#dadhog

Mako stared at his tablet sized phone and reread his last message over and over again in his head.

His chest ached at the words that echoed in his mind. He’d known that Jamie’d been a bit upset ever since his best friends started dating, making him a third wheel now whenever they hung out and he couldn’t spend as much one on one time with them that he used to. 

No, upset wasn’t the right word. He was happy for them, sure. He’d ran all the way over here at six am to tell him all about how his best friends were finally together and did a little jig before passing out on the couch. He was glad they were so happy together, but being the third wheel was awful. He’d know. Hog’d made friends with Ana, Reinhardt and Torbjörn and Ingrid not too long after moving in and when Ana and Reinhardt finally got together, he was glad, but felt left out and lonely as the only single parent left in their apartment complex. (He still had Jack and Gabe, but it wasn’t the same...) Even though, at the time, he had Jamie to care for and raise and he didn’t really want to let himself dwell on it for too long, it still felt awful, especially since he had a crush on Jamie’s old doctor, Angela, who also lived in the building and knew he had a snowball’s chance in hell with getting a date with her.

Eventually Jamie’s insistent ‘when you gonna ask ‘er out?’ ‘You ask ‘er yet?’ ‘’M not gonna stop botherin’ ya until ya ask ‘er!’ wore him down.

And to his shock, she agreed and they decided to do it the next night.

Angela chuckled when she told him that she’d been expected him to ask her out sooner and she’d actually been a bit interested in him since Jamie told her (when he was ten, the little shit) that he liked her and that she should go out with him, “Look, ‘e’s a big terrifying bloke who scares th’ shit outta everyone ‘e meets, ‘e can be a roight bastard at toimes ‘n he snores loud as hell. But ‘e took me after I lost... well, almost everything ‘n is takin’ really good care of me, even if ‘m a pain in the arse ta deal with most of th’ toime... ‘N any bloke who would give up everythin’ ‘n move across th’ planet for a kid ‘e watched between work at a garage for, what, maybe a year maybe two?... Tha’ koinda bloke is someone worth a shot at least.” 

And for that, when he got home and saw his adopted son and his best friends eagerly anticipating the details with excited expressions, he walked past them, all quiet like, then smacked Jamie upside the head as he walked to his room to change. 

“th’ fuck’s tha’ for?” He cried.

“Fer tellin’ ‘er I snore. Luckily fer you, tha’s not a turn off for ‘er.” he told him.

“So...” Lúcio said, motioning with his hands for Mako to go on while Hana had her fingers crossed, “Please have a second date, please have a second date!!”

“Jamie’s crashin’ with you this weekend.” He told him.

“YES!!” They cried, hugging and jumping up and down, which with their height differences was hilarious, but it was nice to have so many people happy for him.

that wasn’t something that really happened until he met Jamie...

He remembered that day so clearly... he had been looking for work to pay for his ailing mother’s medicine, he’d applied everywhere nearby and still nothing. He’d gone to this tiny hole in the wall shop near his mother’s home to pick up some groceries with the tiny amount of money he had, carefully looking through the aisles with a too small for him basket for the freshest fruit on sale for his mother, wanting to give her a healthy treat after dealing with more bad news from the doctor.

While he had been carefully looking at some local plums that were cheap and fresh when he spotted a tiny child dashing around, laughing . He watched as the little one seemed to trip over nothing and suddenly fly forward and he immediately knelt down and slid his hand under the tyke and caught him before he hit the floor. 

The little one was surprised and looked up at him.

‘Ah, here it comes’ he had thought, ‘the crying, the angry parents screeching, the accusations, the coppers...’

But, to his surprise, the little boy smiled at him and grabbed his thumb and squealed with delight, “You’re HUGE!” He cried.

Mako stared, gobsmacked at what was happening. He nearly pinched himself to check to see if he wasn’t dreaming when a man and woman ran over.

“Jamie!” The woman cried, “There you are!” Mako snapped out of his daze and held the little one up to the woman and she immediately pulled him to his chest, “Thank you.” she breathed, relieved, “We had ‘im in th’ trolley, but ‘e managed to slip out th’ moment we had our backs turned...”

The man chuckled, “Our little escape artist strikes again!” he joked as he ruffled the kid’s hair, making him laugh more.

Mako got up off the floor and picked up his basket, glad he hadn’t put anything in it yet and told them he was glad they were all together again and accepted another thank you before they parted, little Jamie waving at him with a broad smile on his face. 

He waited until they were out of sight before pinching himself to make sure that was real. It had hurt, so it was real. He’d picked a few plums, paid and drove back to his mother and told her all about what happened, ‘How did he get out of th’ Trolley though?’ she had asked, ‘Honestly Mako, don’ tell me tha’ if ya don’ know how ‘e did it! Now ‘m jus’ gonna be thinkin’ ‘bout it all day!’ 

He remembered how she’d come up with theories all through out supper and the dishes before falling asleep watching one of her old favorite movies.

The next time he’d see the Fawkes family, it was a week later and he still had no job and their savings were starting to dwindle. He had been reading the job listings on a cork board by the entrance before going in to check out the sales for the day, when he heard a laugh and felt something latch onto his leg, “Mr. Piggy Man!” an excited voice called from below. Mako looked down and saw the little boy from last week hanging to the bottom of his shorts and looking up at him with bright eyes.

“Jamie!” The couple from before ran up and the man scooped the boy up into his arms, “Oi, son, tha’s no way to greet someone. Whaddya say when you wanna say ‘Hey’?”

“G’day!” the boy cried out.

“Attaboy!” The man said, “A good G’day is always important when seein’ yer mates, ain’ tha’ roight?” He said, looking to Mako for confirmation.

Mako nodded, even though he didn’t really have mates to speak of, never really had any except for a dog he had growing up and his mother. The two males of the little family seemed to laugh and fool around as they passed him and made their way into the store. However, the mother walked right up to him instead.

“Sorry ‘bout them.” She said, “They forget an important part of a greetin’ is introducin’ yourself.” She held out her hand, “My name is Maggie Fawkes, the big drongo is my husband Jackson and the little firecracker is my son, Jamie.”

“Mako.” He said, giving her hand a shake that was firm enough to be professional but not enough to crush her hand. She seemed pleased and impressed by it and noticed him holding a flyer for a bouncer job at a strip club. That’s when he noticed her eyes, they were a pretty shade somewhere between yellow and orange and seemed to sparkle with intelligence. 

“You job huntin’?” she asked.

“Yeah. Me Mum’s sick ‘n ‘er medicine ain’ cheap.” He said, surprising himself a bit that he’d tell someone who was basically a stranger something so personal.

She smiled and motioned for him to follow her into the shop, which he did, although he had no idea where this was going...

“You know much about mechanics?” She asked.

“A bit, ‘nough ta keep me boike in good order.” He replied.

Her smile increased as did her pace and he actually had to speed walk a bit to keep up with her, “Jamie really loikes you.” She told him, “Been gabbin’ on ‘bout ya all week. Never really warmed up to anyone outside family so quick...” 

Mako blinked at that. Children didn’t ‘warm up to him’, children cowered in fear of him. Adults cowered in fear of him. The few people he could count off his fingers that didn’t fear him was his mother and apparently this woman Maggie and her family. But he said nothing about it and simply continued to follow her in silence, trying to work out how perfect strangers could be so nice to him when it was him.

“Jack!” she called, waving to her husband, who had been looking at fruits with Jamie in the cart. When they reached them, she motioned to him, “Jack, this is Mako, he’s lookin’ fer a job ‘n knows a bit about mechanics, why don’ you hire ‘im?”

Her husband’s eyes widened at the suggestion and Mako pinched himself on the leg. Still hurt, so this was really happening right now.

“Think ‘bout it, luv, you’ve been sayin’ you need an extra set of hands ‘round th’ shop since Aussy left ta live with th’ seppos.” Maggie pointed out.

“I have needed an extra pair of hands...” he said thoughtfully, “Not just fer th’ work, but keepin’ Jamie out of trouble...” The pair not noticing Jamie taking off his shoes and socks off and plopping them beside him before he turned around and started climbing down the trolley like a monkey would, clinging to the metal with his fingers and toes. 

Mako grabbed him by the scuff of his shirt and brought him up to his eye level, “Don’ do tha’, you could fall ‘n get hurt. If you wanna get out, tell yer parents ‘n stay close ta ‘um.”

Jamie seemed shocked by the action, then laughed, “Again! Again!”

“If I do it again, will you do what I said?” He asked him. Jamie nodded and he carefully lowered him back towards the ground, then back to his eye level again, making him laugh before he turned back to the boy’s parents, who were smiling at him. Mako carefully handed the kid to his mother and the boy’s father held out his hand, “You’re hired! I’ll give ya th’ address ta th’ shop ‘n we’ll fill out th’ paperwork tomorrow ‘n you can get started.”

