From: x_van_helsing_x	Date: 03/08/2007 20:49:24

Michael might just run into another guy "on patrol" somewhere in the city. Though, Van Helsing probably isn't patrolling for the same thing as Michael.

	From: ohholyknight	Date: 03/09/2007 02:43:05

Well, you never know. Michael doesn't tend to go out for any specific monster, except when it's making itself particularly well-known.

He might well run into Van Helsing, though, yes.

	From: x_van_helsing_x	Date: 03/10/2007 09:16:26

At the moment, Van Helsing isn't hunting anything specific, as he's not on an official assignment. He's just bored and doesn't do well cooped up for long periods of time, thus he's out - protecting the world from evil stuff.


And maybe thinking about whatever it is that Maeve wanted him to look into.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/11/2007 22:16:25

It was a hospital like any other - stark, white, antiseptic - but it was familiar. Her heels clicked on the tile floor as she walked along the corridor to locate the non-descript door with no nameplate, only a number for identification.

The number on the door for the office in the corner matched the number she had been given. She took a moment to straighten her skirt and smooth her hair before she knocked on the door.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/11/2007 22:20:02

There's a moment of silence, a shuffling and the sound of papers being straightened by hitting the stack on the flat surface of a desk. "Come in." It's a gruff, nondescript command.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/11/2007 22:29:11

Allison opens the door and confidently steps into the office, pushing the door closed before she turns around, stopping mid-step when she realizes who's behind the desk.

She blinks and glances between the door and the desk for a moment. "Am I in the right place?" She can't get her voice to work anywhere near speaking what's actually on her mind - 'How the hell did I get an interview in a new city with my old boss?'

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/11/2007 22:51:21

Greg realised who it was the moment she opened the door. His heart seems to skip a beat and his stomach bottoms out. "What are you doing here?"

He hadn't really looked at the applicant file. Maybe he hadn't looked at it at all. He flips the folder open. Oh yeah. he would have noticed it was Cameron right away if he'd bothered to look at it.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/11/2007 23:47:59

She tries to regain her composure quickly, but still spends several seconds fish-mouthing before she responds, "Interviewing for a new job."

She's proud of herself for not stuttering or tripping over the chair.

As much as she doesn't want to admit it, her heart sent up a cheer, but, at the same time, she was afraid this wasn't a good idea. Sure, it was serendipitous that she'd managed to land an interview with the one person she truly wanted to work for, but given the events surrounding his departure, it might not be the most comfortable working relationship.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/12/2007 06:48:57

"No." Greg gets to his feet, cane in hand. He's an idiot. She's qualified, she knows how he works. That's exactly why he's rejecting her. He left New Jersey to get away. It's not fate that she's ended up here, in Chicago, interviewing to work with him again. It's not even karma. Greg's not sure wha it is, but he can't work with her again.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/12/2007 16:19:17

She blinks at him and feels her mouth drop open and, astonishingly, tears sting her eyes. "Wha-?" she chokes, then takes a breath to regain her composure. "I'm sorry, what?"

Right now, she can't even get angry and yell at him, she's in such utter shock.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/12/2007 17:10:25

"What part of No are you having trouble with?"

He taps his cane against the side of his foot.

"It's a bad idea, Cameron. How did you find me?" No one was supposed to find him. He was supposed to be able to start over in Chicago.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/12/2007 17:31:56

She's still blinking, willing the stinging tears to stay where they are at the first question.

At the second, she manages enough voice to reply, "I- I- I didn't." She swallows more delicately than she thought she could, given the huge lump in her throat. "I had several interviews in Chicago. This-this was my last one."

She's frozen, staring up at him, hoping he doesn't see the tears shining in her eyes. She still has no idea where they came from - maybe his immediate response of 'No', maybe something else - but she doesn't want to leave; to be dismissed out-right. Allison wanted this job; she wanted it before she knew House was the new head of diagnostics and she knew she was well-qualified for it. If she could get herself together quickly enough, she wasn't going to give up this position without a fight.

note to self, get hospital list and figure out which one they should be in

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 06:49:42

"You can get a job anywhere, Cameron." He leans on his cane. "Why work for me again?" The implication is that she deserves better. he tries to drive that point home by digging into the pills in his pocket.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 12:14:41

Her brow furrows and her back straightens. She wasn't going to let him pull this bullshit on her again. The bastard.

