I realise I am arriving 7 years too late to the party but I watched Pacific Rim and felt compelled to write Chuck Hansen the love story he deserved. And it turned into this...

Disclaimer: This is purely a work of fanfiction, I do not own Pacific Rim, only the original characters that appear here.

"Stop the world 'cause I wanna get off with you" - Arctic Monkeys

The Press surround Chuck and Herc as soon as they exit Striker Eureka, firing off questions about the latest Kaiju attack, the Wall, and the closure of the Sydney Shatterdome. He's barely listening, searching the faces in the crowd until he spies Jess leaning against a wall, Max's leash in hand to prevent the bulldog from bolting for his owner. She smiles and winks at him. He catches himself before he can react, remembering the cameras fixed on him. A journalist asks him about the future of the PPDC and he shoots his mouth off, performing for the camera. Jess waits for him to finish, out of the way to avoid drawing attention to herself.

When you are a Ranger, you are not only a solider but also a celebrity, dealing with adoring fans and paparazzi alike. As the youngest Ranger in the Pan Pacific Defence Corps to pilot a Jaeger, Chuck Hansen receives special interest (it helps he has the troubled hot-head persona the papers love to play up). When someone snapped a photo of him at seventeen on a date with some mystery girl later revealed to be Jessica Ramirez, a rising PPDC engineer, it went viral. For months afterwards it seemed all the gossip channels wanted to talk about was "Chess". He feared the publicity would scare her off, particularly when they started digging into her background, but Jess took it in her stride. She's never shown interest in the spotlight and doesn't let the media hounds rile her (only once has she flipped them off which is nothing compared to Chuck's record). If ever cornered she starts talking about STEM needing to be more inclusive of women at which point most reporters lose interest (Chuck keeps the articles praising Jess as a role model).

They have been going strong for nearly four years and as neither of them has cheated on the other the media hype has since died down. He still tries to keep his private life private but public relations are a core part of Chuck's career, as much as he hates the intrusion. If he can spare Jess that burden he will.

The interview comes to an abrupt end when the pleas for them to stay in Sydney begin and he stalks from the room unable to take any more. He's vaguely aware of Jess following (she must have left Max with another tech) but they don't acknowledge each other until they are far enough away, Chuck ducking into a storage cupboard with Jess sliding in after him. The door shuts and Jess crashes into him, mouths mashing together, tongues seeking the other out and damn, it's good to be alive.

Jess pulls back, flushed and grinning. He tries to follow but she dances out of his grip, laughing. "You need to get out of that Drivesuit before we go any further."

"Perfect, you can help," He tries, putting on his most charming smile but she waggles a finger at him.

"Uh, uh. Remember how much you complained last time you made a mess in the suit."

Chuck huffs. He hates that's she's right. She's always right.

"I just saved the city, don't I get something!"

Jess grins and prowls closer, leaning into him so that her lips graze his ear. "Oh, I'm sure we'll find a fitting reward for the big shot hero with his tenth Kaiju kill under his belt." She sucks on his earlobe and he shudders, then she's shoving him away. "But later. I'm not getting another lecture from Herc about leaving the suits out of the foreplay. Hell no."

Chuck groans. Trust his dad to cockblock him.

"Can we at least make-out a little longer?" He hates how pathetic he sounds but when it comes to Jess he is not above begging.

She smiles and winds her arms around his neck. "Sure, babe."

They don't speak again for a while.

Jess pulls back first. "Okay, that's enough for now."

It doesn't feel like enough – it could never be enough – but he doesn't protest this time. It's getting close to the techs hunting him down (again) and the suit is starting to chafe.

"Have you spoken to your family?" He asks instead, patting his hair down so it's less telling (but half-heartedly because hey his girlfriend's hot and he's not above flaunting the fact).

Like his mum, most of Jess's family were killed in the 2014 Sydney attack, leaving her and her older sister as orphans. Fortunately, they had an aunt and uncle on the outskirts who were able to take them in. Her uncle was a mechanic and her aunt a RAAF pilot, when the Sydney Shatterdome opened they enlisted with the PPDC and were soon followed by a very determined Jess. Her older sister, Carina, kept out of the military becoming a doctor instead, now married with kids of her own, living in the suburbs. This was the third Christmas he spent with them. They are good people and mean the world to Jess; it's nice being a part of a happy family.

"I called my sister while you were dealing with the cameras. Everyone's safe, thanks to you." She flashes him a grin but there's gratitude shining in her eyes. Jess doesn't worship him like his fans do and he doesn't want her to but he can't deny the pleasure he feels when she looks at him like that. It makes him believe he is a real hero. "Marco was shouting about how cool you are and Carrie says he won't put down the Striker action figure we gave him for Chrissie. He's pretending to battle Kaiju and terrorising the cat."

Chuck smiles at the thought of Jess's five-year-old nephew. He's met fans before but it still surprises him how much the kid idolises him. Marco had him sign all his Striker Eureka merchandise (Chuck didn't realise they made Jaeger toothbrushes) and wouldn't stop talking about joining the PPDC when he's older and becoming a Ranger like Chuck. Neither he nor Jess mentioned there isn't going to be a PPDC for much longer.

"Glad they're alright."

"Yeah… I'm going to miss them," Jess sighs, fixing her ponytail.

"Jess- "

"So what was all that about mediocre pilots?" She cuts in.

He shrugs and looks away. "I had to give them something since we're not allowed to crap on their useless wall."

She must see he's holding something back but she doesn't call him out on it, which suggests there's something weighing on her mind too.

"I think Mutavore did a good enough job of that. The Wall might have worked if they'd weaponised it but now… guess we'll see what's in store for us in Hong Kong."

She glances down, unconsciously chewing on her thumb nail. He recognises the crease in her brow, can tell she's as unsettled about the move as he. Hell, the whole situation is a mess but orders are orders. He's a Ranger, he has to go, but she can stay with her family in Australia if she chooses.

"Jess, look- you don't have t- "

She turns on him, fierce. "Don't you dare. We've been over this, I'm coming with you to Hong Kong, not because of you but because it's where I'm needed, where I can do the most good. So shove your well-meaning bullshit, we're in this together for better or worse."

"Alright, alright. I respect your decision." He concedes, not wanting to fight, especially when he knows he won't win. "Just as well, we'd be lost without our best engineer."

He'd be lost without her.

Jess scoffs, but she's smiling. "You would say that, you play favourites."

"Nah, really, you've earned it. Dad says so too."

Jess rolls her eyes, but he can see she's flattered. "Yeah, well, let's see what I can do about the damage done today before they airlift Striker to Hong Kong."

"And then?" He presses, shamelessly.

Her lips stretch into a smirk and she gazes at him through her eyelashes.

"And then…" She coos, running a hand up his chest to cup his chin before bopping him on the nose and vanishing out the door.

Her laughter lingers in his ears even as she disappears and he sags against the shelves unable to stop a goofy grin from spreading. How did he get so lucky?

-x-

Chuck strides through the Sydney Shatterdome, the various techs and recruits taking one look at his face and darting out of his path. The old man's in another meeting, one Chuck can't attend because he's still too young and inexperienced, even though he's apparently old enough to fly giant robots into battle with monsters from another dimension. Too hot-headed, is what his father doesn't say. Chuck hears it anyway.

He's supposed to be walking Max but the bulldog's wandered off and now he has to find the great lump. It shouldn't be a surprise when he catches him with a pretty girl. Max is spread on his back, panting happily as the girl coos over him, rubbing his belly.

Chuck rolls his eyes at the shameless display. "Oi! Max!"

Instantly, Max is up on those chubby legs of his, sprinting to his owner. He may be a flirt but he's loyal and Chuck couldn't ask for a better companion. He crouches down to scratch him behind the ear, all prior irritation forgotten.

"Good boy."

"He's yours then?" The girl asks and holy shit Max sure knows how to pick 'em!

She's gorgeous. Wisps of caramel, a shade lighter than her skin, escape from a high ponytail, framing her face; she offers a bright smile, curling across her cheeks, adorned with dimples and dark beauty marks, towards warm hazelnut eyes. Chuck is dumbstruck and grunts in reply. He's not used to talking to girls; there hadn't been anyone his age at the PPDC when he was growing up and he hadn't mixed with the other students at the Academy, too focused on his studies and uninterested in their hero worship over his dad. Before he knew it he was strapped into a Jaeger and off to battle Kaiju. Love never fitted into all that. Sure, he has groupies, women who would throw themselves at him in a heartbeat but most of them are either too young or unsettlingly old and he's not interested in being fawned over anyway. As a result, he's a little unsure what to do when a pretty girl smiles at him like that and tries to make conversation.

"You're Chuck Hansen, right?"

"What, you want an autograph?" He wants to punch himself but he can't stop the reflex response to push everything and everyone away.

Her expression tightens, gaze sharpening. The change is barely perceivable but it's one he'll later recognise as a warning sign (abort, abort, abort).

"I'm Jess, Striker Eureka's newest engineer."

He straightens up, looking her over; upright she just about reaches his shoulders. She sports a faded green t-shirt and standard PPDC overalls, the top half knotted around her waist. There's some muscle in her arms but he can't imagine her handling heavy machinery. She can't be any older than him and the PPDC doesn't accept novices.

"Aren't you a little young?"

She cocks her hip and raises an eyebrow, staring him down. "I could say the same to you, Ranger."

He's heard that before. He straightens, oozing confidence. "I earned my place."

"So did I."

"We'll see."

"You will." He could cut himself on that smile, wants to press his lips to hers and see if he bleeds. She turns on her heel. "Bye, cutie."

Only when she's gone and he's picked his jaw off the floor does he realise she was talking to Max. He looks down at the bulldog, who stares back, happily panting away.

"Don't give me that look."

-x-

Hong Kong is incredible although so far most of what Jess has seen has been the inside of the Shatterdome. It's the same design as Sydney and the other branches she's visited but the vibe is completely different. Herc and the Marshal say the PPDC is a resistance now instead of a military and she sometimes feels like she's walking around a Star Wars set. The base is crammed with workers and machines yet strangely empty at the same time. They make a motley crew, people from around the globe, all walks of life, banding together for one last stand. Many are strangers to her, although a lot of the Sydney team transferred with Striker Eureka and there are others she's met before. She's happy to see Mako and Tendo again in spite of the circumstances.

It takes her a while to learn her way around but Mako provides a full tour. Most of her time is occupied by Striker repairs or in LOCCENT, but she occasionally scores some downtime with Chuck or the others (K-Science isn't her division but Newt and Hermann's spats are amusing to watch and she likes sparring with Mako and Sasha). She pushes aside thoughts of homesickness and the end of the world and focuses on the now. Chuck is a very good distraction.

Jess joins him for his routinely workout, acting as an additional weight on his back as he performs push-ups. It's fun and Jess takes the opportunity to jot down some designs in her sketchbook, while updating him on the latest chatter around base.

"Rumour has it Raleigh Beckett is returning to the PPDC. I guess he's going to pilot Gipsy Danger now she's restored."

Chuck scoffs. "That old has-been."

"Has-been?" You used to worship the Beckett Brothers, they were your heroes. Don't lie! I've seen the merch you keep hidden."

"That was before he ran off to god-knows-where. Don't see the use in bringing him back now."

Jess cranes her neck, wishing she could see his face. She can tell he's getting agitated because his movements are gaining force even though they have been at this for a while.

"We're at war, we need soldiers."

"Soldiers, not cowards."

"His brother died." She snaps. "His brother died on a mission while they were connected through the Drift! Are you really blaming him for wanting to get away? Imagine if that happened to you and your dad."

Chuck stills and Jess takes the opportunity to roll from his back, discarding her sketchbook and stretching out beside him. They are the only ones in this particular training room, there's no one to disturb and no one to disturb them.

"Whatever," Chuck grumbles, lowering himself so that he's lying beside her.

"Well, I'm excited," Jess says, pointedly ignoring his sourpuss attitude. "We'll finally get to see Gipsy Danger in action after all our hard work."

Although she belongs to Striker's squad, she also consulted on the Mark III Restoration Project for Gipsy and is looking forward to seeing the end result.

"Who do you think his co-pilot will be?"

Chucks shrugs, showing zero interest, and fiddles with a lock of her hair. "Some rookie, probably. A rookie and a has-been, fucking fantastic."

"I hope it's Mako. After everything she put into restoring Gipsy, she deserves it."

"Maybe, but the Marshal will never allow it. And you put a lot of work in too."

Jess grins, playfully. "Are you suggesting I climb into the cockpit with Beckett? I'm an engineer, not a pilot. I build the Jaegers, I don't fly them."

"Thank God."

"What? You don't think I'm cut out to be a Ranger?"

"No, I think I have enough to worry about fighting giant monsters from inside a giant robot without my girlfriend being strapped into one too," Chuck retorts with a rare seriousness and Jess struggles not to look away from the intensity of his gaze.

"I could handle myself," She mutters.

Chuck takes her hand and squeezes it. "I know you could, babe. Hell, you'd send those Kaiju scrambling back into their Breach, but Jess… this is war… not all of us come back…"

Jess cradles his hand to her cheek. "All the more reason to get whatever help you can. Even if it is a has-been, as you say."

"Whatever," Chuck mumbles. "Don't expect me to welcome him with open arms."

Jess smirks. "Chuck Hansen? Welcoming? Pfft, yeah no expectations there."

Chuck narrows his eyes at her, jaw clenching. "Right."

He lunges forward, catching her around the waist. She laughs and bats at him with her hands but he pulls her closer. They roll across the gym mats, wrestling one another and shrieking with laughter. For the moment all their fears of Kaiju, Jaegers and the rest of the world are forgotten, and it's just them: young and happy in love.

-x-

Raleigh is making his way through the Shatterdome's mess hall when Herc Hansen surprises him with a tray of food and an invite to join his table. Raleigh's hesitant at first, feeling like an interloper and wary of attracting any more attention, but the Aussie is insistent and too nice to say no to. Raleigh allows himself to be guided to a table occupied by two others and one dog. One of them is a young man who bears a striking resemblance to the Australian veteran and can only be Chuck Hansen, Herc's son and co-pilot (he remembers him from the news report, talking about mediocre pilots of the past). Next to him is Jess Ramirez, a J-Tech engineer who Mako introduced earlier; apparently, she was also involved in restoring Gipsy. She seemed nice enough when he met her, although there had been something mischievous to her smile that he didn't know how to interpret. Presently, she's fawning over Max, the Hansen's bulldog, but looks up at their approach (at least he can finally place her accent).

"I haven't seen bread in a while," Raleigh starts conversationally, taking a seat.

"Hong Kong. Beauty of an open port, no rationing," Herc explains. "We've got potatoes, peas, sweet beans, decent meat loaf."

Herc makes a request for the potato platter and Jess passes it over. Chuck clears his throat pointedly.

"Raleigh, this is my son, Chuck. He's my co-pilot now," Herc introduces. "And this lovely lady is his girlfriend, Jess, although we all agree she's completely out of his league."

Jess laughs and rests her head on Chuck's shoulder, smiling at Raleigh. "We met earlier. How was the rest of your tour?"

"Good, informative… Mako was very helpful."

The mischief returns to Jess's smile and Raleigh looks away quickly, not sure why he feels self-conscious all of a sudden.

"So you're the guy, eh?" Chuck says, staring Raleigh down with an open hostility the American doesn't understand. "You're the guy who's going to run defence for me in that old rust bucket of yours."

"Hey!" Jess exclaims, sitting up. "We worked hard on that so-called rust bucket."

Chuck spares her a glance that is almost apologetic before his focus goes back to Raleigh. "So when was the last time you jockeyed, Ray."

"Wow," Jess mutters, clearly unimpressed with her boyfriend's attitude.

Raleigh feels the same but attempts to be the better person. "About five years ago."

"What have you been doing for five years?" Chuck presses, despite the looks both Jess and Herc are shooting him. "Something pretty important, I reckon."

"I was in construction."

"Oh, wow, that's great," Chuck drawls. "Yeah, that's really useful. Y'know, I mean, we get into a fight, you can build our way out of it, eh, Ray?"

Raleigh has a vision of diving across the table and pummelling Chuck's smug face but manages to restrain himself, if only for Herc and Jess's sake.

"It's Raleigh," he grits out instead.

"Whatever," Chuck sneers. "Look, you're Pentecost's bright idea. My old man, he seems to like you but its guys like you who brought down the Jaeger program. To me you're dead weight." He stands up from the table, placing a snapback hat on his head. "You slow me down, I'm gonna drop you like a sack of Kaiju shit."

He makes a finger gun motion and Raleigh revisits the pummelling idea.

