FIC- Fading Addiction Part Twenty
Just two parts to go after this… so time to start the countdown. ;)
Fading Addiction Part Nineteen is here.
Fading Addiction Part Twenty
“House, will you just listen?” For the past five minutes I’d been trying to get House to stop watching that damn television of his; to no avail. I’d already told Chase and Foreman I had an announcement to make, and they were sitting eagerly in anticipation, waiting for me to speak. House on the other hand seemed oblivious to the fact that I was in the room. Starting to lose my patience, I yelled, “House!”
“Ok, ok, sheesh!” he exclaimed. “Don’t shout too loudly or Cuddy is going to realise I’m not down in the clinic.”
I shot back, “Well do me a favour and pay attention to what I have to say, and then I won’t have to shout!”
Grumpily, House switched off the television and lifted his head to show he was actually doing as I wanted him to. “Make it quick Cameron.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be down in clinic, House?” Wilson asked as he walked through the door and took a seat next to House. Sighing inwardly, I decided to bite the bullet and say what I had to anyway. The first thing House would do was run to Wilson to gossip, so at least this way Wilson knew what was the truth and what House was embellishing to make sound more interesting.
“Shut up,” House told him sarcastically. “We’re supposed to be listening to Cameron.”
Ignoring the sarcasm and fidgeting with my hands, I stated nervously, “There’s something you all need to know.”
Immediately House opened his mouth. “You’re having sex with Cuddy?”
“No,” I gave him a dirty look. Well, it wasn’t technically a lie; we weren’t having sex. Not yet. “Any other stupid guesses?”
House put on his mock thinking face. “Hmmm. Ooh ooh I know! You’re anorexic!”
Taken aback by the way he’d so easily spoken the word aloud, I had to decide what to say in reply; and quickly. There was absolutely no point in denying it when it was the truth, and so, resolutely I replied, “Yes.”
For a moment, complete and utter silence surrounded the room. Even House was surprised by my admission, reading my facial expression and realising that no, I wasn’t being sarcastic. Wilson looked awkwardly down at the floor, unable to look me in the eye. Perhaps he felt out of place surrounded by the team who knew me so well, or at least thought they did. Chase stared at me as though I were a madwoman, someone he no longer recognised. As for Foreman; well who knew what he was thinking? Unreadable, he too stared at me, though without Chase’s horrified expression upon his own face.
“I’m taking time off,” I stated. “Cuddy’s given me a month to be exact but it could be more.” I let them know indirectly that I’d already discussed this with Cuddy.
When they all continued to sit in silence I added, “So if no one has anything to say, I’ll be off.” I gave them all once last glance, and made my way towards the door. A voice called me back.
“Cameron?”
I turned to see Foreman standing behind me. Locking eyes with me, he spoke solemnly. “I hope you work things out for yourself. You’re a good doctor, a good person; you should always remember that.” Then, taking a step towards me he locked me in a bear hug, his way of showing me he cared. When we broke apart, Chase stepped forward, he himself wrapping me up in an embrace, though his was slightly gentler.
“Get better, Cameron. And uhh, well if, if you need anything...” His voice trailed off, but his insinuations were clear. If I needed him; he was there. Though I was surprised considering his immediate reaction, I was also touched by his behaviour.
“Thank you,” I said, directing my gratitude at both Foreman and Chase. For all their faults, for everything each had done to hurt me over the years we’d worked together, they’d taken it pretty well. They had been nice. Nice, but not condescending, pitying or disappointed in me. Moving away, they exited the room before me, leaving me alone with House and Wilson.
“See you in a month then,” I said, bravely facing House. Inside, I wondered how I could ever have had feelings for him, this emotionless person sitting before me, saying nothing. I left the room, heading back towards Cuddy’s office, intending on signing the paperwork. I’d walked halfway down the corridor when I felt a hand on my shoulder, gently turning me back.
“Wow, you really are sick,” House said, stood in front of me. Well, I assumed he was; my eyes were still trying to focus, the sudden movement making me dizzy. “The efficient and speedy Cameron I knew would have already arrived at Cuddy’s office by now. I just caught you up no problem.”
“Is this your pathetic attempt at telling me you care, House? The fact you’ve noticed I walk as slowly as an old fucking woman?” I knew I shouldn’t get angry, but I really couldn’t help it.
House, still holding my arm and keeping me steady said, “Actually I’d say you walk as slow as a cripple but aside from the fact it’s insulting to me... well you’re not really in the mood for my humour are you?”
My vision now nearly focused, I said in a stronger voice, “No... no I’m not.”
“Figures. Guess the little energy you have goes into staying upright, not laughing at me right?” He made another attempt at conversation.
“I guess. Look, what is this House? You didn’t say anything back then and now you’re speaking to me in what can only be described as nice by your standards.” Confronting him was the only thing I could think to do, not understanding why he was behaving so strangely towards me.
“I didn’t say anything back then because the others were there,” he admitted.
“You usually like an audience,” I informed him.
“Thought this might be a little awkward to say in front of Chase,” he told me. “I just wanted to say that… well that anytime the old Cameron feels like coming back then I’m game for another date.”
