Chapter 8

Cameron's Side of the Story…

Several days had passed since their conversation in House's office. His taunts became meaner and more personal towards Cameron. But she still didn't do anything about it. Foreman, Chase, and Wilson became worried about her mental state so they decided to confront her one day.

She was working in the lab, writing down some notes when they came in. She looked up to find three worried faces looking down at her.

"Cameron…are you okay?" Chase asked uncertainly.

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" she replied confused.

"Are you sure you're okay? The way House treats you is enough to make even the toughest guy cry. I just don't know how you can stomach all those insults," Wilson said.

"I'm fine."

"So do you know why he treats you like this? I just don't see why you should put up with him. He can't just pick on you for no apparent reason," Foreman said sofly.

She looked uncomfortably around the room. Should she tell them? After a moment of hesitation, she decided to tell them. She needed to get this off of her chest.

"You noticed how his attitude changed ever since Stacey came back?" she asked looking at them. They each slowly nodded their heads. "Well, my guess is that he still loves her so he put his defense shields up before she or anyone else can hurt him again. His weapon for protection is his verbal abuse. That's why he's been more bitter."

Wilson looked at her. "I know that much. What I don't know is why he chose you to be his target the most often. He stopped going after Chase and goes after you instead. Did something happen between you two?"

She hesitated. It would be good for her to unburden her problems but what if they go blabbing to House? She can't let that happen.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone. And promise me you won't go after House," she pleaded. They nodded their heads in agreement. "I need to hear you say it."

"We promise."

She then told them of what happened between House and her after that night out. As she told them, all three mouths dropped open. They couldn't believe what they had just heard. They thought their ears had deceived them.

Wilson was the first to recover. "I don't think that's the reason why he's going after you. I think it's because he is afraid that you'll ask him if he likes you again. So in order to prevent that from happening, he pushes you away. The more he pushes you away, the less you'll have the chance to hurt him."

The room became silent when Wilson was done with his explanation. Foreman decided to change the subject.

"Are you okay? You seem…dejected lately. You hardly have any inputs any more during 'differential diagnostics' time. You just follow whatever orders House gives you without any objections. It's like you gave up the will to live."

"I simply gave up."

"Gave up? Gave what up?" Chase asked.

"House."

"You gave House up? That's it? Why?"

"Because he stills loves his ex. He doesn't need me to interfere so I just gave up. Simple as that." Cameron tried to say it in a monotone but she could feel it not working. Tears started to well up in her eyes again. The room grew silent once again.

"I don't think that's the only reason," Foreman finally said. "You also seem fidgety. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she said rather quickly, that caused eyebrows to raise. "It's…just that…um…I don't know how to say this…um."

"Oh, for God's sake, Cameron! Just say it!" Chase said.

"I'm pregnant," she mumbled to the floor. The others weren't sure they heard correctly.

"Did you just say you were…?" Wilson asked. She slowly nodded.

"Is it his?" she snapped her head up at Chase, as if to say who else could it be?

"Does he know?" Foreman asked to break the fiery gaze she gave to Chase. She shook her head.

"Don't you think you should tell him?"

"I cornered him yesterday in his office after work. He said he didn't want to commit to anything whether it's big or small. He gave me a lecture on his willingness to not commit to anything before I even told him. Once he was done, I decided not to tell him. This would count as a commitment. He said he doesn't want any commitment so I won't tell him."

"Don't you think he's going to notice? It's going to start showing," Wilson said.

She didn't say anything. She just gazed into outer space.

"You're not going to have an abortion…are you?" Wilson posed.

At this point, she was so confused she doesn't even know what she wants anymore.

"I…I don't know," she said finally. She gathered her notes and hurried out of the room with Wilson, Foreman, and Chase looking after her.

House's Side to the Story…

He was walking mindlessly around the hospital when he spotted Wilson, Forman, and Chase, all walking into the lab. He was naturally curious so he decided to follow them to see what the excitement was about. He stopped outside the lab doors when he saw Cameron was in there with them.

They were talking about something that he couldn't hear. He quietly opened the door a crack, hoping it wouldn't squeak. The door silently opened to House's delight. Since the lab was the room right around the corner, he ducked behind a plant that was around the corner so he wouldn't get caught. The opened door had let him hear the conversation they were having.

