Genji watched with the rest of the small crowd, all eerily silent, as the Lark grew larger and larger on the horizon.

Everyone had come out for this. At the forefront of the group, Winston rubbed his forearms anxiously. Brigitte hovered near Reinhardt, who had sporadically been bursting into tears ever since he learned of Morrison's survival. Even Bastion waited with them, standing close to Torbjörn and twittering nervously despite Torbjörn's consoling pats. Genji had his arm wrapped around Angela's shoulder, somehow anxious for the Lark's arrival and simultaneously dreading the moment it touched down. Master stood next to him, eyes unwaveringly focused on the Lark.

None of them had been prepared for the news. He had hardly believed it when Jesse told him Jack Morrison lived. Even Winston, who was the only one to put stock in the theory that Soldier: 76 and Morrison were one in the same, received the confirmation with shock rather than joy. Genji had not been particularly close to Morrison in any sense, so he had no trouble adjusting after the initial disbelief, but he knew that this would be hard for most of the team.

The Old Guard, of course, would be welcoming a teammate that had been with them since the Crisis and they would have to grapple with the anger, grief, and sadness that came with that. It wasn't only them, though. Angela and Jesse especially would be affected. Jesse's issues with Morrison were mostly an extension of the hatred between Reyes and the Strike Commander, but Angela… she had spent days digging up body after body from the rubble of Zurich Headquarters. Not finding Morrison among the dead had always weighed upon her. His return would be a harsh reminder of that disaster, of the other lives lost in the Fall.

The Lark rotated its engines for a vertical landing, but no one spoke, cheered, or smiled. The engines cut out, but no one moved. The door swung open and no one breathed.

Jesse was the first out. He didn't even glance at the gathered team, beelining towards his quarters with a blank expression. Genji watched him go, worried, but rooted in place. Lena was next, looking dazed as she went through the motions of completing her external post-flight checks. Then it was Hanzo, guiding a tall, white-haired man.

Morrison.

Angela's breathing hitched and he rubbed soothing circles on her shoulder. Reinhardt dropped his head into his hands, but to Genji's surprise, the loudest sniffles came from Torbjörn, his eyes glassy with emotion.

Morrison paused at the sight of the small crowd watching him before ducking his head and looking away. Hanzo nodded at Genji, who returned the gesture, before escorting Morrison away from the team. He'd be bringing Morrison to one of the detention cells on the base, as they agreed in advance, until a room could be set aside for him.

Lúcio was last off the plane, looking thoroughly confused and concerned. Genji could relate.

"I will speak with Lúcio," Master said from Genji's side. "Our team will need significant emotional support in the coming days. There will be much work for us."

"Thank you, Master," Genji said lowly, not wanting to disturb what felt like a mourning. Master inclined his head and walked away.

"Genji," Angela said, sounding choked up. His attention instantly focused on her. "I need to go back to my room."

"Of course," he said, sliding his arm down to her waist so that they could more easily walk together.

They didn't quite make it to her room. About halfway there, she hunched over, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed. Genji could do little but hold her, whispering nonsense assurances in both English and Japanese.

"It's alright, you don't have to hold it in," he consoled her, softly guiding her down the walkway. "We're almost to your room. Just a little further and you can lie down."

She took a few gasping breaths and unsteadily moved forward.

"That's it, love, we're almost there."

He tapped her passcode in and opened the door for her. Once she was in the entryway, she hesitated, looking lost and pained. His heart twisted in sympathy.

"Here, let's get you on the couch." He gently tugged on her hand, one arm hovering at her back in case she became unsteady again, and he lead her to her couch. She sat down roughly, pulling her legs up to her chest and resting her face on her knees. Genji watched her. There had to be more he could do for her...

Ah! He knew exactly what would help. First, he found her coffee maker and turned it on, waiting until it began to percolate before moving on to his next task, darting from room to room digging up every blanket and pillow Angela had squirreled away in her quarters. If there wasn't enough, he'd go to his room and raid every supply closet the Watchpoint had until she was warm and happy. He wrapped them around her, layer after layer, until she nearly disappeared under the mountainous cocoon. She looked up at him, eyes and nose red.

