AN: MIDTERMS!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter 37

Cameron stood at the gravesite alongside her husband as the rain came pouring out of the heavens. Funmy! She thought. It's always raining whenever I have to do something I don't want to. It was pouring the day her husband died, it poured the day that Cuddy told her and House her plan for getting pregnant, and it always poured whenever she went grocery shopping. She of course was dressed for the weather, with a hat, coat, wide umbrella, and low heels that would not sink too deeply in the mud. Her husband on the other hand, shunned her umbrella, scoffing that it was not raining that hard. He wore his usual outfit of jeans, band shirt and button down. No hat, no coat and sneakers that slid easily in the mud and wet grass. The only concession he made for the weather was his cane, which he used to gain purchase on the slippery slopes and hills that made up the cemetery.

She watched as the rain drenched him, as his stubbornness rewarded him in getting soaked, the droplets running over his hair and face, dripping off his nose. She would have giggled at the ridiculous sight he made, shivering in the deluge that threatened the whole funeral party, if not for the solemnity of the occasion.

She felt a shadow come near and envelope her from behind. She did not approve of how House had treated him, but knew that there were two people you didn't get in between, him and House. She felt the sudden spray on her legs as he closed his umbrella and stole close, sharing her large umbrella. A hand planted itself on her shoulder and closed slightly, attempting to give comfort. She glanced back at him and was shocked at his appearance. His hair was combed, the face shaved, the clothing pressed and matching. She looked back at the graveyard, now empty of grievers save the three of them. The few who had hung around had scattered at the cloudburst that erupted a few minutes ago. Wilson had maintained that he had loved Lisa and that he had even thought of deepening the relationship. At the moment, after what should be a devastating event, he looked fine. She became uneasy, perhaps House was right after all.

"I didn't see you in the crowd, where were you?" She asked, causing House to stiffen up beside her. She glanced at him meeting his eyes. House shook his head slightly and rocked his cane about, waiting for Wilson's answer.

"I had a patient. I just got here." He explained to Cameron.

"I'll be in the car." House huffed and slowly made his way down the steep hillside. Cameron watched him out of concern till he made it to the car, and then she turned to face Wilson. To anybody watching they would have the appearance of two lovers sharing their umbrella.

"Nice to see that House is still angry at me. I wonder how long this tantrum is going to l-" It was as far as he got before Cameron stopped him with a hand in the air.

"Stop!"

Wilson stopped and looked at her. She held the umbrella handle closer to her body, whether to shield herself from the pounding relentless rain all about her or to deny him access to the protection the large umbrella offered she wasn't quite sure. But it worked for her either way.

"You don't look so broken up about this. I'm starting to think that House has handled this the right way."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that you claim to have had a patient, an unexpected patient and you are perfectly groomed and rested, not a hair out of place, despite the weather! That's what I'm talking about." She turned to stalk off leaving him in the rain, not caring that he had to scramble to raise up his umbrella to ward off the drops that threatened his perfect appearance.

She got into the car and drove off with a bewildered House to their house.

They rode mostly in silence until House was startled by a loud shriek created by Cameron, who simply couldn't take it anymore and yelled at the top of her lungs.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

House was so startled that he forgot to breathe. Once he could force air back into his lungs he asked her, "Feel better?"

"He drives me nuts!"

House smirked and simply placed a hand on her knee. "I told you so!"

She shook her head out of frustration and inclined her head his way. "How are you?"

He sighed and removed his hand covering his face with it for a second. "I could be better."

Cameron looked back at the road and grew silent again. Nothing more needed to be said.

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They curled up in front of the fireplace, enjoying the heat of the flames. House had changed into his robe and Cameron into her nightwear of a short-sleeved shirt and pajama pants. They each had a beer in their hands. It was Cameron's first and House's third. She watched unobtrusively as he fiddled with his fake leg. She knew he wanted to take it off, but that then he wouldn't want to put it back on later to get up and go to bed. She sighed and snuggled closer to him and he stopped messing with the strap and curled his arm around her and took another drink of his beer. Cameron laid her now warm beer on the floor next to them.

"Long day." She broke the comfortable silence.

"Yep." Was all he said as he swallowed the last of his beer and threw it in the vicinity of the trashcan. Cameron smiled in relief as she heard glass hit metal. Glass hitting hard wood meant that she would be cleaning up.

