A/N: More storyline coming soon, but I do like writing the little exchanges like this too, and hope they will add to the overall story :) Reviews would be awesome! Thanks for reading :)
Finally, when it becomes clear that Cuddy considers the case to be closed, House pushes himself up and limps from the room without a word or look cast at his colleagues that remain sat stiffly on the sofa. The door hisses as it swings shut behind him, and the Dean looks back up from her computer and sighs.
"I know this isn't the easiest position for either of you two to be in, but as long as I am running this hospital, lives come first. Generally, that means this lives of the patients before the hang-ups of my staff... But don't think I'm not aware I'm asking a lot of you. Foreman, you have my go-ahead to do what you feel needs doing unless the cost exceeds your budget, after which I expect you to come to me for approval. Cameron... I know House will test you, but if you could refrain from putting in a complaint, I-"
"-I know what I'm getting into. I'm not going to do that."
The blonde sighs, feeling both weak and angry at vocally admitting to this fact after House had challenged her explicitly over her ability to do so, but the look Cuddy gives her is one of understanding and exhaustion, and Cameron knows deep down that the request that she not complicate matters is a personal one rather than a professional one.
Right now, however, she's unsure whether this knowledge provides her with compassion or rage.
He's always liked you, even when he acts up, he takes you into consideration. Maybe I'm jealous of that. Not of you, not of his relationship with you, but the fact that he respects you. I would like to know what that feels like.
She sighs, accepting Cuddy's grateful nod with a tight smile. She thinks back to the conversation had with House while sitting on the floor of the women's locker rooms and how hopeful she'd been that things had changed. How happy she'd been to grasp at the positive attention she'd been given, and how easily she'd convinced herself it spoke of things progressing between them. She'd been so sure of it; from his helping her in the ER and patching her up, to his visit to check up on her and helping her with dinner. It had all seemed like such a huge step, and the worst thing about all this is that she had been cautious. She hadn't been foolish about it or quick to jump in head first. The progression had seemed natural and had hinged on the fact that House had seemed to understand and regret some of his previous behaviour.
That's what hurts now.
The fact that he hadn't even been able to look at her.
The fact that he's pushing her away now, as though done with her in more ways than one.
"Come on, let's go pick up a coffee and head over to the DDX room, I'll page the others."
Foreman sighs, giving her a light prod in the thigh, and she nods, fingering the pink folds of her scrubs before pushing herself up.
"I'll change, too. I only have jeans with me, but that's better than these."
She glances back at Cuddy who nods permissively without looking up, before following Foreman out the room. They get about halfway down the hallway before he comes to a stop and turns to face her.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"House. Why was he being that way with you?"
"Was it any different to how he usually is with me?"
She sighs, and Foreman nods with his brow furrowed.
"He teases you in hopes of getting a reaction. This wasn't teasing..."
"Good, you noticed that too."
"Cam, I'm serious, what's going on? If I'm in charge, I need to know."
"You're not in charge."
The blonde shakes her head, setting off down the hall with Foreman hurrying behind in her wake and demanding irritably
"Yes, I am. You just heard Cuddy specify that-"
"-Oh, you're in charge on paper, sure, but you know that's not how this all works. It's House's team, he's in charge, he'll always be in charge. The others will do what he says over you."
"You don't think I command respect?"
"I think that whenever the opportunity comes along to take the lead you can become an arrogant prick, but I do respect you, and I'm sure they do too."
"Just not as much as they respect House?"
"Possibly not. You respect the sea more so than a lake, because the sea can provide you with more fish, but it can also turn on you without warning. You're by the book, and that's good, but I'd do what the criminal said before the cop because I don't want to get shot in the head."
"Spoken like a true white girl."
Foreman grumbles, and Cameron sighs as she stops walking and turns to face him.
"Are you pissed at me for telling you what you don't want to hear?"
"I'm pissed that it's not even nine in the morning and you're spewing stupid analogies at me."
"And because you know I'm right."
The blonde pushes, and Foreman glowers at her before offering a twitch of his mouth.
"Possibly. I'm not foreseeing this being much fun."
"That's probably wise... And I didn't mean the others- and myself- won't do what you ask us to. I just mean that House is going to push back, and he knows the easiest way to do that is to toy with your team rather than with you directly."
"I guess you're right... You always were the best at reading him."
"... I thought that too, but I'm not so sure."
Cameron muses hollowly, taking a couple of steps back so that she stands with her hand rested on the door to the locker room. Foreman moves to lean against the wall opposite- silently communicating that he means to wait for her- and speaks up in a kinder tone.
"Allie... Is everything alright between you two?"
"... Everything is exactly how it's always been. Nothing's changed."
The blonde replies without looking back, before disappearing from view.
Inside the locker room, Cameron changes into her jeans and a sweater; the same one House had noticed back in the ER staff room with the zip detail down the back. The one cut low at the front. She looks down at herself before assessing her reflection in the mirror, wishing she'd brought something else with her, but rarely needing a change of clothes these days as the access to scrubs is endless. As she stands tying her hair back with a wince and slight bend to her side to ease strain from her hip, she spies Nancy and one of the student nurses come hurrying in and nods in acknowledgement.
"Mathilde says she's covering for you."
Nancy greets her, almost accusingly, and the blonde eyes her pink scrubs longingly and nods.
"For the time being. Cuddy asked me to work an on-going case with Diagnostics."
"You're not moving back, are you?"
"Of course not. I'm just helping out."
"Promise? You're not going to let them persuade you to stay there?"
"I don't think that's likely to happen."
"No?"
"No. They don't want me there."
Cameron sighs, straightening up and pulling her sweater into place. Nancy chuckles and gives her a pat on the arm, mocking 'aww' into her ear before heading to her locker, and the blonde smiles thinly.
It's true, though, and I'm under no illusion that they're going to refrain from letting me know it.
"I'll see you later."
She advises through gritted teeth, watching Nancy raise a hand cheerily, midway through pulling her shirt off over her head. Exiting the locker room, Foreman regards her amiably, standing with his hands in his pockets and his clipboard nestled against his side.
"Ready?"
"No."
"Coming?"
"Yes."