Chapter Text
“We’re serving something extra special on today’s menu: lamb chops with our in-house mashed potatoes, and some roasted vegetables. It will go excellently with that red wine you’ve chosen for the table, Mrs. Kiramman.”
“Roger, you’re always so knowledgeable. Yes, that would be lovely,” Cassandra said, closing her menu and handing it back to him.
“And for you, Miss Kiramman?”
Caitlyn blinked. She’d been staring at the menu the entire time but not reading it.
“I’ll just have what she’s having,” she mumbled and handed back her menu as well. When the waiter left, she picked up her glass of wine and took a longer than usual sip. She could feel her mother’s stare from across the table.
“Caitlyn, dear, you’re slouching.”
Sighing, Caitlyn straightened her spine. “Sorry, Mother.”
They were seated in a private area, divided from the rest of the restaurant packed full of Piltover’s most notable houses and the people associated with them. Caitlyn was never a big fan of these close-knit circle establishments. The exclusivity served no purpose, and they were wasting valuable resources having enforcers standing guard outside. She also hated conversing with the same people who criticized her behind her back.
Cassandra cleared her throat. “I do appreciate you entertaining the idea of having dinner with me one on one. It’s been a long time since we’ve done this. It’s such a shame your father had to cancel.”
Caitlyn gave a quick nod and had to force her eyes to not go to the back of her head. It was no coincidence that her father cancelled, complaining of a stomachache just as they were all headed out the door. Cassandra clearly wanted to have a conversation, but she knew Caitlyn wouldn’t go anywhere with her without Tobias. It was the only way the two of them could have a conversation anymore and actually hear each other. And with Tobias there, he straddled the fence, not completely on Cassandra’s side or Caitlyn’s, but at least then Caitlyn could get a word in without interruption.
“And I thought it would be nice to get you out of the house,” Cassandra went on. “You’ve been inside all week since taking that trip back to Stillwater.” She said ‘Stillwater’ with so much disdain. Like a wretched stain on a carpet that refused to come out.
“Have you ever been inside?” Caitlyn asked, lifting her glass to her lips again, the sweet wine warm as it passed down her throat.
“Stillwater? Heavens no. Why would I ever need to visit such a wretched place?”
“Well, seeing as you have a duty to serve your people as a councilor, I think it would be a pretty normal thing for you to check in now and then on the facility and how citizens are fairing.” She downed the rest of her wine and sat the glass down loudly. She poured herself another glass.
Cassandra’s eyes hardened. “Those people are not citizens. They lost the right to call themselves that for the crimes they’ve committed against Piltover.”
“When was the last time the council had a trial for an inmate? Spoken to an inmate?” Caitlyn asked. “Are you just allowing enforcers to shove people inside Stillwater without cause?”
“Caitlyn,” Cassandra said slowly in that reprimanding tone Caitlyn heard her entire life, “this is not a conversation we should be having right now in public.”
“What shall we talk about then, mother?” Caitlyn arched her brow. “Will you berate me for the billionth time about not being the child you raised? Or let me guess, tell me how crappy my job is despite cracking a huge case, and then once again trying to force some desk job onto me that you know I will hate because, unlike you, I actually give a shit about people and not status?”
“Enough,” Cassandra said, her tone commanding but never raised. “I understand that it’s been a difficult few weeks for you, but I will not tolerate being spoken to this way. You have no idea what atrocities I’ve seen at the hands of those people — the messes we, as a council, have had to clean up because of them. So yes, while I’m sure the mere glimpse of what you’ve seen tells you one story, it’s easy to feel righteous. Especially since your father and I tried our hardest to keep you from having to see the uglier side this city has to offer.”
“The undercity may have a few criminals, but at least they’re open with it,” Caitlyn argued. “At least they don’t hide behind uniforms and badges pretending to be serving everyone and not just a group that pays them to. Maybe we’re no different from them. In fact, maybe we’re worse.”
Cassandra’s eyes widened. Before she could reply, Roger, the waiter, came back with their food. After offering a tight smile and waiting for him to walk away, she turned her head back to Caitlyn, her expression cold.
“While it's wonderful that you can have such a morally superior perspective, you have no idea what you're talking about. The undercity's problems are because of their own doing. Not ours.”
“How come? Just because you say it is? You sit here with me passing judgement on every single person in the undercity when you’ve probably never stepped foot inside their community. You don’t know what they go through every single day.”
“And you do?” Cassandra asked.
Caitlyn lifted her chin, bristling at the sarcasm she heard in her mother’s tone, but wise enough to keep her composure. “I’m not saying I do, but I want to. That’s why the next time Sheriff Grayson asks for a unit to go down there, I’ll be the first to volunteer.”
“Absolutely not,” Cassandra said, and this time her voice did raise. “You will not step one foot in that place. Do you hear me, Caitlyn? I forbid it.”
“I’m a grown woman, mother. I can make my own decisions.”
“You can try, but I will have the final say. Always. Grayson may be your boss, but I am hers.”
“You are unbelievable.”
“I’m keeping you safe,” Cassandra said. She picked up her knife and cut into her lamb. “My only regret is not keeping a tighter leash on you in the first place. I should’ve never allowed you to go on that mission. This is for the best, and you’ll thank me in the long run.”
Caitlyn folded her arms and sat back in her chair, deciding to spend the remainder of the time with her mother in tense silence — the only thing they did best together. She looked down at her meal, analyzing everything on the plate. She wondered what Vi was eating right now. Was she even being fed? Or was she only tasting her own blood from the strikes and lashes she received from whatever guard was on call tonight?
“I need some air,” she announced and got up, taking her glass of wine with her despite Cassandra’s protests.
