ship_manifesto | Damaged Love – The House/Cameron Manifesto

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Title: Damaged Love – The House/Cameron Manifesto
Author: Theresa

elphaba_thropp
Email: prettyfloralbonnet@gmail.com
Fandom: House, M.D.
Spoilers: Up to 3.03 Informed Consent. If you haven’t watched them, and don’t like being spoiled…DON’T READ THIS. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Notes: I respect every pairing in the House fandom. This is in no way intended to insult anyone who has a different pairing than I do. It's just my opinion.
Special Thanks:

sewcute for the wonderful banner.

pepino21786 for reading it over and finding my mistakes.

bluesuzanne and

serenachan for helping me find the screencaps. http://www.wounded-hearts.net for the screencaps.

Made by

sewcute

The Fandom

I don’t know if there is anyone out there who hasn’t heard of “House, M.D.,” but on the off chance there are some people in this community who have been living under a rock for the past two years I’ll explain the wonder that is House.

“House, M.D.” is a medical drama based off Sherlock Holmes. Every week Dr. Gregory House and his team (Dr. Eric Foreman, Dr. Robert Chase, and Dr. Allison Cameron) solve puzzling medical cases. Now this sounds boring when you put it this way, but these aren’t any ordinary cases. Dr. House refuses to take on patients that are easily diagnosed.

I actually got into the fandom accidentally. Both “Gilmore Girls” and “NCIS” were on repeat and I was bored, so naturally I started flipping through the channels. As soon as I watched one episode, I was thirsty for more. I added the 1st season to my Netflix queue. Since then I haven’t missed an episode.

The Characters

Dr. Gregory House is a board-certified diagnostician with a double specialty in infectious disease and nephrology. He had an infarction in his right thigh, which went undiagnosed for three days. As a result most of the muscle in that thigh is dead. This requires House to walk with a pronounced limp and his use of a cane. He is also addicted to Vicodin, which was given to him for pain management for his leg.

“Dr. Gregory House: [to the crowd in the walk-in clinic's waiting area] Hello, sick people and their loved ones! In the interest of saving time and avoiding a lot of boring chitchat later, I'm Doctor Gregory House; you can call me "Greg." I'm one of three doctors staffing this clinic this morning.
Dr. Lisa Cuddy: Short, sweet, grab a file.
Dr. Gregory House: This ray of sunshine is Doctor Lisa Cuddy. Doctor Cuddy runs this whole hospital, so unfortunately she's much too busy to deal with you. I am a BORED... certified diagnostician with a double specialty of infectious disease and nephrology. I am also the only doctor currently employed at this hospital who is forced to be here against his will.
[to Lisa]
Dr. Gregory House: That is true, isn't it?
[to crowd]
Dr. Gregory House: But not to worry, because for most of you, this job could be done by a monkey with a bottle of Motrin. Speaking of which, if you're particularly annoying, you may see me reach for this: this is Vicodin. It's mine! You can't have any! And no, I do not have a pain management problem, I have a pain problem... but who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm too stoned to tell. So, who wants me?
[nobody moves]
Dr. Gregory House: And who would rather wait for one of the other two guys?
[everybody raises their hand]
Dr. Gregory House: Okay, well, I'll be in Exam Room One if you change your mind.”

House is usually described as a misanthrope or sometimes just as a bastard. He refuses to see patients, and even when he does it’s just to brow beat them into a test or treatment they don’t want. House became a doctor to treat the diseases not the patients, and is obsessed with figuring out the puzzle of what is wrong with them. His favorite phrase is, “Everybody lies.” He often has unusual methods of figuring everything out, but he is rarely wrong. He encourages his specialists to “cheat and steal” and routinely has them break into the patient’s house. House usually looks like he isn’t even paying attention to the case by watching TV, notably General Hospital, listening to his iPod or playing on his gameboy.

This attitude was thought to be a result of the pain in his leg and his subsequent drug addiction. However, House’s ex Stacy revealed that he had always been this way. He has only one friend in Dr. James Wilson, the head of the Oncology department.

Many people, myself included, believe that House’s brash personality is a defense mechanism. He has trouble trusting people. Many people would blame Stacey for going behind his back for his surgery. But since this personality trait is nothing new, I doubt it.

I believe that House hides behind his funny quips and pop culture references, because he has little self-esteem. He tells both Cameron and Stacey that he isn’t good enough for them.

Dr. Allison Cameron is an immunologist and is the only female on House’s team of specialists. Before working for House, she was an intern at the Mayo Clinic and was one of the top students in medical school. She was also married at 21, but her husband had thyroid cancer that metastasized to his brain. While her husband was in the hospital dying, she fell in love with his best friend Joe, but never acted on those feelings. She didn’t want her husband to die alone.

She is the most empathetic of all the ducklings, a fact that House uses to mock her. She doesn’t like lying to patients, and has trouble telling patients or their families bad news, especially if the patient is a child. She is also against abortion and euthanasia. However she overcomes her feelings to help a terminal patient die a peaceful death, instead of a drawn out painful death, according to his wishes.

