One month later.

House was standing before the closed door to the Fraser's department. He didn't know why he came here. The case was closed, Chase was free, Harrington was in jail. What's more was he expecting to happen? But still he wasn't satisfied. It all seemed so unfair, it's not like he believed in justice, at least not concerning him. But this wasn't about him. Man's life had been destroyed, he lost his job, he was damaged mentally and physically, the impact on his unborn baby had yet to be discovered, because Cameron had to go through too much stress during her pregnancy. And authorities were expecting them to be happy just because he was free?

He hesitated a few more moments and then entered the department.

Fraser was genuinely surprised to see the scruffy doctor standing before his desk.

"I never thought I'll see you again, Dr. House. Unless something impossible happen, like me having some undiagnosticable disease or you killing someone intentionally."

"I want to see it." House made himself comfortable in the chair.

"It?"

"The tapes."

"Tapes? There was only one."

House was surprised, he never though that one tape was enough to close such complicated case. Warden was true to his word, besides handing the evidence, he also testified, which helped send Harrington along with his gang to prison for quite a long time. After that Harrington tried to blame everything on House's patient's father, Mr. Morrow, but it didn't help him.

"Anyway, I want to see it."

"It is highly confidential. It was actually you who insisted it to be so."

"I know, that's why, I think, I have the right to see it."

"No, you don't. And I don't have access anymore as well."

"O, come on! There is no way such powerful agent like you doesn't have access. You are practically James Bond!"

Fraser smiled, since the first day they met, House humiliated him, calling him stupid or even worse, and now when he needed something from him, he was praising him.

"Believe me, I don't. Case is closed, unless you want me to open it again."

"I got you that tapes."

"They were brought to me, I don't even want to know how you persuaded him to do it. Besides, you didn't want to see it before, what have changed?"

"Nothing."

"I don't think, it is something you should see, it's quite..." he couldn't find the right word.

"I know, I have to."

"Dr. House, I really can't help you."

House was silent, maybe Fraser was right, he shouldn't see it.

"How is Dr. Chase?"

It took House a moment to realize that the other man was speaking.

Fraser repeated his question.

"He's fine."

"Did he wake up?"

House shook his head.

Fraser was surprised by indifferent reaction from the doctor, and then he realized something. He smiled, "You seem kind of uncaring, you weren't like that before. It was you, wasn't it? You made sure that he didn't wake up to testify." After House ignored him, he asked, "But he will wake up, won't he?"

"I hope so."

Another long silence followed. Fraser was aimlessly toying with his pen and then asked.

"Is there anything else you want from me, Dr. House?"

"If you can't let me see it, then can you at least tell me, what was on it."

He was amazed that House gave up so easily, it wasn't like him at all. Maybe he simply took his advise. He looked down at the pen in his hands.

"It was his last encounter with Harrington in prison. You were right. They showed him pictures of Dr. Cameron, along with examination list, that she was pregnant. He was told that they would hurt her if he wouldn't testify against you. He agreed, and when Harrington walked out to get the protocol, he darted off and hit one of the man who stayed with him. Then they... " He paused, images from the black and white tape came alive before his eyes. "You have seen the result." He added softly.

House nodded silently. He was curios how warden and his stuff walked out unharmed, now he knew. "Clever bastard, it was probably the only tape without his guards and himself."

"I doubt it, it seems agents were visiting quite often. I don't know why are you angry at warden, without him we couldn't prove anything."

"He managed to walk out clean. Didn't even lose his job."

"He resigned."

House was surprised, though he didn't really care.

"Is that why you are here? You want everyone who was somehow involved in that case to be punished?"

House looked at detective, but said nothing.

"If you want me to open that case again, I don't mind, but this time, we won't be able to prove anything unless Dr. Chase will testify. And you don't want him to go through it, do you?"

"No, I don't."

House got up and, without saying goodbye, left. Fraser shrugged his shoulders and went back to his paperwork, he already got used to House's strange behavior.

000

"House, what the hell are you waiting for?" Wilson was his conscience. Sometimes he could hear his voice in his head, even if his friend wasn't even speaking.

House was sitting at his desk, playing with his ball.

Wilson was sitting in the opposite chair, drilling him with his gaze. Mentally asking the same question, "What the hell was he waiting for?"

Chase was sleeping, everything was fine. What would happen, when he wakes up? How was he going to explain why he put him in coma? How to tell him that he made him sleep through the whole month of his life? Tell him that 12 strangers along with judge, prosecutor and lawyers had seen the worst experience of his life? One month ago all he cared about was Chase's freedom, but now he had his doubts. Was it the right thing to do or not? He didn't know, but he wouldn't find it out, until Chase would wake up.

Wilson got up.
"Let's go. If you won't show up in ten minutes, Cuddy's going to do it herself."

"Fine."

"Don't you want to talk to him, when he'll wake up? You have a hell of a lot to explain to him!"

