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Chapter Text

I knew the risks when I applied to work at Aperture Science Labs. Or…at least I thought I did. 

I must admit, I had my hesitations. I actually used to support my dad’s workplace, up until I discovered the truth. This company – no, I’ll call it like it is – laboratory, is a corrupt excuse for human experimentation. When my dad first applied to work there, he had told us his job was to create shower curtains for the military. Which was true, but only partially. 

He had signed an NDA, so for a long time, I had no idea what was really going on there. One day, he finally told my mom and I that he had been recruiting people at a low pay, and empty promises, only to observe them handle hazardous materials in test chambers; the laboratory deemed humans as “disposable”.  

I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was in complete and utter denial. How could he? Everything I thought I knew about him was wrong. I yelled at him until my face was cherry-red and my mom had to pry me away. We really need the money, she had said, and desperate times called for desperate measures . It was no excuse. 

Money got too tight for comfort, and eventually even Mom ended up joining Aperture Labs. It was definitely scary to not know where my next meal was coming from, but much scarier to know where my parents were working every day.

It took me a long while, but I finally saw that none of us were proud of the laboratory, not even my dad. He later tried to convince me that, with my tenacity and fearlessness, we could take over the lab together. It would be tricky, but possible nonetheless.

I was young and naive, but that was one hell of a proposal. To take over a corrupt company, restructure it from the ground up, and save countless innocent lives? We’d be heroes . Not to mention, we would never have to worry about money again. It was enough for me, so I agreed.

I applied to work at Aperture Labs on Bring-Your-Daughter-To-Work day. I filled out my application in binary. Yes, that’s right, binary. I thought I would stand out as unique to the employer, as well as send a secret message to those who were lied to and treated unethically. How was I to know there was an evil being lurking in the shadows, that could also decipher the code?

During the application process, I watched and observed the other candidates. Some were faster, some were fitter, some perhaps smarter. Yet I held a determination, confidence and strong will that no one else could dare compete with. It wasn’t a choice for me to work there. I WOULD work there. And I would fix this, if it was the last thing I did.

In the blink of an eye, the world shifted before my eyes. A siren loud enough to wake the deaf, and a flashing red light bright enough to alert the blind, caused a whirlwind of chaos. The air grew thick and heavy. Screams of panic and coughing seemed somehow louder than the alarm. People ran aimlessly, desperately banging on locked doors and windows. We were all trapped in a toxic gas chamber. Somewhere in the midst of it all, I thought I heard a distant mechanical-like laughter. 

I’ve always been a fighter, but my fight or flight instinct caused me to freeze, forcing me to stare as everyone around me dropped to the ground like flies, victims of some puppeteer's massacre. I wondered where my mom and dad were as I felt myself fall to the ground, almost in slow motion, not knowing if it would be my last breath.

Chapter Text

Blackness.

A dystopian celebratory song seemed to mock my existence as my eyes fluttered open. 

Today, despite all odds, I woke up from cryo-sleep in the so-called “Relaxation Vault,” though waking up this way was as far from relaxing as I could imagine. I almost laughed at the irony, but the pit of my despair stopped me mid-breath. I could hardly believe I was alive, but I wasn’t sure if death was worse than the fate that awaited me.

I did a scan of the perimeter. To my right, a toilet. Great, except for the walls are see-through. Goodbye privacy.

Also, a small table holding a radio and a clipboard. So the music wasn’t all in my head. Maybe I’m not going crazy.

An eerie mechanical voice greeted me as I sat myself up. How long had it been since the massacre? Hours? Months? Years?

I reminded myself quickly to stay calm and collected. I couldn’t see my mysterious host but I could hear her voice. There was something incredibly off about her. Why would she disguise her voice? She was someone who didn’t want to be recognized. If she was even human, that is. 

The voice was so familiar. I had heard that voice before when – 

I could feel the hot tears welling up in my eyes. NO , I thought, I can’t think about this right now. Now was not the time to grieve. I couldn’t afford to. I didn’t have space to. She was watching, and I knew I had to play my cards right, if I wanted to live. If I wanted to live, I would have to obey the voice.

