2.2. "I believe that two people are connected at the heart, and it doesn't matter what you do, or who you are or where you live; there are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together."
Julia Roberts

Chase & Rogue's First Wedding Anniversary - 6th September 2009

Chase still couldn't believe they had been married a year. A whole year. It barely seemed like a week ago that they got married, and now a year on, they were practically an old married couple. A lot had happened to bring them to their first anniversary - first of many, Chase hoped. He liked to think he was romantic, but nothing quite seemed like enough to show her how proud he was to have her as his wife after all she had done for him, and ultimately, given him their beautiful daughter.

Traditional first anniversary gift was paper, and that more than stumped him. He had agonised over it for days, quizzed friends, tried to get out of Lachlan what he did for Tara on their first anniversary, but inevitably all he got was a smirk and a 'Nay you be minding that, fecking cheat'. His mate was right, too. Chase knew he couldn't pinch someone else's anniversary idea. That defeated the purpose, didn't it?

The idea came to him when he watched her sorting photos of baby Mia neatly into categorised folders on their PC. They must have had photos from about every single day of their daughter's life and Rogue had been keeping a sort of electronic baby book from day one. They had been lucky, and not missed a single of the baby girl's firsts. So, with his daughter happily in her bassinet in the living room while Rogue was in New York, Chase had the florist practically fill the room with the same flowers Rogue had in her wedding bouquet while he literally covered the walls in print-outs of photographs from their life together, spanning just a few weeks after they met right up until the photo they took together with the digital camera in the kitchen the day before, sticking their tongues out for the shot. There were photos of their wedding and from their honeymoon, loads of them with Mia, and their friends. Every wall was plastered with a haphazard collage of their life, with finally a large banner hanging from the curtains that merely said in large blocky letters...

TITLED. ONE YEAR ON. AND FOREVER

No one else might know the significance of the words, but Rogue would... and that's all that mattered. All he had to do was admit to her now that she was never his 'Not Yet Titled'.

She had always been The One.


Word Count | 405

Rogue pushed her way through the front door, wincing as it slammed against the wall while she struggled through with her shopping bags. She should have been used to having no hands free between Mia and her husband, both of them keeping Rogue more than busy. She didn't complain, though. Not once. She loved being a mother, and taking care of her husband through his cancer was just something she knew she had to do. She wanted to do. It was horrible watching him suffer, so she tried to do as much as she could to make it even just a little easier on him.

( He'd been looking better each day for a little while now, so Rogue knew she could trust him with Mia for a couple of hours while she went and prepared for a mini-celebration... )

[No prompt RP log co-written with justalilcontact | Follows THIS]

Chase rested his forearms on the handle of Mia's pram, watching the water of the beach spread out before them and all the people lining the sand and making the most of the gorgeous day. It was like Mother Nature knew it was Mother's Day and she was delivering the best of the best. He and Rogue sat together on one of the benches that lined the Boardwalk at Atlantic City and although he had been anticipating spending time in the sun, it had been harsh on his sensitive skin and he ended up covering up barely five minutes after they arrived there. A green bandanna (one of Rogue's favourites on account of the colour) was tied neatly around his head and his face was slathered in suncream. Sunglasses were a must, too. He had been inside too long and it was far too bright. But he was still glad to be out, even if he was exhausted.

Mia slept peacefully in the pram, the walk along the beach in her Mum's arms tiring her out just has much as her Dad beside them. They had stopped for ice cream, but Chase's small tub sat on the bench beside him untouched in favour of a bottle ot water. He would get to it. Just when it had melted a bit. For some reason, it was just easier to eat soft. He glanced at Rogue with a smile. "Having a good time, babe?" he asked.