"You've got your sports club meeting tomorrow. You gonna go?" She inquired, looking up at him.

"Yep." He looked down at her.

"What was it, basketball, right? This week it's basketball." Cameron decided.

"Yep." Now she rolled her eyes earning her a smirk from him.

"Is 'yep' all you're gonna say?"

"Yep."

She blinked at the stupidity of the conversation and started to laugh. A full belly laugh that started low and escalated into full-blown guffaws. Too late she realized how close to crying laughing truly is, because her laughter soon turned into uncontrollable sobs, shaking her whole body. House looked at her concerned, rubbing her back and trying to help her to calm down.

"I hated her! God!" She finally managed. "There was always this unspoken thing between the two of you, and I always felt that I couldn't compete with her. And I know you've told me that she is like a sister to you, but that is now. You don't sleep with your sister! And then all this crap with a child, which gives you a bond till the end of time, and all this crap with Wilson!" She stopped her ranting long enough to pull away and wipe her eyes, she noticed the hurt look on House's face but had to continue, had to get it out of her system. "You know what I felt, House? I felt relief! I felt glad! And then I felt guilty, so guilty for the way I was feeling, because no matter how I felt about her, you cared about her, and it was wrong of me to feel this way." She hiccupped and sat back facing him, her crying under control. House said nothing, but the hurt look was gone for now.

"It seems like all of our lives will fall apart because of this. Like in a weird way she was the glue that held everything in place. I don't know what we will all do now." She stopped talking and just stared.

House stared back. What would all of them do without her?

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After running up and down the court for two hours, he was exhausted, but felt better.

Alison was in the stands this weekend. He did fall a couple of times, but someone was always there to lend an arm, and then the play just continued like nothing had ever happened. There was a couple of House took his place on the court next to the field the next morning. John wheezed heavily as he explained who was going to play each position and how they were going to rotate. He pulled out his inhaler while speaking and shook it smartly and then raised it to his mouth, breathing in the medication.

And then they were playing. House thought he did fairly well, even though he put his weight on his leg wrong a couple times and fell to the ground. Nobody said anything, just whoever was closest would offer an arm and not make a big deal about it.

There were moments of hilarity, when the kid with no arm, Ryan, offered his fake to House to help him up. Another time when the arm flew off and they passed him the ball before he could grab the arm and replace it onto his shoulder. House had come to realize that Ryan was one of those people that are funny by accident.

All in all it was a good day. His team had won and they'd finally agreed to learn lacrosse. He said his goodbyes and met Cameron on the sidelines on his way to the car.

"Really they are a bunch of great guys." Cameron observed as she looked over her shoulder at the retreating men.

House looked back with her for a moment. "Yeah, they are." He admitted.

She swung her head back at him and grinned. "You're welcome!"

House just shook his head a little and put his arm around her shoulder, drawing her to him.

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Foreman shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He sat in the boardroom at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. They were waiting on one more member of the board to arrive before telling him why he was there. Since he could not recall any incident that would either warrant a disciplinary action or a commendation he was understandably put ill at ease.

The last member finally arrived and shuffled quietly to his seat with a mumbled something or other about a patient.

One of the doctors cleared his throat. Foreman had never met the man before, and he was too far away to make out the nametag. Foreman gave the man his attention and the man nodded in his direction and placed his hands on a large file in front of him. "As we all know, but I have to reiterate for this meeting for legal purposes, Lisa Cuddy has died in a car accident and because of this tragedy has left her position vacant. We will immediately begin the process of interviewing and recruiting to fill the position. However, we will need to have and interim in the meanwhile. The board thought it best that you fill the spot, Dr. Foreman, until the board selects another. You have no patients that see you, you have no practice, and you have survived under House for this long, you should be able to fill in till a replacement is found."

Every member of the board had their full attention on Foreman's shocked face.

"We know it's unprecedented, but there wasn't really anything in place should this happen. Lisa was so young; there wasn't anything wrong with her. Most people retire and have a replacement waiting and already trained. You will be at a disadvantage. You'll pretty much have to just dive in and get your feet wet. Nothing much for it really." The doctor further explained, cautioning slightly.

Foreman collected his thoughts and smiled at the doctor. "I'd be happy to help out any way I can till a replacement is found."