A few weeks later Jack stepped off the aircraft on to the runaway at Washington Dc Airport. They had been gone for two weeks clearing out an Onmic threat in the south of France. Victoria was not allowed on missions until she had passed basic training though she called every night telling him everything about her day a lot of training. Jack had been worried about Victoria all week. He could still see the vivid red blood on her nails, they stayed on the floor that night neither wanting to move as they both feared she would go into a panic again. But every phone call even if he was actually on the job he would take and listen to her, he spoke to Secretary General Adawe when he was away and she told him she was doing fantastic and a few memories were breaking through. He had a feeling someone was keeping something from him.
He smiled thinking back to the long nights listening to Ana speak to her daughter across the phone reading Faareha bed time stories every night. He stepped off the plane down onto the tarmac, Commander Jackson, Secretary General Adawe and... he smiled Victoria was standing there. She stood tall smiling widely the fake smile that she had at the press conference, but the moment her eyes landed on him her smile brightened and her eyes softened. He noticed she was wearing her Overwatch uniform, white leather trousers tucked into knee high flat gold boots, the white coat cutting off at the top of her thighs with blue collar and cuffs with gold details around the edge.
He dropped his bag as he stood at the entrance of the hanger as he watched her run across the tarmac her blonde hair flying out behind her, he opened his arms just in time to catch her as she crashed into him and smashed her lips against his for a moment before pulling away.
"I missed you," she told him burring her face into his long blue jacket her arms wrapped around his neck.
Then he saw them the photographers and the news reporters, that's the reason for the fake smile, he tilted his head down burring it in her blonde curls, "I missed you too."
"Come on love birds," Gabriel chuckled behind them.
"Missed you too Gabriel," Victoria grinned up at him.
Jack slung his arm over Victoria's shoulder and picked up his kit with the free hand, the group smiled at the cameras though if asked all off them will admit it was forced as they walked past them. Commander Jackson led them to the black cars on the runway, Jack would admit he wasn't entirely to sure why exactly they had to land were they did especially since Hq had there own runway.
"There will be a press conference tomorrow morning," Adawe told them all as they filled into the car, "I have already told the press that due to Victoria's health she did not attend your first mission. However they have been told she was in regular contact with the team."
Gabriel scoffed slightly being only heard by Ana and Jack as Victoria had been people watching out the window the entire drive back to HQ, "Anything else Secretary General?" Gabriel asked.
"Other than congratulating you for a job well done the Minister of France sends his thanks nothing else," she told them.
The rest of the journey was in silence Victoria was picking at the edge of her cuffs being seated between Jack and Reinhardt who grinned widely and ruffled her hair saying it was good to see her smiling face again. Victoria felt better sitting next to Jack over the three weeks he was gone she felt lonely no one was there for her, she slept in Jacks room on her own in the large bed.
This morning Secretary Adawe dragged her from Jacks bed being annoyed not finding her in her own bed. She felt like she had failed.
Jack took Victoria's hand as they stepped out the car, he could feel her hand shaking in his hand as they walked into the base. She walked closely beside him her head rested against his shoulder, "I watched the news, though it was in French... you did really well."
"Victoria did something happen?" Jack asked her.
"I'm sorry did I upset you?" She questioned.
"No Vicky," he smiled weakly he turned back to the others, "We will see you lot at dinner."
Then they both ducked into Jacks room, he noticed the bed was unmade and a pair of Overwatch standard sweats stuffed at the end of the bed.
Victoria stood behind him helping him remove his Overwatch jacket hanging it on the back of the door, she un-belted her own jacket and hung it on the hook next to his her Overwatch uniform ended up with a blue shirt that tied up round her neck and a white under bust corset. He noticed a few small bruises more like puncture wounds from injections across her bare arms.
He ran his hand across her bare back making her jump slightly, "What happened have they started...?" He questioned.
"They are... testing drugs... against the one..." she turned to him the forced smile across her lips, he could see the internal struggle she was going through in her mind, she flinched back.
