AU. Doesn't take time in a certain season. Team consists of Foreman, Chase, Thirteen and Taub.
Dedicated to a friend.
Chase looked numb at the scans lying in front of him. Slowly he poured another sip of scotch and drank it, feeling even more numb as he looked at the scan, the spot showing that the patient was going die soon. He pulled his legs up and laid his chin on his knees as he tried to keep the tears from streaming down his cheeks. Foreman wasn't wrong, he never was. Foreman was a better doctor too as he hadn't been neglected the symptoms for weeks but he still hoped Foreman had made a mistake.
Four months, maximum.
In four months the patient would be dead. Chase picked up the scans again and looked at the spot that told him the man was going to die soon. Is this what his dad had gone through when he had gotten the scans back?
He held the scan against the light, making the spot even more visible and couldn't believe that thing was growing in his head right now.
In four month's, Robert Chase would be another case of 'if we should have discovered it earlier', or 'what if he had told us earlier'. But it was to late to think about what-ifs. It was time to live now.
15 hours earlier.
''How are you feeling?'' Foreman asked as Chase looked up from the newspaper he was doing the puzzle off. In the last three weeks, he had been absent a lot because of a migraine. he kept feeling sick and the headache just didn't seem to stop.
''I am fine.'' He said then to Foreman.
''Just wondering, because you are wearing glasses instead of contacts.''
''Oh, wearing glasses because I ran out of time this morning so I didn't have time to put in my contacts tells you that I am sick?'' Chase said, not looking from the newspaper and the door to House's office swayed open.
''Because I send Taub and Thirteen to get a history on the patient doesn't mean you can sit here and do nothing.''
''We learned that from the best. Sitting and doing nothing.'' Foreman sighed back as he stood up. ''What do you want us to do?''
''I don't know, I have clinic hours to do.''
''Then you go do those.'' Foreman shrugged.
''I prefer you doing them.'' House nodded and Foreman nodded he would do it, more out of boredom than out of free will.
''And you are going to sit here all day long like I give you a headache?''
''I have a headache anyway.'' Chase shrugged and he wanted to get up to get some more coffee, when he suddenly stumbled, feeling dizzy and nausea and he grabbed the table, panting as he laid his hand in his face. He panted for a second before he stood up again and almost bumped into House.
''Go home.'' House said as he was worried Chase was straining himself, going back to work and while he knew it was time to get back after almost two weeks, he was worried Chase was not doing much good to himself.
''I am okay.'' Chase said agitated as he walked to the coffee machine and got himself another mug. But before he could even take a sip of his coffee, a wave of sickness spread to his body again and he could barely make it to the sink before throwing his shabby breakfast. Panting, he got upright again and grabbed towel and wiped his half long locks behind his ears.
''I should go home.'' He said then after wiping his mouth with the towel and turning around to House.
''You are not going home.'' House said worried and the door opened again.
''House, actually I am not going to do your clini-''
''No, you aren't, you are going to scan Chase.'' House said and Chase frowned.
''I am fine.'' Chase said as he shook his head but House looked at Foreman.
''Scan him...for what?'' Foreman asked confused.
''Scan him for whatever makes him so sick.'' House said, not even sarcastic of teasing and confused Chase walked after Foreman. House looked as the two man disapeared on the hallway. Hopefully it was nothing bad, but as Chase had been feeling ill for so long he was fearing that something worse was happening to the doctor.
''It's useless, come on, why are we doing this?'' Chase said as he walked after foreman. He was the man in the white coat, not the one in a gown in the MRI. He hated that House was screwing with him even when he was sick, well, he guessed House was as Chase had told him migraine ran in his family and now he made Foreman do an useless scan on him, ugh.
But Foreman didn't believe House was joking and mad Chase got changed into the hospital gown. He was so no up for this waste of time with his head pounding and his stomach still sick.
''Glasses.'' Foreman said and Chase handed them to Foreman and sat down on the edge of the machine.
''Jewelry?''
''Yeah, I'll just get my piercing out.''
''Piercing?'' Foreman asked serious.
''Of course not.'' Chase said back, annoyed.
''Just lay down.'' Foreman said and Chase looked at him, mad. ''I know the procedure.''
Even more annoyed now Chase laid down, pulling the gown down as he felt embarrassed in the gown in front of his co-worker and he got ready for the scan. Luckily he was drowsy and he fell asleep.
Opening his eyes he suddenly heard Foreman talking with Wilson and confused he listened to the words he heard passing him.
''Stage four...three to four months, probably...''
''I'm awake.'' Chase said as he hoped those words he had heard Wilson say where not about him, but about another patient and they got him out of the scanner. Foreman handed him his glasses and Wilson stood there with the scans in his hands. Chase grabbed them out of his hands as he had his glasses on and looked at them.
''These are mine?'' He said as he looked at the scans of the brain. A white spot on it, making Chase scared and he looked at Wilson.
''Yes, these are the results from your scan.'' Wilson said as he bow his head.
