yessirmrjohnson | (no subject)

"I've been thinking lately. Er. About the future. And...I'm not really experienced with this kind of thing. So I needed you're perspective."

He took the stone out from his pocket. It was a considerable size, and gleamed in a bright, yet unnatural manner.

"You know me, I don't really like doing things the regular way. Would this make a good ring? I wanted to propose to Elena with this, but I'm not certain if I should go with this, or just a regular diamond ring."

She swallowed at that, looking to the floor. "A regular diamond. E..Elena is a conventional girl with..classic tastes." Caroline pulled her hair over one shoulder and took a step back, using all her will to plaster a smile. "Sir, I have to go. There's a lot of things I need to do to prepare for tomorrow." She turned for the door.

Caroline wasn't there in the morning when Cave would make his announcement. It wasn't until the party after it that Jenny from accounting approached Cave with a light purple wrapped gift with a white bow.

"Mr. Johnson? Caroline asked me to give this to you."

Inside was tissue paper and an envelope with a heck for more than 12 grand on it and a letter.

Dear Cave,

Please accept this small wedding gift. I may not have shown it, but now I can say that I am glad that you are happy. I hope you and Elena have many long and happy years together. I'm thankful for the few I was able to share with you. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share this journey with you and I'm certain you're in good hands to carry you into the next chapter of your life.

You gave me everything I had dreamed of as a child. A place to belong, a place to be myself, and a companion in science. That's why I don't hold any grudges for your choices. Even this one that I face this morning. In the event of my death, I've arranged for you and Elena to inherit the proceeds of my estate and the rest of my liquid assets.

The only thing I ask is that you don't forget me. I included my favorite picture album in this gift box. Please remember me fondly. There's nothing in my life that I would have changed, no regret to speak of other than never telling you how I felt. For that, I hope you can forgive me.

With all my unspoken love,
Caroline Mossman.

Just under the tissue paper was a white photo album. The edges were worn and the corners rounded from its long use. Inside were dozens of pictures of the two of them, starting as far back as Aperture fixtures, pictures of just the two of them cutting the ribbon at the mouth of the abandoned salt mine that would later become the enrichment center. Newspaper clippings about Aperture's growth, pictures of them laughing and working. There were pages left in the back blank and unfilled still waiting for pictures that wouldn't be taken.

Cave stopped. It's the best description available. He didn't move, he didn't breathe. For several seconds, time stopped for Cave Johnson. Were his eyes glassy? No way no how. Not a manly man like Cave Johnson.

Slowly, he began moving again, going through the album, and reliving what surely were the happiest times he could ever recall in his life. The check he could care less about; sweet a gesture as it was; but the album would be treasured forever and always.

He read the letter over and over, unease growing. Why would she feel a need to leave him anything? She almost sounded like she was planning on dying. He'd hoped she wasn't doing anything drastic.

"Jenny. Where did Caroline give this to you?"

"Here this morning before going to the experiment in sector 4. Probably worried she'll miss out on the wedding but I told her you guys probably weren't going to get hitched by the end of the month." She looked at the clock on the wall. "They probably already got started, so you'll have to wait to tell her anything, Sir."

Edited 2012-09-23 20:31 (UTC)

He didn't bother to wait and hear anything more. In a decidedly unprofessional and potentially comical manner, Cave darted from the room. Maybe, just maybe, they were running late. Maybe the test could be halted. Maybe...dammit, it didn't really matter. He just wanted her to be okay. A potentially dead ex-assistant wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind when he woke up this morning.

Dr. Hastle was in the lab with a few assistants. The middle aged man was busy looking over the monitors on the pod like bed. When Cave hurried in, he turned around, holding the clipboard to his chest.

"Mr. Johnson, we're sorry we didn't make it to your announcement. We had an important experiment scheduled. It could be helped. Please don't fire us, we'll give generously at the wedding."

Cave turned to them, out of breath and wild-eyed.

"I don't want anything from you. Especially excuses."

He crossed his arms, regaining his composure.

"I don't recall signing off on this experiment. And I damn sure don't recall signing Caroline to be a subject. So if I were you, I would tell me how to stop this test with her health intact.

Your job depends on it."

"Stopping it early could cause serious brain damage, and, with all respect, you did sign her up for it. I have the papers here." From his clipboard Dr. Hastle handed him a copy of the letter. Elena was able to imitate Cave's signature perfectly, but she didn't bother to copy his handwriting when writing Caroline's name.

It was a respectable forgery. Impressive really. And under normal circumstances, he would have assumed this was done by a deeply depressed Caroline. However, over the years, Cave had seen her signature almost as many times as his own. And this wasn't even close. Who would forge Caroline's signature? It was a short list.

He looked to Hastle.

"Fine. You just got promoted. Your new job is to do NOTHING but oversee this experiment. If she dies, so does your career. If she comes out of this with so much as a slowed reaction time, I will ensure that you, and your children, and your children's children live lives of poverty and regret.

You succeed, I give you one of my beach houses in the tropics. No pressure."

