p style="text-align: left;" align="LEFT"strongDisclaimer: /strongYup, still don't own anything./p
p style="text-align: left;" align="LEFT"strongA/N:/strong This chapter is written more in Hermann's POV. /p
p style="text-align: center;" align="LEFT" /p
p style="text-align: center;" align="LEFT"strongChapter Two/strong/p
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann was starting to worry about Newton. Well, that wasn't entirely true – he always worried about the younger man, even when he pretended not to. Newton was reckless. He seemed to bounce through the world with the force of a hurricane, blindly pushing ahead without a single care for the consequences of his actions. At first, Newton's near-manic behavior put Hermann on edge in ways he couldn't even begin to describe. Never one to be known for his patience, Hermann found himself increasingly frustrated as he was forced to spend more time working with the biologist. It was like babysitting a hyperactive twelve year old hopped up on sweets./p
p align="LEFT"It took nearly three years for Hermann to finally accept Newton as he was – but that didn't mean he had to approve of the man's actions. Despite their frequent spats, their relationship had slowly developed into one of companionable coworkers. It wasn't even close to being considered a friendship, but it was better than being enemies. The rest of the Shatterdome had always pictured their relationship as something volatile, but Hermann knew that was far from the truth. They were both adults - even though Newton behaved less like one than most. They were both working toward a common goal and were more than capable of getting along when the moment called for it./p
p align="LEFT"That all changed with the drift./p
p align="LEFT"When Hermann was swept up in that powerful wave of blue he got a glimpse into Newton's life that he had never felt the urge to explore. He couldn't help the embarrassing blush that would creep up his neck at the thought of what Newton could have possibly seen on his end. Hermann considered himself a private man and in less than a minute he felt like his entire life was put on display for his lab partner to see. Thankfully, Newton kept quiet about whatever he had seen – acting as though nothing had changed between them. He knew that it was all a front, but he was grateful for it nonetheless./p
p align="LEFT"Hermann couldn't ignore, though, the near constant connection with his lab partner. Newton had always shifted between one powerful emotion and another at lightning speeds and he wasn't very good at hiding it, but with this new bond between them Hermann found himself getting caught up in the other man's emotions as well. He wasn't accustomed to such strong feelings, and when they came on they seemed to hit Hermann like a ton of bricks. And it was only getting worse. Since the drift, Newton seemed to be having a harder time reigning in his emotions than usual./p
p align="LEFT"To counteract this new development, Hermann threw himself head-first into his work. There was no longer a need for Jaeger coding but there was still plenty of information to be gathered from the Breach. Numbers had always been the one constant in Hermann's life and it was comforting that they would always be there for him to fall back on. Not only did it give him a sense of purpose, it helped make him feel more in control. In control over the chaos that surrounded him on a near daily basis. If he was distracted by his work, he wouldn't have to deal with whatever was challenging his resolve that day. However, his equations could only distract him for so long./p
p align="LEFT" /p
hr /
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann had been cooped up in the lab for well over six hours when he decided he needed a break. He hadn't seen Newton since the following evening and although a small part of him was concerned by this, Herman made a conscious effort not to be alarmed. Even before this whole mess, the biologist was prone to disappearing for hours if not days on end. It was any wonder how the man had managed to keep his job at all./p
p align="LEFT"It was in the mess hall where Hermann ran into Mako. She was sitting alone at the end of a long line of tables, a half-full tray of food sat before her undisturbed. Even though she seemed composed, it was clear to Hermann that she had just gotten done crying. Grabbing a tray of his own, he decided to join her./p
p align="LEFT""Dr. Gottlieb," Mako greeted quietly, cracking a large (albeit pretentious) smile and bowing slightly in greeting. Hermann had always respected the way the small Japanese girl managed to seem so strong, no matter the circumstance./p
p align="LEFT""Ms. Mori," he returned the bow. Hermann spent a minute pushing the food around his plate, waiting for Mako to feel comfortable enough to talk about whatever was weighing so heavily on her mind. It took less time than he had expected./p
