house-of-insanity: I love cliff-hangers. Make me feel all powerful.:D

Randa05: I love the story you're doing right now "Playing Game" so your comment means a lot. Thanks. Umm but don't hold your breath to long, you might pass out and I need you to write more of your fic.

Phantaz-magoria: I'm all about the angst (and the smut as you mightget to see later).

runs with sissors: All the squickiness is done after this chapter.

To everyone else who commented; thanks so much your kind words really encourage me to continue.

Spoilers: Anything up to "Three Stories" but pretty AU

Rating: T

Disclamer: David Shore and Fox Co. still won't let me have him. So I'm just borrowing. Please don't sue.

Beta: veronicca05

Feedback: Always

"We really need to speak with Dr. Cameron, to get her version of the events." Two Police Officers were in the surgery waiting room talking to Dr. Forman. Dr. Cuddy had called them as soon as she heard that House had been stabbed in a bar fight.

"Look Officer Barrie, I don't know if that is such a good idea," Forman was trying to keep a detached, professional attitude but he had never been comfortable around cops, not since his arrest for B&E when he was a kid. "She's in shock and someone she cares about is in surgery right now fighting for his life."

"I understand that Dr. Forman, but its important that we talk to her while the incident is still fresh in her memory. The faster we get all the information the better chance we have of apprehending the suspect."

"It's alright Eric. I'm alright." Cameron walked into the room and gently put her hand on his arm, giving it a squeeze to let him know that she really was ok. "I'd be happy to talk to you Officer…?"

"Barrie."

"Officer Barrie, just as soon as I get a progress report on Dr. House's condition."

Nodding the two officers walked away to give them some privacy.

"Any word?"

Forman looked at her, taking in her clean scrubs and her freshly washed hands and face. He couldn't help noticing that her eyes were red and puffy, evidence that she had been crying, but when he looked into their blue depths he saw that the shock had subsided and had been replaced by the strong, quiet, strength that the Dr Allison Cameron he knew and love always seemed to exude. He decided then that she deserved to know the truth.

"They had to give him massive amounts of blood just to get his pressure stable enough so he'd survive surgery. But they got him in there now with Dr. Smyth. He's performing a laparotomy to try and repair the damage but he might have to remove the spleen if he can't. Dr. Cuddy is in with him observing the procedure and will report to us as soon as they know anything else."

Cameron sighed, visibly relieved, "Dr. Smyth is one of the best. He's going to be fine."

Forman pulled her into a comforting embrace. "Don't worry. He'll be back to his bitching, whining, pill popping self in no time. The nurses in the trauma unit will probably be fighting each other, trying to cash in their vacation time first thing in the morning, so they won't have to care for him while he recovers."

She couldn't help but smile at this.

"You're smiling so he must be ok."

"Wilson." Pulling away from Forman she walked over to the obviously distressed and disheveled Wilson and gave him a hug. "He's not out of the woods yet," she said pulling back to look him in the eye, "but he's got Dr. Smyth working on him and Dr. Cuddy's in there with him. He'll be ok."

Forman gave him a manly, reassuring pat on the back, "Yeah, you know she'll pull him through this. She has to much fun getting him to submit to her authority."

Wilson gave a slight chuckle of agreement. "I'm just glad you two were there for him."

Cameron pulled back and looked down at the ground, guiltily. "It was my fault he got hurt."

"Hey, it wasn't you fault that guy decided to assault you and then pull a knife on House. I just wish I had gotten there in time. I would have liked to see him try that shit on me." Forman, always the protective big brother.

"The guy assaulted you?" Wilson grabbed her by the shoulders and held her at arms length, looking her over from head to toe. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. House stopped him before he had a chance to do any real damage."

Wilson relaxed and released her from his bruising grip. "Did they get the bastard?".

Forman shook his head, "Nah, he took off like a like someone had lit a fire under him and I lost him in the crowd. Dammed coward."

