-1This chapter is dedicated to AtreidesHeir, who had the little fight with me for the right wording. THANKS, DUDE!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Cameron and I have only been together not even a month and she can't handle me taking the pain medication. She hasn't changed me," he says as he waves his arms in the air like he was doing a magic trick. "It is her decision to leave, not mine."

House continued as he turned to Cameron and said, "You just needed someone, anybody, that you could try and fix. Since that hasn't worked you pull out your "victim" card and get everyone's sympathy. Just like you did when your husband died!"

"That's not fair! You have no idea what it was like for us…for him," Cameron said defending herself.

"I don't need your help, Cameron."

By this time Chase and Foreman had resigned to standing in the corner of the room, looking at their boss, whom they'd never seen act this way, and their coworker having a lover's spat. Chase hated it, while Foreman was quite amused. Wilson, on the other hand, was listening to every word, and mentally agreeing or disagreeing with what they said to each other.

"Sure you don't need my help. The Vicodin are giving you horrendous nightmares now. Who's to say you won't wake up delirious or take too many Vicodin or too much morphine and crash on your bike? Or even accidentally overdose? Believe it or not, there are people here that care about you. You just can't accept that, can you? You'll die alone, House. Can you accept THAT?"

House was getting frustrated but was just warming up to their little War of the Doctors. "I haven't slept well for years. The pain killers have nothing to do with anything."

Cameron scoffed at that. "It has everything to do with it."

"Look, this is about you and your insecurities. I can accept who I am and what I am doing. Can you say the same about yourself? If anyone should be worried about suicide, you're the one that we need to be watching."

"Whoah, MY insecurities? Oh, believe me, I know who I am, what I am doing and where I want my life to go. And I made a BIG mistake thinking it was with YOU. I haven't even moved OUT yet and you have another woman here? Oh, please, Dr. 'I know everything and you don't.' YOU are not worth killing myself over." There was definite venom in her words now and her face had become very tight with anger.

"Laura is not just another woman. She is my friend, someone who's known me a long, long time and she accepts me for who I am. She understands me in ways that a messed up, immature little girl like you could never even dream of. And you say I'm not worth killing yourself over? Well, you'd better take a long hard look at yourself, because with the behavior you've been exhibiting lately, there sure as hell is something that is driving you in that direction."

"What behavior? Because I'm fed up with having an addicted boyfriend who can't get off pain meds for me? Yeah, I guess that makes sense to you. But what DOES make sense to you? Do you even know anymore?"

Laura interrupted because she had become very uncomfortable and definitely out of place. "Wait a minute, Greg. Maybe I should go. You two have issues to work out. I don't want to get involved in this."

"No," House said turning to Laura. "I don't want you to leave just because of her. My leg...well, let's just save that juicy story for some other day. It's not a big thing, I deal with it." House turned back to Cameron.

"You and I are over. That's what you want, isn't it? You knew going into this that I was not going to go off the meds. I need them to function. I need them to be able to do my job. Even Wilson, who's my physician, will tell you that. You have no right to even ask me to do such a thing. You have no idea what it is like."

Cameron ran her hands through her hair. "You're right, I don't know what it's like. I only see how it makes you like. Look, I saw what my husband went through and I saw the pain…," she took in a deep breath as if the words were fire coming out of her throat, "he was in. I wanted to die, the pain was so bad; it hurt to see him in so much pain. How do I know you won't…," she hesitated before she continued, "Shit, I swore I wouldn't say this." After her little speech she was clearly out of breath and went to sit on the couch.

House watched her sit down, cocked his head at her and asked, "How do you know that I won't what?" Kill myself?" he laughed. "Is that what you're so worried about? Or is it that if I did that you would have to feel quilty all over again? Everything is about you isn't it?"

Cameron felt the tears build up in her eyes but tried to hide them as she replied, "because...bec…"

Wilson softly said, "Tell him, Cameron."

She shook her head. "I can't, Wilson, it's too...painful."

House turned to Wilson and gave him a strange look. "You two have been talking about me behind my back? Nice, Wilson. So much for trust. What, Cameron? What do you need to tell me?" he asked mockingly.

Cameron spat at House, "Oh, look who thinks the world revolves around him now! It's all about you, isn't it?" she said insultingly. "Stop it! Just stop! Because my ex husband killed himself by taking an OD of Percocet and downed it with alcohol." Her body started to shake and she sobbed heavily. Wilson started to approach her but House waved him off and shook his head.

"What does that have to do with me, Cameron? I'm not him. He probably did it just to get away from you nagging!" He popped another two pills over dramatizing the whole scene. "This conversation is getting nowhere. Why don't you just pack up your stuff and go!"

"Wait a damn minute, House! You may be her boss at the hospital but right now you aren't! Can't you see this is painful for her!" Chase shouted at House.

"Oh, and what are YOU going to do about it, Pretty Boy?" House hissed at him.