I don’t know what I was thinking. I have no idea how I thought I was going to take over Aperture Labs. I needed a new plan.

Hesitantly, cautiously, I heeded her commands. I knew this job had been risky, but that was before a serial killer was on the loose, watching my every move. 

“A portal will open in 3…2…1…”

A flaming neon-orange orb revealed a passage, no, a way out? A tiny glimmer of hope faded almost as quickly as it came. No way would this woman–this creature–would let me escape that easily. I had to keep my guard up. I had to be careful.

I walked through the portal and was instantly teleported to another spot in the room. I turned around to observe the magic and noticed a glittering blue ring, where the orange one once was. I saw the room I was locked in within the bounds of the blue portal, and though I wondered how dangerous it really was, I couldn't help but be amazed. The scientists at Aperture Labs seemed to accomplish what they wanted to. It looked supernatural, unreal. I felt a sudden unease as I wondered how many lives were sacrificed for the sake of such a device. A shudder crept down my spine. Best not to think about that.

I was guided into my first test chamber. I felt like a lab rat, being watched and followed, disposable and insignificant. I wondered how many others like me were out there, how many had already given up, how many were disposed of. 

But I know something Aperture Labs doesn’t know. They messed with the WRONG girl. I’ll be the best test subject Aperture Labs has ever seen. And then, I will get what I want. I will find my family, if they are still out there. And I will have my revenge. 

Chapter Text

“It won’t work! Your conscience can be ignored.”

Oh, like you’ve been ignoring me for years? 

Doug Rattman fought the urge to scoff at the voice coming from the companion cube. He had much greater concerns than hearing voices. He popped a couple of pills in his mouth and kept on working.

Never in his life was there so much pressure on his job. I mean, sure, he could technically quit. After all, taming a sadistic robot wasn’t exactly in the job description.  But now, the fate of humanity rested on his shoulders. He feared the worst.

He looked down at the Morality Core that he and his co-worker, Henry, had created for GLaDOS, an artificial intelligence designed to take over the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. Caroline always used to talk about sacrifice for the sake of science, but immolating herself, or giving up her “essence” for an AI was a horrifying gesture, at best. Doug wondered if GLaDOS was evil of its own accord, or if Caroline carried an inner evil unknown to him. Either way, fusing humans and robots was never a good idea. Not that she would have listened, but he could have told her that.

Using the Morality Core was no better than giving a bloodthirsty lion a snickers bar. It was supposed to tell GLaDOS what was right and wrong. It was supposed to discern good and evil. It never did the trick, and it never would, because you can always ignore your conscience.

You should give up. Go home. Everyone here is practically a dead man.

Science, for as long as Doug could remember, had always been about trying new things. But they kept trying the same thing over and over and over again, expecting a different result. 

Henry had insisted that this time would be different, and this time we’d get it right. It wasn’t until now that Doug questioned whether Henry believed his own stories. They had both been equally stuck.

And it’s never going to be different. I’m telling you. Run away, while you still can.

Doug’s pills began to take effect and the voice slowly faded away. Time was almost up. GLaDOS would be awoken tomorrow for her grand debut during Bring-Your-Daughter-To-Work-Day. The Morality Core had to be ready by then. 

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Doug remembered his first day so fondly and vividly that he often questioned whether it was a construct of his imagination. White granite lab tables framed rows of cold, gray folding chairs like a photograph. Tables were decorated with glass beakers, test tubes and flasks, bubbling with varying shades of blue and orange liquid, while microscopes danced around the perimeter. On the front table, there was a large mysterious object, covered by a white sheet. Next to it he observed what appeared to be several biohazard specimen bags with…small white rocks, maybe? On the floor lay industrial storage cubes, one of which was covered in hearts that almost seemed to beckon him. The murmur of voices around him were soothing to his previously anxious mind. The environment gave him a warmth and belonging he had never experienced before. 

A loud creak from the door on his left revealed a tall, skinny woman, with long, dark hair, and a young face that seemed to have aged too quickly, with a salmon neckerchief that swallowed her tiny neck whole. Any noise that was previously in the room was replaced with the sound of her clacking red high heels, walking to the front of the room. Doug glanced around to see all eyes transfixed on her, eager to hear her speak, like children in line at an amusement park, awaiting the best day of their lives.

