Chapter Five: Wide Awake
"Doctor Chase!"
Chase looked behind him to see their most current patient girlfriend following him.
"I'm not sure scaring your boyfriend is the best medicine for him right now," he told her tiredly. He'd had another fight with Emma and he wasn't in the mood to listen to this girl and have her emotionally throw up on him.
"I know. I get stupid when I'm scared."
"Don't go rock climbing."
"Look I was wondering before this happened we were having sex and…"
"What? You're wondering whatever he has you might have gotten it. It's unlikely. We ran a complete STD panel," he said, trying to finish the conversation as quickly as possible.
"No, I'm wondering if maybe I did this to him. I was kind of rough," she said nervously.
Chase nodded his head, "Listen, I was once his age and I promise you twenty-two year old men don't die from sex."
"Are you sure?"
"My wife didn't kill me and you're not going to kill Brandon from rough sex. Just don't scare him anymore," he told her before walking away.
"It's got to be viral," Forman said, "We should start running gels."
"Maybe we should look into the girlfriend's theory. She thinks she rode him to death."
Foreman chuckled, "What'd you tell her?"
"I told her my wife didn't kill me and that twenty-two year old men don't die from sex," Chase laughed.
Cameron turned around, "What'd you ask her?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I hope you got some specifics on exactly what was going on. If the girl thinks it could kill you, it's worth knowing about."
Chase raised his eyebrows, "I was a little busy trying not to think about what it was like being twenty-two again. Marriage was like an all access pass to all the sex I wanted."
Cameron turned around blushing as Foreman chuckled.
"You think this kid has two conditions that are rare and that he contracted at the same time," Emma said slowly as she looked at House and his team.
"I get paid the big bucks to think outside the box," House said.
"You don't even know where the box is," she snapped. "I'm going to go talk to Cuddy. Don't kill the patient."
House watched her leave and looked at his team, "Cameron, you go start the kid's meds. Chase and Foreman do whatever it is you two do."
They left and once they reached Brandon's floor, Chase and Foreman stopped at the nurse's station.
"You're still fighting?"
Chase looked at Foreman, "What?"
"You and Emma. It's like when you two are in a room together the temperature drops ten degrees."
"Fine, yes. We got into a fight over the dishwasher last night," Chase grunted. "Happy?"
"The dishwasher?"
Cameron stepped back out of the room and they quickly followed her.
"You tell the family House's theory?" Chase asked curiously.
"Two odd conditions striking coincidently at the same time," Foreman said, shaking his head.
"I didn't phrase it quite like that," Cameron mumbled.
"They agree to treatment?"
"Of course they did, we're doctors, Chase. They believe whatever we tell them. So, is that our job? House's puppets? He comes up with an insane idea and we pretend it's not," Foreman asked sarcastically.
"His insane ideas are usually right, we've been here long enough to know that," Cameron defended.
"We've been here long enough to have Stockholm syndrome."
"What because we don't hate him. He thinks outside the box, what's wrong with that?" Chase laughed.
"Your wife was right when she said that the House has no box. I'm going to run jells for viral infections. If you think he's right, go home and sleep," Foreman said before walking off to the lab.
"Are you going?" Cameron asked.
"I'm not going home if that's what you're asking," Chase said with a smile. "Emma and I will just get into it and I'd rather spend my time enjoying myself than fighting with her."
Cameron smiled back and walked past him to the lab.
"She's weird," Chase said out loud later in the evening.
"That's a bad idea," Foreman said as they stood in the lab, "You're married."
"What?"
"Bad idea," Foreman repeated.
"Is there a weird term for sexy? I just said she's weird," Chase defended.
"You don't think she's hot?" Foreman asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No."
"Now, you're weird."
"Obviously, the girl is hot. You're not talking about her looks you're talking about if I wanna jump her. I don't," Chase protested.
"You're lying. It's a bad idea. You're married."
"I'm not going to do her," Chase said, checking his test.
"You can't look at her without thinking sex," Foreman accused. "Listen, man, I'm only gonna tell you this once. Don't do it. You'll make work uncomfortable and it will ruin your marriage."
"I've been married for nearly eleven years. I don't really need advice. I'm not going to sleep with her. We're friends and colleagues. That's it."
The machine beeped.
"You're tests done," Foreman said, not buying one word Chase said.
Emma looked up at the ceiling fan that circled above their bed. She didn't have to be at work till noon but she couldn't sleep. She was still angry at Chase for snapping at her the days before and the constant moodiness she'd been getting. Nothing she did anymore seemed to make him happy. He'd yelled at her for not unloading the dishwasher on time and letting it sit out overnight. It had turned into a screaming match between them. He'd left and she'd cried herself to sleep. She had avoided him yesterday and he hadn't come home. Maybe some nurse would chew his ass out and fix him. She was tired of it. Getting up out of bed and looking at the clock. It was barely after nine.
