FIC- Lies for Love Part Eight
Title: Lies for love
Pairing: Thirteen/Cameron, Thirteen/Cuddy
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Pretty much zilch. This is set at the beginning of Season 5 when House has his new team but contains nothing about them specific to episodes.
Disclaimer: I own... nada.
Summary: Thirteen can't remain faithful and risks losing everything that matters to her.
( Part One.) ( Part Two) ( Part Three) (Part Four) (Part Five) (Part Six) (Part Seven)
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8.
Inside, Thirteen panicked. “Lisa,” she said dumbly, not knowing what else to say.
“What’s going on?” Cuddy asked, her voice giving away nothing.
It was Cameron who composed herself first. “Dr. Cuddy,” she confidently walked towards the Dean, back in doctor mode. “I’m glad you’re here. Dr. Hadley and I can’t agree on a patient’s treatment.”
Cuddy frowned, looking back and forth between Thirteen and Cameron. “You’re both screaming blue murder because of a patient?” she asked in amazement.
“The patient, male, has quite obviously suffered a heart attack,” Cameron informed Cuddy, her eyes focused on her bosses’ and well away from Thirteen’s direction. “Dr. Hadley seems to think that warrants a visit to the diagnostics’ department. Quite honestly, I don’t appreciate House’s team attempting to poach my patients simply because they are bored.”
Composing herself, Thirteen played along. If Cuddy was going to buy this then she had to be convincing. “I wasn’t bored, I think he has something seriously wrong with him. The heart attack may be the first symptom in a long line of many,” she bluffed.
“What makes you say that?” Cuddy asked, still not giving away her thoughts and focusing on the two doctor’s in front of her.
Thirteen racked her brains for something to say. Luckily, Cameron came to her rescue. Again. “He’s only twenty five years old and in good shape. I tried to tell Dr. Hadley that these cases are sometimes stumbled upon, but she wasn’t having any of it.”
Now in the know of what Cameron was presenting, Thirteen responded, still in her role, “You don’t think it’s worth at least exploring? You’re just as stupid as your hair colour suggests!”
“Dr. Hadley!” Cuddy chastised, apparently shocked that Thirteen could be so rude, and falling for their lie. “Dr. Cameron, carry on monitoring the patient here. If there’s nothing to suggest he needs to visit diagnostic’s then take the usual course of action.” She turned back to Thirteen. “I think you owe Dr. Cameron an apology.”
“I apologise,” Thirteen bowed her head to Cameron. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Apology accepted,” Cameron said bitterly. Somehow, Cameron didn’t think all the bitterness she held in her voice was part of her act.
“Right,” Cuddy placed a hand on her hip. “Now that that’s sorted, do you think it would be possible for you two not to act like you were in kindergarten and get back to treating patients?”
Cameron nodded solemnly, exiting the room. Still paranoid that Cuddy had overheard something and wanting to make sure that she was still clueless, Thirteen opened her mouth to ask her girlfriend if she could have a word in private. However, Cuddy held up a hand indicating that she should keep quiet and listen.
“I don’t want to hear it. Do as I said,” she barked, spinning around and sauntering off. Thirteen could hear the sound of her heels on the linoleum floor. Frozen, she stood as still as a statute until the clipping faded. Had Cuddy really not suspected anything? Maybe she had just come in at the very end of her confrontation with argument, and though she hadn’t understood what the two women were talking about, she hadn’t heard Cameron’s declaration of love either. Thirteen was sure that it was ok, if Cuddy had heard something then she wasn’t exactly going to ignore it; was she? That wasn’t her style, and she seemed to be pretty put together when she entered the room. If she had realised Thirteen had been cheating on her then surely there would have been some sort of sign...?
Breaking out of her reverie, Thirteen lifted her head to see that Cameron had once again entered the room.
“What did she say once I’d left?” Cameron asked, wearing a panicked look. “Did she buy it?”
Thirteen nodded. “I think we’re in the clear. She basically just told me to do as she said.”
“God,” Cameron breathed a sigh of relief. “That was way too close.”
“I know,” Thirteen agreed, swallowing the lump in her throat, trying to make it go away. She wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take.
“Well... I suppose we should do as she said,” Cameron stated.
“Yeah,” Thirteen agreed, walking out of the room after Cameron. Back to work. Excellent.
**
Thirteen didn’t think she’d ever had a shift that dragged so much. Her mind was anywhere but her work, and though she’d tried to focus on the patients, she couldn’t help the preoccupation with her own life. After the third patient in a row complained about her behaviour, Cameron sent her to go and sort out the stock cupboard; a mundane and boring task that was usually left to the nurses. On the plus side this meant that she was on her own and therefore didn’t have to put on a front. Later on when she went to Cuddy’s she knew that she would have to behave in a normal manner if she didn’t want to arouse further suspicion, and so it was nice to have a chance to psyche herself up for it.
