Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The doctor turned away, reaching for something on the table. Rose was unable to focus on what he was doing. Everything was too overwhelming. Blue lines streaked off everything, so bright it was like staring straight into the sun. Waves crashing against stones, sounding like gunshots. The smell of thunderstorms choking her. As if sensing her discomfort, the doctor turns around and whispers in a calming tone,

"It's going to be okay, I know it's overwhelming, but I'm going to help you."

As he was talking, Rose finally could see what he had grabbed, a needle that had to be at least 6 inches long. Her eyes went wide with panic and some part of her mind was screaming danger. 

"Hey, look at me," he paused, "You won't even feel it, just a small prick and then it'll be over."

But that same part of her mind was screaming, "LIES!" It took all of her self-control to not flinch when he wiped her arm with a gauze pad. 

"Just cleaning your arm a little," he reassured her.

Rose wanted to scream, but as he pushed the needle in, a strange and terrifying emptiness shot through her body. She felt her limbs still, her heart rate slowing. The world grew dim as the blue lines diminished until they completely disappeared. The roaring in her ears quieted, letting her finally hear beeps from various machines. And the smell that threatened to choke her, finally receded, as the storm inside her calmed. Yet as the storm dwindled, a fire had started burning through her veins. Unlike anything she had felt before, she thrashed as the burning pain intensified, flowing from her veins into her lungs, drowning her. It traveled up her throat, making her gag as molten lava burned through her and filled her mouth. Her eyes were frantically searching for the doctor in the hope of a cure. Just to find him smiling at a machine that he had hooked her up to earlier. 

"Yes, this is very good. You're going to be such a help for us Rose," he says, his smile no longer warm. "So many tests to run, have to find how it's connected to The Void," he mutters to himself.

As Rose's vision starts to fade to black, that small part of her mind was still screaming, how she should have never agreed to this. As sleep took hold of her, Rose was dimly aware of just how fucked she was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose awoke with a gasp, damp from sweat and somehow more tired than before she had slept. Sluggishly, she turned to look at the clock, sighing as she saw it was only 4:30 AM. 4 hours of sleep is better than nothing I guess , she thought. She sat hunched over, on the bed for a couple of minutes before an increasingly familiar cold, numbing pain in her left hand drew her attention. Looking down confirmed her fears, as a third of her hand was made up of a transparent, smokey substance. Images of hospital beds, doctors, and needles ran through her head as she started to shake. Staring down at her hand, she could feel needle after needle being shoved into her, keeping her docile, unable to defend herself. She could hear the machines beeping and the doctors moving around, avoiding her eyes. As if she was some wild animal that interacting with would lead to some sort of serious problem.

 And then suddenly she was back on her bed, in her dingy little apartments with her knees pulled to her chest, curled into a small ball. “Fucking flashbacks,” Rose grumbled to herself. She moved her hand, and as before it stayed together loosely, smoke curling around it as she waved it slowly. “ Shit,” Rose thought, “it's getting worse. I've been rationing them, but I just took one a couple of days ago, it shouldn't be this bad.” Shakily, she got to her feet and made her way into the bathroom, opening a drawer and grabbing a worryingly empty bottle. Opening it, her fingers grasped around, searching for the thing that was keeping her alive. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally succeeded and locked around a small, blue pill. She hurriedly put it in her mouth and swallowed, not even bothering with a glass of water to wash it down. She felt the effect almost immediately. First, came the burning sensation, as if someone lit her on fire. Then the icy cold shooting through her veins, which left her shivering even in her warm apartment. Before the final trace of cold left her system, her left hand was inflicted with a piercing pain akin to being stabbed repeatedly. She stared as the smoke seemed to fight against the pill, swirling angrily around her fingers before being pulled in. Relief filled her as blood once again rushed through her hand, bringing with it the sensation of pins and needles. Rose buries her head into her hands, trying her best not to cry as holds herself for an embarrassingly long time. Before looking up at herself in the mirror. Bloodshot green eyes stared back, exposing just how poorly she was doing. She grabs the pill bottle and gingerly, dumps out the remaining pills. For a second, all she can do is stare at the horrifying sight sitting on her counter. 

3.

3 pills had spilled onto the counter. "Shit shit shit," she mumbles to herself. She could have sworn that there was more left. Thoughts were racing through her head; How am I going to get more? I don't have that kind of cash lying around. Maybe The Palace? No, it's too risky, I probably can’t even show my face there anymore, not after last time. Rose slammed her hands down onto the counter groaning at the situation she found herself in. “I hate The Palace! I hate that stupid fucker Gate for ruining our mission. fuck fuck FUCK!” She shouted, ranting to her stupid reflection in the mirror, mocking her for her inability to do anything right. “Not like I have a choice,” she muttered. “I need the money and there isn’t a fucking thing I can do about it. I’ll just have to suck it up, maybe act all lovey-dovey with the guards so they’ll let me in. Oh who am I kidding, they’ll probably just drag me to The Empress and that will be the end of me,” Rose continued, pacing across her bathroom as she ranted. You got this Rosie, you just gotta get into the biggest criminal underground headquarters, which you also managed to probably piss off every important person there. Plus you almost died on your last mission with everyone you had considered a friend in that hellscape. Just so you can buy more pills that may or may not be becoming less effective. No big deal right? Rose’s head was full of thoughts that were threatening to drag her back into one of her depressive moods. Of course, if there was any reason to be depressed, her situation was definitely up there. But none of that mattered right now, she needed the pills, and The Palace was her only way of getting them. A little voice whispered in the back of her brain, the one that she swore wasn’t hers, "Not the only way." 

"I'm never going back to those fuckers! Ever!" She almost shouted at herself in the mirror. "That's it, I'm going insane," she said quietly, staring at the pills laid out on the counter. The silence was deafening, almost making it impossible for her to think. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Rose carefully replaced the pills into the bottle, gazing at it for a second before returning it to the drawer. She started the shower and began to undress. She caught sight of the scars along her back before she quickly turned away and stepped into the shower to avoid facing those thoughts. The warm water rushed down her body, slowly taking the tension with it. For the first time all morning, she could finally just relax, and not worry about any of her problems. So of course, that’s when she felt a small twinge between her legs, causing her to stumble forward slightly. She caught herself against the shower wall, just as another ache moved its way through her lower half.  “You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Rose sighed, “As if this week could get any shittier!” She managed to finish her shower even with the newly developed distraction. “ There has to be some god after me for my heat to happen this week”, she thought. Rose sighed angrily, as she stepped out of the shower and began drying off. She searched around until she could find something suitable to wear, and ended up with a pair of black leggings and an athletic tee. She decided to leave her brown hair as it was, falling down her shoulders and sweeping over the right side of her face. She grabbed and put a scent blocker on under her shirt on her shoulder, and on her neck, covering the scent glands. It would make sure no one knew she was an omega, or that she was soon to go into heat. Finally, she put on a light, purple jacket with a collar that covered her neck. “Can’t hurt to take some extra precautions,” she thought. Rose checked the clock and saw it was only 5:20 AM, way too early to go to The Palace. But, there is a different place she could go to, someone she should have probably visited sooner. 

Rose stepped outside, the faint glow of the neon lights almost warm against her face. She took a deep breath, enjoying the mild spring air. It felt right against her skin like she was meant to be out in it. She started walking down Main Street but decided to cut through some alleyways to get there faster. Rose felt more than heard the man following her. There was a weird sense of emptiness, as she walked along the alley. It was almost too quiet, no conversations were going on, no cars driving down the road and there was almost none of the bustle you would expect of a big city.  As she started hurrying down the alleyway, worried about how everything seemed off,  a strong arm grabbed her by the neck and pulled her down one of the side alleys. Rose felt her body still, as cold metal was held against her throat. 

"Well, aren't you just a luscious thing?" The words came out as almost a low growl from her unseen attacker. "What are you doing out here all alone? Pretty things like you should know better." His scent washed over her as he held her close to his body. The smell of old alcohol, street grim, and cigarettes filled her nose, threatening to smother her. And then it hit her in a wave, a completely different scent, yet similar at the same time. The scent of an alpha.  

"Let go of me," Rose said in a cold, practiced voice, with no sign of panic or fear within. Hoping he would just give up, but she doubted it would be that easy. 

The alpha laughed, a grating, unsettling noise that sounded similar to a garbage disposal. "You're not going anywhere, little thing." He held the knife against her tighter, running a hand along her waist. “I think I might keep you,” he said viciously.  

The alpha leaned in to sniff her hair, giving Rose the opportunity she needed. Her pupils dilated, as blue lines started streaking off everything around her. She pushed on some of them that were connected to the knife, sending it spinning out of the alpha's hand. 

"What the!-" The alpha yelped in surprise, as Rose turned around and pushed against the lines around him. The sound of waves lapping against a still lake was a constant melody in her head as she forcefully threw him into a wall. He hit it with a loud crack, blood wetting the back of his head. “ Shit SHit SHIT,” Rose left him slumped over against the wall as she hurried out of the alley, not turning around, and trying to calm herself down. She rushed out onto Main Street, ignoring the few curious looks she got from those unlucky enough to be awake at this time of day. Taking deep breaths, Rose tried to get rid of the smell that always affected her when she used her powers. The smell right before it rains, while it’s thundering, and when it’s pouring rain, all at once. It was too much for her to handle. The smell of storms assaulted her senses making rational thought nearly impossible. Her legs kept her walking, while her mind was fighting itself. Eventually, she somehow managed to end up at a door attached to an apartment complex. 1039, read the number on the door, and her hand was knocking on it before she could reconsider. A few moments later, there were various sounds of locks being removed and opened. It would have been comical if she didn’t know the reason why they were there. Finally, the door opened to reveal a tall man wearing an undershirt and sweats.

“Rosie, what are you doing here at a time like this? Are you okay?” Jamie asked quickly, looking around to make sure no one was lurking nearby, before leading her into the apartment. “What happened to you?”

Her nose felt like it was on fire, and a crash of thunder sounded in her ears, leaving her barely able to respond, “I’m so fucked Jamie, so fucked.”

 He led her to a couch and helped her sit down. He scanned her face, looking for something. Understanding filled his eyes, meaning his search must have borne some fruit as he asked, “You’ve used your powers again, haven’t you? Don’t answer that, I know you have.” 

It took all of your willpower to not break into tears, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to, it just I- I was attacked on my way here and there wasn’t anything else I could do.” she nearly winced at how pathetic her voice sounded.

“Shit no I’m sorry, I’m such an asshole for blaming you, it’s never your fault Rose.” His reply came out quickly as if he wanted to get it all out in one breath.

“That’s my little brother, always an asshole,” she said, a smile starting to creep onto her face. Slowly, her senses returned to normal, and Rose finally relaxed, the tension in her shoulders disappearing slightly.

“So what can this asshole do for its annoying big sister? You never visit unless you need something.” Jamie said, half-jokingly. 

The smile dropped from her lips almost as quickly as it appeared, when she remembered why she came here, “I need the coin.”

“No. No way in hell!”

“Jamie please you don-”

“I said no Rose. And you are the one who told me to tell you that remember? After David died? You made me promise to never let you work for them again!”

“I running out of pills,” her quiet reply stopped his angry rant, a look of shock appearing on his face. 

“What do you mean running out?” He asked, his voice raising slightly in pitch, signaling how nervous he was.

“I mean I have 3 left, and no money to buy more. I need to run a contract.”

“Rosie they’ll kill you! You can’t go back!”

“I don’t have a choice! If I don’t go back I die! And there’s a chance they won’t kill me, please Jamie, I need to do this,” she looked him in the eyes, as tears made wet tracks down her face. “Please.”

“Oh fuck Rosie fine! But if you get yourself killed, I will never forgive you ever!” He left the room, spending less than a minute retrieving the coin. To a casual observer, there was nothing special about it, but to Rose, it was her ticket to life. It was the size of a quarter, but pure silver, with the image of a royal-looking woman stamped onto it. Jamie hesitantly offered her the coin, not letting go of it until he caught her hands with his, “Please promise me you won’t die, Rosie, I couldn’t handle it.” A look of fear filled his eyes, as his hands started to shake. 

“I promise Jamie, I promise,” knowing full well she most likely would not be able to keep it. “I’ll stay as safe as I can, but you know as well as I, that that place is a viper's nest.” 

“I know Rose, but at least try, you’re all I got,” a tear rolled down his cheek, that she gently wiped away. He pulled her into a hug, holding onto her tightly, before saying, “I guess this is goodbye.”

“I guess it is.”

“Promise you’ll come back?”

“Promise.”

She left his house, silver coin tucked deep in her pocket, unaware of the tears that were now falling freely down his face. She had to do this, there was no other choice. Yet, regret burned deep as she thought about what might happen to Jamie. Luckily no one knew they were related, but if that secret got out… best not to think about what might happen in that scenario.  She walked home, down Main Street this time, not wanting to risk another incident. Normally she had better control of her powers, but he had caught her off guard, and she always has stronger reactions when surprised, at least that was the lie she was telling herself. No reason to worry about her power's side effects when she was about to jump right into the deep end by returning to her old persona right? “It’s time,” Rose thought, as she entered her small apartment for hopefully not the last time. “I need to become the Witch.”

Chapter Text

The night sky lit up with a bang, as the sound of gunshots carried through the building. Rose and her crew froze, as another shot rang out, and then a third. Shotgun blasts, that couldn't be good. 

"Anyone expecting company?" Rose whispered. They should be rather hidden inside the warehouse, but she wasn't taking any chances.

"Shit, were those shotguns?" Her brother David said, his eyes darting around as if searching for some hidden presence. 

"I knew this job was rotten, one of you musta pissed ol' Vicky," Gate said, leaning up against a crate. "Course I get stuck with your sorry lot." 

"For all we know, you're the reason she screwed us Gate! Everybody knows you can't keep your trap shut," the normally shy Lem said angrily. 

"You little shit!" Gate stands up and takes a menacing step forward, fist clenched. 

Rose quickly steps between them, holding up her hands in an attempt to calm the situation, "Both of you shut up! The Empress didn't screw us, some wannabe vigilante probably found out about the cargo and is trying to play the hero," she said. "Of course, I wouldn't put it past the Empress to screw us but the others don't need to know that," Rose thought. 

Gate looked like he was about to blow, the veins on his forehead popping out, his face now beet red, "Oh yeah?! Well I ain't dying for you lot, I'm gone!" He pushed past Rose and headed for the door at the far side of the room. 

"Gate be rational, you don't need to-" 

"No one fucking asked you David, I shoulda known this shit was trouble! I'm done with all of yo-" Gate was interrupted by a deafening explosion, as the entire wall of the warehouse was blown off. Gate was thrown back into a stack of crates, the sounds of wood splintering and bones cracking following. 

"Get to cover!" Rose shouted, diving between some barrels, as floodlights lit up the now open warehouse, gunshots ringing throughout it. Soldiers poured in through the opening, a couple of them stopping to drag Gates unconscious form with them. Rose watched as a person wearing all black, with a white skull mask covering their face blasted open a nearby crate with a blast from their dual shotguns. Suddenly, they turned and looked directly at where Rose was hiding. Her breath hitched in her throat as she ducked down, praying that she wasn't seen. 

Movement from behind a group of tires caught her eye. Lem was crawling out, with something in his hand. "What is he doing, he's going to get himself killed," Rose thought.

 As if he heard her thoughts, he glanced over his shoulder  and threw her a small, reassuring  smile, mouthing the words, "Don't worry, I got this." He gripped whatever he had tightly, before standing up and walking into the open. Rose peaked up over the crates as she heard his voice, "Come on fuckface, you wanna fucking play hero huh? Well come and get me then fucker!" Rose was so focused on watching Lem, that she had no idea there was someone next to her until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin, before realizing that it was David. 

"What the hell is that idiot doing? Does he have a death wish?" David whispered, trying to watch her and the scene that was unfolding all at once.

"I don't know! I think he's-" she was cut off as blood was blasted over the ground. A dull thud echoed through the room, as Lem's body hit the ground. 

The figure was standing over Lem's body when he seemed to notice something on the ground. He managed to take a step back before an explosion sent him flying off towards the side of the room. Rose pulled on the blue lines around her, shielding herself and David from the debris. Even the little use of her powers caused the storm to assault her senses. 

Deafening thunder claps rang in her ears. Water poured down her throat, threatening to drown her. Her nose was filled with the scent of water and electricity, burning itself into her. 

A hand on her shoulder gave her comfort as David started guiding her, trying to find a way out. They hurried along the edges of the room, stray bullets bouncing away, as Rose subconsciously directed them away. 

"There! That's our ticket out of here!" David said, pulling her faster towards a door. Just as they were about to reach it, the black figure seemed to appear from the shadows. David immediately stepped in front of her, drawing his pistol.

 He never even got a chance to fire. Rose stared numbly as David fell to his knees, then slumped over onto the ground. His body was riddled with holes that were gushing blood. The shadowy figure was staring at her, the skull mask in a mocking grin. 

And at that moment, staring at her brother's body, at the death and destruction all around her, she lost control, and everything went blue. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose took the silver coin out of her pocket, rubbing it between her thumb and fingers. The cool metal carried with it the scent of blood, even though it had been cleaned countless times. It was her way into The Palace, a way back to her life of crime. Memories of her last job lingered in her head, of David, protecting her to his last breath. She'd do this for him, she wasn't going to let his sacrifice go to waste. 

Rose opened her closet and grabbed a black and purple robe. While not looking like much, it was probably the most expensive thing she owned. The robe was made entirely of a material that was as strong as kevlar and as light as silk. It was worth the cost though, saving her life more times than she could count. Her powers weren't infallible, she would go down just as easily as the next guy to a knife in the back. 

She pulled it on, feeling more secure as the smooth fabric covered her. She fished around for a moment, before finding her mask. Another costly piece, but oh so useful for helping keep her identity a secret. It covered the bottom half of her face but left her nose open so she could still breathe freely. 

Making sure the coin was secure in her pocket, she put on the mask and pulled the robe's hood over her head. Stepping out of her apartment, she quickly made her way into the back alleys. She would be too suspicious walking down the street at this time of day. 

Rose made her way to the Palace without any incidents. From the outside, no one would be able to tell this place is a criminal haven. Carved into the brick building were the words "The Palace: The Most Secure Bank in the World" 

Rose started fidgeting with her sleeve, not wanting to step in. "I'm not ready for this I can't do this oh fuck what was I thinking." Her anxiety threatened to take control. She had no choice, she needed the money, consequences be dammed. 

Rose stepped into the Palace, the sliding doors closing making her jump. "Fuck I'm jumpy, come on Rosie you got this. Just walk up like nothing happened."  She made her way up to the teller's desk. A man wearing a fancy black suit greeted her with a nod. His eyes took in her every detail, no doubt memorizing her appearance in case she caused trouble. Or if she had already. 

"I would like to make a deposit," Rose said, trying her best to keep her voice steady. She placed the coin on the counter, holding her breath.

The man barely reacted, a bored sigh the only sign he even heard her. He grabbed it, looking over the coin briefly before returning it to her. "What is the name on the account?" He asked in a stale, flat tone. 

"The Witch," she replied, scratching her arm through her sleeve, trying to remain calm. 

"Through the doors on your left," came the monotone response.

"Thank you," the man didn't respond, instead he chose to stare at the clock hanging on the wall. 

