CHAPTER SIX: DISCOVERIES

Chase stared blankly at Cameron, who now could not meet his eye. "You're pregnant? But...how?"

"Um, well, I suppose the normal way," she mumbled, staring intently at her feet.

"No - I know, I just meant..." Chase trailed off. "I didn't even know you were seeing anyone."

"I guess I just didn't think it was your business to know." Cameron turned away from him. "Didn't you say we should be going through suitcases?"

"I'm just asking," he replied. "It's not a terribly unusual question in this situation."

"Well, it's still none of your business," Cameron replied curtly. "Come on, we'd better get started on this or we won't make it back before dark."

Grudgingly, he followed her down the beach, racking his mind for possibilities. Of course, one stood out, but - no. He shook his head. House had made it very clear in the past that he wasn't interested in her, and Cameron was hardly the type to sleep with a man who didn't foresee a deep and meaningful relationship. Besides, it was clear House was hung up on Cuddy. The sexual tension at the conference had been overwhelming, and something of a joke around PPTH. Chase frowned and let his mind wander through other possibilities, but nothing likely came to mind.

"Hey - Chase?" Cameron said tentatively. "I - I think this suitcase is Cuddy's."

He walked over to where she was standing, eyeing the soaked brown material as he did. It certainly looked like Cuddy's, but then again, brown wasn't such an uncommon color these days. He hoped he was right that House was hung up on Cuddy - well, he knew he was right. He just hoped he was right that Cameron and House weren't desperate enough to sleep with each other to compensate for unrequited love in other areas of their lives.

Back in the thatch of trees behind their camp, Cuddy directed Ethan and Emily to gather small kindling while she scoured for larger pieces of wood that weren't molding or water-logged.

"I'm hungry," Emily whined for the thousandth time. "And thirsty. And I have skeeto bites."

"You mean mosquito bites," Ethan said patiently. "But try not to scratch. You'll end up with big scars!"

"But it itches," Emily replied, her voice growing higher-pitched as she neared tears. She scratched at her arm vigorously, giving her the look of a dog scratching at a flea.

"You shouldn't do that, sweetie," Cuddy said gently. "Just try not to think about it. We'll find you some food soon, okay? But not if you keep scratching."

"Look!" Ethan cried excitedly, pointing up. "Bananas!"

Cuddy looked up to where he was indicating. The bananas were hanging about seven or eight feet in the air, out of the reach of her petite frame."Those are too high for any of us to get. Maybe Hou - Greg or Robert will be able to get them down for us."

"No, I can do it," Ethan told her importantly. "I'm good at climbing trees. I even have a Cub Scout award for best tree climber."

"Oh - no," Cuddy protested. "Let one of the others do it, Ethan. You're too-"

"-young?" he finished for her, unhappily. "People always say that. But I'm a big boy. I can do grown-up man things."

"Well..." Cuddy looked up at the bananas. She was starving, and she certainly didn't like denying Emily food any longer, considering the poor thing was on the verge of tears.

"All right, but be very, very careful, and don't touch anything unless you know what it is," she told him. "Especially bugs."

Ethan squared his shoulders and looked at the tree he was about to climb. Carefully, he selected a sturdy-looking place for his foot, and began to hoist himself up the trunk of the tree.

"Don't be scared," Emily giggled at Cuddy, who was digging her nails into her cheek as she watched in fear.

"I can't help it," Cuddy murmured. "I'm a mom. It's my job." She felt another pang of longing to be back with her own child. What was Rachel doing right now? Was she scared? Was her sister beginning to make arrangements should Cuddy never return?

Emily. oblivious to Cuddy's plight, began jumping up and down as Ethan reached his prize. "Bananas, nanas, anas!" She was so excited, she had stopped scratching her arm.

"How many should I get?" Ethan called down.

"Well, there's three of us, plus House, Cam - Allison, Robert, Remy, Eric, and Gil. So...as many as you can reach without going up any further," she told him with a small smile.

Ethan swiped at a large bunch of bananas hanging precariously from the tree. His body swayed dangerously and Cuddy couldn't help emitting a nervous cry.

"Catch them, or else they'll be gross," Ethan instructed her. Cuddy complied, and began gathering the bunches of fruit in her arms as they fell from the tree, Ethan letting out a triumphant shout with each new addition to their stockpile.

"I think we have enough now, Ethan," Cuddy said. "Why don't you come down now?"

"But there's more," he called down. "We need them."

"Well, we can come back, later," she reassured him. "I'm sure then there will be more people to help you climb."

Ethan sighed. "Okay." He slowly pulled himself back from the banana branch and began to lower himself to the ground. Cuddy didn't dare to breathe until Ethan's feet were firmly planted on the solid earth.

