IV

You'll walk into his office one day and he'll be sat there. Leaning over his desk eating a bag of potato chips. Deep in conversation with Wilson. Foreman and Chase will await him in the adjoining office and he'll wipe the crumbs from his lap, stand up, grab his cane and hobble through to stand beside the whiteboard and begin the next differential diagnosis.

This is what you dream about. It used to be Brad Pitt asking you to accompany him to your senior prom. And then it was Gregory House sliding his hands down your body and fucking you against the wall and now it's just to see him sitting behind his own desk. That would be enough.

And today it happens.

Allison Cameron finds that she is unable to push open the door of his office.

He spots her over the heads of Chase, Wilson, Cuddy and Foreman and he nods to her.

Inside she is jumping for joy but she manages to appear calm as she walks slowly forward.

Wilson gives up his chair for her and she slides into it. Across from House's desk. She can't help but stare at him. His hair is slightly greyer and he's thinner. His shirt practically hangs off him. He fingers a pen and slowly meets her eye again and his brow furrows. Something is worrying him.

Cuddy puts her hand on the back of Cameron's chair – to protect her? – and draws a deep breath.

"As you are all aware, House has not been having the easiest time with his recovery…"

This is a meeting. For a second Cameron feels less lonely. The team are all around her. Like it should be. The rain starts to pour outside but it doesn't really matter. House's office is warm and comfortable and she's surrounded by people she knows and cares about.

Cuddy's voice rises and falls as the wind whips against the windows and Cameron is momentarily transported back to her mother's house. She is four years old and her mother and her are dashing into the kitchen soaking wet. Removing rain coats and boots and sodden hats and gloves and they're laughing. Because nothing can ever harm them.

She blinks back to reality and smiles a real smile at House. Does he realise that he makes her feel like that? And it's so good to have him back and the rain won't touch her anymore.

Cuddy pauses, her grip tightens on Cameron's chair: "…therefore House has decided to take a position in sunny California and will be leaving at the end of the month."

A pause. The heaviest pause in the history of the universe. The loudest silence ever spoken.

"I'd like to be the first to congratulate you," Cuddy clears her throat, "and tell you that I am unimaginably jealous that you'll be escaping this terrible weather for sunnier shores."

House looks right at Cameron. His face is unreadable. His hands drop the pen and he nods.

Foreman and Chase exchange looks like Cuddy is speaking Japanese.

"What?" Chase finally says incredulously.

"What?" Foreman echoes.

Cameron looks around at them. Knowing, at least, that she wasn't the only one who didn't see this coming.

"Guys," House says and his voice is soothing and calm. And this is strange. "We have a lot to talk about and we will, at some point, but right now, I'd kill for a coffee."

His gaze returns to Cameron. She is gripping the desk and she steadies herself and stands up. But doesn't go to the coffee machine. She walks out of the door, takes the stairs, feels her pulse quickening around her ears as she passes through the nurses station and heads to the door.

She races out into the rain. Her hair sticks to her forehead and her eyelashes. The rain soaks through her blouse and her hands start to turn blue. And she walks around the side of the building feeling the heavy drops on her nose and tongue and she looks up at his office and he spots her. Beckons her back inside. Acts like he doesn't know.

And really he doesn't know; he has no idea that she is crying.