Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue

Justice.

At what price should it be obtained? The lives of the wrongdoers? At the freedom of their protectors? At the cost of her own conscience?

If Caitlyn had learned anything in the four years since her mother's death, it was that she would not get it by holding on to her anger. Which made what she was about to do all the more relevant.

Still, as she stood there, waiting to be called before the newly appointed council to ask for a pardon, she thought how ironic it was that she would be the one to take that step.

"Sheriff," one of the guards came out of the meeting room and called out to her, "they're ready for you."

Caitlyn took a breath, closed her eyes, and as if she was about to fire her rifle, she blinked once and walked in.

As the doors closed behind her, her mind returned to everything that had happened leading up to that moment. And to someone in particular: Vi.

Chapter 1

A year before

The minute Caitlyn woke up in some dark, stingy quarters, with her wrists tied behind her back—bound by a thick rope—she realized just how naive she had been. Someone had kidnapped her only a few blocks from her house.

A sharp pain coursed through her chest with each inhale, burning her throat. Still, she forced herself to breathe evenly. She had to calm down.

The air reeked of salt and damp wooden barrels, of men's stench; it hadn't been mopped in ages.

How long had she been on that ship? Who had been the man that grabbed her? What did he want?

The ship rocked, throwing her off balance, making her dizzy. The barrels rattled against the walls, crunching, obscuring the voices coming from above.

"I need to get out of here," she said to herself as she tried to stand, kneeling first. It was then that she realized her pants had been torn. Whoever dragged her aboard had not been gentle. The ripped skin burned at the contact with the dirty floor. And then, another violent movement of the waters made her fall right back on her hands. "Fuck! Where are they taking me?"

Piltover was a city surrounded by water. To the west lay the lands of Noxus, Shurima, Freljord, and Demacia. To the east, Ixtal, Bilgewater, Ionia, and The Shadow Isles.

Her investigative instincts heightened. Piltover had no conflicts with any of them, but tensions were rising with one, their so-called ally, Noxus. The first thought that came to her mind was that she had lost her diplomacy with Ambessa. She had been defying her advice too much, confronting her with a very particular dismissive tone. But simple disobedience shouldn't have provoked such a response. If this was, in fact, Noxus who captured her and Ambessa was behind it, it was because she had been followed, her plans discovered, and treachery was a mistake the general would not forgive.

Caitlyn looked around. The barrels had no marks, no brands to identify the merchant that her captors had been dealing with. It was contraband, most likely shimmer from the purple stains on the lids.

How long had this been going on under her nose? How many other criminals had been trading illegally from Piltover's ports?

The laughter and chatter of the men above grew louder. Caitlyn pricked up her ears, but they were probably drunk, because their words were impossible to understand. That was until a small chant confirmed her suspicions. One of the many Noxian war songs. She would recognize it anywhere. She had fallen asleep to it in the background of the city streets for years. In fact, she had heard its chords the night before.

Caitlyn Kiramman, commander of Piltover, kidnapped. Not by just anyone, but by her own mentor. And it was obvious; Ambessa had the most to gain from her disappearance. But Caitlyn had been cautious for months. She had taken every precaution. None of it made sense. Ambessa still needed her, unless… something or someone had awakened the general's need to get rid of her.

She thought back to that morning. It had been a strange day. Not everything had gone according to plan. And that might have been where the mistake lay.

She had woken up at the crack of dawn. There was too much to do on the eve of the third anniversary of the attack on the Council Tower that had claimed Viktor's life along with three council members, including her mother. It was also a day that would determine the future of Piltover and Zaun.

Anxious and unable to stay in bed a minute longer, she got up and dressed in her uniform: gray pants and a white blouse. Her jacket was waiting for her in the hall closet. Nothing could seem out of the ordinary.

By that time, the Piltover Times had arrived at the door. She remembered going out to get it and looked around, but saw nothing suspicious. She picked it up and opened it on her way to the dining room. Hidden inside was the Zaun's news publication. It had been smuggled in by a boy she paid regularly. Its three yellow pages still held the warmth of the morning sun. She unfolded them carefully so as not to tear them. They were thin and had been printed only a few hours ago.

Another Prisoner Dies of Starvation at Stillwater

With this one, fifteen men and women had decided to go on a hunger strike over the past three years to demand justice. Not one of them had even been granted an audience. She had only learned of their deaths by reading that same publication. It didn't matter that she was the highest chief of Piltover; there was information that was strategically kept from her. Even after she demanded transparency from the bailiff, she received no update on the conditions of the prisoners other than that everything was being done according to the law. But each loss added to her guilt. Fifteen Zaunite lives, fifteen failures on her conscience.

Tips for Passing Inspections Smoothly

Among them: not to display blue hair, not to eat in line, not to carry photos of their relatives in their pockets so as not to endanger them, not to hum songs that could be mistaken for political anthems, not to carry books among their belongings, not to have more money in their pockets than necessary or they would be considered thieves.

The list went on, updated each week to protect the Zaunites from abuse by the Noxian military that invaded their streets.

She flipped to the last page. The secret Zaun rebel seal had been stamped in the corner confirming her date. She sat down and put the paper away. Her appetite was gone. The steam from her tea cup danced in front of her as the toast grew colder, her eyes focused on the strawberry jam served on a tiny plate. And then Maddie's voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Are you coming?"

Normally, Caitlyn wouldn't have let her stay the night, but lately, she couldn't shake the need for comfort. She missed someone to be gentle and warm with, someone to have the illusion of protecting. She had been feeling powerless under the constant violence and oppression imposed on her people, and Maddie was convenient. Caitlyn's political status didn't allow her to go out and mingle with just anyone. Not that she wanted to date—the idea was futile, she had too many responsibilities as commander of Piltover to bother with things like that—but the voices in her head had grown too loud over the years to ignore.

What would her mother think of her loneliness?

Before her death, Caitlyn hadn't had a chance to talk to her about Vi, but given how things had gone with Jinx, she thought the most likely reaction Councilwoman Cassandra Kiramman would've had to that relationship would've been a negative one. Maddie, on the other hand, was the daughter of a prominent physician, not noble enough to deserve the title of House but close enough to be the accepted choice. She would've reflected positively on Caitlyn's arm. Besides, Maddie was part of her trusted crew; she understood the job, the stakes. There was support and comfort in her that Caitlyn couldn't find anywhere else.

"Cait? Are you coming?" Maddie insisted, stepping closer to brush a light kiss against Caitlyn's cheek.

The gesture irritated her. Her vulnerability disappeared after sex, and she didn't want to deal with those signs of affection or the confusion that seemed to be growing in her subordinate. They had no romantic relationship. Kissing, bringing flowers to her desk, laughing, or holding hands were unnecessary.

"I'll see you later," Caitlyn replied without looking back; the clock read 6:40 a.m. "I have a few things to sort out here, and then I have an audience with the workers union."

Maddie frowned but didn't argue. A gesture that now seemed suspicious.

Could it have been her? Had Maddie noticed what she had been reading? Had she said something to Ambessa?

Maddie had left without comment. Caitlyn remembered straining her ears until she heard the soft sound of the front door closing and finally felt free to breathe. But the silence of the Kiramman house was too noticeable. It had grown heavier and heavier, pressing against her chest.

Like a magnet, her feet carried her into the study, her mother's office while she worked at home. Caitlyn didn't have any unfinished business there. She just wanted to spend a few minutes alone with her memory. She hesitated for a moment before entering. There was a vague sense of strangeness after looking at the place for too long. Everything that was natural started to become foreign. There were too many books on the shelves, and countless documents and notes had remained untouched on the desk since her mother's death. For a moment, the idea of cleaning it up didn't seem so wrong anymore. But she didn't have time to think about it too much. Giving her a fright, her father walked past her with a bouquet of violets in a vase—his wife's favorites—set them on the table and hurried to open the window.

Caitlyn was startled, immediately catching the scent of the flowers.

"Are you okay, Cait?" he asked.

She wanted to answer but was rendered speechless when a petal fell, swinging in the air until it reached the ground. The absence of her mother hit her again.

The thought arose from time to time. How awful it had been that they had wasted the last years of her mother's life in a rift. They had similar characters and a sense of justice and duty, but their approach was so different that they clashed constantly. As a teenager, Caitlyn absorbed the teachings of her grandmother, who had always told her that while adhering to the law, it was more important to stand up to injustice than to wait for those in power to set things right. Her mother, though with that same sense of morality, had become a politician to protect the people from further injustice. But now that they were both gone, Caitlyn found it difficult to strike a balance. To rule as her mother would have or to protest with the people as her grandmother had done in her youth.

We must lead with kindness and empathy, Caitlyn.

That constant phrase her mother used to say when she was a child popped into her mind. The memories were overwhelming, too much for her to handle.

"Cait?"

"Yes, yes, I'm okay, dad. I'm late for work. See you tonight." She turned around before tears filled her eyes.

After her mother died, her relationship with her father had changed. The closeness that had often bordered on friendship was now affected by the emotional distance Caitlyn had imposed on everyone, deepening her recriminations against herself. The isolation had turned her into a suspicious, calculating, cold woman. She no longer recognized who she had become, or even the city in which she had grown up. The streets now hummed with a symphony of marching boots on the cobblestones, a constant reminder that martial law was still in effect. Stores that had once displayed bright colors, ribbons, and signs now had iron bars in their windows. Merchants had made it a practice to lock up their goods for protection. People had become cautious, fearing another attack, a revolution that could bring more violence and death.

Ambessa had assured her that things would change in time and that the city would relax once Jinx was captured. But it was that very detail, her failure in the pursuit of her mother's killer, that made Caitlyn feel too inadequate and insecure. All she could do to calm people's fears—and her own—had been to reinforce the cells of Stillwater. The place had become more of a fortress than a prison, holding hundreds of Zaunites who had dared to rise up and protest. She could still hear the roar of the reinforced steel doors closing behind her on the day the renovations were completed. But no matter how many layers of security she added to the place, it didn't stop the unease growing among the Piltovians. The Noxian soldiers were imposing, ruthless, and had gradually become aggressive with them.

Caitlyn glanced at her watch. Punctuality was always important—something she had always agreed with her mother on—it was a sign of respect. But she was already late. She quickened her pace, careful not to draw attention to herself—the same reason she had changed her clothes—it was important to go unnoticed in the crowd. Her blue hair was pulled back under her hood, and her hands were in her pockets, one of them playing with the spinning top she was carrying. No one should have recognized her, at least not in the undercity.

When she arrived at the bathysphere, the cart's display screen showed four minutes until departure. She handed the operator her ticket and sat down by the window in the back. From there, Zaun looked like an endless city. It had so many levels that she didn't even know how many more were hidden under the last one visible.

"What are you doing here, Sprout?"

She was startled by the familiar voice, held her breath, then turned to confirm Jayce's presence, sitting right next to her.

"What are 'you' doing here?" she whispered, looking around discreetly. Fortunately, only two other people were in the cart, and they were busy looking out their respective windows.

"I saw you looking suspicious, walking down the street on the opposite way of the Council Tower, so I followed you."

"You shouldn't have!"

"I was worried."

"Of what? I can take care of myself."

"Really? In Zaun?"

"I have a business to attend to."

"What business could you possibly have down there, Cait? That place is dangerous—"

"Look!" She challenged him to shut up. "You should leave. This thing is about to take off and… you're going to give me away."

"I'm not letting you go alone."

Caitlyn huffed, calculating whether she should cancel her plans and get out of the cart herself. If she was found out, it would cause a lot of political problems, not only for her. But in an instant, the bathysphere closed its doors, and a green light came on, indicating that it had begun its descent.

"You could have at least worn something less… official!" She accentuated her frustration even in whispers.

Jayce took a good look at her. He had never really seen her dressing so casual out of her home. He rolled his eyes. Caitlyn's characteristic punishing frown had always had that effect on him. He moved forward, took off his jacket with a swiftness Caitlyn had never witnessed before, turned it around, and put it back on.

"A reversible jacket?" she asked, surprised. Had Jayce started developing modern clothing along with his Hextech inventions? "Interesting."

"Now, where are we going?" he replied, getting back to the subject.

"I will tell you, but this is not the place. Follow me along, but do not intervene, understand?"

He agreed, although Caitlyn was sure he wouldn't be able to comply. After losing Viktor to what he called 'violent Zaun criminals,' he had sworn to always be on the defensive when it came to his friends, despite Caitlyn now occupying a rank higher than he ever had.

He remained silent the rest of the way. When they arrived, she let the other people inside of the cart go out first, then signaled for Jayce to do the same. She was aware of the looks they would get if they seemed too friendly, so they walked the streets with Jayce half a step behind her; around alleys and blocks, between walls filled with Piltover government posters, all graffitied—especially her face—written over with words she would rather not focus on. The district looked worse than the last time she had been there. More people begging for money, more purple veins everywhere, more children without smiles hiding in the shadows at the sound of military orders. That, Caitlyn realized, had also increased.

They ventured into another zone, too hidden to worry Jayce.

"Cait, maybe we should leave—"

And then, a slicing sound flew by, getting in front of them with a green flash, forcing them to stop.

"Hold it!" Scar stepped down from his hoverboard. "You can wait here." He walked to the tunnel entrance and whistled, the echo extending so far it seemed endless. "You were supposed to come alone."

Jayce didn't take the tone too well. He stepped in front of his friend just in case the man turned violent, an action that wasn't appreciated by Scar.

"I had no other choice."

The firelight turned to the tunnel. His foot tapped on the floor with a desperate rhythm.

Topsiders were not trusted, no matter who they were, not anymore. This audience was only taking place because of the urgency of the matter and the trust Caitlyn had personally earned with Ekko years back.

"I should've known you were bringing a bodyguard this time." The man himself came out riding his hoverboard. Ekko approached them slowly, making Jayce tense up. He took a step back, arms outstretched to shield Caitlyn.

"Relax, Jayce. This is a peaceful meeting," she told him.

Ekko stepped down from his hoverboard and walked close to them, taking out his mask. "This wasn't part of the deal."

"I know, I'm sorry. He won't become a problem. Let's talk."

"What's going on?" Jayce asked, confused by the camaraderie between them.

"Wait here. I won't be long," Caitlyn replied, but Jayce wasn't going to let that happen. She wasn't giving one more step without him.

"No. You either tell me what is going on or—"

"Fine!" Caitlyn stopped him from making a threat that could endanger her negotiations. "Ekko, we can trust him," she said, forcing Jayce to lower his defenses as she stepped in front of him. "He is… my best friend."

Ekko looked at him, his nostrils fuming. Jayce Talis was known in the undercity for having imposed awful restrictions and condemning any approach to technology, leaving Zaunites more exposed to gases and dangers they could simply avoid by developing their own devices. He looked at her, looked at him. With each passing minute, Caitlyn was putting herself in more danger and he knew it. He made a gesture to Scar, who came with blindfolds to put over Jayce's and Caitlyn's eyes.

"Absolutely not!" Jayce protested but saw how Caitlyn only stepped forward to be covered and guided to Scar's hoverboard, leaving through the tunnel. "Wait!"

Ekko stayed behind with Jayce, convincing him to wear the blindfold, otherwise he wouldn't have joined her in his workshop. Caitlyn had already taken some documents out of her bag when they arrived.

"This is my offer. I think you'll find it fair."

"We'll see." Ekko picked up the papers and slowly went through them, while Jayce walked astonished at the amount of inventions and plans on the walls and the tables. Parts of ingenious pieces, artifacts not only to improve living conditions, but also to help medically, in common work, even toys. He lost himself in reading the blackboards, passively listening to their conversation.

"The liberation would be immediate?"

"Yes, all prisoners who are not involved with the chem-barons or mafia groups will be released from Stillwater first thing. Then we can begin the economic sanctions against the industrialists."

"Are you sure it will work?"

"If they want to keep their businesses in Zaun, they will comply with the new rules: either they invest in the undercity, or taxes will increase dramatically to allow the government itself to fund the necessary reforms."

"Good, good," Ekko continued to read, flipping through the pages. "I think we can still make some changes, like having our own enforcement offices run by Zaunites. We can't be afraid to leave our homes anymore. We need people who care about our safety, people who understand our struggles."

"It's all in there. A plan to create a law enforcement academy in Zaun. But I also want to implement sensitivity training to the topside, because we can't be divided forever. Eventually we have to integrate as a city before I can reinstate the council with three Zaunites and three Piltovians to guarantee fairness."

"You are planning an alliance?" Jayce reacted as he heard his friend's intentions.

"More of a truce," Ekko clarified, this was not a clean slate, it was an agreed start, always with restoring Zaun's tranquility and good living in mind.

"Whether you like it or not, if you want Zaunites on the council, a political alliance with the elite must be made," Jayce insisted. "And you'll need a seventh-seat or—"

"Or nothing," Caitlyn interrupted him. "Zaun is the hardworking backbone of Piltover. The fact that they have been exploited for centuries, enduring miserable conditions at the benefit of the merchants' vaults, does not disqualify them from integrating into the political process. They deserve the seats, and they will have them when 'I' reinstate the council. If the upper-class doesn't like it, they can move to Noxus."

"This is official," Jayce said, his tone decaying after seeing the papers in Ekko's hands with Piltover's official seal and signature. The agreement was legally binding. He had realized that she and Ekko had done this before, talked about a radical change, but for how long? "Cait—"

She shot him a look, reminding him that he shouldn't intervene.

"We can agree to this," Ekko said, leaving the document on the table. "But you know that we can only support you when you make your move against Ambessa."

"It won't be easy, but I'll handle it. What I need from Zaun now is to stand with me through this, because if I fall with her, this offer will be burned over my ashes."

"I'll do my part here, you have my word."

Both parties were satisfied now that every demand had been met. Securing Zaun's support wasn't an issue for Ekko with the agreement in hand. All that remained was for the revolution to begin, and that would only happen once she lit the match.

"We'll keep our channels open for your instructions."

They shook hands, even though Ekko wasn't the type to be so formal, but this agreement required the seriousness of the action.

"Cait!" a little four-year-old boy called her, excited to see her and ran to give her a hug. Davi—Scar's son—loved when she was around. Caitlyn usually brought him something, a small toy, a children illustrated book, or candy.

"Hey!" She welcomed him in her arms, pulling out of her pocket the spinning top. "Here, to replace the one you lost last time."

He took it in his hands, his smile growing as he admired the vibrant colors. It was nothing like the one it replaced—bigger, brighter. He spun it on his hand, letting the light shine off its surface, then eagerly held it up for his father to see.

"What do you say?" Scar asked him.

"Thank you, Cait!"

"I hope you like it." She caressed his head fur and winked at him.

Jayce was startled by the exchange. Caitlyn had never been one to socialize, especially with children, but this one seemed to have won her heart. He turned back to Ekko, who had been vigilantly watching him the whole time. Jayce offered his hand, hoping that the action would help ease the tension. Ekko didn't take it.

"You still have to prove yourself."

Jayce looked around again. He seemed impressed with the ingeniousness of the man before him. He had that nostalgic look from when he thought of Viktor. "I'll admit you have an amazing mind, Ekko. Please understand, Caitlyn is my family, and this encounter concerns me."

"Jayce—" she intervened, thinking her friend was getting out of line, but she was suddenly interrupted by Ekko.

"We all know the risks Caitlyn is taking. Over the past year, she's shown her commitment to making things right. She's protected us, warned us of attacks, sent us medicine and supplies. My people have suffered enough, and Caitlyn is making sure we're safe, not just today, but in the future. That's something we value. Even with all the mistakes she's made and the pain she carries from her loss, she's proven to be on our side, and we stand with her."

Jayce nodded. "I appreciate that. But I remain concerned."

"You should. We have seen Ambessa's advances in the lanes. She will destroy us all if she is allowed to move forward, Piltover and Zaun."

Jayce turned to his friend, but Caitlyn was resolved. There was nothing else to do. "We won't let her," he said, returning to Ekko. "You have my word and support."

Caitlyn thanked him. She would've wanted to explain how hard she had fought to persuade the Zaunites to reach an agreement, how many battles she had lost with herself and her pain before coming to the conclusion that it was the right thing to do, but she couldn't. They had to go back to lower the risk of exposure.

"We'll give you a ride out." Ekko offered, bringing the blindfolds back. "Be careful."

Caitlyn said her goodbyes, as did Jayce, and they returned to the surface in complete silence. However, she didn't miss the tension emanating from her friend. He had finally grasped the weight of her decisions and the size of the target on her back if this got out.

It hadn't been him who had given her away. She was sure. Jayce would never betray her.

She recalled his clear distaste for Ambessa Medarda, the discomfort that was palpable whenever her name was mentioned. He had shared with her his suspicions about Ambessa's role in Mel's disappearance. Caitlyn remembered the frustration evident in his words when the Noxian general had made her commander of Piltover.

'That woman can be suffocating, Cait, dangerous. Be careful how deep you let her in.'

"Come by this afternoon. We'll talk." Caitlyn told him at the door of her house after their tour through the undercity. She needed to change clothes again, get ready to reincorporate into her workday and make their previous encounter go unnoticed. Jayce understood and walked away. Privacy was needed for such a conversation, and he could wait until later.

She arrived at her office on time but spent the rest of the day lost in her thoughts. The voices of those she met came and went, fading into an indistinct murmur. None of it was important enough to register. Her gaze remained fixed on the latest Piltover emblem hanging in the conference room for hours. Ambessa had strategically chosen a design that blended the old Kiramman crest with the insignia of the Noxian army. A symbol that every officer wore on their uniform, herself included.

"You are too stressed," Maddie told her later that night, giving her a shoulder massage. She had arrived just as Jayce left with all his questions answered. "You need a couple of days off."

Maddie wasn't mistaken. Caitlyn was tired and missed the days when she could lie on her bed and listen to music without thinking about the guilt that had begun eating away at her.

Every night she thought about her ancestors' projects. Her grandmother's, her mother's. All of their designs had been developed with the interests of the Zaunites in mind, yet she had ruthlessly used that same ventilation system as a weapon against them to no avail. The only thing she had accomplished in the first six months of her campaign was to increase the hatred of the lower districts, and not without reason.

The use of The Grey to find Jinx ended the day when one of Zaun's newspapers published a morbid note listing the names of the children and elderly who had been found dead in the streets or floating in the river. All were presumed to have been poisoned by the gases she had ordered to be released. Her heart broke. She had not anticipated the widespread effect of the toxin. Her hatred for the person who took her mother away was such that it blinded her. That same day, she gave the order to disband the Hellfire squad. The use of The Grey, illegal.

It wasn't inconceivable that one of Zaun's leaders, aware of her negotiations with Ekko, had accused her to Ambessa in hopes of some reward. Money, perhaps, or in exchange for someone imprisoned in Stillwater; maybe just for revenge, payment for her actions.

"Come to bed, you need to sleep."

Looking at Maddie had made her feel inadequate in a way she hadn't before, as if that bedroom wasn't where she should be. Maybe it was because her plan had reached a crucial point, or because Maddie wasn't filling her role anymore. She wasn't the one she needed next to her. The place she had occupied in that bed countless times wasn't hers, and suddenly, Vi—lying on top of it—popped into Caitlyn's mind.

"I'm going out. I need to walk."

"It's late."

"I need the air," Caitlyn insisted, putting on a coat.

"Then let me go with you—"

"No!"

Maddie looked at her surprised by the denial in Caitlyn's tone.

"I just want to be alone for a moment. I need… to feel the wind on my cheeks. I'll be back."

Maddie nodded and let her go.

She closed the gates and started walking. The anticipation of the confrontation with Ambessa made her chest tighten with every breath, as if she were trapped in her head with her secret. Anxiety crept into her thoughts, desperate for everything to end so she could be free, wishing to have no complications to solve, to be just another one of her people, not a commander, not a Kiramman, just Cait.

Cait, she's a child!

It's her blood in your veins!

Then why are you the one acting like her?

Promise me you won't change.

I won't.

Caitlyn walked aimlessly, the memories ringing in her ears as if she had just heard them. She turned a corner, walked for another three blocks, and turned again. Suddenly, the air turned colder, a biting wind began to blow. She closed her coat, regretting not putting on gloves—her fingers hurt—when the soft crunch of footsteps behind her sent a chill down her spine.

It's nothing, just walk. It's just a passerby.

She tried to convince herself, but her pulse quickened as the footsteps grew louder. The shadows under the lampposts moved as the crack of boots forced her to quicken her pace, but immediately someone covered her mouth and lifted her off the ground.

She had been foolish to believe that she could just take a walk at night, or that she had the right to behave so carelessly.

"Enough, commander," a deep voice growled next to her ear.

Caitlyn screamed against the man's hand. Her voice was muffled enough that no one could hear her. She kicked and twisted. Her elbow slammed on his side, hitting something solid. The man grunt in pain, grabbing her harder, lifting her shirt up her stomach by the struggle. And then, the cold pressure of a blade against her ribs froze her movements.

"Stop fighting or I'll gut you like a whump!" he threatened, tightening his grip even more. Caitlyn started feeling the pressure of his arms strangling her body. All she could think of was her parents' faces, their concern, their voices.

Keep calm. Think, Caitlyn. Be smart.

The only way to get out alive was to listen to the man, to breathe, to take in all the information she needed to get back from wherever she was being taken. But he was smarter than her. The last thing she remembered before waking up hours later was a damp cloth over her face that smelled of alcohol.

Four days.

That's how long it would take to reach Rokrund, the closest Noxian harbor. From there they would probably take her to Drekan, a small town close enough to The Immortal Bastion—the capital of Noxus. They could hide her there. The journey would take about a month by land. In that time, Noxus could take over Piltover. Ambessa could demand Jayce to start developing Hextech weapons. Something Caitlyn had refused to do, no matter how insistent the general had gotten.

It was that detail that had led Caitlyn to start looking for a deal with Zaun. Ambessa's determination to take radical action in the lanes wasn't aimed at keeping the peace on the topside, but at creating an environment that would raise tensions to the point of actual war, where those weapons would be needed. Since then, Caitlyn had grown increasingly wary of the woman who had become her mentor since her mother's death. Those tactics, those hidden agendas, were not what Cassandra Kiramman would have wanted as her legacy, much less for her only daughter to be manipulated in that way. Caitlyn should've broken their alliance years ago. She had let time pass by without questioning Ambessa's motives in pursuit of her revenge and now she was on a ship to a strange land.

Once again she tried to break free from her bonds. She couldn't. Dark thoughts came over her as she realized she was completely alone among a group of brute men.

Four days.

How long would it be until someone noticed her absence?

Would they know she had been taken or assume she fled?

"She's awake, captain!" The man, who had apparently been watching her said, stumbling to the ground and landing right on his face. He was completely drunk.

"Commander," said a robust goon coming down from the deck. She recognized his voice. He was the same man who had kidnapped her, a giant. "Good to have you aboard."

Chapter Text

The manner in which those men drank was admirable. All day long, bottles and bottles would be emptied and thrown all around the ship. The smell was intolerable, more like filth and rusted metal than a distillery, but with a rotten stench that, with time, got caught in her throat.

They disembarked at the port of Rokrund four days later, just as Caitlyn had anticipated. It was a vast beach with high mountains and cliffs. The echo of the ship, creaking like an angry beast as it docked, reverberated through the huge crags and algae-covered statues, making the landscape even darker and more foreboding. The cold air did the rest, though Caitlyn was already shivering with hunger before they arrived. Whoever was behind her abduction did not consider her valuable. She was just dead weight, an entertainment for her captors.

During the trip, they had made a spectacle of physically abusing her when boredom became unbearable. Every bruise was an achievement in that cruel game. The rules were simple: if they could make her bleed, they earned a point; if they managed to make her cry, they would get a few minutes alone with her to do whatever they wanted. But Caitlyn was determined. None of them would touch her if she could help it. Bleeding was something she couldn't control, but she wouldn't shed a tear.

"Move!" the captain said, yanking her by the rope she was tied to. He had lost all respect for her, if he ever had any.

That disgusting man was the one who had taken the most advantage of the situation, teasing her and touching her at his will. The second day, knowing how hungry she was, he approached her with a piece of fruit in his hand, sat down, took a good bite, chewed with his mouth open—the juices running through his jaw—and spat the seeds on her legs.

"Feeding you is a waste," he had said. He got close and ran his filthy, gooey hand up her leg, squeezing it around her thigh. Caitlyn winced at every bruise and turned her head away from him. " Don't you want to eat?" he had asked, bringing the last bite of fruit to her mouth. "Too bad I can't kill you right here and throw you overboard," he added, taking it away before she could have any and finishing it himself. "The general wants to see your bones before we put you in a pit."

Ambessa, she thought. There were no doubts anymore.

Around his neck hung a medallion that Caitlyn had only seen one other person wear. The general had once told her that she had received it as a prize after the Noxus campaign during the invasion of Ionia. These weren't just mercenaries looking for a reward; they were soldiers, or at least loyalists of hers—and dangerous ones at that, if he had been able to demand that very medallion as payment.

Another day passed before she was given dirty water to drink. The day of the arrival, she had tasted only salt from the air. She was so weak it was difficult to walk.

"I said get moving!"

Caitlyn stumbled as she stepped onto the gravel road, her boots scraping against the loose rocks. The uneven path made it harder to find her footing as she was dragged forward, her wrists burned from the pressure of the bonds. Every step was a struggle, but she forced herself to continue. She couldn't let them see how much she was hurting. If they noticed how injured she really was, they might try to take further advantage of her.

About an hour later, they reached an isolated camp, far from the shore. He tied her to a post. Apparently they weren't going to let her rest, but at least he took the cloth off her mouth.

"Let me go. I'll speak on your behalf if you help me."

"Don't waste your breath. I don't need your help. We are untouchable." He was dismissive, as he really couldn't care any less.

"Think it through. It will be no good for you to stay loyal to Ambessa when she falls for this offense."

"Get a grip, sweetheart." He laughed. "You will never leave this landfill. You are done."

"I said let me go!"

"Ain't nobody out here gonna hear you but the rats!"

"Untie me or you'll regret it!"

"Fine! Scream if you want. When the others get tired of you shouting, they will come and slash you open." He wasted no time in pressing his arm to her throat and licked her cheek when he noticed her disgust at him. "If you gotta piss, holler. Unless you're fine with wetting yourself again. Makes no difference to me." He didn't miss the opportunity to rub up against her leg, his sweat clinging to her clothes, leaving a rancid smell everywhere. But the worst was his rough tongue, which left a trail of drool, and his breath, which smelled of raw fish and garlic. Caitlyn's stomach turned inside her, but she kept a straight face. She wouldn't let him see her fear or give him the satisfaction of a response.

He left laughing, spitting a gob of phlegm on the floor. For a moment Caitlyn was sure that would be the last place she would see. Dirt and dampness clung to everything, the terrain was uneven and dead. She had never thought of landscapes like those. Her privilege had taken her to many beautiful cities on Runeterra, but never to the struggling towns. Noxus or Bilgewater where out of the question. Her mother wouldn't have allowed it.

And that thought made her regret postponing their trip to Ionia. She barely remembered the place. It had been years since she had been there—decades. But her mother really wanted to go. The problem was that Caitlyn was eager to start at the Enforcer Academy as soon as possible, so they had agreed to make the trip after she graduated. Unfortunately, she got the junior position in the force right after that, and they had postponed the trip again. They never went. Another thing they had missed.

"Take out the rum! We are going to feast!"

Some of the men had finished pitching their tents and were lighting fires to eat and drink.

Caitlyn noticed the distinctive Noxian emblem on their axes. A declaration of loyalty they made no attempt to hide. It wasn't just Ambessa who wanted her gone, it was Noxus itself.

The fire grew quickly, and everyone gathered to roast a freshly killed animal over the flames. The smell was both repulsive and enticing—the hunger had reached an uncontrollable level—she could and would have eaten anything that moved. She even dreamed of seeing grass and pulling it out of the ground to choke on, whatever it tasted like.

As the hours passed, Caitlyn's limbs began to go numb, trembling with exhaustion; cold from the ropes that cut off her circulation. If only she could slide to the floor, sleep, escape the relentless pain in her body, but she couldn't.

There had to be a way out.

There were six tents. Four men would sleep in each, maybe more. She had counted twenty-three of them. Too many to attack one by one without being noticed.

The men, once more, drank and ate themselves into unconsciousness. The crude jokes, threats and laughter faded to incoherent muttering, then silence. Maybe there could be an opportunity. Most of them collapsed where they sat, their bodies slumped like discarded sacks of flour. A few remained standing, their movements awkward as they swayed near the fire.

