Title: Aftermath

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Up to Babies and Bathwater.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Any of them. At all. Capiche?

Summary: Cuddy saved the team and vanquished Vogler, but all is far from well.

Author's Note: Thanks to all who reviewed. Keep the feedback coming, please. As requested, here is chapter two.

House, M.D.

Allison Cameron lay on her bed, arms thrown carelessly over each side facing the ceiling. Damn him. I was all set to go. I could have just left and never looked back, but he had to come in and screw everything up. He doesn't even like me, so what reason could he possibly have for wanting me to come back? Because I'm the only one besides Wilson and who actually likes him? Because I'll take his crap in stride? Because I'm pretty? She immediately remembered the time she had asked House why he hired her. 'I hired you because you are extremely pretty. It's like having a nice piece of art in the lobby.' was what he had said. "Piece of art my ass," Cameron muttered angrily.

Her mind was running at a mile a minute, and Cameron knew very well she wouldn't be getting any sleep that night. Instead, she got up and walked to her kitchen. She pulled a bottle of beer out of the refridgerator. She didn't normally drink, but it had been a rough week, and some alcohol coursing through her system was just what she needed. Instead of going back to bed, she grabbed a blanket, turned on the TV and started flipping through the channels.

General Hospital. House's favorite soap. He had hooked her on it one afternoon when neither had anything better to do. She had wandered into House's office and found him watching TV. Without looking up to see if she wanted anything, he motioned for her to sit down and watch. Originally, Cameron had only intended to watch for a few minutes. Maybe until the next commercial break. But five minutes turned to ten, and ten turned into half an hour, and before either knew it, the show was over.

"This is so not what I need right now," she muttered, hitting the off button on the remote and flopping back on the couch. Not comfortable at all, but she didn't feel like moving.

As soon as she had started to fall asleep, her phone rang, yanking her out of her semi-slumber. She looked around the room, searching out the offending object. Great, it was on the other side of the room. The one time I actually bother to put it back on the stand. Typical. Shrugging, Cameron decided to let the machine get it. If it was anyone worthwhile, she would phone back. She lay her head back down on the couch and closed her eyes.

"Cameron." There was no mistaking it, the voice belonged to House.

So much for sleep.

"I know you're there. Pick up." A pause. "Please, this is important."

Letting out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding, Cameron walked over to the phone, ready to pick it up, but stopped, her hand hovering over it.

"Cameron."

She took a deep breath and picked up the phone. "What the hell do you want?" Not exactly what I was going to say, but it'll do.

"I want to talk to you."

"You are."

"Fair enough. I want to see you."

"House, no. It's past midnight, my flight leaves at seven in the morning, and I'm not going to get enough sleep as it is."

"Cam - Allison. Just meet me somewhere."

Cameron sighed. "You're going to keep phoning me until I agree, aren't you?"

She could almost see his smirk as he replied, "Yeah."

"Fine. Okay. Meet me at the hospital in an hour."

"The hospital? I always thought you were more creative than that."

"Bite me.

"Gladly."

"See you in an hour." Cameron hung up without saying goodbye. I just totally caved. Nice going, Cameron.

She half considered standing House up while she went to her room to get changed.

I just know I'm going to regret this.

T.B.C.