He sat in the same spot for a long time- how long he couldn't say. What had happened to him? He used to be so strong, so confident. But ever since he'd woken up, he just hadn't been the same. When he thought about it, he'd acted in such a way before. Because of one very special person. Caroline... How is it that you always managed to do this to me...?
As if serving as an answer, a wall panel flipped around, revealing a screen. What he saw playing made him smile, though the comfort would be short-lived.
Caroline, his love, in all her glory. But her beautiful face was sorrowful, her hand resting on the massive AI his nephew had designed. He saw her kiss her hand, or rather the silver and amethyst ring on her finger. The ring he'd given her. My mother's ring... She looked so lost, so helpless. He watched as a scientist entered- a man he knew as Dr. Jacques. "Miss Rilutdivene, it's time." Her eyes drained of hope, Caroline turned her head and followed him without a word.
The image switched to another camera view, Caroline and Jacques walking down the hall. He was so entranced with the sight of her face that he hadn't expected her to turn and begin running in the opposite direction. But Jacques was fast. He grabbed her and, with the help of a newcomer, began pulling her back. Cave couldn't make out his face, but Caroline cleared up his identity. "Michael Anderson, you let me go right now, do you hear me?" Her voice was not soft and kind. This was a threat. The woman in the video feed was not the woman he'd left behind thirty-four years ago.
Despite her struggling, they dragged her away as a new scene came. She was being tied to a chair, forced to watch as they showed her an example of what she would become. That's... That's her... Once actual life was given to the prototype, it was quickly shut down. Then Caroline figured it out. "Where's Dr. Rattmann? He designed GLaDOS, shouldn't he be here?"
Breanna Rattmann. Doug's daughter. The teenage girl he'd put into the first AI, by her request. The girl I murdered... Cave looked at Caroline, who had lost all sadness. There was but one emotion left on her face. Pure hatred.
When she was untied, she again tried to fight, but they subdued her, strapping her to a metal table and connecting her. She and Anderson shared a short conversation. Her last words were to him. "Michael. The girl. Take care of my daughter. Take care of my Chell." Chell... Anderson adopted her. I... Orphaned my child...
Cave was forced to watch as the transfer began. She didn't scream, and Cave could tell why. She was in too much agony. He could see it in her face. Small amounts of blood began to form from where the wires connected to her body, and soon, the electricity in the air around her died down.
The frame conveniently froze on the image of her lifeless body.
He stared at the screen long after the picture went dark. No... Caroline... What did I do to you...? He collapsed on the bed, fighting back tears.
He didn't remember falling asleep, but he awoke under the blankets, a hand stroking his side, pressure of a body sitting on the edge of the bed. It was... It was just a dream...?
He smiled. Music was present, an a cappella voice singing a familiar Italian song.
"Quando sono sola
Sogno all'orizzonte
E mancan le parole,
Si lo so che non c'è luce
In una stanza quando manca il sole,
Se non ci sei tu con me, con me
Su le finestre
Mostra a tutti il mio cuore
Che hai accesso,
Chiudi dentro me
La luce che
Hai incontrato per strada.
"Time to say goodbye.
Paesi che non ho mai
Veduto e vissuto con te,
Adesso sì li vivrò
Con te partirò
Su navi per mari
Che, io lo so,
No, no, non esistono più,
Con te io li vivrò"
He knew that voice. It was a dream. There is no GLaDOS, no moon rocks. Breanna is okay. And Caroline... She's here beside me, where she belongs. He went to turn toward her, but just as he began to stir, he felt her get up. He looked up to see her back. "Where are you going, love?" He sat up, she shook her head. "Caroline, look at me..." What was wrong? Had he done something to offend her the night before?
She turned slowly, her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes closed. Something was worrying her, there was no doubt about that. And when she opened her eyes, Cave was taken aback.
Her eyes were not the brown he'd looked into so often. They almost glowed yellow. "An android." She explained. Her voice was still slightly robotic, but less than it had been before. "Caroline had me build it. And I..." She closed her eyelids again, her head tilted downward, almost in shame. "...I didn't stop her."
He cautiously got out of bed and took a few steps toward her. "You..." He couldn't get the words out. He was too shocked.
She walked a bit closer, as well. "I... Missed you so much. People in cryogenic storage don't wake up on their own. I... May have had something to do with it..." Their bodies were almost touching now.
Cave took a risk and placed his hand on her arm, the metal cool against his skin. "I caused you so much pain... Please forgive me... If you can..."
Her finger was placed on his lips. "I've done the same to you." She put her hand on his chest, on top of his heart, as if to emphasize her words. "And I'm... I'm sorry."
Another risk, bigger this time. Possibly the biggest risk he'd ever taken in his life. He connected his lips with hers. And she did not pull away. At first she didn't react, stunned, but she gave in to her temptation and returned the kiss, which increased in vigor by the second. When they finally had to take a breath, she whispered three words. "Say my name..."
He pulled her even closer, cherishing her presence. His voice was soft. "GLaDOS..."
"No," She kissed him again before continuing. "My real name."
"Caroline..."
Want to thank Ember for the android idea, not to mention a LOT of other concepts in here. ^.^