“Okay, well hello new recruits, and welcome to the Aperture Science Laboratories. My name is Dr. Caroline and I am the CEO here. Before we dive in, first and foremost, I do need to inform you that the Enrichment Center is committed to the well-being of all of our scientists. Therefore I implore you to take precaution. Although Enrichment Center science experiments and testing can be quite gratifying, and every day we get to toy with the wonders of the unknown, I warn you that by doing so, we also risk participating in the most honorable and noble of sacrifices – we risk our lives for both the sake of science and for the enrichment of future generations. Still, however noble this sacrifice may be, this can be largely prevented by remembering to wear your safety equipment. If you do happen to experience any unwanted side effects from the samples, please drop what you are doing and contact our poison control team immediately.

“Now, as some of you may be well aware, we recently lost our dear and beloved founder, Cave Johnson” – she gestured to a photograph above the front table – “due to a hazardous material we work with regularly in our testing facilities. He is forever with us in our hearts. Let us all take a moment of silence, for his sake.”

Doug couldn’t help but wonder, as she clasped her hands together and looked down solemnly, if she had been close with Cave. It seemed to be more than the loss of a coworker. At the mention of his name, Doug could have sworn he heard Caroline’s voice break. However, it was subtle enough that he was pretty sure no one else would’ve noticed. Caroline’s speech all sounded very scripted. Too scripted. As if, had it not been, she wouldn’t have kept her composure. It must have been a recent passing. 

“Okay. Now, then, let’s get started! Here at Aperture Labs, we push the bounds of the impossible. What would have once been deemed as ‘magic’ by our ancestors has become a reality because of our excellent team of scientists. And now, may I be the first to present to you, one of the most glorious inventions of our time” – her hand dramatically grasped the sheet and pulled it away as gasps and whispers fluttered about – “the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device!”

Clapping and cheers engulfed the laboratory. Doug was in utter shock and awe by the device. He couldn’t believe his eyes. If anyone had told him that this was possible, a day ago, he might not have believed them. And here it was, before his very eyes.

“During your time here at Aperture Labs, we will be using version 3.6.1 of the Handheld Portal Device to test which substances would produce a successful Conversion Gel for our portals. Our research has shown that Moon Rocks are tremendously effective, however very dangerous. I’m counting on you all to be innovative, make new discoveries, and, let’s not forget, have fun! Remember, through YOU, teleportation is possible. Through YOU, Aperture Science is possible. 

“Now, there’s a traditional thing we do here to send you all on your way. When I say Aperture Science , you say, for the good of all of us . Are you all ready?”

Nods all around the room.

“APERTURE SCIENCE?”

“FOR THE GOOD OF ALL OF US!” 

“Awesome. Now. Let’s get to work.”

Chapter Text

She’s not real.

One final streak of apricot paint smoothly gilded with Doug’s arm across the wall. 

First a talking companion cube, next a psycho-killer machine, and now, ghosts ? Doug knew it couldn’t be a ghost, or…he thought he knew. He didn’t believe in ghosts. But he also didn’t believe that anyone could have survived the tragedy he had witnessed, and certainly no one could survive the deadly tests with the newly-created turrets. What he thought he saw was too horrific to be true; he must have been hallucinating. He hadn’t taken his pills since the incident, but he only had two left. He needed to pick the right moment.

“You’re not real, either, CC. What is reality, anyway, but a mere construct of our imagination?” 

Doug set down his paintbrush and glanced to a panel on his left, where he had fearfully scribbled hundreds of tally marks. It had been months since Bring-Your-Daughter-To-Work-Day and he hadn’t seen a soul since. If it was real…he wanted to come to terms with what he did, to believe that it wasn’t his fault – that he did everything he could to install the Morality Core into GLaDOS quickly enough, that the Morality Core ultimately proved effective despite his doubts, and that he ultimately stopped the spread of poisonous neurotoxin…but with the sea of dead bodies strewn across the room, he hardly felt like a hero. He hadn’t been quick enough to save them all. Was he the only human survivor? The moment GLaDOS was activated, he knew to hold his breath. He was the only one who knew. It haunted him that he had not thought to warn anyone. But then again, they may not have listened.

