Disclaimer: All the characters (except the ones that I invented) belong to House MD and FOX
I would like to thank Thania for being my beta for this chapter and making the dialogue sound 100000 times better. Also, for anyone who is new to this fanfiction, this story is set at the closing scene of the season finale of House MD (Everybody Dies) so the actions in this ff are completely plausible :)
Chapter 4: When I see you again
Chase clutched onto his duffel bag as he maneuvered through the busy Chicago airport. He could not help but feel excited to see Cameron again. The last time he was here was during a Christmas party at her parents' house. He remembered the smell of fresh snow and pine needles during the welcoming holiday season. As he exited the airport terminal, a breeze of wind greeted him. He had forgotten how cold it was in Chicago. He hailed a taxi and gave the driver the directions to Cameron's house.
Cameron was still locked up in the restroom. This time with a bag of frozen peas against her face. After Tim punched her, he presumably drove off to a bar. Probably to drink his anger away, Cameron thought. She wanted nothing more than to hug her son. But she could no longer do just that. She remembered how cold his skin felt. She remembered the lifeless blue of his eyes just before she closed them to lay to rest. She remembered when the paramedics had come to their house. She remembered the infant sized body bag... Cameron began to cry again, feeling all alone in this world.
An hour later, Cameron heard the front door open. Tim was back and most likely drunk. By this time Cameron was no longer crying. She had washed her face and put on clean clothes.
"Allison, help me. Come here baby, I feel like throwing up," Tim's words were slurred. Cameron wondered how he'd made it home alive. She looked at her fiancé. The man who had punched her hours ago was now begging for her help. Refusing to acknowledge Tim's presence, Cameron got up and retreated to their room. Moments later she heard heavy breathing behind her and suddenly everything went black.
The sound of knocking woke Cameron up. She opened her eyes to face the familiar ceiling of her room. She looked around and found herself in bed naked. She couldn't remember what had happened. As she got up, she noticed Tim staring at her. He was smiling.
"What happened?" Cameron asked, shocked.
"I helped you," Tim replied.
"Helped me?"
"Your loud moaning suggested you enjoyed it," Tim smirked. It took Cameron less than a moment to realize that they'd had sex while she'd been passed out. Tim had raped her, she realized with disbelief. The knocking became louder and louder.
"Are you going to get that?" Tim's eyes gleamed in satisfaction. Cameron wrapped the sheets around her as he came over. He held her face and began to kiss her. This wasn't like the usual passionate kisses he gave her. The feeling of his lips was hard and cold. She tried to pull away from his grasp but his hands were firmly gripped on her, almost violently. It wasn't until moments later that he released her.
"That would be your ex-husband's sorry ass at the door. I don't care what you say but he was my son. And you belong to me you dirty whore," Tim's voice was laced with anger. Cameron tightened her grip on the sheets around her. The knocking on the door had stopped just as her phone began to ring. She tried to fix her hair and went to greet Chase. When she opened the door, his face went from excitement to horror and then to embarrassment.
"Oh, um…sorry Allison, did I interrupt you?" Chase's face burned bright red at the sight of her attire. Cameron looked down to see her body wrapped tightly in her sheets and assumed her hair was a tangled mess.
"Robert… It's-not what you think," Cameron tried to explain but she didn't know how to tell her ex-husband that her fiancé had just raped her. Awkwardly she continues, "Come in. I'll show you the guest room."
Chase felt his face instantly flush red when she opened the door. Judging by her appearance, Chase assumed he just interrupted an intimate moment between Cameron and her fiancé. She had changed a lot since he last saw her. Her long blonde hair had been replaced with a tousled burgundy color, reminding him of the brunette he had met nine years ago. When he stepped into the house, Cameron's fiancé appeared by her side. Chase felt himself blush again, sure that he had just interrupted them now. Chase looked at Cameron and remembered the first time they'd slept together. She'd been high on meth and upset after a HIV patient coughed blood on her. Sex must be her coping mechanism, Chase thought. After her son died, it made sense that Cameron would want to be comforted in the arms of another.
"I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you. I'm Robert," Chase held out his hand to Cameron's fiancé.
"Tim."
The exchange was awkward. Chase's hand was still in midair waiting for Tim to shake it. Turning red again, Chase dropped his hand in embarrassment. Of course he was unwelcome in the eyes of Cameron's fiancé. Chase remembered how during the length of their short engagement, he would immediately become jealous of any man who laid eyes on Allison. Tightening his grip on his duffel bag, he followed Cameron to the guest room. The house was bigger than he had previously imagined. It took three flights of stairs to reach his room. Unlike the condo Chase had shared with Cameron, the house was cold and unwelcoming. Everything looked black and white and just too perfect. There were no pictures or reminders of happy memories on the walls. It was as if neither Cameron nor her fiancé had put time into decorating the house.
