"Everybody Lies"

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Wilson asked in astonishment. "It's the middle of the night-you can't go barging over to Chase's apartment and demand to talk to him! Besides, you're drunk. You'll probably say something stupid and Chase will get even angrier at you than he is right now. Or, you'll feel vulnerable about saying something that's actually sweet and will deny it the next day on the grounds that you were drunk. Which will piss Chase off and the whole cycle will start all over again!" He let out a long breath after saying all that. I stared at him and shook my head.

"Damn Wilson, I knew you were long winded but I never would have guessed you could talk that long without taking a breath." I know I sounded sulky, but I hate when Wilson is right. If I went over there now all the things he said would happen probably would.

"Wait until tomorrow. Then approach him cautiously," Wilson sighed. "Or as cautious as you are going to get."

I pushed myself off of the couch and said 'Thanks for your help. I'm going to bed now, could you see yourself out?"

"Yeah, sure. Have a good night," Wilson said this a little sarcastically and I realized I might have been a little abrupt so as he walked away I said: "Wilson. Thanks"

He nodded and let himself out.

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I tried to sleep, but nothing worked. I kept reliving Chase's words, Wilson's words, my actions.

Chase wanted me. Sexually, even- romantically. I could barely register that thought much less believe it.

At 6 am I got up and got ready for work. So what if I was ridiculously early? Maybe it would help me think if I were to concentrate on a case instead of my incredibly hard cock.

Or my incredibly heavy heart.

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When Cameron and Foreman came in they evidently already had heard about what happened and were furious. I was surprised at Foreman. I knew Cameron had a soft heart, and that she and Chase had dated.

They had also fucked, and I had been unreasonably jealous about that. At the time I thought it was because of Cameron, but really it was because of Chase. I know that now. I used to picture them as naked as I almost caught them once, naked and moaning. It hit me with a flash that the body I found myself imagining most often was Chase's, and the moans I kept hearing in my head were his as well.

It might have helped if I could have figured that out a long time ago.

But back to the present.

I could understand Cameron's reaction. I didn't, however, understand Foreman's. Though he and Chase got along better than they had in the past they were hardly close.
At least as far as I knew.

I sighed when I realized there was so much about these people that I didn't know. Before now I wouldn't have cared.

I had taught myself NOT to care.

But now-what was the relationship between Foreman and Chase? Was it somehow sexual too? I doubted it-Foreman seemed like the straightest guy on the planet, but then again I never thought Chase was bi or gay, either.

I obviously had no gaydar.

"House, how could you do that to Chase?" demanded Cameron in that disapproving schoolmarm voice she used whenever I did something she found objectionable.

Before I could answer Foreman jumped in, his eyes bulging out more than they usually do. "You've done some things that NOBODY should have to take from an employer. But to actually PUNCH an employee, a member of your team, is despicable even for you! I'm surprised Chase isn't suing. I sure as hell would be!"

"Are you finished, ducklings?" I asked in what I hoped was my usual sarcastic tone. It wouldn't do for everybody to know that I was feeling remorse. "Chase is a big boy and he can stand up for himself."

"That's it-you're not going to even try and apologize to him?" Foreman demanded, with Cameron standing beside him shaking her head.

"What I say to Chase is none of your business. But I will tell you this since you'll notice it eventually. Chase asked to be transferred from the team and Cuddy let him. He's going to be working in a department with, and I quote "someone who likes and respects him and who knows how to treat a 'human being'." I said this last part more bitterly than I intended to, but as I looked up I could tell this wasn't a shock to either of them.

"You knew this already?"

They both looked uncomfortable for about a second and then Cameron said, in the exasperated tone you would use on a child: "Of course we knew! We came to him as soon as we heard, and he told us about Cuddy's offer."

"Cuddy's offer?" I asked, not liking where this was going.

"Yes, Cuddy asked him if he wanted to transfer to a different team."

"Really?" I had known Cuddy had spoken to Chase, but I didn't know the transfer had been her idea. Why can't people just stay the fuck out of my business?

"Yes, and he was very upset about leaving," Cameron burst out with this as though she'd been holding it in for years.

