darkdreamer

Hey, guys :) Here's the next chapter of Dark Redux, hope you enjoy it :) Please let me know, I thrive on your comments :D

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DoS

Title: Dark Redux
Episode: 1.18 -- Babies and Bathwater
Beta:

andi88
Disclaimer: House, Wilson, and all other characters/ideas taken from the show are not my own, and I'm making no profit from the writing of this fiction -- just for fun, I promise. :P (Some dialogue this chapter taken directly from the episode.)
Pairing: House/Wilson
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: In this particular 'verse, I've changed one thing about the canon timeline. At the beginning of the story, when House and Wilson first get together, Wilson is already recently divorced from Julie.
Story Warnings: slash, dark Wilson eventually -- specific warnings for each chapter as necessary
Chapter Warnings: none
Story Summary: A darker version of how canon might have gone, if House and Wilson had entered into a relationship from the start -- and if that relationship took a gradually dark, disturbing turn.
Chapter Summary: Cuddy wants Cameron to come back; House wants Cameron to come back. The only one who doesn't want her back... is Wilson.

“Come on,” House whined, following Cuddy out of her office. “The one good thing that came out of Vogler’s annoying presence in this hospital – the one thing he made me do that I might have done anyway – and you’re going to make me undo it?”

Secretly, House was thrilled with Cuddy’s latest decree. Of course, he couldn’t let her see that.

It might get back to Wilson.

“It wasn’t fair for her to lose her job. In fact, if she decides to pursue it, she has a valid lawsuit,” Cuddy insisted, her voice hushed to preserve some modicum of privacy, now that the conversation she thought she had finished in her office had followed her out into the hallway. “You’re going to go to her and offer her job back. She may not even want it. She may already be working somewhere else. But regardless, you are going to make the offer.”

“Fine,” House muttered, grabbing a chart off the stack at the counter as he prepared to complete his clinic duty for the day. “But that doesn’t mean I have to pretend that I actually want her to come back.”

************************

“I want you to come back.”

“Why?” Cameron demanded, her arms crossed over her chest.

House tried to deflect when his pager went off, tried to distract her by turning the question around on her, but Cameron refused to be dissuaded from her original inquiry. She stood there, resolute, searching eyes locked onto his.

“Why do you want me back?”

House sighed, looking away. He knew exactly what it was she wanted to hear – and also knew that he could not give her that. He wanted her back because she was a valuable member of his team, which had not been functioning well at all in the week or so that she had been gone. He missed the unique perspective lent to the differentials by her presence, and wanted to restore his team to the way it had been before Vogler.

He knew that Cameron was hoping for a reason much different and more personal than those.

“Because you’re a good doctor,” he honestly replied.

Cameron looked disappointed. “That’s it?”

“That’s not enough?”

House countered, meeting her gaze, counting on her embarrassment about her unrequited feelings to back her down. Apparently Cameron was not the least bit embarrassed about said feelings.

“Not for me. Go deal with your plague.”

House stood there, blinking in surprise when the door was slammed in his face. He had honestly not expected her to turn down his offer. Disappointment warred with practical reason in his mind, as he tried to determine the best course of action from that point.

Maybe it’s for the best. After all, I wasn’t looking forward to explaining to Wilson why I offered Cameron her job back – Cuddy’s orders or not… I wouldn’t want him to figure out that I actually want her to come back.

As he walked away from Cameron’s door, however, House reconsidered. After all, Wilson hadn’t lost his temper once in the past week. In fact, he had gone out of his way to be affectionate, to cater to House’s desires. He had cooked his favorite meals, watched the movies and television programs House wanted to watch, and been the most tender, attentive lover House had ever been with.

Yeah… because he knows he owes you. Because he knows that what he did is reason enough for most men to leave him. Let him think that you’re actively trying to get Cameron back on your team, and then see how loving and affectionate he is.

House swallowed hard, his mouth dry, his stomach queasy with apprehension.

Wilson did not even know yet that Cuddy had ordered him to hire Cameron back.

