The Lonesome Road (Reaper)

Angela took a deep breath, straight into a painful memory and one of her worst regrets. She counted silently to ten in her head before she spoke as she considered carefully how to word her answer. "You were badly injured." Mercy started with, her voice quiet but her tone indicating that it was both a painful as well as shameful memory. "I try to bring you back with a prototype of my revival gear... It was not fully developed nor tested." Angela had not been able to bear to even consider that he might die on her.
"Something went wrong... It shouldn't of happened the way it did..." She sounded incredibly distraught over these events. "Maybe I messed up on the calculations or it was sabotaged... I don't know." Mercy fell silent, one thing became abundantly apparent, she blamed herself for what happened to Gabriel.

She did not know if there was even a cure for his condition or even if he viewed his condition as something which required a cure. Angela looked away feeling tears well up in her eyes, they blurred her vision and she struggled to hold them back. Then after she brought Gabriel back the pair of them entered a massive quarrel of terrible proportions.

Gabriel stayed deadly quiet as he listens. Well, that still didn't make things better. It still hurt that he wasn't completely revived in the right way, you guess you could say. He was half-dead, that's for sure and there's really nothing that could fix it. Not at all. He glanced over at Angela again, noticing her being upset with what she said and he couldn't help but to frown. With a sigh, he'll move to get onto his feet, walking over to where she sat before moving to settle on his knees, resting his hands on the armrests. "It's not your fault and I apologize for blaming you for something you couldn't control. I was meant to be this way, as sad as it sounds." Please don't be sad.

She expected him to explode with anger, with fury. His anger would be completely justified, he was trapped in some deathless state, trapped forever as far as she knew. Angela could not see any other explanation than it being entirely her fault. She had been unwilling to let him go, to accept it. She turned to see him settle on his knees before her, his hands on the armrest. To Angela it felt like a weird mixture of comforting and slightly intimidating.
He spoke, Gabriel did not see it as her fault and he apologised for blaming her. "I... I should of done something though." She did not want to see him suffer because of her own failings.

He did blame her. At first because he had thought she has done it on purpose, especially after the fight they had. That has been in his mind since and he hated her for it. Hated everything that she stood for. However, his gut was telling him that it really wasn't her fault and that she tried her best, but he didn't believe it. It's still a bit hard for him to believe it. It'll take time for him to see.

"You did," he said deeply with a low growl, moving to get back onto his feet as he turns to look elsewhere. "But, it's still something that I, personally, need to come to terms with. It can't be fixed, though I wish it was able to be." A sigh. "It's how it is now and we can't do anything about this."

She long decided that there was more she should of done, could of done for him. Angela watched as he got back to his feet, she remained seated, clasping her hands together in her lap. "I might be able to assist you." She offered, though she doubted he might desire what if any assistance from her. After all, this entire situation of his was readily traceable to her botched attempt to save him.
Given enough time she might be able to provide some manner of a cure or a fix for his condition though the chances of it being any time soon were slim to none. "I won't leave you to face this alone." A second time, she thought the last part silently, half expecting such a thought to be echoed by Gabriel. She had been unable to face him, to see what her failures caused to be the person closest to her. The guilt and the agony caused by it had been far too much for her to bear. It must of been the reason why most militaristic organisation frown upon relationships within the ranks.
"Do you remember the night op in Stockholm?" She asked suddenly, she stood positioning herself so that they were able to look into each others eyes. It had been towards the end of the First Omni crisis, Gabriel saved Angela's life during the operation there, something she swore she would repay him for.
Somehow in a grim way, she had.

Assist? "How?" Gabriel asked softly, moving a bit when Angela got up from her seat. He didn't move or make a sound as he continues to watch her closely, just in case. Never bad to be a bit cautious, but now it's out of habit than anything else. Something that he doesn't mind. Her second comment made Gabriel raise an eyebrow in response as he loosely crosses his arms over his chest. "Right," he grumbled indeed thinking 'a second time' but he won't voice it. He let out a low sigh before perking up at the question.

"I do remember," he answered, keeping his gaze on the other. "You nearly died but I was there just in time," Gabriel continued quietly, head tilted to the left just a bit. "I don't like losing anyone that I'm supposed to take care of." Or loved.

