Had four months already passed? Cameron thought as she headed toward the office for their scheduled meeting. What a very strange four months to say the least. It seemed like only yesterday that House came back from his recovery, but it indeed had been a month.
She arrived at the office and was shocked to see House actually there ready to start. "What, no attempts to make me wait this time?"
House smiled. "No, you have waited for this long enough. Here is your final assessment." He handed her the packet of papers, vaguely reminiscent of the last review.
Cameron started flipping through the pages. A huge surprised smile fell on her face. "This is perfect."
"Yep. It's that whole justification for a position thing again."
"How much is your bet with Wilson this time?"
"No wager. Wilson couldn't afford it since he has another divorce to pay for."
Cameron laughed. "Strange, Chase told me he actually won the last bet. I would have thought his confidence would be riding high."
"Yeah, that was partially your fault. Don't think I will forget that." House walked over to his desk and grabbed another sheet of paper prepared for her. "I need to warn you before I give you this; your extra page is a little different than Chase's was." He handed her the letter.
Cameron as expected was shocked by the contents. "The Department of Medicine wants me as their Specialist of Diagnostic Immunology? Don't I need a few more years experience for that title?"
"Usually, but your background is top notch. They have a desperate full time need there and you are the most qualified. I wanted to keep you, but I also couldn't hold you back from something like this."
Cameron was amazed after all this time to actually be getting some validation. "I don't know what to say. Yes, I accept. What's this about part of the position being allocated to other departments?"
"You are required to spend no more than 25 percent of your time consulting on cases for other departments for your specialty. Right now, that 25 percent is exclusively allocated to the two attendings and one fellow of the Department of Diagnostics."
"So you aren't losing me completely." Cameron said smiling.
"I just couldn't give you up freely. I had to get something for it. Anyway, your first task in your consulting time will be to help me find two new fellows. You and Chase are responsible for screening, I make the final decisions. I hate interviewing."
"Okay."
"That's it? Nothing like 'oh House you are such an ass' or you spewing saucy words that makes me feel all weird? I like it when you go all belligerent on me."
"Sorry, you aren't my boss anymore. It's not worth the trouble."
"Your replacement better be feisty then. I have put that in the job descriptions. Someone that has to provide me with amusement. I'm sure Chase will find a nice looking female to keep the sexual tension going."
Cameron gave him a pleasing smile and said nothing.
"Wow, that's the first time I have left you speechless. Why did I not figure out how to do this until now? Now off, I hate long goodbyes."
Cameron silently walked away while House's eyes fixed themselves adoringly on her every move. It would never worked between us, he thought and went back to work.
-------------
Foreman entered the diagnostics conference room where Chase was doing his crossword. Ever since House returned from leave the paperwork monster was gone. Foreman had to admit, Chase was happier since he got his crossword time back.
"Got a minute?" Foreman asked Chase.
"Sure, I need to stop anyway. I can't remember the six letter word for tone deafness."
"Asonia." Foreman quickly answered.
"Ah, that's it." Chase entered the word and put his crossword down. "Anyway, what do you need to talk about?"
"I just came from Cuddy's office. My RFP for the brain stimulation studies and research has been approved by the university. They found enough foundation and grant money to approve the funding at 100 percent."
"Foreman, that's fantastic! Congratulations. So when do you get to start?" Chase was deeply thrilled for him.
"Technically, it started four months ago with Emily Harris. She's the reason the proposal got approved. Her progress has been astounding. There is enough financing for the next two years, starting today."
"Today? Wow, what did House say when you told him?"
"I haven't told him. Cameron doesn't know either."
"I'm the first to know?" Chase was amazed that Foreman would choose to tell him before anyone.
"Yep. You want to know why, and it's not because you were the only one here."
Chase nodded curiously.
"I knew you would be the only one genuinely happy for me. That and I have grown to respect you greatly as a doctor over the last several months. You are alright Chase."
Chase held out his hand and offered a shake of good fortune. "Good luck man. It has been an honor."
Foreman accepted his gesture along with a big smile. "Thanks. I better go tell Cameron and House now."
Chase smiled and thought about how much of a pain in the ass Foreman was at first. He eventually turned out to be a great colleague. He was actually going to miss him.
----------------
Foreman, Cameron and Chase were back at their usual hangout enjoying another celebration. "Pamela should be here any minute." Foreman said. "You both will really like her."
Sure enough, a young, well-dressed, very attractive black woman entered the bar. Foreman flagged her down and she made her way over to the table.
"I'm so glad you could make it." Foreman said as he gave her a kiss.
"Miss your big celebration? What kind of a girlfriend do you think I am?"
"It isn't just my celebration. This is Dr. Cameron. She is now a Specialist in Diagnostic Immunology."
"Nice to meet you and congratulations." Then she turned back to Foreman. "Who's the cute blond guy?"
