Chapter 3 – Fidelity

She had made her decision. Her son would be born in PPTH. In the first place she hadn't wanted it. Too many familiar faces. People she'd worked with every day. She didn't want them to see her in such a helpless position but Cuddy had promised that she could decide who would be with her in the OR.

At the age of 14 she had her first gynaecologist appointment. Her mother had forced her to go. Discretion is the better part of valor. That's where the doctor had told her. She would never be able to give birth to a child the normal way. Her pelvis was too narrow. Alternative? C-section. Now, 8 month pregnant she didn't have to work anymore. She just couldn't stay away, doing paperwork all day or writing reports for other departments. The only way she could refuse to think that she would be cut open in a few weeks.

She couldn't stay at home. She had cabin fever and when she was walking through her living room the baby stuff her mother had bought was scaring her to death. She'd never seen herself as a mother let alone a single mother. Responsibility for such a petite and fragile soul. It was scaring her to death.

She looked up when the door opened. It was long past midnight and she'd thought she would be alone. Most of the staff had been gone home hours ago. But now he was standing right in front of her. She couldn't imagine how she must've looked in his eyes. Pathetic – at least from his point of view. Worn out jeans, an old sweatshirt from her long gone husband and Sneakers. She was curled up on the small couch in his office. Not her best appearance but this were the clothes she'd felt comfortable in.

Why she'd ended up in the diagnostic department she didn't know. Perhaps it was just a weird habit. She had searched for something familiar and there wasn't another place in this town. She knew nobody except for the people in this hospital. You could think she would be the kind of person who was able to make friends easily but deep inside her she was insecure.

"I'm sorry, I…" Her voice seemed strange in her ears. A few octaves to high. Shaky. His presence was still able to make her feel uneasy.

"Excuses are nothing but a sign for weakness…", he grumbled.

Clumsy she sat up and noticed that he was watching her. First she thought he wanted to ask her something but he remained silent. Even after all this time it was hard to break with old habits. He hobbled slowly to his desk and sat down. The computer was switched on and the fluorescent light of the monitor was the only thing that was lightened the room right now.

She was surprised when he finally said something. It was just against his nature.

"What are you doing here?" It might have been an illusion but right now he looked at her with a softer expression, one he'd rarely shown anybody. Well, perhaps except Stacy.

For a moment she was silent and stared at him, unable to understand his existence. A kick. A smile. Realization.

„He can't sleep", she said softly and placed her hand on her swollen belly. House stared at her. She hadn't told anybody what gender this – this baby would have. Not even Foreman. It was – besides the fatherhood – the biggest secret in PPTH right now. How could she spill it now so easily? Why he couldn't see right behind her façade would stay a secret. How she could manage it to stay a secret even after all this time he didn't – couldn't – understand.

"What are you doing here?", she asked silently and tucked up her legs closer to her body.

"My patient is in coma and at night it's easier to think…"

"Do I disturb…"

His gaze was aimed at the computer monitor – stubbornly. "No…" From time to time her eyes flickered into his direction, and even though he tried to look away each time they did he couldn't and when he met her gaze he was drowning in this awfully beautiful kaleidoscope.

A smile crossed her face when she closed the eyes. Just a few minutes had passed and she was deep asleep. It seemed like his presence was making it easier for her to breathe. When he was turning to leave around 4 am she was still asleep. Curled up to a small ball she looked so fragile – innocent – that he nearly couldn't bear the thought to touch her.

Minutes passed and he was just staring at her peaceful face, before he finally laid a hand on her belly. His whole body clenched when he felt the movement inside of her. It kicked against his hand. If it would be possible he would've thought this child knew it was him.

With shock he withdrew his hand immediately and stared at the sleeping figure of Allison Cameron. He gulped. Hard. It wouldn't work. He couldn't force himself into something like that. Sighing he put a blanket over her body and left the office.

When she opened her eyes in the next moment she was stunned for a moment and barely able to move. She stared at the keyboard of her computer and couldn't look away. Her lips curled up into a soft smile when she finally was able to move. She reached out for the small object. There wasn't a question about the person who'd left it here. Nobody knew. Nobody – besides him.

House was late. Of course. Every human needed at least 8 hours of sleep. He ignored Cuddys glares and headed right to his office. He had solved his case. Of course. Nobody would ever doubt him. Or…well…At least he didn't doubt himself. He stopped at the door and was paralyzed. He stared at the small object, placed on the keyboard of his computer. He sighed. She was making it awfully hard for him. Slowly he hobbled into this direction and looked at it for a moment. He hadn't expected this from her and for a brief moment he wondered how long he would have to dance around her.

Minutes later he heard Cuddys heals clicking in the hallway and he knew it was time to hide in the ER. He didn't need long to find her. She stood right in front of an intern and seemed to explain something. When she looked up and met his gaze her hand curled up around something in her lab coat – a small blue pacifier that somebody had left in her office this morning. And she could see how his hand disappeared in his pocked. What he was doing? Apparently. He grabbed the ultrasound scan she'd left on his desk. She smiled. He nodded. She left.

TbC

A/N: Did I mention that I'm really addicted to reviews? Thanks for the support. And thanks to AllyCam from the House Board for reading it. Hope I kept the mistakes minor.