Author's note: Please drop me a review if you can. I haven't had much feeback for the last couple of chapters. Thanks so much.
A light, misty rain started to fall on Cameron and Sebastian as they walked across the deeply hued green grass of the campus. Cameron pulled her lab coat tighter across her chest to keep her blouse from getting damp. Not enough rain for an umbrella, she thought, but just enough to be annoying.
"So how do you feel about dull, corporate parties?" Sebastian asked, trying to eye Cameron for a reaction as they quickened their walk towards the Women's Center.
Cameron smiled. "Well, if that's how you're going to sell it, I think you need to work on your pitch. Are you asking me to go with you?"
Sebastian laughed uncomfortably. "Point taken. I'm a little rusty in my dating skills, but I promise to brush up on them if you say yes".
No one can be this nice, Cameron thought before giving him her answer. "I'd love to go. When is it?"
"Well, now see, that might be a problem. It's Saturday night…this Saturday night. You know, I haven't lived out in the desert long enough to forget that ladies need a lot of time to find just the right dress".
Cameron looked at him quizzically. "Well, wait a minute. Just how formal are we talking, here?"
A grin moved across Sebastian's face. "It's actually more like a cocktail party, presentable attire, but nothing too formal. I know its short notice, but I'd love it if you could go with me. There'll be a lot of people there from the foundations that sponsor me—many directly involved in the heath care efforts on the ground. They're great people to talk to, once you weed them out from the stuffy corporate types, that is. I think you'd enjoy hearing what they have to say".
Cameron laughed quietly at his nervousness. "No, it's fine. I'm low maintenance, really. I think I have something in my closet that'll work; I'd love to go".
Sebastian looked completely taken aback by her response. "Well, good for you. See, I knew I had the right girl".
Cameron smiled awkwardly at the compliment. "Does the party have something to do with the TB Clinic?"
Sebastian nodded. "Several of the companies that support our cause and subsidize the medicines we need will be there to publicize the clinic. It's shameless, but it pays the bills. That doesn't turn you off, does it?"
"No. I suppose it has to come from somewhere, doesn't it?"
Sebastian held the door of the Women's Center open for Cameron, his voice trailing off as she passed through. "Yep. I'm afraid there's a price to be paid for everything we want in life".
Only one person sat in the waiting area of the Women's Center when Cameron and Sebastian arrived. The building was old, but clean and had a lot of big, open spaces. Cameron immediately thought that with a delivery of more chairs and folding cloth dividers, it could easily be transformed into a clinic capable of seeing hundreds of patients.
An older woman wearing a short white lab coat came out from one of the back offices to greet them. "Dr. Charles. I'm Claire Williams, the director of the center. We spoke on the phone; it's a pleasure to finally meet you. We can't tell you how honored we are that you're here to help us".
Sebastian shook her outstretched hand and then swept his back towards Cameron to introduce her. "This is Dr. Allison Cameron. She's an Immunologist and Diagnostician over at the hospital. She'll be working with us here all week".
Claire smiled as her eyes ran over Cameron's form. "Dr. Cameron, thank you so much for your help".
"My pleasure. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sorry, but I was just wondering where all the people are. Did we come on a slow day?"
Claire laughed lightly as she directed them into her small office. "We close in about twenty minutes, so if you were looking for the rush, you missed it. We've seen about ten students today, that's about a little less than average. We deal with mostly your garden variety of complaints—possible pregnancies, birth control advice, allergies and medication management. And, then there are those that come in for some counseling. I told Dr. Cuddy last week that I've only got a staff of five, so anything you all can provide will be greatly appreciated".
Sebastian looked around at the walls of the office. "Don't worry about a thing. We'll have plenty of nurses and physicians here each day and we'll bring in enough chairs and tables to accommodate everyone. We've got a meeting in an hour over at the hospital; I just wanted to have an idea of what the facility looked like beforehand. Do you mind giving us a quick tour?"
Thirty minutes later, Cameron and Sebastian had said their goodbyes to Claire and started back for the hospital. They walked for a few minutes before Cameron broke the awkward silence. "She seemed nice. There's definitely plenty of room there. We should be able to see a lot of people, don't you think?"
"Oh, yeah. I think it's going to be fine," he said, somewhat distracted by his own thoughts before he abruptly stopped in his tracks, pulling her along with him under the canopy of a large tree. "Do you have any idea why I'm here, Allison?"
His sudden change of demeanor threw Cameron for a moment. Self-consciously, she crossed her arms across her chest. "To run the TB clinic. Is there another reason?"
Sebastian searched her eyes for a moment before he shook his head. "No".
"Sebastian, what's going on? What did you mean by that?"
"It's nothing. Come on, we've got a meeting to get started," he said, smiling as he gently held her arm the rest of the way to the hospital.
The cool air from the hospital lobby made Cameron's clothing feel damp and heavy against her skin. She ran a hand lightly over her now lifeless hair, pushing one side back behind her ear.
"I think I'm going to grab a new lab coat and freshen up a little before the meeting. I guess I'll see you there?"
Sebastian suddenly felt badly for dragging her halfway across the campus on such a miserable day. "Oh, right. Sorry about that, I had no idea it was that damp outside. I'll see you in a bit".
