A bit of relationship building. Please comment and let me know what you think!

Being a new agent was far different than Valor had imagined.

The first upset had been when over half of her team had been taken out of the Blackwatch sector. She and Jesse had been the only two to remain. Valor was glad for that at least, since she felt a sort of sisterly need to watch his back. God knows he needed it too. Jesse could hold his own, but she often wanted to strangle him for being reckless.

After that all of the missions were milk runs in comparison to the stories she heard from Jack and Gabriel. She and McCree would stake out a place for hours only to find out the information handed to them was a false lead, or they would have to escort sundry goods to different watchpoints. She didn't mind per se, but she was beginning to wonder when exactly she would start feeling like a real agent of Overwatch. It was mostly on days where Valor had absolutely nothing to do that she had to remind herself to be patient.

Her first big firefight had occurred when she was trying to escort civilians out of a building downtown that had been bombed by a group of Omnics. Valor remembered it clearly, the dark smoke of the fires tainting an otherwise blue sky. The acrid smell of smoke and sweat was prominent in her memory of that day. There were screams of the injured, or of people trying to find their loved ones. Mercy was there, a call sign she was later told, taking those that had been rescued from the collapsing building and helping those who were severely hurt. Valor made quick work of evacuating civilians, her tone calm and collected as she ordered them towards the escape routes.

The fighting didn't break out until the Overwatch emergency vehicles had left, leaving her team to clear the area as best they could and speak to the authorities. Jack would show up after about an hour or so to talk to the news crews who always seemed eager to interview him. She would later learn that these sort of procedures were customary whenever something happened within the public eye.

So there she was, working with Captain Reyes, Jesse, and a few local police as they tried to clear the streets of remaining stragglers and debris.

The first shot rang out all too clearly, and her head whipped towards the noise as she made for cover. Valor ducked behind one of the cement roadblocks that had been placed and found herself back to back with her captain.

"Things are never easy," she heard him curse softly under his breath.

"That's why we're here," Valor responded. She took a quick peek over the block. There were three Omnics coming from the south, four more from the East near where Jesse had taken cover.

She ducked her head back down and found that Gabriel was looking at her. His shoulder was pressed closely against hers, the block not giving the both of them very much room for cover. "What do you think, mi conejita blanca?"

Valor rose an eyebrow at him, unfamiliar with both the Spanish language as well as him using what she assumed was a nickname. "They don't have very strong weapons," she observed, ignoring it in favor of focusing on the Omnics. "And they're not heavily armored. It shouldn't be a problem."

More gunfire ensued and she walked away with only a graze on her arm from a stray bullet. Overall, she would call that a win. Her team was back at the base a few hours later and the minor wound had been wrapped up.

After cleaning up she went to grab dinner. Some of the other Blackwatch agents she hadn't really gotten to know looked pointedly at her as she entered the mess hall, and Valor wondered what the hell she had ever done to get on their bad side.

"Don't look so offended," Gabriel spoke up from next to her as he grabbed a bread roll from the buffet. "They've just been jealous that you and Jesse got bumped up so fast, the big babies."

Valor couldn't help but smile, chuckling at childishness of these grown men. She scooped an extra helping of dessert after deciding that she would treat herself.

"Hey, follow me." Gabe told her before moving away from their usual table and out of the mess hall.

She followed him, a bit put off by suddenly being led around different corridors of the base, some she had never even seen, all while carrying her tray of food. Valor was quiet as she walked behind him, keeping silent even though she was dying to ask where he was taking her.

Valor didn't have to wait long before she caught sight of Jesse, his own tray in hand as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"Bout' time!"

"What's going on?" She finally asked.

"Old man left me out here an didn't even say why."

"Surprised to see you finally listened for once. Come on you two." Gabriel stepped towards the door McCree had been loitering in front of and turned the handle.

Everything was dark as they entered, and Valor had seen enough surprise parties in her youth to know where this was going.

Just as she had predicted the lights flicked on and a chorus of 'surprise' rang out through the break room. Valor smiled as she took in Jack, Lena, and Winston all gathered around.

"What's all this about?" Her eyes darted over to Jesse at the sound of his voice, only to find him gaping and looking more shocked than she had ever seen him. Valor's heart gave a twinge of sadness as she realised this was probably the first surprise party the poor kid had ever seen.

She watched as Gabriel clapped him on the shoulder. "It's a congratulations, on being an agent."

"There hasn't been a lot of time for us around here or we would have done it sooner!" Lena piped in.

