Title: Pretty Damaged Little Girl

Pairing: Cuddy/Cameron, Cuddy/Thirteen

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own House MD or the characters.

Spoilers: Parts of Season 4 though sadly, not a lot.

Summary: One parter. Cameron plays detective and comes to a realisation.

All it had taken was one look. One look and she knew. If she hadn't been searching then she would have missed it completely, but as it was, there had been something not quite right in the past few weeks. Therefore, using the necessary skills, she watched, waited. House had trained her well, though she would never have admitted this to him. Owning up to the fact he had taught her something that was actually of value would only serve to increase his ego; an ego which was already the size of Princeton itself.

It was in that moment that Cameron realised exactly what the problem was. Her supposed love for House was not hindered by his inability to reveal his feelings for her; that wasn't the problem. No, the problem was her. She mind fucked people, knowing that she could get away with it, knowing that ultimately, her looks would get her what she wanted. All it took was one pout at the convenient time, a smile when sulking was inappropriate, and she got what she wanted. At least, from everyone but House. Nevertheless, that didn't change the bare fact of the matter.

She was just a pretty damaged little girl.

It worked, just as it always had. For a while at least. Until Chase got sick of being played, being used. It would have been so easy for Cameron to tell him the truth that day, to admit that she had never slept with House; but she didn't. She acted as if it was because she was morally outraged by him even asking her that. In reality, she took pleasure in knowing that the thought of House with her, holding her, inside of her, drove Chase crazy. Which it did. It made him so insane in fact, that he got fed up. Quit being her lapdog.

So, she moved on, turned to yet another body, someone to substitute for House. It had taken her a while to decide who would best fit the role, but the perfect person arose in the form of Cuddy. Everything that House wasn't; she was female, respectable, and ogled by the majority of hospital employees. Taking advantage of the fact that she knew the woman so well (House had passed enough comments about Cuddy's personal life over the years that Cameron was sure she could write the woman's biography) Cameron made her move.

It had been easy really. She waited until Cuddy had a hard day at work, stressed because House had caused pandemonium. He had accidentally released several rats out of their cages, and caused an entire floor to be shut down whilst they were found. Cuddy had spent several hours yelling at him, telling him to find alternative ways of diagnosing his patient, before she stormed off to her office. There, she proceeded to clatter around so much that even her secretary headed home the moment her shift ended, worried that she was going to infuriate her boss further and end up fired.

As Cameron watched the woman hurry away, she sauntered into Cuddy's office, walking through both the doors without knocking. She slammed the main door shut behind her, attracting Cuddy's attention, and within seconds, she had pushed the Dean up against the wall and ferociously kissed her, over and over until she was completely sure that her actions were being reciprocated. With no words spoken between them, Cameron fucked Cuddy there and then, making her gasp aloud, making her come. When she had finished, she smiled sweetly at the older woman, before she left the room, certain that the next time this occurred, she'd get her release.

And she was right. The second time it happened Cuddy returned the favour, and the third, fourth and fifth, until Cameron stopped counting. She hadn't been sure what was happening between them, but she knew that ultimately; it was just sex. At least, it was on her part. She didn't know how Cuddy felt, because she never asked. Hell, they never even spoke. Talking just made everything even more complicated. That was the one thing that Cameron didn't want, and so, everything had continued in that way.

Until now.

Exactly three weeks ago, Cuddy had unofficially ended things between them. She'd done this by walking straight out of her office every time Cameron appeared, avoiding eye contact in the corridor that allowed them to communicate the fact that now was the time to disappear to the locker room. Cuddy hadn't even been on the roof where she would sometimes go to wait for Cameron. All in all, Cameron knew that it was over.

She just didn't know why.

Determined to find out, she had begun to follow Cuddy, look for a sign as to why she was no longer wanted. She wasn't sure why she cared, but she just did. She cared so much in fact, that she even did a House and broke into Cuddy's office, though that too revealed nothing. Cameron came to the conclusion that she must be seeing someone outside of work, though Cameron couldn't imagine when she'd had the time to meet them. After all, she had been the sole occupant of Cuddy's free time until three weeks ago; hadn't she? This meant she had no choice but to resign herself to the fact that she'd just been dumped (of sorts) and she was just considering who next to fuck in place of House when she saw.

