Disclaimer: What makes you think it has changed since Part I?

A/N: Well, thanks for stickin' with me:) I'm really enjoying writing this one :) Thank-you to all the kind reviewers, I'm so glad you're enjoying this! So, as promised, the angst builds. I'm personally quite pleased with this chapter-- I have the chance to further discuss the House/Cam "issue" and, did any of you guess who would be the man to make House most jealous? Let's throw him into the mix, shall we.
Also, I reallized just last night that I neglected to mention in Part I that this fic is intended to pick up where the season finale ended-- assuming the finale took place on a Friday, this is the following Monday. I am adjusting the summary accordingly. My apologies :)
Enjoy!

Cameron's mossy eyes slid over the chart in front of her. She knit her white brow slightly in contemplation, tapping her pen against the smooth, cool surface of the lab countertop. Securing her wire-framed glasses on the top of her head she leaned forward, focusing her attentions on the specimen before her and adjusting the microscope lens with skilled precision.

Yawning softly she stretched, arching her lean back in a graceful curve to rid herself of the discomfort borne of several hours in such an unnatural position. Retrieving her pen, Cameron perched the glasses on her nose and scribbled her findings in a curving hand. She turned at the sound of the lab door gliding open, a vague smile crossing her fine features as her green orbs met the soft, brown gaze of Dr. James Wilson.

"Hey." Wilson shot her a warm, charming smile and came to a halt at her right elbow, leaning casually against the countertop.

"Dr. Wilson" Cameron greeted softly.
"What's up?" she questioned, moving to remove the slide from the scope and place it on the metal tray to her left.

"Nothing" he answered nonchalantly, gazing out the windowed-wall in front of them.

Cameron arched a slender brow as she leaned over the lens, placing a new slide into view.
"Oh?" she asked quietly.

Wilson shook his head and smiled.
"So, how's things?" he ventured—James Wilson was a charming man; a good, kind and caring man. Perhaps it was because of these qualities that his attempts to casually come around to a sensitive topic were so blatant—he was too gentle for his own good. Cameron's lips curved slightly—it was one of the things she admired about him. She closed her eyes briefly and turned to face him with a vaguely forced smile—she had a pretty good idea what he wanted.

"Things are fine" she said slowly, indulging him, "you?"

Wilson held his smile and nodded.
"Good, good".

He gazed at her, smile growing awkward. Cameron raised her dainty brows expectantly. Wilson cleared his throat, obviously discovered—she was, after all, a very clever woman.
"What?" he questioned of her raised brow.

"That's exactly what I was thinking" she said, a hint of sarcasm in her husky voice.
Her gaze lingered on his a moment before she rolled her jade eyes and returned her attention to the microscope.
"Go ahead and ask" she said dryly.

"Ask what?" Wilson queried, feigning ignorance in a none-too-convincing manner.

"Whatever it is you really came here to ask me." Cameron adjusted the focus on the scope and marked a few notes on the chart in a handsome scrawl.

Wilson opened his mouth to object but stopped, clearly defeated. He sighed heavily and let the façade slip away.
"I was just…" he faltered.

Cameron looked up from the microscope, turning her body to face him as she slid one graceful knee over the other.
"Coming to check on me?" Her voice held no accusation.

Wilson set his chiseled jaw and held her tranquil gaze as he nodded slightly. Cameron's rosy lips curved into the shadow of a smile. Despite her cool exterior, Wilson could see the emotion drift across her expressive eyes like clouds rolling over the horizon.

"I'm fine" she said softly.

While, admittedly, James Wilson did not know the poised young woman before him well, he was certain he knew her well enough to recognize the lie—she was hurt, he had seen it coming; who hadn't? As dedicated to House as Wilson was, he was unsurprised to feel his heart constrict slightly at the pain his friend had caused Cameron.

Wilson nodded, holding the young doctors' gaze in the silence.
"I know you are" he said at last, "you're stronger than you look" he smiled tenderly.

Cameron chuckled: "Thanks" she drew out.

Wilson laughed softly and averted his gaze to the gleaming surface supporting his tall frame.
"Honestly" he continued, his natural warmth radiating through his charming smile, "I know that, I do. I just…" he paused as she looked up from her notes.

"I know how difficult he can be. And with Stacy here…" Cameron's brow twitched upward slightly in an unconscious movement at the mention of her name, "he's bound to be more on edge than usual" Wilson finished, holding Cameron's bright eyes.

She shrugged faintly—a ripple of motion that glided across her narrow shoulders with a fluid, cat-like grace. She looked away then to remove the slide, mentally berating herself for her discomfort discussing House; discussing Stacy and House; discussing her feelings towards the whole situation.

"You know that things didn't end particularly well between them" Wilson continued slowly.

