Title: Succumb (21?)
Pairing: House/Cameron
Summary: We have to succumb to the feelings we can never face.

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"Wanna get lunch?"

Cameron glanced up as Foreman eyed her questioningly across the room. He was flipping through a medical journal and she was sorting House's mail, now that they were without a case. It was a strange sense of déjà vu, to be doing such a mindless activity after years of working under her own speciality. Despite the sparseness of their patients, there was still no denying the challenge of diagnostics compared to immunology. There was something about the mystery of their cases that made the often tedious interims easy to tolerate.

She slid her glasses over her nose, nodding slowly. "Cafeteria?"

Foreman bobbed his head mutely, closing the journal and placing it on the briefing table.

They strode down to the elevators in silence, and ran into Chase on the way. "Are you guys going to eat?"

He followed them into the Cafeteria, where they each purchased their meals. They unanimously decided to find a table outside, and took one under the shade, slightly isolated from their surrounding colleagues and patients.

Chase didn't wait to pursue the topic heavy on his mind.

"So what do you think is up with House?" he spoke up, taking a huge, loud bite out of his apple. "Treating a patient without telling us? That's pretty weird, even for him."

Cameron silently pursed her lips. It occurred to her that she had been spending a lot of time with House and Wilson lately, and less with Foreman and Chase. It was like she was suddenly on the inside of that odd inner bubble the three of them had longed to understand. Now, when they speculated on House, she had additional insight she couldn't voice, not without betraying her own relationship with him.

She could tell the three men had developed a subtle camaraderie in her absence; that Foreman and Chase had made the conscious decision to stand by House against Hudson. She uneasily wondered if she had thrown a wrench in that. She didn't want her relationship with House to disrupt their new, tenuous bond.

Foreman shrugged at Chase's question, leaning back lazily in his chair. "He's probably just screwing with us," he concluded, far less preoccupied with it than Chase. "Or he's holding back a more interesting case that he just hasn't told us about yet."

Chase scoffed. "If he had a new case, he would have thrown it at us already. He doesn't like to be bored any more than we do. I vote for the screwing with us option."

"You know when he gets caught up in something he has to finish it, no matter what," Cameron spoke up, unable to keep silent. "Maybe he just got a lead."

Foreman looked at her, perhaps for a little too long. "And he didn't want to brag about it?" he asked pointedly. "I don't think so."

Chase cocked a steady eyebrow at Cameron, and their combined appraisal of her was making her slightly uneasy. "Why? Do you know something we don't?"

Cameron frowned, backing off immediately. "No. No, I don't."

Foreman smiled slightly, hiding it poorly behind his hand as he took a bite from his sandwich. Cameron's green eyes darted in his direction, and narrowed as they landed again on Chase, who was also attempting to hide a smirk.

"What? Am I missing something here?"

"I just think it's interesting that House was in such a good mood this morning," Foreman spoke up, keeping his features carefully casual. "Especially considering how moody he was last week."

Cameron looked away, twisting her spoon cautiously in her yoghurt. "He didn't seem any different to me."

"Right," Chase said, chuckling lightly. "Sure he didn't."

Cameron frowned, studiously avoiding their glinting eyes. She knew their amusement was mostly harmless on her behalf, but she still didn't like them mocking what was still a very fragile relationship. There were enough volatile emotions in the mix without their added input.

"Hey, guys." She glanced up as Wilson appeared over Chase's shoulder, and she lifted her eyes to his, not entirely sure if she should be grateful for his entrance.

As far as she knew, he was still oblivious to what had really happened after House took her home Friday night. He wouldn't interrogate her in front of Foreman or Chase, but he would certainly be looking for clues, and she hated having to gauge her contribution to the conversation.

He took the seat beside Foreman, placing his lunch tray carefully on the table. "I heard you solved your case."

His conversational tone relaxed her slightly, and Foreman nodded in greeting. "House solved it," he corrected.

Chase sighed deeply, still somewhat sore. "Yeah. Apparently we're just wall fixtures now."

"Oh nonsense," House's dry voice sounded behind him. Apparently he hadn't been very far behind Wilson after all, and Cameron had the sneaking position Foreman had been well aware of that when he had baited the intensivist. "You're not pretty enough for my walls. You just think you are."