Caitlyn forced herself to stay awake, her eyes searching the camp for a way to free herself. She twitched her fingers, but was unable to loosen the ropes. She needed help. The man who had made them was an expert.

Only a few thugs remained, one of them a young guard near the tents, he seemed drunk but conscious enough to seduce. Young men always thought with their dicks first; it was a vulnerability Caitlyn could exploit. He toyed with his axe, glancing at her smile. Was he dreaming? Could he end the night in bed with the commander of Piltover?

Caitlyn straightened up as much as she could and called out to him, but before he could take a step, a faint sound cut through the silence. A slick, slicing hiss, almost like a metallic whip ripping through the air. Caitlyn froze, her ears attuned as she watched him fall to the ground.

Her pulse quickened. "What was that?"

She opened her eyes wide. Her blurry vision caught only a flicker of movement at the edge of the camp.

And then the chaos began.

Before any of the men who were still awake could comprehend what was happening, their heads lingered from their necks, red slushing out, their bodies slammed into the dirt with a sickening thud. Those who were unconscious were unable to react at all. It was already too late.

One wretched man, who had gone to bed early, came out to take a leak and was struck in the jaw with a fist that snapped his head back with a sickening crunch.

The figure moved like lightning. Caitlyn, in her weakness, thought it might be a demon, she even feared for her own life, her breath caught in her throat until…

"You alright, Cupcake?"

That voice! She knew it!

And, with more energy than if she had eaten a feast, her heart raced with one single thought.

Vi.

"Nod if you can't talk. Are you okay?"

"I don't know."

Was that a dream? Had she died already like that boy?

Vi closed the gap between them. Her knife sliced through the ropes, almost cutting her thin, bruised skin. She caught Caitlyn as she slumped forward, her arms sliding around her back.

"We need to move." Her calm voice contradicted the words she had just spoken. "Akali is clearing out the rest of the camp, but we don't have much time. Reinforcements could be here any minute."

Caitlyn clung to Vi's neck. Her body was too weak to stand on its own. Her mind raced with questions.

Who was this Akali? Were there other allies around? Where did they come from?

But she knew better than to argue. Vi was there. It wasn't a dream. She wasn't dead, and that was all that mattered for the moment.

"Hold on to me," Vi said, her grip firm but gentle. "I'll carry you."

Caitlyn parted her lips, needing to call Vi's name. She had been a vivid thought for so long, but only that. She couldn't even remember the last time she had said it aloud. But no sound came. Her throat was dry and it hurt when she tried to swallow. She needed water and food, but Vi's priority was to take distance from the camp, enough to take a break without putting themselves in danger.

"We're clear," Akali announced as she packed several valuables in her bag, her voice sharp as she emerged from the shadows. She didn't even look at Caitlyn. Her focus was entirely on Vi. "From here it's about ten kilometers to the coast, we can rest in five."

Vi nodded and settled Caitlyn on her back. "Can you cover our tracks?"

Akali rolled her eyes. What kind of question was that? "Obviously. Go."

Caitlyn rested her head on Vi's shoulder. Her words were sluggish. "You… killed them all…" she murmured, her voice cracking.

"We had to," Akali answered for Vi, not bothering to soften the truth. "If we hadn't they would have called for reinforcements and hunted us down. We would've been dead in no time."

There was no arguing with that logic, but knowing a massacre had taken place to save her didn't make it any easier for Caitlyn to accept.

As they descended toward the shoreline, she drifted in and out of consciousness. Fragments of the world flickered past—the sound of boots sticking in the mud, the sharp, clean scent of trees. It no longer felt like the desert where she had been certain she would die.

From time to time, Vi's voice broke through the haze, calm and comforting, though the words never fully formed.

By the time they reached a safe spot, Caitlyn had lost all sense of distance and time. Vi guided her onto a log, her touch careful and deliberate, as if handling something fragile.

"Cait," she said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Wake up. You need to eat something."

"Vi…" Caitlyn reached out as if to touch her, then hesitated.

"Nice to see you again," Vi said, giving her a smile as she served her a bowl with what looked like smashed beans. The sweet smell of the stew made Caitlyn's mouth water. The emptiness in her stomach made noises she couldn't hide, a reminder of how long it had been since she'd eaten. "When we get to the settlement, we'll have something better, I promise," Vi added, sitting down in front of her. "Right now, eat. I'll take a look at your leg."

Caitlyn stuffed the food in her mouth with desperation. It was warm and delicious. The best beans she had ever tasted in her life.

"Those fucking assholes," Vi whispered, cleaning the wounds. The abuse of Caitlyn's captors had left her so bruised that she feared there was internal bleeding.

Caitlyn stopped filling her mouth to chew, her cheeks full, observing how Vi's factions had changed to hard ones. This Vi was more like the one she remembered.

"When did I changed my clothes?" Caitlyn suddenly noticed she was wearing a comfortable and soft sweater and warm pants that did not match with her boots.

"We did on the first stop. We didn't want you to get an infection. Yours were… filthy." Vi continued to carefully bandage her leg with a clean cloth. She was doing it with a gentleness that caught Caitlyn by surprise.

"I don't know how it's not broken. One of those men stepped on it one night."

"You should have told me who it was, I would have broken all his three legs before I cut his throat," Akali joked. Her humor was appreciated by only a few.

"They took turns to torture me." Caitlyn said. "They burnt me and—"

"Yeah, we know… You are covered in wounds," Vi replied as if it weighed on her to see her like this, as if she could have prevented it. She took out another fresh cloth, moistened it with a clear liquid and continued to clean Caitlyn's other injuries.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure you heal to perfection, right Vi?" Akali winked at her friend without restraint, teasing her. Vi only managed to close her eyes, somewhat embarrassed.

"This is Akali," Vi said, introducing them as if they hadn't figured out who they were. "And this is Cait… lyn."

Both women smiled at each other, Vi was acting strange and it was funny.

"Can I ask what the plan is?" Caitlyn interrupted her meal to say. "Are we still in Noxus?"

"Yes, we have about half a day's walk to the settlement. But if we keep going at this pace, they won't be able to catch us."

"Where is this settlement?" Was Caitlyn's next question. Her thought was that if they had to cross the border into the Piltovian Mountains, any settlement was part of the land she commanded. She could send a message, spread the word of Ambessa's betrayal. Ask her enforcers to send help.

"It's better that you don't know," Akali shot her down. She knew it would be harder for Caitlyn to question her the way she would question Vi.

She paused mid-chew. She wasn't stupid, there was something not being said. The thought lingered for a few minutes, but she kept it to herself. "Fine. But would you at least tell me what our final destination is?" She no longer trusted that they would take her straight to Piltover.

"The job is to deliver you back to your father," Vi confirmed, casting another doubt.

"The job?"

Vi regretted her choice of words. She should've remembered Caitlyn was very particular about details like that.

"I'll… keep watch," Akali said, getting up to give them some privacy. "Hurry. We can't be here for too long."

"So… I'm a job?" Caitlyn resumed her question once they were alone.

Vi took her time answering. "Word got out about your disappearance. Someone from your house sent a message to the Order."

"The Order?"

"Yes. In—"

"Ionia." Caitlyn was sharp with knowledge of the various organizations that had sprung up to defend their people against the Noxian invasion. "Akali…" She connected the dots. "The Kinkou Order led by Shen."

"She is no longer a part of it. She formed her own. We—"

"We?" Caitlyn stopped eating completely, putting the last bite on the side. "Are you a part of this Order?"

Vi tried to guess Caitlyn's tone. Was she surprised or angry? Did she agree with the new way of things, or would she protest?

"I am," Vi replied, taking the spoon with the last bite and eating it herself. She was hungry too. "I started training with Akali almost three years ago. Now, I'm a bounty hunter with her."

"An 'Order' that hunts people? For money? How noble."

Those words and that tone were her answer. Caitlyn didn't exactly approve.

"There are many things you don't understand, Cupcake. And I cannot explain it all to you now. We have to keep moving. So, please, rest, drink some water and get ready. Akali and I can't keep carrying you. You have to pull your own weight." Vi was harsh, but her tone was calm, something Caitlyn didn't know how to handle. Of all the possibilities of what Vi could've become after their separation, joining a ninja order just to be paid for acquiring goods or capturing people was not what she had imagined in her wildest dreams. But what hurt the most was the exact definition of what she herself had become. A commodity to be exchanged for some coins. She wondered how many.

Akali looked at Caitlyn over Vi's shoulder as they gathered a few steps away.

"You shouldn't have told her about 'the job.'"

"I can't tell her the truth yet. And you better not say anything either. I promised to bring her home safely. That's all she needs to know."

"I'm not going to complicate things for you. That was not why I offered to help you," Akali made it clear. She was on Vi's side.

"I know."

"Well, at least I can say that now I understand why you were such a mess when we met."

"Shut up."

"She's pretty hot, all bruised and bloody. I wonder what she looks like in uniform."

Vi didn't have to answer. Her serious look had settled on her face.

"Remember, Vi. Breathe, focus, let the balance in. Find your peace," Akali mocked her friend.

Vi just took a deep breath, nothing else. When it came to Caitlyn Kiramman, balance and peace were not nouns she could manage.

Along the following hours, the forest grew denser with each step. The terrain became uneven, unexplored, but it was pleasant to see the hill tinted in a faint yellowish orange. At last dawn broke. Caitlyn's weakness made her legs tremble with fatigue, and it was impossible for her to avoid slipping in danger of falling. She breathed heavily. The icy air clung to her skin. Vi stayed close, her unwavering presence both reassuring and irritating.

With each stumble, Caitlyn's sense of defeat deepened. Her body punished her greatly, begging for rest. She secretly wished she were stronger, like Vi and Akali, who moved as if it were a walk in the park. Her pride was in pieces. Relying on them felt humiliating, but Vi's watchful gaze still made her feel protected.

"Here, have a drink." Vi held out some water without slowing her pace. Her tone was calm, almost distant, which only added to Caitlyn's frustration. But in the quick glance Vi gave her, she caught a flicker of concern.

She accepted the canteen, unscrewed the lid and continued walking. The cold water was refreshing, but in that delight, her concentration decreased. Her foot stumbled over a root hidden under the fallen leaves. Before she could fall, Vi's hand grabbed her arm and held her up.

"Careful!" she warned her, pulling her to her side. Knowing she was okay, she let go, pointing to the ground in front of her.

Caitlyn's breathing quickened from the action. Half-buried in the ground was a huge metal device with sharp teeth on its multiple circumferences, giving it a sinister appearance.

"Is that a—?" Caitlyn opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Her heart pounded in her chest as she recognized the weapon. She had studied it. It was more than just a bear trap, it was designed to inflict maximum damage.

"An old Noxian biter, yeah," Vi confirmed, bending down to inspect it. She got up to grab a branch from the ground, took a few steps back, shielding Caitlyn with her body, and threw it inside.

The device closed furiously, one circumference after another with violence. The last one was the most shocking. If she had stepped on the trap, it would have ripped her head off.

Caitlyn held her breath. It reminded her of Jinx's devices, unpredictable.

"It's been abandoned for years," Vi said, bending down again to make sure it wouldn't cause any more trouble.

Caitlyn joined her and examined the weathered metal. "It's rusty and it looks like it's growing some kind of mold."

"Yeah. It's disabled now, but we should be careful. This could have been a battleground at some point. There could be more traps around."

Akali caught up with them, her eyes alternating between the trap and Caitlyn.

"You were lucky. The fields of Ionia were full of these during the war. "I've seen terrible amputations and bodies dismembered in horrible ways," she said casually, enough to frighten Caitlyn. "I'm with Vi, let's be careful. Some of these are easy to spot, others… not so much. Right, Vi?"

Vi cleared her throat, trying to signal her friend not to tell the story.

"Once, 'this one' almost lost her life after stepping into an explosive mine while we were cleaning up a field in Fae'lor. If Karma hadn't shielded her on time, she would have exploded into a million pieces. Splash! Puff!"

Vi wanted to kill her. Although she knew her friend would use any opportunity to instill some fear in Caitlyn.

Caitlyn's throat tightened as looked back at the trap, the weight of what might have happened settling in. Then she glanced up at Vi, who was already ahead of her again. How much of her life had she missed over the years. The possibility of losing her to death itself made her irrationally angry, as if leaving Piltover and putting herself in danger was all Vi's fault.

"We should be safe once we see the wild strawberry bushes." Akali informed them. "After that, it should only be about twenty kilometers to reach the border."

'Only' seemed far too many. Caitlyn had not been trained for this kind of journey, not to mention all the beatings she had received over the past few days, her body was truly sore.

What a joke. That's what I am, a fucking joke.

She had gone through the Enforcer Academy to serve the people, to help her city, to fight against those who disturbed the established order. But she was no soldier, that much was clear, certainly not ready for war, not even after three years of training with Ambessa. Her role as commander was something she didn't deserve. Carrying that title meant having the power to decide on the battlefield, make strategic decisions, move troops, but also lead on the ground and be able to recognize danger. Something she knew—after this brief encounter with a weapon of war—that she had been deliberately shielded from. But unlike her mother, who always kept her out of certain situations to protect her, Ambessa had done it to instill in her a confidence that could easily cost her her life if necessary. Not that Caitlyn didn't already know that, but being reminded that she had been a peon all along, while the real queen moved her pieces on Piltover's board, made her blood boil.

"Tell me where we're going." Where is this settlement?" She demanded to be informed.

Vi turned slightly, her expression calm but guarded. "I can't tell you that."

"Bullshit!" The scream came in anger, bringing them to an abrupt halt. Vi gathered her patience and turned around. Caitlyn's forehead was furrowed; her lips, pressed tightly into a pout.

"Breathe, Cupcake—"

"Stop calling me that! My name is fucking Caitlyn!"

Akali stopped immediately as well. What an opportunity for some mockery.

Vi knew her friend wanted to make a comment, and if it had been anyone else, she would have joined in the joke, but she shook her head slightly, letting her know that Caitlyn wasn't ready to be made fun of.

"So, where is this settlement? Tell me!"

Vi walked over, stopping just an inch from her nose.

"We will talk. I will answer your questions. But this is not the place… Caitlyn." She made sure to call her as she had asked… mostly. "Once we are safe, you can bombard me with your doubts and accusations. Now we will walk… in silence. We can't be distracted, and we can't stop. Noxians are fast and accurate. It's too dangerous. Got it?"

Caitlyn's fists clenched at her sides. She wanted to argue, to force Vi to give her answers immediately. But the calm authority in Vi's voice left no room for protest. She took the order, just as she had followed Ambessa's advice plenty of times. That was who she was. She wasn't a leader. She wasn't on a level to know everything about any plan. She was a commander of nothing.

Her features didn't change during the rest of the journey. Everything that had happened in the last three years played on a loop, noticeably fueling Caitlyn's anger.

"We'll eat and rest here," Vi said when they reached a field of pink flowers. She let go of the tension in her neck, rolled her shoulders back, took a deep breath, exhaled after a couple of seconds, and repeated the action a few times before stretching her legs.

Caitlyn chuckled. "So zen," she snarked, took a plate of food from Akali and walked to a lonely spot a few meters apart.

"She has a temper," Akali told Vi as they shared a drink.

"She doesn't like not being in control."

"Uh, kinky."

"Stop! We never did that. And it doesn't matter," Vi cut off her friend's insinuations. "Once we reach the settlement, I'll answer all her questions."

"Are you sure? All of them?" Akali asked. Was Vi really going to reveal her true motives?

Vi wanted to say that she would, but she knew that her ultimate reasons wouldn't necessarily sit well with Caitlyn, nor was she permitted to disclose them. "Maybe. I don't know. I have to tell her a few things at some point, right?"

"Well, she is pissed. I don't know if she'll understand. But if you decide to tell her… Just… don't forget to mention what you did." Akali winked at her, this time as a loving gesture, caressed her arm and went off to look for truffles. They were scarce in the region, but sometimes she got lucky in woods like those.

Vi looked back at Cait… Caitlyn… 'Fucking Caitlyn.'

The distance between them, both physical and emotional, was somewhat foreign. Everything had changed since the day they parted. And it wasn't as if they had shared much before, their romance had been fleeting, but when they first met everything had been so easy, so natural. Now the situation was completely different.

Akali was right, it probably wasn't a good idea to tell her. Assimilating the truth would not be easy and could be interpreted as a disguised lie for the purpose of manipulating her.

As they continued toward the settlement the terrain became steeper, the air grew colder. Caitlyn's muscles screamed in protest, twisting and cramping her legs and arms, but she forced herself to keep moving. She couldn't bear to ask Vi for help again, though she had always been there to steady her, Caitlyn had refused the aid. The least she could do was 'pull her own weight', as Vi had said earlier.

"We're close—" Vi stopped abruptly, focusing her listening. Her hand held up warning the other two women.

"I see the smoke of a flare, they are not that far," Akali added and started collecting a bunch of leaves in a hurry.

"Caitlyn, jump on my back."

"What? What's happening?"

"The Noxians are close. Jump on my back."

"I can walk."

"We need to run, can you run? I don't think so. Just jump on my back… Now!"

Caitlyn looked down the hill, her markswoman eye quickly spotted the red smoke. She did as she was told, and with unimaginable force and speed, Vi carried her through the trees. Akali still covered their tracks a few steps behind them, but with the same speed.

"Hold on, we are almost there."

No more than half a kilometer ahead, Vi slowed down. Akali moved forward, released the leaves on the ground and Vi stepped on them before putting Caitlyn down in the spot right next to her.

"Don't walk outside the leaves," she said. They were right in front of a sheer mountain. Akali rushed to their side, exchanging a glance with Vi, then they closed their eyes and began to chant, their voices low and melodic.

"What… What are you doing?" Caitlyn asked in a whisper. Was it really time for meditation?

Neither of them answered. Caitlyn looked around, she couldn't see the Noxians anymore, but she wanted to run before they showed up. She didn't want to be under their control again, submitted to their cruelty.

The chant grew louder, sharper, fuller, as if other voices had joined them. The hairs on Caitlyn's neck stood up as the air around her hummed with energy. The leaves under them started floating, circling around as a faint light shimmered inside the mountain, growing brighter by the second. Slowly, the light turned into a gateway, revealing the hidden settlement.

"Get in," a serene voice said from inside, again, mismatching the urgency of the situation. As soon as the three of them entered, the leaves fell, covering their final steps and the gate closed, leaving no trace behind.

Caitlyn's breathing accelerated in a way that frightened the woman. The fear of falling back into the hands of those unscrupulous men had led her to panic. She approached her, trying to calm her down. She didn't want Caitlyn to faint or have a blackout from hyperventilation on top of her existing injuries.

"Look at me, commander," she said in a very quiet tone. "You are safe here, we all are. Even if they split this mountain in two, they would never find us." The woman placed her hands over Caitlyn's head, saying words she didn't understand. The energy covering her was warm, and it slowly reached her feet.

Vi stood close after asking Akali to go and rest, she would watch over Caitlyn.

"Breathe with me… In… Out… In… Out."

Caitlyn, a lot calmer after the exercises, stared in awe at the place. Small houses were scattered under a warm golden light coming from above acting like a sky. The air carried the scent of wood, smoke and wet earth, and the faint murmur of voices carried on around with a soft echo.

"What is this place?"

"This is our settlement," the woman replied. "It is a safe haven. The Noxians won't find you here."

"How is this even possible?"

"We will talk about that in a couple of days, but first you need to be tended to by our healers."

"Thank you, Luna," Vi said, making a small bow.

"Welcome back, little one." She gave her back a warm, proud smile. "I knew you could do it."

"Almost didn't."

"When are you going to learn to see the positive side of things?" Luna laughed. "Take the commander to the infirmary and settle in your huts. I've set you two in the back. When you are done, come into the dining hall. We'll have your food ready." She rested her hand over Vi's shoulder for a second and walked away.

Caitlyn couldn't understand how comfortable Vi was with it all, how everyone seemed so familiar with her.

"I promise you'll be safe here, Caitlyn."

There it was again. The use of her full name made her regret her earlier rant. She would have preferred to be called Cupcake. Caitlyn's anger, though not completely gone, had subsided.

"Mostly you have bumps and bruises, but all minor, thanks to your physical condition. You have muscle, not much, but it was enough to protect you," the healer said, turning to Vi. "I see you applied the ointment I sent you."

"Yes, I also cleaned her wounds on the boat to prevent infection, but I am concerned about her right leg."

"The boat? What boat?"

"You were passed out."

Caitlyn tried to remember, but those first few hours were thicker than fog.

"The leg is fine, more bruised than the other, but it'll feel better in a few days," The healer helped Caitlyn get up and offered her a cane for her to walk. "Try not to put much weight on it and rest, eat, relax. You'll start feeling better soon."

Caitlyn thanked the woman whose warm touch had alleviated her pain. Who knows what was in the tea she gave her, but it had tasted miraculous.

Vi offered her arm which Caitlyn took, her frustration gone by then. They walked together in silence until they reached the end of the pathway. The structures of the entire camp were something she had never seen in her life. Places like this only existed in the children's books her mother used to read to her when she was young. It was as if nature had molded into the shape of little houses, the vines twisting into beautiful forms, flowers growing naturally from the branches.

Inside, the space was inviting, fireflies lit the room, a bed—almost at floor level—and a private bathroom.

"There's a set of clean clothes on the chair and there's always warm water. If you want it hotter, let me know. I'll ask someone to heat it up for you," Vi said, letting Caitlyn familiarize herself with the place. "I'll be right next door if you need me."

Caitlyn's jaw tightened, she wanted to thank her and Akali, but it didn't feel like the right moment. Her mind was full of questions, and she preferred to let Vi go, she was probably tired too.

The small hut was modest but comfortable, it had everything anyone could need. No fancy mirrors or shower handles like back at the Kiramman mansion, but how refreshing had that shower been. When she was done she could still hear water falling, she assumed it was coming from Vi's room.

For an instant Caitlyn could picture her. The long strain of pink hair she now had falling on top of her back. Vi wasn't skinny anymore, she had built up muscle and the picture in her mind immediately adjusted.

Stop it, Caitlyn.

She reproached herself and shook off the thoughts. She lay down on the bed. So soft and alluring, but even though she was exhausted, she was even more hungry.

People around the commune moved freely. It was the first thing Caitlyn noticed when she came out for dinner. Their expressions were serene, just like Vi's. For a second, she remembered her childhood, the peaceful environment she grew up in, in contrast to what Piltover was now.

The main hall was in the center, the air carrying the comforting aroma of herbs and spices. Inside, the round tables were arranged in floral patterns, with fresh fruit, bread and steaming bowls of soup on the service tables. Caitlyn stopped at the entrance, feeling out of place among the cheerful faces of the settlement's inhabitants. But Vi, coming from behind, invited her in to sit with her and Akali.

"You have no idea how good the Ramen is here!" Akali mentioned with such excitement it made Caitlyn smile.

"Ramen is her favorite. Every kind. But I'd rather have the squash soup."

"Boring," Akali contested. "What about you, Piltovian? Are you on the right side, or the bland orange mush side?"

"I'm… I guess that… the squash?"

"Ugh. That's why you have problems in your 'City of Progress.' You don't know how to eat. Noodles are everything! And I repeat E-VE-RY-THING in this world."

A woman approached them, placing a bowl of soup in front of each, some toasted bread and a cup of tea.

"Thank you."

The woman offered a small smile before moving on.

"Hey, Luna. Can I join you? I have to ask, what is this new spice you are putting in my ramen. I love it!" Akali's enthusiasm carried her away, leaving them alone.

Caitlyn glanced at Vi, who was already eating, unhurried, not like the day they had met. "I know you already told me but… What is this place? For real," she asked, her voice low not to be heard by their hosts. They had been too kind, and she didn't want to be impolite. "Who are these people?"

Vi didn't look up. "It's an Ionian safe house. A friendly place to stay when you're traveling."

"It's peaceful," Caitlyn agreed. "Yet… covert."

Vi looked up then. "It's secretive, yeah. Maybe against your laws but it's the only way Ionia has to ensure safe passage."

"Passage…? You mean this is not just a hidden place… It's… a portal."

"Shh," Vi begged Caitlyn to keep her thoughts to herself. "You are too smart for your own good. I shouldn't have mentioned anything. These are not my stories to tell."

Caitlyn understood. Vi, in the end, was also an outsider. "So… you live here?"

"No. The Order uses the settlements to accomplish missions fast and without trouble. That's all."

"Jobs. Like me."

Vi lost her appetite. She left the spoon inside the bowl and held back a growl before saying, "Can't you let it go, Cup… Caitlyn?"

It stung again. Once more Vi had stopped herself from calling her that unique nickname Caitlyn secretly loved so much.

"Look, this place is hidden for a reason. And I get you are Piltover's commander and all but remember that they are saving your life right now. Be kind to them the moment you get back to your…"—Vi didn't know if she should call it a throne, office or a simple chair—"city."

But Caitlyn's title didn't allow her to just accept the conditions laid on the table, and she had more questions.

"You rescue people?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because good people are taken from their homes every day, and they deserve to come back."

"So you don't do it for the money?"

"Money is a part of it. I still have to eat."

"How much are they paying you for me?"

Vi knew that if she kept her jaw clenched like she was doing, Caitlyn would see her anger. She didn't like the implication, and the real answer was something she couldn't reveal, no matter how much she wanted to. She was bound by agreements she had made specifically to save her.

"There is always a price to everything. A cost."

"How much is mine, my life?"

Vi huffed. "Trust me… you don't want to know that."

"A lot then."

Caitlyn's pursed lips showed how much this bothered her. But if she thought Vi would do it for money, she really didn't know her.

Vi stood up from her chair, unwilling to respond to the accusation. "Let's make a deal." The uncharacteristic calm tone Vi had had since she rescued her faded in those few words. "The minute I get you back to your father, you can ask him how much he is paying me. And then you can come and judge me all you want."

She threw the napkin on the table and walked away to her room, leaving Caitlyn with yet more questions than before.

Chapter Text

For someone who had spent the last seven years in a cold, dark, urine-stained cell on the 40th underground floor of Stillwater Prison, fear was not a new concept for Vi; it was her most faithful companion. And yet, returning to live in Zaun after leaving the squad that Caitlyn led to capture Jinx—where Vi had worked as part of Zaun's oppressors for the past four months—made her nervous. The undercity was plagued with very dangerous people, and she had been declared an enemy by all.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Maddie asked as she waited for Vi to change her clothes in exchange for her uniform. They had met at Vi's request in one of the many enforcer quarters in Piltover. "You could get a place in town, go to the Enforcers Academy, or maybe get a job in security."

Vi kept her eyes on the blue jacket, the gold trim that covered the hem and the embossed metal emblem of her badge. She thought that taking off her uniform would feel relieving, liberating in a way. She had never really felt a part of the group, it was only out of guilt that she had accepted the role, for Cait. But now that Caitlyn had made her position clear—Vi carried Jinx's blood, she was the enemy—it became the opposite of freeing. It was as if she had traded one label for another, from righteous enforcer to criminal.

She walked out of the locker room and handed it over. "It's not my place," she replied. She was determined to leave, even if it hurt.

The plain gray fabric of those pants and shirt that Maddie had gotten for her seemed alien, not at all her style, but it would keep her under the radar. Walking the streets of Zaun in an enforcer's uniform was practically begging for trouble, and that was the last thing she needed. She tucked the sides of the long shirt into her pants, ready to leave, but decided to ask Maddie for one more thing.

"Just… do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Keep an eye on Caitlyn," Vi said, her raw voice showed her vulnerability. The squad had always known about their unspoken connection. It was too obvious. They gathered that something important had happened between them if Vi was leaving, but they never asked. "She's going to need someone she can trust. Someone loyal."

Maddie agreed. Her throat was tight with the weight of the request. Vi was leaving a void she didn't know she could ever fill. "I will. You know I will."

Vi didn't linger. Goodbyes weren't her style, and the ache of leaving Caitlyn behind was already tearing her apart. Without another word, she turned and walked away, the sound of her boots fading into the distance.

Maddie watched her go, fearing her absence would send Caitlyn into a downward spiral. Vi didn't look back.

The undercity was a violent mess when she arrived. Noxian soldiers had stationed themselves at every corner. Any movement was monitored, and if people strayed, they were beaten down. It didn't matter if it was in broad daylight. The repression was worse than she remembered when she was a child. The streets, littered with broken glass, glowed with the neon lights of the signs above. The stench of chemicals and decay clung to the air, thick and relentless, hard to breathe.

Vi walked with her head down under her hoodie, her fists shoved into her pockets, ignoring the catcalls from passing gangs. She had no intent of starting a fight, though that was probably the only thing she could do in the undercity to survive. Her whole life she had been drawn to it. As a child, she trained endlessly with the metal gauntlets her parents had sent made just for her. She would fantasize about being the hero of the stories she read, tales of dragons and monsters that she would defeat with one punch. She wasn't an inventor, or a musician, she hated math and science, but she would spend hours punching a bag. Vander thought it was cute, like she had inherited something straight from him, and made it his mission to teach her how to be a better fighter. He showed her how to use the weight of her body to have the advantage, how to take an impulse, to lift people off the ground and put them right back down. And as all childhood obsessions, it became her every thought.

The Coliseum wasn't far away now, a bit concealed maybe, but Vi had already walked deep enough that enforcers wouldn't enter. It was a gambling place, illegal by Piltover laws, but a decent business by Zaun's standards. Its flickering sign, barely visible through the smog, had a spray-painted 'open calls' note.

Inside, the air was no better—hot, suffocating, and tinged with sweat and blood. The crowd roared as two fighters circled each other in the pit, their faces bruised, their movements sluggish. Vi barely glanced at them as she made her way to the back, where the boss ran his business.

"What the fuck are you doing here," he grunted recognizing her.

"I want in tonight."

He stopped what he was doing and took a hard look at her. "What happened? Did Piltover kick your ass already? Did you finally realize that, to them, you are just a piece of shit? Like a slave?"

"I left. That was never my place."

"Finally! No, it wasn't your place! You didn't have to hunt us down like rats! Poison us! Kill us!" His fist hit the table so hard that his drink spilled from the glass. "You are a traitor, kid. Vander would be so fucking disappointed at you. Your parents."

The thought had been bothering her since she accepted to wear that badge. The man was right, Vander wouldn't be proud and she doubted her mother, at least, would've agreed. From what she remembered and what Vander constantly repeated, Felicia was a revolutionist, an intellectual who spent her free time reading and discussing social matters, an abolitionists. Becoming an enforcer went against everything she believed in.

"I'll earn my spot. Put me in. You won't regret it."

The man leaned back in his chair and looked away in disgust. This was a child he had watched grow since birth. He was friends with her parents, with Vander.

He carried the tobacco to his mouth and opened the lighter with one hand. The flame came out big, red, and soon the room was filled with smoke.

"Vander sacrificed everything for you kids," he said, turning as he exhaled so far that the gray cloud got in Vi's face. "He shouldn't have. We lost a great man who thought it was a good idea to protect a bunch of fools and then, you disappear, your sister joins Silco, and now, you are back again in Zaun as a fucking enforcer?"

"I'm done with that."

"Are you sure? Or are you just here to get Jinx out of hiding and give her to those wretches? The same ones who killed your parents!"

Nothing he said was false, but she couldn't think about it anymore. It was time to leave that bump behind.

"It was a mistake. I know that now."

"Maybe 'now' it's too late."

"Citrus, I need the spot. I'll make you money—"

"See? This is what I mean. Who the hell are you, kid? What gives you the right to come back to this place? To beg for a spot on my fights!"

Vi honestly didn't know. Her gaze fell on her red, worn boots with black half-made laces. Vander had gotten her a similar pair for her birthday the last year they spent together, she didn't have enough time to wear them.

What would've been of her and Powder if he didn't take them in?

"But you know what?" The man pulled her out of her memories. "Yeah. I'll give you a spot. People here need to let off steam, to work out their anger, and what better than a real-life enforcer."

"I'm NOT an enforcer," Vi said through gritted teeth.

"Prove it. Fight… fairly. No gauntlets. Take your punches. Become a Zaunite again."

A Zaunite. The concept felt foreign. She was born in Zaun, true, but in a way she had grown up in Stillwater and that prison had taken that part of her identity away. Maybe this would give her some of it back.

"I won't let you down."

That night, the fight was brutal. Her opponent was meaner and angrier than he could've been if he was fighting against anyone else. But Vi knew how to use her speed and precision to her advantage. She ducked under a wild swing and landed a solid blow to his ribs. The crowd booed. They wanted him to win. She didn't stop fighting back, retreating at the right moments, moving from side to side, stepping forward when she saw his mistakes, until he was on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. He wasn't the only one venting his anger.

