DISCLAIMER: House MD belongs to FOX, not me. Remember, if you hate, don't review!

AN. I don't actually know if the delivery guy would wait for her to sign the papers, but it happened in a Danielle Steele movie I saw once (Heartbeat... about a woman whos husband leaves her when she gets pregnant and she falls in love with another guy. Sounds sorta familiar?)

Ten

"Dr. Allison Cameron?"

"Yeah," Cameron nodded, smiling politely at the man standing on her doorstep one early September morning.

He handed her an envelope, and she knew instinctively what it was. Her final divorce papers.

"Great, thanks," she said, taking the envelope.

"What's is it?" House asked sleepily, limping out from the bedroom as she pulled the papers from the envelope and set them on the table.

"The papers," she replied, grabbing the nearest pen.

House watched as she signed them all with a flourish without reading them, and promptly returned them to the man waiting patiently outside and closing the door.

"Done!" she announced triumphantly, and House wrapped her arms around her as best he could, with her large eight- month pregnant stomach between them.

"How do you feel?" he asked her carefully.

She considered it for a moment and grinned. "Like I could really go for some pancakes with ice cream right now," she said truthfully and House laughed.

"Sounds good to me," he replied and the baby kicked in response to their voices.

"Ow!" Cameron winced slightly, and rubbed the spot, which only prompted the baby to kick more.

"You sit down while I get breakfast," House ordered and she didn't resist, sinking gratefully onto the couch and switching on the TV.

"I spoke to Chase and Foreman yesterday," she said as they ate.

"Are they both coming out next month?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Foreman's bringing Sara, but Hilary can't come. She's got this presentation she has to do. But she's going to Australia with Chase after, so I guess that's the main thing."

"They're not staying here, are they?" House asked warily and she laughed.

"No. For some reason, our couch or the nursery floor didn't appeal to them. So, they've got hotel bookings. At separate hotels," she rolled her eyes.

House smiled faintly, gazing out of the corner of his eye at the ready and waiting nursery. It was actually a small alcove off the living room House had previously used for a small study. But when Cameron had reached her third trimester, and they realised they had no place for the baby, House had, with Wilson's help, transformed it into what it stood as now. It was small and open, and he knew it would only be suitable for a few months once the baby arrived, but it would do till then.

"So, what do you want to do today to celebrate?" he asked her.

She paused. "I want us to watch that movie Dr. Stewart gave us last week."

House grimaced. "The one of the birth? No thanks."

"Greg, come on! She said it could really help prepare me mentally for the birth," she pleaded.

"Allison, I'm a doctor, you're a doctor. We've both seen babies be born before," he said pointedly.

"Yeah, but I wasn't pregnant then," she replied. When House didn't relent, she gave up.

"Fine. Whatever, I'll watch it by myself," she said disappointedly, trying to stop herself from crying.

House sighed, knowing how sensitive she was in her current state, and could have kicked himself for making her cry. He hated it when she was upset, and it didn't take much these days.

"No, we'll watch it together," he comforted her. "You're right. It's different now. I'll put it in."

He did so, and she leaned against him when he resumed his seat next to her on the couch, a silent thank you. They watched the film in silence, and as it finished, House glanced at Cameron for the first time.

Her eyes were wide and she seemed shaken by what she had seen.

"Allie?"

She looked up at him and swallowed hard. "What if something goes wrong?"

House sighed and squeezed her hand. "Al, nothing will go wrong. Everything will be fine," he assured her but she wasn't convinced.

"You don't know that for sure," she pressed and he kissed the top of her head in comfort.

"Yes, I do. I promise, it'll be fine and we're going to have a beautiful, healthy baby," he swore and she nodded weakly.

"Ok."

"I think she's scared," House told Wilson the next day.

Wilson frowned. "Of giving birth?"

"Not so much giving birth, but the possibility something might go wrong whilst she's giving birth."

"Well, that's understandable," Wilson mused thoughtfully. "She's a doctor, after all. She knows just how much can go wrong."

