He blinked as he woke to House's horrified denials. Was the test results wrong? Did he have cancer? His heart jumped in his chest and he opened his eyes wide, turning his head to the side to see Wilson and House standing near the door. They were back in their normal clothes and House was... blocking the door?
"House. Just tell them you don't want to see them." Wilson said in a reasonable tone. He gestured at the door and then at House. "You're a big boy. But, I'll hold your hand if you need me to!" The look on his face was pure sarcasm, but it still didn't stop the small spike of... what was that feeling? Jealousy? Nah... well... maybe. No. No, won't think about that right now.
"No. Because that would require me to see them, and I don't want to see them. Make up an excuse. Tell them... tell them I'm with a very very sick patient!" House was practically begging, his arms out to each side while his back was against it, still blocking the door.
"You're being childish." Wilson held up his hands. "Just explain to them that, that you weren't ready for a visit. Or, if you must lie, call them on the cell phone and tell them you're stuck in a clean room for a procedure on your very very sick patient and can't risk coming out and getting covered with germs!"
"I can't lie to her! She'll know!" House protested. Chase remembered that he'd said something like that before. That he couldn't lie to his... mother. Ohhhh... his parents were here!
Well, at least now, he knew it wasn't about him at all.
"You're..." Wilson looked both amused and frustrated as he threw his hands up and looked around and then up. "A grown man, who still can't deal with his parents?"
"I am dealing with them. Not making a choice is still a choice. Avoiding them, is still dealing with them. This is how I deal with them! I stay out of their lives, they stay out of mine. It's all good. They're breaking the rules. They aren't supposed to just... show up! Make them go away!" House tried to order Wilson. "You can do it! You disappoint people all the time, and then they hug you! This will be easy! You don't have to tell them they are dying. Though, if you want to tell my dad he is? Go ahead. I support that decision." House stepped away from the door and limped further into the room.
"House. I'm not going to tell your parents to go away. Be a big boy, and tell them you're busy." Wilson sighed, shaking his head as he brushed past House.
"You're off my Christmas list, buddy!" House told him as Wilson slipped through the door and disappeared.
House stared at the door, not turning around as yet. At least, until Chase called out. "Your parents are here then?"
Limping back to the chair, he sat heavily in it before look up at Chase with a slightly pained look. Then gave one of his sharp single nods. He didn't seem to be in the mood to really talk, but Chase still wanted to verify some things.
"Surprise visit." He said after a moment, looking at House for the confirmation that came a second later.
"Due to Turner's call." He added after a second.
House's grimace was nearly a snarl. "Mom's worried about me now. She forced dad to come up here with her. I had told her there was nothing to be worried about. But she's waiting in my office. And Wilson is a great big..." He pressed his lips together, trying to figure out something dire enough to call him as he gestured aggressively at the door thinking.
"Poo-poo head?" Chase offered since the situation did seem to involve 'kids' and parents. He gave House a thin, but unamused smile.
"That'll work for now." House nodded, letting his head fall back against the chair. "We'll go with that for now."
"Not to... take away... for this latest in the saga of House versus Turner? But, by chance have any of my test results come back?" Chase asked, almost shyly. He raised his brows and tilted his chin down hoping that he wouldn't have to pull teeth with House to get the results.
"Oh, those? Yeah. Confirmed. Oral supplements of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus! Reallllly large doses of the Vitamin D and calcium." House sing-songed. "The gnomes will stop picking at your bones, and go celebrate the return of the 'good ale'. In a few weeks, we take more x-rays and we should see improvement! Complete reversal shall be in about oh... six months, maybe more. But less than a year. But..."
"But?" Chase prompted.
"The nerve damage? IS permanent." House tightened his hands around the top of his cane and trained his sight on a spot on the floor. "But the numbness and muscle twitching should stop. But you will still have pain. We... can't really stop that. And the damage to your heart is still an issue."
Chase nodded slowly. "I figured as much. But the condition itself, will be stopped. And that, that is..." He slowly smiled. "That is a... thank you."
"Yeah well... you shouldn't. Thank me. That is." House grumbled.
"We're not doing this again." Chase said very carefully. "It isn't the first time, we started on the wrong track. The important thing is, we got there in the end."
"Except of course, this isn't the end. This isn't going to be like... like in the past. In the past, we diagnosed and then the patient went off somewhere else for the actual treatment. They dealt with recovery somewhere else. We never had to deal with it long term. Wilson treats patients for months, usually years if they are lucky. We always had them for less than a week, if WE were lucky." House explained, his chin propped up on his hands on the cane. "And then, Wilson always has the option of going home and having a break from it all. He's not involved in the minute to minute, second to second life that goes with the illness he's treating."
House looked up at Chase. "This is long term. The diagnosis is just the start of a very very long road."
