just_1_word: 12.9. Unexpected
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. Her condition still remained critical. Her body had just been too stressed and weakened to fight the infection and the first thing it attacked was the diabetes. It was one of those horrible things that could happen, but just wasn't really foreseen in the situation. As for now, Chase wouldn't be surprised if Lachlan wasn't even gone an hour, but he hoped that wouldn't be the case. Lachlan would be over twenty four hours without sleep now and a vast spanse of that timeframe was taken with trying to run on empty through Tara's labour. Chase hoped Lachlan's practical mind could hold on through the pain to remind him that he needed to eat and sleep to keep his strength.
He paced back and forth in front of reception waiting for his wife to arrive. He let out a heavy sigh. Lachlan had entrusted them with his two most prized possessions and Chase would be fucked if he fucked this up.
Rogue had her long streaked hair pulled back into a loose ponytail as she entered the hospital. It had been impossible for her to sleep when Chase had got called in, so it wasn't really much of a stretch for her to get to the hospital as well. Not to mention that if Tara was in trouble, then of course she wanted to be here. She wanted to make sure that the new momma would get through it all, because she had a son! Little Riley Patrick Campbell, Baby Girl Chase's fated future husband as she and Tara had agreed.
She raised a gloved hand to wipe at some tears that had slid down her cheeks, her teeth catching her bottom lip as she set eyes on her husband. Rogue was dressed in a green cardigan and a loose dress, her maternity clothes more comfortable than fashionable. To hell with anything that hurt her boobs. She rushed up to Chase and grabbed his hand. "I'm here, tell me everythin'."
Chase bit down on his lip and squeezed Rogue's hand back he swallowed and gestured towards Tara's room. "I know it's a lot to take in, but we should go and sit with her. I promised Lachlan we would take care of them," he explained and led her over to the large, intimidating room. There was nothing pleasant about an ICU, but being an Intensivist, Chase was used to the sight. Once they were there, he picked the tiny baby up and shook his head at Rogue. "It's Tara's diabetes. She caught an infection during the birth and her body just wasn't strong enough to fight it. It went right to her most weakened source and that was her diabetes. She got sick really quickly and by the time Lachlan realised something was wrong, it was too late. She's in a coma, but they giving her medication for the infection and treatment for her diabetes." His eyes followed the IV lines feeding into Tara's slender arm. "Lachlan wanted the baby to be with her, even if she's not awake."
Rogue's brown eyes went from the tiny baby in Chase's arm to where Tara lay sleeping. She went over and brushed the woman's hair back from her face before she leaned down to give her a brief kiss on the forehead. She turned back to Chase and frowned. "I don't see why all this badness keeps happenin' to Tara and Lachlan. Ain't they been through enough? I mean, of course we're gonna take care of Tara and Riley. Where is Lachlan anyway?"
"To test them maybe." Chase looked down at the sleeping baby. "I don't know. There is no damn explanation. They're good people. Some of the best people I've ever had the honour to know. It's not fair, babe. It's just not fair. Lachlan tried to feed him and he just wouldn't take it. Now he probably feels like a failure as a dad on top of everything else. I managed to convince him to go home to shower and have something to eat. Hopefully sleep, but I don't know. He's at breaking point. He needs to try and re-fuel some way. I can't even imagine... he's blaming himself. He always would but we all need to keep reminding him otherwise."
The tears were back and Rogue took a seat next to Tara's bed as she rubbed her rapidly growing belly. She was six months along, and Baby Girl Chase had been kicking up a storm. Now she was just quiet and still, like maybe she knew this was the wrong time to start dancing in Rogue's womb. "It ain't fair at all," she agreed softly. "It ain't his fault, either. I know some mommas can't even feed their own baby, and it ain't 'cause they're a failure. It's just because it is how it is sometimes. Poor Lachlan. All that joy of havin' a son sucked out from under him in a split second." Rogue let out a sigh and looked at her husband. "I've always been amazed at how Lachlan keeps draggin' himself up after all the shit hits he takes, but even I can't see him recoverin' from this one completely. He's gained a son only to nearly lose his wife."
Chase watched the baby, his forehead creased in concern. "The baby will keep him going. This little boy... my god, he's Lachlan's pride and joy. His family are his absolute everything and he'll keep going for them. He'll fight until life beats him down into a bloody pulp and even then he keeps going. He knows what he has to do, but I think right now he's feeling like he can't - or doesn't want to - do it without Tara. He's scared. We've been here before with Tara, but never in the wake of something as traumatic as giving birth. I think he's right to demand Riley's presence in her room. It could just be the fine line between make or break that keeps her going." He managed a sad smile. "He's a beautiful little boy. Despite it all, Lachlan still knows he helped create this little person. Nothing will ever beat that."
