The House Call

[crazy_cat_girl]

I am freaking out about House season 4 starting! Chase is my favorite character, too, and I really enjoyed his relationship to House this past season. This little ficlet doesn't have a lot of sneezing because it just sort of went off that way. It takes place after Chase's peer review in "The Mistake." Let me know if you like it!

Doctor Wilson was locking up his office for the evening when he noticed that the lights in the diagnostic lounge were still ablaze. He chuckled softly to himself as he headed over, half expecting to see House with a half eaten box of pizza and a whole pot of coffee, casually solving another medical mystery.

However, as he paused to peer in the big glass window, he saw a surprising figure at the table.

Dr. Chase sat hunched over, head in his hands, his blond hair unusually askew. Five days after Chase’s peer review, Wilson

knew that the younger doctor was still on suspension and shouldn’t be here because of any cases of his own.

Quietly, Wilson slipped through the glass door and came over to nudge Chase on the shoulder.

Chase jerked, his blue gaze full of fear until he recognized his colleague. Immediately, he turned his face away, but Wilson had already seen how red Chase’s eyes were and interpreted the evidence.

“Something House said?”

He asked.

Chase laughed without humor.

“Useless. He said I was useless. And you know, I think that he is ri…ri-heh-chmpft!“ Chase hitched a breath and sneezed into the sleeve of his tweed coat. “P-pardon,” he continued, he pulled a swath of used tissue from his pocket to discretely wipe his nose.

“I came in to ask if I could…you know, work on something, anything…being home is getting to be too much. He practically died laughing.” Chase heard his own choice of words and winced in response.

“Chase,” Wilson took a seat next to him, his brown eyes serious, “It is natural for a doctor to question their abilities after…something like this happens. You’re a good doctor. We all make mistakes, even House.”

Chase looked as though he was going to respond, but he suddenly brought his forearm to his face again and turned politely away.

“Huh-chmpft! Chmpft!”

Wilson made a sound of concern, “How long have you been feeling sick?”

“Just a couple of days. It’s no big thing,” Chase sniffled, “I guess I should head home.”

Uncomfortable under Wilson’s scrutiny, Chase hurriedly got up only to have grab the back of his chair for support as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Wilson reached out to take his elbow.

“what’s wrong?”

“Just…haven’t eaten enough today,” Chase murmured, scrubbing a hand over his face. He carefully moved out of Wilson’s grasp.

“Or been getting much sleep, I see,” Wilson noticed for the first time the dark circles underneath the young doctor’s eyes. The kid really wasn’t taking care of himself at all. Chase had gotten paler as well. “Nightmares?”

Chase nodded. He sneezed wretchedly into his sleeve once more and apologized.

“Bless you. Hey, you know, you don’t have to go back to an empty house,” Wilson got the bright look of an idea, “I have a huge couch, you could bunk at my place for the night.”

Chase looked horrified, “Oh, no…no, that’s alright. I don’t want to be any trouble.”

“Listen, I don’t really think you are in any condition to drive yourself home. It isn’t any trouble. You’re sick and shouldn’t be alone. I’m inviting you. “

Wilson sighed as Chase shook his head,

“I know that we haven’t been the best of friends. But I…I have a lot of experience with patients dying. I wish that…the first time it happened, someone could have taken me in. Come on, I’ll take you home in the morning.”

“Eh-chmpft! S-sorry. “

“Bless.”

“Thanks. I guess…I guess it would be better than going back home.”

Wilson smiled, patted Chase on the shoulder, and led the way to the parking lot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You just sit there for a few,” Wilson gestured to the couch, “watch some T.V. while I get some pillows and stuff.”

Chase sat down on the couch, exhausted. “Thanks, Wilson.”

“Anytime.”

By the time Wilson had returned with a huge mound of bedding, Chase had fallen asleep already. Sprawled out, his shoes still on, his tweed coat lying over his chest, Chase slept with desperate abandon.

Wilson felt pity grow in his chest and knew what he had to do. He put the bedding down in a chair, picked up the phone, went to the kitchen and called House.

Around eleven, Wilson opened the door. House was on the doorstep, his breath making cold puffs in the air.

“This better be good,” he said, pushing past Wilson into the warmth of the hall.

“There’s something I want you to see. Don’t say anything though.”

“Why are we whispering?”

Wilson led House into the living where the Aussie lay across the sofa, the light of the muted TV making blue and green shadows on his face.

“What is this? Adopt-An-Orphan-Doctor Program? Am I supposed to be getting heart pangs?”

“Shhh, keep your voice down. He hasn’t been sleeping…”

“So?”

“Or eating…”

“He’s watching his figure.”

“And you just had to tell him how useless you thought he was today?”

House rolled his eyes. “If you’re trying to get me to feel some sympathy or empathy or any pathy, it’s just not going happen. My heart is just two sizes too small.”

“If keep pushing him, he’s going to lose it.”

“So give him some of your anti-depressant stash, Jimmy.” House turned to leave, when they both heard a sound from the couch.

A groan.

They watched as Chase stirred on the sofa. His coat slid off of his chest onto the floor as he began to move in his sleep. His eyelids fluttered as his pupils moved beneath them. He jerked and moaned again.

“Nightmare,” Wilson whispered.

