Title: Rewriting Destiny
Chapter 1 – Another Day in Paradise?

Summary: AU For Robert Chase and Gregory House destiny was already set for the two of them and it was worlds apart. But a chance meeting and an instant kindred connection forces both worlds to start to come together until destiny has rewritten a new family. But will others succeed in tearing them apart?

Disclaimer: House MD and its characters are not mine any of the OC's are mine (names taken from a random name generator) any resemblance to any of my readers is by pure coincidence.

A/N: We're back! Okay so we had a few ideas for another father/son House/Chase pairing story and in the end it came down to a game of writers roulette lol so that means the other ideas are on hold for now! This is a brand new AUverse and a bit of a different take on how our two faves meet but will still primarily focus on House/Chase in a father/son capacity (no slash) as well as lots of House/Wilson as in my other stories. I am not sure about a solid OC buddy for Chase like Bruno in the last story but you never know. I like him having a kindred friend his age so we'll see if Alice can come up with someone new and just as likeable. I won't give anything away about this except that much like my last three stories lots of angsty drama, tension, hurt/comfort and father/son bonding! So enjoy :)

Don't use it all…it needs to last the entire week.

The young man looks down at the small tube of toothpaste in his hands and then up at his weary reflection. "You need sleep," he mutters to himself as he starts to brush his teeth. For a few seconds he closes his eyes and let's himself think about what it would be like to live in a…normal home?

His warm aquamarine eyes lift to the mirror a few inches from his face. But instead of looking at his own tired reflection he looks at the dimly lit area behind him and feels his heart sink. He finishes brushing his teeth and then turns off the small light and heads into the area that serves as his bedroom, kitchen and general living area. The area he's in has no windows except for a small one in the bathroom that he keeps covered so as to keep outsiders at bay. He hates the term homeless and when anyone asks he tells them he's in transition.

He keeps the amount of his possessions to a minimum, whatever will fit into a small suitcase. That suits him fine as it's easier to pack up in a moment's notice and move if the home he's, squatting in, for lack of a better term suddenly becomes occupied or on the rare occasions the landowners decide to up his usually meager rent. He would only last a few weeks at the most in each place until the place was rented out or sometimes a bit longer if the House was waiting to be condemned.

"Working two jobs is going to kill you," he whispers to himself as he looks the webpage on his laptop – his bank account; his meager bank account. He works full time at a local clinic and picks up shifts at Princeton-Plainsboro teaching hospital as a nursing aide in the pediatric department just to have a bit of extra money to put toward a working car and then his future goal of obtaining his permanent US Citizenship.

"Just a bit longer," he sighs as he turns off his computer and then climbs into his sleeping bag and then turns off the small lamp and tries to sink down into the darkness. But his mind is too agitated to fall asleep right away and he rolls onto his side and looks at the small slit of light coming in from the bathroom window a few meters away.

'How was your day? Any interesting medical cases?'

His lips twist upward into the dark as he thinks what it would be like to have someone in his life actually give a damn about him and his day; asking questions with genuine concern and not just to fill the time or hear their own voice. Much like his own family and part of the reason he left home – no one cared about him.

'You leave and you'll be nothing without me!'

His father's angry words resound in his head and his eyes squeeze shut as he tries to shift to his other side, wanting to close out the harsh words and pretend that his family life was normal. But it was far from normal and he had used literally every single cent he had to buy a plane ticket, board with only a small backpack of possessions and then try to find menial jobs for cash to save up money for his working visa's.

Sleep that night, like most is light and fitful; his mind always keeping one ear on the alert to hear if there would be any prowlers coming around or inside. He only has a small can of mace that he found in a back alley; not fancying himself much of a fighter it was his only means of self-defense. But that night he finally falls asleep with the dream of having a loving family one day.

The next morning he awakens with a stiff side, wishing he had enough money to blow on even a half hour massage, telling himself it would relax more than just his body. But that is one luxury he can't afford so pushes aside that thought and slowly stumbles out of bed. His simple and meager wardrobe consists of two pairs of dress pants, two dress shirts for the clinic and a pair of scrubs for the hospital; a few undershirts and a few other personal items complete the collection.

As always he packs everything into his small suitcase and gets it ready to take with him just in case he has to find a new place to live at the end of the day. Breakfast consists of a bar and a protein shake; his brain always jeering that he'll never put on any more weight if he doesn't eat a solid breakfast every morning.

But his money has to go for other more important things so once again his day with will start with a less than full stomach. After breakfast he heads outside, deposits his small trash bag into the back dumpster and heads for the bus stop. It's only a ten minute ride to the clinic this time and as soon as he arrives he heads into the staff room to see if there are any leftover goodies he can put into his angry stomach.

