Chapter 7

Two weeks had passed had that night. During those two weeks, their behaviors changed. Wilson, Foreman, Chase, and even Cuddy noticed the drastic changes. House became nicer to paitents and to the other doctors. He stopped saying snide remarks to Cameron and everyone noticed that Cameron and House smiled at each other more. Cameron had also spent a lot of time beside House's side but no one had heard him complain about it once. No one knew the real reason behind their changes in their behaviors but they were glad that they didn't have to worry about House's cane smacking their legs anymore. That all changed when she came back.

House was in his office, listening to his Ipod with his feet propped up on his desk. His eyes were closed but he opened them when he heard a breeze of cool air come through the room. He opened his eyes and in front of his desk stood Stacey.

She didn't seem to chnge much except for the wedding band around her ring finger. Her hair was still as dark as ever and her eyes still seemed to search his.

House put his feet down, sat up and stared at her for several moments. He paused his Ipod and when he finally found his voice he coldly asked her, "What are you doing here? Are you here to cut my other leg open?"

Stacey held his icy stare but said nothing. After a while she said, "I'm here because I need you to give my husband, Mark a check up. The other doctors said that it's due to stress but I don't think it's that. He has stomach pains but no one seemed to know what causes it. I need you to examine him."

House stared at her. "Why should I give your husband a check up? Do you think he would want his wife's ex to be his doctor? I wouldn't."

"I need you to. He refuses to get treatment. There's something wrong with him but he denies it. I know he's lying."

He stared at her for a minute longer. The intensity of their gaze was capable of drilling holes into the walls. Eventually, he responded with a "Fine."

"Good. You'll meet him tonight at dinner. Be at Lahiere's at seven-thirty. We'll see you there"

One week later...

Cameron's side to the story…

One week had passed since Mark Warner had been admitted into the hospital. It turned out that he had AIP and is currently getting treatment. It's one week that marked the arrival of Stacey. Ever since Cuddy offered Stacey a job at the hospital, things changed.

House reverted back to his old ways. He stopped smiling and he ignored people close to him, namely Cameron and Wilson. It seemed that the longer that Stacey stayed there, the more bitter House became. He barked at patients more often which caused more lawsuits. Even Cuddy stopped badgering him about his clinic duties. But the person that seemed tobe targetthe most often was Cameron. Most of hospital staff now ignored her for fear that House would bite their heads off too if they are spotted anywhere near Cameron.

Cameron knew the cause of House's behavioral change. The cause was Stacey. She brought up feelings from House that he tried to bury. It didn't matter if the feelings were anger, sadness, confusion, or joy. Every time he's near or with Stacey, afterwards, he became meaner.

She realized that House couldn't love her because of one simple explanation. He was already in love with someone else. She was happy for him. She was happy that he could love someone even if it wasn't her. The fact that he was capable of loving someone made her happy.

Cameron knew all this, but she didn't say anything. It wasn't her business to say anything. It didn't mean that her heart does not break every time she stares into those eyes of his. He hurts her every time he makes a nasty remark to her after his encounter with Stacey. But she didn't mind. She preferred that he let his anger out on her than on somebody else. At least she had built some kind of immunity to his remarks whereas someone else doesn't.

She had officially threw the towel in. She stopped trying win House's heart because she knew it would never be hers. How could it be hers when his previous lover didn't return it to him? She was tired of the fighting for his heart. She decided that if he cares that much about Stacey, who was she to stand in his way? So she had decided to give up.

Cameron woke up one morning to find a nasty surprise. She didn't expect for it to happen but it did. She proceeded to work as if nothing had happen. She had to find House.

She tried to remain as blasé as possible throughout the entire day. She would wait until after work to confront him. If she told him during work hours, he would create a scene and the last thing that she needs right now was the whole hosptial to know. So she impatiently waited for five o' clock.

At 5:47, she headed for House's office. She had hid in the clinic all day. She knew that House wouldn't bother her there.

When she reached his office, she hoped that he would still be there. She also hoped that he wouldn't be a bad mood. She looked in and saw that he was staring out the window, the back of his chair turned to the door. She quietly opened the door and walked in.

She stood by the door for several minutes, unsure of how to start their conversation. A thought then ran across her mind. If she left now, he would never know that she was there. She could confront him tomorrow when she would be better prepared. She turned around to leave when his voice stopped her.

"If you're here to say something, then say it. Don't stand there like a statue." His voice was cold, emotionless. It became like that ever since Stacey's arrival.

It was too late. He had detected her presence. 'Better now or never,' she thought.

"Do you remember…that night?" she asked timidly.