Rose quickly made her way through the doors, stepping inside revealing a barroom. The smell of liquor and smoke filled the air, as people lounged at tables and couches that were littered throughout the room, far enough apart to give the occupants some measure of secrecy. The bar itself was nearly filled, making it difficult for her to find a spot. 

She shouldered her way past a group of people, before coming to an open space at the counter. After a few moments of waiting, the bartender makes his way over to her. "What can I get you miss?" He asked.

Alcohol would be a bad idea, she needed to be at the top of her game when she met with the Empress. Instead, Rose shakes her head and replies, "Just a meeting with the Empress."

He gave a knowing smile, "Aye I wouldn't want to be drunk meeting with her either. You got a name she'd recognize miss?" 

"The Witch," hoping he wouldn't recognize her. She wasn't a regular here, but that didn't mean there wasn't some sort of bounty on her. 

Thankfully, he didn't mention anything of the sort, instead saying, "Alright then, I'll go let Her Highness that you're here. If you'd be a dear and wait, I'll let you know when she's ready for ya."

"Thank you," Rose said, feeling a weight settle in her chest. 

"Not a problem miss, I'll be right back!" He replied, smiling as he made his way through a door behind the bar. 

It felt like an eternity before he returned. She was really regretting not getting something to drink, just for her nerves. Just as she felt her resolve slipping and was about to get up to leave, the bartender returned. 

"If you'd follow me miss, she's ready for you," he gestured for her to follow. "I'll warn ya though, she's not in the best of moods. Something about a sleeper or whatnot." 

"Thanks for the warning," she said as she followed him through a door and down a long hallway, before coming to a stop in front of an impressive-looking office. 

"Don't worry about it miss, good luck!" He said as he turned and left, making his way back down the way they came. 

"Well, this is it. No going back now. Time to face the music." She felt the tension and anxiety form a knot in her gut, as she knocked sharply on the door. Just standing there, she felt her heart start racing. 

A voice muffled behind the door called out, "Enter."

A command, that Rose swiftly followed, opening the door and stepping into the plush office. Paintings decorated the walls, the floor was carpeted with a thick, red carpet that she felt her feet sink into. A large desk covered in papers and files stood between her and the Empress. A minty smell hung in the room, given off by the Alpha opposite of her. She was a rather small woman, roughly the same height as Rose, but lacked the muscle mass that one gained from her line of work. 

"Remove your face coverings and be seated," the Empress commanded. 

Rose complied, quickly taking off her mask and pulling down her hood. Sitting down, she studied her face, searching for any hint of what was to come. The Empress gave no indication of what she was thinking, instead electing to ignore Rose as she looked through a file. The silence stretched for so long, that Rose thought it was going to cut her in half before finally the Empress spoke. 

"I thought you were dead." Her words were tinged with a slight accent that Rose couldn't place. 

Rose blinked in surprise, that was definitely not what she had expected. "I uhh what?" 

Her cold gaze made goosebumps rise on Rose's arms, "When none of you returned with the cargo, I sent someone to go check it out. We found what was left of the warehouse along with Gate's and Lem's bodies. There were also several unidentifiable corpses, and we assumed those were you and David. But if you are here, does that mean he's somewhere around here as well?"

Rose fought against the tears that were threatening to appear, "N-no, he died as well."

The Empress leaned back in her chair, her eyes never leaving Rose, "So how did you manage to get away? And more importantly, what the hell happened?"

"We were ambushed. Someone led a group of soldiers directly to the warehouse and they blasted off a wall and just started opening fire. Gate was down before we even knew what was happening. Whoever led them seemed to blend in with the shadows. He just appeared in places and then shot. That's how Lem and David died. They-" her voice caught in her throat. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping the tears would just stay in. 

"Hey, look at me," Rose opened her eyes, bracing for the shit storm that was about to come her way. "I don't blame you for this. You did what you had to do. I do need to know how you lived though." The Empress said, giving her a reassuring look.

Rose felt the knot of tension inside her ease slightly, "I don't really remember. After David died my memory is foggy. I remember some sort of explosion. Then there was this inky darkness like I was in space. And then someone dragging me out of the water." She shrugged an apology. "I'm sorry that's all I remember. I'm not sure what it means." 

 The Empress raised her eyebrows with a quizzical look, "It's a miracle then. It's been nearly 4 months, so I assume you're here for some reason other than to let me know you're alright."

Her nervousness had returned and was manifesting with her leg bouncing up and down. "Uhm yeah, I need a contract."

“Well, I can certainly help you with that,” The Empress said, as she began flipping through folders, “what kind of job are you looking for?”

Rose thought for a moment, trying to remember the code words, “I’d prefer Luna, no trucking or grabbing, and expedient.” So during the night, no human trafficking or kidnapping, and as soon as possible. At least she hoped that's what she said. 

“Hmmm, let’s see here,” she mumbled looking through and dismissing a couple of files. “No, not that one either. Maybe this one? Ah, here.” She said, holding up a file with a piece of red tape in the corner. “It’s a helio, pick-up, one and done. Is that alright with you?” 

Rose thought for a moment, a daytime heist, today. It could be what she needed. “How much?”

“60 silver. You’ll have to work it out with the contact if it is upfront or upon completion.”

Rose tried to contain her shock, 60 silver was equivalent to 120K. That kind of money would pay for her meds for at least a year longer. “Who’s the contact that’s willing to pay that much for a heist?”

“You know I can’t give that information out,” The Empress scoffed, “so, will you do it or not?”

Rose thought about her options, either do this job that was guaranteed to be risky, or have her try and find something that would probably be more of a risk for less. “I’ll do it.”

She put the file away, a smile on her face, “Good, I’ll take you to the meeting room so you two can work out the details.” She stood up and gestured for her to follow. Rose quickly rehid her face and head, before following the Empress. She led Rose out of the office and a short way down a different hallway before stopping at a door marked “M2”. 

“I’ll send for your contact, in the meantime make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you, your Highness,” Rose said, attempting a smile.

“You’re welcome, and for what it’s worth, I’m glad you lived,” The Empress replied, dismissing her with a curt nod of the head.

Rose stepped into the meeting room, immediately noticing an acidic, smoke-like scent covering the room. She couldn’t make out who or what it was from, but the distinct lack of type caught her attention. It was like someone was wearing scent suppressors but she could still smell them somehow. Like their scent was strong to hide. She elected to sit in one of the plush chairs set up around a coffee table. 

As she sat, a deep, gravely voice came from the corner of the room, “So you’re the one that’s going to run point for my heist.” 

Rose tried to cover her surprise, as a man clad in all black seemed to step out of the shadowy corner. “Y-yeah, I suppose you're the contact?” 

“Very astute,” no humor could be found within his cold voice. “You may call me Reaper. Here’s how this is going to go, there is an underground vault at the corner of 3rd Street and Jinx Road. You will meet a few members of my team, common soldiers who will lead you into the vault. Then, once they crack it, you will retrieve the item located inside. When you return here with the item, you will be paid in full. Understood?” 

His tone left no room for argument but Rose couldn’t help but make a snide comment. “And what exactly am I supposed to be looking for, Mr. Reaper?”

“It will be the only item of apparent value located inside. Now, do you understand my terms?” he said, a hard edge to his voice.

“Yes.” 

“Good, I expect you to get there as fast as you can and begin work immediately. You are dismissed.”

Even though her anxiety was flaring, Rose couldn’t help but give him a mock salute as she left. “Some people think too highly of themselves. Too worried about all the cloak and dagger shit to actually be scary.” It was a lie, of course, that man had terrified her and she didn’t know why. She had dealt with his type many times before and had never been so anxious to get away from them before. “ It must have been his scent, I swear I recognized it from somewhere. Better not piss off the edge lord though, time to get this heist over with.” 

Her journey there, while uneventful, did nothing to ease a rising sense of unease. This seemed too simple for the amount of money he was offering, there had to be some sort of catch. As made it to the location, it occurred to her she had no idea who to be looking for. Apparently, her contact planned that because two similarly dressed men walked up to her and nodded at her. 

“Are you the Witch?” one of them said, though his thick rural accent made it harder to understand what he was asking. 

“Yes I am, and who are you two gentlemen?” Her eyes scanned over their clothes, trying to see if they had anything that would identify them. “No luck. Looks like he wasn’t taking any chances I’d report on him.” 

The man didn’t answer her question, instead saying, “Follow,” before quickly walking away. She scrambled to catch up, noticing his friend was following behind her. He led her to a maintenance staircase, going down without checking if she was following. 

Going down the staircase led to a damp tunnel that was dimly lit by overhead lights. It seemed to be some unused service tunnel. They passed a few more guards that nodded to the one she was following. Her sense of unease grew with each step. This was a death trap. She would have to fight through all of these posts to get out, and do it without getting lost down the maze of tunnels she was being led down. 

A countless number of turns later, they arrived at a high-tech-looking door, with two guards working to open it with some type of tool Rose didn’t recognize. 

“You wait here,” the man leading said as he went and talked quietly with the men working on the door. Rose scanned the area around her for anything that might be of advantage to her if a fight broke out. “The area was rather confined, perhaps putting her back against the vault would be best.” By chance, she had turned around just as the guard that had been trailing her the entire time tried to stab her with something. 

Her body reacted before she even recognized what was happening. Blue lines emitted off of every surface, as the man was thrown back against a wall.  “ I fucking knew it was too good to be true.” She spun around, throwing a punch and surprising the guard she had been following. Using his distraction, she threw him into the guards that were working on the vault.

 Already, she could hear shouts, as the footsteps echoed down the hallway. But suddenly, they started to grow faint, as a new but familiar sound took their place. Waves lapping at the shore, rain falling gently upon the ground. The scents in the tunnel were overpowered by the smell of an approaching storm. A dull thud on her back brought her back to reality, she spun around to find one of the guards with a look of surprise on his face. Obviously, he hadn’t planned on her robe being able to block whatever he tried to stab her with. She sent him flying with a push, making sure no one else was moving behind her, as he crashed into the wall.

Rose turned back just in time to see a man wearing an all-blue outfit, wearing some kind of high-tech visor. Even though she hadn’t been in the game awhile, she could still recognize the head of Overwatch when she saw him. “What the hell is Jack Morrison doing here?” She thought, before diving to the side to dodge a blast from his pulse rifle. She landed awkwardly on her side, feeling a jolt through her side. “ That’s going to hurt in the morning, if I wake up that is.” She tried to throw him back, but for some reason, there were no blue lines attached to him. It was as if there was some force field surrounding him. 

She watched, feeling her heart sink, as a pink-haired woman wielding a huge cannon rounded the corner. Rose could just make out the edges of some sort of bubble around Jack. “So that’s what’s blocking me.” Rose decided to take a different approach. As the huge woman walked in front of Jack, Rose pulled on one of the unconscious guards and threw him at her. The woman’s cannon went flying out of her hands, as she stumbled, but managed to stay on her feet. She was rapidly closing the distance to Rose, seemingly intent on strangling her with her bare hands. 

Running out of options, Rose pushed hard against the vault door, launching herself at the woman. Thunder raged in her ears, as they collided, knocking them both of their feet. Rose couldn’t breathe, the scent of electricity and rain clogging her nose. She tried to jump to her feet, but the woman was as strong as she looked, grappling Rose’s arms. Rose was outmatched and she knew it, but she fought anyway, biting and kicking. Her teeth tasted flesh, drawing blood, and a string of curses in Russian. 

Trying to create distance, she pushed the other woman into the ground, causing herself to fly into the air. It worked great until she landed poorly on her ankle. The force of the fall caused something to snap, making her fall to one knee. She let out an involuntary cry of pain, as she tried to force her way to her feet. “Shit that’s so not good.” Jack was running straight toward her, but a quick push to his legs caused him to trip and fall for a second. 

Rose couldn’t even hear her own thoughts over the clash of thunder and pouring rain. The world had taken a blue hue, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to get any air into her lungs. It was as if she was underwater, and the surface was 100 meters above her. She took a few stumbling steps away from the fight before a fresh wave of guards poured down the hallway. A bright blue light flashed for a millisecond before a woman in an orange bodysuit appeared at her side. Rose blasted a couple of the guards back the way they came, realizing too late, that she was losing control, and any second it could slip free. 

Rose threw a quick punch at the woman, watching as she seemed to blink out of existence, before reappearing on the other side of her.  She managed to dodge the other woman’s first attack, and she finally got a good look at what everyone had been fighting with. It was a syringe, filled with some sort of liquid, whose color Rose could not make out, as everything was colored a deep blue. Seeing the syringe, something deep inside her cringed, and for just a moment, she froze, unable to do anything besides stare at it. Taking advantage of her hesitation, the woman stabbed it into Rose’s neck. A familiar burning pain shot through her, that caused the storm inside her to surge. Lava flowed through her veins, and suddenly everything around her was pulled in and pushed away at the same time. Her world exploded with blue light, and then nothing, as she collapsed to the floor. 

Chapter Text

Angela was going to kill Jack. The man had more gall than anyone else she knew. First, he left on some secret mission, and when Angela inquired about it, she was told that she didn't need to know. Then he and the few others that went with him came back bloody and beaten, sporting multiple injuries between them. And still, they all refused to answer where they had been or what they had been doing. They had even expected her to patch them back up and send them on their way again. But the worst of it was the woman they brought with them and demanded she be placed in an isolation room. 

Angela did it of course, but not without severe reservation. The only reason she even did it, was so she could examine and hopefully heal whoever this woman was. She was now lying on the medical bed next to her, while Angela finished typing her report. 

Height: 5"4

Weight: 124 lbs

Sex: FO

Heart rate: 68 bpm

Blood pressure: Regular

The patient sustained a hairline fracture to the tibia, caused by blunt trauma as a result of a fall. The patient also suffers from a dislocated shoulder, most likely caused by the same fall. A number of minor bruises and cuts are also present, but none appear to be a serious concern. Applied bio-heal and reset the shoulder, injuries should heal within a week with proper care. There also appears to be some sort of modification to her nervous system. It seems to have been made post-birth, maybe to account for an unusual genetic code. Various parts of her genetic make-up seem incomplete.  

Angela glanced up from her notes and took in the woman lying across from her. Coffee-brown hair swept down to her shoulders, bangs cupping her face. Freckles dotted her face inconsistently, little spots of brown on an otherwise tanned body. Her scent wafted off of her softly, the sweet smell of maple covering the sterile room. Lying there, she looked so peaceful, so calm. The only blemish on an otherwise perfect image was the steel cuffs that held her to the bed. They were an awful but necessary precaution. There was a good chance that she would wake in her fight or flight mode, due to the fight she was in before falling unconscious. Angela nearly jumped, when the woman's eyes fluttered open, revealing emerald green irises, that almost seemed to sparkle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose was having the best dream of her life. It had started out rough, with the ever-present blackness that threatened to consume her. And then there were pain-filled images of her being carried by someone, before being dropped in a bed in some unknown location. Then a beautiful woman, with golden blonde hair and striking blue eyes was there. At first, she seemed angry, but when she looked at Rose, her eyes had softened and the corners of her mouth raised in a smile. Instantly she knew that she was safe, and the angel of a woman would protect her. Various flashes of different medical equipment and many tests were done, yet one thing stayed constant. That smile that drove out all of her pain. 

And then she left her dream behind and awoke into a nightmare. An iridescent light shined down on her, making her blink several times. As she tried to sit up, an intense pain in her right shoulder made her freeze, and for the first time, she realized that she wasn't alone. A woman wearing a lab coat was sitting in a chair across from her. Rose immediately tried to sit up again and stopped once more when she felt metal cuffs dig into her wrists. She also noted that her clothes were gone, replaced by a simple black tee, and sweats. A rapidly rising sense of panic filled her, as she tried to recall what had happened. Cloudy fragments of memories echoed in her head. An intense fight. An explosion. Being taken somewhere. Her. Rose's dreams are still fresh in her mind, and now she wonders if they are fact or fiction. 

The blond doctor broke the silence first. "Hello, I am Dr. Ziegler," her words were tinged with a slight Swiss accent. 

"Where am I?" Rose couldn't see beyond the off-white walls and sterile floors. The room she was in wasn't cramped, but not one she would describe as spacious. 

"We are currently in one of Overwatch's bases," Dr. Ziegler said, but the rest of her words faded into the background. She was in an Overwatch base. "Fuck fuck FUCK!" The panic that had started as a small trickle now came out as a roaring flood. Memories flashed through her mind; an operating table, doctors putting her through all sorts of experiments, like she was some kind of lab rat, surgery after surgery. The worst part of her life, it had been a living hell, and now she was thrown right back into it. Granted Overwatch had a much better reputation than T-Corp, an organization that had fallen apart after the media caught wind of their experiments on humans. 

A hand on her arm made Rose flinch, it quickly retreated as its owner spoke. "What's your name?" 

Right. The doctor was looking at her expectantly as if she was just some normal patient. Rose chose to ignore the question, instead asking one of her own. "Why am I here?"

To her credit, Dr. Ziegler didn't look the least bit phased at the unexpected question, instead, she leaned back in her chair, fiddling with one of her sleeves. "You sustained numerous injuries that required treatment, so you were brought to me." She gave Rose a pointed look, just as she was about to interrupt, "As to why Overwatch chose to bring you in, I am apparently not important enough to know." A hint of bitterness shone through the doctor's otherwise neutral tone. Rose filed away the information for later, perhaps it could be useful. 

"Why the cuffs?" Rose asked, even though she already had a guess at what her answer would be. 

"You were rendered unconscious in an extremely stressful and violent encounter, there was a good chance you would wake up still in your fight or flight mode." Rose had to admit, she probably would have fought first and asked questions later if she wasn't chained down. 

"I can unlock you know, if you wish." Dr. Ziegler continued, "As long as you agree to not try and fight your way out of this base." A smile played on her lips, and Rose wondered what a full-blown smile from the doctor would look like. 

Rose realized with a start, that she had been staring, and quickly answered the question, “No promises.” Dr. Ziegler raised an eyebrow but pressed a few buttons on a console attached to the bed, releasing the cuffs with a click. Rose slowly sat up, taking extra care not to move her shoulder. She rubbed her wrists absently, feeling the blood flow return to normal. 

“So, would you mind sharing your name? It would really help to know who I am taking care of for however long you're here.” Rose meets the doctor’s eyes, and all she sees is warm compassion. 

Rose nods her head slightly, “Only if you tell me something too.” 

“What do you want to know?” Dr. Ziegler says, typing something on her computer.

“What is your name?” Rose asks, and already she can see a look of confusion fall across the doctor's face. 

“I believe I have already told you, yes?” 

The look of confusion only deepened when Rose added, “Not your doctor name, your real name,” as Dr. Ziegler was about to interject, Rose clarified, “Doctors aren’t my favorite type of people, and I rather get to know you outside of that bias.” 

A look of understanding dawned on Dr. Ziegler’s face, but as she started to speak, she was cut off by the door being thrown open in what one could only call excitement. A short woman with spikey brown hair entered speaking as if she was in a rush to get everything out. “Hey Angela, Winston said you would be in here. I just wanted to thank you and apologize-” she cut off as she noticed Rose sitting on the bed.  “Oh, crap sorry didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll ah be on my way.” She made to leave but Angela called out,” Wait, Lena, please stay, I’m sure my patient won’t mind. Right?” She turned and looked at Rose, to confirm she was okay with it. 

