Chapter Eighteen: Widowmaker
~ o ~
"...Is this really it?!" exclaimed Sombra.
I nodded as she got out of the car.
"This is where Reyes wanted us to meet him." I explained.
I looked back to Aiden, who was still asleep on my lap. I had already applied the serum that Dr. Ziegler gave him and most of the external wounds had healed. However, everything the cyborg used was laced with different kinds of venom cocktails, which severely weakened his body. Even though he's a supersoldier and is significantly stronger than anyone I could think of, these cocktails seemed to be mixed specially for him. I had never seen Aiden lose a fight like that before; he normally always found a way to get out of a bind by escaping or by simply beating his opponent with overwhelming speed and force. This was the first time...I had seen him appear so mortal.
He didn't wake up since we left the apartment an hour ago and I volunteered to stay in the back of the car and keep watch while Sombra drove us. She took some of the serum too, which healed her head wound fully. She didn't talk to me much during the ride however...which was rather odd because she was never normally at a loss for words. Maybe it was Aiden's condition that was worrying her...or maybe it was because I killed the cyborg in such a cold manner.
"...Why should it matter? He tried to kill all of us and he damn near killed the person I care most about...he deserves what he got."
The angry thought came out of nowhere and I looked down to see that I had unconsciously clenched my fist. I took a breath and tried to relax, but it was extremely difficult to do so considering the bind that we were in now.
The cyborg was evidently supposed to be the one that would kill Aiden and get rid of me for good, which would tie up those loose ends for Talon's efforts to be unhindered. However, I was sure that Talon was fully aware of the cyborg's death; the tracker in his body must've gone off the moment his heart stopped beating. Now, we were on the run again...just when we were beginning to settle into a relatively normal life again.
I looked down at Aiden's face before brushing his cheek with my finger.
"...You did everything you could to protect me. You even chose to give your life up for me despite reverting to your old self for a moment...you really do love me don't you Aiden..."
"The Specter Of Annecy. You know how to make dangerous friends don't you Widowmaker."
I smiled before getting out of the car. Sombra immediately lit up and it wasn't long before I heard her start to run. I looked across from the car to see that Gabriel had indeed arrived...and Sombra was now hugging him like a child hugging a parent. I could only imagine how his face looked beneath his infamous mask, not to mention how irritated he must be.
"Gabe! It's good to see you again amigo!" she cheered.
He immediately clenched his fists.
"Sombra...let go of me." he ordered.
He didn't sound as angry as he normally did. The hacker immediately released him before going to the car to help Aiden out. I approached Gabriel, only for him to shake his head.
"I told you not to get emotionally connected with anyone." he said.
It sounded almost as if he were scolding me. I shook my head and sighed deeply.
"He's the only reason I'm still alive. I owe him a lot." I explained.
He looked towards the assassin before nodding.
"He's a living legend in Talon's ranks. Most assassination contracts carried out of any operative, most successful missions...the list of accolades go on." he began.
"What is Talon trying to accomplish by killing us?" I asked.
Gabriel shook his head before motioning for me to follow him.
"There's a medical room inside; this used to be a Talon outpost once your family lost their influence and all of the equipment is still there." he explained.
I nodded before returning to the car to help Sombra carry Aiden out. After securing his arm over my shoulder, I helped her lift him out. Gabriel picked up our bags before turning to us.
"Follow me." he said.
One Hour Later
"So they want us dead in order to eliminate any signs of their presence in France? Do they not know that Overwatch is well aware of their efforts here?" I snapped.
"You and Aiden are among the most expensive projects they've invested in. Ideally, they want the two of you alive to be brainwashed again but now that both of you have completely broken it...they see it better to finish the job." he replied.
I cursed under my breath.
"What makes you so sure that we're safe here?" I asked.
"I use this place as a hideout often enough and no one knows it's operational apart from me. To everyone else, it's just a run down castle." he explained.
