A/N: Good grief. Over 2,000 words.

Disclaimer: DOH

"Can you see me?!"

"No!"

"Are you lying?!"

"Yes!"

"House!"

"What?! You put this damn pillow over my head! I'm surprised you even know what I'm s–."

The said pillow is suddenly snatched from his face, causing him to blink in the glare of the lights of the apartment. His reclining body splayed on the sofa relaxes as he focuses on her face staring down at him with a smile.

"I didn't forget."

He sighs as she falls to her knees and leans her elbows on the open area of the cushion beside his head.

"Happy birthday, House."

He pulls the pillow from her hand and throws it back onto his face. "Oh, God."

Cameron frowns as she tugs the pillow away too quickly for him to snatch it from her grasp.

"Cameron, I told you –."

"I think," she interrupts with a finger to his lips, "you might tolerate your present."

When he raises his eyebrows, she reaches into the back pocket of her jeans and pulls out an envelope.

"Two one-way tickets to L.A. Sun, celebrities, half-naked women, plus there's a chance we can meet the actors on Bones'."

House stares at the simple envelope in her hands as she leans forward and he nearly inhales the excitement surging through her pores. Sometimes, he can't imagine himself tearing her down.

"Tricky, Cameron. That's not a present for me. That Bones' thing is for you."

She shrugs her shoulders. "It's my reward for having to suffer through being with you for five days. Come on."

"My department's going to fall apart."

"You know Foreman can handle it."

"Cuddy's head's going to explode."

"It'll be as much a vacation to her as it will to us."

"Wilson's going to get jealous of our love affair."

"He knows he's your number one anyways. So, what do you say?"

Just two inches away from her face, House finds his fingers brushing over her chin. He immediately stops to grab the envelope.

"Angelina's in town, right?"

It's funny what he remembers. Most of his memories make no sense. They're pieces of snapshots that don't flow together very well, pieces of a life he still can't fathom.

He drops the worn envelope onto the island in the kitchen, listening to it thud with a weight greater than necessary. One ticket drifts outward in the handling, showing a crumpled corner.

"Do you ever think about calling before coming over?"

"Did I ever before?"

Cameron steps away from the doorway with a sigh, allowing him enough room to step through.

"Be careful. I've got everything on the floor."

Closing the door behind him, House eyes the boxes and books and newspapers littering the floor.

"Early potty training?"

Bracing herself to sit on her chair, she motions with her head to the papers on the kitchen counter.

"I signed the lease yesterday."

"Ah," he glances at the first page before turning around to face her. "Right after Cuddy kicked you out."

"I didn't get kicked out."

"That's what I told everyone though."

She flattens a piece of newspaper over her lap and reaches for a photo frame beside her.

"I'm glad you and Wilson have patched things up."

Mentally starting, he physically begins to limp towards her and sits on the hard chair opposite her, trying to ignore the statement. She hands him a stack of newspapers and kicks her foot towards the cups in a box beside his chair.

"If you're not going to answer me, then help me."

"Oh yeah, we're bros before hos. I mean, bros before pregnant unwed women."

All she can think to do is look at him, resist the urge to roll her eyes, and go back to her work. He follows her lead, finishing wrapping one cup and starting another. She smiles, noticing the furrow in his brow and the way his lips move silently as he tries to curve the paper over the rim of the cup and ends up tearing the paper at the bottom of it.

"World renowned diagnostician having problems wrapping a cup?"

"This is what I –."

"Cameron! My hands are full! Open the door!"

He won't lie. He sees her face brighten and her lips smile wide as she rushes to hoist herself up. He's jealous.

"Wilson, I thought you weren't coming back!"

"And face the wrath of a hungry pregnant woman tomorrow? I'd," his grip loosens on the two bags of food in his hands, "House, hi."

Standing, House raises his eyebrows and holds up the barely wrapped cup.

"Ah," Wilson smiles, "she got you roped in too?"

The two men both look at Cameron who's already picking through one of the bag's in Wilson's hand.

"You know you guys wanted to help me anyways. Did you get my cheeseburger?"

"I'll just," House motions behind them towards the door, "get away before I look like meat."

"No, you don't have to. I was just going to um, drop this food off."

"Would you two quit acting like babies and just eat," Cameron mutters, moving past House, but not before placing her hand on his forearm. "I'd like it if you stayed."

He stares down at her, and then onto the floor after she lets him go. There are so many reasons why he should go, and they all make sense. Maybe that's why he decides to stay.

"I don't think I can move."

"You ate the whole bag. I'm not surprised."

She throws a balled up napkin in his direction as she leans back in her plush chair in the corner. With a full stomach, looking at him, she almost believes she's happy. She can almost taste the 'before.'

"What are you thinking?"

Cameron blinks at the question.

"About what?"

Shrugging, House forces his legs upon her small coffee table.

"About anything."

"You really want to know?"

He focuses on her, wondering why the bewilderment showing in her features bothers him.

"When are you moving out?"

She finds herself comfortable again, the second question more like him than the first. "Saturday. It's just a floor down."

"Then why the hassle with all these damn newspapers?"

"Things always break, no matter how close your destination."

"You get that from a fortune cookie?"