But cloudy memories were falling into place in Rose’s mind. She recalls a needle, injecting molten lava into her veins. Someone moving at incredible speeds, as if they were teleporting. And then a face. Her. This was the person responsible for trapping her here. She might have promised Angela she wouldn’t fight her way out, but things change, and promises can be broken. Rose focuses on the woman, and and pushes, hard. The only thing that happens, is a small frown on Angela’s face. She tries again, willing the blue lines that are always waiting to pop out, to appear. Listening for the sound of waves crashing against a shoreline. For anything, that would mean her abilities were working. Nothing happened. 

“What did you do to me.” The words came out in a choked cry, that normally she would be ashamed of, but right now, Rose couldn’t care less. When no one answered her immediately, she shouted out again, “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME!” She could feel tears fighting to break free, but she desperately held them back. 

Angela looked mortified at her outburst, but Lena only spouted a sad, far-off look. “I’m sorry love, I had my orders. Nothing against you, but the commanders demanded it. Look, Angela, we can talk later, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to make a scene.” Lena turned and left, quickly closing the door, as if it would protect her from Rose’s anger. 

Rose stared down into her hands, numbness spreading throughout her body. After everything, she was locked in another lab, without control of her powers. Why was she forced to live the same nightmare over and over? She was so close to being free, that she could taste it, and now she was stuck like a mouse in a trap, the metal jaws closing around her. 

A jasmine scent filled her mind, comforting and warm, as Angela leaned over the bed to look her in the eyes. “She was the one that brought you in?” Rose nodded, trying to avoid her gaze, not wanting to show just how weak she was feeling. “You tried to use your powers on her didn’t you?” Angela spoke in a soft tone as if trying to not spook an alley cat. Rose nodded once more, finding it much easier than speaking. “The shot you were given acts as a dam in a way, it prevents the chemical that your powers use from reaching your brain.” Rose nodded again, pretending she understood what Angela was talking about. She took her scent, letting it wash over her before she finally realized why it was so comforting. A detail Rose would have noticed on any other occasion. Angela was an Alpha. Yet the soft way she was talking to her was not the normal tone of an Alpha. “That’s why we needed to use it. Do you understand?” Shit she had missed what Angela was saying. 

“I’m sorry, I- I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?” 

Angela only gave her a warm, reassuring smile, before standing up. “It’s okay, don’t fret about it. I better go make sure Lena’s not too worked up.”

 Just as Angela had opened the door and was about to step outside, Rose spoke in a quiet voice, “My name is Rose.” 

Angela turned around and flashed her a brilliant smile. Like Rose just told her she won the lottery, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rose! I’ll be back in a minute okay? Sit tight!”

Angela left the room, leaving Rose with nothing but that wonderfully sweet jasmine scent. Rose was content to lay back in her bed until Angela returned, but that would have been too convenient. Her throat was drier than the desert, and every second that went by was torture. She had spotted the ajar door in the corner of the room earlier, but now that it held her relief, she would have to investigate. By investigating, it meant spending 5 minutes getting out of bed and hobbling on one leg over to the bathroom, where she turned on the tap and sucked down water like her life depended on it. 

On her precarious journey back into bed, footsteps echoed down the hallway, before the door was swung open by a very tall woman with fiery orange hair and multicolored eyes. She was wearing a lab coat similar to the one Angela wore, and she carried with her a black bag. "I did not expect you to be on your feet so soon. Perhaps Reyes is correct." The words were spoken in a flat tone that was devoid of emotion. 

Rose was standing, left hand against the wall for balance. Noticing that the woman carried no scent with her. "She must be wearing scent blockers." And the Rose realized she no longer had either one she put on earlier. She said out loud, "And who are you exactly? I thought Angela was supposed to be my doctor." 

The barest hint of some emotion appeared in the woman's eyes, what it was exactly, Rose couldn't tell. "Dr. Ziegler is indisposed at the moment." She sets her bag on Angela's desk and begins searching through it. "Tell me, what do you know about daèdon?" 

"What?" Rose had never heard that word before, let alone what it might be used for.

The woman must have found what she was looking for because she turned around and started to slowly approach Rose. The sight of what she grabbed made Rose sick to her stomach. It was a syringe, much like the one Lena had used on her. 

"What do you know of the void?" The woman questions, but Rose is not focused on her words, her eyes instead locked on the needle held in her hand. 

"Look lady, I don't know what you want with me, but you're not sticking me with that thing." Rose had started to move backward, but in her current state, her mobility was extremely limited. 

Suddenly the woman lunged forward, trying to grab her. Rose narrowly jumps out of the way, barely managing to stay on her feet. Her second attempt did not go as well as the first, as the woman moved to grab her, Rose tried to dodge past her, but talon-like nails dug into her injured shoulder. Rose let out a scream of pain and surprise, trying to break the woman's hold on her. She couldn't break her grasp though, and for the first time, Rose saw an emotion on the woman's face. Amusement. 

Just as she was about to stab the syringe into her, a familiar voice now twisted with anger, shouts from the hallway, as Angela stomps into the room. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Rose cringed slightly under the authority and power that laced the words. Angela stepped quickly in between the woman and Rose, anger rising off her like dew in the morning sun. "Explain yourself Dr. O'Deorain." 

The other doctor easily towered over Angela, but it seemed as if it did nothing to limit her presence. Angela was radiating Alpha, without even producing extra pheromones. 

Dr. O'Deorain seemed to be picking her words carefully, "Dr. Ziegler, I was merely trying to apply the neutralizing agent. You were unavailable and I figured it would be better to err on the safe side of things. But the subject fought back against me, so I was doing what was necessary."

If anything, Dr. O'Deorain had only succeeded in making Angela angrier. It was becoming too much for Rose to handle, she just wanted to curl into a ball and hide. "You mean you snuck in while I was distracted and attempted to medicate one of my patients, who is not only unable to fight back but unable to escape. I think you should leave now doctor."

Dr. O'Deorain looked like she was going to argue, but something on Angela's face must have changed her mind. "Very well, some other time then." She grabbed her bag and abruptly left, not even sparing a glance at Rose as she walked away. 

As soon as she was out of the room, Angela's entire demeanor changed. She helped Rose sit down on the bed, before sitting next to her. Keeping a hand on Rose's healthy shoulder, she asked, "Are you okay Rose? Did she hurt you at all?"

Rose shook her head, "She's terrifying." The answer tumbled out before she could catch herself. 

Instead of the judgment she expected, Rose only found worry and compassion in Angela's gaze. "She certainly has a way with people, that's for sure," Angela joked, drawing out a snort of laughter from Rose. 

"That's one way to describe her," A smile slowly appeared on Rose's lips, her panic and anxiety becoming distant memories, as she stared into Angela's eyes. Her jasmine scent was a comfort Rose was glad for.

They sat like that for several minutes, silent, just taking in the other's appearance. "Rose," Angela began tentatively as if she was nervous about what she was about to ask. 

"Yeah?" Rose didn't know when, but she had ended up leaning against her, resting her head on Angela's shoulder. 

"We will have to inject that blocker sometime today," Angela said as Rose tensed up against her. "I'm sorry, I don't want to do it, but Overwatch doesn't want to take any chances."

Rose broke their contact and shuffled away, not looking Angela in the eyes. "In case I try and fight my way free huh? Because I'm nothing but a science project to them right? She said bitterly, the temporary peace she felt now shattered into a million little pieces. 

"You're not some science project Rose, I'm here to make sure you heal, not run experiments on you." Compassion filled Angela's voice once more, but this time Rose threw it away. 

"You might not be, but I doubt whatever reason they fought to kidnap me is going to be all sunshine and rainbows." Rose felt her control of her emotions slipping, threatening to spill out. She steeled herself, she wouldn't break, not here. 

"You're right, I won't lie to you, Rose. I have no clue why they did what they did. But I want to help you in any way I can. I can't do that if you won't let me do this though. Because I won't do it unless you give me permission, but that would mean someone else like O'Deorain would end up doing it. And I don't want that to happen to you."

Rose felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, her tenuous control slipping once more. "You don't have to decide right now, you still have several hours before you’re due for treatment anyway." Angela reached out and laid a gentle hand on Rose's thigh, seeking to comfort her. 

Rose let her hand stay there, it acted as an anchor, keeping her emotions under control. "I want you to do it." Her voice was quiet, but it seemed to shock Angela. "Don't give me that look, you said it yourself, either you do it or some other asshole does it, and I would rather you be the one." "Of course, no one else would comfort me like Angela seemed to be capable of doing."  

"Are you sure? I understand if you want more time to decide." Angela's bright blue eyes still held a look of uncertainty in them. 

"Yes, I am sure." Then a surprise to both of them, Rose smiled and said, "How about we talk about something less depressing hm?" 

Angela laughed, a sound that made Rose's heart flutter inside her chest. "Of course, what do you want to talk about?"

They talked for what seemed like hours. About small things, safe things. Rose found out that Angela's favorite color was violet and her favorite candy was Swiss chocolates. Rose in turn told her how her favorite color was green and how Reese's were her favorite candy. Stuff that people talked about when they wanted to pass the time. And did they pass the time.

Angela had left and returned with sandwiches for them to eat for lunch. They talked for a while longer before Angela had to take of other patients. When she was gone, Rose felt a loneliness that she hadn't experienced in a very long time. It didn't help there was absolutely nothing to do while she was stuck in her bed. "Maybe Angela could get me something to help with that later." 

She laid there, and closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would claim her to help time speed along. But sleep was not for her, instead, memories of other medical beds fought for attention in her brain. Trying to ignore how similar this situation was to her previous ones, she started counting floor tiles. "43, 44, 45, 46." 

After a while, she ran out of tiles she could see, and again the pangs of loneliness struck through her. The faint scent of Angela still hung in the air. She greedily enjoyed it as the jasmine scent seemed to embrace her. "Shit I'm being weird, I shouldn't like her scent this much." 

The realization came when an ache hit her in a different part of her body. "Oh fuck I'm going to have my heat this week." So obvious in hindsight, but after everything that happened, she had forgotten about it. Trapped in an enemy base, with an alpha for a doctor, bound to go into heat sometime soon. Not to mention Angela was rather good-looking. Who was she kidding, Angela was knock-out gorgeous. She was also very kind and nice to talk to and smelled great and- "Oh, I'm starting to have a crush on her, aren't I? Am I really that lonely that I start crushing on the first person that's nice to me?" The answer, of course, was yes. 

Rose pushed down whatever feelings had started to grow, hoping they would fade out and die. She could not afford to get attached. Not when she was in the middle of a hostile organization's base, injured, and without her powers. 

Rose must have fallen asleep at some point because she awoke to Angela tapping her arm. “Hey, I brought you some dinner if you’re hungry.” Angela smiled, as she set down a steaming plate, heaped with chicken and mac and cheese. "I didn't know how much you wanted, so just eat what you can, okay?" 

The food smelled delicious, but somehow Angela's sweet jasmine scent was even better. A warm feeling had started to grow in her chest but she quickly clamped it down by taking a bite. "Gods this is the best thing I've had in months." She met Angela's almost expectant gaze and said, "It tastes amazing, thank you, Angela." 

That earned her another quick smile as Angela replied, "You're welcome, though it's not like I'm the one that cooked it. Hold on, I brought you something else." She dug into her pocket, before withdrawing something orange and round. 

"Oh Angela, you didn't have to," Rose said as she accepted the candy handed to her. 

"I know, but I felt like maybe it would help make this whole thing just a little more bearable." Angela wrung her hands together, looking down into her lap. "It's stupid, I know."

"What? No! It's not stupid Angela, it was very kind!" Angela looked up, and Rose could have sworn she saw the faintest hint of tears in the corner of her eyes. "It might not do anything to change the situation I'm in, but it helps. If anything, it makes me feel better. Truly, thank you!"

"Heh, I guess. You're welcome, Rose." Angela started to eat her own meal, so Rose did likewise. They ate in silence, not an awkward one, but a comfortable one that settled around them like a warm blanket on a cold night. From time to time, Rose stole glances at the woman sitting across from her, tracing over Angela's face with her eyes. Her straight nose, that little dimple on her cheek, those blue eyes that put the ocean to shame. And those eyes were staring right back at her. Rose felt her cheeks warm, knowing her blush was as obvious as a light in the middle of the night.  She looked down at her plate, just to realize it was empty, and she must have eaten everything already. 

"Are you finished?" Angela asked, either not noticing, or if she did, choosing not to react to the sudden bout of nervousness that had overtaken Rose. 

"Uh yeah I'm done," she said as Angela grabbed her empty plate, stacking it on top of hers. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Angela paused, the confidence that she normally carried with her, was notably absent as she continued, "It's getting to be about time for your injection," the words coming out in a rush, as if getting them out faster would protect her from backlash. "I didn't want to ruin your dinner with it looming over you, and I didn't-" 

"It's okay Angela," Rose said quietly, images of needles sliding into her haunted her mind. "Can we just get it done quickly please?"

"Yes of course. I'll be right back." Angela hurried out of the room, plates in tow. Already, there was a bone-deep anxiety forming inside her. Phantom pains coursed through her body, forcing her to relive memories that crowded her mind. Breathing deeply, she tried to calm herself down, "Angela isn't like the other doctors. She doesn't want to do this, just as much as me." But thoughts of her body wracked in pain, unable to resist anything done to her attacked her mind. 

Her eyes darted to the door, as it opened, revealing Angela carrying a silver tray. She sat the tray down on the edge of her desk, and all Rose could do was stare at the syringe in the middle of it. Angela's voice broke her stare, making her look up, "If you're ready, I'll be as quick as I can." Rose's only response was a nod, she could feel her body starting to shake and struggled to control herself. Angela laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, before wiping down a spot on her left arm with some sort of cloth. It was cool against her skin, making her shiver. "Why don't you lay down? It might make it easier for you," Angela said, as she helped lower Rose's head against the pillows. "You can hold my hand and squeeze as well if you want." Rose again didn't respond, instead taking Angela's offered hand as a confirmation. 

Angela grabbed the needle, checking to make sure Rose had a good grip on her hand the entire time. "Okay, you ready? Deep breaths. Alright 1, 2." Rose screamed as the needle suddenly pierced her, injecting liquid fire into her. Her limbs thrashed against the pain, her hand the only thing that she had under control. She held onto Angela's hand like it was a lifeline thrown to keep her from drowning. The burning pain traveled throughout her body as if it were trying to destroy every cell in her body. For a second, she was back in the lab. She could feel the wires attached to her, the needles stuck inside her. Her screams grew muted to her own ears as doctors ran various tests on her. Blasting her with radiation, tearing her cells apart, and putting them back together. Rose could feel tears gushing down her face, unsure of what was real and what was her imagination. 

Strong arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly as Rose continued to cry. A jasmine scent provided a source of clarity in the turmoil of confusion. She buried her head into it, feeling a soft hand in her hair. Rose didn't know how long she spent in Angela's arms, but when her body stopped shaking, and her tears slowed to a trickle, she felt utterly exhausted. She fell back against the bed, feeling the last traces of pain fade. "Thank you, Angela. I-" Rose sniffed, trying to regain her composure, "I don't know if I would have been able to get through that without you."

“You’re welcome,” Angela seemed unsure about what to do with her hands and ended up leaving them hanging at her sides, “I’m so sorry to have put you through that.” She paused, “Is there anything I could do to help more next time?” 

Rose rushed to reassure her, “No no no Angela it’s not your fault. You might have done it, but you weren’t the one that chose to.” She bit her lip, before continuing, “I think you holding me helped quite a bit actually. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been.”

Angela’s eyes went wide, “You mean that’s what you consider a good one?” 

Rose let out a small laugh, “Well, I mean, I’m pretty sure anything would be considered better than my previous experiences, but you helped me through more than I thought was possible.” Angela smiled at her, and Rose felt that heat returning to her cheeks. “It  left me pretty worn out though, so I was hoping that I might be able to get some sleep.”

An emotion that Rose couldn’t read appeared in Angela’s eyes, but it disappeared almost as quickly, “Of course, I’ll poke my head in a few times to check in, make sure everything’s alright, and I’ll bring breakfast in the morning. Does that sound good?” 

“That sounds wonderful, thank you.” 

“You’re absolutely welcome, get some sleep alright. “ Angela said, grabbing her laptop, before turning off the lights and opening the door.

“I’ll try.”

Angela gave her a parting smile, a very welcome gift.  “Goodnight Rose.” 

“Goodnight Angela.” The door shut, leaving Rose in near pitch blackness, the only light coming off of some screen attached to the side of her bed. She thought sleep would be hard to come by, after all that had happened, but she found herself slipping into its embrace rather quickly. Angela’s scent lingered in the room, the sweet jasmine smell providing her comfort as her dreams took hold.

Chapter Text

"Can I have a plant?" Rose asked, breaking the silence that had been stretching on for some time now.

"Can you what?" Angela looked up from her laptop, where she had been typing report after report. 

"Can I have a plant? You know like a flower or tree or something." Rose added when she saw a look of confusion spread over Angela's face. 

"Why on earth would you want a plant?" A small smile danced near the corners of her mouth. 

"Well..." It was around midday and Rose was absolutely bored out of her mind. After the anxiety and shock of the previous days left, she had nothing but boredom to keep her company. That and Angela of course, but she was always busy and couldn't spend the day keeping Rose company. Not that Rose thought she would want to anyway. There was absolutely nothing for her to do. The bland walls didn't even have anything nice to stare at. So when Angela returned and began working on something, Rose thought of ways to pass the time. Eventually, she came to the conclusion that Angela might be able to grab stuff for her. Although she vaguely remembered hearing somewhere that if you asked for small things first, it would eventually seem commonplace for your captor to heed your requests and they would start doing things they might normally not. 

So of course she had to test this, by seeing what outlandish things she could get Angela to bring her. "I was thinking, this room is so boring! Do you know what would fix that? Some decorations! And who's the lovely person sitting in the room with me who has a pair of perfectly good legs able to go get something? Why it's Angela of course!" 

Angela still had a puzzled look on her face, which was honestly kind of cute. "So... you want a plant." It was more of a statement rather than a question. One which Rose nodded her head to anyway. "And do you have any preferences for what this plant should be?"

Rose shook her head, "Nope! You can pick whatever you'd like!" 

"This is a rather odd request, I'm not entirely sure if I can even fulfill it." Angela twirled a bit of her hair around her finger, before letting it fall back in place.

"Pleaseee!" Rose pouted, giving Angela her best attempt at puppy dog eyes. 

Angela sighed, getting to her feet. "I'll see what I can do. Behave yourself alright?" She said as she made her way out of the room. 

"I will!" Rose called after her, smiling to herself. The wait for Angela's return was an even worse test of her patience. She didn't even have the constant clicking of Angela's keyboard as she worked. Time seemed to move so slowly in this room, like it was stuck in glue. Perhaps part of that was the lack of a clock. Her only time frame of reference was when Angela came with her meals.  "I wonder if she could get me a clock. I'd feel kind of bad asking for a bunch of shit but there is literally nothing else for me to do." She stretched her arms, and a pain in her shoulder was a reminder of why she was bedridden. Curiously, it didn't hurt nearly as much as she thought it would. She stretched it cautiously, finding her range of motion was significantly better than it was yesterday. Rose had never dislocated her shoulder before, but she assumed it wasn't supposed to heal this fast. She was just about to test her ankle when Angela opened the door carrying a multitude of different flowers and plants. 

And unexpectedly, Rose laughed. And once she started, she found she couldn't stop. Her laughs turned to gasps for air, as she held her sides that were starting to hurt. "When I asked for a flower, it didn't mean you had to bring a whole forest!" 

