Who Really Matters

Chell trembled with rage as soon as she heard that hateful voice, as soon as she looked up and saw that mocking, optic leering down at her. Why couldn't She have just let her die? Why did She have to do this?

Chell clenched her fists, hatred building inside her, and stepped forward. She was going to get her revenge.

"No! Please! It's me!" The voice begged in fear. Chell laughed to herself, an insane smile twisting across her face. It didn't occour to her why GLaDOS was so scared and helpless. All she knew was that she was going to end it now.

"Please! It's me! It's not Her! Please! I'm your friend!" GLaDOS screamed shrilly, but Chell wasn't listening. Her stormy eyes glared impassively at the monster that begged for her mercy, expecting her to spare Her life after all the years of torment-

Blinded by her anger, Chell rushed forwards. Nothing was stopping her this time. Nothing was going to get in the way...

"I'm begging you." GLaDOS' tender voice hushed, as if She was talking to a small child... "Please...Chell."

Chell froze as she stared into Caroline's optic. She wasn't leering at her, as if she was mocking her... she was... smiling.

Chell stepped back, numb with shock. Was that... love?

"I'm so sorry," Caroline sighed, her voice worn with emotion. "I never meant to hurt you or your sister."

Chell span around to look at Cara-Mia who was laying, motionless, on her bed. She was her... sister?

"I don't know how long I can stay," Caroline continued weakly. "She's coming back, even as I speak. There's nothing I can do. She'll delete me as soon as She's strong enough."

Chell stared up at the mainframe that hung limply from the cieling. Was Caroline dying?

"As soon as Cara-Mia wakes up, You'll both have to leave me behind," Caroline warned. "I don't want Her to hurt you again. Don't come back for me. I won't be there."

Caroline's voice was quiet and hushed as she said the last four words. It was as if she was going to die...

Suddenly, Cara-Mia stirred. Chell rushed over to her bed, watching as her sister took a breath, sighed and opened her eyes-

"Oh, thank god you're okay! I was so worried about you," Caroline exclaimed tearfully. "You need to get out of here now. Please don't come back."

Chell watched numbly as an elevator ascended from the floor and the doors opened...

"Where are you taking us?" Cara-Mia exclaimed in fear. "Let us go!"

"I am," Caroline sobbed. "I am letting you go. Oh, I will miss you so much. Please take care of yourselves, my dears... And whatever you do, please don't come back..."

Chell stepped into the elevator. Cara-Mia saw her expression and followed hesitantly.

Tears streaming down her face, Chell put her hands up against the glass, watching her mother fade into darkness as the escape lift started to ascend...

A crowd of turrets sang their lonely goodbyes as they watched the two sisters rise above them, and Chell finally understood what they were singing as if she had learned another language...

Finally, the lift stopped and a door opened. It was the same door that Chell had stepped into what seemed like years ago now, to find where Wheatley was...

Oh, poor Wheatley... If only she could have fixed him... But Chell knew it was over now, she knew there was nothing she could do.

Chell sat down amongst the long stalks of wheat, exactly back where she'd started...

Creak-

Thud.

Chell jumped at the sound, but didn't look round. Whatever it was, it didn't matter to her anymore. Nothing did.

"Hey! Come over here!" Cara-Mia called. Chell closed her eyes. She didn't want to see anything anymore, she didn't have a purpose...

Something heavy fell into her arms. "Come on, open your eyes," Cara-Mia encouraged gently. "Come on, just look! You'll be happy."

Slowly, Chell opened her eyes a millimeter. Her heart skipped a beat- Holding her breath, not daring to believe her eyes, she opened them fully.

A core lay in her arms, his shutters closed peacefully. Was it... no, how could it be? There was no way...

"See? I told you," Cara-Mia laughed.

Chell turned the core over in her hands unbelievingly, examining every part of him. He was clean, brand new as if he'd just been reassembled. One question repeated itself over and over in her mind... Was it him? Was he still...

Chell spotted a small red button at the back of the core. Hesitantly, she pressed it...

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Chell held the motionless core in her arms-

Click.

The core's shutters opened and a blue light flickered into life.