Rogue nodded as she smiled a little and took Tara's hand in her gloved one. "He is definitely beautiful. He's gonna be such a little heartbreaker. I think our girl will fall in love with him. Probably spend a lot of the time tryin' to punch him if she winds up anythin' like me." Rogue watched Chase with the baby boy and frowned. "Is she gonna be okay, Doc?"
Chase glanced up at Rogue and couldn't help but laugh. "You have our daughter betrothed, do you? I can't say I blame you. Look at what she'll get to play with," he mused, brushing his fingers across the sweep of fine strawberry blond hair, rocking him back and forth slightly. His eyes turned to Tara, machines breathing for her. "I don't know, babe," he said quietly. "I hope so. If she has anything to hurry on and get better for, they're both right here at her side."
"At least this way you'll know who the boy is that she's bringin' home and you won't have to get all scary. Or you could still get scary. And I promise to only betroth our first born," Rogue replied with a quiet laugh as she grinned. She was happy to give Chase more children. She'd take the painful boobs if it meant a big, happy family. She still couldn't believe she was even starting a family let alone planning more kids. She was still nervous about finding out if Baby Girl Chase would be touchable. If she wasn't, it would mean all of their kids would be dangerous for Rogue to touch. "So it really is just a waiting game?"
Chase smirked and sat down beside Rogue, careful not to disturb the baby. "Or I could just pay all our mates to have kids simultaneous to our breeding. What do you say? Remy next? Then I'll bribe Riley. It can be a regular little production line of arranged marriages," he said in amusement. He patted the baby's back softly. "This is the only Baby Campbell on the cards. Miracle baby. I remember when Tara found out she was pregnant after their honeymoon. They nearly had an all-out screaming match in the ER," he chuckled. "Tara declaring to all and sundry that her husband's penis was dodgy and didn't work. It was amusing."
He nodded slowly and carefully sat forward to take Tara's hand and rest it on the bundle of blue blankets. "She won't wake up in the first twenty four hours. The medications will keep her asleep, but after that, we just need to wait for her to wake up. Best case scenario, she'll be awake really quickly and respond well to the antibiotics. Worst case... is too painful to mention."
"I want it to be the best case," Rogue said immediately. "No worse case, they've had enough of those. As for the breedin' program, I don't think Riley's gonna get too far after what you told me about him before. I can't see Remy gettin' Maddy pregnant either. He can't even manage to talk about sex lately without lookin' green, and that's really sayin' somethin'. We might have to wait a bit for the simultaneous breedin' until we know the other guys are good for it."
Chase tilted his head. "What is going on there, anyway? I thought Remy was like this super hot sexual fiend. He didn't even seem to be very touchy-feely. Classic when Nana got him in a Nana hug, though. I hope someone has video of that. The snowman jumper was just outright history-making, too." The baby squirmed in the bundle, but didn't seem about to cry just yet. Maybe he was just responding to his mum's touch? "Have you thought about who you want for godparents? Or, um, what religion if we get her Christened?"
Rogue bit her lip as she watched Baby Riley. "He's not feeling like a super hot sexual fiend since the shooting. Plus he's been moping a lot and eating tonnes of ice cream. He won't calling moping, but it is what it is. I know I've been eatin' heaps too, but I have an excuse. He finds any kinda movement hard, he was s'posed to be gettin' help from Lachlan, but I think Lachlan's gonna have other priorities now." She smiled a little at the memory of the Nana hug and the snowman jumper. It was definitely all very history making for remy. Her eyes went wide at the Doc's question and she shook her head. "No, have you? I mean... I think I'd like maybe Logan as the godfather, but he's probably gonna be involved no matter what. Like the big scary Uncle."
"He does have an excuse. Living in pain is a really difficult thing to cope with. But he's in good hands. I don't think Lachlan will leave him high and dry. I'll help out if that's what Remy wants. I helped Lachlan a lot in the early days when he was just out of hospital. He stayed with me for a short time. They both did." Chase glanced up at the monitor's to check Tara's obs; it was just a reflexive action. Her temperature was still raging. "Maybe you could ask Remy. I think it's standard for both parents to pick two godparents each. At least, it's common that I know of. I'd like to ask Tara and Lachlan. They're my closest friends. Have been since he got here from Scotland. And, um, well, Catholic would be my first choice."
