A flustered Cameron ran into Foreman in the hallway. "I was just paged. Chase is missing."

"What? I know this has happened before, but how do patients get up and leave and no one notice?" Foreman thought that the hospital would have learned by now.

"I don't know, but he is obviously feeling better. The nurse last saw him an hour ago. She said he had a mild attack, and then everything stabilized."

"Let's hope feeling better doesn't mean a well enough for a trip off the roof. I'll look there."

"I'll check all the places he usually goes to hide. He couldn't have gotten far."

Cameron searched just about every lounge, exam room, locker area, and conference room she could think of. She even checked several men's rooms which got her a few strange glances in some of them. Her cell phone rang. "Not on the roof." Foreman declared. "Have you tried the basement yet?"

"No," said Cameron. "The only thing down there is the morgue."

"Well, maybe he's seeing dead people. I'll check there."

Cameron ran through all the places in her mind. There was only one place she hadn't checked yet. She didn't try there because it was the least obvious. Chase always avoided it if he could. She had to check, it was her last resort.

She exhaled a small sigh of relief when she saw that all too familiar head of messy blonde hair inside the chapel.

"Chase?" She slowly walked in trying not to startle him.

He didn't even hear her. His head was down and a single fresh tear rolled slowly down his cheek. This place isn't supposed to feel like this. It always used to overwhelm me with fear and guilt. Something's changed.

"Chase, how did you get here? We were worried. Why did you come here?"

Chase didn't acknowledge her again. He was clearly despondent. This is real though. How do I know for sure? This feels more real than anything I have ever felt in my life.

Cameron grabbed his chin and pulled his eyes toward hers. "Something is really wrong. Can I help?"

Chase took a deep shuttered breath. She wouldn't understand even if he could tell her. All I feel right now is the grace and mercy of God. I felt this way once a long time ago. I thought it was gone forever.

"Chase, you can trust me."

He placed his face in his hands desperately trying to fight back more tears. This may be real, but I need to make sense of this.

Cameron determined her efforts were to no avail. "Okay, I'll step outside if you would like some private time, but I'm not leaving you alone. You are still in bad shape physically and I need to keep an eye on you."

Chase looked at her with his distraught eyes, his glance indicating that he indeed needed more time.

"I'll be outside with a wheelchair. Let me know when you are ready."

Cameron spent the majority of the next hour watching him. He never got up, but often his head did move down for prayer. She wondered desperately what was going through his mind and if it was anything she could help with. Given the fact it involved praying, she doubted it. He was clearly trying to work something out.

"You have work to do." Cameron heard House's voice in the distance.

"I'm not leaving him." Cameron replied. "He's really upset."

"What, you aren't up on your prayers and verses? Maybe you could have at least joined him in a round of 'You Have A Friend In Jesus'. Of course you would have had to do all the singing."

House walked over to Chase in the chapel and towered over him. Chase looked at him recognizing this scene was strangely familiar. He just knows now it didn't happen in this life.

"You're holding up my doctor. She has real sick people she needs to care for. Happy time with God is over."

Chase moved his eyes downward and decided to defiantly ignore House. He will leave when he is good and ready.

House nodded and headed out of the chapel. "Stay here, I'll be right back," he said to Cameron. She watched House go down the hall, disappear into a room, and come back out less than a minute later.

House breezed right by her as went back into the chapel. He came up to Chase, pulled out a syringe from his pocket and plunged it into Chase's arm.

Chase flashed him a look of utter rage, but the glare was brief as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. He was out.

"Good night Gracie." House walked back over to a now stunned Cameron. "You can take him back to his room now." He limped away.

-----------

"You insufferable, sociopathic bastard!" Cameron shouted at House as she entered his office. She noticed in the corner of her raging eye that Wilson was there.

"He needed rest." House defended his actions.

"He's trying to work things out. You disrupted that process. Do you really have it in for him that badly? You fought so hard to have him live so you could go back to tormenting him as soon as possible?"

Wilson started rubbing his temples. "Dare I ask what happened this time?"

"House sedated Chase in the chapel because he was taking too long."

"You insufferable sociopathic bastard." Wilson added, albeit less vocally than Cameron.

"He was emotionally despondent. That is not something that someone who has had reconstructive heart surgery should be dealing with right now." House argued.

Cameron continued with her fury. "Oh, that's right. You have been so overly concerned for his well being ever since you woke him up too soon. All he did for you before this was his job loyally. Tell me, was he finishing his clinic hours or yours when he was gunned down?"

House looked down and said nothing. He didn't have a good response for a rant that Cameron had to get out in the open or she would explode.

Cameron cracked a small amazed laugh. "That's it. You feel guilty because you should have been there instead. You certainly have a strange way of dealing with guilt. You are punishing the one person who actually took a bullet for you. You scare me House."

"You must have me confused with Chase. He has the guilt issues, not me."

