Thank you again for the reviews. :) And madridcks this is an angsty fic... so no threesome between them sorry, because I don't think it would really fit... :P
Sadly, House was already in diagnostics with Foreman, Taub and Kutner lounging around; an indicator that they didn't yet have another patient. Thirteen cursed her luck; House was only punctual a handful of times a year, and it just so happened that he'd chosen to be the only two times Thirteen was late. She braced herself for his interrogation; which started immediately.
"How was it?" House prompted.
"How was what?" Thirteen countered, regret at responding to him kicking in as soon as she'd stopped talking. Whatever he was about to say wasn't going to be good.
"Duh," House pulled a face. "The morning quickie that you and Cameron indulged in."
Thirteen groaned. "House..." She pulled her hair around her shoulders, shielding the marks on her neck from his view. She'd attempted to use foundation and concealer to cover them up, but she wasn't sure that she'd done a very good job.
"So whose fault is it that you're late?" House continued. "Are you the frisky one or Cameron? It's her; right? She was always getting down and dirty with Chase in various locations around the hospital." He brightened, a sign that he'd realised something. "Chase. Well well, I wonder what he'd have to say about this!"
"There is nothing going on," Thirteen growled. "What is it going to take to convince you?"
House paused. "Defensive. Angry. You're hiding something."
"Or you're just annoying her...?" Foreman suggested.
"Do we have to do this again?" Taub groaned, speaking up. "It was boring last time, and it's gotten no more interesting since then."
"You don't find the idea of two attractive young women having sex, sexy?" House shot at him.
Taub was speechless.
"He's got a point," Kutner shrugged, joining in. "But House, you don't have any proof."
"Not at the moment," he grinned. "But the evidence will show itself eventually."
Thirteen had had enough. Trying to control her temper she stated, "I don't have to listen to this." She swivelled on her feet, about to leave the room.
"Where do you think you're going?" House asked her.
Valuing her job, Thirteen stopped. There was only a certain amount of rudeness that you could throw at House before he pulled rank, and Thirteen was pretty sure that she'd already reached her limit for the moment. "The clinic. I'm going to do something useful," she said with just the right amount of snark; not too much, not too little.
"Nu uh. You're going to the ER," House informed her.
Thirteen laughed wryly. "You're kidding, right?"
House shook his head. "Nope. I'm deadly serious."
"No," Thirteen refused. Why should she put herself in that position? If House threatened to fire her then she would just go over his head to Cuddy; she would definitely understand. House was doing this for no reason other than to screw with her and make her feel uncomfortable. This was just some silly little game to him; her happiness didn't matter as far as he was concerned. Basically he was out for himself and his own entertainment and satisfaction.
House frowned at her. "If there's nothing going on between yourself and Cameron then why would you refuse? This is just another shift, something for you to do when there isn't a patient to treat."
Actually... he kind of had a point. Right? Her reluctance to go to the ER suggested that she had something to hide, and that meant House had further evidence to say that her relationship with Cameron wasn't entirely innocent.
"Kutner and Taub; I want you in the clinic," he barked at them. They rose up from their seats, going to do as was asked of them. Evidently they didn't wish to get too deeply involved in Thirteen's disagreement with their irritating boss.
"Fine," Thirteen declared. "If you're going to get off on the fantasy of myself working with Dr. Cameron then fair enough. But believe me when I say that you have no idea how wrong you are," Thirteen stared at him meaningfully, trying to convey that she had something to hide, but that a relationship with Cameron wasn't it. If she had her way this would be the perfect opportunity to inform him that she was with Cuddy; but she had to respect her girlfriend's wishes.
Thirteen left swiftly, not giving him a chance to reply. Doing as was asked of her; she headed to the ER. She didn't know what Cameron's reaction to her presence would be but she was positive that it wasn't going to be good. Hopefully Cameron would remain professional in front of others, but in private, Thirteen didn't hold out much hope.
Oh well. Here goes nothing.
Spying Cameron from a distance, Thirteen sighed. The blonde was evidently in a horrible mood as she slammed some papers down in front of a nurse and snapped an instruction at her to clean up cubicle three. There was nothing Thirteen wanted more than to run away and hide in Cuddy's office for the rest of the day, but that was blatantly not an option. Against her better judgement she stayed, deciding that the mature thing to do would be to stay and face the music.