"Remy won't ask for what he wants. Catholic is okay with me, my Momma was Catholic but I ain't ever been that devout. I draw the line at not allowin' contraception though," Rogue said as she touched Riley's forehead gently and smiled at him. "I'm all for makin' babies, but only when the time's right. If I ask Remy, then who's gonna be the godmother? Or are they just both godfathers? Tara and Lachlan would be perfect."
Chase shrugged. "Then I'll tell him. I'll kick his arse if he doesn't listen. It's really important he keeps up with the path Lachlan's started him on. It can only take a few days for a body to lapse back to square one. He needs to keep at it. Well, Tara would be her godmother, she would just have three godfathers. I mean, we're hardly conventional, are we? It's not about male or female, its about who we want to protect our daughter. And do you really think I'm against the contraception thing? I'm a doctor before I'm a Catholic these days," he laughed. One of Tara's monitors beeped and Chase looked over it. "Can you hold him for a minute? I think one of her lines are blocked."
"Remy might resist pretty hard. He's probably thinkin' that you're just gonna wanna be home with me, and that if he comes to our place he'll be in the way. He won't be, though. I just want him happy and healthy again. He's startin' to be happy again, now it's just the healthy." Rogue carefully took Riley from Chase as she didn't even stop to think about it. She was covered up, and the baby was bundled in blankets so she knew he'd be safe. "That's true. I don't see why we should start tryin' to be conventional now. Three godfathers and a godmother it is. Now I just have to get Remy and Logan to agree."
Chase stood up and slowly checked over Tara's IV lines, starting at her hands where they were feeding in and following the tubes up to the machines. There was a small blockage, so he took a syringe and vial of saline to flush it through. "I'll show Remy some pictures of what a body can do when it's cripple. If that doesn't work, I'll threaten to admit him to a trauma rehab program and get Lachlan to tell him of all the wonderful sides of that. He won't be impressed. And why wouldn't they agree?" He rubbed Tara's arm. "You need to get better and wake up, sweetheart. You have two strapping lads waiting for your attentions here. You can only imagine what mischief they're going to get up to without you here to pull them into line."
"That's right, sugar. And if you don't wake up you're gonna miss your boy bein' so ridiculously beautiful," Rogue murmured as she nodded her head. "Because babies scare 'em both? Even more than showin' Remy pictures of a crippled body. I'm pretty sure they ain't gonna wanna know anythin' about Baby Girl Chase until she's old enough to walk, talk and take herself to the toilet."
"Let's put it this way. Remy won't even be taking himself to the toilet if he keeps on the path he was," Chase said pointedly. "And I think they're both big softies at heart. I know they would both protect her with their lives."
Rogue smiled as she held Riley securely in her arms and for a split second allowed herself to imagine it was their little girl. "She's gonna be perfect too, isn't she? She's gonna be just as beautiful and she's gonna be ours. She's also gonna be so damn protected that I don't think we got a choice but to betroth her since no other guy is gonna wanna get near her, and if he does--then he's gonna be a definite handful."
Chase smirked and gently adjusted Tara's pillow for her. "Of course she's going to be perfect. She already is. We always have that plus on our side then. Remy's friends with Lachlan, so this little one will have his seal of approval. She might not ever be allowed to have sex, but there is always cuddling," he laughed.
Rogue laughed as she looked over at Chase. "I can't wait to be a momma," she admitted quietly. "I mean, holdin' our baby and everythin'. I don't wanna wish away the pregnancy but I'm startin' to get really excited about the whole thing."
Chase nodded and smiled, though it was bittersweet. "It's an amazing, amazing thing, babe. I'm told you won't ever feel anything like it. Watching when little Riley here was born last night and seeing Tara and Lachlan when they first saw him, it was priceless." He laughed a little, remembering. He had been present on stand-by for any C-section, which he was relieved was never needed. "Lachlan was singing to her during the last few moments. My Girl and then the Proclaimers because that's what she asked for. But whoa, did she give him heaps in the earlier stages. He was cursed from here to Antarctica and back. It's not easy, babe. But it's the best thing you'll ever do. When Tara wakes up, you should ask her about it. She'll talk to you about it."
