Doug didn't have to describe the Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System to Spencer and Valentine. They had apparently heard about it from their dad. But he did explain how GLaDOS had tried to kill everyone in the facility multiple times. He gave them a quick summary of what had happened on Bring Your Daughter to Work Day.

"Christ, I'm glad I was sick that day and couldn't go," Valentine murmured in response.

Doug told them about the gassing of everybody and how he'd had to hide in the walls. The siblings didn't seem too upset about hearing how their father had died. Doug supposed that it could have been shock, and move on to the part about the testing. He'd had to go through the files and choose which test subject that they had in stasis would be perfect to take down GLaDOS. He described how Chell had destroyed GLaDOS' support cores and caused a major systems crash. Chell had been dragged back into the facility by a bot, though, and he'd gotten shot by a turret while attempting to hook her up to life-support in her long-term stasis chamber. Then he'd crawled into a little stasis pod to recover for a few years.

"Sounds like you've had to put up with a lot in there," Spencer said.

"I'm not even done there," Doug said. "That's only about half of the full story."

"Half?" Valentine asked. "Put it on hold for a minute while I get something to drink." She stood from her folding chair and went inside.

"Get Toby some water while you're at it," Spencer called through the open door.

"Can I ask you something a little personal?" Doug quietly asked Spencer.

"Of course," Spencer said. "If I get to ask you something personal."

"Um, okay?" Doug had no idea what Spencer would want to ask him but he continued. "Why didn't you guys seem very upset about your dad being gassed?"

"We kind of assumed he was already dead," Spencer said. "Especially with the Combine taking over the world. A lot of people have died."

"Oh."

"Now it's my turn. Where did you poop in Aperture if you had to stay hidden?"

"Ew! Spencer!" Valentine exclaimed as she came back outside. "Don't ask him that! What's wrong with you?!" She put down a bowl of water for Toby and sat back down in her chair.

"What?" Spencer asked. "We were having a perfectly mature conversation! Doug, please continue with your story."

"And you can ignore his idiotic question," Valentine chimed in.

Doug went on to tell them about traveling through Aperture with Nora and Wheatley. The brother and sister seemed amused by Wheatley's stupidity. Even at the part where he reactivates GLaDOS. Their smiles disappeared, though, when Doug told them about Wheatley getting crushed and how he'd had to repair him. Doug's tone turned from factual to annoyed as he explained how Wheatley had come into power over the facility. The stupid core had tried to break Nora but Doug had saved her. Then Nora had followed Chell to the depths of Aperture to help her get revenge on Wheatley. Doug chose to leave out the part where he'd had an episode in front of Wheatley. In fact, he decided not to tell them about his schizophrenia at all just yet. To save time, he skipped ahead to when Chell was back to testing—but for Wheatley this time. Doug had saved Nora yet again from Wheatley's lair, and they both watched Chell defeat the blue-eyed idiot by desperately shooting a portal to the moon.

"Once GLaDOS had gained control of the facility again, she banished Wheatley into space," Doug said. "She let Chell leave, but she threatened Nora and me. We split up at that point as we tried to get away from her and I haven't been able to find her ever since. I left so that I could get help. But I have no idea who to turn to."

"Well, Doug," Spencer said. "I wish we could help, but I don't know what we could contribute. Neither of us really have any useful skills, and Val has a kid to take care of."

"Oh! No, I didn't meant to ask you guys!" Doug said. "I wouldn't ask you to do something so dangerous."

"Hm." Valentine smirked. "We've known danger for a really long time now. Not long after our dad didn't come home, there was an accident over in Black Mesa. They opened up a series of gateways that spat out aliens. An elite group of aliens called the Combine took over the planet in mere hours. A man named Gordon Freeman was a physicist in Black Mesa, and he was one of the few people who really stood a chance against the aliens or even the military who were frantically just shooting anyone they saw. But he went missing after the first day and no one has seen him since."

"Not according to the Combine," Spencer chimed in. "They started moving large amounts of soldiers from here to Europe. Rumor has it that Freeman is back."

"Rumor is the key word," Valentine countered. "The real reason that they have been sending the troops there is because of a renegade group of Black Mesa employees that are stealing supplies. But we took the opportunity to overthrow the soldiers around our town and take back our homes."

"Actually, I've heard the whole state is free now," Spencer said.

Doug stared at them for a moment, then started giggling. This soon turned into hysterical laughter. This whole concept seemed absolutely ridiculous. The siblings exchanged looks of concern.

"Are you okay, Doug?" Spencer asked.

"Aliens?!" Doug laughed. "Really?! I'm sorry but it just sounds so implausible!"

"Is it any more implausible than a crazy computer trying to kill you?" Valentine asked.

Doug's laughter died down as he thought about this. He frowned slightly, but he had to agree with her. "I guess you make a good point," he said. "It's just so…crazy."

"It will probably take a while for it to really sink in," Spencer said. "For now, let's get you cleaned up and well-fed. I just got a new box of men's clothes from a neighboring town. You can take a bath while we make lunch."