Hourglass of Time (Chase Brody/Antisepticeye)

Nine (Part 1)

Chase sat on the couch with his family, Stacey at his side, Nicole and Jacob on either side of them. He could feel the exhaustion kicking in, knowing time was getting short. He wanted to do something about it, but being with his family made him at ease in a way.

They were watching a kids show that Nicole liked when Chase stood up.

"I'll be right back, okay?"

Stacy smiled at him. "That's fine, honey."

Heading into the kitchen, he grabbed the Suntory Whiskey when a sudden pounding in his head made him stop. Hissing in pain, he almost fell to the floor, but caught himself on the counter. Blinking a few times, his vision was blurry, everything spinning around him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he snapped them open a few seconds when he felt a presence behind him. Whirling around, his family was standing there, but their expressions were different...almost hurt.

He gripped the bottle tightly in his hand. "What's going on?"

"You know why we ran away from you?" Stacy said in a serious tone, holding the kids protectively. "You barely spent any time with us...always working..always drinking...always pushing us away."

Chase had a shocked look on his face. "I-I didn't mean to be that way. I swear! I'm sorry!"

Stacy let go of the kids, standing in front of them. "You say you're sorry...but it's not going to cut it..not that anyway."

His eyes filled with tears. "What do you mean?"

She chuckled slightly. "Chase, why do you think you're in here? You're being given a second chance. A second chance to make things right." She took a half step closer. "You just have to agree."

"Agree to what, Stacy?" Chase pleaded, the tears falling down his cheeks.

"You have to say yes." She said, touching his arm. "You have to come with us. Let him do it, Chase. You can be with us..your real family...forever."

Nicole and Jacob stepped forward. "We miss you, daddy." Nicole said, hugging his leg. "Please stay with us."

"We can be a family again." Jacob said. "We can live a life together. You have everything you need right here."

Chase started to cry. "I can't just leave her...I can't.."

"Chase, you barely know her." Stacy said, tightening her grip on his arm. "She's nothing to you...she hasn't told you the truth about everything." When he tensed up, she gave him a sad look. "She has secrets she hasn't said to you..." She lifted her hand to the side of his face. "This...this is real. This is what you need, Chase...me..." She glanced down at the kids. "our daughter...and our son."

He didn't say anything for nearly a minute, not knowing what to do. He wanted to go back out to the real world...to where Lily was..to get rid of Anti for good. His love for her was real, but this...this felt real too. He was being given a second chance, to fix the messes he made between him and his family. Deep down...in his heart..he still loved Stacy too..and the kids. They were the first real family he's ever had.
Stacy was right...he was a drinker...he always pushed away from them..always worked. He really did want to fix things...he wants to prove to them that he did change for the better.
But...he knows his heart and soul belongs to Lily..and he knew she was trying her hardest to get him back..he'd practically die for her if it came down to it.

"Stacy..." He began, backing away from her, Nicole unhooking herself from him, even though he yearned to be in her arms, but he shook his head. "I--"

"Chase?"

Whirling behind him, he laid eyes on an almost-alarmingly battered Lily.