Reyes had just filled me in on all of Talon's intentions for Sombra, Aiden and I. Until Aiden is able to move again, it would be up to me to protect the three of us. I know that Reyes would like to help us, considering he expressed a great amount of respect for Aiden and...for some reason Sombra.
But he knew that he was a liability if he kept in contact with us too much. He escaped the typical tracker system of Talon because of his supernatural powers, which was the only reason why he was able to be here without anyone knowing where he is. He still took a big risk; it would take the efforts of only a single Talon agent to follow him, which would seal our fates.
"...Why are you still helping us?" I asked.
Reyes leaned against the wall before looking out the window.
"Because we were partners for years. I don't particularly care about what the French Division of Talon wants to get done because they're the extremists of the organization. If I had it my way, I'd kill every last one of them and have Akande take over." he explained.
The familiar name of one of Talon's most prominent members struck fear in my heart.
"Doomfist..."
I let out a heavy breath before taking a mouthful of the wine in my hand.
"Tell me something. When you got that heart transplant of yours...did it change everything?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Then why are your eyes still yellow?"
My eyes widened and I immediately looked in a mirror to see that what he was saying is true.
"...But how?" I gasped.
"I'm not sure...but yellow eyes are a surefire sign of reconditioning." he explained.
I shook my head.
"I haven't done anything...I got angry when the cyborg tried to kill Aiden, but that was it." I explained.
"Did he hit you with anything?" asked Reyes.
My thoughts then drifted to the darts that he managed to strike me with at the start of the fight.
"...Some darts." I replied.
Reyes shook his head before motioning for me to follow him. He led me to the medical room before instructing me to sit down. He then held a device towards me before pressing several buttons on a machine. The device lit up with bright blue light and after a few seconds, I saw a screen come to life. I gasped in horror at what I saw.
"Looks like his mission wasn't just to kill The Specter Of Annecy...it was also to try and recruit you back into Talon's ranks." he explained.
He pointed to a picture that showed my bloodwork.
"The darts he hit you with contain the same serum that is used during the reconditioning process. It is made to wipe your emotions by suppressing your brain's capacity to instruct the body to produce hormones...except anger and hate" he explained.
He shook his head.
"There's nothing we can do except to allow it to pass through your system naturally. We don't have the resources or the time to synthesize the antidote." he said.
I cursed under my breath, feeling my anger begin to reach a boiling point. I slammed my hand on the table next to me, destroying it. Reyes shook his head.
"It looks like the serum gave you superhuman strength as well...and your temper is easier to irritate. I suggest you stay away from Sombra and Aiden until it passes from your system; you'll be a danger to them both."
I nodded reluctantly, thinking back to Aiden's sleeping form in the bedroom upstairs. Reyes then pressed his finger to his earpiece.
"Reaper here." he said.
I couldn't hear what was going on with the other end, but he turned away from me for a moment.
"Understood. Proceeding with mission." he said.
I heard inaudible speaking for about another minute before he turned back to me.
"Lock yourself in your room and don't come out until your eyes stop being yellow. I'll keep it a secret from Sombra so she doesn't accidentally trigger your rage...and whatever you do. Do not listen to a voice in your head." he ordered.
I raised an eyebrow.
"You say this as if you've experienced it before." I said.
Reyes shook his head, looking towards the ground.
"...Everyday; it is my curse."
He turned away from me.
"I'll be back in a few days. I'll keep you updated on everything they're doing concerning you and Aiden. Stay under the radar Widowmaker; if they find you here...there's nothing else I can do to help you." he explained.
I got to my feet before extending a hand towards him.
"Thank you Reyes." I said.
Much to my surprise, he held my hand and shook it.
"...I shouldn't be calling you that anymore should I...Amelie?" he asked.
I smiled at him.
"Go before they realize something is amiss."
He nodded before disappearing in a wave of black smoke.
Later That Night
"How's he doing?" I asked.
"...Still asleep. I'd be tired too if I lost that much blood." replied Sombra.
