AN: Maybe it's just me but I felt like it was a good time to put in some comic relief. It also ended up being a nice way to slide in a point that I'm sure some of you have noticed by now. Don't worry I have big plans for how to answer those questions.
Chapter 48: The Toxic Pit
Chell looked out on the bridge where Alyx was pointing. She could see a lot of cars but non of them appeared to be driveable. She looked back to a computer on which Alyx had zoomed in on the car she was talking about.
"It looks as if the humans attempted an escape but only succeeded in crossing the abyss." The vortigaunt said.
"Well Gordon," Alyx said, "Maybe between the four of us we can jump it back to this side."
"Yes," the vort replied, "If the Freeman will take on the hazards in the pit with me, the Chell and the Alyx Vance can lend protection from above."
"Hey," Alyx cut in, "I'm feeling a lot better."
"You will find that condition to be short lived if you decide to plunge into the toxins below." The vort told her.
She stood there for a moment and looked at Gordon, "Fine..." She said after a few moments, "What can I do from up here?"
"I'm no gun expert," Chell said from behind her, "But I think there's a rifle back here."
Alyx turned around, "Ok I guess that'll work."
"Excellent, let us hurry Freeman." the vort said before taking off down the stairwell.
Alyx turned to Gordon, "You'd better take care of yourself." She told him.
"I hear you." He responded before giving her a hug. At that point Chell almost failed to contain her laughter. Alyx looked like she'd been to California for a week without sunscreen.
"Freeman!" the vort called after he had let her go.
"I'm coming!" Gordon called before taking off. Chell was still trying not to laugh because Alyx was just standing there not sure what to do. Eventually she decided that if she was gonna embarrass Alyx she could at least help her out a little so she picked up the rifle and walked over to her.
"Here." she said nudging her on the shoulder. When Alyx turned around she still looked confused about what had just happened. "At a loss for words?" she asked smiling.
"Shut up!" Alyx said trying to sound angry but failing miserably.
"Why?" Chell teased, "You scared he's on to you?"
"No..."
"You scared he feels the same way?"
Alyx didn't respond she just glared at her.
"Hey hey," Chell told her, "If it makes you feel any better it looks like Chase is on to you too."
"What makes you say that?"
"He's been bugging Gordon about you." She explained, "And from the little bit that I've heard it sounds like you're probably not the only one who freaked out about that hug."
"Where are you going with this?" Alyx asked as she was setting up the rifle.
"Don't play dumb."
"I'm not..."
"Let me make this obvious." Chell began, "Gordon... Feels the same way... About you..."
Alyx just looked at her briefly before rolling her eyes and getting into a shooting position.
"What you don't believe me?" Chell asked.
"Nope."
"Ok now you're just being stubborn." Chell told her.
"Get me a box of ammo." Alyx told her without moving.
Chell did as she was asked. "Come on." she said, "He's gone out of his way to save your life, stayed back with you to keep you safe, and he even gave you a hug and you're just gonna shrug it all off?"
"Well what exactly am I supposed to do?"Alyx asked.
"Flirt with him a little bit." Chell told her. "That way he won't be so nervous to do stuff like that in the future."
Alyx was silent for a moment before responding. "You've been stuck with Chase too long," She said.
"Oh yeah? What makes you say that?" Chell responded.
"You sound exactly like him."
Chell laughed when she realized how true that statement was. "Well, I'm not gonna argue with that." she said, "But still, try being a little flirtatious sometimes. It'll make things move along."
"But what if he doesn't like what I try?" Alyx asked in between shots.
"Ok two things." Chell responded, "1) He likes you Alyx, I doubt he won't like it if you flirt a little bit. 2) Assuming that's the case then try something else."
"But I don't want to screw it up..."
"I get it," Chell responded, "But look at it from his perspective. If he's trying to do stuff like that and you just brush it off he's gonna assume he screwed it up and stop trying."
Alyx was silent for a moment. "Chase has taught you well hasn't he?"
"Not all of that was from him," Chell explained, "I've thought some of that up on my own. That said he has more life experience than me."
"Yeah." Alyx said, "You should try to get him to talk about his childhood. I've never been able to pull that off he'd always either ignore it or change the subject."
"Really?" Chell was mildly surprised.
"Yeah..." Alyx replied, "He keeps his past locked up in a vault."
Chell took a moment to reflect on the last week or so that she'd been with him. He did seem to avoid talking about his past.