And with him having successfully used a worker as a stress ball, he walked off to find his new fiance.

Elena was sitting on his desk, sipping on a drink and flipping through the photo album with a bored expression.

Cave entered, putting on a smile despite prior unpleasantness.

"Hey Elley. That's a gift from an employee. Good memories and all that."

He poured himself a drink, hoping that the beverage would help loosen the question that needed to be asked.

"Not an impressive gift, just a dusty old album from the shelf. It's like gifting a half dead bouquet of fl-" Her cup 'accidentally' slipped from her hand and fell into the open album, soaking the photos inside with alcohol. "Oop! Sorry, Cavey." With half a shrug, she tossed to into his trash bin.

Without much thought, Cave dove at the bin, knocking it over. Pictures in the era weren't the simplest things to duplicate. It was possible that they were the only existing copies; the only existing documented images that they...worked...together. They were precious.

With nothing to dry the photos with, Cave grabbed any printer paper lying around and tried desperately to mat away the liquid.

"What are you doing just sitting there? Help, damn it! Get some napkins or something!"

He lay the photos down on his desk with a delicacy none would expect from him, finishing by setting down the album open on a shelf.

Elena shrugged and left and took her time. It was six minutes later that she came back with three napkins. "Here you go."

"Are you--"

Stupid? Competent? A complete damnable MORON!?

"serious?"

A frustrated grunt left Cave as he snatched the napkins. they worked, admittedly, much better than the office quality printing paper he'd used. Some of the photos were even saved. Some of them you could still make out what they were. Why, a few words were still even legible. Without turning away from the pictures and news scraps, Cave spoke.

"So, your assistant appears to have volunteered for an experiment today."

Why bring that up now? Ah, Mister whiskey. You always know when to bring up the sensitive issues.

"It's a very important experiment. You know how much she loves science." Elena just shrugged and sat in one of the chairs in the office. "People are still waiting for you in the party, baby. Go enjoy yourself and forget about that old thing."

Cave made no motion, not taking his attention away from the photos for even one second.

"Well, it's interesting, you see. I don't recall signing much of anything related to such an important experiment. Any ideas on how such a document could have slipped by my notice?"

"I figured if you'd forgive an employee you'd forgive the woman you love. Besides, she was the best candidate. They wanted someone smart and sturdy. And she is my employee, so I thought it'd be a fine decision. It was just once, baby. I won't do it again. And I'm sure she'll be fine, your staff is good at what they do, aren't they?"

"I didn't forgive her. Remember? I fired her. She was an invaluable asset towards scientific research, and I fired her. I only forgave her after she showed up several months later with a sincere and heartfelt apology."

He stopped with the photos, finally, to have his eyes meets Elena's. It was a steely, contemptuous gaze, filled with a cold anger.

"And I don't recall hiring anyone to make decisions. The most complicated decision you need to make is where we go to for lunch. All the rest are mine to make. That's not your place to do so."

He turned his attention back to the photos.

"She understood that, for the most part."

"Cave, she was trying to ruin things between us. I've never seen a more jealous woman in my life. You have no idea how rude and horrible she was to me every day at work. Once she gets out of that thing, you should fire her again. I would."

"So, you forged my signature and put her into a life threatening test...because she was rude? And after Caroline is done this test you illegally signed her on for, should she survive, I should fire her again.

Are you from pre-school Elley? Mean ol' Caroline wouldn't stop picking on you, making fun of your hair? What the hell is wrong with you?"

He served himself more whiskey, to calm his nerves. Nerves which were growing increasingly agitated.

"Please." She huffed. "She loved you, any preschooler could see that and she would have done everything to ruin our happiness. I did it for us. She'll be fine, I don't even see why you're so upset."

"Caroline was my assistant. Purely professional. You can ask anybody. She was my..."

Friend? Come to think of it, said the whiskey, from in the recesses of Cave's mind, you don't actually have any friends do you? She's the closest thing you have. Well, HAD, if she doesn't make it out of this test.

"It was a purely professional relationship. Ask anyone."

He kept repeating the words, hoping that background noise would drown out the truth the whiskey was trying to force upon him.

"Wait here." Elena left and came back with Jenny. "Would you please tell my fiance that I'm right and Caroline had a thing for him."

Jenny looked from the woman and then to Cave. "I, er, well yea." She shrugged as if it were common knowledge.

"See? The whole facility knew." Elena lifted her chin in pride for being right.

"We assumed she wasn't your type." Jenny continued. "I've worked here five years and I can remember at least seven guys she's turned down in favor of 'work' When Miss Elena showed up everyone finally got the picture of the kinda girl you were into. I think that's why she let Miss Elena do all that stuff to he-" There was a quick nudge from Elena and Jenny quickly shut up.

That was certainly enough to warrant Cave's attention. He...hadn't known. How could he have? Or, according to his staff, how could he not? He closed his eyes, the whiskey still tormenting his with terrible, terrible memory. Her last words managed to draw his focus.

"Oh? Stuff, you say? That's interesting. What kind of stuff, Jenny?"