A/N: This conversation is continuation of the one in the previous chapter.

Cameron was well known for her caring, but she never cared about him, at least she never let him know that she did. He smiled to himself. That was something new.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing... I just think you're wrong. I'm not even his friend."

"Not yet, but I can feel it. He has something planned for you. Firing you, bowling, keeping you busy with his patients."

"Since when is firing a sign of a friendship?"

"It's not, but it is House we are talking about. You couldn't be his friend while working for him."

"And bowling?! It was once, and it was 6 months ago! And he ran away!" Chase was puzzled, he could think of House as genius pain in the ass, but never as his friend. Besides he didn't have any real friends. He was lucky to have Cameron, he simply didn't have time for anyone.

"Then why is he talking to you about Wilson?"

"I don't know, maybe I'm the only one who really thinks that it's not his fault?"

"And why are you the only one?"

He didn't know the answer.

"Look, Cameron, I don't know what's gotten into you, I suppose you spent too much time with Wilson. And I know he's not on good terms with House right now, but I'm sure they will work it out."

He moved closer to her and embraced her in his arms. She gave in to the warm feeling and leaned into him. "And there is no need to worry about me." He kissed her on top of her head.

Cameron sighed. "He's a vampire. He'll suck everything from you and leave you alone, broken and miserable, just like himself and just like Wilson is now."

Chase didn't answer, he just sighed and smiled. It felt so nice to know that somebody cared about him.

"Do you want me to cook something, maybe pizza?"

"No, watch your game. I'll do it myself."

"Really, it's ok, I can watch it later."

She smiled, got up and tossed him the remote.

She was in the kitchen when she heard a beeper.


"Is it yours or mine?" She yelled into the other room.

"I think it's mine." Chase cursed under his breath when he read the message.

The next moment he was standing at the kitchen door.
"I need to go."

"What happened? You weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow."

Chase's gaze lowered to the floor. "It's an... emergency."

"Emergency? Than it should have been my pager." She noticed his guilty look. "It's House, isn't it?"

He just nodded. In light of their current argument House paging Chase only proved her right.

"What does he want?"

"Their patient needs surgery."

"PPTH has plenty of surgeons, why you?"

"You know why. He's probably done something he shouldn't have, now he needs me to cover him."

"Doesn't it prove my point?"


"Look, you know he's usually right. It's just that sometimes cases aren't that simple. Wouldn't you want to help?"

"No, I wouldn't." They both knew she was lying, but she didn't give him a chance to retort. "You don't know anything about what they've done already and if this poor patient dies it'll be your fault!"

"Who said, the patient is going to die?"


"People who need emergency surgeries are not usually very healthy!"

"Cameron, what do you want me to do? Just stay at home and let her die?"

"You don't have to protect him all the time! It seems to me that it is you who is not over House! Wilson said that that was what ruined their friendship. He was too protective and it ended up badly for both of them."

"Sorry, I need to go." He didn't see any reason to continue their argument. And Cameron didn't even bother to see him to the door.

000

House entered the cafeteria and was surprised when he spotted Chase in the line. He walked over and joined him regardless of the other people behind Chase.

House looked down at Chase's tray. "I thought you didn't eat junk food. Is Cameron really that bad of a cook?"

Chase sighed. "I would have eaten at home but I was inconveniently paged."

"You look like shit. Sleepless night and now you still have to stay for your day shift?"

"All thanks to you, House. Any med student could have done what you asked me to do. I still didn't get why you had to call me."

"Why, because you are indispensable, Dr. Chase."

They reached the cash register.

House pointed to Chase. "He's paying for mine too."

"I'm not paying for you, House."

"I shouldn't have fired you."

"Too late." Chase paid for himself and went to find a free table.

He wasn't surprised when House joined him. He was surprised to see that House didn't have his tray.

"Aren't you gonna give me any biting remark?" House was disappointed to see that Chase had only one sandwich, so he couldn't steal anything.

"About?"


"Don't pretend you don't know! About my father!"

"What should I say?"

"Something nasty, especially that it was me who didn't even give you a chance to say goodbye to your daddy."

Chase didn't make eye contact. "Maybe it was for the best."

"You weren't as positive last time we talked about it. Now you're saying, you wouldn't go even if you had a chance?" House was confused.

Chase sighed. "I really don't know, House."

"Everybody's telling me to go. I want to know. What do you think? We both had jerks as a father. The only difference is that your mother was one as well."

"House, don't!" Chase warned him.

"Aw, too sensitive? Come on, what would you do if you were me?"

"I'm not you, thank god, and I don't know."

