Hey yall, I haven't updated this fic in about 2 years, but I figured I'd just take a swing for the hell of it because there could still be some people wanting to read this. Criticism is appreciated and wanted.
One year later-
"Hey!" Lena nudged Gabriel's arm and a light British voice came through, dissipating his thoughts.
Reyes looked over at Lena and her childish smile that seemed negate all worry from any situation.
"I would lean on ya shoulder but, uh it's a lil pointy, luv." She said tapping his shoulder plate mockingly.
"Seriously though, check this out." She said, the spark and joy disappearing from her eyes almost as quickly as it had appeared.
"We're tracking an EMP bomb right now that is being dealt to an Anti-Omnic extremist group in Los Angeles and-"
Gabriel had stared at it for a while while she was talking. He could recognize his neighborhood from anywhere, even a bird's eye view. He felt some of his old self slipping through.
"I know that neighborhood all too well." He said, cutting her off, his voice slipping into rasp.
His memories of Vida street were all blurred into one from Moira's genetic re-altering of him messing with his brain and memories. He still remembered the faces, and running along the street witnessing true happiness.
"Yep. I thought so." Lena said, frowning. "You can sit this one out if you want, you know. We have backup and you haven't taken any missions off." She said, putting her hand on his shoulder.
He knew that all of the Overwatch agents were soft and he was the intimidating presence of the team and that in the back of his mind he told himself that to be comfortable with of the fear and pain he had caused in would never tell anyone on the team though. He needed to come up with some "Join Overwatch!" slogan before Tracer caught on.
"I- It's my duty to protect my people." He quickly rasped out.
"Aw, I knew it!" She said, excitedly. "I thought emotions were turned off when you're on the job, Reap." She said teasingly, bouncing around in her seat.
Well, it's not like I would remember their names if they died. He took a deep breath out and laid back in his seat.
Eventually they arrived at the scene, Jack was at the front of the group and Reyes was on the side. There were supposed to be multiple houses with threats in them.
"Reyes, take that house" Jack commanded. Reaper walked toward the house, muttering under his breath. Jack seemed to notice. "Uh, hey is this location good with you?" He asked Reyes in a less commanding tone. Reminded him of the old days.
"I'll be fine." Reyes said reassuringly.
A warm finger tapped his shoulder and he looked over.
"Hey, see you on the other side, alright Reaps?" Tracer said in a low, comforting tone.
Reaper looked at the house in front of him.
He teleported into the house, the gang members in it pulling their firearms on him. He quickly, with some struggle, killed everyone in the room with a few shotgun blasts.
He looked down and saw a body and face in front of him that looked so familiar and it finally clicked. He didn't remember a name and he could barely recount any specific memories but he knew they had a friendship in the past.
The ambiguity mixed with guiltiness got to him and for a second, crouching over the dead bodies of the people he had grown up with, considered flipping and just leaving Overwatch and Talon and all the trauma and bad things that came with them behind. What could he leave behind?
He saw a blue flash and a giddy positive spirit immediately entered the room.
"Ey Gabe. You holdin' up alright? I know it's not exactly comfortable to be in a room full of dead bodies."
He got up and started walking outside. "What scares me is how comfortable it is."