Warning: Character Death

What If

Chapter Fourteen - Everything Has Changed

Cameron was sure she'd broken a handful of driving laws on the way to the lake house, or at least all the ones that had to do with speed, stop lights and acknowledgement of other road users. But if cops had pulled her over, she'd have invited them to tag along and arrest her idiotic husband for overdosing their daughter after being explicitly told not to give her anymore medicine. Luckily, they made the ten minute drive in little over five, without being pulled over or followed. She hadn't spoken a word and House didn't plan to distract her with conversation at the speeds she was taking each turn.

Pulling up the driveway and screeching to a halt, she grabbed her medical kit from the trunk and ran up the wide steps to the front door, throwing it open and disappearing inside, leaving House to struggle up after her. He stopped momentarily to take in the ridiculously grand house that stood before him, muttered "niiiice" under his breath, and then continued inside. It didn't take him long to find them.

Andrew was pacing, one hand over his mouth, the other on his hip. Cameron was on her knees with her daughter unconscious in front of her, her doctor-mode on auto drive. House couldn't help thinking that this was not going to help the moron's custody case.

"What did you do, Andrew?! I told you not to give her anymore!"

"I didn't hear you!"

"Yeah, cos you were too busy obsessing over something that didn't even concern you!"

Cameron's voice broke and she turned to House.

"I need to get an IV started for Parvolex. Can you get me 150 mg in 200 ml 5% dextrose ready? Everything's in the kit."

The urgency in her voice stopped him from antagonising her. This wasn't a differential. Acetaminophen overdose was straightforward. Boring. She knew what she was doing, even if her medical judgements could be classed as compromised. Overdose treatment was something she could do in her sleep, so he didn't argue. Instead, he limped over, dropped down onto the sofa next to her and grabbed her kit. Andrew stood helpless and House didn't even acknowledge his presence as they worked to stabilise the unconscious 18 month old.

Cameron pressed her ear to her daughter's chest, checking for the tenth time that Elle was still breathing on her own. She glanced at the oximeter she'd clipped to Elle's finger.

"Her breathing's becoming more labored...O2 sats are down to 90..."

"High-flow nasal cannula. You know what you're doing. If this was any other kid, you wouldn't have even run that by me. Take your maternal side out of it."

He wasn't cutting her any slack but she appreciated it. One of them had to remain rational. She could hear sirens in the distance and knew the EMTs would show up in a matter of minutes. But a matter of minutes without oxygen could make a huge difference. They might intubate her, she thought, and there were more risks associated with that than with the HFNC she was now scrambling in her kit for.

Andrew had disappeared out of the room but neither of them had really noticed. They got the IV started and Cameron monitored her oxygen saturation and heart rate before pushing the acetylcysteine and IV fluids House had prepared for her. It was a 60 minute drip so she knew the most they could hope for was stabilising her. There'd be no miraculous regaining of consciousness like in the movies. It would take time. Her sats were up and she was no longer in respiratory distress though, so they'd already had their best possible outcome.

Cameron looked toward the door as she heard banging and shouting from the front door. Confusion evident on her face, she called for Andrew to let the EMTs in. He appeared in the doorway, face drained of color.

"Is she...?"

"She's stable. Let the EMTs in..."

He slowly shook his head and she stood up to face him, even more confused.

"Andrew...what are you-?"

"You've fixed her, she's gonna be fine. You're not taking her from here, Allison. I'll never see her again."

Her hands instantly covered her mouth as Andrew pulled a gun out from behind his back. She couldn't believe what he was doing, she didn't even know he owned a gun. They'd discussed that when she was pregnant with Elle and they'd both agreed they hadn't wanted a gun in their home. She looked over at House, who was staring at Andrew in disbelief, but he didn't move from the sofa, where he was holding up the IV bags.

"Are you fucking insane?" his voice was much calmer than any of them felt, "you're willing to let your kid die than accept that you're a moron? How long do you plan to hold us hostage? Until the EMTs call the cops or until there's at least one body bag going out of here?"

Andrew didn't reply, keeping the gun shakily aimed at House. Cameron backed up and dropped to her knees again next to her daughter, hot tears beginning to slide down her cheeks. When she spoke, her voice was small and weak.

"You're willing to let our daughter die here? I really don't know who you are anymore. You promised you'd never hurt her."

"Y-you've made her better. She's gonna be fine-"

"We've given her the loading dose, you idiot. Med school didn't teach you about how doses work? Oh, I forgot, you didn't go to med school."

House yelled, standing up and glaring coldly at the man he felt so much contempt for. Not only had he broken Cameron's heart, he was now risking his child's life and threatening House and Cameron. All for his own interests. He was stopping his daughter from getting the medical attention she needed in fear of losing her, but his insane logic was useless if she died because of that.