"Alright alright," he smiled, he saw her relax, "Calm."
She rested her head against his chest he could hear her inhaling deeply breathing in his scent, they stood like that for a few moments before her fingers brushed across his side, catching the hole in his shirt and hissed.
She pulled back suddenly her finger still caught in the hole eyes wide, "I'm sorry..."
"No its alright," Jack smiled pulling away from her as he removed his shirt handing it to her, Victoria gasped as she saw the stitching just beside his abs above his hip. "Rogue Bastion ran off and I went after him," Jack chuckled.
"You must be careful," she scolded.
He passed for a few moments looking down at her a confused look across his face, "What?"
"You are ... always doing something stupid," a small smile across her lips, not the forced that she does for the cameras or the one when she sees him. It was a small smile like she was thinking.
"What have you remembered?" He questioned moving back and sitting on the bed, he took her hand and lead her down onto the bed next to her.
"Only little things... I remembered a large ditch and a tiny puppy that got stuck under a root... there was a lot of rain... and you fell into the ditch trying to save it," she answered.
"Mum was so angry when we came back into the house," Jack laughed, "we were both covered in mud..."
"You kept the puppy," she told him.
"Well you wanted the puppy and your mum is allergic to dogs, so my mum kept him they still have him."
"You have the apple orchard..."
Jack blinked a few times a large grin spread across his lips, surprised that she had remembered the apple orchard, "Yeah..."
"I remember the Orchard and the puppy... I just..."
"Struggle to remember me," Jack finished her sentence.
"I'M SORRY," She cried throwing her ares around him.
Jack laughed as he landed back on the bed, her head buried in his chest, "Its ok," he smiled, "Your remembering, heck I'm surprised you remember Dexter."
"Dexter?" She questioned.
"I have no idea why you called him Dexter, you saw him after mum helped clean him up and everything you said Dexter and that was it," he laughed.
"Is he..."
"Yeah Dexter is still about, though he is getting on in years but still about," he laughed.
Victoria smiled up at him tracing her fingers across his pecs, they laid there for an hour Jack just told her continually about Dexter trying to jog her memory slightly but it wasn't working. "Come on you two," Reinhardt called from the other side of the door, "It is time for us to eat."
"Give us a minute, we will meet you there!" Jack called sitting back up right and getting off the bed, Victoria picked up a grey jumper with the Overwatch symbol across the front of it whilst Jack pulled out a white muscle shirt.
Victoria sat between Ana and Jack at the dinner table listening to Torbijion tell her about hid turrets ripped through multiple omnics helping Reinhardt push to the point. The small man grinned at Victoria as she clapped to him seeming pleased with how he handled the fight, Reinhardt went onto tell her how Gabriel and Jack got themselves surrounded and Ana picked off the Omnics from one of the building above the fight. Then Jack and Gabriel took out the remaining amount, whilst Reinhardt and Torbijion saved a building full of people whilst Laio was pinned down in an alleyway on his own but his flaming sword was able to slice through the Omnics. The group actually couldn't help but smile as they watched Victoria smile widely and clap, at the men as they finished telling her.
"What did they have you doing whilst we were away?" Ana asked her.
Jack watched Victoria from the corner of his eye seeing her rub the inside of her arm were he knew some of the bruises were but her smile was still large, "Not much," she lied to Ana's face making Jacks eyebrows furrow slightly and Gabriel caught it, "Just training trying to get me use guns against and seeing my strength."
Gabriel folded his arms across his chest raising an eyebrow at the blonde, "No panic attacks Victoria?"
"Gabe..." Jack warned him.
"Making sure she's alright," Gabriel stated.
Victoria slowly shook her head , "No all good."
"So girly what does your mum say about you being alive?" Torbijion asked.
"My mum?" She questioned.
"Or parents ... or grandparents you know?" He told her.