I almost laughed. Almost. “You have to be kidding,” I paused, considering how exactly to word my thoughts, realising exactly what was going on here. “House, you don’t want to date me; you never have. This is you in your own narcissist way thinking that somehow, you’ve made poor little Cameron anorexic and for some insane reason, actually wanting to fix it. Why do you even care House, normally you solve the puzzle and get bored. Why give a damn about fixing me?”
Ignoring my question, he responded with one of his own. “Did you ever consider the possibility that maybe I want to date you?”
“No,” I said firmly. “You don’t. And for the record, I’m not like... like this because of anything you’ve done. Believe it or not, this isn’t about you.”
He raised his head slightly, his eyes burning into mine. “Then what is it about?”
Though I considered not answering him, I decided to indulge him with an indirect reply. “It’s about emotion House. The one thing that you don’t understand; and never will.”
He opened his mouth to reply, when there was the click of heels behind me. Cuddy appeared next to me, her face expressing curiosity. “Everything alright Cameron?”
“It’s fine,” I replied, giving her a brief glance. I was too scared to look into her eyes directly in front of House, worried that I might give our relationship away.
“I didn’t know where you were so I brought the papers for you to sign when I came looking for you,” She passed them over to me. “If you just sign them quickly now then you can be on your way.”
Smiling, I took the pen she was offering me. Leaning awkwardly on my one hand, I shakily signed the papers. “Sorry, it’s a bit scruffy but there’s no desk round here to lean on,” I offered in explanation.
“Jeez... I could have forged your signature better than that,” House mocked me, back to his usual self.
Throwing yet another dirty look at him, I made it clear that I wasn’t impressed by him. As Wilson once again waltzed up to us and started speaking to House, I looked towards Cuddy and said, “I’m off then.”
She smiled at me, making me want to throw my arms around her and bury my head in her shoulder, forgetting about everything if only for a brief few minutes. I resisted, knowing House would immediately sense the change between us. However, Cuddy didn’t seem to care about this, and she swept me up in her arms, holding my body to her so that I was pressed against her chest. My lips brushed against her neck and she whispered in my ear, “See you soon Al.”
The conversation which House had been having with Wilson stopped, as he moved towards us, frowning slightly. “What did you just call her?”
“Excuse me?” Cuddy replied, taken aback by his question.
“You just called her Al,” He accused. “Since when have you been on first name; albeit shortened first name terms?”
“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cuddy denied vehemently.
“Of course it could be entirely innocent but then... you wouldn’t deny it if it was,” House mused.
“House, what are you going on about?” Wilson asked, exasperated by the fact he didn’t have a clue what was going on.
Ignoring Wilson’s question, House stated, “You’re sleeping together.”
“What?!” I exclaimed. Feigning complete shock was the only thing I could think to do.
“It explains everything,” House leaned towards me. “Why you’re suddenly defending Cuddy. Why she’s calling you Al. My God it even explains why she just held you so dearly to her funbags!”
“Or maybe this is about something else,” I hissed. “Like the fact you can’t stand that I just rejected your proposition for a date!”
“He asked you on a date?” Cuddy asked, her voice dangerously low, the way it got when she was about to lose her temper.
Though House appeared shocked that I revealed this, he quickly recovered. “Jealous, Cuddy?”
“It was so eloquently put too,” I continued, ignoring him. “He’s game for another date, apparently.”
“Oooh I’d be quiet if I were you, Cameron,” He said sarcastically. “Dr. Cuddy here looks as if she’d about to freak out on me for trying to steal her precious girl.”
“Or maybe Dr. Cuddy is about to freak out because the first thing you do after you’ve spent God knows’ how long tormenting your employee about her weight when she clearly needed help, is to ask her out on a date! Not to mention the fact that a kid is still on life support because of you, or that you’re supposed to be in clinic, or that you’ve hacked into the hospital mainframe for about the tenth time in as many days!” Cuddy yelled at him, madder than I’d ever seen her before.
“Yeah yeah Cuddy, keep telling yourself that,” House said mockingly.
Throughout all this, Wilson stared, dumbfounded, at what was taking place before his eyes. Stuttering he spoke, “Right well, I’ll be off then...”
“Take him with you,” Cuddy barked. Then, softening her tone of voice she added, “I’ll see you, Cameron.”
Thinking that she might be mad with me, I stared after her as she walked away, back to her office. Then, going in the same direction as her, I called after her, not wanting to leave things the way they were, knowing I’d drive myself crazy worrying until I saw her that evening. “Cuddy?”
She turned to me, walking back in my direction. “Yes?”
“I just... just wanted to make sure...” I lowered my voice. “We’re ok aren’t we?”
“We’re fine,” She smiled. “House infuriates me, I’m not angry with you.”
Returning her smile, relief flooded through me.
“Hey Cameron!” I heard House’s voice screech from down the corridor. As both Cuddy and I turned to face him, he added, “Ask Cuddy for some food sex, it’s waaaay fun!”
“I’ll kill him,” Cuddy groaned. “Kill him.”