CHASing Swan (under revision)

Awake

                  

(Emma's POV)

            I wake up, and I'm on the couch in the hospital room. The nurses had pulled a cot up for Henry to sleep in for the night. Today we are being moved to a bigger room where Henry will have his own bed too because he is officially a patient now that the surgery is booked for Thursday.  I check my phone, it's about 6:00 am. I'm too worried about everything to fall back asleep, but I lay staring at the ceiling. The nurse peeks in, and sees that I'm awake.

            "Hey I'm just doing my rounds. I just have to check his IV, and record some of his stats." She whispers walking in, and sliding the door shut behind her. I silently nod. I lay in silence giving the nurse a few minutes to do what she needs to before asking;

            "How's he doing?" I whispers trying to make sure neither Henry nor Killian wake up. The nurse finishes writing in the chart, and closes it, and hangs it off the end of the bed frame where it was originally.

            "His stats look like what we would expect during this stage of liver failure"

            "And what do you expect them to be?" I ask trying to get a bit more information on how he's doing.

            "He could be doing much worse. He's stable, but his stats are slowly declining."

            "Is he in pain?" I ask her. She gives me a fake reassuring smile, but I don't mind because she's trying to comfort me.

            "He would be in quite a lot of pain, but we have him on a morphine drip. He shouldn't be feeling much pain at all," she reassures me.

            "Ok, thank you," I say relieved that he isn't feeling the pain his body's going through.

            "I meet a lot of concerned wives, and I know it's hard, but it's always beneficial to get some sleep," the nurse suggests. I lay in shock for a second about her calling me his wife. Of course she doesn't know this, but we haven't even talked about marriage yet. I love him, but that's a lifelong commitment. The last time I was ready for that it was with Neal. If Neal had ever proposed I wouldn't have hesitated to say yes, and look how that turned out.

            "I'll try," I says quietly. The nurse nods, and leaves the room silently.

            I try to do as she said and go back to bed, but I just end up staring at the ceiling again thinking about what I would say if Killian asked me to marry him... Would I say yes? I love him, that's all I know for sure right now.

***

(Chase's POV)

            I open my eyes suddenly to an emergent page at like 6:00 am . I jump out of bed, and throw on a button up shirt, a tie, and black pants. We must have a new patient.

            I get to the hospital, and up to the third floor. I walk into the dark office, and grab my lap coat off the hanger. I shudder when I see House sitting in the dark office waiting for me.

            "What the hell?" I ask, as I flip the light switch. He stands up leaning on his cane. I realize quickly that this page was not about a patient. "House why am I here?" I groan.

            "Well I just couldn't wait to get the latest scoop on the whole Chameron thing," he says in his movking tone.

            "Chameron?" I ask unfazed by his delight over my hardship.  

            "Yeah it's your ship name. I made it up last night. Like it?" I don't answer, and just stand there and roll my eyes. "Well fine my other option was Case, but I thought Chameron had a better ring to it," House continues joking. I roll my eyes again, and put my lab coat back on the hook, and turn to leave. House sticks his cane out blocking the door, and almost tripping me "Where are you going? This is so much fun."

            "So you woke me up at 6:00 in the morning just to mess with me?" I ask irritated. He takes a second to think.

            "Yeah kind of," he says. "Well are you going to tell me about whether it was Cameron or not? Cause I kind of have to know whether you are going insane or not so I know whether I have to fire you." I walk further into the office, and sit down at the table.

            "I don't know I didn't check." I admit.

            "Why not?!"  

            "Why does it matter to you?" I ask a little defeated.

            "The question is why doesn't it matter to you?"

            "It does matter to me!" I snap.

            "There you go. I knew you were still hung up on her."

            "How exactly did you know that?"

            "Well for one thing you wore your wedding ring for 6 months after you signed the papers. Second you haven't dated anyone since her."

            "How would you know that?" I ask even though it's basically true. I hadn't had a real serious relationship in 3 years. Flings yes, sex yes, real relationships with an emotional bond, no.

            "Your eyes just haven't glistened the same way since Cameron left you," he continues to joke. He just won't let up on the sarcasm, but then again when does he ever?

            "House what are you expecting to get from this conversation?" I ask trying to speed things up.

            "You need to see if it was Cameron or not Chase."

            "Why?" I ask. "How does it change your life at all House?"

            "Because if she's here I want to know if she'll come back to the team."

            "You're kidding me. Since when do you want Allison back on the team?" I sigh when I realized I called her Allison. I miss calling her by her first name.

            "Since she left. I never wanted Cameron off the team. She left me too remember. It hurt me too."

            "She said you were corrupt, and left, what makes you think she wants back?" I point out.

            "Actually she said WE are corrupt, and was she wrong? Cameron's a great doctor, and fits the team."

            "Then why don't you look for her?" I ask.

            "Because it's so much more fun this way."

            "Fine I'll go, but I'm not talking to her about coming back. Convincing her to come back to this insanity is your problem," I say, and leave the room. I walk to the elevator, but realize quickly that I don't even know where to go. I saw Cameron in the second floor lobby, but have no idea what she was doing there, or where she was going. I go down to the lobby, and talk to the receptionist. Maybe they know where she is. "Hi do you remember Dr. Cameron? She worked here around 3 years ago."

            "Yes I remember Dr. Cameron. I haven't seen her, are you expecting her?" The receptionist asks.

            "I, um..." I stutter. "Not exactly, but if you see her can you page me, and let me know?" I ask. The receptionist gives me a strange look, but nods yes. "Thank you." I make my way back to House's office. All I have to do now is wait.