p align="LEFT""I had never imagined a life after the war," she began quietly. "I suppose a part of me didn't want to think about it."/p
p align="LEFT"Shortly after the closing of the Breach, Mako had confessed to Hermann the strong bond she had shared with Marshal Pentecost. While the news came as little surprise, everyone knew there was something deeper there than a standard teacher/pupil relationship, it added a whole new layer to the already heavy feeling of loss that lingered in the air./p
p align="LEFT"After a minute she continued. "Now, though, I find myself wondering how things could have turned out. How different things would be if the Marshal-"/p
p align="LEFT"She cut herself off there, choking back a fresh wave of tears. Hermann reached across the table and placed a comforting hand on her wrist. "We have all lost something in this war, some more than others."/p
p align="LEFT"Mako nodded in agreement. "I am thankful that it is over."/p
p align="LEFT"A complacent silence grew between them as they both began to eat. Soon after, Raleigh came down the stairs and made a beeline for their table, a large grin plastered on his face. "Everything alright over here?"/p
p align="LEFT"Both pilots shared a look and Hermann knew they were sharing something through the Drift./p
p align="LEFT""Yes, quite," Hermann spoke up for them both./p
p align="LEFT""Great," Raleigh turned to the physicist with a genuine smile. "We're going out tonight for those drinks. You coming?"/p
p align="LEFT""I, uhm-"/p
p align="LEFT""Oh come on, you can't keep yourself locked up in this place forever. Besides, in just over a week we may never see each other again."/p
p align="LEFT"Although bittersweet, Hermann couldn't deny that Raleigh had a point. "Yes, I suppose you are correct. What time are you proposing?"/p
p align="LEFT""Nine?" He questioned, casting a glance at both of them. Hermann shrugged while Mako nodded, "It's settled, then. Nine o'clock. By the way, have you seen Newt at all today? I wanted to see if he was going to join us, but I can't seem to catch him."/p
p align="LEFT""I haven't seen him in a while," Hermann answered, the mild concern he had forgotten about beginning to rise once more. "I believe he is resting."/p
p align="LEFT""Well if you see him, make sure you relay the message," Raleigh smiled./p
p align="LEFT"The table dissolved into small-talk and before long Hermann excused himself, citing that he had a report to file. In truth, he was going to find his lab partner. Although inexperienced, he tried to feel his way to Newton through the drift. It proved to be problematic at best. Newton's personality had his presence jumping around throughout Hermann's mind, making it impossible to to determine exactly which direction they were coming from. Weighing his odds, he headed toward Newton's barrack./p
p align="LEFT"The heavy steel door to Newton's room was sealed tight when he got there. Hermann placed his ear to the door, trying in vain to hear anything on the other side. The silence stretched on uncomfortably. Perhaps the biologist was finally sleeping. A nagging feeling in the back of Hermann's mind told him that probably wasn't the case./p
p align="LEFT"Leaning most of his weight on his cane, Hermann knocked three times. When there wasn't an answer, he knocked again. Just as he was about to turn around and proceed to look elsewhere, he heard the lock begin to turn and the door slowly opened. Newton stood before him a disheveled mess, wearing the same clothes from the day before. His eyes were bloodshot and it was clear that he still hadn't been getting any sleep./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, what'd'ya want?" The question was only half annoyance, mostly the man just sounded tired./p
p align="LEFT""I've come to make sure you hadn't killed yourself by now." It was meant to be a joke (although, in hindsight, one in poor taste) but Newton's slight flinch made him instantly regret saying it./p
p align="LEFT""Sorry to disappoint," Newton glared./p
p align="LEFT"Quickly recovering, Hermann continued, "Mr. Beckett and Ms. Mori have requested our presence for drinks this evening."/p
p align="LEFT""Are you gonna go?" quirking an eyebrow, Newton crossed his arms and tried to convey a sense of leisure as he leaned against the door jamb./p
p align="LEFT""Yes, I'll be in attendance."/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann half expected him to turn down the invitation. While Newton was usually one to jump at the opportunity for a night on the town, his recent behavior made him think that he would rather be attempting to isolate himself all evening. Hermann was happily surprised, then, when Newton asked what time he should be ready./p
p align="LEFT" /p
hr /