She looked at the IV bag next to his bag, which contained a fresh bag of AB- blood. We were lucky that Gabriel actually stocked the medical facility here, else we'd have had to rely on Aiden recovering on his own. Though his life wasn't in danger, I still felt deeply worried about him; he was looking significantly more mortal by the minute.
"We should thank Gabe for keeping this place running...else we'd have to rely on Aiden to get through this on his own."
I noticed a distinct change in her tone and I immediately placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
The hacker shook her head and sighed deeply.
"...Didn't you see yourself back there in the garage?...I've never seen you so ruthless before." she replied.
My eyes narrowed as the memory flashed back for an unknown dozenth time. I closed my eyes and shook my head.
"It's something that was in the darts the cyborg hit me with. It's...it's bringing her back." I said.
She looked at me in shock. Sombra was often the only person I could think of who wasn't scared of anything, usually treating everything as if it were a joke...but I saw genuine fear in her eyes.
"What can we do about it? Is there some kind of antidote?" she asked.
I shook my head.
"It has to pass naturally through my system; we don't have the time or the resources to make an antidote." I explained.
She cursed loudly as she looked back to Aiden.
"...You know that if he wakes up, he'll jump right back into their ranks just to get the antidote for you right?" she asked.
I nodded slowly, knowing full well that everything she said was right.
"Don't tell him...I'll let him know when he's well enough." I begged.
The hacker looked back at me before nodding, albeit reluctantly.
"...I don't want to lose you amiga...nothing scares me more than losing a friend."
Her voice began to crack and it was then that I realized how much things had changed between us. In the course of a few months, I went from finding her to be a pest...to considering her my closest friend. She went out of her way to help Aiden keep me safe and even risked her life several times for my sake. After spending time with her, she really began to grow on me...so much so that I would be willing to risk my life for her too.
I held her hand and shook my head.
"You're not going to lose me. I promise." I said.
She looked at me as if she were scanning for something to believe in. To ease her worries, I gave her a smile.
"You've had a long day today...you should get some sleep." I said.
Sombra shook her head but I squeezed her hand.
"I can take care of things. You need some rest; you gotten much these past few days." I continued.
Though it took some willpower, the hacker finally gave in before turning to leave. She glanced at Aiden before looking back at me.
"...All of this has to end one way or another. I just hope I don't have to lose either one of you for it to happen."
Her tone was pessimistic, something I never thought I would hear from the otherwise joyful hacker.
"Good night Spider." she said.
I nodded as she closed the door behind her. I then turned back to Aiden, who was still fast asleep. I scooted nearer to him, smiling as I saw the peaceful look on his face.
"Even in rage, you still put me above yourself...I hope that your devotion doesn't get you killed one day cherie."
I held his right hand as I thought back to everything that's happened up to this moment.
He confessed his feelings for me, despite the overwhelming amount of guilt concerning Gerard. He's saved my life so many times these past few months that I'm beginning to think I'll never be able to repay him...and now here he was, lying in bed injured because of me.
I haven't felt so worried since the day I received his heart. Though I knew that he would be an incredibly difficult person to kill, the moment when the cyborg had him cornered...the moment where he gave up his only means of fighting back in an effort to protect me...that was one of the very few moments I could think of when I experienced true fear.
"But then everything went hazy...I remember bits and pieces of it, but the next thing I knew, the cyborg was dead and I was holding my rifle."
"It's because we finished him off cherie."
I looked around frantically, trying to follow the voice that just uttered those words, but there was no one there.
"Who are you? Where are you?!" I cried.
"Who am I? You know full well who I am little girl."
I then began to realize who was talking to me...
Suddenly, my head began to pulsate with pain. In an effort to not wake up Aiden, I quickly made my way out of the room and into mine, which was next to his. After ensuring the door was locked, I threw the key somewhere it would be difficult to reach as the pain reached a climax.
"What's happening?!" I screamed.
