Dearest Readers,

"Why are you so bitchy today? Did someone switch your underwear for a smaller size?"

Read on, Cherubs.

Over and out.

New Definition of Life

It was quiet.

John twiddled his thumbs. Chase stared at the door that House just left through, debating whether or not he should go talk to him. Cameron, Wilson, and Foreman stared at House's father and Chase waiting for an explanation as to why House just walked out of the conference room.

Chase took a step towards the door, deciding to go talk to House.

"I would leave him alone for a while, Robert." John said, seeing the blonde move out of the corner of his eye. Chase looked down at him.

"Will he be alright?" His Australian accent was thick with worry.

"Eventually, yes." John paused. "I'm sure all of you know that Greg can be…difficult at times." They nodded. "He's always pushed people away, even though he actually does want someone around."

"When did that start?" Wilson asked, drawing John's attention towards him.

"Pardon?" John asked.

"You just said that House always pushes people away, even though he really wants someone around…we've all been very aware of that from the start. But…when did he start pushing people away?" John sighed lightly.

"He's always been that way. But," He hesitated slightly. "He started pushing people away much harder after Stacey left." Chase's eyes darkened as he remembered the dark-haired woman that made House so furious when she came to the hospital.

"However," John said, looking up at Chase. "He's changed quite a bit since you came into the picture." Chase tried to hide his blush by looking down at the carpet.

"Agreed." Wilson said, making Chase look up at him.

"House actually changed very slightly when you first started here, Chase." Wilson said, smiling kindly at him. Chase tilted his head to the side slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't see anything different in House." Cameron said, looking over at Wilson.

"You haven't known him as long as I have. It wasn't drastic, but it was there."

"I d-don't understand." Chase said, not knowing why he just stuttered. Wilson chuckled lightly.

"I still remember the countless times House would come into my office and talk about his team."

"What?" Cameron and Foreman asked together.

"Yeah," Wilson said slowly. "House would always cut you two down."

"Great." Foreman said hotly, leaning back in his seat.

"Mind you," Wilson said thoughtfully. "He still comes by and talks about you guys." Cameron, Foreman, and Chase raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of things does he say?" Cameron asked, not knowing if she would regret asking her question.

"That's when I noticed the change in House."

"Like I said," Wilson continued. "He would always cut you two down." He nodded towards Cameron and Foreman who glared down at the conference table. "But," He turned towards Chase. "House never said a single negative thing about you."

Chase was taken aback. Even when he first started working at PPTH, House never said anything bad about him? Even before he developed feelings for House, he never said anything bad about him? Before House discovered his struggle with Anorexia, he never said anything bad about him?

Why?

"Actually," Wilson's voice brought Chase out of his thoughts. "House spoke very…" He paused, looking for the right word. "He spoke very highly of you."

"He did?" Chase asked at the same time as Cameron and Foreman. Wilson nodded.

"Oh yeah…he spoke very highly of you. Even from your first day here, Chase, House never spoke badly of you." He smiled. "If anything," Wilson paused, smiling lightly at Chase.

"What?" Chase pressed.

"Not only did House speak highly of you…now this took me a little bit of time to pick up on."

"What?" Chase asked again.

"Even from day one, House has always been fond of you." Chase looked down at the carpet, hiding his blush and smile. Wilson chuckled as he leaned against the counter, looking up at the ceiling, remembering.

"So House has always…." Chase trailed off, looking up at Wilson.

"Been very fond of you." Wilson finished. "He's never said anything bad about you, still hasn't if I remember correctly." Chase felt his breath get caught in his throat.

"Greg probably hasn't said anything bad about you because he doesn't know anything bad about you that bothers him." John mused, looking up at Chase. "Everyone has flaws, including you, Robert. However, I honestly don't think that Greg cares about your flaws, which is why he hasn't said anything negative about you."

Chase shoved his hands into his pockets, smiling lightly down at the carpet. He was honestly started to feel slightly overwhelmed by what Wilson and John were saying about House. He didn't realize that House had feelings for him ever since he first started working at the hospital; very strong feelings by the sound of it. But why didn't he ever pick up on it?

"But, House being House…he didn't want anyone to know about his feelings towards you." Wilson said, breaking Chase's train of thought.

"But he told you." Cameron said, not really understanding why she was starting to get really irritated.

"He didn't, actually." Wilson said. "I guessed." They raised an eyebrow at him.

"Guessed?" Foreman asked.

"I've been friends with House for many years…I know how he is. So when he started talking highly of someone on his team, I knew that something was going on inside of him that he wasn't going to say directly. Not only that, I eventually picked up on the fondness in his voice whenever he talked about you." Wilson nodded towards Chase.

"But he never came out and said anything?" Chase asked and Wilson tilted his head from side-to-side.

