Enraptured in Ice Ch. 7
AN: Hey everyone, I wanted to take a moment to respond to one of the reviews I received on the story yesterday. Crispin van Damn left a very nice and well-detailed review raising some issues and giving some praises. Normally, I'd do these responses in private messages, but he's a lurker so this will have to do. Thank you so much for your feedback, Crispin. You've actually helped me to see a few patterns in my writing that even I hadn't noticed. The thing you need to know about me is that I'm overly critical of my own work. When I first started writing ABAHF, I didn't want Kal to seem like the Mary Sue typical character, so my first reaction was to show off his flaws. This kind of backfired in that it made him seem to have very few positive features. But, moving on to Dan. While I didn't intend on officially stating it in the story, it's imperative to know that Dan is not just bad at social cues, he has Asperger's Syndrome (a subset of Autism). As some may know (from reading Manifesto or talking to me), it's something that I myself struggle with, and actually I work at a school for kids who have social troubles and sometimes ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). The thing is that very often Asperger's goes undiagnosed because from the outside, you can't always tell. They'll be strange or do weird things (think Sheldon from Big Bang Theory), and you can tell the logic is there, but at the same time they still have trouble. The reason I'm explaining this is because I don't think that I correctly captured his complete social dysfunction as well as I'd hoped. To put it frankly, he doesn't understand why his confession weirded Mei out, regardless of the fact that most people would realize it was far too soon to be throwing out heavy words like 'love'. Now I'm not going to go into any major spoilers for the story, because I'm sure I'd get a crap ton of hate mail for that, but let's just say that Talon has a plan and Dan is just unlucky. Ending that there. Anyway, a typical trait of someone with Asperger's is that they struggle with labeling and explaining their own emotions. This can be frustrating which is why sometimes you'll see a child with Autism have what we call a 'meltdown'. Dan's case is a bit more mild, so his 'meltdowns' come out in a different way. Rather than a violent explosion at a slight provocation, he keeps it in and it builds up into things like depression, self-doubt, general bitter resentment, etc. The reason why you see everyone, so to speak, shitting on Dan isn't because they're just being assholes to him. The ones who actually know him (i.e. Tracer, Mercy, Winston) know that he has a propensity of not thinking through the ramifications of his actions. For example, him reviving Mei instead of just waiting for Mercy or his make-shift EMP with no thought as to what would happen next. His solutions tend to be quick fixes and patch jobs rather than long term treatments. Mercy sees him like a son, so she's not trying to be a bitch, she's trying to teach him to think before he acts. Tracer being his friend, is very protective of him, so she struggles with letting him make his own decisions because she knows that he'll often get hurt if he does. Again, not going to go into major spoilers, but Mei is starting to pick up some of the traits of the other two women. She likes Dan, he's her friend, and she's worried about D. Va. manipulating him because she 'knows' he'd fall for it. As for that pattern in my other stories, it really just boils down to this: I get along more with girls than I do with guys. I won't go too far into lemons. If people want to read more about my personal stuff with lemons, they can read Manifesto, because discussing it here would take waaay too long and I've already spent enough time as it is on this Author's Note, not that I mind. Again, thank you so much for your review. You are a huge help in giving me some things to work on with my writing. Without further ado, Chapter 7. Please enjoy. -Kiba
"Oh shit…" Dan muttered, immediately getting up from his queen bed in the hotel room. Hana, who had decided to stay in his room, watched him with an impatient huff. "What happened?" he asked, holding up a finger to her to indicate he'd explain when he was done. "Y-yeah. I'll be there. I'll let you know when I have a ticket." Hanging up his phone, he let out a sigh before collapsing on to the bed. "Could today possibly get any worse?" he groaned.
"Any worse?" D. Va. huffed. "This should be the best day of your life. I mean seriously, am I roadkill or something?"
"Mei collapsed," Dan explained. "They said they need me to go back to Gibraltar to help treat her. I still don't know why you said what you did on the phone."
"Said what?"
"You know what. 'Sorry Mei, this is what happens when you don't catch one of the good ones'? I told you how things were between us. Now she'll never want to talk to me again," he sighed.
Placing her hand on his chin, Hana turned him to face her, and not in a way that was exactly gentle. "Forget about her," she instructed, before realizing her tone and returning to her cutesy voice. "You've got me now, right? Besides, you said there was nothing between you two, so why should it matter to her if we're dating or not?"
"Why do you care so much?" he countered, tugging his chin from her hands. "You are world famous and we've literally known each other for one day. Are you in the habit of making men you've never met your boyfriend?"
"It's none of your business why I made you my boyfriend!"
"Seriously? That's the argument you're going to go with?"
"Hey," she grinned, "we're having our first argument as a couple." Her sudden declaration threw Dan off for a moment but he quickly shook himself out of it.
"Look Hana, you seem like a nice enough girl, but…"
"Nope."
"Sorry?"
"You can't break up with me. I forbid it." She folded her arms across her chest and crossed her legs with a smirk. "Sorry Dan, but not sorry. You're stuck with me."
