Author’s Note: After the “brain whiplash” from the finale subsided, I realized that I was now going to have to wait till FALL to find out what will happen! AHHHHHH! Then I realized that this is exactly why God gave us fanfiction…So, ta da!

Spoilers: Through the Season 2 finale, “No Reason”…So, in other words, pretty much anything and everything.

Disclaimers: Really, really, really, really, really, REALLY don’t own House or FOX…Man, reality sucks sometimes.

From her uncomfortable blue chair next to the hospital bed, Cameron looked up from her reading. Or what looked like reading. Her eyes passed over the same words over and over, but her mind didn’t register any of them. But, then again, not much was registering at this point. Not the man who had walked into the Diagnostics office…Not the gun he pulled out…Not House being shot…Not his blood on her hands as she tried to apply pressure to his wound to slow the blood loss…The only thing that had registered was a sense of fear…

She set the book down on the bedside table and glanced over at House. His eyes were still closed, his face scruffier than ever, his hair wild. She reached out and brushed a stray lock off his forehead.

She frowned slightly at the pale, fragile looking shell of the House she was used to. Despite being hooked up to a maze of tubing and softly beeping machines, this House looked almost…peaceful. It was look she wasn’t used to, and surprisingly, she found herself simultaneously both enthralled and slightly unsettled by it.

She started to check the gauze dressing on his neck, when suddenly, she thought she saw House’s hand twitch. She watched it for a minute, to see if it moved again.

Nothing.

‘You’re starting to lose it, Cam.’ She told herself.

But as Cameron went to peel the gauze down again, House’s head moved this time.

“House?”

House’s eyes slowly began to flutter open, and a cross between a groan and a sigh escaped. “Ughhhh…”

Cameron pulled her hand back quickly. “House…You’re awake.” She breathed a silent sigh of relief. She stood up and leaned over his bed, beaming at him.

He tried to say something, but it came out quiet and scratchy. Cameron moved in closer, trying to hear him better. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that…”

House cleared his throat and tried again. “I said, ‘You’re hopeless.’”

She couldn’t help smiling slightly.

“What are you doing here?” House asked.

Cameron’s faced dropped. “You’re in the hospital…Don’t you remember? You were shot.”

“Umm, yeaahh. Not exactly something you forget…But I asked what you were doing here.”

Cameron avoided House’s gaze, and started checking House’s vitals. “I pulled the short straw.”

“You are the most pathetic excuse for a liar—“

Cameron ignored his comment. “Everything looks okay here,” she murmured at his morphine drip. She turned her attention back to House. “The first shot lacerated your stomach and part of your bowel and bounced off a lower rib. The second, in your neck, went in and out, but not before nicking your jugular.” She gave him a small smile. “But your surgery went really well, and the doctors say you’ll be fine…You’ll be up and back to torturing patients in no time…”

House scanned Cameron’s face. “See, that’s better…That one sounded like even you bought it…”

“The man who shot you—“

“I, a-world-of-don’t care.”

“Shot himself in the head right before security reached him.”

“Hmm…fascinating. Really.” House tried to sit up a little. He found that his neck was stiff and he rolled it slowly from side to side, trying to work the kinks out. “How long have I been out?”

“Two days,” Cameron reached behind him and fluffed his pillow. “You gave us a good scare, you know…” she said almost inaudibly.

House leaned back and lay his head back down. “No, a good scare would be like seeing Cuddy without her makeup.”

Cameron sighed. “Can I get you anything?” She checked her watch. “It’s well after 8, so the cafeteria’s not serving anymore, but I could get you some ice chips…Maybe some more blankets?”

“What about a couple issues of Penthouse?”

Cameron shot him an incredulous look.

“What? I read it for the articles.”

“Uh huh.” Cameron smirked.

House’s face suddenly turned serious and he nodded towards the door. “Go home, Cameron.”

“Are you sure? I—“

“I’m sure. It’s getting late. I’m tired. And you look like hell.”

She put her hands on her hips and smirked slightly. “You’re one to talk.”

“Well, as it turns out, I’ve been shot. So, I have an excuse.” House retorted.

Cameron poured him a glass of water and gave one final look at the monitors. “I’ll make sure someone checks on you…”

“Shoo!” House said, flicking his hand at her.

She grabbed her bag and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

After she left, House noticed she had left her book.

House woke in the middle of the night, from a throbbing pain in his side.

‘Damn stitches.’ He thought.

He opened his eyes, and waited for them to adjust to the room, which was now darkened. The only light came from the machine readouts and the pale silver of the moonlight from outside.

As he turned to grab the cup of water, he noticed Cameron’s book was gone. He peered over at the chair a few feet away.

Sure enough, Cameron was there, curled up, sleeping with her head awkwardly on the arm rest.

House shook his head. “Utterly hopeless.”

Please review and let me know what you think!

P.S. I've been toying around with another House fic ideaand I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on what pairing they might like to see used. The story's more sad/angsty, not really romance, but there could be undertones there...(or not). The choices are: House/Cameron, House/Wilson, House/Cuddy, Cuddy/Wilson, or House/Ducklings. Any preference?