From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/23/2007 15:10:20

Christmas isn't his thing. Not at all. But he's come to her door, bearing a small gift bag. He uses his cane to punch the door bell. He really just wants to turn around and go home.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/23/2007 15:20:35

She answers the door, smiling and dressed in a simple white dress that's probably better suited for summer, but she's got so many things going on inside that she's rather warm. Her eyes tip down and catch a glimpse of the gift bag and, even if it's not for her, she's happy he put forth the effort.

"Hi!" she chirps and waves for him to step inside. "I don't know if you're hungry or not, but what I've been cooking for dinner's almost ready."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/23/2007 15:32:35

"I'm always hungry." He steps in to what feels like a gingerbread cottage for all the warmth and Christmasy smells.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 12/23/2007 16:10:14

Still smiling. "That's what I like to hear." She pushes the door closed and refrains from hugging him - at least for now.

"Can I take your coat?" she asks and feels almost ridiculous asking, though she's not sure why. "And, would you like a drink?" she points to the four or five bottles she has lined up on the counter - her makeshift bar.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/23/2007 16:20:32

"Where are you taking it?" He hasn't let go of the gift bag, shifts it from hand to hand along with his cane, to slip his coat off.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/23/2007 16:33:56

"Oh, I was just going to drive it around, show it the pretty Christmas lights. I'll be back in about an hour."

She helps him get out of his coat and even pretends to walk toward the door. Points to her for coming up with that off the top of her head.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/24/2007 11:49:07

"You do that." It's when he turns around, s if he doesn't care, that he sees the piano. His piano. In the little nook he'd assessed to be perfect for it, when Cameron first moved in.

"I don't remember the red bow." He glides over to it, his steps effortless when he's not thinking about it.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/24/2007 12:17:50

She's smiling so brightly it's possibly canceling out the candles. "It came that way," she comments innocently. There's a small box under the tree with his name on it that contains a spare key to the front door - so he can come play.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/24/2007 19:25:02

"I bet it did." He set the gift bag he'd carried on top of the piano and sits down to play. His fingers dance over the keys, and he winces at the poorly tuned sound. He'd expected as much, the piano had been in storage for months. Without comment he went about tuning, so that he could play.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/24/2007 23:17:19

Cameron leans in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, watching him. It's a lot like watching a kid at Christmas who got the exact toy he wanted - the one he plays with the rest of the day.

A smile curves her lips and she's suddenly got chills. "Merry Christmas, House," she whispers, not wanting to disturb him. Her holiday is perfect already. She doesn't need anything else.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/25/2007 14:11:17

It's been several months since he's had his piano. He heard her, but he didn't acknowledge her. The piano has his full attention, at the moment. Let him get it tuned, so he can play, and he might be more attentive.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/25/2007 19:56:26

She tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, watching him. It's perfect. She could stand here and watch him all night.

She slips back into the kitchen just long enough to get some hot cider and put his coat over the back of one of the chairs. When she returns to the living room, she's got two mugs steaming with the hot liquid. One she places on a ceramic coaster on top of the piano, the other she cups in her hands and takes a seat on the couch, legs tugged beneath her, still watching him.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/26/2007 20:24:57

He works through a song, before blinking back to reality and looking at her. She might notice he's a lot less tense.

He nods his chin toward the bag. "For you." Inside, she will find a bottle of the finest white wine available, and this necklace which is a 1.40 Handmade Diamond Journeys necklace in 18K white gold, retailing for $8,450. But there's no price tag in the bag so she doesn't need to know that.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/27/2007 00:09:08

"Yeah?" she asks, smiling (has she stopped doing that since he came in?).

She's still sitting on the couch for the moment. "Did you want me to open it now or to wait until tomorrow morning?"

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/27/2007 22:16:44

"Open it now, if you want." Doesn't mean he'll stop playing. That might make it seem like less of a big deal.

	From: walnutgingertea	Date: 12/27/2007 22:21:21

"Doesn't that ruin the Christmas part of it?"

She grins and gets up from the couch, but not to open the gift. She sets her mug of cider on the table and steps back into the kitchen to check on dinner while he's playing. She'll be back in a minute or two.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/27/2007 22:33:36

He leans to the side, looking into the kitchen as best he can.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/27/2007 22:43:18

The oven door opens and closes, as does the refrigerator before she returns to the living room and her cider.

She says nothing, but continues to listen to him play.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/27/2007 23:05:48

He continues to play, easing in to Silent Night.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/27/2007 23:09:39

She sips her cider.

"You've never played for me before." Her voice is soft, a whisper, but louder, loud enough for him to hear.

And she keeps eying the bag he brought.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/27/2007 23:19:12

"Never had my piano around you before."

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/27/2007 23:26:10

"Not technically true, but I get your point."

There was that one time - but it wasn't particularly conducive to concerts.

"It's beautiful."

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/28/2007 00:44:00

"Are you opening the bag or not?" He looks over his shoulder at her for a brief second.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/28/2007 01:03:03

She tugs at her lower lip with her teeth for a moment, trying to stave off the eager, childlike desire to tear into the gift.

Failure.

Utter and complete failure. Her cider mug is on the table and she's beside the piano a moment later, bag in her hand and she's peering into it like a - well, like a kid on Christmas.

First she draws out the bottle of wine and whistles, impressed. "Nice." She places the bottle on the piano - it won't cause any damage. Then she peers in again and finds the long slender felted box. A knot forms in her stomach - nerves - she hasn't gotten jewelry from anyone since her husband...

