Tracer

'Where on earth are you taking me? Surely it isn't another mission, yet you're using the Slipstream once more? I thought such a mechanism caused you some form of anxiety?'

'Just a sec, Luv. About to jump. Hold your breath!'

Lena was nervous. She doubted she ever wouldn't be. But this trip was worth it. It was worth stretching the influence of her Grandmaster name to use something as powerful as her current vehicle. Widow was going to have brain surgery. There wasn't any hesitation in her resolve anymore. She hated the killer within. She wanted it dead. It had killed her husband. It had soiled her pretty, smooth hands. Lena wanted to help her prepare for the immense risk. She was likely more frightened of the prospect than Widow herself. Perhaps that made sense, for Lena hadn't lived in the nightmare. She could only pretend to understand.

'Goodness. I will likely never become accustomed to such…warping.' Widow coughed.

'Right? I've had some practise, what with the chronal accelerator and all.'

'Indeed.'

'Just one more jump and we'll be there.'

'But again, I must ask: where is "there"?'

'That's a secret, milady.'

'Oh? Where did you pick up such a term of endearment so suited for myself?'

'Just a little research did the trick.'

'Heh.' Widow smirked and turned away from Lena, which meant she liked what she just heard, it seemed. Lena was still picking up on her little quirks, but Amelie was becoming more and more clear, and after the brain surgery, if all went well, she would be nearly fully restored.

'You look nice, you know?' Lena pressed, feeling her cheeks burn a little. Widow was in a simple but gorgeous black gown she herself had picked out. Lena had asked her to dress up a little. Her hair was in a messy updo, and her makeup had been applied masterfully with the limited resources Lena could provide, considering she herself didn't wear much to begin with.

'A rather safe compliment, but one I shall gracefully accept.'

'Bloody beautiful…' Lena muttered to herself.

'Ah. Much more in character.'

Curse her heightened senses.

Lena had awoken recently to a very pleasant experience…at least, she was fairly certain she had. She recalled blinking her sandpaper-filled eyes to the soft grip of the woman next to her, hand overtop hand, and bodies pressed lightly together. The only variable lay in the fact Widow had separated herself from the scenario so quickly that it didn't feel real half the time. Lena had inquired about the intimacy found between them that night, but Widow remained elusive, never committing to doing so or not. It was a distant dream at this point, which was upsetting in its own way.

Still, Lena was enjoying their interactions with every passing day, and she could innately tell Widow was becoming less and less adverse to the concept of forming a relationship beyond friendship with the Overwatch agent. As exciting as that prospect was, the recent discussion/argument surrounding Emily hung over Lena's head more than she wanted to admit. She actively attempted not to think about her past lover overly often, but she truly cared for her then and now, and Lena wasn't sure what to do with those lingering emotions when Widow appeared to be getting closer relationally.

'Alrighty. Just about time. Ready?'

'I don't have much of a choice, do I?'

'True enough. True enough.' And Lena initiated the warp, double checking the coordinates seconds before hitting the command. She and Widow blitzed through the miniature wormhole created, and were soon hovering above a lone mansion in southeastern France.

Lena turned to Widow, grinning sheepishly as the woman gasped, blinking slowly and mouth agape.

'You didn't…' She uttered near-silently.

'I did, Luv. Thought it might be a nice little something before letting Ange do her thing. Hopefully it's not…um…painful or anything, you know? I'm sorry if it was the wrong move. I just wanted to give you a gift or…you know. Heh. Said that already. You know. You know. Jeez…'

Lena couldn't see Widow's face, but the woman's hands were over half of it, her shoulders quivering subtly.

'You…meddling fool…' She squeaked out.

'Maybe I am.' Lena admitted, knowing Widow needed a second. 'Just goin' to land our birdie. Not a lot of space to work with here, but I think I got it.' It was difficult, considering the lack of flat, open lamd directly around Chateau Guillard, but Lena was quite good at flying, and handled herself well enough, feeling the impact of the earth around her aircraft, and turning everything off so that a deep silence filled the tiny interior.

