A/N: This IS the final chapter. Don't be sad. I just feel it's a good time to end this. Doesn't mean a sequel won't happen. In light of Fox's announcement that Jennifer Morrison is leaving the show, it only inpsires me to write more Hameron fics so don't worry. Stay tuned :)
Disclaimer: House doesn't belong to me. If it did, I would NOT let go of Jennifer Morrison!!
Chapter 23
Cameron's foot was completely healed and House knew the time would come when she'd want to go back to her own place. However, somewhere deep down he hoped she wouldn't want to. Ever since the hearing and the therapy with Dr. Carter, they had been almost inseparable. He almost couldn't bear the thought of sleeping without her anymore. His king sized bed would miss her taking up more than half of it. Cameron liked to stretch out into the most unusual positions and it often amazed him how she could sleep that way.
He rolled onto his side and watched her begin to stir as she woke up. "Ready for the big day?"
"Huh?" she murmured.
"Sentencing. Justice will be served."
"Oh..yeah..about that. I don't want to go. I can't stand to see their faces again. I can't." She buried her face in the pillow and House wanted to laugh. She looked so cute.
"It's our big day. You have to be there and so do I. Don't you want to see the looks on their faces when the Judge sends them to the gas chamber?"
Cameron looked at him like he was insane. "They don't execute people for rape and attempted murder."
"No, maybe not. But I think the minimum sentence is ten years."
A look of panic spread across her face and she winced. "That's all?"
House realized he needed to say something and fast. "I sad minimum ten years. Besides, you heard the Judge. He's going to make an example out of them. If he's as tough as they say, those guys will be grandfathers before they get out." He playfully nudged her. "Come on..you'll be sitting between PJ and myself. Wilson will be there too. After what happened at the hearing, they won't let those guys even walk past us. And if they do, I'll beat them with my pimp cane." He made a swinging motion like a golf club to demonstrate his point.
That made Cameron giggle in spite of herself and she sighed in defeat. "Fine."
"Then afterwards..we can come back here and..celebrate. Just us," he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Got something in mind, Dr. House?"
"Oh..here we go with the Dr. House…feeling a little frisky this morning, Dr. Cameron?"
"Mmm…but I'd rather wait and have something to look forward to later."
"You will, I promise."
***
Wilson met them at the Courthouse and sat in the row behind them. Cameron didn't let go of House's hand the entire time, and he felt her tense as soon as the doors opened and the two men were brought in. This time they not only had shackles, but leg irons as well.
The judge came in and he did not look happy with the defendants. In fact, House would've said he looked down right disgusted.
"I've reviewed the sworn statement from Dr. Allison Cameron and the medical files of Dr. Gregory House. I can only say that I'm shocked at the extent of assault and injury that resulted in their attacks. And that's exactly what it was. It was a senseless assault that deserves the maximum penalty. Never mind these two men mugged and assaulted Dr. House a few months before. I'm taking that into account of my decision as well. You will not be counting months or years, but millenniums. In a place with no doors. If I had my way you two would be sent to the gas chamber tomorrow. I don't care that nobody died. I care that it was wanton and reckless. These are brilliant doctors. They save lives. Anyway, getting back to sentencing. Jason Prins, you've been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, sexual assault and battery. The maximum sentence in the state of New Jersey is two years. You will carry out your sentence at the New Jersey State Prison, at which time you will undergo treatment and counselling. When you are released, you will be registered as a sex offender. It's the least I could do under the circumstances."
"Christopher Winter. You've also been charged with sexual assault as well as attempted murder. That is a lifetime prison sentence and you, Christopher Winter, have won the grand prize. You shot Dr. House simply because he acted in self defense to protect Dr. Cameron. I promised to make an example of you and I will. You will serve a lifetime sentence without the possibility of parole, at New Jersey's maximum security prison in Trenton. That's it. I'm done with you both. Dr. House, Dr. Cameron, I'm awarding you each two million dollars in compensatory damages. Court dismissed."
House and Cameron could just sit there in shock. Wilson gave them a congratulatory pat on the back before hugging Cameron.
"I didn't even ask for damages," she told PJ.
"I guess he felt bad. I'll have the paperwork done up and I'll bring it to your offices in a few days."
"That's great. Thanks again PJ."
Cameron let out a deep sigh of relief as she held onto House tightly. He dropped his cane and wrapped his arms around her. "It's over."
"I know. I just..can't believe it."
"We definitely have to celebrate."
"I believe you mentioned it would just be us."
"It will be."
"I have to go to my apartment and get a few things. Meet you back at your place?"
House nodded. "I should be back in an hour. I have a couple of things to do and I need to stop by the hospital."
"I'll see you later then," she smiled before giving him a quick kiss. Wilson waved to her as she left and then approached House.
"Wow..that went..really well. How's she doing?"
"Good. I promised her we'd celebrate."
"Any ideas?"
"I've got..a case of malt liquor in the trunk, Marvin Gaye on the CD, and we are going to get all the way down."
Wilson laughed and shook his head. "You're kidding, I hope."
