The ride to Cameron's apartment was quiet, as Cameron pulled into her car space she looked at Cess, "Do you want to wait in the car while I gather up some things or would you like to come in?"
Cecilia looked at her, tiredness beginning to show at the edges of her eyes, "I think I'll rest here if you don't mind, it's been a long day" Cess smiled weakly before Cameron got out of the car.
10mins later Cameron came rushing out of her apartment, bags and clothes hanging off her, stuffing the assortment into the back of the car she emerged into the front, "Sorry, I didn't want you waiting for too long, are you hungry?" Cameron apologized
"Oh…um…just a little, we can make a salad at home if you like" Cess suggested
"Salad sounds great, got any chicken? I know a great dressing to go with warm chicken salad" Cameron smiled starting the car
"That sounds great; I haven't had anything except diet hospital food for a few weeks!" Cess laughed
"And we all know how great that is, diet though? I would have thought Wilson would have had you on normal food?" Cameron asked confused
"I'm diabetic, type 2…it's OK though, I'm diet controlled, and since I'm a health food fanatic it really doesn't bother me. I mean I get junk occasionally, but not as often as say, House would!" Cess smiled explaining
"Oh, so the drinking would have…" Cameron thought out loud
"Sent my levels haywire, dropping my immunity and the cancer hit home faster than expected; It's never been like that though, I'm usually able a few drinks before stopping, not passing out" Cess looked worried, "Maybe it's progressing"
"I doubt that, if you're doing a good job with the diet control, your weight is no where near the levels to induce it to type 1. You're doing the right thing by your health Cess, it was probably the cancer playing with your body" Cameron smiled reassuringly as they came to a stop at the lights
"Oh turn left down here, it's the first set of apartments on your right" Cess directed
After successfully parking at the right building, Cess and Cameron began the tiresome effort of unpacking the car, "You know we could just leave everything here and get Jimmy over tomorrow" Cess called out
"Why don't you just let me do it?" the gruff voice of a certain doctor sounded from behind them
"Uncle Greg!" Cess smiled
"Hey you, how are you feeling?" he asked looking over Cess
"Really tired, hungry and exhausted…hang on tired and exhausted are the same thing" Cess smiled shaking her head
"Why don't you take this money Cameron, go get us junk and her healthy and be back in say half an hour, I need to talk to Cess" House shoved a fifty at Cameron
"Sure, be back soon" Cameron took the money, and drove off in search of the right foods.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Cess asked ushering House inside
"Wilson actually, he feels bad for the drinking the other week, he said it caused your body to accelerate the cancer, being your diabetic" House shrugged sitting on her couch, "Hey nice couch"
"Yea, its new" Cess smiled, "It's not his fault, I should've known, well we all should've but I drank it"
House took in Cecilia's ragged appearance, knowing full well that she was trying to hide most of it, "How are you really lil C?" House asked taking hold of her hands
Cess laughed, "Dr House, you better watch out people might think you're going soft!"
"Don't change the topic, I'm actually being serious for once, which I know full well no one would believe but still…I'm trying Cessy"
"I know big G, it's going to take some time I know that" Her head dropped as she forced back tears, "It hurts a LOT, the pain killers aren't working for long enough, I feel so useless like this Uncle Greg" Cess broke
"Hey come here" He pulled her towards him, embracing her in the tightest hug he could without actually hurting her, "You're right, it will take time, but you've got me, Jimmy and Cameron will be here all the time. Everyone is wanting you to get better so you will" House smiled
"Why don't you let her in?" Cess asked changing the topic suddenly
"What? Who?" House asked
"Cameron, I can see how she feels about you and well, you're just as easy if you know how to look" Cess asked looking up at him, tears in her eyes, "Stacey can't stop you from enjoying life"
"She already has" House replied
"No she hasn't, you've still got one and half legs, more if you actually went to any of the therapy!" Cess cried, "You just don't want to do anything because you're scared of getting hurt, well guess what Uncle Greg, everyone is, so you're not that different to the rest of us" her voice had begun to rise
"No Cess that's where you are wrong" House began
"No you're wrong! You always have been wrong, ever since the infarction you've been wrong! You are letting her ruin your life as we speak!" Cess grew softer
"Look, she needs something to fix, yes I do like her…a lot, but nothing will change how she sees me" House finished softly
"No, she loves you" Cess replied getting up, "Drink? I have juice, milk or water?"
