5 years after the very last episode, Season 8 Episode 22 Everybody Dies.
Rabbit Chase!
The Fire
"Jessica!" Robert Chase hops onto the ambulance that is carrying his fiance.
"Sir! Stay back!" The paramedics restrain Robert Chase as they try to revive Jessica Adams.
It's too late. She is already dead.
As Robert Chase weeps relentlessly, the fire continues burning behind him.
PPTH is no more.
Robert Chase rubs the tears out of his eyes as he replays that fateful night from three years ago.
It had taken Robert and Jessica about a year after House's death to finally admit their feelings for each other.
They had a wonderful relationship and a sweeter engagement.
Jessica Adams was his whole world and they were going to have a beautiful life together. And then the fire happened.
"It was intentional." The officer tells Foreman.
"What!" Chase runs up, his eyes still red and swollen.
"This is the suspect." The officer shows a picture.
"Allison!" Chase stammers at the picture of his ex wife, Cameron.
He clenches his fist. How could she? She should have moved on like he had but she was always incapable of letting go.
Robert Chase shakes his head as he heads downstairs for clinic duty.
Clinic
"And the piglet ate his pie and lived happily ever after." Moira Parker shuts the book and hugs her son.
"Hahaha!" The little boy laughs and Moira falters.
His smile, he looks exactly like his father. The dark blonde hair, gorgeous emerald eyes, handsome face. He's going to grow up to be a heartbreaker, just like his dad.
Moira and little Robert have a happy life together. That four-year-old is her entire world and they have everything they need.
Well, not financially.
She's obviously a single mom, some part time jobs, small apartment, barely making it through. Little Robert is too young to realize that he could have more but when he does get older, he's going to ask questions and Moira isn't ready for that.
It's her fault that little Robert will never know his father and he can't, for his father's sake. It would destroy him to know that he always had a son out there.
If she had stayed with Robert all those years ago. If she hadn't gone back to the convent and become a nun, they'd be a happy family. He loved her and she loved him back. She was happy to have known him and they should have been together.
Robert Chase resists temptation and walks away. He wants to chase after Moira, kiss her, hug her, be with her, but he can't. She wants to move on.
She doesn't love him and perhaps he doesn't actually love her.
But if he had been with Moira instead, they could have moved away together, started a new life.
Then Jessica would still be alive, or maybe Moira would just be dead.
Allison would have done anything.
Allison, she is probably looking up now.
"Did you find her?" Chase asks.
The officer bows his head. "We couldn't take her in alive. We will need you to identify the body."
Chase nods solemnly. That is what she deserved.
He feels nothing for Allison anymore.
All of that goodwill is gone and it will never be Tuesday again.
"Hello." Moira answers the phone.
Little Robert claps his hands to get his mother's attention and she ruffles his hair but she's still distracted.
Chase quit medicine for a year and moved to Australia. Still sometimes contacts Foreman, who is now in California.
After that year-long break, Chase decided to return to the states. A Wisconsin hospital was hiring and Chase took the job.
He's been here for two years now. Technically, Chase doesn't even need to work because he has more than enough money to last.
His sister, who died of cancer last year, left him some money, including their father's inheritance money, consisting of his share, which she had stolen in secret.
And Jessica left Robert her entire inheritance.
Despite this, he chooses to work because it is his only escape.
"Hi." Nurse Lana smiles as Dr. Chase enters the clinic. She's always had a crush on him. All the women in the hospital have but he never shows any interest and he turns down every woman who asks.
"Hi." Dr. Chase frowns as he sees the little boy sitting there alone.
"His mother had to run out and get some work done. She is a single mom, apparently struggling." Lana says. "She will be back in a few hours. I can take him to the daycare center upstairs when you are done."
They do have a nice childcare facility built into the hospital, actually free for employees and patients.
Chase nods and then takes a good look at the kid.
He frowns.
Little Robert smiles up at his doctor as he tosses his blocks around.
"Hi." Little Robert waves.
"Hi." Chase smiles quizzically. This little kid has his eyes and his hair, so weird. "Let's start your checkup."
Forehouse
"Dean Foreman."
Foreman raises his head slowly and his lips curl into a smile as he sees who it is.
"Miss me?" House smirks.
"I knew you were not dead." Foreman laughs.
"Technically I am." House shrugs.
"So…" Foreman wonders.
"Wilson died." House lowers his head. "I have been living with my mom and Dominika."
Foreman is pleased. "Good for you."
"Why don't we go to lunch." House suggests.