"Yeah, I'm done playing this game with you," he grumbled, turning away from her and opening his suitcase. He began to pack away his things that'd he just unpacked before stopping and taking a deep breath in an attempt to try to calm himself.
Suddenly, he felt her arms slip beneath his to wrap around his chest before she nuzzled into his back. "I'm sorry if I did something to upset you," she said, the teasing tone in her voice gone. "Look, you don't get it, okay? I'm the prodigy. Everyone looks to me to be super awesome all the time and because of that guys don't tend to hang around me for long. That's why. Are you happy now?"
"You didn't upset me," he replied, staying completely still. Truth be told, he wasn't sure how to react to her sudden seriousness. "There's just too many factors right now and I can't trust you."
Turning him around, she looked as if she were about to cry, causing him to immediately regret what he said. "You don't trust me? But...why? I saved your life and...and...I spent the day with you," she stammered. "What did I do to make you not trust me?"
"Nothing!" he quickly answered. "Really, you've been great, it's not like that at all. It's just…"
"Just what?" she asked, starting to sniffle as she buried her face in his shirt. "Am I not showing you enough affection? Is it because I'm not pretty enough? What did I do wrong to make you want to break up with me?"
"Nothing," he repeated finally surrendering to her. "Look, I get what it's like to be seen for what you can do and not who you are, okay? That's the way I feel all the time. The only difference between us is, everyone sees me as the bottom rung. You're at least at the top. People admire you. People lecture me."
"What are you going to do about Mei?" she whispered, changing the subject.
"I have to help her. I"m going to finish packing and go to the airport. Once it's all said and done, they'll most likely send another agent to come observe you."
"No!" she quickly protested, causing him to be taken aback. "I don't want another agent, I want you." Walking over to her dresser she began to stuff her clothes into a duffel bag. "I'm coming with you."
"What? Hana…"
"Your job was to observe me, and as far as I'm concerned that is still your job. So if you can't stay here to watch me prove myself to Overwatch, I'll come with you and prove myself there."
"I don't think that's a good idea," he countered, but she didn't cease packing. Bending over to get something across the other Queen bed, Dan suddenly felt very flushed as her skin tight suit showed off her entire feminine figure.
Hana smirked as she made a show of her reaching. She could feel his eyes on her which meant that he was just about at the limit. He would take her with him, whether he liked it or not. All he'd need is just one last tiny push.
"Hana, are you listening to me?"
She turned towards him, walking up to him and wrapping her arms flirtatiously around his neck. Before he could react, she placed her lips against his, drawing him into a deep and sensual kiss as her hands tangled in his hair. When at last they parted, she placed one last playful kiss on his nose. "I'm coming with you," she repeated. "I'm your girlfriend, that means we support each other. I'm going to come with you and support you as you cure your friend. Please, you can't change my mind about this." As she spun away from him, he was left speechless, making her grin even bigger. Hook, line, and sinker. "Besides, if Talon attacks again, who's going to protect you? Now that you know your teacher swapped your bullets, are you going to use your gun again?"
The question managed to break him out his trance as he looked down at the pistol. He didn't want to touch it. He wasn't afraid to touch it, McCree had broken him of that during training. No, now he didn't want to touch it because it haunted him. Now, every time he held it in his hand, he'd see the corpses of men and women and imagine their families mourning over their loss. "Fine," he surrendered, throwing a towel over the gun before stuffing it into his case. "You can come with me. I'm sure everyone will love to meet you for themselves."
"If they're half as nice as you are, I'm sure you're right. Let me order the tickets, I can put a rush on things. You just finish getting packed then take a shower. You'll feel better when you're done."
"Yeah, yeah," he agreed. "I guess you're right. Thanks." Once Dan turned the corner and closed the bathroom door behind him, Hana let out the breath she'd been holding. Things were getting tense now. She'd be able to delay him tonight at least.
Looking at her holoscreen she ordered two first class tickets on the MEKA budget to Gibraltar for the next morning. There was technically a plane leaving that night, but she knew that her work with Dan wasn't done yet. She'd need one more night if she wanted to seal the deal before they went back. If he saw Mei, there was no telling what would happen and he could ruin the entire thing for her.
She needed someone on the inside of Overwatch, and it never hurt to have someone to dote on her either. There was only one thing left to do to ensure that the nail was driven into the coffin. Grasping the zipper on her bodysuit, she slowly worked to shed it from her body. Almost immediately the cool air caused her nipples to harden through her bra as she shivered.
She could still hear the water running as she slipped out of her underwear, discarding them to the ground, no longer needed. She pondered briefly the best way to tackle the issue before deciding on the classic. Laying sideways on the bed, she made sure that when Dan came out he would be able to see every bit of her body.
A wry grin formed on her lips. Now in the proper 'paint me like one of your French girls' pose, all she'd have to do is wait for him to lose his mind and ravage her. She was even willing to let him think he was the one in charge, at least for now.