When she got outside, she stood off in the shadows, hiding away from anyone who would notice her. Closing her eyes, she felt the cool air brush against her cheeks. She tried to take a moment to feel thankful for her surroundings, that she was fortunate enough to not be in Stillwater anymore. But there was a stinging in her chest that hadn’t stopped since the last time she saw Vi, and instead of feeling thankful, she felt angry. With the system, with her mother and the council, but mainly with herself. She should have fought harder and not given up on Vi so easily. Vi had every right to never want to see Caitlyn again after what she did. She had no obligation to Caitlyn or her feelings.
But Caitlyn had the obligation to set things right. Ever since she looked at Vi’s file (or lack thereof) she knew something wasn’t right. Why was there no record of Vi’s crimes? And if there was a crime, why would Marcus leave that out of his report? What could Vi have possibly done to be thrown into Stillwater at such a young age?
Caitlyn remembered Vi saying people were dead because of her, but there was something in the way she said it that made Caitlyn think that was just Vi’s interpretation and that there were other factors that came into play. But what?
There was only one person she knew who could answer her questions.
“Ah, young Kiramman, it’s good to see you back in the office finally,” said Grayson. “What are you doing here so late?”
Caitlyn walked into Grayson’s office and shut the door. She was still in her formal attire from having dinner with her mother. After an uncomfortable ride back to the compound, she snuck out of the house and headed to the PPD while her parents retired for the night. She already knew Grayson would be there, seeing as she barely left the building unless it was to go on patrol.
“I need to talk to you. It’s something that can’t wait.”
“Oh? What is it, then?”
“Well…” Caitlyn reached inside her messenger bag she had strapped across her body and pulled out Vi’s file. “I was wondering if you had any information about this inmate? She was my roommate while I was in Stillwater.”
“I wasn’t aware they paired you with someone.”
“Quite frankly, Sheriff, I believe they did it to fuck with me.”
Grayson sighed. “Of course. Let me see.” She held her hand out for the file. Caitlyn gave it to her and waited quietly, watching Grayson open the file and read the only page inside. At first there was no reaction from her, but then her forehead crinkled in confusion.
“What the hell? Where are her records?”
“There are none,” Caitlyn said, inching forward. “That’s all there is. It appears that Marcus arrested her when she was fifteen for no cause.”
“That’s impossible…” Grayson scanned the file again, but she did not appear sure of herself anymore. “Because then that would mean she’s just been sitting in Stillwater this whole time for no reason.”
“Respectfully Sheriff, I think there’s a lot of things Marcus still has to answer for, and unfortunately, undermining your authority is one of them. He’s clearly corrupted the system, and Silco has everything to do with it.”
Grayson sat back and looked up at the ceiling.
“Do you have any theories?”
Caitlyn stammered, surprised by the question. “Um, y-yes. I think Vi, the inmate, might have some sort of connection with Silco. If Marcus has been following his orders this whole time, it’s reasonable to believe that he arrested Vi for him… or because of him.”
It was a working theory that she had come up with on the walk over. There was something so glaringly obvious that she had missed while in Stillwater — Vi’s connection with Sevika. She overlooked it, thinking of it as some petty rivalry or pissing contest. But the animosity had been deeper than that. Vi clearly knew Sevika outside of Stillwater. And if they had history, how much of it was connected to Silco?
“Vi…” Grayson said thoughtfully. She brought the file up to her face and read it again. “Violet… There’s something about that name that sounds… Shit. ”
“What is it?” Caitlyn asked. Grayson didn’t answer. She stood from her chair and walked over to a file cabinet. “Sheriff?”
Grayson was mumbling to herself, opening and shutting cabinets. Caitlyn chewed on her thumbnail as she stood by and waited.
When Grayson finally found what she was looking for, she slammed the drawer shut and walked back over to Caitlyn. Still standing, she put a photo down on the desk and turned on her lamp.
“Is this her? The one in the middle?”
Caitlyn picked up the photo and brought it closer to her face. Her eyes widened.
In the photo was a younger Vi, clean of tattoos and piercings, her hair swept back. She stood amongst five others: two boys who looked roughly around the same age as her, a large middle-aged man with a kind smile, and a girl with blue hair, clearly the youngest amongst them, staring up at Vi with a bright smile, as if Vi had all the answers in the world.
“Kiramman, is that her?” Grayson asked again.
“Y-yes,” Caitlyn said. She shook herself out of her shock and confirmed it again with certainty. “Yes, that’s her.”
“So she’s been alive this entire time,” Grayson said. She covered her face with her hand.
“I’m confused. You know Vi?” Caitlyn asked.
“Not personally, no. But I knew her father. He was a good man. Silco had him killed. And for the longest time, I thought all of his children were dead too. That’s what Marcus alleged in his report when he found their bodies. Now I’m finding out that not just one, but two of his kids survived.”
“T-two?” Caitlyn’s head was spinning. She looked down at the photo again. “Who’s the other one?” she asked. But the pit forming in her gut told her the answer before Grayson did.
“The other girl. She’s been with Silco this whole time and I found out not too long ago.”
“Is it a hostage situation?” Caitlyn asked, looking up at Grayson.
“Not exactly.” Grayson sighed and folded her arms. “Sit down. This might take a while to explain.”
“Wow, you’re back already?” said the Stillwater guard once he saw Caitlyn marching toward his desk. He grinned like a cheshire cat. “You considering moving over here permanently?”
Caitlyn slammed a piece of paper on the desk in front of him.
“I’m here for inmate 516’s release,” she said.
“Huh? Since when did that happen?” He scanned the paper that had Grayson’s order and signature signed on the bottom of it.
“You’ve lost your right to ask questions.” Caitlyn put another piece of paper in front of him. “You’ve been given a new assignment, coming down directly from the Sheriff.”
