Mercy

Her eyes were burning. She put in drops, splashed water on her face, and downed some energy supplements, but her body was beginning to reject further demands. The whiplash from working herself to the bone in Iraq continued to wreak havoc on her basic functionality, and since Angela was still recovering from a rather unpleasant encounter with that strange omnic, the cards were stacked against her.

She was fading.

As a doctor, she recognized the signs. Her brain was actively fighting against her will, pushing to shut down or, at the very least, rest in some capacity. Angela had been working on Widowmaker for almost ten hours straight, the dawn of the next morning already beginning to emerge. The frightening result of her efforts? Angela felt as though she was just beginning. She was just starting to understand the complexities of Widowmaker's condition, and only one other doctor in the world, that she knew of, was capable of warping a human life as extensively as Amelie Lacroix's on every possible level.

Doctor Moira O'Deorain.

That woman was the only soul capable of matching Angela's genius in some way. However, their ideologies took the two women in very different directions. Whereas Angela wished to conduct her research in the effort to better humanity's way of life and time on earth, Moira only desired to push the capacity of the physical form into realms unfit for the mortal self. They were so very similar, but at the same time, they couldn't be more different. Like two sides of the same coin, Angela could practically see Moira's fingerprints all over Widowmaker, and she became sick to her stomach, finally witnessing just how far that woman would go.

Angela scanned her multiple screens, organizing the data she had managed to collect and compile regarding Widowmaker's state. Every result made it harder for Dr. Ziegler to hold any form of grudge against this poor girl. Her heart was conditioned to beat slower, thus causing her skin to turn blue. That wasn't terrible, but it made a normal life a little more difficult. The training Widow had obviously gone through only bettered her physically, so, Angela wasn't concerned about that either. What bothered Overwatch's head of the medical department was the fact she had observed, during the physical, violent intrusion that suggested one, possibly two crude D&Cs that were evidently not done with gentility or care for the patient. Angela wretched when she saw this, only barely beginning to imagine the horrors Amelie had endured while in Talon's "care" before refocussing her attention lest she lose all composure. Finally, and perhaps the most troubling, was Widow's brain, which also happened to be the most delicate and complex organ in the human body. The amount of tampering done to it was staggering, and for Angela to even begin mapping out a plan of action in order to semi-repair it immediately exhausted her. It could take her weeks, and she wasn't sure Overwatch was willing to invest that much time into this endeavour with the second coming of the Omnic Crisis practically bursting at the seams.

Angela leaned back in her chair, sighing loudly and rubbing her face with her shaking hands. She needed to eat something. She also needed some relief. There was no point working further in her current state. She knew this. And, as if knowing precisely where her old friend's mental state was, Lena Oxton entered without even knocking, waving nonchalantly with a final piece of toast dangling in her mouth and a small bag over her shoulder.

'Heya, Ange! Thought you better take a breather. Workin' all night, right? Old habits die hard, I guess.'

Angela pinched between her eyes, her emotions completely tender for many reasons. She wanted to hug Lena, but simply nodded, preparing to relay the news available before a semblance of relaxation could be claimed.

'Certainly. Thank-you, Lena. I am…quite tired.'

'Hey. No worries. I mean, it's kinda my fault you're stuck with this job. I feel pretty bad, okay? What, with you and Fareeha getting all lovey dovey, I definitely owe you one big time.'

Suddenly, Angela felt a second wind enable her to observe Lena's demeanor and see that she was as mischievous as ever, clearly digging for information, as her curious mind often did when it pertained to matters of the heart.

'You're being presumptuous, Lena. We have simply connected. I do not need you spreading baseless rumours.'

'Baseless, huh?' Lena raised a brow, paused, and then shrugged, mercifully dropping the subject out of consideration, surely. 'Alrighty. Anyway, what's the scoop? How's she looking?'

'It's…going to be difficult, Lena. Her brain, and the state it's currently in, makes further handling extremely dangerous. She has, essentially, been brainwashed into believing that her only purpose in life is to kill for Talon. Although I have begun to break apart that illusion with my own basic remedies, she is still terribly unbalanced, and the fact her past is beginning to meld with her misconstrued present only causes Amelie more stress and emotional turmoil.'

'Gotcha…' Lena looked down at Widowmaker, and Angela could see the pure sympathy encapsulating her expression. She was a hero through and through. But…

'Is there something I should know regarding your perception of this woman, Lena?' Angela decided to venture, perhaps to pay her old friend back.

'Huh?'

'Your preferences are no secret, of course, so, I only wondered if there was an element of attraction in association with your selfless deed. Even I can recognize her beauty, and thus, I'm a little curious.'