As the door opened, releasing a cloud of steam, Dan stepped out, wearing only a pair of nylon shorts that he usually slept in. As he came into the room and his eyes fell on her, she slowly ran her hand along the curves of her body as if to show off the gift he was about to receive.
For ten seconds, he just stared at her, completely stunned. Without a word, he turned, walked to the other bed, and slid beneath the covers before rolling over away from her. She gave an impatient huff. This was ridiculous!
She couldn't believe she was actually having to do this. There wasn't exactly a sexy or cute way to seduce someone so...prudish. Climbing from her bed, she too slipped into his, sliding up against him. Her breasts pressed against his back, she pouted before whispering in his ear. "What's wrong? Do you not find me attractive?"
He said nothing, his body completely frozen, eyes staring straight at the wall. He could barely fathom what was going on. Hana began to trace small circles around his navel, as she tried to ensure that as much of her as possible was touching him.
"Dan?" she whimpered, already working up her crocodile tears. "Please speak to me, Dan. I don't want you to ignore me."
His lips parted as he tried to think of how to respond, but the best he could muster was "I'm not trying to ignore you. You're very attractive."
Thank God, she thought, a semi-relieved breath caressing his shoulder. Her other hand trailed downward, past its twin and even further to slip within the elastic waistband. Just as she expected, blood had already begun to pump through his engorged member. "Tell my I'm sexy," she breathed huskily. "Please?"
Dan swallowed nervously as her fingertips brushed against his dick. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he whispered back, "You're very sexy, Hana."
She smiled allowing herself an inner cheer. Wrapping her hand around his shaft, she slowly began to stroke it up and down, working it to full stiffness as her lips massaged his neck. "Does this feel good?" she purred. With every stroke, he'd be thinking less with his upper head and more with his lower one.
He nodded, his body now pressing back against her. Victory was hers. She'd won. Now, it was time for her to claim her prize. Releasing him briefly, she grasped his shoulders, pinning him on his back before easily straddling his waist with a smirk. Her lips roughly crashed against his as she kept him trapped beneath her with minimal effort.
He'd begun to kiss her back, his hands now running to trail along her outer thighs. All of her planning was coming to fruition as he grasped her hips, sitting up straight with her in his arms. She gave a soft moan into his kiss as she dragged her nails gently down his back. "You taste sweet," she commented when they separated. "I guess that only makes sense. You're sweeter than any other boy I've dated." Or at least you're more oblivious than any other boy I've dated.
"I...I'm new to this," he admitted. "I mean...we just met...and…"
She shushed him, placing a finger to his lips. "No talking," she stated. "I want you to just lay down and relax, okay? I'll handle everything. I want to show you how much you mean to me."
He nodded silently, allowing her to once again push him down on his back so that she could drape herself over him. She placed kisses all over his throat and neck, even gently nibbling on his earlobe.
His hands continued to roam her body, seemingly confused about where to rest or what to do. "Take off your pants," she instructed. He complied almost immediately, wriggling out of the shorts before tossing them into the abandoned pile beside them. "Good boy."
Placing one last peck on his lips, she began to slowly drag her body along his. Her hard nipples would run along his flesh, sending a tingling pleasure through both of them. Hana could already feel herself starting to get wet just in thought of what was to come, and as she slid back on him, it left a slick trail beneath her.
Rising up, she lowered herself slowly so her pussy lips wrapped around his shaft, pinning it against his stomach. As she began to gyrate her hips, she tilted her head back and gave a pleasured sigh. Her clit brushed against his glans, sending burning pleasure through her entire being.
At this point, she had him panting like a dog beneath her, unused to the amount of stimulation she was providing. Taking his hands in hers, she guided them to her chest, holding them there as she continued to grind against his cock.
Small mewls of pleasure spurred his primal drive onward, tangling him even more in her pleasurable web until finally, she moved to slowly allow his tip to spread her apart and slip inside of her. Her body felt feverish and warm as he filled her more and more, her chest rising and falling as she savored the look of sheer bliss in his eyes.
In this moment, Hana felt truly amazing. She was his goddess. In his mind, she knew, he was worshipping her every feature, begging her to allow him the satisfaction, nay the honor of being allowed to kiss her lips. To feel the brush of her skin beneath his fingertips. He belonged to her, body and mind, and she wouldn't let him slip from her grasp when she was so close to having her spot in Overwatch solidified.
A sharp moan escaped from her throat as his cock reached her cervix, sending waves of pleasure through her body. "Are you okay?" he asked, but she simply shut him up with another kiss before sinking herself further on to him.
Now that he knew she wasn't hurt, his arms wrapped around her to hold her against him. She hadn't been expecting that. She knew the premise of this encounter was meant to be a romantic one, but she hadn't actually expected him to show her intimate affection on his own initiative.
His lips found her throat as he traced up her spine. He was so gentle, Hana wasn't entirely sure what to do. So she chose to do nothing. She fell still in his arms, allowing herself to enjoy the affection he gave. He hadn't even noticed that she'd stopped it seemed. It felt nice, she admitted.
