seven letter word for liar 10/19
House studied her face. “Okay,” he began. “I’ll play. The real reason you quit is because you realized that you were ultimately in a position to take responsibility for all of my actions. And while you loved to play my game when I was your boss, the game suddenly changed when you realized you’d be in charge of me. No matter how much you agreed or disagreed with me, in the end, the patient’s fate would be on you. And that much guilt does not go well with the Manolo Blahnik shoes you’re rocking.” house, md. part 10.
xxx
“Are the rumors true?” Cameron grinned, hopping down the steps of PPTH. House stood alone in the dark near his bike.
“This better involve nudity,” he remarked, leaning against his bike and folding his arms.
“You held a baby?” Cameron teased, strutting over to him.
House rolled his eyes. “Oh, those rumors. I was thinking more along the lines of the news that you’re too scared of me to be my boss.” He shot her a self-satisfied smile.
Cameron’s eyes widened, challenging him. “Right. I’m scared of you.” She shook her head. “I’m not scared of you. I would have been getting paid to disagree with you,” she reminded him.
House nodded. “Right, and there’s the problem. You love agreeing with me.” Cameron rolled her eyes. “No, it’s true,” House continued. “You like agreeing with me and being a part of my team, not playing for the other team...unless of course, you do like both teams in which case you should really spend some more time with Thirteen and...” He trailed off, snapping out of whatever daydream he’d become tangled in. “I’m officially lost in my own metaphor,” he confessed.
Cameron barely suppressed her laughter, grinning madly. “It’s just too much pressure. Too much work,” she lied. Badly.
House smirked. “Right. Too much pressure. This coming from the girl who used to solve medical mysteries in hours. Please. And too much work? You used to sort through my mail, chart my files, and somehow in your spare time you still found it in you to get articles published. I don’t think it’s possible for you to stop working.”
Cameron conceded with a grin. “If you already know why I quit, then why even bother talking to me about it?”
“Oh come on, you know I live for these little interludes,” House smirked. “Besides, it’s so much more entertaining in the end when you admit I was right all along and I get to go home with a smile on my face.”
Cameron winced.
“Was the part about the smile pushing it too far?” he asked.
“A little,” Cameron nodded, then laughed. “I just didn’t like being in charge of that many doctors,” she replied firmly. “It was too hard to keep up with...too many chances of making a mistake.”
House pretended to fall asleep, then after a moment, popped one eye open. “Wake me up when you decide to start telling the truth,” he snarked, closing his lid once more.
Cameron narrowed her eyes. “Fine,” she began breathlessly. “The truth is that I’m in love with you and I realized that while being in charge of you is a fantasy come true, I can’t handle the torment of seeing you every day, knowing that...”
House opened his eyes, bored of her dramatics. “Try again!” he remarked, enthusiastically. “Of course, if you’d care to elaborate on this fantasy, by all means, continue.”
Cameron grinned. “You know, actually, I can’t remember if it was a fantasy about you or Wilson...” she shook her head, then shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter I guess. You two are pretty interchangeable.”
House pondered the possibilities of her statement for a moment. “Right,” he remarked, coming back to reality. “Real reason. Go. Or I’ll ask Cuddy and embarrass you.”
“Cuddy doesn’t know the real reason,” Cameron insisted.
House studied her face. “Okay,” he began. “I’ll play. The real reason you quit is because you realized that you were ultimately in a position to take responsibility for all of my actions. And while you loved to play my game when I was your boss, the game suddenly changed when you realized you’d be in charge of me. No matter how much you agreed or disagreed with me, in the end, the patient’s fate would be on you. And that much guilt does not go well with the Manolo Blahnik shoes you’re rocking.”
Cameron blinked. “They’re not Manolo Blahniks,” she said simply.
“Am I right or am I right?”
Cameron shrugged. “You have to be right,” she stated. “You’re House. You couldn’t live with knowing you were wrong. So, sure. You’re right.”
House furrowed his brow as Cameron started to walk away. “Hey wait a minute,” he began, catching up with her. “Is that your way of taking my moment of glory away from me, or was there really another reason?”
Cameron met his gaze. He was like a five year old who needed to know why and how come about everything. He’d just never grown out of the stage. He had most of it right. That was close enough. All she had to do was sell it.
“House,” she began. “I barely made it out of your fellowship alive. But, being your boss...” she paused, smiling as she stepped closer. “It would just never work out between us,” she insisted, whispering quietly in his ear.
“It’s a pity!” House called after her as she approached her car. “I was really looking forward to seeing you in full Cuddy ensemble!”
