Gabriel watched as interns and anyone in between began to haul crates of expensive technology into the large cargo ship near the back of the hangar. The plan was for the five of them to arrive in Italy a few days before the cargo ship as to not raise suspicion; however, the team decided it was best to begin packing now to lessen their chances for error. The way the horde of people worked, he noted, looked like a machine; a single unit that completed a task perfectly without ever stopping or slowing down. A few brought mounds of boxes in on trolleys, to which another group responded to immediately, hauling said boxes into the ship and allowing yet another crowd of people to perform their designated task. It was almost fascinating to watch.

"Excuse me," a mechanical voice said, followed by a tap on Gabriel's shoulder. He flipped around and came face-to-face with Genji. "I haven't seen Moira at all this morning; are you sure she's preparing?" He furrowed his brow at the cyborg's words. Has she forgotten? He assumed because she was Moira, a woman who never slept, never forgot, and never stopped working, he wouldn't have to bang on the door like he did with Jesse or remind her their flight was today like he did with Jesse. "I'll see what's going on," he told him, "thanks for the heads-up."

"Of course, Boss."

Thankfully, the hangar was on the ground floor, along with the lab and workshop. However, despite not having to trek down flights of stairs to reach elevators that led to flights of stairs, the laboratory was the farthest room from the hangar. There was still no escaping the Jog to Moira's Room.

Once Gabe's destination had been reached, he hit his knuckles against the great metal doors a few times over. "Hey Moira?" he called, and when there was no response, he called again, this time at a much higher volume. "Moira, you there?"

Silence.

He punched in the random string of numbers he now knew so well and entered, looking around as the doors closed behind him. She wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Moira?" he sounded for the last time. As the hissing from the doors receded and the room quieted, he overheard an odd sound coming from the additional wing of the lab. Curiously, Gabriel stepped closer to the back of the room, noticing that the door that led to the second half was left open, the opening too narrow for him to see from afar. Another thing he realized as he neared the door (ironically) was that the strange sound he heard was...snoring? Was-

Was that Moira?

No...

No, Moira was too good for snoring.

Lo and behold, as he pushed open the door, lying on the small wrap-around couch in the corner of the room, clad in a tank-top and black leggings, sleeping peacefully on her side, was Doctor Moira O'Deorain. She was, quite frankly, the loudest snorer Gabriel has ever heard in his forty-eight years of existence.

He strode over to her resting place, keeping his eyes off her exposed cleavage out of respect, and gently shook her shoulder. "Moira, you got to get up." Her snoring ceased shortly after, and she swatted his hand away with a displeased whine. "We're leaving for the airport at around 17:00. You need to get your stuff ready."

"I already have," she explained drowsily, keeping her eyes shut. "My luggage is in the trunk of the car."

"Of course it is," he sighed. "Why did I think otherwise?"

"Why did you think otherwise?" She rubbed the corners of her eyes. "I'm not going to be able to fall back to sleep now." She sat up, pulling her long legs close to her chest, and finally opened her eyes, gazing up at him with an annoyed stare. "Sorry," Gabe admitted sheepishly, "I had to make sure." She exhaled through her nose and adjusted her shirt. "I understand." The woman stood and walked past him, yawning into her hand as she did so. "I apologize for the way I look. You shouldn't have to see me like this."

"Oh, I don't care," he told her. "We all wear pajamas, you're not the only one."

"I feel as if my boss shouldn't have to witness me in nightwear."

"Moira, I really don't give a shit. You're fine." She glanced over her shoulder before walking into the main section of the laboratory. "As long as you don't mind," she called.

As Gabriel caught up with her, he noticed her picking up a neatly folded outfit from the edge of the elongated desk. He mustn't have realized it was there. Moira turned to look at him and made a gesture with her finger. "I need to change." He stepped out of the doorway and granted her access, herself pulling the door shut as she crossed the threshold.

"I've gotten a lot better at that fade thing since the last time you saw," he boasted to her in an attempt to start conversation.

"I would hope so," she replied, her voice slightly muffled by the door. "That was horrific."

"Listen, I was just starting out, cut me some slack here."

"I'll think about it." There was that sense of humor. He knew it was in there somewhere, he just had to find it.

"Again, I apologize for the way your body reacted to the serum. I didn't expect it to turn out the way it did."

"No worries, Doctor, I could do the same things you could, just a bit slower."

"I'm glad you have such a positive outlook on things."

"I try my best."