'You good? Wanna take a look around? I asked some of our agents posted nearby to do a quick investigation of the place to make sure there weren't any unwanted guests. Should be clear. Apparently, most things haven't been touched since you and Gerard left?'

'May I…have a moment?'

Lena hesitated, but the struggle she heard in Widow's voice gave her the nudge she needed.

'Sure, Luv. I'll be outside.'

Was this right? Was this place attached to the monster Widow had been forced to become? Was this where Gerard's corpse had been found? Lena best be on guard just in case. If Widowmaker's true urges were to emerge anywhere, it would be here, where it all started, more than likely.

Lena gazed up at the enormous mansion. It quickly made her realize what kind of world Amelie had lived in until Talon got involved. It was much too large of a living space for Lena, but she could appreciate the surrounding area and view more than anything. Bountiful trees, a secluded island, a bustling city not too far off. If this was the kind of life Widow wanted once all was said and done, Lena wasn't sure they had a future together…not that she was considering that far ahead too seriously anyway, but still.

'Thank-you.' Widow stepped out of the aircraft, her mascara just a little smudged. She had collected herself promptly. Lena wished she let her emotions out more. It wasn't healthy to hold back so.

'We don't have to poke around. I just thought – '

'You thought well enough.' Widow went past Lena. 'However, this building is a fortress in and of itself. Your little agent friends wouldn't be able to enter, let alone any real intruders. The government here is well aware of the value of this place, and I can only imagine it is under surveillance even now. Why else would Talon use Gerard's own wife to kill him? It was the perfect murder.'

She placed her hand over a security device near the front door and allowed her eyes to be scanned. There was an error message, but Widow overrode it with a voice command and password.

'Any forceful entry would notify the authorities and the weapons on site. Only Gerard and myself were capable of unlocking anything when the chateau initiated its full defensive measures. My new eyes evidently gave the network trouble, but thankfully my fingerprints and voice have not been modified in any way.' Widow opened the large double doors, the darkness of the front hall cascaded with only beams of sunlight through cracks of curtains drawn. 'Shall we?'

'Yep!'

Lena followed Widow into the mansion, and she felt as though she had teleported back in time. While there were well-hidden modern mechanisms in place, they were united into the integrity of the construct with perfect craftsmanship. Widow didn't bother opening any curtains. She was likely not intending on staying too long. That was fair enough. The fact the woman was even functioning so gracefully was a testament to her upbringing. Or perhaps memories of the conduct she served in such a place were manifesting the more the building enveloped its guests.

'I always thought this dining room unnecessarily large. It was only Gerard and myself sometimes, and a meal enjoyed in solitude mostly. Indeed, there were servants, but they kept their distance, as was commanded of them.'

'You ate alone?' Lena tipped her head.

'More often than not, yes. Gerard was a very important man, as I'm sure you've heard. His efforts to bring down Talon were effective enough for them to implement a rather elaborate plan to stop him once and for all. He approached the fire too closely, and thus, was burned.'

'Amelie…?'

Widow shivered. While Lena enjoyed how talkative the other woman was being, there was a coldness in her voice, as though Widowmaker was speaking more than Amelie. Was it a form of self-preservation? Lena swallowed, not having brought her guns for multiple reasons.

'Let us move on.' Widow encouraged, and the pairing did just that until they entered a hall so large it could fit a small house within it. The roof was high enough to touch the sky, it seemed, with paintings reminiscent of art from the golden age of imagination and innovation long past. Angels, robed figures, holy images mixed with progressive takes on mankind at the time. The colours were wistful but powerful, the images transformative in nature. Lena squinted, attempting to take it all in.

'Where the odd gathering would be held. Gerard and I were rather high in the economical ladder within France. To host a celebration for the simplest of reasons was expected on a near bi-monthly basis. I did not hate nor love the events. Gerard revelled in them. Naturally. He was quite popular. Ever surrounded by women despite my presence.'

'Meh. Girls are competitive.' Lena chuckled. 'They wanted to "win" him from you, you know? Cause you're so pretty and all.'

