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Author's Note: Just a general thanks to everyone who has been reviewing regularly and even those who have just dropped of a random 'good job' note here and there. As dorky as it is, I actually look forward to reading and replying to reviews throughout the workday after posting a new chapter. So even if I don't get a PM to you right away, you can usually rely on the fact I have read your message the day you sent it. So, just lettin' you know. Thanks.
~mage
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Chapter 10: You Don't Know What Love Is
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The was just something just slightly disturbing about the way Ratchet had told her patients to enjoy their stay, her intonation having that smug satisfaction that the small group of humans didn't have much of a choice. Chell began to walk away from the three men, looking determined to make sure their release would take place on the given date. How better than to check out the elevator and explore the area, see if there might be any override switches or other exits to the surface? Rick and Flynn didn't seem interested in following the apparently agitated female, striking out in the opposite direction. Wheatley found himself debating on who to tag along with, fidgeting with his hands in a nervous manner.
'Well, if only to make sure she doesn't get into trouble.' Wheatley reasoned, knowing that look of stubborn conviction. With one last mental confirmation, he began to follow after Chell. The former test subject gave a glance over her shoulder, noticing the black haired man following her.
"Yes?" she said, wondering why he was following her and not the other former cores. Chell had been hoping to poke around on her own, but didn't exactly have the heart to tell him to go find something else to do. As Wheatley stumbled up, he pushed up his glasses and grinned, seeming glad that Chell had stopped and waited for him.
"I was just, well that is just," Wheatley said when Chell turned around and questioned him, realizing he didn't exactly have a good reason to follow after her. "Just in the neighborhood. You know. Lovely day for a stroll. Or night. Whatever, whatever time of day it actually is."
The former test subject couldn't help but sigh, deciding to let him come along for the time being.
"Alright, just try to keep up," Chell said, starting to walk again.
The two continued in relative silence, Chell testing doorknobs and finding quite a few of them locked. She took a mental note on where they were, deciding she would try to break in some other time. Although the former test subject was enjoying the quiet, Wheatley was unnerved by the silence and decided to try striking up a conversation.
"So, you could talk this whole time?" Wheatley said, finally voicing a concern that had been bothering him. Of course, there was a lot that was bothering him at the moment, but that seemed like the first thing that came to mind.
And, just as she had answered Rosie when questioned about her tendency to not talk much, Chell nodded in reply.
"Huh. Well, that's weird. I mean, because I'd just assume if you could talk, you would talk. I mean, not like there's anything wrong with not talking, I s'ppose." Wheatley began to ramble, shaking his head to get his hair out of his face. Although her face didn't show it, Chell was a bit relieved to hear him prattling on like when they had first met. The other part of her wanted to go back to enjoying the silence, but there was still that part that was relieved. Not receiving a reply from the former test subject, he continued on. "So, where exactly are we going?"
Chell simply shrugged in response, not really having a direction in mind when walking.
"Right, okay. Here's an idea, just putting it out there. Maybe we should have a sort of direction or goal when walking," Wheatley said. His recommendation however earned him a slight roll of the eyes from the former test subject. "Or not. Okay, no. That's completely fine. We'll just keep walking then."
"You're the one that's following me." Chell stated simply.
"I am sensing some anger here." Wheatley replied.
"Well, if you don't like what I'm doing then you can go wherever you want on your own, can't you?" Chell finally said, deciding that her need to figure out this situation and desire for silence was overriding any enjoyment of company she would normally have. Wheatley's brows furrowed at her words, looking rather upset by the statement. However, he continued walking by Chell's side as they went down the corridor.
"Look at that, we're right near the relaxation room. I think we should go there, to the relaxation room, because that's what you need to do. Relax." Wheatley said, pointing. Chell stopped and opened her mouth to make a retort that they didn't have time to relax, but Wheatley started talking again before she could get anything out. "I mean really. I understand that we're kind of stuck here, but you're not even receiving the short end of the stick and you're the one that's panicking. Alright? I mean, I'm the one that was shot out into space and brought back just to be stuck to whatever this thing is and be put in control of a human body! I think I'm taking this really well and you're the one that looks like you want to tear the place apart!"
Chell closed her mouth, knowing that Wheatley wasn't dealing with this situation as well as he was trying to make it seem. What started out as confidence in his voice was slowly degrading into a more somber tone, the former Intelligence Dampening Core letting his mouth run ahead of his brain.
"I know, I know. I tried killing you, so I can't say I don't deserve this. I said I'm sorry and I really meant it." Wheatley continued to explain, pushing his glasses up and looking to Chell. He sighed, looking at the ground as he tried to make sense of what he was trying to say. "I...I really am sorry."
The former test subject looked at the ground as Wheatley gave a much more sincere apology than the previous one, once again feeling a small pang of guilt. She had only done what she thought had made sense for everyone in the big picture, not really considering the consequences of the smaller portions. She looked back up and gave Wheatley a small pat on the shoulder.
"You don't need to keep apologizing." Chell said. "We've both been selfish jerks. Question is, are you going to move forward or are you just going to stand here and sulk the rest of your life?"