"And Angela sends her regards, she's caught up in her clinic," Winston said.

Valor couldn't help a wide smile as her heart swelled. "This is so sweet of everyone, right Jesse?" She wrapped an arm around him and rubbed his hat down further on his head affectionately.

"Here, I'll get you two some champagne!" Lena exclaimed happily and flitted over to the table where glasses had already been poured.

"Maybe you should let me-" Valor attempted to offer, but Lena had already grabbed two glasses and blinked back. Unfortunately she hadn't accounted for her acceleration on the glasses and the champagne splashed all over the front of Valor's hoodie.

She thought it was hilarious, nearly doubling over even as Lena tried to grab paper towels to clean her up. "It's the thought that counts," she reassured, stripping down to her tank top and throwing her hoodie over a chair.

After that little incident they all toasted and had their glasses of champagne. The group enjoyed each other's company as they drank and shared stories about news or missions. Valor loved every moment of it, her eyes flitting from Jack to Gabriel, enjoying the smiles that graced both of their faces as they told wild stories from when they first met.

After a while the room began to empty as a few of them went to bed. Jesse finally seemed to give up on trying to get more champagne after Gabriel had limited him to the one glass. He moaned a bit and sulked until Jack insisted that he go to bed like the others had.

That left her alone with her captain and her commander. The thought would have made her uncomfortable any other time, but she had had a few glasses and was having a great time.

Somehow they ended up on the couch in the break room. She was squeezed in between the two men, the tv volume on low in the background. Both of them seemed incredibly happy, and it was good to see them relaxing.

"How do you think the mission went today?" Gabe asked her as he lounged back against the cushions.

"You tell me, jefe," she said and sent him a cheeky smile.

Jesse had reassured her that it would get a rise out of him, and just as promised Gabriel snorted on the beer he was drinking while Jack clutched his sides in laughter.

Valor apologised in between laughing, patting Gabe's chest lightly as he tried to clear his throat of the beer.

"Now that just isn't fair," she heard Gabriel grumble after he had caught his breath.

"So super soldier camp, huh?" Valor asked after everything had settled down.

"Yup," Gabe sighed and took another swig of his beer, "pumped us full of some real potent stuff, made you feel like all of your nerves were on fire and you could run for days."

"So it made you stronger? Gave you more stamina?" Gabriel's eyebrow quirked upward at the word stamina and she hurried to correct herself, face turning pink. "Not like that, you know what I mean."

Gabe's arm stretched around her shoulder, hand nearly touching Jack. "Yeah, boy scout and I could probably go almost a week with hard work and no sleep. Not that we'd want to."

"And the drinking?" She asked, gesturing to the glass of whiskey touching Jack's lips as he listened quietly to their conversation. He was seemingly unbothered by Gabe's arm around her, or was simply too tipsy to care. "I just thought that with all that energy you would metabolize alcohol too fast to get drunk."

Gabe shrugged. "Don't think they wanted soldiers who couldn't drink away their problems."

"That's a bit morbid."

"Can't save everyone, conejita, and on days like that," he took a sip for emphasis, "we drink."

"And what about today?"

"Today is because of those damned reporters," Jack interjected.

"I don't envy you," Gabe reached across her to clink his glass against Jack's.

"And what about the names?" Valor had a million questions saved up and she was finally given a chance to ask them. "Mercy? Tracer?"

"Lena's idea," Jack answered. "The media has made us out to be heroes instead of soldiers, and she said that in all of the old superhero comics they had alter egos and names. It just stuck."

"What about me? Don't I get one?" She teased, leaning her head on Jack's shoulder.

The two men seemed to think for a moment.

"Wight?" Jack asked, and Gabriel nodded in agreeance.

"Really?" Valor pouted, "Don't you think people will be afraid of me because of that name?"

"Nah, I think it's perfect," Jack lifted his hand and ruffled her hair.

"Fine, fine." She closed her eyes, enjoying both the feeling of Gabriel's arm still resting on her shoulder and her head laying on Jack.

Valor hadn't realised she had nodded off until Gabe shook her shoulder lightly.

"Come on, Carino, let's get you to bed."

She picked her head up off of Jack's shoulder to find that he was also close to falling asleep. Valor allowed Gabriel to lead her and Jack to her room, but was confused when he stopped at a room a few doors down instead of the recruit dormitory. He hit the panel next to the door and it opened. All of her belongings, though few and far between, were placed in the room.