Angela had set everything down while Rose was having her laughter fit. She had her hands on her hips, and was giving her a stern look, "Really this is the thanks I get? I travel into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest to find the perfect flowers and you laugh? I'm hurt." Angela sniffs like she's about to cry, but can't seem to keep character as a huge smile breaks out across her face. "I had some company, who went a little wild helping me pick these out." Angela gestured to the door, and Lena stepped in. 

"Hey there love," Lena said, nervously tugging at the sleeve of her jacket, "I wanted to say sorry for how we met. I hope you can understand I really didn't want to fight you. And I know flowers can't fix that and you probably don't want them and I know that you probably hate me and-"

"I don't hate you, Lena," Rose said gingerly, unsure of why she was trying to comfort the person who had gotten her trapped here. "I don't know you, and I might be pissed at the whole kidnapping thing, but I get it. Trust me I do."

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, her words adopting a cheery tone, "Aw thanks love. Listen sometime after this whole mess is over I'll make it up to you. Promise." 

Rose smiled gently at their newfound truce, "I'll hold you to that."

"Heh, I'd be disappointed if you didn't." Lena looked over to Angela, a silent message shared between them. "Alrighty then, I'll leave you two alone then. I got plans with a couple of mates. Bye Rose, bye Angela."

"Bye Lena." 

"Don't get into too much trouble," Angela says as Lena leaves the room. 

"You know I will," She called back, her voice echoing down the hallway. 

Angela turned towards Rose, a pleased smile adorning her face. "I'm surprised you could forgive her so easily." 

Rose shrugged, "I don't know if I've really forgiven her yet, but it’s not really her fault. I mean she did what was ordered." 

"Speaking of that, Commander Reyes will want to speak with you. I don't know when, but sometime soon most likely." 

"Of course he does," Rose muttered under her breath, although she was sure Angela heard what she said. "Well, I guess I'll deal with that when he decides to grace me with his presence." Her words were laced with sarcasm, and Angela rolled her eyes at it. "So what did the mighty adventurer bring back from the perilous rainforest?" 

"Well, this brave adventurer returned a blue hydrangea," she pointed at a small plant, whose flowers grew into a cap-like shape. "And just a touch of lavender that almost cost my life," Angela exaggerated dramatically, gesturing at a purple flower that grew straight up in a line. "My companion also managed to grab and arrange this beautiful display," she said, pointing at bamboo shoots that were surrounded by red and yellow tulips. 

"Very beautiful indeed, thank you, Angela!" 

"Don't thank me yet," Angela says, as she pulls out a green rose from behind her back. "A rose for Rose." She holds it out, and Rose grabs it, holding it loosely. 

"That's so cheesy Angela," Rose pauses, a bubbly sense of joy radiating off of her. "It's also super cute and sweet." She made a show out of sniffing the rose, a sweet floral scent with earthy undertones filled her nose. 

"I'm glad you like it, I wasn't sure how a green rose would look, but I think it turned out alright. Let me put that in a vase for you." Angela took and placed the rose inside a small glass vase that was sitting on her desk. "Was that always there or did she get it just for that rose?" She didn't know, and she didn't really care. The gesture made her feel warm inside, like the sun on a summer day. Angela sat down at her desk and started typing something on her computer, and Rose was content to just sit and watch. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angela had a sense of dread in her stomach that only worsened as time went on. Rose was due for another injection, and just the thought of putting her through that again was enough to make her sick. She was supposed to heal people, not harm them. Yes, Rose might have dangerous telekinetic-like powers, but forcing her to relive something obviously traumatic just because Gabe didn't trust her was an awful thing. And yet they expected her to just do it no matter how much she hated it. The worst part was, that they were right. She was about to do it. In fact, she had already gotten the needle and was just waiting for her nerves to calm down. It's not like she was the one getting the injection anyway. 

"Hey, Rose?" She grimaced, unable to hide her distaste for what she was about to ask. "It's about time for your injection, are you ready or did you want to wait a minute?"

A look of panic flooded her face, before being quickly hidden. "Might as well get it over with. No sense in delaying the inevitable." She tried to present a calm facade, but it was broken by the nervous twitching of her hands. 

"I'll try my best to help you alright? Just let me know what I can do for you." Angela said as she prepared the needle. 

"I umm, can you- can you hold me while you do it" Any sense of calm Rose had left her, as she refused to meet Angela's eyes. 

"Of course." She said simply, sitting on the bed next to Rose. Rose's face was red from what Angela could only assume was embarrassment as she gently pulled Rose into her lap. She felt arms wrap around her as Rose buried her head into the crook of Angela's neck. "I'm going to start now, okay?"

The only response from the other woman was an unintelligible mumble that was muffled against Angela's skin. She could feel Rose's panic and anxiety in every part of her, from the arms that held on almost painfully tight, to the tense muscles of her back. Angela quickly injected the liquid into her and threw the needle into the trash under her desk. One of her hands held the back of Rose's head, and the other wrapped around her waist.

Rose let out a scream that was muffled by Angela's body. Tears had already started to run down her face, leaving wet spots against Angela's lab coat. It didn't take long for Rose to start shaking, her muscles spasming uncontrollably. Angela tried to comfort her, rubbing small circles into her hair, but the effect seemed minimal at best as her spasms worsened. Her legs swinging and kicking, her arms squeezing so tight that caused Angela a small amount of pain. Rose's cries were only getting louder, and Angela hated herself in this moment, for being the source of Rose's pain. 

After what seemed like hours, Rose's spasms slowed, until they finally came to a stop. Her cries quieted until the only sounds were her muffled sniffles as she drew in shaky breaths. They stayed like that for a while longer, Angela not wanting to let go until Rose asked to be, and Rose seemingly content to just lay in her arms. "I'm only doing this because it's my job to help her heal." Even as she thought of the excuse, Angela knew deep down that wasn't true. The truth, however, scared her more than any mission she'd ever been on. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the third day of her imprisonment when Angela suggested she start physical therapy. Angela had claimed that the fastest way for her to fully heal was to start using her injured limbs again. Rose had thought it was way too soon, considering she had only been resting for 2 days, but Angela said something about some new medical equipment that sped up recovery and refused to take no for an answer. And that's how Rose found herself doing circuits around her small room. 

"Keep it up! You're almost at ten!" Angela cheered her on, a warm smile resting on her face as she lounged back in her chair. 

Rose, however, was not amused and made this fact apparent by sticking out her tongue at Angela. "I'm just walking in circles Angela, you really don't need to cheer me on." 

"And yet you look like you just ran a marathon." Angela fired back, and she was not entirely wrong. Sweat dripped down her forehead, and her breathing was growing labored. Her ankle still gave her a good amount of discomfort and it made walking somewhat difficult, but it was in much better shape than it had any right to be in. Rose passed her bed once more, marking her tenth lap around the room. "Alright, you're good to stop for now." 

Rose sank down onto the bed with a sigh, "That. Sucked." She had always been in relatively good health, so struggling to do something as simple as walking was a foreign experience to her.

Angela rolled her eyes in response. "You're making significant progress towards recovery, to already be able to walk on it is extraordinary."

"What about my shoulder? You going to make me do pushups or something?" 

"I mean~, since you suggested it," Angela said teasingly. 

"Nope. Not gonna happen. Not a chance." Rose says with a laugh. She had to admit, the exercise was a nice change of pace to laying in bed all day. 

Angela opened her mouth to respond, but her comment was cut short by a tall man dressed in dark clothes with an Overwatch logo on his chest entering the room. 

"Commander." 

"Doctor." His voice came out in a deep rumble, and for some reason, it pinged something in her memory. His scent washed over the room, a dark charcoal that was tinged with smoke. "I came to check on how your prisoner is doing."

Angela gave a tense reply, "My patient is recovering at the expected rate. She should be more or less healthy in a couple of days."

"Excellent," he turns and looks at Rose, his gaze so intense it was like he could see straight through her. "So, you're the infamous Witch. You were an awfully hard person to track down."

"Why did you do it then? I never did anything to you!" An anger within her that had been simmering ever since she was captured, could very well boil over at any moment. 

He gave her an emotionless look, his face as blank as a canvas. "A part of Overwatch has been dedicated to bringing in those that have special abilities so they can be contained. It's simply not safe for people with your caliber of power to roam around causing harm." His words had a sick vein of truth to them, but for some reason, they rang hollow to Rose, like it was just a practiced speech. 

"So just cause I can do things that normal people can't that gives you the right to kidnap me and harm me? Are you fucking insane wh-" Her anger-induced rant was cut short by alarms blaring in the hallway. 

Commander Reyes stuck his head out into the hallway before gesturing for Angela to follow him. "Come on doctor, we may need you if Talon is involved." He left in a hurry, not even checking to see if Angela was following. 

Angela gave her an apologetic smile, "I don't know how long I'll be gone, so someone else might bring you food." 

"Okay. Stay safe out there." Rose said, giving her a small wave as she left.

“Don’t worry, I will.” And with that, she hurried out of the room, leaving Rose by herself once again. Once again, she found herself with nothing to occupy her time. The rose that Angela had got for her caught her eye. She didn’t know why, but she had found herself staring at it when there was nothing else to do. It was such a sweet, yet unexpected gesture that Rose couldn’t explain how it made her feel. On one hand, Angela was humorous, kind-hearted, and stunningly beautiful, and on the other, she was a doctor for an organization that kidnapped her because “she was a danger to society”. Her little crush would just be something she pretends doesn’t exist. 

Sometime later, a knock on her door pulls her back to reality. It opens to reveal a man dressed like a cowboy from an old western. “Howdy there partner,” the man says, carrying a tray filled with food. “The doc said you’d be needing this.” 

She accepted the tray and set it in her lap. “Thank you, erm partner.” 

He chuckled lightly, “Not a problem miss, enjoy.” He gives her a half-bow, before making his exit, leaving behind the faint smell of cigars. 

“That was certainly interesting,” Rose mutters to herself, before digging into her dinner.

The next morning, the same man returned with another tray of food. She wasn’t able to get a name from him, as he deftly avoided her questions like they were bullets. It wouldn’t be until late in the afternoon before Angela returned to her room. When the door opened to reveal the blonde doctor, a smile grew on Rose’s face.

“You miss me?” Angela said teasingly, setting something on the railing at the end of the bed. 

“No,” A stern look from Angela made her correct herself, “ Okay maybe a little bit, but only because there’s absolutely nothing to do when you're not here.” 

Angela finished setting up what looked to be a small screen, “Well, I hope this helps with your boredom. You can’t access most things and you can’t communicate with it, but there should be plenty of things for you to watch.” 

“Thank you, Angela! You didn’t have to do that for me though.” 

“Please, anything to not have to hear you complain every time I leave.” She gave Rose a smile so bright it lit up the room. “I’m just kidding. It’ll be better for you to have something to do, even if it's just watching shows.”

“Heh yeah, whatever.” She paused, almost nervously, “Why don’t you watch something with me?” 

“Oh I don’t know, there’s a lot of work for me to be doing,” Angela said, wincing at how pathetic her excuse sounded. 

“Pleaseee~!” Rose whined, “Just one episode of something!”

Angela sighed, giving in to the other woman’s pleading, and sitting on the edge of the bed. “Fine, but only one.” 

“You’re the best Angela!” Rose said laughing, as she flipped through different shows. Eventually, they settled on one about a girl who had a photographic memory pretending to be a lawyer. One episode turned to three turned to half a dozen. The longer they watched, the more comfortable the atmosphere seemed to get. Angela now fully lying on the bed next to her, dropping any pretense of trying to get work done. Almost subconsciously, Rose had begun to move closer to her, as Angela’s scent clouded her mind. Before she knew it, Rose was cuddled up against Angela, pressing her body into the Alpha’s. The contact sent warm sparks shooting through her body, a euphoric feeling that she couldn’t even begin to describe. And all too soon it ended when Angela stiffened against her, as tense as a bowstring. Rose all but jumped away, creating separation between the pair, but the atmosphere had already been ruined. 

A few minutes later, Angela cleared her throat while stiffly standing up. “I have work I need to do, I’ve already wasted too much time doing nothing.” 

“O-oh yeah of course. I’ll be here, y’know cause I can’t go anywhere else,” Rose joked, but it fell on deaf ears as Angela was already hurrying out of the room. “What the fuck were you thinking Rose.” She muttered angrily at herself, playing another episode of the show to try and drown out her embarrassment. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angela hurried down the halls, so caught up in her own emotions that she nearly ran face-first into Lena. “Woah there love, what's got you in such a rush?” Lena questioned, a poorly concealed look of concern showing on her face. 

“Nothing, just very busy with work, gotta get to this thing.” 

“Angela, c’mon girl, we both know you’re a terrible liar. And as your best friend, it’s my job to make sure you’re okay. So spill.” Lena put both hands on her hips and gave Angela a stern look.

“Fine. My room.” Lena gave her a quick nod of understanding, before following Angela to her room. As soon as they were inside and the door was shut, Angela’s emotions bubbled over, “I’m a terrible person!” The words came out in a choked cry as tears pooled in her eyes. 

“Woah woah woah slow down for a second there. What could you possibly have done that makes you think that?” 

“I’m taking advantage of her,” Angela whispered as tears flowed freely down her face.

Lena’s look of concern turned to one of confusion. “What?” 

“She’s my patient yet I’ve been doing things I don’t do with any other patients. Hell, I haven’t been this friendly with anyone in years.” The words raced out of her, and once she started, she couldn’t stop them. “I’m falling hard for her and it’s only going to make her life worse. Not only is she basically a prisoner, but I have no idea why Gabe even had her captured. Besides I doubt she even likes me and is only tolerating me because I bring her food.” 

“Calm down for a second, okay Angie? What exactly caused this whole episode?”

“Uhmmm well~” Angela blushed, her cheeks going a bright red, “we were watching a show together in her bed and we cuddled for like half a second.”

“And were you the one to cuddle her?”

“Well, no I guess but-”

“No buts Angie.” Lena gave her a comforting smile, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Look, I’m not going to say anything about how she feels about you, because I don’t know. What I do know is you are not taking advantage of her. She instigated it, if she was aware of that not, it’s not you’re fault.” She paused, thinking for a moment before continuing, “Besides, I might not know a lot about her, but I doubt she would try and cuddle up to someone she didn’t like.”

Angela sniffled, rubbing her eyes. “You really think so?”

Lena gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze, “Yeah I really do.” 

Slowly, the tears stopped falling, and a small smile took over her face. All because of a single thought running through her head. “Rose might like me too.” And at that moment, the faintest flicker of hope ran through her as Angela prayed for that thought to be true. 

Chapter Text

"I need to run to the bathroom for a sec, I'll be right back." 

The boy across from her nodded, a smile that seemed stretched too tight against his face. "Of course, have fun," he said jokingly. 

Rose gave him a small chuckle before retreating to the bathroom. The door slammed closed behind her as she pulled out her phone and started frantically texting her brothers. "Can you guys come pick me up, like real fast?"

Immediately, there was a response from Jamie, "Are you okay? What happened?"

Followed by David's, "Be there in 5, sit tight."

Sighing, she bowed her head for a moment. The day had been going so well. He had asked her out on a date and of course, she had said yes. Turns out he's actually just an asshole with the personality of a fucking clump of seaweed. Honestly, thinking about it, that might be rude to the seaweed. The way he spoke to the waitress gave her chills. She had never seen someone treat anyone with that much disrespect before and wondered if it was just something Alphas did. Then again neither of her brothers acted like that so it’s probably just the fact he's a shitty person. She quickly sent back a response, "Yeah, this guy's just kinda an asshole and I don't want to be here anymore."

"Alr, we're in the car rn, be there as soon as we can," Jamie texted back. 

Rose took a couple of deep breaths to steel herself and stepped out of the bathroom. As she made her way over to their table, a warning bell went off in her head. She went to sit down but stopped when she noticed something sinking in her water. A white powdery substance that released small bubbles like it was caffeinated. “Uhm, did someone put something in my drink?”

He met her gaze with his own, offering an easy smile that was somehow more offputting than just a blank expression. “Not that I noticed, why? Something wrong with it?” 

  A slight frown tugged at her lips, but she didn’t believe that he would lie about something like that. “No, I guess not then, I just thought I saw something,” she said as she sat. 

“So what’s it like being an Omega? You always craving Alpha dick or something?”

Rose blinked, at a loss of words for a moment due to the audacity of that statement. “Excuse me?”

“Well y’know,” he waved his hands around as if they would make his point for him.

“The fuck is wrong with!? You can’t just say shit like that!” She paused, before standing up quickly, almost knocking her chair over in the process. “Yeah no this is done. I’m not sitting here another second with someone as despicable as you.” 

In an instant, he was standing over her and grabbed her wrist. “Hey wait a second, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” 

She struggled in his grasp to no avail, even though he wasn’t much taller than her, his strength much greater than hers. “Let go of me!” She all but screamed, causing people to start to take notice of their conflict. 

“Now hold on a moment,” his voice dropped almost an entire octave and he let out a growl. His scent changed, overpowering and filled with Alpha dominance. It took most of her willpower to not start shaking right there.

“Please just let go of me,” she whimpered, tears threatening to spill out. She hated how weak she sounded but everything was too much. The contact, the hostility, the scent. She had never experienced anything like this before, and it terrified her deeply. 

“You’re just not in the right mind frame right now sweetie,” his voice made the sweet words seem like they were laced with venom. “I’ll take you back to my place and you’ll be enjoying it before you know it. C’mon let’s get-” 

“Get your fucking hands off her!” David yelled as he pushed him back, standing in between them. He easily towered over the other man and was well-built. Even at 19, he had an easy air of confidence around him that seemed to say, “You better not get in my way”. 

“Who the hell are you?” Her would-be assailant tried to regain some sort of dominance over the situation, attempting to stand up taller and puffing out his chest. 

“I’m gonna be the last fucking person you see when I’m done with you,” David said with an angry scowl across his face. 

A hand on her shoulder caused her to turn around and see Jamie standing awkwardly behind her. Only 14 and yet already a head taller than, he had yet to grow into his height was still very lanky. “Let’s go outside for a sec Rose.” He said, leading her out the door and into the parking lot. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” 

Tears bit at her eyes, begging to be released. In between sniffles, she said, “Yeah, he didn’t really hurt me, just scared me.” 

Jamie grimaced, “Well David will take care of that asshole, don’t you worry.” As if on cue, a loud crash came from inside the restaurant, and David walked out, seemingly in no hurry. 

He gestured to the car and said, “Let’s hurry up and get out of here, I’m not getting in trouble for that punk.” They piled up into the car, an old minivan that had a cracked windshield and had enough dirt caked on it to be considered its own landmass. Rose slid into the back, while her brothers took the front seats. 

"You really know how to pick ‘em, Rose," David said in a light tone, looking to defuse the tension that crackled in the air. 

She laughed softly, no longer on the verge of tears and able to regain her composure. "Yeah I do, don't I?" 

"I'm surprised you went out with him. I didn't think you guys even knew each other," Jamie added, twisting his head to look at her. 

"Honestly I didn’t really. I only went because it felt nice to be wanted y'know?" She paused, blowing a lock of hair out of her face. "I don't think I'm even interested in men honestly. That experience just reinforced that."

David slammed his hand down on the steering wheel, letting out a groan of frustration. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath as he started digging through his wallet. 

"Aha! Pay up sucker!" Jamie exclaimed, a smug smile resting on his face. 

