Life as a House: Chapter 9

Results of a Reunion

Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.

Abstract: Cameron, heavily pregnant with their second child drags House to her high school reunion. After a dramatic scene, she is placed on bed rest and under constant watch for the remainder of her pregnancy, which drives the normally active and independent doctor crazy.

---

House sighed, tie in hand. "Can I get a hand here?" he asks.

His wife comes up behind him. "I seem to remember you wearing ties before we were married," she teased gently.

"You didn't know how long it took to put the damn thing on!" he responded, venting his anger towards the tie.

Allison laughed as she tied it for him. "Here you go."

He collapsed onto the bed. "Do we have to go?"

"We flew 500 miles to get here, we may as well do what we came for," she responded, sitting beside him.

"We came to visit your mom and step-dad, if I recall," Greg contrived.

"And picked this week to do so for just this reason," Cameron countered. "You're stuck going."

"Anyways, don't you need to be there to mark your territory? Old high school boyfriends and all that," Cameron said with a teasing smile.

House snorted. "Not much need for that at the moment. I think I've got you pretty well claimed," he said, reaching out a hand to touch her burgeoning belly.

She sighed. "Well, it was worth a shot."

Cameron stood up to view herself in the mirror. She was wearing a black wrap dress and the diamond necklace Greg had given her for her birthday. She had exchanged her heels for flats at this state of pregnancy. She smoothed the black fabric over her expanded midsection. "How do I look?" she asked her husband.

"Beautiful," he said simply. Pregnancy suited her, her usually toned body filling out into soft curves.

They were both startled by the little girl running into the guest bedroom. "Mommy looks pretty!" Gracie stated, looking up at her.

"No compliments for Daddy?" House sat up, holding his arms out for her as she ran to him.

"What's this?" she asked, lifting up his tie.

Allison laughed. "See, Greg, you need to dress up more. Your daughter doesn't know what a tie is!"

Greg rolled his eyes. "Grace, this is called a tie. It's a torture device that daddies have to wear when they dress up."

"Oh," Grace said, looking puzzled. "Mommy, what's a torture device?"

"See what you've done?" Cameron laughed before answering the girl. "Daddy is just making a joke. A tie is just something that goes with Daddy's outfit when he dresses up, just like I have my necklace or purse."

"Except a little less ladylike," House interjected.

Allison focused her attention on the child. "Mommy and Daddy have to go to a grown up party tonight, so Grandma and Grandpa are going to put you to bed, okay?"

"But what about my party?" Gracie asked.

"Next week, after we go back home, you'll have your party," Allison said, smiling down at her daughter.

"And then I'll be five!" she shouted jubilantly.

Her parents laughed, enjoying their daughter's silliness.

The couple headed downstairs with Grace running ahead. Allison greeted her mother at the bottom of the stairs. "We won't be back until late, mom," she said.

"Okay, but please take it easy. Take good care of my grandbaby!" Allison's mom said with a nod at her stomach.

"I promise I'll take care of myself," Cameron responded.

"I'll be looking after her," House added.

"Grace, it's time to say goodbye. You won't see your parents until tomorrow morning," the girl's grandmother called to her.

She ran up and hugged House. "Bye-bye Daddy!" She then hugged her mother. "Bye-bye Mommy!"

"I have to say goodbye to baby too," she added. "Bye-bye baby!" she said, directed at Allison's stomach.

"We love you, Gracie. See you in the morning," Cameron said, kissing the girl on her forehead.

-

Cameron entered the room on her husband's arm.

She was a bit overwhelmed at first; she hadn't attended the last high school reunion, but it was only moments before an old friend ran up to her.

"Allie! Oh my goodness, how have you been?"

Greg prepared himself for a very long night.

"Hi, I'm Renee Zaiger," the woman introduced herself to House. "I was a cheerleader with Allison!"

More women ran over, expressing surprise and greetings.

House needed an escape. "I'm going to go grab a drink while you ladies catch up," he said, limping off.

"So update me! You're married and pregnant!" Renee gleefully shouted. The other women looked just as eager to hear the story.

Allison laughed. "Well I don't know if you remember I went to med school. Greg and I both work at a hospital in New Jersey. We've been married nearly six years, and have a daughter, Grace who is turning five this month. And this little guy is due in about six weeks," she said, gesturing to her stomach.

"That's so great," Renee gushed. The others followed in agreement.

"What about you guys?" Cameron asked.

-

House and Cameron had a couple of moments to themselves while being seated for dinner.

"You don't seem like the cheerleading type," House mused.

Cameron blushed, but didn't have time to respond as their conversation was interrupted.