“Do you think he’s dreaming about his dead father, his dead patient or both?” House asked and Wilson wheeled a sharp look at him. He couldn’t tell the difference between House’s cynicism for the sake of cynicism from House’s sarcasm for the sake of self-defense. Either way, it just seemed so inappropriate-

“Oh, don’t give me that look, Jimmy. You dragged me down here in the middle of the night just so you could show me how poor pitiful Chase followed you home-“

Chase gave a ragged breath in his sleep, coughed harshly and made another little noise of distress.

“He’s sick?” House stopped his charade to give Wilson a serious look. “You didn’t tell me he was sick. Onset? Symptoms?”

Wilson fought a momentary shock.

“Um…onset, he said a few days ago. Symptoms are sneezing, congestion, cough, lethargy…”

Wilson trailed off as House limped quietly over to the couch to get a closer look.

“I thought he seemed off…I tried to belittle him into going home. Apparently, it didn’t really work.”

“Oh.” Realization dawned on Wilson. In an odd and perverse way, House’s intention was never to hurt Chase, but to help him.

House leaned over and cocked his head to listen to Chase’s breathing. He inadvertently bumped his cane into the sofa, the knuckles of his right hand brushing Chase’s arm just enough to make the young man flinch in his deep and troubled sleep. The Aussie’s hand slid down from his stomach and landed on top of House’s cane hand.

“Dad…” Chase murmured.

House moved his hand away as if he had been burnt and took a quick step back. For a moment, he stared down at the younger doctor with a mixed expression which Wilson couldn’t read. It could have been anger, or shock, or even compassion. But after the moment had passed, House’s stony mask covered up any remainder of that look.

He cleared his throat.

“Write him a script for pseudoephedrine and a cough suppressant. Keep an out for a fever, could become pneumonia if he’s not taking care of himself.”

House’s voice was controlled and monotonous. He purposefully headed to the front door and let himself out.

Wilson watched him leave, startled by what he had just seen.

But House slammed the front door shut and Chase lurched upright with a gasp.

Wilson hurried over as Chase looked around, confused and fearful. Sweat drenched the younger man’s brow.

“Chase? Chase, you’re okay. You’re at my place, remember?”

Wilson put a hand on Chase’s shoulder.

“Yeah…yeah, I remember. Sorry, I’m sorry. I had a…a bad dream.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not, not really. It was about my…”

“Your dad.”

“Yeah.” Chase gave Wilson a suspicious glance. “How did you…?”

“You were talking in your sleep.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, I brought out some things for you, but you were already sleeping so I didn’t want to wake you. This will make the couch more comfortable though.”

“Thanks, Wilson. For…you know, everything.”

“Not a problem, really.”

“It’s just…you know…no one has ever really…cared about me either way, I guess.”

Wilson smiled a little, remembering the half clouded look of paternal compassion that had covered House’s craggy face.

“I think you might be wrong about that.”

[aggedy_ann]

Awwww....

That was soooo cute and perfect and adorable.

I loved it.

House was perfectly in character....Adopt an orphan doctor program

And Wilson was as well, Caring, but hesitant, not wanting to push care onto Chase.

This was great. Gotta love those guys.

And I have a feeling that on Tuesday, I will be going out of my mind waiting for the episode to start.

[Bongo]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! Happy happy happy.

I loved this story. Everyone was perfectly in character, which is hard in this fandom.

But I hear Chase isn't coming back this season.

[aggedy_ann]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! Happy happy happy.

I loved this story. Everyone was perfectly in character, which is hard in this fandom.

But I hear Chase isn't coming back this season.

Blacked out for spoilers here:

they are all coming back...Chase gets rehired by Cuddy...he just isn't in the first couple episodes. But there will Be some Chase.

[girl_in_love]

Hey,

Oh man this is good, is there more of this? Write more soon, if there is anymore! Hugs!!

Love

~*Jillo*~

[crazy_cat_girl]

I know! I am so excited for the first episode. I feel like I have read every spoiler on the internet!

*fast forwards herself towards Tuesday*

I am so glad that you liked it! Thanks so much! :-)

[Vetinari]

I loved it too.

Sarcastopathy.

Jack Sparrow and now Chase. Great taste, great writing!

[tma]

Wow!! You nailed the tone of the characters. For me... I think that it is really hard to get Wilson and Chase conversations since a) they are rare and b ) the are both pretty closed-mouthed. It was just Brilliant that you had Wilson call in House and

He couldn’t tell the difference between House’s cynicism for the sake of cynicism from House’s sarcasm for the sake of self-defense. Either way, it just seemed so inappropriate-

Brilliant!

House's dialogue seemed right on.

Wilson smiled a little, remembering the half clouded look of paternal compassion that had covered House’s craggy face.

“I think you might be wrong about that.”

And this was made of Awesome!!

I love the whole father-son ish type of relationship with House and Chase. I swear that the hug in season 3 I was about ready to cry.

Anyway... I absolutely loved this and needed to tell you. Tommorrow night *Cannot* come fast enough. I SOOOOO need my fix. lol!

[doggo]

Again. I don't know anything about this show, but liked this fic really much! Thank you!

[evelyn]

WOW! This was brilliant! Brought back the good old season 2 days.

“If you’re trying to get me to feel some sympathy or empathy or any pathy..." LOL

Soooooo...CAN YOU WRITE SOME MORE PLEASE??? I'm definitely hooked on this!

(How much do I love Chase stories? )

[snifflechick]

This is amazing.

*puts hand up*

I'd volunteer for the adopt-an-orphan-doctor program!!! Can I has chase??