Chase had never liked being a part of his family. There was always a disconnect. An emotional disconnect. He had heard his family say multiple times that they love him. Chase had asked what love was. Mr. Davenport explained it to him. He still didn't understand. Mr. Davenport tried to teach him. Chase was given multiple examples of what one might love. Family, books, T.V. shows, etc. Chase said he liked learning. He said that he liked books. He said he never really saw the humor of T.V. Mr. Davenport asked what Chase felt about him, Bree, and Adam. Chase said that he thought Adam was and idiot, that Bree was weird, and that Mr. Davenport could use some therapy. As and after thought, Chase said that he'd rather have it like that. Chase was 7 when this happened.
Chase was 11 when he heard the phrase 'I love you' again. It had come from Bree after Chase had passed out because he forgotten to eat for three days. She said that she loves him and didn't want to lose him, so she often reminded him to eat when he forgot. Chase was confused, worry for one meant that he loved them? He had asked Mr. Davenport. The father figure had smiled and told him that worry was a part of love. Chase had asked what other things were, but Mr. Davenport had said that Chase needed to experience love to understand it. To this day, Bree still has to remind Chase to eat. That was another concept that Chase had yet to understand.
The third time was when Adam found Chase crying in his capsule. Adam had asked what was wrong. Chase said it was none of his business. Adam kept pushing, saying that he was concerned for Chase and that he loves him. Chase asked what the difference between concern and worry. Adam said that worry was something you felt for someone all the time, and concern was something you felt more in the moment. Chase thought for a second. Concern and worry are two things that are a part of. Good to know. Adam asks why Chase was crying again. Chase refuses to say and leaves Adam to go ask Mr. Davenport what other emotions besides worry and concern are a part of love. Mr. Davenport said that he had to find out. Chase had been 13.
Chase had given up on trying to figure what love was. He was almost able to understand every other emotion, but love was still puzzling him. He had walked past Tasha and Mr. Davenport's bedroom and he heard them talking to each other. He heard the two saying how happy they were together and how much they loved each other. Happiness was another emotion of love. The next day, he heard Tasha and Mr. Davenport fighting. Tasha had started crying and said that she was furious with him. Mr. Davenport just tried to calmly explain himself, for whatever had happened. Tasha said she loved him and he didn't want anything that was happening to happen, and Mr. Davenport had responded with the fact that love meant stretching yourself, and that he would do his best to not do whatever he had planned. Happiness, anger, and... Pain? was all something you felt with love. Chase was 16 and he still didn't understand.
Chase was 17 and he decided that love was impossible. He decided that love wasn't even an emotion, but it was just a bunch of emotions that someone felt for someone else. He had almost mastered every other emotion, and knew how they felt. Except love. He didn't feel a lot of emotions for other people, but he still figured he would have felt love if it was an emotion in itself. He heard Adam and Bree talking to each other. They were saying they were worried about Chase and how he's been acting these past few years. Chase found himself unable to control the fact that he didn't want them to worry about him. He figured it was just guilt. Damn his stupid emotion.
Chase was 19 when Giselle had ordered his capture and torture for the secrets to his bionics. It was during his first torture session that he realized he was feeling a different emotion than what he normally knew. He was worried about his family and concerned about all that bionic kids, but it felt different. It felt like a painful bliss. It felt like a guilty happiness. it felt like many of his emotions, yet it felt like none of them. At the time, he told himself he was just feeling random things because of the torture, but after he got out, he thought back on it, and realized that he was still feeling those things. The only thing his mind could come with was love. And when he told Adam he loved him back, it felt right. Maybe he finally figured out what love was. Especially after hearing Adam say it as he thought Chase was dead.
Chase is 26, now. He is a father and a husband. He is mostly in control of Davenport Industries, and he's finally figured out that he's loved all his life. He figured out that he didn't want to believe in love, so he had pushed it back. He realized that the only reason it took him forever was because of fear. That was the only other emotion he had pushed back without realizing. Was that confusing? Was it confusing how he pushed back an emotion with another emotion, and he didn't even realize that he had pushed back both? Chase din't dwell on it. He is now completely in touch with his emotions, and the only time he pushes them back is for the people he loves. He figures out that he pushes back more emotions for his family than he did before. It makes him feel angry, but he pushes it back. He loves his family, so what is the sacrifice of his emotions actually worth? They would love him either way, right? He decides he doesn't want to find out. He pushes back his negative feelings, knowing that he's going to have to keep them in check as he talks to his family. Even if they insult him, belittle him, and make it seem like he's worth nothing, they still love him, and he loves them. His emotions don't matter, their's do. He learned that the hard way. But that didn't matter, pain was something everyone felt when they loved someone else. That was the only way for him to know that he did love them and that he wasn't a robot like they said he was. Chase is fine with the way he's treated, he has to be because he loves his family and his family loves him back. It's nice to feel love, even though he sometimes thought he was imagining it. But he pushed the pain and sorrow and anger back, he made sure the only thing he felt was happiness and love, it was the only way he was able to feel someone love him back.