Disclaimer: I own each and every one of the House Characters. I have Hugh and Jennifer locked in the master bedroom and Chase is chained in the dungeon. Sorry, gotta run, my Hugh time is starting soon.
Seriously, I own none but Abby. She's one of my few gems.
Feedback is welcome. Also, these aren't bata'd so any mistakes are me and Word's fault. I want to thank Danielle Lynne for her support and for being a cheerleader for this story.
On with the show…
Chapter 4
Dr. Lisa Cuddy signed the last patient file and nodded to the nurse before leaving the clinic. She had added a few hours to cover the missing doctors. She had visited House a few hours earlier and personally brought him the care package that Abby had delivered for their lunch. She smiled to herself as remembered the look on his face when she brought in the take out containers.
She stopped at her secretary's desk and picked up her messages and was informed of the appointment that was waiting for her in her office. The temp proceeded to inform her that she couldn't be held responsible if her schedule was messed up because she wasn't informed of appointments. Dr. Cuddy apologized and quickly moved on into her office. The blue hair of the person sitting on the couch off to the side dissipated her anger at someone claiming to have an appointment.
"Abby." Lisa greeted as she moved to sit next to the younger woman.
"Dr. Cuddy." Abby responded holding out her hand for a shake. "I'm here to apply for a position in the Physical Therapy department."
"Ah, yes." Lisa said playing along with the repeat of Abby's first interview. She reached over and picked up the crisp white sheet of paper from the table and looked it. Smiling she read Abby's resume. "Well, you defiantly have a long list of accreditations to your job history as a PT specialist. Was there any one case in which stands out to you as your hardest?"
Abby seemed to think about it before speaking. "There was one case, but ultimately the patient learned that I wasn't just tormenting him and actually trying to help him. He came along rather well, considering his limitations, but I've been informed that he has since backslid and needs to be whipped into shape once more."
Lisa nodded seriously. "I see. How long will you be with us?"
"For as long as I can." Abby answered softly, repeating what she had told House a couple hours earlier.
Lisa read a bit more on the paper, but suddenly looked up at Abby alarmed. "Abby? You've been on medical leave for the past nine months?"
Abby nodded. "It wasn't something that brings a crying bundle after those nine months. I needed to have a medical procedure done and I needed time to recover."
Lisa nodded and bit the inside of her lip. "Why didn't you come to us?"
Abby took a deep breath and sighed softly. "Conflict of interest." She looked down at her hands before looking back up at Lisa. "My brother couldn't have been my doctor."
"Oh, Abby." Lisa spoke softly as tears sprang to her eyes.
Abby smiled sadly. "Ovarian. I needed a total hysterectomy to head off any possible re-growths. Two months of kemo and the lovely result is that I'm somewhat back to normal. Only things different are that I'm on daily hormone meds and my hair." She ran a hand through her chin length cut. "I have to keep dying it. The anesthesia from the surgery stripped my hair of its pigment. If I don't dye it, It's as white as snow."
"Oh, sweetie." Lisa dropped all acts of professialism and pulled Abby into a tight hug.
Abby hugged her back and closed her eyes tightly to hold back her tears. "You can't tell them, Lisa." Abby spoke softly. "I've been free for six months and I need to protect them from it even more so now."
Lisa nodded sadly in understanding. Under normal circumstances Wilson and House wouldn't have handled Abby's illness easily, after Amber it would probably break them. She needed to help make sure that Abby was healthy for Abby, herself and the boys. "Ok, I'll hire you under the condition that you allow me to take over your case. You need a doctor here and we'll cover it anonymously so no one will know it's you. Sweetie, you should have come home, but I understand why you didn't. That doesn't mean we're going to let you go anywhere again." She finished with a slight smile as she brushed Abby's hair with her hand. Maternal instincts ran rampant with Lisa where Abby was concerned. Always have and they always will.