"No magic." Chase agreed quietly. He looked up at the television, which wasn't yet turned on and tried to figure out how he felt about the situation. About what was going to happen in the days, weeks, months to come. "A bit of a longer haul than you planned for." He said quietly. "I guess... I guess Wilson should look into that nursing home or assisted living, whichever they call it now, idea."
"No."
The word wasn't loud, or forceful. It wasn't said with a trace of emotion. It was just stated.
Chase turned to look at him, frowning. "No... what?" He asked. He raised his brows, afraid to hope for what House was suggesting by that simple word.
"No, you're still not going to a facility or going upstairs." House specified, then reached up and scratched the side of his neck where the gunshot scar was located. "Unless you want to? Do you... want to?"
"Not particularly." Chase admitted. "But I don't think you intended to have a roommate for quite that long." He looked down at his hands. RJ had come and wrapped the hand that had the hairline crack in it, to secure it better. He picked at the bandage and tried to figure out, where this was all going. He felt like he was standing on a road. The start of an empty highway, in which he had no idea what the final destination would be. He hadn't felt like that since he decided to leave Australia originally. He was back to square one in his journey.
"I never intend anything. I never plan anything." House said in a thoughtful voice. "You're staying, if you want to stay. You don't have to move. Come on, might as well stay. I've already broken your hip." He pointed out with a small smile. "That's got to mean something in the scheme of things. No idea what, but something!"
"Technically, Wilson broke my hip. You just watched." Chase smiled slightly, and chuckled. He felt lightly buzzed by the drugs that thrummed through his body, but not particularly high.
"We're a team, he and I. So I get partial credit for breaking your hip." House insisted. "This way, later, we can start a rumor that I abuse you. We'll even have the x-rays to make it all 'suspicious'. There's already a score of rumors going around and I'm feeling you up, despite your condition. I got a lecture earlier from Nurse Brenda about allowing you to heal and recuperate first."
Chase snorted in amusement. "Yes, I'm sure that the abuse rumor already makes the rounds as it is. But I would have loved to hear her lecturing you on not molesting me till I'm healed. What did you tell her?"
"I told her that I wasn't doing anything you didn't want me to. And then I left it at that." House chuckled. "Now, I have a question. Chase? Why DO I have a teddy bear in my office?" House asked, raising his brows and tilting his head to the side.
"I... have no real idea who put it there. But I suspect RJ either did it, or suggested it to someone. I told him you like teddy bears." Chase explained, smiling at House brightly. "I also told him you are secretly nice."
"You..." House seemed to be at a loss for what to say and ended up clenching his eyes closed before opening them wide. "To what purpose?"
"Random rumor." Chase just shrugged one shoulder and smiled. "Plays into the other rumors. What the hell did you tell RJ about me? He wanted to ask, acted embarrassed, and then decided it wasn't really any of his business."
"I told him that to make you feel better and happy, I wear mouse ears around the apartment." House dutifully reported, before adding. "And a tail."
Chase raised his brows and gave him an incredulous look. "You told him..." He looked off to the side with his eyes wide. But then his lips twitched and he tried not to laugh. If he laughed too hard, it would hurt. "That's... that's a good one. That's pretty... pretty um... I have no words for what it is. But that's... good job!"
"I have a teddy bear in my office, Chase. It's purple!" House replied, letting him know in his own way that as far as House was concerned, Chase's rumor du jour was somehow worse to his reputation.
"When I'm healed enough, to actually get up and walk around? I'm going to buy you mouse ears, and leave them in your office." Chase pronounced carefully, watching House for his reaction.
"Mmm... if you're in a hurry, I can just run out and buy some tonight." House offered with a small smile. "Bring them in and lay them on the dresser over there. Since they will be too far away for you to have actually reached them... it'll be obvious they weren't for you to wear."
"Ah, I should warn you? You're going to get a bunch of plates with teddy bears on them." Chase warned, suddenly remembering. He chuckled low in his throat.
House narrowed his eyes at him. Grimaced and then shuddered. "Well, as long as they are free. I can use more plates, I suppose. And it'll totally be worth it to see Wilson's face. Now... about Cameron? Did you really do what I think you did?"
"Turner needed smited." Chase told him. "I smote him. Between what he did this morning, and him calling your family? I saw an opportunity, and I took it. He doesn't stand a chance. She will destroyyyyyy him."
"He might hurt Cameron in the process." House wouldn't admit to being worried, but there was a faint look on his face of concern. Chase found you just had to know how to look.
"She'll be fine. You know why? Bannon, wants to stay here. She LIKES it here." Chase smiled slightly. "She was even giving tips for how to handle Turner. Which I passed on to Cameron."
"She likes it here." House repeated, smiling slowly. "She's a wild card in the deck. But I think you're right. She would play her hand in our favor, if she likes it here."