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"The small bar was dark and cast aside from the rest of the city. Resting between two dilapidated buildings and halfway down a dark alleyway in a residential neighborhood, Tai Lung Fung was surprisingly busy. Hermann supposed he shouldn't be surprised. In the aftermath of the war there were two types of people – those looking to celebrate and those who needed to drown their losses with a stiff cocktail. The place seemed to be packed to the brim with both./p
p align="LEFT"It took Hermann's eyes a minute to adjust to the dim red lighting of the tavern, but once they did he quickly spotted the group he came looking for. Raleigh, Mako and Tendo were crammed around a tall table off to the side but close enough to the bar to get their drinks quickly. He scanned the room looking for Newton but saw no sign of his lab partner./p
p align="LEFT""Dr. Gottlieb, glad you could join us!" Mako called as he approached their table. He smiled at each of them in turn before taking a seat. "Can I get you something to drink?"/p
p align="LEFT""Ah, I'll just wait for a server to come by, no need to bother you."/p
p align="LEFT""It is no inconvenience," she smiled. "You will be sitting here forever waiting on a server, they're so busy."/p
p align="LEFT"With a grateful nod, he replied, "In that case, I suppose I'll take a scotch. Neat."/p
p align="LEFT"As she walked off toward the bar, Tendo clapped a friendly hand on his back that nearly sent Hermann reeling. "I didn't expect you to actually come!"/p
p align="LEFT""Well, I couldn't very well miss the party of the century," he smiled with a bit of embarrassment. Herman wasn't much of a bar-goer but even he couldn't deny it felt good to get out of the Shatterdome for a while. "Have either of you two seen Newton? He assured me that he would-"/p
p align="LEFT""I brought shots, bitches!" Newton suddenly skipped up to their table with four colorful shot glasses in his hands. "Oh, hey Hermann! I'm surprised your crotchety ass actually showed up! Here, I didn't get you one, so take mine!"/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann was about to protest but Newton shoved the drink into his hand before he got the chance. "I'll be right back with one more. If any of you drink yours before I get back I'm gonna be seriously pissed!"/p
p align="LEFT"Newton winked and turned around to leave. He must have run into Mako at the bar because they returned arm in arm a minute later. She placed Hermann's scotch down on the table before lifting her shot in the air and the others quickly followed suit./p
p align="LEFT""What are we toasting to?" Hermann asked./p
p align="LEFT"Mako paused for a second before saying with a bittersweet smile, "To canceling the apocalypse."/p
p align="LEFT""To canceling the apocalypse!"/p
p align="LEFT"They all cheered and downed their shots, each pulling a unique face at the taste. Surprisingly, Hermann seemed to handle the liquor better than all of them. From there the festivities were in full swing. Newton sat enamored as he listened to Raleigh describe the final battle against Slattern, already dreaming up the tattoo he would soon be getting of the mighty beast. It was nice to seem him smile again. Hermann and Tendo discussed their plans for after the closing of the Shatterdome, the LOCCENT Officer planning to return to the states to finally begin building his life with his family. Hermann found himself loosening up a bit and actually enjoying himself./p
p align="LEFT"Newton, for his part, spent his time rushing back and forth to the bar to provide more shots - "It's on me, guys!" - determined to get every single one of them as drunk as possible. It was after the fifth round that Mako called it quits. Raleigh only made it two more./p
p align="LEFT""They're good kids," Tendo grinned as the two Rangers made their exit. Hermann nodded in agreement. After the trials they had been through they both deserved a break. Hermann only took slight notice as Newton took that moment to wander into the throng of people lingering in the bar. "So, when are you and Newt gonna finally hook up?"/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann nearly spat out his drink. "I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about."/p
p align="LEFT""Sure," he smiled knowingly./p
p align="LEFT"The mathematician caught site of Newton bouncing around the dance floor, flailing about wildly with reckless abandon. Hermann envied that quality in the younger man. It seemed that he didn't have a care in the world, despite some of the rather nasty looks he was getting. At the same time, it had him slightly concerned. Newton had been displaying some serious symptoms of emotional instability as of late and Hermann was worried that this high note that he was floating on would quickly disintegrate. He knew from experience that any strong feeling, whether positive or negative, would ultimately exhaust the man emotionally. A bass heavy dance song was pouring loudly from the speakers and Hermann watched as Newton sidled up against a young (admittedly handsome) Chinese man./p
