I was in the midst of talking with Torbjorn when I was interrupted, Gabriel peering out at me from his office, head peaking out as he called my name. "Nathan! In my office, now!" He called, as I excused myself from the conversation.

My footsteps echoed in the almost painfully quiet office as I entered, smiling at my commander. "Gee, I know I'm handsome and all but try to contain your excitement." I joked, as he scoffed, motioning for me to take a seat. "Can it. I called you in to fix your vest, it's irritating me. It's got that hole in the side..." he pointed, as I smirked at his rather uncharacteristic worry for how I looked. "What's the big deal?" I asked, slipping out of it, handing it to him as he sat on the other side of the desk.

His hands reached down below as he fiddled with something under his desk, pulling out a box, placing it carefully on the desk. I frowned, as he started to open it, answering my question as he did so. "We're Blackwatch. We've gotta look sharp, no exceptions." He smiled, as I realized what he was doing, pulling out a needle, preparing to stitch the hole back up.

His hands worked with elegance and grace with each movement as he started to fasten to black vest back together. "I didn't know you could knit Commander!" I exclaimed, staring in wonder as he did it better than most grandmas. "Yeah well, it's a secret hobby of mine, that no one else besides McCree and you know of, and I plan to keep it that way, understood?" He raised an eyebrow at me, as I laughed, nodding my head, assuring him I wouldn't expose his rather unmanly activities during his free time.

It was odd, seeing such a testosterone filled man working so diligently on something as this. I couldn't help but smile at his actions, keeping my rather unsavory taunts to myself, in hopes of making sure he does it correctly, instead of purposely messing up.

The door behind us opened, as McCree entered with his hands on a folder, sliding it out way. "Boss, got some reports for our new mission." He said, as Gabriel opened the folder, reading silently through it. "It's another assassination attempt on Volskaya Industries CEO." Jesse continued as Gabriel chuckled lightly. "This is the third one this year." He muttered, as I smiled. "But this one is different. Reports of suspicious activity around the area, which led to our worries of assassination. Jack says it might be the terrorist organization Talon."

I stood up, preparing to grab my gear for the new mission. "Well, let's go save this asshole." I bluntly put it, as Gabriel then stopped me before I continued to the barracks. "Hey. This is important, he may be a cruel man but we need him alive, or Russia is doomed. The CEO has been lending his support and weapons to the war efforts against omnic uprisings. Let's not screw this one up." He said, as we both nodded, before heading back to our barracks.

2 hours later...

We had lifted off an hour ago, with Captain Amari with us, along with Strike Commander Morrison, and about 30 trained officers. My legs were crossed as I prepared myself for the stakes of this mission. Volskaya Industries was one of the most important businesses around, and even if the CEO had a daughter to inherit the company in case of his death, she wouldn't be ready. I wasn't nervous, but I wasn't calm either, spinning the loaded chamber in revolver around and around to help the time go by quicker, along with talking with Jesse.

The plan had been discussed earlier. We were to extract the CEO, and bring him to safety, even if we have no proof of an attempted murder. We needed to be quick, and get him out peacefully, without the need for violence, no matter how irritable the man was. Captain Amari would be helping out the troops with us by providing covering fire in case of an actual attempt on the man's life, while we escorted him to his destination, which was our planes.

As soon as we touched down, you could feel the tension in the air as much as you could feel the cold wind of Russia blowing against your skin. I shivered slightly, before forming up with Strike Commander Morrison, nodding at the other troops, as we began to enter, no need to be sneaky, but not trying to spook the assassins in case of actual plans to kill him.

The building was large, as we had to be escorted by multiple guards, taking the elevator to the top. For once I hoped things went to plan. This could be the easiest or the hardest mission I've ever been on, and I was about to come across the deciding factor.

The elevator doors opened, the guards still having their weapons slightly trained on us as we entered the large room, the man looking out his window, an eerie light to the room, masking his face as he had his back turned to us. The room was as big as most small apartments people would rent, with the news blasting on a television to the right, speaking of a new attack on designated safe zones for omnics.

The man had his hands behind his back, a she stood in front of his desk, not moving or making a sound. I kept my hand on my weapon, ready for anything. "Finally you're here." The man said, his booming voice ricocheting off the walls. He turned to us, his face revealed. He was a large, intimidating man, a large chest and an even larger belly, along with a reciting hairline, and a clean shaven face, looking like a proper businessman. "We apologize for the delay, we only just recently received reports-"

"I could've been killed." The man interrupted, as I growled. "Why didn't ya just leave. It's not our fault if you-"

"Young man, I sincerely hope you do not take that tone with me again. I would think with your position you would know how to speak to your superiors." This man was already getting on my nerves. Maybe we'd be better off with this man having a bullet between his eyes. Hell, he keeps taunting me like this I'll be the one to do it.