Chase tried to stay calm as he looked at the small white dot. It was a not that big, they could probably treat it! Maybe he was worried about nothing! That was what the tried to tell himself, but he could see in Foreman's and Wilson's face it was wrong, terribly wrong.
''Am I going to die?'' He asked then as he looked up at Foreman and Wilson.
''There are tria-''
''Am I going to die?'' Chase repeated as he didn't want comfort, he just wanted the truth.
''Yes.'' Wilson sighed then.
''Cut it out.'' Chase said as he pointed at the tumor, sure it was something they could do.
''We can't...it's also in your spine.'' Wilson said as he pointed at another scan.
''Cut that out too.'' Chase said scared, but determined.
''That would mean we would have to remove most of your spine, Chase. It's not possible, nor can we cut it out of your head.''
''Radiology? Chemo?'' Chase said as he couldn't believe there is nothing they could do.
''We can't cure you.'' Wilson said as he bow his head.
''How long do I have?'' Chase asked as he looked at the oncologist. Usually the oncologist looked his patients in the eye when he told them the bad news.
''Three to four month's, I'd say.'' Wilson mumbled then and Chase dropped the scans. There was silence in the room.
''Life extending treatment?'' Chase asked as he looked at the white dot on the scans on the floor.
''It would give you less than a month extra, probably.'' Wilson said sad and Chase thought about all the times he heard people receiving this news. He had heard it so often and it had always made him feel so bad inside. But now he got this news himself, he didn't even know how to react.
He couldn't believe it.
Then he looked at Foreman and Wilson and back at the scans, realising how many times he had heard people receiving bad news.
''Funny, guys. But in case you missed the memo, it's April 3rd.'' He said angry as he got up and walked to the changing room, leaving the two doctors behind, baffled. Raging Chase walked over the hallway in his hospital gown, some doctors frowning as he walked to the locker room and got changed there, refusing to stay close to the two men in the MRI room any longer. Grumbling he got his shoes on, his shirt and looked in the mirror as he got his ties straight and brushes his hair. He didn't like to admit he was fooled, but he knew they had gotten him pretty well. Had House been in the conspiracy as well?
Looking the mirror he realized how pale he was after the news and he smirked, when he suddenly felt a pain through his head again and the same sickness as this morning and worried he looked in the mirror now.
What if they hadn't been kidding?
He ignored the pager that was calling him as he walked to the lab on the first floor, hoping to avoid running into Foreman or Wilson that way. Calm he took some of his blood and he tested it.
Upstairs, House slumped down in his chair as he heard the update from Wilson. He sat there, with his mouth open for a few seconds and his cane dropped from his hand.
''He didn't believe us, he stormed out.''
''Where is he?'' House asked
''I don't know, Foreman is looking for him.'' Wilson said and he looked at House, whom really seemed worried and even more miserable than usually.
The door opened and Wilson wanted to ask Foreman if he found Chase, but instead it was Chase, his head down and he threw his jacket on the chair.
''I...uhm...I am taking the day off.'' He said as he walked out and Wilson and House got up but when they reached the hallway Chase was already gone.
''Doctors are invinceble...until they aren't.'' Wilson said sad as he had seen it happening before. They never admitted that they were sick, as they were doctors and had a feeling they couldn't.
Chase walked to his car in the garage and sat down behind the wheel, with shaking hands and he laid his head against the wheel, crying. He didn't want to feel sorry for himself, not at all, but he didn't want to die! Four months...four months.
He drove away and stopped by the liquor store before driving home.
''Expensive...but good choice.'' The man said as he choose the most expensive scotch he saw before driving home. It did no longer matter. He had promised himself he would never drink, not like his mom...but id didn't matter anymore.
A few hours later, he found himself sitting on his couch with the scotch and the scans.
Chase looked up as there was a knock on the door and he climbed of the couch. Slowly he walked to the door. For a second he doubted about opening it when the person knocked even louder and he pulled it open, almost getting hit in the head by a cane.
''Sorry.''
''I don't want to die that soon.'' Chase said as nonchalantly as possible, trying to stand still but he was not sure, either the panic and chaos in his head kept him moving. Or it was the scotch.
''I am sorry, Chase.'' House said as he looked down to the floor and Chase nodded. But being sorry did not buy him any time.
He looked to the ground and kicked with his foot against the doormat. House tried to see the eyes of the young man, but they were hidden behind the golden locks and for a second he was not sure if he should leave Chase alone, but he didn't want to leave the man alone, not with this horrible news.
''There are trials that could make you better.'' House said as he didn't want to face the news either.
''You mean buy me time?'' Chase sniffed.
''Chase...'' House said as he didn't know what to say. He couldn't give him false hope, he couldn't.
''I...I don't want to die.'' Chase sniffed then and he looked up, tears in his eyes with the false hope that House might be able to save him.
NOTE: Poor Chase...all hope seems to be gone...can the team do something else than support him?
I tried to keep this story as realistic as possible. I hope it's not OOC and that the storyline is interesting enough to follow. Thank you so much for reading and please tell me what you thought about this chapter and about the story! Be honest, but not mean, please.