Gabriel was still watching her a sceptical look after his face, he noticed the dark circles under her eyes he could see the makeup covering them her bottom lip ha been chewed on a lot recently. Jack noticed the look Gabriel was giving her, it was the look he had given the enemy whilst they were in France as if he was studying the situation to see what exactly what was wrong.
"I don't remember... parents..." She told them, "I only remembered Jack..."
"She remembered a few things from our childhood," he smiled, "We used to have a dog well it was hers she wanted to keep him."
"That's fantastic," Reinhardt grinned slamming his fist on the table, Victoria jumped slightly as the force of the fist nearly knocked over the glasses, "The lil Lady will have her memory's back by no time."
Jack grinned widely rubbing her arm slightly, "The Apple Orchard as well."
"Oh how romantic," Ana smiled at him.
Victoria blushed ducking her head, "I only remember the Orchard nothing that happened there... I remember Dexter, I remembered Jack jumping down a ditch to rescue the puppy."
"You don't have to push yourself to remember, you might hurt yourself doing this," Ana told her.
"Thank you," she smiled.
"No thank you," Gabriel chuckled, " You cheered Jack up with every phone call, though you two really did make me feel sick sometimes."
"How so?" She questioned.
Torbijion mimicked in a highway, "Oh Jack I miss you so much."
"I miss you too Vicky Ill be home soon," Reinhardt laughed.
Jack shot the two men a glare which in turn made the older men burst out laughing watching as Victoria's face became bright red. "Alright you two stop it," Ana scolded them.
"Come on Ana a little joke," Torbijion laughed.
"Leave the girl alone she looks like shes about to burst with how red shes going," Liao told them.
"But what about you all?" Victoria suddenly asked, "Don't you miss your family?"
The table was silent for a few moments before Gabriel spoke, "Yeah... I miss them but I get the letters from them and calls."
"Its not the same though," Jack stated, "I miss my ma and pa."
"We all miss our families," Reinhardt told her, "But we survive knowing that we are making the future brighter for them."
"That's a beautiful way to thank," Victoria told him a soft smile across her features.
The rest of dinner was filled with the conversation of peoples families back home, Victoria seemed to hang of the words that everyone said seeming to brighten up with the thoughts of peoples loved ones.
"Miss Johnson," A voice sounded beside the table making the team look up to see one of the many Doctors standing beside the table, "Time for your check up."
Ana, Gabriel and Jack noticed how she tensed in turn the three tensed as well and the doctor grinned at them, Jack thought it was meant to come off as a friendly smile but instead it made him feel Doctor noticed the entire table looking at him in a curious manner, "There is no need to be alarmed, Secretary General likes Miss Johnson to be checked to see how the drug is fairing in her system."
"I'll be ok..." she smiled standing next to the doctor before following him out.
They watched her until she was out the dining area before Gabriel turned to Jack, "Shes on edge?"
Jack was silent for a few moments before he sighed, "she has puncture wounds... like they have been violently injecting her with something."
Ana looked concerned as he told them that, "What on earth could they be injecting her with."
"I would hazard a guess," Liao pipped in, "They are making her into a solider."
"But she already is one," Jack argued.
"I get what he is saying," Gabriel sighed, "They are making her like us."
Jacks eyes widened not realising she was being subjected to that so soon thinking they would at least figure out how to get the drug out of her system before they subject her to this.
Later on Ana, Jack and Gabe all sat in Jacks room, Gabriel found it funny that Victoria had moved herself into Jacks room whilst he was away making herself comfortable in the mans room.
"I find it sweet," Ana told him.
"Yeah maybe because you have a heart and grumpy over there," Jack grinned jabbing his thumb in Gabriel's general direction, "Doesn't."
Gabriel chuckled but shot a glare in anyway, "Yeah yeah kid."
"Think shes alright?" Jack asked the question on everyone's minds. It was an hour and a half since Victoria since she went for her 'check up'.
"If the girl is anything like you Jack, shes a fighter," Gabriel reassured him.
"Yeah she is," Jack grinned.
They heard the door next to Jacks room open and slam shut, all three looked confused as Victoria rarely used that room. "I'll get her," Ana's soft voice broke the tension in the room.
