bakerstreet | ( picture prompt meme )

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[It's only a matter of time before they track him down--76 knew full well that a re-formed Overwatch would be completely remiss in their duties (duties?) if they didn't at least try to find the guy busting into their old bases and taking all of their stuff. Eventually, someone was going to try and gauge his intentions with the intention of bringing him in or getting him to stop. Winston won't send someone to kill him, of course, but--

They get the better of him, and 76 is incapacitated, dragged off to Gibraltar, and interrogated until they finally get the mask off.

Then it all comes out. There's surprise, and anger, and far more emotions than Jack wants to deal with on any given day, but at least it means he's not thrown in a holding cell at the end of it. Some of the less-idealistic members of new Overwatch wonder if it's a good idea, when he's probably just going to disappear again at the first opportunity--so Mercy takes his gear and locks it up in the Medbay. Jack has a lot to say about that, but he also recognizes a losing battle when he sees one. He'll play along with the little house arrest game, perhaps until he can appeal to the current strike-commander.

If Winston even wants to be called that. Probably not.

He tries to spend as much time away from everyone else as possible, which usually means lots of silent contemplation on the cliffs just outside the base. Easier to catch him there than inside the Watchpoint, though he doesn't exactly cut the most approachable of figures.]

[ Winston hasn't put much thought into what he wants to be called, other than his name. The recall hadn't been about assigning himself some kind of title, or even about being in charge of something. It had been about seeing the state of the world, even if it was only through the filter of a screen, and knowing that it wasn't right, and that something could be done about it.

It just involved breaking the law.

So far he has no regrets, although piecing Overwatch together hasn't been the simplest task. Not that Winston ever assumed it would be. Of course, part of him had hoped that everyone could come together as if nothing had ever gone wrong in the first place, but he'd known better. Too many people had been burned, and too many were still wary to paint a target on their back by reclaiming their old roles.

A few have rallied to him, though. Lena, of course, had replied instantly, but Mercy is here now, and Genji. They've also heard word from Mei. This is all starting to take shape, and while Winston couldn't be happier to be rebuilding, he'd always known there would be snags along the way. What he hadn't expected was that they would end up unmasking a very-much-alive Jack Morrison.

Everyone's still reeling from the news, caught between crushing relief and burning anger and everything in-between. Morrison hadn't been particularly open to their cause, seeming to think it was all one big mistake, that they'd just end up where they were six years ago.

Winston respectfully disagrees. They're all intelligent creatures, and that means they have the capability to learn from their mistakes.

Everyone's willing to give Jack some amount of space at first, but Winston ultimately realizes it's his job to go after him, to have a conversation that isn't essentially an interrogation at the same time. It hadn't sat well with him, how they'd had to go about it, especially now that he knows it's their old commander they'd been pressing for answers. That's just one of the reasons that he needs to smooth things over.

Winston finds Morrison out on the cliffs of Gibraltar, a place he himself has stood countless times on long, quiet nights, staring across the water or up at the stars.

He ended up here for a reason. He has to believe that.

There's no point in a gorilla trying to be stealthy, so Winston doesn't bother, simply climbs over the rocks until he's a few feet behind Morrison. Staring at his back, at those shoulders that have endured so much weight, none of this feels real.

He has to say something, though, and Winston clears his throat as he fights for words. ] The breeze is nice out here, isn't it. [ #nailedit ]

[Even if Jack wasn't a genetically engineered super soldier more than capable of hearing most things coming long before they actually reach him, Winston is not subtle. Or light. He hears footsteps, and though he knows he has enough time to vanish before said footsteps actually arrive, something in him decides it's not really worth the hassle.]

Used to spend a lot of time out here.

[Not that he had much downtime, but Gibraltar's weather has always been good, and a walk outside to the cliffs was always good for clearing his head. It's not exactly working now, but Jack will attribute that to the fact that he's just been interrupted.

Easier than being self-aware about the bag full of cats that's his head, recently.]

You need something?

[He asks the question, but he already knows what Winston wants--the two of them haven't had a real talk since the truth came out. Neither of them can avoid it forever.]

