I'm sorry this has taken so long. Since I've gotten back to campus I haven't really had the chance to sit down and watch the movie so I could write this. I know it's short, I'm not happy with that but this seemed like a good place to jump in and stop before I go on my spring break. In this chapter, Romani wakes up on the river, Sylph and Angel decide that breaking into the base where the other Jaegers have gathered is the best idea, and Gwen sends Charlie off with a friend.

I don't own anything in here...except for Romani, his siblings and any unrecognizable name from Pacific Rim and Godzilla (2014).

Chapter 8

"Wake up, sleepy-head," a soft voice crooned.

"I don't want to wake up, Mom," Romani murmured, eyes shut, "It's cold,"

"The Hunt is about to begin…" came his mother's voice, "You need to suit up,"

Romani's golden eyes cracked open, he winced as sunlight stabbed at them. He tried to get up, only to feel the mud on his skin cracking. He could barely make out the smooth, lightly tanned skin on his arms, as well as the stark black Jaeger call-sign.

"Great, it wasn't a dream," he thought as he coughed, spitting water.

He closed his eyes again. The whole unit was dead…he was alone, saved by his inhuman heritage. But it hurt to move, no one would come looking. He would die here, Charlie and Gwen wouldn't see him again. But at least he'd see his parents…

"Romani! Get your butt up and move!" his mother's voice seemed to yell, "Don't just lay there! Think of Gwen! Of Charlie!"

"But I'm so tired, Mom…" he thought, "Let me sleep…please…it hurts…"

His heightened sense of hearing picked up the thwap of…propellers? Wait…was that a chopper?

The young Jaeger struggled to roll onto his belly, his vision resetting and he gave a cry of relief. It was a chopper! And there were people! He wasn't gonna die in this god-forsaken place!

Romani painfully got to his feet and started stumbling towards the group of soldiers, he could hear shouting as he came to a stop, his body trembling…right as one of the soldiers spotted him. The soldier signaled to the others, pointing at Romani…and the mud covered Jaeger smiled as his knees buckled and darkness rushed in again.

"See?" Sylph whispered as she jumped over the fence, "Sneaking in can be fun!"

Angel shot her sister a glare as she hit the ground gracefully.

"Our aunts and uncles all work for this place," she deadpanned, "I don't see why we have to sneak in when we could have asked them!"

"Because when have they ever given us a straight answer, huh?" Sylph asked.

She crept forwards and picked the lock on the door before speaking again.

"And the sooner I get to the bottom of this…" she growled, gesturing at her molten gold gaze, "The better!"

"Since when did you learn to pick a lock?" Angel asked.

"Oh, sister dear, there are a lot of things you don't know about me," she chuckled, "I could write tons of books on what you don't know,"

"I'd rather not, thank you very much,"

"See? You're so…angelic, Ange," Sylph snorted as she and her sister went through the halls, "And beside, you want to know what's going on just as much as I do…otherwise you'd be back at home instead of…"

"Breaking and entering?"

"Ugh, that's such an ugly phrase," Sylph scoffed, "I prefer inviting myself inside,"

"It's a miracle you haven't been sent to juvie,"

"The best never get caught," Sylph replied with a wicked grin, "But…once the little guy gets here…I'll have to hang up my desperado mantle and be a 'goody-two-shoes'…ugh!"

"You do realize the only reason I'm here is to find out what's wrong with us…especially Gipsy,"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Sylph snorted, blowing a red bang out of her eyes as she knelt down next to a door and picked that lock too.

The two women snuck into the file room, Sylph tossed her sister a flashlight before flicking her own on.

"Do you even know what you're looking for?" Angel asked.

"I'll know it when I find it,"

The two women searched through the files until Angel gasped.

"What? What is it!?" Sylph demanded, rushing her sister.

Angel held up a weathered photograph of six teenagers of different nationalities. All of them sported golden eyes except for one who sported crystal blue ones. But it was the two in the middle that made Sylph's blood run cold.

It was their parents.

"This was dated twenty some years ago," Angel told her, "During the second Kaiju War. Notice anything different?"

"They're in the Shatterdome," Sylph supplied, "Looks like the Jaeger bay to me…"

"Yep, but look closer. What's missing?"

"I…don't see any Jaegers?" Sylph stated, "They could be on a mission or something, Ange,"

"And be that relaxed for a picture?"

"Look," Sylph sighed, "I know you miss Mama…and since Dad died…well, it's been hard emotionally. Ange, it's just a picture, you can keep it if you want,"

"Sylph, their eyes," Angel insisted, "Look! A lot of them are the same gold as ours. Mom and Dad's eyes were blue when Mom died,"

"So?"