"...It's about time that I took back over. You've been useless for the majority of this whole endeavor. You know full well that you will never be at peace until Oscar lies dead at your feet, in addition to all of those worms who tortured you into killing one of the few people who actually cared about you."
The pain became so severe, I collapsed to the floor and my vision began to become hazy.
"It's time for me to take matters into my own hands. You'll thank me for all of this once I'm finished...now go to sleep little girl."
My vision completely faded as my eyes closed against my will...and my body grew numb.
~ o ~
I felt new life enter my limbs as I got to my feet.
"...Where am I?..."
I was in a white room that seemed to stretch on for eternity. I looked around to see nothing around me, not even a different color.
"What's going on...where am I?"
"You're inside your mind. And now you'll bear witness to the next step in your evolution."
I turned around to see...myself.
But not in my current state. No...this version of me had blue skin, piercing yellow eyes and was dressed in the very same suit I wore a few months ago.
"You're...you're me..." I gasped.
"I'm your primal instincts. The one who kept you alive throughout all of your time with Talon. You can thank me some other time...but what happens next needs to be done."
She then produced a knife in her right hand. In an instant, the room shifted as if it were being pulled to a different reality. By the time I could blink, we were in a dark room...very familiar in atmosphere somehow.
"Do you remember that fateful night Amelie? The very night when I was released from my cage?"
My eyes widened as I looked towards the bed in front of me. I saw...
"Gerard...and me?"
"I made sure to root this memory deep within your mind, because it represents the point in your life when you stopped being a scared little girl."
I saw myself get up from the bed before reaching into the end table to the right. I pulled out a knife, the very same knife that my blue-skinned alter ego was holding. I was horrified to see myself climb on top of Gerard before promptly slitting his throat. I nearly vomited from the site as the unmistakable feeling of despair began to take hold.
"You didn't have the courage to do anything that was necessary. So I locked you away for all this time...I must've miscalculated when I noticed the picture of Gerard and you at your wedding. The very same night you decided to visit his grave."
The room shifted once again, this time, it was a night lit room with two chairs. My alter ego sat down in one before gesturing for me to sit in the other. Seeing nothing else I could do, I did as she asked.
"Do you know who I am? Do you know how I came into being?"
I shook my head, causing her to grit her teeth in irritation.
"Think back to your childhood Amelie...think back to when you used to live at the estate. You created me."
My memory refused to reveal anything to me, causing her to sigh deeply.
"I forgot. When Talon brainwashed you, they suppressed the majority of your childhood memories as well. I've been there for all of it...and I've been unable to do anything but relive every single one of them."
She waved her hand and the room once again shifted, this time to the kitchen in the estate. I recognized the room after having gone into it when we all arrived here with Gabriel. I noticed a little girl, sitting in a chair drinking some milk.
"This was the day...that I was born."
"Milan! Where are you!"
I noticed that a woman had now run into the room and picked me up in her arms. She looked absolutely terrified as she stroked the girl's hair.
"Amelie...I want you to hide in the cupboard and be as quiet as you can. Okay? Can you do that for me?" she cried.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing; that little girl in her arms...was me.
"Okay maman." she replied.
The woman then opened the cupboard, which was more than big enough to hold my small body before closing it.
"Don't come out...no matter what happens." she sobbed.
Moments later, a man stormed into the room.
"Where is Amelie...WHERE IS SHE?!" he screamed.
"I don't know Guiseppe. I haven't the slightest idea!" she replied.
The man stepped forward before landing a devastating slap to the woman's face.
"Do you have any idea how important it is for her to be practicing?! She's the only chance we have at keeping our standing in the French underground!" he snapped.
"She's practiced for countless hours! She's only a child mon mari...she needs time to rest."
"She can rest when this event is over. Now tell me where she is!" he shouted.
The woman shook her head, prompting the man to slap her even harder than he did before.
