The next series of knocked had House rolling his eyes. "Goddamnit, Wilson," he swore under his breath before raising his voice. "You better use your key if you want in because I sure as hell ain't moving off this couch." He cocked his head in the direction of his door and once he ascertained the key was being used as ordered he turned all his attention back to his show. "Hope you brought food'cause I'm starving."
House shifted slightly and in doing so nearly missed his name being said. But he heard it.
His head whipped around so fast he heard it pop. His cerulean blue eyes narrowed as he looked at the slight figure who hadn't moved from the entryway. And the figure most certainly wasnot James Wilson. A corner of his mouth curled into a hateful sneer. "Well, look what the cat drug in. Isn't it a little late to be groveling for your job back, Dr. Cameron."
Allison Cameron walked slowly towards the cynical man sitting on the couch. She had been gone for nearly a year and he didn't look like he had changed at all. His hawk-like eyes, however, would see the subtle changes in her- the lost weight, the nervousness, and many other emotions that were no doubt mirrored on her face. Greg House wouldn't miss a thing. Including the tremor in his hands as she clung to her purse, sitting on the recliner's edge, facing him. The ever present scruff on his face was thick due to the time of night it was. His hair longer than normal like he needed a hair cut.
"Got a reason to be here or you just want to stare at my handsome mug all night?"
Allison smiled despite the fact that she wanted to cry. "Can't it be both?"
"I'm surprised it's taken you this long to sneak back to check on me. As much as I had you wrapped around my pointer finger."
"You mean pinky finger. And I was not."
"Imeant pointer finger. As in," he gestured 'come here' with the exact finger he was describing. "And, would you stop fidgeting already. I'd rather have you clinched. Did you learn this new habit at your wonderful current job?"
Cameron stood suddenly, causing House to jump. "Can I get a drink?"
He smirked and held out his own empty glass. "Only if you get me some. Cabinet under the sink. More ice."
She heard him pick up where he was before her appearance. She found his clean glasses in a logical place near the fridge and deduced Wilson had put them there during his various stints of homelessness due to a divorce. She filled the glasses with some ice and tried to pour the alcohol for House but her hand was shaking so bad she had to put it down for a moment.
When she got back into the living room she found House had shifted down on the couch with his legs propped on the only other chair in the room. She took the hint and sat down beside House on the couch.
"Took you long enough," he grumbled predictably as he pulled his drink out of her hand. When she didn't comment he turned towards her, looking furious. "What the hell's the matter with you?"
Cameron looked at him trying her hardest to appear calm. "What makes you think something's wrong?"
House snorted and rolled his eyes. "Don't insult my intelligence and don't be such as idiot. You've not looked back since you resigned from my team, you have a stellar job thanks in large part to my wonderful teaching and elegant recommendation that I personally wrote.Without prompting from anyone, I might add. And if my information is correct you very well could be the youngest person ever in that hospital to be made a department head."
"Really?" she asked, distracted by his statement.
He ignored her, as was his way. "Yet you are here on my doorstep. Five hours from your home. On a school night. And you are pale, shaking, and about to cry. What are you doing here?"
She looked down at her water which was still shaking and then looked back up at him. "I had a few days off and I was starting to miss this place. And you make me nervous."
House reached out and rescued her glass before she managed to spill it all over herself. "Try again."
"What? It's all true," she insisted.
"Hm." His face said he didn't believe she was telling him everything. "You came to see me first?"
"I didn't know where Wilson was living these days," Cameron said, her eyes averted.
"And you came here because we had such a peaceful parting and you wanted to continue that relationship?"
She clasped her empty hands in her lap. "I came here because I need you."
His eyebrows popped up in surprise. "Allison, I'm not that kind of man!"
"House! I need a friend," she said as the tears came to her eyes.
"Then you should have gone to Wilson's," he said, unrelenting.
"I couldn't! How was I going to tell him when I can't even tell you?"
His eyes narrowed. "Tell me what?"
The tears began to escape her lids. "What I came to tell you."
"Which is...You miss me? You love me? You want to bear my children? You want to bear Wilson's Jewlets? What is it? The suspense is killing me."
"House..."
He had had enough. "Out with it, Cameron!"
She mumbled something, her head down and her hair blocking her words.
House leaned in. "What? Cam, I don't speak Chinese."
Her head popped up and she had a hint of a smile. "Yes, you do."
He shrugged. "Just Mandarin." His blue eyes burrowed into hers. "What did you say?"
She squared her shoulders. "I think I'm pregnant."
House's head reeled back like she had slapped him. "You 'think'? Why the hell don't you know?"
Tears were moving faster down her smooth pale cheeks. "I haven't done the blood test to be sure."
House regarded her suspiciously. "Why not?""
"I was hoping you would do it."
House felt the need to roll his eyes but she didn't notice. "Why are you running to me, telling me all these things I don't want to hear? Why aren't you going to the baby daddy?"
"I can't," she wailed. "He tells me the sex was my fault. That I shouldn't have teased him."
He was intrigued but hated to admit it. "Did you?"
"No, House! I don't care what he says. I didn't deserve that and I don't deserve this." She placed her head on his closest shoulder and began to sob.
House thought he was getting the general idea what was going on and he didn't like it. He extracted his arm and placed it lightly around her shoulder. "Where are you staying?" he finally asked.
"I don't know," she moaned as she clutched his t-shirt.
"Since you are already here you may as well stay. Wilson swears the couch is comfy."
"Thanks."
"We'll go to the hospital tomorrow and let you do what you need to do."
Cameron pulled away from him, her big eyes shiny from crying. "Thank you, House."
He grunted. "Now that that is settled shut up so I can watch my show."