Chronophobia

A

[Angela's]

When we made it inside, I immediately got Jack onto a medical bed and finished him up, since the ride was too bumpy to do anything

Genji walked in as I bandaged him up
"Genji! I was worried sick! Where were you?"
"With a new recruit.. Zenyatta"

"Oh! The omnic, Yeah?" I asked and he gave a single nod "I feel like he could help"
"Help? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing.. just um.. yeah" Genji almost left but I stopped him "Is there something you aren't telling me?" I asked, confused

"No. Is there something you're hiding?" He asked making me even more confused and a little panicked "No. of course not"

I shook my head, pulling my arm back
"Angela, we need you at shooting practice" McCree said as he walked in, glancing at Genji then back at me "Why?" I asked, concerned

"Someone might get injured again"
I sighed and nodded before leaving with him

[Genji's]

"Jack, what happened out there?"
His body language spoke shocked but he relaxed soon enough before pulling his mask off

"Hello, Genji" he greeted, sombre
"What happened?" I asked again, frustrated "It's going to be hard to explain.. I can't even comprehend what I saw"

"Why? What did he do to the commander?" I approached the bed he was laying on
"Any other questions?" He asked, obviously uncomfortable with the subject and my pushing

"Yeah.. why didn't you tell me who you were"
"I was scared you'd hate me.. for leaving Angela behind like that. You need to understand that I couldn't stay. It was his last wish and I—"

"And you?" I pressed further, sitting on the chair next to bed "I loved him! Okay? I adored that man"
My eyes widened under my visor

"And he cared for you.. he cared for you like a son. I couldn't— I didn't want you to hate me.. I don't why it meant-means so much to me.."

He sighed, his face falling into his hands
"What happened to Commander Reyes?"
"He's still alive.." I jumped, the chair slightly pushing back, the metal scraping against the tiles making a disturbing screeching sound in the near empty wing and filling the silence

"He's.. what?"
"He is Reaper..I saw him, but I can't—" his body was racked with a another wave of sadness and he let a sob slip

We weren't as close as for me to comfort him, but I stayed silent and gave him his time
"I should've stayed.. I should've stayed with him" he whispered "You did what was right"

"People keep telling me that" he laughed out with a shuddering sigh after it "You did what he wanted you to do. On his death bed, he asked something and you followed his last wishes. It was the right thing to do..

He was the one that pushed you away. And knowing him, for good reason too"
I gave his shoulder a pat "Zenyatta.."
He started making me hum in question

"You said he can help you.. what's wrong?"
After that tiny breakdown of his, I couldn't find it in me to treat him like Angela. I owed him honesty and besides Angela was the only one lying and pretending for no reason here

I mean you can make the argument 'she's doing it because she fears for your feelings' but, if she really did, she would've told me. She knows how much I used to see Gabriel as a father.

How much I loved that man..
"I'm not okay.. I miss my body. I miss my brother. I miss my family. I miss my old emotions..
I broke up with McCree because I don't even know how I feel about him anymore!"

"I just.. my feelings are all over the place and I have this deep hatred for everything and everyone.. don't get me wrong, I still love McCree more than the entire world itself, but.."

"But, you love him in a different way.." he continued for making my head snap back to him after I'd paced the entire room up and down, rambling

"Yeah.." I whispered "Let me guess.. romance isn't something you can do anymore, is it?"
I sighed and shook my head "My chest just feels so tight" I exclaimed, my voice strained with tears

"I love him so much, but I can't imagine myself in any type of relationship.. I can't explain it.. "
"You don't have to. I'm sure he'd understand"

[Jack's]

I glanced at Jesse standing across the hallway, his face hard and his eyes filled with sadness
"You just need time, Genji.. you lost too much. Physically and emotionally"

"I don't want to hurt him" Genji sighed, sitting down on a chair on the other side of the room, out of Jesse's field of vision

Jesse blew out smoke before tipping his hat at me and walking away, his spurs clanking behind him. Genji sprung up and looked in the hallway catching McCree's form leaving

"Do you think he heard?!" He asked, afraid "Go to him, Genji.. he needs you right now"
I really didn't want to lie to the kid. He gave a hesitant nod before running off after Jesse

TBC..