Hey people! I'm back with yet another one-shot. I know what you're thinking- "doesn't this girl ever write multi-chapters?" Well, I have a couple in the works and plans to write more. In the mean time, I wanted to fill the void by uploading this! This is the longest one-shot I've posted so far at a little over 1600 words. It was really fun to write, because I got to be pretty descriptive. I also enjoyed highlighting the better, more joyful side of tears- hence the title. I've been contemplating a story like this for a long time. When I finally came up with a good premise, I was relieved! The pieces finally fit together!
The story starts off a bit... depressing, maybe? Sad? Angst-y? I'm not totally sure. It doesn't quite compare to my previous one-shot Darkness, though. But, it's not exactly Nail Polish, either. Call it somewhere in the middle. It has a happy, sappy ending, though.
Speaking on the theme of sap, this story has Adam/Bree/Chase sibling fluff. I tried to keep it realistic and leveled, but it was no good. This story reeks with overactive emotion, but, hey, sometimes you have to let fluff run free. Hopefully the character aren't too OOC.
Here's the background: It's an AU future-fic where the team disbands because of a fight. I suppose it could be considered a spin off of what happened in "Rise of the Secret Soldier." Except, the circumstances are different, and the team remained spit up. So, everyone went down different paths in their lives, and now they've moved on... or have they? ;)
Real quick, I want to say "thank you" to everyone who has commented, favorited, and followed my stories! This is only my fourth, but I've been welcomed and encouraged so much already! The kind reviews always make my day and every day after that. I know I still have things to prove as a writer, but everyone is being so nice. So, THANK YOU!
Ahem. Now, without further ado, here is The Beauty Behind Tears!
I do not own Keurig or Lab Rats.
Chase ran his fingers through his hair. Five more minutes and his assignments for next week would be complete. He started on it fifteen minutes ago. He knew that was a long time, considering he could do it in a mere 10 minutes. But Chase had nothing better to do. Somehow even coursework lost its appeal.
He was sure going to college would be the perfect pursuit for him. And, sure, there were high points. In college, his smarts were appreciated. MIT was full of learned people just like him who wanted to be there. He was the professors' pet, nothing unusual. People seemed to actually like him. He was admired for his genius- something he craved for a long time.
So, why wasn't he happy? No matter how deep he threw himself into the work, he couldn't take his mind off his family. Chase stopped writing mid-sentence and dropped the pen. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his temples.
"Maybe I just need a break," Chase mumbled to himself. He stood from the kitchen table and walked to the counter. Turning on the Keurig, he started on a cup of tea. He always preferred tea over coffee.
He opened the cupboard and pulled out a ceramic mug. Meticulously, he searched his surplus of tea bags. Again, he was in no rush. He picked a chamomile and placed it in his mug. He moved the cup under the water spout and pressed "Brew."
As the warm beverage was preparing, Chase glanced at the clock on the wall. He cringed at the time- 11 p.m. This staying up insanely late thing was becoming a regular for him. Chase didn't like that.
After he finished making his tea, Chase took a leisurely walk around his apartment. It was small, yet quaint. He thought it was perfect for him the minute he first laid eyes on it. That was about two years ago. As the wooden floor creaked under him, Chase made his way into the living room.
He had fastened framed pictures and documents to the wall behind the couch. He stopped in front of the couch to gaze at the wall behind it. Included on it were pictures of family- Adam, Bree, Leo, Mr. Davenport, Tasha, and Douglas. Chase wasn't sure why he had these displayed. Surely Adam and Bree didn't have pictures of him anymore.
Perhaps he was the sentimentalist in the family.
Amidst all the painful-to-look-at family photos, there were awards scattered about. Ribbons, medals, and even his high school diploma were hanging there. But in the middle of it all was his acceptance letter from MIT. He was so enthralled when he received it.
Chase cocked his head to the side. That was a happy day. Why could he only look at that thing with spite now…? He couldn't help but notice how out of place it looked.
On this wall hung pictures of his family, of better times. Before things soured. Chase's eyes fell on one picture in particular. It was a family portrait and by far the best photo they had taken together. Tasha worked for weeks to get them all together for that. It was worth it, though. They'd given her grief, but it was probably Chase's most valuable possession.
They all wore coordinating colors for the photo. Tasha drew up a sketch of where everyone was to stand. It took them an hour just to work everything out. Boy, was that photographer irritated with them.
And everyone was smiling. They were happy; they were a family- united.
Chase stared at that picture for a while. Then, his eyes fluttered to something else- his acceptance letter. Back and forth his eyes went. The letter, the picture, the letter, the picture, until he was dizzy.
Chase shook his head.
"Why'd we let the team break up?" he barely spoke above a whisper. "Why'd I insult them like that? They deserved better than to be degraded. Then again, so did I."
