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House was aboout to enter Cuddy's office but he stopped, when he noticed Chase was there. The sound was muffled by the glass door but he could still hear snippets of the conversation.
"I'm sorry, Dr Chase, the test results are still a bit off—"
"Barely. It's almost back to normal"
"And 'almost back to normal' doesn't mean 'normal'."
"Please—"
"I'm sorry, Dr Chase, I can't—"
The conversation was cut off by House walking into the office. "Oh, did I interrupt anything important?" he said, glancing at them, curiously.
They both immediately shook their heads.
"No, nothing important, it was just..." Cuddy hesitated.
"A consult" Chase immediately added.
House raised his eyebrows. "About our case? You need her consult on how to do an LP? Do you also need a reminer on how to tie your shoes?"
Chase rolled his eyes. "No, my own. A clinic patient"
"And you went for a consult... to her? Your boss' boss? Hmm, if there only was someone who was in charge... like your direct boss..."
"Needed an endocrinologist. And a consent for experimental treatment" Chase replied shortly before leaving Cuddy's office.
House watched him leave. For a while, he was just analysing the situation. The fact that Chase hadn't brought a file for the 'consult' and...
Well, that could wait. First things first. He turned to Cuddy. "I need your consent to infect a patient with fungus"
For the next few days House has been observing Chase, but it wasn't going anywhere. The Australian seemed a bit nervous and anxious, but it wasn't very telling, there were no improvements, no new clues to the mistery. He was almost about to forget it.
At least until around a week later.
House walked into the office and stopped in his tracks. Then, after the initial surprise, he walked into the office.
"Sorry, hope you don't mind me disrupting whatever the hell you're doing in my office"
Chase almost jumped, startled, and immediately dropped the notepad and the pen he had been holding back onto the desk. "Sorry..." he said, before pointing at the file. "Just came to leave the blood test results at your desk" he added, before turning to leave.
House walked over to his desk, completely ignoring the file. He glanced at the notepad that Chase had dropped. Or rather — as it turned out — a prescription pad. His prescription pad. The one he usually kept in the desk drawer. He picked it up and glanced at it. "Huh" he said, catching Chase's attention.
The Australian doctor stopped with his hand on the door handle and turned him, then noticed the prescription pad in his hand and glanced down.
House watched him for a while. Then glanced at the pad and back at him. "Amazing. The handwriting is almost like mine" he commented, sitting down by the desk. "'Patient: Robert Chase'..." he added before setting the pad down and looking up at him. "So, what am I prescribing you here? Some Adderall or Ritalin? That could be fun. You planning a party?"
Chase wouldn't look up at him.
"Look, I tell you what" House continued. "Let's make a deal. I prescribe you some really cool drugs and then you pick them up and we both get high"
Chase rolled his eyes. "It's not like that" he muttered, still not looking up at him.
"Then what is it like? What would you need to self-prescribe when you're surrounded by doctors? I mean, it's gotta be someth—"
Before he could finish speaking, Chase's pager went off. He looked at it, then at House. "The patient has internal bleeding" he said before rushing out of the office.
House rolled his eyes. "Oh, aren't you just lucky" he commented, annoyed with the interruption, watching him leave.
For the next few days Chase was doing an amazing job in avoiding House. He managed to completely avoid being alone with House and therefore to avoid any confrontation with House. At this point the older doctor was starting to consider the idea of ignoring the team's presence and just restart the coversation. If the young doctor avoided it, then screw his privacy. But he didn't do it.
Instead he kept observing him, but nothing was really happening, maybe despite Chase's awful mood.
One day he came to work with particularly dreadful dark aura surrounding him. He was very irritable, making a snide remarks at others. Now, that was interesting. During one differential, he suddenly got quite nervous.
"Sorry, be right back" he muttered, getting up.
"Where do you think you're going?" House asked, glancing at him.
"Uh, just I just remembered I'm needed for—"
"It can wait"
"But—"
"Sit your ass back down" House said, firmly. "Unless you want to be off the case.
Chase hesitated before sitting down.
House made sure to keep the differential as long as possible just to mess with Chase. The young doctor seemed completely distracted and focused only on leaving, squirming in his seat like an impatient child. By the time the differential was over, the desperation to leave was replaced by resignation. As he dismissed them all, Cameron and Foreman left, while Chase stayed, his head hung low, his eyes on the file in front of him even though he wasn't reading it.
House tilted his head curiously. "You were in a rush to leave, why the change of heart?" he asked.
Chase shrugged, not looking up at him.
House continued watching him, curious but mostly confused. The other doctor was tense, nervous and... embarrassed? Shame and panic were radiating off him enough to be sensed from several miles.
