What a great story! I love reading about Doug, the poor guy. I look forward to your next update!

Lots of little moments here: I particularly like the peaches scene, the descriptions (A summer's day cocooned in metal. Juice. Fruit trees. He was eight again. The only false voices were the ones he gave to the townspeople as Godzilla rampaged around Legoville.) are vivid and sweet. Chell's transition from hostile to compassionate was smooth and natural. When she gives him half her peaches, and then offers Cube really stood out as endearing as was Rattman's reactions. Poor thing. You would think GLaDOS would stock the vending machines at least.
And then the...what do you call it? The psychotic break, or panic attack Rattman endures toward the end had horrible disorientating feel to it. It got me wondering what's in store for the next chapter. The ghost of Henry certainly can't be trusted and it's surprising how nasty he became after the first chapter. I had actually liked the guy. Now he seems intent on sabotaging Rattman and being a general ass.
The surrealistic aspects of this chapter (angels, wings rotting, the pictures moving toward the end) doesn't overwhelm, but sets the tension and tone better I think, than description alone. However, I'll suggest keep that technique in check. It's really easy to go crazy with it (trust me, I know) and have it overwhelm the piece.
Rattman's mental duress is poignant, used to good effect, but I'll also suggest to show his affliction by actions. Introspection or abstract descriptions are a little easier than making Rattman do oddball things for no reason, but those who are schizophrenic tend to have other afflictions in addition to the main problem. You do make him talk aloud to things which is accurate. My mother has many symptoms of schizophrenia, paranoia, persecution complex, and probably some bi-polar thrown in. In my lifetime, I've seen her rant at nothing, claim people are stealing things from her magically (I say magically because she never leaves her room. And items are mostly makeup, underwear, pens ridiculous shit no one would bother with), people are in the TV set watching her, doctors keep giving her placebos instead of her real medicine, and everyone who isn't “white” is the enemy (yes, China and Iraq want to invade the US and rape all the women. Her words. She even tried to give us condoms so we could made our “rapists” wear them. Yeah...right. Like what rapist would agree to that?).

She even once accused my dad of going to the bathroom in the cat litter box. Yes. The litter box. And she has chased people off the property. A pastor who was trying to powerwash her fence. My cousin who attempted to plow the driveway. She claimed she couldn't see the footprints of people watching the house if he took the snow away. And this is just a few of the weird mannerisms she has.
Obviously, Rattman isn't that bad (seems to have a mild case rather then severe schizophrenia) but I wonder how you could bring that out in action rather than the hallucinations. I know schizophrenics have trouble organizing their words, are sometimes clumsy, and are emotionally stunted (in some cases). I do have a college course book on “Understanding Abnormal Behavior” if you want me to look stuff up for you.
Well, whatever you decide, I'm just throwing that out there for consideration.
Satisfying chapter overall. Nice dark tone and kinda bleak. Good work.
M

YESS! ANOTHER CHAPTER! It was lovely, I honestly don't know how you do it. You're amazzzzzing.
Thank you so much!

