Title: Paper Tiger – Ch.6: Paranoid
Summary: Cameron's slightly paranoid—and/or pissed. Missing scene from Whac-a-Mole.
Spoilers: Whac-a-mole, set after House gets Cameron to upset the patient during her test. Also explains part of why House's shoulder hurt later in the episode, ahem.
Word Count (approx.): 240
Category/Warnings: fanfic50 challenge, sexual content.
Pairing/Characters: House/Cameron
Rating: R/NC-17
6. Paranoid
"What does he have?"
"Contrary to popular belief, loose lips is not a side effect from sex," he quips as he pushes her harder against the wall of an empty ICU room. "Well, I meant the upper lips," he clarifies.
Cameron rolls her eyes; she shouldn't have played his game. "You shouldn't have stood so close to me in front of the patient during the test," she points out, clutching his shoulders for more leverage. "People might notice."
"Don't be paranoid. I've always stood that close to you," he replies. "You're just angry because there was no spasm, which means you were wrong."
He is partially right.
"By the way, love the new wardrobe," he adds, fingers running through her skirt that's bunched up around her hips. "Easy access."
"Shut up, House," she replies because she's getting close to orgasm and they only have ten more minutes on their lunch break.
"People are supposed to get less pissy when they're getting laid."
"Maybe I'm pissy because getting laid isn't getting me very far ahead in your little ga--…" her sentence is cut short as she comes, squeezing his shoulders to keep from screaming.
"I think you were looking for a spasm in the wrong place, Dr. Cameron," he points out before he comes.
She might not have beaten the game, but from the way it takes him a few minutes to catch his breath, she already got a reward.
Title: Paper Tiger – Ch.7: Addiction
Summary: She hasn't told him what Tritter said to her, but he knows from the way she's acting that she's lied to Investigator Dick again. Missing scene from Finding Judas.
Spoilers: Finding Judas, set right after Cameron and House talk in the OR gallery.
Word Count (approx.): 150
Category/Warnings: fanfic50 challenge.
Pairing/Characters: House/Cameron
Rating: R/NC-17 (PG-13 for this chapter)
7. Addiction
"You really have to flash your private stash in front of me?" she asks him pointedly.
He wants to kick something or someone, but word would probably get back to Tritter and he doesn't want that. So he did the 'healthy' thing, which was to attack with words.
"You find is easier to lie for me if it's more subtle? Fine!" he barks out before pocketing the pill.
She hasn't told him what Tritter said to her, but he knows from the way she's acting that she's lied to Investigator Dick again. He's got enough on his mind with the pain and the lack of pills; he shouldn't have to worry about her as well.
"You can try physical therapy again," she adds, with a softer voice.
"Why didn't I think of that?" he asks sarcastically.
"Because you're an addict?" she points out.
He ignores her for the rest of the surgery.
Title: Paper Tiger – Ch.8: Hope
Summary: It was never supposed to come to this. Post-ep for Merry Little Christmas.
Spoilers: Merry Little Christmas.
Word Count (approx.): 310
Category/Warnings: fanfic50 challenge.
Pairing/Characters: House/Cameron
Rating: R/NC-17 (PG-13 for this chapter)
8. Hope
She volunteers at a local shelter every Christmas Eve distributing presents to a local shelter for abused women and children. She's come to the same shelter every day for three years, and most people there have come to know her. As she asks the children about their schoolwork and the women about their problems and hopes, she forgets about House and the cutting and the withdrawal.
It's not until long after midnight, when she makes her way to her car, that she realizes she doesn't have her cellphone on her; she finds it under her car seat - it probably fell off her purse on the way there.
The display shows six missed calls and three voicemails, so she hits 'send' to listen to the messages.
"Hey Allie, it's Mom. Just calling to wish you a Merry Christmas—we miss you. When are you coming to visit?"