"What's this all about?" Rose asked watching the exchange with curiosity. 

"We had a bet to see if you were actually into guys or not," Jamie said, holding out his hand, which, David placed a 5-dollar bill on. "It was so obvious, yet this big dummy didn't think so."

"Yeah whatever," David said, letting out an exasperated sigh. 

Rose shook her head in mock disappointment, "Tsk tsk, I thought you knew me, David, I guess I was wrong."

"Oh shut it Rosie, you know I only said that so he could win a bet for once," David said smiling.

"You did not!" Jamie shouted, "You lost fair and square." He accented his statement by sticking out his tongue. 

"Ah, what would I do without you guys."

"Get lost in a grocery store probably," David said with a smirk.

"That was one time thank you very much!" Rose said, feigning an air of self-importance.

"We'll always be there for you Rose, even when you do something stupid. You know, like getting lost in a grocery store. Jamie added, his words accompanied with a small giggle. 

"That's enough out of you two." She said, but any authority behind her words was destroyed by the large smile that had taken root on her face. "Now why don't we go do something fun?"

David whistled, "Now you’re speaking my language!" Starting the car and pulling out and down the street. Rose was smiling, as they bantered the entire trip. She felt safe, and she was infinitely glad to have her brothers at her side. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose was lying in her bed, half watching the screen. Her anxieties bounced around her head like a game of ping pong, never giving her a chance to relax. She had fucked up, big time. She didn't even know why she had done that. Being friendly with your doctor is one thing, but inviting them to watch shows with you and trying to cuddle them up is something completely different. She hadn't seen Angela since and didn't know if she would return. They'd probably send a different doctor, and for a second, fear coursed through her as she imagined Dr. O'Deorain giving her an injection. Her worrying was interrupted by something flashing on the screen. A purple pixelated skull, that completely covered the screen. Suddenly, the entire monitor flashed black, before being replaced by a sight that chilled her to her bones. A person that was naked from the waist up, was tied to a wooden chair, with a cloth bag pulled over their head. They were absolutely filthy from head to toe, grime covering them completely.  The longer the image sat on the screen, the more horrifying details Rose took in. The person’s arms had multiple, long wicked-looking cuts in them, some of them still bleeding. Their legs were mangled, not even tied down as it didn’t appear that the person could even move them. Lash marks and incisions ran all across their chest, and it even seemed like someone had etched symbols into it. Various burn marks were visible across their body, blackened skin that was charred beyond recognition. 

A hand appeared, pulling the hood off to reveal a disfigured face, that to her horror, recognized. His nose must have been broken, based on the angle it rested. His left ear had been almost completely sliced off, and a small trickle of blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth. Even under all of the gore, it was undeniable who it was. “Jamie?” She asked fearfully, reaching out a hand like she could help him up in some way. If he could hear her through the screen, he showed no notice of it. Instead, a look of pure spite filled his eyes as he looked at something off-screen. His mouth moved, but it seemed the audio was disabled as Rose couldn’t hear what he had said. Suddenly, his eyes widened in terror, watching something she couldn’t see. Then, just as quickly as, they were watching nothing, as bullets from a shotgun ripped through his flesh. 

Rose sat there, unable to tear her eyes off the screen, as what was left of his body slumped over. She couldn’t see straight, and it felt as if no matter how much she breathed, air would not enter her lungs. Dimly, Rose realized she must have screamed because Angela rushed into the room with a panicked look on her face. “ It wasn’t possible. It can’t be. He can’t be dead. He- he, I just saw him” Her thoughts moved slowly, as if they were stuck in glue. Her mind refused to comprehend what she had just seen. Ice rushed through her veins, freezing her from the inside. The familiar sound of waves crashing against rocks filled her head. The smell of storms stuffing her nose.  She tried to move her hand up to wipe her face, only to find she couldn’t. Black smoke curled and spun around her left arm, which was now just a translucent copy of what it was originally. It spread across her body, traveling up her shoulder and across her chest, black smoke puffing out the whole way. Angela was shaking her as if trying to wake her up from a dream. She felt a falling-like sensation, and then everything went black. 

Rose couldn’t see. Less of the fact she couldn't see, more of there wasn’t anything to see. Everything was pitch black, darker than she ever thought possible. It was like she was swimming in a pool of black ink, unable to see the world around her. And then it hit her again, even harder than the first time somehow. It couldn’t be true, he can’t be dead. It was all some sort of cruel joke. A nightmare, something. Anything other than the truth. She felt numb, like some crucial part of her was gone. Rose waved her hands in front of her face, and surprisingly she could see them.  She took a tentative step forward and her foot collided with something ground-like. She began walking,  but if she actually made any progress, she couldn’t tell. Even though Rose moved her legs like she would to walk, the experience felt more like floating. If it was the lack of seeable ground or the fact she was actually floating, Rose didn’t know. Time became a meaningless concept, as she walked for what seemed like hours, when in reality, it could have been just a few minutes. The first definite change came when her left arm started to burn like it was being lit on fire. The feeling quickly spread all across her body, before a bright light shined down into her face. She was lying down in a hospital bed, that she quickly recognized as the one she had been in for several days. Another fact she took note of, was Angela holding her shoulders, saying something to her. Whatever the words had been, however, were lost on her as a familiar black smoke tore apart her body once again. 

This time, the falling sensation felt like it lasted forever before she was deposited back in the endless blackness.  When she was finally there, however, any relief from the freezing cold that had consumed her just a few moments ago was replaced by molten lava burning her from inside out. A stabbing pain in her shoulder, unlike any of the sensations that she had become accustomed to brought her back to reality. She was lying on a bed, surrounded by Angela, Dr. O'Deorain, and a giant gorilla. She flinched and cried out, as a needle was pulled from her arm. 

“That should keep her located on this plane of existence." Dr. O'Deorain said, turning away and grabbing her bag. "I have more important things to attend to, I trust you two are competent enough to finish up here?"

To Rose's immense surprise, the gorilla answered the doctor, "Yes Moria, we can handle this fine." He said in a deep, rumbly voice with an intelligent quality to it. 

Dr. O'Deorain scoffed, before walking out of the room in a huff. Rose was still dazed, nothing really making sense. She had to be dreaming, that was the only explanation. Just one shitty nightmare that she would wake up from soon and- "Rose? Hello? Can you hear me?" Angela was talking to her with a soft tone, the type you would use when talking to a stray cat. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her with concern.

The words fell clumsily off her tongue like she hadn't spoken in years, "Y-yeah. I can hear you. What- what happened?”

Angela shared a quick look with the gorilla, who was wearing glasses for some reason before the gorilla began speaking again. “It appears, that something in your genetic identity lets you compress down to the molecular level, making your mass equivalent to nothing. It seems to have been something that was locked away almost, due to tampering within your nervous system.”

Rose blinked once, a blank stare resting on her face. “So… what does that mean exactly?” 

“It means that for some reason, a mutation in your DNA allows you to, for lack of a better word, shift in and out of this physical part of the world. As well as use your telekinetic abilities.” Angela paused, taking a deep breath before continuing   Also, someone tampered with your body in a way that rewired your brain to see your abilities as some sort of an intruder. It seems like its purpose was to limit your usage of these abilities.”

Rose shuddered as images of surgery rooms and doctors holding needles forced their way into her head. Her arms tingled, and she absently rubbed the spots where old procedures had taken place. “So you’re telling me that I can shift between these two places at will? Because that was definitely not what was happening.” 

“It will take time before you are able to control it.” The gorilla said, adjusting his glasses with a large finger. “Your body needs to relearn how to fire the neurons and pain receptacles and such. Although I’m still not quite sure what caused the limiters to break down.”

 He leveled a questioning look at Rose, one to which she responded with a shrug. But she did know. On some instinctual level, she knew that seeing her brother die, caused the things inside her body to break. Putting that into words, however, was definitely not going to happen. Instead, she simply said, “I don’t know, I was just watching TV and then all of a sudden I started getting all smokey.”

“Hmm, that is rather strange. Perhaps they had degraded over time, and it just so happens that now was when they were finally weak enough for your body to rid of them.” The gorilla sounded puzzled like he just ran into a complex math problem he couldn’t solve.

Angela rose from her position on the bed, and after glancing at her phone said, “It is getting rather late, why don’t we all get some sleep and see about working on a solution in the morning.” The second half of the comment was directed at her gorilla companion, but Rose wasn’t really listening. 

“Wait how long was I in that place then? I thought it was only a few minutes at most.” 

“The first shift, you were gone for a couple of seconds, but the second one took the better part of 4 hours, Angela answered, and suddenly, the reason there were bags under her eyes became obvious. 

“Damn.” 

“Damn indeed. Goodnight Rose.” Angela said with an almost sorrowful tone, that for some reason made Rose’s heart crack. 

“Erm, yes, goodnight to you,” the gorilla said, somehow seeming a bit shy.

“Goodnight.” As they left the room Rose couldn’t help but wonder how she was going to get any sleep at all. Her brother’s limp body took over her mind, and only her refusal to break down stopped the tears from emptying from her eyes. The video played over and over again in her head as if it was trying to torment her even more. He was fine just a few days ago, what had happened? The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. She had promised him she would come back to him after the mission was over. Any resolve she had left crumbled, as tears made wet tracks down her face. He had come looking for her. His death was her fault. Her body moved on its own accord as she curled up into a ball. She held herself tight like she was trying to block out the guilt. Why? Why did Overwatch kidnap her? Why couldn’t she have fought them off? Why did he come looking for her? Each question was like a bullet to the chest, and they chased after her into her dreams.

Rose must have fallen asleep at some point because she awoke covered in sweat and with a burning need coming from in between her thighs. The thin sheet that covered her felt like it was made of daggers to her overly sensitive skin, and she threw it off in haste. Panic began to set in as Rose realized what she had been ignoring had finally made its presence known. Need and desire pulsed through her, and she could ignore it no longer. Her heat had arrived. She had probably only a few minutes before any self-control she retained was thrown out the window, but she couldn’t think of a single solution. Well, actually she could think of quite a few, many of which involved a certain blond doctor, but they were quickly cast aside. No, going to Angela was not a good idea. Not that she doubted the other woman’s self-control, it was the opposite really, and she didn’t want to ruin any form of friendship they still had. “She might have suppressants though,” the thought echoed around her mind, and once the idea entered her head, she couldn't think of anything else. 

Pushing herself from the bed, for the first time in the several days she had been here, she stepped foot outside of the room she was contained in and into the connecting hallway. Bright fluorescent lights covered the grey ceiling, sterile tiles carpeted the floor. Rose realized she had no idea how to find anything within the Overwatch base, so instead of ignoring her instincts, she instead leaned into them. Focusing on her heightened sense of smell, she took large sniffs of air, trying to locate Angela’s scent. Many other scents crowded the air, but one stood out above all the others. That sweet, rich jasmine scent that she knew belonged to Angela. She followed it in an almost trance-like state, down the hallway and through various twists and turns. As the scent grew stronger, her inner walls clenched together expectantly, as a wave of wetness gushed out. “I just need to find Angela and she can help.” The image of Angela bending her over and filling her with her knot came unbidden to her mind. “I bet if I asked she-” Rose shook her head angrily to get rid of her heat-induced fantasies. “I need suppressants, not Angela’s kno-” Her thoughts were lost in a delightful haze as Angela’s scent seemed to invade every pore in her body. Rose stood there like a deer in headlights as she locked eyes with Angela from across what appeared to be a common room of sorts. Angela was like a goddess who descended to earth, her golden hair falling loosely down her back, and her ocean-blue eyes stared back at her with surprise. A pitiful, needy whine escaped from Rose’s lips, and if she wasn’t so far gone she would have been embarrassed enough to hide her face forever. 

“Rose? What are you doing here?” Angela asked, taking a step forward before stopping abruptly, her eyes widening as she caught Rose’s scent. “Oh shit, you’re in heat. Okay, don’t worry, I can help you. We have plenty of suppressants and rooms where you can wait out your heat. Come on,” she gestured for her to follow, and Rose was more than happy to oblige. Angela’s scent was a drug, and she was hooked. She managed only 2 steps before the door on the far side of the room was blasted off its hinges, revealing a large man with a large golden gauntlet covering his hand. As he stepped into the room, alarms blared to life, echoing throughout the room. But they were quickly silenced by a beam of purple light that seemed to appear out of thin air. Angela stepped forward, giving Rose a little hand motion that told her to stay behind her. “What are you doing here Akinjide?” Angela’s words were spoken with a deep tone, that surprised Rose, but also made it very hard to focus on what was happening. 

He spoke with a very articulate, calculated voice, that held a somewhat noticeable African accent, “You have Talon property doctor, I’ve come to collect.” 

Angela gave a quick glance back at her, before drawing a pistol Rose didn’t even know she had, “I don’t know how you got in here, but the only way you’re leaving this place is in cuffs. Now stand down before you have to fight this entire base.” 

“Very amusing, I don’t have time for games, however,” he said as blue light seemed to surround his gauntlet, shimmering with power. Rose was on the ground before it even registered that Angela had pushed her. The contact made the spot where she touched her flush with warmth. Then Rose realized that Angela was also lying on the floor, but unlike her, did not have a gentle landing. There was blood dripping from a wound on her head, and she wasn’t moving. A cold fury washed over her, and she stood up and clenched her fists, her heat seemingly taking a back seat for the moment. “How dare he hurt her! He doesn’t deserve the privilege of looking at her, much less touching her!” Blood started to drip from crescent-shaped cuts on her hands, but the wounds went unnoticed. Instead, waves crashed against her brain, the world turned blue, and thunder clapped against her ears. She pushed with all her might against the man who dared hurt Angela, sending him crashing against the wall, bits of concrete falling off on top of him, as there was a decent-sized crater left where he hit. 

He groaned as he picked himself up out of the rubble, dusting himself off, all while glaring at something Rose couldn’t see. “I thought you said her powers were under control,” he snarled at some unseen person, but she didn’t give him a chance to utter another word, flinging a chair at him. It hit him squarely in the chest, splintering into pieces as it connected. “Ahrgh! You little bitch! You’re lucky I have orders to bring you alive otherwise-” he didn’t get to finish his sentence as Rose flung another chair at his head. This time, however, he blocked it with his gauntlet, sending pieces of it across the floor. Moving with inhuman speed, he grabbed Rose by the neck and lifted her off her feet. The air was stolen from her lungs as he squeezed her neck, choking the life out of her. She struggled to no avail, his grasp like a vice. As the light started to dim from lack of oxygen, Rose had a risky idea and had no idea if it would actually work. She pictured her brother’s face, and how he looked when she saw him at his apartment. A freezing cold feeling in her arm told her that her plan was actually working. The man looked at her in surprise as she turned to smoke in his grasp. 

Rose fell back into the darkness, but this time she was ready. Already, she could feel the burn stretching across her body, as she willed herself to return. Her gamble paid off, as she found herself behind the man, seemingly right when she had left. She threw as much of her strength into a push as she could, sending him hurtling through the air. He collided with a table but managed to land upright somehow, and charged at her with his gauntlet. Just as he was about to crash into her, she faded back into the darkness once more. She felt drowsy, and her return took significantly longer. Surprisingly, she came back right after he punched through where she was. He turned with blinding speed, a growled as he threw a punch with his gauntleted fist. She pushed him off course and dodged out of the way. Already, she was slowing. Her lack of activity and use of her powers made fighting difficult. Not to mention this man seemed to be exceptionally dangerous. They circled each other warily, each not willing to make the first move. The stalemate was broken by something sharp being stabbed into her back. Immediately, the familiar burning sensation flooded her veins. She had just a few moments before her powers faded away completely, and she needed to make the most of them. Instead of pushing against him, she pulled, hard. His gauntlet flew off his hand, and his eyes widened in surprise. Using its momentum, she sent his gauntlet crashing into him, causing it and him to be engulfed in a blue light as everything in the room was thrown against the walls. As the room started to dim, Rose briefly recognized Jack Morrison and a few other agents rushing into the room. As she slipped into unconsciousness, Rose hoped against hope that Angela was alright. Darkness took her once more, and any other thoughts were thrown into the void.

Chapter Text

The bright fluorescent light drew Rose from slumber. The pounding in her head felt like someone was driving a train through her skull. She sat up with a groan, body stiff from unuse. Twisting her back to work out some of her aches, Rose freezes when she sees Angela sitting at the desk beside her bed. Angela was staring at her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "We really need to stop meeting like this," Angela said, shutting her laptop.

"Please tell me that was just a dream," Rose said groggily, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. Flashes of her fight came to mind, Angela lying on the ground, injured. "You were hurt!" Rose exclaimed, eyes searching Angela's body for any sign of injuries. 

"I was," and under Rose's questioning gaze added, "and don't worry, I'm quite alright now. If anything, I should be worried about you, considering how drained your body was." Angela had a point because even though she had just slept for however long, she still felt exhausted. 

A question popped into her head, and Rose knew it was just going to eat away at her until she asked it. Instead, she decided to bury it deep within her mind, hoping it wouldn't bother her for the time being. Partially to distract herself from her own brain, Rose asked, "Who even was that?"

"That was Doomfist. A well-known criminal and terrorist. What he was doing or how he even got in here is still a mystery to me." Something flashed across Angela's face, but it was quickly covered up by a smile. "How are you feeling? Considering you've been out for three days, I would assume your heat has passed?"

Rose felt her face flush a beet red, her previous actions humiliating now that her mind wasn't clouded by her heat. At least she wouldn't have to ask that question anymore, considering Angela obviously remembered what happened. "I uhm, y- yeah. I'm still tired and it feels like somebody hit me over the head with a bat, but my heat is over." 

"Well, that's not too far off what happened, or so I'm told." There was a twinkle in Angela's eyes like she was considering something. Her bright blue eyes were mesmerizing, and Rose found herself lost in their depths. They were absolutely enchanting, the way they sparkled in the light, all of the different shades of blue. They put the ocean to shame and the sky- "You're not even listening to me, are you?" Angela asked in a playful tone. 

Rose was sure she was redder than a tomato at this point and tried her best to keep her nerves in check. "I- sorry, I got distracted. Uhm, what were you saying?"

Angela gave a small laugh, a sound that made Rose feel warm inside her chest. "Don't worry about it liebling, I'm just glad you're okay. Not many escape unharmed from Doomfist's grasp." 

"Well I wouldn't say unharmed, I was knocked out for 3 whole days."

"True indeed," That same look Rose saw earlier flashed across Angela's face again, this time lingering for a second before Angela spoke again. "You have been cleared from my care."

That sentence made Rose's stomach drop. "W- What do you mean?"

The look stayed, and it revealed itself as one of coupled anger and regret as Angela answered in a sorrowful tone, "They have deemed that you are no longer a medical risk, and are going to be moving you into a confinement room. They tried to do it the day of the fight, but I told them you could be seriously injured and I needed to look over you while unconscious. I had to fight tooth and nail for them to let me keep an eye on you until you woke up." Each time Angela said "they" her voice dripped with venom. But Rose wasn't focused on that, instead, it was on a budding emotion that she couldn't name building up within her chest. It was so sweet for Angela to keep her here, even if it was only temporary, that Rose didn't know if she was going to cry or laugh. 

"Thank you, Angela." Taking a risk, Rose placed her hand on Angela's, staring at her face the entire time. "That might have been the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me. You don't know how glad I am to have woken up to you, instead of some prison cell."

