Hello people! :)
I saw a video that I really shouldn't have seen so I sat down and wrote the next chapter of the story to forget what I had seen :p maybe I should start rewatching season 1 and 2, see some real chemistry. Anyway, I'll get over it... I hope... I had seen only the first episode of this season and I was fine, I don't what got into me and I clicked that link. If I see any nightmares I'll know that it's that video's from season 5 fault :p
Back to the story now! Cameron is trying to figure out what is wrong with Haley while her parents try to talk to her. House meets with Haley again but not with Cameron's parents, that one will happen in the next chapter ;) And a very little part with Beth at the end of the chapter.
Thank you all for reading my story and for telling me what you think about it.
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well!
Disclaimer: I don't own House MD...
Chapter 16: Symptoms
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Cameron entered Haley's room some hours after admitting her in the hospital for observation. She wasn't going to take any chances; she wanted Haley monitored all the time.
She found her mother sitting on a chair next to the bed watching Haley as she slept but didn't say anything. She took Haley's chart and started reading her stats, cataloguing everything in her memory.
"She saw some photos…" her mother's voice caught her attention making her turn to look at her.
"She was snooping around and she found some old photo albums. They had photos of the summer vacation we took before you left… She asked who that pretty woman with her dad was and I told her. That's how she knew who you were." She explained and Cameron nodded her head, looking back at the chart.
She studied it for a few moments before turning to her mother again.
"Where is he anyway? His daughter is in the hospital from this morning, it's four in the afternoon and he hasn't showed up yet." She said trying to hide the anger and frustration from her voice but she didn't know if she had managed to do so.
"He… he isn't going to come." She said in a whisper, averting her eyes from her daughter's gaze.
"Why?" Cameron asked incredulously, studying her mother's expression.
"Jake left when Haley was around four. He said he couldn't take care of her anymore… he said that he never asked for this and couldn't take responsibility." Helen said sadly in a whisper.
Cameron didn't know what to say to that. She knew how her brother was but she didn't expect him to do something like that, not to his own kid. She just stayed silent, her eyes resting on the sleeping girl on the bed.
"I'm going to sent one of my team members to run some tests and I'll inform you if I have something new." She said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled between them.
Helen nodded and Cameron exited the room and headed straight for House's office.
She opened the door to his office without knocking and entered finding him in his lounge chair, watching TV.
"My brother is a jerk!" she announced making him turn to look at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Hello to you too." He said with a small smirk before continuing "And I think that I already knew that." He said matter-of-factly motioning for her to go to him.
"Well, now my mother knows as well." She said moving in order to sit on the footstool.
"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion and she sighed.
"I just found out that he left when Haley was four years old. He abandoned his own child, can you believe that? He just left the kid to our parents and left! How can someone do that to his own child?" she asked in disbelief, clearly frustrated and angry.
House smiled softly at her and glided his hand down her arm.
"I can give you examples about what can someone do to his own child." He said looking straight into her eyes and she nodded, understanding full well what he meant by that.
"I just… did you see her? How can someone abandon such a sweet girl like her?" she asked and he shrugged.
"I don't know angel…" he whispered, resting his hand on her thigh.
"She knows who I am by the way." She said and placed her hand on his, moving her thumb over his knuckles.
"She doesn't know who I am though." He said with a smirk.
"Yeah, I heard about your little encounter. Did you ambush them when they came?" she asked with a smile.
"Nah, I was just playing with my PSP… outside your office." He said with an innocent look making her smile.
"Did they see you?" she asked and he shook his head.
"I don't think they noticed me. I just talked to the kid." He said and she nodded.
"Scoot over…" she said after a few moments and he shook his head in amusement, moving so that there was some room for her.
She sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder, draping her right arm over his waist.
He dropped a kiss on her forehead and she let out a sigh.
"Any ideas yet?" he asked bringing his left hand up in order to lace his fingers with hers.
"No… She is complaining about headaches and she is running a fever. She also had a seizure while I was examining her earlier. I want to check her pediatrician's prescriptions and notes in case they forgot to mention something." She said tilting her head so that she could look at him.
"You are going to figure it out." He said surely earning a smile from her. "And if you want some help I'm always up for a good puzzle." He said with a wink.
"You don't think that this is another puzzle." She stated confidently.
"How do you know it?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey, you may still be the doctor that everyone is afraid of in this, and many other hospitals, but I know better." She replied with a knowing smile.
"Better not hear a rumor that says that I have gone soft." He warned teasingly.
"A rumor? I'm better than that, I have photos!" she said with a smug grin and he frowned.
"I have photos too." He said, waggling his eyebrows, a smirk playing on his lips.
"You are bluffing." She said, studying his face.
