Hello everyone!
Chapter 13 is ready for all of you to read :)
In this one you are going to find out Cameron's decision and if she is going to accept to help or not.
Thank you all for your support and for taking the time to review. I really like reading your opinion about this story.
Let's move on with the story then...
Disclaimer: I don't own House MD...
Chapter 13: The decision
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House and Cameron arrived to their place some minutes later with Wilson following behind with his own car.
Once Cameron opened the door to their house Beth ran towards her and wrapped her little arms around her neck, kissing her and hugging her.
"Mommy, you are back from work!" she exclaimed with a wide grin making Cameron smile just as widely.
"Yeap, we are. Did you have fun today with grandpa and grandma?" she asked her daughter and Beth nodded vigorously.
"We went to the zoo! And Grandpa John took me this huge teddy bear and that hat with the lion on it and many other things! And we fed the animals mommy, it was great! But Grandma Blythe didn't come to see the snakes because she said that they are creepy." She ranted, trying to say everything with one breath and causing Cameron to laugh slightly.
"So, someone had a great time today." Commented House who was standing behind Cameron but Beth was too busy narrating her adventures to see him.
"Daddy!" she exclaimed and Cameron handed her to him.
He kissed her cheek and she hugged him tightly.
"Want me to show you the other great things that grandpa bought for me?" she asked with enthusiasm.
"Why don't you let mommy and daddy greet your grandparents first? You can show them to us later." He said and Beth nodded in agreement and House put her back down.
At that moment Blythe came from the living room and went to hug House and then Cameron.
"Hey mom, where is dad?" he asked and he noticed that Beth was looking innocently at them.
"I know that look." Cameron said studying their daughter's face and then looking at House who nodded.
"Well, since Beth was really good today we thought that some ice-cream wouldn't be bad." Said Blythe and Beth smiled.
"Didn't you have enough candy at the zoo?" asked Cameron tickling Beth and she started laughing.
"I didn't, grandpa had a lot though." Beth replied through laughter making both House and Cameron raise their eyebrows.
"You know your father, he can't say no to her. So, every candy they bought he ended up having ¾ of it because Beth kept feeding him." Blythe explained and they both burst out laughing.
"I feel sorry for your dad." Cameron said and House shrugged.
"He is used to it by now." He commented with a smirk.
"Daddy you forgot the door open!" said Beth catching their attention.
"No sweety, we left it open because Uncle Jimmy is coming." Cameron explained and Beth grinned.
Beth didn't have the time to reply because Wilson entered the house holding the big cage with the bunny inside.
"Santa came earlier this year!" he exclaimed with a smile and Beth ran towards him.
"Uncle Jimmy!" she said hugging him and Wilson tried really hard to hold Beth the cage and keep his balance at the same time.
"Why don't we put this down, I don't want to drop you." He said and Beth nodded, disentangling her arms from around his neck, letting him see where he was stepping.
They all moved to the living room and Wilson placed the cage on the coffee table and Beth in front of it.
"So, do you like him?" he asked as she watched her study the bunny that was currently looking around.
"He is perfect Uncle Jimmy!" Beth replied with one of her brilliant smiles making Wilson smile widely to her.
"Can I hold him?" she asked tentatively.
"Sure, here, I'll help you." Wilson replied and took the bunny carefully in his arms and then handed him to Beth.
She giggled and patted his head softly and rubbed her nose against his.
"He is warm and fuzzy!" she commented, all the time smiling to everyone making them smile as well.
"How are you going to name him?" Cameron asked and Beth seemed to consider it for a while.
"I'm going to name him Ricky!" she exclaimed happily and went to sit next to Wilson on the couch.
"Thank you Uncle Jimmy!" she said and kissed his cheek and he picked her up in order to make her sit on his leg.
"You are welcome sweety." He said, smiling.
The bell made Beth jump up and head to the door.
"I'll get it!" she shouted as she ran towards the door.
She opened the door trying not to drop the bunny down and she saw John House standing there holding a pack of ice cream in his hands.
"Look grandpa, Uncle Jimmy got me a bunny!" she said enthusiastically making John smile.
"Hey, I thought it was my day to spoil her today!" he exclaimed and went in the living room to sit with the others after placing the ice cream in the freezer.
"You two take turns on spoiling my daughter?" asked House, looking from his father to Wilson with a raised eyebrow and they just shrugged.
Cameron looked at him with a raised eyebrow as well and he shrugged too, an innocent smile on his lips.
"It's not my fault that I spoil her!" he said defensively and she raised both eyebrows in question.
"It's your fault! She looks like you, that's why I find it really hard to say no to her." He explained plainly and she shook her head in amusement.
"Yeah, I've heard that excuse before." She said, dropping a kiss on his cheek.
Time passed by uneventfully with the adults talking and Beth playing with her new pet bunny.
About an hour later the grandparents and Wilson left leaving the family alone.
House immediately dropped his cane on the couch and went to sit on the floor next to Beth and the bunny.
"What will he do if I pull his tail?" he asked with a glint in his eyes and Beth frowned.
"You are not going to pull his tail." She said seriously, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"He isn't going to do it sweety." Cameron reassured her. "He just wants to play, you know daddy." She said and headed to the kitchen leaving the 'kids' alone.
"Can I at least hold it?" he asked, mimicking Beth's stance.
Beth studied him for a few moments before nodding her head.
"Only if you promise not to pull his tail… Or his ears!" she added and House nodded.