Living with him was reminding her of a period of life she thought was over; it was just like when he was in med school and doing his residency. He wasn't cranky and exhausted because of only getting four hours of sleep each night. That she could understand and forgive but right now she had no idea what kind of sharp object was in his paw. She knew she could figure out his schedule and the shifts he worked just avoided him.
It paid off to have the dean of medicine as your best friend. Cuddy sometimes told her the schedules in advance so she could deal with Chase accordingly. She zipped up the back of a tight black dress and took a glance in the full length mirror in their bedroom and frowned.
Her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail and her legs looked long in the dress that hit her knees and the black pumps she wore with it. She wore minimal makeup but had her signature red lipstick on. Grabbing her sunglasses, coat and purse, she closed her front door and locked it on the way out.
Emma was ashamed to say that she was gleeful that he'd been he was already at work and the condo was silent. Being around him was like walking on eggshells and she honestly hoped that he wasn't going to be bitchy on their date with the Wilsons. Walking into work an hour later she ran into Wilson in the lobby.
"I'm assuming House didn't murder his patient last night," she said pushing her sunglasses up her head.
"He's improving. The treatment was working when I checked on him. House's team is still convinced that it can't be two conditions and they've been running tests all night."
"Not only do I have a bitchy husband to see, but also two other sleep deprived people. Wonderful."
They stepped into the elevator and Wilson smiled, "We're still on for this date night thing, right?"
Stepping off the elevator on the third floor, Emma saw Cameron and Chase talking in the conference room. She wasn't sure what about the situation, but just the fact that they were standing close enough to kiss made Emma's stomach churn.
"Yeah, I think so," she replied, taking a sip of the coffee she'd picked up on the way in.
"You know he's not interested in her?" Wilson said. "Chase had a conversation with a patient about her boyfriend being sick. The girl thinks that she rode him into being close to death. You don't die at twenty-two from sex. They're probably just laughing about it."
Emma stopped at the conference room door and looked at Wilson with a raised eyebrow, "Rode him to death? At least she's probably getting more than I did at that age. Robert wasn't exactly around much."
"Don't kill him yet," Wilson said. "He's just going through a rough patch."
"I'm not going to," Emma grounded out. "I don't know what happened but ever since I asked him about taking that patient on the roof I've been getting the cold shoulder."
"Yes, men can be complicated creatures just like women are. Welcome to the other side of the tracks," Wilson said with a smile.
Emma didn't return one and walked into the conference room. The look on Chase's face would have been comical if she'd been in a laughing mood.
"Hey, Emma," Cameron said cheerfully as she picked up an apple.
"Good morning," Emma replied, setting her coffee and purse down on the conference table. She took off her coat and moved to hang it up in House's office. Just as she was about to enter, House stepped in her way.
"Don't you look just peachy?"
"I heard you've been jerking Cuddy around in the clinic. Has that been fun?" she taunted back.
"Oh, I just live for it," he said sarcastically and held out a hand to Foreman who had just walked in. "White count, isn't up?"
Emma rolled her eyes and as she tried to pass House he moved the same direction.
"We were both wrong," Foreman said. Emma used House's shock to slip past him and enter the office. She watched as Foreman said something and suddenly the whole team had left.
"So what kind of sex can kill you?" House said standing in between the rooms. "I doubt Chase's body is mature enough to hold an erection, but you can take a stab at it if you want."
Emma rolled her eyes, "Chase's body works just fine. Thanks for your concern, though. Besides, this guy is twenty-something. Twenty year old men don't die from sex, they live for it. Sex isn't killing him."
"All twenty-something years old men like having kinky sexually active lives including Chase I'd bet," House mocked. "I highly doubt sex did this but just incase-"
"Chase and I have a perfectly fine sex life if that's what you're asking. I have enough issues on my plate and having to talk about sex and what kind could kill you isn't on it at the moment. Unless his girlfriend seems like the dominatrix, and he likes getting candle wax poured over his scrotum every night, this conversation is useless," she said walking into the conference room to refill her coffee.
"And you would know about this?" House asked as she picked up her Starbuck cup and refilled it.
"I'm just saying that if he was into the really kinky stuff it might involve choking him or hurting himself and that's the only kind of sex that could possible kill you like I think you referring to. Our next door neighbor likes to be burned. It makes for an interesting conversation start," Emma replied, sounding bored. She took a sip and cough, "Robert made the coffee. God it's bad."
