Categories > TV > House
A Friend in Need
1 reviewHouse/Doctor Who x-over. Martha/Chase (het). Unrequited Ten/Martha (het) and House/Chase (slash).
1Funny
Title: A Friend in Need
Author: seldra
Fandoms: House M.D., Doctor Who
Pairing: Chase/Martha (unrequited House/Chase and Ten/Martha)
Rating: PG-13 to be safe
Disclaimer: House M.D. is owned by FOX, Doctor Who by the BBC.
Summary: Chase and Martha both need a bit of comfort and a sympathetic shoulder to cry on.
Notes: SPOILERS for the entire third season of House.
“Hi,” said the girl. “This seat taken?”
Her smile was bright and friendly. Her black hair was done up in a spunky bunch on top of her head. Chase mutely shook his head, gesturing for her to have the seat. The bar was crowded, even though it was late, and voices rose and fell around them. He bit into his sandwich and studied the girl out of the corner of his eye – taking mental inventory as he supposed House would. She was young, black, extremely pretty, wore a red leather jacket…and had a friendly smile. If he was House, he mused, he probably would have been able to deduce her job and several important factors about her personal life from those observations. But he wasn’t a modern-day Sherlock Holmes and he’d have to find out by asking.
“Are you English?” he asked, judging from her accent.
“Yeah,” she smiled, ordering her drink. “Just over here for…well there was this lizard, see…it’s kind of complicated.”
“Ah,” Chase blinked. “And what is it you do?”
“I’m a doctor,” she answered, “well, soon as I finish my exams. I’m Martha Jones, by the way,” she extended a hand, “and what do you do, Mister…?”
“Chase,” he answered, taking her hand. “A doctor as well.”
“Really?” she smiled. “Do you work at Princeton-Plainsboro by any chance? There are some pretty famous doctors on their staff.”
He shrugged. “I used to work there. Until about eight hours ago.” He didn’t mean for it to sound as bitter as it did.
“Oh…” she said. “I’m really sorry.” She touched his arm.
Chase fought the instinctive urge to jerk away, her hand was feather-light and tiny. Her eyes were filled with sympathy. “I don’t even know why.”
He didn’t normally do this, open up to people, let alone a stranger in a bar. But she was so kind. And she looked at him like the fate of the world might hang on his next few words. No one looked at him like that. Foreman looked down at him, Cameron looked through him, and House… well, and House.
“But they can’t fire you without a reason, can they?”
“House can,” he said, taking a deep drink.
“House? Doctor Gregory House? The world-famous diagnosti — oh, I’m sorry,” she said, catching his pained expression. “I guess people like that are always jerks in real life.”
“House goes a bit beyond jerk,” Chase paused. “The trouble is…he’s right. I mean he’s always right. He sees things no one else does. He thinks in ways… He seems completely mad, but in the end it works and he saves lives. Saves people no one thought could be saved.”
“He sounds like a friend of mine,” she murmured, wrapping her hands around her drink. “The – this doctor, Smith. I sort of travel with him.”
“Chasing lizards?”
“It’s a bit complicated,” she laughed. “But the point is, he’s totally mad and completely brilliant. He saves – well, everyone, really.”
They drank in silence for a minute.
“The trouble is, I’m worried he might be right about this too,” Chase continued quietly. “Maybe I’m just not good enough. Maybe… I solved cases – hard cases – on my own, one even he couldn’t solve. But maybe that’s not enough.”
“Maybe he just doesn’t like the competition,” Martha said. “Or maybe he thinks you’ve outgrown the position.”
"Because you've been here the longest, learned all you can, or you haven't learned anything at all... either way, it's time for a change," House's words echoed in his head.