"I shouldn't have left him alone." Wilson's hand automatically started to rub at the back of his neck while he seemed to examine his shoes, remembering how he had mercilessly teased his friend. "He was in quite a mood."

"That was probably my fault too."

His head shot up and looked at her knowingly, "Don't blame yourself Allison. He's the one with the inability to express his feelings like an adult."

"It's nobody's fault," Forman added, slightly confused, "except the guy's with the knife."

"Speaking of which," Officer Barrie walked up to them and cleared his throat politely, "I'm sorry to interrupt but, Dr. Cameron, we really need to get your statement."

"Of course. I'm sorry. I'll be back as soon as I'm done," she said turning back to her two friends. "Come get me if you hear anything?"

Forman and Wilson nodded in agreement while the officer ushered her away.

Officer Barrie handed her his card and made her promise to call him at any hour, if she remembered anything else. She gave him her word and rushed back to the waiting room. When she got there she found Foreman and Wilson, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Nothing yet?" she said sitting down in the vacant chair between them.

Wilson blinked and shook his head to clear his thoughts. "No, nothing."

She joined them in their silence for a few minutes when Forman pushed himself to his feet, "I need caffeine. You want some?" They nodded their appreciation.

Wilson watched him leave and then broke the silence. "He told me."

Cameron looked at him questionly.

"At the bar. He said he'd had a crappy day and needed to go out for a drink. Julie was waiting for me so I new should have said no I can never deny Greg anything." He had a wistful expression on his face and Cameron could have sworn she saw the sheen of tears in his eyes. "He told me about your conversation earlier today." He said, clarifying his original statement.

"He did?" More of a statement than a question. She knew what conversation he was referring to.

"He regretted what he said."

"He actually told you that?" Cameron asked disbelieving.

"Well…not exactly."

Giving a mirthless little laugh she sat back in her chair getting more comfortable, "That's what I thought."

"Oh come on Cameron," he turned so he was looking directly at her. "You know him well enough to know that little philosophy of his, 'everybody lies' applies to him as well. He said he didn't like you because it was the only thing he could say. He is the most emotionally stunted person I have ever known. He was the same way even before his leg." He leaned in closer to her, resting his hand on her knee, getting her full attention, "He likes you Allison. He just can't admit it to himself, let alone to you. When a 13 year old boy likes a girl he pulls her hair and says she has cooties. Well, emotionally Greg isn't much above a 13 year old."

Cameron smiled at him and squeezed the hand resting on her knee affectionately. "Right now all that matters is that House gets better. I don't have the energy to worry about anything else right now." She paused and smiled at him. "But thanks, I won't forget what you said." He nodded at her in understanding

Forman choose that moment to return with their coffees, which they accepted gratefully. Cameron took a sip of her coffee and turned back to Wilson. "I really hope House knows how lucky he his is to have a friend like you. I know I am."

"That goes both ways," he replied with a shy smile.

They all returned to their own thought and their coffee.

It was a very long night. At some point Cameron had fallen asleep with her head pillowed in Wilson's lap. Forman had gone home to get some sleep because he had clinic duty first thing in the morning. So Wilson was the only one awake when the surgeon, Dr. Smyth, had come out to tell them that the surgery had gone well. He had had to remove House's spleen but he expected him to make a full recovery. Wilson had gone up to ICU with Cameron to reassure himself that his best friend really was going to be ok. He had then gone back home to his wife to get some sleep of his own.

That had be hours ago and Cameron was still sitting at his bed side watching the comforting rise and fall of his chest and listening to all the beeps of the machines that told her his heart was still beating strongly. The sun had come up and the nurses, who had just started their shifts, went about their rounds checking his vitals and making sure all the monitors were working properly. They all glanced at her sitting there but none dared to question her.

