Title: Everybody hurts Part II
Fandom: House, M.D
Characters/Pairings: House/Cameron, who else??
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None that I've known about
Summary: Everybody lies; everybody hides something . . . welcome to Gregory House's world.
Author's Notes: I would like to thank PrincessRozonda for beta reading this!!!! Muchas Gracias!!!! Por cierto, mi abuela no había tirado la revista!
Gregory House had been resting for about two hours when Dr. Cameron stepped into the ER area. Chase and Foreman stood outside the little room their boss occupied. They looked at him through the glass wall; their faces showing neither worry nor sorrow, but pity. For them, Dr. House was a man of many talents but still not worth of their respect as a man. They had been working with him enough time to know that even though he was a world-wide known doctor, he was not a good person.
Allison watched her workmates from some distance. The look on their faces got to her nerves. They didn't know House, they knew nothing about him, as she did not but four hours ago so they had no right to judge him .
"I'm surprised you're not taking pictures, you know, to show your friends and have a good laugh, the fallen idol and all that" her voice startled both young doctors.
"Jesus Allison! You want to give us both a heart attack or what?" asked an angry Foreman.
"How is House? Any news?" she asked ignoring him.
"Nothing serious but the doctor had to stitch the back of his head so the nurse had to shave all his head. Let's say he's not going to be a happy camper when he wakes up" replied Chase.
Allison closed her eyes trying to prevent the tears from falling. She looked at House for the first time since she had arrived to ER. She left Chase and Foreman and got into the room walking next to his bedside. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully, aided by the painkillers, no doubt; his face showing a state of peace and quiet he didn't have when awake. Although she knew he was going to hate it and he would probably begin threatening each and every nurse he saw, he looked good with his hair so short.
She had just touched his hand when she felt him stirring. He used his free hand to cover his eyes and groaned. When he opened the eyes, his first gaze was directed to Cameron.
"Great! After all these years of strippers, hookers, alcohol and drugs, I wasn't supposed to get into heaven".
"And why do you think you're in heaven?"
"Because there's no way sweet Allison Cameron could fit into anything hell related".
"Is that a compliment, House? You must have hit yourself hard if the first thing you say to me sounds remotely nice".
"Yeah, you know me, always pushing the limits and trying to be the best. I'm sure I'm the most valuable patient they have around here". House answered.
"No doubt about it. How do you feel?".
"Fine. My friends, the painkillers, doing their job perfectly. Where is everybody? I'm not worth their precious time or what?" He asked bitterly.
"Cuddy and Wilson are talking to the council about your little act upstairs. They wouldn't ask if you don't do it again. And Foreman and Chase are waiting outside. They don't dare to enter though".
"Why? They're afraid of a man almost tied to a hospital bed? Shame on them!".
Allison thought that, considering House was hooked on antibiotics and painkillers, this was as good time as any. She took the hand she was holding and directed it to House's head so he could touch his now shaved head.
Lisa Cuddy and James Wilson could hear the screaming from the nurse station of the hospital hall. When they got into House's room, they saw nearly all ER stuff trying to calm him down, while he screamed, kicked and swore all kinds of obscenities. It took four men to put him down on the bed again while Wilson and Cameron tried to calm him down with soothing words.
"House, please, quiet down. You don't want to tear your stitches, do you?" Wilson tried to put some sense into his friend's now bandaged head.
House tried to move his head away only to be stopped by Cameron, who holding his chin, made him look at her eyes directly.
"House, look at me! I've read your email, your OTHER email, do you understand?" House stopped fighting and pierced her with his icy blue eyes. "Yes, I know it and if you don't calm down and let us help you, I swear to God, everybody will know as well".
That made it. House calmed down suddenly without breaking contact with Cameron. The rest of the stuff left the room silently, still holding her boss' arm and Wilson adding now some sedative into House's IV. The effect was almost instantaneous and he closed his eyes slowly. Foreman and Chase, who had been contemplating the scene, remained silent at the door while Cuddy approached Wilson at the other side of the bed.
"He'll sleep for al least two or three hours" explained Wilson. "Is everybody okay?".
"Yes, unfortunately it's not the first time the hospital deals with House's behaviour and they're kind of used to it" replied Cuddy looking directly at Cameron.
"You did the right thing, Cameron. I know you feel bad now but he'd hurt himself or any of us if he hadn't stopped".
"I don't know. I shouldn't have done it. The look he has given me. I have seen the hate in his eyes".
Cuddy came to her and put both of her hands on the young doctor's shoulders. "That, my young friend, is what to be one of Gregory House's friends is all about. You'll know how to deal and live with it. Are you going to stay here?" Cuddy asked to Wilson.
"Yes, I have no patients scheduled for today so I'll stay here and make sure he doesn't cause more problems".
"Good, Allison and I go to the cafeteria. Dr Foreman, Dr Chase, go to the clinic. Dr Cameron will be busy with me the whole day"..
Once in the cafeteria, both women took something to eat and drink and sat in one of the farthest tables. Allison looked as Cuddy unwrapped her sandwich and put some sugar in her coffee. She remained still with her tray untouched.
"How long have you known about his existence?" asked the young doctor.
"About Callum? Since House's infarction. He came once to see his father but being his stubborn self, House didn't say a word to him".
A thousand questions burned in Cameron's brain but she didn't know how or what to ask first.
"Callum is House and Stacy's son then?".
"Cameron, it's not me who should tell you this".
"Then who? House? You know that's not going to happen soon". Allison's tone was anything but calm.
"Allison, please, people are looking at us".
"I don't care; I'm tired of all this. I don't like watching how he destroys himself while you and Wilson do nothing to help him".
"Listen, I know how you feel about House but don't even think this is easy for James or for me. I treated him when he had the infarction, I was there when he found out about the surgery and when Stacy left him. I offered him a job here and not only because he's a great doctor but to keep tabs on him as well so, please, don't dare to tell me I don't care about Gregory House".
Dr. Cameron, who would have been embarrassed of speaking to Cuddy like that in any other time, stood up proudly and replied in a quiet tone. " I apologise; it was not my intention to offend you, Dr Cuddy but I still think something must be done, even if that means he would never talk to me again".
When Cuddy returned to House's room, she found the oncologist checking House's bandaged head.
"How did the talk go?" He asked.
"Not good. You know how she is, always willing to right the wrong. When I couldn't give her the answer she was looking for, she left not before giving me some warning about how determined she is to find the truth about House's actions today".
Wilson looked at his friend, who remained asleep, and sighed.
"Maybe everything happens for a reason".
"Come on Wilson, you can't tell me Cameron opening Pandora's Box is a good thing for any of us".
"I'm sure the storm will come and strike us like hell but once it passes, I bet our sleeping friend here will learn a thing or two".
Upstairs, in the Diagnostics Department, Allison typed furiously, afraid of not being able to do what she wanted if she stopped. Once finished, she read it a couple of times and then, with a trembling hand clicked on the send button.
She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. She knew somehow she would regret this but she had to be strong, for her own and for House's sake.
tbc.