AN: Thanks for all the nice reviews!!! Here is the next chapter and I hope you'll all like it. I know it has been a while since my last upate but schoolwork has been taking away all my time. I promise to update faster next time!
Anyway...Enjoy!

Chapter 9

'Chase?'

'Where am I?' Chase asked. He was confused and none of his thoughts made sense. He closed his eyes again in the hope that the dark would calm him; that it would him silence.

'You're in the hospital.' House answered.

Chase forced himself to think about that answer. The hospital. How did he end up in there?

'Do you remember what happened?' House asked.

Did something happen? Was it bad? Chase searched each and every memory and then it all came back. The pain. The agony. He felt his stomach turn and he was unable to hold it in. What he was thinking about made his feel sick and he wished he hadn't remembered it. He quickly turned over to his side, away from House, and let it all out.

'I'll take that as a yes.'

Chase, feeling embarrassed, turned back onto the bed and covered his face with his hands. He wanted to avoid House's gaze. He didn't want to know what could be read in those eyes. Pity? Probably. Why else would House be here?

'Are you in pain?' House asked.

Chase dropped his hands and stared to the ceiling of the room. He didn't know what to answer to House's question. His body didn't hurt, but it was sensitive somehow. It was hard to explain. It was…as if he was covered with sand and he could feel the pressure of the weight on every inch of his skin. It didn't hurt, but it sure wasn't pleasant.

And his mind…well, Chase knew that the mental pain still had to come. Now, felt sleepy and numb, but with every second that feeling faded. Random images appeared. The touch of that man…

Chase quickly closed his eyes, concentrating on forcing those memories away.

'I'm fine,' Chase lied, 'Why are you here?'

'Do you want me to leave?'

For a second, Chase wanted to say 'yes', but that meant that he would be left all alone in this room and that was a situation he wanted to avoid. House gave him the opportunity to distract his thoughts. If he were to be alone, last night would be all he would be thinking of.

'No.' Chase answered while he opened his eyes again. For a moment, he could swear House seemed to be relieved. He actually wanted to be here? With a patient? That was new.

'The police will want to take your statement on what has happened.' House said.

'I know.' Chase sighed and watched his hands laying in his lap.

'Do you remember a lot?'

'Can we…not talk about that now. I just want to rest and not think about it.' Chase said as he now watched House straight in the eyes. It was as if he was begging him and Chase quickly turned his head down again. He didn't want House to think that he was weak and stupid.

'Sure, what do you want to talk about?' House asked, ignoring Chase's body language.

Chase didn't know that answer. It wasn't like he shared his secrets with his boss. Sometimes it was even hard to just be around each other.

'I don't know, just distract me.'

'Okay, let's talk about kittens.'

'Kittens?' Chase looked at House again.

'They're sweet, don't you think? I might bring one to work one day.'

Chase rolled his eyes.

'That's all you can come up with?'

'Give me a break,' House grimaced,' I've been here for hours!'

Hours? Chase hardly believed that. House never visited patients, let alone stay with them for hours. Unless this meant that Chase wasn't a patient to House. That thought made Chase feel better. House wasn't here to poke fun at him. He was here because…well, because he cared.

'Thanks.' He murmured.

'For what?' House asked, confused.

'For staying here. For being here all night.'

'Don't make this a sentimental moment.' House said as he rolled his eyes.

Chase respected House's wish. He gained a lot of information, though. He was now sure that House cared for him, that it did matter to him whether he was alright or not.

'I'll get someone to clean that mess up.' House said as he pointed to the floor next to Chase's bed. Chase knew that House was just looking for an excuse to get away for a moment, but it didn't bother him. He knew House felt uncomfortable when it came down to emotions.

And then House was gone.

The sudden silence overwhelmed him and it reminded him of so many painful things. The silence when that man was just watching him… When he was touching- NO! Chase didn't want to think about that, not ever! He closed his eyes and his hands became fists.

Don't think about it. Don't think about it. Don't think about it. But fear took over every muscle in his body. Fear controlled every thought and he couldn't hold it back anymore. He felt sweat forming on his face and body and he could hardly breathe.

He climbed out of bed and even though his whole body was aching now, he made it to the bathroom. He locked the door carefully behind him and went standing in front of the mirror. He hated what he saw. The dark bruise on his eye. The purplish shadow that covered his face as if was dead ill. His hair that was wet and which was sticking onto his face. He didn't only feel like crap, he looked like crap.

He walked to the shower and let the water run. It was ice-cold but Chase kept his head under the stream. It helped him forget all those awful things as he could only think about the thumping pain in his head which was caused by the cold water. He had no idea how long he had been standing there when a loud knock on the door made his jump up.

'Chase, are you in there? Are you okay?'

House's voice was loud and clear and Chase could swear he heard concern in it. He made the water stop running and took a towel to dry his hair.

'I'm fine.' Chase lied.

'Open up.' House demanded.

Chase didn't protest and immediately walked out of the bathroom. He came to a sudden halt when he saw two police-officers waiting for him at the end of his bed.

'Hello,' the dark-haired one said, 'I'm Officer Johnson, this is my colleague Craig.'

Craig nodded.

Chase didn't move nor answer. Did that mean it was already time? Was he supposed to feel strong enough to do this? Did he feel strong enough to give his statement? Not yet, Chase was sure about that. His knees were shaking and his head felt like it was going to explode.

'We're here for-'

'I know why you're here.' Chase quickly said a little rude. 'Does it have to be this soon?'

'The sooner you tell us everything, the more details you'll be able to give us.' Craig explained.

Chase nearly let out an insane laugh. So remembering the details was a good thing according to them? How crazy did that sound? The only thing Chase wanted to do was forget the whole situation.

He swallowed heavily and walked over to a chair next to the bed and sat down.

'What were you doing in there?' House asked.

'Taking a shower.'

'A cold one? You look a little blue-ish.'

First purple, now blue. Chase guessed that it could be seen as progress.

'Maybe you should leave.' Johnson suggested.

'You're right,' House admitted, 'if you need anything,' he now watched Chase, 'just let me know.'

And when Chase saw the gaze in House's eyes, he knew that House knew.

House knew that Chase had been lying all the time: he wasn't fine and if nothing happened soon, if nobody pulled him out of the pool that was dragging him towards the bottom, he was going to drown in it.