It doesn't matter how kind, or patient, or sweet a person may seem on the outside.

There was always a limit or metaphorical line, that when stepped over just far enough, could detonate like any other explosive human quality.

Some, the lucky few, had remarkable capabilities when it came to holding back those feelings.

They could bite their tongues, smile the most charming of smiles, and brush off the onslaught of vile backlash that awaited on the tips of their tongue like nothing more than a fuzzy particle of dust that had breezed onto their shoulders.

They could be patient and wait until they were safely behind closed doors before releasing an onslaught of profanities into a pillow for a total of two minutes. Then simply go right back out into the world with a sparkle in their eye that charmed masses as wide as the red sea.

Some people were just that good at hiding their rage, or at least coping with it healthily.

Lena Oxton was one of those rare people.

Her girlfriend, Willow Lacroix, was not.

To its credibility, curtsey of massive advertisements plastered on every billboard along the west coast, Overwatch University was a phenominal institution. Nationally recognizable by insignia alone, awarded top tier government grants, and positively enormous in size.

The three main campuses housed the major criteria points that every student knew would fair par to none when held against any other school in the nation. Business, Arts and Humanities, and Pre Law/Pre Med. Each was a fair walking distance apart and yet somehow managed to cover an ungodly amount of acres.

What this meant for most students was that on the more pleasant Californian days, a stroll from one school to the next, depending on class scheduling and how unlucky you were to be on the very ends of each campuses borderlines, was prime time to get in a nice stroll or leisurely jog.

On this bright afternoon however almost every student who happened to be unfortunate enough to be walking down the same pathway as Willow Lacroix found themselves faced with a glare cold enough to send them scurrying off back the way they came.

Tardiness to classes be damned. Better to be late and live rather than die by taking a risk at going near the clear red flashing light of "DANGER WALKING THREAT IN HEELS".

The young french women was wearing an expression only a handful of seniors knew by rumor alone. The whispered about gaze told through drunk frat tales. It was said to be the equivalent of a venomous bite, to which there was no hope of recovery.

This was of course overdramatized by a bunch of fire hazard beer soaked fraternity brothers who still held somewhat of a grudge over being so brutally turned down by Willow while on the recieving end of said glare, so to be fair the authenticity was questionable.

A few clear chimes coming from Willow's back pocket did little to deter the dark haired women's long strides. Without even pausing to check the caller ID, the senior girl answered with a huff.

"What?"

"If you would stop hanging up every five seconds and let me explain-"

It was Angela. Again.

The blonde had made it her life mission, within the past ten minutes, to try and calm Willow down over the phone.

Only to get an immediate call ended after each attempt.

"I already told you I'm on my way."

"Im aware, however you are stressing yoursef and your sister out well past what anyone here can call reasonable."

Her sister. Leave it to her twin, Ameile, to take twenty-two unanswered text messages as something to worry over.

"Tell her I'm fine."

"Doubt it's you she's scared for, rather the dozens of innocent freshman you've probably traumatized by now."

Angela had an awful tendency of calling things despite not being there to see them.

It was only one freshman, and they shouldnt have been glued to their phone screen while walking anyways. Willow doubted there would be so much as a scratch on their head given that she had shouldered them towards the grass rather then pavement.

But Angela nor Ameile didn't need to know about that.

Suddenly a very familiar male voice could be heard through Angela side of the line, and Willow felt the blood drain from her face.

"Angie? Lena wants to know if it's too early to have the cookies Gerard brought over? She is-"

The blonde seemed to be arguing with someone momentarily before the sound of a door closing blocked out any more background noise.

Willow hadn't even realized how dry her throat had become in such a short amount of time.

"Was that Winston?! Why is he there? You said it wasn't serious!"

"...I said that because you can be a large you know what when stressed out."

"Are you saying it IS serious?"

Willow could practically hear Angela moving to pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Not in the slightest. But it is better to be safe than sorry. It was a pretty nasty fall and they are checking her vitals as we speak. Winston is here as her friend, and Dr. Harold already stated that it is nothing to stress over."

"Then why are you calling every five seconds?"

"Because I don't even have to see you to know you're ready to burn down a city block."

It was an obvious attempt at making the situation even the barest degree lighter, that failed almost pitifully predictably so.

Before Willow could think of any kind of response though, her hazel eyes caught sight of where she had arrived.

The East Campus Medical Center.

Without missing a beat, Willow moved through the glass doors of the entranceway. Already having the layout of where she needed to be burned into the forefront of her mind. Her phone pressed tightly against the edge of her soulder and her ear.

Unfortunately, the door she had practically thrown open with both arms ended up colliding violently into an unprepared member of the swim team's back. Knocking the boy a few solid feet to the left as he struggled to regain his balance.

"Watch it!"

Hazel eyes turned, for one horrifying second, nearly golden with rage as Willow sneered back at the young man.

She had no time, nor desire, to be pleasant today.

"Christ what's got your panties in a twist Widowmaker-"

The "nickname" was cut off with a sharp yelp. The swim team member suddenly found himself on the ground clutching onto his bruising shin as a large array of swear words fell from his lips.

