Chapter One
Herc moved slowly away from the screen after announcing that the clock could be stopped. His feet stopped abruptly when the heard the small beeping sound coming from the computer. He turned around and there it was, the third pod. He stood in disbelief for a few seconds, not hearing the questions and shouts from his colleagues. Before he knew it he was moving again. He vaguely recalled someone announcing that they could not find a location but that didn't matter. Herc was all instinct, his son might just be out there and he would damn well swim to the middle of the ocean to get him if he had to.
It was strange though, it was like Max knew too because he bolted out the door right before Herc who could barely keep up with the dog. He was sure he was being followed by a medic team who seemed to be asking him stupid questions like where he was going and how he knew where Chuck was, but he paid no attention to them. It was almost like he was drifting with his kid again, like Chuck was calling him, telling him where he was.
Before he knew it, Herc was on the beach chasing after Max who was far ahead, still running strong which was surprising considering his weight. The beach seemed to go on for hours before Max finally stopped and barked at the water. There it was, the pod, it was rocking slowly in the shallow beach water. Herc was knee deep in the water before he knew it. When he finally reached it his world came crashing down around him for the second time in the last few hours. The pod was covered in blood and, even worse, it was empty. Herc slowly started walking backwards out of the water. He heard himself say no so many times he was sure he was imagining it. He could hear the people following him shouting from the distance, the slow buggers couldn't keep up. Herc was sure he was crying when he turned around. Max had stopped barking. Not sure where to go or what to do he started walking back but stopped quickly and turned when he heard something that would make this the best and scariest day of his life.
"Dad?"
Someone was standing behind him, they were breathing deeply. It was some pale-faced kid with a red pilot's suit, how strange. No…. no that was Chuck. Chuck had blood on his suit. Chuck called him Dad. Chuck was standing. Chuck was alive. Chuck called him Dad. Chuck was there, just some pale faced kid. Chuck was missing his left arm. Chuck called him Dad.
"Chuck?" Herc replied.
Chuck looked groggy and confused as he stared back at him. Then he started leaning forward and Herc realised just in time that his son was passing out because he instantly leaned forward too, catching his son in his arms. Herc laid him gently on the beach sand, not noticing the pain in his broken arm. He kept Chuck's head resting on his good arm as he wondered where those stupid slow medics were. He could hear them getting closer now. Chuck was staring at him and Herc stared back.
"That darn fat dog of yours found you before I did." Herc said softly to his kid.
Chuck smiled slightly and replied, "Max isn't fat."
Then Chuck closed his eyes and someone was trying to pull Herc's arms off him. Someone else was putting pressure on Chuck's left shoulder and another person was prying his fingers off his son's suit. When they finally got chuck on the gurney Herc would not let go of his hand. Even in the chopper where they were poking and prodding his boy, Herc heard nothing and noticed nothing other than his son. Eventually Herc let go of Chuck's hand only to wrap it around his wrist so that he could feel his pulse.
Everything became a blur and Herc realised he was sitting in a hospital chair waiting for Chuck to come out of surgery. He was attached to something, like a drip. Why was Herc attached to a drip? No, no… it was blood… Chuck needed blood. They were a match.
When it was all over he was sitting beside his son's hospital bed completely transfixed by every twitch in his features, every breath. It was only then when he realised what had happened. Chuck survived. Chuck lost and arm. Chuck was going to be okay. Was this all real? Maybe Herc was dead and this was Heaven? No… if it was surely Chuck would be awake. Were they in Hell? No, no… Herc, you need sleep. Mr. Hansen, you need to sleep.
"Mr. Hansen? Please, you must sleep. It's 5 AM in the morning." Someone was saying. It was the nurse who was standing beside him. He looked up at her.
"There is an open bed right behind you, get some rest, your son is not going anywhere." She continued.
No. Herc couldn't sleep. What if he woke up in a world without Chuck? Even after that thought, Herc found himself climbing into the bed behind him, boots, beach sand and all. It never took him long to fall asleep but his last thoughts were actually a prayer. He got a second chance now. He was going to be the father his kid deserved. Chuck was going to know he was loved, that he was Herc's number one priority as he had always been. Chuck was going to hear it because Herc was going to say it out loud. He would say it every minute of every day if he had to.
Herc had horrible dreams of waking up next to an empty bed but every time he got up to see his son, to make sure he was breathing. He would then climb back into bed, knowing he would do the same in about an hour or so. And he did. Herc eventually gave in at about 1PM the next day and got up to take a two minute shower. He was by Chuck's side in an instant, with Max on his lap. They were both watching, just watching the kid. Eventually Mako came to take Max for a bit, to play with him and walk him. Both she and Raleigh would visit on and off the whole day. People often came in to tell him his son was a hero. Of course he was. Herc knew that. But Herc also realised something he never had before. Chuck was just a twenty-one year old kid, who never really got to do the things most twenty-one year olds do.
Chuck began to stir and Herc found himself standing bolt upright and taking his son's hand. His kid's hazel eyed opened and looked up at him. Chuck smiled and Herc knew instantly he would never forget how sweet that moment was.
"You found me," Chuck said.
"'Course I did, kid." Herc replied.
"Don't call me 'kid', old man." Chuck said.
"Don't call me 'old man', brat." Herc replied, laughing.
"So," Chuck said, "it worked?"
"Yeah," Herc replied, "You saved the world, Chuck."
Chuck smiled and Herc placed both his hands on either side of Chuck's face. Chuck lifted his right hand to cover Herc's but then a strange look came across his face.
Shit, Herc thought as he realised that Chuck did not know he had lost his left arm. Chuck looked down as he lifted the blanket and Herc saw his son's face pale as he realised his arm was missing. Chuck looked so young when he looked back up at his father with a horrified expression.
"Chuck," Herc said, "it's going to be okay,"
Chuck looked back down and his breathing started to become deeper and quicker. Herc immediately pushed the button for the nurse as he tried to calm his son down.
"Chuck!" Herc yelled, "calm down, you're going to be okay, it's going to be okay."
Chuck was shaking his head and he started crying. Herc pulled Chuck's face up to look at him and said, "Listen to me, you're alive Chuck, you made it, I'm right here."
Eventually Chuck's breathing calmed as he stared at his father. The nurse walked in casually and Herc rounded on her.
"Where the hell have you been!" he shouted.
She never seemed to notice because as soon as she saw Chuck she paged the doctor and started checking things on all the machines that his kid was attached to. The doctor came and basically announced that Chuck was going to be okay and that in about a day or two he could return to his room. The nurse left to get Chuck some food so that he could take his medicine. The doctor seemed pleased with Chuck and announced that he would be back later to check on him again. Chuck kept silent while all of this was going on and Herc never took his eyes off him.
The next few hours went by quite the same. Chuck never spoke and Herc never moved away from him. Chuck got visits from Raleigh and Mako to which he was polite, which was a surprise to all of them. Herc guessed they sensed that Chuck was still trying to absorb everything so they never stuck around for too long. Chuck seemed to cheer up at the site of Max but Herc noticed that the small glint in his son's eyes was gone and he swore to himself that he would get it back. Eventually Newton and Gottlieb came to visit, presenting sketches of a design they had developed for a kind of bionic arm that worked with the same technology as the Jaegers. Herc was relieved when Chuck perked up at this but his face never really lit up properly. He still seemed so sad and Herc hated it.
Chuck's med's kicked in and he yawned softly, his eyelids drooping.
"Go to sleep," Herc said, pulling the blanket up a little higher, "I'll be here when you wake up."
Chuck obeyed and shut his eyes. Much to Herc's surprise, Chuck took his hand. Herc squeezed his hand back softly and watched Chuck fall asleep. When he was absolutely sure his kid was sleeping, Herc got up to go to his bed, not before kissing Chuck's forehead softly and lifting Max up to sleep beside him.