"You weren't the head of the department when I applied. In fact, there wasn't a head of the department when I applied because it wasn't a department yet. I was chosen and interviewed for a job in this hospital before I had any idea you were coming here. I already work for this hospital if I decide to take the job, so the question is, do I work for the department of diagnostic medicine or do I work somewhere else In. This. Hospital?"

Tears still sting her eyes, but they're more defiant than scared now. She knows now why he's telling her 'no' and it's pissing her off. His logic is flawed. She's better qualified to work for Dr. Gregory House as the head of the Department of Diagnostic Medicine than any other immunologist in the country, simply because she had already worked for him. She knows it would be better for him in the long run. As much as he loves telling people they're idiots, he does prefer that his team not be so idiotic that they can't put the right pieces together.

Her expression hardens and she silently dares him to ask her to leave again. She's getting this job, dammit.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 17:21:43

He shakes a pill, or two, into his palm, and devours the Vicodin like it's candy. he smiles a smug, self satisfied smile as he's swallowing.

"Do you think if you argue with me, I'll change my mind? I'm head of this department, and Wilson isn't here to make me hire you." He drops into the chair behind the desk and props his feet up on the flat surface. It's not terrible cluttred yet, because he has no patients.

"So tell me why I should. Hire. You."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 17:41:12

She shifts her hips so her body forms the S-shape of the classic contraposto and tips her head. "Because I am extremely pretty," she purrs with a slow blink of her eyes.

Ordinarily, she would never consider such a display, but if that's why he hired her the first time, there's little reason to think it won't work this time.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 17:48:23

His feet drop to the floor, and he fumbles for a pen, knocking over the pen cup in the process. "Where do I sign?"

Granted, she's playing up exactly as he'd expected she would. And while he'd be disappointed to think she actually thought he'd push her away, he's amused y her initial reaction to his blatant rejection.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 18:04:16

She sighs and her shoulders drop. "Forget it. Ross in Oncology needs an immunologist. I'll take that job instead. Good-bye, House." She turns on her heel and walks to the door.

She doesn't have the energy to fight with him or to stand around trying to convince him that he's an idiot. She needs a job and she nearly has her pick of positions in the hospital; she wanted this one, but if House was going to be an ass, she'd find the next best thing.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 18:22:58

He lets her get to the door, hand raised to push it open. "Allison."

One word, and he's standing at the desk, leaning forward on both hands. "You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" Because he knows if he lets her walk out the door, she's gone. Oncology wasn't as exciting as Diagnostics could get, but it was steady work.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 19:07:30

Her head's down; she's looking at her shoes, trying to maintain what bit of composure she has left. She swallows hard - he's never said her first name before and that throws her off more than anything else.

"Make you say what?" she asks softly, trying to keep the strain from her voice. She doesn't want him to know this bothers her as much as it does, but her hands are starting to sweat and it's getting harder to hold back the tears. As much of a pain in the ass as it was to work for House, she loved it. She had enjoyed her job and a huge part of what she liked about it had left three weeks ago. By chance, one interview had relocated it. She wanted to work for him.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 20:19:25

"I want you." Three simple words. And that's all he says. His expression is smug.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 20:40:44

"Why is that so hard for you to say?" she asks, still facing the door.

While she's waiting for the answer, she takes several deep breaths and closes her eyes, willing back the tears.

Once she's regained her composure, she turns to face him again. "You want me for what?" Her head wants the answer to be 'the job', but something a little farther down wants it to be 'for him'. She's not sure which she wants more.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 20:50:32

He opens his top desk drawer and withdraws a red lolly pop. He pops it in his mouth, and holds up a second one in offering. He doesn't say anything just yet, but his eyes slink down and back up to meet her gaze.

"Are you going to get picky?"

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 20:58:23

"No." It's almost a question, but mostly a statement. "But I need a job more than I need a caustic, pain in the ass lover."

That made her heart skip a beat - far more bold than she's ever been on that subject. Though her body's reaction to the way he looked her over was more like the girl in high school with a first crush than she'd thought it would be.

