A/N: So I realized how pathetically short the last chapter was, so I decided to post two to make up for it. Tell me you love me!! (Sorry, didn't mean to get all needy)

Chapter 23

"So when do we get to meet Rae?" Nichelle asked as she, Marcus and Foreman sat in the living room of Foreman's apartment. Nichelle had just put the two kids to bed in Foreman's guest room and joined her husband and brother-in-law for a cup of coffee.

"We broke up," Foreman said flatly.

"Oh Eric, I'm so sorry," Nichelle said. "I know you really cared about her."

"Yeah, well. I guess caring about her just wasn't enough," Foreman said bitterly, as he recalled Rae's parting words to him. You'll never love me as much as you love your job, and I just can't accept that.

"Hey, little bro, don't worry about it. As soon as you get married, it's all chores and nagging anyway," Marcus said, shooting a mischievous glance in Nichelle's direction.

"I'll remember you said that," Nichelle warned. Marcus grinned, as did Foreman.

"So tell us about work," Nichelle inquired, hoping to redirect the conversation to a more pleasant topic. "What about the new doctor that House hired, the British guy?"

Foreman rolled and his eyes and recounted the story of their kiss and the resulting Chase/Price kiss to Marcus and Nichelle. By the time he was through, all three were laughing hysterically. The rest of the night was spent regaling Nichelle with stories of their escapades in early childhood. When all and sundry finally went to bed, Foreman felt better than he had in days.

As he lay down to sleep, he lamented the fact that all his family lived so far away. It wasn't so far you couldn't drive, just far enough that you had to stay overnight. Neither Foreman nor Marcus and Nichelle could easily make that trip regularly. Foreman let his mind wander and found himself thinking of his fellowship renewal, which was coming up in the summer. Just as he drifted off, Foreman wondered if maybe he and his family couldn't see each other more.

"Mikki, please stop," Chase pleaded. Jasper ignored his protests and continued kissing the side of his neck, letting her hand graze lightly over his chest and drift slowly down his abdomen. She felt him quietly surrendering, but when her hand slid beneath the waistband of his flannel pants he grabbed her arm and flung it away while leaping out of bed. "Mikki, don't!"

"Rob, what is wrong with you?" Jasper asked.

"I can't do this here," Chase said, indicating his surroundings.

"It's a bedroom," Jasper replied, confused. She wasn't following him.

"Mikki, this is not just a bedroom. This is your bedroom in your parents' house. Your entire family is sleeping in every room around us," Chase said.

"So?" Jasper asked. Chase sighed in frustration. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, but this was just too weird.

"Look, I know you feel comfortable here," Chase said as he sat on the bed beside her. "You grew up here. But I just met you parents and your five extremely large brothers and I just don't feel comfortable having sex in their house."

"I'm sorry," Jasper said softly. "I didn't really think about that. I guess I forget sometimes how intimidating they all can be." Chase agreed with that wholeheartedly.

A knock at the door interrupted their discussion and when three of Jasper's five brothers entered without waiting for permission Chase was doubly glad he'd stopped her when he did.

"Hey munchkin," Dan greeted Jasper. "Just making sure you guys are all settled in."

"We're fine Dan," Jasper replied. She knew that's not what they were doing and she was frankly a little annoyed with them.

"Yeah, just checking up on you," Matt explained.

"Making sure you have everything you need," Drake stressed.

"We have everything we need, we're all settled and I haven't needed checking up on since I was eleven," Jasper said.

"No need to get snippy, Michael," Andrew said as he joined his brothers from the hall. "They're just trying to make sure our guest is comfortable."

"But not too comfortable," Josh interjected, forcing his way into the now extremely crowded bedroom. Chase hadn't needed a reminder of just how large these guys were, but they seemed to think he might. Cramming themselves into Jasper's bedroom and standing shoulder to shoulder was certainly a useful visual aid.

"You boys get out of there and stop pestering Robert and Mikki," Mrs. Jasper admonished from her place in the hall. The room was really too crowded to allow one more person entry. The 'boys' grumbled a bit as they filed out of Jasper's room one by one, but not so much as to attract their mother's attention. They might be grown, but their mother never felt they were too grown for a hand up the back of the head.

"I'm sorry, Robert," Mrs. Jasper said once she was finally able to get into the doorway. "They're just flexing their big brother muscles. It's been quite some time since there was a young man here for Mikki and they're feeling a little over eager. They won't bother you any more tonight." Mrs. Jasper pulled the door closed behind her as she exited and Chase immediately exhaled a long sigh and flopped back on the pillows.

"Okay, I get your point," Jasper conceded. "I did warn you about them."

"Its fine," Chase reassured her. "I told you they wouldn't scare me off and I meant it. Little Robbie, however, is unconvinced."

Jasper snorted. She climbed into bed next to him, content for now just to sleep in his arms.

"Have you ever been tested for schizophrenia?" House asked as he stood in front of Cameron's CD collection.

"No," Cameron replied from her seat in the armchair where she was reading the latest Dresden Files novel. "What makes you think I'm schizophrenic this time?"

"Eminem touching shoulders with Frank Sinatra," House said as if that should have been obvious.

"What?" Cameron asked, finally ripping her eyes from the book. For a man who shushed anyone who spoke during General Hospital, he certainly didn't seem to mind interrupting her while she was trying to read a good book.

"Your CDs," House continued. "They're a little disturbing."

"Excuse me," Cameron said, "but I am not the one hiding a secret stash of Toby Keith albums."

"I'd rather you were hiding some of this stuff," House mumbled. Cameron could hear the CD cases clicking together as House flipped through them, pausing every so often to either admire or make faces. "See, Paula Abdul should never, ever be near B.B. King and Metallica. It's just wrong."

"Then don't look," Cameron suggested, flipping her book back open and quickly becoming engrossed. She wasn't even aware he was approaching until he was placing his hands over the page she was trying to read. She raised an annoyed eyebrow.

"I'm bored," House said. "Entertain me." Cameron rolled her eyes. He was impossible. She loved that. Knowing she'd never get any reading done now, she put the bookmark in its place and removed her glasses. Taking House by the hand, she led him into the bedroom to 'entertain' him to unconsciousness. Maybe then she could finish her book.

"James, I'm fine. Please stop fussing over me," Cuddy pleaded. It had been over a week. Dr. Huntley had assured her both she and the baby were perfectly fine. James was really being ridiculous trying to make her rest at all hours of the day. "You heard the doctor, there's nothing wrong."

"Yes, and I also heard him say that you should be resting more and working less," Wilson replied. It had been over a week, and despite Dr. Huntley's admonishment that she was stressing herself unnecessarily Lisa insisted on working all hours of the day and night. It was beginning to irritate him. "You need to slow down."

"If I slow down any more I'll be stopped," Cuddy replied sharply. "James, I'm not a needy little girl. You don't have to take care of me."

Wilson stiffened. He had been searching for a throw blanket to cover her with so she could take a nap on the sofa. Somehow it always ended up on the floor behind the armchair, no matter how many times he folded it and put it away. He straightened from his search and stood with his back to her. How could she say that?

Cuddy could see how tense he'd become and regretted her words, if not the sentiment behind them. She really couldn't bring herself to apologize. Not this time.

"Well, if you don't need me, I'll just be going then," Wilson said. He took his coat and keys and walked out the door, with no idea of where he was going. He and Lisa had been living together for several weeks. So he went where he always went when a relationship went sour.