"Cameron…are you okay?" It was spoken with an accent which meant that it was Chase who asked the question.

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" came Cameron's voice.

"Are you sure you're okay? The way House treats you is enough to make even the toughest guy cry. I just don't know how you can stomach all those insults." This time it was Wilson's voice.

'So they are talking about me. This should prove to be interesting.'

"I'm fine," came Cameron's answer.

"So do you know why he treats you like this? I just don't see why you should put up with him. He can't just pick on you for no apparent reason." It was Foreman's voice.

There was a pause before someone spoke again. It was Cameron. "You noticed how his attitude changed ever since Stacey came back?" There was a second pause, but it was shorter. She continued, "Well, my guess is that he still loves her so he put his defense shields up before she or anyone else can hurt him again. His weapon for protection is his verbal abuse. That's why he's been more bitter."

House was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He was too dumbstruck to even think anything.

"I know that much. What I don't know is why he chose you to be his target the most often. He stopped going after Chase and goes after you instead. Did something happen between you two?" Wilson asked.

House became nervous. 'Don't tell them, don't tell them, don't tell them,' was all he think of.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone. And promise me you won't go after House." It sounded like she begging them. They had apparently promised because she said, "I need to hear you say it."

"We promise" came their answer. As she told them what happened, House felt confused. 'Why did she tell them? Did she want to unburden her shoulders or did she want to tell people of how her boss had sexually harassed her?'

When she finished, there was silence. He thought that everyone had left while he was preoccupied. He started to move from behind the plant when he heard Wilson.

"I don't think that's the reason why he's going after you. I think it's because he is afraid that you'll ask him if he likes you again. So in order to prevent that from happening, he pushes you away. The more he pushes you away, the less you'll have the chance to hurt him." The room became silent once more.

Then came Foreman's voice. "Are you okay? You seem…dejected lately. You hardly have any inputs any more during 'differential diagnostics' time. You just follow whatever orders House gives you without any objections. It's like you gave up the will to live"

'Smart boy. I was wondering that myself. Now I can know the answer instead of spending nights losing sleep over it.'

"I simply gave up"

"Gave up? Gave what up?" Chase asked. Chase was echoing House's own thoughts.

"House." Me?

"You gave House up? That's it? Why"

"Because he stills loves his ex. He doesn't need me to interfere so I just gave up. Simple as that." House could hear her voice breaking.

He decided hear didn't want to hear anymore. He moved from behind the plant and moved down the corridor. 'So that's why she seemed defeated lately. Stacey had defeated her. Cameron simply couldn't handle it anymore and threw in the towel.'

In the last twenty minutes, House experienced every kind of emotion. Firsthe was stunned becauseof cameron's theory onthe reaon behind House's behavior.Second came nervousness. He didn't want anyone to find out about what happened between him and Cameron but it's too late to change it now. Then confusion set in. He was puzzled over the reason why she chose to tell them.

Then she told them that she had gave up. She had gave him up. He should feel glad but instead he felt disappointment. Disappointment? He needed a drink so he headed towards his office where he kept various bottles of alcohol.

Cameron tossed and turned throughout that night. She didn't know what she should do. Her hand traveled to her stomach where a baby now lay. She didn't want to abort but she felt like she had no choice. It would going to start showing and House would notice sooner or later. She can't cover it up with her lab coat for nine months. And if she had the baby, how could she explain her maternity leave?

She sighed and turned to lay on her side. If she had the baby, she would raise it alone. She doesn't know if she could raise a baby all by herself. Keeping the baby would mean leaving PPTH. It would mean leaving House. She doesn't know if she could do it.

On the other hand, she can't abort it. She had a miscarriage and that nearly killed her. She doesn't know if she could go through with the abortion process. She had even thought about putting it up for adoption. But she feared that once she gave birth to her unborn child, she wouldn't have the heart to part from it.

As the sun rose and shined through her window, Cameron came to a decision. She would keep the baby and leave PPTH so that her unborn child and herself would have a fresh start.

Disclaimer: Not mine.