A/N: Again, thanks to my faithful readers! And again, this chapter didn't come out as well as I hoped it would. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. Until then, reviews are mandantory!

A/N2: This chapter is longer than ones before it, so if you don't like it, live with it.

The Human Psyche

Thirteen stared through the glass as Kutner and Taub guided Brock through his seizure. Natalie stood at his bedside, biting her lip in worry. She thought that she couldn't help feeling sorry for the woman. He had manipulated her into believing that he was truly a good person and that he was not at fault for his wrongs. Though Natalie had spoken cruelly to her, she couldn't help thinking that they were somehow akin.

"Hey," a soft, feminine voice said next to her. Thirteen turned to see a certain blonde ER Senior Attending on her right.

"Oh. Hey, Cameron," she replied.

"Listen," the other doctor said awkwardly, as if unsure how to continue, "I've been there."

"I'm sorry?"

"I've been there. Well, not exactly there, but similar instances happen."

"You haven't been raped," she sneered silently.

"No," Cameron replied, "but I have had to spend time with people who've hurt me."

"But never like him," Thirteen whispered.

"No, never like him."

"He's stable!" Kutner shouted from the patient's room, relived.

"Damn," Thirteen mumbled, and she began to walk off.

"Wait," Cameron called after her. "I talked to Chase. You and Foreman should get a drink with us after work."

The younger doctor nodded. "I'll ask him." Thirteen's face assumed the blank, emotionless mask that she had often worn before she found her current state of happiness with Foreman, but behind her façade, she was confused. Foreman was close with Chase and Cameron, but she didn't know them well enough to understand Cameron's actions. She was puzzled as to why Cameron, of all people, would reach out to her. Thirteen had heard of the other doctor's too-nice-for-her-own-good demeanor, but why her? She might feel bad for Foreman; it was his girlfriend who was going though everything. She wondered if Cameron would still want to help if she wasn't with him. Was she taking pity on her or trying to show her that there were people out there who could sympathize? Whatever was happening, Thirteen wasn't sure she liked it. Still, I'd like the chance to get my mind off things… Thump!

Thirteen completely lost her train of thought as she collided with someone. She chanced looking up, hesitant in case it was who she thought. To her dismay, it was. "Sorry," she said, but as she began to walk away, House stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"How's the patient doing?"

"He's stable." She attempted to wrench away, but his grip was surprisingly sturdy. "What?"

"What was it like? What he did, I mean."

"Traumatic," she snapped. "Now let go."

"But what were you thinking?" her boss asked, this time more forcefully.

"I was afraid. Afraid for my life, afraid I'd end up pregnant, afraid that I wouldn't be able to carry on normal human relationships."

"More afraid than when you got you Huntington's diagnosis?"

Thirteen took a second to weigh the two experiences against each other. "Yes, now can we please stop pinpointing my each and every weakness?!" House, appearing satisfied with her answer, finally let his employee go, and she stormed off. As she did, Foreman looked up from the file he had been reading, completely unnoticed by those around him.

"What was that about?" he asked, concerned for Thirteen.

"She thinks she's weak," was all he gave in response before limping off to Wilson's office.

"Is experiencing fear while being raped a form of weakness?" House asked as he entered the oncologist's office, as always, without knocking.

"No," Wilson replied quizzically. "For a normal person, fear is a rational defense mechanism; it tells you not to do things that could potentially hurt you, like rape. Then again, you're not exactly a normal person per say, so…"

"Thirteen thinks it's a sign of weakness," House cut off. "Why?"

"I should've known that's why you came. Can't you ever come by my office just to say 'hi' or something?"

"I'm serious, Wilson."

"The guy took advantage of her and she wasn't able to fight him off. She might have taken that as physical weakness and applied the same logic to her own fears. She couldn't overcome them, so she thought she was mentally weak, too."

"In what universe does that even make sense? I wanted Rational Man, not Rationalization Man."

"I was being rational."

"But she's not weak! Why does she think that?"

Wilson sighed. "Remember my theory about how you hire pretty girls,"

"Yeah," House continued impatiently. "I enslave them and force them to be around me."

"But that's not why you hired Thirteen. You hired her because she is the one puzzle you can't figure out."

"Wrong. Everything she's done can be explained by her disease."

"Right. She's dating Foreman because she's lost all hope."

"Actually, she has, and that's not it."

A small grin crept up Wilson's face. "You actually care about the welfare of your employees, don't you?"

"No, I don't," House argued, but his expression gave away the truth. Wilson's smile grew. "I don't," he repeated, using his best I'm-not-lying face, as he stalked back to the diagnostics office.

Foreman entered the locker room, only to find Thirteen aimlessly rearranging the contents of her locker, attempting to distract herself. She looked up and her face brightened a little at seeing him. He moved towards her and planted a quick kiss on her cheek as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Cameron and Chase want us to go out with them tonight," Thirteen said.

"I had heard. You want to?" Foreman replied.

"Getting out would be good for me. You know that pub on Oak? I was thinking we could go there."

