1996 April 19th


Today has been a successful day; I have finally found the solution to a potentially dangerous glitch in the Aerial Faith Plate system. After several days of confusing data and unnecessary skeletal damage in a few test subjects, the problem turned out to be a misplace zero in a very large line of code. I must admit, it wasn't actually my solution. It had been my co-worker, Sam, who pointed out the flaw. That man is a genius; he had only glanced at the program for a second before he discovered it. But I fixed it, if that counts!

Now I can relax; my work for today is complete. The past few weeks have been quite the experience. The race to create fully functioning portal technology between Aperture Laboratories and Black Mesa has picked up speed. A recent announcement by Black Mesa bragged of the near completion of their final tests. In response Aperture has been running the Enrichment Centre non-stop, trying to finish testing before the opposition and maybe even release early. My team of nine assorted techs and engineers are responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Centre's assorted tests. So we, amidst all the rush, are stuck with all the work. Not that this is such a bad thing! No, the design of the test chambers is quite exciting; especially the invention of the test elements. Like the Victory Lift and the Hard Light Bridge. Making the bridge was definitely an interesting experience. It took awhile to make it safe enough to walk on, and equally as long for me to grow my eye-brows back.

But now, after almost 24/7 non-stop work, the stress is beginning to wear on everyone.

"Ta Da!" I'm immediately snapped out of my run on thoughts by the welcome voice of my best friend. "I come bearing gifts!" The lab is filled with the aroma of take-out as Wheatley saunters in, swinging a massive brown paper bag over his head. I laugh, watching as everybody in the room perks up like a group of meerkats.

"About time!" Cody Brown, the second youngest of the team, shouts as he practically vaults the bench he's working at. I walk over to one of the less cluttered tables and clear off the materials with a quick swipe of the arm. I'm much to hungry to care what I may have just disturbed. My co-workers quickly sort out the orders; this is part of our routine. Someone goes out at the end of each week, to pick up something as a treat for all our hard work. The restaurant is different each time to make it motivating, this time it's Chinese. Grabbing a nearby chair, I plant myself beside an already seated Wheatley.

"What took you so long?" I raise one of my eyebrows, fighting off a smirk. I know he was trying to evade the question, by avoiding my gaze and the sudden interest with the wall to his right.

"Don't accuse me!" He throws his hands up in exasperation, nearly throwing his meal across the lab. "There was...twenty people in line". Everyone seated around the table looks at him with scepticism. His lie is easy to pick up from the nervous tone woven into his British accent. Wheatley observes everyone's identical expression before confessing. "Fine, it was five people. But they were all taking forever to make up their minds...and I forgot where I put your orders". He rushes the last part in embarrassment while running a hand through his already dishevelled blonde hair. Chuckling, I spare him further ridicule and grab a box of vegetarian stir fry. Out of near starvation, I devour it at top speed.

The table falls into its usual pattern of conversation. The twins Sam and Fredrick, debate something too complex for normal human beings to understand. Today they argue about the relation between paradoxes and quantum physics. Andrew Watt sulks over his work in the corner, claiming he dislikes Chinese food. The grouch rarely has anything nice to say. Cody retells stories of his astronaut father's adventures in space and the uses of moon rocks to the youngest team member. Amy Sinclair, a rambunctious young woman with a sizeable crush on the clueless blonde man in front of her. She fuels his whims with endless questions and complete support for all of his ideas. They work in amazing harmony, it's sad that Cody still hasn't realized his own affection for her. Speaking of affection, Rick Hanes is flirting with Maggie Craig. Rick is constantly trying to woo the quiet woman with tall tales of adventures where he saves cute animals or old folks from harrowing situations on his way to work. Maggie rarely speaks, let alone responds to Rick's infatuation; although, sometimes she does get annoyed at him, enough to give him a few choice words. I shake my head and laugh quietly to myself, 'The drama of the lab'. Glancing to my right I find Wheat' giving me a peculiar look.

"What?" I question as I set my now empty take-out box on the table, and lean my chair back with arms crossed.

"You know, you look mad when you do that." He explains.

"When I do what?" He proceeds to comically act out my observation of the room, ending it with an insane expression and maniacal laughter. To my embarrassment the table goes quite as everyone stares at the two of us in curiosity.

"I didn't look like that!" I grab the nearest object, a pair of chopsticks, and point them at him in mock threat. He grabs the offending wooden sticks with a playful expression.

"Careful, before you hurt someb-" Wheatley's sad attempt at a joke is cut off by a booming voice.

"I smell food!" The lab door bursts open, scaring the team, enough to cause Maggie to nearly choke on her food. Everyone watches in amusement as Maggie abruptly stops coughing when Rick announces he knows mouth-to-mouth. After watching the poor woman excuse herself to the washroom and leave behind a pouting Rick, the attention turns to the instigator of the scene.

"Ah, Mr. Quinn, we thought you'd never show up" Wheat' jokes as he hands the take-out box to him. I look over with a smirk.

"I don't remember inviting you Dad". My father, sporting a wide grin, strolls into the room.

"As your superior, I can go wherever-" He pauses while grabbing chop sticks. "-and take whatever I want". Unable to come up with a snappy retort, I stick out my tongue in answer and begin to clean up our dinner.