Abby nodded in understanding. "I was kind of hoping that would be the case." She told her with a smile. She stood and so did Lisa. "I have to get going. I've got rounds to make and boys to treat."
Lisa laughed. "Yes, please do. House is still terrorizing the nurses. He should be released hopefully by tomorrow."
"Ok. Give me a call when you find out when and I'll be here." Abby told her. "Like I told Jimmy, I'm not going to let my boys self-destruct."
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Allison Cameron was having a bad day. In between the normal lunch rush, there was a five car pile up on the highway. Lucky for all involved that the most tragic was a three inch deep laceration from a piece of windshield glass that had punctured the woman's upper arm. Although that had made the rush even more so, that was not what was making it a bad day for Dr. Cameron. What was causing her foul mood was that word had spread about Dr. House and Dr. Wilson's fall out and the rumor was that the young blue haired girl was the cause. Rolling her eyes as another nurse looked at her with sympathy Allison moved to the next curtain.
As she walked into the curtain, she stopped suddenly seeing the younger girl in question sitting on the gurney looking a bit lost as she flipped through a magazine. To Allison she looked like a kid still with her dark gray hoodie, black tee shirt, faded jeans and her purple sneakers. "Abby?" Cameron asked softly as she walked closer.
Abby looked up and gave her a slight smile. "Hey, Ally." She spoke softly as she put the magazine back into her messenger bag, which Allison noticed had a Ramones design on the flap. "Just came back from Cuddy's office. Guess who's working in PT here, again?"
Allison knew it was a rhetorical question so she let it drop as she hopped up next to the girl with a smile. "That's great."
"Yeah, it is." She looked more troubled then happy at the prospect as Allison waited for her to continue. "I need a club house."
Allison's brow scrunched in confusion for a moment before Abby continued talking.
"Neutral ground. James needs to be someplace else right now. Somewhere that isn't flooded with memories and Lisa said that Greg should be discharged tomorrow. He can't be alone for a couple days yet and his apartment would be too much for James right now. So hence the need for a different place."
Cameron nodded in understanding. "I have two bedrooms, but I'm not sure how we would work out sleeping arrangements." She offered immediately wanting to help in anyway she could.
"Sleeper sofa?" Abby asked as Allison could swear she could see the wheels turning in Abby's mind as she worked over the problem at hand.
Allison nodded as Abby smiled. "How does this sound? You keep your room, I'm not putting you anywhere but there and James takes the spare room. That way he can shut himself away if he needs to be alone. Greg can have the sofa, that way he's closer to the kitchen and bathroom, right?"
Allison nodded again as she pictured what Abby was saying. "What about you?" Allison said picking out the missing part of the equation.
"Well, I can crash where ever. I'm another resident teddy bear. I go where I'm needed." Abby told her with a smile and a roll of her eyes. "Yes, Greg told me what he told you. Except, I'm not one of the special ones made by Grandma."
"Funny." Allison told her with a nudge in the shoulder. "I hate him calling me that."
Abby's smile turned into a smirk. "I wouldn't. It just means he likes you and wants to hold you for protection."
Allison laughed softly. "Where were you four years ago when I needed the House to English translation?"
"Four years ago I was in NYC and getting nightly phone calls from Greg asking when I was coming for my next visit." Abby answered honestly.
"I know we never really touched on the subject, but where you and House involved?" Allison asked softly. She had caught snips of comments that seemed to point in that direction but never had the nerve to actually ask.
Abby smiled softly at the older woman. "Once before the infarction and quite a few times after." She told Allison returning the shoulder nudge from earlier. "We had an agreement that if the other needed anything, they could ask. No questions, no messy relationship stuff."
Allison looked shocked at Abby. The fact that Abby and House had almost the same agreement as she and Chase had a couple years ago was a shock to say the least. Allison processed what she was just told and a couple things stood out in her mind. Looking into Abby's warm brown eyes, Allison saw the honesty there. She opened her mouth and one question came out. "Before?"
