A/N: I feel bad posting such a short chapter but I believe it's all that's needed to finish the story. Hope you enjoy it!
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House had been looking away from the others while he had talked, so he didn't see the utter look of astonishment on their faces. Instead, he was gazing at the bar, where a haggard-looking man sat alone. There were many empty glasses in front of him but he anyway ordered another. Nothing seemed to matter to him His expression was empty; his eyes were cast downwards. When his next drink was served to him, he grabbed it and held on to it strongly with both his hands, as if it were of huge value, but didn't drink. Instead, his gaze wandered about the room, first falling longingly on a young couple happily sharing a bottle of wine, then on the group of middle-aged men who were merrily enjoying their evening together, and finally on House, who held his gaze, intrigued. The man had piercingly blue eyes that would have been striking if they weren't so full of deep, raw sorrow. His whole face looked pinched and pale with sadness and pain. In his hand was an unlit cigarette that he was swirling with the finesse only the worst of addicts had. He held House's gaze for a moment more, reeking of misery, before returning to his drink, which he drank in one long uninterrupted streak and followed with a chuckle of satisfaction.
It was now dark outside, as if the world was finally revealing its deepest secrets and pains. There was no bright moon that night, just as there were no clouds. The sky was empty except for a few sparse faint stars that started revealing themselves evenly throughout the sea of ivory black.
The three employees seemed clueless as to what to say as they silently exchanged glances with questioning eyes. Foreman and Chase then started whispering amongst themselves, leaving Cameron to her own thoughts, as she was too far away to hear, sitting on the other side of the booth, closer to House, who still wouldn't look at any of them. His face didn't show any emotion but his brooding eyes revealed anger with a hint of regret.
"I'm sorry House." Cameron said suddenly, breaking the icy silence and resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry about what happened." The two other fellows stopped talking and stared at her with baffled looks, anxiously awaiting his reaction.
House, surprising them all, didn't pull back from her touch. Instead, he awkwardly turned to her and looked at her in the eye, unsure of what to do. He started drumming his fingers on the table, in full thought, and glanced back at the man sitting at the bar, who was now mindlessly staring at his amber drink, before returning his gaze to her. Start small House. Take a chance.
"You shouldn't be." He said calmly, before smiling ever so slightly "but thanks."