Emergency Room Romance

Risking Chances, Winning Hearts

*Chase*

It was a phone call from Mike that caused the worry to flood my veins like poison. Blair had been supposed to pick Emily up from his over an hour ago, but she hadn’t turned up and she wasn’t answering her phone; in fact, it was going straight to voicemail every time I tried to call her on the way to collect the little girl. It was the last thing I needed today. After House had spent most of the morning causing trouble in the ER because he was ‘bored’ I had ended up arguing with him in the office, the arrogant bastard actually having the nerve to offer me my old job back after I had thrown it in his face to begin with. Then, he had dragged Blair, Emily and my feelings for them both into the fight and called me out on my worst fears.

I knew Blair didn’t intend on leaving, but I didn’t know what would happen in the future and she couldn’t predict these things either. All it would take would be one accident, one mistake and I could lose everything. The only thing I could think of to save me from that was to ask for her hand in marriage. Whilst I knew it was something I had thought about; I did want to spend my life with Blair, I refused to rush into it just because of the doubts that House had put in my mind. I knew that there would be a time, a place and the perfect moment when I could do something like that, but it wasn’t any time soon.

Right now, I was concerned with where Blair was and whether or not she was safe. All kinds of images were racing through my mind as I brought Emily home, absently greeting Dawson as he left for the night shift. I panicked, having to remind myself repeatedly that Charlie was locked away in prison now. What if he got someone else though? What if he had sent someone after Blair to hurt her?

Emily was oblivious to the whole thing and happily playing away in the living room with some of her Christmas presents but I was seconds away from calling all hospitals within a fifty mile radius to make sure Blair wasn’t comatosed in one of them. I heard the key in the door and raced to greet her before her feet were even across the threshold. She squealed in surprise as I grabbed her tightly in my arms, almost checking to make sure she was real.

“Where the hell have you been?” I hissed, torn between relief and anger.

She blinked and pulled back, her eyes sincerely apologetic as she tried to explain everything. “I’m sorry. I was in the city sorting a few things out and I didn’t realise just how long I was there for. I called Mike and he freaked out on me and told me that you’d already swung by to get Emily when I didn’t. I’m sorry I didn’t call.”

“I was worried sick, Blair.” I pushed my hair back and stepped aside so that she could shrug out of her coat.

“I know, I would’ve called but I had to turn my phone off in the offices.”

“What offices?” Now I was more confused than before. She glanced around, noticing Emily sitting on the floor, waving happily at Blair. She smiled at her daughter and waved back before pointing towards the kitchen, gesturing for me to follow her into the slightly more private room.

“I went to see my lawyer.”

“You have a lawyer? What for?”

“Always good to have one on hand when you’re an ER doctor.” She said with a small shrug.

“Why did you go and see him?” Now, I was worrying more, concerned by what could be happening that Blair rushed to see a lawyer.

“Sit down.” She glanced at the small table we had set up in the smaller room. “It’s a long story.”

“Well, tell it then.”

“First, you have to promise not to freak out or anything until I’ve finished telling you everything. Promise?” Her eyes were wide but serious and I realised that I’d never seen this kind of nervousness in Blair before.

“I promise.”

“This morning, when I was out with Emily, she asked me if you could be her dad. I was about to try and explain it to her and she told me that she wanted you to be her daddy because you loved her. Then, I headed to the hospital once Mike had stolen my daughter for the afternoon and I overheard part of your fight with House. I don’t even want to know what it was about right now, that isn’t the point. The point is that what I heard reminded me that I’ve done nothing to keep Emily safe.”

“You have!”

“Really? And if something happens to me? Robert, I’ve put nothing in place for if I end up unable to look after her. If I were to die tomorrow, Emily would end up either in care or with a family that would hurt her. It might even be Charlie’s family, because I’m fairly certain that mine wouldn’t want her.”

“It’s not going to happen, but you know I’d always take care of her.”

“But legally you have no rights. If I were to die, you lose Emily too.”

“So you went to see your lawyer?” I still didn’t understand where this was going, but at the small prompt, she pulled a small file from her bag and placed it on the table, sliding it towards me.

“It’s not something we need to do right away and there are different options for us if you’re not comfortable with anything.”

I opened up the file and quickly skimmed the document, one word jumping out at me beyond the rest. “Adoption?” I looked at Blair with shocked wide eyes and instantly she launched into a bumbling explanation.

“It’s not usually permitted seeing as how you’re only my boyfriend, but my lawyer thinks that the circumstances and Emily’s age may sway a judge in our favour. Because Charlie is convicted of domestic violence all of his parental rights are withdrawn and he’s never been in Emily’s life, not really, so most judges wouldn’t allow him even visitation, especially after what happened in the hospital. Then, we’ve lived together longer than we’ve been dating and there have been fights between us and you’ve never let them affect Emily and I know that if for whatever reason we may separate, you wouldn’t want to lose Emily. Plus, we have discussed having children together, which is hardly a commitment made lightly.” She paused and then let out a breath she seemed to be holding. “Or, if that’s too much we can sort out a custody arrangement, which is a little less official and overwhelming than the idea of adoption.”

“Wait, you want me to be Emily’s dad?” Having a child call you dad and what Blair was offering were two entirely different things, both of which were terrifying and incredible simultaneously.

“Not if you don’t want it.”

I jumped up, pulled Blair to her feet and kissed her with so much vigour and passion that I honestly thought the room was spinning. “Blair, are you sure about this? It’s a really big thing.”

“And we’re already a family. I don’t want that to vanish into thin air. Emily loves you and clearly she already sees you as her dad so why not do this?”

“I, I don’t know if I could do it.”

“Oh please, you’ve practically been doing it since we moved in with you!” Blair’s smile softened slightly and she laced her fingers around my neck. “Whatever you chose here, Emily is always going to love you and you are the closest father figure she’s going to have in her life.”

“I want to do this. I want to adopt her, but it’s like you’re giving me your child.”

“She’s been yours for a long time. All this will do is make it so in the eyes of the law and will probably change her from Emily Lyons to Emily Chase.” I grinned at the thought and leaned down to kiss her sweetly.

“So, what do we need to do?”

“We need to see my lawyer again at some point to get the ball rolling, If you read the file most of the tedious parts are in there, but most likely there will be a little assessment of our situation, some research into your past to make sure you’re not an axe wielding maniac and then, hopefully, we’ll be set.” Her smile grew again and she pushed herself onto her toes to press her lips to mine again. “But, before all of that, you can tell Emily that you’re her dad.”