A/N: Hey everyone! If you're curious about how the events of this fanfic came to be and you like Doctor Who, feel free to check the main storyline behind this spin-off. The story that came before this is called "Lab Wolf"-that's where all the "Void Ship Saga" stuff comes from.
If you don't like Doctor Who and just want to read some good-old-fashioned Portal fanfiction, don't worry! There is absolutely no Doctor Who content in this fic.
As usual, thanks for your support, test subjects!
Chell was dead. The whole facility reeked of loss, with the shadows a little darker and the lights a little shakier. Doug could feel the heaviness seep from the rafters of the test chamber, and he wanted out. GLaDOS's despondency was beginning to weigh on him, and he refused to let himself get tied up with Aperture Science's problems again.
He headed to the door of the test chamber and found that it opened for him. He stepped through the door gingerly, expecting a trap. He had no Portal Gun, no special boots—he was utterly underdressed for an excursion through the facility, but he wasn't harmed. There were no turrets or spike plates lying in wait. GLaDOS was mourning Chell's death. For now, testing was over.
Doug Rattmann wasn't one to question these things. All this time he had warned his coworkers what a horrible idea imitating human consciousness was. It was bound to go wrong. And where had it gotten him? After all the ridicule and exasperation?
"Freedom," he answered himself grimly. He was in front of an elevator, and he knew where it led. Doug pressed the up button and let himself be carried to the surface.
The survivor stood in the open air. At first, he couldn't feel anything—just the brightness of the daylight stinging his eyes. He could barely remember what open air had meant to him before he got trapped, but it felt lonely now. The sun was warm, the wind cooling, and all he could think about was what his cube would say to him if he had the chance.