p align="LEFT""So, how old's your boy now?" Hermann cleared his throat and changed the topic. Tendo tactfully allowed the subject of Hermann's personal life drop and they moved on to another subject./p
p align="LEFT"While Hermann was engaged in the conversation, he couldn't help but watch Newton out of the corner of his eye. He never returned to the table./p
p align="LEFT"Tendo took his leave a half-hour later, saying something about how there wasn't enough coffee in the world to treat tomorrow's hangover before sauntering out of the bar and into the waiting cab outside. Hermann had offered to pick up the check for their last few drinks and as he made his way up to the bar to pay he bumped into Newton. He laughed as they collided and Hermann couldn't help but notice that his fingers were linked tightly with the man beside him./p
p align="LEFT""I believe it's time for me to take my leave," Hermann shouted over the music, which seemed to be louder on this side of the bar, silently hoping that Newton would join him. "Would you care to share a taxi back with me?"/p
p align="LEFT""Nah man, I'm gonna hang out with Li Yong here for a bit," Newton grinned drunkenly, wrapping an arm around the slightly taller Chinese man beside him. Hermann tried to hide his disappointment./p
p align="LEFT""Right. Yes. Well, I'll just get to it, then." He hated how he stumbled over his words./p
p align="LEFT"After he paid and turned to leave, he heard Newton shout behind him, "Don't wait up, Herms!"/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann hated the feeling of jealousy that rose up from his stomach. He didn't bother to turn around./p
p align="LEFT" /p
hr /
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann had more to be worried about than Newton's extracurricular activities. After all, despite appearing otherwise, the younger man was capable of taking care of himself./p
p align="LEFT"Because of the downsizing of staff, the Shatterdome was blanketed in silence as Hermann returned to his personal barracks. He had become so used to the constant movement of the floating base that the silence seemed almost deafening. Needing a distraction from the lack of noise, Hermann made his way over to a small table-top speaker and turned it on - Brahms' Paganini Variations softly filling the room in stark contrast to the loud music of the bar from before. A heavy buzz, though nowhere near drunk, had settled over him as he sat down at his desk and opened his email. Several messages clogged his inbox, but only one caught his eye. It was from Vanessa and it was marked 'Urgent.'/p
p align="LEFT"His hand began to tremble slightly as he moved to open the message. Five months earlier, Vanessa had called with the news that she was pregnant. It lined up perfectly with his last visit home the previous season and although he was happy to hear the news, at the time Hermann couldn't help but display his dissatisfaction at this turn in events. Now was not the time to bring a child into this world, he had wrongfully scolded her. He knew that his anger was displaced, that he was just frustrated with his job and the ever increasing number of kaiju attacks; but still he ended up treating her as if this were all her fault. She didn't talk to him for close to a month after that./p
p align="LEFT"Now that the war was officially over, Hermann finally allowed himself to feel the excitement that he had been avoiding. He was going to be a father, to a beautiful baby girl no less, and the idea of that was both terrifying and elating. She was due to deliver in a few week's time and Hermann was looking forward to being there every step of the way./p
p align="LEFT"His eyes quickly scanned over the message, his mind automatically homing in on the words 'doctors,' 'complications,' and 'terrified.' Hermann's heart began to hammer as he read the message three times over. The baby was fine; she had to be fine. Vanessa had recently been showing signs of preeclampsia but the doctors had assured them that they would fade after the birth. While terrifying, it was manageable. According to the email, though, the symptoms were only getting worse./p
p align="LEFT"Chest tight, he practically jammed his finger down on the 'Vidcall' option on the computer and clicked on Vanessa's contact. It rang several times with no answer. It was only eight in the evening in Berlin, there was no reason for her not to pick up. Hermann tried calling several more times, panic rising in his chest with each unanswered ring. Suddenly, the concerto music that had normally provided him peace was now loud and aggravating, and Hermann found himself across the room and throwing the offending speaker against the wall. He tried to stifle his anger as he sat back down and reopened his email. He quickly typed out a desperate response, hitting the 'Send' button while simultaneously gnawing at a hangnail on his left hand. /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann sat up the remainder of a night, his terror only growing as Vanessa's response never came./p