'Pardon?'

'They probably felt threatened or whatever. Needed to validate their own worth? I don't know. Just noticed it here and there.'

'Perhaps…'

Lena imagined the balls that would be held. Like something out of a movie. Amelie's life was a fairy-tale. It made the end of her story that much more tragic. Lena looked at the young woman, seeing the way she lingered in the hall, her long hair draping upon her back, her strong shoulders and muscular form appealing from every angle. The mansion was so quiet. It was cold. It was empty. Is this how Widow felt sometimes? Her life gutted and left to rot? It twisted Lena's stomach, and she fumbled with her phone, going to her song lists and tapping at a piece from a classic ballet about a wooden doll and Christmas.

'What is that?' Widow turned, her angular face catching a pinch of light.

Lena placed her device on the ground carefully, breathed out, and straightened her posture, extending her hand outward and bending the other behind her back.

'Care to dance?' She dared to ask. Another risky move, but she was practically forced into it, Widow's physical rhetoric begging for some kind of relief from the weight she attempted to bear in silence.

'With you?' Widow raised a brow.

'Don't see anyone else here, Luv.'

'Can you even perform the right steps?'

'Why don't you just find out, huh?'

A beat that lasted a few minutes it felt. And then, without a word, Widow glided toward Lena, taking her hand and allowing Lena to bring her close.

'Are you supposed to be the male in this exchange?'

'Let's just call me the lead, how about that?'

'Heh. So be it.'

Lena truthfully had little to go on beyond the dances she had seen in movies and such, but she did her best, capable of at least feeling the beat and making the appropriate short mixed with long steps, the weight of Widow's body in her grasp an aspect of the exchange she didn't dislike. It was a classic, wholesome song, and the movements both Lena and Widow incorporated alongside the track exemplified as much. As the piece went on, Lena found herself lost in the mystique of the tune, such authentic, raw musical arrangements hard to come by these days with a tendency to digitalize many songs. There was something distracting about the flawed yet passionate sounds, and Widow hummed along, closing her eyes and allowing Lena to take her on a little ride.

When the song reached its climax, Lena wished it would go on regardless, yet the final notes performed their task, and Lena brought Widow into her body, pressing their forms together. The older woman did not exactly resist, but hardly gave much to go on regarding the act.

'H-how was that?' Lena breathed, her lips inches from Widow's. She wanted to kiss her, but again, she wasn't getting the same signs as when she had made her move a little while ago.

'Satisfactory.' Widow responded.

'Just "satisfactory", huh?'

'Indeed. Better than expected, if I'm to be truthful.'

'Oh, yeah?'

'Yes.' Widow met Lena's eyes, her yellow, cybernetic irises fluctuating analytically prior to turning away. 'It was…nice. Thank-you.'

'My pleasure.' Lena smiled, the relief bountiful. She grabbed her phone, wondering if she was being silly. Had Widow just humoured her? She was hoping to lift the woman up, yet she seemed the same as before.

'Let us continue…' Widow dictated, and Lena followed her up some large, windy stairs, the true expanse of the mansion continuing to astound her. They moved through a number of halls until Widow entered what was obviously the master bedroom. She hesitated at the entranceway, and Lena almost touched her back for support.

'Ah. Wiped clean.' Widow went to the bed, its sheets made and everything within the room neatly organized.

'Is this…?' Lena could only guess.

'Yes. I killed him here. It's also where we made love many a time. Heh. I discovered I would be a mother someday here. A life lost. I can see the ghosts of Amelie. She is naïve, weak, and foolish. Ignorant to the evil in the world.'

Lena glanced around while trying not to be overly obvious about her intrigue. A picture of Amelie and Gerard remained by the bed upon a little dresser. She lifted the framed image to her eyelevel, noting how charismatic and confident Amelie's husband seemed. It was a wedding shot. Amelie looked a little solemn but content, while Gerard was – understandably so – over the moon.

'She was also happy, I think. She still deserves to be.' Lena offered, and Widow clicked her tongue.

'Your optimism again. Truly irksome at times.'