Cameron fought the urge to turn around and indulge him. He’d never be able to end a conversation on a serious note. It would weigh heavily on his conscious and the guilt he’d endure from portraying himself as an actual human being would hurt him more than a life without pills ever could.
She climbed into the car. She’d let him have his stupid win.
At the rate she was going, he needed to catch up anyway.
xxx
Cameron was disoriented when she heard the door open. She squinted through the darkness, making out the vague image of the television flashing silently. She squirmed out of the blanket encasing her and stretched vigorously. She rested her chin on the back of the couch once she’d finished, blonde hair lazily falling slowly around her.
“Where were you?” Cameron asked sleepily. She remembered falling asleep around eleven and now it was nearly two. Her question was one of genuine interest, not accusation. There was never any suspicion in her mind when it came to Chase.
He groaned setting his bag with his scrubs down. “Surgery ran late,” he explained quickly, before looking back up, a curious gleam in his eye. “Oh, and House got drunk at some bar near the hospital. Stumbled into the locker room as I was leaving and proceeded to shower with all of his clothes on.”
Cameron tilted her head. “Seriously?”
Chase nodded. “He was singing the Happy Days theme song. Guy needs help.”
Cameron shrugged. “He’s just depressed.”
“Right,” Chase replied, tone of voice clearly indicating that he didn’t agree with her simple hypothesis of House. “Before you attack me with questions, yes I drove him home, and yes you owe me for the price of new upholstery in my car.”
“New upholstery?” Cameron questioned.
“Water damage,” Chase said simply.
Cameron grinned, scooting over as Chase joined her on the couch.
“Wait,” she said suddenly, still a bit drowsy. “Why do I owe you?”
Chase shrugged. “If I had left him there, my car would be fine. However, you would have chastised me until I ruined my car myself just to make you feel better.”
“Oh, right, the only reason you took him home was to make me happy,” Cameron laughed. “That makes sense.”
“Are you telling me you wouldn’t have been mad if I left him there?”
Cameron shot him a look. “Of course I would have been mad. But, I would have been more confused than angry, because it would be strangely out of character for you to leave House drunk in the locker room.”
Chase cocked an eyebrow. “The man spent three years humiliating me for a living, punched me in the face, blamed me for his incorrect diagnoses, insulted my accent every spare chance he got, and he fired me for being right.” He paused. “Am I forgetting anything?”
Cameron pondered. “There was that one time he filled in your entire crossword book with dirty words. That was pretty funny. And kind of scary, seeing as how they all fit...”
Chase rolled his eyes. “Fine. I wouldn’t have left him there.”
“Aw, you do want his approval,” Cameron teased.
“I do not.”
“Sure,” she grinned, rubbing his knee. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“The man is severely unhinged.”
“And you admire him,” Cameron teased. “What does that say about you?”
“I don’t...” he paused, eyeing her strangely. “Hey, you’re the one who was in love with him for...”
“I wasn’t in love with him,” Cameron remarked, weary of having to always take this same defense in every argument. Chase looked like he might begin to say something serious, so she decided it was best to interrupt. “I did however, totally have a thing for Foreman.”
Chase flinched.
“That was a joke!” Cameron replied quickly, slapping him lightly on the arm. She grinned. “Wow, you totally believed that just now, didn’t you? For like a minute!”
“I did not,” Chase grinned, kissing her lightly on the lips. “I had a thing for Foreman too,” he whispered, causing her to pull back out of shock.
“Now who’s unhinged?” Cameron teased, regaining her composure.
Chase grinned, pulling back. “How come you’re out here?” he asked. “You didn’t have to wait up for me. You’re obviously exhausted.”
Cameron shrugged. She hadn’t been waiting up for him. She just felt weird going into his bedroom without him. It was his. “Just fell asleep watching tv,” she replied, smiling.
Chase stood up suddenly. “Okay, I told him five minutes,” he began.
Cameron’s face scrunched in confusion. “Told who what?” she asked, thinking she was hearing things since she still wasn’t quite awake.
“Uh,” Chase began, eyeing the door nervously. “House didn’t have his house keys with him. Must have left them at the bar. So, I told him that he could stay here and I’d drive him back in the morning.”
Cameron shook her head. He’d never left his keys at the bar, prior to the night she’d picked him up. “I’m beginning to think he’s doing this on purpose,” she muttered.
“What?” Chase asked, leaning in to her.
“Uh, nothing,” Cameron replied, standing up. “Just said that it’s hard to be mad at him when I know he didn’t do this on purpose.”
Chase nodded. “We can stay at your place if you want. I just...”