Rogue's gaze flicked to Tara's face. If she didn't know any better she would have just assumed the woman was just sleeping; exhausted after having to give birth. Rogue was maybe a little afraid about the whole birth thing, but knowing that Tara had done it and that Chase would know what to do was saving her from freaking out. That and she still wasn't going to let herself think about it too much until she was a month away. "She has to wake up, right? There's too much for her to miss. I wish Logan could help her."
Timely, maybe, but the baby started to cry then, beginning with a distressed whimper and breaking out into a loud sob, his little voice barely in action yet. This wasn't fair on any of them. He needed his Mum and his Dad, but everything had hit the fan again. "I hope she's strong enough to fight it. I mean, her body has been preparing for the birth for about the last week. She's exhausted. Everything that can be done for her is being done; we just have to wait." He patted his shoulder. "Lift him up so he's cuddled against your shoulder, babe, and just bounce him a little bit."
Rogue followed Chase's directions and shifted Riley so that he was cuddled against her shoulder and she bounced him. The crying was ear-splitting, especially in the cold hospital room where there was very little to absorb the noise. She even hummed a little under her breath and looked at the Doc to make sure she was doing the right thing. She might as well get used to babies now. "She's strong. She's stronger than a lot of people I know, even mutants."
Chase nodded. "She is. God, she is. I don't know how she did it, or how she did it and still manages to smile like she does. I still remember the night she came in here covered in his blood. Even then she was still somehow this strength the rest of us didn't have. Maybe if he cries loud enough, she'll hear? People are supposed to hear in a coma. She'll be cursing Lachlan for not quietening him," he said with a small smile. "He's probably hungry. We have to get used to this."
Rogue nodded. She liked to think that Tara would hear her baby, even in a coma. It made it easier to think that she might be given a reason to get better, that Tara would remember her boys are waiting for her. "Should we feed him?"
Chase stroked the top of the infant's head and then shook his head. "No, it needs to be Lachlan. If he keeps going like that, I'll call him. We can try all the other stuff first. Diaper, walking, rocking, singing. If we have no luck, we call in the Daddy Cavalry." He kissed Rogue's temple. "And hope we don't get a migraine in the process."
"I love ya, Doc," she told him softly just because she could.
"I love you right back, babe," Chase returned smiling softly and giving her a kiss.
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
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. Her condition still remained critical. Her body had just been too stressed and weakened to fight the infection and the first thing it attacked was the diabetes. It was one of those horrible things that could happen, but just wasn't really foreseen in the situation. As for now, Chase wouldn't be surprised if Lachlan wasn't even gone an hour, but he hoped that wouldn't be the case. Lachlan would be over twenty four hours without sleep now and a vast spanse of that timeframe was taken with trying to run on empty through Tara's labour. Chase hoped Lachlan's practical mind could hold on through the pain to remind him that he needed to eat and sleep to keep his strength.
He paced back and forth in front of reception waiting for his wife to arrive. He let out a heavy sigh. Lachlan had entrusted them with his two most prized possessions and Chase would be fucked if he fucked this up.
Rogue had her long streaked hair pulled back into a loose ponytail as she entered the hospital. It had been impossible for her to sleep when Chase had got called in, so it wasn't really much of a stretch for her to get to the hospital as well. Not to mention that if Tara was in trouble, then of course she wanted to be here. She wanted to make sure that the new momma would get through it all, because she had a son! Little Riley Patrick Campbell, Baby Girl Chase's fated future husband as she and Tara had agreed.
She raised a gloved hand to wipe at some tears that had slid down her cheeks, her teeth catching her bottom lip as she set eyes on her husband. Rogue was dressed in a green cardigan and a loose dress, her maternity clothes more comfortable than fashionable. To hell with anything that hurt her boobs. She rushed up to Chase and grabbed his hand. "I'm here, tell me everythin'."
Chase bit down on his lip and squeezed Rogue's hand back he swallowed and gestured towards Tara's room. "I know it's a lot to take in, but we should go and sit with her. I promised Lachlan we would take care of them," he explained and led her over to the large, intimidating room. There was nothing pleasant about an ICU, but being an Intensivist, Chase was used to the sight. Once they were there, he picked the tiny baby up and shook his head at Rogue. "It's Tara's diabetes. She caught an infection during the birth and her body just wasn't strong enough to fight it. It went right to her most weakened source and that was her diabetes. She got sick really quickly and by the time Lachlan realised something was wrong, it was too late. She's in a coma, but they giving her medication for the infection and treatment for her diabetes." His eyes followed the IV lines feeding into Tara's slender arm. "Lachlan wanted the baby to be with her, even if she's not awake."
