Medic was dead.

. . .

Wasn't he?

Then why did he hurt so much? Are dead people usually suppose to feel pain? It was only when he felt his faint heartbeat and slowly opened his eyes, he realized he was in his infirmary, in one of the cots used for prolonged injury after battles and he was still very much alive.

But how?

The answer to his question was in the still form sitting beside him. It was Engineer who was had dozed off in his chair next to the doctor's side. He awoke mid-snore and looked around, seeming to have startled himself awake. He looked and saw Medic was up and alive, he gave the doctor a smile.

"Howdy, doc. How ya feelin'?"

"My chest hurts and I feel like I've been hit with a cinder block in the head", he stopped when suddenly pain flared up in his temple and he held a hand to it, grimacing, 'More than once."

"You got shot by BLU's sniper. The bastard was hiding in the dark where none of us coulda seen 'em"

"What happened after? How did I get here?"

Engie chuckled and shook his head, "Funny you should ask that. Heavy helped carry you back here, but not before he charged at the BLU team, mad as a rabid dog. He managed to kill nearly half of them by himself. With his bare hands."

"Mien Gott."

"It took nearly four of us to pull him away from those sorry bastards. We got him back here, tried calmed him down. Nothing worked. Then when he saw you lying here, blood soaking your coat, I think he snapped out of it. He hung his head and whispered something in Russian before walking off. Haven't seen him since."

"But how am I even still alive?"

"You aren't the only one around here who knows about fixing things, doc. Machines and people really aren't so different."

Medic was about to say that machines and people were very different, in a lot of ways. But he bit his tongue. After all, the man had saved his life, so he kind of owed him.

"Can you send him in here? Heavy I mean, I need to speak with him."

Engie nodded and got up from his chair, "Of course. But when you are all healed up, I got a favor to ask of ya, if you don't mind."

Medic smiled, "I'd be happy to help the man who saved mein life, friend."

Engie smiled and nodded, before leaving to find Heavy. Medic's face immediately fell and he felt a sense of dread. What would he even tell Heavy? Should he tell him what he really felt for the large Russian? Should he-

Medic's worrying thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the infirmary door opening followed by the stomping of boots. Heavy came into view but kept his gaze to his boots as he sat down next to Medic. The chair creaked audibly under his weight, but neither men noticed as Medic put a hand on the man's broad shoulder.

"Mikhail. Look at me."

"I will not."

"Why not, my friend?"

"Because I failed you. Heavy promised to protect doktor, then you were shot. Dying. I broke my promise. I'm sorry.."

"Heavy, you have nothing to apologize for. You'll never fail me. Ever."

That made Heavy tear his eyes away from the ground and he looked up at Medic, who stared back as his heart hammered in his ribs when they locked eyes and Heavy placed his own large hand on top of his.

"Thank you, doktor."

Medic didn't say anything, no words couldn't even escape his lips if he wanted them to. For he was too tired and weak from the early ordeal. He slumped back in the cot and Heavy saw this was his time to go. As he stood up and turned around to leave, his shirt lifted to reveal the man's lower back. Medic's heart nearly stopped when he stared at something on Heavy's back, right next to his spine. The words are written so clearly, yet so small they went unnoticed by most.

Ludwig.