“Jus’ loike tha’?” He managed, confused.

“If you can handle our son, you can handle anything.” Jack laughed. Maggie pulled a pad of paper and a pen out of her purse and they made plans to meet at the address she wrote down the next day before waving good bye.

“Hoo roo Mr. Piggy Man!”

“It’s Mako.” he corrected, then smiled, “See ya soon kid.” When he told his mother how the child had escaped and got him a job, she had laughed harder than she had in weeks and he’d laughed right along with her. 

After that, he’d become very close with the Fawkes family, it was hard not to, they were just such friendly, kind people. He found himself being more of a full time babysitter and a part time mechanic due to snatching Jamie up before he went and did something dangerous and settled him on a table with odds and ends to play with. It also didn’t help that the family lived over Jackson’s garage business, so they were always around in one way or another. Maggie was a college professor who taught chemistry and even helped him find a cheaper alternative to his mother’s medicine that used the same ingredients as the brand name stuff and always sent him home with sweets of one kind or another to take home to his mother.

Eventually it was normal for him to end his shift early on Fridays and drive to his house to pick up his mother and take her to the Fawkes’ for dinner. When she got too sick for that, they’d close up early and the family would follow his bike home and they’d have dinner at his house, sometimes Jamie would go in his side car, squealing with delight at the wind in his hair and cry out for him to go faster. 

His mother adored Jamie, treated him like he was her grandson, constantly spoiling him with little treats she’d exhaust herself making or letting him take some old appliance to fiddle with, often usually fixing it up while he did so, playing games with him, showing him pictures of Mako when he was his age and chatting with him about anything and everything. 

One night after the Fawkes’ left, his mother told him that, “Mako, I loike tha’ family.”

“I know ya do, Mum.” He said as he worked on the dishes.

“You wanna know why?” she asked him.

“'Cause Jamie’s th’ closest thing you’ll ever have ta a grandchild?” He guessed.

“I will have grandchildren, Mako. Jamie’s jus’ practice.” She assured him, “’N a delightful little imp, but anyways, I mean, ever since you’ve met this family, you haven’ been depressed whenever you read those romance novels of yours.”

“I didn’ get depressed-” he started.

“Yes you did.” She said, “You love romance, Mako, but you feel you don’ deserve love. I have no idea why, since I raised you to be a wonderful man who any sheila would be lucky to have-”

“Mum. ‘m not-” he began, ready to remind his mother that he wasn’t exactly the best looking bloke or the nicest.

“-but for some reason you just don’ see yourself worthy of it.” she continued, ignoring him, “I loike tha’ family because they treat you well ‘n tha’ little boy thinks the world of you. ‘N ever since you started workin’ for them, you’ve been startin’ ta look hopeful when you read those books again.” She then leaned back in her chair and mused, “You think either Jack or Maggie has a sister whose single? ‘Cause if so, ‘m gonna ask them to set you up with them.”

“Please don’.” He pleaded.

“Mako, I am sick ‘n old ‘n don’ wanna die with you all alone, so ‘m gonna do it.” She told him plainly.

Not too long after that, he lost his mother. The Fawkes family helped him with the arrangements, they were by his side at her funeral and even let him sleep in a hammock they set up in the garage when it was still too painful for him to go home to an empty house.

The whole Time, Jamie just stuck by his side, giving him hugs when he felt awful in an attempt to cheer him up, he even slept in some of the cars they were working on in the garage with him. When Mako asked him why, he said, “Cause I don’t know how to make you feel better and this is the only thing I can think of.” Mako chuckled sadly and told him to keep at it. Eventually the pain lessened and he found that, despite going home to an empty house, he didn’t feel as lonely as he thought he’d be. It probably helped that he learned that the Fawkes decided that they were going to have another child and that Jamie would soon be a big brother. 

Mako was glad for them, and was looking forward to seeing another member of this kind family come into the world. And Jamie was excited about being a big brother and had been making little toys for his incoming sibling out of spare bits from the garage.

“Mum ‘n Da’ told me ’m gonna have a little sister!” Jamie had told him over the phone as soon as he could, “They said we’re gonna call her Eva!” 

“Tha’s a pretty name.” He said.

“Yeah! ’m gonna teach ‘er all sorts of fun things! Loike, loike how ta build things ‘n how ta play with fireworks safely ‘n ‘n!”

Jamie would go on and on, but Mako never minded. He often would relay Jamie’s words to his mother’s urn on the mantle at home, laughing at the things Jamie had in store for little Eva.

But that never happened. 

Mako had been driving behind them on the road, Maggie’s doctor and his house were in the same direction and they were going for a check up as a family. Jamie had been twisted around in his seat, making funny faces at him and making him chuckle when a truck suddenly swerved into their lane and crashed into the car and pushed them off of the road.

Mako still had nightmares about that moment and felt his insides twist and churn at the snapshot of that moment when the car lurched off the road and Jamie’s face went from joyful to terrified in the backseat, the metal of the car barely inches from him.

He’d nearly leapt off his bike with the motor still running, but managed to stop as to not cause another accident and ran to what was left of the car, barely noticing the man in the truck sitting in his seat in shock at what happened. He couldn’t recall barking at the man to call for an ambulance, although according to the man’s statement, he did. He remembered hearing Jamie’s screams of pain and remembered almost ripping the door off the car to get to him. He remembered the metal that engulfed his right arm and right leg, the child motionless with a cut on his forehead, passed out from shock the doctors would tell him later. He remembered calling for Maggie and Jack, telling them that he’d get them as soon as he got Jamie out, but hearing nothing back. 

He remembered agonizing for what felt like years, trying to figure out how to get him out without risking further injury, he remembered telling them what shape Jamie was in, but he’d find a way to get him out and then he’d get them.

He couldn’t tell you when the ambulances came, or the cops, he distinctly remembered the tools they had to use to get Jamie and his parents out though. And recalled throwing up on the side of the road when he saw the state they were in. He remembered being too big for the ambulance and revving his bike as loud as the sirens as he followed close behind the ambulance so Jamie would know he was there with him. That he’d be okay...

But he wasn’t.

Jamie lost his hand and his arm up to almost his elbow on his right arm and everything from the knee down on his right leg. He lost his mother, his father, and his unborn baby sister in one foul swoop.

Jamie had been so quiet when they finally let him into see him. his eyes, the same eyes as his cheery, no nonsense mother’d had, looked as if someone scraped the soul out of him. Mako had gathered the boy in his arms and broke down and cried. 

Jamie soon joined him. 

After that, it was as if it had gone from images and slow motion to being in a movie that was being fast fowarded through. Mako had to call Maggie’s brother, make arrangements, tell their other friends and have them spread the word, explain to Jack’s clients about the situation, call Maggie’s employers too, call Jamie’s kindergarten, all while trying to figure out how to comfort a child who had lost everything who needed to learn how to live life with out his family and parts of his body.

Maggie’s brother Austin helped with some of the burden when he got back, but he told him that he’d need to go back to the United States eventually, that he’d looked up a good doctor for Jamie there and that, while it would probably be hard on the boy, that he was planning on taking him back with him.

Mako asked if it was possible to just move back here, but Austin pointed out that the amount of doctors who were qualified to look after Jamie just weren’t plentiful around the area and that, while he didn’t want to take Jamie from the only home he knew, it might be good to get away, to give him some space and time to heal.

Mako thought the second excuse was bullshit, but he couldn’t argue the first one. The people at the hospital they were at now said that the best physical therapists and prosthetic makers were closer to the coasts and they lived in the middle of fucking nowhere.

“Then ‘m goin’ too.” Mako told him. Austin was delighted with the idea, “He really does adore you, you know.” He told him and even helped him apply for a job at his company as a security guard at night, “That way Jamie has someone around to look after him 24-7! I really appreciate the help, Mate!”

Jamie had not taken the news well, understandably so, and it took Mako promising he’d be there with him and that he’d help him find a place his whole family would like to bury their ashes when they got there that he begrudgingly accepted his fate. Eventually they had gone through everything and the three men were on a flight to the US... only for Mako to need to help Jamie find a place where his uncle would like to be buried not too long later. After that, he decided to just take the child in himself, that no one else could handle him at this point who Jamie would be willing to trust.

He was grateful that the US child services people let him adopt Jamie so easily, not that raising him was anywhere close to being easy, but Jamie was the first person in years to make him feel as if he could be loved by someone other than his mother and the two were all alone in a strange country with no one they knew to help them. They were in this together now and he would do his best to look out for Jamie just like Jamie’s family had looked out for him.

“Mako?” Angela called, snapping him out of his little flash back. He turned to her and saw that she looked concerned, “The blind date didn’t go well, did it?” she asked quietly.

“It didn’.” He confirmed, “‘E showered, bought ‘er flowers, actually fuckin’ tried, but...” Angela sat next to him and rested her head on his chest, “Is he alright?” 

