Author: Milady Dragon
Disclaimer: Can't ever be mine
Author's note: Okay, I've left you in suspense long enough. Some questions about Chase are going to be answered…
Chapter Ten
The memorial service was the longest Chase had ever had to endure in his entire life.
It was held in the hospital chapel. There wouldn't be a funeral locally; Allison's parents had decided to take their daughter's body back home for burial. Instead, through Cuddy, they'd arranged a memorial for her friends and co-workers, those who wouldn't be able to make it to the actual funeral.
Chase couldn't believe it had only been a day since he'd gotten the horrible news.
It all seemed a little rushed to him – no, not a little. A lot. But he could understand why Allison's family would want to get her home as soon as possible. It was just that he hadn't had time to adjust to her being…gone. And now they were having this service for her.
It was Saturday. He would have normally worked today anyway, so being in the hospital wasn't so much a big deal. It was the reason he was there that disturbed him. He would have preferred the hypochondriacs in the clinic to this.
He would have preferred the innermost circle of Hell than to be in the chapel that morning.
Cameron's family was already there when he arrived. They stood in the front of the chapel, speaking with Cuddy. Chase thought he should go up and pay his respects, but decided he couldn't face it. Couldn't face them, knowing what he did about their daughter and sister. Even though they had to have known themselves what she was, he wasn't supposed to. That secret made him feel guilty.
He deliberately chose a seat near the back, just in case he needed a quick escape. Chase knew his own strength, and had a feeling today it would be tested to its limits.
The chapel began to fill. Many of the hospital workers had respected Cameron, and as many of them as possible would be at the memorial. Chase wondered vaguely what would happen if an emergency happened to erupt during the service. He almost hoped there would be one.
House came in about five minutes before the memorial was due to start. As soon as he saw his boss, Chase realized he hadn't seen the man since before Allison's accident. He wondered where he'd been; playing hooky somewhere more than likely.
The older doctor looked even more intense than usual. His cane hit the floor with a horrible thumping noise, like a heartbeat. He was actually wearing a dark suit, which included a tie, and he'd shaved and apparently gotten a hair cut. At least he was paying Allison the respect she deserved, he thought darkly.
As he watched, House went up to the Cameron family and paid his respects. That, in itself, shocked Chase. It had been the last thing he'd expected, knowing House the way he did. He almost fell out of his chair as Allison's mother reached out and hugged him…and House didn't appear to mind one bit.
Once he was done, House turned to take a seat in the second pew, right behind the family, ignoring Wilson's rather violent motioning from several rows back. He glanced around the chapel; his eyes met Chase's, and there was something in them that made the younger doctor shiver involuntarily.
Then John arrived.
Chase remembered him vividly from his time as a patient there. He looked considerably different; his injuries had completely healed, and he must have had some plastic surgery done to repair the facial wound he'd had. There was an aura of power about him, as if he were some sort of visiting dignitary. He wore all black, and it just made him look all the more distinguished. As he moved, Chase caught a glimpse of the belt around his waist.
It was like the one Allison had worn every once in a while. He didn't understand what their purpose was, but he could guess what they symbolized.
John immediately went to Cameron's family. Up until that moment, Allison's mother had managed to keep her calm; but when he approached, she broke into sobs and hugged him tightly. The Tomorrow Person returned the embrace, whispering something to the woman that seemed to have a quieting effect on her. She pulled away, nodding. Then he shook hands with both Cameron men. He was invited to join them in the front pew, and he accepted.
Chase had always wondered how Allison's family had accepted her powers, and this was proof that they'd been very supportive. It made him happy for her, yet sad at the same time.
The past person to arrive was Danielle. She came into the chapel, making a beeline for the Camerons. She also received a hug from Mrs. Cameron, plus one from Allison's father. She traded a handclasp from Cameron's brother, and nodded to John in greeting. The Tomorrow Person nodded back, and something passed between them that Chase would have missed if he hadn't been looking straight at them. She, too, was wearing the checkerboard-patterned belt.
Danielle then – to Chase's surprise – came and sat next to him.
"'Ello, Docteur Chase," she greeted quietly. "I hope ya don' mind me sittin' wit' ya'll. Don' really know anyone here…'cept da family, o' course."
He didn't believe that for a second, but affirmed that it was indeed fine for her to join him.
Danielle took the assent a step further, by slipping her arm through his. "I don' like these t'ings one bit," she went on. "'Specially when it's a friend o' mine it's bein' held for."
Chase wondered what it was she wanted him to say. He knew she'd never read his mind without permission, and that made him feel a bit better. But her behavior was off just a bit: gone was the woman who'd wept so hard into his shoulder. She'd been replaced by someone who, while she still seemed sad, was also far too calm and collected for a person who'd just lost a dear friend.
