a/n: Beware! This is a brain twister.
------------------------------------------
Chase paced around the conference room while Cameron sat at the table, tapping her fingers on the solid surface, both waiting impatiently for House and Wilson's return. It was a forgone conclusion that anxiousness was dominating their moods, and the time passing was only heightening their worry.
"I'd guess we're in hell, but come to think of it, after four years with House, I've been to hell. This place can't be that bad." Chase said, trying to come up with something positive to say about their situation.
"Speak for yourself Hopalong Cassidy. I'm stuck in another place for eternity dressed as a goddamn fairy and on the receiving end of ire from an amorous ghost who thinks my boyfriend is hot."
Chase felt a hot breath on the back of his neck, causing him to jump. "Yeah, I so love the constant little surprises I'm getting." He swatted the air behind him, hoping that would deliver a message, but accepted it was probably futile.
"I still don't get why you're holding a grudge against House," Cameron said.
"I could have lost my license!"
"That? Oh come on, he's played jokes on you before, especially near Halloween."
"I almost cut open a healthy patient who wasn't under anesthesia. He went a little too far."
"It wasn't his fault his bonehead cohort fell asleep."
Chase shook his head. "Never mind, I don't want to talk about it." His pacing sped up as his inner agitation grew.
"No matter how you feel, I'm sure House will be the one that will come up with a solution for us," Cameron muttered. She didn't believe that one bit, but it was all she had to cling to.
"Oh of course, because House and Wilson believe every word Francine says and we're dealing with a quick fix situation here." He instantly felt guilty when his rant caused Cameron's expression to deflate a little. "I'm sorry, I'm venting. You're right, there's no reason to lose hope yet."
Cameron hesitated, but then thought it couldn't hurt to mention. "Ramone was telling me a ghost story about a spinster that was on the hunt for a man."
Chase let out a slight laugh while taking a seat at the table opposite her. "I hear that one in the pediatric ward every year. It's hardly got validity."
"Oh yeah, how do you explain what's happening to you? You think that this ghost brought you into this other world and I ended up tagging along by mistake?"
Chase gave her a skeptical glare.
"You have to admit, it would explain a few things. You're usually open-minded about this sort of thing."
"Fine, we'll put it on the theories list. There's still no way to fix it right now."
Cameron nodded, accepting that their options were limited for the time being. "What did that mean, 'Waiting for House'?"
He blushed and dropped his eyes to his hands, realizing the cat was out of the bag. He had no reason not to be honest. "After House hit me, and once the patient was treated for her allergy, I went to the lounge to cool off by making a peanut butter sandwich. Wilson was there. We had a little talk about how coming up with the right diagnosis didn't matter to House."
"So Wilson used a strange theatrical reference to tell you that you didn't need House's approval?"
"Yep. He was right too."
Cameron nodded in awe, it all making sense to her now. "So that's why you went on a diagnostic winning streak after that. You weren't holding back for House anymore and started trusting your own judgment. That punch actually knocked something loose."
He humbly smiled, not denying any of it. She got up and gave him a soft kiss. "I think it's adorable."
Their moment didn't last long when Cameron was pushed backward and fell to the ground. Chase felt another soft, sweet kiss on his lips.
"Back off! He's mine, Beulah!" Cameron shouted to the invisible apparition. "Show yourself so I can kick your ass."
They heard a cackle, and then it disappeared. Their breaths quickened, both spooked into new levels of panic.
"No validity, huh?" She said as a nervous Chase helped her off the ground.
"Fine, I was wrong."
---------------------------------------------------
"What took you so long?" House impatiently asked Wilson. A geeky looking young man was sitting in the conference room with House. Wilson brought his own guest.
"Sorry, the transporter wasn't working. We actually had to take the stairs," Wilson quipped.
The geek snickered.
"I see he's someone who gets Star Trek humor. I'm shocked," Chase said sarcastically.
"This is, I'm sorry, what's your name again?" House asked.
"Arvin."
House went to repeat his name, and then looked back at the physicist with aversion, his glare pondering what kind of a name was that. He turned back to Wilson. "He's a research assistant with a specialty in quantum physics. I think he can help us."
"Quantum physics?" Wilson's admiration grew over how elaborate this scheme was getting. "Figures you would go for the scientific. This is Angie, she's a parapsychologist."
House took immediate interest. "Angie, maybe you can help me. There's a question I've always wanted answered."
"What is it?" She replied, eager to help.
"Is the truth really out there?"
The geek snickered again.