p style="text-align: left;" align="LEFT"strongA/N:/strong This chapter is written more in Hermann's POV. /p
p style="text-align: center;" align="LEFT" /p
p style="text-align: center;" align="LEFT"strongChapter Two/strong/p
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann was starting to worry about Newton. Well, that wasn't entirely true – he always worried about the younger man, even when he pretended not to. Newton was reckless. He seemed to bounce through the world with the force of a hurricane, blindly pushing ahead without a single care for the consequences of his actions. At first, Newton's near-manic behavior put Hermann on edge in ways he couldn't even begin to describe. Never one to be known for his patience, Hermann found himself increasingly frustrated as he was forced to spend more time working with the biologist. It was like babysitting a hyperactive twelve year old hopped up on sweets./p
p align="LEFT"It took nearly three years for Hermann to finally accept Newton as he was – but that didn't mean he had to approve of the man's actions. Despite their frequent spats, their relationship had slowly developed into one of companionable coworkers. It wasn't even close to being considered a friendship, but it was better than being enemies. The rest of the Shatterdome had always pictured their relationship as something volatile, but Hermann knew that was far from the truth. They were both adults - even though Newton behaved less like one than most. They were both working toward a common goal and were more than capable of getting along when the moment called for it./p
p align="LEFT"That all changed with the drift./p
p align="LEFT"When Hermann was swept up in that powerful wave of blue he got a glimpse into Newton's life that he had never felt the urge to explore. He couldn't help the embarrassing blush that would creep up his neck at the thought of what Newton could have possibly seen on his end. Hermann considered himself a private man and in less than a minute he felt like his entire life was put on display for his lab partner to see. Thankfully, Newton kept quiet about whatever he had seen – acting as though nothing had changed between them. He knew that it was all a front, but he was grateful for it nonetheless./p
p align="LEFT"Hermann couldn't ignore, though, the near constant connection with his lab partner. Newton had always shifted between one powerful emotion and another at lightning speeds and he wasn't very good at hiding it, but with this new bond between them Hermann found himself getting caught up in the other man's emotions as well. He wasn't accustomed to such strong feelings, and when they came on they seemed to hit Hermann like a ton of bricks. And it was only getting worse. Since the drift, Newton seemed to be having a harder time reigning in his emotions than usual./p
p align="LEFT"To counteract this new development, Hermann threw himself head-first into his work. There was no longer a need for Jaeger coding but there was still plenty of information to be gathered from the Breach. Numbers had always been the one constant in Hermann's life and it was comforting that they would always be there for him to fall back on. Not only did it give him a sense of purpose, it helped make him feel more in control. In control over the chaos that surrounded him on a near daily basis. If he was distracted by his work, he wouldn't have to deal with whatever was challenging his resolve that day. However, his equations could only distract him for so long./p
p align="LEFT" /p
hr /
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann had been cooped up in the lab for well over six hours when he decided he needed a break. He hadn't seen Newton since the following evening and although a small part of him was concerned by this, Herman made a conscious effort not to be alarmed. Even before this whole mess, the biologist was prone to disappearing for hours if not days on end. It was any wonder how the man had managed to keep his job at all./p
p align="LEFT"It was in the mess hall where Hermann ran into Mako. She was sitting alone at the end of a long line of tables, a half-full tray of food sat before her undisturbed. Even though she seemed composed, it was clear to Hermann that she had just gotten done crying. Grabbing a tray of his own, he decided to join her./p
p align="LEFT""Dr. Gottlieb," Mako greeted quietly, cracking a large (albeit pretentious) smile and bowing slightly in greeting. Hermann had always respected the way the small Japanese girl managed to seem so strong, no matter the circumstance./p
p align="LEFT""Ms. Mori," he returned the bow. Hermann spent a minute pushing the food around his plate, waiting for Mako to feel comfortable enough to talk about whatever was weighing so heavily on her mind. It took less time than he had expected./p