The EMTs were still banging on the door and Cameron jumped up, running toward the door and trying to get past Andrew. He blocked her way, shoving her up against the wall, his elbow at her throat and the gun shaking in his other hand. She gasped, winded, and struggled against him, unable to properly breathe.

It was House's turn to jump up. He looked between Cameron and the child on the floor. He was holding the IV bag, and if he dropped it, he'd be compromising her treatment. But he couldn't stand there and do nothing as Cameron struggled to breathe. It didn't matter though, because Andrew shoved her away from him then, back into the room. She clutched her throat and stumbled back toward House. He quickly enveloped her in his arms, keeping the IV bag steady, his cold gaze never leaving Andrew.

"Stupid bitch, don't try that again."

He was pacing, and House momentarily wondered whether he'd taken something. He looked down at Cameron and could see she was wondering the same thing as she looked back up at him. Andrew was jittery and neither of them could tell whether it was because he'd gotten himself into this situation far deeper than he'd anticipated, or if it was something more.

They all gave a start as one of the EMTs outside knocked on the window of the living room, calling for them to let her in. She saw the gun and her eyes widened, holding her hands up and trying to diffuse the situation.

"Sir, please put the gun down," she called, glancing around the room, "you've got a child in there who needs our help? We can't help if you have a weapon."

"Th-they're doctors. They can fix her."

Andrew waved the gun in Cameron and House's direction again. Cameron winced, shutting her eyes and swallowing hard. The whole situation felt like a dream, as though she was going to wake up any minute. She was praying she'd wake up any minute.

"We started an IV, but we only have the loading dose, " House supplied, raising his voice so that the EMT could hear him too, "This moron would rather let his kid die in here than admit he screwed up."

Cameron looked up at House and shook her head. He knew how to push buttons better than anyone, but antagonising Andrew now would only lead him to acting on impulse and when there was a gun being waved at them, that wasn't a button she wanted him to push, no matter how much contempt he had for the man.

"Sir, the cops are on their way. Please put the gun down-"

The echo of the sudden gunshot made Cameron drop to her knees and cover her face, her eyes squeezed shut again for a few long moments before she dared to look at House. He was unharmed. Her gaze shot to Andrew. Also unharmed. She then realised he'd fired at the wall, getting his point across. The EMT had jumped away from the window and silence descended on the room for several minutes. None of them wanted to breathe or move, in case it pushed him too far. The EMT stayed back from the window now and the tension in the room was unbearable.

Finally, after ten minutes, Cameron she pushed herself to her feet and approached him slowly, her voice small as she kept her gaze fixed on his. She needed to do something. If anyone, surely she could get through to him?

"Please...Andrew. Just stop this. Elle needs to get to the hospital."

The sound of sirens fast approaching stopped him from listening to Cameron's plea and he was pacing again. House sat back down on the sofa heavily, still holding the IV bag that was now halfway through its dosage. She'd need a new bag soon, and House wondered what Andrew's end game was. Either way he'd lose his daughter now, be that through her death or him going to prison.

As the sirens drew ever closer, House didn't have to wait for long to find out, because Andrew turned to them, looked Cameron in the eyes as she stood three feet in front of him, and pressed the barrel of the gun to his own temple.

"I'd rather die than lose both of you."

He said on a whisper and Cameron didn't even have chance to reason with him before he pulled the trigger. Her scream reverberated with the gunshot and her legs gave way beneath her again as she fell to the ground with Andrew's now suddenly-lifeless body.

Her hand covered her mouth and she turned away from him, gagging between sobs as she tried not to throw up. House stared in disbelief, unable to move from the sofa. The room was silent for endless moments except for Cameron's soft sobs. It felt like an eternity, but it could have added up to no more than four seconds in real-time.

And then suddenly the flurry of activity began, with the cops smashing through the front door and swarming into the room. The EMTs followed behind them, rushing over to the still-unconscious little girl, while two more EMTs attended to Cameron and House. Both were in shock and Cameron was dazed, shaking, tears streaming down her cheek. She was numb and oblivious to the blanket they'd wrapped around her as she was hurried into the adjoining room to be checked over. All she could do was mumble that she wanted to be with her child. They assured her she could go with the little girl to the hospital, they just wanted to check her over first.

House followed her on autopilot, after handing the IV bag he'd been clutching to one of the EMTs. They sat in silence and he had no words to say to her that could possibly help in that moment. She'd just witnessed her husband kill himself right in front of her after holding her hostage at gunpoint while their daughter lay unconscious because of his negligence. Hallmark sure as hell didn't do a card for that one and he wasn't exactly Hemingway when it came to comforting words.

So instead of words, he simply reached over and took her hand, squeezing it gently and hoping she'd take from that all the words he had no idea how to say. She squeezed back and met his gaze. He'd never seen eyes so full of sorrow in all his life. She was broken. And that broke him in a way he'd never imagined was possible. And in that moment he made a silent promise to himself, that whatever it took, he'd be there to put her back together.