Sorry it took a while to post this chapter, it was pretty long.

Normalscaresme - Its set somewhere in the third season after the whole Tritter thing. I'm not sure myself exactly where but I was thinking of setting it during the time where Chase reminds Cameron he likes her every Tuesday. I'm kind of stuck on the setting lol


Chapter 5 Aftermath

After visiting with Foreman and House, Cameron went into Chase's room. He was still unconscious so she sat on the chair next to his bed, watching him. She couldn't help it but her thoughts kept slipping back to the trauma that happened just hours ago. She was tired but she didn't want to sleep. Suddenly Chase began to stir and slowly open his eyes. "Chase?" she said, going over to him.

"Cameron..." he whispered weakly. Confusion clouded his eyes. "Am I dead?"

"No," her voice cracked with emotion. "I told you I'd save you and I did. You're going to be just fine." He smiled at her as they hugged. Tears slowly fell from her cheeks and he took her face in his hands.

"Hey hey don't cry," he said softly as he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"Sorry it's just I thought I lost you back there. I'm just so happy you're alive." Chase smiled and pulled her into another hug.

"Thanks to you," he whispered. After comforting each other Cameron then pulled away and told him everything that happened. He was shocked and still shaken up but at the same time he was glad that he, Cameron, Wilson, Foreman, and House were all alive.

Cameron went into her apartment late that night. After spending the rest of the day at Princeton General she went back to PPTH that evening. Cuddy had set up a memorial outside honoring the victims of the shooting. She laid down on her couch and remembered walking through the crowds of people in a daze. She still couldn't get over the shock and fear. People all around her were crying and holding candles. She went to the wall and looked at all of the pictures of the victims. The people who lost their lives and the ones who lived but will be scarred for life. Her breath hitched for a second as she noticed a picture of her, Chase, and Foreman at last year's Christmas party. She placed her lit candle under it and anger surged through her mind and body.

Why! She thought. Why did this have to happen! It isn't fair!

She closed her eyes tiredly and tried to fall asleep but it was no use, she was scared. Every time she closed her eyes she saw blood and bodies and Andrew's cruel eyes and felt the cold metal of the gun and the pressure of him threatening to kill her and Chase. Giving up on sleep she just laid there and cried.

It's been two days since the shooting and Foreman, Chase, and House were all in the differential office. They had all survived their wounds and were coming back to work. Cuddy walked in and looked at each of them. They were all sitting at the table, quiet. She felt really bad for asking them back so soon but the hospital was really short of staff and she needed all the help she can get. "How are you today?" she asked. They looked up at her.

"We're ok enough to come back to work," House said.

"I'm sorry about asking you back so soon," she said quietly.

"No it's fine," Foreman replied. "It's better than staying at home. We can keep busy here." Cuddy nodded.

"Instead of working on a case today I decided you can all work at the clinic." House nodded and right away Cuddy knew he wasn't ok. Usually he'll fight her when it comes to clinic duty but today it was like he didn't even care anymore. "Where is Dr. Cameron?" she asked, pushing her worries away for the time being.

"She hasn't come in yet," Chase said. Cuddy nodded.

"When she does come in let her know about the clinic duty. Welcome back everyone."

Cameron got out of her car and walked up to PPTH. Her heart was beating faster in her chest with each step. I'm walking in there, she thought. I'm doing this. But as she got closer fear started to consume her as she remembered seeing Nurse Julie, her eyes glassy with death and a gunshot wound to the forehead. Chase and House falling to the floor. The gun being pointed at her head with Chase's life in her hands and finding Foreman in a pool of his own blood, barely alive. All of a sudden she froze. She couldn't breathe and was shaking. She couldn't go in there. She stood out there in the cold looking at the hospital doors as she willed herself to move. She blinked, her tired eyes sore from the loss of sleep. She hasn't slept since the shooting and plus she did two all nighters before it happened. "Come on move," she whispered to herself though it was no use. Every time she thought about going in there images from that day held her back. She couldn't move.

