Hey everyone,

The inspiration for this story just came to me while I was thinking of my OC Andrew and of his origins. And since I love to make stories that focus on the interactions between family (particularly adopted children and their parents/guardians, as well as families by bond) I decided to share this all with you!

It's also a bit of an experiment; I wanted to see if people would like me to continue to write Andrew in as "fanonically" in the Overwatch universe. Especially in regards to his relationships with the other characters. If so, I'll continue the story as is; could be quite fun and it might allow for some interesting interactions when I get to the rest of the series.

For anyone wondering, this is meant to take place during the Reflections comic. I know Christmas is over, and this fic doesn't mention it too much, but I felt Christmas would be the best time to set this scene in motion.

With that being said, hope you all enjoy!

Overwatch belongs to Blizzard.

Andrew belongs to me.


"Damn it, McCree!" Elizabeth Caledonia "Calamity" Ashe, leader of the Deadlock Gang, screamed as she paced her room in their hideout. "Every time we get something big, you have to come in and screw it all up! I swear; the next time I see you, I'm going to have B.O.B. rip off your both your arms and shove them up your a-"

"Uh, Ashe?" Spinning around, Ashe found one of her idiot gang members, carrying a small, colorful box.

"What?!" She snapped out, glaring daggers at him.

"Uhh… someone dropped this package off to you."

Her rage briefly turning back into confusion, she looked at the box itself. It was a small thing, colored red and tied with a green bow. It was a typical Christmas present box, being small and square with a lid on top of it. Scoffing, the biker-cowgirl raised an eyebrow, saying, "Oh really? And just who would send it? That backstabbing cowboy or my useless parents?"

"I dunno… never seen him before..." Rolling her eyes, Ashe turned around to stare out into the desert wastes that were the Gang's main area of thievery. "I mean, it was kind of weird for a kid to send you a package," Immediately, Ashe's mood softened as she heard who it was from, her eyes widening a bit at the realization who sent it. It couldn't... could it? She thought to herself.

"I mean, sure, I have to give him credit; pretty brave for a kid to come up to a Deadlock member and ask to give it to you. But hey, I gotta admit, he had some mighty good money for his-"

"Wait, this kid," Ashe said as she turned back to look at the member, putting her hand out, palm down, at a level between her chest and stomach. "Was he about yay high? Golden blonde hair? Green eyes? Like to joke around a lot, but seems pretty nice?"

"Y-Yeah, a bit... wait, how did you know-"

"It's nothing," She said as she went up and took the package from him. "Th-Thanks for getting me this... I know who it's from."

"Uh, sure, Ashe," He said as he began to back away. Instead of replying, however, Ashe just stared at the box with a sort of solemn, knowing look to her. "Uh... you need anything else?'

"Hmm?" Ashe looked up to him, giving a look of slight surprise he was still there-though one born out of confusion rather than her usual anger. "Oh, uh, no thanks. I'm good."

"Okay..." The member responded as he backed out of the room, already feeling like things were too awkward. "I'm... just going to go back to stocking up ammo."

"You do that," Ashe said, walking over to her bed. "Have a good night..."

Blinking, the member couldn't help but take a mental step back. Ashe? Calamity Ashe? Wishing someone a good night? After a botched heist? By her old rival?! Was there something in the food they all ate recently? Markus did say it tasted a bit funny...

Still, knowing it was better to give Ashe what she wanted, the member merely nodded and said, "You too, Ashe..." Before leaving.

Finally alone again, Ashe sat down on her bed, staring at the box as if it would disappear the moment she took her eyes off it. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Ashe raised her hand and pulled on the green bow, treating the unraveling as if the box contained a bomb that would detonate at the smallest mistake.

Which... to be fair, was not entirely impossible, but the bandit had her doubts.

As she pulled off the ribbon, though, she carefully opened the lid, finding first some gift tissue folded up nicely. Peeling that away revealed the prize within-a small candle, colored red, that had been made into the shape of a rose. Ashe gasped in surprise and gratitude as she went down to pick up the item. Lifting it up to her eye level, she couldn't help but grin wide and even tear up a bit, her breath getting faster and faster as she tried to keep herself from breaking down in tears. After a few minutes, Ashe finally calmed down, and just looked at the candle. For such a simple item, it filled her with such joy to see it-less from the worth of the item and more because she knew who it came from.