[ Winston certainly hadn't known that, not privy to what Commander Morrison might do in his spare time, and it's surprising to hear that they'd developed the same habit separate of each other. Of course it had been impossible not to think of his previous commander when he'd taken up the mantle. Recording that recall message, Winston had thought back to every speech he'd heard Morrison give, how he'd always said just the right thing to get people fired up.

It's only when doing it himself that Winston had learned just how hard that was.

In any case, his time out on the cliffs had always gone hand-in-hand with a sense of loneliness, to watch across the ocean and know there was little place for him outside of this single Watchpoint, one of the last real remnants of Overwatch.

All of that could change now, and if he can convince Morrison to join their cause in some capacity? Even better. ]

I wanted to talk. [ He moves forward to stand next to Morrison, though not so close to crowd him or make him feel threatened. Winston's hyper-aware of how imposing he can be without even trying, and he's hardly here to intimidate.

After a brief pause, he elaborates. ] You never wanted us to find you, did you? [ Winston reaches up to adjust his glasses, staring outward at the horizon rather than at Jack's face. ]

[Similarly, Jack doesn't look at Winston--it's much easier to keep his gaze trained on the horizon, even if there's not much to really look at. Nothing he hasn't seen a thousand times before, anyway. The situations, however, had been a little different, of course.]

I figured.

[They can't dance around each other forever, not if they want Overwatch to stay afloat, such as it is. Jack still has incredibly mixed feelings about the whole thing, and hasn't had a chance to voice them. For someone who often has no problem speaking his mind, he's gone far too long without telling any of them how he really feels about this.

He supposes, however, that actions speak louder than words.]

You weren't supposed to.

[There are a lot of reasons for that--but he'll let Winston get more specific, first.]

[ So here are the two of them, looking out at the same horizon, yet Winston can't assume that they're really seeing the same thing. Even now, it's hard to reconcile the man standing next to him with the commander he trusted so unconditionally. Is Jack Morrison the sort of person who would do the things that Soldier: 76 has been lambasted for in the media?

Ultimately, it's necessary for Winston to know where Morrison stands on all of this. He wants his blessing, of course, how could he not? But he also doesn't think that not getting it will stop him at this point. They have a future to work toward, whether Morrison wants to be a part of that or not.

Giving up just isn't an option anymore, not for Winston. ]

Why? [ He can't stop the obvious question from leaving his mouth, the one that any scientist worth their salt is constantly asking. This, of course, is more personal than anything that could be written down on a chalkboard in a set of equations. Not always Winston's strongest suit.

It turns out he couldn't go very long without looking at that scarred face again as he glances over, eyes narrowing behind his glasses. ] What were you afraid of? [ All of them have been afraid ever since the explosion and the Petras Act, but to never reach out to any of them for six whole years—that's on a different level. ]

Wasn't afraid.

[Which is a lie, but there is still a part of him that feels the need to be some unshakeable entity, especially in front of the people who knew him as he was. He'd been very afraid, but he'd picked up the pieces and gone back to work, digging deeper and deeper and not exactly liking what he'd found.

All the more reason to keep the rest of them out of it.]

Woulda dragged you all down with me if I came back.

[That much Jack is sure of. Whatever selfish convictions he'd harbored about the world not needing him anymore are propped up by the way he convinces himself that he's just keeping his people safe. If he stays dead, he keeps them out of the crossfire. Coming back reopens the investigation, makes them all potentially complicit.]

You had some deniability until you went and pulled this stunt.

[He hasn't been quite so explicit in voicing his feelings about the recall, but now seems like as good a time as any.]

[ Whether or not fear had played a part in this isn't something that Winston wants to bother arguing, but he finds it hard to believe Morrison's protest. If he'd been caught in that explosion, if he'd had to watch Overwatch get teared apart without having any control over it, how could he not have been scared? Even larger-than-life Jack Morrison had to be affected by something like that.

The scars are all over his face, after all. Those can't just be skin-deep, if he'd hidden from everyone.

To some extent, Morrison's explanation for his radio silence makes sense. He'd always been the one to take the bullets for them, back when Overwatch had been active. He'd been the face of the organization, after all. But letting them think him dead for six long years without ever saying a word? It can't all be altruistic.

