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“Jesse.” The voice came as a whisper. Hearing Reyes say his first name sent an uneasy feeling through McCree. Something must really be wrong.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Ana. She’s...” He pauses to take a deep breath. “Sources say she was taken out by a sniper.”
“That ain’t true.” McCree shakes his head in disbelief. The look on Reyes’s face tells a different story.
McCree goes numb. There must’ve been a mistake. No one could out-snipe mama bear.
“Reinhardt went to tell Dr. Ziegler. He might need help consoling her.”
Angela. Without a second thought, McCree dashes to the infirmary. When he gets to the correct corridor he hears her cry out. He hears what he believes is Reinhardt’s voice, but her cries drown him out. When he gets to the door, both of them are a mess. Mercy is sitting on the exam table with Reinhardt kneeling in front of her.
“Please...please, frau doktor.” Reinhardt pleads to her, voice breaking, “You are going to hyper-ventilate. You must be strong. For Fareeha, all of us must be strong.” This only made her cry harder. Reinhardt’s resolve gives and he begins to sob with her. McCree manages to get between the two. Mercy grabs at his shirt and buries her face into his chest.
“McCree, please take care of her.” Reinhardt collects himself. “I need to get back to the others.”
Seeing the usually upbeat Reinhardt in such a state made his heart sink. It made him wonder about himself.
Why aren’t I crying? What’s wrong with me? Is this what going into shock is?
“Jesse, why?” Mercy manages to choke out, tightening her grip on his shirt.
“There usually ain’t no reasonin’ for it. Things like this just happen.” He’s trying, but he doesn’t really know what to say in moments like this. All he can do is press his forehead against hers and strokes her hair until her breathing evens out.
“First mama and papa...now Ana.” Fresh tears start to fall. “Jesse, what if you...”
“Don’t think like that.” It was a worry that had crossed his mind a few times. “I ain’t gonna get killed I can promise you that.”
“That won’t really be your choice.”
“If I have to dig myself out my own grave to get back to you I will.”
“Jesse...” She gives a weak smile, “I wish I could be as calm as you.”
“Honestly, I don’t know how I’m doing it myself.” He admits. It had been a long time since he cried. It was when his mama died when he was 8. Ana reminded him of his mother a little bit. Maybe that’s why he had liked her so much.
“I haven’t really lost many people. Just my mama when I was little. And now mama...” He lets out a shaky breath. The dam is starting to break. “Mama bear...” He buries his face into Mercy’s neck and lets out a defeated sob.
“It ain’t fair.” He whines in a childish tone. “It ain’t fair...it ain’t...” He’s crying so hard that he’s shaking.
Mercy runs her hands through his hair and lets him cry. Even though she can’t help but cry with him, she’s going to try her best to comfort him as he had today and many times before.
“Please stay with me tonight.” Mercy begs. “I don’t know if I can be alone.”
McCree can only manage a nod. They spend the night clinging to each other, both afraid of losing the other.