Ficathon Entry: Ticket of Pain
Ficathon writing! Enjoy!
Title: Ticket of Pain
Author: bandbooktvworm
Rating: PG
Beta: None
Written for: itoe_nakashima
Assignment Number: 8
Assignment: Elements that must be included:
1. All of the regular characters (that means no Mark or Stacy)
2. The characters are in character (as they would be in a Stacy free
episode, though House could be less of a bastard)
3. A Cam/Anyone Else purely platonic relationship
Elements that must not be included in your story:
1. Smut (as much as I love it...)
2. Hard core angst or overly dark themes
3. Weak!Cam
Cameron stared at the board littered with symptoms and possible diagnoses. The patient had gotten more complicated as he sat in their hospital, waiting for their treatment. She had to figure this out because she was the one who almost lost him. She wasn’t going to lose. She wasn’t going to lose the patient. And she most certainly was not going to lose the trust that everyone had in her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone walk into the room and sit down next to her. She turned her head and looked into the concerned and caring eyes of Foreman. “You really should go home and get some rest,” he said.
“I can’t. I need to solve this case.”
“No you don’t. We all need to. This isn’t all your’s, Cameron. You didn’t make him sick, you know.”
“I know, but I feel like I need to do this.”
“If you’re going to, then would you at least accept some help?”
“Have you ever felt this guilty?”
“We all have, and we’re all going to. That’s just the part of being a doctor.”
“I want him to live.”
“Me, too.”
“It’d be hard to get over him.”
“Then that’s why we’ll save Henry’s life,” Foreman said with a brotherly smile.
---------------------------------------
Cameron jolted awake from the dream she had just had. She curled up her legs to her chest and took a deep breath. She had been having a similar dream for the past few nights. It was slowly approaching the anniversary of Henry Cameron’s death. When he got sick, she had wanted to save him, but she had felt as if she was killing him. Cameron knew it was crazy. It wasn’t her fault because she hadn’t even been a doctor, yet. She pulled back the covers and stepped out of bed. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was three in the morning. Cameron made her way out into the living room and, without thinking, dialed the familiar number.
“Someone better be dying,” a groggy, angry voice said into the phone. Cameron was silent. “Hello…? Do you get some sick joke out of calling people in the morning? You know, I have a friend who works for the FBI, and he can track down this call so I can find you and come beat you with my cane!”
“House,” she said timidly.
After a short pause, he responded, “Cameron? Why are calling me?”
“I…I couldn’t sleep.”
“So you decided to have someone else join you?”
“No. I just need to talk to someone.”
“If you needed to talk why didn’t you bother Foreman? Or Wilson, I’m pretty sure he wants to get in your pants.”
“Because Foreman doesn’t know that I was married, and Wilson is trying to patch things up with his wife. I doubt she’d like a woman calling late at night.”
“It’d confirm her suspicions. Why not Chase, then?”
“Chase doesn’t know either; I wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to him about this.”
House sighed as he sat up and grabbed his bottle of Vicodin. “Get over here, then,” and unceremoniously hung up.
---------------------------------------
Cameron arrived twenty minutes later and lightly knocked on the door. A few seconds later, House threw it open and said, “You’ve already woken me up, no need to be quiet anymore.”
“I was being considerate for the neighbors,” she said as she entered his apartment.
“They’re noisy anyway.”
She turned around to face him. “That wouldn’t be to counteract the noise you make, now would it?”
“Of course not. I’m so silent you can’t even hear me walk.” He headed toward the kitchen. “I made coffee, so you’re drinking it.”
She smiled as she sat down on the lounge chair next to the piano. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He returned with two mugs of coffee and sat down on the piano bench. “So, what did you want? You’re not going to cry, are you? I might just get the strength to run away.”
“No, I’m not going to cry. I just wanted to talk about what’s coming up.”
“Are you going to make me guess?” he asked as he sipped his coffee.
“Henry’s death.”
“And he is…”
“My husband.”
“Ah. So, why is this such a big deal?”
“It’s been six years.”
“Yeah, and he had cancer. I already know this. What is bothering you?”
“I’ve always blamed myself for his death.”
“Yes, because you’re the big, bad woman who gives men cancer.”
“I don’t mean that. I just…let him die.”
“It was stage four. You didn’t cause it.”
“He didn’t even tell me about it until after we got married. I mean, I thought we were moving a little fast, but I did love him. Plus, he thought he was invincible and would get over it so he avoided treatment,” Cameron said with her still untouched coffee in her hand.
“Well, there you go. It was his fault.”
“But it was my fault for not seeing the signs. I was pre-med. I should have recognized it and I didn’t.”
“He could have told you what was going on at any time but he didn’t. You need to stop overanalyzing these things and get over it. Sure, you wish that could have caught it. But you didn’t. People have done the same things before. Don’t blame yourself. Blame the doctors. Blame him. Your hand wasn’t in this mess.” He took another sip from his coffee as she nodded. “Why hasn’t someone already smacked you upside the head? Did they just comfort you when you started weeping?”
“I didn’t weep!”
He squinted at her. “You look like you’re about to.”
“I’m frustrated.”
