Disclaimer: I do not own the characters you recognise, Lilley, Chris and Johnny…yes they are mine.
Chapter Fifteen.
It had taken them a while to convince Cameron this was the best way to go, and that Lilley wanted to do this, and it had been Lilley herself who had convinced her. Cameron had sat there shaking her head rifling through files looking for another donor, and Lilley slowly walked up to her and put her hands on top of the file her mother was currently looking at. Allison brought her eyes up slowly to look into those of her little girl, and she saw determination and strength that she had only seen in one person before. Lilley then took her mother's hand in hers and whispered quietly.
"It's ok mum."
Allison had nodded the ever-familiar tears jumping into her eyes once more, she had been here before. Cancer had destroyed her whole life before, but it wasn't going to this time. She had to have faith, have faith in the doctors surrounding her, have faith in her son and daughter and have faith in herself.
And as she looked into the hospital room where to beds stood, each holding one of her children wrapped in a flimsy gown she felt a strong hand creep around her waist from behind. Sighing a small smile on her lips she leant back into the broad chest behind her and closed her eyes as a small kiss was planted on her head.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"What for?" House's voice was soft but rough, the voice that he had come to use so often around her and the twins.
"For giving me strength, for everything. I don't think I could have handled this on my own."
"Oh no, don't be getting all warm and fuzzy on me, I may cry." She grinned and reached a hand out to smack his shoulder. Turning she looked at him and he rubbed her back.
"Do you think they will be alright?"
"No." He shook his head and her eyes widened and she began to pull out of his grasp, but he held her tightly and said. "I know they will."
She smiled and rested her head on his chest while his chin fell on her head.
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Lilley and Chris lay in beds next door to one another and had been watching the interaction between their parents. Chris coughed a little and then turned to Lilley.
"This is going to hurt you know."
"I know." She nodded and looked at him.
"You don't have to do it. I understand."
"I want to do it Chris. It will make you better." He sighed and banged his head against his pillow.
"I don't want you to do it Lilley, it's going to be so painful and you shouldn't have to suffer because of me." She snorted with laughter and said.
"You're my little brother, I'm always going to suffer because of you."
He smiled. "If we weren't stuck in these beds, I'd get you for that."
"You mean you'd try." They laughed and then turned their attention back to the window where their parents still stood holding each other. Lilley spoke quietly, afraid to disturb the picture. "What do you think will happen after all this is over?"
"You mean when I'm better?"
"Yeah, I mean. Will he come and visit us, or will we come down here more often, do you reckon he will even want to see us after this?"
Chris turned to look at her and smiled at her biting her lip. "Lilley, of course he's going to want to see us. We're his kids he has to. And anyway, I think he will want to see mum more now, so he'll see us then aswell." Lilley turned to Chris.
"You reckon they will marry each other?"
"I don't know, maybe." She sighed and he rolled his eyes.
"Should we call him Dad?"
"Jeeze Lilley I only know as much as you!" She smirked and raised her arms out to him.
"But you're the fountain of knowledge oh wise one."
"Oh shut up." He sighed and put his head back on his pillow closing his eyes gently.
Lilley rolled her head and then started humming a song from Rent; out of the corner of her eye she spied the grapes that the nurses had bought for her and Chris. Reaching out quietly she grabbed a couple and threw them at Chris. The first one missed but the second one didn't and bounced right off his nose. She giggled and he sat up.
"That's not funny."
"I think it was." At that moment Johnny entering the room interrupting them.
"What's up kiddos?" He smiled as both of their faces erupted in huge smiles. Walking over to the beds he sat on a stool in between the two. Lilley stroked his hair, a habbit which she always did.
"Nothing, we are going in for surgery soon. Did you see Mum outside?"
"Yeah she's talking to Wilson and your Dad." Lilley nodded and carried on playing with his hair while he turned to Chris. "You ok Chris?"
"Yeah I'm fine. I just want all this to be over and for us to better." Johnny nodded.
"Don't worry, you will be soon enough." He turned back to Lilley and reached into his satchel. "I have something for you Lills." She stopped playing with his hair and clapped her hands excitedly.
"A present?"
"Yeah. I figured, seen as you were giving so much to save your brother you should get something in return." He handed her a little black box wrapped by one lone silver ribbon.
She untied the ribbon slowly and gently opened the black box and her eyes widened as her eyes fell upon the beautiful silver heart shaped locket. Lifting it from its box she was shocked by how heavy it was, carefully she prised it open and she smiled as the two pictures in the frames were one of her mother and House and one of Johnny and Chris. The one of her mother and House was obviously one from when Allison had worked here, well before she was born, but it was beautiful all the same. She nodded and looked at Johnny.
"Thank you its beautiful." Johnny smiled and helped clasp it onto her neck.
