Meet Before You Die

A House Fan Fiction

DISCLAIMER: House is not mine.

Chapter Six

It was a strange sense of déjà vu a few days later as Cameron entered the lobby of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. It was bustling, as per usual, and she kept her dark glasses and winter hat on as she strode confidently towards the elevator. Abby was dozing as she rested on her mother's hip, and Cameron prayed no one would recognise her before she could get up to Wilson's office.

As she passed by the Diagnostic's office, she kept her eyes fixed straight ahead until she was safely passed the glass doors and knocking on Wilson's office door.

"Come in," came the answering call, and Cameron opened the door and entered quickly, removing her sunglasses and hat.

"Allie!" Jess, stunned to see her sister leapt up and threw herself upon her sister and niece.

"Hey," Cameron smiled faintly as she hugged her sister. "I figured you'd be here."

She noticed Patrick on the floor in the corner and smiled at him, which he returned cheerily before setting Abby down.

"What are you doing here?" Wilson asked, as he greeted her.

"I'm your three o'clock," Cameron said to him and he looked surprised.

"You?"

"I had Jen Coleman make the appointment in her name," Cameron explained. "Just give me a sec."

She settled Abby down with Patrick and her favourite dolls and then sat down with Jess opposite Wilson's desk and took a folder out of her bag.

"Abby's been diagnosed with ALL," she said softly and Wilson's jaw dropped.

"ALL?" Jess frowned.

"Leukaemia," Cameron clarified and her sister seemed stricken.

"Oh my god."

Cameron returned her gaze to Wilson steadily. "I need someone I can trust to treat Abby and be straight with me. Jim, I need you to treat Abby."

"Yeah, of course," he agreed automatically. "No worries. Al, why didn't you call us?"

Cameron hesitated. "It was just easier this way. Uh, here- I bought Abby's entire medical history and all the tests they did at Salem."

Wilson took it and nodded. "Ok. I'll go over this tonight, and why don't you come back tomorrow... uh, at ten? And we'll discuss treatment?"

Cameron took a deep breath and nodded. "Ok, thanks."

Jess hesitated, but then asked. "Allie, how can you afford this? And where are you staying?"

"Mom and Dad paid for the flights," Cameron answered. "And I'm using my money for a hotel for now. I'll find a place to rent once we get settled."

"You could stay with us," Wilson offered and Cameron snorted.

"No we can't. We all know you don't have the room. Seriously, a hotel is fine for a few nights."

Wilson nodded reluctantly, then raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you going to do about House?"

Cameron smiled dryly and sighed. "I know. I have to tell him. Can you come with me?" she asked Jess.

"Of course," she assured her. "Now?"

Cameron shrugged. "No time like the present."

She knelt down to talk to Abby. "Sweetie, can you behave for Uncle Jim while I go out for a bit?"

Abby nodded. "Ok, Mommy."

Cameron smiled, kissed the top of her head and left the room, Jess in tow. Quietly, she entered the conference room and waited silently in the doorway, waiting for either Chase or Foreman to notice her. Foreman finally looked up from his paperwork and jumped to his feet.

"Allison?"

She grinned at him. "Hey, how are you?"

Both men jumped up to hug her, and then Chase turned to Jess accusingly. "You didn't tell us she was coming!"

"It was a surprise," Jess explained.

As they stood around talking, Chase suddenly looked over Cameron's shoulder and grinned.

"House, look who's here!"

Nervously, Cameron turned to face House, and his expression was one of pure shock, but she registered a flicker of anger.

"Hi," she began cautiously, not sure how to tell him about Abby.

"Hi," he replied coolly.

"Um, how have you been?"

"Of, daffodils and daisies. You?" he asked sarcastically, his tone harsh.

"Actually," she started, but he ignored her and headed into his office.

Cameron winced, and decided to just go for it. "I was pregnant."

House stopped dead, frozen in his tracks and Chase, behind her, choked on a mouthful of coffee.

"That's why I left. I thought that if I told you, you'd reject the baby and I didn't want to tell our child that their father didn't want them. I thought on a whole, it would be easier to hear that you didn't know a child existed."

She slowly moved closer to House, who hadn't moved or turned to face her, so she continued; mentally reliving her pregnancy and those first few months after Abby's birth.

"I- I had the most beautiful little girl, Abby... and she's smart and funny, and incredibly beautiful..."