Served him right. Everyone with more then half a braincell knew how she hated to be called that.

Willow didn't even spare the pitiful sight a second glance as she moved to grasp her phone in her right hand again.

"Sorry Ang, could you repeat what you just said?"

"Was that just...you know what never mind. I don't wanna know. I said were in room 519."

The startled receptionist, who had watched the past thirty seconds of extreme hostility unfold, barley had a moment to breathe before Willow tilted her phone away long enough to glare daggers straight through her soul.

"H-hello Miss Lacroix. It's been a while since we've seen you-"

"Lena Oxton. How's her condition?"

"I-I don't um-she's back in-"

Willow lost what barely remained of her patience and moved to tap her perfectly manicured nails against the countertop. The expression nearly venomous with a waiting air of "any day now". The terrified woman noticed immediately when it was time to shut up and pressed the buzzer unlocking the safety latch leading towards the patient's rooms in the back.

Willow managed a half hearted "merci" before she was through the second set of glass doors.

The receptionist didn't dare try to call out to her to come back with any identification or sign in signature. Miss Lacroix was already in every other week and had made more than a lasting impression as the medical staff's less than favorite guest.

Not that she could really hold any ill will against the girl. After all, if her lover was under those circumstances she would be high strung too.

In less then a minute Willow was striding down the hallway with Angela still chatting away idly in her ear.

The blonde was listing off tons of positive and irrelevant thing in the hopes of preventing any further, from what she could tell over the phone, aggressive yet typical behavior from Lena's girlfriend.

"Honestly Willow, she is fine. She's been cracking jokes with the nurses all day and even got Winston and Gerard to play- oh look. You just turned the corner and are coming towards me. With a look of pure unadulterated hostility. Lovely, truthfully, ill be sure to remember this exact moment in my nightmares tonight. Amazing how terrifying it is to see my life flash-"

Willow pressed End Call before Angela could finish. To which the blonde narrowed her gaze before gently placing her phone back into her residential scrubs pocket and moving to fully stand in front of the doorway. Her arms crossed with no trace of any lightheartedness that had been preached over the phone.

"Move."

"Hello to you too. I'm glad to see you made it here without any alerts about a mad woman igniting the campus ablaze popping up in my news feed."

Despite how obviously sarcastic Angela's accent was, Willow dared to try and glare down the Swiss woman in the hopes that she would relent quickly. Only to find, unsurprisingly, that this had little to no effect.

"Angela-"

"She. Is. Fine. And I am not letting you in there until you calm down."

The two stared each other down, and despite their difference in height, Angela still mangaed to match the intensity of Willow's glare with an equal one of her own.

You didn't make it into the top medical program in the nation with a weak will.

"You look like youre trying to burn a hole through my head"

"Is it working?"

The sharp quip only confirmed Angela's point further.

Willow held the other's gaze for a moment longer before slumping her shoulders forward with a heavy and tired sigh and taking a needed step back.

Her nails had nearly left indents in her palms from how tightly she had had them clenched over the past ten minutes.

Moving to push herself against the nearest wall, the dark haired woman closed her eyes and brought a single hand up to rub circles against the tense knots already forming deep in her neck.

"I'm not crazy to worry. You of all people should understand that."

Genuine concern cracked through the remnants of the blonde's stoney facade before she too let her arms drop.

Angela always had a look of tiredness in her eyes that went far beyond any normal college student. Normal being that while yes caffeine and all nighters made up about 80% of the average student body, Angela Ziegler's eyes were tired in the sense of being weighed down with reality. The kind of bright, and yet so clearly flickering, pain that could only be held by someone who lost too much, felt too much, cared too much, and yet continued to smile.

The blonde Pre-Med was strong. That was no secret to anyone who spoke to her for more then five seconds. But whenever she ended up here, facing the women who knew the same feeling that constricted her heart whenever the words "hospital" and "Lena" were mentioned in the same sentence, Angela remembered just how young they all still were. How much it hurt to love.

"Of course I do...but you know she hates it when you get stressed over her condition."

"She's doesn't want me to worry about her wellbeing. How like her."

There was no real malice left in her words, and before Angela could reach forward to offer any sort of comfort, the door to Lena's room opened enough for Amelie to squeeze through.

"Winston I swear to god if she tries to stand one more time I want you to- Willow! About damn time!"

Amelie gave her sister a quick hug before practically shoving her towards the doorway. Mumbling about 'taking forever to get here' and 'the poor girl wont stop asking if you're okay or not'.

However just as the two were about to enter, Winston's head popped out of the open space.

The burly young man's glasses were always somehow tilted almost a little too much to the left, and despite his intimidating height, he always seemed to be like the warmest prescense amoung all of their friends.

"Glad you finally made it. Tracer's been going nuts, worried that she made you worry because of how worried you were making Ang."

"...That seems almost cruelly ironic."

Winston chuckled despite himself and he ran a large hand through his unruly mess of hair. Then without even needing to be asked, the big loaf moved to side step and finally allow Willow to enter the room.

