Disclaimer…I don't own anything.
Author's Note…Ok, I'm finally starting to wrap up this story. It's time…I think some readers may have forgotten it during my little hiatus and I probably should have reposted it. Oh well, too late for that now. And yes, I'm a Mets fan. Why do you ask?
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It had been six long years. Do you know what can happen in six years? Lots of things. World War I was over and done in six years. The relapse rate for cancer…just one year short of six.
You can move to a new, better apartment on the beach. You can meet this crazy feminist doctor who wants you to be the co-Head Doctor at her new clinic. You can fall in love over and over again with your children.
And, apparently, you can go six years without seeing or talking to this one particular man and still be in love with him.
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Cameron rubbed her eyes as she sifted through the huge pile of paperwork Dr. Sue Rocklinne had left for her and glanced at the clock shaped like a…toaster oven. She could only guess that House had set out to prove that it was very possible to get a weirder boss than himself when he encouraged her to accept this job.
9:54. GreatCameron had become much more of a morning person since she had the twins, mostly because they were her natural alarm clock and seemed permanently set to 5:45. Yawning, she glanced over at them. JJ was sprawled out on one of the beanie bags that Sue had set up behind the desk and Shanie was curled into a little ball on another one. Cameron sighed as she gathered up the paperwork and knelt down to the floor to shake them awake.
This was the only reason she had taken the job here. At the hospital, the doctors weren't too lenient with Cameron being on the motherhood schedule…the hours were too long, she was exhausted when she got home, she was exhausted when she got to work…she had to face the facts: She could never be the doctor she once was. Long gone were the days of crazy diagnosis's and experimental treatments. Cameron wasn't exactly happy with her job at the clinic, but the hours were great and although there wasn't a daycare center, she was allowed to bring the twins in if need be.
Two hours later, Cameron tucked her sleepy kids in. She tenderly planted a kiss on JJ's forehead found herself struck by the freckle he had on his cheek. His father had one in the same place. Moving into the room opposite the hallway, Cameron brushed Shanie's curly, almond colored hair, off her porcelain-skin face and gave her a kiss too.
Cameron sighed as she crawled into her bed. The life she lived was one of hard luck. Bitter sugar. Leaden feathers.
Tough love.
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The next day was the first one Cameron had off for two weeks and she very much wanted to spend it relaxing. But alas, that day happened to be a Sunday, which meant House was visiting, which meant it would be anything but peaceful.
However, he wasn't arriving for an hour at least, and right now, Cameron was desperate for a vent about a problem she had been having recently. Who cared if it was via phone, and too her sister? A vent was a vent, and this one was sorely needed.
With the kids playing on the two by four foot patio, Cameron felt safe using any language she pleased as she curled up on the couch and listened to Nadine panic. "Well, of course you have to get it checked out, sweetie. These things…you can't just let it sit and wait until it goes away. Why am I the one telling you this? You're a doctor."
Cameron tucked her feet under her. "I know, I know. But you shouldn't worry…Mom had three cysts removed when before she was my age."
"And ten years later, she got cancer and died. Come on, Allie!"
Cameron sighed, oblivious to her surroundings as the door to her apartment opened. "Nadine, listen to me: I know it's going to fine. I know I'll be ok. I know I'll be able to raise my kids."
"Yeah but-at least tell me you've picked out an oncologist."
"An oncologist! Nadine, I'll just go to one of the doctors at my…" Cameron looked up and realized House was there. He looked as though he had heard everything. Damn. "-Nadine, listen, I got to go. I'll call you back tomorrow…yes, I'll schedule an appointment. Ok, bye…bye!"
She turned to House. He did not look happy. She wasn't sure how much he had heard, so Cameron decided to feign innocence. "What?"
"An oncologist? What do you need an oncologist for!"
Cameron took a deep breath. "It's just a tiny lump, my mom has had a few benign cysts removed over the years, I'm going to be fine."
House rolled his eyes, starting to get angry. "No, Cameron! You've got to…you've got to…get up."
Cameron frowned. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Get up. Get JJ and Shanie. Road trip."
"Road…?" Cameron sighed, deciding it was pointless to argue. As long as House wasn't talking what was probably nothing, she was happy. "Will they need a jacket?"