After a few moments, she gathered herself, placing a grateful kiss on his cheek before beginning again. This time, doubling her efforts to drive him insane. The fit gamer began to tighten her thighs around him in order to massage his cock with her inner folds. Tilting her head back, she placed her hands on her chest and bounced on his hips, her small body light enough that neither felt discomfort.
"H-hana…" Dan groaned, his breath growing ragged as he tried to control his own body.
"Do it," she pleaded. "Cum for me, please! I want to feel it!"
Sitting up, Dan embraced her, pulling her into an intimate kiss as their bodies seized up together, both of them cumming together before collapsing onto the bed in a state of bliss. She continued to press her lips back against him before finally parting with a smile.
"Wow…" Dan muttered, unsure of what else to say. As the two untangled themselves, he still tried to wrap his head around what had just occurred. However, once the bliss began to recede back into his mind, realization seized on him. "Please tell me you're on the pill," he mumbled, burying his face in the pillow.
"What? No, of course not. This is Korea, silly. We lock down men by tricking them into sex. Now you've no choice but to stay with me."
Dan sat up, covering his face with his hands before moved to sit in front of him before pulling them away. "I'm an idiot," he grumbled, averting his eyes from her.
"Dan. I was joking, lighten up. Yes, I'm on the pill and I'm not trying to trap you into marriage."
He turned beet red. Now he was even more embarrassed. "See? Idiot."
She chuckled before wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling against his neck. "Maybe, but you're my idiot," she teased before placing a sweet kiss on his cheek. "I bought us tickets for the earliest flight tomorrow morning. I know it's hard because you're worried about your friend, but we should get some sleep."
Dan smiled as she yawned cutely, laying her head on the pillow beside his. Turning off the lights, he also laid down next to her, the two cuddling together. "Hana, I'm really sorry I didn't trust you. I...I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me?"
Leaning forward she placed a kiss on his nose. "I forgive you, but only because you're cute. Also, as punishment, you have to be the big spoon."
"What?"
She let out a frustrated sigh. This was going to take getting used to. Grasping his hands, she pulled them around her and pressed her back against his chest. "There. Now you have to hold me like this until I fall asleep."
"That doesn't seem like a punishment," he whispered, snuggling against her.
"Good boy."
It wasn't long after that D. Va. had fallen fast asleep in his arms. Dan wasn't entirely sure what to do. When he tried to press closer to her, her hair would get into his mouth, and if he tried to pull back she'd stir as if she were about to wake up.
Closing his eyes, he tried to stay completely still hoping to fall asleep as he was, but soon he felt his hand brush against her exposed breast. She let out a happy breath, but did not wake. Curiously, he allowed his hand to rise once more, cupping one lightly.
In her slumber, she mewled happily, turning slightly to press against him more. He could scarcely believe that such a soft and frail-looking girl could be such a powerful fighter. Despite their recent love making, he desperately wanted to continue exploring her body, but...he also didn't want her to wake up.
She looked so serene and peaceful. He could tell that she was reluctant about her life. She carried on for her people, and now she wanted to join Overwatch, just like he did. Did she really have a sense of grander justice? Was she as attached to him as she claimed? He hadn't lied when he'd said he trusted her, but that didn't mean he still believed it.
As his thumb brushed against her nipple, she stirred, rolling over to face him, her eyes opening slightly. "Enjoying yourself?" she purred gently. Busted! Before Dan could stammer out an excuse, she pressed herself closer to him. "I don't mind. We have a thirteen hour flight tomorrow, I just figured you would be tired."
Letting out the nervous breath he was holding, he shook his head before kissing her once more. This time as he drew her close to him, his thigh slid between her legs. She allowed herself to take respite in his grasp, placing a hand over his where it massaged her breast.
Sucking on his lower lip, she nibbled it playfully before leaning further into him. This time as her lips parted, she was surprised to feel his tongue slipping between them. He was becoming bolder and more forward, and that excited her. However, she also knew she needed to maintain control, so after caressing his tongue with her own, she pulled away.
"Do you want to try something new?" she asked. Dan bit his lip anxiously before nodding. Rolling him on to his back, she lowered herself down his body, kissing and nibbling a trail from his throat, all the way until she reached his cock, now hard once again.
He lifted his head to watch her curiously, eager to see her plan, and as she wrapped her lips around his tip, he immediately began seeing stars. He gasped, his head falling back on the pillow as she slowly slid her lips up and down his member, her beautiful amber eyes never leaving his for a moment.
His hand ran through her soft hair, causing her to nuzzle against it with a playful wink. As she sank even lower on to him, she gave a quiet moan, leaving a glistening trail of spit on his flesh. If he wasn't hers to control before, he certainly would be now. Taking a moment to let his tip fall from her lips, she gave it an affectionate lap before moving to straddle his chest. If she was going to pleasure him, she wanted to make sure he would pleasure her too.
Crouching low to him, she arched her back to show off her bare pussy. Wiggling her hips she kissed the side of his shaft before sliding slowly back on to his chin. Shyly, he let his tongue run along her pussy lips. His hands gripped her hips, holding her steady as he tried to please her.
