This chapter is a medical bullshit :D I know nothing about medicine.

CHAPTER 18

Hopefully she's happy with him

House talked Cameron into transfering Ryan to PPTH as the doctors at Presbyterian didn't let him do anything. They were in the conference room, House was scribbling something on the white board as Foreman and Taub studied the files. Chase walked in and took off his jacket.

"You paged me?" He asked dully and sat down.

"Where the hell have you been? You were supposed to be here an hour ago!" House growled without turning or looking at him. "We have a case!"

"Sorry, hot date." Chase shrugged and smiled smugly.

"House! What is it?" Cuddy yelled as she walked in the room, which made him turn finally and he sighed as she threw a blue file on the table.

"It's not a what, it's a who..." He said indifferently and turned his back to her again. "Sooo, what does the rash tell us?"

"Allergy?" Taub said slowly.

"Ruled out! Read the damn file or I'll fire you!"

"Wait a minute..." Chase said as his eyes widened. "Ryan Withers? That's... that's Cameron's brother."

"What?!" Cuddy shrieked and walked over to House grabbing his arm and dragging him to his office. "We need to talk."

"Feel free to speculate about the symptoms as well as Cuddy's reason for bitchin'." He bawled over his shoulder.

As soon as the door closed behind them, she started.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're treating her brother? And you didn't even bother to tell me?" She looked furious.

"What is your problem?" House pulled an annoyed face. "I'm working... That's what you always wanted me to do, right?"

"Don't get smart with me, House! We have a thing! You have to tell me these things... as your boss and as your girlfriend."

"G-girl-fr-friend?" House stuttered ironically. "When did that happen?" He said frowning and walked over to sit on his chair.

"What?" Her face was red and she was on the verge of tears. "I love you! You need to be honest with me and tell me when you decide to treat your ex's brother, ask me if I am okay with that!"

"You want me to be honest?" He sighed. "We have sex... you clean my bathroom... that's not an euphemism. That's it."

He watched her closely as she turned and he could see she started crying. He rolled his eyes feeling bad and got up making his way to her.

"I'm sorry if I misled you." He said softly and opened the door to the conference room to see three doctors with baffled expressions on their faces as they heard every single word. "Let's get back to work."


House slowly limped to the nurses' station and stopped when he saw several people in Ryan's room - an older tall man, a very beautiful and elegant woman with dark hair and green eyes and... Cameron. He figured they were her mother and her step-father. They were standing near the boy's bed looking concerned and exhausted and he decided not to go there as he knew he was not the right person for the good first impression and he didn't want to risk pissing Cameron off again. He leaned against the counter staring at them blankly. He had no idea what was wrong with Cameron's brother, they ruled out leukemia and other illnesses that could be a death sentence but he still wasn't sure. It was already 10pm, he was tired but he somehow couldn't force himself to go home. Another thing was that he had a feeling Cuddy would be there... since the argument they had, he was doing his best to avoid her but he was fairly certain she would be there, waiting for him with dinner and with her kinky ways to make him like her more. He shuddered. When he was about to go back to his office he noticed Cameron hugging her Mom and giving her step-father a nod and they left the room, hand in hand, heading the elevator. Cameron sat down and he saw her rubbing her face so he took a few steps closer to the room and stared at her before making up his mind and walking in.

"Hello..." He said ever so coyly that it surprised her. She smiled at him sadly and nodded. "Why are you still here? He's sleeping."

"I want to be here." She said softly and looked out the window.

"You should rest." He said and walked over to her, sitting down on the other chair right next to her.

"I'm fine." She said and took a sip of the coffee she was drinking. "Did the test results come back?"

"Not yet." House shook his head and looked at her.

"So you still don't know..."

"Nah..." He whispered. "We'll figure that out. Chase, Foreman and Taub are good doctors."

"I know." She nodded. "I'm just worried."

"I know." He replied and unable to stop himself, he reached out and grabbed her hand. She jerked a little but staring blankly at her brother, she let him hold her hand and run his thumb across her knuckles gently. "Where are you staying?"

"Just a small hotel near the hospital." She said and closed her eyes.

"Go get some sleep, Allison. He's being taken care of." As he said that, he squeezed her hand gently and she looked into his eyes shaking her head.

"Bill and I... um... it's better if I stay here." She said and gulped.

"Are you okay?" He asked her watching her carefully.

"Yeah, yeah..." She said and faked another smile. "How about you?"

"I... am... well... I've been better, I guess." He shrugged and she squeezed his hand too.

"Sorry to hear that." She said sympathetically. "But you and Cuddy are good together."

House's eyes widened as she finished the sentence and he shook his head fiercely. "We're not together, Allison."

"It's okay, you don't have to lie to me." She smiled softly and withdrew her hand from his.

"Seriously. I mean it. Who told you that?" He asked and moved his chair a little closer to her watching her.

"Pretty much everyone I have met here today."

