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“Alright Gabriel,” Angela said as she applied a bandage to his arm, “you’re done for today. We’ll continue on Thursday.” Gabriel watched as she picked up her tablet and stylus and began making notes. “And next time--” her voice tinged with snark, “don’t eat before your IV.”
“Will do, Doc.” Gabriel replied, flexing his arm and wiggling his fingers. He always felt a fuzzy sensation after the drip. Angela said it was a good thing, a sign his nerves were beginning to regenerate. The treatment hadn’t done much for his complexion, however. His skin was still tough and coarse. He’d gotten used to it. He hopped off the examination chair, eager to get out of the medical ward.
“I presume you’re keeping up on your appointments with Zenyatta?” Angela said, still scribbling away on her tablet. Gabriel blinked. Right, Zenyatta. Genji’s… friend? They seemed like friends. Between his treatments, therapy, and surge of new faces, it was tough to keep track. His memory had suffered because of Moira’s “intervention.” Another side effect.
Gabriel walked over to the door, “Sure. Yes. I mean yes.” That got Angela to look at him, one eyebrow raised. “But he’s not a real therapist, right? We just talk.”
“Technically he isn’t, but he’s got an impressive track record with anger management. And he has a naturally calming effect on people. A part of his personality, I suppose.” She finished writing on the tablet before placing it down with an audible clack. “Regardless, you need to work with him. Moira’s… work amplifies your feelings. But those feelings came from somewhere. The only way to control your anger is to address the root cause.”
Gabriel huffed, “Like I said, I’m doing it.” He hated it, the anger. It bubbled and fizzed and crackled under his skin. It left him feeling hollow and aimless. That was something Akande had taken advantage of. After the explosion, his world felt obscured. As he realized he’d lost everything--his family, his friends--Akande stepped in. The man had given him an outlet for his rage and grief. Finally, he could change the world. Finally! And Gabriel would become whatever monster they needed him to be.
It was perfect. It was terrible.
Gabriel wasn’t sure when he’d begun to refer to himself only as “Reaper,” but he hadn’t realized it at the time. Slowly, the man he was had begun to contort and shrink. Like a piece of paper folded up too many times. His memories tucked away so deeply in the crevices of his mind they hurt to recall. Jack, Ana, Jesse. Jesse? No, not Jesse. He was Cole now. Reinhardt, Torbjorn, Liao, Genji, Gerard. Gerard? He’d be so disappointed. Talon had ruined Gerard and Amelie’s lives, and Gabriel hadn’t looked twice. His ends justified the means.
Sometimes, he’d remember Martina. They’d met shortly after he’d joined LAPD. Gabriel was tough to read at the best of times, but she had the uncanny ability to see right through him. “There’s other ways to make the world better, Gabriel,” she’d said to him one evening after a particularly bad argument with his chief. He’d grown tired of police work quickly, upset that his boss was more concerned about evicting poor tenants than enforcing anti-lobbying laws.
Perhaps that’s why he’d remember. Because she’d offered him an out. He had her, and a loving community. He could’ve done anything. He could’ve been anything. Instead, he turned in his badge and joined the military. The best and worst decision of his life: Gabriel found his true calling in the Soldier Enhancement Program and later, the Crisis. He’d never felt more alive pushing his body and mind to their breaking points. Accomplishing superhuman feats the world had only imagined before. All in the name of a golden future. And it it was euphoric when he met someone who shared those ideals as deeply as him, someone like--
“Jack!”
Gabriel snapped out of his reverie when he heard Angela greet him. Lost in his thoughts, again. He frowned, ignoring Jack leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed. “You’re not due for treatment until tomorrow. Is your back bothering you?” Hearing that made Gabriel wince. The injury he’d given Jack in Cairo never quite healed properly. He still felt guilty about it.
“It’s fine, I’m here for Reyes. Amari wants to talk to him.” Jack said, nonchalantly. He pushed himself off the doorframe. “She and Zaryanova are making plans to hit an Omnium, and she wants second and third opinions.”
