A glance at the fallen body, a hand immediately reaching for a scalpel dropped amongst the chaos of the biologist's side of the laboratory, a bloodless grip shakily dragging the sharpened blade across his throat, and Herman pushed open the door to Death's office between worlds. More outwardly agitated than he had truly been in more decades than he cared to remember, he scarcely realised that his limp was gone as he paced the floor, the injury disappearing in his death.

"Send him back - send him back now you bloody nuisance!"

Death paused for a moment before glancing up from the book he was reading. "I beg your pardon?"

He breathed in shakily, forcing himself to cease pacing and face the Shade. Freeing himself to set aside Gottlieb and take up the armour of patience and calmness that he had built over the years to protect himself. Gripping the back of the chair, he closed his eyes for a moment and repeated himself.

"Yes, and it is so good to see you too! Prithee, who are you know? It seems like only yesterday that we played chess together here..."

The immortal sighed, his hands white as they gripped the back of the chair. "Weapons may not travel between worlds; but as a doctor and as an immortal, I need not one to do away with you."

"Oh? And what good would that do? Little enough, for I am as trapped as an immortal as you are - you would only trap yourself further."

"Do not test me..."

Death suddenly sat forward, dropping his book atop his desk. "Would you really do such a thing? Condemn him to the same fate as you? To the same end as you?"

He breathed in sharply, but did not answer.

"Would you kill that part of him that is most dear, take away from him the only gift none can give? Would you curse him with that?" He watched the immortal for a moment. "What has he done to you?"

He stopped breathing, and slowly sank into the chair he had gripped so strongly.

"Breathe, or you'll fall unconscious and defeat your entire purpose in coming."

His eyes were still closed, but the man looked young and tired.

"Now, answer me as I asked: would you really ask that of me?"

The immortal was silent still, and he brought his hand to his head. When he finally did answer, his voice was almost inaudible. "No, I would not do that. Enough have partaken of that..."

Death watched him. "Would you ask for anything else?"

He shook his head. "No - he is gone. Better he think he perhaps meet me some day than to know he never shall." He smiled slightly behind his hand. "He will find enough to excite himself, I trust. Perhaps Daniel...?"

"No, you know he cannot visit here."

"Ah, yes. I did know that." He breathed in, and then slowly rose from the chair, opening his eyes and smiling slightly at the Shade. "I thank you for your hospitality - perhaps I shall visit again soon."

"No one else was in the room when you killed yourself."

"No - but Dr. Gottlieb has little left to do. Perhaps 'tis time I moved on before I expose myself needlessly." He bowed slightly. "Good bye, Death. Until the next time."

"You needn't sound so bitter..."

"Bitter? No - rather tired. An immortal can only exist so long as a mortal..." He turned and made his way to the door, his limp appearing out of habit.

While he turned away, Death reached out and picked up his ledger. "The name?"

"Hermann -"

"No - his!"

He turned back slightly, not quite facing the Shade. Death imagined dueling with him in the moment, how the profile offered a smaller target. "I already know Dr. Geizler's manner of death and that he died - what more is necessary?"

He muttered the name, searching through the recent entries. "...Perhaps confirmation? Did you check for a pulse?"

His smile was tight. "I am a doctor -"

"A mathmetician."

"I was a doctor, and he drifted alone with a completely unknown variable - there is no chance he survived."

He grimaced. "And yet Daniel outlived even a cat's version of a charmed life..."

The smile softened somewhat.

"Ah! Here is today - and there is no Dr. Geizler."

He sighed. "Newton Geizler - I am certain he is in there."

"There are none of either that surname nor Christian name within here - he is not dead."

He limped back, reaching for the ledger.

"This is-"

The immortal glared at the Shade. "Either cede it unto me, or I haunt you here."

Death sighed, letting him take the book from him. "You still won't find him."

"Nonetheless..." He looked through the pages, even turning back a few. "He...is not in here."

"Well, not for this at least - he has been in here before, of course."

He dropped the book back to the Shade's desk. "That means nothing, you know that." He reached out for the back of the chair again to steady himself, and Death held out a hand. He batted it away. "And you knew this."

"Of course I did - I am lord of this domain, after all."

He glared at Death. "You are despicable."

"I am certain that you have vast experience - tell me: you were certain that he was dead, yet you killed yourself and risked your secret to come rushing in here demanding his resurrection. Why?"

He sighed in exasperation. "Because while he is a bloody idiot, he is still a friend - a brother."

"A mortal?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes - is that so terrible? Surely there have been worse mistakes made than the weak vengeance of a bitter immortal..."

He sighed. "I never thought it was so bad - though I do miss your games."

He was silent, and slowly relaxed. "But for a little while yet, I would like to remain Hermann - I would live as a mortal, dealing with life as it comes."

Death nodded, understanding. "And how will your maintain your limp now that you have reset it?"

"Until I may take leave long enough to reeffect it, I shall merely have to consciously recreate it."

"I see - and as he did not die, with Newt drift again?"

He grimaced. "Ja, undoubtedly. He has not the sense not to do it."

"Alone, of course - for who would stand up to attempt such a thing."

He narrowed his eyes, staring at the Shade that nonchalantly glanced through the papers on his desk. "He must - he cannot know."

He looked up, meeting the immortal's eyes. "But would it really be so terrible?"

"You do not share a laboratory with him - I would never be rid of him! It would be like letting Lucas know."

"Henry did let Lucas know."

"Precisely."

"But then he would know your secret."

"What would that matter?"

Death laughed, shaking his head. "Only you would be so determined to protect yet push away at the same time. Chess?"

He hesitated, thinking of his partner lying on the cold floor of the laboratory.

"Time will not pass, of course - and then you may live out the remnant of Hermann Gottlieb's days in peace and safety."

He sighed, picking up a white piece from the desk for a moment. "The whole lot of immortals is insuffereable."

"Ah, but you were the one who would add Newton to our ranks."

"You call him that merely to annoy me."

He shrugged. "I expect our game will be continued later?"

"Yes - but feel no need to visit."

"No - I think there are others that require my card..."

AN: When did I begin to love Adam's character? When I met Farber. It didn't help that he was nearly the same as Gottlieb, so... This has been in the makings since I saw Farber. I don't know the canon for Pacific Rim, having only seen it twice; but this story is set approximately 2245 A.D. so that there is enough room between Forever canon and this story. And the 'Daniel' Jackson mentioned is Daniel Jackson. My headcanon here since I've only seen up to the fourth seriesis that after he finally DID die, he ascended, and so can still interact with the immortals. However, he cannot visit Death, else eh die Death. Death however CAN visit him... 8-30-2015