It's a moment's thought and she steps forward, reaching out a hand for the candy, waiting for him to snatch it away like Lucy with the football.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 21:13:22

He does snatch it back, just missing her grip. He yanks the plastic off of the hard candy, and switches it to his other hand. Instead of offering that one, he tugs the lolly out of his mouth, making an obscene popping noise as it's tugged free, and holds that one out, eyes intense and smoldering.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 21:30:11

She's certain he's thinking she'll pull a face and tell him that's the most disgusting thing she's ever seen and why would anyone want to share candy, but that's not what she does. Sharing the candy isn't actually gross - getting candy in her hair would be, which is possibly the only thing keeping her from trying something more bold than reaching out to snatch the newly proferred candy from his fingers and sliding it into her mouth with a movement nearly as obscene as what he'd done.

She's relatively certain the extreme lack of interior windows is bolstering her confidence. Back in the PPTH fishbowl, she'd never do this.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 21:44:23

Neither would he do this back at PPTH. Too visible.

But here? Cook is a whole new ball game. His reputation preceded him, but no one here really knows him. No one, except Cameron.

He grunts and shifts on his feet.

"Nice."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 21:52:10

She slides the lolly from her mouth and licks her lips, wondering if the sound he made and that sudden little shift had anything to do with her. She figures it did and is smiling to herself on the inside.

Normally she'd be babbling her head off to fill the empty space with something... anything, but not today. For some reason, today, she's being more conservative with her words, maybe even saying more by saying nothing than she ever could with her chatter.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 22:22:39

He opens his mouth, and slides the lollypop against his tongue. It's a slightly lewd gesture, as he pulls the lolly back a bit, then slides it forward again.

"Do the rest of them know where you are?" Cuddy probably knew. She'd have given a reference since House wasn't there to do it. Cuddy would also keep her mouth shut, because he'd gotten a reference from her himself, before he left, and he'd asked her to keep it quiet. He'd come to Chicago to start over.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 22:35:12

She pulls the candy from her mouth - not nearly as suggestively as he did. "No. I got a reference from Cuddy, but I got references from her for all of my applications."

All forty-five of them across the country. Was she applying everywhere she could find in hopes of locating him? Maybe, but it wasn't her only motivation.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/13/2007 23:01:20

"Good." House sits down behind his desk.

"Fill out the damn paperwork. Forge my signature. Whatever." He does that thing with the lolly pop again. Despite barking work related orders, he's still playing up the sex angle.

"Not like anyone can see through the walls."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/13/2007 23:12:17

"Are you sure I should be committing crimes before I officially begin my new job?" she asks around the lolly as she takes a seat and tugs the paperwork across the desk.

She methodically fills in pertinant information, glancing up at him from time-to-time to see how much attention he's paying to her and what his eyes might be communicating or just how blue they look with the sunlight streaming in through the large windows of the exterior walls.

A fresh start. Almost the same job as before, but someplace new. Chicago was a much larger place than Princeton. That didn't bother her at all. The only thing she wanted was a decent job. Working for House was a perk.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 06:45:14

Oh, he's paying attention. He''s watching every move, every muscle twitch. While sucking on his lolly, of course.

He leans back in his seat. The screen saver has come up on his computer.

He tugs the lolly out of his mouth, and caresses the curve of it with his tongue.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 11:14:52

She looks up at him, watching and licks her lips at seeing him tongueing the lolly pop. One wouldn't normally think that would be overly sexy, but the warm rush through her body tells Cameron otherwise. Sheer willpower seems to be the only thing keeping her from leaping across the desk.

One last scratch of writing and she spins the pages around, pointing to the 'X's on certain lines. "I'm not forging your signature on legal paperwork. The IRS might come snatch me up and I don't look good in prison orange."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 18:53:15

"Oh, but I disagree," House smirks and slides the lolly into his mouth, and bites it. Red candy sticks to his teeth, and he signs his name where she's indicated with the stick hanging off his lips.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 19:24:29

"I'm not playing out your prison fantasies on the first day."

Damn. Where the hell was this coming from. She's wondering if maybe it's just the fact that she actually left Princeton or if it's because it's just the two of them in the office and no way for anyone to see or hear them.

Then she glances up and catches sight of the lollipop stick hanging from his mouth and a million suggestive images flit through her head. She almost smiles at him, until another thought worms its way in - "Are you doing that to be suggestive or because you're overly juvenile?"

