Last Christmas- Chapter 12

The Funeral

"........ok, so I already had this typed out, but darn wordpad erased it!! so here it is a second time!! grr.......and I know I already did reflections w/ the team, but the voice inside my head told me to do them again. Please R&R"

It was early morning when it happened. Chase was still sleeping with House when he passed away. When House woke up, he whispered Chase's name, only to find that he wasn't breathing anymore. House got out of his bed, and wiped the silent tears from his eyes.

Wilson stood next to House as they watched the nurses prepping Chase for the morgue. The nurse told them that they could visit him one last time before he was put down in the morgue until the funeral. House nodded, and the nurses left the room.

Dr. Allison Cameron looked down at Chase's cold, dead body. She sniffled back tears as she took in how inhuman he looked. His skin was pale blue, and cold. Bruises and scars filled his body. His hair was tussled and knotty. "I'll miss you Chase." she said through her tears in a whisper. She took off her necklace, and placed it in his cold hand. She jumped at the icy touch, and quickly backed away. Cameron gave him one last look, and then left the room.

Dr. Eric Foreman stared at Chase's dead body- unsure of what to say. Instead of words, he offered his colleague a silence in honor of his life. He looked blankly at the dead body, but not for long. "Rest in peace." he said as his final words before leaving once again.

Dr. Lisa Cuddy cried as she thought about the death of a great doctor. Chase- no matter how much he was like House- would be a horrible loss to the hospital. She thought about what his death might do to House, who for some reason or another, had taken a liking to the Australian doctor. Cuddy approached Chase's corpse, and lightly stroked his hair. She absent-mindedness wiped away tears, and finally left Chase to a peaceful silence.

Dr. James Wilson and Dr. Greg House came in together. Wilson looked back from Chase to House- seeing the sadness in his friend's eyes. House walked over to Chase, and caressed his cheek. Tears silently flowed from his eyes, and Wilson frowned. He hated seeing his best friend in this sad state. House bent down to Chase's ear, and whispered, "I love you-forever." When he walked over to Wilson, Wilson put a hand on House's shoulder. Together, they walked out of Chase's room- knowing that House's son would never be able to live again.....

House was in a daze. He couldn't think at all. His mind had put a think fog over itself to shield it from the hurt that it felt. His son was dead- but his mind wouldn't allow him to comprehend that yet. House didn't feel like he was living any more- just going through life by watching the world, but not understanding what was going on around him. So House just stared off into space as he let his mind slowly rot his life away............

The days that followed were filled with sorrow and pain. No one at the hospital talked if it wasn't necessary. No one laughed or smiled. All they did was their job, and after that go home and sulk. That wasn't how Chase would want it to go- House knew. But he also knew that it was the only way they could deal with his death. House-like everyone else, did his work unthrilled and unhappy. He would even talk to the patent if it meant that he would be able to leave work faster. He stopped being sarcastic, finding that all it did was waste valuable time.

During lunch, Wilson would stop by to help House plan Chase's funeral- which was tomorrow night. It was going to be simple- like Chase had always preferred. Black coffin, regular headstone, family and friends were invited, and a simple reception. Nothing too extravagant.

Wilson looked at his friend, and could see that he needed someone to be with him tonight. Tomorrow would be the funeral, and he would need help getting himself together for it. "Stay at my place tonight." Wilson said. House nodded.

"Alright." he nodded. "See you at six." With that, House left the room.........

House bunked out on Wilson's couch-despite complaining that the guest should get the bed. Wilson chuckled- realizing that what he said would be something the old House would say. "Night." Wilson called out.

"Night, mom." House teased. With that, Wilson shook his head disapprovingly and went to bed.

House stared at the ceiling- unable to sleep. He thought about when he took Chase to the bar and talked. He thought about the moment April died, and how devastated Chase was. He thought about Isabelle, and how Chase loved her. He thought about what his fake father had done to Chase the day of his wedding. He thought about the moment he realized he was dying of the same disease that took Rowan. He thought about Chase's last words to him- I love you. House wiped away empty tear drops as he tried not to think period.

But his mind still strayed to thoughts of Chase. He wondered if Chase was in a better place now, and hoped that he was. Chase didn't deserve to burn in hell- he deserved to be with the angels. Although House was still skeptic about the afterlife, he hoped that it existed – even if just for Chase........his son.

After a few hours of crying and thinking of Chase, House found himself drifting off into sleep. That night, House had literally cried himself to sleep..........

Wilson woke up in the morning as the rain beat against his windows. He got off his bed wobbly, and headed to his bathroom. He washed his hands after that, and went to check on House. As he entered his small living room, his heart fell as he took in the site of his strong, sarcastic friend. He was crying- openly crying in his very own living room. Wilson rushed up to House's side, and put an arm around him. House let himself cry on Wilson's shoulder-sobbing uncontrollably. Wilson wrapped his arms around his friend, and tried to comfort him.

"My son is dead. Chase is dead!" House cried.

Wilson frowned as he felt House's tears soak through his shirt. He didn't know what to say-House had never done this before, and it wasn't something that Wilson was used to. "I'm sorry, House. You don't KNOW how sorry I am." Wilson whispered. But House didn't say anything. He just simply cried until his tears came up dry.

"House? Are you okay?" House nodded.

"Yeah...I just.....I just need to get ready for the funeral. '' he answered. House got up from the couch, and went to the bathroom.

