Hey there guys, it's been a LONG time - and unfortunately I can't say this is the end of my hiatus either, at least not yet.
Health problems, social issues, issues at home, university work, driving exams, management of a youtube channel and general bullshit have practically taken most of my writing time away from me - I failed to tell you guys about these issues and some of you got annoyed at me and I got angry in return, and I was quite mean - I'm sorry for that above all. I'm not usually one to display that kind of behavior and it was unfair, despite all I was going through. I wasn't happy for a long time and to be honest I'm not sure if I'm any better just yet. Portal and other things that I enjoy still cheer me up, but I have so little time for these things that it doesn't make a difference for long.
Anyway, I did some searching in my files and I found this - nearly finished. So, I thought I'd do you all a favor and get this out there, because as messed up as my life feels right now, I don't want to see this story die quite yet. I'm sorry for the pathetically huge delay - and I don't even know if people are still reading this - but if you are, hello! :D I missed you all!
And, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for going quiet and being a moody bitch when spoken to and all of these things - and I hope you can still find it somewhere in your heart to enjoy this story, and whatever its future chapters hold.
Sigh, I really did miss GLaDOS.
~ Lagiacrus
"GET AWAY FROM MY FLAT, YOU FILTHY MONGOLOIDS!"
While on the hunt for useful supplies, Rosie pointed out that the three were passing her block of flats, and requested if she could check her rooms – she'd owned a few things that could be of use to her, if they still remained in place. Considering how long she'd been in stasis before the alien invasion, it was more than likely that she was considered dead and her flat had been cleared and resold. Worth a shot, though.
But the stairwell had been swarming with the curious zombie-like creatures, which GLaDOS and Rosie had miraculously managed to bypass by knocking them down the stairs, which killed them. Caroline asked Rosie why she was so calm about the appearance of zombies – something which had never existed in her time, of course – but she simply smiled and said that she'd once been on a team in Aperture that handled reanimating the dead. Then, she'd went back to tossing a zombie down the stairs wrestler-style.
Conveniently, she still had her key for the flat – but was shocked to find it would not enter the lock.
"Hm?! The lock's been changed?"
"Move over a moment." GLaDOS nudged her out of the way, took a step back into a fighting stance and then kicked the door with astonishing force – the door's lock came away, rendering the device unable to close.
"We could have used this as shelter, GLaDOS." Rosie scolded, to which the android shrugged.
"Even if we do; no harm will come to us. I doubt those zombies are quite as skilled at climbing the stairs as they are at falling down them and dying."
"True. Right, let's clear this place."
Entering caused the older employee's face to drop.
"Yeah, this isn't my stuff. They must have leased the place out when they thought I was dead," she cast a glare at GLaDOS. "Thanks for that, GLaDOS."
"You're very welcome." The supercomputer retorted with a smirk.
Caroline decided to scout out the master bedroom, which was a large room with a bed, two cupboards and a chest of drawers. They were filled with clothes obviously meant for men, but Caroline picked some things she liked – a plain green t-shirt and a pair of heavy cargo pants, perhaps military gear and changed into them – they fit her just right, only a little baggy. Either this was a small guy or she was just a very tall woman. She packed some extra stuff for later, before exploring the rest of the room.
She came across a box under the bed – opening it up, she found a small collection of items, seemingly belonging to a girl. A photo frame sat upturned near the top of the pile – she turned it over, and saw who appeared to be Rosie, standing alongside a rather strapping young man dressed in military attire and a younger double to Rosie, perhaps a relative.
"Hey, Rosie! Some of your stuff's still here!"
The girl came charging through and practically swiped the photo from Caroline's hands. She plopped down on the bed, fingers tracing the frame's dust-tainted surface.
"This is me, my sister and my partner… So I guess he was still living here even after I disappeared. I can't imagine how worried he must have been about me… I wonder what happened to him in the end."
"He was in the army? I'm wearing his trousers," Caroline unhelpfully announced, floundering around in the camouflaged gear with an amused smirk.
"Yeah. I suppose he probably got called to help during the alien invasion, no doubt died in the process. I suppose my sister won't be around either."
There was a crash, like the metallic collapsing of numerous utensils.
