PART 1, Chapter 2: Awkward Pleasantries
Wilson pulled into the parking garage at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital half an hour later. He glanced over at House's usual parking space and saw that his red Corvette was missing. Late as usual.
Inside he headed to the elevators, glancing at the clock above the information desk of the Emergency Room. Nine-thirty. Even he was late. Good thing I don't have any patients this early. He pushed the button for the elevator as one of the ER nurses sneaked up behind him.
"Dr. Wilson!" He jumped up in surprise. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday." She had placed her hand on his shoulder and bent over laughing and panting at the same time. He supposed she had been running to catch him. He attempted to step back.
"Oh! And to give you this." She held out a small wrapped gift and looked up at him expectantly. Wilson faltered.
"Oh, uh, thank you Brenda." He looked down at the gift in his hands and looked up just as she strode away, bumping into Bridget, a nurse who he had attended her sixtieth birthday party in the office lounge just a week ago. As the elevator arrived he heard the two women laugh. "He's so adorable. Did you see his face? What a boy." More giggles. "Too bad he's married, huh?"
Wilson blushed and quickly stepped into the small sanctuary. He held the gift passively in his left hand as the elevator lumbered up to the fourth floor. His thoughts wandered back to when House would get in. He would have made some snide remark to embarrass him or imply he was cheating; yet Wilson would appreciate any remark of House's right now. It had been a whole month since House suffered through his detoxification of Vicodin. Ever since, their relationship had suffered also.
"You don't think you've changed in the last few years?" He wanted him to admit it so badly. He wanted to help him but he wouldn't do anything unless he asked for it.
"Well, of course I have. I've, I've gotten older. My hair's gotten thinner…" He was deliberately taking it literally just to inflame his friend...it was working.
"No, I was there! You are not just a regular guy who's getting older; you've changed! You're miserable, and you're afraid to face yourself--"
"Of course I've changed!" He slammed his cane on the table and stared angrily at him. He knew he didn't want it all: the bad leg, the drugs. He wanted to help him. Just to be normal…
After Wilson left the office that day he and House remained cordial to each other. He visited House and his team every now and then to help diagnose their case of the week, or deliver bad news to the cancer patient when no one else had the heart. They were never alone in the same room long enough to discuss much beyond the usual 'how are yous.' Some unsaid agreement to let everything alone was in effect. But things might be changing. Yesterday night House invited him for a drink after work, looking as if he had something burning on his mind, but he had to get the house ready for when Julie returned from her business trip later that night. Wilson questioned him but he quickly shrugged him off and said, "Yeah, run home. You don't want to disobey mommy," with a mocking look on his face so Wilson knew he was joking. But it still hurt slightly that House wouldn't let him in and always acted rude to mask his feelings.
He was still lost in his thoughts when the elevator doors opened, revealing Dr. Alison Cameron waiting at the entrance. He quickly straightened his back and smiled.
"Good morning Dr. Wilson," she said pleasantly. Today she wore her hair in waves cascading down her back with clips by her temples. He liked her hair that way.
"Good morning." He stepped out and stood facing her.
"I was just at your office to see if you were in. Happy birthday." Her head tilted and he gazed at her. "House mentioned it a while ago," she explained. Her mouth curved, faintly smiling as her eyelids flickered subconsciously in slight awkwardness.
"Thank you." He wished she would look up.
"Has Dr. House come in yet?" she asked.
"I didn't see his car when I came in." The area between her eyes scrunched up in confusion.
"Huh, he usually gets in by eight. I hope nothing's happened. He's been acting more testy lately."
"Oh, don't worry. He's probably just tired from overworking. I bet he's catching up on his sleep right now," he reasoned, hoping to ease the worry from her eyes. She was easily prone to worrying.
"I hope so. We've got a new patient: sixteen-year-old male with a mile long list of symptoms, everything from cough to kidney failure. He was admitted two days ago but we're still having problems diagnosing the cause."
"Well I won't keep you any longer," Wilson said. They nodded goodbye. She disappeared in the elevator and he sauntered to his office down the hall.
A few hours passed. He met with his ovarian cancer patient for a check-up at ten-thirty, then his leukemia patient at eleven. After having the girl cry uncontrollably on his shoulder for ten minutes at the dreaded news he hated to deliver, he felt emotionally drained. It was his fault he chose a specialty that dealt with so much solemn news and inevitable death. He knew he shouldn't be so emotionally involved in his patients or else he'd die himself from the pain of letting so many of them go at the end of a large battle with cancer. He had enough personal problems of his own though they remained in his pocket where he wouldn't dwell on them either.
At noon came the expected blast of hunger. Setting aside his paperwork, he headed down to the third floor to House's office to see if he wanted to grab a bite. Through the glass doors he saw Chase and Foreman lounging back on their chairs, chuckling at supposedly something Cameron said. Her eyes flashed annoyed anger as she threw up hands up and shook her head. Slightly anxious at the absence of House, Wilson bounded in as the three of them looked up.
