One Big Aperture Family
Dreamweaver
Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System (GLaDOS) Log Function
Initiating Log Program
Begin When Ready…
There seems to be something of a dominance competition in this household. While Subject Wheatley (former Intelligence Dampening Sphere) is the male, tradition would state that he is to be the head of the household and primary decision maker for the family. But tradition seems to have taken a back seat with this family. Subject Lillian (Lil) seems to have the most dominance in the family, despite traditional roles. It is she that gets the younger ones up in the morning and makes sure they are fed while the idiot and the maniac sleep in.
I have observed that though she finds most activities tiring now, Subject Lillian does them with little to no complaint. According to Subject Lillian, the fetus within her is about twenty weeks (five months) along and she is showing the usual symptoms of pregnancy in female humans. I have been monitoring the child through a microscopic camera of my own design that I snuck into her drink. The child is developing normally, despite all the noise surrounding it on a daily basis. Subject Lillian tires faster and it seems her stomach gets bigger by the day.
I wonder what it is like to have such an amazing power…to carry life…
Female humans can carry life within their bodies and give birth. From an outward perspective, the human male contribution to life is pretty minimal and embarrassing. Subject Lillian carries life within her, a practice I find both unnecessary and fascinating at the same time. The entire family seems to be anticipating this child, but I don't. The Androids find the concept of childbirth captivating and wish to know more. As much as I'd like to indulge them, I think it might be best to keep this part of my studies private. They seem to enjoy it here. It should be noted that they also enjoy watching bugs crawl on the floor.
We've been here for about a week or so, and so far the Androids are happy to fall into their routine. I don't seem to fit into this routine.
Maybe it's time to make a new routine…
Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System (GLaDOS) end log function
It had already been a week and GLaDOS felt that her presence in the Pendleton household on Autumn Street was still unwanted. It was to be expected and she accounted for that in every mathematical equation she put forth when it came to any outcome of her actions.
The nights were starting to get colder, according to her internal thermometer, and she could tell the seasons were changing. In the little time she had been there, GLaDOS had completely redecorated the attic room into her own personal lab. Computer monitors and components adorned the walls and wires came out of everything. GLaDOS kept working, recharging as she worked. Multiple cords stuck into the prong under her hair bun kept her energized as she kept going.
She recharged slower, but GLaDOS couldn't stop now. Time was precious, and if she couldn't stop what was going on, she could at least delay it.
"Take that, you junk heap." She murmured, pressing enter as she sent information from her head to the computers. The monitors blinked a few times and she felt a power surge in the house's electricity, but she grinned as she sat back in the modified computer chair she built from an old arm chair that the humans were going to throw out. It kept the cords in place and helped her recharge. Everything about the attic was computerized and mechanical. It reminded GLaDOS of home, in the facility.
Some of the monitor feeds showed the various test subjects going about some tests that she set aside. She could still send commands through her remote access when she wasn't at her attic computer station, but she felt the need to see how well they did without her. GLaDOS stayed linked to her chassis, but felt something was trying to sever the link she had with the facility. "Oh, no you don't." she murmured, watching a few monitors flicker on and off.
"Ahh…there we go. Peace for another night…" GLaDOS murmured to the picture of Chell she had taped to the monitor next to her main monitor.
The room below the attic, Wheatley and Lil's room, was less peaceful. Lil seemed to drift into sleep easier, but Wheatley stayed awake. He stared at the ceiling, only glancing at the alarm clock every so often to see what time it was. Wheatley wasn't sure how Lil could drift into sleep so fast. Every night, after their nightly routine was done, she'd cuddle close to him (or as close as her pregnant belly would allow her) and almost instantly fall into a restful sleep. Even after GLaDOS and the Androids arrived and started making noise above them, she still found rest.
Tonight was quiet, but Wheatley still had trouble getting to sleep. He sighed softly and tried to drift off into sleep, but nothing happened. Not wanting to wake Lil, Wheatley slowly got up and left their bedroom. He knew if he woke Lil, she'd be worried. She always worried about him when he got up. Because even though he tried to hide it from her, she knew he was having the dreams again.