“Oh shit, really?” He looked excited. “I guess it makes sense with Marcus gone.”
Caitlyn watched in satisfaction as the man’s slimy grin turned into one of confusion, and then horror as he read the words on the paper.
“What the hell? Landfill?”
“Grayson figured you’d be right at home. Pack your stuff. You’ll be relieved of your duties soon enough.”
Caitlyn walked right past him, not flinching when she heard him bang his gigantic fist against his desk and shout profanities from the top of his lungs. She tapped her foot anxiously on her ride down the elevator shaft to the deepest parts of Stillwater where no one should belong. When she got to Vi’s floor, she gave the guard the order to open her cell. She walked down the hall and sighed in relief when she saw Vi with her back to her, rolling her shoulders and parting her feet as she readied herself for a fight. She turned and faltered when she saw Caitlyn standing there.
With a sigh of relief, Caitlyn stepped forward. “Good. You’re able to stand. Come on, we’re getting you out—ah!”
She gasped when Vi moved at lightning speed out of her cell. She pinned Caitlyn to the wall with an arm to her throat.
“I told you never to come back here,” Vi growled. Her eyes were silver in the low light, as cold as a predator thirsting for blood.
Caitlyn couldn’t breathe. She clawed at Vi’s arm to try and release the pressure.
“V-Vi, please,” she gasped out.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t rip you apart right now?” Vi threatened, squeezing harder.
“I have information about your sister,” Caitlyn said in one choked breath. Vi immediately released her hold and Caitlyn dropped to the floor, wheezing and coughing. She bent over and held onto her knees while continuing to catch her breath.
“Powder?” Vi asked.
Caitlyn looked up through blurry vision and held her hand over her throat, rubbing it soothingly. Vi stared down at her with curiosity and skepticism.
“She’s alive… Still down in the undercity… Works for Silco… building weapons.” Caitlyn said it all in-between large gulps of air. Finally, she stood up straight, eyes a little heavy and still seeing spots.
Vi looked pale.
“That’s not possible. She wouldn’t work with him. Not after everything he’s done.”
“Maybe not willingly,” Caitlyn offered. “The sheriff, Grayson, and I believe he’s holding her captive, forcing her to build these weapons for him. If she was only a child when he took her, it’s also possible that she's been manipulated. We won’t know until we find her. Silco’s in custody, but so far he’s not cooperating with anyone about anything. Most especially her. But maybe that would change if he saw you.”
Vi finally looked at her. “Is this your plan? Dangle my freedom in front of my face like a carrot in the hopes that I’ll help you?”
“No.” Caitlyn shook her head. “You were never supposed to be here. I… I know what happened. Why you feel so much guilt…”
She caught the slightest widening of Vi’s eyes before she looked down and tried to step back.
“Don’t,” she said.
“It’s not your fault, Vi.”
“I said don’t!” ” Vi yelled, startling Caitlyn. “Don’t talk about things you don’t understand. That you will never understand. You have no right.”
This time, Caitlyn looked away. That stinging in her chest intensified the moment Grayson had told her everything, and it got worse as she saw the hurt on Vi’s face, the anguish and remorse she had for something that was out of her control.
“Whether you want to help us locate your sister or not, you’re free to go. It’s entirely up to you,” she said softly.
“And how do I know this isn’t just some trick of yours again?” Vi asked.
“I can’t force you to believe me. I know I messed up, and that I took things too far with you.” Caitlyn looked away. “But I meant what I told you before. You’re worthy of good things… because you have a good heart. I just want you to have the opportunity to use it.”
She felt Vi step closer and looked up. Vi’s expression was unreadable now, but it wasn’t that hard glare Caitlyn had received a few days ago.
“If going with you means saving my sister, then fine.”
“Are you certain this is the right move, Kiramman?” Grayson asked.
Caitlyn nodded. “I am.”
They stood outside of the interrogation room. Vi wasn’t far from them, dressed in a fresh pair of pants and a tank top. She kept her hands in her pockets as an enforcer talked her through what she needed to do and gave her clear instructions. She openly glared at them.
“She really hates us, doesn’t she,” Grayson said, more as a statement than a question.
Caitlyn looked away for a moment and crossed her arms. “Can you blame her? She spent several years locked in a prison cell getting the shit kicked out of her by us. I wouldn’t want anything to do with us either.” And truthfully, after what Caitlyn learned and saw for her own eyes, she had a hard time looking at herself in the mirror when she put on her uniform now.
“Kiramman, you…” Grayson stopped herself. Caitlyn looked at her with curiosity. “You have the kind of vision that a lot of people should be envious of. It’s what makes you different. Stronger than the others. You’d make an excellent leader.”
Caitlyn swallowed hard, not knowing how to respond to that. She heard footsteps approaching and looked over to see Vi walking toward them.
“I’m ready,” she said roughly, looking into the window where Silco sat, chained to his chair by the arms and legs. From inside the room, he couldn’t see or hear them. All he saw was himself in the one-sided mirror. He appeared calm, but there was something menacing behind his eyes that made Caitlyn shudder and look away from him.
“Remember — all you have to do is get a location from him. That’s it,” Grayson said.
“I’m not deaf, lady. Your hunchback lanky told me everything I need to know,” Vi said.
“Aye, who you callin’ a hunchback?” the enforcer said, stepping toward her.
Grayson stopped him and pushed him back by the chest. “Stand down, officer. We can take it from here.”
The enforcer saluted her. He glowered at Vi before walking away.
Caitlyn walked to the door leading into the interrogation room. She felt Vi coming up behind her. Before opening the door, she turned around.
“I know this probably doesn’t mean anything to you, but… I hope you get the answers you need,” she said quietly.