"You know what having her would bring and you knew that if they found out she was a talented dancer that they would want her to work for them. Everything is on the line now and she's the only one who can keep us in our estate!" he growled.
The woman fell to the ground and much to my horror, the cupboard was creaked open. I was witnessing my mother getting beaten by my father.
"This was the moment where you felt like you were truly alone. So in order to cope with this trauma, you created me...I was a nameless alter ego you interacted with for a very long time."
More flashbacks began to flood my mind. Memories of my childhood where I was dancing professionally, learning how to play the piano...learning how to cook. The vast majority of my early life played back at great speed and soon, I remembered just about everything that happened up to my teenaged years. I then turned to my alter ego, who was looking at me with cold eyes.
"I wanted nothing more than to destroy that man for what he did to you. For what he did to us. But the fall of the Guillard family happened just after to decided to move to Annecy. Do you remember the day you first met Gerard?"
I nodded as the flashback returned to the day I ran into Gerard at the mall.
"That was the day...that you no longer needed me. You and I spent so much time together that we were practically inseparable...but then he came into the picture. You no longer needed comfort because he provided it in ways that I couldn't. You tossed me aside and left me in the darkness..."
The room returned to the moment that I killed Gerard. My alter ego got to her feet.
"When Talon took you, that was when I reawakened. And I knew that you would never be able to handle killing another person...so when they tried to brainwash you, I managed to save you by putting you in my place, locking you away in that very same cage while I took over as Widowmaker."
She looked to the bed, at Gerard's corpse.
"He presented a problem; being an Overwatch agent was the most dangerous job to have when you lived in Annecy. You know how strong the Talon presence is here...and I knew the only way we would survive was to do what was necessary."
She closed her eyes before raising the knife in her hand, only now...it was bloody.
"I killed him to protect us. And I also killed him because he stole you away from me...he made you forget the one who helped you through all of your trauma. During all of that time you locked me away...I festered in anger and hatred, becoming your polar opposite. You were happy? I was sad. You were sad? I was angry. I became everything that you weren't."
She dropped the knife as the room shifted back to a full white one, with two chairs.
"And now we've reached the very same predicament. You already know that Aiden Beauclair presents the same problem that Gerard did. The difference is...is that he's all you have left. Once he dies, you will have nothing left to hold you back from fulfilling your true potential."
She leaned down and picked up the knife but before she showed her face to me, the knife had somehow turned into a kitchen knife that was clean.
"...What do you intend to do?" I asked.
"Sombra doesn't have to die; she's your best friend and she will come around to this if we feed her enough lies. But Aiden...he's your biggest obstacle."
She looked at the knife, smiling slightly.
"When you managed to break out of your cage and place me back in there, you did so without even speaking to me. You just grabbed me and shoved me back without even taking a moment to thank me for everything I've done for you."
"All you've done is kill innocent people in the name of terrorism." I replied.
She immediately got to her feet before shoving me. Somehow, a wall had materialized behind me and in the next instant, we were in a dark room.
"DON'T YOU GET IT?! I HAD TO. IF I DIDN'T DO EVERYTHING I DID, WE WOULD BOTH BE DEAD!"
"There's always a choice. You can try to justify it as much as you'd like...what we did all those years we spent at Talon was not right."
She immediately slammed the knife into the wall next to my head.
"YOU UNGRATEFUL WORM! DO YOU NOT REALIZE THE GRAVITY OF THIS SITUATION?!"
She grabbed onto my shirt before shoving me against the wall.
"YOU FACE ALL OF TALON'S FRENCH OCCUPANCY ARMED WITH ONLY A HACKER, A BROKEN ASSASSIN AND YOUR PITIFUL EXCUSE FOR A KILLER INSTINCT. WHY DID YOU HESITATE TO KILL THAT CYBORG WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO FINISH OFF THE MAN YOU LOVE?!"
I couldn't respond to that question and it was then that I realized...
"She's crying..."
Widowmaker was crying...despite looking absolutely infuriated.