But that’s the perfect excuse… He doesn’t ever have to know that I actually want to hire her back. Assuming I can convince Cameron to change her mind, Cuddy’s orders are the perfect cover. If she tells me I have to hire her back, I don’t have much choice, do I? Wilson can’t get mad at me over that.

Reassured by his line of reasoning, House determined to find a way to convince Cameron to return to his team – and a way to keep Wilson from knowing that he had convinced her.

**********************************

That afternoon, House was dismayed and unsettled to find that Wilson had already arranged several interviews with prospective replacements for Cameron. Wilson seemed quite pleased with himself, eager for House’s gratitude and approval for the steps he had taken to help House deal with the absence on his team, so House tried to appear appreciative as Wilson ushered the first candidate through his office door.

He couldn’t bring himself to mention that, per Cuddy’s orders, the position was soon to be filled again, by the same person who had just vacated it.

House quickly found a reason to reject the applicant – a young doctor fresh out of medical school who thought himself to be much more of a rebel than he actually was. Wilson seemed vaguely irritated that the candidate had been rejected so quickly, but admitted that House had a point.

Of course, the next applicant, who happened to be a pretty, intelligent young doctor with the wit and sarcastic banter skills to easily hold her own with House – Wilson immediately rejected. In the middle of their conversation, he abruptly spoke up, pointing to something vague and indiscernible in her file.

“I’m sorry, it appears you’re somewhat… overqualified for this position.”

“Over-qualified?” she echoed in disbelief. “But you said you were looking for…”

“Really, I’m sorry,” Wilson insisted, setting down her file and picking up her purse, pressing it into her hands as she rose slowly to her feet. “Quite frankly… Dr. House really can’t afford you.”

As he spoke, he shot House a meaningful, warning look, and House rolled his eyes in irritation as Wilson’s usual jealousy reared its head again. Once he had ushered the latest candidate out into the hall, Wilson closed the door firmly and turned to face House, leaning against the door and resting his head against it, his eyes closed as he left out an impatient sigh.

“So… what was wrong with that one?” House asked, his voice carefully even, and he waited until Wilson looked at him to continue. “Besides the fact that you think she’s prettier than you?”

“What was wrong with the last guy?” Wilson countered without hesitation. “Besides the fact that he wasn’t as pretty as Cameron?”

“Wilson…” House’s voice held a weary note of frustration, as he rested his head in one hand, shaking it slowly. “This is ridiculous. It has nothing to do with the fact that he was less attractive than Cameron.” He hesitated a moment, letting out a soft, rueful huff of laughter before confessing, “It has to do with the fact that he’s not Cameron.”

“Excuse me?”

The frightening edge to Wilson’s suddenly calm, controlled voice made House’s stomach lurch, and he looked up at Wilson warily, eyes wide as he rose from his chair. Suddenly, House wasn’t comfortable with his disadvantage of being seated while Wilson was standing. In fact, Wilson was already heading toward him with slow, measured steps, his head tilted slightly, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“I-I didn’t… mean that the way it sounded,” House clarified, hating himself for the slight tremor that had somehow found its way into his voice. “It’s just… God, I hate this…” He looked up to meet Wilson’s eyes again, swallowing slowly and drawing in a deep breath as he tried to steel himself for Wilson’s reaction. “I… I have to tell you something.”

Wilson’s expression was one of forced patience, a tight, insincere smile on his lips as he slowly, expectantly crossed his arms over his chest.

“Go ahead.”

“I… have to hire Cameron back.”

“What?”

House winced slightly at the thunderous fury in Wilson’s low voice, his eyes downcast as he offered a hurried explanation.

“It wasn’t my idea. Cuddy said I have to offer her her old job back, because it wasn’t fair of Vogler to take it from her, and she has grounds for a lawsuit if she wants it, and of course Cuddy’s all about protecting the hospital from any potential lawsuits even if Cameron is the last person on the face of the planet who probably still has an ethical objection to the idea of gratuitous lawsuits, but I really don’t have a choice, because Cuddy’s making me hire her back, okay? I didn’t want to, I just… don’t have any option on this.”

