A/N: There is a flashback sequence in this chapter. Just a side note regarding the date that will be listed in it--- my fanfic will end up altering the lore timeline a little bit. I tried to keep it as close to the original timeline as possible, but my creative juices got the better of me. Hope this is still okay, and you enjoy the chapter regardless! 

Also the flashback sequence will be referencing the Strike Team: Phase One comic created by Disteal on Tumblr. They have given me permission to use the comic as a reference for this sequence. I highly recommend checking out her work, they are incredible! 

Without further ado, enjoy! :D

******

I'm not sure how long I cried into Reinhardt's shoulder. It wasn't like I was keeping track of the time or anything. I had just learned what could possibly be my family's most deepest and darkest secret of all time. 

My grandfather, Jeffery Ivery, was an agent of Overwatch. He wasn't just some ordinary minister or pastor, either. He traveled the world to protect people and their religious beliefs against evil threats who would try to take it away from them, or what other stuff he did! All I know for now is the stuff that was written in that Church Conference article. 

At some point during my sobs, the German had carefully carried me in his arms back towards the couch, setting me down next to him as he placed a soothing hand along my back. I heard him mumble something to Lucio. Something about fetching Winston. 

Great, I thought, first Reinhardt, then Lucio, and now Winston, my boss and mentor of all people, or gorillas for that matter, is going to see me cry. 

I could hear Lucio swiftly setting off to do so, but not before he handed me tissue box. 

I sniffled, wiping my eyes briefly before managing a smile. "Thank you," 

"Hang in there," He smiled warmly in return. "We'll get this all figured out," 

I watched him leave the room as Reinhardt continued to comfort me. I blow'd my nose into the tissue before meeting his face. "So, it's safe to assume that my parents knew about this?"

The old man nodded. "As I mentioned before back when I first met you in Eichenwalde, I've known your father since he was a toddler. He was born just a few years before the first Omnic Crisis began. I spent as much time as I could with the Ivery's before I joined the German Army, and once the Crisis began, I was transferred to the Crusaders, and then soon after that I was invited to join the Overwatch Strike Team. I would receive letters from Jeffery almost constantly, checking on my well being and letting me know how Bethany and your father, Joseph were holding up."

He chuckled for a brief moment as his smile grew, his eye perking up.

"One time he sent me photo of his son's elementary school graduation, AH! You should have seen him in that suit poor Jeffery made him wear, it was hilarious I tell you!"

A tiny smile formed on my lips as I coughed a rough laugh from my throat, still recovering from my little sob episode moments ago. I glanced over at the side, noticing that the group photo from the article was still up. The one of my grandfather posing with Reinhardt, Jack Morrison, Gaberial Reyes, Ana Amari, and the Canadian Arch Bishop when they were celebrating Jeffery's addition into Overwatch. 

"So, you and the original Strike Team were all there when he first joined?" I asked. 

Reinhardt looked over at the photo once more. The first time he saw it was when he walked in on Lucio and I doing some snooping around on the internet. He looked surprised, and completely unprepared for the moment I wouldn't eventually find out about Jeffery. But now that I've calmed down, and that the two of us are finally sitting down and talking about it, he motioned his free hand to bring the holographic picture forward, his smile brightening as he sighed. 

"Ah, yes, I remember that day well," he beamed. "I remember introducing him and Bethany to Jack and the others formally after the award ceremony. If I recall correctly, that was also where your father first met your mother,"

My eyes shot open as I whirled my head away from the photo, peering at the old man. "No way!"

He snickered. "Yes way,"

"What was she doing there?" I asked, my eyes twinkling. 

"She was a intern for a popular online news network in the city, and was assigned with her partner to interview your grandfather on his plans with Overwatch's new Religious Relations program," He explained. "Turns out the two of them attended the same youth group growing up and something clicked between the two of them." 

"Well that part I knew as much, but I had no idea they reunited at my grandfather's promotion into Overwatch!" I gasped in awe, my mind racing. 

"They started seeing each other for a while after that as your father finished college, but once his education finished, I wasn't too sure if their relationship would last. . ." Reinhardt spoke with dismay, recalling the memory.

"What do you mean?" I asked with curiosity.