Cameron cleared her dry throat and attempted an air of detachment.
"I gathered as much—from his lecture" she explained.

Wilson nodded, raising a brow in emphatic agreement.
"Yes, well… regardless, they're still…"

"In love" Cameron finished.

Wilson's open mouth closed and he adjusted his features quickly.
"Well…" he began carefully, "they have history—messy, complicated, painful history. Stacy is happily married, and I don't see her trading that for…" Somehow, Wilson couldn't bring himself to speak the words to her—she understood his meaning nonetheless.
"But…"

"I know" Cameron sighed, clearly worn. She removed her glasses and rubbed her temples briefly.
"I understand—I do. I told him as much".
She stood, stretching her long legs. Wilson knit his brow.

"You did?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Yes, I did". Cameron was growing weary of this conversation.
"You warned me not to break his heart and I didn't—didn't even have the option—it was never mine to break; so please, Dr. Wilson, just…" Cameron sighed again and turned away from him, crossing her arms over her stomach.

Wilson nodded mutely, pushing himself off the steel counter.
"I want to be able to tell you to give him time—and I would. It's just that…"

Cameron turned to face him, green eyes wavering over his gentle brown ones. Wilson sighed softly, dropping his gaze to the floor before looking up at her again.

"You could be waiting a very long time and… I just… don't want to see you hurt Allison".

Cameron forced a weak smile. Despite her mood, the simple curve of her lips lighted her porcelain features and gave her face a peaceful, welcoming glow.

"I'm… thank-you" she said softly, touched by his concern.

Wilson nodded, giving her a small, warm smile.
"You know…" he began, turning at the soft swish of the opening lab door as House entered.

Houses' azure gaze fixed on Wilson before drifting slowly to rest on Cameron. His eyes focused on hers' a moment before he returned his attention to Wilson. He knit his brow slightly, expressive features nearly devoid of a reaction.

"Am I interrupting?"
His voice held an edge Wilson recognized clearly. James presented a somewhat strained smile to his old friend, crossing his arms in front of himself.

"Of course not, I was just leaving". His tone was deceptively pleasant—a skill which infuriated House.

Wilson's eyes flickered over Cameron's face as he turned towards the door House had entered through only moments before. She met his gaze brieflyand fluttered her dark lashes to the floor. The moment did not go unnoticed by House who, turning to watch Wilson exit, set his jaw in a firm line, frowning vaguely at his retreating companion.

Cameron took the opportunity to stride towards the microscope. She removed the slide and placed it on the metal tray along side others. House turned to face her, taking a slow step in her direction.

"Do you have cancer?" he questioned, voice cool.

Cameron's brows twitched as she turned to regard him, her forehead creasing slightly as she focused on his face.
"No" she replied, matching his frosty tone.

"Well!" House exhaled dramatically, "that's a relief".

Cameron gazed at him a moment longer before turning back to the microscope. She slid her wire-framed glasses on and retrieved her pen.

"So…" House took a step closer, positioning himself against the countertop, "if he wasn't here for an oncology consult, what was that all about?"

Cameron marked on the page and clicked the pen closed.
"What was what all about?" she turned her head to face him, voice strained yet pleasant.

House rolled his eyes when she met his gaze.
"Do I look stupid today? because I was really going for brooding and pensive".

Cameron rolled her mossy eyes and removed her glasses, slipping them into the pocket of her lab coat. She turned round and closed her notebook, setting it on top of the clipboard.

"He's married". Houses' voice came quietly from beside her, firm yet vaguely despondent.

Cameron's back tensed visibly for an instant, as did her jaw, and House watched with some amazement has her entire body loosened before him like waves rolling into shore. She picked up her pen, dropping it into her pocket as well.

"From what I hear, that doesn't appear to be a concern for him" she said in a remarkably natural tone, not lifting her gaze from the papers before her.

Houses' brow shot up slightly—he was not an easy man to take by surprise. His forehead creased in a look resembling irritation.
"It's not a concern for you?" he questioned at last, struggling to keep the emotion from his voice.

Cameron shot him a brief look before stacking her slide tray on top of the paperwork and gathering the collection into her arms.
"Is it for you?" she questioned in a dry, semi-sweet voice.

House drew in a slow breath, holding her gaze with his unchanged, dark expression, quickly pondering the double-meaning behind her words. Cameron tilted her head to the right slightly and waited for a response she knew would never come. House blinked, eternally uncomfortable facing her in this way.

Cameron closed her eyes briefly and exhaled slowly, a cynical smile tugging at her blushing lips. She moved past him and paused at the threshold to turn and regard him—back turned away from her. Cameron's soft voice drifted back through the thick silence like spun silk.

"He was being a friend—to both of us".

House remained unmoved as the door whispered closed behind her.