"So be it!" Foreman leads the way.
"And I killed Thirteen last year!" House adds.
Clinic Kids
"Well, all healthy." Chase hands the kid a piece of candy.
"Thank you." The kid stretches out his arms.
Chase hugs him and an odd chilling sensation passes through his spine. He's interacted with kids in the clinic before but this one feels so different.
Why?
Chase pulls back quickly. "Eat your candy and then I will lead you to the daycare."
The kid begins to put the candy in and then his blue eyes go berserk as he spits the candy out and begins choking.
"Oh no!" Chase catches little Robert before he falls.
Little Robert wakes up in a hospital bed and his eyes flutter open to see that doctor who was helping him.
"You fainted little guy." Chase pats his arm. "Sorry. My fault. I should have seen your strawberry allergy in the charts."
Little Robert motions to the water and Chase pours him a glass.
"You know, I am allergic to strawberries too." Chase raises an eyebrow at the striking similarity. What a coincidence!
"You faint?" Little Robert asks.
"Yes." Chase smiles. "One time, at my bache…"
He cuts himself off. The story of him licking a stiper at his bachelor party is not appropriate for a four year old boy.
That party, it was supposed to symbolize everything that he would be giving up for Allison. So much for that! She ended up taking everything from him!
Speaking of stripers, Karamel, friend of Wilson.
And that party was in Wilson's house.
Wilson, he is definitely dead by now. No one ever heard from him after House's death, after his angry outburst at the funeral.
Poor Wilson.
Chase should have been there for him but he was too busy starting his job as the new House.
Opportunities lost.
Wilson, Jessica and House, people he will never see again.
His thought process is interrupted when the small kid throws up on the floor.
"It's okay." Chase wraps his arm around the crying kid.
Again! That tingle! There is something special about this kid.
Work and Lunch
Moira packs up and gets ready to leave when she receives another call from her other job. She reluctantly takes it.
If she doesn't muster up all the money she can, she and little Robert will be in trouble.
It has been a while since she has seen him but he will be glad to see her.
At least that is what she thinks.
Her only hope.
He has to be happy to see her.
Allison Cameron drops the flowers when she sees them kissing.
Jessica Adams has her arms looped around Robert Chase and she is practically devouring him.
"Ahem." Allison clears her throat.
"Allison." Robert frowns. "What are you…?"
"Wow! So Cameron burned it all down!" House almost chokes on his food. He'd heard about PPTH getting lit and that was how he knew to find Foreman here but he did not know that Cameron had been behind it.
"Yep." Foreman nods. "Many casualties."
House sobs for Adams.
"Is Chase okay?" House has to know.
"In Wisconsin." Foreman tells him.
"Mother, Dominika and I have a long trip to Ukraine soon so I will not be able to stop by. Have his number?" House asks.
Foreman gives him the phone and House takes a deep breath before calling.
Phone Call
Chase pulls the blanket over the young kid, who is sleeping quite peacefully in his hospital bed. His face is buried in the pillow and his free arm is wrapped around the stuffed penguin that Chase gave him. There's a happy smile that has formed over his cute face.
"Ring!"
Chase is caught off guard by the sound of his phone.
"Hey Foreman." Chase assumes.
"Hello."
Chase almost drops his phone because it cannot be!
Is he hallucinating?
"It is really me." House confirms. "It is great to hear your voice again. I missed you."
"You too!" Chase chokes up. At least one person that he cares about is alive! "How?"
House explains everything in detail.
"Wow!" Chase stammers.
"I know right!" House laughs and then his laughter subsides. "I know that you have been through a lot."
"Yeah." Chase's throat feels dry. "I...have."
"I am always here for you Chase. One day, we will see each other again." House promises.
"Thanks." Chase replies confusedly because there is no way that this super nice guy is House. Must be an imposter!
The little boy wakes up, sees that he is alone and starts crying.
Chase rushes in and hugs him. "It's okay. I am here."
Little Robert cries into Dr. Chase's shoulder and they hug tightly, both oblivious to the fact that they are father and son.
Play Time
"So you can be Rabbit!" Little Robert hands Chase the bunny. "And I be penguin."
Chase laughs. "Guess I will be Rabbit Chase!"
"And I Robert Penguin." Little Robert beams.
"You know, my name is also Robert." Chase tells him.
"But your name Dr. Chase." Little Robert pokes at the name tag.
"Wow! You know how to read!" Chase is impressed. "That is my last name. My first is Robert. So I am Robert Chase."
