Beta: None this time…so all mistakes are all my own. I wanted to get it posted before the next eppy.
Spoilers: Up to "Saviors" and the promo for "House Divided"…everything else is pure speculation since I have no idea what in the world is going on anymore….
Summary: Engagements are meant to be happy affairs, but when past events are brought up, things have a way of changing.
Disclaimer: Well, if I owned the show, I would have fixed it by now instead of making empty promises to viewers and then acting all confused when I learn that fans don't trust me anymore…So as it stands now, no, don't own it. FOX, David Shore etc. do.
Just a Little Too Real
House had planned this all week. The location had been picked out and the date and time solidified. He had plenty of experience planning such an event, as Wilson had undergone the ritual more times than he could remember. If House had his way, Chase's bachelor's party would be an event he would never forget, whether it be good or bad. Though, if he could help it, it would be bad. Granted, it was also a nice way for House to also spend some time looking at beautiful women without having to pay by the hour and wonder about sexually transmitted diseases.
Tonight was the big night and House enjoyed watching Wilson make a fool of himself, drunk off his ass, and Chase was certainly giving him enough fodder for a youtube video displaying his drunken actions with the strippers. All in all, however, the event was playing out as a traditional bachelor's party, with little action other than the strippers.
When the evening was settling down, all the guys sat around the table, downing the beers House had ordered. He kept his bottle close to him, his eye on the men around him. Foreman's gaze kept shifting from the group to the stage, where Thirteen was keeping herself occupied by enjoying the show, as though he was slightly jealous and aroused at the same time. Why was she here anyway? Aren't bachelor's parties a 'men only' event? House certainly didn't remember inviting her. If anything, she should be with Cameron, having a girl's night out. There was a bachelorette's party, right? He didn't remember hearing anything about it.
"You are one hell of a lucky guy," Wilson spoke up, his voice slurred, pulling House from his thoughts. Wilson raised his hand and clumsily patted Chase on the back. Chase let out a drunken chuckle as the tequila shot he had in his hand, spilt over at the force of Wilson's touch. "Don't screw it up, like I did," Wilson continued, momentarily somber.
"Don't worry, I won't," Chase reassured the oncologist. "Can't believe I almost threw it away," he finished, alluding to his and Cameron's brief split.
"You know," Foreman spoke up, pulling his attention away from his girlfriend. "You hurt her, I hurt you," he threatened, playing the older brother card that he had used before in the past. It didn't matter that she had an older brother of her own. Sometimes, she just brought out a protective side of him that he was unable to hide.
Chase chuckled in response as though he didn't really believe him, but once he noticed Foreman's glare, he quieted. House fought the urge to roll his eyes at the exchange.
Taub raised his glass in show of offering a toast. "I don't know her all that well, but she seems to be an amazing woman."
"Yeah," House interrupted, "She is one amazing woman." He shifted slightly in his chair and took a swig of his beer. "I've always wondered why in the hell she decided to settle with you. God knows you're not good enough for her."
Chase stiffened in his chair as he glared at his former boss. "She's not settling," he replied, heatedly.
"Of course she is," House replied, seemingly oblivious to the disbelief on the others faces as he drunkenly dished out his thoughts. They couldn't believe that he had chosen now, of all times, to say anything. He paused to guzzle the last of his beer before slamming the bottle down on the table. "I'm sure everyone here knows that if I were to play my cards right, I could get her in my bed faster than a hooker with my credit card number." House gave a short derisive laugh as he continued. "It's not like I haven't done it before. It's like riding a bike, right?"
"House," Wilson's suddenly sober voice sounded out, pulling House's attention to him.
House caught Wilson's warning glare and chanced a glance at the rest of the table. Taub kept casting his eyes back and forth between all the men, seemingly finding the conversation to be immensely interesting. Foreman's head was downward, but his eyes were looking at Chase and a small look of guilt crossed his face – had he known? House's eyes finally landed on Chase. Anger and hurt were plain as day on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest, clearly trying to prevent himself from punching House.
"Oops."
The next morning found House brooding in his office, shades drawn, nursing a massive hangover. He really shouldn't have had that last beer. He realized that his comments had crossed the line, but he had been unable to prevent them from leaving his mouth. He lacked tact and a brain-to-mouth filter. Everyone knows this, so, why did everyone looked surprised? Okay, he may have said some things about Cameron and his past that would've been better off unsaid.
