-0-
Cameron sat down on the couch, her mouth in the shape of a small 'o'. She blinked, dazed this discovery.
"I don't understand…" Cameron mumbles. "Why…what…"
"No idea," says House.
"This is weird. This is not normal. This is crazy. This is…"
"Weird?"
"How'd you know?" says Cameron with sarcasm.
"Coz it is weird,"
"Well, what are you gonna do?"
"What do you mean, what I'm I gonna do? What can I do? She's nineteen years old, not my responsibility and I have no idea where she is, even if I could do something,"
"W-well, we can't just sit back and go 'okelee-dokelee, this is all fine and dandy',"
"Hey, watch it, only I'm allowed to be sarcastic,"
"I'm sorry, but I think this can be an exception,"
"Why are you getting so jittery anyway? It's not like you'll have a insane sister-in-law chasing you all over the northern hemisphere when she finds out, waving her gun around,"
"She has a gun?"
"Well, no, but I'm sure that butcher's knife she uses for cooking will be the same,"
"Oh, this is horrible. You've lost her,"
"I've lost her? You were in on this too,"
"In on what? You sound like you're smuggling drugs,"
"You sound like we've lost a puppy,"
"Greg…"
"OK, OK, OK…here's the plan… you print out the posters and I'll check the pound,"
"Greg!" says Cameron hands on her hips. "This is serious,"
"I know, Allison. But it's not your problem…and really, she's a big girl. She can look after herself,"
"Look after herself? My God, I was lead to believe that you actually gave a damn about her,"
"Of course I give a damn. She knows what she's doing,"
"You can't honestly believe that,"
"I don't!" yells House. He stops. "I don't,"
Cameron shakes her head, and then sighs.
"I can't be here right now," says Cameron, and heads for the door. She then stops and turns around. "I really thought you cared about her. I believed that you loved her and would protect her. Now she's gone, and what are you doing about it?"
And before House can say anything, she walks out.
House purses his lips, and taps his cane. Then, he takes out a bottle of Vicodin from his pocket, and looks down at the orange container, and squeezes it tightly. He spills the entire contents out on his coffee table as he sits down on his couch. He lines the up as per usual. He studies the carefully for some times (as if they were something interesting) and then, he picks one pill up. He stares at it, then in one swift moment, places it in his mouth, and swallows it. He then picks up another and swallows it. Then another. And then another. And another. And another…
-0-
"So? Do you think he'll let me go?" Chase asks.
"I doubt it. You know what he's like when it comes to us and 'time off',"
"Yeah, of course I know, I work with him too," says Chase. "It's just…"
"I know. Your dad passed away,"
"I just don't understand. He was here just about less than a year ago. He was fine. He didn't say anything about being sick. Then I get a call saying that he's…"
"It must be hard. I'm sorry, Chase," says Foreman.
"It must be hard when you have the brain capacity of a bull ant," says House walking in. He was clearly in a crabby mood, and looked exhausted and thin. His hair is messy, his shirt is one that he found in the bottom of his laundry basket, and his stubble is more unruly than normal. Deep bags hung beneath his eyes, and he basically looked, and felt, like crap.
Foreman gives Chase a sympathetic look.
"Good morning to you too," says Chase bleakly. House eyes him as if saying 'don't-even-think-about-it.'
"You look like hell. What happen, found out your hooker was a man? Don't worry that happens to me all the time. Don't need to lose sleep over it," says House, though really, he wasn't any better off.
"No," says Chase bluntly. "Actually, can I have a moment?'
"Before you say it, no, I can't marry you. You're just not my type,"
"Please," says Chase.
"Fine," House grumbles and Chase walks into his office. House looks at Foreman.
"What's wrong with him?" House asks grumpily.
"You'll find out in a sec,"
House shrugs and walks into his office.
-0-
House sits down, with a heaved sigh.
"What do you want?"
"I…I need some time off,"
"Time off? What does 'time off' mean?"
Chase sighs.
"House…just a week, tops,"
"OK, rewind. Why would I let you have a week off?"
"Personal issues," says Chase. "I need to go back to Australia,"
"I have issues too, you don't see me taking a vacation,"
"My dad died, OK?" says Chase.
House is silent.
"Oh…I'm…"
"It's OK. But…I want to go to his…funeral,"
House nods, pursing his lips.
"Do you know how he died?"
"Yes…um…lung cancer…"
"So he told you,"
"Told me? Told me what?"
House is silent, realising his slip up.
"House, he didn't tell me," Chase says. "My step mum told me…but…why does it seem like you knew?"
House, not knowing what to say, merely looks at Chase as if he had no idea what he was talking about.
"I don't understand what you mean,"
"House…you knew didn't you? You knew when he came here that he had cancer," Chase says, rising from his seat in anger.
"I might've guessed…only you would somehow find out and then keep it from me so you could see my reaction. Good work House," Chase says angrily. He makes to leave, his face contorted in rage.