'Well…' Lena scratched the back of her head, her casual shirt riding up to reveal her tiny waist as she did so. 'If you saw what I did when we fought, maybe you'd get it a bit. Do I think she's pretty? Obviously. But that's just a nice boon. I'm not lookin' to get with her or anything. I just have to help her. She begged me to. She didn't say it, but I could tell, and a hero doesn't ignore a plea for saving like that.'

One thing Lena wasn't very good at was lying. Therefore, Angela nodded, knowing the time traveler said exactly what was in her heart at this moment. What the future held for her and Amelie Angela couldn't say, but there was a sparkle in Tracer's eye that was a little different from before.

'Then I am going to trust you to handle her should I manage to make any progress and she isn't required to be bound anymore.'

'Oi! About that…' Lena dug around the little bag she brought, extracting what appeared to be an advanced piece of jewellery and partnering remote device. 'Tada! Winston whipped it up in, like, two hours. What do you think?'

'A…shock necklace?'

'How did you know?'

'Lucky guess.' Angela scoffed.

'I know, I know. It's totally gross, but it's all we could think of for now as a quick fix. Can't have her just lying there for who knows how long, am I right? Even this is better than that.' Lena held up the trinket, and upon further inspection, Angela couldn't say it was completely hideous. 'I also brought her some clothes. Just some spare ones I can do without. She's a bit taller than me, but otherwise, I think we're good. Think she'll wear 'em?'

'Only Amelie can answer that question, Lena.' Angela's energy waned again, and Lena, fortunately, noticed as much.

'Well, here I am talking your ear off after I came to give you a breather. Sorry 'bout that, Luv. I'll bench the necklace thing for now, I guess?'

Angela shook her head.

'No. If she agrees, feel free to give her the option. I don't think it would be bad for her mental state to move around a little bit. Just…please keep an extremely close eye on her, Lena. She is physically and psychologically compromised currently, yes, but the killer within remains, and I fear I may never remove that part of her persona completely. It could mean risking her life, and I am doubtful I'll be willing to perform such an operation in the near future.'

'Whoa…' Lena blinked. 'Even you're struggling with this? Bloody hell…'

'I'm also having trouble keeping my eyes open. Perhaps a refreshed outlook on the situation is all I need. With that said, you have my thanks.'

'No worries. No worries. I brought my phone, and I just downloaded a rad game, so, I'll keep myself busy looking after sleeping beauty.'

'Very well.' Angela smiled at her friend, and she couldn't trust anyone more to ensure Widow was kept out of harm's way for the moment. With that, Angela left her lab coat and exited her private medical room, seeing that it was already nearly mid-morning, closing in on afternoon. She had been working much longer than anticipated. How time continued to slip through her grasp. It was more and more obvious with every year.

Angela rubbed her eyes again, in a haze of focus, knowing she should sleep as soon as possible. She put on a brave front for Lena, as she always did for others, but she was so very, very exhausted. And yet, now that she was finally alone; truly isolated from work and conversation, her mouth curled into itself and she placed a hand on her chest, her heart flipping when her mind lowered its intellectual barricade and she thought of Fareeha Amari. Not only just the dark-skinned woman herself, but the kiss she had personally instigated.

It was so astoundingly tender. And Fareeha's grip had been so pleasurably strong. Angela could practically feel the woman's hands cradling her waist again, and a shiver ran her spine. When had a man ever made her feel this way after kissing her? Holding her? Prompting physical contact that Angela – on rare occasions – felt the necessity to entertain out of some form of pity? The answer was quite simple, really: never.

'Heh…' Angela hummed, waving to various Overwatch agents who treated her almost like royalty they fumbled with themselves so when greeting her. She was utterly famished to the point that her muddled thoughts and recollections filtered out of her throat in the form of a silly sound, and all Angela could think about now, forcibly neglecting further contemplation regarding a certain Egyptian woman, was her sweet, sweet bed.

'Dr. Ziegler.' The somewhat mechanical voice startled Angela, and she nearly jumped, a wave of fear passing through her veins before she realized it was Genji, his stealthy tendencies rendering him practically invisible at times if he so desired it.

'Genji! H-how are you?' She pushed some messy hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

'Did I frighten you?'

'Only due to my own fatigue. How are you faring since the last mission? Any issues?' Angela equipped her doctor's mask yet again, her inner psyche screaming in agony, wishing only to shut off for some time.

'None, thanks to you, Dr. Ziegler.' He spoke softly, a tone, Angela had noticed, reserved only for her. The doctor suspected some form of interest from the younger Shimada brother on occasion, but he never seemed to move forward with the inkling Angela had. She was thankful for that. She cared about Genji deeply, but that care didn't extend beyond friendship in its most basic form.