Cameron also had an HIV scare during the second season. An HIV positive patient accidentally coughed up blood on her, which put her at risk. This shock and his insistence that she relax and enjoy life causes her to take crystal meth and have a one night stand with Dr. Robert Chase. She later regrets it and mocks his skills in bed.

Cameron is seen as the empathic, people person and she is to an extent. Like House she is more comfortable keeping people at a distance. She does not have many, if any, friends out side of work. Even then she isn't bossom buddies with any of them. Unlike House, who uses his snark to keep people away, Cameron uses her professionalism.

Top 10 Reasons why I ship House/Cameron:
10. From the Pilot episode (1.01):
“ Dr. Cameron: You hired a black guy because he had a juvenile record.
Dr. House: No, it wasn't a racial thing, I didn't see a black guy. I just saw a doctor...with a juvenile record. I hired Chase 'cause his dad made a phone call. I hired you because you are extremely pretty.
Dr. Cameron: You hired me to get into my pants!?!
Dr. House: I can't believe that that would shock you. It's also not what I said. No, I hired you because you look good; it's like having a nice piece of art in the lobby.
Dr. Cameron: I was in the top of my class.
Dr. House: But not THE top.
Dr. Cameron: I did an internship at the Mayo Clinic.
Dr. House: Yes, you were a very good applicant.
Dr. Cameron: But not the best?
Dr. House: Would that upset you, really? To think that you were hired because of some genetic gift of beauty not some genetic gift of intelligence?
Dr. Cameron: I worked very hard to get where I am.
Dr. House: But you didn't have to. People choose the paths that grant them the greatest rewards for the least amount of effort. That's the law of nature, and you defied it. That's why I hired you. You could have married rich, could have been a model, you could have just shown up and people would have given you stuff. Lots of stuff, but you didn't, you worked your stunning little ass off.
Dr. Cameron: Am I supposed to be flattered?
Dr. House: Gorgeous women do not go to medical school. Unless they're as damaged as they are beautiful. Were you abused by a family member?
Dr. Cameron: No!
Dr. House: Sexually assaulted?
Dr. Cameron: No.
Dr. House: But you are damaged, aren't you?”
Not only did I find it interesting that House even gave a second thought as to why Cameron decided to become a doctor, but (and yes I’m going to sound like a 10 year old) he thinks she’s pretty. Not many things interest House, and yet Cameron interests him. Also, I find it quite interesting that the Powers That Be decided to use the word damaged in the date from hell, as well as this exchange.

9. From Sports Medicine (1.12): House and Cameron’s “non date” at the Monster Truck rally. Both House and Cameron are not trusting people. (No matter what you say about Cameron, she doesn’t have many friends outside of work, and stays inside her little shell.) To see both of them relax around each other shows a whole new side to both of them that is rarely seen with anyone else. Also, with all the other people he could have asked, why would he have chosen Cameron?

8. From Love Hurts (1.20): The date from hell. A lot of people are going to think it’s weird that I chose this as one of my favorite moments, but I think there are lots of reasons to see this in a more positive light.
Reason # 1: “Dr. Wilson: [House is attempting to put on a tie before his date with Cameron] The wide side's too short. You're gonna look like Lou Costello.
Dr. Gregory House: This is a mistake. I don't know how to have casual conversation. You think you're talking about one thing, and either you are and it's incredibly boring, or you're not because it's subtext and you need a decoder ring.
Dr. Wilson: Open doors for her, help her with her chair...
Dr. Gregory House: I have been on a date.
Dr. Wilson: Uh, not since disco died. Comment on her shoes, her earrings, and then move on to D.H.A.: her Dreams, Hopes, and Aspirations. Trust me. Panty-peeler. Oh, and if you need condoms, I've got some.
Dr. Gregory House: [sarcastically] Did your wife give them to you?
Dr. Wilson: Drug rep. They got antibiotics built in, somehow.
Dr. Gregory House: I should cancel. I've got a patient in surgery tomorrow.
[House moves to the kitchen]
Dr. Wilson: And if you were a surgeon, that would actually matter. That's a good idea, settle your nerves. Get me a beer too.
Dr. Gregory House: No beer.
Dr. Wilson: You're gonna eat before dinner?
[House reaches into the fridge and takes out a corsage]
Dr. Gregory House: This is pretty lame, right?
Dr. Wilson: I think she likes lame.”
House definitely is not the kind of person to go out of his way to make a forced date go better. Therefore there has to be a reason why he bought the corsage. Also, he’s worried that Cameron won’t like the corsage. Again, House isn’t the kind of person to worry about it, unless the person is someone whom he admires.
Reason #2: “Dr. Cameron: I have one evening with you, one chance. And I don't want to waste it talking about what movies you like or what wines you hate. I want to know how you feel — about me.
Dr. House: You live under the delusion that you can fix everything that isn't perfect. That's why you married a man who was dying of cancer. You don't love, you need. And now that your husband is dead, you're looking for your new charity case. That's why you're going out with me. I'm twice your age, I'm not great-looking, I'm not charming; I'm not even nice. What I am is what you need. I'm damaged.”
Note how he never actually answers the question. I think House is scared to let her too close, so he pushes her away using what he has deduced to be one of her biggest fears. And again, note how they used the same word to describe House that he had used earlier to describe Cameron, “damaged”.
Lastly, I think this plays into House's fears about himself. He doesn't understand why someone like Cameron would like him. He's afraid he's a charity case for her.