She eventually stepped out in her new attire, the clothing she wore previously now completely missing. Where she put it, Gabriel wasn't sure, but he didn't care enough to ponder on it.

"How long will we be staying in Rome?" Moira questioned as she walked towards the entrance to the lab, throwing on a pair of sandals located beneath the desk in the process.

"It depends on the way things turn out," he replied as he walked alongside her.

They traversed the ground floor in silence, Gabe abruptly pausing as they neared the hallway that lead to the hangar. Moira's stride also came to halt. "What is it?"

"Where're you heading to?"

"I was going to finish getting ready." He assumed that meant she was walking to her bedroom. "After you're done, come down to the hangar. We could use the extra help."

"Of course, Commander," she smiled, and with that, turned on the heel of her foot and continued down her path.

"Eat something while you're at it," he added as an afterthought, "we're going to be busy for a while." She nodded and yawned. "Alright." He watched the back of her head for a few seconds longer before making his way to the hangar.

Upon his arrival, Gabriel noticed Genji and McCree conversing near the entrance. The two lifted their heads as they recognized his presence. "You find her, Boss?" Jesse questioned. He nodded. "She already has all her stuff in the car."

"Figured that was it. 'Moira' and 'slacking off' don't go hand-in-hand."

"Is she coming to assist us?" Genji looked up at Gabe as he spoke.

"Yeah. I told her to eat before she gets here, though. Lord knows she doesn't need to lose anymore weight." The Asian man nodded at the Commander's explanation.

The next hour or so was spent picking boxes up and putting boxes down. Somewhere in that timespan, he noticed Moira had entered the mix, more often than naught muttering angrily to herself in that second language a small portion of her country spoke. Irish Gaelic, right? Jesse had commented at one point that the way the words were pronounced made it sound as if she were trying to "hack up a loogie." It earned a laugh from Gabriel, (un)ironically.

Soon enough, it came time for the five to hurry to the airport. Gabe adjusted the bag slung over his shoulder and mad haste for the stairs that lead to the lobby. They were on their way to Italy for classified, serious matters; however, he couldn't help but imagine (just for a few seconds) that this was something a bit more normal. Perhaps he was taking a trip to Venice with his friends for no other reason then to enjoy himself. Perhaps there wasn't suspicious activity going on, and perhaps he didn't have to disguise his teammates as a waiter and bartender. Perhaps they were attending that party for fun. Perhaps they didn't run the risk of getting shot and killed there.

He returns to reality, however, and none of those innocent fantasies are true.

He wouldn't want it any other way, though.

Blackwatch did whatever it took to make sure justice was done. Every member (including himself) would heroically give up their life for the people around them. Except for Moira, maybe, he thought, snickering to himself. Moira may not carry with her the chivalrous tale the rest did.

Gabriel eventually made it to the stairs and examined the four awaiting his arrival in the lobby as he descended. Each person carried some form of luggage around their shoulders. Jesse was the first to notice his boss trekking over to the join the group. "About time you showed up."

"Come on, how long were you waiting?" Gabe asked exasperatedly.

"An entire, treacherous five minutes," Gerard chimed in sarcastically.

"Nah, I'd say it was about an hour," McCree joked. Lacroix playfully backhanded his shoulder. "Oh, quiet."

"I thought we were men, not boys," Moira's low voice sounded above everyone's heads. Gabriel rolled his eyes at the entire situation and began walking towards the turnstiles. "Come on, I'm starving over here."

The car was located at the beginning of the facility's parking lot. There was an unspoken rule (apparently) that the Commander was to drive.

"Ladies first." McCree gestured to the passenger seat.

"I go first regardless," Moira smirked.

"Well, there's my daily dose of narcissism," he huffed in response, looking genuinely offended. The Doctor laughed. "I'm joking, Cowboy."

"You better be." The tall woman stepped inside, Jesse and Genji mimicking her actions as Gerard and Gabriel went around to the other side of the vehicle. "Guess I'll drive?" Gabe suggested.

"You're the commander, you have to drive," said Gerard, stepping into the vehicle. More eye-rolling ensued shortly thereafter.

The drive to the airport was a rather quiet one for reasons he was unsure of. Normally, Jesse would be talking up a storm, followed by Genji's pleas for silence and Gerard's quips if he were present. It wasn't as if missions like these were new; why become so apprehensive all of a sudden? He deduced the reasoning was that everyone was utterly exhausted from the amount of work that required completion this morning. Since then, not one member of their small group has had time for a break. The entire Secret Ops Division ran around like headless chickens, checking and double-checking to make sure everything was in perfect order. Gabriel himself was feeling the effects of the pandemonium, and the hunger he was experiencing didn't help his situation. "Could we all agree that the moment we get a chance, we're going to find a place to eat?" he asked the team. The question was met with a collective yes and an oh, hell yeah from Jesse.

