Crazy Rikku Fan: Thank you for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter also!
Athyna DaughterofPosiedon: Hopefully my updates will become more speedy. I have a muse problem.
She's Hearing Voices: Thank you! Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Yanto: -sheepish smile- I hope you don't have to wait 3 months again.
Esuedros: Well, I have no idea what being a mom is like, so I'm just going off my feelings of having 2 dogs. I feel your judgement right now.
Hodges and figgis: I try to write longer chapters, but I'm not good at it. But just think, if the chapters are shorter, you're going to get more of them.
Shananigan: Thank you!
Nightlancer600: I'm sure it won't be the last time she's dealing with the kid on her own. I do love to torture Remy.

Much thanks to my wonderful beta, Vanamo, who thinks that I am italics-happy. If she only knew that I emphasize everything I say when I speak also! No wonder no one ever wants to talk to me!

AFTER THE STORM
I won't die alone and be left there.
Well, I guess I'll just go home,
Oh, God knows where.
Because death is just so full and man so small.
Well, I'm scared of what's behind and what's before.

CHAPTER FIVE
DEAL

As Remy removed a large, plastic spoon from a pan of soup on the stove, she wondered how she had gone from fugitive to housewife in a matter of hours. Cameron had finished putting half of the supermarket in her cupboards and had gone to take a brief shower, once again leaving Remy alone with the baby – and, even worse, with her thoughts. She turned the burner on low and licked the spoon then tossed it in the sink. Her eyes kept flickering toward the front door, and she honestly didn't know what was stopping her from leaving – aside from the fact that she really had nowhere to go. And that she was probably wanted for murder. She could feel a lump forming in the back of her throat and she quickly grabbed the spatula and flipped over two grilled cheese sandwiches to keep herself occupied. As unlikely as it was, she hoped if she just kept pushing everything from her mind that it would suddenly not be real. She toyed with the idea that House had drugged her and she was dreaming just to keep her emotions in check. It worked for a moment because it amused her that she was using the thought of being drugged by her boss as a source of comfort.

Not that House was really her boss anymore. Her story might not have been what she told Cameron it was the night before, but she could still kiss her future on House's diagnostics team goodbye. Hell, her entire career as a doctor was over now.

Harper babbled from where she was safely situated in her swing and grabbed at a plush bear that hung from a mobile over her head. The noise caught Remy's attention and she put the spatula down again then turned off the burner. She sighed and watched the baby for a moment then rested her elbows on the counter and pressed her face against her hands. Nothing about showing up at Cameron's was going as planned. Not that she had much of a plan to begin with. But if she did have one, this wouldn't be it.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Remy lifted her head to see Cameron wandering into the living room. Her hair was dripping onto the light blue sweater she had been wearing earlier and she sat down on the couch to finish putting her socks on. It occurred to Remy how seldom she realized her coworkers had lives outside the hospital. "About what?" she asked as though she had no idea and turned off the other burner. She had taken it upon herself to locate the tableware while Cameron was out of the room, and she opened the cupboard to pull down bowls and plates. She felt as though she was invading, but Cameron didn't seem to mind.

"House," Cameron supplied. She stood up again and adjusted the sleeves of her sweater as she made her way into the kitchen. "That's why you're here, isn't it?" She opened the right drawer on the first try and pulled out two spoons.

It would have been too much for Remy to think after their brief talk last night that Cameron would just let the subject go. She made a vague circular motion with her hand then pressed it flat against the counter. "There's not really anything to say," she replied.

"You could tell me why you're evading," Cameron answered. She grabbed the spatula and shifted the two sandwiches onto the plates. She took a step over to pour the tomato soup also as Remy stepped out of the way. "You don't just quit out of the blue when you work for House. Something had to happen."

"Yeah. I got sick of putting up with his shit," Remy answered too quickly. She could hear the defensiveness in her tone. Her palms were starting to sweat and she knew she should have come up with a good story on the drive there. She straightened up and tried to regain her composure. "Do you always pry like this?"

"I don't know. Do you always show up at unsuspecting coworkers' houses in the middle of the night?" Cameron retorted. She tilted her head and poured the soup into the bowls. It occurred to Remy how long she must have dealt with House to be so calm about people invading her space. "Look." Cameron put the pot back on the stove and turned to face Remy. "You obviously came here looking for some kind of help. Maybe I could help you if I knew why you were here."

Help. Remy's mouth felt dry. She tapped her fingers on the counter and looked out the window to the street below. She could just catch a glimpse of the road at an angle. The rest of it was blocked by the wall of another apartment building. Somehow, in the car, she had convinced herself that showing up at Cameron's wasn't a sign that she needed help. She just wanted a place to stay the night. She could have just as easily slept in her car. She swallowed thickly and tried to ignore the feeling of Cameron's eyes boring into her. "You know, I should probably go," she stated.

"No offense, but it doesn't seem like you have anywhere else to go." Cameron took the bowls off the counter and placed them in the kitchen table then returned for the plates. "Whatever he did to you, he's probably done it to me too. I did work for him for how many years."

