Never. Never in a million years would Gabriel ever imagined that he would be a father. His life, past his teenage years had been nothing but working in the military. Sure he been good with kids, it was somewhat of a must when all his extended family would visit. Most with younger children who were always kept under someone's care.
But instead of pursuing a family life like his mother truly wanted for him, he went straight into the military once he had graduated from high school. A little more than ten years of serving had him finally settling back into a normalish life.
Friends he had made through the military, the very few that he kept in contact with over the last two years of his settled life had talked him into getting another member of his household. The first thing Gabriel did was right out refuse the idea of adopting anything; an actual child or pet. However, a trip back to his parent's home along with a very long conversation with his mother had him beginning to consider the idea of a child. That and ever since he had mentioned it to his mother, she wouldn't stop pestering him for grandchildren.
It took him three weeks to finally decide he was getting a child. From there nearly half a year of different paper work and getting to know the child before he was finally able to take the child home.
That's how he found himself driving home with a dozing two year old in the his car seat in the back seats of Gabriel's car. His usual stern expression hadn't been present that whole day, instead he had a small smile present. He would constantly be checking his rearview mirror, as if ensuring the sleeping child was still there. That's how the whole drive there went, a peaceful silence throughout.
As Gabriel parked his car in the driveway of his home, he noticed the three figures standing at his door. One towering over the other two as they turned towards him. He gave a small wave to the trio as he got out of the driver seat. Then moving to the right back door, grabbing the small duffle bag that contained the little things his son, yes his son, had at the orphanage. Gabriel slung it over his shoulder before undoing the safety buckles on the car seat and gently lifted the sleeping form. He shut the door of the car with his foot, making sure it was locked first before he walked over to the porch of his house. "Ana, Reinhardt, Fareeha. Here to see him I see?"
"Of course, you think we would miss a moment like this?" Ana had a warm smile, her right hand squeezing her daughter's shoulder lightly. "What's his name?"
"Jesse, Jesse McCree." Gabriel carefully set the duffle bag down before sticking his free hand into his pant pocket to fish for his house keys. When he did he held them out to Ana, "Could you open it up for me." Picking up the forgotten bag as Ana had taken his keys and opened the house's front door. From there, all of them entered the house.
For the next hour had them talking quietly, mostly about Jesse who miraculously stayed asleep the entire time. The trio had to excuse themselves a bit early since it was a weekday, which meant school for Fareeha.
Gabriel had begun to tidy things around the house, specifically in the room he had designated as Jesse's. Walking to and from different rooms. Or at least until he stepped out of his bedroom, going to fetch a few things from the living room. Gabriel was met with dark brown eyes peering over the back of the couch, he gave a small smile as he walked over and ran his large fingers through the equally dark brown hair. "You had a good nap?" Giving a soft hum as he watched Jesse give a tiny nod. He marveled at how his darker skin contrasted against Jesse's tan skin. "Lets go to your room hmm? I heard that a little someone really likes cowboys. So someone left a special something in your room." Gabe allowed Jesse to wrap his small hands around two of his large fingers while he helped the child off the couch then to Jesse's room.
He kept his eyes on Jesse, watching Jesse's brown eyes wander over everything on their way to the room, not as if there was much. Although there was clear amazement in those eyes, those same eyes widened even more when they fell on a brand new shiny Stetson cowboy hat on the pillow of a bed that was way too big for a two year old child.
A small chubby finger was immediately pointed at the hat, eyes staring up a Gabe and a little mouth opening and closing as he struggled to think of words.
Gabriel chuckled and walked to the bed, picking up the cowboy hat before kneeling down in front of Jesse. "It's yours my little cowboy." He placed the hat on top of the mop of brown hair, unable to stop his smile as the hat sunk down past Jesse's eyes, "You'll grow into it." His smile widening at the wide smile on Jesse's face. He would definitely get used to this.
Maybe around four months had Gabriel nearly inseparable from Jesse. The boy would constantly wake up during the night and climb into bed with Gabe, though Gabe had no problem with it. He would actually hold his son closer in those night. To the point that Jesse just straight slept in his room now.