"I don't have to explain anything."

"House! It was your idea, you kept him unconscious for the whole month! And now you want us to pick up your mess!"

House didn't move.

"All right! Hide, like you always do!" Wilson stormed out, as much as he wanted to avoid it himself, he didn't want to leave Cuddy alone.

But it wasn't long before, House's pager went off, he read the message: "He's not waking up" and seconds later he limped to Chase's room himself.

000

Chase was floating, the air around him was so thick that it felt like he was doing it underwater. He couldn't tell whether he was breathing or not, but he didn't really care.

He could hear voices, so familiar, he could actually see them, though his eyes were closed. They were arguing, like a loving couple, he wished his parents would argue, it would have meant that they cared for each other, strained silence was much more frightening.

It felt nice, water around him was soft and warm and bright.

It was so quiet and still down there, all the noise and fuss was far away. He felt so peaceful, but some part of him wanted to be there, among that buzzing voices.

"Am I dead?" Chase was amazed that question didn't come to his mind earlier. He tried to jog his memory, what was the last thing he remembered? As more images started to come to his mind everything around him darkened, suddenly he wasn't floating anymore, he was lying on the hard floor with hands tied behind his back. He looked around, it was House's bedroom, he was not alone, three pairs of boots surrounded him. How did he end up like that?

He was lying on the bed, reading, when he heard the knocking on the front door. He didn't expect anyone, whoever had to visit him had keys. He tried to ignore it, but the banging didn't stop.

"Dr. Chase, I know you are there, open the door, please."

Chase shivered at sound of that voice, the first thought was to run. It was the first floor, right? He could jump off the window. He got up, put on the sweater and approached the bedroom window, he carefully peaked through to see if they were waiting for him there.

He already had one foot over the window-sill, when he heard him again.

"Dr. Chase, if you are not available, then I will have to make an appointment with Dr. Cameron."

He froze. He hated himself for that, he let them manipulate him so easily. House would say that he is an idiot, but he couldn't help it. He slowly approached the door and opened it.

He was roughly pushed inside, though the force wasn't so strong, but in his weak state he came with the full contact with the nearest wall. He had to steady himself from falling with both hands.

"It's nice to meet you again, Dr. Chase." Harrington whispered to his ear, while the other two were tying his hands, pressing him into the wall.

Harrington looked around.

"Cosy apartment Dr. House has here." He made his way to the bedroom. "Bring him here."

He couldn't believe it was happening again. Fuck! This time he definitely had a choice, but he blew it as always. He could have run, made a call to Cameron, hide her somewhere, but he didn't. Now he was lying helpless on the floor, he was at their mercy again. He knew they would come after him. He knew House's plan wouldn't work. He should have run. But he didn't. He knew what was expected from him. He did exactly that. He was pathetic. That's what House would have told him. Actually House was talking to him right now, but it wasn't that, he was calling his name.

Chase was glad when buzzing above him distracted him from his memories, House was calling his name. How many times he woke up to the old man calling his name, why was he so kind to him?

He wanted to reach him, but he couldn't even open his eyes.

"He should have been awake already." Wilson muttered angrily.

"He will, he just needs time. His BP is rising, he's waking up. Chase, come on! Come on, wake up! Sleeping beauty!"

Why it was always House? Where was Cameron? Cameron... he sent her home, he talked to her. How was she? Has she gave birth to their baby already? Why could he hear House? Shouldn't he be back in prison? Was she all right?

"Shit!"

Wilson hardly heard his friend, above beeping monitors, blood pressure was rising to the dangerous level. He quickly approached the bed, in case House needed help.

"What's going on?" Wilson asked, hoping his fear wasn't obvious.

House leaned closer to Chase. "Calm down, Chase, calm down. Everything is fine. Cameron is fine. Do you hear me? You need to wake up!"

They weren't sure whether Chase heard House, but his breathing evened and his vitals became closer to normal.

"What was that?"

"I don't know. I suspect panic attack, or maybe he dreamed something, anyway call Foreman, we need to check him for the brain damage."

"The MRI didn't show any..."

"I know!" House practically yelled at his friends face. "Maybe we missed something. I didn't let him wake up, to check him properly."

"House, everything will be all right. You couldn't miss anything, he just needs more time in his weakened state." Wilson did his best to sound reassuring.

"I really hope so." He sat defeated on the chair. It would be a twist of fate if after everything Chase had been through he would die or stay in coma, initiated by House.

A/N: Thank you very much for reading and you can't even imagine how valuable every comment is for me!

Next chapter is going to be a big challenge for me, I'm going to write something I wanted to do a long time ago - conversation between Chase and Foreman. I don't know whether I'll be able to do a decent one, but if not you can always reread such great stories like Assisted Living by quack675 or I spy by You're out of your vulcan mind

Jellyhair, I hope you can see that part of this chapter was inspired by your question, thank you!