Afterwards, she stumbled into the dingy bathroom, her hands trembled as she splashed water on her face. The mirror above the sink was cracked, distorting her reflection. Her left eye was shut, blood running from her eyebrow to her mouth. Her pink hair was covered with sweat and dirt from the times she had fallen, her knuckles raw and bloody.

Would Vander be proud now?

Before she could leave, a gang of men cornered her in the hall. Vi knew what they were about to do. There were too many of them, but she fought back. She hit one in the eye, another in the stomach, one in the chest, the next in the nose. She used her arms, her legs, her whole body to push them off her. But in the end, the beating they were going to give her was inevitable. She was left on the ground unable to move. Some of them spat at her, and she understood: winning a match wasn't going to earn her a place back in Zaun.

With the money she earned, she rented a place in a clandestine area of the city where the enforcers did not dare to enter. It was a very small room, five floors up from the main street, but at least it had heat and a sink, the bathroom was at the end of the hallway. Before going upstairs, she stopped by the corner store buying the cheapest and biggest bottle of hard liquor she could find and opened it, drinking it all the way to her new bed. The mattress was so thin that sleeping on the floor would've been the same thing. But it was better than her cell.

There was no compassion for inmates in prison. No one had rights, everyone had duties, and the beatings were the order of the day. It was still fresh in her mind how, after being thrashed by the guards at Stillwater, she'd lay on her back on the freezing concrete trying to soothe her quickly inflamed body. There was no infirmary there, no doctors. The most she got was a bucket of water the enforcers changed every morning, left for the inmates to do what they needed, clean themselves or drink along the day. She always left some just in case she needed to clean her bloody wounds, and it was so cold that she'd spend the rest of the night shivering. The only thought that kept her going was to break out one day and look for Powder. But how well had that turned out?

She finished the bottle of rum. All of those wishes were gone. Nothing was bringing her sister back, but she could drink herself to numbness and get some sleep.

Over the next few months Vi signed in for fights. Slowly, but surely, the Zaunites started to let her off the hook. She had shed too much blood in that ring to ignore the reality: she was not one of the topsiders, not an enforcer, she was one of them.

Night after night, she fought, later she got drunk at the bar, danced with some sleazy girl looking for a good time and then crashed back at her place, alone. She justified it as not wanting to deal with the drama of her conquests. The truth was that she wasn't ready to let Caitlyn Kiramman out of her mind. The memory of her blue hair, her soft lips, her kind bright eyes looking back at her as they laid in Caitlyn's bed, was there each time she closed hers.

Soon enough she started covering her face with dense black ink. The dark look started to feel more like her, it reflected how she felt inside. Broken, submerged in darkness.

One night, after a particularly brutal fight, Vi dragged herself to the bar, wiping blood from her lip as she sat at the front, demanding a drink, the stingiest one they had. Her head buzzed with remnants of adrenaline and the numbness of her limbs. The burn of the liquor was like medicine. The only thing that allowed her to blur reality enough to pretend she could forget.

"This one is from that lady," Choncc said, sliding a drink of a vibrant neon orange and nodding toward a stranger on the other side of the bar.

That's when Vi noticed her. She was watching her from across the room. She sat in the shadows, her posture relaxed, her eyes never leaving Vi's. She wasn't like the other women in the room—all loud and looking for a party. She was calm, studying the scene with the precision of someone who knew the weight of violence that could ensue in that part of town.

Vi couldn't help but stare back. There was something about her, a presence, a quiet power that made Vi feel attracted to. She stood up to walk toward her, turned back for a second to pay Choncc for her drinks, but when she looked back at the spot, the woman was gone.

She wondered if she had been a figment of her imagination, just like Caitlyn when she appeared from time to time in the middle of the dance floor. The difference was that she didn't know this woman. She was a complete stranger, definitely not a local.

The night went on. By the time she got to her room, the drinks had accomplished their purpose, so much so that she didn't notice that woman waiting for her by the door.

She watched Vi stagger from the railing to the wall and back several times, but she didn't uncross her arms to help her. It was a particularly funny scene. "You good?" she asked, watching the drunken mess that couldn't find her keys. "Want me to help you out?"

Vi grinned, though it was more a sneer than a smile. "Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my place?"

"You left the bar."

"Well, I don't live there. And just for the record, I'm not looking for a companion tonight. I just need my bed."

"I wouldn't sleep with you!" The woman chuckled. "I'm here to offer you a job."

Had she asked for one?

No, was the answer that popped in her mind. "I've got no time for whatever you're selling. I throw punches, that's my job."

"You are too good to fight lowlifes in a ring for the rest of your life."

"You are mistaken, Noodles. I'm not good at anything. I fight because that's the only thing I know how to do… and I do it very well."

"Noodles?"

"You have chopsticks in your hair, what else am I supposed to call you?"

The woman smiled. Vi was funny. "Akali, you can call me Akali." She leaned in slightly, carefully taking Vi's keys from her back pocket and helped her open the door. "What I'm offering is bigger than this fighting you love so much. Something worth your time, your skills."

"I already told you… no."

"There's money involved," Akali tried to call her attention with that offering, failing. Vi wasn't the type to worry about having more money than she needed to live one more day.

"What part of 'no' don't you understand?"

"The part where you refuse. Look, I need someone that can be quick, that can have my back and show me around."

"You got the wrong person. I know nothing of this place. Now, if you need a tour of prison, that I can do. I know Stillwater by heart. Although… if I show my face over there I might not get out again." Vi thought aloud. "Find someone else."

"The kind of job I offer requires brains, not just brawn."

"Well, there you go. I'm all brawn, no brains."

"I think you are mistaken. To fight the way you do, to have survived the way you have for your entire life, you need more than a pair of fists. And to be honest, I didn't pick you off the line at the Coliseum. Your name was recommended."

"Me? Recommended? No one fucking knows me outside the ring, not here, not anymore."

"People appreciate you, Vi. They speak highly of you. And from what I've been able to find out, you are not destined to live your life as the punching sack of anyone for a few coins."

Vi looked inside her room. There were bottles all over the floor. Some unfinished, some empty. Her life had become just that. To fight and to drink. Day after day. She didn't even remember when was the last time she had had a decent meal. But she wasn't some lost soul who needed saving. She had earned that life for failing Vander, for losing Jinx, for being the cause of Caitlyn's pain. That was her place. A room that reeked of alcohol and blood on her sheets. A prison she had made of her own.

"I'm fine the way things are," Vi replied, her voice spoke of her own disappointment.

"You know, I once was told the story of a woman with purple hair and gray eyes," Akali said, straightening herself up. Vi continued listening, for some reason unable to enter her room, as if something in her chest begged her to accept this offer. "She had two kids. Daughters. She wanted the best for them, and since being a philosopher in Zaun pays nothing, she worked the mines."

Vi frowned at the description. Was she talking about her mother?

"One day, looking for a better life for all of them, she went to the topside to protest. Probably the only thing she could do for them, to show them they deserved more. She never came back."

Vi slid with all her force and, in a fraction of a second, had Akali pinned to the wall—one millimeter from landing a punch right in her face. Pieces of debris and dust fell to the floor.

"Who the fuck are you!"

Akali didn't flinch. "Tell me, Vi. Didn't your mom want more than this for you?"

"I don't have a mother! And before you make up a story about my father, I don't have one either! Now leave me the fuck alone, or I'll find a better use for those chopsticks!" She warned her, got in her room, and slammed the door behind her.

Once inside, she looked at her hands. They were always bloody, her knuckles scraped and raw, her body constantly sore. For once in a long time, the sad, broken figure that the mirror reflected looked like a stranger.

She no longer remembered her mother's face. She had a faint memory of her violet hair, and as it always did, the image of her mother's smile changed to one of her lying dead on that bridge, her eyes open and lifeless, her hair stained with blood.

She gave a scream that could be heard for blocks, and then she fell to her knees, tears running with the eyeliner down her cheeks.

No.

That, for sure, was not what her mother would've wanted for her.

The next morning, she got up to find Akali leaning on the wall outside her room, as if she was waiting for her.

"Did you spend the night here, Noodles?" Vi asked after closing the door and without waiting for a reply started stepping down the staircase.

"No. I left you to cry out all your demons and throw bottles at the walls all night long. But I thought: 'I can't just take the word of a drunk, miserable and heartbroken woman. I need the response of the one with a clear head.'"

"What makes you think I'm so stable to not be drunk right now."

"You don't look drunk."

"Maybe I just have high tolerance."

"Oh, I don't doubt that. Not only in alcohol, but in pain."

"The answer is still no, Akali. You should look for someone else."

But she wasn't going to take no for an answer so easily. She took out the photograph of a young kid with light brown hair, clearly Ionian.

"She is lost. Someone took her from her village. I tracked her here."

Vi stopped to see it. She was carrying a rag doll in her arms, she was smiling. Her mother was lovingly holding her from behind. Akali had caught her interest.

"You think someone stole her to…" Vi frowned with disgust, even with revulsion at the thought that had just crossed her mind.

"I usually work alone, but if I don't find her soon, they might take her to Noxus and she'll be gone forever. What I need is someone who knows the place, who can sneak me into the brothels. I don't have weeks, I have days, maybe hours." Akali explained to Vi the urgency of the situation. "She has a family waiting for her at home. She doesn't deserve to be kept in a horrible place against her will."

Vi empathized with the girl. Maybe she herself hadn't been kidnapped to serve others in unimaginable ways, but her captor had locked her in a cell with no clear crime on her record, in a place where she had suffered terrible experiences. She couldn't just turn her back on this child now.

"I guess I know someone who could help," Vi thought of Madam Babette, she was not the kind of businesswoman who would stoop so low, but she might have an idea who might do such a thing.

"Look, Vi. What I said yesterday… about your mom. I know it was tough. But you will see, after this job, you won't be able to go back to just punching assholes on a ring and getting drunk. You came into this world for better things. You have a good heart—"

'You've got a good heart. Don't ever lose it. No matter how the world tries to break you.'

Vander's words flashed through her mind, interrupting Akali's.

"You don't know me. I… I always let people down."

"If you really were so bad, people wouldn't have thought of giving me your name."

Vi wondered who had. Who trusted her still. She couldn't think of anyone, but she agreed to take the job.

In the end, Akali was right. They found the girl. It wasn't an easy job, they had almost lost her. But now Vi understood the intricacies of the world she lived in. The experience opened her eyes to a much larger reality where she could have a purpose, where she could help.

"You'd better tell me what's next, because I'm not going back to that ring," Vi said to Akali in the harbor a few days later.

"Finish any business you have pending in town. I'll be back here in three days after dropping her off to her parents to pick you up."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Where you will find out who you truly are."

Ionia was a completely different world from the undercity. The first-time Vi set foot there, it was like stepping into another life. The air was clean, crisp, filled with the scent of flowers and earth. She couldn't imagine any place being so fragrant, so refreshing and pure. It was like she was just learning how to breathe. The mountains loomed in the distance, there were no buildings, no factories spewing fumes, no toxic fog. The landscape was covered with pink leaves. There were endless fields of trees with fruits she never imagined existed. The light of the sun fell softly, painting the sky with colors that resembled her own. Pink, violet, intense blue. But it wasn't the beauty that struck Vi the most-it was the quiet. The industrial noise she'd come to accept as the background soundtrack to life itself simply wasn't there.

In Ionia, there was a rhythm to life, a flow, a stillness, as if the world moved at its own pace, separate from the chaos she had left behind.

Akali let her take it all in before she took her into the mountains. They were welcome to train in the Kinkou Monastery, like she had more than a decade before. The first months were the hardest. Vi wasn't used to the stillness. Her instincts screamed at her to fight back with violence, to release her anger, but Akali's training had a different focus. It wasn't just about brawling or brute force. It was about discipline. About self-control. About understanding her own mind before she could throw a punch. She wanted to build in her the anticipation, the skill of observation, the ability to make quick decisions, not impulsive ones. She showed her the art of stealth, how to move through the world without leaving a trace. How to read people, to know when to fight and when to retreat. How to blend into the shadows, to become something more than just a pair of fists. She was going to become a hunter, not a prey in need of defense. The master of her environment, of her own life.

Akali taught her the precision of the Ionian style in martial arts. But the most important lesson she wanted Vi to learn wasn't about physical strength. Every afternoon, after intense training sessions that lasted for hours, Akali would lead Vi in meditation to teach her how to calm the storm inside her mind.

"Control your thoughts, Vi. You can manage the pain you feel. Focus on it. Understand where it comes from. Don't let it hurt you anymore. Only then will you be able to control your actions. When you master your emotions."

Vi had hated it at first. The stillness of meditation—the quiet it demanded—was like another prison. Whenever she closed her eyes, the memories rushed in with violence. Powder's laugh before it twisted into Jinx's wild cackle. Vander's hugs. The way Mylo protested over everything, or that Claggor always smiled—no matter how hard things got. And Caitlyn's voice, soft, her eyes filled with a warmth Vi was not sure she had ever deserved.

The act of breathing consciously, in measured intervals, in an attempt to clear her mind, was infuriating. Any effort to steady herself dissolved into ragged sighs. Each session left her drained, tears streaming down her face as her fists dug into her thighs. The ache in her soul was relentless. The whole process felt humiliating. How could this be the way forward? She wasn't built for this kind of healing. She was a fighter, not someone who sat picking through the wreckage of her past.

Months went by, and although she didn't realize it at first, something inside her changed. It was subtle. Little moments of tranquility in which her thoughts didn't immediately drag her back to the events that had torn her apart. The memories kept coming back, but they weren't as haunting. Slowly and steadily she learned to face them.

The broad figure of Vander dead in the street was no longer a reproach for her hasty attempt to save him. It was a reminder of his sacrifice and love. The crazy adventures of Mylo and Claggor became funny anecdotes. Her parents left lifeless on that cold bridge—the beginning of her demise—was hard to process. But the truth was that few families in Zaun had the opportunity to say goodbye properly, with a funeral, flowers, music and tears, under a sky lit by the stars, as was the case at the topside. Bodies in Zaun became part of the river or the landfill, fragments of a city that devours everything and everyone who isn't part of its elite. None of her losses were fair or deserved, but justice was not something Zaun was entitled to. And clinging to her resentment didn't make her stronger; it only trapped her in a constant state of hopelessness.

And then came Powder. Jinx. The two blurred together in her mind, their faces twisting and shifting as if she couldn't remember which was real. Powder had been her ally—the sweet, bright-eyed girl who had clung to her, always eager to help—her sister. But Jinx was what her absence had created. A monster, yes, but one Vi couldn't blame herself for anymore. She had to let go of the remorse for abandoning her, for leaving her at the mercy of Silco's manipulative claws, for the slap she could still feel burning in her palm. She had to accept that her mistakes had been those of a child. That her love for Powder had been real, even if it hadn't been enough to save her. And that if Jinx ever returned, she would have one last chance. Just one. Vi swore she would welcome her with open hands, not fists. But if Jinx never came back, she could live with that. She had to.

Bit by bit, Vi processed her life, her pain, and in the end, that also included Caitlyn.

Unlike the other people Vi had lost in her life, Caitlyn, in that short time they had spent together, had become hers. She wasn't like the other enforcers. She was hopeful and sincere, even a bit naive. And she had shown her affection, compassion… love.

Her loss wasn't something Vi could easily accept, or quietly. Every attempt at peace turned into agony. She'd try to steady her breaths, only to find herself gasping for air as if she'd been punched again. Her heart became her own enemy, pounding against her ribs in painful intervals. The pain wasn't only emotional, it was physical, and all-consuming. Her body was constantly tired, flashes of heat and cold would rip through her as memories surged. Caitlyn's smile; the way she stood, so poised but never cold. Her quiet stubbornness, her rare moments of vulnerability that she seemed to show just to her. And yet, there was no escaping the truth. Oil and water. That's what they had always been. They couldn't mix.

Caitlyn Kiramman belonged to Piltover's golden towers, to the polished halls of justice. Vi had grown up in the shadows, in the filth of Zaun's streets, in her cell in Stillwater. She told herself there was no point in yearning for something that wasn't meant to be, no point in tearing herself apart over what they'd had and what they'd lost.

In time, Vi came to terms with Caitlyn's absence. Not without scars, but with the understanding that some things were never hers to keep. She no longer blamed herself for wanting Caitlyn, nor did she mourn what was never meant to last.

In time, Vi accepted Caitlyn's absence. Not without scars, but with the understanding that some things weren't hers to hold. She didn't have to hate herself for wanting Caitlyn, but she didn't have to suffer for not having her either.

Vi learned that in order to move forward, she had to let go of what was holding her back. And for the first time in years, she allowed herself to believe that she might finally find a place to call home among the cherry blossom trees.

By the time Vi settled into the small community in the mountains, she had transformed. Her body had become leaner, stronger, more precise, while her mind had become sharper and more focused. She embraced the Ionian way, adopting the quiet discipline that had once seemed foreign to her. She had made friends, built a family of her own. Helping people like herself, like her sister—as Vander had once done—became second nature. She was no longer just a brawler, she had become someone they could trust, someone they could turn to in times of need. A bounty hunter willing to travel to the farthest reaches of Runeterra in search of true justice, true peace.

Akali remained a mentor to Vi, though the bond between them had shifted. They had become equals in some ways, working together as a team, each relying on the other's strengths.

The problem was, now, with Caitlyn so close, certain feelings began to resurface. She wasn't just another job. Caitlyn was someone Vi still cared too much about, someone who could drive her crazy and captivate her with just one word that old, refined accent of hers. But most of all, she was a promise Vi couldn't allow herself to break.

I can't do this again. 

Vi repeated the thought over and over. She had to deliver her to Piltover. There could be nothing more between them. She knew the risks that getting involved in the politics surrounding Caitlyn could bring, that it would probably have irreversible consequences for her and her own. It had been warned the moment she had decided to rescue her. Staying close wasn't an option Vi was at liberty to take, not anymore.

As Caitlyn woke, her gaze met Vi's who was sitting by the bed, and for a brief moment, there was silence between them. Vi could see the question in Caitlyn's eyes, the uncertainty, but she remained calm.

"Did you spend the night watching me sleep?"

Vi had, for more reasons than one. "You were having nightmares. I didn't want to leave you alone," Vi made an attempt to smile, but she couldn't, knowing what was still ahead.

Caitlyn's eyes fell heavy, she wanted to fall right back to sleep, but the warm light of the day was too much of a temptation to stay in bed.

"What's for breakfast?"

Vi smiled then. The truth was that she hadn't expected her feelings to rush in when she saw Caitlyn again, to once more feel the warmth in her chest, the pull of something she thought she'd buried.

"Your favorite thing: Cupcakes."

Chapter Text

When the Great Invasion began, decades ago, Noxus did not declare war on Ionia, they entered with the sole objective of conquering it. The brutality of the attack was immeasurable, but never was more cruelty seen than when General Ambessa Medarda took the leadership of the campaign. Ionia was unprepared for the slaughter that followed.

The Noxian soldiers under her command arrived in warships, with never-before-seen weaponry, with corrupted mages providing physical protection with their shields and spells. But their strongest weapon was the army composed not only of fighting men and women, but of one of the worst resources imaginable, Noxian children trained to kill.

When the Ionians found them wandering the lands, they tried to help them. It was their nature to show compassion, to give them shelter and food. But during the night, those little creatures who had been welcomed into their homes would wipe out entire villages. They had been raised with one purpose, to kill or die trying.

It was clear that Noxus did not fight for honor or ideals, they fought for dominance and with no regard for human life over their motto of power and homeland. To Ambessa, Ionia was not just a territory to be conquered, it was a symbol to be crushed, to be eliminated.

Villages fell one after another. Sacred fields were leveled, hundreds of trees cut down to make way for the war machines. Animals were decimated as food sources, but left half-eaten, thrown to the ground, bringing plagues and polluting the pure water sources of the rivers. Temples were desecrated, elders publicly executed, their bodies disposed of in a way that could only be justified as an act to instill terror and break the collective soul of Ionia, to provoke their immediate surrender.

Ambessa set out to defeat them with steel, fire and sadism.

There was no denying that the Ionian leaders were nervous. The legacy of their traditions and culture was at stake, as was the succession of their people. They tried to hide the children who showed the traits essential to become future masters, those who had a connection to the spiritual realm. Like Kaya, Luna's daughter.

The chosen ones were taken to the outskirts of Navori, to a small village nestled among the hills, isolated and shielded by treacherous terrain that made it difficult for Noxian tanks to reach. There, guides watched over them. Not warriors, but guardians of the spiritual realm, entrusted with passing on their way of life and philosophies. The idea that they might be the target of a deliberate attack never crossed their minds. The location of the village was a closely guarded secret, undetectable from afar. But Ambessa was clever enough to uncover it, using Noxian magicians to reveal what should have remained hidden.

The attack happened at dawn when everyone was still unprepared. Some tried to fight with farming tools, others didn't even have a chance to wake up.

As was customary, a sentinel visited the camp on a daily basis to bring news to the village where the leaders were gathered. That day, he didn't arrive. He had been intercepted on the road by Noxian troops, cut down before he had a chance to resist. His body was left behind, hanging like a scarecrow.

When Luna and a group of warriors arrived—alarmed by the lack of communication—the silence of death had already spread throughout the place. There was not a single hut that had not been violated, not a single one that had not been painted with blood. But none of that prepared her to see what marked the rest of her life.

They entered the temple after hearing the sob of a child who had survived by hiding in a crevice behind a pillar. He ran out as the chanting of the death rituals reached his ears. A solemn sound, meant to give peace to the dead. Luna still could not find her daughter and with every hope that it was she who was wailing she rushed in, only to find a scene of horror.

Kaya, her only daughter, had been beheaded in front of the leader's chair. A clear message to her and the rest of the Ionians.

This is our land now. No one is safe, absolutely no one.

The boy revealed that Ambessa had spared Kaya because her lineage was unmistakable. The jewelry she wore set her apart, and Ambessa had recognized its significance. She wanted Kaya to witness Noxian power firsthand, forcing her to walk through the ruins of her village before taking her to the temple, where Mel awaited—she had a lesson to learn.

"If you want to last in this world, you must learn to be the fox and the wolf."

That was what Ambessa told her daughter before challenging her on how they should proceed once they were settled in Navori, to which Mel replied:

"The regent's face should be kind. She should be clever to charm her subjects, but pliable so we can mold her."

Right after, she introduced Kaya. Mel was still a child, but she had witnessed countless atrocities. That was the way children of Noxian soldiers were raised, indifferent to pain. But not Mel. She couldn't help but show compassion for the girl standing before her, something Ambessa could not tolerate. Mel had to be the wolf if she was to lead, and Kaya represented what Ambessa called 'the old regime.' Without hesitation, she slashed the air with her katar, severing Kaya's head.

That was the lesson.

"A wolf has no mercy."

This final assault shattered what morale Ionia had left, provoked a violent response from every corner of the islands, and eventually drove the Noxian forces back into their own nation. But not before causing countless casualties on both sides. For years after, minefields continued to be cleared, traces of massacres still lingered, and survivors grew up in fear of another war.

With this unease in their minds, the surviving spiritual leaders decided to design a complex system of hidden settlements within other nations. The network, powered by pure Ionian magic, would be more than an integrated defense system against future attacks. These portals would allow them to mobilize their warriors in times of conflict, to remove the wounded or to evacuate entire communities from their oppressors. For security reasons, the network would be impenetrable to outsiders, only able to be opened from the inside. The spells that would maintain it were tied to Ionian blood and required rigorous training and initiation into the Protector's Guild. Even the most powerful foreign mages could not open or detect the settlements, whether they were standing on them or not.

Occasionally, however, exceptions were made for those who could use them. Vi was one of them, thanks to her altruistic work alongside Akali in rescuing Ionians from the hands of smugglers and her dedication to Ionian culture. Vi had earned a place in the community that few outsiders could claim in such a short time.

By contrast, Commander Caitlyn Kiramman's presence in the settlement was unprecedented and needed to be addressed directly.

"Commander, please sit down." Luna was waiting for her in a simple room covered in magical symbols. The walls were decorated with inscriptions that Caitlyn didn't fully understand, but whose meaning she could deduce: protection, unity, sacrifice. A low table separated the two women. Caitlyn was used to more ceremonial, ostentatious meeting rooms with tall, imposing chairs. This was a more intimate, quiet setting. But that didn't mean the meeting didn't require diplomacy. Just by mentioning her rank, Luna had made clear that the conversation demanded seriousness and strategy. This imposing woman was not only the guardian of the settlement, but the living embodiment of Ionian authority, and Caitlyn was, after all, on their turf.

She took the seat across. For a few endless seconds, Luna poured Caitlyn a cup of tea, the steam rising with a familiar aroma Caitlyn couldn't identify. Still, she refrained from asking, focusing on the reason she was there.

"It's been only a few days since your arrival, but your recovery has been remarkable. You are not even using the cane anymore," Luna began the conversation with a casual observation, though her tone seemed guarded.

Caitlyn took a moment to consider what the best course of action would be. She let Luna slide the teacup in front of her, took it in both hands and took a sip. Three years under Ambessa's protection had taught her the value of control, of calculated words and subtle threats when necessary. But for some reason, those instincts seemed to be wrong here. Luna radiated sincerity and demanded it in return. Still, she had to be cautious.

"First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for your help. I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Akali, Vi and all of you."

"You're welcome. The Ionian nation is happy to help you." Luna's serene composure reminded her of her mother's diplomacy. Though, that familiarity made her next words all the more striking. "After all, we wouldn't deny entry to a woman with Ionian blood."

Caitlyn tensed. For most, if not all of Piltover's inhabitants, her origins were a distant or forgotten memory. For at least the last two generations, the Kiramman surname was only associated with wealth and power, not lineage. And the only thing that remained of her Ionian heritage in her daily life was a portrait of her great-grandmother before she emigrated to Piltover. The painting was hidden behind the large blackboard with which Caitlyn conducted her research, which is why Ambessa had never noticed its existence.

"I understand your dilemma, Luna," Caitlyn replied, careful with her tone, interlacing her fingers on the table. "Your integrity may be compromised by my knowledge of your operations. And I will not deny it. In other circumstances, these settlements could be considered an intrusion into our region."

Luna did not respond immediately, studying Caitlyn with intrigue. She had never heard ill of the Kirammans. Caitlyn bore the name of one of the most respected houses among the nations, which made her a perfect target. There was no doubt in her mind that had been the primary reason Ambessa had meddled in such a way when Cassandra died. It was an easy entrance to her real targets.

"You're not wrong, commander. This network exists behind the backs of all the nations of Runeterra. It was built to protect Ionia and its people, and that may seem like a threat to our enemies."

Caitlyn did not appreciate the implication of that last word.

"Piltover is not an enemy of Ionia."

"That's not necessarily true. At the moment you have an alliance with Noxus that could pose a threat not only to us, but to all other regions."

"Piltover is a sovereign nation—"

"Forgive me if I disagree with you, commander, but Piltover has been under martial law for three years. It has even changed its coat of arms to one that represents its union. More than half of its citizens are subjected to daily surveillance, captured and imprisoned without probable cause. Noxian soldiers populate the streets of Zaun under orders to provide a false sense of security while facilitating the transport of all manner of contraband, weapons, drugs, and people, including Ionian children." Luna was blunt. It was time for the face of the city to accept reality. "These actions, with or without your direct approval, have compromised the security of our nation and jeopardized the peace of Runeterra."

Caitlyn's lips tightened into a thin line, but this was no time to remain silent.

"You believe that Piltover's alliance with Noxus makes us complicit in these atrocities, but my people have always defended a legacy of peace."

"Your intentions may have been noble at first, arguably even seeking the safety of your nation in the wake of the horrific attack on the council, but power is a corrupting force. Even the most principled leaders can lose sight of justice. You have." Luna paused to see Caitlyn's reaction. She was relieved to find regret, guilt and shame on her face. She was not seeking power. "Ambessa Medarda is not someone to trust blindly."

"We didn't. She came at a moment of vulnerability, took advantage of our pain… mine."

That was perhaps what made General Medarda a great strategist. The way she could personalize a campaign, where the roots of her actions were made to look like unquestionable justifications of her love for her family and her nation. It was also what made her a dangerous opponent.

"I don't want to do the same. I don't want to use you as a board game piece, taking advantage of a moment of vulnerability. But like everything in life, our motivations are deeply connected to our experiences, and so I would like to tell you a story, because Piltover has harbored the Medardas' legacy for far too long."

Caitlyn listened to her, feeling in every word the pain Luna carried behind Ambessa's cruelty, realizing also that she had been that regent that the Medardas could mold to their advantage. She had been driven by the pain and desire for revenge that Ambessa had so carefully sown and cultivated.

Tears fell from her eyes silently as she imagined the scene of Kaya's death and how that woman, Mel, who had been so close to such atrocities, appeared to be extremely kind when she came to visit her home to share a friendship with her mother that now seemed false and calculated. Worst of all, she couldn't even confront her. Mel had disappeared shortly after the attack. Ambessa had focused on Caitlyn, on her pain, on avenging her mother, not on her own daughter. And now, with all this knowledge, the possibility that the general had ended Mel's life didn't seem so far-fetched anymore.

During those last days in captivity, under the merciless punishments of those men—on the verge of death—Caitlyn had doubted she could face the general with her limited political and military experience. Ambessa had already achieved one mission, leaving her with deep uncertainty and a shattered confidence. But now, as she faced another leader of Runeterra, one who had no reservations about pointing out her mistakes and weaknesses, she knew she had to rise to the challenge. After all, her plan was already in motion, and all she needed to do to resume it was to return to her city.

"I will not allow Noxus to continue to manipulate my people. When I was kidnapped, my nation was on the verge of breaking the alliance, but… I fear my plans have been revealed. I can find no other reason for my abduction." Caitlyn was a realist. If the general wanted war, she could snap her fingers and have it. Piltover would not live to see another day. "I can see now that their claws are deeply embedded."

"I'll dare to give you a piece of advice that I am sure is already on your mind. Alliances with other nations could help you, as long as you are willing to extend the same courtesy."

"Yes. You are right. It is needed. Piltover's lack of an army would leave us indefensible. I need to meet with the leaders of the other nations. Demacia, Shurima, Freljord. They too have reasons to mistrust Noxus. Once they understand the threat Ambessa poses, they will support me."

"It will be a significant and difficult undertaking, but it is a path worth pursuing if you wish to free your people." Luna paused, anticipating the consequences if she decided to offer Ionia's help.

"I know you are worried about what might happen to you after you have given me shelter here. But rest assured, I will not back down from my decision, and I will not betray you. The knowledge of the settlements dies with me," Caitlyn said.

Luna placed her hands lovingly on top of Caitlyn's and stroked them gently.

The warmth of her touch, the care in such a small gesture made her long for her mother.

"We can offer you the use of our portal system to travel discreetly to all the nations in the next few days. That way you can meet with these leaders in private, avoiding the attention of Medarda's allies. I can also arrange for a small group of Ionian warriors to accompany you, but only to ensure your safety," Luna warned. "Understand, commander. Ionia will help, but we do not participate in political alliances in war. We offer protection, not power.

Caitlyn nodded as the offer sank in. She had to take it. She couldn't go back and relive the years she'd spent subjecting her people to more misery for the sole benefit of what Ambessa could get.

"I understand, and I give you my word, your secret is safe with me. I already owe you my life, and when we have driven the Noxian militia from Piltover, we will owe you our loyalty. I will not betray your trust."

Luna studied her for a moment, her eyes searching for any doubt in the young commander, but Caitlyn was conveying her decision with confidence. Then she smiled at her. "I know you won't. If you weren't worthy of our trust, Vi would never have vouched for you."

Caitlyn shook her head. What had Luna just suggested? "Vi… She vouched for me?"

Luna was still smiling.

"She risked and sacrificed a great deal to ensure your protection and rescue, commander. You seem to inspire in her a loyalty few others can claim."

Caitlyn opened her mouth to respond, but the words got stuck in her throat. Vi's silent support, her presence, was a constant, yet it left her with more questions than ever.

"I'll have everything ready for you to begin your travels in a few days, when you're feeling better. After you get the answers from the leaders of the other nations, we will take you back to Piltover. I recommend that our warriors stay close by, as a precaution."

Caitlyn agreed and thanked the guardian again.

That night she found herself unable to drift off to sleep, tossing and turning until frustration led her to stand in front of Vi's hut. She wondered if she could just walk in. If their relationship was even on the level of friendship.

