Prison Break

Part 7

Unbelievable! Simply unbelievable! She'd just had to tell Vi what the sentence would be, hadn't she?! Now, there was a violent lunatic, terrorist, mass murderer, her mother's murderer, in her apartment! And she was now an accessory to her escape! Absolutely unbelievable! Why hadn't she just pulled the trigger?! Because Vi would have hated her forever if she had, she supposed? Caitlyn sighed, then took out her key and opened the apartment door. "Vi, I certainly hope you..."
"Shhh..." Vi interrupted with a finger on her lips. She was sitting on the couch, her body turned to the side away from Caitlyn. She turned her head the same way, and put a hand down to stroke Jinx' bangs. She smiled a little. "Okay, even you've gotta admit she's cute when she's asleep, Cupcake."
"I, don't have to admit any such thing, Violet!" Caitlyn said in a loud whisper as she closed the door behind her.
"'Violet', huh? Well, someone's not happy."
"Not happy? No, Vi, I was 'not happy' when I got you out of prison and your first thought was getting a bite to eat. I was 'not happy' when you neglected to tell me your sister was a total nut case who nearly blew me to pieces. Coming home to a note breaking off our engagement after a day, then finding you've broken her out and are planning to sneak out of the city with her, on the other hand? No. Now, I'm furious!" She put her rifle down and headed into the kitchen.
Vi got up from the couch and followed. "Cait I know how this looks, but..."
"I don't think you do, Vi." Caitlyn spun around to face her. "She's killed probably hundreds of people, not to mention helping shimmer to run rampid in Zaun, nearly Piltover as well."
"She was working for Silco, though."
"Oh! Right! And she hasn't done anything since his death!"
"Cait, he... and... other things... really fucked up her head and..."
"And that makes it right?"
"No! Look, I'm just saying that..."
"... That her victims don't deserve justice?"
"Cait, she's just a kid!" Vi threw her hands up in the air.
"That 'kid' is a danger to society!"
"Oh, says the one who was just about to put a bullet in the back of someone who was unarmed, and had just surrendered!" Caitlyn didn't have an answer for that. "What the hell even was that?!"
"I wanted to ensure she wouldn't get out again." It was all Caitlyn could think to say.
"You sure this isn't just about your mom?"
Caitlyn just looked at her, then down at her feet. That wasn't all it was, there was more to it... wasn't there? Surely. "I..." She stopped, then sighed.
"That's what I thought." Vi's hands went to bed pockets, her head went down. "Great. I have to assure her I'll still want her even if her sickness is terminal, and here you are, hell bent on shooting her... Fantastic."
Caitlyn was caught a little off guard, her shoulders dropped a bit. "Do you think it could be that serious?"
"Her hands are shaking so bad, she can barely use them, and she keeps hacking up blood. What do you think?" Vi bit her lower lip. "Can't imagine It's gonna be pleasant if it is too far along to do anything. Even if it's not, there might be some permanent damage. That justice enough for you?" Caitlyn sighed. "Or maybe take away someone close to her, so she knows how it... Oh, no, wait, she's already lost everyone she's cared about except me."
Caitlyn was at a loss. What was she meant to say to that? "Vi, I... Well..."
"Just... wake me up in a couple hours and we'll be out of your hair. Okay?" Vi started back out to the living room.
Caitlyn drew in a long breath. "Right... I guess I'll just heat up my leftovers from dinner and..."
"Yeah, about that. Powder was hungry." Caitlyn just stared speechless as Vi left the kitchen. Absolutely Unbelievable!
As she left the kitchen herself and started towards the bedroom, she noticed Vi going back to the couch, and starting to go down to the floor in front of it. "You're not coming to bed?"
Vi didn't look up as she sat down. "She'd always have nightmares when we were kids... I can only imagine what they must be like now." Looking over the back of the couch, Caitlyn saw her hand reach up and brush Jinx' cheek. "I wanna be close to her if she needs me."
Caitlyn sighed as she saw her laying down and taking hold of a still shaking hand. Well, there went the idea that Jinx might've been faking that. "Very well. I'll... see you in a while then." She turned and went into the bedroom.
Laying down on the bed,she turned onto her side, and stared for a long while at the picture of her mother on her bedside table. This was completely insane! What was she doing?! The maniac who fired a rocket at the capital, who was soly responsible for her mother's death, was now sleeping on her couch, and she'd just said she would help get her out of the city! What in the world was she thinking?! She should have been on her way back to Still Water right then and there to tell what had happened! So, why wasn't she?!
An uncomfortable knot started growing in her stomach, she knew why not. She turned over to her other side, facing the empty part of the bed beside her. Too many times to count, she'd been waken up by Vi sobbing in her sleep. It was always the same dream, and the coldness she'd sometimes get at first was always just as unsettling. It would be that night again, she'd be back having that standoff with Jinx. This time, though, the shots she'd fired wouldn't be a warning. She'd cut Vi free from her chair, only for her to then rush over and cradle her sister in her arms, comfort her as best she could until she died.
Honestly, Caitlyn had sometimes wished she'd done just that. If she had, there'd be no need for her to keep that picture near her bed, though obviously, she could never tell Vi. It was clear how much she still loved her sister... painfully clear at this point! She let out a long breath and smoothed the covers on Vi's side of the bed, then glanced back over her shoulder at the picture. "What would you have me do?"