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Three "are we there yet's", two "where are we going's," and one hour later, Cameron finally recognized the route House had taken. She looked at him; his eyes completely focused on the road and sighed. "House. No."
"No, what?"
"I'm not going to see him."
"You have to."
"No, I don't. And I won't."
"Cameron…"
"No! I've gone six years without seeing him, I'm just fine…"
"That's bull. You can't make it to a second date with a guy."
"Thank goodness," Shanie piped up. Cameron turned to look at her and gave a small smile as she reached to brush a stray curl off her face.
"Why do you say that," House asked her.
"Because the guys that pick up Mom for dinner are weird."
House glanced in the rearview mirror to see JJ nodding in agreement. "Either way, you need a good oncologist."
"What's an oncologist," JJ questioned.
"A doctor," was House's terse reply.
"Well, I know that. What kind?"
"A cancer doctor."
"Mom has cancer?"
Cameron turned around again, but not before she gave House a look that said cut it. "No, I don't think so. It's just a check-up…maybe more."
House rolled his eyes at her.
"Either way, House, there are plenty of good doctors out there, ones that live right by me. Why should it be him?"
House looked at her. "Because it's been too long. Because both of you have been completely unable to develop a relationship that's lasted over two weeks. Because it's obvious that you guys need…"
Cameron kept her eyes trained in front of her. "Eyes on the road, House."
House nodded, sighed, and turned his eyes back to almost empty highway in front of them. But he didn't do it quickly enough to miss the tear that rolled down Cameron's cheek.
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As they drove, Cameron remembered the few times she had almost reconciled with Wilson. About a month after the twins were born, she had called him, twice. On his birthday, she had bought The Naked Gun DVD and had even gone to the post office to mail it to him. But at the last minute, she turned around and went home. That night, she, JJ, and Shanie, had watched it together with a bowl of popcorn.
And the most recent one was last month…it was House's birthday and she had stupidly told the twins to call him. Wilson had been at House's apartment and he was the one that picked up the phone to hear two little munchkin voices wishing him a happy birthday. He had never reported the call to House, and so nobody told him who it was, but he just knew. In fact, he had used the Caller ID to get the number, and in the past month, had called up Cameron's apartment at least five times. Each time, nobody was home. Figures.
Cameron hastily wiped her eyes as PPTH came into view. It hadn't changed very much. The benches had been repainted, some of the bricks were redone, but that was all. It made her think she had never really left.
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Cameron nervously sat alone in Wilson's office, as per House's instructions, and surveyed the room. Absolutely nothing had changed, except there was now another baseball poster on the wall, celebrating the Mets win of the 2006 World Series. She smiled as she remembered tuning into each and every game that October, getting the biggest thrill knowing that in New Jersey, Wilson was doing the same thing.
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House had entrusted JJ and Shania to a confused Cuddy. He wondered what she was doing with them as he walked down the hallway with an annoyed Wilson, who was going to his office under the pretense that House had other friends, and this one might be sick. (Don't be jealous, Wilson. And don't act like you don't care…you're sending out a very caring aura. You might want to get that checked out.)
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Wilson shuffled his feet as he walked down the hallway, a nervous habit. Somehow, he knew that by the end of the day, his life would be very different. And here was House's "friend," delaying fate's plans. Oh well. To hell with fate. To hell with love. To hell with her. (Don't fool yourself.)
Slowly, Wilson opened the door to his office, butterflies suddenly swarming in his stomach. Turning around, he wondered where House had gone. He wondered when he stopped noticing his absence. He wondered when he stopped noticing the general absence of anybody.
And there she was. Wilson drew in a sharp breath, because it was real. She was real and alive and breathing and turning around her head and apparently, crying. "Jimmy."
"Allie."
Slowly, Cameron got up and out of her chair, conscious that it would leave a mark on the floor. Her hands were shaking, her feet were unsteady, but she was the one to take the first steps.
Author's Note...I'm not crazy about that chapter, but I had to get it up. And don't worry...I'm not going to give Cameron cancer...just Wilson a scare so he can get his head screwed on correctly! He's been pretty idiotic in this story. Ok, please review!