Into Temptation, Chapter 4

"...so fortunately, there won't be any lasting damage, aside from a small scar once the wound heals," she explains to little Caroline Landry's mother. The woman arrived moments earlier, rushing frantically to the desk and asking for her daughter. Even now, she can tell from the hitch in her voice and the tears clouding her eyes that she doesn't quite believe the crisis is over. Reaching over, she touches her arm and gives her a sympathetic smile. "It's okay," she says. "She's okay. Really."

"Thank you so very much, Dr. Cameron." Her shoulders relax and a tentative smile appears on her face. She leans down to take her little girl in her arms, but the child blocks her mother's hands with her chubby arms, takes a step backwards and starts peering anxiously all around the room.

"Did you lose something, honey?" her mother asks her, her eyes already roaming the room, looking for a forgotten backpack or teddy bear.

"Where did that man with the game go?" Caroline limps in circles looking for her own personal knight in shining armour.

Her mother glances over at Cameron, a questioning look on her face.

"Oh, there was another doctor helping me. He was distracting her with a video game," she explains, before crouching down to address Caroline at her level. "He's a very big, important doctor, so even though he would've much rather stayed here and played video games with you, he had to go help some sick people upstairs," she says, knowing that while Mrs. Landry probably assumes she's merely placating Caroline, her words are nothing but the truth.

"He was nice," Caroline tells her mother. "He made Emma go away 'cause you're not allowed to be mean to your sister in this hoss-ible."

"He was an asshole," Emma mutters, not quite under her breath. She stands, slouched up against the wall, picking at her black fingernail polish and scowling at anyone who gets too close.

Cameron shrugs and attempts to hold in a smile as she straightens up. The mother glares at her older daughter and lifts up the younger one to carry her to her car. Emma rolls her eyes, pushes off the wall and follows them out the door.

Cameron walks over to the nurses' station and picks up a clipboard intending to make some notes on Caroline's treatment. Glancing at her watch, she wonders what's keeping Chase. If he doesn't arrive soon, their plans to leave hospital grounds for an early lunch will have to be cancelled. Good thing she packed a snack just in case.

As she waits, she smiles remembering Caroline's fondness for House. Children always seemed to like him, maybe because he didn't talk down to them. And he did better with kids than he did with most adults. Not surprising, she supposes, as most of the time his maturity level is on par with that of a six year old. In any event, it had been good to have his help.

Funny, it wasn't at all how she expected their first encounter to go after what had transpired over the weekend. She'd been braced for bold insinuations and snide comments, but none had materialized. He hadn't loomed over her or invaded her personal space. He hadn't made a single crack about house calls or wet t-shirts. He hadn't even called her an idiot. In fact, he'd disappeared immediately after they'd finished with Caroline, without saying a single unprofessional word to her.

It was a relief, really.

Though she's only now realizing that she doesn't know what brought him to the ER in the first place.

Perhaps she had overreacted the other night at his apartment. After all, she'd been emotional and upset over her argument with Chase. It must have been the subject of that argument that put her imagination into overdrive. Of course House hadn't been seriously trying to hit on her. Just the thought was ludicrous. Hadn't he made it abundantly clear four years ago that he had no romantic interest in her? Sure, he found her attractive – he'd made that clear as well – but not attractive enough to do anything about it. He'd just been playing games, winding her up the same way he always did. It was her own big mouth that had alerted him to a sensitive subject. She'd given him the ammunition and he'd used it well. So well, that she hadn't been able to hide her reaction so, of course, he'd stepped it up a notch or two. But she'd been perfectly safe from any real advances. She should have just played along, called his bluff. Now that would have been interesting.

Maybe she should go see what he wanted.

"Hey! Cameron, wake up. Are you coming?" She's startled out of her musings by Chase's hand waving in front of her face. She smiles at him, glad that their relationship is back on an even keel following an apology left on her answering machine and a contrite visit the next day.

"Oh, hey. Sorry, I was daydreaming. Where do you want to go to eat? I have to be back by noon, so it needs to be somewhere close."

"The coffee shop on Maple?" he suggests, checking his watch. "We should have enough time."

She nods her consent, drops the clipboard on top of a stack of other paperwork requiring her attention and comes out from behind the nurses' station. "I'll be back soon," she tells her head nurse. "If Dr. Cuddy comes by, tell her I haven't forgotten about the budget meeting. I'll be back before then."

Together, she and Chase walk toward the exit.

Chase is just describing the sandwich he plans on ordering, when somewhere behind them, a feminine voice calls, "Dr. Cameron! Dr. Cameron, wait!"

Cameron sighs. "So much for lunch," she whispers to Chase.

Chase grabs her elbow and starts walking more quickly. "Just ignore her. Come on, walk faster."

"Chase, you know I can't," she says regretfully.

Just as she turns around, a young, redheaded nurse walks up to them, carrying a glass vase tied with a red ribbon and containing at least two dozen multi-coloured roses and assorted greenery.

"These just came for you." She passes the vase to Cameron, who accepts it automatically. "They're gorgeous, Dr. Chase," the nurse comments with a grin before heading back in the direction from which she had come.

Cameron fingers the soft petals of a red rose and lowers her head to enjoy the fragrance. "Thank you," she says in delight, "They're beautiful!" She looks up just in time to see the smile falling away from his face.

"Yeah, well don't thank me," he says bitterly. "I didn't send them."

"Then who..." she begins, but stops when his hand shoots out and grabs the little white envelope bearing her name that she hadn't noticed until that very moment. He yanks the card out of the envelope and reads it.

As she watches, he raises his head to stare at her for one brief moment, hurt and anger comingling on his face. The card falls from his fingers and drifts slowly to the floor as he walks away. She can't make out all the words written on it from where she stands, but the name at the end is clear.

House.