Chapter 10: An End to This War

The indescribable feeling of dread, excitement, and calm never left me as I awaited the call to battle. There was no emotion that could truly compare to the feeling I'm left with before a battle, especially one as large as this.

I'd never thought I'd see the day when we were more like an army than a band of mercenaries. Countless men and women have joined us for this last fight, this final push against Talon, all thanks to Olivia's connection with Katya Volskaya and some others. Although Talon has bases and headquarters all around the world, if we were victorious come the morning, Talon would lose its stranglehold on the major companies around the world, and without the steady income of supplies coming from them, they'd be weakened, if not outright destroyed by it. This siege was our one chance to come out on top, despite all odds.

But Talon wasn't going to go down without a fight. Although we destroyed the many surveillance drones surrounding the large base, and even temporarily disabled the anti aircraft guns, Talon was most likely aware of our presence, though they couldn't tell where we were yet. Not until we were already in formation. They seemed to be stockpiling their supplies here for the time being, which means they'll hit us with everything they have. Aircrafts, tanks, guns, everything. From what I could tell, they had more numbers than we did. Although we were around five hundred strong, Talon was probably holding near a thousand agents in there. But that meant nothing to me. We were all at our best. And fear was already spreading through their ranks after what I had done here just two weeks ago. An entire battalion gone, leaving them vulnerable.

The people with us were well trained, but I could tell they were cannon fodder, as much as it pained me to admit it. Most of them would die in the coming fight, but that didn't make them any less eager to prove themselves. I stayed away from the large crowds of them as they all gathered around campfires as they struggled to keep warm in the night. All of us were too restless to sleep, but too weary to practice. I kept a watchful eye on the base, it's rear nearly impenetrable due to the mountain that towered over it. It forced us to charge them head on. Though Talon was going to meet us in the field as well. They wouldn't miss a chance to crush their only rival. Olivia was counting on it. Talon's hubris would be its downfall. The base was large, and patrols were sent out at regular intervals. Along with that, snipers were positioned around the rooftops, and the main entrance was heavily guarded. Talon probably anticipated a surprise attack in the night. But Olivia had other plans.

Jesse, and around twenty men were stationed up ahead, camping out in the mountains above the base. Olivia planned on baiting the main forces of Talon to come and meet us in the field, leaving the base open to an assault. She figured within minutes they'd be able to secure the fortress and leave Talon pinned between two fronts. With nowhere to go, they'd either die, or flee.

As good as that sounds, we can't be certain it'll work. They outnumber us, and needless to say they have more supplies. Lena is the only one of us who can properly pilot a fighter jet, so she'll be left to take care of the three Talon aircrafts by herself. Lena assured me she'd be fine, but I couldn't help but worry about her. If she was shot down, I'd be too preoccupied with the siege and leading some of the others to help her. If she died, I'd lose something valuable to me. The only one I ever truly trusted with how I felt. With what I planned to do.

'No.' I told myself. 'Keep thinking like that and they've already won. She'll be fine. I'm sure she's a great pilot. She'll watch my back.'

I sighed, resting my head against the tree behind me, clumps of snow plummeting to the ground as the wind caused the leaves to rustle. I didn't bother trying to get some shut eye. I figured I'd spend more time focusing on what I needed to do during the battle to keep everyone safe rather than actually sleeping. I could hear footsteps originate from behind me, and I turned to find Angela, wearing a thick fur coat, boots, and gloves. Her blonde hair was up in a ponytail as always, bits of snow sticking to her hair as her deep blue eyes met mine. I offered a small grin. "Angela. Need me for something?"

"No. I'm simply checking in on everyone, making sure everyone is in peak physical condition." She explained, and I nodded. "Oh. Well I'm fine. Nervous?" I asked. Angela released a sigh, folding her arms. "Obviously. The new recruits are reckless. They're going to get themselves killed if they're not careful. I'm worried about everyone right now. It is my job, after all."

I chuckled at that, watching as the snow gently descended to the ground. "I worry about two people especially. Genji, for I'm fairly certain pretty blatant reasons. I always worry about him anyways. And you."

"Me? You needn't be. I'm fine, and you've patched me up from my last fight. I'm ready to go, Doc." I answered, and she shook her head. "I meant emotionally. You've always been reckless, but recently you've been needlessly aggressive in battle. Is something wrong?" Angela asked, and I hesitated. 'I'm desperate to prove myself. This might be the last time I fight for Overwatch.' I bit my tongue. "No. You know me, I'm not the type of guy to run from a fight. I guess I've just found myself in worse situations than usual." I offered, and she smiled. "No. I don't believe I've ever seen you run, except for when you're running into a fight. You give Reinhardt a run for his money. Even he knows when to retreat."

