-1Mental
(A/N: This is my very first House fic, and I actually had to do research for it, so I hope you guys like it.)
(Summary: The day started out with no cases. Then Chase punched House, which could have been normal… until he collapsed. ChaseCameron and HouseCuddy moments.)
Prologue
House stepped through the front doors of the PPTH at about twelve p.m. He also stepped through those doors about three hours late for work. No matter. He brought lunch. For him. Not them. And it wasn't like he hadn't been late for work before. It was more of an everyday thing.
"House!"
He winced. Great. Cuddy.
"Morning, Cuddy," he said with an air of teasing. He was already thinking up ways to annoy her.
"More like afternoon," she glared at him with piercing blue eyes.
"Is it? Well, imagine that," he said with false surprise.
"Don't make me add to your clinic duty."
"Awww," he complained with a hint of sarcasm, "Not one new case?"
"No."
"Let me ditch my stuff in my office," he muttered, feeling a little disappointed that his day would consist of lunch, then clinic duty.
"Good boy," Cuddy smirked.
"Woof," House said, limping off toward the elevator.
After a few minutes, House had reached his office and hobbled inside. His little ducklings sat at the long table. They were so well trained. House set his fish tacos on the table and took a seat.
"So!" he said, taking a sip of his drink, "Who wants clinic duty?"
Foreman, Cameron, and Chase gave him flat-line looks.
"Don't everybody talk at once," he said, taking a large bite of his fish taco, "Man! You cannot get a better fish taco. Any new cases?"
"Nothing," Cameron said.
"Nothing the others couldn't figure out anyway," Foreman added.
"Then… why are you here?" House added with a teasing raise of his eyebrows and a hint of a smile on his lips.
And for some reason, Chase's eyes flickered.
"Because it's our job to be here. On time, I might add," the Aussie growled.
Cameron and Foreman glanced at him with strange looks. He had obviously been fine before-quiet, but fine.
"Well, it doesn't look like I missed anything." He tossed a folder across the table. "Chase! Lucky number one. You've got clinic duty."
"Do your own damn job," Chase muttered darkly.
House took a moment to study the Aussie. Something was different. His eyes just seemed out of focus. His anger seemed illogical.
"Well, someone's in a bad mood," House said, eyeing the young man.
Cameron looked concerned and Foreman looked confused.
"I'm not going to do something you were assigned to do," he crossed his arms.
"Oh, don't be so mean, Chase! You're usually ready and willing to kiss my ass," House replied without missing a beat.
Chase stood quickly, pushing his chair back with enough force to knock it over. "Shut up for a second, would you!"
"I guess you're on your cycle," House said, throwing his lunch bag in the trash.
Chase's jaw was extremely stiff and his eyebrows were furrowed. He squeezed his hands tightly into fists.
"You should really get that checked out. I know a good doctor," House said. "It's a girl too, so you won't feel embarrass-"
Chase's fist connected with House's face, sending him into the whiteboard, knocking it over. Cameron stood, shocked, while Foreman made his way over to House.
"Go to Hell!" Chase yelled, storming out of the office.
"Are you okay?" Foreman asked as House pulled himself up, leaning on his cane.
"Yeah, I'm fine. He hits like a girl."
"Should we go get him?" Cameron asked, unsure of what to do.
"No," House said, acting as if nothing had happened, though his mind was busy with thoughts.
He popped his jaw while their backs were turned. "Who's gonna take clinic duty?"
…
Chase's eyes were blazing. He felt as if his blood were going to boil over. It was incontrollable. Rage just billowed over into his soul. It didn't matter why he was mad. He was just pissed off. Cuddy stepped off the elevator to catch him headed toward the staircase.
"Chase, House isn't making you do his clinic duty, is he?" she asked.
"Hell no," Chase returned with a look of disgust.
"There's no reason to talk to me like that… Chase?"
A jolt of pain hissed its way through his skull. Silence filled his ears, accompanied only by the quickening rate of his heart.
"Chase?" Cuddy asked this time with a bit more alarm.
Another jolt of pain. He felt like he was dying. It hurt so bad! He grasped his head, squinting his eyes shut and yelling out profanities.
"Chase!"
The world fell out from under him. Chase hit the floor, unconscious. People stared in surprise. Cuddy quickly kneeled down by Chase and checked for a pulse. He still had one. She pulled out her cell phone.
"Well, looks like your clinic duty is off for today, House," she muttered, dialing a number.
…
"Gotta admit, you've been asking for it for awhile," Foreman laughed.
Even Cameron flashed a smile.
"You really pissed him off," Foreman continued. "I figured he'd punch you eventually. It was pretty cool."
House shuffled toward his phone which had begun to ring, tired of hearing jokes about being hit by the blonde-haired doctor. He picked up the phone.
"Yeah?"
"House."
"Cuddy! What a nice surprise! You should call me at home though. I'm so busy with work, you know."
"House, this isn't the time. Someone passed out in the hallway."
"So? Not my patient, not my prob-"
"No, it's not your patient. It's your doctor."
"Hey, Foreman!" House called after a pause. "You can give your mad props later. We have a case."
"What about Chase?" Cameron asked.
House put the phone back on the receiver. "That is the case," he said seriously.
Cameron and Foreman's eyes widened.
