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It had been a year since the initial recall of Overwatch, and the now vigilante group had been taking its greatest efforts to start the rebuilding of the once mighty elite task force that kept the world in balance. The headquarters were now settled in the former, Watchpoint: Gibraltar where most of the original team were now housed, under the command of Colonel Jack “Soldier: 76” Morrison. They were constantly recruiting more and more: soldiers, doctors, and scientists from around the globe to join their revival in attempts to bring the uprising of Overwatch once again. Already making headlines in the news of their acts against the newly formed Talon and their attempts to stay out of the limelight, trying not to be brought down again by the government after being disbanded once before and their actions made illegal.
However as time wore on more and more governments around the world were starting to see Overwatch as a force of good, against omnic attacks or terrorists trying to assassinate a public official. Allowing for more watchpoints to be built in other countries and spreading the news of Overwatch’s return, and retaliation to no longer stay hidden. The group had been making a name for themselves once again and everything started returning to normal, well as normal as it could be for an illegal, vigilante military group of heros.
Once the new year had come around, Overwatch had decided to resurrect an old tradition of an annual week long visit from a distant military group to discuss: training regimens, battle plans, new technology, or a conversion of the two groups. Each year one group was selected at random to join Overwatch, the first night was always reserved for the opening ball to officially join the two factions.
This time around for the first time in years the annual ball was to be held and the company that had been selected was Egypt’s, Helix International Security, a task force Overwatch had never had any relations with, but were always open to new organizations in their favor. For the first time in awhile the watchpoint was abuzz with the news about the revival of the ball and incoming Egyptian soldiers, many eager to meet the newcomers to the base. All missions were held on standby as by the orders of Colonel Jack Morrison, unless deemed too critical to ignore but for the main part of the week before the arrival of Helix everything seemed quite calm around the base, for the most part.
The new recruits were all mainly the ones that set up the outdoor area where the ball would be held and set up the sleeping quarters for the incoming HIS troops, and were to be the cooks and servers for the night trading off every few hours to enjoy the dance themselves. For the most part however, Jack was allowing the higher ranking Overwatch officers to wear more civilian clothing in favor of this to not seem like an overly formal, strictly military ball.
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Finally, the night arrived and all Overwatch personnel were stationed by class and rank in the air hanger of the base awaiting the arrival of Helix each officer and recruit were all dressed either civilian formal or military formal but the majority of those were privates. Everyone stood still not daring to move a single muscle wanting to make a good impression on the HIS soldiers. That was until the soft thrumming of incoming planes could be heard stirring back life into the night, as all of Overwatch waited to meet the newcomers.
As the planes landed in the hanger Jack and all of the more well known heroes stepped forward towards the opening cargo compartments of the planes to introduce themselves to the Helix officers. An older woman dressed handsomely in a decorated uniform stepped out first, taking off her beret and tucking it under her left arm she approached Jack almost at eye level with him, “Greetings, Colonel Jack Morrison,” the woman took his hand into a firm handshake, “I am General Maat Rahal, of Helix International Security my soldiers and I are honored to have been invited by your congregation for the first time since your last ball years ago.”
Jack smiled at the woman, “It’s a pleasure as well, General. May this be a turning point in the revival of Overwatch and our union together.” The woman nodded to him and moved down the line greeting each highly ranked officer before she finally turned back around and called her troops to come out of the planes in Arabic. All of Overwatch’s company were instantly starstruck as they got their first look at the formally dressed Helix soldiers stepped out of the planes, all in perfect formation walking forward till there was a fine line of walking distance between the two military groups.
Both companies directed their attention toward their respective leaders and the closed hanger doors behind them, listening to the Colonel give his speech about how honored he was to be hosting HIS and how it would progress Overwatch and that he hopes their bond would stay strong through the years that follow, and so on. Most of the Overwatch soldiers were starting to fidget as their commander’s speech wore on having stood there for the better part of the evening. As the higher ranked Overwatch heroes stood side by side each other all of them surveyed the crowd seeing that most of the soldiers were growing impatient with Jack, that was until Winston spoke up, “Yes, thank you, Jack. From everyone at Overwatch we welcome you here. Please follow us.”
Jack glared at the gorilla as they made their way off stage fixing his military suits jacket; as the doors opened for the first time everyone got to see what the recruits had been up to for the last few days. The smell and sound of the sea was abundant, as the fairy lights above glinted like the stars, and around the dance floor were tables and chairs for both Helix and Overwatch to share and intermingle. Lower ranking members stood on the perimeter waiting for their commander’s signal to start.
Most of the original Overwatch members smiled knowing the next part coming up, flooding each of them with lost memories. Jack moved over to Maat taking her hand in his, “May I have this dance?” The General smiled as she was led into a slow waltz with the Colonel, music seemed to have come from nowhere the moment their shoes scuffed the makeshift dance floor. A tradition meant to symbolize the union of the two different organizations. Time seemed to still during the whole dance as everyone watched their respective leaders move with unbelievable grace for being war hardened themselves. As the dance drew to a close the two leaders bowed to each other now facing their own brigades till Jack once again spoke up, “Now, everyone, please enjoy yourselves here. Overwatch is honored to host you all tonight.”
Both the General and Colonel looked at each other before speaking in unison, “Let the ball commence!” The stoic Helix soldiers finally broke their facade cheering for their General and making their way to intermingle with Overwatch. Most of them all made their way to their respective tables getting set for dinner. What most would suspect was that the higher ranks would be with each other and that was true, however the same could not be said for the famed Dr. Angela Ziegler; she mostly kept to herself not really knowing how to deal with massive groups of people wanting her attention all at once.