It had been the briefest of touches, but one which was far too intimate for a Dean of Medicine and an employee of House's. Thirteen had sauntered up behind Cuddy, and passing her a file, she had lightly brushed her thumb over Cuddy's hand, smiling at her as she did so. For her part, Cuddy had returned the smile, and leant into Thirteen, quickly whispering something into her ear as the younger woman moved away to continue her work. To all others it went unnoticed; to Cameron, it was a stab in the stomach.

Feeling jealousy rise up from within, Cameron threw down her paperwork, and moved in Cuddy's direction, following her into her office. She didn't know what Thirteen possessed that she didn't, and moreover, she was no better looking than her. In fact, Cameron mused, they were easily on a par with each other.

Cameron threw the door shut behind her, making Cuddy jump. The Dean spun around on her heel, sighing when she saw who it was. "Cameron, you scared the life out of me! Next time shut the door quietly," She berated.

"That would kind of defeat the purpose," Cameron snapped. "You know… it being a sign that I'm angry at you!"

"At me?" Cuddy said incredulously. "What have I done?"

Cameron paused, wondering how best to word it. Deciding that minimal was best, she uttered one word. "Thirteen."

Cuddy frowned. "Huh?"

"Don't play dumb, Cuddy. I know you're having sex with her."

Eyes widening in understand; Cuddy took a few seconds to gather her thoughts. Once she did so, she uttered in a low tone, "And what business is it of yours?"

Cameron gave a wry laugh. "Excuse me? Are you actually for real?"

Cuddy remained silent, giving Cameron a death glare; the one she usually reserved for House.

Seeing that Cuddy wasn't going to reply, Cameron exclaimed, "For God's sake Cuddy, the woman is a fucking carbon copy of me!"

Now it was Cuddy's turn to laugh, though hers too was far from friendly. "She is nothing like you."

"Really?" Cameron walked towards Cuddy, her attempt at intimidating her. "Because I could have sworn House employed her to replace me."

"Not everything is about you, Cameron," Cuddy hissed. "That may have been House's reason for employing her but it sure as hell isn't mine for…" her voice trailed off.

"For screwing her?" Cameron suggested nastily.

"No," Cuddy denied. "Because I'm not just screwing her, Cameron. I'm dating her."

Cameron's mouth dropped open at the revelation. "You and her… you're…dating?"

"Yes," Cuddy replied simply.

"Why?" Cameron managed to croak out. This was too much for her to take in.

"Because I realised that meaningless sex isn't my idea of fun," Cuddy informed her. "Because being a substitute for House isn't my idea of fun. Do you need anymore reasons?"

Cameron opened her mouth to speak, when there was a knock at the door, though it opened straight away without Cuddy calling out a reply.

"I just need you to…" Thirteen had entered, and gauging the scene before her, she began to back away. "Sorry, I'll come back later."

"There's no need," Cuddy said warmly, gesturing for her to come into the office properly. "Dr. Cameron was just leaving."

A lump in her throat, Cameron eyes flitted from one woman to the other. She saw the way they looked at each other, the way they maintained a professional façade, yet underneath there was so obviously much more than that. Inside, something clenched, a sharp pain in her stomach, causing her to turn away, to leave the office. She pulled the door behind her, leaving just a crack open, and seeing that Cuddy's secretary wasn't at her desk, she waited, listening.

"What was that all about?" She heard Thirteen say.

"It's not important," Cuddy brushed off the question. "I'll tell you someday, if it ever comes up in conversation."

"Ok," Thirteen accepted it easily. "I just need you to sign these papers. Oh, and to check everything's still on tonight?"

"Sure, hand them here," There was the shuffle of paper which told Cameron that Cuddy was doing what was asked of her. "And do you really need me to answer that second question?"

"No," Thirteen conceded. "But maybe I just want you to."

Cameron heard Cuddy laugh, though it was nothing like the one she had given earlier in the presence of Cameron. It was a happy one; carefree. The laugh of someone falling in love.

Unable to bear listening to anymore of the women's conversation, Cameron hastily walked away, heading in the direction of the ladies' toilet. She felt sick; used. More than ever, at the fact that somewhere alone the way, she'd gotten it all so completely wrong, fallen out of love with House and in love with his substitute. She hadn't even realised it, too intent on playing her game, getting her way. But right then, she understood. She wasn't just a pretty damaged little girl.

She was a stupid, pretty, damaged little girl.