He eyes the two fresh muffins and then quickly reaches for one and eats it faster than even he had anticipated. The second he enjoys with a fresh cup of black coffee, sitting down this time to enjoy the morning paper and get caught upon the sports highlights that he had missed the night before due to his somewhat spotty internet connection.

He then flips to the medical news and looks at an article about the new head of Diagnostics at PPTH.

"Dr. House…sounds…scary," he whispers as he continues to scan the article about the new man in charge of what he thinks would be a very fascinating department to work for. But he puts that thought out of his head, telling himself that despite the fact he considers himself very intelligent and would make a great asset to a team like that, he'd have to open himself up to more personal inspection by a whole set of new strangers and he wasn't about to do that.

Just stick to the routine you have right now…work until you can afford your naturalization and then…maybe move somewhere else and start fresh.

Upon leaving his hometown of Melbourne, Australia, he had overheard the name of a friend of his father here in New Jersey – Jordan Garden, the man who had helped him get his job at the clinic. He had stayed with the older man, enjoying a few months of some friendly, parental affection until Richard passed and then he was on his own – literally.

He told himself the loneliness would subside a few days after Richard's death but that was almost six months ago and the loneliness had only intensified. He looks again at the small note on his phone's calendar setting, a small reminder of the goal he's now working towards – his naturalization.

"Morning. You look like hell."

He offers a small smirk to his co-worker and then finishes his coffee and muffin, happy to see their clinic's administrator arrive with a small tray of fruit that he instantly pilfers a few pieces. After that he heads back into the staff room, puts a few more things into his locker along with his suitcase and then reaches for his white coat and stethoscope. He looks inside his locker, searching for something that is normally there on a daily basis. He also keeps a few personal items at work, but the object of his search is missing and his heart droops. Where did I leave it?

"Time to get the day started," he mutters with a heavy sigh, his mind hoping that the day is presented with exciting patients so that I'll keep him busy and not thinking about the sad evening routine that would await him once more.

"Okay, ready to go," he tells the clinics desk nurse.

"Okay," she looks at him with a kind smile and then turns to the sea of faces before her. "Mrs. Peters? Please come with me. Dr. Chase will see you now."

He looks up as the mother and her child enter.

The day would be routine and that would be okay. But somewhere in the back of his mind he was still hoping for something – an impossible dream.

Destiny was about to help him out with that.

XXXXXXXX

"Well that was…"

"The truth!" The angry male voice snaps in return as a sympathetic expression is offered by the man standing beside him. "What? You wanted me to sugar coat the truth?"

"That wouldn't be you but he just made an honest mistake," the lower tone tries to reason.

"He self-diagnosed himself on the internet and then tried to tell me he was right and I was wrong."

"Okay so saying you were wrong was…"

"A mistake and I told him so."

"You called him a moron," the softer voice sighs.

"He is."

"When do you start your new job?"

"Tomorrow. Head of diagnostics," the somewhat gruff voice replies curtly as the two men pause outside the large glass office, watching a hospital custodian carefully peeling away the coating from off the door to reveal the new name in charge.

"And you're whole team is assembled?"

"One spot open," the older man replies with a heavy sigh as he pulls away and slowly limps down the hall. The injury isn't fresh, it's something he's had longer than he'd care to admit but something that he just has to live with. He's never used his injury for pity but has also never opened up to anyone other than the man slowly walking beside him about his various battles with a few somewhat addictive pain killers and some serious bouts of depression.

His estrangement from his father and strained upbringing had forced him to retreat inward and create a very a hard outer shell around him that he had perfected with solitude and sarcasm. Everyone who'd get to know him would learn very fast to step back, steer clear or better yet – stay away for good. And he wanted that. All but the man on his right never pushed back, never wanted to get close or seek to find a way under the imperfect shield that he boasted was impenetrable. And those that did, failed the most important test – he had to be the one to let them find the small path underneath the hard shell. And if they did ever manage to somehow get under that shield, they'd find a wealth of fatherly compassion just waiting to be unleashed – but only on the right person.

"So are you seriously looking for a new home?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"A whole House for…well you?"

"Don't you have patients to annoy?" The gruff voice snaps impatiently.

"Treat. I have patients to treat," the head oncologist replies with a small huff. "See you later."

The older man slowly makes his way toward his current office and then enters just as his phone goes off. He plucks the object and looks at it with a small scowl before dismissing the incoming message and then slumping down in his large leather office chair.

