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The air was choked with dust and ash as Vi was helped out of the clock tower by Ekko. The sound of that last explosion still haunts her mind. Her father was gone, her sister was gone. Some of the closest people to her were dead all because of some insane engineer and a warmonger. Vi could feel tears pricking at the corners of the eyes. She wished things would have happened differently.
The duo made it to the courtyard where they watched various enforcers running around. Some of them took away the Noxians in cuffs, while others cleared out dead. Then there were the injured, those that needed help if they were to live. There was already so much death, so much loss. Vi knew the answer but questioned what was the point of it all anyways.
“Hey are you ok?” Vi asked Ekko.
“Yeah, I’m ok. But sitting down wouldn’t be the worst thing” he answered, trying to give a reassuring nod. Vi brought him to a piece of rubble setting him down gently. She looked around the rushing bodies. She was trying to spot Caitlyn. The woman that saved her from prison, fought alongside her tooth and nail, who Vi loved wholeheartedly.
As she scanned the crowd she found Mel kneeling on the ground next to a body. Steb was there as well helping them. Mel walked away trying to establish some form of order in the chaos about to ensue. As she left Vi looked on in horror at who Steb was tending to. Her breath caught in her throat as she rushed over to him. Vi slided next to Caitlyn, blood pouring from a wound in her side and from her left eye. Steb was trying to stem the flow from the wound on her side. At this moment, Vi’s world was crashing down around her. After just losing her family now she could lose Caitlyn. She wanted to cry, scream out to the world. But she felt hollow. She couldn’t hear anything, just the sound of her own heart beating in her chest. Then someone called out to her, saying her name over and over trying to get her attention.
“VI! VI! VI!” Steb called out over and over. The sound of his words coming into Vi’s focus. She looked up to him, his eyes focused on her. “She’s alive, Vi, but I need help. I’m trying to stop the bleeding but I need to get more gauze to stuff the wound. But someone needs to keep pressure on it”. Vi looked at Steb. He had this pleading look in his eyes, begging Vi to act. He reached out, hands covered in Caitlyn’s blood, grabbed Vi’s guiding them over the soaked through bandage there already.
“Keep the pressure here, just like I showed all those months ago. I’ll be right back with more gauze”, he said, “She’ll be ok, I won’t let her die”. Vi watched as he took off running looking for supplies. She turned her attention back to Caitlyn. Her beautiful face was bruised and bloody, contorted in pain. Her left eye was bleeding, Vi could only imagine what had happened to it. She was lost in looking over her girlfriend, at what she’d been through. It felt as time had slowed to a crawl. Every second felt longer than the last, she felt every heartbeat and breath of Caitlyn. The noise of the world was drowned out again. The possibility of more loss making it hard to focus. Vi was almost consumed by it until she felt a hand grab her. It startled her out of her stupor. She looked down and saw Caitlyn’s hand touching her hand trying to keep her precious life force in her body. Her sky blue eye looking at her full of love and admiration. Vi wanted to speak but didn’t trust her voice to not break. Steb made it back with gauze and bandages bringing her attention to him.
“Hey Commander, glad to see you’re still among the living” he joked trying to lighten the mood. He turned to Vi, “See, told you she’d be ok. Let’s stop the bleeding”. Vi watched Steb get to work, instructing her on what to do. Vi would whisper encouraging words to her Cupcake as she helped. Wanting to feel some semblance of comfort. To let Caitlyn know how much she means to her. After a few more agonizing minutes Caitlyn was patched up enough to move.
“Come on, let’s get her to the hospital, they stitch her up and she’ll be right as rain” Steb said. He had gotten a stretcher when he went off for supplies. “Ready? On three, 1…2…3…” Vi and Steb picked up Caitlyn and moved her on the stretcher. A pained groan escapes Caitlyn’s lips as she’s moved and Vi flinches at the sound. She hoped she’d never have to hear those noises of pain ever again. They walked over a truck the wounded were being loaded onto.
Sliding Caitlyn’s stretcher into the truck bed, Vi Climbed in with her and noticed Steb began walking away. “Hey, where are you going?” she called out.
He turned around, “I’m a field medic Vi. I can be helpful here, try and save some lives”, he looked tired. The adrenaline of the day must be wearing off.
“Ok come find us after ok, I don’t want to be alone. Also if you see my friend Ekko bring him with you”.
“Will do” was all Steb said before the truck took off in the direction of the hospital.