'Excellent.'

'I am being sent on another mission.' His intonation saddened, and Angela nodded with some knowledge, allowing the ninja to follow her to the private hall that led to her isolated room, a benefit to being ranked as a Grandmaster within Overwatch's system. She stopped outside her door, wishing she could recall exactly what it was like to be carried by Fareeha to her room.

'Do you need to talk about it?' Angela asked sincerely despite her legs practically wobbling at the thought of her bed being so close.

'I am…conflicted. My mission is to attempt to recruit my brother. I fear…it shall not end well.'

'I see…' Angela sighed. The feud between the Shimada brothers ran deep; Hanzo being the one who had nearly murdered Genji in the first place. What were Jack and Winston thinking? Almost a decade had passed. Did they think it was finally time to secure what was left of the Shimada clan? True, Hanzo's abilities would be valued, but his disposition was problematic unless Genji, Angela supposed, could sway him into perceiving the growing conflict in a different way.

Angela touched Genji's shoulder, seeing his dark, hesitating eyes within his cybernetic appearance.

'This is a fight you should not run from, Genji. You have changed since then, and if anyone can convince your brother which side he should lend his abilities to, it's you. Surely Jack and Winston know this. It is only a matter of days until this Omnic Crisis swells into another war, and I know we are preparing for what promises to be a brutal confrontation. We need any and all extraordinary soldiers to tip the scales; much like in the previous fight. This is a very important mission, and I know you – the new you – can carry it out.'

Genji placed his hand over Angela's, and she nearly flinched back, but didn't want to risk demoralizing the conflicted man. It was merely a gesture of close comradery; nothing more.

'You are correct, as always, Dr. Ziegler. I knew as much, but hearing your words mirror my thoughts calms me some.'

Angela honestly sympathized with her friend, but when his grip loosened, she was relieved to disconnect. Perhaps because of what occurred between herself and Fareeha, but Angela noticed a hint of guilt in her heart for the momentary affection. It was ludicrous, she knew, but the fragility of her and Fareeha's "relationship" still baffled her for now.

Again, after resting, she felt all would become clearer.

'Fareeha Amari took care of you, I see.'

'Quite.' Angela could hear her pitch rise as she answered. How funny Genji would mention that name now. 'Yet my work on Widowmaker has only drained me once again.'

'The fate of one with such talent, I'm afraid.'

'Hm. Perhaps.' But Angela knew it to be true. Even now, in this precise moment, she seemed to give and give and give. It was her purpose in life, and had sustained her for so long. The wall around her heart erected itself as a form of barrier, hardening her soul and mind to continue working and helping others as much as inhumanly possible. The research. The experiments. The failures. The successes. She only wanted to save others. She had a gift, and she only wanted to serve those who couldn't help themselves.

However, this strange notion of selfishness made Angela uncomfortable. She wanted a break. She wanted to have time with a certain other woman. She wanted to put her work on hold for once. It didn't seem right, and yet, she couldn't stop thinking about the elation she experienced being with Fareeha out and about so frivolously.

'I thank you for taking some time for me, Dr. Ziegler. I hope to see you again once this mission is over…possibly with my brother alongside me. How strange that will be after all this time.'

'You have the support of Overwatch, Genji. No matter what transpires, we know you will have tried your best.'

'Yes. My master said as much as well.'

Angela faltered, remembering the insightful omnic. Had he said something to Genji? No. That would be completely out of character. She was being paranoid. About what? What was she scared of?

'Good luck.' Angela nodded, and Genji seemed to linger, but the moment passed, and he saluted her back, practically disappearing into the shadows.

Angela extracted her I.D. badge and entered her room, hearing the gratifying sound of her door closing prior to stripping off her clothes until she was completely naked. She then went to her drawers, changing into some simple red shorts and a plain white t-shirt, both of which were reserved for sleep most of the time, although her t-shirt did have a small logo of Overwatch's emblem on it. She truly didn't have enough casual wear. She had never cared. However, now…now perhaps she might take a moment to at least browse the options that existed in the nearby shops.

Angela let down her hair, placing the elastic and clip in a small jewelry box that had been considerately supplied for her. She splashed her face with some water and downed a sleeping pill, frequently needing such supplements when she worked for Overwatch in the past due to her overly active mind and the trials it was put through on the daily.

'Finally…' Angela muttered, feeling the cushioning of her mattress welcome her, sinking her into bed just as she collapsed to her side.