"You're useless, unlike your girlfriend. Oh, by the way, she came to me this morning. I guess I interrupted something interesting yesterday. Some kinky stuff you're getting that poor girl into? Tsk tsk, I should have warned her about you."

Working for House for so long made Chase build up strong immunity to his rude and unnecessary remarks.

House lightened up. "She wanted to talk about you, you know.

Curiosity made Chase look up at House.

"And don't worry, she's just protecting something she thinks belongs to her."

"What did she say?" Chase was boiling up. How could she talk to House about that? House was annoying enough without it.

"She said that I'm set out to get you and eventually make you as miserable as Wilson." House paused and then added, "She just doesn't want to end up like Amber."

"You didn't kill her, House."

"I know."

Many times Chase had seen House look miserable, but every time Amber was mentioned he looked sad.

When House noticed the look on the young man's face became something akin to pity, he quickly moved to another subject. "So what about bowling tomorrow night?"

Chase chuckled. "You'll lose, there's no point."

"We could make it every week. What day does Cameron spend with her annoying friend?"

"I'm not interested."

"Mommy wouldn't let you go?"

Chase didn't answer, he took another bite. House was testing him, whether he would jump on the opportunity to spend more time with him or not.

House smiled. Chase passed the test.

"She did mention something about you being Wilson. Funny, I just realised that Foreman thinks he's me and Cameron thinks you are Wilson. Maybe you and Foreman should spend some time together?"

"Foreman hates me."

"No, he's just jealous. He's going to spend all his life here, complaining about his unlucky fate and blaming me because he's too proud to move on. He could have found plenty of jobs apart from the diagnostic department, but that would be too low for him."

Chase smiled to himself. It was the first approval of his choice from House. He finished his sandwich and drank his coffee.

House leaned forward. "Don't you feel awkward, sitting here, eating, drinking, when your ex-boss, a man you own everything you've learned, is sitting opposite and starving."

"No, I don't."

"And if I go and kill a patient, because I was too hungry to think straight."

"House, nothing you say will make me feel guilty."

House smiled. Maybe if Wilson had acted like Chase they would have been fine.

"So what shall I do about the funeral?"

"I honestly don't know. But I think whatever you do, you'll regret it later."

000

Chase quietly let himself into his apartment. He didn't want to wake Cameron up. He placed his bag on the floor and kicked off his sneakers.

Cameron appeared in the doorway.

"Have you spoken to him?"

He shook his head and went to the kitchen to get himself something to drink.

They settled on the couch. She moved closer to him and put his hand around her shoulders. He took a sip from his drink and then put it on the coffee table. He hold her tight with both arms.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Why?"

"I'm sorry about your father."

"He's been dead for quite some time already. I'm over it." He smiled reassuringly at her, but she moved even closer to him. She took his hand in hers, massaging his fingers lightly.

"When you made that mistake with Kayla, when she died, I knew it was a minor mistake. Anyone could have made it. But still, she died and she was a mother, and I blamed you. Foreman and I... we were discussing it in the lab and he said that you deserved to be fired and I agreed with him. We didn't know... I didn't know your father had died."

Chase smiled. He run his hand through her soft hair.

"I thought I deserved to be fired as well."

She squeezed his hand as if she were afraid he would disappear if she didn't hold him tight. "I'm so glad Wilson is back."

"Me too."

"So you think House is upset about his father?"

"Look, we don't choose our parents. And whatever they do they will still be our parents."

"Did you know he wasn't his biological father?"

"No, what makes you think that?"

"He ordered paternity test after he came back from the funeral."

"How the hell do you know that?" He was amazed by his girlfriend's skill to get information.

"The guy in the lab still thinks he can take me out to dinner."

"So he went to the funeral to get the DNA sample! Sneaky bastard! How the hell did he know that he wasn't his father?" Chase shook his head in disbelief. House would never stop to amuse him.

Cameron nuzzled deeper into Chase. "Have you ever wished Rowan wasn't your biological father?"

"I don't think it would have made any difference." He leaned forward to look her in the eyes. "Maybe we better move to the bedroom?" He was tired, but good sex could do wonders.

They got up. He playfully held her from behind.


"I thought you wanted to do it in more comfortable position?"

"I do, I just think tomorrow I'll have a few words with that guy from the lab."

She laughed. She loved when he was jealous.

A/N: Most part of this chapter was written before I watched the last episode (5.04 Birthmarks). I think now, I need to rename this story, I'm just suck at names.

I just hope, I didn't totally ruin your expectations. Please leave a comment, they make me really happy!

Many, many, many thanks to lmbrtvll for great beta!