"Well, there's nothing going on. I still miss..." He said and stopped in the middle of the sentence as Ryan started seizing and they both jumped up and ran to the bed.


A couple of days had passed, Ryan wasn't getting worse but he wasn't getting better either, the rash didn't go away, he had fever and suffered from seizures. They couldn't figure out what it was and House was becoming more and more frustrated. He was spending most of the time in the hospital but he didn't get another chance to talk to Cameron and finish what he wanted to tell her, mainly because her Mother and Bill were there with their son 24/7 and after a few days a handsome young man joined them. House knew who that was...

"You need to stop spying on her, you know that, right?" Wilson said as he approached his friend who was hiding at the nurses' station again.

"I'm thinking. Trying to save the kid." House growled.

"You can do it in your office." Wilson replied and looked at them too. "Who's that guy?"

House shrugged. "Cameron's sweetheart I presume."

"You can't keep doing this to yourself, House." Wilson sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You need to treat him like you treat all the other patients. From distance, without feelings."

"I like watching them... they all are good-looking, intriguing, rich... it's like watching a sequel to Dallas." House said with a snort.

"Forget about her. She's with him now..." Wilson said and walked away.

After another thirty minutes or so he saw them leave and decided to use this opportunity to sneak into the boy's room.

"Who are you?" Ryan asked as soon as he opened the glass door.

"Someone who's trying to save your life, yet you're not playing along. How's the fever?"

"I don't feel very well..." Ryan stated matter-of-factly and laid his head back on the pillow. House took a chair and sat down next to his bed. "What's wrong with me?"

"No idea, kiddo..." House said pulling a face and Ryan sighed.

"You know my sister?" He asked a few seconds later.

"Yeah..."

"And she asked you to treat me?" He asked again.

"Yeah..." House said again clearly annoyed with the things not going the way they should.

"Why did you say yes?" He asked and House looked at the kid not getting the question. Ryan smiled ever so slightly. "I've been here for a couple of days, nurses and doctors talk about you. Said you were a slacker."

House chuckled a little. "That is true..."

"So?" Ryan wasn't giving up.

House shrugged again and looked at the cardiac monitoring. "Dunno... can't say no to someone like your sister, I guess."

"She's cool, huh?"

"Yeah... she is." House said and looked at the kid again.

"You were dating, weren't you?"

"What?" House said baffled by the question.

"I saw a photo in her phone last year." Ryan smiled lightly. "Why did she leave you?"

"Geez, what do you know about these things?" House snapped a little.

"I'm a teenager, I know stuff..."

"You're eleven... for another two years you should play with slot cars and ignore girls and everything that concerns them." He said and sighed rubbing his thigh and popping two Vicodin. "Let's just say she's not really fond of me anymore."

Ryan clenched his teeth and closed his eyes. "She's not really fond of me either."

"What?" House looked at him quizzically. "Of course she is."

"Nah... She... She hates my Dad and rarely visits us. And when she does, she only talks to Mom..." He said and sniffled.

"She likes you... she's... she's just like that... She's caring." House said softly as all the memories came back. The memories of them together, the nights on the couch watching films, making out, playing games, memories of him teaching her play the guitar, memories of her laughing heartily. Memories of being...happy. "The guy who was here with her... Um, who's that?"

"That's Harry... Her boyfriend." Ryan said.

"I thought as much." House scowled. "Where are they anyways?"

"Went down to the cafeteria to have lunch."

"Well, hopefully she's happy with him." House nearly whispered.

"Don't know. I guess. He's a lawyer, he's like super rich and he drives a Porsche." Ryan said and closed his eyes. "I feel sick."

House got up and put his hand on the kid's forehead. "Shit." Then he looked at him closely and pulled the blankets back. "Ryan, listen... Have you ever had an allergic reaction to some meds?"


So, that was it. House solved the case as it turned out it was a simple staph infection and an allergic reaction to bad meds that nobody had noticed and the results hadn't shown. The next day he made his way to Ryan's room to find there the whole family.

"Oh, you must be Doctor House." Cameron's mother said as soon as he walked in. "I'm Charlotte, I was hoping to meet you sooner but..." She didn't finish the sentence as she reached out her arm to shake his hand. "Thank you so much."

"Yeah, thanks..." The man said and approached him too. "I'm Bill."

"You're welcome." House replied politely trying to be as nice as possible. Then he looked at the young man and shook his hand too. "You must be Mary."

"It's Harry..." The man replied not getting the sarcastic hint. "You did a great job, Ryan is feeling good again."

"Yeah, besides all the broken bones in his body." House rolled his eyes. No matter how much he tried to behave, he couldn't. He looked at Cameron who was slightly frowning at what was happening.

"So, when is he going to be discharged?" Bill interrupted the stuffy atmosphere in the room.

"Tomorrow morning." House said and looking at Cameron's expression he knew it was time for him to leave. He nodded lightly and turned limping away yet he stopped at the door and looked at Cameron's boyfriend.