"Yeah, well don't worry. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, or the people I'm leading. I'm not going to let what happened...to Genji happen again." Angela placed a hand on my shoulder. "Scott, about what I said when that-"

"Don't. You don't need to say anything." I stopped her, offering her a bright grin. "I deserved it anyway. Now, go on and get some rest. Cozy up to a fire and keep warm. We've got a long day ahead of us."

Angela and I smiled at one another, and I winked at her before watching her leave. "Angie!" I called out to her, handing her a bulletproof vest I was planning on wearing. She raised an eyebrow, confused. "Wear that underneath your gear. You'll be a target, especially with all the white you wear. I don't want this to be the last time we speak to each other." I said, and she frowned. "But you'll be vulnerable without it-"

"I have faith you can get me patched back up, Doc. Stay safe out there." I said, revealing a bit more emotion than I cared to show. I never liked addressing how I felt.

Angela offered me a curt nod, and a look I couldn't decipher, before walking off once more, using her arms to wrap her coat tighter around her body as a cold breeze blew by. I soon decided to try and bury my worries and doubts by going to find Olivia. The woman always seemed to calm me down, but I didn't know if she'd be able to now, what with her being a major cause of my agitation and unease.

The deep snow made loud crunches under my feet as I moved through the makeshift camp we made outside of the base, ignoring the wandering eyes of a few agents who noticed my scars and titanium arms. I should be used to those stares by now, yet they always bothered me. I scratched at the scar on my nose, the wound still healing.

"Olivia, apologies for the intrusion. I just wanted to see you." I muttered as I stepped into the tent she put up, noticing her lack of winter clothing. She only wore a loosely fitting shirt and jeans. I frowned, watching as she stared at the holovid in front of her, studying some sort of supply list. "Hey, aren't you cold?" I asked, once again gaining nothing in response but a halfhearted grin. "Olivia." I nudged her shoulder, and she groaned. "Scott, now isn't the time." She replied, and I nodded. "Oh. I'm sorry, I'll go."

I walked away from her, beginning to exit the tent. "Scott! Come back."

I sighed, leaning back in the tent. "What?" I asked, a little irritated. "Look, Scottie I'm just feeling a little stressed right now. I've been checking the numbers over and over in case I missed something. I'm sorry for acting like that." I offered a comforting grin, leaning against the desk she had set up, multiple maps, holovids, and papers with illegible scribbles on them sprawled across it. She was gonna end up working herself to death.

"Even you need to relax, sometimes. I know it's hard, and that things haven't been easy for us recently, but I'm here for you." I replied, and she kept her gaze locked with the map at her desk, studying it once more. "I don't know, Scott. I don't know if it's enough. For once, despite all my effort, I don't know if this is enough. I feel like I'm just leading us all to our deaths. It wouldn't be the first time..." she trailed off, and I shook my head. I noticed her shiver, and I didn't hesitate to drape my coat over her shoulders.

"Hey, you've got to give yourself more credit. We were nothing more than a group of disbanded outlaws before you took over. You've changed us, inspired us, given us hope. And sometimes, hope is all you need." I said, sounding more and more like Lena by the second. I suppose her attitude has been rubbing off on me. "I never knew you were such an optimist, Scottie. I'm used to you always sticking to yourself and brooding." Olivia teased me, and I chuckled. "Well, I guess you can have that affect on people."

'Why do I act like such a fool around her? I can't stay with her and the others. This isn't my place. It never was.' I reminded myself, though I couldn't ignore how I felt drawn to her. Olivia means a lot to me, as hard as it can be to admit it. It's why I'm so willing to risk my life for her. 'Yet it's also the reason I must go. I refuse to be beneath her. Not anymore.'

"You know, you're the only person who calls me Scottie." I said, ignoring my worrisome thoughts. Olivia grinned up at me. "That's because I'm the only who's ever seen you dance. You can be intimidating, but believe me, nothing is funnier than you trying to dance. I don't think I can ever look at you the same." She joked, and I laughed. "Oh, come on. Give me some credit, I did better than Jesse." I said, thinking about the only time I could ever recall dancing. Lena had mocked me for quote 'bein' a right stick in the mud' and dragged me out of my corner against my will and forced me to dance. It was fun, though back then I wouldn't dare admit it. I wasn't very good, not really a dancing man, but for once I felt inclined to just cut loose. It was the first time I ever felt included in Overwatch.

"Yes, but he was passed out drunk for most of the night." She giggled, and I smiled, feeling her place a hand on my chest to shove me playfully, yet she was too busy laughing to do so. Our eyes met, and I couldn't help but notice the slight hint of a blush on her cheeks as her hand lingered on my chest. The tent was suddenly much hotter than it was a minute ago.

Olivia stepped back as soon as she realized how little space was left between us. I scratched the back of my neck in embarrassment as she sighed, leaning over the desk again. "I should probably focus on the supplies again. Thanks for helping me unwind, but I need to get back to it." She said, and I met her eyes once more.

"Don't. You need to sleep. Everything's going to be fine, but we can't fight this battle without our leader." I said, but she still seemed hesitant to allow herself to relax. "Olivia, trust me. I'll keep an eye on the others, make sure everything is good for tomorrow. Take a break, for me." A smile spread across her lips as she nodded.

"I find it hard to say no to you." I felt her hand grip mine as she walked by, her thumb tracing along the back of my palm. "Thank you, for everything."

'How am I going to explain why I have to leave once this is all over to that face? I'd be betraying her, leaving her behind. She'll be fine. Her dream means much more to her than me. I'm not good enough.' I thought.

But for just that short moment, her eyes told me the opposite. And I even found myself wanting it to be true.

"Yeah."

I watched as the birds flew overhead, providing the only sound besides the cold harsh wind as it blew through my hair. I sighed, my hands clenching themselves into fists. There it was again. That calm before the storm. The silence shared between hundreds as they all anticipated the first shot.

Placing two fingers beside my ear, I pressed the button on the communications device that wrapped around my ear. "Lena, is everything up and running?" I asked, not taking my eyes off of the base in front of me. Talon was preparing itself for our full strength. I could hear the whir of an engine on her side of the comms as she laughed. "Yep! She's all set, and handling like a breeze!" She exclaimed, and I nodded, releasing a shaky exhale. "Alright Lena, when this starts, no heroics. Stay safe, and don't do anything reckless."

"You're one to talk." Lena replied, and I scoffed. "Yeah, well do as I say not as I do." I grinned, and I heard her breathing hitch. "We're going to take them on, together. Right?"

"You're damn right we are. Make me proud, okay?" I said, hiding my unease. "I will. You belong fighting by our side. Not alone. No matter what, we're right beside you." Lena was clearly referring to what I said on the rooftop that night, and I grimaced. "I've got to go. I'll see you on the other side." I ignored her comment, ending the conversation.

I shook my head, struggling to clear my mind of unwanted thoughts. Now wasn't the time for thinking. I needed to focus on the upcoming battle.

"Hey, you nervous?" I heard Genji ask me as he approached me from behind. I turned, offering him a grin. "Not even a little. We've got the people, the supplies, and more importantly, the skill." I answered, and he nodded. "Good. We need everyone at their best if we're going to win this." He remarked.

"The walls are built twice as high and twice as thick as any other base. And the far side is protected by a sheer cliff. Not to mention the people they have stationed there." Genji continued, and I frowned. "It's just like any other base, only bigger. We'll do it the same way we always have." I assured him. He paused, turning to enter the armored vehicle to our left. "I sure hope so."

We were all making our final preparations, and I watched as Genji sharpened his blade while awaiting orders. The armored vehicles came with mounted machine guns at the rear, allowing us to fire upon them as we charged. We had hundreds of them, and Olivia was going to lead the charge, and we'd all follow in a diamond formation before spreading out to deal as much damage as possible before retreating. It was as dangerous as it got, but it had to be done. They won't meet us in the field unless we trick them into doing so.

"Damn snow," I muttered, wiping it from my face as it blew by with the wind like some sort of mist. "It's everywhere." I growled, and Olivia soon responded to the comment. "It's a part of my plan. With limited visibility, the snipers won't be able to get a good shot on us from afar. And once we're close, the second strike team will have already dealt with them." She explained, and I smiled. "You're looking much better than you did earlier."

Olivia smiled at that. "You alright?" She asked, and I smirked, my blades extending outwards. "Never better."

"Good. The time has come to move." Olivia stated, and I watched as she turned to leave, feeling some sort of emotion I couldn't describe stir deep inside me. "Hey!" I yelled, and she turned back to me. "I..." I stumbled, before finding the right words to say. "Just stay safe." I finished, and she grinned. "Same to you."

Turning, I looked at the flag planted near the rear of the armored vehicle as the familiar blue, orange, and white colors fluttered in the breeze. 'This is the last time. The last time I fight for this flag...'

When the order to charge came, I didn't hesitate to slam my foot on the gas pedal as the armored vehicle drove through the dangerous terrain with ease as it hovered over the snow. Genji offered me a look, but I continued onward at the same speed, following Olivia's vehicle as she drove forward. I could hear the engines of other vehicles behind me as they pushed themselves to the limit.

I looked to my left, seeing Reinhardt propelling himself at a faster speed than the vehicles around him, his hammer dragging across the snow as he laughed. "HERE I COME!" He bellowed, and I heard Genji laugh. "Let's hope we can keep up with him."