"He asked me not to tell you," House says mildly. Chase stops in his tracks. "He said he didn't want you to know,"
Chase turns around, still fuming, but now calmer.
"What do you mean?"
"I found out. He asked me not to,"
"Yeah, and you're one for respecting people's requests,"
"It was his dying wish,"
"Don't," Chase says through gritted teeth.
"It's true,"
"I don't want to hear it, House," Chase says. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to," House says, staring at him with his steely blue eyes.
Chase sighs, his heart heavy. He leans on the chair, and bends his head, so that his blond locks cover his face.
"I…" he begins, but he chokes on the words.
"You can go," House says suddenly.
Chase looks up.
"Really?" Chase asks unsurely.
"Yeah," House says. "Now go before I decide that I'll need a certain intensevist here to mock,"
Chase nods, and then hurriedly rushes for the door. He stops as his hand brushes the handle, and turns around.
"Thankyou," he says.
House just nods, his face expressionless, and Chase walks out.
-0-
"Wilson," House says bursting into his office.
Wilson jumps in fright, almost knocking over his coffee.
"Holy crap House, you scared the hell out of me! More than usual that is," Wilson says returning to his work.
"How about lunch?" House says, fiddling with his files.
"No," Wilson says bluntly, not bothering to look up.
House looks taken aback.
"Why not?" he asks.
"Because," Wilson says "Cameron told me about the fight you had last night,"
"Does she tell you everything?" House asks sharply.
"Everything except details about your sex life," Wilson says, "I begged her to spare my sanity,"
House smirks.
"How typical of her to come running to you,"
"She has to run to somebody," Wilson says, finishing off the last of his paperwork, and then dropping the pen down in triumph. He looks up at House, and is shocked at the state he is in. "Wow. I like what's you've done with your look today. The whole Pete-Doherty-dishevelled-stoner thing really works for you,"
"Yeah, and look what that got him. Kate Moss,"
"Drugs are so last year. Rehab, on the other hand, is the craze at the moment," Wilson says rasing an eyebrow.
"Me and rehab don't really mix. We're not the best of friends," House says, purposely taking out his Vicodin as he spoke. He pops the lid open and shakes a pill out, swallowing it in one gulp.
"Surprisingly, I don't think that that's going to help you with the Cameron pissed aspect," Wilson says.
"She's overreacting," says House.
"No she's not, House, and you know it. Getting worried about Kimee doing a vanishing act is not overreacting,"
"So what, you want me to drop everything and go find her," House says.
"Do something, House! Call around, try and contact her. I don't know how, I don't care how! You just need to find her,"
"Why? Even if I find her, she won't tell me why she left, and she sure as hell won't come back,"
"How do you know that? I'm sure if you tried, you will find her,"
"You don't know her. If she doesn't want to be found, she won't be found,"
"Yeah? And I know, if you want to find her, you'll find her. But you can't. No, you won't,"
"Did it ever occur to you that I have already tried?" House yells.
Wilson stops, and looks at him stunned.
"What?"
House sighs.
"You don't think I've already tried looking for her," House says resignatedly.
"Why didn't you say anything then?"
"She's not here. That's why," House says. He bites his lip. "Forget about lunch," he mumbles, and before Wilson can think of anything to say, he gets up and leaves.
-0-
Cameron pokes her head into the conference room. It's empty. She quickly walks into the room, taking care not to make too much noise. She sits down in her chair, opens the desk drawer and rummages around. She pulls out a king-sized Mars bar, and hungrily unwraps it and takes a giant bite.
Screw my stupid dietCameron was stressed, tired and worried. She should eat chocolate if she wanted to. Needed to.
Her fight with House had been taxing on her energy levels. Just thinking about him made her feel exhausted.
She took another bite.
She understood that he wasn't good at showing his emotions. But surely expressing some concern for the disappearance of his niece. He seemed so nonchalant, as if this was normal.
Well, it probably is, considering his screwed up family.
Oh my gosh, you did not just think that.
I think I did
That is so mean. How do you know that his family is whacked?
Look at him! That is not the offspring of a normal family.
Then why is he being so distant? Doesn't he care?
Of course he cares.
Then why can't he just act like it for once?
That wouldn't be normal.
Why am I talking to myself?
Cameron shakes her head
She had the feeling that House was hiding something, too. As if he knew more than he was letting on.
She didn't care. She just needed to know that she was all right. That was all. Couldn't he understand that she wasn't trying to meddle? All she wanted was some peace of mind. Couldn't he see that, everyone was worried sick about her? All everyone wanted was her to come back. Couldn't he tell that she felt as if he was blocking her off? All she wanted to do was for him to open up, and be there for him.
She sighed. She was too stressed to think straight.
Cameron took another bite of her Mars bar and prepared herself for a lonely night…
-0-
OK, so, I know not much happening in this chapter, but this is another filler-type chapter. Next chapter will be nice and eventful! And don't worry about House and Cam. They'll sort things through…eventually. It's just, they can't always be happy, happy, can they now?
Lots of love
xx