"Dr. Wilson," Cameron said, standing up in surprise. Wilson noted the quick change in her expression to pleasure at seeing him, but immediately brushed the thoughts away. "Hello. Is something wrong?" she asked, noticing his concern.
"Dr. House. He hasn't come in?"
"Not yet," Chase answered, unconcernedly.
"He's playing hooky. Cuddy's been after him all week. Either that or he's sleeping off a hangover…or an overdose," Foreman said.
"That's hardly something to joke about," Cameron said. Foreman scoffed at her.
"Yeah, sitting on our asses all day waiting for him is a joke. Seriously, I'm going to the lab to finish testing the kid before he dies instead of listening to any more of your office romance fantasies," he said, leaving the room without a second glance. Wilson saw Cameron's cheeks turn a shade pinker before dropping his eyes to the floor. Chase headed for the door also but doubled back when he noticed Cameron didn't follow.
"You coming?" he asked her.
"No. I'll go check up on Mark first."
"Right," Chase muttered. He glanced askance at Wilson before leaving the two of them alone.
Wilson and Cameron stood ten feet apart. He looked up just as she glanced over at him. He didn't know what to say. Better stick with safety.
"No ideas on House?" he tried. She sighed.
"I have no idea. He's never missed a day of work since I've started here." They remained silent for five seconds before Wilson turned to leave.
"Well, I'd better g…" he began.
"Wait!" She stepped closer. "D…do you want to get some lunch?"
"Oh, uh sure. I'm starving."
They made their way out of the room, Wilson holding the door for her. Walking side by side, both were silent. He was absorbed in his thoughts and supposed she was the same. Looking over at Cameron he wondered about her. Office romance fantasies?
"What are you doing for your birthday?" she asked, suddenly changing the conversation from current events. They sat across from each other in the hospital cafeteria picking at tasteless mashed potatoes and steak. "Anything special?" Her eyes remained on the food. His food looked awfully interesting right now also.
"Nothing particular. Just something quiet at home…with my wife," he added, remembering the morning events.
"Is that it? Well you might be pleasantly surprised," she said with a knowing smile. "Oh I forgot!" Reaching down into her bag, she held out a Debbie's chocolate cupcake from the vending machine.
"Sweet! This is great to wash this down," indicating his food. "Thanks." He grinned. She smiled and resumed eating. He rather enjoyed eating with her. He wanted her to keep talking.
"When's your birthday Dr. Cameron?"
"May fourteenth," she answered automatically. "Why?" she added.
"Just want to know when to return the favor," he said, indicating the cupcake. They smiled again. I haven't seen her smile so much since her date with House. Damn, House. Where the hell is he?
"I wonder where House is." His thoughts tumbled out of his mouth.
"I know. It's a little strange. Have you two talked recently?" she asked casually.
"About what?"
"Oh, nothing. It just seems he's got something on his mind lately…acting irritably."
"You mean more so than usual?" She smirked.
"I guess so. Ever since that week when he was off Vicodin."
"Huh." That was all he could say. His appetite was lost. He pushed his potatoes around his plate and unknowingly started to build a mountain.
"I was just wondering if he spoke to you about it. What's on his mind, I mean." She quickly added, "Not that it's any of my business. I was just wondering." When he didn't respond she noticed the heap on his plate and chuckled.
"I used to do that all the time to my vegetables," she said piling her own potatoes on. He grinned. They mashed all their leftovers into the giant mass, laughing about its edibility. Cameron grabbed the ketchup bottle and squirted a smiley face on it. She shrieked as the ketchup accidentally sprayed their white lab coats also.
"I'm so sorry!" she said, laughing.
"No matter, it's due for a wash. I dare you to eat it." A devilish grin spread across his face.
"What? No!" she giggled, plopping the ketchup bottle in a loud clunk on the table. A few heads turned they way.
"Oh c'mon Cameron. Though it may look disgusting, it's actually very healthy. It's got all the essential vitamins and minerals, and covers many food groups, and it's smiling! How can you resist?" She laughed. "It's calling to you, Cameron, Cameron, eat me!"
"No fair, Dr. Wilson. You're taking advantage of my inability to resist you," she teased, laughing. His laughter died off and he stared at her. A look of realization replaced her smile.
"Dr. Wilson." He looked up. Dr. Cuddy stood in front of their table. "Dr. Cameron," she said, nodding at both of them. Cameron cleared her throat and sat straighter.
"Hello Dr. Cuddy. Getting some lunch?" he asked.
"No, looking for you. It's 1:15. You're a half hour late for clinic duty," she admonished. She turned to Cameron. "And Dr. Chase is looking for you, about your patient." She looked at the plate. "Busy?"
"We were just…" Cameron drifted off.
"None of my business. Whatever you do during your break is fine with me. Just get back to work," Cuddy said in her subtle way. She turned and left for her office.
"Uh, well I'd better see to the clinic." Wilson bit his lip as he stood up, darting his eyes anywhere expect her own.
"Yeah, me too. I mean to the patient," Cameron said hastily. He nodded and just as quickly seemed to flee the scene as if the police were after him. She sighed, picked up the potato mountain and dumped it in the trash.