Dreams of his time before he was a core and when he was the Intelligence Dampening Sphere still haunted him and left him in a bad shape in the morning. Wheatley didn't want Lil to get concerned, so he kept his dreams to himself. Sometimes, he did wake up from a notably horrible dream that left him unable to get back to sleep, which was the case tonight. He often wondered if Lil had nightmares like his and what she did to relax afterward.
Putting on his glasses, Wheatley made his way out of the bedroom he shared with Lil and decided to check on the house. His first stop was Chelly's room. Her door was never closed all the way, just in case she needed to go potty in the middle of the night. Wheatley looked in on Chelly, surrounded by stuffed animals in her toddler bed. He smiled softly as she yawned a little toddler yawn and shifted in her sleep. She was a restless sleeper, just like him. Wheatley smiled proudly and pressed his head against the door frame.
"Chelly, you're getting so big. I remember when you used to share a room with me and your mother. That basinet is in the garage along with your old crib, just waiting for the new baby. I wonder if you dream. That's silly, you probably do. 'Silly question, Daddy', you'd say." Wheatley chuckled. He tried to stay quiet so he didn't wake Chelly up.
Wheatley made his way toward Angie's room and slowly opened the door. Angie was a very rough sleeper. When she was in her pajamas was the only time Wheatley usually saw her with her hair down. Over the years, the two high pig tails that Angie used to wear proudly slowly turned into a mid-high ponytail. Wheatley often thought it was amusing that she tried so hard to be adult, but he knew it was all for naught. Angie already had one leg off the bed and her covers where completely bundled up at the end. Though she kept saying she didn't care for stuffed animals anymore (most of the ones that survived the apartment attack were given to Chelly), Angie still kept a few around.
Angie had a bunk bed set in her room, when she outgrew her old bed and it was given to Chelly. Angie requested it after Lil revealed they were moving and Chelly was getting most of Angie's old furniture (most of which somehow survived the apartment incident three years before). Bunk beds made it easier for Angie to have sleepovers or for the family to have guests over. One such guest, P-Body, laid down straight in sleep mode as she recharged on the top bunch. Wheatley figured the Androids didn't move much during their "sleep". In the time he had been standing in the doorway, Angie had rolled over three times and P-Body was still motionless.
While he enjoyed having the Androids around again, he couldn't shake the sense that something wasn't right. In the week they had been there, GLaDOS and the Cooperative Testing Initiative had little trouble earning their place among the family. GLaDOS, for her part, stayed out of the way. Something Lil was happy about. While she was happy that GLaDOS could make it where she didn't pay as much on the electric or water bills, having the super computer that tried to take over her body around (and in a better looking body) still didn't sit too well with Lil. Wheatley was still equally uncomfortable, but he tried to ignore it.
He couldn't ignore, however, when she didn't respect his authority in his own home. Wheatley ignored the "Moron" nickname and the fat jokes hurled at Lil (who insisted constantly that she was not fat, just five months pregnant), but it was starting to wear at him. Wheatley also couldn't ignore telling the girls to do one thing and then GLaDOS telling them to do another. He couldn't stand that they listened to her more often than him. But tonight, Wheatley was enjoying the quiet.
Wheatley made his way downstairs and to the kitchen, where he started preparing himself a cup of tea. He knew the tea wouldn't help his sleep problem, but he needed to relax a bit. As Wheatley prepared his tea, he looked up and noticed it had started raining outside. The last of the summer storms was falling outside and the soft thunder seemed to give him a soft chill. The time on the microwave told him it was just after two a.m.
Sighing loudly, Wheatley took his tea and sat at the kitchen table. "If Lil knew I was still having these dreams, she'd have a fit. I don't want her worrying about something she can't control." Sipping his tea softly, Wheatley watched the shadows dance along the wall as the lightning accompanied the thunder. Wheatley closed his eyes and sighed softly, letting his thoughts drift.
The sounds of panic and rushed footsteps surrounded the poor confused metal ball on the rail. No one was listening to Wheatley, though that wasn't unusual. What he thought was unusual was that Mr. Harvey, his handler, hadn't come to check on him today. He usually came to check on Wheatley around this time (his internal clock said 12:34pm) and now Wheatley was starting to worry. He didn't understand why all the alarms were going off or why the scientists working in the Extended Relaxation wing were running away screaming toward the emergency exits, all Wheatley was worried about was finding Mr. Harvey.
