Gordon's Lab.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:00 am

Gordon clenched his teeth a bit. So, it seemed like she knew, then...it was hardly his fault he had some of the most unignorable urges to test. He put his goggles above his forehead now, and placed the welding torch down next to it. Should he lie? Well, no... he knew his daughter was smart enough to know he was lying.

"The gas had little effect, I can assure you. All it did was break down the barriers of the mind for both of you. Much like alcohol, except it was to keep the person fully conscious. They wouldn't know they're under the influence of the gas. Government project, of course. To get some of the spies trust their interrogators more. I had to experiment. It was necessary." Gordon shrugged. He spoke all of this with a matter-of-fact tone, and looked at Alyx as if there was no problem to be discussed.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:14 am

Alyx screamed in anger and grabbed the neares thing she could, smashing it. Unfortunately, that was an empty beaker and her hand now bled violently. "How could you? How dare you? HOW FUCKING DARE YOU? I am not your guinea pig! If you wanted me to be a test dummy, why didn't you just TURN ME INTO A FREAKING RAT? WHAT YOU JUST DID WAS HORRIBLE AND UNFORGIVABLE AND FYI I DON'T NEED YOUR STUPID GAS! I COULD HAVE SEDUCE HIM JUST FINE WITHOUT YOUR STUPID FUCKING GOVERNMENT FUNDED PROJECT! I HATE YOU, GORDON FREEMAN! I HATE YOU!" she screamed at him and marched to the elevator, leaving the lab and finding someplace quiet to be alone to her thoughts. She chose the most random place. The cupboard under the sink. She remembered that Gordon didn't use chemicals like normal house holds to clean. She remembered the various robots. She climbed inside and silently sobbed, removing as much glass as she could by feel.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:37 pm

Gordon stood there rather motionless, his face entirely blank. And he stood like this for seemingly an eternity. He knew that it was only a moment or two, but it just seemed so incredibly long. His brain was registering everything at a very slow pace...

She...hated him? Hate...that's a strong word...horrible and unforgivable? Those...those words were harsh...

And then his face crunched up a bit. That...hurt. On an...emotional? Was that it? It hurt on an emotional level. Turning around slowly, he picked up the blow torch, brought a hand up to his goggles, and tried to bring them down...but his hand wasn't fulfilling its task. It hanged there, like dead weight. Gordon's face crumpled further and dropped the blow torch, which made a clang against the table. His hands were shaking now...

And then his vision became blurred. He took off his glasses, and cleaned them off a bit with his shaking hands, but them back on, but that did nothing.

Gordon felt a drop of liquid fall down his cheek. And then his cheeks...

For the first time in his life, Gordon sobbed. He sobbed hard. He balled harder than what he ever thought possible.

What...what had he done? He had promised -- promised -- one more test, and that was the impenetrable skin. That was supposed to be his last test on her. And he did it again. And this was no small test, oh no, this was his own creation's personal life. He invaded her life -- not to mention the boy's -- in one fail swoop. What he did do was horrible and unforgivable.

Zack, even through the door of Alyx's room, could hear the screaming of the girl. He could assume, then, that what Alyx thought happened was true: that Gordon did release some sort of gas. Standing up, and feeling a bit worried, he opened the door to see Gordon crying off near a table. Zack frowned, feeling bad for him, but at the same time, felt rather used himself. He found sympathy for this man, but not as much as usual for using him. Zack looked over at the elevator, which wasn't there. Zack guessed Alyx had gone somewhere up there...

Gordon looked to be rather busy crying, so Zack silently went to the elevator, which came down as soon as he got close enough, and went it, the doors closing behind him. The elevator then brought him up a couple of floors, and then to the kitchen, it seemed like. Perhaps the elevator knew what he wanted? He didn't question it much.

"Alyx?" Zack spoke, looking around at the kitchen.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:26 pm

"Go away," sobbed the girl in her cupboard. "I don't want to feel as horrible as I do right now for much longer than it will already last..."

but she came from her cupboard anyway and looked up at him. "I told him I hated him..."

