p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part One: Gérard/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe Lacroix family doesn't make light of family gatherings. Although, I need to be careful where I am seen, I rather make an appearance than be subject to my family's scrutiny for missing an occasion. I am not looking forward to another ballet performance, but I pack my bags and head to Paris for the ballet showing of "Cherchez la femme."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"The lights in the theatre are still bright as we make our way to the balcony section reserved for my family. The murmurs of the crowd drowning out my thoughts of dread for spending another evening watching ballerinas, with all the omnic crisis in the world, I despise the luxury of modern entertainment. I scan my surroundings for the tenth time, I know I am being followed but I am ready for battle, if it seeks me. As a key member of Overwatch, I am always prepared. My operatives are never too far behind me these days. The lights begin to dim and voices simmer down; the show is about to begin./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDancers begin to glide across the stage, the holograms forming a forest behind them. Swirling trees blanketed with snow and animated flurries falling around them. I am still distracted by the feelings of watching eyes when a single spot light focuses on the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She moves so gracefully I almost think she too, is a hologram. Her long, dark flowing hair cascading around her pale face makes me forget where I am. As she spins and flies across the stage, I am entranced with her. The show seems to be over as soon as it began and I have a deep desire for more. My sister beckons me as the rest of my family makes their way to the door. She notes that I have never appeared more interested in ballet before. I explained that the technology behind the stage sets are inspiring. I do enjoy creating and tinkering with weapons when am I am not on a mission, so this story should be believable. I stall as my family is leaving the theatre, some magnetizing agent, pulling me back closer to the stage. My family bids their farewells and I stay behind. I hope to catch another glimpse of her before I head back to the Overwatch headquarters in Rome. My communicator buzzes and it is Commander Reyes, requesting my location. I send the coordinates and ensure him I have surveyed the area. A terrorist group, Talon, has been on my trail for quite some time. For an operative, that excels in technology, Overwatch is still able to keep me off their radar. There have been close calls, but ultimately Talon has always failed. I am quickly pulled out of my thoughts when I feel her presence. Her dark black hair is pulled tight at the top of head. Her fair skin is blushed from her performance, but she is mesmerizing. I approach this graceful dancer and ask her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAmélie, she says./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Two: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI was surprised to see such an interesting man settled on the edge of the wall outside the theatre. My body was full of adrenaline after my performance. Starring in "Cherchez la femme" was one of my biggest goals as a dancer. I have practiced ballet my entire life, but I still feel entranced when I begin to move across the stage. Not only was this man tall and handsome, but he looked strong. He exuberated a sense of protection that I only felt as a child inside my family home, Château Guillard. He approached me and asked my name. I instantly felt the need to tell him everything about me while learning everything I could about him. I told him about my family and my successes as a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe talked about my childhood home and my family's reputation. He asked my favorite color and I told him it was black. His favorite color was blue, but he said the shade of my hair made him willing to reconsider. I looked at him thinking there had to be more than the vague stories he told me about himself. A man that radiates this amount power had to be important. I made it my mission to learn more about him, but as I started to question him deeper, his communicator sounded. He had to go. As he began to walk away he hindered his pace. I felt this draw between us like the world was pulling us together. I opened my mouth to call for him, but I let him walk away./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs the weeks went by, he was all I could think about. I went through my day by day appearances at the theater and lingered around outside the building after every show hoping to see him again. Once I convinced myself that he was gone, there he was. In the same spot we first met holding a bouquet of lilies. I wanted to pirouette across the gravel ground to meet him, but instead I casually walked to him and accepted his offer for dinner. We met at many different locations throughout the following months. I learned that he was an agent for Overwatch, an operative working against terrorists and saving humans from the omnic crisis our world has come to know. The omnic crisis was a war between sophisticated robots, omnics, and humanity. He traveled a lot for assignments, but he still made me feel important. This man was caring, protective, and sweet. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. At first, I did not believe we would ever move forward in our relationship. He cared too much about my safety and having someone you cared for was a weakness in his line of work. I would not let him give up on me no matter the risk. I began training with him to protect myself and learned how to use basic Overwatch weaponry. I finally met his teammates, Gabriel Reyes and Jesse McCree. Reyes was tall, with dark eyes and a muscular build. He used to be an officer in the US military but ultimately joined Overwatch to assist with the omnic crisis. McCree, with shaggy hair and cowboy boots is completely opposite of Reyes, but he works for him loyally. He used to be a gang member before he joined Overwatch, and he certainly looks the part. Gérard was finally caving into my constant need for more. I never stopped reaching until I achieve my goals. "À la vie, à la mort" (To Life, To Death), the day we wed was the best day of my life. I married my best friend, my love, my soul./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Three: Gérard/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI married the woman of my dreams. She was patient, graceful, and determined. Even a man like me didn't stand a chance against her. Not long after our wedding, Talon attacks were becoming more frequent. As much as she begged me not to go, I had to protect her. I sent her to a remote location that only a few were informed about. The Talon agents were coming for me now even stronger than before. Their defeat against me, fueling their cruelty and desperation for my ending. Once I knew she was safe and comfortable in her temporary hide away, I made my way back to the Overwatch headquarters in Rome. McCree and Reyes were waiting for me in the main meeting room. When I entered, they had all the information we knew regarding Antonio, one of Talon's leading agents, displayed across the walls of the room using a hologram screen projector. We met to discuss our plans to act against him. We needed to put an end to the target on Overwatch's most important assets. His team was relentless, trying to take us out one by one to even the playing field. After a heated discussion about the best plan of action, Reyes and McCree decided to call it a night. I was determined to find a way to eliminate the threat, so I could return to my beloved wife. I stayed behind to work on my presentation of attack. Ultimately, Reyes had to approve so I knew the plan had to be concrete./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI was focused on my work, when I began to hear a faint ticking sound in the background. The headquarters is new, so other agents were not yet assigned to this station. It took a moment for the cause of the noise to register in mind because I was so wrapped up in planning my return to Amélie. Once my mind documented the threat, it was too late to activate my armor. The ticking noise was replaced by sounds of an explosion. The meeting room arose in flames. I was knocked back against the solid concreate walls abruptly. The last thing I remember is calling out to my love, my Amélie./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Four: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMy husband, yes, my husband, a name="_Hlk512027668"/aGérard has appointed me to safe house for 'my protection' as he plans with his commander to eliminate any potential threat. I do not wish to part from him and any threat is irrelevant to me. He is my husband, and I wish to be with him always. Talon should not be enough to keep us apart even if it is for a short time. I pace around the prison like room awaiting his call on my communicator. I know he is safe, he is still the strong, determined man I fell in love with. At the same time, there is a constant feeling of helplessness in my gut. I practice my latest routine to try to keep my mind off the negative thoughts./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWhen my communicator alerts me of a new message, I startle, but my mind settles at the thought that he is okay. Despair takes over me when I open the message and it is not from Gérard. Reyes's image appears in the air and the message begins to play. There has been an attack in Rome. Reyes and McCree were leaving the compound when an explosion lit the whole building on fire. They acquired minimal injuries and called for backup. The pair re-entered the building engulfed in flames to search for Gérard. He was in critical condition and unresponsive, but he was still alive. Hope and fear consumed me as I made my way to the door of the safe house. My husband needs me and nothing will keep me from him. As I approached the teleporter, I heard footsteps coming towards me. I began to run with urgency. All the training and conditioning did not prepare me for this moment. I was overpowered within minutes by the group of masked agents. Talon failed to execute my husband once again and now they have come for me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Five: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI awake to nothing but pure darkness. As my eyes adjust to my new location, I faintly register my surroundings. Machines beep, screens flicker, and the scent of chemicals fill the air. I try to call for help but I can barely whimper. I look down at myself and realize I am chained to a gurney. Tubes are impended in every part of my limbs but I can't see where they lead. There is a fog filling my mind and I am so cold. I try to remove the needles and cords holding me in place, but I can barely feel my fingers. I should be in a state of panic but I have never felt so calm. Suddenly, the room is filled with light, momentarily blinding me. A woman in a dark suite covering her entire body, approaches me. She speaks softly and slowly, tantalizing me with her words. I'm safe, I want to be here, the feelings I once imagined were unfounded./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs I try to hold on to my sanity, I lose the sense of time. How long have been here? How do I escape? Wait, escape? I don't need to escape. I am not being held here unwillingly. I am in training. The pain is duller than before, just as they said. They don't want to hurt me, but my fate is too precious. It will all make sense in the end and I will be grateful for it. I sleep soundly, only to awake to a man who appears to be a doctor. He addresses me by name and assures me what is about to happen is for the best. A strip of leather lined with glowing embers is placed in my mouth and then, pain consumes me. I try to scream but the sound is dulled to a whisper. I let go, allowing my mind to disconnect from my body. The pain is gone monetarily as Gérard's face makes its way to the forefront of my mind. I violently rip all attachments away from body, thrashing against restraint. My focus zones in on one target. One shot, one kill. I reach my prey and snap their neck with the ease. The fulfilling rush of accomplishment washes over me. Next thing I know, I'm at home in my favorite night gown. Gérard's gaze looking down at me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Six: Gérard/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAmélie's eyes flutter and I wait anxiously. My wife. How could I let this happen? She is everything to me and I left her alone. This is all my fault. The ones I was trying to protect her from by leaving had captured and tortured her while I was incapacitated from their earlier attack. They would have never reached her if I had kept her with me. Luckily, my commander sent in troops to rescue her from the enemy, Talon. We were able to bring her home easily. Our troops went into their compound and retrieved her with very few casualties. The mission was a success and my beautiful wife was home. I would never leave her again./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAmélie seemed detached from our life after her capture. I was patient and kind as I tried to bring her back to reality. I know captivity can have a huge impact on one's personality, but my wife was just so different. I did everything I could to try to make her feel safe. She insisted she was fine, just tired from all the commotion. I tried to act as normal as possible, so she could settle back in. I brought her a bouquet of the same lilies as the day I knew she would be my wife. She said she was touched and happy by the sentiment but when she smiled it didn't meet her eyes. I reminded myself to be patient, she had to be in a fragile state. She would come back from this, after time./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanA couple weeks went by and she seemed more like herself. My strong, beautiful, graceful wife. She can recover from anything. Amélie hadn't yet been up to performing again, but tonight she asked if we could go to a show. We entered the theatre where I first met her and I couldn't have been happier. We headed to the reserved balcony and clasped hands. I watched her as she watched the show, with a slight smirk on her face. I will never leave her again./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Seven: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe night is going according to plan. I dressed in a blue cashmere gown with a slit down the side. The fabric fell just right over my body and tonight I needed to look perfect. I pulled my hair to the side and draped it over my shoulder before making my way to Gérard. As his eyes made their way to mine, his mouth slightly parted as if in awe of my beauty. A beautiful woman can distract the most controlled agent without detection. Before our departure, I suggested we make a toast to new beginnings. I was careful to give him the right champagne flute. We went to dinner and the ballet. He held my hand and asked if I wanted to wear his coat. I was not cold, but he insisted. I watched the show with little interest, but I still felt this sense amusement of taking over me./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs we entered the door of our home, he couldn't keep his hands off me. We tangled into each other, making our way to the parlor. His focus for my affection, was unmoving, but I played into him just as I would a performance on the ballet stage. The forced romance seemed to last for hours. Finally, as he closed his eyes to sleep, he laid his head on my chest. He noted the slow of my heart beat with concern, but I disclaimed it as finally feeling safe in his arms again. I waited patiently for him to enter a restless sleep. I had to spike his drink earlier in the night to ensure he would not wake up. My husband was a very light sleeper and he could overpower me easily. This is the moment I have been waiting for. My target is exactly where I want him to be. I slowly righted myself on top of him and placed one hand around his throat. Gradually, I increased my strength and watched as the air began to leave his lungs. He was so handsome. I stroked my other hand across his check and brushed his hair into place. For a moment, a voice in the back of mind quietly questioned me. Why was I doing this to the man I loved? The voice quieted promptly and all feelings escaped me as I homed in on my target, to finally complete my mission and return to Talon. As Gérard took his last breath, I could feel a rush of adrenaline flowing through my body, the sensation like emerging into cold water. Every hair on my body stood and a chill ran through my spine. This was pleasure, not love. "When I was a girl, I had a fear of spiders. I was told they felt no emotion. That their hearts never beat. But I know the truth. At the moment of the kill, they are never move alive." - Widowmaker/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe Lacroix family doesn't make light of family gatherings. Although, I need to be careful where I am seen, I rather make an appearance than be subject to my family's scrutiny for missing an occasion. I am not looking forward to another ballet performance, but I pack my bags and head to Paris for the ballet showing of "Cherchez la femme."