A/N: This is the last of Cameron's story about her deep, dark past. I know it's kind of intense, but I promise some lighter times are coming. Thanks to all who are reading & reviewing.

Chapter 10

Cameron allowed House to lead her out of the hospital and onto his bike. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist this time with no hesitation. The ride home was slower than she remembered their last ride being, and she wondered why. She could have used a little speed to clear her mind. Arriving at House's apartment, she got off the bike and was so busy trying to unfasten the helmet that she didn't notice House's face as he got off.

"Here, go ahead and let yourself in," House said, handing Cameron the keys. "I'll take care of the helmet." She handed it to him silently and went inside.

Once her back was turned, House began to rub his right let. It hurt. Not terribly, but for the first time in the few months since his ketamine treatment. He paused for just a moment to think about what this meant, but he pushed it out of his mind, unwilling to consider that the treatment was wearing off. It could be just a cramp, after all. He wasn't exactly a kid anymore. He walked slowly inside, his limp just slightly more noticeable than it had been.

Cameron was sitting on his couch, staring at the TV although it wasn't on. House hung up his coat and dropped his bag on the floor. Without consulting Cameron, he picked up the phone and ordered Chinese food. He sat down on the couch next to Cameron, and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Talk," he said. Cameron took a deep breath.

"That patient we had last week," Cameron began. "The one who was pregnant, she just reminded me of things I haven't thought about in a long time."

"It wasn't your fault," House said simply.

"Not this time," Cameron said, and House wondered what she meant by that. Had she lost a pregnant patient before when it was her fault?

"You once asked me if I'd ever lost a child, do you remember?" House nodded yes. "Then you said you pulled my medical records and saw I'd never been prescribed folic acid, which meant I'd never been pregnant." House nodded his agreement again; this was all true, and not news to him. "You were wrong."

House looked at her incredulously. He realized that he'd really only glanced at her medical records, but he was pretty sure he would have noticed a pregnancy in there.

"When?" House asked.

"When I was in high school, of course. I was a smart girl, but being high all the time does tend to mess with your judgment. I got pregnant. It was bound to happen, with all the pills I was getting from my dealer I owed him quite a bit. He never missed a payment." Cameron looked at House. She wanted to continue, but she wasn't sure he really wanted to hear this. He just looked at her.

"My parents were very religious. I was too, actually. I knew if I told my parents they'd want me to get married, and who was I going to tell them the father was, my dealer? He wouldn't have cared anyway. I knew if they found out I'd never get out of that town. So, I lied," Cameron paused when she heard a knock at the door. House got up and paid the delivery boy who'd brought their food and then came back to sit next to Cameron again, setting the bag on the coffee table.

"I told my parents I made friends with a new girl at school and I was going to stay at her house for the weekend and we were going to study. They never asked me a lot of questions; they had no reason to think I would lie. I took the bus to the city and went to a free clinic. I gave them a fake name, it was pretty simple." By now, Cameron had begun to cry. House knew what was coming next, but he also knew Cameron needed to tell this story to somebody. He took the food out of the bag while she cried, and handed her a container of stir-fried vegetables and a set of chopsticks. She smiled at him, and began pushing the food around.

"You had an abortion," House said, sensing that she was unable to actually say the words. She nodded in silence.

"I didn't follow the instructions they gave me. I couldn't; I had to work and study and to do that I needed the drugs. I got an infection. I had to go back to the clinic, and that's when I found out. I had so much scarring on my fallopian tubes, that I would not be able to get pregnant again. I can't have children." She put the container of food on the table and rested her head in her hands.

"That woman," she spoke to the floor. "She knew she was pregnant and she knew she was sick. She was afraid if her boyfriend found out that he'd want to get married and keep the baby and she didn't want it. So she didn't go to the doctor. She knew something was wrong with her, but she didn't care. She killed her baby just like I killed mine." Now Cameron began to sob, and House wasn't sure what to do. He'd never been good with crying women, but this was Cameron, so he put his arms around her and held her tight while she cried.

She didn't cry for long. He was amazed at her strength. He'd always thought she was weak for letting the babies and the pregnant moms get to her so easily. Now he knew better. She wiped her face and looked at him, and he was struck by just how beautiful she was, even in her pain.

"Eat that," he said. She smirked at him. "When was the last time you ate anything?" He asked her.

"I don't remember," Cameron confessed.

"Then eat, before you collapse. You may be tiny, and my leg may be okay, but I'm not carrying you to bed if you pass out from hunger," House warned, and she chuckled a bit.

"I've never told anyone that before. Not my parents, not a friend. I never even told my husband." House gave her a strange look when she said that. "He had enough to deal with, he didn't need my drama on him too," Cameron explained.

"Why me?" House asked.

"Who else would I tell?" She asked back. He nodded at her slowly, and they ate in a companionable silence.