Disclaimer: Don't own House.

AN: Sorry this took me longer to get out than the others. I found this really hard to write. Hopefully it compares with the other chapters - you'll have to let me know. Thank you to all that have reviewed. We'll be back to more solid ground next chapter I think.

It didn't seem real. Or maybe she just wished it wasn't.

She hadn't known Amber well, neither had any of the other ducklings – current or former. To them she'd just been one of House's potential fellows – no more or less interesting than any of the others. The only person of their number, who'd truly gotten to know Amber, was now standing alone, looking shattered.

He didn't stand with her family, who looked staid and cold, gazing towards the coffin, yet just slightly over it. Occasionally they sent a disapproving glance towards Wilson, but mostly he just didn't seem to exist for them.

He also didn't stand with them. Those who had known, but not really known Amber. She was among them, standing in the front of the small troop from the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. They didn't talk amongst themselves, even though they stood shoulder to shoulder. 'Safety in numbers…' She thought with a slight shake of her head – since she had a feeling of almost being antelope on the plains of Africa, standing across from a hungry pride of lions (which were the Volakis').

Cuddy glanced towards Wilson remembering what she had said to him.

"Are you sure she doesn't wanna just take you back to her lair, hang you upside down, and deposit her eggs in you?"

She cringed inwardly at that one, though she knew that Wilson hadn't taken it badly – just that sometimes she was a little too dialled into House than she really should have been. At least with Wilson and not duelling House in a battle of wits.

"How many people have looked at you trustingly while you gave them a fatal prognosis? But you knew it was kinder to tell them the truth. Amber compulsively looks out
for number one. You compulsively look out for the person that you're with. Your needs are gonna feed her needs until all that's left is a Wilson chalk outline on the floor."

She knew somehow that she'd been wrong about Amber. She had cared enough about Wilson, to care about House. It had over ridden her instinct to look out for number one and she had changed. For the better, and yet – it had gotten her killed and the net outcome had been the same. She still felt as though she was looking at a Wilson chalk outline.

He was so alone. She couldn't help but feel a piece was missing. House at Wilson's side where he should have been. As horrible as House could be, for Wilson he would have been there for him. He had been there – putting his life on the line to try to save Amber's, yet that risk seemed to not mean anything to Wilson – all because House couldn't save her. Couldn't fix the unfixable.

That he truly wasn't god.

It wasn't House's fault. It was an accident. A horrible sequence of events that no one, not even House's brilliant diagnostic mind could have predicted. Yes, House had gotten drunk – but he hadn't asked Amber to come – he had wanted Wilson from what Chase had told her. He hadn't asked Amber to come on the bus – she had decided to follow with his cane. He couldn't have known about the flu medication she was taking or about the accident that was about to happen.

Now Wilson was alone, wanting nothing to do with House, isolating himself and she was caught between. Guilt made her stomach roil – she'd spent so much time with House and little to none with Wilson since making him see that the best thing he could do was wake Amber. She hadn't even tried – almost as though she'd chosen her side, her place – and it wasn't with Wilson. Still it didn't stop her from feeling grief for Wilson's sake. Not that she was close to Amber – they'd never really gotten to the point of having dinners as a group or anything – but she felt for Wilson. Had it not been for Wilson, it would not have been near as deep a pain though – she didn't kid herself over that. She should be there, with him – not leaving him out in the open like the wounded antelope abandoned so the rest of the herd could flee. She knew she needed to step up, take House's place at Wilson's side.

Even as she took the first step, another of their own moved forward, startling both her and Chase. Her eyebrow arched as Cameron moved to Wilson's side, a decidedly familiar look on her face that startled her. It wasn't the typical Cameron over caring move; in fact for the younger doctor it was strangely reserved. She didn't sweep Wilson into a hug, in fact other than a slight squeeze to his shoulder there was no contact at all. There were no words either. Yet, as Cameron took a place just behind and to the side of Wilson – she could see a visible relaxation in the other man's stance – as though her presence was making things easier for him. Even stranger was when Cameron fixed her gaze on the disapproving Volakis' and held it, unwaveringly until they looked away.

"That's just…" Chase muttered under his breath.

"Creepy…" Cuddy finished for him. "I didn't think she had it in her."

Foreman held his silence and just watched for a moment before looking away, as though he wasn't surprised at all.

Cameron stayed there, a silent support to Wilson until the service concluded and the casket was slowly lowered into the grave. It was then that Cuddy completed the walk that she had started before Cameron had taken her place. She stood in front of the hollow shell of her friend and wished somehow she could put back what was gone – but she knew only time would do that now. She opened her mouth, but the empty gaze Wilson fixed on her silenced her. "I'm so sorry…" She said softly. Wishing she could say more, do more. Wilson only nodded slightly and didn't protest as Cuddy pulled him into her embrace. When she released him, it was readily apparent nothing had changed and her tears began to well even more than before.

Making eye contact with Cameron who nodded slightly, Cuddy smiled sadly at Wilson then went to give hollow condolences to Amber's family before she could retreat to the familiar surroundings of the hospital and the comfort of House's constant attention.