A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed this fic so far – I was a bit worried it would be poorly received but all the comments I have got have been positive so thanks! Oh, I also don't own House M.D or any of its affiliates etc.

Cameron flew down the hall and straight down the stairs as fast as her trembling legs would carry her. All that was running through her head as she did so was "oh God, they know. How could they not? They are going to look at me differently. They will no longer see me as the respected Doctor Allison Cameron but as Allison Cameron, the rape victim."
She reached the bottom of the stairs and ran desperately through the lobby, narrowly missing bumping into Cuddy as she did so. Cuddy watched as the diagnostics department petite immunologist ran from the building like the devil himself were at her back. Cameron ran straight to her car, locking all the doors once she had got inside. It was only then did she allow herself to let loose the hysterics she had been holding in, screaming and crying in agony. Agony from both the physical wounds she had suffered, and the violation she had endured. She eventually managed to calm herself enough to pull out of the hospital parking lot and drive home.

Back at PPTH Cuddy was furiously making her way up to the diagnostics department. House was sitting at his desk, listening to his iPod when Cuddy stormed in, yanking the headphones from his ears "what did you do to her?" She glared at House.

House rubbed his ears petulantly before replying "What did I do to whom?"

"Don't play dumb with me House. I just saw Cameron running out of here like a bat out of hell and I can only assume it's because of something you have done, so I ask again: What. Did. You. Do?"

House sighed and stood up, wincing slightly as he did so. After quickly swallowing two Vicodin he turned to Cuddy and replied "as a matter of fact Cuddles, I did not do anything. Well, except for make her jump."

Cuddy looked at him sceptically before replying slowly "you better not be messing with me House."

House feigned shock "would I do that Cuddles?"

"Of course you would. Just...try to find out what is wrong with Cameron."

House doesn't say anything until Cuddy left his office and was out of earshot. Only then did he murmur to himself "that's what I want to know."

Cameron arrived home in record time, having narrowly avoided more than one crash. She desperately fumbled with her keys as she tried to get into her apartment, convinced someone was watching her. She eventually managed to get the door open and even had the sense to pick up the spare key and take it in with her, lest she should get an unwanted House call. She entered, locking the door behind her and sliding the deadbolt shut as well. She sat on the sofa and picked up the phone, dialling Cuddy's number: "Doctor Cuddy? Allison Cameron here. I'm taking a leave of absence due to personal reasons. Goodbye."
The message Cameron had left on Cuddy's answering machine was short, to the point and completely devoid of emotion. Cuddy frowned as she replayed the message. She massaged her temples in order to stave off the headache she was getting. Sighing slightly she made her way up to the diagnostics department for the second time that day.
House was in his Eames chair, playing with his ball and looking contemplative as Cuddy entered his office. She opened her mouth to speak but House spoke first saying "I've done my clinic hours. Unless you have a case for me there is no need for you to be here."

Cuddy rolled her eyes "Your team did your clinic hours and I'm here because I need to tell you that Doctor Cameron has taken a leave of absence. She didn't specify for how long."

Upon hearing those words House immediately pulled himself from his chair and began gathering his stuff together. "House? What are you doing?"

"Getting my things, what does it look like?" He snaps.

Cuddy rolled her eyes and replied "yes, I can see that. Why are you getting your things? It's too early for you to leave."

House doesn't reply, he merely grabs his backpack and limps out of the door. Cuddy then realises where he is going so she smiles softly to herself and lets him go.

After Cameron had left the message for Cuddy she tore out the phone plug and turned off both her mobile phone and her pager. She also drew all the curtains closed in order to shut the world out. She just wanted to be left alone. For a while she just sat on her couch, no longer crying, but instead almost catatonic as she stared blankly at the wall in front of her, memories from that night flooding her mind. Eventually she managed to get up to make her way down to the bathroom and once there she undressed before turning the shower as hot as it would go. She got in and immediately sank to the floor, almost as if her legs could no longer support her weight. As the hot water beat down on her tiny body she began to scrub at her skin, oblivious to the pain from her broken ribs and the various bruises on her body. This was the third time in four days she had done this, scrub herself raw in the shower in the desperate attempt to rid herself of the feeling of being covered in dirt. Her skin was beginning to turn bright red from the heat of the shower and the intensity of Cameron's scrubbing but she didn't seem to notice as she kept on scouring at her skin.

House pulled up outside Cameron's apartment and when he glanced up he was surprised to see all the curtains closed. He got off his bike and dry swallowed a Vicodin before making his way inside and up the treacherous staircase to Cameron's apartment door. He reached her front door, panting hard and sweating slightly. He leaned his cane against the door and popped a Vicodin as he grasped his thigh in pain. Once the burning in his non – existent thigh muscle had lessened slightly he picked up his cane and rapped it against Cameron's door. When she didn't answer the door he rapped again, harder this time. He frowned and instead of knocking again he started searching for Cameron's spare key and when he couldn't find it he rapped his cane against the door, harder this time, at the same time calling out "Cameron! Open up! I know you are in there!"
Even over the pounding water of the shower Cameron could hear House knocking and calling for her but she didn't want to see him, she couldn't see him, so she just ignored him and hoped he would go away soon. She didn't care about the fact he would be in pain from having climbed the stairs, her own pain was consuming her too much to allow her to care about anyone else's.
Outside her front door House sighed in frustration. He knew Cameron was in there but he couldn't understand why she wasn't opening up to him. Usually he wasn't one to back down easily and as he made his way painfully down the stairs he figured he would give it a couple of days before he went to visit her again. He would find out what was going on with her. He always did.

Meanwhile, across town, a man walked into a hotel. He walked with a cane, but he didn't actually need it. He made his way up to the front desk and winked at the pretty receptionist before saying "hello, I'm Alec Blackman. I'm here to see Joe Marsden."

He tapped the cane on the floor as the young girl behind the desk nodded "he's expecting you. Go right up. Room 238."

He nodded his thanks and made his way up to the room. Joe answered and gestured for him to come in. "I'm here for my money." Alec bluntly told him as he shut the door behind him.

Joe sat down and regarded the man before him, an unreadable expression on his face. "I trust you did as I asked?"

Alec nodded "Everything. She won't be able to look at a man with a cane now, let alone be in love with one." He snickered slightly.

Joe rolled his eyes and stood up, making his way over to his suitcase. He pulled out a thick wad of bills and threw them to Alec. "£5000 as agreed."

Alec grinned and stuffed the wad of notes in his waistband. He twirled the cane in his hand before laughing slightly "you know, I think I may keep this. Do you know how many girls have tried to come onto me because of it?"

Joe rolled his eyes and simply replied "you can go now."

Alec nodded and left, whistling a jaunty tune as he did so. Once he was gone Joe opened his wallet and looked longingly at the picture of Cameron he kept in there. He tenderly ran his finger over the picture as he murmured softly "we will be together soon Allison, I promise. Being raped by a guy with a cane will ensure that you will never go near that House guy again!"

A/N: so, what do you think? Review if you liked it or even if you hated it! Thank you!