Just to let you guys know this chapter is gonna feature a lot of POV switches and cuts and stuff like that. I want to try and cover the entirety of Overwatch's feelings after rescuing Olivia only to find her so scarred and tormented.
Chapter 17: Broken Dreams
Angela's POV
Two days later...
I sighed as I closed my eyes for a moment, struggling to escape my fatigue as things only seemed to get worse as the day went by. And it was only noon.
Sombra was safe and sound, if you could call it that, here with the others. She was busy resting in the medical bay, and Scott was always right beside her as she slept, keeping her safe from any possible intruders. Sombra barely spoke since she arrived, mostly because she lacked the strength to do so. She and I both knew how damaged her body was, yet I couldn't bring myself to look at her and tell her everything would be alright. I had lied to patients before to keep them calm, but she knew what they did to her. And I was much too weak to look the others in the eyes and tell them what was wrong.
But I had to. They deserve the right to know what she went through, especially Scott, since he still blames himself. He's been wracked with guilt ever since arriving here, and ever since we rescued her he's been even worse. Scott barely eats, and is more concerned with her health than his own. He was probably the only one who knew her condition as well as I did since he refused to leave her side. Scott helped me clean her wounds and keep her fed. I could tell Sombra hated being coddled, but chose not to say anything. There were times when Scott would just stare at her as she slept, unable to comprehend what happened. Sombra did the same at times. I monitored her almost constantly, and I'd find her holding his hand as he drifted off to sleep, unaware of how exhausted he was.
I could hear footsteps echoing through the halls behind me, and I turned to see Lena walking towards me. She seemed to be taking this the best, mostly due to blind faith and optimism, with a hint of ignorance. Lena offered me a small yet reserved grin, and sat beside me on the bench outside of Sombra's room in the medical bay. "How's Sombra?" She got straight to the point.
"Well, I'm not finished with my examinations yet, but..." I trailed off, not wanting to say. "You can tell me. I'm strong enough." She assured me, and I nodded reluctantly.
"Her organs are fine aside from severe internal bleeding, but her legs and arms are extremely frail. Her skin consists of mostly scar tissue on her back and abdomen from the whippings and cuts. Her..." I stopped, composing myself to prevent it from causing me to break down like it did before. 'She was always so strong, and to see her like this...'
"Some of her tendons in her legs have been severed. Which means she won't be able to run for years, possibly ever without augmentations like Scott has. And as you know, we don't have access to that kind of technology or funding." I continued, shaking my head as I listened to the things I was saying. Even I couldn't believe them. Lena gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.
"She can speak, but her vocal cords have been strained. Sombra's muscles have mostly deteriorated, though she can still move around, and even walk at times, though I'd probably keep her on crutches to be safe. Not to mention how much weight she's lost. She's about 30 pounds lighter than before."
"Will she ever make a full recovery?" Lena asked after a few torturously long moments of silence. "If I were to guess, we'd have to be on the run for possibly few years before she's as strong as she was. But even then I doubt she'll be the same. The toll this past year must've taken on her mind... I don't know how she's still here." I said.
"In other words, she won't be leading us out of this like we hoped anytime soon."
Lena closed her eyes, trying to contain her emotions upon hearing the news. I watched helplessly as a tear rolled down her cheek, and her hands balled into fists at her side.
I shut my eyes as well. "I'm sorry."
Scott's POV
Angela was speaking with someone outside about something, but I drowned the noise out, focusing on Olivia who sat in front of me. She was relatively calm, and she seemed surprisingly at ease with everything that had happened to her. Her arms were covered in bandages, and she was wrapped up in three blankets to keep her warm. She shivered a lot at night. Despite how frail she looked, I could still see a hint of the strength she once had in her eyes. Olivia had slept for most of the time she'd been back, and some of her scars were already fading with Angela's groundbreaking medical technology. Back before I left she might've already been walking on her own. I scowled, keeping that thought to myself.
We had talked for a while this morning about the old days, before I left, and I couldn't help but find myself lost in the memories as we both reminisced. We both avoided the topic of my departure for obvious reasons. Neither of us decided to address the elephant in the room. There were moments where she'd laugh, her voice slightly rugged from what happened to her, but I couldn't help but laugh along with her. The feelings that I had for her that I thought had disappeared once I left were still there, just as strong as before. I wanted to take care of her, and to protect her. A part of me wanted to find a way to get her out of this shitshow. To give her comfortable life, free from worry and pain. But I knew it wasn't possible. I had my chance. And I blew it when I left.