"Of course. I've got reservations downtown and a penthouse suite. I wasn't lying about Marvin Gaye, however."
***
Cameron pulled up to House's apartment and he was in his bedroom when he heard her familiar knock at the door. As soon as he opened it, he pulled her into his arms and greeted her with one of his signature knee-weakening kisses. It was a House classic. When he released her, he took a glance at the bag she brought. "Moving in?" he teased.
"Just grabbed a few things."
"I hope sexy lingerie is one of those few things."
"It might just be."
"Good. By the way, we're not staying, so don't get too comfortable."
"What do you mean?"
"I told you we were celebrating, but not here. That's boring."
"Okay..so where are we going?"
"Downtown."
"Dinner?"
"Among other things," he grinned as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I'll be ready in a couple minutes and then we're outta here."
***
House and Cameron were shown up to their suite at the Ritz and she was in awe. The place was huge. Bigger than the suite they had last time.
She walked up to him and laced her hands around his neck, playing with his hair between her fingers.
"You spoil me."
"You deserve it. Nothing but the best for my Dr. Cameron."
"So where are we going for dinner?"
"Well..we can go to the place where I made a reservation or…we can stay in."
"Hmm..well I love restaurants in New York so I vote we go out. Perhaps tomorrow we can just..stay in bed all day."
House let out a playful growl as he nuzzled her neck. "That's my girl. Go get ready. The reservation is for seven."
Cameron noticed that House seemed a little quieter than usual and it was starting to worry her. As they waited for the bill, she dropped the bomb.
"My apartment seemed so..small and empty when I went there to get some stuff."
"Well you haven't been there in almost a month."
"It just..I dunno..didn't feel like home anymore. Ya know?"
House nodded, almost relieved at where the conversation was going. "It's funny you say that.."
"What? Why?"
"Well," he began, "I've been meaning to ask you something."
"What?"
House squirmed a little and Cameron was amused. House nervous? It was a rare, but devastatingly cute thing.
He reached into his pocket and placed a silver key in front of her. "I thought..or rather I was hoping…you might want this."
She stared at the key. Was he asking what she hoped he was asking?
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Well if you think it's the key to my apartment then you'd be right. I've..gotten so used to you being there. I can't imagine you being anywhere else. I don't want you being anywhere else. We've come a long way these past couple of months and.."
Cameron placed her hand over his and looked at him. Her eyes were misty and she was smiling at him.
"You want me to move in with you?"
He nodded. "Sure. Sounds good."
She giggled, remembering how he said those exact same words, the exact same way when he asked her to go to Monster Trucks.
"Are you sure? You've lived alone for so long…"
House placed his other hand on top of her hand and squeezed. "I'm positive. We haven't tried to kill eachother in the time you've been with me. That has to account for something."
She nodded and picked up the key, examining it.
"Do you know what you're getting into?" he said quietly as he signed the bill and put the receipt in his wallet.
"I think so. It won't be boring, that's for sure."
They went home, and he insisted she use her key to open the door. It was her home now too, after all. As soon as the door closed behind them, he tossed his keys onto the table and pulled her into his arms. "I'll probably..do something stupid," he whispered between kisses.
"Probably," she laughed as she pulled his coat off.
"And push you away."
"You'll have to push pretty hard," she laughed as she pulled him down the hall towards the bedroom.
"When I'm in pain I can be absolutely miserable."
She pushed him so he sat on the edge of the bed and kicked his shoes off. He reached for her and pulled her onto the bed with him, rolling her onto her back. "That's what sex is for. Endorphins ease pain."
"But when I'm in pain that's the last thing I want."
"Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. That's the best I can do."
He smiled down at her as he unbuttoned her blouse, exposing her red lace bra. "You…are amazing. What did I do to deserve you?"
She let out a soft sigh and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You showed your softer side. You let me in and I got to see the real Greg House. I feel special knowing that. That I'm the only one who gets to see this side of you. It's like our little secret that nobody else can share. Not Wilson, or Cuddy. Just us. I knew you were in there somewhere. I'm not with you because you need to be fixed. You were never broken. Damaged, maybe, but then so am I. We're the perfect match."
House was overwhelmed by her admission. "Just remember what I said. You start with me, you end up with me."
"I'll never forget it. And I can't imagine ending up with anyone else. I love you, Greg. I've loved you from the beginning and I'll never stop. Despite what you do."
He smiled down at her and stroked her cheek. "I'm gonna hold you to that."
She grinned back up at him and he noticed a gleam in her eye and an impish smile. "I hope you plan on doing a lot more than that tonight, Dr. House."
He laughed out loud and nuzzled her neck with a playful growl. "Bet on it."
A/N: And that's all she wrote, ladies and gentleman. Thank you SO MUCH for reading and reviewing. And thanks again to Hughville and Lisa C. who put the idea in my head to start this fic, and to Iyimgrace for batting ideas around :) Once I have some spare time when I'm not doing school stuff, I'll work on some smutty Hameron one-shots. I'm also considering a Huddy crackfic of sorts to get out my frustrations about the whole Jennifer Morrison thing. Argh! That makes me mad!
I love you guys!