On my birthday, I went to see Pacific Rim. Since then, I have seen it two other times. Having now been (somewhat) sucked into the fandom, some ideas for fanfics have formed inside my head.

I decided to start off with this little oneshot first, and I appoligize if any of the characters seem ooc. This is my first time wiriting a Pacific Rim fic.

Note: This oneshot takes place after the events of the movie. Also, this is a bit spoliery for those who have not seen the movie yet.

I do not own Pacific Rim in any way.

Nightingale

The war was over

Even though in that fight to end all fights she had fallen unconscious, and even though she had been scared that Raleigh had been lost forever when they had risen from the water, Mako Mori did feel the sense that everything was over now and that the war had been won. The Kaijus had been defeated, the Breach was sealed for good, and they could finally stop the war clock that had always hung over their heads in the Shatterdome like an ever present reminder of war.

Yet even though she was happy, the feeling of missing something was most prominent. That had been because she had lost her 'father' down there, and the feeling that he was now gone from Mako's life was stronger than anything else at that moment.

Walking back into the Shatterdome with her co-pilot, Raleigh, they were both greeted in roaring cheers and congratulations. Even Newton and Hermann seemed to be in good spirits (besides, it was very rare to see those two out of the lab). Mako did smile back at everyone, and it was a true smile because she was relieved that the war was over.

Everyone was celebrating, and by the time it continued into the night the news had probably spread to all corners of the world, informing everyone that the Breach was finally closed and that no one would ever have to worry about Kaijus arising from the depths of the Pacific Ocean ever again. Maybe this day would be called V-P day (Victory in the Pacific) and written down in the history books that later generations would be studying in the history classes. After all, this was a historic day, and the end of the Kaiju War.

Both Raleigh and Mako partook in the festivities, sending cheers up all through the night. Mako had to admit, she was enjoying herself even though the whole base was chaotic.

Once the crowd had finally dispersed and the celebrations had ended, the pilots of Gipsy Danger had made their way back to their rooms. They had come to consider this place 'home' after all. It was there that Mako was left alone to her thoughts.

The Jaeger pilot tossed aside her coat and sighed, finally feeling the aftermath sink in. Back then, it just didn't feel real yet. For a while, especially during the party, she had felt like it was all a dream, and that when she woke up, Kajius would still be coming through the Breach, and that once more she'd get into that Jaeger with Raleigh as the second half of Gipsy Danger. And Pentecost… would give her that same old look, and see her off as she and her co-pilot set off to defeat another Kajiu that had attacked another city bordering the Pacific Ocean.

It wasn't until now that Mako knew this was no dream. The Kaijus were gone… And so was Pentecost….

Mako took a photo tapped to the wall and sat down on her bed, holding the photograph in her hands. She was only 17 in the photo, and standing next to her was the man she had come to treasure as her 'father'. Pentecost rescued her, adopted her, and to Mako, he had meant the world to her. She still missed her real mother and father very much. She missed her family. The pilot had hoped that she would not lose Pentecost ether one day, especially since he had been affected so much from radiation from back in his pilot days, and yet, he was gone.

"You can always find me in the Drift…!"

The last words he had said to her still echoed in her head, like a haunting memory. Mako put the picture back on the wall, and got ready for bed.

Mako found Raleigh the next day at the hangar for their Jaeger, Gipsy Danger. She stared out over the observation deck where she had first brought him when he arrived at the Shatterdome. Both of them knew the old Jaeger had been destroyed when Raleigh activated the meltdown sequence for the core reactor. Gipsy Danger was destroyed. Yet, he was here, as if he was waiting for the Jaeger to be brought in.

"Hello Raleigh." She finally spoke up.

The younger Becket brother turned to look behind him at that voice. "Oh, hey there, Mako."

Mako nodded politely and went to stand beside him. "Do you miss her?"

"Yeah, I do." He sighed and continued to stare at that empty space, as if trying to imagine the Jaeger was still in front of him. "Like you said back then, she's one of a kind."

"'She always was.' That's what you said after."

Raleigh softly chuckled and looked at her with a smile. "Yeah. I did say that, didn't I?"

"It's a shame that she cannot be recovered."

"It is, but it was the only way. She saved us all in the end."

"What were you thinking then, knowing you would lose her?"

He thought on that for a moment, a glint of remembrance in his eyes. "I didn't wanna part with her. Gipsy Danger was the only thing I had left of Yancy. I knew though; I knew it was the only way to end it if we were gonna succeed in sealing the Breach. I had to let her go. Thing is-" A pause. He looked down before looking back up. "I'll still remember her, because I have those memories, and I'll always remember Gipsy Danger and Yancy. They're with me too."

"I see." Mako said, still looking at him. Her eyes were slightly downcast.

It was then Raleigh looked over at his co-pilot. "You miss the Marshall?"

"Yes…"

When Mako looked down he reached a hand out and put it on her shoulder as sort of a comforting gesture. Raleigh remembered what he had said, but he also knew the truth, even if Pentecost had refused to acknowledge what the pilot knew.

"I know what he meant to you." Raleigh said. "I also know how much you meant to him. That very bond formed the day he rescued you."

Mako's eyes faintly widened and she looked up at him. "How… do you know that?" She questioned.

"Isn't obvious?" He smirked jokingly. "The Drift. We shared each other's memories. That time when we fell out of alignment, I saw that day."

"You did…."

Mako still thought about that, and on that day she had thought her chances of being a pilot were over, but she and Raleigh had proved themselves in the end, especially since it had been up against 2 Kaiju. Pentacost had looked especially proud of them that day after their victory.

"When you walked out of that alley, and saw that Jaeger, you didn't know someone like him would come out of there and smile down upon you. But when he did, you smiled back. You probably thought, 'This man rescued me…!', and you grew to love him as if he were your father."

She nodded. "He was like a father to me. It was difficult for me to get used to calling him 'Marshall', but I had to get used to that. As well as my superior, he was still like a father. His sacrifice… It just didn't seem real yet until last night."

"I knew Marshall back from the days when Yancy was still alive, but I know very well what it's like to lose someone so important to you."

"Raleigh, you remember what he said back then, right? Do you really think that's true?" Mako pondered.

Raleigh laughed. "Of course it is. I just said it about Yancy and Gipsy Danger, didn't I? If they're in our memories, then we can always find them in the Drift. You can see him again every time we Drift."

"Will we ever Drift again?"

"I'm sure, Mako. I have a feeling the Jaeger program isn't finished just yet. If they're smart they'll build more. Someone's gotta go regular patrols around that place to make sure the Breach hasn't opened again. At least that's what I think."

Mako smiled. With her co-pilot's words, she was certain they would Drift once more. And when they did, she would she Pentacost again. They would see each other again in the Drift.

"Do you think he's proud of us?" She asked, staring into the hanger that was no longer bussling with replairs and work on Gipsy Danger.

"I'm pretty sure he is, Mako. I'm sure."

When she continued to stare into the empty space she thought,

'Please watch my bravery from here on out, father'