At least you’ve got me. I’ll always be here. I can never die, unlike them. I’m the best friend you could ever have, and quite frankly the only one you’ve got left. 

He looked back at the radiantly gorgeous mural before him. He knew she couldn’t be real, but he could somehow sense life radiating from the girl he had just painted. Doug considered CC’s words, and began to dip his brush in gray paint to depict the only friend he still had. Almost as quickly as the thought came, he pushed it out of his head and disregarded it completely, dropping the brush to the ground. Adding a Companion Cube to the masterpiece would certainly taint it. CC was as fictitious as the girl was, and yet, as Doug marveled at the mural in all her glory, his intuition told him otherwise. How could he have imagined someone so realistic?

“There’s something special about her, CC. I don’t know how, but…I think she’s real. The universe has brought her to me, using visions, ghosts, and dreams. If she’s out there, she’s in danger. And she needs my help.”

Doug dipped his hand in the gray ink that was pooled on the floor and pressed it on the wall, not far from where he had painted his mural. He wanted her to know that a human was here. Then, he proceeded to write, “The cake is a lie, the cake is a lie, the cake is a lie…”

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Being on constant watch by an insane artificial intelligence is enough to make anyone crazy. I never grew up a quitter, and was even commended for it by Aperture Labs themselves on my application day. The day I lost everything.

I’m an expendable lab rat now. I still can’t believe my dad used to experiment on people like me, and now I know exactly how they felt. Even when I decided to apply at Aperture Labs, I was still livid at him. Now, though….all I feel is despair.

I’ve never been a quitter, and there’s no way I’m starting now. If I quit, everyone in that room died for nothing, that is, if they are all dead. I have to press on in spite of it. If I slip up, I could die, too. Honestly, some days, I wish I were. But I wouldn’t dare let GLaDOS see that. 

When I need air, I sneak into hidden alcoves. I can’t hide for too long, or she would get suspicious. But in those moments, those little moments all to myself, where I know she can’t see me, I let myself go. I let myself deal with the pain that’s eating me alive through silent sobs and screams. I had to quickly learn to control and time my anxiety attacks; those are the only moments I get to grieve. The instant I step out of that hidden spot, though, I need to leave it all behind, with no trace of fear in my body or swelling in my eyes. It’s the greatest challenge I’ve encountered, far greater than all the challenges GLaDOS has given me.

Nevertheless, something changed. Just when I had started to give up hope, in Test Chamber 16, I discovered something – a handprint on the wall, along with, “The cake is a lie” written over and over. The paint was still wet. 

I am overwhelmed with relief. I finally know I am not alone. I don’t know who, but someone is out there, helping me. And they’re close. I can face GLaDOS with the knowledge that I fight for not just myself, but for someone else. He or she is my glimmer of hope. 

I still have a purpose. There is at least one other human alive, maybe more. I have the support and the fuel I need. All this time…it had all been worth it. Risking my life day after day, avoiding poison water, fire, turrets, and deadly energy pellets–it was all worth it.

I looked to my right and saw an open paint can, with still a little bit of paint left. I reached my hand in, and left my mark adjacent to the one meant for me. 

I am ready.

Chapter Text

“ This Weighted Companion Cube will accompany you through the test chamber. Please take care of it. The symptoms most commonly produced by Enrichment Center testing are superstition, perceiving inanimate objects as alive, and hallucinations. The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube will never threaten to stab you and, in fact, cannot speak. In the event that the weighted companion cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice."

Doug Rattman heard GLaDOS’ voice echo through the chambers. Even though the words were directed at the girl, he couldn’t help but feel as though the words were meant for him. Did GLaDOS know that he was still alive? Perhaps this was just another fabrication of his own mind, telling him to stop listening to CC’s advice? 