Olivia was looking at her body, as if uncomfortable about something. The deep X scar on her cheek shifted with her mouth as it twisted upwards in annoyance. I could tell she hated being wrapped up in all of the bandages, but she'd bleed to death without them. She wore a black long sleeve t shirt that I had given her from my bag, which was rather large on her slim body.
"Olivia. The shirt? Aren't you hot? I can take it off for you. I mean, it's just the two of us in here." I offered, trying to make it seem a little less awkward than it was. Olivia seemed caught off guard by the question, cocking her eyebrow upwards in a curious expression. "I don't think I'd be much fun in-"
"No! No...that's not what I meant..." I stammered, looking away in embarrassment. I heard her familiar chuckle, and my mind flashed back to all the times she'd tease me. 'She hasn't changed a bit, has she?' I asked myself.
"I'm just kidding." She joked, and our eyes met. She glanced at the corner, where her coat was resting. I had gotten it for her in case she needed to wear something else to stay warm. I couldn't help but get nostalgic upon seeing the purple coat infused with dark gray. I hadn't seen her wear it since Russia. A lifetime ago.
"Your gear?" I asked, looking back at her as she nodded, a grin spreading across her lips. I couldn't help but chuckle softly as I stood up to grab it, it's soft and warm fabric feeling odd in my sleek metallic hands. Smiling at Olivia, I watched as she struggled to stand up, her arm wobbling as she used the bed to steady herself. "You don't have to-"
"I've got this. If I can't stand I might as well not be alive. I'm enough of a nuisance as it is." I frowned as she spoke about herself in such a manner, forcing myself to stay back. I could tell how much she hated being cooped up in here with me, listening to the incessant beeping of the heart monitor. Olivia rarely stood still and did nothing, but in her condition that was all she could really do for now. She was seething with frustration at how useless most of her body was. "Don't talk about yourself like that, please?" I asked, and she sighed. "Sorry. I just... Ah I give up. Can you help?" She gave in, reluctant to allow me to help her stand. I gently gripped her shoulder with one hand while supporting her back with the other. She winced as she stood up, before finding her footing and releasing a satisfied sigh.
I unbuttoned the coat before allowing her to slip her arms through, the bandages getting caught on the seams. Olivia eventually forced her way through it, and I smiled upon seeing her like that. Even though she was bruised and scarred, in her gear she looked as strong as ever. "You haven't changed a bit, even after a year." I muttered, offering her a smile.
"Well, this is still a war zone with all the bounty hunters, so our leader has to have her gear on, right?" I commented, and she giggled. "I suppose so." Her voice strained, and I felt her hand reach my chest. I nearly recoiled back upon impact, my mind flashing to us in the cave in Russia. Olivia slowly stumbled into a hug, her hand traveling up to cradle my head like she would a child as I felt myself fight off the urge to sob. I gently placed my hand on her back, holding her close. "I'm sorry." I choked on my words, a tear dripping down to the floor.
She remained silent, as if contemplating what I said. I could tell she hadn't fully forgiven me. I hadn't either. No matter what they all said, I held myself accountable for what happened to them all, especially Olivia.
When we both broke from the hug, I expected a slap. Some sort of scolding. I deserved it. 'You think you can just abandon everyone you know, including the woman you love, and just come crawling back empty handed and expect forgiveness?!' I demanded, but the question reigned supreme in my mind.
Until I felt the warm embrace of her arms once more, her lips meeting mine in a gentle kiss. My eyes widened, the lenses zooming in and out in surprise as I realized what was happening. Eventually I returned the loving kiss, relishing in the taste before breaking from it and meeting her eyes. "I know, Scottie." That was all she said.
I smiled.
An hour later...
Angela had called us all outside for an unexpected assembly. Angela talked to me about how we were going to break the news to the others. Some were already suspicious, but they held onto the hope that everything would turn out okay. I offered to talk to them all about it, but Angela said it was her duty. She was second in command ever since I left, and Olivia was in no shape to lead.