And so, once they passed security, the hunt began.

The airport itself was so loud and so crowded, Gabe could barely hear himself think. He was a taller man, and thusly, being able to read the various signs and logos didn't prove to be too difficult. The food offered at the various small eateries wasn't extravagant: pizza, burgers, wings, all items akin to takeout food. Eventually, he spotted a shop that boasted hoagies and subs on a white sign. What really caught his attention, however, was that glass walls encased the tables and counters and not the usual black ropes he's seen so far. "You guys up for hoagies?" he yelled over the thousands of others speaking.

"It has walls," Moira pointed out. "It's perfect."

"I agree with that," Gerard seconded.

The group scooted, shoved, and excuse me'd their way to the small shop. As Genji opened the door, Gabriel was hit with a gust of cool air, and only when he stepped inside did he realize how hot the airport was. His arms became covered in gooseflesh as he moved out of the doorway. The sounds from outside weren't completely silenced, but it was the quietest his surroundings were going to get until the next hour passed.

Jesse, Moira, and Gerard relocated themselves to the counter to order, and Genji sat at a booth, setting his duffel bag beside him, awaiting the rest of the bunch. He received a few glances but didn't seem to notice, and if he did, he couldn't care less. Gabe sighed, indifferent to his friend's odd situation, and headed towards the counter.

"Thank you," said Moira as she left with her food, consequently giving up her spot in line to him.

"How may I help you, Sir?" the omnic working the counter had asked. He explained his order (just ham and cheese, nothing else) and watched as the sentient machine carefully picked up and placed each deli product, bringing his request to life. Nonchalantly leaning on the counter, Gabriel glanced back and saw the Infamous Trio in one booth and Moira at a table far away from said booth. The sight made him smile. That's Moira for you, he thought.

He received his food and paid, then decided to share his company with the person who adored everyone and made everyone's day a whole lot better just by being there. "Not sitting with the rest of the group?" Gabe interrogated O'Deorain. The woman raised an eyebrow. "Are you wondering why?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that was a bad question."

"It was a horrible question." Her disgust dripped from her lips as he unwrapped his hoagie from its confines. "Once you get to know him, Jesse isn't so bad."

"You mean to say, once you've learned how to tolerate him, he isn't so bad."

"I guess I do mean that, yeah."

The two ate in silence for a while, Moira glancing out the window every now and again. Meanwhile, he racked his brain trying to come up with an interesting topic to discuss with her.

"So, you came straight from Ireland to here?" he finally asked, not entirely sure where he was going with it.

"I have," she answered plainly.

"Did any family come with you? Because that's a long way away if they didn't." She shook her head. "I don't have any family alive." Gabriel felt the blood rush to his ears. "Shit, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"It's fine, Reyes. I didn't care for any of them." He decided not to ask her what that meant.

"Have you any family?" Moira questioned him, catching him off guard.

"Nah, no one's around anymore. No friends, no girlfriend, just the idiots in behind us."

"How unfortunate."

He laughed. "Yeah. And what about you? Any boyfriend, girlfriend...?" He had a sinking feeling he already knew the answer.

"I've never been in a relationship," she told him. Gabe's eyes widened.

He wasn't expecting that.

"Really? Never?"

"I never have."

"So you've never looked at someone and thought 'wow, I want to kiss that' ?" She had a sheepish grin on her face. "Perhaps I can't say that."

"Just never acted upon it?"

"Well," Moira paused, "a long, long time ago, I focused on relationships and dating and things of the sort. I would develop feelings, but the men I developed feelings for never reciprocated. As time went on, I started to focus more on my work and less on such stupid antics. Soon, it became something of the past."

"Yeah?"

She presented him with smirk. "You seemed surprised at first, Gabriel."

"Well, I don't know, I never heard that before."

"I suppose there is great difficulty in finding a virgin these days. I guess I shouldn't fault you for reacting the way you did." He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, hurry up and eat."

"I could say the same to you, Commander."

"Yeah, yeah," he joked.

Gabriel saw her raise her eyebrows out of his peripheral as he watched the hoards of people through the glass. Some of them were heading to Venice, he thought.

Some of them were heading to Venice.