Rogue's brown eyes went from the tiny baby in Chase's arm to where Tara lay sleeping. She went over and brushed the woman's hair back from her face before she leaned down to give her a brief kiss on the forehead. She turned back to Chase and frowned. "I don't see why all this badness keeps happenin' to Tara and Lachlan. Ain't they been through enough? I mean, of course we're gonna take care of Tara and Riley. Where is Lachlan anyway?"
"To test them maybe." Chase looked down at the sleeping baby. "I don't know. There is no damn explanation. They're good people. Some of the best people I've ever had the honour to know. It's not fair, babe. It's just not fair. Lachlan tried to feed him and he just wouldn't take it. Now he probably feels like a failure as a dad on top of everything else. I managed to convince him to go home to shower and have something to eat. Hopefully sleep, but I don't know. He's at breaking point. He needs to try and re-fuel some way. I can't even imagine... he's blaming himself. He always would but we all need to keep reminding him otherwise."
The tears were back and Rogue took a seat next to Tara's bed as she rubbed her rapidly growing belly. She was six months along, and Baby Girl Chase had been kicking up a storm. Now she was just quiet and still, like maybe she knew this was the wrong time to start dancing in Rogue's womb. "It ain't fair at all," she agreed softly. "It ain't his fault, either. I know some mommas can't even feed their own baby, and it ain't 'cause they're a failure. It's just because it is how it is sometimes. Poor Lachlan. All that joy of havin' a son sucked out from under him in a split second." Rogue let out a sigh and looked at her husband. "I've always been amazed at how Lachlan keeps draggin' himself up after all the shit hits he takes, but even I can't see him recoverin' from this one completely. He's gained a son only to nearly lose his wife."
Chase watched the baby, his forehead creased in concern. "The baby will keep him going. This little boy... my god, he's Lachlan's pride and joy. His family are his absolute everything and he'll keep going for them. He'll fight until life beats him down into a bloody pulp and even then he keeps going. He knows what he has to do, but I think right now he's feeling like he can't - or doesn't want to - do it without Tara. He's scared. We've been here before with Tara, but never in the wake of something as traumatic as giving birth. I think he's right to demand Riley's presence in her room. It could just be the fine line between make or break that keeps her going." He managed a sad smile. "He's a beautiful little boy. Despite it all, Lachlan still knows he helped create this little person. Nothing will ever beat that."
Rogue nodded as she smiled a little and took Tara's hand in her gloved one. "He is definitely beautiful. He's gonna be such a little heartbreaker. I think our girl will fall in love with him. Probably spend a lot of the time tryin' to punch him if she winds up anythin' like me." Rogue watched Chase with the baby boy and frowned. "Is she gonna be okay, Doc?"
Chase glanced up at Rogue and couldn't help but laugh. "You have our daughter betrothed, do you? I can't say I blame you. Look at what she'll get to play with," he mused, brushing his fingers across the sweep of fine strawberry blond hair, rocking him back and forth slightly. His eyes turned to Tara, machines breathing for her. "I don't know, babe," he said quietly. "I hope so. If she has anything to hurry on and get better for, they're both right here at her side."
"At least this way you'll know who the boy is that she's bringin' home and you won't have to get all scary. Or you could still get scary. And I promise to only betroth our first born," Rogue replied with a quiet laugh as she grinned. She was happy to give Chase more children. She'd take the painful boobs if it meant a big, happy family. She still couldn't believe she was even starting a family let alone planning more kids. She was still nervous about finding out if Baby Girl Chase would be touchable. If she wasn't, it would mean all of their kids would be dangerous for Rogue to touch. "So it really is just a waiting game?"
Chase smirked and sat down beside Rogue, careful not to disturb the baby. "Or I could just pay all our mates to have kids simultaneous to our breeding. What do you say? Remy next? Then I'll bribe Riley. It can be a regular little production line of arranged marriages," he said in amusement. He patted the baby's back softly. "This is the only Baby Campbell on the cards. Miracle baby. I remember when Tara found out she was pregnant after their honeymoon. They nearly had an all-out screaming match in the ER," he chuckled. "Tara declaring to all and sundry that her husband's penis was dodgy and didn't work. It was amusing."