"Your welcome beautiful." There was a gentle knock on the door and Allison stepped into the room, she looked at Johnny.
"Can I have a minute?" He nodded.
"Sure. I'll see you kids when you come around ok?" They nodded and said goodbye before their mother came and sat between them. She grasped their hands and smiled a sad smile.
"God this is worse than when you guys had chicken pox." They laughed a little and she looked at them tears stinging her eyes. "I really don't know what to say, I've seen so many patients have to say bye to their families before on operation but I never thought I would be back in this position." Chris put his hand over his mothers and smiled.
"Its ok mum, we're going to be fine. Don't worry."
She laughed a little. "I'm your mother, it's my job to worry. And anyway when did you two get so grown up eh?" She laughed once more before sighing. "I love you two so much. And I'm so glad that you're my children and that I'm here to go through this with you and despite all the times I've got mad at you, I wouldn't change this for the world. I love you both so much and wouldn't want to live without either of you." All three were silent for a moment before Lilley exhaled.
"Wow talk about a heavy speech mum." Allison laughed and kissed each of them on the head.
"I'll be here when you wake." They nodded and turned their heads as they heard a scuffle outside the door. Allison turned her head and smiled as she saw House towering over a nervous looking nurse who was protesting.
"Dr House, we are waiting for them, we must take them down now."
"Listen! Jenny…"
"Sandra!"
"Whatever, you're not taking them children down yet, because their mother hasn't finished talking to them and neither have I. So why don't you go get a nice cup of coffee and come back in five minutes? Got it?"
The nurse gave in and stepped back. Allison shook her head and made her way outside as House entered, she hadn't really expected him to want to talk to the twins, but he was surprising her a lot more these days. Closing the door behind him House saw Cameron watching him and he crossed his eyes and pulled a face before moving over to the beds. He could feel their eyes upon him but he didn't know how to begin. Nodding his head slightly he said.
"So how you guys feeling?"
"Ok." That was the joint answer from both, a smirk crept onto his lips, it was obvious that they were just as awkward as him. His gaze didn't move from the shiny floor as he spoke. "Your mother told me that you both like RENT, well I thought that when you guys get out of here we could go watch it?" Chris answered him.
"I didn't think you'd like musicals."
"Meh, that one isn't that bad. I can bear it. So what do you think?" Lilley nodded a smile on her face.
"It sounds great. Thanks Dad." She bit her lip after saying the word; it was the first time either of them had called him that. Chris turned to look at Lilley while she stared at House. House himself had grasped his cane a lot tighter, there was that word again, reminding him of his duties. He didn't know how he felt about it. Did it sound right? Nobody who knew him would label him as the 'Dad' type, but here he was staring at the foot of his children's beds. He didn't feel nauseous, or like he should collapse on the floor, maybe he was ready for it. Maybe he was finally ready to be their Dad. Nodding his head once more he briefly met Lilley's eyes before turning on his heel and opening the door wide and yelling joyfully.
"Sally! You can take them down now."
The young nurse stormed past him and muttered. "Its Sandra, you jackass."
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Obviously House, Cameron, Johnny, and even Wilson were forbidden from entering the room while the operation was taking place. However House had ordered Chase and Foreman to scrub in and over see the action. It had been two hours and Cameron hadn't stopped pacing. Wilson and Johnny had gone and brought back coffee twice, the coffee cups lay stranded on the table in between four comfy leather chairs. House sat in one of the chairs bouncing his ball on the floor while Wilson sat opposite him twiddling his thumbs. Johnny was busy trying to calm a caffeine boosted, worried Cameron, but was sadly not succeeding. House finally snapped and turned to her.
"Will you bloody stop pacing, you'll wear a hole in the floor." She glared at him and threw her hands around as she spoke, her voice gradually getting louder.
"Well excuse me for caring about my god damn children, unlike some!" House stood and faced her, his voice equally as loud.
"Are you implying that I don't care about them?"
"What I'm implying is that I've been their mother for eight years, you've known them for what, five minutes?"
"Well then, obviously you care much more than me!" He shook his head and grabbed his cane and began to move down the corridor. "Page me when there is news."
Cameron turned and watched him leave, but he stopped as he heard the door opening. All four of them turned suddenly at the sound of the door and Foreman stepped out of the room removing his mask. His eyes were full of sorrow and he held his mask tightly in his hands. Cameron stepped forward but Johnny grabbed her shoulders, stopping her from entering the room. All four of them stared at Foreman before House spoke fiercely.
"Well? What the fucks going on?" Foreman stared at each of them before looking to the floor and spoke those words each relative dreads to hear.
"I'm sorry, there was a complication…."
IM SO SORRY GUYS, ITS TOOK SO LONG TO GET THIS CHAPTER UP, I RE WROTE IT LIKE EIGHT TIMES.
Well what do you think? Please review...you know I love them.
xxx