He slowly swung his chair around to face her. She saw dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept for several days. His eyes were still as blue as ever but they wre empty of feeling.

"What about that night?" he asked, his voice still icy.

"Well--" she began when House interrupted her.

"Don't tell me that you're here because after one month, you realized that you still have feelings for me. I thought we had a deal, Cameron. 'No strings attached,' remember? You said so yourself." His gaze made her froze like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.

"I did say that. I'm here to--"

House interrupted her again. "I'm not looking for a relationship right now, Cameron. I'm not looking for any kind of commitment whether it's big or small. I don't want to commit to anything. Do you understand?" he asked quietly, his gaze never leaving her face.

She nodded. She undertood perfectly. He didn't want any commitment so she won't give him any commitment to think about. She turned around to leave.

"What were you going to say Dr.Cameron?"

She quickly turned around to face him. He was still watching her. "You had read my mind. I was going to ask you if you were ready for a commitment to something but since you answered my question before I asked it, there's no need to ask it now." She turned around and quickly left the room.

He stared at the door for several moments before turning his chair back towards the window.

House's side of the story…

Feelings that he thought were long gone resurfaced when Stacey came back. He was happy with what he had with Cameron but when Stacey came back into the picture, everything changed. He changed.

He didn't know if it was jealousy or what but every time he's near Stacey, afterwards, he became bitter. He started pushing people away again when she came back. He pushed everyone away even Cameron and Wilson.

He didn't want to have feelings for Stacey but he does. He know he shouldn't have especially after she left him broken like that. She had hurt him once before so now he's preparing himself in case she hurts him again a second time. And so he prepares himself by pushing everyone away.

He knew that he changed ever since she came back. He could see it in the faces of the hospital staff every time he walks past them. But it he could see it most clearly in Cameron's face.

She had let him take his frustration, his anger out on her and she did it without complaint. He could see the pain in her eyes every time his retorts hurt her but she didn't cry. She put on a brave face in front of him.

To him, she seemed defeated lately. She looked drained of energy and simply followed orders without having a second thought. It's as if she stopped fighting and had simply gave in. But what bothered House the most was that he doesn't know what she gave in to. He racked his brain for several days, losing sleep over it. He just couldn't figure out why she looked defeated.

He was in his office, staring out the window when she came in. He was in a particularly bad mood today because earlier, he had spotted Stacey lying with her husband in his hospital bed. That had put him a bad mood ever since.

Cameron stood in his office for what seemed like several hours not saying anything. House finally became irritated and said coldy, "If you're here to say something, then say it. Don't stand there like a statue."

He sensed her hesitation but she asked it anyway. "Do you remember…that night?"

The thought of that night made him spin his chair around to face her. For the first time in several weeks, he had noticed Cameron. Her face portrayed conflicted emotions and perhaps a tinge of pain.

"What about that night?" He hoped she wouldn't ask him to commit to something because the last thing he need is commitment on his mind. So he decided to end any of her foolish thoughts like that, then and there.

She began with, "Well--" that he quickly interrupted.

"Don't tell me that you're here because after one month, you realized that you still have feelings for me. I thought we had a deal, Cameron. 'No strings attached,' remember? You said so yourself." He couldn't believe that his own voice sounded so cold, but he had to stop any kind of those thoughts before they begin to sprout.

She started again. "I did say that. I'm here to--"

"I'm not looking for a relationship right now, Cameron. I'm not looking for any kind of commitment whether it's big or small. I don't want to commit to anything. Do you understand?" For a moment, he thought he saw anger and hurt flashed across her face but she quickly recovered.

She didn't say anything; she just nodded. She turned around to leave but he stopped her.

"What were you going to say, Dr.Cameron?" The question was out of his mouth before he could stop it. She turned around and faced him.

"You had read my mind. I was going to ask you if you were ready for a commitment to something but since you answered my question before I asked it, there's no need to ask it now." She quickly turned around and left before he could ask her any further questions.

He sat there staring at the door, at the spot where she had stood six seconds ago. He slowly turned his chair around and stared back out of the window. He wondered if that was what she was truly going to say or if she had changed her mind and decided not to say anything. He closed his eyes and sighed. It was going to be a long night.

As Cameron got in her car and drove, she made up her mind. She decided not to tell him. He, after all, did say that he was not looking for any kind of commitment, no matter if it's big or small. This would count as a major commitment. As she reached her home, she concluded that if he did not want to know, she wouldn't tell him. She would not tell him that she was pregnant with his child.

Diclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Note: Hope you guys will like it. Please review; critiques are welcome.