Holy shit! Heyyyy it's been a hot minute! I sincerely apologize to my readers for the crazy delay in this fic. To be honest, I sort of lost interest in the fandom, but recently I've been getting back into it. I loved the idea of this story for a long time and I didn't want to abadon it all together so, without further ado: Chapter 5~
Gabriel scowled at the medical bay doors, arms crossed in defiance across his chest. He glared at his own reflection in the glossy and pristine white door. He didn't want to be here this morning; Physicals, in his humble opinion, were a complete waste of time. He was a state-of-the-art genetically enhanced super soldier. Why the fuck did he need a physical? He could be doing a thousand other, far more important tasks than this unnecessary "check up." That damn Captain Amari had insisted that he couldn't ditch the third physical in a row. He'd tried to argue that she doesn't make Morrison go every month. She'd shot back that Morrison doesn't act impulsively and frequently shot on the battlefield. It had been difficult to argue with her, especially when she threatened disciplinary action. So here he was.
It was early. 6 AM or so. The rhythmic tick of the analog clock above the door was giving him a migraine. He wasn't aware of it, but his finger tapped against his upper arm in sync with the ticks. How long was it going to take for this doctor to see him? They had recently recruited some new doctor…Doctor Ziggler? Something like that. He was supposed to be some super genius, but Gabriel thought they were probably full of shit. This guy was just going to be another quack doctor who would tell him to- The door slid open, pulling Gabriel from his brooding mind.
"Commander Reyes?"
Gabriel looked up to the accented voice, slightly taken aback to see a short, blonde woman standing before him. Her hair was pulled neatly to the back of her head in a bouncy ponytail, a few loose strands framing her face. She wore a dark sweater covered by her stark white lab coat. Her legs were clad in a deep burgundy fabric, a pistol holstered against her hip. She looked through her thick, black glasses, studying him with intense icy eyes.
"Ahem," Gabriel cleared his throat, "Uh, yes?"
"Perfect," the woman said with a professional smile, "Please, right this way." She motioned for him to enter the medical office. Gabriel gave her a disgruntled nod and followed.
"Please take a seat on the table," she said. Gabriel watched her rummage through a drawer before pulling out a traditional stethoscope. She placed its tonged buds around her neck before plucking up a holograph tablet and approaching him.
"Alright Mr. Reyes," the doctor said with chirpy professionalism, "I'm Dr. Ziegler and I just need to conduct your physical and I can send you on your merry way. Before we begin, I need you to verify your credentials."
Gabriel blinked. The previous doctor stationed at this watchpoint never bothered to have him do that. It was obvious by the badge he wore clipped to his waist belt that he was an Overwatch commander. His photo was on the thing for fucks sake.
"Do I really have to do that?" He questioned.
"Yes," the doctor replied.
"Why?" Gabriel shot back, not meaning to sound irritated, "Isn't it obvious?" He gave his key card ID a flash.
"It is standard operating procedure, Commander Reyes," she retorted with emphasis on the word. "The less you bicker the sooner you can go on about your day."
Gabriel blinked again. This woman had spunk. A lot of Overwatch personnel were intimidated by his brooding demeanor. He could respect someone who could hold their ground.
"Alright," he grumbled before prattling off his credential information. He studied her while she input the information into her holograph tablet.
"Now then," she cleared her throat, "Your chip indicates that your vitals are in good shape." She pulled the stethoscope up to her ears as she said, "Your blood pressure is a bit high, but I'm going to double check some vitals to make sure your chip is still functioning properly."
Gabriel nodded with a tired grumble. When he'd been genetically altered into a super soldier, they'd implanted a vital monitoring chip into the base of his neck, as they had with all the other soldiers. Morrison had explained once that it was to make sure their vitals could be monitored, should any soldier have an adverse reaction. Gabriel thought it was more akin to the government wanting to have their pets on a tight leash…
He started from his thoughts as the delicate push of the doctor's hand with the stethoscope pressed against his chest. He watched her as she listened and instructed him to take breaths. In those few seconds he noticed her ID badge dangling on the collar of her coat. Her name was Anglea.
"Pretty name," he muttered as she stepped back., folding the stethoscope behind her neck.
"Pardon?" She asked, blinking. He couldn't help but notice the slight rose tint in her cheeks.
"I said," he repeated, "Your name is pretty. Angela."
"Ahem, well thank you Mr. Rey-" she began.
"Reyes is fine," he gruffed, "No need to be so formal."
"Okay…Reyes," she said as if tasting the name carefully, "Everything is looking good. I just need to do a few more tests to check the calibration of your chip."
Gabriel nodded in response and watched as she set to work. Despite the chip, she insisted, it was protocol to double check vitals. She took his blood pressure, having to switch to a larger cuff to wrap around his muscled arm. His temperature was slightly higher than average, but that too had been a side effect of the super soldier serum. When she was done, she input the information and told him he was free to go.
X
"I told you to be more careful!" Angela chidded, placing a large ice pack over the swelling on Gabriel's wound.
"It's nothing, Doc," he grunted, a searing pain rippling through his shoulder as she pressed down.
