"Hello my friends" Reinhardt exclaimed as he came through the door. Mr Jack Morrison, Mr Gabriel Reyes and my mother Ana Amari all looked up from their respective to welcome their fellow soldier into the briefing room. I was sitting in the corner swinging my legs aimlessly under the chair, still too short to reach the floor. "I'll take a growth spurt soon" I whispered to myself. Clink Clink. I watched the doorway waiting for the person to break the threshold of the dark beyond. His hat was visible before any other part of his body, "Howdy" he said as he joined the higher ups in whatever they were doing. McCree was very well accepted despite his criminal background, not like me who only gets treated like a damn child no matter what I do. I train all day whenever I can and try to do everything possible to help out the others on base and they still treat me like I am a runt. I envy his acceptance, the criminal turned to a life of good, instant respect from everyone. He looked at me. I stared back into his eyes, unsure if he meant to lock eyes or not. McCree reached his hand up and tipped his hat with a wink. A smile broke across my face seemingly of its own accord as I stared in disbelief. I started giggling and repeating his movements making him smirk and laugh lightly as well. Locks of thick blond hair fell into my face and I lay back so as not to start breathing them in, I looked at the head these strand belonged to and I saw mercy looking down at me softly. "Hi Mercy!" I exclaimed happily at someone else noticing I was here, "I told you Fareeha, call me Angela or Doctor Ziegler"
"Oh I'm sorry Mer-Doctor Ziegler, why are you here?" I asked politely
"I need a hand moving some medical supplies around, do you think you could help me dear?" I nodded in reply, secretly hating her calling me dear. I felt like she was still treating me like that little toddler running around her lab. "Of course, Doctor Ziegler, lead the way" I quickly got up and started following her. I looked back at McCree and saw he was staring at the doctor, he seemed to resent her but I didn't think much of it. Looking to the doctor as well I saw her glaring at the cowboy, did she resent him too? For some reason this upset me, I can't tell why.
"Medical supplies are heavy" I huffed as I dropped the last box in the pile. "Yes they are, that's why I made you do it!" The doctor laughed and I did too, although not as much. I realised that she didn't just want me to move boxes around as that was what her interns were for, there must be something else behind it so I questioned her "Doctor Ziegler?" I asked quietly
"Yes, Fareeha?" She replied just as softly, as if a single decibel louder would bring the building down
"Why do you dislike Mr McCree?"
"Oh, well Fareeha I don't see him as trustworthy or a good asset to the team, also he brought four good soldiers back to here with broken limbs just trying to apprehend him"
"Ah I see" I lied, I didn't see how he wasn't a valuable asset, as far as I could see he was the best unassisted shooter in this entire facility and he had a quirky attitude that just made me smile, I guess he isn't as accepted as I thought I recited to myself silently. I heard the doctor murmur something about addressing everyone as Sir or Miss but I barely took it in, "Do you need me to do anything else Mis-Angela?" I need to stop doing that I thought as I waited for her response
"No dear I think that's all" I thanked the stars as I slumped against the wall panting at the effort I had put in, I looked forward to dinner as I could regain some of this energy. "I'm going to head back into the briefing room Angela, see if I can find my mother"
"Ok Fareeha" was all I heard her say as I rushed out of the room, heading through the twisting tunnels and corridors of the facility I made my way to the now empty room. I looked around inside to see if there was any indication to where my mother had gone but I unfortunately came across none, as I was about to leave I spotted a glint of light from the chair at the end of the holo-desk. Pulling back the chair I saw McCree's hat sitting snuggly on the seat, I picked it up slowly and turned it around in my hand. Surprisingly light but seemingly very durable, the leather was rough at the edges although that added character rather than detracting from the hats looks. I put it on my head, noting that it was just a bit big for me at this moment. I thought back to the time before Angela had whisked me away and without even thinking I started practising McCree's signature move, the wink and the hat tip. Not even thirty seconds into doing this I heard a snicker from behind me. I twirled around at lightning rates and saw a hatless McCree leaning against the wall, trying and failing to hold in laughter. I put my hands to my sides and formed the shapes of pistols and said in the worst possible western accent I could muster "Freeze, partner" I kept a straight face through this until I saw the cowboy physically fall over while laughing, at which point I too joined in on the laughter. The room was echoing our laughs making it seem like there were more people in the room than there were. I stopped laughing and slowly took off the hat, passing it out in front of me towards him I noticed the thick smell of cigars and leather that I hadn't noticed before. McCree took the hat from me and stuck it on his head "I've not laughed that well in a while Fareeha" he muttered between laughs "Me neither" I replied chuckling more. "suits you better" I said while gesturing to the hat his head, "I wouldn't say so" He replied with a wink and the tip of the hat.