---------------------------------------------------
Vi hated being at the hospital, especially now with so much suffering because of today. She heard the doctors say something about triage and only help those that can be saved. Caitlyn had gone into surgery as soon as she was taken off the truck. Seemed like Caitlyn was one they deemed “saveable”. So now Vi sat in a makeshift waiting area for what had been a few hours now. She hadn’t gotten any updates, even tried to ask a nurse only to be told they were too busy. So she waited but it caused her to think about the day’s events again. Tears were welling up in her eyes and her body began to shake. She was trying so hard to hold it together but the weight of loss was crushing her. She feels a hand on her shoulder getting her attention. Steb is standing over her with a gentle smile. Vi rushes up and brings him into a bone crushing hug. He was tense but eventually relaxed and hugged her back.
“Steb, where’s Ekko? Did you find him?” Vi asks, breaking away from the hug.
“I did and he seemed fine. But he said he had to go back to Zaun. I tried to tell him you wanted to see him but he made up his mind”. It was a little upsetting but Vi understood why. He’s lost just as much as her, she decided to give him space until he was ready to talk.
“How is Caitlyn? Have you seen her yet?” Steb asked.
“No, she went into surgery as soon as we got here. But everyone is too busy to talk, I've tried” Vi explained. She looked around the waiting area which has only gotten busier as more injured are brought in. It was frustrating not knowing anything but it was scarier to think Caitlyn isn’t going to make it. No, she’ll be fine, Vi tells herself. She takes a seat and Steb joins her.
“I can’t lose her too Steb. I lost my Dad, my Sister, Loris. They’re all dead and gone. Caitlyn is one of the few people that are still in my life that I care about”.
“Wow, I didn't think I’d rate that highly on your list of close friends” Steb responded. He looked around the waiting area trying to find a nurse. “I wish I could offer more comfort, not really the best at this. But she’s strong and she has someone to fight for”. He continued, “I’m going to get some food and something to drink then I’m going back out there. More people need help, plus I said I won’t leave you alone”.
Vi looked at the man, going out there seemed more depressing than being at the hospital. Seeing so many people dying during the fight, and now those lucky enough to survive the fight only to suffer a possible slow death, it hurt Vi’s heart. But somewhere she knew he was right. Caitlyn was in better hands now, and even if she couldn’t help her family she’d at least try and help those that she could.
“Alright, let’s get out there, we can at least try and put some of our home back together” Vi said standing up. They walked out of the waiting room back in the chaos. After many grueling hours of trying to save pople the sun was beginning to set and the duo made their way back to the hospital in the hopes that Caitlyn would be out of surgery.
When they arrived a nurse came up to them “Excuse me are you Vi?” she asked. The pink haired fighter nodded. “Please follow me, Commander Kiramann is in a room and was asking for you”. The nurese led both Vi and Steb to Caitlyn’s room where Mel was outside waiting.
Mel looked up and smiled when she heard them approach. “Glad I didn’t have to track you down. Caitlyn is awake and was asking for Vi. She almost cried when she didn’t know where you were”. Vi’s heart felt more at ease knowing that Caitlyn was awake.
“Go inside, we’ll wait out here. Give you two a moment” Mel siad pulling Steb aside.
Vi entered the room and was greeted with the wonderful sight of Caitlyn, her Cupacke. But she couldn’t help but feel the anger well up inside her. Vi saw the extent of Caitlyn’s injuies. She had a patch over her eye. She love Cait’s eyes. They reminded her of the clear skies that her sister always wanted to sail through. She looked to Vi the second she opened the door. Her good eye, as blue as the sky looked tired. Vi sped to the side of her bed, gently taking her hand.
“Hey Cupcake, how’re you feeling?” Vi asked. It was more rhetorical than anything but it was enough to break the ice. Caitlyn looked ready to cry but steadied herself. Her grip on Vi’s hand tightened.
“I’m ok, though I wish I could still see properly. Doctor said they couldn’t save my eye” she explained.
“That doesn’t matter Cait, you know I’ll love you, imperfections and all. I’m just glad you’re alive” Vi siad as she leaned to give a soft kiss. It made Vi feel less empty inside knowing that Cait was still with her.
“Mel was here first. She’s taking her mother’s army and heading back to Noxus. She said she’s not coming back as she is now the Scion of House Medarda” Caitlyn siad. Vi had only known Mel for a brief time. But it was enough to know that Mel cared for Piltover and cared for Caitlyn’s well being.
“Well I’m not going anywhere if that’s what you’re worried about” Vi siad.
“Heh, i know you’re not going to leave, but so much has happened. So much pain and loss. I’m glad that you are my one constant in all of it. I love you Violet”.
“I love you too Cait”.
They shared one more gentle kiss before going into a relaxed silence. Just basking in each other’s presence, knowing that they would always be there for each other.