Virgil was frozen solid.

"She's dead." His voice was crystal clear in the room.

"She's really dead." He'd expected more, a fight, a war, something drastic to take the life of GLaDOS. Not herself.

He turned to Neil, who was staring blankly at the empty shell of what once was GLaDOS.

Virgil knew where the schematics to make new androids were, and he now had access to every bit of information in the facility.

"Neil, I think he's safe now."

Neil smiled and kissed Virgil, unable to contain his excitement.

Virgil's facial ridges glowed a vibrant gold as he blushed.

"But the girl..." Neil said suddenly, remembering Chell.

"Yeah." Virgil frowned.

"Wheatley." Virgil walked over to the two, as Wheatley cried with Chell.

"You two are free now."

Chell wiped away her tears and sighed. "Yeah." She tried to laugh.

"Wheatley, did you hear? We- we are free." She smiled. "We can go home now."

Wheatley wanted to smile but he only furrowed his upper handles. "I'm excited, Luv, but you just lost- your mother- I don't have a mum, but if I did I'd surely need some time to process if she- she-" Wheatley stuttered unable to finish.

Chell sighed, wiping away a tear. "No. Just- I'll think about it later, but Wheatley, this is what you've wanted! How do you feel?"

"I feel fine-" he took her hands. "I've noticed you push down emotions a lot, and- well- I think maybe you shouldn't. Aren't you feeling sad?"

Chell shook her head. "I've known for a long time she isn't really my mom. Did you hear what she said?She said not to cry for her, because she was already dead- and she's right. She's been dead for a long, long, time." Chell squeezed Wheatley's hands. "I- it was time to let her go."

Wheatley nodded, despite disagreeing.

Virgil walked towards the two and spoke.

"You two are going to be fine. I trust you, Chell, and I think I speak for Neil as well." He looked to Neil whom smiled. "We- We'll take care of Aperture. This place will be a place of science again and not horror- We'll make a new Aperture."

"I'll gladly help if you ever need me." Chell said.

Virgil smiled. "You know, I once helped a human escape, she was just like you. Tenacious, smart, fearless. Mel would have loved you."

Neil went to Wheatley. "You stay safe, okay? You may be a professor but I know you are likely to get into trouble."

Wheatley nodded.

Neil hugged him. "It's time for you two to go."

Chell nodded.

Virgil took the master key built into his hand and forced it into a port in the wall. The lift came down and Wheatley and Chell both stared at it.

"Is this really it?" Wheatley said, dumbfounded.

"Yeah. It is."

"Chell! One more thing before you go!"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have our number?"

"I have access to your WiFi,master schematics, and messaging system, and GLaDOS never knew."

"Oh?" Virgil said.

Chell laughed a little. "Yeah, did that to spite her."

"Go on you two." Virgil said as Neil walked up behind him. He wrapped an arm around Virgil's waist. "The next time you see Aperture we'll be back to our former glory!"

They waved their goodbyes and boarded the lift.

Wheatley and Chell looked to each other.

"Its gonna be a long walk, Wheatley."

Wheatley frowned, but simply nodded. He didn't particularly want to deal with the whole moving from point a to point b. He was still rather excited though.

What would Chell's house look like? What does a normal house look like? What does the surface look like up close?

The lift ascended slowly, as the turret orchestra began, singing a song she recognized.

"Qu'est-ce qu'on fait après le fin,

Qu'est-ce qui se passe, je ne sais pas,

Si je tombe á la mort,

J'espère que j'obtiens une vie encore." The large turret began its song, and Chell recalled it from an old show from the 2000's she'd watched at home. HitRecord.

That night she had left the phone off the receiver, and GLaDOS had tapped in. The two had listened to this very song.

"Qu'est-ce qu'on fait après qu'on meurt,

C'est pas la douleur, c'est la peur,

La peur qui me réveille dans la nuit,

Il m'appelle et je le suis,"

The rest of the turrets joined in.

"On dit adieu, adieu, adieu, adieu,

Mon chou, bisous, bisous, bisous,

Même si je suis parti, j'ai encore l'esprit,

Encore, adieu, adieu, adieu,

Mon chou, bisous, bisous, bisous,

Pour moi, j'ai la foi, tu vas me voir bientôt,"

Chell cried a little, as Wheatley only looked on in wonderment. He'd never heard such lovely sounds, what was this lovely music! He remembered a little music, the stuff the Aperture Science radios played.

He found the music was beautiful, and it inspired him- made him feel- alive! Especially considering this odd language seemed like it was saying something beautiful and happy!

The meaning was in fact not happy at all, rather a bittersweet. Chell understood though. Her mother would live on in the songs Chell had heard, the music of the facility she'd call it.