Just like now, Gabriel used his left hand to rub at his eyes, his right arm currently being used to pillow Jesse's head while the child slept soundly. He smiled and slowly sat up, moving Jesse' to an actual pillow. He had learned that Jesse was a very sound sleeper, not much could wake the boy. Stretching his arms over his head, Gabriel rose and went to the bathroom. Relieving himself and brushing his teeth before he made his way out of the bedroom and to the kitchen. Deciding to make some pancakes for himself and his son.
Thirty minutes went by and he had a pretty decent pile of pancakes done by the time he heard the soft pap of small feet on the tile flooring. "Good Morning Jesse." He let out a low hum as he heard the feet get closer and felt a small pat on his side. So he looked down.
Jesse was sleepily rubbing his eyes before lifting his arms up, "Papa up."
Gabriel wiped his hands own on a rag he had specifically for the kitchen before picking up Jesse, holding him up high enough that Jesse's face was level to his own. He kept his humming, even as Jesse's smushed his hands on Gabe's cheeks before kissing his nose.
"I love you too mijo." Deep in the back of his head, he had a constant bug that was telling him not to work that day. He pushed it back into his mind, choosing to focus on his son rather. "Now let's eat, then I'll drop you off at Ana today, it's papa's day to work okay." Gabriel smiled at the quick nodding from his son, he bent down and set Jesse down. Watching his son rub off to the table, with nothing but admiration in his eyes. He watched Jesse clamber up on his special seat that let him reach the table and was patiently waiting for him. So he decided to not keep his boy waiting, he picked up the plate of pancakes and walked to the dining table.
After a good meal between the two of them, the pile of pancakes absolutely devoured and gone. Gabriel had dressed Jesse in a gray shirt and small green shorts before tying a small red bandana around Jesse's neck. Not even bothering to even ask the boy for his hat since it always ended up on Jesse's head eventually, never questioning it.
On their way out of the house, Jesse decided to be a bit more stubborn. Having Gabriel sling him onto his shoulder and carry Jesse to the car. Kicking his short legs out as Gabriel buckled him into the car seat. "You need a haircut, Jesse." Gabriel chuckled at the whine Jesse gave. "Yes, next week."
Gabriel smiles and presses a kiss on Jesse's forehead before shutting the back door of his car, he then went to the driver side and got in. Flicking through the radio until he came upon some news station to fill the silence. Though he could hear Jesse blabbering to himself in the back seats. Five minutes into the drive however, he was met by silence in the back seats, he turned to see Jesse with his head hung awkwardly as he slept. The smile he gave was present throughout the rest of the ride there.
Pulling up into the driveway of Ana's home, he began to try and wake Jesse. Although he had very little success. So instead he had to unbuckle and pick up Jesse. Carrying him over to the door where he was met by the waiting Ana. She easily took Jesse into her arms, no quick talk was needed between the two. Instead, Gabriel gave a quick goodbye and gave a kiss to his son's forehead before taking off.
What he didn't expect was to be t-boned by another car about one minute away from his job. He could only think of son for one last moment before his head collided with the the steering wheel and he blacked out completely.
Gabriel had a deep glare set in face, that glare directed to the pale filthy looking ceiling. The overpowering stench of antiseptics burning his nose, but he wasn't able to do anything about it since both of his hands were currently occupied by two much smaller ones. So instead, Gabriel had to settle with thumbing gently over the knuckles of his son.
It would have been very easy to pull his large hands away, but he did not want to wake the tired boy. Not after the stress of worry he had put on the boy, his injuries were going to restrict him from doing anything to help his son. Or that was what he had been told by the nurses that were in charge of watching him.
Long conversations with Ana also told Gabriel that she had already arranged for a home nurse to help him with basic needs for both himself and Jesse. The nurse apparently being a good friend of Ana's that wouldn't mind caring for not only Gabe, but for both. Gabriel didn't any say on any of this, since it had already set and put into place during his stay at the hospital.
Jesse had already met the nurse and declared his liking of him as well, so Gabriel couldn't say no either way.
Now he just had to wait a few more hours until Ana could come fetch him and Jesse. Gabriel began to hum softly, a few more hours he thought as he slowly shut his eyes. Lulled to sleep with the solid weight of his son on his chest.