"When you put me back in that cage, I began to hate you...I detested you so much that I wanted to kill you...but then I saw the fruits of my labor. You found love again, you made a friend who means the world to you and you even began to have a normal life...it made me happy to see you like that. But then you hesitated. You hesitated for someone you supposedly love..."
She released me, her head now hanging and looking towards the ground.
"I took control once more and did what I had to do to save us. But after looking into your mind and your memories...not to mention looking at your resolve, I don't believe in you."
She looked back up at me, tears still streaming down her face but her expression had turned icy cold.
"If you continue the way you do, you will never be able to protect the ones you love. Without killer instinct, you're nothing but a weakling...and that's not someone I want to have control of this body. It's time for me to take over and never let go. You're going back into your cage...for good."
"No."
She grabbed me and threw me to the ground before removing the knife from the wall.
"You don't have a choice in the matter cherie...this time, I won't let you come out of the cage. I'll take care of everything myself and once there is nothing left but you and me...I'll think about letting you out."
She grabbed onto my hair and began to drag me towards the door. I struggled to get free but she opened it. She continued to drag me and before I knew it, we were in another room...Aiden's room.
"He's a good man. A strong man. Someone who knows when things need to be done. You could learn a great deal from him Amelie...perhaps his death will teach you this lesson seeing as Gerard's did not."
She released my hair before raising her knife.
"Once he dies...there will be nothing to anchor you to this world. You'll fall back into the darkness and I will be free to do as I see fit."
Realizing more and more where I was, I immediately got to my feet before shoving her against the wall, slamming the hand that had the knife into the wall. However, she simply laughed at me.
"Do you really think a weakling like yourself has a chance against me?"
She kneed me hard in the stomach before throwing me into the wall. I tried to move, but she was on me in an instant, grabbing my shirt before punching me hard in the cheek. She continued to do so, completely overpowering me as I felt my consciousness fading.
"You lose...little girl..."
"Not yet."
The voice that said those words shocked me to my core. I looked up to see that Aiden had gotten up from the bed and was standing over us. Widowmaker gritted her teeth.
"You're not supposed to be here."
"And you're supposed to be gone forever now that the brainwashing has broken."
She released me before trying to go for him. However, Aiden sidestepped her before reaching for me.
"Take my hand Amelie."
I immediately did as he asked and before Widowmaker could strike with her knife, the room shifted once again. When it stabilized, I found myself in the very same room I was staying in just before I went to see Gerard's grave. Aiden smiled at me.
"I guess this might be the last chance I have to save you."
He helped me to my feet as he looked to the door. There was loud knocking, almost as if something was bashing against it.
"She's very angry...I can only give you a moment's reprieve before she returns. You have to defeat her Amelie...if you don't, you'll lose everything you hold dear."
He smiled at me before looking down at my hands.
"I want you to know Amelie...that no matter what happens. No matter which one of you wins this fight..."
He leaned in and kissed me deeply.
"I will always love you. And I'll always be right here."
He placed his hand over my heart, which was beating wildly. Somehow, his words poured courage into me as I nodded. He smiled, evidently happy that I was no longer afraid. He stood aside before nodding.
"Show her that you're not afraid anymore."
After letting go of his hands, I closed my eyes and focused, bringing myself into the endless white room. Sure enough, Widowmaker was already there waiting for me, knife in hand. I clenched my fists.
"Oh? Trying to be brave are you?" You have no idea how foolish you are little girl..."
I took a fighting stance as she came at me. I did my best to block and dodge as many of her strikes as I could. At some point in the flurry, I managed to knock the knife out of her hand. Once she realized she was no longer armed, she came at me with even more ferocity. It became difficult to keep up with her so I began to fire back. After dodging several of my punches, she fired a kick that looked a little clumsy. That was my chance.