"I'll see you around, Rahleigh. Come on Max." Chuck struts out of the mess hall, the bulldog trotting after him. Raleigh expects Jess to follow but she merely stabs at her food.

"Because that wasn't at all hostile," he hears her murmur under her breath.

"You can blame me for that one," Herc apologises. "I raised him on my own. He's a smart kid, but I never knew whether to give him a hug or a kick in the ass."

Raleigh's brow lifts. So, he wasn't the only one with issue. Go figure.

"With respect, sir… I'm pretty sure which one he needs."

Herc looks a little startled but when he glances at Jess she grins at him.

"Good to have you here, Raleigh."

To his surprise, Raleigh finds himself smiling back.

-x-

Jess and Chuck share a room. When everything was packed-up and moved to Hong Kong they decided it would save space if they simply moved in together; by this point they were so wrapped up in one another anyway Chuck had basically moved into Jess's bunk already. The cabin was built for one person, making it especially cramped with the two of them and occasionally Max. But they are only there when they need to sleep or shower or other activities that require close proximity. Their schedules keep them both busy so they rarely get a chance to feel on top of each other (and when they do it's not in a bad way…). The only time it's a problem is during one of their rare disagreements and they are both too confrontational to let that drag out for long.

Normally, Jess is the one returning late (her work in J-Tech keeps her busier than his training) but tonight when Chuck finally gets back she's already asleep in bed. Quietly, he closes the door and removes his boots, his gaze never straying from her slumbering form. She's lovely, with loose waves of caramel spread across the pillow. She's wearing one of his shirts, oversized on her, the collar slipping down her shoulder to reveal delicious tan skin and the beginnings of a tattoo. She's perfect and he doesn't deserve her.

He changes out of his clothes and hovers at the edge of the bed, worried he will wake her. Hazel eyes flutter open and glower at him. "Mmm, get in the bed, dipstick."

Chuck hurriedly clambers in next to her, wrapping her in his arms so that her back's pressed against his front. She hums her satisfaction and Chuck allows himself to relax.

"You were an arse to Raleigh today."

Chuck groans, pressing his face into her hair (she smells like sweat and oil and it's intoxicating).

"I told you I wasn't going to be welcoming."

"You didn't have to be such a wanker."

"What were you expecting me to do? Ask for his autograph?"

"Sure, he could have signed all those posters and figurines you still have."

"Shut up," Chuck grumbles, though it lacks any bite.

Jess huffs and hugs the arms holding her. You suck at making friends."

Chuck splutters. "I don't want to make friends, least of all with that bastard."

"Well maybe you should." Jess rolls over and fixes him with a lopsided smile. "I mean the only people you're really close to are your dad, your dog, and me. You're kinda a loser."

"Christ, are you my girlfriend or my mother?"

"I'm serious, it's sad," Jess drawls, her finger absentmindedly tracing a pattern across the freckles on his chest. "You know I'm right."

Chuck snorts and pinches her thigh. "You're bossy is what you are. A bossy little busybody."

"Take that back!" Jess squawks, wrinkling her nose. She looks adorable.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Urghh!" Jess bats at his chest, inflicting zero damage. "Bite me."

Chuck grins, all teeth. "As you wish."

Jess shrieks with laughter as he sinks his teeth into her neck and gasps when he sucks on the spot. He pulls back, smirking and she pouts at him.

"You're lucky you're cute," she mutters, right before she kisses him.

"I'm very lucky," He agrees and rolls on top of her.

(Newton Geiszler once remarked that Jess and Chuck had the weirdest foreplay. Chuck thought he was a fine one to talk.)

-x-

After their initial encounter Jess is everywhere, around every bend, in every hallway. When he enters a room his eyes go straight to her, unable to ignore how she lights up the place. Even in his sleep, he can't escape, dreaming of soft lips and sparkling laughter. It doesn't help that Max is besotted, padding over to her as soon as he sees her, the traitorous mutt.

His dad finds out because you can't hide anything in the Drift. Herc is both amused and sympathetic, and for once tries to offer Chuck some awkward fatherly advice, which the teen finds utterly humiliating and stormily shuts down (harsher than is necessary but hey, it's a little late to start trying now). As usual, his attempts to suppress his more inconvenient emotions (fear, confusion, vulnerability) manifest into anger and if she hasn't already heard he's an arsehole, she knows now.

To her credit, she gives as good as she gets, never once backing down as they trade barbs. He can't stop himself from provoking her, even as he curses himself internally. Yet, she seems more entertained than irritated; it must be hilarious, watching him make a fool of himself. He tries to goad her, quibbling over her work. Striker Eureka is his pride and joy and he's not about to let some rookie engineer screw it up. Except it turns out she's some kind of prodigy and there's not a fault to be found. Her work is outstanding, her ideas innovative, any complaints soon crumble and he has to begrudgingly admit she knows what she's doing. When it comes down to it, he realises, he trusts her to take care of his Jaeger (which is to say he trusts her with his life).

And that's why when some jackass senior officials try to disparage her designs and accomplishments – citing her age, gender, and heritage (whatever that means) like that has anything to do with anything - Chuck calls them out on their bullshit. He does it politely, showing remarkable restraint in his opinion; they are in a meeting with his dad and lots of higher-ups and he doesn't want to be any more of a disappointment than he already is to his old man. He kindly points out how capable Jess has proven herself to be, how successful her ideas have been when implemented and the quality of her work. They scoff and the bigger dickhead of the pair remarks that true talent takes more than a nice pair of… legs.

Chuck snaps at him to show some respect and how he wouldn't recognise real talent even if he pulled his head from his ass. He actually considers decking the slimy git who must be three or four times Jess's age but his dad stops him before he can go that far. Herc brings the meeting to an abrupt close, spewing apologies and reprimanding his son gently enough that Chuck's sure the old man is on his side for once.

After that Tweedledum and Tweedledumber are quietly moved on to a different project, away from the Striker Eureka team, and Jess gets the promotion she deserves. Everyone knows about his legendary temper and word of his latest outburst soon gets around. He ignores the looks, keeps his shoulders high and acts like the whispers don't bother him (they hardly do anymore).

Considering the amount of times their paths cross it shouldn't be a surprise when he turns a corner and she's there, but still he jolts like he's seen a ghost.

…or an angel. Shit, he is so far gone.

"Hey Chuck."

His heart shoots skywards, almost ripping a hole straight out of his chest as Jess addresses him by his first name and not 'Hansen' or 'Ranger' or, if she's feeling exceptionally vicious, 'Junior'.

"Hey," he says and nothing more because he's an idiot.

She isn't bothered though; her lip curls and the smile she gives him is neither sharp nor smug, but like they are sharing a joke. He doesn't know what the punchline is but it's not an unkind smile… in fact, it's rather nice. Chuck is alarmed to discover he's blushing.

"I heard you stood up for me." She gazes up at him through her eyelashes and his heart stutters horribly. "Thank you."

Those two words throw Chuck and he feels his mouth moving before his brain catches up.

"Right… yeah… you're welcome." He's going to climb to the top of Striker and throw himself off. "…I mean those guys were dicks, I was glad to stick it to them."

He doesn't understand why she's looking at him like that, all soft and warm, it's… unsettling.

"You should ask me out."

His brain grinds to a halt. He blinks rapidly, trying to figure out if he's dreaming. "Whhaat?"

Goddamn that smile.

"When you're ready, come find me."

Then she turns and walks way – just leaves him standing there, gawping after her like a frickin' drongo.

What the fuck was that?

-x-

By coincidence, Jess passes the Kwoon Combat Room as the Candidate Trials are taking place. She spots the crowd filling the doorway and decides to check it out, slipping in-between the other onlookers to obtain a decent view. She arrives in time to observe the unmistakable Drift compatibility between Raleigh and Mako as they clash, matching each other blow for blow, followed by Raleigh's argument with the Marshal and Pentecost's subsequent dismissal.

Mako hurries from the room, head down. Jess considers chasing after her, sympathising with her friend (she knows how desperately the other woman wants this). However, as the crowd disperses she catches sight of her boyfriend standing there, locked in an intense stare down with Raleigh. Chuck fails to notice her as he smirks at the blond and walks out, striding down the corridor so fast Jess has to scurry to catch-up.

"Hey, handsome," she calls and Chuck whirls. "I remember when you used to look at me that way," she sighs with exaggeration, stepping forward and raising an eyebrow. "Should I be jealous?"

"Jess… what are you talking about?"

"You and Raleigh," she explains, quirking her lip. "The antagonism, the long stares. It's like when we first met, back when you thought pulling a girl's ponytail was how you flirted."

Chuck chokes on his own spit and dissolves into a coughing fit; his face turns an interesting shade of prune. Jess tries not to laugh too hard at her boyfriend's struggles but it's too funny to hold back.

"No, Jess! NO! Just no!" Chuck bellows once he can breathe again and Jess cackles maniacally. He marches towards her and she stumbles back into the wall, doubled-over from laughter. He frowns at her, shaking his head. "You're nuts, you are. A few Kangaroos loose in the top paddock for sure."

She flutters her eyelids at him, innocently. "What, for thinking you'd want Raleigh?"

He scoffs. "For thinking I'd want anyone else when I already have you."

Jess melts a little.

"Aww, good answer," She hums, but can't resist flashing a cheeky smile, "But, y'know, I wouldn't mind sharing if I got to join in."

Chuck's head slams into the wall and glowers. "You're far too much trouble on your own."

Jess beams up at him, curling her fingers in the front of his shirt. "You love me."

"God knows why."

Jess bounces onto her tiptoes and kisses his jaw, stubble tickling her lips. Chuck glances down at her.

"Fuck it." He scoops her into his arms, mouth surging against her own. Instinctively, her legs wrap around him, clinging to him as he supports her weight and presses her into the wall.

"I'm going to wipe that stupid smug look off your stupid gorgeous face," he pants between kisses.

Jess laughs into his mouth and moves her head to whisper in his ear. "I'm going to make you forget all about Raleigh Becket and his dreamy blue eyes."

Chuck growls, his hips grinding against hers. "Shut up."

Her smile takes over her whole face. "Make me."

He succeeds. Mostly.

-x-

Jess reports to the LOCCENT swathed in his son's jacket, with a giddy smile and her eyes shining. Herc doesn't imagine it's because Gipsy Danger is returning to action at last; not when Chuck follows closely behind, a little more swagger in his step than usual. He decides the less he knows the better. So long as they aren't reported for indecent exposure again Herc's got no complaints.

Far from it even, it's no secret Herc adores Jess and wholly approves of her relationship with his son. She's brainy, beautiful, and doesn't take any crap. She's also a brilliant mechanic – probably knows Striker Eureka better than either Hansen, having had a major role in the Mark-5 Jaeger's updates and repairs over the years – and if that ain't marriage material then his son needs a kick in the ass. But Herc doesn't need the Drift to know Chuck worships Jess. And she adores him. Herc shakes his head; Chuck and Jess have been together almost four years and they are still mad about each other. At least one good thing has come out of this bloody war.

Jess assists Tendo with the set-up for Gipsy's launch, while the rest of the spectators (Herc and Chuck included) filter into the hangar, awaiting the show. The whole Shatterdome is abuzz with Gipsy Danger's return to action.

"Two pilots on-board," the computer declares and Herc, along with everyone else, looks to see who Raleigh's new co-pilot is.

"It's Mako," Jess squeals, delighted for her friend. Chuck grunts, which is a better reaction than he had to Raleigh.

Herc glances at Stacker in surprise, but as usual, the man reveals nothing.

"Prepare for neural handshake," Stacker instructs and Tendo activates the controls. Gipsy Danger comes alive as Raleigh and Mako sync-up through the Drift.

"Neural handshake holding strong," Jess announces. "Pilot to Jaeger connection is complete."

"Okay, Gipsy, lining up nicely." Tendo turns to the audience with a grin. "Better get ready."

Before anything else can happen Herc hears shouting and turns to see Dr. Gottlieb staggering into the LOCCENT as fast as his limp will allow him, calling for Stacker.

"Marshal, I need to talk to you."

"Not now, Dr. Gottlieb," Stacker dismisses the scientist. "I'm sure you can appreciate how important this moment is to me."

"Newton created a neural bridge from garbage and Drifted with a Kaiju," Gottlieb exclaims. All eyes turn to him.

"WHAT?!" Both Jess and Chuck yell.

"Excuse me," Stacker says and strides from the room, Gottlieb following after.

"What the fuck?" Chuck utters, a sentiment Herc shares.

"I didn't think it was possible," Jess mumbles, the cogs visibly whirring in her brain.

Tendo shrugs, as lost as the rest of them. "It is Newton."

"Let's stay focused on the trial," Herc interjects, taking control and diverting their focus back to the matter at hand.

Tendo nods and returns to the control desk, issuing further instructions. Gipsy successfully performs one manoeuvre after another and the onlookers applaud.

"Pretty impressive," Herc observes, pleased with Raleigh and Mako's control of the Jaeger.

Chuck scoffs. "Yeah, he remembers how to turn it on."

"Oi, show some respect," Herc barks, fed-up with his son's insolent attitude and needless scorn towards the American. "When his brother died, he got the Jaeger back to shore on his own. I've known one other pilot that's been able to do that."

The muscles in Chuck's jaw clench and his son looks away, scowling at the Jaeger ahead. Herc feels a flicker of regret but it's not enough to settle his frustration; he turns his own head and focuses on the trial. Out of the corner of his vision he sees Jess sidle up to Chuck and brush her arm against his; some of the tension loosens from his son's shoulders. Another reason Herc is grateful for Jess…

His relationship with his son is strained, they only ever seem to argue and push each other away. Herc doesn't understand Chuck the way Jess does; she is able to soothe the storm that seems to constantly rage inside of him. She has a rare skill, which Herc has never mastered; if Chuck ever goes too far she will call him out on it and yet, she manages to be receptive enough to his needs to show that she is still on his side. Herc is thankful that Jess is there for his son when he fails to be.

"Pilot out of alignment," the computer announces.

Tendo curses and Herc looks at him sharply. "What's happening?"

"Both out of alignment," Tendo informs grimly, scanning the monitors. Jess rushes to another screen.

"Both of them?" That wasn't good.

Tendo grabs the communicator. "Gipsy, Gipsy! You're out of alignment. You are both out of alignment."

"I'm okay." Raleigh's voice sounds through the speakers. "Just let me control it."

The system is blaring red alert.

"You're stabilising, but Mako is way out," Tendo warns. "She's starting to chase the rabbit."

"We're losing her," Jess calls; there's a note of panic in her voice, fear for her friend. Chuck goes to her side.

Herc turns to Tendo. "What can be done?"

"I'm working on it." The technician taps frantically at the controls.

"Weapons system engaged."

"Oh no," Tendo stammers, as Gipsy's plasma cannon begins powering up. Herc curses, harshly.

The call for evacuation carries through the hangar, the crowd already starting to flee at sight of the charging cannon.

"Go to fail-safe!"

"Fail-safe not responding," Jess replies, hammering at the controls. "There's a problem with the neural blocker. Her connection's way too strong."

Tendo issues the order for the rest of the room to evacuate and Jess darts to the main control panel.

"We need to cut the power, manually." She fumbles with the cables and yelps as one of the charges shocks her.

"No, you need to leave," Chuck proclaims and scoops her into a fireman's lift.

Jess squawks her protests, striking her fists against his back without effect. Chuck sprints from the room, bearing her away from imminent danger. For once, Herc is glad to see him go.

Together, he and Tendo are able to disconnect the main power line just as the Marshal rushes in. They watch as Gipsy Danger powers down, its cannon unfired. The crisis is averted, but one glance at Stacker and Herc knows the trouble isn't over.

-x-

When Raleigh and Chuck brawl, a photo falls from the latter's jacket, unnoticed by either Ranger. Mako sees and rescues it before it can be trampled in the scuffle. It's a photo of Jess wrapped in Chuck's arms, both beaming at the camera. The picture is creased and faded, no doubt due to a prolonged stay in the coat pocket, taken out to look at on a regular basis.

Herc and Stacker end the fight, with Herc restraining his son. Stacker orders Raleigh and Mako into his office but despite the command, Mako hesitates. Making up her mind she heads straight for Chuck, to the surprise of everyone around them.

Chuck swallows as she approaches and from his expression she understands he's expecting her to slap him but makes no move to prevent it (perhaps he does feel some remorse, after all). It's tempting but she sees no point in escalating the situation, especially when Raleigh's already given him enough of a bruising. Instead she holds his gaze and offers him the photo. His eyes flitter to it and he swallows again. Wordlessly, he accepts the picture from her, grasping it tight though careful not to inflict any damage. He gives no thanks or apologies (not with the others watching), simply turns and stalks away. Mako is content to let him run.

