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Chapter 37
A smile lingered on Chase's mouth as he thought about the kiss that was still moist on his lips. He casually took the stairs and as he reached the landing to take the next set of steps, he was surprised to find House leaning against the wall, twirling his dark lacquered cane through his fingers.
Chase stopped and stared at House. "What are you doing here?" He asked in a slightly surprised tone.
House stared hard at Chase, not saying a word nor showing any emotion on his face.
Chase found House's demeanor peculiar. "House?" He said with a half cocked grin.
House's eyes narrowed and in a low, serious voice he asked one question. "Does she know?"
At first, Chase wasn't sure who House was referring to but the dark stare from the piercing blue eyes told him that he had been caught. His heart picked up speed.
"I don't know who you are talking about." Chase tried to play stupid and was just about to pass when House's cane came crashing down, blocking the entrance to the next set of stairs.
"You know exactly who I'm talking about… Cameron."
Chase looked at him and smirked. "Didn't you hear? We broke up."
Chase's arrogant look and response angered House. "By the looks of all the tongue games you were just playing, things between you and blondie have been going on for some time."
Chase looked up at House and smiled. "I know you may find this hard to comprehend but it's none of your business." He tried to move past again but House continued to hold his cane firmly in place. Chase stepped back and sighed. "What?! I suppose you will tell Cameron." House pushed himself away from the wall so that he towered over Chase. "Do you find this amusing? You have Cameron believing that her taking this job with me is what has been the problem between you two when the real reason has been you have been playing grab assey with another woman."
"Again, this really isn't any of your business House." Chase said again, his Australian accent growing stronger with his anger.
House couldn't hold back the smirk. He was glad he could hear the anger in Chase's voice.
Chase hated the smug look on House's face. He crossed his arms in front of him and continued. "You're enjoying this aren't you? You think you have uncovered some mystery, don't you?" "I'm pretty sure Cameron doesn't know about your new squeeze."
"And you think Brook is why I broke up with Cameron?" "Brook?" House let the name roll off his lips. "Sounds like the name of an exotic dancer. As a matter of fact I know a dancer named Brook. She works at that place…"
Chase was clearly annoyed and interrupted. "Go ahead and make jokes. Play your games. It's the one thing your really good at. But mine and Cameron's problems are because she can't get over her feelings for you and I can't handle her working for you again… being around you all the time."
"You don't trust her?" House asked with one eye brow raised.
"I don't trust you. You are going to do what you always do. You are going to play your little games with her and just when she thinks she has a chance with you, you are going to break her into tiny pieces all over again and I don't want to be around to pick them up. Not again."
"I think she's the one who picked up the pieces, you just went along for the ride and took the credit." House stated.
"Why the hell do you care if Cameron knows anyway? Or is it that you get off making her life miserable." Chase waited for House to say something.
House continued to bore holes into Chase's skull, not saying a word.
Chase shook his head thinking House wasn't going to say anything else. "This is stupid. I need to get back to work. Do whatever you feel the need to do." He shoved the cane out of his way and stepped onto the first step when he felt a strong hand grab his shoulder and pull him backwards.
"Listen you arrogant Aussie bastard, you will tell Cameron and give her the peace she deserves."
"And if I don't?" Chase asked with a tight jaw and clenched fists.
"Then you will have me to deal with." House said.
Chase pulled free of the strong grip and continued to the top of the stairs. He didn't want House to know that his threat had actually unnerved him. Once he reached the top, he stopped and look down at House. "You know, at least when I tell her, I won't be the one who will be hurting her any more. Can you say the same?"
House didn't look up until he heard the heavy door leading into the hospital hallways slam open and shut. He hated that Chase's words held truth to them. He knew he had hurt Cameron and the truth was, he had meant to hurt her so that she would know he was nothing more than a deadly poison that would have crushed her heart forever. But to see someone else do that to her… to hurt her… angered him.
He slowly made his way up the stairs, when his pager went off with a 911 letting him know that something more was wrong with his patient. Damn it, he said under his breath. He placed his hand on the handle of the door but before he pulled it open, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't deny the two questions that were dancing around inside of his head… did Allison Cameron still have feelings for him? He wondered. And how long could he keep denying the fact that he felt something for her?He sighed heavily and swung open the heavy metal door, not wanting or letting himself hear the answers.