"Here you go, your room befitting an Overwatch agent."

Valor took a tentative step inside. The bedroom was much larger than her last one, and the bed was queen size rather than a bunk bed. She also had her own workspace and a window overlooking the dark field in the back of the headquarters.

Something caught her eye, a poster hung on the wall with Jack, fully dressed in his gear and standing proudly in front of an Overwatch symbol. "Whose idea was that?" Valor asked, covering her mouth before a laugh could escape. The poster looked absolutely ridiculous.

"In case you forget what I look like, sweetheart." Jack was leaning against her doorframe and sent her a wink.

She rolled her eyes. "Alright, that's enough excitement for me." Valor strolled over to the door and, feeling emboldened, pecked both men lightly on the cheek. "Goodnight, boys. I'll see you in the morning."

Valor walked through the hall early the next morning. The festivities last night had put her in a chipper mood and she hummed softly as she made her way to Jack's room. It was a Saturday, so the halls were fairly empty. The other soldiers usually took the opportunity to sleep in or were out in the city enjoying the time off.

She rapped lightly on Jack's door, foot tapping impatiently as her knock went unanswered.

"Oh, Commander!" Valor called cheerfully as she knocked louder.

Her sensitive hearing caught the sound of rustling in the room a few moments before the door opened. Jack stood in the doorway, hair a mess and clad in a pair of low-rise sweats.

"Something wrong?" Jack asked, no doubt wondering why she was at his door so early in the morning.

"Here," she produced some aspirin she had gotten from the common room, "figured you could use it."

Jack had been deep in his glasses of whiskey last night, and from the looks of it he hadn't stopped when she had gone to bed. Still, she was glad to see how happy he had been.

"You're not wrong about that," he grumbled, accepting the pills. "Come on in."

She followed him into his room, drinking in the new environment eagerly. Jack's room was incredibly organized, and mostly unadorned except for many framed photos. Valor looked at them, memorizing the faces of those Jack cared about enough to keep photos of. Her fingers traced across the glass of one that could only be Jack as a young boy, standing with his parents in front of a field.

"Who are all of these people?"

Jack groaned and she turned to see him lying on his bed, knuckles digging into his temples. Valor had to take a second to admire his muscular and half-naked body stretched out before her.

"Can we talk about it over a greasy meal?"

Valor chuckled and lightly bit her knuckle to keep from laughing too loudly. "Yeah, know any good places around here?"

"Sure do," he replied, not picking his head up from the bed.

It took a bit of coaxing, but she finally got Jack into a shirt and found him a pair of dark sunglasses to help with his hangover. Now they walked through the streets, arm in arm. Valor chatted about everything and nothing while Jack smiled and laughed along with her. It was pleasant and the streets were mostly empty since it was the weekend.

"This is one of the only places open on the weekend."

"How'd you find it?"

He smiled at her. "This isn't my first hangover, sweetheart."

Valor shivered as a chill wind penetrated her jacket. She snuggled a bit closer to Jack, enjoying the warmth he radiated.

Soon they arrived at a small diner, a mom and pop place that looked quiet and quaint. It wasn't quite like the diners back home, but it had enough bacon, eggs and sausage to make up for it. Valor was grateful that it was much warmer inside, and not long after sitting down she had a hot mug of coffee in her hands.

She didn't speak until Jack had finished at least half of his plate of food, hoping it would help him feel better.

Valor munched happily on her pancakes while looking out the window, not particularly paying attention to anything.

"You look like you're a thousand miles away."

"Just zoning out." She turned and smiled at Jack. "Feeling any better?"

"Much." He had removed his dark sunglasses and his blue eyes looked at her fondly.

"So all of those pictures," she said, her curiosity returning.

He shrugged. "Most of them are people I've worked with. It helps to remember their faces, especially the ones who have passed."

Valor reached across the table, taking his hand in hers. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. What Gabriel said is true, you can't save everyone. Kind of something you have to remind yourself a lot in our line of work."

She sent him a half-smile, hoping to God that nothing like that would ever happen to anyone she knew. "I think I saw a picture of your family there too. Where are they?"

"Still working on the family farm in Indiana." a nostalgic smile crossed over his face. "Damn, I miss that place."

"Do you think you'll go back once all of this is over? The Crisis, I mean."

"Maybe. Why? You wanna meet the folks already?" His grin was sly.

Valor felt heat creep up her neck. "Only if you want me to."

"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?" Jack winked at her before taking a sip of his coffee.