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"The lights in the theatre are still bright as we make our way to the balcony section reserved for my family. The murmurs of the crowd drowning out my thoughts of dread for spending another evening watching ballerinas, with all the omnic crisis in the world, I despise the luxury of modern entertainment. I scan my surroundings for the tenth time, I know I am being followed but I am ready for battle, if it seeks me. As a key member of Overwatch, I am always prepared. My operatives are never too far behind me these days. The lights begin to dim and voices simmer down; the show is about to begin./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDancers begin to glide across the stage, the holograms forming a forest behind them. Swirling trees blanketed with snow and animated flurries falling around them. I am still distracted by the feelings of watching eyes when a single spot light focuses on the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She moves so gracefully I almost think she too, is a hologram. Her long, dark flowing hair cascading around her pale face makes me forget where I am. As she spins and flies across the stage, I am entranced with her. The show seems to be over as soon as it began and I have a deep desire for more. My sister beckons me as the rest of my family makes their way to the door. She notes that I have never appeared more interested in ballet before. I explained that the technology behind the stage sets are inspiring. I do enjoy creating and tinkering with weapons when am I am not on a mission, so this story should be believable. I stall as my family is leaving the theatre, some magnetizing agent, pulling me back closer to the stage. My family bids their farewells and I stay behind. I hope to catch another glimpse of her before I head back to the Overwatch headquarters in Rome. My communicator buzzes and it is Commander Reyes, requesting my location. I send the coordinates and ensure him I have surveyed the area. A terrorist group, Talon, has been on my trail for quite some time. For an operative, that excels in technology, Overwatch is still able to keep me off their radar. There have been close calls, but ultimately Talon has always failed. I am quickly pulled out of my thoughts when I feel her presence. Her dark black hair is pulled tight at the top of head. Her fair skin is blushed from her performance, but she is mesmerizing. I approach this graceful dancer and ask her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAmélie, she says./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Two: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI was surprised to see such an interesting man settled on the edge of the wall outside the theatre. My body was full of adrenaline after my performance. Starring in "Cherchez la femme" was one of my biggest goals as a dancer. I have practiced ballet my entire life, but I still feel entranced when I begin to move across the stage. Not only was this man tall and handsome, but he looked strong. He exuberated a sense of protection that I only felt as a child inside my family home, Château Guillard. He approached me and asked my name. I instantly felt the need to tell him everything about me while learning everything I could about him. I told him about my family and my successes as a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe talked about my childhood home and my family's reputation. He asked my favorite color and I told him it was black. His favorite color was blue, but he said the shade of my hair made him willing to reconsider. I looked at him thinking there had to be more than the vague stories he told me about himself. A man that radiates this amount power had to be important. I made it my mission to learn more about him, but as I started to question him deeper, his communicator sounded. He had to go. As he began to walk away he hindered his pace. I felt this draw between us like the world was pulling us together. I opened my mouth to call for him, but I let him walk away./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs the weeks went by, he was all I could think about. I went through my day by day appearances at the theater and lingered around outside the building after every show hoping to see him again. Once I convinced myself that he was gone, there he was. In the same spot we first met holding a bouquet of lilies. I wanted to pirouette across the gravel ground to meet him, but instead I casually walked to him and accepted his offer for dinner. We met at many different locations throughout the following months. I learned that he was an agent for Overwatch, an operative working against terrorists and saving humans from the omnic crisis our world has come to know. The omnic crisis was a war between sophisticated robots, omnics, and humanity. He traveled a lot for assignments, but he still made me feel important. This man was caring, protective, and sweet. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. At first, I did not believe we would ever move forward in our relationship. He cared too much about my safety and having someone you cared for was a weakness in his line of work. I would not let him give up on me no matter the risk. I began training with him to protect myself and learned how to use basic Overwatch weaponry. I finally met his teammates, Gabriel Reyes and Jesse McCree. Reyes was tall, with dark eyes and a muscular build. He used to be an officer in the US military but ultimately joined Overwatch to assist with the omnic crisis. McCree, with shaggy hair and cowboy boots is completely opposite of Reyes, but he works for him loyally. He used to be a gang member before he joined Overwatch, and he certainly looks the part. Gérard was finally caving into my constant need for more. I never stopped reaching until I achieve my goals. "À la vie, à la mort" (To Life, To Death), the day we wed was the best day of my life. I married my best friend, my love, my soul./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Three: Gérard/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI married the woman of my dreams. She was patient, graceful, and determined. Even a man like me didn't stand a chance against her. Not long after our wedding, Talon attacks were becoming more frequent. As much as she begged me not to go, I had to protect her. I sent her to a remote location that only a few were informed about. The Talon agents were coming for me now even stronger than before. Their defeat against me, fueling their cruelty and desperation for my ending. Once I knew she was safe and comfortable in her temporary hide away, I made my way back to the Overwatch headquarters in Rome. McCree and Reyes were waiting for me in the main meeting room. When I entered, they had all the information we knew regarding Antonio, one of Talon's leading agents, displayed across the walls of the room using a hologram screen projector. We met to discuss our plans to act against him. We needed to put an end to the target on Overwatch's most important assets. His team was relentless, trying to take us out one by one to even the playing field. After a heated discussion about the best plan of action, Reyes and McCree decided to call it a night. I was determined to find a way to eliminate the threat, so I could return to my beloved wife. I stayed behind to work on my presentation of attack. Ultimately, Reyes had to approve so I knew the plan had to be concrete./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI was focused on my work, when I began to hear a faint ticking sound in the background. The headquarters is new, so other agents were not yet assigned to this station. It took a moment for the cause of the noise to register in mind because I was so wrapped up in planning my return to Amélie. Once my mind documented the threat, it was too late to activate my armor. The ticking noise was replaced by sounds of an explosion. The meeting room arose in flames. I was knocked back against the solid concreate walls abruptly. The last thing I remember is calling out to my love, my Amélie./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Four: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanMy husband, yes, my husband, a name="_Hlk512027668"/aGérard has appointed me to safe house for 'my protection' as he plans with his commander to eliminate any potential threat. I do not wish to part from him and any threat is irrelevant to me. He is my husband, and I wish to be with him always. Talon should not be enough to keep us apart even if it is for a short time. I pace around the prison like room awaiting his call on my communicator. I know he is safe, he is still the strong, determined man I fell in love with. At the same time, there is a constant feeling of helplessness in my gut. I practice my latest routine to try to keep my mind off the negative thoughts./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWhen my communicator alerts me of a new message, I startle, but my mind settles at the thought that he is okay. Despair takes over me when I open the message and it is not from Gérard. Reyes's image appears in the air and the message begins to play. There has been an attack in Rome. Reyes and McCree were leaving the compound when an explosion lit the whole building on fire. They acquired minimal injuries and called for backup. The pair re-entered the building engulfed in flames to search for Gérard. He was in critical condition and unresponsive, but he was still alive. Hope and fear consumed me as I made my way to the door of the safe house. My husband needs me and nothing will keep me from him. As I approached the teleporter, I heard footsteps coming towards me. I began to run with urgency. All the training and conditioning did not prepare me for this moment. I was overpowered within minutes by the group of masked agents. Talon failed to execute my husband once again and now they have come for me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Five: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI awake to nothing but pure darkness. As my eyes adjust to my new location, I faintly register my surroundings. Machines beep, screens flicker, and the scent of chemicals fill the air. I try to call for help but I can barely whimper. I look down at myself and realize I am chained to a gurney. Tubes are impended in every part of my limbs but I can't see where they lead. There is a fog filling my mind and I am so cold. I try to remove the needles and cords holding me in place, but I can barely feel my fingers. I should be in a state of panic but I have never felt so calm. Suddenly, the room is filled with light, momentarily blinding me. A woman in a dark suite covering her entire body, approaches me. She speaks softly and slowly, tantalizing me with her words. I'm safe, I want to be here, the feelings I once imagined were unfounded./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs I try to hold on to my sanity, I