Chapter 2

Cameron returned home Sunday night exhausted after having worked a 16 hour shift in the ER. She immediately changed out of her scrubs and took a long soak in the tub. After putting on her bathrobe, Cameron peeped into the fridge, picking over the few remaining contents that remained--an old apple, a half package of lunch meat, and the Styrofoam takeout box of leftover chicken alfredo from her lunch with Foreman four days ago. She quickly closed the fridge door, reaching instead for a bottle of wine from her wine rack.

Life had proven to be a bit stressful since Cameron had started working in the ER. It was a drastic change from the usual regular hours working under House in the diagnostics department. Long hours and erratic shift changes were not uncommon in the ER. She had barely found time to stock her cabinets anymore, and her job had been especially stressful this week.

But part of her was thankful for the added workload of the Emergency Room. She had hated it when she was with Chase--not having enough time to spend with him, but these days less time at home meant less time alone. Her life now seemed to revolve around her job which seemed to ward away the loneliness that had crept into her life the past few months.

As Cameron checked the messages on her answering machine she settled onto her couch with the television remote, flipping aimlessly through the hundreds of channels.

"Cameron, this is Wilson," the first and only message played from her machine. "If you can come in tomorrow morning I'd like to discuss your mammogram with you."

Cameron replayed the message again, paying attention to the tone in Wilson's voice--it was unreadable. She erased the message from the machine and turned off the television before finally dragging herself to bed.

X x

Wilson stood in his office that morning studying the mammogram film. A needle biopsy would not prove to be difficult judging by the location of the lumps.

"Care to come out of your cave today, Batboy?" House's voice asked from behind him and Wilson turned around to meet his friend's gaze. "I have coupons for Hooter's," he added with raised eyebrows. "Free lap dance with an order of chicken wings."

"And since when do the Hooter's girls give lap dances?"

"Since I hooked them up with discount birth control," House replied with a grin. Wilson shook his head. He was trying extra hard to lure him from his office today.

"I'll leave you to your crime-fighting then. Anyways," House said peering at the film. "It looks like you have some bad news to give anyway."

"I haven't done the biopsy yet," Wilson replied. "Could be fat necrosis."

"And when did you become the doctor of wishful thinking?" House asked before turning to leave, bumping into Cameron on the way out of the door.

"Ahh…you seem like someone who'd appreciate a good lap dance," he commented when he saw her.

Cameron frowned. "I left my singles in my other scrubs," she replied dryly.

House glance at Wilson, shrugged, and went about his way.

Wilson shut the door as House left with a slight smile. "He's using clinic duty to his advantage again."

But Cameron ignored his words, studying the mammogram. "It's cancer, isn't it?" she asked quietly.

"I'd like to do a biopsy," Wilson simply answered.

"Is there much point?"

"Cameron, you know as well as I do that 85 of lumps in women your age turn out benign. Let's take this one step at a time."

Cameron remained silent.

"I'd like to do this as soon as possible," he went on. "Do you have time later today?"

She nodded, looking helplessly at the images before her.

Wilson placed his hand on Cameron's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, and she forced a smile.

X x

Cameron met Wilson at the end of the day. She seemed distraught, Wilson thought to himself. He wished he knew how to ease her fears a little, but he knew it was useless. Cameron saw the film, Cameron was a doctor and she knew what she was up against.

As she lie on the table before him he told her to extend her arm above her head and she did so. First Wilson injected the anesthetic, followed by the needle used to biopsy the lump.

She didn't say much through the biopsy. Her mind went back to her husband and the numerous tests he endured during his cancer treatment. Now she was enduring them. Cameron squeezed her eyes shut as Wilson inserted the needle into her breast. Wilson noticed the single tear that slid through as he extracted the tissue from her breast.

When the biopsies were complete Cameron sat up and tied close her gown.

"Are you okay?" Wilson asked as she wiped dry the tear that had rolled down her cheek.

"Fine." She hugged her gown closely to her body.

"I'm sending the samples to pathology. I'll expect the results back quickly." Wilson left the room to let Cameron redress. Now all he could do was think positively.

X x

Wilson returned late to his apartment that evening, bag of take-out in hand. He kicked off his loafers next to the door and pulled the fold-up bed from his closet.

Wilson's new apartment was far from impressive. It was the first one he could find after Amber had passed. He couldn't bring himself to keep the old one. The evening he had come home from watching Amber die in the hospital bed he had found her note… He checked into a motel that night and had taken the first apartment he looked at the next day.

House had been to his new place a few times, had mad fun of it--An efficiency apartment with a tiny kitchen complete with 70's style appliances, green shag carpeting, and enough roaches scattering about to make your head spin. Still it was better than the constant painful reminder of the life your dead girlfriend once lived.

Wilson sat down on the bed, flipped on the television, an dug into his Chinese takeout. Minutes later the phone rang and he picked up.

"Dr. Wilson, this is Armetto's calling to confirm your reservations for tomorrow night."

Wilson froze. He had made the reservations months ago, only a week before Amber's death, for Amber's birthday. It was important to him that the day was perfect, and with all the worry over Cameron and the extra work at his office, the day had slipped his mind completely.

"I'm sorry, I won't be," he answered and hung up the phone.

He put down his dinner and leaned back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Tomorrow, Amber's birthday, would have been perfect. But Amber would never get to see tomorrow.

A/N: Yeah, I write short chapters. I guess that's just the way I like to write. Anyways, thanks for reading so far.