Xx- Chase's pov-xX

He HIT me! I don't know why it surprised me so much that house would eventually snap. He had gone a long time without his meds but... I can't believe he actually hit me.

He was looking at me now with horror clear on his face. He turned and walked to reception where he picked up the phone.

"Stop the surgery, she's allergic to light. Get her into a dark room. Now!" After screaming down the phone at the frightened nurse he turned back to face me. He barely glimpsed at me before walking out the door.

I only realised I was still on the floor when a nurse I had never seen before came up to ask if I was ok. I nodded and got to my feet only to wobble slightly when I stood.

I felt humiliated. I had been punched in public and then almost passed out when I stood up. God I'm such a wuss.

The same nurse started to usher me over to an empty clinic room. She closed the door away from prying eyes and turned to me with a smile.

"Here let me get you something for the dizziness", with that she handed me a strange purple pill. I'd had never seen a pill like this used to treat dizziness but I took it anyway.

"Thank you nurse...?" She smiled almost cruelly. "McFadden"

"Nurse McFadden".

"Dr Chase!" I looked up to see Cuddy had burst into the exam room and gasped at my bleeding lip and already bruising cheek. I flinched at the shock on her face. I could feel it swelling and knew it could last a while but I have had a lot worse from angry doctors.

I shivered and shook the thoughts from my head as Cuddy shooed the nurse from the room.

She closed the door behind the woman and turned back towards me. She subconsciously reached out to touch my swollen cheek but I flinched back instinctively. She looked taken aback by my reaction and I took a new found interest in my shoes. How pathetic was I? I couldn't even look Cuddy in the eye.

"I'm sorry Dr Chase. I want you to know that House will not get away with this –", she was forced to break off when I started laughing. She looked at me strangely probably concerned I had a concussion. Concerned I'd sue the hospital was more like.

"Oh please, what will you do slap him on the wrist? Give him another hour of clinic duty? Cuz you know I will be the one doing that anyway". Cuddy's face portrayed shock, but I didn't care. I jumped off the examining table I had been perched on.

"You don't have to worry Cuddy, I won't go to Tritter. Despite popular belief I haven't ratted him out." Cuddy gave me a look of poorly masked disbelief, "its true, Tritter came to me today to tell me that he wanted to talk over lunch, and I went along but said nothing and then he told me that it was a trick so people would see us together and talk".

I walked out the door without another word. I was hungry but Tritter wouldn't release my account for another day. I wonder if there is any food left in the lounge or if Wilson's eaten it all.

Xx-Normal pov-xX

Cuddy was pissed.

Not just the regular annoyed because House wouldn't do Clinic duty pissed, no. This was an overprotective mother pissed.

She stormed angrily to House's flat. She couldn't shake the image of Chase's hurt bruised face out of her head. And the worst part was he was right. When she had first heard House had attacked Chase her instinct reaction was to go and discourage Chase from running to Tritter. He definitely hit the nail on the head when he accused her of believing the rumours. She should have suspected it, it had Tritter's mark written all over it.

She banged angrily on House's door. "Unless you have pills go away!" He yelled through the door. Cuddy felt her blood boil. She banged even harder until the door swung open and there stood House looking nearly crazed.

"What!"

Cuddy swung her fist back and struck hard. Hard enough to knock House, who had left his cane in his sitting room, fall over and cry out in pain and clutch his leg.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Cuddy stepped into his house and slammed the door closed, "Do you have any idea how broken Chase is?"

"Oh I'm sure he'll be fine when he's reaping in the reward from Tritter", House shot back angrily trying to get to his feet again.

"He never talked to Tritter!"

"Oh yeah he was having a friendly lunch with a sworn enemy-"

"TRITTER TRICKED HIM! He said he wanted to talk to him over lunch and pretended to be all pally with him to get people to talk. And guess what it worked".

House looked thoughtful. Of course Tritter was capable of it and but that would mean that Chase had lied for him. Why would he...?

He was brought out of his musings as Cuddy cleared her throat. "Ok here's what is going to happen, you will apologise to Chase and then you will do his clinic hours this week as well as your own. No delegating. And lastly you will take some Vicodin so we can screw Tritter over".

House looked at her looking for any sign of sarcasm in her voice but when all he found was a bottle of vicodin in his face he smiled as he popped two into his mouth.

He knew he was rough on Chase and did feel bad about it. "Did you really have to hit me?"

"You didn't see him House. He was so... broken. And he thinks that you are just going to get a pat on the back and a 'don't do it again'".

House felt the horrible feeling of guilt eat away at his stomach. He would talk to the wombat first thing in the morning.

Xx-With Chase-xX

Chase collapsed to the ground, the pain in his stomach near unbearable as he crawled to his phone on the table.

He reached in time for the pain to double in intensity and dialled 911.

"I need an ambulance", he knew he was screaming in pain. "My name is Doctor Robert Chase, I live...ARGHH!"

He couldn't continue as the pain grew so large he fell into blissful unconsciousness.

Xx-With House-xX

His phone rang and he rolled his eyes to see it was Cameron.

"This better be good, you are interrupting my scheming time", Cuddy rolled her eyes at the lack of attempt to lie.

"House", came the scared reply of his female subordinate. "911 just got an emergency call".

"Yes they do get those being an emergency service and all", he said sarcastically though he was slightly intrigued about why an emergency call would get to Cameron. Usually she had to meet the patient to get all weepy and sympathetic.

"It was Chase", House felt his blood go cold, "He was screaming in pain but passed out before they could get his address".

"It's alright", he glanced up at Cuddy who had grown curious by his change of demeanour, "Cuddy and I will go check on him".

Cuddy looked even more confused but followed as House limped out the door calling "I'll explain on the way".

Xx-Chase's Home-xX

"Are you sure Chase lives here?" Cuddy glanced around at the decrepit building. She had heard Chase was filthy rich and spoilt but this building didn't look fit to house a rat.

"Yeah, his father left when he was ten and his mother drank away all their money. Everything he has he got himself". Cuddy looked shocked by this. Maybe she really didn't know the youngest Housling as well as she had thought.

They came to his door and saw it was ajar. They took a deep breathe before glancing in afraid of finding Chase dead on the floor.

They gasped in shock.

"Where's my mummy?" The small blonde, Austrailian child asked.