"Mmm, deeper," she moaned to him, pausing her affection to enjoy her new boyfriend's tongue. As Dan pierced her folds, he soon found that he could taste himself inside of her. Before he could pull away, she pressed down on to him. It was clear that she did not share his reluctance.
All it took was one lick on his sensitive tip and he soon became far more obedient. The two of them laid together that way, lapping and slurping at one another madly. Dan's hands massaged her breasts as she finally came again, drenching his mouth and chin. She panted excitedly before with one long suck, she too made him finish, much to her shock. Pulling from him, she coughed, rivulets of spunk trailing down her chin as she stuck out her tongue, clearly displeased.
"Dan!" she complained, "Next time, warn me before you cum! Sheesh!"
"I'm sorry," he murmured beneath her.
"Ugh...it tastes awful," she complained, standing up from him to get a glass of water from their sink. Following her into the bathroom, Dan frowned, leaning against the wall behind her. As she gargled the water, she looked in the mirror to see a look of shame in his eyes. After she spit, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before turning to face him. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I'm just really sorry I upset you," he whispered.
"You didn't upset me," she replied, "I just don't like it when guys cum in my mouth. It tastes gross and it feels weird and just...blech." Smiling, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "But I know you didn't know, so I'm not mad. Just in the future, don't do it again, okay?" He nodded to show he understood. "Good boy." Moving back to the bed, she sighed contently, slipping back beneath the covers. "Come on," she called. "I'm cold and you're supposed to keep me warm. We have to leave in a few hours for the plane."
Silently, Dan did as she asked, curling up beside her before they fell fast asleep together. He was glad she didn't hate him. He vowed he'd be far more careful from that point on to keep her happy.
The next morning, Dan awoke to the sound of Hana getting dressed. As his eyes opened, he was greeted by the same outfit she'd worn when they'd first met, complete with cap and shades. "Good morning," he yawned, stretching his arms. "Did you have sweet dreams?"
Shaking out her hair, she tossed him a set of clothes she'd removed from his suitcase. "Get dressed," she instructed. "Our flight leaves in less than an hour. Be glad that I'm here, otherwise you would have missed it."
Lifting the shirt she'd chosen, he looked to the bathroom. "Do I at least have time to take a shower?"
"Do you want miss our flight?" she countered, causing him to immediately fall silent. "Good answer. I took the liberty of picking something out for you. Now c'mon. Chop chop. We're in a hurry. The limo is waiting for us outside."
"Did...I do something wrong?" Dan asked, slipping his shoes on.
"No, why? Did you do something while I was asleep?"
"No, you're just being rather…" her eyes narrowed at him, daring him to finish the sentence, "impatient?"
"I'm not a morning person," she explained. "Are you done yet?"
"Yeah. Let's go." As he went to the door, she watched as he stooped down to grab her bags before opening the door for her.
As she brushed past him, his eyes went to the tray of mostly eaten food sitting just outside their hotel room. She'd ordered room service? How long had she been awake? Noticing his gaze, she frowned. "Oh, yeah...sorry about that. I figured you'd want to sleep in a bit more, so I didn't wake you. They said they'd bill it to the room, I hope that's not too much of a problem."
"No, no. Not at all," he quickly assured her. "I'll talk to Winston when I get back and explain. I'm sure he'll be okay with it, if not I'll cover it."
She smiled at him, stroking his cheek gratefully before moving past him towards the elevators. As they rode down, she pulled out a handkerchief before turning him towards her. "Here," she offered, licking it and rubbing his face. "You've still got cum on your chin."
"Th-thanks," he stammered, his cheeks turning a bright red. He'd really have liked to take a shower after their encounter. He still could feel the residue of sweat and grime on his body and it bothered him.
"Don't mention it," she responded, folding it up and placing it back in her pocket once she was done. As the doors opened, she led him out and into the car.
They rode together mostly in silence, Dan staring at her as she perched her chin in her hand boredly. "Hey, Hana…" he began, but she quickly interrupted him.
"I'm sure I don't need to say this, but I'd really appreciate it if you kept last night just between us," she stated. "It's not that I'm ashamed or anything, just that I've always felt like our private lives should be private. If paparazzi got a hold of it, they'd probably follow you everywhere and I don't want you to suffer because of something we did, you know?"
"Oh, yeah. No problem, I wasn't going to say anything. It's not like it's anyone else's business what we do, right?""
"Exactly. Now then, you were about to say something? Sorry, I interrupted."
"Oh, it's not important," he assured her, causing her to nod and turn back to look at the window. He moved to sit beside her, placing his hand on hers. "I just wanted to say, thank you for last night. I erm...really enjoyed it."
A smile crept on her face. "Good. I enjoyed it too. You weren't bad for your first time. That's okay though, we'll work on it. Together." Leaning in, she placed a kiss on his cheek just as the car began to slow. "Looks like we're here. Shall we?"
He nodded, getting their bags out of the trunk and following her through the terminal. It wasn't long before they finally were on the plane. Dan had never flown first class before, and he was amazed by how big the seats were. Sinking into the seat, he got settled and prepared for the long flight back to Gibraltar.