"Uh…got any coffee?" House asked joining her in the kitchen
"Yes, I'm pretty sure I do, top left cupboard" she pointed
House opened the cupboard to reveal numerous types of coffee and none of the regular, "I rephrase do you have normal coffee?"
"There should be some at the back, sorry but I only drink flavored coffee or mocha" Cess smiled
"Figures" House muttered
"Hey! I'm back" Cameron called from the front door
"We're in the kitchen, want coffee?" Cess called
"Sure…House I never knew you liked Hazelnut coffee flavors" Cameron sniggered
"I couldn't find the normal coffee" House grumbled taking his cup to the dining table
"I'll take the food to the table, help yourself, I have numerous flavors and tea as well" Cess called over her shoulder walking into the dinning room
Immediately House began sorting through the food, "Healthy, healthy, healthy, junk, healthy, junk, junk, more healthy…Cameron are you eating anything junkish?" House called
"Yea the dim sims are mine" she replied entering the room
Just as they were about to eat House's pager went off, '911 – Julie' House just burst out laughing, "Need to borrow the phone" House limped to the phone before dialing Wilson, "So what happened this time…uh hu…well I'm at Cess's…no Cameron is here too…" House covered the receiver, "Hey girls mind if Wilson joins us? Julie's on the rampage, something about not getting something she wanted or something" House laughed
"Sure, there's plenty" Cess smiled nervously, before turning to Cameron's beaming face
"What?" Cess asked
"You have a thing for Wilson don't you?" she smiled
"Not as bad as you have for my Uncle" Cess retaliated, Cameron's face dropped, "Oh crap, sorry, I heard he's been a jerk since the 'thing' came back" Cess growled
"I take it that the 'thing' is Stacey?" House asked sitting back down, "He'll be here in a few" House started piling healthy and junk onto another plate, obviously waiting for Wilson
"Need you ask?" Cess asked before turning to Cameron, "I don't suppose you heard about our little confrontation in the clinic my first day?"
"Little? The ENTIRE clinic heard you…I HEARD you and I was watching General Hospital" House smirked
"Yea, it's all over the hospital that you two are arch nemesis' and that soon you're going to have a massive fight in jell-o?" Cameron laughed as the door bell rang
"We're in the dining room" House called, "I'm hoping mud, but kiddo here doesn't take to kindly to mud"
"Stop calling me kiddo, you're the kid in this relationship!" Cess smiled sweetly
"Who's relationship?" Wilson asked sitting next to Cess
"Oh they're just bickering over who is the most childish; I think Cess is winning" Cameron smiled, "So we hear Julie is still giving you troubles even after divorce"
"Can't keep you're mouth shut for longer than five minutes, can you?" Wilson grumbled at House before digging into his food
"Who me? Jimmy you know me better than that!" House grinned
"I don't think anyone knows you" Wilson replied
"Hush both of you, you're giving me a headache" Cess snapped rubbing her temples
"Are you OK Cess?" Wilson asked turning to face her
"No, my head hurts" Cess cried
Everyone stopped eating and watched as Wilson fished around in his pockets, "House mentioned before on the phone, you're pain wasn't getting any better" Wilson handed her a new bottle of pills, "These should help more, take two now with some milk then rest for a few more minutes"
Cess accepted the tablets and drank some of her milk, closing her eyes she rested her head on her arms and took some deep cleansing breaths. "Do you guys mind if I rest on the couch for a few minutes? None of you have to leave, I just need some darkness" Cess asked softly
Wilson rose and helped her to the lounge room, "You'll feel fine in about 10-15mins OK?" Wilson explained covering her up with the blanket from the couch, she had fallen to sleep instantly, but she could still swear she felt a soft kiss on her forehead.