Angela had an uncertain air around her as if she was unsure of herself. Deftly, Angela stood up, pulling Rose up with her. Their hands remained connected through the motion, and Rose was suddenly aware of how close they were. Barely an arm's length apart, she had to angle her head up slightly to hold eye contact. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” The words came out in a whisper, and Rose wanted nothing more than to comfort the other woman, wanted to hold her tight and reassure her in a way words couldn’t. 

Instead, Rose had to settle for words to express her gratitude. “It was enough. Spending this time with you is more than I could ask for.” Rose’s heart was racing, this was going past a doctor caring for their patient, and she didn’t want to cross any boundaries like she had last time. Her anxiety was flaring, telling her to back away, that this was dangerous and would never end well. But her heart disagreed, it yearned to pull Angela close and never let her go. Her internal struggle was interrupted by a hand lightly grasping her chin, and her eyes flicked up to meet Angela’s. She could scarcely breathe, as Angela leaned forward, crashing their lips together. Angela’s lips were just as soft as she had imagined, and she tasted sweeter than any dessert Rose had ever had. The kiss seemed to last a lifetime, set off by an intense burst of emotions that had been building since the day they met. And yet it ended so quickly when Angela pushed herself back, breaking the kiss with the same suddenness that started it. 

Angela had a panicked look in her eyes, and her words left her in a rush. “I’m so sorry oh my god shit I’m sorry I couldn’t control myself I’m sorry I shouldn’t ha-” Rose cut off the endless stream of apologies by grabbing Angela’s waist and pulling her flush against her body. Reaching up, she cupped Angela’s cheek with one hand and used the other to push herself up to join their lips once more. The tension in Angela’s body left her, as she melted into the kiss. Angela’s hands wrapped around her, one of them getting tangled in her hair, while the other held her around her waist. Where the first kiss was tentative, this one was anything but. It felt like a dream come true, with Angela’s lips on hers, and being caught in her embrace, Rose wished she could live in this moment forever. 

But reality had other plans, as a knock on the door caused them to jump apart like teenage lovers, both of them out of breath and red in the face. “Hey doc, Reyes said it was time to move the girl.” The voice said from the other side of the door, and Rose recognized it as the cowboy that had brought her dinner. 

“Of course, just one second Cole,” Angela called out, closing the distance between them and wrapping an arm around Rose’s waist. “It seems like we’re out of time, my liebling.” She said quietly, with a longing look on her face.

“Will I ever get to see you again?” A tear had started to roll down her cheek, which Angela wiped away with her finger.

“I don’t know, but believe me,  I’ll do everything in my power to try,” Angela said, pulling Rose into a warm, calming embrace. They stood like this for several minutes, relishing what could very well be their last time spent together. Cole knocked on the door again, and glumly, Angela let go and opened the door, revealing the cowboy waiting impatiently. He waved for Rose to follow him, and she walked out dejectedly. 

As she left, Angela whispered in her ear, “Goodby liebling.” The cowboy led her down multiple hallways, all of which looked exactly the same. He had his hand down by his revolver the entire way like she was going to attempt an escape. She couldn’t care less about him, her heart felt like it was going to crack in half. Finding out that Angela shared her feelings only for them to be separated, perhaps permanently. The dull grey walls only amplified her feelings of loss after just getting what she had wanted. Eventually, they came to a door with the lock on the outside. Cole opened the door for her, revealing a room that surprisingly wasn’t all that terrible. It had an actual bed, a drawer, a table with a chair, and even a full bathroom. She stepped inside, and the door clicked shut behind her. Sighing, Rose wandered around the room, idly looking to see if there was anything interesting. However, her search did not bear any fruit as the only thing she had managed to find were some bathroom essentials. She had made her way over to the bed and was about to sit down when there was a knock on her door. She called out, “Come in.” Rolling her eyes, she thought to herself, “It’s not like I can open it anyway.”

The door was opened by the cowboy, who was holding something in his hand. When she saw what it was, a gasp left her mouth. “The doc said that I ought to bring this to you.” He handed her a small pot that held a green rose inside. 

A huge smile broke out across her face, and it seemed to surprise Cole, evident by his raised eyebrows. “Would you please tell her I said thank you?” She asked, hopefully, her eyes never leaving the rose.

He huffed, like he was annoyed, but answered, “Yeah I can do that for you partner.” He left the room, the door swinging shut behind, and Rose held up the pot in her hands. Looking at the green rose, for the first time since she left the medical room, Rose felt a tiny spark of hope grow inside her. Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way. But for now, she had to be content with herself and a pretty present from an even more beautiful woman.

Chapter Text

Rose was coming to the conclusion that she was going to die from boredom. According to the electronic clock on the dresser, 6 hours had passed. It seemed like they had forgotten about her, considering no one had come to check on her or anything. What was even stranger was the fact that they left her with her powers. Not that they did much good of course. The door was made out of some type of heavy metal, that she doubted she could force open even with her powers. She had been idling away the time by trying to sleep, but no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't come. A knock came from the door, prompting her to sit up, yawning. "What is with these people and knocking?" She called out, "Yeah?" The door opened and in stepped Commander Reyes. He held a creme-colored folder, that had a dragon-like face with a sword on its head in the corner. 

"You can stay there, this will only take a moment," he rumbled in a deep voice as she went to stand up. 

"Oh uhm, okay." She watched as he pulled the chair out from the table and sat down in it facing her. 

"How are your living quarters?" 

The question surprised her, and thinking about it, they weren't terrible. Obviously being locked in it with no one to talk to was awful, but the actual room was just as nice as her apartment. "I've been in worse."

"Good. Because you're gonna be in here a long time." He tossed the folder over to her, not giving her a chance to open it before continuing. "Charges of homicide, assault, armed robbery, grand theft, breaking the peace, terrorism, the list goes on. There's enough here to keep you locked up the rest of your life."

With each charge he listed, Rose felt her heart sink a little more. He was right of course, she had done all of that and probably more, but hearing her fate out loud was sickening. The word unfair screamed in her head. It’s not like she wanted to do any of it, but she had needed money to buy her meds, and her dead-end job barely let her afford rent.  "Do you have a reason to be here, or are you just rubbing it in?" She snapped at him.

He gave her a look akin to one you would give an impatient child who kept asking for dessert before dinner. "I could make all of it go away." 

Rose's eyes widened in surprise, but wariness soon took over as she asked, "And what would I need to do?"

His gaze was intense, it was like staring into the sun, but she refused to break eye contact. "I want you to join Overwatch. More specifically, Blackwatch, a covert ops division that I run."

Her mind went blank, out of everything she had expected, that was not it. "Me? Why would you want me?"

He laughed, it was a dark, warm sound that seemed so out of place coming from him. "I thought that was obvious. Not only do you have a plentiful amount of talents we could use, but you also have very beneficial abilities." As if he sensed her hesitation, he added, "Plus, we could find a way to cure your condition." 

That was worrying. If they knew she needed a pill to stop herself from disintegrating, then they had the leverage to make her do anything they wanted. Although, it was weird that hadn't needed a pill the entire time she was here, considering it had been at least a week. The decision was easy, not that it was much of a choice. "I'll do it."

He nodded as if he knew she would say yes the entire time, "Good. I need to finalize the paperwork, but when I'm done, Cassidy will come and release you." He reached out a hand and she shook it, unsure as to what she had just signed up for. "Take a look through that folder for me."  He said as he stood up and made his way to the door. "Consider it your first assignment if you will." The door closed behind him, and she couldn't make up her mind about what had just happened. On one hand, she wasn't going to spend the rest of her life in prison, she had some of the smartest scientists to help find a cure for whatever was wrong with her, and she might even be able to see Angela again. But on the flip side, she had basically placed her life in the hands of a man she had just met. 

She opened the folder and started leafing through the contents. Inside, there were documents with names she didn't recognize, old news articles, schematics of some building, and a black and white photo of some lab. None of it even seemed vaguely connected, and Rose was about to give up looking through it when a name on a printed-out email caught her eye. Alexander Casila. He apparently owned a company that had business dealings with T Corp before they were shut down. Her interest was drawn because, besides her brothers, she didn't know anyone else with her last name. Now that she had noticed it once, she saw it pop up more and more all over the place. Some of those documents had his name on them. That article was headlined "CEO Alexander Casila claims no involvement with T Corp". "That's so weird," Rose muttered to herself. Was he related to her somehow? She didn't think so. She didn't have any memories of her father, and her brothers never talked about him. Maybe this guy was a distant uncle? Something else she couldn't wrap her head around was why on earth Commander Reyes would give her this folder with no instruction on what to do with it. 

Rose was so deep in thought that she barely heard the knock on her door. "It's open." She called out, not looking up and instead opting to continue idly searching through the papers in the folder. 

“I’m here to show you to your new quarters,” Cole said, and then he tipped his hat, giving her a half bow right out of a movie, “And to officially welcome you to our little gang.” 

“It’s an honor. Of course, I think anything might beat life in prison,” she added with a smile.

“You’re right ‘bout that one partner. Old Gabe cut me a similar deal myself.” She must have had a look of obvious disbelief on her face because he laughed and added, “Plucked me right out of the Deadlock gang, and I haven’t looked back since.” His eyes wandered down to the folder full of papers in her lap, and jokingly said, "They're already giving you homework? Ain't that a sight."

"Yeah, something like that," she smiled back at him. If nothing else, Cole was an amusing person to be around. 

"Well c'mon then. I'm sure you’re anxious to get out of here. Grab whatever you want I guess, they didn't actually tell me about whatcha should bring." He said, scratching his chin. Rose hurriedly gathered up the papers and closed the folder, before getting up and grabbing the vase that held her rose. Cole led her out, and down a few different hallways before speaking again. "They also wanted me to tell ya about some of the "procedures" you're gonna go through. Basically, the rules that you gotta follow, y'know what I mean?" She nodded, prompting him to continue. "Alrighty, first and foremost, you're not allowed off base." He held up a hand to cut the question that was about to leave her mouth. "Not permanently, just for a couple of weeks or whatever. It's to make sure there isn't a crisis when you go out on missions. Secondly, you won’t be allowed to contact anyone outside the base either. It’s a safety thing.” He patted her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile before saying, “Other than that, you don’t gotta worry ‘bout nothin’. I mean besides training and missions and whatever, but that's nothing.” They came to a stop in front of a door that had an electronic keypad attached to it. “This is where you’ll be staying.” He pointed at the keypad and explained how to put in her thumbprint and change the code to whatever she wanted. 

“Thank you, Cole,” Rose said, her spirits were lifted compared to how she had felt just a few hours ago. 

He tipped his hat to her again, and she was starting to think he just liked to do it. “It was my pleasure. You can always call me if you need help with anything, and I’ll be here tomorrow around 8ish to show you around.” 

“Uhm one slight problem with that, I don’t have a phone.” 

“Oh crap, right, hold on,” he started digging around in his pockets until he finally produced a fancy-looking phone. “Right now this won’t let you talk to anyone that isn’t Overwatch, but as soon as you get cleared, it should work as normal.” Rose nodded, and unprompted he opened and held the door for her. “Now don’t let anyone be going around telling you that I ain’t a gentleman,” he said in a jovial tone as she entered her new living quarters. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she replied, taking stock of where she would be staying. The room she was standing in currently had a couch that had seen much use in its lifetime, evident by small tears and slightly hidden stains. A TV was mounted to the wall and an oak coffee table made up the remaining furnishings in the room. 

As she started to wander towards an open door off to the side, Cole said, “I’ll let you get settled in. Remember, I’ll be here around 8 o’clock tomorrow. Have a nice night.” 

“See you tomorrow Cole,” she called out, already moving to explore the rest of her space. After setting the folder and phone down on the table, Rose made her way into what appeared to be the bedroom. A soft-looking twin bed filled most of the room, while a dresser was placed up against the wall. Inside it were a few pairs of grey sweats and hoodies, the latter having the Overwatch logo on the upper left of the shirt. Other drawers were opened to reveal socks and underwear. Everything was a dull, muted color, but it beat having nothing at all. Closing the drawer, Rose set the vase on top of the dresser, before making her way over to the final room. A bathroom, with a rather cramped-looking shower and a toilet. Coming back into the bedroom, she plopped herself into the bed and for the first time in what felt like forever, began to relax. It might not be the most luxurious place to stay, but it certainly beats being locked up in a cell. Plus she had more freedom than she’s had in over a week. But as much as wanted to experience that freedom right now, her body called for sleep. She relented and eventually drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

Chapter Text

The two weeks after Rose had accepted Reyes' deal had passed in a blur. Life became routine, and she appreciated that. Each day looked much the same; wake up, take her pills, eat, train, work through her assignments, sleep, and repeat. The pills they were giving her were slightly different from the ones she had taken before, but the effect was much the same. Keeping her body whole, not transforming into the black, smokey substance that had appeared when she shifted. Not that she had been able to shift while taking the pills. It seemed that even though it kept her alive, it came at the cost of not being able to cross back into that black void. Of course, it wasn’t like she was particularly anxious to go back there, considering how unpredictable time seemed to be when she was there. She was still waiting to be called into the lab for testing. Reyes had said that the doctors would try and find a way to permanently fix her, so she wouldn't need to take her pills anymore. Even though that hadn't happened yet, she trusted he would keep his word. So, she had waited, opting to indulge Cole on his offer to take her to the shooting range. 

"Thought ya would never ask," had been his reply, and he had led her there with a giddiness, not unlike a kid showing a parent a cool seashell they found. The range was an impressive sight, a multitude of targets moving at different speeds and varying distances. Weapons and ammunition lined the walls, from pistols to heavy machine guns. Curiously, Cole wasn't very surprised when she asked if they had throwing knives. He had asked her why, however,  and Rose had responded simply that they weren't her thing. He nodded and showed her a large collection of numerous types of knives and daggers. She had picked a few out, and from there, the firing range had become a daily meetup for them. Cole practiced with his six-shooter, Rose with her knives. She had been thoroughly surprised when he let her take the knives with her. "I don't know if you're actually allowed to have these," he had said with a conspiratorial grin, "but I won't tell if you don't." So she had started carrying two smaller throwing knives with her and kept a larger dagger in her room. It was comforting in a way, knowing she had access to a familiar weapon if she ever needed to use it. 

Spending time in the range with Cole taught her a couple of things about the gunslinger. One of them was that he liked to talk. A lot. "I'm still the quickest shot in the new west," he bragged, after fanning the hammer of his revolver, putting a bullet into 6 different targets.  Rose raised an eyebrow, and with a flick of her wrist, threw a knife that was followed almost instantly by 5 others that had been levitating slightly off the table. They shot off like bullets, each one landing on the same targets that Cole had shot. "Now that ain't fair! You did the mind thing!”

She made finger guns and mimicked shooting him, then blew pretend smoke off the tips of her fingers. “Guess you’re the second-fastest shot in the west now cowboy,” Rose said with a teasing smile. 

He grinned back, holstering his revolver, and leaning back against the wall. “Heh, that reminds me of this time back in Deadlock…” He would ramble on for hours, and even though she pretended to be annoyed, Rose had enjoyed most of his stories. They seemed to be something out of an old western, much like how he was dressed. It was during one of these stories that he had gotten distracted by something and had asked her a rather surprising question. “It ain’t often I run into an omega who don’t wear scent blockers, ‘specially on base. You got any special reason?” She must have had murder written across her face because he quickly held up his hands in mock surrender and added, “I ain’t tryin’ to come on to ya, I swear. I was just wonderin’ considering most people wear some type of blockers here, me included.” 

Rose sighed, the tension in her shoulders dissipating slightly. “You’re fine, I know you didn’t mean anything by it. I wasn’t given any and I wouldn’t even know where to go to find some.” She inhaled, and the smell of cigar smoke was the only hint of scent she could catch of Cole. “What are you anyways? If you don’t mind me asking of course.” 

“Not a bit, I’m an Alpha.” She must have looked just as surprised as she felt because he chuckled and said, “I know, I don’t really have that sort of presence do I?” 

A smile played on her lips, and she couldn’t help but add a comment. “Not in the slightest.”

His face turned serious, and for a second, she thought she had offended him.  “Hope ya don’t mind, I know some people don’t like hanging out with Alphas.”

 He said people, but Rose was relatively sure he had meant Omegas, which in that case, he was absolutely right. However, in the short time she had spent at Overwatch, he was the closest thing to a friend she had, and she made sure he knew that. “Nah, you’re good cowboy,” playfully punching him on the shoulder, and adding with a wink, “still faster though.” 

He laughed and gestured to the range, “We’ll see about that one partner.” 

That had been two days ago, and for the first time, Rose had the range to herself. Cole had let her know the other day that he would be out on a mission, but she had forgotten until she had gotten to the firing range and found it empty. She decided to carry out her normal practice anyway, albeit with less enjoyment than usual. She started with normal throwing, hitting ten targets at varying distances with the smallest throwing knives before repeating the exercise with a larger knife. She kept going until she had worked up to a dagger with a 6-inch blade. Throwing those was harder, and she decided to end her set with it. Instead, she decided to work on a different skill. She gathered up and placed two dozen of the smaller knives on the station she was using. Breathing in deeply, she closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, feeling each one of the knives individually. One by one, they lifted into the air, rotating slightly as she held them in place. Her eyes flashed open, narrowing to focus on the targets across from her. The blades began to orbit around her, slowly gaining speed until they became a maelstrom of steel, ripping through the air that surrounded her. Eyes locked on her targets, Rose mimicked a pushing motion with her hand, causing the knives to whistle past her. To anyone else, it looked like the knives attacked the targets she picked out on their own, but in reality, it had taken thousands of micro-adjustments for the blades to find their mark. The faint smell of seafoam burned in her nose, and the peaceful sound of waves lapping against the shore barely broke the silence. Whatever had happened to her body seemed to allow her to use her powers to their fullest extent. Or at least back to the level they were before she started deteriorating. It was still difficult to use, almost like trying to walk after she had broken her ankle. 

She was startled by a man's voice coming from behind her. "Impressive. I would not want to face you in battle." She turned around and came face to face with a cyborg. He held out his hand and said," I'm Genji."

She hesitantly shook it, the metallic armor cool to the touch. "Rose."

"I had heard from Cassidy that we had a new member in our little group. Figured I'd make myself acquainted." She could hear his smile, but his face was covered by a metal mask. He didn't carry any scent with him, and she didn't know if it was because of the armor or blockers. 

She was unsure of what to do or say, and she couldn't get a read on Genji due to the mask covering his face. "Well, we're acquainted now I guess." 

"Indeed we are," he paused for a moment before continuing, "Have you been to the training grounds yet?" Rose nodded, Cole had shown it to her on the second day and had promptly left her to workout alone. "Good. Would you be interested in sparing a round or two?"

Genji seemed nice enough, and Rose didn't detect a hint of malice in his question, so she decided to agree. "Sure. I was pretty much finished here anyway." He nodded, and they made their way down the now familiar route to the training grounds. She had to give Overwatch credit, they might have a terrible taste in style and decorations, but their training facilities were top-of-the-line. Besides the firing range, there was a fully equipped gym, a pool, and even an entire indoor track. But none of that compared to the training grounds. A hyper-realistic terrain simulator that could generate any environment you could dream of. You wanted to fight in a city? Just push a button and boom, you have a city environment. Or how about a forest? Don't worry, it can do that too. Every time she saw it in action, it left her amazed. 

The comfortable silence they had walked in was broken by Genji asking her a question. "Do you have a preference for the conditions?" 

