Saving Grace:
The Apology
Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.
Abstract: When Cameron's marriage with Chase falls apart, she decides that she cannot wait for another man to come around to be a mom. What happens when a wrench gets thrown in her plans? HC
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"Wilson, I think I screwed up," House said, interrupting Wilson's meeting with his patient.
"Can this wait just one minute, House?" Wilson asked frustratedly.
House sat down at Wilson's desk, eagerly watching the exchange between the oncologist and his patient.
Wilson uncomfortably completed the meeting, with the lame explanation of House's presence, "He's a doctor too."
When the patient was finally excused, Wilson turned to his friend. "What did you do?"
House had his feet up on Wilson's desk, a lollipop in his mouth that he had found. "Oh, you know, the usual. Stealing candy from babies, making pregnant women cry…"
"You made Cameron cry?" Wilson said incredulously.
"Wilson, that wasn't supposed to be taken literally," he explained as if to a child. "But what if I did?" he asked, cringing.
Wilson just shook his head.
"She was hormonal and stuff, I'm sure it wasn't entirely my fault…" House rationalized.
"Don't blame it on hormones," Wilson said firmly. "True or not, she'll kill you. And you'll be back down to one friend."
"None of your wives were ever pregnant. How do you know this stuff?" House asked in wonder. His eyes widened. "Did you knock up one of your mistresses?"
"No!" Wilson shouted in defense. "God, House, stop deflecting."
"Paying secret child support on the side?" House quipped.
"I'd love to know how the hell she can stand living with you," Wilson muttered.
"It's my charm with the ladies," House said, fluttering his eyelashes.
"Don't try to turn the charm on Cameron. She's pregnant and divorcing," Wilson warned.
"Don't you think I know that?" House said in exasperation.
"Now as for your problem," Wilson said, returning the conversation to its original purpose, "You have to apologize."
"Do I really have to?" House asked in horror.
"You've been doing really well since you've been back, House, and I don't want you to ruin things for yourself now," Wilson confided seriously. "You need a friend other than me, and she needs a friend too. Apparently you're it."
"Not the best choice," House said wryly.
Wilson smiled. "Maybe not, but you better damn well try to do a good job of it, or I'll have to kick your ass on her behalf."
"Duly noted," House said with a nod.
House stood, changing the tone. "Well, I'd love to stay and cry our eyes out over ice cream and chick flicks, but I have lives to save, reubens to eat, and hospital administrators to annoy."
"Go apologize," Wilson said by way of goodbye.
-
House walked up to her office, pausing outside the glass doors. She seemed oblivious to his presence. He took a deep breath to get up the courage to go in. Cameron was damn lucky she was pregnant or else he'd never be this nice, he told himself.
He pushed open the door and strode in purposefully. Cameron looked up in surprise.
"I'm sorry," he said.
She raised her eyebrows.
"No, I'm not going to repeat it, and don't expect that from me again," he qualified.
"I wouldn't dream of it," she said, still looking a bit surprised, but her mouth curved into a hint of an ironic smile.
He sat down. "I…" he breathed out. This was hard. "I would be honored if you named him after me."
Her smile ripened. "Did Wilson tell you to say that? It doesn't sound like you, House."
"Hey, I made that up all on my own!" House said in offense.
"Well in that case I guess I should be extremely proud of you," Cameron said after a hearty laugh.
"Don't patronize me," House said, pouting.
"Fine, I guess I just won't patronize you enough to offer you the delicious candy bar in my desk," she said with a smug grin and a shrug.
House stuck a hand out, right under Cameron's nose. "Give me the damn chocolate, woman!"
She rolled her eyes, but opened the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled a candy bar out of it. "Here," she said, dropping the treat into his hand with a mirthful smile. She turned back towards her computer, still smiling. "Anything else you needed?"
"Yes," he said.
She looked at him quizzically.
"Dinner." Where the hell had that come from?
She smiled. "We live together, House. It would be pretty hard to avoid you at dinner time."
"You know what I meant."
"Fine," she said, her smile softer now. "See you at home."
"See you," he said as he got up and exited.
Cameron stared after him, all thoughts of paperwork disappearing. Had he just asked her out on a date?
She looked down at her rounded stomach and smiled. Not likely.
Cameron turned back and tried to focus on her work.
-
"House!" the cry rang out through the hospital corridor, striking fear into the hearts of all. "Clinic, now!" the angry Dr. Cuddy yelled.
"But I have a case," House whined.
"You don't have a case," Lisa Cuddy responded in frustration.
One of House's fellows ran up to them at that very moment. "Actually, we do," he said, handing the file to House.
House smiled down at the file. There was a reason he had people working for him.
"Got to go, Dr. Cuddy. You know, lives to save," he said infuriatingly.
"You're going to finish you clinic hours this week, Dr. House," she said with a pointed finger and warning glare.
House just smiled and hobbled off towards Diagnostics. Sure he would. Sucker.
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A/N: I would like to ask for some reader opinions! Later on in the story, I have the opportunity to raise this fic up to an M rating. The smut would be in a chapter essentially by itself. Is this something y'all are interested in reading?
