Thank you so much to everyone for the amazing reviews. I knew Chase would get a lot of sympathy. (He's so cute….How could he not get sympathy? I wanted to hug him. lol)

Don't own House M.D. Of course.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He wasn't sure what he expected Chase to say, but the silence before he spoke was definitely expected. "…Right." House winced internally. Chase said nothing else.

"Aren't you going to yell about it?"

Chase slammed a cabinet door with more force than was necessary. "No. It's fine. You can do whatever the hell you want."

The yelling might have almost been better than this. House swung around on the bench, pulled his cane to him and went to stand in the doorway. "Chase…I want Cameron to come back to work."

"Course."

"This was the only thing she would take. I offered her money, I offered her time off, I offered her anything else but this."

"I believe you." But he still wouldn't look at him. He was standing at the counter, looking mostly into its surface.

"I had no choice."

That, at least, got his attention. He looked at House, his stare somewhere between self righteous and hurt. "There's always a choice. You could have said no."

"Yeah, and lost Cameron."

"She might have taken something else."

Frustrated with the whole situation and angry with himself for causing this(and more angry with himself for hurting Chase than he would admit), House slammed his hand down on the counter. "No, she wouldn't have! I tried that! And she's a good doctor. It's my decision. I don't want to hire anyone else."

Chase shrugged. "I said to begin with it was your decision, House."

"Oh please. Don't…. Don't do this." House took a step closer. "Don't act like it's ok when it isn't. That never helps anything."

"And you don't do that?"

"We're not talking about me. We're talking about Cameron."

"Fine." Chase glanced at him over his shoulder. "I don't like it."

House stepped up to him, let his hands fall somewhat hesitantly to his waist. "At least you admitted it." Chase was stiff in his arms, still pointedly not looking at him. "Chase…" This wasn't easy. "I'm not interested in her. I swear I'm not."

"She's beautiful."

"You're prettier than Cameron." Chase didn't laugh. Crap. "Are you interested in her?"

"Of course not."

"So it's just that you don't trust me."

"House…" Chase pulled away from him, moving to the side to stand apart and look him in the eyes. "You haven't even said anything about what this is. I don't know if you consider this a serious relationship or one of your games and I haven't really cared because I was happy, but I can't… I can't just be here when you have nothing better to do."

"That isn't what this is about. I'm not going out with Cameron because I'm bored with you, I'm going out with Cameron because she demanded that as her price." He tapped his cane on the floor. "And I don't want… To go out with anyone else." He looked away uneasily, then back at Chase. "We are what we are. Just because I don't put a title on it doesn't mean I don't want to be with you." He could see Chase soften a little and he took that opportunity, stepping forward to take him in his arms. "I don't want anything from Cameron, and I'm not going to sleep with her. Honestly. If you don't trust me on that, then… Be here when I come home. Alright?"

"I can trust you" Chase relaxed, lay his head on House's shoulder. "Only because I know…it would mean something to you if I did. I'm not sure what it would change, but… It's all progress."

"Stop trying to figure me out. Wilson does that." But there was no bite in his voice and he nuzzled against Chase after he said it. "Be here when I get home. I want to see you."

"Alright."

They stood there for a moment in a comfortable embrace, still and silent. Predictably, House didn't let it last long. "Come on. I'm hungry." He left Chase to bring everything into the living room mostly be himself, though he did grab two forks on his way out the door.

HHHHHHHHH

It was a good two hours later before either of them spoke of it again, and it was House who brought it up. Out of nothing, of course. He was leaning against the arm of the sofa, Chase against his chest. Sportscenter was on. Not Chase's favorite, but he'd put up with whatever House wanted to watch. He was hovering somewhere between sleep and consciousness when House spoke.

"This isn't just a game."

Chase blinked, shifted a little to look up at him. "Ok."

"I mean it was, maybe, to begin with. But then it wasn't, and it definitely isn't now."

"…Ok."

House looked away uneasily. "Just thought I should say…. Ah, never mind."

"No." Chase touched his cheek, pulled him down for a kiss. " 'S good. Thanks."

House grunted dismissively and turned back to the TV. He shoved the remote at Chase. "After awhile, his voice grates on my nerves."

"I get to pick the channel?"

"Do you want me to take it back?"

Chase flipped through until he found one of the original Star Wars. "You can't complain about this."

"I could." Chase cut his eyes at him, surprised. "But I'd be lying."

"Not that that's a problem for you."

Silence, then… "Cameron doesn't even really like me. She just…. Thinks she does."

"How do you know?"

"Her husband. She married a man that was dying. That shows some deep issues about attraction to pain. She doesn't like me, she likes my problems. If anything, she's in love with my leg and my addiction."

Chase turned, raising up on one arm to rest more sideways against him. House was troubled, but about Cameron or about them he wasn't sure. Probably both. He wanted to continue the discussion but somehow he thought that would be pushing it. He kissed him softly, not really surprised that House didn't respond. "I see more than that."

"For now."

"House…."

"Shh." House pulled his head back to rest against his shoulder. "I can't hear the Jawas."

HHHHHHHHH

"You're staying here tonight." It wasn't really a question, more of a command, but it was one he knew Chase would have never refused. As it was, he thought he looked a little pleased. Pleased was good. Pleased meant he wasn't still pissed. Or, at least, was less pissed. He was more hurt than he was pissed… The voice(maybe his conscience?)was annoying and he swatted it away.

All the same, he knew the truth in it. He was terrible with words when it came to expressing emotions. But actions…actions he could do. That was what had always pulled him through with Stacy, the ability to show her he loved her or that he was sorry when he couldn't say it quite right. He just had to convince Chase he wasn't just playing with him. Shouldn't be so hard. Chase just finished stripping down to his t-shirt and boxers when House stopped him, turning him around and pulling him against his chest. "House, wha-" He cut him off, kissing Chase with a tenderness that he could tell surprised him. When he pulled back, Chase slipped his arms around him. "What was that for?"

"Do you want a specific, academic reason? I could come up with one. But that sounds like I'm talking to Cuddy and that's just…." He shook his head, nudged Chase back toward the bed.

He didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he fell back and pulled House with him, arms wrapped securely around him. House kissed him again, gentle, right hand sliding under his shirt to rub his bare skin. Chase gave a soft hum of pleasure, grip tightening on House's arms. House didn't increase the pace, however, but kept it slow, taking his time. When he paused, his lips still rested against Chase's. "You taste good. Good enough reason?"

Chase was smiling, slight, but enough to let him know that he had done the trick. One more kiss, then he rolled off of him to turn off the light. Chase nestled against him in the dark and he didn't pull away. Chase had learned soon enough that if he wanted close physical contact, he was better off seeking it in the dark.

House wasn't sure if he was annoyed with that or alright with it. He certainly wasn't at all easy with Chase knowing that he enjoyed that, craved it, that insomnia had been as much a part of him as the vicodin but that he slept better with Chase in his arms. Those were things he didn't need to know. Not that he could have said them anyway.

House's arm encircled his waist, pulling him as close as possible. Maybe he didn't have to say it. Maybe if he stuck around he'd learn to read things like this, like the fact that House even let him share his bed. Maybe he was already learning. He was still trying to decide whether he was comfortable with Chase learning anything about how to read him when he fell asleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I always loved seeing, with Stacy, that in a relationship House could be tender. Wanted to show a little of that. Anyway….Stacy is definitely looming over the horizon now, so Chase shouldn't get too happy or comfortable. Poor guy.

This one took me a few days to write (really unusual. Usually, I write a chapter in about 2-3 hours if not less.), so I hope you guys like it.