She strides back to Stracker, entering his office without comment from her or anyone. She hopes, for her friend's sake, that whatever Jess sees in Chuck is a better reflection of his character than how he behaved just now. But she is confident at least that when Jess does find out, she is going to give him hell.

-x-

Chuck hasn't been brooding long when Jess enters the bunker. He ducks his head to avoid looking at her but she places her hand on his cheek, easing her thumb across the newly formed cuts and bruises. He can't help leaning into her touch.

"Have you been to the Med Bay?" She asks softly, sitting down next to him on the bed.

"It's not that bad."

She hums disbelievingly, running her hand over his chest; a gesture that might seem affectionate but is likely probing for broken ribs.

"I'm fine." He shrugs and sharp pain shoots through him. He attempts to hide his grimace but she sees it anyway.

"At least let me check for my own peace of mind."

Chuck sighs but can't refuse her. It's a struggle to remove his jacket but he tries not to show it. She knows, of course, she always knows. Shades of black and maroon speckle his arm; a particularly nasty bruise spreads across his bicep and around his shoulder like an inkblot from slamming into the metal piping. It isn't anything serious, but even if it was he wouldn't have gone to the infirmary; he has no desire to be around anyone else when by now he's sure the whole base has heard about his scrap with Beckett (and his humiliating defeat).

Jess hums and heads into their bathroom, returning with a damp cloth that she gently presses to his bruised cheek, attending to the cuts there.

"So, I heard Raleigh kicked your ass." Chuck jerks, surprising himself with the snarl he lets out. But not her. She keeps her face even as she continues, "I heard you deserved it."

Chuck hunches and looks away.

"He swung first," he mutters, a feeble excuse even to his own ears.

"But you started it, didn't you." It's not a question. She's keeping her tone carefully neutral but it sounds harsh to him when he's used to her warmth. "You've been goading him since he arrived, begging for a fight. You just didn't expect to lose."

Chuck clenches his jaw but doesn't deny it. He can't, she's right (why does she always have to be right).

"He nearly got us all killed. He nearly got you killed."

Her hand leaves his face to take his own, fingers instinctively intertwining. "I'm still here, Chuck. We're still here. And you can hardly lecture anyone on self-control."

"I didn't almost unleash a Plasma Cannon on the whole base," he grumbles.

"You basically called Mako a bitch." She says it quietly, but he can hear the reproach in her tone.

"I'm going to apologise," he promises and means it. He hadn't meant what he said about Mako; Jess was right, he had wanted to get a rise out of Raleigh and boy had that worked. He likes Mako, admires her even; they aren't exactly friends but she had always treated him kindly. And look how he repaid that kindness; she probably hates him now. He hates himself too. Thinking about his harsh words to her makes his stomach churn and if she decides he needs another knock around he won't put up a defence. He might loathe Beckett almost as much as he does admitting he's wrong, but Chuck knows he deserves every bruise his former idol inflicted upon him.

Somehow Jess seems to read all of this on his face and he's grateful she doesn't force his to say it aloud.

"Good." She leans in and pecks his forehead before lowering her head to rest on his shoulder. "I really didn't want to break up with you."

Chuck flinches and she makes a soothing sound, nuzzling her heads against his neck. He sighs and wraps an arm around her, pulling her onto his lap.

"I really don't want you to break up with me."

"Don't call my friend a bitch and I won't have a reason to," she mutters, clinging to him.

"I'm sorry."

Jess looks up at him, eyes searching his. "You're a good person, Chuck. I wouldn't love you so much if you weren't. I just hate that you don't let other people see that… that you don't see it yourself…"

He presses his lips to her forehead, trailing kisses down the side of her face. "I'm sorry, I love you, I'm sorry."

Jess huffs but the corners of her mouth creep up. "Just promise me, you'll make things right with Mako."

"I promise," he agrees earnestly.

"And you'll stop picking fights with Raleigh?"

Chuck scrunches his face about to protest. Jess raises an eyebrow and he deflates, whinging like a child. "I don't like him."

"You don't have to, just stop antagonising him."

"He's insufferable and a liability! I don't trust him to have our back."

"Well I trust him and I trust Mako," Jess declared. "If it means you come back alive then I don't care whatever grudge you have against the guy, I want you safe."

They stare at each other, her words hanging between. Chuck sighs and brings her hand to his cheek, holding it there.

"Okay, I promise, I'll lay off Becket."

"Thank you."

Chuck lies back on the bed, bringing her with him.

"I love you," he mumbles into her hair.

She folds into him. "I love you too."

They stay like that for a while, curled up in one another. For the moment, Chuck doesn't let himself think about anything else but Jess, the weight of her in his arms is grounding and he feels safe, loved. It ends too soon.

"I have to go," Jess murmurs apologetically as she extracts herself from his embrace.

Chuck makes a wounded noise and tries to pull her back. "Whaat? Why?"

She has the audacity to wink at him. "Top secret mission."

"Bullshit."

Jess yanks her t-shirt over her head, distracting Chuck from saying more. He tries to reach for her again but she swats his hands away. He watches as she changes into a fresh t-shirt and snatches up his jacket.

"Marshal's orders. You better have apologised to Mako by the time I return."

She pecks him on the lips and goes to leave but Chuck surges forwards, drawing her in for a proper kiss. He attempts to keep her there as long as he can, mouth moving desperately against her own, chasing her warmth, but she starts to pull away again.

"Don't go," he whines, not caring how pathetic he looks pouting at her.

She squeezes his hand. "It'll only be a few hours, we can finish this when I'm back. Try to stay out of trouble whilst I'm gone."

Chuck snorts. "Back at you."

She winks and disappears.

As it happens, trouble finds them both.

-x-

Despite the open invitation Chuck doesn't to do anything about his maybe not so unrequited feelings for Jess. He needs to focus, get a grip of himself, he can't afford to be distracted in this line of work. Mercifully, his dad stays silent on the matter although he must see it through the Drift (it's all Chuck can think about even as he struggles to push it from his mind). Because of their jobs and her promotion, he's forced to interact with Jess on a regular basis. It's worse than when they were bickering because now he can barely string a complete sentence together while she's cool and composed like nothing happened. He's not a hundred-percent sure anything did happen; he might have dreamed it (wouldn't be the first time). Except he catches her looking at him sometimes; unusually she's smiling that same smile like there's a joke to be had he hopes is not on him, but other times he glimpses something strange in her expression, uncertain and vulnerable.

He wonders how long he can keep her waiting before she gives up, if she hasn't already. It's not like there aren't plenty of others vying for her attention. Jess Ramirez could have been a supermodel but instead she chose to save the world. He admires her. She's everything – brains, beauty, strength, and compassion – and he knows she deserves better than him. It doesn't matter that he's Chuck Hansen, rising star of the PPDC, a hero to billions. In truth, he's really another military brat with a short fuse and an ego almost as big as the gaping void inside of him. The only thing he's good for is bashing in other monsters. He's not worth the trouble and he doesn't need the distraction. Or so he tells himself.

Another Kaiju attacks and Striker is deployed. Their battle is brutal and they take heavy damage; Chuck thinks he's going to die, strapped into the cockpit across from his dad. He thinks of Jess and the regret hits him with such force he nearly gets them killed then and there. They manage to wrangle victory from the literal jaws of death, but only barely. Chuck loses consciousness pretty quick and wakes up in the infirmary. It's not that bad, a dislocated shoulder, a concussion, some internal bleeding, but he's not going to die. He's told to take it easy for a few days, an order Chuck begrudgingly follows.

The last thing he remembers is his dad yelling; he doesn't think he's ever heard the legendary Hercules Hansen sound so afraid before but he could have been hallucinating. The medical team explain how worried his dad had been and yet Chuck hasn't seen the man since he woke up; apparently the senior Ranger was too busy with official business to visit his son. Chuck doesn't bother pretending he's not bitter. He doesn't expect to receive any visitors – it's not like he has any friends – so it's a shock when one day Jess appears along with Max.

Chuck gets a full face of slobbering bulldog as soon as Jess lifts Max onto the bed. "He was worried about you."

"Yeah?"

Her smile is softer than he's ever seen it and he can't breathe.

"Of course."

He tries not to get his hopes up, tells himself she's only here because of Max and when the nurses warn Jess against bringing a dog into the ward that's it, she won't come again. Except she does. The next time Jess visits, she brings a deck of cards and they play a few games, making pleasant conversation, all the while ignoring the elephant in the room. Jess comes again and again, the tension inside Chuck's chest loosening a little each time. He enjoys chatting with her; it's so different to when they were at each other's throats and he finds he trips over his tongue less and less.

He fears it'll stop once he's released from the infirmary but in fact, their interactions only increase. They take Max on walks and sit with each other at lunch even though she's pretty popular with the J-Tech crowd and could be sitting with them instead. She chooses him (nobody has chosen him before). They work together on Striker Eureka, exchanging ideas and putting plans into action. He thinks they make a good team. He gets to hear her laugh on a regular basis and his heart never fails to do a flip each time she does. They're friends, Chuck realises with conflicting emotion. He doesn't have friends, unless you count Max; he essentially grew up in a cockpit and didn't interact with any of the other students at the Academy outside of class. He knows he's not an easy person to get along with; most people are put off by their first encounter and he can't blame them. It doesn't bother him, or that's what he tells himself, but the thought that there is someone who considers him a friend, it's a pretty good feeling.

Except it's Jess and he wants to be so much more than friends. And at the same time, he doesn't, because he's scared enough of screwing this up without making it any more complicated. So they are friends, just friends, and Chuck's fine for things to stay that way… he is, he totally is…

"You're sulking," his dad has the nerve to call him out one weekend when Jess is away visiting family.

"Am not!" Chuck splutters, looking up from his lunch. He hasn't yet eaten any of it, just pushing it around with his fork.

His dad raises an eyebrow, glancing at Chuck's plate pointedly.

"Shut up."

Herc doesn't listen and instead settles himself across from his son. "I don't need the Drift to know how you feel about that girl. It's all over your face. When are you going to wise up and do something about it?"

Chuck wants to deny it, wants to shut this conversation down and push his dad away, in spite of this being the most invested his dad has seemed in his life for a long time. Yet somehow, he ends up spluttering out the truth.

"I don't want to mess up what we have already. I don't even know if she feels the same way."

Like his son, Herc is not careful with his response. "Don't give me that bullcrap. You think she gives that smile to just anyone?"

Chuck looks down but can't pretend he's not pleased by the possibility. If his dad's noticed then maybe it's not all wishful thinking on his part. But still…

"Isn't it against regulation? Fraternising or whatever."

The look his dad fixes him with is not impressed. "You're risking your life for them, I don't think anyone's going to give a crap if you take a little happiness for yourself."

Chuck tries to think of another excuse, knows it is juvenile but arguing is the best way to keep his dad's attention. He can't believe they are having an actual heart-to-heart. They never do this.

"Just talk to her, son. You don't want to be dealing with those kind of regrets." Herc sighs like a man who has too many regrets himself.

But Chuck can't just talk to Jess because if he does and he tells her then she might say yes and that's even more terrifying than the possibility she'll say no. If she says yes then it's real and he has to face the truth that there's another person on this godforsaken planet he actually gives a damn about when he knows that can all go away so fast. He can't lose another person.

He's sure he doesn't say it out loud but his dad seems to hear in anyway. Goddamn Drift. Herc looks very sad and Chuck knows he is thinking about mum. He's thinking about her too.

"You're gonna lose her anyway if you carry on doing nothing. If you have the shot, you take it."

He dad stands up and walks away like he hasn't left his son reeling from that blow. Chuck runs a hand through his hair, warring with himself.

Max barks, upset at being ignored for so long. Chuck turns his attention to the bulldog.

"Well, what do you think, bud? Should I tell her?" Max barks again and wags his tail. "I was afraid you'd say that..."

-x-

Jess wasn't lying when she said her mission was secret, but the main reason she didn't tell Chuck was to stop him from freaking out, which he would have if he knew his girlfriend was off to meet some black market dealer in Hong Kong's Bone Slum with only Dr. Newton Geiszler for back-up. Admittedly, his concerns would be justified but she's not going to give him the chance to protest; not when he's constantly running off to fight giant monsters.

In truth, she's not sure why Pentecost decided she was the best candidate to assist Newt with his hare-brained scheme to acquire a fresh Kaiju brain to Drift with (and wasn't that something). She believes the Marshal wanted someone who had the technical knowhow to enable a safe Drift and could also prevent the eccentric scientist from doing anything reckless (more than he had done already). Newt and Jess share a friendly rapport, despite working in separate divisions; they hang out sometimes gushing over science, debating monsters versus robots and teasing Hermann. (She once convinced Chuck to go on a double-date with the K-Science duo only to find out halfway through that Newt and Hermann weren't a couple. Chuck has yet to let her live it down).

She's on her way out when she passes Raleigh, looking like a kicked puppy, although far better than Chuck. She calls out a greeting and the blond glances at her, visibly wincing, a blend of apprehension and guilt flickering across his face.

"Jess, hey… uh, is Chuck… Chuck is he…?"

He trails off and Jess takes pity on him. "He's still his insufferable self. You'd have to hit him pretty hard to knock that ego."

Raleigh blinks and scratches at his head awkwardly. "Still, um, sorry about… that."

Jess shrugs. "I know he picked the fight, I can't blame you for giving him exactly what he wanted. I've already talked to him about it."

"How do you stand him?" Raleigh blurts out, then flushes, realising what he said. "I mean… uh, sorry, it's just…"

"He's a dick?" Jess suggests. Raleigh nods.

Jess sighs. She has heard such comments before, though usually they are whispered behind her back. Normally, she'd be annoyed, but this one's on Chuck. Perhaps she should show her boyfriend more loyalty but she isn't going to blind herself to his shortcomings. Chuck knows this and it's probably why their relationship is so strong, instead of splintering over a simple disagreement.

"Believe me, I know how much of a smug-bastard Chuck can be. I mean before we were dating I nearly decked him a few times myself. But I've also seen a better side, a softer side than most people get the chance to." She smiles, thinking about her boyfriend. "I've known him at his worst and his best, and I've fallen in love with every side of him. I don't expect you to understand but please trust me on this, beneath all that obnoxious swagger of his, Chuck Hansen has a good heart. You two might even get along if you ever work out your differences."

Raleigh chuckles. "We'll see. I appreciate your honesty, and for not ripping into me about assaulting your boyfriend. I did throw the first punch."

"I might have done the same after what he said," Jess admits. "He knows he needs to apologise. You're not a bad person, Raleigh. Neither of you are."

Raleigh offers her a small smile, which she returns. "I have to go, but just so you know, I'm still rooting for you and Mako."

Raleigh grins, eyes a lot brighter than a moment ago. "Thank you, I'll tell her."

"Oh and also," She chirps, backing away. "Chuck may be a huge dick but he has the equipment to back it up."

She winks and Raleigh chokes. She thinks that's enough payback in her boyfriend's honour and hurries to find Newt; if she leaves him waiting any longer the scientist is bound to do something stupid.

-x-

Pentecost's directions take them to Fong and Tull in the Bone Slum. From there it becomes a treasure hunt, tracking secret symbols which lead them to what passes for a simple chemist. Jess cautiously eyes the two men lingering besides the entrance and feels rather than sees them assessing her in return, behind their dark glasses. Oblivious, Newt darts inside the shop, forcing Jess to follow. Her heart skips at beat when one of the men stalks in after them. It's a sign at least that they are in the right place; hopefully they won't get murdered. Surreptitiously, she touches the taser hidden in her coat pocket; it's not much of a defence against bullets but she's tricked it out to pack a punch. Pentecost had also given her a device to signal their distress if things turn ugly; all she has to do is press a button and in seconds the PPDC could have the place surrounded. She takes comfort in the idea.

"You looking for some Kaiju bone power?" The man at the counter addresses them in English, giving them the same sleazy smile she's gotten from every guy who's ever come on to her.

Newt squints back, not understanding. "Some- some bone powder? Uh, no, why would I want that?"

"Male potency," the merchant explains, gesturing to Newt's crotch, then wriggling his eyebrows at Jess. "I take it myself."

Jess doesn't know whether she wants to laugh or vomit but Newt starts spluttering. "Uh, no, no, her, me, no… we're looking for Hannibal Chau."

Jess gnaws the inside of her cheek, regretting letting Newt do the talking. The merchant loses his smile and signals to the man blocking the entrance, who locks the door; Jess's heart sinks with the turn of the latch. The merchant gestures for them to follow him, flipping a switch on a display cabinet. The shelves and walls recede, revealing a hidden chamber.

"You want Chau, huh? Good luck."