For a moment, her fingers played over that heavy tarp, questioning whether looking for answers was the rational thing to do or if she should wait until the next day. But she couldn't. She took a deep breath and without further thought, walked inside.

The fireflies flickering in the lamps gave the place a soft glow, letting her navigate the space. Vi was resting on one side of the bed, as if the other was missing someone. For a moment, Caitlyn stood still, watching her, an ache settling deep in her chest. What would have become of them if she had let Vi in instead of pushing her away?

Caitlyn, unable to control her need for answers any longer, crossed the room and slipped under the covers. The mattress dipped under her weight, waking Vi up with the action.

"What? she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep, her eyes flickering open as she focused on Caitlyn's face. What's wrong?"

Caitlyn's urgency was met once again with her hesitation. Did she even had the right to ask?

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Why did you risk so much for me?"

Vi studied Caitlyn's expression for a moment before replying. The answer was there, just beneath the surface, but she wouldn't facilitate it, not yet. "I made a promise. To protect you, no matter what."

"You said I was a job." The bitterness of that word still lingered in her mind, almost as an insult. 

"What else was I supposed to say? I save people for a living now, and I was contacted to find you." 

"By my father."

Vi didn't confirm it.

"So I am a job."

"No."

"You had no reason to come for me. Not after everything." Between them, what weighed most on Caitlyn was her broken promise. She didn't deserve a second chance or to be saved. So why had Vi done it? "A substantial reward is entirely justified."

"This is the second time you've thrown that accusation at me."

"You should hate me… not help me."

Vi sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair behind Caitlyn's ear, her fingers trailed lightly down to her shoulder before settling against her back.

"I could never hate you." Vi whispered. "You did what you had to do to survive, to get Jinx."

"Don't justify me. I was awful to you… I hit you."

The moment came back to both of them. For Caitlyn it held shame, resentment; for Vi disillusionment.

"You did, But holding onto the past won't bring you peace." 

"I don't think I'll ever have peace again." 

"You should. We can't change what happened, Cait. What we've done. But we can forgive ourselves. We can move on."

Caitlyn closed her eyes, in a way rejecting Vi's kindness. Her breathing ragged, confused. She felt lonely, inadequate for receiving what she had failed to give. "I don't know how."

Vi's gaze softened because no matter how much Caitlyn had changed—how much harder and colder she had become—Vi still saw the same girl she once knew, the one who was fair, who fought for justice, who was now drowning in guilt. 

Vi's fingers lightly caressed Caitlyn's back, gently pulling her closer in an attempt to give her some peace. "You've carried this weight for too long."

"That's because I see what my anger has done, my choices. And no matter how hard we try, no amount of good deeds can erase our crimes. Nothing." 

"I don't believe that. We can make amends. We can be better." 

"I've tried, but I still feel… dirty. I became the thing I used to hate." 

"Cait…" Vi hesitated, unsure if she should let affection slip into her tone. Her touch was already loud enough. She decided not to. She was conscious of her actions, and the possibility of tainting Caitlyn's focus was too high. "You can't be blind to who you really are." 

"You mean a failure?" 

"No."

"Look at what I've done, Vi, at how much pain I've inflicted."

"You've also have fought to fix things. To bring justice back to Zaun. You're giving them hope. That matters."

The choice of Vi's words.

The knowledge behind them.

Who had told her what she had been doing? The agreements she had reached?

Jayce.

It had to be him, the one who had hired Vi. He was the only one who knew about the negotiations, apart from Ekko and the people he trusted.

"You are a smart woman, Cait. Maybe the bravest and sharpest I know. You're a damn good strategist, and you have a good heart. You are not evil. Your search for justice drove you for a while, but—"

"At what cost?"

"Everything has a cost. No matter what. Even when the intentions are good."

Everything. Everyone.

The difference was that Caitlyn no longer thought her life was worth anything.

So, why? Why had Vi saved her?

"Have some faith in yourself. You're not as bad or weak as you think."

"Not weak? I almost died getting here."

"No, you didn't. You had it in you, that's why I pushed you."

"What?"

"You think I would risk the Noxians catching us if I didn't think you could make it?" Vi asked, making Caitlyn think of every step of the journey. "If that had been the case, I would have carried you all the way."

Vi trusted her, believed in her.

And for the way she was touching her, she had forgiven her as well.

Vi had grown, and it made Caitlyn feel even more stagnant. She had been trapped in the event of her mother's death for too long, in a vendetta that seemed to never end.

"You'll be okay," Vi said, her hand brushing Caitlyn's waist so lightly it seemed unconscious.

It felt good. The closeness. The intimacy. It was natural. Like when they first met.  

What was it about Vi that made Caitlyn's heart open so easily? What was this feeling, this warmth that spread through her chest, invading every corner of her being?

Caitlyn had thought about it for so long. Would she ever find that connection again? The answer grew more and more bitter with time, until she began to make Maddie a constant replacement, though it was never the same as with Vi. It was so hard to stop thinking about her, about the short time they'd spent together. Her thoughts wandered to the possibility of having the moments that every couple shares. The dinners, the glances, the attempts at romance, the physical connection.

How would it feel with Vi?

Caitlyn stared at her mouth. The scar she'd had then hadn't healed, it was still there, on her upper lip.

She thought about kissing her.

Vi was there, after all this time, within her reach.

Caitlyn always thought that if she ever got her that close, she would, but instead she asked:

"Who did you make that promise to?"

Vi's slightly parted lips were so alluring, so enticing, yet her words so contained. It was confusing and inviting. Urging but holding distance.

"Someday I'll tell you. But not now. What's coming will be hard, demanding, you must concentrate on your people."

"Your people? They're yours too."

"Not any more. I'm not a Piltovian, I'm not from Zaun, or Stillwater. I belong to Ionia now."

It was sad to listen to, and it made Caitlyn feel guiltier, but it was true. In the few days since her rescue, she'd noticed Vi bonding with the Ionians in a way she'd never imagined she'd see. With a complicity she hadn't experienced in her life—not even with her own people—and, strange as it seemed, that was the new Vi.

"I'm going to miss you when I get back."

"Don't. You shouldn't be distracted by anyone, not me, not…" Vi wished she could say it. Caitlyn deserved to know the reason she'd saved her.

"So you're not going to tell me anything?" Caitlyn preferred to change the subject rather than wait for Vi to give an answer to her confession.

"One day."

The final reply had not been satisfying and she had never been a woman of abundant patience, but she nodded slowly. Her emotions were swirling inside. Regret, grief and disappointment, mingled with desire… with love.

"I'm sorry," Caitlyn whispered. "For everything. I should never have left you."

Vi moved closer, her warmth enveloping them.

"Let it go."

"I don't know how."

Vi moved her hand gently up Caitlyn's back, reaching her neck and slowly carrying it to her cheek, letting it rest there.

"Breathe with me."

Caitlyn followed suit, matching her slow, steady breathing. The tension in her chest began to ease, her legs felt lighter, her arms; the storm that for years had lived inside her, calmed. That rhythmic rise and fall of her respiration anchored her, distancing her from her fears.

Either Vi's breathing exercises were the apogee of relaxation, or the natural remedies she had taken before sneaking into Vi's hut had kicked in.

After a few moments, Caitlyn leaned into Vi, resting her head on her neck and wrapping her hands around her body. Vi's delicate touch, every soft caress, was appreciated. Vi showed her how much she cared, making sure not to hurt her like those men had done. A complete contrast. She inhaled deeply, letting the faint, familiar scent fill her.

"Strawberries and cream," she murmured.

A small smile tugged at Vi's lips.

"Are you hungry? I can ask someone to fix something for you."

Caitlyn shook her head softly.

"No, it's you. You smell like strawberries."

Vi had never thought about what she smelled like. She'd always assumed it was her sweat and grease, like her mother or, at best, just her sweat, since in prison she was always surrounded by so many pungent smells she couldn't distinguish one in particular.

"What about the cream? As far as I know it has no odor."

Caitlyn held back her answer, her drowsy mind already more there than here. She buried her face a little closer to Vi's neck, her hot breath bouncing against her skin.

"You… taste like cream," she said at last, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vi raised an eyebrow, wondering what the hell Caitlyn had just said. How can you taste like cream?

"What?"

"You know, whipped cream," Caitlyn continued, her words slow and sleepy, letting her thoughts flow unfiltered. "Sweet and smooth. Comforting. Delicious. You can never have enough." Caitlyn's voice trailed off, her grip on Vi loosening slightly as sleep took hold of her.

Vi tilted her head down, watching her expression relax. The incoherent confession stirred something warm in her chest.

"Sleep," Vi murmured in a tone full of affection.

Caitlyn didn't answer. She had let her scent and warmth lull her into a sense of peace she hadn't felt in years, and one she desperately needed.

Chapter Text

Waking to the gentle warmth of the settlement and the distant laughter of children felt worlds away from the cold, stiff mornings of Piltover. It had been a welcome change for the past three days. No immediate duties, no expectation to wear that mask of stoic authority, that title of commander she held pinned to her chest. There was no sense of urgent responsibility.

Caitlyn let the sunlight hit her face, warm and soothing, something that was no longer possible in her reality back home. It was the kind of peace that felt rare, almost unreal. Until a small jolt of awareness crept in. She wasn't in her assigned hut.

A wave of panic hit her as she sat up, realizing that she was still wearing yesterday's clothes, and Vi was gone.

Oh, shit. What did I do?

She slipped out quietly, careful not to be seen. The walk back to her hut was fast, but the fog from the night before still clouded her thoughts. What had they said? What had happened? She couldn't remember exactly.

Once inside, she paused, trying to piece together the night.

Luna had told her that Vi had vouched for her. 'Vouched' was the word, as if she had sacrificed something in return for her intervention in the rescue. In a way, that action had made Caitlyn worthy of Ionia's collaboration. But Vi had already made it clear that she didn't like the accusation that money was her ultimate goal. On the contrary, kindness and gentleness pervaded her actions, her words reassuring Caitlyn that she was still the confident, intelligent woman she had always believed herself to be.

Flashes came next—a look, bits of conversation, a feeling, a light touch.

Maybe that had been it. She had behaved inappropriately physically.

She shook it off and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water run over her, hoping it would clear her head. But it didn't. She blamed it on exhaustion, on how draining the past few days had been, on the grind of her recovery.

That made sense. But underneath it all, the nagging suspicion that she had crossed a line with Vi, said or done something she shouldn't have stuck with her, no matter how much she tried to push it aside.

To her surprise, when she stepped outside again, it was Vi who was the source of the children's laughter. With them, Vi's face lit up in a way Caitlyn wasn't used to seeing—carefree, completely at ease. For a moment, the thought of Davi popped into her mind. She wondered what he would be doing at that very moment.

"It's quite a picture, isn't it?" Akali said, appearing at her side.

Caitlyn turned around, startled, feeling as if she had been caught looking at something she wasn't supposed to. "I didn't even know she liked kids…" The words came out before she could think.

How much did she really know about Vi?

They'd met under tense circumstances, marked by brief moments and unfinished conversations. It wasn't enough to really know someone. Akali, on the other hand, had been in Vi's life for years. They were close friends, best friends. The Ionian had seen sides of Vi that Caitlyn had only imagined: what made her laugh, what she did when she let her guard down, even simple things like what she liked to eat. Compared to that, Caitlyn was a complete stranger, standing on the outside looking in.

"She's great with them," Akali continued, noticing how Caitlyn's eyes dropped, her smile fading just a little. "Not so much with teenagers, though. She finds them annoying."

Caitlyn managed a small chuckle, but the feeling of distance was a constant. Watching Vi now—so natural, so open—made her realize how much she wished she had stayed close.

"My mother always said I was a pretty annoying teenager," Caitlyn confessed, trying to appear unaffected by the situation. "Too rebellious."

"You?" Akali laughed. "You seem so… I don't know, proper. I can't picture you rebelling."

"Oh, I had my moments, you know. She wanted me to follow in her footsteps—all politics and decorum—but I hated it. Fancy events, balls, wearing dresses. None of it was me. I would indulge her for a moment and then flee outside to smoke with a friend instead of waltzing around with an eligible suitor she had picked. She always made the 'you're grounded for life' face when she caught me."

"Who would have thought the commander of Piltover would prefer a suit and tie and a sexy escapade to dancing?" Akali teased.

"There was nothing sexy about my escapades. All my friends were men."

"Oh," Akali got the message. Caitlyn only played for one side. Girls.

"Well, Vi likes to dance, and there's kind of a 'party' in the dining room tonight. Maybe you should… you know… ask her to go with you?"

Caitlyn didn't know what to do with her eyes. She recoiled from the idea. "I—"

"Just go up to her and tell her you heard there was a celebration tonight. No big deal, Piltovian. Take a stand! Go get the girl." Akali, as always, pushed the idea, as if she were talking to just another one of her friends.

"Ahmm…" Caitlyn had no time to reply. Akali gave her an encouraging wink, made a gun gesture with her hands, and walked away, leaving her speechless. Caitlyn looked at Vi, then at Akali, at Vi, at her own shoes. Had Vi talked to her friend about their connection years ago? What had she said? Because the implication of that very direct suggestion had been clear. 'Go get the girl.'

A party. Should she follow the advice?

No. What would she even wear? She was already in borrowed clothes, too casual, and she had nothing else. She couldn't.

Could she?

"Hhh-ugh."

"You okay?" Vi asked, catching that loud exhale. Apparently, she had walked up to her during her brain meltdown. Caitlyn didn't even notice.

"Yeah, yeah… just wondering. Totally fine."

"Wondering what? You look like you had a stroke or something."

"No, no. I'm fine. Thinking about… breakfast."

"You are hungry then."

"Starving."

But Vi could tell something else was bothering her. Caitlyn had never been good at hiding her emotions, her body always gave her away. She got too stiff when she was nervous, her eyes wide enough to show the full circle of her irises, her mouth parting slightly as if searching for the right words, letting out soft 'uhm-ah' sounds in between.

"Alright," Vi said, deciding not to push. "Let's get something to eat."

For Vi, the night they had spent together had been a rare glimpse into Caitlyn's carefully guarded heart. Despite the weight of her responsibilities and the years of distance between them, Caitlyn's feelings for her had lingered, quietly tucked away. It had been clear in the sweet words she'd murmured, in the way she'd clung to her in her sleep, her fingers curled into Vi's skin as if afraid to let go. Caitlyn had always struck her as someone who valued control, a woman shaped by her mother's teachings—to be strong and unyielding. What broke the barrier between them were moments of life and death, when there was no room for pretense. In those critical times, they had leaned on each other completely, building a trust that Vi knew Caitlyn didn't offer lightly. So in a way, her actions, her closeness, her presence in such an intimate distance inside her bed—even if it had not gone further than that—was a sign that they were still vibrating on the same wave.

Meanwhile, Caitlyn wrestled with the uncertainty of what exactly had happened. Should she take Akali's advice and invite Vi to the party? Or was she taking too many liberties? After all, she hadn't been officially invited, and what if Vi already had plans? Even worse, what if she had invited someone else? Details like that were what made such events unbearable back in school. Invitations often came with strings attached, expectations, hidden agendas on behalf of her name. And if she was the one asking, the people she wanted to bring were usually already taken.

After eating, tired and a bit sore, she excused herself and headed for her hut for a quick nap. But as she stepped inside, she stopped short.

There, on the bed, was a note resting on a set of neatly folded clothes.

Join us tonight. We are celebrating the beginning of Ionia's harvest season and are having a small gathering at the dining room. We would love to have you, commander.

Luna

Caitlyn quickly unfolded the clothes. A pair of light, comfortable-looking knickerbockers and a close-fitting T-shirt. Simple, practical, and, thankfully, not a dress. She let out a breath she hadn't realize she was holding, refolded the clothes, and lay down on the bed. Her body ached for rest, but she knew she couldn't skip the party. It was the least she could do to show her gratitude to the people who had protected and cared for her.

Still, she decided to go alone. She wasn't ready to be so upfront with Vi, not without remembering exactly what had transpired between them the night before.

"Okay," she muttered to herself that night, taking one last look down before leaving her hut, hoping she looked pristine. The outfit fit well, more comfortable than she expected, but it wasn't something she would have chosen for an event like this. The doubt lingered as she adjusted the fabric, smoothing it unnecessarily. "Just go. Mingle. Eat. Get back."

Simple enough.

But as she approached the dining hall, her heartbeat quickened. The energy spilling from the open doors washed over her. The place had been transformed into a grand ballroom, tables piled high with delicacies. Music and laughter swirled as groups danced and mingled in animated conversation.

And there she found Vi.

People surrounded her, hearing her stories; their faces lit up with amusement at some joke she'd just made. She was so natural, so perfectly in tune with the atmosphere.

It was mesmerizing. Vi looked happy, her spirit free, unburdened—unlike how Caitlyn felt herself to be.

Then Vi's eyes found hers across the room, and Caitlyn's chest tightened.

For a moment, neither moved. Then Vi lit up with a broad grin and wove through the crowd without hesitation, her gaze locked on Caitlyn.

"You decided to come!"

Caitlyn rolled her eyes at Vi's smirk. "I was curious."

"About what?"

Caitlyn shrugged, unwilling to admit that she'd come just to watch Vi dance—silently praying not to see her with someone else, it wasn't something she wanted etched into her memory.

"Maybe I just wanted to watch you make a fool of yourself on the dance floor."

Vi chuckled. "Oh, I'll make a fool of myself, alright. But only if you're my partner."

The challenge in her words was impossible to ignore. Let's be fools together. An interesting proposition.

"I don't dance," Caitlyn said, though even she could hear how weak her protest sounded.

"That's okay, I'll lead."

In three years, she had imagined so many scenarios of what her relationship with Vi would have been like if they hadn't broken up. Dates, little gestures they would've had with each other, she'd even imagined their fights, she'd been a fan of their reconciliations. But this. To really have Vi's hand outstretched in front of her, to invite her to a simple dance, these details hadn't been part of those wishful thoughts.

Caitlyn hesitated. It had been so long since they had touched in such an intimate, perhaps even affectionate way. She gasped when she finally put her hand in Vi's and a rush of heat rose to her cheeks. They were really going to dance. They hadn't even stepped onto the floor and already she felt nervous.

Vi's grip grew stronger, firm and familiar, and Caitlyn only felt the knot in her stomach tighten. She had never thought of herself as a bad dancer, at least when she was alone. But this wasn't just about dancing, not for her. It was about trust, about closing the distance that until recently had seemed endless between them.

The weight of the people's eyes made Caitlyn's skin bristle, but for once she didn't care. The title, the duty, it all faded away. That night she was just there, with Vi, as one more in the crowd.

The music was soft and slow.

"Relax," Vi murmured, leading her into an easy rhythm. "It's just a dance."

"Easy for you to say. You walked me out here like you've done this a hundred times. I haven't danced in ages."

Vi softly laughed. "Maybe not a hundred, but enough to fake it. This song is an easy one." She raised their joined hands slightly and stepped closer, the closeness of their bodies unsettling.

Caitlyn stumbled on the first step, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "See? I told you—"

"You're doing fine. Just listen to the rhythm. Step right, join, step back, join, turn, step forward…" Vi's voice, calm and steady, guided Caitlyn through each movement with subtle precision; patient.

"You're doing great."

Caitlyn dared to look up from her feet. "You're just saying that."

"No, really. You're a natural."

Caitlyn couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious, her steps feeling more awkward than graceful. But Vi was discreet enough not to make it so evident. Slowly, their steps began to synchronize. Vi adapted effortlessly to Caitlyn's hesitant pace until they were in harmony.

"You're not bad at it either." Caitlyn returned the compliment, her voice warmer than she had expected.

A mischievous spark lit up Vi eyes. "And you haven't even seen my best moves yet," she teased, making Caitlyn smile.

As the song picked up speed right in the middle, their steps quickened, carrying them across the room.

In other circumstances, this interaction would've been the climax of a first date, and it would've been a good one. Vi was so gentle with her touch, bordering on caresses, that Caitlyn wished the music would never stop.

"I've missed this," Vi said, brushing her breath against Caitlyn's ear. "I've missed you."

The words caught Caitlyn off guard, her heart skipping a beat as her cheek touched lightly against Vi's. The contact was so soft, so fleeting, but it made her blood rush all over her body. For a moment, she wanted to pull Vi closer, to tell her she had missed her too.

But before she could act, the music faded and applause broke the momentum, grounding them in reality.

Vi's hand lingered on Caitlyn's for a moment before she leaned in. "Wanna get out of here?"

Caitlyn nodded. It was ironic that, this time, she had been the one enjoying the dance, not the one who initiated the escapade. They slipped away from the crowd, finding a little resistance.

"We're just going to take some air," Vi said to some of her friends that protested when the saw them going in the direction of the door. "We'll be right back, I promise."

Caitlyn said nothing, more focused on being led by Vi's hand than anything else. It was a little awkward, like when she was a teenager and had a crush on a girl who paid attention to her. Which almost never happened. Not in such a public way.

"You look good in those knickers," Vi said as they walked away from the party.

"Oh, do I?" Caitlyn replied teasingly. They both smiled. "I like them. I used to wear a pair like this when my dad took me hunting when I was a kid."

"I bet you lived in the woods on hunting trips all the time when you were little."

"I did. For your information, I am an excellent camper."

"I have no doubts."

Little by little the music faded into the distance, giving them some privacy. Ever since they got to the settlement they hadn't found a good time to be alone, aside from Caitlyn's visitation the night before, which barely counted. The real conversation about all pendent subjects between them still hung in the air.

"So," Vi began, her voice light, "ready for travelling to the other nations tomorrow?"

Caitlyn huffed, mocking herself. "Yes and no?" The weight of securing a victory for Piltover was overwhelming. This was such a rare opportunity—one that would not come again—that she had allowed herself to think for a moment that if she failed, she should flee. The truth was, if she returned to Piltover without the support of the other nations, she would ignite a war they could never hope to win.

They stopped by a large rock embedded in the ground, worn smooth by time. It served as a bench from where they could see even behind the illusion of the settlement limits. They finally broke their contact and Caitlyn eased herself onto the rock, stretching her legs out, leaning back on her hands. There was plenty of space for Vi to join her, but she remained standing, close enough that her shadow brushed Caitlyn's. Together they gazed at the serene landscape before them.

"This place," Caitlyn said softly, her voice filled with a hint of awe. "It's so beautiful. So peaceful."

Vi agreed, but her attention wasn't on the landscape anymore, it was on her companion. "It took me a while to get used to the silence."

"Yeah, the city can be loud."

"Even more in Zaun, but this is nice. I like it."

Caitlyn couldn't agree more. That was what she liked most about her trips with her father. Lying under the stars and listening to the crackle of the fire.

"Do you ever think about it? Piltover? Zaun?"

Vi's expression changed, her calm exterior giving way to something heavier. "Every day," she admitted. Her voice softened. "But it's not the city I miss," she confessed. It was complicated to express what exactly it was that she felt when she thought of those places. "When I was in Stillwater, I missed Zaun—the smell, the food, the chaos—but when I got out, after seeing what it had become, it wasn't the place I longed for. My people were gone. My brothers, my dad, Powder. It didn't mean anything to me without them."

Caitlyn's chest tightened. Zaun was now a district under her rule, and she felt responsible for what it had become, for taking away the only home she had ever known.

"Vi, I…"

"It's okay," she interrupted gently. "We don't have to go there tonight. Let's just… be here… now."

Caitlyn met Vi's gaze, the silence between them was heavy with unspoken apologies and regret. Caitlyn wanted to say so much, to explain, to atone for the promises she'd broken and the pain she'd caused. But Vi's eyes, though kind, told her it wasn't what she wanted.

"All right," Caitlyn said, her voice softer now. "But I think we're leaving too much for a later conversation."

Vi glanced at the empty seat before finally sitting down, her expression unreadable. She looked back at the party, almost as if she was making sure no one was watching. Having that conversation could change everything between them, but maybe they could both benefit from clearing the air. She swallowed and took in a breath, hoping for the best.

"You know… for years I wondered why it hurt so much to watch you climb that ladder," she admitted.

The mood changed from the light, fun moment a few minutes ago to that dark memory. Caitlyn focused on her feet, embarrassed. She had spent countless nights replaying their last encounter in her mind. Her hurtful and untrue words, the second she lost control of her emotions and hit her with the butt of her rifle, Vi's face, her tears falling, not for the physical pain, but for her betrayal. She had broken her promise on the same day she had made it and sealed it with a kiss.

"I mean, I wasn't surprised. I knew we would not end well. It was clear to me for days as you grew more and more impatient down in the tunnels. If you didn't find Jinx, you'd end up blaming me."

It was hard to admit that in a way Caitlyn had known that too. But after their kiss she hoped that nagging in the back of her mind would go away.

"I often question myself what would've happened between us if I didn't leave you there. If…" Caitlyn didn't know if she should say it, but what if that moment was the only one they had to clear things up. "If I had gone with Maddie to try to keep you from leaving. She told me she was going to meet you to get back your uniform. And I should've gone with her, apologized. Maybe you would've stayed."

Vi had dreamed of that scenario many nights while her drunkenness ran through her body. She had also wondered if she should come back. But something told her—when she heard the news of Caitlyn's ascension—that she would not be welcome.

"I went to see you a couple of times… at Zaun," Caitlyn confessed. Vi turned to see her, she could almost hear her own heart pounding. Caitlyn didn't look back at her. She remained staring at her feet, lost in memories. "Maddie mentioned that you and Loris had settled in the depths, that you fought in The Coliseum."

Vi's blood chilled at once, as if she had been thrown into freezing water.

"I bet on you once…" Caitlyn let out a tiny laugh, nervous, sad.

"Cait…"

"You lost." The memory of the night had tormented her since then. "You… you wouldn't fight back. You let them hit you. Trash you. Kick you," Caitlyn intonated each word feeling a hit on her heart each time, just as she had felt that night watching every punch. "It went on and on. By the third guy you could barely stand."

Vi's recollection of what her participation in those fights had become by the end of her days in Zaun was more than fuzzy. The description could have been any night of the last couple of months.

"I thought of talking to you after. Of asking you to come back with me, to go see a doctor, but Loris picked you up and you disappeared backstage. I waited to see if you came out, but I couldn't stay longer, people started wondering who the hell I was, so I left. The next time I went down there I was told you were gone, no one knew where, but I thought that maybe it was better. That, at least, you weren't setting yourself out to die."

Once again, silence fell between them. For Vi it was a bit embarrassing to learn that Caitlyn had seen her in that state. It was a chapter of her life she looked back at with shame.

"But… I wasn't wrong, was I? You were better. With Akali. In Ionia."

Vi unconsciously smiled. There was more to that part of her life. Family. Love. Caitlyn was right. She was better after that. Better until…

"Did you ever think of me?" Caitlyn interrupted the thought. Her question begged for a yes, to have remained somehow on Vi's heart, as she had in hers.

"Are you really asking me that?"

"Why would you?"

"You know, sometimes, at the bar, I would see you. The clearest picture of you in front of me, among the people, moving, dancing with me. Although… you were blue."

"Blue? Maybe it wasn't such a clear picture."

"Maybe not."

They laughed, stopping when a question popped in Caitlyn's mind.

"In the tunnels… why did you… Why did you give me the okay to shoot and then stop me?"

Vi's eyes closed allowing that day to play in her memories. Caitlyn's furious face, her hatred seeping from her pores, her desperation for blood, that was all she could remember from that moment.

"You know why."

"I wouldn't have killed them." Caitlyn held on to that idea, what she'd told herself all those years, that she would have caught them, demanded justice, but she wasn't a killer then, not yet. And maybe that was what she resented the most. How Vi's actions in preventing Jinx's capture had prolonged her pain, allowed the situation to come to that very moment, and everything in between. "I wanted to apprehend her, yes. I might have bounded them but I—"

"Cait…"

"I really wouldn't have, Vi."

"You shot me."

"I shot your armor. Not you."

"Me, Cait. You shot me to get out of your way. And I wasn't going to let you carry the blood of a kid on your conscience."

Caitlyn looked away, refusing to show her frustration. The doubts Vi had regarding her abilities bothered her greatly. She was a perfect markswoman. No one she knew could even come close. She wouldn't have hurt them, she told herself.

"It was on me to stop the possibility of you killing a child. And I did. I wasn't going to fail you like I failed Jayce."

And then it hit her. They had raided the Shimmer Factory together, when Jayce had killed a boy. It was an endless guilt that her friend still bore in his soul. A moment that marked him, that changed him. Caitlyn often thought about how Jayce never smiled like before, that he was conditioned by that mistake. But Caitlyn's hands weren't clean either.

"You didn't stop anything," Caitlyn complained. "I'm soaked in blood anyway. Too much of it."

"Your intent with using The Grey wasn't to hurt people, it was to protect them from what you perceived to be a greater threat."

"What's the difference? People are dead because of me now. Too many."

"I don't see it that way. You never took a shot to kill. The Grey was controlled and those deaths could've been the product of other factors."

"What ifs don't matter."

"Intent matters. Facts matter. And even if they died as a result of coming in contact with The Grey, you know full well that there are always casualties in war."

"A war that I have maintained, that I have led. I may not have shot a single person, but that doesn't absolve me. I deserve to be in the dungeons, to pay."

"I get that there is responsibility in your actions, Cait. But you haven't stood in front of an innocent and watched the life drain from their eyes, you haven't seen their blood flow or heard their last desperate gasps, not because of a bullet you fired. So no, I don't agree with your self-imposed punishment. People were dying in Zaun long before you took over; from addiction, hunger, violence. It's not all in your hands."

Caitlyn had seen the light fade from animals while hunting, but aside from Marcus, the late sheriff, she had never watched a person die, certainly not by her own doing. Vi had a point. Yet the imagery of people dying that Vi had described was too vivid, too visceral, for her not to…

"When have you?… Killed an innocent?"

"I haven't. Not innocents. I have killed people in this job, sure. Why deny it. You just saw Akali and me kill twenty something men a few days ago, but I don't consider them innocent. If they are so willing to steal people, abuse them…" Vi stopped herself, finding the next words impossible to say. She lowered her eyes, but not out of shame, more out of their weight; the kind that sinks into her chest and drags everything down with it. She squeezed her eyes shut and was transported, for a moment, to that boat as they fled the camp after rescuing her. Caitlyn was covered in bruises and wounds. Vi gripped her fists, hot with anger, her nails dug into her skin, her frustration and helplessness boiled over. She remained motionless, as if moving could prevent further pain, as if breaking the stillness would tore something in her again. "They are no longer innocent if… they rape…" She finally said the words that were torturing her.

Caitlyn's mind flashed back to her days in captivity as she watched Vi struggle. "Vi, they didn't… rape me."

Vi opened them wide, looking for any sign that Caitlyn wasn't lying, because she had seen the marks on her skin while cleaning her wounds, the bites those men had left in her body, the scratches, the prints left by their fat fingers, and the possibility that they had violated Caitlyn hunted her thoughts with anger and sadness. With responsibility.

"They didn't… some tried… but they didn't."

Vi exhaled. The tension eased from her chest with the slow release of air. Her face softened, the tightness around her eyes and mouth faded. "Okay."

Caitlyn gave her a tender, small smile, one of gratitude and affection, reaching out to caress her hand. "I'm fine, bruised but fine."

Vi returned the gesture with the same action. "I wouldn't have forgiven myself if we were late and you…"

Caitlyn found so much comfort in those few words and that light touch. They weren't just two girls—now women—who had met years ago and shared a mere attraction. She could feel it. They both remained in moments like this, in the immense love they had for each other.

"Vi… I wouldn't have… killed Jinx… or the kid."

"I'm glad you didn't," Vi stood up, holding Caitlyn's hand to help her. It was better that they went back to the celebration. "Truth is that if you had, I don't think I could have ever forgiven you."

And Caitlyn, who had replayed that moment countless times in her mind, realized that she had never, not even for a second, considered that possibility. Maybe she'd been blinded by her mission, by the hatred that had built up over time. But now the gravity of it had set in, if she had hurt Jinx, she wouldn't have just taken down a criminal, she would've destroyed Vi and with her any chance of what they could've had between them.

It was a realization that only came to her now, after this conversation, and it weighed heavier than she expected.

"I'm not excusing my sister's crimes—they're unconscionable," Vi added. "But Isha and Jinx, believe it or not, they're victims in all of this too. Just like you… like me."

Caitlyn frowned. Who was Isha?