The memorial began, with Cuddy making the first remarks. Chase sat back, Danielle leaning lightly against him, and let the words flow over without them actually registering. Nothing was quite adding up, and it was frustrating.
He was seriously wishing he'd made that call last night. After he'd decided to do it, he'd come up with a dozen good reasons not to. Most of them had to do with respecting Allison's privacy, but did that really matter anymore? It wouldn't be like he was blabbing to a complete stranger. What possible difference would it make now?
The memorial seemed unending to him. All he could think of was Allison Cameron, and how she'd died. It had been a useless death, or at least that's how he felt about it. Yes, he'd kept her secret, and had understood the need for her to remain anonymous. But certainly there'd been things she could have done, on the sly, that wouldn't have drawn attention to herself.
Chase glanced toward the front pew, where Allison's family sat. There'd been a time when he'd half-dreamed of someday being included in that family…but that was before he'd realized what a pipedream that had been. That had been when he'd discovered that she'd had feelings for another man.
House.
He'd hated the man, almost to distraction. But he'd come to the conclusion that it didn't do any good. House would be House, and he'd continue on as he always did, and to hell with other people's feelings. And House would always completely disregard Allison's feelings toward him, and hurt her in the process.
It hadn't helped when Chase had realized that House had known her secret. She'd trusted him with who she was. It was incomprehensible to him that she'd ever do such a thing. House wasn't to be trusted, he'd only turn around and betray you in the end.
Chase had hoped one day she'd come to her senses. But she'd died before that had happened.
He kept finding himself drawn back into the proceedings despite his attention being focused firmly inward. He'd been very interested in what House would say; the older doctor had kept it short, but he hadn't skimped on the praise. Chase had actually snorted at that.
"What?" Danielle had asked softly, having heard the small noise.
He'd reassured her that everything was fine. She'd accepted it, settling herself against him once more.
Cuddy had asked him to speak as well, but Chase had felt completely unable to do so. She'd claimed to understand, but hadn't been able to hide her disappointment. What could Chase have said? That she was a good doctor and a pleasure to work with? They hadn't really shared much of a life outside of work, despite him having tried to ask her out a couple of times. He'd only really known her in the context of the hospital.
The one thing he had known, he couldn't share.
Well, there was one person he could tell…shit, why hadn't he made that call?
He was practically the first to leave the chapel. He murmured something inconsequential to his pew-mate, then pushed past her and into the corridor. He just had to get out; the walls had begun to close in on him in the final moments of the service.
This meant he was a witness to what happened afterward.
House had been practically behind him, followed by Wilson. They appeared to be having a rather heated discussion, but Chase couldn't make out what was being said. House shrugged Wilson's hand off his shoulder, then stomped off. The oncologist shook his head, looking upset, but he left in the opposite direction.
House didn't go far. He went about thirty feet down the corridor, leaning against the wall and trying to act casual about it. He ignored people as they moved past; which was fine, because everyone ignored him as well.
He remained like that, until a man walked up to him.
He was in his early thirties, handsome, already balding, and wearing glasses. From where Chase was standing, he could just make out an earring glittering in the overhead lighting. The man was dressed casually, in jeans and a pale green sweater, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. A coat was draped over one arm.
The man spoke to House. The doctor responded with a simple shake of the head. Then they waited together.
Danielle was the next to join the pair. The man put his arm around her shoulders; she rested her own arm about his waist. They looked entirely comfortable with one another, and Chase wondered if they were married. They certainly acted as if they'd been together for a long time.
John appeared to complete the group. To Chase's continued surprise, they stood closely together, speaking quietly. The unknown man seemed to be doing most of the talking; Danielle didn't say much, but she leaned closer to her companion, almost protectively. House looked disgusted, and John simply nodded.
Chase would have given anything to know what was going on over there. Just when did House and John get on speaking terms? How did Danielle fit in? And who was this other man? Was he a Tomorrow Person as well? There was no sign of the telltale belt, but it could have been hidden under the bulky sweater.
He suddenly knew something was going on…something beyond the death of Allison Cameron.
The group broke up, but not before the unknown man reached under the coat draped over his arm, and pulled out one of the belts. This was one slightly different, with a silvery disc attached to it.
He handed the belt to House.
Seeing that belt and House together shook Chase. House couldn't be one of the Tomorrow People as well, could he?
No, that was impossible. Chase knew them, knew their ways. House simply didn't fit into the mold of Homo Superior. Yes, he was intelligent, and highly intuitive, but he was also unscrupulous and uncaring. He was everything the Tomorrow People weren't.
It would have put his mind more at ease if he'd known what the belts actually did. Were they simply a symbol, or more than that?