She thought for a moment about what would give her the biggest advantage. Rose didn't know anything about how he fought, but from the sword sheathed behind his back, she guessed fighting him in close quarters would not be ideal. "How about urban, daytime, sunny. That work for you?" She felt most comfortable within a city, considering that's where most of her fights had taken place. And she could use the various buildings to keep away from him. 

"I am fine with those." He hit a few buttons, causing the simulator to come roaring to life. Lights flickered on, the white walls changed before her eyes. Buildings rose around them, the ceiling gave way to a blue sky. It was eerily quiet, the fake city lacking any noise that you would find in a real one. 

She could feel Genji's eyes burning holes into the back of her head. Turning around she asked, "What kinda rules we using?" She played with one of the knives in her pocket, slightly unnerved being unable to see his eyes. 

"I set it to markers if that's alright." Markers meant their weapons wouldn't cause any harm, instead, they would leave a bright splat of paint where you were hit, much like paintball. 

"Yeah, that's fine. Three hits?" Rose asked. Three was the normal amount they had gone to during the team training. Genji nodded and then bowed. It was a quick gesture, and she decided not to return it. Not out of any aversion, but simply because she didn't know if it was appropriate for her to do so. 

Genji straightened, then spoke in a low voice. "May your aim be true."

Moderately confused, Rose replied, "Oh umm, thanks." With a small smile, she added, "May your sword uh be quick and stuff." 

Genji nodded his head and quietly said, "Arigatō." They stared at each other for a moment, steel-covered eyes meeting her green ones. Silence echoed throughout the city, the only occupants on the pinnacle of conflict. Genji moved first, dashing at her with blinding speed, his sword crashing down towards her. Her blades met his in a screech of metal on metal, two daggers leveraged against each other to stop the downward thrust. His surprise showed in a split-second hesitation that allowed her to strike out, earning her a hit on his left shoulder. Neon green paint marked the hit, and she jumped backward, dodging two rapid swipes from his sword. Rose backpedaled, attempting to create space between them and gain the range advantage. He didn't rush after her as she had expected, instead, she saw a flick of his wrist and felt something bounce off her chest. She cursed, seeing the blue paint bloom, marking his hit. She raced around a corner and ran down an alley. She could barely make out his footsteps as he chased after her. Just as she turned another corner, a shuriken impacted the wall right where she had been standing a mere moment ago. 

Rose raced in between buildings, making a mental note of the simulated city. A head-on fight favored Genji, but here, she had the upper hand. He was fighting on her turf and it was time to take advantage of that. She waited around a corner, listening for his steps. It took longer than she had expected for him to reach where she planned her ambush. Palming one of her throwing knives, she stepped out from behind the wall and threw. Pushing it as it flew, caused the knife to zip through the air faster than her eyes could track. Green paint splattered across Genji's stomach plate as the knife struck true. His retaliation was swifter than she had expected, however, and felt rather than saw the shurikens flying towards her. Rose made a pushing motion with her hand, causing a wake of force to rocket down the alley. Three shurikens on course to collide with her instead harmlessly connected with a wall. Bits of trash and debris moved as if a strong gust had blown through.

Rose sprinted around the corner, and she could hear Genji mutter to himself, "Impressive." The next trade of blows did not go her way. She had set up a similar ambush and was waiting for Genji, only to be ambushed herself. He had been completely silent, not making a single sound as he ran right into her. She fought back, but it became clear very quickly that she was outmatched. Within seconds she had another splotch of paint on her shoulder, and nearly was hit again, barely managing to dodge in time. Genji was unhumanly fast, his attacks were a blur, deadly, and precise. He was unrelenting, swinging at her with abandon. She was unable to do anything besides try to keep his blade away. She parried a stab, but the force of the blow knocked the dagger out of her hand. 

She scrambled back, narrowly dodging the sword that cut down inches from her. In a desperate gambit, Rose threw herself back, pushing against Genji with her mind. He stumbled from the unknown force, and her momentum increased from pushing against him, causing her to land awkwardly. But Genji would not be stalled for long, and once again he was closing in on her. She had one last trick up her sleeve, however, and her remaining five knives began to hover around her. She didn't even need to flick her wrist, instead pushing on them and causing the knives to fly at Genji with lightning speed. Her knives might have been fast, but he was faster, managing to block and deflect all of them with his sword. She could hear a light chuckle come from him, one that was cut off by a dull thud against his back. He reached around, rubbing his hand across his back. His hand came away a neon green, and Rose couldn't stop the smile that broke out across her face. 

"It would appear that you have won this match," Genji said, his words surprisingly light. Not laced with the bitterness she would have expected from beating someone, but almost amusement that he had lost. "You are a very skilled opponent, it was an honor to duel with you." 

"Oh um, thank you," Rose said hesitantly. His attitude was puzzling, to say the least. Every time she had spared or trained with someone, they had always reacted poorly to losing to her. "You're a really good fighter too. You're wicked fast with that sword of yours. I thought for sure you had me on the ropes."

She offered her hand out and he shook it. She could hear the smirk in his tone even if she couldn't see his face when he said, "Want to go again?" 

Rose felt a competitive streak brewing, and agreed readily, "Absolutely!" That day sparked a new daily ritual between the two. She quickly found herself looking forward to her spar against Genji. Even if she didn't win every time, fighting him was exalting. He was humble, talented, and even had a rather unexpected sense of humor. But more importantly, he treated her with respect, like an ally.  And because of that, he became one of the two people she considered a friend at Overwatch, with the other being Cole. She had been introduced to some of the agents, and while none treated her with outright hostility, she wouldn't consider any of them friendly. Captain Amari and her daughter came the closest to seemingly hating her. They acted like there was a rotten stench and she was the source of it. Some of the others were better, like Lena, who had attempted to talk with her but had been called on multiple missions since then. Another person who had at least acknowledged her existence was Lùcio, a relatively friendly guy who used to be a DJ before he joined Overwatch. Yet even those that acted friendly, kept her at a distance. Like she had some sort of catching disease. Cole had told her not to worry about and Genji assured her that it would improve over time. Her situation was rather unique, considering Overwatch didn't normally recruit criminals. 

But it wasn't the lack of respect from the other agents that bothered her. Rose had dealt with much worse and more oppressive work environments before, and while it was disappointing, it wasn't the end of the world. No, what bothered her was a certain doctor had yet to talk to her. In the two weeks that she had been free, Angela had not spoken a single word to her. Rose had even seen her on multiple different occasions, yet each time Angela had hurried away before she had a chance to talk to her. Rose was hurt, confused. She didn't know why Angela was avoiding her, like their parting words meant nothing. Like their shared kiss meant nothing. She sighed and rearranged her food with her fork for what was probably the 100th time that day. 

"What's on your mind there partner? You seem awfully glum for someone who just kicked both our asses." Cole asked in a joking tone, but the look of sincerity in his eyes said more than his words. She sat with Cole and Genji at a table in the cafeteria. Normally she was glad for their company, but not today. This was not something she wanted to talk about and Rose knew that they wouldn’t let her leave until she spilled what was bothering her. 

Just as she had predicted, Genji jumped into the conversation. “Did someone say something, Rose?” 

Sighing, she kept her gaze on her plate, not wanting for them to see the tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. “It’s not who said something, it’s who hasn’t. ” 

“No way Doc hasn’t talked to you yet! God what is wrong with that woman!” Cole said in exasperation. 

Rose snapped her head up, surprise flashing across her face. “Wha- how’d you know?” 

Cole snorted, “Let’s see here,” he stroked his chin like he was trying to figure out a difficult problem. “You two were practically clinging to each other when I had to take you to a cell. Her make-up was smeared, and it wasn’t just from tears. Oh yeah, tears. She was crying when you left. And let’s not forget the rose she made me bring you, that you still have by the way.” He paused, giving her an incredulous look. “Remind me to never tell you any secrets.”

“Angela is the cause behind this?” Genji said, his confusion evident in his tone. “Why not just visit her medical room? She’s in there every hour of the day it seems.” 

Rose stammered out, “I don’t think she wants to talk to me. Every time she sees me, she leaves as fast as she can and she was probably just being nice and I can’t just walk up to her and talk to her when she’s like this and-” 

“That’s it, we’re taking you to the doctor's office. Come on missy.” Cole said, standing up. He nearly dragged Rose out of her chair before she started walking with them. Anxiety flared within her chest, forming a tight ball in her lungs as they walked. A metal hand was placed on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. The walk to Angela’s office seemed to take forever and not long enough at the same time. When they reached it, the door was closed. “Well go on,” Cole nudged her, “Knock. We’ll be right here waiting for you alright?” 

Rose took a deep breath before nodding. Hesitantly she held her hand up to the door, fist poised to knock when the door suddenly opened to reveal Angela. Surprise flashed in her eyes before she gave Rose a tentative smile. “Hey.”

Rose was lost staring into the beautiful ocean that was Angela’s eyes until a sharp kick to the back of her shoe brought her back to reality.”Uhm, hi.” 

Angela seemed to be similarly stunned, her eyes raking over Rose like they were committing her body to memory. “Hi.” 

“Alright, that’s enough starring you two, c’mon get.” He shooed them into the room and promptly closed the door, leaving them alone. Angela’s office smelled just like her, a sweet jasmine scent that seemed like a brilliant continuation of an already wonderful woman. And that same woman was staring at her, nervously tugging on the sleeve of her lab coat. 

“Angela I um I wanted to talk to you,” Rose said, finding it much harder to get words out than she had hoped. “I know you don’t owe me anything and you are your own person but it’s been driving me insane and I just need closure at the very least.” She let out a shaky breath, quickly continuing before she lost what little confidence she had left. “So please just tell me why you won’t talk to me. If our kiss didn’t mean anything to you that’s okay, but I need to know.” It absolutely wasn’t okay, and it would break her heart into tiny pieces, but she just couldn’t pretend avoiding each other was the best solution. 

“Oh Rose,” Angela said, a tremor in her voice. “It meant a lot, you mean so much to me.”

“Then why are you avoiding me? Why are you making it seem like you want nothing to do with me?” Rose’s voice cracked and she could feel tears pricking at her eyes but she didn’t care. All she could focus on was the woman who held her heart in her hand. 

“I- I was scared. Am scared.” The quiet admittance was not what Rose had expected, a question burned at her throat, begging to be asked but she held her tongue and let Angela finish. “I’m scared that I can’t control myself around you. I didn’t mean to kiss you, not that I regret it at all mind you.” She hurried to reassure Rose, before continuing, “I regret not asking you if it was okay. Instead, I took it without your permission.” Angela buried her head in her hands like she was trying to cover her shame. “I pride myself on my control, I need to in a way. Considering I’m a doctor and an Alpha. And I’ve always been able to keep control, never once have I lost it. Not before you.”

“Oh.” Rose didn’t have words to say what she wanted to, what she needed to. Instead, she let her body do the talking, wrapping her arms around Angela, and holding her tight. Angela buried her head into Rose’s shoulder, and she held onto the Omega like she was a lifeline. Rose focused on creating comforting pheromones that mixed in with her normal scent. Slowly, Angela’s grip relaxed, along with the rest of her body. She didn’t try to step away, and Rose took that as a sign that this contact was okay. “I’m so sorry that you feel like that. This must have been a lot harder for you than me. I know you can’t stop the feelings, the guilt, but please try not to beat yourself up about it too much. That kiss was the best moment I’ve had in as long as I can remember.” Rose rubbed comforting circles along Angela’s back, drawing out any remaining tension. “I want this,” she said quietly. “I want you.”

For an agonizing long second, Angela pulled away from the hug, looking into Rose’s eyes. “I’ve never wanted anything more than to be with you,” Angela whispered reverently, her words sending sparks shooting throughout Rose’s body. 

Angela cupped Rose’s chin with her hand, moving it slightly so she was looking up at her. Rose reached a hand into Angela’s hair, relishing how her soft, golden hair felt tangled around her fingers. “So does this mean we’re girlfriends now?” Rose asked, a blissful smile covering her lips. 

Angela chuckled softly, “I think it does.” She paused, and a small smirk played on her face. “Why don’t we seal the deal?” 

Rose smiled back, a few ideas coming to mind. “What were you thinking?”

“How about a kiss?”

“Only if it lasts all day.”

Angela smiled down at her, and Rose could think of no place she would rather be. “I plan on it.” Angela’s words were followed quickly by her lips. Rose shuddered with delight as warmth blossomed throughout her. Angela’s lips muddied her senses, leaving only Angela and her scent. Nothing else mattered, she had Angela and Angela had her. “I was wrong,” Rose thought before she was lost in the kiss once more.

 “ This, is the best moment I’ve ever had.”

Chapter Text

Rose pushed open the door to Angela’s office, the smell of chemicals mixed with jasmine combined to form a uniquely intoxicating scent. Angela was still hard at work, typing away at her computer. Her lab coat sat overtop a black turtleneck that hugged her body. Rose cleared her throat and Angela looked up, surprise and irritation quickly turned to joy as she realized who had interrupted her work. “Hey there,” Rose said as Angela got up out of her chair to pull her into a tight hug. “I brought you dinner.” 

Angela accepted the plate with a smile. “You’re too kind liebling.” The tension in Angela’s shoulders seemed to dissipate just from Rose being near her. 

“Oh hush,” Rose said playfully, “I know you probably haven’t eaten all day and you should know better than anyone that you need food to function correctly.” She lightly poked Angela in the stomach to emphasize her point. 

Sighing, Angela said, “You’re right, but I just couldn’t tear myself away from my work. I’m on the cusp of a breakthrough with my nanites, I can feel it.”

“Well, you can get back to your sciency stuff after you eat.” 

“Fineee, but only because you said so,” Angela joked, earning herself an eye roll from her partner. As Angela began eating, Rose lost herself taking in every detail of Angela’s body. From her golden locks that put the sun to shame, to her brilliant blue eyes that shined brighter than any diamond ever could. Even the freckles that dotted her face and ran down her neck were beautiful. From the way they dipped down past her shirt, Rose assumed that they extended down to other places on her body. That train of thinking led her to stare directly at Angela’s breasts, wondering if they too, had freckles. The image of Angela’s naked tits filled her head, and Rose blushed at the thought of them. If it was her empty gaze or the red blush that now covered her cheeks that Angela noticed, Rose didn’t know. Angela raised a questioning eyebrow before asking, “Penny for your thoughts liebling?” 

If her blushing wasn’t obvious before, it now was as Rose felt her entire face burn with embarrassment. “Oh, I uhm- I was just uh- I  y’know?” Rose stuttered out, well aware that she hadn’t even managed to answer with a complete sentence. It wasn’t necessarily wrong for her to picture her girlfriend naked, given they had been together for a few weeks at this point, but rather she was unsure if Angela was ready to take that step in their relationship. Truthfully, Rose didn’t know if she was ready either. 

Her anxiety and self-doubt only spiraled more when Angela said teasingly, “Aw, is my darling having some indecent thoughts about me? How naughty.” Even though it was only a joke, Rose could feel her heart racing. “ How did she know? What if she makes fun of me for it? What if she hates it? What if she hates me? What if she breaks up with me?” Rose felt tears burning at the corner of her eyes. She didn’t even realize she was shaking until Angela pulled her into a tight embrace. “Shit I’m so sorry baby, I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just trying to joke around.” Rose melted against her, Angela’s arms acting as pillars of strength against her anxiety. She buried her head into Angela’s shoulder, and deep inhales of her scent helped to calm down her racing mind. 

After a few minutes, Rose trusted her composure enough to try and reassure Angela and make sure she knew that it wasn’t her fault. “It wasn’t you angel,” Rose said with a shaky voice.” I was thinking about you-, about your body, and my thoughts spiraled out of control.”

“I was a little on the nose with my little joke then, wasn’t I?”

“Got a bullseye with it I’d say,” Rose joked back, already feeling the last bits of her anxiety leaving her, for this moment at the very least. 

“Do you want to talk about it liebling? You don’t have to of course, but it might help put your mind at ease.” Angela said, running her fingers through Rose’s hair, in a soft, almost petting-like motion. 

“Yeah, probably should.” Rose took a deep breath, before continuing somewhat nervously. “I was imagining what parts of your body looked like and how much I wanted to be with you. Like obviously we’re partners and all but like,” she struggled with the word for some reason, and Angela added, “Like sex?” 

“Yeah, like sex. And I really want that with you but I know we haven’t been dating for that long and you probably don’t want that and I didn’t want to cross any boundaries or ruin what we have so I panicked a little. Okay, I panicked a lot but-”

“Don’t worry, I understand it. In fact,” Angela paused for a moment, looking Rose in the eye before continuing, “I’ve wanted that for a while as well. But I didn’t want to rush you into doing something that you weren’t comfortable with.” 

Rose let out a noise that sounded akin to a squeal of excitement, before pressing her lips into Angela’s. Angela was momentarily surprised but was quick to reciprocate by deepening the kiss. Giddiness flowed through her, but when she reached up to fondle one of Angela’s breasts, Angela broke the kiss and pulled away.

Disappointment and rejection burned in her mind, but Angela’s next words eased those feelings away. “Hold on liebling, we have to discuss some things before we do this, okay?” Rose nodded, and Angela took that as a sign to continue. “We have to establish some boundaries before because I will not take advantage of you when we are both lost in a cloud of lust.” 

There was a warm feeling inside Rose’s chest, and if it was possible to fall for someone more than once, she definitely just did. She couldn’t remember a single time she’d had a conversation like this before. Granted, she has a relatively small sample size when it comes to this sort of thing, but it was still large enough that Angela’s care and concern was touching. “Yeah, that’s probably smart. I don’t think I’m ready for a bite yet.” 

Angela nodded in agreement. “I agree, not that I think we’re not going to last of course, but better safe than sorry. What kind of pet names or terms of endearment do you think you would like?” 

Rose thought for a moment before responding. “I think maybe things like princess or like good girl and stuff like that.”

“So does that mean you like praise then?” Angela asked. 

“I think so, I’m not really sure. Sorry.” 

“Nein, don’t be sorry liebling, you're doing very well.” Angela seemed to consider something for a moment before asking, “Would you be okay with me eating you out?” 

Rose was shocked at first, but quickly nodded yes and gave an enthusiastic, “Absolutely!”  

Angela smiled at Rose’s eagerness and moved them to her desk. She patted said desk, and in a sultry voice said, “Well then, hop on up, princess .” A shiver of excitement ran through her as she climbed on top of Angela’s desk. Angela looked at her for confirmation, before pulling her yoga pants down around her ankles. Her panties were nothing special, just simple black lace, but you would never be able to tell that with the way Angela was staring at them. They too, joined her pants at her feet, and Angela couldn’t resist making one playful remark while sinking to her knees in-between Rose’s legs. “This wet for me?” 

“Well, you are very pretty and ohh~ ” Whatever Rose was going to say was cut off by a breathy moan as Angela licked a stripe up her cunt. “Not fair!” Angela only smirked in reply, before repeating the action once more. She did this a few more times, making sure to brush over Rose’s clit before her tongue split and entered Rose’s folds. Rose’s moans suddenly increased in volume at the new sensation, her hands grabbing onto Angela’s shoulders for support. Angela lapped at her heat like she was starving, and it was a five-course meal. Rose could feel her orgasm building, a tight coil in her stomach that just kept winding up more and more. She didn’t want the wonderful sensations to end, but when Angela suddenly started rubbing her clit with her hand while her tongue was still inside of her, Rose couldn’t hold it back. Her thighs clamped around Angela’s head as her own was thrown back in pleasure as the coil came undone and her orgasm rushed through like a flood through a broken dam. Angela helped her ride it out by easing but still continuing her ministrations with her tongue. When she finally came down from her high, she looked through half-lidded eyes and saw Angela had a pleased smirk even while her face was covered with Rose’s wetness. 