Chase and his colleagues worked in the clinic all morning in silence. Even House was being tolerable. He gave the nurse a patient's file as he suddenly saw Cameron through the glass doors. She was standing outside in the cold and he wondered if she had been there all morning. She's probably been standing there this whole time, he thought as he walked outside. "Cameron it's freezing out here. Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine," she shuddered.

"Cuddy has us doing clinic hours. Come on." Chase took a couple steps forward but stopped when he noticed she wasn't moving. "Have you been standing here all morning?" he asked. Cameron nodded.

"I can't go back in there," she said quietly. "I want to I really do but I can't move." Chase looked at her with concern but she wouldn't meet his eyes. He gently lifted her chin so she can look at him.

"I understand that you're scared right now. We're all scared, but you can walk in there and show everyone that Andrew didn't brake you. You saved my life by risking yours. You can walk in there and besides how else will I remind you it's Tuesday." She smiled as he lowered his fingers from her chin and took her hand. "Come on," he whispered. She nodded and squeezed his hand as she let him lead her through the doors. Fear consumed her again but she fought it as the warm air hit their faces. He sensed her fear and put his arm around her to calm her down. "It's okay," he whispered. Cameron took a deep breath and let it out as Foreman came up to them and hugged her.

"Hey welcome back," he said, getting into big brother mode.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I'm so glad you're both ok."


Cameron was working, trying to keep herself together. She was so tired and scared. It took everything she had to keep going. She went into the cafeteria and joined Foreman and Chase for lunch. "Hey I heard you got another ticket for speeding," Foreman said.

"Yeah," Chase replied. "I don't know what got into me."

"Sounds to me like you're taking risks," Foreman stated as he took a sip of his soda. "Just because you escaped death doesn't mean you're invincible."

"Well I'm not the one with the bullet still in my chest," Chase snapped.

"You still have the bullet in your chest," Cameron said.

"It's my war wound," he answered. Cameron shook her head in disbelief.

"But now you won't even step inside an elevator," she stated.

"Taking the stairs is good exercise," Foreman said making Chase snort in disbelief as House limped over to their booth to join them. All three of them exchanged glances as he sat down next to Foreman and across from Chase and Cameron. He never joined them for lunch and when he did it was to either steal their food, blackmail them, or make them look like idiots.

"Hey team," he greeted cheerfully. "How's clinic duty going so far?" They stared at him quietly, not knowing what to make of the strange behavior.

"Are you ok?" Chase finally asked.

"Never better," House replied as he looked at Cameron. She was looking down, playing with her untouched salad. Her eyes looked tired with dark circles underneath them.

"Cameron you don't look so good. I'll ask Cuddy if you can sleep in the on call room for a few hours." Cameron nodded, trying to believe what he just said. "What's the matter. Cat scratch your tongue," House smirked with amusement.

"Why are you being so... nice," Foreman asked carefully in case he snapped or something.

"What I'm always nice." They all looked at him with a "You've got to be kidding me!" look on their faces. But House didn't seem to notice as he said, "I just want to say how proud I am of all of you for coming back and I'm glad you're all ok." He got up and hugged each one of them before limping away.

"That was weird," Cameron said quietly, watching House as he went over to Wilson in the lunch line and offered to pay for his lunch. She smiled when Wilson got the same confused expression on his face as they did but he didn't refuse the offer.

"You think that's weird?" Chase said, pulling her attention back to their table. "Earlier he offered to help pay my speeding tickets."

Foreman swallowed his food and said, "When we were heading to the fourth floor, instead of using the elevator he took the stairs with me and didn't even complain about his leg."

"And he's not complaining about the clinic. He even told Cuddy he didn't mind doing extra hours," Chase said before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Do you think House... changed?" Cameron asked cautiously. They all looked at each other not knowing what to think.


Cuddy walked with Foreman through the clinic. "Foreman you can't keep that bullet inside of you. It's not healthy."

"Hey I survived being trapped in that elevator. This bullet reminds me of my victory."

"But what if it gets infected?"

"It won't and if it does then I'll get it removed."

"After all the freaky things you've seen in diagnostics I'd thought you would get that thing removed immediately."

"If something freaky does happen then I'll get it remove. For now it stays." Cuddy shook her head in disbelief as Foreman kept talking. "Besides you should worry about House. He's been acting strange."

