I know, this is a very quick upload, but I have a relatively free evening tonight and I want to set Chell up to go places before I actually start writing her story. Thank you, and please review.

Pathfinding

Having her three points, Chell felt as though she was now facing another test. The most difficult test of her life. This test chamber had no walls, success wasn't as simple as using test elements to satisfy the opening of a door. Nor was it using inter-dimensional portals to find her way through a facility in order to escape. There was three hundred and sixty degrees of direction for Chell to choose from, and choice wasn't something she was familiar with. Since becoming a test subject, she had been told where to go by people who had control over every aspect of her life. She had resented it, but she hadn't had a choice.

Chell turned, and sank down next to the Companion Cube. It's familiar pink hearts looked out at her. The pastel tones were dulled and scarred by the hideous black burn marks. Burns that Chell had inflicted. The cube glared at Chell. It was blaming her for harming it. Why would she do such a thing? The cube had never stabbed her. Sure, it hadn't spoken to her either, but it had helped her solve the tests. It had been a friend to her. A companion.

All of these thoughts were barraging through Chell's mind, and the Companion Cube was still glaring accusingly at her. She couldn't deal with it, nobody had made her feel guilt since before she became a Test Subject.

"I had no choice" she wanted to scream. She didn't though. Chell had not uttered a word to anyone, not even herself, since 'before'.

Chell's mind seized on the word 'before'. Her whole life had been split into two; before, and after. Before she became a Test Subject, and after the final escape. The after was just starting. She hadn't been out of the Facility for more than a few hours. Before and after. Pre and post. Then and now. Past and present. So many contrasts flashed through Chell's mind.

She was burning up under the weight of all these thoughts flashing through her head. Logic was her forte. Chell would happier be solving a test chamber than be trying to bend her mind around the issues ricocheting around her skull. That was philosophical! Best left to people with white hair, no fashion sense and big glasses.

A memory flashed through her mind.

"The Doctors said I'm insecure, Chelly."

"But I don't understand, you look healthy? What isn't secured?"

"No, it means my head isn't right. Y'know?"

Now she knew. Insecure. Chell didn't feel secure at all right now. Her head 'wasn't right'. It was scary – she didn't know how to deal with the way the Companion Cube was staring at her. It was far worse than anything GLaDOS or Wheatley had thrown at her. Tests were easy. Tests were safe (relatively). Tests were comfortable. Chell's comfort zone lay back into the Facility, into testing. For science.

No. Chell had three things she needed to do. Musing over how to make things up with the Companion Cube wouldn't help that. Chell patted the top of the cube. A silent apology. The circular plate on which the heart resided gave a little. Chell pushed it further, and a side of the cube lowered down to the floor on hinges.

Inside the cube, was a letter, in an envelope with a wax seal. It depicted, in blue wax, a segmented circle that matched the symbol on her clothing. Aperture science.

The letter inside read only:

Cara, bel, Cara mia,

Bella bambina,

Oh Chell,

Que lastima,

Que lastima,

Deh! Cara mia,

Addio.

Mia bambina,

Cara,

Perche non passi

Lontana, deh

Si lontana

Da scienza.

Cara, cara

Mia bambina,

Ah mia bel,

Ah mia cara,

La bambina,

Oh cara,

Cara mia…

My last gift.

Behind the letter were packets of food. Food that Chell would need now she was away from the self sufficiency of the Facility. There was no promise of food from anything Chell could see, and she wasn't even sure where she was going.

There were three things she did know. She would stay alive. She would gain purpose. She would find the answers to her questions. Who was she? She would find out. The Companion Cube would help her. It would be there for her, and be her friend. Together, along with a letter of strange lilting words, they would find the way. Somehow.

Reviews are golden. Just saying! ;)

~daT.