Foreman stepped slowly past the rows of lockers, until he found Amber at the back, staring into her open locker for a moment before she closed it and turned to him. She seemed composed, and Foreman wondered what couldn't wait until after work for her to say. For the last few months, I need to talk to you had never spelled good news, and with a sudden premonition, Foreman's stomach sank. Something had happened. Something had changed. Or else Amber had thought through everything he'd said in the car and decided she wasn't going to put up with him. He'd lost his chance because he was so fucking proud of his ethics, only to realize he didn't obey them himself. She was going to dump him: that had to be it.
So Amber's declaration caught him completely by surprise. He struggled not to show it, but he had no idea why she'd pulled him aside to tell him this. Or why she'd done it. For that matter, thinking back, Foreman realized that Thirteen and Amber had been sitting together in the lecture theatre as if they regularly had friendly conversations. Considering how Amber had talked about Thirteen last night, Foreman could only imagine that this--all of this--was part of Amber's plan to undermine Thirteen with House. And that didn't make sense either. Foreman had already told Amber, and thought she understood, that their relationship was more likely to be a black mark for her in House's eyes: why would she spread it around? Giving aid and comfort to the enemy was hardly her style.
"Why?" he asked, only realizing once he'd asked the question that it wasn't the consequences of Thirteen knowing that interested him--nothing stayed secret from House long, and besides, Chase already knew. They could probably expect the news to be published in the noon edition of the hospital's gossip newsletter. Instead, he was actually interested in what Amber meant to do next. What her scheme was. He'd always loved the animation in her eyes when she talked about getting her way; she took such pleasure in it that he couldn't help loving it vicariously.
Foreman shook his head when he realized that only asking that one question might make Amber feel like he was interrogating her for breaking their quasi-promise to be discreet. "It doesn't matter," he said. He wasn't upset. If Amber was telling people, then she wasn't on the verge of making herself a liar by ending their relationship. It was a relief, more than anything else. He exhaled and lifted his shoulders in a half-shrug that seemed to leave his muscles looser. "We knew it wouldn't stay a secret. It was only a matter of when somebody figured it out. I talked to Chase and he just assumed."
no subject
So Amber's declaration caught him completely by surprise. He struggled not to show it, but he had no idea why she'd pulled him aside to tell him this. Or why she'd done it. For that matter, thinking back, Foreman realized that Thirteen and Amber had been sitting together in the lecture theatre as if they regularly had friendly conversations. Considering how Amber had talked about Thirteen last night, Foreman could only imagine that this--all of this--was part of Amber's plan to undermine Thirteen with House. And that didn't make sense either. Foreman had already told Amber, and thought she understood, that their relationship was more likely to be a black mark for her in House's eyes: why would she spread it around? Giving aid and comfort to the enemy was hardly her style.
"Why?" he asked, only realizing once he'd asked the question that it wasn't the consequences of Thirteen knowing that interested him--nothing stayed secret from House long, and besides, Chase already knew. They could probably expect the news to be published in the noon edition of the hospital's gossip newsletter. Instead, he was actually interested in what Amber meant to do next. What her scheme was. He'd always loved the animation in her eyes when she talked about getting her way; she took such pleasure in it that he couldn't help loving it vicariously.
Foreman shook his head when he realized that only asking that one question might make Amber feel like he was interrogating her for breaking their quasi-promise to be discreet. "It doesn't matter," he said. He wasn't upset. If Amber was telling people, then she wasn't on the verge of making herself a liar by ending their relationship. It was a relief, more than anything else. He exhaled and lifted his shoulders in a half-shrug that seemed to leave his muscles looser. "We knew it wouldn't stay a secret. It was only a matter of when somebody figured it out. I talked to Chase and he just assumed."