Looking back down to the box, she saw something else: a piece of paper, neatly folded into a rectangle. Picking it up, she found that on one of the visible sides were written two simple words: "Merry Christmas." Rubbing away a few stray tears, she slowly unfolded the letter, her heart growing soft as she saw the first words that were typed on the paper:

Dear Mom,

Sorry to call you that; I know you always hated to be called it, but I remember our little deal. Figured that in case the Fuzz decides to confiscate a candle then they couldn't track you.

Ashe chuckled a bit. Looks like her kid hadn't changed all that much. It made the smile in her heart grow as big as the one on her face.

Anyway, how are you doing? Me, I'm pretty good. Finally got a place to stay; nice little ranch land that some friends and I were able to buy. Pretty nice, simple living; we get to grow our own food, gather our own animal products. Heck, Sparky even got an artificial meat producer for us! Cain's going to be grilling up some steaks in celebration. Really wish you and the rest of the Gang would come join us, but... I already know you all want to keep doing what you're doing. Can't say I approve, but I won't stop you; just don't hurt any innocent people, okay?

Her head hanging down a bit, Ashe said to herself, "You know I can't promise that, sweetie... but I'll try. For you." Looking back up, she continued to read.

How's Uncle B.O.B. doing? Heard that he and Dad like to have a scuffle every once in a while since Dad left the Gang. Hope they haven't killed each other yet.

"Pfft, I wish B.O.B. killed your deadbeat daddy..."

Some people say you hate him now, for joining Overwatch and all. I really hope not; you guys were so great together!

Reading those words made her remember the good ol' days, back when McCree and her were thick as thieves and he actually showed her loyalty. Looking over to the old photo of her and Jesse, back when he cared about something other than himself, she felt her heart grow heavy. "Yeah... yeah we really were..." Figuring the words of her precious child could make things better, she went back to reading.

Of course, Nathan told me you miss Dad and want him to come back.

A scowl appearing on her face, Ashe threw the letter down, shot up from her bed, marched to the window, and yelled out, "Nate!"

Looking up, a lone member of the Gang looked up, shouting, "Yo, what's up?" His thick Boston accent making her ears feel like they were being scrapped with a cheese grater.

"You're on scout duty tomorrow!" Nate's face grew long as his surrounding bandits either chuckled at his bad luck or looked on in pity.

"What, why?!" He yelled out.

"For telling lies around my Gang, baseball boy!" Turning back, ignoring his yells of protest, Ashe plopped down on her bed, grabbing the letter and began reading the next line.

Go easy on him, okay?

Immediately, Ashe went back to the window, looking down to Nate. "B.O.B.'s going with ya!" Even from her height, Ashe could see the ridiculous, over-the-top gratitude Nathan tried to illicit to his "kind" boss. Immediately rolling her eyes and blocking out his nonsensical words of gratitude, she turned around and walked back, thinking, Why don't you just kiss my behind while you're at it...

Grabbing the letter again, she scanned down to where she left off, resting back down on the bed again.

If you want to look for Dad, I'd say check out where Overwatch is starting to show up. I heard on the grapevine that they were actually getting back together! Of course... that grapevine happened to be Junkrat and Roadhog, so... not the most reliable, I guess.

Gripping her chin, Ashe thought for a second. She knew she heard those names before, but where? There was talks from the Gang about a couple of crazy Aussie criminals who liked to steal and blow things up, but that was it really. A couple of times they tried to steal from the Gang, but other than that they mainly kept to themselves.

Just as she was about to read, however, Ashe's heart skipped a bit. They were criminals who liked to blow things up! And from what she recalled, they didn't have morals against hurting kids! Looking down quickly, she breathed a sigh of relief at the next line.

They didn't hurt me, in case you're wondering.