We all met on the beach, no one paying the beautiful scenery any attention as they all chatted with one another. The blue ocean waves crashed against the rocks as I sat behind Angela, looking at them all as they gathered around. Reinhardt stood up front, his lower half of his crusader armor on from his training. He held his helmet in his hands. Jesse leaned against one of the only trees still left at the beach, his hat tipped low. He'd yet to actually speak with Olivia, much to his dismay. Lena sat near the back staring at her feet. Angela told me she had already known Olivia's condition. Genji stood beside Reinhardt, his arms folded in anticipation for the coming storm. He was the second one to see what they did to her. All he needed was one look to know she wouldn't be the same.
The recruits all had somber looks on their face as Angela broke the news to them. I blocked it out, looking into the distance for a moment. When I looked back, the recruits were all murmuring amongst themselves, and Reinhardt held his head in shame. Jesse had shifted towards the front, his eyes wide and mouth agape. Sweat dripped down the brim of his hat and into his face. "No. I don't believe it. All that...bullshit about her." He said, and everyone became silent. He looked to Angela and I for another answer, but all he received were saddened glances. "Tsk. Damn you. I'll just go ask her myself!" Jesse exclaimed, but Genji stopped him before he could walk off.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He advised, but he scoffed. "Why the hell not?"
"Weren't you listening? She can barely stand, and even now lacks the strength to hold a lengthy conversation. Angela just told us she was resting. There's no need for you to go and disturb her."
Jesse laughed, much to our surprise. "Ha! Genji come off it! So her throat got a little dry in prison? So what? I'll just get her and drink and-" He stopped when he noticed how Angela refused to look him in the eye. He stood there in silence, his mechanical hand clenching into a fist as it glistened in the sunlight.
"Damn Talon bastards. Couldn't defeat her in battle, so they had to capture her when she was alone. Cowards." Reinhardt muttered, his head held low in defeat.
I looked back at Jesse, who was staring at the sand below him. "I AM IN HELL!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, his despair echoing through the sky.
"This...this was supposed to be our new beginning. Weren't we supposed to make a fresh start after we got 'er back? For a god damn year now we've lived like RATS! Scurrying off into remote corners of the world and hiding! But we're the lucky ones of course! The other half are dead! But have faith, they said! Once we get her back she'll lead us out of this!"
"IT'S ALL A LOAD OF BULLSHIT!" Jesse withdrew his revolver in a rage, firing every shot he had in his gun into the sand beneath him before collapsing to his knees beside his smoking gun.
"You know... I had a feeling it would turn out like this." He stated, shutting his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. "But even so...I was foolish enough to believe. I was foolish enough to hope."
We all remained silent as a cold breeze blew by, and Lena forced her way to the front, walking towards Angela. "What're we going to do? I don't understand." Lena looked to Angela for help, for some small sliver of hope. But Angela couldn't muster the strength to say anything.
"It's not like we can't come back! We still have you and Scott." She said, and some of the recruits in the back nodded in agreement. "Sombra is still our leader. I hope you haven't forgotten that." Genji chimed in, stepping beside Lena.
"Of course not. But what're we supposed to do?" She replied, and Genji shook his head. "This last year has been harder on Angela than anyone else. Don't make it any harder for her."
"I'm sorry, but I just need an answer. We can't seriously just be waiting around for another attack? I refuse to just fade away into nothing! Not after everything we've done!"
'You all can't just give up now! You all had dreams, hopes, desires! They can't have all been for nothing. Olivia's dream, their dream, Overwatch, it all couldn't be for nothing! Not after I strived so hard to be just like you all. To contribute to the raging fire that Overwatch once was. To see it ignite and spread once more. Fulfill your promise!'
I stood up, frowning in anger. I found the words that they needed to hear, and I prepared to tell them all how I truly felt. But Angela stopped me, holding her hand out before I could say anything.
"There should still be some time before we must leave. Let me think things over until then." Angela said, and they all stared in confusion. She left me dumbfounded as she walked by me without a backward look, ascending up the dunes of the beach and into the base.
She was halfway to the medical bay by the time I caught up with her, figuring to leave the others to their own devices for now on the beach. All of them had no clue what to do anymore. We were all truly lost.