He stared right at a picture of the three of them- him with his two siblings. "For whatever its worth, you were helpful. I didn't mean what I said. We messed up the mission and it was my fault. I was just upset with myself. I can't take responsibility… I wanted to think I was a better leader than that…"
If Chase was being honest with himself, he wanted them back. They dissolved the team four years ago. He convinced himself that was what he needed. He convinced himself college would be a good distraction. He convinced himself that he was better alone.
That was only because he'd lost hope. The reality of a make-up wasn't very likely. With Bree studying in Paris and Adam working in New York, they barely even saw each other. His siblings had moved on. He thought he had, too. But, he realized tonight that he was wrong. Chase Davenport was wrong.
In the middle of his self pity moment, the doorbell sounded. Chase was shaken from his thoughts and quite surprised. Who would be at his door at 11 at night?
Setting his mug on the coffee table, Chase approached the front door. He grasped the handle and pulled it open. A gust of cold wind hit his face, and what he saw stunned him.
Adam and Bree were on his door step- at 11 at night.
"Adam, Bree, are you guys crazy?! What are you doing here this late, out in that cold weather?" Chase inquired with concern.
"Chase, we're sorry," Bree said getting to the point. "I haven't been nearly as happy living without you guys."
"Yea," Adam agreed, "I said some hurtful stuff that I didn't mean. But, it was no reason to grow apart like we did."
"You guys came all the way here to apologize?" Chase inquired. Adam and Bree nodded. "But, Adam, what about your dream job designing video games? And Bree, what about the fashion line you wanted to start?" Chase asked.
"They mean nothing to us, Chase. We'd give it all up right now if you'd say you forgive us," Bree pleaded.
Chase stared wide-eyed at them with his mouth slightly ajar. When he came out of trance, he said, "You mean, like… rebuild the team?"
"Only if you want to. We know we said harsh stuff, Chase. We wouldn't expect you to give up MIT for us. But at the least-" Adam got cut off by Chase. But, instead of speaking, Chase pulled them into a hug at lightning speed.
Adam and Bree were stunned at first. It had been so long since either of them had been hugged by Chase. But, they quickly recovered. It was an affectionate, long, overdue embrace that each sibling had yearned for. The cold air outside was no match for the warm sibling moment.
Still in the midst of the hug, Chase did something strange to him. He cried. The tears started falling slowly but sped up to a steady flow of hot liquid. He just let them fall without a care in the world.
To his surprise, Adam and Bree joined in. The three grown bionics all cried- together. If it wasn't for his siblings holding him up, Chase would have collapsed by now. He (as well as Adam and Bree) felt his body start to shake lightly. He couldn't tell if he was cold or emotional, but it didn't matter.
So, they all stood there sobbing. But, it wasn't sad. An onlooker might have seen this exchange as depressing or pitiful. Far from it, though. Tears were often related to sadness. Most of the time, they were brought on by sorrow.
But, these weren't tears of grief. These tears were used for greater things. Chase felt an influx of hope for something better, love from his siblings, relief from the misery, and finally, joy that things were looking up. The sentiments were shared by his older siblings.
That's just what they were. These tears were of hope, love, relief, and joy. The four most wonderful qualities and feelings in the world. He was no longer afraid or on his own. He finally had his family where they belonged- by his side.
So, he wept. They all wept. They released the piled up tension. They relished in each other's company. They wore new personalities, happy ones. They didn't have to be let down or lonely anymore. They were crying. And it was beautiful.
Once the tears dried, everyone pulled apart.
Bree sniffled, "So, you forgive us?"
Chase smiled for the first time in a while, "Try and stop me."
"Thanks, Chasey," Adam said, grinning as well.
"But, I need to apologize, too. I took my anger out on you guys. That wasn't right. You are such an important part of this team," Chase admitted.
"Are an important part? Wait, are you saying that the team is back?" Bree asked.
"Yea, why? Isn't that what we all wanted?"
"Well, yea, but you'd give up MIT for us?" Adam questioned with disbelief.
"In a heartbeat," Chase confidentially stated. "It's been miserable these past couple years. I was happier when we were working together."
"Agreed," Bree said.
Chase suddenly realized something, "Wow, we've been standing out here the whole time. Come inside, guys."
Adam and Bree gratefully stepped out of the cold and into Chase's cozy apartment.
"Now, I only have one extra bedroom. So, one of you will have to sleep on the couch," Chase explained.
"I call the couch!" Adam yelled and ran to plop down on the sofa. Chase smiled. He really did miss his immature big brother.
"I assume you provide turn down service," Bree said patting Chase's shoulder. He missed his overly mature older sister, too.
Chase just chuckled, "You had been in Paris way too long."
In case anyone was confused, Chase had been in college for two years. The team had been dissolved for four years, or, two years before Chase left for MIT. I placed him at about 20 years old. Therefore, Bree would be 21, and Adam would be 22. The Lab Rats wiki lists them each as a year apart.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the story. See ya!