Fault

Caitlyn and Vi had made it to the topside some time ago and now they were sifting through what remained of the bombed council room, despite the protests of the guards and Vi. Caitlyn wouldn't let it be until they found her mother; even the injuries she sustained from Jinx wouldn't slow her down.

"Rest here a minute, you're going to make yourself worse off if you keep this up." Vi gently grabs Cait's arm and tries to usher her to sit down but Cait yanks away almost as soon as they touch.

"My mother is still in this mess. She could be trapped under a support beam, or suffocating in the dust and rubble, or God forbid she's in a thousand little pieces thanks to the bomb that your sister shot into the building." Vi wants to react to that with bitting anger, she wants to react to it with violence the way she's reacted to everything else. But she realizes her fists have gotten her nowhere good so far and so instead she finds nothing but guilt.

"I already blame myself enough, you don't have to add to it, you know," she says with a downcast look that immediately melts the hateful look on Cait's face.

"Oh, Vi... I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't be taking this out on you."

"No, you have every right to, I drove Powder to this. I made her into Jinx. I caused all of this," Vi tries to say everything that's on her mind but then tears threaten to spill out and she'll be damned if she cries in front of someone like this.

"Vi, this is absolutely not you're fault. Jinx made her own choices, you didn't make her decide to kill innocent people. She did that all on her own so don't blame yourself for it." Cait reaches up to wipe away tears Vi hadn't realized she had shed and Vi starts to feel her walls crumble.

"But if I hadn't left her... " Vi doesn't get to finish the train of thought about all of the what-ifs because a guard comes up to them and interrupts by saying,

"Kirammen, we think we've found your mother."

"What, where? Take me to her!" Cait shoves the guard and he jolts into action, leading them away.

He leads them to a tent where a medic is already treating Cait's mother.

"She'll live, just a few cuts and bruises." the medic tells Caitlyn and the dark-haired woman instantly pushes by him to wrap her mother up in a hug.

"Mum! I was so worried!"

"Oh, I'm fine, Caitlyn. I could really do for a nap though, where's your father?" just as she asks, Cait's dad comes into the tent.

"I'm here, hun."

"Take me home, please, Tobias. I need to rest."

"Of course, dear." and that's when Tobias gently led the council member away, leaving Cait and Vi to stand awkwardly next to each other in the stuffy tent. There's a moment of uncertainty until Vi realizes that there's a doctor present and this would be the perfect opportunity to make sure that Caitlyn is okay. Just as the doctor is about to walk back out of the tent she grabs his arm and says,

"Hey, can you take a look at her real quick? My, uh, my sister hurt her pretty bad." the man narrows his eyes at Caitlyn before reaching for the glasses hanging around his neck,

"Sure, let's have a look, shall we?"

"I'm fine, she just stunned me. I'll live."

"At least let him look, please." Vi gives her a look, something that tells her so much more than words can say, something vulnerable, something raw. And Caitlyn can't help but to crumble at the look because she knows what it's like to be in Vi's shoes somehow.

"Fine. Just make it quick." She sits down on the bench across from the doctor and he starts by checking her heart rate. Vi moves to wait on the other side of the tent, as far away from the doctor as she can get. She never was really very fond of doctors but she still wants to make sure someone professional looks over Caitlyn's injuries.

She only waits there for a moment or so as he bandages Caitlyn up and soon he's speaking again,

"You might have a cracked rib, keep an eye on it but it should be fine. This cut on your chin thankfully isn't bad enough to need stitches, just keep it clean. I can see I'm making you uncomfortable so I'll let you go now, but do check-up with your primary doctor if you have any issues." Cait nods her head in agreement as he takes a few steps back and once he gives her the go-ahead she hops off the bench and walks towards the exit of the tent, where Vi still stands nervously.

They share an awkward look before Cait ducks her head and walks out of the tent, not knowing what else to do. Vi immediately follows after her, almost like she's scared that something will happen to the dark-haired woman if she leaves her alone. She hovers a few steps behind her as Cait walks out of the council building's ruins and back onto the street. It's raining and Cait is immediately reminded of the other night.

"Are you just going to follow me around like a lost puppy for the rest of the night?" Cait stops walking but doesn't turn around to face Vi, not that she has to, she can feel Vi's presence behind her.

"I just... after everything that's happened, I don't know what to do. I left you alone and Powder literally kidnapped you. I just want you to be safe and I don't wanna go back to the undercity because then... she'll be there... I just, I don't know what to do." Cait listens to her speak before finally turning to face her. Once she sees the red-haired woman on the verge of tears she realizes she has a choice to make.

"Come stay with me for a while then. You don't have to be alone right now."

"Why would you do that for me? After what I did." Vi asks with disbelief clear in her tone, a few tears slipping down her cheeks that mix in with the rain. Caitlyn takes a few steps closer and moves to take her hands, saying,

"Because maybe we're not as much like oil and water as you thought we were."