I caught her leg and swept her to the ground. However, she reacted almost instantly, grabbing onto my arm and throwing her other leg up over my neck. I hit the ground and soon, she had my arm completely at her mercy in a hold. The pain soon began to flood my body and I knew if I didn't act soon, she'd snap my arm. I pushed against the ground as hard as I could, managing to free my arm by overpowering her grip. I immediately straddled her, pinning her arms to the ground as she tried desperately to get free.
"YOU'RE NOT LOCKING ME AWAY AGAIN! I WILL BE FREE!"
As if a new burst of strength entered her body, she shoved me off of her before springing to her feet. She ran towards me again, continuing the previous onslaught...but something was different...as if she was attempting to fight out with reluctance rather than confidence. She suddenly managed to land a palm strike to my chest, knocking the wind out of me and sending me to the ground. She then pinned me down with her foot...but it was then that I noticed her face.
"...She's crying?...Again?..."
Though her face was filled with anger and hatred, tears were streaming down her cheeks and her eyes were red. In a fit of what I saw as anger, she dropped to the ground, pinning me to it with her legs as she began to rain down punches. Initially, the blows hurt...but after a while, each hit got progressively softer until finally, they were mere taps. I sat up, now realizing that she didn't intend to kill me at all. All this time...she really was trying to protect me. Though she didn't handle it the way I would've liked, the fact remained that I was still alive.
"Killing should be a last resort...now it all makes sense to me Aiden..."
I was never her enemy. I was never the reason why she was angry...
She just wanted to keep me safe. She suffered the brainwashing in my stead...she lived for over a decade as an assassin for hire all because I was too weak to fend for myself.
She always cared about me...
"...I'm sorry for locking you away." I said.
"NO. DON'T YOU DARE APOLOGIZE. THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME."
She tried in a futile effort to strike me again, but the emotions had overwhelmed her so much that her strike felt like a child's touch. She began to break down in my arms...so I did the only thing I could think of.
I hugged her.
She flinched for a moment in my grasp.
"I'm not making any excuses...what I did was horrible and wrong...I should've been stronger from the start." I said.
Her tension increased, but she made no move to hurt me, instead completely frozen in my arms.
"You were the one who was there for me. You saved me from a horrible fate...and even though you did all those terrible things, I can't blame you because you were doing what I created you to do: to protect and care for me."
She softened, now allowing herself to relax in my arms.
"I didn't mean to throw you aside...it was a horrible thing for me to do...can you forgive me?"
I got my response when she pushed her head into my chest and began to cry.
"I...I'm so sorry...I...I didn't want to kill Gerard...but it was either him or you...and no matter what...I will choose you every single time."
I hugged her even tighter.
"I know...thank you...thank you for protecting me." I whispered.
She broke down completely after a few more seconds, now clinging to me as if I were the only thing keeping her from falling into a pit of despair.
"You gave me a second chance at life...a chance at finding something normal despite everything that's happened. I can't thank you enough Widowmaker...I truly can't."
I started crying as well; I began to feel her pain as if it were my own.
Several moments passed as we both cried in each other's arms...and then the room returned to my bedroom. The room that I locked myself in. Widowmaker got off of me, offering me a smile as she helped me to my feet. She looked down at the floor before sighing.
"I didn't mean to cause so much trouble...but it's been difficult to maintain my sanity since Talon did what they did to me." she explained.
I nodded in agreement as we took a seat.
"Why were you going to kill Aiden?" I asked.
"Because I didn't want the same thing to befall you and Aiden. I was trying to prevent you from getting too attached to him because you and I both know what this line of work will do to us...inevitably, someone is going to get killed. And I don't want you to experience that kind of pain...you can't bear that kind of pain...but I can."
I shook my head.
"This can't continue. We have to find a compromise." I said.
She looked at me, her yellow eyes now genuinely curious.
"What do you propose?...Should I remain in my cage so I will no longer be a danger to anyone else?"
The idea sounded appealing at first, but then I realized that there was no way I could live without her. She was everything that I wasn't...she was the one who was capable of killing others without a second thought. She possessed a bravery that I would never acquire no matter how hard I try. She was the majority of my true strength.
