Cameron just sat there, her chin propped up on her hand, her elbow on House's desk. She looked at Rose with a mixed expression for the longest time.
"Oh. My," she said at last.
Rose half-smiled. "Is that all I get?" she asked. "An 'oh, my'?"
Cameron raised her eyebrows and sat up straight. "No," she said. "I mean…that's a lot of information to hold up inside of you for so long."
"It's only been a few days."
"Kind of feels like years though, doesn't it?"
Rose chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Yeah. Kind of."
"Well, Rose," Cameron said. "I'm glad you told me."
"I'm glad I told you," said Rose. "'Course now I'll have to tell the Doctor I told you. But you aren't…"
"Going to tell House? Nope."
"Which reminds me, I promise I'd tell Jack. You couldn't…"
"Do it for you?" Cameron finished Rose's sentence once again. "No, I think that's something you should do yourself."
Rose sighed, mostly for the effect; she never really expected Cameron to tell Jack for her. "Well, if that's it, I suppose I'llbe off then."
Cameron put her hands behind her back casually and nodded. Rose was nearly at the door, but before she left she turned around to face Cameron.
"Thanks," Rose said, looking Cameron in the eyes, "for listening."
Cameron didn't expect to be thanked- she hadn't prepared. "Thanks for talking," she said. Rose smiled again and let the door shut behind her, leaving Cameron in the office alone.
House peered out from around the corner and made sure Rose was all the way down the hallway before limping into his office, smirking to himself. "Yes, Miss Tyler," he said. "Thanks for talking."
dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw
Chase emerged from the Doctors' room around 6 o'clock. "He's awake," he told Jack, who had been falling in and out of sleep all day. "But I'm not sure he's ready to see anyone."
"Send him in!" called a voice from inside the hospital room.
Jack smiled at Dr. Chase politely and got up. He had no idea that Rose's stress and worry would affect on him, but it had- there was tension in his shoulders and his head felt like it was about to split open. A few cups of coffee had helped him there, though.
The Doctor was sitting up now, grinning. "Ah, Captain Jack," he said. "How are you on this fine day? Good, I hope." He frowned slightly. "You look sleepy. Wait, what time is it?"
"Just past six," Jack said, yawning. "I've been asleep all day. So've you. And so has Rose, actually, only she ran away a little while ago."
The Doctor looked confused. "Where is she?"
"Somewhere in the hospital. I think she's talking to Dr. Cameron."
The Doctor's face had gone from happy to concerned to severely concerned in less than 6 seconds. "Oh. Oh, no."
"Now there you go again! Acting all strange!" He pointed accusingly at the Doctor. "You're hiding something."
"And you're acting like a child."
Jack narrowed his eyes. "I don't like being left out."
"Okay, possibly-"
"Ha! So you and Rose are hiding something!"
"Who said anything about Rose?" The conversation had now become rapid-fire.
"She told me. She said I don't know the whole story."
The Doctor put the heel of his hand on his forehead. "Oh, Rose…what've you done?"
"Now you've got to tell me," Jack said. "I'm tired of not knowing."
"I will, I- Rose?" The Doctor was looking past Jack. He swung around just in time to see Rose open the door.
"I'm sorry, I'm…wait, no I'm not," Rose said, in quick succession. "I'm not sorry at all. Doctor, I told Cameron," she said, breathing heavily, the way she had when she'd entered House's office an hour before. "I'm sorry, I really am, sort of. But I had to."
"I knew you would," the Doctor said, falling back into his pillows.
"How?"
"Jack told me you went to see her. I knew it was over before it had even begun."
"Well, I feel a helluva lot better," Rose said, smiling widely. "I think we can trust her, too, or else I wouldn't have told her. You believe me, don't you?"
"I don't trust humans," the Doctor said matter-of-factly. Both Jack and Rose frowned. "I mean, as a general rule, most can't be trusted. Jack, you know that of all people, Mr. 51st Century."
Jack put his hand up. "Now, I'm going to count to 10," he said, slowly. "And if someone doesn't explain to me just exactly what's going on and what the big deal is in the next minute here, so help me God, I will go back to the TARDIS and…well, I can't fly the TARDIS, so I guess I'll just sulk."
"No," the Doctor said, sighing. He looked at Rose. "I'll tell him."
