Prologue:
This story takes place three years after Cameron leaves Princeton Plainsboro because of Chase and House's involvement in killing Dibala. It's an AU story, somewhat, House doesn't limp or need his cane anymore. Cuddy has married Lucas, Foreman and Thirteen are still dating off and on and Taub and his wife have divorced because of his commitment to his career over his marriage. Chase and Cameron were also divorced soon after her leaving the hospital.
Chapter One
Dr. Allison Cameron's parents use to tell her, "when you're young, one hour can change everything." That was their version of a sex talk. Of course, at the time she didn't take it to heart and it wasn't until she got older and looked back at significant moments in her life when those words started ringing true. Also when she looked back at a few of those significant moments she also noticed that in the aftermath, she always made a big change in her life, usually by moving and starting over. After she broke her wrist in a dirt biking accident and was brought to a hospital she found a new respect for doctors and spent every moment of her teenage years working towards getting into med school. After she found out that her fiance was terminally ill, she decided to marry him anyways and upon his death she got a new job and moved. After learning that Chase killed Dibala and House stood by and watched, she divorced him and traveled to less privileged countries to provide medical help with a group of her new colleagues. She realized her parents were right, though she still wasn't completely sure how that quote explained the 'birds and the bees', over the years she'd found her own meanings for it, ones she thought were much better.
It had been a little over three years since the last time Dr. Cameron had been to Princeton Plainsboro and in her opinion it was three years too soon. It figured that the people who founded the organization in which she'd been a part of were also big investors at PPTH. They'd been expanding to other prominent hospitals, such as the one she currently worked at in Boston. Of course since Cameron excelled in anything having to do with niceness, she and a few other colleagues were being awarded in a ceremony that was being held at a hotel conference room not far from PPTH. She wasn't going to visit her former work place until she'd received an email from Dr. Lisa Cuddy congratulating her on her success and telling her to stop in while she was in town. She felt she had no choice but to visit her former colleagues because truthfully she did want to see Cuddy, Wilson and Foreman. They had always treated her with respect and with kindness in her six years there.
It was nearly 9am on the dot when Cameron walked through the glass doors at PPTH. She hoped that by going to the hospital early that she would be able to miss Chase and House, both of whom weren't expected at work until 10 or 11am. She took the all too familiar route to the administration office where she saw Cuddy sipping her morning coffee and typing on her computer. Cameron lightly knocked and Cuddy waved her in without even looking over.
"Is this a bad time?" Cameron asked politely.
"Oh my goodness! I didn't even recognize you!" Cuddy shouted as she got up from her desk and walked around to hug Cameron. "Sorry, no it's not a bad time. I was just reading the newspaper online."
Neither one of them had changed much. Cuddy finally had invested in motherly type clothing, a step up from her low cut tops. She would blame her wardrobe change on her daughter, Rachael who was learning body parts and took a page out of House's book and would point and say, 'boobs', whenever Cuddy would lean over. Cameron's blonde hair had grown out quite a bit, landing a little more than half way down her back. It was straight, but not neat like she used to keep it.
"How are you?" Cuddy asked sitting back down and inviting Cameron to do the same.
"I've been good. Just traveling a lot. As fun as it is going to all those different countries and learning about the culture and helping sick kids, sometimes it just got to be too much."
"I can imagine," Cuddy said shaking her head.
"Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it. I just couldn't imagine living in a place where sickness and death is all you see everyday. I feel almost spoiled by being able to come home and sit on the couch with a glass of wine and watch TV," she said truthfully.
"Well your heart has always been in the right place. I read up on you! The heads of the organization post write ups on the website to let others know how you doctors are doing over there. It sounds like you deserve this award you're getting, which by the way Wilson and I will be there to support you."
"That's so thoughtful of you. It'd be kind of nice to have a familiar face there. Honestly, I haven't really bonded with anyone that I work with now. Back in Boston, everything is so work related. It's the polar opposite of this place!" Cameron joked.
"I didn't know such places existed!" Cuddy laughed.
"You know, if you don't mind, I'd like to run upstairs and say hi to Foreman and Wilson before you know who shows up to work," she said politely, getting up.
"Chase or House?" she questioned.
"Both," she smiled sadly.
"Can you give this to Wilson for me please. I was going to take a trip up there myself but since you're heading that way I could probably go lend a hand in the clinic," she handed Cameron a manilla folder.
"Sure thing."
The two ladies said their goodbyes for now and parted ways. Cameron took the stairs to the fourth floor and nearly immediately started having flashbacks of the last time she was up there. She quickly made her way to the diagnostic conference room and ensured there was no unwanted doctors in there before she opened the door to see Foreman, Thirteen and Taub sitting around the table.
"Cameron!" Foreman nearly shouted and stood up to embrace her. "How are you, what are you doing here?"
"Hi," she said hugging him tightly. "I'm in town receiving an award for charity work."
"Good for you!" he said sitting back down as Thirteen and Taub hugged her next.
"So how's diagnostics?" Cameron asked taking a seat.
"You know, same old games," Thirteen sighed.
"How's, uh. How's Chase?" she hesitated.
"He's changed a lot. He's basically House's right hand man," Foreman said.
"He's House's bitch," Taub added.
Cameron smiled slightly, "That should probably surprise me, huh?"
"You made the right move, Cam," Foreman said gently.