( Rogue turned to him and smiled, her own eyes hidden behind sunglasses as well... )

19.1.2. “Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular. But it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you had better stop worrying about it and see what treasures you can pluck from your own brand of unhappiness.” - Robertson Davies

Co-written with justalilcontact
[Follows THIS]

It was an off-chemo week. In other words, a "good" week. Good was probably pushing it. Chase was tired all the time these days. Off-chemo week just meant he didn't spend days on end with various bodily fluids exploding from various bodily orifices. Off-chemo week still meant he felt tired and weak, still felt like his skin was uncomfortably sunburned, still had mouth ulcers, still had no hair, still had only one real ball. But compared to the days following the chemo treatment, this was actually feeling good. He sat in the living room with his baby daughter nursed contentedly in his arms. He held the silver Tiffany rattle up in front of her (spontaneous gift from the Cajun godfather), enjoying the way she was just beginning to reach for things these days. She wasn't even quite two months old, but she had been what was keeping Chase going right now. A reason to fight this with everything he had.

( He brushed his fingers through her thick, dark hair and leaned over to kiss her forehead... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,153

It seemed it was morning again. At least, the sunlight outside indicated that. It really could be any time of the day, but by now Chase had lost track. He pulled himself up against the pillows a little, feeling his t-shirt and the sheets damp from perspiration around him. The clock confirmed his suspicions, telling him it was nearly eleven am. He had finally managed to fall into a restless sleep at around five, so at least he'd stayed out for awhile.

His mouth felt constantly dry and he reached weakly for the glass of water on the nightstand, taking just a few, small tentative sips. His stomach still churned with a unrelenting nausea, but he didn't feel like throwing up again for a moment. Thank god for small rays of light. He had tried to anticipate all this as much as he possibly could, but now that he was there in the thick of it, he realised it had been impossible to guess how it was really going to be like.

17.9.5. Medical treatment

Co-written with justalilcontact

Chemo. It all seemed so... real, all of a sudden. One minute Chase felt like he was just another post-op inpatient and the next he was an Oncology outpatient, sitting in a cushy recliner chair as Evie settled him and prepped him for the IV to start. Chase had been mostly quiet and Evie seemed to understand this and just kissed his forehead when she left. No words came. Wilson showed up then and talked Chase briefly through the process, which Chase already knew, but he was grateful Wilson was revisiting for him. Then the IV started and Rogue arrived with Mia to sit with him through it all. Chase slept through most of it, with Rogue's gloved hand tucked into his. He slept through offers of drinks or more pillows or blankets. He figured Rogue answered on his behalf... he needed his wife more than anything in the world right now.

( It was now later in the afternoon and Chase woke up to find Rogue still there, sitting patiently and holding his hand as she nursed Mia in her other arm... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,729

12.4. “Darren, everybody cries when they get stabbed. There's no shame in that.”
| Slings and Arrows

Co-written with justalilcontact | Follows THIS

When consciousness started to creep back up on him, Chase knew that this wasn't a hangover. He felt like someone was gripping hold of his eyelids and dragging them down to keep his eyes closed and he had a horrible metallic taste in his mouth. What the hell? It felt like an eternity before he could wade through the fog in his mind and crack his eyes open just a little. It was impossible to focus right away, though. He had to blink a few times to even make any images out and he became aware of something warm wrapped around his hand.

( The awareness was a gradual process... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,315

1.17. "A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away."
- Bill Keane, Family Circus'

Co-written with justalilcontact


( PROMPT CUT FOR HOUSE 5x20 SPOILERS... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,352

12.1. “I'm alone. The only thing that eases the pain of loneliness is family. The irony of my kind.”
| Kindred: The Embraced

Co-written with justalilcontact | Follows THIS

Chase's words had seemed to become stuck somewhere between his heart and his throat. Sheer anger was just fuelling within him and he was seething. But there was no one to blame. He wanted to blame his dead father - cancer was hereditary after all - but he knew if he began on that destructive route, he wouldn't be able to get off it. He didn't want to read the test results. All he wanted to do was go home.

