In This Life

Chapter 1: Memory

There is a famous saying: "If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were." -Anon.

"What about you Chase?" Foreman asked, he had obviously had too much to drink.

Chase looked at his drunk coworker. "What was the question?" He hadn't been paying attention to the game. It was initially Cameron's idea. At first, it was a game of twenty questions, but now it was a drinking game of personal questions. Chase wasn't keen on playing either game.

"Have you ever been in love?"

He did not even have to think about it. It was an easy question. "Yes." He had been in love, as in the real stuff, a total of once and it had been the best time in his life.

Both his coworkers looked at him surprised and curious. They knew Chase to be a playboy, and playboys do not fall in love. They roam, find someone for a time, and then move on.

"Who was she?" Cameron asked.

"Just a girl I dated in college."

"Just a girl?" Foreman asked. Something in the way Chase spoke it did not add up. If it were 'just a girl,' his tone would have been different.

"Okay, she was more than just a girl. She was amazing and…" Cameron and Foreman were stunned by how Chase's face had suddenly lit up. This was a foreign Chase. "To be completely honest she was possibly the love of my life."

"I'm surprised you two aren't married."

"So am I." Chase muttered so quietly that no one else heard him. "I'm going to go. I'll see you two on Monday." He had already shared too much and was not in the mood for sharing more.

Foreman's question got Chase thinking about the love of his life, Kate. Robert was only a boy when he first met Kate but it wasn't until college that he really knew her.

Chase grew up the street from Kate and her brother Peter. Peter and Robert were instantly friends, since their interests were the same. When they were younger, Kate was just Peter's annoying sister. Peter was six months older than him and Kate was six months younger than Robert.

In college, Chase had noticed Kate. It was hard not to. She was pretty. Puberty had been nice transforming her from a scrawny and gangly thing to a tall slender woman. He also noticed her in his organic chemistry class. Along with being pretty, she was also smart. She was almost the perfect girl, expect for one thing. She was Peter's sister, meaning hands off. As a result, Chase forgot about pursuing her. They could be friends, but nothing more. Plus, in the beginning they had annoyed each other.

Many years ago…Kate walked into one of the labs on campus to work on an Organic Chemisrt lab, when she saw Robert sitting and working on a problem. She inwardly groaned. Every since they were little he had annoyed her. What was he trying to do now, make up for being a slacker and jock? Robert looked up and acknowledged she was there, but went back to his work.

Kate gathered the last of the chemicals she needed for the experiment and started to mix and pour. She didn't notice that Robert was looking at her. He had seen her at a few parties, but not many. She studied more than anything else. Around campus, he had seen her laughing with friends or studying in spare time. Robert didn't know why but he could not help but watch her. He came back to reality and started to work on the problem in front of him

Over the next few weeks, Kate saw Robert studying and working on assignments. What was with that? This wasn't the same Robert Chase she had grown up knowing, but she had never wanted to get to know him. She was never friends with him like her brother, Peter, was. Then again, she hadn't really seen him since his mother had died and Robert moved to live with his father.

Walking into the lab and finding Robert studying had become a normal pattern after a few weeks. The silence had started to bother Kate a while back but she hadn't said anything. She walked over to the table where he was working and put her bag down. Robert looked up at her a little surprised.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" She asked.

"No, go ahead." He moved some of his books to make room.

"So, why do you want to be a doctor? I thought you hated medicine." Kate asked getting right to the point.

Robert looked at her. "You're moving a little fast to the point. What happened to hello?"

"Hello. Now answer the question."

"No." It was none of her business. He found her abrasive attitude intrusive and he did not appreciate people who could not mind their own business.

"What?" She asked surprised.

"I don't have to answer to you." He said straight out hoping that she would back off.

"Fine."

As a result, they sat there, working in silence. "That was what the priests in the seminary, thought I should do it since I like science. I just don't want to turn into a doctor like my father." Robert said in mutter looking down at his work. He did not know why he told Kate that. It more than anything slipped out.

Kate starred at Robert stunned. She placed her hand on his. "Robert, there is no way you'll turn into your father. You care about people too much." Kate knew all about Rowan Chase, but so did the whole country. He was a great doctor and person in the public's eye. Kate knew the truth. She knew how self-centered the man really was.

He looked up at her. He had not been expecting that. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." She smiled, squeezed his hand, and then removed her hand. "Seminary I thought you went to live with your dad?" Kate asked with a doubtful smile.

"I did, until the wife started to complain. Apparently, the seminary is a boarding school to my father."

"Ouch. Well, at least you didn't really think about becoming a priest." The mental image of Robert as a priest was funny and disturbing.

"Um, I did for awhile." Chase said shyly. He hadn't told many people about his almost conversion to the cloth. Robert was just happy he had seen the light now and not years later down the road when he was ordained.

Kate laughed in disbelief. This certainly wasn't the same Robert Chase she had grown up living down the street from. Something about him was different. Kate couldn't tell just yet what it was but she liked it.