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sat Sep 15, 2012 2:12 pm

Zack's face changed to a caring demeanor as he walked up to Alyx. He noticed her hand was really bloody, so he brought his hand to it and held it -- healing the cut up hand completely within a second.

"Well, you got it across to him," Zack told her with a small nod. "He's down there crying." Zack said, as he went into a big hug.

"You'll be all right," He whispered into her ear soothingly.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sat Sep 15, 2012 2:19 pm

"I don't hate him... I 'm just angry... I don't.. I can't take back my words, Zack...." she sobbed into his shoulder. She frowned. "Crying? But... He never cries... He just sulks!"

She felt even worse now. "I don't know what to do..."

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:45 am

Zack felt a bit out of place in this home of the Freemans. Like he walked in on a dysfunctional family. He didn't mind too much though, with the fact that he was benefiting people with the Doctor's research on his healing factor, along with being here for Alyx. He didn't know exactly what to do, but did know that he should do what he thought was right.

"You can always say you're sorry. I think he knows he did something wrong, and just needs to be forgiven." Zack spoke in a soft tone, stroking her back with a thumb, and bringing his other hand to hold her head.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:57 am

She sniffled and nodded. "You think it's that easy? Ugh. Maybe I should just tell him that I don't care anymore and he can experiment on me too... It isn't like it ever mattered... I just hated feeling more like a possession than a person... That and I'm afraid of needles..."

She sighed shakily and looked up at him. "Uhm... Even if it wasn't for the gas... Would you have... I mean... Would we have...?"

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sun Sep 16, 2012 9:58 am

Zack nodded understandingly. Being the creation of a doctor, pretty much made for testing, it probably had horrible psychological side effects. It was probably normal to be treated like all you were was some kind of experiment -- though technically that was true. Just a sentient experiment; a human one.

"I think you talking to him will be a major improvement to him." Zack answered to her former statement. When she asked Zack her question, Zack couldn't help but break into a wide smile.

"That was too perfect of a moment to even think of denying it," He told Alyx. He did think of denying though, but it was more so because of how perfect the situation rose up.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:06 am

Alyx smiled again, sniffling. "OK. I'll talk to Freeman... Uh... I don't know what else I'll do..."

She caught herself from making some kind of sexual joke about he did her. As funny as it sounded in her head, it sounded wrong for the situation. She sighed and took some tentative steps toward the elevator, getting in and waiting to see if Zack would join her.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:27 am

Zack smile and nodded at her. He thought that Gordon would need to know that he forgave him too. He walked into the elevator with Alyx, and it went down to the lab. As the elevator doors opened, it wasn't a pretty sight.

A lot of things were smashed. From computers to beakers to tables -- everything. In the middle of it all was Doctor Freeman, who was sitting down, his back against a cupboard, smashing the back of his head against it. He had an odd face for the situation; it was totally blank. His eyes were rather puffy, but he looked a bit like a human robot that was not programmed for facial expressions.

"Doctor?" Zack spoke. Gordon stopped banging his head to move his eyes over to Zack, but after a second of laying on him, his eyes traveled straight again, and he continued smashing his head.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:46 am

"Oh my gosh..." Alyx said and ran over to her father. "Are you OK? Gordon? Dad? ... Dad? Since when do I... Whatever. It's appropriate. Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I... I shouldn't have said it. It was too harsh and horrible and terrible and Dad please stop hitting yourself. You'll harm that marvelous and superior brain you have there. How about this, because I forgive you for the gas thing, I'll let you experiment on me again. How does that sound? Experiments on me again? Whenever you want? As long as you keep Zack on, of course because he is rather interesting... Uhm... Dad?"

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:45 am

Zack too moved closer to Gordon, kneeling at his side. He seemed deaf to what Alyx was saying; his face was still blank and he was still banging his head against the cupboard. Zack was worried for the doctor...was he broke? Well, more broke then what he was all ready.