"How do you know her?" Chase finally asked, because it had been bugging him. Again that little bit of irrational jealousy.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. Just met her a few times over the years. Family events. Conventions." House rummaged around and found the remote that was attached to the bed and flicked on the television.
"He's taken her to family events?" Chase asked in surprise.
"Ah..." House made a face and squinted over at Chase. "Not... really. Eve brought her. They always tried to come together because Eve was uncomfortable with the rest of us. Didn't really want to deal with some of the members. Eileen made a good shield. They were very close friends. Before you ask? No. They aren't involved, nor do either of them have a secret pining love for one another. All things considered, I'd have to say they are more like family to one another. Sister and brother. It isn't sexual or romantic." House shuddered and made a face as though he was going to vomit at the idea.
"I think Cameron can handle herself." Chase said thoughtfully. "She's a lot stronger than most people think."
"Well, worst comes to worst? She's bigger than he is. She could totally take him in a fight!" House took a deep breath and then smiled. "We could sell tickets! Actually..." He blinked. "I don't think I've ever personally seen Tommy deal with a woman that was overly assertive, with the exception of maybe Eve and Eileen. This should be interesting."
"What about Cuddy?" Chase asked.
"They've not really had to butt heads too hard as yet. No idea." House shook his head. "But that should be interesting when and if it happens.
"Eve was assertive then? I was imagining that she was a bit on the meek sensitive side. Quiet?" Chase asked. He then realized that they really were gossiping. It was kind of, well, fun! Even if the subject matter was a bit depressing.
"Her? Meek? Oh hell no." House laughed. "She was opinionated and had a very strict view on how things should be done. Her morals were very cut and dried. There was right and wrong. That's why Eileen had to be a buffer. Because people would talk about things she felt was wrong, and she would want to argue with them but knew she couldn't. Tall strong woman. She was of all things, a Daycare provider. Had a very clear view of how children should be treated. Which was that they were priceless and should be treated as treasures. Not, everyone in my family shared the view. Being of the 'seen and not heard' variety. But she had this... weird... habit of holding on to Tommy's arm till she cut the blood off to his arm. Just a really strong grip on him. He used to have to ask to have his arm and hand back and then spent a few minutes trying to regain the circulation. I suspect it was so she didn't strangle people at the reunion."
Chase made a soft sound.
"Anyway, enough about, Yo-yo. Tired of the subject." House announced. "What I want to know is, are you officially staying with me then?" He asked.
Chase hesitated only a moment before nodding. "As long as you don't start to resent it. As you said, this is a very long term rehabilitation and treatment. I don't want you to start to hate me. Especially for being underfoot."
"Hey, if I was going to resent it? I wouldn't have suggested it." House scoffed, shaking his head. "Stay."
Chase looked over at him and then very carefully nodded his head. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask, but knew he couldn't. Was Turner right? Do you care about me? How do you care about me? As a friend? As an adopted family member? As something more? What do you look to get out of this? WHY do you care, if you do?
Well, actually, he knew that House cared. It was obvious by now. It was the 'how/why' part of it that was still throwing him. But he'd learned a few things since meeting House. One, was that he didn't like to talk about his feelings. Two, if you tried to make him? He would run the other way, deny all feeling, and then reject whatever it was in the first place. Three? You had to be patient and sometimes... either wait him out, or find out by alternate means. In other words? He was like Chase in that regard. The fact was that Chase would react the same way if someone pressed HIM!
Chase decided that his plan of action was to play it by ear. Figure it out as he went. He wasn't even sure of his own feelings at the moment. He knew he'd always respected House. That he liked him once, and now liked him again now that he understood what had gone on in the background. He also knew that it was a huge show of trust for House to reveal the true reasons for the brain cancer scam. He knew he couldn't betray that trust either. It was seldom that anyone got a second chance with House when it came to trust. Which meant that his trust had been broken too many times before. He also knew, deep down, that it would be easy to love him. He was just scared to allow himself to, and then be disappointed. It was better to wait, and see, and figure it out before he allowed himself to even entertain the idea.
After all, it could just as well be that House truly was lonely, and just wanted a friend for companionship.
If that was what House needed? Then so be it. Chase would be his friend, only.
Still, there was that tiny little flicker of 'something' that was starting to feel jealous at times. That tiny little flicker of 'something' that sat in the corner of his mind and was watching House from afar, and hoped. Hoped for something more.
Chase told himself to stop thinking about it. Instead, he nodded again. "I'm staying with you." He told House aloud. "Is... General Hospital on?" He asked tentatively.
House smiled and flicked it to the right channel.
Taking a deep breath, Chase turned to watch it. He had a suspicion it wouldn't be the last time, either, as he relaxed into the medication and the comfort of House and the low murmur of television voices.
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