"And you will never find out." He said confidently and laced his hands behind his head, the smirk never leaving his lips.
She raised an eyebrow, looking at him suspiciously and he burst out laughing.
"You should have seen your face." He commented and she just looked at him with a frown.
"You are so going to pay for that one." She threatened but he knew she was just messing with his head because she could barely contain her smile.
"Promises, promises…" he replied and was ready to pull her down for a kiss but her pager went off and she pulled back.
"It's Haley, her fever spiked up and she started vomiting." She said with a sigh.
"Go." He said giving a squeeze to her hand.
She nodded and stood up and after placing a quick kiss on his lips she left his office quickly.
Cameron entered Haley's room where her father had returned and went immediately to one of her team members that was standing by the bed.
"What happened?" she asked, checking Haley at the same time.
"Her fever spiked to a 105 and I was paged because she was vomiting." He explained.
"We need to lower her fever immediately. Tell Cuddy that we are going to do a tepid bath and give her Tylenol before taking her." She said and he nodded, moving Haley out of the room.
"Why did her fever spiked?" asked her father, worry and concern evident in his voice.
"I don't know yet, but I'm going to find out." She said and before they could ask any more questions she was out of the room.
It was an hour later that Haley's fever finally dropped and Cameron was now in her room, watching her as she slept.
Her parents had gone to the cafeteria when one of Cameron's team members told them that she would stay with Haley. But Cameron had taken over a few minutes after they left.
She was deep in thought when Haley's voice caught her attention.
"Aunt Allison?" she said catching Cameron off guard but the only thing she could do when she met Haley's gaze was smile softly at her.
Sometimes kids have a way to surprise you… she thought and moved in order to sit on the chair next to the bed.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked and Haley shrugged.
"Better I guess… But I am tired." She said in a low tone.
"Are you feeling like that for a long time?" Cameron asked trying to find anything that her pediatrician had dismissed.
Haley nodded and Cameron waited for her to continue.
"Sometimes I felt tired and other times I felt sleepy and my head hurt a lot. Grandma says I have lost some weight too." She explained and Cameron nodded sympathetically.
"Are you trying to find out what's wrong with me?" she asked, her big green-blue eyes connecting with Cameron's.
"That's what I plan to do." She replied with a smile making Haley smile as well.
"I believe you." She said seriously and Cameron grinned.
The door sliding open made them turn to look to that direction only to find House standing by the door.
"I thought I'd find you here." He exclaimed and moved inside the room in order to sit at the bottom of the bed.
"It's the cool doctor!" Haley said enthusiastically and House smirked.
"Hey kiddo." He greeted.
"Hey cool doctor." Greeted Cameron with a smile and he smirked.
"Have any interesting information?" he asked and Cameron nodded.
"I think I have an idea but I'm not sure yet. I have to run some tests first." She replied and he nodded.
"Are they going to use a needle again? Because that doctor with the weird accent hurt my arm the previous time." Haley said making House laugh.
"See? I told you that Harrison is an idiot!" he exclaimed and Cameron rolled her eyes at his childish behavior.
"He is not an idiot, he is an intern. My team is very competent but Cuddy insists that I use interns too, that's why I sent him." She explained and he snorted.
"I don't use them." He said and she looked at him pointedly.
"That's why I use them." She said and he decided to change the subject.
"So, I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Greg." He said seriously and extended his hand to Haley.
She looked at him with a frown and he smirked making her smile again.
"I'm Haley." She said and shook his hand. "And this is Oliver!" she said, pointing to her teddy bear.
"He seems nice." House commented and Haley nodded.
"Do you want to see him?"
"Sure, hand him over." He replied with a smirk making Haley giggle.
"Are you going to be my doctor too?" she asked him.
"Not exactly but I'm going to help Dr. Cameron if she needs me." He replied.
"So, what do you want here?" Cameron asked, looking at House who was studying the teddy bear.
"It's six o'clock." He answered and she sighed.
"I completely lost track of time… Why don't you go? I'll stay for a little longer." She said with a small smile and he nodded.
"It was nice meeting you Haley and Oliver of course." He said with a smirk and Haley grinned.
"Will you come again tomorrow?" she asked hopefully and he nodded.
"Goodnight." He said and Haley waved at him while Cameron mouthed a 'see you at home'.
"He is nice." Haley commented and Cameron smiled.
"When he wants to." She replied.
"And he has beautiful eyes." She said making Cameron laugh.
"Tell me about it." She replied.
Haley stayed silent for a few minutes before deciding to ask the question that was bothering her.
"Why didn't I meet you before?" she asked looking Cameron straight in the eyes.
"That's a very complicated story. Maybe you should ask your grandma and grandpa." She said and Haley nodded.
