Chapter 3: Bonding

"There's a girl. She's close to me. Closer than you'd like to think. Dig up all the dirt you see. There's always more underneath." There's a Girl, The Ditty Bops

"Morning." Kate said as she walked into the conference room. Chase was early and as usual joined by Foreman.

"Morning." Chase said as he looked up from his crossword. His sight lingered on Kate as she got coffee.

"Morning." Foreman said as he read the latest issue of Time Magazine.

"Where is Cameron?" Kate asked as she turned around and sat down at the table. She did not notice as Chase looked away from her and back to his crossword.

"She's on the way." Foreman said. Kate nodded. She had yet to really bond as a team member with Foreman or Cameron so there was a type of tension.

"Right." Kate muttered. She took a book out of her bag and started to read it. Chase looked up to see what Kate was reading.

"How many times have you read that now?"

Kate slightly blushed from embarrassment. "Am I not allowed to reread to a book?"

"A book yes, but Anna Karenina is a different matter."

"It's Tolstoy."

"Exactly. It is not simple fun fiction. It's a spiritual autobiography."

"I like reading. It is relaxing to me. If I found crossword puzzles relaxing, I would do those. Plus, it's a better read than War and Peace."

"You read War and Peace? Why?" Foreman asked.

"I wanted to read it." Kate said.

"Yeah," House said as he walked into the conference room attaining everyone's attention. "Dr. Harker is clearly a brilliant, educated, and literate doctor."

"Why do I feel as though I am being mocked?" Kate asked.

"That's because you are being mocked." Chase said looking back at his crossword puzzle. "It's one of House's talents."

"I'm not mocking her kangaroo. I'm just pointing out that she has better taste than Foreman or Cameron with those self-help books."

"People actually read those?" Kate asked. House looked at her intrigued. "I've never read one. I'm sorry to disappoint you. Can I get back to my book now?" Without permission, Kate looked back at her book and started to read.

As if on cue, Cameron walked in and handed House a case. "Cuddy told me to give this to you."

House opened the file and looked it over. "As if she thinks she can find anything to intrigue…"

"I'll bite. What did she find?" Chase asked.

"A green blooded boy." House said as he looked deeper into the file.

"Blood is blue until it hits oxygen." Foreman said.

"I did not say blue. I said green." House said. "As in Vulcan green." Cameron looked at House confused. "Right you never watched Star Trek. You were too busy being a cheerleader in high school."

"What makes someone's blood green?" House asked as he went over to the white board.

"Isotope or chemicals left over in the body." Cameron suggested.

"No testing done lately but do a tox screen anyways."

"Drugs would fit." Kate said.

"Or a surplus of vitamins in the system." Chase said.

"The only thing that ever changes is skin color and it's usually yellow or orange from Vitamin C." Kate pointed out.

House looked at her and smiled. "Dr. Harker, since you agree with Doctor Cameron you can do a blood culture. Check amino acid levels as well."

"Foreman, get a medical history."

"What about me?" Chase asked.

"You are in the clinic." House said. "Now scoot."

Kate put on her doctor's coat and walked toward the lab. She was walking next to Cameron unsure of what to say. "So how long have you worked for House?"

"A little over three years." Cameron said. Cameron stopped and looked Dr. Harker over. She was pretty, slender, tall, brown hair, and hazel brown eyes. "Why are you here?"

"I don't think I understand you." Kate asked confused.

"Chase." Cameron said bluntly.

Kate laughed. "I'm a friend of Robert's nothing more. I haven't seen him in years and he was always closer with my brother if that means anything to you."

"Oh, so you don't have any plans of going out with him."

"No, I'm simply here for a job. I didn't even know this is where Robert was working" Kate said. She did not feel the need to mention that she was once involved with Robert. "If you felt I was here to steal away your boyfriend—"

"Chase and I aren't involved. I was just checking."

"Okay," Kate muttered. She started walking down the hall unsure of what she was feeling. All she knew was that she did not like it. She got the equipment for the testing and walked into the patient's room. "Hi, I'm Dr. Harker and this is Dr. Cameron." Kate said gesturing to Cameron.

The patient Jeff a nineteen-year-old boy, looked up at the two doctors. His skin was pale white, almost like snow. He was so pale that you could see his blood veins. His skin was like a clear membrane covering his body.

"How are you feeling Jeff?" Kate asked.

"Better." Jeff replied

"Dr. Cameron and I are going to take some blood and we need a urine sample."

"Go ahead." The boy put his arm out for Kate.

"Thanks." Kate took the blood sample while Cameron went to get urine sample from the catheter bag when Foreman came into the room. "This is Dr. Foreman he's going to ask you some questions. It's mostly daily routine stuff. It's nothing to worry about." Kate said seeing how worried the boy looked.

"Uh guys…" Cameron said as she raised the catheter bag with a brown fluid in it.

"That's bad isn't it?" The boy asked. "What's wrong with me?"

"Excuse us." Kate said before her, Foreman, and Cameron walked out of the room. "His kidneys have stopped functioning. We need to get him on dialysis."

"I'll get the paper work." Cameron said.

Foreman looked at Kate. "Where are you going?" He asked her as she started walking towards the patient's room.

"I'm going to tell the patient what we are planning so it's easier for him to sign the papers for treatment." Foreman watched Kate. He was impressed. She was different in her care for patients than Cameron. Foreman was intrigued by Dr. Harker.

"I tested the blood." Kate said as she walked into the conference room. "The reason it's green is because there is an isotope floating around in his system. However, since his kidneys aren't working nothing is being filtered through his body."