Chase stared into his drink. If he was honest with himself it was an explanation he had avoided contemplating. The implications were too great. House had never thought that much of him, had he? Surely…
“More like he was just lashing out because Foreman was leaving. He’s never liked me. And even if…even if he thought change would be better for me too, I don’t feel like I can do this job without him looking over my shoulder,” he said. “I told the others I thought it would be alright. Time for a change and all that. Everyone thinks I’m fine with it, but…”
“But how could you be fine with it?” she said softly, her eyes dark with tears. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
Chase dropped the sandwich onto his plate and stared at her in disbelief and horror. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. No one knew – how could she possibly know? Was it that obvious? No, there was no way Foreman and Cameron would have let it slide if they’d known.
“How?” he whispered finally, dropping his head. “How’d you—”
“I’ve been there, you know. I’m there now, actually. When you love someone, and they don’t even look at you. And they don’t even know. And it’s torture.” She spoke quietly. Her hand covered his.
He searched his memory for the name she’d mentioned earlier. “Doctor Smith?”
She nodded sadly. “He seems to like me, but that’s it. Doesn’t even see me when I’m right…there. In front of him.”
“At least he likes you. I was ‘Doctor Idiot’ until a few months ago.” He took a sip of his drink, thinking. “He punched me once, too.”
“He /what/?” Martha’s eyebrows shot up.
“It wasn’t really his fault,” Chase shrugged. “He’s in pain all the time, and they took his medicine away. It’s a long story, but he was going through withdrawal and he couldn’t solve the case he was working on and he just – snapped. At me. Because I was the one who solved it.”
Martha gazed at the countertop sadly. Her thoughts were her own and there was a quiet, private sorrow about her that he could not interpret. “But you still like him?” she asked. “After all he’s put you through?”
“It’s not like he’s evil or anything. He’s just…House. And at the end of the day he’s still the smartest guy in any room. And he taught me a lot. Working with him taught me a lot. About everything. I’d go back in a second. I still can’t believe… What am I going to do tomorrow?”
“What are you going to do right now?” she asked.
Somehow, Chase realized, they’d shifted closer. Their faces were inches apart. She brushed his hand with her fingertips and he shivered. “Where’s Doctor Smith?” he asked.
“We had some trouble with our – vehicle,” she said. “He said it would take a few hours to fix. Told me to go out and explore New York.”
“This isn’t New York.”
“I know,” she smiled. “Even geniuses make mistakes.”
She was close – close enough to kiss. And so beautiful. He leaned forwards and she lifted her head to meet him. Their lips brushed softly. She tasted sweet and warm. He raised his hands to touch the delicate shape of her cheek. She was small and delicate, but not fragile. Her black hair was very, very soft. She ran her fingers through his bangs and pulled back a little, smiling. Her face was full of light.
“Maybe – not here,” she whispered.
“My flat’s around the corner,” he said. “If you’re sure…”
“You’re sweet,” she said, smiling up at him. “I’m sure.”
Their hands clasped on the walk back to his place. She just did it naturally, sliding her fingers through his, and he was too surprised by the gesture to pull out of it. Cameron had never wanted to show any outward signs of what they were doing. But then, he reminded himself, Cameron had made it perfectly clear from the beginning what she wanted from their relationship. He had no one to blame but himself for how hurt he’d been when she finally rejected him. Deep inside he’d always known Cameron still wanted House. But then Martha wanted someone else too, didn’t she? So why should she hold his hand and look at him so sweetly, look at him like he mattered more than just a one-night stand?
“What’s wrong?” she asked, when they reached the harsh lights of the foyer. And there was that look in her eyes again – concern, sadness, love.
No, he told himself, it couldn’t be love.
“Chase?”
“Robert,” he said, pressing the button for the lift. “I should have told you earlier, but everyone calls me Chase at work. You get used to it.”
“Robert, then,” she grinned. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
He frowned, and they stepped into the lift together, their arms around each other’s waists. He wasn’t used to sharing his thoughts like this. “It’s nothing,” he said. “I just wondered why you look at me that way.”
“What way?” she murmured, brushing the hair away from his eyes.