"Vi…" She decided not to ask. Jinx was still a sensitive subject between them and she didn't want to ruin the night. What they had cleared up had been enough. "Luna told me she is sending a few Ionians with me to the other nations, and I was wondering—" 

"Akali said she would accompany you." Vi interrupted her before she could make her proposal. "The deal I made doesn't really… I shouldn't interfere. But you will be safe with Akali by your side. I promise. She is the best."

It was hard for Caitlyn not to show her disappointment. She had hoped to count with Vi's support. But she was a job now. Maybe they could be friends in the future, hopefully. But it wasn't going to happen that night.

"I would go if I could, but—"

"It's okay, I understand."

When they reached the diner entrance, Caitlyn stopped. "I should go to bed. I'm a bit tired."

"Nonsense. They are about to serve the food and you will go nuts with the dishes Luna and I prepared. You can rest later."

"Did 'you' help her?" Caitlyn joked, not expecting the reply.

"I made the dessert, if you must know. So, get ready because I'm about to blow-your-mind."

Vi reached out to take her hand and lead her back into the saloon, but Cait stopped her.

"Vi, yesterday…"

"Yes?"

"Did I say something?"

"Something like?"

"I don't know. I don't quite remember the last thing we talked about. I don't even know when I fell asleep."

"Mmm," Vi could have teased her about the strawberries and cream comment, but on second thought, it was better for her if Caitlyn didn't remember. It was a nice thought, something she could hold on to. "No, you didn't say anything, you just fell asleep. I did too."

Caitlyn, a little calmer, took Vi's hand, feeling their fingers intertwine. "Good, because I had the feeling I said something embarrassing."

"Nope, nothing." Vi smiled at her, more to herself.

Strawberries and cream. Such a wonderful thought.

Over the subsequent days, Caitlyn attended meetings with the leaders of Demacia, Shurima, Freljord, and Ixtal. With each, she forged an alliance that would help her when she returned to the city, which also meant that the time to leave the settlement was near. Demacia's army was already on its way, barely two days shy of arriving at Piltover's ports. She also completed negotiations with Ixtal, who would begin mobilizing immediately according to her plan. But it had been a massive undertaking, and she could no longer ignore the pain in her leg.

"Tired?" Akali asked as they arrived from their last trip.

"Quite a bit, and sore." The wince on her face said it all.

"Well, Piltovian, you're in luck. You have to try…" Akali said, pulling a small pouch out of her pocket and a round mushroom out of it. "…this. It's excellent for any kind of pain. They're the same ones they use for ointments here."

Caitlyn eyed the mushroom suspiciously. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Come on! It's completely safe. I've already had some."

"Today?"

"Aha."

"And you eat them? Just like that?"

"Yes, see, like this," she said, cutting off a small piece and eating it right in front of her. "It takes a little while to take effect, but believe me, you'll rest very well today and tomorrow you'll be as good as new."

Caitlyn sighed, reluctant to appear dismissive. She reached out, took a mushroom, and popped it into her mouth, chewing it quickly to get it over with. The taste was earthy and bitter, but not entirely unpleasant.

"See?" Akali said. "Not bad, right?"

"Not terrible," Caitlyn admitted. She sat back, waiting for the conversation to move on, but something felt off.

The first sign was the warmth spreading through her chest, followed by a faint buzzing in her ears. The world seemed to sharpen, colors becoming more vivid, the edges of objects softening as if they were gently swaying.

"Akali," Caitlyn said slowly, blinking. "What exactly was in that mushroom?"

She frowned, seeing Caitlyn's pupils change in size. "Nothing, I just picked them up from the forest." She grabbed the small bag of mushrooms and inspected them. "Oh. Uh, maybe they are not all what I thought."

"What do you mean 'not what you thought'?" Caitlyn's voice rose slightly, her hand gripping the air around her.

Before Akali could respond, Caitlyn fixed her gaze on a patch of grass nearby, which now seemed to be glowing faintly. "The grass is… moving," she murmured, her expression turning dreamy.

"Okay, uh, this might be a problem," Akali said, standing up quickly. "Stay here. I'll get Vi."

Caitlyn barely registered her leaving, too preoccupied with the way the leaves on the nearby trees were whispering secrets to one another. When Vi got to Caitlyn she found her sitting cross-legged on the ground, staring intently at a nearby tree. Her expression was one of deep concentration, as if the tree held the secrets of the universe.

"Caitlyn?" Vi called, crouching in front of her. "You alright there?"

Caitlyn looked up, her sight slightly unfocused. "Vi! Did you know trees are just… really big sticks?"

Vi blinked, trying to suppress a grin. "Uh… yeah. Sure, Cait."

She suddenly grabbed Vi's hand, her face serious. "But not just any sticks. They're sticks with ambition."

"Ambition?"

"They aim high, you know?" She burst out laughing at her own joke, leaning heavily on Vi for support.

"Oh, my Goddess. I'm going to kill you," Vi said to Akali, who just laughed at the joke. She turned to Caitlyn and helped her up. "Let's get you to bed before you start your own comedy show."

"Wait," Caitlyn said, holding up a finger. "You know why you never see scuttle crabs hiding in trees?"

Vi tilted her head. "Why?"

"Because they're really good at it," Caitlyn replied, dissolving into a fit of laughter.

Vi huffed, unable to contain her grin. Caitlyn was a doofus when she was high. "Alright, that's actually kind of clever. Now, let's go."

Caitlyn staggered to her feet with Vi's help, holding onto her arm for balance. But she wasn't done.

"Okay, I got one more."

"Shoot."

"Why don't spirits ever play hide and seek?"

"This better be good." Vi already knew it wouldn't be, and she preferred not talking about spirits.

"Because they're already invisible. Duh."

"Oh, my Goddess, no. That was a terrible joke, Cait."

"It was good!"

Vi raised her brows, denying with her head. "No, it wasn't."

"Fine, fine. Then how about: why don't spirits ever get tired?"

Vi didn't want to respond.

"Because they're always resting in peace."

"Oh… No! Let's just… stop with the spirit jokes."

As they walked, Caitlyn squinted at Vi. "Are you afraid of ghosts?"

"No, I'm not! I just… It's not polite!"

"To whom? The ghosts? Don't worry, they are already dead." Cait laughed as if she had told a better joke.

Vi groaned but couldn't hide her smile. "You're lucky you're cute when you're high."

"Hey, my jokes are always funny… and I think I'm always cute."

Vi rolled her eyes, biting back her own laugh. "Yes, Cait. You are always cute, but we really need to work on your sense of humor."

"No, no, wait," Caitlyn said, waving her hand dramatically. "I have the best one. Ready?"

Vi deflated. She was going to tell her joke anyway. "Shoot."

"Why did the sheriff bring a flashlight to the Spirit Realm when he died?"

"Cait…"

"To shed some light on the situation." Caitlyn burst out laughing, snorting as she was laid down in her bed. "Get it? A flashlight! To shed some 'light.'"

Vi sat on the edge, shaking her head with an amused grin. "Okay, that's enough comedy for one day. You should rest."

Caitlyn grabbed Vi's hand, her expression suddenly serious. "You know… if I had known that day would be the last time I would ever kiss you…" Caitlyn could no longer hold back her emotions. "I'm sorry, Vi." Her tears spilled as much as her laughter before. "My mother would have hated who I've become. And I hate myself for hurting you."

"You mom loves you."

"She is gone."

"That doesn't mean she is not out there looking out for you." Vi took Caitlyn's boots off, tugging her in bed and covering her with a blanket. "You've had a big, heavy week. Try to rest."

She was about to leave, but Caitlyn managed to grab her hand.

"Please, don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone, Vi… Not anymore."

Vi had promised to help make dinner, but Caitlyn didn't look calm enough to deny her the company.

"Alright. Until you fall asleep, okay?" She turned around the bed and got in from the other side facing Caitlyn, who's eyes were already giving way.

"Do you really think my mother is watching over me?"

"She would never leave you," Vi told her, arranging her locks behind her ear. "I'm sure."

"I hope you are right," Caitlyn said, sniffing her sorrow.

"Every minute. I promise. Your mom is always with you," Vi whispered, though Caitlyn could no longer hear her.

The mushrooms worked quickly and effectively, aside from the small side effect of humorless comedy. But just as Akali had offered, they had succeeded in sending her into a restful sleep, one she definitely needed for what was about to come.

Chapter Text

The anger Caitlyn harbored against Ambessa only grew as she arrived at Piltover's entrance and saw her standing next to her father and her best friend, Jayce Talis.

How could anyone be so vile, so gutless?

What bothered Caitlyn the most was her attitude. She was sure her mentor was already aware of the massacre that facilitated her escape, that the plans to eliminate her had failed. Still, the general wore the smile of a proud mother as she welcomed her back.

Hypocrite!

Though, of course, Caitlyn would have to become somewhat hypocritical herself. Acting once again as Ambessa had taught her.

'Remember this, Caitlyn. Tunnels in your eyes. Lava in your veins. Shadows in your heart. This is the truth of combat.'

Keeping her plan secret was key to capturing her and preventing, at all costs, the Noxian army from having a chance to retaliate immediately.

"I'll take it from here," Caitlyn told Vi. Though she was still sore from the abuse of her captors, she stood tall, showing no vulnerability. Her features had hardened. She was no longer Caitlyn, the twenty-seven-year-old girl who made humorless jokes after eating Akali's wild mushrooms, she was Piltover's commander.

"I'll deliver you to your father and then I'll leave."

Caitlyn showed no reaction, though she couldn't decide whether she was sadder by Vi's tone—talking about her rescue as if it were only a contractual obligation—or the fact that she didn't plan to stay.

They walked at a slow but determined pace, with no need to show urgency. The battalions of Demacia and Shurima were hours from arriving. Freljord was positioning itself on the border with Noxus in case war broke out. In Ixtal they were waiting for confirmation to surprise the invaders from the south. The commander had played all her diplomatic cards so strategically that she not only managed to protect Piltover, but also established an alliance that would prevent Noxus from starting a war against any other nation without global retaliation.

Of course, there was a price to pay.

Runeterra was a world where trade and alliances were vital to survival. Regions like Freljord depended on external agreements to survive. Their hostile geography and isolation had led to critical stages of famine and disease in the past. Therefore, access to the tax-free port of Piltover was an incalculable benefit. In return, Freljord committed itself as a military ally, protecting the city in conflict situations, an indispensable support for a nation like Piltover. The stability of the agreement lay in mutual dependence and loyalty.

Piltover had negotiated similar agreements with Demacia and Shurima. In the case of Demacia, their main interest was access to minerals and advanced technology. Shurima, on the other hand, sought essential raw materials for construction, food, and everyday goods, benefiting greatly from the ability to trade through the free port with other nations such as Ixtal and Ionia. In exchange for their military support, however, they made one more demand. The additional trade benefits that Piltover granted Noxus would have to end. This was no sacrifice for Piltover, given the growing political tensions and the latent threat that Noxus posed. As a counterproposal, Caitlyn suggested that if the Noxian militia did not withdraw peacefully, the allies should take action and apply the necessary military pressure to force them out.

With reinforcements secured, the second part of her plan, the one she had agreed with Ekko and Zaun, could begin.

"Mr. Kiramman," said Vi once they were a few feet away. "I deliver you your daughter."

Caitlyn welcomed her father into her arms. The man was an emotional wreck that she couldn't afford to attend to. Not while Ambessa was present. Her disposition could not show weakness.

"Vi, I guess this is yours," Jayce said, handing her an envelope. Caitlyn watched the exchange. Vi didn't open it. "Thank you for bringing her back. We—"

"Certainly," Ambessa interrupted him, stepping forward. "We appreciate your help in rescuing our commander, Violet. We have already launched an investigation to identify those responsible for this unfortunate and heinous act," she said, unable to hide her contempt.

Vi lifted her chin. Strong. Proud. This woman was not going to intimidate her. She had dealt with dangerous people before, and despite appearances, Vi was no longer alone.

"I will personally see to it that 'everyone' involved," Ambessa added, making sure Vi understood the subtext, "pays with their lives."

The statement was clearly a threat to Vi and the Ionians. They had left twenty-three Noxians dead on Rokrund that Ambessa would no doubt avenge by killing a hundred innocents. Ionians, Zaunites, whoever she held responsible.

"I do not fear that injustice will go unpunished," Vi replied, not looking away for a second. "Life is a cycle that always ends in death."

Ambessa knew that saying. A modern interpretation of a traditional Ionian myth. She couldn't help a sarcastic smile, until Vi decided to get straight to the point.

"The wolf always catches its prey. Justice will come. It's only a matter of time."

Ambessa lost her smile then, seeing a few Ionian warriors in the distance deliberately making themselves seen. She looked back at Vi, wishing she could swing her weapon in the air and cut off her head. She would carry it in a joust for all to see, especially the Ionians.

"I'd better excuse myself," Ambessa said, placing her heavy hand on Caitlyn's shoulder, gauging the extent of her wounds. Her strong emotional shield barely showed her dissatisfaction that her plan had failed. To a person who didn't know her, it would even seem like an act of concern. "I must arrange everything for your welcome speech tomorrow. Zaun will not be spared this time."

The general gestured to Rictus, her loyal right-hand man, and walked away as if she owned the city. And for the moment, she probably did. At least thirty soldiers marched behind her. And that wasn't even ten percent of her fleet around the city.

Caitlyn sighed, releasing her father's hand, softening her features and turned to Vi with concern. "I knew it. That's what she wanted, for us to be at each other's throats. I must act immediately."

"I'll do my part," Vi replied.

"It was her, right? Ambessa, she kidnapped you." Jayce stepped in, finally showing his anger. They both saw him and quietly let him know he was right.

"We need to remain civil with her until we are ready," Caitlyn instructed. Her plan needed to remain covert.

"The most important thing now is to prepare your speech. As Ambessa said, your people need to see you, to hear you. To know you are with them." Vi reached out her hand, taking Caitlyn's with a gesture to reassure her that everything would be fine.

Caitlyn's fear of never seeing each other again had no place in that moment, she had to focus.

"Trust your instincts. 'Lead with kindness and empathy,' Cait. You'll be fine."

Lead with kindness and empathy.

Caitlyn froze at those words. Her mother's. How did Vi know them?

"Are you sure you can't stay, Vi?" Jayce asked. "Whatever you guys have planned, we can discuss it over lunch. I had something special made when I was told you were arriving today, Cait. This week has been excruciatingly stressful, and you must both be hungry."

"I can't. My ship leaves soon." Vi thanked him and looked back at Caitlyn, giving her a kind and confident smile. "Remember, you can do this. You are strong, smart. She has no power over you anymore."

The moment Caitlyn had been dreading for days had arrived. Watching Vi walk away wasn't going to be easy. All the unanswered questions—the ones Vi had promised to address when this was over—still weighed on her mind. But Caitlyn knew that Vi wasn't trying to hurt or deceive her. In a way, she would rather Vi not be there when the fight began. There had already been too much sacrifice on her part. This wasn't goodbye, but a vow that they would see each other again. She truly hoped so.

"Take care," Caitlyn said, her voice softer than she intended.

Vi returned a small smile. "I always do." She stepped backwards, her boots crunching softly on the cobblestones. Then, with one last look, she turned and walked away, her figure shrinking in the distance.

Caitlyn was silent for a moment before asking her father what had troubled her from the beginning. "How much did you pay her to come after me?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Dad…"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Cait," he gave her a puzzled look. "I didn't pay her anything. She offered."

"What?"

"Yes, it was her message that alerted us to your abduction," Jayce confirmed.

"How? I was missing for days before I… was rescued."

Four days at sea, in fact.

Now that she thought about it, even with access to the portals, Akali and Vi would have had to have left Ionia around the same time of her abduction to be able to rescue her the night she arrived in Noxian lands.

"We were surprised you didn't show up at the commemoration. I was going to go visit you at your house, but officer Nolan came by and mentioned that you had been feeling sick for a few days," Jayce informed her.

"Maddie said that?"

"I decided to go see you the next day regardless. On the way, a boy handed me an envelope. It was a message from Vi, asking me to keep it a secret between me and your father, but that she would bring you back in a few days, that she would keep us informed, and she did. She didn't explain exactly what was going on, but she said the situation required the utmost care and we had no reason not to believe her. The envelope had all the diplomatic seals of Ionia."

"A day later?" She turned to her father. "No one noticed I was gone for an entire day?"

"I… Cait…" The poor man was feeling the worst father in the world, but the anniversaries of his wife's death devastated him completely. He hadn't even gotten out of bed until Jayce came in with the news.

"So how did Ambessa know?"

"She called an assembly, said she had received news of your abduction, that she was following leads to Zaun. I followed Vi's instructions. I didn't mention anything."

"Yes, I imagine what she wants in Zaun." Caitlyn didn't need much more to understand, she knew Ambessa wanted weapons, and if she couldn't get her hands on Hextech, Chemtech weapons were a good substitute. And with the excuse of her disappearance, she could just walk in, no questions asked, and do whatever she wanted.

"But… the envelope. Jayce, what did you give Vi?"

"With the message, she sent the key to her vault. If anything happened to her, I was to give it to Ekko."

"Her vault?"

"Yes. I was surprised too. But apparently she has a good savings account here in town. She must not need money where she lives."

Caitlyn recalled the conversation they had had at the settlement.

Vi had told her, 'Money is a part of it. I still have to eat.' But in reality, she had no use for money. She lived far from any city, in a rural countryside in Ionia, near a commune. Life there was different. She didn't spend what she earned. She didn't do any of it for money.

Caitlyn felt an impulse, and before she knew it, she was running after her.

"Vi, wait!" Caitlyn quickened her pace as much as she could, feeling the pain in her ribs with each stride, her still-injured leg vibrating along her body to her jaw. "Vi!"

She, having trained her hearing, managed to hear her name in the distance and turned around completely, seeing Caitlyn approaching urgently.

"Hey, what happened?"

"You walk too fast!" Caitlyn replied, almost gasping for air as she inhaled.

Vi sighed in relief. Seeing her in such a hurry had startled her.

"I needed to know…"

"What?"

"Why?" She breathed deep. "Why did you do it?"

"Cait…"

"Why can't you trust me? I wasn't a job. My father didn't hire you, nor did Jayce. Who contacted you? How did you know where I was?"

Vi looked into her eyes. As blue as her mother's.

"Not yet."

"Vi…"

"I know you deserve to know. But our people need you now."

"'Our' people?" Caitlyn noted the remark. "I thought you no longer considered yourself a Zaunite."

"I guess… being back here with you has made me feel… things."

Caitlyn looked back toward her father and Jayce.

Did she really want to go back there?

The city had awakened something in her too. Stress. Pain. Loneliness.

"I don't want to go back."

"You must. And you will. This is your legacy. You are a Kiramman."

Caitlyn could contain herself no longer, and before she or Vi knew it, she threw herself into her arms, seeking the warmth that had given her so much comfort in those days. Vi held her protectively, running her thumbs gently over her back and neck.

"I didn't mean to," Caitlyn said in sobs.

"What?"

"For you to stop," Caitlyn said without further explanation. She took a couple of deep breaths and gently pulled away.

Vi reached out to hold her hand before Caitlyn could break contact completely. Caitlyn's eyes were sad, heavy, a little red.

"I'll never stop. I'm with you," Vi said, carefully placing her fingers over Caitlyn's heart. "Never doubt it… Cupcake."

The peace that word brought her was the push she needed.

Caitlyn reached over, left a kiss on her cheek, thanked her wordlessly, and, caressing her hand until the last moment, turned and walked back, crossing the bridge once more.

Lead with kindness and empathy, Caitlyn.

It was no easy task to fulfill her mother's wishes while maintaining the secrecy of her new alliance. Shortly Ambessa Medarda would be arrested, which risked the Noxian army in her streets rising up against her. But it would be done as planned.

Later that night, a faint rustling of her bedroom window broke the stillness in her room. Caitlyn didn't flinch. She was expecting a visitor, yet she had her weapon of choice at hand, ready to be used if the wrong people dared to get close.

"Nice place," said a familiar voice from the shadows. The sound of the gun's safety clicked. "Relax, it's me." Ekko's white hair was first illuminated by the light of the lamp as he took a step.

"You're late."

"Avoiding Noxian patrols takes time." He shrugged as he leaned against the edge of the desk. "Besides, Vi asked me to arrive when everyone was asleep, and your father just turned out his light."

Caitlyn let out a small smile, though her mind quickly returned to the topic at hand.

"I guess Vi explained some of the plan to you."

"We had a deal, and I wasn't going to step down. Although, after everything that's happened this week I have to say that Zaun was ready to break it, commander."

Caitlyn hated that title when it came from people with whom she had a personal relationship. Rank created distance, turned interactions stiff, and made casual conversations feel unnatural. Yet, over the past few days, she had wielded it as a tool in negotiations with other nations—no one would listen to a privileged Piltovian girl, but a military title granted her credibility and authority. As a commander, she was nearly untouchable. And yet, that was no longer something she wished to be.

"I know, I wish I could have contacted you from where I was, but I had no means. Did Ambessa imprison more people?"

"Only about two hundred," he confirmed, exaggerating a little. "Zaun was hit, people are afraid, and we were running blind. Some dared to say that you had escaped, leaving us stranded with that pig. But Jayce sent a message, he didn't say much, just that he trusted you would come back."

Caitlyn understood, thanking him for his help and his trust. Suddenly a smile came from the shadows, making them jump.

"Calm down! If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn't have noticed me setting foot in this place," Akali said. "You wouldn't have noticed anything in fact, you'd just be… kuagh!" she said, waving her hand as if she was cutting her throat. She looked around the place.

"You have a great bed." She patted it a couple of times and sat down, immediately lying on top of it. "Hard, but comfortable."

"Is this the girl Vi told me about?"

"I'm Akali… and she better have spoken well of me."

"All good things," Ekko confirmed.

"Good."

"I can't say it's not nice to see you again, Akali, but I don't want to spend the night on banalities. We should just put the plan into action," Caitlyn said, pointing to the blueprint spread out on the desk. Ekko and Akali approached.

"Ambessa looks like a very strong woman, and she is, but much of that strength comes from the runes that Rictus wears wrapped around his sword. They not only give her protection, they drive her, they give her security."

"He's a mage," Akali concluded. That detail was important. It would be difficult to approach without the runes warning them of any danger.

"Rictus is here, always nearby, right at the entrance to her room. The guy sleeps sitting upright, and never uses his quarters. Which will make everything more difficult."

"Not necessarily, if we can disarm him we can take them both at once," Ekko said, clearly inexperienced with such a strong opponent.

"That's not going to happen. If we don't manage to neutralize him first by stealth, he'll wake up Ambessa and between the two of them they can destroy all three of us in two kicks." Akali said. "We need someone else's help, in addition to taking other measures."

"We won't kill anyone unless we're defending our lives," Caitlyn clarified, Akali rolled her eyes in her particular way and took a few steps back, "I know it's sometimes necessary, but I can't keep piling Noxian bodies on my back. I'll only get Noxus to really invade us, and what I want is to avoid a world war."

"Yeah. But how do you plan to disable three hundred soldiers."

"You wanted to kill three hundred soldiers?" Ekko was shocked.

"It's not my heart's most fervent desire, but if I have to do it, I would! You don't know what they are capable of, at least I would give them the compassion of immediacy."

"Stop it. There are other ways," Caitlyn said, placing another blueprint on top. "This is the ventilation system of the military barracks where they sleep. Not all of them will be here, a third of them are standing guard at the gates of Zaun."

"Some on the streets, always," Ekko said.

"Yes, but at least two hundred of them will be sleeping on the ship. They won't even notice that we knocked them out."

"With what?" Akali asked.

"With The Grey."

"You're going to use The Grey?" Ekko didn't feel right about it, after enforcers used it against Zaunites.

"We developed an enhanced version as a failsafe, if you can call it that."

"What the fuck is The Grey?" Akali asked.

"It's a toxic gas, sometimes deadly." Ekko didn't sound too convinced.

"It won't kill anyone, not this time. I've made sure of it. A leading group of scientists has been working on it for the last six months." Caitlyn insisted. "It will put the soldiers to sleep for several hours, giving us a chance to go after Ambessa."

"Why don't you use The Grey on her?" Ekko wondered.

"Her quarters are further away from the corridor, and it's the only one with natural ventilation and direct access to the deck. We won't put her to sleep with The Grey. Neither will Rictus."

"Yes. From what you said about the runes on his sword… You have no idea how powerful they can be, especially if they were created by the Pale Sorceress. We won't be able to take him down." Akali looked genuinely concerned. She knew of the legend of Riven—the Noxian soldier—and her black metal rune sword during the Great Invasion. No one could stand up to her, and if she hadn't surrendered and stopped fighting them on her own, another would have been the result.

"What do you suggest?" Caitlyn asked.

Akali paced around the room a few times. Her eyes conveyed her effort to think of a thousand possibilities. But it was not easy for her to give an answer.

She saw no way out of this problem. Even killing him was not an option.

"We can give him a triple dose of The Grey and—"

"Ekko, the runes will detect your gas, they will detect even the slightest intent to attack at any range. That's what they're made for, absolute defense. We won't be able to fight him. Not just the three of us. We need someone sturdy or at least someone agile and accurate who can face him directly while you and I confuse him in the shadows and Caitlyn stays behind to shoot his sword and drop the runestones I would steal. But we need protection. We need a mage, one who has shielding powers to protect us, someone like Karma."

"And how do we get these people here?"

"I already thought of someone who could help," Caitlyn let them know, "and she should be here soon. It's Fiora Laurent, a former classmate of mine from the Academy. She is now the right hand of Garen Crownguard, Demacia's representative, and she is coming as part of the support forces."

"The fencer?" Akali replied, she recognized the name. Fiora had worked with her and Vi on a case for Demacia before. "She'll be an excellent opponent against Rictus with her sabre, and I can go for Karma, but it'll take me an hour to get back."

"Go, Ekko and I will wait for Fiora and fine-tune the attack with The Grey. Jayce is already in place with the enforcers in order to move the prisoners. We'll be ready."

When the colossal Noxian iron ship anchored permanently in Piltover harbor more than three years back, no one imagined that it would be there that it would experience its last fight.

The plan began. Karma and Fiora waited for the signal to enter, hidden behind a tower, while Ekko and Akali went up in the Chemtech hovercraft to the deck, avoiding detection by the soldiers on guard. From there they would enter the main corridor to spread The Grey. Caitlyn, for her part, walked in as she had done so many times before, through the main door.

"I have a meeting with General Medarda," she announced to the soldier who immediately escorted her. "I can show myself, you don't have to leave your post," she told him, but the man had instructions to accompany her at all times. She was clearly no longer welcome.

"General," the soldier said, squaring himself behind the door of her quarters, "Commander Kiramman is here to see you."

Rictus picked up his sword, alert for any movement. Ambessa was still standing. No soldier sleeps the night before an attack, they must always be alert.

She walked, taking heavy steps, and opened the door to find Caitlyn dressed in her uniform and cape. The commander did not hide her annoyance.

"I waited for you to come all day," Ambessa said and turned away, heading to the small living room to pour herself a cup of tea, not intending to invite Caitlyn to one.

"I did the same, but you never came. Not even to ask how the 'Zaunites' who kidnapped me had treated me."

"Was it necessary?"

"It would have been the politically correct thing to do, since that was your version of events."

"Hmm," Ambessa snorted and turned away, looking at her for a moment with that mocking smile. "I taught you there's no such thing as political correctness in war."

"No, that's true. Your teachings were more for your convenience, but not for my welfare or that of my people."

"You really don't mince words, child. And it is that sincerity that will one day sink you."

"Not today."

Ambessa sipped her tea with all the tact she had, controlled, intelligent, holding the cup with delicacy.

"Tell me, Caitlyn, how did it feel to see Violet again?" Ambessa managed a slight and ill-intentioned smile. "I'm sure now that she's living with the Ionians she's become one of those furry animals that inspire pity, that she's lost everything that made her interesting."

"On the contrary. She's much stronger now. Above all, she is still loyal."

"Something you stopped being."

"I never was," Caitlyn countered, her voice controlled. "Not to you. My loyalty is to my people, not to Noxus."

"And there lies the big problem." Ambessa glanced at Rictus. She didn't need to tell him to go check that everything was in order. "You have no vision, or ambition, to be precise. You cannot see beyond the limits of this city and the revenge for your mother's death. You have failed to exploit what has been offered to you on a silver platter."

"Hextech weapons. Is that what I was supposed to look for?"

"It's always good to be one step ahead of your opponent and that would have given you several."

"I wouldn't have given them to you. Ever. We don't seek war, we don't seek power, we seek progress."

"And what do you think war is, if not progress?"

Caitlyn was the one who smiled then.

Lead with kindness and empathy, Caitlyn.

"You know, all these days since my rescue, maybe even a little before that, I blamed myself for letting you manipulate me, for the way you were able to 'mold' me to your liking, but… now I know better." Caitlyn walked over to the corner table, picked up a glass and pulled down the bottle of the wine her mentor liked best from the cabinet. She poured herself a drink and took a sip. "Yes, I admit it, I let myself be carried away by the anger of my mother's death, by the vengeance that you knew how to sow in me, but I never thought of giving you the pleasure of having access to Hextech. You asked me so many times, but I never accepted. And yes, I let justice run many times through your decisions, I let you imprison innocent people—"

"No one is innocent."

"Many Zaunites in Stillwater are, and I allowed that to happen. But when you mentioned Chemtech… It was then, wasn't it? When I said no to you, that we would not exploit that resource to make weapons, that you thought: I must get rid of her."

"I must admit, it wasn't easy to decide, I've grown fond of you. I've even considered you a daughter," the general acknowledged, which made Caitlyn wonder if there was any truth to Jayce's suspicion that she'd had something to do with Mel's disappearance, "but this is war, and one death will save thousands. Yours… many more."

"Noxian lives."

"None are worth more on Runeterra."

Her pride was to be expected, but her sincerity? That was something new.

"I'll give you one chance. Just one. Turn yourself in. I'll take you to your cell myself. Let your soldiers go in peace and there will be no retaliation."

Ambessa laughed in a way she had rarely done in her life.

"The day you see me in a cell will be the last of my life and I intend to live for a long time, long enough to rule Noxus."

"Sadly, you are wrong. But if that's the way you want it."

Almost like clockwork, Ekko's hovercraft hummed behind the door. Ambessa, without hesitation, grabbed her drakehounds from the wall and stood on guard.

"What have you done, child?"

Caitlyn moved back, taking cover behind a pillar as Rictus came in, wielding his sword, the guy was really big and sturdy.

"All the soldiers were attacked, all of them!"

"Kill her!"

But when Rictus raised his arms to strike Caitlyn, Akali moved so fast, throwing her smoke bomb, that he was unable to finish his blow.

Caitlyn took the opportunity to step out of the room into the hallway and retrieve her rifle. She had only one mission, to shoot at the rope holding the runes.

Akali threw another bomb, spinning her kamas, trying to cut his skin. Before the smoke cleared, she stepped out into the hallway as well. Rictus was a smart man and had activated his runic shield, he didn't take the slightest damage.

Ambessa was hesitant about what to do, the smoke had made her wonder how many Ionian warriors Caitlyn had managed to recruit. The one she was most worried about was Irelia, who had been the one to cut off Swain's arm, unleashing all the events of Noxus' retreat from Ionia. If she was there, her life was truly in danger. She had seen her in combat, and though she had never known fear when facing an opponent, the Ionian warrior unsettled her.

"Now, Ekko!"

Before the shield could regenerate, Ekko—with a paralyzing artifact—launched a powerful blast as bright as lightning at him, weakening him enough for Fiora to enter combat and wound him with her petricite-infused sabre, absorbing the magic of the runic sword.

But Rictus was no ordinary enemy. Even weakened, his strength regenerated quickly, and a single blow sent Fiora flying across the room. Had it not been for the shield Karma put on her, she would have broken her neck against the table.

The runestones on his sword began to vibrate in such a way that they generated a vortex of energy that pushed everyone meters away.

Akali was trying to get closer. Her movements were almost imperceptible. She sought to find an angle of entry, but the pulsations of the sword drew her out of her shadows, revealing her position.

Ekko appeared and disappeared, using his hovercraft, he knew he had to smite him again with the artifact, but as he tried to get closer, Rictus grabbed him by the neck and squeezed mercilessly. His grip was so strong that Ekko began to lose consciousness.

Karma then threw a line of light, slowing Rictus down and forcing him to let go. Immediately after, the lightning froze him long enough for Akali to step in, take the smite from Ekko's hands, and, with a high jump, throw it back over his head, causing momentary blindness that Caitlyn took advantage of to deliver the perfect shot.