There was a knock at the door as Reinhardt and I turned around to see Lucio step back into the room, motioning for someone to come inside. Winston followed suit, eyeing the pair on the couch. Hope's heart ached in her chest when she saw his face, wiping her eyes free of any more tears as she began to stand on her feet to properly face him. 

"I'm sorry, Winston, I just really-- I had to--" She stumbled. 

"It's alright," He reassured the girl as he made his way around to the couch. "If anything, I should be the one to apologize. I should have told you all of this sooner," 

"No, I should apologize too. I guess I just got so agitated whenever I felt like you kept dodging the conversation whenever they were brought up, I felt like I had to take matters into my own hands, and I kind of went behind your back in a sense," I explained. 

Winston huffed with despair, taking a seat on the chair across from the sofa. "I don't exactly blame you for feeling that way, Hope," 

Reinhardt coughed into his fist, regaining everyone's attention. "Forgive me, my friend, but I was just explaining to Hope how her parent's met each other at Jeffery's award ceremony. Would you like to continue?"

"Of course," The scientist nodded in acknowledgement before his head over to the DJ. "Lucio, could you give us a few minutes?"

"Sure thing, Winston, I'll just-- ah--" Lucio looked around the room with uncertainty before his face lit up, gathering the dropped bags of food Reinhardt misplaced from the floor. "I'll go put these away,"

The German rubbed the back of his neck, his face flaring slightly with embarrassment. "I almost forgot! I hope everything survived. . ."

"I'll be the judge of that," Lucio teased before motioning his head towards the kitchen in farewell. "I'll check back later,"

The three of us watched as Lucio exited the room before returning our focus to each other. My palms were sweating and I could feel my heart beat quickening. This was finally happening, wasn't it?

"You were saying something about their relationship possibly not progressing after he finished college. . ." The girl recalled. "Why is that?"

"The answer to that question is that once Jeffery join the organizations ranks, he and his wife Bethany were relocated to Overwatch HQ in Switzerland, and your father Joseph ended up going with them," Winston answered. 

"Wait, what?!" I sprang up from my spot on the couch out of pure shock. "My dad lived in the Swiss base too?!"

"He stayed in the residency wing, often babysitting Captain Amari's daughter, Fareeha Amari," Reinhardt explained. "Anyhow, with your father moving into the Swiss base with your grandparents, your mother and father tried a long distance relationship,"

"Though it was a bit hard to call each other and such, given that communications to civilian parties outside the Overwatch bases across the world were strictly tight," Winston added. "They sometimes wouldn't hear from each other for weeks at a time." 

My lips frowned, sighing as my shoulders slouched. "That sounded rough,"

"It was, but somehow, they made it work," Reinhardt nodded his head. "So much in fact that after keeping in touch for 2 years, he invited her to come visit one weekend and that's when he proposed to her,"

"Whoa! So they got married in Switzerland and stuff?!" I was mentally injected with a burst of excitement as I jumped in place, a bright smile on my face. "Cool!!" 

Reinhardt laughed, pulling me back down gently to sit back down on the couch. "Hold your horses, Ivery," 

"I'm sorry, I just got a little excited," I giggled in reply, the smile never leaving my face. 

Winston smiled in approval, glad to see that I was taking all of this information well thus far. "After their honeymoon, your mother moved in with your father and worked as a assistant with Bethany for Jeffery," 

"Everyone must have been pretty close back then, huh?" I commented. 

"Jeffery and your family were good people. They treated everyone they met as if they were family," Reinhardt smiled warmly, however. . .

There was a certain look in his eyes. One filled with. . . sadness, and regret. I gulped, fiddling with my fingers nervously as I tried choosing my words carefully. 

"If you don't mind me asking. . . how did my grandparents, you know?" I began slowly. 

I knew I sliced the growing tension in the room like a knife slicing butter. It was a hard topic to bring up, that was for sure. I just straight up asked them how my grandparents died for crying out loud!

Winston and Reinhardt exchanged looks before nodding their heads in agreement, sighing. "I suppose it was only a matter of time. . ."

"I will tell you this, Hope," Reinhardt began. "Perhaps this part of the conversation is best spoken with your parents. That being said however, I will tell you my side of the story,"

"So, what did happen?" I asked nervously, my fingers forming into fists in my lap as I anxiously awaited his words. 

Reinhardt adjusted his position, sitting more up right. "It started like any other mission. . ."