"Robert Chase, nice to meet you." Chase said as he shook her hand.
"Ooh, nice accent. You're from Melbourne."
Chase was surprised by her catch. "Yes, I am, or just outside of there."
"I'm in marketing. We did an extensive Australian campaign last year. I painfully learned about all the accent differences in your country, especially Melbourne vs. Sydney. Who would have known? Aussie all sounds the same to me."
"The same can be said with you Yankees." Chase replied in kind.
They all sat down and Pamela ordered a beer. "So, these are the people you have shared your torture with the last two years."
"It's hard to believe that is all changing now." Cameron reflected.
"It's hard to believe you all aren't relieved," Pamela replied. "What does your dad call him Eric, oh yes, 'that miserable bastard.'"
"That miserable bastard is still my boss." Chase interjected.
"It won't be long before we are calling Chase the same thing." Foreman added with a light chuckle.
"So did you guys at least learn anything in your time with Dr. House?" Pamela was fascinated by the notion that anyone was willing to put up with such a jerk for so long.
Chase smiled. "Other than everybody lies?"
"Sex kills," said Cameron.
"Vicodin is the answer." Foreman added.
They all shared a round of laughter at the expense of their eccentric mentor. Cameron showed her devious smile indicating it was time again for one of her little games. "How about, what I learned from House, rapid fire style. We each take a turn and fire off the first thing that comes to our heads. Chase, you start."
"Why me?"
"Because you have been with him the longest." Foreman showed his own malevolent grin.
"Okay, uh..." Chase was trying to think of something quickly. He could do this easily with medical conditions, so he wasn't sure why he couldn't come up with anything about House. Then something flashed in his mind. "If you are trying to do the right thing, you can do whatever you want no matter how dangerous or completely insane."
"No matter what you are doing, you can say whatever you want." Cameron was already prepared for her quips.
"If you piss off enough of your patients, it's time to wear a bullet proof vest to work."
Foreman's comment got huge snickers from everyone at the table. After calming down, they all looked at Chase to start all over again.
"If you are an anti-social ill-mannered loner, rats make ideal pets."
"One can see music after dropping acid."
"General Hospital sucks." Everyone looked at Foreman with disapproval. "What, you all actually like that dreck? I'm more of a Days of Our Lives man myself." They all again laughed knowing that he was exactly right.
Chase had more to add. "No, it's really bad, and that's saying a lot given that the Aussie soaps are the worst in the world. Thankfully House doesn't have access to Neighbours. We all would be cringing."
"Come on Chase, you're up." Cameron said wanting to move things along.
"Cane twirling is an art."
"The more complex the language, the better the Medical journals."
"There are endless possibilities when you have the right balls in your office."
Chase started over again. "It's okay to taunt and sexually harass your boss, for she will go to the ends of the earth to save your job anyway."
"Torturing your best friend and making his life completely miserable is the ideal way of showing you care."
"Acts of self-destruction can provide hours of amusement for all involved."
"Having no personal life gives you the authority to interfere in everyone else's."
"Sports metaphors are our friends."
"There's me in team if you mix it all up."
They all stopped to laugh again. The exercise was making them too slap happy. Chase tried to continue, but opened his mouth and then cracked into more laughter. "I've got nothing."
"Come on, you have to have something." Cameron prodded.
"How about a man can treat everyone around him like dirt and the women that work with him will still fall in love with him."
"Hey!" Cameron replied offended by that remark. Both Foreman and Chase flashed her looks that she needed a reality check.
"Okay, how about it is really easy to torture doctors known to be stupid."
Foreman and Chase both responded with a highly amused "oooh" over her weak zinger. "I know you can insult better than that," Chase said. "Foreman, what do you have?"
Foreman looked directly at Cameron. "Fear trumps anal every time."
Cameron didn't like the new twist. "Okay, we are done."
"Wow, you guys turn on each other like this all the time?" Pamela asked in amazement.
"Only in fun dear." Foreman smiled reassuringly. "You see, we are all good now." Cameron and Chase both nodded with smiles in agreement as they enjoyed another drink of beer.
"You guys had to have had the strangest work environment that has ever existed." Pamela said.
Chase raised his glass in a toast, "To Princeton Plainsboro Diagnostics. The sorriest, most miserable, most dysfunctional team on the planet."
The others raised their glasses in kind. "Here, here," Foreman added. "To the sorriest, most miserable, most dysfunctional, and most talented team on the planet."
Cameron, Chase, and Foreman paused to give each other smiles of complete gratitude and then drank in remembrance of their time together. "One more toast." Cameron said. Somehow, they all knew exactly what it would be for and said in unison, "To House."
The End
a/n: Gold stars to anyone who caught the inside joke in this chapter. See chapter 12 for some lengthy commentary from me about the entire series, otherwise, thanks for reading!
