Persuasion & Admittance

A/N: Okay I saw the episode "Control" the other day and this came to mind. It's set at the same time that House is talking to Vogler at the end, but I wanted to include Cuddy because she hasn't been in either of my other fics, and she's great. Hopefully this will have some more of the other characters and not just Cameron and House. Having said that, it is a House/Cameron fic, with a touch of House/Cuddy, so it's mostly them more than the other two ducklings ;)

Disclaimer: Don't own any of it

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Holding a brave face, Cameron went back to what she'd spent best part of the day doing: walking. It kept her mind off things. She didn't go far though, only up and down the corridor, each time finding an excuse like having to drop off something on House's desk, which he didn't actually need, or 'accidentally' leaving her lab coat in the conference room. Though she considered it obvious that she was making up the excuses, nobody noticed, or if they did, nobody mentioned it. She was left to continue walking the corridors, even after the patient they'd been treating was stable and there was no reason to keep checking on her. In a way, she was happy. Nobody bothered her, everyone else had gone home. Cameron knew if she went home, she'd just sit alone, running the entire day over in her head. It didn't sound very appealing to her. Anyway, she was happiest when busy, even if she didn't really have anything to do.

As she neared House's office for the twenty-third time that day (yes, she'd been counting), a man that she didn't recognise, but guessed that he was the new board chairman that everyone had been talking about, pushed past her. Though he hadn't meant to collide with her, it still knocked some of the air from her as she had been lost in her own thoughts, not even seeing him coming. He apologized and without even introducing himself, hurried on towards House's office. By this time, Cameron was near enough to hear that he was listening to some music, or rather bursting his eardrums with some music. It sounded like The Who, but she couldn't be sure.

"Dr. Cameron, could I speak to you for a moment please?"

She turned to see Dr. Cuddy behind her, though the click of heels had already given her away. Dressed in what Cameron supposed was her favourite pink suit, Cuddy had her 'probably-fake-but-pleasant' smile fixed on her face. Reluctantly, Cameron nodded, "Sure, may I ask what it's about?" At least it was something to do.

"If you come into my office, I can explain,"

Without waiting for the other doctor's reply, Cuddy started down the corridor, knowing that she would not be alone. Sure enough, Cameron followed her, wondering what she had done wrong, but for once not actually caring. Whenever House argued with her or picked up on her mistakes, she felt her cheeks going red and tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she did actually stand up for herself. This time, she didn't know why but she had no feeling toward what Cuddy may or may not say to her.

Walking in briskly, Cuddy didn't pause to hold the door for Cameron, but instead sat down behind her desk, leaving the younger doctor to catch the door and sit down in the other chair. Blue eyes connected for all of a second, before Cuddy found herself looking down at the desk. Trying to get into Allison Cameron's head was not going to work.

"I'll cut to the chase as it were… You're here still. Everyone else went home at least 2 hours ago, your patient is going home soon, and you do not need to be here. Yet you are?"

She couldn't say she was completely surprised, but her unusual working hours over that day had completely slipped her mind before Cuddy had started talking, "So you're telling me to go home? Or am I getting told off for being here? I'm sorry Dr. Cuddy, could you explain?"

"I overheard you and House,"

The words were simple enough, but the meaning Cameron knew straight away. It was then, and only then, that she began to blush. Mostly because she knew how much of an idiot she had sounded when she'd confronted House earlier that day, but also because she knew what she'd said had been completely unprofessional. She studied Cuddy's face for a moment, searching for any indicator of what she was going to say next. Nothing. Neither of them spoke, Cameron not sure what to say, Cuddy wanting an explanation, but not wanting to embarrass her colleague anymore than she already had. If it had been House sitting there across from her, it would have been completely different. No doubt they would be discussing her ass for starters.

"I…I didn't… Ummm…"

"Cameron, it's okay. I just want you to know, he doesn't like anyone, don't take it too personally,"

She found herself shaking her head, "No, it's not like that. I… I like him. I'm the only person who does, and he's the only person who doesn't like me. He acts like I'm trying to get everyone's attention, when all I want is to be noticed by him for once,"

The words spilled out one after another, Cameron hardly being able to control them. The mere thought of Cuddy knowing about her feelings for House made her feel sick, but she'd already said it and was left to hope that she would some how understand them differently. No such luck. Should have known Cuddy was bright enough to understand the meaning perfectly.

"You're not the only one who's fallen for Dr. House. You just happen to be the nicest of the three,"

"Three?" Cameron murmured.

Cuddy nodded knowingly, "Yep. First there was Stacy, though personally I don't know what he saw in her. She's good at what she does, but she's not girlfriend material. But she was a lot like him, they got along. Not like you… Your problem is that you are too much his opposite,"

"I thought opposites were supposed to attract?" She said quietly, ignoring how Cuddy had conveniently skipped the second person, "I mean, I don't care. I… I don't want to be the next Stacy, I just…"

Anyone could tell Cameron was lying, even someone who had never met her. The way her voice trailed off, how her words became faster and her voice higher half way… all tell tale signs that someone was lying. Cuddy chose not to bring it up, "You want to know what I think?"

"Okay…"

"I think he likes you more than you think. I mean, who did he take to the Monster Trucks?"

Cameron frowned, "How did you…? Anyway, he only took me because Wilson cancelled,"

"He could have taken Chase or Foreman. Or he could have gone alone,"

She had to admit, Cuddy had a point. Even when House had said it wasn't a date, it had felt like one, minus the kissing and cuddling, though she could never imagine anyone cuddling House, least of all herself. But they'd had fun. Well, she did, but she was pretty sure he did too. She shook her head again. It didn't matter, he had told her that he didn't like her, and that was final. Nothing Cuddy said was going to change that. So why did she still have this feeling deep down that made her want to run out of the hospital and to House's office, to kiss him until he admitted his feelings? Not that she would ever have the guts to do so…

Across from her, Cuddy was trying to work out whether her words had reached the younger doctor or not. From the look on her face, she guessed so. Although her heart was beating quicker than usual, she tried to look calm. Any feelings she had for House were long gone, but having someone else, someone so much like a younger version of herself, thinking so obviously about him made her want to cry. Or smile. She hadn't quite decided and therefore her face remained blank of emotion.

"Are we done?" Cameron asked, somewhat nervously.

Nodding, Cuddy forced another smile. She didn't bother standing, but watched the back of Cameron's head as she started down the corridor all over again, aiming for the glass office down the end; the office that was currently blasting The Who.

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A/N: If this doesn't suck as bad as I think it does, I may consider another chapter, so please let me know if you think it's good or not. Obviously, you have to forget everything that's happened since this episode.