Angel sighed, "I don't know…but I have a feeling it's important…"

Suddenly the door opened, making both women jump as a flashlight shone on their faces.

"Wha' in the world are y' two doin' in 'ere?!"

Charlie had jammed his fists into his ears, eyes screwed shut as a soft, stuttering whimper rose in his chest. Everything was so loud and too much! Gwen put a gentle hand on her son's shoulder. She'd just seen Romani's 'uncle' Zhu Wei Tang…Crimson Typhoon in reality…and the Jaeger had warned her that with Charlie being half Jaeger the boy's senses might go on overdrive. Especially his hearing and sight.

"Hurts," Charlie whimpered, "Too much…"

"I know baby," Gwen crooned, "It's ok, I promise. Remember what Uncle Crimson said? He said that it would happen for a few minutes but it'd be ok after that,"

Charlie cracked open a golden eye and looked at her with a 'really?' glare. Gwen brought him closer to her and a soft, gentle purr rumbled in his chest before Charlie realized what he was doing and put a hand on his sternum.

"I sound like a kitty," he griped.

Gwen gave a soft laugh before looking up…and seeing a doctor wheeling one of her patients towards the door.

"Stay right here, sweetie," Gwen ordered as she walked up to confront the doctor, "Excuse me! These patients are my responsibility, where are you taking them?"

"Across the bridges," a soldier told her, "Critical and children only,"

"Shelters are gonna fill up fast," Lani added, "Trust me, they'll be safer outside the city. I can take Charlie…"

Gwen's eyes steeled. After what Crimson told her about the group hunting down Jaegers, she didn't want her little boy to become a target.

"No," she told Lani, "Romani's on his way,"

"If you change your mind," Lani tried again, "The buses leave in ten minutes,"

Gwen nodded before looking around for her husband's tall form.

"C'mon, 'Mani…where are you?" she whispered.

A gentle tug on the edge of her scrubs caught her attention. Gwen looked down just to see Charlie's golden gaze looking up at her.

"Mommy," he started, "Where Daddy? I thought you say he be here?"

Gwen closed her eyes, thinking. Maybe getting Charlie out of the city was best…they'd take him to the shelter and Lani would keep a sharp eye on him. No one would get him…

"Come with me, Charlie," she told him, picking him up and running out of the hospital.

Romani watched the other choppers in the formation break off, taking the warhead with it.

"Where are they taking it?" he asked the soldier next to him.

"Twenty miles offshore," the soldier replied, "Convergence point. We're gonna lure them there. Three birds, one stone,"

Romani's golden gaze looked at the rapidly disappearing choppers. This…could not end well.

"Wait!" Gwen yelled, standing in front of a bus, forcing it to stop.

The breaks screeched and Gwen ran to the other side as the driver opened the door. Lani's face was the one to greet her, much to Gwen's relief. Gwen set Charlie down and turned the half-Jaeger around to face her.

"Ok, Charlie," she told him, "You remember Lani? She's Mommy's work friend, right?"

Charlie gave a mute nod, his golden gaze questioning.

"She's gonna look after you for a little bit," Gwen continued, making Charlie's eyes flare almost sun-like as he shook his head violently.

"No!" he growled, a low rumble building in his throat, "I stay with you an' Daddy,"

"Daddy's gonna be here soon," Gwen promised, still not liking the stubborn look on her son's face…Crimson's wife, Mei had warned her that Jaegers were very protective and stubborn and when they made up their minds, it was nigh-impossible to change them, "And I'm gonna just come get you right after,"

She held his jaw-line in her hands, watching as his golden eyes flickered uncertainly.

"But Mommy…" he started.

"Butts are for sitting in," she told him, "Will you be good for Lani?"

Silence except for the low rumble from her child's form.

"Charlie…"

"…Otay," he grumbled unhappily.

Gwen gave a slight smile and embraced her son, making the rumbling turn into a contented purr.

"I'll see you soon," she promised as she kissed her son's forehead.

"C'mon, sweetheart," Lani started, touching Charlie's shoulder, "You're gonna come with me. Your mom's gonna stay and help. Gwen, I'm gonna take care of him, okay? Say 'bye-bye Mommy', Charlie,"

"Bye Mommy," Charlie shot a plaintive look at his mother before letting Lani take him to a seat.

Gwen stepped off the bus, letting the driver close the doors and drive away. She sincerely hoped and prayed that he would be alright…that she'd be alright…but most of all…

That Romani would be alright.

Next should be fun. Maybe we'll get to see a little bit of Tacit, Coyote, Cherno and Crimson action? Especially what happens when Cherno finds a tank...? Well, ya never know with me. Until next time!

Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Farewell and fair writing

Elhini Prime signing off.