"And who the hell says your my superior you fa-" Gabriel flashed a look my way, telling me to shut it, as I inhaled deeply, calming myself. My trigger finger still itched, as my fingers gently gripped the handle of my weapon strapped to my belt.

"Commander Gabriel. I hope when you return to base you teach the man some discipline, or he'll lose his tongue." The brooding man said, another taunt flashed our way, but Gabriel took it much better than I did, surprisingly. "I apologize for his actions. Now, we should get you somewhere safe. We've come to escort you to a plane, that will lead you back to one of our headquarters. If you'll come with us..." He trailed off, signaling for the man to reply, or at least move.

He walked slowly towards us, the floor thundering with each step he took. The elevator doors opened, as we started to load on. Maybe this would be easy after all...

"Strike Commander Morrison, this is Amari. I have confirmed Talon activity! They are firing on our position! Get him out of there now!" She ordered, as we all looked at each other.

Gabriel found his voice, as he began to bark out orders. "Jesse, Nathan, I want you both to cover us! Jack and I will be keeping our priority close to us. We need you both to follow us back to the plane, and then we can get Amari and the others out!"

Jesse and I nodded, as the elevator descended rapidly to the bottom floor, as we covered the CEO with our own bodies, something I had to force myself to do. I had both of my revolvers drawn, as Jesse kept his eye open, but the gunfire seemed to stay in one position.

Then a shot rang out, a clear fire on the CEO as Jack and Gabe held him closer, ducking behind cover, sprinting towards the plane that had been hovering over the ground, ready to take off. Jesse and I fired back on where the shot came from, firing wildly in that direction.

We both ducked behind cover, firing at a few Talon as they ran towards us. This mission just got a whole lot more interesting. They kept dropping down from grappling hooks, descending down the skyscrapers. I focused fire on them, shooting their ropes, watching as they plummeted to the ground. Another shot rang out, but this one hit a target as I took a shot to the arm. I gritted my teeth. "Damnit, I'm hit."

I kept fighting, peeking out every once and a while, shooting at them, most hitting their targets as the incoming agents dropped to the ground, their blood covering the snow. My head snapped to the left, spotting 4 men on the railings, trying to flank us, before I rolled, dodging the bullets, before aiming at them, firing at their heads as each bullet exited the chamber at high speeds, flying straight in to their heads, as I watched their bodies go limp.

Jesse grabbed my arm, pulling me back as we ran to the plane, seeing Jack and Gabe close the hatch behind the CEO, before it flew off. We gathered back together, before heading out to Amari's position.

The fighting was the thickest here, as our own men and women were engaged in an intense shootout with the Talon agents. We were to the right of it, ducking behind cover on either side, as they fired at each other. I spotted Captain Amari above, firing at the agents below. Her aim was remarkable, each shot she took a bullseye. "Captain Amari, we're here!" I said through the comms, as I heard her laugh lightly. "Good, now stay safe boys. Now let me show you how it's done. Mother knows best." She replied, taking down more Talon.

I looked at Jack, Jesse, and Gabriel, along with the Russian guards, as I crouched down beside them. "You guys give me covering fire, I'm gonna sneak around them and end this." I told them, as they nodded. "Stay safe partner." Jesse said, as I nodded back, before running off.

It may have been a trap, with how open and poorly guarded their flanks were, as I easily got behind them by climbing the structure above them, then dropping behind them. I smirked. "Hello there." I joked, as the few remaining agents turned, too shocked to do anything quick enough to stop me as I fired quickly, each shot entering their vests, piercing through.

The others snapped my way, as I fired back at them, forcing them to retreat, as I watched them run for their lives, escaping in their planes. I smiled, twirling my guns around on my fingers, placing them in my holsters, a feeling of pride in my heart. I soon returned to others, as they congratulated me on the success.

