Gordon wakes up outside the Citadel, buried under a pile of rubble. Dog digs Gordon out and he is reunited with Alyx, who embraces him. She contacts her father Eli and Dr. Kleiner through a portable monitor, to inform them that Gordon is safe (Eli earlier told Alyx that Gordon wouldn't be found, implying his knowledge of the G-Man and his stasis). Kleiner tells Alyx that the Citadel Core is at risk of exploding at any moment. Kleiner states that the explosion could be large enough to level the whole of City 17, and that the only possible way to survive would be to re-enter the Citadel and slow the core's progression toward meltdown. Eli interrupts, showing distress at placing his daughter in further danger, but reluctantly agrees when he sees no other option. Alyx and Gordon re-enter the Citadel to try to reactivate the stabilization mechanism for the core in order to avert disaster.
