James Wilson…

Wilson watched quietly from outside the hospital room door as Allison Cameron sat next to the bed holding the hand of the small, sedated little girl. They were conversing quietly amongst each other in whispered, confidential tones that made Wilson shake his head slightly. Cameron was like an open book, her face an expressive cover that revealed the plot of a story without ever having to peruse the summary at the back of the novel. She surprised him with her strength—with her ability to connect with a patient and then grieve with them. Taking as many cases as she did personally, Wilson often wondered how she kept her sanity. House and Cameron both viewed her compassion as a weakness, but Wilson knew differently. Only the strongest of doctors could care for patients the way she did and still continue to care for each new admission without cracking under the pressure. It made her a true doctor with Herculean resolve. House saw that in her too although he wouldn't admit it.

Sometimes Wilson wondered if House didn't envy that ability of hers to care about her patients while absorbing their pain as well. Sometimes he wondered if House was attracted to that part of her human makeup. Wilson saw the way House looked at her very so often. It made Wilson wonder if House had a right to always berate Allison for being attracted to wounded men when House seemed to be attracted to her for the very opposite reason. She was House's missing emotion. Wilson shook his head as he watched her now. Maybe that's what made both House and himself attracted to the woman.

"My father left because he doesn't love us anymore." The girl was saying quietly, her voice slightly slurred as she fought off sleep. Cameron ran her hand along Bridget's forehead gently.

"I'm sure that isn't true, Getty. He may be confused about what he wants and he and your mother may be having problems, but I can pretty much guarantee that doesn't change how he feels about you. You are and always will be his daughter." Cameron soothed as the little girl sighed. She nestled into the blankets that made up the uncomfortable bed gingerly.

"Were your parents divorced?" The little girl asked quietly. Cameron leaned over and answered her just as softly, low enough that Wilson missed her reply. He felt guilty for eavesdropping so he leaned in slowly and tapped gently on the open door. Cameron looked up quickly.

"Mind if I join this little pow wow?" Wilson asked merrily as he scooted through the opening. The child looked over at him with narrowed eyes, squinting through her sleep-induced fog so that she could make out his person. Cameron just smiled softly. She knew why he was here.

"One of the boys must have caught up with you?" Cameron inquired as Wilson nodded. Chase had run into him along the hall and mentioned the fact that House wanted him to look in on the girl just to rule out the possibility of cancer. He didn't think any of them actually suspected her of having anything related to oncology, but it was wise to cover all bases at this point.

"Mind if I have a quick look at you?" Wilson asked the child gently as Bridget nodded her head uncertainly. Wilson took out the equipment he needed quickly, leaning over to check the little girl's eyes, ears, throat, and nose before piddling around with her lymph nodes to check for any suspicious swelling. His examination came out clean. Patting Bridget gently on the back, he thanked her before backing away. Cameron followed.

"She doesn't have cancer." Cameron said knowingly as Wilson nodded in agreement.

"I don't think so, either. I'll look over your tests and run a blood sample of my own, but instinct tells me that's not her problem either." He commented before perusing Allison with concern.

"You should take a few hours to rest." He insisted as she ignored his continued attempts at concern. He sighed. Why must everyone in this place be so dead blasted stubborn?

"Just think about it, would you?" Wilson asked as she nodded.

"You're one to give that kind of advice, Dr. Wilson. I see you at work about as often as I see House and yet you tell me that I need to rest. Could be, you should take your own advice." Cameron pointed out as Wilson laughed. She had him there. But she was still young enough to enjoy the life that had embittered both himself and House.

"Just rest, Cameron." He insisted before moving away—stepping out of the room before turning down the hallway. Glancing once more over his shoulder into the interior of the room, he froze a moment as his gaze met suddenly with Cameron's. Neither moved.

A 'click, click, click' of an approaching cane broke the spell. Wilson turned away once more as he caught sight of House at the end of the hallway, and he moved toward his friend suavely before falling into step next to him.

"You could have asked me yourself if you had wanted me to take a look at the girl." Wilson stated simply as House threw him an unreadable look. Wilson sighed.

"You hold a grudge better than any man I know, Gregory." Wilson complained as House grimaced. He still blamed Wilson for not revealing that House had cured his patient weeks ago, allowing him, instead, to believe that the man hadn't received the treatment House had proposed.

"Just be glad that you're still not staying with me, Robert, or I'd make you urinate all over yourself again." House informed him confidently as Wilson shook his head wearily.

"It's not as if you haven't kept things from me before that you felt would benefit me in the end. That's what friends are for, House. Would it make you feel better if I just apologized?" Wilson asked as House stopped moving long enough to look over at him.

"Grovel maybe? I always wondered what you would look like on your hands and knees while getting ready to beg." House proclaimed wryly as Wilson snorted. They had known each other too long and Wilson knew which buttons to push.

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." Wilson quoted as House twirled his cane through his fingers a moment before rubbing his chin.

"Ghandi?" House asked as Wilson nodded. They both grinned. Anger was pointless. No one knew each other better than the two of them. But that's what happens when you know all of each other's secrets, all of each others possible weaknesses. It was why Wilson had done what he had done in the first place. House was becoming over-confident. In the end, that was a weakness for him. House knew it and Wilson knew it. Glancing at each other quietly, both silently agreed to disagree without saying a word.

"How about you buy me coffee?" House asked cheerfully as Wilson chuckled.

"When have I never paid?" He commented dryly, making it a point to glance once more over his shoulder at the room inhabited by Bridget Durmont and Allison Cameron before following his friend.