Well then, here's the next chapter. Sorry you've all had to wait so long!

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Chapter Five: Mommy

Chase banged into the office stormy, but on time. House wasn't surprised. In fact, he'd expected this.

He hadn't phoned Chase that night. He'd never actually intended to. Chase should have known that.

Cameron, for once, said nothing, and Foreman averted his eyes from Chase. Chase glared at the wall with his arms crossed.

House scribbled 'fever' onto the board. "Dr. Foreman, I'm going to ask you to administer her medicine today," he said, being surprisingly polite.

Foreman nodded as House left. Back in his office, he spent close to an hour tuning his guitar to the point of perfection.

Wilson came in just as he began to throw a bouncy ball at the opposite wall.

"You should have phoned him," Wilson said.

"Aww, did he cry to mommy?"

"He talked to me, yes."

"Since when does Chase confide in you?" House asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Since I'm the one who knows you best," Wilson replied calmly.

"Where's my coffee?" House retorted, completely off topic.

"I didn't get you any."

"You always get me coffee," House shot back.

"Not today," Wilson said with a sigh.

"Why not?" House asked, persistent.

"Never mind the coffee!" Wilson finally snapped. "You should apologize to Chase."

"Why, I'm not his babysitter."

"That's right, you're more than that, you're his lover!"

House snorted in disgust. "I'm not his lover; we'd have to be doing it to be called that."

Wilson studied House for a moment. "Stubborn bastard," he muttered at last.

"That I am," House replied with a wicked grin.

"You really should talk to him though," Wilson slipped in just as he left. House thought he'd seen a sly smile on Wilson's face.

He stared out the door before throwing the bouncy ball with renewed vigour against the wall. He pounded it against the wall all afternoon until Cameron finally burst inside.

"Shut up," she growled.

House didn't reply right away. "What's it to you?" he asked, not stopping his tossing.

"I've been putting up with it all afternoon! I can't do paperwork this way!"

"Oh, just you? What about Chase?"

"Chase? He left a couple of hours ago."

House caught the ball and stopped dead. "Why'd he leave?" he asked slowly.

Cameron shrugged, looking irritated. "He didn't say." She frowned. "Now, be quiet!" She left briskly.

"Damn!" House said aloud, grabbing his jacket hastily. He hobbled as fast as he could out the door, through the hospital, and out onto his bike.

He flashed through the light afternoon traffic to his house. When he got there, he found the front door unlocked. He opened it cautiously, and to his great surprise, caught the smell of cake.

"What the-?!" he began as he walked into the kitchen, where he froze with horror.