It's been…4 years since my last ff? Well I'm back, (I've missed yhu all too much) and hopefully my writing's improved. This is my first house fic as of yet, and hope to be able to actually finish this one. (this is a chase/house fic..although I'm a huddy fanatic)

Disclaimer: I'm flattered than anyone could think that I owned these characters (I don't)

- - -

All Chase wants is that stupid clock to stop moving. It's reminding him how ephemeral all life is- he can hear his heart beat softly in the background. He can feel the dull pain of bruises on his hips and the dryness in his throat from lack of food. Out of nowhere, he feels a sudden jab of pain on his left shoulder, and realizes that someone has purposely hit him with his cane.

Three guesses for the identity of the culprit with the stick

"How do you want to die?" House asks, his eyes are piercing.

Chase is stunned for a second, then wonders if this is a test. He almost laughs- everything is a test with him. House is still waiting for an answer.

He feels as if House knows what he's been doing, or rather not.

Robert's eyes are stinging and his eyelids feel heavy form the lack of sleep, but he forces them to stay open as his superior's gaze drills into his pupils.

"…of natural causes" he finally answers- quite please with himself. It's vague enough, and it isn't a lie.

House is far from satisfied but he doesn't press further. Instead he looks beyond Chase for a moment, as if seeing something extremely interesting. Chase, of course, immediately turns back to see nothing unusual- and House steals his coffee. His coffee. Foreman and Cameron are amused- it doesn't show in their smiles, only in their eyes.

His eyes are triumphant as he takes a sip and spits it out, gasping.

"Haven't you heard of a brilliant invention called sugar?" he questions rhetorically, his eyes still wide form the bitter caffeine. Chase reaches out to take it back, but House keeps it out of his reach.

Chase leaves the room; he'll fall asleep without coffee if he sits around.

He returns five minutes later, to get more coffee from the machine- but it's empty and has a note tapes to the front.

I'm banning you from coffee.

Chase admires the untidy scrawl, and puts the note in his pocket. He's obsessed- but he doesn't want to think about it. He realizes how stupid it is, he can always go to another lounge in the hospital for coffee.

Unfortunately, House seems to have deprived the entire hospital of coffee. Chase waits 20 minutes until his break, and heads for the parking lot. The only good thing about owning a Mercedes is that is takes you to your coffee in style.

But when he gets in, House is sitting in the passenger's seat. Chase doesn't even want to know how Foreman broke into his car- the salesman who said it was a 'foolproof' car is going down tomorrow.

A sigh comes escapes those pretty pink lips and he's just wondering what House wants now. "You aren't going to starbucks are you? 'cause that would be violating my ban, wouldn't it?"

Chase takes the keys out of the ignition and put them in House's raised open hand. "Good dog" he's teased. When he returns to his desk later, he finds a bone. He pockets it as well. Cameron eyes him questioningly. He's obsessed, but he doesn't want to talk about it.

Chase thinks it's amusing, and wonders how far House will go to keep him from his coffee. His breath hitches at the thought of House going home with him and he stops pursuing that train of thought altogether.

He gets into the car after an entire day of forcing himself to stay awake. House is still in the passengers seat. Chase can't find the words to ask.

"What?" asks his passenger, "Cuddy can't make me do clinic duty and I'm technically still in the hospital" He's got a child-like smile on. It's so happy that Chase almost forgets he's tired and hungry.

Chase is still waiting for him to get out of his car, but House is purposely ignoring him. "Why take away my coffee?" he asks and he thinks he already knows the answer. "You wanted to die of natural causes- but you're averaging 3 pots a day. I'm granting your death wish- the way you want it"

Chase thinks of how ironic this is. That House is more right that he even knows.

House reaches over ad inspects his sickly eyes with a flashlight that is beyond bothering his irritated retinas. He can feel his breath and almost hear his heart.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asks.

Chase opens to his mouth to answer but he's already been cut off.

"I'll check out the boogeymen in you closet and under your bed tonight" He says, softly- it's eerie how he does that.

Chase realizes that it's an indication to start driving to his house. His house- he likes the way that sounds.

The firs thing Greg does when he enters is check the fridge-which is unsurprisingly empty. "When was the last time you ate?" he questions. Chase doesn't even bother to attempt to lie. In fact- he doesn't answer at all. He walks to his room- he doesn't know whether house is serious about spending the night. The bed has been made for 4 nights already; Chase hasn't been sleeping at all. He wants to die of natural causes.

He can feel the other doctor follow him; he feels the drilling of his eyes at the back of his neck. Greg is angry. He's shivers- he's told himself to stop calling his boss Greg subconsciously a million times- but the thought just creeps in. House is yelling now, but chase only catches parts of it. Something about starvation and lack of sleep not being natural causes of death.

Suddenly he realizes that he's staring back into the bluest eyes he's ever noticed and that they're only a few inches apart. "Eat" is all House is saying, but Chase isn't listening. He's hypnotized- the closeness is like a drug. He's obsessed but he doesn't want to not be.

All Chase wants is the stupid clock to stop moving. It's reminding him how ephemeral all things are and he can hear his heart softly beating in the background.

TBC…

- - -

What did you think? I was going to make this a oneshot- but I actually want more action in it. (see that little review button down there- if you press it, magic happens) I'm only joking, but reviews do make me feel appreciated .