Cameron shook her head, and Chase left the living room, presumably to get House. Once again, he’d set her up. If she wanted him to leave, which she very much did, she’d have to confess to Chase that she had a key to House’s apartment. House knew she would never do that, so his stay at Chase’s place was sealed. And she knew he was just doing all of it to make her uncomfortable.
But Cameron no longer thought in black and white, as House believed she did. She quickly realized her third option, an option that would not only get House out of Chase’s apartment, but ensure House’s annoyance as well.
Grinning, she reached for the phone and explained her plan to the person on the other end. “Remember you owe me,” she remarked, and as expected, he agreed.
House was beaming with delight and intoxication as Chase helped House into the apartment.
“Do you want to fix up the couch while I get him some dry clothes?” Chase asked.
Cameron shook her head, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. “No need,” she said, grinning. House looked momentarily taken aback and Chase just looked perplexed. “I called Wilson,” she went on, grinning at House. “I mean, I was so worried about you sleeping on a couch with your bad leg. I knew it would only irritate the pain.” She couldn’t stop her smile from spreading. “And, I assumed Wilson would have a key to your place and it turns out that he does.” She smirked. “He’ll be here in five minutes...ten tops.”
Chase nodded. “Crisis averted,” he joked, grinning. “I should still probably get him something to wear.”
“Nothing with koala bears on it,” House muttered, returning to his usual cheerful self. “And if you give me a thong, it had better be Cameron’s.”
Chase rolled his eyes as he left the room to sort through his belongings.
“Well played,” House whispered. “Guess that means we’re tied.”
Cameron shook her head. “By my calculations, I’m winning,” she grinned.
“Good thing you didn’t become a mathematician,” House smirked. “Of course, you didn’t really think I’d sleep on a couch just to make you miserable, did you?”
Cameron shot him a dubious look. “You’ve slept on your office floor.”
“I was on drugs.”
“You’re still on drugs,” she reminded him.
House grinned as Chase came back out, tossing a pile of clothes at him. House held up the pink polo he had been given and grimaced.
“Thought pink was your color,” Chase grinned, as House ambled past him towards the bathroom. “Brings out your rosy cheeks.”
Cameron laughed.
House spun around en route to the bathroom. “You two are perfect for each other,” he remarked, eyes flashing to Cameron, whose expression transformed from amusement to shock.
Chase smiled, taking his joke as a compliment, or at least, the closest thing to a compliment he’d ever get from House.
But Cameron knew better. House had picked his words carefully in the hope that Cameron would be upset by his thinking Chase was perfect for her.
And he was right. He’d gotten the reaction he had hoped for.
And just like that, they were tied again...yet Cameron felt eerily certain that he’d taken back the upper hand in their game.
xxx
“Are the rumors true?” Cameron grinned, hopping down the steps of PPTH. House stood alone in the dark near his bike.
“This better involve nudity,” he remarked, leaning against his bike and folding his arms.
“You held a baby?” Cameron teased, strutting over to him.
House rolled his eyes. “Oh, those rumors. I was thinking more along the lines of the news that you’re too scared of me to be my boss.” He shot her a self-satisfied smile.
Cameron’s eyes widened, challenging him. “Right. I’m scared of you.” She shook her head. “I’m not scared of you. I would have been getting paid to disagree with you,” she reminded him.
House nodded. “Right, and there’s the problem. You love agreeing with me.” Cameron rolled her eyes. “No, it’s true,” House continued. “You like agreeing with me and being a part of my team, not playing for the other team...unless of course, you do like both teams in which case you should really spend some more time with Thirteen and...” He trailed off, snapping out of whatever daydream he’d become tangled in. “I’m officially lost in my own metaphor,” he confessed.
Cameron barely suppressed her laughter, grinning madly. “It’s just too much pressure. Too much work,” she lied. Badly.
House smirked. “Right. Too much pressure. This coming from the girl who used to solve medical mysteries in hours. Please. And too much work? You used to sort through my mail, chart my files, and somehow in your spare time you still found it in you to get articles published. I don’t think it’s possible for you to stop working.”
Cameron conceded with a grin. “If you already know why I quit, then why even bother talking to me about it?”
“Oh come on, you know I live for these little interludes,” House smirked. “Besides, it’s so much more entertaining in the end when you admit I was right all along and I get to go home with a smile on my face.”
Cameron winced.
“Was the part about the smile pushing it too far?” he asked.
“A little,” Cameron nodded, then laughed. “I just didn’t like being in charge of that many doctors,” she replied firmly. “It was too hard to keep up with...too many chances of making a mistake.”
House pretended to fall asleep, then after a moment, popped one eye open. “Wake me up when you decide to start telling the truth,” he snarked, closing his lid once more.
