disclaimer; i do not own Lab Rats

Seeing

"Understanding is a three-edged sword. Your side, my side, and the truth."

J. Michael Straczynski

As it turned out, Leo and Mr. Davenport were correct in getting a head start. Though, of course, Chase was verily well certain that Leo was in more trouble than Mr. Davenport. After all, it was Leo's fault, just Mr. Davenport's invention. Still, Janelle and Tasha were beyond furious and Chase was smart enough to not try and get in the way. One near death experience per day, thank you. Leo and Mr. Davenport would be on their own.

Soon the two sopping wet women went outside and began their pursuit after the boys, and left the three bionic siblings alone in the living room. Chase and his two older siblings laughed with each other; he had had some time to think when he was trapped below the snow. Three hours with nothing to do but contemplate his life, he had figured "why not?" He realized that even though they treated him badly, mocked him and never gave him the credit, he still loved them. He could look past their flaws and forgive them. He could be the bigger man.

Chase turned and saw Bree smiling in amusement. However, when he caught her eye, her smile fell and she looked away from him. She wouldn't meet his eyes again and Chase frowned at her. Then it dawned on him, she was probably still mad about the whole cross-double cross stunt he had pulled. He understood why she would be a bit hurt by it, but really she needed to understand that there was no other way he could have done what he did successfully, he had done the math. Adam must've sensed the change in emotion, because he stopped laughing and looked at his younger siblings. An awkward silence fell over the three, until Bree shook her head and turned on them to walk to the kitchen area.

Chase watched her go. He turned to Adam and they shared a look before Adam shrugged and put a hand on Chase's shoulder, "Good to have you back, buddy." It didn't sound warm or enthusiastic by any stretch of the imagination, but Chase could tell it was sincere. Still, for all its sincerity, Chase couldn't help but be hurt that Adam put in less enthusiasm in welcoming Chase back from over a day lost in the frozen tundra of Antarctica during a blizzard, than he did welcoming Leo back from Saturday detention. Chase gave Adam a fleeting smile nonetheless which Adam returned briefly before leaving Chase's side to walk over to Bree.

By now, the middle bionic had gotten out a kettle and was grabbing milk out of the refrigerator. Even from half the room away, Chase could see her hands shaking as she held it. Adam bounded over to her and a smile lit up his face, "Hey Bree, you making hot chocolate because I could go for some right now." he said with more enthusiasm than that which he had welcomed Chase back. She looked up and smiled at him. Chase watched as Adam walked around the counter and stole the milk from her grasp. Bree let him have it. Then like they had done it a million times before, and for all Chase knew they had, Adam walked around Bree and poured a generous amount of milk into the kettle. He put the kettle on the stove and used his heat vison to bring it to the appropriate heat. Bree meanwhile weaved her way around her elder brother to the cupboards. Out of one cabinet she pulled a bin of chocolate powder and out of another she grabbed two mugs, one for each hand and set them down on the counter.

Chase felt awkward standing in the middle of the room in his mission suit watching them. Seeing her pull down only two mugs felt like a shot to the heart. They were a team, hustle and muscle. They worked together in a way that Chase couldn't understand no matter how much he wanted to. He saw how they almost seemed to perfectly in tune with the other. Adam was fiercely protective of Bree. Bree was patient and firm with Adam. Chase had often wondered if they had some sort of telepathy between them with how well they worked in tangent with one another. The joy they shared, the strength they always could find in the other, Adam and Bree had a bond stronger than anything Chase had ever seen, heard of, or read about. And it hurt. It hurt Chase to know that he would never be a part of that. He was the odd man out; no wonder they had left him in Antarctica.

Then Chase saw Bree turn and pull a third mug from the cabinet. Chase couldn't help but smile as his heart swelled and the hurt started to dissipate, his vision started to fog with unshed tears. Before she could set it down, Bree lost her footing and reached out to catch herself on the countertop. She succeeded in staying upright, but he mug had fallen from her fingers and shattered against the floor.

The pain returned tenfold. Chase didn't think; he just left. He ran to the elevator and went back down to the lab. Chase didn't know what he was feeling, didn't know whether to cry or to scream. He ran his hand through his hair and tried to calm his erratic breathing. His vision blurred, every sound felt far away. Cold radiated off of Douglass' ice cube but Chase paid it no heed; he already felt cold inside. He thought he had made his peace with it but he was wrong. Chase Davenport was wrong. He believed they would come for him with everything that he was. They left him. He needed help, and they left him to die buried in the snow. And he still chose them. He loved them more than anything, but it felt like they didn't feel the same. Whatever Adam and Bree had, he could never be a part of it, he would always be on the outside, he would always be left behind and it hurt. Agony shot through his chest. He slumped against the wall and slid down to the floor. Something shifted in him, and Chase pulled his knees to his chest and rested his elbows on his knees. He rested his head on his intertwined hands, the skin felt warm to his cold self. He felt like he'd never be warm again. Something wet slid down his cheeks, and Chase made no effort to stop more from coming.

Upstairs, two mugs were safe on the countertop and one lay shattered on the ground.