"Excuse me, panicking scientist! Have you seen Mr. Harvey? It's time for our daily check-in! He's late, very, very, late and I wanted to…" the screaming scientist didn't stop to acknowledge the metal ball following him. "Alright, you're busy, I'll ask someone else."
Wheatley happily sailed along his rail, leaving the Extended Relaxation wing and surfing along the hallways. The alarms were louder in the labs and he noticed a weird yellowish-green fog coming from some of the vents. "Well, that's odd. They must be cleaning the vents again. Usually the mist coming from the vents is a nice pink color." He murmured softly as he came to Mr. Harvey's office. "Mr. Harvey! I know you told me not to come to your office without permission, but…" Wheatley zipped inside and looked around the bare office. Papers and other things were strewn about, as if someone had gotten up in a hurry. "Mr. Harvey?" he shouted.
Hearing someone come into the office, Wheatley turned around suddenly. "Oh, hello there! I'm looking for Mr. Harvey. Have you seen him at all? Tall guy, has a beard, nice lab coat...I'm sure you've seen him. He's a right friendly guy and everyone likes him. Have you seen him…at all?" Wheatley wiggled his handles and shook his optic. The scientist screamed and ran away as another announcement rang over the loud speaker. Wheatley couldn't make out the announcement through the alarms and panicked screams.
"Well, that was rude! You'd think someone would stop to help me!" Wheatley murmured, looking around the office. "Can't get distracted! I've got to find Mr. Harvey. Maybe he can make sense of what's going on. Because no one else here seems to see how important it is that I find Mr. Harvey. He's never late for our check-ins. Well, except that one time…" Wheatley rambled on to himself as he zipped along the management rail, not acknowledging the panic and chaos going on underneath him as the humans ran for their very lives.
Wheatley's eyes shot open when he heard footsteps behind him. His memories and dreams seemed to be colliding with one another into some kind of scrambled mess again. The sound of the wind blowing outside along with the rain hitting the side of the house seemed to compliment the eerie feeling he was getting. From the shadow the lightning gave off along the wall, Wheatley knew it wasn't Lil behind him. "So, you can't sleep either?" he asked, picking up his now cold tea.
"I have no need for sleep. My power reserves aren't depleted yet, so I decided to come downstairs after my sensors told me someone was in the kitchen. I know you humans like to stuff your faces, but I didn't think you'd go as far as to interrupt your own sleep patterns to do so." GLaDOS sashayed toward the table and sat down in the chair Dr. Rattmann usually sat in. She placed her purse on the table top and stared at Wheatley. "The caffeine in that substance you call 'tea' won't help you get back to sleep. According to my readings, it will actually have to opposite effect at those levels."
Glaring at GLaDOS, Wheatley was about to say something but decided against it. He was too tired to think of a response anyway. After finishing his tea, Wheatley walked over to the sink and placed the cup down. "They often say that dreams are a window to another world." GLaDOS chimed in. "The assumption that there exists another world in your mind is ridiculous, but research has shown that dreams can often reflect what's going on in one's life. Are you and the Older One having…marital problems?" GLaDOS leaned against her arms and made her eyebrows wiggle.
"Lil and I are not having marital problems. If we were, that'd be none of your business." Wheatley murmured, facing the Android sitting at the table. "If you must know, I'm having these odd dreams lately. Not usual dreams, but more like these instances of when I was a core. I haven't told Lil because I don't want her to worry. I've been having them for years, but it wasn't until recently that they starting coming non-stop. I think it might have something to do with you and those Androids being here."
"Don't blame us for your lack of sleep, Moron." GLaDOS snapped. Sighing, Wheatley started to leave the kitchen. "May I give you some advice?" GLaDOS asked, not moving from her spot. Shrugging, Wheatley turned around and sat back down. "You might want to find out what these dreams mean. If you've been having them for years and they are just not making their presence more prominent, it might mean something relating to the subject of the dreams is not far on the horizon. I might be able to help you analyze your dreams, if you like. I downloaded a few new applications into this body in the event I'd need a little extra help."