Remy briefly wondered if Cameron was dense or still just really caught up on House. She continued to tap her fingers and took comfort in knowing that it stilled seemed as though House had caused her entire predicament. It didn't even seem to dawn on Cameron that everything was a complete lie. She exhaled slowly and stared at the cars that passed by as she slowly wove together a story. "You have to tell me something first," she said, trying to buy herself a little more time.

Cameron arched her brows and looked taken aback. "Okay?" she responded unsurely as she took two glasses out of the cupboard.

"Who's the father?" Remy asked the first question that came to mind. She thought maybe mentioning the baby would get Cameron talking for a while, and she didn't expect the brief answer that she was given.

"My ex-husband," was all Cameron replied with. She placed the glasses on the counter then opened the refrigerator. "What do you want to drink?"

"Your dead ex-husband?" Remy inquired. She internally cringed when she realized how harsh that had come out. She cleared her throat and turned to look at Cameron. "House thought Chase made you destroy his semen." That didn't come out much better.

Cameron turned her head to the side, her expression flat. "Your turn," she responded. She pulled out a jug of water and Remy realized she hadn't answered her question about drinks, but water was fine.

Remy inhaled slowly and walked over to the table. "We had a patient come in complaining of chest pain," she said and pulled out a chair then took a seat. She watched Cameron pour their drinks then pursed her lips together and traced circles on the table with her finger. "It was late. The rest of the team had already gone home." She shook her head. "I read her chart and she'd been presenting symptoms of asthma. House wanted to admit her because he had a, a feeling or something. But I was tired and I was sick of playing his games. So I changed her medication and I sent her home."

Cameron had placed the food and drinks on the table and had turned to look at Remy, engrossed in her story.

"She showed up the next day – feeling worse. House read her chart and pointed out everything I had missed. Then he diagnosed her with Lymphangioleiomyomatosis." Remy shrugged her shoulders.

"That's a common misdiagnosis," Cameron pointed out. "One time, I-"

"He knew what it was, Cameron," Remy cut her off. She was rather impressed by her own acting skills. "He knew it wasn't asthma and he still let me send her home. I'm done screwing with people's lives like that."

Cameron exhaled and looked down at the table then slowly pushed a plate, bowl, and a glass toward Remy. "I'm sorry," she said quietly and took a seat across from Remy.

Remy poked at her soup with the spoon for a moment – briefly caught up pretending that Cameron's apology was for the truth of what had happened. "Yeah," she said, her voice taking on a softer tone. She forced a smile. "Me too."

xxxxx

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon?"

Remy stepped out into the living room from the hall – happy to be dressed in her own wrinkled clothes again. "You're asking me to stay?" she asked and arched a brow as she tried to straighten out her shirt.

Cameron was sitting on the couch with Harper on her lap. The baby paid no attention to either of them, content to be stuffing the end of Cameron's shirt sleeve into her mouth. "I don't want you living out of your car or a junky hotel until you find a place to stay somewhere," she answered, her forehead wrinkled in concern. "Plus, I'm not going to lie and say I couldn't use some help around here."

"So you're trying to hire me as your nanny," Remy corrected.

"What?" Cameron's eyes widened and she looked taken aback. She quickly shook her head. "No, that's not what I was implying. I was-"

"Relax," Remy cut in slowly. She grinned. "I was kidding."

Cameron shut her mouth again and shifted back against the couch cushion. She clenched her jaw and looked to the side before looking back up at Remy again. "I just know what it's like not to have a place to live, and I don't recommend it," she said.

Remy bit back her curiosity and refrained from prying – considering she had admonished Cameron for prying into her personal life earlier. She shifted her weight so she was leaning mainly on her right foot and looked toward the door.

"I'm not asking you to take out a lease," Cameron assured her. "I'm just offering you a couch to sleep on and food to eat until you figure out where you want to go."

Remy bit down on her tongue. The only place she was going was prison if she didn't take some time to figure out what she was going to do. She could think about it from her car, she assured herself. There were public libraries to access where she could research how to get out of her predicament. Maybe she could find someone in Chicago who could help her change her identity. She didn't know if that was the route she wanted to take, but it was still an option. She had to consider everything – even just turning herself in. She slowly lifted her hand to rest on her arm and rubbed it as though she was cold. Did she really want to drag Cameron into her mess? It would only be for a few days.

Cameron leaned her head back against the couch cushion and tilted it to the side. "I didn't know making a decision to spend a few nights with me was that hard," she stated. "I don't bite either, you know," she added, referring to what she had said last night about Harper. She shrugged. "Unless you're into that."

The last part snapped Remy out of her thoughts in a hurry. She blinked several times then turned to face Cameron and gaped at her. "What?" she all but sputtered, startled. Her mouth suddenly felt dry.

Both women's cheeks flushed red.

"I was making a joke," Cameron explained quickly.

They fell silent again.

Remy ran her fingers through her hair and looked at the door again, realizing that she couldn't just stand there in the middle of Cameron's living room all day. If she stayed, it might at least save her some money. "Okay," she said finally and nodded her head. "But," she added quickly and turned her head, looking at Harper, "You have to at least warn me before you leave me with your munchkin."

The corners of Cameron's lips twisted into a warm, closed-mouth smile. She brushed her fingers over the top of Harper's head. "Deal."