“Which Amari?” Gabe asked. It was unusual for Ana to run ground missions nowadays. Ever since the three of them had begrudgingly joined this new Overwatch, they acted in an advisory role. That, and mentoring new recruits. A part of Gabriel ached to be in the field, but it wasn’t possible. Not with Angela’s treatments. And Zenyatta’s… not-therapy.
Jack smirked, “Our little fighter jet, although I’m sure Mama Bear would help if Fareeha asked.” Out of the three of them, Gabriel felt Ana was most suited to return to active combat. Her relationship with her daughter was still rocky, but they were making progress. Gabriel had seen them eating dinner together a week prior. They were laughing. He missed his son.
“Don’t let me keep you,” Angela began as she gently ushered them out of the medical ward, “I just realized I’ve got a meeting with Lucio in five minutes. We’re trying to optimize his amplifier’s healing factor.” She seemed excited. At her core, she was still a medical researcher. Gabriel stepped out into the hallway with Jack, the door quietly closing.
There was an awkward pause for a moment, as if Jack was asking for permission to walk with him. “Lead the way,” Gabriel said, gesturing. Jack noticeably perked up, almost childlike. The two of them began to walk. “It’s past the gymnasium, right?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Jack replied. His voice wavered slightly, like he wanted to ask a question but was anxious about the answer. Gabriel had heard it a few times in the past. Usually when an operation went wrong. The last time he’d heard Jack make that noise, he’d been worried about Oxton’s encounter with Doomfist in Singapore. Do you think we’ll be able to pull her back into our timeline again?
Something was eating Jack, but Gabriel didn’t know if it was his place to ask. They were both carefully navigating this renewed friendship, lest they antagonize each other again. Looking at Jack’s broad back, he wondered where they stood now.
Six months ago, Gabriel wouldn’t have hesitated to describe them as “mortal enemies.” But after a life-changing encounter with Cole, Jack, and Ana, here he was. Allies again. Trying to create a new Overwatch. Now, he spent his days not just healing, but building an organization they could be proud of. One learned from past mistakes.
“Ziegler seems a lot happier these days.” Gabe remarked. “The last time I saw her this excited, she was still a medical school intern.”
Jack looked over his shoulder, “Oxton mentioned the good doctor had reservations at first, but came around once she got to work with people whose IQ is way higher than ours.”
“IQ isn’t real,” Gabriel scoffed, “she just has good genetics.”
The pair heard voices as they approached the gymnasium. To call it a “gym” was a bit disingenuous. It was a repurposed storage depot. Gabriel vaguely recalled it held expensive weaponry and standard operations gear, once upon a time. The climate control system was installed to maintain humidity, and made the room an ideal space for combat exercises.
Gabe couldn’t help but turn to look at the source of the noise. He paused, observing the scene through a window. The floor was covered in plush blue maternal, not unlike what a gymnast might use. The space was littered with equipment, including home-brew training dummies. The handiwork of Torbjorn’s daughter, no doubt. One thing this new iteration of Overwatch didn’t have was a decent budget. Illegal vigilante work didn’t attract many sponsors.
Still, the team made do. The kids Cassidy and Winston had recruited were nothing but resourceful.
“Alright,” a high-pitched voice instructed, “you two switch places.” On the mat, pilot Hana Song was practicing some type of maneuver with Cassidy and Jean-Baptiste. At a glance, Gabriel realized it was a lifting exercise. Both men, one for each foot, intended to hoist Song up over their heads. He’d practiced it long ago, before the SEP. Being capable of navigating elevated terrain as a group was standard procedure. But it didn’t matter once he had the strength of three men.
“Good,” Song continued, “let’s try getting most of my weight on Cassidy’s prosthetic this time. We won’t accidentally injure his shooting hand this way.” While she spoke, Gabriel noticed the warmth of Jack’s body heat next to him. He was watching, too. It felt nostalgic, like when they’d observe new recruits.
“Is this really a standard drill for MEKA pilots? It seems impractical.” Baptiste remarked, glancing between Cassidy and Song.