A hand shaking his shoulder was what roused Gabriel, it was also the hand that kept him planted back when he nearly shot up into a sitting position. Three blinks in quick succession to clear his eyes showed him Ana carrying the now awake Jesse her in free arm. "You're here already?"
"Its half past four, I've spent the last half hour doing paper work for you." Ana paused and ran her thin fingers through the mop of Jesse's hair, "Let's take you two home now, onto an actually comfortable bed hmm?" She sat Jesse on one of the chairs that lined the wall next to the bed. "I'll be right back, I'm going to go get some help lugging your ass out of that bed."
Gabriel laid back down and moved one of his arms over his eyes. Listening to the small constant thud of Jesse's shoes coming into contact with the legs of the chair. He listened until the sound was drowned out by a obnoxious squeaking noise of a wheelchair entering the room. Lifting his arm from over his eyes, he saw Ana standing besides two nurses and a wheelchair between them.
Between the three, they managed to heave the incapacitated hunk of muscle onto the wheelchair. The process taking a lot longer due to the injuries that he sustained, but they managed in the end. The nurses had a much easier time getting Gabriel and his wheelchair down through the seemingly never ending hallways.
He didn't notice when he began to nod off until the soft artificial lights of the hospital were replaced by the blinding light of the moment he opened his eyes he had to immediately shut them for a few moments before raising his right arm to cover his eyes. Giving his eyes a chance to accustom themselves to the change in light. When his eyes did clear enough for him to see, the first thing he saw was Anna buckling Jesse up into a child seat inside of the car. Or more of a van, one big enough to accommodate a Reinhardt sized man, who was currently seated in the driver seat.
Ana had then made her way out of the van and back over to Gabriel's wheelchair, where she began to speak softly with the nurses before the three women began to carefully maneuver Gabriel out of his wheelchair and into one of the car seats. All while having Reinhardt cheer them on in his booming voice.
But even with the encouraging voice of Reinhardt, it took about ten minutes of carefully picking Gabriel up and moving him in. One of the nurses had brought out a pillow and placed it behind the injured man, ensuring that he doesn't get too much stress on his back while on the ride to his home.
Quick thank you's to the nurses and Ana ensuring that everyone in the car had a seatbelt on before she finally allowed Reinhardt to drive them all to Gabriel's home.
The car ride wasn't exactly short to Gabriel's home, at least a half hour drive at the pace that Reinhardt had set for them. But it was more than bearable for Gabe since all he could hear was Reinhardt telling ridiculous stories and Jesse was giggling like a madman at the fake shenanigans.
All Gabriel could think was that the sound of a child, his child's, laughter was a thousand times better than the sounds of a hospital where people were dying all around him. Gabe turned his head, watching Jesse, watching the little chubby hands clap in his happiness. It was very endearing to Gabe, he hoped that none of what had happened put a damper on his son's happiness. He made a note to himself to ask Ana about how Jesse had been while he had been away from the boy.
By the time Gabriel came out of his thoughts, Reinhardt was pulling into the driveway of Gabe's home. His brows furrowed as he spotted an obnoxiously bright blue car parked in the space besides the van, his thoughts quickly went to the nurse that Ana had mentioned was already there waiting in his home.
"Gabriel? Let's get you out of here alright?" Ana spoke softly as she gently put some pressure on Gabriel's shoulder to grab his attention. It worked, he was now looking straight at Ana, but at the corner of his eye he could see Reinhardt picking Jesse out of the car seat. "Let us wait for Reinhardt to set Jesse inside and then he will come help you inside. There is a wheelchair waiting for you inside." She gave Gabriel an encouraging smile while she waited with him in the van.
Once Reinhardt returned, between the two, they managed to get Gabe out of the car with only a slight discomfort to Gabriel's injuries. The only thing that got hurt was Gabriel's pride when Reinhardt carried him in an almost bridal manner. The large man walked into the house carefully, taking extra care to not break something as he made his way to the wheelchair that was idly sitting besides the couch.
Ana made sure Gabriel was completely comfortable before shooing Reinhardt, then she turned back to Gabe. "Ah, there's Jesse and Jack." She motioned with her head to the small hall that led towards the bedrooms from which a tall, blonde, muscular man came out of while carrying Jesse in his arms.