"I know, he's being nice. He's not okay. None of you are ok," she said as they both walked up to Cameron. She was by the nurse's station filling out some forms. "House is concern for you," Cuddy stated. "And he's right. I think it's best for you to go home and sleep." Cameron didn't even register what Cuddy said. She was losing it and couldn't keep herself together anymore.

"Cameron," Foreman said in concern. She looked at him. Her eyes were tired and full of fear. She was pale and trembling. And they can see in her face that she wasn't herself.

"You see that patient over there," she said, looking at an old woman who was sitting in the open exam room. The blinds were open so everyone got a clear view of the inside. "She is complaining about stiffness in her joints which mean arthritis but I can't prescribe her anything because she can't remember the names of the five other medications she's taking. I can't give her anything without risking a cross reaction. She can die and she keeps insisting for the meds. It's like she doesn't even care she can die from a bad reaction... it's like she wants to... to die." Foreman looked at her shocked, not believing the words that just came out of her mouth.

"What?" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"Dr. Cameron that is not true. People forget their prescriptions all the time and ask for meds. We got it from here. Go home and get some rest," Cuddy ordered.

"No! She wants to die!" Cameron yelled getting the whole clinics attention. "She forgot her meds on purpose because she wants to die!" Cuddy looked at her shocked as Cameron rushed over to the patient. "Do you want to die! It seems like you do!"

"Cameron stop!" Foreman yelled as she started knocking equipment over, looking for something.

"If you want to die then you can die!" she yelled angrily as she took out a syringe and loaded it with drugs. But before she can get near the frightened patient Chase appeared out of nowhere and held her back. "No! Let me go!" Cameron struggled to get away. Foreman rushed into the room and took the syringe out of her hand. The patient rushed out as Foreman helped Chase hold her back. "She wants to die! Just let her die!"

"Check her into psych!" Cuddy exclaimed as Cameron kicked and screamed, trying to get away. "Let her die!" she yelled. "It's what she wants, just let her die!" Cuddy watched as Foreman and Chase forced Cameron over to the elevators.

"Let's use the stairs," Foreman said quickly, the familiar feeling of fear and panic bubbling up in his stomach.

"Are you kidding me!" Chase yelled angrily as they struggled to keep a hold on Cameron.

"Let me go!" she yelled with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm not crazy! Just let me go!"

"One of us can get hurt! She needs to get to psych now!" Besides from the time she was high on crystal meth, Chase couldn't remember seeing Cameron so vulnerable before and he desperately wanted to help her but Foreman was making it difficult with his own vulnerability. That has to wait, he decided. Cameron needs to get to psych now! Foreman shook his head, feeling guilty.

"I'm sorry. I can't go in there." Chase stared at him angrily but before he can protest House limped over and took Cameron's arm, reliving Foreman.

"Stop!" she yelled. "Let me go!" House and Chase tightened their grip on her.

"It's ok Dr. Foreman," House said. "We got it from here." Cuddy watched Foreman step back, shocked at what House just did. She watched them force Cameron into the elevator before the doors closed, leaving the clinic in a deafening silence.


Cuddy walked into Wilson's office feeling defeated. "I don't know what to do anymore," she said to him as she sat on the couch. Wilson looked up at her from his desk.

"Everyone is still scared and shaken up," he replied. "It's going to take some time for everything to get back to normal."

"But how long," she sighed. "My staff is a mess. One of my surgeons just quit and I spoke to a couple of nurses. They're cleaning out their lockers as we speak. My interns can't focus on their rounds and some of my med students are transferring out. House's team is a wreck. Dr. Foreman is walking around, refusing to take the bullet out of his chest and is afraid of going into the elevators. Dr. Chase is taking risks because he thinks since he escaped death once he can do it again. And Dr. Cameron completely lost it in the clinic and had a nervous breakdown. House and Chase had to check her into psych."

"House checked her into psych," Wilson said in surprise.

"Yes," Cuddy answered. "He didn't even argue about clinic duty. He offered to fill in some extra hours. He's actually being nice. I haven't got one rude comment today."