'You're going to give in a new home all alone?'

"Yes alone," he mutters as he pulls up a webpage and looks at the heritage home with a small frown. But as he continues to look at the home's offerings a bit longer, he starts to have second thoughts. Maybe this isn't a good idea…what the hell will I do in a House all by myself?

A few close friends and those who didn't know him that well had often asked why he wasn't married with a family but he'd merely dismiss that notion as silly sentimentality and that having a family was too time consuming. But there have been times, especially recently where he'd see various men his age with grown sons and how they'd laugh together, share a moment over a sports score or something else and a silent twang of jealousy would start to nag his inner core.

He'd try to silence the nagging voices and would never tell anyone, even his best friend that he'd sometimes sit and wonder what it'd be like to have a son…someone to come home to at the end of the day and talk about work, or life or just stupid things on TV.

"Family is for fools," he states with a sarcastic grimace as he clicks on the email button to cancel the appointment with the realtor that he had arranged a few days ago. I don't need this…stick with your small, lonely apartment and be done with it.

But before he can cancel the appointment, someone appears at the entrance to his office and his plans instantly change.

"Dr. House that patient you discharged last night is back."

"Course he is," he sighs heavily as he pushes himself away from his desk and heads for the entrance to his office, grumbling under his breath and sending Dr. Taub scrambling in the opposite direction. He enters the emergency triage area and then heads toward a patient who is starting to make his life a professional misery. "What now?"

"Dr. House I think it's…"

"It's not lupus!" His voice bellows; a few professional brows looking in his direction but then turning away with a heavy, knowing sigh. He gestures to a nurse to take over and then heads back toward the area of the hospital that he would now call his professional home.

The end of the day arrives and it's finally time to head home. It's already dark but he's used to that. Instead of heading straight home, he heads toward a small deli to pick something up and then head home to have dinner – alone.

'If you do get a whole home maybe you can get a tenant? Or a roommate? Or a renter? Or a dog! Someone to help at least give your home that lived in feel.'

But the last thing he wants is just some detached stranger who gives him a few extra bucks a month just to fill a void he tries to downplay as nothing. A pet was out of the question.

"Hey dad! We won!"

"That's great Trent!"

House's mind once again feels a small pang of jealousy but this time it's coupled with something new – resentment. But when he turns to look at the father son meeting, he pauses. From the two very distinct ethnicities of the two adult men who call each other father and son, it was evident they aren't biologically connected. Adopted? Probably…

Before his resentment can blossom into something he doesn't want to explain to himself, he places his order and then shuffles down the line to wait. House takes his order and then heads back outside to his car and then to his quiet apartment. For a few split seconds, he wonders what it'll be like to call out I'm home and actually get a reply in return; even to an adopted son. A cheeky one would be better than the silence that greets him with open arms as he enters.

He turns on the TV to fill the void with mindless chatter and then heads toward the kitchen table to have his dinner. What do I need a whole home for? This space is big enough for just me. It'll always be just me! He finishes his dinner looking over a case file for work, eager to start his new role that promised to give him even more new case files to pour over at night and help fill the void others tell him another actual human being would do.

"Family is for fools," he tells himself once more; hoping to convince the little nagging voice inside his head that his lonely life was just enough for him and to drop the absolutely ridiculous notion that trying to find someone to fill a familial void was a worthwhile task. It's not! I'm not lonely and I don't need anyone else in my life! One day soon that little voice would get louder and start to be taken seriously.

House's fingers pick up a small little yellow duck that he had found in the staff room down by the pediatrics department. It was a silly little toy but as he looks at the happy little plastic face staring back at him, he can't help but smile back. Stupid little toy, he sighs as he puts the little ducky back down on the table and then pushes it away.

He finishes his case file, leans back in his chair and then looks back at the little ducky and picks it up and then finally turns it over. He looks at the two letters scrawled on the bottom with a black, permanent marker and purses his lips.

"R. C." House reads out loud. "Poor kid who lost this thing," he states once more as he places the ducky on the table and then slowly gets up to get ready for bed. He flips off the light; a small sliver from the street resting on the little ducky on the table. House gives the initials no more thought but destiny wasn't about to give up on the hidden dream the older man had about having someone in his life that he could call his own.

XXXXXXXX

Chase finishes up at the clinic and then slowly trudges into the staff locker room to change and go home; fatigue pulling at him faster than even he had expected. The thought of going home alone isn't that appealing so he tells himself that he'll just go to the hospital and see if maybe there's an extra shift he can pick up. You're too tired to work through the night! His mind chastises as he locks up the clinic and then heads into the back alley.

