A short songfic from Chase's POV. The song I used is Daryl Singletary's I Let Her Lie. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Not mine!
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Robert Chase was not a fool.
Sitting at his kitchen table with his chin resting in his hand, he watched the clock. It was just after six a.m. Last night, Allison had gotten dressed up, saying that she had a big girl's night out planned, and that she would be home around midnight. He knew by the look in her eye that she was lying, but he wasn't sure about what. And it bothered him that she couldn't tell him the truth.
He had gotten up just ten or fifteen minutes ago, expecting to feel Allison sleeping in his arms. Instead her side of the bed was empty, and unwrinkled sheets told him she hadn't slept there. Everything was just as he had left it last night.
So he got up, brushed his teeth and put on a pot of coffee. Then he sat down at the table, alone with his thoughts, and he waited.
Finally, at six thirty, the front door open. He closed his eyes and listened as Allison kicked off her shoes and hung up her jacket and purse.
She crossed the floor quietly, fully expecting him to still be asleep. But he was awake and at the kitchen table, and she smiled. "Hey…"
"Hey."
"What are you doing up so early?"
His finger absently traced the rim of the coffee cup. "I guess I missed you last night." It was the truth. He loved her, and maybe that was why he didn't want to confront her about his suspicions.
"I missed you, too." She made her way to the table and slid up behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Why don't I make us breakfast?" She kissed his neck. "It's Saturday. We could eat and take a little nap."
He smiled weakly. "I'd like that, Allison."
"Great." She squeezed his shoulders and went into the kitchen.
Chase listened as she opened the refrigerator and began pulling out items to make breakfast, and his heart ached.
She smelled like him.
She'd come home at six a.m.
And tell me she'd been out with friends
And I let her lie
I let her lie
After breakfast, they curled up in their bed. The sun was shining brightly through the window, and he had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
"I love you, Chase," Cameron whispered, her fingertips absently moving over his arm where it rested on her abdomen.
"I know you do, Ally," he replied quietly.
"You know that you're the only one for me, right?" She turned over in his arms so she could see his face. Her eyes were so convincing and caring as she spoke those words, he found himself believing her.
"You're the only one for me, too, sweetheart." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
With a smile, she ran her hand over his chest.
He closed his eyes, briefly wondering if it was him she saw when she closed her eyes, or…
She kissed him, and for the moment, he let her have her way.
And in the glare of the morning sun
She swore I was her only one
And I let her lie
I let her lie
Monday morning, Chase was quiet as he walked into Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Cameron had stayed home all weekend, and if he was a different man, he could have pretended that he really was the only one for her.
He passed the nurse's station, and the soft whispers didn't escape his attention as he quickly made his way to the closest elevator.
"Poor Chase. Wonder if he even knows. He's been in love with her for so long."
"But I heard she loved her boss before she even met Chase."
"It's all a big mess…"
Chase jabbed his finger against the up button until the doors finally opened and he stepped into the elevator. The doors closed, and he let his head fall backward as he moved between floors.
Why did he have to fall in love with her?
The doors opened again once he'd reached the correct floor, and his steps were even slower as he made his way to the boardroom. Normally they drove in together, but when he woke up this morning, she was already gone.
He came around the corner, and his heart sank when he saw Allison speaking to House with a smile and only a few inches of precious space between them.
The sight in front of him made a lump form in his throat, and he had to avert his eyes.
He loved her.
Cause the truth was too hard to handle
And I couldn't bear to lose that girl
We were that small town scandal
But she was my only world
That Friday night, after a long and quiet drive home from work, Chase and Cameron went into their apartment and shed their shoes and jackets.
As he hung up his jacket by the door, he heard his wife whisper his name. He turned and was surprised to see tears in her blue-green eyes. "Ally?" The haunted look in her eyes cut him like a knife.
"I have to tell you something, Robert," she whispered, her throat thick with unshed tears.
This was it. She was leaving him. Gently taking her elbow, he led her over to the couch and they sat down together. "What is it, Ally?"
She placed her hand on his leg, and he caught a glimpse of her wedding ring, the ring he'd placed on her finger on their wedding day. The happiest day of his life, aside from the day that he met her.
"I… I did something terrible." She let out a deep breath, and he could see her fighting to hold back her tears. "I've been cheating on you."
His worst fear was confirmed. "Who?"
"House. It was just…" A tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm a terrible person. I've ruined our marriage. I'm so sorry…"
Leaning forward, Chase rested his head in his hands. "Are you going to do it again?"
"What? No…"
He knew that he was setting himself up for a fall, but he wanted so badly to make their marriage work. He loved her, and he knew that she loved him, even if she had screwed up. Everyone screws up, even him. "Allison, I don't want to lose you."
"You don't?"
"Of course not. But…if we're going to make this work, it can't ever happen again."
She nodded, and he pulled her into his arms, letting her cry into his chest.
He knew that she was lying, but he couldn't help himself. So he let her.
One teary night, she confessed her sins
But she vowed to never cheat again
And I let her lie
I let her lie
Throughout the following weeks, he saw a noticeable change in his wife's demeanor. She spent more time with him, and when they made love, it was like their honeymoon all over again.
But he knew the fall was coming.
Almost two months after her confession, Cameron told him that she was going to stay late at work. He had a sinking gut in his feeling, but he just nodded and kissed her, then told her that he loved her.
And the next morning when he saw her again, he knew that she hadn't stayed late at work.
He knew that he only had himself to blame for this. He should have left her the first time he suspected her of cheating on him. But he hadn't, and now he was paying dearly for it.
He let her lie.
Though she tried, Lord, she could not change
And I only have myself to blame
Cause I let her lie
I let her lie
Cause the truth was too hard to handle
And I couldn't bear to lose that girl
We were that small town scandal
But she was my only world
Soon after he realized that she was cheating again, he made a decision. He couldn't do this to himself anymore.
So he got out of bed, his movements silent as he padded across the floor. Grabbing a suitcase from their closet, he quickly filled it with his clothes and other important items. Then he closed it as quietly as he could.
Once he was finished, he looked back at the bed. Allison was sleeping peacefully, a small smile on her face. He was sorely tempted to unpack his suitcase, crawl back into bed with her and never leave. But that couldn't be the case. He couldn't let history repeat itself again.
He couldn't let his heart be broken all over again.
So he moved over to the bed and gently kissed Allison's temple. Then he grabbed his suitcase and left the bedroom.
In the living room, he put his shoes on and grabbed his jacket. Then he took one last look around before he left the apartment he'd shared with his wife.
"Goodbye, Allison."
With a sigh, he closed the door quietly behind himself.
"I love you."
The day I left, no words were said
She was sound asleep on our double bed
And I let her lie
I let her lie
I let her lie
I let her lie
The End.
A/N: Yeah... ya'll didn't think I'd actually give Chase a happy ending, did you? LMAO. Ah, well, least I didn't kill him. Thanks for reading, and please review!