Opportunities Lost
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A/N: Found this on my computer during a study break! Did a little editing to make it presentable, and I thought it would be a nice surprise since I had promised nothing until summertime. :) It's not my best work, but I hope it's good enough in the interim!
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Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.
Abstract: For just one second they let themselves think "What if?" before pushing the thought away again. House/Cameron. Early season 6.
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"You've been avoiding me," House stated as he cornered Cameron in the hallway.
She snorted. "Does everything have to be about you?" Hands on her hips. Head tilted.
"Only when it's you I'm talking about," House snarked back. "I think you just can't deal with your feelings for me," he finished smugly.
She gave him a look. "I've been over you for years, House. You're the one who keeps hanging on to this."
"Allison!" called another voice. She turned.
Chase came up and greeted her with a kiss. "We can finish this conversation later, House," she said, almost dismissively.
The pair walked side by side out of sight. House stared after them until they were long gone.
She had looked almost—happy.
House knew that the conversation wouldn't be finished.
She had indeed moved on. Chase was her age, he was good looking, he could even be nice. Chase was everything that he wasn't.
That conversation would always be left unfinished.
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"You've changed, House. I'm happy for you," Cuddy said with a pat on his arm.
House nodded. "Would you like to go get dinner tonight?" he asked. His insides twisted. This is right, he told himself. This is how things should be.
She said yes.
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He felt strange, awkward during dinner, but Lisa had looked so happy. She's very attractive, he reminded himself.
"Let's do this again sometime," she said. He nodded yes.
How things are supposed to be, he thought.
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"You know I love you, right?" Chase asked his wife.
"I love you too, Robert," she responded, her back to him, facing the wall in the dark. I wanted this, she reminded herself. I'm happy.
And yet, her mind kept returning to a certain blue-eyed misanthrope.
She wondered for a moment if he was thinking of her at the same moment. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she pushed it away. He didn't love her. She was with someone else.
This is how things are supposed to be.
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Across town a blue-eyed misanthrope was thinking the same thing as he looked into the matching eyes of a petite yet voluptuous hospital administrator in his bed. Too old. Too cynical.
But this is how things are supposed to be.
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