The song ended, with the turrets bowing unanimously.

Chell clapped for them while Wheatley's mouth hung slightly ajar.

Music, such lovely music. He smiled looking to Chell. "They're saying goodbye to us!"

"Yeah." Chell held a wistful smile.

The lift ascended, and the inside of the shack came into view.

The door swung open, and the two stepped out.

Wheatley blocked his optic from the sun blinking until his vision cleared.

Miles upon miles of golden plants framed the empty space around the shack.

Wheatley fell to his knees, sniffling.

"I can't believe it. I- I can't-" he broke off, crying.

The sun levitated in a blue sky.

"Blimey. I don't think I've ever seen the surface-" he smiled, closing his optic, reveling in the golden warmth that bathed him.

"Come on, we better start moving."

Wheatley seemed slightly surprised when she spoke, having forgotten she was there while basking in the sun.

He sighed. "Yeah. What's your house like?"

Chell smiled and laughed slightly. "You'll see when we get there."

Wheatley stood and smiled. "I can't believe it's really here. That- that I'M here-"

"Come on."

Chell had begun wading into the wheat.

Wheatley followed suit.

This began the journey.

Wheatley got tired very quickly, artificial sweat pouring off of his exposed flesh.

"Bloody Hell... isn't there- hah- air conditioning???"

"Not out here, bud."

Wheatley groaned. "Cheeelll- I can't keep going on!"

Chell laughed. "We're almost there, come on."

They walked in silence for a while.

"Hey Wheatley?" Chell said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"When you were in the mini mainframe ... did you really mean what you said, about me being beautiful?"

Wheatley blushed looking away. "W-well how could I not mean it- you are!" He paused twiddling his fingers. "I mean you're just- so strong and perfect and- I feel something so powerful for you- I want to be always with you- and see you smile, and talk to you, and -and-"

"Wheatley."

He looked to her.

"Lean down."

He did.

She took his face in her hands and kissed him. His optic went wide. At first it was weird- what was she doing?? But as a moment passed- he kissed back. Her lips were warm and soft. He lifted her up and held her in his arms as their lips intertwined.

Chell pulled away for air, panting.

"Why...did you...?" Wheatley said optic wide and the ridges on the side of his face glowing brightly.

"It means I love you, dummy."

Love? Love? A robot couldn't love- Why, they weren't built to!

But then again, GLaDOS had said he could be more than what he was... he was more human than anyone else- and Virgil and Neil- they had kissed hadn't they?

Love. He was in love wasn't he? That's what he was feeling for her- love.

He broke into a grin. He kissed her again.

Chell lifted her hands to cup the back of his head as they pressed against each other.

"Chell- I wasn't sure what it was I felt for you- but now I know- you're everything I've ever needed and wanted- you're my queen- my goddess-"

Chell smiled, a blush coming to her features as she grinned.

"We gotta get home."

"I know- I just- I want to be this close to you forever." Wheatley said, and the sincerity in his voice almost brought Chell to tears.

He set her down, hand trailing down her arm as he intertwined his fingers with hers.

Wheatley's smile stayed. For once, Wheatley wasn't afraid- or sad- Chell realized he'd been the same old Wheatley she had remembered. He had just been sad and scared- but now? Now he was free.

They both were.

The forest came into view, rising out of the wheat like a canopy. Wheatley was in awe.

And just inside, a two story house, with a horse grazing outside.

"Wow. Is that- is that your home?"

"Our home." Chell squeezed his hand.

"Ours..." Wheatley repeated after her.

They stepped into the forest and walked to the house. Wheatley had to duck down to go through the doorway.

"It's so- nice. It's air conditioned- and there's books! I can't read but- wow! What's that?" He went over to the shelf and picked up a little box.

"That's a music box."

"Doesn't sound very musical to me..." he said putting his audial receptor to it.

Chell offered her open palm and Wheatley placed the music box in her hand. She twisted the key up and a sweet tune began playing.

Wheatley found the song to be very calming, and Chell looked to him.

"Have you heard this song?"

Wheatley shook his head.

She waited a moment before she began to sing along. "Baby mine don't you cry, baby mine dry your eyes, rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine."

Wheatley's optic filled with tears. What a sweet sound- something about that song seemed to calm his heart. He didn't understand why- or how- but it felt like home.

"I love it- it's so-"

"Its from a old movie called Dumbo."

"Dumbo? What a mean name!"

Chell laughed. "It's about an elephant with big ears."

Wheatley thought for a moment. "What's an elephant?"

"Why don't we watch dumbo so you can learn what an elephant is?"

"We can? But I wasn't allowed to-"

"We can do anything you want."