Jess and Newt glance at each other nervously and together they step inside. The wall closes behind them, preventing any escape. The chamber is full of people in scrubs and surgical masks swarming work stations where various bits of Kaiju tissue and body parts have been gathered. The sight makes Jess a little queasy. Newt, on the other hand, lights up like a kid in a candy store.

"Oh my god! Oh my god, this place is heaven!" He runs around, marvelling at the different specimens, firing off questions, and generally drawing more attention to himself than Jess is comfortable with.

One worker passes carrying a bug-like creature the size of Max. It's still alive, squealing and flailing in its captor's grasp. It makes Jess's skin crawl.

"Is that a Kaiju skin parasite?" Newt exclaims, rushing over to peer at the creature. "I've never seen one alive before. They usually die as soon as the Kaiju falls. I thought you couldn't keep them alive."

"You can if you soak them in ammonia." Someone says, and both Newt and Jess turn to see a tall man in dark glasses, sporting a scarlet suit and gold-tipped shoes. "What do you want?"

"We're looking for Hannibal Chau," Newt babbles and Jess wonders how he can be trusted with any military secrets. "We were told he was here."

Jess folds her arms, one hand still resting on her taser. "That's you, I presume."

The man struts towards them, hands resting casually in his trouser pockets. "Who wants to know?"

"We do," Jess bites back, hoping some bravado will work in their favour and not get her killed (if they don't murder her, Chuck certainly will).

Chau peers down at her, his expression unreadable. "And who, little lady, sent you?"

"We- we really can't say," Newt stutters.

Chau flips out a knife and thrusts the blade into one of Newt's nostrils. Jess pulls out her taser and aims it at Chau's crotch, ready to shoot him in the balls, but Newt's already singing like a canary.

"Stacker Pentecost sent us!" Newt yelps and Chau retracts his blade, raising an eyebrow at Jess.

"I'd put that away unless you want to end up looking like a piece of Swiss cheese."

Jess notices the number of guns now pointing at her but doesn't back down just yet. "Promise us safety first."

Both eyebrows are up now. "How'd you like- "

"How'd you like a dick so fried all the bone powder in the world couldn't get it up?" She counters because apparently, like her boyfriend, she doesn't know when to shut her goddamn mouth.

The brief look of astonishment that passes over Chau's face is almost worth being shot (oh yeah, Chuck is absolutely going to kill her). But then he laughs and motions to his men. The guns disappear.

"Wouldn't want the full force of the PPDC raining down on us." He grins, sharp and predatory.

Reluctantly, Jess lowers her own weapon. She feels as if her heart might burst from her chest it's beating so fast but she tries to appear composed, indifferent, like one of those heroes in a spy movie.

Newt is still wailing about his nose. "Oh that's great. That's real great. So I take it you're Hannibal Chau, right?"

Chau turns his attention on the scientist. "Like the name? I took it from my favourite historical character and my second-favourite Sichuan restaurant in Brooklyn. Now tell me what you want, before I gut you like a pig and feed you to the skin louse."

Newt and Jess exchange looks, silently debating how much to reveal.

"We've come to bargain."

They wait for Chau's reaction. The dealer eyes them both, thoughtfully, then at last the grin returns. "Let's move this elsewhere. I suspect your zealous friend will only be distracted if we stay here."

Jess nods, hesitant to follow Chau but eager to get this over with. He leads them outside onto a balcony and leans against the railing.

"Look at them," he gestures to the people gathering in the street below. They move in procession towards a building sculpted from a Kaiju skull. Kaiju cultists, Jess realises with a shudder.

"They believe the Kaiju were sent from heaven, that the gods are expressing their displeasure with our behaviour." Chau scoffs. "The silly bastards!

Jess agrees with the sentiment. People react differently to catastrophe, she's not surprised so many turn to faith but it infuriates her how these people passively and almost gleefully accept the destruction and slaughter wrought by the Kaiju. Jess is not someone who can stand idly by while innocent people suffer; it's the reason she joined the PPDC. If the world's going to burn then she's going to fight, even if it's a fight against the gods.

"And what do you believe?" Newt asks. He doesn't share the same resentment that Jess (and most of the PPDC) feel towards the Kaiju cultists, he's too much of a Kaiju groupie himself, but he's helping them win the war so she's never taken issue with his fanaticism unlike some.

"Well, I believe that Kaiju bone powder is 500 bucks a pound," Chau says, dismissing the very conversation he started. "What do you want?"

"We need to access a Kaiju brain, completely intact."

To his credit, Chau rolls with the request like a true businessman, shaking his head as if the only thing strange about it is the impracticality. "No, no. The skull plate is so dense that by the time you drill into it- "

"-the brain's rotted away," Newt interjects. "But I'm talking about the secondary brain. Now we both know the Kaiju are so large, they need two brains to move around, like a dinosaur- "

"Or a Jaeger," Jess adds. She's never thought before about the similarities between humans and the Kaiju. Both races responded to a problem by creating giant monsters and going to war. If they could have worked together, formed a peace, who knows what they could have achieved. But humanity didn't start this war; it is the Kaiju who seek to eradicate them. Their mistake was thinking humans would go down easy.

"Yes, so, we want to get our hands on that," Newt finishes. Chau seems to consider their request and then the blustering begins.

"What the hell do you want a secondary brain for, anyway? I mean, every part of the Kaiju sells. Cartilage, spleen, liver. Even the crap! One cubic meter of crap has enough phosphorous in it to fertilise a whole field. But the brain… too much ammonia."

"So you can't help us." Jess tosses her ponytail. "Shame, I guess our intel was wrong, you're not the best Kaiju dealer after all."

"Hold on, missy, I haven't said no yet," Chau says, sharply. "But I want to know what the deal is first."

"Well, that's classified," Newt replies. "So we couldn't tell you, even if we wanted to." Jess is happy to leave it at that, but then Newt keeps talking. "But it is pretty cool. So I might tell you."

"Newt," she hisses, then realises she's let slip his name to a criminal mastermind.

"Ah come on, Jess, it's so cool," Newt pleads and she nearly face-palms.

"Newt and Jess," Chau states with amusement. "You're not the goons I'd expect Pentecost to send."

Jess sighs in defeat but shoots Chau a glare all the same.

"I figured out how to Drift with a Kaiju," Newt blurts with visible pride.

"Are you funning me, son?" Chau grits out, dangerously, and Jess's hand twitches to her taser.

"It's fascinating how their minds work," Newt gushes, delighted to talk about his favourite topic. "Every single Kaiju, his mind's connected. The- the species has like a- like a hive mind."

Chau grabs Newt's face. Jess whips out her taser but he's only examining the scientist's left eye, the one that's still bloody and discoloured from the Drift.

"Holy jeez," Chau exhales. "You've gone and done it, haven't you?"

"I did it a little bit, yeah," Newt admits, staring back somewhat dazed.

Chau pushes away and storms from the balcony. "You goddamn moron."

The Kaiju Alarm starts to sound.

Jess freezes, all thoughts turning to Chuck. Her boyfriend will be suiting up, heading into battle. He might not come back. The kiss they shared before she left could have been their last. Every goodbye could be their last goodbye; it's why they never actually say it. She shoves these thoughts from her mind and tries to concentrate on the mission like the solider she is, following Newt inside as he chases after Chau. The entire room is packing up and evacuating the workshop.

The merchant from before is ushering Chau out. "We got two Kaijus. We gotta get out. This way."

Jess falters. Did he say two Kaiju? She glances back outside as if she might be able to see straight to the Shatterdome from there and Chuck.

"Hang on a second," Newt interrupts, hurrying over to Chau. "Excuse me, wha- what's going on?"

"There are two goddamn Kaiju headed straight for Hong Kong City."

"No, no that's not possible. There's not… there's never been two before!"

Chau whirls on him. "Well, maybe that's because nobody ever Drifted with one before, eh? Genius!" Newt stumbles back as the dealer advances. "When Jaeger pilots Drift, it's a two-way street, a bridge, right?"

"Of course, yes."

"It sets up a connection. Both ways!" Chau shoves Newt backwards, but this time Jess is too distracted to fumble for her taser. "A hive mentality, you said! Maybe those Kaiju are trying to find you."

"Wh- what're we gonna do?" Newt splutters, panicking.

"I'm gonna wait out this shit storm in my own private Kaiju bunker. But you two," Chau gestures at Newt and Jess. "You're going to a public refuge. I tried it once," he removes his glasses, revealing a scar across his left eye. "Once. Now get the hell outta here."

On cue, Chau's men all turn their guns on Jess and Newt.

"B- b- but you can't just- " Newt begins to plea but Jess cuts him off, gripping his arm.

She fixes Chau with what she hopes is a fierce look. "We'll go, but when we return, we expect to get what we came for."

"If you return," Chau chuckles, "I'll help you retrieve the secondary brain myself."

-x-

After their unceremonious ejection from Kaiju Remedies, Jess and Newt hasten to the nearest Anti-Kaiju Shelter. It's difficult to follow the signs when they are caught in the rush – the city is in chaos – but all they need to do is follow the crowd, everyone's running for safety. Jess stumbles as the ground tremors beneath their feet. Newt trips into a car, cursing as he injures his hand. They hear a snarling like thunder and turn to see a Kaiju smash through an office block, heading in their directions.

Jess freezes. She knows the Kaiju are real, she lost most of her family in a Kaiju attach, her boyfriend fights these things on a regular basis in a giant robot she helped build, she's been in cities when Kaiju have attached, witnessed the fallout… but she's always watched from behind a screen, through footage on the news. She's never seen one in person before. There's something different about knowing these creatures exist and having one charge at you. How does Chuck manage to fight these things? How can the PPDC hope to defeat these forces of destruction when her legs have gone numb and she can't breathe?

She might have let it trample her, immobilised in shock, if Newt didn't seize her arm and jerk her into action. They are running, she realises, waking from her daze. The adrenaline hits and she picks-up the pace, sprinting for the shelter ahead. They make it inside just before the vault doors are shut and secured. In the dark, the throng of strangers huddle together, afraid to make any sound in case the monster finds them.

Jess had hidden in a shelter like this when she was a child, shaking in her older sister's embrace, her eyes scrunched shut, wishing the horror away. She does the same now, gripping Newt's sleeve and burying her face in the collar of Chuck's jacket, breathing in his scent. She wants this to be a dream, another nightmare she'll wake up from, crying for her parents, and Chuck will pull her in, rubbing circles across her back and whispering words of comfort.

A thump shakes the roof and the whole room flinches.

"He stopped right above us," Newt mumbles. Jess glances at him as he starts to panic. "Oh my god, oh my god. This isn't refuge, this is a buffet line."

"Newt," she hisses, tightening her hold on his arm, trying to snap him out of it.

Another thump hits the bunker and rubble spills onto the frightened crowd, the lights failing.

"He knows I'm here. He knows I'm here," Newt gasps, scrambling backwards.

Jess lunges after him, holding him steady as he begins to hyperventilate. "Newt, sshhh, sshhh, just breathe."

"No, you don't understand, he's trying to get me. He knows I'm here and he's trying to get me!" Newt scrambles away from her, shoving at the rest of crowd, in a frenzied state. "I gotta get out of here! Let me out of here!"

Alarmed, the crowd backs away from the agitated scientist, forming a circle around him as he tumbles to the ground, losing his glasses in the process. Jess hurries over to help him up.

"Newt, take it easy." She picks up his glasses and passes them to him.

"No, Jess, it's as Chau said, the Kaiju," Newt whimpers, "He's trying to find me."

Jess only has a split-second to process this before another thump hits and the Kaiju breaks through the ceiling. The crowd screams and presses themselves against the shelter walls.

Jess thinks the fright might have killed her as she gazes numbly at the giant Kaiju claw scraping at the space directly in front of them. The claw withdraws but then the Kaiju presses its snout into the gap it's created. It tries to force itself through but its head is too large. Thank whatever god is out. Still, it's only a matter of time before the Kaiju breaks in and there is nowhere to run. She's going to die, Jess realises like a punch to the gut. She's going to die in this dark and grimy shelter, either crushed to death or gobbled up by a monster and Chuck will never know, will never forgive himself for letting her go.

The Kaiju unfurls what she assumes is its tongue into the shelter; a blue luminescent tentacle, beautiful, like a venomous plant. The appendage swings wildly, seeking its prey, and Jess and Newt dodge. Jess considers using her taser; it's a crazy idea but they can't play jump-rope forever. Her life is starting to flash before her – thoughts of Chuck, her family, her friends at the PPDC – when she hears it, the most wonderful sound… the horn of an approaching Jaeger. It might be Chuck, she thinks, and tears spring to her eyes. The Kaiju retreats and the earth shakes as two giants do battle.

Jess sinks to the ground sobbing with relief. She's not sure who grabs who first but she's hugging Newt and he's hugging her back just as desperate.

"We're not dead. We're not dead," he murmurs over and over. She laughs and buries her face in his shoulder.

She's not sure if it's hours or minutes before the tremors stop and the clash of combat dies. An alert goes out reassuring citizens that the Kaiju threat has been neutralised. The crowd pours out from the shelter, all desperate to get home to their loved ones. Jess wishes she could do the same, desperate to curl up in Chuck's arms, but they still have a mission to complete.

"Come on."

"Wh- what are we doing?" Newt asks, hurrying to keep up with her.

"Hannibal Chau owes us a Kaiju brain and we're going to get it."

-x-

Jess's first impression of Chuck Hansen is that he's an arrogant arsehole and she can't believe he's what stands between them and the end of the world. He's also unfairly good-looking but she doesn't let that fluster her; a jerk is a jerk even with arms like that. His dog, however, is the sweetest creature she's ever encountered and doesn't deserve such a cranky owner. His name is Max, she learns, and he's constantly padding over to say hello and get a cuddle. Unfortunately, Chuck usually follows, scowling and grumbling about her stealing his dog; she responds with a thinly veiled digs at his less than charming personality and the animosity grows.

They go on like that, exchanging barbs back and forth until it's a game; one she's winning. She complains about him when she video calls her sister and Carina gets this odd smile that has Jess bristling. He's infuriating, impossible to ignore; she feels his presence every time he enters a room, like his ego's smothering her, it's insufferable. He insists on reviewing all her work, squabbling and nit-picking at the tiniest flaws, pushing her to do better. She shows him better, rubs it in his face just how capable she is. Men have been hassling Jess all her life about her work, be it her classmates, her teachers, her colleagues, they all say the same thing: that she's pursuing the wrong path, a woman like her isn't cut out for engineering, she isn't good enough. She's plenty good enough. She excels in her studies, her projects, surpasses her peers and is accepted into the PPDC at the age of sixteen. She has nothing to prove to anyone, least of all Chuck frickin' Hansen. He's just another pompous prick spewing the same chauvinistic rhetoric.

Except he's not… unlike some he never even hints at her gender or the colour of her skin. He brings up her age and inexperience a lot, which Carina points out is a reasonable concern for someone who has to climb inside the Jaeger she's working on and battle giant monsters ("You wouldn't have wanted me operating on you when I first started," her sister had tittered and Jess has to concede she has a point). Chuck challenges her ideas and as she defends them the gears in her head whirl, finding solutions where she had previously drawn a blank, expanding on her designs until they are something bigger, better. Chuck might be a caveman in some respects but he knows his stuff; he graduated the academy early and is something of a genius. Some of his suggestions are actually useful. And while she's got nothing to prove to him, maybe she wants to show-off a little. The face he makes when he knows he's beat, like he's bitten into a lemon, is hilarious and hearing him admit she's right, however begrudging, is music to her ears. Somewhere down the line Jess realises she's enjoying their debates more than she's annoyed by them. She likes the challenge, likes tripping him up and wiping that smug look from his face.

She gets along with the other J-Tech recruits but she's still the youngest among them. It's intimidating, makes her doubt herself, and though they are nowhere near as confrontational as Chuck in a way it is worse, the little comments and the side looks. With Chuck she gets the chance to snap back, temper blazing, no room for doubt; but she can't argue with things that aren't said, can't stop the sinking in her stomach when she makes a suggestion and they fix her with a hard stare before reminding her who the expert is here. She's used to being dismissed by others in her field but Chuck gives her all his attention, seeking out her opinion like it's the only one that matters. She doesn't know how it happens, but all of a sudden Chuck goes from being the biggest pain in her ass to her greatest defender. She doesn't need to push her designs with her superiors because Chuck does that for her. He asks her what's she working on, listens to her as she outlines how she thinks things can be improved, and when he can find no more holes to poke in her argument he turns to the lead engineer and asks them why they haven't put her plan into action already. No one argues with him; Chuck is Striker Eureka's co-pilot, he's a hero, and he uses that to champion her ideas.

