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[yessirmrjohnson]

There was something off about Cave. It bothered her as she made his coffee and plagued her mind as she went about typing up his reports. By time she had to bring him his lunch, she was convinced she had to ask him. It was probably all in her head, the lack of that personal smile in the morning, the quietness on the radio between her desk and his.

No, it was probably all in her head. Not worth worrying about and certainly not worth bothering him over. With a deep breath, Caroline lifted his lunch tray and knocked twice before stepping into his office.

"Here is your lunch, Sir."

Comments

[yessirmrjohnson]

"I-I know." She wobbled in a way that might only be familiar from his own experience. She was drunk, a state he'd have never seen her in in all of their years. "I walked here. From down town." It was a ten mile walk at least. "I needed to see you I..Just. Just listen?"

[paysthebills]

Cave raised a concerned brow, and took a quick lock outside. Two in the morning or not, he'd rather people didn't see a drunken woman stumble into his house. And he wasn't about to turn away a drunken woman to do on a ten mile walk in the middle of the night. Legal responsibility or no, there are some things that simply aren't done.

More to get her inside where people couldn't see her than of a sense of concern, Cave ushered her inside.

"Fine, fine. We can talk a bit, and then I call you a cab. Okay?"

[yessirmrjohnson]

She nodded and hurried inside. Once Cave closed the door, she blurted out the first question "How. How's Aperture doing? Is it ok?"

[paysthebills]

"Oh you know. Fine, overall."

It wasn't a lie. The company, while not remotely as profitable as it was without her, was indeed still making money, despite the lack of focus on research. Of course, he wouldn't tell her that.

"And how are you holding up? Doing lots of...whatever it is...you do?"

[yessirmrjohnson]

She sat there near his door, worried if she kept standing on her wobbling and sore feet she might fall over. "Really? I. That's good. Good. I'm glad. That's...so she's good? Better than me? Prettier, a lot prettier and just as smart. I, well I can't blame you for trading up. You were always shrewd. Ap-Aperture deserves a good, pretty, smart woman. You, hell, you deserve one like her. I. Good good it's good. You didn't even need me." She let out a laugh that slowed into sobs as she covered her face with her hands.

[paysthebills]

This should be illegal, Cave thought to himself. This, right here. How was a man supposed to deal with a situation like this in the best of times, let alone at 2AM? This simply wasn't fair. He knelt down, and awkwardly attempted to pat her back in consolation.

"Aperture could always use someone like you, Caroline. There there."

Uncertain of the right face to make, his sleeping mind settled on a half confused, half smiling expression. He really didn't know what to make of this.

[yessirmrjohnson]

"But do could you? Am...was I just another employee to you? I-I mean after all this time and everything and all it takes is one pretty, pretty face and... You're so smart, it can't be because you don't understand. You're just too nice to tell me. But I've got it, I've got the picture. I did try though. I tried to look nice everyday. I could have spent a little more time in the morning, but I was so excited to get to work I didn't put on nearly as much makeup as I could have or put as much thought into which shoes might match may purse. Oh! It's my hair isn't it? If you had wanted someone blonde, I would have dyed it for you. It's. Late for that. It's late right now. Oh god, I'm. I shouldn't have come. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to you and your girlfriend or fiance, or whatever she is now." She struggled to get up, but managed to twist her ankle wrong and toppled for the floor.

[paysthebills]

"You were always special, Caroline..you were always.."

A small smile curls at the edge of Cave's lips, as he loses himself on the long road of memory lane, recovering from his reverie just in time to be toppled over by one (1) drunken ex-assistant.

Just barely managing to catch her, and moreover, himself, he slowly uprights himself.

"Maybe you want to talk with me about this in the morning, alright? I accept your apology. If you apologize to Elena tomorrow, we'll be square."

[yessirmrjohnson]

"You love her, don't you? She makes you happy?" Carline slipped back to a safe seated position, trying not to notice the pain coming from her twisted ankle.

[paysthebills]

Cave let out a small sigh before answering, not really all comfortable with the situation.

"Yeah. I really do. And she does. She really, really does."

A moment of silence that lasted for days passed before he said anything else.

"Let me call you a cab."

[yessirmrjohnson]

"Ok. I'll wait outside." She managed to her feet and limped for the door. She got outside and sat on the first step by the door.

[paysthebills]

Cave noticed her limping, and rubbed his eyes in frustration. He couldn't very well just leave her outside waiting like that, could he?

Throwing on some more respectable clothing, he joined her on the step.

"Are you okay? I mean, your ankle looks bad but...are you okay? I didn't peg you for the drinking type."