We had entered our plane by then, as I waited anxiously to hear back from Amari. We had sent a drop ship to pick her up from the building she was on, that kept her hidden as she picked off the agents one by one. "Captain Amari? Are you there? We've sent a drop ship your way. I wanted to thank you for the covering fire. I-"

I stopped, her silence unnerving me to no end. "Ana! Did you hear me? Come in!" I panicked, worried for her. "I hear you. I'm just waiting for this sniper to peek back out. I've pinpointed her position. I'll get back to you once I finished this, she took out a lot of our people. I wanted to repay them. She has skill I'll give her-" She then stopped, gasping, as I listened intently, along with the others who kept quiet.

"Amelie? It can't..." I frowned, confused. If it was Amelie Lacroix she spoke of, it made no sense. She died, or at least we believed so after she went M.I.A after she killed her husband Gerard in his sleep. She had been captured by Talon, but we rescued her, and she showed no signs of any psychological damage, but something snapped in her all the same. Maybe she returned to Talon? Maybe she was brainwashed and we never knew? My mind raced with the possibilities, all while I worried about Amari.

A gunshot rang out in my ears through the comms device, as I heard Amari's screams in agony in pain as she was shot, as I screamed, my eardrums ringing. "AMARI!"

Her comms went out, as she went silent. I looked to Jesse, as he slowly took off his hat, his face saddened, as he silently mourned. Gabriel frowned, throwing the comms device in his ear to the floor. "Turn your devices off. We don't need to hear that." He growled, as he sat down, placing his face in his hands as he groaned. Jack held his tears, walking to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, trying to assure me. I simply sat in silence, motionless, my face displaying no emotion, as my hands trembled, my mind unable to process what just happened, my thoughts racing.

"Look, Nate, I know she was close to you. But she would want you to keep it together, you need to stay strong." Jack whispered to me, but his words only made me grow angrier, my rage coming from nowhere as I quickly snapped up, firing my revolvers at the bulletproof glass, each shot echoing as I screamed with each shot. I kept pulling the trigger, until I only heard it click as it was empty, the bullets surrounding me as I fell to my knees, dropping my guns. Amari was dead.

"What am I gonna tell Fareeha?"

Next week...

The tears rolled down my cheeks, the sleeves of my tailored suit already wet and stained from the tears I wiped on them, as I watched her empty casket be lowered into the ground. Everyone was there, all of us, together, mourning over the loss of one of Overwatch's founders, and finest hero. We had never found her body, but maybe it was for the better. I don't know what I would do if I had to see her face again.

Fareeha was in front, watching as it lowered inch by inch into the ground, until it stopped. Reinhardt had his hand resting on her shoulder, as he was the one who was closest to her, as he held in his tears. When it stopped descending, she dropped the dirt in her hand, as it fell gracefully onto the metal casket, with the Overwatch logo displayed brightly and proudly on it.

We had all lined up, all of us dealing with this in a different way, but dealing with it together. Jesse and I had our hats off in respect, as he had a hand on my shoulder, rubbing it gently. Fareeha's much smaller hand was in mine, as she gripped it tightly. I knew how she felt, losing her parents at a young age. I had tried to keep her comfortable, and try to assure her she was in a better place, but I didn't exactly know that myself.

I had never looked at my tattoo the same. It used to show how she was a friend, family even. But now, it was even more than that. It was a constant reminder to live up to her and her memory, and to make her proud.

After the burial was finished, all of us took our turns comforting Fareeha. I was last, as I had some things to say to her. I wanted her to know she wasn't alone, that we were in this together.

Soon enough, it was my turn. All of the words I planned to say to her disappeared, as I stuttered slightly. "Hey." I hugged her, feeling her tears on my chest, as I placed a hand on her head. We pulled away, as I knelt beside her. "I want to tell you something. Now I know you've heard this before, but I'm here for you. I understand what you're going through. I lost my parents too. But I want you to know you're not alone, I'm here. No matter what, I promise to stand beside you, through thick and thin. Now, you want to be like your mother don't you?" I asked.

She nodded, her tears dissolving as she focused on my words. "Then you need to be strong. You need to keep your head up, and stay confident. Stay resilient, but also stay kind. Family is everything, and you can choose who they are. I chose your mother, and the rest of Overwatch. Keep your friends close, but family even closer. I'm always here."

She hugged me, as I smiled for the first time this day, as I stroked the back of her head, calming her. "Thanks Uncle Nate." She said.

Uncle Nate. The words echoed in my head. I chuckled to myself. 'Uncle Nate huh?' I thought. 'Well, I hope to make you proud Ana. I'll keep her safe, I promise. And I hope wherever you are, that you're puttin' in a good word for me.'