He vowed, then and there, that he would make that phone call as soon as he could.
Luckily for him, Cuddy had actually insisted that he take the day off.
Chase sat on the sofa in his apartment, nursing a beer he'd thought he'd wanted. It had grown warm in the hour since he'd gotten home.
The phone beckoned him. He should have called ages ago, even before he'd figured out Allison's secret. But when his father had died…well, that had made calling that much more difficult.
The young doctor glanced at his watch, adding the sixteen-hour time difference between Princeton and Sydney. It would make local time there at 7:32 am. Yes, he would be up by then. He'd always been an early riser.
"Damn." Chase slammed the beer bottle down onto the end table, grabbing the receiver from its cradle. It took him a minute to find the number once more; he'd dug around for it the night before, finally discovering it among some old photos. When he'd decided not to call, he'd tucked the crumpled piece of paper under the telephone. Out of sight, out of mind…
The phone on the other end was answered on the second ring. "Hello?"
The voice was still the same, even after so many years. Chase opened his mouth to reply, but found himself tongue-tied.
"Hello?" Now the man sounded puzzled. "Is someone there?"
"Adam?" Chase finally managed to get out.
There was silence on the other end this time, broken up by a little static from the international connection. "Robbie? Is that you?" the voice was incredulous.
"It's me." Once he'd started speaking, it was easier to get the words to come.
"God! It's been forever! How've you been?" Adam asked excitedly. "Are you still at that hospital in New Jersey? I can't believe it's really you!"
Chase found himself grinning under the verbal assault. "Yeah, I'm still in Princeton. And I've been…pretty good." The smile vanished as he came to the reason for the call. "Look, Adam, I know it's been a long time, and I really want to catch up, but this isn't strictly a social call. I…need to talk to you."
"Sure. What's up, cuz? Although I can't say I'm disappointed that something's happened to make you finally break your silence."
"I need to talk to personally. Can you come?"
"Of course I can. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"I'll be waiting."
"I won't be long. And, Robbie?"
"Yeah?"
"It really is good to hear from you. I mean that."
"I know. I feel the same way." He did. It felt wonderful just to hear his cousin's voice once more. They'd been as close as brothers while they were growing up. "I'll see you soon." He cut the connection.
Chase picked up the beer again, taking a swig before realizing it was warm. He made a "yuck" noise, and went into the kitchen to put the coffee on. He needed some. He had the feeling it was going to be a long night.
"Robbie?"
He jumped a bit, even though he'd been expecting that voice. "In here!" he called, pouring water into the coffee maker.
Adam hadn't changed much at all. He'd cut his brown hair even shorter than the last time Chase had seen it, but other than that it was the same old Adam Newman he'd known since he was a kid.
"Hey, cuz!" Adam grabbed him into a bear hug, holding him so tightly Chase could swear his ribs creaked.
"I can't breathe…"
"Sorry." His cousin didn't sound apologetic in the least, but he did let go. He looked into Chase's face closely. "You look like hell, Robbie. What's wrong?"
"Let's go into the living room, okay? Then I'll explain."
Adam followed him, taking a seat on the couch next to Chase. "As I said on the phone, I'm glad you finally called me. I…missed you at Uncle Rowan's funeral."
Chase ground his teeth, recognizing the overture for what it was yet pissed that it was offered. "Look, I don't really want to talk about that. It's…not important." Had he just dismissed his father that casually?
His cousin frowned, but didn't push it, for which Chase was grateful. "You know I'll help in any way I can. It has to be something Earth-shattering for my stubborn cousin to call me."
Chase told him everything. He started at the beginning, when he'd first begun to suspect that Allison Cameron was more than she appeared to be, and how he'd put it all together. He explained to Adam how he'd kept it a secret, even from Allison herself. He even included his feelings for her and of his hiding them.
When he got to her dying, though…that's when he finally broke down, letting out all the pain and rage he'd felt at her passing. A small voice somewhere inside wasn't so sure he was just mourning Allison, but he shut it up ruthlessly.
Adam let him, comforting him as best he could. And when Chase was able to speak once more, he finished with meeting Danielle, and the strange meeting he'd seen after the memorial.
Then he sat back, looking his cousin in the eye. Adam seemed distracted. "What do you think?"
"I think…Robbie, I don't mean to make light of what you've been through, but if what you say is right, and your Allison was a Tomorrow Person, then it doesn't seem possible that she could be dead."
"What the hell are you on about?" Chase demanded hotly.
"Take it easy, cuz." Adam held his hands out placatingly. "It's just that, even though I've never met her, and I don't really associate with her branch of the "family" tree, I would have sensed her passing. That is, if she were really one of my people…"