There they were, seated back in Angela's office at the Gibraltar Watchpoint. He'd returned from a mission bloodied and bruised and irritated. She'd immediately ushered him into the office, shut the door and scolded him. He wouldn't admit it, but he liked it when she fretted over him. He knew that she found him attractive, based on her near-constant rosy cheeks. He enjoyed teasing her, getting a rise out of her. If their field of work wasn't so dangerous, he would consider pursuing her romantically. She was a beautiful woman, he wouldn't deny that. She was a bleeding-heart little spitfire that he couldn't help but feel attracted to. But it simply wasn't worth the risk of hurting her should he not return from a mission…
"Please be more careful, Gabriel," she whispered as she applied a biotic-healing bandage. He couldn't remember when they'd become such a first-name basis, but it didn't matter.
"Okay Angie," he said with a forced smile, knowing damn well he wouldn't.
X
Fire. There was fire everywhere. Gabriel's ears rung with sharp pain. He was vaguely aware of the warm, thick liquid dripping down the side of his face. There had been…an explosion? His head was fuzzy, like trying to swim in molasses. Where was Angela? Morrison had triggered the-BOOM! Another explosion rocked the surrounding area. Gabriel tried to sit up from where he'd been knocked prone, but his limbs refused to hold his weight. Where was she?
The heat from the flames was unbearable. Sweat poured down Gabriel's temples, his thick Blackwatch armor trapping excess heat. He could smell gasoline, meaning that the flames would be all consuming in no time. Thick, black smoke was curling into the enclosed space, crushed concrete and rubble littered the floor. Somewhere a live wire was aggressively sparking. Gabriel's thoughts were fogging. Fast. Through his hazed view he barely made out an angelic shape. Angela.
"Gabriel!" He could faintly hear her screaming for him. The waves of pain washing over him was going to crush him. He tried to call back out, his voice failing him. Through his dimming and blurry vision, he could barely make out the form of her wings, outstretched as if she were trying to fly to his aid.
"Ang-" he managed to croak out before another explosion rocked. Everything went black.
X
Gabriel groaned as his eyes flicked open, squeezing them shut again with a swear at the harsh light above him. Sweat dripped down his face as he slowly adjusted, propping himself on his elbow. Those dreams…No. Not dreams. Memories. He shook his head, trying to swat away the haunting memories. He squinted around, realizing with a pit forming in his stomach that he was in a…lab?
The room was clinically simple: shades of grey and white decorated the room. Gabriel was laying on a queen-sized bed, too big to be a medical cot. He noted the windowless walls as he scanned his eyes around. The bed he was in sat snuggly between the corner of two walls, allowing only one side for its owner to enter. To the right of where he lay sat what would have been a pristine writing desk had it not been littered with various papers. An old laptop sat half opened atop the papers, a myriad of cords snaking around it to unseen outlets. Across the room was a simple kitchenette, consisting of a small refrigerator, stove, and microwave, with wooden cabinets and drawers lining the area. Dirty dishes piled in a metal sink.
At the foot of the bed sat a metallic door. He assumed it led to a bathroom. On the side of the room facing the desk, another much heavier and fortified looking door. Probably the entrance by Gabriel's assessment. He grunted as he tried to heft himself up more on his arm. It was at this point he realized he was not wearing the upper part of his armor. Gabriel shot up in alarm, wincing at the pain that ripped across his shoulder and torso. He looked down to see an all-too familiar biotic bandages on his topless skin. He glowered at the ashy skin that stretched across his body.
"She insisted we bandage you," a metallic voice hissed.
Gabriel's eyes shot up to where a copper colored omnic sat on an ugly green couch that had clearly seen better days. He snarled at the stupid robotic woman. He vaguely remembered that tin can fired shots at him before he blacked out.
"You stupid fucking tin-" Gabriel began to growl as the more enforced door hissed open. He snapped his head to the door, ready to fight if he had to.
"Good, you're awake," Angela said as she stepped through the threshold, carrying a paper sack with her. Gabriel relaxed a bit, shooting a wary glance to the omnic who'd stood to assist her master.
"The fuck happened?" Gabriel groaned as he began to stand.
"Sit," Anglea ordered. To her surprise, he listened, sinking back onto the mattress. She released the bag to Uridi, who set it on the top of the stove and began removing what appeared to be take-out boxes.
"You got take out?" Gabriel rasped. He almost laughed. It was so typically Angela.
"Well pardon me if I didn't have enough to feed a Talon brute," Angela shot back with a scowl. He watched as she took what were probably the only clean plates in the small apartment from Uridi, each heaped with what appeared to be meat skewers.
"What is that?" He asked as Anegla brought him a plate.
"Shashlik," she said.
"Shash-what?" He took the plate from her. His stomach growled as the savory smell of cooked meat wafted to his nose.
"Sah-shlook," Uridi enunciated with what Gabriel could only assume was sarcasm.
"Shut it bot," he growled.
"Enough," Angela clipped, sitting on the bed beside him. "Save your bickering for later."
Gabriel rolled his eyes, earning him a look from the petite woman beside him. She hadn't changed. Not like he had. Her skin was still soft and ivory, that blonde plait of hers done up into a loose bun. She looked like she hadn't aged much since the days of Overwatch. She still looked beautiful…He'd become paler, darker, more frigid. He looked away as her ice blue eyes met his.
"What?" she said, taking a bite of her food.
"Nothing," he grumbled, opting to dig into his food.
They ate in silence, the only sound the occasional chewing. From across the room, Uridi was scanning the scene with a critical eye. She watched as they avoided eye contact. She observed as her friend ever so subtly twitched when the Reaper's knee grazed hers.
"So," she buzzed, "Care to explain what the bloody hell happened back there?"
Thank you as always to everyone who reads! If you enjoyed the story please leave a review or favorite! I promise I'll be better about updating. ~Sarge