He nodded slowly and carefully sat forward to take Tara's hand and rest it on the bundle of blue blankets. "She won't wake up in the first twenty four hours. The medications will keep her asleep, but after that, we just need to wait for her to wake up. Best case scenario, she'll be awake really quickly and respond well to the antibiotics. Worst case... is too painful to mention."
"I want it to be the best case," Rogue said immediately. "No worse case, they've had enough of those. As for the breedin' program, I don't think Riley's gonna get too far after what you told me about him before. I can't see Remy gettin' Maddy pregnant either. He can't even manage to talk about sex lately without lookin' green, and that's really sayin' somethin'. We might have to wait a bit for the simultaneous breedin' until we know the other guys are good for it."
Chase tilted his head. "What is going on there, anyway? I thought Remy was like this super hot sexual fiend. He didn't even seem to be very touchy-feely. Classic when Nana got him in a Nana hug, though. I hope someone has video of that. The snowman jumper was just outright history-making, too." The baby squirmed in the bundle, but didn't seem about to cry just yet. Maybe he was just responding to his mum's touch? "Have you thought about who you want for godparents? Or, um, what religion if we get her Christened?"
Rogue bit her lip as she watched Baby Riley. "He's not feeling like a super hot sexual fiend since the shooting. Plus he's been moping a lot and eating tonnes of ice cream. He won't calling moping, but it is what it is. I know I've been eatin' heaps too, but I have an excuse. He finds any kinda movement hard, he was s'posed to be gettin' help from Lachlan, but I think Lachlan's gonna have other priorities now." She smiled a little at the memory of the Nana hug and the snowman jumper. It was definitely all very history making for remy. Her eyes went wide at the Doc's question and she shook her head. "No, have you? I mean... I think I'd like maybe Logan as the godfather, but he's probably gonna be involved no matter what. Like the big scary Uncle."
"He does have an excuse. Living in pain is a really difficult thing to cope with. But he's in good hands. I don't think Lachlan will leave him high and dry. I'll help out if that's what Remy wants. I helped Lachlan a lot in the early days when he was just out of hospital. He stayed with me for a short time. They both did." Chase glanced up at the monitor's to check Tara's obs; it was just a reflexive action. Her temperature was still raging. "Maybe you could ask Remy. I think it's standard for both parents to pick two godparents each. At least, it's common that I know of. I'd like to ask Tara and Lachlan. They're my closest friends. Have been since he got here from Scotland. And, um, well, Catholic would be my first choice."
"Remy won't ask for what he wants. Catholic is okay with me, my Momma was Catholic but I ain't ever been that devout. I draw the line at not allowin' contraception though," Rogue said as she touched Riley's forehead gently and smiled at him. "I'm all for makin' babies, but only when the time's right. If I ask Remy, then who's gonna be the godmother? Or are they just both godfathers? Tara and Lachlan would be perfect."
Chase shrugged. "Then I'll tell him. I'll kick his arse if he doesn't listen. It's really important he keeps up with the path Lachlan's started him on. It can only take a few days for a body to lapse back to square one. He needs to keep at it. Well, Tara would be her godmother, she would just have three godfathers. I mean, we're hardly conventional, are we? It's not about male or female, its about who we want to protect our daughter. And do you really think I'm against the contraception thing? I'm a doctor before I'm a Catholic these days," he laughed. One of Tara's monitors beeped and Chase looked over it. "Can you hold him for a minute? I think one of her lines are blocked."
"Remy might resist pretty hard. He's probably thinkin' that you're just gonna wanna be home with me, and that if he comes to our place he'll be in the way. He won't be, though. I just want him happy and healthy again. He's startin' to be happy again, now it's just the healthy." Rogue carefully took Riley from Chase as she didn't even stop to think about it. She was covered up, and the baby was bundled in blankets so she knew he'd be safe. "That's true. I don't see why we should start tryin' to be conventional now. Three godfathers and a godmother it is. Now I just have to get Remy and Logan to agree."
Chase stood up and slowly checked over Tara's IV lines, starting at her hands where they were feeding in and following the tubes up to the machines. There was a small blockage, so he took a syringe and vial of saline to flush it through. "I'll show Remy some pictures of what a body can do when it's cripple. If that doesn't work, I'll threaten to admit him to a trauma rehab program and get Lachlan to tell him of all the wonderful sides of that. He won't be impressed. And why wouldn't they agree?" He rubbed Tara's arm. "You need to get better and wake up, sweetheart. You have two strapping lads waiting for your attentions here. You can only imagine what mischief they're going to get up to without you here to pull them into line."