"Allison!" the woman called out, approaching the table.

"Laine? Oh, it's been too long." Cameron got up to greet her friend.

"Whoa!" Laine said, getting a look at Allison's belly as she stood. "Who knocked you up?"

"My husband!" She laughed, gesturing towards him before hugging her friend. "You've got to sit with us at dinner."

After they were all seated, Cameron introduced them. "Laine, this is my husband, Dr. Gregory House. Greg, I've been close with Laine since middle school. She was maid of honor at my first wedding."

"Nice to meet you," House said.

"You too," Laine responded, before directing her attention back at Cameron. "I didn't get the email that you were coming!"

"Well we really didn't decide until last minute and I just didn't have time to write…"

-

"I need to hear more about this cheerleader thing," House said, after their companions had left the table.

"I was very active in high school," Cameron responded with a sheepish smile. "I was on student council, cheerleading, choir for a couple years, French club…" she trailed off. "You knew I did tons of activities as a kid, why should high school be any different?"

"French club?" House said with surprise. "Voulez vous coucher avec moi?"

"Oui, Monsieur," she responded with a giggle. "Hey, I'm going to run to the restroom really quick."

"Have fun," he said as she got up. She shook her head, laughing.

House looked around. There were people dancing and mingling. He couldn't dance anymore with his bum leg, not that he did much before. "I wonder if Allison misses dancing?" he thought to himself.

He looked over to see Allison moving slowly across the room. As he watched her, he thought there was something strange about her movement. He leaned forward to watch more closely. She wasn't walking in a straight line. House reached for his cane.

Allison fell to the ground.

Panic broke out suddenly, and House stood, moving as quickly as she could to his wife's side. "Stand back," he called out to the people crowded around her. "And call an ambulance," he added, leaning down to check on her.

-

Cameron awoke at the local hospital. "Where am I?" she said, scared.

"At the hospital," House responded from beside her. "You passed out at the reunion."

"The baby's fine," he added before she could ask.

"At the reunion… did everyone see?"

"Half your high school class is in the waiting room," House replied with annoyance.

Cameron closed her eyes. "Oh God, how embarrassing. What's wrong with me?"

"They're not sure, Allison," House said, wishing he could reassure her. "I'm going to go tell your devoted following that you're awake," he said, standing.

"Greg?" she said as he was leaving.

"Yes?" He turned to look at her.

"No more babies," Cameron said with a slight smile. "Pregnancy just isn't working for me."

House laughed a bit as he left the room.

-

Morning came, and Grace ran into the room where her parents were staying. She ran to the bed, but they weren't there.

"Mommy?" she called out, looking for them. She looked under the bed, in the bathroom, and behind the clothes in the closet. She headed downstairs.

Her grandparents were having coffee at the kitchen table. "Where's Mommy and Daddy?"

The grandparents exchanged a look. "Mommy and Daddy are at the hospital."

"Oh," the child said complacently. "Mommy and Daddy work at the hospital," she told her grandparents as if she were informing them of something important.

Grandma looked sympathetic and pulled Gracie onto her lap. "Today they're at the hospital because Mommy got a little bit sick."

"Oh…" the child said. "I miss Mommy."

"We'll go visit her later, sweetie," her grandmother said with a hug.

-

Allison's doctor entered the room.

"Mrs. House," he began. The couple didn't bother to correct him.

"We have not discovered the cause of the fall, but you are stable now. We would like to send you back to your attending physician. It's possible that you are going to be put on bed rest."

Both House and Cameron looked unhappy at that idea.

"Is it safe for me to fly home?" she asked, concerned.

"At this point you should be fine, but we suggest that you use a wheelchair as your primary mode of transportation until you are back in the care of your primary physician."

Cameron nodded weakly.

"Mr. House, if you'll come with me, I need you to sign some forms before we release your wife to fly home."

House gave his wife a kiss and followed the man out. "It's actually Dr. House…"

Only moments after they had exited, Cameron's mom and step-dad entered the room, holding Gracie's hands.

"Mommy!" she cried joyfully, running towards the bed. "Is it time for my baby yet?"

Allison laughed. Her little girl always cheered her up. "Not until after your birthday, sweetheart."

"How are you feeling, Allison?" her parents came closer as Grace climbed up on the bed, cuddling up next to her mother.

"Alright, just tired. They want to send me home."

"You fly like this? That's ridiculous!" her stepfather raged, protective of her as he would be of a biological daughter.

"Dad, I'll be fine. The most that's going to happen to me is that I'll be put on bed rest. It's not like I'll be walking around the plane," she reassured him.

