Chapter Four: Rain, Rain
Chell stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby, shivering and miserable, to see Wheatley sitting in the chair right across the room from her. He lifted his head as the door closed behind her, and delight registered on his face, only to be replaced with surprise and concern as he looked more closely.
"Oh, hello," he said. "You're, ah, very wet."
She pushed her sopping hair out of her face. "Thanks, Wheatley," she sighed, and threw her backpack on the table. It made a wet flump noise, splashing water across the glass.
"Oh, my," Morality said, looking up from her book to see first the backpack, then Chell.
"Er, sorry," Wheatley said apologetically. "That was sort of obvious, wasn't it? Stupid of me, sorry, never mind I even said it."
"It's fine," she mumbled, her shoulders slumping now that she wasn't carrying the backpack. Her clothes were so waterlogged that they felt about fifty pounds heavier than usual. She pulled off her jacket, only to realize with some dismay that her tank top was practically transparent when it was wet.
Before Wheatley had a chance to speak, the door opened and GLaDOS came in, looking displeased. "So you're back," she said, folding her arms. "Look at you—getting water everywhere. Are you trying to get yourself killed? That's what happens if you go out in the rain, you know. You get pneumonia and die."
Chell gave her a look but didn't speak. She was certainly not going to give GLaDOS the satisfaction of a response now.
"If that's what you want, I have a dozen faster, less miserable ways," GLaDOS continued. "They also involve testing, so we could even get some science done while we're at it."
Chell just looked at her wearily, dripping water on the floor.
"You're shivering," GLaDOS noticed aloud. "You should probably go warm up by the fire. ...In the incinerator."
"Hey, just a moment-" protested Wheatley. Morality gave GLaDOS that look she was so good at, which conveyed disapproval without a sound.
"I didn't mean to sit in the incinerator," GLaDOS said to Morality, annoyed. "That's the only fire there is. It has openings." Turning back to Chell, she added, "Anyway, if you don't plan on dying, you should probably change into some dry clothes."
Chell nodded and grabbed her backpack before traipsing to her room to change out of her dripping clothes. As soon as she'd taken off her wet things, she started to feel better, though she was still cold even after putting on her pajamas. Still shivering, she returned to the lobby and found that both GLaDOS and Morality had gone, leaving only Wheatley leaning against the wall, apparently waiting for her.
"The others have all gone down to, ah, the break room," he said, gesturing vaguely behind him. "Well, maybe not GLaDOS—dunno where she went—but anyways. D'you want to go there? It's a bit warmer, we've, ah, got this heating thing—it is routed from the incinerator actually-"
She laughed. "That sounds good."
"Got coffee in there, too, now," he said brightly. "So you can have a nice hot cup of coffee, alright?"
"Y-yeah, that sounds good," she said, and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering.
"You're not still cold?" he asked, sounding concerned.
She nodded. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him move. Her shoulders tensed—just from the cold, she told herself—and for a second she thought he was about to put his arm around her shoulders, but instead he pulled off his jacket and draped it over her.
"Better?" he asked softly, smiling at her.
"Yeah, thanks," she said, pulling his jacket closer around her. It was already warm from his own heat, and she smiled at him, grateful.
"So, ah, what about you?" he asked. "You alright?"
"I'm fine," she said. "Just cold and wet." She laughed a little as he pulled her wet hair out of his jacket so it didn't keep soaking her shoulders.
The break room was a lot warmer than the corridors, and the atmosphere was quiet and sleepy. Chell crossed the room to sit in front of the faintly glowing heater. The jacket, too large for her, folded up around her.
"What kind of coffee d'you want, luv?" Wheatley called from across the room. "There's all kinds." He looked at the labels on the coffee dispensers. "Latte, mocha, espresso, cappuccino, cocoa—that's not coffee, but anyways..."
"I don't care," she said. "Just something hot."
Curiosity ran over to give her a hug. "Chell!" she cried, excited. "You're all wet. Are those pajamas? What happened? Is it raining? Are you okay?"
"Well, more like storming," she said, and laughed as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail again. "But I'll be fine once I warm up."
Wheatley came over with her coffee, being careful not to spill it. She took the cup, smiling, and sipped it cautiously.
"Mmm," she murmured. "Thanks."
He sat down next to her, a small smile on his face. "Feeling better, luv?" he asked, watching her intently.
"Much," she said, nodding, and drank more of her coffee. It was hot and strong and sweet with vanilla and caramel. She closed her eyes and sighed happily.
"What kind of coffee is that?" Curiosity asked. "Can I try some? Is it good?"
"Careful, it's hot," Chell warned, handing her the cup. Curiosity took a sip and her eyes lit up.
"Ooh, it's tasty! What's in it?" She handed it back and curled up next to Chell. "I thought you were leaving," she said. "Why did you come back?"
Chell thought about that. She could have left easily, could have gone home forever. But instead, she had come back, of her own volition—back to the place that, not so long ago, she would have given anything to escape. What had made her return? Why had she come back here, through a thunderstorm, getting absolutely drenched in the process, to the place that had once been her prison.
Because she'd made a promise—that was her first thought. She's told Wheatley that she would come back. But she'd made that promise for a reason, too. There had been something, some thought in her subconscious, that had caused her to make a promise she had to be crazy to keep.
"Because I have friends here," she said at last. "There are people here that make it worth dealing with her."
"Am I your friend?" asked Curiosity. It wasn't a worried question, or suspicious, or hopeful or pleading. It was just a question, just wondering who Chell considered a friend.
"Yes," Chell said.
Curiosity beamed. "I love having friends!"
"So do I," Chell agreed.
Wheatley didn't speak, but he was smiling slightly as he looked at her. She smiled back and closed her eyes, breathing in the smell of her coffee and of his jacket wrapped around her shoulders like a blanket. For a moment, she felt like a child, warming up by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate, surrounded by people she loved, people who loved her.
She couldn't remember such a scene clearly, but she knew it had been a long time since she'd felt so safe and comfortable as she did right here, and now. She could almost lose herself in the sense of familiarity, could almost forget where she was, what had happened here...
"What are you doing still in here?" demanded a voice. Chell opened her eyes and turned to see GLaDOS standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "You look dry to me," she continued. "There is another jumpsuit waiting for you in the locker room. Please report there for testing."
Chell held up her coffee and took a sip. So much for that nice warm feeling.
GLaDOS folded her arms. "Now," she said sternly.
Their eyes met, and Chell shook her head slightly. A long moment passed in which the whole room seemed to hold its breath. Neither of them moved or broke eye contact for a second.
"Ten minutes," GLaDOS said.
Chell nodded. "Thank you," she said, and turned back to the heating unit, but not before she glimpsed the look of surprise on the AI's face.
Another moment passed in silence, and then Chell heard the click-click-click of GLaDOS marching away down the corridor.
"I thought you weren't talking to her," Wheatley said, surprised.
Chell smiled and sipped her coffee. "Giving up and making concessions aren't the same," she said calmly. "She can't make my will break, but if she can swallow her pride and find a compromise, then so can I."
She finished the cup of coffee and put it down on the table. "I'll see you later," she said, waving, and left the break room to start testing.
A/N: This chapter was so much easier than the last two :D AND IT'S SO CUTE FFFFFFFFF.
I'd like to say thank you to all of you for your lovely reviews. The response to this story has been absolutely stunning and has really given me the motivation to keep going. You guys are the reason I write. You really are. :heart!: