Chapter 28 - Distractions

"Did she really try to off herself, Dad?" asked Alysa, saddened.

"No..." said House to his daughter, "I think she just wanted to get high..."

"Well, obviously she doesn't know how to get high without passing out." Alysa forced a smile.

"She's not as good as me when it comes to drugs." House wiggled his eyebrows and popped a single Vicodin.

Alysa laughed.

House rode in the ambulence at Cameron's side. Wilson drove Cuddy, Angi, and Alysa in his car to PPTH. They went as fast as they could, but Wilson was careful not to hit anyone this time!

When they got to the hospital, House limped after the EMTs who took Cameron straight up to the ICU for a blood transfusion.

"You know how much vicodin was in her blood, Dr. House?!" said one of the EMTs, surprised.

"No, tell me, I'm DYING to hear." House glared at him and the EMT walked away. House headed up to attend to Cameron in the ICU. So far, the blood transfusion was going fine. House thought it ironic. All those blood drives Cameron had participated in; she might actually be getting her own blood. The thought brought a small smile to his face, but then it wiped away as he drifted back to reality. How had she become this... damaged young girl? What made her so depressed? House rubbed his head and sat down at her bedside as Wilson, Cuddy, and Angi rushed in.

"How is she?" asked Angi.

"Transfusion's going fine," said House. "She'll be awake and fine by morning."

Angi sighed. "Thank God."

Wilson grabbed Cuddy by the waist, and she pulled him into a hug.

Angi sat down in a chair in the corner with Alysa in her lap.

"House," said Wilson uneasily, "I really hate to do this, but..."

"It's fine," said House, "She'll be fine; you can go."

Wilson nodded and grabbed Alysa from Angi (it was their turn to have the little cutey). He and Cuddy left, holding hands.

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Several hours had past, and House's eyes hadn't left Cameron's face for a moment. Angi was wide awake, as well, staring at House. He looked so concerned. He really cared about Aly no matter what her parents had said, and she knew it.

House turned and looked at Angi. "Why?" he asked.

"Why what?" said a tear-stained Angi.

"Why... why is she so sad?"

Angi bit her lip and stared down at the floor. She rested her elbows on her knees and looked up at House. "You know about her husband... right?"

House nodded. That couldn't be it. Cameron wouldn't off herself because of that.

Angi nodded, "That's not all..."

"What is it?"

"Aly... Aly's been through a lot..." started Angi. "When I was 16, and Aly was only 11, me and my sister --"

"You have another sister?"

Angi started crying, "Me and my twin sister, Renee, were headed out to a party."

"You have twin... named Renee?"

Angi nodded, "We always did everything together, and naturally, Aly tried to tag along. We didn't mind so much... but... this party wasn't for her. We went to the party. Some idiot brought beer. Renee's boyfriend got drunk, and I didn't want her to see him like that. He really was a great guy, just not the brightest..."

House nodded. Sounded like someone he knew...

"And... well... I told her I wanted to leave, and she agreed. We left, fine and everything. But Bobby, her boyfriend, was angry. He didn't want Renee to leave him like that." Angi bit her lip and started crying. She had tried to forget the story, but it was so vivid in her mind. "Bobby got in his car and drove after us... drunk. he crashed into us. I was fine, but Renee didn't make it." She started crying. "Aly took it so bad. She stuffed her face in books, trying to find whatever she could to distract her mind from the world..." Angi cried. "That's why she's a doctor, Greg... She... wants a job where she can do her best to help people, but at the same time, a job that is so time consuming that it distracts her from the rest of the world." Tears fell down her face.

House nodded and then shook his head. Cameron had tried to distract herself with books, school. All House resorted to was drugs. Cameron looked better, but now SHE was the druggy. It was his time to be the smart one.

"That car accident..." started House, "The one I was in the night Alysa was born... Alysa would have died if it weren't for Allison."

"What?"

"She's the one that found us on the side of the road."

"What was she doing out so late?"

"A coworker was taking her home from this guy's house, another coworker actually. The idiot had tried to get her drunk. He was drunk himself."

Angi looked intently at House.

"Cameron found us..."

"And?"

"Chase, the guy she was with earlier, was the one that hit us. He didn't want Allison leaving him like that."

Angi cried. Her poor sister! She was probably so worried about her friends. How could someone go through as much as her with the poise she had? She had no clue. Angi shook her head, "Aly... poor... Aly..."

House ducked his head and looked back at Cameron.