“Like you care so much.”
“Because I do care. You’re a friend, Robert. I love you.”
He swallowed. And decided not to think about anything else for a while, but the sound of her voice and her breath as he kissed her and she kissed back, her slender body twisting against his. Her kisses were hot and filled him with warmth. He felt the warm leather of her jacket beneath his hands, then the cool shirt beneath it and smooth, perfect skin.
Later, he insisted on going with her to meet her friend. It was well past midnight and the streets could be dangerous. And he didn’t want to let her go. Just for a few minutes longer, he wanted to hold her. Martha smiled and straightened her jacket.
They found Doctor Smith in the park, without any vehicle that Chase could see. He was sitting on top of a picnic table in front of what looked like a blue 1960’s police box which Chase stared at for a moment because surely that didn’t belong there…
Martha touched his arm and he looked down at her. “Well, this is my doctor,” she said. “Good luck with yours. And who knows? Maybe now that you’re not his subordinate he’ll see you as an equal. Maybe you could…” she shrugged.
“Come on, Martha! People to see, things to meet!” Smith called, leaping off the picnic table with startling energy.
“You got her all fixed up, then?” she asked.
He was twirling a thin cylindrical object in his hands. The doctor was a tall, skinny fellow, wearing a pin-striped suit beneath his long coat. He looked bored. “Finished an hour ago! Where have you been?”
“Don’t blame me,” she said, laughing. “You’re the one who said it would take all night. I guess that lizard didn’t do as much damage as you thought.”
“Speaking of, we’d better return him to the zookeepers on Bridexal IV. Can’t have fire-breathing four-legged snakes running around twenty-first century Earth, can we? It’d wreak havoc on the ecosystem – so, if you could just say goodbye to your friend, there…”
“You’re so rude,” she chided fondly. Squeezing Chase’s hand, she gave him one last smile. “Goodbye, Robert. And good luck.”
He nodded. “You too.”
She ran over to Smith and turned and waved to him as they stepped inside the blue box. Chase frowned, then watched as the box faded into the darkness with a mechanical hum.
THE END.
Author: seldra
Fandoms: House M.D., Doctor Who
Pairing: Chase/Martha (unrequited House/Chase and Ten/Martha)
Rating: PG-13 to be safe
Disclaimer: House M.D. is owned by FOX, Doctor Who by the BBC.
Summary: Chase and Martha both need a bit of comfort and a sympathetic shoulder to cry on.
Notes: SPOILERS for the entire third season of House.
“Hi,” said the girl. “This seat taken?”
Her smile was bright and friendly. Her black hair was done up in a spunky bunch on top of her head. Chase mutely shook his head, gesturing for her to have the seat. The bar was crowded, even though it was late, and voices rose and fell around them. He bit into his sandwich and studied the girl out of the corner of his eye – taking mental inventory as he supposed House would. She was young, black, extremely pretty, wore a red leather jacket…and had a friendly smile. If he was House, he mused, he probably would have been able to deduce her job and several important factors about her personal life from those observations. But he wasn’t a modern-day Sherlock Holmes and he’d have to find out by asking.
“Are you English?” he asked, judging from her accent.
“Yeah,” she smiled, ordering her drink. “Just over here for…well there was this lizard, see…it’s kind of complicated.”
“Ah,” Chase blinked. “And what is it you do?”
“I’m a doctor,” she answered, “well, soon as I finish my exams. I’m Martha Jones, by the way,” she extended a hand, “and what do you do, Mister…?”
“Chase,” he answered, taking her hand. “A doctor as well.”
“Really?” she smiled. “Do you work at Princeton-Plainsboro by any chance? There are some pretty famous doctors on their staff.”
He shrugged. “I used to work there. Until about eight hours ago.” He didn’t mean for it to sound as bitter as it did.
“Oh…” she said. “I’m really sorry.” She touched his arm.