"Angela! Wait!" I called out, jogging over towards her. The blonde stopped in her tracks, not even turning to meet my eyes. "What is there to think over? What're you planning? Don't tell me you're staying here to take care of Sombra until she's better." I said, and Angela cut me off before I could continue. "Scott. What is it you were going to say to them back there? You seemed really motivated about something."
I paused, thinking about how I truly felt.
"Just to finish what you've started. To make good on your promise. To fulfill your dreams, Sombra's dream. I don't want this to be how we die." I answered, and she stood there, her head tilting down as she looked at the ground. "You're so strong. Aren't you? Of course. Finish what you've started. Make good on your promise. It's all so simple." Angela replied, turning to meet my eyes. Her blue eyes hid a sadness and weariness I couldn't even begin to imagine, yet she stood tall all the same.
"Now try and say that to Sombra."
My eyes widened, and I soon realized what had destroyed her upon seeing Olivia like that. "I used to think of her as some mountain. Something we could all lean on in a time of need. But to see her now, barely able to stand on her own, shivering every night as she sleeps. I realized that everyone is weak. Including her. It's why we all cling to one another. To our hopes. To loved ones. To friends."
Angela stepped towards me, resting her head on my chest as she held back tears. I placed my hand on her head, ruffling her hair slightly. "We still have hope. This won't be the end of us. I promise." I said, but she met my eyes, offering me an empty smile.
"Don't make promises that you can't keep."
I watched as she walked away, unable to say anything in return. I knew that was an empty promise. One that I couldn't be sure I could keep. But I made it all the same in some desperate attempt to comfort my friend. But I should've known she was too smart, and that she'd see through it.
Angela could always tell how hollow my words could be. I frowned, looking down in shame, slowly understanding how Jesse could feel so hopeless.
'What have I done?'
Later that night...
Genji and I sat together on the beach, leaning our backs on the large rock behind us. We snuck out a little bit earlier to get away from everything. Things were so dreary and hopeless, but Genji snapped me out of my trance and took me on a walk after we had gotten some food. We meandered around for a bit, before stumbling upon this spot.
We mostly stayed quiet, except for rare occasions where one of us would comment about something, or ask the other a question. It usually led to a short conversation, and then died off with the sound of the ocean. The sun had completely set by now, and the moon was beginning to rise. It was beautiful, in a way. The base always was to me. Something so isolated and far away from the terrors of the world.
The others were all restless, and even though Jesse had settled down, he still seemed distraught. Lena avoided everyone, and even Reinhardt was silent. I didn't know exactly what to do. I still felt slightly out of place here. Like I still belonged out in the world, trying to find my place. But Olivia drew me back in. She was slowly recovering, and despite our moment earlier today, I still couldn't truly look her in the eyes. I felt responsible for everything, and a part of me just wanted to run away again. With her slow recovery, questions of where I was gonna go to next popped up in my head. As much as I wanted to, I didn't believe I had a place beside Olivia anymore. Or at least it wouldn't be the same. I soon realized the independence I had fought for caused nothing but misery for those around me. I could leave again. But that thought still irked me the wrong way. I still had hope. That maybe I could forgive myself for what I had done, and maybe even settle down with Olivia.
It wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility. Our relationship was changing, and I had no clue what came next for us. But I still held onto the hope that maybe I could take her with me, keep her safe. Love her. Maybe even have a family one day.
"This all just feels like one big dream." Genji muttered suddenly, and I turned to him. "Whether a good or bad dream, no one feels good when they wake up in the middle of one." He continued, and I nodded.
"So. What're you gonna do now? Travel? Fight?" He asked, and I shrugged. "I don't exactly know. I don't think we have a chance to win this war, but a part of me is hoping that outside of battles, that there is a place for me in this world. Whether that's with Sombra, or not. I just don't think I have the strength to stay with you all, wracked with this much guilt. I thought when I came back I'd be able to stay. But now...now I'm not so sure."
"And you?" I returned the question, and he leaned back, looking up at the stars. An optimistic grin spread across his lips as he placed his hands behind his head. "I don't know. Gather up whoever stays behind. Maybe put together some band of thieves. We should be able to scrounge up enough to scrape by. Maybe even take Sombra with us if you choose not to. Eventually she'd be able to carry her own weight too."
