[Her view isn't as colored as his. Perhaps in the future, it would be. But for now, Ana wants to hope for the best between these old friends.]
...can you not remember when we all worked together? With a little push, I am sure we can get Gabriel to remember to. Loyalty built on the battlefield will surpass anything else.
[Of course he remembers--that's the whole reason he hadn't been able to finish the job. Here, not staring Reaper in the face, it's much easier to think of him and Gabriel as separate people, his friend, and the terrorist who brought HQ down on both their heads.]
Whatever he is now, he ain't Gabriel.
[She knows that. She has to. He's dead, and no amount of appealing to Reaper is going to bring Gabriel back.]
When you-- [A pause, to think of the right word.] --left. That was it, for him and me. Wasn't anything for me to even try and fix.
[Really, things had been deteriorating for years between them, but Jack had always been too caught up in Overwatch to really get to the root of the problem. Too trusting. Never thought Gabriel would go off the rails the way he did.]
When you put it like that, it sounds as if things could be put back together with me around again. Is that what you happen to be saying?
[She knew full well it wasn't. But putting the idea in Jack's mind, that something was different here, was all she wanted. If she could balance the scales again, maybe something would change.
It was an idealistic hope. That much, she knew. But giving it even a small chance was all she wanted.]
[And she knows that. There's no going back from here, no matter how badly they want it.]
He destroyed everything we built.
[Not exactly--Jack knows by now that there's a much deeper conspiracy at play, one he'll stop at nothing to dig up, but it doesn't change the fact that Gabriel tried to tear Overwatch down and kill him in the process. Coming off their most recent fight, it's just easier to blame him for everything. Easier to do that than acknowledge his own failures and role in the fall.]
[Ana was merciless enough not to entirely take that excuse either. Gabe may have had the intention of doing all of that but he couldn't have pulled it past Jack. Not unless Jack was falling apart elsewhere.]
And if something could be extracted from him to atone for that? Because, Jack, I can tell you are atoning for something too. Everyone deserves a chance.
[She puts a hand on his shoulder. But after a moment, she escalates it into a friendly hug. It's soft but she wants to make sure that he knows that she cares.]
...I will have your back. Do not do anything rash without me. Promise?
[Jack has always been a little stoic, some combination of awkwardness and military formality and professionalism, to say nothing of the way he's distanced himself from people. He flinches under her hand and then stiffens when she pulls him into a hug--no fault of hers, of course, just a testament to how long it's been since he's allowed anyone this close. It takes him a few seconds, but soon he's leaning into her, arms curling around her almost tentatively and head falling against her shoulder.
He can't promise her anything--can't promise that he won't do whatever he has to. The road he's walking down doesn't go anywhere good, but he needs to see it through to the end. The least he can do is make sure he doesn't drag Ana down with him, but he's been without her so long that he's not sure can bear asking her to leave.
Not that she would. This, he imagines, is evidence enough of that.
It's a long moment before he speaks again, as if he's still trying to register the embrace, or maybe just the fact that she's here, and alive, and retaking her place at his side without question. He's at once overwhelmed by that, like a piece of himself that he lost all those years ago has suddenly unearthed itself. He exhales slowly.]
[After a moment, she lets go. Too much and she felt it would get a little uncomfortable for him, considering that he never really was that type of person. Close contact felt more like an operational strategy than a personal touch when Jack factored into the picture.]
Too long since you have touched someone else without anger in mind? Or too long since you have had someone you could trust?
[Or too long since the two combined forces into the force of nature that they could be? It was all up in the air.]
[Both. All of the above. Since we've worked together sounds entirely too empty for what they've been through. It's hard to admit--he's never thought of himself as particularly good with words, but he can't have been all bad, if he'd been the public face of Overwatch for as long as he was. Speeches are one thing. Heart-to-hearts with impossibly close friends is another entirely. He's still not sure he'll be able to sort out these feelings, and the embrace is over a little too soon. He tries to catch her sleeve.]
Since I've seen you.
[He can do the solo vigilante thing. He's good at it. Doesn't mean he hasn't missed having someone at his back.]
[She doesn't pull herself away from him so it's simple enough for him to catch her.]
I wondered a lot of things in my time alone. Among them was what would have happened if I simply decided to wait for you to find me. But we have both made decisions that cannot simply be changed.
[There's a smile from her. Not exactly happy as their discussion is riddled with the weaker points from both of them. But even in their age, hope still exists.]
Together again, we can make a difference again. So what is it? What is your goal on this ship? Like before, you tell us where to go and together, we will make anything happen.
