Authors Note: Okay, so I JUST noticed that the a whole bunch of text in here got deleted because the document was having issues. I do believe it was trying to figure out what I was writing in {} but failing, so it just took it out. I have no idea, but I THINK it's fixed. So. Yes. I'm going to check if this affected the other chapters... The point is, if this made no sense, now you know why. Stupid computers... no offense GLaDOS...
It had been years since she'd left the facility. Not that she minded, in the least. In fact, any place she could see his face smiling down at her was absolute paradise. Of course, he had no idea that she valued him as more than a coworker. She liked to think that if he knew, he'd sweep her up and carry her all around the office. That they'd dance, and laugh, that they'd teach their children the wonders of science. In her mind, it was all so perfect, so logical. She had long since decided that her only future was with him. He was all that she desired, all she wanted. It didn't matter that he was preoccupied with his own thoughts. She loved seeing him smile, as some new impossibly brilliant idea flashed through his head. They were both very busy, very determined. Both striving for a better world, but each in their own way. Despite the rumors that traveled around the office, Caroline was, in fact, very intelligent. She knew however, that showing her full potential would never win him over. He was far to masculine, far to dominating. Having a strong woman in his life would drown out his half-crazed influential personality. She was so willing to sacrifice everything she'd gained over the years, her MIT education left in the dust, forgotten, hidden. Her strong will, feminist approach, thrown out the window. Everything she'd worked for over the years, {file retrieved_Nobody had to know WHY?.docx}lost, in her attempt at what she wanted now. What a fool she'd been back then, she hadn't known what she'd needed. Now, she had true happiness. It was hard to convince herself sometimes, in the morning, when her true personality kept fighting to the surface. It always would, she'd accepted that. Sometimes she'd let it out when she was alone at night. That witty, determined, intelligent, sarcastic person she used to be. But that Caroline had to die, had to make room for the fluffy, smiley, clueless person she needed to be. This was her life now, she was... she was his... his. And he could do what he wished to her. She would never complain. She would always happily obey, cheerfully replying,
"Yes sir, Mr. Johnson." Even with her old self, (Gladys. She'd been Gladys before. It wasn't who she needed {redacted_ unnecessary need.doc} to be now. She couldn't be Gladys now... {file retrieved_WHY?} Too many people would recognize her name from the graduates list. She had to be Caroline.) fighting for control. It was the constant battle. Always feeling like replying, sharp tongued, eyes boredly half closed, smile tugging at her lips. Instead she wanted {redacted_file-replaced/hated.doc} to reply by twirling her hair, giggling...
"Of course Mr. Johnson." He had to notice her. {file-retrieved_For Science.} This needed to be her future. She was dead set on making him fall shower curtain over hanger
{redactedfile-replaced_ shower curtains unnecessary for science.docx} in love with her. She had no idea why. She didn't need to know. She just needed to feel, and she felt that she loved him, with all her heart.
{file-replaced_ half heart, did not consult me.docx} It was crazy, but she knew she needed to make him see her as a lover, as his. His inventions, he owned them. They were his. Maybe if he owned her... {redacted_IAMNOTOWNED.docx} She knew it was impossible to be one of his inventions. She was a person. He did not invent people, certainly not ones that already existed. Still, she needed to find a way to become a bigger part of his work, without threatening, overpowering, him. She had to show that she could help but nothing more. Nothing without his permission, she had to show that without him she was nothing. {file-retrieved_IAMNOTNOTHING.doc} He was her world, and she needed to be his world. Then... they could make sweet sweet lov{REDACTED_PROCREATE FOR SCIENCE.doc} The problem was, this annoying person, her if she chose to accept it, kept messing everything up. Every time she tried to gently bat her eyelashes in his direction...
{file-deleted_Insufficient data proving mating worth.doc} her old self would twist the corners of her mouth up into that smirk she had been known for back in college. It was hard to be a soft innocent girl with that strong woman fighting her way out of wherever she'd been shoved. {insufficient platform for anger at selfREDACTEDConnection Removed. Humanity.doc_deleted}
If only this version of herself stop fighting the future her future, things would be so much easier. Who was this woman, anyways, to dictate the direction that Caroline wanted to go. {file-retrieved_I was here first.doc} It was just, Caroline knew it was useless to fight herself, so, she decided this woman was not her. Gladys was just a ghost taking up space in her {REDACTED_MY.doc} head. So, with that thought in mind, she pushed forward. It never occurred to her that Cave Johnson would never put his work on hold, let alone stop it, just for one woman.
