Chasing Grace:

The Surprise

…

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

Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.

…

Wilson was seated on the couch, fuming. "I can't believe House lied to us."

Cuddy put her arm around him, a small smirk crossing her face. "Oh, I can believe that. What I can't believe is that Allison went along with it."

Wilson reached into his pocket violently and pulled out his cell phone. "That's it—I can't wait anymore. I'm calling!"

Cuddy simply shrugged, allowing him to make the call. Jack had given Wilson the hospital's number as well as House's room number when he'd called, so Wilson had no trouble getting in contact.

As soon as Wilson heard the phone pick up, he began his rant.

"What were you thinking? I've stood by you while you've done stupid things, but this is unbelievable! How could you?"

As soon as he paused for breath, a voice came on the line. "Wilson!" Cameron practically yelled into the phone. "This isn't Greg. It's Allison."

"Allison?" Wilson said, caught off guard.

She sighed. "He's in physio."

Cuddy reached for the phone. "Let me talk to her."

Wilson frowned at her. "But I'm talking."

Cuddy grabbed the phone out of his hand before he could react. She grinned. "Not anymore." She turned to speak into the phone. "Hey, Allison. Sorry about that."

Wilson rolled his eyes and wandered off.

"Wilson sounded more than a little upset," Cameron noted.

Cuddy sighed, glancing towards the door Wilson had gone through. "He is. He's hurt that he wasn't told anything. House means so much more than he's willing to admit, you know. To both of us." Her voice wobbled slightly. "Thank goodness he's okay, Allison."

…

"You know what we could do this weekend?" Lily asked with a hint of a smile.

Ben shook his head. "What could we do?" The pair sat on the couch, his fingers just brushing her waist.

"We could go visit your parents in Paris," she said softly.

Ben just stared at her. "Isn't that pretty far for a weekend trip? Won't we need plane tickets?"

Lily's smile grew and she giggled slightly. "Silly American," she joked, and he poked her in retaliation for her teasing. "We can take the train," she explained.

He looked at her oddly. "We can take a train across the English Channel?"

She nodded, a grin playing on her lips. "Not across it…under it."

That night they were on the overnight train to London, and would be up early to change trains to travel to Paris.

Ben was sure that Lily was more excited about this than he was, though of course he would be glad to see his dad. "It will be such a great surprise!" she squealed with delight when they had planned it all out.

This is why he needed her around.

…

Cameron sighed. The weeks of tests and therapies were wearing on them both. The excitement of having survived the surgery and subsequent coma had worn off, and the reality of these next few weeks had greeted them with a vengeance. Weekdays, weekends, none of it had any meaning anymore. The only day that meant something was the 18th—the day House would be released and they could finally hop on their flight home.

House was snapping at her. She understood. He was frustrated. He wasn't making progress as fast as he would like. Being House, he wanted to be able to do everything the first day he was up. Cameron was trying to accommodate him, but it was hard. They were together every day, in a monotony of rest and rehab, and they needed a break. They needed home.

She was alone in the room when a knock came on the door. "Come in," she called.

When the door swung open to reveal her son, Cameron was up like a shot. Her arms were around him before she could even process the idea that he was here.

When she finally pulled away, she was crying. "Mom!" Ben exclaimed worriedly.

Cameron wiped at the tears haphazardly. "I'm sorry, Ben. You shouldn't have to deal with this." She produced a shaky smile.

"It's alright, Mom. I know it's been hard," he replied, squeezing her shoulder lightly. It was all Cameron could do to keep from falling into his arms again, but she held back. She was the parent, he was the child. No matter how much he protested that it was okay, she was determined that she would stay strong for him.

Still, she couldn't help but tear up a little as she looked into those bright blue eyes that so mirrored his fathers'. He was the best of both of them, she knew. Both logical and moral, intelligent but understanding. His eyes, her hair. He was so grown up already, and yet he could go so much further.

She smiled, and finally asked the question they'd all been waiting for. "How did you get here?"

Ben's lips broadened into a grin. "We took the train! Lily planned it all out," he said, turning his head towards the redhead who stood to his side.

Cameron's smile turned towards the girl, who stepped forward. "Ben told me what you've been going through, and it sounds so awful," she said earnestly. "Please tell me if there's anything I can do to help!"

Cameron took Lily's hands in hers and squeezed them. "You've already brought my son to me. That's all I can ask." And before she realized what was happening, she was hugging the girl—the woman—who would soon be her daughter.

She wanted to love her, not to resent her for taking her son away, across the ocean and far from home. She was working on it, and this was step one.

As the two women pulled back and smiled at each other, it was Ben who spoke. "So, where's Dad?"

…

Cameron lay with her husband in his hospital bed, curled up at his side. Ben and Lily had just left.

"It was a good weekend, don't you think?" she asked her husband, her head against his shoulder.

House reached down and squeezed her hand. "The best," he said simply.

A smirk crossed Cameron's face. "You've gone soft," she teased.

"Have not," he argued indignantly, now dropping her hand like a hot potato.

Her grin grew. "Oh yes you have! When you first hired me, all those years ago, would you ever have admit that a weekend with your wife and kid would be the best ever?"

House harrumphed and turned away from her on the bed. "Don't tell. I have a reputation to protect."

Cameron's smile turned sweet as she snaked an arm around him. "Babe, I don't think it's been much of a secret the past twenty-five or so years. Since, oh… the first time you brought El into the office?"

"The nurses are still afraid of me," he grumbled.

Cameron laughed. "God knows why. You're basically a big teddy bear these days," she teased with a kiss at the back of his neck.

House turned towards her, nearly rolling over her in the process. She started to move away but he held her close, holding her almost nose-to-nose with him.

His bright blue eyes bored into hers for a moment before his lips moved to her ear. Hot breath sent shivers down her spine as he spoke. "You're a bad, bad girl. Soon as I get out of this hospital, I think some punishment is in order."

Cameron could feel herself getting damp with just the mere suggestion. It had been far too long since they'd been able to…

His eyes were boring into hers again, and her breath hitched. "That a threat?" she pushed herself to say, her breathing slightly labored.

"No," he replied with a slight shake of the head. "A promise."

…