Ana left but was back shortly with Victoria under one of her arms, Victoria looked up both me were taken back at the look that was given to them. Her pupils were blown wide eyes bloodshot they could see her actually shaking.
"What the fuck have they done to her," Gabriel stated.
"I'm sorry I don't mean to upset you," She whispered.
"Victoria," Ana slowly lowered gently down to sit on the bed next to her, "You haven't done anything wrong sweetheart."
"Victoria what did they do?" Gabriel demanded pushing himself out of his seat to kneel in front of her, knowing that if he stood in front of her she will be terrified.
"It burns... they say its to improve me..."
Jack and Gabriel shared a look knowing what they were doing they have both been thrown into it, the drugs changed there bodies made things faster them stronger. She was smaller than both of them the drugs will be in a more concentrated in her. "The pain will pass Vicky," Jack told her.
"How does your head feel?" Ana asked.
"Its ok... I don't feel like it hurts as much... though..."
"You can tell us Victoria," Gabriel reassured her, "We are a team."
"I feel dizzy ... it feels like everything is fighting ... I have the want to please and the want to fight," she told them.
Jack wrapped his arms around Victoria bringing her against his side, "It means the drug is wearing off."
"Is it? That's good right?" Her green eyes sparkled slightly smiling at him.
"Fantastic meaning you can come on missions with us," he grinned back.
Victoria continued to smile they watched her slowly as the shaking slowly stopped and her eyes came back to normal she rubbed herself up against Jacks side tucking her head into his neck.
"We will leave you two to rest you need it," Gabriel told them standing to his full height hooking his arm under Anas leaving the two in peace.
"I don't like this," Ana told him after the door closed behind them.
"Agreed," Gabriel told her walking down the corridors, "those drugs nearly killed me."
Ana hummed softly, "It might be best to speak to the doctors."
"No with this we need to speak to the Secretary General," he growled, "I need to compare mine and Victoria's medical records. If they have added something to her drug. They have no right to be doing this to her first they tricked her into signing the contract and now they are putting her through this," Gabriel hissed.
Ana rubbed her temples, "Go speak to Secretary Adawe then, I have a daughter to read too."
Gabriel smiled at her, "Go say night to Fareeha I will deal with this."
"Don't do be to brash Gabriel your our commander doesn't mean they won't threaten to take the position away from you," Ana warned.
"I will be fine," he chuckled waving her off.
Secretary General Adawe continued to read the file in front of her Victoria was doing perfect in her training shots were perfect Commander Jackson suggested upping her training as well, though the doctors were concerned she had not been reacting to the soldiers serum as well as they hoped she would. Her current system was fighting the invaders making her more jumpy than normal, she was glad though as she clicked at her computer pulling up the newspaper article from today she was glad to see that they got a good picture of Victoria and Jack, the moment her small arms wrapped around his broad frame she couldn't see Victoria's face but the grin on Jacks spoke it all. The knock on the door pulled the woman out her scheming.
"Enter," she called closing Victoria's file and putting it in the top draw as Gabriel Reyes stepped through the door, "Oh Strike Commander, how can I help?"
"I want to know what you are doing to Victoria," he demanded as he pulled the seat out across from her.
"I do not know what you are talking about?" She questioned.
"The girl is flipping like a damn coin," he growled at her, "If anything happens to Victoria you lose Jack."
"We are enhancing her that is all," Adawe replied.
"I believe that to be bullshit the girl is fucking terrified I find that hard to believe," he told her.
"Careful with your tone Reyes you might be the Strike Commander but remember who gave you that position," She told him.
"I am concerned for my team member I can not have her having a break down from being unstable because of the drugs that you have forced on her, I know that she did not sign the contract on her own free will," Gabriel challenged her, "As far as I know that forcing some to do something against there will is against the the law Secretary General."
"What do you want Reyes?" She asked.
"Let me see the drug shes on, if they aren't the same as mine and Jacks he will find out and you will loose a good solider," Gabriel warned.