...Some tissues wouldn't be remiss. He found those in the bathroom and placed it in easy reach. In the kitchen, the coffee machine beeped, and he filled a mug with piping hot liquid. If he was lucky, she would still have- yes! There was chocolate milk in the door of her fridge. She saved it for bad days and he would say this definitely counted. He poured a healthy amount into her mug before bringing it out.

She took it from him, cradling the cup in her hands and withdrawing further into her blanket nest.

"Is that better?" He asked.

Angela nodded.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

She sniffled, only a small strip of her face visible beneath all the blankets. "Fruit?"

Fruit? He hadn't seen any in her fridge. "Do you have any here?"

She shook her head.

"That's alright, I'll go get some from the kitchen." He leaned over her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll be right back."

Genji left Angela's quarters at a light jog. The base was unusually empty of activity. Everyone must have retreated indoors after the Lark's arrival. He could only imagine how everyone else was coping. Maybe he should check on Jesse...

He didn't expect anyone to be in the kitchen, especially at this time of day, so Genji had to stop in surprise when he found Hanzo inside with a wide assortment of cooking utensils and ingredients. Hanzo glanced up from his preparations.

⟪Genji. Are you well?⟫

⟪Well enough,⟫ He replied, opening the fridge and withdrawing a box of strawberries. ⟪I never thought that cooking was a form of stress relief for you.⟫

Hanzo shrugged. ⟪It is not, but it appears that eating is stress relief for McCree.⟫

While that was true, Genji couldn't figure out what that had to do with Hanzo. ⟪I don't follow.⟫

His brother sighed. ⟪It appears that Morrison's return is a very emotionally charged event for Overwatch. McCree is no exception.⟫

Well, of course it would upset Jesse. Morrison was a man that Jesse hated and loathed since their earliest days. Of all the people who Jesse might want back from the dead, Morrison would last on the list- if he even made the list. Genji could just as easily imagine Jesse shoving Morrison back in the grave he crawled out of. Not much would make Jesse feel better about the situation, other than- ohhhhhhhh. Food. Food that Hanzo was making. Right.

⟪So you bribed him to not kill Morrison?⟫ Genji asked. ⟪Or to not injure him?⟫

⟪At first, the second. It was a long flight, however.⟫

He grimaced in sympathy.

Hanzo nodded at the box of fruit Genji held. ⟪For Dr. Zeigler?⟫

⟪Yes.⟫

⟪I was not aware that she was close to Morrison. I could say the same of McCree, for that matter.⟫

⟪She idolized him a bit, I think.⟫ He explained, washing the fruit as he talked. ⟪He was her boss a few times removed so she didn't have daily interaction with him. Like most of the world, she only knew his public persona, the one dedicated to peace. She spent… many hours, searching for him at Zurich.⟫

Hanzo hummed ⟪Judging by his reaction, I assume it was not the same for McCree.⟫

Genji snorted, putting the freshly washed strawberries in a bowl. ⟪Jesse has hated Morrison for as long as I've known him. He had a different reason every time I asked about it. Eventually I stopped asking.⟫

⟪Hm.⟫

Genji glanced at Hanzo to see him playing with a knife, reflecting light off its blade. That old habit took him back... ⟪You are plotting, brother.⟫

⟪I am reflecting,⟫ Hanzo corrected. ⟪Morrison has upset the team's balance. I am worried.⟫

⟪The drama will pass.⟫

⟪Perhaps. What damage will he incur in the meantime?⟫

Genji thought of Angela, buried in her blankets and grief. ⟪It is hard to say.⟫

There was a brief moment of quiet before Hanzo spoke. ⟪After you bring the fruit to Dr. Zeigler, would you check on McCree?⟫ Hanzo gestured at the dinner plate. ⟪You can bring him his meal. I… do not think he would appreciate my company as much as yours.⟫

⟪Oh, really?⟫ he teased. ⟪He would take issue with your company?⟫

Hanzo shook his head in exasperation.

