Cameron decided to take the stairs to help clear her head after the unexpected and rather uncomfortable meeting with Cuddy. She couldn't believe she had just worked her last shift in the hospital clinic and in less than a month, she'd no longer be at the hospital at all.
She was somewhat out of breath and the muscles in her legs were just starting to slightly burn by the time she'd reached the Diagnostics office. House and Foreman were both in the conference room, Foreman sitting at the conference table reading, while House stood at the coffeepot pouring a fresh cup of coffee. Only House looked up when she entered the office.
"Where have you been?" he asked, as he looked at his watch. "And why are you all out of breath?"
Cameron self consciously pressed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Stairs" she said flatly, as she struggled to compose herself and regulate her breathing. "I was just on my way up from the clinic and a meeting with Cuddy".
House's head snapped back up at the mention of Cuddy's name and the thought of why she would want to talk to Cameron. "A bit early for your good-bye gift, isn't it?" he asked, making a face as he turned towards Foreman. "Is she trying to make us look bad? Foreman hasn't even gotten your present from us yet," he said sarcastically, as Foreman struggled not to look annoyed. "So, what exactly did Mommy want?"
Cameron grabbed her bottle of water from her desk and moved back to sit next to Foreman at the conference table. "Just wanted to discuss how many interviews you had lined up and my schedule for the remaining weeks I'm here," she said, trying to be as vague as possible.
House had no sooner thought about asking her what changes Cuddy was talking about when a voice interrupted that thought.
"I hope that's a flexible schedule," Sebastian Charles said, from the doorway. Cameron swung around in her chair to face the direction of his voice, as a smile lit up her face upon seeing him. She rose from her chair and walked over to him, giving him a warm embrace. Foreman joined her and shook Sebastian's hand to say hello before returning to his seat and his journal article.
"I didn't expect to see you so early," Cameron said, still beaming with excitement over seeing him again.
"Well, the flight was better than I anticipated. How much longer do you think you'll be? I'm sure we can convince House to spring you early, looks pretty dead around here to me," Sebastian said, sarcastically.
"Actually, I just finished clinic duty and was about to call it a day," she said softly, realizing she probably didn't have a chance in hell of leaving early now since she hadn't told House about Sebastian coming. From the corner of the conference room, House bristled at the intrusion of someone he considered to be pompous and self serving.
"Came all the way back to thank me again for saving your life or do you just want to get it off your conscience that I was right and you weren't?" House gloated, as he eyed the doctor with suspicion.
"Nope. This time it's strictly business and pleasure," Sebastian said, as his eyes drifted over Cameron's face.
"Well, better come back tomorrow instead. We're a little busy right now-- big cases, lots of tricky diseases to cure," House said, as he shot the younger doctor a dismissive look.
"Actually, that's just what I plan on doing; all week as a matter of fact. But, right now I'm owed a dinner that I've waited a long time to collect. Oh, you don't mind, do you House? Word has it that you're not interested in keeping her, so that kind of makes her a free agent, wouldn't you say? I mean, I'd be an idiot not to take advantage of that," Sebastian's handsome smile covered his face, but his words dug deep.
"Oh-kay," Cameron quickly interjected. "On that note, I think we'll take off," she said lightly, as she glared at Sebastian. "You don't mind me going do you, Dr. House?" she said, hoping she'd diffused the conversation enough to be allowed to leave without any repercussion.
"No," House said, flatly as his gaze dropped down to his coffee mug. "But, be here on time tomorrow-- we're going to cure diseases using all the letters in the alphabet, not just the two Dr. Charles likes," he lobbed back, in Sebastian's direction.
Cameron froze with dread as she reached for her raincoat and bag. Obviously, she hadn't gotten the chance to tell Sebastian neither House nor Foreman knew about the TB free clinic. Sebastian might be holding a small grudge against House, she thought, but he wouldn't undermine Cuddy's authority to present the assignment to them.
Sebastian laughed lightly at House's remark. "Well, sure, but you know I'm just going to have to borrow her again tomorrow, as well," Sebastian said, as he began to help Cameron on with her raincoat.
"Says who?" House asked, defiantly.
"Dr. Cuddy, actually. Didn't she…" Sebastian began, as Cameron turned around awkwardly to face him before she had gotten her remaining arm in the sleeve of the coat. She shook her head gently as she finally slipped her arm into her coat herself. Embarrassed, Sebastian's eyes darted up towards House.
Foreman finally spoke up. "Didn't Dr. Cuddy what?"
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. We better go," Sebastian said apologetically, as he held the door open for Cameron while pressing his hand gently against the small of her back as she passed through it.
"Good night, I'll see you in the morning," Cameron said, as her eyes locked onto House's before she turned and walked out the door.
"Jeez, that was awkward," Sebastian said, as he jabbed the down button for the elevator. "Just didn't have the same punch I thought it would seeing that he didn't know anything about the clinic next week. I take it you do, though. Right?"
"I'm sorry. Cuddy just filled me in a few minutes before you walked in. She asked me explicitly not to say anything about it to House or Foreman until she did," Cameron bit her bottom lip as the elevator doors swished open and they stepped inside.
"It is great to see you, though. You look terrific. I take it you're feeling better?" she asked, hoping to change the subject and lighten the mood.
"Yeah. I'm feeling great. No, it's good to see you, too. We've got a lot to talk about, don't we? Are you hungry? I have no idea where a good restaurant is around here, so you'll have to pick it," he said, as his mind wandered, replaying the look on House's face over again in his brain.
They rode the rest of the way down to the lobby in silence. "Are you ok?" Cameron said, softly as the elevator door opened.
"Yeah. I'm fine, sorry," he lied, as he realized he couldn't quite shake the feeling that someone was playing fast and loose with him and the truth. "Come on, let's go eat. Those cocktail peanuts just never fill me up," he laughed lightly, as his arm wrapped around Cameron's shoulder.