House came back in. "We have a flight for this afternoon," he directed to his wife.

"I'm sorry to cut the visit a bit short," he said to his in-laws. "They want her in the care of her own doctor."

"We understand," Allison's mother said, patting House on the arm. "You look after her!" she instructed.

"I'll do my best," House assured her.

"Hi Daddy," Grace said, sitting up from her spot beside Cameron.

"Hey Gracie," he said, lifting her up into his arms. "We need to go back to Grandma and Grandpa's house to pack."

"Do we get to go on an airplane?" Grace asked him excitedly.

"Yes, ma'am," he responded with a smile.

"Yay!" she cheered. House sat her down to give his wife a kiss. "We'll be back after everything's packed up."

"Okay, Greg. Love you," she replied with a smile.

"Love you too," he answered back.

The family left Cameron to entertain herself while she waited.

-

When they arrived back in New Jersey, House insisted on delivering Cameron straight to the hospital despite her protests.

"I'm fine," she said, as he pushed her slowly in the wheelchair.

"That's not for you to determine," House responded unrelentingly.

Grace ran ahead of them, nearly bowling over Dr. Cuddy as she entered the hospital. "Hi Becca's mommy!" she called up to Cuddy cheerfully.

"Gracie! Look where' you're going," Cameron scolded.

"I'm sorry, Becca's mommy," she said contritely.

Dr. Cuddy hugged the girl. "It's okay, hon."

Cuddy headed towards the slow moving couple. "House, you shouldn't be pushing her," Cuddy said, taking the wheelchair from him.

House grabbed his cane that had been hanging from the handle. "I was doing fine," he grumped.

"Cameron, I spoke to the doctor at the other hospital and I've let your doctor know what's going on. We've got a room for you at the moment, and he's going to see you as soon as possible," Cuddy said, pushing the wheelchair towards the elevator.

"I'm really fine," Cameron protested.

"We're not taking any chances," Cuddy said sternly.

-

Cuddy entered Cameron's room a while after the doctor had left. "I'm going to be overseeing your case while you're here," she said.

"While I'm here?" Cameron raised her eyebrows.

Cuddy sighed. "We can't find the reason for your collapse. At least until we do, we need to monitor you, and you need to stay in bed."

Cameron fell back onto the pillows. "What about work?"

"The hospital can run without you, contrary to popular belief," Cuddy said with a smile, sitting on the edge of Allison's bed. "And if your team needs a consult, they'll know where to find you."

"What about Grace's birthday party?" Cameron asked, even more agitated.

"House isn't useless! And I can help you out too. My girls will be there anyway," Cuddy reassured her.

"Thanks, Lisa," Cameron said, reverting to first name basis. She then sighed. "Gracie is going to be so upset when I tell her I can't be there."

"I can probably arrange for you to be out for a couple of hours in a chair on that day." Cuddy smiled at her. "Don't worry! Things are going to be fine."

-

"Dr. House," Cuddy called down the corridor.

House turned around. "What are you going to ruin my day with this time?" he said sarcastically towards her.

She ignored the barb. "We need you on Cameron's case."

"Work on my own wife? Are you crazy?" He turned away, continuing down the hall.

"No one can figure out the cause of her collapse. You're the best diagnostician around. We need you," Cuddy continued, chasing him.

House stopped suddenly, facing her. "She's stable."

"And she sleeps nearly 16 hours a day. We've been monitoring her," Cuddy countered.

"Pregnancy causes fatigue," House replied, continuing his walk.

"Are you saying you don't care about your own wife?" Cuddy said incredulously.

"No…" House responded, not looking her in the eye. "I care too much."

He sighed. "I'll take the case."

"I can't believe I'm doing this," House thought, entering the room where his team was seated.

He took a breath before starting. "Female, late thirties, pregnant, third trimester. Collapsed suddenly with no apparent cause, now showing signs of extreme fatigue."

He turned to face his team. "Differential diagnosis?"

-

Cameron spent day after day in bed. Grace spent a couple of hours each day in her mother's room coloring pictures or watching TV with her mom. House spent as much time there as possible too. This time no one chastised him for avoiding the patient.

The fatigue was getting a bit worse every day, and treatments did nothing. House was working round the clock to figure this out.

Soon came the day for their daughter's birthday.

"You need to just get some rest until the party," Cuddy said to Cameron.

"It's not like I have much else to do," she said with a slight smile.

"Well, don't expend your energy. I have the party arrangements taken care of. You just need to enjoy it this afternoon," Cuddy said, smiling as she headed out.