Then he calls the recall a "stunt," and Winston's expression falls into a deep frown. ] It's not a stunt, and I'm not interested in deniability. [ He turns himself to face Morrison directly, figuring all he can do is handle this head-on. It feels wrong, even now, to argue with his ex-commander. But this is important. ] All of us knew what we were getting into when we joined.

[ He sighs, giant shoulders slumping as he shakes his head to himself. ] You've seen what's been happening, haven't you? The world isn't better off without Overwatch. [ And Winston won't let himself stay locked away to watch from the sidelines any longer. ]

Edited 2017-03-02 17:48 (UTC)

It is a stunt.

[There's no other way for Jack to think of it, really. He happened upon the recall. Saw Winston's message--heartfelt, sure, but full of platitudes. An oversimplification. The government tearing their "family" apart is a good story for him to tell himself, but that's not what happened. If he doesn't understand what brought Overwatch down in the first place, he's just going to make the same mistakes.

And in a roundabout way, Jack can only blame himself for this. He was the one who instilled this idealism in them all in the first place.

He's a far cry from the person he used to be, and Winston's obstinance only makes him want to butt heads in return. There's so much about this he doesn't understand.]

They didn't want us. Maybe they should know what that really means.

[They'd been so quick to disregard all of the good they did as they ripped Overwatch apart--as far as Jack is concerned, they can live with that decision. Let it be someone else's problem, for once.]

Edited 2017-03-03 21:22 (UTC)

[ They could go back and forth about what the recall is or isn't, but Winston won't let anyone try to dictate what he's doing to him. There's a number of other agents who've already responded, who are dedicated to the cause. Even if the original commander of Overwatch won't support them, there's no putting on brakes now. And Winston doesn't want to.

There are evil people out there like Reaper and evil organizations like Talon, and something needs to be done about them. The world needs protection, and Winston still can't think of better people for the job than all of them.

Morrison's assertion that the world should simply lie in the bed it's made is what really shocks Winston, though; it's what makes him wonder if the man in front of him is even the same person anymore. Or if he hasn't somehow been irreparably changed in these past six years, operating alone.

Maybe someone just needs to remind him what it is to do the heroic thing. ]

You don't mean that. [ Winston sounds almost admonishing. It's uncomfortable for him to argue with Morrison, but he's going to stand his ground here all the same. He shakes his head to himself. ] And if you do, that isn't going to stop the rest of us.

[Jack says nothing, meant to indicate that yes, he absolutely means it. If any of them were expecting to hold the same ideals he used to, they're sorely mistaken. He gains no pleasure in reminding them of that, but he's angry about being held here, so maybe there's just a little bit of satisfaction in twisting the knife. Letting them know they've made a mistake.]

I'm not here to stop you.

[As much as he'd like to. They're all headstrong enough that the most Jack can do is warn them. Hope to dissuade them, if he can, which means bringing up the reality of the situation.

And the reality of the situation involves logistics. Lots of them.]

What's your long term plan? How do you expect to sustain this?

[They're acting against UN decree. They don't have access to the money and resources they used to, and they're one incident away from landing themselves in prison. Sure, the UN might be turning a blind eye now, but only because they haven't screwed up yet. If Jack knows anything, governments like having a convenient scapegoat. It's only a matter of time.]

[ When push comes to shove, no one is going to force Morrison to stay here. If he truly decides that he wants nothing to do with them, then they'll have no choice but to let him fade into the background again, to go and wage his own war. While Winston still believes it would make more sense for all of them to work together, he didn't start up the recall to control people.

Maybe a more direct warning would have gone over better. It wouldn't have changed Winston's mind, but he would have taken some of Morrison's thoughts into consideration. Instead, this feels more like he's being tested. This was never about trying to prove that he could do things "better." He's never had anything but respect for his old strike commander.

Of course, Winston knows what Morrison is getting at here, but his shoulders tighten, bunching up as he raises more onto his back legs—as if that alone would put them on equal footing. ]

It depends on how big this gets, and how the government responds. Right now, we're doing what we can, taking things one step at a time.

