Work and being sick got the better of me, so there isn't much to this.

Ghost From the Past (9?)

Rating: PG-13 (I think)
Word Count: 660
Disclaimer: I own House. Um, right. That was a lie. I don't own anything. Except season 1 & 2 on DVD and my own insanity.
Summary: In the middle of a case, a figure from Cameron's past arrives, creating complications and confusions in her life.
Author's Note: As I said, this is my first House fanfic. The characters may be very, very OOC. It is possible. I have no medical experience, therefore anything I write is probably very wrong. I have no beta, so all mistakes are mine. No spoilers past season 2.

Ghost From the Past
Chapter Nine: Tough Love

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A tense, awkward silence persisted between Lauren and Joe on the way to Elizabeth's room. Cameron wished that she wasn't in the middle of it. She understood Lauren's pain. She'd felt the same when she'd met Stacy. Stacy was the former flame, and now Cameron was in her place. She was the woman that Joe had never gotten over. He had tried, but he'd never let Lauren in. Cameron wasn't sure that the situations were the same, though. House would always be miserable, but Joe could be happy with Lauren. He just needed to get over Cameron first.

When they reached the room, Cameron made herself busy checking on Elizabeth so that she could try and block out the sounds of the Stantons behind her.

"Lauren, I'm so glad you came," Mrs. Stanton said tearfully. "You've always cared so much about Elizabeth. Though you're a little late. She's coming home today."

Cameron stopped her examination. "She's not—"

"Emma, don't," Joe's brother said sternly. "The important thing is that she came. Thank you, Lauren."

"I would have come sooner if I'd known," Lauren said, taking Elizabeth's hand. "Hey, sweetheart. How are you?"

It was a stupid question to ask someone with a tube in their throat, but Cameron didn't miss the smile on Joe's face as he watched them or the jealousy on Mrs. Stanton's face. "She's fine. Didn't I tell you that?"

"Yes, Emma, but—"

"Who told you that she was going home today?" Cameron broke in. She looked down at Elizabeth. The poor girl wasn't getting any better. She was getting worse. "Elizabeth can't—"

Cameron broke off as Elizabeth's monitors started to scream. She was coding. Cameron grabbed some eppi from the cart and injected Elizabeth with it, pressing the code signal. She was alone. Where was Chase? She needed someone to get the Stantons out of the room, and she needed someone to help her. A nurse came in, ushering the Stantons out of the room, and another one readied the crash cart, charging it to two hundred. Cameron took the paddles and pressed them to the girl's chest.

"Please, Elizabeth," Cameron begged. "Please."

She looked at the monitor. Nothing. She ordered them to charge again, this time to two fifty, and tried again. She waited, hoping to see a spark of life again. When the monitor beeped and she saw that Elizabeth was back, Cameron felt relief wash over her. Elizabeth was going to make it. She put her stethoscope to her ears, listening. The steady rhythm made her smile, and she went to tell the Stantons.

As she reached the door, two uniformed police officers were standing there. "Mrs. Stanton, we need you to come with us."

"Why? What is this about?" The woman demanded. "My daughter is sick. I can't leave her."

"Your daughter wouldn't be sick if you weren't making her sick," House said as he came up to them. He leaned on his cane. "Which is why these nice gentlemen are here to take you away and lock you up for a very long time."

"Emma?" Joe's brother cried. "Tell me this isn't true. You wouldn't do that to Elizabeth. She's your daughter. You wouldn't—"

"I didn't!" Emma wailed, tears streaming down her face as the police escorted her away.

Cameron looked at Joe and Lauren. Their devastation and confusion was written all over their faces. They hadn't been at all prepared. No one expected their sister-in-law to poison her daughter.

"Munchausen's by proxy," Cameron whispered. She went over to House. "You thought this was Munchausen's by proxy and you didn't tell me?"

"Didn't want you telling anyone. Otherwise we wouldn't have caught her," House said. "Come on, Cameron. We need you."

"You need me?" Cameron demanded, following him. "If you needed me, why did you leave me out of the diagnosis? And if she has been diagnosed, why do you need me?"

"Because," House answered. "It's not MBPS."