Chapter 8 – AKA Patience

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Two months later Allison was losing patience. It wasn't like the 'relationship' hadn't moved forward. It was just that House wasn't showing any signs of wanting anything more intimate, and lately that was all she could think of. Which really pissed her off. She'd gone months, hell even years without sex before, so why couldn't she be content now? She knew the answer was that continued close proximity to House was getting to her, especially as they became closer in other ways.

Despite the fact that he had set down the rules, it was House that was willing to bend them. After Allison fell asleep watching TV at his place one evening House had suggested that she leave a change of clothes there. When she would have questioned him he pointed out that a gym bag hardly constituted 'stuff' and if she wanted she could keep it in her car. He was also the first one to suggest a non-food related evening, asking her to join him at a jazz concert he had tickets to.

Truth was they were spending more and more time together. On Sundays, which had turned into a cooking fest at House's place, Allison arrived earlier and earlier in the day. Which actually had helped to trigger her current frustration when she'd arrived last Sunday morning in time to watch football only to have House open the door in just a towel, having overslept. She still had the image burned into her memory. It wasn't just Allison that was benefiting from the better eating and sleeping. In the past months House had been drinking less, and even using less Vicodin, almost getting down to what would be considered a normal dosage per day for pain.

Allison hadn't failed to notice the improvement in his consumption or the positive effect it was having on the man's body. She never mentioned it though. Just like House didn't say a word as she slowly put back on those much needed pounds.

But he noticed. More than he wanted to.

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The day that she finally snapped Allison had spent most of the day avoiding House. It hadn't been hard. They had no patient and she had clinic hours to keep her busy. But the calm she had achieved during the course of the day was shattered when House turned up on her doorstep, and she felt the familiar fluttering that was her constant companion lately begin again. She spent the next two hours trying to avoid contact with the man and having an internal battle with herself. Her logical half was telling her to just ride this out. She was hormonal and acting irrationally, and she would only regret any rash actions. But those same hormones were screaming at her to just jump the man.

House meanwhile was trying to figure out what the hell was the matter with Cameron. She was distracted and having problems sitting still. Finally when she jumped up for the forth time during the movie he stood himself and followed her into the kitchen.

As he walked up behind her he demanded, "Cameron, what is your problem. You're up and down so much tonight that you are making me dizzy."

Allison for her part had been giving herself another lecture and hadn't sensed him behind her so when he spoke she jumped a bit and turned towards him in surprise. And that's when all logic went out the window.

With a muttered, "What the hell," she grabbed him and kissed him.

A million thoughts whirled through House's brain at the contact leaving him stunned. But while his brain might have momentarily short-circuited his body had no problem knowing what it wanted and instinctively he reached out and pulled Cameron closer against him and deepened the kiss. A small moan of pleasure from Cameron finally caused his mind to catch up with what was happening and he immediately pushed her away.

Breathing hard she watched as a look of panic replaced the desire that had been there just a moment before. Before she could even say anything, he had stammered out that he had better leave, and was gone.

Leaving Allison behind to mentally berate herself even as she relived the moment when he'd returned her kiss and committed each second of the experience to memory.

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She debated on whether or not to go in the next day. In the end she knew she had to suck it up and pretend like nothing had ever happened if she wanted to salvage anything. To her surprise there was a message from Cuddy that House had called in sick, something he never did.

She spent the rest of the day wondering what it meant, although she suspected it was a really bad sign. Finally after lunch she did the only thing she could think of and went to talk to James Wilson.

"Have you talked to House today?" she asked casually.

"I called at lunch when I heard he'd called in sick. He didn't answer. I was going to go over after work to check on him unless you want to," James offered.

"No, I think you'd better go. He's most likely avoiding me," she sighed as she sank down into the chair across from him dejectedly.

"Why would he avoid you?" James asked.

"Because I'm and idiot with absolutely no patience whatsoever," Allison lamented.

"Wait, are we talking about you or House?" James teased.

"I kissed him."

That was the last thing he'd been expecting and he opened his mouth to speak twice before words actually formed. "Did he kiss you back?"

"For a split second, and then he vanished faster than David Copperfield," she told him.

James thought that over and then grinned. "Well if I know House, It's not the fact that you kissed him that has his shorts in a bunch. He knows you like him and that wouldn't have shocked him too much. No, he's upset because he lost control and kissed you back."

Cameron wasn't totally convinced. But James made her promise to consider the possibility, and she left his office deep in thought. She spent the afternoon locked in the conference room pretending to do charting. In reality her mind was going over every second of last night's encounter. Finally just before five o'clock she reached a decision. She packed up her things and stopped once again at James Wilson's office on her way out.

"I'm going to stop to talk to House. In case this backfires it's been nice knowing you," she grimaced.

James just chuckled as he watched her leave. Oh to be a fly on the wall to see this conversation, he thought.

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House spent the day trying to decide just what to do now. While almost every instinct he'd honed over the past years told him to run for the hills, the moment he let his mind wander he would get lost in the memory of yesterday's kiss and doubt would take over. Maybe he should just sit back and see where this thing went.

Then common sense would reassert itself and he'd remember that first of all he was old enough to be Cameron's father (Ignoring the fact that if you did the math he'd somehow managed to become a father before he'd actually lost his virginity). In addition he was her boss. And of course there was the big honking fact that he was totally wrong for her.

But gone from the list was the argument that he wasn't interested in her that way. That kiss had pretty much destroyed that pretense. And without that fact to shore up the others he was having a hard time resolving to stay away from Cameron. To his dismay there was a large part of him ready to give in and kiss her again, any possibility for future hurt (hers or his) be damned.

He was still having a mental debate when there was a knock at the door. Hoping it was Wilson come to check on him he opened it to find the object of his internal struggle standing there looking all curvy and kissable in tight jeans and a clingy green top. He froze.

"I brought those Italian beef sandwiches you like," Allison stated as she used House's moment of indecision to plow past him and into the townhouse heading straight for the kitchen.

When she turned he was still standing at the front door.

"Close the door and relax House. I'm not going to try to kiss you again," she told him.

Once he had closed the door she continued. "I'm also not going to apologize for the kiss. I'm not sorry it happened. It was a pretty amazing kiss," she admitted. She handed him his sandwich on a plate, set hers down on the coffee table and went back to get herself something to drink. When she came back in House had moved to the couch and set his plate down in front of him.

"I would like to apologize for springing that on you though. That was totally unfair of me. I won't do it again," she promised as she plopped down on the couch. "What do you want to watch?"

House still hadn't said a word, and for the next half hour neither of them spoke, then as they both finished eating and a commercial came on, House muted the sound.

"So you thought the kiss was good?" he asked out of nowhere.

Allison struggled to keep a straight face as she pretended to think it over. "I'd give it an eight," she finally said.

House frowned. "Only an eight?"

"Well you did cut it kind of short," she reminded him. "Up until then it was headed for a ten."

House smirked and reached for the remote to turn the volume back up.

"So longer next time. I'll keep that in mind," he replied, and then just as the movie started back up he added," Oh and Cameron? Feel free to spring that type of thing on me whenever you feel like it."

Allison sat back into the couch with a contented sigh. Patience, she decided was overrated. Sometimes if you wanted to win the hand you had to stack the deck a bit.

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The end

So, I know it still screams sequel, but at least we know for sure they are headed in the right direction. There might be a sequel, you never know with my muse. First she needs to get going on the one of the multitude of other fics sittings on the computer screaming for attention.

Thanks to all of the wonderful people who took the time to review. You make it a joy to post here.

Jackie W.