[ It's a weak answer and he knows that, but Winston also isn't here to prove anything to Morrison. He doesn't answer to him anymore; Morrison himself has made that crystal clear. ]

It was just Lena and I, for a while. [ Which had been discouraging, he'll admit, but maybe something is really starting to come together now. Soon enough he might find himself in over his head, but he also isn't afraid to ask for help and support. Too bad it doesn't seem like the man who inspired this all in the first place will provide any of that. ]

I know.

[He's been watching them from the very start--Winston has to know that by now. He would've done well to scrub the systems a little more thoroughly, if only to catch his strike commander authorizations, but Jack supposes that everyone really did think he was dead. He's been using that to his advantage across the board, and though he hasn't outright confessed, Winston is much smarter than he'll ever be.

Doesn't mean he knows what he's doing with a new Overwatch. Taking things one step at a time is not a legitimate strategy, not when the government could step in at any moment. Jack has a few good ideas as to why they haven't, and wonders if Winston has considered it.]

They haven't moved on you yet because you haven't screwed up.

[Everything they've done so far has been beneficial, all things considered. The UN is just biding its time--it's nice to have someone around to mop up the messes, but it's even better to have someone who can take the fall when things inevitably go south.]

And before you say that you're not gonna screw up, well. You will, eventually. Then they'll have their scapegoat.

Edited 2017-03-16 16:32 (UTC)

[ Now that Winston is aware that Jack's alive at all, it's not hard to imagine that he's been keeping an eye on them from afar. There's still that lingering thought that he should have gotten involved, but maybe that's too much to ask from someone who's put his blood, sweat, and tears into this once before.

Then again, he's here. He's talking to Winston, even if it's not in the most collaborative way. And while he might be gone without a trace tomorrow, Winston figures he should make the most of Morrison's presence while he has it.

For all of Winston's smarts, he isn't a politician and he hasn't played the game the way that Morrison has. He's acting on emotion and moral imperative and the level of shrewdness needed for this job hasn't been formed yet.

And no, he wouldn't argue that they'll never screw up. Scientific method requires constant failures to find that one significant success, and Winston doesn't expect this to be an easy journey. He's quiet for a long while after Jack finishes speaking, staring down at the rocks between them. ]

So what would you suggest? [ How can he not ask for advice, when Jack Morrison is standing right in front of him? He looks up at Jack's face then, eyes steely. ] And don't tell me to give it up.

Don't screw up.

[He says that with the faintest hint of a wry smile on his face--like he's joking to himself and he doesn't expect Winston to find it funny. Wouldn't it be great if they could just do everything right? Though Jack supposes if that were the case, they wouldn't have fallen apart in the first place.

Besides, what does 'right' really mean? Did Overwatch have any business running the world? Telling people what was best for them?

Jack thinks he owes Winston a real answer, but he isn't sure that he has one. Part of him wants to be on board--stay, help them, do it right this time. Make up for abandoning them to UN hearings as Overwatch fell apart. He keeps saying he doesn't believe in this anymore, but how long can he keep lying to himself?]

You should give it up, but I know you won't. All you can do is keep fighting.

[That's something he most certainly knows how to do.]

But don't do it in my shadow. Make your own way.

Edited 2017-03-22 02:45 (UTC)

But you just said—

[ Oh. Wait.

It was a joke.

Winston catches the slight curve of Morrison's mouth, then tilts his head to one side in a sense of wonderment. So he's still capable of doing that, then. It may only be a small indication, but it's proof to Winston that their strike commander isn't completely gone.

At least Jack doesn't make much of an effort to tell him to outright stop. It's too late for that anyway. It'd been too late the moment Lena had contacted him and he'd realized he wasn't the only one still yearning for days gone by, for purpose, for a reason to roll out of bed and face the world every day.

Keep fighting, huh? Winston's never been as much of a combatant as other members of Overwatch, but he's certainly capable of it. The way he'd handled that Talon raid is testament to that. Besides, it's more about persistence anyway, isn't it? He's pretty sure that's what Morrison is getting at.

That final bit of advice causes Winston to blink a few times before he manages a smile of his own. ] No offense, sir, but I wouldn't even know where to start when it came to emulating you. [ Could they be more different? Morrison is a soldier, Winston's a scientist. Their temperaments are hardly the same, especially now, and that's to say nothing of them being different species. ]

Edited 2017-03-23 20:08 (UTC)

[That's the other reason why Jack has been loath to join a re-formed Overwatch. How can they hope to make their own decisions while he's right there? Everything they do will be with him in mind, and it's going to trip them up. Sure, Winston isn't going to run Overwatch the way he did, but how much does that actually matter when he's right here and they're wondering what he thinks of their attempts.]

I can funnel you money. Equipment.

[That seems like a good compromise--Jack has his own war to fight, but if he's breaking into shady financial operations and sabotaging Talon anyway, it's no skin off his back to toss Winston some funding. Sticking around will just hurt their credibility. A new Overwatch can't be seen with someone willing to bomb and steal and generally be no better than the terrorists he hunts.

The plan, of course, is to give himself up if it looks like the UN is going to crack down on the whole operation. 76 will be more than content to go to prison for the rest of his life if it means the rest of them get to walk free. Of course, he’s pretty sure it won’t shake out that way—they won’t let that happen, which means he has to keep this potential course of action to himself. Jack Morrison might be dead, and 76 would like to keep it that way, but he realizes there is value in coming back to life at the right time, should the situation arise. An ace up the sleeve is still an ace, even if it’s one he’d rather not play. Winston needs to think that he's divorcing himself from this in every way that he can.]

But I ain't gonna stay. I can't do this again.

[He put far too much of himself into Overwatch the first time. There isn't much left, at least not enough for him to risk having it all crumble on him again. Overwatch is theirs now, and Jack thinks it's for the best. Wasn't that the point of it all anyway? To pave the way for a new generation of heroes.

Here they are, and he's overstayed his welcome as it is. Time to pass the baton and trust that he taught them well enough to do right by his legacy.]

Edited 2017-03-24 22:20 (UTC)

[ It's not as if Winston could blame Morrison for not wanting to be the front and center of this effort again. Not when he'd done it for decades, getting pulled every which way by various governments and organizations, people wanting Overwatch's help or to hold them accountable for something. It must have been exhausting, but Jack hadn't often let that show to his people. But even with the super-soldier enhancements, he was still only one man.

Money and equipment doesn't seem nearly as useful as the wisdom that must have percolated after all of those years as strike commander, but Winston can't push Jack to do something if his heart isn't in it. He's already given so much. It wouldn't be right to demand more, would it.

And sure, money and equipment wouldn't hurt, especially as their efforts continue to grow and as they gain more members. But Winston isn't entirely comfortable with the idea of accepting that kind of help from the so-called Soldier: 76, given that he has a pretty good idea where those resources would be coming from.

Even understanding Jack's position, Winston can't act like he's not disappointed. He's not a politician, and tends to wear his feelings on his sleeve. Or his shoulders, as the case may be, as they slump downward and he lets out a sigh, knuckles pressing a little too hard into the rock. ]

We can get our own equipment. But it would make sense to keep some kind of line of communication open. For emergencies. [ Winston works to keep his tone firm instead of questioning. He shouldn't be asking for permission here, but he also doesn't want to seem too authoritative. It's a hard, awkward balance to strike. If he's ever felt less certain of himself, of this whole idea, it's now. ]

[He’s expected this much, but Jack isn’t sure he’s ready to make himself accessible. Voicing that will just invite an argument, he’s pretty sure, so the easiest solution seems skirt the truth. Just because they can contact him doesn’t mean he’ll answer, and it’s not like he hasn’t given out one-time-use means of contact before. Winston refusing his offer of money and equipment just makes it easier for him to disappear again.

Besides, he has his ear to the ground and eyes in places he’s sure they won’t find. If there’s a real emergency, Winston won’t need to contact him. He’ll know.]

For emergencies.

[It’s a half-hearted agreement, but he tries to play it off as exhaustion rather than a lie. It’s easier for everyone that way. Less painful.

Jack shifts a little where he stands, like he's debating how to proceed. After a moment, he speaks.]