Honestly, he felt conflicted. Angela needed him, of course, but Jesse didn't have someone to look after him and he was likely just as upset as Angela. If Hanzo and Jesse weren't so dead set on hating each other, he'd ask his brother to do it instead. But… Angela would understand. Jesse was important to her, too. She wouldn't be angry if he took the time to check on him. Confident in his decision, he took the plate from Hanzo. ⟪This was very thoughtful of you, Brother, thank you.⟫

⟪I am merely doing my part. I will be making food for Morrison next. Would you like me to cook for you and Dr. Ziegler?⟫

⟪Thank you for the offer, but I think Angela will want take out tonight.⟫

⟪Very well. Let me know if you change your mind.⟫

⟪I will,⟫ Genji said, ducking out of the kitchen. He'd return to Angela first and let her know his plan. It wasn't as quick a journey as the first time, balancing Jesse's dinner and Angela's fruit, but all told he didn't think he had been gone for more than fifteen minutes by the time he made it back to her rooms.

He knocked before opening the door just so he wouldn't catch her unawares, but it turned out to be a useless gesture. Angela was passed out on the couch, still wrapped in a multitude of blankets, tissues on the floor and an empty mug in front of her.

Careful not to disturb her, he quickly collected her trash and returned the empty mug to the kitchen, leaving a large glass of water in its place. He put the fruit on the table, too, and quickly scribbled out a note.

Angela,
Going to check on Jesse. Water and fruit on the table, will be back soon!
xoxo,
Genji

She didn't stir even as he left her apartment. Once outside, he took a deep breath. One loved one safely burrito-wrapped, one to go.

It was a shorter trip to Jesse's rooms than it had been to the kitchen. Genji knocked on his door, not really expecting a response. Jesse had a long history of shutting down when he got too overwhelmed. No answer. Genji wasn't surprised, but it didn't matter. It had only been a courtesy; He's known the codes to Jesse's rooms for more than a decade now. Tapping the pin rewarded him with a green light and an unlocking click, but when he opened the door to a dark room he second-guessed himself. Maybe Jesse wasn't in his room at all? Maybe he was on the roof or in the shooting range instead- but then there was a shift of movement inside and Genji closed the door behind him.

Jesse was sitting on the floor, back braced on his bed, wrapped in his red serape, cradling a bottle of whiskey and staring sightlessly at a wall. A pang lanced through Genji's chest, seeing the miserable expression on his best friend's face. He rubbed it subconsciously. What a lovely day this was shaping up to be.

Gently sitting next to Jesse, he offered the plate of food. "Hanzo sent this."

Jesse grunted, not looking at him or the plate.

"I'll just set it here for when you're ready."

He removed his faceplate while they sat together in silence.

This was okay. Words weren't necessary. They had both played supporter and supported before. Sometimes the simple presence of a trusted friend was enough. Genji let his eyes wander in the meantime.

Jesse's room was fairly bare, so there wasn't that much to occupy his attention with. That was to be expected, he supposed. Genji didn't have many belongings, either, but that was more an expression of the life philosophy he developed in Nepal. In contrast, there was an emptiness to the walls that suggested Jesse had never truly settled into his new room. Or his new life. Maybe Genji could help Jesse paint the walls, make it a little more cheerful. More homey. Less… temporary.

Genji glanced at Jesse, noticing for the first time that the bottle in his hand was already half empty. "You did not drink all of that since you returned?" He asked in concern.

Jesse blinked down at the bottle with surprise, as if he didn't know he'd been holding it. "No. I don't drink this."
"Then what…?"

Jesse handed the bottle over wordlessly. Genji turned it over in his hands to read the label. Jackass Whiskey: Kicks like a Mule!

Ah.

"Do you mean to tell me that for the entire time you were on the run, you had this bottle on you?"

Jesse nodded, voice monotone when he spoke: "Yup."

"Why not just buy another?" He asked. "I cannot imagine it was easy keeping this intact."

"Wasn't. Expensive, though."

"I see." Genji turned the bottle over in his hand.

It was only supposed to be a gag gift. Reyes had given it to Jesse right before the two of them transferred to Overwatch. 'Won't need to drink this every night now that you two assholes are gone,' he had said.

"When do you drink it?"

"Never," Jesse said, voice still flat. "It's for Reyes. Day of the Dead. It's a whole… thing." Jesse rubbed his hand over his face. "Shit."

No avoiding it now. Might as well get it over with. "So. Morrison."

"Jack fuckin' Morrison," Jesse agreed, though there was no life behind his words.

"He doesn't remember… anything?"

"Pretty much. He tried to fake his way through his answers. Told him Amari would be disappointed. Know what he said?"

"What?"

"That she was welcome to try."

Genji leaned away in surprise. "Wow."

"Tell me about it. Overwatch's last hope died with her and Morrison knew that." Jesse twirled the whiskey bottle in his hand. "But you know, I thought there was a chance he was just bein' flip. That he didn't kill me cause he just didn't care about me. Which- yeah, fair. His actions might've had huge repercussions on my life, but Morrison was never one to worry about something as inconsequential as people. So I told him that Reyes would've done a better job. Know what he said to that?"

Oh, that was easy. Morrison always said the same thing to that. "That Overwatch would be just as dirty as Blackwatch if he did?"

"Nope. Said Reyes shouldn't have retired from the Strike Commander position."

"Shit," he breathed. "He really doesn't remember."

"Yeah. It's weird man. First I thought there was no way he was Morrison, then he was, and now he's not. I mean… same body, but not the same mind."

"He's different than before?" Genji asked curiously.

"Well… no, not really. Still an ass. But he doesn't remember anything. What's a person but the sum of their memories?"

"So if I hit my head and forgot everything, I would no longer be me? You would no longer be my best friend?"

"No-" Jesse pulled a face. "I mean… maybe…"

Genji slapped a hand over his heart. "I'm crushed!"

"Hush, you," Jesse said, pushing against him with his shoulder. "Of course I'd still be your best friend, but that doesn't mean you'd still feel the same way about me. And if you wanted nothin' to do with me, I'd have to respect that."

"Soooo you will respect the ways that Morrison's changed?"

Jesse made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, glaring at Genji. "But what about all the shit he's done? To me? To others? He's fucked over a lot of people. Does he get off the hook just cause he don't remember it?"

Genji shrugged. "I suppose that depends on your perspective of justice. Is it enough to make them suffer as others have suffered? Or is it better to accept a reformed person and have them work to make the world better?"

Jesse squinted at him before turning away. "You know, I remember a time where you woulda said 'just kill him'."

"A time when happiness was rare for me. I do not think the two qualities are unrelated."

"Zenyatta must be proud," and now Jesse sounded bitter. "Tamin' a feral animal like you."

Genji gave his best imitation of Hanzo's offended huffs. "At best, I am house broken."

That got Jesse to laugh. Loud, belly-deep guffaws. Genji smiled, happy that Jesse was recovered enough to laugh. He was already brainstorming more Hanzo impressions when a beep from his visor alerted him to a new message and he checked his inbox.

Guardian Angel
-in the medbay for jack's medical assessment
-message me when you're done at COWBOY's
-COWBOY
-verdammt
-COWBOY
-genji
-did you change my phone settings again

"That's a face of regret if I've ever seen one," Jesse observed, still chuckling.

Genji winced. "I… may have forgotten that I changed a few settings in Angela's phone."

"Not taking it well?"

Guardian Angel
-Genji i'm going to FUCK you
-Genji!
-you did not!
-replace the word FUCK
(Guardian Angel is typing)
-you'll pay for this Spätzli

"Oh no." Dread poured over him like icy water. He was in so much trouble.

"Should I order a flower arrangement?"

Should he message her back? Or would he just dig a deeper grave for himself? "I thought we agreed on fireworks?" He asked distractedly.

"Yeah," Jesse said. "In the flowers. They go off as they lower your coffin."

"Ah, yes, of course." Better to accept his fate. She told him to message her when he left Jesse's, so that's what he'd do. He didn't even remember what words he changed, so the less she texted him, the better.

