Note: This fallows the common return to Aperture time-line. Chell went back. GlaDOS learned not to hate everything, just most of everything.
Chapter:1 Only 60 more years?
"Chell, please come to the Central Chamber we have something important to discuss."
Chell got out of the elevator to see the floor where the tools and other mechanical arms where normally stored open. The ones out of the repair bay where clearly medical utilities. Chell considered running for a moment, her and GlaDOS had been on relatively good terms with only 2 low level murder attempts being made on either side. That didn't mean that Chell had forgotten about the threats on her life, most specifically the threats to remove and laminate her skeleton.
"Don't even think about running away, I already know your there." GlaDOS pointed out before Chell had even made a move toward the elevator. "I know your a lunatic but please try to keep control of yourself for a few minutes. I'm trying to help you and by extension science." She said as the panels started to move past the elevator and block her in the room with GlaDOS. She acted on her testing instincts and did a visual sweep of the room. No escape to be had, whatever GlaDOS wanted she was gonna get this time.
"You remember the surprise birthday medical experiment? I got it working and ready for use. Now please hold out your arm so I can give you this injection." GlaDOS said as she extended an automated syringe.
Chell shook her head no and backed away. GlaDOS gave an exasperated sigh and retracted the syringe. "Ok, then we can wait until one of us expires. Let me remind you that you have about sixty years left." she said turning her attention to one of the monitors where Blue and Orange where failing horribly at an easy test. Chell moved forward slightly and sat down on the steps near the stalemate button.
"I'm actually trying to help you for once you know. I don't know why your being so difficult." Said GlaDOS. Chell turned and raised an eyebrow. "Ok maybe I do know why your distrustful." said GlaDOS. Chell thought about the past few months, this had happened on and off most often over the past few weeks, GlaDOS was starting to come down off her power high. She was beginning to see Chell as an equal rather then one of the people who had hurt her.
Chell noticed GlaDOS watching her out of the corner of her eye. She got up and moved forward toward the medical equipment. "So you've finally come to your senses. Well I'll forgive your little out burst now please stick out your arm so we can get this over with." She moved the syringe closer but Chell stopped and raised her hand stopping GlaDOS. "What is it now?" asked GlaDOS clearly losing her new found patience. Chell pointed at the needle and then herself before making a gesture of something coming out of her mouth.
"So... you think this will make you vomit?" asked GlaDOS clearly not impressed. "I'm glad to hear that you honestly believe I have nothing better to do then clean your digestive juices off the floor." Chell shook her head again pointing again at the syringe and making a questioning face. "You've never had an injection before?" GlaDOS guessed vaguely. "And here I was thinking you 'd had your shots" she said callously.
After about five minutes of guessing GlaDOS was pissed and Chell was in downright dispare. "What could possibly be worth all this trouble?" shouted GlaDOS as she blew Orange and Blue apart for the fifth time in 3 minutes. "What, do you want me to tell you what it's going to do to you." she shouted. Chell nodded her head and sat down wiping sweat from her forehead.
"...That's all you wanted" GlaDOS said in near shock as she went limp. Her core dropped down to Chell's level. Chell nodded her head slowly. GlaDOS backed away a bit taking what would roughly be the mechanical equivalent of a deep breath before leaning in close. "Next surprise medical experiment I'm going to fix those vocal cords of yours and then I'm going to ignore you for a month." she said. Chell was a little put off but decided that this self control was a major improvement. A month ago that behavior would have meant another trip to old aperture to retrieve some random trinket for GlaDOS. She claimed that it was in the name of science but when she put Chell to work retrieving pencils it became quite apparent that it was punishment more then anything else.
"Well I figured this might happen, although I expected you to be clearer, and prepared a short video to explain it in terms you'll understand. I'd hoped you'd just take the shot and be grateful but I suppose that not everyone can be perfect and immortal." said GlaDOS a small hint of her smugness returning.
*the video screen switch from the feed of red and orange to an old 1980's aperture ad*
"Feeling tired, out of shape, at deaths door step? Well aperture science brand
age reduction gel can fix that."
"Aperture science engineers, genius, innovative, grossly over-payed, but most of all obsessive.
In the late 1980's aperture scientists created a compound meant to reverse the aging process in order to save the life of you much beloved CEO Cave Johnson. It was then realized that the idea was suggested to one of the scientists by Mr. Wheatly notable moron and creator of bad Ideas. The scientist was summarily fired and Mr. Wheatly placed on toilet cleaning duty. Reversing the aging process although revolutionary would not cure moon dust poisoning and thus would not save Mr. Johnson." said the announcer
Chell turned and looked at GlaDOS. "What it's completely true." she said
"With a new product already invented it was decided to start marketing it to the general public, even though most of the scientists where convinced that reversal of the aging process would never catch on. Much to everyone's surprise it was a major success turning the first profit aperture had seen in over a decade, which unfortunately alerted the lawyers and loan sharks to apertures continued existence. But before anyone could bring the hammer down on poor aperture the product was forcibly removed from the shelves."
"Apparently while everyone was occupied with making the stuff by the gallon the politicians decided products that are more then 98% asbestos are dangerous and even though we all know that's a filthy pack of lies we have to fallow the rules this time we're already on the government watch list and if we screw up they'll have us all tried for war-crimes again. So aperture was once more plunged into mass crippling debt. Unsurprisingly when aperture developed an asbestos free version of the gel the politicians once again blocked it, something about excessive cruelty to gerbils in production."
"And so the secret of essentially eternal youth was buried for all eternity. It was offered to the staff but in there own words {what are you crazy? I actually know whats in that stuff and I am not taking it!}"
"So you see" said GlaDOS "I found a solution to that whole 60 years problem we've been facing without violently ripping your mind out of your brain." Chell gave her an accusing look. "Which if you must know was the original plan."
Chell glared at GlaDOS.
"What? I didn't have a mutual habitation agreement with you back then. I for one think of it as fair game. Anyway if you could hold out your arm please now that the 2 hour long delay is over." she said extending the syringe and pushing the wall panels closer on all sides.
Chell didn't move for a moment lost in her thoughts. She might actually want this. Chell had lost most of her young years after the attack on the facility. Although she didn't remember much before it she did know she had been in her young teens when she'd been put under hibernation in the relaxation vault and when she'd woken up she'd been in her mid to late twenty's. Thanks to GlaDOS she had lost a good portion of her life and intentionally or not she was now offering it back. It was intriguing and very endearing that GlaDOS would do something so kind for her... even if it was for entirely selfish reasons.
Chell stuck out her arm and a large clamping arm grasped it gently holding it in place. The syringe pierced her arm at the elbow and started injecting the substance. At first she didn't feel anything then slowly a heated feeling spread up her arm and to her entire body. She felt another needle enter at the same point. She looked up at GlaDOS confused and briefly afraid that she was being poisoned.
[sigh] "Don't panic it's just a sedative, if I don't sedate you this is going to hurt. In fact the original formula contained Gerbil adrenaline to counter act the extreme burning pain, I however use a much more ethical morphine solution." said GlaDOS.
Chell calmed down, whether it was real calm or if it was the sedative she didn't know but she knew in a minute or maybe less she'd be unconscious. Normally she'd be fighting it to the bitter end, she hated being hept up on adrenaline or sedated. It didn't real worry her though, if GlaDOS had wanted her dead it would have been a much more painful experience. She trusted GlaDOS and threw her morphine hazed mind she almost laughed at the irony of the idea.