She grabbed a few packs of sweetener and sat down at the conference room table. She choked down another gulp of the bitter coffee as House sat at the other end of the table and twirled his cane.
"So your neighbor liked to be burned?" House said with a smile. "Cool."
"Don't you have clinic duty to do?" Emma asked, reaching for her phone. "I'm sure Cuddy would love to know exactly where your hiding spots are."
"Don't you dare," he said standing up.
"You don't think he's into her?" Emma panted as she and Cuddy ran on the treadmill at the gym both had a membership for the winter months that evening.
"You're being paranoid," Cuddy said. "I know that you and he are having a rough time, but he's not going to go off and sleep with Cameron."
"There was just something about the way he was looking at her. I can't explain it. He looked like he was going to jump at the chance to say or do something when I walked in."
"Sweetie, I love you. You're going to go crazy if you're theorizing about him and Cameron. Just talk to him about it."
"Lisa, he's already pissed at me for everything. I'm waiting for him to blame me for the state of the economy next. I don't think that the best thing would be for me to ask him if he's having an affair or thinking about having one," Emma said.
"Just don't start hacking his email and checking his phone obsessively."
"I don't even know what the passcode is. Should I have asked? I thought that by not asking I was showing him that I trusted him."
"Have House hack it," Cuddy grunted. "He needs something to do. Between you and me, I love this game we play, but it's driving me nuts. I need a small vacation."
"Join the club," Emma panted as the treadmill slowed once she hit the six mile mark. "I just don't know what to do about this whole bitch complex I've been getting."
"It'll pass. Just give him a little bit more time before you jump into the affair."
"How much time is a little?"
"A few months," Cuddy said before taking some sips of water.
"It was so beautiful," House said to both Emma and Wilson as they sat in his office the next morning, "It was perfect."
"Sorry," Emma said with a shrug.
"This doesn't bother either of you?"
"I try to ignore that you were wrong most of the time," Wilson said. "I also try to work through the pain."
"The cough medicine did something."
"Go do exploratory surgery," Wilson suggested.
"He's got no BP, no immune system and no kidneys. Surgery will kill him."
"What other choice is there?"
"I'll schedule him for surgery," House mumbled.
"I'll go make sure we won't get a wrongful death suit," Emma said standing up.
"Why did the patient crash in prep?" Emma asked, walking into the conference room where Chase, Cameron and Foreman sat eating.
"Does it matter?" Cameron asked, "The family isn't suing."
"Don't jinx it," Emma snapped, "If there is one thing you should know is that law is like playing sports. If you're not prepared you're going to lose and when you're defending someone like House you need all the information you can."
"Talk to Foreman," Chase said, not looking up from the newspaper.
Emma looked at Foreman, "Explain."
"Thanks, Chase," he groaned.
"She won't go away until she's satisfied and I'd like to enjoy my lunch without having her breath down my neck about it," he shrugged.
Emma turned to glare at Chase, "Would you like the couch to sleep on tonight?"
"I'll take it. Gladly."
Foreman stood up and went to House's office. Emma followed him as Chase took a bit of his sandwich.
"That wasn't nice," Cameron said, turning to look at Chase.
"Ratting out Foreman?" he asked, turning the page of the paper.
"Talking to your wife like that wasn't nice."
Chase looked up at her, "If you're going to sit there and lecture me about how to talk to my wife then leave me alone. Besides, Emma is like a bull dog. Nice and gentle till you agitate it and then it becomes stubborn as hell."
"I'm sure your wife loved being compared to a dog."
"She told me I was like a cat when we were younger. Lazy and selfish," he smiled.
"So you're both right," Cameron pronounced as she stood up.
"Marriage is about honesty. I was being honest. You just didn't like that I told her the truth."
"What's the truth?"
Chase shook his head and looked down at the paper again, "That I don't really want to spend time with her."
"I'm going to go talk to House," Cameron said standing up.
Emma walked into the clinic shortly after five o'clock and went to the pharmacy, "I just need a refill on birth control."
House looked up at her from his position on the floor, "You and Chase aren't trying to get pregnant?"
"Not this year," Emma smiled. "Hopefully, soon though. Congratulations on figuring out your case though."
The pharmacist gave her the refill and looked down at House, "Are you done?"
"I'm just trying to figure out my case. It's not closed yet."
"You cured the kid. Good night House," Emma told him. "Try not to get lost in all those bottles."
"You should invite Doctor House," Chase said as he signed paperwork for Brandon.
"Will he come?" Brandon's dad asked.