The color drained from her face like water from a sink. "I'll just…um…get some…tea, yeah, from the, uh…" she trailed off, and was out the door before she had even finished her sentence.
Jack watched her go, then turned back to the Doctor. "Alright, do I get in on the big secret now?"
"Yeah, yeah," the Doctor said. "Sit down and listen carefully, though, 'cause I'm only going to say this once and only for you."
dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw
It took 15 minutes for the Doctor to tell the whole story, and he felt like he had said it all in one breath. Jack asked him to go back and repeat information because he was telling it so fast, and the Doctor looked wrenchingly uncomfortable the whole time. By the end of the story, Jack's mouth hung slightly agape in confusion.
"Well?" the Doctor asked. "Don't you have something to say?"
"Yeah," Jack said slowly. He had been leaning forward slightly but he straightened up. "Go Rose!" he said, punching the air. "Wow! I didn't know the girl had it in her!"
The Doctor scowled. "That was not the response I was looking for."
"Oh I am so sorry," Jack said, in mock sadness. "But you're just a wimp." He laughed and shook his head. "You never stood a chance."
"No, hang on, I-"
"Oh, I know that you know that you liked it," he said, standing up. "Wait…you did like it, didn't you?"
"What, falling down a flight of stairs? No, that ranks just under Slitheen on my list of things 'that I like'."
"I didn't mean that part," Jack said. "You know, the part where she kissed you? And kissed you? And kissed you?" He thought for a moment. "And kissed…"
"Oh, that. Well…"
"Yes?"
"That wasn't so bad," the Doctor said. It was barely audible, but Jack was sure he had heard it.
Jack chuckled. "I knew it," he said.
"Knew what?"
"Oh, for Christ's sake, you really expect me to believe that you don't love each other? Ha! Like I said, you guys are so sweet," he said, and cocked his head over to the side.
"Love? Love? Hahaha! What happened in that pub was not the repercussion of any 'repressed love', Jack. Rose was very, very drunk. Amongst other things."
Jack shrugged. "So maybe it's not marital love or anything," he said. "But you've saved her life and she's probably saved yours. You love her…it makes sense."
"You don't understand," the Doctor said. He probably meant to continue, but Jack didn't let him
"I may be a Time Agent, and maybe you think I'm detached, but there are certain things that I do know, and I consider this to be one of them." Jack paced. "You don't love your parents the way you love your…oh, I don't know…cat, do you? And you don't love your cat the way you love your partner, but you still love them, right?"
"I've never had a cat."
"Work with me here!" Jack exclaimed.
"I did have a dog, once," the Doctor offered.
"Alright, a dog, then!" Jack continued, slightly flustered. "Like I was saying, you love your parents and your dog and your house, or TARDIS in this case, but you're not in love with them."
"Yes, but-"
"I'm gonna need you to shut up now."
The Doctor scowled.
"So you love Rose, but you're not in love with her. That's okay, too."
The Doctor glared. "Oh, am I allowed to speak now?"
"Yes," Jack said grudgingly.
"I understand your logic," the Doctor began, "I really do. But I don't like the word love. It's complicated."
"You can't run from it," Jack said in a sing-song voice that annoyed the Doctor.
"I'm not running, I'm just neglecting it."
"Well, that won't work, either."
The Doctor shook his head. "If you're suggesting I confront Rose about it- well, that's not going to happen."
"You don't have to tell Rose a damn thing," Jack said, and sat down once again. "But you really need to come to terms with it yourself."
"I have nothing to come to terms with. Rose and I are simply… companions."
Jack shook his head, and stood up once more to head for the door. "You are a really, really bad liar," Jack said. "Just think about what I said. Okay?"
"Jack Harkness," the Doctor sighed. "You cause me nothing but pain and sorrow."
"Aw," Jack said, practically out the door. "I love you, too."
dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw
Jack found Rose in the cafeteria, mindlessly sipping tea.
"The Doctor told me," he said, sitting down next to her. "Everything."
"Everything? Like, everything…"
"Everything."
Rose didn't speak.
"So… when I came of that room and saw the Doctor and you at the bottom of the stairs…."
"It was because I pushed him down them. Yes."
"You didn't really push him, per se."
"I…was a vital part of him falling."
"Well yeah, I guess, but believe me, you didn't push him. There's a difference between a 'push' and…what actually happened."