He hadn't meant to imply that he thought she was easy. Far from it, in fact. But, as usual, his mouth, coupled with the alcohol, got the better of his judgment.
When he set the party up, however, it had been his goal to sabotage everything. He'd be lying to himself if he said that there wasn't a part of him that wasn't upset at the news of the engagement. He just didn't know how to say it, so instead, he found himself being passive-aggressive about the whole thing. His observant nature told him that Cameron and Chase still had some problems to work out. Chase's reaction to his words suggested that perhaps he was not so secure in the relationship. And yes, he had played on that insecurity intentionally. But perhaps, he had gone a bit far.
Cameron's behavior had also stirred his interest. Why, oh why, did she tell him that she didn't want to marry Chase – he was ignoring the 'yet' – and then, promptly get engaged? It was interesting. He was going to ignore the fact that he was, in fact, surprised and maybe even a little hurt when she told him her feelings.
He needed to apologize to Cameron. He had no doubt that his comments made their way to her via Chase – if not him, then someone else, possibly Foreman. He'd talk to her, play nice and sweep it under the rug. Once his head stopped pounding.
"You son of a bitch!"
So much for getting rid of his headache. Cameron's voice sounded through the office as she slammed the glass door open and stormed in. House involuntarily jumped at her surprise appearance and swiveled around in his chair quickly. Apparently, this talk was going to happen earlier than he wanted.
"That's my name. Don't wear it out." House replied smugly, attempting to pretend that he wasn't startled by her sudden appearance.
Cameron stormed towards him, and if House were being honest with himself, he was slightly intimated. But only slightly. "What gave you the right to tell Chase…and everyone else, about that night?" She all but yelled at him.
House's jaw dropped as he contemplated an answer. He hadn't thought of what to say just yet and the hangover was affecting his thinking. "Uh, I was drunk…" he replied, as though it was the most simple, and most obvious, answer. "I wasn't exactly thinking-"
"You never think things through," Cameron interrupted, not wanting to hear his excuses.
House went on; ignoring her, choosing words that he knew would make her angry. "Besides, he deserved to know."
Cameron scoffed disbelief clear on her face. "You don't give a damn about what Chase deserves or his feelings, or anyone else's for that matter. This is you trying to put yourself where you're not wanted nor needed. It's not all about you, House."
House nodded thoughtfully, pulling himself to his feet. He stepped around his desk and stopped in front her. His eyes bore into hers as he spoke. "Never said that it was. Just thought I'd give you an out, since you are clearly looking for the fastest way out."
"No, you're wrong."
He took another step forward, stopping just inches away. Cameron refused to let his imposing figure intimidate her as she stood her ground, glaring at him. "No, I'm not," he replied, conceitedly. "Hell, you never wanted to marry him in the first place."
She tore her eyes away from him, shaking her head furiously. "That isn't what I –"
Frustrated, House growled as he stepped back and slammed his cane against the leg of his desk. Cameron jumped slightly at the sudden crash, not expecting his reaction. "Oh, just admit it!" House snapped at her. "Stop playing the damn righteous card. You told me you didn't want to marry him. A day later, I hear that you're engaged. Interesting how you run off to him after I tell you that you and Chase are over. After I tell you to stop avoiding him and just dump his ass. Are you trying to prove something to me, or to yourself?"
"I'm not trying to prove anything," Cameron replied, her voice quieter, as though she was attempting to calm him down. His anger had caught her off-guard and she didn't quite know how to react.
"You're an idiot," House completely disregarded her attempt to calm him. Cameron crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to let his words get to him. "You don't really love him. You're just doing this to prove me wrong. Yeah, he might make you happy, but you don't love him. Not really. He doesn't give you what you need, he doesn't challenge you." He moved closer to her, forcing her to look up at him. "You love me."
"Uh…um," Cameron mumbled, his words having caught her by surprise. She struggled for the right words to disagree but nothing came up. Her hesitance to answer gave House more than anything she could have said.
"See." A small smirk formed on his face. "Right again."
House's arrogance caused something to snap in Cameron as she found her voice again. "You're just trying to sabotage everything. Playing games with us, trying to ruin everything."
House took a deep breath. He held her gaze for a few seconds before tearing his eyes away and to the floor. "Did it work?" He hated the hopeful nervousness in his voice and he prayed Cameron didn't hear it.