Taking a few gulps of air, closing her eyes as she held onto her chest and let her beating heart calm down, Ashe glanced back at the piece of paper, already a bit afraid of what else it would say.

To be fair, though, they weren't the only ones I heard it from. You ever heard of Sombra? Big hacker from Mexico?

The biker-cowgirl did remember meeting up with some Mexican cyberpunk rocker, wearing an outfit and hairdo about as loud as it was bright, to buy off some weapons.

Well, we've met before. Can't tell you too much; worried she might go after you and the Gang, but let's just say that we go back a bit. Anyway, she's apparently part of some bigger group now. Claims that she's just bidding her time with them, but she mentioned that OW was reforming. Anyway, we couldn't talk much. Some guy and girl who still think its Halloween needed her for something. I hope she hasn't gotten in over her head...

By the way, I've got a favor to ask; try and keep a lookout on a friend of mine, Amber. She's about my age, and is a bit... different, so to speak. And no, I don't mean different like Great Uncle Jack. Let's just say that she's... kind of a unique enhanced human. You'll know her when you see her on the news-she can make quite a mess with some of those Talon goons and Vishkar mooks.

Anyways, that's all for me now. I've got to get back home soon, and I bet you all have another heist or two to plan. In the meantime, I figured a little gift made by yours truly would be a nice gift for the season.

Looking down at the rose-shaped candle, Ashe grinned and said to herself, "No, the letter was the real gift, sweetheart..."

I hope to see you again soon, Mom! Tell Uncle B.O.B. I said "hi" and that I'll try and get him a gift soon! And stay out of trouble as much as you can, alright?

Love,

Andy

XOXO

Failing to keep a few stray tears from running down her face, Ashe hugged the letter to herself, wrapping her arms around it like it was her precious boy. Reaching down, she grabbed the intricate rose candle, making her way over to an old painting of Calamity Jane-moving it out of the way to reveal a small safe. Giving a few quick turns, Ashe opened the container and placed both the letter and the candle inside, right next to her other favorite possessions; an old scrapbook and a stick figure drawing of a young boy, titled "me," holding hands with a bearded cowboy, named "dad," and a cowgirl with white hair, named "mom."

Closing it, Ashe took a breathe and headed over to the window to just enjoy the view. Leaning on the sill, her hands holding her head up, Ashe scanned her hideout, looking first down into the bandit gang that had become her family, before taking her eyes to the stars. A part of her wondered where her little boy was now, what kind of adventures he was getting himself into. Whatever they were, she knew, in her heart of hearts, that he was happy-and for her, that knowledge was worth a million times more than even the Deadlock's greatest heist.

Taking off her hat and setting it to her side, Ashe took a deep breathe, her spirit soaring, feeling higher than it had in a long time. As she stared off into the sky, Ashe whispered, "Merry Christmas, Andrew..."


Meanwhile, on the roof of the building, a young teenager-invisible to all in the hideout-leaned over, watching his mother as she stared off into the night. Seeing her so filled with joy, Andrew whispered in reply, "Merry Christmas, Mom," and hopped to his feet. Walking over to the edge, Andrew jumped down from the roof and made his way up the plateau the hideout was built into and around. Reaching the top, the teenager soon headed for a small tent he had pitched for himself-a little home while he took care of business. Climbing in, he rummaged through his knapsack, pulling out a green box tied with a red bow. Grinning, he said to himself, "Well, that's one mom down... one dad to go."


And there you have it! Ashe and McCree's secret adopted son!

To be honest... I'm a little nervous about this concept. I mean, I like Andrew and think he could be fun to write with the other Overwatch characters, but I'm worried this will receive backlash on the concept of Ashe and McCree adopting him. Especially considering Ashe is a new face within Overwatch and therefore her adopting/being around kids might be widely OoC. Right now, I'm more nervous this makes Andrew look like a Mary Sue, but I'll let you all be the judge of that.

Hope you all enjoyed it and I'll talk to you soon!

Edit: Alright, I've made some revisions and adjustments after re-reading it and seeing it had some problems. Hope you guys like it better now!