"You okay?" she asked with a giggle. "You look like a kid in a candy store."
"I'm just not used to being in such luxury," he answered, his hand moving to intertwine with hers. She smiled warmly at him with a nod, squeezing his hand back. "I mean it, Hana. Thank you for all of this. Things...things weren't great for me before yesterday. I'm really happy I met you."
"Me, too. Do you know what the best thing about first class is?" He shook his head. Drawing their curtain shut, the two of them now had complete privacy from the rest of the aircraft. "So long as we're quiet, we can do whatever we want," she purred to him. Lifting up the armrest that separated them she slid closer to hug him tightly. "Thirteen hours is a long time," she whispered in his ear. "Think you can keep me entertained?"
Tracer swiftly marched into the med bay, phone in hand. "That was Dan," she announced. "He says they just landed and that he'll be here soon. Has there been any change Mercy?"
"Her heart's swollen a bit more, but it's rate is the same as it has been. We can't afford to turn the staff off though, otherwise the swelling may cause it to rupture. Let's hope nothing goes wrong when Dan gets here."
The pilot frowned as she went to Mei's side. Staring down at her, she gently rested her hand on her bare shoulder. "She still hasn't shown any signs of waking up either?"
"No, she began to come out of it, but I quickly sedated her. If she were to wake up to find she was back in the med bay and that Dan was returning, it would risk another panic attack and then we'd really be in trouble." Just as she finished her explanation, she sniffed the air before turning to shoot a glare at McCree. "Jesse! Treat this as you would a hospital, please!"
"Sheesh, fine Doc," he grumbled, extinguishing his cigar on the bottom of his boot before tossing it in the trash. "I smoke when I'm nervous, can you blame me?"
"Yes," she replied, "Yes, I can."
Winston scaled the railings to come to their side. "Good news, Dan's arrived at the gates. I went ahead and opened them for him, but he's not alone."
"What?!" Tracer asked, grabbing her guns. "Does Talon really have to attack right this second?!"
"Easy there," the ape replied, using his massive arm to block her off before she went charging head first. "He's with Hana Song. I guess she convinced him to let her tag along. This is beneficial anyway, she'll be a good influence on Dan, I think."
Tracer sighed, holstering her guns. "Don't scare me like that big guy. You'll put me in a bed right next to Mei if you keep talking that way."
"Let me go get him prepped," Mercy suggested, moving past the two to soar across the base. Looking down, she saw the familiar shape of Dan and slowly descended to meet with him. "Dan, thank God you're here." Her eyes took in his slightly disarrayed clothes and hair before frowning at the two.
"Hello Doctor," he greeted back, bowing his head politely. "How is she?"
"Better now that you're here. Why didn't you come on the plane that was scheduled to come in last night?" she demanded. "Tracer said she told you how urgent this was."
"There wasn't a plane last night," he protested. "Hana checked and said that this morning's was the earliest. You know I would have come sooner if I could."
Mercy's sharp gaze went from Dan to the young girl beside him before she nodded over her shoulder. "What matters is you're here now. Let me show you where the controls are and I'll fill you in on the case notes. To make a long story short, Mei has a nanobot factory attached to her heart that's gone into overdrive. Your EMP would have knocked it out, but it instead made it start absorbing more electricity." Just as he was about to defend himself, she continued on. "I know you couldn't have known Dan, you're not in trouble. We don't have time for back and forth questions so I'm trying to give you as much information as we have in as little time as possible. Stay focused. We'll be sending in a nano probe that has an attached laser. Your job will be to pilot it remotely and detach, but not destroy the factory. If we can get it off her heart it will lose power and she'll be safe. Now her heart's swollen, so her BPM is through the roof and you can't blast all willy nilly or else it may send her into cardiac arrest. Do you think you can handle that?"
"Yes ma'am," he quickly replied. "Show me the controls."
As they swiftly moved through the base, Hana stayed on their heels looking around in awe. "So this is Overwatch," she murmured. "It's not at all like I'd have imagined it. I expected something more grand. Maybe something made of glass or steel."
"Gibraltar was a storage facility back in the old days," Dan replied. "It was one of the last ones available when the UN shut down our facilities. So, we have to try to stay off the radar or else we can be in big trouble."
"As far as I'm concerned, we're already in big trouble," Angela interrupted. "Now get in the chair and put on the headset. It'll give you your eyes from the Nanobot. It'll be a little hard to navigate at first, but we'll be feeding you directions. Okay?"
"Yes ma'am," he nodded, just as the doors opened, revealing everyone standing around the operating table. It was then that the pressure really began to settle over Dan. His time with Hana had managed to distract him from it, but now he could feel the self-doubt sinking in.
"You'll be fine, Dan," Mercy assured him, placing her hands on his shoulders and pushing him back into the leather chair. "It's going to be okay."
