If you were to ask someone about space, chances are, they would say something about it being "The Final Frontier". Unless, of course, the one you were asking was Wheatley. He would say that it was the worst place possible, especially if the conditions were as bad as his.

"Space. Space. We're in space. Guess what. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey, guess what. We're-"

"Wait, let me guess. Could it be... that we're in space?"

"SPAAAAACE!"

Wheatley gave an aggravated sigh. "Listen mate. Yes, we're in space. I figured that much out. And yeah, you love space for whatever reason. But come on! I don't know how long it's been, but I'm pretty sure that it's been long enough for you to get over it! I mean, honestly! Right about now, I almost wish I could just die, just so I wouldn't have to listen to you anymore. Not, um, not really. Just get back to Earth. And you could stay here. Forever. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Wheatley and the Space Core (Wheatley had tried countless times to get a name out of him, but he never got an answer) had settled into some craters on the moon; the place that had started this whole event. As the time went by, he'd often tried to think of ways to get back, though he only was able to think of one. He'd just go close to Earth, then gravity would pull him down. It was simple. And timing was on his side, because just as he'd stated his plan, a meteor did just that, and Wheatley had watched in horror as it had caught on fire and disintegrated, along with his hope.

But what would I have done if I did get back? Couldn't go to Aperture. She'd kill me for sure. But it's not like I could do anything on my own. The Space Core yelled, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Look! Look!" And then Wheatley snapped.

"Would you just shut-" All of a sudden, a large shadow was cast over him. He looked up to see someone in a space suit looking down at him. "Finally! You need to help me! I've been stuck with this little idiot and- wait, what're you doing? Put me down! No, wait, don't! Just- Oh, you're bringing him, too? Well, alright. Let's go!"

When the two cores were brought inside the shuttle, they were immediately interrogated. "So then she got pulled back into the portal, and here we are."

The joy Wheatley felt when he saw Earth getting closer and closer was indescribable. He was kept with the Space Core in a separate room from the astronauts (they were afraid that the two robots were dangerous or something), so these were the last few days he had to spend with the obsessive piece of metal. He couldn't be happier.

"Um, excuse me? Hi. When, um, when are we going to be let out of here?" It had been a week since the return to Earth, and Wheatley and the Space Core had been hidden away in the back of some government facility. Lucky for him, Wheatley had been given a separate room.

The official-looking man whom he was addressing looked at his clipboard. "Where did you say you were from?"

"Aperture Science. You've probably never heard of it, though."

The man simply nodded. He then turned his head and called out to someone. "Miss, you're confirmed."

In walked a woman wearing a lab coat, her dark hair falling past her shoulders. From behind her rectangular glasses, her blue-grey eyes smiled back at the little personality sphere. In her left hand, she held the Space Core, and she picked up Wheatley with her right. She had to put each in a box, as not to let the public see them, but she removed the Space Core and placed him in the back of the large white van. Wheatley, she brought into the front seat with her.

"So, I'm confused. Since when do any humans work at Aperture? How long have I been gone? And, who are you?" The woman didn't answer; she didn't have to. She removed her glasses, then pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Wheatley had seen her before, but not in such nice clothes. Last time they'd met, she'd been wearing a white Aperture tank-top and an orange jumpsuit. But she'd changed, nonetheless. Just how long had it been?

"I- It's you! Oh, wow, this is bloody awkward. I am really sorry for, um, for everything. But, um, you're alive, so that's great! So, you're an actual employee now?" Chell shook her head, and Wheatley noted the long-fall boots she was wearing. She must've stolen the clothes and the van. "But how did you get out? Or are you still not talking?" She glanced at him, her eyes relaying a non-spoken message: "Things have changed". And they had, indeed.

As it turned out, GLaDOS hadn't the slightest idea that Wheatley was back, which was why Chell had snuck out to rescue him. But why had she returned? He didn't know, and chances were that he never would. Chell installed him onto his old management rail and left with a forgiving wave.

He was wary of all cameras, as not to be seen by the head of the facility. Things certainly were different. Aperture was no longer the overgrown wasteland it was before, nor was it abandoned. There were actually workers, and everything was in perfect condition. The last time it had looked this good was when Cave Johnson was alive. He was going around the corridors when he felt someone grasp his handlebar and pull him off his rail.

"Hey, who are you? What're- what're you doing?" He was trying to see who it was when he felt a panel on his back being opened. He knew what was behind it. "No! No no no no no no no! Don't- don't touch that! Stop! Sto-" The mystery person pressed the button, and Wheatley shut down.

He was out for almost fourty-eight hours, but when he did come to, he couldn't help but notice that everything looked... different. It appeared that his optic was repaired, for he no longer saw the large crack in his vision. He looked around as he sat up and noticed a medical associate standing by the bed of the infirmary, holding a de-activated personality core. Wait a minute, He thought. I can't sit up. He looked down at himself and uttered a shocked sound resembling a gasp. He observed his hands, then felt his new face, smudging his glasses, which he promptly removed to look at. Upon his replacing them, the medical associate put down the former intelegence-dampering core and smiled.

"Welcome back, doctor."