I open my eyes, fighting to shake off the last remnants of sleep. What is it, Cornelius? I ask my Companion Cube.

"Something's coming," he tells me.

I sit up, ready to jump to my feet, and scan my dark surroundings. The moon has risen, so there's actually more light now than there was when I fell asleep. After a couple of seconds, I hear the sound of something approaching, like footsteps.

I'm tense, prepared to fight for my life if I need to. I don't even have a Portal Gun, but that won't stop me.

The sounds get closer and more distinct; it definitely sounds like a human is what's coming. The possibility of this both excites and scares me, but I'm careful not to let my guard down. After everything I've been through, I'm not going to die of a stupid mistake. Just in time, I get up slightly and move so that I don't have my back against a wall.

Finally, a figure steps into view from under the trees. I think it's a man. He takes a few more steps forward before he sees me.

He stops. Part of his face is illuminated by the moonlight, so I know he's looking at me. I look back. I can't remember the last time I saw a human face; it's weird, how normal it feels.

"Hello," the man finally says softly - I know now, from his voice, that he's definitely a man. "Where did you come from?"

I don't respond. Obviously, I can't talk, but I don't move, either, and I think at Cornelius that I don't want him to say anything just yet.

The man takes another step towards me. I quickly scuttle back a little ways, climbing the exposed roots of the tree I've been sleeping under without taking my eyes off the person.

He stops again and holds out his hands. "It's okay," he says soothingly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I still don't respond. The moonlight helps, but I still can't see much about him, whoever he is.

We look at each other for a minute; everything is still except the brook flowing right behind me. Then, I see him narrow his eyes and tilt his head slightly, as though he's trying to get a better look at something.

"Aperture Science?" he finally asks, sounding surprised. "You're from Aperture Science?"

I glance down at my shirt, which does indeed say 'Aperture Science'. Obviously, this person recognizes the name, though I'm not sure yet if that makes him more or less trustworthy in my eyes.

"Aperture Science has been a no-man's-land for ages," the person continues. "How did you…Who are you?"

I continue to eye him warily. I'm beginning to think that I should tell Cornelius to help me out, but I'm not quite ready yet.

"Can you understand me?" the man finally asks gently.

I hesitate for a moment. Then, slowly, I nod. Whoever this person is, I guess it would be best if he knows that I understand human speech.

"Okay," he says. "So, you can understand me…but you just don't talk. Is that it?"

Again, I nod slightly.

"Can you talk?" he asks me.

I shake my head, still moving only slightly. I'm really not sure what to think of this person. How did he find me? Where is he from? How does he know about Aperture Science? I guess I can ask Cornelius to speak for me, but I'm still not sure if I shouldn't just run.

There's silence between me and the person again for a minute. I don't let myself relax as the moments slowly tick by.

"What is that you have there?" the man asks softly, breaking the silence again.

Not taking my eyes off him, I reach behind me for the stream with one hand, still holding Cornelius with the other. I cup some water in my hand, then quickly bring it to the side of Cornelius that's facing the person and try to wipe off the char that I guess must be covering the heart symbol.

"A Companion Cube!" the man gasps. He takes a harder look, though he's sensible enough to not try to come closer to me. "One of the old models, looks like."

I nod, still ready to turn and run.

The man looks between me and Cornelius for a minute. Then he says, "Activate Aperture Science protocol Alpha-seven-six-eight. Companion Cube, are you online? Identify yourself."

"Current status: online," Cornelius says unexpectedly. His voice is strangely robotic again, though I somehow still manage to get the sense that he's surprised. "Identity: Companion Cube 00089735, personal name 'Cornelius'. Date of companion calibration: August 6th, 2010. Greatest handicap of human companion: Muteness. Personal Companion Cube compensatory ability: Translation of human companion's neural activity directly into words, images, and feelings. Current status of human companion: Alive, conscious, and present."

I stare at him, completely bewildered. Why did…? I'm not even sure what to ask him.

"I'm sorry," he says, sounding like himself again; "'Aperture Science protocol Alpha-seven-six-eight' is the voice command for a Companion Cube to relay its basic information."

I quickly look back up at the man who had made Cornelius speak, warier than ever. Ask him how he knew that command, I tell Cornelius.

"Excuse me, sir," Cornelius says, "but my companion would like to know how you knew about Aperture Science protocol Alpha-seven-six-eight."

"I know another Companion Cube of the same model," the man answers, looking at me instead of Cornelius. "In fact, until now, I thought that his companion was the only human left from Aperture Science."

There's another human from back in my time who's still alive? I think, surprised.

"Are you saying there's another human from back in the days of my model of Companion Cube who's still alive, apart from my companion?" Cornelius asks the man, even though I didn't specifically tell him to ask for me.

The man hesitates. "Not…exactly," he answers; "he's in cryosleep right now, and his Companion Cube has strongly advised against us waking him up - apparently, he wasn't quite mentally stable even before he went into cryo."

I quickly tense up again at the man's use of the word 'us'.

"'Us'?" Cornelius queries for me. "Are there more of you?"

"A few," the man replies; "not too many."

There's a pause for a moment.

Ask him who he is, I tell Cornelius at last.

"Who are you?" Cornelius asks the man.

"My name's Jacob," the man answers. "I'm from the local village." He pauses, then adds, "There aren't any other human settlements within over two thousand miles."

How did he find us? I ask Cornelius.

"How did you find us?" Cornelius asks Jacob.