"The kitchen," Rosie breathed, and Caroline was off like a flash. She darted across the flat, flipped over a couch that was in her way and smashed through the kitchen door. GLaDOS stared back at her, halfway to the floor in order to pick up a dropped pan.
"It fell while I was searching for provisions," She spoke in her usual emotionless manner. "Also, you should not be performing manoeuvres like that while carrying a little human."
Caroline's only response was to roll her eyes and spit;
"Shut up, GLaDOS."
Darkness was already falling – the day had been long although they had only travelled about an hour from the Enrichment Centre. They decided to remain in the flat until morning, just to be safe. Rosie barred the door, and set about trying to make herself at home once more.
"I wonder why he changed the furniture." She wandered aloud – Caroline looked up from the packet of long-life pasta she was trying to read, eyes inquisitive.
"Was all the furniture yours?"
"Yeah. He just let me pick most of it – said I had a better eye for house arrangement."
"He probably saw you everywhere he looked, or something." Finally Caroline worked out how to prise open the box, her mouth falling slightly agape – so much pasta! She glanced back at Rosie to witness her sad smile. Then, she held out her hands.
"Here, let me do that – we all know how much you hate cooking."
With some help from GLaDOS, Rosie managed to power up the kitchen long enough to prepare the pasta for her and Caroline. Once that had come to pass, it was pitch black outside – Rosie drew the grimy curtains across, casting the room into complete blackness. GLaDOS on the other side of the room moved a cabinet in front of the broken front door – the continuous moans from outside were having no such effect on her, but she could detect Caroline's increasing anxiety with each noise she heard – and it would do her no good if she was stressed while pregnant. The very thought of such a thing still disgusted her, although she knew it was not exactly something that Caroline had been able to control. Still, all the same, she let out a low growl as she journeyed into the living room and saw Caroline gazing at her stomach, rubbing a hand along it, as though it was already a living being.
"Don't think about it." She scolded the woman, who jumped slightly out of her seat.
"I-I wasn't!" She argued in response, to which GLaDOS simply sighed.
"Caroline, if you're tired, you can take the bed, okay? I'll sleep on the couch, and GLaDOS can keep watch." Rosie's voice echoed from the kitchen, where she had returned to.
"Oh, yes, that's fine, just automatically assume that the scientists gave me a sleep mode for absolutely no reason at all." The supercomputer sneered, yellow eyes glowing in the dark.
"If it bothers you that much, we'll take turns then – but Caroline should definitely sleep. You've been through a lot today." The scientist confirmed her point with a yawn from Caroline.
Still even once all three had retired to their respective stations, Caroline was lying awake – she watched GLaDOS' glowing yellow eyes peering out of the window every so often, and on her for the rest of the time. She was more than aware that Caroline wasn't sleeping but simply chose not to comment – no such good would come of it, it's not like Caroline would automatically sleep because GLaDOS told her too. The brat was far too disobedient for that.
"Something weird is going on." She mumbled, causing the glowing in GLaDOS' eyes to shift and become brighter for just a moment as they landed on her.
"Really? Was it the walking decaying human bodies that tipped you off or the fact that you're carrying a little human?" The computer asked, completely serious.
"Oh, just drop that already." Caroline's deadpan response, resulting in her turning away from GLaDOS.
"…I understand your feelings. I'm unsettled but I am unsure why," the android looked out of the window once more. "I am aware that there is more to this than I currently understand – but that won't stop me from finding whoever started this – for the sake of Aperture Science." She closed the curtains for a final time.
"I'm worried this is a trap, GLaDOS."
"I have already considered the high probability of it being a trap, you idiot."
"Well, I know, but-!"
"Don't doubt me. I know perfectly well what I'm doing," the computer seemed to hiss at her. "You need to try and rest. I don't need you making a mistake and dying because your pathetic body isn't fully charged."
At that, Caroline sighed.
"Fine, goodnight then."
Surprisingly, she fell asleep very easily after that – maybe it was GLaDOS' presence, she couldn't be sure. But it was a sound sleep, in some cases it was even better than sleeping in the Enrichment Centre.
Still, whether she'd slept eight hours or one hour – it didn't make things any easier when the morning came.