Tonight was a ceasefire.

"How long have you been following me?"

"I wasn't. I came to see her for myself. Then, I saw you, running away like a little bitch." Soldier:76 spoke harshly to his nemesis as he hoisted his rifle onto one shoulder. The passive behavior his enemy displayed only seemed to confirm his accusation. "You haven't told her then. If you think I won't tell her everything, you're sorely mistaken."

"It's not her." The being he spoke to did a slow turn.

"Don't fucking lie to me, Gabriel. I heard her voice."

"What difference would it make?" He snapped in return. "I'm fucking dead. And as far as we're both concerned, so are you. You're gonna reveal to the world that the Jack Morrison is still alive after all these years?"

This starless night, the glowing red visor was the only visible thing in the dark alley. The two men were at a standstill. Both allowed the nostalgia to sink in.

"You told me she was dead," It was Gabriel Reyes who finally broke the bitter silence.

"Because I really thought she was dead. I wasn't lying to you," Jack replied. "You weren't the only one who thought he lost someone that day."

Gabriel scowled beneath his mask. "You're making this about you? If you want to compete losses, I think mine takes the cake."

In the downward spiral of their friendship, the hard news of your death had been the breaking point. Both men had known this. Neither could prevent the impending fallout months after the news. Now, neither would admit that they wanted life to be like the good old days.

With you returning from the metaphorical grave, they considered the possibility. But things were never that simple, were they?

"She's still as beautiful as I remember," The weight of nostalgia felt suffocating for both men. "And I'm a monster. Do you really believe things would magically go back to the way they were if I showed her my true self?" He sneered. Though Jack Morrison couldn't see it, he could hear the resentment in his nemesis's voice.

"Why don't you let [Y/N] decide instead of deciding for her?" The soldier shifted in place, lowering his rifle.

"No," came the stubborn reply.

"Are you giving up on her, then?"

"What are you trying to do here, Jack?"

"This is our chance to bury the hatchet. You can go back to your old life. Don't you want that?"

"Did you listen to anything I just said?"

"[Y/N] isn't shallow. You of all people should know that. She agreed to marry you."

Gabriel gave a wry chuckle at the jab. "I'm not talking about looks. Did you somehow forget that I have the blood of many, many people on my hands?"

"I never said you'd go scot-free. A lot of community service hours oughta give you amnesty. And I mean a lot." Jack reflected. "But it means being with her again. Don't you want that?"

Temporary silence ensued as both men considered what your existence meant.

"Why are you doing this? Why do you give a damn?"

There it was again. The desire his old, human self had felt, experienced, and lived through long ago. The desire to connect, love, and be loved. All because of you. Talon's leading mercenary couldn't shake it and it pissed him off.

"Because the world would be a better place if it were like old times."

"Stop living in the past, boy scout." With that, Gabriel Reyes vanished into the night.

The weary soldier sighed. Maybe he's right. It would take a miracle for things to return to the way they were. His battle against his old friend in arms would never cease.

"Jack," Calling out, you finally disclosed your presence.

"Goddamn it." He turned, his gaze fixed on your trembling form as you stood at the alley's exit. "How much did you hear?"

"All of it." You said quietly as he approached you and came into the dim lighting.

The sound of his heavy footsteps echoed throughout the alley way. He removed his visor to let you see his familiar face. It was still handsome, despite being marked by the years and scars.

"Shit, Jack," Your voice cracked, not because you'd just cried but because you were staggeringly angry. "When were you going to tell me? Why didn't you come see me sooner!? I really believed you were dead!"

"Back at ya," He tried to lighten up the mood with his dry humor. But it failed to coax a laugh out of you. Truthfully, he couldn't come up with an excuse. His blue eyes softened when he saw the angry frown on your face. "I'm sorry, [Y/N]. I thought you'd be better off not knowing about me or Gabriel."

"Then, that talk with Gabriel about telling me everything... what was that? Bullshit?" You clenched your jaw, trying not to let your frustration escalate. "Spill, Jack." Your hands gripped the leather fabric of his jacket.

He explained every event leading up to the fallout, including the way the news of your death was handled, and every event thereafter. You learned that Gabriel, Blackwatch's leader, wanted to resign from his position to go to Antarctica and find you. "I stopped him from going." Jack pinched the bridge of his nose before continuing. "It would've been like letting him off to his death."

You reciprocated his gaze, listening quietly.

"There was a huge rift between us after that. Months later... Well, I already told you."

"God," You breathed, your mind numb from the wealth of unpleasant information that was just shared with you.

As the sun began to rise, you took notice of how much your best friend has changed over the past decade. The golden color has left his hair completely. His skin was no longer the sun-kissed hue you remembered, now rugged and pallid. And the cheerfulness was gone from him... he just looked worn down. Tired.

It made your heart ache.

"Sorry, Jack," You said softly. "This is all my fault." A hair's breadth away from him, you laid your head on his shoulder and your palms flat against his hard abdomen. "I should've listened to Gabe. If I hadn't gone with Mei, none of it would've happened."

He stood in silence, his muscles tensing beneath your touch. Non-hostile contact, nearly affectionate. For the first time in years. When he picked up on your gentle sobbing, he reluctantly wrapped his arms around you before murmuring into your hair. "No, I'm the one to blame. I shouldn't have let you go."