Wilson was quiet for a long moment, clearly trying to process House’s rushed explanation. House felt his sickness intensify with every second in which Wilson did not respond, dreading the cold, frightening anger of which he knew Wilson was capable. Something about Cameron and her attraction to House had the ability to throw Wilson into a rage in an instant, and House realized all at once that his every muscle was tensed, his breath quick and shallow, as he waited for the inevitable explosion that would surely follow his announcement.

It didn’t come.

“Damn it,” Wilson muttered, falling into the chair opposite House’s desk, raising one hand to momentarily shield his eyes as he let out a heavy sigh. “Just when I thought we were rid of her.”

As he slipped gratefully back into his own seat, limbs trembling with relief, House didn’t dare venture to point out that he had never really wanted to be rid of her in the first place. Instead, he murmured a quiet assent, shaking his head in false dismay.

“I know, right?”

“Cameron’s not going to sue. Cuddy just wants to humiliate you, just like she always does. She’s forcing you to do this because she knows you don’t want to do it.”

House looked up at Wilson sharply, surprised by his assessment of the situation – to find that Wilson was watching him closely, a calculatedly studious expression on his face. House felt a chill of apprehension flow through him, when he realized that Wilson was waiting to judge his reaction to his words.

“That must be it,” House agreed readily, nodding as he lowered his gaze to his desk. “Her way of saying, ‘Just because Vogler’s gone doesn’t mean I can’t make House jump through hoops’. Bitch.”

Wilson let out a soft hiss of disgust, and House felt that he had passed the test. “I wish she’d just leave well enough alone. You could have just hired a new fellow, and everything would have been fine.” He was quiet for a moment, thinking, before he looked up at House again and asked, “What did Cameron say when you talked to her?”

Thinking fast, well aware that he would have to talk to Cameron again to convince her to accept her old job, but not wanting Wilson to know that, House replied, “I haven’t actually talked to her yet. I was planning on going by there after work today.”

Wilson nodded slowly, taking that in. After a moment, his expression brightened as he looked at House with hopeful eyes.

“Well, who knows? Maybe she’ll turn you down. Could be that she’s already found another job.”

****************************

“I already accepted a position somewhere else.”

House paused in what really amounted to little less than outright begging, frowning at Cameron’s unwelcome words. “With who?” he demanded.

“Yule, at Jefferson.”

“Unaccept it.”

“Why?”

Cameron’s tone was meaningful, her gaze piercing as she studied House’s reaction, and he found himself looking away under her careful scrutiny. Immediately, he fell back into his default position and began listing every possible valid reason he wanted her to come back, except for the reason she wanted to hear. And when he was finished, he was not surprised to hear the flat response that fell from her lips.

“Not good enough.”

Unwilling to give up, House persisted. “Want more money? A car allowance, better parking space?”

“Dinner.”

House blinked, startled by the single, apparently nonsensical word. Sensing his confusion, Cameron continued with a smirk.

“And not just a meal between two colleagues. A date.”

Great. Out of all the things she possibly could have asked for, she has to ask for the one thing I can’t give her…

Stalling, he echoed her terms in his own words.

“You’ll come back to work for me… if I go out on a date with you.”

“Yes.”

But… who says I can’t give it to her? It’s just one date… doesn’t have to be anything more than casual conversation. Doesn’t have to include so much as a goodnight kiss. And Wilson never has to know about it. I can ask her to keep it quiet. I’ll take her to a nice restaurant, pay for the meal, and it never has to go any farther than that…

“Okay,” he agreed, wondering even as he spoke if he was making the right choice. “It’s a deal.”

It’s a simple business transaction. Everyone gets what they want. Cuddy gets Cameron back at work, I get Cameron back at work, she gets her one simple little date, and Wilson gets… the peace of mind that comes with not knowing about any of it. He’ll never know, and she’ll be back on the team where she belongs, and we can all move on and forget about all this. Everyone’s happy.

TBC...