Vi’s eyes met hers for the first time since they touched land. She searched Caitlyn’s gaze, trying to find ingenuity. But there was none of that. Caitlyn didn’t want anything other than to help Vi, whether she wanted to believe it or not. And it might not be today, but she hoped that one day Vi would come to that realization on her own.
Caitlyn opened the door and let Vi step through. Once it closed fully, she quickly joined Grayson at the window.
Silco lifted his head and did a double take when he saw Vi in front of him. His brows furrowed momentarily before he dropped his gaze.
“So you’re alive, then?” Silco spoke. “I should have known Marcus was too spineless to kill you when I told him—”
Vi landed a square punch against his jaw.
“That was for Vander,” she said through gritted teeth. Then she grabbed him by his vest and punched him again. “And Mylo.” She back-handed him and his face snapped in the other direction. “And Clagger.”
“Shit. I need to stop this.” Grayson tried to walk to the door, but Caitlyn side-stepped her.
“It’s fine. She won’t kill him.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I trust her,” Caitlyn said without a second thought. “And… because he’s the only one who knows where her sister is.” She glanced back into the window and pointed. “See? Look.”
Vi was currently in Silco’s face, holding him by the chin and staring him down as he spit up blood.
“Where. Is. Powder,” she said.
“I don’t know this Powder you speak of,” he said. Vi cocked her fist back. “But Jinx! Jinx I know.”
“Jinx?” Caitlyn asked. She leaned in closer and looked between Vi and Silco. Vi’s eyes were the most expressive Caitlyn had ever seen from her. There was confusion, rage, hurt… and regret?
“She’s an amazing girl. Brilliant. Just like your mother.”
Vi looked ready to punch him again. The hand clutching Silco’s vest shook uncontrollably. Caitlyn bit her lip, praying she wasn’t wrong about letting Vi alone in the room with him like she requested.
But then Vi’s hand fell away and she stepped back from him. Even Silco seemed surprised by her restraint.
“Does she know that I’m alive?” Vi asked quietly.
Silco watched her for several seconds before answering. “No. I told her you died that night with Vander and your other siblings.”
“Why didn’t you kill her too?” Vi asked. “She was just a kid. It would have been so easy for you to do it instead of kidnapping and forcing her to do your bidding.”
“I didn’t kidnap her. She came willingly.”
“Bullshit.”
Silco shook his head. “You’re just like Vander. Always only seeing things your way, never ever understanding the change we must go through to be as great as them.” Silco waved toward the window. “It’s that kind of childish ideology that has set the Lanes back—kept us so far behind in comparison to what Piltover has to offer to its citizens. My dream is what’s kept us afloat. Jinx understands that.”
“Powder knows what she needs to do to survive. Even if that means agreeing with sickos like you that try to put these delusional ideas in her head. Now tell me where she is.”
“You do know that they’ll never let you see her again, right?” Silco asked, tilting his head. Blood freely dripped from his nose. “Whatever they told you, it’s probably a lie. You’ll have a mere glimpse of her before they put her in chains just like this and send her to Stillwater. That would be one hell of a reunion, don’t you think?”
Caitlyn looked over at Grayson and noticed that she kept her eyes forward, waiting.
“Is that true?” Caitlyn asked. “You’re going to arrest her?”
“She’s built several weapons for his people to use against us,” Grayson said. “Several of our men have been killed because of her.”
“You know I’m right, don’t you?” Silco asked, and Caitlyn faced the window again. Vi stared back at him, then she turned. Even though she couldn’t see them from her side, somehow she was looking directly at Caitlyn. She walked away from Silco and left the room.
“Vi,” Caitlyn said. But Vi walked right past her and up to Grayson.
“I want immunity for my sister,” Vi said.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. If I get him to tell me where she is, I need you to give me your word that you won’t try to arrest her.”
“You have no idea what you’re asking. Your sister is just as dangerous as Silco.”
“She’s been manipulated by him!” Vi said. “He would have killed her for all we know. She was just a kid back then.”
“It’s not possible,” Grayson said, looking away. “I can’t just—”
“You owe Vander,” Vi said. “He trusted you to keep things together even when he wasn’t around, and you just let that crazy man take my sister, as well as that crook of an officer be your second-in-command, which makes you suspect as well in my book. You thought you were running the show, but clearly you’ve just been the figure-head unknowingly attached to the people you guys like to believe you’re better than.”
Caitlyn stood by uncomfortably, watching Vi and Grayson stare each other down.
“I’m supposed to believe you’ll just go on about your merry way with your sister and never see or hear from her again? If she’s as close with him as he’s alluding to then she’ll try to avenge him. It’s her explosives he was planning to use to break Sevika out of Stillwater.”
“Then I'll stop her!” Vi said confidently. “I know my sister better than anyone. Once he tells me where she is, I’ll find her and we’ll just disappear.”
Caitlyn’s breath stilled.
“It’s easy to say that when you want to protect someone you love, but you don’t know the person she is today,” Grayson argued.
“I’m taking responsibility for her. If she ever tried anything and succeeded I would bring her in myself, and you can ship us both to Stillwater in chains. I don’t give a shit. But she deserves a chance. A chance we never had. I’ll get through to Powder, we’ll stay out of sight and away from topside, and then you can just… forget about us.” She finally looked at Caitlyn.
Grayson folded her arms. She glanced over at Caitlyn.
“What do you think?” she asked.
Caitlyn swallowed. She kept hold of Vi’s eyes.
“I trust her,” she said again. “The sister won’t be a problem.”
Grayson sighed and brushed her hand through her hair.
“You have five minutes to get the location of her whereabouts. After that, the deal is off.”
Vi straightened herself and nodded.