"Where did the isotope come from?" House asked.

"There is no mention of recent testing or surgery." Cameron said.

"It's not something that could be inhaled."

"We're missing something." House said. "Harker, since you seem close to the patient go get a better history since Foreman was unable to. Foreman, go watch Harker work magic and learn. Clearly Black magic doesn't work."

Foreman followed Kate out the door and down the hall. "You don't really have to follow me. You can just hang outside the room." Kate said.

"Why would I do that?" Foreman asked.

"I just… Never mind."

"What is it?"

"From what I have observed, you don't take House's crap. So, I am just surprised that you are now."

"I'm interested in observing you."

"Why?"

"You're the new kid. You are always interesting." Foreman did not mention that he also was secretly keeping taps on Kate for Cameron. Anyways he did find Kate different and interesting.

Kate nodded her head and walked into the patient's room. After a long and through conversation, Kate finally had some answers. "Jeff has been losing body function over the last couple of months. It's lupus."

"It's not lupus." House said. "It's never lupus. Who is Jeff?"

"Jeff is the patient." Kate handed him Jeff's file. "I checked anyways."

House took the file, opened it, and read the data. "He has lupus…" House looked at Kate. "I could have you fired."

"If you were going to fire me, you would have already done it. Plus, testing leftover blood for lupus is a stupid reason to fire someone." Kate replied with a smile.

House chuckled to himself. "Not bad." He thought. "Since Dr. Harker was a good girl scout and got a diagnosis let's figure out the underline problem."

"Wouldn't lupus be the underlining problem?" Cameron asked.

"Not necessarily." Kate said. "Lupus is what is making the body not function. However, he could be suffering from a simple virus which is making it worst."

"Well, we already have him on dialysis so that will clean out his blood." Chase said. "Why don't we put Jeff on general antibiotics and go from there?"

"Fine." House said. "In the meantime, Foreman and Harker will run gels to narrow down our search. Cameron and Chase can go break into the apartment."

"I'll take this room." Chase said as he walked into the living room of the small apartment.

"Sure." Cameron said. Chase started to look through a closet when he noticed Cameron watching him. "You are lingering."

"Sorry." Cameron said.

She was still lingering. "Is there something you want to talk about?" Chase asked standing up.

"You like Dr. Harker. I've seen the way you look at her."

Chase snorted. "Wow, that's low."

"Excuse me?" Cameron asked insulted.

"An old friend comes back into town and all of a sudden you start getting jealous of nothing."

"I'm not jealous!"

"For months you have been telling me to leave you alone. I did."

"So you are dating her?"

"No. Kate and I are not dating. Anyways, who I do and do not date is none of your business." He was more than annoyed now.

Cameron left the room. He had called her Kate not Harker. Maybe they were not dating but he definitely had feelings for her. She was not jealous. She was happy that he had moved off her and onto someone else.

Nineteen-year-old Chase watched Kate as she was studying in the library. She was not talking to him. They had been dating almost three months. So far it had been great. They had had their little spats, which was normal. However, this was different.

Kate packed up her backpack and headed out of the library. Chase hurried to catch up to her. "Hi." He said when he caught up with her. Kate looked at him annoyed. He stopped Kate and turned her to face him. "Hey. Are you ever going to talk to me?"

Kate stopped and looked at him. She shrugged his hands off. "Don't you even care that we are fighting?"

"I did not know we were fighting." Chase said with wide eyes and an honest expression.

"How could you not— You know what? Fine, forget it." She started to walk away.

Chase grabbed her hand. "No. Wait," She turned and waited for him. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for? You didn't even know we were fighting."

"I am sorry for whatever I did that pissed you off." She couldn't even look at him. Chase had a revelation. "It's because of the other day, when you said what you said; and I didn't say what I should have said back."

"You didn't have to say anything back… I know that you may not be ready. I'm just…hurt that you didn't say anything." She knew about his limitations with emotions because of his background.

"Don't take it personal." He said in his kindest voice ever.

"How am I supposed to take it, Robert? It's the first time I've ever…" She looked him the face. "It's the first time I've ever said that to someone I'm not related to." Yes, Kate had gone out with guys before Robert but she had never felt this strong about someone before.

"I know."

"God! I said, I love you, and you… You looked at me like I was some kind of bug."

"A bug?" She gave him that look. "Sorry."

"It's bad enough that you didn't say anything back… Robert, I don't go around saying that kind of stuff. Do you know how hurt and humiliated I felt?"

"It just took me by surprise that's all."

"Me too."

He stepped forward and took her hands in his. "Kate, you are the longest relationship I've ever had. You are my girlfriend and I am your boyfriend. I'm not sorry that I didn't say it back." She looked more hurt than before. "I did not want to say it then because I would only be saying it because you had. When I say it, I want it to really mean something." He said reassuring her that he was not trying to hurt her.

"So you don't…"

"I don't know yet. All that I do know is that I'm miserable when I don't get to see you smile. I'm even more miserable when I make you cry." He let his hand brush the side of her cheek.

Kate rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry too."

He wrapped his arms around her. "You don't need to be sorry." He kissed her forehead. "You really love me?"

"Yes."

Chase couldn't help but smile. He leaned down and kissed her with such a force that gave Kate a new hope that maybe he could say those three words someday.

A/N: Sorry for such a late post. Life has been crazy. I will be including flashbacks in the story. As a general rule they will be in italics. Anyways, I hope you are enjoying it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Certain lines belong to: Everwood and Grey's Anatomy.