Author: Milady Dragon
Disclaimer: same as always
Author's note: Well, apparently everyone didn't like the last chapter; no one reviewed! I am so bummed…well, here we are, the last chapter. Hope everyone had a fun time reading, since I enjoyed writing for you. As of now, I have a couple of short fics planned in this same universe, and I'll write another longer one if enough people would like to see it. I'm not sure if it's going to be an alien invasion or time travel story, though…also, I've left another fic lying around without working on it for quite a while, and I should probably post on that one, too, so it might be a bit before another multi-chapter story gets put up here.
Thanks again to everyone who have read and reviewed. I've appreciated every one of you. See ya soon!
Chapter Thirty
"Well, I see you have all your limbs still attached."
John looked up at the remark. To House's trained eyes, he looked pretty good for a guy that'd had a weird piece of alien technology hard-wired into his brain. The elder Tomorrow Person looked a little confused for a second; then it apparently hit him as to what House meant. "Yes, I do," he answered, as dryly as House's own comment had been. "Elena's bark is much worse than her bite."
"I should hope so." House helped himself to the seat next to the bed, resting his cane on his knees. "You summoned me?"
John rolled his eyes. "I don't think anyone could summon you anywhere you didn't want to be, Dr. House."
"Well, it's about time someone realized that."
The other man didn't dignify that with an answer. "How is Allison?"
"Doing better," House answered, going serious. "It was close."
"I know." John sighed. "It's a good thing you came when you did. Although, the companions you brought with you were quite the surprise. I understand the Castalii have asked that you become their Ambassador to the Federation." He looked amused.
House had been equally amused when Tala had made the request; but at the same time, he was genuinely touched by it. "Yeah, the least diplomatic person in the universe is asked to be a diplomat. Would you like cream and sugar with your cup of irony?"
John chuckled, then went serious again. "You've done good work with them, convincing them to rejoin the galaxy once more."
"But they'd still be better off with an experienced diplomat." House wasn't used to being so self-deprecating, and it ground against his natural superiority. But he was well aware of his shortcomings, and had to confess to them in this case. "Besides, if I accepted, who would keep Cameron, Chase, and Foreman in line? It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it."
"I understand." He did; House could tell. "Speaking of Allison, have you finished working out the details with Terry about getting her back to her normal life?"
"Sure have. It's going to be pretty simple, despite everyone thinking she's dead. You were going to send someone to get her family, right?"
The TP nodded. "Paul should be back with them shortly."
"Good. Cameron will be glad to see them. She's going to be down for several days, at least. She could probably use the company."
"You aren't going to stay?"
"The Castalii want to me attend some parties." House shuddered. "Never liked all that politicking stuff. I'd prefer working in the clinic, and that's saying something. But apparently it would be some sort of insult if I don't go, so the least I can do is not cause a diplomatic incident before I go."
"I'm certain Timus would appreciate that."
"No doubt he would." House stood. "Was there anything you wanted or was this just because you were bored?"
"I just wanted to know how Allison was doing, really."
"She'll be just fine." He turned to leave.
"Dr. House."
He turned at John's call. "What?"
"Thank you."
House cocked an eyebrow. "For what?"
"For being there, for Allison."
"Hey, I didn't want to have to hire someone else. It's a pain in the ass…resumes, transcripts, interviews…" he answered flippantly.
Judging by the look on John's face, he wasn't buying it. "As you say."
House met the other man's eye. "We both know the real reason. Let's just leave it at that."
"Agreed. Good luck, Dr. House."
"Thanks. I'm going to need it." Just as he was turning to leave, House stopped and turned back. "By the way…it's Greg." Then he left, the room's door swishing shut behind him.
House limped through the hospital's entry doors and past reception, ignoring the surprised glances that followed him. Let 'em stare, he had other business to attend to…
He stumped toward Cuddy's office.
"House!"
Well, he shouldn't have expected to get there without being intercepted. He turned. "Hey, Jimmy," he greeted, giving his friend his best sarcastic smile. "How's that nurse up in pediatrics?"
Wilson looked positively stunned by that response. "You've been gone for almost two weeks, and that's all you have to say?"
House started back toward Cuddy's office. "What else is there to say?"
"Well…there's hello…how are you? Sorry I haven't called?"
"Hello. How are you? Sorry I haven't called."
The oncologist snorted. "Gee, thanks."
"You're welcome."
House kept walking, watching Wilson out of the corner of his eye. The man looked worried, and it bothered House a little that he couldn't tell his friend where he'd been and what had happened, but it had to remain secret. He wasn't about to betray Cameron, even to the only man who could actually stand him.
Besides, the last thing he wanted was to end up in the psych ward.
House entered Cuddy's office without bothering to knock…but then, he never did so why should he start now?
The dean was sitting at her desk, her glasses perched on her nose as she did paperwork. She glanced up at the intrusion, looking surprised. "House?"
"That's my name, don't wear it out." He made himself at home in one of the chairs. "Good to see nothing changed while I was gone…although, is that a new blouse? Those ruffles are strategically placed, I must say."
Cuddy snorted. "Glad to see you back. My life has been so quiet since you've been gone. I was beginning to get bored." She removed her glasses, the better to pin House with that glare of hers.
Not that it ever affected him, of course. "Have you been keeping my people busy while I was gone?"
