This is Part One of a continuation to the piece I wrote about a year ago based on A Merry Little Christmas. I had never planned on doing a sequal but several people at LJ asked so I decided, why not? This will be their Christmas (or Hanukkah or other holiday present).
With Christmas and my birthday coming up I am holding out hope I may get the House gang as a present. Who knows? But as of now, they aren't mine.
The next day at Princeton-Plainsboro House was back at work, albeit an two and a half hours late; not that, that was anything unusual. The real surprise was for House. He found Cameron sitting in his office sorting his mail as if nothing had happened the night before. He knew the sun would continue to rise and the birds would continue to sing, but he figured their liaison would have a lingering effect on Cameron.
So she is going to play this as though nothing unusual happened between us. No problem. I can do that. I think.
"Good morning Dr. House. I am almost through sorting your mail. I already responded to all your pertinent email."
"You know, you really could add secretarial skills to your resume."
"I am a doctor who also plays secretary. I really don't think I want advertise that."
I'd never get any respect that way. Hey, this going about business as usual thing is easier than I thought it would be.
"Come on Dr. Cameron, you can finish answering my mail later. We have a case."
House and Cameron walked in the conference room where Chase and Forman were waiting for them, drinking the coffee that Cameron had made earlier.
"Good morning people. Well it's not a good morning, but that is what civilized people say, and we do try to be civilized here in the hospital right? Anyways, we have a case. A woman in her late twenties, she seems to be suffering from denial."
"What do you mean? Like she is in denial that she is dying from a terminal illness? Shouldn't she be seeing a psychologist? We treat the physically ill, not those in need of therapy." Forman had no idea why House would bring this case to him and the rest of the team.
"Actually, I mean that she is in denial of the effects that a sexual encounter with her boss will have on her life."
"Oh, so you just want to be a miserable son of a bitch and interfere in some woman's life here at the hospital," chimed in Chase, not realizing that the woman involved was another fellow.
Neither Chase nor Forman had looked at Cameron to see her reaction yet, or they would have seen a look of horror cross her face first, then it become obvious that she was positively livid. Her blue-green eyes turned a steely blue and narrowed and her lips set in thin lines. She grew deathly quiet, not trusting herself to say anything that wouldn't incriminate herself, though when she didn't speak up Forman and Chase finally looked at her quizzically and know right away what had transpired between Cameron and their boss.
"You slept with House?!?" exclaimed Chase.
"What the hell were you thinking?!?" asked Forman at the same time.
"Cameron was taking advantage of me. I was going through withdrawal."
"I was asking Cameron," said Forman.
"Sure, of course the woman is sweet, pure and innocent," countered House.
"Cameron is sweet, pure, and innocent. Well, mostly," Chase stood up for Cameron.
"She slept with you when she was high!" House couldn't resist pointing that fact out.
"I am never going to live that down, will I?" questioned Cameron.
"No," answered House simply.
"You are a bastard House. I don't know how I could have thought otherwise."
Cameron had gone from furious to emotion so much stronger than hurt that she didn't have a word to describe it. She just knew she had an aching feeling in her heart. Not a dull ache either, but a stabbing, throbbing ache. The kind you get when you have been betrayed by someone you had faith in. Not the simple faith, like where you can tell your hopes to. But deep faith, the kind where you risk giving the other person your heart.
Soon she couldn't take being in the same room with the three men, with House having had humiliated her, and Chase and Forman having witnessed it. She went running for the ladies room.
Back in the conference room House was feeling a little guilty, though he would never admit it. He just didn't know how to handle working with Cameron after the previous evening, so he did what he did best. Be sarcastic, snarky, and without grace. They were his calling cards, he didn't know anything else.
"That was cruel House, even for you;" Forman commented, "you know she is in love with you."
"That is exactly why I did what I did. I can't have her thinking there is any potential for a relationship."
"Then why did you sleep with her?" questioned Chase.
"Why did you?" asked House.
"Have you looked at her lately?"
"So you can have meaningless sex with her, but I can't?"
"With me she knew it was meaningless, she loves you! Do I need to record that particular phrase and put it on playback for you?"
"No. I think I get it."
"Good. Now go apologize." Chase finished off this conversation.
