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With a bit of time left before having to report back to the hospital, Cameron empties her bag of snacks onto the green grass. An assortment of granola bars, two carefully prepared wrap sandwiches that look like they were purchased from the supermarket but were in fact prepared with Cameron's own two hands,
and two cans of diet-soda.
"You drink that crap?" Thirteen asks, picking up one of the soda cans and shaking it wildly. Cameron cringes, expecting the can to spontaneously explode.
Cameron nods, sheepishly. "I know. Aspartame, artificial sweeteners will give you cancer. I work in a hospital so I figure I've got a better chance of survival than most."
"No, I mean it tastes like crap. And you better not get cancer."
Cameron smiles softly at Thirteen, her insides warming. "Would you still like me if I lost all my hair?"
Thirteen glances in her direction, her eyes widened. "Seriously?"
Cameron nods, still smiling.
"Sure, I mean, yeah I guess." Thirteen senses her thick skin becoming thicker, her walls piling higher but she desperately wants to let the woman in. "I would, of course. And I'd take care of you. But that won't happen, so let's not worry about it."
Cameron lowers her head, smiling from ear to ear. Their fingertips meet on the blanket beneath them, caressing one another until they are fully intertwined.
"So..." Cameron begins. "I hate to be that girl that has to define things. But... what are we?"
Thirteen looks at her and shrugs. "Happy? I don't know. Does there have to be a definition?"
Cameron shakes her head, an uneasy feeling causing her insides to twist. She remembers having this conversation with Chase weeks after they first slept together. It wasn't that she needed to define the situation but it did make her feel better to know that she was the only one getting his attention.
"Great," Thirteen says, standing up and brushing a few pieces of grass from her pants. "I'm gonna head inside and grab a quick shower before it's time to get back to work. I'll see you after?"
Cameron nods. "Sure. I'll just clean up here and see you in a bit."
She gathers her makeshift picnic and walks slowly toward the hospital, distracted by her thoughts until she hears someone shouting her name.
"Oh, hi Dr. Cuddy. Nice day out, isn't it?"
"Certainly is. Glad to see you out enjoying some fresh air. I hate being cooped up in that stuffy hospital all day."
"Me too," Cameron says, smiling.
"Besides, it's much easier to sneak around when you're not being followed by security cameras, right?"
Cameron freezes, swallowing hard.
"I'm sorry?"
"I saw you over there. With Dr. Hadley. You know I could have your job for that, right?"
Cameron's heart drops into her stomach as she realizes that Cuddy must have seen everything, or pretty close to it.
"It's... I can... I'm... Dr. Cuddy. It's not what you think. It will never happen again, I swear." Cameron stumbles over her words and tries to dig herself out of the hole she has put herself in.
"You ought to be more careful how you conduct yourself in your free time. And who sees you."
Cameron puts her head down, defeated.
"When you get your afternoon break, I'd like to see you in my office."
Cameron nods, avoiding eye contact with her superior. She watches, in shame, as Dr. Cuddy struts back into the hospital. Wiping a worried tear from her eye, Cameron walks back into the hospital, wishing she had more time to regain her composure before having to deal with Dr. House.
"Allergies or is it that time of the month, Cameron?" he says as he passes her in the hallway.
Grumbling, she heads to the staff lounge to drop off her things, her mind racing as she prepares for a certain tongue lashing, and maybe even termination.