7. From Autopsy (2.02): Cameron giving a sick House tea, and his reaction afterwards.

"What is this?"

"Black walnut and ginger tea."

"It's nice."
She understood what he needed without him telling her. I think this shows an understanding of House that no one else on that show possesses. (This understanding is also shown in Three Stories (1.21) when Cameron figures out before anyone else that House is talking about his own infarction. I thought that this should be noted.) Also, House could’ve been mean about it and mocked her relentlessly, but he appreciated the fact that she was sympathetic to his cold.

6. From Control (1.14): “Dr. Gregory House: Why are you doing this?
Dr. Cameron: I'm not doing anything.
Dr. Gregory House: You're manipulating everyone.
Dr. Cameron: People... dismiss me. Because I'm a woman, because I'm pretty, because I'm not aggressive. My opinions shouldn't be rejected just because people don't like me.
Dr. Gregory House: They like you. Everyone likes you.
[He starts to walk away]
Dr. Cameron: Do you? [pause] I have to know.
Dr. Gregory House: [long pause] No.
Dr. Cameron: [smiles quietly] Okay.”
It’s quite obvious that House is taken aback by the question, but why? If Foreman or Chase or even Wilson had asked him this question, my guess would be that he would make a joke and laugh at them. Yes, he answers the opposite that I would want him to respond, but he also doesn’t answer like he usually does.

5. From Informed Consent (3.03): House helping Cameron deal with euthanizing the patient. How did he know Cameron did it? Also, why did he care that she was upset? Some non House/Cam shippers have said that they saw this in a parental light. If my Dad ran his thumb up and down my shoulder, I’d be creeped out. Last time I had someone touch me like that, I was dating them.
Clip on Youtube by KateJ123

4. From Role Model (1.17): Cameron quitting. House obviously doesn’t want to fire her, even if he couldn’t do the speech. She knew he was going to beat himself up about it, so she fixed the problem. Also, look at his face after she leaves. He’s devastated.

He can’t even bring himself to shake her hand.

This isn’t a normal reaction when one of your employees quits.

3. From All In (2.17): Cameron’s red dress.

What were we talking about?

2. From Role Model (1.17): “Dr. Wilson:"Everybody lies"... except *politicians*? House, I believe you are a romantic. You didn't just believe him, you believed in him. You wanna come over tonight and watch old movies and *cry*?
[pauses, points]
Dr. Wilson: Dr. Cameron's getting to you. Well, I guess you can't be around that much *niceness* and not get any on you
Dr. Gregory House: Is that why you haven't put the moves on her?
Dr. Wilson: What makes you think I *haven't* put the moves on her?
Dr. Gregory House: [Stops and stares]

Dr. Wilson: [points] Oh.
[he's onto something big]
Dr. Wilson: [whispers] Oh *boy*! You're in trouble.
[laughs and exits]”
I thought House was going to either a.) growl at Wilson or b.) attack him. Everyone in this fandom has to admit that Wilson knows House better than anyone, and Wilson figures it out. Then again you’ve got to be blind, deaf, and an idiot not to figure out what that face means.

1. From No Reason (2.24): House’s hallucination. Well can anyone forget the Robot Porn? If that isn’t House’s subconscious giving into lust, I don’t understand what is.
Clip on Youtube by PanicKaiserMan
Lastly and most importantly House “waking up” to find Cameron keeping vigil by his bedside. If he hadn’t wanted her there she wouldn’t have been there. This was his subconscious mind showing him that no matter how much he denies it, he still values the fact that she is there and that she cares about him.

Fandom Recommendations:

Your first stop would have to be

house_cameron. No matter what you’ve heard I’ve really had a great experience in that community, and it’s the best place to find new and fun fanfics.

Vicodin for the SoulThis is a House/Cameron archive and master list compiling all the fanfics from livejournal, FF.net and squidge.

The master list for

house_cameron’s first ficathon.

The master list for the 2nd ficathon.

House/Cameron fanlisting

The best House/Cameron website aka where I got the caps for this manifesto.

Fanfic Recommendations:

Anything by

enchanted_april. Especially the Saints and Sinners series.

venusdream’s House Interrupted series

snark_bait’s The best little secrets are kept series

azuredamsel’s Shooting Range series

lookatmoyle7’s Downfall

_vicodin's Provocation

For smut:

hc_smut_a_thon

Anything by

starhawk2005. Especially Approval