Rattmann is damaged and a little deranged, but this makes him fascinating to me. I have no idea what he even looks like (aside that he's probably wearing a labcoat), nor do I really care. I can relate to him, to both his survival instincts and empathy and even little voices in his head.
Not only does the past and the voices of the dead haunt him, but what meager respite he gains from painting is tinged with darkness and guilt. Twisted imagery, even with Chell's painting. It would make anyone crazy and obsessive.
Though, I wonder how one would react in his place. Wandering for years alone in a high tech testing facility with a snide, arrogant computer who killed all your friends and co-workers would make anyone a little needy. I really like GLaDOS's dialogue when he's trying to escape. This line here"All right, I'm going to be honest with you now. [Decreasing truth enhancement credibility in three. Two. One.] We're all throwing you a party. There. I had to spoil the surprise we've been working on for months. Doctor Field is crying. I hope you're happy.
What a cunt, but it made me laugh. Even though I have never played the game, I can appreciate a sarcastic and demented AI.
Oh, and I liked the groaning building part. The idea of test rooms rearranging themselves and shifting was neat.
Back to Rattmann. The peek into the events prior to GLaDOS's hijacking provided much needed insight (for me) into Rattmann's character. His will to survive is not cowardly as he thinks. A coward wouldn't bother to watch a co-worker die, or think of the other as a "brother". A coward would have fled or turned away. I think if he could have helped the other scientist, he would have in a second. Then toward the end, hearing the other scientists beg and rant was a nice touch, gave the impression of chaos and hopelessness.
And the surreal dream he has after the memory seems to portend doom. Even if he does escape, he will never escape.
His fear and loneliness are poignant as he clings to the one thing that might make his isolation bearable. But like a drowning man, he risks pulling Chell under with him. I hope for his sake, Chell IS strong and capable of saving them both.
Some small crits to consider
If he touched her more than he needed to she might shatter like a fragile jewel. An angel made of glass.
I would suggest to take out “fragile jewel”. You juxtaposed two different comparisons which brings to mind two different images. And it tends to make a sentence more melodramatic than you probably intended. (I also struggle with this when I get carried away with the tone and mood, lol).
...”she might shatter. An angel made of glass” would work better.
The room wove itself in a figure of eight as he paced.
Could be me being American here, but figure-eight? Maybe I'm saying it wrong and you're saying it right. I did google it and found the hyphenated version, so I'm not the only one, lol.
Paint or was it blood? itched on his face. He scratched and red flakes fell away. Could have been both.
I would suggest omit “could have been both”. It comes across (to me) as a little redundant.
Henry didn't think so, and if left to start a conversation would turn it into a 'we need a new Cave' campaign. That was his cue to switch off and merely make positive grunts if Henry paused during his ranting.
It's just really wordy to me. Maybe something like: Henry didn't think so and often launched into a 'we need a new Cave' campaign. During of which he would nod and make positive grunts at Henry's every pause.
Like a snapped spring, she burst into sudden movement
I think “burst into motion” would reflect the “snapped spring” comparison, or perhaps “like a snapped spring, she pounced”, or something along those lines. Try to leave "sudden", or "suddenly" out of “sudden” actions. The adjective works against you.
M

I must say, this was an AMAZING READ!

Astonishing, spine-chilling, bone-freezing read with a LOT of emotion and understanding and realism. I really wish I could read more of this, I hope you haven't given up on this story. At some point, it made me absolutely speechless and I was swallowing the words and lines at a lightspeed, but being spellbounded by it so much, that not even a dot I would miss. Even at that lightspeed.

I am very curious about where this would've been heading ... So many images in my head right now...
Good luck with the next chapter!

Oh. My. Fucking. SHIT! Can you update please? Oh my god. I think I'm dying here. This is perfect. This is the worlds best ff I've ever read. asfghjkl;. I NEED MORE TO LIVE! I require this. Please? Pretty please? Ugh this is just so perfect. I can't even. I love your Doug. He's so... wonderful. I can't describe him. And Chell? Fuck I hope she doesn't kill him.(

This is beautiful. Fuck. Excuse me while I go read chapter 2.

Okay, you update this! I'm on the edge of my seat here! I'm about to fall off! _

I hate that there is so little Chell/Rattman fanfics so I greatly appreciate and admire your work. Keep it up!

This is a work of art. Brilliant! Please update! Please please please update soon!

This story is absolutely amazing! The amount of detail and imagry that is used makes it almost poetic. Everyone is in character, and you didn't make the AU switch too obvious. It feels right...Plus I can't get his last painting of Chell out of my head...I need to see someone paint it. And the last part (the dream sequence?) with a million voices speaking to him brought me to tears.
All and all, best portal fanfic and one of my favorite fanfictions of all time. Please, PLEASE continue this!

RmA113

"His angel was going to kill him. And he was going to let her.
THIS WAS PERFECT. Seriously, I love this fic, and it's only been two chapters. The writing and pacing is perfect, and I especially like the way you write the interaction between Rattmann Cube. Characterization is spot on, even for GlaDOS. She's a hard one to write and I see alot of fics where she is so OCC, but you pulled her off very well. I feel so bad for Rattmann, poor thing. You have such a knack for description, too. AFKGFGJGOHMYGOODNESS, Okay, I'll stop babbling now, I hope you update soon! D

The fact that you quoted Coleridge to such a moving and apt degree would have been enough to endear me to this story. But the epigraph is far from the best thing about this fic. It's very well written, you have the characterization down to a tee, and the story itself is engaging. I'm looking forward to see where the subsequent chapters will go. (Though I don't doubt whatever path the story takes will be an engrossing one.)

I was so sucked into this chapter and now I'm really sad that there isn't a chapter three. Please update this, and soon! I am completely enjoying the story and I think that you write beautifully.

WOW, this is fantastic. On to chapter two!