Cameron smiled softly before turning towards the stairwell. As he watched her begin to ascend the stairs, he wondered if asking her out again had been the right thing to do. Sadly, he could see that her tough exterior was starting to crumble a little and he wondered if he was actually causing her more harm than good.
The auditorium normally reserved for intern lectures was only partially filled when Cameron arrived. She noticed that physicians and various medical staff had obediently begun to fill into the first few rows. Her eyes quickly scanned the crowd for House and Foreman, but then realized if House did show up, he would be more than fashionably late. Finally, she took a seat several rows back from the main group.
Lisa Cuddy took the stage right on time. Cameron admired how confidently she always appeared no matter how large or small the audience. She commanded the podium as she began to give the microphone a few quick tests before officially starting the meeting.
Her words were clipped, at best. "If I can get everyone's attention, please. Let's start on time so we can finish on time. I know everyone here has patients to take care of".
The room quickly fell silent. "Let me just start by saying thank you to each and every one of you here this afternoon. It is not without notice that your participation in this event will require a large sacrifice of time and commitment, and for that, I thank you".
Cuddy swept her hand back towards Sebastian who stood slightly behind her. "I'd also like to thank Dr. Charles for donating his time and expertise as well as the financial contributions of his many committed sponsors. I think I speak for everyone when I say our community is truly grateful. So, on that note, I give you Dr. Sebastian Charles".
As Sebastian began to address the group, a warm breath tickled her cheek and blew strands of hair away from the side of Cameron's face. "You know, you'll never be able to throw your panties at him from back here. I hate to be judgey, but as a groupie, you really blow," House said, sarcastically, as he leaned closely over the back of Cameron's seat.
Cameron turned her face quickly towards his voice, her nose almost bumping up against the unshaven stubble on his cheek. His eyes seemed insanely blue as they locked onto her, paralyzing her. Cameron struggled to regain composure. "I can see him fine from where I am. Although, I should have known the crowd would be surlier the further back I sat. And, just for the record, I'm not wearing panties".
A faint grin began to curl the corner of his mouth. "Good come back, pithy".
Cameron closed her eyes tightly. "What do you want, House?"
"I don't want anything. I'm just here for the meeting, as ordered. I'm nothing if not compliant," he lobbed back.
On stage, Sebastian droned on, seemingly oblivious to the disruptive banter taking place halfway up the small auditorium.
"Hmm…yes, compliant is exactly how I would describe you," she threw back, as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Cameron jumped slightly as House made an overly loud and exaggerated shushing sound, which caused several people in the row two down from them to turn around abruptly in their seats. Sebastian lost his train of thought for a moment as he unsuccessfully searched for the cause of the disturbance before regaining his place.
"You're such a child," Cameron seethed at him under her breath.
House leaned forward in his seat once again, his chin hovering closely over her right shoulder. "That must be why you're so attracted to me. Your physical age and my emotional age are perfect for each other, but while I often act like a sniveling child, I've never wanted to date one".
Cameron could feel the blood under her skin run hot across her chest and neck. Her hands began to shake even though she was gripping them tightly around the arm rests of her seat. Without thought, she pushed herself to her feet and stepped out into the aisle.
A strong hand grabbed onto her wrist as she attempted to make her way past him. "Sit down, Dr. Cameron; our illustrious speaker isn't done yet".
"No, but I am. I'm more than done," she lobbed back, pulling her wrist roughly out of his grasp as she ran towards the exit.
"That's it?" he yelled out to her a minute later from outside the closed door of the auditorium. "That's what you're going to let me get away with? If I'd known it was going to be that easy, I would have used that one two years ago".
Cameron repeatedly jabbed at the elevator button as he spoke. Her face was hot with anger and embarrassment. To her credit, not a single tear dared to fill her eyes.
"You just can't help yourself, can you?" she said, turning abruptly to face him. "You've always got to be in control...put me in my place. I guess firing me unceremoniously or taking up with Cuddy wasn't good enough for you when you knew all along I still…" Her voice trailed off, making her incapable of finishing her thought. "I guess it just wasn't quite as satisfying until you could push the knife far enough in to finish me off".
House stood motionless trying to process the severity of her words. In that one moment, he realized he had crossed a line; a line for which he knew even Cameron could never forgive him. His voice was low and his breath ragged as he reached out to touch her arm. "Cameron…"
"Don't," she threw her arm back, as she deflected his touch. "Don't you dare patronize me," she seethed under her breath as she turned for the stairwell.
"Cam...wait a minute. Will you wait? Cameron!"
"House!" Wilson bellowed, as he grabbed onto House's arm. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
House shrugged off the grasp angrily as he watched the stairwell door close behind Cameron. "Stay out of this, Jimmy. It's none of your business".
Wilson stared at his feet before slowly raising his eyes back up to look at his friend. "You're right. It wasn't before," he said, somberly, "but it is now, House".
House turned around to study Wilson's more than guilty looking body language.
"Leave her alone House, just leave her alone" and with that Wilson walked slowly back towards the auditorium, leaving House to stand silently alone in the middle of the empty hallway.