Cameron narrowed her eyes. “Fine,” she began breathlessly. “The truth is that I’m in love with you and I realized that while being in charge of you is a fantasy come true, I can’t handle the torment of seeing you every day, knowing that...”
House opened his eyes, bored of her dramatics. “Try again!” he remarked, enthusiastically. “Of course, if you’d care to elaborate on this fantasy, by all means, continue.”
Cameron grinned. “You know, actually, I can’t remember if it was a fantasy about you or Wilson...” she shook her head, then shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter I guess. You two are pretty interchangeable.”
House pondered the possibilities of her statement for a moment. “Right,” he remarked, coming back to reality. “Real reason. Go. Or I’ll ask Cuddy and embarrass you.”
“Cuddy doesn’t know the real reason,” Cameron insisted.
House studied her face. “Okay,” he began. “I’ll play. The real reason you quit is because you realized that you were ultimately in a position to take responsibility for all of my actions. And while you loved to play my game when I was your boss, the game suddenly changed when you realized you’d be in charge of me. No matter how much you agreed or disagreed with me, in the end, the patient’s fate would be on you. And that much guilt does not go well with the Manolo Blahnik shoes you’re rocking.”
Cameron blinked. “They’re not Manolo Blahniks,” she said simply.
“Am I right or am I right?”
Cameron shrugged. “You have to be right,” she stated. “You’re House. You couldn’t live with knowing you were wrong. So, sure. You’re right.”
House furrowed his brow as Cameron started to walk away. “Hey wait a minute,” he began, catching up with her. “Is that your way of taking my moment of glory away from me, or was there really another reason?”
Cameron met his gaze. He was like a five year old who needed to know why and how come about everything. He’d just never grown out of the stage. He had most of it right. That was close enough. All she had to do was sell it.
“House,” she began. “I barely made it out of your fellowship alive. But, being your boss...” she paused, smiling as she stepped closer. “It would just never work out between us,” she insisted, whispering quietly in his ear.
“It’s a pity!” House called after her as she approached her car. “I was really looking forward to seeing you in full Cuddy ensemble!”
Cameron fought the urge to turn around and indulge him. He’d never be able to end a conversation on a serious note. It would weigh heavily on his conscious and the guilt he’d endure from portraying himself as an actual human being would hurt him more than a life without pills ever could.
She climbed into the car. She’d let him have his stupid win.
At the rate she was going, he needed to catch up anyway.
xxx
Cameron was disoriented when she heard the door open. She squinted through the darkness, making out the vague image of the television flashing silently. She squirmed out of the blanket encasing her and stretched vigorously. She rested her chin on the back of the couch once she’d finished, blonde hair lazily falling slowly around her.
“Where were you?” Cameron asked sleepily. She remembered falling asleep around eleven and now it was nearly two. Her question was one of genuine interest, not accusation. There was never any suspicion in her mind when it came to Chase.
He groaned setting his bag with his scrubs down. “Surgery ran late,” he explained quickly, before looking back up, a curious gleam in his eye. “Oh, and House got drunk at some bar near the hospital. Stumbled into the locker room as I was leaving and proceeded to shower with all of his clothes on.”
Cameron tilted her head. “Seriously?”
Chase nodded. “He was singing the Happy Days theme song. Guy needs help.”
Cameron shrugged. “He’s just depressed.”
“Right,” Chase replied, tone of voice clearly indicating that he didn’t agree with her simple hypothesis of House. “Before you attack me with questions, yes I drove him home, and yes you owe me for the price of new upholstery in my car.”
“New upholstery?” Cameron questioned.
“Water damage,” Chase said simply.
Cameron grinned, scooting over as Chase joined her on the couch.
“Wait,” she said suddenly, still a bit drowsy. “Why do I owe you?”
Chase shrugged. “If I had left him there, my car would be fine. However, you would have chastised me until I ruined my car myself just to make you feel better.”
“Oh, right, the only reason you took him home was to make me happy,” Cameron laughed. “That makes sense.”
“Are you telling me you wouldn’t have been mad if I left him there?”
Cameron shot him a look. “Of course I would have been mad. But, I would have been more confused than angry, because it would be strangely out of character for you to leave House drunk in the locker room.”
Chase cocked an eyebrow. “The man spent three years humiliating me for a living, punched me in the face, blamed me for his incorrect diagnoses, insulted my accent every spare chance he got, and he fired me for being right.” He paused. “Am I forgetting anything?”
Cameron pondered. “There was that one time he filled in your entire crossword book with dirty words. That was pretty funny. And kind of scary, seeing as how they all fit...”
Chase rolled his eyes. “Fine. I wouldn’t have left him there.”
“Aw, you do want his approval,” Cameron teased.