"House sent me here," Thirteen stated from behind Cameron, making her jump at the sudden visit.
"What for?" She asked coldly, not looking at Thirteen and continuing to stare at the clipboard in front of her.
"We haven't got a patient so he sent Kutner and Taub to help in the clinic and me here," Thirteen informed her, hoping to subtly convey to Cameron that House suspected something.
Her words had the desired effect. Cameron's head snapped upwards and she said in a low voice, "Come with me."
Thirteen did as was asked of her by the blonde, and trailed behind her into a side room.
"What does he know?" Cameron had a panicked edge to her voice. It seemed that now her... thing with Thirteen was over she was terrified that Chase would find out. She might not really love him, but she obviously didn't want him to find out about her affair with another woman.
"He doesn't know anything," Thirteen assured her. "But he suspects. That's why he sent me down here. I guess that aside from making me feel uncomfortable, at some point he is going to attempt to spy on us. So whatever you do; keep your hatred for me a secret and treat me like you treat every other doctor."
Cameron gazed at Thirteen, an indescribable look in her eyes. "I don't hate you, Remy. I hate what you've done to me."
Thirteen was surprised at Cameron's use of her name. "You hardly ever call me that."
Cameron shrugged. "I didn't really feel comfortable using your name when we were together... on the odd occasion I tried I felt stupid. You always seemed so distant with me, you know? Not to mention that you yourself have never called me Allison."
Thirteen paused, taking the time to view the pain in the other woman's eyes. She hadn't really thought about the effect on Cameron until now; her previous apologies not sincere. Her only concern had been for Cuddy and preventing her from finding out. Now that she was facing Cameron and actually seeing the hurt that she felt, she realised her selfishness had affected more than just her own relationship. Were Chase to find out what had gone on behind his back, without a doubt he would be upset too.
"I really am sorry," Thirteen said quietly. She placed a hand on Cameron's arm. "I've been a total bitch. I don't want you to be hurt."
Cameron gave a small smile. "It's a bit late for that; don't you think?"
"Maybe," Thirteen acknowledged Cameron's words. "But by stopping this now the hurt doesn't have to spread to Chase and Cuddy."
"Yeah," Cameron agreed, voice still subdued. "You're right."
Thirteen pulled back her arm and thinking that the conversation was over, she headed towards the door.
"Do you really love Cuddy?" Cameron blurted out.
Thirteen stopped. Turned. "With all my heart," she replied.
Cameron nodded, blinking back the tears that were in her eyes. "I only ask because... I don't love Chase."
Thirteen didn't know what to say, and so she waited for Cameron to continue.
"I love you," she croaked out.
Thirteen's eyes widened in disbelief. Refusing to accept Cameron's words she countered, "No you don't; You just think that you do."
Cameron's brushed back a tear that had escaped down her cheek. "Don't try and tell me how I feel! I do love you, and I'm sorry if you find that hard to accept, but it's the truth."
"It's just a crush!" Thirteen exclaimed, moving back towards Cameron. "What happened between us... it wasn't intimate." She took a deep breath. "Look, if we had never had sex then you wouldn't be feeling this way. You know nothing about me... the most that you know is what I look like naked, what I'm like in bed!"
"Isn't that enough?" Cameron asked hopefully.
"No," Thirteen shook her head. "We'd never last. Never."
"You don't know that," Cameron protested.
"It doesn't matter anyway," Thirteen told her. "I don't love you."
"I know!" Cameron raised her voice, causing Thirteen to flinch. "You don't have to tell me; I'm not an idiot!"
"Then don't put me in this position!" Thirteen yelled back, making her own head throb.
Cameron laughed, though it was anything but kind. "This just has to be about you, doesn't it? Forget what I think; that's irrelevant," She looked Thirteen up and down, the familiar disgust back in her expression, tears long gone."Do you know something, Remy? You're a selfish bitch."
"You think I don't know that?!" Thirteen yelled, louder than previously. "This isn't a fucking state-the-obvious competition, Cameron!" She lowered her voice as she spoke her next words. "It's my life."
Cameron opened her mouth to retaliate, though a glance at the door and she stopped.
Thirteen span around, only to see Cuddy standing before her, an unreadable expression on her face.