There Goes The Bride

Chapter Twelve: Game On

Chapter Twelve:

"If you keep scowling like that, your face will stay that way - permanently." Martha conceded, her eyebrows raised. She was in the middle of bringing Cameron some extra pillows to prop his head up when she noticed his displeased expression.

Due to his inability to care for himself, Henry and Martha kindly took to helping Cameron in this troublesome time. They had taken him in, much to Cameron's reluctance to rely on anyone but himself.

"Good one," He remarked, before sighing rather loudly and wiggling his feet from underneath the blanket. "It's actually a little chilly over here, could you turn the heat up a bit?"

Martha rolled her eyes, leaving the pillows under his head before raising the temperature of the thermostat. Afterwards she turned to Cameron with her eyebrow raised. "Is there anything else I could get you, your highness?"

Cameron smirked, his eyes raking her form teasingly. "Well," He drawled. "I am in need of some female companionship."

"How lucky for you," Henry said, drying his hands on a towel before wrapping his arm around Martha's shoulder. "You get to enjoy my companionship instead!" He placed a kiss to his fiancée's cheek before watching her head back into the kitchen.

 Once she was gone, Henry pursed his lips before taking a seat near Cameron, whom was laying on their measly couch.

For a moment, neither said anything. It was a comfortable silence that shrouded them, coaxing them into their thoughts in preparation for the deep topic they were ultimately going to discuss.

"I know you want to say something," Cameron mumbled, fidgeting with a feeble strand in the blanket. "You should just say it."

Henry leaned back in his chair, running a had through his hair as he chose his words carefully. He knew Cameron was fond of Emily, and he dared to not speak anything offensive towards her name - if anything to not risk his life from Cameron's wrath.

He shook his head before laughing lightly. "You really fucked up this time, mate."

Cameron shut his eyes tightly, tracing every curve of Emily's serene face. "I know," He growled, helplessly.

"No, I don't think you do."

The grave tone Henry spoke in made Cameron open his eyes and cast him a wary glance.

"Emily is special." Henry murmured, faltering to let Cameron process the new tidbit of information. "Not only to me but to Martha. Did you know they worked together?"

"I didn't actually." Eager to consume all the new information he was receiving about his mysterious and prideful woman, Cameron sat up.

"They've known each other since working together, which was right after I met Martha. In fact, I even remember when Martha was nervous to start her first day on the job. I had spent countless hours on the phone, coercing her to relax and the moment she got back she had a huge smile on her face." Henry grinned, recalling the past memory. "She spoke of a woman who introduced herself as Emily. I had never learned so much about someone in such a short amount of time - I knew of her fears, her joys, her strengths and weaknesses."

Cameron noted the faint flickering in Henry's eyes, something he recognized, it set him on edge. "You were in love with her," he whispered, mindful of Martha who was only a room over. "Emily, I mean. You fell in love with her, didn't you?" For some reason, the thought of someone else being as captivated and enthralled by Emily as he is, made an ugly feeling crawl in the pit of Cameron's stomach. He didn't want anyone else to find Emily's quirks cute, to find such a beautiful light inside of her - 'he' wanted to be the only one to discover how wondrous she is.

Henry instantly bristled, his mouth set into a grim line. "I was, once."

"It's hard not to," Cameron whispered not meaning to be heard, but Henry smiled in response.

"That's true, but it was Emily who pushed me in the right direction. After I admitted my undying love for her, she had politely declined but told me that someone else was pining for my affections but I had been too blind to realize."

"It was Martha," Cameron concluded.

Henry nodded, a faint smile pulling at his lips. "And I am forever indebted to Emily for putting us together, I have never been happier."

"Why are you telling me this?" Cameron asked, a frown marring his face.

"Because I want you to realize that Emily isn't just some girl you can drag down with you. She deserves the happiness and love a good man gave support for her."

Cameron cut him off. "And I'm just not that man, right?"

There was a gleam in Henry's eyes as he looked towards his friend. "No."

Throwing the covers off his legs, Cameron roughly pushed himself away from Henry and his sharp words. He knew he wasn't worthy of Emily - she was pure and good and he was as plagued as the devil. He didn't deserve her, she was too good and righteous for him.

But it still hurt when somebody else came to that conclusion.

Henry quickly placed a hand on Cameron's wrist. "Wait, you didn't let me finish."

"Why? So you can badmouth me further?" He shook his head and laughed humorlessly. "I already know how screwed up I am and how perfect she is, we aren't any good together."

"Let me finish what I have to say, god dammit!" Henry took a stilling breath before he continued. "You're right that you're not the man for Emily, but that was before you changed. You are a different person now, Cam. I can see it in the way you look at Emily that you care for her - even if you can't figure that out yet. You have the capability of loving her and I know that she can do good for you."

Cameron bit his lip to stop the welling of fondness he felt for his friend at that moment. "Thank you," He whispered, sincerely.

Henry cracked a grin. "Don't mention it. Now all we need to do is teach you how to woo her."

"What?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You didn't think I'd give that dire speech to let you sulk here on my couch for the rest of your life, did you?" Scoffing, Henry stood up abruptly before giving a pointed look to Cameron. "Martha and I are going to carve you in the very gentleman Emily looks for in a companion!"

Cameron shuffled further under the blankets, realizing how tiring this plan of Henry's was going to be. Though he had every intention of making his claim on Emily, he had no energy to move from the comforting couch. "Can't we start tomorrow?"

"Nonsense! Now is a much better time!" Henry turned on his heels to tell his fiancé about his new scheme, but hesitated. Clearing his throat he looked to his friend tensely. "But I'm serious about what I said before, don't mention it. At all. I don't need Martha knowing about what went on here or what I said."

Cameron lifted the covers over his head to smirk. "You just don't want to get your ass kicked."

Nodding his head, Henry said heartily. "And I have every right to fear just that."