Angela wanted to reach out and take Reaper's hand with her own. However... She did not know if such a sentimental thing would be appreciated by Gabriel. They were once. She went to move her hand to hold his, Angela stopped herself, finding herself to be utterly uncertain.
"I promise you I won't leave you." She insisted, hoping he might be convinced by her words though only her actions would surely serve to change his mind. Her eyes searched his, looking for any traces of the past emotion that once swam in those eyes for one another.

She nodded silently. "Yes.. If you had not arrived when you did I wouldn't be here now." Angela took the tiniest step closer towards Gabriel. "Neither do I Gabriel." She whispered, not knowing that her thoughts echoed his own.
Part of her wanted to embrace him with fiery passion, however such an approach would of been inappropriate in the extreme.
Angela missed the old days, when Overwatch despite it's violent principles was successful, when no challenge appeared impossible, where the heroes stood proud and victorious on every front. She missed what she and Gabriel once had not to mention meant to each other.

That promise made Gabriel freeze and think. Why would she promise that so soon? Yes, he knows that she still cares for him and honestly, his own feelings for her have been lingering as well. He didn't know what to say and he usually does in these situations. Actions do speak louder than words. His eyes didn't leave Angela's own, watching her carefully. Honestly, what can he do?

She took another step closer and he stayed still, frowning just slightly. He still didn't say anything as he reaches out, still wearing those clawed gauntlets but he'll be careful with them. He'll rest his hand on Angela's cheek, leaning in closely with a bit of uncertainty. Should he do this? Should they do this? With a low sigh, he leaned in more before stealing Angela's lips in a small kiss.

Angela did not move, she held her position, half too frightened to move less it caused him to move away and vanish in smoke but also because she was at a loss for what to do herself. She watched him cautiously reach out to rest a clawed gauntlet against her cheek. Angela smiled slightly, part of her remembering what it was like when they used to kiss.
Would he? Should they? Would she? Questions filtered through her mind, things her brain wished to know, longed to know. Yet... She ignored the information, ignored the logical thing.
Gabriel leaned in and she turned her head up, their lips met briefly, the most gentle of kisses, small yet filled with an undeniable sense of passion and love. Her eyes fluttered shut and she gently raised a hand to rest against the hand he placed on her cheek.

Gabriel held onto that kiss for a moment longer before pulling away, but he'll leave his hand on Mercy's cheek for a while. He then frowned. This is a bad idea. Tons of 'what ifs' going through his mind. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," Gabriel said quietly before finally pulling his hand away as well. "That wasn't right, I'm sorry," he continued as he turns his gaze elsewhere, unsure of what to do with all the emotions boiling up inside. He missed it, but he can't help but to feel a bit bad for kissing her in the first place.

A queer sense of disappointed settled over Angela the moment Gabriel pulled away. She watched him frown, maybe they were sharing similar thought patterns after all? Or more likely both were regretting doing something like that.
"You don't need to apologise to me for that." If she did not want him to kiss her then she would of walked away from him. "We once meant a great deal to one another." Angela whispered to him, as if afraid of being overheard, carefully taking hold of one of his hands. "Old habits must die hard, right?"

Gabriel stayed quiet, even as Angela took his hand. He'll glance down at their joined hands, feeling more different kinds of emotions boil inside. It took a while but he'll finally held her hand in return. "I'm aware," he'll reply but not in a mean way as he turns his gaze elsewhere. "We did mean a lot to each other, despite it being frowned upon." A sigh. "Old habits do die hard, I will agree," he mumbled just as quietly as he turns his eyes back to the other with a frown. Wow, what a mess of emotions. He can't really do anything about them for now.

Angela released his hand after a few moments, squeezing it gently as she did so. "There was nothing wrong with it or what we meant to one another." She never saw any harm in their close relationship, but then again Mercy never adjusted well to the militaristic restrictions or approach of Overwatch.
Angela preferred to run a informal ship, ranks and titles were either lost on her or she simply ignored them. "Yes... Quite." She looked away, glad that Gabrial was here once more, even if she did not know for how long.