"Dr. Freeman," Zack spoke, trying to help, though feeling rather useless. "The gas -- whatever it did -- I forgive you for it. I've known you enough to know that your a man of science and you have your urges to test." He said. It made him stop for a moment's time, which was good, but then he continued to slam his head.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:57 am

"Enough," Alyx shriedk and tried to take his shoulders and stop him. She moved a hand in front of his forehead to stop anymore damage being down. "Stop it. You're scaring me... You're scaring me... I'm sorry! I'm sorry I said it. I shouldn't have! I'm sorry! Please stop. I don't hate you! I don't! I'm sorry! I love you, Dad! Please stop. Stop... You're scaring me..."

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:39 am

Zack looked at Gordon hopefully. He stopped hitting his head, and then looked into the eyes of Alyx. He shrugged and stood up.

"If you insist." He said, in a very neutral tone. Zack looked at him curiously, and he noticed his hands were really bloodied up, even more so than Alyx's were. With a simple touch, Zack healed his hands, and the big bump that was on his head. He looked at Zack, then Alyx, and then he bear hugged Alyx.

"I'm...so sorry," He spoke with absolute sincerity. "I promise not to put you through a test ever again. I'll start doing it on myself again -- my other selves...just not you. I'm sorry," He repeated. Zack smiled to himself, feeling somewhat accomplished for helping to some degree.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:51 am

"Did you just completely space my offer? I'll test for you again, OK... Just... At least warn me in advance... Or something..." she said and hugged her creator. "Also, since when were you into psychologic gases?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I don't hate you... I could never hate you... Sometimes, people say things they don't mean... I'm the one who should be sorry... Really. Test on me again if you like... just nothing with needles. Just... no needles. Unless you want to test on vomit."

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:52 am

"I don't want to test on you again...not for a long time, at least," Gordon spoke. "The only reason I did it because it was government work. I don't get a lot of money from my inventions, it's mostly all government grants." He continued, backing away from the hug. He looked into her eyes deeply, then to Zack's.

"You both are too kind...but I better get to fixing all of this," He said, looking at all of his broken equipment. "Shouldn't take too long," He said, summoning a alternate universe version of him that had a lab coat, but it was filled with mechanical equipment like wrenches and things.

"Those computer over there," The real Gordon pointed the other Gordon to do. He turned back to Alyx and Zack.

"I'll leave you two alone, then..." He said, then went over to a table where he was gathering up all the broken glass.

"Don't you need any help?" Zack offered. Gordon shook his head.

"No, no. I'm fine." He spoke.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:02 am

Alyx leaned against a surface and winced. She looked and was nearly sick. A knocked over needle was sticking into her wrist. "Uhm... G-Gordon? Wh-what were you working on o-over here?" she asked, her vision blurring and feeling dizzy and sick. Her fear kicked in on sight. Swallowing, she didn't want to touch it (although she technically already was).

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:24 am

Gordon looked over to where Annie was, then back to his mess.

"Ah, it was only some newer prototypes of different nanomachines. I think the one over there was specifically for making a super efficient immune system -- but it wasn't working. It made a clone of Archimedes have a horrible infection -- and a nearly instantaneous one at that. It started to have a massive migraine, which is odd because I've never seen birds get headaches. Then the site of entry become a sickly green. Then I noticed he couldn't move anything...the bad news is that it died within 30 seconds. The good news was, it was a painless death other than the migraine. Why do you ask?" He said. Zack was currently helping anyway, collecting shards of broken glass. It made him think about how differently it would react with a human. Different, sure, but wouldn't it mostly be the same? He didn't give it much thought.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:10 pm

"Did you knock it over?" Alyx asked, her eyes wide and scared. "Uhm... Screw questions. Help!"

The needle still was in her arm. She had tears springing to her eyes and she was shaking violently.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:12 am

"What?" Gordon said, turning his head, and his eyes widened. "Oh god!" He exclaimed, running over to Alyx. Zack bolted over to Alyx, where he placed a bare hand on the skin of her arm, pulling the needle out. Gordon quickly moved Zack's hand to the side of bit and was looking at where the needle had entered her. It wasn't changing to green...

"Doctor, do the nanobots stay in her?" Zack asked Gordon swiftly. Gordon shrugged a bit.

