AN: Had this idea pop into my head a little while back that originally started life as an intended RP on Gaia but I never really got around to writing it out, so it stayed stored in the back of my mind and eventually developed an ending that I was originally going to write for another anime series but that also fell through as I felt that it was just too "out there" for the series I was going to write it for. So back into my memory banks it went. Then, just recently, as I was pondering my next chapter for my story 'Good Time', I got the idea to write it for Overwatch as I feel that it's not too outlandish for it. So I did what I usually do; went to a coffee shop, pulled out the laptop and started typing away. I don't intend for the story to be very long. I already have the ending partially written out. I'm shooting for 4 - 6 chapters, including this one. Please enjoy!

Summary: Set in 2018, Project OVERWATCH is a UN-backed humanitarian effort to provide aid to villages in areas that are vulnerable to attacks from extremists. Angela Ziegler is one of the Swiss doctors with the medical team who befriends Japanese JGSDF soldier Hanzo Shimada from the security detail. After a mission gone awry, the two find themselves far from friendly forces and must make their way on foot back to an ally-controlled area. That's easier said than done when they're also evading an extremist force who are on an intense manhunt for them. Narration from Hanzo's perspective.

I'm not exactly sure there was ever a time that I believed in 'love at first sight'. That was something reserved for fairy tales and the delusional. I was neither of them. I was a soldier; hard, tough, nearly impossible to crack, practical. But sometimes, life has a funny way of giving you a hard slap across the face. Out of all of the hard slaps life has dealt me, none has ever been as hard as the one handed to me when I met Dr. Angela Ziegler, a Swiss doctor from the medical team in Project OVERWATCH. I've seen a lot of beautiful women in my life, but she took it to the next level. Maybe it was the foreigner effect working it's magic on me; after all, being Swiss-German, her blonde hair, blue eyes and Caucasian features were not a commonality here in Japan outside of magazines, TV shows, movies or expat-heavy areas. But I've seen plenty of women more beautiful than her on paper, no pun intended. Was it the fact that she was in real life? It's not like I've never seen or spoken to Americans or other Westerners. No. There was just something about her. I still can't even explain it to this day. She just had that perfect combination, if there even is one. And her personality...was that of one that you wanted to protect at all costs. If there was a flaw with her personality, it was that she was too good to people who were undeserving. An angelic soul to the core. Maybe that's why her callsign was 'Mercy'; she displayed it to everyone. But again, it's not like I haven't been at the receiving end of kindness before. I just honestly don't know what it was about her. Or maybe...just maybe…

"Hanzo! Dinner's ready!"

Hearing Genji's booming voice startled Hanzo slightly. He looked up from his journal and towards his door.

"Alright, coming!" he called back.

He then looked back at his journal again, skimming over the words. He laughed a little to himself and then threw his pen on top of it in frustration, running his fingers through his hair.

"Fuck. Come on, Hanzo, get your shit together." he muttered to himself.

He then stared out of the window and drifted off into his thoughts again. It had been nearly 4 years now. Why was he still thinking about her? He didn't even know if she was alive. He let out another frustrated sigh and then got up, making his way out of his room and into the kitchen area where Genji and his wife Mei were sitting.

"It's about time; your food was going to get cold!" Mei said to him.

Hanzo forced a fake smile.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just a little distracted." he said.

"Well, dig in, brother."

Hanzo took a seat across from Genji and then quietly began to eat.

"Thanks…" he mumbled before taking his first bite.

When he returned from his deployment in less-than-stellar condition and him ever walking again was questionable at best, his brother Genji convinced him to sell his apartment and move in with him so he could help him out. Hanzo was reluctant at first but when he found that even basic functions were near impossible for him to do himself, he relented and sold his place and moved in with his brother in his 2-bedroom apartment just outside of Central Tokyo. Now that Hanzo was back to normal again after nearly 4 years of therapy, he was ready to start looking for a place to live on his own again. Of course, Genji objected and wanted him to stay for a little longer to look after him but as much as Hanzo loved his brother and his wife, he was dying to be out on his own again. Finally, Mei broke the silence.

"So, do you mind if I ask you what you were distracted by?"

"Hun, leave him alone." Genji said.

"No, it's alright." Hanzo said to him.

He turned to Mei and looked at her for a moment before taking in a breath and letting it out.

"It was...well...about her." Hanzo admitted.

"The Swiss doctor?" she asked.

Hanzo nodded his head, "Yeah."

"You should really get over her, brother." Genji mused aloud, "You don't even know if she's alive. Best you leave her in the realm of memories and move on with your life."