Karma gathered the last of her energy. A final shield—driven by her mantra—with the sole intention of protecting the entire team. Fiora, somewhat recovered, took the opportunity to pull Ekko into the hallway. He was unconscious. Akali took the runes. And Caitlyn fired her electrified net, trapping him, which allowed her to put on the Hextech handcuffs that would render him unable to move on his own.

Rictus could not even utter a last cry. He was completely subdued.

"Where is Ambessa?" Karma asked once they calmed down. Fiora, Ekko and Akali were already recalling to their base to meet with Jayce.

Caitlyn looked around the room, spotting the window wide open.

"She escaped," she realized and reproached herself. She should have secured her, called in more allies. Something. Anything. "Damn it!"

"Don't worry, we left her unprotected. She'll want to flee, but she'll have a hard time once you expose her in a few hours."

"There'll be no deal with Noxus without her," Caitlyn lamented. If we don't capture her, Swain will take this as an attack and start the war."

"Not necessarily, you still have proof of her guilt."

But nothing Karma or the others could tell her would stop Caitlyn from feeling another disappointment. There she was, once again letting a criminal get away.

"You must give the order for the enforcers to take the detainees to Stillwater before they wake up, especially this one."

Caitlyn looked at Rictus. The man could no longer even open his eyes. Such was the strength of the Hextech. Another reason she would never sanction the industrial production of weapons with that technology. It all depended on whose hands they fell into, and she could not allow people as violent as Noxians to have access to such power.

"You're right," Caitlyn replied. This wasn't over yet. She had a speech to give. But first, she had to have a conversation with one person in particular. Maddie Nolan.

Chapter Text

The holding cells strategically located at Piltover bore no resemblance to those at Stillwater. Built as a temporary refuge for those detainees who could afford quick release in exchange for a substantial donation, they symbolized the power and privilege of the few. Clean, relatively comfortable, with adequate meals throughout the day, and graced with a design that contradicted its purpose, they were a reminder of the flaws in the system Caitlyn was trying to change. All prisoners deserved humane living conditions, even if they were deprived of their freedom for a justifiable and proven reason; not only the elite.

"Leave us alone," Caitlyn ordered as she crossed the corridor on the second floor. Her confident footsteps echoed until she was in front of that particular cubicle, all the others were empty. The guards stepped out at once, fearful that their fate would come to be the same as that of their colleague.

"Cait!" Maddie hurried to say, immediately approaching the bars. "I don't understand what's going on. Yesterday, just after you arrived, they handcuffed me and brought me here. No one told me why! And they have refused to send you a message on my behalf. Please, Cait, it must have been Ambessa—"

"It was me."

Silence followed the confession.

Maddie lost her train of thought, unable to believe the words she had just heard. It was impossible. Why would her lover give the order to imprison her? She waited for a reason, but Caitlyn didn't even make eye contact. If this had been her decision, why was she avoiding her?

"How long have you been working for Ambessa?" Caitlyn finally asked, her tone was hard, detached, cold.

Maddie let go of the bars without looking away. What had happened in that short time to make Caitlyn think such a thing? Who could have filled her head with such lies?

"Could you at least give me the courtesy of looking at me?"

Caitlyn looked up. The weight on her chest didn't ease when she laid her gaze on the freckles she once complemented, it sank into her stomach. So, this is what loyalty to Ambessa looks like? Her disappointment turned to anger. How many intimate moments had they shared together? Confessions of insecurity, of pain? Nights in which she had cried in his arms, seeking the most needed consolation.

Her jaw clenched, her lips tightened to keep from spitting out the accusations that had been rattling around in her head.

"I have no dealings with that woman. I am an enforcer working for this city... for you! You know that very well."

"That's what I thought, but things have changed."

"Not to me." Maddie stood firm, her voice steady, free of doubt or regret. Nothing in her tone hinted at betrayal. But Caitlyn's trust was broken. She had to be alert, on guard.

For a second, irony crept into Caitlyn's thoughts. It had been Ambessa herself who had warned her not to mix her romantic life with her work. "I can't be sure of that any longer."

"Can't be sure?" Maddie struggled to repeat each word. She had been worried sick about her disappearance and when it was confirmed that she was safe and returning, she was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. "You've got to be kidding me, Cait. Tell me, how many times have I told you that it would be best to break the alliance with Noxus?"

"Oh, you were my political advisor?"

"No, but I was your partner in more ways than one!" Indignation took over her words. "I watched your anger grow, witnessed how every night you punished yourself more and more for what was happening in the undercity... here! And you think I would work for her? You're blind."

Caitlyn looked away, wondering what moments in their relationship might have given her clues to her betrayal, but nothing seemed to fit. Her natural investigative instinct had not alerted her to any ill intentions, and Maddie was no mastermind. Unless that was her uniqueness. Posing as an ordinary, average ally who didn't arouse suspicion.

"If you're not working for Ambessa, explain to me why you told Jayce I was sick on the day of the memorial. You know I wasn't. You saw me leave my house and not come back. Why didn't you put out a missing persons alert? Unless that was part of the plan to facilitate my abduction."

"Plan? Wow." The softness with which Maddie usually addressed her was nowhere to be found. "I don't know if you remember, but you didn't want anything to do with me that night. I offered to go with you, but you refused. You, not me! You left me in your room waiting for you like an idiot, and after staring at the walls for over an hour, I decided to go home. I didn't know you had been kidnapped until Ambessa made it public.

"Why did you lie then?" Caitlyn raised her voice, losing all the composure she had worked so hard to maintain at that moment. She didn't want to show how much this betrayal had affected her.

"Because I thought I was doing you a favor! I figured you wouldn't want to go to the memorial for another year without having caught Jinx. I thought you'd rather stay home, like your father, and I didn't want anyone to bother you. Is that a crime? To worry about you?"

Evidence of Maddie's guilt was non-existent, and that excuse seemed plausible enough, but given the political atmosphere they were in, and with Ambessa missing, Caitlyn couldn't take any chances.

"If what you say is true, you'll be out in no time, but for now you'll have to stay here."

"For treason, according to you."

"No, for safety." Caitlyn met her eyes again. Maddie was angry, but mostly sad. "I will conduct an investigation after I capture Ambessa," she said as she walked to the door.

"I'll wait. Because you will be the one to open this cell to free me," Maddie told her, holding back tears. "It's the least you owe me."

Caitlyn, who had stopped her pace at those words, reproached herself for feeling guilty. It was no time to doubt her decisions. She had a criminal to apprehend.

"I'm afraid news of what happened at the pier yesterday has spread," Jayce informed her as they walked toward the main square. "People are worried, afraid of retaliation."

"I feared that." In the settlement, she had imagined arriving at the main square to be surrounded by Piltovians on all sides, but with the threat of an improvised war at the hands of her mentor, she had ordered an immediate curfew.

The main square was empty, the streets deserted, but that did not lessen the nervousness of conveying her decisions to all her people.

Jayce accompanied her to the podium. Somehow, the echo of each step made the moment even more solemn. She inhaled, focusing on her breathing as Vi had taught her, and faced the microphone that would carry her words over the city's public bullhorn system.

"Ready?" He asked. Jayce hadn't left her side since the night before, afraid to lose her again. "I'm here if you need me. You're not alone, Cait."

She turned around. The statue of the fallen councilors, her mother, were the only witnesses to her determination.

Right as she was about to start, a wind blew past her, fluttering the banners that hung in every corner of the city, bearing the insignia she now loathed. The first order she would give after her speech would be to tear them down. She straightened up and, before saying a word, untied the knot of her cloak, letting its weight carry it to the ground. The sound of it dropping was ponderous, freeing her. She gulped a dry swallow, loosening the lump she had in her throat, allowing the words to echo from every corner.

Citizens of Piltover and Zaun, people of Runeterra.

I am compelled to inform you that as of today, I am unilaterally terminating the alliance between Piltover and Noxus. Last night, Ambessa Medarda's right-hand man, Lieutenant Rictus, was arrested and taken to Stillwater along with approximately two hundred Noxian soldiers, who will remain in our custody until Noxus gives the order for a peaceful withdrawal.

Unfortunately, General Medarda managed to escape during the arrest. For this reason, I am ratifying the curfew to ensure the integrity of you, the citizens of our nation. I will not allow any more transgressions against our people.

Make no mistake, she will be apprehended and brought to justice. The reason: General Medarda has been accused, with irrefutable evidence, of orchestrating my kidnapping in recent days and conspiring to destabilize the city for her own benefit. In addition to being directly responsible, along with Lieutenant Rictus, for escalating tensions between districts to facilitate acts of corruption, she is also accused of illegal trafficking of goods and people, among other atrocities.

We have been informed that at this very moment she and a significant number of soldiers are positioned at the gates of Zaun, with the sole intention of causing chaos in order to escape.

We will not allow it!

For years, Ambessa Medarda has played a key role in our political landscape, taking advantage of our pain. Her purpose, we have learned, was to further the development of weapons of war for Noxus.

But that ends today!

We are a sovereign nation, a peaceful nation, and we will no longer allow social injustice to mark the differences between us.

From this moment on, we will begin to rebuild… together. We will tear down the barriers that separate us and reform our laws to ensure that every citizen of this city has the opportunity to live with dignity and justice.

For a moment, Caitlyn allowed her voice to become more personal, less rigid, as she recalled her mother's words.

Lead with kindness and empathy, Caitlyn.

To those who fear, I ask for patience. To those who feel anger, I ask for hope. And to those who still believe that Noxus has something to offer them, I ask that you leave on their vessel. This is our city, to receive the warmth of these blue skies is our right, to breathe clean air should be the most elemental of demands. Zaun and Piltover are sibling districts, and we will no longer see each other as enemies. Top and bottom are not oil and water. We are one people, and I am confident that we can find a way forward without those who seek to maintain the status quo for their own benefit.

Caitlyn paused. Here came the warning, the anticipation of all that could come if her plan went south.

General Medarda, I'll give you one last chance. Surrender.

Present yourself unarmed to any enforcer. If you don't, you will face the consequences of your actions with our full force.

With that, a group of her allied soldiers and enforcers prepared to take her to what she anticipated would be the battlefield. But before that, she had one last message to leave in the minds of her people, and it would not be an easy request to make.

My fellow citizens, today, I am not asking you to trust me, but to trust in what we can achieve when we work together as equals. Our future need not be defined by the shadows of the past or for the benefit of the few. Piltover and Zaun will rise together.

We are one in our pain, and we should be one in our glory.

Let's remember all those we have lost: our mothers… our fathers, our daughters and sons, our sisters and brothers, our friends. Let us fight for those who are still here today and for those who will come after us.

Let's do this… together!

Caitlyn thought for a second that the silence would be deafening, but soon she heard applause from all corners of the topside. She let out a contained breath and turned to see Jayce smiling and nodding, proud of her, waiting as she walked back to him.

What followed was intimidating. Facing the woman who had been her teacher, the one she could never beat in training, would be a difficult task. Ambessa was not the kind of opponent who would just surrender, not without a fight. Still, she had to do it.

Ambessa had listened to the speech from an improvised vantage point, surrounded by her most loyal men. Although her face showed no emotion, there was a mixture of contempt and concern inside. Whether she liked it or not, she had taught Caitlyn a few strategies and she knew that the Kiramman heir was smart enough to execute her own. She was no longer the naive pupil she'd once manipulated to perfection. Something that, under other circumstances, would have made her proud.

"Did you manage to bring them?" Ambessa asked one of her men.

"Yes, they just arrived. They are in position," he replied, pointing behind her. "The commander is on her way as well."

Without wasting any more time, she gave the order. "As soon as she is at the entrance of the bridge, go in with full force. Don't let a single Zaunite live."

The remaining Noxian troops waited until the sound of a bullhorn alerted them that Caitlyn had arrived at the exact spot, and as soon as the sonic alert ended, they burst into the underground with the ferocity of a storm and a war cry. The doors of the houses gave way under the boots of the Noxian soldiers, the windows shattered from the blows of their jousts. The ground rumbled. But when they entered, what awaited them were not helpless civilians, but entire squads of allied soldiers.

Caitlyn's plan had been meticulously calculated days before at the Ionian settlement. Vi would leave her with her father and go to Zaun to meet Ekko. The district would be evacuated south to Ixtal. All this had to be done immediately and quietly during the night. There they would be safe and protected until the threat could be controlled. By the same route, the alliance soldiers would enter and await the inevitable blow from the general, for if Caitlyn knew one thing, it was that Ambessa would not leave without causing enough chaos. Her ego would not allow her to flee without demonstrating who had the power.

Ambessa frowned as she noticed that the resistance of the Zaunites to defend themselves was not forthcoming. The streets were too empty, and the screams were not what she was used to hearing when she moved in full force against commoners.

"This is not right," she muttered to herself.

The first sign that her men had failed came when a Noxian soldier advancing down an alleyway was felled by an arrow perfectly placed in his throat. A second arrow followed, sticking straight through his chest. Before the squad could react, a battle roar echoed from the shadows, and an entire unit of Demacian and Freljord soldiers emerged from the corners.

"Ambush!" shouted one of the Noxian officers, just before he was cut down by a Shuriman spear that pierced his armor with ease. It confirmed her suspicions. Caitlyn had anticipated her move.

From inside, the allies advanced, facing the Noxians straight on. Their armor reflected the dim green light of the undercity. Soldier to soldier, blow by blow, metal against metal, making the most desperate sounds. Soon, the allies began to rise above the lifeless bodies of Ambessa's army. The confrontation was unleashed in a matter of minutes. Blood spilled onto the cobblestones.

Ambessa watched as the screams died down. Knowing she would have to execute her B-Plan, she ordered her remaining men to form a wall around her and watched as the few soldiers who had survived the attack came back unarmed, captured by the new alliance.

"Surrender, general! Drop your weapon!" Caitlyn yelled from a moderate distance. Her rifle was ready to fire. "Do not force us to use more violence!"

Ambessa, completely surrounded, with no support and no way out, made her last attempt.

"If you want me, commander, you will have to come and get me!"

Caitlyn had learned not to underestimate the general. She had her ways, and they were always treacherous.

She began to approach, Demacian soldiers following close behind, Freljord archers aiming at Ambessa from a distance. Getting close enough to see at least thirty Noxian soldiers still standing guard, Caitlyn stopped.

"Enough, general. You have no choice. Come down from your horse."

Ambessa didn't move, spilling her cruelty in the curve of her lips.

The smile made Caitlyn hesitate. There was something she had missed. And that's when she saw them. Children, Zaunites, hidden behind the soldiers shielding her. They had been taken, who knew when, probably from the confused mass of people fleeing to Ixtal. But none of that mattered. They were there, frightened, helpless, under the control of merciless Noxians. They were Ambessa's trump card. That was why she hadn't run away when she saw the allies appear.

"Let them go. They have nothing to do with this."

"They are the ones you chose over justice, Caitlyn. Zaunites, like the ones who killed your mother."

The accusation was again aimed at disrupting her moral compass. If they were part of the problem, then the solution was whatever Ambessa suggested.

"They're my people," Caitlyn refused to let her pain overwhelm her again. She calculated every scenario to free them, none of which had a positive ending. "I know you understand that. They are the ones I owe my loyalty to."

"I understand, commander. That's exactly why I acquired them. If you want them back with their families, you will allow me and mine to leave, or they will never see the light of another day." Ambessa offered the only way out, but it was too easy, and the general never chose the easiest path. "You are welcome to come with me. After all, you know that once I'm gone, 'your' people will come for your head."

Caitlyn had considered that possibility, and in a way, her agreement with Zaun was an alliance to protect her until she was able to stabilize the government. But after that, it was the most realistic scenario. She would be captured, tried for her crimes, with a good chance of ending her days behind the bars of a prison cell she had fortified herself in Stillwater.

"We will rule Noxus together," Ambessa insisted.

The offer came as an insult. Caitlyn had already accepted her fate, and power was never her end goal.

"I warn you again, general. Release the children. Surrender. You will not get out of this."

Ambessa knew that the kids were her only chance of escape. From there they would act as a shield to a safe harbor, but the only way to Noxus was either on her ship or a very long walk to the border up north. The second was too risky, and her original plan to escape through Ixtal had been shattered.

"I will release them if, and only if, you release all Noxians from Stillwater and give us safe passage to our ship. We will go in peace… and with you."

There it was.

The mere mention of it made Caitlyn shiver. Another trip to Noxus. She wouldn't dare to relive that experience. The beatings, the bites, the hunger, the touching, the abuse… No! She couldn't, she wouldn't.

"In what mad world do you contemplate that I will submit myself to your plan?"

"I need a guarantee that I will get out of here alive and not be followed, and it's either these kids or you. Make your choice, Caitlyn. These are your people, as you said. Who is more important? Them… or you?"

For Caitlyn, there was only one answer.

She wished there was another way. They were surrounded by allied forces, but those children, she would never forgive herself if anything happened to them as a result of her refusal. Images of her abduction flashed through her mind, everything she had endured, she would never let them go through something like that.

"Let them go now," she said, accepting her destiny. "I'm coming with you."

The entire fleet of allied soldiers awaited orders from their own leaders, who observed with concern how Caitlyn—who only days before had been in their realms assuring them of an alliance that would benefit them all—was now handing herself over to the enemy to save a few children. But instead of distrusting Caitlyn for breaking her promise with that decision, they admired her courage. Caitlyn didn't look so wounded anymore, but up close they had seen the marks left on her body by the men who had kidnapped her over the past few days. And yet, once again, she was entering the wolf's den to ensure the safety of her people. There was nothing more commendable than that.

Caitlyn lowered her rifle and took a few steps forward. Ambessa signaled to her troops, who allowed the children to run to the allied forces.

"You will see, little one. You will learn. War… is the only way up."

One of the Noxian soldiers took Caitlyn's rifle as she walked close enough to see the victory in Ambessa's eyes.

But then… it all happened so fast that both were surprised to hear a small boy calling Caitlyn's name running toward her with something in his hand.

Oh, no. "Davi?" she murmured as she turned to face him, her heart pounding at full speed in her chest. His familiar voice pierced the air. She immediately looked back, only to see Ambessa react to what she perceived to be a threat—probably a bomb—by throwing one of her drakehounds at the boy. "Davi, no!"

Caitlyn was able to push him aside just in time, and they both fell hard to the ground.

She looked at him.

He was okay.

What he was holding in his hand was just a rock that he had dropped next to him.

But he was in one piece. Crying. Scared. But okay.

Her eyes moved quickly. The soldiers looked back to Ambessa, who gave the order to attack.

"Davi!" She stood up, just enough to jump forward and land on him, covering him with her body, expecting the worst.

Soon, the sound of bodies falling around them was all she could hear. Dry thuds on the gravel along with the whistling of arrows terrified her. At what point would she feel the points of the jousting javelins dig into her skin? But she stayed where she was. Even if she was hit by a dozen spears, she wouldn't move, she wouldn't let Davi get hurt.

"Surrender now or face death!" Garen Crownguard said, too close to Caitlyn.

She dared to look up. Ambessa was surrounded. The Noxian soldiers were all dead. For a second she thought that was where the blood around her was coming from, until she saw him.

Davi, covered in blood.

"Help! Help me! Davi, no!"

Fiora rushed to her side, pulling her away from the boy to inspect him.

"Oh, my God. Lux! Get some soldiers, we need to take them to the hospital. Now!"

An unfamiliar, piercing cold washed over Caitlyn in a way she had never experienced before, not even in winter. It came from inside her. Her breathing became hectic, and she began to shiver uncontrollably.

"Fiora, she's losing too much blood!"

"Take her now! Run!"

Caitlyn couldn't keep up. She lost consciousness as she was picked up by a huge man.

Hours later she came back. There was no commotion, just silence.

"Davi…" she murmured, her mouth was too numb to finish a sentence.

"Cait!" Her father rushed to her side, smiling as she regained consciousness. "Thank goodness."

"Wheresdavi?"

"He's fine. He wasn't hurt. He is with his family now," Jayce informed her. He had not moved from her side since she came out of the operating room.

"Mbessa…"

"She was captured and taken to Stillwater. You don't need to worry about her anymore. It's over."

Caitlyn's body was heavy, weighed down by the anesthesia from her surgery. But there was something else they needed to tell her.

"Water…" She swallowed hard, too dry not to flinch.

Her father served some in a glass and brought it to her to help her drink.

It was then.

She made an attempt to reach the glass, to drink by herself when she saw it, not registering reality for a while.

"Be careful. Don't make any sudden moves."

Caitlyn still didn't see it.

Jayce put his hand gently on her left shoulder and pulled it down. "They… they couldn't reattach it."

Caitlyn looked from his sorrowful face back to her arm. It was completely bandaged from shoulder to wrist. But it wasn't her wrist. The bandage reached just below the elbow but stopped there.

"I'm sorry, Cait."

It covered the entire circumference, but did not reach the hand. There was no hand.

"Jayce…"

"Ambessa's weapon cut it off." He lamented. "I… I'm sorry, I wish I could have…" He was disappointed, powerless at how things had turned out, at how little he had been able to do.

"Clan Ferros has already agreed to make a prosthetic. It will be the best our money can buy," her father assured her.

Caitlyn couldn't stop looking at the bandages. Her eyes opened wide.

Her hand.

The one that held her rifle steady.

It was gone.

Severed…

But her mind still told her that she was moving her fingers.

"It's going to be okay, Cait. At least you're alive," her father said. His heart had broken at the possibility of losing another woman he loved. His daughter.

Caitlyn took a deep breath and lingered in that mental space for a few minutes, after which she woke up.  She looked at her other hand, it was complete, her fingers moved at her command, an intravenous drip went into her arm. This was reality now. Unchangeable. Permanent.

Her incredulous expression hardened, the numbness fading with each passing second.

"Has someone started the protocols of my agreement with Zaun?" Her words came out slow but firm. She looked at Jayce.

"We've been waiting for you to come through."

"Send the order. You are my security advisor now, Jayce. And from now on, my… left hand," she said seriously, but somehow inside she found it funny. Maybe it was the effect of the anesthesia, just like Akali's mushrooms. "Release all Zaunites from Stillwater immediately. We will begin economic sanctions within the next few days. We cannot sit still."

"What about Noxus?" Jayce asked. He already knew the agreements from the meeting with Ekko before she was kidnapped, but this was beyond him. "Your allies decided to stay in Piltover until things stabilized and you had an official response from Noxus. But they suggested that you be the one to initiate contact, demand that the troops be withdrawn, and decide what to do with Ambessa. Will you let her go or—"

"She stays. Stillwater will be her new retirement home. She tried to kill Davi. I'm not letting her go."

"I'll give the orders then," he said, giving her a mournful smile.

"Don't, Jayce. My father is right. I'm still alive. It's just… an arm."

He pursed his lips and nodded slightly, unable to lift his eyes from the ground.

"Please, don't… don't contact Vi. Don't tell her I…" Caitlyn begged. She knew that Vi would feel guilty for not being there with her. It wasn't fair. "I'll do it myself eventually."

Jayce agreed. "Understood. I'll initiate all executive actions and bring the documents for you to sign. But for now, sleep. You need to rest."

Caitlyn looked down again at her severed limb. She didn't even remember feeling the cut. She was so focused on protecting Davi that everything else passed her by.

How the hell was she supposed to hold her rifle now?

For her, to realize the value of having all her body parts intact was frustrating and humbling. Something she hadn't thought about before. Privilege had shielded her from what was common to so many in Zaun. Due to exposure to toxins, amputations from occupational accidents, and gang fights, they had developed a very sophisticated and prolific prosthetics industry, far more advanced than what Piltover had just begun to manufacture.

"We are letting you go home," the doctor said three weeks after her operation. "The arm is healing normally. You've developed a nice thin scar and… I'm sure you'll be more comfortable working from your own bed," he joked. Caitlyn had asked for three bed tables, which at the moment were filled with papers, and her notes.

"Yes, if only I could hold my notebook while I write," she complained without looking up, she was busy, and these visits were quite irritating.

"I've scheduled your discharge for noon." The doctor added, getting no response. "Please be careful and remember to come daily for your physical therapy. Getting used to the prosthetic and how to use it won't be easy if you don't practice your responses first and heal to perfection."

"Thank you, doctor. I'll start preparing for my release."

He smiled, knowing that her resilience would assure a full recovery and left the room, giving her the privacy to get ready. But before she even thought about going home, she knew she had to make a detour. There was someone she needed to talk to.

"Give me the keys," Caitlyn ordered as she arrived at the holding cell where Maddie was still awaiting a decision. She walked slowly, knowing that everything had changed between them and curiously mourning what had been, even if it hadn't reached any loving stage. She put the key in, Maddie had heard her voice, but this time she didn't move from where she was sitting, she didn't even look at her. The door opened and Caitlyn waited.

"What are the results of your investigation, commander?"

"I'm sorry," Caitlyn replied, almost in a whisper. She had wanted to do this before, but her stay at the hospital had made it impossible. It hadn't taken long after she started investigating Maddie's association with Ambessa that she confirmed the girl had not been a part of the general's plans. "You are free to go."

Maddie didn't move, hoping Caitlyn hadn't seen her when a tear fell down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and stood up to put on her jacket, realizing it was her uniform.

"Have I been relieved of duty?"

"No."

Maddie looked at it, at the emblem hanging on the lapel, at her rank. "I've always wanted to help people," she said with an ironic laugh. "I don't know what the point is anymore."

"You're a good enforcer. And I hope you decide to stay."

Maddie denied with her head, folding the jacket and leaving it on the seat. "I couldn't work for you again knowing that I'm not trusted. And even if you hold a conference and tell everyone I was always innocent, people will look at me with doubt and judgment."

Caitlyn didn't know what to say. Once again, Maddie was right.

"I will find another way to serve. But for now, I hope you will accept my resignation."

Caitlyn nodded.

Maddie gave her one last look, regretting how things had ended, and walked right past her out of the cell. "Sorry about your arm."

Letting Maddie go like that only increased Caitlyn's unease. Little by little, she hoped that things would get better, that the gossip would cease, that the atmosphere would normalize, especially after the news came from Noxus. General Swain would travel to Piltover to speak with her in person. He wanted to confirm what he had been told in the official communication. The allies would accompany her, they would be at the meeting to ensure her safety and to make clear their support for Piltover. They hoped this would help Swain make the right decision. But it would be another two months before he arrived.

"Commander Kiramman," Swain said in his deep, controlled voice, bowing his head slightly in greeting as he finally sat down in the guest seat of the council chamber. He kept his gaze on Caitlyn's missing limb for a couple of seconds. "We have much to discuss."

The negotiations were far from smooth. It took time and the constant presence of Garen and Ashe to finally sway the general. With his pride wounded and under pressure from all sides, he began to see that a quiet retreat was the only way to preserve what little respect remained from the other nations. In the end, he agreed: Piltover would try Ambessa Medarda. She would be found guilty and imprisoned at Stillwater.

And he—not wanting to appear weak, but out of options—would withdraw. The ship would leave with the freed soldiers, and with it the promise that there would be no retaliation.

Later that night, Caitlyn arrived at the forty-fifth floor below the surface, the deepest of them all, and waited for the guard to open the cell of prisoner 2340.

"We're just a step away if you need us," he said. The thick bars of the cell closed behind him, leaving Ambessa alone with the girl she had named commander.

The cell had been the general's own idea, a masterpiece of containment and cruelty, designed especially for Jinx. It was a cube, three meters on each side, built to be the absolute end of freedom. The bars surrounding it were made of wolfram with a petricite alloy that made any escape impossible. Neither physical force, nor heat, nor magic could weaken the structure. The bars rose from the floor to the ceiling, perfectly spaced, shining under the artificial light almost as if they were blades.

Two meters beyond this inner prison were the outer walls of the cell, also covered by a thick layer of petricite that absorbed any attempt at magic even from a distance. Any Hextech weapon was useless. Ambessa would never leave that place again. A small integrated station would deliver her food, without the need of human contact. Near the back corner was a basic toilet and water faucet that would allow her to maintain hygiene. But nothing else would break the monotony of daily life. There would be no outings, no visitors, no special treatment.

"Caitlyn," Ambessa greeted her. "I thought you had become a martyr."  She had not received any news of what had happened that day or after that. Isolated from the world, she had almost lost count of the days inside that hole.

"I'm not here for small talk. I came to inform you that you have been judged and will remain in this cell indefinitely. Your crimes will be communicated to you in a few days, but I doubt that you will ever see the light of day again."

"So much for fairness, commander. I haven't even been tried yet."

"Your involvement in my kidnapping and attempt on my life was clear enough for the council and General Swain to reach a verdict."

"Swain? He may be stupid, but he would never believe you."

"He did as soon as I showed him the necklace you gave that goon as payment," Caitlyn informed her. "My rescuers were very diligent in gathering proof before we left that camp. And let me tell you, Swain didn't like it one bit. Not because he didn't know of your plans—I'm sure he approved of them—but because he didn't think you, his most prized warrior, would ever try to take his place," Caitlyn let her know she suspected of the joint plan.

"That necklace proves nothing."

"It helped a lot, especially when my new allies confirmed that you said 'we will rule Noxus together' when you 'offered' to take me with you. He knew that if he didn't turn his back on you, he'd be the next to fall."

"You are a fool to trust the other nations. To believe for a second that he won't come back to destroy you."

"I was a fool to trust that you cared about my people, my pain, my family," Caitlyn countered. "All your stories, your lessons… they were just manipulations to get what you wanted. Just like your grandfather did to you."

Ambessa clenched the hatred between her teeth.

"He taught me what was important. You could never really understand that."

"No, because I'm not like you. I'm not a Medarda. I'm a Kiramman."

"You are so much more than a Kiramman. If only you could see your potential, you could have the world at your feet, child."

"For what?" Caitlyn couldn't hold back the question any longer. "Power? Is that why you kidnapped me, just to have me killed and raped by a bunch of your filthy men? Power?"

"They didn't touch you."

"Because I bit out the tongue of one of them. That's why they didn't dare," Caitlyn confessed just how close they had come to violating her. "They beat the shit out of me, though."

Ambessa smiled, not with malice, but with pride.

"I just don't understand you," Caitlyn's frustration grew deep.

"I would do anything for my family. Anything."

"What about Mel, then? Where is she? Did you…?"

"Don't you dare accuse me of hurting my daughter. If there's a reason I'm doing all of these things, it's to get her back."

"How?"

"Hmm. Believe me, child. You have no idea what we're up against. And when they come for you and your friends in Ionia, you will come back to beg for my help".

Caitlyn decided not to give Ambessa the satisfaction of another question she would refuse to answer directly.

"We'll see about that."

She instructed the guards to lock the cell behind her and left. It was done. Ambessa had been captured, the Noxian soldiers were soon to be withdrawn from Piltover, and the agreement with Zaun was progressing well. No merchants had protested the new tax rates, there was a shift in the districts—peace was returning, something everyone welcomed.

Ambessa was just trying to scare her off.

Months passed until Caitlyn was comfortable enough to propose her last act as commander of Piltover. But reinstating the council meant giving up her power, and that opened up the possibility of them holding her accountable. She would no longer be protected. But it was something she needed to see through, no matter what the result was.

She opened the table to suggestions from her trusted advisors, and after much deliberation decided to open democratic elections. Each district would choose three representatives, but she would be the one to appoint a technological seat, someone that sought the good use of Hextech instead of the exploitation of the resource in the search for power.

Jayce. There was no one else she trusted with such an undertaking.

"I've been summoned by the new council," Caitlyn said to her father after reading the letter that bore the old Piltovian seal. She tried her best to hide the fear in her tone, but Tobias knew her too well.

"I don't think they will put you on trial. You must have faith that your amends have been noticed enough to exonerate you."

"No amount of good deeds can erase our crimes."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, darling. Go to the meeting. Show who you are. Who you've always been at heart."

The possibility of waking up in a cell didn't let her sleep. This exact feeling had been what the Zaunites had feared for years under her command, decades before. She imagined what Vi had gone through inside those walls, the pain, the cold, the hunger. Conditions she had tried to improve, but it wouldn't be any less awful to experience not breathing fresh air, to spend the night contemplating the darkness with the cries of inmates that had slowly been driven crazy. She was insomniac for days, passing through her home. Would she see her mother's picture again? Would she enjoy another day with hot tea, warm toast and strawberry jam?

When the day arrived, expecting the worst, she said goodbye to her father. With her uniform pristine, she walked into the council chamber.  But instead of being tried for her crimes, she was offered the chance to become the new sheriff.

Jayce had lobbied the elected officials and proved that Caitlyn's integrity was what the enforcers needed to restore trust in the community. So instead of being handcuffed and arrested, she was appointed to the position once held by her great mentor, Greyson.

