One Wish

Sorry.

That was the only word that was constantly ringing through Wheatley's head for the past three years in space. Or at least he thought it was five years. After a few meteor showers he went through caused his internal clock to break, he could only rely on a hunch. But back to the matter at hand, he was sorry. Sorry he was bossy and mean and evil. As the little robotic sphere drifted endlessly around the moon he only could think of one thing, to say sorry to that lady…

If I had one wish, only one… It would be to apologize to Chell…  Wheatley thought. The only reason he was thinking and not jabbering his non-existent mouth off was because he was saving it for…

"SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!" A screech of joy came from behind Wheatley. It would have made him jump in surprise if he wasn't use to the usual outbursts from his constant companion.

"SPACE!! We're in SPACE!!" A sphere similar looking to Wheatley ecstatically yelled as it twirled around in Space. The only difference between the two spheres was that Wheatley had a blue optic and the Space core had a yellow iris.

Wheatley then swiveled his optic around to his companion and did his best to glare at the Space Core as it let out another squeal of delight.

"Yes mate, I know we're in Space! I've known that for the past five years! So could you please just shut UP and let me float around endlessly in Space in peace?!" An irritated Wheatley growled out at the sphere with a voice that was starting to crack with age and abuse.

The Space core blinked his optic after a pause but then continued to yell and squeal the obvious; completely oblivious of the blue-eyed sphere's irritation.

Wheatley glared at the Space core for a few more seconds but then let out a mechanical sigh. He knew it was useless to argue with the corrupted Core so why bother? Maybe so he could have someone to talk to? But Wheatley's mind soon drifted away from the Space core to Chell.

She was so nice and she actually listened to me… Even if she did hit me once or twice to make me shut up, but I guess that was for the best since I never knew how to be quiet. She should have given me a good slap in the face when I was in Her body. 'Course I probably would've killed her in the state I was in. Actually I would have killed her any way since I was mad with power and… I'm rambling again.

Wheatley again let out a pitiful sigh as he tried to stop from rambling. As he cut himself off in mid thought he was sucked back into reality and saw that the Space core was now singing about space. The blue-eyed sphere decided to ignore the corrupt core and continue with his thoughts.

If only I convinced Chell to pull me out of the stalemate none of this would have ever happened. We probably could've found another way out. Me and her together, still partners in crime and great friends.

She was so generous an kind...

"…She even tried to help me when I was in control of the facility," Wheatley suddenly spoke out load as he was lost in though. The Space core didn't take notice to his companions rambling and continued to sing about space.

"Space, space, space, space, spacie, spacie, spacie, space! There's a comet! There's a star! There's a planet! There's Space! Spacie Spacie Space!"

"And what did I do in return?" Wheatley asked rhetorically; not taking notice of The Space Song.

"Did you show her space?" The Space core asked innocently when he was finally done with The Space Song.

"I tried to kill her!" Wheatley growled out at himself scolding himself for the horrible things he tried to do. If he had teeth, he would be clenching them. If he had hands, he would be hitting himself for being such… Being such a moron!

"I tried to punch Chell and Her down an elevator shoot, though She did deserve it. I even tried to kill her with turrents, spike plates, spiny blade walls, endless pits and bombs!" Wheatley ranted on and on. The Space core finally took notice of his companions unhappiness and stared at him for a while. Wheatley didn't notice or didn't care, he just sighed again .

It was like something came over me, rushing past my body and completely took over me with only a little of my conscience left! I only wanted to Test. Test! Test! Test! I never cared about her safety.  I just wish I could apologize…She was right, I am a…A moron! Wheatley though bitterly as it pained him to admit he was a moron. Though programmed to be constantly optimistic the little sphere was losing his vigor rapidly.

"Chell was my only friend and I lost her…" Wheatley squeaked. If he had the ability to cry he probably would right now.

The Space core saw the distress his fellow core was in and felt a slight pang of pity and empathy.

"I'm your friend…" The Space core said honestly. Wheatley turned his optic around and stared back at the yellow-eyed core.

