"Love: A deep romantic feeling or...sexual attraction to someone."

The computer's voice deepened at the last part of the sentence. She didn't dwell on the word much, it was more or less unneeded in her vocabulary. Now, suddenly it became a fascinating find.

She had been in love. It was a strange, unorthodox feeling that apparently all humans craved, and she had been no different. Through all the respect, loyalty, and love of science, Caroline fell for Cave Johnson and never looked back. GLaDOS couldn't say that she herself felt that way for the man, but the thought of it kind of lifted her mood.

GLaDOS was a Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System. Caroline was a woman, a naive lovesick woman.

The image of Caroline resting peacefully underneath a large blanket came onto the A.I.'s lens. An arm wove around her waist, and Cave kissed her shoulder blade while pulling her closer to him. Simultaneously, both Caroline and GLaDOS felt a rush of energy flow through them. The computer calculated that the correct response would be to blush or smile. Both of which appeared on the woman's face.

This feeling of love was certainly strong, in fact the whole facility could run for years on this feeling alone if there was a way to convert it into energy-GLaDOS put that down as a side note, just in case.

For a few weeks the Aperture CEO and his assistant danced around that one night, stealing glances, and overall having fun keeping it a complete secret to everyone else. Though, this lasted for so long as Caroline began to go through some debilitating changes like fatigue, or sickness.

Somehow her computer counter part was able to figure out what was wrong before she did.

"I know how humans make more humans, and frankly, it's ridiculous."

GLaDOS shook her head. Frankly, she was going to be eating a lot of her words now.

And still, not even word eating could quell the outright fear when Caroline realized she was expecting. In fact, when she told Johnson he was speechless. Neither of them could think of what to do next, so they continued on like nothing had happened. They worked long work days, and kept the conversations superficial. The word baby never left their lips, even if it was the only thing on their minds around each other. Even when the woes of early pregnancy made it hard to get up in the morning, Caroline still carried on like nothing was different.

But when she began to show, rumors spread throughout the facility like a fire. Whether the child belonged to Johnson or not turned into heated discussions, and bets, in the break room. All of which ended with a raging Cave Johnson threatening their jobs. Caroline, too, was feeling edgy with her co-workers, who began to ask her upfront or comment on her weight. It was all too much for her to handle.

"Sir, can we please talk about this...problem at hand?" She put a hand over her stomach to amplify what she was talking about. A small little bump in her otherwise slim dress.

"Yes, Caroline. I've been thinking about this so called problem." Johnson laced his fingers together in thought, and looked at her for a few minutes. Her stance softened.

"I know it's hard to accept, but I'm not going to live forever. This child might actually be the solution I've been looking for."

"I don't understand..."

"An heir, Caroline! With our integrity, smarts, and good looks we could produce a carbon copy of the greatest minds this company has seen."

The woman's face lit up. "So, that means you'll help me with this baby?"

"Of course! Never planned on havin' a kid, but since when have I met an obstacle I won't face?"

Caroline was on the verge of tears, which may have been due to the hormones, and practically fell into the desk to embrace him. Cave held onto her with one hand, and lifted her chin with the other.

"Careful, Caroline." He cautioned, winking at her. Instinctively, she leaned in closer to kiss him.

They parted, and straightened themselves up. Johnson cleared his throat.

"So, uh, you'll have to take a leave, won't you?"

"Couldn't I just deliver in the Aperture Science Delivery and Care Center?"

"Nonsense, that place is for women NOT carrying my child."

"But, where will I work?"

"I'll have a special room set up at the estate. Won't even know the difference."

She believed him. In no time one of the many rooms at Johnson's mansion was cleaned out, painted, and refurbished to look just like his office at Aperture. The only difference being that one could actually see the ceiling of the room. But the woman definitely knew the difference, it lacked that cold underground feel and was too well lit. Plus, the rest of the house was filthy, and Caroline found herself choking on clusters of dust as she cleaned it up in her spare time. It was going to be harder to adjust than she thought.

Johnson made a point to come home more often, whether it was to give her more work or check up on her. If he could stay overnight, she'd sleep in his bed with him. She had once mentioned that if the child's birth parents slept in the same bed together before birth, the child was more likely to succeed, and be born a male. She couldn't say exactly where she had heard the information, but it convinced Cave to take more merit in their time together. For that, she was very thankful.

He was also sinking further into debt to pay doctors that visited the mansion. They were informed that the baby was not, under any real circumstances, Cave's child. If they so much as suspected it, a new doctor would be hired. It seemed like Johnson was hell bent on keeping the child a secret to the world. To Caroline, as long as he was by her side there was nothing to fear. That was what she told herself, and consequently how she began to feel.

However, her hero seemed to be having a harder time getting around the house, and Caroline found herself taking care of him before she even thought about herself. One of the doctor's noticed this on his visit, and offered to examine Johnson for free. He deduced that both of Johnson's kidneys were failing, and recommended a few prescription medications. Cave bought and tried all of them, yet they still weren't enough to keep him from losing both kidney's.

Caroline remained adamant, still reveling in the fact she was having his baby to help the company. She would try humming a lullaby to it at night, but the melody would be drowned out by the constant swearing and groans of pain Johnson made next to her. Unable to help, she would just hum louder to lull herself to sleep where she had dreams of a charming little girl playing in a wheat field, or in the lab. The notion that she may not be carrying a boy started to set deeper into her thoughts, and she knew that Johnson would not be happy about it. If her hunch was right, though, she couldn't bring herself to wonder what would happen.

"Sir, what if it's a girl?" She blurted out one day, unable to contain her curiosity.