The moment it's out, she almost wishes she could take it back. It slipped out, but she does want to know the answer.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 20:29:49

He swirls his tongue around the stick before he pulls it free of his mouth. A bit of red is still clinging, and he nibbles at it, while looking up at her with an almost child-like innocence.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 20:56:24

She smirks at him and stands up, taking the first few steps around the desk.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 21:27:06

He blinks at her. Innocently, of course. Except there's a mischievous light in his eyes.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 21:32:18

She props her hip on the side of his desk and watches him as she toys with the pens and pencils in the cup on his desk.

"Who else are you planning to hire for the team?" she asks, looking distracted and disinterested.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 22:04:43

Greg picks up a file folder. "Couple of applicants here." It should go without saying, He hasn't looked at the files. Nor does he intend to. He keeps his eyes on hers, unwavering.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 22:23:27

She shifts around the desk and slides up onto it, sitting almost as close to him as she can be without sitting on him and crosses her legs. The amount of skin he can see should have nearly tripled.

Lightly, she plucks the file from him and reads it over. "Nah, this one sounds too much like Chase." She's still scanning it when she asks, "Who's your new best friend now that you don't have Wilson?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 23:00:19

He pats his pocket, where the bottle of pills is snugly nestled. "Don't need a new Wilson." His words might sound a little distant, distracted.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 23:06:56

She arches an eyebrow at him. "Are you being suggestive again?"

It doesn't matter, she can tell he's hurting, he misses Wilson and maybe even Chase and Foreman. She knows he was glad to see her step through that door, if for no other reason than that she's someone familiar. She's willing to sooth his pain - if he'll let her.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 23:15:22

"I'm not the one showing off my legs."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 23:22:31

She shrugs a shoulder.

"That was to make sure I got the job." She reaches with a foot to 'accidentally' graze his leg when she shifts to uncross and recross her legs.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/14/2007 23:29:55

"You already had the job." He taps the folder of her paperwork. "No, this isn't that. it's more than that." His hand trails up her leg, from calf to the curve of her knee.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/14/2007 23:35:54

A shiver runs from where he first touched her, all the way to her scalp and her breath hitches in her throat. It was different when he was just messing with her head. She could play with that. This is more - real - and she's suddenly nervous where she hadn't been before. Instead of watching his hand though, she's watching his eyes.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 08:44:15

His hand inches farther up, to her thigh. Fingers drift, surprisingly soft, gentle. Attentive. His eyes are locked on hers, steady and unwavering. His tongue slips out to caress his bottom lip.

"Is this how you want it, Cameron?" His voice is low, husky, dripping with sex.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/15/2007 10:30:21

She's watching his eyes - the blue of them darkens ever-so-slightly and she can see the loneliness there. Or what she perceives to be loneliness. She watches him wet his lips. Unconsciously, her own tongue slides across her own lips and, more than ever, she wants to know what he tastes like. She wants to know if those lips are as damaged as the rest of him.

The hand on her leg, inching up her thigh, is warm and uncharacteristically gentle. A soft, warm feeling tingles throughout her body. Partly, she's afraid he's fucking with her and as soon as she starts to buy-into it, he'll pull back, but partly, she's wanting him, wanting him to want her in return and as much as she just wants to help him, she wants him to decide what happens, where this goes - to dominate her, throw her down on the desk and ravage her. She's had the dream a million times.

He asks one little question - "Is this how you want it, Cameron?" - and the hormones surge and she dives forward, capturing his mouth in a hot, sudden kiss that she can barely control.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 22:31:27

House makes a gutteral sound in his throat. The one hand inches farther up on her thigh. His other hand snakes up her back, fingers drifting along her spine, to the back of of her neck, fingers tugging up to her hair.

He shifted his hips, almost trying to nudge her down to his lap.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/15/2007 22:41:08

The butterflies in her stomach dance around, not helping, but she refuses to pull out of the kiss. Her hands sift into his hair, drawing him closer. She's staying on the desk for now, still testing the limits a bit.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 22:45:26

His hand slides from her thigh around to the small of her back. He grunts, something like a growl, and pushes his tongue against hers.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/15/2007 22:53:18

Cameron gasps and uncrosses her legs for better leverage. If he shifts, moves just a couple inches closer, she might end up in his lap.