"But she also knows, as a doctor, that the majority of births have nothing go wrong," House said pointedly.

Wilson shook his head. "House, she's not thinking as a doctor. She's thinking as a pregnant woman, about to have her first child. Possibly her only child."

House was stung. "Well, I don't know about that," he muttered and Wilson's eyes widened.

"Are you going to have more kids?" he asked eagerly.

"We haven't talked about it," House admitted. "But I don't want to rule anything out. This whole pregnancy thing... I've been thinking of it as my kid, even though there's a little voice always reminding me that it's not biologically mine. And I've just been thinking, I wouldn't mind so much if it was my kid. But I haven't talked to Allison about it."

Wilson smiled softly. "House, we both know she'd jump at the chance to have your baby. But I'd probably wait until after she's had this baby first. If she's as nervous as you say; discussion of future babies may not be her top priority."

Foreman and Chase flew in on the same day, a week before Cameron's due date, as planned. By fortune, their planes landed within an hour of each other at nearby gates. All Cameron had to do was convince House to come with her to meet the boys.

"Come on, you know I can't fit behind the wheel anymore!" she pleaded. "Don't you want to see them?"

"Not especially," House replied truthfully.

In the end, he gave in though, and now he stood next to Cameron in the airport, as she searched excitedly amongst the disembarking passengers from the San Francisco flight.

"Rob!" she suddenly called, grinning and waving through the crowd, and House turned to see Chase coming towards them, also grinning excitedly, shaking his head in wonder as he took in Cameron's appearance. He looked exactly as he had three years ago, his hair a little shorter and his dress sense a little sharper, but essentially, he looked the same.

"Oh my god!" he exclaimed, when he was within earshot and embraced Cameron warmly.

"Look at you!"

She blushed happily. "I know. How are you?"

"I'm great. How are you feeling?" he asked in sincere concern, so that House was slightly less unenthusiastic to see him.

"I'm really good," she assured him, and placed his hand on her stomach.

"Wow!" he whistled through his teeth as his hand was met with a fierce kick. "She's got a strong touch!"

Cameron beamed proudly at him, and then he turned to House. "Hey, House. Good to see you again."

House nodded and shook the hand he offered. "Thanks. You still at San Francisco General?"

Chase nodded. "Yeah, Head of Intensive Care. When's Eric get in?"

Cameron checked her watch. "Uh, not long. About twenty minutes. How's Hilary?"

Chase's face visibly brightened. "She's great. She really wishes she could have come and met you guys, but she has a huge presentation at work."

"It's fine, we'll meet her next time. She's in advertising, yeah?" Cameron double checked.

"Yeah."

"So how did you meet someone in advertising?" House asked curiously.

Chase grinned at Cameron before answering, and he knew what he was thinking. Same old House.

"I met her in the hospital cafeteria after her sister-in-law had a baby," he explained. "We started talking, and it kind of led from there. So, have you guys got any names picked out yet?"

Cameron grinned. "Yeah. You'll find out in a week."

He gave her an exasperated look. "Oh come on, Al. You won't even tell some of the names you didn't pick?"

"No," she smiled smugly and Chase sighed.

"What if we guess?"

She laughed. "You think you can guess what name we picked?"

Chase nodded. "Sure. Eric and I were talking about it last week, trying to guess what kind of name you'd pick."

"Well, considering it's a girl, I'm guessing that would be a start," House added helpfully.

Chase laughed. "Obviously. Well, we thought you'd pick a name you can shorten; nothing too... Hollywood; and something that works with House."

House was startled by this, but Cameron simply nodded in interest. He couldn't recall Cameron ever saying she was giving the baby his name, but she didn't correct Chase, so maybe she had just assumed he knew? As they were waiting for the Seattle flight to land, Cameron and Chase talked steadily and comfortably as they collected Chase's bags, and talked about his upcoming trip to Australia. And then Foreman was coming to greet them, not having changed at all, and he was leading a beautiful dark-skinned woman behind him. House watched as he and Chase shook hands warmly, before he embraced Cameron and made the expected comment on the size of her stomach.