Adawe sighed pulling out Victoria's file before slamming it down in front of him before she turned back to her computer and typed away, Gabriel flipped through her file before he saw the drug testing stage he scanned over the information how much hormones, steroids going into her as Adawe turned her screen around, Gabriel held the sheet up to the screen comparing the two everything was the same though the steroids in hers was a lot lower. "Victoria was an excellent sniper and best use with hand guns as well, we don't want her muscular she doesn't need it," Adawe told him, "Victoria was known for her kick boxing skills we need her leg strength strong Commander Jackson has her running laps every day."
"Then explain to me why she is terrified at the moment," Gabriel snapped at her.
"Miss Johnson has been subjected to rape for three years and had been thrown back into normal society," Adawe stated coldly, "That girl has gone through something no person should go to she is finding it difficult to adjust to society we are trying to get it so she does not cling to Jack constantly."
"They are good for each other, you did not see Jack when she called," Gabriel stated, "Even when he was in the middle of a fight he would answer her call."
Adawe sighed rubbing her temple, "Fine but don't you dare accuse us of harming the girl are we understood."
Gabriel let out a long breath, "Its hurting her the drug is hurting her."
The Secretary General let out a loud huff, "Of course it would be she has a drug that is so attached to her system that the doctors are surprised it hadn't fussed with her DNA. Victoria is a strong woman we now she can handle it."
"Her body might but what happens when her mind snaps," he growled.
"The broken ones always fight the hardest," Secretary Generals smile sent a chill down his spine, " Now I believe that is everything I suggest heading to bed soon as the press conference is bright and early."
Gabriel dropped Victoria's file with a loud thud on the woman's desk as he left that was a lot to take in Jack has to know, they aren't hurting her on purpose the drugs are exactly the same just Victoria is in an eternal struggle with herself because both the drugs are altering but he knew that woman was up to something. Something that specifically involved Victoria and Jack, she showed him Victoria's file as a sign of good will but he still dint trust the woman.
He knocked softly on Jacks door realising it was late Victoria took awhile to settle for the night he did not want to wake the girl. Moment later Jack opened the door Gabriel look passed him seeing Victoria curled up on the side of the bed the covers were down to her waist whilst her back was to him. "Everything alright?" He asked.
"I spoke to the General Secretary," Gabriel told him.
Jack stepped into the hallway closing the door behind him, "What did she say?"
"The drugs are the exact same its because she is still on the other drug," Gabriel told him.
Jack visibility relaxed at this knowing they weren't hurting her on purpose, "But there is something else isn't there?" He asked.
"I don't trust the secretary general Jack and for Victoria's safety I suggest you don't either." That was the last words Gabriel said to him as Jack reentered his room seeing Victoria still asleep in the bed but she seemed to have moved into the centre of the bed whilst he was out. He couldn't loose her not again it's not fair on her to go through this because of him but for once he wanted to selfish and keep her for himself just for this small time. She made a small sound in her sleep as the bed dipped behind her rolling her back into Jacks chest, the solider wrapped his arms around her waist drawing her back burying his head in her blonde hair. Thinking back to when they were young at the age of sixteen they raced through the orchard on horse back, her blonde hair flew out behind her she was always better on horses. Her laughter would ring through the air as they raced, her shire horse Paladin was one the fastest horses on the farm was one of the fastest horses on the farm next to his Friesian Queenie. He missed them, he missed riding through the apple orchard, missed laying under the stars with Dexter, missed waking up with her hovering over him kissing his temple, nose, his jaw, cheeks and then lips. How could he let her go now after loosing her for so long, maybe taking her home would help. He knew deep down Paladin and Dexter would remember there mistress he hated going back home sometimes everything reminded him of her.
It was like she was a ghost in his life for three years, he couldn't go back home without seeing something that reminded him of her. He tore his room apart when was home, after she died, he built up his walls. Then within moments she tore down his walls without meaning to, without understanding what she had done. He clenched his eyes shut trying to stop the tears three years he missed this for three years, he buried his face within her golden curls allowing himself to fall asleep peacefully knowing he won't wake and she will be gone.
