Title: You Leave Me Breathless

Summary: Chase hasn't shown up for his first day of work since his suspension ended. House is interested in exactly what is wrong. And when House is interested in something, or somebody, that somebody is not going to escape from him.

Time Frame: Between 'The Mistake' and 'Deception'

Pairing: Chase/House

Author's Note: And now we can get on with House being House at other people. Woo. Also, sorry about the HUGE delay. My laptop had the viruses, then I got banned from it permanently (unless in the living room), so I have not been writing. But I've started watching at least one episode of House religiously every night and will be writing again, oh yes indeed.

Disclaimer: Be forewarned of boy/boy. Sorry if it offends you, but I just can't help myself. Also, I do not have any ownership of House nor do I have permission to use the characters. I'm just doing it anyway, but I'm not profiting, so it all evens out. Thank you.


Having removed his helmet, Chase stumbles off the bike outside the hospital with a look on his face that clearly says that however cool the bike is, he is never going to get onto it again. Smothering a laugh, House dismounts from the bike and tucks his sunglasses into a pocket.

"Grow up," he calls. "It wasn't that bad."

Chase doesn't reply, merely gives him a look that says it all. House grabs his cane and limps after his employee. Stopping just behind Chase, he throws his cane straight up, catches it near the bottom and pushes the handle into the small of Chase's back.

"Come on," he orders. "Into the ER."

Chase automatically walks forwards (a cane to the back can do that to a person) and House, returning his cane to a more conventional holding position, follows once more. It's only as the pair of them actually enter the ER waiting room and people begin to stare that House realises that they must look quite odd: the half-naked, barefoot young man with blue lips and the cripple in biking leathers.

"Sorry, wrong nightclub," he says rather loudly.

Chase takes on a rather pained expression that House guesses has little to do with his chest (which the Vicodin should be helping to relieve by now) and a lot more to do with the fact that even more people are now staring at them. The administrator at the desk who is handing out forms to the patients-to-be glares at House in a most bad-tempered way. She has small round glasses, protuberant incisors and a pinched, rodent-like face. House mentally christens her Beaver Woman on the spot. Unfortunately, he has never seen her before, nor she him, and she is his only obstacle to getting Chase quickly and easily admitted.

Sometimes, the way things work out in life is a real kick in the balls.

House limps up to the desk. Beaver Woman thrusts a form towards him without even looking up, reciting in a bored monotone,

"Take the form, fill it I and wait for a nurse to see you."

"No can do. I need priority here."

"Just because you've got a bad leg-"

"It's not for me," House interrupts. "It's for wombat boy over there."

He jerks his head towards Chase, who sat down in an uncomfortable plastic chair a few paces away, struggling to look inconspicuous. He's shivering even though his hair is soaked with sweat. Beaver Woman gives him a quick glance, no more than a second, before returning to her computer screen where she appears to be buying stuff from eBay.

"I don't see anything wrong with him," she grumbles. "Fill in the form and wait for the nurse."

House, naturally, is outraged as only House can be. Damn bureaucrats think they know everything these days.

"Oh yeah, he's perfectly fine," he says, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Human lips are normally the colour of Mentos."

"Oh, so you're a doctor now?" demands Beaver Woman, raising one eyebrow with incredulity and completely ignoring the point that House has just made.

"Look at him!" House practically yells. "Does he seriously look healthy to you?"

Beaver Woman tries to stare him down. Bad mistake.

"Have you ever heard of Doctor House?" he tries.

Beaver Woman nods, a look of something close to awe mixed with fear in her face. My, how his reputation spreads.

"Guess what? It's his opinion that he-" House jerks his head towards Chase again "-has acute pneumonia."

Before Beaver Woman say another word, somebody else does. A young woman.

"Excuse me, he needs help. Like, now."

House turns around, all thoughts of arguing with Beaver Woman gone. The young woman (non-descript brunette) is sitting on the edge of the seat next to Chase. Chase himself looks worse. His entire face has taken on a faintly bluish tinge. He has moved at some point during the argument, as he now has his feet up on the red plastic that he sits on and his knees drawn up into his chest, his forehead resting lightly on one knee. As House watches, the Australian begins to lean slightly to one side, away from the girl, and slowly falls limp onto the adjacent plastic seats. He doesn't move. He isn't breathing.