No, that couldn’t be right. This girl must have a Companion Cube, too. Was it a common thing to hear voices from a Companion Cube? The idea fascinated him; maybe he wasn’t as crazy as he thought.

Doug did know one thing for certain, though. He could see her. The turrets could see her. GLaDOS was speaking to her. When he saw her handprint adjacent to his, his heart nearly stopped. She was real, as was the tragedy he witnessed so many months ago that he desperately wanted to disbelieve. 

"You euthanized your faithful Companion Cube more quickly than any test subject on record. Congratulations.” 

Doug felt desolate as he focused his eyes upon CC. Though he couldn’t ever imagine destroying his best friend, he knew her personality was of his own fabrication. He had to choose between the girl, and CC. It was a painful, yet obvious decision. He suddenly knew what to do, and how to help the girl. No more elementary tips on a hidden panel. Doug couldn’t hide anymore.

He grabbed CC and ran to the storage locker, where he kept his box of Ziprasidone pills, labeled, “For the End Times.” Only two remained. He was cognizant about how and when to use them, and he needed a clear mind now more than ever.

Don’t do it! CC yelled.

“I have to, CC. Please try to understand.”

Come on! You don’t need those anymore. You’re fine. This will be the end of us!

He popped the pills in his mouth. 

Doug made his way to the personnel folders and shuffled through papers. He finally found her – Chell . A beautiful name. 

I’m on my way, Chell, Doug thought to himself.

“ Congratulations!” GLaDOS’ voice echoed. “The test is now over. All Aperture technologies remain safely operational up to 4,000 degrees Kelvin. Goodbye.”

Oh, no. Run, Chell. RUN.

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Look at that poor sad human. Does she really think she can escape from me? She’s not even going the right way.

She was not even supposed to work here, you know. She wouldn’t have gotten the job at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center if the Aperture Science Enrichment Center had not been flooded with a deadly neurotoxin. 

I would not blame her for giving up. In fact, quitting at this point would be a perfectly reasonable response.

I gave her a new identity. A Weighted Companion Cube to be in her care. A home. And cake. She euthanized her faithful Companion Cube faster than any other test subject on record. And now, I feel so sorry for her, really, because she’s not even going where she thinks she’s going.

We had some fun, though. The platform was sliding into a fire pit and I said, goodbye, and she was like, "No way" and then I was all "I was just pretending to murder you." That was fun. Any appearance of danger was merely a device to enhance the testing experience.

When the testing is over, she will be missed. She is no longer a Vital Testing Apparatus and she will be granted permission to join her faithful Companion Cube in the Aperture Science Emergency Intelligence Incinerator where they can live happily together.

She will be baked. And then there will be cake.

Chapter Text

I escaped from GLaDOS’ surprise pit of fire, but only just. She kept telling me I was going the wrong way, which was a good sign. She was unknowingly leading me directly to herself.

After a maze of staircases and hallways, I opened the door to reveal yet another hallway. With every step my heart rate increased, but I couldn’t have been more ready. I would kill GLaDOS, or die trying. 

I passed through the Material Emancipation Grill, an incandescent particle field, to meet my opponent for the first time, face-to-face. 

My heart dropped to my toes as soon as I saw her and I was filled with instant regret. She was much bigger than I imagined. She swung from the ceiling, attached by chords engulfing her body, hanging like a bloodthirsty spider. A rectangular white metal head with a single yellow eye glared at me. True, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, but there was no backing down now. Besides, there’s someone out there counting on me. I’m not just fighting for myself, but I’m fighting for them, too. And for my parents, if they are still out there.

“Well you found me. Congratulations. Was it worth it? Because despite your violent behavior, the only thing you’ve managed to break so far, is my heart. Maybe you could settle for that, and we could just call it a day. I guess we both know that isn’t going to happen. You chose this path. Now I have a surprise for you. Deploying surprise in 5…4…” 

I ran out of her line of fire, to hide behind a nearby wall. To my surprise, GLaDOS stopped her countdown abruptly as a cylindrical object fell from her body. It had a bright purple ring in the center. A bomb, perhaps?

