Cameron Takes Flight:

Part Four

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Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters or storylines appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Cameron leaves PPTH broken and burdened. How can she find herself again amidst the wreckage of her life as she knew it?

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Cameron straightened her pink scrubs, feeling self-conscious as she entered the hospital Monday morning.

As she looked around, all the doctors and nurses were wearing brightly patterned scrubs. No surprise, as this was a children's hospital. Though the scrubs were meant to add to everyone's comfort, Cameron only felt more self-conscious upon seeing them. She felt like a teenager on the first day of high school!

She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She could do this.

Cameron entered the office of Dr. Mercer, who greeted her warmly and got down to business.

Cameron came out of the meeting feeling satisfied, though still a bit nervous. The pay was decent, with the promise of more if she proved herself worthy of the promotion, which she knew she could do easily. If there was anything she was good at, it was running things. She headed up to the ICU to receive her initial orientation and schedule.

Maritza briskly gave her a tour and orientation, treating her more as an annoyance than an employee. She spent the day trying to keep up, trying to be more of a help than a problem.

Cameron came home from work exhausted. The ICU was hard work, and different from what she was used to. It wasn't as chaotic as emergency, at least, but it certainly had its own difficulties. Cameron thought she would be able to deal with anything after House, but this was a different situation entirely. House was far from encouraging, but at least he had taken pride in them when they got something right. From Maritza there was no approval—hardly any acknowledgement at all!

And if that hadn't been enough, they had lost a child today It weighed on Cameron heavily.

When Cameron arrived at home, she decided to have a run in the park just behind the complex. Her new treadmill hadn't arrived, and she desperately needed a run to clear her head.

She headed down in her workout gear and let her mind wander as she ran. She let the worries of the day roll off her like sweat, only focusing on the good parts of her time in Albuquerque. Her mind ran first to the people she had met: Adele, Dave, and Mark first, then the balloon crew—Steve, Lucy, Carlos, Finn, and Amber. She was so thankful that so many wonderful people had taken her in when she was so alone in the city.

Cameron stopped at a bench near the playground, and sat down to rest, stretching her legs out in front of her. She slowly returned her breathing to normal as she watched the families who were enjoying themselves in the park.

She smiled briefly at their antics, but was soon feeling melancholy. Her dreams of having a family were nothing but a memory anymore. She was getting older. Not too old to have children, certainly, but at this point she just didn't see it happening.

Sure, she still had her husband's sperm, but the likelihood of it still being viable was low after so long. Anyways, she thought, could she really bring a child into her life as it was? Her life was ground zero, decimated by the actions of the people she had trusted most.

Robert had wanted children with her, and then she had been unsure. Was it because distant dreams had become reality all too quickly, or was it because she simply hadn't wanted a child with him?

Before she could think any further, she was snapped out of her reverie by an object flying just over her head. She glanced up to see what it was, but she was distracted by the large dog now bounding towards her. She tensed up and cringed, waiting for an impact.

It never came. Instead, she felt a gentle licking on her arm. She opened her eyes to see a border collie happily wagging its tail at her, and a mom about her own age with two boys running towards her.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked, out of breath. "I'm so sorry!"

Cameron laughed. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Looks like he only wanted to make friends."

"She," the woman corrected automatically. "Her name is Sally."

The woman remembered her manners. "I'm Mary Bloxom, and these are my boys, Brent and Riley." The boys waved. The older one appeared to be about 10 or so, and the younger one Cameron placed at 6.

"Allison Cameron," she responded.

"I'm so sorry about the dog," Mary apologized again. "And the Frisbee," she added. "I think Brent almost got you with that one too."

"Don't worry about it," Cameron said warmly. "I didn't get hit, and I don't mind a friendly dog."

Mary laughed lightly. "Well, let us know if you want one… she just had puppies," she said wryly. The boys began playing catch behind their mother again, leaving the two women in conversation.

Cameron sighed. "I wish I could, but I don't have the space. I live in the apartments right here," Cameron said, motioning to the buildings behind her.

"Oh, we live in the neighborhood just across the park!" Mary replied. "Do you come here often?"

Cameron gave a small smile. "Well, I just moved here, but I plan to use the park often. It's lovely."

Mary nodded her understanding. "My boys and I are here nearly every day. Sally needs a lot of exercise, and it doesn't do the boys badly either," she grinned.

Cameron laughed. "Well, I guess I'll see you around, then!"

"I guess we will," Mary replied with a smile, and went back to join her kids.

Cameron watched them play for a while longer before heading back inside for a shower and dinner.

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"You didn't show last night!" Steve jokingly complained over the phone.

"It was only my second day of work! I needed to unwind," Cameron argued. Not totally true; she had been having dinner with Adele and her family a second time.

"Well, tonight you're unwinding with us. We have beer!" he said, trying to convince her.

Cameron couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, okay," she gave in. "Should I meet you guys there?"

"We can pick you up in the chase truck," Steve said. "Don't worry, we won't keep you out too late. Is six an okay time?"

"Might be a little close, but I think I can make it. I might still be in scrubs, though!" she said with a light laugh.

"Hey, you can wear whatever you want, as long as you come," he responded warmly.

"Don't worry, I'll be ready. See you at six!"

"See you then!"

Cameron closed her cell phone, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. Steve just had a way of lightening her spirits, even during a day at work. Speaking of work, her lunch break was just about over.

She straightened out her scrubs, covered in cartoon images of animals. Not really her style, but they were the only ones she could get a hold of is such a hurry. She was doing her best to get settled in at work as quickly as possible.

Cameron hurried back to ICU. She didn't want to face Maritza's wrath if she showed up late.

She was at the nurses' station later that afternoon when she was approached by an angry-looking doctor.

"You," he said, pointing. She looked up at him as he towered over her. He had to be at least 6 feet tall, with straight, dark hair, clear, caramel skin, and coal-black eyes. "Did you file these reports?" He slammed them down in front of her.

Cameron was taken aback. She looked them over, and they were, indeed, hers. "Is there a problem with them?" she asked tentatively.

He looked at her as if she were an idiot. "These don't follow any of the protocol for my patients! When my patient goes to ICU and I get their paperwork, they need to be in the proper protocol!" he yelled.

"Hey!" a voice called. Cameron and the angry doctor both turned to see a stern-looking Maritza barreling towards them. "Dr. Cameron is new here. If you wanted the paperwork done your way, you should have told her. You expect her to read your mind?"

Both Cameron and the angry doctor were taken aback.

"Stop harassing my department," Maritza continued.

"Fine," he said, leaving in a huff.

Cameron let out a breath. "Thanks, Maritza," she said gratefully.

Maritza brushed off the apology. "That's Dr. Sani. He's an ass. He likes to intimidate people. Don't let him get to you."

Cameron simply nodded in response, but couldn't help but smile to herself as a warm feeling filled her. Maybe Maritza didn't hate her quite as much as she thought.

Cameron went about the rest of her workday with a lighter heart, looking forward to the evening's activities.

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