[It’s nice—this closeness. It’s something he hasn’t allowed himself in a very long time, and though he knows it’s going to take some getting used to (and perhaps some convincing that it’s okay for him to do this), it’s…nice.
The strained nature of her smile is evident, and he sort of wishes there was something he could do, but he recognizes that pain in someone else. It’s something they’re both going to feel for a long time, and all they can really do is try to push through it together, like always. He leans in.]
They’re supposed to be taking us to a transportation hub. Say we can all get home from there.
[But there’s suspicion in his voice, like he doesn’t quite believe it. He’s sure that Ana will pick up on the fact that he’s skeptical.]
Wondering if we shouldn’t try to make our own way home.
When you have someone performing what is essentially forced labor for you, is it wise to let them go?
[That's Ana voicing the fact that she agrees with said suspicion and there's no harm in bringing it out either. There was no way in the world that she thought it was going to be as simple as having this place just drop them all. An 'unforeseen' error would happen at some point, permanently delaying the process.]
So I would say we should try to forge our own path.
[He doesn't trust the captains--doesn't trust any of this. Jack won't be at all surprised if they make it to the Midway Hub and something disastrous happens to keep them from getting home.]
Could always steal a spaceship.
[Can't be that hard to fly, right? They're two incredibly capable individuals who have never been to space but could probably figure it out. He's half-joking, anyway, but there is a valid plan in there, somewhere.]
[Ah. Well, that was easy, but he supposes they're still half-joking about this, even if it's a legitimate contingency plan. A thought, maybe, but there's plenty keeping them here--or Ana, at least, given Fareeha. That's not a subject he's going to broach, as he imagines the two of them are still sorting things out. He laughs a little in agreement, but it trails off as he looks at her.
Really looks at her, in a way he hasn't been able to since they were reunited. God, they've both gotten old. He wants to brush that bang of hers out of the way of the eyepatch, but manages to keep his hands at his sides.
This is probably a touchy subject, given the fact that he's pretty sure he knows how this happened, but it's not going to stop him from asking.]
There is nothing there but an empty socket, Jack. Are you sure that is something you wish to see?
[It was an odd request. But one she was willing to entertain if he could put up with it. No matter how used to horrible sights one got, seeing them on your friends made them unbearable. Ana had seen enough of it and she knew Jack had too. The question was if it was worth it to him.]
[So, yes, he's sure, even if he knows she'll likely try to argue that point. Jack feels a pang in his chest, thinking of the world's greatest sniper without her dominant eye. Obviously, she's made it work, but Jack has known too many people who have lost parts of themselves (literally and figuratively) to the seemingly endless war they're all embroiled in.
It's not something he wants to see, but given his involvement in her final mission, he thinks he could use the closure, if he can even call it that.]
[Ana puts her hands on her hips and gives Jack a look. Likely try to argue the point? How about she wasn't going to accept that statement ever, to be completely honest.]
You will see nothing until you explain what you mean by it being your fault. And excuses like "I should have been there" or "If only I tried harder" are not allowed.
[Jack manages to look a little bewildered, even if he knows he should have seen this coming. He seems to consider his answer for a moment, and then simply says--]
I was the commanding officer of the mission. It was my fault.
[That's just the facts, dude. It totally has nothing to do with the fact that like, Gabriel just had a go at him for the aforementioned failed mission.]
My hesitating in shooting an old comrade is your fault? Is that what you happen to be saying?
[She meant Widowmaker. Whether Jack knew or not, Ana wasn't aware of. If he wasn't, she'd be happy to blab immediately. But she pushed the conversation forward as if Jack was in the know, not willing to give up this confrontation.]
[In truth, Jack doesn't know exactly what happened in those final moments. He's since uncovered the existence of Widowmaker, but that doesn't change the fact that their intel was bad. He should have anticipated Talon's trump card, should have have looked harder for Amélie, he should have done something.]
You shouldn't have been in that position at all. We were blindsided. That's on me.
That is on intelligence services and on me not preparing myself for that type of situation. Again, nothing you have control over.
[Ana isn't looking to expunge any level of guilt. That was going to happen either way, especially between good friends. But letting Jack to the blame wasn't going to solve anything either. Plus, she didn't want her own guilt dragging him down.]
[Jack knows the two of them can argue about this until they’re both blue in the face—it’s not going to change how he feels, and he’s familiar enough with her to know that she’ll stick to her guns, too. He’s stubborn, but he still knows when to walk away from a fight. He’ll carry his guilt about that mission either way, no matter how much she tries to assure him otherwise.