A smile formed on my face, and I nodded. "I can come with you. That doesn't sound so bad to me." I offered, and he shook his head. "You're free from all this, remember? If you want to go, then you can. You have no further obligation to stay with us." He replied, and I met his eyes. "I know that. But you think you do?"
Genji stood up from his spot, placing his hand on the rock to lean casually on it. "Well, yeah. I'll always be a member of Overwatch. They rebuilt me into what I am today. But you...you're different. You've already started on your own path, a different journey. If a man can't stand, leave him behind. That's the rule, right? I've done it before, but I just can't do it this time. Not with Sombra in the condition she is. And I still have no clue what I'm going to do with Angela. I'll probably end up having to drag her with me." He chuckled, and I laughed.
"Probably." I said, and he met my eyes again, a serious and contemplative look spreading across his face. "But now that I think about it, Sombra is much too noble, too great to be running with a bunch of stinking bandits. If you end up deciding to leave, maybe you should take her with you. I mean it. Maybe this is the end of Overwatch. But it doesn't have to be the end of us, or her, or you."
"Do you really think she'd stay with me? After everything?" I asked. He nodded. "I think you underestimate how much she cares for you. If you go, I think she'd end up following you. I know you don't believe it, but you're important to her. And if you don't want to leave, maybe I'll just stay behind with you. I try to be some rugged bandit, but I doubt I can just leave this all behind like I did years ago. Perhaps, if we're lucky, some others could stay as well. I don't know what the future holds. I just want a happy ending, for all of us..."
Hearing those words, knowing that he was willing to stay behind in this hellhole just to be with me and the others was all the assurance I needed. He was truly the best friend I could ever ask for. He had plans to leave, even places to go like Japan or Nepal, but he'd give it all up for my sake, or for Angela's. My insecurities were slowly dissolving, and that spark of hope began to flicker inside me. And along with it, a dream did as well. "Thanks Genji. For everything."
"Commander!" I heard Lena yell out, and I could hear others running behind her. Genji and I turned to see her, Reinhardt, Fareeha, Brigitte, and even Jesse rushing towards me. A few of the recruits were behind them as well, gazing at me in admiration. I stood up, and Lena's bright eyes stared up at me, poking her finger into my chest playfully.
"Say, you weren't thinking of leaving without saying goodbye again were you? Because if that's the case, we all decided that we're gonna challenge you to a duel to stay! If you're leaving you're gonna have to go through us." I looked down at her in confusion, and Genji chuckled, though not saying anything about what we had just talked about.
"We'll tie you down if we have to! But we just can't have you running off on us again! Not after everything we've been through! I let you go once, but I'm not gonna do it again! It was a unanimous decision! You're staying!" Lena exclaimed, tears in her eyes.
Reinhardt laughed at my look of surprise, and he raised his hand in excitement. "I volunteered to duel you first!" I laughed, my eyes meeting everyone else's. "All of you? You all want me to stay?"
Jesse was surprisingly the first to speak up. "No shit! Ya ain't gettin' outta this one so easily! We don't have to win a hundred battles, but just to stay together...maybe we'd make it." It seemed like a bit of hope had returned to the cowboy.
"He's right. If everyone starts going off on their own, we're finished." Brigitte said, and I smiled.
I watched as the recruits behind them erupted into pleas and requests for me to stay, all of them calling out to me. "Commander!"
"Commander Scott!"
"Commander Gallagher! Stay with us!"
"You belong with us!"
I felt Genji clap me on the back before placing his hand on my shoulder. All he did was smile at me. "You may not have any further obligations to stay with us, but that doesn't mean I want to see you leave." He laughed. I felt tears threatening to reveal themselves as they all crowded around me, offering me bright grins as Lena hugged me tightly.
I heard Jesse drawl, laughing as he teased me. "Ah stop it y'all! You're bound to make the poor man cry!"
'Perhaps this is what I've been looking for my whole life. That sense of belonging. Of family.' I thought, my mind flashing to the first time Reinhardt dragged me down to drink with them all. I could see how much we all grew over time, despite how bad the past year had been for all of us.
