The reviews on this one pretty much overwhelmed me with joy on a day that wasn't going so hot, so I really want you all to know just how much you're appreciated. ::hands out warm brownies::

Izzbella91, that's exactly what I was wanting to show, exactly how House is in my head. He pushes on and does things then later after it's already done realizes he just might have dug himself into a hole. Ah, House. Gotta love him. And I'm so happy you thought this was realistic.

Nikelodean, the comment about totally hitting the puppy had me laughing for awhile. And the fact that you think I did this perfectly is going to be echoing in my head for awhile. :)

Black-Dranzer-1119, not killing me is good. It's hard to write while you're dead(though I suppose I could find a way….). The hostage is actually full grown(I shrink rayed her back to puppy size to borrow…lol)and wagged her tail at the mention of being used as a hostage. I think as long as she's being touched she's ok with anything. lol

Ok, on to the story before you kill me and maybe later I'll reply to you all individually when I have some more time. Overall, guys, I still have warm fuzzies from all your reviews. Thank you.

Right. Getting down to business. I don't own House.

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

In the span of time it had taken for Wilson to drive home, House had called five times. Damn. He gave a heavy sigh, grip tightening on his phone. He wasn't sure what was going on, but apparently it required his immediate attention. No sense putting it off. He might as well go ahead and call back. No answer at the office. No answer on the cell. He was pretty sure his home phone was unplugged. Great.

Now he had to think about his options. Inside, Julie probably had dinner waiting.

House was upset. Clearly, very upset. He could be doing nothing, he could be drinking. He could be doing something drastic.

It only took him a minute to make up his mind. He turned the key in the ignition and backed out of the driveway, hoping that by some miracle Julie wouldn't have seen him drive up and leave again.

HHHHHHHHH

"House." A louder knock. "House, it's me. I'm sorry I missed your calls, alright, I was driving and I didn't hear the phone." Two more knocks. "House, come on, I'm worried about you." With a sigh he reached up and pulled down the key from over the doorframe.

House sat on the sofa, his back to the door, hunched over the table.

"House?"

He didn't look up, didn't move and Wilson panicked just enough to get him to his side quickly. He was staring at a half empty bottle of scotch.

"How…Long have you been home?"

House shrugged then.

"And that was new when you got home?"

House took a long drink. "I assumed that was what the seal on the top meant. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was half full when I got started. But if that was true, then what have I been drinking?"

Wilson sighed. "What the hell happened?"

"Stacy said she loves me."

Wilson settled back into the cushions of the couch. "Isn't that.. .What you've wanted?"

"Mmmhmm."

"So….Shouldn't we be celebrating?"

House took another drink. "Chase left." He said it offhand, but the look in his eyes wasn't. Wilson fought the urge to swear loudly and instead waited to see if House would say any more. "Said…He couldn't share me with her because it hurt."

"I'm…Sure it did." Wilson wasn't quite sure how he needed to go about this. It was impossible when he didn't even know what House wanted.

House drained the bottle down to being ¼ full.

"House…If you want to be with Chase, I'm sure he would have-"

"Told me I have to choose."

A demand he hadn't expected from Chase, but one that Wilson knew most people would have made quite a bit sooner. "So you haven't lost him. House, if you love him-"

"I never said-"

"IF you love him, then you choose him."

Silence. For at least 5 minutes, probably longer. Wilson hated this part, the sitting waiting for House to think. And the more drunk he got, the longer it would take. And the more Julie would yell when he got home. But he couldn't leave.

"I can't choose."

"Because you love them both."

Only someone accustomed to House could have seen the millimeter nod he gave then.

"House, you can't be in love with two people. It's either one or the other, you can't choose both."

House laughed, harsh and cold. "That's rich, coming from you. You love every woman who gives you a sad story and says she needs a friend. You love them all, I'd say you're IN love with them all at the rate you marry them and the even more incredible rate you try and fix them."

Wilson tensed. "Can we please just stay on the subject? We were talking about you." Now was not the time for a lecture on his relationships. He was sacrificing his current one to be right where he was at the moment. If House went to lecturing him, he might snap and he didn't want to fight. Not when House was already this depressed.

"It was related to me. You can't say what I can or can't do when you-"

"Fine! Point is, you can't be in a relationship with two people! Life doesn't work that way, House, and on this one you just can't bend the rules. They're pretty clear."

"I know that." His voice was soft, as any concession of defeat on House's part always was. "I just don't know."

"Don't know because Stacy has been your love and you just can't let her go or don't know because she still is but you've recently had feelings for Chase so you aren't sure? You love one of them more, subconsciously, you're just not acknowledging who it is."

