Gabriel sat in the uncomfortable, hard-backed hospital chair, his head in his hands, listening as the monitor beeped coldly along, ticking away his friend's time on Earth.
After he recovered from the explosion that Antonio had orchestrated, Gerard seemed almost immortal. He was a legend among the heroes of Overwatch. The cheater of death.
And then Talon sent in Widowmaker. The emotionless assassin, with her blue skin and yellow eyes. She was once Gerard's adoring, gentle, warm-hearted wife, Amelie. But Talon had kidnapped her and broken her mind, warped her soul, and brainwashed her into a heartless killer.
Gerard and Gabriel had been taking in some sun on the patio with McCree, discussing the mess that Blackwatch had created in Venice. The shot was silent. The only indication that Gerard had been hit was the sudden gout of blood from his mouth and nose.
Gabriel and McCree had grabbed him up and rushed him to the medical bay. Angela had done her best, but the toxin in the Widowmaker's dart was fast-acting, with no antidote.
"It won't be long," She had said, with tears streaming down her face, "He can still hear you, if you want to say good bye to him."
She'd kissed Gabe on the cheek and squeezed his arm as she left the room, and he'd heard her sobs as she fled down the hall.
A sudden, unexpected moan from the pale figure in the bed pulled Reyes out of his reverie, and he jumped to his feet. He moved to Gerard's bedside and leaned over him, reaching out to clasp one icy, white, limp hand in his own.
"Gerard?" he called softly, leaning closer still to the motionless man, "Ger can you hear me?"
"Gabe?" came the raspy, weak voice.
Reyes smiled, and brushed the tears from his eyes as Gerard's eyes opened to look up at him. "Yeah!" he said, with mock brightness, "How you feeling?"
Gerard just gazed at him sadly, then managed a tiny smile. He pulled on Gabriel's hand, tugging the tall solider closer. With great effort, Gerard tried to sit up, and Gabriel quickly supported him with an arm at his back.
They just stayed that way, silent, for a long minute, Gerard cradled against Reyes' chest, looking up at the darker man, his blue eyes rapidly losing the life.
"That wasn't Amelie," Gerard whispered through white lips, his pencil thin mustache looking blue-black against his pale skin. "It wasn't my wife, Gabe. They made her into a monster."
"I know," Reyes said gently, rubbing Gerard's back through the hospital gown, "Believe me, Ger, we all understand. Your Amelie would never hurt anyone."
Gerard smiled faintly, and then a wave of pain seemed to overcome him, and he coughed wretchedly. Reyes held him tight, knowing in his heart that the end was near, hoping it would be swift and painless.
"Bring her back," Gerard gasped, clutching at Gabriel's shirtfront, winding his fingers in the fabric, "Get her out of there. Bring her back here. Make her my Amelie again."
"Ger, I I don't know how I can ," Reyes stammered, tears streaming down his face.
"Promise me!" Gerard demanded, "Promise me, Gabriel! Rescue Amelie. She can be turned back from the evil they've pumped into her. PROMISE ME."
"I promise," Gabriel said brokenly, hugging Gerard to him, "I promise. I promise. I promise."
The heart monitor stopped beeping, and Gerard died in his arms.
He stayed there, holding his dead friend as Angela and the other medical staff came in and began unhooking the various machines that Gerard had been hooked to. At long last, someone gently unfastened his powerful arms from around the body and guided him away from the bed.
"I'm sorry, commander Reyes," someone said quietly, "The damage from the toxin was too severe. There was nothing we could do."
"But there is something that I can do," Reyes murmured, nodding solemnly, as he quickly exited the hospital room, "And I will do it."
He strode purposefully down the hall, his mind already piecing together a plan. He would start the rumors that he'd become malcontent with Overwatch. That he wanted out. Then he would wait for the inevitable invitation from Talon.
Infiltrate Talon. Rescue Amelie.
"I promise."
THE END