'Sorry, Luv.'

Widow wandered the space for a while, lost in her memories and thoughts, it seemed. She lingered here and there, eventually poking through a jewelry box and extracting a number of shiny articles before settling on a truly shimmering ring, its diamond resting within likely worth thousands or more.

'Tracer…' Widow almost hissed.

'Yeah?' Not Lena. Tracer.

'Another moment, if you would?'

'…Sure.'

Lena stepped out, shutting the door a little as she left. She waited in the enormous hall, unwilling to abandon Widow completely. She heard restrained, raspy whimpers, and with every muffled cry, Lena's jaw tightened, a notion of helplessness washing over her. Would she ever be capable of healing Amelie's wounds even a little bit? Was she hurting the poor woman more than anything by trying?

'I'm sorry.' Widow whispered in French, and Lena gripped at her own chest, the apology laced with hurt. 'I'm so sorry, my love. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I-I'm sorry. I'm…sorry.' Her voice became blocked, as if a pillow was protecting the sounds from escaping. Widow was crying now, and she wouldn't stop repeating the apology over and over and over again…

The ride back to Overwatch Gibraltar was a relatively quiet one. Only when the Slipstream finally landed did Widow speak again, her syllables fragile but somehow still strong again.

'I appreciate what you did for me, Lena.' She started, and the addressment of familiarity was nice. 'I…needed to say goodbye to that life. I won't soon be returning to the chateau for quite some time. Whatever happens now, I have made peace with my sins.'

'Talon's sins.'

'My sins, nonetheless.' Widow insisted, and Lena huffed in frustration. 'The operation is tomorrow morning, no? This could very well be our final endeavour together.'

'Don't say stuff like that, Amelie. You'll totally jinx it.'

'Dr. Ziegler cannot be jinxed, I'm sure.'

The two women reported their return, locking up the Slipstream and exchanging pleasantries with various agents that ranged from mild-mannered to outright tentative around Widow. Lena led Widow back to her room, ordering food over her phone. She had it in her mind to take Widow out for dinner, but it was getting late, and her guest seemed exhausted emotionally.

'I got some wine with our meal. Real nice stuff. You okay with that?'

'Red or white?' Widow grinned slightly.

'Red.'

'Good girl.'

'Heheh.' Lena had gotten lucky there.

'I'm going to change.' Widow escaped to the washroom once she found herself some clothes worthy of bed. She had free reign of Lena's dresser, but also had procured some outfits of her own over the last couple of days. Nothing elaborate, but comfortable pieces that fit her a little better than Lena's smaller, sportier inclinations.

Lena rubbed her eyes, going to her television and turning it on, the station still set to the same endlessly airing, cheesy soap operas Widow seemed to enjoy so. Lena watched the brutally awkward dialogue being delivered, the storyline, from what the time traveler could decipher, utterly ridiculous, yet somehow still charming in a weird way. Seeing what Widow had come from firsthand, Lena sort of understood the woman's intrigue with such a genre. Sort of.

The intercom in Lena's room dinged, indicating a call, and the woman jumped before accepting it.

'Tracer here.' She used her codename out of habit.

"I got word you returned recently, Lena. How did the trip with Widowmaker go?" It was Angela. She sounded like she was in a decent mood. Must've been with Fareeha.

'Grand…I think. I took her to her old house. Kinda emotional. She said she's thankful though, so…'

"Ah. She is likely conflicted emotionally. Understandable. Is she with you?"

'Basically. In the washroom right now changing.'

'I'm here.' Widow stepped out, a navy-blue nightgown draped over her physique somehow sexily. Lena took the opportunity to mute her television to prevent herself from staring.

"Very good. I simply wished to confirm the operation with you. Are you still willing to participate?"

'More than ever.' Widow answered simply.

"I see. Then there is little more to discuss. Please get sufficient rest. You'll be in my care come the morning. Do you have any questions?"

'No.'

"I suppose that is that, then. Until we speak again. Goodnight, Widow. Goodnight, Lena."

'G'night!'