When Rogue returned to the hospital a short while later, Chase was dressed and waiting to go. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her and scare her, but he just couldn't talk. He couldn't find the right words let alone form them rationally to speak. The anger and shock had muted him and all he could manage to get out for her was 'We're going home'. She was left hanging high and dry and he felt terrible for it. He would tell her, but right now, he just needed to be home with his wife and his daughter and away from anyone connected to IVs, losing their hair, vomiting in the halls, crying, shaking... all of it.

( He stayed in the car when they collected Mia from Luke and Tab's care. He couldn't face anyone yet... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,206

16.1.4. “You learn to like someone when you find out what makes them laugh, but you can never truly love someone until you find out what makes them cry.” - Unknown

Co-written with justalilcontact | Follows THIS

Rogue had managed to get Luke and Tab to look after Mia, the drive to the hospital filled with thoughts about what to get them as thanks. Mostly because if her mind strayed, her thinking turned dark, and she didn't want to consider the possibility that Chase wouldn't be there for their daughter's first birthday. Denial wasn't just a place for the patient to spend their time.

She found Chase in the Oncology ward, lying on a hospital bed in one of those hideous gowns. He wasn't supposed to be back here so soon. Not like this, not as a patient. Her bottom lip started to quiver but she bit down on it as she took his hand in her gloved one, and sat in the chair next to his bed side. Her brown eyes filled with unshed tears, but she blinked them away and managed to give him a smile. "Ya know I always liked lookin' at ya ass, but there have gotta be better ways than wearin' one of those gowns."

( Chase squeezed her hand tightly, his own eyes damp but he didn't let the tears fall... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,412

Track 15. She's everything I want
She's everything I'm not
[‘Kate’ – Ben Folds Five]

Co-written with justalilcontact

Chase sat on the side of their large bed, his leg bouncing restlessly. He was distractedly folding a freshly washed batch of cloth nappies and not doing a very succinct job of it. Where Rogue seemed to manage to get each nappy in a nice neat rectangle when folded for the diaper bag, Chase's were a range of uneven squares, rectangles and one even looked oddly triangular. Rogue's pile was neat and would fit perfectly on the shelf, Chase's... well, Chase's would probably need re-folding. He realised this fact when he saw what Rogue's pile looked like and tried to hastily shove the sticking out edges back into the pile, just making the whole thing worse.

( He shifted to turn and sit sideways on the bed and tucked his leg up underneath him. His lower back was hurting again and he put it down to endless amounts of pacing with a crying newborn and leaning over her watching her in awe of the fact she was even his. He picked up another nappy from the pile and this time just did a random sort of roll of it around his hand and shoved it on top of his pile. Clearly the attention span was waning... )


Word Count | 1,893

11.7. "I do. Whatever happens tomorrow, or for the rest of my life, I'm happy now... because I love you."
| Groundhog Day

Co-written with justalilcontact

A newborn didn't do much more than sleep. Chase did know this, but somewhere in his overemotional state, he thought the baby would be more exciting. And it wasn't that she wasn't exciting, it was just that being sleeping, feeding, and producing dirty nappies, there was not much else to it and there wasn't much a new Dad could do beyond hanging around and smilinggoofily . Chase's eyes drooped a little as he sat in the chair beside Rogue's bed and a few moments later, his head took a dive from where it was propped up on his hand. He scrambled back upright in the chair, blinking in surprise. "I wasn't sleeping," he saidhastily. "I was just resting my eyes," he said through a yawn and a stretch. He winced a little on the movement. Goddamnit , his nuts were still dully sore from that bloody cricket ball. Last time he was ever playing cricket with a Scotsman.