As her voice broke, House suddenly turned and his face was hard with anger.

"So let me get this straight. You left because you knew what I'd do, and decided you knew what was best? I'm guessing Wilson and Jessica knew, which explains all the trips to Illinois out of nowhere. And now, after five years, you came back. So, what can I do for you, Cameron? Money? Or are you just here to relieve your guilty conscience? The kid is suddenly wondering why she doesn't have a daddy, and you're hoping for a big family reunion?"

Cameron felt as though she'd been slapped. "No, actually. I came back because she's sick."

Her face was white, but she was beginning to get angry now; although she was aware that House was listening.

"She's just been diagnosed with ALL, and I've asked Wilson to treat her. And I thought she deserved to have the chance to meet her father. And I thought, for one stupid moment, I thought if you knew about her, you might want to meet her. I guess I was just wasting my time."

She turned around and headed for the hallway. She was almost at the door when Foreman grabbed her arm.

"Allison?"

She turned, and Foreman's face was sincere and sympathetic as he met her gaze. "I'm so sorry."

She smiled in appreciation. "Thanks, Eric. Sorry I couldn't tell you guys."

She turned to Jess. "I have to get Abby back to the hotel, she's exhausted. Do you mind driving us?"

"Not at all," Jess assured her. "And if you won't stay with us, you can at least eat with us. Come for dinner tonight?"

"Sure," Cameron agreed.

Jess turned to Chase and Foreman. "Do you guys want to come too? You'll love Abby," she promised and they agreed automatically.

A few minutes after they left, Cuddy entered the room in amazement. "Did you guys know about Abby?" she asked Chase and Foreman.

Chase shook his head. "We had no clue, and we've been in touch with her since she left. You ran into them?"

Cuddy nodded. "In the lobby. Abby's beautiful," she said sincerely. "Looks just like her mother, with House's eyes."

House himself entered the room at that point, to get coffee and Cuddy rounded on him. "You're an ass."

House raised an eyebrow. "And your breasts should have their own zip code," he replied casually and she glared at him.

"For God's sake, House, I'm serious. You have a daughter! A sick daughter, I might add, and you have no interest in meeting her?"

"Apparently Mommy knows best," House muttered.

"House, did you ever think what is was that made her feel she couldn't tell you about the baby?" Foreman demanded.

"Yeah, I mean... it's you," Chase added. "You do kind of have a giant wall around you, and Allison's probably the one person who tried the most to get over it, and you just build it higher and higher."

"I'm amazed you let her in long enough to conceive a child," Cuddy remarked dryly. "I'm assuming there were massive amounts of alcohol involved?"

House flashed back, as he had often in the past five years to that fateful night. "Actually, no."

They were interrupted when Wilson slowly entered the room, Patrick in his arms. House's eyes narrowed at his friend.

"You knew," he said accusingly. "You've known for the past five years!"

Wilson nodded calmly. "Yeah. House, if I had thought for even a second that you might want the baby, I would have convinced her to stay. But I'm your best friend, and I couldn't tell how you'd react. She did the right thing."

"By leaving and then turning up five years later?" House snarled.

"Yes. She did what was best for your daughter, and until last week, that involved you not being around. If Abby hadn't gotten sick, she wouldn't be here, but you should really think about this. Abby's going to be here awhile for treatment, and yeah, ALL has a great survival rate for young kids. But how are you going to feel if she dies, and you never knew her? Allison's going to need support right now, and Jess and I can only give so much. Maybe you need to put your own feelings aside for the moment."

House didn't answer, just left the room.

Wilson's words swam in his head all afternoon, and he didn't know what to do. As his anger over the bombshell Cameron had dropped faded, it was replaced by curiosity. What did his daughter look like? How much was she like Cameron or him? How sick was she already for Cameron to come back to Princeton? Somehow, with no clue what he was doing, he found himself standing on Wilson's doorstep that night.

Jess answered the door, and she raised an eyebrow questioningly, but then stepped back to allow him inside. "About damn time," she muttered.

She led him into the living room, where everyone was gathered now that dinner was finished. House saw Foreman and Chase talking to Wilson, and then he registered an image that made him stand still. Cameron was sitting on the couch reading aloud, with a little girl on her lap... Abby. The first thing that struck House was how much she looked like Cameron. The second thing that struck him was her eyes. His eyes, he realised, taking in how she leaned against Cameron as she read and his heart jumped into his throat as Cameron read a funny line that made his daughter giggle, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.

