Chapter 5 - Failure

"What? What is it?"

"Bad news, 013. Your test results came back. You failed."

"Oh, bloody..."

Wheatley turned himself around to look at the captain and his staff. They were positioned just right to prevent any escape. That was, until, Wheatley noticed what 013 was building this whole time. An Aperture science portal gun. He was filled with delight as she grabbed the portal device and waited.

"Wonderful job looking after this failed experiment, Wheatley. Have her put you back onto your rail and stand down."

"I don't think so, sir. We'll be leaving now. So long!"

013 took her cue and fired a portal behind them, same as under herself and Wheatley. They both landed safely behind the hostile humans and ran. 013 kept a tight hold on Wheatley's handle as she ran. Wheatley looked behind at the persuing staff. The captain was barking orders as the others seemed terrified. He felt himself and 013 jerk to a stop as she balanced on the edge of a large fall.

"Oh...that-that's a large fall...okay, jumping is out. Umm...a-attach me to that rail, and hold on. I'll get us across!" 013 nodded and reached up as far as she could, barely able to attach him.

"Alright! Hold on!" She stood on her toes and barely held onto his handle as Wheatley had just began to make his way across the pit when the captain grabbed 013's ankle.

"Wheatley!"

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013 had let go of the portal device and Wheatley looked down at its fall. He tried to edge forward, but couldn't manage the added weight. The captain's staff had taken their hold, keeping their captain in place.
"Wheatley! I demand you to stop!"

"Why don't I keep going until you fall into this pit!?"

Just then, 013 looked up at Wheatley. He knew that she had a plan, but didn't expect her to let go of him.
"Wait!"

He watched as 013 fell into the pit, and he turned to glare at the captain.

"You...!! You did this to her!"

"At least that failed experiment is gone."

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"WHEATLEY!!!"

"What the bloody...!? 013?!"

"Wheatley! Wheatley!!"

"Shit!"

Wheatley looked down, blinking wildly and trying to see her whiteness against the pitch black of the pit. He heard 013's laugh. That charming laugh. Wheatley became dazed for a few moments. Then he realized he still needed to help her. The captain looked to his staff.
"Get me something, morons! Anything!"

Wheatley looked to them as his vision was suddenly cut off. A crack could be heard and he blinked his lenses wildly. He could only make out faint shapes and colors. Large cracks impeded his vision as he had no choice but to disengage himself from his management rail.

"I won't take this!! We've got a plan!!"
     He felt himself fall and fall for what seemed as hours. Then, quite suddenly, he felt himself stop.

"Wheatley...?" Her voice was shaky and light. Wheatley felt a coldness drip onto his broken optic lense.

"Yeah...I'm here...Wheatley's here. Tiny little Wheatley is here." 013 set Wheatley down carefully.

"...F...Friend?"

"Yeah. Yeah! Can you see what happened to me?" Wheatley heard something hit the metal floor. Something that sounded like glass. 013 ran her fingers over the damage done. She felt responsible for this. Her friend was hurt, and she felt it to be her fault.
"Broken...m-must fix..."

013 searched around for replacement parts, keeping Wheatley close. She found what she was searching for. A replacement optic lense for Wheatley. She unsheathed a claw and unscrewed his broken lense.
"Woah, woah, woah...!"

She shushed her dear friend as she began to mend him. 013 connected the right wires, and watched the new lense light up a bright blue.
"Hey! I can see again! You're incredibly smart!" Wheatley looked at his old optic lense. Broken pretty bad. "Woah."

"Wheatley...fixed!" 013's eyes lit up, and she giggled. "Fixed Wheatley!" Another giggle. Wheatley felt something new. Something silmilar to the solution euphoria, but stronger. Much stronger. A sort of protection type feeling. He couldn't place it. Not at all.
"Yeah! I'm fixed! We should find a way out of here, though, 013."

"Wheatley...right. Leave with Wheatley."

013 picked Wheatley up and started walking. All the while looking for her portal device.