p align="LEFT""I had never imagined a life after the war," she began quietly. "I suppose a part of me didn't want to think about it."/p
p align="LEFT"Shortly after the closing of the Breach, Mako had confessed to Hermann the strong bond she had shared with Marshal Pentecost. While the news came as little surprise, everyone knew there was something deeper there than a standard teacher/pupil relationship, it added a whole new layer to the already heavy feeling of loss that lingered in the air./p
p align="LEFT"After a minute she continued. "Now, though, I find myself wondering how things could have turned out. How different things would be if the Marshal-"/p
p align="LEFT"She cut herself off there, choking back a fresh wave of tears. Hermann reached across the table and placed a comforting hand on her wrist. "We have all lost something in this war, some more than others."/p
p align="LEFT"Mako nodded in agreement. "I am thankful that it is over."/p
p align="LEFT"A complacent silence grew between them as they both began to eat. Soon after, Raleigh came down the stairs and made a beeline for their table, a large grin plastered on his face. "Everything alright over here?"/p
p align="LEFT"Both pilots shared a look and Hermann knew they were sharing something through the Drift./p
p align="LEFT""Yes, quite," Hermann spoke up for them both./p
p align="LEFT""Great," Raleigh turned to the physicist with a genuine smile. "We're going out tonight for those drinks. You coming?"/p
p align="LEFT""I, uhm-"/p
p align="LEFT""Oh come on, you can't keep yourself locked up in this place forever. Besides, in just over a week we may never see each other again."/p
p align="LEFT"Although bittersweet, Hermann couldn't deny that Raleigh had a point. "Yes, I suppose you are correct. What time are you proposing?"/p
p align="LEFT""Nine?" He questioned, casting a glance at both of them. Hermann shrugged while Mako nodded, "It's settled, then. Nine o'clock. By the way, have you seen Newt at all today? I wanted to see if he was going to join us, but I can't seem to catch him."/p
p align="LEFT""I haven't seen him in a while," Hermann answered, the mild concern he had forgotten about beginning to rise once more. "I believe he is resting."/p
p align="LEFT""Well if you see him, make sure you relay the message," Raleigh smiled./p
p align="LEFT"The table dissolved into small-talk and before long Hermann excused himself, citing that he had a report to file. In truth, he was going to find his lab partner. Although inexperienced, he tried to feel his way to Newton through the drift. It proved to be problematic at best. Newton's personality had his presence jumping around throughout Hermann's mind, making it impossible to to determine exactly which direction they were coming from. Weighing his odds, he headed toward Newton's barrack./p
p align="LEFT"The heavy steel door to Newton's room was sealed tight when he got there. Hermann placed his ear to the door, trying in vain to hear anything on the other side. The silence stretched on uncomfortably. Perhaps the biologist was finally sleeping. A nagging feeling in the back of Hermann's mind told him that probably wasn't the case./p
p align="LEFT"Leaning most of his weight on his cane, Hermann knocked three times. When there wasn't an answer, he knocked again. Just as he was about to turn around and proceed to look elsewhere, he heard the lock begin to turn and the door slowly opened. Newton stood before him a disheveled mess, wearing the same clothes from the day before. His eyes were bloodshot and it was clear that he still hadn't been getting any sleep./p
p align="LEFT""Yeah, what'd'ya want?" The question was only half annoyance, mostly the man just sounded tired./p
p align="LEFT""I've come to make sure you hadn't killed yourself by now." It was meant to be a joke (although, in hindsight, one in poor taste) but Newton's slight flinch made him instantly regret saying it./p
p align="LEFT""Sorry to disappoint," Newton glared./p
p align="LEFT"Quickly recovering, Hermann continued, "Mr. Beckett and Ms. Mori have requested our presence for drinks this evening."/p
p align="LEFT""Are you gonna go?" quirking an eyebrow, Newton crossed his arms and tried to convey a sense of leisure as he leaned against the door jamb./p
p align="LEFT""Yes, I'll be in attendance."/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann half expected him to turn down the invitation. While Newton was usually one to jump at the opportunity for a night on the town, his recent behavior made him think that he would rather be attempting to isolate himself all evening. Hermann was happily surprised, then, when Newton asked what time he should be ready./p
p align="LEFT" /p
hr /