A large aircraft hovered above, and I watched as it primed itself for an attack, the large mini gun attached to it prepared to fire. "Steady." I heard Olivia order through the comms. "Steady..." she repeated, and I gripped the steering wheel as tightly as possible, afraid it might snap.

Just as soon as one bullet was fired from the aircraft, Lena's fighter jet shot it down with unparalleled accuracy and speed. She soared overhead, and I could hear practically everyone cheering as she diverted Talon's focus away from us. "NOW!"

Bullet shells began to rain as we fired upon the Talon agents in front of us. They dove behind the makeshift barriers they created, but I watched as Reinhardt slammed through a barrier, destroying the electromagnetic shields they had. I swerved right, just in time to dodge a rocket fired at us. The vehicle behind us wasn't so lucky. They didn't even have time to scream.

'Don't focus on that. If you worried yourself about the ants on the ground, you'd never be able to take a step.'

I crashed into the barrier, creating another hole in the wall. I could still hear Reinhardt laughing as he swung his hammer from side to side despite the chaos going on around us. Olivia's vehicle was busy laying down cover fire, giving Genji and I time to hop out of the vehicle and into the enemies front lines. Olivia was right. The snipers couldn't see us with all the snow fall, much less take a shot.

My blade found its first victim, impaling an agent to the sandbags behind him. Genji cut down another man as he attempted to shoot me. I watched as the other vehicles overwhelmed the other areas, successfully neutralizing their first line of defense. It was all going according to plan. I turned, the hundreds of other vehicles continuing forward. Reinhardt shielded us from incoming fire as he plowed through another ten agents.

Using his body, I jumped over Reinhardt and into the second line of Talon agents. I could hear screaming and death happening all around me, but I blocked it out. I slashed one man's throat, moving to kill the other agent while he fumbled with his gun. He was smashed into little more than a puddle of blood and bone by Reinhardt's massive weapon. "IS THAT ALL?!" He guffawed at their attempts to harm him, bullets deflecting off of his thick armor. Brigitte was going to have a fun time patching it up this time.

I stabbed one man as he fled, before flinging him into a group of agents who attempted to use one of their anti aircraft rockets. Genji finished them off, and I smiled as I charged head on into what seemed like a hundred reinforcements. I felt a few bullets graze by me, causing me to bleed, but I never slowed down. I cut through the first man, rushing through the middle of their lines. The base seemed even bigger now that we were so close. I swung wildly, not bothering to time my attacks or pace myself. Once again I found myself in a frenzy, decapitating men before they had a chance to shoot me.

Genji sliced through them, making his way to me. We soon stood back to back, deflecting shots back at them, working as one solitary unit. A rocket struck a vehicle behind us, and it exploded upon impact, the momentum causing it to violently flip over. I tackled Genji out of the way, before the blast sent us both flying back. We slid across the bloody snow, the roots of a tree stopping us from going any further. I stumbled as I tried to stand back up, my ears ringing from the explosion. I winced, struggling to stand. Talon was advancing, and only now did I see all of the once eager men and women dead at their feet, being trampled as Talon's full force marched out to meet us in the field.

It was all going as planned. Hundreds dead already, and by my count it had only been minutes. We were being slaughtered, despite our success in breaking their first few defenses. But with most of our vehicles destroyed in the charge, along with a lot of casualties, we were outnumbered. Most of our forces were waiting for the next stage of the siege, watching us all be massacred. I knew Olivia was ruthless at times, but I couldn't have prepared myself for this.

Snapping out of the trance I was in, I pulled Genji to his feet. He coughed, most of his visor covered in blood and soot. I could only assume I looked the same. "Where is Reinhardt?" He asked, I turned, spotting his shield. It was cracking from the incoming fire, but no one could cover him as he retreated. As soon as I began to move towards him, a large bomb was dropped into the center of Talon's army. In a quick flash, a large fraction of them were reduced to nothing.

Reinhardt began to retreat from the front lines, and I could hear Lena yelling. "Get out of there! I can only buy you so much time!" She exclaimed. Soon enough she was forced to flee as another aircraft chased after her, initiating another dogfight. A vehicle came skirting towards us as it drifted to the side before coming to a halt right in front of us. The hood was covered in blood, and the windshield was shattered, and a door had been blasted off. I spotted Olivia in the drivers seat. "Get in!" She ordered.

Neither of us hesitated to hop in the vehicle and hold on as she accelerated, dodging incoming fire and bombs as she swerved back and forth.

When we arrived back at our main battalion, they all looked ready for battle, guns raised to the air as they released their battle cries. What remained of those who charged along side us were stopping to catch their breath as we gathered up our strength. We'd have one shot at this. We need everyone to do what's necessary to win this. With Lena's help, we had made it an even fight, but they had the upper hand, along with more weapons. I soon realized we were going to lead another suicide mission as we charged them head on once more in an attempt to buy some time for the other team. This time we'd throw everything we have at them, but it didn't make it any less dangerous.

Our backs were to the river, meaning we had no way to flee. Talon was marching towards us, leaving the base vulnerable to an attack. I could hear Fareeha chuckle as she loaded her rocket launcher. "Oh boy." She muttered, watching as Talon began to charge us full force, the thunder of their footsteps causing the ground to tremble. Torbjorn gulped, adjusting his armor. "We don't have to take 'em all on, do we?" He looked up at Reinhardt who was covered in snow and blood. "This is the final push, old friend. We have no room for fear in our hearts. Ready yourself for battle."

Olivia turned to them all, exiting the one vehicle we had left. We'd have to face them on foot. "Everyone take formation!" I watched as they readied their weapons. "Our backs are to the river! Retreat is not an option! You have no other choice but to lay down your lives on this fight! This is LIFE or DEATH! If we survive this, we will stand VICTORIOUS!"

They all cheered, screaming at the top of their lungs, and I hopped on the side of the car as Olivia prepared to drive it. My eyes met Genji and Angela, and I offered a grin and a nod.

"CHARGE!" I ordered, looking forward as Talon continued to get closer and closer. I steeled myself for the final battle, the final assault, one last effort. All of this will come to an end in the coming moments.

Olivia drove towards the danger as always, leading the others and I into Hell once more, as I began deflecting the bullets fired at me with my blades. Talon had defeated our vanguard, but they won't crush us as easily. I turned, finding everyone I'd come to know in Overwatch following me. It filled me with an emotion I hadn't encountered before. I wanted to protect them. To see them all live happy and fulfilling lives. I refuse to let it end here. We'll fight tooth and nail to see tomorrow. Just like we always have.

I didn't hesitate to jump off the vehicle and into the center of them, spearheading them right in the chest like I always did. Bullets whizzed by me as I yelled, killing anyone who stood in my way.

Jesse's POV

I slid my knife between the sniper's ribs, penetrating his lungs. He only struggled for a moment before falling to the ground. I watched from the top of the base, overlooking the battle that was going on below. It was nerve wracking to have to watch as everyone you've known is risking their lives to buy you time. It makes me feel like a coward. How I've always felt.

Growling, I continued moving, disabling the other electric fences, and other defenses with a few clicks of a button.

The men I was leading were doing a damn good job of taking care of the others and clearing out the base. With all the chaos going on, Talon had no idea we had infiltrated the base. "Listen up! I want one squadron to seal off the entrance to the base! Ain't nobody gettin' in, or out!" I ordered. It felt odd, leading men. I was always the one following orders, not giving them. "The rest of you secure anymore guards! I don't want any surprises!"

"Hurry, we ain't got time to waste!" I yelled. I looked at the battle going on below. 'Sombra's plan is going perfectly.' I thought.

The sounds of someone being strangled alerted me, and I turned around to find a shadow hovering over two dead bodies. His familiar dark hood and mask sent a shiver down my spine, before a rage like no other overcame me.

"Gabriel." The name felt like a curse, something that should never have been said. Like it was something to be long forgotten. I scowled, and he released a chuckle. "McCree." He growled. "I taught you better than that." He taunted me, and I drew my pistol without hesitation, aiming at him. He turned into a mist, engulfing me, before taking shape in front of me. Before I could react, he knocked my pistol to the side. "Face me like a man, cowboy."

My past with Gabriel won't interfere, not like it has before. I'm fighting for something other than myself, and I refuse to allow him to get the better of me. Gabriel is dead. I'm facing Reaper. Not the man I once knew. Not the man I once respected.

I swung at him, my fist connecting with his mask, meeting his chin underneath. He grunted, but I didn't slow down. I kicked him in the chest, and he laughed as he fell to the ground. "I'm surprised. You usually run from an actual fight, like the scared boy you are."

"I ain't runnin' from the likes o' you. Not anymore." I replied. He stood up, cackling as he did so.

"Good."

Scott's POV

I wiped the blood away from my face, before catching another knife with my left hand. I turned, lifting him up by his arm before stabbing straight through his ribs, leaving him to bleed to death. Reinhardt charged forward, taking another five unlucky Talon agents with him as he slammed into a tree. He laughed. "Keep pushing, Scott! We're almost through!" He yelled, and I sliced another man's throat, rushing through another three agents, slamming them into the ground. Genji threw a shuriken that whizzed by me, striking a soldier behind me that I didn't notice.