MDMDMDMDMDMDMD
About two hours later Cess awoke from her nap feeling a little more refreshed than she had in awhile, "Hey? Anyone home?" She called
Cameron appeared at the doorway, "You feeling better now?"
"Yea actually I am, are they still here?" Cess asked softly
"Yes, House disappeared a few minutes ago for a toilet break and Wilson and I were talking, about you actually" Cameron smiled
"Really, what about me?" Cess asked rising slowly from her position o the couch
"From when you were younger, and he and House would visit you and your mum" Cameron explained
"Oh, well that's OK then, as long as it stays there" Cess smiled following Cameron back into the dining room, the dishes had been done and the trash thrown out.
It was obvious that someone had left to get some beer while Cess was sleeping because there were empty bottles on the table, "Don't look like that Cess, I brought you some diet coke instead!" Wilson's slightly tipsy voice announced
"Thanks, you can start on the coffee now thanks, no drunks in my place" Cess quipped, "Especially drunks that leak secrets"
"Alright, let me finish this one and I'll make some coffee" Wilson smiled goofily at her, "You know you're a very beautiful woman"
"Thanks Jimmy you're not too bad yourself" Cess smiled, feeling warm all of a sudden
Cess sat across from Wilson and he sought out her eyes, upon finding them he kept a lock on them, "Did you know how many times I wanted to call you in the last 8 years; Greg stopped himself numerous times at work and at home" Wilson commented
Cameron could see where this was headed, and left to find out where House had gotten to, it wasn't that big of an apartment, but as she left the dining room, she heard soft music coming form down the hall. Opening the door, she watched in silence as House played the piano fluently, she'd heard him play before, but nothing like this.
"You going to stand there all day, or have you some news to discuss?" House surprised her
"Oh, sorry I didn't realize you had noticed I was here" Cameron went t leave
"I always know when you're in the room Cameron, it's hard not to" House's voice stopped her, "You know Cessy is right, Stacey still controls my life even now" his voice sounded sad
"Like I said House, I'm glad you can love, even if it's not me" Cameron turned to leave again
"He loves her doesn't he? Wilson that is" House asked his voice even softer
"Yea, you can see it, it's as obvious as the sky is blue; but she doesn't know" Cameron replied, wondering what is was that kept her standing in the doorway; her heart breaking at the mention of love and Stacey.
"I did love her you know, more than I thought I could ever possibly, but I don't anymore, I realize how that looks; you know when you had something, and it just leaves and you're left with an unsatisfied answer. Then they suddenly reappeared in your life and you're still left wondering what could have been?" House asked unusually serious
"Yea, I know how that feels" Cameron answered
"It doesn't mean that I love her still, just means my heart's still broken I suppose. Look…"House turned to face her, "I can't give you want you deserve, not because I'm damaged, but because I think you deserve a prince. You're everything a guy would be lucky to have, that's how I feel about you"
Cameron was stunned, she never thought for a second that he would actually open u at all to her, and here he was telling her why he pushes her away, "I think I get it" she whispered
"That's just it, you don't get it, I am someone who no matter how bitter, angry and sarcastic I am, is still hoping to find that person who cracks open their heart and gives them the wake up call they need" House stepped closer to he, "I've been pushing you away because ever since you walked into my life, something's changed and then you left, and I couldn't find a replacement, I mean I couldn't even say goodbye it hurt me that much. But here you are, looking after my niece, and I'm still running away" House was now inches from her
"Do you…are you saying that you want me?" Cameron's voice was barely above a whisper
"Yes" House took the last step and as their lips touched for the first time, they were overcome by the emotions that had been plaguing them for the last few months, Stacey, the date, leaving…everything, just didn't seam to matter anymore.
A/N: Thanks Forgottengargoyle, I realize that no doctor would drink with a diabetic, but my mum was a type 2 diabetic and she used to be able to get drunk and have it not really effect her, so I was going by her experiences as a type 2…but thank you so much from the criticism…and thanks to everyone who wanted the new chapter so fast, that I actually wrote it…well it's time for dinner…enjoy!