Chapter 6: Never Moved On

"This time. This place. Misused. Mistakes. Too long. Too Late. Who was I to make you wait? Just one chance. Just one breath. Just incase there's just one left. Cause you know, you know, you know, that I love you. I have loved you all along." ~Far Away, Nickelback

He needed to tell her the truth, but words never came easy for him. "Okay the plan was to just do it. Crap." He thought as he walked up to Kate as she was talking to God-only-knows-who. He tapped her on the shoulder. Kate turned to face him, confusion in her eyes. "You are right. I did let you go but I have regretted it since. I never should have let you go."

Then he did it. Robert had a hand placed behind Kate's neck and the other on her back. Robert dipped Kate and pressed his lips passionately to hers. She didn't put up any restraint and soon her lips were dancing with his.

The kiss was not the type where it looked as if they were eating each other's faces. No, this kiss ached of old passion that had been lost but found and rekindled by a fire in both of them. The kisses to follow were just as passionate and yearned of the emotions from years passed. The lack of oxygen made them breakaway for a few seconds.

Both smiling, Kate's hand brushed up against his cheek before staying there. She spoke in a voice that he could only hear. "It's about time." She pulled Robert's face closer and they kissed again.

He slowly and gently he brought her up from the dip until they were standing. The two were wrapped up in each other they did not notice the many people staring at them. Kate didn't even realize that her arms hands were wrapped behind Chase's neck. She just knew that her body was very close to his.

They both looked down as Chase's pager went off. It was the ICU and he needed to take it. Chase looked up at her with disappointment in his eyes. Kate already knew what was coming. "Go."

Chase looked at her surprised. "What?"

"I said, go." She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "I'll be waiting for you."

"I'll be back as soon as possible." He smiled and gentle pecked her lips before going.

Standing in the distance was Cameron, who like everyone else had noticed the Kate and Robert's intense kiss. Foreman walked over to her and said. "It looks like he moved on." He patted Cameron on the shoulder before leaving her alone.

Chase's luck in the ICU wasn't very good. There had been a bad car accident and his evening was looking bad now. An hour later, after getting his eight-year-old patient stable, he headed over to the nurse's station for another chart. Before he could grab it, Cuddy stopped him. "Dr. Chase, go home."

"Sorry?" He looked very confused.

"You heard me, get out of here. From what I have seen there is a very beautiful woman at the party waiting for you. You don't want to keep her waiting much longer, do you?"

Chase smiled and slightly blushed. "Uh… No, I don't want to keep her waiting, but you need me here. I can't just leave."

"Actually, everything seems to be under control. Now leave, before I start yelling at you."

"Thanks Cuddy."

"Don't mention it." Cuddy more like swatted Chase away. However, she could not help but notice how happy Chase looked. She tried to recall when she last saw him this happy. Nothing came to her mind. Just maybe Kate was going good for him.

Chase looked all over the party, but he could not find Kate. Maybe she had gone home. He didn't blame her it had been almost two hours and mostly everyone was gone. He went into the hall and sat in one of the chairs defeated. His hopes had all but disappeared when someone stood in front of him. He looked up and instantly smiled. It was Kate.

"Hey." She said.

"Hi." As he stood up a jazz song came on. "I believe I owe you a dance."

Kate smiled as she let Chase spin her and pull her in close. She closed her eyes, rested her head on his shoulder, until he chose to spin her again, and then dipped her back. He brought her up and pulled Kate close again. Kate could not help but feel happy that there was no one else in the hall at that moment. As the song ended, Kate and Robert stared intently in each other's eyes.

"You know an idea just came into my head."

"Yeah, and what is that?"

"Would you like to take a visit down memory lane with me?

Chase looked at Kate confused and curious. "Am I going to get hurt?"

"No. What, you don't trust me?"

"I do, it's just I think I might be dreaming in memory lane right now."

Kate's eyes softened "If this was a dream, I wouldn't wake either of us up."

"Good. Then let's get out of here." With that, they walked out together.

At work the next day, Chase and Harker acted as if nothing had happened. If the team, let alone the entire hospital, hadn't seen the events at the benefit they would have believed nothing had changed. House was starting to be freaked out by how the two were acting.

"What's wrong with you two?" House asked annoyed.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked.

"Well, your boyfriend is not checking you out. Dude, she's wearing tight pants."

"Stop checking out my butt House." Kate said. "I know it's hard to believe but we are adults capable of being mature at work."

"That's funny." House said looking at Chase.

"That was a one time thing." Chase said in response.

"Please, you can say you've changed but sooner or later things will return to normal. Now, please check out your girlfriend. Or take her to the closet and make out." House stopped commenting on Kate and Chase when Cameron came in the room. He knew she probably still had a crush on Chase.

