The Project Alpha Files

By NukaCola101

DISCLAIMER: All characters are copyrighted by Valve and their respected owners. I own nothing.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The following are a series of stories that have spawned from my main story of the same name. Each chapter varies in length and time frame, unless otherwise noted. I'm open to suggestions, so feel free to leave them in your review or PM me.


Dancing

"Mama, what's dancing?"

"Dancing? Well, it's…" she had been caught off guard by his question.

Miss Pauling was busy with the RED Medic's creation reading stories out of a used book of fairy tales. Ever since her boss, the Administrator, had been made aware of the hybrid of human and octopus, she had taken great interest in the creature.

"From what Mr. Ludwig has written down here in his notes, this gross example of mad science shows great promise in mercenary work." the Administrator said to her young assistant.

"Yes, but he does have concerns over the overall development of the hybrid."

"And he has been very vocal about it."

The older woman and the German got into heated arguments over the care of his creation. Miss Pauling would be outside the Administrator's office at her desk typing up reports when the muffled shouting of the two from the closed door would buzz in her ear. There were times the arguments got so intense that Miss Pauling was sure the Medic was going to lose his job. But after a cool down period, the Administrator would reach a compromise and things would be back to normal.

While it was another task added to her already large list, the Administrator assigned Miss Pauling to spend a few hours a day with the hybrid.

"The Medic has insisted that you be more present in the lab. He wants to see how having parental figures would affect his creation."

The young woman was secretly happy with this arrangement. Not only would it provide a break from her more demanding tasks, but this new assignment would allow Miss Pauling to get to know the creature better.

Since then, the hybrid had become friendlier to the assistant and finally began speaking to her. He also told her his name: Alpha.

"That's the name Papa gave me." he stated. He often referred to the Medic as "Papa", which was understandable (the former doctor did create him after all). However, Alpha would call Miss Pauling "Mama". This bothered her at first, especially since she didn't see herself as a motherly-type person. She voiced her concerns to the Medic one night.

"I don't feel comfortable when he calls me 'Mama'. It rubs me the wrong way…"

"Fräulein, you are the only woman Alpha has had any motherly connection with, so of course he going to call you that." the Medic explained.

"I understand, but just don't expect me to like it." Miss Pauling told him.

The former doctor sighed. "Give it time. You'll grow accustomed to it."

He was right. Now it didn't even faze the assistant whenever the creature addressed her with the moniker.

"Mama, what is dancing?" Alpha asked Miss Pauling again.

"Dancing is...when you move your body to music."

"Are there a lot of different kinds of dances?" the young oddity wondered.

"Yes, many!" the assistant pointed to the picture in the book. "This is called Ballroom dancing. That is what Cinderella and the Prince are doing."

"Wow." Alpha said. He then looked up from the page. "Can you and Papa dance like that?"

"I, uh…" Miss Pauling's cheeks grew hot and red from embarrassment. She hadn't been on many dates since taking her position as the Administrator's assistant, so when it came to dancing, the young woman was at a loss. She also wasn't sure of the Medic could dance; the German seemed too much like a stickler to enjoy something so frivolous.

Thankfully, the Medic entered the lab before Miss Pauling was forced to give a haphazard answer to Alpha. He was skimming through some paperwork when he noticed Miss Pauling and Alpha sitting on the floor reading from the fairy tale book.

"Guten tag, Miss Pauling. How are you and der kleine today?"

"We are doing well." she said to him.

"Papa! Papa! Mama was telling me about dancing!" Alpha got excited and pointed to the picture in the book. "Can you and Mama dance just like this?"

Like Miss Pauling before, the Medic was quick to embarrassment too, so much so that he nearly dropped his papers.

"Oh mein!" he stumbled with his words. Miss Pauling giggled softly as the former doctor was taken aback by his creation's curiosity. She saw how cute the Medic was as his face flushed red from being put on the spot. The Medic quickly regained his composure and cleared his throat.

"To answer your question Alpha: yes, your Mama and Papa can dance just like the people in your storybook. In fact, would you like to see just how graceful we can be?"

"Oh yes, Papa!" the hybrid clapped in joy.

Miss Pauling, however, was not as excited as Alpha. She shot a surprised glance at the German, who gave the assistant a cool smile.

"Medic, a word if you please." she tried to keep her cool, but the sheer annoyance in her voice said otherwise.

"But of course, fräulein." he said. The two left Alpha by himself as they went into the other room.