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"The small bar was dark and cast aside from the rest of the city. Resting between two dilapidated buildings and halfway down a dark alleyway in a residential neighborhood, Tai Lung Fung was surprisingly busy. Hermann supposed he shouldn't be surprised. In the aftermath of the war there were two types of people – those looking to celebrate and those who needed to drown their losses with a stiff cocktail. The place seemed to be packed to the brim with both./p
p align="LEFT"It took Hermann's eyes a minute to adjust to the dim red lighting of the tavern, but once they did he quickly spotted the group he came looking for. Raleigh, Mako and Tendo were crammed around a tall table off to the side but close enough to the bar to get their drinks quickly. He scanned the room looking for Newton but saw no sign of his lab partner./p
p align="LEFT""Dr. Gottlieb, glad you could join us!" Mako called as he approached their table. He smiled at each of them in turn before taking a seat. "Can I get you something to drink?"/p
p align="LEFT""Ah, I'll just wait for a server to come by, no need to bother you."/p
p align="LEFT""It is no inconvenience," she smiled. "You will be sitting here forever waiting on a server, they're so busy."/p
p align="LEFT"With a grateful nod, he replied, "In that case, I suppose I'll take a scotch. Neat."/p
p align="LEFT"As she walked off toward the bar, Tendo clapped a friendly hand on his back that nearly sent Hermann reeling. "I didn't expect you to actually come!"/p
p align="LEFT""Well, I couldn't very well miss the party of the century," he smiled with a bit of embarrassment. Herman wasn't much of a bar-goer but even he couldn't deny it felt good to get out of the Shatterdome for a while. "Have either of you two seen Newton? He assured me that he would-"/p
p align="LEFT""I brought shots, bitches!" Newton suddenly skipped up to their table with four colorful shot glasses in his hands. "Oh, hey Hermann! I'm surprised your crotchety ass actually showed up! Here, I didn't get you one, so take mine!"/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann was about to protest but Newton shoved the drink into his hand before he got the chance. "I'll be right back with one more. If any of you drink yours before I get back I'm gonna be seriously pissed!"/p
p align="LEFT"Newton winked and turned around to leave. He must have run into Mako at the bar because they returned arm in arm a minute later. She placed Hermann's scotch down on the table before lifting her shot in the air and the others quickly followed suit./p
p align="LEFT""What are we toasting to?" Hermann asked./p
p align="LEFT"Mako paused for a second before saying with a bittersweet smile, "To canceling the apocalypse."/p
p align="LEFT""To canceling the apocalypse!"/p
p align="LEFT"They all cheered and downed their shots, each pulling a unique face at the taste. Surprisingly, Hermann seemed to handle the liquor better than all of them. From there the festivities were in full swing. Newton sat enamored as he listened to Raleigh describe the final battle against Slattern, already dreaming up the tattoo he would soon be getting of the mighty beast. It was nice to seem him smile again. Hermann and Tendo discussed their plans for after the closing of the Shatterdome, the LOCCENT Officer planning to return to the states to finally begin building his life with his family. Hermann found himself loosening up a bit and actually enjoying himself./p
p align="LEFT"Newton, for his part, spent his time rushing back and forth to the bar to provide more shots - "It's on me, guys!" - determined to get every single one of them as drunk as possible. It was after the fifth round that Mako called it quits. Raleigh only made it two more./p
p align="LEFT""They're good kids," Tendo grinned as the two Rangers made their exit. Hermann nodded in agreement. After the trials they had been through they both deserved a break. Hermann only took slight notice as Newton took that moment to wander into the throng of people lingering in the bar. "So, when are you and Newt gonna finally hook up?"/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann nearly spat out his drink. "I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about."/p
p align="LEFT""Sure," he smiled knowingly./p
p align="LEFT"The mathematician caught site of Newton bouncing around the dance floor, flailing about wildly with reckless abandon. Hermann envied that quality in the younger man. It seemed that he didn't have a care in the world, despite some of the rather nasty looks he was getting. At the same time, it had him slightly concerned. Newton had been displaying some serious symptoms of emotional instability as of late and Hermann was worried that this high note that he was floating on would quickly disintegrate. He knew from experience that any strong feeling, whether positive or negative, would ultimately exhaust the man emotionally. A bass heavy dance song was pouring loudly from the speakers and Hermann watched as Newton sidled up against a young (admittedly handsome) Chinese man./p