'Goodnight…'

Lena blinked, glancing to Widow as she floated through the room.

'If all goes well…I will have my own living space here?' She asked suddenly, surprising Lena.

'Y-yeah. I'm guessing you'll rank into Grandmaster almost right away, given your skills and such. You'll get something pretty nice for yourself even as a Master. Fareeha is in the middle of moving now, I think.'

'Hmm.' Widow shifted until she was close to Lena, glancing to the television and smiling distantly. 'You don't have to endure such folly on my behalf.'

'Oh, I know. It's pretty daft, but I'm starting to warm up to the stuff a bit. Heheh.'

Widow hovered near Lena, touching her tattoo-covered arm gingerly.

'Staying with you…has not been completely awful.' She specified in a tiny voice.

'Right? You're a good roomie, Luv. Quiet as anything else. Guess that's an assassin for you? Hahah!' After the operation, they wouldn't be together as much possibly? Lena assumed she would still be assigned with Widow for most missions in the beginning, but once the fight was over, and once their lives could return to some form of normality, what would that mean?

Lena breathed out, watching Widow's silly program with a bizarre sense of melancholy. She liked being around Amelie. She enjoyed her calm presence and silent kindness. She was a complex and confident woman, but an emotional and dainty individual at the same time.

'Jeez…' Lena exclaimed abruptly.

'What?' Widow cocked her head.

'I'm gonna miss you, Luv. Starting to hit me a bit here.'

A beat.

'I…will miss you too, Lena. However, there will still be occasions to tolerate one another's company, surely.'

'I know. Just won't be the same, I guess.'

'No. It won't be.'

Dinner and drinks were had with small talk anew. Widow was naturally a rather silent individual, but Lena managed to get her involved in little conversations that didn't mean too much. With the older woman's programs making enough noise in the background, Lena cleaned up the dishes, pouring herself and her guest another glass of wine.

'Not one to go with a fancy drink like this all the time, but it ain't bad, huh?'

'An acquired taste. A refined taste, one might say.'

'Oh! Super high-class stuff, I guess?'

'Precisely.'

Lena giggled, lifting her glass.

'To a successful surgery and…a new life.'

Widow smiled, her cheeks discoloured from the rising intoxication.

'Indeed. I am looking forward to it.

The clang of the glasses was satisfying, and Lena found herself in a warm buzz, eventually turning off the television and stumbling her way to bed. Widow used the washroom one last time, and Lena stretched out, staring at the dimly lit ceiling from the fading lights and watching the world spin slightly. She rubbed her stomach, her tiny shirt and shorts showing a shameful amount of skin, and sighed, knowing she was too used to Widow's presence already to be denied it beyond this moment.

'Bugger. Gotta get her outta my head…' Lena cursed to herself, tentatively bringing out her phone and staring at the bright screen before her eyes. She poked through her contacts, landing on a familiar name once more, shakily wanting to say something. A moment of weakness, she knew, but one she had to acknowledge nonetheless.

Lena's bed sunk in suddenly, and she dropped her phone off the side of the makeshift setup.

'Amelie?' She asked, wondering if Widow's semi-drunken state had caused her to miss Lena's bed which had been graciously offered yet again.

'Hmm?' The woman cooed, wrapping her arms around Lena and bringing her in tight.

'Y-you okay, Luv? Get a little clingy when you drink or something?'

A pause, and Lena waited patiently for Widow's answer, which came after a rather large delay.

'No. When I'm frightened.'

Lena blinked, but then nodded knowingly. Good. This was healthy.

'Gotcha. Can't say I blame you, Beautiful.'

'…May I…stay here?'

'Course. No problem at all.'

'Mind your hands.' Widow hissed quickly, cutting Lena off.

'I haven't done anything yet!'

'Yet! There! You see? "Yet", she says.'

'Hahah! Bloody tease.'

'…Perhaps.' Widow spoke into Lena's back.

'Ange will do her best, Luv. She's a bloody genius. World-known and everything. Mighty impressive.'

'I killed her lover's mother. How can she invoke such effort where I am concerned?'

