Chapter Ten
"Look I just need you to take him today." Cameron says, getting herself dressed up and cleaning herself up in the bathroom on Monday morning. Chase was busy in the nursery getting Liam dressed up and watching Cameron run between her bedroom and the bathroom multitasking.
A week and a half after Cameron and Liam arrived home from the hospital it seemed like her and Chase was beginning to find their sync again. Liam still kept them on their feet and in line as the two kept a watchful eye on their son like most parents would if their son was still recovering from a liver transplant. However, Chase wanted to keep a watchful eye on his newfound family and tried his best not to overwork or over exhaust Cameron. It was like for once things were slowly turning around for Chase having her back in his life and getting the opportunity to enjoy the bliss of fatherhood.
For the past week and a half it has been nothing but bed rest and getting the apartment prepared for the holiday season for Cameron. While Chase headed off to work, she was left alone in the apartment with the feeling of being a homemaker and looking after their son. However she always looked forward towards the end of the day when Chase will come home and the two of them would spend nights together reconnecting and enjoying the splendor of being a family.
"What am I suppose to do with our son for the day?" Chase asked, putting on Liam's shoes.
"Take him to work with you he's due for a checkup today." Cameron answered blow drying her hair. "Cuddy wants him checked out to make sure his vitals are back to normal since the transplant."
"You're not a big fan of daycares aren't you?" Chase questioned recalling the last time she left their son for a day at a daycare. It was probably not the best time to make a small joke at a matter like that considering that it resulted in a major medical crisis. "Look I'm sorry for bringing up the daycare thing…I know what happened and I understand why."
"It's not that I don't want to leave him in a daycare after what happened but we need to keep an extra close eye on him for awhile till he's fully recovered." Cameron said, brushing her hair. "Are you afraid of being alone with him for the day? If you want I could take him for the day besides I manage to juggle a baby and every other dotting task in my busy day."
"No I don't mind it and besides you need some time for yourself for awhile." Chase assured her. "I can take care of Liam for today and it should give me practice on looking after our son. Don't worry I'll make sure he doesn't cause a ruckus at work."
"Our son is four months old who hasn't reached the mobilizing stage yet." Cameron slightly teased watching Chase load him into the carseat. "As long as he stares wide eyed, gets his daily bottle, and watches all the wonderful adults around him do their business he'll be fine and entertained for the day. Make sure he's secured properly in the car is all I ask."
Despite the fact that Cameron was a mother she still was a career orientated woman with the need to provide for her family. She got a call a few days back for a job interview at New York Mercy and was heading there today for an interview. The debts were still piling up and the last thing she needed was to put a burden on Chase to help her out of her financial hole. This was something she felt she needed to do on her own and despite Chase's objections to take it easy when it comes to a potential opportunity Cameron is a step ahead to go for it.
"What time is your interview?" Chase asked curiously. This morning he tried to offer to let her use his car to drive to New York to her job interview at New York Mercy. However, in true Cameron fashion she still wanted her sense of independence and told Chase that she was taking a cab.
"It's at eleven and Robert I'll be fine don't worry." Cameron smiled, getting her resume ready. "I will call you later when I'm done and I'll drop by the hospital to check up on my two favorite guys. Will you do something for me?"
"Okay what is it Ally?" Chase asked, holding the carrier.
"Wish me good luck today?" Cameron said as the two of them headed out the door together. She walked him to his car and helped Chase secure Liam in the car seat and then spotted her taxi cab in front of the building. He let out a grim leaning in giving her a kiss and returned the favor by kissing back. "Okay I'll thank you for the kiss for good luck then and love you babe for that one."
"I still have that magic for good luck do I?" Chase grimed watching her get into the cab and turned to look at his son in his car. "So it's just you and me huh buddy? Hopefully your mommy might get herself back on her feet before the end of today."
Chase walked through the doors of Princeton Plainsboro as the clock in the main lobby read nine o'clock. He received a couple of stares when he made his way towards the elevators from some of the staff and nurses. It wasn't hard to ignore the few murmurs and whispers from the staff and nurses about the gossip on him. The topic of discussion around the hospital was about Cameron being back in town and about him being Liam's father. He really didn't bother with the gossip about his personal life just as long he was able to do his job and go home at the end of the day to his family.