"Guys, this is Sara. Sara, this is Allison and Rob," he introduced them and Sara smiled pleasantly at them.

"Hi, it's nice to finally meet you," she said, shaking their hands.

"You too, it's nice to speak to you in person," Cameron laughed and then pulled House forward.

"Sara, this is Greg House. Greg, this is Eric's fiancée Sara."

"Hi, Dr. House," she shook his hand and Foreman did too, smiling faintly at him.

"Hey, House. How's it going?"

"Fine," he replied shortly.

They left the airport after collecting the bags and then went to dinner. House didn't talk much throughout the meal, but when Cameron and Sara went to the bathroom, he took a deep breath and turned to them.

"It means a lot to Allison that you're here," he said uncomfortably.

Foreman grinned. "She's our friend. Besides, did you really think we'd pass up the chance to see you two together?"

House rolled his eyes. Over dessert, the two boys tried to guess what name the couple had picked for the baby, but to Cameron's delight, they didn't even come close. House, of course, made fun of them repeatedly, before they fell to telling Sara stories of their old cases. Cameron had planned things for them for the entire week so they could catch up as much as possible before the baby came.

The next day, they met up with House, Wilson and Cuddy for lunch at the hospital.

"Believe it or not," Chase said as they ate. "The food is so much better here than in San Francisco! I try not to even go in the cafeteria, unless I really feel like a case of food poisoning."

Foreman and Cameron laughed. "The hospital food in Ireland was actually pretty good," Cameron admitted. "But then again, all the food in Ireland was pretty good," she laughed.

"What's the food like in Seattle?" Cuddy asked Foreman and Sara.

The two exchanged a glance. "I think it's about the same. All hospital food tastes the same to me," Foreman shrugged.

As they talked, Cameron suddenly laughed. "Oh my god! You guys should totally come up and meet the new fellows!"

Chase and Foreman grinned. "Oh, I think we should," Chase agreed.

"What are their specialties?" Foreman asked.

"Lee's an oncologist, Potter's a radiologist, and Radcliffe's a gynaecologist," Cameron told them.

Chase laughed. "A gynaecologist? How much help is that?"

"Not a lot," House conceded.

"But she entertains Greg by having public fights with her boyfriend at least once a week," Cameron informed them dryly.

"Of course," Foreman said knowingly.

Chase frowned. "What can they fight about every week that has to said in public?"

House shrugged. "Anything really. Last week it was the Halloween decorations he wanted to buy that Radcliffe thought was a waste of money. But they sounded like wicked cool decorations," he said to Wilson, who nodded in agreement.

So after lunch, Cameron and House led Chase, Foreman and Sara back up to the Diagnostic's office, where the fellows were eating their own lunches.

"Hey, Allison," Potter greeted her as they entered.

"Hi," she returned smiling, and Radcliffe looked up in interest.

"Wow, you've dropped! It won't be long now," she predicted.

"With any luck," Cameron grinned. "Uh, guys these are Lee, Potter and Radcliffe. This is Eric Foreman and Robert Chase," she introduced them politely.

"You worked here too, didn't you?" Lee asked quizzically, and they nodded.

"Does anyone else feel a weird sense of déjà vu?" Chase asked as they left minutes later.

Foreman frowned. "You felt déjà vu? I just felt old," he complained, and Cameron laughed.

It was only two days before Cameron's due date, and Chase and Foreman had been in Princeton for three days. Whilst House was at work, Cameron invited Chase and Foreman over to show them the nursery and they stayed for lunch, as Sara went sight-seeing.

"I just can't get over the fact that you're in a relationship with House!" Chase commented, shaking his head.

Cameron smiled lightly. "I know what you mean. The first few months... it was weird. Because I knew I was doing the right thing, but going from employer-employee to... whatever we were the last three years, and then in a relationship... it felt so surreal."

Foreman smiled gently. "Well, you seem really happy, Al. I mean, the only time we met Brent was just before the wedding... and you looked happy enough, but nothing like this."

