She wasn't in the lab.
Gabriel sighed, beyond frustrated and beyond nervous, and retraced his steps, running back up the stairs and through the various rooms of the base. Of course she disappears when he needs her the most.
Of course.
Everyone he came across was asked the same question: have you seen Moira? Their response (no, I haven't) was usually accompanied by either odd looks or comments on his eyes, neither of which he had time to offer a reply to.
He turned a corner and was met with Gerard stepping into an elevator. "Wait, wait!" Gabe called, and the French man held his hand against the doorframe, preventing it from closing. Once inside, Gerard commented, "You're in a hurry." The Commander pressed the number that would take him to the Dining Hall, and the doors shut as the elevator began to move upward. "Have you seen Moira anywhere?" he asked desperately, breathless from his lap around the entirety of the base. The fair man shook his head. "I haven't, Gabe."
"Ah, shit," Gabe breathed. The two rode in silence for a moment before Gerard asked, "Eh, were your eyes always green?"
"No, and they're not red, or blue, or grey, or whatever fucking color they decide to switch to. That's why I need to find Moira." Frenchie nodded slowly, and after that, wouldn't seem take his eyes off his hysterical friend. "That seems like a predicament."
"You're telling me."
"At the very least, this may put everyone's suspicions to rest." Gabriel furrowed his brow. "What?"
Gerard laughed. "Let's just say McCree and Cadette Oxton like to poke fun at you."
"What does that mean?" There was a light ding above their heads, and the doors opened. "I'll see you around, Gabe," Frenchie stepped out and waved.
"Hold on a minute!"
"Goodbye!"
"Oh, come on, you ass," he joked, and Gerard laughed as the doors shut once more. Gabe leaned against the back of the small box. McCree and Oxton like to poke fun at you. What did that mean? Did they think him and Moira were friends with benefits? Did they think the reason he frequented that lab was because they were together?
Whatever, he sighed. Let them think what they want; he had more pressing matters on his mind, he couldn't worry about Jesse and his cohort, of all people.
The door opened upon its arrival to Gabe's desired floor. Cool air engulfed him as he stepped out into the hallway, the large entrance leading to the Dining Hall straight ahead. He trekked over slowly, listening to the distant conversations being held. It was still early in the morning, the drowsy members of Overwatch and Blackwatch, half of which didn't bother to change out of their nightwear, trying to revive themselves with pancakes, waffles, and coffee. The enticing scents that wafted from the compound's cafeteria caused his stomach to clench with hunger. The room itself was noticeably warmer, most likely due to the baking taking place and collective body heat. If he closed his eyes, the setting would become so calming. He could almost forget they were practically at war.
Now wasn't the time to get sentimental, however.
Gabriel glanced around and (thanks to all that is holy) spotted Moira near the small island in the back corner of the room. She has to get her tea, he laughed to himself as he walked over to her. It can't be coffee, it has to be tea. Not much to his surprise, as he walked into her general vicinity, he found her lifting a kettle off the small electric stove built in between the island's cabinets and pouring steaming water into a mug. Next to her sat a plate of two pancakes, each adorned with syrup and slices of banana, and a glass a water.
"Hey, I need to ask you something," he sounded as he neared her. The woman didn't lift her head as she popped open a ceramic jar filled to the brim with multiple types of tea bags and fished out the kind she desired the most. "What is it, Gabriel?" She finally looked to him, and her face contorted into something akin to confusion. He laughed nervously. "That's 'it.'" Moira set the contents of her hand down and stepped closer to him. "Blink," she ordered.
He blinked.
"And again."
And again.
"When did you notice this?"
"About a half-an-hour ago."
"And are you experiencing vision loss or headaches?"
"Well, not now," he muttered.
"Then you should be fine." Gabe was at a loss. "You're saying this is normal?" She nodded and set the small, mesh container of crushed tea leaves into her mug, letting the string hang over the side as she watched the bag sink to the bottom. "This was an unlikely side effect, but a possible one nonetheless. It should cause no problems."
"Will it go away?"
"Not unless I develop a cure for it. I'm unable to do that as of now, though. I'm focusing on your progress as well as Blackwatch's upcoming trip to Italy."
"So basically, my eyes are going to be crazy for the rest of my life?"
"Unless I intervene, yes." Gabriel sighed, blowing the steam rising from the cup of tea out of existence for a whole second. At least it was harmless.
Moira set her mug alongside the cakes on her plate and picked up the latter as well as her cup of water, muttering excuse me as she walked past him. He followed her with his gaze. "Where you going?"
"Back downstairs," she replied, not looking back.
"Why don't you stay?" His offer made her pause and turn to face him. "What for?"
He shrugged. "I'm staying. We could talk."
"About what?"
"About anything."
"I have a lot of work that needs to get done, Commander." He paused, thinking over his answer. "You ever hear of a break?"
"Traveling up here and spending time putting together a breakfast was my break." She smirked in response to his confused frown. "I'll see you around. Come to me if you need anything." With that, she hurried her ass out of the cafeteria and presumably into the elevator. Gabriel was almost positive that wasn't healthy, but he didn't feel like arguing with her. The last thing he needed was to get on the-person-whom-he-owed-his-wellbeing-to's bad side.
He quickly put a meal together and walked over to join Jack and Angela. Sitting across from the two, he muttered a joyful hi and dipped a piece of toast in the yolk of an egg. "What happened to your eyes?" Jack questioned, and the two blondes adorned their faces with concerned looks.
"Moira," Gabe put simply, chomping down on the food item he held in his hand.
"What does that mean?" Angela chimed in. "Is that why you were always missing?"
"You better start talking," Morrison threatened. The air was no longer tranquil, and the man felt anger stir in the pit of his stomach. "I had a few things going on, as you know, and she took those things and, essentially, improved upon them."
"By screwing with your eyes?" the Strike Commander pondered.
"No, that was a side effect."
"Then what did she do?" asked Angela.
"You'll see."
"Did you consent to this?"
"Yeah, we had an agreement."
"An agreement? You were planning something behind our backs?" Jack questioned angrily.
"Listen," Gabriel snapped in a stern voice, "what I do with my team is my business."
"I'm the Strike Commander, it's my business too. And I'm not allowing any more of this transpire."
"Everything is already complete. We kept this on the down-low because I knew this is how it would be met." Morrison's brow furrowed as he paused. "Can I trust you, Gabe?" The Black Ops Commander glanced at Angela, who had a look of genuine disappoint in her bright blue eyes, and then back at the man ahead of him. "You can trust me." Jack grabbed his dirtied dishes and stood, looking down at his rival-of-the-day. "God, I hope so." He walked away, not once glancing back. A moment later, Angela mimicked his actions. "Please be safe," she murmured to him. "I care for your wellbeing just as much as anyone else's." She left, rendering Gabriel completely alone.