“We’ll give the two of you some privacy. Keep your hands to yourself this time. Let’s go, Kiramman.”
Grayson walked away first. Caitlyn hung back momentarily. Her lungs felt heavy with so many things she wanted to express. Vi waited for her to say something.
“Good luck,” Caitlyn said. Without waiting for a response, she walked away.
Despite how much she meant it, that wasn’t even close to what she wanted to say.
At the five-minute mark, Vi emerged from the interrogation room.
“Did you get the location?” Grayson asked, arms folded.
Vi’s eyes shifted between her and Caitlyn. She looked wary.
“I see,” Grayson said. “You’re free to go.”
Vi nodded. She walked past Grayson but then stopped in front of Caitlyn, who’d been standing against the wall. Their eyes met, and Vi wore a soft expression that brought Caitlyn back to the night where she imagined paradise under Vi’s warmth.
“So long, cupcake,” she whispered so low that Caitlyn barely heard it. And as she walked away, her fingers brushed against Caitlyn’s one last time, that glimpse of paradise returning and fading just as quickly.
Caitlyn blinked back her tears and watched as Vi headed toward the exit, finally free to live her life. And though a good heart was reentering Piltover, a part of Caitlyn would always wonder what it would have been like to have it all to herself.
Eight months later
“Another late night, Captain Kiramman?”
Caitlyn looked up at the sound of Grayson’s voice. The sheriff leaned against the door leading into Caitlyn’s office. It was still a bit surreal to call it that. For a while, the room had been vacated since Marcus’s arrest. Grayson chose not to rush filling his position. Instead she put a lot of focus into tightening protocols and doing a complete overhaul of the PPD. From retraining to recruiting, and keeping the streets of Piltover safe, she had her work cut out for her. But it was only a matter of time before she finally felt the brunt of all the work she placed on herself, thus leading to her choosing Caitlyn as Marcus’s predecessor for captain. She made the announcement a week ago, which turned many heads and left people’s jaws hanging, Caitlyn's included.
“Um, yes,” Caitlyn said, and sporadically reached for several documents on her chaotic mess of a desk. “I was just getting ahead on some paperwork.”
Grayson chuckled and walked into the office.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone as ambitious as you.”
Caitlyn flushed. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“How was your weekly visit to the undercity the other day?”
Caitlyn’s smile faltered for a moment and she looked away. “It was fine. Obviously there continues to be some frigidness, but I think some are starting to come around. Especially since dialing back our assertions from before.”
She made the suggestion several months ago about reducing their weapons in the undercity. At first Grayson flat out told her no, calling it a reckless idea at first. However, once she assigned Caitlyn as squad leader for portions of the undercity, she forced her team to keep their rifles at the PPD. And so far, nothing had gone wrong. They weren’t completely defenseless, and she noticed less animosity toward her group in particular whenever they went. Now, as captain, she made the call for all squads to go with reduced weaponry. And this past week had been a success. Compared to the first time she ever visited the undercity, when tension was at an all time high, things appeared to be less chaotic with Silco gone. Shimmer was drying up, and there were no reports of any new labs being built so far. Silco’s absence didn’t wipe away every problem going on in the undercity. There were still several gangs making plays, and a lot of innocents were suffering. But Caitlyn was more determined than ever to help.
Some called her crazy; said they didn’t know why she bothered, but they didn’t know what she knew. They didn’t know that people like Vi existed who were worth believing in for a brighter tomorrow.
After relaying the information she wrote up in her report about her visit, Grayson nodded and folded her arms.
“That’s good to hear. I’d say it’s almost worth the amount of grief your mother’s been giving me as of late.”
Caitlyn winced. “I’m sorry about her. She’s still adjusting to my newfound independence.”
When Caitlyn excitedly shared her new position with her parents, she was met with a lukewarm response from her father, and an outright hostile response from Cassandra. Since then, they hadn’t spoken about it, but Caitlyn knew all about Cassandra’s attempts behind the scenes to get Caitlyn removed from her new position.
“As long as you continue to prove I was right in my decision, I can handle your mother,” Grayson said, smiling. She got up from the chair and walked to the door. “Go home and get some rest.”
“I’m fine, Sheriff.”
“You’ve pulled several all-nighters in the past week. That’s not a request. It’s an order.”
Caitlyn sighed, though she ended up smiling to herself. At least she was proving herself worthy to one person in her life.
As she packed up the rest of her stuff, she heard footsteps approaching her door.
“Did I hear that right, Captain? You have the night off?”
Caitlyn looked up and tried not to flinch. Maddie Nolen stood in the doorway, her innocent wide eyes full of hope.
“That’s right,” Caitlyn said, looking away. She zipped her bag and stood up.
“How wonderful,” Maddie said. She fell into step with Caitlyn and they walked toward the exit. “Me too, actually. A couple of us were planning on getting a drink. You could join us if you’d like.” She placed her palm on the small of Caitlyn’s back and said under her breath, “you know, like last time.”
Caitlyn closed her eyes and took three even breaths in and out through her nose. They reached the bottom of the steps in front of the building and Caitlyn turned to Maddie.
“That wouldn’t be a good idea,” she said.
Maddie’s smile slipped. Her hand fell away from Caitlyn’s back.
“Right, of course. M-my apologies.”
“Tell everyone I said hello,” Caitlyn said, giving her an awkward wave and then walking away. She felt awful, of course. Maddie was sweet. Cute, perky, and kind. Even Cassandra approved when she caught Caitlyn trying to sneak Maddie out of the compound one night. But Caitlyn always knew Maddie wasn’t permanent. It was wrong of her, but she needed to satiate that yearning deep in her gut for what she once had that made her feel so free. She quickly realized she’d been chasing the impossible.