It didn't feel deserved. But even at the hand of favoritism, she was grateful. She wouldn't underestimate her power again. Honor would be the emblem of her work.

Before she knew it, another year had flown by. On the fourth eve of her mother's death, she found herself struggling with everything that had happened in the past year. The blackboard with hundreds of clues to Jinx's possible whereabouts was gone, Cassandra's desk now held a picture of their family, and violets covered every corner of the room. Caitlyn had ordered everything related to the past years to be thrown away. If she had learned anything in that time, it was that her obsession with catching Jinx had only kept her from having a life.

"You should try to contact her," Caitlyn's father said as he entered the room. He walked over to the lounge and sat down on the chair next to her, right behind the fireplace.

All the portraits had been cleaned from the dust they had accumulated over the years. But the one that had stolen her attention was the portrait of her great-grandmother by the cherry blossom tree in Ionia. A place that, now more than ever, reminded her of who her father had just spoken of.

"I don't think I should," Caitlyn replied, not taking her eyes off the portrait.

"I thought Vi had asked you to look for her after everything was done."

"She did, but—"

"You should, Cait."

Her father's frankness surprised her. She had expected more reserved, more cautious advice. Especially since he had loathed the moment Vi had entered their lives for so long. In a way, he had blamed her for the loss of his wife.

"She has another life now, dad." Her tone dropped slightly as she remembered the Ionian settlement. The peace and quiet Vi seemed to have found there was something she envied. "She's happy. I can't barge in."

"You know, your mother didn't have the best impression of her when we caught the two of you coming into your room that night." He paused.

Caitlyn couldn't help a fleeting smile at the memory of her mother pointing a rifle at them.

"But after the assembly, she said something to me that I didn't know how to interpret at the time. Your mother said she saw something between you two, something that reminded her of us, something worth exploring if you wanted to."

Caitlyn blinked, not knowing how to take in the confession. Her mother had always been strict, rarely one to show approval for anything that didn't fit her idea of perfection.

"Did she really say that?"

"Yes. And you know your mother was rarely wrong. I saw it too when Vi brought you back. Violet loves you, and I know you love her."

Caitlyn looked down, playing with the rim of her jacket. Her father's words made her hesitate. She wanted nothing more than to see Vi again. But she couldn't ignore the weight of her new responsibilities. She was a Kiramman. The last one. And that meant something.

She turned to look at her mother's portrait. Strangely, the face of disappointment she had seen so clearly a year ago now looked gentle, the way Caitlyn remembered her as a child, always proud of her accomplishments.

"Don't overthink it, Cait," her father said, standing up to come closer and putting his hand over her shoulder as she rested her head on it. "Love only lasts if it is nurtured."

Love.

What a strange concept.

It had been love, the one that had started this journey. And maybe, it was with that that it should end.

"Okay. I'll set up the trip."

Chapter Text

When Cassandra Kiramman read bedtime stories to her daughter when she was little, Caitlyn imagined that fantasy worlds filled with incredible landscapes and magical creatures were just that, illustrated fairy tales for children. But such was her surprise when she landed on Fae'lor that she stood in the harbor, with the bags in her hands, admiring the scenery for quite some time before one of the sailors on the ship directed her to where she could take a transport inland.­­­

"I had forgotten how beautiful Ionia is. I came here once as a child," Caitlyn told him, following a few steps behind.

"And you have seen nothing yet. Wait until you get to the cherry blossom fields you said you wanted to visit."

She had read so much about Ionia over the past few weeks in preparation for her trip that she could already picture it.

The clean air—cold against her throat—filled her lungs with such freshness that she truly thought she had never breathed before. There had to be a way to bring that feeling back to Piltover. She would have to talk to Jayce, to Ekko, to find a way to purify the air in the city, maybe build more botanical gardens, especially in Zaun. It would be a good legacy for the next generation. A little piece of Ionia to which they owed so much.

"You'll want to take the path to Val'hor and then walk up for about an hour. Villagers will guide you," the sailor said, getting her a seat on a small transport and helping her with her luggage. "I hope you find what you are looking for."

Caitlyn knew her unannounced visit could be problematic if Vi wasn't home, but she would worry about that when she arrived. She was too busy taking in the beauty of the landscape, covered with colorful trees, with tiny dirt roads and ponds along their sides, with statues carved in stone and trees bending into tall, imposing temples. They passed through some small villages where the people were always very friendly. Everything was fascinating. The beauty and exquisiteness of those lands made her wonder why her ancestors had chosen to leave them behind.

It took her about two days to travel from the coast to the mountain, two days in which she met some very special people, most notably the son of the couple who gave her the last ride. A boy who wanted to play with her strange metal arm. Well, strange to him. A novelty. He reminded her of Davi.

It was a bit windy when the family finally dropped her off on a path filled with leaves falling from the trees, covering the entire ground in a pale pink that looked like a soft bed.

"You don't have to walk far. Just go up the hill and you'll find Vi," the woman told her. The people in the surrounding communities knew exactly who she was looking for, they already considered Vi one of them and showed sincere affection for her.

Caitlyn walked until she spotted the small hut that seemed to have grown out of a tree trunk, just like the huts in the settlement. The roof was curved and high, it seemed to have two floors, and it sat next to a huge tree in which someone had built a small house. It was curious. Almost as if a child lived there. For a moment she wondered if she was in the right place. She had been told that Vi lived there alone. In fact, there was another smaller one-story hut behind the main one, but all of them seemed unoccupied. The unique silence—except for the birds chirping and flying from the tree to the small pond—signaled that no one was around.

She dropped her bags in front of the main house and knocked a few times. No one answered. Maybe Vi had gone to the village, maybe she was out getting groceries, or maybe she was at one of her jobs, which complicated things. It didn't seem right to just go in and settle in until Vi arrived. It would be disrespectful. She hadn't even been formally invited. But what would she do if Vi didn't show up? The way back to the nearest town was too far away without a carriage.

"I'll just wait here then." Caitlyn sat at the edge of the step, admiring the landscape when a noise—too familiar and not at all in harmony with the place—called her attention. It was a glass colliding with another. A bottle, to be exact.

Her thin boots sank into the grass with each step, making no sound as she walked toward the source of the noise. When she reached the spot, she saw her—Vi—sitting on a swing that hung from one of the tree branches, gently rocking with the breeze, her gaze lost and unfocused.

The magic of the moment was gone in that instant.

What had happened to get her in that state?

She had imagined a sweet, friendly welcome, something to take home as a keepsake. Maybe a kiss. She had gone looking for her, more than to get the answers Vi had offered, to see her, to tell her how things had gone since their last encounter, maybe even to ask her to visit her in Piltover. But apparently, not only was Vi not waiting for her, but the happiness Caitlyn thought Vi had, the peace and serenity she thought Ionia had given her, didn't exist.

"Vi? Vi!"

She didn't seem to hear her. Caitlyn moved closer and knelt in front of her. Vi could barely hold herself up.

"Please, answer me," she said with a certain sadness.

"Hey, Piltovian."

Caitlyn's attention snapped at the voice behind her. Akali had appeared out of nowhere.

"Give me two minutes, I'll be right back with you."

Caitlyn stepped aside, making room as Akali slipped her arm under Vi's, hoisting her up with a practiced ease. Together, they guided Vi toward the hut, Caitlyn quickly pushing the door open to let them in. It was clear then. This wasn't a one-time thing. Akali had done this before. Often.

"Vi didn't tell me you were coming," Akali complained when she came back. She was already tired of the situation, and the last thing she wanted to do was give explanations to the woman who was somehow responsible for her friend falling into the clutches of alcohol again.

"It was a surprise. I didn't think­—"

"Maybe you should have called first."

Caitlyn didn't know what to say. This was definitely not the reception she hoped for, especially after the incredible journey she'd been on.

"What happened to Vi?"

"Life stuff, Piltovian," Akali replied, without giving her any details. "How are you?"

"Do you expect me to change the subject just like that? What happened to her? Why is she like this?"

"Look, there are things I'm not supposed to tell you. You'll have to wait until she's well enough to ask."

"You know, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all this secrecy."

"There are some things it's better not to know."

But for someone like Caitlyn, who always had to be in control of the situation, and who had already let too much time pass without answers, that was not one she was willing to allow.

"Akali, tell me what the hell is going on. For Vi."

Akali studied her closely. Caitlyn masked fear and worry behind a furrowed brow and tight lips, but it wasn't hard to see through. Vi had been right. Caitlyn was more transparent when she wasn't speaking.

"All right. Come, let's leave your things in the other hut and I'll get you something to eat. You must be hungry."

"I'm not hungry. I just want to know what's going on, why Vi is like this."

Akali shut the door to Vi's hut, grabbed the suitcases from the floor, and walked off without a word. Caitlyn hesitated for a second before following her, determined to get an answer. When they reached the other hut, Akali stepped inside. Without warning, she took Caitlyn by the arm, guiding her in. She pulled out a chair from the table and gestured for her to sit.

"I'm not a snitch. I'll tell you the bare minimum so you understand the situation, but she will have to fill any holes. And while I do, you're going to eat something, and that something… is ramen."

Caitlyn gave in and sat. At least she had managed to get something out of her, and yes, she had lied before, she was hungry. What she didn't have was patience.

"So, what then? Are you going to talk or just make me stare at your cooking skills?"

Akali pretended not to hear her and walked over to the refrigerator, took out some produce, grabbed a knife and cutting board, and made her wait. She was calculating what exactly to reveal. Vi had already told her how smart Caitlyn was. One sentence too many and she could give it all away.

"Vi didn't have it easy when she came back from Piltover after delivering you to your father."

"What do you mean?"

"That Vi sacrificed a lot for you."

"Luna told me that too, back in the settlement, but nobody has bothered to share with me what she sacrificed and why she did it."

"I think the reason is pretty obvious."

"Well, it is not."

"Really? You can't imagine why?"

Caitlyn assumed that whatever Vi had given up had been for her well-being, to save her life, because that was how Vi was, devoted to those she… loved.

"I shouldn't be telling you this, Caitlyn, I really shouldn't, but aren't you an investigator? Vi said you never missed a detail."

And that's when it dawned on Caitlyn that the moment she had seen Vi, sitting there, drunk to her ass, everything around her had gone out of focus. But there she was, in a small hut with a big bed for two, a bathroom in the back and a tiny kitchen. It wasn't Akali's hut, that was obvious, the decor didn't suit her personality. It was more modern, so to speak. Her heart began to race as she noticed that there were still remnants of picture frames on the walls here and there, metal objects everywhere, little artefacts that were not typical of Ionia. They were more like the toys of a child in Piltover, and not even that, a child in Zaun, pieces built from discarded parts of other devices.

Caitlyn stood up. Something had caught her eye. There was still a drawing hanging on the back wall. It was clearly Vi holding the hand of a little girl, with their names written on the side: Isha and Vi.

Isha. She had heard that name before.

Finally, what made her heart stop, on the corner table was a device she recognized, or rather one too similar to the ones she had recovered from a few explosions, one with a shark denture-shaped timer, painted in neon colors.

"No," she whispered, her heart now pounding in her chest. "Jinx…"

"Powder," Akali corrected.

"Jinx!"

"Calm down."

"Jinx lives here! Vi is harboring a criminal! You too!"

Akali stopped then. She held the huge knife and plunged it into the chopping board, watching Caitlyn breathe shakily. Her fists were clenched, her eyes narrowed, as her chest heaved with each inhalation.

"Stop. Calm down."

"How can I calm down! I don't want to calm down! I want explanations!" she shouted, almost at the top of her lungs. "Of course! That's why all the secrecy. All the unanswered questions… it was Jinx!"

"Slow-down-Caitlyn." Akali repeated, but Caitlyn's obfuscation seemed to be gaining over her reasoning. If she didn't stop that train of thought Caitlyn was going to explode. "I slept with Ekko once!" she yelled.

Caitlyn was suddenly horrified. She didn't even know why, but her anger got confused with her surprise and soon her respirations came down to a more normal pace.

"It happened a few months ago. It wasn't a big deal, but Vi knows nothing about it, so don't you dare tell her." She finished, giving Caitlyn time to settle.

Her jaw loosen and her shoulders dropped. The shock therapy had worked to perfection. Akali had only tried it once before, but she was glad that her friend Lulu's advice came in handy.

"Please, sit down."

"I… I can't…"

"Fuck it. I'll tell you all about this. The truth has been itching on the tip of my tongue for too long and nothing will change things, so." Akali finally decided. "Sit down, please." She picked up the knife again and continued chopping. "Powder came to Ionia years ago. Way before Vi did. In fact, it was her who recommended Vi for a job."

"Why would Jinx come here?" Caitlyn asked, standing up by the chair. She still refused to settle.

"Powder met a little girl right after the attack on the council. Isha."

Isha?

Vi had mentioned her the night of the party in the settlement.

That's who she was!

The child who had protected Jinx that day at the tunnels. The reason Vi had stopped her from taking the shot. She remembered her.

"After that day, when you almost killed her, Powder hid in the underground and during that time she took care of Isha and other Ionian children who had been sold to mafia gangs in Zaun. She rescued over ten of them. But instead of keeping them and manipulating them for crimes like Silco did with her, she brought them back. In a stolen ship, no need to lie about that.

"Oh, she stole a ship? Why am I not surprised."

"Look, the important thing is that she did right by them. She saved them and, without a second thought, reunited them with their families, bringing along about five Zaunite children whose parents died from 'your' gas."

Caitlyn lost a bit of her anger then. The guilt of the Zaunite deaths because of her revenge never faded.

"Ionia offered protection in gratitude, and a place where she and Isha could call home, where they both could start a new life."

"Why didn't Ionia turn her over to us? All nations knew of her criminal status. Piltover demanded her apprehension."

"Didn't you just hear me say that she rescued nearly fifteen children, mostly Ionian, who were kidnapped by Noxian paramilitary groups and trafficked to your city? Noxians that you ordered to operate in Zaun?"

"I didn't order any of that! Soldiers guarded the town at checkpoints, that's all I allowed!"

"Come on, Cait. You can't be that naive."

"I was, okay!" She raised her voice again. "I was too naive! So much that a nation I considered an ally prevented me from bringing my mother's killer to justice!"

"Breathe."

Caitlyn didn't want to. The anger consuming her had returned.

"There are mistakes in life that can't be forgiven, things that can never be made right," Akali said softly, trying to ground her. "But remember, Caitlyn, those Zaunite children now living with Ionian families, they lost their parents too. Someone took them away in their search for justice." She met Caitlyn's gaze. "They lost them to you. Should we call you a criminal too? Should you be imprisoned and thrown in a dark cell in Stillwater?"

Caitlyn lowered her defenses, because what Akali had said was something she had been debating with for a long time. Her hands, like Jinx's, were stained with blood. What made them different? She was blinded by revenge, and Jinx—from what she remembered of their interactions—was in the midst of a psychotic break, plagued by hallucinations. Who was more at fault?

"So, Ionia protects her," Caitlyn concluded.

"Be careful what you're thinking of doing, Piltovian. Ionia has protected you too."

Caitlyn looked at Akali. The knife was no longer chopping anything, it was being held as a warrior holds their weapon.

"Jinx lives here with Vi." Caitlyn's voice was barely audible. Accepting the truth had drained her. She should breathe as recommended. She inhaled, pulled the chair back and sat down.

Although Akali hadn't recognized it at first, she now saw the regret in Caitlyn's demeanor. She softened hers as well.

"It wasn't like that. I met Powder a few days after she arrived with the children. I helped to relocate them. I knew she was a refugee, that she was not using her self-imposed name, and that she had transformed her physical appearance to go unnoticed."

"She told you about Vi."

"She told me about their story, about their parents, about what happened and how Vi ended up in Stillwater. She also said that Vi was killing herself in a fighting pit."

Caitlyn winced at the memory, as she always did when the images of her visitation down there popped up. "So, you went for her."

"I needed help on a job. Powder said that if I got Vi out of her 'punishing-herself' loop, she could help me rescue this little girl that had been trafficked. So, I did. I went to Zaun and, thankfully, Vi decided to sober up and help me. After that, she didn't see a point in staying, and I brought her here."

"To live with Jinx."

"Powder… And no," Akali corrected. It had not been so simple, and she didn't want Caitlyn to get the wrong picture. "Vi lived and trained in the monastery with me for over a year. It took her almost dying for the Ionian leaders to allowed them to see each other. Until then Vi didn't even know her sister was living in the islands."

"Over a year? Why?"

"They never had plans for them to meet again. They even forbid me from telling Vi that I knew Powder. That was Ionia's promise. We would offer protection, but the elders had their rules."

"It makes no sense whatsoever. Vi wouldn't have put Jinx in danger."

"Do you really think so?"

"I can bet my heart on it."

"Really? Can you?"

Akali had a strange way of making Caitlyn go two steps further in her thoughts. Vi was drunk in the other hut. It wasn't a one or two-day thing, it was something that happened all the time. Vi had gone through something similar before, after they had separated, when she had lost all contact with her sister, when she was alone.

"They… They don't live here anymore." Caitlyn understood then.

They were what Vi had sacrificed.

'There is always a price to everything. A cost.' Vi had told her at the settlement.

'How much is mine, my life?'

'Trust me… you don't want to know that.'

"The day Vi got the message of your abduction, she ran to the village and asked the assembly to allow her to come and get you," Akali continued.

"Allow?"

"Because of Ionia's protection of Powder and Isha, Vi was forbidden from any contact with you or anyone in Piltover or Zaun."

"They feared she would give them away? She wouldn't—"

"Vi wouldn't put them in danger, but you could."

"Me?"

"Aren't you here now? At the place where Powder and Isha lived with Vi? Arriving without notice."

"Vi told me to meet her here once everything was over."

"Only because Vi already knew she had lost them. It was the agreement she made when she decided to go rescue you," Akali was clear, because there was no need for her to keep that fact a secret and she thought Caitlyn needed to know. "The elders accepted her request, but she was to go alone, without any Ionian guard, because protecting Powder was politically against your nation. Vi thought that she would be able to say goodbye, but when she came back, all she found were the remains of their things and a drawing Isha had made for her. That's the one on the wall. Luna had already relocated them. Vi fell apart after that."

"Why did she do it then? Why did she go for me? Why did you go with her?"

"I went because I didn't want to leave her alone. This kind of rescue has to be done as a team and she was willing to risk everything for you, but I wasn't. Vi is my friend and I would never leave her. And as for the other part of your question, I think the reason she agreed to go for you and lose them is now even more obvious than before."

Vi loved her.

There was no other reason. Was there?

"Maybe you wouldn't have done it for her," Akali added. "Risk it all… What am I saying, not risk it, give it up. Personally, I wouldn't have for an ex-lover that hit me and abandoned me in some tunnels. But we're talking about Vi here. What wouldn't she do for you?"

"Why couldn't they hide Vi with them?"

"Because of you. Because from the moment Vi slipped back under your radar, she opened the door for you to track her again, for you to follow her, for you to discover them. And Ionia swore to protect them. Vi lost everything again… for you, Caitlyn. So now she spends most of her time either sleeping or getting drunk, she doesn't even come to work with me anymore. In the state she's in, she's not good enough to save herself, let alone other people."

Caitlyn's spirits were low. It had been a year since they had last seen each other. A year. Just like that. While she waited for the day of their reunion, Vi lived with a broken heart.

"Who told her I was kidnapped?" Caitlyn's curiosity returned after a few minutes of silence.

"That… I'm not going to tell you. That's for Vi to reveal."

"Come on, Akali. Vi won't be talking to anyone about anything until tomorrow at least, and the way things are going, maybe I should get back to Piltover before then."

"So, you are going to leave Vi here just like that? Or will you at least wait until she comes to and say hello?"

"I don't think she would have any interest or desire to see me."

"How little you know her," Akali chuckled, "but that doesn't matter now. If you want to leave, I can accompany you to the village myself so that someone can take you to the harbor, but you will never find out about what seems to have been gnawing at your mind since the day we rescued you. Who let Vi know."

"Why won't you just tell me."

"I've told you enough."

"No. Not enough. You know things. You can tell me so much more."

Akali tossed the last of the chopped ingredients into the pot and covered it, her mind elsewhere. She debated whether to say what had been on her mind for so long. Ever since she'd learned the truth, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was something fundamental, something woven into Caitlyn's identity. It shouldn't be kept from her.

"How much do you know about your origins in Ionia?"

"Not too much. My great-grandmother was a first generation Kiramman in Piltover."

"Because, in your family, you take your mother's last name first, right?"

Caitlyn confirmed. That was how it had always been. She had taken her mother's surname, just as her mother had taken hers before her, and so on. But her paternal lineage had been in Piltover for generations by then.

"I know Kiramman isn't exactly an Ionian surname," Caitlyn admitted, "but I have no idea what the original was."

"It was Kiren Hanae," Akali said, "that's what the older mages discovered when they were debating whether to allow Vi to come after you or not. Kiren Hanae is your original family name."

The idea that someone else knew more about her lineage made her feel self-conscious. Maybe she should have paid more attention to her grandmother when she told her stories about Ionia. Surely she had told her its meaning, but she didn't remember.

"Kiren means 'mythical guardian,'" Akali mentioned, reading doubt in Caitlyn's face, "it's also a symbol of righteousness. And Hanae means 'blessed flower,' it represents the transience of life."

"That's very informative and nice, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"It's an heirloom, Caitlyn."

"I don't understand what you are trying to tell me. Did I inherited a taste for flowers? Because I don't have a particular taste for them, that was my mother."

"What I'm saying is that surnames in Ionia don't come from nowhere or are just 'nice.' Get it? Your entire maternal line have been the mythical guardians of life and death for probably thousands of years." Akali said and watched as Caitlyn, in those few seconds, calculated countless variations of thought.

"Vi…"

Akali waited a little longer for Caitlyn to draw her conclusions, at the same time deciding whether she should continue to provide her with information. She already knew that the moment Vi woke up, she was in for a serious reprimand regardless of her opinion on the matter.

"You said she got the message and ran to the village. But there's nothing here but cherry blossom trees. Who could have sent her a message here?"

Akali was silent, letting her think.

"Luna told me at the settlement that they would never refuse entry to a woman with Ionian blood. She said woman… with Ionian blood. She didn't mean where I came from, she meant my lineage. My family. My gender. My last name. What it means." Caitlyn thought out loud. "Mythical guardians of life and death."

Her life that was in danger.

Her possible death by Noxian hands.

But who had sent the message to Vi? Who else, aside her and her kidnappers knew she had been taken?

More than that. Why was she important? Why should someone save her? Why Vi? Who knew she would go get her? It had to be someone who knew them both. Someone who had seen them together. Someone who recognized what had blossomed between them.

Blossomed.

Vi lived in a field of cherry blossom trees. The blessed tree of Ionia.

Hanae means blessed flower.

Ionia is a spiritual people, with connections to life and death. A culture that revered the Spirit Realm, the Sheep and the Wolf.

"No."

Akali just looked at her as she connected the dots.

"You said Vi almost died. Almost! And that was years ago," Caitlyn looked at her closely, trying to read any gesture that would confirm her suspicion. "You said almost!"

"Isn't Vi alive now?" Akali reminded her, though, at the time, it didn't seem like she was.

"What happened with that mine she stepped on?"

"Karma put a shield on her."

"I know! You said that when you rescued me! What happened to Vi!"

Akali got tired of going around the bushes and watching Caitlyn only get more and more irritated.

"The Noxian mines we encountered are really cruel inventions. This particular one used an accelerated vibration mechanism that, when stepped on, causes such a violent jolt to the body that your bones begin to disintegrate from the inside," Akali explained to her, there was no point in further guessing. "Perhaps the only mercy is that many die of a heart attack before that happens."

"Vi died."

"Her heart stopped for a few minutes, yes. Her body survived only because of the shield. She got a good jolt, but no broken bones."

"But Vi died…" Caitlyn's world seemed to crumble at the news.

"Karma tattooed runes on her chest with her magic and brought her back to life."

Caitlyn still didn't understand how Vi had received the message of her abduction, but if Vi had died and was wearing runes that revived her, she was now connected to the Spirit Realm, somehow a part of it, of Ionia, and Caitlyn had Ionian blood.

'I'm not a Piltovian, I'm not from Zaun, or Stillwater. I belong to Ionia now.'

"My ancestors are the mythical guardians of life and death."

Akali fell silent again. She still thought Caitlyn needed to know the truth, but those details were already something Vi had to confess, not her.

It had to be someone who knew them both. Someone who had seen them together. Someone who recognized what had blossomed between them.

'Your mother said she saw something between you, something that reminded her of us, something worth exploring if you wanted to.'

Those had been her father's words when encouraging her to go look for Vi in Ionia. It had been her.

"My mother. Vi saw my mother…"

'Do you really think my mother is watching over me?' She remembered asking Vi back at the settlement the night she had Akali's mushrooms.

'She would never leave you alone. I'm sure.'

"My mother warned her. Vi saw my mother on the other side. She was the one who sent her. She was the one who made Vi promise to take care of me above all else?" Caitlyn had a horrified face, but it was more her trying to digest all the information. "Sure. Of course, that's why she sacrificed everything, because my mother asked her to, and Vi must have felt guilty about Jinx—"

"No, Caitlyn—"

"Why else would she do it? Lose everything!"

"Because she loves you, Cait. That's why she made that promise to your mom. It's because she loves you first, not the other way around. And she left Isha and Powder because she could never let anyone hurt you. For you. Because of the way she feels about you."

Caitlyn's neck was killing her from the tension that had built up in her shoulders. She no longer knew how to deal with everything she had learned. It all seemed impossible. How could this have happened without her knowing?

"Why didn't Vi tell me? Why did she hide it from me?"

"I've said too much already."

"You're not going to give me that now, Akali. Tell me."

"You can ask her. Whatever she spoke with Cassandra is between her and Vi. I'm not the one to give you those answers."

"You told me everything else."

"I told you what the mages found out the day you were kidnapped, your origins, you came to the rest of the conclusions on your own. And that's as far as I'll go. It's not for me to say what Vi experienced, what they talked about."

"I don't know if I should believe you anymore, it all sounds ridiculous. Why wouldn't my family pass on this knowledge? My mother compiled all the Piltovian history in the family archives. Why not this? It doesn't make any sense."

"I can't answer that," Akali insisted, not really knowing why. "Relax a bit for now. If you want to lie down and rest until the soup is ready, that's fine. Vi will be better in the morning. You can talk to her then."

But Caitlyn, more than tired was confused, and she couldn't sit still. She left the hut to get some air, unable to take her eyes away from the direction of Vi's hut.

Had this secret been the reason why her mother insisted on their trip to Ionia?

Why would her mother make Vi go get her knowing the consequences? Why would she allow Vi to suffer in this way?

She looked back at the small hut. Her appetite had disappeared. She didn't want to talk anymore. To think. All Caitlyn wanted was to be with Vi.

The cold wind caressed her cheeks as she instinctively walked in her direction and soon found herself at the door. She turned the handle, quietly, with a sadness she could not control and walked in, seeing how Vi's heavy breaths threatened to turn to tears as she slept.

Was that how she spent every day? Alone. Desolated. To the point of self-destruction.

She took off her shoes and gloves, opened the blankets, and snuck from behind, quickly getting close. The smell of booze was intense and only indicated how much Vi had drunk to forget or, more accurately, to stay in her memories with Jinx and Isha.

Still a remnant of a sweet citrus scent remained. Strawberries.

"I'm sorry for all you lost, Vi," Caitlyn whispered as she ran her mechanical hand over Vi's belly, trying carefully not to press too hard. It was still difficult for Caitlyn to find a balance with her prosthesis. She placed her lips on Vi's shoulder and gave her a sweet kiss. "But I promise, I'll never hurt you again. I promise to make it right."

Vi's agitation lessened. Her subconscious absorbing the words, finding solace.

"I love you too, Vi."

Chapter Text

Vi woke up with an unfamiliar weight over her waist, not too heavy, yet it was telling that she was not alone. For a second she thought it was Akali that had settled beside her after taking her to bed. But her breath left her completely when she turned around to find Caitlyn lying on her bed.

She pulled herself away with a brusque jump, getting out of the bed on the other side, scaring Caitlyn awake.

"Vi?"

"No… No, no… No!"

"Vi, calm down," Caitlyn said, her own heart pounding, but she needed to comfort the girl in front of her. "Please, it's okay," she added, moving closer and placing steady hands on Vi's shoulders. But Vi wasn't listening. Her breathing quickened, her eyes spiraled, unfocused, as if she were facing an imminent threat. Caitlyn held on, watching as panic took hold and formed a tight knot in Vi's throat, threatening to choke her. "Stop, please. I'm not going after them," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "Vi, listen to me! I won't go looking for Jinx, I promise."

It was only after the third or fourth time she said it that something shifted in Vi's eyes, just slightly, finally waking up from the nightmare.

"I won't. I didn't come here for her, and I will not go back to get them."

Slowly, at a smooth and steady pace, Vi managed to catch her breath, putting aside the confusion of her hangover, her fears, and the numbness that still lingered on her body.

In the silence, Caitlyn instinctively pulled her into a hug, holding her too tightly in an attempt to offer comfort. But Vi flinched at the contact. Something cold had been pressed against her back. It wasn't a hand. It was hard, moving unnaturally.

But it had been Caitlyn.

Vi lowered her gaze, already fearful of what she would find, but still needing to see it for herself. At first glance there was nothing out of the ordinary, Caitlyn's sweater covered her arms down to her wrists, but when she touched the left one, its firmness was obvious, and then her eyes widened in disbelief when she met the metallic fingers. Caitlyn remained quiet.

Vi rolled up the sleeve to confirm it, taking both of Caitlyn's hands in hers; her mind struggled to catch up. They weren't the same. One arm—though sleek and carefully crafted—was undeniably a prosthetic.

"I missed you and thought: 'I'll have one made like Vi's gauntlets.' But they were too heavy, so…" Caitlyn's joke didn't land the way she'd hoped. Her shoulders dropped, as if the strength to hold herself together had given way, unable to meet Vi's gaze as silence lured between them.

In the months following the operation, all she wanted was for the wound to close, to stop being a patient and finally have her new hand and arm. But recovery did not follow her schedule. For the first time in her life, she found herself in a reality to which she had never belonged. She was no longer whole, perfect; she had been labeled disabled in Piltover's eyes, and she internalized it in the worst possible way. Week after week, she looked at her severed limb and found it amorphous. The ghost that remained was all too real. It clashed with her perception of the world every time she tried to use it to pick up a lock of hair, scratch her nose, wash her face. She could feel her wrist move, her fingers, but it was all an illusion.

Frustration and anger built up in her chest like fire, bubbling under the surface. She wanted to push past it, pretend that life could be normal again, and believed that everything would magically fall into place the moment she wore the prosthetic.

Yet when Clan Ferros finally presented it to her, fear took over.

The arm was beautiful, shiny, crafted in pristine silver, etched with a thin line of gold that curled along the surface like a tattoo. It fit perfectly. The fingers and wrist moved in complete silence, each one precise and smooth. A masterpiece, no doubt.

But every time she tried to use it, her movements were too brusque for the finesse her new arm seemed to possess, destroying her hopes at normalcy.

"How…? What happened?" Vi asked.

"It was Ambessa," Caitlyn said, remembering the general's smile just before all hell broke loose. "Things got complicated in the end. She wanted to take me with her as a warranty, but then Davy—a little boy—ran toward me with something in his hand. She thought he was a threat and—"

"You saved him." Vi assumed correctly.

Perhaps that was Caitlyn's only relief. Davi was alive, unharmed. His safety was the only thing that made her own loss worth it.

"Cait…" Vi reached out to her, bringing her mechanical hand close to caress it.

Caitlyn couldn't feel it. The arm was just that, an inanimate part, devoid of sensation, connected to her nerves by a permanent mechanism installed during another surgical procedure. The device, though very sensitive and modern, transmitted no sensation: no heat, no cold, no pressure. She would never again feel the tingling from lack of circulation, nor the weight of the things she picked up. In fact, she had broken every glass jar she tried to pick up, every porcelain cup, twisted metal door handles, crumpled every piece of paper, and torn some of her favorite clothes just by putting them on or taking them off. She was no expert, unlike Vi, who had often demonstrated unique dexterity with gloves five times her size. The more she tried to match her grace, the more she failed. Compared to her other arm—the real one—the prosthetic seemed useless, heavy, a piece of junk she'd rather throw across the room.

