Dark Blue

10-25-08 AN: Hi! I realized that everything was really short and bare, so I've redone it. Enjoy!

-Life's too short to regret. Sure, you wonder what the hell you did to deserve it, but at the end of the day it happened. You move on. You'll end up stronger for surviving.-

Allison Cameron -now Chase- was just finishing putting away her dinner dishes. Her husband, Robert, hadn't made it home. It was the tenth night he had missed supper.

He is the head of intensive care… She thought to herself, putting the last plate into the dishwasher. Now finished, she went to the living room and curled up on the plush couch, pulling her old patchwork quilt snugly around her. Snow was falling lightly, gently brushing the street-lamp lit town. After fumbling around for the remote for a bit, she clicked on the TV and saw a monster truck rally was on.

That brought back a flood of memories.

--

It was her second-to-last day working under Gregory House. Her fellowship had finally run out. Four years working for him, and she was finally done – finally free. Allison didn't know if she liked that or not.

She threw the last "Thank you!" letter addressed to her boss in the garbage before standing up to get another cup of coffee, noticing the soft thumping of House's cane in the hallway. She turned around as she heard the familiar wheeze of the door.

"Do you want me to stay?" She looked him straight in the eye. It was a hard question for her – she didn't know what she would actually do if he said yes. She loved Robert, right? But House was House…

"What?" He hadn't been really paying attention; he was too annoyed about having to find a new fellow. The last one had just pissed himself.

"Do you want me to stay?" Allison repeated, tucking her hair behind her ear. Be strong.

"No." It killed him to say it, but she couldn't work under him forever. He would miss her, hell, he'd miss her a lot, but she needed to advance in her career.

"Okay." She turned back to the coffee machine, wiping away the solitary tear running down her face. She wouldn't let him see her cry. Not now.

She changed the channel, trying to forget those memories. The next show was CSI, and that too brought back a lot of memories.

--

He was supposed to get the week off. It was their wedding week. Next month they would take the full honeymoon. Today was the day after the wedding, and he was working. "It's important, Allie. I'm sorry." She had woken up to an empty bed and a note on his pillow. Sighing, Allison had gone into the living room, and watched a marathon of CSI, as that was the only remotely interesting show on. He had come back late that night, too tired to do anything more than take off his shoes and collapse on the bed. They never went on their honeymoon.

Allison sighed, hugging the blanket closer. There was nothing on TV. There hadn't been anything big as her job as the head of immunology at Trinity Medical lately. She had spent most nights just sitting at home and watching TV. She often wondered why she married Robert. She didn't love him, not like he deserved. She still loved House, but denied it every chance she got. In her head she knew it, she had learned to live with it. She did love Robert, though. That's what she always told herself. I love him, he loves me, and House didn't give a crap about either of us. We're a perfect couple, when we're able to even talk to each other. She looked at the rather large diamond ring on her finger. Why did I ever do this?

Throw, hit, catch. Throw, hit, catch. Throw, hit, catch.

House was sitting in his office, throwing his giant red and gray tennis ball against the wall. There hadn't been any cases that were interesting lately. He had succeeded in hiring his new fellows, though he didn't like most of them. Usually he didn't stay past seven, but there was more going on here than back at his quiet apartment.

He kept wondering what had ever possessed him to tell her no. Sure, she couldn't work for him forever, but he had no idea that saying no would result in her marrying Chase. If he'd known that, hell, he would have forced her to stay. House caught his ball as someone knocked on his door.

"House, why are you still here?" Wilson asked, pushing the glass door open.

"Well, hello to you too, Jimmy boy. And how are you feeling on this delightfully dark night?"

Wilson sighed at his friend's usual retort. "House…"

"I missed her birthday party. Big deal. She's your girlfriend." House knew he was beating around the bush. He didn't really care.

"That's not it. You miss her."

"Cuddy? Like that would ever happen. Though, with an ass like that-"

"House! Would you just act mature for once?" Wilson took a deep breath. "Cameron. You miss her. But sitting here and moping isn't going to make it any better. She's not coming back."

"Well, duh. But my stripper will be here in just a bit so if you'd…" House spun his chair around, like a small child.

"House, you need to get out of here! You have hardly left this room in seven months!" House winced at the fact that she had been gone for seven months, with no contact. Sure, there had been a wedding invite arrive at his door, but that was it.

"Haven't had a reason."

"Well now you do." Wilson threw a piece of paper on House's desk before leaving the room, slamming the door behind him. House took two pills before looking down at the paper.

Gregory House,

You are cordially invited to a private banquet at the Radisson home. I, Dr. Peter Radisson, and my wife, Melanie Radisson will be hosting. It will be a night filled with dancing, delicious food, a live performance, and of course, medical talk.

You are the best of the best, and that is why you have been invited. Please join us on Thursday, December 16, at our home on Twenty-Ninth and Fortieth at seven p.m.

Sincerely,

Peter Radisson

House blinked a couple of times. He knew he was the best, but he never expected this. Peter Radisson was possibly the richest doctor on the East Coast. He rarely had parties, but when he did, everyone who was anyone was there. House didn't know if he should go or not. If Cuddy got word of this, he'd have to go. Suddenly he wondered why Wilson had received the letter first. Maybe Wilson was invited, too, and they decided to save a stamp. For some strange reason, he wanted to go.