Author: Milady Dragon
Disclaimer: I don't own either House M.D or the Tomorrow People, but I'm going to rough 'em up again!
Author's note: This is a sequel to Face From the Past so if you haven't read that one, you'll need to in order to understand certain aspects of this story. Let's face it, I love writing this in this crossover world, and I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter One
Although she wouldn't realize it, Allison Cameron's actions on that winter night were what would lead to her death.
It started with a simple stop at her neighborhood grocery. It had been a long day at work; there hadn't been a new case in almost a week, and she'd been so bored she'd actually welcomed the hypochondriacs who frequented the clinic. It hadn't helped that House had been at his worst, behaving like the complete asshole everyone who worked with him knew lurked just beneath his misogynistic surface.
The weather was dreadful. It had been snowing for the last twelve hours, and while the plows had come through, the white flakes just seemed to keep piling up. Cameron had been tempted to jaunt to the hospital that morning – yet another advantage of being the next stage in human evolution was the ability to teleport – but she'd stifled the reflex. It had been her decision to act as normally as possible, and that meant her car had to appear in the parking lot every morning, in spite of shitty weather. Too bad she couldn't jaunt the vehicle with her…
The grocery was just around the corner from her apartment. As she'd been driving past, she'd remembered that she was out of a couple of things, and if the snow kept falling she might very well be stranded at home in the morning. So, she maneuvered her car gingerly into the lot, the tires spinning just a little on the slick asphalt. Cameron cursed the weather, cursed her wish to keep the semblance of "normal"…and above all cursed as her vehicle nearly went into the side of the cart corral. She sat there, catching her breath and surprised that the air hadn't turned blue from all her foul language, then turned the engine off and made her cautious way into the store.
It was deserted, with only a single cashier and a man who appeared to be the manager inside to keep her company. Cameron quickly gathered the few items she needed, and made her way to the check out. She smiled sympathetically to the woman on the register, and was rewarded with an equally sympathetic smile in return.
The bags actually seemed to balance her progress back across the icy parking lot. The doctor stowed them in the passenger front seat, then used the car's warm hood to support her way around to the driver's side.
That was when she heard the engine.
Cameron glanced around, actually surprised that there was someone as stupid as herself out on an afternoon like this. The dark car was fishtailing slightly as it neared the front of the lot.
Toward where she was currently parked.
In normal circumstances, Cameron wouldn't have been too concerned. It was a large lot, with plenty of room for at least a hundred cars. But today, with the weather so appalling, she found herself watching nervously as the mid-size vehicle made its uncertain way in her direction.
And then it went suddenly out of control.
The tires made an odd squealing noise on the icy pavement, and the rear of the car was facing in Cameron's direction. Then it spun in a complete circle, heading right toward her once more.
Her heart stuttered to a halt, then began racing. Cameron could have jaunted, but her first response to the danger was to concentrate all her mental might on the approaching danger.
Allison Cameron grabbed the car with her considerable telekinetic ability and made it stop.
The rear bumper was mere inches from her knees when the vehicle halted.
Cameron released the breath she wasn't even aware she'd been holding. Her legs felt like rubber, and she sagged against the side of her own car. Her head was pounding in fast time, matching her heartbeat. That had been way too close…
"Are you okay?"
She managed to turn. The store manager was sliding toward her as fast as he could, his face pale in the harsh winter daylight.
"I…I'm fine," she stammered, not quite believing what she'd just done. Of all her abilities, telekinesis had been her strongest, and she'd been practicing it a lot ever since she'd re-entered the Tomorrow Person fold. But she'd never tried anything like that before.
The driver of the other car had stumbled out from behind the wheel, staring at Cameron as if he was seeing a ghost. "Oh, God…" his voice actually squeaked. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened, I just couldn't control it…"
"It's okay…I'm okay…" she tried to reassure both men. Truth be told, all Cameron wanted to do was slide down to the pavement and cry.
Then she felt something strange; a slight touch on her mind, as if someone were trying to stroke her very brain.
Cameron spun, almost losing her balance on the ice. Her eyes searched for the source of the sensation, but there was only herself, the manager, and the man who'd almost succeeded in doing what four alien races, a government think tank, and various nutjobs hadn't been able to accomplish.
She regained her equilibrium quickly. The store manager and the other driver were looking at her closely. "Everything's okay," she reiterated. She nodded to the driver. "Luckily you were able to stop in time."
"Not so sure it was luck," the man answered shakily. "The car just seemed to stop on its own."
"Probably retired a guardian angel tonight," the manager said.