"Tut Tut, Elizabeth I thought I raised you better." He waves his chop sticks in my direction before turning to the twins and joining their debate. I sigh and put the boxes in the trash before walking over to the sink to wash my hands.

Working in the same facility as your father can be embarrassing, especially when he pulls out baby photos during meetings. Wheat' jokes about that way too much. Luckily my dad works on the opposite side of the Enrichment centre from my department. So I only see him at facility meetings or at the end of the day when he takes our food and we go home. Yes that's me, still living with my parent at age of 25. But, as an excuse, I have a very over protective dad; which is understandable, given my health. When I was two years old, my mother passed away from a heart attack. It was the result of a genetic heart condition that was unfortunately passed down to me. I was young when she died so I don't remember her very well, but my dad is still mournful. He hides it quite well, focusing on his work in order to distract himself from his grief. I worry about him though; it's not healthy to bottle up your problems for so long. But whenever I try to mention it he becomes withdrawn and refuses to talk. It doesn't help that I'm now very close to the same age as her when she passed. He has become even more protective over me. He insists I visit the doctor regularly, who tells me that I'm actually doing quite well for my condition. The only really noticeable symptom is being incredibly pale, which isn't too bad most of my co-workers are pale. We rarely see daylight since the facility is built deep underground, and our hours are early in the morning 'till late at night. I'm also prone to fainting, but only under extreme stress. It has only happened a handful of times, one of which was actually how the team found out about it. It was about a month after I had started working here. There was a rouge AI drill that corporate had conveniently forgotten to tell us about. We had locked ourselves in the lab to find out that a turret is placed in every room in the facility as a safety precaution. We were all standing like deer in the headlights as the turret lit up with a sadistic voice echoing throughout the room.

"There you are." Just as its red beam had focussed on Andrew in the middle of the group, a cheery voice had come over the intercom.

"Thank you for participating in the Aperture Laboratories semi-annual rouge AI drill! We hope you remembered correct safety procedures and suffered minimal injuries." We were all standing in shock as the turret shut off. I fainted immediately afterwards falling into the unsuspecting Wheatley. Apparently my father had burst into the lab just afterwards and went ballistic.

When I came to, I was in the facility's equivalent of a school nurse, with a nervous slightly shocked Wheatley leaning against the wall. He explained what had happened and that my father was up giving corporate a call. I had returned to the lab as soon as possible and explained my situation to everyone. They all responded differently. The twins discussed the science of it, Amy and Cody asked an endless stream of questions, Andrew didn't bother looking up from his work, Rick mentioned a relative of his had something similar, Maggie gave a sympathetic smile, and Wheatley was upset I had not told him sooner.

"Imagine, your new friend just drops like a rock beside you! I thought you were dead or something terrible!" He had sputtered in anxiety. I had apologized to everyone and told them I hadn't wanted to bother them.

Rick, surprisingly out of character had said, "It wouldn't have bothered us little lady, you're part of the family now." He gestured to everyone "We were all worried about losing our newest recruit, you fit in here like a favourite glove." Everyone, although slightly confused by his figure of speech, nodded in agreement. "Although this moron was so startled he just about fainted himself!" Rick laughed along with the rest of the group as he slapped the blushing Wheatley on the back.

"I'm not a moron!" Wheatley vehemently disagreed, his face bright red.

It was that moment I had decided that this has to be the best job I could ever ask for, even if the management is questionable.

"Earth to Elizabeth" Wheatley is standing in front of me, whistling and waving a hand in front of my face.

"Uh?" Is my clever response as I'm snapped once again from my run on thoughts. I bat away his hand and scowl at his smirk.

"I worry about you sometimes" He laughs and hops onto the counter in front of me, before patting the spot beside him inviting me to join him. I do, letting loose a long yawn and resting my head on his conveniently placed shoulder.

"What were you thinking?" He pats my arm before I can fall asleep.

"Nothing, I'm just really tired" I mumble, the exhaustion of the week reaching full capacity.

"Well..." He stretches and lets out a yawn of his own. "Just think you'll be home soon. Nice hot shower, favourite robe, comfy bed..." He trails off giving me a smile.

"Mmm.." That does sound good. With a groan I stand up and turn in my father's general direction. "I think it is about time to leave this asylum". I take off my lab coat as I walk across the room and hang it in a cubby like space. My Dad jumps up and shouts something about a cat as the finale to his heated debate with the twins.

"Sure thing Hun, meet you in the car!" He makes his way to the door and waves to the group as he leaves. While I put on my coat, the team also begins their process of leaving. Amy walks over to me with her sweater in hand.

"Hey, do mind if I catch a ride with you tomorrow morning? My brother is borrowing my car for a job interview or something" She rolls her eyes, adopting the same condescending tone she always uses when talking about her family members.

"Sure of course! I'll stop by after I pick up Wheat'." I nod to her and head for the door, "See you all tomorrow!" I throw my hand up behind me in a final farewell to the group.


Disclaimer: I do not own Portal or any of it's personalities. I do, however own Elizabeth and her father :)

Authors Note:

Woo first chapter complete! That took waaay longer than I expected it to. But its done!
Thank you to the people who commented, I hope you like this first chapter. Its a character development chapter so its slightly drawn out but I can assure it will get more interesting as the story goes on.
I plan on updating every week or so, but the next couple of weeks are exams so I might not be consistent.

-Inklings