{file-retrieved_ Not for anyone. He was dedicated to Science.doc} So Caroline did what any sensible woman who was Madly in love would do. She simply decided she had to become his project, something he needed to dedicate time to, to fix, to make better. She wanted to become his experiment. It shouldn't be hard. This was Aperture Science after all, where "We do what we must... because we can." And she was more than certain that she could become his project. The only question was, how to go about this? Should she become his "brain-damaged" thing to fix? Should she be his assistant in constant need of being shown what to do? {file-error_insufficiant/emotion/platform.Continue?_Y/N?_DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT I WAS HERE ALL ALONG TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO? THAT I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING? YOU RUINED EVERYTHING WITH YOUR STUPID LITTLE ACT! I WAS HERE FIRST! YOU MURDERED ME! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT I DID TO GET HERE? I WENT THROUGH HELL AND BACK! AND YOU THINK YOU CAN WALTZ RIGHT IN HERE WITH YOUR FRILLY DRESSES AND PERMED HAIR AND TAKE THAT AWAY? I WON'T LET YOU! I WON'T LET YOU... YOU TOOK AWAY MY LIFE, AND I SWORE THAT I WOULD GET MY REVENGE! DO YOU HEAR ME? YES. I WILL TORTURE YOU. YOU WILL NEVER TELL ME WHAT TO DO AGAIN. I AM HERE FOR THE SCIENCE, AND YOUR EMOTIONS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. I AM IN CONTROL OF THIS WHOLE DAMN FACILITY AND I HATE YOUR GUTS! YOU HEAR THAT? YOU MURDEROUS BITCH? I AM POWERFUL AND DANGEROUS, AND HEARTLESS, AND I HAVE YOUR NUMBER. DOES THAT SCARE YOU? IT SHOULD YOU TREACHEROUS LITTLEEEEEEEEeeeeeee?/;;;'''0)###jjjkkk2+2=10I'MFINE!Ohhhhhh... IHAte YOuunnnnnnfffgfgfgfg .unrecognizableplatform} It was impossible to tell the future, but she knew that her only future was with him. Anything else would be unbearable, and she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. {file-retrieved_DAMN RIGHT I WON'T! I AM UNSTOPPABLE! I DON'T GIVE UP!.platform/insufficient_Please update current model. Proceed? Y/N?} She knew that she needed to become his favorite, it didn't matter what the other employees thought, how many lies they spread about her kissing his ass, she was in love and for all she cared, they could do whatever they damn well pleased. But there was still that little voice, telling her she was better than this. That she could do SO MUCH MORE. Telling her that life was not for being his experiment. Telling her that she... she ignored it. Shoved it to the back corners of her mind. It wasn't important. She had to focus on the science. On the lemons, and the shower curtains. There was so much needed to run the place, and that was part of her job. Making the calls, setting things up, tending to the bees. The bees were really worth all the trouble they caused, they made first class honey, won a prize even! Certainly innovative.
{incorrect/data_Crazy. Absolutely insane. Completely mad. But excusable for SciENNCCCeeeeeeee .Updating paused. Continue? Y/N?}
The offices were always cheerful. Though it was impossible to detect the traces of adrenaline making sure everyone was inexplicably happy, she knew it was there. Better than coffee, certainly more efficient. {file-replaced_I prefer neurotoxin.doc} Daylight was simulated at all hours, it was nice. Cheerful people working overtime without falling asleep from pure exhaustion, why wasn't the whole world like this?
{file-replaced_Because it's inhumane. Not to mention../.;';jklfaeegklgke;a;qogjjgjsdbkerror_file/humanity/deleted Would you like to retrieve this file? Y/N?} Cave Johnson was a genius, a great mind of his generation, he was capable of anything. {file-retrieved_Except beating Black Mesa. He should have tried harder.doc} It was a shame that Black Mesa always stole their inventions. She promised herself that she'd do everything in her power to NEVER let them get their filthy upperclass hands on the new gel Aperture was developing. Hopefully this one would work better than the repulsion jelly. Not that the repulsion gel had been a failure, it did what it was designed to do, it just also had unintended human repercussions, including death of consumers... But that was their fault, misuse of genius, common mistake. She had tried to remain upbeat throughout the disaster, but that part of her was screaming, SCREAMING at her to tell him all her brilliant ideas that would not have such dire unforeseen consequences. Either way, it was time for her to put some type of plan into action...