We were being pushed back, slowly but surely. People behind me were up at the edge of the river, struggling not to fall off. Those unlucky enough to stumble into the river probably ended up drowning, being weighed down by their heavy gear and armor. "We can't keep this up!" Genji said, stabbing a man through the chest. Brigitte was pushed back, falling to the ground. "I'm not gonna drown in this river! I'd rather die FIGHTING!" She exclaimed, charging the enemy. "Seems like Reinhardt has been rubbing off on you." Fareeha joked, dodging Talon's attempts to shoot her down. Her rockets were blasting them to smithereens, but she was being pinned down by enemy fire.

I met the enemy head on, rushing through their lines, creating a hole for the others to infiltrate. I slashed at yet another soldier that tried to shoot me, moving forward at a fast enough pace so it was hard to hit me.

A large gauntlet struck me in the chest, knocking the wind out of me, sending me careening into a large rock. I groaned, failing to get up. "There you are, Mr. Gallagher. I've been looking forward to our rematch.

Akande Ogundimu stood towering over me, his new metallic hand glimmering in the sunlight. "Scott!" I heard Olivia exclaim, trying to reach me. "Stay back! Lead the others to victory. I'll take care of Akande!"

"No one shall interfere with our fight! Scott is all mine!" He laughed, clearly excited to see me once more. He didn't have a scratch on him, the blood covering his gauntlet belonging to some of our soldiers no doubt. I coughed, standing up straight. I couldn't beat him again, not in the state I was in. I was weary, and a few wounds were giving me enough trouble as it is without him coming along. I was fairly certain he cracked a few of my ribs with that one strike.

"Come on then, I'll give you an autograph on that new limb of yours!" I taunted him, before charging at Akande, filled with the same rage I was in Numbani. 'He won't lay a finger on the others. I won't let him!'

Jesse's POV

I stepped to the side, dodging Reaper's jab and countering him with a few punches of my own. I landed three swift blows to his chest before bringing my fist up to his chin in an uppercut. Reaper winced as he stumbled back, off balance. I had yet to see the man- no, the thing bleed up until now. His mask was nearly shattered, and he tried to shoot me with his shotguns in a desperate attempt to end the fight sooner. He was losing.

Reaper was still trying to get his bearings back when I swung at him once more, but he caught my fist before it could connect. He twisted my wrist, forcing it backwards as I yelled. He took advantage of the opportunity and swept my legs out from under me. I rolled before he could bring his boot down on top of my head. Standing up, I blocked a right hook and threw a few punches to the gut, causing him to bend over to protect his abdomen. I grabbed him by the collar and punched him right where his nose would be, sending him down the stairs.

He struggled to stand, most of his body returning to a vapor like substance. He was going to try and run. Reaper always did whenever he realized it was a losing battle. I scowled, disgusted by the monster who masqueraded as a man who I knew.

Reaper still laughed, even now as his blood fell to the ground. I calmly stepped down the stairs, standing tall in front of him. He didn't scare me. He never had.

"Yes. C'mon Jesse, beat me till your knuckles bleed. And why stop there? We both know there's only one way to stop me! As much you deny it, it's who you are. It's what you want. It's what you need." I struck him once more, sending him down another flight of stairs. "That's not who I am. It never has been." I replied, approaching him once more.

"Fresh off a kill, and back for me, eh? You've never been one to avoid bloodshed." He laughed, and I growled, punching him once more, now standing over him as he laid on the ground, defeated. "All this rage, all directed at me, and for what? I'm the one who made you what you are. As much as you deny it, I'm a part of you, Jesse."

"You betrayed us all. Your friends, your family, everyone! This was never who you were! You ain't the same man I once knew!" I yelled, looking down upon him, a sadness in my heart that I couldn't control slowly creeping out.

"You just can't get it through your thick skull! We both exist because of THEM! The only difference between us is that I don't hide behind a facade. I don't claim that my actions are just. I do what I do for vengeance. And you're the same." Reaper growled, and for a moment, I almost pitied him. This thing is not Gabriel. "That's why you fight. You like the way it feels."

"I fight for those who can't. I fight for the people I care for, for the friends I have. For the folks I want to protect. I fight for an idea, a dream. The difference between us, is that you only fight for yourself. For this sick, twisted vengeance you lust for. You've never believed in anything. Nothing but yourself."

He began to turn into a mist, fading with the wind as his darkness became a part of the sky. "I'm part of you." I heard him repeat, whispering in my ear.

I turned my back to him, and spat. "You're a shell of a man. Nothing more."

Scott's POV

I spat the blood from my mouth, dodging another attack from Akande. We had traded blows against one another for what felt like hours. I'd completely forgotten about the battle, but I figured that was for a reason. If I could take him down, Talon's army would lose its leader. Akande had been the one directing them, motivating them, training them. It was why they were such a force to be reckoned with. But without him, they'd be nothing. Fear would run wild through their ranks, and before long they'd be begging for mercy.

