Chapter 4 – Shoelaces

"Am I going to see Robert again?" Dani asked, handing Cameron a blue engine. She was babysitting her again, about a week after her memorable conversation with Chase.

"Probably not," Cameron replied, trying to sound casual, even though she knew it was stupid to feel intimidated by a three year old girl. "Look, Thomas is going to meet with…" She quickly picked up the green train and checked the name on the bottom. "Percy."

"That's not Thomas," Dani stated, pushing another blue train along the tracks.

"I know, it's Percy."

"No, that's not Thomas," Dani said, pointing at the one in Cameron's hand. "I have Thomas."

Cameron looked across at the girl, and down at the blue train she was playing with. She lifted up her own, and read the name on the underside. Gordon. She sighed inwardly.

When she was little, she always hated being one step behind Helen, who always seemed to know everything, always seemed to be just that little bit better.

Cameron used to play the clarinet. So did Helen. It really got to Cameron how she was always one grade below her sister. She even resented the fact that her mother had made Helen do more practice!

But what was worse than being told you were wrong by your older sister, was being told you were wrong by a toddler.

"Sorry, Gordon then."

A knock was heard. Cameron was grateful for the interruption. She stood up.

"That'll be your mom," she told Dani, who had ignored the sound. Cameron glanced at the clock. 4:20. "She must've got off early. Don't worry about this," she gestured around her, "I'll pack it up. Come and put your shoes on."

Dani immediately put her toys down and followed Cameron to the front door.

Helen was always complaining about how hard it was to be a parent, but if Dani was anything to judge by, Cameron thought it couldn't be too hard.

Cameron opened the door.

"You're always saying what a handful she is," Cameron greeted the visitor, "But she's really- Chase. You're not Helen."

"Or Louise, incidentally. I think she's a floor up."

Cameron immediately wished she wasn't wearing such an old pair of jeans.

"Come in." She held the door for him. Chase stepped forward, and Cameron shut it behind him.

"What's up? Do you want a drink?"

"Yeah, thanks." Chase stood awkwardly by the door.

Cameron passed by Dani, tying her shoelaces slowly, and thought nothing of it.

"Water?"

"Sure. You're babysitting. Again. Is Helen your sister?"

Cameron stopped, holding two glasses.

"Yeah." Dani. Cameron set the glasses down and walked out to the front.

"Dani, sweetheart, you can take your shoes off," she said apologetically.

Cameron went back into the kitchen, and took out another small cup for Dani. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten her.

She filled two glasses at the sink while calling out to Chase.

"So what's up at the hospital?"

"Nothing horrible, House just…" he trailed off. Cameron took a carton of orange juice out for Dani; she wouldn't drink water, no matter what Cameron bribed her with.

"House just what?" she prompted, taking up the drinks, and moving back towards Chase.

As she re-entered her living area, she noticed Chase still standing, by the bookcase.

"Sit," Cameron offered, handing him his water. Dani had reluctantly undone her shoelaces, and was wandering over to Cameron, who gave her the cup of juice. Dani took it and sat down where she was standing.

"Thanks." Chase sat. "House was just asking for his immunologist."

Cameron sat down next to Chase on the sofa, sipping her own water.

"Why?"

"He wants you for some test, I think. In the labs."

"He couldn't've paged me?"

"'Course he could. Just thought you'd respond quicker to me."

Cameron didn't know whether to laugh or not. She had finished her drink and noticed that Chase had, too. She took his glass, and went to put it upside down on the draining board.

"We'd better get going then," Cameron said briskly, picking up her keys from the kitchen counter. "Dani…" She smiled repentantly. "You need to put your shoes back on."

Dani stared reproachfully up at Cameron, but didn't say anything as she moved to follow Cameron's order.

Dani was unusually quiet. Up until Chase had made an appearance, she'd been quite talkative. Cameron had almost expected Dani to give Chase a hug or something.

"I can look after her."

Cameron stopped moving around so quickly, and looked up at Chase.

"Would you?"

Chase shrugged. "I'm easy. Besides, House doesn't need me."

Cameron went over to where Dani was retying her shoes. Cameron crouched down in from of her.

"You don't mind being left with Robert for a couple of hours while I just pop down to the hospital?"

Dani smiled and shook her head, though her mouth was still clamped firmly shut.

"Good girl," Cameron said lightly. "Take off your shoes, and you can get Robert to play with you." Cameron stood up. "I'd better write a note to Helen." She hurriedly tore off a sheet of paper from a pad, and scribbled out an explanatory message for her sister. She folded it in half and wrote her sister's name on it. She placed it carefully on the table near her door.

"Give that to Helen if she comes back before I do," she instructed Chase.

He raised his hand in salute. Cameron couldn't help but laugh.

"I'd better get changed," she said, feeling instantly self-conscious. "I look a mess."

"There's nothing wrong with it," Chase observed.

"Yeah, but that's coming from you," Cameron said, raising her voice slightly as she walked out of the living room, and into her bedroom.

"And what's wrong with that?" Chase asked indignantly.

"Well, just in general," Cameron said, opening her closet, glancing through, and quickly picking out something suitable, "men aren't known for their dress sense. Some less than others," she added in an undertone. She increased the volume again. "I can say, however, that I always take in your tie each morning. It's the variety in your somewhat dull dress code."

"Thanks," she heard Chase mumble as she re-entered the room. She smiled.

"Right, I'm off," she announced to the room. "Have fun, you two."

Before she left, Cameron noticed that Dani wasn't in the room.

"You'd better go play with her," Cameron advised, "otherwise she'll hate you."

"Thanks for the tip," Chase said uncertainly. He got up off the sofa to follow Dani.

Cameron suddenly had second thoughts about letting Chase look after her niece.

"Are you ok with this?" she asked him.

"Yes. Don't worry." He grinned reassuringly at her.

"Right. Well, if she gets restless, put on a Thomas the Tank Engine video. They're in that drawer," Cameron said, pointing. "And if she's thirsty, she won't drink water – yeah, I know, don't ask me how her mother gets her to, I've no idea, but she won't touch it over here. There's orange juice on the shelf of the fridge for her."

"Calm down, Cameron. It'll only be an hour of so. I can handle it. And I'm sure she'll tell me anything I need to know; she seems a smart kid."

Cameron still wasn't at complete piece of mind with the arrangement, but it was better than taking her to the hospital. And Chase was right. He was fully capable of babysitting a kid for a couple of hours. She couldn't have been in better hands; if there was an emergency…well, he was a doctor. And Dani would ask Chase for anything she wanted.

"Ok," she said. "Fine. Everything's good. I'm going."

She supposed Chase could still see she was slightly tense, because he said, "Cameron. Relax. Go do your tests. She'll be in one piece when you get back."

Cameron smiled. She didn't know why she didn't trust Chase. Thinking this, she lost all doubts.

"Bye, Dani!" she called, as she closed the front door.