A/N This is going to be a very exciting chapter, with some plot development!

Fun Fact: The_Minkey has no idea where this story is going and is a complete fuc-

Sorry about that folks! Fact Sphere just got fired! This is a K+ story!

Lionel and Doug marched down the corridor. Lionel had no idea why they couldn't just complete the testing and just be let go, but he trusted Doug, and Doug was a very smart man.

The door was partially open. Doug snarled, and kicked open the door. Lionel was surprised to see what looked like a huge bound woman, but he slowly realized who this thing was.

Oh. You. I knew you were going to be a lot of trouble.

Doug and Lionel marched in.

"OK," Doug whispered. "you take out her wires, I'll take her out."

Lionel nodded, and sped himself up. He started to chop wires when suddenly time caught up with him. He tumbled over and fell onto the ground. Pain surged through his body, and he yelled. He looked desperately around for Doug. Lionel's heart fell when he saw Doug lying on the ground, dead.

That was annoyingly easy. Now, time fo...

The lights brightened and broke. The machine that seemed like a bound woman screamed in electronic pain, and started to swing around violently. Lionel tried to crawl away, but was picked up by a mechanical arm.

T-AGGGGGGGGGGGGH-Time to-TIME TO DIE!

The arm threw him into a deep dark pit. He slammed into several boards, and fell unconscious. He fell into the pit, and slowly faded out of sight.


Doug was in a maze of dark machinery and wires. The only light was the red and green of the blinking lights of the machines. These machines didn't think, or talk to him. He was alone again. He looked up. All but darkness was above him. He knew he had to walk.

As he passed the machinery, he heard voices. His own, and people he knew.

Mum?

Mum, are you there?

Mum! Oh God, mother, what happened? You are bleeding!

Mummy, I don't want to be alone!

Mum, wake up!

Doug watched the shadow of his six year old self cry over the dead corpse of his mother. This was memory. This was his mind.

Something walked towards Doug. Himself, but better. More clean-shaven, less dirty, more successful. Super-ego.

Another Doug, more down to Earth. Still superior. Ego.

Yet another Doug. Dirty. Bearded. Dirty clothes. Smelled of lost hope and torture. Id.

"What is wrong with you?" Super-Ego asked. "You disgust me. You are a pathetic specimen."

"Please, Doug, don't do this to yourself. You have to wake up." Ego pleaded.

"Your death is the only thing I live for. Your life is something I can take and ruin at any point, and I love it." The Id grinned with missing teeth.

Doug walked on.

Your...Your mother...She's gone, Doug.

But...Dad...Is she up in heaven?

... Yes son. Yes she is.

The shadow of him cried on the shadow of his father.

Hey, nerd! I heard your mother killed herself! I hope the witch burns in hell!

Let's kick the crap out of this stuffy little tool!

Doug flinched as the shadows of his bullies beat the 10 year old shadow. He came back with bruises that day.

You...! You did... You made her kill herself! You...You horror of a tike!

Doug watched as the 12 year old shadow was beaten by his drunken father on his birthday.

Hello, this is Gordon from Black Mesa. I'm sorry, but we have to refuse your offer to work with us. We have too many people. Goodbye, and have a pleasant day!

That smarmy git, Gordon Freeman. That temp moved on up to being an actual scientist. Before that, he was formerly the interviewer.

Doug almost stopped. This was bad. He shouldn't have stopped. He couldn't stop now.

Aperture Science has many opportunities, in areas such as Shower Curtains, Shower Curtains Advanced, Expert Shower Curtains, Teaching Shower Curtains and Portal Technology.

Can I have Shower Curtains?

Too many people, sorry. You'll have to go into Portal Technology.

Aperture Science was the last place you'd go for safe science. A history of blatant disregard for health and safety, completely bankrupt, barely living off a trust fund set up by the owner and using office workers as test subjects. But it had to do.

Doug, Doug! Open the door! GLaDOS, she is trying to kill us! The neurotoxin has...

Doug flinched again at the screams. This wasn't exactly pleasant.

Beautiful light was up ahead. His goal. The companion cube's soothing voice guided him towards the light. This was it. This was the end.

No, wait.

He had always relied on others. His mother for help, his psychologist for schizophrenia medicine, the cube for comfort...

He didn't want this anymore.

He wanted out.

He was his own man.

Doug drifted off, and woke up in a new and very strange body.