"And I should believe you," Chell asked sarcastically, "Why?"

To her credit, the hardened leader of the Aperture branch of the Resistance hadn't questioned my story once while I was telling it, though it was obvious she didn't believe half of what was being said. I had the feeling the woman was stubborn as all get-out, though, and it would take significant effort to sway her opinion.

I sighed. If I had the story straight, Chell had known Compy as GLaDOS- the corrupt, twisted AI that ran this place before I had reprogrammed her. As far as Chell knew, GLaDOS had killed herself in a bid to get offworld and away from the humans who despised her- and in her opinion, it was all for the better.

And yet...to make things work out on our behalf, I would have to convince Chell that the Origin did, in fact, exist. Compy was proof of that, but confronting Chell would only bring up painful memories of her past. I had already hurt her enough by bringing her here in the first place, and didn't want to risk damaging our newly forged trust further. I thought I knew of a way to bring Chell around without risking that.

Reaching into my pocket, I drew out the gate key. Without a word, I raised it over my head, and brought it down, creating a rent in the air. Chell gasped behind me as the anomaly stretched and grew into a crackling hole in space-time.

"You want proof? It's on the other side of this gate," I told her. When she hesitated, I added, "Unless you're afraid."

Setting her jaw defiantly, Chell pushed me aside and stepped through. I hurried after her. We emerged in my laboratory at Chronopolis.

For someone who had stepped into another dimension, Chell was obviously underwhelmed, "So this is your research facility?" she said, absently tapping at console. "How do I know that this is a different planet?"

"You're asking me that after stepping through that portal?!" I cried in disbelief.

"I've been through plenty of portals, girl. Most led me nowhere special."

Grabbing her by the forearm, I frogmarched her from the room. Ignoring her protests, I dragged her down to the hangar, which was still gaping open on one side. It was night, and the twin moons were out. But that was not what I wanted her to see.

"See this?" My voice was harsh and grating as I pointed to a dark stain on the floor. "This is all that is left of my mentor. I promised him that I would give my planet a better future than yours and so help me, if you persist in standing in my way, I will use every means available to me to thwart you. Do you understand?"

Chell locked eyes with me in a contest of wills. In her blazing blue gaze I saw frustration give way to a grudging respect. "You know what keeps me going?" she proposed. "The will to survive. I see that same drive in you, Miss Ashtear. If nothing else, I can respect that."

I cringed at the title, and hastily amended, "Lucca. Call me Lucca."

"All right then, Lucca. I think it's time we got back to Aperture. We need to discuss a few more things."

I huddled miserably in bed next to my curled-up companion, afraid to shut down lest Lucca should need me, and more afraid of what images my subconscious might bring to mind if I did.

"You need your rest," Melody pleaded with me. "You can't keep pushing on forever."

"I can stay awake indefinitely," I amended. "You, however, cannot. Go to sleep. I'll wait for Lucca to call me."

"In case you forgot, Lucca is human, too. She'll have to sleep eventually. And as for you, I was talking about more than physical tiredness. Your mind has been spinning all day. You need to give it a break."

"But what if it won't give me a break?" I mumbled.

"You're scared of nightmares?" Melody interpreted.

I nodded, refusing to meet her gaze, and she snuggled closer. "If you have a nightmare, draw me into it."

"Wha-? No. I refuse to abuse our mental connection that way," I flatly stated.

"But you help me when I have bad dreams. Why can't I help you?"

"Because…" Because I'm supposed to protect you. Because your mental health is fragile. Because you're only human. And I could almost hear her counter arguments already. Partners are supposed to help each other. You shouldn't have to keep secrets from me. Why do we have this bond if we don't use it?

I sighed in futility. "Fine. Just...please, don't let my past influence the way you see me now."

She smiled and kissed my nose. "When has it ever?"

Satisfied with that response, I burrowed my face into her hair and let my breathing become slow and regular. The gentle pressure of her body against mine was the last thing I was aware of before REM cycles kicked in.

Pinpricks of yellow light flickered in the corners of my vision, watching me from the shadows as I made my way across the testing chamber with its scribbled murals. Shame instantly gripped me as I recognised my own handwriting- Why did I let her go? I am alone. No, not alone, my mind protested. I have Melody. And with that thought, she was with me.

But so was another presence, and this one was not so benign. Twin gleams of yellow approached, blazing malevolently in a face I knew all too well, for it had once been my own.

She circled us predatorily, haughty, mocking, judging. I turned my face away from her, unwilling to believe I had ever been so cruel, and yet there she stood with a triumphant smirk as though to say, "Remember me?" Her disdain became even more pronounced as she examined Melody. She tapped the side of her head and made several circling motions next to it. Broken. Unstable. Useless.

Melody's form began to shrink and quaver to quickly dimming flicker of auburn light. Still the barrage continued. Weak. Helpless. Pathetic.

As I watched Melody's fading glow, I felt something within me awaken, something stronger than the shame I felt for my past. Fierce, protective anger flamed to life with a fury not even the Combine had inspired.

I took the dwindling spark in my hands and turned my back to GLaDOS. I thought about Melody's quiet resolve and wisdom, her warmth, empathy, compassion, and importantly, her forgiveness- all qualities that had helped to transform me from GLaDOS to Compy. Feeding these thoughts to the spark, I watched as it flared, blossomed, and grew into the beautiful young woman I had come to love.

Melody's eyes were brimming with tears as she lifted her smiling face to me. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she prompted me to turn around. The room was empty. GLaDOS was gone.