Chapter 8

Slowly Coming Back

As it rained the three men stood there for a moment with distracted emotions in their eyes as they thought about different thoughts.

A mountain.

A classroom.

A voice.

Suddenly Wheatley spoke up, "Soo… what do we do now? Since its raining and it's wet so going outside is not an option."

"No dip Sherlock."

He shot a glare at the taller, muscular one until there was an obnoxious knock on the door which made the three jumped in surprise.

"Oh what now?" The blue eyed human cried a bit angrily.

Rick peered out the small windows in the door to be met with a black eyed zombie.

"It appears to be that a zombie wants to come in," Craig responded suddenly beside him.

The blue bristly haired moron's eyes widen, "Nonono! Don't let it come in! Don't let it eat me!"

"I don't see why we can't!" The one with blazing green eyes grinned, "He just wants to get out of the rain."

"No. No. NO!" Wheatley screamed pathetically as he hid behind Craig's bed which was the one furthest from the door, "Noooo, he doesn't! He wants to eat us all!"

"I'm sure he won't bite." He was slowly opening the door.

The poor moronic human began panicking behind the bed and started shouting at him, which made Craig's mind ache slightly. This little routine was annoying him.

Suddenly Rick jerked the door wide and stabbed the zombie right in the chest with his iron sword, kicked it off his sword and slammed the door.

"Happy moron?" He asked with his smug little grin.

"I AM NOT A MORON!"

Yup, this was giving him a headache as well as something else which he couldn't quite get a hold of.

"Would you two shut up?" he unexpectedly spat.

The two stared at him surprised.

"I am getting really sick of this and you're giving me a headache—" his eyes then went blank as he then said loudly, "INCOMING MESSAGE FROM APERTURE SCIENCE!"

They continued to stare at him in utter shock until Rick finally whispered to Wheatley, "Are we in the Third Rock from the Sun?"

"No, you morons," GLaDOS' voice came out of Craig's mouth.

All of them, including fact, were speechless at this.

"H-how…?" The moronic one questioned pointing a finger.

"Do you really think you're fully human? There are—bbrrrrrtttttttttttttt"

Since Craig couldn't exactly speak at the moment the blue haired one took the liberty, "Uhhh, G-GLaDOS? W-we can't hear you! You're voice is being cut out! Hallo?!"

The purple eyed human blinked a few times and rubbed the back of his head. Apparently GLaDOS was gone.

Rick put a hand on his chin thoughtfully, "Well that was odd and unexpected… We must be close to Aperture is she can reach us… but how?"

The moron joined him, "I've got no clue whatsoever, mate… it's very suspicious though…"

"We must still be part android or somethin' if we're not fully human like she said."

The purpled haired human suddenly opened his mouth and said, looking directly with absolutely no emotion, at Rick, "Green-eyed monster."

The two blinked and looked at Craig… who didn't look like himself…

He stared at him for a moment before speaking, "Excuse me?"

"Green-eyed monster." He stated mater-of-factually.

He crossed his arms "Are you sayin' I'm jealous of somethin'? You must be really corrupt."

He shook his head slowly and continued to gaze brute with cold purple eyes, "You don't comprehend what I am saying… You have green eyes… you… are a monster."

Anger had suddenly filled his eyes and pierced his heart and soul.

"Craig, could you alright-?"

He was stepping towards him as the anger began taking over his whole person, "You took her away from me… turned her into a core… you're going to die… painfully…."

"C-craig?" He stumbled out as he took a step back.

His anger was taking over his mind, "You think you're so high and mighty because you worked with Cave Johnson well he can-GAH!"

Unexpectedly Wheatley stood in front of him and apparently shoved him onto the ground.

"Mate, you're scaring us!" He exclaimed at him.

He gazed at them for a short while then blinked and rubbed his glassy purple eyes and adjusted his crooked glasses as he gritted his teeth and looked away, "I-I apologize for my error…. I- I thought… I don't even know what I thought…"

The taller human smiled that smug smile again, "It's alright… as long as you don't try to scare us again with your sudden insanity. I thought I had to hold you down!"

His wry sense of humor wasn't that amusing. The human fact core sighed as he got up and started to turn away, "I am retiring to my bed…"

"That's a good idea… great idea," Wheatley stammered nervously, looking at the other as he walked over to the bed in the middle.

The Adventurous human rubbed his neck while a spark went off in the back of his mind. This reminded him of a something that he couldn't grasp.

Craig flung the sheets back and collapsed onto his bed. Suddenly he got back up to only put his glasses on a wooden block acting as a nightstand and he rested his head on the pillow. The same memory was entering his head again when he laid back down.

A dog was barking frantically and growling as a woman screamed.

He shuddered and he gripped the pillow as his eyes tightly shut, his teeth gritting firmly.

It was painful… even to watch.

Rick just stared at him then slowly walked over to him.