Chase fought the instinctive urge to jerk away, her hand was feather-light and tiny. Her eyes were filled with sympathy. “I don’t even know why.”
He didn’t normally do this, open up to people, let alone a stranger in a bar. But she was so kind. And she looked at him like the fate of the world might hang on his next few words. No one looked at him like that. Foreman looked down at him, Cameron looked through him, and House… well, and House.
“But they can’t fire you without a reason, can they?”
“House can,” he said, taking a deep drink.
“House? Doctor Gregory House? The world-famous diagnosti — oh, I’m sorry,” she said, catching his pained expression. “I guess people like that are always jerks in real life.”
“House goes a bit beyond jerk,” Chase paused. “The trouble is…he’s right. I mean he’s always right. He sees things no one else does. He thinks in ways… He seems completely mad, but in the end it works and he saves lives. Saves people no one thought could be saved.”
“He sounds like a friend of mine,” she murmured, wrapping her hands around her drink. “The – this doctor, Smith. I sort of travel with him.”
“Chasing lizards?”
“It’s a bit complicated,” she laughed. “But the point is, he’s totally mad and completely brilliant. He saves – well, everyone, really.”
They drank in silence for a minute.
“The trouble is, I’m worried he might be right about this too,” Chase continued quietly. “Maybe I’m just not good enough. Maybe… I solved cases – hard cases – on my own, one even he couldn’t solve. But maybe that’s not enough.”
“Maybe he just doesn’t like the competition,” Martha said. “Or maybe he thinks you’ve outgrown the position.”
"Because you've been here the longest, learned all you can, or you haven't learned anything at all... either way, it's time for a change," House's words echoed in his head.
Chase stared into his drink. If he was honest with himself it was an explanation he had avoided contemplating. The implications were too great. House had never thought that much of him, had he? Surely…
“More like he was just lashing out because Foreman was leaving. He’s never liked me. And even if…even if he thought change would be better for me too, I don’t feel like I can do this job without him looking over my shoulder,” he said. “I told the others I thought it would be alright. Time for a change and all that. Everyone thinks I’m fine with it, but…”
“But how could you be fine with it?” she said softly, her eyes dark with tears. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
Chase dropped the sandwich onto his plate and stared at her in disbelief and horror. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. No one knew – how could she possibly know? Was it that obvious? No, there was no way Foreman and Cameron would have let it slide if they’d known.
“How?” he whispered finally, dropping his head. “How’d you—”
“I’ve been there, you know. I’m there now, actually. When you love someone, and they don’t even look at you. And they don’t even know. And it’s torture.” She spoke quietly. Her hand covered his.
He searched his memory for the name she’d mentioned earlier. “Doctor Smith?”
She nodded sadly. “He seems to like me, but that’s it. Doesn’t even see me when I’m right…there. In front of him.”
“At least he likes you. I was ‘Doctor Idiot’ until a few months ago.” He took a sip of his drink, thinking. “He punched me once, too.”
“He /what/?” Martha’s eyebrows shot up.
“It wasn’t really his fault,” Chase shrugged. “He’s in pain all the time, and they took his medicine away. It’s a long story, but he was going through withdrawal and he couldn’t solve the case he was working on and he just – snapped. At me. Because I was the one who solved it.”
Martha gazed at the countertop sadly. Her thoughts were her own and there was a quiet, private sorrow about her that he could not interpret. “But you still like him?” she asked. “After all he’s put you through?”
“It’s not like he’s evil or anything. He’s just…House. And at the end of the day he’s still the smartest guy in any room. And he taught me a lot. Working with him taught me a lot. About everything. I’d go back in a second. I still can’t believe… What am I going to do tomorrow?”
“What are you going to do right now?” she asked.
Somehow, Chase realized, they’d shifted closer. Their faces were inches apart. She brushed his hand with her fingertips and he shivered. “Where’s Doctor Smith?” he asked.
“We had some trouble with our – vehicle,” she said. “He said it would take a few hours to fix. Told me to go out and explore New York.”