"Yeah," she said under her breath. "How's House?"
"About the same. He went through a stage where he tried to win Cuddy over, but she gave him the slip," Thirteen said happily.
"He was miserable to be around when he found out Stacy and Mark finally got divorced. She tried coming back to him and surprisingly he denied her," Foreman added.
"House said no to Stacy?" Cameron was amazed.
"The only time he even acknowledged us was when we did something wrong and he really let us have it," Taub said.
"Guess I haven't missed anything," she was sighed. "Well it was nice seeing you all. I gotta stop by Wilson's to give him this folder from Cuddy."
"Cameron when is your award ceremony?" Foreman asked standing up with her.
"Saturday night at the Hilton."
"I'll try and come to it, if House doesn't find some odd and pointless reason for me to be here."
"Thanks," she smiled.
When she walked out of the conference room, she was in a good mood. She forgot how Foreman could always make her laugh or say something encouraging when she needed it. It was because of her reminiscing in her head that she was oblivious she nearly walked into Chase, who had been trying to fix his loose watch.
"Are you okay?" he asked genuinely as he picked up his watch from the ground.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Cameron responded startled. "Chase?"
He looked up and met her eyes, "Cameron."
"Hi, uh," she hesitated. "How are, uh things?"
"Good, good. They're good," he chuckled nervously.
"That's good," she nodded.
Although his appearance had not changed she could sense a lot else had. His usually easy approachable demeanor had disappeared and left a cold being in its place. She watched as he finally managed to snap his watch back on his wrist. She noticed that he was wearing the watch she'd bought him on his birthday a few months before they got married. It was even inscribed, "Chase, I'll love you always" on the back.
Noticing her staring at the watch Chase became uncomfortable, "I should go."
"Yeah, me too."
She turned to watch Chase disappear into the diagnostic conference room. That was an awkward conversation if she'd ever heard one. She couldn't believe that she had once been married to him and now it was like they were strangers. She was partially happy that she didn't know the new Chase, because from what she could tell, she didn't like him all that much.
"Widowed at 21 and divorced at 30. Quite the marital achievement you've got going on. I heard third time's a charm," she heard someone behind her say in a cold manner.
"Two notches on my bedpost more than you'll ever have," she quipped without thinking.
She turned around slowly and came face to face with the brightest pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen. The same blue eyes had haunted her dreams quite a few times. They were the same blue eyes looking at her when she professed her love before running away to Boston. She hadn't seen them since. She looked at his right hand and there was the absence of his cane. He walked toward her to confirm he could walk without a limp and stopped within arms distance.
"You look taller than I remember," she said softly,
"The cane took away from my tall appearance," he said as he gave her the once over. "Cameron," he added just wanting to say her name.
Wearing his blue jeans and blue button up, Cameron could recall many occasions she saw him wear this very outfit. With his salary she imagined he'd be able to afford more than five shirts. He had his backpack thrown around his shoulder, bed hair and all.
"Congrats on being a charity case," he broke the silence.
"Congrats on having the same fellows for over three years. Thought you'd have driven them to the brink of insanity by now," she countered.
"Hey," he chuckled. "We're one, big happy family here! I've got all my original ducklings back. Well minus the prettiest duckling which ran off aka you and minus the confused one that committed suicide."
"Add the chick that's bi and the philanderer that didn't show up until three years after the 'original' ducklings had and yes, you've got all them back."
House couldn't help but smile. His Cameron had grown up. The last time he had seen her she said she didn't want to become like him, well maybe he had rubbed off on her a little and she didn't even realize it. He stared at her, stared through her. Was she really standing before him after all this time? He didn't believe in the quote, "if you love something set it free, if it comes back it's yours to keep," but now it had him thinking. She was back, well not back, but she was here. That was enough for him. For now.
"How's Boston?" he asked trying to bait her into admitting she wanted back in.
"How did you know I was in Boston?" she lifted an eyebrow suspiciously.
After she'd left, he'd done his research. It took him a few months but House being who he is made a few phone calls and found out where she was working. Cuddy and Wilson knew but were withholding the information from him so he couldn't bug her anymore.
"Wilson-" he said quickly.
"Did somebody say my name?" Wilson asked cheerily walking up behind House.
Cameron smiled big and walked past House to give Wilson a hug, "Wilson! Hi, I was just on my way to see you. Cuddy wanted me to give you this."
"Oh thanks, I've been waiting for this to get here," he said knowing exactly what its contents were.
"So you're coming on Saturday, Cuddy said?"
"Of course! I wouldn't miss it."
"Well, I should be going. I need to go unpack at the hotel and run a few errands."
Wilson gave Cameron another hug, "how about I take you out to dinner tonight to celebrate?"
"Sure, that sounds great!" she said excitedly.
"Which hotel are you at?"
"The Hilton by Liberty street."
"Alright, say around, 7:30ish?"
"Sure."
For a moment there was an awkward silence when they realized House was still standing behind them watching their exchanges. In his mind, he was already plotting ways to get himself invited to the dinner and if he didn't get an invite he'd still crash.
"Bye, House," she said and he merely nodded.
Authors Note: I realize I should probably finish my other fan fiction before starting a new one, but you guys know how it is when you get an idea and you need to write it down before you forget. This one has a much different vibe than my other. Let me know what you think (: