Gabriel rushed off to class, frowning. *Can't believe I'm going through with this…* Reinhardt was already there, stretching. He didn't notice it was Gabriel, and said,

"Richie, practice doesn't start for 10 minutes!"

"Not Richie." Reinhardt nearly fell over in shock.

"Gabriel?! You're here-early?!"

"Si." Reinhardt was unsure what to do.

"On your own?!"

"Yeah."

"…Is there a reason?!"

"6 years of training." Gabriel sarcastically responded. Reinhardt frowned.

"That you're early!"

"Got a job; can't do it without finishing this stupid thing."

"Well…since you've spent so long here, I guess if you can keep on time for 6 months, you can go to second in command, since you've already been approved for that!" Gabriel nodded. Practice was more boring than normal, but Gabriel managed to only get shouted at once. When it was over, he entered Ana's office, yawning.

"Not sleeping well?"

"You're not mi madre. How's Amelie?"

"Better than I expected. She already mastered most of the basics and will be mission-ready in no time."

"Bien."

"I heard you and Jack got in a fight again."

"Si." Gabriel said, not liking where this was going.

"You really should talk it out. You're getting worse and worse."

"It's personality conflicts."

"You gave him a broken jaw, and don't act like I can't see that arm." Gabriel pulled down his left sleeve, covering a large bruise.

"I've had worse. I came to see if you had any new possibilities or missions."

"Actually, yes. There's a gang that's getting worse called the Deadlocks."

"Si, I know them."

"Really?"

"Had a route that went right through mi home town. Never figured out what they carted."

"Weapons." Gabe raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Left over from the war, raiding government buildings, stealing from other gangs, selling back to them." Gabriel nodded. *When we shut them down, it'll cut off a lot of the weapon influx, then.* "It's an unofficial investigation, your favorite; but Jack does know about it happening." *Wonderous.* "What do you think?"

"I'll check it out. What's the plan for Amelie, though?"

"I'm not sure. You know Gerald is in charge of espionage actions."

"He's in charge of the stick-up-their-a** club, too." Ana sighed.

"They aren't that bad." *Yeah, they are.*

"Adios."

"Bye." Gabriel walked out towards the cafeteria but was stopped by Gerald. He looked up in annoyance.

"Si?"

"I want to talk to you." He seemed extremely aggressive for someone who wanted to talk, but Gabe shrugged, entering a side room and promptly being shoved against the wall. *7 ways to take him out.* "Stay away from Amelie, le clochard (tramp)."

"No idea what that means, but no."

"You are going to stay away from my wife, or else." Gabriel growled.

"Make me, jacka**." Gerald swung, but Gabriel easily dodged, sliding to the left and pinning Gerald's arms behind him. He said, "I'm a d***, not a perv. Stay behind your desk." Gabriel let go and walked off, grumbling. He sat as far away from Jack as he could while being at the same table at lunch, and the absence of Angela was tangible. They ate in silence and left, glaring at each other. He headed to the courtyard, and was surprised to find Amelie there, looking at the tree. "Hola, mujer."

"Bonjour. Gerald is going on a mission tomorrow, so I thought I could spend some time with him, but he said he had to talk to someone. You have a bruise." Gabe chuckled, pulling down his sleeve again.

"He thinks I flirt with you."

"Do you?" Gabe smirked at her questioning look that had a hint of a Cheshire grin hidden inside.

"Wouldn't matter: you're taken." He joked back. She smiled.

"I suppose not. He attacked, didn't he?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe you deserved it."

"True. You have a concert?"

"They are called recitals." Gabe shrugged.

"So?" Amelie rolled her eyes.

"Non. Not for a while." Gabe yawned, stretching. He sat underneath the tree again and was quickly joined by her. He grinned at her, and she scoffed. "I was tired of standing around. Also, I'm curious as to who would win: my husband or my friend." Gabe laughed.

"Shady." Amelie sighed, rolling her eyes. "Got to go. Adios."

"Au Revoir." Gabe stood up and walked off to his room, yawning again. *Stupid Jack and his late-night fights. Let's see.* He pulled up more files, scanning through them quickly. *Jack, Jack, Angela, Ana, Ana, Reinhardt, computer monkey…maybe the monkey, maybe Angela. What's this-* A phone call interrupted Gabe's thoughts, making him growl. Answering it, he said,

"Gabe."

"Gabriel!" Angela sounded worried, and Gabe sat up. "There was a fire, and a man here needs immediate medical evacuation!"

"Why call me, then?"

"We're on route to the Colorado Base now, that's why!" Gabe groaned.

"Bien. Getting a slab set up." He stayed on the line listening to Angela's German cursing and moans of pain as he ordered a medical table to be set up. "What's it look like?"

"Severe burns, and two missing limbs."

"So he's dead."

"I have to try. I can't understand anything he says, though."

"He's speaking Japanese."

"I know that, Gabriel! I meant it's sounds garbled, and his hands are locked around his throat."

"Throat wound, then."

"I hope not. Those are very difficult to survive. Herr, Herr, sich beruhigen (Sir, sir, calm down)!"

"That'll work." Screaming echoed in Gabe's ears, and he moved the phone a few feet away, wincing. "Vocal cords work fine."

"Nein. They're burned. What did I get into?"

"Dunno." The sharp reply made Gabe chuckle to himself. "Slab's ready."

"They are called operation tables, Gabriel! Tell Jack." Gabe walked to Jack's room and knocked loudly, well aware it was nearly 2 in the morning. When no response came, he knocked louder.

"Ugh, Gabbi, I swear if that's you…" Jack opened the door with red eyes.

"Zeigler's flying in a guy."

"Why?" Jack yawned, stretching.

"Med Evac."

"There's hospitals in Japan. Tell her-" Gabe stated, secretly enjoying correcting Jack,

"Not for burn wounds, two missing limbs, and a throat burn."

"Oh. Set a table up-"

"Done."

"Then why'd you come to me?! I was in the middle of-"

"Jack, are you going to come back?" A woman asked, yawning. Jack blushed, and Gabe grinned.

"You do have a rule-breaker in you."

"Gabe-"

"You have a girlfriend now?"

"Gabe, stop." Gabe ran off, getting to Reinhardt's room where the old man was watching the news sleepily.

"Boyscout's got a girlfriend." Reinhardt didn't even hear him properly, looking at him strangely as Jack shouted,

"GABE, I SWEAR TO-"

"Tell Ana." Gabe ran off, letting the words sink into Reinhardt's head. He ended up in the courtyard where Amelie was training with Ana as Jack continued running after the Mexican. "Boyscout's got a girlfriend." Ana grabbed both him and Jack by the ears, face of disapproval clear.

"Gabriel Reyes and Jack Morrison. It is 2 in the morning and you nearly interrupted a very important ladies' conversation. Now, go to bed; somewhere where you won't wake everyone up; or work it out quietly." Both men nodded and entered the gym.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Gabe. She's my fiancée." Gabe shrugged.

"Whatever." Gabe's phone rang, and he answered it.

"Gabe."

"…The man is dead."

"Oh. You going back?"

"Nein, not now. I was almost there, anyways." Angela sounded hurt, but quickly regained her cheerfulness. "How did everything work out while I was gone?"

"A monkey showed up."

"What kind of technician?"

"No. A real monkey. From the moon colony."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Jack grabbed the phone, making Gabe growl.

"His name is Winston, and he's a scientist. He's friends with our pilot, the one at the top of her field, Ms. Oxford?"

"Night." Gabe went to his room, yawning. *I need to stop with the late nights.*