For the moment, she spends time tasting him, feeling his mouth against hers, feeling the way his tongue slides against hers and how he moves. She studies every nuance of the kiss, wanting to remember it.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 23:04:50

He's doing much the same thing, searing this kiss into his memory forever. He slides his hand along ehr back, around to her hip. A slight nudge is intended to pull her closer.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/15/2007 23:14:02

Another gasp against his mouth and she braces her hands on his shoulders, moving into his lap. She's closer now and she leans into the kiss, deepening it, stroking her tongue against his and it's all she can do not to beg him to do more.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 23:15:25

He breaks the kiss in order to take a breath. "Like our new office?" He purrs, hands moving against her smooth skin.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/15/2007 23:17:36

Her hands slide down his face to trace fingers over his lips. "There's an office?" she asks, breathless.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 23:20:24

"Mmmfff," House answers, eyes closing for a moment, his face a picture of serene pleasure. Eyes open again, his mouth turns up in a smile.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/15/2007 23:27:51

She blinks, slightly startled, because that's something she hasn't seen before - a smile on Greg House's face. She smiles back. "Best job interview I've had in a while."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 23:31:36

Greg made a sound in his throat. His hands slide over her back, and his mouth claims her in a fiery kiss.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/15/2007 23:40:36

This time there's a slight squeak from her, but then she falls right into the kiss, one hand sliding along his neck and down his chest to curl around his back. Somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind, she's waiting for it - waiting for him to drop her on the floor and laugh at her, tell her how stupid she is for thinking he wanted her; but there's the other part that is almost desperate to know what it's like, to the point where she'll let him use her if it means she'll get what she's been wanting. It's not how she would choose to do it, but if he needs her, even just for a little while, she won't refuse him.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/15/2007 23:45:52

When he'd left New Jersey three weeks earlier, he'd slipped out in the early morning, before the city was awake, before anyone would miss him. Cuddy knew where he was headed because he'd needed her reference for the job in Chicago, but he'd sworn her to secrecy. He'd needed to start fresh, in a place where no one knew his habits, even if they knew his name.

He'd been staying in a one room motel room, the kind of low class dive that resided at the side of a busy road. He'd eaten all his meals at the nearby diner, or the hospital cafeteria. His old cell hone lay dormant on the table by his bed. HIs new one was a number no one knew. So many times he'd thought about calling Wilson, just to hear the familiar voice of his one real friend.

He hadn't broken down enough to do it yet. He trudged through the lonely nights, drinking and swallowing his pills every few hours. He stumbled through the day, depressed and unfocused.

He wasn't going to push her away. She had walked in to his office like the answer to a prayer he hadn't the courage to pray. She was someone he knew, someone who knew him. She was warmth and strength and familiarity. He needed her, and the passion of that need played a huge part in the depth of the kiss.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/16/2007 00:00:00

She couldn't work at Princeton-Plainsboro without House. She tried for that first week, but it was weird; then Dr. Cuddy announced she'd be hiring someone to replace House as the head of the Diagnostics department and she couldn't handle it. She couldn't work there without him. That fellowship was the only reason she'd moved to New Jersey.

Her first interview had been at Penn, then a place in Manhattan, Boston, DC, Chicago. She was hopping across the country looking for somewhere to fit in; to belong. It was probably crazy that she had seven interviews in Chicago alone, but she never figured she'd find him. She wasn't really looking - not consciously.

When she saw him behind the desk it took eleven types of courage not to yank the door open and run away down the hall and off to her next interview. She knew she could do the job, but she didn't know if he would want her to do it.

Never in a million years did she figure he'd be kissing her in his office. And surely not like this. She'd been so lonely since her husband had died, no relationship had lasted very long and the last thing she'd had close to a date had been the meth-induced sex with Chase. So lonely.

The fire in his kiss made her melt against him, cling to him, want him that much more.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/16/2007 00:05:37

He shifted his hips. He wouldn't bang her in his office, that was just wrong. At least as long as there was still some activity in the trational part of his brain. That rationale was quickly deteriorating, but for the moment he still had a sense of decency about that.

But as he shifted, his erection pressed against his slacks,a nd against her leg. He moaned softly against her mouth.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/16/2007 00:23:33

That she feels and she gasps against his mouth in surprise. She draws the kiss out a bit longer, then slowly pulls away, resting her forehead against his for a moment.