Even as her mind faded into a natural cycle of rem, the intellect within dissected all the images flickering, seeing Widowmaker and feeling her pain, knowing Lena was experiencing something more than just a passing chivalric fixation, wishing Genji could connect with his brother at last, hoping Angela herself didn't have to hurt anyone or anything this time when her primary goal was to heal and help. Angela's past surfaced, but she shoved the memories away, and yet, that bloody hand reached for her, a familiar, raspy voice asking her why it hurt so much. Omnics killing. Humans screaming. Talon laughing. This war was different from the last. Perhaps Talon had been involved before, but this time, they were playing for the win, and they had the agents to help them do it; Angela knew this all too well.

That woman. That twisted doctor. She was the only one who could stand on equal ground next to Angela. If her research hadn't been so focussed on matters deemed unfit for support, she could have been as successful as Angela without batting an eye. If Moira was working for Talon, then Widowmaker was only the beginning; the prototype. What would the organization release next? Another berserker omnic? Another entity capable of taking even the combined force of Mercy and Soldier 76 down with little effort?

And, amidst all this, Angela had finally begun to feel something in her heart for another human being. She thought it impossible. Why, at thirty-seven, she had every right to decidedly neglect further exploration of such matters. Yet, when Fareeha Amari entered her mind, she reverted back to a young woman, still curious about the notion of love, and perhaps even giddy at the thought she had found the beginning of the emotion.

A small chime sounded at Angela's door, and she pushed herself up, her eyes like sandpaper and her head pounding. How long was she out? It couldn't have been for more than half an hour, if that. Was she to be plucked from her moment of rest so hastily? Was someone mortally wounded? Would she demand her nanomachines work overtime so that she could heal once again? She still needed to perform basic maintenance on herself, now that she thought about it.

The effort required to get dressed and do her hair to be semi-presentable couldn't be surmounted, and thus, Angela simply pressed the button connecting to her intercom and greeted her guest who had made the effort to come directly to her room personally. The fact the individual was even allowed past the various guards on duty meant it was likely another Grandmaster or slightly below such a rank. Jack? Winston? Ana?

'Hello?' Angela spoke out.

There was a beat, and just as Angela was about to speak once more, a voice entered her senses that made her question whether or not she was still asleep.

'Good afternoon, Angela. It's me.'

Fareeha. Angela's whole body buzzed, and she initially was going to change, but mischievously chose against doing so, wondering if Fareeha had had time to consider what their most recent interaction meant.

'It sounds as though you just woke up, however. I…brought you some food from the cafeteria. Would you like me to leave it outside your door?'

'Heh. Déjà vu, wouldn't you say?' Angela giggled, her fingers heating up and her stomach turning in delight.

'Ah. I suppose so.'

'Our first night together.'

'E-er…Yes. That's true, isn't it?'

'You were considerate then, and I see that hasn't changed.'

'Of course not.'

Angela stood up, going to her door and unlocking it with a press of a few buttons. It slid open smoothly, and she watched as Fareeha's eyes took her in, immediately disengaging to meet Angela's face once they had involuntarily observed her somewhat exposed person, although she was still quite tame compared to most.

'Hello, Fareeha.' Angela smiled, and her cheeks almost hurt she couldn't control the joy filling her then.

'Hello.' The other woman answered a little shyly, to Angela's delight. She was in a black tank-top and tight jeans, the slight definition in her dark arms as she held the tray of fruits, a sandwich, and various snacks alongside a glass of orange juice so very attractive. What wasn't attractive, unfortunately, was the weight on Fareeha's visage that seemed to suggest she was quite bothered by something. In time, but it was rather disconcerting.

'And no. You will not leave that tray at my door as though I was some silly shut-in. I have better manners than that. Please, do come in.' It was slightly bold, but Angela felt her delivery was respectable enough, and she extended an arm, allowing Fareeha to do as she commanded, the tall woman placing the tray on Angela's empty dining room table.

'I shouldn't stay long. I know you recently finished your shift with Widowmaker, but I also know you have a tendency to put yourself last on the list of priorities. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday, have you?'

'Guilty as charged.' Angela shrugged.

'I knew it. Here. I tried to get a variety to best suit your tastes.'

'More déjà vu.'

'Someone has to take care of our doctor.'

'And, fortunately for me, it's someone as considerate as you.'

A small pause, and Angela decided to fill it by taking a bite of her sandwich, covering her mouth self-consciously as she chewed. She didn't know how to confront the elephant in the room. It was her first time in such a situation. Was she and Fareeha…lovers now? No. Not quite. That was surely jumping to conclusions. They weren't simply just friends anymore either. If only Angela hadn't gotten that call. The time to discern how to proceed was past, and now an awkward twilight of emotions filled the void. Angela didn't want time to think on her actions, because she knew her analytical brain would cause her to hesitate, as it was doing right now.

