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Chapter 54

The cold air had settled in the dark room causing a sleeping Cameron to shiver. However, Cameron was lost once again in her dreams… She was sitting with House by a small stream. The rain clouds that were building in the distance were causing a breeze to blow and the cool air was making Cameron cold. She snuggled closer to House, laying her head upon his chest. The warmth of his body next to hers should have warmed her but she found herself getting colder. The wind began to blow harder and the rain started to fall. She heard House call her name, telling her they needed to go but just as she looked up into his face, darkness pulled her away once again, only this time it didn't take long for her to open her eyes to find herself engulfed in silence, realizing the cold was real and the dream was not.

It took a couple of minutes for Cameron to become fully aware of her surroundings. As she slowly sat up, the metal attached to her wrist made a clanking noise, reminding her exactly where she was and an empty feeling filled her once again. Again, the only light in the room was coming from the small window in the corner and she wondered what time it was. Her stomach growled slightly and she desperately had to go to the bathroom. She knew she had ignored her bladder long enough and as much as she hated the thought, she made her way to the dreaded toilet across the room. She glanced around to make sure there was no one else in the room before she quickly pulled down her pants and sat on the cold seat. For a moment, she thought it amusing that she was using a toilet in a basement while being held against her will. However, the moment passed quickly. Just as she stood, a loud thump on the floor above her nearly caused her heart to jump out of her chest. She scrambled back across the room as fast as she could and quickly laid down on the smelly mattress, listening carefully to every sound. S he kept telling herself to remain calm but she could feel the panic beginning to take over. When the door at the top of the stairs opened, she swiftly placed her hand over her mouth to stop the scream that wanted so badly to escape. She slowed her breathing and closed her eyes, only opening them slightly so she could watch the man who had taken her, climb down the stairs. It was all she could do to not become hysterical as she watched him move across the room towards her. She let her eyes close all the way so he would think she was sleeping but she could feel his presence coming closer. It took all her will power to not move when she felt him place his face next to hers, letting his hot stale breath fall across her skin.

"Al-lli-son. Wake up." Steven said softly, almost singing the words.

Cameron didn't budge.

"Allison." He said again. "Time to wake up. I have some dinner for you." He moved around to the other side of her and screwed a light bulb into the small lamp that was sitting on the table and turned it on.

"C'mon Allison. I know you're awake." He said more sternly.

Cameron slowly opened her eyes and let them adjust to the light in the room. It startled her to find him standing at the foot of the mattress, looking down at her.

Steven smiled. "There you are. You are all I have been thinking about." He grabbed the chair that was in the corner and moved around to the side of her. "How was your day?" He asked as he sat down.

Cameron was appalled at the question. Is he kidding? She shouted in her head.

Steven watched her, waiting for her to answer. "C'mon. Sit up. Talk to me." He said, tapping his knee impatiently with his hand.

Cameron didn't want to talk. What she wanted was to bash his head in. She felt him grab her arm and pull her up.

"Sit up Allison. I want to talk to you." He said again.

"Where are my shoes?" She asked realizing she hadn't said anything since this morning.

"Is that all you have to say?" He asked with annoyance.

She gave him a bewildered look. "Am I supposed to be happy to see you?" She asked with sarcasm in her voice.

"I suppose you may need a little time… to adjust to your situation. You're shoes are upstairs along with your coat."

A wave of dizziness swept through Cameron again and she reached up and touched her head. "What drug did you give me?"

"Always searching for the answers, aren't you?" He chuckled. "I gave you Etomidate."

Cameron was surprised. "Where did you get Etomidate?"

"It wasn't too hard. The RN on the late shift, I believe her name is Nora, is sometimes forgetful. She has a tendency to leave her key hanging in the lock of the drug cabinet. I bet you didn't know that, did you?" He asked with amusement. "So, I just watched and waited. One night, about two weeks ago, sure enough, she forgot her key. I grabbed it and went down to the basement and made a copy. When I got back upstairs, she was already frantically looking for it. So, I dropped it in a place where she would easily find it, letting her think the pink ribbon it was tied to, just came undone. Then I waited until no one was looking and removed the drug. Very simple, actually."

"We count those drugs every day. When did you take it?"

"Last night."

A small feeling of hope swept through Cameron. "They will know it is missing."

Steven shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe but they will never suspect me as being the one who took it. I mean lets face it. I'm everyone's favorite security guard." He said with surety.

Cameron was sickened with his confidence. He was right, however. For someone to even suspect him would be a miracle. Nevertheless, it still gave her some hope.

Steven watched Cameron's face and wondered what she was thinking.

"How much did you give me because I have been sick all day?" She asked.

"Only enough to put you asleep for a little while. You shouldn't be feeling the after affects any more. Maybe you're coming down with something." He reached out to touch her forehead and Cameron instantly pulled back.

"I'mm-mm okay." She stuttered.

Steven pulled back his hand, ignoring her reaction to his touch. "How about some dinner?"

"I'm really not hungry."

"You have to eat. It will make you feel better."

Let me go you bastard and I will feel better! Cameron shouted in her head.

"I picked up some yummy ham sandwiches from that little deli around the corner from the hospital. You know, the one you like to stop in at on your way home from work sometimes?"

Cameron stared at him. "How do you know that?"

"I have been watching you a long time Allison. There's a lot I know about you."

The thought of Steven watching her, sickened her even more.

Steven saw the look of fear on Cameron's face. "Don't be afraid Allison. I don't want to hurt you. I love you."

"Love me." Cameron responded coldly. "You don't hold someone you love against their will, Steven. If you really care about me, you will not do this."

Cameron's cold tone surprised Steven. He had never encountered this side of her and wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't want to be angry with her but his first encounter with her wasn't going as well as he planned.

"So, I should just let you go and you won't tell a soul who took you?" He asked mockingly.

"If that's what it takes to let me go. Then yes, I won't tell anyone." Cameron lied.

Steven cocked his head and stared at her. "You know I can't take that chance Allison. Besides, I brought you here so we could be together and I know in time, you will feel the same way about me as I feel about you."

Cameron was not in the mood to play his game. "No Steven. Keeping me here like this will only make me hate you. This is wrong. Surely you know that?"

Steven was trying to control his temper. "Just wait. You will see. You will love me, no matter how long it takes. Now, how about some dinner. I'm really hungry and I thought we could eat together - down here of course. I would love for you to see the snow that is falling. It's so beautiful but I don't think you're ready to be taken upstairs yet."

Cameron listened as he continued to talk as if keeping her against her will was a normal thing to do. She never thought about Steven actually being crazy. She had foolishly believed she would be able to reason with him and he would see what he was doing was wrong but now, she realized he had every intention of not letting her go.

Steven was still talking as he climbed up the stairs. "I'll be back in a minute with our sandwiches."

Cameron watched as he closed the small door at the top of the stairs. She looked around the small, cold room and vowed that it would not be her final resting place.