( Rogue smiled softly at her husband, her own eyes just as droopy. Only she'd been watching him instead of sleeping, taking a moment to drink in the fact that she now had a husband and a kid... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,030

15.2.3. Who is one person who has changed your life and why?

Co-written with justalilcontact | Set St Patricks Day morning

[Follows THIS and THIS]

It hadn't been a particularly long labour at twelve hours, but it was definitely arduous. Chase kept Rogue walking until she got verbally abusive and started growling like Logan. He prayed that it wouldn't be 24 hours plus, and so far some of The Powers That Be up above seemed to be listening. But as they veered towards the thirteenth hour of Rogue's labour, everything seemed to speed up and the next thing Chase knew was the obstetrician was telling Rogue it was time to push. After bouncing back and forth between Rogue's head and lower body to closely (and perhaps irritatingly) scrutinise every move the staff were making with Rogue's delivery, he finally came to a halt near Rogue's face when she threatened to shove the defibrillator up his arse if he didn't quit moving around.

( He had delivered babies himself in his own career. Quite a few actually. Not once did he remember the last part going this quick... )


Word Count | 1,903

11.5. "Yes, dear. Sometimes you get into a porn loop and just can't get out."
| Absolutely Fabulous

Co-written with justalilcontact, allison_md & hrtsevrytime | Set 16th March

[Follows THIS]

Rogue wasn't naive enough to believe that once her water broke the birth would be over in the blink of an eye. After all, it was a baby coming out of a very small hole, and she figured that at least something had to happen for the tiny human to make the journey. But six hours into it, walking down the hall--well, waddling in her case--and she was ready to pack up and go home. She couldn't take much more pain, and she sure as hell couldn't handle the walking. She puffed out her cheeks as she tried to work on her breathing again, willing Mia to make her appearance. Her hand gripped Chase's arm, gloved fingers digging in as she held onto him tightly.

"I can't do this anymore! I can't take another damn second of walkin' up this corridor. I wanna go home and sit on the couch and just wait while I watch TV. Why can't I sit and wait? Why does there have to be movin'? I want my Spongebob DVDs!"

( Chase was covered from neck to toe in preparation for anything that might happen in the blink of an eye. He had latex gloves on his hands, a tight long-sleeved t-shirt under his blue scrubs and even surgical covers over his feet... )


Word Count | 2,042

22.7. Early

Co-written with justalilcontact | Occurs late afternoon March 16th 2009

It was the evening before St Patrick's Day and Chase and Rogue's backyard had become an amateur cricket ground. Spread out around the backyard was Chase, Lachlan, Riley, Luke and Aiden playing a beer-fuelled game of cricket. Daisy was out there, of course, trying to help, which seemed to have constituted chasing the ball and stealing it when she managed to catch it without tripping over her ears. Then once she stole it, she tried to bury it and one of the guys inevitably had to end up in a wrestling match and getting the puppy to relinquish the ball by offering a dog chocolate in return. The dog was definitely a Chase.

( The cricket game had been urged by the wives or significant others in the guys' lives on the proviso they didn't get too drunk and wouldn't get too drunk the following day for St Paddy's... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,209

15.1.5. “Every moment of pleasure in life has to be purchased by an equal moment of pain” - Star Trek: The Next Generation

Co-written with justalilcontact

Chase licked the remaining chocolate off his fingers and shoved the empty wrapper onto the table beside the bed. He sunk back against the pillows and stretched out lethargically, flexing his toes as he found a new comfortable position. Tomorrow, he was going to have to try and get back into his exercise regime, even just for a little while. It hadn't been an easy feat getting back into his routine. Every time he tried to work out for too long he ended up dizzy and had to stop. Riley's medical advice had been telling him to slow down and not rush the healing process. Chase knew it was sound advice, but he was getting restless and impatient. Rogue was due any day now and he wanted to be in the best form for that. Who knew what they were going to go through together in the birth?

( Still, those thoughts weren't making him stop the chocolate fetish he seemed to have collected since being in hospital... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,938

Track 04. I don’t ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
[‘Under the Bridge’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers]

Co-written with justalilcontact

[Follows THIS]

Chase had been out of the coma for over twenty four hours now. He had been in and out of consciousness ever since, often just going out again in the blink of an eye. It was likely very worrying to anyone visiting him, but the staff - and Chase himself - knew it wasn't any cause of concern just yet. Of course, Riley, being a very efficient doctor, had Chase hooked up to any and all machines to monitor him. The blackouts could be indicating a lasting problem caused by the coma. It was better to be safe than sorry.