"Try not to chastise her too much. Angie already gave her an earful"

"ouais ouais ouais, je l'ai"

Ameile smiled softly at her twin before closing the door to allow the two some private time.

It was basically the same spread as every other visit. Light blue walls, big single window perched out to view the East Campus court yard below.

And just like every other time, there was Lena, sitting upright. Fiddling around with one of the many machines at her bedside as though it was the most fascinating gadget in the world.

Truth be told, the brunette had a rather bad habit of messing with things she shouldn't and by now Willow was less than surprised whenever she found her girlfriend meddling.

"If you break yet another monitor, I'll make them sedate you."

The younger women's head snapped to attention instantly at the sound of her lover's voice. As always, a wide grin broke over Lena's face as her arms spread open. Awaiting a hug she knew she would never be denied.

"'At last the cavalry arrives! Miss me, love?"

Willow's heart always managed to stutter a bit whenever Lena spoke as though they hadn't just seen each other that morning upon waking up in the same bed. It somehow was always like they were meeting again after too long apart.

The dark haired woman wasted no time before sliding straight up into the smaller girl's open arms and placing a gentle kiss on the latter's forehead.

"I can't leave you alone for even an hour can I?"

"Seems not. Maybe you should stay extra close to me from now on just to be safe?"

Lena jokingly patted the space next to her on the hospital bed, but Willow was already slipping back into protective girlfriend mode now that she was certain her beloved was alive and well.

"Chivalry will get you no where, Chérie. Now why dont you tell me what exactly happened before I make Winston rat you out like last time."

The hand that had been soothingly running itself through Lena's hair moments ago now had a rather intimidating hold on the brunette's locks. Forcing the smaller girl's head upwards to lock onto Willow's gaze. Unavoidable and dangerous.

Lena's face always turned a nice shade of pink whenever Willow did this particular action, though they were usually under far more ideal circumstances. Never the less the younger of the two knew when to wave a white flag.

"Zarya and I weren't doing anything extreme I swear."

Well that's always a good way to start.

"I wasn't watching where I was going and slipped onto the edge of the bench. My chest got most of the impact and I told her I was fine, but she carried me here anyways. A bloody spectacle that was, half the west side probably thinks I'm a right sack of potatoes."

Willow made a mental note to have Angela thank the god sent Russian later, but for now her focus was on Lena and Lena alone. Like a frantic doctor, the French woman began checking for any sign of damage no matter how small.

"Did the doctors test you for a concussion yet? Is the Accelerator still in tact? Dr. Harold said if anything seems off to-"

"-call him ASAP. I know, love. I was there too. It's okay, Im okay. They already ran all the tests and everything's checked out. The Accelerator is perfectly stable and Im in tip top shape, cross my heart."

To prove her point even further Lena made a joking show of flexing her arms much like a body builder would. Forcing Willow's lips to turn upwards slightly. Against her will mind you, she was still mad.

"You are such a foolish girl."

"Only for you, love."

Suddenly, Willow pulled back just far enough from Lean's grasp to point a finger directly at her nose, to which the small Brit crossed her eyes with a teasing smile.

"This is still no laughing matter, Chérie."

"If we don't laugh how will I see that smile you do that I love so much?"

Willow internally screamed at herself to remain strong, even as she leaned down far enough to cup Lena's head just so their gazes could lock again. Softer this time.

There was an unquestionable weakness that always flashed within the older woman's golden irises whenever she was scared.

Lena knew all too well how desperately and relentlessly her girlfriend searched for a reason to not show this fear. How much it hurt for her to have to show this side.

"Please Lena, you can not ever tell me not to worry...I can not live with the thought of your heart failing...Not after..."

There was a beat. Then another, before the smaller of the two moved to remove Willow's hands away from her face so that she could wrap her arms around the French woman's waist. Hugging her close despite the odd angle.

"I'm not going anywhere, love. I promise."

For a long while the two simply stayed there. Wrapped in each other's embrace as the dark haired woman's hand returned to it's rightful job of running itself through Lena's short locks.

This was familiar. This situation that borderlined countless years of tears and a majority of their arguments. There was something safe in each other that they both needed, but there was also a constant stress each held out on towards one another.

It wasn't just about The Heart Accelerator. It wasn't just about the dangers and risks they each took every night by falling asleep and wasting minutes and hours that could not be there tomorrow.

It was moments like these, where the world around them could fall into ash, and yet they would remain safe, loved, and tightly held in an embrace that outlasted fate. And even the thought of death.

Suddenly Willow pulled back just far enough to recapture Lena's attention. She gazed down at her girlfriend for a peaceful moment that ended with a sharp thwach to the Britt's forehead.

"Bullocks! What was that for?"

"No track practice today or tomorrow. You are resting and coming straight back to the apartment after they clear you."

"What! But Willo-"

A sharp tug on her short hair was enough to cut Lena's rebuttal off with a squeak.

"Not up for debate Chérie. I personally-"

Willow leaned down to ghost her lips against the shell of Lena's ear. Patient and well practiced enough to send visible shutters down her younger woman's spine.

"-would like to see for myself if you are still able to keep up."