"If you don't mind, maybe you could teach me how to use it. I can't do anything with it. Everything's a hundred times harder now, and—"

"You held me all night?" Vi interrupted, changing the subject for a moment. Caitlyn's face was filled with frowning lines between her eyebrows, at the corners of her lips. A year of living with this calamity had made her grow older. "With this hand?" Vi insisted on asking. "Maybe you just needed time and practice. But you are doing fine."

It was the kindness in Vi's voice—the reassurance and recognition of that simple action—that made Caitlyn realize she had clamped down on Vi's body without hurting her. For the first time since her debut with the arm, she hadn't broken or damaged anything. Her.

Vi let her eyes wander over Caitlyn's real arm. Injuries from the battle had left permanent scars, but the bite marks, the ones left by the men who had taken her, were gone. A relief. Her fingers traced the red lines, soft and thoughtful. She wondered what had caused them. A blade? A spear? Perhaps Caitlyn's own frustration turned on herself.

Caitlyn didn't speak. She just watched, feeling every pass of Vi's touch, every pause, every change in pressure. It wasn't just her skin that was responding, it was the longing for contact, for Vi's touch. Her throat tightened. It had been so long since she'd let anyone get this close to her. There were no words, no questions. Just the way Vi made her feel like she mattered, like she was still whole. And for Caitlyn—that quiet, steady warmth—was peace, even if everything else was still wrong.

"So… you know about my sister," Vi mentioned, letting go, building distance between them again.

The possibility of danger in Caitlyn's reply scared her: what her presence implied, what could change. The elders could decide to relocate Powder and Isha once more, even if they no longer had physical contact with her. Once again, her loved ones would feel the fear of persecution, the pain of leaving another home. If it was already a nightmare for Vi to not have them around, she suffered at the thought of her sister and niece constantly on the run for safety.

"Why didn't you tell me about her?" Caitlyn asked.

Vi's mind immediately went back to the day she returned from Piltover to her completely empty hut, to the swing rocking in the wind, to the silence that had accompanied her ever since.

She pulled back, protecting herself. "What does this mean? You… being here," Vi's chest compressed as if a ton of weight was set on it. Her fear had returned. Her voice broke immediately, and her eyes shone with tears. "You… need your revenge. Right."

"Vi, no—"

"But you don't need to take her." Vi's breathing quickened again, her mind racing with images of Piltover's allied forces disrupting Ionia in search of them, starting another war. "You don't need her. You have me. Her blood runs in my veins. It's the same. You said it yourself. You can take me. Lock me up in Stillwater. Forever. I'll stay there till I die. I'll pay for what she did. You can have your revenge. You don't need her—"

"Stop." Caitlyn brought her real hand gently to Vi's face, wiping away her tears. "I'm not here for her. I'm not taking anyone anywhere. Just stop."

Vi sighed her lament, catching her breath.

"I came because I missed you." Caitlyn's thumb ran delicately over Vi's cheek, navigating through her jaw, cruising her lips. "And I just wanted to see you."

"Then how did you…?" Vi remembered her friend tucking her into bed the previous night, kissing her on the forehead before letting her sleep. "Akali."

Caitlyn's brief nod confirmed it.

"I'm going to kill her."

"It's not her fault, really. I put pressure on her and asked too many questions. She didn't have to say much."

"Of course." Vi remembered. "I offered to answer all of them once it was over. Right."

"Yes. Although the main one I had for her was why were you drinking again in such a way. It spiraled from there."

"She shouldn't have said anything."

"No, you should have."

Vi nodded, but it felt more like surrender than agreement. Caitlyn could see it in the way her lips curved down. She could no longer hold back what she had been hiding. Vi sat back down on the bed; slowly, carefully. Caitlyn followed, the mattress gave way under them and for a moment she just watched her.

There would be no questions about Jinx and Isha. Not because Caitlyn didn't need the answers, but asking could send Vi into another panic attack. And to be honest, the anger she'd felt after knowing the truth had dissolved with the warmth of Vi's body next to her all night long. After everything that had happened that year, it no longer mattered.

"What are you expecting to get out of it? Drinking like this. It will only kill you."

It wasn't really the shame of drinking herself into oblivion that kept Vi quiet. How could Caitlyn possibly understand what it meant to return to a life where, even surrounded by fields of cherry blossoms, she was still trapped in the same cell she'd grown up in? Solitude.

Since they had separated, Vi had often thought about how different their lives were. How, while she was stealing artifacts in Zaun as a teenager to get enough money to ask a girl out, Caitlyn was listening to music in her king-size bed. How, while Vi smuggled in a ripe fruit for Powder's birthday, Caitlyn received dozens of expensive gifts. How, while Vi shivered on the cold floor of Stillwater's 40^th sub-level and begged a guard not to punish her by denying her food as her stomach twisted with hunger, Caitlyn enjoyed endless banquets.

Caitlyn was not to blame for where Vi had been born, she knew that, but the lives they had been given were too different to pretend that Caitlyn could ever truly understand that for many in Zaun, death wasn't just something to mourn. Sometimes, it was a relief.

"You know, in Stillwater, once a week they gave us a piece of fruit. The other closest thing to a sweet was a horrible oatmeal compote. But we didn't eat it."

"Why?"

"Because…" Vi paused, huffing a laugh. "If you know how to preserve it, you can make liquor."

Caitlyn didn't understand why Vi was telling her this story. It wasn't an admirable skill for her, not after knowing that she had, once again, resorted to drinking as if it had been medicated by a doctor.

"Sometimes it didn't go so bad. Sometimes it was really good," Vi smiled. "But it wasn't for us. We'd sell it to the guards. If we could knock them out, they'd leave us alone. And for me, that meant safety. Those nights I could sleep without worrying, without waking up every ten minutes to make sure none of them came into my cell to…"

Caitlyn's breath hitched. She hadn't even realized that her eyes had widened, but Vi saw it. She knew the story didn't need any more details.

"But now I understand why they drank," Vi continued softly. "Their lives were miserable."

The word hung in the air. Miserable. Caitlyn flinched at it. Not because she considered Vi was mistaken, but because it was too exact. And to think of how much she had contributed to that feeling broke her heart.

"They came from nothing. Piltover's poorest zones; from the depths of Zaun, like me. Places that rot you before you even have a chance to want more. They drank to forget their lives outside those walls because nothing better awaited them back home," Vi confessed. "See, it's easier to get through time when your brain is lost in alcohol instead of what you lack."

In Caitlyn's world, people drank out of habit. A glass of wine after dinner, a beer with a weekend roast, cocktails with friends to celebrate. Vices were different on the topside—gambling, pleasure, status—only a few drank to forget.

"I fear I have stolen so much from you."

"Don't," Vi assured her. She had shared that feeling with Vander once, she knew she was less than most back in the topside, that her place wasn't where everything was easy. "Nobody said life would be fair."

"It should be. You deserve better." Caitlyn hated to think about their differences, because no matter how much she wished for it, she couldn't change the past. Not even by following her mother's motto had she been able to right the wrongs imposed on so many.

"Why… didn't you tell me about her? About my mother?"

Vi took in a breath and said as she exhaled: "She asked me not to."

"Why?"

"She… was afraid that you would think that dying was a possibility. That in the middle of a hard time you would choose to let go so you could see her again."

Cassandra had been very clear with Vi. The revelation of her family's legacy had to remain hidden. Caitlyn was suffering too much confusion, too much disappointment in herself, too much doubt. And the need for her to say a goodbye, was something that troubled Cassandra greatly.

"Maybe it was better that you didn't tell me then," Caitlyn agreed.

"Yeah." Vi, once warned, had feared the same. "I think you should know that your mom is proud of you, the way you handled everything." She reached for Caitlyn's hand, making sure it was the real one. "She never left you."

Caitlyn's heart sank.

Proud? How could she believe that after everything? She had always fallen short of the woman her mother wanted her to be. And now Vi was standing there, telling her that her mother had been watching over her all this time, close, still protecting her.

"She didn't tell me you lost your arm, though," Vi complained, breaking the tension.

Caitlyn smiled at that. Her mother protected Vi as well. "Do you talk to her much?"

"It's not up to me. I just woke up there. I know she's the one who calls me, but lately she hasn't," Vi confessed. "She and mom weren't too happy about me drinking. 'It's not appropriate for a woman your age,' she said. For anyone, really."

That was definitely her mother. But… had Vi mentioned her mom?

"What… do you talk about when she calls you?" Catilyn avoided the family questions for another time, still fearful of how Vi would react.

"Sometimes we talk about you. Sometimes about me. Sometimes she just tells me how… they're doing."

How they're doing? Isha and Jinx?

It hit Caitlyn like a slap in the face.

For years, her mother had known that Vi lived in Ionia and that Isha and Jinx were refugees. And yet, she had helped Vi return from death, entrusted her with her daughter's life, and was now the only link Vi had left to her family. If her mother held any resentment against the one who had caused her death, she wouldn't have done any of it.

Caitlyn reached out with her mechanical hand, forgetting for a moment that she didn't know how to control it yet. The second she realized her mistake, she pulled it back.

"No," Vi said softly, stopping her with a gentle grip on her wrist. She guided Caitlyn closer, letting her decide when and how to touch her. "Don't be afraid… I won't break."

Caitlyn cautiously stretched out her fingers, moving them millimeter by millimeter until she saw her index brush Vi's cheekbone. The action was awkward. She couldn't feel the softness, the warmth she remembered. It was frustrating. She pressed too hard, dug in, and quickly pulled back.

"It's okay, it doesn't hurt," Vi stopped her.

Caitlyn exhaled, her body loosening with the release of breath. She inhaled deeply again, trying to hold still as if he were performing an extremely delicate operation, allowing herself to move just a little closer. Encouraged by Vi's smile, she gently turned her hand, caressing Vi's cheek with the back of her fingers. Maybe she couldn't feel it, but Vi could.

Vi, ever patient, guided Caitlyn's fingers to her jaw and brought them to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand. Caitlyn wouldn't feel it, but for Vi that arm had become a part of her, just as cherished as the one she had lost.

"You must be hungry," Caitlyn said.

"I am, but I don't feel like cooking."

"Akali made ramen yesterday."

"When doesn't she," Vi complained. "That woman could eat ramen every day for the rest of her life." She stood up calmly, trying to keep her head from spinning as much as possible, and walked over to the table where a note lay.

I made dinner. Invite Caitlyn, there's plenty. Don't be a bad hostess. And no, I didn't tell her anything. You were right. You give this woman a couple of clues and she makes you an illustrated mental diagram of Runeterra's history. She came to her own conclusions, so no murdering me. Still, tell her the rest. She has a right to know about how you died and your link to her mom, about yours.

I'll be back tomorrow. Stop drinking. I already found and threw away the bottles you kept under the towels in the bathroom. Have a good time with the Piltovian and don't fight, she has nowhere to stay but with you.

P.S. You two look cute sleeping together.

Bye.

"Hmm," Vi grumbled with a snort, crumpling up the note before Caitlyn could read it. Nosy, you'll pay for this one. She tossed the letter in the trash and turned to Caitlyn: "Shall we go eat?"

"Wait, before we go…" Caitlyn held her by the wrist. "I know I've let you down, Violet. I haven't been fair to you. But… I promise I won't go looking for Jinx."

"Don't make promises, Cait—"

"No, I know I broke one before, but I'll spend the rest of my days proving that you can trust me."

"You don't have to—"

"Yes, I do." She recognized the pain in her heart, pulsing through every breath she took as she was faced with one truth: after that trip, they would never be together again.

Oil and water.

Unless she found a way, every minute she spent with Vi meant one less possibility of her reuniting with Jinx and Isha. And she couldn't demand Vi's sacrifice any longer. But if she let her go, if she renounced her completely, maybe the elders would give them another chance.

"Are you okay?" Vi asked, seeing her lips drop.

Caitlyn took in the color of Vi's eyes, a soft grayish blue, the scars on her lips, on her eyebrow, the softness of her cheeks, the curve of her nose.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me," Caitlyn said, suddenly seeing everything blurry. "No one ever filled the place you left. No one ever could, and no one ever will." A tear fell from each eye. "You must promise me that you will try to be happy. Okay?"

Vi huffed, thinking that Caitlyn was making the same plea as Cassandra: to stop drinking, to find a purpose, to not lie down and die. She didn't imagine that those words were goodbye.

"Don't you think every day is like this, Cupcake. Akali doesn't live here, she comes once a week, brings me groceries, cooks something and leaves. I don't drink as much as I used to." Vi took Caitlyn's hand, caressing it a bit. "Believe me, drinking like that is not appropriate for a woman my age."

Caitlyn smiled and hugged her without a minute's hesitation, careful not to let her mechanical arm squeeze her too tightly, though it was still too hard for her.

I'm sorry, Vi. I'll fix it, I don't know how yet, but I will.

Three months later

Piltover and Zaun Council Tower

"Sheriff Kiramman, we open this hearing due to the urgency with which you've invoked us. Please, go ahead."

Caitlyn scanned the room. All seven councilors she needed to convince looked at her with their entire attention, awaiting her explanation. She knew she had three votes in her favor—Zaun would not oppose her. The challenge, however, lay in securing the other four. Three members of the Piltover nobility, and one technological councilor. They held the majority, and they were the ones she needed to sway.

"Honorable members of this council, after a year of peaceful progress in Piltover and Zaun, thanks to the partnership and new laws that were put in place after Noxus withdrew, I feel it is important to address what is perhaps the most sensitive issue in our cities, and the one that could destabilize us again if we do not put an end to it." Caitlyn gave herself a few seconds. This was a sensitive subject for her as well. "Having carefully considered and weighed my personal feelings on the matter, I have come to…" Caitlyn looked at Jayce, she hadn't said anything to him and knew that he had a strong opinion about what was to be discussed—after all, it was his best friend and partner, Victor, who had died in the attack, "…to request an official pardon for Jinx."

"What?"

"Never!"

"How can you ask such a thing of us?"

"Not after all we've been through these years!"

As she imagined, Zaun didn't argue. They thought about it, especially Sevika and Ekko. Jayce just looked at her, trying to decipher what had led to this decision. But he knew one detail that the others did not. Caitlyn had recently gone to Ionia to look for Vi.

"I have spoken with the heirs of the other deceased council members, and as those directly affected, we have agreed that it is in the best interest of all of us to move on."

"Impossible! Councilman Hoskel's son would never have agreed," said Councilwoman Shoola. "Torman was not a man willing to negotiate with Zaun, let alone pardon a criminal."

"Albin Bolbok, Mathias Hoskel and I have had long discussions about the circumstances under which the attack occurred in the first place. We agree that the cycle of violence must be broken in order to move forward. Here are their signed statements."

"Why aren't they here today?" Ekko asked, taking the files in his hands.

"They both run their businesses away from politics. They have no interest in making this a public scandal—"

"This is personal, Caitlyn," Shoola interrupted. "I was in the attack too, I could have died. Silo is paralyzed, he's an addict because of the pain, how can you ask us to forgive the cause of it?"

"What about our pain?" Eva, the other Zaun representative, protested indignantly at the comparison.

"Wait," Jayce finally interjected, before the argument turned into a fight between the two sides. "Let's let the sheriff put the circumstances of this request into context before we cut our throats."

Caitlyn thanked him with a nod and continued. "I was present when the projectile was fired, and I know that Jinx was suffering from a severe psychotic episode at the time," she said, reminding those directly involved that she had suffered not only the death of her mother, but her own kidnapping that night. "After arduous investigations, it is my conclusion that Silco had her under his control with shimmer in lower doses provoking her mental instability. He manipulated her to carry out his plans, using her as a weapon, taking advantage of her visions—"

"That only confirms her criminal nature. Not only did she murder the council members and one of our top scientists that night, she's been involved in crime for years."

"She had no choice, Shoola," Caitlyn protested. "By what moral standard do we judge a child who watched her parents die at the hands of enforcers when she was barely four years old? Who, thanks to the corruption of our former sheriff, had another parent and sister taken from her, the last of whom was held in Stillwater for years without probable cause just to get her off his back? Jinx has been manipulated and neglected her entire life. She also had, like us, a thirst for revenge against those who wronged her. Let's not be hypocritical. It was Piltover who started this cycle by imposing a life of slavery on Zaun for the benefit of our pockets. And now that we have managed to reconcile and make amends for our mistakes, are we going to continue to impose punishment because our own inaction to protect the people of Zaun finally brought us some pain back?"

"The failures of the system are something we are all ashamed of," Jayce said. "But I'm not sure social injustice justifies the actions Jinx took. We haven't even been able to find her, let alone try her."

"What good would it do, Jayce? We were at war with Zaun for three years. How many have died in our bloodlust? It has to stop. Jinx wasn't in a position to make a clear decision at the time. That has to be taken into account."

"And what makes you think she is now?" Jayce asked directly, knowing that the answer would confirm his suspicion.

"We'll never know for sure," Caitlyn said, looking him in the eye. He was wrong, she hadn't seen Jinx on her trip, which confirmed Jayce's other theory, this wasn't about Jinx, it was about Vi. "My request is not simply to grant her freedom, but to right the wrongs committed against the people of Zaun, to those who have shown us their strength and courage under the banner of unity she initiated. The image of Jinx was the one who allowed them to keep fighting for tomorrow, it was the first step toward their liberation."

"That first step was the death of our fellow members, our friends, your mother—"

As always, the mention of Cassandra moved Caitlyn to the core. But she wouldn't let that sentiment drive her anymore.

"You are right, yet Piltover caused the death of so many of her own decades ago; her parents as well, her family. Is it worth it to keep this going to no end? How many years must pass before we need another war to remind us to be better?"

Jayce had lost his gaze, it was blurred across the table. He was sitting right where he pleaded for Zaun's liberation that night. Mel—who had just returned from her captivity—could've also died. Viktor hadn't survived, nor had his longtime protector, Caitlyn's mother. He, personally, was left with resentment and fear. That day he understood that life is fragile, that death changes people, that the desire for revenge and the cycle of violence goes on and on. And then he understood. Caitlyn was right.

"I second the motion to pardon Jinx," Jayce said.

"I second the motion as well," Eva followed. Ekko and Sevika only raised their hands. That left the three Piltovian council members.

"I will not cast my vote in favor, Caitlyn, I'm sorry. Jinx must pay for her crimes. Setting this precedent makes us vulnerable," Shoola said, still not budging. And since this was such a grievous decision that it had to be unanimous, she knew she had blocked the pardon.

"I'm not sure what you are asking us to do will heal the nation, Sheriff. Piltover and Zaun were directly affected by Jinx's actions, and she should pay, just as general Medarda is," Jubilus argued. Only one of the advisors remained to speak. Vincent Mikel. They all looked at him.

He calmly closed the folder containing all the information and letters Caitlyn had given them and placed his hands gently on it.

"While you argued, I read everything the sheriff presented as evidence. And I must say that without this investigation, without the direct recommendations of the families affected by the tragedy, and without your honest conclusion, sheriff, I too would have voted no," he said, looking directly at Caitlyn. "You lost far more than others in the aftermath of the attack. Your mother, your youth, your hope. I have watched you from afar all these years, seen you change, grow up in ways that should not be asked of a twenty-one year old." He brought up her age to make sure that his next observation would be taken seriously. "Those who led before us had the habit of handling justice and politics thinking of their pockets and their business before the people. They did not have the compassion to deny abuses and implement programs that would allow a better quality of life for Zaun. We, although not all of us participated in the council back then, are not blameless either. We never complained about the injustices that clearly created the perfect situations for what happened," Mikel admitted. "We can't wash our hands of the results."

Shoola looked down, it was something she had regretted in private.

"And forgive me for making this comparison, but you, sheriff, you're more like Jinx than anyone," Mikel said.

Caitlyn didn't know how to take the comment. At first it hit her hard. That she was like the murderer of her mother. But soon the anger faded because the man had a point.

"Here we have two individuals who have been manipulated by the control of power. Both with reasons to execute irrational actions. One we justified because she was defending our interests," he mentioned only to the Piltovians in the room, "and the other we blamed for our misfortunes," he said, turning to the Zaunites. "And the other way around, but the truth is that if we don't put an end to this, we will be back in a short time to destroy each other." Then he looked at Shoola and raised his hand. "We must put these tragedies behind us. Forgiveness should be asked by us, the leaders of our people, for we did nothing in time to change things. We reap what we sow, and we should stop blaming those who had to represent their people in heart and soul, leaving behind their youth. It's time to put the hate behind us. I vote to pardon Jinx and for us to return to our work, to rule in peace."

Shoola denied with her head. Her eyes blinked softly with sadness. The folder in front of her remained unopened. She flipped the cover and took the time to read each page. Jubilus did the same. Moments later, the phrase that closed the file made her realize how right Mikel had been.

We must lead with kindness and empathy.

Cassandra and she had shared much more than a political affinity, they had shared a desire to do good, something she had lost after the attack.

"Caitlyn, your work is outstanding as always. I see you put a lot of effort into this request. And I guess this decision is part of your personal connection to Zaun as well." She folded her hands over the closed file and looked at the Zaunites on the council, with whom she had worked for a year. By then, her opinion of them had changed. She had even formed a friendship with Eva, as strange as it sounded. "I feel I still have a long way to go to forgive Jinx's actions, but… I agree to change my vote."

Gazes then turned to Jubilus, who, having finished his reading, closed the file and stood up to walk around the room.

"I must confess that I find it difficult to come to a decision," the man said. "My family was only involved in the production of goods at that time. I didn't lose any of them, or my friends. The attack on the council marks a before and an after, and while I am not a man to forgive the crime, reading the evidence, the testimony of doctors, of people who knew them, of the heirs of those who died in the attack, I can say that I understand better the point that Councilor Mikel spoke of. We left the responsibility for our well-being in the hands of two girls. And now we must right our wrongs."

Caitlyn clenched her right hand, feeling the nervousness in her body manifest itself with swelling.

"Tell me sheriff, what brought you to this decision. To pardon Jinx. To ask us to do the same in the name of our two peoples who have suffered so much."

If she replied honestly, she risked the councilors changing their minds. She had to put her personal reasons aside. She was not to—

"There is a person who taught me to forgive. A woman. A Zaunite. I met her in Stillwater over four years ago. It was she who helped me find evidence of the corruption in Piltover and Zaun, who risked her life to bring me back here after I was kidnapped by Noxians over a year ago. It is she who helped me see beyond my concept of justice. For the truth is that justice does not exist for the Zaunites as it does for the Piltovians, or I would be behind bars along with many other enforcers."

Jayce bristled. The last thing Caitlyn needed to do was expose herself like that.

"Councilman Mikel is right. Jinx and I are more alike than we care to admit, and as such, I ask you: why am I allowed to be here, as the leader of our city's law enforcement, ensuring true justice, while Jinx is forced to live on the run?"

"That's a good question," Jubilus said, with a defiant tone. Caitlyn had dreaded his election from the beginning. To her, he was one of those merchants who, like in the old days, only ruled in the interest of his business. "We could put you on trial for the crimes committed while you ruled as commander," he suggested, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked at her.

"If that is the decision of this council, I will." Caitlyn defied him. "I'll share a cell with Ambessa Medarda if that is my fate. But that will not erase the blood that Piltover shed on Zaun, nor the blood that Zaun shed on Piltover. And it does not relieve this council from responsibility."

Ekko, Sevika, and Eva, who had been quiet until then, decided to speak up.

"I am a witness to how much my people suffered to start the revolution seventeen years ago, when Caitlyn and Jinx were only children. I saw how Piltover decided to silence us by beating and killing us in order to subjugate us. And although not all of us who suffered ended up like Jinx, it must be understood that not all of us were manipulated by a criminal like Silco. He was someone who deserved to be locked up, like Ambessa. The sheriff does not. And I refuse to let this conversation continue down that road," Eva said.

"I'm on your side. If it weren't for Caitlyn, more Zaunites would have died under Noxian spears the day Ambessa was captured. She saved hundreds by getting them to Ixtal ahead of time, and risked her life to protect a kidnapped boy, even lost an arm defending him. And let's not forget Vi, the woman Caitlyn spoke of, Jinx's sister. She's the one who brought her back. Vi made this peace possible. We owe her the calm of this pardon, or Piltover would be suffering under the Noxian regime just as Zaun suffered for decades under Piltover's," Ekko said.

Jubilus started to lose his smile.

"I not only agree with both of my fellow Zaunites," Sevika began, her voice steady and resolute, "but I will defend Jinx because, as this document shows," she said, pointing to the folder, "Jinx changed after Silco's death. She dedicated herself to the protection of child victims of Piltover's violence." Her resentment was evident, and she refused to allow Jinx to be blamed once again, not after everything she had seen her endure growing up. "When Jinx became a fugitive, she was no longer the crazy girl who launched that rocket. She was more like the girl she was before this city's corruption took away her parents. So, I hold my vote. I'm in favor of pardoning Jinx."

"And I will add something to that," Ekko interjected, looking straight at Jubilus. "I also propose the official pardon of Caitlyn Kiramman, so that something as vile as putting her on trial, and that's obviously pursued by a hidden agenda, is never proposed again," he said, his tone filled with disdain.

"I second that motion," Jayce hurried to say, clearly defending Caitlyn and siding with the Zaunites.

Eva, Ekko, Mikel, and Shoola all raised their hands. Only Jubilus remained with his deciding vote.

The man returned to his seat, having been confronted with reality. This was no longer the council he had always dealt with, the one he could influence with his money. He had spent all that time looking down on the Zaunites, but in the current climax, he couldn't dare to be perceived as unfair, or as a businessman over a councilman. He opened the last page of the file and read the sentence again.

We must lead with kindness and empathy.

"Your mother was very wise, sheriff. I had the pleasure of knowing her," Jubilus pretended he cared. "And, for our benefit, so are you." The man finally gave up. It wasn't convenient to him to maintain his position. He raised his hand, closing the vote.

There was unanimity. Jinx and Caitlyn would be publicly pardoned. Their persecution had ended. Jinx, or as she now called herself again, Powder, could come out of hiding. Ionia no longer needed to protect her. Vi could have her family back.

The official mandate was signed that afternoon and announced to Runeterra by envoys who traveled to each nation, Ionia being the first. Once again, Luna was not surprised by Vi's reasons for trusting Caitlyn, even though she had been, in several times, suspicious of her. Yet, with this action, Caitlyn had shown her that the feeling was mutual and unwavering.

As soon as she could, Luna requested an assembly with the leaders of Ionia to return Powder and Isha to Val'hor and reunite them with Vi.

"Cait! Hey!" Jayce made her slow down, she was in a hurry to get out of the Council Tower. "Where are you going?"

Time had passed since then. Long enough not to expect someone to show up unannounced in Piltover and change things overnight.

"I'm going to check out a foul new business opening right here in the city!" she replied, so exasperated that he had no choice but to laugh. "Don't, Jayce! Who would ever think that opening a private investigation agency, two blocks from 'my' office, would be a good idea!"

"Oh, they hit the nail on the head. An investigative agency in the neighborhood of Our Excellency, the sheriff of Piltover."

"It is completely unnecessary!" She didn't argue with his mockery. "There's an enforcer headquarters right here and FOR FREE! Why would you need a 'private' investigation agency?"

"I don't know, Cait. Maybe because not every case relates to a crime and people don't want their businesses on public record?"

She gave him a look that made him gesture with his fingers over his lips, sealing them.

"Here it is! Vander & Family Investigations. What a stupid name," she complained, pushing the glass door open. A small bell made a welcoming sound, annoying Caitlyn even more.

"Kid! Go see who came in, I'm loading the boxes in the closet!"

Years had passed since Caitlyn and Isha had seen each other. Not only under very different circumstances, but they were both quite younger. Still, a sense of familiarity washed over both of them.

"Kid? Who was it?"

Isha looked at Caitlyn intently. She stared at her uniform, it looked peculiar, different from the others she had seen in the city.

Caitlyn, on the other hand, had frozen at the sound of Vi's voice. It couldn't be. Could it?

"Isha! Who was it—" she said, coming out of the back room, understanding why there was silence as she saw their guests.

"Vi!" Jayce said. He was really excited to see her and ran to give her a hug. "This is very unexpected! What are you doing here?" He said, releasing her and stepping back a bit. "Wait. Is this… your business?"

He burst out laughing. Vi didn't even know why, but she followed him.

Isha stared at them and rolled her eyes. Adults.

But soon the laughter died down and Caitlyn became the center of attention again.

"Vi…"

She gave her a smile back and walked over. Isha looked uncomfortable for a moment. Was it safe to trust her? She had only heard a few things about Caitlyn, not all of them good.

"Cupcake," Vi said, allowing Caitlyn to lower her guard. "Any case you need my expertise in?" Vi teased.

But Caitlyn couldn't formulate a word. What did it all mean? Was it her business for real? Vander & Family. "Your father…"

Vi nodded. "I figured if I was going to open a business on the topside, it better have his name on it. At least he would be here with me in spirit."

"So… this 'is' your business."

"I've been a bounty hunter for over three years now. I think that's enough experience to help the Piltovians, don't you?"

Caitlyn remained silent.

"Relax, I have researched everything I need to open the business legally. I have all the permits."

Caitlyn's numbness was concerning, but Jayce understood what was going on and decided to help her.

"Hey, Isha. Want to get some ice cream? They sell the best cones in town right on the corner. They'll knock your socks off. They've been my favorite since I was a kid."

The girl, now twelve-years-old, looked at Vi, pleading with her eyes to let her go.

"Alright, but be careful, okay? Don't get separated from her, Jayce!" she warned him.

He had already figured out that what his friend needed was a moment alone with Vi. They had spent endless nights talking about her decision to leave Vi's life for good and how much, the knowledge that she would never see her again, weighed on her heart. So, this reunion was almost a dream she hadn't expected.

The bell rang again as they left and slowly returned to its motionless state.

"You are back in town." A whisper broke the silence.

"I talked to Powder," Vi confessed, not knowing how the mention of her name would go over with Cait. "Actually, she was the one who talked to me. She thinks I shouldn't let go of you, of… love."

Love.

"Is she… here?"

"Oh, no. She is not ready to come back. She and Isha are staying in Ionia. I just brought the kid for the weekend. She offered to help clean the apartment and the office. But she has to be at school in Ionia first thing Monday morning, so we're leaving Sunday."

"Apartment?"

"Mhmm," Vi confirmed. Caitlyn's heart skipped a beat at the news. "I'm actually renting the place on the second floor. You know? I didn't want to be hauling back and forth from Zaun every day.  And since the building was on the market with an option to buy, well…"

"So, you're staying here permanently?"

For the first time since Caitlyn had walked through the door, or rather since she heard about the business, she showed a smile.

"Cait… I'm not going to pretend that you've been waiting for me or… that this is even something you want—"

Vi had no time to finish her sentence. With far more tact than when she had hugged her back in Ionia, Caitlyn slipped her mechanical arm around Vi's waist, pulled her close until it was glued to her body, and without thinking twice, gave her a kiss. Vi kept her eyes open for a few seconds until she understood that Caitlyn was showing her not only her excitement and happiness, but her complete approval. Then she let go and gently cupped Caitlyn's cheeks with both hands, pulling her in to continue the kiss, slowly showing her how much she had missed her and how grateful she was for what she had done.

There were no words to describe how much it meant to her. After all, Cassandra was Caitlyn's mother, she deserved justice. But Caitlyn had let it go, for her.

"I was hoping for a kiss after our second date," Vi joked as they parted. "You didn't even give me the time to ask you out."

"Are we fifteen?"

"No, but dating would be nice." Vi said. "Remember I spent seven years in a prison. I missed doing things like that with someone I liked, and I have a lot of things in my mind for our dates."

"And what were you thinking of?" Caitlyn teased, she was curious.

"Well, it depends on when you're free?"

"Whenever."

"Really? The sheriff of Piltover has an open schedule."

"For you, I do."

Vi's cheeks were starting to hurt from how wide her smile was. "Okay, then, Tuesday night. I'll pick you up and bring you to dinner."

"Bring me? You plan on cooking?"

"Hey, I take that mockery personally. You have tasted my delicacies. I'm an excellent cook."

"I guess you would have to remind me."

But the only thing Vi wanted to remember at the moment was Caitlyn's lips on hers.

There are few things in life that stay with us forever. Details of moments that shift something essential within, something so fundamental that we are never quite the same afterward.

Vi was one of those things for Caitlyn, and Caitlyn for Vi.

Not the end. There will be a sequel about their lives after this. And also, another fic where I explore the whole story of Jinx, Isha, Vi and Akali from the timeline of chapter 3.

But still…

THE END.