"You're not kidding!" the driver exclaimed.
"Look, I don't think we need the police or anything," Cameron replied. "No one was hurt, just terrified out of their wits."
The driver looked relieved. "If you're sure…"
"I'm sure," she insisted. "I just want to go home."
"You going to be okay driving?" the manager asked.
"I'll be fine. Believe me." Cameron would have given anything to be able to just jaunt to the safety of her apartment and forget everything that had happened.
"Okay, miss." The manager turned back toward the store, his arms around him to ward off the chill. He'd run out without a coat on.
Cameron smiled weakly at the driver, who appeared to take the gesture for what it was worth. He returned to his car and shut off the engine, then headed into the store himself.
Once inside the safety of her vehicle, Cameron allowed herself the pleasure of a good cry. She didn't let herself linger though; she wanted to be home so badly it was like a compulsion.
She drove the rest of the way carefully, wanting nothing to put the night behind her. And by the time she was showered and comfortably ensconced on her couch, she'd even managed to forget about the eerie mental touch as well…
Three days later…another snowstorm.
Cameron sighed as she climbed behind the wheel of her car. Why, oh why couldn't she just give up normality for jaunting? She was a complete and utter idiot!
She pulled out of the parking garage and into near-white-out conditions. God, she wished it were Friday instead of Thursday, then she'd be going home and hibernating for one of her few weekends off! This weather was the worst the area had had in a while, and she was sick of it. Oh well, at least she had Danielle's monthly lunch visit to look forward to tomorrow. And Danielle didn't have to worry about leaving a car in the parking lot just so she'd appear normal!
Cameron didn't consider herself as particularly suicidal, but she had to wonder at her mental condition as she drove at a snails' pace toward her place. The windshield wipers thumped solidly, keeping her focused on what was ahead.
No one seemed to be out on the road, which just proved to Cameron that she was really, really stupid. The radio announcer was saying that the police were encouraging people to stay indoors, and that was just what Cameron intended to do once she arrived at her apartment.
She was tempted to put on her sunglasses, to battle the glare. But that would mean she'd have to root around in her bag for them, and she didn't want to split her attention for a second. It was hard enough dealing with the conditions as it was.
Cameron barely saw the light turning red ahead. She carefully pumped on the brakes, bringing the car to a gentle stop. A snowplow crossed the intersection in front of her, its yellow lights strobing brilliantly in the swirling snow.
As she was waiting for the light to change, she felt an odd presence touch her mind oh-so-gently.
She was tempted to call the other Tomorrow People, to see if one of them were trying to reach her, but it would have to wait. The light changed, and she was driving again, and she still didn't want to get distracted. While speaking telepathically was second nature, it still took some concentration. If it were one of her "family," they would understand why she was ignoring them.
Cameron pulled up to another light. This was taking about three times as long as it usually did, and she was getting stressed out…
The presence touched her again, and this time it was stronger than before.
She didn't recognize it. It wasn't one of her fellow Tomorrow People…or at least not one she'd met. Cameron didn't kid herself that she knew every TP that had ever broken out.
Then she wondered if it was someone breaking out, coming into their powers and reaching out to whoever was close. Damn, and it had to happen in the middle of a snowstorm!
Cameron was just about to call to John and tell him what was going on, when the light changed to green. Almost as if on cue, the telepathic presence gained in intensity again, and she had to stifle a cry at the sudden throbbing it caused. It was like getting a migraine.
There was no choice, she had to pull over and try to find whoever it was trying to contact her. She spotted an empty parking lot to just in front of her, and carefully maneuvered her car into it. Cameron braked gently, not caring how the car came to a halt. There wasn't anyone around to complain.
She settled back into her seat, opening her mind to the presence. Before she had a chance to try to call out to it, it came at her with an intensity that stole her breath and made her want to scream. This wasn't a break-out; this was something completely different.
This was alien.
It attacked her, making it impossible for Cameron to respond in any way. Her thoughts scattered, and she was unable to pull back enough concentration to call for help. All she could do was sit there, and let whoever it was plunge itself deeply into her consciousness like a knife into melting butter.
She was completely helpless under the onslaught.
There was only one thing she could do. Cameron pulled herself deep into her own mind, hoping to escape the punishment she was receiving. The presence seemed to feel her retreat, and followed, not letting her escape.
She screamed, but whether it was physical or mental she couldn't have said. The pain was so bad it blocked out everything except the agony itself.
She couldn't see, couldn't hear…couldn't respond in any way.
And Allison Cameron felt herself dying.