She took another bite of her meal, drinking the orange juice and glancing at Fareeha, the other woman scanning the room with some intrigue.

'I haven't had a chance to decorate much yet. Quite plain, isn't it?'

'A little. But you're right; ever since arriving, you haven't been given a break. I should really go.'

Something pinched Angela's heart then, and a stubborn, guarded streak took hold, old defenses surfacing to protect the fragile state of her soul when dealing with such scenarios. She said the words, the tone and implications goaded by fatigue and selfish frustration.

'If you wish to, then by all means.' Angela couldn't hide the venom, and she immediately regretted taking her boiling anger and exhaustion out on Fareeha of all people. The other woman, rightfully so, blinked in confusion, but then grinned handsomely, seeming to relax suddenly.

'Heh. It's nice to see you be honest for once…just like last night. It helps when you're dealing with someone like me.'

A chord was struck in Angela then, her skin prickling with desire, and the way Fareeha smiled at her instantly calming the nerves seemingly festered to a breaking point. She placed her sandwich down, and went to the other woman, looking to the floor and tugging at the base of her shirt.

This was so new…and yet, it was so comfortable somehow.

'My apologies.' She mumbled.

'For what?' Fareeha's voice was so close. Angela could almost feel her breath on her cheek.

'For suggesting I wanted you anywhere but by my side in this moment.'

Fareeha's hands went to Angela's arms, and she couldn't recall ever wanting to be held by anyone so desperately. She thought she was above it. She thought none could fulfill the requirements she herself barely understood. She looked up, and saw two beautiful brown eyes staring back at her, some apprehension in them, but also a sincerely powerful form of affection that could've been frightening.

'So, it wasn't a mistake?' Fareeha whispered, excitement leaking through the skittishness.

'Goodness no. I meant it when I said I cared about you, Fareeha. But…I am also rather unsure how to proceed. You see, I have never reciprocated feelings such as these before.'

Fareeha gripped Angela's arms just before releasing, shaking her head and rubbing her face.

'I am not exactly an expert either, but…'

'Oh, my! You're positively adorable!'

'I'm not. Stop it.'

'You're trying not to smile profusely! Heheh!'

'It's…impossible to prevent it. Ugh!'

'Hahah!' Angela skipped to the other woman, stepping in close and raising her face to see Fareeha's own.

'Are you that pleased at the prospect of being with me?'

'Of course, I am!' Fareeha admitted, heat filling her cheeks. 'How could I not be? All I hear is how you've locked your heart away and how you've never entertained more than one date with a man. What hope did I dare to have when these feelings took me over? The girl that always seemed so far away, on another plain of existence altogether, for whatever reason humours the idea of being in some kind of relationship with me!? I fear what form of balance my life will demand to level the joy my heart resonates this very second.'

'My! Our Fareeha can be rather poetic as well?'

'And you tease me further.' Fareeha pouted playfully, still grinning.

'You're right. That isn't quite fair of me, is it? What can I say? The heart decides what it wants, and before I knew it, Fareeha Amari, I was attracted to you in every way. I want to know more and more about you. I wish I could analyze you as I do in my other experiments, because you're utterly fascinating to me. You're obviously a woman, but you exude more allure to me than any man ever has. Perhaps I really do need to ask Lena for her life experience. Although, I do not completely omit the idea of being with a man intimately, it just hasn't struck me as appealing enough to attempt ever.'

'O-oh?'

'Heh.' Angela shrugged, taking a seat at the dining table alongside Fareeha. Based on that reaction, Fareeha couldn't say the same, which caused an intense wave of jealousy and possessiveness in Angela. Frightening if she felt this way and they were just beginning…whatever this was. 'It's sadly true. Thirty-seven with practically no experience. Somewhat pathetic now that I say it aloud.'

'…Not at all. Better no tales to speak of than ones you now know to have been hollow ventures dictated by social expectation and pressure.'

'I see.' Angela confirmed it, and her heart ached terribly. The mere thought of Fareeha being taken by a man tormented her imaginative mind, the image of the darker woman's naked form being appreciated by another beyond infuriating.

'I'm sorry. Really.'

'There is positively no need to apologize, Fareeha. I am the abnormal person here. Why, I should be the one asking for forgiveness, because I am the older woman in the relationship and I can hardly offer any semblance of direction whatsoever.'

'That kiss…said otherwise.' Fareeha was smiling again, and Angela met her gaze, revelling in it and wishing not to allow the recent revelation to bring her too far down.