"Where's the little prodigy?" House asked.
"She's a cancer patient. Rest is required," Wilson said, defending the child. Besides, I was afraid we would sizzle her brain. Judging by who's here, I think I'm right."
"Arnold," House said, "share for the class what we discussed."
"Dr. House was interested in the quantum theories regarding multiverse."
Wilson sat down next to Cameron. "This ought to be interesting," they both said in unison.
"Multiverse, or meta-universe, is a hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of physical reality. The structure of the multiverse, the nature of each universe within it and the relationship between the various constituent universes, depend on the specific multiverse hypothesis considered."
Wilson was scared that he understood some of that. "Wait, are you talking about parallel universes?"
"Sort of. That term is so broad. Multiverse has been hypothesized in cosmology, psychics, philosophy, theology, but it's most popular in science fiction. Each area comes away with its own idea of how it works."
Angie was not at all impressed. "I just spent an hour talking with the little girl. All evidence here points to an apparitional experience. She's experiencing classic schizotypy behavior, which makes her prone to seeing spirits."
It was Arvin's turn to not be impressed. "Can you explain how an apparition can take beings from one world and bring them to another?"
Angie adjusted herself in her seat. "I'll admit, there are no theories in parapsychology regarding that, but it doesn't mean it can't happen."
"That sort of phenomenon can be explained by multiverse. My first guess would lean toward a disconnect in the space-time relationship."
"A disconnect?" Chase said. "We've been phased out of their existence and this genius calls it a disconnect?"
"Soosh, give the dweeb some room." Cameron said.
Arvin continued. "I'd need more to go on, but there are models out there for cosmic inflation and chaotic inflation. I personally tend to lean more toward the open multiverse way of thinking, which incorporates among other principles observable universe and the theory of relativity."
Wilson's head dropped to the table. "I think you just bruised my brain."
"Wait a second," Angie said. "We really don't know for sure if they've been transported to another world. It could be they are somewhere else in an altered state of consciousness, and Francine has the ability to see that state. She admitted she can't see the spirit that's bothering them. It all boils down to waves of perception."
House, Wilson, Cameron and Chase all looked back and forth between these two like they were watching a ping pong match.
Arvin continued to press his theory. "Look at it this way. In the theory of relativity, there is an upper limit on the speed in which information can travel, effectively dividing this infinite space into local universes. There can be an infinite number of regions of space that are the same size as our universe. Another universe could theoretically be an identical copy, and be as little as 10 meters to the power of ten to the power of 29."
House had an obvious inclination toward the dork and more willing to entertain his theories. "I'm familiar with the concepts of the theory of relativity, but is it possible that something could happen where these regions of space could intersect?"
"The bubble theory might explain it. It has these universes much farther away, thus promoting cosmic expansion, all created from the parent universe. On very small scales, the quantum foam from these expansions froths due to energy fluctuations, creating tiny bubbles or wormholes. So, if that logic is applied, yes, it's possible."
"Quantum foam?" Wilson said, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "I think the geek is playing to our ignorance."
"Look it up," Arvin challenged. "It's legit. John Wheeler came up with the term in 1955."
Angie argued back. "Wheeler's strange terminology was his way of assigning a catch all explanation to phenomenon not easily explained. There are too many anomalistic properties to accurately measure his theory."
"Oh, and parapsychology is just blazing trails in statistical accuracy," House said sardonically. "How are things at the PEAR lab? Oh yeah, you closed down in February because no one would fund your subjective research."
Arvin got up and grabbed the whiteboard marker. "May I?"
"By all means," House said. He couldn't wait to see the pretty picture that came from this.
He placed a number of scattered dots on the board. "Quantum foam is theorized to be created by virtual particles of very high energy. When these particles interact, some arise briefly while others are annihilated." He enlarged some of the dots, and drew an x through others.
"Quantum physics only ever examined the outputs of this interaction in a normal field. The Quantum foam theory examined what would happen if this occurred in empty space. The notion was in this type of field, the energy would cause significant curving in space/time." He drew a cloud shaped object around a section of the particles.
"The foam, or essentially vacuum fluctuations, kick up particles like they were tossed by a turbulent storm at sea. Wormholes form and that creates the possibility of hyperspatial links to other universes." He drew lines between the cloud and a couple other dots.
Wilson, Chase and Cameron's jaws were hanging open, all too stunned to take in anymore. "People actually spent their lifetimes working on this stuff?" Cameron said.
"You see, all we really needed was a quantum physicist. Problem solved." House said, satisfied with his answers.