Cameron left in a huff. She couldn't stomach House right now. She was going to sit with Chase until he woke up. She didn't want him to be alarmed when he realized what happened.

Wilson and House sat in silence in the office. "She has a point. You do have a strange way with guilt." Wilson said breaking the silence.

"How is it guilt? Chase just doesn't want to be treated differently. I treat all my patients this poorly."

"Especially ones that like being your wingman. I really think Chase does need that psych consult. Why else would he do all that for miserable old you?"

Wilson left House alone to ponder. He didn't need a lecture from Wilson. He needed to know how to fix his doctor. He had no idea how to do that.

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

Chase recognized that bright hue. He was surrounded by it. The calm and peaceful feeling enveloped his troubled mind like a warm blanket. In his moment of deep serenity he also realized he felt no pain. He glanced down at his chest and saw no sign of a wound, but suddenly realized he was wearing an all white suit, white shirt and pale blue tie.

"Robert."

Chase whipped around to see Andie, who was also dressed in all white. Her dress was beautiful and flowing, much like her long golden hair.

Andie came over to him and motioned for him to kneel down. As their eyes met, she put her tiny hands on his throat. "You are going to be okay now. It's finally over. You are now healed." She gave him a huge and assuring warm smile. He returned her gesture with a big hug of gratitude.

Chase startled Cameron by abruptly jerking himself up from his sleep. He was breathing heavily and completely disoriented.

"It's okay Chase. I'm here." Cameron said running over to his side.

He paused for a few seconds to get his bearings and shook his head to awaken his senses. "Dr. Wilson," he said softly in a gravely voice that could barely produce the words. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I must speak with Dr. Wilson."

Cameron looked at him with excitement. "Chase, you're talking!"

"Please, I must speak with him now."

"Chase, you just need a moment..."

"Please?"

Cameron was completely baffled as she looked into his pleading eyes. She could tell that whatever the issue, it was urgent. "Okay, I will find him for you." She quickly left the room.

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

"He's talking?" Wilson was rather surprised. He and Cameron were on their way to Chase's room in a hurry.

"Yes, but the first thing out of his mouth was that he had to talk to you. Do you have any idea why?"

"None. I'm as curious as you are."

They found Chase patiently waiting. "Cameron, can you please leave us alone?" Chase asked rather calmly.

"Okay, I'll be outside if you need anything." She left the room, leaving Wilson to stare inquisitively at Chase.

"What's so important?" Wilson asked curiously.

"You called in a priest."

"Who put that idea in your head?"

"You called in one when I was near death, didn't you?"

Chase stared at Wilson demanding an honest answer. Wilson relented, knowing he couldn't lie to the kid.

"Yes."

Chase grabbed his head is slight disbelief, knowing how much that changed things. It was all starting to make sense. "Why?"

Wilson took a deep breath. Explaining this wasn't going to be easy. "I'm not exactly a devout Jew, but I believe in the Jewish rites for the sick and dying. I had a hunch that the same was true for you with your Catholicism. I didn't think it could hurt."

Chase shook his head in amazement. His hand was forced now.

"Is there something wrong with what I did?" Wilson was having trouble figuring out Chase's reaction.

"No. It's just I haven't confessed in years and since I was unable to do so while in the immediate danger of death, I was likely granted absolution."

"I did tell the priest you haven't been a practicing Catholic for a while. Isn't absolution a good thing?" Wilson asked surprised by Chase's dismay.

"Sure, except for one thing. I survived, so now I'm required to make a full sacramental confession as soon as possible."

"That thought freaks you out doesn't it?" Wilson asked with a grin.

"Yeah, it freaks me out, but I have do it. I would be a fool to turn my back on the gift of absolution. The wrath of hell is not fun. Do you think you can get that priest back here?"

Wilson smiled. "I can get him right now if you are ready."

"Yes, I'm ready." Chase's expression changed to one of deep gratitude. "Thanks Dr. Wilson. Nobody else would have done that for me."

"You're right, no one else did. I want you to remember that if I'm in the same bind. I can't count on House."

Chase smiled. "I'll always remember."

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

Wilson entered the office where House, Cameron and Foreman were curiously waiting. "He's with the priest right now. Who told him I brought in a priest earlier?"

They all looked at each other rather stunned. "You brought in a priest?" Foreman asked in surprise.

"It wasn't Foreman obviously, and it certainly wasn't me. I hated the idea too much." House noted. "That leaves Cameron, or the priest."

"I didn't tell him." Cameron said.

"Father Samuel is with him now. He didn't know until 20 minutes ago that Chase had lived."

"How did Chase find out?" Cameron was flabbergasted.

House knew. He quickly headed for the hallway. "Where are you going?" Foreman asked.

"I'm going to share ghost stories with a wombat."

a/n: I will do my absolute best to have the final chapter by tomorrow, but after reading it today I realized it demands a rewrite. It won't be too long, but I'd rather it be right.