"Okay," he replied, taking deep breaths as the visor lowered around him. With a flicker, the screen activated to show that the probe was presently pointed downward at Mei's exposed chest. He took a sharp breath as visions from the previous night flashed in his mind. He quickly shook them away. Now wasn't the time! Wrapping his hands around the two joysticks that were on either side of the arms, he experimentally moved the probe within the syringe. "Testing movement diagnostics. Controls are fluid and active."
"Excellent," Mercy replied. "Beginning injection."
The camera went dark as she slammed the syringe hard through her chest, injecting the nanomachine directly into Mei's heart. Immediately the sensors went off, making Dan jump slightly in surprise.
"It's okay Dan, that's just the machine informing you that her heart rate suffered a very slight increase. It should stabilize now that the shock has worn off. What can you see?"
"I...ummm," he stammered, looking into the lenses. "I see a passage straight ahead that's shaped kind of like...well a heart."
"Okay, you're in the right atrium. Enter the tricuspid valve and move into her right ventricle. Be careful not to…" her words were interrupted by another alarm going off. "...hold open the valve. Get out of their quick Dan before it contracts again."
Barely managing to wriggle through before the heart pumped, Dan suddenly wished he had a heart monitor of his own on. His chest felt tight and he was having some difficulty breathing. "You can do it Dan," Hana whispered from beside him giving him a light peck on his cheek, causing his heart to race even more. More lewd images flashed into his vision as he tried to regain control of himself.
"Where to now, Doc?" he asked, his voice trying to remain stable.
"Look to your right. You should see some metallic anchors. Can you see them?"
His eyes scanned the viewer searching for them. "No," he replied. "I can't see anything. It looks completely intact."
"Then look harder," Mercy stated firmly. "You have to find the anchors that are keeping that thing attached to her heart. If it doesn't become dislodged we may have to perform open heart surgery and extract it that way, understand?"
"I...I don't…" he began to gasp as he tried desperately to find the anchors. His stomach was doing flips now and as all of the pressure began to get to him, his hands began to tremble fiercely. He couldn't keep the drone still.
"Here Dan, let me," Hana said, helping him from the chair. "These controls are just like MEKA's, so I'll be fine. You go ahead and get some fresh air. You don't need to be in here while we're doing this. I know your friend is on the line."
"O-okay," he murmured before turning and running out the door. Tracer went to go after him, but Jesse quickly held her arm and shook his head.
"Girl's right. We may have put too much pressure on him. It'd be hard for anyone to have to operate on a friend. The girl's got experience with controls, she'll be more help than him right now. Let him go."
Tracer jerked her arm away from Jesse before crossing her arms with a sigh. She didn't like this one bit.
Dan's feet pounded against the warehouse's stone floor before he fell to his hands and knees, taking in large deep breaths as he tried to get enough air in his body. He couldn't believe how badly he'd choked this time. Mei was counting on him, and he couldn't help her, all because he couldn't focus on her instead of Hana.
Meanwhile, within a nearby storage unit, a man was scavenging through the stripped remains of old Overwatch artillery. Somewhere in here, he knew he'd find what he was looking for. The grizzled old man had short white hair, the same cut he'd had since he'd first joined the military so many years ago. On his back was emblazoned the number 76.
He froze when he heard the sound of gasps coming from behind him, and he immediately grit his teeth, tightly clutching his pulse rifle. Had he already been made? No, his visor hadn't given any indication that they knew he was here.
Just as he went to move away, a small rocket clattered to the floor, causing him to curse under his breath. "Who's there?" Dan demanded, shakily, starting to stand. He'd left his gun in his baggage, but still he crept towards the warehouse anyway. "Hello?"
As he turned the corner, he was surprised to find the container completely empty. On the ground was a helix rocket, simply resting there. Carefully, he picked it up from the ground setting it back on the shelf. Leaning his back against the wall, he slid down with a sigh and buried his head in his arms. He'd failed them...again. He wondered where they'd send him now. Maybe they'd send him home or to some place far away where he'd just stay forever.
The grizzled old man silently clambered down from his hiding place in the corner of the container, slowly reaching for the rocket. His hand froze, however, when he heard Dan sniffling. Don't you do it, Jack. Don't do it. You're not a hero, you're just a soldier trying to do your job. You don't have to save every kitten in every tree, he thought to himself. However, his conscious won out as he tucked the rocket in his pack.
Sitting down beside him, he sighed. "All right son, why are you crying?" he begrudgingly asked.
Dan was taken aback by the sudden voice, causing him to recoil in shock. "Who are you?!" he demanded, reaching for anything to defend himself.
"Your fairy godmother. Does it matter? I could have shot you and I didn't, so don't make me waste my time playing twenty questions instead of helping your stupid ass. Now, talk!"
Dan's eyes fell to the jersey he wore and immediately he recognized the man. "You're that thief," he stated.
"Watch what you're accusing me of," he snarled.
"You're the one stealing all the Overwatch tech! The guy they call Soldier 76! Drop your weapons and surrender yourself."
He rolled his eyes before quickly striking Dan hard in the jaw. "Look kid, if you're going to threaten a man with a gun, you'd better have one yourself. There is nothing stopping me from putting a bullet in your skull."