Abby chuckled softly. "Yeah, it was just before Stacy. I was drinking and Dial a House was put into service." Abby scrunched her nose as she thought of something. "That just gave the old pact a whole new context." Shaking her head, Abby continued. "One night deal and we had one hell of a talk in the morning. Jimmy doesn't know. He would have had kittens if he did. It was always about comfort between Greg and I. Every time, we just needed to feel physically loved. The last time was a little after you were hired."
Allison was in shock. She couldn't seem to find any words to process what she was hearing. Thinking something and hearing it confirmed were two completely different things.
Abby looked around the room, as if she suddenly remembered where they were talking. "Um, what time are you off tonight?"
"Five." Allison spoke finally. "Do you want to come over?"
"I can't. It's movie time for Jimmy." Abby answered honestly. "Something mindless and distracting."
Allison nodded. "Alright, then, I'm off tomorrow if you want to we can get things ready in the morning and you can bring James over. That way we'll have everything sorted when Greg gets discharged."
"Sounds good." Abby said hopping off the gurney. "I'm heading over to see him now, so I'll give you call tonight and we can work out what we'll need to get tomorrow. We can also finish this conversation and you can tell me what was bothering you before you came in here."
Allison nodded as she smiled slightly at the thought. She missed having someone who she could be completely open and honest with and who returned the favor. Sure she had friends, but none of them knew everything about her and so far Abby opened up to her more then any of them ever did. She laughed softly to herself realizing that House was going to hate her being such close friends with Abby. His paranoia should reach its highest peak. It should be a very interesting ride from now on.
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Abby walked down the hall towards House's room, when the nurses starring at her caught her eye. She shook her head and figured she'd ask Cameron about it tonight. She walked into House's room digging into her bag. "I brought you a couple games for your PSP…" She trailed off as she looked up and found House wasn't alone in his room.
"Abby, you remember my parents." House spoke trying to contain his laughter.
Abby shot him a glare as she pulled her hand out of her bag and moved forward. "How could I forget?" She held her hand out to Blythe with a smile. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. House."
Blythe looked at the girl for a moment before smiling brightly and pulling her into a hug. "Abigail, its been a long time." His mother said as she released her and looked her over. "My, you and your brother do have the best genes, don't you? You barely look any older then last time."
Abby smiled as she laughed softly. "Thank you very much. You still look as great as ever as well."
"Oh, honey." Blythe said flipping a hand to brush her comment off with embarrassment. "John, you remember Abigail Wilson, don't you?" She asked turning to her husband.
"Yes, I remember her." He said looking Abby over as well. "Still looking for that big pay out from our son?"
Abby laughed out right at his question. "John, if I was looking for a pay out from Greg, I would have done what any self respecting gold-digger would and you would have become grand parents by now." She told him in a sickingly sweet voice.
"Well, at this point I wish that was the case." He huffed as he looked to his son. "It's not like your getting any younger."
Abby coughed softly. "There is nothing wrong with Greg's age. Charlie Chaplin was in his seventies when he fathered his last child. Men, get out lucky that way." She put in innocently.
Blythe laughed as she smiled at Greg. "She's still got her smarts as well."
Abby looked at Greg and laughed silently. He on the other hand made a silly face at her and she had to bite her lip before she laughed. Blythe turned back to her and smiled softly. "Will you give James our love and regrets over his loss? It was such a tragedy and he must be having such a hard time with it."
Abby nodded as she spoke. "Yes, he's having a hard time and I'll relay your love to him. I'm sorry it took such a tragedy for me to come home, again."
"Nonsense, dear." Blythe said as she gripped Abby's arm in support. "You did what you were expected. I'm sure James and Greg both appreciate your support right now."
"More then you know, Mom." Greg spoke up from the bed. He looked over at his father and found him glaring at Abby again. Shaking his head he couldn't possibly think of one thing he could ever do to make that man happy with his life, not that he cared anymore. It was his life and he was going to live it his way, well, with a little help from Abby again.
