You're obsessed, the cube hissed in his ear as he put the finishing touches on yet another mural of Chell. The spare cans of paint Doug had found stored away enabled him to bring some color to this desolately white, orange and blue prison. What better subject did he have but her?

"Jealous, hmm?"

I'm worried about you, his companion said more gently. She's only human, Doug.

"I know that." he replied coldly, turning away to face the portrait.

I'm not sure you do. She's not some sort of demigoddess. You can't simply rely on her to save you.

Then who will?" Doug asked impatiently. "I'm not a hero. Heroes die, remember?"

I remember, the cube replied. And that's exactly why you shouldn't get so fixated on her. You still have me.

But Chell was real, an actual alive human being, something tangible.

Unlike this voice in his head.

Doug didn't know what to believe in anymore.

)O(

He normally tried not to make a habit of returning to his old hideouts. It wasn't safe. He had made a grave error in leaving an extra can of paint behind which he needed to finish a new mural.

Doug couldn't believe his eyes at first. Surely this was another one of his mind's cruel tricks. Curled up on the floor around her portal device, sleeping peacefully, was Chell. His inspiration, motivation, the woman who symbolized all hope, humanity and goodness that still existed in this world. She was real, and she was here.

The last thing Doug wanted to do was disturb her rest. So he waited patiently, watching over her. Did she dream of the outside like he did? Or had she forgotten? And if so, what compelled her to continue struggling against the current? What compelled him for that matter? Had she seen his messages? Chell must know the truth by now if she's here.

Finally, she began to stir. Chell bolted upright suddenly as if awakening from a nightmare. She looked around frantically, perhaps searching for something particular or just trying to recall where she was. The her eyes found his and she stood up, perhaps about to run, pointing the portal device at him like a gun.

"No, don't! Just...relax. I'm not going to hurt you, Chell. You can trust me. I...I'm also trapped here, like you."

She dropped her guard a little, only a little, looking from the writing on the walls to him and back again. There was a question in her blue-gray eyes.

"I had to warn you," Doug explained. "I wanted to help you in any way I could. You and I are the last humans alive in this facility. I don't know about the test subjects still in stasis, but that doesn't matter now. She's after us."

In time, he introduced himself, admitted to his reading her file and putting her at the top of the testing list as well as his own small part in the GLaDOS project. Chell never said a word, but she very expressive nonetheless. It was enough to have another human being to talk to.

Doug didn't have much to offer considering this woman was about to risk her life in order to free them both. However, Chell seemed extremely grateful even for water.

Chell didn't always understand him. but she listened anyway.

"It's just been us for so long," he said, gesturing to the cube. "You don't have time to waste. The longer you stay here, the longer She has to find you and prepare the neurotoxin. Morality won't last forever, if it ever worked at all." Chell nodded. She pointed to him, then herself, then the hole in the wall from which she had entered this room. "No, I'll slow you down. It's better if you go on alone. I...will help you as much as possible, okay?"

Her destiny was infinitely greater than his anyway. Chell would succeed, with or without him, because she had to.

In a flash of blue and orange, his future savior was gone.

You're obsessed.

"Huh?" The voice actually startled Doug. "Oh, hey."

Forget about me, did you?