If GLaDOS was trying to kill Chell before, it had nothing on what she was doing now.
Chell was a strong woman. GLaDOS knew so. Even Wheatley knew so, and he hadn't even known her for long. But even the ever-so-stubborn, ever-so-brave Chell had her limits. She stumbled out of the lift, the sounds of the walls closing on her as she raced to the elevator, the screaming of the metal pathway she was running on being crushed only a promise to her that she would suffer the same fate. She could hardly hear Wheatley shouting at her to "Get in the lift! Get in the lift!" over the chaos and the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears.
She made it, just barely, and threw her back against the wall as the doors of the lift closed agonizingly slowly. Her hands were tight on the portal gun and pressed against her chest as if she was trying to stop her heart from beating so quickly. The lift stopped with a lurch that almost knocked Chell off of her shaking legs. She spilled out into the room, a hand catching on the wall hardly stopping her from crashing to the ground. Her legs barely kept her standing.
Chell was a strong woman, but she could fear, too. And God, was she afraid. Her breathing was ragged and uneven and she was shaking so hard she couldn't keep her balance. She almost died back there. She's almost died a lot in the hell that was Aperture, but she really almost died back there. This was nothing like anything she'd faced before. Chell pressed her back against the wall and slid down into a sitting position. One time she ran her free hand through her filthy hair. Two times she dragged a finger through darkly colored locks. Three times, four times, five times, she lost count of how many times she did as she sat against that wall, body quivering, heart pounding, thoughts racing. Thoughts racing nowhere, crashing and melting into nothing that filled her mind and clouded the reality around her. No matter how hard or fast she gasped for breath it just wouldn't come.
"Chell! What are you- are you okay?"
Chell almost jumped. She snapper her head up to the door a couple feet from her side. She hadn't even heard it opening. Wheatley stood there, free from the rail, brilliant blue eyes wide in worry. He ran a hand through ginger hair much too neat to match his personality in an identical manner that Chell had only moments before. Quickly, he stepped into the room and approached her. The door behind him shut, leaving the two of them in their own silence.
A mere nod is all that Chell gave him in response.
Not that Wheatley would buy it. He may have been a little moronic, but he wasn't blind. He dropped to a kneel in front of her, scanning over her face. "What happened? Are you hurt? I didn't see you get injured while we were heading to the lift, wouldn't surprise me if you did, though. Oh, not saying you're soft, or anything, luv, you're quite the opposite, really. No, She has her ways, though, and-"
Chell just shook her head again and pressed her free hand to the floor to rise to her feet, but they slipped under her.
Wheatley caught her awkwardly, her arm knocking onto his shoulder and his hands meeting on her back. He, steadily, rose her to her feet, leaving his hands resting on her own shoulders to be sure she wouldn't fall again.
His hands were cold. His design made him seem so human, but to the touch he was very clearly not. The synthetic skin over his frame wasn't enough to recreate the lifelike warmth that humanity held within, but it was the most human touch Chell had ever felt. He looked down at her almost fearfully. "Chell-"
She was still shaking. Her thoughts were still racing. She tried to push him back, but he wouldn't budge. Her back was still against the wall, legs never still. No matter how hard she tried to push him back, he wouldn't move.
"What's wrong? You don't look hurt, are you..." He fell silent and he straightened up in realization. "Are you scared? I, ah, didn't really think you could get scared. Always been so brave, you have; guess we've all got our weak points now and again. Um..." He moved his hands away from her shoulders slowly, sliding them down her arms. And then he hugged her.
It surprised her. No one had actually touched her like that for so long she forgot what contact that wasn't painful was like. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around him, her breathing beginning to settle as she listened to the gentle whirring in Wheatley's chest through his Aperture uniform.
Chell was by far the bravest person Wheatley had ever met. He never mentioned that moment again, although he doubted he would ever forget what it was like to hold her until she'd calmed down. She never needed him to do that again, and he didn't expect her to.
She was a strong person. Everyone has their weak points at some time- and Chell never had hers again. Wheatley being there for her the first time was all she would ever need. And if she ever felt she would fall apart, she just thought of the time he came to comfort her...
"It's alright, luv. You made it. You made it."