"No, not really."

"Also," John said, stretching. "You have a surprisingly profound impact on Greg, Robert." Wilson chuckled and they looked over at him.

"What?" Chase asked.

"I remember when House first showed me the engagement ring he got for you. I remember first walking into the bar and seeing him sitting in a booth in the corner. When I sat down, House was in real deep thought."

"House has always been a deep thinker though." Chase said, looking at Wilson, confused.

"Right, but he didn't even realize I was there until I made a noise."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and what really surprised me the most was how…nervous he was."

House was nervous? Dr. Gregory House was nervous? That name and that adjective do not belong in the same sentence.

"Nervous?" Chase asked, actually feeling his heart flutter at the thought that House was nervous of proposing to him. Wilson nodded.

"Well I'm glad he popped the question." John said, smiling over at Chase. "It's nice to have you part of the family, Robert." Chase smiled, again flattered by his words. "Plus you're Australian…that's an added bonus." They laughed.

"I have a question." Cameron said, looking between John and Chase.

"Yes?" John asked.

"Why did House walk out? Did him and his mother fight or something?" Chase sighed and sat in a chair near John.

"I guess you could say that." John said, looking up at the ceiling.

"About?" Cameron pressed. Neither John nor Chase answered for a moment.

"Greg's mother is a homophobe." John answered, still looking up at the ceiling.

"And she's very upset at the fact that Greg and I can't give her grandchildren." Chase said, staring down at the carpet.

"So," Wilson started carefully. "House's mother doesn't…want you two to get married?" Chase nodded, still staring at the carpet. He reached up and scratched his nose.

"Right, it sounded like the majority of the argument was over when we walked in. They weren't talking to each other." Chase sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm surprised they didn't kill each other." John said seriously, looking back down at Chase.

"But—"

"I don't care what you have to say!" House shouted as he stormed into his office, followed by his mother.

"Oh boy." John said shortly as he hopped up from his seat and hurried into House's office, followed by Chase.

"Will you just listen to me?" Blythe pleaded, earning an angry huff from House.

"Blythe, what are you doing here?" John asked, drawing his wife's attention towards him.

"John? What are you doing here?" John shrugged.

"Visiting."

"Just leave, Mom." House said quietly, his voice dripping with venom.

"Not until you hear what I have to say." Blythe shot back. Chase started to feel awkward again.

"So you want to tell me again that the fact that Chase and I are getting married is repulsive to you?" House shot back, Blythe earning shocked stares from John and Chase.

Chase felt his heart stop. Blythe thought that him and House getting married was repulsive?

Repulsive? Wonder why that adjective sounds familiar.

"Do you want to tell me again that Chase and I getting married is a mistake?"

Mistake?

Chase felt his breath get caught in his throat.

"Do you want to tell me again that the only reason why I'm marrying Chase is because I'm afraid of dying alone?" House's tone of voice remained soft and deadly.

Blythe had actually said those things? Was House's mother so against them getting married that she would say such offensive things? He sighed quietly, hoping that no one heard him, especially House.

But this hope was far-fetched. House stared worriedly at him, but Chase continued to dart his eyes around the room.

House felt his anger boil even more towards his mother as he saw Chase was having an emotional war with himself. It tore him to shreds whenever Chase was this conflicted and hurt. But Chase doesn't cry over many things, but when the blonde does cry…it's always something pretty severe.

His mind flashed back to when his relationship with Chase first started.

He remembered when he first kissed Chase on the roof of the hospital. He remembered the countless times Chase stole his breath by flashing a simple smile. He remembered every take-out Friday. He remembered Chase writing a song just for him. He remembered how no matter what the situation was, he remembered how Chase would seem to be glowing. He remembered how Chase would always hold his hand underneath tables. He remembered watching as Chase told others about his struggle with Anorexia. He remembered when Chase called himself beautiful.

He remembered when Chase said 'yes'.

But then his mind shifted.

He remembered the countless nights of holding Chase as he would eventually cry himself to sleep. He remembered the countless times he would sit with Chase in the bathtub after Chase weighed himself. He remembered when Chase attempted suicide by hanging himself. He remembered when Chase got so furious with him that he walked out. He remembered Chase voicing his insecurities. He remembered Chase telling him about his abuse.

He remembered every fallen tear.

He looked back at his fiancée and saw Chase briefly brush the back of his hand against each of his cheeks, wiping away the tears he fought so hard against. He felt his heart clench in his chest: Chase was trying to not cry…he was trying to hide the fact that he's on the verge of crying.

Chase was almost crying because of his mother.

House's crystal blue eyes narrowed and directed back to his mother, who was still staring at him. This was all her fault.

"Why are you still here?" He asked shortly, breaking the silence.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what I said." House scoffed and rolled his eyes, twirling his cane in the process.

