Chapter 22: Million dollar question
Kate has gathered all the samples required for the CDC. She is in the lab, quietly working on prepping the samples to be sent to the CDC. Cameron walks in and stops suddenly when she sees her interim boss working on the samples. Kate looks up and realizes Cameron is pale except for the red stains on her cheeks.
Kate softly says "How's the patient doing?"
"Better. The meds are starting to work. There's a small bit of pulmonary fibrosis, but it shouldn't have any impact on his quality of life."
Kate nods. "Good to hear."
Cameron nods and goes to the centrifuge. She idly tinkers with it for a few moments. Kate goes back to packaging the samples. Suddenly, Cameron says "Do you still love him?"
Kate drops the pen she was writing with as her head jerks up. "By 'him,' I assume you mean House?"
Cameron curtly says "Of course I mean House."
Kate sighs. "I don't know. I care about him and he'll always hold a piece of my heart. But just because you care about someone or even love them doesn't mean they're good for you."
Cameron stares at her. "If you still care about him, why don't you try to work it out?"
"He is not the man I fell in love with. He's changed and I've changed. It's not meant to be."
"So you don't love him now because he's damaged?"
Kate shakes her head at Cameron. "He isn't damaged. He's just House. It would take a very special woman to love him and his sarcasm."
Cameron defends her boss. "He's just sarcastic because he is trying to hide the pain. He's been sarcastic for so long that he doesn't know how to act now that he isn't in pain."
Kate smothers her laugh. "Allison, that doesn't explain why he was a sarcastic bastard all the years before the infarction. Some people are just sarcastic. There isn't a reason why they are; they just are. It's like how some people are very nice or very grumpy. The sarcasm is his personality, not some defense mechanism. And while the sarcasm can be fun sometimes, I don't find it fun all the time. Haven't you ever met someone who is always 'on'? Like somebody who is always joking. They don't take anything seriously; all they do is play and joke. House is always on with the sarcasm. Everything can be snarked as far as he's concerned. Your clothes, your hair, what you eat for dinner. Everything. While I'm very much in touch with my sarcastic side, there are also other facets of my personality, like compassion, humor, annoyance that I like to exhibit every now and then and those facets simply don't mesh with my snarktastic ex-husband."
Cameron stubbornly clings to her vision of House. "There's kindness and compassion in him. He just needs to be shown that is ok to show it."
Kate sighs. "First, if there's compassion in that man, I will eat my shoes. Second, if you want to waste the rest of your life trying to coax the kindness and compassion out of Greg House by loving and nurturing him, be my guest. Just know that it's a hopeless battle.
Kate turns away from Cameron. Cameron sighs as she realizes the conversation is over. She sits at one of the lab tables and begins making notations to the patient's file. Kate quickly and efficiently finishes packaging the samples for the CDC. She places the samples into secure biohazard travel cases and then stores them in lab's cooler to await pickup. She then heads back to the office.
As she walks down to the hall, she passes Wilson. He looks up from the file he is reading and warmly smiles at you. "Hey Kate, please don't shoot the messenger."
Kate quizzically looks at Wilson. "What's up, James?"
"House said you need to go over to his place after work and get your going away present." Wilson studies her for a moment. "Any idea what he would get you as a going away present?"
Kate tries not to smirk at James. She manages to put on her best innocent look and say "Um, maybe a bottle of scotch or something since I brought him some when he first got out of the hospital?"
James shrugs. "I guess that's possible. Just remember, no shooting the messenger if you don't like the gift."
Kate nods. "Thanks for the message, James." Wilson nods and heads down the hallway. Kate continues walking towards the office.
Foreman is heading out for the evening and waves at Kate. She smiles absently and waves back as she walks in the door of the conference room. Chase is sitting there, filling out a crossword puzzle. Kate glances at him and asks "Why are you still here?"
Chase says "I was waiting on you." He sets the puzzle and pen down and stands up.
"Ok. Here I am. What's up?"
"Do you still have feelings for House?"
Kate eyes grow huge. "Look, I know that you and Cameron walked in on what appeared to be an intimate moment, but I assure you—"
"No, I'm asking because I was wondering if… Well, if sometime, before you go back to Seattle, that maybe we could go to dinner or something." Chase shyly pushes some of the blonde locks of hair out of his eyes and earnestly looks at Kate.
Kate is truly surprised, albeit relieved that she isn't about to be grilled by Chase. "Oh." Suddenly, understanding of what Chase just said dawns upon her. "Oooooh. Chase, you are a really nice guy and I've enjoyed working with you, but it doesn't really make sense to try to hook up right before I'm due to go home."
Chase shifts his weight from one foot to another. He slowly says "I suppose not."
Kate feels bad. "Maybe if the circumstances were different, it could be a possibility. Besides, you should go after some younger, hot woman, not the ex-wife of your boss."
Chase smiles and laughs. "Yeah, I can only imagine what House would put me through if I were to date you."
Kate grins. "And I don't think his ego would take it well if I was dating one of his very attractive employees."
Chase is beaming from her compliment. "Right then. I am heading out. Have a good evening."
Kate smiles and nods. "You too, Chase." She watches Chase head down the hallway and then smiles to herself as she thinks I just got hit on by a cute, young Australian. Maybe I still have it. Kate goes into the office and starts to gather her belongings to head home for the evening. She is pulling on her jacket when Cuddy bursts into the office. Kate looks at her and instantly knows she is about to be chewed out by her best friend.
Cuddy immediately starts in on her. "Have you lost your mind?"
Kate sets her purse on the desk. "Pardon me?"
Cuddy fixes a steely gaze on her best friend. "You heard me."
"The last time I checked, my brain was still in residence."
"I'm not so sure about that. It looked like my best friend was within 30 seconds of throwing herself at her sarcastic, bitter, mean ex-husband. You know, the man she is always claiming that she cannot stand?"
Kate tries the calm route first. "Lisa, you're overreacting. It was nothing. Just Greg trying to play his manipulation game."
"Do you still love him?"
Kate snaps. "BAH! GOOD GRIEF! Is that the million dollar question this afternoon? You're the third person who's asked me that!"
Lisa crosses her arms over her chest. "You didn't answer me."
"I don't have to answer you." Kate grabs her purse.
Lisa says "This conversation isn't over."
Kate nods at her friend and says "Uh, yes, it's over."
Lisa heads for the door and opens it. "No, it isn't. We can finish the conversation when you get home."
Kate stubbornly says "Who says I'm coming home?"
Lisa turns and fixes a warning look on her friend. "Where are you going?"
"Out. Think of it as a going away type thing."
"This conversation will be finished before tomorrow. I will talk to you when you get home." Lisa hurries off down the hallway. Kate sticks her tongue out at Lisa's back. She smothers her anger and grabs her purse and keys. She heads to her car and then off to get her going away present.
