House came back later in the day. He had a nurse sedate Chase again. He knew that sleeping would help Chase beat the bug that he had caught. It would also keep him in the room. This time he had a paper bag with him. To him it looked like Chase was still asleep. House checked the IV needed to make sure everything was still located properly. At the touch of skin Chase awoke.
He finished looking at the needed, tubing and drip, ignoring Chase for the moment. He then opened up the bag and pulled out a container of soup. "Potato." Was all he said as he opened the container and put out a spoon and napkin.
Chase grabbed the bed control and moved the hospital bed so he was more in a seated position. At least he wasn't acting like a total idiot, House thought. He watched as Chase next took the spoon and started to eat the soup. House made another mental note to bring more soup later on for him to eat.
Once Chase had started eating, House sat down in the chair. "After they diagnosed the infarction, and they put me in a coma to deal with that pain, you know how Stacy allowed them to do another surgery with out my knowledge. I hated her for that. I wouldn't speak to her or Cuddy for about a month after. Both people I thought cared about me, went against my wishes. I am an adult, against popular belief, and a doctor to boot. But they weren't allowing me to make decisions about my own body. I mean who knows me better than me? That pissed me off. But I also couldn't believe that my body wasn't doing what I wanted it to do. I was supposed to heal and get better and it didn't.
"It actually took Wilson showing me my file to realize that they did the right thing. I wouldn't have survived the pain. If I was really smart I would have let them amputate the leg. If I did that, then I wouldn't be in half the pain I'm in now. By this time, I'd probably be running again and playing sports. But because of my stubbornness I didn't do the smart thing.
"I didn't want you to have to go through the same thing. Would you have pulled through? I don't know. But I didn't want you to make the same mistakes I did. Here." House pulled a file out of the paper bag and laid it on the table next to the soup. "Read the file. If this was any other patient what would you do? What if it was Cameron? Foreman? Well don't think about Foreman. Just think about it." And with that House left the room.
Chase was thrilled to see food. He was starving. He hadn't really had anything to eat in a few days. And the hot soup felt like heaven on his aching throat. And potato, his favorite. It was times like this that he forgot how much of a bastard House was.
But then House had to ruin the moment by opening his mouth. Of course House, knew exactly what to say to push his buttons. He wanted to ignore the man but manners dictated that he at least listen being the man in question had brought him a gift.
He knew that this was House's way of apologizing for what happened, although there was no remorse there. He also knew that House had made some valid points. But logic didn't always agree with emotions, and at the moment, his emotions were winning the battle.
The medical file was like gold to him. He had wanted to see his medical file since he was coherent enough to ask for it. Repeatedly his request was rejected. Mostly by Cameron, but sometimes also by Foreman and Cuddy. He never asked House or Wilson for it. Maybe that had been his mistake.
But now it was in his possession. Taking another spoon of soup, he slowly opened the file, almost scared of what he might find.