A Rush Of Blood To The Head – Chapter VI

Meredith breathed deep as she opened the doors to the outside cafeteria. Walking up to the counter she got her lunch. She couldn't stop thinking about what Derek said. Addison stayed with Mark - Ooo! Tuna salad! - Derek would have chosen her. Picking up her tray she moved without looking to one of the tables. Addison lied to him. That bitc...

"Woa!" Meredith nearly crashed into Cameron who was now balancing her own tray.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to. I wasn't looking. My fault."

Cameron stood her juice back up. "No that's fine, really. I wasn't looking where I was going."

Meredith smiled. "Mind on other things?"

"Tell me about it." Cameron had still not decided what to say to House. "Sorry, Dr Grey, right?"

"Yeah, but call me Meredith."

"Ok, Allison. Um, are you sitting somewhere?"

"Yeah, we've got a table, if you want to join us."

Cameron looked relieved. "That would be great."

Cameron followed Meredith as she made her way to the table, now occupied by George and Christina, both staring at something.

"Hey guys." Meredith sat down. Christina and George were still looking away. "Guys?"

"Eleven!" George shouted out triumphantly. Meredith looked round to see what he was talking about. Through the large windows she could see Izzie standing on the bridge with Chase, holding a coffee and laughing.

Christina scoffed "She's laughed eleven times, that's ridiculous."

"He's not even that funny." Cameron smiled while shaking her juice.

Meredith looked back at Christina. "But come Christina, he's hot. I mean look at his hair!"

"McYeah he is. I'd hit that."

"I already have." Cameron smiled to herself.

Christina turned her glance from Chase. "Seriously? My respect for you has risen exponentially. Even though you work for that poser."

Cameron almost spat out her juice. "Sorry." she wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Sorry, but that's just funny. I wouldn't say that. I mean, it doesn't matter if you say that to his face or not, but it makes you seem incredibly stupid. I'm embarrassed for you. Really."

Christina looked at Cameron. Suddenly Alex came up and slammed his tray down on the table.

"Dr Burke is a jackass."

Everyone looked as he sad down at the table. "Sorry Christina but he is. I spent the afternoon standing in the corner while another dude tests the patient. I could have done some kickass surgeries with Sloan but instead I'm stuck doing lab rounds. I swear I was better off with the gin patrol."

Everyone was silent as Alex ate his salad, hoping he would not turn around to see Izzie now getting up to her twenty-first giggle. Alex looked up.

"What?" He looked at the other, now nervous. "What guys?" He turned around and saw Izzie. Quickly he turned back to his lunch. "She's not my girlfriend." Meredith raised her eyebrows.

"Seriously, I don't care." Alex stoped eating and leaned back on his chair, trying to quench the fire inside him. Suddenly his pager went off and he held it up for all to see. "Lab rats! That's what I am." Alex stood up from his chair. "A freaking lab rat." Alex walked away and trashed his tray, punching open the glass doors.

"I'm guessing they're not going out." Christina smirked.

George's pager went off. "Bailey. She probably wants me to check in on the guy." George got up and left Christina, Cameron and Meredith. There was a long silence. All three had troubles of their own, and all three were so enveloped in these thoughts that they did not realise the need for conversation.

"McDreamy would have picked me." Blurted out Cameron.

"Burke's ignoring me."

"House asked me out." Before Cameron realised what she was saying Meredith and Christina looked at her, shocked.

"Wait, House, asked you out?" Christina blurted out.

Cameron sank in her chair. Why the hell did she say that? It just came out and my god did she wish she didn't say it.

Meredith knew the look and smiled. "My boss, Mr Sheppard: The first time I met him I was full of tequila. We had a one-night stand and it wasn't till the day after when I saw him at work did I realise that he was in fact my boss. Then there was that whole thing, the worst of it is: he was married and he didn't tell me. So his wife came all leggy and fabulous, begging him to go back to her – which he did – and then I lost my panties and now I realise that he would have picked me."

Christina laughed, "I started sleeping with Burke in the on-call room, I got pregnant with his baby and then he broke up with me because he thought it was 'the right thing to do'. A few weeks later I collapse in surgery and then have a surgery of my own, totally cutting off my fallopian tubes. And then he keyed me."

Cameron was comforted after hearing these tales of woe. "I'm in love with House. I think that trumps all of you."

Meredith remembered the stories of House as well as the experience today. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Christina sat up in her chair. "So did you say yes?"

"I haven't answered yet."

"Seriously? You're worse than Mer."

Meredith smirked at Christina. "She's right though, you should tell him before its too late. And my god does that seem to be the bane of my life."

Cameron laughed. "Taking advice from interns I had known only for an hour." But for some reason she trusted them. "Ok, I'll guess I'll tell him."

"That's right, take one for the team Allison!" Christina cheered. Suddenly all three beepers went off.

"Well, I guess that's the lab rat."

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NB: Ok, I guess that was more of a transition scene but still good… I hope!!! Gotta stop being so self-conscious. Anywho! If you like it: REVIEW! If you think it is moderately ok: REVIEW! If you want something to happen (i.e. House dancing the cha cha): REVIEW! And if you absolutely hate it: REVIEW! – but then again, if you hated it then why on earth would you have read on to the sixth chapter? Interesting… I'm on to you!