"No, but he'll send a gift."
"I'll make sure it's a good one," Cameron smiled.
"There's no letter on the back of these pills," Brandon said, pouring one of his cough medicine pills in his hand.
"Your other pills didn't have a letter on them?" Cameron asked curiously.
"Round and yellow but they had no letters."
"Well these will help you cough," Cameron smiled.
Cameron walked and Chase walked backwards with her.
"Hey, you wanna go get drinks later?" he asked.
Cameron smiled and shut the door to Brandon's room, "Tomorrow night?"
"Sure."
She walked away and Chase felt his day brighten.
"Hurry up, we're going to be late," Chase said an hour later as he watched Emma put on the small ballet flats.
"No, we won't," Emma replied as she grabbed her coat and put it on, "The restaurant is twenty minutes away and we agreed to meet the Wilson's in forty minutes."
Did you factor in traffic and finding a spot? Oh let's not forget you having to touch up your hair and makeup and that alone takes twenty minutes," Chase snapped back.
His words stung Emma but she refused to show it, "I don't know what your issue is Robert but it's been over a week. Stop it and grow up."
Grabbing her purse, she marched out of the condo with Chase following her to the car. The drive to the restaurant was tense and silent as both of them tried to ignore the other. Pulling into a parking spot, they exited the car and walked to the restaurant. Emma was trying to mask the hurt feelings she had and not give into the tears she wanted to cry. Did he really think that about her? That she took twenty minutes to fix her hair and makeup? Emma spotted Bonnie at the bar and smiled waving. She gently touched the inside of Chase's elbow and pointed the Wilson's out.
When she'd touched him, electricity flowed through her. It'd been the first time that she'd touched him in over a week and that alone excited her. Chase smiled and shook Wilson's hand and kissed Bonnie's cheek. They found a table and ordered. Wilson and Chase instantly began talking about some medical procedure that had happened and moved off to the bar to get beers. Emma was left with Bonnie who she didn't know very well.
Bonnie was a nice woman but she wasn't very bright and a little on the dull side.
"Evening ladies!" House said sitting down next to Bonnie with a drink, "Fancy seeing you here!"
Emma silently groaned and looked for Chase, "I don't know what you're doing here House but you weren't invited."
House made puppy dog eyes, "I'm so hurt Emma. Next time just kick me in the crotch."
"Your patient, that Brandon kid, was discharged this morning," Emma said, "Did you ever figure out your cough medicine theory?"
"I was right," House told her, "My theory was beautiful."
Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Anyways Emma, I was saying that there is this really pretty house that I know about if you wanted to look at it. It's on Oak and Crestmount Drive."
"I'll have to ask Robert about it later," Emma said uncomfortably. Chase had been so moody lately that she was nervous to tell him anything. She wasn't fond of tipping the scales out of balance any more than they already were.
"You and Chase are buying a house?" House asked as both Chase and Wilson appeared. Chase sat next to Emma and Wilson handed Bonnie a drink before sitting down next to House.
"I don't remember you being on the invite list," Chase said as Emma looked at Bonnie as she took a sip of her Rum and coke. She wondered if Chase had simply forgotten to get her a drink because he'd always gotten them both drinks when they went out. An incident with a bartender years back had made Chase over protective whenever they went to bars and ordered drinks. So, had he just forgotten or had he done it on purpose?
"Yeah about that, Emma called and invited me last minute," House said playing stupid while Chase shot Emma a look and she just shrugged.
"Right, let's blame your loneliness on Emma. You heard me talking about it the other morning with her and that's how you've known about this," Wilson said, "Don't lie."
"Everybody lies. So I hear that you two are buying a house."
"Maybe…"
"No."
Chase and Emma both looked at the other and Emma raised an eyebrow, "I thought we agreed that we'd start looking?"
"We did and now I've changed my mind." Chase said dismissing the subject, "Wilson, tell me more about that surgical operation you were talking about."
House watched Emma as she looked down at the napkin in her lap. She looked hurt and House could understand. She'd been told that there wouldn't be a house and then dismissed by Chase just as easily like she didn't matter.
He suddenly had the urge to kick Chase ass and see how far up his cane could go. Emma was his daughter and deserved the best.
"Chase, why don't you and I switch seats so that Wilson isn't yelling in my ear," House said and Chase agreed not even looking at Emma. Her cheeks were almost red from humiliation and she quickly excused herself to go to the bathroom. Bonny watched her go and Chase ignored the fact she'd left. House silently told himself that a few extra clinic hours wouldn't bother Chase at all.