At some point, House just got up from his place and walked over. Chase immediately snatched th file from the table and put in on his lap.
Not fast enough.
"Wait... Was that blood?" House asked, confused, then frowned. "Are you okay?" he added, his voice changing tone into... concerned?
Chase shook his head, but House snatched the file from him.
"Oh God..."
No wonder he had been squirming half of the differential. He was sitting in a puddle of blood that was on the chair.
His blood.
He was bleeding.
House's mind started racing into diagnostic mode. Reasons for GI bleeding, go.
But in the middle of his mental differential, he stopped.
Chase wasn't scared. Well, he was, panicked even, but he seemed more scared of being seen bleeding rather than of the actual bleeding. Which excluded the GI bleeding.
Then he connected all the dots. The discussion with Cuddy, endocrinologist, the prescription pad situation and now this.
For a while he just stood there. Then he sat down next to him. "Got any pads, or tampons, or... whatever you prefer?" he asked, feeling completely lost. He remembered that clinic patient's father he recently berated for being absolutely awkward and useless about his daughter's first period. Now he kinda understood the guy. He sighed when Chase shook his head. "An emergency set of scrubs and lab coat you could change into?"
Chase shook his head. He looked like he was about to cry.
House groaned inwardly. A GI bleeding seemed like a better option at this point. Obviously, it would mean possible life threat, but at least he wouldn't have to worry that Chase will cry. And it would be a simply medical issue, not emotional one.
He sighed and got up. "Come on" he said, getting his car keys.
Chase just looked up at him, his expression panicked again.
House frowned, then realized. "Right..." he muttered, before thinking. "Take off your lab coat and get up" he said, before getting his leather jacket and handing it to Chase. "Tie it around your waist" he added, while folding the bloody lab coat and shoving it into Chase's bag and handing it to him.
Chase did as told but glanced down. "I'll bleed on it" he pointed out.
"Oh my god, really? Give it back then" House said sarcastically. "It's leather, it'll be fine" he added seriously. "Come on, let's go"
Chase just grabbed the bag and followed him to the parking silently.
As they reached the car, Chase hesitated. "I'll bleed on the seat"
"No, you won't bleed through the leather jacket" House replied, not sure if it was entirely true but it didn't matter, the car seat was the least of his worry right now. "Just get in, I don't have the whole day" he added harshly, which made Chase immediately get in.
For a while the drive was silent, House was focused on driving and Chase was looking through the window, almost clinging to the door. If he was any further from House, he wouldn't be in a car anymore.
House glanced at him and after a while of hesitation he spoke.
"So... Why did Cuddy stop your testosterone?" he asked.
"Elevated creatinine"
House scoffed. "Seriously? With how little water you drink, I'd be surprised if it wasn't elevated. Doesn't necessarily mean something's wrong with the kidneys, probably just needed more hydration and it's drop" he commented.
Chase sighed. "Yeah, but she wouldn't prescribe until it was back in norm. Neither would any other doctor in their right mind" he pointed.
"That's why it seemed easier to get the one not in his right mind to prescribe it. Preferably without his knowledge" he commented with a smirk.
Chase immediately looked down again. "Yeah... Sorry about it..."
House shrugged. "A for effort. F for being an idiot and wasting your time on writing it. Should've just ripped one blank one and fill it out whenever you were safe from being caught" he commented.
He continued driving in silence, but then spoke again. "I'm betting you don't have any period products in your place?"
He shook his head. "Didn't have to worry about it for years" he said quietly.
House nodded. Soon they were passing the supermarket, so he made a turn. As he stopped the car and was about to leave, he glanced at him. "Sweet or salty?" he asked.
Chase frowned. "What?"
"Which is your go-to period indulgence? Sweet or salty?"
Chase was tempted to answer but then shook his head. "Neither, don't get anything" he said simply.
House rolled his eyes. "Ugh, you're no fun when you're on your period" he muttered teasingly and left.
House stood in front of the shelf for 15 minutes now.
Pads. Tampons.
Day. Night.
Mini. Slim. Light. Medium. Maxi. Super. Super Plus. Ultra.
After another several minutes of crisis, he finally decided to play it safe.
Pads and Tampons.
Day and Night. What was even the difference?
Mini and Medium and Super Plus.
"Whew, that was easy" he said, ignoring the woman that smirked as she watched him leave the aisle with all those kinds of period products.
Now it was time for the fun part. He got chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, crisps in different variety and flavours and a few other snacks that seemed good.
Before heading to the checkout, he also grabbed a hot-water bottle. Could be useful with the way Chase kept clenching his abdomen.
The cashier smiled at him while scanning everything.
"Awww, that's so cute. For wife or daughter?" she asked sweetly.