"You did a great job," Cuddy congratulated him. "Why don't we bring these all back to camp, and then you two can stay while I go back for firewood?"

"I want one now," Emily whined, again scratching furiously at her arm.

Here." Ethan tore off one of the bananas and started to peel it for her. "But only if you stop scratching. Promise?"

Emily nodded as she took the banana and began eating.

"Want one?" Ethan asked Cuddy.

Sure." She began to peel the banana, looking fondly at Emily as she gleefully devoured the fruit. "Emily," she said worriedly, catching sight of the red hue of the little girl's forearm, "hold out your arm for me to see, please."

"Do I have to?" she asked thickly, through a mouthful of banana.

"Just do it, Emily," Ethan instructed, as he began eating his own banana. "She's a doctor, remember?"

Emily reluctantly held out her arm. Cuddy crouched down to inspect it, and inadvertently let out a gasp.

"What's wrong?" Ethan asked, picking up on her panic immediately.

Not wanting to answer directly, Cuddy said, "We need to get back to camp and show this to House."

Does this mean she have the virus thingy?" Ethan asked, his voice wavering. Emily stopped chewing on her banana as her eyes filled with tears.

"Am I gonna die?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"No, sweetie, of course not," Cuddy told her, though she didn't know for sure. "Come on, do you want a piggy back ride to camp?"

They trekked back to camp in silence. They arrived to find House leaning against a log, a pained expression on his face. Cuddy instantly realized that he was beginning to detox. She set Emily down and lowered herself next to House, placing a hand on his sweaty forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Obviously I feel wonderful. Can't you see my exuberant expression and eyes filled with joy?" he snapped.

"Hey kid, throw me one of those bananas!"

"House," Cuddy chastised. "I know you're detoxing, but please try to be civil. At least to the children."

"Not all of us are experts at repressing our feelings to the point that we're wound as tight as a two dollar watch," he growled. "Or - better example - as tight as our own asses."

"House," she hissed. "I know you're in pain, but I need you to be decent. Emily has a rash on her arm, and I want you to look at it."

"Rash isn't the first symptom," he replied grumpily. "Leave me alone. Make Cameron do it," he added, as he saw Cameron and Chase approaching, the brown suitcase in tow. "She's already been infected."

"Is that my suitcase?" Cuddy exclaimed, forgetting for a moment about Emily's rash or House's detox. She ran towards Chase and Cameron.

"Here." Chase thrust it toward her. "We, uh, didn't go through it or anything."

"Why not?" House shouted. "If it were me, I'd have - "

Cuddy cut him off. "There should be some power bars in here. I think they've probably stayed dry." She eyed House. "I may also have something to help you."

"Lingerie?" he suggested. "You know what they say about porn and endor-"

"Found them!" Cuddy said loudly, before House could finish. "We have bananas, too. Ethan very bravely climbed up a tree to get them for us."

"Great, someone give the kid a medal," House grumbled. "Now what's in there for me?"

Cuddy sighed and dug through her sopping clothes and personal items. "It is here. Good."

"What?" House whined.

"Morphine." She withdrew a vial and a syringe. "And a few choice sedatives suggested by Wilson, in case you got up to something at the conference."

"Vial. Syringe. Now." House held out his hand.

"Not until you look at Emily's arm," Cuddy responded.

"I already said that you should make Cam-"

"I'm not making her do anything," Cuddy snapped, annoyed. "She has enough to worry about."

Chase looked at Cameron in shock. "She knows?" He whispered under his breath.

"No," Cameron replied. "She's probably just referring to the fact I was vomiting earlier. It's one of the symptoms, remember?"

House reluctantly gestured for Emily to show him her arm. She looked expectantly at Cuddy, who nodded. "It's okay. He's mean, but he's a good doctor."

House rolled his eyes but took the girl's arm and squinted at it. "You didn't bother to feel her forehead, did you, oh administrative one?"

"No," Cuddy replied with dignity. "I wouldn't be able to get an accurate read that way, anyway. It's too hot here." Cuddy sighed. "You can use me as a comparison. I'm sure with your genius, you should be able to gauge relative temperature."

She settled herself next to House as he rolled his eyes. Still, he obliged her, placing one hand on Emily's forehead and his other on Cuddy's. The physical contact sent a shiver down Cuddy's spine, one she hoped House couldn't sense. The way he was looking at her, though...and the way his fingers were touching her skin so lightly...she just couldn't be sure.

"Congratulations, she has a fever," House announced. "Can I go now?"

"The rash," Cuddy reminded him. She felt a weird sense of loss when his hand left her forehead.

Gingerly, he peered at Emily's extended arm, her eyes looking up at him expectantly. Without saying a word, Cuddy could tell what his verdict was from the expression on his face. Emily was infected. And that meant they most likely all were.