The ironic thing about this situation was that once everyone knew about Liam's fraternity most of the nursing staff looked at him in a different perspective and occasionally ask him how his son was doing. Last Christmas he wasn't on their good graces and now this year it was weird. Maybe when people found out he was a father there was a soft spot developed for him. Chase walked into the conference room with Liam in two in the Diagnostics department and spotted Foreman sitting at the table looking up at him.
"Let me guess baby daddy duty today for you?" Foreman asked, watching Chase unstrapped Liam from the car seat and picking him up. "How's the bliss of fatherhood treating you?"
"Still a learning process but Cameron and I are still trying to get ourselves back in sync." Chase replied sitting down with Liam in his lap. "Would that be a problem for you?"
"Actually Cameron's untimely return to Princeton must have been the highlight of your year. Have you not noticed through the gossip mill that everyone is looking at you differently now that they know you're a father? Last year your little man whoring escapade with the nursing staff got you into shit and you boycotted because of them. This year they are suddenly treating you with some sort of newfound respect because you're a baby daddy."
"Yeah I told Cameron about that incident with the nurses…but not the stuff with Jenny. You know my history with addicts and my opinion of them, heck I lived with one for years. What happened between Jenny and I is not the same thing I have going on with Cameron. Do you think it will be easy to tell her about the heroin addict I dated just for kicks and used for another idiotic thrill seeking adrenaline rush? There are some things I need to keep to myself and not do anything in my power to drive away the only family I got left. I know it's going to be a long road to get my life back in sync and for her too but I got a chance to make things right with her and Liam. I am not going to screw this up."
"In the months you spent with Jenny she knew you didn't feel anything for her like what you felt with Cameron. The problem was you just needed another adrenaline rush and she by far was the highest one and for you to say you hate addicts you just basically helped this woman feed her addiction all those months." Foreman protested, hitting him verbally with a few home truths. "It's not I'm saying that you don't deserve a second chance with Cameron, heck her coming back was a blessing in disguise. If you're going to make things workout between you two and for your son's sake get your shit straight. People don't dive in right away back into routine it's going to take time for the both of you. What I learned about relationships is that honesty and truth are one of the foundations of it. However, with your track record about honesty I question whether or not you'll be fully committed in being with her one hundred percent. Cameron is one of those honest Jane women that the girl basically poured her heart out to you telling you just how crappy her life was the past year."
"What am I suppose to tell her about Jenny? Hey babe the last girl I dated before your untimely return is a heroin addict who I spent weekends with helping her score some smack?" Chase sarcastically replied. "I already killed a man and for her to tell me last week that we can't friends because she's still in love with till her kills her what am I suppose to do? She's right that we could never be friends and now suddenly we're back to one year ago before the pre-Dibala incident back in sync. She left once I can't let that happen again and now that Liam is in the picture it just changes things. Besides, Jenny and I are no longer a thing going on and besides it was the her who told me to what we had going on was nothing. Jenny said that she didn't want to drag me down to her level and with Cameron back I can keep in line. I'll tell her eventually about Jenny but I still want to keep that blissful feeling of love on my mind still and enjoy it."
"Dude I'm just hoping you know what you're doing because if you slip up one more time...don't expect me to pick up the pieces for you." Foreman replied as Liam dropped his toy. He picked it up and gave it to the baby before he was about to bust into a crying fit. "On a brighter note it's good to see you functioning on the right side of the spectrum. Hey you got a cute son whose going to grow up into a heartthrob like his father and a woman who is crazy in love with you. I heard that Cameron had a job interview today. Is that why you decided to bring the kid to work?"
"Yeah she's applying for a position in Pediatrics at New York Mercy." Chase answered still holding Liam. "Cameron's going stop receiving unemployment checks by the end of the month and she needs to still payoff a truckload of debts she has outstanding back in Chicago. I told her I'll help her out but knowing just how much independence and a career are to her I'm not going to stand in her way. I suggested that she could get her job back working in the ER as senior attending and Cuddy was all welcoming to hire her back but Cameron wants to see if there are any other opportunities outside from Princeton Plainsboro."
