A/N: Hello! :D This is the first chapter of a two-part House fic called Not Your Stereotypical Gal, featuring our two favorite female doctors, Cameron and Thirteen.
However, this isn't your typical Camteen fic. :) I read an interview with the actress who plays Thirteen (Olivia Wilde) in which she mentioned that she hates it when people pigeonhole Thirteen as the "sexy, gay doctor," and it made me wonder how Thirteen felt about that.
Please read and review, and also be sure to check out my other House fics, ranging from Camteen to Chameron to both to purely Chase-centric. :D I'm always happy to spread my love of the fandom.
Thanks to the lovely Latsin for being a great beta (although I didn't run this story by her, so blame me for any mistakes, not her!), and I do not own House or any of its characters. :3
Not Your Stereotypical Gal
"House!"
House didn't look away from the graceful arc he was creating as he slowly twirled his cane around his fingers. "Busy! Leave a message!" he called back, hoping against hope that the person would leave him alone. Unless it was…
The door leading to the diagnostic room slammed open with a crack that made House flinch; he glanced up to make sure the carpet wasn't littered with broken glass.
"You could have just knocked – you didn't have to be so pushy," House remarked light-heartedly, gazing into the eyes of a very angry Remy Hadley. He was in luck.
"What are you getting out of this?" she managed to hiss. House watched her in interest; he wondered if she would turn colors if she got even angrier. He knew her eyes couldn't get any sharper.
"You're going to have to specify." House shrugged. "I've been a busy man."
Thirteen had just opened her mouth to speak again when the other door to his office leaped open with a slam even louder than the first.
House started. "Geez Louise, what is it with--" he trailed off as Dr. Allison Cameron stormed into the room and drew to a halt a few feet in front of his desk, her arms crossed.
"What are you trying to do?" she demanded, exasperated. Her dark eyes were flitting around the room restlessly. When they reached Thirteen, the two doctors locked gazes and looked away awkwardly. A furious blush was spreading on Cameron's cheekbones, and Thirteen looked like she wanted to melt into the floor.
House leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands on the top of his cane. "Don't mind me, you two – I'll just look away and pretend I'm not here." He raised his gaze to the ceiling and began whistling absently.
"Dr. Hadley," Cameron managed stiffly. House could imagine that both of them were blushing now; he snuck a peek to see that he was right.
Thirteen managed a nod in Cameron's direction before swinging her gaze back to House. The cranky diagnostician felt something within him falter as he saw the discomfort in his young fellow's expression.
Neither of the women said anything, and after a few moments House guessed they were waiting for him to answer. "Which question would you like for me to answer first?"
He was rewarded with another second of painful eye contact between Cameron and Thirteen before they both looked back at him. "What are you trying to do?" Cameron repeated, uncrossing her arms and putting her hands on her hips.
"Like I told your young compatriot here, you're going to have to be more specific." House shrugged his shoulders again, swinging his gaze between the two women. The silence was deafening in the room; House felt like his hair should be standing on end from the tension.
"I'll…I'll be back," Cameron managed before pivoting on her heel and stalking from the room. House watched her absently through the glass walls as she broke into a run.
Thirteen cleared her throat gently, and House glanced over in surprise to see tears beginning to sparkle on the edges of Thirteen's dark eyelashes. "Why are you doing this?"
"Why am I…" House trailed off, indicating with a hand gesture that she should continue.
"Are you trying to make me quit? I could – I should file a complaint for sexual harassment," Thirteen's voice gained strength with her threat, though her body language was vulnerable.
"Mmm, still not ringing a bell."
Thirteen fumed in silence for a moment before blurting out, "Just because I'm bisexual doesn't mean that I jump every single woman I come in contact with."
House had opened his mouth to reply when Thirteen whirled and left the room, pacing through the diagnostic room and out into the hallway. House watched her until she turned the corner and moved out of his sight.
Couldn't have been more exciting if I'd scripted it myself, he thought absently, allowing the tiniest fragment of a smile to creep onto his face as he resumed his baton-twirling practice. Though it did get a little repetitive at times.
---
Dr. James Wilson looked up from the open file on his desk as a gentle knock echoed off his door. "It's open," he called, and was pleasantly surprised when Allison Cameron entered his office.
"Hi, Cameron," he greeted her.
She gave him a half-smile in return. "Could I get you to drop by the ER? I need a consult."
"Of course, any time," Wilson replied, though his thoughts were more focused on her. Something was wrong. She never dropped by without saying hello or making some sort of small talk. Today she had just slammed in, a fake smile plastered to her face. "Is everything okay?" he ventured.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Her words bit at him, and her eyes flared with the Cameron temper that only sprang up when there was trouble. Wilson watched her patiently, rolling up the sleeves of his polo and crossing his arms on his desk in front of him.
Cameron sighed, and her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Wilson – today's just been…"
"A mess?" Wilson offered, smiling good-naturedly. When Cameron flicked her eyes up to meet his, he was shocked to see tears.
"Hey, Allison--" Wilson pulled himself out of his chair and skirted his desk, slowly approaching the blonde doctor.
Cameron had flinched at the use of her first name, but as Wilson wrapped his arms gently around her she all but melted into the embrace. "Don't tell me you haven't heard?" she mumbled against his shoulder.
"Heard what?" Wilson replied absently.
"House."
He felt the vibrations of her reply. "He must have done something awful, to have you this upset," Wilson mused quietly. "Or to have you upset at all, for that matter."
Cameron couldn't keep the tears from leaking out of her eyes. It was something about Wilson, she had decided. He had this air about him that made it okay to cry. With Wilson, it was okay not to be strong, at least for a little while. That was probably why he'd been married three times…and why he had a tendency towards infidelity.
"It's Thirteen," she finally managed, turning so that her face was free but her head still lay near Wilson's collarbone. "House…started this rumor that we're together. Dating."
"Just a rumor?" The question leapt from his lips before Wilson comprehended what he was saying, and he felt Cameron stiffen ever so slightly against him.
"He's being House," she countered a little defensively. "Mentioning it to doctors in the elevator. Commenting to patients during clinic duty. Photoshopping images of us together. Planting fake diary entries."
"Diary entries?" A note of skepticism had crept into Wilson's tone.
Cameron shrugged against him. "That's how people know that he's behind it. But he still planted the idea. Thirteen's bisexual, I'm attractive…I don't know, Wilson. I'm getting weird looks, and a lot of the ER staff members been giving me lip about it. Even Chase has been a little colder towards me."
"Are you sure you're not seeing zebras where there are none?" Wilson asked gently. "No one could really believe that you two are going out, especially since you're dating Chase."
"Engaged," Cameron replied automatically before pulling away. "And Wilson, look me in the eyes and tell me you've never thought for a moment that Thirteen and I could be involved."
Wilson tried, but he couldn't hold her gaze.
Cameron sighed, roughly dashing away the tears that had collected under her eyes. "I've got to go. The ER's full."
"As always," Wilson glanced up and managed to flick her a smile. "I'll come by as soon as I finish this paperwork." He gestured to the abandoned file.
"Thank you," Cameron replied, and Wilson knew she was referring to more than just the consult.
He stopped her with her name as she opened the door again. "Cameron? Take care, okay? Don't let House get to you."
"Thanks, Wilson," Cameron's smile reached her eyes this time. "I'll try."
Thanks for reading! (: Reviews are very much loved and will be honored.