p align="LEFT""So, how old's your boy now?" Hermann cleared his throat and changed the topic. Tendo tactfully allowed the subject of Hermann's personal life drop and they moved on to another subject./p
p align="LEFT"While Hermann was engaged in the conversation, he couldn't help but watch Newton out of the corner of his eye. He never returned to the table./p
p align="LEFT"Tendo took his leave a half-hour later, saying something about how there wasn't enough coffee in the world to treat tomorrow's hangover before sauntering out of the bar and into the waiting cab outside. Hermann had offered to pick up the check for their last few drinks and as he made his way up to the bar to pay he bumped into Newton. He laughed as they collided and Hermann couldn't help but notice that his fingers were linked tightly with the man beside him./p
p align="LEFT""I believe it's time for me to take my leave," Hermann shouted over the music, which seemed to be louder on this side of the bar, silently hoping that Newton would join him. "Would you care to share a taxi back with me?"/p
p align="LEFT""Nah man, I'm gonna hang out with Li Yong here for a bit," Newton grinned drunkenly, wrapping an arm around the slightly taller Chinese man beside him. Hermann tried to hide his disappointment./p
p align="LEFT""Right. Yes. Well, I'll just get to it, then." He hated how he stumbled over his words./p
p align="LEFT"After he paid and turned to leave, he heard Newton shout behind him, "Don't wait up, Herms!"/p
p align="LEFT"Hermann hated the feeling of jealousy that rose up from his stomach. He didn't bother to turn around./p
p align="LEFT" /p
hr /
p align="LEFT" /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann had more to be worried about than Newton's extracurricular activities. After all, despite appearing otherwise, the younger man was capable of taking care of himself./p
p align="LEFT"Because of the downsizing of staff, the Shatterdome was blanketed in silence as Hermann returned to his personal barracks. He had become so used to the constant movement of the floating base that the silence seemed almost deafening. Needing a distraction from the lack of noise, Hermann made his way over to a small table-top speaker and turned it on - Brahms' Paganini Variations softly filling the room in stark contrast to the loud music of the bar from before. A heavy buzz, though nowhere near drunk, had settled over him as he sat down at his desk and opened his email. Several messages clogged his inbox, but only one caught his eye. It was from Vanessa and it was marked 'Urgent.'/p
p align="LEFT"His hand began to tremble slightly as he moved to open the message. Five months earlier, Vanessa had called with the news that she was pregnant. It lined up perfectly with his last visit home the previous season and although he was happy to hear the news, at the time Hermann couldn't help but display his dissatisfaction at this turn in events. Now was not the time to bring a child into this world, he had wrongfully scolded her. He knew that his anger was displaced, that he was just frustrated with his job and the ever increasing number of kaiju attacks; but still he ended up treating her as if this were all her fault. She didn't talk to him for close to a month after that./p
p align="LEFT"Now that the war was officially over, Hermann finally allowed himself to feel the excitement that he had been avoiding. He was going to be a father, to a beautiful baby girl no less, and the idea of that was both terrifying and elating. She was due to deliver in a few week's time and Hermann was looking forward to being there every step of the way./p
p align="LEFT"His eyes quickly scanned over the message, his mind automatically homing in on the words 'doctors,' 'complications,' and 'terrified.' Hermann's heart began to hammer as he read the message three times over. The baby was fine; she had to be fine. Vanessa had recently been showing signs of preeclampsia but the doctors had assured them that they would fade after the birth. While terrifying, it was manageable. According to the email, though, the symptoms were only getting worse./p
p align="LEFT"Chest tight, he practically jammed his finger down on the 'Vidcall' option on the computer and clicked on Vanessa's contact. It rang several times with no answer. It was only eight in the evening in Berlin, there was no reason for her not to pick up. Hermann tried calling several more times, panic rising in his chest with each unanswered ring. Suddenly, the concerto music that had normally provided him peace was now loud and aggravating, and Hermann found himself across the room and throwing the offending speaker against the wall. He tried to stifle his anger as he sat back down and reopened his email. He quickly typed out a desperate response, hitting the 'Send' button while simultaneously gnawing at a hangnail on his left hand. /p
p align="LEFT"Hermann sat up the remainder of a night, his terror only growing as Vanessa's response never came./p