"Sounds good. I know Chase likes that place. We should tell them." There was a long pause in the conversation, during which the only sounds were the soft inhale and exhale of breath. Thirteen tightened her grip upon him, breathing in his scent. Finally Foreman spoke again. "House says that you think you're weak."

"House doesn't know what he's talking about," she mumbled in such a way that made him think their boss was right. Thirteen could see that he didn't believe her, so in a desperate attempt to break the awkwardness; she kissed him. She allowed a moan of pleasure to escape from her mouth and drift into his, and just as she really became involved in the intimate act, something appeared wrong. Foreman had stopped kissing back. She brought her eyes to make contact with his, and she found them to be sad. "What is it?" Thirteen asked, concerned.

Foreman ran a tender hand along her jaw line and proceeded to speak in a whisper. Expelling emotions had never been easy for him. "I just want you to know. Even if you think you're weak, you're the strongest person I've ever met. So many things have been thrown at you, and you still haven't given up. Something I realize about you is that you won't give up. Ever."

"And what; you think that's admirable?"

"Beyond admirable." Thirteen smiled as he began to kiss her again.

"Hey! Porn movie waiting to happen! We have a patient and I have unfinished clinic hours!" House called from the locker room entrance. "Get to work! In the clinic!" Thirteen wasn't sure whether or not sending her to the clinic instead of to Brock was House's form of compassion, or if he was just being a jerk. Of course, the latter was much more likely, but it was nice to pretend.

"Hi," Cameron said when she and Chase met Thirteen and Foreman at the pub.

"Hey. It's good to get away from the hospital for a bit," Thirteen replied. "It's almost like we live there." Foreman placed an arm around her waist and the four doctors found a table.

"We'll get the drinks," he said, nodding to Chase, and the two swaggered off to the bar, leaving the women alone.

"House seemed to come down on you after Brock's seizure," Cameron said. "What happened?"

"Nothing of importance," Thirteen replied. "Just House trying to solve a puzzle." She sighed. "Sometimes I wonder why he hired me instead of Amber. I think about all the cases we took when we were competing for spots on his team, and I can't think of one outstanding thing I've done. He didn't hire me because I'm a good doctor. He hired me because I'm a challenge. House has everyone at the hospital figured out. You, Foreman, Chase, Wilson, Cuddy, everyone. But not me. Even after he found out about the Huntington's and my sexuality, he still couldn't piece together my personality, if that makes sense. But everyday, he's coming closer and closer to figuring me out. I've always been secretive, but I was forced out of that when I began to work for him. Little by little, things started coming out. And when I'm no longer interesting, I'll be gone. Every once in a while, I do think about what would have happened if Amber had been hired in my place. Maybe I would've ended up dating Wilson and I would have ODed on flu pills and died in the bus crash. Maybe things would have been better that way."

Cameron looked at her intently as she spoke, contemplating her words. "The patient who had the midline deformity on his head."

"What?"

"He would have died of an undiagnosed case of lyme disease during his surgery if you hadn't found the rash under his hairline. House shot you down so many times before that, but you stuck with diagnosis and saved the kid. Things like that are why he hired you. Not because you're interesting, but because you're a good doctor."

"How did you know about that?" Thirteen asked.

"Chase was there, remember?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "For the rest of the night, can we not talk about hospital stuff? I just…"

"I understand."

"I don't get it," Chase said at the bar. "She's messed up beyond repair, and you're still with her."

"Not beyond repair," Foreman replied. "The last few months are proof of that."

"Yes, but the appearance of your current patient seems to have reversed some of that."

"No." He shook his head. "You didn't see her when I saw her. She was broken and vulnerable then. Now, she's happy, and it makes me feel good to see her that way."

"Or it just makes you feel good to let her in your pants," Chase argued. "You got close during the drug trial. You were forced to spend time together, and she's hot. Almost has an edge on Cameron." Foreman gave him a questionable look. "I said almost."

"I think I loved her before the drug trial," he simply stated. "I know I loved her before the drug trial."

Chase took his and Cameron's drinks from the bar and turned to head back to the table. "You do realize it's inevitable that your relationship will end in catastrophic failure, presumably her death, don't you?"

"Yeah," Foreman replied, "But it'll be worth it. You know Thirteen wants kids? She wants a future."

The other doctor smiled. "Good for you," he replied sincerely. Foreman lifted glasses for him and Thirteen from the bar and followed Chase.

The rest of the evening continued without the slightly depressing mood of before, the doctors laughing about the funniest clinic patients, discussing movies and television, and having a good time.

Thirteen awoke in the morning next to Foreman, feeling happier than she had in days. When she arrived at work, she stepped into the diagnostics office, beaming and elated. She took her usual seat beside Foreman and across from Kutner, thinking that nothing could ruin her mood. That's why, when she turned to greet the person walking into the room, she was utterly shocked.

"Remy." A familiar masculine voice said from behind. "I heard." That was when she found herself staring into the face of a very grown up Jeremy Brennan.

Please, no. I don't need more reminders, not after last night.