'Because Ange answers to a higher calling; something I can't even get my head around sometimes. If anyone's gonna do it, it's her. You know that.'

'I do…'

'Trust her.'

'I trust you.' Widow shot back, and Lena touched her hand, gripping it into her body. She turned her face, brushing Widow's with her nose. She could only faintly see the other woman, the thin material of her nightgown leaving little to the imagination upon her form.

'Heh.' Lena laughed, noting the way Widow's yellow irises almost seemed to glimmer despite the darkness. 'Kiss goodnight?' She thought she could ask for, at the very least.

'…Fine. So be it.'

Lena's heart skipped as she closed the small distance, the sensation of Widow's full lips enough to send her into an instant state of hyper arousal. She went for a simple peck, however, parting slightly and feeling Widow's breath on her own, a desire-filled silence sitting heavy over the women. Widow's breathing was laboured just a touch, and Lena turned so their bodies were facing one another, subtle brushes with another leg, arm, or breast enacted with purpose or by accident.

It was happening again. Lena could feel it. Widow was reaching for her without even realizing it, perhaps. She had found some peace. She was heading into the unknown now. Even if nothing comes of it, Lena couldn't help herself anymore; not when this unique woman was willing to push her own preestablished boundaries.

Lena moved her hands along Widow's side, tracing up the tempting curves of her body and holding her neck, outlining below her ear with her thumb. She smiled with encouragement, and brought Widow in again, hearing the other girl inhale sharply as their mouths met, the kiss more intense and driven. Widow's voice groaned within the exchange, and Lena broke away, moving to the woman's collar, using every trick and technique she had in an attempt not to scare off what courage Widow was decidedly putting forth.

She felt Widow's hands holding her head, allowing Lena to move her lips over the dark skin barely illuminated by what little light remained in the living space. Lena tugged the neckline of Widow's nightgown low enough so that her cleavage was revealed, kissing in between the modest breasts while beginning to massage either or with a free hand. She could feel Widow's heart practically becoming normal-paced as her body stiffened between Lena's fingers and her hums of anxious pleasure escaped in progressively liberated tones.

Lena breathed out slowly, trying not to lose her focus. She went for Widow's legs next, continuing to pepper her with kisses between transitions, working her grip from the woman's ankle up her limb, feeling the tight, powerful muscles within from years of dancing and then more years of intense physical training to kill. As Lena moved higher, she willingly brought the nightgown's hem with her until it bunched just below Widow's groin. Lena only grazed the sought-after tip of Widow's otherworldly derriere, biting down on her own lip with restraint as she kissed Widow deeply, her hands caressing the goosebump-littered skin becoming more exposed with every passing second.

As Lena planned her next form of play, however, she lurched forward, gasping in surprise and muffling her following moans into the bedding, Widow's hand gripping between her legs and easily moving her fingers just along the rim of her person, the moistness of her longing obvious.

'Did you honestly believe I would allow such submission so easily?' Widow whispered erotically, flipping the roles instantly by pinning Lena onto her back and lacing her mouth with her freshly wettened hand. Lena nearly wiped her body's yearning from her lips, but Widow was kissing her without pause, pushing the fluid deep into Lena's throat with her tongue.

It was all happening so quickly. Lena swallowed, and then her hips rose into the air, Widow groping her through her shorts, the dampness of the material slightly pushing into her.

'A-ah…! Amelie…Jesus…!' Lena cried, and Widow snickered, tugging at Lena's hair and kissing her again as she yanked her shorts clean off, stripping Lena's shirt in another beat and sitting atop of her, the woman's full body pressing against Lena's thighs.

'Hmph. I'm quite certain you weren't expecting this turn of events, hmm?' Widow sneered, lifting her nightgown over her head so that she too was perfectly naked. Lena's eyes widened, the woman's shape perhaps even more glorious than she had anticipated. Widow's waist and hips were beyond tantalizing, the way her body dipped and curved dramatically too tempting with every glance. Her breasts were small, but shapely enough, and everything – everything – else was tight, distracting, and begging for attention as far as Lena could tell.