'Well,' Angela laughed as she spoke. 'When spurred by the moment, I suppose even I can perform the basics adequately.'

'I've never been so affected by the act. It was like something else entirely.'

'Truly?' Angela found some relief in that.

'Yes. Really. And…' Fareeha seemed smaller somehow as she went on. 'You mentioned a relationship. Am I being too forward by assuming we are…together now?'

'In every sense of the word, I would say "yes".'

'You know what I mean.'

Angela giggled again, reaching over and taking Fareeha's hand atop the table.

'What do you mean?' Angela teased anew, but instead of attempting to explain it further, Fareeha pushed on the table, leaning forward and taking Angela's chin gently in her strong hands, angling her face up and meeting the doctor's lips with her own. A small groan of surprise and delight escaped Angela's throat at the forwardness that she didn't mind, and when Fareeha's mouth opened, her tongue lightly brushing Angela's lower lip, the older woman sighed, released from the moment sooner than she would have preferred.

'H-hah…' Angela breathed, her whole body burning in anticipation. So, this was precisely what it felt like to have the urge to procreate as a biologically influenced human being. How amusing that it took another woman to finally flip the switch in Angela she was beginning to wonder if she even had.

'Is that clear enough, Dr. Ziegler?' Fareeha said with lovely confidence.

'Crystal…' Angela touched her own chest, feeling her heart rapidly beat in reaction to the connection. 'However, you do realize it cannot be evident that anything beyond friendship is occurring between us, correct?'

'I assumed as much…' Fareeha glanced away distantly, taking the news well enough. She was a smart girl. It couldn't have come across as a surprise.

'I outrank you, and as such, it would be frowned upon for a superior to be seeing someone below them. It could be viewed as abusing one's position, you see.'

'Of course. It was the same in the army. It wasn't impossible, mind you, but certainly didn't bode well for anyone's career and the morale of the troops. The individual lower in rank would struggle to convince others that they deserved any form of promotion. Jealousy was also a difficult emotion to manage, since many troops were missing their families and loved ones if they were stationed quite far from home. To be exposed to constant flirtatious actions would be taxing.'

'I'm glad we have a mutual understanding.' Angela nodded. 'I am far from embarrassed to be with you, Fareeha. I hope that is clear. Should our relationship become exposed, it shall not be the end of the world, but I expect it would be far simpler to keep our private matters just that for the time being.'

'Yes. In times like these, it would be for the best.' Fareeha appeared conflicted, and made a funny face as she expounded upon her hesitation. 'But I would be lying if I claimed I didn't want to brag a little. I am anything but a prideful person in most cases, but you're so incredible, and the excitement that fills me in this moment is almost painful.'

Angela laughed, because she could relate. Two women in their thirties, and it was as if they had learned what dating was all about at last. It was almost sad, but Angela decided it was well worth the wait, because what she felt for Fareeha couldn't be rivaled. It was like meeting someone she was simply meant to know for the rest of her life. They were compatible, and as a scientist, Angela was well aware of how important that was in the grand scheme of things.

'Then stay with me for a spell, Fareeha.' Angela suggested. 'Would you mind?'

'Not at all.'

'But I need to rest still.'

'I could…watch over you?'

Angela beamed, taking Fareeha's hand and leading her to the bed. The other woman's grip faltered, but Angela was quick to correct any misconceptions.

'Take a seat.'

'A seat?'

'Yes. Please do.'

Fareeha did as she was told, still appearing confused, but once Angela lay on her side, resting her head upon the other woman's thighs, Fareeha seemed to understand.

'Rather firm, aren't we?' Angela commented, and she felt both muscles under her flex, turning rock-hard.

'That's firm.' Fareeha jested, and Angela whistled.

'Indeed! How impressive!' The cushioning returned, and Angela snuggled in, breathing out deeply and touching Fareeha's leg just a little with one of her free hands. 'Is this fine, Fareeha?'

'It is for me, but I doubt my legs are more comfortable than a pillow.'

'They are and aren't. Knowing I am so close to you, well, the newness of it all remains exhilarating, and any discomfort is much more tolerable.'

A small break, the silence of the familiar room somehow making the moment strange. Fareeha's voice snapped Angela back, however.

'Angela…' She began.

'Are you going to tell me what has been weighing on your mind since you arrived?'

'You could tell?'

'Naturally. Your minor physical cues are particularly illuminated in my eyes. I've been observing you quite thoroughly for some time now.'

'Oh.'

'You can talk to me, Fareeha. It's what I want. I always wish to hear your thoughts.' She simply enjoyed the sound of her speaking. Angela closed her eyes, listening attentively.