House took another long drink. "I don't want to talk about it."

"House…"

"Really. I don't want to talk about it."

Wilson rubbed his eyes, fought enough of the frustration off not to yell. "Why am I here then? What do you want?"

"I want you… I just want…" He couldn't say it, but the look in his eyes was pleading enough that Wilson understood.

"You just want me here."

House nodded gratefully, looking away and at the bottle on the table.

"Alright." Wilson knew he might as well be signing his own divorce papers already. "If you need me here, I'll stay. Just let me go call Julie. Tell I have to work all night." True, in a way. Taking care of House was a job in itself.

As he stood to walk outside, he saw House finish off the bottle. And head to the kitchen for another. As hard as this was hitting, Wilson couldn't help but wonder if Chase had managed to take over as the love of House's life. If so, he could be making another big mistake…

HHHHHHHHH

You left him.

He had been expecting Wilson to say something. Actually seeing the words like that, clear and accusatory, it sounded much worse. Almost as bad as he felt. Did Wilson seriously think he had wanted this?

He was going to choose her. He is going to choose her.

You know that for a fact? I'm with him. Something about that didn't sound good.

Is he alright?

Define alright. "Fuck." Chase bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. At the moment, it had all hurt too much, the thought of watching House actually choose her… He hadn't been thinking of what his leaving might do to House.

Cut the guilt trip, is he alright?

It took Wilson longer than normal to respond and Chase had never realized just how quiet an empty room could get, or how loud of a sound a cell phone made vibrating on a wooden table. He's already finished off a bottle of scotch, starting on his next. He says he doesn't want to talk about it.

He wanted to say a million things, all of which he was sure Wilson already knew. Don't let him hurt himself. Don't let him drink too much. Once he is drunk, help him up because he'll actually let you and he can't maneuver the cane well on his own. The other things Wilson couldn't do, like massaging his leg or holding him while he slept. Kissing him when he looked too worried. Wilson couldn't do any of that. Unsure of what to say he finally said only I love him. and turned off his phone. It was the only thing he was sure about.

He had sworn when he was younger to never use alcohol as an escape like his mother had but being around House had dulled that resolve. House took alcohol like some people took Tylenol or Nyquil after a bad day. Self medication. Chase searched his cabinets and found a bottle of Jack Daniel's from the last time House had stayed over at his apartment. If he drank enough, he might could forget the look on House's face when he had walked away.

HHHHHHHHH

The following morning

His pager went off after he had only been in the building about 10 minutes. Exam Room 2. House. He knew it without even looking at the number. He hesitated, but went anyway. He told himself that he went just in case it was medical. An easy lie. He knew it wasn't.

House shut the door behind him. "Brought you breakfast." His tone was somewhere between rough and nervous. He looked like he hadn't slept at all.

"I…Thanks." Not that he was hungry. But he knew that wasn't the point. Bagel and Starbucks. Both his favorites. Nice, and normally he would have wondered if the world was coming to an end. It seemed House could put out some effort when he was afraid. Interesting.

House tapped his cane on the floor, no particular rhythm. "Can we talk?"

Chase turned away and toward the counter, looking down at the coffee cup as if it could direct him. "Sure."

"I don't…Want this." He had stepped up closer behind him. "I didn't want you to leave."

That sounded good, but it wasn't quite what he wanted to hear. Not yet at least. He felt House's hands on his hips and his heart rate tripled, feeling close to beating out of his chest. One touch, and he could do that to him. Chase closed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

House molded against him from behind, left arm tightening around his waist, right moving up to brush his hand against his cheek. "I'm sorry."

An 'I'm sorry' from House… That was almost enough. It felt good enough. Or maybe his head was going fuzzy from the way House's lips were teasing him, just barely brushing his cheek. He wanted to say it was alright, to turn around and kiss him and pin him to the exam room table to keep kissing him until they both couldn't breathe. What he did say was forced out, more from his head than his heart. "Did you choose?" House stiffened and Chase's hopes sank. Really, he had already known the answer. He just didn't want it confirmed.

"I can't." His whisper was soft, almost pleading, his breath warm against the corner of Chase's lips. "Not yet." He moved to close the hairbreadths distance between their lips but Chase turned his head.

"Then…I have to go." He pulled away, registering the way House only reluctantly eased his grip. He took his breakfast and left without looking back. The hurt he knew he'd see in those beautiful eyes would have been more than his resolve could bear.

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

Poor Chase. Poor House. Even poor Wilson, a little bit. No one's happy right now.

And, as some of you pointed out, next is Hunting…and we all know what happens there…