"Go ahead," Dan snapped back, rubbing his jaw. "I'd rather be dead than fail Overwatch again."
"Fail Overwatch...are you dense? You haven't failed anything. Overwatch is the one who failed the world, kid. We were supposed to be heroes, and instead we decided to play around like a bunch of mercenaries. Well now look around you. Gangs run the streets of Mexico, are you going to help out there? No? Well then what about the all of the riots in Brazil? Oh you don't care about that either, do you? Seems to me like Overwatch has been failing more and more lately."
"Shut up!" Dan argued. "We can't handle everything, that's true, but we're doing our best! What would a thief like you know about being a hero anyway?"
76 took a deep breath, calming himself. "You're right kid," he admitted. "I'm no hero. Not anymore. Even still, old habits die hard. I'm offering you my help. Do you want it or not?"
"You can't help me," he shot back. "Not unless you are some miracle heart surgeon/engineer."
"You're a heart surgeon and an engineer?" the man asked skeptically.
"No, I'm not. That's the point. Right now, my friend is lying on a table dying and my girlfriend, who I just met for the first time yesterday is presently doing the job I should be doing, all because I choked on the pressure. God, Mercy must think I'm such a failure. She never should have asked me to do the stupid operation."
"Well...that raises quite a few questions. So I imagine your friend is the one troubling you most, let's focus on that. I imagine that if Angela asked you to do the operation, it's because she has faith in you, so what gives? What's so special about you?"
Dan frowned, looking at his feet. "I don't know," he admitted. "I don't know why she asked for me, just that she did. Considering how badly I messed up last time…"
"Last time? Who gives a damn about last time? Focus on this time. Now I'll ask again and I want you to think deep. Why would Angela, the world's best surgeon and doctor, ask a no-name punk like you to perform an operation in her stead?"
"I...I don't know…"
"Are those the only three words you know? Because 'I don't know' doesn't save lives, kid. 'I don't know' may seem like some wise answer, but all it means is that you think it's smarter to tell the world you're an idiot. Stop and find the answer to the question. Take a guess. Why you?"
Dan closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. "Because it would be something only I could do. She wouldn't be able to do it herself, so she'd need someone else."
"Finally, we're getting somewhere. So she can't do it herself. She needs you to do it, why?"
"Because it's something I know how to do that she doesn't…" Dan whispered to himself, understanding starting to dawn on him. "She's asking for my help because she wouldn't be able to do it otherwise."
"So, what do you know that the great Dr. Ziegler does not?"
"Tech. She designed the Valkyrie suit, but she needed Winston to put it together. That's why she has me repair it when it gets damaged and that's why she needed me to pilot the drone."
"Good on you. Now, moving on to your friend. Would you do your best to help her?"
"Of course!"
"I'm just asking. Cool your jets. So why is it that you weren't doing your best earlier? What was holding you back?"
"Well...yesterday...I'm really not comfortable with talking about this."
"Tough shit," he snapped. "I'm not sitting here so you can fall short on me when you're close to actually becoming a damned man. What held you back?"
"I lost my virginity yesterday and I can't stop thinking about it."
"...Yeah, I shouldn't have pushed that. Assuming you could focus, what else is the problem?"
Dan closed his eyes thinking about it. "Dr. Ziegler said there were supposed to be anchors in her heart wall, but I couldn't see any. They should have been there but I couldn't see them. I was too distracted."
"Fuck the distractions, remember? Maybe the anchors aren't there. Why?"
"It wouldn't make any sense for them to not be there. Mercy said…"
"Mercy, as we've discussed, needed you because she couldn't do it herself. So don't listen to her input on the thing you are supposed to know that she doesn't. You're the tech guy. Why aren't the anchors there? Why is Mercy wrong?"
The assistant took another deep breath, keeping his eyes closed and visualising Mei's heart. "Scans showed that the production bot was filling up her pericardium with nanobots. Her heart is in tachycardia because of the repeated shocks to it that cause it to continue to pump out more. If it swells, it causes more pain. But that doesn't make any sense. Why would her heart swell? It should be contracting if the bots are being formed outside of it."
"Okay, and…?"
"Maybe the heart isn't swelling," Dan muttered. "Maybe something just makes it look like it is."
"Something like…?" To be honest, he had no idea where he was going with this, but the kid looked like he was on the verge of some breakthrough. The faster he got this kid gone, the faster he could leave the facility before someone who could recognize him caught him.
Dan continued to think as hard as he could, when suddenly it occurred to him. "I know what's wrong," he whispered, standing up quickly. "I didn't see any anchors in her heart because there weren't any in her heart. The machine isn't anchored to her heart. I've got to tell them before Hana tries to do something else."
"Good job. Now get in there, be a man, and do what you have to." As he tore off back towards the med bay, Jack Morrison stood up with a tired groan. "God that took forever," he grumbled, packing up the helix rockets into his bag. "Maybe I should go into being a therapist...heh. Yeah Jack, you're one to talk."
To be continued...