"Al?" Jess called, seeing House wasn't moving from the doorway, and Cameron looked up to meet House's gaze.

"Jim, can you finish?" she asked Wilson, who eagerly abandoned his conversation with Foreman and Chase to take over the reading.

Cameron stayed only to settle Abby on Wilson's lap, kissing her head tenderly before going to meet House, who was well aware Foreman, Chase and Jess were staring at him.

"Can we talk?" he asked her, and she nodded.

They went into Wilson's study and Cameron waited expectantly.

"I'm sorry," he said awkwardly. "You just dumped all this stuff on me, and I panicked... which I guess proves your point about what I would have done if you told me you were pregnant," he admitted and Cameron gave a faint grin.

"I wanted to at first," she said softly. "But when I realised I didn't know what you'd say... I didn't want to have to tell her that her father didn't want her."

House nodded. "I get that now. What have you told her?"

Cameron sighed lightly. "Not much, I wasn't sure how much she'd understand. But when she started Pre-Kindergarten last fall, she started asking questions. So, I told her her daddy was in New Jersey, but he didn't know about her. I didn't tell her why, but I wanted her to know of you, at least."

House paused. "I was thinking... maybe you and Abby could stay with me, while you're here. It's better than a hotel, and... I could get to know her. Is that okay?"

Cameron smiled. "That's more than okay," she laughed. "Will we fit?"

House was startled. "Huh?"

"Will we fit? Last time I checked, you had a one bedroom place."

House nodded in understanding. "No, that place flooded about a year ago. I got a two bedroom place now, we can fit. What do we do now?"

Cameron bit her lip. "I'm seeing Jim tomorrow at ten. You can come if you want, and then we could just go back to your place after that? I've already paid for tonight," she explained and House nodded.

"That's fine."

An awkward silence fell and then House pursed his lips. "Can- can I meet her?"

Cameron could hardly dare to believe it, and she grinned. "Yeah, of course."

She left House in the study and returned to the living room, where Abby was examining the pictures in the book Wilson had finished reading to her.

"Abs?"

She looked up at her mother, and Cameron smiled as she knelt down before her. "Honey, there's someone who wants to meet you," she told her and Abby's blue eyes widened.

"Who, Mommy?"

Cameron concentrated on keeping her voice from shaking as she answered. "Your Dad."

Abby was thrilled. "Really?"

"Yeah."

Cameron led her to the study, Abby clutching her mother's hand excitedly. House was sitting on the edge of the desk when they entered and Abby studied him in interest as she approached. Heart in her throat, Cameron sat gingerly down on the couch to watch as House, with difficulty, knelt down to reach Abby's level.

"Hi, Abby," he said hesitantly.

Abby looked up at him carefully. "Are you really my dad?"

"Yeah," House answered, nodding faintly. "I guess so."

"We have the same colour eyes!" she said in wonder and Cameron tried to keep herself from crying.

House smiled. "That's right."

Abby frowned and studied him quietly, and House and Cameron both knew she was deciding whether to trust him or not.

"My grandma says I was the only good thing you ever did for my mom," she said finally.

"Abby!" Cameron exclaimed, horrified, blushing. Elizabeth had never made her feelings about House quiet, but Cameron had hoped she would have refrained herself around Abby.

"She does! All the time!" Abby protested, eyes wide and innocent and Cameron let out a soft moan, burying her face in her hands.

House considered the three years Cameron had worked for him and then nodded. "I think your grandmother's probably right, Abby."

Cameron met his gaze and gave him a faint smile, which he returned. Abby, not happy with being left out, tugged impatiently on House's arm and he obediently returned his gaze to her.

"I'm sick," she said seriously, and House sobered.

"Yeah, I heard," he replied sadly.

"But Uncle Jimmy's going to fix me," she continued.

"He's good at that," House agreed, not allowing himself to think that Abby may end as one of Wilson's purple files that weren't so lucky.

"I was just talking with your mom, and wanted to know what you thought of the idea of staying with me while you get treated," he directed this statement to Abby, sincerely wanting her to get a say in the matter.

He figured that Abby and Cameron were very close, and therefore, Cameron would not do anything that made her daughter uncomfortable. But Abby's face brightened at the prospect.