Wheatley wasn't entirely sure how to answer, stiffening a bit when Chell patted his shoulder.
"I can't say I'm sorry that I put you where you are because quite frankly, it looks like the human race can use any help it can get." Chell said, convinced that the course of action she had chosen was the right one. "But I'll be here for all three of you every damned step of the way."
The former Intelligence Dampening Core was a bit reassured by this statement, glad to hear that she wasn't simply going to toss them aside and leave them to their own devices. He slowly nodded to show he understood, a small smile starting to form on his lips again.
"Great," he said, clearing his throat and gathering a bit more enthusiasm for this whole ordeal. "We should still go see the Relaxation Room, seeing as there's a real fish there and all."
Chell nodded, deciding that Wheatley was right about one thing; no amount of worrying would make time go by any faster.
"Come on, come on. The arrow says it's this way," Wheatley said and began to take the lead. Chell was unable to help a small chuckle as he went ahead. No hard feelings. Forgive and forget. She was glad that he seemed too light hearted or too dim witted a person to hold a grudge, unlike some other constructs she could think of. As she turned the corner, it seemed that Wheatley had already gone into the room, popping his head back out when Chell finally caught up. "Oh, you're going to love this."
The former test subject came into the small room, closing the wooden door behind her. It was a plain, white walled room with white tiles, a few surprisingly alive house plants decorating the room. Wheatley had his nose pressed to the glass of the large fish tank, observing the skeleton of the dead fish get flown around by the bubbler and filter system.
"Alright, the good news is there is a real fish in here. The bad news is it's dead. It is an ex-fish, ceased to be. Poor fish," Wheatley mumbled, unable to help but tap on the glass in spite of himself. Chell wasn't exactly surprised, taking a seat in one of the armchairs pushed up against the wall. They were a heck of a lot comfier than the seats that had been offered in the waiting room. Wheatley lost his attention in the fish rather quickly, observing Chell taking a seat and mimicking the action in a chair on the other side of the room. "But would you look at this? You've got your chairs, some plants, and a really real fish. A really dead fish, but it's real."
"It is really dead." Chell agreed with a nod, leaning back in the chair.
There were another few moments of silence, Wheatley fidgeting in his seat.
"And you're telling me to relax," Chell said, observing his fussing.
"Alright, alright. I'm relaxing," Wheatley said, trying to maneuver himself into a comfortable position which was easier said than done considering the mechanism on his back. "Relaxing starts...now. I'm relaxing. ...still relaxing."
"You don't need to narrate your relaxing," Chell said as she closed her eyes.
"Got it." Wheatley said, watching the fish blow around in the tank.
This really was kind of nice, now that the former core had finally stopped chattering. The peaceful sound of flowing water, the fresh, earthy smell provided by the plants. She almost felt a nap coming on when the sudden crack of metal hitting the wooden door shocked both of the occupants of the room.
"Cripes!" Wheatley yelped and jumped to his feet. "What was THAT?"
Chell shook her head and made a 'shush' motion, slowly going towards the door.
"Be careful," Wheatley said in as hushed a tone as he could muster. However, the babbling of another core on the other side of the door lowered their guard.
"Space. Space. Going to break the door to space."
"That ain't the door to space and we're not breaking it," Rick's voice came. "I just tripped. C'mere."
Chell opened the door and looked out into the hallway, seeing Rick holding the Space Core and Flynn heading up the rear, bracing himself against the wall to keep his balance.
"Well well, look who we found on our adventure!" Rick said. "So, decided to ditch the moron and-"
"I am NOT A MORON."
"...or not. That's fine, I understand." Rick said with a small cough, stepping to the side as Chell and Wheatley left the Relaxation Room. The former Adventure Core couldn't help but give them a sly look. "What were you two doing in there?"
"Just enjoying the fish," Chell said.
"It's really real." Wheatley affirmed.
"Damn, really?" Rick said, craning over to see.
"Yes. Really." Wheatley replied.
"Fish is the primary export of Antarctica." Flynn chimed in, standing next to Rick without bracing himself against the wall.
"Speaking of Antarctica, we were going on an adventure. Care to come along?" Rick said, looking to Chell.
"An adventure to where?" she asked.
"...hell if I know. But we're on one!" Rick said.
"The library is the hub of all human knowledge and some knowledge held by larva of the common furniture beetle."
"Alright, the library it is!" Rick corrected, pointing down the hall and continuing to walk in the direction that they had been heading.
"Hey, I think the library's this way mate!" Wheatley called and pointed to a sign that read 'Library', indicating another direction.
"I know where the library is. I'm just taking a short cut," Rick replied, not about to change his direction under the advice of the former Intelligence Dampening Core. "Now are you coming or now?"
"The human known as Rick is in fact not very good at adventuring," Flynn observed, but continued to follow after the gung-ho explorer with a small sigh, attempting to walk without the assistance of the wall.
"Should we go after them?" Wheatley asked, looking at Chell.
"Yeah, God only knows where they'll end up if we don't." she said, starting after the others. Well, at least Rick was keeping things interesting.