'I didn't realize it back then. But that dream, and everything I wanted is right here, before me now. Why do I never realize what I have until it is lost to me?'
Angela's POV
I sat in a chair beside Sombra as she watched me slowly fiddle with the bandages on her hands. I was replacing them with new bandages in order to prevent infection, and luckily I was almost done. Her arms were healing well, but she still had a long way to go. The burns were the hardest part. She'd wince in pain as I applied the ointment, but refused to admit that it hurt her. Sombra continued to lie to herself and me about how injured she was.
Sombra kept her right hand held out for me as I held her wrist gently, wrapping the fresh bandages around each individual finger delicately, careful not to hurt her. She kept very quiet, not choosing to say anything as she stared off into the corner of the room. Something must be on her mind.
I looked down at her hand, my mind flashing back to all the times she'd place a reassuring hand on my own to calm me down before a battle. But here I was, taking care of her instead. I shook the thoughts out of my head, breaking the silence, though not looking up at her. "Is something on your mind?" I asked, and I gained no answer in return for a few moments.
"I just..." she trailed off, thinking once more before speaking up again. "Do you think I could ever accomplish my dream and my goals? Now that I'm like this for what, a year? Two years?" She asked.
I hesitated, and she instantly noticed how much I tensed up. What was I supposed to say? That she'd be able to do it if she really set her mind to it? She had done that before, and look where it got her. My hand began to tremble as I thought of what to say to her. Before I could respond, she got her answer from the silence.
"It's okay. You don't have to answer that."
We both remained silent as I slowly finished my work. All that was left to do was tie the knot of the bandage to keep it tight enough to keep air out of the wounds. The trembling in my hands returned as I felt Sombra's eyes watch me rip the bandage in two with my teeth like I always did.
My hands fumbled with the two ends of it as I struggled to tie them together, and I noticed the tear running down my cheek. "Angela..."
"Sorry. It's weird. My fingers...they won't..." I continued to fail to bring them both together to tie them, constantly messing up as I tried to cross them over one another. "I don't know what's wrong..." I trailed off, more tears rolling down my cheeks as I sniffed. I could feel her eyes burning into my soul.
My tears began to soak through her bandages, but Sombra didn't seem bothered by it. I couldn't help but break down seeing the once passionate and driven women completely destroyed and unsure of herself. She always spoke about her dream coming true as an inevitability. That failure was impossible. But now she looked to me for answers, afraid of what the future held for her. I could no longer keep myself from shaking, slowly feeling myself succumb to despair. "I'm sorry. I'm not very useful today."
I accidentally kicked over the bucket of water I was using to clean her wounds with, soaking the blankets that I had set right beside it. "Sorry. I'll go and get you another blanket, okay?" I quickly apologized, but she didn't say anything in reply as I felt her hand grip mine. Her fingers intertwined with my own, and she shuddered. "Would you stay here, just for a bit?"
Smiling, I wiped the stray tears away from my eyes, and used my thumb to stroke the back of her palm. "Of course."
Olivia's POV
I could still hear the sound of Angela sobbing just outside my door in the hallway. She believed I fell asleep, and tried her hardest not to disturb me. But I could hear her as she emptied everything out into her own hands. It was like she was too weak to even make it to her own room. Was I that pathetic? Were my chances of fulfilling my dream that hopeless?
I should've accepted that long ago. When Scott left, everything was destroyed. My dream meant nothing to me anymore, no matter how many riches I stood to receive, no matter how much power I would gain, I felt nothing. He had consumed me.
There were footsteps outside, echoing through the quiet hallways. I could only assume it was around midnight by how quiet it was, and the lack of most lights in the hallway. Angela stopped crying the moment she noticed the footsteps and I listened to her shift and try to compose herself. I was curious as to who was wandering around the halls so late. But I had a feeling I already knew.
"How's she doing?" Scott's rough voice sent a shiver down my spine. "She um, she just fell asleep." Angela stuttered in a hasty reply.
"Did something happen?" He asked, and I heard him step forward. "No. Nothing happened." She lied. "Hey, come on. The hell is going on?" He asked calmly. I heard Angela step away, probably trying to hide her tears. "It's nothing!" She insisted.
