Balcony Encounter - (5 Parts)

[doggo]

Awww ohh wonderful! This is so cute and... eek! I wanna hug something too!

[Vetinari]

Poor poor Chase.

[aggedy_ann]

And all good things must come to an end.

Here's the last segment.

Wilson came back a few minutes later with two steaming mugs of tea. He helped Chase sit up, despite Chase’s protestations that he didn’t need to before handing him the tea. Chase took a long drink of the tea. “Thanks.” He sighed.

“No problem.” Wilson sat down next to him, placing the tissue box on the table. “Any other symptoms?” He asked, looking critically at him. “Or does this pretty much feel like allergies?”

Chase shrugged. “I don’t know. My throat’s been a little sore, and I’ve been coughing, but I figured allergies were draining or something. I was pretty tired today, but I couldn’t sleep that well last night. If I’d have known I was sick, I wouldn’t have invited you over. I don’t want to give this to you.”

“Don’t worry about that. Other than my hay fever, I’ve got a pretty good immune system.” He said as Chase set the cup down and began coughing. This time, Wilson reached out and slowly rubbed Chase’s back in small circular motions until the coughing subsided. He handed the younger doctor over his water, and waited for Chase to finish the small amount left in the glass before he took it back, getting up to refill it.

“Thanks.” Chase flushed slightly.

“So,” Wilson started. “Even though you were already feeling pretty miserable, you decided to go and sit out on the balcony.”

Chase shrugged. “It’s a good place to think, especially after House leaves for the day.”

Wilson nodded. “I do the same. For some reason, no one ever really seems to think to check there.”

“Got a lot on your mind?” He asked gently, starting to press the issue of whatever was bothering Chase.

Chase shrugged, holding up and hand and reaching for the tissue box. Wilson nodded and waited. “Eh-chuhh, chuhhh, chuhhishhh.” He folded the tissue over his nose and blew, blushing again.

“Bless you.” Wilson said softly.

“Thanks.” Chase. “You were there pretty late yourself.” He commented.

Wilson sighed. He couldn’t quite tell if Chase just didn’t feel comfortable talking or if he just didn’t fully trust Wilson. Wilson was pretty sure Chase knew he could trust him, however, he had a feeling the blonde was slightly worried that something might accidentally slip to House at some point in time. He looked over to notice Chase had finished his tea and set the mug on the table.

Wilson got up off the couch, encouraging (well, instructing) Chase to lie down. He draped a throw blanket over Chase, gently tucking it around him.

He noticed that at his closeness, Chase seemed to tense up and seem, almost, uncomfortable.

“You don’t have to do that.” Chase protested.

“It’s alright. Just settle back and rest.” He sat in the armchair next to Chase and pushed Chase’s bangs out of his eyes, freezing when Chase stiffened at his touch.

“You ok?” He asked.

Chase nodded. “Sorry. I’m just not used to this.”

“Used to what?” Wilson pressed further.

“You know. Being taken care of when I’m sick.”

“Your parents didn’t take care of you when you were sick?”

Chase shrugged again. “Well, Dad always made sure I got to the doctor and stuff like that. Just not like this. I mean, he didn’t neglect me or anything.” Chase hastened to add, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. “But he wasn’t really a hands on type of dad.”

Wilson nodded, noting Chase hadn’t mentioned his mother at all. “I see. From what I met of your dad, I can see that.”

Chase nodded. “You know you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.” He pointed out again.

“Trying to get rid of me?” Wilson noticed him moving, presumably for the tissues.

“Ehchuhhh, eischuhh, huhchuhshh…ehhht-chuhh.” He didn’t make it in time and settled instead for sneezing into his cupped hands before taking the tissue Wilson handed him and wiped his nose.

“No. You’re welcome to stay. I just don’t want you feeling you have to stay and take care of me. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.”

Wilson was beginning to realize the he wasn’t going to get any information out of Chase without giving some up himself. He sighed deeply and looked at Chase. “I’ve got nowhere better to be.” He bit his lip before continuing. “Julie and I had a fight this morning; that’s why I was late. She left me a message saying she was going to her mother’s for awhile. That’s why I was at work so late. Huhhrushhh.” He broke off to sneeze into a hastily snatched tissue. “Uhhrishhh, ruhhshahhh. Excuse me. I was in no hurry to head home to an empty house. So I don’t mind staying here with you for a bit.” He softly blew his nose. “Maybe it was good that I was at work so late. Who knows when you would have decided to come in off the balcony?”

“I would have, eventually. I just had a lot to think about.”

“You know you can talk about it. It might help.”

He noticed Chase relaxing a bit now that he had opened up to the younger doctor. He reached out to hand him another tissue. “Your nose is running.” He pointed out, gently.

Chase blushed. “Sorry.” He carefully blew his nose.

“No need to apologize. You’re sick; you’ve got hay fever. If your nose wasn’t running, I’d be begging to find out what drugs you were on.”

That drew a smile from Chase. “I don’t think there’s anything that good out there.” He pointed out. “It’s just I don’t want you to feel obligated to fuss over me. Really, I’ve been sick plenty of times without anyone.”

“What was your mother like when you were sick?” The question was out before Wilson could stop it. And seeing the look that briefly flashed across Chase’s face made him wish he could.

Chase took a deep breath. Wilson was right. Talking could help. “She…once I was old enough to take care of myself, she left me alone when I was sick, other than to give me medicine or something. She wasn’t like this, making me tea, tucking me in and all that. And as I got older, it didn’t matter if I was sick or not, she needed to be taken care of more than I did.” He said, sitting up to sneeze into hands clasped over his nose again.

