Week 1 – March 30, 2010

Your Body: This week's period may be the last one you have for a good long while. For the first two weeks of your pregnancy, you won't actually be pregnant. Yep, you heard that right. When your doctor or midwife calculates your due date, she will count 40 weeks from the first day of your last period, not from the day the baby was actually made (usually around Day 14). If you're planning on getting preggers, now would be a good time to put the kibosh on all those bad habits like smoking, drug use and drinking. You'll also want to start taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid—a B vitamin that prevents brain and neural-tube birth defects. It works best if you take it before you conceive and in the early days of pregnancy, although you'll want to continue until Junior makes his debut in nine months (and beyond if you're breastfeeding).

Your Baby: While this is technically considered the first week of your pregnancy, baby is still only a glimmer in your eye (and an egg in your ovary). The first day of your period is considered Day 1 of the 280 days of your pregnancy even though conception won't occur for another 14 days or so (we know, it's totally confusing).

Riiiiiiiing, went the alarm before a very sleepy Allison Cameron swat it off before rolling over to go back to sleep. Normally she was a morning person, but that particular morning, she was not her normal self. She was just about to fall asleep again when she felt something warm slide up her arm, only to realize it was her husband Robert Chase trying to wake her up.

"Morning", he said kissing her bare shoulder, "time to get up."

"Ugh, I was almost asleep. I'm just so tired for no reason," she complained as she started to wake up and stretch.

"It's always good to sleep in now and again. Plus, you could probably use it since you came home a bit late last night from work," pointed out Chase as he helped his wife sit up.

"That would probably explain it then, me working overtime just to make up for what I took off last month." A month before was when Cameron miscarried, prompting Dr. Cuddy to give her a week off to recuperate before returning to work. Ever since then, Cameron had been working overtime every day to make up for that week. "I think I'm just overtired."

"Maybe you should not work late for the rest of the week then if you're feeling tired then," suggested Chase as he started to make their bed.

"I'll think about it," said Cameron as she gave him a kiss before going to take a shower. After turning the shower on and stripping down, Cameron saw something out of the corner of her eye: a brown spot on her panties could only mean that she was on her cycle, her first one since she miscarried. After her shower, Cameron dried off and got dressed, but not before making sure she was prepared for the first day of what was to be a very painful day for her, literally.

"Today's going to be a fun day," remarked Cameron as she got herself a bowl of cereal and a cup of tea for breakfast.

"Why's that?" asked Chase who was checking his emails.

"My cycle started today," she told him. Just then she was hit with a cramp mild enough to be noticed.

"Are you going to take anything for the pain?" asked Chase as Cameron sat down next to him.

"No. Remember, Dr. Stevens said that once my cycle started back up I could not take anything for the pain. He said that having a medication-free cycle after the miscarriage would be best, as it would help get them back on track," she informed him as she was once again hit with another cramp.

"Okay, if you say so. Just don't overdo it today, all right?" asked Chase as he stood up to get ready for work. "If you need me to help you today, I'll be there in a flash."

"Thank-you honey," said Cameron as she pulled on his hand to pull him in for a long awaited kiss that both had been wanting that morning.

Throughout the day Cameron kept busy in the ER, tending to very simple cases. Since House got his team back before Thanksgiving, she and Chase went back to working in the ER and OR respectively, but were still called up to work on a case whenever there was short a hand. However, this day was one of those days when Cameron was wishing that she was in her own bed, doing nothing but relaxing. By lunch that day Cameron was not feeling good at all, and Chase noticed that.

"How are you feeling?" asked Chase as they sat down after they got their lunches from the cafeteria.

"The cramps are so painful right that I just want to crawl up somewhere and be put out of my misery," grimaced Cameron as she ate her lunch very slowly.

"Are you sure you don't want something for the pain? Because if you do I can get you an aspirin in a minute…" he told her reaching out to touch her hand to comfort her.

"No, sweetie. I'll be okay, just as long as I don't think about it," she told him as he scooted his chair closer to her.

"Okay. But what about taking a vitamin, just to help ease the cramps up a bit?" asked Chase. "I saw Dr. Stevens while I was up in the NICU and I told him what was going on, so he suggested taking B vitamin supplements. He thinks you might be anemic, so taking the vitamins would make it easier for you. He also said it's okay to do it, especially since this is the first one since the miscarriage and everything," said Chase as he held her hand.

"I actually like the sound of that, and it does sound much better than taking aspirin anyway. How about after work we'll swing by the drug store & I'll get the vitamins."

"Sounds good," he said. A minute later, Chase's pager went off. "Terrific, House's patient needs a biopsy done. I'll see you later. I'll meet you outside the locker room after work," said Chase as he kissed Cameron good-bye before running upstairs.

After work that night, Chase and Cameron made the detour to the drug store before heading home. While Chase was busy cooking dinner, Cameron was soaking in a hot bath that she had been wanting all day. After drying off and dressing in warm and comfortable clothes, she walked into the living room feeling better than she did when they got home.

"Feeling better I see," noticed Chase as he pulled his now happy wife into his arms for a hug.

"Much better. That bath was just what the doctor ordered," sighed Cameron as she hugged her husband back. "And here's you tip for making a house call," she joked as she gave him a kiss.

"Good thing I prescribed it then," he said after the kiss ended. "Dinner's ready: Chicken Parmesan." When dinner was finished and the dishes were in the dishwasher, the happy couple curled up on the couch to watch the TV. After a while, Cameron began to feel restless, and Chase took quick note in that. "Babe, you okay?" he asked as he pulled Cameron into his arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It just started up again, with a vengeance," groaned Cameron as she laid on her side. All of a sudden, she felt a bit of mild pressure on her abdomen, startling her.

"Shh, it's just me. You always let me do this, remember? Maybe it'll work again," suggested Chase as he gently but firmly rubbed Cameron's abdomen to make the cramps stop. After a while, Cameron felt the pain begin to subside, causing her to melt into Chase's arms. "How's that, better?"

"Yes, it always does when you do that," she said as she nuzzled his neck.

"I just remembered something."

"What's that?" asked Cameron as she sat up a bit to look at Chase.

"It's Tuesday," he told her with the look only a husband could give his wife, "and I love you."

A/N: Hello, fans. This is probably the story everyone has been waiting for, & it's finally here! All feedback is welcome, especially from those that have been down this path before. Happy R & R!