(I'm on my second cup of coffee of the day when I normally drink none, and its only 10:30 am)

Cameron was running late. She liked to get in by 8 am, but for some reason the world was against her today. Her alarm didn't go off, and she over slept by a half an hour. Her last pair of pantyhose got a run, and the pair of pants that went with the top she picked out, was at the dry cleaners. Her hair didn't want to cooperate this morning, plus there was a traffic jam.

Realizing she was going to be almost a full hour late she skipped stopping off at Starbucks. She'd pick up coffee at the Dunkin Donuts across the street once things were taken care of at work.

The first thing she noticed walking into the room was Foreman drinking a cup of coffee. The next thing she noticed was the smell of fresh coffee in the air, and finally that there was another person in the room with Foreman.

Cameron looked at Chase, their eyes met, and Cameron was the first too look away and back to Foreman. "Sorry I'm late. How's the patient?"

"Stable at the moment. Chase made a few suggestions, that I'm going to test for, before House gets in." And Foreman stood up to leave the room.

Cameron was not happy to be left alone in the room with Chase. At the moment, she wanted nothing to do with him. Ignoring him, she went to the coffee pot and poured herself some.

"Cameron, Allison, can I talk."

"No. You had over three months to talk to me and you refused. You blew it." She took a sip of the coffee. As much as she didn't want to see Chase, she sure missed his coffee.

"I'm sorry." Chase said.

Cameron turned to look at him. She watched silently as he got up from the chair with the help of a cane and limped his way out the door, leaving her alone in the room.

She had to admit that he looked good. Much better than the last time she saw him. Then again last time he was sick. Cameron was happy that he was better, physically and mentally. She didn't hate him. She just hated what he did to her and put her through. She was willing to give everything up for him, and he didn't want it. That's fine with her. She could hold a grudge. It was going to take Robert Chase a long time to get her back as a friend. And as a lover was probably totally out of the question.

When House came in he was stopped at the entrance by Cuddy. "There's a surprise waiting for you in Diagnostics."

"You got me a pole and a stripper? That's so sweet of you, but Christmas is quite a few months away. Or is it for my birthday?"

"Chase is back." Cuddy said as she turned away and headed back to her office.

House stood there for a moment taking in what she just said. So, he returned. He wondered how long it was going to take for him to come back. His day was getting better and better. At least there would be fresh coffee.

Entering the diagnostic office he saw that Cameron was there, reading something from her laptop. "I heard the prodigal son has returned." He asked, hoping to get a rise out of her.

"If that's what you want to call him. Me? I can come up with a few others. Foreman should be back soon." With that she went back to her emails.

So it seemed one of the little ducklings wasn't too happy that Chase was back. He wondered what the other thought. He didn't have to wait long as Foreman came back to the room with Chase in tow.

Chase paused in the doorway. House took the opportunity to look the young man up and down. There was obviously a prosthesis on. It looked natural; then again Chase was wearing pants and not shorts. He looked healthy, mentally and physically.

There was also a cane.

"Mine's cooler than yours." House said lifting his cane, with the red flames on it, up so Chase knew what he was talking about.

Chase shrugged and walked fully into the room and sat down.

House noticed that there was still a limp there, but it was better than he was expecting. He also noticed the way that Chase looked at Cameron when he walked in and how she looked away. Things were going to be interesting. "So, what's new? Besides Chase being back?" House asked the assembled team.

After brainstorming, and House begrudgingly admitting that Chase's theory might be right, he sent Cameron and Foreman to do a little breaking and entering. He really wanted to send Chase. He was the one who found all the good stuff. But he needed to talk to him first and he needed to know how mobile Chase really was.

"Welcome back."

"I guess that answered the question if you still have a need for me."

"Well I wasn't going to replace you, after you got your promotion, why would I replace you when you up and left."

"Sorry about that." Chase apologized.

"What are you apologizing for? It's obviously something you needed to do. And it seems to have worked for you. Where were you?"

"A place in Nevada."

"Why Nevada?" Out of all the places for Chase to go for rehab, Nevada seemed the least likely.

"I've never been. I even got to spend some time in Vegas. Very nice."

"What did you do there?" Maybe there was something that he could blackmail Chase with.

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Realizing that he wasn't going to get a better answer than that House moved on. "So you staying this time, or is this place just a pit stop?"

"Staying. If you don't want me back, because it's going to be odd with the two of us, that's fine. Cuddy says there is possibly a teaching position available. And I'll sign on to work clinic if there is no other opening in the hospital."

"Are you kidding me, I can't wait to see you and Cameron go at it."

"Well that's one thing I can do with out. Not that I see that as being a possibility. How pissed is she at me?"

"Oh, pretty pissed."

"Guess talking to her is on my to do list also." Chase stood up.

"Where you going?" House asked, he wouldn't admit it but he was a little worried that if he let Chase out of his site then he might not come back.

"To let Cuddy know at least you still want me here. Then I have an appointment with my PT here, and I need to go to DMV about my old car, and a new license, and set up a road test."

"I thought you were staying today." House really didn't want Chase to leave again.

"Wish I could. Just needed to see if I can still work here. Seeing that I can I'll be back on Monday. I promise. No more disappearing." And Chase left the room.

Hope you like!