He held up his phone, “’E hoired someone to help.”

“Please don’t tell me he hired a whore.” Angela pleaded, covering her eyes as if to hide from their adopted son’s shame.

“I asked, he said no.” 

“Gott sei Dank...” she muttered as she let her hands slide off of her face.

“‘E hoired a matchmaker ‘parently.”

Angela’s head popped up from his chest, “He WHAT?!” She grabbed his phone, tapped in the passcode and reread the texts only to stop when she read the last text he got from Jamie.

“Poor thing.” She murmured, then scowled as she placed her head back on Mako’s chest and pulled out her own phone and began typing.

“What are you doin’?”

“Texting Hana. I am planning to interrogate Fareeha as to what happened on that date and I want her to suffer a bit. Telling Hana that Jamie’s date with Fareeha has him running to a professional matchmaker and not her for a new date is all I need for her to go for the jugular.”

“If you want ‘er ta suffer, why aren’t you invitin’ her Mum instead?” He asked.

“I still need her to talk freely, if I bring Hana, then we just want to know what happens and I’m a mediator. If I bring Ana, she knows she’s in trouble and will clam up and not tell us anything.”

“Fair enough.” He chuckled before he looked back at his phone, “Angie, we have plans next saturday?”

She tapped one last time on her phone and her phone began dinging repeatedly, informing them that Pipsqueak had seen the message and was now pissed, “That’s when we’re having the roof party, remember? You and Jamie are in charge of the ‘barbie’ this time.” she reminded him.

“I’m gonna ask Jamie to bring this matchmaker to th’ party.” Mako said, “Jus’ so we can see what their angle is.”

The dings became more persistent and Angela looked at her phone, “Have him send their business card over as soon as you can too, Hana’s getting fussy and I’m quite curious about this mystery matchmaker’s qualifications myself.”

Mako smiled and gave her a smooch on the forehead as he tapped at his phone, “Pipsqueak saw my phone, she’s pissed and wants the 'detes’ on this matchmaker. Oh, and we’re on the barbie next Saturday, Angie says to bring your new matchmaker friend too. Let them have a good idea of who your friends are, says it’ll help.” and hit send.

Now you listen to me Jamison Fawkes,

You've got the makings of greatness in you!

But you gotta take the helm and chart your own course!

Stick to it, no matter the squalls!

And when the time comes you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails and show 'em what you're made of...

Well...I hope I'm there...

...catchin' some of the light comin' off ya' that day

----------------

“Molly sat on the couch in the common room finishing up her last bit of math homework before she stretched and looked around, only to find that Bob wasn’t around, which was unusual since he was often by her feet when she was doing her homework, only to recall that Bob was passed out on his little doggie bed on the first floor at home, exhausted after accidently cutting up his other back leg and needing stitches and only coming home earlier that day. The poor pup wearing a cone of shame and bandages on his shaved foot...

She shook her head, she’d get upset if she thought too much about it, heck, her bringing her homework to do here was so she could focus on it and not mope around the house worrying about him. 

She eagerly picked up a collection of Edgar Allen Poe stories the librarian suggested she read, her bracelet shining in the light of the room for a moment as she marvelled at it excitedly. The librarian was one of her favorite people in school and she always suggested good books for her and she was eager to see what this Edgar bloke had in store for her.

She nuzzled deep into the couch and started to read, pleased that she could get her mind off of poor Bob at home.

“What cha readin’?” McCree asked from behind her, making her jump, the book flying in the air for a moment before she spazzed out to catch it. Only for Winston, who had also been in the room, to do so instead.

“Edgar Allen Poe?” He read, “Isn’t this a bit dark for someone your age?” He asked the eleven year old as he carefully passed the book back to her.

“Th’ librarian at school suggested it fer me.” She said, before narrowing her eyes, “’N whaddya mean ‘fer someone mah age’?” she asked. 

“Well, it’s just, his works often have dark and twisted imagery...“ Winston began, only for McCree to pipe in that, “I had ta read ‘The Tell Tale Heart’ when I was your age ‘n that story still gives me nightmares!”

“I can handle it! It’s jus’ a story!” She insisted.

“That’s what I thought too.” McCree said, “I think Winston’s right, you should put that down ‘n read something else.”

“Niethah of you is mah Da’!” she snapped back, “’N I ain’ afriad of no story by some creepy dead bloke! In fact...” She scanned the index and flipped to the page with the title of ‘The Tell Tale Heart’ and held it up for the two males in the room to see, “‘M gonna read this whole story, roight now ‘n prove it!”

Winston gave her a concerned look and McCree just gave her a smug look, as if to say, ‘yeah right, good luck with that’ before giving her a shrug and saying, “Suit yourself.” before leaving the room.

“It ain’ scary!” She insisted as he left the room, looking to Winston as the door closed behind the cowboy, “I should take me bracelet off in case he wants ta scare me, shouldn’t I?”

“I think that would be wise.” Winston agreed before excusing himself and leaving the room as well.

‘Stupid Jesse...’ she thought to herself as she took off her bracelet, ‘It’s jus’ a story, it ain’ real...’ 

She then placed it on the table with her completed homework, settled back into the couch and began reading.

She dove into the story of a mad man who committed a fairly violent murder of an old stranger. 

She stopped as she heard Junkrat’s thoughts pop into her head, “Christ, I love this woman!”

She smiled, Rat and Sat were probably close by, the sweetness and the affection in the thought was a welcomed moment of warmth from the dark, dreary story.

But, alas, she had to keep going so she could prove her point. 

‘... now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton...’

Th-thump

Molly jumped a bit at the noise, glancing back and forth, but there was no one there.

“Th’ hell?” She murmured, wondering where it had come from, hearing more happy adoring thoughts from Rat as his voice became louder. She shook her head, ordering herself to stay focused. She needed to finish this, she found her last spot and continued reading.

“...I knew that sound well too. It was the beating of the old man’s heart...’

Th-thump

Molly jumped again.

“Okay, what is tha’?” She asked softly, doing her best to keep the building discomfort that was settling between her ribs. “Jesse must be tryin’ ta mess with me.” She decided, her own heart rate starting to increase as she heard the door open and looked up to see Rat and Sat enter the room, smiling and chatting when they spotted her in the room.

Th-thump

“Christ, Molls, ya look loike you’ve seen a ghost.” Rat told her.

Th-thump

“‘M-m foine.” She stammered, despite herself, “Jus’ readin’...”

Th-thump

“Th’ hell yous readin’ tha’s makin’ you all jumpy?” He asked her, leaning over the couch to read the title on the top of the page, “The Tell-Tale Heart?” He read.

Th-thump

“Yeah.” Molly replied, her hands starting to shake. That sound was starting to freak her out, but where was it coming from? It wasn’t her heart beat, she could feel that somewhere in her throat and they weren’t lining up there.

Th-thump

“Are you sure you’re alright reading that?” Satya asked, “It’s quite dark.”

Th-thump

“Y-you sound loike Winston ‘n Jesse, ‘m foine.” She said with a nervous laugh as the two adults looked at her with concern.

Th-thump

“Alroight.” Rat said, obviously uncertain as to why she seemed uncomfortable, “We was gonna watch a movie in ‘ere, tha’ okay with you?” He asked her.

Th-thump

“Tha’s foine!” She blurted, before quickly tacking on, “ I-I could use th’ company...”

Th-thump

“Cheers,” He said, the usual energy behind it gone as the two adults gave each other worried glances before settling in on her left side.

Th-thump

Molly did her best to shake her head and focus on the words in front of her, the sounds of a heart beating loudly in her head as she read the trembling page before her. Trying to use the words and Rat’s chipper thoughts as a distraction from the quickening heart beats pounding in her head.

‘My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease.’

Th-thump

‘They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things.’

Th-thump

‘But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted.’

Th-thump

‘The ringing became more distinct: --It continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness’

TH-THUMP

‘--until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears. No doubt I now grew very pale;’

TH-THUMP

“Molls? You feelin’ alroight?” Rat asked.

TH-THUMP

She didn’t answer, she couldn’t. It was difficult to even breathe at the moment.

TH-THUMP

‘--but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased --and what could I do?’

TH-THUMP

“Molly?” Satya called, gently grasping her shaking arm, the action making her jump, but her watering eyes didn’t leave the page.

TH-THUMP

“C-can you hear tha’?” She managed to whisper through lightheadedness, dread and the thundering sound in her head.

TH-THUMP

“Hear what?” Rat asked.

TH-THUMP

‘It was a low, dull, quick sound --much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath --and yet the officers heard it not...’

TH-THUMP

“Molly...” Satya began before her words were drowned out by the sound a watch apparently makes when enveloped in cotton... 

TH-THUMPTH-THUMPTH-THUMPTH-THUMPTH-THUMP 

The sound of a beating heart.