"I'm sleepy…" she said and Cameron smiled.
"Then sleep. I'll stay 'til you fall asleep." She said and Haley smiled, trying to stifle a yawn.
"Thank you Aunt Allison…" she whispered and closed her eyes, hugging her teddy bear tightly against her chest.
When Haley fell asleep Cameron stood up and after checking her vitals one more time and writing them on her chart she turned to walk to the door only to find her father there, watching her.
"Dad." She said in surprise.
"Sorry I scared you…" he said apologetically.
"I was just checking her vitals. She is currently stable." She explained and he nodded.
They both stayed silent for a few moments, not knowing what to say to each other 'til her father decided to talk.
"I know we weren't the best parents a kid could ask for… I know we weren't fare to you at all and we regret that. It took us some time to see the truth but we did and we are really so-" he started but she cut him off.
"Dad, not now. I don't know if I want to hear it and frankly even if I did I don't know if I would be able to forgive you." She said truthfully and despite the hurt expression in her father's eyes she didn't do or say anything to make him feel any better.
"I just agreed to help Haley… she didn't do anything wrong. And I'm really amazed she is so well adjusted, she is an adorable kid. I still can't believe that Jake left and let you raise her but maybe I shouldn't be so surprised after everything he has done. But Haley doesn't deserve to be dragged in all this mess. Plus, she has really managed to make me love her so I'll do anything in my power to help her. But this doesn't mean that we are going to be ok…" she said looking directly into his eyes, a serious expression in her beautiful green-blue eyes.
Her father didn't know what to say so he stayed silent, afraid to drop her gaze but also afraid of what he would find there.
"She is sleeping, her vitals are stable and a member of my team is going to stay overnight to check her. I have to go home." She stated and her father nodded.
He moved away from the door letting her pass but before she could exit he spoke again.
"Allison..." he said her name in a low tone and she turned to look at him with a sigh.
"Will you at least give us a chance?" he asked and she could discern the pleading tone of his voice and that surprised her because Jason Cameron wasn't a man who did this often.
"I don't know if I can." She said and left the room, leaving him alone with a sleeping Haley.
When she finally arrived home it was too late and she assumed that Beth was already asleep. What surprised her was the fact that House wasn't lying on the couch in front of the TV.
She went to Beth's bedroom first but she was nowhere to be found so then she walked to her and House's bedroom.
When she entered she couldn't stop the smile from reaching her lips.
House was lying on his right side and Beth was also lying on her right side, her back resting against his chest. His left arm was draped over Beth's body and he was holding her protectively, both of them sound asleep.
She walked as quietly as she could and caressed House's cheek softly.
He woke up and his sleepy eyes connected with hers giving her a small smile which she returned.
"Hey… sorry for being late." She whispered, not wanting to wake Beth up.
"It's ok…" he mumbled, rubbing his hand over his face.
He kissed Beth's temple and she moved.
"I don' wanna go to school…" she mumbled sleepily, burying her face in House's chest making both her parents smile.
"Come on angel, you must go to bed." Said Cameron and Beth opened her eyes to look at her.
"Mommy, you are late." She whined and Cameron smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry, but I had a lot of patients today and I needed to see them all sweety." She explained and Beth raised an eyebrow.
"Are you going to come earlier tomorrow?" she asked, studying her mother's face.
"I promise. I'll even make your favorite food." She said and Beth grinned widely.
"Come on now, let me take you to bed." She said and Beth stood up on the bed and after kissing House's cheek she went into her mother's embrace.
Cameron took her to her bed and after kissing her goodnight she returned to their bedroom and changed into her pajama bottoms and one of House's t-shirts.
She crawled into bed and into his embrace, taking the spot their daughter had earlier.
He was on his right side while she was on her left and she rested her head on his pillow, their noses barely touching.
"My dad said that they are sorry…" she mumbled, looking into his blue eyes.
"That's it, only this?" he asked her, draping his arm over her waist.
"I didn't let him continue…" she said, sighing.
"Are you going to let him in the future?" he asked in concern and she shrugged.
"I don't know…" she said honestly and he dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose.
"You are going to figure it out…" he said and she smiled.
"I love you, you know that?" she said, looking at him softly.
He squeezed her hip and smiled at her.
"I know, I'm adorable." He commented the smile turning into one of his usual smirks making her chuckle.
"Now sleep, you need to rest." He said seriously and she nodded in agreement.
"Night Greg…" she mumbled, kissing his lips tenderly and her eyes closed moments later, moving as close to him as she could.
He tightened his embrace around her body and kissed her forehead.
"Goodnight angel…" he whispered, closing his eyes and letting her even breathing lull him to sleep.