Emma rode silently in the passenger seat next to Chase who slowed the Lexus to a stop at the red light. They were close to home and she figured if she didn't speak up now she'd never get the chance.
"I thought that we talked about getting a house," she started still hurt and upset that Chase had practically humiliated her at dinner.
"I like where we're at right now," Chase said, "I think it's good. We have everything paid off and why do we need more space at the moment. We're comfortable Emma."
Emma bit her bottom lip, "I thought that we were going to buy a house and start a family Robert or do you not want that anymore?"
Chase took a deep breath, "I do but not right now."
The light turned green and he hit the accelerator gently and the car moved.
"Not right now?" Emma said skeptically, "When would be a good time for you?"
"I don't maybe five years from now Emma," Chase replied, "Why do we need to have a house or kids right now? I thought that you were happy with what we have now. Or is that not enough for you."
Emma closed her eyes, "I am happy with what we have. I just thought that this was all temporary. Our lease is up next summer and I thought that you wanted to look for more finalized residences like a house before then so we don't have to renew and be here for another two years. You said that two months ago and now you're changing your mind?"
Chase pulled the Lexus into the parking spot and looked at Emma with an annoyed expression, "I'm not allowed to change my mind? I'm just not ready. Is it suddenly a crime that I would like to enjoy life a little bit more before having kids or a mortgage to pay?."
He turned off the car and got out of the car with the keys. Something inside Emma snapped. Frustrated anger was coming out as she climbed out of the car and followed him inside, the cool air stinging her cheeks as she felt a tear fall.
"So all those times that you've put off starting a family and giving me excuse after excuse is because you're not ready and you want to enjoy life a bit more?"
Chase opened the door to their second floor condo and walked in, "I don't understand what the big deal is Emma! It's what, five more years?"
Taking a deep breath Emma resisted the urge to cry, "So what I want doesn't matter?"
"Of course it does Emma-"
"I've stood by you while you've fulfilled your dreams. I turned down internships so that you could have the non-paying internships and residencies that you wanted. I worked two full time jobs in university just so that you had enough time to study and do everything that you needed to do to become the best doctor possible. When do I get to have you support my dreams? When will I get my dream of being a mother fulfilled? When do I get my dream of having a house full of children and a backyard Robert? I get denied because you just don't feel like it and want to enjoy your life a little!" Emma yelled angrily.
"Don't be dramatic Emma," Chase said, "I'm certainly not stopping you from your dreams and you were the one who wanted me to be the best I could be as a doctor, remember?"
"I didn't think you'd want to wait till we're in our mid to late thirties to have kids or buy a house or any of those things!"
Chase wasn't sure what made him kiss her in the middle of their fight but couldn't stop it. Their way her breasts were heaving in her black low cut long sleeve shirt turned him on and the fact that she looked sexy as hell with her long hair flowing around her shoulders and down her back while she yelled at him.
Crashing his lips into hers, Chase only paused for a second before her greedy hands were on his neck pulling him closer to her. Emma moaned as Chase cupped a breast and kissed her neck.
"Robert," she gasped as he played with her breast in both hands as he backed her up against the front door. Her hands found his belt and worked on unbuckling it. Chase groaned into her ear as she reached inside his pants and touched him. Her shirt was quickly removed and Chase unhooked the back of her bra letting her breast spill from the black push up. He roughly yanked down on her skirt and matching black panties letting them fall to the ground.
Emma stepped out of them and her shoes and helped pull Chase's shirt off. He kissed her roughly again and it registered in Emma's mind that Robert had never been so forceful with her in the past. A small voice inside her head told her that having angry sex in the middle of a fight wasn't a good idea. But she pushed the voice out of her head as he slid a finger inside her, testing how wet she was.
Emma threw her head back and moaned at the feeling of Chase exploring her as he added a second finger. Her head connected with the door frame but she ignored the pain as he continued to kiss her breast and they touched each other.
It wasn't enough for either of them and they needed more. Chase lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as the door knob connected with her lower back. She moaned in both pleasure and in pain as Chase thrust into her and gave her no choice but to accept the pace that he was setting and the feeling of the door knob in her back. His hands tightened on her hips as he thrust roughly inside her. Emma could tell that he was close and she wasn't. Faking an orgasm, she felt Chase's tense and heard him groan as he climaxed.
He rested his forehead on hers as she panted trying to catch her breath.
"I'm going to go shower." He panted pulling out of her and lowering her to the ground and he walked away down the hall still half dressed.
Emma closed her eyes, replying in her mind what had just happened. She was angrier than before that she'd given in to him instead of trying to fix the situation. If anything, she felt like the growing gap between her and her husband had expanded.