The change in House's demeanor didn't go unnoticed by Cameron, but she was unsure how to take it, so she pretended not to notice. "We talked it through," she said, hands on her hips, giving her an air of confidence that she didn't quite feel. "I told him the truth. We agreed that what happened in the past doesn't matter anymore. The wedding's still on."
The last four words cut through House. He hated the way his stomach plummeted. This wasn't the way it was supposed to work. He briefly caught her gaze, before nodding. "Well," he drawled. "Don't plan on me showing up."
"I never did," she said with a sense of sadness. She reached forward and ran her hand over the wrinkled lapel of his jacket. "It was a mistake, remember? Isn't that what you said? Just a really good fuck that's cheaper than a hooker." She raised her head to catch his eyes. She knew that he would be able to read the hurt in her eyes, but she didn't care anymore. "I'm not a part of your life anymore, House. You saw to that."
House opened his mouth to speak again, though he had no words. She was not entirely wrong. It had been his fault for everything that happened between them. Sure, they had moved past it, both professionally and personally, but it was always there, lingering in the background. During the last few months of her fellowship, House had changed; he had seemingly done everything in his power to push her, and everyone else, away. And it worked. One by one, he had managed to break the team up and she fled right into Chase's willing and open arms.
Cameron gave him one last glance before turning around and leaving the office. House watched her as she slowly made her way back to the elevator. House took a deep breath, trying to reconcile his feelings to what was happening. No matter how much he thought it over, one thing was clear; he didn't like it.
The wedding came faster than Cameron would have liked. She stood in the dressing room, gauging her appearance. The dress had been the last thing she bought. Everything else could be cancelled, but the dress meant that it was real. That it was really happening. She hated that she felt that way, but her confrontation with House had impacted her more than she would like to admit. She and House had avoided each other ever since but she couldn't get his words out her mind. She had expected him to have an opinion on the engagement and subsequent wedding, but she didn't quite expect the anger, the contempt…the mind-reading.
Cameron sighed as she smoothed her hand over the front of her dress. It really was beautiful and it fit her wonderfully, but it felt like a costume. Everything felt like a play and all because of House's words.
Suddenly, the door opened. "You're an idiot."
House.
Cameron turned around, shocked at his sudden appearance. "Excuse me?!" He ignored Cameron's words as he entered the room and closed the door. "I thought you weren't coming," Cameron said, attempting to get an answer about his sudden appearance. "How did you get back here?"
"Oh, you know, flash a little skin and –" House had stopped cold. His jaw dropped as he looked at Cameron for the first time. She was a vision in her white gown. The cut of the dress was unadorned, chosen for its simplicity rather than lavishness, but it looked gorgeous on her.
"House?" Cameron spoke up when his staring was beginning to make her uncomfortable.
"Wow…you look…" He stumbled over his words as he struggled to regain his senses. Cameron inwardly kicked herself as she felt a blush rising in her cheeks, and she gave him a small smile in response. House shook his head in an effort to get his mind back on why he barged in. "You're an idiot."
Cameron's smile faded. The moment was gone. She began to clench as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You said that already."
"Because it's true," he said. He marched further into the dressing room and stared her down. "Don't marry him. You'll be making a huge mistake."
Cameron rolled her eyes. Not this again. "Why the hell does this bother you so much, House?" She asked, frustration in her voice. "You've never gave a damn about us before. Never gave a damn about me," she continued, her voice growing quieter. She looked at him for a response, but he gave her nothing. Sighing, she turned around and stepped away from him. "Go back to Cuddy," she spoke, defeat in her voice. "She'd be happy to do anything for you."
"Cuddy's merely a distraction," House said quietly, a few seconds later. "That's all she ever was."
His words caused her to turn back towards him, a question on her mind. "Is that all I was?"
House's eyes shot to hers, the question surprising him. He held her gaze intensely as he spoke, simply and clearly, so there could be no mistaking his answer. "No."
His brief word gave her comfort, but didn't convince her that it meant something. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't go through with this."
