Title: Rewriting Destiny
Chapter 36 – Weekend Fun & Follies

When he had first gotten into the BMW, Chase's mind was still fostering some inner agitation, mostly due to his insensitive father and he hoped that it wouldn't interfere with him having fun today. But then Jimmy starts to tell him about his latest case and his mind instantly clears from the emotionally dragging cobwebs that his father's recent actions had caused to appear.

"How many did you need to use?"

"I lost count. He kept asking me…when will I feel something. I kept saying…you should feel something now," Jimmy replies weakly as Chase gently chuckles. "Guess his profession?"

"Uh…boxer?"

"Sumo wrestler."

"What?" Chase's brows arch in shock. "A sumo…wrestler. That was…did the table hold?"

"Believe it or not they aren't as uncommon as you might think," Jimmy goes on to explain. One thing that Chase appreciates, that much like his friend Tom from the clinic, he and Jimmy can talk 'shop' as it were, things at work and know that each of them will hold the other's talk as confidential but just happy to have someone their own age to talk about work and confide in each other – just like House and Wilson, Chase's mind reminds him.

Since Chase's foot was still healing they were heading to another part of the city where there was a fusion food festival going on; a few of the people Chase had met when he first went karaokeing with Jimmy going to meet them there.

"Hope you're hungry," Jimmy comments as he parks the car and both get out; the tempting aroma of food dancing in the air and playing with their senses.

"Starving. Don't let House hear that…he did make a wonderful breakfast but this food…smells amazing," Chase states with an amused smile as he looks at the sea of booths and the swarm of people before him. "Wow…so where do we start?"

"Right here…" Jimmy replies as he grabs a map and then opens it up, both of them looking at the area marked 'entrance'. "I hope the portions are smaller."

Chase offers his friend a chuckle and then both slowly head for the first booth. The event was offering a wide range of everything from literally – soup to nuts. They both make a plan to start with the light stuff first, then the more mealy stuff and then the sweet stuff.

"Actually…I like it," Jimmy admits as he tries the first offering from a booth run by a very attractive chef.

"You were flirting with her," Chase teases his friend; Jimmy's Asian skin actually turning a slight shade of pink. "Ah I was right!"

"I just liked the food," Jimmy admits somewhat sheepishly as Chase laughs. But the tables are turned as when they stop at another booth a few down from the last one, it's Jimmy's turn to watch his friend flirt with the cute chef and then ask him if he got her phone number.

"I wasn't flirting. I was just…being a good patron," Chase tries in his weak defense. "Okay so we both got fed and got to flirt a little. That's a good start to the day right?"

"Sure…course it is," Jimmy replies in haste. But the strain in Jimmy's tone, tells Chase more than his friend might think.

"But…what's going on?"

"My father wouldn't be happy if I…well even dated a chef and before you ask…no I don't always do what my father said…it's just…complicated. Sorry. He's just very big on family tradition."

"Oh trust me, I know a thing or two about complicated relationships with fathers. I have that myself."

As the two of them slowly wander to a few more booths, finally picking a full plate for lunch and heading to a table to enjoy at a slower pace, they talk about their father's and soon start to realize just how kindred they really are. After lunch is over, the two of them head over to the area selling sweets and Chase can't wait to tell House all about the fun day with his friend and thank him once again for finding him someone like Jimmy.

"So what was it like to get your US Citizenship?" Chase inquires as they linger over their next food sampling.

XXXXXXXX

"You know he's out with someone responsible right?"

"Right."

"I mean they might run into some…maybe some terrorists."

"Right."

"I'm thinking of shaving my head and mooning Foreman on Monday."

"Right…what?" House finally snaps to attention; looking at Wilson who merely snickers in return. "I'm…"

"We don't have to go if you don't want to," Wilson tells House as he stops the car outside the quint bookstore.

"Really?"