Suddenly, it's like a switch has been flipped and she's seeing him in a whole new light; a golden halo that radiates around him, the heat of it prickling at her skin. When he runs a hand through his rusty brown curls, the ripple of muscle in his arms, how his shirt rides up when he's lifting something heavy, the cut of his jawline, the curve of his grin, the rumble of laughter as it builds in his throat, when his shirt clings to his back and chest slick with sweat, those broad shoulders that carry too much weight, when he fixes his baby blue eyes on her and her insides fizzle like sherbet.

Jess has never had time for boys, sure she had her share of childhood crushes but that was pre K-Day, before her whole life was blown to pieces. After that she had focused on two goals: becoming an engineer and joining the Pan Pacific Defence Corp. She was going to change the world and silly things like romance only got in the way of that. As it turns out, most boys don't like girls who are smarter than them, especially if they know it. It simply solidifies Jess's resolve to avoid any relationships.

But now Chuck Hansen has gone and upset all that, muddling her carefully structured thoughts like the hurricane he is, with his snide remarks and off-hand compliments, the way he lends a hand with even the foulest of tasks despite being some hotshot celebrity, how he skirts the press but always stops for the children. She sees through him and that ridiculous tough guy act; sees how he showers his dog in love and affection, sees the way he stares after his dad with a desperate longing for the older man's approval, sees how scared he is to climb into that cockpit but does so anyway again and again with features set and ready for battle, sees the way he struts around with the most irritating cocksure attitude and probably hates himself more that anyone she's ever met.

She sees it all and one day she wakes up from a dream and realises she's fallen for Chuck Hansen.

(She calls her sister to freak out. Carina cackles down the phone line.)

-x-

Shortly after kicking down Chau's door and securing his help mining the Kaiju's secondary brain, Jess receives orders to return to the Shatterdome. She feels like she's abandoning Newt to the wolves, leaving him with Chau and his men, but he's too excited about the Kaiju to care and Hermann will be arriving soon to assist. She hopes he has better luck with the Newt wrangling.

They debrief her on the journey back. Both Crimson Typhoon and Cherno Alpha fell in the attack. Striker Eureka was immobilised by an EMP blast from the Kaiju, Leatherhead, and only Gipsy Danger's intervention saved them from sharing the same fate as the others. Gipsy went on to kill Leatherhead and the other Kaiju, Otachi, which had tried to eat Newt and her. Out of the four remaining Rangers, Herc is the only one to sustain serious injuries, with a broken arm. All in all, they are lucky to be alive.

The Wei Tang Brothers are gone, the Kaidonovskys too. She will never play another game of basketball with Cheung, Jin, and Hu. Aleksis will no longer be there to braid her hair and even the iron-willed Sasha won't knock her around the Kwoon Room anymore, teaching her new defence techniques. They are far from the first or the worst losses Jess has experienced, but it doesn't make the hurt any less. They deserved better.

She keeps her head down for the rest of the helicopter ride and if her eyes are a little red when they reach the Shatterdome, no one says anything. She's not the only one.

Jess is on her way to report to LOCCENT when she runs into Mako, still wearing her Drivesuit.

"Mako!" Jess gasps, throwing her arms around the other woman.

Mako returns the embrace, squeezing her tight. "Jess!"

Relieved laughter bursts from the two friends, and a few tears slip down Jess's cheeks.

"You did it, Mako! You and Raleigh both, you were amazing!"

Mako beams, radiant in her victory. "It was incredible, Jess, it felt… right."

Jess smiles, happy for her friend. "You're a natural, I told you so before."

"You did." Her face suddenly falls. "Hu, Cheung, and Jin. Sasha and Aleksis."

"I know." Jess looks down. "I'll miss them."

"Me too," Mako whispers, but her grief morphs into resolve. "They'd tell us to keep fighting. They'd tell us to win."

"We will," Jess agrees and pushes back the thoughts of despair that had overtaken her when she saw Otachi. Losing is not an option.

"Where are you heading?"

"To help fix-up the Jaegers, heard it was quite the fight." She forces a grin but Mako frowns.

"No."

Jess blinks, taken aback by the force of her friend's tone. "What?"

"There are plenty of techs, especially now Cherno and Crimson Typhoon…" She doesn't finish that sentence, but presses on. "We don't know how much time we have left, they don't need you there, go be with someone who does."

Jess feels she should protest but realises what her friend is saying and any objection dies as heartfelt desire takes over. "Where is he?"

"Driving everyone insane with his fretting," Mako smirks. "I'll take you."

Jess hugs her once more. "I'm so glad we're friends."

Mako nestles her head into her shoulder. "Me too."

-x-

Chuck storms from LOCCENT, Max panting to keep up with him. He can't believe that Elvis-wannabe had the nerve to kick him out. He's already been banined from the medical bay, apparently his hovering was getting in their way. Not like they have any other patients besides his father, but the old man agreed with them, so Chuck left to see if he could help with Striker's repairs and maybe ply Tendo for information on Jess.

She still isn't back and he's starting to freak out. She hadn't revealed much about her so-called "secret mission", but he's sure she would have said if she thought she was going to be gone long. How much time has passed since she left? With the Kaiju attack he's lost track. And that's what scares him. What if something happened to her in the attack? What if she was hurt during Otachi's rampage through the city, while Striker had been immobilised, before Gipsy arrived to save the day? What if she is trapped under a building, running out of oxygen while he's just standing here? He can't think about it but he can't stop.

Tendo hadn't been much use though he tried to reassure Chuck that Jess would be fine. Chuck's constant barrage of questions must have gotten to the shorter man, who was admittedly trying to run operations at the same time, because eventually Tendo had banished him from the control room. The Australian might have put up more of a fight but he could see how much strain everyone is under and he's not so big of a jackass to cause them any more hassle. Still, he needs answers and he's on his way to the Marshal's quarters to gets some when he turns a corner and she's there.

All the air leaves his lungs. She's looking worse for wear – her clothes are dishevelled and stained by debris, half her ponytail hangs loose, there's a cut on her right cheek – but she's there and she's alive. He could weep for joy. He's definitely going to kiss her.

"Jess..."

"Chuck!"

She beats him to it, pouncing upon him. He barely manages to catch her in time, adjusting his stance to stop from keeling over. Max barks happily at his feet. She snogs him hard and true and he clutches at her like she's his lifeline and he's drowning in her. When she pulls back he notices she's shaking but there's a smile on her face.

"Heard you shot a Kaiju in the face with a flare gun."

He snorts and kisses her again. Only when there's a polite cough do they separate and he realises Mako's there as well.

"I think I'll take Max for a stroll," she says, extracting the lead he forgot is still in his grip. "Give you two some time alone."

She winks and walks away, Max padding alongside her, overjoyed at the prospect of spending time with the pretty woman. Bless Mako, Chuck thinks. He sought the Japanese pilot out and apologised almost as soon as Jess left.

Chuck looks back at his girlfriend now, she's staring right at him. A whole conversation passes between them without a word.

Jess jumps from his arms and grins. "Race you!"

She runs and, of course, Chuck follows.

-x-

They fall upon the bed as soon as they reach their room, colliding once again. Skin against skin, lips upon lips, everywhere a caress. Hands wander, searching, finding each other, over and over again. They cling to one another, no space between them and still they press closer, speaking through touch like they are writing a symphony.

It's desperate and admiring, something like a grand finale and a promise of tomorrow. They clutch and pull, trying to imprint it all to memory, their touch, their smell, their taste; as if they could absorb the other into their soul. It feels like they are already there, merged into one. This isn't Drifting, but it's as intense. There's a bond between them like two stars connected by a constellation. They burn and bask in the shared sensations, all aglow.

Everything else blurs and fades until it's only them and together as one whole. If they could they would live in this moment forever, still the sun, hold back the tide, and stop the world as their love stretches into infinity.

But time keeps ticking and instead of forever they make do with for now.

It's enough. Nothing will ever be enough.

-x-

Jess has just finished her shift when Max trots up to her. While she's always happy to see the bulldog, she's disappointed to find Chuck isn't with him. Despite what she thought was an obvious come on, Chuck still hasn't asked Jess out and she's unclear if that's down to a lack of interest or something else (did she come on too strong?). But they are friends and she counts that as a win. They have grown closer over the last month, spending most of their spare time together; sometimes they joke and she's sure they are flirting but maybe it's wishful thinking on her part. Either way, she's long over denying she likes Chuck Hansen. More than likes him.

"Hello sweetie." She crouches in front of Max and scratches him under the chin. "Who's a good boy? You're a good boy."

She notices a note tucked into the bulldog's collar and pulls it free. It has her name on it along with a message from Chuck to meet him on the roof. Her pulse quickens and she's on her feet, moving fast. When she reaches the roof she sees him standing there, rigid, and staring at her like a rabbit in the headlights. She approaches slowly; he looks skittish, as if he might bolt over the railing at any moment.

"Hey Chuck," she croaks, her heart in her throat. She hopes she isn't misreading this, hopes it's what she thinks it is.

"Jess…" he starts, producing a bouquet of roses from behind his back. Jess halts, looking from the roses to Chuck as he stammers, "I- you- I like you, like I really like you… you're smart and gorgeous, you're so kind and witty, you don't take any of my crap. You're passionate, your drive it's- it's inspirational, you're bloody brilliant and hell! You're so far out of my league but if you asked I would- I would move the stars for you, fuck that's cliché… I'd battle the Kaiju single-handedly, yeah… riding a unicycle …and- and playing a didgeridoo… shit! What am I saying? Argghhh! Can I start over?"

Jess laughs, taking the bouquet from the flustered Ranger. "Chuck, it's okay. I like you too. A lot, in fact."

Chuck freezes, gawping at her. "Really? Even after that?"

"You started strong and the flowers are beautiful."

Chuck scratches behind his ear. "So are you."

Jess beams and goes in to kiss him. Chuck jolts taken by surprise and she misjudges the distance. She head-butts his chin and they stumble apart.

"Shit! Sorry!" Chuck exclaims, steadying her.

"My fault," Jess giggles, rubbing her forehead. "I don't know how to do this..."

"Kiss?" Chuck asks without judgement.

"…dating…" Jess admits and internally curses herself because she's not sure she should be labelling it yet.

Chuck starts to laugh and Jess flinches. He sees and immediately backtracks. "No, crap, no, not you, I mean, yes, you, but no, not that, us. We're both so good at everything, obnoxiously so, but this would be the thing we're bad at." He runs a hand through his hair. "…I've never dated anyone before, I've got no clue what I'm doing but I want to try… with you… I want to try with you. We'll figure this out together."

Jess's breath catches and she lets it out in a long exhale. "Together then…" Her smile returns. "I suppose we should practice our kissing."

Chuck goes red but grins back with enthusiasm, settling his hands on her waist. "Well for the sake of self-improvement…"

Their second attempt is a success and for a first kiss it's pretty good, fireworks and everything. It's a long time before they leave the roof and when they do they are holding hands.

"So… about the unicycle and the didgeridoo… "

"I take it all back."

-x-

The alarm starts to wail and reality sets in. Jess and Chuck spring apart, scrambling for their clothes, wordlessly tossing various bits of clothing to each other. They have done this dance before. The bed stays as it is, sheets strewn and rumpled from their time together, scents mingling into one. Jess slips on Chuck's jacket before he can and they march out door. They don't linger, don't bother looking around, taking in the photographs or any of the other memorabilia they have collected. They never have before, this time isn't any different.

Together, they make their way to mission control, matching each other's strides despite the fast pace, their hands intertwined. Tendo is issuing directives when they arrive and frowns at their approach.

"You're not suited up."

Chuck rolls his eyes. "Yeah, I'm aware of that, Elvis. I need to know what's going on."

Jess stays at his side even as she observes the rest of the room abuzz with action. She's itching with the urge to help but doesn't want to leave Chuck's side.

"He said suit up, so suit up," Tendo says, dismissing them in favour of Mako and Raleigh who stand, awaiting orders. Max pants cheerfully at Mako's feet oblivious to the flurry around him.

Frustrated, Chuck yanks his cap from his head and follows after the shorter man. "Tendo, I can't pilot Striker on my own, now, can I? Dad's hurt, so who's gonna be my co-pilot?"

Jess is hit with the epiphany that this is the moment when she steps up and becomes a hero, using their bond to co-pilot with Chuck. Except that's crazy! She may be able to build a Jaeger but piloting is not in her skillset. However, it does leave them in a predicament; with Herc out of commission, there is no one else to pilot Striker and Chuck can't do it alone. He can't.

The solution reveals itself as the Marshal enters the room dressed in a Drivesuit. He used to be a Jaeger pilot, Jess recalls, but according to Chuck, who had pried it from his father, he had to stop due to failing health. It's reckless, dangerous, but the situation is already dire. They stopped playing it safe when they built giant combats robots.

"I don't remember it being so tight," Pentecost remarks, perhaps as a joke but nobody laughs. He continues walking and Mako follows. Jess's heart goes out to her friend; there's a painful parallelism to their situations. She is conscious of the weight of Chuck's hand resting in her own and how empty it will feel when he leaves.

It's a thought she doesn't want to dwell on and turns her attention to Tendo. "How bad is it?"

"Two signatures. Category IV."

Jess grimaces, they had already lost two crews to an identical event.

"Destination?" Chuck demands.

"Nowhere." Herc has arrived, his arm in a sling. "Bastards are just waiting, like they know we're gonna come to them."

Jess gasps. "The connection goes both ways."

Tendo looks at her sharply. "What are you saying?"

"When Newt Drifted with the Kaiju, he saw into their mind and they saw into his. They must know the plan."

Oh, Newt, what have you done.

"Fuck!" Chuck says.

Herc knits his brow. "Are you sure?"

Jess nods, certain she has lost all colour in her face. "Otachi found us in one of the public shelters. I've never known a Kaiju to have such a singular focus. I don't want to imagine what it would have done to Newt if Gipsy hadn't shown up."

Herc and Tendo look grim. Chuck's hand clenches around hers and she realise she hadn't told him of her escapades in the Bone Slum. She was so caught up in his near brush with death she forgot to mention her own. Oops. Before he can chew her out Pentecost calls for their attention.

"Everyone! Listen up!" He uses Striker's foot as a podium and the full force of the PPDC gathers around to hear what he has to say. "Today… today, at the edge of our hope, at the end of our time, we have chosen to believe not only in ourselves, but in each other. Today there's not a man nor woman in here that shall stand alone. Not today."

Jess rests her head on Chuck's shoulder and he leans into her.

"Today we face the monsters that are at our door, and bring the fight to them. Today we are cancelling the apocalypse!"

The room erupts into cheers and war-cries. Jess and Chuck bellow their support with the rest. As the crowd disperses, Chuck turns to her.

"Looks like I need to suit up."

She smiles, it feels strained and wonky. "Let's get you ready to kick some Kaiju ass."

Once again the base is a hive of activity, spirits high and adrenaline pumping, invigorated by the Marshal's speech. Those who have duties to fulfil hurry to their stations, the rest head to the safety zones. Jess should be in LOCCENT, but first she assists Chuck with his Drivesuit. It's not a task she's normally involved in but the couple is desperate to spend as much of their remaining time together as they can and no one has the heart to deny them. She's sure the other Drivesuit technicians are never this intimate when equipping the pilots but even under the time pressure she fits each piece with care and a caress. Chuck keeps his gaze on her as she works.

Finally she secures the last plate but makes no move to step away. They stare at each other, understanding passing between them without uttering a word. Stretching on her tiptoes, Jess presses a soft kiss to Chuck's lips. He lifts his hand and cups her face, thumb brushing over the mole on her cheek.

"Jess", he begins and she can tell he's nervous, stumbling. "You… you are the best part of my life, the best part of me… I wouldn't be who I am without you… you're brilliant, kind… you are perfect and everything to me… I want to give you everything the way you have given it to me… you deserve so much… much more than this…"

"Ssshh, I fell in love with you, Chuck Hansen, all of you." She pecks his lips between each word, "You're brave, smart, kind, incredible, and that's all you. So don't doubt yourself now, don't doubt my love… or I may have to fight you."

Chuck grins and kisses her again. "I love you, Jess."

"I know," she smiles and silently pleads for him to come back, even though he's still there in her arms. "I love you too."

She tries not to let is sound like goodbye but it hovers in-between them. It all feels so final. They hold onto each other as if it will make it easier to let go. It doesn't. They stretch the moment out as long as they dare, then walk hand-in-hand to Striker's Conn-Pod. On the way, they spot the Marshal ahead of them and Chuck quickens his pace to catch-up, tugging Jess with him.

"Hey, Marshal! You know, that was a great speech, but uh how exactly are you and I suppose to match up in there?"