I was covered in bruises, but Akande was limping, along with hundreds of cuts littering his body. Yet his smile never faltered. The man, if you could call him that, he was more like a mountain, had a craving for fights. Akande was obsessed with this rematch. I'll be sure to make it his end.

The battle was going in our favor. Talon was being pushed back as Olivia rallied the others, leading the charge straight through their frontlines. Lena had also provided plenty of help, taking out the last aircraft in the sky, along with bombing Talon's forces. All we needed was Jesse to plant the flag atop their base, and the day would be ours.

But Akande paid it no mind. He only wanted me.

"You've gotten even better than I remember." He punched me, sending me crashing into the ground. I jumped up to my feet, dodging his next attack and extending my blade outwards, stabbing him through the shoulder. He yelled in pain, picking me up with ease and flinging me to the blood covered snow. I struggled to stand back up, noticing my blade was still stuck in him. Akande had shattered it, and he slowly pulled it out, blood gushing out of the wound. I rushed him, using my other blade to stab him in the chest. Akande caught the attack, parrying it with ease as he used his gauntlet to punch me in the stomach. I could feel him crush my organs, and I felt the blood in my mouth sputter out, and I collapsed to the ground.

Akande raised his gauntlet once more to finish me off. "Goodbye, Mr. Gallagher."

I caught his strike, surprising both of us. He scowled. "What?" He pushed even harder as I gripped his gauntlet, struggling to keep it from crushing me. It was mere inches from my face when I kicked Akande in the mouth, sending him back. "How did you..." he trailed off. "I'm stronger than you, Akande. I always have been. You just refuse to accept it." I offered him a confident grin.

I stepped to the side as he charged me, yelling as he did so, but he caught me with his gauntlet. My eyes widened as he tightened his grip, crushing my ribs. He threw me to the ground, the back of my head slamming into the hard rocks below me. My vision was blurring, along with a sharp ringing in my ears accompanying it. Akande raised both of his hands high up in the air, preparing to bring them down upon me. I'd never survive the attack. But I could barely move, let alone counter the blow.

He stopped, grunting in pain, turning around. Three shurikens were lodged deep in his back, and I heard Genji call my name. "Scott!" He yelled, sliding his sword across the snow. I reached out, snatching the katana. Before Akande could react, I slammed the blade deep into his abdomen, standing up and pushing the sword through him with every bit of strength I had left.

Blood gushed from his mouth, spewing all over his chest and face as I slid the blade out. I offered him a smile as he looked up at me in pain and pure terror. "Tell Moira I'm coming for her." I said.

I brought the sword down upon his head with all my might, and it split right through it. Warm blood began flow downwards, bits of blood and brains spraying up at me, covering my face. Akande Ogundimu, the legendary warrior, 'Doomfist' fell to the ground at my feet, his head split open. Smirking, I watched as his blood spilled out, intermingling with the snow around us.

"Never mind. I'll tell her myself."

"He actually beat him." I heard a surprised Brigitte mutter, her eyes wide in shock. Reinhardt laughed. "Good one!" He yelled, before returning to the fight. Though the remaining Talon forces didn't give him much resistance as they stared at Akande's corpse in fear.

I looked around, meeting all the eyes of the scared Talon soldiers. I laughed, feeling Angela and Genji help me stand. I watched as a familiar flag fluttered in the wind behind them, standing proud as it towered over the base. A familiar cowboy stood right beside it, firing shots up into the air as the men who went with him celebrated.. 'Jesse did it.' I thought to myself.

They all turned, staring in confusion as they slowly realized what had happened. We took the base out from under them without them ever noticing. They had nowhere to run now. I laughed, meeting their eyes as they noticed my amusement.

"What the hell is wrong with you all? Your head has been cut off! Akande is DEAD! And the base you're fighting for has fallen! Don't tell me you haven't figured it out yet!" I mocked them, leaning my weight upon my friends.

"Cry out! Let them know today belongs to us!" Olivia yelled, raising her fist in the air as we all smiled. The day was won.

"It's about damn time!" I heard Lena mutter through the communications device, as we all released our final battle cries. Reinhardt was easily the loudest, his voice echoing through the skies above as he held his hammer above him, laughing.

"Grant no mercy to any who stand in your way!" Olivia ordered, as the Talon agents began to flee as we mowed them down, our gunfire ripping them to shreds. I was much too weak to consider fighting, and Angela offered me a grin. "Still have faith I can patch you up?" She teased.