"That's right, sugar. And if you don't wake up you're gonna miss your boy bein' so ridiculously beautiful," Rogue murmured as she nodded her head. "Because babies scare 'em both? Even more than showin' Remy pictures of a crippled body. I'm pretty sure they ain't gonna wanna know anythin' about Baby Girl Chase until she's old enough to walk, talk and take herself to the toilet."
"Let's put it this way. Remy won't even be taking himself to the toilet if he keeps on the path he was," Chase said pointedly. "And I think they're both big softies at heart. I know they would both protect her with their lives."
Rogue smiled as she held Riley securely in her arms and for a split second allowed herself to imagine it was their little girl. "She's gonna be perfect too, isn't she? She's gonna be just as beautiful and she's gonna be ours. She's also gonna be so damn protected that I don't think we got a choice but to betroth her since no other guy is gonna wanna get near her, and if he does--then he's gonna be a definite handful."
Chase smirked and gently adjusted Tara's pillow for her. "Of course she's going to be perfect. She already is. We always have that plus on our side then. Remy's friends with Lachlan, so this little one will have his seal of approval. She might not ever be allowed to have sex, but there is always cuddling," he laughed.
Rogue laughed as she looked over at Chase. "I can't wait to be a momma," she admitted quietly. "I mean, holdin' our baby and everythin'. I don't wanna wish away the pregnancy but I'm startin' to get really excited about the whole thing."
Chase nodded and smiled, though it was bittersweet. "It's an amazing, amazing thing, babe. I'm told you won't ever feel anything like it. Watching when little Riley here was born last night and seeing Tara and Lachlan when they first saw him, it was priceless." He laughed a little, remembering. He had been present on stand-by for any C-section, which he was relieved was never needed. "Lachlan was singing to her during the last few moments. My Girl and then the Proclaimers because that's what she asked for. But whoa, did she give him heaps in the earlier stages. He was cursed from here to Antarctica and back. It's not easy, babe. But it's the best thing you'll ever do. When Tara wakes up, you should ask her about it. She'll talk to you about it."
Rogue's gaze flicked to Tara's face. If she didn't know any better she would have just assumed the woman was just sleeping; exhausted after having to give birth. Rogue was maybe a little afraid about the whole birth thing, but knowing that Tara had done it and that Chase would know what to do was saving her from freaking out. That and she still wasn't going to let herself think about it too much until she was a month away. "She has to wake up, right? There's too much for her to miss. I wish Logan could help her."
Timely, maybe, but the baby started to cry then, beginning with a distressed whimper and breaking out into a loud sob, his little voice barely in action yet. This wasn't fair on any of them. He needed his Mum and his Dad, but everything had hit the fan again. "I hope she's strong enough to fight it. I mean, her body has been preparing for the birth for about the last week. She's exhausted. Everything that can be done for her is being done; we just have to wait." He patted his shoulder. "Lift him up so he's cuddled against your shoulder, babe, and just bounce him a little bit."
Rogue followed Chase's directions and shifted Riley so that he was cuddled against her shoulder and she bounced him. The crying was ear-splitting, especially in the cold hospital room where there was very little to absorb the noise. She even hummed a little under her breath and looked at the Doc to make sure she was doing the right thing. She might as well get used to babies now. "She's strong. She's stronger than a lot of people I know, even mutants."
Chase nodded. "She is. God, she is. I don't know how she did it, or how she did it and still manages to smile like she does. I still remember the night she came in here covered in his blood. Even then she was still somehow this strength the rest of us didn't have. Maybe if he cries loud enough, she'll hear? People are supposed to hear in a coma. She'll be cursing Lachlan for not quietening him," he said with a small smile. "He's probably hungry. We have to get used to this."
Rogue nodded. She liked to think that Tara would hear her baby, even in a coma. It made it easier to think that she might be given a reason to get better, that Tara would remember her boys are waiting for her. "Should we feed him?"
Chase stroked the top of the infant's head and then shook his head. "No, it needs to be Lachlan. If he keeps going like that, I'll call him. We can try all the other stuff first. Diaper, walking, rocking, singing. If we have no luck, we call in the Daddy Cavalry." He kissed Rogue's temple. "And hope we don't get a migraine in the process."
"I love ya, Doc," she told him softly just because she could.
"I love you right back, babe," Chase returned smiling softly and giving her a kiss.
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