Title: Succumb (3?)
Author: Teenwitch
Summary: We have to succumb to the feelings we can never face.

It wasn't difficult to get a babysitter for Brooklyn. Her friends outside the hospital, few as there were, had no painful associations in her mind and were fully aware of Brooklyn's existence. One of her old girlfriends was more than willing to take her off her hands for the night, and she was free to meet the boys for drinks at their old, familiar haunt.

They had initially bonded over their shared tyranny under House, but genuine friendship had bloomed between the three of them over their time together, and she was feeling oddly nostalgic as she sat opposite them at their table.

The interior of the bar was familiar and comforting. The rich mahogany walls and booths were calming in their New England style, and the mingled smells of alcohol, smoke and leather washed over her, transporting her back three years and restoring their missed rapport. Muted conversation filtered over them from neighbouring tables, and low, gentle jazz music provided a numbing soundtrack. She felt relaxed, carefree and at home. She had forgotten what that felt like.

A few drinks later, after all mindless pleasantries were taken care of, Chase appeared ready to address the pressing question looming between the three of them.

"So, why didn't you tell us?"

She slid a slender finger over the condensation on her glass, avoiding their penetrating stares. She was slow to respond, silently considering her answer. How could she ever properly explain what it had felt like; knowing they were there, but so far from her life? Her time in Princeton often felt like a dream; indistinct and blurred, like a faded watercolour. They had been friends, yes, but also colleagues, and once she left the hospital the ties that bound them together were permanently severed.

"I… don't know," she murmured at last. "It didn't feel right telling you something that important over an email."

Foreman frowned disbelievingly at the lameness of her answer. "What, and you couldn't pick up the phone over in Boston?"

Cameron gave him a tired look. "You didn't."

Foreman shrugged impatiently. "We were giving you your space. You left kind of unexpectedly. We always thought you'd…"

"Come back?" she finished quietly.

He sighed, and Chase tactfully cleared his throat. "We just thought you might have needed a breather from House for a while", the Australian explained gently. "We didn't think it would be permanent."

"And then what?" she prompted idly. "You didn't want to tempt fate?"

"We didn't want to upset you," Foreman corrected sternly. "And a lot of time had passed by then. Things just kind of… They changed, okay?"

"Yeah." She couldn't blame them. She had strived to avoid their contact for the first year, and after that, she had her own problems to deal with.

"What happened to your job at New England?" Chase prompted. "I can't imagine how you juggled that with a daughter."

Cameron shrugged. "I managed," she said distantly. It had been a struggle, but single motherhood was a hardship they wouldn't understand. She didn't want to elaborate on it.

"What about now?" Foreman asked hesitantly. "I mean, is this a permanent move, or are you just staying for a while?"

"I'm only consulting," she reminded him.

He shrugged dismissively. "So? Cuddy already knows you. The Immunology Department has been short-staffed ever since Jackson resigned last month. If you ask me, she's trying to set you up for a job."

Cameron frowned, but she didn't say anything. She had suspected as much herself, but she had never actually voiced it aloud. Returning to Princeton-Plainsboro full-time was a concept too premature to even consider at the moment.

"Would you come back, Cameron?" Chase asked softly. Both eyed her curiously, but she sensed they wouldn't push her decision. It had been a long time since they were in the same city, let alone pressuring each other on personal matters. As much as it pained her to admit it, they didn't really know each other anymore.

"I don't know," she admitted at last, studying the wood grain table with renewed fascination. There was no denying her fellowship had been a difficult time, but it had also been extremely beneficial for her career. The Princeton-Plainsboro hospital was renowned for its reputation. Working under the esteemed Dr. House certainly hadn't hurt, either. The hospital had been a wonderful place to work, colleagues aside. It wouldn't be terrible to come back to.

"I might."

Foreman and Chase exchanged a subtle glance. Foreman tapped his index finger against his glass, clinking the ice inside. "You're worried about House," he deduced flatly.

She blinked. Did she appear that transparent? "No, that's not true," she protested mildly. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but acknowledge another relevant point. If she did return, it would be as a fully qualified doctor. This time, at least, she and House would be on equal turf.

Foreman rolled his eyes at her evasiveness. "Please. He's given us all plenty of reasons to walk out in the past. You especially. We don't blame you for leaving."

So they had finally entered this conversation. She had known they were going to eventually. "He's not the only reason I left."

Both Chase and Foreman looked like they didn't believe her, but they didn't say it. Chase leant back on his stool. "What was going on when we walked in?" he asked, eyeing her carefully. "Things seemed pretty tense in there."

Cameron furrowed her brow. "We had just seen each other for the first time in three years. I surprised him. How did you expect him to react?"

Foreman pursed his lips, remaining typically stoical. He was oddly protective of her, particularly when it came to House, and she could see that brotherly instinct was flaring to newfound life. "How did he react to Brooklyn?"

The name sounded foreign on his lips, but it was the question that gave her pause. She flicked at the cuff of her jacket, giving her hands something to do. "I don't know. I guess he was surprised. He's not exactly renowned for displaying his emotions."

The three of them shared a brief chuckle at the truth in that statement.

"How has he been?" she spoke up carefully. It was something she had been curious about, but had lacked the confidence to ask until now. She attempted to maintain an air of nonchalance, glancing down at her drink. "I mean… since I left?"

Foreman allowed his eyes to wander over her face, and Chase remained silent, observing her cautiously. "Fine," Foreman answered slowly. "You know, his usual self. He was a bit weird after you left. Kind of subdued, I guess."

"He seemed… different," Cameron acknowledged, frowning slightly at her inability to properly describe the changes she had glimpsed. "More… bitter than he used to be."

Chase shrugged loosely. "A lot's changed since you've been gone. We've had some tough cases, a few problems with the department."

"Oh, let's not forget Hudson," Foreman added, sipping his beer.

Chase smirked. "Oh, yeah. He really doesn't like Hudson."

Cameron lifted an eyebrow, prompting them to go on.

"They… clash," Foreman elaborated. "Hudson is polite to him to his face, but…"

"He goes running to Cuddy a lot," Chase filled in, looking slightly uncomfortable. Cameron couldn't blame him. They all remembered what he had done to House with Vogler, so long ago now. That situation aside, they had all gone to Cuddy behind House's back at least once before, when his controversial methods needed questioning. Without prompting, however, seemed blatantly disloyal. Foreman and Chase clearly thought so, too.

"Why doesn't he just fire him?" Cameron spoke up in confusion.

Foreman and Chase heaved a simultaneous sigh. Apparently it was something they had both considered. "He had… a lot of trouble hiring a replacement after you left," Foreman admitted reluctantly. "You know what he's like. Cuddy had to step in and do it herself. She must have threatened House about it, because Hudson's still around."

Cameron considered this information thoughtfully, finishing her glass. She couldn't help but reflect on what this meant. For the first time, her three-year absence was starting to leave its permanent mark.

"So, what about you guys?" she asked, making a silent decision not to spend any more of the night contemplating the enigma that was Gregory House. She forced an easy smile to grace her troubled features. "What else has changed?"

If they sensed her need for a diversion, they decided to play along. She felt another, genuine smile forming, and bit the inside of her cheek to keep it from escaping. She was definitely beginning to remember why they had been such good friends.

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