She supposed that she were meeting Cuddy at her place as usual, and so she didn’t bother to wait for her or go to see her at the hospital. It would be better if the next time they saw each other they were completely alone in an environment other than the hospital, as Cuddy would be more relaxed. Checking her watch, Thirteen saw that it was already half seven meaning that Cuddy should definitely be finished by now. Technically Cuddy’s working day finished at five; but the Dean rarely ever finished on time unless she had something else planned; like yesterday. Thirteen still felt bad for that; Cuddy had made an effort only for the evening to quite literally, end in tears for her. She’d have to do something to make it up to her.
“Someone doesn’t look happy. Would that be something to do with a certain ER doctor walking off hand in hand with a puppy dog by the name of Chase?” House limped up to Thirteen, as she made her way through the double doors of the hospital to her car.
“Go away,” Thirteen sighed, with no real irritation to her voice. She was too drained, and had had enough of House to last her a lifetime.
“Going to go cry into your pillow?” House said with mock concern.
“I’m not sleeping with Cameron,” Thirteen said dully.
House rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sounds like you mean it.”
Thirteen sighed. “I don’t care what you think, House. If the thought of me and Cameron having sex brightens up your day then fine. But that’s all it is; a thought.”
“What’s so wrong with admitting it?” He carried on walking with her, even though Thirteen had already passed his car. “I promise I won’t tell Chase.”
Thirteen laughed. “Yeah right. House, if you actually had any proof Chase would be the first person you ran to in order to break the news.”
“Naa,” House disagreed. “Cuddy would be first on my list.”
“Why would Cuddy care?” Thirteen asked, trying to keep her voice level. Did House know something?
“She wouldn’t,” House responded. “But it’d give me a chance to ask her if she’d be interested in taking part in a threesome with you guys in a private performance for me.”
Thirteen breathed a sigh of relief, something that didn’t go unnoticed by House.
“Why does that concern you?” He asked curiously.
“She’s my boss. You think I want her hearing ridiculous rumours about me and another member of staff?”
“It’s nothing to do with her. You don’t work closely with Cameron; so there’s no problem,” House replied.
“Chase?” Thirteen prompted. “How do you think he would feel if he thought I was with Cameron? It’d break his heart. He’s totally in love with her and...” she stopped talking, not wanting to say something and inadvertently give the game away.
“Ha! If you weren’t sleeping with Cameron then you wouldn’t know Chase was in love with her!” House exclaimed, relaying his latest theory.
Thirteen didn’t know what to reply to this. Eventually, after a few seconds consideration, she uttered a simple, “Yes. It’s nothing to do with the fact that his love for Cameron is obvious to everyone. You’re right.”
“Really?” House grinned at Thirteen’s revelation.
Thirteen shrugged. “When I deny it you don’t believe me. It’s not true, but if it makes you happy to think it is...” They’d reached her car. Thirteen clicked the button on her key fob, disarming as well as unlocking it.
“Wait,” House called out as she was about to get into the car. “What did you mean earlier?” Thirteen looked confused, not knowing what he was referring to, until he added, “You said, and I quote, “you have no idea how wrong you are” followed by that piercing look of yours.”
“I...” Thirteen was dumbfounded. She assumed he hadn’t noticed that; after all, it wasn’t like he called her on it. Until now.
“Let’s say for arguments’ sake, that you’re not sleeping with Cameron,” he gestured towards Thirteen with his hand, playing out his latest scenario. “That means that you’re sleeping with someone else. Is it Kutner? Taub? Foreman? Naa, I’d have noticed something up if it was one of them...” his voice trailed off as he thought.
Thirteen realised that she had to keep her face impassive if he said Cuddy’s name. Otherwise, she was in serious trouble, not just with House; but Cuddy too.
“Wilson? No I always know when he’s hiding something. Plus I’ve discussed in detail with him what exactly you and Cameron could be up to, and he didn’t bat an eyelid. He reacted in other ways... but we won’t go into that,” House continued, as Thirteen carried on looking stony faced. “ Which leaves... Chase?” He watched, waiting for Thirteen to react.
“You do realise that there are thousands of other people who work at the hospital?” Thirteen informed him.
“Not that you have close contact with. I mean sure there are a few nurses you occasionally chat to but I’ve noticed nothing out of the ordinary as far as they’re concerned,” House refuted her suggestion.
“I don’t have close contact with Chase either,” Thirteen stated.
“No, you don’t,” House agreed. “So who else would you...” His eyes widened. “Oh my God. You’re sleeping with Cuddy.”
Thirteen forced a laugh. “No way.”
“Yes way. That’s why you didn’t want me saying anything about Cameron in front of her yesterday. I thought Cuddy looked a bit more interested than she should be!” He was positively gleeful now, sure that he was right this time.
“I’m not sleeping with Cuddy,” Thirteen denied. “Bye, House,” Ending the conversation, Thirteen got into her car. She couldn’t deal with House and his suspicions; not right now. Her only concern was Cuddy, and so ignoring House’s calls for her to “Be a woman and face this!” she drove away.
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