Just as promised. In peoples inboxes by the afternoon. Enjoy!
House's POV
I grab for the ringing phone with out checking the caller ID. I don't need it waking up Chase. "Yeah?"
"Is he awake?"
It's Jimmy. "Not yet. I'm waiting for the food to warm up, then I'll wake him. Any word yet?"
"No. I'm at his place. Anything I should pick up?"
"What do you think?" I hate when people ask stupid questions.
"I got it. Go check on him. I'm sure he's probably a bit confused." And Jimmy hangs up as the microwave beeps.
I put a spoon in the bowl and carefully carry it into my bedroom. Chase is awake and is looking around, trying to figure out where he is.
"Chase?" I don't want to scare him, he's been through enough lately.
He jumps and winces in pain anyway. Scared little wombat. "Easy, I brought you something to eat."
"Thanks." I can tell he's uncomfortable.
"In pain?" Pain I can deal with.
"Not really." The boy can't lie to save his life. "Where am I?"
"Eat." I hand him the bowl. "Soup from the deli by the hospital." He smiles at me and takes a spoonful of the broth. I shake my head. I don't understand. Chase is a vegetarian except for the matzo ball soup from the kosher deli by the hospital. When we told him that it had chicken broth he shrugged and continued eating. He won't eat any other soup with a meat base or any other meat for that matter, but the soup. I can't really blame him, the deli makes a great ruben sandwich.
"My place." I answer, keeping my eyes on him. Unsure as to how he'll react. He freezes I take the bowl out of his hands before it falls. He's in my bed, I don't need a soup stain. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"Cuddy and Wilson. Turned me on my back. Looked at the bullet wound."
"You were lucky. It didn't hit anything. Just in and out on your left side. Rest is the best thing."
"How long?"
I can't tell if he's asking how long he's been out, how long he's been here, how long he has to rest for, or how long until he can leave. I'm going to go for the first one. "A few hours. You passed out by the time I got upstairs. Wilson already had you back in a room. We packed the wound. And brought you here with Cuddy's blessing."
"Why?"
Again with the ambiguous questions. "By packing it we can make sure it heals properly and we can have a closer eye on infections. Some of the cuts on your back are infected."
"Oh."
Damn it Chase. Give me something to work with here. If I have to talk to you, you have to give me something. It's like diagnosing. I can't guess at the problem unless you tell me all the symptoms. "You want more soup?"
"No, thank you."
He had like three spoonfuls. He's going to need to eat more if he ever wants to get out of here.
"Why don't you rest more. Wilson is on his way over. I'll leave the bowl on the table." I get up and leave the room quickly. I don't know what's going on in his head and I'm not sure I want to know at this moment. Wilson is better at this touchy feely crap that I am.