"I know. He offered to buy me lunch and I saw him hugging his team. They were a little freaked out," he chuckled at that last part. "He's not okay. None of them are ok," he said seriously.

"They need help," said Cuddy. "So I was wondering if you could take them on a retreat. Have them do therapy sessions and record them so I know they're actually doing it. It'll help them a lot. It'll help you." Wilson looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you hesitating to go into your office this morning. You're not ok either. You all need to heal." Wilson nodded in agreement.

"Alright," he said. "I'll do it."


"Let me go!" Cameron yelled as Chase and House forced her into the psychology admittance room.

"We're just trying to help you!" House exclaimed over her yelling.

"I don't need help!" she cried as she struggled to get away. "I'm not crazy! I don't belong here! Why won't you people listen to me!"

"Someone help us!" Chase exclaimed as several nurses rushed over with a gurney.

"No!" Cameron screamed. "Get away from me! Let me go!" House and Chase struggled to restrain her as the nurse sedated her.

"I'm sorry," Chase whispered as she started to get weak. "I'm so sorry." Cameron instantly got quiet and slowly went limp in their arms. House and Chase looked lost as she was put on a gurney and taken away. Chase sat down in panic, his hands running through his hair in guilt. Cameron had saved his life and she was paying for it.

House and Chase were in the waiting room, waiting for any kind of news about Cameron. Chase held the clipboard, filling out Cameron's information. He looked at the questions. "This shouldn't be too hard," he mumbled. He looked at the first question. "Name. Cameron, Allison..." He looked at House. "What is her middle name?" House rolled his eyes and took out his phone.

"Marie," he said putting his phone away. Chase wrote it down before looking back at House.

"Her middle name is Marie? How do you know?" House took out his phone and waved it in his face.

"Facebook you idiot!" House snapped making him feel stupid.

"Oh right," he mumbled as he looked down at the clipboard. "Birthday... huh. When is her birthday?" House rolled his eyes as he checked his phone again and gave it to him. After filling out her address and phone numbers he got to her medical history. "Allergies..." He looked at House.

"Don't look at me!" he snapped. "Why would that be on her Facebook? Just skip it." Chase shrugged and went to the next question but found he couldn't answer it so he went to the next one. He sighed with hopelessness as he scanned through all of them.

"We can't skip every question," Chase said in frustration. House laughed rudely, ignoring Chase's glare.

"This is sad. You've worked with her for three years and you know nothing about her."

"Shut up House!" Chase snapped as he flung the clipboard at him. "Let's see you fill this out."

"Fine," he said as he got up and handed it to the lady at the front desk. "We're just her colleagues. Try calling her parents." The lady nodded as House took his seat.

"You could've just told me to do that in the first place," Chase said.

"Sorry, the next time Cameron goes crazy I'll let you know." Chase rolled his eyes as they just sat there in silence. He couldn't believe House was still with him especially since the strange niceness was going away. House either didn't want to go back to the clinic or he actually cared about Cameron. But whatever it was Chase guessed seeing Cameron lose it made House snap out of it. He debated asking House about the strange behavior but before he can make up his mind a doctor came towards them.

"Are you two here for Allison Cameron?"

"Yeah how is she," Chase asked as he and House stood up.

"Allison needs to stay here for the rest of the day and night," he said.

"Why? Is she going to be ok?" House asked, ignoring the look of surprise on Chase's face.

"Yes but according to the shift records Dr. Cuddy gave me she's been up two days without sleep and I found out she didn't sleep at all after the shooting. Allison is suffering from traumatic stress and exhaustion. After she woke up I talked to her and all she kept talking about was Mr. Conner holding the gun to her head with the pressure of someone's life in her hands. She also mentioned how she can still feel the cold metal of the gun against her skin. When I asked her why she hasn't slept she informed me about the nightmares she's been having. She's too scared to sleep so I prescribed her some sleeping pills that will put her into a deep sleep. When I told her I was going to put her to sleep she had another breakdown. We had to restrain her to the bed and force her to take the pills. They're strong so she won't wake up till tomorrow afternoon. All she needs is sleep and therapy and well be fine to go home tomorrow."

"Thank God," Chase sighed in relief. "Can I stay with her."