"Then why are you crying?" Scott's voice was barely above a whisper, but I could tell how concerned he was. "Did something happen to Sombra?" He demanded, not waiting for an answer as I listened to him approach the door. The handle jiggled, before Angela stopped him from opening the door. "No! It's not what you think!" Angela exclaimed, and he released the door handle.
I shifted in bed to try and hear a bit better, looking straight at the door. I heard Angela begin to sob once more, and the sound of her falling to her knees in front of him. "Hey, hey...you okay?" Scott asked, lowering his voice again. "I'm sorry. I can't leave. I can't go. I know you came just to help us get back on our feet, but I can't leave with you. How can I leave her? She's so frail and weak, she's always shivering in the night. Sombra used to be so strong and confident. I'd always go to her when I was worried." Her crying became louder and more labored, and I felt an anger course through my veins.
They were going to leave me behind? Scott as well? What was I to them? Some last ditch attempt to fix things? I growled, though careful not to make them aware of my presence.
"I can't leave her behind...I...not like this...I'm so sorry..."
I felt the urge to tear up, realizing how useless I now was to them. I wasn't their leader any longer. Just another mouth to feed. Nothing made me angrier than my own worthlessness, and how weak I had become.
There was a long pause, before Scott spoke up. "I'm staying too. So is Genji, Lena, Reinhardt, Jesse, and a lot of others. Even a chunk of the recruits. You're not alone."
A small smile spread on my lips. Maybe I wouldn't be able to fulfill my dream. But maybe, just maybe, as long as I had them at my side, things wouldn't be so bad. Perhaps one day we could all live a normal life.
I heard Angela sniff, and I listened to her stand back up. "That night in Monaco, in front of the mansion. Do you remember it?" Angela asked, and I became confused. 'Were they at the ball without my knowledge? In front of the mansion? Does that mean they heard...' I didn't even want to think about it as my mind flashed to that beautiful night, staring up at the moon as I gave that speech about dreams.
Scott released a shaky sigh before speaking. "I do."
"Then you know that you can't stay."
My eyes widened in surprise, and I slowly realized what she was referring to. My own words used against me. Scott heard it. He heard what I said about him, and what it meant to be a friend...
"If you truly are her equal, and her friend, then you know you have to go."
The words I had said echoed through my head as I recalled what happened. I had sent him to assassinate Maximilien. He was probably coming to report what happened. I caused this. All of this. Ever since he went on that mission, he had always seemed a little different. That speech about friendship and relying on one's dream. It's what sparked all of it. His desire for independence. His anger and frustration. It was why he was so willing to risk his life. He believed he meant nothing. Nothing at all.
All the times I thought of him as a friend, even something more, yet I never let him know that.
He had believed all this time that I thought of him as something beneath me. Some pawn to be used then cast aside. It was why he left. Why he was willing to do so much just to be free of me. I caused it. I caused everything. My own downfall. All because of a few words. My eyes were filled to the brim with tears as I realized what I had done. I had driven him away from me.
'To become my friend, someone must pour their heart and soul into their dream, and never betray that dream. Even if it meant opposing me. For me to call a man my friend he must stand on an equal ground, and sustain a dream of his own.'
At that moment, I felt so overwhelmed with shame and guilt. None of this would've happened if not for that night. We could be on top of the world right now if not for those words. I wouldn't be cooped up in this damn room, covered in scars and bandages. He wouldn't be so lost and confused. The others wouldn't be suffering right now. I could've accomplished my dream.
But all it took... was one mistake...
"I...I...what am I supposed to do..." He asked, and Angela sighed. "You have a choice. But I know how much it meant to you. And I doubt you'd give it up that easily."
Angela walked away, and I listened to her footsteps slowly disappear in the distance. I forced myself to remain quiet, hoping not to cry. I rolled over in my bed, my grip on the thick blankets tightening.
'Not only was I too weak to be of any use to them, I was the one responsible for this in the first place. They'd be better off I was just dead. What was the point of me even being alive any longer? Just to see everything crumble around me? To watch as my dream and everything I worked so hard to build turn to dust and dissolve into nothingness? Without my dream I was nothing. I've been nothing for a year now. Just a broken shell of my former self. But only now was I realizing it.'
