Chapter Text
"This is the first time I ever drive with all of you and I already know it's the last" House muttered.
"It's been less than 5 minutes" Cameron said.
"And I'm already done. That proves how annoying you are"
"What did we even do?"
House sighed dramatically. "You—" he said, pointing at her sitting on the right back seat. "keep grinning happily like it's some kind of a road trip" he said, turning to Foreman who was on the left back seat. "You... seem to be in a good mood, which is so unusual that it's creeping me out" he spoke accusatorily. "You—" he glanced at Chase, thinking for a while. "I don't know where you got the idea that shotgun seat gives you radio and AC control privilege, but it doesn't"
Then he turned to Wilson, who was on the backseat, between Cameron and Foreman. "And, finally, you" he said. "I've got no idea what all that is supposed to be" he pointed at the open lunchbox that all three were snacking from. "but couldn't you get something that normal people bring to the car, like —I don't know— anything else?"
Wilson rolled his eyes, slightly amused with the whole complain speech. "Just try one" he said, reaching his hand out and offering the lunchbox (or rather whatever was in) to him. "Tastes way better than it looks and smells, promise"
House shook his head. "Absolutely not"
Wilson tilted the lunchbox slightly to the right. "Chase?" he offered.
Chase reached his hand.
House immediately slapped his wrist. "You bring this stuff to the front and you lose hand" he threatened.
Chase immediately took his hand back. "Nah, I'm good, thanks" he said to Wilson, with a small smile.
Despite House's initial attitude, soon they were all munching on the snacks that Wilson had brought, even though House still kept his grumpy act.
"Just admit it, it's nice" Cameron said.
"Yeah, driving four hours to some boring conference with all of you, so 'nice'" House muttered.
"It's a five hour drive" Wilson pointed out.
"Not when I'm the one behind the wheel" House replied.
"It's not just any conference — your employee is presenting a paper. You should be proud" Cameron beamed, causing Chase to smile warmly.
"Well, clearly they're not that selective then" House quipped and Chase just gave him a glare.
Foreman snorted, while Cameron and Wilson gave House a rather scolding glance.
It turned out that House was right — they did arrive in four hours indeed. It included the rest of them to pray for their lives at least a few times — even Foreman and Cameron, despite them both of them identifying as atheists. The second the car stopped in front of the hotel, all of them —excluding Wilson, who was already used to House's driving— emerged out of the car in a way that looked like they survived the most horrifying plane crash.
They all walked into the hotel, checking in, then they approached the registration table, signing in and getting their nametags.
"Name?"
"Chase"
"And the first name?" the convention registrar asked, besides not having asked anyone else.
Chase frowned, a bit confused, but replied. "Robert Chase"
She nodded with a polite smile, handing him the nametag. "Sorry for the confusion, we have two doctors with that last name" she explained simply.
Chase immediately froze. "...What?" he asked.
Oh no.
He snatched the clipboard with the list from her and immediately looked for his name, ignoring her shocked gasp and the offended protest that followed.
Chase, Robert
Then, there it was, right underneath, just a line lower, as if taunting him.
Chase, Rowan
Oh no.
Oh no.
Oh fuck no!
He immediately got pale, all colour leaving his face fully white so fast he could actually feel the blood draining away.