"I can give you hundreds," he answered promptly. She stared at him, giving him a look to go on. "Okay," he started. "He has stupid hair, a funny accent." Cameron was unable to prevent herself from rolling her eyes at his lame excuses, believing that he was pulling her leg. She began to back away when House became serious, sensing her frustration. "You don't even call him by his first name. You both have insecurities with this whole damn relationship, but you act like you don't. Just playing a part. You're just – "
Aggravated, Cameron interrupted him, anger evident in her voice. "Why does it bother you, House? You've never gave a damn before. Why now?" She pleaded, desperate to get an honest answer from him that wasn't tinged with sarcasm or analysis. She wanted to know his feelings.
House held her gaze briefly before glancing around the room. He knew what she wanted from him but it was a struggle for him to say. Finally, after a moment, he was able to answer. "Because it's gotten just a little too real."
"What the hell does that mean?"
House hesitated. He struggled to find the words to explain what he meant, but for one of the few times in his life, he was without words. Cameron continued to watch him, desperate for him to speak. He caught her hopeful eyes and did the only thing he could think of.
He kissed her.
Surprised, Cameron froze for a second, trying to comprehend what was going on. But she quickly found herself melting into him as his arms wrapped around her waist. She lifted her arms around his neck as the kiss grew in intensity, surprising the two of them. It had been years since they were in this position and everything still felt…right.
House pulled away first, resting his forehead against hers. He was surprised by how passionate the kiss was. But, then, passion had never been a problem between the two of them. They took deep breaths, trying to regain their control.
House pulled back slightly, his arms still around her waist. "I'm not ready for you to completely give up on me," he said quietly, finally revealing his feelings.
Cameron inhaled sharply, surprised by his sudden openness. "House, I don't…" she spoke softly.
He suddenly pulled away from her and stepped back, his gaze nervously flitting around the room. "Right, then," he said, mistaking her words as outright rejection. "I'll just be leaving. You, uh…you and Chase…yeah." He gave her one last lingering look before quickly leaving the room.
Cameron stared at the door, in shock. She couldn't quite comprehend what had just transpired between the two of them. It had been so sudden. He had played her fears against her, but she stood her ground, and forced him to reveal his own fear. The kiss had been a surprise and reawakened every feeling that she had tried desperately to push back. But, why now? Why couldn't he have said something earlier?
Cameron felt as though she was floating above her body, just going through the motions as she turned back around towards the mirror and readjusted her hair and makeup. Several minutes later, there was a knock on the door. She turned around to see Cuddy poking her head through. She had a smile on her face as she spoke.
"It's time."
Later that night, House found himself sitting in his apartment, scotch in hand. He had fled the wedding after his encounter with Cameron as quickly as he could and came home. He hadn't meant to kiss her, but it was the only thing he could think to do that might get his point across. Of course, he hadn't expected her to reject him. Not after the way she responded to the kiss.
Which was why he was currently drowning himself in as much alcohol as he could consume. Some would call it sulking, but he preferred the term 'brooding.' It was more 'manly.' He shouldn't have waited. He should have done something the moment he heard about the engagement instead of trying to underhandedly destroy Chase and Cameron's engagement. No, he should have done something the minute he realized that their relationship was progressing. But he hardly saw either one of them anymore, much less together. It had originally made it easier to pretend that they weren't even in a relationship, but apparently, everything was happening out of his watchful eye. He didn't like it. No, he fucking hated it. He had opened himself up to her in a way he hadn't done for anyone in years and it had felt nice, until she pushed him away.
He heard the lock on his apartment door jiggle as it was unlocked as Wilson let himself in. House tossed him a backward glance as he moved toward the couch. Wilson dropped down into the cushions and pulled his tie off. House glanced at him sideways, trying to act nonchalant about the event of the day as he spoke. "So, how did the wedding go? Did you cry? I bet you cried."
Wilson sighed. "There wasn't a wedding. They both had second thoughts," he replied, apparently surprised by the sudden turn of events.
House's eyes widened as he took in the news. That was certainly the last thing he expected to hear. Involuntarily, he felt a small smile grow on his face, but he quickly masked it. Couldn't let Wilson get the wrong idea.
"Do you know anything about that?" Wilson asked, trying to understand the twist of events.
House shook his head. "No. Why would I?"
Maybe things were looking up slightly.
Author's Note: Not my most eloquent of writing, but I attribute that to being out of practice :) And yeah…I sometimes believe that House and Cameron slept together at some point during season 3… :) I really have no reason why I think this, but sometimes, I just get the feeling that something happened.