Cameron's eyes lifted to his briefly, and she felt a warm rush travel through her stomach as he stared back at her, before she looked down at her food again. She alternatively loved and hated that one man could have such an adverse effect on her emotions. She felt a minor thrill in knowing that their relationship had shifted so drastically, and the world went on oblivious around them.

Chase rolled his eyes, unaware of their exchange, and House slid onto the remaining chair, on Cameron's right. He hooked his cane on the steel arm, lifting his eyebrows around at them all pointedly. "Oh, don't get all shy and stop talking about me now. I'm sure you were just getting to the good part."

It occurred to her how strange it would have been several years ago, for House and Wilson to approach them without a case to confer. She had effectively bridged the gap between the two groups. She wasn't sure how she felt about giving herself that kind of credit.

"You know, some people would consider it weird, you working on weekends," Wilson noted dryly, alleviating some of the tension.

House gave him a serene smirk. "Must be those meds they have me on. Make me do all kinds of crazy stuff." He jabbed his fork pointedly at Foreman. "And I thought we agreed there would be no more dobbing on the boss to The Boss."

Foreman scoffed. "Hey, I think Cuddy noticed you weren't in the clinic all on her own."

House sneered. "Yeah, sure she did."

"Well if you didn't solve the case, you wouldn't have to do clinic duty," Foreman reminded him tartly.

House lifted an eyebrow. "Boy, you must be in the wrong profession. I thought we were supposed to heal the sick. Or maybe that's just my Florence Nightingale complex coming out."

A dangerous glint shone in Foreman's eyes. Cameron sensed him rising to the challenge, defensiveness aligning with the protective concerns weighing on his mind. She instinctively tensed in her chair. "Or maybe, it has something to do with whatever happened between you and Cameron Friday night."

Cameron choked on her milk, and House glanced at her briefly. Wilson's brow rose, and Chase's eyes darted uneasily between the two men, sensing the coming conflict.

Cameron leant back in her chair; drawing in a steadying breath once her coughing had ceased. House frowned sternly at Foreman, the only indication of his discomfort with the newfound scrutiny on his personal life. "See? Are you trying to kill people?"

Foreman looked entirely too satisfied in the face of House's wrath. "Differential diagnosis," he rejoined easily. "Good mood, treating patients, seeing patients..."

"Call me crazy, but it sounds like he's morphed into a doctor," Wilson spoke up sarcastically. His eyes were slightly more nervous, concealing an undercurrent of understanding, and she realised he knew where this was headed.

Foreman lifted an eyebrow, eyeing House dangerously. "I'll believe that when I see it."

House rolled his eyes, but there was warning glinting under the derision. "Oh goody, is this the part where you cow me with the full strength of your big brotherly swagger?"

Foreman narrowed his eyes. There was no ignoring the fact that their usual tension seemed to have kicked up several notches. "So are you admitting that something is going on?"

House stared back at him darkly. "I can give you the details in all their graphic glory, if you'd prefer. Cameron probably wouldn't."

Cameron shifted upright, suddenly annoyed. House was using his typical line of sarcastic defence, but she didn't work that way. She didn't exactly appreciate being made into an exhibition. "Okay, shut up, both of you."

"I'm going to have to second that," Wilson added, frowning.

Foreman scowled, albeit a little uncomfortably, when he read her infuriated expression. House also looked annoyed, glaring at Foreman darkly, refusing to back down from his position.

Cameron's pager interrupted the terse silence. She was so worked up, she barely reacted to it until House turned and gave her a slight frown.

She unhooked it from her belt, studying the display fleetingly. "Cuddy wants me in the clinic," she announced, more than grateful for the excuse to leave. She rose to her feet, frowning at them in disgust before she snatched up her tray, and stalked off.

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Cameron consulted her clipboard, jotting down a few loopy notes as the patient rattled off her miniscule, flu-like symptoms. Unlike House, she had learnt to tolerate clinic duty as a necessary requirement of her job.

A walk-in clinic automatically meant that the majority of patients either had small, minor ailments or hypochondria, but there were occasions when a genuinely ill person came into an exam room. Those were the moments that reminded her of the true use of her position. It was a humbling obligation she had missed at New England.

Clinic duty also happened to be a very calming process, and an opportunity for her to work through the motions without thinking too deeply. Today, it had the added bonus of providing her with a welcome escape from the stifling silence of the Diagnostic department. There was only so much mail she could do.