I'm breaking into the locker where Angela has my equipment when we're through here. [One way or another.] I'll be gone before anyone's up.

[The implication, of course, being that Winston should ask him whatever he needs while he's still here.]

Edited 2017-03-30 00:24 (UTC)

[ Morrison concedes to him, but it's done begrudgingly. He doesn't approve, and he isn't going to approve as they move forward, but this isn't something they can put the brakes on at this point, and he should at least understand that much. There are people whose hearts are set on it now, and Winston isn't going to let them down if he can help it.

Maybe Morrison thinks that he let them all down with the way that Overwatch fell apart (or blew up, more accurately), but Winston's never assigned blame in that way. It takes more than one person to drag down an entire organization of Overwatch's size, and all Jack had ever wanted was for it to succeed, right?

Winston is maybe a little let down that he isn't willing to help now, but he can understand the reasoning if nothing else. Maybe he can try to impart Jack's words to the others too. That's his job now, isn't it?

The sudden admittance isn't surprising, exactly, but Winston still raises an eyebrow and shakes his head. ] You don't need to break into it. I'll give you access. [ There isn't much point in keeping his gear from him when they've already talked things over.

The fact that Morrison's going to leave without speaking to anyone else isn't going to go over well, but Winston doubts that he can convince him to stick around much longer than he has already. He huffs out a breath, the finality of this sinking into the pit of his stomach. ]

What are you going to do? Once you leave.

[He seems a little surprised, for a moment, that Winston would offer to open the locker for him. Perhaps he was a little too subtle with his framing--breaking his equipment out would give Winston some deniability. Let him tell the others that 76 escaped into the night, instead of having them angry at him that he let Jack go.

But Winston is in charge now. He can do what he likes, and it won't be Jack's problem once he's gone. He needs to go, before he's convinced to stay. It's hard to resist the tug of his people and his cause. All he can do is remind himself that it isn't his cause anymore. He has other work to do.]

I have a contact to meet.

[Jack has been in touch from the inside on secure lines of communication, if only to keep her from storming here herself. They're not ready for that, not yet.]

She's waiting for me.

[He steps down from the rocks and says that with the ghost of a wry smile on his face, like Winston should be able to put two and two together if he really thinks about it.]

[ It's Jack's own way of still trying to protect him, isn't it? If he "breaks in" and takes everything, then Winston isn't the one who'll be blamed. But Jack has taken the fall for enough already, and Winston will explain everything to the others when the time comes.

It might be hard to hear that their old strike commander doesn't want to stand with them, but it's something they all need to accept so they can move on from it. So they're no longer operating in someone's shadow, but on their own merits.

The mention of a contact comes as a surprise. Winston had been under the impression from what Morrison said that he's mainly been operating alone. Who could it be? Someone that he knows? Or a new ally who doesn't know Jack's true identity?

That smile is the most mysterious thing, and Winston tilts his head uncertainly. It's something he'll have to mull over later. ]

I... suppose I shouldn't keep you then.

[ Winston could let Morrison leave just like that, but it wouldn't seem right. Not when he has no idea when their paths will cross again.

He starts after him, lumbering movements that quickly bring him to Jack's side. ] Sir, I.... I wanted to thank you. For everything you did. [ The world may no longer appreciate Jack Morrison's actions, all the good he'd done over the years, but Winston does. Jack had given him a place, a meaning, and that's something that's clearly stayed with him to this day. ]

[If Winston understands his implication, he doesn't show it, which is probably for the best. Eventually, Ana will make herself known to the rest of them, but for now it's better for her to stay hidden. The shock of finding Jack alive was probably more than enough for now.

They'll cross paths again, as much as he's loath to admit that. For now, it's best for them to part ways. He starts to make his way back into the base, but waits at the entrance for Winston to catch up.

The compliment is flattering, and maybe he needed to hear it, but it's still clear that Jack doesn't quite know how to take it.]

Don't thank me.

[All he did was what they asked of him. Maybe it won't amount to anything in the end, but perhaps there's something to be said for the people (and moon gorilla) who are willing to try. He might not be able to offer them anything else, but he can't think of anyone better to honor that legacy.]

Just make sure it isn't for nothing.

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