"Morning." Cameron said before grabbing a cup of coffee.

"Morning." Everyone said.

"I'm heading down to the clinic." Kate said before looking at House. "Unless you need me."

"Who doesn't need you? You can go." House said.

Kate casually walked out of the tense office and went towards the clinic. "I'm going to the E.R." Chase said. He usually had a shift down there so it wasn't out of the ordinary.

House nodded his head. Now it was only Cameron and House in the room. "How are you doing?" House asked.

"Are you actually concerned or messing with my head?" Cameron asked.

"I'm messing with your head of course. I already know the answer but I was just curious if you'd tell the truth."

"I'm fine." Cameron said.

"Please! If you were fine this room wouldn't have been Antarctica a few moments ago."

"Whatever." Cameron muttered.

"Just admit that you are pissed off because Chase found someone else to warm his bed at night." Cameron glared at House. "That's what I thought."

"You are an ass." Cameron said.

"You are barely figuring this out?"

Meanwhile, Chase had headed down the hall after Kate. They both ended up taking the same elevator down. "Between you and me," Chase said when it just the two of them in the elevator. "Those pants are working for you… and me."

Kate looked at Chase. "We made rules."

"There was nothing that said I could not compliment you at work."

"You are a horrible flirt."

"That's why you like me."

"No, I like you for another reason and it's not your body. Although, your body isn't half bad to look at."

Chase looked at Kate shocked, "Look who is breaking the rules."

"They are more like guidelines." Chase shifted to where he was standing in front of Kate. He tried to kiss her but was stopped by her hand. "I'm not making out with you at work."

"Well, it's a bit late for that, Especially after last night."

"Last night was an exception."

Chase stood next to Kate in the elevator. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing, unless House interferes. Why? What do you have planned?"

"I was just thinking…" The elevator stopped. "My stop. I'll see you later."

"Bye." When the elevator doors closed, Kate couldn't help but blush and smile from happiness. It didn't seem possible to be as happy as she was in that moment.

Kate's shift was done. She hadn't seen Chase for the rest of the day and was unable to make plans with him. She was a little disappointed that she had not heard from him. Kate grabbed her running shoes and iPod before putting them on. She stretched before starting her jog.

One foot went in front of the other. She found a balanced rhythm and speed. Her technique was perfect, but that was the result of years of running. She ran track in high school, but it was not anything special. In college, she ran as a way to rid her life of stress. Now, it was how Kate figured out her life. She processed everything when running.

The topic up for debate tonight was Robert Chase. Kate mentally made a pro and con list as she ran. Pro: he was kind, respectful, there was history (which meant they knew each other to a degree), and all the attraction and feelings were there. Con: she had her heart broken by Robert (would she be able to survive that again?), it had been years, he was different (she could not put her finger on it, but she knew it was true),

Kate rounded the bend on the running trail in the park. She picked up the pace a bit and continued to run strong. She was so enthralled in her mind that she didn't notice someone calling her name. It probably helped that her iPod helped drown out all the noise in the background. She finally noticed the person running beside her when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked and thought: "Speak of the devil." Kate slowed her pace and paused her iPod. "Hi Robert."

"Hi." He said. "So, what were thinking so hard about?"

Kate tried not to blush. It wasn't very effective but she was able to hide it. "Life." Kate stopped at a bench. "Can I ask you a question?"

Chase stopped by her. "Sure. First, I am not stalking you."

Kate chuckled. "What happens now?" Chase looked at Kate confused. "We've kissed and now were are flirting in elevators at work."

"Do you want a definition?" He asked joking.

"Yes," Kate said, her eyes showed complete honesty in the answer.

"I…"

"It's just… I need to know because I can't pretend one thing or another. I need to know what this is. Are we dating now? Or are we just friends who happen to flirt and that's it?"

"What do you want?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. I went for a run to clear my head and sort everything out and then I see you… and my head goes hazy and I'm lost. I know that I want you but I don't know how much I want."

Chase was silent for a few moments. "Here is what I know: the other night I was jealous of every guy in the room. I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around you and say, she is my girlfriend. When we kissed, something happened that was amazing. I can't even tell you what it was but I don't want to let that go. I want a second chance with you."

"So, you want a relationship."

"Yes."

Kate nodded her head. "Okay."

"That's it?" Chase asked surprised.

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't know. I just didn't think it would be that easy."

"It is for now." Kate said stepping rather close. For the first time, Chase realized that Kate was only wearing running sorts, a running bra top, and shoes. He didn't mind as much as he enjoyed the view of her toned body.

Chase smirked. "That's right, the boyfriend always has to deal with the unexpected."

"Exactly." Kate grinned back.

A/N: There it is the latest installment. I hope you liked it. :)