“Anyone certified must be physically fit enough to get to their machine aerially. We’re at a disadvantage in ground combat. I can’t strafe through Null Sector troops like Lena can.” She walked backwards several meters on the mat, “And it’s great for stream viewership during our real fights. The crowd loves the splashy stuff. Get into position!”
Baptiste shrugged but followed her directions. Gabriel watched as Song crouched into a running start. Jack spoke up next to him, “I’ve seen her do this before, it’s pretty fun. Dangerous and irresponsible, but fun.” Soon after, Song dashed towards Baptiste and Cassidy. They braced themselves, catching Song out of a jump and lifting her up above their heads. She used the leverage to leap even higher--getting an audible grunt from Baptiste.
Gabriel heard Cassidy whistle as he watched Song glide through the air. All she needed to do was stick the landing, but the pilot threw in a flip for good measure. Gabriel wasn’t quite sure if it was part of her routine, or if she was just showing off. He reminded himself to ask her about it later. Recalling one of his sessions with Zenyatta, he remembered a suggestion the monk gave him. Your anger feeds on isolation, Gabriel. Connect with the new recruits. After all, we are social beings who desire companionship. You are no exception.
Well, the guy wasn’t wrong. Talon seemed designed to build hostility. Secrets were the rule, and trust could be bought for the right price. Their leaders encouraged conflict. Akande had to have known it would make Gabriel even easier to manipulate. Hell, maybe it was his plan all along.
Song walked back over to Cassidy and Baptiste, giving each a fist bump. “Nice one, little lady,” Cassidy said with a big smile.
“I still think it was a bit unnecessary… but it was cool.” Baptiste admitted. Despite his worry, Gabriel thought the medic looked satisfied. “And you do this regularly with your team?”
“It's not just useful on the battlefield,” Song said, adjusting her ponytail, “it’s a great trust-building exercise.”
“We certainly need more of that. Trust, I mean.” Baptiste replied.
Cassidy gently elbowed Baptiste’s arm. “C’mon, I reckon she wouldn’t give you the time of day if you weren't a little reliable. Or maybe she wanted to see your soothin’ smile.”
“Please,” Baptiste chuckled, “now you’re just humoring me.”
“I agree with Cassidy, you’re a good looking guy, almost as lovely as my—“ Song suddenly looked at her wrist. Gabriel now realized she was wearing a smartwatch. “I gotta run, Yuna just got out of training and she wants to raid.”
“That’s like a date for you, isn’t it?” Baptiste asked. “Ah, young love.”
Song stuck her tongue out, jokingly. “You’re just jealous.”
The three of them continued to tease each other as they gathered their belongings from the gym. “It’s really something,” Gabriel murmured, “how Cole brought them together like this.”
“He learned from the best.” Jack said quietly.
Gabriel knew Jack was sincere, because Jack Francis Morrison was not a difficult man to read. But that part of Gabriel’s life felt a million miles away. The Gabriel Reyes who’d reformed Cole Cassidy had almost been shattered irreversibly by the Reaper. It was only the memory of his family—which Gabriel had clung to like a lifeline—that stopped him from being swallowed up entirely. And it was the part of Gabriel that Cole, in an act of love and kindness Gabriel would remember forever, rescued.
This Gabriel still dreamed of a just world, still loved his family, and cared about his friends. But his fight was over. He left his burden to a new generation, simply helping where he could. He no longer wanted to be an agent of vengeance. He was content to just be.
Jack and Ana weren’t all that much different. Death changed the trio, their fate sealed when Gabriel sat in Moira’s medical chair and told her to “do whatever it takes.”
Gabriel rapped his knuckles against the gymnasium window, hoping to catch Cole’s attention. Might as well say hello if he and Jack were going to turn this into a spectator sport.
“Reyes,” Cassidy nodded at the pair, walking towards them, “Morrison.” Baptiste was behind him, drinking from a water bottle.
“Cole,” Gabriel replied, “you training for MEKA? Didn’t take you for a robot pilot wannabe.”
Cassidy chuckled, shifting his bands out of his eyes, “Seems fun, but not my style. I wanna make sure Hana’s trainin’s kept up here. It was a big deal, asking her to join us. Leavin’ her home. She cares about it a lot.”
