Around noon the wind picked up, tossing loose strands of Alyx's hair in the corner of Gordon's vision. The sky had donned a rich, cobalt and steel color, and low-lying fog ghosted down from the mountains and blanketed the trees that framed the road. The birds stopped singing, and the world held its breath as a storm loomed over the two soldiers.

"Didn't expect this," Alyx murmured. The exposed car engine was rumbling and rattling as they drove, and her voice barely rose above it, yet her words were eerily suspended by the fog. The air was tense and smelled of ozone. Thunder suddenly rumbled, and Gordon felt his heart catch in surprise.

"We get these storms all the time at White Forest. I think we'll be fine. It doesn't usually rain - it isn't the season for that."

Alyx's voice lacked the confidence that Gordon needed to hear. He had been through hell today - fighting alien monsters, battling the laws of physics to get a car, almost having his brain sucked out - and the last thing he needed was rain.

The moment he thought of it, a fat drop of it splashed against his forehead.

He couldn't help the exasperated sigh. Alyx chuckled, patting his armored shoulder in sympathy.

"Alright, sometimes it does rain. Sorry about that."

Thunder rolled and crackled high above them, and the wind began to force the firs and pines into a vicious, exotic, waving dance. The roar of the engine was nothing compared to the roar of a pulsating forest. Leaves and debris were swept across their path, a few spare, torn leaves plastering to his face as he sped forward. Rain splashed against the dashboard and soaked his hair, and began to hide the forest in a thin veil of moisture as more rain fell, until it drowned out everything with its clamoring.

Gordon slowed the car as a sudden wave of rain poured over them, and finally obscured the road entirely. Wind was buffeting them and rain was pelting them, and somewhere thunder was crashing into the clouds, and Alyx was laughing.

"I fail to see what's funny about this!" Gordon bellowed, his voice a dull whisper above the cacophony.

"We've been through so much today!" Alyx shouted back. "Hell, I died today! I was dead!"

Gordon would have gaped if it didn't mean choking on the rain.

"And?"

"It's pouring rain. The universe actually has the gall to spit at us, after today. I can't believe this!"

She began laughing again, and Gordon feared for her sanity. The storm was not letting up, so he resolved to park somewhere and wait it out. Out of the mist, the dark, gaping hole of a tunnel entrance appeared, and Gordon sped down the soaked road to reach it.

Alyx's laughter was clearer as the drew into the tunnel. Lightning flashed, briefly lighting up the plain, old tunnel walls, and his companion's rain-soaked face, split in a smile that caught the lightning's flare.

Finally, she stopped chuckling, and her giggles disappeared into the depths of the tunnel.

"Are you done over there?" Gordon asked, smiling.

"Yeah," Alyx mumbled. Her grin faded. She wiped away at her eyes, and gave a final giggle. "Yeah, okay, I'm done."

Behind them, the rain relented, and the trees calmed. Thunder rolled in the distance as the storm moved away from them. The thick clouds that had dominated the sky were splitting, revealing a brilliant, blue sky. Birds began to sing, and Gordon smiled broader.

"That was a great storm," he commented. "Haven't seen something like in…"

He knew Alyx was watching him.

"…a little while."

His companion released the breath she had been holding and looked away. "I bet."

The storm returned suddenly, throwing the forest into a new turmoil. Wind entered the tunnel and blew coldly into Gordon's face as he turned to look, chilling his soaked skin and hair.

"Jesus, that's cold."

"And it isn't even winter, yet," Alyx added cheerfully. "Winter's storms are an…. enlightening experience."

Gordon smirked, lost in thought as he stared at the road behind him. Sitting in the chair like he was was not comfortable, but it was human discomfort - not like having a bullet shred through his side, or being tasered - and he was fine with it. Alyx twisted in the passenger seat and rested her chin on her arm. Gordon mimicked the movement. A content sigh escaped his throat.

"There was a while back there, I didn't think I was going to experience something like that again."

Gordon moved slightly, staring at Alyx curiously. "Like-?"

"That storm. Not that storm in particular. But you know. Just things."

"Oh."

"I thought I was going to die."

"…Oh. Yeah. I guess that could have happened."

"Thanks, by the way."

Gordon turned around in his seat, and started up the car again. "Oh? For what?"

"Well, I didn't die, for one. You were kind of in charge of that."

Alyx turned around and put her seatbelt on. The click of the mechanism echoed in their little segment of the tunnel.

"Well, ah," Gordon managed. The car's engine howled to life. He pressed the accelerator and they jolted forward. "I'm glad to help."

Alyx laughed.