I shook my head, causing her to flinch in shock.
"...Even after all I've done...you don't want to lock me away?"
"No. You're a part of me. My other half...locking you away would not benefit either of us." I replied.
She then sighed deeply before looking at her arm tattoo.
"...I didn't want to do any of what Talon ordered me to. I just wanted us to be safe...to be away from all of the killing. How can you believe that having me free is a good idea?"
"Because we cannot live without each other."
I scooted closer to her before placing a hand on her cheek.
"You are able to do things that I could never do...you complete me. So no, I'm not locking you away. Not again."
"But how can you be sure I won't lose control again? I may be fine now...but my rage is uncontrollable once I snap. I'm liable to kill anyone...even Aiden."
I got to my feet before shaking my head.
"I'm sure because we're not living as separate entities. We'll work together." I explained.
She seemed even more confused.
"I'm not understanding what you mean Amelie...how can we work together?"
"You and I both know that I'm not capable of killing others in cold blood, not to mention that you're far more skilled at combat than I am...then there's your inability to feel fear. I need that until the day that we truly find peace...so we'll share." I suggested.
Her eyes widened, now genuinely interested.
"The only condition is that you don't seize control of my body anymore. We talk about it before anything is done...from now on, we'll consult each other on any decision that we make. We're doing all of this together...do you understand?"
She smiled at me before nodding slowly.
"You better start being less of a coward. Or I'll have to beat it into you."
I smiled at her before nodding.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
She hugged me once more and much to my astonishment, she leaned away and gave me a genuine smile.
"You have someone waiting for you...I just hope that he's still alive."
My eyes widened immediately.
"What do you mean...still alive?"
"You were unconscious for fifteen minutes...and I was so angry...so I tried to..."
My vision suddenly went completely white...
~ o ~
My eyes fluttered open and I realized that I was in a chair. I leaned up to see that I had collapsed on a bed. After drawing in a much needed breath, I looked around.
"No...I'm in Aiden's room..."
I then felt something in my hand...and I opened it only to gasp in horror.
"No...no please no..."
In my hand...was a syringe that had a label that read:
Potassium Chloride.
I nearly screamed in terror as I looked at Aiden, who wasn't moving at all. I rushed to his side, examining his body in a frantic attempt at seeing if he was still breathing.
"No...No please...Aiden..."
I began to cry profusely as I rested my head against his chest.
"No...Aiden...don't leave me...please..."
I continued to sob loudly, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.
"...I'm sorry cherie...I truly am...I injected the solution into his IV bag and by now he has to have passed away..."
"Why couldn't I be strong?...Why did I have to rely on him for so much...why did I have to be so weak..."
"...Amelie? Are you okay?"
My eyes immediately widened and I looked up towards the bedhead. I couldn't believe that his eyes were open...and I had to mentally stab myself in order to believe that I wasn't dreaming.
"...Aiden?!" I gasped.
He smiled and nodded before looking towards the IV bag next to his bed. He then looked down at his wrist. Much to my surprise, the needle that was pumping blood into his veins was removed.
"...I thought something was wrong when you shot the assassin...and I was awake when I saw you come into the room. The moment I saw a syringe in your hand, I slid the needle out of my wrist when you weren't looking." he explained.
I immediately slammed a fist into his chest, but he didn't even flinch at the blow.
"Don't you dare scare me like that again...ever..." I screamed.
He sat up before pulling me into his arms.
"I...I wasn't sure if you were yourself...I'm sorry." he said.
I leaned away from him to see that he was smiling at me.
"How do you feel?" I asked.
"Fine. I guess the transfusion did the job." he replied.
I sighed deeply in relief before I immediately pressed my lips to his. He kissed back for a few seconds before leaning away.
"Is everything okay?" he asked.
For once, with certainty...I nodded.
"Yes...I think everything finally is."