A/N: Short chapter today. But still, enjoy!

Lyrics for this chapter are Stay by Rhianna

Chapter Seven

Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving

'Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving

Cameron's assistant buzzed her to let her know Foreman was waiting to see her.

"He's drinking again," Foreman informed her as he sat down on the couch. "But, I guess you know that since he calls you to pick him up."

Cameron walked over to the couch and sat down.

"Yeah, he's gotten worse since Cuddy came in with the baby," she sighed.

"Why do you enable him?"

"What am I supposed to do? Let him get killed or kill someone?" she asked in exasperation.

"He calls Wilson, too," Foreman remarked. "And Wilson blows him off." He stood up and straightened his suit jacket. "You should do the same. He'll just keep using you. He's messed up, Cameron. He'll screw you over. And not in the good way."

He walked out and Cameron leaned back on the couch. Foreman was right. Something in House was broken and that broken part spoke to something broken in her. She rose, got her purse, and left.

When she arrived at House's apartment, she reached up and pulled down the key he kept behind the molding over the door. Unlocking the door, she shook her head at the clutter and the stale smell. She shut the door, hung her purse on the doorknob and went to work.

She was drying dishes in the kitchen when he came shuffling in holding his right leg.

"I see the cleaning fairy is here," he said in a sleep roughened voice. He leaned against the counter as he made coffee. "Why are you here?"

"You need help with your drinking," she said as she carefully folded the dish towel and then gripped it.

"So we're just skipping over my Vicodin addiction?" he asked as he turned to look at her. "Interesting. Still trying to fix me. Glad to know nothing has changed in the grand scheme of things."

The scent of coffee filled the kitchen. House folded his arms and looked at her. For the first time, she saw contempt and derision in his clear blue eyes. She threw the towel on the counter.

"I never tried to fix you," she told him in an even controlled voice. "I just wanted you to be happy. Everyone tells me that you're miserable but I think you like wallowing in your misery and pain. " She paused and House stared at her. "Be at work on time. Do your damn clinic hours. Attend department head meetings. Consider this your last warning. Screw up one more time and I will fire you."

She walked toward the front door.

"You won't fire me," he told her from the kitchen doorway. "You aren't strong enough. What I wrote in that letter is true. You lack leadership skills-"

She turned and was on him before he could finish. Her hands gripped his t-shirt and she stared at him with real hatred.

"You bastard! I've been running the hospital for six months now. I ran that ER like clockwork. You couldn't run your damn department without me!" she growled. "I am not the scared, naive little girl you hired to be your damn lobby art. I'm a hospital administrator. The board asked me to stay on. Cuddy isn't coming back. Did she tell you that? Did she tell you that she met someone else? I heard what she said to you. She's right. You're filled with nothing but loathing and contempt-"

House pulled her in closer and kissed her. The kiss was hard and meant to hurt her. For a moment she tried to pull away then returned the kiss with passion before pushing him away. They both stood staring at each other. Their harsh breathing was the only sound in the apartment.

"Get dressed and get to work," she said once she had a modicum of control. "And next time you get drunk take the damn bus home."

She stalked out his apartment slamming the door behind her. House touched his lips and watched the door for a very long time. She didn't come back.

House came to work, did his clinic hours, sat silently in the department head meetings and avoided Cameron. Cameron made sure the hospital ran efficiently but there was a hardness about her. She heard whispered rumors of House's drinking but did nothing. Finally, Wilson went to see Cameron.

"What happened?" he asked as he stood in front of her desk with his hands on his hips.

Cameron leaned back in her chair. "So, it's Super Wilson to the rescue, is it? Your one goal in life is to save House. When are you two getting married?" She didn't bother to hide to snideness or contempt in her voice.

"What is going on with you?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You care about House. You're in love with him."

"All he cares about is the puzzle and getting high."

Wilson sank down in one of the chairs facing her desk. "He never wanted you to leave. He'd never admit it but he was devastated when you started up with Chase and then left. Did you know he wouldn't tell me one thing about your date? He was actually nervous about taking you out. I knew he was serious when he showed me the flowers he bought you. He didn't buy Stacy flowers. He never bought any woman flowers, not even his own mother. You meant something to him."

"Did I? Or was I just lobby art; a puzzle to solve? All he had to do was say something. Anything. But he didn't because he doesn't care about anyone but himself." She looked away. "I was in love with him. I was an idiot. I tried to understand him, tried to be like him because I thought I could heal him. I thought I could make him happy. I was an idiot for thinking that."

"He wants you but he's too screwed up to tell you," Wilson said as he got up. "For the sake of both of you, I hope you can work this out. Otherwise…" He shook his head. "He's going to kill himself or someone else if he continues on the way he's going."

He left and Cameron leaned her elbows on her desk. She rested her head in her hands. She still loved House. She always would but she couldn't save him. He had to want to be saved and he didn't.

Amber swept in and sat on the corner of Cameron's desk. Cameron composed herself quickly and looked up at her friend.

"Wilson is on tonight all night," Amber told her. "Come over and we'll drink wine and watch sappy movies."

Cameron forced a smile and nodded. "Sounds like fun."

Amber got up and started toward the door. She stopped and walked back.

"Would you write me a script for Amantadine? I'm getting that horrible flu that's going around," she said.

Cameron nodded and pulled out her prescription pad. She filled one out, tore it off and handed it to Amber.

"Nice tag teaming you two did," Cameron commented as Amber opened the door.

Amber laughed and walked out.