A/N: Fun to write, if a bit of a challenge. GLaDOS has always been a difficult character for me to nail down; hard to get right, but when I do get her she can be pretty awesome. I think I did a decent, if not spectacular, job here. This is meant to take place in the same continuity as Theme #3 (Catch Me), though it can work on its own.

I definitely get the feeling my writing's improving. That's a nice feeling.

Also, the doctor called; they found something that isn't urgent. Im hoping for the best.

7. Chocolate
Summary: It's common scientific knowledge that a chocolate bar is quite high in calories and that excessive weight on testsubjects is an impediment to good Science.
Genre: Friendship/Humor
Characters: Chell, GLaDOS, Atlas, P-Body
Warnings: Blatant Silliness.

It wasn't unusual for Chell to be dispatched with Blue and Orange (also known as the Cooperative Testing Initiative) to distant parts of the facility that She wasn't yet connected to.

Not that she minded. Although she and GLaDOS had long-ago become friends (turns out that when they weren't constantly trying to kill one another, they had more in common than they thought), it was nice to be out of the omniscient AI's eye for a while. Plus, the two bots were good company. Chell couldn't help but laugh at some of their antics.

It was during one of these excursions to the outer limits of the facility that Chell made the discovery.

Well, actually, it had been Blue; he was the one to discover the door leading to the long-term food storage area.

Although the meals GLaDOS provided were far than enough to provide for her nutritional requirements, they were rather ... bland. Not that she was complaining, of course; it was certainly better than starvation (as she would've faced Outside) or neurotoxin-laced cake.

Chell began searching the area, pulling the top part of her orange jumpsuit off to use as a sling, throwing everything she could into it - canned vegetables, freeze-dried fruits, even some hard candy that had somehow survived 999999... intact.

She wasn't sure if any of this stuff was even edible, but she took it anyway.

The bots, while not quite comprehending why the human lady was so excited about these strange objects, were eager to help her; they got to work collecting the cans and small plastic packets.

And then Chell found it.

It was sitting in the one working refrigerator; the only one that hadn't failed or lost power over the years.

Although the words on the wrapper had long-ago faded, the wrapper itself was still shiny and metallic.

A chocolate bar.

When Chell returned to the Central AI Chamber, carrying dozens of cans and packets of food, She had a few remarks.

"I certainly hope that you weren't expecting me to drag the liposuction machine out of storage after you gorged yourself," She had said, her golden optic looking over the results of Chell's scavenging trip. "After all, we wouldn't want you to add any more inches to your already considerable girth."

Chell raised an eyebrow, while Blue and Orange laughed.

It was then that She noticed it. One of the delicate manipulation claws swooped in to pick up the object Chell had been trying to keep out of Her sight.

"Chocolate," She said, looking at the faded wrapper. "A dark brown confection derived from roasted ground cocoa beans, which is usually sweetened before consumption."

Chell narrowed her eyes and tried to reach for the bar, but she held it just out of reach. Blue and Orange laughed again as She looked it over again.

"In fact," She said, "I might keep this for myself to enjoy. It is quite high in calories, after all. Excessive weight on test subjects is an impediment to good science."

Chell raised an eyebrow at the AI, who had to weigh at least a few tons Herself and who, as far as she could tell, had no way to consume edible items.

They glared at each other for several long, silent minutes before Orange began to giggle. She stopped when her shorter partner warbled some angry sounds and elbowed her.

Eventually, She made a disgusted-sounding snort and dropped the bar. "Fine, then, you win. Just go. I don't want to see you stuffing your face."

Blue and Orange laughed again, before being violently disassembled and carefully reassembled to begin more tests.