"I carry nothing into the Drift. No memories, no fear. No rank." They stop at the elevator to the Conn-Pod and Pentecost turns on Chuck. "And as for you, well you're easy. You're an egotistical jerk with daddy issues; a simple puzzle I solved on day one."

Chuck flinches and Jess stiffens; it's only the years of respect and the fact he's a dying man giving up what's left of his life to save the world and not his rank that stops Jess from smacking the Marshal. Fortunately for him, he doesn't end it there.

"But you are your father's son. So we'll Drift just fine."

"And also, you are both amazing human beings with such incredible courage and care to risk yourselves so that others will be safe," Jess adds, fixing the Marshal with a pointed look. "You're heroes."

"That too," Pentecost concedes with a nod. "Ms Ramirez is a remarkable woman and as usual she is right. You're an excellent soldier, Mr Hansen, and a good man. It's an honour to pilot at your side."

The Marshal extends his hand and Chuck accepts it, stunned but smiling. "Thank you, sir. I'm honoured… I mean, it's an honour for me too."

A dog barks and they turn to see Herc leading Max over. Jess recognises this as her cue to leave; father and son should say their goodbyes without an audience. She looks back at Chuck and embraces him once more, pressing her face into his neck and memorising his scent. She wants to impress the shape of him onto her soul so they never feel apart.

How do you make a moment last forever?

"Jess," He breathes and she hears everything he's not saying. "Thank you."

Come back. Don't go. Come back. Don't go.

Her heart beats to the tick of a clock. They separate and she gives him the widest smile she can muster, her vision beginning to blur.

Come back. Don't go. Come back. Don't go.

If she begs him to stay will he forsake all of humanity so they can hold each under in the ashes of a fallen world? She squeezes his hand…

"You're a hero, Chuck Hansen. Go and save the world."

…and let's go.

She turns and flees before he can respond. She knows if he calls out, if she glances behind, she will stop and turn back, and she can't, she can't… not as the tears start to flow.

-x-

By the time Jess has gotten herself composed, the Jaegers have already launched and are approaching the Breach. No one in LOCCENT comments on her late arrival, either because they are too distracted with the mission or they understand and sympathise. She sidles over to Herc, who stands at the main control panel with Tendo, Max on a leash at his feet; he nods at her and she offers a weak smile. She's not sure how his talk with Chuck went, if they managed to resolve years of miscommunication in such a short time, but despite the red rim of his eyes, there's a peace to him she's never seen before. She takes it as a good sign.

"Two actives still in circle formation in the Guam quadrant," Herc informs the two Jaegers through the radio. "Code names, Scunner, Raiju. Both Category IV."

"Roger that."

The Jaegers continue their trek to the Breach; Jess follows the green dots as they move across the screen. A red dot appears, heading for the Jaegers.

"Gipsy, you have movement on your right. Three o'clock! Three o'clock!"

"Right flank's clear. I got nothing," Raleigh's voice crackles back.

"Left now!" Tendo shouts. "And moving fast! Fastest Kaiju on record!"

"I don't see anything. It's moving too fast."

"Eyes on the prize, Gipsy," Chuck pipes up and Jess bites her lip. "600 metres from the drop."

The green dots carry on to the target, two red dots hovering at the edge on the screen, unmoving.

"Striker! Bogeys are stopping. One o'clock."

"What are they waiting for?" Pentecost mutters. Something's not right.

Striker halts 300 metres from the Breach.

"Striker, the bogeys aren't following. Take the leap now!" Herc commands.

"No." Jess grips his good arm and he glances at her in surprise. "They know the plan. The only reason they wouldn't attack is if they know something we don't."

"Don't do it! Don't do it!" Newt speeds into the room, Hermann in pursuit. "It's not gonna work."

Jess stares, along with everyone else. With everything that has happened she's almost forgotten about their side quest to Drift with another Kaiju brain; almost forgotten she was nearly killed by one mere hours ago. She assumes from their screaming they were successful.

"Move, you fascist!" Jess gawks as Newt shoves Herc out of the way and grabs the microphone. "Blowing up the Breach! It's not gonna work!"

Her stomach drops. The plan isn't going to work? All their efforts, their sacrifices, and it's not going to work?

"What do you mean?" Pentecost demands. "What's not gonna work?"

"Sir, just because the Breach is open does not mean you're able to get a bomb through."

"The Breach genetically reads the Kaiju like a barcode at the supermarket and lets them pass," Hermann explains.

"Okay, so you're gonna have to fool the Breach into thinking that you have the same code!" Newt continues.

"And how are we supposed to do that?"

"By making it think you are a Kaiju."

"You have to lock onto the Kaiju, ride it into the Breach," Hermann instruct. "The Throat will then read the Kaiju's genetic code and let you pass."

Jess can't help but notice how in sync the science duo have become; could it have anything to do with the Drift?

"If you don't do it, the bomb will deflect off the Breach, like it always has and the mission will fail," Newt finishes and Herc reclaims the microphone.

"Alright. Now that you've heard all that, Striker take the leap."

Jess gapes at Herc. Didn't Newt and Hermann just explain they needed a Kaiju to access the Breach?

"Sir!" Tendo speaks up before any further action can be taken. "I have a third signature emerging from the Breach!"

Jess watches in horror as the screen flashes and a third Kaiju appears. Herc barks the warning to the Jaegers.

"How big is it?" Pentecost questions. "What category?"

"Category V," Tendo declares, grimly.

Jess's hand comes to her mouth and she bites down hard on her fingers. There's never been a Category V before and it has two Category IVs for back-up. They are outnumbered, trapped. She thinks of Chuck, strapped into his harness, Drifting with a dying man, and facing down the demons from his nightmares. It's horrifying and she can't stand how helpless she feels. She snatches the microphone from Herc.

"Rangers, give 'em hell!"

The battle begins.

-x-

Chuck isn't surprised when the Category V shows up. Terrified as fuck but not surprised. It's the final battle of a twelve year war, their last chance to save the world, all or nothing. The mission was already suicidal, why not raise the stakes? They are giving it their all and so are the Kaiju. It ends here, one way or another.

The Category V is probably the ugliest Kaiju he's ever seen – and the most horrifying – but he's not about to let that oversized piece of sushi intimidate him. They prepare to fight, drawing Striker's blades. Gipsy signals to let them know they are on their way but one of the Category IVs pounces on the Jaeger before Raleigh finishes.

The tentacles of the Category V start to swirl and slam into Striker, hurling them upon the rocks. Chuck grits his teeth and together he and the Marshal try to get the Jaeger back on its feet. Sparks and steam fill the cockpit, multiple warning lights flash. Chuck assesses the danger. What he finds stop his heart.

"The release is jammed. We can't deliver the payload, sir. We're still armed but the hull is compromised. Half our systems are offline, sir."

He tries not to show how scared he is. He's been in bad situations before but took comfort knowing his dad was there beside him. Now it's all he can do to stop from vomiting in front of the Marshal as the panic starts to take over.

The instant they are on their feet again, the Category V seizes them, ramming them into the seabed, scraping the Jaeger across the rocks. They slash the Kaiju across the face; the monster roars but doesn't release its hold, rolling with them. Chuck howls as they are slammed again and again. He's definitely bleeding somewhere and it's not all internal. The Marshal can't be fairing any better but he handles the thrashing with slightly more dignity. The man hasn't jockeyed in nearly ten years and he's still a better pilot than Chuck could ever hope to be. Not that Chuck isn't grateful he's here; they need a pilot like Pentecost if they are going to beat this motherfucker.

Together, they force the Kaiju back, plunging their blades into both its arms, straining as it flails against them. The Category V recoils, releasing its hold on the Jaeger; blue blood gushes from the wounds, rising like smoke. The beast shrieks, soundwaves rippling through the deep.

Jess's panicked voice shouts through the radio. "Striker, watch out! Category IV heading for you."

"Hang on, Striker!" Becket calls. "We're coming to you."

"No!" Pentecost snaps. Chuck doesn't have to ask what's in the Marshal's head, he's there too. They both know what needs to be done, how this has to end. "Gipsy! Do not come to our aid! Do you copy? Stay as far back as you can."

"We can still reach you. We're coming for you."

"No, Raleigh, listen to me. You know exactly what you need to do, Gipsy is nuclear. Take her to the Breach."

Gipsy has to finish the job now Striker is unable.

"I hear you sir." Becket concedes. A good soldier knows the mission is more important. "Heading for the Breach now."

Chuck had vehemently opposed the idea of putting their fates in the hands of a rookie and a has-been but now he thanks whatever twisted god is out there for Raleigh and Mako. He trusts them to finish the job.

Pentecost has a final heart-to-heart with Mako, and Chuck tries to allow them some privacy even as the Drift fills his head with images of Stacker and Mako's life together. He feels the man's pride, his grief, and more than anything his love. He thinks of his own father. He has always believed he'd die in a Jaeger but he thought they would go together. Still, he's glad the old man will get to live on. He hopes their last exchange grants him some peace, even if it can't heal the years of hurt and resentment. He wishes they had time to fix it; wishes he had hugged his dad instead of walking away.

Both Kaiju are upon them now. They consider Striker the biggest threat and focus their attacks, but they don't realise the trap they have laid.

"What can we do, sir?" Chuck asks despite already knowing. Maybe he's hoping the Drift is wrong and Pentecost has some ace hidden up his sleeve. Maybe he just needs to hear the Marshal say it, give the order. He's a soldier after all.

Pentecost looks at him, face set with determination. Looking at him, Chuck feels a little braver, like he can do this, like they can save the world.

"We can clear a path, for the lady."

Chuck cracks a smile, his eyes damp. "Well my father always said, he said "If you have the shot, you take it!"."

His dad has to be listening over the radio; he hopes he hears and knows Chuck was always listening, has always been proud to be the man's son. The radio crackles and he expects (hopes) it is Herc but he hears Jess and his heart lurches.

"Chuck! Chuck!"

She's sobbing, wailing, and it breaks the dam on his own grief, vision turning splotchy. She's just repeating his name but he understands everything she's trying to say. He's aching to answer her, wants to tell her something beautiful, something that will give her peace and keep her warm into old age. But he can't, he doesn't have the words, they have all dried up on his tongue.

She knows, he reassures himself, she always knows.

Jess cuts-off sharply, probably pulled away. He imagines his father hugging her, consoling her now Chuck cannot.

He sucks in a breath and nods to the Marshal, signalling his readiness. "It was a pleasure, sir."

Pentecost stares back at him, lips quirked in a sincere smile, and through the Drift he feels the man's respect. Despite it all, Chuck preens. He's been called a hero many times, has his own fan club, merchandise, but only now does it feel true.

Hardly any time has passed but he feels as if he's aged in these last moments. Together, they arm the nuclear weapon, the timer set. The warning system blares. The Kaijus swim closer, unaware. Chuck closes his eyes and thinks of Jess; the sly turn of her smile, the giddy sound of her laughter, the amber flecks in her eyes that spark when the light catches them. He thinks of their first meeting, first date, first kiss, first everything and each moment after leading up to what they hadn't realised was their last.

He wishes they had more time. The future was a luxury they hadn't let themselves dream of but now he realises how badly he craves it. He thought he had resigned himself to death a long time ago – when you step into a Jaeger you do so knowing each fight could be your last – but he understands now that through all those battles he hasn't just been fighting for humanity, but for Jess and the chance to come home to her. He understands suddenly that he wants to live, desperately wants a future with Jess, maybe even a family. But he can't have that now. He simply hopes his sacrifice means she can still have that someday, even if it's without him.

The Drift goes silent, the connection severs as if someone tripped over a cable and pulled the plug out, his brain still attached. He lurches forward, blood and bile rising in his throat, and feels himself falling, crashing. A solid force seizes hold of him.

"Easy, soldier."

Sirens wail all around him; his vision distorts with red, black, red, black. His head is on fire, his body burning. He thrashes, feels reality tilting, the darkness dragging him down. Then he's falling again, the world closes in around him – crammed, tight, he can't breathe – and everything goes black…

Dying is a lot like falling asleep.

-x-

Striker Eureka detonates. One second the green dot is on the screen then it blinks out. Gone.

It's rather anticlimactic but the whole room shudders with the loss. LOCCENT goes quiet. Herc exhales, a weight settling in his chest. Jess whimpers into his shoulder.

"Gipsy Danger still active but systems are critical." Tendo's voice cuts through the silence; he does well to keep it steady even as his body hunches inwards under the blow. The technician is used to losing Rangers, the voice at the end of the line cutting off forever; he is used to powering on.

Jess removes herself from Herc and turns to stare at the screen, now showing a single green marker.

Tears glint in her eyes and he expects her to crumble, to flee the room and find some solace. He would if he could but he's a soldier and they need a leader now. Yet Jess remains, face tight as she takes a step forward and then another. Herc has always thought her strong but never realised the true extent until now. But he forgets, she's a solider too.

"Can they still make it to the Breach?"

As if in answer Gipsy Danger starts moving.

"What are they doing?" Geiszler and Gottlieb crowd around the screens with them.

Herc blinks, clearing the blur from his vision. "Finishing the mission."

The blast from Striker Eureka had obliterated the remaining Category IV, but somehow the Category V survives. Herc balks at the unfairness of it all but Gipsy soon takes care of the Kaiju, dragging its carcass into the Breach with them.

"Mako's oxygen is down, half capacity." Tendo warns, the alert beeping frantically.

"Can you reroute it?"

"Already on it," Jess shoots back, tapping frantically at the computers with the determination of someone who has already suffered one loss and refuses to lose another.

The Category V's life-force expires just before Gipsy reaches the Breach, the gate reading the Kaiju's code and letting them pass. The command centre lets out a relieved sigh.

"They're in."

Jess mutters something in Spanish that sounds like a prayer. He sends up his own in English despite giving up on God a long time ago.

"Mako's oxygen is failing, I can't- I can't-," Jess croaks and as hard as she is fighting to hold herself together Herc can see her cracking and wishes he could do anything to help. Gottlieb places a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"Wait! The readings are changing," Tendo observes. "Raleigh, he's giving her his oxygen." He grabs the communicator to address the Ranger. "Raleigh, your oxygen levels are critical now. You don't have much time. Start the core meltdown and get out of there. Do you hear me? Get out of there now!"

"One pod is ejected," Jess notifies. "Nothing on the second, and no detonation yet either."

Herc slams his fist on the desk and walks away before promptly turning back on his heel and returning to the desk. He can't stand this, it's too much, far too much and he's no leader, just a useless broken soldier, a poor stand in for a great man, and a pathetic excuse for a father if he can still call himself one now that he's lost his son and he can't even think about that right now!

"LOCCENT," Raleigh's voice pants, warped by the radio, "If you can still hear me… I'm initiating reactor override now!"

The screens start flashing and both Tendo and Jess scramble.

"What's going on?" Herc demands.

"Raleigh," Jess speaks into the microphone, doing a good job of hiding the tremor in her voice. "The trigger is offline; you're gonna have to do it by hand."

"He's out of time!" Geiszler is panicking, which is the last thing Herc needs. "He has to self-destruct now."

"You got this, Raleigh," Jess says encouragingly.

Several seconds pass in which Herc feels himself grow old watching the readings as they show Gipsy's descent further and further into the void.

"Manual override initiated. Core meltdown in T-minus 60."

"Get out of there, Raleigh!" Herc orders. They are not going to lose anyone else. They are not.

"Second escape pod ejected!" Jess exclaims and Herc throws back his head, offering up another prayer.

The room holds its breath.

"Detonation complete. Direct hit! The Breach has collapsed," Tendo shouts and the room explodes in cheers and applause, many of its occupants jumping from their seats to embrace one another (Geiszler and Gottlieb do exactly that). Herc stares at the screen, transfixed by the visual of the Breach disintegrating. Beside him, Jess bows her head.

Herc doesn't waste any time, shouting for the choppers to rescue Mako and Raleight and scout for anything else of interest, like Jaeger debris or another Kaiju (or maybe a third survivor). He looks back at the monitors to see how the two Rangers are faring. Mako's pod surfaces first, her vital signs looking good. Raleigh's takes longer and when he does appear the pod is damaged, sensors defective and vitals down. Mako is upon him immediately but as she struggles to find a pulse they fear the worse.

"No, no, no," Geiszler mutters. "Not like this. It can't end like this."

Mako's sobs carry over the audio and Jess trembles beside him. Herc clenches his fists around the desk. He can't take much more of this.

"You're squeezing me to tight." The voice is little more than a wheeze but it rings through LOCCENT clear and true. Raleigh Beckett is alive.

Once again the room erupts into cheers. Herc staggers back with relief and Jess actually smiles. Then the hugging begins and Herc has to stumble around his companions to reach the microphone as they exchange handshakes and pats on the back.