'My…mother approached me last night.'

'Pardon!?' Angela sat up, pushing hair from her face.

'Y-yes. She's alive…it would seem.'

'Oh, Fareeha.' Angela shuffled in, sitting next to the other woman and resting a hand atop her own. 'How are you doing? Please, do not hold back on my account. No amount of fatigue could prevent me from being here for you. Goodness, Ana. I told her to reveal herself sooner rather than later.'

'It's fine. I'm fine.' Fareeha shook her head, grinning crookedly. 'She explained herself. I'm trying to understand what she was going through. It's…not easy, I'll admit, but knowing she's okay…well, that helps.'

'You are showing your maturity, Ms. Amari. It's rather beautiful.' Angela encouraged, moving her hand from Fareeha's and stroking her arm until she could feel the woman's lovely skin prickling from the touch. 'But frustration and anger are allowed as well, so long as they are harnessed with that same level-headedness. Why, conducting my work on Widowmaker, for example, somewhat tested my emotions as well.'

'Hm? How so? Has she hurt one of your loved ones as well?'

Angela laughed, continuing to feel – and enjoy the sensation of – Fareeha's skin under her small caress.

'Quite! She hurt you, in a sense, did she not?'

'O-oh.' Fareeha blushed. 'Really?'

'This is not a one-sided fancy, Fareeha. How might I convince you of that? I admire your courage. Your independence. Your work ethic. Your consideration for others. I think you're simply a specimen of universal aesthetic appeal. Your hair.' Angela combed through the black strands with her fingers. 'Your eyes. Your mouth. Heh. Your chin.'

'My chin?'

'It's very powerful in appearance. I very much adore it.'

'You flatter me…'

'And hopefully your mother did as well.' Angela reeled herself in, not wanting to be insensitive or start something she had no clue how to even proceed with gracefully.

'She did. And I think that's what helped.' Fareeha moved a little away from Angela, and although the older woman found it strange, she could understand to an extent. 'She didn't lie. She didn't make excuses. It was the first time she was vulnerable with me. I…appreciated it.' Fareeha sighed, straightening her posture. 'I want to build a relationship with her again. Make up for lost time. My efforts are better used doing that than wallowing in self-pity. None of us are perfect. I won't hold such things over her head.'

'That pleases me greatly to hear.' Angela thought about her interactions with Ana, nodding a little to herself. 'I tried to tell her not to wait any longer. I want you to know that.'

'I'm aware.' Fareeha's jaw tightened. 'I thank you for that as well.'

'Then why do you remain tense suddenly?'

Fareeha turned away, rubbing her face and breathing out slowly.

'Because. I'm…' She faded, distancing herself emotionally even further, which was beginning to hurt until the other woman went on. 'I am trying to stay focussed, but…Heh. Some trained soldier I am. We are supposed to be capable of turning our sensitivities off in such circumstances to avoid complications, but you're…drawing me in, Angela. I am being controlled by temptation. Your hair is down and a mess. Your shirt is stretched, revealing your collar. The way your hip curves like that…'

Angela giggled.

'I am rather dumpy, one might say.'

'And how many have had the opportunity to see you so casually?'

Angela's mouth hung open, and she sheepishly answered.

'Very, very few.'

'You are tired.' Fareeha appeared to be confirming.

'Yes. But I'm glad we talked about Ana.'

'Me, too.'

'Right.'

'I should let you rest.'

'I should let myself rest, but simply being here with you is a moment I'd rather not give up so easily.'

'I feel the same. I do.'

'And yet, my time off is limited.'

'Then sleep. I will go.'

Angela's heart skipped, and she moved in closer again. The thought of being without this woman was alarmingly unpleasant.

'Stay.' She almost whimpered, surprising herself.

'I shouldn't.'

'Why?'

Fareeha bit her lower lip, and eventually answered in a low, nervous tone.

'Because I am tempted by my desires.'

Angela recoiled, but wasn't revolted. Is that why Fareeha had made a tiny movement away from her?

'Is that so?'

'I can speak with you so easily. I never talk about myself, but with you, I didn't hesitate to discuss my mother and what I was feeling. Such comfort, paired alongside this setting and your…your irresistible charm. I don't wish to put you in a compromising position. My honour shouldn't allow it.'

Fareeha swallowed, her neck shifting distractingly. Angela could understand, because she was attempting to disarm her body's own natural urges that were so very foreign to her. She could feel her pulse in her temples, and reached to touch Fareeha's thigh, the contact separating her mind from her body for a split second.

'Fareeha.' Angela tried to sound seductive, but it could've came across as more awkward than not.