"I thought he was unhappy here," I said softly. Could Chase have been lying to me, or was he lying to them? But what purpose would he have to lie to them? They would have understood if he told them he was unhappy. It made more sense that he was lying to me. Making me feel guilty because I'd made him hate the job he once loved.

The two of them exchanged glances and then Foreman said "He loved being here."

Cameron stopped him before he could go further. "But he did look unhappy the last couple of months."

"Yeah," Foreman agreed. "But he said that was due to love problems."

Cameron thankfully picked up on this before I embarrassed myself by inquiring what love problems Chase was having.

"What love problems?"

"Oh you remember," Foreman chided her. "He said he was in love with someone but was afraid it wasn't going to go anywhere because the person wasn't interested in him. He said he was through wasting his time and had to let it go."

I sat up higher in my chair as Foreman's words echoed what Chase had said to me last night. "Thank you for showing me I was wrong before I wasted much more of my time."

Could I be the person Chase was talking about?

I shook my head and said "This is all fascinating but has nothing to do with me. I am not accountable to you two, and if I apologize to Chase it will have nothing to do with you. Now go find something to do."

They remained unmoving, which surprised me. Usually when I used that voice they scampered away and left me in peace.

Today they looked at me stone faced.

"If you don't apologize to Chase and get him back here we're leaving. And we mean it." The words came from Cameron but Foreman was nodding his head as well.

"Really, you two are both just going to up and leave one job without having another?" I shrugged in disdain. They were bluffing and we all knew it.

They surprised me again by shrugging back. Foreman said "We talked to Cuddy and she said she'd place us elsewhere. She knows some doctors who would be willing to step in here. She says you know them and have worked with them before. Sanders, Black and Corrino."

I blinked and said "Who?"

Foreman obliged me by repeating who Cuddy thought would be perfect for MY team.

I seethed inwardly but didn't show it.

"Fine. Do what you want. I'm not being blackmailed."

The two of them looked at me and then at each other and walked silently out the door.

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"You manipulative bitch!" I said as I stormed into Cuddy's office.

"Ah, a new greeting. You need to brush up on originality though. 'Manipulative bitch' is something you've already called me. More than once." She barely glanced up from her desk as she said this, and I brought my cane down on it in a fury.

"Damn it, Cuddy! You have some fuckin' nerve!"

"I have nerve? I have 'Fuckin nerve'? What about you? You PUNCHED an employee in the face. In front of people! Are you out of your goddamned mind? Do you know how many lawsuits we have at the moment? Do you know how Chase could publicly embarrass this hospital-and you I might add- if he wanted to? Do you really want that on top of all your other legal issues with Tritter?"

"Chase didn't come to you. You came to him!"

"I was being proactive. I heard what happened and was taking steps to appease him."

"You were the one who suggested he leave. He wasn't going to do that on his own!" I couldn't help shrieking at this point.

"I did that so he wouldn't quit and sue for damages! Why do you care, anyway? You can't tell me you want him around. You're the one who punched him!"

"It's none of your business what I want and don't want. The point is that he didn't want to leave ("me", I silently added) and you pushed him into it. I need him-on the team. He's smart ("and so damn beautiful " I think to myself) and I value his input ("and I need to have him close to me," my mind goes on, "need to feel he's close by").

Cuddy is looking at me strangely, and for a moment I fear I spoke out loud. But I know she'd look a lot more shocked if I actually had said the things I was thinking. Christ, what the hell was wrong with me?

I go back to the point I was trying to make.

"We could have worked this out in the team. Now I have two other employees leaving me if I don't go apologize to Chase, and you're sending me three people you know I don't want-people of YOUR choosing-in their place!"

"So go apologize to Chase and then you won't have to worry about it. If he doesn't come back the team will know that you tried to make amends."

"Make amends, more of that 12 step rehab crap! I am not MAKING AMENDS, and now you've put me in an impossible position. If I don't apologize to Chase I'll lose my team. If I do then the team thinks they can manipulate me by threatening to transfer whenever they don't want to do something I ask them to do."

