Title:
Save The Best For Last (Chapter 4)
Pairing: W/C, H/OC
Warnings:
Spoilers through the end of Season 1
Summary: "Sometimes the
very thing you're looking for is the one thing you can't
see."
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any
characters, locations or other things related to it. The title and
summary are from the Vanessa Williams song "Save the Best for Last"
Also, you may recognize bits of the dialogue here because they are a
direct quote from the show and therefore not mine. Just borrowing it
for a little while.
Notes: Ok people, this is an entirely new chapter for this story. And in my opinion, the real beginning. Hope you like. Please review; I'm totally addicted…lol ;P
Chapter 4 – New Feelings
Saturday afternoon, Wilson called House to ask if he and Elizabeth wanted to go out that night. He'd spent Friday avoiding House and thinking back over his dysfunctional marriage, now he was ready to drown his sorrows with alcohol and friends.
House wasn't able to talk to him, too busy watching General Hospital. Elizabeth had said yes on behalf of both of them, and they agreed to meet at House and Wilson's usual place at eight.
Wilson was half an hour early and was halfway through his second beer when House and Elizabeth arrived. They all exchanged pleasantries and ordered drinks. After the waitress left to get their drinks, Wilson decided to tell them why they were all there.
"Julie left me." Wilson blurted out. "She said she just can't be with a man who is more dedicated to his job than to his wife." That hadn't been her exact words, but the idea was still the same.
House stared at him for a moment, probably trying to read him, Wilson guessed. "Well, it's her loss. She knew what she was getting when she married you and if she wants to decide now that it's not good enough, well, I feel sorry for her." He was quiet for a moment. "When did she leave?"
The girl returned with drinks; Wilson waited to answer until she'd gone. "Thursday night. I didn't tell you because I needed to process it all first, let it sink in." He took a drink of his beer. "This makes three. I'm thirty-five and already on my third divorce. Pathetic." He took another long drink.
House shook his head. "No, this is not all your fault." He looked at Elizabeth, who had remained silent, allowing the two friends to talk it out. "Your problem is, you keep rushing to the altar with the wrong woman, instead of waiting of the right one."
"Maybe some people just don't find the right one." Wilson said. There was further discussion on this topic, and then they grew quiet. Wilson glanced out over the crowd, and his eyes widened. "Oh, you'll never believe who just walked in." He was smiling as he watched Cameron, Foreman, and Chase walk across the room. They had seen him and were making their way over. Wilson interrupted the argument House and Elizabeth were having. "Too late anyway. They're headed this way."
He was watching Cameron. 'God, she looks good.' She was wearing low rise jeans and a white tank. Wilson decided that his night was really looking up.
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Cameron walked into the bar with Foreman and Chase and began scanning the crowd. Foreman had insisted that she go out with them to pull out of the mood she'd been in for a couple of days. After a lot of prodding, she'd given in.
As she looked around the room, her eyes found a familiar face. It was Wilson, and he was with another man and a woman. Her chest tightened as the other man turned around and she confirmed what she'd already known. It was House.
Foreman and Chase had noticed their coworkers also, and had already begun making their way over. Reluctantly, Cameron followed.
They reached the table and looked at the two doctors seated there. "Well, this is a surprise." Foreman said, smirking. "Dr. House, Dr. Wilson, good to see you."
Wilson was smiling, and House responded with a slight nod. After a moment, Foreman spoke again. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" He indicated the young woman sitting beside House.
House raised his eyebrows in question. "Hmm? Oh, right. Guys, this is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is…"
"Wait, let me guess." She interrupted him. "Foreman…Chase…and Cameron." She shook each of their hands. "I've heard so much about you." She smiled.
"Really? Too bad we can't say the same." Cameron smiled sweetly, but all the guys raised an eyebrow at her slightly sarcastic tone. It was fairly un-Cameron-like behavior.
Elizabeth simply smiled back. "Yeah, that's because he's ashamed of me." She chuckled; House glared at her.
Wilson chuckled at the two of them. "Would you guys like to join us?" He offered.
Chase spoke up then. "That sounds good, but I think we'll need a bigger table."
The group moved to a table a little closer to the bar so there was room for the six of them.
Cameron watched, with barely contained jealousy, as House and Elizabeth huddled together, whispering to one another.
The five doctors chattered on for a few minutes about cases and current hospital gossip. But once the waitress had brought out the next round of drinks, Foreman apparently couldn't contain his questions any longer.
"So, Elizabeth, how did you meet House?"
'Oh, yes, let's hear all about it.' Cameron took a big drink of her vodka tonic.
Elizabeth smiled, glanced at House, then answered. "I'm his housekeeper/cook. That's how we met; the dating came after about a month of that."
Foreman and Chase nodded; Cameron was staring at her drink. 'His housekeeper!'
"So, do you still work for him?" Chase asked.
Elizabeth shrugged. "I guess so; I mean, we haven't really talked about it. This is all still really new."
This piqued Cameron's interest. "So, if you are still his employee, it's like he's paying you to be his girlfriend." She looked up to meet Elizabeth's eyes. They were sitting next to one another, and the challenge in Cameron's eyes was clear. "Or maybe you're used to that kind of thing." Her words were dripping with malice.
Elizabeth's closed her eyes for a moment, and when she reopened them, Cameron could see the rage burning there. Elizabeth stood. "Please excuse me for a moment." She left the table.
Cameron watched her walk away. 'Must have hit a nerve.' She mused. She turned back to the table and caught House's eye. She flinched at the anger she saw there.
"How dare you." He was very nearly yelling at her. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
Cameron could feel the tears starting behind her eyes and rushed from the table before he could continue. She'd never seen him so angry.
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Wilson watched the whole thing in shock. He'd never heard Cameron talk to anyone like that. She was so upset. After House left to go after Elizabeth, Wilson decided to go after Cameron.
He stood. "I'm going to check on Cameron." He told Foreman and Chase, and then headed off in the direction she'd gone.
He went out the front door, as he'd seen her do, and found her leaning against the wall. "Hey." He said quietly as he leaned against the wall next to her.
"Hey. Really made a fool of myself in there, huh?" Her voice was quiet, barely choked out around the sobs she was fighting.
"No, of course not."
She looked at him incredulously. "Were you at the same table? I rudely insulted a woman I just met because I'm so jealous I can't see straight."
Wilson gave a slight shrug. "Ok, so maybe you got a little carried away. You were surprised, caught off guard."
She gave him a small smile. "You're such a nice guy, Wilson." She squeezed his arm.
Wilson gave her a small smile in return. "Come on; I'll take you home." He ushered her to his car.
She gave in easily, deciding that home was probably a good idea.
The drive to her apartment was quiet, both of them too caught up in their thoughts. He walked her up to her door.
She turned in the doorway. "Well, thank you for giving me a ride."
He nodded and smiled. "No problem. Get some rest. Everything will look better in the morning."
She smiled and leaned up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. She had taken hold of his left hand to steady herself and noticed something. She looked down at his hand, noticing his ring was missing.
"She left Thursday night." His voice was barely above a whisper.
She looked up at him. "Then she's a fool." Her voice was as quiet as his. She leaned up again, taking his lips in a gentle kiss. When she pulled back, she smiled. "Well, goodnight then."
"Right. Goodnight." He gave her a small smile.
She closed the door still smiling.
He turned to lean against the wall. A smile still played on his lips, which still tingled from her tender kiss. 'Not a bad night after all.'