Every time she visited the undercity, a part of her hoped—imagined—that one day she would cross paths with Vi again. That somehow she’d be able to see her thriving and happy with the last of the family she had left. But so far, it was like hoping to find a ghost. Vi kept her word to Grayson and stayed out of sight with her sister. Somewhere even Caitlyn couldn’t find her.
When she got home, she walked inside to find her parents dressed in formal attire.
“Oh, hey, pumpkin,” Tobias said. He pulled Caitlyn in for a tight hug. “I didn’t think you’d be home so early.”
“Or at all,” Cassandra said under her breath.
“Grayson told me to take the night off,” Caitlyn replied cooly.
“That’s wonderful.” Tobias smiled, then his eyes shifted to Cassandra. “Isn’t that right, honey?”
Cassandra looked Caitlyn up and down. “You do look like you could use some rest.”
“Thanks, mother,” Caitlyn said, rolling her eyes. She remembered something. “Oh, by the way, did you look at that initiative I put on your desk this morning? The one about creating more housing down in the undercity using some of the old buildings former gangs have occupied? This man I spoke to during my recent visit thinks it’s possible and sounded really excited about it. I’m hoping to give him an update the next time I see him”
Cassandra sighed. “I have a lot of things on my plate right now, Caitlyn.”
Tobias cleared his throat. He gave his wife a look of silent communication only a wife and husband could have.
“I will try to pass it along to the council when I can,” Cassandra offered stiffly.
“Thank you,” Caitlyn said.
Cassandra left the house first, and Tobias followed behind her, winking at Caitlyn behind his wife’s back. “Don’t wait up. We’re catching a late night show at the opera.”
Caitlyn waved and watched from the window as they drove away. After grabbing a snack from the kitchen, she went to her bedroom. Things with her mother continued to be a frosty road, but Caitlyn was trying her best to remain patient. If she wanted to see change, she needed as many council members on her side as possible. Not having her mother’s approval would do her no favors.
She closed the bedroom door and took off her boots, then her jacket. As she went to remove her shirt, a chill went up her spine. She turned to her left and saw that the window was open. With cautious steps, she crossed the dark room and peeked her head out of the window. It was a quiet night with a full moon, the garden freshly mowed. A light sprinkle started.
There was a shift from behind her.
Caitlyn swallowed hard. She slowly reached into the pocket of her pants for her dagger.
“Whoever you are,” she said steadily, “I can assure you that by breaking into the Kiramman residence, you’ve signed your death wish.”
She spun on her heel and quickly caught the shadow person in the dark on top of her bed. She threw the dagger, but the intruder dodged it easily by swaying to the right.
Caitlyn heard a familiar chuckle.
“Do you practice that line in the mirror, cupcake?”
Caitlyn’s mouth dropped open, her heart rate spiked.
“Vi?” She squinted in the dark.
“The one and only.”
Caitlyn pushed her curtains open more, letting the moonlight cast inside her room. Vi sat there on the edge of her bed, watching her with a smirk.
“How did you get into my house?”
“Uh, through the window? I thought that was obvious. It’s very bold of you to keep your windows unlocked, by the way. Any creep could just walk right in.”
“But how did you know this was my room?”
Vi shrugged. “Lucky guess.”
Caitlyn shook her head in disbelief. She took in Vi for several seconds. She had on a leather jacket, with a tank top underneath that left her stomach exposed. Her hair had grown out. She looked so different, and yet her aura seemed lighter.
“I…” Caitlyn blinked, catching her wobbling lip between her teeth. She breathed out. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
Vi stood from the bed. She kept her hands in her pockets and shrugged. “Me too.”
They stood in front of each other awkwardly, and the minute went by so slow, as if daring one of them to move first.
Caitlyn ran forward and wrapped her arms around Vi, hugging her tight. She heard a soft gasp. At first, she thought Vi would push her off, but then her arms slowly wrapped around Caitlyn’s waist. She relaxed in Caitlyn’s arms.
“You’re okay,” she whispered into Vi’s neck.
“Yeah…,” Vi whispered back.
Caitlyn’s vision was blurry as she pulled back and looked down at Vi. Before she could think twice about it, she cradled Vi’s face in her hands, taking in every inch of her face because it’d been so long. As much as she clung to the memory of her, the image of Vi became less clear, and that scared her to death.
Vi didn’t resist. In fact, her eyes swept across Caitlyn’s face as well, like she had the same thoughts.
“I’m so sorry, Vi,” Caitlyn said, her lungs caught in her throat. “For everything.”
“Cait,” Vi started, pulling away from Caitlyn’s hands.
“There’s so much that I should have done differently,” Caitlyn said. “Lying to you is my biggest regret. I didn’t think you would understand. I just knew you would hate me. But the more I got to know you, the more I understood why you had every reason to hate me — people like me.”
“I don’t hate you,” Vi said.
“You don’t?” Caitlyn asked.
Vi hesitated, but she reached forward and touched her hand against Caitlyn’s cheek. Caitlyn’s heartbeat quickened. Her eyes fluttered shut.
“No, I don’t. For a while, I thought I did. But the longer I’ve been away, the more I’ve come to appreciate what you did. If I hadn’t met you…” Vi stopped herself, and Caitlyn saw a shimmer in her eyes before she blinked it away. “If I never met you, I would still be in there. You fought for me when I stopped fighting for myself. You brought me back to my sister.”
“You found her?” Caitlyn smiled when Vi nodded and held on to her shoulders. “How is she?”
“She’s…” Vi paused, then let out a sigh. “Complicated. A lot has happened down there while I was away, and she’s gone through so much. We’re taking it day by day.”
“I’m glad.” Caitlyn sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Is there anything you need? I’m so sorry about Grayson. You shouldn’t have to stay hidden.”
“It’s for the best. Powder… Jinx…. Can’t ever be found. We have to lie low for a while.”
“Then what are you doing here?” Caitlyn asked. Concern filled her eyes. “If Grayson finds out you were up here—”
“It’s best if I give you as little information as possible. But let’s just say I have my ways,” Vi said, smirking. “As for why I’m here… Well, I think that answer is obvious. I wanted to see you.” Vi’s hand slid into Caitlyn’s hair. She smiled up at her, almost shyly. “And now that I’m looking at you, I don’t know how the hell I stayed away for so long.”
Caitlyn’s breath hitched. Her eyelids were suddenly heavier. She leaned her forehead against Vi’s, staring into her eyes. She put one hand against Vi’s hip and the other against her neck, feeling her rapid pulse. They breathed each other’s air, lashes fluttering against cheeks, noses brushing, and then finally lips.
Caitlyn moaned instantly when Vi’s mouth pressed against hers. It was slow, still somewhat cautious. But then Caitlyn widened her mouth and tugged on Vi’s hair. Vi immediately pressed her body into Caitlyn. Her tongue slid into Caitlyn’s mouth, exploring it like it was the very first time.
“Vi…” Caitlyn whisper-moaned. That elicited a feral reaction from Vi. She pulled Caitlyn’s shirt above her head and threw it elsewhere. Caitlyn pulled back, their lips smacking apart. Her heart was thunderous, and the way Vi was watching her sent electricity straight to her clit. She bit her lip and unbuttoned her pants. Vi knocked her hand away and did the rest, unzipping Caitlyn and pulling her pants down. Caitlyn kicked them away. She stood there in only her underwear.
“Fuck. You’re as gorgeous as I remembered,” Vi said. “Come here.”
Caitlyn took Vi’s hand and let her lead. Vi made her sit down on the bed and stood in front of her. Bending down, she kissed Caitlyn again, so hard and so thoroughly, that it left her breathless.
This time when Vi pulled away, she immediately went to work undoing the laces of her boots and unzipping her jacket. When she came back to the bed, she put one knee between Caitlyn’s legs and leaned forward, forcing Caitlyn down on the bed until she lie there underneath her.
The heat in Caitlyn’s cheeks spread further. She swallowed hard, thighs shaking underneath one of Vi’s powerful ones. The slightest brush of it against her clothed, wet slit made her let out the most embarrassing noise.
“Oh shit,” she gasped.
“Damn.” Vi bent down and pressed her face into Caitlyn’s neck and kissed her there. Caitlyn let out a breathy moan. “When you sound like this, it almost makes me believe I’ve been your last.”
“What makes you—mnnn—think it hasn’t?” Caitlyn mewled when Vi pressed harder with her knee. She rolled her hips and clutched onto Vi’s arms, feeling her muscles and squeezing. She ached even worse.
“That ginger from earlier salivating at the mouth for you gave me a pretty good guess.”
Caitlyn stopped moving. She opened her eyes.
“You were… watching me?”
Vi shrugged. “I had to find out where you lived.”
“You… you stalker!” Caitlyn said, hitting Vi in the arm.
Vi chuckled, and Caitlyn’s heart clenched at the sound of it, wanting to somehow bring it into herself and keep it there where it would be safe.
“So am I right, then?” Vi asked.
Caitlyn looked away, but then Vi caught her chin in her hands and forced their gazes to lock. Caitlyn sighed.
“Not exactly. It wasn’t anything serious with her. It’s not like…” She stopped herself.
“Like you and me?” Vi finished for her.
Caitlyn nodded. “You told me what life would’ve been like if you hadn’t met me. If I hadn’t met you… I don’t think I’d be anywhere near the person I want to be. So yes, while there have been others, none of them have come close to how I feel when I’m with you.”
Vi’s mouth had dropped open in surprise, and Caitlyn couldn’t understand why. A person like Vi deserved recognition, and if Caitlyn had it her way, she’d write her name in the sky for all of Piltover to see.
Taking advantage of her surprise, Caitlyn captured Vi’s face in her hands and kissed her. She forced Vi’s mouth apart and plunged inside, quivering from the warmth of Vi’s tongue and all the places she wanted it. Heat pooled between her legs and she went back to rolling her hips against Vi’s thick thigh that covered her completely.
Vi’s hands went to Caitlyn’s breasts, cupping, kneading and squeezing.
“Take off your clothes,” Caitlyn murmured against Vi’s lips.
“In a minute.” Vi pulled back, then nodded toward the middle of the bed, and Caitlyn immediately understood. She got on her hands and knees and crawled to the center. But before she could turn around, she felt Vi at her back. Hoarsely, she whispered, “Stay right there. Just like this.”
Caitlyn obeyed. She waited there, shaking with anticipation. She heard Vi’s pants unzip and looked over her shoulder just as Vi threw them into the dark. She pressed herself against Caitlyn’s back again, one hand reaching beneath to cup her breast and the other to hold her hip. Caitlyn’s breath sped up as the latter hand dragged up her thigh and slid around to her front, against her stomach.
“Do you still need me?” Vi questioned. Caitlyn closed her eyes, remembering her words from all those months ago.
“Yes,” she said. “I need you so much, Violet.”
“Fuck,” Vi whispered. She put her forehead against Caitlyn’s back. Then her hands slipped into Caitlyn’s panties, two fingers going straight up her pussy.
“Oh god!” Caitlyn gasped. She’d almost forgotten how big Vi’s fingers felt inside her. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head when Vi started thrusting at an incredible, feverish pace thanks to Caitlyn’s heavy slick.
“You’re so wet. I can’t wait to taste you again, cupcake.”