"I did love Brent," she said cautiously. "And we were happy, at first. But what I have with Greg..."

"It's your history," Chase added. "It's not the most traditional relationship, but you guys have a history. That's why it's different."

After lunch, Cameron was just finishing the dishes when she suddenly straightened, a strange look on her face.

"Allison?" Foreman frowned, noticing her expression. "Are you okay?"

Cameron's brow furrowed, and she was silent for a long time before answering. "I think my water just broke."

Immediately, Chase and Foreman were by her side. "Are you sure?" Chase asked quickly.

She gave him an exasperated look and he shrugged. "Yeah, stupid question. Sorry."

"Come on, we'll get you to the hospital," Foreman said assuring her and taking her arm.

Cameron seemed calm, but slightly shaken as she nodded. "Ok. Rob, can you get my suitcase? It's in the front closet."

He hurried to do so, as Foreman helped her out to the car. Just as she buckled her seatbelt, a pain like an iron fist gripped her stomach and she winced, involuntarily inhaling sharply.

"Contraction?" Foreman asked her worriedly.

She nodded and flashed him a weak smile. "Yeah. No sweat."

Foreman drove her car to PPTH, and Chase sat next to her, keeping her calm. Cameron warned him not to call House until they had reached the hospital.

"Why?" Foreman frowned.

"Because I don't want to subject the nurses on the maternity floor to him until after the baby's born," she replied and the three shared a grin.

So, when they arrived at the hospital, Foreman checked Cameron in and helped her up to maternity, whilst Chase was elected to find House and tell him they were here.

"Why didn't you call me?" he demanded, limping as fast as he could into her room minutes later.

She rolled her eyes. "Will you chill? I didn't call because there was nothing you could've done. There's still nothing you can really do, so just relax!"

She turned to Foreman and winced apologetically. "Eric, would you mind calling my mom? Let her know?"

He nodded. "Sure. I'll be right back."

"How are you so calm?" House demanded.

Cameron let out a shaky laugh. "I'm not. I'm trying to be, in the off-chance that relaxes the baby like Dr. Stewart told us to. I don't think it's working though."

"It is," he assured her.

Foreman returned shortly with the news that Joseph and Elizabeth were on the next flight out from Chicago; and he, Sara and Chase offered to meet them at the airport when they arrived.

"That would be great," she said gratefully. "Thanks, guys."

House had never experienced anything in his life, feeling as helpless as he did in the next fifteen hours, as Cameron's labour slowly progressed. When Joseph and Elizabeth arrived a short way in, he let Elizabeth sit with her daughter alone for a moment, and Joseph took House down to the cafeteria.

"You feel totally useless right now, huh?" he grinned at House who nodded reluctantly.

"It's insane! I don't know what's worse, being in the room and doing nothing or being out of the room and doing nothing," he sighed.

Joseph nodded knowingly. "Trust me, it's even worse when it's your kid."

House frowned. "You know this from experience?"

Joseph sobered, but nodded. "I got the mumps when I was in college, and Liz and I knew that meant a slim chance of having a baby of our own. So, we decided to adopt. And this twenty-two year old in Miami picked us. So, when she went into labour, Liz and I were in the room as she delivered the baby, Allie's sister, Beth. After Liz, of course. And then... three years later, we had a miracle occur and Allie was born. And trust me, knowing it's your biological child makes you feel that much useless.

I love Beth just as much as Allie, of course. But when her biological mother gave birth, it was awful knowing that she was giving us her baby after going through this immense pain. And then, watching Liz in labour, knowing it was you who's caused the woman you love to suffer like this... it's agony."

House was silent as he took this information in and then spoke quietly to Joseph. "I love Allison," he said solemnly. "I love that she didn't hesitate picking the life of her child over her husband; I love that she was willing to raise her child by herself, sacrificing the life she'd made in Ireland; and I love that she's willing to let me help her raise her daughter, after everything I've put her through, and even though there's no guarantee that I won't stuff this up, like I have every other relationship in my life," House spoke honestly, and Joseph surprised him by smiling at him.