Jacob smiles; I can make out the change in expression in the moonlight. Funny how I know what the expression means, even though I can't remember the last time I saw a human face. "I found a trail through the wheat field back there," he says, pointing in the direction of the field with his thumb. "Well, actually, the farmers found the trail; I'm the guy who volunteered to investigate. The trail changed to a trail of wheat through the forest here, and I followed."

I nod, remembering how I'd thought about using the stalks of yellow grass I'd dropped as a trail to guide me back.

Wait a minute. Wheat? Is that what I've been carrying around with me? I know what wheat is! It's used to make bread! I have been carrying food!

"So who are you?" Jacob asks, looking at me.

I get the sense of Cornelius hesitating. Go ahead, I think at him; tell him my name.

"My companion's name is Chell," Cornelius tells Jacob.

Jacob blinks. "Chell?" he gasps. "Not…not the Chell? The one who killed GLaDOS?"

"So you've heard of her?" Cornelius asks, sharing my surprise.

"Of course I have!" Jacob exclaims. He shakes his head, his eyes wide. "I should have known it was you," he says to me; "I mean, who else could you be? I'm sorry - I wasn't thinking. It is an honor to meet you."

Please tell him to stop, I tell Cornelius; I'm nothing special.

"She wants you to stop," Cornelius tells Jacob; "she's very modest, and you're embarrassing her."

In spite of myself, I look away from Jacob to glare at Cornelius. I'm nothing special, I tell him firmly.

"I disagree, Chell," Cornelius says; "you did what the greatest minds of Aperture Science couldn't do - you overpowered Her."

I shake my head. Never mind, I tell him. I look up at Jacob again.

"How did you get here?" Jacob asks me before I can think of anything I want to say to him. "I know you were in cryo…How did you manage to end up here now?"

Tell him, I think at my Companion Cube.

Cornelius spends the next hour or two summarizing everything I've been through since I met Wheatley. Jacob listens silently, which I'm very grateful for. Cornelius only needs me to remind him of something a few times - I'm actually surprised at how much he already knows, since I haven't been talking to him that much.

When Cornelius is done, Jacob shakes his head.

"This is news," he says. "If GLaDOS is back online, we need to be careful. I'm glad we can start taking precautions before one of us gets hurt - thank you for telling me."

"She's not as dangerous as She used to be," Cornelius reassures Jacob. "It actually sounds like She's decided to eliminate human testing entirely; I doubt She'll be much of a danger to anyone anymore."

"Still, it's impossible to be too careful when it comes to GLaDOS," Jacob comments, and I completely agree. I'm about to tell Cornelius to convey my apologies to Jacob for bringing GLaDOS back to life when he looks at me and adds, "Don't feel bad about bringing her back, though; waking her up was an accident, and after that, it sounds like keeping her in charge of the facility was the best option."

I nod my thanks at him. He nods back, and suddenly, I get the feeling that we're at an impasse. I mean, what else is there for either of us to say?

Then, he holds out his hand and says to me, "Alright then. Come on, I'll take you home."

As he takes another step towards me, I quickly scurry a little further upstream, away from him. I still don't really know who he is, after all, and I'm still not going to make a stupid mistake just because I'm alone.

He stops. "It's okay," he says, smiling like he thinks I'm being funny; "I'm not going to hurt you, Chell."

I know I technically have no reason to distrust him, but I don't have any reason why I should trust him, either. I had thought Wheatley was a friend who would help me, and where had that gotten me?

Jacob sighs. "Chell, if you don't come with me, then what will you do?" he asks me. "You have nowhere else to go. I understand that you've been through a lot, and that you've fought a lot of battles to escape Aperture Laboratories, but…well, what were you fighting for, really?"

Freedom, I think, though I don't tell Cornelius to relay my answer. I already have it.

"I mean, obviously you were fighting for your life, and to escape Aperture," Jacob goes on, "but what more than that? I mean, you wouldn't have wanted to leave Aperture unless there was somewhere you wanted to be, right?"

Not necessarily, but I think I'm starting to understand what he's saying. I didn't fight my way free of Aperture Science just to wander around aimlessly. I want to be able to live my life, or at least a life.

I want to go home.

Jacob doesn't say anything more, and Cornelius doesn't comment. Several moments pass in silence, and the longer I consider it, the more I feel like I should go. There's just one thing I need to know first…

I look down at my Companion Cube. Cornelius, I think at him, were you paying attention while I was asleep? Just before you woke me up, I had another dream…It wasn't quite like the others, but it felt similar enough, I guess. Were you watching?

"Yes," Cornelius says.

I don't even look at Jacob - I don't care that he doesn't understand. Instead, I ask Cornelius, Was it just a dream? Or have I been reliving my old memories, memories I don't really have anymore, in my sleep? Am I…Am I Caroline's daughter?

"No, Chell," Cornelius replies; "there was no connection - the parts of your brain that held those memories are entirely dead. I'm certain of it."

I feel equal parts disappointment and relief. I mean, I kind of want to know who I was, but at the same time, I'm glad I wasn't really part of…that whole mess.

Finally, I look up at Jacob again. He looks puzzled - at least, I think that's what his expression means - but to his credit, he doesn't ask. He's still offering me his hand, and he doesn't say anything at all.

Slowly and carefully, I climb back down the tree roots, still holding Cornelius and not looking away from Jacob.

"Are you coming?" he asks me as I finish climbing down the little hill and stand up in front of him.

I meet his eyes and nod carefully. I'm not going to completely let my guard down until I know it's safe, but…yes, I'll go with him.

He nods back. "Okay," he says. Then he turns away and starts walking.

I follow.