Rose sighed and put her cup down. "I suppose you're right."
"I'm glad you're not going to argue with me about it," Jack said with a smile. "You…Rose…"
She raised her eyebrows, but kept looking forward, not at Jack. "Yes?"
He slung an arm around her. "You crack me up."
"Oh, yes, the situation is hilarious. Utterly hilarious. Forgive me for not being doubled-over with laughter."
"No, it's just… what happened. It's funny, isn't it?"
"No!"
"Just a little?"
Rose smirked. "Just a little. But only a little." She paused. "Wait, what am I saying? I almost killed a man!"
"You didn't 'almost kill' anyone," Jack said. "So stop saying that. The Doctor? Is like Superman. Man of Steel. Not easily killed-off."
Rose turned her head and looked at Jack with very weary eyes. "I want to go to bed." She got up and left the cafeteria, not throwing away her cup. Jack, sighing at Rose's low tolerance, followed her.
dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw
"Soooo," House said, entering his office. He saw Cameron go ridged. "Oh, no need, I knew you were in here
"I'm sorry, House," she said, retrieving her notebook and pen from his desk. "I just needed to talk to Miss Tyler in private for a moment. It won't happen again…wait, what? Did you know Rose and I were in here?"
"Indeed I did."
Cameron looked aghast. "Were you eavesdropping?"
House screwed up his face. "Technically, yes. But it's a very sophisticated form," he answered, and hobbled around his desk to behind the bookshelf. Cameron saw him stoop down, and when he rose, he brought with him…
"A baby-monitor? House, you used a baby monitor to hear what we were saying?"
"Yep. Pretty clever, huh?"
Cameron looked completely stricken. "You…you…. I can't even find the words!" Her mind was frantic- how much had he heard?
"Jeeze, Cameron, no need to get all angry," he said.
"Is that thing always on?"
"No actually," he said proudly. "After you all had gone to your shift- sorry, my shift- I happened to be passing by Jack and Rose in the hallway. Jack muttered something about you and Rose, in my office, at 5:00."
"…So you got a baby monitor," Cameron ended for him, "and planted it in here, so that when Rose started talking, you could heard the whole thing."
"Very good! Yep, and then I hid out in Wilson's office and listened to the whole thing. It was hot! Lemme tell ya."
"Unbelievable," Cameron said, fuming.
"You should really thank the Captain," House said, swinging the monitor by it's electrical cord. "He's the one who clued me in. You need to be more careful about what you say around who."
Cameron grimaced. "He was talking in his sleep! He couldn't control what he said. You didn't have to listen in!"
"Yes I did," said House. "And you, Dr. Cameron, weren't even going to tell me!"
"Well no, I wasn't," Cameron said, trying desperately to maintain calmness in the room. "Weren't you the one who brought up Patient/Doctor confidentiality in the first place?"
"Don't point fingers, now, Allison," House said. The use of her first name caught Cameron off-guard, but did not deter her.
"You had no right," she said. "No right at all."
"That, I think, depends on who you're talking to. Like, for example, you have no right to use my office."
"I apologized for that!"
House shrugged. "I'm not apologizing for listening."
"Screw. You." Cameron felt fiery anger in the pit of her stomach.
"Oh, now I'm really scared," House said, rising to his feet. "Is the great Allison Cameron going to take me down?"
"Don't, House…just, don't."
"Don't what?"
"You're an asshole," she spat. She took a step back, seeing as House was advancing towards here. "You don't deserve what you've got here, and with these patients. Rose is a good person, and so is Jack and so is the Doctor, and you've violated them."
"I'm hurt, really," House said, placing a hand on his heart. "You've wounded me."
They were now nose-to-nose, staring at each other. Cameron felt no emotion- no jittery feeling, no weakness in the knees. Only a feeling of immense disgust towards this man she was standing only inches from, looking into his cold blue eyes.
"You're not backing down, are you?" House said. She could feel his breath on her mouth.
"No."
Silence.
"Greg," she said, with an unusual air of confidence. Her eyebrows rose slightly as she spoke; it was almost a question.
House smirked slightly, but not in a good way.
"Touché," he said.
Cameron did not smile in victory, although she felt one creeping up on her lips. She turned and left the room, leaving House in her wake.