It starts! The past is changed!
Nothing like learning the future and what she needs to do to prevent it! The things Lena saw altered her. She was stuck between time lines, a ghost to the world. A side effect of chronal disassociation is being a “ghost” not having an actual body, just a flicker of light gone after a moment. An interesting experience, really! Not one she ever wants to repeat though.
After Lena adjusted to constantly being thrown around the time line, it became a game to her to see what new places her condition would send her. Still she missed having a solid body. With a body she could force Winston to get some sleep. He barely got ten hours of sleep a week, frantic to bring her back. When she wasn't learning the future, she observed her team. It amazed her how much they missed her.
All of them grieved for her. Once they found out she wasn't really gone, just misplaced, they all helped out to save her. Winston was the genius behind her chronal accelerator. Overwatch is what gave him the support to make it possible. Everyone would pitch in with ideas, no matter how stupid. They took turns bringing him food and drink. Mercy, bless her soul, often would provide healing to keep Winston from collapsing. It was her efforts that made it possible for him to work with so little sleep. Gabriel and Jack would tag team efforts to keep him informed of the world, that it hadn't ended without his efforts in the field. Genji would keep him silent company late at night, after most people were asleep. McCree made Winston his special, super secret recipe for the Best Coffee Ever (™). The secret ingredient is Jack Daniels, which Jesse keeps stored in a secret container disguised as a bullet.
Thankfully, Winston put together a chronal accelerator for her fairly quickly, before he hurt himself from lack of sleep, and that nasty excuse for coffee Jesse drinks. Once Lena returned to the present, all of the main Overwatch team welcomed her back with open arms, and a massive party. Even gruff, grumpy pants Gabriel gave her a brief hug. It was a defining moment for her. Lena Oxton died that day, in her place Tracer, ace agent of Overwatch took over. Overwatch is her family, and they mean the world to her. Months passed after Tracers comeback, and things settled down peacefully. Until that day she made the first change.
“ ‘Ey boss, can I ‘ave a moment?” Tracer inquires to some bigwig from the UN. They were doing annual reviews, prepping for promotions.
“Big quick Tracer. I have important business.” He grunts back, without looking at her.
“You doing reviews for promotions, right? I want to suggest Jack Morrison as Commander. Sure, Gabriel Reyes has seniority...but, Jack? He’s an inspiration to the team. To the world! He’s a poster perfect example of the ideal leader. Gabriel, he’s got experience, and a good ‘ead...but he’s not what the world needs. You know what I mean? PR and all that.” Tracer replies a small grin on her face.
Patiently she waits. As her words trickle through his bureaucratic mind, the cogs turn. As the light dawns in his eyes, she nods. One finger rises in salute, then she turns away. There, the first change has been made. Before anyone can spot her in this section of HQ, she slips into the time stream, blue chaos all around her. Now to get some lunch! Hopefully the cafeteria has ham sandwiches today!
“Hey, Tracer you want to join newest pool?” Torbjörn inquires hands full of food.
“Oh, what’re we betting on now?” Tracer asks back, curious. Overwatch members are constantly finding the silliest things to make office betting pools over. Humor helps keep the team sane amidst the chaos of battle.
“When Gabriel will finally ask Jack on date!” Torbjörn whispers, looking around to see if Gabriel or Jack are within earshot.
“What? Why’d you start that pool? You know poor Gabriel won’t ask Jack out! Poor Gabriel thinks Jack is straight.” Tracer replies, voice also lowering. Jack crushes on Gabriel, won’t ask him out because he believes in keeping things professional at work. Gabriel thinks Jack is straight, and refuses to risk the their friendship with asking Jack on a date. Their dancing around their mutual attraction is the source constant hilarity among the team.
“Hohoho! That’s because Genji lost a bet with Mercy. Genji subscribed Jack to some gay porn, postmarked to his office. Reinhardt had Gabriel deliver Jack’s mail that day! Hahaha, the look on Gabriel's face was priceless. Jack turned so red when Gabriel handed him the porn, ohohoho! Let’s just say with Gabriel’s promotion coming up, things are lookin…” Torbjörn trails off as Gabriel walks into the room.
“Sorry, love. I can’t take bet.” Tracer whispers back. Merry mood gone, stones of despair sink into her soul.
Appetite gone, she waves off Torbjörn confused look. Memories flash in her mind’s eye. Gabriel sobbing over Jack’s corpse, recovered from that ambush. In this time line, Jack doesn't die in that ambush, because he is never ordered to go. They both live, but they never get together. Tracer has seen what happens next. Without this promotion, Gabriel doesn't gain the confidence to ask Jack out. Sad, really. Gabriel thinks he has to prove himself to Jack. Where a happy relationship once bloomed, a bitterness will grow between them. Hands tightening into fists, Tracer zips into the silent chaos of the time stream. She ruined their happiness for the sake the world; this is the only path saves all of humanity. Where no one can possibly see, Tracer cries. This is the start, there is more she has to do. More lives she has to destroy for the sake of the world.