Enjoy and have the tissues ready ;)


Chapter 4 The Comforts of Home

"Allison," Cameron heard her mom's voice as she walked towards the baggage claim in the Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Cameron smiled lovingly, noticing how much older her mother looked. She looked tired and her usually bright blue eyes were dull.

"Hi mom," she whispered, embracing her in a warm hug. "I've missed you"

"I've missed you too baby," Dana said as she pulled away. "Honey, you're glowing," she said in awe, placing her hand on her daughter's barely visible bump.

"Oh mom I just got off the plane. I look a mess and I feel sick too."

"Honey you always look beautiful and the nausea is good. It means the baby's healthy," Dana explained as they grabbed her luggage and headed out to the parking lot. It was a cold winter night and freshly fallen snow covered the ground.

"How are you mom?" Cameron asked once they were in the car. It was a comfortable silence until she asked the question that has invaded her mind since Dana's phone call yesterday. She watched as her mother hesitated to answer.

"I'm just trying to stay positive, she answered solemnly. "My appointment is at twelve tomorrow."

"Does Jason know?"

"No, not yet. He's coming to dinner tonight. I'll tell him then."


Cameron was greeted with the comforts of home the moment she stepped inside. It was warm and comforting and she fought the tears that threatened to stream down her cheeks. She was terrified that her mother might have cancer and if anything she wouldn't know what she would do if she lost her. "Hey, you ok baby?" Dana asked as she closed the door behind them.

"Yeah, I'm going to go settle in before Jason and the kids get here."

"Ok, I'm going to finish dinner. I'll call you when they get here," Dana said making her laugh.

"Please mom. I can hear Taylor before she even steps foot in here."

"True; nevermind then you'll know when they're here," Dana laughed as she went into the kitchen. Cameron grabbed her bag and went upstairs to her childhood room. The last time she was here was Jonathon's funeral. Coming here for Thanksgiving and Christmas was impossible with her and Chase's work schedule. They usually got the weirdest cases during the holidays. She dumped her stuff on the floor by the closet and lied on the bed. She can tell her mother had washed the sheets before she got here. They smelled good and she suddenly felt the urge to cry again. It was little things like this that she would miss. The feeling of not knowing if she'll have her mother in the future made her feel like she was suffocating. Besides Jason, Dana was all she had growing up. She was both her mother and her father and now she was going to be her baby's grandmother. Before the tears can even come out she heard Taylor happily greeting Dana and the low voices of Jason and his wife Alyssa. Pulling herself together, she got up and walked out of the room. Her four year old niece was the first to greet her the moment she came down the stairs.

"Aunty Ally!" she exclaimed as she ran to embrace her aunt. Cameron smiled affectionately for the young girl.

"Hi Tay, how are you," she asked as she picked her up.

"My tooth fell out. See?" she said excitedly as she smiled, revealing the gap where her top front tooth should be. Cameron laughed, surprised at out much she had grown.

"About time you come home?" Jason said as she put Taylor down so she can hug her big brother. "How's the boyfriend?"

"Fiancé now," Cameron said, pulling away to show him the ring. He looked shocked and his wife Alyssa smiled in amusement.

"Ally it's beautiful," she said, taking Cameron's hand to get a closer look at the ring. "When did he propose?"

"On Christmas eve. It was really sweet."

"Why didn't you tell me? Mom did you know about this?" Jason asked, turning to Dana who was holding his one year old son Ryan. "She asked me not to tell," Dana smirked at her son's cluelessness. He looked over at Cameron for an explanation.

"I wanted to surprise you in person and I couldn't get a flight here on the holidays."

"Oh honey stop being so overprotective," Alyssa said as she went over and give him a kiss on the cheek. "Robert is great guy. You even said so yourself."

"Yeah, you're right," he mumbled, still not getting over the fact that his baby sister was getting married for a second time. "If he hurts you…" he started to say before she interrupted him.

"I know, you'll kick his ass," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "He won't, especially with the baby coming."

"Baby? You're pregnant too? Allison you're not getting married just for this baby are you? I know you. Tell me the truth." It was Dana and Alyssa's turn to roll their eyes at him for once. He could get very overprotective when it came to his little sister. Dana of course already knew and Alyssa suspected it just by looking at her posture, but now that it was confirmed, she was ecstatic.

"No of course not," she said, almost sounding annoyed. "We love each other Jason. This is the real thing. This was going to happen anyway with or without the baby. I know I've had a bad track record when it comes to relationships, but you can trust Robert. He would never hurt me or our baby."

Jason nodded. "Are you happy?"

"Beyond happy," she whispered, placing her hand on her baby. Jason smiled and pulled her into a second hug.

"That's all that matters."


Dinner was good and uneventful and after, once the kids were asleep both Dana and Cameron knew it was time to tell them. They have been dreading this moment all night, but they knew they had to do it.

"What's wrong mom?" Jason asked as he and Alyssa sat on the couch with Dana and Allison standing over them. He can see the worry on their faces and wondered what Cameron's real reason for coming here so abruptly. She had told him she was feeling a little homesick and wanted to see everyone since she couldn't make it on the holidays, but he knew her job was very demanding, often making it impossible for her to come visit. He looked at her, asking "I don't mean to sound rude Ally, but why are you are here? You can never get away because of your job."

Cameron sighed as she looked at Dana, silently pleading for her to tell them the truth. Dana looked at her son and daughter in law that she loved as if she were her own daughter. "I… I found a lump in my breast," she said in quiet voice full of grief. They looked at her in shock, not knowing how to process this. "Grandma… she…" he couldn't even finish that sentence. "Have you seen a doctor?" he asked instead.

"I have an appointment tomorrow which is why Ally is here. She's going with me."

Jason nodded his approval before looking at Cameron. "You're a doctor Ally. Is there a chance it could be benign or will she…"

He didn't have to finish that sentence. Cameron knew what he was asking. Tears slid down her cheeks. "With our history, the test can be positive," she whispered, her voice slightly shaking at those words.

Hearing this brought silent tears to all three of her kids. Dana held them in, trying to be the strong one as Jason and Alyssa stood up and hugged her. Cameron watched with tears streaming down her cheeks. Now that they all knew, it was harder to keep her emotions in check. Sensing her daughter's distress, Dana pulled away from Jason and Alyssa. "Come here baby," she whispered, taking her in her arms. She melted in her mother's embrace, feeling as if she were a little girl again. She never wanted to lose this feeling and knowing that she might, left her feeling empty.