Molly flung the book across the room with a scream before clawing at her ears, tears streaming down her face, “MAKE IT STOP! MAKE TH’ SOUND STOP!!!” She pleaded. Rat and Sat quickly grabbed at her hands with their flesh ones, shouting at Athena to get Angela and Roadhog as fast as she could. Molly struggling against them and screaming for anyone to make it stop.

By the time they got there, Ana, Pharah, Lena, Winston, McCree, Hana and Lúcio were all struggling to keep the terrified psychic contained as she shrieked and starting destroying the carpet with her mind and fingers, as if searching for the heart the murderer in the story buried under his floorboards. 

Angela quickly gave her a sedative and she found herself sinking into darkness, letting out a terrified, “NO!” before passing out.

When she woke up, she was panting hard and glancing around the room, praying it would be her room. But Bob was not curled up beside her, the sheets were white and crisp and... she was in the med bay, wasn’t she?

“Molly?” Angela said softly. She turned to see Angela and her Da’ looking at her with concern and relief that she was awake. 

Speaking of relief...

“Th’ sound...” she said, calm starting to settle into her as she realized how quiet it was in here, “I-it’s gone. It’s...” She felt tears of relief streaming down her face. 

“Molly,” Her Da’ said softly as he gently took her hand in his massive one, his low rumbling voice a comforting sound after everything that had happened. But she always found his voice a comfort, he was the one thing scary things were afraid of after all. (They were right to be scared of him, but Molly knew she’d never have to fear because he was the sweetest and most loving Daddy and he always protected her), “What sound are you talking about?”

“It was a loud heart beat!” She exclaimed, “Rat ‘n Sat said they couldn’ hear it, but it was so loud!”

“Molly, are you sure it just wasn’t this?” Angela asked, holding up the library book she had thrown across the room in hopes that if she wasn’t touching it, the sound would stop. Molly scooted away from it, squishing herself closer to the safety of her Da’ before saying, “No!” She then had to be instructed to take a few calming breaths before she explained that, “It wasn’t scary ‘til I heard th’ sounds. Then th’ book jus’ made it worse...” She looked down at her hands, noticing the bracelet on her wrist, “You put me bracelet back on?” She asked.

“It wasn’t on when you started reading?” Angela asked.

“No, Jesse said tha’ one of th’ stories had scared ‘im when ‘e was mah age, so I wanted ta prove I wasn’ scared. I took me bracelet off jus’ in case ‘e came back ta spook me.” She explained, “Can’ spook me if I can hear yer thoughts.”

“... Well tha’ explains why you didn’ stop readin it’.” Her Da’ sighed before murmuring about how damn stubborn she could be.

“Molly, if your bracelet was off and Junkrat and Satya couldn’t hear the sounds you heard, could you have been hearing one of their thoughts?”

“Maybe...” She said softly, thinking about it, “I could still hear Rat’s jus’ foine fer a bit...” She paused, “But I couldn’ hear Sat’s at all...”

“Rat said she seemed really worried about you when they were sittin’ with ya, said you nearly gave them heart attacks when you threw the book...”

“I couldn’ hear Sat’s thoughts at all, though.” She said, “‘N th’ sound got even louder when they got really worried...”

She could practically hear the gears whirling through the adults’ heads until Angela’s eyes widened in comprehension.

“Mako, can you bring Satya in here for a moment please?”

“Jus’ ‘er?”

“And Ana too, please, if you would.”

He let out a grunt of confirmation and walked out of the room.

“You think Sat was makin’ th’ noise?” Molly asked her.

“In part.” Angela said as she began rummaging through cabinets and drawers.

“In part?” Molly repeated, confused.

“Yes, I’ll explain in a moment.” She said as she smiled and pulled out a slim box and slipped it into her doctor’s coat’s pocket as Ana and Satya walked in. The elder Amari closing the door behind her as she looked at the child in the bed.

“You feeling better?” She asked her.

“Yeah,” She held up her wrist, “Helps when ya have somethin’ ta block out th’ sound.”

“And what sound was that?” Satya asked.

“In a moment.” Angela said, “But first, we need to confirm something.” She then motioned for Molly to remove her bracelet. 

Molly wasn’t very keen on the command, but after a shaky breath, she did so.

Th-thump

She grabbed the bracelet with both hands and nodded, “Yeah, tha’s what I heard.”

Angela smiled before turning to the other women in the room, “Molly heard the sound of a heart beating when you and Junkrat were nearby when she didn’t have her bracelet on. She said she heard Junkrat’s thoughts, but not yours.”

“But I was not thinking about the sound of a heart beat.” Satya said.

Ana’s eyes widened in understanding, “You didn’t, but someone else did.” she said clearly.

“But I heard Rat’s thoughts clear as day when I heard th’ heart beats, ‘n if Sat wasn’ thinkin’ ‘bout tha’ sound, then why couldn’ I hear ‘er thoughts?”

“Because you were hearing someone else’s thoughts from her.” Angela said, pulling the box from her pocket and handing it to Satya. The architect’s eyebrows crinkled in confusion, “A pregnancy test?”

“A developing brain wouldn’t be able to have thoughts like Molly’s used to, it would probably hardly have anything close, but it might be able to hear it’s mother’s heart beat and process that a bit.” Angela said, her friend’s golden eyes widening at this information and her face paling a bit.

“I-I am a bit late, but with Vishkar trying to sue me for patent stealing when we made me a new arm so I could still use hard light without their technology again...” she rubbed at her sleek blue and white arm before looking up at Angela, “Are you sure that Molly hearing that means...” Satya began. 

“Molly’s never been around a pregnant woman before...” Ana recalled, “And I do believe there was an issue during a recent PTA meeting because of this...” she said as she looked to Angela, who scowled at the thought.

“Issue?” Molly repeated.

“A pregnant mother said that, as a Junker, you were probably radioactive and she didn’t want you near her or her family, lest her developing baby be harmed.” Angela snarled.

“She does know tha’ I ain’ a rod of plutonium, roight?” Molly asked, making Ana let out a snort of laughter and Satya smile a bit.

“No, but I will use that in the next PTA meeting if I have to.” Angela said before getting back to Ana’s point, “Anyways, the point is, Molly’s never heard thoughts that have come from a developing child’s head before, and since you’re obviously not very far along, what she is hearing makes sense.”

Satya looked worriedly at the box in her hands.

“Yer jus’ makin’ sure I ain’ goin’ bonkers.” Molly told her, “Plus, you ‘n Rat loike me foine, imagoine how much you’d loike yer own kid!” Satya smiled a bit at that before nodding and Ana began going over the instructions with Satya and Molly looked to her mother figure beside her as she began unplugging her from everything.

“Does this mean ‘m gonna get a cousin?” She whispered to Angela excitedly. The doctor smiled warmly at her, “Probably, but we should let her take the test first, just to be sure.”

“‘Kay.” she said as she bounced on her bum, waiting a moment before asking, “... So I can’ congratulate Rat yet?” 

“No.” Angela said, smiling despite trying to be firm here. But it was probably hard since she was relieved that the girl who’d had a huge frightened freak out was now currently bouncing on her bum with glee.

“’Kay... How ‘bout now?” She asked.

“Molly...” Angela warned.

“Foine...” She pouted as she watched Ana hand Satya a paper cup of water and saw her down it, “How’s Bob?” she asked.

“He’s fine. Your father was watching him, but Mei offered to cover him when he heard you were having a panic attack.” Angela assured her, “She hasn’t reported him having any trouble, so he’s fine.”

“Tha’s good.” She said, watching Satya walk into the bathroom with the box and a pair of gloves out of the corner of her eye, a need to know overflowing her system but knowing she couldn’t know until she came out was infuriating.

A few minutes later, Satya left the bathroom with the box, looking a bit pale.

“Can I...”

“Molly, the test still needs to...”

“For Christ’s sake, we loive in th’ fuckin’ 20 - - s!” Molly cried, “How have we not made pregnancy tests tha’ work faster?!”

The older women immediately began to laugh at that, Satya still nervously looking at the box, and despite Molly being unable to read her mind, she had a feeling that only one person could make her feel better about all of this...

Rat walked up the hall, surprised to be suddenly summoned to Mercy’s office, but a bit worried too. It had been a while since Molly had her freak out and after she woke up, Hog was basically kicked out to have Ana and his new wife in. He bit his lip nervously, his gut was saying that something was up, but it wasn’t the ‘when in doubt, get the fuck out’ kind of something’s up. He didn’t know what to think here.

He knocked on the door, nervous.

The door opened and Molly hopped out, happy as a clam and gave him a big hug.

While he was a fan of hugs and was glad she was better than she was before, the suddenness of the change was a bit jarring.

“Good ta see yer feelin’ bettah, Molls.” He said, gently ruffling her hair.

