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1.
When Vanessa visits, everyone’s shocked. Some knew, at the back of their mind, that Hermann had a wife, but seeing her in person is something else entirely.
She’s … well, hot. All the curves and golden hair and cleavage that you usually found in one of the many worn-out magazines around the Shatterdome. Vanessa is also roughly 6 months pregnant, and glowing. The look of sincere awe and joy on Hermann’s face as she drags his hand to her belly to feel the baby’s kick is something onlookers feel slightly embarrassed to behold, feeling voyeuristic at intruding on the couple’s intimate moment.
Well, except Newt, that is. Newt bounces up to be next in line to feel the baby’s kick, gushing about how amazing the gestation period is in humans, and speculating about the possibility of a pregnant Kaiju. Vanessa humors him, laughing, while Hermann limps to the kitchenette to make tea.
The rest of the people in the breakroom just shake their heads to themselves at Newt’s lack of boundaries and hope Hermann doesn’t end up fending him off with his cane.
2.
Herc just … stares.
He can’t be seeing this. He really can’t. But he is. The two scientists going at it over one of their work tables, Newt splayed out over papers and calculations and Hermann leaning over him, cane discarded, whispering things in German Herc is grateful he can’t understand.
Herc coughs. “Ah, gentlemen?”
They scramble up, looking flustered and mortified and, ok, Newt looks a little smug, the cheeky bastard, but that’s Newt. Hermann has the decency to look ashamed.
“You’ve got a wife,” Herc accuses. “I met her. She was carryin’ yer baby in her. This how you repay that kind of devotion?”
“Look, you don’t understand –” Newt begins.
“Oh, I understand,” Herc glares. “Break it up, or I tell the missus.” He storms out.
3.
Tendo is just stopping by to drop off some documents in the lab, but the sight of Newt with a baby strapped to his back gives him pause.
“Uh … Newt?” he asks, nervously. The baby is wearing tiny safety goggles, obviously cut down from an adult pair and patched with duct tape.
“Yeah?” Newt turns around, holding a remnant of a Kaiju organ in one hand and a scalpel in the other.
“Where’s … uh … Vanessa?” Tendo manages.
“Oh, Mommy? Mommy’s off with Daddy, isn’t she, sweetpea?” Newt coos to the baby over his shoulder, setting down the scalpel but not the Kaiju segment. “They’re having some grown-up time together.”
Tendo nods. That makes sense. Vanessa doesn’t get to visit much, so when she does, naturally she and her husband would want some time without a baby watching their every move. “And, they know you have their child in the lab?”
“Of course! They wanted me to babysit!” Newt shakes his head and glances over his shoulder at the baby. “We’re gonna watch old Godzilla movies later, aren’t we, sweetpea? Just as soon as Uncle Newt gets his work done.”
Tendo Choi shakes his head and wanders off. If Hermann and Vanessa entrusted their child to Newt, unsupervised in a lab, they’re going to have to live with the consequences.
4.
Raleigh stares quizzically at Newt and Hermann in the mess hall. They’re at a table of their own, feeding each other slices of fruit and laughing, going in and out of German and English without pause.
“I thought you told me Hermann was married?” he says.
Chuck glares at them. “He is. To a lovely lady named Vanessa.”
“We don’t talk about that.” Herc snaps. “She knows. She’s staying with him. Probably for the kid.”
“Kid?” Raleigh’s eyebrows rise.
“Yeah. Must be, what, two now?” Chuck asks his dad.
Herc silences him with a look, and the conversation changes rapidly.
5.
Mako wonders whether she should merely leave the forms for Newt and Hermann to sign later, or continue to wait for one or both of them to materialize. They were supposed to be here, and placing the forms on one of the many cluttered desks seems unwise. They would only become buried and forgotten.
A ringing sound draws her attention, underneath a slumped stack of folders. Mako retrieves a cellphone and stares at the screen, a blush rising to her cheeks.
Received: 7:03pm: From: Vanessa: My breasts, huh? Well, if you’re a good boy I’ll let you motorboat them next time. ; ) God, I wish I could feel your cock in me right now.
Sent: 6:40pm: To: Vanessa: All I can think about today is your breasts. <3 <3 <3
A quick scroll down the phone’s history of texts confirms what Mako feared: Newt has been sexting with Vanessa, Hermann’s wife. And this isn’t the first time. There have been … pictures, as well. Vanessa has been quite eager to show evidence of her recent weight loss of shedding her pregnancy pounds, and Newt had risen to Vanessa’s “prove how far your tattoos go” challenge.
Mako, beyond mortified, realizes that she has to tell Hermann about this. The man deserves to know about his wife’s betrayal, and with his lab partner no less. He is a good man, a bit stuffy at times, but she cannot in good conscience hide this from him.
So when Hermann enters the lab a few minutes later, alone, Mako gulps and holds out the phone.
“I … there is something you should … be aware of,” Mako says, as Hermann takes the phone, confused. “I heard it ring and checked, and I … I am so sorry.”
Herman scans the texts, face reddening.
“I shall … leave now.” Mako hurriedly ducks out, not wanting to witness the shouting match that will undoubtedly ensue between the scientists.
+1
Everyone’s families have been arriving for the celebrations. Wives, children, husbands, parents, filling the Shatterdome with shrieks of joy and spinning hugs and passionate kisses. There are tears, too, for those who are not at this reunion, who did not live to see this triumph. There is mourning, there are tributes to the fallen, and a memorial service for the brave heroes who lost their lives to destroy the portal.
There is also, on the third day of celebrations, Vanessa. She races across the atrium and leaps at Hermann, nearly knocking him over, a tiny child stumbling after her, determined and holding out its arms for balance.
She kisses Hermann, deeply, leaving him breathless. Then, to the surprise of all around them, grabs at Newt and, still partially clinging to Hermann, kisses Newt as well. The kiss is just as deep and passionate as the one she gave her husband, and Newt returns it enthusiastically.
As Vanessa turns to kiss Hermann a second time, Newt crouches down and hoists the child into his arms. He smiles as the kid burbles in German and tugs on his hair.
Vanessa links arms with both men, Newt keeping a hold of the child, and they head off for the barracks. Not until now, with all this unbridled joy and celebration, did they feel they could be open to others. Now, at long last, they can be seen as what they were from the start: a family.