Smiling, she brings a hand to her belly. "As a matter of fact, I did."

He can't help it. The smugness in her voice triggers something, and he laughs. Not for long, and not loudly, but he does. And when he's done, her expression is soft with bright eyes and relaxed muscles around her mouth. She still loves him as much as the day he went into the coma.

"Why didn't we go?"

He's getting ahead of himself and he knows it, but he can't stop his mind. Things are falling so fast around him, and he's just trying to find the spot that will hold him. Before she can voice her confusion, he pulls the folded envelope from his jacket pocket and begins to extract the two tickets within.

There are some things even she's forgotten about. Cameron pulls herself forward as he tosses the two tickets beyond his shoes and close to her outstretched fingers on the table.

"Where'd you find these?" she asks softly as the weak ticket flops on itself.

"Under the kitchen sink."

Even the lettering has faded in spots where water tried to erase what had been written. She places them back on the table, the back of her fingers brushing across the hard sole of his shoes.

"I don't think we ever thought we'd really go anyways." She takes a deep breath and looks up at him. "I told Cuddy I'd need vacation time and you told her your parents were getting their vows renewed. Then we were going to be short three nurses for a few days and you had a new case and didn't think your fellows were ready for it. But uh, we made it to the airport.

And of course, there was a delay. Two hours turned into three, and then we were actually going to have to switch planes since fires started springing up so we'd need an alternate route. We finally just left and went back to your place."

"Oh," is all he can say.

Cameron tilts her head. "What?"

"Nothing," he replies, maneuvering his feet off the table.

"You thought it was you?" She's surprised, mostly for the fact that she thinks she could almost see the guilt bothering him. "You thought we didn't go because of you?"

"Wouldn't surprise me."

It's the truth, and she knows it. She just wonders why he doesn't give himself enough credit, and why she gives him too much.

"You know what?" She rubs her brow. "I'm really tired. Is it okay if we call it a night?"

House nods his head as he stands with the help of his cane, ready for the escape she welcomes. He offers a hand to her without realizing it, and she accepts with hesitation coursing through her fragile veins.

"Thank you."

"I'll stay here till you're ready. Gonna make sure you don't go into labor the second I walk out."

"I'm not due for another eight days."

"I'm pretty my kid's never heard of a schedule."

"I'm fine, House."

Sitting on her bed, she pulls her hair over her shoulder and begins to braid it.

"Now I'm just here to get you to sleep with me."

Cameron chuckles as she ties her hair.

"Right, because pregnant women are so hot."

"Who knows? It could be my fetish."

For some reason, it's comfortable. She almost forgets they're not together as he stands in front of her dresser, poking through the cluttered odds and ends. Her eyelids becoming heavier, she yawns to try to signal to him that he needs to leave. When it doesn't work, she lies down and pulls the light cover over her body.

"I'm going to sleep, House."

He turns around and stands in the same spot for a few seconds before turning off the light switch with his cane and leaving them bathed in the yellow faint light of the lamp beside her bed.

She can hear him coming towards her, and only when he's directly by her bed can she see the outline of his form beginning to lower.

"House…."

Whether it's a warning or a question, he doesn't care. He braces his hands on either side of her head, and because she's lying on her side facing him, she has to shift her head to see him clearly. There's not much between them, just an arms length.

"Cameron," he breathes with a frown. "I remember…what I remember…was I ever good to you?"

She'd never expected him to ask that. Honestly, she never thought he'd care enough.

"Why are you asking me?"

His left hand finds its way onto her cheek, and his thumb can't help but rub the soft skin back and forth.

"I need to know."

"It doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

"It does."

"Why?"

"Because I'm me. And I don't let things go."

"You don't really have a choice, House."

"Then what's the harm in telling me?"

His intimate touch is more than familiar, it's calming and warm. He doesn't even know what he's missed, and it breaks her heart to know she's had to carry this alone. He should know. He should remember what he's lost.

"Not always. But you, you had your moments. Sometimes, I think I'll never laugh like that again. And sometimes I'm glad I'll never cry like that again. You weren't the best boyfriend, but I loved you. And that was enough for me."

She covers his hand with hers and momentarily lets their hands stay with each other, but she's past this point. She's made up her mind, and she's tired of waiting for him to catch up to her. Cameron pulls his hand away from her face and closer to his body before letting go.

"Goodnight, House," she whispers.

"They've added another hour to our wait."

Cameron groans as House sits beside her in the airport.

"I'm tired, House."

"You're the one who thought this was a good idea."

"That was before the fires."

She leans her head against his shoulder.

"Do not go to sleep on me, Cameron."

"I can't stay awake."

House begins to stand. "I'll get you some coffee."

"No! House!" She sighs as he pretends not to hear her.

Taking a sip from the cup, he doesn't realize she's asleep until he's standing in front of her.

"Good thing my Ipod wasn't on you," he mutters as he sits down. "Cameron? Cameron?"

When she doesn't answer, he rolls his eyes heavenward. After settling the cup on the chair on his right, he turns to his left and begins to move her so that she's lying down with her head in his lap. It takes some finesse, but he finally has her where he wants her. His hand moves to the front of her forehead to sweep her blonde bangs back behind her ear.

For once, he's glad she sleeps like the dead.