Author's note: Hmm... the mystery continues to unfold. This one was fun to write, hopefully it's just as good to read! Thanks to my reviewers so far too.

House poked his head around the door of Exam Room Two. Two faces swung around to meet his searching blue gaze.

"Doctor Chase. We need to talk."

Chase gestured towards the woman who was seated on the bench with her sleeve rolled up. "Bit busy right now."

"Fine, have it your way." House entered the room, perching himself next to the astonished patient. Chase rolled his eyes before continuing with his examination of her wrist.

House pulled out the box and thrust it in front of the other doctor's face.

"I'm flattered that I've inspired you to come out, but no thanks."

The effect of this calculated statement was exactly as intended: Chase dropped the arm he was holding and looked up to glare at House. When the response was nothing but an innocent stare in return, he sighed. He glanced towards his patient, who looked not a little bit alarmed, and forced a smile.

"Excuse me." He followed a smirking House out of the room.

Once they were outside, Chase surveyed the hallway to make sure that it was empty before turning to face House.

"What do you want?"

"I think the question is, what do you want?"

House was faced with a blank expression that forced him to elaborate.

"You wasted your money; I'm not going to give you a raise just because you gave me chocolates. It's an 'A' for effort though."

A look of surprise was plastered all over Chase's face as he stared at the box of chocolates before him, with the slight frown that creased his forehead being complemented by a delicately arched eyebrow.

House watched this response closely.

"Okay, so you weren't trying to bribe me into giving you a bigger pay cheque. Well, then we're back to our original diagnosis." Here, House pulled a face and assumed a mocking tone. "That you're deeply in love with me and just had to show it-"

Chase's indignation snapped him out of his previous reverie. "What? I-"

"-by giving me these." House interrupted him, raising the box between them. "I had discounted it before since you're usually too busy drooling over Cameron to give me a second glance, but-"

"I didn't give them to you!" Chase's voice was loud as he cut across House's rambling spiel. A bypassing nurse stared curiously at the pair of bickering doctors.

"It's okay, Doctor Chase and I are simply having a nice friendly chat about his sexual preferences. You can come and join us if you like." Behind him, Chase began to protest, but the nurse had snickered in amusement and continued on her way.

House looked back towards Chase and smirked. "You know, I find that the volume at which the denial is pronounced is often inversely proportional to one's guiltiness of performing the crime."

Chase opened his mouth to retort, but reconsidered and settled on shaking his head in vexation.

"Look, you might have nothing better to do than attack me with false accusations, but I have a patient to see. Why don't you go bother someone else who can afford to waste the time?" He turned on his heel and re-entered the room behind him.

House frowned. He hadn't expected Chase to react so calmly - unless, of course, he wasn't the culprit either. Thumping his cane against the floor in frustration, he departed from the Clinic.