Abby smiled as she moved a bit closer to the bed and sat on Greg's other side. "I have good news though. I talked to Dr. Cuddy and she said that as long as the scans come back again tomorrow with the all clear, Greg will be able to go home tomorrow."
"Really?" He asked looking at her in shock.
"Yep." Abby said nodding herself. "So you'll be coming with me and we're going to be having a vacation from even your apartment."
"What?" He asked in confusion.
"Nope, it's a surprise." Abby said told him with a smile before she turned to look back at Blythe and John. "How long are you going to be in town?"
"Oh, we can't stay for too long, dear." Blythe answered. "We changed the flight we were going to take so we're leaving from Princeton instead of from back home."
"We're headed to Italy, again. She wants to seen Rome and Venice again." John added.
"They're both very beautiful cities. There's a small café down by the channels in Venice, I think it was Maris's. I can't remember the roadway. They had the best bake goods." Abby threw out to Blythe.
Blythe smiled brightly. "We'll have to see if we can fid it."
Abby looked up at the clock quickly and grimaced. "I'm sorry, I can't stay longer. I have to stop and pick up some things and get back to my brother." She said as she rose from the bed. She leaned down and gave House a quick kiss. "Call me on my cell later." She told him as she reached into her bag, again. She left the game cartridges on his table, before she moved back over to Blythe.
"It was very nice to see you, again." Abby said as Blythe opened her arms for a hug.
"Same with you." Blythe said as she let her go. "You take care of the boys."
"Always, Mrs. House." Abby replied with a smile. She nodded to John. "Mr. House."
"Young lady." John replied as she left turned to leave.
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Arriving back at the apartment, Abby unloaded the bags and headed in. She wasn't sure how she was going to find her brother, but sitting at the kitchen table really wasn't it.
"Hey." She said softly as she set the plastic bags down. She took a closer look at her brother. "What happened?" She asked as she sat down next to him.
"Amber's mother called. She arranged the funeral for Friday." He told her softly as he continued to stare into his coffee mug. "She wants to come over tomorrow to pick something out for her to wear."
"Alright." Abby replied softly as she rested a hand on his arm. "Do you want to be here?"
James shook his head. "I can't. Friday's going to be bad enough."
"Ok." Abby looked around trying to think quickly. "Ok, here's what we'll do. Allison agreed to let us stay with her for a bit. So if you want, I think we can head over there now, and Allison and I can come back tomorrow and help Amber's mother."
James nodded in agreement. "Is Allison even home?" He asked softly looking up at her.
Abby checked the clock and gave a soft sigh of relief. "She said she was working until five and it's quarter to six now, so she should be." She turned back and rubbed her brother's back gently. "Why don't you go pack a bag of your clothes and I'll give her a call."
She waited until she heard him in the bedroom before dropping her head to the table and taking a deep breath. She collected herself and pulled out her cell phone. Calling Allison she stood up and moved to bring her bag back to the kitchen from the living room.
"Cameron." The other woman finally picked up.
"Ally, it's Abby." She spoke into the phone as she moved around picking up some things that James would want with him. "Is it alright if Jimmy and I come over tonight instead of the morning?"
"Sure. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, its as well as can be. I'll explain when we get there." Abby told her as she pulled out a bag to put Jimmy's things in. "We should be there in about twenty minutes or so."
"Ok. You have the address right?"
"Yeah, its only a couple blocks down from where I used to live." Abby assured her. "I'll make dinner when we get there. Hope chicken is ok."
"Chicken's fine, but you don't have to cook."
"I know I don't have to. I want to." Abby reassured her. "I'll see you soon. Thanks, again."
"I told you anytime and I meant it. Now, you get yourselves over here and we'll sort everything out."
Laughing softly, Abby signed off and hung up her phone. Just in time for Jimmy to come out of the bedroom. She handed him a couple of the food bags before picking up the rest and heading out the door after him.
tbc