"And if she doesn't find one then she has no choice but to fall back on the fail safe plan and work back at the place we all thought we could escape." Foreman said, peeking into House's office at the latest interviewee for their fellowship. The two of them got a glance at the latest applicant, a recent medical school graduate getting into a shout fit with House. They figured out the routine meaning one of two things: if the applicant ended up storming out of House's office angry they guess the applicant wouldn't contact for a follow up to thank House for the interview. The second was if the applicant ended up leaving the office in tears by the end of the day they'll get a paid visit from Cuddy and hear her riot act on their boss for being insensitive and demanding an apology. "Teary eyed applicant storming out guess we're be hearing from Cuddy later."
"Gosh the problem with ivy league grads is that these youngsters have too much school pride in them." House smirked coming into the room. "You tell them that the education system is overrated it's like the end of the world for them. Oh was there a memo that said bring your kid to work day? Did Cameron leave you on baby duty while she traveled to the big apple today?"
"You know that Cuddy isn't going to tolerate another random interviewee of the week barging into her office because of your latest tirade." Foreman commented. "Sooner or later you have to hire a fellow whether you like it or not. Second, we're kind of getting tired of watching a bunch of sappy teary or irate applicants leaving our department because you won't give them the courtesy to prove their worth."
"It's all about finding the right applicant, someone who must learn the ways of the force." House smirked looking at Liam and Chase. "Hey Chase...has the little half breed wombat of yours developed daddy's dreamy accent? I'm guessing Cameron dumped the kid on you to him the chance to get to know his old man. It's kind of odd that mommy is in the big apple today going for an interview when a few months back word on the street had it that New York Mercy wasn't hiring anyone. Say hypothetically that your baby mama couldn't buckle down and find a job that her only alternative was to turn to her fail safe plan and take back a her old job that was never filled, plus a vacant position on a prestige fellowship. It may not be Pediatrics like she did at Children Memorial but when those unemployment checks stop popping up in the bank account you take the first job that is laid on your lap."
"What makes you think that Cameron will want to come back to work here?" Chase asked, clearly irritated and suspicious of House's inquiries about Cameron's interview. "You were the reason that she left last year because she accused you of poisoning me and making me choose between our marriage and you. Then the fact about Dibala also adds to the mix do you think Cameron will waltz back and end up working at the hospital again? I'm not going to convince Cameron to come back to the hospital to work here and besides it's her decision what she plans to do."
"That's what you all say that you guys have a choice on whether you choose to work for me or not." House replied, popping a pill in his mouth. "Taub and Thirteen chose to bolt out the door being the ignorant fools they are to jump on the bandwagon of the first career changing opportunity dangling in their faces. Foreman chose to stay here because he needs this job and has no place to go. You chose to come back onto the team with your ever indulging quest for absolution and understanding after icing some brutal dictator. Everyone thinks they have control of the choices they make but every choice has a reason and a motivation behind them like that little cute bundle of joy you're holding in your arms is slowly changing your priorities. Say hypothetically Cameron were to return on the team that wracked out relationship of yours do you think it will change? Maybe in theory if she ends up initiating her fail safe plan there is that edge that one you still remain in line and two your girl finally will stop holding grudges and move on."
"Okay while you go ponder on your theory I need to take my son for his checkup and I'll let Foreman enjoy your twelve o'clock show later on with your next applicant victim." Chase sneered putting Liam back in the carrier and heading out the room. "I am warning you don't screw things up for her or for us. House if your up to something I rather stay away from you for the sake of my sanity and for my son's sanity...the last thing I need is the riot act from Cameron."
"Do I need to ask what you're up to now?" Foreman asked, looking at his boss. "Is there something I should know of? Besides don't you have to prepare for another applicant that is coming in for an interview at noon?"
"To humor you want to make a bet by the end of the day that this last gopher coming in ends barging into Cuddy's office that Cuddy will find me a new fellow she'll personally pick out?" House smirked. "Hey don't people say that the holidays is all about giving and receiving? I guess I have a funny way of showing it the whole commercialized holiday fiasco."
