A/N: Thank you, Me. Thank you my dear readers. It's nice to know you like my House-modified Voight thing, haha. There will be some more drama but for now it's rest time for Matt and you'll get a hint at 'where did House go?'
"Are you sure you'll be okay at home? You can stay here till the end of my shift and then we'll go home together." Hallie asked for the third time this day.
"I'm sure and by the way I won't be there alone. Severide will be there with me or maybe Hermann. I'm not sure which one won the argument about staying with me." He smirked.
"Okay, I get it. You won't be alone. But if anything"
"I'll call you immediately" Casey nodded.
It was nice to know she cared for him that much and he wished nothing more than to be with her but if anything indeed went wrong he'd prefer for her to be as far from the danger as possible and it meant far from him.
"Here we are" Hermann announced sitting finally on the couch. "I didn't think there should be so much of a routine before you could be discharged and I was a patient myself not long ago."
"Sorry for that. Guess, that's Hallie's way of showing me I'm not alright yet." Casey shrugged. "Anyway I still can't believe you managed to out argue the most stubborn man I ever knew."
"Are you talking about yourself?" Hermann smirked. "Because I don't remember winning the argument with you."
"You'd better not to argue with your Lieutenant." Casey chuckled.
"We're out of work now and I survived through the fight with Squad Lieutenant so…" He stopped hearing something from the spare bedroom.
"Do you expect someone for the company I'm not aware of?" Hermann asked suspiciously getting off the couch.
"No" Casey tried to follow him but even the simple act of standing was now painful enough.
He was still few steps behind when he heard Hermann's question.
"And who the hell are you?"
Casey couldn't believe it. He hoped despite all sense that it was just wind or something like that because his home was his safe place and he didn't want to start feeling insecure here too. Voight had gone too far into his life.
He harried towards the room and was met with the sight of two men standing in the middle of it glaring at each other.
"Should I repeat the question?"
Casey was surprised by hardness in Hermann's tone. He knew the man wasn't as simple and naïve as it could look like but he had never seen him so aggressive. The second man's appearance on the other hand was no surprise at all. Casey thought that he should have expected something like that to happen from the second House told him that they would meet after Casey being discharged.
"It took you long enough to escape the hospital." House smirked shifting his gaze to Casey and ignoring Hermann's words, thing that Casey got already used to.
In fact that wasn't the only thing about House you got used man was crazy in some way and self-centered and most of the time offensive, still Casey found that he was okay with his presence in his life. He was like that dog from the story his teacher used to tell him about when he was a boy. That dog had appeared in front of the house of recent widow and was with her till the end of woman's life. The idea was about our loved ones weren't truly gone and his father could watch him from aside. That time he hadn't believe the story, not where his father was concerned. But now he could have, with House appearing in his life when he was so in need for friend, after he had lost Andy...
"You know him?" Hermann's voice took him out of his thoughts. Both men were now looking at him expectantly.
"Yeah, I know. He is no threat." Casey answered seeing Hermann's tense stature.
"Okay." He muttered but was still unsure. "Then why you've said you don't expect anybody. Or he shouldn't be here?!"
"I" Casey really didn't expect that but saying it now wouldn't be much of a help. He doubted Hermann would understand why he was so calm with some strange guy making himself at home in his house without any permission, the guy that stalked him for days, the one he knew nothing about. Putting it that way Casey couldn't understand his reaction, either. Still he wasn't going to pull anyone else into this madness.
"I expected him to come later, not to wait for me at home. That's all."
It was lame even for his ears but he was too sore to try anything better. Luckily House kept silent for now but considering his look it wouldn't last long and Casey was so fed up with drama in his life.
"I'm really sorry for that Hermann. If I knew he would come I'd tell you right the way so not to waste your time." He said placating.
"Well, I'm already here so…"
"I'm not going to be on your way boys. Take all the bonding time you need and don't worry about me. I'll find what to do here."
"What…" Hermann looked at House in absolute shock than turned to Casey hoping for him to say something but he just shrugged and went back to the living room.
Hermann looked at House one last time showing him he'd better not make any troubles before following his lieutenant.
They had been out there for almost an hour before House heard the door being opened and closed. That meant that finally that annoying man was gone and he could have his way with wom… not-a-wombat.
As expected few seconds later Casey appeared in the door.
"Care to tell me what that was about?"
The boy sounded displeased. But it didn't matter to House. He already knew all he needed by watching Casey getting rid of his friend instead of kicking House out.
"I don't know what you are talking about. Things seemed pretty normal an hour ago. Did something happen in between?"
"Don't play dumb with me. What the hell are you doing in my house, House?" Casey said harshly leaning over the wall because it became harder to keep himself upright.
"Oh my. Someone is touchy when he's hurt." House smirked but his eyes were checking the man in front of him worriedly. No matter how tough the guy pretended to be House could see through it and he knew he was almost out of energy by now.
"I'm hungry. Hope you have any food in that little burrow of yours."
He walked past Casey hoping he would get a hint and back off for now. No such a luck though.
"Do you think that me not wanting to have a scene in front of Hermann guaranteed you free pass around my house?"
"No, I think that me saving your pretty ass is what guaranteed me the pass. So now be a good boy, sit here and don't prevent me from looking for food."
That statement made its job shutting Casey up immediately.
"By the way I have to buy a new cane because of you and your blockheaded friends." House muttered preparing some scrambled eggs for both of them.
They ate in silence and only when House was sure that the younger man had enough time to recuperate did he start the conversation.
"Why were they attacking you?"
He had a good idea with that black car he had seen few days earlier and Casey's rising paranoia still he wanted to hear that from the first hands.
"You think you saving my life gives you the right to know?" Casey sounded tired.
"Well, yes, it does. But I agree for you to pay me for saving by allowing me to stay here. Anything else is just a nice bonus." House said indulgently.
It was clear for him that the boy shouldn't have been alone and his buddies hadn't been doing good job protecting him.
"Really? And I thought we are even now, with me getting you out of that building and so on."
"Everything was okay and then you had to mention it." House pouted.
"You're free to go at any moment." Casey shrugged getting up and wincing. "Good night House."
"You're ending the evening so early. You're no fun at all. And I haven't even showed you my new cane with metallic core."
"Tomorrow then." Casey answered before closing the door after him.
House smiled in return. Of course he didn't get answers he wanted but it could wait. The more important thing was that he was officially allowed to mess with the guy now that he was sure Casey accepted his presence in his life and in his house. Wilson would be proud with him finding himself another friend so easily. Though at first he had to sort out that thing Casey had right now, he wasn't going to let some bullies interfere into his game.
Casey listened to the sounds outside of his bedroom waiting for House to leave but when he heard TV being turn on he finally believed that the guy was going to stay here. He wasn't looking for roommate but for now it felt good to know someone was around if Voight did decide to strike again. Talking of Voight, there was still one thing for Casey to do. He grabbed his phone.
"Hello. I thought I should tell you, that man we were talking about, he's in my house now."
He listened to the answer.
"No. I'm okay with that. After all he's quite capable to protect me." He chuckled trying to ignore the sinister situation he was in.
"Okay. Then see you tomorrow."