"If you're expecting forgiveness, you're wasting your time and mine." Blythe sighed heavily, trying to keep a cool head.

"Greg, at least consider my apology."

"No." House said flatly, still glaring at his mother who was glaring back at him.

"Gregory House," Blythe hissed, taking a step towards him. "Why are you being so uncooperative?"

"Why are you being so close-minded?" House shot back, not fazed by her anger.

"You're my son, Greg!" Blythe cried. "I take enormous pride in saying that my son is one of the best Diagnostians in the country! And it is because of your reputation that it's going to get out that you're getting married! So now people are going to ask—"

It clicked.

"You're ashamed?" House roared, instantly on his feet and in his mother's face in barely a few seconds. John and Chase took a couple steps forward to prevent House hurting Blythe if it came to that.

"You're ashamed of the fact that I'm marrying Chase?" House shouted, feeling Chase wrap his hand around his wrist. Blythe glared heatedly at him.

"Greg, don't throw your life and reputation away for him!" Blythe shouted back, taking a step towards her son. Chase felt his heart clench.

"Don't throw your life and reputation away for him!"

Blythe implied that he's worthless.

Tears built in his eyes more strongly as he tried to suppress his father's voice screaming in his head.

"I'm not doing either of those things!" House shouted, feeling Chase tighten his grip. He felt something well inside his chest and creep its way up his throat.

"Yes you are, Greg! You've worked so hard to get to where you are. Why are you so intent on throwing away everything you've worked hard for? You've spent years, Greg, years building your life along with your reputation! Don't throw either of them away for him!" She screeched, pointing at Chase. House felt the 'something' creep up his throat and through his mouth.

"You're right." House said, surprisingly calm. Chase felt his heart stop and body freeze at House's words.

What did he just say?

Blythe sighed and brushed her hands down the front of her shirt, glancing to John and then back to House.

"Well I'm glad you finally see it my way." House scoffed.

"No, I don't." His mother gave him a confused look, along with John and Chase. The blonde still held House's wrist in his hand, but was now looking up at House with confusion.

"What?" Blythe asked along with Chase. House smiled lightly down at Chase, staring at the green-blue eyes he's always loved so much.

"I don't see anything your way." House said calmly, staring evenly at Blythe. "I getting married to Chase is not throwing away my life or my reputation."

"Greg," Blythe said exasperatedly and was going to continue when House spoke again.

"You are right in saying that I worked hard to get to where I'm at. However," He felt Chase's grip loosen. "Chase is my life and I would gladly throw away my reputation as long as I have him."

Chase stared at House as he felt his body become numb. He felt his eyes grow wet once again, but not because he was hurt or upset…but because he was so overwhelmed by what House just said.

"Chase is my life and I would gladly throw away my reputation as long as I have him."

House called him his life. House had said that he would gladly throw away his reputation as long as he was around. He would gladly throw away everything he worked hard for just to be with him. House's love for him ran so much deeper than he could possibly have realized if House never said what he just did.

"Fine," Blythe said hotly. "Fine, just fine. It was obviously a waste of time to come here."

"About time you figured that out." House said coolly as Blythe turned and stormed out of the room. John whistled.

"Wow, she's pissed…big time."

"You can stay with us if you want until she cools down." Chase offered, now holding House's hand.

"Oh no, that's—"

"Stay." House said, looking evenly at his father. John saw something else lurking behind his son's crystal blue eyes. He sighed.

"Alright…I wasn't getting out of this was I?" Chase smiled lightly and shook his head.

"Not even if you begged and pleaded." John chuckled lightly and left the office, walking into the conference room.

They watched the door swing close and Chase looked up at House as the older man looked down at him. Chase saw House's eyes shine brightly in the sunlight that poured through the window to their left.

"You…you really meant it…didn't you?" Chase asked. House tilted his head slightly to the right in confusion.

"Meant what?"

"That I was…."

"That you're my life and I would gladly throw away my reputation just as long as I have you?" House finished, making Chase nod. House chuckled lightly and wrapped his arms around the blonde's slim waist, pulling him close to him. He pressed his face into Chase's blonde hair, enjoying the smell of apple. He rubbed Chase's back slowly.

"I meant every word." He said quietly, feeling Chase wrap his arms around his neck. The blonde laid his head against House's chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat.

He felt House wrap his arms tighter around him and rock them slightly from side-to-side. Chase felt himself become tired and allowed his eyes to droop close while still listening to House's heartbeat.

He's always called House's heartbeat his lullaby.

HouseXChase

Alright Gang,

Admittedly, I think the ending was kind of cheesy…but oh well. ^^;

As always, patience and reviews/PMs would be appreciated!

When-Rabbit-Howls