Chapter 12

Although House had threatened to puke in his mouth, he truly could avoid spying on Cameron's lunch with the Wombat. He went down to the cafeteria, got his usual reuben-no-pickles, refused to pay, and began scouring the cafeteria for Cameron or Chase. He finally saw them, sitting at a corner table, and sat a few back, facing Chase, because he knew he'd be less likely to be noticed in that direction.

Chase was explaining something to Cameron excitedly, and she smiled at him, agreeing. House couldn't help the sudden surge or anger that rose up in him; he couldn't help but imagining Cameron getting back together with Chase.

He saw Chase check his watch and then quickly rush off back to surgery, and House plopped down in his vacated seat. "How did I know you wouldn't be able to keep away?" she asked sarcastically, poking at her wilted salad.

"So, what are the secret plans we're forming without me?"

"As a matter of fact, House, you're included in this one. Chase wanted to get us together for dinner; you, him, Foreman, and me, you know, the original four, and catch up. I'm not a huge fan of Chase at the moment, but I happened to agree that his plan was a good one."

"When?"

"Tomorrow night, if you're around, at Louie's."

"Is Chase paying? If so I'm having filet mignon, and leaving half of it."

"I think he might be paying, but it would be nice of you to at least finish your food."

"Hmm… I'll consider it. Want to go for drinks tonight?" House looked at her hopefully, trying to gauge where their relationship currently stood.

"I actually have something I need to do tonight, but let's do it another night."

"Are you just trying to push me off indefinitely, because I can make it easier and just stop asking now."

"No, actually. I'm not lying, my mom is in town, and I'm going to dinner with her, provided I don't get stuck in the ER til midnight again. She would be a little disappointed if I blew her off for drinks with a coworker."

"Oh." Said House, standing. "Tell her Housie says hello!" He leaned towards her, sneaking a small kiss onto her cheek, and winked at her when he caught sight of her surprised expression. Then, before she could say a word, he turned on his heel and hobbled out of the cafeteria.

When House came into work the next morning, he was surprised to find his team missing, probably helping sick people or something. Correction, most of his team was missing; Thirteen stood leaning in his office doorway. She handed him a coffee as he passed by.

"What?" snapped House, settling in behind his desk with his coffee and a gossip magazine.

"What's up with Cameron?" Thirteen asked, walking towards House.

"She doesn't bat for that team, calm yourself down," said House, in a sarcastic tone.

"No… no. Is everything alright with her? She looked pretty happy when you got back from Las Vegas, but now she just looks really stressed out, and not so great. She lost a lot of weight, you know."

"Yeah, she's been taking diet tips from you," quipped House, upset by this news. He thought that Cameron had been acting strangely, but he didn't want to believe something was actually going on with her. "No," said House after a pause, "I don't think she's alright, but I have no idea what's wrong."

Thirteen shrugged and took a sip of coffee from her steaming mug. She then began filling him in on all the exciting details about their current patient, and he began questioning why he came in today.

Chase stopped by the diagnostics room later that day, checking to see if Foreman and House were on for dinner that night.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Wombat, I'll be there." House noticed that he felt a little jealous when Chase was around. He wasn't even with Cameron anymore, yet House resented that they used to be a couple. He internally kicked himself for all the years she pined after him (or at least that's how he liked to imagine it) and he paid her no attention.

The evening came soon enough, and House showed up at the restaurant to find Chase and Foreman already there. He sat down with them, and let them continue their conversation. He glanced at the fancy menu.

"So," Chase was saying, "I don't really know what's up with her. She's been acting pretty distant lately and she doesn't look well, but she's confusing me. Agreeing to lunch but not to dinner or anything."

"Well, she's coming to dinner now."

"Yeah, because you and House are here, I don't reckon she'd go out with me alone… if she even shows up here tonight."

House wanted to quip something insulting to Chase, but he held his tongue. At that moment, Cameron appeared and sat at their table, her silky shirt and dark, skinny pants making House wish they were out in Vegas again.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. My mother is staying with me, and well, I don't exactly know when she's leaving, and it's just kind of hectic at my house. But it's great to see you guys outside of work." She leaned across the table and gave Foreman a hug, and then greeted Chase and House.

House watched Cameron reading her menu; he could see small scabs on the back of her hands. He watched her absentmindedly pull them from view. Once they ordered, they discussed some of the hospital gossip, and how the diagnostics team was doing.

"Thirteen's been worried about you, Cam," said House, "But don't worry, I told her you weren't interested, although you really should be."

Cameron frowned at him. "I like Thirteen," she said, and then took a long sip of her ice water. "But I'm really fine. My mom, like I said, has been staying with me, and she's a handful, but I'm doing fine." House watched as she dug her thumbnail into the back of her hand. Neither Chase nor House noticed, though, as the food was being put on the table.

"What is your mom like?" asked House, now intrigued.

"Um, she used to work at a library, and now she just volunteers at a nursing home, but she's usually very nice and an excellent cook and mother. She basically raised my brothers and me alone. But she battles chronic depression, so sometimes she's not herself. But let's talk about something else, why don't we?"

Cameron picked through her food, cutting it all up and not eating much, and she didn't join in the conversation too much after that.

Chase suggested they go for a few drinks after dinner, and Cameron said she better get home, but House and Foreman convinced her to go just for a bit.

They wound up at a dive-bar, and ordered a round of beers. House watched the horse-race that was being shown, and Chase turned to Cameron for some conversation. Within a few seconds, House tuned them in.

Chase was saying, "Why don't you come back to my place after, we can hang out like we used to, we can forget this… separation…" House could tell her was drunk from the way he was slurring his words.

"Chase, we broke up for a reason, you have to remember that. I don't want to forget our breakup happened, I want it like this." Cameron sounded drunk too; House hadn't realized how long they'd been there and how many drinks they'd gotten through. He always pegged Cameron as a lightweight anyways.

"Allison, be reasonable. We just need to work on our relationship. I will be better to you, I will be great to you, come on."

"I need to be at home for a while, to stay with my mom. And Robert, I just don't want us anymore. Now have fun with the guys, I'm leaving."

"At least let me drive you home. You don't even have your car here do you?"

"No, I walked to Louie's. Fine then, drive me home."

House and Foreman left soon after, and House couldn't help feeling that the night had been a little unsavory. On the other hand, he had found out a lot about Cameron in one night. He was curious about her mother, and her scabs. He figured he'd ponder it all in bed. He was just about to turn the lights off when the phone rang.