"That's some bad hat, Harry." He said and left.

It took Cameron about ten minutes to make up her mind and follow House to his office. She found him standing at the window looking out and she cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned to look at her and smiled. She was probably even more beautiful than ever, she was wearing tight jeans and Vans sneakers and a black white striped T-shirt, her hair tied in a messy bun and she was simply gorgeous.

"Aside from the little unnecessary stunt you pulled out there, you did a great job and I wanted to thank you again." She said and took a few steps closer. "I should have found out myself, what a stupid mistake."

"Don't beat yourself up... took me forever to figure it out too." He said and gave her another soft smile.

She nodded and bit her bottom lip. He loved when she was doing that and he limped closer to her. "So?" He breathed.

"So?" She asked dully raising her eyebrows.

"Now what?" He asked and gulped standing just a few inches from her.

"We're going back to Manhattan." She shrugged.

"That's it?" He asked as he watched her lick her lips.

"I guess so." She gave him a sad smile and then she leaned closer and kissed his cheek gently before pressing her forehead against his cheek for a mere moment. House sighed and wanted to pull her to him and hug her but she stepped back quickly shaking her head.

"Goodbye, House." She whispered and turned to leave as he took a deep breath. He knew he had lost her.

When she opened the door and wanted to leave she heard him clear his throat and she stopped.

"You might wanna talk to Ryan." He said simply and she slowly turned again to look at him quizzically. "He thinks you don't like him."

"What?" She let out. "Why would he...?"

"He's a great kid and I know you care about him a lot but maybe you should tell him." House said and looked away sadly. "Goodbye, Cameron." With that he turned and walked back to the window.


The next day House was sitting at his desk playing a PC game when he heard a noise outside his office and looked up to see Ryan walking with crutches and struggling to open the glass door. When he finally walked in, he sat down on the chair opposite to House and House raised his eyebrows.

"I'm going home." He said simply and smiled. He seemed like a fun kid, he had big eyes just like Cameron and Charlotte and House had to smile when he thought about what he would look like when he was older. Typical high school heartthrob.

"I know. Good luck." House said.

"My parents are waiting for me downstairs but I wanted to thank you ag..." Ryan said and stopped abruptly when he glanced over to the PC screen. "No way! You play World of Tanks?!"

House laughed a little. "Duh, bro..."

"Awesome... So do I. What's the best tank you've got?"

House chuckled again. "Fully upgraded T28Prot."

"Sweet." Ryan smiled and his smile immediately turned into something much more vicious. "Um, about you and Ally."

"What about me and her?" House asked.

"Are you gonna try to get back with her?"

House was a little startled. "What are you talking about? She's... she's with the other guy."

"So?"

"So?!" House mocked him. "There's a code you'll understand one day."

"Meh... I talked to her last night. And I'm not stupid. She's like, um... into you, you know."

"I highly doubt that." House frowned.

"I know her. Harry is okay but he's boring as fuck..." Ryan uttered and House's eyes widened.

"Language, sucker." He said trying to look stern but Ryan laughed.

"Here's what I think... I'll tell you where to find her so that you guys can talk but I want something in return." He gave him a half smile while House was staring at him in disbelief.

"Something in return? I saved your life."

"You have to do it, you're a doctor." Ryan snorted and fidgeted in his seat.

"I know where to find her, she works at the Presbyterian, I don't need you." House grimaced.

"You wish... She's off for the rest of the week, and on Saturday Harry's taking her to Barbados where he wants to pop the question." Ryan said and wiggled his eyebrows. "I do think you need me."

When House recovered from the shock as he heard she might get married, he had to admit he was getting more and more interested. Ryan was a smart kid.

"What are you saying, exactly? 'Cuz I can still find out her address and talk to her."

"Nah, she lives with Harry. But... BUT... I can tell you where to find her and make sure she's alone."

"And what's in it for you?" House asked and leaned his elbows against the desk.

"I'll give you all the information if you send me the T28Prot." Ryan said with a winning grin.

"What?! No way! It cost me too much time and money!" House objected and the boy just laughed. "What kind of an idiot do you think I am?" House growled.

"I don't know... what kinds are there?" He chuckled again and took a piece of paper and a pen that were lying on the table and wrote something. "Here... my Gamer ID. You send it to me now and I'll tell you."

House blinked in surprise and opened his mouth unable to say anything. Then he shook his head in disbelief, grabbed the paper and turned to his computer. "You really are a cunning little fucker."

Ryan laughed and nodded. "True, but you can't deny my sister is worth the tank. And as you said, I still have another two years before I start sacrificing my gaming achievements for girls." He finished with a wink and leaned back in the chair.

"Just so you know, if she's not there or it doesn't work out, I want it back." House hissed and pressed 'enter'.

I'll try to update soon. Reviews, pretty please? :)