Getting up from the ground I inquired to McCree where my mother was, he had said he didn't know but if he found her he could pass on a message. "Unfortunately you can't, mother has asked me to always come find her if I want to go outside the facility and I was hoping to go for a walk to that tree out front before dinner. Thank you for the offer though" my lengthy reply had given him enough time to come up with a conclusion "How about I take you outside and make sure nothing happens, and if you get in trouble tell them it was my fault" he laughed but I knew he was serious
"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother"
"Not at all kid, I'd appreciate the unrecycled air" I nodded to this and lead the way slowly outside, winding corridor after winding corridor lead us to an elevator. I stepped in and McCree slowly followed, shooting up through the base I stood and stared in the mirror of the lift. My young face not fitting the rest of my body. I probably seem like a baby to him because of this dumb face I though as I threw a glare into my own, reversed eyes. The door dinged and we were back on the move to the outside, reaching the entrance door I pushed it open and smiled as the fresh air hit me. The smell of Autumn was in the air but across the grass there was one tree still green, my tree, I always sat down there whenever I had to think or if I just wanted a mistake. I walked over and lowered myself down the trunk. McCree sat beside me, not touching but close enough I could smell the nicotine off of him. It was oddly comforting. It seemed that hours passed without us saying anything. "Why did you do your hat tip thing to me in the briefing room?" I asked McCree, not looking over at him while he answered "Me and you need to stick together I guess, I just felt like me and you could be friends. We are both outsiders in a sort of way, you also seemed lonely. Wanted to say that you are noticeable and people know you're the even if they don't show it"
"Damn was I that obvious" I smirked as he looked at me trying not to laugh
"Yeah you were" he replied
"I'm jealous of you, y'know. You've been accepted so well into the team and here I am still the baby. I know we have a gap between our ages but why should that matter, I could help but no one seems to want me too" I almost teared up at feeling this useless
"I'm not that accepted to be honest with you, Mercy still detests me and none of the higher ups trust me at all, they are all weary when I'm around, even Rein is wary around me, I guess we both have it hard huh?" McCree stated, hiding his head under that hat
"FAREEHA!" I jumped and looked around, looking for the source of the voice. My mother was standing at the door to the facility looking for me, I looked to McCree with apologetic eyes and he just nodded his head in the direction of the door. I quickly hugged him from the side, startling the cowboy making him almost fall over. I jumped up and ran quickly to my waiting mother. Looking back to see the him start to stand up and smile at me. "Here Mom!" I shouted while getting close to the door
"Where were you?" she inquired in that motherly voice that both calmed and terrified me
"just over at the tree Mom, I looked for you but couldn't find you, I found McCree who said that he would take me out and watch to make sure nothing happened, I was fine Mom I promise" She looked warily at me then over at the tree where myself and McCree where just at "Ok well get inside quick its almost dinner, and look for me more next time. You had me worried sick" I apologised quickly, walking inside. Stealing a last glance back at the tree I tipped my imaginary hat at the on looking McCree, he replied in kind and I went inside smiling, happy someone else felt the same as I did.