"You eggheads are all alike," Angie said to Arvin, "thinking you can win people over with your fancy diagrams because you figured out long ago people need visuals to understand even the craziest of theories."
"So you're dismissing my theories?"
"I think your theories are fine, I just don't think they explain what happened here. If you have all the answers, can you figure out where the anomaly happened, and how we fix it?"
"Can you?" Arvin countered. "I'm sure if we figure it out where the hyperspatial anomaly is I can match it with a superstring."
"Oh, I've heard that theory!" Wilson said excitedly. "That's the one where your life is like a string, one end is birth, the other end is death, and if you tie the end of the strings together and ball up the string, all the days of one's life touch all the other days of one's life."
Everyone gave him a blank stare, except Chase, who knew that theory too. "No, that isn't it at all," Arvin replied. "Superstrings define space, particles, and time themselves."
"It's from Quantum Leap you idiot!" Chase shouted. "It was the only television series ever where the lead character was a quantum physicist. Shouldn't that show be religiously watched by you guys?"
"He can't hear you," Cameron said. "Besides, what relevance does that have on our situation?"
"None, but it was a cool program."
"I don't get it, why all the TV show references?"
"Is there a real life experience that you can share that will offer perspective to our situation? I'm afraid cheesy science fiction is all we've got."
"Fair point," she replied mumbling.
They went back to the group conversation. Angie had another idea. "I've often found these things have ways of correcting themselves."
"So you want to do nothing?" House asked, incredulous to the suggestion. "Wilson, where did you get this quack?"
"We need to keep communicating with Chase and Cameron, see if we can't get some more answers before coming to wild conclusions." Angie suggested.
House and Wilson both looked at Arvin, who nodded in surprised agreement.
"Wilson, go fetch the little waif. She needs to get us some answers." House ordered.
Wilson left, eager to give his mind a break. House and Arvin jumped into an intense conversation of technospeak, being interrupted here and there by incessant scoffing from Angie, while Chase and Cameron sat silently, clutching their heads.
Wilson came back with Francine fifteen minutes later. The little girl was intimidated by House and the weird guy, but relaxed when she saw the nice lady that talked to her earlier and Chase and Cameron. "It's okay Francine," Wilson said, "all you need to do is tell us what they are saying."
She listened. "Dr. Chase says this is all complete bullshit."
House glared at the empty spaces at the table. "Watch your language in front of the child. I don't care what type of predicament you're in."
"Francine," House instructed, "tell Chase and Cameron to go over what happened from the beginning."
Francine paused to listen. "They don't remember."
"Where were they when it happened?"
"They woke up in the morgue. They don't remember where they were before that, or going down there."
"Wait, that's possible," Arvin said. "The rift could have happened one place, and spiraled them into another, the anomalies in time causing lapses."
"I just chalk it up to abnormal brain function," House said. "Not much of a stretch with these two. What are your crazy ideas, Scully?"
"Such a brilliant example, considering she was the skeptical scientist." Angie said sarcastically. "Anyway, he's right in some ways. There has to be somewhere where they crossed into the other world. A rift is a reasonable explanation. We only disagree on the cause."
Arvin felt a huge rush. All those years of defending far-fetched theories was finally paying off. "The start point could be anywhere in the hospital, but the end point was the morgue. I'm sure with some calculations we can come up with some good guesses as to where it all went wrong."
"So, you think you might be able to get them back?" House asked, feeling almost as enthusiastic as the geek was.
"It's possible."
"Oh God!" Cameron screamed, feeling something grab her.
"What's the matter?" Chase got his answer, when he and Cameron were both dragged out of the room. "I don't think the ghost wants us to leave."
Francine watched them, puzzled by what was happening.
"What's wrong Francine?" Wilson asked.
"Something is taking them away. Dr. Chase thinks it's the ghost."
House slammed down his cane. "Dammit, we don't have time for this. Tell them to fight like adults."
"Too late," Francine said. "They're gone."
"Why didn't you say anything faster?" House asked in a scolding tone.
"What if the ghost gets me too?"
House scowled at her, causing her to cower. "We're wasting time here. I'm going to take Alvin to the cafeteria, where the party was. That's a place to start."
Wilson took Francine's hand. "Come on, you, Angie and I can look for Chase and Cameron.
"I'm scared," she said.
"It'll be fine," Wilson assured her. "We'll be like Sam and Al."
Francine looked confused. "I thought it was Sam and Dean."
"Wrong show," Wilson replied, leading her and Angie out of the office.