“Ta!” She replied, “’N congrats, Rat!”

“Congrats?” He repeated as the near pre-teen booked it past him, “Th’ hell?” He murmured, confused as Ana walked out, gave him a pat on the shoulder and wished him good luck.

“Th’ hell do ya mean by...” And she was gone.

“Great.” He groaned, confused.

“Junkrat?” Mercy called, motioning him into the room. He did so, cautious.

“Does someone wanna explain what those two were on about?” He asked.

McCree watched as Molly happily bounced on her toes towards him, Hana and Lúcio, the freshly lit cigar sliding out of his mouth between gloved fingers before he asked, “Either of you have any idea why she’s...?”

“Nope.” Lúcio replied before he had a chance to finish.

“I’m just glad she’s okay now.” Hana said.

“That remains to be seen.” The cowboy said as he walked up to her, “Molly, there something you want to share with the class?” He asked her.

Only when Molly eagerly opened her mouth, they heard Rat’s loud voice explode, “’M GONNA BE A DA’?!!?” and heard the words echo through out the compound.

“Oh,” McCree said before motioning for Molly to pass him, “Carry on.”

Only to jerk backwards a bit when she hug-tackled him instead, “Thanks fer tellin’ me I shouldn’ read tha’ book, Jesse!” She said, “If it wasn’ fer you, I wouldn’ have heard th’ baby’s thoughts at all!” 

“Uh, yer welcome?” He replied, confused as to how he did that exactly, only to then ask, “So that means your Pa ain’ gonna kill me or nothin’?”

“’E’ll be too busy keepin’ me away from th’ phone ta call Sat’s Mum.” Molly said plainly, her eyes widening, “Tha’ reminds me! Mei, Da’ ‘n Bob don’ know yet!” She then ran past them all towards her house, “Gotta go!”

“Wow.” Lúcio said.

 McCree put his lit cigar on the ground and started stomping it out, since, with a baby on the way on base, smoking was probably a no go from now on and muttered to himself about how withdrawal will probably be a bitch.

“I want to congratulate her, but I also don’t want her having a panic attack.” Hana said softly.

“Maybe we can all go together and get it over with all at once?” Lúcio offered. Hana and McCree nodded in agreement and the three made their way inside and were just a hallway away from Mercy’s office when they saw Rat burst out of the door and surprise a passing Lena in the hall, “LENA, ‘M GONNA BE A DA’!!”

Lena let out a happy gasp, “Congrats Rat!” 

“’M SO HAPPY!!!!” He cried, before running over towards them,“’M GONNA BE A DA’!!!” before running off further down the hall, “ROADIE, TORB, REINHARDT, WHERE YA AT?! ‘M GONNA BE A DA’!!!” He cried as he vanished out of sight.

“OMG this is the best thing ever!” Hana laughed as Satya poked her head out of the office with Angela.

“Well, I think he took that well.” Angela told her. Satya smiled, “It makes me feel so much better that he’s so happy about it.”

“Happy’s an understatement.” McCree said as they heard Junkrat announce the wonderful news to an equally loud Reinhardt further down the hall. He scratched the back of his head, tilting his hat a bit, “Hard to believe all this came from Molly scaring the crap out of herself.”

“At least this story has a happy ending.” Angela pointed out.

“Better than the Tell Tale Heart, that’s for sure.” He said.

“Wait, I thought in that story, the crazy killer gives himself up to the police. Isn’t that technically a happy ending too?” Hana asked, “I mean, the murderer goes to prison for what he did.”

“Huh, never thought about it like that...” He said thoughtfully.

“I’m with Angela.” Lúcio said, “This is a much better story, because we get to tell that kid,” He pointed to Satya’s belly to clarify which one he was referring to, “Exactly what happened when Daddy got the news.”

And that’s how you turn something scary/unnerving into something sweet.

Also if you’ve never seen How It Should Have Ended’s Happy dad Darth Vader happily freaking out about being/becoming a dad. That’s what I picture Rat’s like for the rest of the day.

For those who do not know the comedy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6U6I9Jbkxs

You’re welcome.

His crazy infectious happiness staves of the panic attack Symmetra was about to have right after she told him and makes her feel more than a bit better. She does make him calm down because she will be the one to tell her mother and then will give him the phone to let them freak out about the baby because she will then be in control freak mode and she has research to do, her mother will call back to ask everything she will ask him another day, so Momma will focus on taking care of unborn baby.

Also, this baby is Aarush

who belongs to @dnnysma formally known as bowlersandtophats

You know those special little conversations that you get when you have certain characters together or in certain places? Well I figured I’d give those a try.

Mercy and Ben (Ben has been wounded and she is healing him)

Mercy: Now, what have I told you a thousand times?

Ben: ... (embarrassed) I can’t get away with being the strong silent type around you?

Mercy: (sighs, but seems a bit amused) I suppose that is close enough.

Roadhog and Molly (on Junkertown Map)

Molly: So this is it, huh?

Roadhog: Yup.

(Brief Silence)

Molly: Da’?

Roadhog: Hmm?

Molly: Thanks fer not lettin’ me grow up ‘ere.

Roadhog: (chuckles)

Mercy and Wilhelmina (In the air at the same time)

Wilhelmina: Race ya, Mum!

Mercy: Willi, for the last time, this is not a race!

Molly and Wilhelmina 

(whenever Wilhelmina is helped by Molly’s telekinesis or lightning bugs (can send them to teammates to lower damage taken)

Wilhelmina: Thanks, Molly. I owe you one.

Molly: No worries! Sisters ‘fore Misters, roight? 

Wilhelmina: (laughing) Always! Now come on, we’re lagging behind!

Molly: Not fer long!

(Whenever Molly is helped by Wilhelmina’s hook or staff)

Molly: Ta, I owe you ya one.

Wilhelmina: Anytime! Sisters before Misters, right?

Molly: (laughing) Struth! Now come on, Willi, we’ve got arses ta kick ‘n loives ta save!

Wilhelmina: Wait for me!

Wilhelmina and Ben (In starting spot)

Wilhelmina: Promise me you’ll be careful out there!

Ben: ... Only if you promise too.

Roadhog and Wilhelmina (on Kings Row)

Wilhelmina: We better keep an eye out!

Roadhog: (sighs) fer the last toime, they ain’ gonna arrest me. They have no idea where Rat ‘n I put those crown jewels.

Wilhelmina: ... I meant there was a special pachimari being sold here exclusively... Wait, so you really did steal the crown jewels?!

Roadhog: (snort of disbelief) you thought I didn’?

Mercy and Molly (reviving Molly from a sniper kill)

Mercy: And what did we learn?

Molly: Tha’ you are definitely bettah than me biological Mum.

Mercy: Right answer!

Molly and Ben (Route 66): 

Molly: You sock ‘um!

Ben: You shoot them!

Both: But we both electrocute them!

Ben and Roadhog (Gibraltar base)

Roadhog: I know yer worried about yer sisters, ya can’ jus’ follow ‘um ‘round when they’re on dates.

Ben: Yes I can, I just have to find better hiding places.

Mercy and Roadhog (Any start)

Mercy: I love you, be safe.

Roadhog: Love you too. Try not ta kick their arses too hard.

Mercy: (laughing) No promises!

Ben is @the-inline-rex

Wilhelmina is @glampyra

Lena felt it coming again. The surge.

She was going to vanish again. She felt tears fall down her face and watched as they fell to the ground, only to go right through it. Who knew where she’d end up or when she’d end up. She’d seen some horrible things while popping in and out of time. 

It had all started in that stupid ‘Slipstream’, the teleporter going mad and her suddenly feeling a surge through her body before she ended up in an icy no man’s land in the middle of a bloody blizzard. 

But, she hardly felt cold.

At first she figured that, due to her gear being made to withstand the cool temperatures in the upper atmosphere, it might be the reason. But after walking through the snow for what felt like hours, she turned to see how far she’d gone and realized something that made her blood feel as cold as ice;

She hadn’t left any foot prints in the snow, and while the storm was quite bad, she should still be able to see at least what direction she came from. 

After that she put together that, while she was in a time period and in a place, she couldn’t touch anything. People could see and hear her sometimes, but only for an instant.

She was a flickering ghost to the world. 

And she was going to flicker again into another time and another place. She felt her chest ache as she started to cry.

She wanted to go home. 

She missed her friends, her family, her life. She never wanted to be held in a tight embrace more in her entire life. To feel the warmth of another person without them walking through her and freaking out and running off, screaming about a weirdly dressed ghost. 

She continued to cry as the world shifted around her, colors, sights and sounds changing, but all she could hear was the sound of her pitiful, lonely wailing.

Until she heard someone call her name.

“Lena?” 

