Disclaimer: if they were mine, why would I need to ask for them to come out to play?

Here's another chapter- enjoy!

"I just came to tell you- House is awake."

Cameron slowly set down the red mug that she was holding. Very carefully, as if it were made of glass.

Three pairs of eyes were on her.

She had to say something.

Looking straight up into Wilson's face, she asked: "How is he?"

"Pain free."

He was smiling.

She stood up and, regardless of the other two doctors, put her arms around him.

"You must have been so worried. I'm glad that everything's ok."

Her hug had taken him by surprise, but he was grateful for it. Only two other people in the hospital had any idea of what he's been going through over the last few days- Cuddy and Cameron, and that was because they were going through it too.

The other two looked a little uncomfortable, but they were also pleased. House had been in pain for a long time; it was about time something good happened to him.

"So, if you want to see him…"

Cameron drew back at Wilson's words and turned towards the other two doctors: "Cuddy's expecting you two in the clinic," they looked at her in surprise, "It's just a couple of hours. We'll talk later."

They both wanted to hang around and find out what Cameron would say to Wilson in private. But, there was a sudden steeliness in her gaze that reminded them that she was their boss. So, they took themselves off to the clinic wondering why Cameron wasn't turning cartwheels at the thought that House was out of a coma.

As soon as they had left, she turned towards Wilson.

She had no idea what to say.

Getting rid of the boys had been a knee-jerk reaction. She didn't even know why she had done it.

He spoke first: "Allison, what's wrong? I thought that you'd be pleased to hear that he's doing well." He regarded her with sympathetic and faintly analytical eyes.

"I'm delighted Wilson, really I am," she reassured him, "I think it's terrific news…it's just that we're kind of busy at the moment."

James stared at her: "You don't have any patients."

"I've got clinic duty, and a patient on his way in," she countered, "I'm just not available right now."

"You're not available to go and see him for five minutes?" There was disbelief in his tone.

"Why are you so hell-bent on finding him visitors? He's just woken up from a coma- I doubt he's going to want to see anyone at the moment."

"You're saying that you aren't going to see him?" He couldn't believe his ears; what the hell had happened to sweet, caring Allison Cameron? He'd been sure that she was here only five minutes ago. Now she'd been replaced by a hard woman with frosty eyes.

"No," she wasn't saying anything of the sort. She was saying that she couldn't go to see him. (Hell, she'd tried last night, but hadn't even made it to his door), "I'm saying that I'm busy at the moment."

Wilson was shrewd enough to realise that the deliberately wasn't giving him a straight answer. "And are you going to tell Chase and Foreman that they can't go to see him?"

She was shocked: "Of course not! That's up to them to decide."

He nodded in agreement.

There was a pause.

"I've got clinic duty," she said, but didn't make a move towards the door.

Wilson sighed; she was clearly telling him that their conversation was over.

"You know, Allison, you can't avoid him forever. Whatever about not going to see him and not letting anyone tell him that you're in-charge, he's still going to be up here all the time irritating you guys about cases."

She regarded him thoughtfully: the man had a point…

AN: How was that? Another minor cliffie- I love them! Please review! (It makes me very happy).