Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House M.D characters!

This story takes place before the series, with Chase starting his fellowship with House.

With a nervous feeling in his stomach he walked into the hospital where he had his first meeting with Gregory House, the well-known diagnostician his father had always talked so high about. His father had also managed to get him a fellowship under House now. Not that he was really grateful for it, he wished his dad had let him do it himself, so he could have looked around and probably work at the Intensive Care, where he actually studied for.

Robert Chase, only 26 just moved to Princeton from Melbourne, where he had finished Med school. At first, he wanted to move to New York, not Princeton, but his father had given him no choice and as usual he hadn't dared to disrespect him. Following the directions that his dad had given him after he had called with House he walked through the large entre of the hospital, towards the hospital. It was all so modern and he took a moment to look around. When the elevator arrived he stepped in and his stomach knitted even more together when he made the last hallway to diagnostics.

In the conference was nothing but a cleaning lady and he walked to the office next to it and opened the door. Looking at the grey, grumpy seeming man behind the desk whom was playing with a cane and a large ball – probably a dog toy.

''Hello.''

House looked up to him, stretched his hand out at exact the right time to catch the ball.

''So.'' House said, leaning backwards, looking at the young man – actually he thought that the young man was still a boy – whom was standing the doorway. The blonde hair in a too perfect way, a leather jacket with a striped shirt shown under it and a large black messenger bag over his shoulder. He didn't look like Rowan Chase at all.

''I am –'' The large dog toy flew forward and hit him against the chest.

''I know who you are, you are the younger and less talented Chase.'' Chase frowned, grabbed the ball from the floor and approached the desk, laying it on the desk, not letting eye contact with House go.

''I am not my father. I am better.'' He said, arrogant.

House grabbed the ball again. ''Where did the Brit touch you, dearie?''

Chase stood there, uncomfortable, not knowing what to do or say.

''I am an Australian.'' He finally managed.

''You put the queen on your money, you are a Brit.'' House said without looking up.

''I am not.'' Chase said again.

''Oh ball-y. Are you okay? Convicts can be quite rude.'' House said, looking at the ball again.

Chase wanted to turn around, mad that he was getting fooled, no way House was never going to hire him, he was just fooling around with him.

''You better show some more backbone when we are starting tomorrow.'' House said when Chase was turning around. Chase looked back, thunderstruck;

''What?''

''What?'' House mimicked him accent. ''When we are going to do doctor stuff, you oaf.''

Chase dropped his bag on the floor. ''So I am hired?''

''You are really slow, aren't you? You better be good at making coffee.''

Chase sat down; ''So, I am hired.'' not that he didn't want be hired or that he was really slow but it seemed to good to be true, that he was hired without a real conversation.

''Well, what are you still doing here? I am not going to sign your contracts!''

Chase jumped up; ''Where do I need to go then?''

''Duh, to the dean of medicine. Also, get me some lunch.''

Chase walked out of the office, wondering where the office was and in the entre he was happy to see a sign. He knocked on the door and a female voice asked him to come in.

''You must be Robert Chase.'' he just nodded, walked to the desk en introduced himself.

''I hope House was polite to you.'' She said while he looked through the contracts, signing them. To be honest he didn't even need to look at the money, his dad was still supporting him.

''He was polite.'' Chase just answered, without looking up from the contracts. Why would he already want the flames of House now if she would tell him complained.

When he had signed the contracts he walked through the cafeteria, doubting what House would like. Maybe just a sandwich with tuna, or maybe a whole meal.

''Young men, what can I get you?''

''Eerr...what does doctor House usually get?''

The cafeteria woman rolled her eyes; ''Everything he can get for free.''

A man popped up behind him and handed him one of the wrapped sandwiches; ''He likes these.''

Chase nodded gratefully and walked to the counter, paying it.

''Are you House's new fellow?'' The man asked, waiting for him when he had paid.

''Yes, Robert Chase.'' He introduced himself, if he was going to work he could better get to know people other than House, because he was afraid he wouldn't find a lot of sociality in House and he was still alone here after the moving.

''James Wilson. Don't let House make you crazy. It took him three weeks to make his last fellow cry and leave.''

The man left his side again and Chase walked with the sandwich in his hand back to the office. What if House was going to give him such a hard time?

He had faced worse things in his family.

That was what he always told himself when something looked bad.

''That took you long.'' House said when Chase entered the conference room. Chase handed him the bread and leaned forward to his own bag, grabbing a lunchbox out and ready to dig in his own sandwiches. After an incident in the hospital in Melbourne where he had bought an sandwich with tomato and pesto it turned out the tomatoes were probably cut on the same surface as strawberries and he had been so sick that now he didn't trust to buy in the cafeteria anymore.

He wanted to take the first bite when House snatched the bread from his hand and grabbed his lunch box as well.

''Go do my clinic duty.''

''But my work would start tomorrow?'' Chase said, indignant, reaching to grab his lunch box, but House already started eating.

''Well, you are still here.''

Chase just sighed and stood up while House looked up to him, eating his lunch.

...

''I did three hours.'' Chase said walking in.

''Fine, you can have a break.'' Chase looked around, happy to see his lunchbox as he was starving. He grabbed it to see it empty.

''Bring some with cheese tomorrow.'' House mumbled and Chase walked out of the office. He could try to last until he was home but his stomach was digesting itself and he walked to the cafeteria.

''Is there a chance of that this has been in contact with strawberries?'' Chase asked, holding up one of the wrapped sandwiches.

''How should I know?'' the cafeteria lady said, annoyed to see him again.

''I am allergic.'' He said very serious, hoping that the lady would give him an answer.

''That is not my problem, take it or leave it here.''

Chase walked to the counter after the angry stares of the queue behind him and walked back to the office and ate it, happy to find it was strawberry free and before he could even get some drink House send him back to the clinic.

Exhausted he fell in bed at home that night. House had kept him in the clinic until far after dinner.

He turned around, facing the alarm that showed it wasn't even that late for him to go to bed usually, but he was just so tired. Closing his eyes he was already afraid for tomorrow.

...

NOTE: New story, pre series this time. We know from the show that Chase was the first fellow to start working for House and I couldn't help but think about how awful House must have been to Chase when he was the only one to annoy.

About Chase's age, I have no idea how old he is in the beginning of the show. House mentions in 'Cursed' that he is 26 so I just kept with that one, although Chase himself says he is 30 once, but he says it to a kid and he makes more up that conversation.

So, I hope you like the idea of this story!

Thanks for reading, please leave a review of what you think!