“I do not.”
“Sure,” she grinned, rubbing his knee. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“The man is severely unhinged.”
“And you admire him,” Cameron teased. “What does that say about you?”
“I don’t...” he paused, eyeing her strangely. “Hey, you’re the one who was in love with him for...”
“I wasn’t in love with him,” Cameron remarked, weary of having to always take this same defense in every argument. Chase looked like he might begin to say something serious, so she decided it was best to interrupt. “I did however, totally have a thing for Foreman.”
Chase flinched.
“That was a joke!” Cameron replied quickly, slapping him lightly on the arm. She grinned. “Wow, you totally believed that just now, didn’t you? For like a minute!”
“I did not,” Chase grinned, kissing her lightly on the lips. “I had a thing for Foreman too,” he whispered, causing her to pull back out of shock.
“Now who’s unhinged?” Cameron teased, regaining her composure.
Chase grinned, pulling back. “How come you’re out here?” he asked. “You didn’t have to wait up for me. You’re obviously exhausted.”
Cameron shrugged. She hadn’t been waiting up for him. She just felt weird going into his bedroom without him. It was his. “Just fell asleep watching tv,” she replied, smiling.
Chase stood up suddenly. “Okay, I told him five minutes,” he began.
Cameron’s face scrunched in confusion. “Told who what?” she asked, thinking she was hearing things since she still wasn’t quite awake.
“Uh,” Chase began, eyeing the door nervously. “House didn’t have his house keys with him. Must have left them at the bar. So, I told him that he could stay here and I’d drive him back in the morning.”
Cameron shook her head. He’d never left his keys at the bar, prior to the night she’d picked him up. “I’m beginning to think he’s doing this on purpose,” she muttered.
“What?” Chase asked, leaning in to her.
“Uh, nothing,” Cameron replied, standing up. “Just said that it’s hard to be mad at him when I know he didn’t do this on purpose.”
Chase nodded. “We can stay at your place if you want. I just...”
Cameron shook her head, and Chase left the living room, presumably to get House. Once again, he’d set her up. If she wanted him to leave, which she very much did, she’d have to confess to Chase that she had a key to House’s apartment. House knew she would never do that, so his stay at Chase’s place was sealed. And she knew he was just doing all of it to make her uncomfortable.
But Cameron no longer thought in black and white, as House believed she did. She quickly realized her third option, an option that would not only get House out of Chase’s apartment, but ensure House’s annoyance as well.
Grinning, she reached for the phone and explained her plan to the person on the other end. “Remember you owe me,” she remarked, and as expected, he agreed.
House was beaming with delight and intoxication as Chase helped House into the apartment.
“Do you want to fix up the couch while I get him some dry clothes?” Chase asked.
Cameron shook her head, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. “No need,” she said, grinning. House looked momentarily taken aback and Chase just looked perplexed. “I called Wilson,” she went on, grinning at House. “I mean, I was so worried about you sleeping on a couch with your bad leg. I knew it would only irritate the pain.” She couldn’t stop her smile from spreading. “And, I assumed Wilson would have a key to your place and it turns out that he does.” She smirked. “He’ll be here in five minutes...ten tops.”
Chase nodded. “Crisis averted,” he joked, grinning. “I should still probably get him something to wear.”
“Nothing with koala bears on it,” House muttered, returning to his usual cheerful self. “And if you give me a thong, it had better be Cameron’s.”
Chase rolled his eyes as he left the room to sort through his belongings.
“Well played,” House whispered. “Guess that means we’re tied.”
Cameron shook her head. “By my calculations, I’m winning,” she grinned.
“Good thing you didn’t become a mathematician,” House smirked. “Of course, you didn’t really think I’d sleep on a couch just to make you miserable, did you?”
Cameron shot him a dubious look. “You’ve slept on your office floor.”
“I was on drugs.”
“You’re still on drugs,” she reminded him.
House grinned as Chase came back out, tossing a pile of clothes at him. House held up the pink polo he had been given and grimaced.
“Thought pink was your color,” Chase grinned, as House ambled past him towards the bathroom. “Brings out your rosy cheeks.”
Cameron laughed.
House spun around en route to the bathroom. “You two are perfect for each other,” he remarked, eyes flashing to Cameron, whose expression transformed from amusement to shock.
Chase smiled, taking his joke as a compliment, or at least, the closest thing to a compliment he’d ever get from House.
But Cameron knew better. House had picked his words carefully in the hope that Cameron would be upset by his thinking Chase was perfect for her.
And he was right. He’d gotten the reaction he had hoped for.
And just like that, they were tied again...yet Cameron felt eerily certain that he’d taken back the upper hand in their game.