Cameron arrived at the hospital a little while after four o'clock before being caught up in the rush hour fiasco. She felt a slight pang of disappointment not because of her interview and the job opportunity. Well technically there was a job available at New York Mercy and she assumed that there was an opening for a Pediatrics fellowship, however she learned she got jilted on the details of the job she was applying for. Cameron didn't want a job that was designated as a gopher's job being a personal assistant to New York Mercy's chief of surgery it wasn't her. What Cameron loved about her medical career was the thrill to make a difference and help save many lives as possible through a wide variety of puzzles and medical mysteries. It was one highlight she enjoyed during her fellowship under House for three years. In this day and age due to the economy it was hard to find a decent job and it felt like her fail safe plan was about to come into play. Walking into the lobby of Princeton Plainsboro apart of her missed being apart of the atmosphere and the community that was developed in the workplace.
There was a lot of activity going on in the lobby and then she spotted Cuddy talking to some person who was balling her eyes out and Cuddy had that look on her face indicating on just who she was going to talk to. She made her way to the elevator and as the doors were about to shut close they opened up and Cameron found herself sharing an elevator with the Dean of Medicine. Hearing Cuddy mumbling about another stunt House pulled she figured it had to do with the applicants that were applying for the fellowship position in his department. She heard from Chase the difficulty of finding someone to be on the team since Taub and Thirteen departed and despite the drama of last year Cameron felt and in the spirit of the holidays grudges should be let go.
"Having a rough day?" Cameron asked her. "Did Chase take Liam in for his checkup?"
"Oh Allison yeah Chase came into the clinic earlier and we ran some test on Liam's liver function." Cuddy replied, now acknowledging the other occupant in the elevator. "Your son is on the way to a full recovery and the transplant is still in tact and no indication of the Echovirus 11. If there are any problems with Liam you have our numbers on speed dial...hey he's a lucky boy to survive the hell he went through the last few weeks."
"Thanks it's appreciated. I'm just heading up to Diagnostics to see Chase and Liam." Cameron smiled looking forward to seeing her two favorite guys. "It's been a long day."
"Tell me about it I need to give our favorite grumpy gimp the riot act again." Cuddy sighed looking up at the ceiling. "Two applicants came barging into my office complaining and giving me my riot act for hiring a person like House for this hospital. It seems like House loves to push my buttons to see which non employee will have the guts to file a lawsuit for emotional distress. All House needs to do is just hire someone for his department just at least one more fellow how hard could that be?"
"House has an unique way of picking out the right applicant." Cameron said as the two got off the elevator. "I don't get why anyone would be terrified and run out of a room crying over an interview with one of the best diagnosticians in the country? It was a thrill for me when I was doing my internship at Mayo I got selected for an interview with House. The job market these days is pretty slim and some people are really picky with the jobs they want."
"I'm guessing you struck out on a job interview today?" Cuddy inquired, analyzing Cameron's outfit. "I don't want to keep you waiting you have a few people who are dying to see you while I need to do some damage control."Cuddy excused herself from the young woman's presence to deal with House's latest stunt while Cameron went into the conference room to greet Chase and their son.
"I'm guessing either the latest interviewee for the fellowship position on House's team either stormed out or teared up?" Cameron smiled coming into the room taking Liam from Chase's arms. "Hey little guy were you a good boy for daddy?"
"What you don't trust me with our son?" Chase smirked fixing up Liam's stuff. "How did your interview at New York Mercy go?"
"For your information apparently I was under the impression that they were hiring to fill up a slot for a Pediatrics fellowship there." Cameron said. "However at a time like this where people should take any job, the first one available my motto I'm not personal assistant material and instead of a Peds fellowship opportunity, I got interviewed for a gopher position. So I said no because one as I said I'm not personal assistant material and two travel time will kill me and I don't have the car to get here and back. In addition I'm not paying over sixty dollars for a cab ride back and forth. Apparently I was given the wrong information and I kindly rejected taking the personal assistant position for New York Mercy's dean of medicine and it doesn't make any sense why they would tell me this. Look I'm really desperate because my unemployment checks are going to stop at the end of the month and I need the money to payoff all the other debts I piled up in the last couple of months for Liam's sake."
