022. False
Whereabouts
Foreman came charging into the Diagnostic Medicine conference room, a file in his hand and fervour in his attitude.
"Where's House?" he demanded.
Chase and Cameron looked up at him with surprise then glanced over their shoulders at the empty office behind them.
"Huh," Chase said with an air of bafflement. "One of these days I'm going to figure out how he sneaks around like he does."
"That's good," Foreman said with impatient irritation. "But where is he?"
"The clinic?" Cameron suggested.
Chase snorted with amusement. "You're kidding, right?"
"Well, it's possible," Cameron said with a hint of a smile.
"Yeah, true," Chase replied with a grin. "Just very, very improbable."
Cameron giggled at that as Foreman looked at them both with annoyance.
"He's not in the clinic. I've already tried there," he snapped.
"Dr Wilson's office?" Chase suggested idly as he looked back down at his crossword.
"Not there."
"The Obstetrics lounge?" Cameron suggested as she too turned back to what shed been doing before Foreman charged into the room; in her case, reading a medical journal.
"Not there," was Foreman's increasingly annoyed reply.
"Coma guy's room?" That came from Chase.
"No."
"The roof?" That was Cameron.
"No."
"Have you checked the balcony?" Cameron again.
"Yes. He's not there," Foreman snapped.
"With our patient?" Chase suggested with a frown. "You never know?"
"I checked. He's not there," Foreman replied.
"Ah well, it was a thought," Chase said with a shrug.
"One that fell into the very, very improbable basket," Cameron said with a quick, amused flick of a glance at Chase.
"True," Chase conceded.
"Are you two finished?" Foreman snapped with an angry glare.
"Hey, we're just trying to help," Chase protested with an innocent look.
Foreman didn't see that expression as he'd already turned away but Cameron caught it and she gave Chase a curious look. He returned it with an even more sincere innocent look and her curiosity turned to suspicion. She waited until Foreman had stormed out of the room then she fixed Chase with a gimlet eye.
"You're lying," she stated.
"Not a single thing I said was false," Chase protested though he seemed to be trying not to laugh.
"You know where he is," Cameron said flatly.
"I think I know where he is," Chase countered. "It's not the same."
"It's close enough," Cameron said with exasperation. "Why didn't you tell Foreman?"
Chase paused for a moment and an odd smile curled his lips. "Um, because I think Dr Wilson's there with him."
"So?" Cameron said with a frown.
Chase's expression suddenly lost most of its amusement and became somewhat wary. "I…don't think they'd…appreciate being disturbed."
Cameron gave him a long, slightly confused look then comprehension dawned on her face, closely followed by disbelief.
"I'm…sure you're wrong," she said hesitantly.
"I'm sure I'm not," Chase replied with a modicum of sympathy.
Cameron opened her mouth to say something then shut it with a snap. She hesitated for a long moment then said tentatively, "I probably don't want to know anymore, do I?"
Chase smiled sympathetically. "No, probably not."
Cameron gave him another long look then nodded once before determinedly going back to her journal. Chase watched her for a moment longer then returned to his crossword.