Cameron could still remember it like it was yesterday. She had been on a date with Foreman, when out of the blue, House was pushing his way into the booth beside Foreman; who made room with an exasperated sigh.
"House," Cameron said. "I know you're not keen on personal boundaries, but we're clearly trying to be alone."
"I know. You just didn't succeed."
"What are you doing?" Foreman demanded.
"Well, I'd sit next to her, but I'm worried she might still love me. I'm not so arrogant to dismiss you, either, but frankly you're not as candid about your... Wait, what's that thing people feel? I think it's emotions." House leaned over the tabletop, staring intently into Cameron's eyes. She spared Foreman an uncomfortable glance. "Do her pupils look dilated to you?" he asked, and Cameron looked past him as the cop sitting behind Foreman turned to assess her.
"I'm not high," Cameron assured him, and House looked over his shoulder.
"She's really not. Does she smell high to you?"
"Does she look high to you?" the cop countered.
"No. You kidding? She hasn't been high in years. Right, Cameron?"
Cameron was smiling at House. She rested her forearms on the table. "I'm not high, and neither is my oxytocin. Can you please make your point?"
House inhaled and spared the cop a brief glance. "Pupils normal," he muttered, and the cop turned away. House leaned forward again. "I need a differential diagnosis for a distended bladder and an empty catheter bag."
"There goes the romance," Foreman muttered.
"And here comes the apprentice," Cameron added, scooching over.
"What?" Foreman asked, and looked quickly over as Taub sat beside Cameron.
"Sorry for the intrusion. House, you said we would be using the drive-through."
"I lied. Apparently my efforts to make a point were made entirely in vain."
"I see, and exactly what point was that?"
"That people lie. You write well, but I still have to spell everything out." House looked up at the hovering waitress. "Oh, uh, do you still make those barbecue-flavored fries?"
"Hang on a second," Foreman requested, and waited for her to leave before lowering his voice. "House, today you had to borrow two dollars from me for the vending machine."
"She can put it on my Taub."
A hand squeezing Cameron's shoulder brought her back to the present. Recognizing the inside of her locker, she looked at Chase's concerned face in the mirror as she closed the door.
"I had no idea metal covered in a thin layer of dust could be so fascinating," he said.
"Well, if rabbits can be..."
Chase sighed. "House told me about the incident with Dr. Atkins. I can't even watch Bugs Bunny anymore."
"Because...of the cartoon rabbit someone designed?"
"Actually, because of Yosemite Sam."
Cameron found herself smiling. "I'm sorry. About what I said before. I thought losing two husbands would prepare me a little. I was wrong."
Chase nodded, sort of squinting at her. "Do you want to maybe grab a drink after work?"
"Uh, will Adams be there? Because she and I..."
"No, I think I need to get away from her for awhile." Chase looked furtively over his shoulder.
"What did she do?"
"I think...I think she's pregnant."
"And your solution is to run off to a bar with a woman you married."
"Okay, let me rephrase. I found the positive pregnancy test in the garbage, but she went to the pharmacy two weeks ago. So either she hasn't had the courage to tell me, or she's not going to."
Cameron stared into his thoroughly freaked eyes. "Invite her along. If she has a soda, you can assume she's still pregnant. And tell her you know."
"Adams doesn't drink."
"Then just tell her. One of you should do something."
Chase nodded and started walking with her to the doors. "Well, if she tells me she's getting, or worst case scenario, already had, an abortion; at least let me go with you to the graveyard this week."
"I stopped going."
They came to loiter in the lobby. He turned back around to face her. "You only go once a month now? Once a year?"
She was shaking her head.
"What's different?"
Cameron sighed and looked out towards the entrance doors. "Remy. Wilson. Kutner. Amber. Brad. Pete. Julia. And now House. I don't have all night. I didn't have all night before I got promoted."
"And yet you got it done."
"Everybody is going to die. I can't pay my respects to everybody. I have to..." She shrugged, and repeated something Foreman said long ago. "I have to stop living for the dead. It's hard, harder than anything, but the first goodbye should've been the last one."
Chase watched her walk to the front desk, frowning in concern as she picked up a puzzle book and attached it to the clipboard; paying full attention to what she was doing and not seeming to comprehend that it was wrong. "Okay, next patient. Wow, a lot of patients. Wait, these are... These are actors." She closed the word search. "And I am an idiot," she concluded, and handed the word search back to the perplexed nurse behind the desk.
Chase moved quickly to her side. "Cameron, go home. Go to sleep, cry, do whatever you need to do. I will help Park."
Cameron turned and crossed the lobby with a numb detachment, wishing not for the first time that she could have hated House.