Disclaimer: None of the characters etc are mine; I'm just taking them out for an airing during the break between series 1 and 2.

Author's Note: This is my first fan fiction, so comments are definitely welcome. I've decided to edit and republish it after choosing to change the story's outcome. This fiction is set between the end of series 1 and the beginning of series 2. I'm aware that more of Cameron and her husband's back-story has already been told in America, but I'm in the UK where we have only seen five episodes of series 2 and none at the original time of writing, so I apologise for any inconsistencies. Finally I'm a British writer so I'll be using British spellings.

A cold and stony sun shone weakly over the entrance to Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. A ground frost had fallen the night before and the car park still sparkled like silver glitter. Allison Cameron took a moment to appreciate the sight before locking up her Ford, knowing that she wouldn't leave the building until after nightfall.

As she entered the hospital Allison's train of thought was interrupted by someone calling out her name. The tall form of Dr James Wilson crossed her path. She smiled at him, but her friendly gesture quickly changed when she saw his expression. "What is it?" she asked, worriedly noting the patient file he held.

"House's patient, Mr…" Wilson checked the front of the file, "Michael Smith, you know him?"

"I've helped in his treatment if that's what you mean," Wilson's apparent inability to get to the point only increasing Cameron's suspicion.

"Yes, then you'll know House had me check him out for cancer. The results are back. He has bladder cancer."

"Oh," Cameron gulped, "that would explain the blood in his urine, and his pain while urinating. I just always assumed it was kidney stones."

"Even though House had lab tests for that straight away, and they came back negative?" the older doctor struggled to hide the surprise in his voice.

Dr Cameron coughed nervously. "I'm entitled to my medical opinion. Anything could have caused that test to give a false result."

"That's beside the point." Wilson was starting to become annoyed at his colleague's insistence that she had the correct diagnosis, "The patient's tests have come back positive for bladder cancer. He has got bladder cancer." Wilson stressed the latter sentence to get his message across to Cameron, who seamed deaf to his diagnosis. "Even if he also has kidney stones, which I believe to be highly unlikely as by now the patient would be showing much more extreme signs of pain, we need to begin treatment."

"Fine. Why are you telling me this anyway, he's House's patient so tell him," Cameron was quite put out by Wilson's forceful dismissal of her ideas. She fought hard not to demonstrate it, but cracks were already beginning to show.

"I already have. He agrees with the diagnosis, and suggests having the patient transferred to the Oncology Department for further tests to discover what stage the cancer is at. I've organised the transfer for this afternoon, which leaves just one thing left to be done."

"Which is…?" Cameron prompted.

"House wants you to give the news to the patient."

Cameron faltered. She hated doing this. Every time she told a patient that they had cancer, or were going to die, or a patient's family that their son or daughter would never be the same again no matter how hard they tried to deny any change she remembered he own painful experiences through her husband's illness. Eventually she managed to bring herself to question his decision. "Why?" she asked.

"He seemed to think you were the best person for the job," Wilson looked perplexed as to why his friend would have chosen Cameron over himself. After all, cancer was his speciality. Surely the patient would want to discuss their future with someone who knew something about cancer, rather than an immunologist.

"Oh I bet he did," Dr Cameron thought. She knew that House had only made the decision to spite her. Undoubtedly she had done something to annoy him again, or he was just in one of his moods. He knew fully well her reasons for not wanting to give such news to a patient. Not once did it occur to Cameron that House might have made this decision to help her. She never thought that he might have been trying to make her learn to give bad news.

"Look," Wilson's voice was serious, "I understand that you may not want to do this. Cancer isn't exactly your speciality and you may not know much about what he has." Cameron smiled weakly to indicate that this was indeed true. "I have a few minutes before clinic duty. I'll come with you if you go now."

Gracious to have the opportunity to effectively work her way out of giving the bad news Cameron accepted, knowing the Oncologist would want take over from her very quickly so that he could clearly explain the next steps. Once inside the elevator Wilson began to explain the possible treatments to Cameron. She listened attentively, truly believing that she would not be the one passing this information on to the patient.

"If the cancer's still in its early stages it should only take a minor operation to remove, and possibly a short course of medication depending on the tumour. However, if the case is more developed he may need radiotherapy, or, in the worst case scenario, an operation to remove the bladder." Cameron took in a deep breath and Wilson paused.

"I assume he would need a catheter and urine bag afterwards," Wilson nodded in agreement. "So what exactly are the patient's prospects?" Cameron asked carefully, not entirely sure whether she wanted to hear the answer.

"We currently believe the cancer to be in its early stages. Even though bladder cancer is extremely rare in people of his age, things are looking quite good for him at this point. If we are correct, Mr Smith should have about an eighty five percent chance of living over five years."

Cameron didn't quite catch herself smiling in time to hide it from Wilson. He looked at her dead in the eyes. "Please don't stress this point too much. Although the patient needs to remain positive I don't want to give him or his family false hope."

Dr Cameron nodded and looked at the floor. She didn't know whether she could do that. The doors to the elevator slid open and Wilson groaned. "House is at the bottom of the corridor. He'll kill me if I go in there with you. He was adamant that you should do this alone."

Shaken, Cameron slowly stepped out of the elevator and into the Department of Diagnostic Medicine. She turned to face Wilson and saw the certainty etched across his face. "I'm sorry. Remember what I told you," he noticed just how nervous Cameron was. "Look confident, he's watching you. Do you want him to think you can do your job or not?" Wilson's words were slightly harsher than he had intended, but he could not believe that Cameron wasn't used doing this by now.

Overcome with a sudden wave of bravery Alison Cameron took her first steps towards the glass door of the patient's room. She could do this, she knew it. She was aware that she looked bad to Wilson, and she was desperate to be a good doctor. "No more letting my husband stand in the way of my career," she thought.

Another few steps and Cameron was almost at the door. Suddenly, a nurse pushed past with a trolley, momentarily blocking her way. Cameron glanced down, assuming the occupant would be her next patient. When she saw his face she couldn't, wouldn't, believe her eyes. "Oh my God," the words were barely a whisper. Without a second thought she fled down the corridor.

Gob smacked, Wilson turned to Dr House, who was making his way down the corridor towards him. "Why did she do that?" he asked.

An almost smug expression on his face, House replied with his usual cold sarcasm. "Dead husband. Caused her to develop a fear of the terminally ill."