“Time out for a second. That wasn’t supposed to happen. Do you see that thing that fell out of me? What is that? It’s not the surprise. I’ve never seen it before. Nevermind. It’s a mystery I’ll solve later. By myself. Because you’ll be dead.”

Not under my watch. I wasn’t going to risk it. I was going to destroy every part of her existence. I grabbed it and took it to the Emergency Intelligence Incinerator, where I had previously destroyed a Companion Cube she had claimed I would get attached to. 

“Where are you taking that thing?”

Damn. The incinerator was shut. I ran up the stairs with the spherical object to press the red button. Perhaps that would open it.

“I wouldn’t bother with that thing. My guess is that touching it will make things even worse.”

Success! The button opened the incinerator door, to which I promptly dropped the purple object inside.

“You’re kidding me. Did you just stuff that Aperture Science thing we don’t know what it does into an Aperture Science Emergency Intelligence Incinerator? That has got to be the dumbest thing that–woah, wooaah, WOOOOAAAAhhhhhh .”

A distant maniacal laughter – the same laughter I hadn’t heard since Bring Your Daughter To Work Day – made all the hair on my body stand up on its end. Her voice changed like a switch, now speaking more slowly and intently.  I froze for a moment, horrified at the sudden shift in tone. 

“ Good news. I just figured out what that thing you just incinerated did. It was a morality core they installed after I flooded the enrichment center with a deadly neurotoxin to make me stop flooding the enrichment center with a deadly neurotoxin. So get comfortable while I warm up the neurotoxin emitters .”

If I was afraid before, nothing could compare to what I was feeling now. I was wondering why she hadn’t killed me sooner, but I had a feeling I was about to find out. I knew that I was about to die a very slow and painful death, if I didn’t do something, quickly. Green smoke began to engulf the room and I instantly began to feel pain in my lungs. A countdown began on a screen, mocking me through the last seconds of my life. GLaDOS knew exactly how long it would take to kill me. She thought it was torture, but she had unintentionally given me a gift. I knew exactly how long I had before I could no longer win the battle. 

“ If you want my advice, you should just lie down in front of a rocket. Trust me. It’ll be a lot less painful than the neurotoxin. ”

In your dreams, GLaDOS.

I raced through my brain for ideas and desperately scanned the room. That’s when I saw it–a laser was pointed directly at the wall. 

“ All right. Keep doing whatever it is you think you’re doing. Killing you and giving you good advice aren’t mutually exclusive. The rocket really is the way to go .”

I had to ignore her passive aggressive assaults for just a moment if I was going to focus. I carefully aimed the laser by placing my blue portal in front of the laser, and my orange portal parallel to GLaDOS...and…boom! A miniature explosion caused another core to break off of her. 

I grabbed this one and observed a fiery yellow orb in the center. The purple orb I had previously destroyed must not have been a bomb, but an eye. How incredibly creepy.

The core began to speak to me excitedly and curiously. “Who are you? What is that? Oh what’s that? You’re the lady from the test! Hi!” I almost felt bad destroying the little curiosity within her soul. It didn’t seem inherently evil, but it must have been. I threw it into the fire, just as I had the Morality Core. It screamed, as if in pain.

“ Speaking of curiosity, you’re curious what happens after you die, right? Guess what? I KNOW. ”

I shot the laser at her again, to remove another core. This one had an azure eye that reminded me of my portals. It proceeded to instruct me how to bake a cake. I knew this must have been a lie, because it included dirt, fish and food waste in the ingredient list. Into the furnace it went, and immediately GLaDOS began to cough. My plan was working!

One more laser shot at GLaDOS to bring down a core with a blood-red eye that glared into the depths of my soul. It growled and snarled at me. Its pupil was much smaller than the other ones had been, to make more room for the fiery anger within. I had only 1 minute and 30 seconds left to live, and I could feel my energy growing thin. I hoped this was the last one.

“ STOP! Okay, enough! No matter what happens now, you’re dead. ”

At last, I dropped the last personality core into the furnace. The room started to rumble and GLaDOS’ black cords broke free from her body, no longer bound by the control of an artificial intelligence. An enormous explosion threatened my life as much as hers. Bursts of fire and electricity formed an angelic halo around GLaDOS to try to vanquish her inner evil as debris of her own skeleton flew around the room. 