"This is Marshal Hercules Hansen." The title is a new bitter taste on his tongue but it's eased by what he says next, "The Breach is sealed. Stop the clock!"

The War Clock deactivates and the whole base celebrates. Jess pulls Herc into a hug, careful of his bad arm; he smiles and squeezes her back. Max barks his enthusiasm. Eventually, Herc orders everyone to take a well-deserved break while they reassess the situation and decide how to carry on from here. They won. It's over. They won. It's over. He has to keep repeating it because he can't believe it.

Most of the techs file out, aside from Tendo, Jess and a few others. Geiszler reminds Herc that there's still a dead baby Kaiju in the middle of Hong Kong that needs dealing with (he'll get the fully story later, right now he doesn't want to know), and the new Marshal quickly organises a squad to return to the site with Geiszer and Gottlieb.

"Is there anything else?"

Herc turns to see Jess searching the screens, Tendo watching her sympathetically.

"Scanners haven't picked up anything. We can keep looking but…" He glances at Herc and hangs his head. "I'm sorry."

Jess nods and steps back, wobbling a little. She looks on the brink of collapse, mouth quivering.

Herc rests his hand on her shoulder. "Max could do with a walk. Would you take him for me?"

It's true, the bulldog is growing agitated from the many emotions displayed by the humans around him and possibly he can sense something is off. Herc's heart is already broken but it breaks again imagining how Max will react when he realises Chuck isn't coming home.

"If I'm not needed here, Marshal," Jess replies and it hits Herc that she's trying to be strong for him. Bless her, she's staying for him, so he won't be alone.

He appreciates the gesture, but can see how much she's struggling to hold it together, to keep from screaming. She needs to escape, to grieve, and he's done this before (but you never get used to it).

"We can manage without you," Herc assures her. "We'll send for you when you're needed."

Jess sucks in her lips and nods, collecting Max and striding from the room, the bulldog cheerfully trotting beside her.

Tendo is watching him, the pity lingers in his gaze. "Sir, I can oversee the rescue if- "

Herc lifts his hand and the tech goes silent.

"Didn't you hear, the apocalypse is cancelled. We have a future to plan."

-x-

Jess sits on the balcony of an abandoned walkway Mako showed her when she arrived in Hong Kong. It's a nice, secluded spot overlooking the sea. She revealed it to Chuck and they had used it as escape whenever the Shatterdome became too loud or claustrophobic. And to make-out.

The memories flash before her and she shoves them back, focusing instead on the clouds floating overhead, the crash of the waves below, and Max nuzzled in her arms. The bulldog doesn't know the fate of his owner (his friend) but he can tell something is wrong, can sense her distress, and does his best to cheer her up, lapping at her cheek. It's not really working but she appreciates the effort.

She stares out at the ocean, now Kaiju-free thanks to Chuck. He saved the world. He's a hero, just like she told him. Some part of her wishes he hadn't, wishes it had been someone else. It's selfish and she doesn't mean it but if it meant he was here…

She wants to curl up in his arms and hug him so tight. She wants him to crack a joke and shoot her that smartass smile. She wants him back. God, she wants him so bad. Why isn't he here?

"Come back," she pleads. Don't go.

The breeze blows back in her face. Jess cuddles Max closer and cries.

-x-

"Thank you for today," Jess mumbles as she curls into Chuck, the couple settling under the sheets of the guest bed.

"What are you thanking me for? Your family are the ones who invited me to stay."

"But you were so good with Marco. He's too young to understand what today means but you kept him entertained. Carina really appreciates it. I appreciate it."

Chuck shrugs, wrapping an arm around her. "You don't have to thank me. Thank you for letting an outsider like me be a part of your family's remembrance. I know how hard today is…"

"It's hard for all of us…" Jess leans her head into the crook of his neck. "But you're not an outsider, you're my boyfriend, and I'm glad you're here. I just wish…"

"…what?"

Jess sighs and pulls back. "I wish you could have met them, my whole family…"

Her hand shifts to the spot above her left breast where a flock of birds soar upwards towards her collar bone, each one inked with a name and date. Irene, Noah, Ollie, Marco, Joel, Diana, Eddie, Teresa, Laura, David, Sofia, Hugo, Max, Rebecca, and Sabina. The dates are less varied, most set eight years prior to the current day. A memorial to the parents, grandparents, brothers, cousins, aunts and uncles she has lost.

Chuck rubs his knuckles down the bare of her arm, fumbling for the right words to say. He's never been good at this sort of thing.

"They'd be so impressed… not with me, I mean you… they'd be impressed with you."

Jess sniffs and reaches for him, brushing the angel wings tattooed over his heart. "And your mum, she'd be proud of you too."

Chuck ducks his head. "I don't know…"

"What do you mean?"

"When the military tried nuking Scissure for a second time they only gave civilians an hour to evacuate. My dad was in the RAAF, he was able to snag a helicopter and get me out of there. He could have gone to my mum and saved her but he chose me instead. I think sometimes he regrets his choice…"

Jess cradles his face, lifting his chin so he meets her gaze. "No." Her face is firm. "Your dad loves you. He might not say it much but it's true. I think if he had the choice again he'd run into fire to save you. I bet your mum would too."

Chuck swallows hard, blinking in succession. "But she's dead because of me."

He almost chokes on the words, voicing them for the first time.

"Oh baby, oh baby." Jess rains kisses upon him, her fingers combing through his hair, massaging his scalp. "That's the survivor's guilt talking, I know I feel it too, but it's not our fault. The Kaiju took them from us; they're the ones to blame. We'll avenge them, we'll save the world and make sure this never happens to another family, I promise. She'd be so proud of you."

Chuck folds into her touch. "She would have loved you."

"If she was anything like her son, I'm sure I would have loved her too."

Her smile knocks him breathless. The world tips. Chuck feels himself free falling. He holds onto Jess, something telling him she is all that keeps him from hitting the ground.

"I love you… I'm proud of you…."

Chuck's vision blurs, images flicker before him like the page of a photo album. Jess disappears though he still feels her touch upon him. Her voice grows distant, another replacing it.

"I love you."

His mother smiles at him, her face a haze. He tries to focus on the details but they only become more blurred.

"I'm proud of you, Charlie… my little soldier…"

She sounds so near and yet so far. He reaches for her, managing to brush the cotton of her nightgown before she evaporates like mist.

Herc Hansen stands before him, but instead of the venerated war hero Chuck is used to, his father stares back at him, old and worn, with something in his expression that has Chuck's heart stuttering.

"That's my son," Herc declares and Chuck hears the three words they have left unspoken for too long.

"I know, dad, I know," he tries to say but his father places a hand on his shoulder and Chuck shuts up.

"My son." Herc smiles, the pride in his eyes shining so bright Chuck has to look away.

When he looks back his dad is gone. Chuck stumbles forward and a pair of arms catch him.

"Chuck…" Jess kisses him sweetly, the bedsheets pool around them. "Stay with me."

"I'm not going anywhere," Chuck says, pulling her closer, anchoring himself to her.

"Promise me?"

"I promise…" he places a kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

Alone, in the dark, Chuck dreams on.

-x-

Things don't calm down simply because the apocalypse has been averted. The Breach is closed but there's still the rest of the world to contend with. Hong Kong, Sydney, and many other cities are still in pieces from the Kaiju attacks. They are trying to clean-up what they can before the rats descend to snatch up what is now in limited supply but there's a ridiculous amount of red tape to bypass. There's also the public to deal with. While it's nice to receive proper thanks, putting on a show for the cameras takes a lot of energy, especially when they expect you to smile triumphantly and forget what it cost. They are attempting to organise a Victory Tour once Mako and Raleigh have recovered enough. And of course, there's the bureaucracy and paperwork to manage; the UN have crawled out of the woodwork again now that the people they turned their backs on have achieved what their wall never could.

Not to mention, there is the future of the PPDC to consider; with the Kaiju threat eliminated the options are either to disband or adapt. Marshal Herc Hansen is doing his best to keep things in order, but he's a man in mourning. Losing his son and his best friend has taken its toll on him; his hair looks greyer every time Tendo sees him. He wouldn't be surprised if the Australian takes early retirement once everything has settled down, but who knows when that will be. Tendo has infinite respect for the Ranger. If their roles were reversed, he's not sure he could hold it together as well as Herc has done. He's not Stacker but no one ever could be.

In the days since the Breach closed, the Shatterdome has become something of a ghost town. Most of the personnel have either been assigned to scouting missions or are on indefinite leave. With the threat of attack no longer looming over them, Herc gave everyone the choice to stay and carry on or take a well-deserve break, returning home to their families (at least until it's decided what becomes of the PPDC). Understandably, a good chunk of their workforce chose the latter; it had been months, years, since many of them last saw their loved ones. Some went as far as to hand in their resignations and were waved off with a smile and thanks for their service. They had done their jobs and were well-compensated for it. Those who remained tended to have their families already with them in Hong Kong or are the unlucky ones with nowhere else to go. Tendo belongs to neither category but chose to stay regardless. When Herc insisted he deserved to see his wife, Tendo declined, refusing to abandon his friends at a time like this. He spoke with Alison and she agreed, even opting to fly out to Hong Kong with their son (there are a lot more airlines willing to cross the pacific now the Breach is closed). He's grateful to have married such a wonderful and understanding woman.

Like him, Mako stays, determined to carry on her father's legacy. Stacker would be proud to see how she's risen to the challenge, practically co-leading the PPDC. She has a good head for politics in spite of her youth and, as Herc admits, possesses far more tact than he. She mourns her father but she seems to have made her peace with his sacrifice; honouring his memory by continuing his work. When she isn't overseeing the Defence Corps's management or sweet talking various press and government officials, she spends her time with Raleigh (there's definitely something more than the Drift between those two, Tendo has money on it). Raleigh seems to be sticking around too (sticking with Mako, at least). While Mako was back on her feet and running around almost immediately, Raleigh took longer to recover. The medical team had him under watch while they assessed the damage and he has only been released recently. He's nowhere near as bad as when Yancy died but his trip into the Breach has left him shaken, although he tries to hide it. Newt, who cannot take a hint, keeps pestering him for details about the Anteverse (as he calls it) and has had a stern talking to from Marshal Hansen to leave the poor bloke alone. It's only through Dr. Gottlieb's intervention they are able to rein in the overzealous scientist.

Newt and Hermann have shown no signs of leaving the PPDC, for which Tendo is grateful (even if Newt can be a headache, bemoaning the loss of the Kaiju like that wasn't the goal from the beginning). The dynamic duo brings a unique standpoint to their discussions and the little double act they have going on provides endless entertainment (laughter is all too few for the survivors and they can use a little light relief).

Tendo had been unsure about Jess; she has family in Australia and with everything that's happened he thought she would want an escape. He remembers finding her nearly thirty-two hours after Operation Pitfall, still wearing the same clothes, cooped up in one of the labs, feverously scribbling new designs for Jaeger technology and how it could be re-purposed to benefit the needy. Her motions were frantic, her hair in tangles like she had been tugging at it, and she was muttering to herself in a jumble of English and Spanish, blurring into nonsense.

She didn't notice his approach, too focused on her work; only when he placed a hand on her shoulder did she flinch and look-up. Her eyes were pink and puffy, her face damp with tears. He asked if she had slept and knew the answer as she stared back silently. Eventually he managed to coax the truth from her; she was afraid. Afraid to return to the room she'd shared with Chuck, a room full of belongings, smells and memories. Afraid to dream and risk seeing him again, afraid to wake and find he wasn't there. Tendo tried to comfort her as best he could but eventually led her to Mako, believing their friendship to be the best solace. The other woman hadn't looked much better herself when she opened the door, nevertheless, Mako took Jess inside and persuaded her to rest. Later, when Jess finally returned to her room she wasn't seen again for two days. When at last she emerged, she looked as if she had gone through a war, but her eyes were blazing, ready for battle.

Since then she has thrown herself into work, tackling each new issue with her usual zeal and determination. She shows-up to every meeting with new ideas and designs, always wearing Chuck's jacket. If she looks like she's been crying, she isn't the only one. Jess is probably the reason Herc has kept it together as long as he has, instead of shutting down. She stands beside him during meetings despite the difference in their ranks, ready to catch him if he stumbles. Herc does the same for her, ensuring she doesn't overexert herself. Tendo catches them sometimes exchanging hushed words and a comforting touch. With Max between them they make a curious picture, almost a family. Except you can see something's missing… someone's missing…

They both loved Chuck and they are both grappling with his loss. They are united in their grief and have each other's back. With everything that's happened, their band of misfits feels less and less like a resistance and far more intimate, hanging out, eating takeaway, cracking jokes, and brainstorming for the future. It's a strange and powerful bond that forms when you are willing to die for a cause and then some of you do. These people aren't his colleagues anymore, they are his friends. Whatever happens, he can't imagine them going their separate ways, not permanently anyhow. He envisions a bizarre but happy future where they meet up for Poker Nights, the odd birthday, and maybe even a wedding (he's really rooting for Maleigh as the internet calls it).

Presently, Tendo is on his own, chilling in LOCCENT in case any urgent queries arise with the scout teams. Raleigh and Mako had kept him company until they were called into another press conference, along with Herc. While Jess and the K-Science duo are off-base speaking with the Hong Kong authorities. The Kaiju corpses have finally been cleared and restorations are underway, however, there's still some liaison to be done and apparently Interpol are interested in any information they have on Kaiju Remedies and one Hannibal Chau (it's unclear whether the dealer is still at large but come on, he was swallowed by a Kaiju goddammit!)

So far, the scouts haven't reported anything exciting. Mostly dead fish. The world's ecosystem may never recover from damage done to it by the Kaiju and humanity. They cancelled the apocalypse but for how long? Hermann is already spouting calculations Tendo doesn't want to hear. Many of the designs Mako and Jess are working on involve green energy and eco-friendly solutions but nothing's been actioned yet. Tendo's jotting down his own ideas when a notification pops up for an incoming call.

"This is LOCCENT, what's up?"

"Sir, w-we've found something."

Tendo raises an eyebrow at their excitement but doesn't think too much of it. "What is it?"

"It's him. Ranger Hansen, sir. Junior."

Tendo stills. There is only one Ranger Hansen referred to as junior.

"Chuck Hansen?"

"Yes, sir. He's alive."

-x-

The story is this: Striker Eureka was built with a single escape pod. There should have been two but the Hansens made such a fuss about going down with their Jaeger one was a compromise to meet mandatory safety regulations. Somewhere between the timer being set and the payload detonating, Chuck ended up inside the pod (presumably placed there by Stacker Pentecost) and was ejected from the Jaeger before the bomb went off. However, the pod had sustained damage in the Kaiju attack and tracking was down; it couldn't send a signal and LOCCENT had no knowledge of its release. When Striker exploded the blast sent the pod and a hundred thousand dead fish surging through the ocean, scattering them in all directions. Chuck could have ended up anywhere but he washed ashore in Guam where the PPDC recently sent a team to search the area for anything of interest, following Dr. Gottlieb's calculations of likely landings sites.

They had been expecting Jaeger scraps, maybe traces of the Kaiju. They hadn't dared hope for survivors. The pod had placed Chuck in stasis, activating life-support protocols, but the system was malfunctioning and would have soon failed if he wasn't found in time. There must have been an angel watching over him because Chuck is still breathing when the scouts stumble across his pod.

Tendo's role does not require a lot of running. He is not unfit, he's just not as athletically inclined as some of the others. Even so, after he confirms the team have indeed found what appears to be an escape pod with a living, breathing Chuck Hansen inside, and given the order for him to be flown back to Hong Kong, the medical team prepped to receive a patient, Tendo sprints halfway across the Shatterdome, bursting in on the press conference and spouting wild excuses for the bewildered Marshal to follow him without letting anything slip to the media hounds.

Upon hearing the news Herc takes a deep gulp of air which he doesn't appear to release until his son is laid out before him, comatose and under intense care but alive. Herc has maintained a steady front for weeks but at the sight of his son he breaks, letting out a low mourning sound that comes from the heart, tears of relief and anguish pouring out in one big mess.

"My son, my boy," he mewls and Tendo pats him on the back, conscious of his own ineptitude. "I should have known, he's a fighter."

It's Mako who remembers first. "Has anyone contacted Jess?"

Interrupting yet another important meeting, Tendo recalls Jess to base without mentioning Chuck, feeling the news that your dead boyfriend is in fact alive but hospitalised and in a coma is not something that should be given over the phone.