I smiled weakly, ignoring the violence going on around me. We were victorious. For a moment, my eyes met Olivia's. She offered me a wink. My smile widened, and I turned to meet Angela's gaze once more. "Always."

The night was dark, but we lit fires large enough to rebel against the shade and the cold. Despite our wounds and casualties, the others all celebrated. There were plenty of stories to tell, drinks to be had, and memories to be made. Despite the struggle it was to earn this victory, I watched as they smiled like nothing had happened. Like they had suffered through no hardships.

Looking down on them from a rooftop as always, I couldn't help but grin. We did it. We actually did it. Olivia was already speaking with Katya and many others about what they were to do, and talk of an end to the ongoing war between Talon and Overwatch was beginning to circulate. I didn't believe it for a second, but perhaps and armistice could be reached. Perhaps temporary peace is possible.

Olivia was so much closer to her dream. So close she could practically reach out and grab it. I felt happy for her. This goal she strived to achieve for so many years, the people she lost, the suffering she went through; it was all beginning to bear fruit. The end was in sight. It'd probably be a while before we could all sit back, relax, and grow old with one another and receive our happily ever after, but the thought alone that one day all of this would end brought me joy. I wouldn't ever have to worry about who would die tomorrow, or how dangerous my next mission might be. I could just be normal.

For now, I had plenty of time to think. To contemplate my next move. For the time being, I planned on staying for a while, at least long enough to see this all through to the end. I wanted to see a happy ending before leaving. I refused to leave things unfinished.

But when the time was right, I had to leave. I required something of my own, before I feel fulfilled. Despite our accomplishments, both in the past and what is to come in the future, I still felt hollow. Empty. I was still drifting through this world without meaning.

At times, I worry about what they'll all think of me when I leave. Will they brand me a traitor? Despise me? Claim I was some coward, running away from my responsibilities? Most likely. But that didn't matter. No matter how they feel about me by the end of our journey, I must go.

Angela had all but completely healed me. Once again I looked like a mummy, most of my skin being covered with bandages. I still struggled to breathe at times, but that was my fault entirely. She warned me that if I kept moving around I'd heal much slower, but I've never been one to have idle hands. I kept myself busy enough, greeting the others, telling stories, and working on my blades. My last one had shattered. Never again. I'll make them stronger, sharper, larger. At least it gave me something to focus on.

When I stumbled upon Olivia, she was ordering some of the men around as usual. I couldn't make out what she was saying, but she was as focused as always. Olivia had really grown as a leader. She never failed to inspire the others, or give us all some sort of hope to cling on to. And today she proved it. She proved that her confidence wasn't born from ignorance. Her dream could soon end up being a reality. I smiled at the thought. Despite how envious I could feel, or how much it could sting when I realized I lacked a dream to keep me going like the others, I still smiled. Olivia truly deserved happiness. Though I don't think I'll ever be someone who can give it to her.

The men surrounding her began to leave, either off to complete the tasks she gave them or go drink with the others. I debated leaving her alone, watching as she closed her eyes and rested against the wall behind her. For once, Olivia seemed truly exhausted. And who could blame her? She just led an assault on the largest Talon base in history, and won.

I approached her, and her eyes snapped open, before her gaze softened when she noticed it was me. "Hey. Good work." I said. 'Wow, good one. She just accomplished something no one else in the world has, and is one major step closer to her lifelong dream. You've got a way with words.' I scolded myself.

"Are you hurt?" I asked, and she sighed. "Just a few scratches. But to tell you the truth," she looked up at me, offering a pained expression. "I could use your shoulder."

I didn't mind helping her up as I slung her arm over my shoulder delicately, before gently resting my arm around the arch of her back to support her as she stood. Reinhardt was sharing a story around a campfire as everyone listened intently to him as he spoke. We both watched silently for a few moments as they all laughed at some joke Jesse had cracked. Angela and Genji sat side by side, their hands intertwined. I smiled at that.

"It's amazing." Olivia muttered, looking down at them. A stray tear fell down her cheek as she grinned. "Hey." I tried to comfort her, but she didn't respond. "I always feel this way. Whenever I see all of my comrades surrounding one another, smiling like that, my heart is filled with a sadness I can't describe because they seem so close to me, yet just beyond my reach."

My eyes widened upon hearing her say that. I had felt the same way every time I thought about what she said that night in Monaco. 'Did she truly care for them in that way?' I asked myself.

I smirked as an idea popped into my head. I picked Olivia up, holding her in my arms. Her hand instinctively met my chest as she held on, looking up at me in confusion. "What are you doing?" She asked, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "It's time to go and greet your army, Commander." I smiled down at her, and she laughed.

"Oh Scott, you always say those things..." she trailed off, and I chuckled.

"I know. I'm charming, aren't I?"

"That you are, that you are."