She offered the patient a small, kindly smile, instructing her to buy some over-the-counter flu medication from her pharmacy. She scrawled a few, customary notes on the bottom of the clipboard, barely glancing up when the door opened again.

"So I'm getting distinct sulk vibes here," a familiar, low voice spoke up calmly. "Chivalry probably requires me to flee, but I have this problem with the whole fleeing thing."

Cameron pursed her lips, stubbornly refusing to lift her eyes. "It doesn't sound very manly, either," she noted.

"That is also very true. We couldn't have that marring my record."

She sighed, slowly, reluctantly, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Why are you here?"

House tapped his cane idly on the floor, looking unaffected despite the fact that they appeared to have been publicly 'outed'. She knew, of the two of them, he was the most sensitive on that front. "You're mad," he observed nonchalantly.

Her face twisted in a tired frown, and she shook her head slowly, unable to understand his abrupt turnaround in attitude. "I'm not… mad. You just… you didn't have to provoke him."

"He started it."

She rolled her eyes at his juvenile line of defence, leaning against the examination bench and folding the clipboard under her arm. "I didn't tell him, if that's what you're wondering."

He lifted an eyebrow at her tone. She looked slightly uneasy, and he traced her soft features with his eyes. "I know that," he said at last. Only with Cameron could he come in with the intent to semi-apologise, and have to soothe her guilty conscience. "He was reaching. He's just pissy because I solved the case without him." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I should remember this for future annoyance."

Cameron frowned, momentarily distracted. "Why did you solve the case without calling us?"

House shrugged, looking at the anatomy poster over her shoulder. "I had a theory. I didn't need any help. You know, you finally take some initiative with the doctor stuff and the underlings don't like it. Interesting. Maybe I'm not the only one with the alleged 'God Complex.'"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "I'm sure that's the reason."

Nevertheless, she let it go, which he appreciated. She paused awkwardly. "So, they know something happened. Are you… okay with that?"

House didn't know whether to be insulted by how wary she was of his opinion. On the other hand, he hadn't given her many reasons to trust him personally, so he couldn't fault her for it. "And here comes The Talk."

She sighed at his evasion. "House."

He scowled. "Look, they were going to work it out sooner or later. They saved us the trouble of a very awkward announcement. I say that's a good thing."

"And?"

He frowned. "And I'm hungry. Someone didn't let me finish my lunch."

"What do we do now?"

He heaved a deep sigh. She was going to make him say it. "Well, I suppose the next logical conclusion would be dating."

She tilted an eyebrow, barely hiding her smile. He decided that if he could make her eyes light up like that, it wasn't really a bad thing. "You're actually suggesting we date? I'm… shocked."

He rolled his eyes. "Ha ha, laugh it up. You won't be so excited when you figure out my idea of a date is stale Chinese food and General Hospital. And maybe a bottle of Jack D thrown in for good measure."

Cameron smirked slightly. He was amazed at her ability to forgive him. "Trust me, I could have figured that out."

She stared at him for a moment, and he shifted, uncomfortable with her scrutiny. "Of course the offer might expire if you make me spend any longer in here," he spoke up gruffly. "Cuddy might smell me."

She took his broad hand, twining through her much smaller fingers. He frowned slightly in surprise, studying their tangled hands, the difference in their texture. Hers were soft and delicate, his lengthy and strong. Both doctors' hands; symbols of their mismatched, yet oddly compatible traits. He rubbed the back of her palm a moment, enjoying her silky flesh, the fact that he could touch it freely, before letting go. She was unravelling him. If he lost himself in her here, there would be no turning back.

"Face it," he said, clearing his throat, renewing some of the distance between them. "You can't keep a secret in this place for longer than twenty-four hours. Embrace the gossip."

Cameron gave a short laugh, green eyes glittering faintly, like she understood what he was thinking. She let him step back without comment. "Trust me. Brooklyn already took care of that."

He turned towards the door, the trace of a smile pulling at his mouth. He glanced back at her as his fingers closed around the knob, and she offered him another small smile, returning her attention to her work. He shook his head, striding out into the clinic before Cuddy decided to come out of hiding. He had already fulfilled his hours that morning, but he wasn't about to tempt fate.

He thought he'd already done enough of that today.

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