Welcome to chapter 2 of A Long December! Thank you all so much for reviewing, it really made me so happy!

Disclaimer: I do not own House M.D. and I am not just saying this because it's fun. I really do not own it!

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How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here. –Pink Floyd

Dr. Eric Foreman sat at a table just a block away from the hospital, sipping absent-mindedly on a coffee. He had taken a break from work for just a few minutes since he'd been working all night on a case and it was taking a lot out of him. Just as he took another sip of his coffee, the news came on the TV overhead.

"We have a just received a breaking story. A gunman has entered the Princeton Plainsborough Teaching Hospital."

Foreman nearly choked on his coffee and immediately looked up to watch. "The gunman in question fired off several shots which seemed to be aimed at no one in particular. Most of the building is empty, but the SWAT teams have not been able to enter due to a bomb threat made by the gunman over the phone. We will now turn this story over to Karen Drakes who is reporting live at the scene. Karen? Are you there?"

The screen shifted to a blonde woman with a microphone, standing amongst a group of hospital workers. "I'm here, Jeff. The police have not been able to locate the gunman in the building, but what they can say is that the gunman has threatened to detonate a bomb if the police try to enter. He also says that he wants revenge on someone who hurt him: Very cryptic remarks with absolutely no answers. No one has been hurt by the shooting in the Princeton's clinic, but there is no way to tell who is left in the building and who the gunman is going after." Karen turned to a small woman with brown hair.

"Hello. I'm Karen Drakes. Can I ask you a few questions?" Karen asked the woman, who nodded in response.

"Did you see the gunman?"

"Yes, I did. He was tall and he had really greasy hair. He was also wearing a trench coat and he looked lost." The woman told Karen.

"Did you see him fire his weapon?"

"Yes. He fired it at this woman whose daughter was admitted last night. It was lucky that one of our doctors knocked the woman down or she might have died!" The woman shuddered, clutching her arm.

"Have you seen the woman recently?"

"No, I don't remember seeing her. She was wearing a brown shirt and skirt and she had curly brown hair. But I can't remember anything else." The woman sighed, shaking her head.

"Thank you ma'am. Police are trying to take a head count out in the courtyard of the hospital and are requesting that people stay out of this area, so they can tell who is still in the building. Back to you Jeff."

Foreman didn't hear what she said; he'd gone running down the street towards the hospital. There were traffic jams all around the hospital and people who were searching frantically for those that they knew. Foreman pushed hard through the crowds and made it to the hospital courtyard but was stopped by police.

"I'm sorry sir, you can't come in here." An officer told him.

"No, you don't understand! I work here! I have to make sure my friends are alright!" Foreman argued.

"Let me see your hospital id sir." The officer ordered. Foreman handed it over to him.

"Hmm…this looks legit. Where have you been?" The officer asked Foreman.

"I was on a break. Look, I need to get in here and find my co-workers. I have to know if they're okay!" Foreman said.

The officer nodded. "Alright. But you need to stay in the courtyard right now sir, we have to make sure all the hospital staff and patients are accounted for."

"Of course." Foreman replied, moving past the officer and looking around. "Chase! Cameron!" He searched the crowd for the Aussie and the slender brunette. Suddenly, he caught sight of Dr. James Wilson and ran to him.

"Foreman! Thank God! I thought you were still in the building!" Wilson told Foreman.

"Good to see you too Wilson. Have you seen Chase and Cameron?" Foreman asked.

Wilson shook his head. "I haven't seen them yet." Seeing the expression on Foreman's face, Wilson quickly added, "But I'm sure they'll turn up. After all, this is a big crowd."

"Yeah. They're both smart; they'll know what to do." Foreman said, trying to convince himself.

"Yeah." Wilson echoed. Just then, he saw Dr. Gregory House in the crowd and shouted at him. "House! Over here!"

House looked towards him and hobbled over. "It's a bit crowded isn't it? Now either we're entering flu season early or somebody's giving out free stuff."

Foreman looked surprised. "You don't know what happened?"

"What? Did aliens invade the earth? Yes of course I know what happened, you idiot!" House insulted him. Foreman rolled his eyes.

"Have you seen Chase or Cameron?" Wilson asked House.

"Nope. Why? Are they missing?" House inquired.

"Well, we can't seem to find them." Wilson replied.

"Hmm…do you think it has something to do with all the people out here?" House asked sarcastically.

"Don't be an ass. We're concerned for Chase and Cameron, that's all." Foreman said.

"Sure you are. And people are really concerned about world peace."

"People are concerned with world peace." Wilson pointed out.

"Oh. Well, that's good for the world then. Call me when it actually happens." House said, leaning against his cane.

"I hope Chase and Cameron are okay." Foreman spoke nervously.

"Would you quit worrying? They're smart enough to get out of any crap they get into!" House roughly assured Foreman.

"I hope you're right." Foreman replied, gazing at the ominous shadow that the hospital cast over the courtyard. "I hope you're right."

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Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed! It really has made me happy! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and review again! Although, if you didn't like it, you don't have to review; or you could review and just fill my inbox up with hate mail! But that would defeat the purpose of constructive criticism anyways!

With Lots of Love,

Hooded Kaio Ghost.