Chapter 8

Author's Note: Hello! I don't know what the heck happened but my story disappeared off the boards for a day. I must be cursed or someone didn't like the last chapter :) Anyway, I had big problems writing this chapter! I need honest opinions about it because I'm trying to decide if I can actually write dialogue properly. What i need to know is if the chapter flowed right, did it make sense or was it too choppy? Any advice would be great! Thanks so much for reading!

House was sitting in his living room absently chewing his pencil when Wilson found him later that afternoon. "Are you just going to sit there all day and stew?" Wilson frowned at his friend, trying to decipher his mood.

"Do you just walk into people's apartments without knocking?" House shot back, getting up from the couch and pouring himself a scotch.

"No, just yours. Besides, the door was unlocked." Wilson sat down on the leather sofa and put his feet up on the table, sighing contentedly.

"I went and saw Cameron this morning. She looks like crap."

House rolled his eyes. "What did you expect. She just got the shit beaten out of her." He rubbed a work-roughened hand over his tired face. "Bastard should rot in jail until hell freezes over."

"That, or you could beat him to death with your cane." Wilson tried to lighten House's dangerous mood, but failed miserably. House just glared at him.

"Am I still Cameron's doctor?" House was the admitting physician but he knew that Cuddy wouldn't approve of him treating one of his own staff, so he fully-expected a replacement to be appointed by the time he went back that evening.

"No. Pryhitka took over and he's already discharged her." Wilson braced himself for the onslaught.

"Oh that's rich! Why the hell is he releasing her? She won't be able to take care of herself yet. I guess he forgot that she has multiple fractures and can barely sit up!" House was seething mad and Wilson saw it as pointless to tell him Cameron was signing out against medical advice.

"Yes, well I guess that is a decision Cameron and her doctor need to make."

"I was her doctor up until four hours ago!" House was livid. "Has she gone home?"

"I don't think so. She said the cops told her not to go home until they catch this guy because he stole her wallet and it has her address in it. I think she checked into a hotel somewhere." Wilson sighed, "I hope they can catch him. Cameron gave a very thorough statement and they're working on a composite sketch, but you never know where the hell this guy fled to."

House shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe what a dumbass Pryhitka is."

Wilson eyed him thoughtfully, "You know. If you are concerned, you could just have her stay with you."

"Yeah, right. First of all, that would get the rumor mill started even more than it already is and second of all, Cameron might take it the wrong way."

"What do you mean?" Wilson stared at him, confused.

"Cameron thinks I'm madly in love with her and if I get her to stay with me, that will only be adding fuel to the fire." House took a long drink from his glass, "I have to walk on eggshells with that girl. If I sneeze, she somehow takes that as an "I love you"."

"Bullshit House and you know it! You are just too damn stubborn to let anyone in and let yourself feel love. Yes, you got burned in your last relationship, but you have to remember, Cameron isn't Stacey and these aren't the same circumstances. For god sakes House, grow up."

"Thank you Dr. Love." House replied sarcastically, "What marriage are you on now? Your tenth?"

Wilson just ignored him. "You can say all you want, but I know how you feel about her."

"Regardless, she needs to stay in the hospital. In fact, I'm going to call Cuddy right now and tell her to fire Pryhitka's ass and tie Cameron to the bed if she has to."

"You can't do that."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because Cameron signed out AMA. She doesn't want to be there anymore and she says she can take care of herself."

House put down the phone. "What hotel is she staying at?"

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Cameron gingerly sat down on the hard mattress at the little motel she found on the side of the interstate, only fifteen minutes out of Princeton. She was completely exhausted from all the walking she had done in the last hour, even though she only walked from the hospital to the cab and into the hotel. Wilson had kindly gone to her apartment and packed an overnight bag for her this morning. He had offered to let her stay with him and Julie but Cameron didn't want to intrude in their already rocky relationship. She promised him that she would call either him or Foreman if she needed anything.

She lay back on the bed, trying to get comfortable on the lumpy mattress without jostling her broken ribs. She managed lean on a few pillows and it took the pressure of her side for the time being. She stared absently across the cold room, her eyes resting on the clunking heater and water-stained wall. How did she get herself into this mess? Was a tub of ice-cream worth all this?

Cameron tried to ignore the wind rattling the windowpanes, making a ghostly noise in the silent room. For the first time since she could remember, Allison Cameron realized she was scared. The police hadn't caught the gunman and they didn't even know she was here. What if the man found her somehow?

Painfully pulling herself off the bed, Cameron double checked the locks on the door and window. She flicked on the TV and pulled the blankets over her head like she used to do when she was a little girl.

T.B.C...