"No. We have to," Wilson counters as House's lips purse. "What? Robert is a grown man, he'll be fine. He's with his friend and we both like Jimmy and okay heck you even ran a background check on him, he's fine. You'll just sit at home and stress for nothing."

"I hate when you're right."

"Now you know how the rest of us feel," Wilson deadpans.

"Fine…lead the way. This guy better be good."

"It's his first book," Wilson retorts weakly.

But just as they enter House gets a text and is quick to pull his phone.

'Jimmy and I just had the best dessert ever. I'll have to make it for us sometime. Hope the reading is fun. Over and out for now. Robert.'

"Everything fine?"

"Everything…is just as it should be," House replies slowly. For now…

XXXXXXXX

"I can't eat any…more food," Chase gently groans as he eats the last bite of his sugary treat and then looks at Jimmy with a small but satisfied groan.

"I know…I need to be…rolled away," Jimmy joins with a satisfied groan of his own. "I think the last donut thingy was my favorite."

"It's called a bear claw."

"Bear…claw," Jimmy frowns as Chase looks over in wonder, hearing the distress in his friend's tone. "When I was about 20 I went to visit my grandfather in Beijing he uh…he served bear paw, said it was a delicacy. I refused to eat it and my father…he wasn't happy. He's very big on culture and tradition and I said I still respected what my grandfather believed but I didn't have to believe the same and I refused. I…well after that I…" he pauses as he pulls out a card and hands it to Chase.

"You joined Greenpeace? Those guys are hard core."

"I wanted to save the bears…" Jimmy replies with a small shrug. "Only lasted a few months, then I went back to medicine and decided to help save them in my spare time."

"Did you ever repair the tension with your grandfather?"

"Sort of but…it wasn't the same afterward. He told me he respects that I have my own ideas and I respect that he has his own traditions but ours will never be the same. My father still isn't happy that I don't join him every year in a trip back to Beijing but…it's just not for me. My cousins are like me…all with different opinions try to be pro-wildlife and eco-friendly and…" he stops as he looks in the distance at his luxury car and then at Chase and snickers.

"Well…at least you recycle."

"I recycle," Jimmy admits as they hear their names being called. "Hey Kyle!" Jimmy waves to his cousin and Chase watches as the people he had met that one time approach with happy expressions.

"Hey Jimmy! Robert!"

"Hey Kyle, Tiffany," Chase greets as the four others sit down on the benches around them.

"Did you guys eat yet?" Kyle inquires prompting both Chase and Jimmy to look at each other in wonder and grin and then look up and nod. "Okay so…what's good?"

Both of them start to rattle off which booths they liked best and were very happy to get some flavored coffee and wait on a large grassy area with oddly shaped sitting benches. Each time they share a tidbit of their personal lives, both Chase and Jimmy would have to admit that the bonds of their new friendship is strengthened and they were well on their way to cementing a lasting kinship.

The four others return and soon the six of them are eating (again), laughing, talking and bonding…all things House would approve of.

XXXXXXXX

"You didn't have to say it."

"He asked for honest feedback," House replies as Wilson rolls his eyes.

"Stanley Kubrick on…crack?"

"It was…the truth. Okay so where to? I'm hungry."

Wilson can only offer another head shake as he directs his best friend toward a little Greek restaurant; both of them entering and instantly being enticed by the aromas of meat, spices, freshly baking baklava; festive music playing in the background. "He's going to be fine," Wilson comments as House looks at his phone again.

"Said a few friends have joined and they're going to a small outdoor concert by the fairgrounds," House replies as he puts his phone back into his pocket and offers Wilson a tight lipped smile. "I know he'll be fine. I know he's a grown man. I know that. I just…I see the other side of him…the vulnerable side. The childish little boy at home and sometimes…it's hard for me to separate that. I know he'll be fine."

"But…" Wilson presses.

"After he tangled with Rowan the last time he…he snuck into my room and just fell asleep on the other side of the bed. I've heard of children doing that…never actually…experienced it. I almost lied to him about the Will…telling myself that it was for his good and he could hate me later but…but I want to keep building that trust. Don't want to ever tear it down."