"Of course. Although, Chase just got back a couple of days ago from vacation – "
"Should have known you'd go all soft on them." Actually, it had been Chase's idea that he come back first. "Well, I'm back now, so there won't be any more of that. And, I've found a replacement for Cameron."
He had the pleasure of seeing Cuddy go completely silent. Wilson looked shell-shocked and was spluttering incoherently.
Oh, they just made this so easy. "What?" he asked innocently.
"You know that any new hires have to be approved by me," Cuddy snapped, irritated.
"Duh. That's why I brought her with me."
"You did?" Wilson practically squeaked.
"Sure, she's waiting outside." House pulled out his cell, hit speed dial, and when the call was answered said, "You can come on in now." Then he snapped the phone shut. "Had to have another woman on the team, if just for eye candy…"
"House, can't you be serious about anything?" Wilson asked plaintively.
"Sure I can. I'm serious about the eye candy thing. Ugly girls just make the patients all cranky." House couldn't say how much he was enjoying this.
They didn't have long to wait.
Terry came in first, looking terribly official in a dark suit, proper tie, and a long duster-like coat. He held the door open for his companion, who was swathed head to toe in coat, scarf, balaclava, and hood. Sunglasses covered her eyes.
House wouldn't have known her if he wasn't already in on the plan.
"I know that guy…" he heard Wilson murmur.
House smirked. "This is Dr. Cuddy, and Dr. Wilson," he introduced. "This is Special Agent Terry Anderson, with the F.B.I."
He had the satisfaction of seeing Cuddy completely gobsmacked. She stood. "It…it's nice to meet you, Special Agent Anderson." She held out her hand, but House guessed it was more out of habit than anything else.
Terry took it. "A pleasure, Dr Cuddy." In turn, he offered his hand to Wilson, who stared at it for a second before taking it. "Dr. Wilson."
"House, I'm going to ask once time only," Cuddy said, "but what the hell is going on?"
"I think I can explain," Terry answered. He turned around. "You can show yourself now."
It was like watching a really slow striptease. First the hood was pushed down, then the sunglasses came off, followed by coat, and finally the stocking mask.
To reveal Allison Cameron.
House wanted to laugh, seeing the shock on both Wilson's and Cuddy's faces. He settled for a snarky smile. "Here we are, my new employee. Don't you want to interview her, Cuddy?"
Cuddy actually sat down hard. She stared up at Cameron, her face gone white. "I refuse to believe in ghosts."
"I'm not a ghost, really," Cameron answered. She looked about as amused as House felt.
"I apologize for any inconvenience," Terry went on, "but we had to make people think Dr. Cameron was dead. It was for her own safety."
"You were at Cameron's memorial," Wilson finally put it together.
Terry nodded. "We had to make sure that Dr. Cameron's "death" was convincing. It was vitally important. To put it bluntly, Dr. Cameron saw something she shouldn't have, and it was imperative that we place her into witness protection and to make the ones after her believe she was no longer a threat."
"But…there was a body…" Cuddy replied.
"Yes, it was a young lady who'd died in a car accident, and she was close enough to Dr. Cameron's height and weight we felt we could get away with it. And we would have, too, if not for Dr. House's insistence on seeing the corpse. He knew it wasn't Dr. Cameron, so we had to bring him into the plan."
"You knew…all this time!" Wilson accused.
"Sorry, couldn't say anything." Surprisingly, House was sorry he couldn't confide in his friend. "We couldn't risk it."
"And her parents?" Cuddy wanted to know.
"They didn't know, until just a few days ago. If her family didn't mourn her, then it would make people suspicious."
House remembered the reunion of Cameron and her family on the Trig; it had been boisterous and joyful, and he'd had to leave because he'd felt like an interloper.
"But everything has been cleared up," Terry finished, "and Dr. Cameron can come back to work. We felt it best if she come in covered up, to avoid any shock her sudden appearance might cause."
"Yes, of course." Cuddy was a little put out. "But you could have informed me, Special Agent Anderson, that one of my employees was going to be a federal witness."
"I'm sorry, Dr. Cuddy, but it was too dangerous. It was even too dangerous for Dr. House to know, but we didn't have any control over that. He found out on his own, and we couldn't risk him telling others that it wasn't Dr. Cameron's body in the morgue."
House shrugged at the daggers Cuddy was flinging in his direction.
"Well, I should be going," the Tomorrow Person said. He turned to Cameron, shaking her hand. "Good luck, doctor. We'll be in touch."
"Thank you, Special Agent Anderson. I appreciate it." Something passed between them, but House was certain he'd be the only person to catch it.
Terry nodded to everyone else, and left, closing the door behind him.
"So," House drawled, "do you approve of my new resident? Or do I have to go through the process to find someone else?"
"Oh, shut up," Cuddy snapped. Her face softened as she looked at Cameron. "Welcome back, Dr. Cameron. I'd better make some sort of announcement before you leave, or else I'm liable to have a bunch of fainters on my hands. " Suiting action to words, the dean picked up the phone.
Wilson took the welcome a step further, giving Cameron a hug. "Glad to know you aren't really dead."
"Me, too, Dr. Wilson."
"Hey, Wilson, better let her go or that nurse you have on the side might get jealous," House snarked.
"Oh, get over yourself, House." Wilson glared at him.
House grinned. He caught Cameron grinning back at him.
Finally, everything seemed right with House's world once more.