Saviours Sometimes Come in Pairs

Chapter 5

Cameron

I say goodbye to House a few days later. Foreman managed to convince Robert and I to help him with one final case, because he had no one else to help him, and House held off the diagnosis to get some of his old team back.

I'm a mess when I leave his office. I told him about how he ruined Robert and said goodbye, and he was indifferent. I know that's how he copes with things, but sometimes I wish he'd show some kind of emotion.

Robert and I head home that evening in silence. I basically told him I was leaving and he could stay if he wanted, so he knows what's going to happen when we get home.

I pack my suitcase alone. Robert is sat in the living room, staring wordlessly at the wall. I put on my jacket and zip up the suitcase on my bed. I've already booked the hotel, so I have somewhere to stay. I am going to have to work out how to visit Emma without being seen by any of the hospital staff, but I guess I could just video call her or something instead.

I walk out of the bedroom door and into the living room, dragging my suitcase behind me. My hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail, and I've already started crying while packing my things. I stand the suitcase next to the table and hug Robert, dampening the shoulder of his shirt with my tears. Neither of us says anything. I pull away and reach for my suitcase, breaking the silence to say goodbye one last time before I walk out of the door forever.

I make my way to the hotel where I've booked my room and, as luck may have it, Emma's family are in the lobby, on their way up to their rooms. They notice my tears and ask what happened, so I tell them the short version. My parents—which is still weird to think of these two people as—hug me, comforting me, and it reminds me of Emma's memory of killing her husband.

Emma

My phone starts ringing long into the night, and my mind immediately jumps to the worst. I pick it up in a hurry, fumbling as I hit the 'answer' button.

"Hello?"

"Emma? This is your number, right?" I sigh in relief. It's just Allison.

"Allison!" I exclaim. "How did you get my number?"

"Your parents gave it to me. I managed to get a room along the same corridor. I can't come in because I left Robert and the team; made them think I was moving properly. Which, I guess, I will be once we go on this memory hunt thing. But almost all of the staff will recognise me if I come and visit. Sorry." I smile, hiding my shock that she's up and left almost her entire life in Princeton.

"It's fine. Are you okay after all that?" I hear her laugh down the phone, but it sounds forced.

"I will be. I just needed to get away. You never met House, but he corrupted the two people I worked with under him for years. I had to leave before he corrupted me too. He knew a diagnosis for a patient, and didn't tell anyone, just so that he could get his newer old team back. That's not right." Sometimes she surprises me, and shows me just how different we are. Her principles are really strong. I'm surprised she doesn't hate me for killing Cruella. That was in the memories I let her watch.

"That's true. But would you not have considered killing a mass murderer as well?" It's the same kind of thing as that train problem I got asked when I was in one of the group homes. Push one guy in front of the train to save a train full of people, or do nothing and everyone on the train dies.

She sighs heavily. "I did consider it. Heavily. But the difference is that I didn't. I stood by my morals, even after working for House for ages. Robert didn't: he actually killed him. If he'd left with me, I could've forgiven him. I mainly blamed House anyway, because he changed Robert into the person that killed the patient." I want to reach out and comfort her, but I'll have to wait until I'm out of here for that. I make do with trying to comfort her over the phone.