"And I am Robert Parker." The boy brags. "My mommy says that my first name is very special to her."
"Sounds like a great mom." Who isn't here but Chase leaves that part out.
He doesn't like to judge families, especially considering the travesty that was his mother, father, sister and first wife. At least this boy's mother is out working.
What kind of a financial situation is she in, to have to work like this?
Chase could go check the files and see if he can donate some money anonymously.
"I win!" The tiny boy's penguin knocks over the rabbit.
"Oh no!" Chase ruffles the boy's hair. "But I want a rematch!"
They play a few more rounds and Chase does manage to win.
The four year old pouts.
"Hey, it is just a game." Chase chuckles.
Then, the little kid jumps onto Chase's lap and throws his arms around him.
A slightly surprised Chase hugs the boy back as he easily melts into his arms.
This feels natural, so natural, too natural. It's the sensation that he felt before and it is not going away.
He could have had a son like this, if Jessica hadn't died and they would've been one happy family.
Chase tightens his embrace and the boy reciprocates the gesture.
It's almost exactly like holding the son that he will never have and he doesn't ever want the moment to end.
"Uh, his mother is here." Nurse Lana gestures.
"Time to go now." Chase ruffles the kid's hair one last time.
"Can I come back and play?" The kid is almost crying.
"Of course." Chase claps his shoulder.
Moira's heart stops when she hears the familiar voice and she almost trips backwards.
It can't be! But it totally can be! This is a hospital and he is a doctor.
As Chase leads little Robert out, he comes face to face with…
"Moira!" Chase's heart flutters and he drops the chart in his hand.
"Robert." Tears roll out of Moira's eyes and down her cheeks as her legs begin to weaken.
"Mommy!" Little Robert jumps into Moira's arms.
Robert Chase's emerald blue eyes flash and widen with shock as he makes the deduction.
Moira weeps.
Old Apartment and Feelings
Little Robert is sleeping in the next room and as he snores, a pleasant little smile passes over his tiny face. He's probably dreaming some really sweet dreams.
Moira gives him a kiss on the forehead before leaving the bedroom to join her guest.
Robert Chase smiles silently as he watches Moira tuck their son in. It comes so naturally for her, as it did to him.
He looks around the apartment uncomfortably because it is a shabby, rundown, practically uninhabitable dump.
"Here." Moira hands him a glass of water, without looking at him directly.
"Thanks." Robert takes it, while also trying to avoid her gaze, too painful, too guilt inducing.
They stand there in awkward silence.
She finally speaks up. "So how have you been?"
Robert is honest. "Not well. My hospital, the one where we met, was burned down by my ex wife (Allison Cameron). My fiance (Jessica Adams) died in that fire. I took a break from medicine and then I moved here after. Back home, my sister died."
"Sorry." Moira whispers as she squeezes his hand, gently but firmly.
The gesture sends a tingle up his spine and his pants tighten as his entire body heats up. She also shivers as she tries to keep her legs afloat.
Being with him is bringing back all of the old feelings and they haven't even had sexx again.
Not yet.
Robert lets go of Moira's hand abruptly and for the first time, they look at each other directly.
Their eyes meet, her almond brown against his emerald blue and they stay deadlocked for what feels like hours.
"Why didn't you come to me? He's my son!" Robert breaks into tears as he shatters the silence.
Moira sobs as she wipes his tears away. "I am sorry! I am sorry Robert! I...I found out that I was pregnant weeks after Season 8 Episode 11 and by then, I was in a Nevada monastery."
Robert wraps his arms around Moira and holds her as she continues to weep.
"I left the nunhood without taking my vows and I considered coming to you but it didn't feel right. You confessed your love to me and I was scared to do the same. I left you even though you were ready to throw everything away for me. I didn't want to ambush you." Moira admits. "And I...I thought that this was a test...to see if I could actually take care of a kid this time. Redemption for the little kid that died on my watch."
"Moira." Robert kisses her forehead.
She presses her body against his and smashes her hand against his chest.
"Moira, if I knew, I would have come to you. I would have given up everything for you." Robert professes. "I love you."
"I love you too." Moira bites on his lip and plunges her tongue up his throat and grips onto his broad shoulders.
Clothes are thrown aside and they go down.
After several climaxes and other things, they come down from their highs.
Moira cuddles into Robert's warmth and kisses his muscular chest as she traces her fingers up his beautiful body. His heartbeat feels so tender against his chiseled chest.
Robert wraps his arm around Moira and smiles. They can be happy forever.