"Changes" post-ep fic.

[lit_luminary]

Title: Remade Regrets
Author: lit_luminary
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Chase; past Chase/Cameron; implications of Chase/various women and House/Chase friendship/mentorship.
Summary: A study in remorse and might-have-beens, attempting to reconcile Chase’s behavior this season with his character as established in S1-6. (Set after “Changes” but

Comments

[freddie_mac]

Exactly. Chase was the reluctant one when Cameron wanted "no strings" sex; a womanizing cad would have had no problems. And the House who has been appearing lately is barely aware of anything past the end of his (or Cuddy's) nose -- an idiot like that certainly wouldn't be paying attention to his longest-lasting fellow (whom he fired with the words, IIRC, "I've taught you everything I can") who is slowly self-destructing. Keep in mind that Chase was working with house 6mos/1yr before Foreman and Cameron were hired, so there *used to be* some sort of relationship there ...

My impression from the sloppy writing/poor handling of Chase is that he is practically overwhelmed by the need to punish himself/purge himself of guilt (over Dibala, Cameron; even possibly Rowan, the patient who died because he was distracted, and his mother's illness/death); unless there's some sort of intervention, I'm expecting a catastrophic breakdown. However, (nudge, nudge), if you'd like to rescue him by pushing him into therapy, I'll be more than happy to cheer you on. After all, the purpose of fanfic is to fix the errors in canon, especially character assassination!

[lit_luminary]

House's relationship with Chase has always been of particular interest to me, so I've written on it rather extensively: there's mentorship, even something quasi-paternal sometimes; and it didn't escape me that Chase was the one House spent some time with socially when Wilson was wrapped up with Amber, suggesting potential for a friendship of sorts: before S7, House certainly did care about him. But yes, as it is, seeing past the end of Cuddy's nose seems to be about House's limit. (Pardon me while I seethe in disgust.)

As for Chase himself, I agree with your reading: I wouldn't carry this degree of guilt back as far as Rowan et. al, since he dealt with those without going completely off the rails (although undoubtedly they left their psychological scars), but certainly he needs to do something to alleviate those feelings, or there will be some kind of breakdown.

His telling Thirteen about the Dibala situation in last night's ep gives me hope that canon is moving in the direction of having him pull himself together; but in a world that'd been consistent with the previous sis seasons, House would noticed the anomalous behavior and pushed him to get help ages ago.

I'm not sure whether/with what I'll follow up with this piece, but I'll leave the possibility open.