“This isn’t New York.”
“I know,” she smiled. “Even geniuses make mistakes.”
She was close – close enough to kiss. And so beautiful. He leaned forwards and she lifted her head to meet him. Their lips brushed softly. She tasted sweet and warm. He raised his hands to touch the delicate shape of her cheek. She was small and delicate, but not fragile. Her black hair was very, very soft. She ran her fingers through his bangs and pulled back a little, smiling. Her face was full of light.
“Maybe – not here,” she whispered.
“My flat’s around the corner,” he said. “If you’re sure…”
“You’re sweet,” she said, smiling up at him. “I’m sure.”
Their hands clasped on the walk back to his place. She just did it naturally, sliding her fingers through his, and he was too surprised by the gesture to pull out of it. Cameron had never wanted to show any outward signs of what they were doing. But then, he reminded himself, Cameron had made it perfectly clear from the beginning what she wanted from their relationship. He had no one to blame but himself for how hurt he’d been when she finally rejected him. Deep inside he’d always known Cameron still wanted House. But then Martha wanted someone else too, didn’t she? So why should she hold his hand and look at him so sweetly, look at him like he mattered more than just a one-night stand?
“What’s wrong?” she asked, when they reached the harsh lights of the foyer. And there was that look in her eyes again – concern, sadness, love.
No, he told himself, it couldn’t be love.
“Chase?”
“Robert,” he said, pressing the button for the lift. “I should have told you earlier, but everyone calls me Chase at work. You get used to it.”
“Robert, then,” she grinned. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
He frowned, and they stepped into the lift together, their arms around each other’s waists. He wasn’t used to sharing his thoughts like this. “It’s nothing,” he said. “I just wondered why you look at me that way.”
“What way?” she murmured, brushing the hair away from his eyes.
“Like you care so much.”
“Because I do care. You’re a friend, Robert. I love you.”
He swallowed. And decided not to think about anything else for a while, but the sound of her voice and her breath as he kissed her and she kissed back, her slender body twisting against his. Her kisses were hot and filled him with warmth. He felt the warm leather of her jacket beneath his hands, then the cool shirt beneath it and smooth, perfect skin.
Later, he insisted on going with her to meet her friend. It was well past midnight and the streets could be dangerous. And he didn’t want to let her go. Just for a few minutes longer, he wanted to hold her. Martha smiled and straightened her jacket.
They found Doctor Smith in the park, without any vehicle that Chase could see. He was sitting on top of a picnic table in front of what looked like a blue 1960’s police box which Chase stared at for a moment because surely that didn’t belong there…
Martha touched his arm and he looked down at her. “Well, this is my doctor,” she said. “Good luck with yours. And who knows? Maybe now that you’re not his subordinate he’ll see you as an equal. Maybe you could…” she shrugged.
“Come on, Martha! People to see, things to meet!” Smith called, leaping off the picnic table with startling energy.
“You got her all fixed up, then?” she asked.
He was twirling a thin cylindrical object in his hands. The doctor was a tall, skinny fellow, wearing a pin-striped suit beneath his long coat. He looked bored. “Finished an hour ago! Where have you been?”
“Don’t blame me,” she said, laughing. “You’re the one who said it would take all night. I guess that lizard didn’t do as much damage as you thought.”
“Speaking of, we’d better return him to the zookeepers on Bridexal IV. Can’t have fire-breathing four-legged snakes running around twenty-first century Earth, can we? It’d wreak havoc on the ecosystem – so, if you could just say goodbye to your friend, there…”
“You’re so rude,” she chided fondly. Squeezing Chase’s hand, she gave him one last smile. “Goodbye, Robert. And good luck.”
He nodded. “You too.”
She ran over to Smith and turned and waved to him as they stepped inside the blue box. Chase frowned, then watched as the box faded into the darkness with a mechanical hum.
THE END.
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