Chapter 16
Author's Note: I apologize for the length of this chapter but its just a quickie to tide you over until the weekened. I have lots of homework this week :( but I will try and update before Saturday. Thank you so much for your reading support!
It had been eight days since her pneumothorax and Cameron was nearly ready to go home. "You ready?" House pulled her duffel bag from the closest, zipping it up and grabbing her coat from the hanger. Nodding, Cameron delicately pulled her thin body up from the bed and ignored the concerned glance from House. "Yeah, can you help me get this coat on?" She gripped the side of the bed as he gently helped her into the fuzzy, pink and white coat (a present from her mother that House said resembled an Easter Bunny), momentarily dizzy from the movement.
"Here," House brought the wheelchair over and she sat down gratefully, glad to give herself a rest. Ever since they had removed the tube the previous evening, House had made her get up and walk the halls with him to strengthen her muscles after so much time in bed. The process had been excruciatingly painful as every little movement jostled her broken ribs and the stitches that we inserted after the chest tube was removed. House had been patient though, and slowly the two of them limped and shuffled around the ward, causing nurses to stare at the unlikely pair. Wilson had blabbed to Foreman who told Chase that House and Cameron were a couple, and in turn Chase had told the entire nursing staff.
Swinging the duffel bag over his shoulder, House pushed Cameron out of the room and to the bank of elevators along the wall. The doors opened revealing a smiling Cuddy holding a beautiful red and green poinsettia with a large bow attached. "Hey! I was just looking for you two!" She pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, "Foreman has your car downstairs and I wanted to make sure you got this." She placed the poinsettia on Cameron's lap and gave her the card that was attached. "This is from the staff at the clinic and up in your ward."
Cameron's face lit up when she saw the flowers and she gave Cuddy a one-armed hug and a bright smile. "Thank you! It's beautiful." She brushed her fingers against the soft leaves and grinned, "Poinsettias always symbolized Christmas for me ever since I was a kid. I just love them!"
"You're welcome. And Christmas is coming in less than a month!" Cuddy glanced at House, "Don't you make her hide that plant House! You can stand a little Christmas cheer this year too." She gave Cameron another quick hug and strode off to talk to some nurses across the hall.
"Well," House said sarcastically, "I know someone who is going to get a lot of coal in their stocking this year! I hate poinsettias!"
The doors opened again and House pushed the wheelchair in pressing the ground button. Cameron laughed, "You know House, Cuddy is right. You could use a little Christmas cheer. By the way, did you let Foreman drive your Corvette?"
House scoffed, "No way in hell. I told him to pick up your Honda from the police station and bring it here so we can drive it back to my place. There is no sense in leaving it there until you go home, it will be just as safe at my house."
"Thanks." Cameron leaned her head back to look up at him and smiled. He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips just before the elevator doors opened and Foreman stood waiting on the other side with a huge stuffed teddy bear and a box of chocolates.
"Oh for the love of…" House rolled his eyes at the girlish present Foreman presented Cameron with and hit the other doctor in the shins with his cane. "Couldn't you get her a Nintendo or something?"
"Ouch! And no! Chase and I decided that because she was staying with you it would be much more fun to get her something feminine to put in your house. Cuddy helped out with the flowers but we decided we just had to add to the cause." He looked at Cameron and winked, "Besides, the chocolate will help you metabolize your pain meds better, that in itself is a medical reason."
"Never been proven," House grumbled, "But when I start coming to work covered in fairy dust, you can only blame yourself." He ignored Foreman's questioning look and took Cameron's car keys from his hand. "Can you help me get the Princess into her carriage?" he asked Foreman, dodging the elbow that Cameron threw back at him.
"I can get into my car by myself thank you!"
House rolled his eyes, "Yeah okay. Whatever you say Allison."
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After three minutes of watching Cameron try and maneuver into the passenger seat of her car, Foreman and House stepped in and had her settled in the seat just as the rain began to fall again. Foreman gave her a peck on the cheek and shut the door and rushed across the parking lot to get out of blowing rain.
House settled into the driver seat of the Honda, pushing the seat way back to fit his form. "Here are the rules," he turned to Cameron, shutting the radio off. "If you are going to puke, unroll the window or aim for the backseat and if you feel the need to fall asleep, don't do so on my shoulder. I wouldn't want anyone to see that and think I'm going soft."
"Ok House." Cameron smirked.
T.B.C...