He washed his face, and tried to push back tears that were forming in his eyes. He took the suit that was hanging up behind the door, and quickly put it on. He stared at himself in the mirror. He looked like a mess. His hair was tussled, his eyes were red and puffy, and he generally looked like a mess. House splashed water on his face, and wiped away the sink water with a towel hanging up to his right. He combed his hair, and took a deep breath.

He was as ready as he would be..............

Wilson and House stood in the back of the funeral service as the preacher talked about life and death, and that Chase was young, and how it was his time to pass.

Cuddy, Foreman, Cameron, and a few other doctor's from the hospital sat three rows ahead of them. To their right, a few Chase's friends from Australia stood-wiping away tears.

Even if Rowan was still alive, he doubted that he would've came. This wasn't the type of scene he came to- no matter who they were burying forever more.

Chase's step mom didn't come-which was no shock to anyone there. She wasn't the type of person who cared enough to travel away from their home to attend a funeral. And besides, it was no secret that she never gave a damn about Chase.

Early that morning, it had started to rain. By now, it was pouring. The clouds were dark, and thunder and lightning interrupted the service periodically. House wished that it wasn't so dark out knowing that Chase had always enjoyed the sun more than rain. As the service went on, the temperature dropped considerably, and House feared that it might snow. The day started off at a nice 50 F, and was dropping well below 30 F now.

House watched as the line of people made their way up and about to the coffin. When it was House's turn, he instantly paled, and pushed back tears. He looked into the opened casket only to see his son lying down- dead and pale. He wiped away the tears that now streamed down his cheeks, and jumped when Wilson put a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry." Wilson mumbled. House and Wilson's eyes met a few seconds. House could see that Wilson had been crying,too. They both looked back down at Chase- who wore a black suit, crazy purple polka-dotted tie, and a purple shirt. House had picked out the tie for his son to wear himself- knowing that it was one of Chase's favorites because Isabelle had always liked purple, and April had been crazy. House took a deep breath, and slowly walked away from the casket-using his cane and Wilson to keep him from falling over and breaking down right there.

After the service, people exchanged words like 'he was so full of life' and ' he lived life to the fullest.' At one point, someone had asked him if he was going to say any last words to his son-which many people still didn't know about due to the lack of chatter amongst the hospital employees. House shook his head no, and said that he already had. Despite the questioning look from the male nurse, House walked away after that. House told Wilson that he needed to get out of there, and Wilson agreed. Together, the two men walked out of the funeral, and pushed passed the rain and thunder as they headed off to their next destination..........

House had asked Wilson if he could drive, and for once, Wilson let him. They drove in silence as House pulled up to the same bar he had taken Chase to. Wilson looked around curiously, and House got out of the car. Reluctantly, Wilson followed. They entered the bar, and sat at the two same seats that Chase and House had months before all this happened. They both ordered a drink, and quietly drank together. It was Wilson who broke the silence a few minutes later. "Is this where you took Chase?" House nodded.

"Yup- same seats and everything." House said as he slammed his glass down-already asking for another one. House took off his suit coat, and hung it on the back of his chair.

"Why are we here,then? I just.........I just thought you'd want as far away as possible from this place." Wilson asked.

"I'm going to have to get over this- one way or another. I just figure, that if I can't deal with being in a place where sat sat down and talked together, then I won't be able to work with my team again." House slurred-slightly drunk. Wilson nodded- almost seeing the logic in House's sentence.

"I guess you're right." Wilson mumbled. House nodded, and they drank in unison. After House's statement, a dreary silence engulfed the two friends. After about 20 minutes, House had had enough. He got up, and walked out of the bar-with Wilson right at his heels. As soon as they got outside, House's jaw dropped, and Wilson gawked amazingly at the sky.

"Unbelievable. " Wilson mumbled. House said nothing in response,though. He just stared up at the sky- keeping his mouth shut. If this wasn't a sign, then House had no clue what was. Above them, tiny little white flakes fell in random patterns- soon digesting the whole sky above them in white. Below, the snow had stuck, and coated the dirty, old cement.

"Do you think..............?" Wilson finally said looking at House. House nodded in response.

"Chase." he whispered as snow covered is hair. Wilson nodded- agreeing.

Suddenly, House turned his head curiously. He could've swore he had heard.......

"Do you hear that too?" Wilson asked.

"Yeah." House mumbled.

"....................Have yourself a.................merry little Christmas/. May your days be bright........."

Wilson and House shared a shocked, emotion-filled look, but dropped their eyes as the snow began to pick up- meaning a drop in temperature.

"We should get going." Wilson said with sympathy for House. He knew how emotional this had to be for him, and he knew how badly he wanted to cry.

"Yeah. Let's go." House said. "Just give me a minute- I'll meet you in the car." Wilson nodded- getting the hit. Once Wilson left, House wiped a tear from his eye. He examined the snow, and his thoughts went to one thing..........

Chase.

He looked up at the sky, and closed his eyes- letting the snow pour over his face. He let the tears stream down his eyes freely, and didn't even try to suppress them any longer.

"Merry Christmas Chase, Merry Christmas...................."

"................aw..........how sad!!!! it took me a while 2 write this one!!! and ty 4 all the reviews!!! epilouge up asap, and will take place 2 years later. Please R&R!"