At last! The power was back!

The chamber lights flooded the room once again. AIDRIAN had to cover his eyes at the sudden brightness that filled the room. He managed to remember to adjust his optics to the light as he was one to forget the simplest and most basic things androids should do.

AIDRIAN managed to leave the chamber and onto the catwalks on the side of the test chamber by sending instructions to panels. Each step he took hurt his body, each movement he made gave a pang and anywhere he looked the blue lights were there. He reckoned that these lights were caused by his wound on his head. He might have damaged his sight processors. Oddly, the mysterious lights were calling to him. He had a feeling that these lights weren't there because of the injury, that these lights were trying to lead him somewhere, telling him to go to the elevator. He was going there of course. Not that he had any choice. It was the only escape he had.

AIDRIAN managed to get himself into the elevator. He struggled at the act of walking. Once he got in, he collapsed on the floor, gasping in pain. His body was straining to keep its parts in place. AIDRIAN panted tiredly. He needed an escape plan. But he couldn't think of anything. All he wanted now was to rest, to sleep. Sleep sounded nice, yeah. He was going to sleep. He needed energy. He would just rest for a few hours, nothing to worry about. Then he'd just pick up where he left. That sounded like a plan. A plan it was then!

All the while he thought of this, he slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep.

"God, I can't believe I'm going to do this."

Chell mumbled as she adjusted the earpiece so that it would fit her. She had just finished shoving her feet in the long fall boots. The earpiece was a form of communication between Chell and GLaDOS. GLaDOS didn't have control over the sector Chell was going to venture in. Well, not until Chell manages to get there alive and fixes it. This was going to be one hell of a journey.

"Hello, testing, is this working?" Chell spoke through the mic of the earpiece.

"I can hear you fine," GLaDOS replied in such a volume Chell had to take the earpiece off.

GLaDOS rolled her eye. "Turn the volume down. It's almost as loud as the volume my speakers are. You'll get yourself deaf. You can pretend to be mute just don't damage your fragile eardrums."

Chell nodded and readjusted the earpiece. The wall beside her opened and revealed a panel. The slim, white Portal Gun sat atop the panel and Chell's hands started to itch.

"Here's your portal gun," GLaDOS announced, moving the panel closer to Chell. The woman eyed the supercomputer suspiciously. "Pick it up, you'll need it. Believe me. I won't be able to do anything but guide you throughout your journey to help me regain the connection.

"Oh, and one last thing before you leave," A maintenance arm handed her a small box, the size of a computer mouse, and clear glasses. Chell took the glasses and inspected it closely. "Those glasses, The Aperture Science Augmented Reality GLaSSES. I-"

"Is it really necessary " Chell asked, reading the label of the GLaSSES on its metal frame. "To 'GLaDOS' the Glasses? I mean, G-L-aD-O-S."

"There's an explanation to why I named it like that," GLaDOS pointed out. "But you were impolite, as always, and interrupted me so I guess I'll just keep silent."

"Oh come on!" Chell sighed, "Tell me." GLaDOS shrugged her chassis but did not give her an answer. Chell crossed her arms. GLaDOS was smiling inwardly, Chell could tell. Fine, if the supercomputer wanted to play difficult then she'll play along. She'll beat GLaDOS in her own game.

"I'm not wearing this until you'll tell me what it does."

"Then don't." GLaDOS replied dryly. "You'll die without my help, not that I don't want that to happen. I've been waiting for a long time to see you dead." Chell laughed tauntingly. GLaDOS looked at her and snapped, "What?"

Chell smiled at her with a raised eyebrow. "Since when were your attempts of murdering ever succeeded? None." GLaDOS growled at her and Chell laughed again. "Obviously this adventure would be no different, eh?"

"Hmm, not entirely true. The difference is that everything in there holds a potential threat to you and I have no power to stop it."

"Wait," Chell mumbled. Was GLaDOS implying what she was thinking? "Were you holding back all this time?" GLaDOS looked away from Chell reluctantly.

"Always."

She said the word in such a quiet volume it sounded more of a ghost whisper. In a gentle and soft manner Chell could not imagine an omnipotent AI could do. Did she really held back as much as she could without her noticing it? Did she really care about her? And if she did, to what extent was it? Chell knew GLaDOS was her friend. The supercomputer established their relationship like that without letting her protest. But she felt like GLaDOS cared for her more than a friend, or a best friend, would. It was more of a motherly concern. A motherly affection. Just like how Caroline wo-

"Caroline?"

GLaDOS' core jerked to Chell's direction involuntarily before she turned around to face her.

"Hello, Chell."

AN-

That was... p short. lel. sorry. Writing on a 4x2 inch screen is hard. Anyway, hope you liked it. It's currently raining outside because of a storm and we have no electricity so probably by the time I post this I might be starting on the next chapter.

Anyway, CAROLINE OMG! I didn't intend to add her here, it was supposed to be like 'U shaddap it was luck that helped u escape, not to mention da ratman' kind of convo but I thought about GLaDOS possibly holding back. She could've just killed Chell right there and then instead of a 'surprise mthrfckr' kind of killing. And she /didn't/ notice the turrets going all crap and the neurotoxin generator being all destroyed. Or did she?

Food for thought~

Edit

Omg It's been 4 days since I've initially finished this. Meaning 4 days of no electricity in my place. That's pretty rare considering my place is rarely where typhoons go. I'm glad the power's back anyway. I miss the computer~ Anyway here ya go!

Thanks a lot to those who supports this story. It's all coming to a close and I hope that you've enjoyed it~

Edit again:

Who got the GLaSSES joke I made on tumblr? Nobody? No. Hah! It stands for Genetic Lifeform and Super Sass Emitting System. I'll explain that next chapter if I can remember lel.

Who got the Harry Potter reference here? Lel.