Caitlyn clenched around Vi’s hand and her back arched. Vi pressed harder against her from behind and it forced Caitlyn down; chest on the bed and ass in the air. She clutched her pillow and screamed into it as Vi’s pace quickened. The sounds of her wet pussy filled the room, along with their synchronized moans. Caitlyn’s eyes squeezed shut as she felt that part of herself she kept locked away for everyone unravel in Vi’s hands like putty.
“Vi!” she screamed and came into Vi’s hand. She went limp against the bed and breathed hard against her pillow. Vi rubbed circles into her back.
“So good. You’re so good,” Vi said. She pressed kisses into Caitlyn’s neck, then down her back, and all the way to the curve of her ass. Caitlyn whimpered.
A minute later, she was turned onto her back. Vi hooked her fingers on both sides of Caitlyn's panties and yanked them off. Then she came between Caitlyn’s legs and bent down to kiss her for several minutes. It gave Caitlyn a little time to recuperate. But just as she finally thought she caught her breath, Vi moved down her body, kissing every part of her. When her face finally came between Caitlyn’s thighs, she breathed against her purposefully. Tingles started in Caitlyn’s abdomen that then turned into a tight coiling in her belly. Even with only Vi’s breath going against her clit, it didn’t take long for her to become a soaking mess once again.
“You’re driving me crazy,” she whined, fisting Vi’s hair.
“I need you to remember the feeling,” Vi told her. “ When I’m gone, for however long I’m away from you, I need you to remember how you felt, and that I’m the only one who can make you feel this way.”
Caitlyn swallowed, but it didn’t stop the lump from forming in her throat. Through the haze of her arousal, she realized what Vi was saying. These moments would come few and far between. At least for now. They couldn’t have a relationship, or even explore the possibility of what this all meant. All they had was the present.
“I understand,” Caitlyn said. “I’ve never met anyone else like you, Vi. I probably never will.”
“You won’t,” Vi said with a growl. She wrapped her arms around Caitlyn’s thighs and pulled her closer to her mouth. “Because you’re mine. Every part of you belongs to me.” She stuck her tongue out and licked up Caitlyn’s slit.
Caitlyn arched her back and cried out. She almost came undone when Vi’s tongue plunged inside her suddenly. “Holy shit, Vi!”
Vi licked Caitlyn’s folds, then her tongue went deeper, curling and flicking. Caitlyn screamed harder. She bucked her hips, needing Vi to reach everywhere, fill her, complete her. She felt tears prickling in the corners of her eyes from how much she needed.
Vi’s fingers joined soon after. She used her index and middle fingers to rub Caitlyn’s clit at a ferocious pace.
“Viiii!” Caitlyn’s voice went hoarse. She came off the bed, stiffening, and then bursting into Vi’s mouth. Vi opened her mouth wider, lashing her tongue against Caitlyn’s clit and moaning so hard that it vibrated against Caitlyn’s pussy. Caitlyn spasmed, seeing stars and flashes of white behind her eyes as another orgasm hit.
A minute later, she relaxed against the bed. Her brain felt like mush, and she couldn’t form words. Even when she felt Vi move beside her, tucking them both underneath the sheet, did she still feel not completely in their realm of existence.
“You okay?” Vi asked after a several quiet minutes.
“Almost,” Caitlyn heard herself say. She felt Vi’s fingers come underneath her chin and turn her face. They kissed lazily, longingly. Caitlyn still felt like her heart was going to fly out of her chest, but she calmed down enough that the fuzziness in her eyes disappeared. They lay there together for a long time quietly. The moon was higher in the sky now, its light stretching further across Caitlyn’s bedroom.
She turned on her side and put her hand on Vi’s stomach. Vi had her arm wrapped around Caitlyn’s shoulders and the other behind her head, staring at the ceiling.
“What are you thinking?” Caitlyn asked. When Vi didn’t answer right away, she leaned forward to press a few kisses underneath her chin. “Talk to me. Please?”
Vi looked at her finally.
“I was just thinking it would be a lot simpler if we met in another life.” She cupped Caitlyn’s cheek and offered a sad smile before pulling away and getting out of the bed.
Caitlyn sat up quickly, the sheet pooling around her waist.
“You’re leaving?”
“I have to get back to Powder,” Vi said. She pulled up her pants and buttoned them.
“Right,” Caitlyn said, looking down at the sheets. “And you can’t tell me where you’re going?”
“Not right now.”
“Because you still don’t trust me?” Caitlyn said, and she hated how much it hurt to ask that.
She heard Vi’s feet approach the bed again and looked up when it dipped. Vi sat in front of her, that look of sadness in her eyes even deeper.
“No matter what I want, my sister’s safety comes first. Nothing else can take priority over that.”
Caitlyn nodded. “I get it.”
Vi reached for her hand and entwined their fingers. Caitlyn lifted her eyes.
“That doesn’t mean that I don’t want you — need you. That’s why I’m here. I can’t… I don’t know if I can stay away from you.”
Caitlyn swallowed. She reached for Vi’s face.
“Then don’t. Come back to me when you can. I’ll be here. I promise.”
“There’s no telling how often I can see you,” Vi warned her, almost like she was trying to get Caitlyn to hesitate.
“It won’t be like this forever,” Caitlyn said assuredly. She felt a new sort of confidence wash over her. “I’m going to be sheriff one of these days. And on day one, I’ll come and find you.”
Vi smiled. “I look forward to that.”
She stood up again and went to grab her jacket from the floor, putting it on. Caitlyn watched her walk to the window and stick one leg out of it.
“Vi,” Caitlyn called out and waited for her to turn back around. “I promise,” she said again.
With one last smile, Vi nodded.
Then she disappeared into the night.
END