He was quiet for a while, so much so she wasn't sure if he had heard her.

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen."

His words were serious, and not at all comforting. She put her hands around her still swelling stomach, as if to protect the child inside.

After that, scientists began showing up rather than doctors. Caroline was poked and prodded countless times before the scientists claimed they had come up with a serum to cure Johnson's problem. That night Caroline had been fully awake, and watched as an over sized needle was inserted into her womb. It was very uncomfortable, and she gave a pleading look to Johnson who watched from the side lines. His face was cold and stern. The head scientist was next to him, explaining that the serum would make the baby "invulnerable to life" and "more male-like." Caroline tried to wriggle from the awkward feeling in her stomach, but was held still by a few assistants observing the spectacle.

It was hot, and hard to breathe. Her thoughts flashed to the day she met Cave. All she could recall was the heat. That unbearable heat.

"What's going on?" Johnson asked upon seeing the woman hyperventilate.

"Merely a reaction to the serum. I assure you, she's alright Mr. Johnson."

"And the kid?"

"Even better."

She would have been crying if she wasn't sweating profusely. Didn't Johnson see that she was very much not alright? She was frightened, and helpless. Little whimpers escaped her mouth as she tried to regulate her breathing. She looked over at Johnson again before losing her consciousness.

She awoke a few days later in her own bedroom. Upon seeing the huge, deformed bruise on her stomach Caroline began to cry. She put a hand over it, wondering if the fetus was still alive. Something moved around under her hand, and she jumped. She had never felt a kick like that before, but it was all that she needed to feel relieved.

From that day on, she slept in a separate room on a bed that was lined with tall bars. These prevented her from moving, and hurting herself or the baby. If Johnson did touch her, it would be right on her belly, to feel the child kick. Being very careful to avoid the spreading bruise on her stomach. If he talked to her it would be about the pile of work that she was unable to get to, out of fatigue and sickness brought on by despair, and whatever they had put into her.

When the time finally came to have the baby, a scientist showed up to deliver it. Caroline was so outraged and scared that she smacked the man's hands away when he tried to touch her. She wanted a doctor with nice warm, and caring hand. Not the cold, methodical hands of a scientist that probably couldn't deliver a baby to save his pathetic life.

Unfortunately, retaliation came in the form of a sedative that put her out cold. She was going to be cut open-probably the only way the man knew how to deliver the baby, and Cave was nowhere to be found. Maybe it was best that she was being put to sleep, it would save her another horrific episode like before.

These thoughts remained as she began to come to, now with a much smaller stomach. She was groggy, but could hear the cries of an infant in a cart placed next to her. It took everything in her power to get out of bed, and walk over to the cart. Inside it was a beautiful little girl, naked, cold, and alone. Just the way Caroline herself felt before laying eyes on her.

She picked up the baby, and struggled to get back onto her bed. Craddling the girl in her arms, she held it close to her in an attempt to warm it up. The cries did not cease, but she nuzzled it closely.

All along she just wanted to be a mother, and that's what she was now. She had made this child with the man she loved, and nothing was going to take that accomplishment from her.

A tear fell down her cheek to say otherwise. She had been right, it was a girl.

"You know we can't keep it, Caroline." Johnson's voice broke her out of her moment, and she quickly wiped away the tear.

"I'm so sorry, Sir. I tried my best."

"I did too. But there was no agreement for a girl."

"Agreement? I did not agree to-" She stopped, knowing it was hopeless. "She could still run the company!"

"What if she marries some young gent, who takes the company for his own? The Johnson named would be soiled and ruined!"

Caroline couldn't find the strength to fight back, especially after hearing her daughter start to whimper.

"Can't we at least..." Her voice softened. "...raise her a little before we let her go?"

She gave him the most determined gaze she could muster.

"She's still OUR child, Mr. Johnson."

Much to her surprise, it worked. However, Caroline felt much like a single mother for most of the time she raised the girl. Buying the food, washing the diapers, and she didn't even bother to buy a crib. The baby slept with her in her "barred bed." Which was practically like the adult version of a crib, or maybe a cage.

The girl was never given an exact name. Caroline called her a variety of affectionate titles, such as "My beautiful girl" or "My dear." All the while, Johnson spent a lot of time in his room, and in a lot of misery from the sound of it. She wanted to comfort him, but she felt a greater need to bond with her child as much as possible.

By the time Caroline was fit enough to go back to Aperture Science, she knew there was no time left to be with her daughter.

Sure enough, she woke up one morning to find herself alone in bed. She sat up, and slowly sobs began to come out of her. She covered her mouth in an attempt to mute her cries, knowing that Mr. Johnson could still be in the house.

Sure enough, he emerged in the doorway. Caroline looked away, slightly ashamed of her tears.

"You knew this was coming." He said solemnly.

She stood up between choking on her own cries, and looked at the man before her. He was so different due to his illnesses that she barely recognized him. The wrinkles on his pale face were heavier than usual, and if she didn't know any better she would have said that he had regret for what he had done.

"You can take comfort when I tell you that I donated her to science. Think of all the great things she can do with it."

It didn't calm the woman in the least. She found her legs, and walked up to the man until they were only a few inches apart. Her huge, wet eyes continued staring at him. Finally, she gave in and collapsed into his arms, regaining her sobs. She cried for not being able to say goodbye to her beloved daughter, but most of all she wept because she knew she was still completely in love with the man named Cave Johnson, whoever he was now.

A/N: I want to emphasize the fact that Cave still truly cares for Caroline, it's just hard because he's slowly losing his mind. :x

Read and Review please!