"Really? Because our hotel room really smells. This boy in my kindergarten class, Michael Simmons, he brought in a dead snake he found under their porch in for show and tell. Our hotel room smells like that," she informed him and House grinned, as Cameron sighed heavily.

"Abby, don't exaggerate," she rolled her eyes. "Why don't you go help Aunt Jess put Patrick to bed?" she suggested and Abby eagerly ran out of the room, then suddenly turned in the doorway to face House.

"You're my Dad, right?"

House was startled by her directness. "Yes," he answered.

"So, can I call you Dad?" she asked bluntly, and Cameron's mouth went dry and she visibly tensed.

House didn't know what to say but glanced sideways at Cameron, who was watching him uncertainly and then cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Uh, yeah. If you want," he stammered and Abby smiled and skipped out of the room.

House, still stunned returned his gaze to Cameron and raised an eyebrow questioningly. She gave a small shrug in return.

"She's your daughter," Cameron said, as though that was an explanation.

House scoffed. "I find it hard to believe that with your genes in her, she's been saying stuff like that long."

Cameron grinned. "No. Only since she could talk."

House sat cautiously next to Cameron on the couch and hesitated. "What's she like?"

Cameron was quiet trying to think of how to describe her daughter. "Abby... she's smart. She can already read pretty good and she can write her name, and mom... she wants to be an artist. She's addicted to High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Harry Potter and the Little Mermaid. And she's spoilt rotten."

House smiled slightly. "Well, that's understandable."

But Cameron shook her head. "Oh, not by me. By my dad, and especially Jim."

House chuckled. "Wilson?"

Cameron nodded. "Abby's got him wrapped around her little finger, and he knows it."

House laughed at this news, thinking he definitely wanted to see this for himself. "So, what have you been doing the past five years?"

Cameron began to tell him about her work in the clinic, and he was horrified she had given up her career to work in a small town medical clinic. She simply shrugged.

"I wanted time with Abby. With three years under you on my CV, I'll never have any trouble getting a job," she pointed out. "Abby's my first priority."

She continued, telling him about their house, and Abby's life in Salem. They had been talking for almost an hour, when Jess knocked lightly on the door.
"Hey, Al? Abby's crashed."

Cameron looked at her watch quickly to see it was almost nine o'clock. "Thanks, Jess. Will Jim mind driving us to the hotel?"

"Of course not."

Cameron and House followed Jess out to the living room, and House saw Abby stretched out on the sofa, deeply asleep. Foreman and Chase had left, and Cameron began to gather her things together, when Wilson spoke up softly.

"Hey, Al? I was thinking about what to get Abby for Christmas. What do you think about-?'

"You're not buying Abby a puppy," she interrupted flatly, not glancing up as she packed Abby's few toys she had brought with her away.

Wilson gaped at her, and House grinned.

"How did you know?" he spluttered.

"Mostly because Abby asked for one last week, and when I said no, she didn't press it. That can only mean she thought she could get one off you or Dad."

"But she'd love a puppy," Wilson argued.

Cameron sighed. "If she manages not to kill the goldfish Cassie and Drew got her, then we can have this discussion. Ok?"

Wilson gave one last effort. "What if we bought her one, and trained it so you didn't have to? Abby would look after it."

"For about a month," Cameron said reasonably. Then she grinned. "Tell you what, you can buy her a puppy if it lives with you."

Wilson hesitated. "What about one of those robot puppies?"

Cameron smiled knowingly. "That you can do."

As she approached the couch, House watched unsurely, not knowing if he should offer to help get Abby out to Wilson's car. The offer died in his throat however, as Cameron easily swung Abby, still sleeping into her arms and picked up her bag. Abby never even stirred, and he was silent as Cameron bid him and Jess goodnight, and followed Wilson outside.

Jess was watching him when he finally came to his senses. "You should have seen when she was born," she said as though they had been in the middle of a conversation.

"Allison juggling Abby, her bag, the diaper bag, a pram and whatever else she needed at once... it's impressive."

House shook his head. "It's just... strange. I don't know how to be a father."

"And you think Allie knew how to be a mother?" Jess demanded, beginning to clear dishes. "She had to learn, she's still learning. But she's done it. And you can too, but it'll take time," she said gently and House nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks, Jess," he said awkwardly and picked up his bike helmet and jacket.