I listened to Scott's footsteps as he turned the corner and went off to his room. I shut my eyes, feeling the tears soak into the pillow I rested my head on. I sobbed, thinking about how pathetic I truly was.
I opened my eyes to a bright light shining from the front of the room, illuminating the darkness around me. I slowly turned, forcing myself to look up. My eyes widened in shock as a younger version of myself stood in front of me. She was covered in dirt, the brown rags she wore not doing much to help how unkempt she looked. Her short curly hair was matted down onto her face, covering one of her eyes. She stood on rough patches of cobblestone, the streets and alleyways covered in mud. I found myself back in the streets of my childhood, a younger me looking down in pity. Her dark blue eyes locked with mine from under her tufts of hair, and she shook her head.
"What are you doing? Why are you trembling and afraid?" She offered a smile, before pointing to where the blinding white light was coming from. It was the cities that rested on the hills, so far above the muck and filth below them. They stood tall, pristine, and surpreme, not so much as a chip in their white coats of paint.
The light soon engulfed me, and I found myself struggling to keep myself on my feet, limping towards the door with no control over my own body.
I paid no mind to where my feet were taking me as I shuffled around the hallways, using the walls to help keep me from falling. Each time I turned a corner, that younger version of myself would stare back at me, offering me that playful grin. "Come on! There's still time to play!" She giggled.
The pain rushing through my body meant nothing to me as I pulled my old coat from my battle gear closer to my body. The entire place was asleep as I meandered through, following the visions of grandeur and promise of my dream. I was slowly recognizing the places around me, wincing in pain as I felt my aching body pleading for me to stop and lie down.
But that light kept pulling me forward, and I even felt a small grin find its way on my face. I found myself stumbling into the hanger, and my eyes lit up as I noticed all of the aircrafts. It reminded me of Russia. Of Scott...
She motioned for me to follow, and I soon realized I must be hallucinating, or dreaming. But either way, I didn't want it to end. I needed the distraction from how much suffering I was going through. And how much I had caused.
The light was pulsating over the aircraft, and I tripped as I stepped inside, feeling one of my ribs break, and my wounds began to reopen and bleed. Groaning, I pulled myself into the pilot seat, resting in it for a moment.
I felt the urge to run from it all, and that familiar pull of the light. It was leading me to my dream. To where I belonged. My shaky and fragile hands fumbled with the controls, and I felt the engine start up and whir to life.
My breathing was labored, and I could barely stomach the pain I was in. But I used what little strength I had left to hover the aircraft above ground, and move it forward. I stared at the light as it blinded me, realizing I had no idea where I was going at all.
By the time I looked back, I realized how small the base behind me looked. It comforted me in a way. Perhaps that was just a stage, a small part of my life that went awry. Maybe I was foolish enough to believe that I had a chance. That I could change this world for the better. That one day we'd live in harmony with omnics.
I smiled an uncertain and delirious smile. My eyes were locked with the cities and beautiful light, and I reached my hand outwards to grasp it. My younger self continued running in front of me, leading me to that place. I felt the aircraft shake and become unstable, rocking me back and forth violently as I thrashed around. But I paid it no mind.
'Yes. I rested too long.' I thought, looking at the girl in front of me as she turned and grinned happily.
'This playtime, this dream of mine, hasn't ended yet. Because that back alley cobblestone street continues on.'
I felt the aircraft crash into the ground, and I closed my eyes, waiting for the sweet release.
Cliffhanger again! Who knows what happened to Olivia and her dream?
Well I know, but I won't spoil it. This may have been one of my favorite chapters to write. I enjoyed the multiple emotions. I really like the idea of Scott being pulled in two directions, and that Olivia finally realized that she's responsible for his departure in the first place, and that maybe Talon's torture messed her up mentally, causing those visions. But trust me, those back alley cobblestone streets do in fact continue on. And a big curve in that street is coming next chapter.
Every single thing that I've been writing has been leading up to the next two chapters. And they're some big ones. I can't wait for you guys to read it. Hopefully I'll stop procrastinating and get it finished in the next two weeks. Who knows?
Be sure not to miss out! Leave a review if you'd like! They help me out a lot. And thanks guys. This story is by far my favorite I've written. And I have so much planned for it. Including a lot of death, so be prepared.
Until next time everyone!
