A/N My first House fic. I don't know much about medicine, but hopefully that won't affect the quality of the fic. Set after the 1st Season finale.
Disclaimer: I don't own House.
He was playing with his DS when Wilson walked into his office. House barely looked up, instead choosing to pay more attention to the game he was playing.
"You wouldn't have happened to see Cameron, would you?" he asked.
Wilson looked down, "That's why I'm here."
"What? Is she afraid that big bad Dr. House is going to be mad because she's late?" House scoffed before closing the Gameboy.
"No," Wilson picked House's cane up from his desk, "There was an accident."
House removed the small bottle of pills from his jacket pocket and threw several into his mouth before turning serious, "What happened?"
"She was driving to work when there was a head-on collision with another driver," Wilson handed the cane to House. "The air bag took a lot of the force, but she fell into a coma."
"Is there anything else?" House was half-way to the door when he asked, realizing that she might be in bad shape.
"Broken arm."
"Thanks," He limped out of the office.
"You're going to see her?" Wilson called, "I thought you didn't like anyone." He walked out of the office and stood into the hall, staring at the limping form of Gregory House.
"I don't."
House deduced that Cameron had been moved to the ICU. "Where's Allison Cameron?"
The nurse in charge looked up and pointed to a curtained off area. "She's over there. There was a major accident yesterday, and many of the victims were sent—" But House was already gone, limping as fast as possible towards the curtain.
He pushed it back and saw her on the bed. She'd been intubated in the ER, and he could see the rise and fall of her chest. There was a white cast on her arm, and her hair had fallen around her face. House cautiously brushed the hair out of her eyes before pulling out a permanent marker and scribbling on the cast.
House left as a nurse came in to check her blood pressure and heart rate. He sighed and left for the clinic. Cuddy met him there.
"I'm letting you off for the week," Cuddy looked serious. House looked at her suspiciously, "Have you seen Dr. Cameron?"
"Yes," he answered, "and I'm fine."
"Then, if you're fine, you can work in the clinic—"
"Too late, you already offered," House walked away, whistling. He returned to his office and paced, for once letting worry seep into his sarcastic demeanor.
At first, Cameron had been annoying. She was caring, courteous, and always wanted to see the best in people, which was the complete opposite of him. When she quit after he gave the anti-speech for Vogler, he had been unusually affected. He wouldn't have fought for Foreman, and especially not for Chase. Then, he agreed, without thinking, to her "date". And then, he reverted to his natural asinine state and ruined every chance he had with her, explaining to himself that she deserved better than a damaged, sarcastic, and narcissistic old man.
And now she was in a coma, and she might not wake up again. There was nothing he could do but wait. And wait.
He took a case that week; it gave him something to do while she laid on the hospital bed in the ICU. He didn't visit her again. The ultimate diagnosis was Lymphangiomatosis, a condition in which many tumors or cysts form in the lymphatic system and cause many symptoms, though they are not cancerous. It had made him wish that Cameron was awake even more. He had wished for an immunologist more than once in search for the diagnosis.
Eventually, after a week, he decided that he should see her again and revisited the ICU. She had been moved into a room of her own once the former-trauma cases healed.
She looked the same as she had the week before. House noticed that others had signed the cast. He could see the messy signatures of Wilson, Foreman, and Chase as well as the neat print of both Stacy and Cuddy.
He picked up her hand and clasped it in his own. That's when she moved. He attributed it to a muscle spasm and ignored it.
Then, she opened her eyes.
He turned and noticed her staring at their hands. "Hey," he muttered.
"Hi," she stared at him, "What happened?"
"You were in an accident," he explained, "You've been in a coma for a week, and you broke your arm. You're fine otherwise."
"And why are you holding my hand?" Then, it dawned on her, "You were worried."
"No," he feigned disgust, "Someone needs a conscious. Chase sold his soul to Vogler, and Foreman went to juvie for God's sake."
"So you're holding my hand because I have a conscious?" He had still been holding it, but immediately pulled his hand out of hers.
"No, I was just.." He was speechless for one of the first times in several years. "Forget it. Now get better."
He left the room in a hurry and didn't see her again until she was released. She had stopped by his office on his way out.
"I'm giving you a ride home," he said. "Your car wrecked in the crash. I'm giving you a ride."
"But—"
"Not an option," he stated and walked out of the office, her right behind him.
The ride home was silent. She moved to get out of the case, but he locked the doors. "Are you coming back on Monday?"
"Yes."
"You can't," he answered.
"What? Why?" she stared at him.
"Well, you actually can," she glared at him, "but there is one condition."
"What is it?"
"Dinner," he smirked.
"We went out once before," she replied, "and you know how that ended."
"Didn't you read your cast?" She nodded before he continued, "You're damaged. And I made a mistake."
"A mistake?"
"I just assumed that you deserved better—you do--, but this is one less reason against a relationship," he smiled and leaned over, pressing his lips against her head. "If you want to try. You always did believe in second chances."
"I still do."
A/N I hope that I
kept House in character. Please review! AirDragon717