"I know you love her. And I know she loves you. And the reason she's willing to raise her child with you, is because she loves you. And she believes that you love her enough to want to make this work. Not every man would offer to raise another man's child, Greg. She has faith that if you can hold that baby and treat her in every aspect as though she is your own, then you can commit to making a relationship work."

Joseph smiled and gestured upwards. "So, are you going to be in the delivery room?"

House stood up. "I wouldn't miss it."

At precisely 5.09 am, Ashley Grace House entered the world with a loud cry. Dr. Stewart held her up so that an exhausted, yet exhilarated Cameron could see her and then asked House to cut the umbilical cord. Awkwardly, he did so and then the nurse took the baby aside to clean her up.

"You did great," House whispered to Cameron.

She smiled softly. "Is she okay?"

Dr. Stewart answered for him. "She's perfect," she assured her. She had the clean, swaddled baby in her arms as she spoke and gently placed her in Cameron's arms.

"Oh!" she exclaimed softly, tears of happiness springing to her eyes. "Hi baby... hi, Ashley," she whispered to her, rocking her back in forth as the baby fixed her eyes upon her mothers.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asked House, looking up at him.

House nodded wordlessly, and held out his waiting arms. She was a perfect copy of Cameron. There was no physical sign, other than her actual presence, that another person had helped to create her.

Cameron, watching his features' soften as he held Ashley, smiled to herself. It was that image that she fixed in her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

House went home, ate, and slept for a few hours before returning to the hospital. Before leaving, he called his mother to inform him the baby had arrived, and she promised to come to Princeton the next day. House knew that Wilson, Chase, Sara, Foreman, Cuddy, and Joseph and Elizabeth were planning on visiting as soon as visiting hours opened for the afternoon, so after stopping to stare at Ashley sleeping in the nursery for a few moments, he continued to Cameron's room.

She was still sleeping when he entered, and a nurse was depositing a huge bouquet of flowers on the dresser.

"She's only just drifted off again," she said softly, and House nodded.

As she left the room silently, he noticed a piece of paper on the nightstand. Closer inspection, revealed it was Ashley's birth certificate and he pulled it towards him to read it.

NAME: Ashley Grace House

D.O.B: 05.09am, 28.10.2011

PLACE OF BIRTH: Princeton- Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

MOTHER: Allison Jane Cameron, 33

FATHER: Gregory John House, 51

A surprised, yet pleased smile spread over House's face. Although he had accepted responsibility for this child, and thought of her as his own; and although he had known Cameron was going to give the baby his name, seeing himself listed on her birth certificate as her father, gave House a feeling he had never expected.

"Hey," a voice murmured, and House looked up to see Cameron smiling at him peacefully.

"Hey," he replied, and leaned down to kiss her.

"Did you sleep?" she asked, sitting up slightly.

House rolled his eyes. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

She chuckled and House sat himself on the bed next to her, taking her hand in his.

"I want to run something past you," he said suddenly and she frowned.

"Ok."

House took a deep breath. "What do you think of maybe having another baby?"

Cameron wasn't expecting that, but recovered quickly. "Right this minute?" she teased and he laughed.

"No, not right this minute... maybe in a year or two. Just so the idea is on the table," he shrugged, trying to make his voice casual.

Cameron beamed and kissed him soundly. "There is nothing I want more in this world than to have your baby," she murmured, tears shining in her eyes.

Then she cocked her head in thought. "Except to see my other baby. And some chocolate cake," she revised and House kissed her deeply.

"I can probably get you some cake," he smiled.

"But-" Cameron continued, her voice so serious House frowned.

"What?"

She winced apologetically. "We're gonna have to move first," she told him and House laughed.

"We have time," he promised softly, drawing her close.

THE END

Sorry, abrupt ending! If you loved it and would like a sequel, I was thinking of maybe doing one where Cameron is pregnant with House's kid? Let me know!