Title: Against the rules

Chapter 38: Learning more

/.\

Widowmaker's POV

I need to learn more about Lena. It's just fact. Whatever she's hiding from me, I will find out.

I finished the book Lena gave me. It was sat closed in front of me on the desk.

I think I figured out what she wanted me to, she was a pilot herself, just like Eric Brown. But her career was cut short by an accident with one of the plains she tested.

But what accident? What did it entail? She's physically okay, so it can't be that.

Unless it had to do with Sombra's comment with Lena getting stuck in time.

Yes, it had to do with time. But how did it happen?

A flash of images overcome me, making my head hurt as they reveal what happened in the past.

/.\

All of the sounds were muffled slightly, but I could still hear them. The image came to me soon after, showing me being in a close embrace with Tracer, my arm looped around her shoulders as she retold a story.

"A offer came up, it was from Overwatch. They wanted me to test pilot one of their newest planes the slipstream. It was revolutionary, it could change time itself it goes so fast.

Of course my ambitious ass wanted to do it, I was barely an adult and told that I could work for Overwatch and test a life changing aircraft. I guess it was life changing, but for all the wrong reasons.

On the first test run, things started to go wrong. Some malfunction in the equipment I think but all I saw was a red light that shouldn't be lighting up.

My memory is hazy but all I felt was my body being ripped in every direction. I couldn't control it. I would be in different parts of time at the same time.

They told me I spent months in there. But it felt like a lifetime. Winston helped pull me out, creating my anchor and Mercy helped me get through the trauma.

My anchor messes up electrical stuff. Only certain things work around it. And they have to be made by Winston to work around it. I'll never fly a plane again. I've come to terms with that.

Winston knew how much flying meant to me, that's why he made the harness so I could control my own time and sometimes others, that's what happens when I blink or recall. It's different to flying but it kept me in the fight, so I'm content."

To say I'm shocked would be an understatement. Tracer has been through so much hardship and she's still a positive strong woman that doesn't back down.

"What happens if it breaks?" I ask as a whisper, already getting an idea of what would happen.

"I'd get lost again. They'd have to rebuild the anchor if they even notice I'm gone. My particles only stay in place when around an anchor. If I go out of proximity, I'll get dragged back to it. If there's not one, I'll stay stuck in time." I look down to see a couple of unshed tears.

"Hey, Chérie, it's okay." I whisper as I pull her face up to my own.

The memory cuts out and I know it's the end of the memory.

/.\

I gasp my head touching the tabletop from the pain of receiving these images.

This explains a lot. Her anchor must have broken a year ago so she got stuck in time.

The slipstream, it sounds familiar now that I've seen that memory.

The only way to tell Lena this would be through a note. But no one would take a note from me to her… unless… they didn't know it was a note.

My eyes land on the book Lena borrowed me, I'll write it in there.

I pick up my Blue inked pen and open the book on the first page. I think for a moment before starting to write.

After I finish I sign with my real name, and close the book. I hope she'll understand.

/.\

Sombra comes to visit every day. Talking to me about the outside world and what new equipment she was working on. I enjoyed her company thoroughly.

When she was about to leave, I gave her the book.

"Lena borrowed it me." I say simply, acting like I didn't care much for it.

Sombra looks at the book and back up at me shocked for a moment.

"To remember?" she asks. I nod at this and look around, should I tell her?

I feel like I can trust Sombra and maybe she'll appreciate the honesty.

"I remember some things… I got this weird… rush of a memory." I say as I lean against the wall closest to the door.

"This is great Amélie. What did you remember?" Sombra asks, her happiness true.

"Lena telling me about her passion for being a pilot. And then the accident she had." I say. Letting out all of the tension I have. Maybe it will let me remember more if I tell people.

"That's amazing. I'll tell Angela and we can work on it more. We can bring back your memory, don't worry." and with that, the smaller Hispanic leaves the room.

/.\

Tracer's POV

I was pushing a cart full of what the others considered junk, well, not Sombra or Hana or Fareeha.

Sombra was at the spare parts room when I was collecting the stuff I needed when she told me she put the book Amélie borrowed on my bed.

Did she feel like she had to give it back because of the argument we had? I'd prefer it if she finished the book than be left on a cliffhanger.

So I made my way back to my room and I pushed my cart next to my desk so I can sort through it later.

I can see the novel on my bed, it looked almost normal. But something seemed off about it.

I walk up to my bed and take a seat next to the book, picking it up and looking at the cover. It looked alright but it felt different.

I open the cover and see a blue scrawl I'm very familiar with.

Dear Chérie,

After reading the whole book I know more now. I remember more. Flying used to be the most important thing to you, and when Overwatch offered you a job as a test pilot you couldn't resist. You can't be a pilot anymore because of the testing you did with the slipstream went so terribly wrong. Your particals become erratic and you was split into time, always changing and never being whole. This explains why Mercy had to alter everything in this facility because the very thing keeping you here can damage average electrical equipment. I found it most peculiar when she told me about my implants and how they operated but it now makes sense.

I apologise for my forceful approach. I just had an urge and followed through with it blindly.

P.s. Chérie just sounds right for you. I'm not copying the note.

Amélie Lacroix.

I had to reread the message over and over to let the information sink in. She's remembering stuff. I told her all of this during one of our nights together.

I'll have to talk to her about this. But not now. I need to think this over. I also need to work on my anchor, I need to go outside and run. It's been too long.