"Ask? When do you ever ask anyone to do anything, House? That's the problem with you. You're brilliant, but you're socially, well challenged would be putting it kindly. You push people and when they break you blame THEM! You should apologize to Chase because it's the right thing to do. You should show the team that you'd feel bad if you lost them. A little humility would do you good. Not to mention a little honesty and positive reinforcement." She shook her head, looking remarkably like Cameron had earlier when she and Foreman had burst into my office.

"If the team thinks that they can walk all over you because of that then I'm sure you'll disabuse them of that idea as soon as they even try it. Then everything will be back to normal. Except maybe, just maybe you will actually have a team that you are a part of, instead of always being on the outside because you have to be in control."

"Stop it, Cuddy, I think I might cry!" I make a sound like a gagging noise, but I can tell by her look that she knows she got to me

"I'm never gonna be a warm and fuzzy type of person. That's not me." I remind her.

"You don't have to be. But you might try being a little les hard and 'prickly' "

I smile at the pun and walk out.

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I find Chase in his new office later that night as he prepares to go home.

He looks up at me, surprised to see me no doubt, and then looks back down.

I knock and walk in at the same time.

"So, this is your new place. You're making it look so homey," I joke, though I know it sounds lame.

"What do you want?" He asks abruptly.

"Well, that's a nice greeting." I sigh and realize I need to get to the point. He obviously is not in the mood for my charm.

Such as it is.

"Look, let me get to the point. I am sorry for hitting you. Really sorry. I've-been under a lot of pressure with this whole situation with Tritter. I am even more on edge than I usually am because of it."

He looks at me and scoffs. Yes, he actually scoffs! "That's apology is as lame as you are. Save the bullshit, House. I know that Cameron and Foreman have threatened to leave if you don't apologize, and so that's why you're doing this. It's ok, please, just stop it. I'll tell them you tried and I rejected it, but that they should stay with you and forget about this. I told them not to go to you in the first place."

"I am not doing this because of them! Goddamnit-I was going to apologize yesterday, but when I came in and saw you were leaving I forgot about it."

"Yes of course, why would the sight of my leaving cause you to apologize like any normal human being would have? No, seeing me leave was your cue to yell at and try and humiliate me."

"I thought you liked humiliation," I jokingly say, hoping to ease the tension.

"Fuck you," he says in response, clearly not finding my attempt at humor funny.

"Ok, I was just trying to lighten the mood. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Sorry I hit you, sorry I lashed out at you, and sorry I act like such an asshole sometimes. Most times."

"You don't get it, do you? It's not only about the punch and the lashing out! It's not even only about the way you act most of the time. It's that you didn't trust me. And since you didn't even mention that I guess you still don't."

"I'm sorry that I didn't trust you. I don't know why I didn't mention it just now. Maybe it's because all Cameron and Foreman and Cuddy have been focusing on is the punch."

"Listen House, the last thing I want is a coerced apology. It's also the last thing I need from you."

I was getting ready to respond to his "coerced apology" remark when the last of his sentence hit me.

"The last thing you need from me?" I say and am pleased when I see a blush creep up his cheeks. He looks down and bites his lip, the one that was bleeding yesterday. It's sore and he grimaces, but he doesn't say anything and he still doesn't look up.

"You need something from me, Chase?" I say this very softly and move closer to him.

"What? What is it you need?" I half sit down on the desk, knowing I'm crowding him but not caring. He doesn't move away but he gets even redder, the redness spreading to his ears.

I can't help but think he looks cute like that.

I put my hand lightly on his shoulder and he almost reaches for me with his own.

Then he pulls back and says "House what the hell are you doing?"

I'm not planning on backing down, but he says "I need for you to treat me with respect! I need to be treated like I'm an intelligent, important member of the team and a human being!"

I look him in the eye and say "You're lying. You want more than that."

He blinks and gets up to leave.

"I have to go home. This conversation is over."

"Admit it," I challenge him. "Tell me the truth."

This angers him and he says "The truth. Do you know how hypocritical that sounds coming from you? Don't you remember?" he asks as he walks away.

"Everybody lies."

I look at him in frustration as he walks away.

This time though, I am not going home and getting drunk. This time I'm going to surprise Dr. Chase with a night time visit he won't be able to walk away from.

I'm going to follow him home.