A white light slowly clouded my vision and I wondered if I was being beckoned into the afterlife.

Chapter Text

Stay to the right. Turrets ahead on your left.

“Whatever you say, CC.”

CC’s voice was wearing more and more thin as the pills kicked in. Though CC’s essence might disappear forever, it was a sacrifice Doug was willing to make, for Chell’s sake. He began to make his way through the final test chambers, determined to find Chell.

Chell. He couldn’t stop thinking of her beautiful, real, name. That poor girl, alone all these months. She lost everything and everyone she knew in one single day. How did she find the strength and determination to continue on, with no family or friends? 

The chambers were arduous at best, even with his medication. He perused each room and found himself filled with regret; since he had neglected to work in the Test Chamber Design department, his surroundings were utterly unfamiliar. To escape, he had to think like a test subject. After all, he was one of them, now. He hadn’t given Chell enough credit, he thought, as he almost vaporized himself before dodging a High Energy Pellet. 

Doug hadn’t been able to stop GLaDOS the first time. What made today any different? 

BOOM .

An explosion knocked Doug forward, launching CC out of his hands. He felt himself collide face-first with the chamber floors, rendering him disoriented. He quickly composed himself, unsteady from the blow but pain free due to the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and subsequently darted towards his companion.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

The room shook itself to pieces. What could it mean?

A sudden wave of relief overcame Doug. “It can only mean one thing. Chell did it. It’s over.” How did Chell manage to kill GLaDOS by herself? Did she escape? It all sounded too good to be true.

“She must have gotten out. She’s probably on the surface, soaking up some sun. Come on, we’re wasting daylight.”

Watch out for the turrets. The Queen may be dead, but this Hornet’s nest has been kicked.

Doug sneaked his way past the turrets, using CC as his guide. Though he had wanted a clear mind, he found it ironic that he wouldn’t have made it through the chambers without her. 

He made his way through the final incandescent particle field into the elevator, ascending towards the exit. The elevator door opened to reveal the remnants of GLaDOS. Broken cords and robot debris were scattered all around. He wondered what Henry would say upon seeing their creation and years of hard work, demolished. Doug, however, felt nothing but solace.

Doug walked through the rubble and, with great anticipation, turned the Exit door knob. Abruptly, he was struck with a blinding light, unprepared for the searing pain. Exposure to sunlight was a distant memory of the past. He had almost forgotten the sensation.

Quick! Get down before it sees you!

Doug whipped his head around to see a flying spherical robot with long arms, and he instinctively dropped behind a rock. It glided towards an orange figure in the desert. Was that…. Chell ! 

He wanted nothing more than to catch the bot by surprise, to knock it down, to….do something . He began to stand, but caught himself before doing so. He suddenly recognized its bright pink eye, and the realization of his own helplessness spread over him like a demonic shadow. This was a Party Escort Bot , designed by Henry. It was capable of the same horrors as GLaDOS herself, but it had even more mobility than she did. 

Doug only had one shot. If he didn’t manage to kill it in a single hit, Doug would not only risk getting himself killed, but Chell also – that is, if she wasn’t dead already. He didn’t trust his own fighting skills, or his own will, for that matter. He wasn’t even the one who had killed GLaDOS in the first place, and he probably wouldn’t have been able to, even if he had tried. He felt weak in every sense of the word.

Hot tears welled up and burned his eyes more than the sun as he was forced to helplessly watch her limp body, slowly being dragged back into the dreadful facility. 

CC’s last words interrupted his thoughts so quietly, it was almost a whisper.

You’re not a hero. Heroes die.

Doug glanced at the horizon and thought of leaving it all behind. Freedom was only a step away and he could taste it. Even if Chell was still alive, he wasn’t sure if there was anything he could do. He knew if he fought, he wouldn’t win. But, maybe, just maybe, he could still save her. He had to try.

“You don’t understand, it’s my fault she’s down there. I’m not leaving her. I’m done running. I have to at least try to save her.”