"And 'how to analyze dreams' was one of them?" Wheatley asked.
"You never know when you might need it." GLaDOS chuckled an automated chuckle and stood up, grabbing her purse. "I also have an application that allows me to stop a gas handle at exactly the amount you want it at and not a cent over." GLaDOS left the kitchen and started for the stairs again. "Consider the invitation open, but don't bother me too much. I'm quite busy nowadays." With that, GLaDOS started back upstairs.
Wheatley folded his arms and sighed. "What could she possibly be busy with? She stays upstairs most of the time." Rubbing his face, Wheatley stood up and went to the refrigerator. He took out an arm's full of food and started making himself a sandwich. In the middle of making his sandwich, he felt another presence behind him. "You can go back upstairs, I don't need a shrink." He muttered.
"You're making a sandwich at two in the morning." This wasn't GLaDOS, but Dr. Rattmann, who looked like he had been up for a while (and heard every word). "If you promise to give me half, I won't tell Lil."
Wheatley sighed with a chuckle and cut his snack in half. "It's obvious, isn't it?" he whispered. Dr. Rattmann, who was usually sound asleep because of the medication, nodded and sat down at the table as Wheatley brought the sandwich towards him. "Please, I don't want to stress Lil, what with her being pregnant and all."
Picking up the sandwich half in front of him, Dr. Rattmann waved the thought away. "I won't tell her. But I heard you talking to…her…" Dr. Rattmann grimaced a bit. "She's right about one thing: the odd onslaught of these dreams as of late is unusual. Maybe the stress of having her and the Androids under our roof is causing some deep seated memories to return."
Shaking his head, Wheatley ran his fingers through his hair. "Maybe the stress brought them on, but it's always the same type of dream. It's of when I was a core. Happy little core, just sailing along my rail. But there is something, or someone rather, that is a constant. My handler…"
Dr. Rattmann shot up mid-bite through his half of the sandwich. He swallowed and sat back in his chair. "Your old handler…Jonathan Harvey, I think his name was. Nice man, I worked with him a few times. He was quite protective of you when you were a core."
"He was a big part of my life before and after I was a core. What happened to him?" Wheatley asked, as if looking desperate.
Dr. Rattmann shrugged. "Most of my memories before putting myself in that stasis bed are something of a blur. I can only hope he was one of the few that escaped." Dr. Rattmann finished his half of the sandwich, though Wheatley hadn't even started on his. "You can't let these dreams rule your life. Lil is a smart woman, and she's going to figure it out. Eventually, you either have to get them under control or find out what they mean."
Licking his fingers, Dr. Rattmann got up and made his way back to his den. Wheatley sighed as the basement door closed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Getting up and tossing his sandwich in the trash, Wheatley made his way back upstairs when a small whimper caught his attention. Chelly, holding her teddy bear, was making her way downstairs. She was rubbing her eyes and sniffling softly.
With a smile, Wheatley rushed over and picked up his daughter. "What's the matter, Chelly?" he whispered, taking his daughter upstairs with him.
"Bad dream…" she murmured, in her toddler speak. Chelly's vocal skills were still somewhat lacking, but she could make small words and the family was hoping she'd be able to form sentences by her third birthday. Holding her close, Wheatley sighed and made his way upstairs with Chelly and her teddy bear in his arms.
"…and you went to find me and I wasn't in bed, right?" he whispered, reaching the top step. Chelly nodded softly, burying her face in Wheatley's shoulder. "I'm sorry, love. Daddy's had a lot on his mind lately. Daddy's been having bad dreams, too. But let's not tell Mommy, alright?" he cooed, hugging Chelly close. Chelly nodded as Wheatley opened her bedroom door and placed her back in her bed. He had to bend down quite a bit and it hurt his back to do so, but he didn't seem to mind. After kissing Chelly on the forehead and tucking her in, Wheatley left her bedroom and made his way back to his.
He stopped for a moment and turned his head to the door that lead to the attic. He couldn't hear anything, but Wheatley knew GLaDOS was up to something up there. "She's not telling me something. I'd say that's unusual, but then again, this is a super computer who gets enjoyment from suffering. That and I am talking to myself…" After forcing himself from knocking on the attic door, Wheatley made his way back to his bedroom and closed the door slowly.