"You could instill the fail safe plan." Chase replied recalling one of their earlier conversations early in the morning. "I know last year was hectic and the conversation you had with House was the straw that broke us. I know being around this atmosphere brings back some memories whether they be the good; the bad; the ugly; the awkward and the traumatic but think about the achievements and accomplishments you had here. I can't convince you to come back to work here but sometimes fate works in mysterious ways. Allison think about Liam I know you'll do right by him whatever you choose. You being back here is actually a Christmas miracle for me because at least I'm not screwing around with anyone on the nursing staff this year."
"Babe you're still a charmer aren't you?" Cameron smiled as the three of them peeked into House's office watching Cuddy give him the riot act. "I wonder what you think Cuddy is saying to him?"
The conversation between House and Cuddy was being broadcast through the walls from his office and pouring into the conference room. In true House style he remained sarcastic, an ass and still had a low tolerance for offending people just to give them the honest truth. However, his game of honest interviewing to emotionally and psychologically drive potential candidates away was becoming too much for to handle. Cuddy threatened to hire someone internally to be transferred to his department and the last thing House needed was to have Cuddy authorize her authority over his department. At that moment watching House and Cuddy badger back and forth over who to hire Cameron looked at Chase and without saying anything decided to put the fail safe plan into action.
"Is something the matter Allison?" Cuddy asked questionably. "Is there a particular reason why you're here?"
"Look I know this seems like an unpredictable thing I'm about to suggest and professionally I'm thinking out of the box here." Cameron replied pacing back and forth in House's office. "We couldn't overhear your broadcast brawl in the conference room and since I have a fail safe plan I'm not really keen on using. However, I'm in need of a job and Robert and I need to both support our son."
"Wow that's a ear full hearing from our little girl." House smirked sarcastically. "I thought last year I ruined your marriage to Chase because he chose to rejoin instead of sailing off into the sunset with him and spent almost an entire year keeping wombat junior's fraternity from him. Last year you were hellbent on bolting out these hospital doors now suddenly you had a change of heart."
"He's in need of hiring someone to fill the fellowship position since Taub and Thirteen resigned." Cameron got back on topic focusing on Cuddy and ignoring House's banters. "And you want him to hire someone without hearing the complaints of every interviewee that's been walking through these doors about House. I have a fail safe plan and you two are in a predicament because if there are a few doctors who could deal with working for House...I'm one candidate that surely qualifies."
"Most kids wait in the back of the line instead of cutting in the front for the ice-cream truck sweetheart..." House sneered as she stared at Chase and Foreman in the conference room.
"Knock it off House." Cuddy said, already deciding on her next plan of action. "You need to hire someone and since you ignore to read your memos I sent you today was your last day to submit your new employee. If you're not going to do it then I'm going to pick one out for you whether you like it or not." In a bold move to prove her authority she turned to Cameron. "Since you're too much of an ass to hire someone why don't I just pick someone out at random right now for you? When can you start working again?"
"Next week but I was also wondering if you filled my old position as senior attending in the ER?" Cameron asked as Cuddy smiled.
"Come by my office before you leave and we'll get the paperwork filled out," Cuddy smirked walking by House out of his office. "There that wasn't so hard was it? I got you a new fellow oh you must be filled with glee House to have the old team kicking it old school. If you want to play games House next time play them with someone that is less cunning than you."
"You're smirking and judging by your smirk it tells me that saint Cameron is not one person to hold grudges even if sometimes she gets screwed over left, right and center like everyone else." House said sitting down in his office tossing his ball up in the air. "Like wombat says when all else doesn't work instill the fail safe plan. Was this your way of screwing me over and manipulating me like you always do?"
"Maybe it's both...I'm not a person to hold grudges and finding out that New York Mercy wasn't ever hiring for any attending positions why not pop in and see what is popping on my old stomping grounds." Cameron said with a sneer smile on her face walking back into the conference room to break the news to Foreman and Chase. "Last year I thought you were going to poison Chase with him coming back but maybe I was wrong. In all honesty I can thank you for a sort of Christmas miracle and I know how your little games work. House...I'll be seeing you next week."