Aftershocks (Abandoned Me Pt. 16 / ??)
Aftershocks (Abandoned Me Pt. 16 / ??)
Disclaimer: Still playing...
Pairing: House/Cuddy and Wilson/Cameron (eventually)
A/N: Now you get a little Wilson, a little Cameron and some Huddy too.
Swinging the door open, Wilson was a little surprised to see Cameron outside it, but stepped aside to allow her entrance. He watched, with a slight smile as she stormed in, pulling off her jacket to reveal her scrubs and watching as she tossed the item onto the armchair before she collapsed boneless-ly onto the couch, obviously pouting.
“Hello Alison, nice to see you too…” He said lightly as he pushed the door shut and it clicked closed.
The tone was so much like his normal self that Cameron looked up her eyes wide, and then she stammered, struggling to speak. “Oh James… I’m sorry.” She stood again. “I shouldn’t have come here… Not with this.”
“House, I assume…” His eyes darkened some, but he didn’t close himself off completely. “Sit… Tell me what he’s done now.”
“Just him being him…” She admitted as she let herself settle back down and watched as he moved into the kitchen to get her a cup of coffee. “Cuddy put him in the ER…”
“ER? He’s back at work then? Why not diagnostics?” Wilson asked curiously.
“No case… And he insisted on coming back.” She shrugged - not really privy to everything that went on between House and Cuddy.
“So…” Wilson set the cup in front of her then moved so he could sit beside her. “You should be almost as good at dealing with him as I am.”
“I let myself get lulled into a false sense of security… I really should have known better.” She complained bitterly as she took a sip of the warm brew and found he’d made it exactly to her taste.
“You still like him, Alison - I would be surprised if you didn’t get … lulled.” Wilson’s voice was kind and unaccusing. That didn’t stop her from starting to shake her head vehemently. “I’m not offended that you do… Emotions aren’t turned on and off like a tap. In fact it means a lot that in spite of that that you were here for me.”
“House had Cuddy, he didn’t need me…” She said softly.
Wilson nodded just taking in what she had to say. “You still haven’t told me what he did…”
“His memories aren’t back - he was pumping me for information.” Cameron sighed, hoping in a way that he wouldn’t press for more.
“With House what else is new… But that wouldn’t have upset you.” Wilson in his own way could be as perceptive as House was.
“He knew without anyone telling him that I … I still liked him.” She was more distraught about that than she thought was reasonable. “Am I that transparent?”
“Sometimes…” Wilson admitted. “It’s easier for those of us who were there to see it…”
“But he doesn’t remember…” Cameron ground out.
“He’s still House.” Wilson shrugged, not really wanting to talk about House but wanting to help Cameron so he waited for her to tell him the rest. She’d been there for him, and so while he still wasn’t himself - for Cameron he could summon up that selfless caring soul still.
“He said it would be better if I started believing my lies - at least the ones about him.” Her gaze turned downward as though she was studying the pattern in the carpet.
That showed more self awareness than House was normally capable of in Wilson’s opinion. “Isn’t that what you want?”
“Yes…” Cameron said - though from her voice she was clearly conflicted still. “Just… He said the lies I was telling myself about Chase… About wanting to be with Chase - that they weren’t healthy.”
Silence reigned for a few moments, while the two sat, involved only in their own thoughts. “House isn’t always right, Cameron.” Wilson finally broke the silence. “But if it’s bothering you this much - it’s probably because you know he’s right.”
“I just…” She sighed. “I’ve really tried, you know… I wanted it to work.”
“I know.” Wilson smiled and moved a little closer to her, rubbing her shoulder soothingly. “I’m the past master at wanting things to work out and knowing it wasn’t going to.”
“So what do I do?” Cameron asked, meeting his gaze.
“Lucky for you, you don’t have to hire a divorce lawyer - if you ever do, you can come to me - I know a good one.” Wilson said with a smile. “You are going to have to tell him… Did you two move in together?” At Cameron’s nod, Wilson squeezed her shoulder. “You can have my non-lumpy couch if you need somewhere to stay until you find an apartment.”
“Thanks, James.” She smiled at him softly, still looking distraught. “At least I tried right?”
“A better try than most of my marriages got…” Wilson said with a smile. “Have you had lunch? I was going to cook…”
“With House… But I lost my appetite and left my food behind.” Cameron admitted.
“Well, then - I’ll make enough for two shall I?” Wilson offered as he moved into the kitchen and pulled a plate of cold chicken out of the fridge.
“Only if you let me make the salad…” Cameron looked down at her scrubs and her nose wrinkled.
“I’ll get you a pair of sweats and a t-shirt…” Wilson set the chicken down on the counter and wiped his hands on a dishtowel before he moved towards the bedroom in search of said items.
Cameron’s smile beamed - happy beyond belief that her friend was acting more and more like himself.
It didn’t matter how many times she told herself it meant nothing, Lisa Cuddy was furious.
How stupid could she have been?
Sending House to the ER.
To work with Alison - let me drop my panties for you, House - Cameron.
Of course, they ended up having lunch together. She’d be lucky if Cameron didn’t have him in a janitor’s closet before the end of the day.
She felt her pen snap in her grasp and the stickiness of the ink that spilled over her fingers. “Fuck…” She hissed angrily.
“Ruh roh…” House said in his best Scooby Doo impersonation as he stuck his head in the door. “What did I do now?”
Cuddy’s head came up and she glared at him. “I expected you’d still be with Cameron.”
“Uh, why? She disappeared when she took off on me at lunch…” House said with a shrug as he moved to the bathroom and wet down a face cloth with soap and water, before he came back to her and pulled her hand into his grasp, then carefully set about removing the ink from her hand. “I think I made her cry…”
“How did you do that?” Cuddy could believe it; she just thought Cameron would be able to take what he handed out right now.
“Told her to get over me and to dump her marsupial boyfriend.” House shook his head. “Girl’s almost got as bad taste in men as you do…”
Cuddy snorted in laughter. “Then why haven’t you told me to get over you?”
“Cause I want to keep you, duh? Do I look stupid? You only throw back the little ones, not the prize winners.” House smirked. “Self serving… Not self sacrificing.”
“So you’re not going to try to save me from you?” Cuddy found a smile starting to glide across her lips.
“Nope…” House grinned. “Anyway - she didn’t come back, so I had to run the ER. No clinic for me…”
Cuddy’s smile disappeared only to be replaced by a scowl. “No, but I don’t pay her to run out of here just because you’re an ass. She knows you’re an ass. She should have sucked it up.”
A shrug was the only answer she got from him before he perched on the side of her desk. “Now what I find interesting is that broken pen.” He smirked and poked at the pieces. “You must have been pretty angry to do that…”
“Just stressed…” Cuddy disambiguated, even though she knew from his tone of voice he wasn’t going to give up.
“Uh huh, because jealousy is very stressful.” House grinned ear to ear.
“I was not jealous…” She hissed. “Like you said ‘uh, why?’”
“Well she does have pretty eyes, and that smile…” House coaxed. “Cute body too…”
“Oh please…” Cuddy sniffed disdainfully. “You’d break her way too easily.”
“You’re right, I would.” House continued grinning. “… But you were still jealous… Pretty younger woman interested in little ol’ me.” He waggled his brows as he pulled her to her feet. “You’re going to have to step it up a notch in the sack.” He teased.
“Oh please, you couldn’t take it if I stepped it up a notch…” Cuddy picked up her jacket and her purse, letting him draw her towards her door. “I’d give you a heart attack.”
“You were still jealous." Broke the silence in the outer office and one look at House revealed he was still grinning.
“Shut up, Greg…”