Saving Grace:

The Waiting

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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Cameron was overdue and not the slightest bit pleased about it.

Not to mention, it was hot as hell out. Very little improved her mood.

House attempted to wrap an arm around her in bed one night and she snapped at him.

"Don't touch me, Greg, it's too damn hot," she yelled, tossing the sheet away.

She sighed and continued in a frustrated voice, "And Eleanor won't calm down and let me sleep!"

They were both silent for a minute, and then House started singing. "Summertime… and the livin' is easy…"

Cameron interrupted, giving him an odd look. "What are you doing?"

"I'm singing the baby to sleep, what does it look like I'm doing? Now stop interrupting," House said in an irritated voice.

House continued, "Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high…" Cameron closed her eyes and settled into a sleep position.

By the time he completed the song, Cameron appeared to be asleep. House assumed the baby was as well, but gently pressed a hand against her abdomen to see for himself.

He realized what he was doing a moment later and pulled his hand away. He rarely touched her stomach unless expressly invited to. It seemed like an invasion of privacy… something that belonged only to her.

House sighed and rolled over, willing himself to go to sleep. He had gotten used to her in his arms as he slept, but he didn't dare disturb her tonight.

Anyways, he didn't need her, right?

-

House was not in the best of moods the next morning, seeing as he barely slept. He chose to blame it on the heat, but he couldn't even convince himself of that.

Cameron, on the other hand, had raved the next morning about how well she had slept, only angering House further. She could sleep without him but he couldn't without her? Like hell. Something was wrong with this picture.

-

"I don't know what the fuck I'm doing," House said, stepping into Wilson's office.

"You could have told me that years ago, and saved this hospital a lot of money," Cuddy said saucily, sitting at a chair across from Wilson's desk.

House glared at her. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you?" she countered. "You have a patient."

"I need a consult."

Cuddy gave him a warning look. "That better be it. I don't pay you to gossip."

House rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. "Men don't gossip. Men talk. Now go!" He motioned wildly towards the door.

Cuddy stepped out with a warning look, leaving the two men together.

"As I was saying," House stated, "I don't know what the fuck I'm doing."

"Yes, I caught that from the first time, when you yelled it," Wilson said sarcastically.

House glared.

"Okay, what's the problem?" Wilson asked with a sigh.

"Allison Cameron broke my brain," House announced.

Wilson raised his eyebrows. "Are you in love with her?"

House didn't answer, looking down and twirling his cane.

"Oh, God, House," Wilson moaned.

"You're not helping!" House said in annoyance.

"Sorry!" Wilson paused. "Does she know?"

"She sort of caught me saying it…"

Wilson guffawed. "You, Gregory House, said that you loved her? I think the world is ending!"

House glared.

"Okay, sorry!" Wilson said, raising his hands in defense. "Have you acted on these feelings?"

"Well…" House drew out. "There was the time we had sex…"

"You had sex?" Wilson shouted.

"Go ahead, tell the whole damn hospital!" House growled at him.

"Sorry. So you had sex…" Wilson echoed with an incredulous look on his face.

"And we've kind of been sleeping in the same bed for months…" House stated, resigned.

Wilson looked at him like he was crazy. "What are you doing, House?"

House groaned. "You're supposed to be telling me that!" He shook his head. "Something about her makes me go against every instinct I've ever had."

Wilson couldn't suppress a smile. "That's a good thing."

House glared.

"Okay, okay…" Wilson said, attempting to calm the situation. "Do you want a relationship with her?"

"I don't know!" House cried out.

"Well you need to figure it out," Wilson stated firmly. "Only do this if you're sure you want it. Otherwise you're just going to hurt her. And if you get involved in her daughter's life and then leave…" Wilson trailed off. "That's… very bad."

House sat in silence. He didn't really feel sure of anything anymore. This experience had turned his whole life upside down. He didn't know what to make of it.

"She's not Stacy," Wilson said softly.

"I know," House responded in a low voice. The pair sat in silence a little longer, both deep in thought.

"Okay… thanks Jimmy," House said absently, getting up.

As he was headed out the door he stopped. "Oh… what was Cuddy doing in here?" he asked interestedly.

"We were having sex on the desk until you so rudely interrupted," Wilson deadpanned.

House laughed loudly. "In your dreams, buddy."

"Would it really be that hard to believe?" Wilson asked, mildly offended.

"Yes." House said. "But you should try it sometime. She's not half bad," House said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"You're sick, House," Wilson called out in disgust, but he was laughing. He was glad to see that the old House was still there underneath.

-

House came home in a contemplative mood. Cameron was in the kitchen cooking when he arrived. House couldn't really understand why she was cooking all the time. It seemed like work to him, but Cameron seemed to be enjoying it.

"Why so quiet?" she asked with a smile, wiping dirty hands on the apron wrapped around her enormous belly.

"Just thinking," House said.

Cameron took that at face value and retreated back into the kitchen. Soon they were seated at the dining table with a delicious chicken meal in front of them.

"Mmm…" House moaned in pleasure as he took a bite. "You sure do know how to cook, Allison."

She smiled at the compliment. "Mom taught me when I was young, and I did a lot of it after she…" Cameron stopped in mid-sentence.

"You don't have to talk about your mom if you don't want to," House said to her, most of his focus on his food. He looked up when she didn't respond. "Allison?"

Her face was pale. "I think that was a contraction!" she said in a shaking voice.

House jumped up and popped open his bottle of vicodin simultaneously. "Okay, stay calm!" he commanded. "Check the time, so you'll know how far apart they are."

Cameron nodded mutely, her face still pale with fear. "Page my brother," she said breathlessly.

House paged her brother, who would be getting on the next available flight, and ran to get her overnight bag. "Anything yet?" he asked when he had returned to the table.

Cameron shook her head. "It's been six minutes."

House sat down at the table. Cameron looked at him like he was crazy. "I'm in labor! This is no time to stop for dinner!" she shouted angrily.

"You say that now," he said, "But when you get to the hospital, they won't let you have any food. So eat up."

And Cameron did so.

-

A/N: We're so close to the end now! I'm enjoying this so much that I'm not ready for it to be over, but I want to reward all of you faithful readers with the happy ending! In any case, it's coming very soon. :)