She turned and saw a small old woman with two cowlicks sticking straight up on her head look at her with wide, violet eyes before dashing to a nearby table, snatching something with a blue glowing light and strapping it to her chest so fast that Lena, who was a track champ for most of her life and was good at getting things done quickly, wondered how the hell it was humanly possible that she got it on so fast.

At that moment, she suddenly felt solid again, like the weight of the world swallowed her and she soaked back into existence. Like she was back to the way she was before she got into that damn plane. 

The old woman let out a sigh of relief, the cowlicks curling into a heart shape, “I thought I was goin’ ta miss ya for a second there!” She said, revealing that she had an Australian accent, before she gave her a big, slightly jagged smile and a small pat on the back,, “Well, ‘m glad I gotcha anyways. Not sure how long th’ charge’ll last, th’ old thing ain’ what she used ta be, but it’ll probably be enough for you ta have a noice cuppa tea ‘n a snack ‘fore it needs chargin’ again.” 

The old woman began gently guiding her towards the nearest with a warm arm against the small of her back, “But no worries! I always keep your favorite, Earl Grey, in th’ kitchen. Oh ‘n I got some tasty biscuits tha’ one of me pilots picked up from King’s Row. A taste of home will do ya wonders!” She assured her.

Lena looked her up and down, touched at the fact that this person knew her and was able to bring her back to... wait. What year is it? And where was she?

And know that she thought about it, did she know someone with purple eyes, weird cowlicks and an Australian accent? Would she know someone like that in the future? 

Well, considering the confusing aspects of time travel and her sudden return to a physical plane of existence, she decided the only way to find out was to ask.

“Do... do I know you?” she asked nervously.

“Not yet, love.” The old woman said gently, “I met ya way after ya stopped hopscotching through toime.”

“Oh, then what year is it?” she asked her, the old woman looked thoughtful at this before finally replying that, “I don’ think it’d be wise ta give ya th’ year, toime space ‘n all tha’.”

“Oh...” she said softly.

“No worries, love, talkin’ ‘bout th’ future you can change is off loimits, howevah,” the old woman’s eyes twinkled with mischief, “Tellin’ ya ‘bout stuff you can’ change should be foine. You’ve been bouncin’ through toime enough tha’ no one would question how ya know.” 

She smiled as they walked down a corridor, unable to shake this feeling of Deja Vu. Had she been here before? 

She glanced around, searching for a sign when she found it. A small blast mark on the ceiling.

“Are we in Overwatch’s Gibraltar base?” she asked. The old woman smiled, obviously pleased that she recognized it, although it’d be hard for her not to. She’d made that mark when she met Genji Shimada, a cyborg ninja who had scared the living hell out of her and made her shoot the ceiling while she was getting a tour from a Jesse McCree of Blackwatch. The two of them had found it hilarious. She and their boss, Gabriel Reyes, had not.

“Didn’ think ya’d catch on this quick. Thought ya’d need a bit more toime adjustin’.” She then opened the door to the kitchen for her, “Yes, we’re in th’ Gibraltar base. It’s been through more than one face loift since you last seen it, but...” the woman looked around the halls her eyes warm as she seemed to be lost to old memories for a moment, “in many ways, it hasn’ changed one a bit.”

“How long have you been here?” she asked the old woman as she glanced around the kitchen. It had a few new things on the counters that she doubted she would ever know the function of and watched as she turned on the stove and grabbed a nearby kettle and walked over to the sink, the woman’s face thoughtful, “I came here when I was seven. You flew me ‘ere with me Da’, me Mum, me Uncle, me aunt, Fareeha ‘n Good old Reinhardt for medical treatment.” 

Lena smiled at the mention of Reinhardt’s name, the old German’s loud laughter and kindness instantly popping into mind. Fareeha, if she remembered correctly, was Captain Ana Amari’s daughter. Her smile grew at the thought of how proud her mother would be that her daughter had followed in her footsteps.

“Oh, Ana was pissed when she found out tha’ Fareeha joined. But she accepted it in the end.” The woman recalled, as if she had read her thoughts as she took the filled kettle from the sink and put it on to boil. She then grabbed a few mugs from a nearby cabinet, placed them on the counter and walked towards the pantry. 

“And Reinhardt?” she asked.

“Oh, he was on Fareeha’s soide. Said there was nothin’ wrong with ‘er wantin’ ta do somethin’ tha’ brought ‘er closer ta ‘er Mum.”

“Well, Ana could’ve said no, though, she was high ‘nough in th’ chain of command.”

“Ah, ‘ere’s th’ thin’, though.” she said as she brought a box of Earl Grey and a box of her favorite biscuits from back home, “She wasn’ exactly in Overwatch when Fareeha joined.”

“Loike retirement?” she asked, “’Cause I’m sorry, I can’t see Captain Ana Amari stepping down from ‘er spot unless she was dead!”

“...” The woman gave her an apologetic expression. 

“Toime space thingy?” Lena sighed, a little annoyed that she wasn’t allowed to know the juicy details, but realizing that the woman’s hands were probably tied on this matter and decided not to press.

“Winston was very clear ‘bout what I could ‘n could not say ta ya.” She made an annoyed face, “Was a huge pain in th’ arse ‘bout it, now tha’ I 'member it...”

“Sorry about that.” she said, but the old woman waved her off as she motioned for her to take a seat at a prep table that hadn’t been there when she had visited whenever she had, and sat down in a bar stool on one side while the old woman opened the biscuits and poured them onto a plate and placed it in front of her, “Marmalade?” she asked.

“Please!” she said excitedly, with all that time hopping she did, she had no idea when she’d last eaten and was pretty hungry. Biscuits, marmalade and Earl Grey was a welcomed treat for her stomach as well as her soul.

The woman brought back two butter knives and two jars, one orange, one red, “Strawberry jam.” the woman said sheepishly, “I’ve had a weakness ta it fer as long as I can remember.” Lena waved her hand, as if to tell her it was no big deal as the kettle began to sing. The woman poured the hot water into the mugs and pulled some milk and sugar from the fridge and another cabinet and quickly made it up before bringing her mug over.

“I also put a little lemon in there, jus’ how you loike it.” she said with a chuckle.

“Thanks!” she exclaimed as she took a sip. She really wanted to chug it down, but it was still too hot for that, so she decided to give it a little more time to cool while helping herself to a biscuit.

“So, I never got your name.” Lena said as she applied a large blob of marmalade to her biscuit and began spreading it out.

“Ah, Molly. Molly Rutledge.” she said, holding out her hand to shake. Lena shoved her food into her mouth and took it with both hands and gave it a shake as she chewed, making the old woman laugh at her antics. 

Once she swallowed she happily took another sip and began lathering another biscuit in orange goop when she noticed Molly looking at her funny, as if she was happy, like she was seeing her old best friend over for a visit, but she could see a tinge of bittersweet and loneliness in her eyes.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

“No, it’s jus’...” she saw the old woman blink back some tears as she continued on to say that, “It’s jus’ been a long toime since one of you lot were home. It’s noice havin’ ya back, Lena. Even if we don’ know fer how long...” she shook her head, “Tha’s not a way ta be thinkin’, sorry...” 

“It’s fine!” she insisted, “I’m glad I’m here too!” she looked around the kitchen.

Home. Molly called this place her home. She wondered how long this was her home, was Molly’s home, was Winston’s home... Who else lived here with her? Did she ever marry, have a family? She had so many questions she wanted to ask about her life here...

But Lena swallowed the questions back with a biscuit and another sip of tea.

This woman, Molly, said that she had flown her here with her family when the old woman was only seven years old, she guessed this was after Winston had found a way to help her (possibly with the device the old woman had strapped to her when she appeared here). But still Molly wasn’t a little girl anymore, she was an old woman. How many people had she loved here that left her behind due to age or battle? How long had it been since she’d last seen Lena?

Lena wasn’t sure if she wanted to know the answers to that. 

“It’s been a very long toime.” Molly answered anyway, her voice thick with emotion, “It’s not loike I don’ have people I love ‘ere with me now, ‘m gettin’ more ta love more every day, fer bettah or worse... It’s jus’...” she looked at her, tears welling in her eyes and starting to spill down her cheeks, “You lot were...are me family. I miss you all so much. It’s hard ta think ‘bout how much I miss ya when I’ve got so many others ta consider now. I guess, with you bein’ ‘ere, it’s hard not ta think ‘bout you all...” She let out a bitter chuckle as she wiped at her face, “But look who ‘m talkin’ to. You more than anyone else know how cruel toime can be when it comes to those ya love ‘n ‘m sorry fer makin’ ya listen ta me blubber loike this when you’ve prob’ly dealt with worse.”

Lena felt her own eyes begin to water as she shook her head.

The loneliness, the cold, wanting to reach out but never being able to touch anyone or anything. This woman’s memories of her and everyone else here with them when she first got here were like how she had been since ‘Slipstream’s malfunction. Only, unlike this woman, she would have a chance to see them again, to touch, to laugh. But Molly never would, she only had her memories, and even the most vivid ones would fade over time. She quietly prayed that the ones she loved now were just as good to her as those she had loved along with her back then.