"Space friend!" The space core repeated with his lower optic shield up as if he was smiling. If Wheatley could smile he would but he only nodded.

"Thanks mate." With that, the Space core blinked with happiness and then went on to continue with his space rant. Wheatley sighed once more still thinking about Chell.

I can't believe I actually did those things to her. I deserve to be stranded out here in space. I deserve everything that has happened to me. But Chell never deserved me betraying her. If I could be brought back to Earth and only be able to say one thing, I would say I'm sorry. Wheatley thought sadly. He stared back at Earth and saw how beautiful it was from space. It cheered him up slightly as did Space core's statement but he still couldn't help but feel guilty.

I hope she's alright. She worked so hard to reach her dream. She deserves her freedom, more than any of those smelly disgusting humans in the stasis pods did. But she wasn't smelly or disgusting. She was sweet and pretty. Beautiful actually. She was the most beautiful person I've known, inside and out. She was hard working, kind, clever, not fat at all, and beautiful! She was abnormally stubborn but that was one of her good qualities. Plus, she wasn't unloved like She always said she was. I know because…well…I love her… Wheatley admitted to himself as he had an epiphany. He realized that he was starting to develop feelings for this human.

"Oh…" Wheatley groaned as he thought about the impossibility of loving a human. How could he? He was just a tiny robot in the shape of Sphere that was only built for the express purpose of making Her an imbecile.

If he was only programmed to be a moron why was he feeling a complicated emotion such as love? Wheatley was only programmed to feel simple emotions such as happiness, anger and sadness. Come to think of it, Wheatley was also feeling extreme grief and depression! Why and how could he feel complex emotions like love? And towards a human on top of that!

Grrr! Stupid scientists! They're the ones who gave me these bloody, uncontrollable emotions in the first place! Bunch of sadists! Why the hell did they do this to a robot?!

Wheatley tried to calm himself down. He didn't want to damage anything with the condition he was in.

Great! Now I'm having bloody mood swings!  Wheatley thought irritably. If he had hands he would be face-palming himself now.

Chell never seemed to be angry. She was always so level-headed. Wheatley thought as his mind drifted to Chell once again. She was so mature and never lost her temper when it came to my rambling. And that's saying a lot! I can ramble on and on for days on end and I never have to take a breath or a break! It's irritating sometimes and I'm doing it again aren't I? Grrr! Wheatley shook his optic. Anyway. Chell was probably the greatest friend I ever had…and...I think I really love her. Course she probably has…What is it humans call it? A boyfriend? Well she probably has one of those by now and is very happy with him. He's probably handsome, and nice, won't betray her, won't ramble on and is most important of all, human… Everything I'm not. She probably forgot about me and Aperture science by now and is leading a normal life for a human.

If she even escaped. Or lived. A voice in the back of Wheatley's mind nagged.

No! Of course she lived! No one I've known has clung onto life like her and even if She didn't let her go, knowing Chell, she would probably put Her in the room where all the robots scream at you until She let her go.

Wheatley chuckled at the thought. He then sighed, but this time it was slightly…relieved. He had hope and faith in Chell and he knew she was happy. She was finally free and could live life in a brand new way! He was happy for her and even if he was stuck in space with his only companion and corrupted sphere who rambled on and on about space, he was so happy that Chell finally got what she wanted most. Her freedom. Wheatley suddenly didn't care if he was stuck in space, as long as Chell was happy he was happy. Was that what love meant? Being happy if your loved one was happy?

"You know. If I could get on wish, I would wish that Chell would be happy for the rest of her life. I'd wish that she's finally free!" Wheatley said aloud and not caring if the Space core heard him.

Then suddenly and flying comet appear over the two cores. It was grand ball of ice with a magnificent tail trailing behind it.

"Ooooooooooooooooh!" Space core marveled at the sight.

Wheatley recalled that he once heard from one of the test subjects, that he thawed out to help him escape, said that wishing on a shooting star would make that wish come true. If he could, he would shrug right now. What did he have to lose? Hopefully nothing because that's all he had at the moment.

Wheatley then closed his optic and made a wish.