Chapter 1
Dr. Allison Cameron pulled her shirt back down after examining two new bruises that had formed on her abdomen. She returned to the conference room as House was going on about new symptoms that had shown up with their recent patient. He glanced at her as she sat down, then told her to stay after Chase and Foreman left to do more tests.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked.
"What?"
"You were in pain when you sat down, you really need to learn to control your facial expressions."
"I'm fine, just a bruise, nothing major," she said getting up to leave. He grabbed her arm preventing her to leave.
"House, I'm fine. Just drop it," she said tearing her arm away from his grasp. She went to her work and they ended up diagnosing the patient before the day was up. She still ended up doing all the paperwork as House had told her. He kept a close eye on her throughout the entire process. He noticed she looked tired. He noticed about how she had moved her arms, he had a feeling they were bruised as well. He noticed she looked thinner. Instead of mentioning any of this he brought up her breasts. Her face reddened, a color of mixture of anger and fear at the comment.
"You don't look pregnant," he said.
"That's because I'm not!" she said furiously then stormed out. Upon arriving home Cameron went to the restroom and grabbed a half empty bottle of pills. She took one and went to sleep. Instead of leaving the bottle at home she planned to stash it in her purse the following morning. She knew though that she had to be careful around House. She opened the pill bottle and filled her water bottle.
She dropped the bottle the contents spilling onto the floor and clutched the counter for support. The pain had become too much and the dizziness wasn't helping either. She reached for the pill bottle, knowing not to swallow the pill dry, and ended tipping it over. The next thing she heard was Chase's voice.
House noticed Cameron's empty seat that morning when he arrived.
"Where's Cameron?" he asked.
"She's late, House she's allowed to be late just once. You are," Foreman said, "All the time."
"I'm not Cameron. I have no use of you so far today, you can leave. Chase head to Cameron's apartment in ten minutes if she's not here." Chase, per House's orders, ended up going to Cameron's. When she didn't answer he used the key House had given to him.
"Cameron are you-," but he didn't finish his question seeing her passed out on her kitchen floor. There was a pool of water around her and several pills not far from where she lied.
"Cameron? Cameron, I need you to wake up," he said, "Allison." Here eyes fluttered open and she looked up into Chase's eyes. He smiled, slightly relieved.
"What happened?"
"Slipped," she lied getting up with Chase's help. He kept his arm around her, refusing to let her back away and pass out again.
"Sure you did," he said, "You are going to the hospital and not to work."
"I'm fine Chase, really-," but she started to stumble as they were headed toward the front door. In one swift movement Chase picked up Cameron, like a bride and left the apartment. Normally Cameron would have argued, but she didn't have the energy and this worried her colleague. He buckled her into the passenger's seat and sped off to their place of work. He dialed House and was surprised he answered.
"I have to answer the phone because Cameron isn't here. Are you on your way?" he was irritated, "Does she have a hangover? Or did she just not want to come in today?"
"Get a bed open, we have a new case," Chase said snapping his phone shut.
"I'm fine," Cameron said attempting to argue, "I don't need to be checked in."
"I found you passed out on your kitchen floor, like hell you're fine," Chase said as they arrived in the hospital parking lot. He parked in front of the entrance and opened the passenger door only to step back as Cameron emptied the contents of her stomach. She rested her head in her hands as Chase gently picked her and realized she was clutching to his shirt. He shooed away the wheelchair that a nurse had brought out. He was greeted by Cuddy and House when he entered.
"She has a fever, I don't know how high," Chase said, "Where's the room you have set up?" Thirty minutes later Cameron was hooked up to a heart monitor, oxygen, and her blood had been taken.
"I can breathe fine," Cameron said pulling at the tube going across her face. She was sitting up, refusing any help. Cuddy had gone to her office displeased with the fellow and to look up what she could find on Dr. Allison Cameron's medical history.
"Fine, you don't want our help," House said, "Perfectly fine, Chase, Foreman let's go." Cameron was relieved to be left alone but it only lasted for a moment. House had sent Chase and Foreman to analyze her blood and to go to Cameron's apartment. He returned to Cameron's room, she was sitting up. He stood next to her bed looking at her. He didn't know what she had or how sick she was. Not long ago she had been fairly motionless; numb. Now she was responsive, the Cameron House knew.
"How long have you been sick?" he asked.
"I didn't think you cared about a patient's history," Cameron said.
"That's normally your job but since you can't be a doctor on your own case, someone has to do it. So, where are your bruises since you refuse to let us examine you." She clutched the blanket that she was under then turned to her side, away from him. House then grabbed her arms and shifted her onto her back.
"House, House let me-," she stopped struggling and squeezed her eyes shut going limp. He let her go and her arms flew to her abdomen. Her heart beat increased and House lowered the bed. She started to tell him to go away, but it came out quick, in short breaths. He gave her 5mg of Ativan, not sure what was wrong. The pain seemed to soon subside and Cameron refused to look at House. She felt fear and shame and her position right now. She wasn't a doctor in this moment but a weak, dying patient. The Ativan hadn't helped the pain, it just numbed her unlike what her prescription would have done. She knew House had sent Chase and Foreman to her apartment. How Chase had gotten in she didn't know. She knew they'd find her drugs. They'd find them in her system, and other 'symptoms' in her blood. He spoke her name but his voice was distant as she was consumed by her thoughts.
"Just go," she said tears forming in her eyes. He moved the oxygen tub up to her nose which she had moved around her neck. Then she heard the familiar tap of his cane as he left her room before she let out soft sobs.
A/N: This is my first go at writing a House M.D. Fanfic. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. Please review if you'd like more. Thanks. -K
