CHAPTER 25

"House, how's everything going? You ever coming back or should we give Collins your office?"

"Wilson, it's Cameron."

"Oh, hey! Where's House?"

"In the bathroom. We're in Michigan. His mom was in a car accident."

"Oh, god. Is she okay?"

"She's in a coma. It's not looking too good actually."

"Think I should come out there?"

"Maybe. I'll keep you posted on what's happening, and if it takes a turn for the worse, I'll call you."

"Thanks. How's he doing?"

"Beside himself."

"I can imagine. A lifetime of drama condensed into less than a week. Even a well-adjusted person would lose it."

Cameron breathed a small chuckle. "Yeah, it's really rough. I walked in on him crying in his mom's room."

"I'm sure he loved that."

"Yeah," Cameron said noncommittally. His reaction to her consolation probably wasn't something he'd want advertised.

"God, I haven't seen him cry since… I think since his surgery. I take it his dad's there. They haven't killed each other yet?"

"They haven't seen much of each other. I've managed to keep them apart so far, but they're going to have to talk sometime."

"You've been busy. How are you holding up?"

"Okay, I guess," she said, a bit surprised. She hadn't considered that.

"You haven't taken a minute to yourself, have you?"

"He needs someone right now."

"Yeah. You know, as horrible as this thing is, it's a good thing it happened now that he has you. Just remember to take care of yourself. And call me if you need me."

"Thanks. I'll talk to you soon."

Just as she flipped House's phone closed, she saw him rounding the corner coming toward her. He looked 10 years older and 10 pounds thinner. She walked up to him wordlessly and nestled herself under his arm. He kissed the top of her head and gave her a comforting squeeze. She looked up at him with an encouraging smile, and the two of them sat next to each other on the bench outside of her room. She offered him her hand, and he accepted it, holding it between both of his on his lap, rubbing and squeezing and playing with it nervously.

"Have you seen my dad?"

"He's in there with her."

He sighed and nodded and looked at the floor. A moment later, the door opened and John House walked out. House dropped Cameron's hand. His whole body tensed as his father sat down next to him on the bench and rested his head against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. "How much longer is this gonna go on?"

"Hard to say," House responded coldly.

"Come on, you've been a doctor for 30 years and you don't have a better answer for me than that?"

"Mr. House, I'm sorry. There's no way anyone can know at this point. The doctors here are doing everything they can for her, and your son and I are both watching her condition very closely, but for the moment it's out of our control." It was obvious to Cameron why House hated his father. The worst part about him was that when he made those kinds of comments, he really did mean them jokingly. He was just the most insensitive man imaginable, and thought that if someone was offended by something he said, that was a reflection on them, not himself, and if they couldn't take a joke, they were weak.

"Well then what's the point of being here?"

With that, House stood up and headed toward the elevators.

"Greg, where are you going?"

"Well, if there's no point in being here, why am I here?" The elevator arrived. "You coming?" he said to Cameron, and she joined him in the elevator. House glared at his father as the doors closed.

"Where are we going?" asked Cameron.

"To get a hotel. I'm not staying here all night."

"But what if something happens?"

"She's stable, she's not gonna die tonight."

"What if she wakes up?"

"Then I'll get to see her tomorrow."

Cameron sighed. "Okay." House gave her a curt nod.

In an hour they were situated in their hotel room, having ordered room service for a late dinner. They were lying together on the bed, when Cameron said, "I have a question."

House groaned.

"Do you think it's weird that I call you House and not Greg?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. Now that we've…"

"—Become closer?" he said with a smirk.

"Yeah. You don't think it's weird that I still call you by your last name? I don't know what to call you to your father."

"You don't have to call me anything to him. My mom's probably not going to make it out of this. And if that's the case, neither one of us will ever have to talk to him again."

They lay in silence for a moment, and then House continued talking as if he'd never stopped. "And my mom is the last person in the world that I care about that calls me Greg. When she dies, I never wanna hear anybody call me Greg again."

Cameron nodded. "Good night, House."

"Good night, Allison."