-

"Happy birthday to you,

happy birthday to you,

happy birthday dear Grace,

happy birthday to you!"

The group cheered as Grace, sitting on her father's lap, blew the candles out.

After the cake was cut and the presents were open, the children all ran to play around the park where the party was held.

Cameron wheeled herself over to Cuddy. "Lisa, thank you so much. This party couldn't have happened without your help."

"Well I couldn't let you stress yourself out over it! Besides, it was no problem at all," Cuddy responded, a four year old wrapped around her leg.

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate it," Cameron added.

"It was my pleasure," Cuddy said. She turned her attention to the child attached to her. "Becca, don't you want to go play with your friends?"

Cameron wheeled herself over to her husband, who was keeping an eye on the children playing. "How's it going?"

He sighed. "It's going."

"Greg, don't kill yourself over this. I'm not going to die because of a little fatigue."

"You're my wife. I can't help but be concerned," he said, his blue eyes meeting hers.

"I'm going to be fine," she said pragmatically. "Though I am a bit tired," she added.

"Then let's get you back to the hospital," House responded, grabbing the handles of her wheelchair.

"Oh, no, you stay with Grace. Someone else can take me," she replied.

"Okay, Allison. Love you."

"Love you too."

-

A week passed before a breakthrough was reached.

"Allison…" She heard the voice calling her. "Allison!"

"Hmm?" she responded groggily, blinking her eyes to focus.

It was House, with a couple of nurses behind him. "We need to get this baby out of you today."

"What? No! He's premature!" she yelled weakly.

"Allison, this is important. This is in your best interest, and the baby's," he said gently.

The nurses began to wheel her out of the room as House walked along beside her.

"Are you inducing me?" she asked her husband.

"You're too weak for labor. We're doing a c-section."

"C-section?" Allison asked, scared.

"Don't worry. You're in good hands."

-

House sat beside Cameron holding her hand throughout the procedure.

When they had completed the surgery they lifted up the child for Cameron to see. "Do you see him?" the asked.

With her nod, they took the child away.

"Where are they taking him?" Cameron asked frantically.

"All c-section babies go to ICU," House responded, caressing her hand.

-

Cameron slept for hours after the surgery.

A couple of people popped in to check on her. House didn't let them stay long, for fear of waking her. This was a time that he wanted her to sleep.

When they brought the baby back, Cameron was still sleeping. House had never left her side. He took the tiny child from the nurse.

"Perfect," he thought. He ran a finger across the bridge of the miniature nose, across the tiny cupid lips. The child opened his eyes, revealing deep blue irises. It was time to wake his wife.

"Allison," he whispered, stroking her hair. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened. The look on her face when she was her son was pure joy.

"My baby," she whispered, taking the boy from her husband's arms. A tear ran down her cheek.

"Go get Gracie," she instructed.

-

Grace went up to her mother shyly. "Is that my baby?" she asked.

Allison laughed gently. "Yes, sweetie." She held the baby out for Grace to see.

"Can I hold him?" The parents exchanged a look.

"Why don't you sit down, and Daddy can put him on your lap," Cameron instructed.

It was about the sweetest thing she had ever seen.

-

"Named this one yet?" Wilson asked, after a few days had passed. Cameron was still stuck at the hospital, but quickly returning to her former self. House, temporarily without a case, rarely left her side.

"We can't decide. Nothing seems right for him," Allison said, looking lovingly at the child in her arms.

"Well, I have to say, James is a fantastic name," Wilson joked.

"You would say that," House said with a snort.

"Actually, it does kind of suit him," Cameron mused.

"If you name him that, Lisa will be so jealous!" Wilson laughed. "You'll have to have another kid to name it after her."

"Are you kidding me?" Cameron laughed. "No way. I'm on strict orders not to get pregnant again."

"Whose orders?"

"My own." Cameron laughed. "Come on, have you seen anyone have worse luck with pregnancy? I think this having babies thing isn't working out for me."

"Wouldn't want to risk your health again anyways," House said.

"You both have a good point there. But seriously though, James," Wilson said with a smile before leaving.

"He's so a James," Allison said after he left.

"But I don't want to name my kid after Wilson!" House whined. "Then he'll think we're friends or something."

"You are friends, Greg," Cameron laughed. She redirected her attention to the baby. "Do you like the name James?" she asked him, tickling his tummy with a finger. He cooed at her.

"See? He likes the name," she said triumphantly to her husband. "You want to be called James, yes you do!" She smiled at her baby.

"Fine, but I'm telling Cuddy that it was your idea!"

Cameron just smiled. "James Gregory House," she said simply.

-