"You won't. You've done an amazing job so far. So…let's put the interesting…reading behind us and have some…Saganaki."

"Some what?"

"It's fried cheese…can't go wrong with that and…a liter of House Red," Wilson relates to the waitress with a snicker.

"Bastard…you always order that on purpose."

"I know, Gregory."

"James."

"Fine," Wilson retorts as he hands House a dinner menu. "He'll be fine. Now…let's eat before I'm not."

House's mind tries to settle on Wilson's words, telling himself Chase is with good people and will be okay; but much like last time, he knows he won't be okay until Chase is at home, in his bed with the door locked. Then he could rest.

XXXXXXXX

After they had finished eating the six friends slowly wandered around the rest of the food festival; all of them now opting for something caffeinated to help their food digest – faster.

Then, as the late afternoon started to progress, the venders started to slowly pack up their wares…their booths and of course their earnings.

"You got her phone number?" Chase asks as Jimmy walks back to him with a nervous smile.

"Well her card," he holds up the colorful piece of cardboard. "Maybe…when I work up enough nerve we can try it?"

"Of course," Chase agrees as they hurry to join the rest of the waiting group.

The six of them head off to the area where the little outdoor concert is being held, take their seats and then enjoy another round of something sweet and savory. "I'm going to need to diet after this," Chase gently snickers as Jimmy makes a mock fainting gestures and flops backward onto the ground; eliciting a round of chuckles from the group. "I'll save you, I know mouth to mouth!" Chase playfully declares as he mockingly looms in closer.

Jimmy's face morphs into that of mock horror and he quickly sits up. "It's a miracle. I'm better."

"I don't have bad breath," Chase retorts and then the rest all join in the silly antics. Chase listens to the friendly banter as he pauses to take another sip of another hot, flavorful coffee; once again basking in the fact that he has real friends who do more than just sit around talking about their jobs, material possessions or the size of their paycheck.

'Robert, why are you back so early? I thought you were going out for dinner with Gerald?'

'All he talks about is going onto his father's yacht for the summer and how great it will be.'

'It will be great. Money can buy you great things. I realize you're only 17 but you'll learn that as you get older.'

'But money can't buy happiness or genuine friends.'

'A rich friend is a lot better than a poor one. If you need something your rich friend can always help.'

'But…then I'm only friends with him for what I can get from him when I need something? What about…just friendship? With no ulterior motives? Just two buddies hanging together talking about…'

'What, Robert? Talking about what?' Rowan had asked in exasperation.

'I don't know life…girls, cars…surfing,' he had concluded with a smile.

'Surfing is a waste of time. But…as I said when you mature you'll figure it out.'

As he listens to the group talking about Kyle's hapless golf game, even Kyle poking fun at himself, the mood is light, the tension is non-existent and the group is just….having fun. It's what House would want for me…just to enjoy myself without wanting something in return from them other than friendship. Why didn't my father ever understand that? I just wanted to be….happy?

But his mind won't allow him to dwell on the loveless relationship with his father, and instantly pulls him back into the conversation with a small golfing anecdote of his own. About twenty minutes after that, the local band takes the small stage and the festivities ramp up a bit more. Even though most in the little group don't, yet, recognize the words to the songs, its tone is upbeat and within moments, they're all clapping and cheering and enjoying the sounds as it floats upward into the sparkly night sky.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay so…if I just leave, do you promise you won't start to track the GPS on Robert's phone and go hunting for him?"

"I can do that?" House retorts dryly. "I worry about him but I don't want to ever turn into an overbearing dictator or make him feel guilty for staying out with his friends and having fun or checking in with me all the time. He's responsible and if he…he's not going to run into trouble. He'll be fine and I'm just going to…"

"Pace until you're forced to rest because your leg hurts?" Wilson retorts with a snicker as House glowers at him. "See you Monday."