As Jack walked over, he kneeled down to set Jesse in front of his father before holding his now free hands out to Gabriel, "My name's John Morrison, but everyone calls me Jack. I'll be your nurse for the next few months."
Gabriel reached out and shook Jack's hand with the small amount of effort he had, but as he did, he knew that these next few months were going to be one big pain in the ass. Possibly literally.
The first few nights with having Jack at his home only had Gabriel jumping at the noises of having another person moving around. Other than Jesse that was, but those heavy footsteps did not compare to the tiny light feet of his little boy.
But Gabe had to admit that his normal routine would have been nearly impossible for him to accomplish anything. Any small chore that required any type of physical labor wore him down nearly instantly. So having someone like Jack to help him made Gabe extremely thankful.
The only problem that Gabe had with anything was that he had to swallow his own pride when it came to things like his personal hygiene. Where Jack would have to haul his heavy ass to the bathroom for a warm bath. Just like later today.
Gabriel laid in bed, the thin blanket thrown over his bare torso was clutched in between his hands. He laid in silence, listening to Jesse's muffled voice as he spoke with Jack. Their conversations varied from everything Jesse could think of and whatever he could say. Although the series of muffled but happy giggles that reached his ears brought a smile to his face.
His smile only grew when he he heard the muffled voice grow clearer and clearer until his bedroom door opened. Jesse came in with a small plastic cup in between his hands, followed by Jack who carried a tray with a few plates of food that hid the contents since it wasn't visible from Gabriel's view.
Jack walked over and set the tray down on the bedside table that Gabriel had before crossing his arms over his chest. "Hope you're hungry Gabriel, Jesse helped me get your food ready today." His pale face split with a smile at the enthusiastic nodding he got from the toddler who had seated himself on the floor. "So let's get you up right and get you some food in you, hmm?" While he spoke, Jack uncrossed his arms and began to help maneuver Gabe into a sitting position against the headboard of the bed.
Gabriel was about to give a shake of his head when his stomach decided otherwise and made a relatively loud rumble. The noise only earning a soft chuckle from the standing man who moved the tray of food onto Gabriel's lap.
Pulling a small stool over besides the bed, the blonde seated himself on it and proceeded to help Gabriel eat his food over the span of the next fifteen minutes. A simple routine of putting the food into Gabriel's mouth and waiting for him to chew and swallow. All while ignoring Gabriel's attempts to persuade him into allowing him to eat by himself. "I do hope you remember that you're getting that bath today, you might of talked me out of it yesterday. But not again."
Gabriel gave a defeated nod, "Fine." He leaned his head back, resting it against the headboard. Looking down his nose to watch Jack place the plates on top of each other before lifting the tray and taking it out of the room. Slowly shutting his eyes at the sound of retreating footsteps, two sets of footsteps he mused. Gabriel debated over falling asleep to avoid his bath but decided against it when he heard the footsteps coming back to his bedroom.
"Come on Gabriel, out of bed." The blonde walked to the bedside and moved the stool to the wall to get it out of the way before moving back. "You have to help with some of your weight here." Jack leaned over and removed the blanket from over the bedridden man, exposing his black underwear to the world.
Gabriel helped to move his legs over the side of the bed, letting out a soft grunt in his effort. "Where's Jesse?" His voice coming out a but rougher than he expected it to.
"He's in the living room, playing with a toy I brought him." Jack lifted Gabriel into a sitting position before wrapping his arm around his waist, "Ready. Up." He hauled Gabriel up, taking the vast majority of his weight to keep him standing. Taking very slow steps to the bathroom, Jack listened closely to Gabriel's breathing and noises to determine the stress he was putting on him.
Jack nudges the bathroom door open with his foot and helped Gabriel carefully into the tub, "I'll get a wash cloth while you take off your briefs." He turned his back and began to rummage through a cabinet near the sink.
Gabriel winced as he settled into the tub more comfortably, closing his eyes, he pulled his briefs down to knees which was as far as his body physically allowed him to stretch. "I need, help." He knew that he had to ask for it, Jack was only his nurse. Only that, he had nothing to worry about. Right?
He dearly hoped so as Jack turned around to face him.