lose the sense of time. How long have been here? How do I escape? Wait, escape? I don't need to escape. I am not being held here unwillingly. I am in training. The pain is duller than before, just as they said. They don't want to hurt me, but my fate is too precious. It will all make sense in the end and I will be grateful for it. I sleep soundly, only to awake to a man who appears to be a doctor. He addresses me by name and assures me what is about to happen is for the best. A strip of leather lined with glowing embers is placed in my mouth and then, pain consumes me. I try to scream but the sound is dulled to a whisper. I let go, allowing my mind to disconnect from my body. The pain is gone monetarily as Gérard's face makes its way to the forefront of my mind. I violently rip all attachments away from body, thrashing against restraint. My focus zones in on one target. One shot, one kill. I reach my prey and snap their neck with the ease. The fulfilling rush of accomplishment washes over me. Next thing I know, I'm at home in my favorite night gown. Gérard's gaze looking down at me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Six: Gérard/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAmélie's eyes flutter and I wait anxiously. My wife. How could I let this happen? She is everything to me and I left her alone. This is all my fault. The ones I was trying to protect her from by leaving had captured and tortured her while I was incapacitated from their earlier attack. They would have never reached her if I had kept her with me. Luckily, my commander sent in troops to rescue her from the enemy, Talon. We were able to bring her home easily. Our troops went into their compound and retrieved her with very few casualties. The mission was a success and my beautiful wife was home. I would never leave her again./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAmélie seemed detached from our life after her capture. I was patient and kind as I tried to bring her back to reality. I know captivity can have a huge impact on one's personality, but my wife was just so different. I did everything I could to try to make her feel safe. She insisted she was fine, just tired from all the commotion. I tried to act as normal as possible, so she could settle back in. I brought her a bouquet of the same lilies as the day I knew she would be my wife. She said she was touched and happy by the sentiment but when she smiled it didn't meet her eyes. I reminded myself to be patient, she had to be in a fragile state. She would come back from this, after time./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanA couple weeks went by and she seemed more like herself. My strong, beautiful, graceful wife. She can recover from anything. Amélie hadn't yet been up to performing again, but tonight she asked if we could go to a show. We entered the theatre where I first met her and I couldn't have been happier. We headed to the reserved balcony and clasped hands. I watched her as she watched the show, with a slight smirk on her face. I will never leave her again./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Part Seven: Amélie/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe night is going according to plan. I dressed in a blue cashmere gown with a slit down the side. The fabric fell just right over my body and tonight I needed to look perfect. I pulled my hair to the side and draped it over my shoulder before making my way to Gérard. As his eyes made their way to mine, his mouth slightly parted as if in awe of my beauty. A beautiful woman can distract the most controlled agent without detection. Before our departure, I suggested we make a toast to new beginnings. I was careful to give him the right champagne flute. We went to dinner and the ballet. He held my hand and asked if I wanted to wear his coat. I was not cold, but he insisted. I watched the show with little interest, but I still felt this sense amusement of taking over me./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs we entered the door of our home, he couldn't keep his hands off me. We tangled into each other, making our way to the parlor. His focus for my affection, was unmoving, but I played into him just as I would a performance on the ballet stage. The forced romance seemed to last for hours. Finally, as he closed his eyes to sleep, he laid his head on my chest. He noted the slow of my heart beat with concern, but I disclaimed it as finally feeling safe in his arms again. I waited patiently for him to enter a restless sleep. I had to spike his drink earlier in the night to ensure he would not wake up. My husband was a very light sleeper and he could overpower me easily. This is the moment I have been waiting for. My target is exactly where I want him to be. I slowly righted myself on top of him and placed one hand around his throat. Gradually, I increased my strength and watched as the air began to leave his lungs. He was so handsome. I stroked my other hand across his check and brushed his hair into place. For a moment, a voice in the back of mind quietly questioned me. Why was I doing this to the man I loved? The voice quieted promptly and all feelings escaped me as I homed in on my target, to finally complete my mission and return to Talon. As Gérard took his last breath, I could feel a rush of adrenaline flowing through my body, the sensation like emerging into cold water. Every hair on my body stood and a chill ran through my spine. This was pleasure, not love. "When I was a girl, I had a fear of spiders. I was told they felt no emotion. That their hearts never beat. But I know the truth. At the moment of the kill, they are never move alive." - Widowmaker/p