“Why? I solved your problem. You’re cured. Go home.”
“House, I feel like we’re not doing what we can to save Hank.”
He stared at her. “Who?”
“The patient. I think I may have screwed up-“
“Oh will you come off it? Who cares if you screw up? You’re going to do it a lot, and you’ve already done it before. Not everyone can be perfect. Unless you’re striving for that award.”
“I just want to be a good doctor.”
“You have self esteem issues.”
“Well, you did hire me because I looked pretty.”
“Chase is pretty, too. Do you think I just hired you for your looks?”
“What is it with you and Chase? Do you have a crush on him or something?”
“I’m sorry, I think you’re mistaking me from you,” House said.
“You’re right, because I am having the self esteem issues.”
“I think you just need someone to love you. And fix you. Then you’ll be nice and bright as rain.”
Cameron stared at him. “What? Did you just say that?”
“What? I can’t throw myself at you?” Cameron’s eyes grew wide. “You’re broken and you need me. Let me do whatever I can to mend you!”
“Have you lost your mind?”
House rolled his eyes. “I was pretending to be you. Man, you’re slow.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I do not throw myself at you!”
“In a way, you do.”
“I’d know not to tempt you, because you’d take the chance.”
“I don’t know, you don’t like yourself enough to stop yourself from doing something wrong.”
“House, I think you need to get some sleep.”
“I think you need to be peppy again. It’s weird having a dark Cameron.”
“I thought you didn’t like my peppiness.”
“It’s better than trying to fix everything even when it’s not your turn.”
“I need to-“
“No you don’t. I’m your boss.” He placed his cold mug on the coffee table, grabbed Cameron’s full cup and placed it on the table as well. “Go home. Get a few more hours of sleep. Deal with work when work comes.”
She stood up. “You’re right. I’m just going crazy.”
“Do you do this often?” he asked as they made their way toward the front door.
“Only once a year. Next week I should be less blaming and more take action.”
“Good, because I can’t afford to have any of my doctors out at any time.”
She smiled at him and then suddenly leaned forward and pressed her lips onto his. He froze as soon as she kissed him and didn’t move again until she had stepped back. “Maybe I could try to get my take action back early on, instead.”
“We can’t be doing this, Cameron.”
“I know. But doesn’t that make it more fun?”
“Is this how you lure men?” he asked.
“Why?” she replied as leaned toward him again. “Is it working?” This time House initiated the kiss and applied more force than the previous one.
They stood there for awhile getting accustomed to that new step as they both became more comfortable with this new thing, and the slow disappearance of their haunting scars.
----------------------------------
Sorry this is late! School is kicking me in the butt right now.
Title: Ticket of Pain
Author: bandbooktvworm
Rating: PG
Beta: None
Written for: itoe_nakashima
Assignment Number: 8
Assignment: Elements that must be included:
1. All of the regular characters (that means no Mark or Stacy)
2. The characters are in character (as they would be in a Stacy free
episode, though House could be less of a bastard)
3. A Cam/Anyone Else purely platonic relationship
Elements that must not be included in your story:
1. Smut (as much as I love it...)
2. Hard core angst or overly dark themes
3. Weak!Cam
Cameron stared at the board littered with symptoms and possible diagnoses. The patient had gotten more complicated as he sat in their hospital, waiting for their treatment. She had to figure this out because she was the one who almost lost him. She wasn’t going to lose. She wasn’t going to lose the patient. And she most certainly was not going to lose the trust that everyone had in her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone walk into the room and sit down next to her. She turned her head and looked into the concerned and caring eyes of Foreman. “You really should go home and get some rest,” he said.
“I can’t. I need to solve this case.”
“No you don’t. We all need to. This isn’t all your’s, Cameron. You didn’t make him sick, you know.”
“I know, but I feel like I need to do this.”
“If you’re going to, then would you at least accept some help?”
“Have you ever felt this guilty?”
“We all have, and we’re all going to. That’s just the part of being a doctor.”
“I want him to live.”
“Me, too.”
“It’d be hard to get over him.”
“Then that’s why we’ll save Henry’s life,” Foreman said with a brotherly smile.
---------------------------------------
Cameron jolted awake from the dream she had just had. She curled up her legs to her chest and took a deep breath. She had been having a similar dream for the past few nights. It was slowly approaching the anniversary of Henry Cameron’s death. When he got sick, she had wanted to save him, but she had felt as if she was killing him. Cameron knew it was crazy. It wasn’t her fault because she hadn’t even been a doctor, yet. She pulled back the covers and stepped out of bed. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was three in the morning. Cameron made her way out into the living room and, without thinking, dialed the familiar number.
“Someone better be dying,” a groggy, angry voice said into the phone. Cameron was silent. “Hello…? Do you get some sick joke out of calling people in the morning? You know, I have a friend who works for the FBI, and he can track down this call so I can find you and come beat you with my cane!”
“House,” she said timidly.
After a short pause, he responded, “Cameron? Why are calling me?”
“I…I couldn’t sleep.”
“So you decided to have someone else join you?”
“No. I just need to talk to someone.”
“If you needed to talk why didn’t you bother Foreman? Or Wilson, I’m pretty sure he wants to get in your pants.”