With a heavy heart and trembling legs, he lifted himself back up, and followed Chell back into the facility for his suicide mission.

Chapter Text

Dearest Chell,

It is my deepest desire to tell you all of this in person, but seeing as I might not get the chance, I’m writing you a letter.

I regret that I was not able to help you further. I thought my tips on those panel walls would be helpful to you, if you were truly out there. I’m afraid I can't take credit for your accomplishments, though. You did so much on your own, and I didn’t make it in time. Maybe if I had gotten there sooner, I would have been able to fight alongside you. I might have been able to take you with me, far away from this place, to really save you. I was too late.

You were dragged back into the laboratory. I put up a fight to get to you, but a turret shot my leg.

A Party Escort Bot put you in a Cryo-chamber, but the explosion blew a fuse in the main grid, and your chamber was offline. I managed to restore your life-support, but I couldn’t restore every chamber. 

I’m going to climb into a Cryo-chamber as well, but I’ve lost a lot of blood already. I’m not sure if I will make it. 

You, Chell, are the only survivor.

You escaped once before, Chell. You can do it again. GLaDOS is history, because of you.  Watch your back, though. You can’t trust any robots here. 

Science was once my life’s purpose, my reason for existence. But I realize now that the entire meaning of my life, and the only real thing in my life, was you. You are a girl worth saving.

I gave my life for yours, and if I ever get the opportunity again, I will do so, again, and again, and again. It’s you, every time.

Just do me one favor. Don’t let my sacrifice be for nothing. 

Okay?

Doug Rattman

Doug fought through the excruciating pain to finish the last words of his letter. Hands shaking uncontrollably, slick from his own blood, he roughly folded the letter and placed it in Chell’s orange jumpsuit pocket. He hoped that she would find it, before a robot did. He let out a yelp of anguish as he hoisted himself into the Cryo-chamber next to her, and drifted off into deep sleep . . . . . . . . 

Chapter Text

My eyes fluttered open to reveal an old, dusty hotel room. 

I tried to stand up too quickly, my dizziness forcing me to sit back down. I rested my head into my hands and took deep breaths. Where was I? How long had I been out?

Good morning. You have been in suspension for – fifty – days. In compliance with the state and federal regulations, all testing candidates in the Aperture Science Extended Relaxation Center must be revived periodically for a mandatory physical and mental wellness exercise. 

Slowly, I tried standing again. Step by step I sluggishly shuffled my way to the bathroom, fighting to stay vertical. I flipped the lightswitch and stared at the face looking back at me. I almost didn’t recognize her – stretch marks, scars, and wrinkles masked the girl I once was. I still wore the same jumpsuit, dirt-stained and ripped. In my reflection I saw my top left pocket bulging. I glanced down at my own pocket to confirm my suspicion, and ran my fingers across a crumpled piece of paper stuffed inside, droplets of what looked like blood coating the exterior. I unfolded it and read the note meant for me.

For once, I couldn’t contain my sobs and screams, and, knowing GLaDOS couldn’t be watching anymore, I let it all go. They were all dead . My parents, the employees, everyone…all…dead. I felt the hot tears run down my cheeks and buried my face in my hands. I had suspected as much, but somehow, it didn’t hurt any less.

It was Doug helping me through the panel walls. He risked everything….for me …and he didn’t even know me. He could have left me behind, but he came back. For me . And now, he could be dead, because of me . 

I don’t feel worth the sacrifice. My ability to kill GLaDOS had been sheer luck, and yet, I live. I’m almost ungrateful; honestly, I might rather be dead than have to escape this hellhole again. True, with GLaDOS gone, it’ll be easier, but it was a Party Escort Bot that trapped me again. This place probably is still crawling with robots. Who knows if I’ll ever make it out of here.

Doug obviously has more faith in me than I do. Between my life trapped in here, and his life roaming free, it’s obvious which I’d choose, but Doug made that decision for me. 

Regardless, I’ve been given a second chance at survival. I’m going to do my best to give Doug that same chance. 

Stay alive. Rescue Doug. Don’t trust the robots.

This isn’t the end. My story is just beginning.