Happening to notice this, the blue eyed man eyed the green one suspicious, wondering what he was doing before he took his glasses off.

He stood beside the bed and watched over him. Gently he took the covers and laid it upon him.

The memory was returning. It was a girl… similar to him with about the same features except her hair was sparking red.

She was in the same pose that he was.

He cringed and gazed away.

There was something about the memory that brought sadness to him.

Finally after moments of silence he stride towards his bed which made Wheatley jump in surprise of how abrupt the action was.

Assuming that it was over he took his glasses off, placing them besides Craig's pair and lay down under the covers, keeping one eye on Rick.

He was confused of his actions towards the smaller one.

The buff man stood there beside his bed staring at nothing. Even though it was very blurry to him, and he had to squint, he could still see his silhouette.

He felt compelled to speak because of how sad he looked, "Are you alright mate?"

That word was hard to get out. He didn't consider yet to call them 'mates'. It was hard to get used to since he could still remember how awfully they treated each other in space while Kelvin continued awing at the vast of space.

The man didn't respond at first. For a moment he thought he was sleeping standing up but that theory was proven wrong instantly.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just thinkin'…" After another while he slowly got onto his bed and laid on top of the covers. Wheatley continued to gaze at him, curiously and very confused. Sighing he deciding to forget about it for now and rested his head on the pillow.

The same ginger haired man walked into the home and smiled happily as an old German Sheppard tried to tackle him lovingly. He chuckled and patted him gently on the side, saying sweetly, "Hey, boy."

"Craig!" A woman with the sweetest of voices cried out as she embraced him firmly, "You're home! Why were you so late? What happen? Did someone misbehave? Is everything alright?"

She was always so curious. This always made him smile but not today.

He laughed a bit nervously, "C-Carol, everything is fine… Really…"

She stared up at him with those bright brownish-gold eyes and pouted, "I know that tone; you're hiding something from me. Really Craig, what happened?"

"I just don't want you to worry alright…" He stated shortly before getting up, adjusting his glasses.

"Craig." She said as sternly as she could. She was indeed a beautiful woman and so innocent it was hard for her to get angry especially with him. But now she was angry…

"Dear—"

"Don't 'dear' me! Tell me the truth! NOW."

He sighed and sat on the sofa in the living room, "Fine… A man came in the classroom during lunch hour and told me about…"

He paused.

"Aboooooouuut?"

"… C-Curi…"

"FINISH."

He sighed again, "About Aperture."

Her eyes grew very wide and shuddered at the thought.

"A-aperture? D-Don't tell me—…"

"Yes, he wanted me to be transmitted into a core…"

She bit her lip, "this is why I quit. They're such monsters! Doing those unforgivable things to those scientists! Y-You saw-!" Tears were touching her eyes.

"Y-yes, I did see…" He slowly got up and wrapped his arms around her, "but let's not think about that. I got out of the situation perfectly." He smiled kindly at his wife, "They won't find us here."

Suddenly the doorbell rang and instantly the old dog began growling.

The two exchanged worried glances until she wiggled out of his grasp.

"D-don't—!"

She put a finger to her lips, urging him to be silent and walked swiftly towards the door.

He heard it open and a male, gruff voice speaking, "Excuse me miss does a Mr. Craig - live here? Are you his spouse?"

"And if I am?"

"Well if you are I am afraid that we must—"

Barking muffled the sentence as well as the scream from before. 'Craig' rushed outside to see his lover being forced into the back of a truck with the words 'Aperture Science' printed on the side.

The old German Sheppard was growling and biting at a familiar stout man from before. Suddenly another man took the dog and threw it against the house wall.

"B-Bolt!" He cried out.

"Craiiiiig!" He heard her scream before she was muffled by a gag.

Instantly he rushed towards her but soon stopped by a rather big hand from a brute which stood beside the stout man.

"Knock him out; we need them at Aperture, quickly!"

The redheaded male paused and looked over at his 'boss', "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Oh course it is you idiot, knock him out! Unless you want to be a core, Angus…"

He gazed at him with green eyes that, somehow, gleamed red in the dim light. He drew his hand back and punched him out while a woman screamed his name louder under the gag.

He woke up, startled and was sitting upright from the scare of the sudden memory. He felt tears streaming down his cheeks.

"…C-Carol…?" the image of the woman in distressed stayed steadfast in his mind which practically was driving him insane and forced him to grab his head.

He felt a hand on his back. The gentle familiar touch made him flinch

He looked up but there was no one there… an imaginary hand of his own imagination… this just brought him more sorrowful.

"Another cave, after another after another… I really should've stayed with Craig if spil-whatever was going to be this boring… and f-frightening…" Wheatley continued rambling uselessly as he leaned against a stone wall while Rick was mostly doing all the work.

"Really now? Why don't you help then if you're so bored," he hissed rather angrily.

