Chapter 11: A Fond Farewell
The funeral of them both had gone by quicker than I imagined. I couldn't tell if my mind was on what the future held or if people really wanted out of this place that quickly. Gabriel had been buried after Jack, even though it wasn't confirmed he was dead, but he was MIA and was most likely deceased. Jack had flowers planted all over his grave, placed by the other agents. Angela had given him the most, along with Lena and Reinhardt. It was sad to see how far we'd fallen in this month alone. Gabriel had a lack of flowers near his, as most people now resented him. A part of me felt this wasn't what he deserved, wasn't what the people in Overwatch deserved, not what the world deserved. This wasn't how it was supposed to end, not even close.
But it was ending all the same. When the funeral ended, the agents left the graveyard after saying their goodbyes to the fallen and to us. Then, they loaded into their different cars, and went different ways. They spoke to each other like it was the last they time they would meet, so I took their goodbyes like that. I'd wished them all a kind farewell, except for the ones who still stayed behind, the few of us there were. Anger stirred inside of me at the protests going on in the streets. There were so many, the UN is having an actual meeting about it, trying to see if it was a good idea or not. But I figured soon enough, a law would be passed, and our lives would be changed forever.
Angela was kneeling beside both of the empty graves, hands resting on them both. What was going on was bullshit, and shouldn't have been happening to a person like her. But the world is a cruel place, and important things are taken from people everyday. I walked quietly over to her, careful to not disturb her as she mourned. I had already mourned for the most part, and hoped the rest could too. They'd need all the strength they can muster to get through the near future.
My hand rested upon her shoulder, as I struggled to find inspiring words to say to her. "Angie I..." I failed to come up with the right words. It was a delicate matter, especially since I was still mourning as she was, but I tried my best to get her to understand my pain without adding to hers.
A faint smile lingered on her lips for a moment as she laughed at the name I called her by. "Angie... that's what everyone called me. My parents called me that... my friends...Genji... Jack... Gabe...you. Odd how no matter how hard I try to be a good person the world always seems to punish me. How everyone is taken from me. Maybe I should stop interacting with others, since it's clearly a death sentence..." she smiled, tears still on her face.
"Angie...I'm still here. You're not alone." I tried to reassure her that things would work out, not entirely sure myself.
"Oh but I am." She snapped her head at me, new tears forming as she looked into my eyes, her head slightly resting against the tip of my hat. "You'll leave just like the rest, go on a different path, promise to see me again soon and then disappear. Or, if you stay, you'll just end up dying anyways. So if you plan on doing so, get out of my sight..."
"I'm not leaving you. Not anytime soon. I promise." I swore to her, as she smiled. "So sweet, and maybe true... but I won't let you be killed as well. Not on my hands." She said, as I frowned. "What do you mean? Nothing will happen to you. When I promised we would stick together in that plane, I meant it."
"And I meant what I said as well!" A pause happened between us, as her tearful eyes met my own, a fire I had never seen before in them. "Don't make promises you won't keep! And I don't want you to keep it! You'll die if you stay with me! Blackwatch agents are coming for me the moment we speak, ever since I exposed their corruption and lies to the public! I'll be dead within the year..."
What she said hit me harder than a freight train. There was an audible crack in my heart as she said that, tearing me apart inside. "Angela... I can't just leave you to die...not after everything we've been through." I said, before she smacked me, sending me back. The side of my face stung as I held it in shock. "But you have to! Please, do it for me! Live on, be free! Have children, settle down with a wife, live in a nice house! Do what's normal!" She pleaded, grabbing the collar of my shirt.
"That's not the life for me!" I yelled, causing her to look down for a moment, sighing. "I know it isn't, but this isn't the life for me either, but we both have to live it. Now go! You're making this harder than it should be!" She demanded, letting go of my shirt.
"I'll go, if that's what you want. I'll leave this behind, and hope it doesn't come crawling back to me. But I'm only doing this because I care for you ... and I always will. If this is where we say farewell, only tell me... and I'll be on my way..." I said, as she smiled at me.
"I want you to leave. Please." She begged, as I nodded, turning to leave. Not 15 steps later and she called out to me, making me turn my head to her once more. "Nate! I'm going to miss you." She said, warming me for a moment. I smirked at her, tipping my hat at her. "Don't. I'm a bad influence, remember?" I joked, as I heard her chuckle.
"I'm beginning to think I'm the bad influence on you." She replied, clutching her hands together. "Goodbye, Nate." She smiled, as I laughed a bit. "Goodbye, Doc."
Later...
I opened my drawer, looking through as I rummaged in it, searching for anything worth while before I left. I was going to leave base, and get out of town before it was too late. Other agents were doing that as well. I already had my gun, clothing, my hat, and a photo of Jesse, Gabriel, Ana, and I. The photo had brought back memories of better times, as I yearned to be able to travel back to that time.
My hand stopped over another photo, this one of Angela and I. She had her usual lab coat and ponytail, along with a pair of glasses. She was working diligently on snapping my dislocated thumb back into its socket. I had noticed the camera, giving it a cheeky smile, along with an awkward thumbs up with the other hand. Angela had not noticed, too busy with fixing the injury to turn to the camera. Ana had taken it, and I had kept it, as it had an odd charm to it. It showed the kind of friendship we'd formed together, and how out of place I was in a place like this. I wasn't strictly speaking a good person, and I wasn't honest, but I had a joking personality, and a winning smile, along with a big mouth that got me into trouble much too often.
A tear came to my eye, causing me to wipe it with the side of my palm, before I heard a knock at the door. I turned, to see a man I thought gone for good, smiling at me like usual. Jesse McCree.
My body was frozen, paralyzed as I slowly realized he was really there, a stupid grin still on his face. That same stupid grin found its way onto my face soon enough. I walked over to him quickly, hugging him tightly, forgetting all the hardships I went through since he left.