*****

Date: May 11th 2048 - 7:30pm local time
Location: Jerusalem, Israel 

Strike Team was scheduled to rendezvous with a new contact discovered by Gerard Lacriox. The contact was from a local militia who wanted to exchange vital information on a small terrorist cell that had recently sparked an uprising across the Middle East. Rumor was that they were heading for Israel next, however since the country's government backed off on talks with the United Nations, Overwatch wasn't able to send out supplies and ammunition to their military and civilians. 

Well, not legally anyways. 

It was a big risk, but everyone on the team agreed that they could just sit this one out. Not when over a million lives could be at stake. 

Jeffery Ivery did manage to convince Israel's government to hold a conference in the city, with the United Nations approval. Jeffery and Bethany hoped that it would bring all of the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities together, encouraging them to stand their ground and to not fear the enemy that would be coming for them. He wanted to teach them that united, they could accomplish anything, and that they shouldn't let this evil discriminate their beliefs. 

This was the perfect time for the Strike Team to take their mission into action. With most of the civilians participating in the conference, the Strike Team would be able to go unnoticed. 

The team was split up into 5 sections. Torbjorn stayed with the jet, camouflaged from prying eyes and defended by the Swedish man's brilliantly designed turrets, Ana was perched up in a abandoned tower assigned as the team's eye in the sky, Gerard was hidden in a small alley within the outskirts of the city, guarding the supplies to be exchanged with the contact, and Reinhardt was on standby for backup, in the event something went wrong during the mission or the exchange went south. 

Gaberial Reyes was in position, checking in on everyone through his com-link. 

"Ana? Ana you there?"

"One second--" she spoke, pausing for a few moments before speaking again, her voice slightly more calm and relaxed now. "Okay, I'm good."

"Great, let's get started then," The Blackwatch Commander chided, "Strike Team, report in-- How's the fort, Torb?"

"Haven't left without you, Commander," the Engineer spoke. 

"Oh, good," Gaberial teased. "Scout in position?"

"By 'position', do you mean squatting next to garbage in a filthy alley?" Gerard replied. 

"Yeah,"

"Then Oui," The French man confirmed. 

"Waiting for your word, commander!" Reinhardt grinned, taking over in a warehouse not too far from Gerard's location. 

"Where's our resident corn farmer?" Ana questioned with a grin, mostly spying on their location from her post. 

"Good question," Gaberial replied. "He got distracted a few blocks back,"

"Did he see something shiny?" The sniper smirked.

"Absolutely!" 

Reinhardt laughed. He could practically hear the grin on Gabe's face through the com-link. 

"Can someone, like, shake a box of cat food to see if he'll pop up or something?" The man quipped. I need him here to--" a loud CLACK could be heard in the background. "Hold that thought." 

Reinhardt could hear the conversation between Jack and Gaberial going on, as the Blackwatch Commander kept his com-link on in the event of an emergency. 

"Welcome back, Jackson!" He greeted.

"You never call me, Jackson," Jack replied, seeming confused. 

"You were late to my briefing," Gaberial clarified. 

"Sorry, Gabe," Jack apologized, and the German could hear the tiny, faintest sound of a PECK audible in the background. 

"Yeah, yeah, cool it Casanova," Gaberial replied sarcastically, and you could tell he was rolling his eyes. Finally his voice spoke clearer into his mic as his focus was back to the com-link. "Alright kids, it's show time,"

"Oh, thank GOD!" Gerard breathed a sigh of relief. It appeared that Reinhardt wasn't the only one listening in on the Commanders teasingly lovers spout. 

"Phase One ready?" Gaberial asked. 

"Ready to move when the two of you are out of sight," Ana answered. 

"Thanks, Ana. . . You got the gear, Lacriox?" Reyes questioned. 

"Package is safe and sound," Gerard confirmed. 

"I hope your source is reliable this time, my friend," Reinhardt cautioned. "Last time was a disaster!" 

"I didn't realize we were just simply bursting with solutions to World War Wall-e," Gerard replied with annoyance. 

"Does this one have a clean record at least?" Reinhardt questioned as he got his armour and gear ready. 

"He's fine old man," Gerard reassured him. ". . . Well, actually he's wanted in Canada for manslaughter, but who isn't really?"