They went about things slow, neither realizing that they were falling in love with each other. First, they became friends just as so many who fall in love do. They were sitting in the lab working on the latest lab that had been assigned. Kate was laughing at one of Robert's jokes when her friend Julie came into the lab.

"Ah, here you are in this…" She looked around the lab. Robert looked at Julie holding back a laugh. "Well, this place. Anyways, I'm stealing you." She came over to Kate and started gathering up Kate's stuff.

"What?" Kate asked with a partial laugh.

"P-A-R-T-Y."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Julie, thank you for the invitation, but I have to study."

Julie sighed. "Kate…Please. Pretty please."

"Oh no, don't whine."

"That's not whining. This is: Come on Barbie. Let's go party." Chase couldn't help but burst out laughing. Julie took that as a sign. "See, even he thinks that was a good attempt. Please Kate, come to this one party and then I will leave you alone for the rest of the semester."

"Is that a promise?" Kate asked. Kate loved Julie's company but she admitted that it would been nice to have more time to study without Julie constantly bothering her.

"Yes, it is a promise."

"Okay, I'll go to the party with you." She looked at Chase. "Can we pick this up tomorrow?"

"Sure." Chase said.

Julie noticed the way that Kate and Robert looked at each other. She decided to play the perfect card. "Hey Rob, if you are interested you could come to the party to."

"Uh, I don't know." He had never been one for parties.

"No, you should come. Take the night off." Kate said.

"I might drop by." He was surprised that she wanted him to come.

"Good." Kate did not know why but she was suddenly conscious at how Robert was looking at her. "I'll see you there then." Kate started to head towards the door. The possibility about how her feelings for Robert might be more that friendship was hitting her.

"The party is at 16 Frankford Lane." Julie said as she followed Kate out of the lab.

At the party, Chase looked everywhere for Kate. He finally found her talking to a guy who clearly did not get that she was not interested. He decided to help her out. He went up behind Kate and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Hey Babe. Sorry I am so late."

Kate leaned her back into Chase's chest and tilted her face to the side. "I was wondering when you were going to get here. You're late."

"It wasn't my fault, honestly."

"If it wasn't your fault, whose was it?" Seeing Kate was already involved, the guy left.

"He's gone." Chase said, releasing his grip on Kate.

Kate turned to face him. "Thanks for that."

"Don't worry about it."

"So, do you come to many of these things?"

Chase shrugged his shoulders. He had never been a party animal. He went to a few, but mostly avoided them. In the past, he had to deal with his mother's party behavior so he was turned off to parties. "No. I've been to a couple, but not many. I take it that you don't like to P-A-R-T-Y." Chase said.

Kate slightly laughed. "No, not really. I go to a few every once and awhile, but warm beer just doesn't interest me. I'm a brain. I basically live in the lab."

"I don't think that's true. I've seen you around campus with your friends laughing and such."

"You watch me? You aren't going to turn into a stalker are you?" She found it interesting that he watched her.

"No! Peter told me to keep an eye out for you." He wasn't going to tell her that he couldn't help, but watch her when he got the chance. Anyways, it was true that Peter wanted him to keep an eye on her.

"Nice cover." She was slightly sad that he was only watching her because of her brother.

"Thank you. I'm going to get a drink, do you want me to get you anything?"

"I'm good." She said showing the can of soda in her hand.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

"Where am I going to go?" Kate muttered as she waited for Robert to come back. There were only two places to go. Upstairs where she had no intention of going and outside where everyone else was probably going to pass out soon. Chase came back a few moments later with a soda in hand. "Do you want to get out of here?" Kate asked. Chase looked at her uncertain but nodded his head. "Good."

"Uh, Kate what are we going?" Chase asked as Kate led the way on their walk.

"Don't know. I just wanted to get out of there."

"Okay," He was up for being spontaneous. Kate walked into a park that they were passing and over to the swing set. "I can't remember the last time I was on a swing." Chase said as he sat in the swing next to Kate.

They sat on the swings in an uncomfortable silence. Chase attempted to say anything, but nothing came to mind. Finally, Kate spoke. "Why is it the moment we get out of the lab we can't say anything to each other?"

"I have a theory, but it's not a good one."

"What is it?" Kate asked, looking at Chase.

He looked at her. "That I lied." Kate looked confused. "Yes, your brother told me to keep an eye out for you, but I..."

Kate didn't need to hear him say it. She already knew that he had lied to her. "Robert."

"I probably shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry. I'm going to…"

Chase was slightly taken aback by the fact that Kate's lips were pressed against his, but he didn't pull back. He kissed her back. He didn't even think about how complicated things were going to get.

That was then, but now things were different.

A/N: First off, it is so nice to be writing for House M.D. again. I've missed it way TOO much. Secondly, this idea has been in my head since season 3 and I finally cracked. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. House belongs to a big mean FOX. All lyrics mentioned belong to producers and artists.