Chapter 4: Am I delusional?
Disclaimer – not mine, never will be, yada, yada.
A/N – Sorry it's taken me so long to update. There's nothing like illness and the news of cancer in a family member to knock you off-track. But hopefully now that the dust had settled, I'll be more regular as I do know where this story is going (at least at the moment). As I'm doing with all my stories at the moment, I'm begging for a beta – not just for spelling and grammar but also to tell me when my ideas suck or I'm waaaaay off character etc. And to kick my butt! Applications are being taken at I write not only in this fandom but also in The West Wing and Higher Ground (which no one knows but the story is pretty basic). I'd like to expand to other ones later. Ok, enough whining.
A/N 2: Warning for mature subject matter. Please don't read if you are easily upset by mature and dark themes.
By the time that Cameron opened her eyes a second time, she could see light fading out her window. She found that she wasn't in as much pain and she didn't have to gasp for every breath. However, when she tried to sit up, something was holding her still. After a moment, she realized that her arms and legs were in restraints.
I can't move. Someone is holding me down. God, let me go… don't hurt me…
Her breathing quickened and she tried desperately to free herself from the bed. Suddenly a dark hand came into her sight and gently rested on her right arm, trying to sooth. That almost made things worse until she saw that it was Foreman.
"Cameron, breathe. Come on now, it's safe here. I don't want you to hurt yourself. Please calm down."
With effort she was able to force herself to relax and console herself with the reality that she was with a friend who would never hurt her. When Foreman saw her relax, he undid the restraints and she tried to smile at him.
"Thanks, Foreman. What happened?" She meant why was I being restrained but she hoped that she wouldn't have to ask directly.
Foreman sat down beside her. "You get a little upset whenever a nurse comes in to change your IV or take your vitals. Unfortunately, we only have female nurses on this shift. You don't have the same reaction to men."
"Oh." What could she say to that? She had no memory of any nurses coming in except for at first. She supposed that she had been sedated for the entire day. In an effort to change the subject she asked, "Foreman, what are you doing working in the ER?"
Now Foreman looked away, a bit embarrassed. "Well, I got the idea from Chase working in NICU. Sometimes I need a break from House and I also need some extra money so I pick up a shift here or there. I just happened to be on when you came in so you became my patient."
Cameron eagerly jumped on Foreman's reaction, trying to distance herself from her own situation. "What do you need extra money for?"
Now she knew that Foreman was embarrassed. The lack of eye contact was a dead give-away…
"I want to take Wendy somewhere nice for Valentine's day," he confessed. "My car's needed a lot of repairs lately so I needed the extra cash."
Cameron was confused. "But your shift would've been over sometime this morning. Why are you still here?"
Still no eye contact. "I know we haven't always seen things the same way and sometimes I've been a real asshole to you but we are colleagues and I do care…" he stopped and shuffled his feet a bit, staring at the floor.
Cameron felt a lump in her throat. "I guess I'm pretty emotional anyhow but thanks. I mean it." She tried to stop the tears but they just flowed anyhow.
Foreman gave her a tissue and tactfully looked away while she wiped her face. Then he said, "Are you up to some visitors?"
Cameron decided she would keep the tissue. "Depends on who it is," she admitted. Foreman nodded to let her know that he understood.
"Don't worry, Cuddy's off at a business meeting or something. It's the guys: Chase, Wilson and House."
Cameron couldn't believe her ears. In her head, she could hear the last words she spoke to House and how embarrassed she was 5 minutes later. She had imagined that she would be the last person on earth that House would want to see.
Even not understanding the full extent of her surprise, Foreman reached the correct conclusion. "Yeah, the bastard himself is waiting outside. He's saying something about making sure that the artwork isn't too damaged." He shook his head in disgust.
Cameron had to smile. Over the past 3 years she had learned how to read House and she knew that cracking jokes was his way of showing that he cared. She was amazed that he remembered that situation from so long ago but then he was brilliant.
"He probably just wants to be sure I'm not on better drugs than he is," she explained. "Sure, show them in. Do I look too horrible?"
Foreman studied her face. "No, I think purple and green are your colours. I'll get them."
Within a few seconds, the "boys" as she called them had filed in. Both Wilson and Chase were looking at her with something akin to pity in their eyes and House was looking everywhere but her.
"So I've called this meeting…" Cameron tried to joke. No one smiled. She gave up and let them recite the speeches they had been practicing in the hall.
Wilson: "I'm so sorry, Cameron. Are you in a lot of pain?"
Chase: "You'll do anything to get out of answering House's mail or making coffee. Guess who he picks on now?"
House: Nothing.
After reassuring Wilson and Chase that she didn't feel too bad at the moment and she would be back to her regular chores as soon as possible, she turned her head in some pain to look at her boss. He had moved over to the window and was apparently fascinated with something on the roof of the building across the way. Chase, Wilson and Foreman took the opportunity to make their exits. Foreman had the decency to bend over and whisper to Cameron that a male nurse, Terrence, was going to be assigned to her that night and he would be back in the morning. She smiled, grateful.
The room was emptied and Cameron continued to watch House's back. Why isn't he saying anything? she wondered. Is he mad about the comments I made to him yesterday? Then why is he here at all? And why do I care so much? She gave her head a shake and turned back to her comfortable side and closed her eyes. House might have issues but if he wasn't about to share, she wasn't going to stay awake.
The familiar tap of his cane told Cameron that he had left the window and was now in front of her. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and studied his face. Closed off as ever but not mocking or arrogant.
"Is there anyone you want me to call?" he asked, in a gravelly voice.
Stunned, she shook her head. "No, I haven't been close to my family for a long time now and my job doesn't allow me to make friends easily." She winced, wondering if House would take that as a criticism of him but he didn't seem to mind.
He shuffled a bit and then declared, "You'll be discharged soon but you'll be in a lot of pain and will need to stay with someone. Don't let the wombat move in with you. You're coming home with me. Wilson can go back to sleeping on the couch when his next live-in dumps him."
Now Cameron was seriously wondering if the drugs had caused her to become delusional. Who was this person and what had he done with House?
"You don't… um…like me…" was all her mind could come up with.
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not asking you home so we can make sweet love all day and all night. I'm your boss, you don't have any family, and I don't have to like you to look after you. I'm a doctor, you're going to be in pain and we might as well share the Vicodin."
Cameron was at a loss. It appeared that he was being truthful and the way she was feeling, she didn't want to be alone. Staying with House would be better than staying with someone of the female persuasion because she still didn't understand why they were causing her panic attacks. What the heck, she thought. If I'm hallucinating I can make other plans tomorrow.
"Ok, that sounds fine," she agreed, sleepily.
He bent over and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow," he mumbled and left the room. Cameron was left feeling like her world had been rearranged.