Saturday, May 10, 2008 8:34:09 PM

Title – Living the Dream

Rating - T

Fandom – House M.D.

Pairing – Cameron/ Thirteen

Disclaimer – I do not own the show or its characters. I own the twist in the plot and the imagination for this story. This takes place in 4.14 "Living the Dream". Spoiler alert if you have not seen this episode.

Summary – What if Cameron's feelings for Chase were simply stepping stones for something bigger? It's either a dream she's living in or she's living the dream.

Thirteen; an odd number and, by superstitious means, is unlucky. However, that number continually ran through Cameron's head repeatedly. Thirteen times she would possibly end up at the main doors of the ER; thirteen times she would retrieve a cup of coffee to stay awake during those long days and nights, thirteen sutures she would have to give to that guy who would always appear in the ER, thirteen beats her heart would skip whenever she would see a certain someone. Cameron could never understand why that number would appear everywhere—she believed that these kinds of coincidences would occur in dreams, then again, were these really coincidences?

Thirteen; along with that long list of events, is how many times Cameron would feel the same odd feeling strike through her whenever she was with Chase. She had no idea what to make of the feeling because it crossed from feeling bad and good. She was happy with Chase and he was good to her, but the continuous pangs of emotion were beginning to annoy her. Those pangs only occurred recently when she took a job in the ER of Princeton-Plainsboro and they refuse to leave her ever since. Thirteen times she felt her heart wrench whenever she saw a certain someone look distraught or scared whenever something had happened. She wanted to understand why she felt such feelings, but no answer would ever be given.

Thirteen; the number of times Cameron believed that what was happening only occurred in really bad soap operas, but somehow it was happening in her reality. She reluctantly broke off her relationship with Chase, hoping that what she was doing was not a mistake and she refused to hurt the other man deliberately; she needed time to think and space to sort herself out.

Unfortunately for Cameron, her space was immediately invaded or practically thrown out the window when she was assigned to sort out House's unorganized files. She was stuck sitting behind a desk, writing on pink post-it notes, highlighting information with a yellow highlighter and forcing herself from stealing blatant glances over towards a certain brunette in the same room. She plastered on a passive look, hoping to look calm and rather neutral as opposed to nervous and frantic; the feelings in her heart.

When Cameron explained that their patient; that actor, could have pinched a nerve in his ankle, her eyes were fixed on House, but she could see the intrigued stare the other female in the room was giving her from the corner of her eye. She knew something was going to give way if she dwelled on the other female's gaze any longer.

While Cameron continued to sort out the multiple charts, forms, files of every patient House had dealt with, she was caught in the crossfire of how to get the current patient to "engorge the way God intended" which led to House questioning both her and his brunette colleague's chest. That made Cameron either jealous or severely annoyed that House would even think of getting her or his colleague to reveal themselves to prove a simple test. Thankfully, it was House and she was able to redirect the man's motives to his second drawer.

When Cameron laid a few forms in front of House during his consult with his team, she let herself get into the debates in regards as to what symptoms and what diseases that the patient was feeling; the minimal joys she felt during those moments were great to her, but when she heard House say he would fire the only female fellow on his team to get her back made her flinch. She quickly glanced towards the female brunette fellow behind her and saw her eyes show fear of being fired, but a silent smirk crossed her lips.

"Or was it a smile?" Cameron thought, as she quickly gathered a reply for House. She remained passive to that gesture, knowing she would have most likely melted into a puddle on the floor if she chose to go back to House's team, but then again, what would she gain?

Now, it had been thirteen hours since that case was solved and Cameron was lying in bed. Funny thing was, the bed was not hers. Thirteen; that was how many times she questioned what had happened ever since she left the hospital with the brunette doctor. First, it was an innocent conversation in the locker room with the brunette fellow and somehow it had escalated to a nervous kiss. Cameron was ready to bail from the locker room, but the other doctor refused to let her leave. She began explaining that the kiss was a mistake, but the brunette would not take it and kissed her again.

Thirteen; the number of times that annoying feeling coursed through Cameron's body, but this time it was less of a nuisance but more of a high. It made the blonde lose any of her inhibitions she had regarding her feelings towards the other doctor and it made her happy.

Thirteen; the number of times Cameron prayed that she what was happening was not a dream. She truly liked the other female doctor and she really did not want any of what was happening to be a trick of her subconscious.

Thirteen; the number of times Cameron came at the hands of the other doctor. She knew there that what she was experiencing was not a dream, but reality. She never realized how much she wanted to be with the other doctor until then. She never felt so high in her life and alive, not when she was with Chase. She realized that her feelings for Chase were mere stepping stones for something bigger.

Thirteen; the number of minutes Cameron watched the other brunette doctor sleep. She laid her head gingerly on the other woman's shoulder, careful not to wake her. She saw how much more beautiful the other doctor was as the rising sun penetrated through the curtains, washing its rays on the brunette's face.

Thirteen; the number of times Cameron told herself things will be okay because she was with her. She knew that the feelings she felt for the brunette were mutual. There was a look in her eyes that assured Cameron that everything was going to be all right.

From an innocent conversation, to a kiss, to a night of pure bliss and contentment, Cameron learned that she was living the dream and that everything was not simply coincidental.

Thirteen; the doctor that fulfilled her dream.