Part 2

Cameron is back the next morning, while Cuddy is still drinking her second cup of coffee she reports a significant deterioration over night, that Dr Wilson is now running tests – and that both Professor and Dr Dean have, once again, asked for her.

Cameron is all too evidently dying to ask her about the situation and Cuddy admires the reticence that is preventing her from doing so. If she wasn't sure that the information would work its way back to House, she might put her out of her misery. But she is clinging to the absurd notion that she might just slide this past him – and so a heart to heart with Dr Cameron is clearly out of the question.

But now she has a new problem to worry about. Because while there is every chance that House won't do anything as basic as interact with the patient, there is no possibilitythat James will be so distant. And James, being James, is bound not only to answer any questions – but also to ask some of his own.

'Do they want to make a complaint? Is there some problem with their treatment?' she enquires, as though that would be the only reason she could possibly have for interfering in one of House's cases; an irony that is not lost on her.

Cameron looks bewildered, and who can blame her – even dealing with House hasn't prepared her to be in the middle of this. 'I think they just want to see you.'

'Well, as I am sure you realise I am very busy.'

'I don't understand – why wouldn't you want to see her?' Why indeed? For a moment old emotions swirl around her, the old hurts and betrayals are more real than the hole in the budget she has to find a way to fill and the Board meeting later that day. But then she blinks and remembers who she is, what she is – and she shoves away the remnants of the person she used to bewith all the ruthlessness she possesses.

'If that's all Dr Cameron?' Another clear dismissal, this time Cameron looks as though she might stand her ground but her instinctive respect for authority and the tone of the dismissal win out. As the office door closes behind her Cuddy breathes a sigh of relief – even though she very much doubts she will be so fortunate next time.

She isn't.

James is waiting for her when she returns from her afternoon meeting. For a moment she labours under the illusion that this might just be their usual pre-Board meeting get together, but then he says,

'Professor Julia Dean – Noble Prize for Medicine,responsible for several major treatment break-throughs and, incidentally, a woman who shaped the professional development of significant numbers of the leading Doctors in the country.'

'I know who she is.' She knows where this is going but isn't feeling inclined to help him out in reaching the destination.

'I've known you for over 6 years and I've only just found out that you did your residency with her.'

'It was a long time ago.' She would like to add that she doesn't know comparable information about him, but in the first place this is not true and, in the second, even if it were true, he would simply reply that if he had been one of Professor Dean's residents he would have made sure everyone knew about it.

'Come on Cuddy – you were one of the chosen few, picked out by her, marked for glory, destined to succeed. They say she never made a mistake about someone's potential.' This is not something she can easily dispute, not even to say that there are other, more fundamental mistakes. Instead she falls back on the fact that she is a doctor and sitting down beside him asks,

'How is she?'

'Not good – tests are inconclusive – her heart isn't in great shape – House thinks it might be an underlying condition. But as of now we have no idea what that condition is.'

'No cancer?'

'Not so far.'

'But you're still looking?'

'Yes.' They sit in silence for a moment longer until he says softly, 'she asked for you.'

'I know.'

'But you aren't going to see her? In fact you seem to want to pretend you don't know her. I don't understand why.'

'Well, perhaps I was one of her rare mistakes.'

'Yes, because being Chief of Medicine hereis, in fact, evidence of lack of achievement. What is this really about?' It is on the tip of her tongue to remind him that "there are more things in heaven and earth…" but that won't exactly help – since she knows him well enough to recognise that he will genuinely wants to understand.

'Its complicated – OK? It was a long time ago and it's not a time that I remember with particular nostalgia. She's here for treatment – I hope House can help her – but I don't want to see her.'

'She's dying.' His analysis is flat, unemotional and because it is James, who knows more about the subject than any of them, she believes him. Tears bead on her lashes but she blinks them away, angry at her own vulnerability.

'I can't do anything to change that.'

'She's asked for you twice – you can't put aside whatever happened to visit a dying woman?' She pushes herself off the couch and retreats behind her desk in search of some painkillers.

'You have no idea who you are dealing with James.'

'Are we talking about you or her? This isn't like you.'

'Well, perhaps you don't know me as well as you think you do.' He winces as she swallows two pills, washing themdown with a mouthful of cold coffee.

'I'm worried about you.'

'Don't be, I'm fine.' His expression clearly says that he doesn't believe her, but with only a slight shake of his head he gets to his feet.

'What shall I tell Professor Dean?'

'That I won't be coming to visit – and that I hope she'll respect my wishes and stop asking for me. Tell her that I am sure she understands why this is best for everyone.'

'All right.' He makes it to the door and then stops to look back her, 'Lisa – if you need anything, come and find me, OK? And I'll make sure you're, discretely, kept informed about how she is.'

'Thank you.' He leaves without another word and she drops wearily into her chair. She has the remainder of the day to get through, including the Board meeting – and she has no idea how she is going to make it. As if that is not bad enough she has to silence the irritating voice in her head that tells her that if it had been House, he would have tried harder to find out what the problem was.