'Now, little girl, provide me with something to remember. Let my better memories start here.'

Lena nodded slowly, tracing Widow's outline with teasing touches before dipping her hands between her legs and encouraging her overtop of Lena's face. From that point onward, Lena did everything in her power to provide Widow with the pleasure of lovemaking only another woman could ever hope to provide with relative ease. She consumed Widow's reluctant allowance, pressing her tongue deep into her cool body and stretching her backside in tandem. Widow's voice escalated as Lena worked, and although she tried to keep her groans of eroticism muffled, her hips couldn't belie what she felt as they rocked atop Lena's perfect technique.

She thought of the first time she performed such a service for another girl. She could only use what she liked as a point of reference. It worked somewhat, but Lena quickly understood that every female was different, and reacting to their physical rhetoric was the only way to be a successful lover. Widow liked it when Lena went deep and curved her tongue inward. She enjoyed her butt being squeezed in conjunction with the penetration. She wasn't as sensitive as most women, Lena discovered, which made sense considering her modifications, but even still, Lena considered herself a skilled lover, and Widow was hastily becoming putty in her hands and mouth.

'H-hah…hah…Oh… Yes. Yes…' She transitioned into French from then onward, gasping and grunting, moaning and wheezing. Any other partner would have gotten off multiple times by now, but Widow was special. It took twice as much work and triple as much sense to understand how much stimulation her body required. Lena was up to the challenge. She considered bringing out one of her toys to push even deeper into Widow, but such a break in momentum was risky, and thus, Lena persevered until the familiar spasms in Widow's lower stomach began, and Lena knew she was getting close.

'I-I'm…almost there…Don't stop, you wretched girl. P-perform…your duty. Take responsibility for…teasing me so with such…loving…'

Widow's pitch went up another octave, and she whined inwardly, falling atop Lena and giving the younger girl the chance to flip her to her back, quickly using her fingers to encourage the release. Widow gripped her wrist so tightly it hurt, and in another second, Lena felt the satisfying sensation of another woman's climax soaking her arm and sheets. She was somehow not surprised Widow's body reacted as such. Few girls actually did make a mess, but with the circumstances surrounding Widow, it made enough sense. Lena looked down at Widow as she licked up the remnants on her body, an impossible wish not to smile dumbly betraying her satisfaction.

'Watcha think, Luv? Ever feel somethin' like that before?'

'I don't…feel…' Widow gasped, covering her face with her hands.

'I'll give you that, you took way more work than I'm used to, but I'd say you did feel a wee bit, huh?'

Widow's gorgeous chest's heaving slowed at last, and she glared at Lena, opening her mouth to say something, but closing her eyes and sharply taking in more air while little shocks of electricity continued to filter through her.

'M-mm…!'

Lena crawled in beside Widow, leaning on her hand and staring at the other woman with affection.

'What made you change your mind, Luv?' She asked softly, moving some strands of hair from Widow's face. The other woman didn't answer right away, sitting up eventually and seeming to consciously cover her body with the positioning of her arms.

'…You, obviously.'

'Me…?'

Widow rolled her eyes.

'Do I truly need to explain it in fine detail?'

'That'd be nice, yeah.' Lena giggled.

Now, Widow sighed.

'Very well. But first…' She stared at the wetted sheets.

'Oh! Right. Gimme a sec.' Lena popped up, helping Widow to her feet and removing the sheets with a few sharp movements, taking them to her laundry and returning only to find Widow in her nightgown again. A shame. She could have looked at that body all night. With that, Lena also found her shorts and shirt scattered about, trying to gracefully put both on before joining Widow on her bed.

'So…?' Lena raised a brow mischievously.

'I…simply wished to feel something again, Lena. It's not overly complex. You haven't left my side the moment you took me from Talon. No matter what I said, or how I acted, you were there…smiling foolishly but…also brilliantly. I can sense your authentic care for my wellbeing and…something of an attraction formed, I suppose…'

'See? Love doesn't have boundaries! Hahah!'

'I do not love you.' Widow snapped back.