"Honey! Don't be so inconsiderate!" Mei exclaimed, smacking Genji on the shoulder.

"No, he's right, Mei. I really should get over it." Hanzo told her.

They both turned and looked at him. Hanzo was staring down at his food, silent for a moment.

"I...I just...I'm finding it really hard to."

Genji and Mei stayed quiet as they just watched him. Hanzo really didn't know how to put what he was thinking into words.

"Did you write out what you were feeling in that journal like I said?" Genji finally asked, breaking the silence.

Hanzo looked up at him and then nodded his head.

"Yeah, but…" he said, letting his voice trail.

"But what?" Mei asked.

He turned his attention to Mei.

"I just...I don't know. Every time I start writing, I always get this feeling that what I'm writing is really stupid and borderline incoherent."

"It doesn't really matter what you write, because you're the only one who is going to read it." Genji said to him, "It's more about you getting your feelings out onto paper. A lot of times, that will really help."

"I know. I know. I'm just...I'm just being an idiot about it."

"Don't say that. You're not being an idiot. You're just still trying to figure everything out about it." Genji told him, "Don't ever say that about yourself."

Hanzo looked over at him and then chuckled a little.

"Thanks, Genji."

"Of course." Genji replied.

Hanzo then chuckled again, shaking his head.

"Well, anyway, let's eat, shall we?"

Genji and Mei nodded their heads in agreeance and then the three finished up their meal. Conversation was kept relatively light, and Hanzo shared what he was up to in the way of finding work and a place of his own to live. Genji continued to insist that he stay with them for at least another year. As the conversation and topics turned lighter, laughter began to fill the air. It felt so good to laugh. By the time they were finished with their food and conversation, almost two hours had passed. Mei got up and collected all of the dishes and took them to the sink to get them cleaned up.

"Well, I'm retiring for the night. Got to wake up early tomorrow. Good night, brother." Genji said as he stretched out his arms.

"Night." Hanzo replied.

Genji then made his way behind Mei, who was occupied with doing the dishes and placed his hands on her hips, making her let out a cute yelp.

"Don't keep me waiting." Genji cooed.

Mei turned and looked at him, smiling.

"Oh, I won't."

They shared a kiss before Genji disappeared into his room. Hanzo smiled at the interaction, but deep down inside, it cut him deep. It's something that he so deeply desired, but not with just anyone. He wanted that with her. He shook his head and then stood up.

"Did you want help with the dishes, Mei?" he asked.

"Oh, no, it's alright. I'm almost done." Mei said, "But thank you anyway."

Hanzo then nodded his head at it.

"Alright, well then I'm heading off to bed. Good night, Mei."

"Good night, Hanzo! Sleep well!"

Hanzo muttered a thank you before disappearing into his room. He closed the door and then sat at his desk again, staring at the page of words in his journal that he had been writing earlier. He stared at it for a while before suddenly ripping the page out, crumpling it up and then tossing it into the trash. The multitude of other crumpled-up papers being evidence that he had been doing this for a while. He picked up his pen and tapped it against his chin in thought before committing pen to paper once more.

My name is Hanzo Shimada and I was born in Fujiyoshida, Japan. I am a former JGSDF infantryman and was discharged at the rank of Lieutenant. My final mission was helping to provide security detail to Project OVERWATCH, a UN humanitarian mission delivering aid to villages in Iraq that were hit by extremists. While on mission, I met a Swiss doctor, Angela Ziegler and I…

Hanzo struggled to write the next few words as they were hard to admit. But he had to. He had to do it. He knew that it would make him feel better. His hands shook as he slowly began to write.

...fell in love with her.

Once he wrote that, he fought back tears that were beginning to erupt but was unsuccessful and coughed as tears began to stream from his eyes. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes as he took a few moments to let the feelings pass over him. It was better to get it over with. It took him a good few minutes for him to regain his composure. He took a few deep breaths and then picked up his pen again.

I fell in love with her and now, I want to find her. Or at least what became of her. I haven't seen her in over 4 years, not since the incident. And I can't find out anything about her. I've tried everything, and nobody knows anything. Now, I'm beginning to wonder if she ever made it out alive. But at the behest of my brother, I'm writing out how I really feel. And already, it's been very therapeutic.

Hanzo looked at the words and then ripped the page out, crumpled it up and then tossed it into the trash in pure frustration. He wanted to scream. But he didn't. He stood up and then paced around his room for a little before sitting back down again. He picked up his pen. This time, he'd write no matter what came out. Perfect wording be damned.

My name is Hanzo Shimada, and I'm a soldier who fell in love with a doctor. This is my story.