The next morning after breakfast Overwatch was dressed and ready for the press conference. All seated in the in the waiting area back stage, "Don't understand why we have to do this," Ana huffed next to her.
Victoria hummed rubbing her head, her head was killing her today like someone was banging a gong inside her head her memories were slowly coming back to her just a quick flash of a man with brown hair and green eyes, another with blonde hair and brown eyes. Small flashes of Jack, a golden retriever, the apple orchard a beaten up jeep so many things it was taking her to long to get her mind un-jumbled. "What do you mean?" Her voice was soft trying not to agitate her own head.
"We should be out there fighting this crisis not sitting pretty for some cameras," Ana snapped then she noticed Victoria flinch next to her, "No Victoria I didn't."
"I know," Victoria smiled softly a genuine smile that Ana sometimes thought were only reserved for Jack.
"Are you ok you look pale this morning?" Ana questioned.
Victoria hummed again, "I'm remembering things before I was taken by talon... I feel like..."
"Everything is being thrown at you at once?" Ana queried.
"Pretty much," she giggled.
"You seem better though," Ana told her.
Victoria continued to smile feeling a little bit better, she hadn't really been given commands and she felt like she was adjusting to this new found freedom but a small part of her nagged that she was doing this wrong that she was displeasing some or another in doing what she was doing but another voice argued saying she did not need commands shes a fighter and fighters don't take orders.
"Other than the pale part," Gabriel smiled on the other side of the hallway, "Catch," he ordered as he threw a bottle of water at her. Victoria's hands shot out without even realising what she was doing grabbing the bottle out of thin air.
"Good reflexes," he smiled at her, "drink," he told her.
Victoria took a long slip from the bottle, "Wheres Jack?" She asked.
"Secretary Adawe wanted him for something," Gabriel told her.
"He will be back soon," Reinhardt told her sitting across from her in his full metal armour, "We will look after you."
"Don't need looking after thank you," she smiled.
"Good," he chuckled.
"Everyone," a soft voice sounded from the other end of the hallway near the door, "Hi umm..."
Victoria kinda of felt sorry for the kid, they were all in their full uniform they didn't look the friendliness bunch in the world. "Spit it out kid?" Laio told him.
"They are ready for you," he whimpered, "there us an arrangement for your seating..." he was actually shaking, "Laio, Torbjion, Reinhardt, Gabriel, please leave a gap for Jack, then Victoria and Ana." "Thanks kid," Reinhardt chuckled as he patted the kids back as they walked past poor kid looked like he was going to fall over from the force. Victoria stepped out from behind the curtain nearly blinded by the sudden bombardment of lights and cameras. Taking the seat beside Ana smiling softly at Gabriel on the other side a few moments later she felt a pair of lips drop down onto her head as Jack sat down next to her, she could see Secretary General Adawe a few feet away at the podium, "As you all know Overwatch they are here today to answer your questions," her smile always unnerved her, "Please keep this conference professional and about there careers this is strictly military business."
"I have a question," an angry female voice shouted from the back of the room something hit home with Victoria she felt slightly dizzy at the voice, "When was the government planning to tell me my daughter was alive!?"
Victoria's eyes landed on the woman long golden hair, warm hazel eyes a face warn with grief. "I'm sorry I don't..." Secretary General Adawe looked a thought away from calling the security.
Victoria's chair landed with a clatter as she pushed it back suddenly her green eyes widened as tears started to well in them a choked sob escaped her throat, "Mum."
AN: Yes I am working on the next chapter for No Mercy for Mercy, I'm a bit stuck onto how to write it ^-^ I feel so bad for Victoria and Jack I am so mean to my own characters sometimes. I am slowly going to building up Victoria's and Jacks backstory for a few more chapters and then will skip a part to when Angela and the others join.
Love
Scarlet.