I apologize for my absence. It took me a while to get this chapter going. The 35th chapter for some reason didn't update or notify anyone, so I request you all read that one before this one. I worked hard on it, and it sort of builds up to this one. Thank you all for the support. It's amazing.

Chapter 36: Stand Together

Ana's POV

Nathan was gone, and I could feel it wherever I went. It was like a huge chunk of what made this all work was cut out and cast aside. One day I woke up, expecting to find him at the shooting range as usual, but I then came to my senses after finding an empty room. He was gone, and it hurt to have to know and accept that.

I never thought the man could die. He always made it back and always found a way to live on. He was an inspiration to us all. One time, he returned from a mission everyone thought he died on. He was sent out to take care of a scouting mission, when his team was caught. We never received word from the others of their whereabouts or situation, and the whole mission seemed a little dicey. It was two days later that we got word from another scout sent there, who found Nathan among his dead teammates, his body bruised and battered. They had been ambushed by omnics, and no one else made it.

By the time he arrived, he was rushed to the emergency room, where Angela was responsible for saving his life, again. I had been worried sick, and Jesse was angry. He thought he had died. But when we found him as he was rushed through the doors, he was covered in blood, leaning on a pilot who brought him here. He flashed the dumbest grin I'd ever seen, and muttered weakly; "Anybody got something to eat?" He asked, collapsing onto the stretcher we placed him on.

Any other man would've been dead. I thought his body would turn up in some river bloodied and mutilated. But it didn't. He persevered, and was able to make a full recovery. Of course with Angela babysitting him the whole time, which he saw as an excuse to flirt with her. He was in a wheelchair for a few days, but he was still as stubborn as usual, refusing to not train. Jack and I still found him firing away at targets, struggling a bit, but still doing so.

And when I saw on the broadcasts, all speaking about the Swiss blast, where many agents died, with a clash between Overwatch and Blackwatch, I thought he was dead. I thought for sure Nathan was gone. But the next few days when interviews were being released to the public, there he sat, speaking with Angela, keeping her close. Whenever she felt weak, he would pull her close, and whisper to her. I used to think about coming to see them, and reveal I was alive. But I figured I'd bring more heartbreak that happiness.

So why did this time have to be different? Why did he have to die this time? For a moment, I thought he would be fine. Nate had come back from worse, and he wouldn't die like that. He was going to settle down with Angela like he told me. He even wanted to have a child. I refused to allow him to die. I didn't give him permission. I denied it. I wanted him to live. He was going to live, I kept telling myself. He was going to live.

But when I heard the gunshots and him scream, my heart sank. He was in agony, and I could hear his raspy breathing as he struggled to stay alive. He coughed, an audible liquid coming out, as Jesse screamed we were coming to get him. I could almost envision the grin he had, as he muttered "Goodbye brother."

When we landed, and I saw that navy blue coat I bestowed to him, I knew it was him. He was gone. The blood was pouring along the sand, as his eyes closed peacefully. He seemed to have a grin on his face. He always was a happy guy, so it seemed fitting he went out with a smile. But that only seemed to worsen things for Angela. When I spoke to her about what he wanted for their future, and that he planned to have a child, she only grew more depressed. I meant to give her a bit of hope, or comfort in the fact that he loved her enough to change his ways and be responsible. She had changed him for the better, and redeemed him. I know that child would've been raised right. He would've made a good father.

Now I was focused on one thing. Revenge. We were already planning to meet with a government official to speak with, as we invited him here to speak. He expressed concern for the future, and was willing to give Overwatch another chance, along with many others. Some people rioted, against Overwatch ever since Nathan's death, thinking he was a criminal. Others defended Overwatch, wanting us back. We were more divided than ever, but we needed to stand together, more than ever. The official was coming to speak with us, and talk about any arrangements.

Winston predicted for us to be under strict rules and that they would be monitoring us if we were able to convince them to bring us back. They may even not release that to the public until they are certain about our intentions. But like it or not, we need them, and they need us. I was willing to meet with them if it meant avenging Nathan and bringing Kirkland and the others to justice. And with their direct ties to Talon, we could kill two birds with one stone.

I was walking down the hallway, no real destination in mind, just wandering as my echoing footsteps and thoughts were keeping me company. It was late at night, and most agents were confined to their own quarters, but I couldn't sleep. We had a lot to do in the coming weeks, and I was never good at sleeping. My memories and scars did a good job of keeping me awake.

Before I realized it, Lena was beside me, asking for my attention on a matter. "Yes?" I asked, and she sighed. "I was wondering if you could talk some sense into Jack. He's in his office, and I was tryin' to speak to him, trying to make him feel better about the situation an' all, but he's as stubborn as ever. You two are close, so I was thinkin' you could do better than I can." She explained, and I nodded, thanking her for the information and wishing her a goodnight.

As I now had a location I was heading to, I moved much quicker. Jack was always a little emotional about things, but he always got the job done. That's what made him a good leader. He cared. But Nathan's death was a little too much for him. He rarely ever makes an order or demands anything. He usually just sulks around in his office thinking about things.

I arrived quickly, knocking diligently on his office door. He called out to me, a little irritated. "What is it?" He asked, a little impatient, and I spoke. "It's Ana. Let me in Jack." I said firmly, and I heard the lock on the door mechanically open from a order he gave Athena, and I opened the door. As soon as I entered I could smell the alcohol, and I could tell he wasn't the same. He was in his chair, a bottle of whiskey in his hands, other empty bottles surrounding him. A sigh escaped me, and I walked around his desk, as he had his back turned to me. He was looking at the tv beside him, and he took a swig of his bottle.

"Jack, what is going on?" I asked diligently, and he shrugged. "What? A man can't have a drink while the world falls apart?" He asked, looking on at the screen, as it displayed riots. "Jack, this isn't the way to he handling the situation. I know Nathan's death is upsetting but we have to look forward. We have a lot to do if we are going to fix this." I said, taking a seat in front of him. He offered me a drink, which I declined, wanting to speak to him, sober.

"Why? Why do we even bother? What's the point of bringing Overwatch back? Nathan died for something he shouldn't have. This won't work." He muttered, and I frowned. "You have to give it a shot, Jack. If we don't try then maybe he did die for nothing. But if we try, he'll be proud." I said, thinking of Nathan smiling down on us, keeping a watchful eye out for us.

"I've given so many things shots. I'm tired of fighting. I've been fighting my whole life. Its all I've done since I was born. Guess I was never made out to retire." He said, and I smiled. "Neither of us were. We're both born and bred fighters. But what is wrong with that? As long as we fight for the right side, and do what is right. It's what Nathan would do for us, so we must do the same."

He paused for a moment, looking at his hands. "It's odd, thinking about him. He was a better leader than I'll ever be. He knew everyone, and gave everyone a chance. He was smart, brave, strong, and charismatic. He was everything I was meant to be. I was meant to be the poster boy, always making Overwatch look good. And that was while he did all the hard work. And I never thanked him for it. I was always looking down on him. And now...now I regret everytime I did that."

I stopped, thinking about their friendship. They both used to resent the other. Nate used to tell me how much of an ass Jack was being, and that he was tired of doing all the work while he got the credit. At first I thought that's just rivalry. But soon it stopped. He started talking about how Jack made the right decision, and that he was a good leader. He started speaking more personally about him, and that he believed in him.

"He did the same. He used to hate you. He would always tell me how much he loathed you. But then he saw something in you, and started to take a liking to you. He always believed in you, and he still does. You are our leader, like it or not. And we all trust you to make the right decision. Nathan never wanted to be a leader. And neither do you. That's what makes a good leader. You are humble, and would rather be following orders. But you have this role to play all the same. As do I. We've been through worse, haven't we?"

He chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. "That we have. Us old soldiers are hard to kill. I just wish we could have him along for the ride." He muttered, and I smiled. "We do. He is still with us. And I know for a fact, he is rooting for us, and his favorite leader, Jack Morrison."

He smirked. "Oh please you're definitely his favorite leader." He joked, and I laughed. "I won't deny it. We did have a chemistry no one could match." I said, thinking about Nate. Everyone used to swoon over us, saying we were cute. We had a mother-son relationship. I cared for him deeply, and he always came to me with his feelings he didn't trust anyone else with. He looked to me for advice, and I always wanted what was best for him. Whenever we would go on missions, we'd keep an eye for each other, keeping track of who had more accurate shots. We were very competitive with each other, but still cared for the other. I'm proud of the man he was, and the man he became. Redemption was an understatement in his case.

He smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks for coming down to see me. I'm sorry for being such a mess sometimes. I'm not always perfect, but you still have my back." He said. "I always will have your back. We need to stand together. The world needs us."

"I know. But right about now, I need this whiskey, along with a few other bottles. I'll be fine, and I'll see you around. All that stuff they pumped into me has to be good for something." He joked, downing another drink. I smiled, looking at him. We had grown quite a bit. We were just soldiers when this whole mess began. And we still are. Some things, no matter how long, never change. We always had one another, and could depend on the other. People like Jack were scarce, and I was lucky to find one.

I smirked, grabbing a bottle on the ground, and opening it, feeling the warm alcohol burn the back of my throat. It had been a while since me and him sat down and had a drink. And right now, with everything that was going on inside my head, I could use something to depress the feelings. Jack seemed shocked, his eyes widened. I shrugged.

"What? You didn't expect me to leave you to handle all these bottles by yourself did you? What kind of friend would I be if I let you get that drunk? I said I had your back, now and always." I joked, and he laughed. He laughed, cracking open another bottle as well.

"That you do." He replied, as we clinked the glasses together, drinking. Nothing could've been more ironically peaceful as we chatted with each other, while on the tv the world was burning. We would save it soon enough, but for now, now all that mattered was Jack, me, and the alcohol.

Sorry if this one seems a little short. I wanted to get a quick one out that shows how Jack is doing. I always enjoyed the friendship and banter between Jack and Ana, and wanted to showcase it as best I could in this chapter. Things are gonna speed up a bit, and the plot will thicken a bit, and progress the rest of the story. And to everyone who asks if Nathan is gone forever, he is. He is dead. But he will still cameo and appear in little dream sequences with Angela. I was worried how you may react to me killing off the man character, but you all seemed to love it. Thank you all so much. I hope you all enjoyed. I had a good time writing it. Leave a review if you'd like, and let me know what you feel should happen, and I'll take it into consideration.