She got up from her seat and hugged the old woman tightly, “Thank you!” she sobbed, “Thank you fer bringin’ me ‘ere! For being with me! I know exactly how you feel! It’s so lonely it hurts! It hurts so much!” She felt the woman’s arms wrap around her and give her a gentle squeeze as they both cried for the people who they loved and missed.

After a little while, they calmed down and resumed their tea and snacks with sniffles and a little bit of hiccuping. Once Lena’s belly was full, the device on her chest began flashing.

“Shite!” Molly hissed as she dashed to her side and began inspecting it.

“How long I got?” she asked softly.

“A couple of minutes.” the old woman hissed, frustrated, before looking up at her, upset, “’M so sorry, Lena, I wanted this to be far more pleasant than it was...”

“No.” Lena said, placing at hand on her shoulder, “It’s noice ta know that someone understands how it feels without this thing. And it’s not like I won’t get ta have tons of fun with ya after this!”

Molly laughed, “Guess tha’s true, but still...” she then paused and an impish grin, “I’ll be roight back!” she said, dashing out the door and leaving Lena alone, confused and a bit lonely.

When she came back with an old picture, she looked at her funny, “Is that fer me?”

“Well, fer ya ta look at.” she said, “I don’t think it’ll go with ya, no offense.” Lena held up her hand then looked at the back of the photo, written there was her name, followed by heart and then the name Emily.

“Whose Emily?” she asked.

“Yer wife.” Molly smirked.

“I thought you said Winston was really strict about what you could and could not show me?” Lena squeaked nervously.

“I did ‘n ‘e was.” Molly said, “If ‘e ever found out, ‘e’d kill me.” 

Lena looked at her, panicked.

“Oh, calm down, ‘e never foinds out, or if ‘e does, ‘e’s too ‘fraid of me parents ta ever try ta kill me.” Molly said dismissively as she showed her the photo anyways.

Lena gasped.

In the photo, next to her was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen. Gorgeous red hair, beautiful eyes, cute freckles, beautiful smile...

Lena felt her face burn as she admired the goddess laughing in her arms as she held her in her own.

“Yes, ya hit tha’.” Molly said, “Ya married tha’. Ya adopted a kid ‘n Christ knows how many pets with tha’. ‘N ya grew old with tha’.”

“But... but what do I even say ta ‘er when I meet ‘er?!” she cried, “I mean, just look at her!”

“Say what you say whenever you see a familiar face.” Molly said with a shrug.

Lena looked up at her, pleading for something better than that.

“What was th’ foirst thing you thought when I took ya out of me office?” Molly asked her.

She paused then looked up at her nervously, “You ever get tha’ feelin’ of Deja Vu?” she asked.

The old woman smiled broadly, “Every toime ya say tha’.” she replied warmily. 

The blinking increased and the old woman gently patted her shoulder, “I’ll see ya soon ‘nough, Lena.” she promised.

“Lookin’ forward to it!” she laughed as the device went dark and she felt the surge start up again and the background faded away. She felt the device sink through her before she vanished. 

Only to reappear by her best friend, who was slumped over and crying while holding the picture she had taken of the two of them when they first met with her old polaroid camera. 

“Why?” he sobbed, “Why can’t we find you?! You can’t of just disappeared without a trace! It’s not possible! You have to be somewhere!”

“More loike, somewhen.” She corrected softly. Winston froze and turned around, his eyes wide and red behind his glasses.

“L-Lena?” Winston sniffled, getting up from his spot and reaching for her only for his hand to go through her.

“Cheers, love.” She said tears filling her eyes as she took his hand as best she could and gave him a big smile, “I finally found the calvary.”

Eight years later, Lena entered a pub not to far from her place in King’s Cross, her stomach growling. 

She was on leave after another job well done and had just gotten back today, so she had nothing in her fridge and the smells coming from this place had been too good to resist. She glanced around the bar, looking for an open seat when she spotted one next to someone with red hair.

“’Scuse me.” she said, “Anyone sittin’ there?”

The woman turned to her and Lena’s cheeks immediately began to burn.

It was the woman from the photo, Emily, 

And she was far prettier in real time.

“Oh, no, no one is sitting there.” she said, motioning for her to take it. Lena did, unable to hide her shock and disbelief that she’d found her in a random pub. She’d tried dating sites, google searches (only having her first name didn’t really help, but she still tried) and so many other things, only to find her while getting a bite to eat. 

“Is something wrong?” The woman asked her.

“No!” she blurted, then felt her cheeks go from pink to red with embarrassment. ‘Real smooth, Lena, real smooth.’ she thought, ‘Molly told ya all that just for you to screw it all...’ she stopped, remembering the advice she had been given before she vanished back into the time stream.

She looked at the woman, still a bit embarrassed, but far more relaxed now, “It’s just... well... You ever get that feelin’ of Deja Vu?” she asked her.

A few more years later, Lena sat in the cock pit, waiting for the others to arrive back with the weapon Talon was buying from Hyde, smiling as her girlfriend ended the call with a yawn and a ‘Love you, Lena.’

The Recall made their relationship far more long distance than she would have liked, but they still made it work some how and she was grateful for it. And she was grateful for all the new faces and old who had also answered the recall, they all seemed nice, albeit she found the bigger Junker they hired, Roadhog, to be fucking terrifying. But he kept the smaller one, Junkrat, a friendly and slightly nuts explosive expert with a tendency to catch on fire a little too much, under control and they were both great guys to have on your side. They’d saved her last week when a rogue omnic pushed her off a cliff, Roadhog using his hooked chain to yank her back up and making sure she was alright, while Junkrat blasted the fleeing omnic, along with several others coming towards them, with a simple jump on a land mine of his and a few happily tossed grenades.

Remembering their thick Australian accents made her mind drift back to the old woman, Molly. She wondered when she’d get to see her again. It had been so long ago... or was it so far in the future?

Ugh, time traveler problems.

Her thoughts on this time conundrum was interrupted by a call from Symmetra, one of the other new faces they’d gained thanks to the recall. A Vishkar architect who could make tons of interesting things with just a few flicks of her fingers. She could be a bit cold, but Lena had befriended colder so she wasn’t too bothered by it.

“Tracer, we have the weapon, but there is a complication...” She informed her.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

She heard the Vishkar sigh, “I- It’s difficult to explain.”

“No it ain’.” Junkrat said plainly, “The explainin’ ain’ th’ hard part, it’s believin’ it.”

“Try me, loves.” she challenged as she leaned back in her chair and opened her thermos, “I’ve been in Overwatch for years and I’ve been adrift in the toime stream for God knows how long. I doubt there is anything you can say that’ll shock me.” she said before taking a sip.

“The weapon’s a kid.” Roadhog said plainly, making her spit spray her tea all over the front window and start choking, Junkrat laughing hysterically in the background.

“Okay..” she coughed, “That shocked me.” 

“We’re approaching the ORCA, can you set up a connection with Winston so we can pass along the news?” Symmetra asked.

“Can do!” she said, “See ya in a bit!”

“Understood, Symmetra out.”

A few minutes later she heard the door open and she hopped out of the cock pit, curious to see what a human weapon looked like.

She looked like a tiny little girl sitting on Junkrat’s shoulders with a dirty, blood stained dress, two cowlicks and... 

violet eyes.

She approached the little girl carefully, her eyes wide and her voice a bit warped with shock, “’Ello there.” she said, feeling a smile curl up her cheeks at the child, “You ever get tha’ feelin’ of Deja Vu, love?” she asked her.

The little girl tilted her head, her cowlicks mirroring her eyebrows in a confused tilt, but she still gave her a vivid smile not too unlike the old woman’s from all those years go. 

Lena felt her smile grow bigger. She had said that she’d have fun with her when she saw her again, and she was going to keep that promise.

“Oi, Rat, while we’re waiting for the others, wanna teach her how to slam dunk?” she asked, pointing to the little girl on his shoulders. 

I don’t know why I wrote this. 

Okay, I kinda do, I thought this up one day and then I wanted to make it a special Tracer chapter of my Adventures of Dadhog fanfic, letting Lena have a moment of calm and rest during her time skips while breaking the one of the big no no of time travelers (no spoilers) and sort of circling from Molly seeing Lena for the last time to Lena meeting Molly for the first time. 