Breathing softly, she whispers, "Do you really want me?" It's the next logical progression in the series of questions she's asked him that started with 'Do you like me?' So far, the answers haven't been overly pleasant to bear, so why she's asking this now is beyond her.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/16/2007 09:05:14

"Shhh," He lay a finger against her lips. He hovers very close to her face, his eyes shifting from side to side. He leans in to kiss around the side of his finger.

He has no words to tell her how lonely he really is. How desperate for someone to be close to him. It's her now, because she's there. If Chase had showed up, maybe he wouldn't have kissed Chase, or maybe he would. But he'd find a way to reach out to him, as well.

But it wasn't Chase. It was Cameron. And he wanted her.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/16/2007 10:36:22

The avoidance of an answer tells her almost as much as an actual answer would have. And as much as she might want to live in the delusion that he wants her because it's her and not just because she's somebody, she can't. She won't. Dreams aside, she won't live in a lie that is so obviously a lie.

But she won't leave him alone either. She knows he's lonely, though she may not know just how lonely he is, and she knows he needs someone. If, for now, that someone is her, she'll let him have that. She doesn't want to be alone either.

She purses her lips to kiss the pad of his finger and watches him, her eyes following his. Her eyes fall closed so she doesn't have to stare his loneliness in the face for a moment and she whispers, "Take me to lunch." Anything to get out of the hospital, away from work, even if just for an hour.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 10:36:09

"Lunch." House nods once. "Lunch." He probably needs to eat. He had a bagel for breakfast, but that was a long time ago.

He remembers how Cameron had insisted he take her out to dinner back in New Jersey, as leverage for her to rejoin the Diagnostics team. This wouldn't be like that. No.

This time he was sort of reaching out to her as well.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 17:12:50

She leans in to kiss him softly before she slides from his lap to the floor and if he somehow gets the idea that by 'lunch' she means something other than food, well, that's entirely accidental.

She's hungry, but she could go without eating if that's how 'lunch' went. The loneliness is getting to her, but she won't push.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 17:20:02

He gets to his feet slowly, and taps his cane against the side of his foot. He's not sure exactly what 'lunch' will entail, but there may be more than food involved. Maybe.

He'll deal with the legalities of hiring Cameron to his team in the morning. He's happy to get away from the hospital, to go out with someone he knows, someone who knows him.

"I was thinking about this deli around the corner." He winces a little, expecting to be shot down.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 17:30:37

She's only been in town a few days, she knows nothing of the place beyond her hotel and the hospital.

She gives him a smile and nods. "Sure. Is it good?" She assumes so, since he's suggesting it, though he could be suggesting someplace he's never been before that he didn't want to try alone. If that's the case, her stomach may flip-flop between feeling special about going someplace new with him and nervous about him taking her to someplace he likes. She still has no idea why this whole thing makes her nervous.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 17:37:54

He pulls his coat off the hook by the door and slides it over his arm. It's an awkward motion to swing around to the other arm, but then he's adjusting the scarf and he's ready to go.

He nods toward the door. She can open it for him. He's never been to the deli in question, but he's heard people talking about it. He's heard only good things about it, but on the other hand, he's thinking he wants to go somewhere he can get a drink.

He won't announce his change of plans till they get to the pub he has in mind. "You, uh. I." He dangles his keys. "I have the bike."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 17:44:15

She gives him a look as she pulls the door open and takes a glance down at her skirt. "Of course you do."

It's not really a big problem, the bike's kinda fun.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 17:50:01

He nods, and leads the way to the elevators. It's a bit of a walk out to the bike, and he doesn't feel inclined to talk much. He's too bust internalising and wondering what the hell he's doing.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 17:59:38

She's following, silent. It's odd, but when House doesn't want to talk, she either chatters incessantly or doesn't say anything. This is one of those times when she doesn't say anything.

For a while.

"Did you ride the bike all the way here from New Jersey?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 18:06:53

"I stopped overnight somewhere in Ohio." He has to pull his right leg up and over the seat in order to get on the bike. He snaps his cane into its rack, then jerks his head for her to climb on behind him.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 18:20:05

She bites her lip and plants her hands on his shoulders. It's awkward getting onto the bike in a skirt, but she steps up and slides her leg over. "Helmet?" Because he can ride without one, but she's not going to.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 18:25:44

"Don't rush me." He hands her the helmet. If this is going to become a regular thing, he'll have to buy a second one.

He leans the bike a little to the left to bear his weight, and kicks it into gear.

