Ten Years: Prologue

Summary: After ten years of GLaDOS's torture, Wheatley finally gets his chance to apologize to the person who means the most. Human!Wheatley/Chell.

AN: New story time! This idea's been floating in my head for a while, so it's about time I finally post the beginning. It's very minorly AU, but the only part that deviates from established canon is in this chapter. I really hope you like it, since it's the first multichapter story I've done in years. Let me know what you thought, and stay tuned for the next chapter!

"I can pull myself back in! I can still fix this!" Wheatley yelled. Before he could say anything more, a second consciousness invaded the mainframe, immediately kicking him out.

"I already fixed it. And you are not in control any longer!" Replied GLaDOS's mechanical-toned voice.

"No no no no no no no! Change of plans! Hold on to me, tighter! Grab me grab me grab me grab me—" Wheatley called out to Chell before they both were pulled back through the lunar portal. As they both plopped on the ground, he noticed Chell's eyes starting to close.

"Chell? No, no… don't close your eyes, you really should stay awake and thanks for saving me and bringing me back to Earth, that was really nice, but please stay awake since I really don't want to face Her…" He rambled just as he watched her form go limp.

"…alone."

Suddenly, Her smug tone invaded his microphone sensors. "Well, look what we have here. The blimp dragged the moron back in. How wonderful."

"I am not a moron! For the last bloody time!" He retorted. "But I really need to know: is she going to be all right? She really doesn't look to good, and—"

"She's only unconscious due to the lack of oxygen in space." Wheatley's optic plates expanded, showcasing a surprised reaction. "Yes, she's still alive, halfwit, you don't have to be that surprised."

"That's great, really. Really great. When do you think she'll wake up? I really need to talk to her and I can't do that if she's like this…"

"Just hold on, metal ball. Do you really think your recent actions are going unpunished? Do you expect me to let you wait until she wakes up so you can try apologizing, and then send you on your way?"

"Um… perhaps?"

Her "face" moved closer to him. "Well, you'd be very wrong. I've already contemplated a proper punishment for your actions, and as you may have put it, you'll be dying to know."

"T-That's great and all, but I'd really prefer not to find out what your plans are, so if you could just put me back on my rail, um… Science can continue as usual?" He said as he attempted some sort of a smile toward the insanely powerful computer looming overhead. Out of the ceiling, a mechanical claw descended on a cable, grabbing his metallic hull. "No, no, no… pl-please put me down, I swear I'll behave, you won't have to worry about me again, nope, so—"

The door to the incinerator opened.

"It's been fun, moron. I'll pick you up in a year, just so we can try something else. After all, too much of one thing can be unfavorable."

"I AM NOT A MORO—" Wheatley yelled before the claw dropped him into the raging inferno.

GLaDOS turned back toward the unconscious woman lying on the floor. She knew Caroline still clung to her brain, preventing her from killing this whale of a test subject. She sighed, knowing the only thing she could do at that moment was wait for her to awaken.

Chell's vision began to return. It remained fuzzy for a moment, before finally clearing. She felt stiff, and her head hit her with an intense headache as she started to sit up. What happened?

She looked around. The chamber was completely rebuilt after Wheatley destroyed the entire thing, with brand new panels coating the walls. Two robots stood in front of her. The first was shorter, looking like a personality core attached to a set of mechanical arms and legs, its blue optic glowing in confusion and shock. The taller robot resembled a modified turret with the same arms and legs as the blue one, but this one's eye was orange. And dangling from the ceiling was GLaDOS, newly reinstalled in her own body. Frantically, she looked at the floor around her, realizing Wheatley was gone. Where was he? She saved him, didn't she?

"Oh, thank God, you're all right." What?

"You know, being Caroline taught me a valuable lesson: I thought you were my greatest enemy, but all along, you were my best friend. That surge of emotion that shot through me when I saved your life taught me an even more valuable lesson: where Caroline lives in my brain."

"Caroline Deleted." Came the male robotic voice she'd heard in previous areas of the facility. Chell felt a chill through her spine. That couldn't be a good sign…

"Good bye, Caroline. You know, deleting Caroline just now taught me a valuable lesson: the best solution to a problem is usually the easiest one. And I'll be honest: killing you is hard." Good.

"You know what my days used to be like? I just tested; nobody murdered me, or put me into a potato, or fed me to birds. I had a pretty good life… and then you showed up, you dangerous mute lunatic." GLaDOS annunciated each of the last three words, her head moving closer to Chell's face with each. She held firm and strong, determined to not allow the homicidal computer any sense of satisfaction.

"You know what? You win. Just go." Wh-what? She couldn't hide some of her surprise as the lift began taking her up. Could it really be that simple?

"It's been fun. Don't come back."

Chell watched as the elevator brought her further up, closer to the surface and the salvation she desired for so long.