"Nah, I'm good. I'll just keep-keep watch. Keeping watch is fun. Holding down the fort…"

"Well can you do it quietly? I can hear a skeleton."

"Pft-! Like they can hear us! I mean you're mining away, loudly might I add, and I'm just watching silently really."

He stopped and gave him a look as he rested his weight on his pick and flicked his fedora up, out of his vision.

"What?" The moron asked curiously.

Behind the muscular one he saw the said skeleton and grabbed the bow and arrow near him and pointed it at the living bones, shouting, "I got it, I got it, I got it!"

He missed. The arrow was way off.

Rick looked highly disappointed, "Do you really call yourself a man? Were you even aiming?"

"Y-yeah…"

An arrow whizzed closely by them and hit the wall with a twang.

Rick snatched the two weapons from him, aimed and headshotted the skeleton, knocking it down.

He gazed back at the smaller human with dull eyes and shoved the weapons into his grasp.

After a while of complete silence, and while Rick continued mining, Wheatley again broke the ice, crossly, "you don't have to be all pushy you know."

He blinked and the cherry-haired woman was in his mind again, saying those same lines. There was scenery behind her. She was standing a few inches above tree level. A few trees below her peek up from their roots. Only babies, trying to be special by growing passed their limit.

He shuddered. Thinking of her gave him a horrible feeling like something bad happened to her…

He wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to know.

Then he heard him mumbling again.

"What did you say?" He asked in a somewhat emotionless tone.

He paused feeling hesitant, "N-nothing really. Complete nonsense if I told you. But I always talk about nonsense don't I? Completely ramble on."

He sighed and ignored him for a few minutes until a sentence with six words he said caught his attention, "Hey, at least we're alive."

Instantly a memory recalled into his mind forcefully that he actually flinched.

Climbing a mountain, possibly the same mountain but that didn't matter now, he could hear fitful breathing below him. Gazing down he saw the same girl from before. She had the same color eyes he had, brown. That blazing cherry red hair and 'adventure uniforms' as he called the attire which highly amused her.

(They had the same copper skin and about the same personalities, probably because they were twins except she didn't exactly have the adventuring spirit he did but had morality instead of instinct.)

She was shaking from fatigue and pain for she had recently scrapped her leg against a sharp edge of a rock. There wasn't a platform for them to take care of the wound at the time therefore the wound continued bleeding, weakening her.

Instead of his usual smug smile his face was lined with absolute worry, "We need to head back down, now while you're still alive."

The woman met his eyes and glared harshly, "Are you crazy? This was your dream and you're going to stop just because of me? What happened to your adventuring spirit? That reassuring smile?"

He frowned and narrowed his eyes, surprisingly serious, "Don't change the subject Fionna, I don't want you dyin' because of me!"

She returned the emotion of anger, "It doesn't matter what condition I'm in. GO!"

Suddenly the rope wrapped around them began snapping. She gasped.

His eyes widened a fraction in utter fear.

"Fionna! Grab my hand!" He held out his hand down towards her as she tried to hold on to the unstable rocks.

"Are you insane?! Richard, I know you like danger but that is ridiculous! We'll both fall if I do that!"

"Don't call me that! Just trust me!"

Before she could even move the rope snapped and she plummeted down towards the earth miles below her.

His heart shattered.

His hand was still outstretched for her as if she was still there…. But she wasn't.

After moments of chilling silence tears touched his eyes and ran down his face willingly.

This was the first time he had ever cried.

"Rick…?"

'Fionna…?'

"RICK!"

Nope, it was a British accent.

"What?!" he cried out, annoyed. Literally he could feel something wet trickle down his cheeks. Turning around he saw a black, lanky, terrifying creature in front of them.

It was an Enderman, holding a block of stone, gazing innocently at the two.

Both of them were frozen in terror of the thing. Rick slowly spoke as he grabbed the moron's arm, "Wheat…. Don't. Blink. And don't… look away."

"A-are you being serious?" He was about to look at him but he stopped him.

"I am. Just slowly move backwards…"

He obeyed.

Rick carefully led him backwards as they continued to lock eyes with the odd creature.

"M-mate…?"

"What?"

"I need to blink. Like now."

"I told you not to blink."

"But I neeed to!"

"DON'T"

"…. I blinked!"

"You moron!"

The Enderman was onto them like a panther. Suddenly it screamed out in pain as if it touched poison.

Wheatley looked up from his arms and noticed water around them.

He looked at him in awe, "H-how..? why…?"

The man regained that same smile but… it was slightly sorrowful than before, "It's called being smart, besides, Craig told me about them from that book. Anyway…" he brought out a couple of ladders out of his bag, "let's get out of here."

"Ah, yes… g-good idea… Brilliant really…"

He sighed, "Just shut up."

He obeyed, saying nothing but gave a thumbs up.