"Keep your hands above the waist while I'm driving."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 18:43:50

She leans in and licks his ear before sliding the helmet over her head. Her hand slide down his sides and over his thighs before she curls them around his waist. "Whatever you say. You're the boss."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 18:45:43

"Don't you forget it," he says as he guns the engine. He heads off, past the deli, and keeps going.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 18:51:51

She's confused and wants to ask 'hey, wasn't that the deli?', but since the bike's so loud and she's got the helmet on, it would pointless to do so. Instead, she holds on tighter so she doesn't fall off and watches the city fly by and feels the rush of wind up her skirt.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/17/2007 19:05:33

He parks the bike around the corner from McAnally's Pub. He waits for her to pull the helmet off, before saying. "I changed my mind." His expression is smug.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/17/2007 19:11:07

"Oh, because I just thought it was one hell of a trip around the corner," she says as she slides off the bike, using him for leverage.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/18/2007 22:28:07

"Enjoy the ride?" He gives her a once over sort of look, then shifts his eyes back to the bike.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/18/2007 22:37:44

With a twitch of her eyebrows, she stretches up and plants a kiss on him that could melt steel.

When she pulls away, she asks, "What do you think?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/18/2007 22:40:49

He squeaks, and his hand slides down her arm, seeking out her hand. A gentle squeeze, then he lets go. "Come on. It's cold out here."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/18/2007 22:43:05

She is having far too much fun with this. She blinks up at him. "Only if you hold my hand the whole time." Maybe she's kidding, but she won't be at all disappointed if he does it.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/18/2007 22:47:07

"Nice try." He hurries his step ahead of her to pull open the door. That's as close to chivalry as she's going to get from him.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/18/2007 22:48:43

"Chicken," she teases him and walks through the door. She is impressed with the door thing though. It's a small step, but a step none-the-less.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/18/2007 22:52:55

They're in a public setting now, the rules have changed, even if it is dark inside the pub. He clears his throat, and leads her to a table.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/18/2007 22:59:30

She waits until they're at the table, then says, "House, you're in a new city, a new place. No one here knows you. If you're nice to me, Foreman and Chase and Wilson and anyone else you could think of aren't here to give you grief about it. No one here will. Unless you've already convinced the entire town how much of an ass you are."

Here's the babble-fest.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 08:59:42

"So because we're not in Princeton, I'm supposed to hold your hand?" Greg scans the pub. "In a place like this? Sorry. Strict one hand free policy." He holds up his cane, gripping it in his fist just below the handle.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 11:31:57

"We're not in Princeton and you kissed me," she counters. She wasn't really expecting him to do anything differently. The fact that he was being seen in public with her was a step forward. True, they'd had that date a couple years ago, but that was different. This wasn't part of a bargain. This was two colleagues sharing a meal...

in a dark, sort of sub-ground pub with strangely carved columns and a series of wobbly ceiling fans, but it was something she knew House didn't do often, if at all.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 20:41:55

"You kissed me," He corrects with a slight smirk. "Now shut up and decide what you want to eat."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 20:53:14

She smirks at him in return. "You kissed back."

She's not sure what she wants. The place smells of wood smoke and it's mostly dark.

"Why don't you pick something for both of us?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 21:08:10

"What if I pick liver and brussel sprouts for you?"

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 21:16:09

"Then you'd better be willing to eat liver and brussells sprouts." Because she's not eating that. "Come on. You can be not-an-ass for five minutes. And I promise not to ask you to stop being an ass for the rest of lunch."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 21:18:05

"Don't make promises you can't keep, and I won't either." He ends up ordering burgers for them both because it's just easier. "And since I ordered, you get to go pick it up."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 21:37:17

"How gentlemanly of you. Did you want a drink too?"

She's not really as annoyed as she might sound.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 21:38:33

"Now that you mention it, the beer in this place is legendary."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 21:39:59

"You're going to have a beer during business hours?" she asks as she makes her way up to the counter for the burgers, expecting the answer when she gets back to the table before she heads back for the beers.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 21:41:29

"Not planning to go back to the hospital today." He says, over a mouth of burger.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 21:43:24

"Is this the type of lunch we get every day?" she asks, handing him his beer as she sits down.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 21:45:01

"Maybe once a week. Otherwise they get suspicious."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 21:49:35

She grins and chews on a french fry. "So you've already been reprimanded for skipping half your day? Good start."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 22:04:25

House rolls his eyes. "No. I've been a good boy. So far." He's kicked a shoe off, and his foot rubs against her calf under the table.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 22:17:28

Her eyes go wide for a second. "Oh my God," she almost chokes on a bite of hamburger. She shouldn't be shocked, but she didn't expect it.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 22:19:25

He pulls his foot back and grins at her. Innocently.