Beside him. Jesse leaned back, thumping his head on his mattress. "It's just not fair," he complained.

Genji wasn't sure what Jesse meant, exactly, but that wasn't going to stop him from talking. "I'm sure you'll get your very own Angela soon," Genji consoled him. "Hanzo certainly gives enough death threats to fit the bill."

"Ugh!" Genji laughed at the revolted look on Jesse's face. "Why would you say that?!"

"So I could see your marvelous reaction," Genji teased. "Sorry, what specifically isn't fair?"

"That Morrison's alive," Jesse said, liquid sloshing in the bottle as he waved it. "Of all the people who could have cheated death and get a second chance… it's this guy? Not Reyes? LaCroix? Amari? It's just… not fair."

Genji hummed, not sure what to say to that. "I suppose," he ventured. "That it is better that one got the chance than none?"

"Dunno about that," Jesse said with a frown. "Not everyone deserves a chance."

"Everyone deserves a chance," Genji argued.

"And forgiveness?"

"That, too."

Jesse shook his head. "There are unforgivable crimes, Genji. Sometimes there's just no way to get clean of your past."
He picked at his faceplate, thinking. "Perhaps I am so eager to believe everyone deserves forgiveness so I can believe I deserve it, too."

"Wantin' to kill your brother for killin' you first ain't so terrible."

"If I had not pushed him to that point, I might agree with you."

There was a clink as Jesse set the bottle on the floor. Genji turned to see Jesse staring at him intently.

"Why haven't you told me what happened? You used to always describe it as unprovoked. Now you're always makin' hints that it wasn't one-sided. What gives?"

He should have expected this. Of course Jesse would call him out on his equivocating. You could only dangle the truth in front of someone so many times before they demanded a real answer, but this was not his truth to share. All he could do was hedge once more. "I was always as honest with you as I was with myself."

"So, not at all," Jesse concluded.

"Yup!"

"And now?"

"It's… not entirely my story to tell," he said uncomfortably.

"Ain't it somethin' you did?"

"Yes. I…" He really didn't want to say anything. Sharing secrets that weren't his was exactly what led to the whole situation. But maybe… he could tell Jesse the gist of it, without going into details. "I took advantage of something Hanzo told me in confidence. It resulted in someone he cared about dying. I will not be any more specific than that."

He could see Jesse chew the inside of his cheek as he thought the answer over. "If that's as far as you wanna get into it, I won't push ya. Thanks for tellin' me what you did."

Genji let out the breath he was holding. "Of course."

"...still don't think everyone deserves a chance."

"What's the worst someone can do?" Genji asked, wiggling his brows. "Live up to your expectations?"

"They can always exceed my expectations."

"Wait- would that be doing very good things or very bad things?"

"I'd probably be upset either way," Jesse admitted.

"That does explain your feelings towards Hanzo."

Jesse glared at him half-heartedly. "You've already told that joke."

"And yet it is still funny!"

"You're the worst."

"You love me."

"Yeah, yeah, you little shit." Jesse ruffled his hair, pitching him forward a bit as Genji futilely resisted. "Why don't you go bother Doc?"

Genji freed himself from Jesse's grasp and gave him a searching look. He didn't want to leave Jesse if he was still hurting. "Will you be okay?"

Jesse stood up, knees cracking. "Yeah, I guess." He put the whiskey bottle on a high shelf. "Shit. Yeah, I'll be fine."

Genji remained silent, not feeling reassured until Jesse picked up the food Hanzo had made and began eating.

"See?" He asked, chewing obnoxiously. "Fine." Jesse paused, looking down at the plate in surprise. "Oh god, what is this? It's so good!"

Genji just laughed.

In between bites, Jesse said: "You know he actually tried to bribe me with cooking?"

"What do you mean, tried? I see evidence of success."

"What was I gonna do, say no? Have you had this man's cookin'?" He took another bite. "He's not so bad, all considered."

"Lucky that we gave him another chance, hm?"

"Oh, fuck off."

/

Genji peeked his head into the med bay. "Angela?"