'R-right.'

'But I do not dislike you. I…perhaps I do care about you to an extent.'

'And you think I'm cute, right?'

'God. Why must you ask such things?'

'Because I'm curious, of course!'

Widow huffed, biting at her lip and then looking at Lena again. She shook her head and touched Lena's face, moving her thumb over her cheek and squeezing tightly in another instant.

'You can believe what you will, little girl.'

'Ow! Ow! Ow!' Lena slapped the pinch away.

There was a pause, and Lena shuffled in close so that her arm was rubbing against Widows. The other woman didn't move away.

'Can I ask you something?' Lena went on eventually.

'Fine.'

'Did you rush it because of the operation?'

Widow hesitated, but then nodded slowly.

'I…have wished to do something for some time, but…I would've preferred to wait, yes. However, if the worst comes to pass, I desired to leave you with…some form of memory of…of us.'

'Jesus…' Lena rubbed her hair. 'You really didn't have to. I got loads of memories already, and…'

'Are you crying?'

'Nah. Just misty-eyed, Luv.'

'For me?'

'Course for you!' Lena had to laugh amidst her forming tears.

'Such foolishness…' Widow sighed. 'But it is not so unpleasant.' She rested her head on Lena's shoulder.

'Everything'll be fine.' Lena told herself and Widow. 'We got loads of time to do more stuff together. When your brain is all better, it'll be even more fun. Besides,' Lena nudged Widow. 'Bad form to leave a lady hanging like that. Usually it's good manners to, you know, reciprocate the favour, right?'

'…Y-you're quite correct.'

'You don't hafta right now. Wait until a bit after the surgery maybe. Somethin' to look forward to.'

'So be it…' Widow muttered. 'I'm sorry.'

'Heh. Even I know what that means. No worries, Luv.' Lena said that, but the vision of Widow's naked body atop of her, the muscles and lines that shaped the other woman's perfect form was enough to make Lena's groin uncomfortable. She wouldn't force her hand, however. Widow didn't deserve it. She had so much on her mind. The fact anything transpired was surprising enough.

'I'm only going to say this once, little girl.' Widow started, laying down on the bed and giving Lena the opportunity to join her closely. 'You…are a wonderful human being. I am very fortunate to have met you when I did. Thank-you, Lena Oxton. Truly.'

'Aw!' Lena blushed, beaming from ear to ear. 'You're not too shabby yourself, Amelie Lacroix.'

'I am broken.' Widow countered. 'But I can function because of you. I can feel more because of you. I can move beyond the shackles of my past and – however awkwardly – make love in some way without the weight of shame and regret.'

'You were hardly awkward, Luv. You ooze sex appeal.'

'How lucky I am, then, for I was excessively nervous.'

'Really?' Lena's heart leapt.

'Naturally! Not even Gerard…had done such a thing. Yet you…you were…masterful…' Widow trailed off, and Lena could only giggle with glee.

'Got a bunch of other tricks up my sleeve for later if you're interested.'

'…We shall see.' Widow left it at that.

Another pause, but Lena held Widow tight this time, resting her head near the taller woman's collar.

'Anything else you wanna talk about, Luv?'

Widow's lips smacked apart, but nothing came for a time. Finally, her sensual voice cracked into the warm air, a wisp of reality filtering through the living quarters.

'If at all possible,' She began. 'Stay close during the surgery, Lena.'

Lena's eyes became misty anew, but she gripped Widow even tighter, pulling the sheets overtop of them both.

'You haven't gotten rid of me yet, Luv. What makes you think I'm goin' anywhere now?'

Lena awoke late into the night needing to visit her washroom. She did so as stealthily as possible, praying she didn't disturb the rest Widow so desperately needed leading into the operation. She was about to slip back into bed when she saw her phone light up, its sound muted, fortunately. The girl quickly checked the message, just in case, and her vision blurred into a near faint, her temples throbbing as her mind registered the letters that formed a collection of words she regretted reading just before attempting to sleep again.

"Lena. Can we talk?"

Sender: Emily.