Suddenly, however, Fareeha stood up with a huff, as if she had overcome a great obstacle.

'There. Good.' She sounded triumphant. 'For your sake, Angela, I will leave you be, because a second longer and I will not be able to simply let you get the recovery time you need to perform the important tasks only you are capable of carrying out.'

Angela's skin cooled, and she nodded in tempered agreement.

'I suppose it's for the best.' She relented, knowing the seeming rejection was done purely out of consideration.

'When you are done, I know Jack and Winston wish to speak with you. Contact me when you're awake? I'll escort you.'

The prospect was appealing, and Angela smiled a little sadly.

'I would like that.'

'Okay. Then…I'll talk to you later?'

'Looking forward to it, Fareeha.'

'Until then.' And Fareeha saluted cutely, letting herself out with another small wave.

Angela chuckled, the complete quiet of her room somehow louder than some of the battlefields she had been to. To think Fareeha's presence meant so much to her now. She hated another human having such influence on her life, but there was no going back now. She supposed she took her apparent appeal as a compliment, but Fareeha didn't need to rush out so hastily, did she?

Angela pressed both hands into her chest, trying to stop the aching.

'My…It hurts. I thought those silly stories were lying, but this is the truth of the matter, is it? This emotion truly is formidable if it's influencing my physical self so.'

Angela slowly went to her counter. Putting together a warm drink seemed to make sense. She wanted to rest, as was demanded of her, but the tension she had just experienced reactivated her brain, and until it calmed, trying to relax into a sleep was obviously going to be impossible.

'Heh.' She laughed with a wheeze. 'How do I miss her so already? Ever since pursuing this life, I have lived to serve others, and that has been all I needed. However, today…I'm so exhausted from meeting everyone's needs ahead of my own. When I am with her…she asks nothing of me beyond my mere presence as a fellow human being.'

A tear streamed down Angela's right cheek, and she laughed again, wiping the moistness away.

'So vulnerable, and yet, I wish she was still with me now. It's been so long – so long I nearly forgot – since I knew this form of connection with another.'

Angela sniffed, rubbing her eyes out of pure, insurmountable fatigue.

'And I am now diagnosing my scenario aloud as if Lunacy is my only ally in all of this.' Angela pictured Fareeha, and her jaw shifted. 'Why did you leave? Why can I not care as before? I've lived alone for so long. Content. Satisfied. And within a few weeks…my soul yearns for just another conversation. Such tragedy.' Angela jested, trying to ground herself, but she leaned on her counter, unwilling to move.

'Enough. I cannot possibly be a slave to these feelings at my age. "Love" in its fledgling phase is a formidable foe, evidently, but my mind will break through its bonds. I do not need her. I see Fareeha as a way to amplify my already decent life. Nothing more. Nothing…more…'

Angela poured her cup of warm water, preparing a tea bag and deciding which flavour she would prefer. Something bitter. Something with bite to distract her from the tsunami of swelling expectations. Something…

A small knock at her door, and Angela jumped, almost spilling her mug. She didn't dare think it was anyone but perhaps an agent needing her expertise once again. The cycle would continue. She would have to relish her and Fareeha's next moment together. Indeed, she would take photographs with her mind, locking the data away in a very new, very unexpected file mentally.

'Just a minute.' She called out softly, pressing the appropriate button to slide her door open only to almost lose her balance, her knees buckling at the sight of the woman she dared not dream of seeing as soon as she wished it.

'I can't do it, Angela.' Fareeha claimed, her lips tight. 'I cannot leave you like I could before.'

'T-then don't, Fareeha Amari.' Angela's eyes glistened, and she laughed.

Angela was lifted off her feet, easily carried to the tiny kitchen counter, and plopped down, her legs immediately tense as Fareeha kissed her, holding her face and deeply engaging in the act of intimacy with such fierce passion that Angela's focus was muddled, her mouth almost limp and dysfunctional.

A man had tried kissing Angela in such a way once. She had slapped him rather curtly.

Fareeha's hands moved from Angela's waist and into her loose shirt, stroking her covered skin and just barely teasing below her breasts, the tingling centering around them foreign, and frightfully pleasurable.

A man had tried a similar thing as well. His arm had been around Angela, and he attempted to grope her chest nonchalantly. She never spoke to him again.

'Is this okay?' Fareeha broke away, the fear evident in her eyes, but Angela only caught a glimpse of the look, because her vision was wet and blurred. She could only nod, pressing her face into Fareeha's shoulder, her neck convulsing, and her hands pulling at the other woman's tank top until she could feel her muscular, tantalizing back.

'Yes. Yes, it's more than alright, Fareeha…'