"Here, Spätzli," her voice echoed out from her office.

He approached cautiously, not sure if she was still upset about her phone. She seemed absorbed in her work though, crouched over a series of images, and didn't spare him a glance when he entered. Safe! For now, at least.

"We took brain scans," she said, still not looking up. "Because I suspected… I didn't expect to be right."

"Are you sure you want to discuss this with me?" He asked. Angela took patient confidentiality seriously. He didn't want her to say something she'd later regret.

She straightened, lifting her arms high in a stretch. "John asked me to share his condition with the team," she explained. "He believes it's the responsible thing to do. Probably hopes that it'll save him some questions, too."

"John?"

"Morrison," she clarified. "He's been going by John Doe for over a year. Coincidence that it happens to be his birth name."

Huh. How strange. "I remember he once put an agent on extra duty for two weeks because they called him John instead of Jack."

Angela nodded, unsurprised. "He suspended a nurse for it once."

"Things change, it seems."

"Yes. Things change." She took a deep breath. "He had extensive brain damage. It's incredible that he has a working memory at all. I believe it's the super soldier serum that's protected and healed him to this point. Normally, it's not possible to regenerate brain cells."

"So… one day he will remember everything?"

"No." She paused, a considerate look on her face. "At least, I strongly believe he won't. Retrograde amnesia is not something that heals. All the memories that he had before the time he sustained the injury- before the Fall- those are gone. He might remember bursts of information of the time since then, but that's not particularly likely either. From his personal account, it appears he has had bouts of anterograde amnesia, but the timing of them suggests that he will experience fewer and fewer as time goes on. He may forget less instead of a total reset. He may not forget at all." She shrugged. "It's not something that has a precedent. Were it not for the serum, I'm sure he would have died at Zurich."

So the mystery of the Fall of Overwatch endured. Maybe they could piece together information from after the Fall and recreate the circumstances leading up to it? Hm. The anterograde amnesia would get in the way of that, though.

"He doesn't even have a full memory of what's happened the last seven years, then?"

She nodded. "That appears to be the case."

"What happened at Zurich though?" He asked, perching himself on the counter. "I mean, I know he won't know what lead up to it, but what about after? How did he survive without a memory? How did he survive every time his memory lapsed? Where was he that no one recognized him?"

She shoved her hands in the pocket of her lab coat. "I don't know. We'll need to compile a list of questions to ask him. Have someone record his responses."

Genji watched her carefully, observing the newly-returned dark circles under her eyes and the puffiness of her face. "Are you okay?"

A shrug. "As can be expected. It has been an... emotional day for all of us."

"It has. They shouldn't have made you examine Morrison."

She rubbed an eye. "He had multiple gunshot wounds that needed immediate treatment. A delay would've meant surgery, given how fast he heals. Neither Lúcio nor Zenyatta could have helped him. I don't blame them for calling me in."

"Still…"

"We all do what we must. How is Jesse, by the way?"

Genji compared Jesse at the beginning of his visit to the end. "Better," he decided. "We will have to keep an eye on him, though. Hanzo might help." He opened his arms wide and beckoned Angela forward.

"Really?" She asked, stepping into his embrace. "Your brother would do that willingly?"

"Above almost all else," he said into her hair, "Hanzo values order. He wouldn't want Jesse to kill Morrison."

"I suppose that makes sense." She sighed and he rubbed her back comfortingly. "I haven't seen anyone other than John and Winston since they landed."

"Winston okay?"

"Overwhelmed, I think." She gently broke the embrace, moving to put away her files. "You're really not supposed to meet your heroes."

Genji watched from his perch as she made the final rounds in her office. She worked so hard. Always putting the needs of the many in front of herself, no matter the personal cost. It was one of the many things he admired about her. It was okay if she forgot to take care of herself sometimes- Genji would always be there to remind her.

He hopped off the counter and wrapped an arm around her waist once she had locked up her filing cabinet. "Do you want to cuddle on your couch, watch family films, and eat swiss chocolate for the rest of the night?"

She sagged against him. "Oh, absolutely."