A/N: This is my first fanfic and I hope it is up-to-par with the others on this site. Any constructive criticism is welcomed. I want to become a better writer. Thanks.

Chapter 1:

The Awakening

GLaDOS had just finished scanning the new test candidates that she had found, with some help from ATLAS and P-body. She wondered if any of her new test subjects would be as good at testing as her. Even if they weren't, GLaDOS was excited to begin to save science again. She decided to start out with three random test subjects: Brandon Reinhart, Emily Kent, and Erik Johnson. As GLaDOS had them moved into their relaxation chambers she thought happily to herself, it's time for science!

Brandon opened his eyes and was immediately confused. He knew his name; but that was it. As he sat up, Brandon looked around his surroundings. He was in a glass box with a toilet, a bed, and a small shelf with a clipboard and a radio that was playing some really annoying music. Brandon stood up and noticed for the first time that he was wearing and orange jumpsuit and a very strange looking pair of boots. "What the hell are these things?" Brandon wondered aloud about the boots.

Suddenly a semi-human voice, from an invisible speaker, spoke to him, saying, "Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper. Before we begin, the Enrichment Center reminds you that safety is our primary goal; and so please do not remove your long fall boots and obey all instructions, as your life may be at risk during these tests. The portal will open in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…." An orange hole suddenly opened up in the only part of the wall that was not made of glass, and as Brandon looked through it, he had the weird sensation of seeing himself looking through the hole… at himself looking through the hole…. It gave him a headache and so he stopped thinking about it.

"What is this?" Brandon asked.

"This is an Aperture Science Quantum Space Hole; in everyday terms, a portal from one location to another. Please step through so we may begin the testing."

Brandon was still unsure about just stepping through a quantum space hole; something about it did not seem safe, so he carefully approached the event horizon of the portal and tentatively put a finger through. There was a slight tingle, but nothing painful, and so he stepped through it. Brandon saw a door on the other side of the room and decided to go along with the strange voice, mainly because he couldn't see any other option and he was curious as to what was in store for him.

Emily Kent awoke in a glass box with a toilet, a bed, and a small shelf with a clipboard and a radio that was playing some really annoying music. Her first thought was not what one would think it would be; where am I and why am I here? It was not a similarly important thought, who put me here? Instead, her first thought was, how the fuck do I turn off that music? She got up, not noticing that she was wearing strange looking boots and an orange jumpsuit, and walked over to the radio and looked for an off switch. She found the volume knob and turned it down to zero. Her biggest concern taken care of, Emily realized that she did not know where she was. Everything had a very sterile quality and she did not like it much.

Without warning a computerized voice spoke to Emily, saying, "Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper. Before we begin, the Enrichment Center reminds you that safety is our primary goal here at Aperture Science; and so please do not remove your long fall boots and obey all instructions, as your life may be at risk during these tests."

"You mean I could die?" Emily replied shocked.

"The portal will open in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…." The computerized voice said, without responding to her question. An orange hole suddenly opened up in the only part of the wall that was not made of glass. Emily hesitated, not knowing what to do, she could see herself through the portal, but not like in a mirror; she saw herself from the side. Not questioning the weirdness of this, made a split second decision to listen to the voice. After all, it did tell her that her safety was very important. She stepped through the portal and began testing.

Before awaking Erik Johnson, GLaDOS looked through his file. "Hmm…" she read aloud, "Personality Traits: Logical; takes his time, well, we will see how long he takes when presented with turrets; thinks things through; distant; lacks empathy; asks many questions, hmm that might be a problem. Notes: this test candidate is not approved for cooperative testing. Interesting." Upon finishing the file, GLaDOS initiated the wake up sequence for Test Subject Erik Johnson.

Erik opened his eyes and immediately wondered where he was. He was in a room that was the exact copy of the rooms that Brandon and Emily had awoken in. Ok, so I'm in a glass room that feels like a sterile prison cell. I wonder why I am here. Why can't I remember anything? Erik thought with increasing panic. Calm down Erik, you can figure this out.

"Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper. Before we begin, the Enrichment Center reminds you that safety is our primary goal here at Aperture Science; and so please do not remove your long fall boots and obey all instructions, as your life may be at risk during these tests." As soon as the voice began to speak, Erik did not trust the voice. Something just did not feel right. He had many questions he wanted to ask and yet he did not. "The portal will open in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…,"the voice whirred. A hole in the wall suddenly opened up.

Erik looked at the portal. He narrowed his eyes as he calculated the chances that it would be dangerous. To test it, he took the radio and threw it through the portal. It flew through, and landed on the opposite side of the portal. The radio appeared to be fine, so Erik decided to follow it through. He felt a slight tingle, but other than that nothing. Ok, so I now know that portals don't have any immediate effects. Erick saw a door in the opposite wall and made for it; even though he knew that was what the computer lady wanted. It was his only option. Erik knew he was trapped.