Reinhardt scoffed. Of course, he thought. 

"Window's closing if there are any adults listening," Torbjorn piped with a warning. 

"Got it Torb," Gaberial acknowledged. "Gear up, Phase One team: Feet on the ground in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1-- Strike Team is a go. Stick to the plan, people! There's nothing out there that we haven't seen before," 

Show time. . . 

********

I listened to Reinhardt tell his story, and while I knew it wouldn't exactly come with a happy ending, he told it with such passion, it was captivating. It was like I could picture the entire thing in my head as a movie! 

"But. . . things didn't go according to plan?" I recalled. 

Reinhardt shook his head. "The conference created a much needed distraction, long enough for us to make the exchange for the information. However, our contact anticipated the enemies movements, because the cell had arrived earlier than planned. That night actually," 

Thinking it over, something clicked in my mind. "They... they attacked the conference, didn't they?" 

". . . They did," Winston confirmed. 

"No---!" I whined quietly in despair. 

"Somehow the terrorist cell discovered our plans, and formed an alliance with Talon," Winston continued. "When they attacked that night, The Reaper was leading the assault," 

"I only witnessed the aftermath of the attack. . . I had arrived too late," Reinhardt explained, gently setting a hand on my back. "Sadly four of the Strike Team members who could actually tell you what they witnessed are. . . no longer with us,"

That's right. . . Jack Morrison, Ana Amari, Gaberial Reyes, and Gerard Lacriox. . . they're all gone, aren't they?"

"The Reaper. . ." I mumbled quietly, my fists tightening as I could feel tears perking up in my eyes. 

Was he the one that killed Jeffery and Bethany?

"I'm afraid that's all we can say about them for now," Winston clarified as he looked over towards the window that looked out to the city, noticing that it was now nightfall. "It's getting late, anyways,"  

"Are you alright?" Reinhardt questioned with a hint of fondness in his voice, rubbing my back gently with his hand. 

I sniffled, blowing my nose before acknowledging him. "Yeah. . . I understand now that you can't tell me everything, but I am glad you told me something. Thank you, both of you,"

"You're welcome," Reinhardt smiled. 

"Perhaps it's time you get some rest, Hope," Winston suggested. "This is quite a bit of information for you to take in,"

". . . Perhaps," I nodded tiredly in agreement. 

Offering his hand, Reinhardt helped me back up to my feet as Winston regrouped with us, escorting me out and back to our hotel room. 

Winston was right. Just thinking about everything was making me feel tired and so. . . out of breath. It was like I couldn't breathe for a moment. Not after finding out who was the one responsible for  my grandparents death. 

We greeted Genji and Zenyatta upon our arrival before I went straight back to my room, shutting the door behind me. I fell back against the door, sliding down the white painted oak door behind collapsing to the floor. 

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, unlocking it to open a message tab with my brother, Dave. 

"Hey. . . do you happen to know when mom and dad are coming down for their next visit?" 

Within moments, I received a reply. 

"I think sometime soon, but they haven't given me an exact date. Why? Did something happen at work?" - Dave 

I didn't waste a second typing up a reply. 

"Let's just say I'm thinking about planning my visit, too," 

I was caught off guard when I heard a knock at my bedroom door. I crawled away from my spot before standing back up on my feet, reaching for the door. Turning the knob, I was surprised to see who was there. 

"Lucio?"

"Hey, Hope," He greeted. "I wasn't there to see you off,"

"Did you hear everything?" I asked him. 

"Kinda, yeah," he shrugged. "I wasn't sure to step out or not, thinking it wasn't my place. . ."

"Then, all due respect, why did you come here now?" I questioned the DJ, raising a brow at him as I crossed my arms. 

"Well, because I. . . I didn't want my friend to feel alone,"

My eyes widened in surprise as I gasped quietly at the man. He stretched his arms down, offering a hug. I could feel tears coming back to humiliate me again as I stepped forward, accepting Lucio's offer. 

"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you, okay?" He stated soothingly. 

". . . Thank you, Lucio," I sobbed quietly. 

We stayed in that position for a few moments longer until Lucio guided me towards the bed and tucked me in. Once he was satisfied with my care, he exited the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. 

I dreamed of being on that Phase One mission. I dreamed of what might have been, if the night ended differently.