When she arrives Tendo pulls her aside and explains. She starts to shake, pinches her skin protesting this must be a dream. Only Herc, with irrepressible joy, convinces her it's real. She races to the medical ward, Herc and a very out of breath Tendo following after. As soon as she glimpses Chuck hooked up to the machines she crumples, spilling to the floor with a muted whimpering sound. Herc rests a hand of her shoulder and Jess looks up, floods of tears pouring from her eyes, and smiles She springs up, latching on to Herc, weeping with delight. It's the first time in a long while that the Marshal laughs, loud and easy.

Chuck has never been popular among the Shatterdome residents; valued and respected, certainly, but his arrogance and bull-headedness tended to chafe for most and no one was out to make friends at the end of the world, least of all Chuck. Nonetheless, his miraculous return from the dead sparks another round of celebrations, bolstering morale, which had been dwindling with all the uncertainty. It's like winning all over the again, at least for the Marshal. While Herc's earlier efforts were valiant, with his son safe it's like he too has come back to life. This is a whole new Herc, one whose smile reaches his eyes; he still carries the weight of the world on his shoulders but it no longer looks like he's being crushed underneath. Instead he stands tall and proud, greeting everyone he passes with a nod and quirk of the lip. Seeing the Marshal in such high spirits rejuvenates the PPDC; his newfound energy is contagious and the whole base thrums with anticipation.

The press goes wild, eating up the story of the young hero, who saved the world and arose from the dead. The PPDC are trending on every social media site and sales for the Victory Tour skyrocket despite it being made clear Chuck is still recovering and won't be present (not for the first one, at least). His injuries are far more extensive than Mako or Raleigh's. There's a lot of internal damage and his brain's been knocked around a bit, although not as badly or as long-term as Raleigh's. One arm is broken and so are both his legs, along with a number of ribs. However, the doctors are confident with good medical care and physiotherapy, nothing will be permanent. They keep him in a medically induced coma while he heals and a whole month passes before he wakes up.

Jess is waiting when he does.

-x-

He's dazed and disorientated when he opens his eyes for the first time since Operation Pitfall and doesn't initially recognise them. The doctor assures them this is normal and Jess doesn't mind, overcome by the sight of his blue eyes open and alight. When they turn on her, she smiles (it feels stiff, like the muscles are out of use).

"Fuck, you're gorgeous," is the first thing Chuck says.

Jess laughs in surprise and Herc snorts, muttering something about needing a camera. Chuck doesn't pay him any attention, his gaze fixed on Jess.

"What's your name, beautiful?"

It's a ridiculous, cringey come-on but Jess is in love with this man and she hasn't heard his voice since what she thought was the last time. The smile splits her face and tears well up in her eyes.

She takes his hand and he stares at her star-struck. "I'm Jess, your girlfriend."

Chuck reels. "You're my girlfriend! For real? Shit!" He grins, lighting up like a child on Christmas. "I am a lucky bugger."

"You are." Jess squeezes his hand. "I am too."

-x-

His memories come back quickly but the rest of him takes longer to heal. Chuck is bed-bound for another month or so and he is close to losing it. If anyone thought his near death experience would help him gain some inner peace or whatever bullshit they are sorely mistaken. He hates hospitals, hates staying still, everything irritates him; the hum of the hospital equipment, the emptiness of the walls, all the itches he can't scratch. He tries to clamp down on his temper, tries not to curse out the medical staff. He respects the hell out of them, truly, he owes them his life, but sometimes he thinks the boredom might kill him. Mainly, he sulks.

At least Jess is there most of the time, visiting as often as the doctors will allow (possibly more than they should but she's the only one who can keep Chuck from spitting the dummy, as it were, so they welcome her presence). They have kicked her out a few times when she's stayed the whole night, curled up beside him in the bed - those are the nights he sleeps best - it doesn't stop her from coming back and doing the same again.

Sometimes Herc smuggles Max in for a visit. Technically they are breaking the rules but no one's going to tell the Marshal that his son, who almost died saving the world, isn't allowed to see his dog. The bulldog is as cheerful as usual, slobbering all over Chuck, who returns the enthusiasm, thrilled to see his best friend. His dad is far more sombre but offers smiles and even jokes. Herc stops by as much as he can with his new duties as marshal. Discovering his dad is his new commanding officer adds another twist to their already complicated relationship, which neither wants to acknowledge. They are working on it. Conversation is stilted but at least they are talking. It's a slow, painful process but it's a step in the right direction. Things aren't as strained as before; Chuck's no longer holding onto past animosity and Herc's attempting to address their issues instead of ignoring them. Dying definitely puts life into perspective. It's probably the best their relationship has been since mum died and, honestly, Chuck's grateful. He's grateful to have his dad. Grateful to be alive. Even if he is confined to a hospital bed with two broken legs.

The world is safe, he can't complain, especially when he looks at Jess. Currently, she's doodling on his arm cast with a set of coloured markets she acquired from somewhere, careful not to go over the names and well-wishes decorating the mould (one near death experience and suddenly you are Mr. Popularity, not that he minds). Chuck remembers his despair when he thought he was going to die. He believed he wasn't going to have a future, then he woke up and the possibilities stretched before him. They have time now. He certainly has plenty of it, lying there in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure out what to do next. Most of his life has been shaped by one goal, to annihilate the Kaiju and avenge his mother's death. Now the Breach is closed and he's no clue what to do with himself. All he's ever been good for is smashing things up.

"What are you thinking about?"

Jess is watching him, expectantly. He tries to shrug it off.

"Nothing… just thinking about when I'm free of this prison and can kick it back on the beach. I'm considering taking up surfing now there's no risk of Kaiju crawling out of the ocean."

"Okay, we're defo doing that, but it's not what you were thinking about just now or you wouldn't have been making that faces." She scrunches her face to match his, pointedly. "Be honest."

Chuck huffs. There is no use in lying to her. "I don't know how to do… this."

"Do what?"

"Live!" He exclaims. "…A normal life, I mean. I've been in this fight since I was a sprog and suddenly it's over, just like that? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it's done, that we won but… I thought I'd die in a Jaeger, I thought the world would end… I don't know what I'm supposed do now, how to move on…" He tugs at his hair with his good hand (it needs a cut). "I don't know anything about paying bills or taxes… not sure how to get on the property ladder people are always talking about and I've never driven a car… I can pilot a Jaeger but I don't know how to drive stick…"

"I can build a car from scratch but I've no clue how to parallel park," Jess jumps in. "I don't really understand insurance and whatever a mortgage is, credit cards scare me and the only meals I've cooked for myself are the ones you add boiled water to…" She places her hand on his cheek. "We'll figure it out together. She'll be right."

Chuck lets the words settle in him. "Together."

Jess smiles and pecks his forehead. Even under the poor hospital lighting she is radiant and all of a sudden Chuck's not afraid. Jess is his future and he's going to love every moment of it.

-x-

The PPDC transfers all operations to Sydney. Officially, this is because it is a good, relatively neutral location, and the Marshal already has strong ties with the government and military there. Unofficially, Herc was getting homesick and wanted to bring his son back to settle and recover.

With the Kaiju threat eliminated, the PPDC have evolved into a humanitarian organisation, adapting Jaeger technology to aid in crises as well as advancements in medicine and sustainability. There was talk of a military application but it was quickly shut down; Herc wasn't interested and the UN didn't want to start a war over who got to play with what toys. They are still trying to save the world but now their problems aren't as simple as punching monsters in the face and dropping nuclear bombs. The planet was already on the brink of destruction and the Kaiju might have shoved it over the edge. Still, there's hope and their efforts are making a difference in the world.

On the first anniversary of the Breach being closed, the world holds a day of celebration. The heroes of the PPDC are paraded on television; the broadcast goes out around the globe. There are speeches, tributes, and the fallen are memorialised. At the end of the day there is a grand gala in their honour where the drinks flow, lots of hands are shaken, and the night ends with fireworks. Three weeks later after the hype has quietened down the team and their families head to the beach for their own private get-together.

Mako and Jess build sandcastles with the latter's niece and Tendo's son, while Chuck and Raleigh splash around with Marco in the sea, playing Jaegers versus Kaiju. Newt builds a replica of Leatherback, only for Marco to come along and destroy it, believing the sand-Kaiju to be part of the game. Newt whines to Hermann who pays no notice, continuing to read his book, sat fully dressed under a parasol.

Dubbed the most responsible of the group, Herc and Carina man the barbecue, occasionally tossing a tennis ball for Max to fetch. At one point, the bulldog bolts with some sausages and Herc has to leg it after him, Carina cackling as she films the whole thing.

Tendo allows Alison and the kids to bury him up to his neck in sand. They decorate him in seaweed and sculpt the sand into a mermaid figure, which Chuck and Raleigh have a good laugh over. They get ice cream and Alison is kind enough to hold the cone to his mouth, only smearing some of it on his nose. He breaks free to join them in a game of Rounders, both teams captained by a Hansen. The competition is fierce with father and son on opposing sides, sister versus sister, and partners against their other half. It is extremely close. Chuck's team almost wins when Raleigh goes for a homerun but Mako takes him out (who knew the tiny woman could knock a man down like that). Herc's team are crowned victorious and Jess has to run after her brooding boyfriend, consoling him with a kiss.

Raleigh soon takes revenge on his girlfriend, scooping Mako into his arms and dunking her in the sea. Jess is quick to defend her friend's honour and hurries in, tackling Raleigh who goes down for a second time. Chuck decides to help a bro out and joins Raleigh in the battle. The young lovers wade through the water, laughing and shouting as they take turns splashing each other.

Newt finally persuades Hermann to put his book down and go for a stroll along the beach. They don't return for at least an hour.

At the children's insistence, Herc and Tendo regale them with child-appropriate war stories, the harsher truths taken out, while Carina and Alison take the opportunity to relax. At least until Max charges out of the water and shakes himself off all over them.

Eventually, Carina and Alison take the children home, while Tendo stays on with his friends. As the sun sets over the ocean and night draws in, those remaining get a campfire going and sit around it, sharing anecdotes and toasting marshmallows. A good end to a good day.

"BAM! The baby rears up and swallows him whole!" Newt exclaims, miming the motions of a jaw snapping shut with his arms. "BOOF! The Kaiju drops dead, this time for real, and I say- "

"You did not," Hermann mutters.

"You weren't there!" Newt retorts before getting back into character. "And I say… looks like Chau just became chow."

The group groan and someone throws a marshmallow at the esteemed scientist.

"You tell this story all the time and each time it gets more ridiculous," Tendo says, taking a swig of beer.

"Ridiculous is that the bugger survived, I mean he got eaten for Christ sake," Chuck remarks, the others murmuring their agreement.

"Having met the guy I wouldn't be surprised if the Kaiju spat him back out," Jess replied.

There had been a lot of rumours surrounding Hannibal Chau's supposed demise. Based on Newt's account it seemed death was the only possible outcome and yet there had been reported sightings that the authorities were investigating. No one knew anything for certain until two deliveries arrived for Jessica Ramirez and Newton Geiszler from the deceased dealer. Jess was bestowed a bouquet with a note from Chau claiming if she ever needed a job he would welcome someone of her calibre. Newt, on the other hand, received no note, only a sample of Kaiju Bone Powder (it's unknown if he's ever used it).

"Oh, we haven't told you our news," Mako pipes up, squeezing Raleigh's hand.

The others look at them with interest, visible speculation running across their faces.

"We have been invited to compete on Dancing with the Stars!" Mako announces with evident delight while Raleigh ducks his head, his smile subdued.

Tendo roars with laughter.

"That's amazing, we'll defo watch the series," Jess says.

Chuck smirks. "Yeah, wouldn't miss seeing Raleigh in all his spangly glory."

The blond responds with a rude gesture.

"This is some sort of dance show, I gather?" Hermann asks and the others nod. "And you're subjecting yourself willingly?"

Raleigh groans. "Mako wants to."

"It'll be fun," Mako insists, rubbing his arm encouragingly. "Besides, we know out of the two of us I will win."

"Oh will you?" Raleigh turns on his girlfriend who smiles back sweetly. "We'll see about that."

"How come I never get invited on these sorts of shows?" Newt whines. "Everyone goes gaga for you Rangers and yes, you saved the world, but what about us, the brains behind the operations? I nearly got eaten, twice!"

Herc reaches over and pats his shoulder with minimal sympathy. "If it's any comfort there's plans to make a movie about the Kaiju War with a character based on you."

"What!"

"They're making a movie about us?"

"You're joking."

"As in a documentary?" Hermann inquires.

"No, an action blockbuster."

The German crinkles his lip with obvious distaste, but beside him Newt practically vibrates.

"Sweet! And you say I have a part in it?"

"Well, not you, they'll have some Hollywood actor but sounds like it."

"Who do you think will play me? Benedict Cumberbatch? Ryan Gosling? Jake Gyllenhaal?"

"More like Maggie Gyllenhaal," Herc says with a small smile. "Sounds like it's going to be a woman,"

Newt's jaw goes slack. "A woman! What?"

Herc rubs his chin. "Well apparently… they want to portray some… ah… sexual tension between yours and Hermann's characters."

Newt freezes and Hermann's eyes widen, darting away. Tendo claps, laughing so hard he almost falls over.

Jess giggles and whispers into Chuck's ear, "At least they got one thing right."

"What else?" Mako prods, as Raleigh hands her another s'more.

"Nothing's been finalised, they just gave me a quick summary but… there's going to be a love triangle."

Jess starts cackling. "Of course!"

"Between who?" Chuck demands, a sinking sensation in his stomach.

"Not me and Newton, I hope," Hermann frowns.

"Mako, Raleigh, and Chuck."

Jess doubles over with laughter. Chuck and Raleigh exchange awkward looks.

Mako grins. "And who is fighting over whom?"

"Team Maleigh forever!" Tendo yells, pumping his fist in the air.

Raleigh wraps his arm around his girlfriend, shaking his head. Mako leans in and pecks his cheek.

"What happened to Chess!" Chuck retorts.

"We're boring, sweetie," Jess coos, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Like hell we are," Chuck snarls and pulls her in for a kiss.

"GROSS!" Newt shouts. The couple flip him off.

"Do I even want to know what it's going to be called?" Raleigh sighs.

"Still in the works but their current idea… Robot Rangers."

The circle goes quiet.

"That's terrible," Tendo says. Everyone agrees.

"A movie about giant robots versus giant monsters," Hermann mutters. "Who would want to watch that?"

They get through another pack of marshmallows before Herc, Chuck, and Raleigh set to work. The others continue to chat and joke until they are called over. They gather around and look to Herc expectantly as he clears his throat.

"Mako, would you do the honours?"

Mako looks surprised but nods, smiling. The others applaud, quietening down when she starts to speak.

"Thank you…" Mako takes a deep breath and gazes round their circle. "When I look at you all, I do not see my colleagues. I see my friends, my family. I see hope. We have gone through much together, won and lost together. There are people we wish could be with us but must make peace knowing they would be proud of all we've accomplished. We have not let tragedy shake our belief in ourselves or each other. A year ago we achieved the impossible. Now we strive for a better world, a better tomorrow. And we will get there, but tonight… we celebrate!"

The group cheers.

The first rocket whizzes upwards in a golden blaze, then a shower of red, blue, and green lights the sky. The next batch follows, one bang after another, Raleigh and Chuck run back and forth setting the fireworks off. The others clap and cheer, Jess and Mako squeal, clasping onto each other. Newt yells, loud enough to match Max's howling. Herc holds onto the bulldog as he yaps his enthusiasm. Tendo throws his arm around Hermann who smiles softly at the sky. They watch on enthralled as sparks of gold, red, blue, silver, green, and violet burst above them.

Chuck launches the rockets, counting each one as a tribute to the fallen.

To Tang Wei Hu, Cheung, and Jin.

To Sasha and Aleksis Kaidonovsky.

To Yancy Beckett.

To the Mori's and the Ramirez's.

To Stacker Pentecost.

And to Angela Hansen.

He watches them go up and fill the sky until there's only one remaining. It streaks through the night and explodes raining tiny golden stars upon them.

Chuck punches the air. "TO US!"

The others take up the cry. "TO US!"

Jess flings her arms around him and she's laughing, a beautiful sound, as she presses her lips to his, again, and again. He can hear the others chuckling in the background, Newt grumbling about couples, and he can guess Mako and Raleigh are doing something similar. He fades them out, focuses only on Jess.

Her eyes sparkle as she grins up at him. "I love you."

He thinks about the little box he has stashed inside an old shoe, hidden in the bedroom wardrobe back at their flat. Four-words tingle on his tongue.

"I love you too."

Chuck kisses her slow. It feels like fireworks all over again.

The world keeps turning but they pay it no mind, wrapped up in each other. There's no need to rush. They have time.

Happy -5th Anniversary of the Breach's Closure to my fellow Pacific Rim fans! I hope you enjoyed this story.