"I -- I don't know -- but you're stabilizing her -- stay there!" He said, and sprinted off to some lab table. Zack now placed both of his hands on Alyx. If the nanobots were still in her, they were still going to screw with her immune system, but as long as Zack held on everything would be fine.

"Got it!" Gordon said, rushing back over. Unfortunately, it was a needle.

"This will destroy the nanobots and then self destruct. Luckily these are tested."

"On what?" Zack asked.

"Me, of course."

"Well c'mon then!" Zack said, urging the doctor. Gordon got Alyx's other arm. Zack looked into Alyx's eyes to help her avoid paying attention to the needle. Gordon stuck it in, and pushed whatever was in the needle.

"All right," Gordon said, pulling back, taking the needle out.

"Should I let go, Doc?"

"Perhaps -- Alyx, are you feeling all right?" Gordon asked her, his and Zack's face filled with worry.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:41 am

Of course when Zack looked her in the eye, she went numb and got a little lost. She made some sort of positive sound and nodded. Then she realised he had stuck yet another needle in her arm and she shook violently for a minute before realising she didn't even feel it that time. She still didn't like them.

"Oh my god... That was so scary! I thought I was going to die," she said and shook again. She buried herself in Zack's front. She'd have hugged Gordon but this got her more attention from Zack. Hopefully.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sun Oct 21, 2012 7:41 am

Zack held onto Alyx with a tight hug, and a kiss to the top of her head. That, for all the use of the phrase, was a close one.

"It's no wonder you fear needles so much," Zack slightly chuckled.

"Good thing you were here, Zack." Gordon said from the side of Zack, still looking rather worried as he brought his hand to his forehead and rubbed it.

"You can still leave if you want -- in fact, I'm telling you to leave." Gordon said, his voice now in a commanding tone.

"No use arguing," Zack smiled and replied, as he helped Alyx up, his arm around her shoulders. He started to vaguely walk away from the doctor, who was still picking up and cleaning various things.

"Where to, love?" He asked Alyx. After all of that, he was just happy the doctor hadn't made a solution for combustion of the skin or something.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sun Oct 21, 2012 8:25 am

"Somewhere..." Alyx responded. She was looking back at Gordon. "He must feel terrible... It wasn't his fault. it was mine. But he still must feel so horrible..."

Alyx had a new found respect for Gordon. She even went as far as to love him. For years, he was the only person she had, after all.

Subject: Re: Gordon's Lab. Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:35 am

"He's going to be all right, Alyx. He seems to be the type of man that only deals with the matters at hand," He said, somewhat soothingly, rubbing her shoulder with his thumb. He then kissed Alyx on the cheek, and was thinking about going up to the surface and hanging out there. Yes, that seemed like a good idea. Alyx would probably like that...

"We can--" He started, but then stopped suddenly, and put a hand to his temple.

Zachary, this is Xavier. The familiar voice of Professor Xavier rang in his head.

What is it, Professor? Zack mentally replied.

Your son, Johnathon, has recently found the hideout of your clone.

Delta? Why didn't tell me sooner? And is John okay?

You're son is doing fine here. I didn't tell you sooner because there have been numerous complications and I did not want to disturb you when there was nothing you could have done.

That's understandable. What do you want me to do, Professor? I'll come over to the X Mansion right now if you need me to.

That may be the case, Zack. Tell me, where are you?

I'm in Doctor Gordon Freeman's laboratory at the moment. I signed up for a project with my healing powers.

Dr. Freeman? Interesting...

What is it?

Nothing. If I'm not mistaken, he has a daughter there, no?

Yes, why?

We'll need a lot of assistance. Delta has--

Has what?

I'll tell you when you get back. What I want for you to do is convince the doctor and his daughter to come with you. Be here as soon as you can.

Yes, sir.

Zachary released his hand from his temple, looking a bit stressed. What had Delta done? The professor was rather annoying at times...

"Alyx...er...do you mind if we head to your room?" He asked her. It would be easy to convince her to come, or at least Zack thought, but the doctor...he may be a challenge.