randomplaces | Backwater Nexus. Poppy's Place diner. Late Breaking News.

He was sitting at Poppy's Place, contentedly rooting the lettuce out of his burger, when the door opened with an abrupt jangle.

Frowning, Jack looked up from his plate, and then stood and walked quickly toward Ana as she hurried to meet him, aware of Gleam freezing where she'd been sitting on a pinball machine talking to one of her sisters. "What's wrong?"

Ana hadn't even changed into civvies like she usually did now before coming into the Backwater, and her face was flushed beneath her beret and eye patch. "It's McCree," she said quietly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Jack, he's dead."

"What?" He stopped and frowned at her with confusion.

"No way!" protested Gleam from her perch. "All his monitors say his condition's just like it was when we went for lunch."

"I... beg your pardon?" Ana turned blankly toward the Spazz viruses.

"Wait. Tell me your news," commanded Jack quietly, putting his arms around his friend.

"Los Muertos got some experimental weapon, and he went to take it from them." She shivered. "It exploded and killed Jessie and the gang member who was using it."

Jack didn't notice the air leaving his lungs in a sigh of relief as he tightened the hug. "He's here, at the clinic. The gun blew a hole through him, but the doctors think he'll mostly survive."

Ana blinked up at him, then frowned. "Mostly?"

"Yeah. He's probably an Exile."

Ana hid her face in her hands for a moment, then sighed. "So he can join your squad." Her shoulders shook.

"Hey..." Jack frowned. "What's wrong?"

"This is relief." She shifted her face from her hands to his chest and gave in to the tears.

"Oh." He relaxed and unconsciously rubbed her back in the same way that Gleam tended to rub his after he woke up from nightmares, ready to offer comfort as long as his friend needed it.

It didn't take long. Only a couple minutes had passed when Ana pushed away and found something from her pocket to blow her nose on. "Is Ima with him?"

"Who's Ima?" He guided her over to the table and offered her his side salad.

"His wife." Ana sat and automatically started to eat. "He's married."

"Oh. She does have a name." Jack dropped back into the booth and ate a pickle slice. "Yeah, she's there."

"Good." Ana sighed again, then gave a little grimace and looked down at her bowl. "There's no dressing on this, Jack. Did they forget to give you some?"

"No." He gestured to the condiments and dressings in the tiny stasis locker at the end of the table nearest the wall, then took out the one she liked. "Here."

"Thank you." She dressed the threads of threen, and then the two of them settled down to eat his lunch.