"Robert? If you need anything just press two on the intercom. Meet me downstairs when you're settled in. I need to talk to Tim first." Cameron said, not looking at him.
Chase took a step toward Cameron and unthinkingly pulled her into a tight hug. She responded immediately. He could hear her quiet sobs as he stroked her hair. Although Chase knew Cameron was behaving like this because of her son's death, he couldn't help but miss the feeling of this beautiful woman in his arms. After what seemed like much too long than they should have been in each other's arms, but not long enough to Chase, they broke apart.
"Let me know if you need anything. It's good to see you again." And with that, Cameron left and closed the door.
Chase turned and looked at the room. It was strikingly similar to that of a hotel room. The whole house was so unlike the style of Cameron. Chase knew she loved to choose out which paintings and what color sheets for each room. Before he could settle in, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Without looking at the caller ID, he answered.
"Robert Chase."
"Hey Chase, it's Foreman. How are things in Chicago?"
Chase felt relieved to hear Foreman's voice. After being caught in between Cameron and her fiancé, all he needed was the feeling of comfort. Chase grinned at the thought of finding Foreman comforting.
"It was good to see Cameron again. God I've missed her. Their house is beyond gigantic. Can't wait to tell you about at when I get back." Chase chuckled. He sounded like a ten-year-old excited about a huge mansion.
"Can't wait to hear," Foreman's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "The hospital has been busy since you left. I've been asking Adams and Park to help around in the clinic. Taub has even taking a break from fixing boobs and coming in to help around in your department."
"Taub? Little Taub?" Chase laughed, strangely at ease now. "What's the thing going to do anyways? Slither around in tight spaces to find old gloves and bandages?"
"Haha, very funny. We're dressing him up as an elf to read books to children in the oncology department tomorrow," Foreman's sense of humor was beginning to show. Chase was glad that they no longer argued as they used to under House's fellowship.
"I have a date with Adams next week," Chase smiled at the mention of her name.
"You dog! Get at 'em Chase. I'm glad you decided to stop sleeping with every woman you meet and man up for once," Foreman's laughter and tone had Chase laughing too.
"I'm going to have to grow up one day, might as well start now. Hey man, I have to meet Cameron downstairs in a bit. I'll call you tomorrow to update you."
"Don't party too hard Chase, you've got patients waiting for you to come back. Good night buddy." With that said Chase hung up and jumped into the bed.
Cameron closed the door to the guest room and continued to sob quietly. It had been a while since anyone had held her like that. So gentle and so tender… She walked back downstairs and into her room. Cameron found her clothes and quickly put them on, scanning the room for Tim. Where was he? She heard the front door slam. She rushed to the window and saw Tim driving away. Round two at the bar, she thought. The bed was a mess. Clothes were thrown on several pieces of furniture and Cameron could see a pillow wedged between the bed frame and the nightstand. Her body ached as she tried to rearrange the room. Giving up, she settled for a cup of tea in the kitchen. As the water started to boil, she heard Chase's soft thumping down the stairs.
"Hey Allison," he hesitated, "how are you feeling?" Chase's warm smile comforted her.
"To be honest, a hell of a lot better now that you're here. Thank you again for coming." Cameron smiled at him. Her first genuine smile all day. She pulled out another cup from the cabinet. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"
He nodded. Cameron noticed Chase staring at her. She blushed. He still made her blush to this day.
"One sugar and no creamer right?" Chase's mouth opened as if he was surprised to find that she still remembered how he liked his coffee.
"You have a nice house, Allison." Cameron was caught off guard. She had assumed that since Chase grew up in a wealthy family, the size of this house would make him feel at home.
"Yeah, Tim's parents bought it for him. Furnished and everything. He likes it like this," Cameron waved her hands in the air to acknowledge the simplicity and emptiness of the house.
"It's a nice house." Cameron couldn't tell if Chase was lying. "How's it going at work?"
"Fine, I don't get to work as much anymore. Tim doesn't let me. He wants me to quit my job to stay at home with…" Cameron stopped abruptly. She didn't have a son anymore. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes. She looked down at her tea and could sense Chase coming over.
"It's going to be okay, Allison. I know you. You're a fighter. Strong. Independent." Chase's words were soothing but she began to sob. She felt his arms wrap around her.
Cameron cried in Chase's arms. She didn't deserve his kindness. Impulsively, she looked up at him. "Distract me," her voice cracked.
Chase looked into her eyes. "But Tim…"
"He's not home, just distract me." Just as she finished speaking, his mouth was on hers.
Hope you guys liked it! Stay tuned for Chapter 5!
