Disclaimer: I don't own House or etc.
I hope you like this chapter. I love House & Cameron, but I had to rock the boat. Review!
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"Cameron! Cameron! Allison!!" Chase yelled after her. He had been running after her since she decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator. He was now yelling across the parking lot.
Cameron ignored him, continuing to walk to her car. Once she reached it, she attempted to unlock her door but failed and her keys fell in the snow. "Shit." She moved away the cold substance and picked up her keys.
"Jeeze, were you in track or something? I thought I was a fast runner." Chase exclaimed, catching his breath and standing beside Cameron. "Are you alright?"
"Yea I'm fine." She managed to slid the key into the lock and unlock it. She opened the door and sat down, not sure where she wanted to go. Before she could start the ignition, Chase got into the passenger seat.
"We can sit here all day in silence if we have to, but I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me."
Cameron glared at Chase, but the glare broke and she sighed. "I don't know why this bothers me. Maybe because he didn't leave me a note or something. Maybe because I wanted to kiss him before he left…"
"Maybe because you still see Stacey as a threat." Chase pointed out.
"I don't know. I mean, I know we are happy. I know he is over her…mostly. But she is one of those people. No matter how far away they go, they can still get into your head. Stacey will always have that deep connection with him." Cameron looked out the front windshield. She tried to focus on the small flakes of snow falling down from the sky, but couldn't shake the feeling she felt inside: fear.
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"So you and Cameron huh? I kinda always saw something between you too. I guess she can handle how immersed you are in your work, and handle it. " Stacey commented as they walked back to hospital, both sipping hot chocolate.
House looked at Stacey, knowing that she was talking about how he had ignored her during their marriage for his work. And how important it had become to him. That…and the pills.
"She makes me happy. She drives me nuts, challenges me, argues with me, but…there is just something about her…"
"She better than me?" Stacey looked at the ground.
"What kinda of loaded question is that? If I say yes, you will get upset. If I say no, you will comment on how I deserve the best. Allison is…who she is. And I can't get enough of it." House smiled, already missing his girl.
Stacey smiled and nodded. "I'm glad you are happy…" She sighed and bit her bottom lip. A telltale sign to House that she was hiding something.
"What's wrong Stace? Trouble in paradise with you and Marky-Mark?" He looked at her, trying to read her face.
"Mark and I are fine…I guess. I don't know. He's been really distant lately, and going on a lot more business trips." She shrugged, smiling it off. "I guess I'm just a little paranoid and lonely or something."
House nodded. "I know what you mean. Well Jimmy is cooking tonight, if you wanted to stop by for dinner."
Stacey smiled. "I just might do that. You always take such good care of me Greg." She smiled, looping her arm in his.
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They sat in silence, neither sure what they wanted to say. Cameron just stared out the front window, and Chase stole glances at Cameron, worried. "They are just friends Allison. He's got you, what would he need her for?" Chase smiled.
Cameron sighed and smiled back. "I guess you're right. We care for each other, he wouldn't fuck…that…" Her train of thought disappeared as she watched House and Stacey walk back to the hospital, smiling with linked arms.
Chase too, watched the former lovers walk together. He had seen them first but prayed to himself that Cameron wouldn't. "Allison…its nothing."
"Bullshit. If I did that with you, House would have both of ours asses on a plate." She grabbed the steering wheel and twisted her hands around it, hoping to relieve some of the anger bubbling inside. When she felt calm enough to have a rational conversation, she got out of the car, and began to walk back to the hospital, Chase in tow.
House and Stacey walked into the conference room first, seeing only Wilson sitting there, reading the newspaper. House assumed the other 3 were working on the case of the day. He dropped his jacket on a chair and Stacey followed suit.
"Anything good happen in the world today, Jimmy?" Stacey asked, making Wilson jump. He hadn't heard them come in.
"Uh no, not really." He laughed.
"Where are the children?" House asked, sitting down beside Wilson.
"Foreman in the clinic, Cuddy said to just work in the clinic today."
House quirked an eyebrow at Wilson. "Where are the other two?" Right after he finished his question, it was answered. Chase and Cameron walked into the conference, laughing.
Cameron was all smiles and Chase kept up the act that everything was fine.
" Hi Stacey" Cameron smiled at her, and shook her hand. Chase sat down on the other side of Wilson, and Cameron sat beside Stacey, refusing to make eye contact with House. "How was lunch?"
Stacey smiled, looking at House. "It was good. I was even invited over for dinner tonight. I hear you are cooking jimmy, so I have no reason to be scared." She laughed, looking at Wilson.
"Well it will be nice to have your company Stacey." Wilson shot a glare at House, who was staring at Cameron, trying to read her. Cameron was doing a good job of holding back all the screams of anger that threatened to bubble over.
"I guess I won't be the only female eating with them then. It will be a nice change of pace." Cameron laughed softly, looking over at Chase, who had worry plastered all over his face. "Well Chase and I should get started on the clinic work. See you tonight Stacey. Bye guys." She smiled at Stacey and Wilson, then left. House had expected some sort of affection, but instead just watched her walk out, Chase following behind.
The room was silent for a few moments, then House stood up. "I'll be back."
"Actually." Stacey stood up. "I should go home and freshen up for tonight. See you boys later." She smiled and left.
House looked at Wilson. "Something going on that I don't know about?"
Wilson sighed. "You are a moron, I hope you know that."
House sighed and went down to the clinic, not meaning to actually do work, but to talk to Cameron. He walked over the receptionist's desk. "Dr Cameron?" He asked, and the nurse pointed him towards the 3rd door. He walked in without knocking and sat down in the chair.
Cameron was checking a woman's chest for wheezing when he came in. This wasn't an uncommon occurrence, so Cameron just continued. "I think you just have a chest cold. Have the nurse out there write you a prescription for cold medicine." The patient thanked Cameron, and redressed, before leaving House and Cameron alone.
Cameron slipped her stethoscope around her neck, and signed the bottom of the chart, feeling his eyes on her. She looked up, and looked at him. "Hey. What's up?" She closed the chart and walked out of the room. House sighed, and followed her.
"I don't know, what is up? What's wrong?" He followed her into the women's locker room, and sat down on one of the benches, watching her as she went into her locker.
"Nothing's wrong. I glad that Stacey is coming to dinner. More time to catch up on things." Her voice was cold and she was tired of pretending she was fine.
House looked at her confused. "What did I do?"
"What did you do…I was in my car when you and her walked into the hospital ARM IN ARM, HOUSE! IF I HAD EVER DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH CHASE, YOU WOULD HAVE GUTTED US BOTH!" She slammed her fist into the locker closest.
House jumped a little bit, not sure how to handle Angry Cameron. "It was nothing. We are just friends now. And Chase still loves you, so that's why it wouldn't be ok."
Cameron glared at House. "And you don't still love Stacey at all? You are sure she doesn't love you? Don't pull this bullshit with me. I would have liked to have been asked about her coming over for dinner."
"You don't live there. I didn't think you would mind." House looked around the room.
"So that's what this is about? The fact that I won't move in with you? Well really you can't use that argument because you didn't ask Wilson either. You know what? This is bullshit. I'm not ready yet! Can't you understand that!" She stormed out of the room, tears streaming down her face. House just sighed.