She knew she was being silly but she couldn't seem to tear herself away. She knew that, barring any post-op complications; he was going to be just fine. But he had gotten stabbed because of her and she couldn't help feeling responsible. She knew he wouldn't see it that way. In fact he would probably be angry that she was there, seeing him so vulnerable. He was a proud man. For all that he joked about being a cripple and despite his belief that he was damaged, he hated people to see him as weak and helpless. Nothing upset him more than pity. It was one of the reasons why he'd honed his sarcasm and insults to razor sharp perfection, so he could strike people down before they ever had a chance to pity him.

Cameron was shaken out of her reverie by a low moaning coming from the bed. She jumped to her feet and gently grabbed his hand. "House?" She brushed her hand over his forehead noting that it was cool and dry. Good, no sign of infection.

"Mmph." House tossed his head but whether he was fighting toward consciousness or away from it, Cameron wasn't sure.

"House," this time, when she spoke she cupped his stubbled cheek to try to get him to focus. "House, you're in the hospital. You were hurt but you're going to be all right. House open your eyes and look at me."

"Stacey?" he mumbled, still refusing to open his eyes.

She shouldn't be upset. People coming out of anesthesia were often confused. He was probably remembering the last time he was in the hospital with the infarction. But she couldn't help the little twist of pain in her gut.

"Umm, no it's…"

"It's Dr. Cameron, Greg. Stacey isn't here." Wilson walked in the room saving Cameron from an uncomfortable explanation.

Hearing his friends voice he opened his eyes. Blinking a couple times to clear his vision he looked up at Wilson gave a little groan.

"God, now I know I'm in hell."

"If you were in hell then Stacey really would be here." Wilson said with a small smile. "As it is, we have are resident angel here."

House looked over at Cameron, making direct eye contact, but didn't say anything instead he refocused on Wilson. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?"

He closed his eyes, trying to recall his last memory. "Bar. Drinking. Threatening to hit you with my cane." This earned him a chuckle. "Big drunk guy with big knife. Must have been overcompensating for something." He opened his eyes and smirked, tiredly at Cameron. "And you hovering over me."

"You saved me from that guy. It was very brave."

House looked away, uncomfortable with the compliment.

"But it was also very stupid," she continued, "You could have been killed."

He sighed wearily, "Yeah, apparently my suit of armor isn't only dented and rusty but it doesn't seem to keep out sharp, pointy objects either."

Just then he seemed to notice for the first time that she was clutching his hand. He looked pointedly from their hands up to her face. They shared a look but surprisingly he didn't pull away. Must be some good drugs they have me on. Cameron blushed, sweetly but she didn't let go either.

"Ummm, yeah…" Wilson felt the need to break the tension that had suddenly filled the room. "…so you lost an awful lot blood and you coded once in the ambulance." He glanced at Cameron who had gone ridged when she heard this. "Apparently no one told you."

"No," she said, regaining her composure.

"Don't worry, I've died before. I don't seem to be that easy to get rid of."

It was meant as a joke but knowing him as well as he did, Wilson could hear the fear behind the words. He decided to let it go for now.

"The knife perforated your spleen so Dr. Smyth had to perform a splenectomy."

"At least it wasn't Hourani. I'd be dead for sure. That guy couldn't operate his way out of a paper bag."

"Right, well I should have a quick look see at those stitches and check your vitals."

This time House did remove his hand from Cameron's. And she noticed him shift in his bed uncomfortably. She understood.

"And I should go check in with the boys. Make sure they aren't at each other's throats. If there aren't any new patients I think I'll just go home and get some sleep. I'll check in on you tonight," she added smiling down at House.

He continued to look at the door after she had left, frowning. "She was here all night?"

"All night," Wilson added, hiding a little smile behind House's medical chart.

A/N: I did only a minimal amout of medical research for this story so please try to overlook any huge errors. I did realize after I wrote this that if a doctor had his spleen removed then he probably wouldn't be able to continue working in the medical field. You don't need your spleen to live but one of its functions as I understand it is to help fight diseases. So anyone out there in the medical field; sorry.