"Of course. The best thing for Allison right now is to have someone familiar with her. She's in the last room down the hall."

"Thank you," Chase said. The doctor nodded before walking away. House was about to leave too but Chase stopped him. "House, I appreciate you being here even if you do care or not. Cameron would be grateful too." House nodded in response before limping out of the room.

House walked through the hall of the fourth floor in a daze. Just a few days ago he watched his employees on the brink of death and he himself could've died. And now they were all an emotional wreck. Seeing Cameron completely lose it like that just made him snap out of the weird funk he was in and accept the reality of the shooting.

"House!" Wilson called out, interrupting his thoughts. He kept walking as Wilson caught up to him. "Hey, I heard Cameron was checked into psych. Is she going to be ok?"

"Yeah. She just needs sleep and therapy."

"Good," Wilson sighed in relief. "Cuddy says you're participating in clinic duty. Are you ok?"

"What's with the twenty questions?"

"I'm concern about you House. You hate working in the clinic and you don't care about your team and now all of a sudden you do."

"I'm fine!" House snapped. "Don't you have to go tell someone they're dying of cancer or something." Wilson sighed, ignoring the offensive comment.

"This is too soon but do you want to go camping with me. It'll be fun. We can hang out, go fishing, and it'll take our mind off things," Wilson said making House stop in his tracks. He looked at Wilson gratefully. Getting away was exactly what he needed right now.

"When do we leave?"

Hours passed and it was late into the night. Chase was still by Cameron's side. He watched her, noticing how peaceful she looked sleeping, as if nothing happened. Suddenly Foreman came in but he kept his gaze on Cameron. "Hey," he said as he came into the room and took a seat next to Chase on the couch. "I thought you would've left already. How is she?" Chase sighed but still didn't take his gaze off of her.

"She is suffering from traumatic stress and exhaustion. The doctor gave her a heavy dose of sleeping pills. She'll be awake by tomorrow afternoon and will be fine to go home. All she needs is sleep and therapy."

"Thank God she's going to be ok. It could've been worse."

"Yeah," Chase said in a guilty voice. Foreman looked at him.

"This isn't your fault you know." Chase shook his head in disagreement and finally looked at Foreman.

"She saved my life with a gun to her head. She could've walked away but she didn't. And after she woke up from being sedated her doctor talked to her. He said all she kept talking about was Andrew and the gun and the pressure of my life in her hands. She was terrified of going to sleep so he had to force her into taking the pills. It's my fault she's here."

"No it's not," Foreman said sternly. "This is Cameron we're talking about. She would've done the same for anyone."


Cameron opened her eyes slowly. Her vision cleared as she looked around the room noticing the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows. Her head had a dull ache from the drugs and she felt slightly dizzy but at least she felt well rested. She turned her head to see Chase asleep on the couch. Has he been there the whole time? What the hell happened? oh yeah... she thought. She just remembered flashes from the clinic but it was enough for her to know that she had a nervous breakdown. What the hell came over me? she thought as Chase began to stir in his sleep and slowly woke up to see Cameron staring at him. He smiled warmly at her as he sat up, running his hand through his hair.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"A little dizzy."

"That's from the drugs. You were given a strong dose because you were refusing to take them." Cameron looked at him shocked.

"I don't remember that... actually I don't remember anything besides flashes from the clinic. What day is it? Where am I?" Chase came over and sat next to her on the bed.

"It's Wednesday afternoon and you're in psych." She looked at him shocked and tried to sit up but she couldn't move her arms and legs.

"What?" she whispered confused.

"Sorry," he said as he began to undo the restraints. "Your doctor had to restrain you when you wouldn't take the meds."

"Chase, I'm not crazy!" she panicked as he finally freed her.

"I know," he said softly as he embraced her into a hug.

"I was just scared and tired and I couldn't deal with it and..."

"Sssh... it's ok," he comforted her.

"You've been through a lot but you're going to be ok."

"Thanks for staying with me Chase," she whispered through quiet tears.


Next chapter will be up by Tuesday or wednesday. Sorry its because the library is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Speaking of Monday I'm so excited to see the new episode of House!:)