Angela wore a simple off the shoulder strapped white dress with a slit at both sides of her outer legs, and a gold belt, most could even say she looked like an angel. She had heard her fair share of “angel” pick up lines that night, but these soldiers were starting to push her buttons, either wanting her attention for medical reasons to ask her about her research (which she didn’t mind), but there was also the abundance of Helix soldiers trying to ask her either for a dance or a date and as the night drew on her patience was resting on threads. She had shot down probably half or even more of Helix’s soldiers who even attempted to make a move on her.
Sighing Angela made her escape from the onslaught of soldiers to find a place where she knew none of the soldiers could find her, opening the air locked doors with her pin code to the more forested part of Watchpoint: Gibraltar. Here she knew Helix was not granted access or even the knowledge of this place, being Overwatch’s little secret. Angela looked up to the sky glinting with stars and she could hear the soft melody of a song from the ball on the other side of the watchpoint, she made her way to the river that ran there smoothing the back of her dress as she sat in the grass, pulling a few of the blades to clear her head.
That led Angela to question herself, ‘Why, had she turned down all those possible suitors? They weren’t, not good looking, gott no. But why? It’s not like I’m waiting on anyone and I’m not getting any younger. Hell I’m pretty sure if I told them to jump, they’d only ask how high.’
Angela’s eyes were down casted as her mind lingered on the thought, why did she always feel like she was waiting for someone, when she knew no one was coming. Angela lightly laughed at her predicament if someone were to find her, Dr. Angela “Mercy” Ziegler reduced to a normal person with real feelings, and not the calm and composed angel of Overwatch everyone assumed her to be. That was until she heard the air locked door behind her open, making the doctor turn to see who had found her. Surprisingly it seemed to have been a HIS soldier but that couldn’t be right they wouldn’t have been able to open the door, that was when the doctor stood making her way to the figure in the doorway.
“Hello, are you lost?” The doctor asked as she made her way toward the person starting to realize familiar features on the stranger, “I’m Dr. Angela Ziegler I don’t think you should be here.” Angela still made her way to the stranger with more caution now, realizing that they were taller and more muscular than her petite size. As she approached the soldier spoke, “Well, I’m kinda hurt you don’t recognize me. You seem to have not aged a day Dr. Ziegler. And I guess you never grew out of using this place to clear your head.” Angela stopped startled that the soldier knew her personally, but the voice was familiar but yet seemed so distant in her mind. That was when the soldier moved and approached her.
Angela gasped as she took in the soldiers features: a strong jaw, well defined muscles under her military suit, how tall she was, the golden beads in her hair, and the tattoo of Horus under her.. eye, “Mein gott! A.. Ana!?” Angela nearly yelled smiling widely. Fareeha laughed hugging Angela, “Well, close actually. It’s Fareeha, I guess I have changed a bit to look like mum in the last 20 years.” Angela wiped a tear, “You look almost like your mother, but it’s still you. I thought I would never see you again.” Fareeha moved the doctor by her shoulders so she could show her the uniform, “Well, I wouldn’t worry about that,” Fareeha’s uniform was an Overwatch Captain’s uniform, “I was recruited by Jack a few weeks ago and he thought this would be a good way to come back into Overwatch as an officer, instead of an Overwatch brat. I couldn’t find you out there so I figured you would be here, like when you and I were younger and you would run off here, away from either Jesse or the world.”
Angela kept close to her old friend, “Well, I’m glad you’ve never forgotten, it’s so good to see you again Amari jr.,” Angela swatted at Fareeha’s beret barely reaching her head, “You’re also finally taller than me. It suits you..” Fareeha smirked as she looked down at the Swiss, “Really I never noticed.” Angela shoved her, “I really missed you.” Fareeha held Angela close, “Likewise.” Both women stood in the comfortable silence listening to the crickets and the soft tune of the song being played at the main party. Fareeha moves her head to the rhythm swaying a little as she held Angela, her eyes closed. Finally, looking down to the woman in her arms, wrapped in her own world as it was just the two of them.
That was until Fareeha cleared her throat grabbing the other woman’s attention, “Hey, Ang. I know it’s been awhile and I’m pretty sure that even up to now you don’t dance but,” Fareeha took a deep breath listening to the slow music for a second, “may I have this dance?” The Egyptian held out her hand hoping the doctor would take it, to her surprise Angela took it and smiled, “It would be an honor to dance with the infamous Captain Fareeha Amari after all these years.” Fareeha took Angela’s hand placing it on her shoulder and her hand at her waist moving them to the beat of the music as they moved through the grass. Angela rested her head against Fareeha’s chest getting lost in their own reverie.
That was until the song was drawing to a close and Fareeha dipped her a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Please, Dr. Ziegler. The honor is all mine, it’s been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember, was to at least once. Slow dance with the genius and angel of Overwatch.” Angela smiled at the tenderness in Fareeha’s voice, speaking as Fareeha brought her back up from the dipped position, “Well I hope this won’t be our last dance.” That was when Fareeha twirled her, bringing their faces inches from each other, “Well I’m sure this won’t be.”
That’s when Fareeha brought their lips together to Angela’s overall surprise, slowly closing her eyes embracing the kiss as a sudden thought sparked in her mind, ‘This was who I was waiting for.’
The End.