"Scout's honor." He said seriously, placing his palm over his heart and making Beth giggle.
"Ok." She said and smiled to him.
It was several minutes later that Cameron returned to the living room only to find Beth and House lying on the floor, the bunny resting on his chest and Beth's head pillowing his bicep.
"Dinner is ready you two." She announced and they both picked up their heads and looked at her.
"Macaroni and cheese." She clarified and they both bolted up and headed to wash their hands and straight to the kitchen, leaving the bunny on the floor.
Cameron picked it up and patted his head softly.
"Just you and me, huh Ricky?" she said to the bunny and then heard House calling out for her.
"If you don't come in here I'll eat yours too!" he yelled and she shook her head in amusement.
"Guess you'll be alone for a while." She said and placed the bunny back to his cage and made her way to the kitchen.
After they all ate Beth wanted to continue playing while House and Cameron insisted that it was time for bed.
"Please mommy, five more minutes!" Beth pleaded, using her best puppy dog eyes to convince her mother.
"Nope, you are going to bed young lady." She said and took Beth's hand leading her to her bedroom.
"I have to say goodnight to dad!" she said, trying to gain some more minutes.
"Your dad is coming, he is bringing Ricky to your room." she said Beth sighed.
"Ok…" she said resignedly.
She kissed House goodnight and patted Ricky and then got into bed. Cameron gave her a kiss and was at the door when Beth spoke again.
"Can you tell me a story?" she asked pleadingly and Cameron sighed.
"Ok, but a short one." She said and Beth smiled and nodded.
Five minutes into the story and Beth had already fallen asleep something natural after a tiring day like that.
Cameron kissed her forehead and exited Beth's bedroom.
She went to the living room where House was sprawled on the couch watching one of his shows on the TV.
She moved quietly and lied on top of him, being careful not to jar his thigh.
She rested her head on his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around her body, hugging her to him.
"I still can't believe that my dad is acting like that when he is around Beth…" House commented and Cameron smiled.
"She has her way…" she replied and dropped a kiss on his chest.
"Tell me about it! I haven't forgotten the time when he was pretending to be a pony and he was walking around with Beth on his back." He said making her laugh at the memory.
"You have to admit that it was funny." She said with a smirk and he smiled mischievously.
"Are you kidding me? It was hilarious! I still have that photo you took." He replied.
"Yeah, I'm sure he remembers it too. If I remember correctly you were the one who used to sing the theme song of 'Ed the horse' every time you saw him for months after that." She said with a smile and he laughed out loud.
"That was sooo funny!" he exclaimed and she swatted his chest playfully.
They stayed silent for some minutes, just enjoying the others company before Cameron decided to start talking about the subject that had been in her mind all day long.
"I called…" she admitted and lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest so that she could look in his eyes.
"I knew that… What I don't know is what they wanted." He said and she sighed.
"My brother has a daughter." She said seriously, and he looked at her with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.
"She is sick…" she continued and he frowned, waiting to see where this was going.
"Why did they…?" he started but she cut him off.
"My mom called because she wants my help."
"She wants you to treat your brother's daughter?" he asked, the frown remaining on his face.
"Theoretically… no." she replied and he looked at her questioningly.
"What do you mean?" he asked confusion evident in his voice.
"Her pediatrician suggested that they see a neurologist but the neurologist said it was something immunological so he sent them back to the pediatrician. But the pediatrician told them that he couldn't find out what was wrong and that their only hope was two doctors in Princeton. Do you see where this is going now?" she asked with a sigh and he nodded in realization.
"So theoretically she didn't ask for you to treat the kid but technically you are going to be the one who treats her if you agree to this." He clarified and she nodded.
"If I say yes I'll be sending them right to us…" she said and House kissed her forehead softly.
"You can refer the case to me." He said seriously "And you won't have to do anything…"
"If I say yes I'll take the case. If it is something immunological as their doctor said then it's my field, I won't run away." She replied.
"So, what are you going to do?" he asked caressing her cheek with his thumb.
"I don't know…" she said childishly burying her head in his chest and making him smile.
He used his hand to make her look at him again and he smiled knowingly.
"What?" she asked, knowing very well what he was going to say.
"You are going to call." He said surely and she raised an eyebrow.
"You care too much. And you know that this little girl has done nothing wrong and it isn't her fault that your parents are like that. And I know that you really want to help." He explained and she looked at him with a soft expression.
"Beth is making you soft…" she said teasingly and he frowned.
"Take it back." He warned but she noticed the playfulness in his voice.
"Nope." She said, smirking.
"You are sooo going to pay for that." He said and without a warning he flipped them around so that he was on top of her, making her squeal in surprise.
He tickled her sides making her laugh and she tried to push him off but it was pointless.
"Fine! You have not gone soft." She managed to say through laughter and he stopped, a smug smile on his lips.
"You have gone really, really soft!" she said and he started tickling her again.
"We'll wake Beth up!" she said, trying to make him stop.
That caught his attention and he dropped his head, resting it on her chest.
"I'll stop then. For now…" he mumbled and she laced her fingers through his hair, caressing his scalp.
He looked up at her and moved a little so that his lips were hovering over hers.
"So you are going to call…" he said in a low tone.
"Yeah…" she breathed out and he nodded.
"Let's not talk about that right now though." He said, looking intently at her.
"I absolutely agree." She said and claimed his lips with hers forgetting everything about parents and phone calls.