House gets out of Wilson's car and slowly heads toward the front of his building, his eyes darting down to his watch to check the time and then telling himself that it's still relatively early and Chase will be okay. Just keep yourself busy until you have to go to sleep! House scolds himself as he locks the door behind him.

He passes by Chase's bedroom and then stops, seeing something on the bedside table and heading toward it. When Chase had first moved in, he had no hesitation in snooping through the younger man's positions but now, he knows that Chase has nothing to hide so why snoop? But as he nears the wooden dresser beside the bed, House slowly picks up a small picture frame and feels his heart instantly warm.

"He framed the ducky drawing," House mutters as he looks at the silly little hand drawn picture that he had left for Chase the morning that Rowan Chase decided he was going to try to destroy his son's emotional wellbeing once and for all. He knows he will never have the money to give Chase that his biological father could, but even before that he had wanted to change his Will from Wilson to Robert Chase. Now I want to more than ever, he internally whispers. He puts the picture back and heads for his bedroom, wanting to just unwind and do a bit of reading before he calls it a night.

He slumps down onto his bed and looks at the clock and frowns. "Hope my boy is having fun."

XXXXXXXX

And Robert Chase was doing just that.

The second local band's performance is well underway and the six friends were still seated in their spot on the ground about a dozen rows from the front of the stage. The air was mixed with the aroma of food, coffee, cigarette smoke and…marijuana.

Despite having a small buzz, Chase doesn't complain too much as he doesn't want to spoil the evening for himself or his friends. They listen to the music for another two hours and then it's time to disperse; the hour not too late but Chase tells himself that House said he wouldn't wait up and since it was almost midnight he didn't want to wake him for no reason.

"I'm a little more tired than I thought," Jimmy admits as the two of them head for Jimmy's car; having said goodnight to Kyle, Tiffany, Hoy and Mei Sue.

"I'd offer to drive but…I might wreck your insurance or something…" Chase offers with a small stammer as he looks at jimmy with a heavy frown.

"At least I don't live too far from you," Jimmy replies as they get into his car, and he turns on the engine, letting it warm up a few seconds as he opens the window for some fresh air; Chase also feeling a bit more tired than usual.

Jimmy slowly pulls out of the parking lot, both windows open and both of them admitting they were going to sleep very good tonight.

"Uh…what's that?"

"Oh no! A detour!" Jimmy groans. "Really? Tonight? Okay so….detour it is."

Chase watches as Jimmy directs his car in the direction of the detour and wonders how much longer it'll delay them arriving at home. "I'm not familiar with this area at all."

"Me either," Jimmy states somewhat nervously as he looks around at a few shadows as they dart into the darkness; the brief moments making both Jimmy and Chase trade nervous glances.

"Just…don't stop if you don't have to."

"Good plan. Hope House won't be mad that you're home so late."

"He's great that way. He'll be fine. I'm sure he'll just grill me in the morning," Chase replies with an uneasy smile; his brain telling him that House would be fine as he told him not to wait up. He's not…right?

XXXXXXXX

House's frame gently jerks awake, his weary gaze looking at the clock and his mind wondering if Chase had come home and he just didn't hear him.

So with a small grunt he pushes himself up off his bed and slowly wanders into the hallway. But it only takes a few seconds for him to realize that not everything is as it should be. "Robert?" House asks softly as he peers into the empty room and then back outside in concern.

He looks at his watch and then up at the door and feels his stomach tighten. "But…where is my boy?"

XXXXXXXX

"Jimmy, watch that…."

"Oh no!"

*bang*

A/N: Okay so lots of you were asking for some Chase/Jimmy bonding with a weeee bit of trouble tossed in hehe so hope you are all enjoyed their happy outing and bonding a bit further. So now how will House react when Chase finally gets home and what on earth is happening to Chase and Jimmy? Will Chase just down play? And hmm might we see some fatherly scolding coming up? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!