Besides, there’s still one more elephant in the room, and he’s quiet for a long moment before he decides to broach the subject.]
[Grown and strong. Ana accepted the change in conversation but, once again, wonders about Jack. He asks about her daughter, despite practically being a Godfather for her. She immediately begins to wonder if he's been avoiding Fareeha, outside of the moments her daughter has already mentioned.]
You could ask her yourself. Which is something I should do more often.
Jack....I have a lot of regrets involving her. I cannot say I have been a good mother.
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grammascookies
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Date: 2016-11-06 08:56 pm (UTC)[Her view isn't as colored as his. Perhaps in the future, it would be. But for now, Ana wants to hope for the best between these old friends.]
...can you not remember when we all worked together? With a little push, I am sure we can get Gabriel to remember to. Loyalty built on the battlefield will surpass anything else.
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Date: 2016-11-06 09:35 pm (UTC)Whatever he is now, he ain't Gabriel.
[She knows that. She has to. He's dead, and no amount of appealing to Reaper is going to bring Gabriel back.]
When you-- [A pause, to think of the right word.] --left. That was it, for him and me. Wasn't anything for me to even try and fix.
[Really, things had been deteriorating for years between them, but Jack had always been too caught up in Overwatch to really get to the root of the problem. Too trusting. Never thought Gabriel would go off the rails the way he did.]
We couldn't hold it together without you.
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Date: 2016-11-06 11:18 pm (UTC)[She knew full well it wasn't. But putting the idea in Jack's mind, that something was different here, was all she wanted. If she could balance the scales again, maybe something would change.
It was an idealistic hope. That much, she knew. But giving it even a small chance was all she wanted.]
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Date: 2016-11-07 05:45 am (UTC)[And she knows that. There's no going back from here, no matter how badly they want it.]
He destroyed everything we built.
[Not exactly--Jack knows by now that there's a much deeper conspiracy at play, one he'll stop at nothing to dig up, but it doesn't change the fact that Gabriel tried to tear Overwatch down and kill him in the process. Coming off their most recent fight, it's just easier to blame him for everything. Easier to do that than acknowledge his own failures and role in the fall.]
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Date: 2016-11-07 09:56 pm (UTC)And if something could be extracted from him to atone for that? Because, Jack, I can tell you are atoning for something too. Everyone deserves a chance.
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Date: 2016-11-09 06:50 am (UTC)[That's what he's atoning for, maybe. For not trying hard enough. For failing everyone, even Gabriel. Especially Gabriel, maybe.]
That's why I have to set this right.
[Even if that means putting Reaper down. Especially if that means putting Reaper down.
Maybe.]
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Date: 2016-11-11 01:34 am (UTC)[She puts a hand on his shoulder. But after a moment, she escalates it into a friendly hug. It's soft but she wants to make sure that he knows that she cares.]
...I will have your back. Do not do anything rash without me. Promise?
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Date: 2016-11-11 02:41 am (UTC)He can't promise her anything--can't promise that he won't do whatever he has to. The road he's walking down doesn't go anywhere good, but he needs to see it through to the end. The least he can do is make sure he doesn't drag Ana down with him, but he's been without her so long that he's not sure can bear asking her to leave.
Not that she would. This, he imagines, is evidence enough of that.
It's a long moment before he speaks again, as if he's still trying to register the embrace, or maybe just the fact that she's here, and alive, and retaking her place at his side without question. He's at once overwhelmed by that, like a piece of himself that he lost all those years ago has suddenly unearthed itself. He exhales slowly.]
It's been too long.
[Any amount of time would have been, he thinks.]
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Date: 2016-11-11 11:06 pm (UTC)[After a moment, she lets go. Too much and she felt it would get a little uncomfortable for him, considering that he never really was that type of person. Close contact felt more like an operational strategy than a personal touch when Jack factored into the picture.]
Too long since you have touched someone else without anger in mind? Or too long since you have had someone you could trust?
[Or too long since the two combined forces into the force of nature that they could be? It was all up in the air.]
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Date: 2016-11-12 05:00 am (UTC)Since I've seen you.
[He can do the solo vigilante thing. He's good at it. Doesn't mean he hasn't missed having someone at his back.]
I needed you, Ana.
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Date: 2016-11-13 04:41 pm (UTC)[She doesn't pull herself away from him so it's simple enough for him to catch her.]
I wondered a lot of things in my time alone. Among them was what would have happened if I simply decided to wait for you to find me. But we have both made decisions that cannot simply be changed.
[There's a smile from her. Not exactly happy as their discussion is riddled with the weaker points from both of them. But even in their age, hope still exists.]