( It was morning now and although he still felt sleepy, Chase was awake and feeling better than he had done since he woke up... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,379

17.2. Pain

Co-written with justalilcontact

[Follows THIS and THIS]

Rogue took a deep breath before stepping into Chase's hospital room. She wasn't really sure what to expect, and she honestly didn't notice any real changes except there seemed to be less machines. Or maybe they were different ones. And then it hit her, his expression was different. It was slightly more relaxed then it had been in ages. She walked quietly over to his bed, and brushed her covered fingers across his cheek before she leaned down to press a kiss to the top of his head where it safe. She felt the surge of emotion build up and threaten to burst, but she kept the tears back. She didn't want him to see her crying when he opened his eyes. Rogue took a seat, and threaded her fingers through his as she waited for him to regain consciousness again.

"I love ya, Doc. So does our baby girl. I know she ain't born yet, but she does. Every time she's near ya she starts kickin'," she murmured softly, needing to say something even if he was asleep.

( Chase thought he imagined the voice at first. Either that, or Riley had been hooking into some helium on his break. His eyes opened slightly as he still tried to fight off that deep painful ache engulfing him and he turned his head slightly, expecting to find even more people swarming around him... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,132

Track 10. Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
[‘Changes’ – David Bowie]

Co-written with justalilcontact

Chase's shift that day had been a long and hard one, but he had enough to get him through it with optimism. As she saw him off at the door that morning, Rogue promised to do the most naughty and fabulous things to his body when he got home, and it was all he could do not to drop by into the nearest men's room at every turn for a quick toss. But he held firm and stayed strong. It would be so much better if he was sparking by the time he got home anyway. He was pretty sure he had never scrubbed out of his final surgery so quickly in his life, though. He nearly took off a layer of skin at the sheer pace he washed his hands and arms. His scrubs had been peeled off in the locker room, nearly causing him to tear his nose and ears off in the process and sent him tumbling into the lockers with a loud crash. Typically, it was the exact moment Foreman walked in and proceeded to snigger at Chase's predicament. Chase, however, just smirked widely back with a pointed 'I'm going home to get royally fucked by my wife' thrown in his ex workmate's direction before plucking up his bag and waltzing out of the locker room to head home.

( He was now just that. Home sweet home and already trying to peel his jacket off, kick out of his shoes, pull out of his bag and scarf all at the same time. Why didn't he have more than two hands? )

Not binding on any Foreman muses


Word Count | 1,651

12.9. Unexpected

Co-written with justalilcontact

[Follows THIS]

As soon as Lachlan had left with Riley (albeit in the most painful scene Chase had witnessed in a long time), Chase had called Rogue and asked her to come to the hospital. He only briefly went into it on the phone, explaining Tara was sick and Lachlan needed their help. He would tell her more when she got here. It would be easier to explain in person. Baby Riley's maternity crib was now with Tara in the ICU room, but only after Lachlan had a near meltdown with the midwife and threatened to have Tara moved to another hospital if their son wasn't kept with his mother. Chase, as a soon-to-be-father himself, only watched the scene sombrely, understanding every word Lachlan was screaming. He wasn't trying to be difficult or demanding, he was just trying to do the best he could to hold on to what was left in the tragic situation. He needed his family together and if that meant the baby was with Tara when he wasn't receiving treatment in the humidicrib, then that's what the hospital needed to give him. Even more heartbreaking, Lachlan had just sat and cried through his son's first feed, if it could even be called that. The infant wouldn't take the bottle and it just distressed the young Scottish father even more. The whole thing just hurt so much.

( He had told Rogue to meet him at the ICU reception desk. He could see Tara's bed from there and the baby crib beside her... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Muse | Dr Robert Chase & Marie Chase/Rogue
Fandom | House, M.D. & X-Men
Word Count | 3,617