#maddrae

Jack’s hometown, and hers as well, was having its annual celebrationin honor of Jack. Bloomington local news station and reporters showed up andalways spoke to her grandparent’s and mom. They interviewed people that Jackwent to high school with, women who said he was so handsome and men who said hewas such a good guy. People who barely knew him. The reporters always asked tospeak to her, yet every year she seemed to vanish. She was thankful for herBlackwatch training at those moments.

She snuck away again this year. Her had mother beggedher to stay, but when everyone looked away, she vanished. Why should she staywhen none of these people really knew her Uncle or the others? She snagged acase of beer and headed home. She had her own way of remembering Jack and theothers. The others who were drug through the dirt. The others who justvanished. The others who she thought about every day.

Clara made it back to their farm and headed to the old cornfield out back. In the middle of the field, there was an old fort. A fort thatJack built for her when she was eight. She remembered why he built it for her.Her dead-beat dad was supposed to come see her one day. She remembered gettingall dressed up and waiting and waiting. The only one who showed up was Jack, hewas on leave for a week. Jack spent the entire day with Clara, and he evenbuilt this fort for her.

“Fort Clara,” he said dramatically. Clara rememberedgiggling and hugging the man tightly. He then took her out for pizza and icecream. That night, her dad showed up asking for her. She was in the showerduring this time, but she found out years later Jack beat the crap out of him. Hethreatened to storm in there and take his little girl home, Jack didn’t likethat.

Coming up to the fort now, it was just as wonderful as sheremembered. The words ‘Fort Clara’ were chipping but still visible. Jack madeit look like a small shed. It was tall enough that he could fit in there withher. She opened the door and sat on the floor. She had kept it clean in here,this is where she came to cry or get drunk.

There were pictures taped to the wall of her fort. The firstpictures she studied were of her old Blackwatch team; Gabriel Reyes, Genji,Jesse McCree, Bella and Shadow. One of the pictures was a group shot, while theothers were all separate pictures. There was a picture of Bella leaning againstGabe, both were sitting in a drop ship. Bella was asleep and Gabe was lookingdown at her with a soft smile. Another picture showed Jesse sitting against awall, his hat was pulled down over his face and Shadow had his head on thecowboy’s lap. Another showed Genji sharpening his sword and staring at thecamera, she could see he was amused. She had no pictures of Moira.

The other pictures were of Overwatch members. One showed herspeaking to Torbjörn, they were both examining a blue print of some sort.Another showed her working out with Reinhardt. One of the pictures showed Jackwas standing beside Rosa, both were in their Overwatch uniforms. Rosa had alarge smile on her face and Jack looked proud of his ‘niece’. That was the dayRosa became a member of Overwatch. There was another picture of Ana resting ona couch with Fareeha, Shadow was asleep with them. There was even a picture ofAngela falling asleep at a table, her hair was messy and she had a cup ofcoffee in front of her.

“I miss you guys,” she sighed. She cracked open a beer andtook a drink.

Genji and Jesse left Blackwatch before the fall. Sheremembered asking Genji to stay and how he went off on her. The mean things hesaid to her broke her heart that day. He said their relationship was a joke andhe didn’t love her. He never loved her. She was just another piece of ass.Clara got her heart broken for the first time that day. A few months later waswhen the explosion happened.

After it, while Clara was recovering from her wounds, Rosawas accused of selling drugs to agents. The UN tried pinning her father’s supposedactions on her, she couldn’t deal with the rumors of her father being dirty orthe death threats she received. She left for South America to help the rainforest. Bella was wanted for past gang activity, for being a member ofBlackwatch, and for suspected involvement in whatever happened. Herrelationship with Reyes came to light, and it was used against her. She toovanished. Jack and Gabe died in the explosion. And only Clara was left of theirteam.

The other Overwatch agents were pushed out and forgotten.The once brave heroes were branded as traitors or they were just cast aside.The history books mentioned how Overwatch saved the day once, but they alsomention the supposed corruption and the problems.

“I’m all that left of us. I’m a washed-up engineer workingin an omnic shop, my left arm is a prosthetic, and I can’t sleep a solid nightwithout having nightmares. My first year here I couldn’t leave my room, I wasafraid of loud noises. And look at me now. Sitting in a fort crying anddrinking. It’s not fair. It’s fucking fair. Fuck, I miss you guys,” she said. Shewiped the tears off her face and took another drink of her beer.

She looked at the pictures in the fort and sighed. They’rejust… memories now. She carefully pulled the pictures off the wall and examinedthem closely. She crawled out of her fort and went home, pictures in one handand her beer in another.