Together again, we can make a difference again. So what is it? What is your goal on this ship? Like before, you tell us where to go and together, we will make anything happen.
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Date: 2016-11-14 03:30 pm (UTC)The strained nature of her smile is evident, and he sort of wishes there was something he could do, but he recognizes that pain in someone else. It’s something they’re both going to feel for a long time, and all they can really do is try to push through it together, like always. He leans in.]
They’re supposed to be taking us to a transportation hub. Say we can all get home from there.
[But there’s suspicion in his voice, like he doesn’t quite believe it. He’s sure that Ana will pick up on the fact that he’s skeptical.]
Wondering if we shouldn’t try to make our own way home.
[If you want something done right…]
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Date: 2016-11-14 10:15 pm (UTC)[That's Ana voicing the fact that she agrees with said suspicion and there's no harm in bringing it out either. There was no way in the world that she thought it was going to be as simple as having this place just drop them all. An 'unforeseen' error would happen at some point, permanently delaying the process.]
So I would say we should try to forge our own path.
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Date: 2016-11-15 02:58 am (UTC)[He doesn't trust the captains--doesn't trust any of this. Jack won't be at all surprised if they make it to the Midway Hub and something disastrous happens to keep them from getting home.]
Could always steal a spaceship.
[Can't be that hard to fly, right? They're two incredibly capable individuals who have never been to space but could probably figure it out. He's half-joking, anyway, but there is a valid plan in there, somewhere.]
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Date: 2016-11-15 08:06 pm (UTC)[The Omnic Crisis being the one thing they managed to mostly bring to an end. So much could be done with even a little bit of teamwork.]
Maybe I can remember to do some looking around in the future for an opportunity.
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Date: 2016-11-16 07:00 am (UTC)Really looks at her, in a way he hasn't been able to since they were reunited. God, they've both gotten old. He wants to brush that bang of hers out of the way of the eyepatch, but manages to keep his hands at his sides.
This is probably a touchy subject, given the fact that he's pretty sure he knows how this happened, but it's not going to stop him from asking.]
Let me see your eye.
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Date: 2016-11-16 09:54 pm (UTC)[It was an odd request. But one she was willing to entertain if he could put up with it. No matter how used to horrible sights one got, seeing them on your friends made them unbearable. Ana had seen enough of it and she knew Jack had too. The question was if it was worth it to him.]
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Date: 2016-11-17 06:54 am (UTC)[So, yes, he's sure, even if he knows she'll likely try to argue that point. Jack feels a pang in his chest, thinking of the world's greatest sniper without her dominant eye. Obviously, she's made it work, but Jack has known too many people who have lost parts of themselves (literally and figuratively) to the seemingly endless war they're all embroiled in.
It's not something he wants to see, but given his involvement in her final mission, he thinks he could use the closure, if he can even call it that.]
I want to see.
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Date: 2016-11-17 10:35 pm (UTC)You will see nothing until you explain what you mean by it being your fault. And excuses like "I should have been there" or "If only I tried harder" are not allowed.
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Date: 2016-11-18 01:14 am (UTC)I was the commanding officer of the mission. It was my fault.
[That's just the facts, dude. It totally has nothing to do with the fact that like, Gabriel just had a go at him for the aforementioned failed mission.]
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Date: 2016-11-18 02:10 am (UTC)[She meant Widowmaker. Whether Jack knew or not, Ana wasn't aware of. If he wasn't, she'd be happy to blab immediately. But she pushed the conversation forward as if Jack was in the know, not willing to give up this confrontation.]
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Date: 2016-11-18 04:21 am (UTC)You shouldn't have been in that position at all. We were blindsided. That's on me.
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Date: 2016-11-18 06:24 pm (UTC)[Ana isn't looking to expunge any level of guilt. That was going to happen either way, especially between good friends. But letting Jack to the blame wasn't going to solve anything either. Plus, she didn't want her own guilt dragging him down.]
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Date: 2016-11-19 04:25 am (UTC)Besides, there’s still one more elephant in the room, and he’s quiet for a long moment before he decides to broach the subject.]
How’s Fareeha?
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Date: 2016-11-20 01:41 am (UTC)[Grown and strong. Ana accepted the change in conversation but, once again, wonders about Jack. He asks about her daughter, despite practically being a Godfather for her. She immediately begins to wonder if he's been avoiding Fareeha, outside of the moments her daughter has already mentioned.]
You could ask her yourself. Which is something I should do more often.
Jack....I have a lot of regrets involving her. I cannot say I have been a good mother.
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