In fact, if he scoured his memory, he'd find her to be more of a 'never drinking type'.

"Is it your job? We can work something out if that's it."

He wouldn't outright say it, but it unnerved him to see her like this.

[yessirmrjohnson]

"What job? I haven't worked anywhere since the whole thing. Just lost everything good in my life, everything I ever wanted because I couldn't stand to see another girl come in and take away the most important person in my life away and take my spot. But I'll play nice. I'll apologize, even though-even though I still don't think I should, but I will. Because... because without Aperture..and you, I. Don't have many reasons to wake up in the morning."

[paysthebills]

Cave's eyes darted around, looking everywhere but her. It was like looking into the sun, it wasn't impossible, but it was difficult, and only doable with great pain.

"Caroline...I had no idea. I had always... but I didn't...and then..."

He let out a frustrated sigh. She was tipsy, what was his excuse? An arriving limo thankfully saved him from saying any more. He helped her into the car as best he could, giving the driver stern instructions to see to her safety.

"Good Night Caroline. See you tomorrow for work, alright?"

[yessirmrjohnson]

Caroline showed up for work early to find a desk next to Elena's. With a weary sigh, she placed her box on the desk and managed to Cave's office trying to hide any hint of a limp or the hangover pounding through her head. She gave three knocks before calling through the door.

"Mr. Johnson?"

[paysthebills]

"Come on in, Caroline."

Upon entry to Cave's office, she'd find the place drowning in papers. Caroline's replacement clearly lacked the same manner of efficiency she'd had.

Cave was at his desk, where the papers were at least in a controlled chaos, with vague borders determining the 'to read' pile from the 'already read' pile.

"Alright then, let's get down to it. Same pay, similar responsibilities, nearly same title. Questions?"

[yessirmrjohnson]

He wouldn't give something to his girlfriend and then take it away. Not really wanting to know the answer, Caroline took a deep breath and lifted her chin.

"Will I be working under Elena?" God, she tried to keep her expression neutral.

[paysthebills]

"Of course. I'm not in a position to out and out replace her. You'll be answering to her most of the time, and me if necessary. Aside from that, your job should be...mostly the same."

He looked one his desk, trying to figure out where he'd start his day from. Settling on a thick packet that would keep him busy through lunch, he continued.

"Well, I think that's about it for the introductions, don't you? Go on and unpack your things. Elena will be here soon enough, and she'll tell you what she needs from you."

[yessirmrjohnson]

Right about now Caroline would have taken that mail room job. But, instead she nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Johnson." By time Elena showed up, there was a tone of work waiting on her desk and Caroline sitting in the desk next to her.

[paysthebills]

Elena greeted Cave with a smile, waiting until his door was closed to change to a fierce scowl.

"So. You're back. When I'd asked for an assistant, I hadn't dreamed I'd get you."

She drummed her fingers loudly, and leaned closer. Her eyes narrowed to thin slits.

"Well you listen to me you fat skank. Cave may be generous and forgiving, but I'm not. I remember what you said when you left, about the both of us."

She leaned back, scowl leaving as quickly as it had appeared.

"Then again, perhaps I should leave that behind us. After all, I won, didn't I? You do as I ask, and I think we'll get along just fine."

[yessirmrjohnson]

No, giving her anger was just what Elena wanted, so instead Caroline smiled out of sheer spite. "Understood. What can I do for you today, Ma'am?"

[paysthebills]

"Hmm..."

Elena looked around a bit, clearly not anticipating the question. Her eyes settled on her shoes.

"Ah. That seems like a good start. Carol, be a dear and shine my shoes, won't you? They're new, and I would hate to walk around with them looking as disheveled as yours. Don't you agree?"

[yessirmrjohnson]

She had to be joking, right? There was obviously plenty of real work to do. Still, if this small quick task let her get to anything productive, then whatever.

"As you wish, Ma'am."

As soon as she started shining the woman's shoes, while still on her feet, it became clear to Caroline that the others in the office were watching. She could even hear some of the snickering. Still, when she finished Elena's shoes were perfect and Caroline stood and straightened the wrinkles from her dress.

"Done. What else can I do for you?"

[paysthebills]

"You missed a spot. Do it again."

She said it not yelling, but loud enough to attract the attention of anyone in the office that hadn't noticed the spectacle.

[yessirmrjohnson]

She almost spoke out about it and for a second she looked to Cave's door before she finally looked back to Elena.

"This is a misuse of my abilities. Surly you'd rather me take care of the piles of work on your desk, Ma'am."