Wilson moved back onto the couch, sitting next to him again. He handed Chase the water when the younger man was struck by another coughing spasm. “Not to sound insensitive to what you just said or anything, but do you have any cough syrup?”

“It’s ok.” Chase scrubbed at his nose with the tissues. “If I do, it’s in the medicine cabinet.”

“Do you want some?”

Chase hesitated. “Umm, I can go get it.”

“I don’t mind Chase. Let someone take care of you for once.”

Chase nodded, wrapping the blanket around himself as Wilson dashed up the stairs again. He returned a few minutes later with a bottle of cold medicine, then ducked into the kitchen where he returned with a spoon. “You have to take three spoonfuls. I couldn’t find a dosage cup.” He carefully poured the cough syrup into the spoon, and keeping his hand under it, guided it to Chase’s mouth, three times, then set the spoon on a tissue.

“That should help.”

“Thanks.” Chase looked down. “I know I sound all whiny and pathetic right now. I mean, I’m sick, and my parents didn’t fuss over me when I was. I know there’s bigger problems out there.”

“That doesn’t matter, Chase. What matters if it’s a problem for you.” He gently rubbed the younger man’s back and shoulders as Chase gave a frustrated sigh.

“It’s just…I know they weren’t the greatest parents in the world, but…”

Wilson waited, just kept rubbing his back.

“I still miss them.” Chase blurted out. “With both of them, I didn’t even know it was coming. I didn’t get a chance to say anything I wanted to say to them. I just…I still haven’t come to terms with how we said goodbye.”

Wilson paused. He had expected Chase to open up and had a feeling that it was something to do with his parents. He just didn’t anticipate this coming and now he didn’t quite know what to do.

He felt Chase move away from him and saw the intensivist was moving towards the tissues again. This time he managed to get them to his face before the first sneeze struck. “Ehchuhh, chuhh, chushh, eichuhh, eischushh.”

“Bless.” Wilson whispered, wrapping an arm around Chase’s shoulders. “I think they know how you feel, Chase. I think they know you loved them.

He felt his heart freeze as he heard a strangled sob come from Chase. Relying on instinct now, he wrapped his arms around Chase and folded him into a hug.

“I’m sorry.” He heard Chase mumble into his shoulder. “It’s just, I’m sick and feeling sorry for myself.”

Wilson rubbed the younger man’s head. “You’re allowed. You had a rough life, kiddo.” Chase pulled away from him. “Getting it out help at all?”

Chase sniffled and wiped away the few tears that had snuck out. “Yeah.” He admitted, looking down. “Sorry. I figured we’d have a nice dinner. I didn’t plan on turning out to be sick and depressing.”

Wilson rubbed his shoulder. “Chase, we all have these days. Ehhrushh.” He turned away to sneeze into his shoulder. “We’re allowed these days. And you’re sick. I get a bit more emotional when I don’t feel well, too.”

Chase blew his nose and nodded.

“And dinner was nice. Why don’t you just curl up and get some rest? We can watch the movie and just relax.”

“You sure you don’t mind? I can’t be much fun. Hold on.” Chase sighed. “Ehchuhh, heht-Chuhh.”

“I don’t mind,” Wilson reassured him. “And it sure beats going back to an empty house. If I’d have done that, we both would have been sitting alone, being miserable. Exxchmmpt.” He powerfully stifled a sneeze into a tissue. “At least this way, hopefully, I helped you a bit.”

Chase nodded. “Thanks for listening.” He said as Wilson stood up, indicating that he was to stretch out again. Wilson tucked him in, then took his seat in the armchair. He sat with Chase for a couple hours, fussing over him and coddling him. And for the first time since he could remember, Chase had someone to do that. And Chase let him.

[Vetinari]

Angsty, sobbing wombatty goodness.............*sigh*

[doggo]

Ahhh.... you know brigidmn, I like this very, very much! Excuse me but I'll continue daydreaming... sobby, sneezy cuteness... thank you!

[girl_in_love]

Angsty, sobbing wombatty goodness.............*sigh*

Hey,

I totally agree with her. Write more soon? This is so good!

Love

~*Jillo*~

[crazy_cat_girl]

Awwww! This is beautiful! I love it! :-)

[Glowie]

*cuddles Chase* How dare anyone be that adorable??

Thanks for a lovely fic. Hope to hear plenty more from you soon..

[tma]

Awwww!!! That was SO cute... loved Chase not wanting to get him sick. And I loved Wilson taking care of him- and respecting the boundaries. And I loved that Chase talked to him about some real things. That was just too sweet.

[The Sneezster]

Wilson came back a few minutes later with two steaming mugs of tea. He helped Chase sit up, despite Chase’s protestations that he didn’t need to before handing him the tea. Chase took a long drink of the tea. “Thanks.” He sighed.

“No problem.” Wilson sat down next to him, placing the tissue box on the table. “Any other symptoms?” He asked, looking critically at him. “Or does this pretty much feel like allergies?”

Chase shrugged. “I don’t know. My throat’s been a little sore, and I’ve been coughing, but I figured allergies were draining or something. I was pretty tired today, but I couldn’t sleep that well last night. If I’d have known I was sick, I wouldn’t have invited you over. I don’t want to give this to you.”

“Don’t worry about that. Other than my hay fever, I’ve got a pretty good immune system.”

Really? You'd never know it from the stories we've read here.