The title is for The Pretenders song. Which I don't own. I also don't own House. This is a sequel to my fic We Are Family. I would suggest reading it first, otherwise you won't understand the back story. This is two months after the confrence, so think early January. Hope everyone had a happy New Year. (Chapters will get longer. And the story will be told: present time and then six months later. You'll see. Ask if you have questions).

Jess

I'll Stand By You

Prologue

The clinic was full and Cuddy sighed. Some days her job felt like one big compromise. That's what she was doing now. Compromising.

She bet House two weeks ago in an effort to get him to work. Once a year about she would place a bet with him. Not exactly good workplace etiquette, but it helped the hospital keep him out of their hair. Usually he lost. But when he won he really won.

The bet this year was a simple one to win. Or so Cuddy though. If House could go for two weeks without a patient's complaint then she would do a day of his clinic duty. If a patient thanked him then she would do three days.

Somehow, in the twisted world that was her own she had lost. That meant four days of clinic duty and a gleeful House.

It had gotten him to work though. He had to see the patient to get her to thank him.

She picked up the next file and was about to call out for Mike Johnson, when the doors opened and a girl stumbled in.

A dark coat covered her thin frame, and bruises and some dried blood littered what Cuddy could see of her face, neck and hands. The only thing that she could tell if she was describing the child was that she had blue/green eyes and blonde hair. Everything else was pretty much hidden by marks.

Immediately she was moving towards the girl as were some nurses.

"Allison Cameron." She gasped out. "Get Allie."

"Shhh…" Cuddy placed her hands on the girl as a nurse moved quickly for a wheelchair. "I need you to calm down for me sweetheart."

"Allie. Please." The girl repeated. "She's – sister. Tell her – tell about – the – the game. And there were – so many – to many. It – h-h-hurt. I had to leave, and – and now -" she broke into a small sob. "- Adam - He'll come and find us – and – and - kill her -"

"Get me a crash cart." Cuddy screamed out. "Get me a fucking crash cart."

Cuddy walked into The Diagnostic Department and surveyed the room. The three fellows had instantly quieted and were watching her.

"Dr. Cameron, can I speak to you privately?"

"Sure." Cameron stood and exchanged looks with Foreman and Chase. She shrugged and concerned looks passed over their faces. Ever since the conference two months ago the team had been working like a well oiled machine, House included.

"We can use House's office, he's with Dr. Wilson."

Cuddy walked into House's office and closed the door firmly behind her. "You might want to sit down."

"I'd prefer to stand, please."

She's found out about us. But if she did then why is she just talking to me. House is the one sleeping with his subordinate.

"A little while ago your sister came into the clinic."

"Which one, is she okay?" Cameron was white as a ghost and sunk into the chair that she had refused earlier. Her teethe came out to bite her lower lips and she squeezed her eyes shut for a minute – as if gaining control over herself before looking at Cuddy.

"I don't know which sister, but if it helps she said something about Adam."

"Shi." Cuddy was glad that Cameron was sitting. She looked as if she were about to faint.

"What?"

"Siobhan Kayla Higgins-Cameron. That's my youngest sister."

"Is she okay?"

"She's in surgery right now." Now came the hardest part. "She crashed once before we could get here there."

Cameron stood up, woozy on her feet. "How bad is it?"

The look on Cameron's face warned Cuddy not to BS her.

"Bad."

"She's an O Negative. So am I. You're going to need blood."

"You're on Emergency Leave, starting now. No work until I otherwise say. Don't protest." Even though Cuddy was worried about Cameron she was also worried about the hospital. Siobhan was in bad shape and after Cameron saw her there was no way that she would be treating patients. "Do you want to call your parents, or do you want me to?"

"Neither. She's over eighteen, I'm her emergency contact. Call the police."

Cameron's lower lip was bleeding from the early bite she had inflicted on herself. Her face was now pained, and the next words out of her mouth almost sent Cuddy to her knees.

"And order a rape kit."

Six months later

"Put your left hand on the bible and raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God."

She did and the ADA Kenneth Marshall stood up to begin the questions.

"Please state your name for the record."

"Mara." She girl paused for a minute to clear her throat. "Mara Cooper."

"And where do you live Mara?"

"In Oak Park, I've been Shi's neighbor since before we were born." The judge already had all of the girls personal information and the lawyers had agreed to skip the formalities of addresses least the families be attacked.

"Could you tell me what happened on the night of November 30th, Mara?"

The dark headed child nodded. She was nineteen with fair skin, and dark brown eyes. Her hair was a dark brown as well, with a blue streak in it.

A bunch of silver bracelets jingled whenever she moved her arms and a small stud in her nose flashed from time to time when she turned her head.

"I was home alone and Shi, Meghan and Brianna were supposed to come over at around six, Shi maybe a little earlier because she lives next door. We were going to have a sleepover and probably do some homework because none of us understand Calc 2 except for Meg." Mara took a sip of her water before continuing.

"At six Meg and Bria got there, but Shi didn't. I called her cell a few times, and she didn't pick up. So the three of us went over to her house, but no one was home."

"What did you do next?"

"Well, I have a key, so we unlocked the door. We figured that she had probably fallen asleep. It's happened before. Anyway, when we got there it was empty. So we went up to Shi's room."

Tears began to well in her eyes. The girl had been unable to go without having nightmares about what she had seen, and telling the entire court was difficult.

"What did you find in Shi's room?"

"It was a mess. Shi's room is never a mess. She usually crashes in Allie's old room, but she has her own room. There was stuff everywhere. And-"

Her voice caught and the tears started in a steady flow. "And blood. We called the police."