“Because Foreman doesn’t know that I was married, and Wilson is trying to patch things up with his wife. I doubt she’d like a woman calling late at night.”
“It’d confirm her suspicions. Why not Chase, then?”
“Chase doesn’t know either; I wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to him about this.”
House sighed as he sat up and grabbed his bottle of Vicodin. “Get over here, then,” and unceremoniously hung up.
---------------------------------------
Cameron arrived twenty minutes later and lightly knocked on the door. A few seconds later, House threw it open and said, “You’ve already woken me up, no need to be quiet anymore.”
“I was being considerate for the neighbors,” she said as she entered his apartment.
“They’re noisy anyway.”
She turned around to face him. “That wouldn’t be to counteract the noise you make, now would it?”
“Of course not. I’m so silent you can’t even hear me walk.” He headed toward the kitchen. “I made coffee, so you’re drinking it.”
She smiled as she sat down on the lounge chair next to the piano. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He returned with two mugs of coffee and sat down on the piano bench. “So, what did you want? You’re not going to cry, are you? I might just get the strength to run away.”
“No, I’m not going to cry. I just wanted to talk about what’s coming up.”
“Are you going to make me guess?” he asked as he sipped his coffee.
“Henry’s death.”
“And he is…”
“My husband.”
“Ah. So, why is this such a big deal?”
“It’s been six years.”
“Yeah, and he had cancer. I already know this. What is bothering you?”
“I’ve always blamed myself for his death.”
“Yes, because you’re the big, bad woman who gives men cancer.”
“I don’t mean that. I just…let him die.”
“It was stage four. You didn’t cause it.”
“He didn’t even tell me about it until after we got married. I mean, I thought we were moving a little fast, but I did love him. Plus, he thought he was invincible and would get over it so he avoided treatment,” Cameron said with her still untouched coffee in her hand.
“Well, there you go. It was his fault.”
“But it was my fault for not seeing the signs. I was pre-med. I should have recognized it and I didn’t.”
“He could have told you what was going on at any time but he didn’t. You need to stop overanalyzing these things and get over it. Sure, you wish that could have caught it. But you didn’t. People have done the same things before. Don’t blame yourself. Blame the doctors. Blame him. Your hand wasn’t in this mess.” He took another sip from his coffee as she nodded. “Why hasn’t someone already smacked you upside the head? Did they just comfort you when you started weeping?”
“I didn’t weep!”
He squinted at her. “You look like you’re about to.”
“I’m frustrated.”
“Why? I solved your problem. You’re cured. Go home.”
“House, I feel like we’re not doing what we can to save Hank.”
He stared at her. “Who?”
“The patient. I think I may have screwed up-“
“Oh will you come off it? Who cares if you screw up? You’re going to do it a lot, and you’ve already done it before. Not everyone can be perfect. Unless you’re striving for that award.”
“I just want to be a good doctor.”
“You have self esteem issues.”
“Well, you did hire me because I looked pretty.”
“Chase is pretty, too. Do you think I just hired you for your looks?”
“What is it with you and Chase? Do you have a crush on him or something?”
“I’m sorry, I think you’re mistaking me from you,” House said.
“You’re right, because I am having the self esteem issues.”
“I think you just need someone to love you. And fix you. Then you’ll be nice and bright as rain.”
Cameron stared at him. “What? Did you just say that?”
“What? I can’t throw myself at you?” Cameron’s eyes grew wide. “You’re broken and you need me. Let me do whatever I can to mend you!”
“Have you lost your mind?”
House rolled his eyes. “I was pretending to be you. Man, you’re slow.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I do not throw myself at you!”
“In a way, you do.”
“I’d know not to tempt you, because you’d take the chance.”
“I don’t know, you don’t like yourself enough to stop yourself from doing something wrong.”
“House, I think you need to get some sleep.”
“I think you need to be peppy again. It’s weird having a dark Cameron.”
“I thought you didn’t like my peppiness.”
“It’s better than trying to fix everything even when it’s not your turn.”
“I need to-“
“No you don’t. I’m your boss.” He placed his cold mug on the coffee table, grabbed Cameron’s full cup and placed it on the table as well. “Go home. Get a few more hours of sleep. Deal with work when work comes.”
She stood up. “You’re right. I’m just going crazy.”
“Do you do this often?” he asked as they made their way toward the front door.
“Only once a year. Next week I should be less blaming and more take action.”
“Good, because I can’t afford to have any of my doctors out at any time.”
She smiled at him and then suddenly leaned forward and pressed her lips onto his. He froze as soon as she kissed him and didn’t move again until she had stepped back. “Maybe I could try to get my take action back early on, instead.”
“We can’t be doing this, Cameron.”
“I know. But doesn’t that make it more fun?”
“Is this how you lure men?” he asked.
“Why?” she replied as leaned toward him again. “Is it working?” This time House initiated the kiss and applied more force than the previous one.
They stood there for awhile getting accustomed to that new step as they both became more comfortable with this new thing, and the slow disappearance of their haunting scars.
----------------------------------
Sorry this is late! School is kicking me in the butt right now.