?" She said as House took the corsage out of the box and pinned it on her dress.
"I'm trying to make up for our disaster date awhile back."
"Well you're doing a good job so far," she smiled and moved a little closer to him. "This is really nice, House. Thank you. And may I say you do look dashing tonight."
He chuckled and reached for the champagne that was chilling in the bucket. "Thank you."
He handed her a flute full of bubbly and clinked his glass against hers before they both drank.
Both a little tipsy from drinking half the bottle, they made their way into the theatre for the ballet and surprisingly, House was well behaved through the whole thing, even though he was bored to tears. He tried to keep himself entertained by plotting how he'd get Cameron out of that dress. Somehow, he didn't think it would be that difficult judging by the way she kept sneaking glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking or the way she reached for his hand halfway through the performance.
When they left the theatre, their hands were still linked, fingers interlaced as they climbed back into the limo.
"So did you mean what you said yesterday?" House asked as he reached for the new bottle of champagne which had been replaced and chilling for when they returned.
"Which part?" she asked as she took off her heels and groaned. "Oh man, that feels so good. My feet were killing me."
House took her legs, placed them across his lap and went to work on massaging one of her feet.
"Wow," she groaned again as she watched him. "Why am I not surprised you know how to do that?"
He merely smirked as he worked on her small left foot, gently kneading the pressure points with his strong fingers. Before they knew it, the limo pulled up to her apartment and there was an awkward silence between them.
"Did you want to come in for coffee or...something?"
House arched his eyebrow. "Something."
She smiled and put her shoes back on as the door opened. House tipped the guy and told him to go home. As soon as they got inside her warm apartment, he backed her up against the door and kissed the breath out of her.
When the kiss ended, she sighed and leaned back against the door. "You don't want coffee, obviously."
"Obviously," he said as he began walking backwards in the direction of her bedroom. "Do you want...this?" he asked as he backed her into the bedroom and shut the door behind them.
"I've always wanted this. And I know it will sound totally cheesy but I don't care," she said as House pulled her into his arms again and nuzzled her neck.
"Mhm?"
"All I want for Christmas is you."
He chuckled and then laughed. "Really? I thought you just wanted to see me naked," he said as he reached around to the back of her dress and unzipped it.
"Well...yeah. You can't really have one without the other."
"Sure you can. It would be boring as all hell, but doable."
Cameron reached up and kissed him long and hard. "No more talking. Naked time now."
"Mhm, I can handle that."
The End.