A/N: As you the reader have noticed, time isn't one way in this story. Though I hope it's coherent enough! Enjoy!
Recognize it? (C) VALVe, Black Sheep reference (C) Metric
Session 15: Escape
Gordon felt relieved to see the Lambda symbol at last, after so much death and disease and alien guts. After encountering more people alive, his hopes for finding his friends alive were high. But the sheer amount of alien grunts and HECU soldiers destroyed that flicker of hope in a few minutes of reaching the complex. As much as he wanted to run back and search the other half of Black Mesa, he had to see this Xen business to the end.
He was down to his last hopes (and energy reserves) when he opened what seemed to be another laboratory door. "Gordon!" He looked up and stopped breathing, trying hard to resist the urge to collapse from sheer exhaustion and joy. Barney Calhoun, the one person that kept him from just leaving Black Mesa to rot, was standing in front of him, safe and sound. "Ah Gordon! I knew you could make it!" Kleiner said, smiling behind the cop.
Gordon, you've been shot. Come on, I'll get you a med kit." "I've been shot, cut, burned, and electrocuted and may have radiation poisoning," Freeman added, unable to stop smiling. The computer screen immediately behind Calhoun flickered "BLACK SHEEP COME HOME" but the scientist shook his head and reclined against Barney's shoulder the moment he sat down. I found what I was looking for, he thought with a bit of sorrow; it'd be a long time he'd be able to see his family again but he was finally happy. "TAKE CARE BLACK SHEEP" was the last message the device showed before resuming normal functions. That was the last time his sister tried any more contact. Barney was careful not to let any radioactive materials touch their bare skins as he bandaged his best friend up.
"How did you make it this far?" Gordon asked, studying Calhoun for any wounds. "Vents and some pretty wicked detective work," the guard answered, the Resonance Cascade did nothing to wear down their wits. In a rare vulnerable chance, they allowed themselves a reprieve in order to touch and know the other was real. "I thought you were dead," the guard murmured, eyes closed and tone mourning. "I didn't," this simple statement spoke volumes of Gordon's faith in his comrade. Kleiner smiled a little as he watched the scene and instead of scarred men, he saw two brothers assuring each other that everything would be okay.
As they fought side by side, both felt alive for the first time since they started the day. They were synchronized, one covering for the other. "Almost there!" Kleiner announced as he programmed the Portal program. In that second, Gordon felt the unfamiliar burning sensation of an electric blast to the back. The pain crippled him to the point he buckled down on the floor, his screams were drown out by the chaos. "Doc, stop the experiment! Man down!" Calhoun yelled, running towards his friend. "I can't! He has to go in now! The portal is unstable and will close down!"
"Gordon, if you make it out alive, I'll buy you the biggest German beer keg on the planet," the cop whispered to the ailing man as he carried him to the portal. Freeman smiled as he recovered his strength. for an instant, "You owe me a lot more beer than that." "I know," Calhoun showed his best friend the actual feat he was experiencing. "Those flying freaks will keep spawning, Barnes..." "Kleiner and I can hold down the fort, you make sure you destroy the mothership or whatever's over there." The portals themselves were rapidly decaying so the physicist seized every last bit of stamina and energy to stand up and run but not before telling his best friend, "I'll see you when I see you." The hands lingered a microsecond too long before he jumped into the glowing doorway. "Yeah...You will," Barney held out, knowing Gordon would be all right.
He would never go home...the truth was he'd be banned for all eternity for the sins he had committed in the last 48 hours. The Government Man had made it clear he had been used as a pawn in a game to conquer both Xen and Earth. He would never see his parents, his beloved sister...their shared lullaby echoing in his mind.
He did have one comfort, the sound of his heartbeat...he was alive. He closed his eyes and let himself fall into oblivion. As he fell into unconsciousness, he heard a second heartbeat invade his ears. He turned to his side to find Adrian smiling sadly. "He got you too..." Without hesitation, Freeman reached out a hand before the endless abyss overtook both of them. I promised you'd get your Heaven...would you mind waiting just a little longer? Yeah, I don't mind.
Session 16: Roommates
"Bummer about your living quarters, Barnes," Dr. Gordon Freeman stated while drinking a cold soda pop as he and Security Officer Barney Calhoun watch the latter's dorms be partially torn down. "Eh, not that big a deal. That place had enough asbestos to kill a herd of rhinos among other health hazards," he commented as he picked up his very cold beer, "now to look for a place to crash for the time being." "Dude, stay with me! New Mexico's real estate will fuck you over," Gordon invited, extending his hand. "How would you-" "Tried renting here, almost got $4000 in debt." The guard was surprised at how generous the scientist was, then he remembered that it was his best friend. "You sure you won't mind?" "My last roommate bailed on me; I'm damn sure," Freeman answered. "That's because you're a drinking god amongst these peons." "Thank you, someone finally recognized my greatness." "That or your liver's permanently pickled."
After a night of double-shifts and assorted vice indulgence, Freeman was finally asleep on his couch. Barney was having his night with Lauren, so read the black tie on the bedroom. It was that time of the year again...Awesome. Then again, he did have to make up for the fact that Barney walked in on the scientist "making a transaction" with a hooker named Marybell Swanson. Tonight, he had to grin and bear it. This was a slight bit of punishment as he was not allowed to wear ear plugs or leave the room if he ever came in unannounced. "Sadistic bastard," that's all Gordon had to say about that. And yet, there he was, sleeping on the couch because he just HAD to get the apartment's last cookie.
Still, Barney never said he couldn't jack off for a moment. Ah, the troubles of being in love with your best friend. Freeman slowly slipped a hand into his pajama pants and felt around. It was too late to call anyone over so this was the best he could come up with. Every stroke, every rub, he couldn't help imagining Calhoun doing exactly this. Quickly, he buried his face into his pillow and, for the most part, kept his moans quiet. His eyes rolled back and his right leg pulled towards the rest of his body, as if the guard had grabbed it and pushed inside. There's that one moment when imaginary Barney seized his lips and bit down the tenderness around the collarbone. Freeman's eyes almost seemed to glow as he finally-
"You are incorrigible!" Lauren scolded after they both heard Gordon scream in a mini-climax. "I like sex. I spend ten to fifteen hours a day with workaholics, and it's too early to drink," the scientist shot back, hoping the couch would swallow him. He should've kept his voice in check and when he came, a circuit breaker inexplicably blew out. And now, there was a severely pissed off girlfriend storming off and a too-sober cop already up and wearing boxers. "I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news but...this is my apartment." "You could've KNOCKED. That's what roommates d- why did you kill a pillow?" Barney just had to ask with the mess of gray feathers around his buddy. "...I have a bite kink?" Freeman instantly hissed, a dead giveaway that he'd just lied. "Uh huh. Really?" "No but the explanation's a bit harder to put in words." The doctor quickly cleaned what he could, avoiding his best friend's glare. "Look, I'm supposed to say sorry but that went out the window along with the circuit breaker," Gordon shrugged, fixing his hair as best as he could under the circumstances.