Cameron deletes the message, because her mother knows the answer is 'probably never' but won't stop asking; either way, she'll call her parents back in the morning just so she won't feel guilty. The next message surprises her.
"Hey, it's me. I, uh… Nevermind. Call me if there's any changes with the patient, or if you decide to bring me pills."
Something about his voice is… off. She hits the button to hear the timestamp, and it's from three hours before. She considers disconnecting the call to her voicemail and calling House back, but before she can, Wilson's voice interrupts her.
"Hey, it's Wilson. House OD'ed on oxycodone that he stole from my patient—he's going to be fine, but make sure you keep an eye when he goes back to work. We don't need Tritter finding out he's swiping patients' pain pills."
She sits in her car, rocking back and forth in the cold winter night.
It was never supposed to come to this.
Title: Paper Tiger – Ch.9: Hug
Summary: She looks distant, cold—he hates himself for turning her into this over a period of three years. Post-ep for Word and Deeds.
Spoilers: Words and Deeds.
Word Count (approx.): 300
Category/Warnings: fanfic50 challenge.
Pairing/Characters: House/Cameron
Rating: R/NC-17 (PG-13 for this chapter)
9. Hug
House wakes up to see Cameron outside his cell.
"Are you here to hug me again? Or is it time for my conjugal visit?" he asks awkwardly.
"Wilson had an emergency; he asked me to come pick you up," she explains.
"Did you bring pills?"
She doesn't meet his eyes as she replies, "Only Bupreorphine, to deal with the withdrawal."
He sighs. "Keep them; I want to enjoy my first meal as a free man again."
She rolls her eyes at his dramatics.
"I'm sorry about dragging you into this mess," he states, remembering his rehab. "I'll apologize to Chase and Foreman too, but I wanted to say it to you first."
She bites her lower lip as she nods. She looks distant, cold—he hates himself for turning her into this over a period of three years.
"I'm still on vicodin," he admits.
"I figured," she replies bluntly.
He frowns, confused. "You don't care?"
"Of course I care," she replies. "We fried a man's brain for no reason, and yet the only thing going through my mind is that I'm happy you didn't get convicted, House. Forgive me if I'm not too big on showing emotions right now, because I just found out more about myself than I ever cared to," she explains. "And it doesn't bother me you're on vicodin—you're in pain, you take pain pills. I am concerned at how much vicodin you take, and which lengths you're willing to go to get pills, but if they improve your lifestyle even a little so you can go through your day with less pain, then they're doing their job."
He stares at her, unsure of what to say.
"Let's go, we're going to be late," she adds, after a minute of uncomfortable silence.
He follows her, still disbelieving that he might now know Cameron as well as he thinks he does.
Title: Paper Tiger – Ch.10: Past
Summary: "Hey, at least you met a guy with terminal cancer and you didn't marry him; that's a plus." Post-ep for One Day, One Room.
Spoilers: One Day, One Room.
Word Count (approx.): 175
Category/Warnings: fanfic50 challenge.
Pairing/Characters: House/Cameron
Rating: R/NC-17 (PG-13 for this chapter)
10. Past
She's just done with her shower when he finds her in the locker room.
"Tough day?" he asks as he sits on the wooden bench across from her.
She nods as she absentmindedly dries her hair.
"Hey, at least you met a guy with terminal cancer and you didn't marry him; that's a plus."
Cameron doesn't even bother glaring at him, because it's House and she's too tired to get into an argument. "How's Eve?"
"She'll be… fine. Eventually." He's so vulnerable that she knows something struck him deeper this time. Usually only one thing bugs him this much.
"Want to talk about your father?" she asks softly as she throws her towel in her locker.
He shakes his head with certainty. "Nope. Want to talk about your dead husband?"
"No," she replies with the same certainty.
"Want to get really drunk, and forget today ever happened?" he proposes.
Cameron sighs, because no amount of alcohol could ever make her forget what she's just been through. But it's worth a shot. "Yeah, let's go."