Even though Angela seemed fine with it, the fact she had barely managed to last a couple of minutes did not sit well with her. Because of that, Rose began to apologize, “I’m sorry for coming so fast I wanted to last longer for you-”

“Don’t be sorry liebling, you were perfect,” standing up,  Angela gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before continuing, still having that pleased expression on her face. “Besides, I’ll take it as a compliment to my skills. Watching you fall apart for me was so wonderful, you look so beautiful when you come undone. Even more so than usual,” she added with a wink. 

“Cheesy,” Rose said with a smile. “Although, if you wanted to see it again, I wouldn’t be opposed. Especially considering the fact you appear to have a tent that needs to be taken care of.” She gestured at Angela’s pants, which did in fact have a sizable tent in them. 

Angela’s eyes sparkled with lust, and decided letting her pants drop to the floor was answer enough. She let out a sigh of relief when her cock was freed, it stood stiffly at attention.  Rose’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of it. It was much bigger than she had expected and doubts of whether or not she could even manage to take it were begging to creep into her mind. Angela seemed to sense her distress because she soothingly caressed Rose’s face and said, “We’ll take it slow liebling, don’t worry.” 

Angela lined herself up with Rose’s cunt, swiping the head through her wet folds. It felt impossibly hot, and yet, when the tip began pushing its way inside, it felt so right. As more of Angela’s cock entered her, Rose felt an overwhelming need for skin-to-skin contact. She hurriedly shed her top and pulled on Angela’s, trying to do the same. Angela seemed to get the hint because her lab coat and turtleneck quickly joined the other clothes on the floor. Angela leaned down, pressing their bodies together as Rose wrapped her legs around Angela’s waist, and her arms were thrown around her chest. 

“You’re being such a good girl for me princess, you’re taking me so well,” Angela whispered into her ear, as her cock continued what seemed like a never-ending push to enter her. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Angela bottomed out inside of her, eliciting shared sighs of pleasure. Angela let her adjust for a few minutes, before slowly starting to move her hips. It felt like Rose was being split open, Angela’s cock was moving back and forth inside of her, sliding in and out. But where there should have been pain, there was only pleasure, and Rose couldn’t hold back her moans. Sounds of slapping flesh, Angela’s grunts, and Rose’s moans soon filled the room as Angela sped up her thrusts. “Such ah, good girl~,” Angela said in between grunts of pleasure. Rose was seeing stars as Angela continued to pound away. With each thrust, something rubbed against her entrance, teasing her. In her lust-addled state, Rose could focus only on the pleasure that Angela’s knot could provide.” 

“Please ah, Angela I need, ohh~ , your knot,” Rose managed to say, clinging tightly to Angela as waves of pleasure rolled over her. 

Instead of pushing it in, however, Angela let out a low growl and said, “Can’t princess. We didn’t talk about it. We can ah next time, if you still want.” Whatever brief disappointment Rose felt was washed away when a particularly deep thrust hit a spot that caused her orgasm to spring up completely unexpectedly. Rose buried her head in Angela’s shoulder, while her clenching walls dragged Angela over the edge as well. A foggy relief mixed with intense pleasure came over her as Angela began to spill inside of her. After a few minutes, Angela pulled out with a lewd, wet sound, and moved them over to her chair. Rose curled up exhausted against Angela, and let out little content purs as Angela softly petted her head. They stayed like that until their body heat wasn’t enough to keep them warm, and they were forced to grab their clothes. 

“I really enjoyed that,” Rose said shyly, now dressed and leaning against the closest wall to Angela.

“I did as well, although perhaps next time we do it someplace where cleaning is easier,” Angela replied, wiping down her desk with alcohol wipes. 

“Sorry about the mess.”

“Don’t be liebling, I was only teasing.”

Rose gave her a smile, then pointed at the plate of food she brought that was basically untouched in mock anger, “I thought I told you to eat!” 

Angela replied with a sly grin, “I did. I ate very well in fact.”

Chapter Text

Her vision was blurred, her eyelids felt like bags of sand, heavy and threatening to close at any moment. The only thing keeping them open was flashing lights and the muffled sounds coming from somewhere nearby. Rose wished she could smell, maybe the scents would give her some sort of clue as to what was going on. But all of the drugs she had been given and tests that had been run on her left her senses dulled to the point of uselessness. Dull noises ground against her brain, forcing her to remain torturously awake. She tried again to slip away into the black void that was unconsciousness because at least there, pain didn’t register. When a hand grabbed her arm, her reflexes didn’t even react fast enough to flinch. A young man hovered over, one she didn’t recognize, yet felt some vague connection with. He seemed somewhat familiar, like someone she should remember. His mouth moved like he was saying something but whatever it was, was lost to her and she could only try to shake her head to indicate her lack of understanding. Another man had made his way over, this one must have been barely out of his teen years. There was a quick exchange between the pair before they started lifting her out of the medical bed she had been left in. Rose stumbled as she stood, but they caught her, one on each arm. Sirens and alarms blared as they hurriedly led her out of the room, and further until they had exited the building. The sunlight was nearly blinding, being inside so long she couldn’t remember the last time she saw it. Bloodied, but not dead, beaten, but not broken, tormented, but still standing. Rose was finally free. 

The coffee Rose had just made (if you could call the sad excuse Overwatch supplied coffee) was spilled all over herself and the counter. The burning hot liquid stained her grey sweatshirt, not that it mattered, considering all of her clothes were grey. The coffee spill was just one moment in a sequence of shitty events that had occurred that day. First, she had a run-in with Fareeha, who seemed to become increasingly hostile towards her. Rose couldn't for the life of her figure out what she had done to earn the other woman's judgment, but it was rapidly becoming an issue. Fareeha had slung some nasty remarks before pushing past her and leaving Rose more confused than upset. Then Rose stumbled a bit and fell down two sets of stairs, which left her bruised along with her ego. Genji made fun of her for it, after checking that she wasn't injured of course. And to cap off her unfortunate streak, Commander Reyes pulled her into his office and dumped more file work onto her. Rose still hadn't figured out what she was supposed to do with the original folder Reyes had given her, but he hadn't brought it up and instead gave her mountains worth of paperwork that would ensure countless days spent without leaving her room. Yet despite the universe's attempts to ruin her mood, she was still spotting a smile so wide that it felt like her face might crack. And it was all because of what was happening with Angela after she finished up in the infirmary. They were going on a date !

Three Hours Ago

"Ah Rose, come in come in, I won't take up too much of your time." Commander Reyes beckoned her in with a gruff voice. *He should really take something for his throat* Rose thought. Considering it always seemed like Reyes's voice was drier than sand. 

"So what did you want to talk about Commander?" Rose asked. She had already been to Reyes's office earlier today and left with a frustrating amount of paperwork. For a second, she was worried that he was going to assign her more paperwork, but those fears were quickly dismissed by his next sentence.

“You’ve been cleared for active duty.”

“What?!” Reyes let out a short chuckle at her shock, his normal dangerous aura dampened by the half-smile that was threatening his lips. He slid something over to her. It was a plastic badge that had her picture and a few lines of writing that Rose quickly read.

Agent Name: Rose Casila 

Department: Blackwatch

Clearance Level: High

Callsign: The Witch

Rose ran her thumb over the card as if to verify that it was real. When it didn’t suddenly disappear, a huge smile broke across her face. She was so happy she almost hugged Reyes, even knowing how that would end. “Thank you so much, sir.”

Reyes gave her a pleased nod, which coming from him was equivalent to jumping for joy from anyone else. “I finally managed to convince the council that an agent of your skill should be out in the field, rather than wasting away here doing busy work.” 

“Does this mean I can finally leave base?” She asked hopefully. While yes, the Overwatch base was high-tech, spacious, and had a number of interesting people in it, Rose hadn’t been outside in nearly two months. The sky was a distant memory, grass a long-forgotten friend. She was pale from lack of sun and was visibly shaking with excitement pondering the idea of relaxing in the shade of a tree, especially with a certain blond scientist keeping her company. 

“Yes, your restrictions hereby today have been lifted.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand, “Go have some fun Rose, you deserve it.” She quickly got to her feet and opened the door to leave. But just before she stepped out of the office, she heard a gruff voice say, “I still expect those reports to be filed by the deadline, agent. “

Present

Rose was frantically pulling clothes out of her closet with abandon, banging her head in anger when the only thing that came out was the same grey hoodie. Did these people not understand the need for different sets of clothes!? I’m like a Scooby-Doo character, always wearing the same fucking outfit! Finally, she managed to find a hoodie that was a slightly different shade and didn’t have any Overwatch logos on it. While she didn’t mind wearing the logo, she felt the need to wear something unique tonight. Rose hoped the bland clothes she had would be sufficient for a date, especially their first. Granted they had been together for nearly a month now and had spent countless days together, this felt special. Their first real outing as a couple, an occasion that could only happen once. And all she had to wear for it were some lousy grey lounge clothes. Rose buried her face into her hands in a desperate attempt to not have a full-blown panic attack. Taking deep, slow breaths like she does with Angela when she feels overwhelmed, her panicked state steadily returns to normal. Rose glanced up at the digital clock on her nightstand and finally, the lingering traces of anxiety left her. It was only 1:55 PM, meaning she had three full hours before Angela got off of work. That gave her a chance to find a solution to her wardrobe problem. 

A knock on her door interrupted her train of thought. “Cassidy I already told you that I-” The door swung open to reveal Angela, who was wearing tightly clad leggings and a stunning green cardigan, smirking at Rose's startled look. “Angela! What? How? You’re supposed to still be working!” 

Angela feigned a hurt look, “Oh, so you’re not happy to see me?” She teased. Rose rolled her eyes and pulled Angela into a tight hug, inhaling the telltale jasmine scent that followed Angela everywhere she went. “I finished my work in the clinic early so we could spend more time together liebling.” 

“That’s so sweet Angie!” Rose’s gleeful smile fades almost as quickly as it appeared.

Angela, noticing the rapid change in mood, inquires, “What’s wrong liebling? Where did that pretty little smile go?” 

Rose looks down at her boring, mind-numbingly plain, lounge clothes and started on a nervous spiel, “I was going to dress up I swear but I only have these stupid grey clothes and I was going to get something else but then you showed up early and-”

Angela silenced her with a quick, yet firm kiss. “Hush liebling, you’d look gorgeous wearing literally anything, this included.” Seeing the look on Rose’s face, she added, “But if you really want something different, we can go shopping. The diner we’re going to is in the mall anyways.” 

That rekindled Rose’s smile, and she showed her gratitude with a long, deep kiss. “You’re the best Angie!”

“Anything for you liebling,” Angela said with a chuckle. “Now let's get this show on the road before we get sidetracked with other activities.” 

They had decided that walking would be the best way to get there, considering the fact Rose hadn’t seen the sun in literally forever! Two months of unnaturally bright fluorescent lights, sterile concrete, and boring grey walls leads to the best walk anyone's ever had. Well, that’s what Rose thought at least, nearly vibrating with excitement as she walked hand and hand with Angela down the sidewalk. “There’s birds!” Rose exclaimed with excitement. “There’s real birds that are chirping and OH MY GOSH IS THAT A SQUIRREL!” 

Angela let out a joyful laugh, “If I had known you were so infatuated with the local wildlife, I would have planned a picnic instead.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault I was locked up for two months in a concrete hellscape.” 

Angela raised an eyebrow, “Concrete hellscape huh? Can’t say I have heard that one before, although I suppose it is a somewhat adequate description. Concrete prisons aside, we’re here.” At Angela’s prompting, Rose looked away from the squirrel she was trying to lure out of a tree and saw a massive brick building with all sorts of neon signs and display windows.  Entering through the automatic doors, she saw shops selling everything imaginable lining the walls. Angela points out a clothing store named “Better Threads” and says, “Why don’t you go in there and look around, I have to run to the bathroom real quick. Take this,” Angela says as she hands Rose a credit card. “Buy whatever you want liebling!” Rose goes to argue but Angela shoos her away before running off in what Rose assumes is the direction of the bathrooms. Rose hesitantly enters the store and is immediately greeted by racks and racks of beautiful looking clothes. Dresses and skirts of all different colors and styles, more t-shirts than she could count. And the best part of it all, is everything was better than what she had on. 

By the time Angela had come back, Rose had managed to acquire a pile of various clothing items almost as big as her. “Buying the whole store liebling?” Angela joked. 

Rose stuck her tongue out in response. “You would too if you had my wardrobe!” 

“Fair enough.” After checking out, they decided to just wander the mall for a bit to see if there were any interesting stores. After a little while, Angela pulled them off to the side and pulled out a little gift bag. “I know I said I was going to the bathroom, but I couldn’t resist getting you something.” Angela says, seemingly nervous out of nowhere. 

Rose grabs the bag gleefully and opens it so fast she almost rips it. She pulls out a purple choker-looking thing that has a little heart as the latch. “Is this what I think it is? Angie?” 

“Well that depends on what you think it is liebling,” Angela chuckles nervously. “I saw it and I know it is very soon but I thought you would like it but we can take it back I’m sorry lets-” Angela’s nervous spiel is interrupted by Rose pulling her into a tight hug. 

“I love it!” Rose says giddily. “You are the best Angie!” Rose pauses for a moment to look into Angela’s eyes. “Would you help me put it on?”

Angela’s eyes momentarily widen in surprise, then she bites her lip thinking about being able to collar her omega. That way everyone would know, even if it wasn’t obvious from how they acted together. “Of course liebling,” She grabs the collar and opens the latch. “Hold still.” She says as she gently clicks the collar round Rose’s neck, the purple fabric standing out amid the greyness of her outfit. “How does it fit?”

Rose tests it out by putting a finger between her neck and the collar. “Perfect! Thank you so much Angie!” 

Angela smiles at her, “Of course, I’m glad you like it liebling.” Rose stands up on her tip-toes to give Angela a long, burning kiss. They get interrupted by Rose’s stomach growling angrily. Angela breaks from the kiss and chuckles, “I guess that’s a sign we should go get dinner.” They ended up choosing an old-school, almost antique looking diner. A chocolate shake with two straws sat between them as they were busy devouring their own cheeseburgers.

 Suddeningly, a piercing scream splits the air as several masked thugs holding pistols yell, “Everybody stay where you are!” 

Rose groans into her cheeseburger before standing up. “Why can we never have one day without something going wrong.” 

Angela grabs Rose’s hand with a worried look on her face, “What are you doing?”

Rose gives Angela’s hand a reassuring squeeze, “I’m gonna take care of those goons, don’t worry, I’ve handled much worse in worse health.”

Angela gives a quick, stiff nod before pulling Rose into a short, fiery kiss. “Be safe liebling.”

“No promises,” Rose says with a chuckle.

By now, one of the goons spotted Rose ignoring them and pointed his gun at her. “I thought I told you idiot women to stay where you are!” 

Rose raises an eyebrow and says, “Woah, that seemed like it had some sort of sexist energy and I do NOT have time for sexist thugs on my date night.” The room around her turned into a vivid shade of blue as she pushed hard, causing the thug standing in front of her to go flying into the wall, landing with a sickening thud. The roaring sound of crashing waves fills her ears as she instinctively pushes where two more of the thugs were. Sounds of gunshots ring out from where the two goons were crouched behind a table. Their bullets however, stopped mid air like they hit a wall and fell harmlessly to the floor. They were stunned, but that didn’t stop them from carelessly shooting the rest of their mags. The bullets, much like the others before them, were dispersed on the floor due to Rose pushing against them as they were shot. A dinning knife flew through the air, impaling one of the thugs, while several forks took care of the other. A bullet whizzed right past Rose’s head, barely grazing her. She tried to throw the gunman into a wall but he ducked behind a table, causing the plates littering it to go flying. Rose reached up to feel the side of her head, her fingers coming away red, sticky with blood. 

More gunfire came from her left and she promptly threw her mind against the bullets, sending them flying on paths around her and then back the way they came. Doing so required a large amount of focus but thanks to her new training routine, she managed it with minimal effort.  A scream sounded from where the thugs had shot from, meaning at least one of them found its mark. The gunman that had hit her was firing again, and she was forced to dive behind a booth. Rose had a risky idea, but it could work in ending this fight. She tried to shift, much like back when she was fighting Doomfist. Her left arm started to burn and dissolve into smoke, but just as the smoke started to spread, an icy coldness that felt like someone doused her veins with a firehouse spread throughout her where the smoke was as her arm suddenly reformed. Trying again yielded the same result, starting the shift only for it to abruptly end. It seems like the pills that keep me alive stop me from shifting, even if I try, she thought.  She peaked over the booth only to immediately duck again as a rain of bullets flew over her head. A single gunshot rang out from a different location, then silence. Rose cautiously rose and saw Angela standing over the dead body of the gunman. She looked over at Rose and said “Couldn’t let you have all the fun, now could I?” Just then she seems to notice the blood dripping down Rose’s head, and lets out a panicked gasp. “You're hurt!” Angela rushes over and begins assessing the damage, finding it to not nearly be as bad as it looked. 

“I’m fine Angie, he barely got me.” Rose tried to reassure her but Angela was determined nonetheless. Angela pulls out a bandage from inside of her purse and wraps it around the wound, causing Rose to hiss in pain. 

“Sorry liebling, but that is my job believe it or not.” 

“I know I know,” Rose says, tiredly. The adrenaline was starting to run out and while she has been training with her abilities, attempting to shift must have taken more out of her than she thought. “Why don’t we get out of here and let the cops handle it from here?”

“I was thinking the same thing liebling.” Angela led them out, giving a quick statement and instructions for the police who had just arrived. Leaving the mall, they walked down the sidewalk until Rose pointed out a bench at the edge of a lake. 

“Can we watch the sunset? Please please please!” Rose pleaded, the thought of being able to watch the sunset wasn’t a concept she realized she had missed, but now presented with the opportunity, was something she couldn’t miss. 

“Of course we can liebling,” Angela said with a chuckle. They sat on the bench, with Rose leaning against Angela who wrapped her arm around them. It was beautiful. The lake reflects the light making for a gorgeous view and being with each other, Rose realized, was all she needed. 

Rose turned to look Angela in the eye, a smile splayed on her face. “I love you Angela.” It was a quiet confession, but a heartfelt one. 

Angela couldn’t have been smiling any wider. The day had gone perfectly, well aside from almost being robbed of course. “I love you Rose.” Together, they watched the sunset, enjoying each other's company, wishing they could stay here forever. 

—--------

“Mission report.” A cold woman's voice said through her earpiece. 

“She's powerful doc, that’s for sure. Plucked their bullets right out of thin air. Gave me chills amigo.”

“I know that inútil,” the voice curses, her gallican accent slipping through. “Can we take her down?” 

“Si. Keep her occupied or shoot her from behind. And if that doesn’t work,” She narrowed her eyes at the two making-out on a bench a few yards away. “Capture Mercy and use her as leverage. They appear to be amantes. Lovers.” 

“Return to HQ so you can give a more detailed brief." 

“Not even a thanks, doc?” All she got in response was a noise signifying that the call had been ended. “Maldita perra,” she cursed, shaking her head.