“She’s a soldier, she knew what she signed up for.”
“Don’t doubt that for a second. But we can’t burn up again. Everyone gets what they need to keep going. And that—“ Cassidy pointed a thumb at Baptiste, “includes this guy, who needs to get out there and meet people.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t spend all my time working with Dr. Ziegler to keep my medical knowledge up-to-date?” Baptiste said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“I’m sayin’—“ Cassidy continued, “come to team movie nights when I invite you.”
“You should go, Baptiste,” Gabriel said without thinking. ”You need to integrate yourself into the team dynamic. Find your place, so your teammates trust you. Don’t, and you risk compromising operations. I speak from experience.”
Baptiste looked at him silently. For a moment, Gabriel thought he’d crossed a line with unsolicited advice. Baptiste replied with a soft smile, however, “You’re right. Your advice is valuable, given our pasts.” He looked at Cassidy, “Grab me for the next movie night.”
“I’m holdin’ you to it.” Cassidy said.
Baptiste excused himself, wanting to hit the showers. Jack cleared his throat, “We should get going, too.”
“Headed somewhere?”
“Fareeha and Zaryanova are hitting that Omnium and want tactical advice.”
“Oh,” Cassidy’s eyes widened, “you be sure to take care of that. It’s a scary operation.”
“I’m more than aware,” Jack said, voice low, “Reyes?”
“Right behind you.”
They walked through the base in silence, Jack glancing over his shoulder occasionally. Gabriel began to feel confused. Although his memory problems didn’t let him remember the minutiae of Watchpoint: Gibraltar, he knew they weren’t headed to a briefing room.
“Jack, where are we going? Actually going.” Gabriel asked.
“One of the cross-complex bridges, there’s a good view of the shoreline.” Jack said, shyly, like a child who’d been caught in a white lie. “What gave it away?”
“You’ve been jittery ever since Ziegler’s, and,” Gabriel sighed, “you and Cole are clearly in on something.” They stopped at a door, sunlight of a late Gibraltar afternoon leaking through the cracks in the door frame. “I’m supposed to know you two better than anyone, right?”
Jack hummed. He opened the door, and the light poured over both of them. Decades ago, Gabriel only visited the seaside base a few times. He’d never gotten the chance to appreciate its beauty. The light of the sun over the sea, combined with the salty ocean air and soft sounds of waves crashing against rock, were as tranquil as they were wondrous. “Come on,” Jack said, “the view’s great.”
Gabriel wasn’t going to argue.
They stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes, leaning on the protective railing. This isn’t so bad, Gabriel thought, spending time with Jack like this. Despite everything, Gabriel just couldn’t get Jack out of his orbit. After they’d begun talking again, Ana had joked that it’d take the heat death of the universe to keep them apart. If they reconciled after Cairo, she told Gabriel, they’d be stuck together for life. Gabriel tore his eyes from the shoreline to glance at Jack, who was chewing his bottom lip.
“Jack,” Gabriel said, “I can hear you thinking. Just say whatever’s on your mind.”
Jack laughed nervously, “Don’t rush me. I haven’t done this in a decade.”
“Done what?” Gabriel replied sarcastically, “Drag a guy in front of a romantic view and confess your undying love for him?”
He’d said it in jest, and didn’t expect Jack to look back at him with a serious expression. “Actually, yeah.”
“Seriously?” The sounds of the ocean faded away as blood rushed in Gabriel’s ears. Excitement and dread filled him in equal measure. He’d toyed with the idea before, but always dismissed it. Jack’s friendship was enough, he told himself, because he’d transgressed too far for anything romantic to blossom between them. Dropping a building on someone wasn’t generally regarded as a convincing way to woo them.
“Undying love’s pretty strong, it’s more like a big crush.” Jack said, a soft smile on his face. “You’re my best friend, Gabe.”
“So? Friends don’t automatically make great boyfriend material.”
“Sure, but we’ve always been stuck together. Did great things. Screwed up too…” he trailed off, clearly looking for the right words. Gabe watched him patiently.