Luckily, Lil was still sound asleep. Wheatley crept back to his side of the bed and took off his glasses, placing them softly on his nightstand. Wheatley rubbed his eyes and tried to ignore the sounds above him in the attic. He slowly snuggled close to Lil and finally found sleep.
As the night went on and the storm got louder, Wheatley found himself struggling again. He hadn't had a night this restless in years, and it wasn't about to get better. "…Mr. Harvey, where are you taking me…?"
Mr. Harvey looked somewhat panicked today. Wheatley wasn't sure why, as everyone kept saying today was a happy day. He thought he did pretty well, considering the last hour or so was a scrambled blur. He remembered being taken into the big room where the giant computer was and then static and screaming.
The next thing he knew he was being tossed back at Mr. Harvey as someone shouted, "He's as useless now as he was before! If anything, that waste of scrap made it worse!" Wheatley wasn't sure what that man was yelling about, but it probably had something to do with the people sitting down holding their arms and groaning. "Find somewhere to put him where he won't cause trouble!"
Now, Wheatley glided along the management rail just above Mr. Harvey. "…and the next thing I knew, I was being tossed around like a ball. It was jolly fun, but it made me dizzy. Why were all those other guys yelling? I thought I had an important job today. But I don't remember anything! When we got there, everyone was so happy! 'Oh, there he is! Plug him in and let's give it a go!' But then, after that weird scrambling, everyone was yelling and calling me useless. What did they mean, saying that I'm 'as useless now as I was before'?"
Mr. Harvey cleared his throat nervously. Last time Wheatley asked about a statement like that, the answer made him go haywire (literally) and he had to be repaired. Mr. Harvey couldn't afford that again. "It's nothing, Wheatley. They obviously don't see your greatness…" Mr. Harvey cleared his throat again. "Yeah, that's it…"
Of all the humans Wheatley encountered on a daily basis, Mr. Harvey was by far his favorite. Not just because he was Wheatley's handler, but because Mr. Harvey always made time for Wheatley. He always answered Wheatley's questions to the best of his ability and didn't sneer at him like everyone else did. As long as he had Mr. Harvey, Wheatley knew things were going to be okay. Mr. Harvey always let Wheatley come with him whenever he had an errand in another lab or anywhere else in the facility.
"Don't worry, Wheatley; we'll find a place for you. I'll ask one of my buddies in the factory if there is an opening for a core. They usually have plenty zooming around there. If not, I know they always have openings in the Extended Relaxation wing. It's nothing exciting, but it should keep you occupied." Mr. Harvey smiled at Wheatley, who squinted his optic and handles at an attempt at a smile. "Until then, just stay clear of that big room we were just at, alright?"
Wheatley nodded. Wheatley always did exactly what Mr. Harvey said. Mr. Harvey was the only person that could get Wheatley to follow any form of simple instructions without him breaking anything. "Mr. Harvey, what do you want to do now?" Wheatley asked softly.
Mr. Harvey sighed and looked up at the eager construct, just swinging gently. "It's about time for me to head home. Will you be able to get back to your receptacle by yourself?" Mr. Harvey asked softly.
"Of course I can! I'm not some idiot, Mr. Harvey! We do this every day! I know where my receptacle is, and I know how to get there." Wheatley turned around and shook himself a bit. He turned left, then right, then back to Mr. Harvey, who hadn't left his spot. "…but just in case you forgot, why don't you come with me?" Wheatley squinted softly, as if to smile.
Nodding happily, as if not even needing to be ask, Mr. Harvey walked with Wheatley to the room where the cores were stored when the office was closed.
Wheatley shot straight up as the thunder roared outside. "Wha…Wheaters?" Lil mumbled softly, sitting up to the best of her abilities. "Is everything alright?" Lil turned on her nightstand lamp and rubbed her eyes. Wheatley breathed deeply and looked around. He couldn't tell her. She'd worry. Stress was bad, and he promised he wouldn't stress her out. Wheatley cleared his throat and said nothing. He turned on his side and ignored Lil as she shook his shoulder.