"Son" he said, looking her straight in the eyes just to watch her face expression change completely into shock and confusion. He paid and left the store with a huge grin.
As he got back in the car, he could see Chase turn his head away from him immediately. "Took you long enough" he said.
HIs voice had that familiar tremble. He was also sniffling. House frowned. "Oh God, stop crying" he said sharply.
Chase flinched a bit, but wiped his tears and took a deep, shaky breath. His shoulders were still shaking a bit but he kept the sobs silent.
House started the car again. Then, after a while of silence, he sighed, glancing at the silently crying mess sitting next to him. "Look..." he hesitated, not sure what to say next. "I know it... sucks... But it's just a few days, you'll be fine" he said.
"I know..." he whispered shakily, his breathing hitching a little.
"I mean, technically it's just a bit of bleeding, abdominal pain and cramping and a few minor symptoms. It's basically nothing"
"Oh, really? And how many times have you bled from your uterus?!" Chase snapped, turning to him. "Oh, wait — you don't have one! he scoffed.
House didn't even care about the sudden outburst. Instead he observed him, the way he was shaking, the way his eyes were red and teary, the way his lips trembled.
He sighed. "It's not about the period itself" he observed. "It's not about your reproductive organs throwing a tantrum. It's about being reminded that you even have them. That you have the ones that don't fit the gender you really identify with"
Chase groaned. "Stop psychoanalysing me"
"It reminds you about all you insecurities, about the fact that for some stupid reason you feel like less of a man than the others despit—"
"Shut up!" Chase cut him off, his voice sharp, but then he took a shaky breath. "Just... Stop... Please"
House froze, then nodded softly. "Right" he muttered.
The rest of the car was silent
Once they arrived, he stopped the car and glanced at him. "Come on, let's go"
Chase just followed him out of the car and into the apartment.
House looked around as they were inside. "Nice place" he commented. Then he set the shopping bags on the coffee table.
Chase looked inside. "Jesus, did you buy out the whole aisle?"
"Nah, just half" he said with a smirk. "You should've been more specific"
"Sorry, hadn't had a period the last 7 years or so"
"Could've been at least more specific about the snacks though" he pointed out, showing him the other shopping bag.
Chase glanced into it and groaned. "Of course you wouldn't listen..." he commented. Then he grabbed the bag with the period products and went to the bathroom. Around a few minutes later, he was back, wearing the fresh pair of scrubs and carrying another lab coat.
House looked him up and down. "You're going to wear that at home? What about work-life balance?"
Chase frowned, confused. "Aren't we going back to the hospital?" he asked.
"Nah, you get a day off. Then I'm going to start you back on the testosterone. Daily injections this time, to keep the levels more stable, therefore safer. I will also monitor your hydration levels. And you will be getting blood tests every month. And every 2 or 3 after your creatinine drops back to nomal. This is non-negotiable"
"Oh... Thanks..." That was all that Chase said, before he grabbed a pair of comfy sweatpants and a hoodie, then he left back to the bathroom.
By the time he was out again, House was sitting comfortably on the couch with his feet on the coffee table, eating chocolate ice cream straight from the tub. There were a few bowls of different chips and a chocolate cake on the table. House's favourite soap was on the TV.
Chase sighed. "Good to see you made yourself at home" he commented before sitting down next to him.
House put a filled hot-water bottle on Chase's abdomen, then he handed him another spoon.
Chase hesitated before grabbing it and digging it into the ice cream and trying it. "Mm, it's good" he mumbled, then glanced at the TV, tilting his head confused. "Why is she—"
"Because she's not sure if the baby is his or another doctor's. This one's also a father of her sister's child" House explained before putting a Vicodin pill on Chase's spoonful of the ice cream. "For the cramps" he added as the Australian looked at him confused.
Chase hesitated but then nodded. "Thanks" he mumbled, before eating the ice cream (including the pill). "So... she slept with her sister's partner?" he asked, confused, glancing back at the TV.
"Yeah, but she had no idea. Her sister had a husband, the sister had no idea she was sleeping with that doctor too" House explained. "Also, that was when she didn't know it's her sister"
Chase frowned. "That's complicated"
"Not that much, we just need to go back to the fifth season. You see, at first she moves in and starts working in this hospital, after breaking up with her boyfriend and..."
"...and finally, now we get to the reason of why she slept with him" House said, while finishing the graph he had written on Chase's blanket with a sharpie. "You see, she thought that he thought that she was the one who—"
He stopped talking as his eyes landed on Chase who was asleep, his head was resting on House's shoulder. He smiled softly and lay him down more comfortably, setting his head on his lap carefully and tucking him in with the blanket. "You're gonna be alright, kid" he muttered, stroking the blonde hair, before glancing back at the TV screen.