Taking a deep breath, Jack continued. “When I crawled out of the rubble and couldn’t find you, I thought what I felt was anger. I mean, I was angry, but it wasn’t just that. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Asking myself why you did it. Why would you just torch everything we built? Overwatch was messed up, in the end, but it was our mess. And then I realized I wasn’t just angry, I hurt. In a way I hadn’t felt in years.”
For a moment Gabriel felt his own anger rushing to the surface again. The part of him that blamed Jack and Overwatch for what they’d lost tried to claw its way back into his heart. He wouldn’t let it.
“I hurt because no matter how terrible things got, you were there. It’s always been that way, hasn’t it? You held me when the SEP tore us apart, had my back during the Crisis… in the end, I didn’t care that we were arguing. Ana was gone, Reinhardt, Torbjorn, Liao, Vincent… all long gone. But you were still there. Losing that hurt more than the explosion. And it was because it hurt so goddamn much I finally realized I’m in love with you.”
Jack looked at Gabriel with a vulnerability he hadn’t seen from his friend in a long, long time.
“And now that I’m…” Gabriel nebulously gestured at himself, “like this, you want to try making us a thing?”
“I want to try and make us happy.”
Hearing it aloud was bittersweet. Gabriel didn’t want to admit it, he knew a part of himself was still deeply in love with Martina. Sure, a future with her now was practically impossible. She’d moved on. But didn’t Jack miss Vincent in the same way?
“Jack,” Gabriel said softly, closing the distance between them, “I can’t give you what you want. What you wanted Vincent to give you, a family.” He leaned into Jack, trying to comfort him in this little moment of sincerity they shared.
“I know,” Jack replied, “you can’t give Strike Commander Jack Morrison what he wants. But I can’t give Blackwatch Commander Gabriel Reyes what he wants, either. I’ve accepted that.” He slowly reached forward, silently asking for permission. Gabriel nodded.
Jack caressed Gabriel’s cheek, heart hammering. “But… I think I can give ‘this’ Gabriel a happy future, and I think he can do the same for me, too. We’re different men now.”
Gabriel practically melted into the touch, wondering how he’d gone without this kind of intimacy for so long. Zenyatta’s counseling from one of their sessions appeared in the forefront of his mind.
“A part of experiencing joy again, Gabriel, will be letting yourself do so. Even if it comes to you unexpectedly. Embrace it. Saying goodbye may be hard, but is saying hello not wonderful as well?”
”I think I want to try.” He whispered, closing his eyes momentarily and focusing only on Jack’s touch. “Try whatever it is you think we can be.”
Jack smiled, a look of deep relief washing over his face. “Thank you,” he said, “for trusting me.”
They stood together, listening to the soft cries of gulls. The sun had nearly sunk below the horizon.
Gabriel grinned as they pulled apart. “Wow,” he chuckled, “Finally getting to experience some of that famous Morrison charm, huh?”
“Gabe!” Jack stammered, taken off guard. A flush began to creep up his neck to the tips of his ears. “I wasn’t trying to—“
“I know. I’m teasing.” For the first time, the sensation under Gabriel’s skin wasn’t rage. Anticipation, maybe. Whatever it was, it felt good. “You’re cute when you blush.”
Jack elbowed Gabriel in the ribs, smiling. “Thanks, now I look like an idiot.”
“A cute idiot.”
Gabriel carefully reached over to take Jack’s hand in his, twining their fingers together. “Is this OK?” He felt his own cheeks warm up, like he was a teenager dating for the very first time.
Jack squeezed his hand. “It’s more than OK. It’s damn good.”
Six months ago, Gabriel wouldn’t have imagined anything like this being possible. But one thing was for certain: he was loved. This new Overwatch was far from perfect, but he could see its members bonding. The camaraderie he’d denied himself in Talon, that he’d doubted existed in his darkest moments, was very real. Even if he couldn’t become the man he once was, he could make a new future. One where Jack was by his side. One where he could nurture new happiness.
“So…” Gabriel asked, “Cole’s in on this, right?”
“As if I would’ve asked you out without his blessing.”