Giving up, Lil turned her lamp off and promptly went back to sleep. Wheatley knew she'd find out eventually, but for the moment, he decided to keep these dreams to himself. He hated hiding things from Lil, but he decided he needed to figure these new dreams out for himself. Wheatley turned over and put his arm around Lil. "It's nothing, love." He said finally. Lil smiled and turned over to face him. Getting as close as she could, Lil snuggled close and fell asleep happily next to Wheatley.
Back in her attic, GLaDOS plugged herself into her chair (which she rigged to recharge her) and sighed softly. She closed her eyes softly and was about to drift into "sleep mode" when a sound came from over the speakers on one of her monitors. She opened one eye and looked around. It wasn't coming from the fetal monitor (the monitor she set up to monitor the child in Lil) and it sounded like something big had fallen over. "It never ends with you, does it?" she murmured, sitting up (and releasing herself from the charge port).
Her purse (the patent pending "Aperture Science Travel-Sized Trans-dimensional Storage Carrier, Ladies Edition in white suede") sat by her feet. GLaDOS let out an automated sigh and kept up her work. She couldn't stop, even though she had just gotten a warning in her mechanical mind that her power reserves were still somewhat depleted.
"If I can take care of this problem from here, I won't have to enlist the moron and the maniac's help. I refuse to put these humans in danger when I still might need them. You can't hide from me. I found the rat and I will find you, Junk Heap." GLaDOS murmured, taking the helm on the keyboard again.
Typing a simple command, GLaDOS moved the camera around and focused on a few areas near the Central A.I. Chamber. Though she was relieved her chamber was alright, something gnawed at her. All of a sudden, GLaDOS felt a sharp pain (or the equivalent of for an Android) and held her hand over her right eye. She groaned softly and blinked a few times. "Where…are…you…?" GLaDOS growled. "Stop messing with my access points, you walking pile of scrap!" she snarled, as if talking over a loud speaker.
GLaDOS received no response. Her cameras picked up nothing and as soon as sight in that eye returned, she sat back in her chair. "You're not doing anything of any significance." She whispered, after turning her remote speaker off. "You're messing with me. I knew it. I programed you to be like the moron and it shows. If you were capable of doing any damage, you would have done so by now." GLaDOS folded her arms and sat back in her chair. "Just you wait until I establish a feed to you, Junk Heap." She growled and slammed her fists on the keyboard, making the monitors shake. "I will find you, Junk Heap!"
Deciding it was best to call it a night, GLaDOS settled herself back into her chair and decided to recharge. As she was gearing down, the monitor started to become snowy. GLaDOS shot back up and took a closer look. A hand grabbed the camera and started yanking it. GLaDOS shot back and typed rapidly. The feed from that camera was gone, and she only got slight shadows of whoever took it down.
GLaDOS sighed and decided to leave it alone. He was playing with her, trying to make her placid. GLaDOS knew this and decided to use this to her advantage.
N'cha, my loves!
First and foremost, apologies and explanations. This took a long time for one big reason: My computer contracted a nasty virus and some of my work was lost. A good amount of it was recovered, but I lost a lot of notes and such.
Be warned of a virus that makes your screen go blank and then turns on your webcam automatically. It will threaten you with bogus charges and a fine that can be conveniently paid right there on the spot with a special type of pre-pay debit card you can get at any convenience store. It's a scam, a horrible virus, and I had to get my friend to almost completely wipe my computer. Luckily, I had most of my worked backed up. If you ever get a virus like that, turn off your computer and seek advice from a computer tech or anyone good with computers. If it sounds illegal, it probably is. The police will NEVER go directly through your computer. Be warned. It can cause irreparable damage to your computer and it's hard to get out.
So, how about this election? Crazy stuff, am I right?
Okay, well, awkwardness aside, I want to thank you all for your patience and your support. Please, let me know how I'm doing so I can keep going. And again, thank you for your patience.
Expect more frequent updates with this and my other fics now that the problem is resolved.
So, read, review, and be merry, my doves!
GLaDOS, Wheatley, Dr. Rattmann, ATLAS, and P-Body belong to Valve.