I pulled away, looking into his eyes. "It's good to see you McCree." I said, as he nodded. "Same to you partner. I was beginnin' to think I'd never see you again, but here ya are." He said, as I sat down on the now plain bed in my room, as he sat beside, sighing.
"It's a load o' shit that's for sure. This shouldn't be happenin'. I hoped for once I was wrong, until I heard about the accident, and I couldn't live with myself. I had condemned you to this fate 'cause I was too scared to face you all. I'm sorry." He apologized, as I chuckled.
"Well, ya missed a lot, that's for sure. I died." I stated plainly, as he stared at me awkwardly. "Yeah, I know, weird. Angela brought me back from the dead. Real angel that one." I explained, thinking of what I said to him when he left. I'd never meant it, but said it anyways.
"I should be apologizing to you, for what I said. You were right, Gabriel had changed. He was the reason I died. He had me killed because I refused to help him kill Jack. I can't believe he was so keen on getting revenge he was willing to kill me." I said, as he frowned, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I should've been here to help ya, or maybe even stop this." Jesse said again, and I sighed.
"What's done is done. I forgive you. Besides, Angela brought me from the dead!" I said, smiling at him, before looking off in the distance, the dumb smile still on my face. Jesse smiled, shaking me slightly, interrupting my thoughts.
"You're fond of her aren't ya?" He teased me, as I chuckled. "I have no idea what you're talkin' about." I answered, as he laughed. "Riiiiiggggghhhhttt." He drew out the word sarcastically.
I soon stood up, grabbing the bag I had dropped on the floor when I saw Jesse. It wasn't very heavy, and I slung it over my shoulder. "I'm heading off soon." I said, as he stood up too. "Where to?" He asked, as I shrugged in response, having absolutely no clue where I was going. I figured I'd hop on a plane and let the wind take me away.
"I see. I wish ya the best. Stay safe, and keep in touch. We need to stick together you and I." He said, and I laughed. "Anytime man. I'll be sure to text you and invite you to the nearest bar in town. Then we can hang out just like ol' times." I smirked at him.
"I hope so. Don't get into trouble Nate, Overwatch can't bail you out anymore." He told me, and his sentence reminded me of the new law that was recently passed this week. After the funeral, the Petras Act was passed, banning all Overwatch activities, and anyone caught still doing them would be arrested and sent to prison. The world wasn't the same anymore, and I feared soon terrorists would soon rise up from the ashes of Overwatch, and cause more tragedies.
But the people apparently wanted this, and we all know we can't refuse the public, though we are only trying to protect them. I found it stupid how no one cares when you save lives, but when you fail to save lives, only then do people care, and only then does word spread like wildfire about us. I had gotten used to saving people, and now have no idea what to do anymore. Probably back to being an outlaw, or a vigilante. Maybe it's time I delivered my own justice.
"Same to you McCree. I'll be sure to contact you soon. I'm not gonna lie, I'll miss this place. I'm glad you brought me here. I'm glad Ana shot that sleep dart into my neck, else I might be dead right now. Thank you, for redemption. I'll never forget what we did here, and neither should you."
"Trust me, I won't. This was the best thing to happen to criminals like us. It's funny, how far we've come. We went from that race all those years ago, to here, one of Overwatch's finest heroes. We've done it all. Most people's bucket list would be complete. But I fear for us we both have some more things planned." Jesse grinned at me, causing me to smile at him.
"You're damn right. Live life to the fullest. See ya around Jesse." I waved as he did the same.
"See ya around ya no good criminal." He joked, and I laughed, leaving him behind.
5 minutes later...
My eyes were locked on to the path ahead of me as I left the doors of the base, leaving behind memories of it, seeing the sunset dance along the waves on the shore. A smirk came to my face as I noticed Torbjorn, Reinhardt, Lena, and Winston looking at a plane. They all stared in awe at it, as I realized it was the Slipstream, the plane that gave Lena her powers.
I walked behind them, as they all turned to me. Winston had smiled at me, reaching a large, hairy, and muscular hand out, as I gripped it, shaking it gently. "It was good to be with you all. I wish it didn't have to end like this." I said sadly, letting go of his hand. "Who knows what the future holds luv! Don't look so down!" Lena said cheerfully, giving me a tight hug. I couldn't help but smile.
"I hope it does work out. We had a good run. And I hope we can do it again somehow." I said, a Reinhardt smiled at me. "Once this mess gets sorted out no? We could be together again!" He cheered, and I smiled at the big man, shaking his hand.
"Where are you off to?" Torbjorn asked me, as I shrugged. "Wherever the wind blows me I suppose. But never hesitate to ask for help, or if this law gets reversed, we could get back to what we do best. Saving the world."
"I'll miss you all." I said, as they smiled, but also a look of sadness to their faces. This was goodbye, probably forever, but a part of us all liked to think we'd get the gang back together soon enough. Although it was unlikely, I hoped so as well.
"We'll miss you as well Nathan Parker. We are honored to have known to serve with someone with your skills." Winston said, adjusting the glasses on his eyes to fit his face. "Same here. I wish you all, a fond farewell." I waved to them, before continuing on my path to catch a taxi, and head to the nearest airport, and hopefully find myself along the way, and find something to do with the rest of my life.
No matter what I do in the future, I'll always remember and live by the lessons I learned here, and remember them all as family, and hope to see them again, on a different path.
"Goodbye Overwatch." I muttered to myself, looking back at the base once more, before leaving it behind.
But a part of me knew, I'll be back here. Somehow.
And there is the end of this chapter, and a bunch of farewells and goodbyes. But it isn't the end for this story, and I already have planned what's coming in the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed. Please leave a review and let me know how you feel about my writing.