He hears some shuffling and then turns to see a shadow lurking and some breath trails lingering in the cool night air; his mind now forcing him awake and urging him to pick up the pace. So instead of just dragging his small suitcase behind him, he grasps the handle and hurries his steps toward the main street; never liking to be the last one to close up when it was his turn as he always fears of being robbed or accosted for whatever drugs might be found on the premises.

On the way to PPTH, he picks up a small subway sandwich and hot coffee and then hops on the bus. On the ride there he thinks about putting in for some extras shifts on the weekend and then possibly seeing what he can find in the way of a permanent place to live. You don't have enough yet to sustain a regular monthly rental status in a place that isn't a hole in the wall…just wait…

And wait he'll have to. He heads for the basement entrance to PPTH and walks up to the staffing office, asking them if they need any pediatric aide shifts filled for that night.

"Want to cover off McLeary? He can only work a half shift."

"I'll take it," Chase readily volunteers as he turns and heads for the staff room, depositing his suitcase into his locker, changing into a set of dark Green scrubs and then sinking into a nearby chair for a few hours of rest before his phone alarm goes off and it's time to start his shift.

He likes working in the pediatric area but at the same time can't help but wonder what it would be like to be a part of the diagnostic team; always loving the challenge of trying to solve medical puzzles. But from what he read about Dr. House, he's sure he'd never even warrant a chance to interview so puts the thought out of his mind and tells himself a community job is better than nothing. The shift isn't that challenging tonight and that suits him fine as his mind is focused on trying to find the little object that he – misplaced? Oh it was just a little silly ducky but…but I wish I could remember where I put it.

During his break, he grabs a leftover sandwich from the staff fridge as he heads for the hospital's lost and found in the hopes that someone had turned in his little item instead of merely tossing it away. But it's not there

"Mark?"

"Don't worry dad I'm okay."

"I was so worried my boy."

Chase hears the loving family interchange as he nears the lost and found room and stops; looking at a young man about his age with a bandaged arm and limp, being warmly embraced by an older man. The older man's hand rests on the younger man's cheek for a few seconds before it drops to his arm, his eyes inspecting his son before he drapes his jacket around his shoulders and then helps him toward the ER entrance. His heart instantly sinks as he thinks back to his dealings with his own cold-hearted father and the love he always longed for but never received. Don't dwell on it.

As soon as the pair are out of his line of sight, the longing desire to have someone care that deeply about him passes and he goes back about his original task, telling himself that he'd never have that connection as he was now too old and he was too guarded to allow himself to be open with anyone and admit that he would love to have a fatherly protector watching over him – even from afar.

"Hmm I thought I had seen one of the doctor's with a rubber ducky but…it's yours?"

"It's for a…friend's kid," Chase states in haste. "Do you know which…doctor?"

"No, sorry. Check the gift shop. Maybe you can just buy them a new one. They're not expensive," the lost and found clerk suggests. Chase gives the clerk a weak smile and then heads back to the pediatric department to finish his shift and head for home. Only today, destiny was going to give him a nudge in another direction. It was early morning and he was hoping to have a shower before starting his afternoon shift at the clinic.

Chase rounds the corner on the street that he's currently living on and he stops short as he gazes upon a realtor standing outside the home and waving to two people who he now correctly surmises as new potential home owners. As per his routine, he had packed up everything the night before so the only thing he was possibly leaving behind was the small lamp that he had purchased at a garage sale. He'd wait in the area for a few hours until it's dark and then sneak back in if possible, take the lamp and then look for a new place to call home.

Still dismayed about his missing ducky, a silly little toy with sentimental value, he slumps down onto a nearby bench with a glum expression, looking down the block at the realtor as he shakes hands with the now confirmed home owners. Now I have to find a new place to live…but where?

Chase looks down at a list he had made of vacant homes and wonders which one he'll chance next. But little did he know that one of the addresses on his list was the same address that another man was considering also – destiny was about to make two worlds collide and rewrite two futures.

A/N: Well? Thoughts? Love it? hate it? want more?...I'm always nervous starting a new adventure so would love your thoughts. This is AU so while a lot of stuff will be canon to the show, I wanted to use a new method to make our father/son duo come together. I hope you are all interested in the start to this new adventure and can see a few things coming together as well as some danger that will affect both our male leads. So what will the first meeting between our future would-be father and son duo be like? Will the ducky bring them together? A chance meeting in a part of the hospital? Or maybe a surprising House guest? And of course lots of unanswered questions that we'll answer as we go along! So please do review before you go and let me know what you all think and if you want more and thanks so much!