(Also, Molly would totally let Lena cheat and see her future wifey, Lena would have gone for her anyways, so why not? And while winston does figure out that old lady molly tells young lena, but Winston can’t punish young Molly for Old Molly’s shit. that’s not fair to young Molly. Plus Old Molly helped Lena, at least for a little while, so he figures if he’s super strict with her when she’s younger about what to say if Lena ever pops up without her chrono-excelorator on, then she won’t say as much, but she still does, thus completing the circle) 

Angela sighed as she looked out the hotel window. She had been begged to come to a medical conference in her native Switzerland to cover an old friend and honestly, she felt that it would be a welcomed break from the stress of caring for her little babies, whom she loved dearly, but the two wore her out very quickly. Especially now that Molly was back in school and could no longer help lighten the load of caring for such young children and while Mako did his best to help, his size often hindered his ability to help change their clothing or clean them after a diaper change properly (he was so terrified of not being gentle enough and accidentally harming them.) And don’t even get her started on how many times the others had somehow gotten themselves hurt in the past month, because it was far more than any of them had ever had before in the many years she’d worked in Overwatch. 

So when she left, she figured she’d use this time to relax and enjoy a few days to herself (outside of the conference and such), maybe even enjoy a spa day while she was here...

But now? It was her second day here out of four and all she could do was wish that she could just hop on a plane and go home to her family. She had called them yesterday once she was all settled in, (not showing them the wine and chocolates she had bought in town to enjoy in her room) and told them she got home safe and they chatted for a while. When she got off the phone, she enjoyed a lovely dinner... alone before she enjoyed some wine and chocolates over a movie... alone and then going to bed... alone...

She had been so excited about her little vacation, she forgot that she’d be completely alone for the next two days. And she hadn’t really been alone since... well, since she accepted the recall. 

Now she was sitting in her hotel room in the late afternoon, taking turns looking out the window and looking at her phone, wondering when would be a good time to call them, knowing that if she missed them, she’d probably keep trying until she reached them, and several back to back calls to someone was often a sign that something was wrong to Mako and Molly, so she wanted to make her call when they could pick up right away. 

“Mein Gott, Angela.” she said sternly to herself, “They are your family, you can call them whenever you like! Stop worrying and just call them!” 

And she nearly did, only for her phone to ring and her to jump in surprise. She juggled it for a second or two before accepting a video call from Molly. She picked up and saw her teenage daughter’s face bright with eager delight, “Mum, you’ve got ta see this!” she laughed, completely skipping over the beginning of any kind of conversation they might of had while she switched the camera from focusing on her face to focusing on Angela’s two year old and  five month old sitting on their father’s legs and staring intensely at his bare feet before turning up to see Mako, maskless on the couch with Bob’s head on his lap as he stroked the mutt’s head, the massive man obviously amused by something, “Ready Da’?” Molly giggled, getting a thumbs up in return as he seemed to hold back chuckles, although Angela couldn’t tell you why.

“Okay!” she said, the camera focusing on Mako’s feet and the babies, “This lil piggy went to market...” Molly cooed, Mako’s big toes wiggling on cue, (revealing that Molly had painted his toes to have little piggy faces on them like she had when she was little, but more importantly,) the simple action made Wilhelmina and Ben burst out laughing and they started kicking their little chubby legs in the air so wildly, she’d be surprised that they managed to stay on their daddy’s legs if their big sister didn’t have telekinesis.

Mako’s toe stopped wiggling and the two babies stopped laughing within instants, their gazes quickly snapping back on his feet, their expressions watchful and serious.

“This little piggy stayed home...” Molly recited through giggles, Mako wiggling the second toe, making the little ones laugh again, their feet kicking in the air again as they laughed hysterically. Angela felt giggles start to cascade out of her own lips as well as she watched Mako’s toe still and her young ones snap back to attention, staring at his feet.

“This little piggy had roast beef...” Molly managed, Mako’s third toe wiggling, making the laughter and kicking restart once more. Angela covered her mouth to keep from interrupting Molly and Mako’s little act with her laughter, the little ones laughing and stopping with the movement of the mountainous man she married’s toes.

“This little piggy had none...” Mako wiggled the fourth toe, the little ones going mad with laughter, their legs flailing in the air without a care before the movement stopped and the two went back to staring. 

“’N this little piggy went ‘Wee wee wee’ all th’ way home!” Molly finished, Wilhelmina and Ben looking their father’s wiggling pinky toe, confused as to why it would go ‘Wee wee wee’ before he stopped moving it.

“Oi, ya know why th’ fifth piggy went ‘wee wee wee’?” she asked them, the two little ones tilted their heads at her, curious. “Cause their Da’ did THIS!” she cried as Mako scooped them up and raised them up into the air and back down at a pace that was fast enough to be fun, but not fast enough to make them throw up. The two laughed so hard that tears started to form in their eyes and they waved their arms into the air much like one would if on a rollercoaster, “You two havin’ fun?” Molly asked.

“Wee!” Wilhelmina cried happily, her few little teeth out on full display.

“Eee!” Ben echoed, smiling broadly to show his lack of teeth. 

“I think they loike it, what do you think, Mum?” Molly asked, Angela finally freed her mouth and laughed loudly along with the little ones, “I think I’ll want to see it again when I get home!” she declared.

“We can do tha’.” Mako assured her, slowly stopping the ride so Molly could shove the phone closer to Wilhelmina and Ben, “Looks loike you two are gonna have ‘nother reason ta be happy when Mum comes home, aren’ ya?” she teased, the two realizing that their Mommy’s face was on the phone and reached for it, both of them trying to eat it while Molly called for them to stop eating it and Mako laughed loudly before they got the phone out of the babies’ hands, Bob gave the babies doggie kisses and made them burst out laughing again and they all talked about their days.

Angela was still chuckling when they ended the call an hour later and spent the rest of the evening checking nearby shops for novelty socks with pig faces on the toes in Mako’s size. Her loneliness forgotten as she spent her time chuckling at the clerks’ reactions to the size of her husband’s feet.

@glampyra owns Wilhelmina

@the-inline-rex owns Ben

I own Molly and Bob the dog.

Wilhelmina is very friendly and nice, but is picked on because she is a bit fluffier than most of the girls her age. Ben and Molly don’t like this, so Ben often is yanked off of them by teachers or by Rat and Sym’s kids, often with some sort of skin torn off his opponent, while Molly keeps her distance (she is much older than them, after all, she could get into serious trouble if she got into a physical fight with a bunch of kids, picking on her sister or not) so she settles for scaring them shitless with her powers. Bob the dog literally just pisses on them because if you’re going to treat his people like #2, he’ll give you #1 back. Mercy isn’t happy about how the three of them handle it, but she tells Roadhog in secret that she does like the fact that they stand up for one another.

Molly adopts a little orphaned boy that she finds while out on a mission, when she gets off the airship with the child in tow, Wilhelmina and Mercy immediately rushes over to shower the little one with love (Willi: he’s so cute! How old is he? What’s your favorite color, sweetie? Oh, you’re going to love it here, Aunt Willie promises!), concern (Mercy: he’s a bit underweight and I’m concerned about these scars, but with enough love and care he’ll be happy and healthy in no time!) and Oma and Auntie snuggles. Ben looks at the kid, looks at Molly and asks, “Seriously, who did this to you?” Molly gives him a flat look and says, “Fer th’ love of Christ, Ben, I didn’ push ‘im out, ‘m takin’ ‘im in.” Hog just gently pats the child’s head with a chuckle, “Welcome ta th’ family, kid. You’ll get used ta us soon enough, struth.” He promises as the dog gives the child a kiss on the cheek, making him laugh as he happily takes in his new family.

When Ben sees either of his sisters flirting or chatting with a member of the opposite sex, he watches from a distance, being the biggest of overprotective little brothers while their parents keep an observant eye on it, knowing that their daughters can take care of themselves but wanting to be there just in case. But when Ben flirts with his eventual girlfriend, his sisters and mother giggle relentlessly and take video of it with their phones while Roadhog just shakes his head at them. His family is so weird...

Mercy loves making her family classic meals from her home country that her mother used to make for her. She loves baking goodies with her babies and eventual grandbabies and giggles when they try to hand feed them to her, their father and each other. She loves munching on chocolates and scratching behind her dog’s ear while he’s curled up beside her on the couch while she’s watching a swiss rom com. But she friggin’ adores watching her man work the grill in the wacky apron she gave him for Christmas way back before they were dating. She finds it funny how tiny he makes their massive grill look in comparison and how he often hums while he works and how he always makes everything so tasty and filling and how the air smells so lovely when he’s working his magic.

When one of the kids has a nightmare, they go to the closest sibling in age to them, then they go to the final sibling, then the three of them and the dog sneak over to their parents’ room. Hog is usually the first to see them since he sleeps on the side of their massive bed closest to the door. He never asks what’s wrong. He knows exactly why they’re there and scoops all four of them up and rolls to the side to sandwich them all between him and Mercy where they know they are safe and sound. He smiles warmly as he watches as, one by one, the four littler Rutledges succumb to slumber before softly wishing them sweet dreams and going back to sleep.

@glampyra owns Wilhelmina

@the-inline-rex owns Ben