She slides the bag back onto the piano and smooths her fingers over the box, admiring it. It's nice - beautiful, in fact - and looks very expensive. With slightly shaking fingers, she lifts the lid open and gasps in complete astonishment at what she finds inside.

"Oh my God. House," she blinks and looks from the necklace to his eyes, "it's exquisite. It must've cost a fortune. You didn't have to do this." Her fingers are still shaking. How can she not be nervous about something like this?

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/28/2007 03:12:56

"I got it at a garage sale." He doesn't stop playing. The music is a good distraction. Otherwise, he doesn't know what would happen. What he'd say, do.

"Try it on."

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/28/2007 03:18:59

Cameron may be a lot of things - balking at jewelry is not one of them. She gently lifts the piece out of the box and looks at it for a moment. Then she holds it out to him. "Help me out?" Because that's what you do when you buy women expensive diamonds - you help them put them on.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/29/2007 15:35:46

"I'm not standing up." He tilts his head just so toward the unoccupied side of the piano bench.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/29/2007 15:41:26

"I wasn't asking you to. I wanted you to take hold of the necklace before I sat down. Made more sense than getting it caught in my hair." She grins at him, still holding the jewelry out to him. She'll sit once he has it in his hands.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/29/2007 16:01:12

He takes the delicate diamonds in his hands carefully. He knows he won't, but he feels like they could break at any second.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/29/2007 16:07:18

She lowers herself to the piano bench beside him and shifts her hair out of the way with one hand. "You really didn't have to do this, you know." Such a gift makes her nervous - she'll be afraid to wear it anywhere. She knows it costs a lot (not exactly how much though) and that he didn't get it at a yard sale. She definitely appreciates the gesture, even if she is confused about it.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/29/2007 16:27:01

"Wanted to." He struggles with the clasp, it's so small in his big hands.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/29/2007 17:36:08

"Thank you. It's lovely." She's not going to push and keep telling him it's too much, that he shouldn't have, etc. etc. That, she's learned, will make him leave - which is the last thing she wants.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/29/2007 19:38:50

"Welcome." That may be as much acknowledgment as he'll give. He's back to playing, fingers gliding effortless over the keys.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/29/2007 21:04:17

Still smiling, she drops her hair and turns around on the bench to press a kiss to his cheek. "Do you want to open yours now or in the morning?" It doesn't much matter to her, he already has the majority of his gift anyway.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 12/29/2007 21:33:26

"There's more?" He doesn't need any more than this. His piano.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 12/29/2007 21:43:21

"Yes." Still smiling. She gets up and retrieves the box from beneath her little tree.

She presses a kiss to his neck as she hands him the box. Inside is the key to her front door - well, 'a' key.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 01/01/2008 12:09:53

He gets past the tissue paper, and holds the key in his hand. "If you tell me this is the key to your heart, I think I might puke."

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 01/01/2008 13:41:58

"Even I'm not that sappy, House." She gives him a smirk then her face softens and she shakes her head. "No. It's for the front door." Her fingers smooth across the ebony wood of the piano. "So you can come play if I'm not here." There's a sense of trust there she wouldn't give just anyone.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 01/01/2008 15:43:58

He nods once. He understands the seriousness of the gesture.

"Thank you." He hits a series of notes on the piano, so it's not so glaringly raw that he said it.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 01/01/2008 15:50:33

"If you don't like it, you can return it," she says with a smirk and presses her lips softly to his temple before she turns to make her way back into the kitchen.

Two minutes and it'll be time to eat. She just needs to put the food and place settings out on the table.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 01/01/2008 19:07:43

He thinks about going in to the kitchen to see if he can help. He's not ready to giv eup his seat at the piano, yet.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 01/01/2008 22:21:24
	C & H

Table set, dishes served, she's ready to eat. It's nothing fancy, just some turkey breasts and stuffing with sides of potatoes and cranberry-apple sauce.

She calls back into the living room, as much as she hates to disturb his playing, she wants to eat, "Can you open the wine?" while she's placing napkins and glasses on the table.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 01/11/2008 21:29:42
	Re: C & H

There's a few seconds where he doesn't respond. But then he's on his feet, moving into the kitchen, opening the wine without comment, and pouring two glasses.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 01/12/2008 13:18:30
	Re: C & H

Cameron turns and smiles at him as she's placing plates of food on the table (the rest of the meal portions are still on the counter and stove). Nothing overtly fancy or even decorative, just a table set for a meal. She holds the glasses for him to pour the wine.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 01/12/2008 22:33:26
	Re: C & H

He poured the wine before sitting down. He didn't offer to bring anything over to the table, but waited for Cameron to do that.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 01/12/2008 22:43:24
	Re: C & H

Her table isn't quite large enough to hold the other dishes, thus they're left where they are. If seconds are wanted, she'll get them. She won't make him walk - she's a good hostess.

"I hope you like it." She waves a hand at the plates.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 01/13/2008 11:30:15
	Re: C & H

"Sure I will. Smells delicious." He sips at his wine.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 01/13/2008 12:11:42
	Re: C & H

"Thank you." She slices into the turkey to take a bite. She's a lot more awake for this meal than she was for one of the last one they shared. The conversation may be better this time.

	From: ineedavicodin	Date: 01/13/2008 13:16:33
	Re: C & H

That's assuming there is conversation. he's not the most prolific conversationalist. Especially when he's eating, and not trying to distract someone else with words so that he can steal food off the plate across from him.

	From: ripoffthebandge	Date: 01/13/2008 15:28:32
	Re: C & H

She's actually okay with that. It's something of a first for her. The food and the company seem to be enough, at least for the moment.

She'll either wait until he has something to say or until they've finished eating, then she'll work on talking again.