"Something wrong?"

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 22:24:35

"Nothing at all." She gives him just as innocent a look and munches on her hamburger.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 22:30:32

"Good." He stuffs a fry into his mouth. "cause I was worried I'd have to do CPR or something."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 22:32:11

"Some doctor you are. You'd give CPR to a choking victim?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 22:41:26

"No. Just you." He inclines his head toward her. Almost as if he meant to kiss her, only she was too far away on the other side of the table.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 22:46:31

"Good to know if I pass out for some reason, you'd resuscitate me."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 22:48:21

"Of course I would resuscitate you. You're the whole of my staff. And someone's got to do the leg work when I get a case."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 22:53:41

"Of course. Wouldn't want you to have to do any of the work when you have a perfectly good medical fellow to take care of it." She doesn't even take a breath. "Are you going to hire more women this time or just me?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 22:56:55

"Maybe if we wait long enough the other two will be as intuitive as you."

He takes a sip of his beer.

"Even warm this stuff rocks. Would you feel threatened if I hired another woman?"

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 22:57:56

"Only if she's prettier than me."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 22:59:43

"Chase was prettier than you."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 23:04:38

She smirks. "You never took him on a date."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 23:06:55

"He never quit and forced me to bribe him in to coming back."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 23:09:36

"If I hadn't quit, you'd've lost the whole department. And it wasn't a bribe."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 23:12:29

"Vogler was an oversized bully. And we don't need to go down that road. Chase is pretty, but he's not my type. That bus has also left the station." He's not getting irritated, really. He's just not interested in the subject.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 23:22:35

She licks her lips. "So put your foot back on my leg and eat your hamburger."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 23:25:10

"Hey. I'm the boss." House did as she suggested, though.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 23:26:23

"I know. That doesn't mean I can't offer really strong suggestions," she says with a grin.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/19/2007 23:39:47

"Got any more where that came from?" His foot slides up to her knee.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/19/2007 23:43:28

She grins at him from behind her beer. "Maybe."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/20/2007 10:00:20

"Gotta do better than that."

Despite having hihs own plate of fries, he reaches across to steal one of hers.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/20/2007 10:37:40

"Hmmm," she says, thinking while she reaches down to slide her fingers beneath the hem of his jeans to stroke at his leg. "I'm sure I can come up with something."

She arches an eyebrow at him when he steals a fry, but she doesn't say anything about that.

"Most of what I'm coming up with as far as suggestions aren't appropriate for repeating in public."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/20/2007 16:21:26

"Hrm. Now you've got me interested." He scoots his chair over a little closer to hers.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/20/2007 18:04:55

She's wondering how he's keeping his foot in her lap, but intrigued by his interest. A smile turns the corners of her lips. "You expect me to just tell you?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/20/2007 18:16:43

"No. I expect you to show me."

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/20/2007 18:20:20

"Here?" she asks, her eyes huge, wide, startled. She's glad she wasn't eating at the time.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/20/2007 18:40:37

"Here, there. what's the difference." He's mostly bluffing. He doesn't think she'd do anything more suggestive than what he's doing with his foot under the table.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/20/2007 18:51:46

She gives him a look. "Your office is one thing, the middle of a pub is something else."

She finishes her beer and tips her head. "Come back to my place. I might even make you breakfast." She thinks she's being a big flirt and that she's even playing it up as joke, but somewhere, way deep down inside, she wants him to say yes.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/20/2007 18:58:02

"Depends on where you're staying. My place might be nicer." Which was unlikely. He was staying in a dump, and he knew it.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/20/2007 19:12:17

A shrug. "It's not the Hyatt Regency, but it's a nice little place not far from the hospital."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 03/20/2007 19:27:27

"Sure. We can go check it out. After I eat." He takes a messy bite of burger.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 03/20/2007 19:39:32

She sighs. "You're not done yet?"

Granted, she only ate about half of her burger.