"Just what do you think you are doing?!" Miss Pauling snapped at the mercenary.

"Showing Alpha what dancing is."

"You know what I mean." Miss Pauling frowned.

The Medic got an inkling as to why his previous suggestion annoyed the petite woman. "You're afraid to disappoint him, eh?"

"Well, no…" Miss Pauling started to say, but was cut off by the Medic.

"Or you just can't dance."

"Of course I can dance!"

"Then prove it." The flirtatious smirk on the German caused the assistant to huff in frustration. She noticed the record player a few LPs on a shelf. Grabbing them, the young woman gave the Medic a hard glare.

"Just you wait. You'll be so impressed by my dancing skills; it'll blow your socks off!"

As she marched out of the room, the Medic chuckled to himself. Miss Pauling was adorable when he got her so flustered.

Back out in the main room, they had cleared the coffee table from the rest area. The bare carpeted area was big enough for the Medic and Miss Pauling to dance. Alpha sat on the couch, eager to see just what dancing was all about (especially if it involved his parental figures). The record player had been plugged into a wall outlet and was ready to go. Now all that was needed was to pick out the perfect music.

"The right music can either make or break a dance." the Medic explained to his creation as he eyed the records. "Too fast, you lose the passion of the dance. Too slow and you bore your audience." The German picked up a record and smiled at the title. He was about to place it on the turntable when Miss Pauling stopped him.

"It would be rude to not let the lady make the first choice." she playfully shoved him and plopped her choice on the machine. Feeling slightly jarred, the Medic shook it off and allowed the woman to proceed.

Turning on the player, Miss Pauling gently lifted the needle and placed it on the record. A few crackles came from the speaker and the song started. The vocals of Billie Holiday filled the room along with a gentle, mellow beat that was romantic in nature.

"You better know what you are doing." the Medic whispered to Miss Pauling as she took his hand.

"I do. Now lead." she told him.

He was taken aback by how forward Miss Pauling was, but he liked her moxy. Placing a hand on her side, the German pulled the assistant closer to him and began to sway to the song. Miss Pauling followed, keeping in time with him.

As the song played on, the two adults were soon swept up in their slow dance. They both had dreamy looks on their faces, eyes closed as they became enthralled with the intimate moment they were sharing. It was like no one else was in the room as the Medic and Miss Pauling danced, enjoying each other company. It took the end of the record to make the two come down from cloud nine. The needle had stopped at the edge of the turntable and was skipping.

Miss Pauling let go of the Medic's hand and took the record off the machine. She then remembered that the hybrid had been watching them dance and turned to him on the couch. Alpha had been quiet, drinking in the scene that was before him.

"So, what did you think, Alpha?" Miss Pauling said.

"It was pretty. You and Papa looked just like the people in my storybook." he told them.

"That was a nice thing to say, kleiner." the Medic said.

"You're welcome Papa. Mama, can I dance with you?" the creature asked Miss Pauling.

"Sure, but how about we let Papa pick out something a little more upbeat?"

The German nodded and flipped through the records and pick out an album by Benny Goodman. Once the song began to play, the former doctor watched as Miss Pauling twirled around the room with Alpha, laughing and smiling as she guided him in the cheerful steps. While it was interesting to see how a human/octopus hybrid could dance (it was more like slithering and sliding across the floor than actual steps), the Medic couldn't help but stare at Miss Pauling. She had a glow about her, the kind that would make even the stuffiest men like him take notice and fall in love.

Later on that day, Miss Pauling was preparing to head back to the Administrator's office. She still had other tasks to finish up before clocking out for the day. But before she could leave the lab, the Medic stopped her.

"Fräulein, before you leave, I have something to tell you."

"Yes, what is it?"

"You are a good dancer, in case you had any doubts from earlier."

"Oh, yes! Well... thank you Medic. I appreciate your comment." She smiled at the German. "So, did I knock your socks off?" the assistant added, recalling her bold statement.

"To tell you the truth, no. But!" The Medic then unexpectedly grabbed Miss Pauling's hand and gave her a quick twirl and caught her with ease. The two stared at each other, hesitant to make the next movie. Finally, after a minute or so, they leaned forward and kissed. They then parted lips, each letting out a short, relieved sigh. "Now you've knocked my socks off." the German said to the young woman.

Miss Pauling laughed. "Good. And since you were so impressed, how about we go out dancing sometime? I could always use some improvement."

"It would be my pleasure." replied the Medic.