Foreman sighed. He couldn't really have expected Amber to leave early with him. He knew what it was like to be at House's beck and call. He'd had his share of nights when all he'd wanted was to go home, but he'd forced himself to stay even when the patient appeared stable. There had been stretches of thirty-six hours or longer that he'd spent blinking himself awake while running gels in the lab, just because House wasn't satisfied with their current diagnosis. It was a demanding job. A job, and that was all. Amber hadn't even been hired yet, so she had even less leeway to slack off. Still, Foreman felt like Chase must have, when Cameron put House first. Not that Amber had ever shown the slightest interest in House, the way Cameron used to a few years ago. Nevertheless, Foreman knew he'd always come second. Coming second to Amber's job--he really couldn't fault that; he put his career first too. But coming second to House rankled.
Pressing his lips together, he mulled over Amber's plan to be open about their relationship. He nodded slightly, but it wasn't quite an agreement. "House can't stand it when people are happy around him," he said, still trying to figure out in his own mind what the best strategy would be. "He'll be a real bastard about it. You should have seen him when Chase and Cameron got together." He frowned more fiercely. He'd managed to miss the two of them getting together entirely at first, which had made him feel like an idiot when it finally came out. In retrospect, every word out of House's mouth had been a test. A few snide comments, an observation about Cameron working her way through the department, another about whether Chase could be loyal. He'd been poking at them, looking for weak spots. Cameron and Chase had done their best to rise above it, but House knew--hell, they all knew--that those jabs had hit their mark more often than not. Sown doubts. Started fights, even if not immediately in House's presence. It had worked, so House had kept it up.
Amber was studying him like Foreman might have some sort of insight, but really, he knew he was more susceptible to House's insults than he showed. Foreman exhaled, concentrating on the road again. Without looking, he reached for Amber's hand and put it back where it had been, on his thigh. He didn't know which of them he was trying to comfort with the gesture. "I don't want to hide," he said quietly. "But House won't lose interest." Fucker. "And even if we ignore him..." He squeezed Amber's hand. He didn't want to think it, but it was so damn obvious. If House didn't want them to be happy, to stay together, then he'd only have to say one thing to end it. An ultimatum to Amber: Foreman or your job. And she'd disappear like it had never happened. You understand, Eric. You know I can't afford to lose this job.
Yeah, he understood. He wasn't that important. His chest burned, anger tightening in bands around his sternum until his lungs hurt. There was no point in finishing his sentence and showing Amber the choice she'd be making in the end. House always won, and Foreman got fucked over. Nothing new there.
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Pressing his lips together, he mulled over Amber's plan to be open about their relationship. He nodded slightly, but it wasn't quite an agreement. "House can't stand it when people are happy around him," he said, still trying to figure out in his own mind what the best strategy would be. "He'll be a real bastard about it. You should have seen him when Chase and Cameron got together." He frowned more fiercely. He'd managed to miss the two of them getting together entirely at first, which had made him feel like an idiot when it finally came out. In retrospect, every word out of House's mouth had been a test. A few snide comments, an observation about Cameron working her way through the department, another about whether Chase could be loyal. He'd been poking at them, looking for weak spots. Cameron and Chase had done their best to rise above it, but House knew--hell, they all knew--that those jabs had hit their mark more often than not. Sown doubts. Started fights, even if not immediately in House's presence. It had worked, so House had kept it up.
Amber was studying him like Foreman might have some sort of insight, but really, he knew he was more susceptible to House's insults than he showed. Foreman exhaled, concentrating on the road again. Without looking, he reached for Amber's hand and put it back where it had been, on his thigh. He didn't know which of them he was trying to comfort with the gesture. "I don't want to hide," he said quietly. "But House won't lose interest." Fucker. "And even if we ignore him..." He squeezed Amber's hand. He didn't want to think it, but it was so damn obvious. If House didn't want them to be happy, to stay together, then he'd only have to say one thing to end it. An ultimatum to Amber: Foreman or your job. And she'd disappear like it had never happened. You understand, Eric. You know I can't afford to lose this job.
Yeah, he understood. He wasn't that important. His chest burned, anger tightening in bands around his sternum until his lungs hurt. There was no point in finishing his sentence and showing Amber the choice she'd be making in the end. House always won, and Foreman got fucked over. Nothing new there.