back from the dead
Kiramman Mansion,the next day
Waking up before the crack of dawn, Caitlyn lay awake in her bed—her soft, warm bed that her father had helped her into after her episode the previous night. A bed that had felt so unfamiliar, she had chosen to sleep on the floor instead.
She sighed, running a hand through her hair, contemplating her next steps. She needed a place to work from, and the mansion was in no way suitable for her needs.
She needed somewhere secluded, a place no one would think to look for her. Somewhere she could train and hone her skills without drawing suspicion.
But before she could even think about putting on the hood, she had unfinished business as Caitlyn Kiramman. She needed to see her. She needed to see Vi. Even if Vi despised her, Caitlyn owed her an explanation.
After showering and dressing, she grabbed her trunk from the island, along with a duffle bag filled with tools, and made her way downstairs as discreetly as possible, careful to stay out of sight.
Jayce had mentioned yesterday—before her argument with Jimena—that Mel would be dropping him off on her way to work so they could spend the day in town. Caitlyn was grateful. Hopefully, she could slip away from Jayce at some point to scout for a suitable location.
The Lanes,some time later
"Your funeral blew," Jayce remarked as Caitlyn drove through the streets, his tone half-joking.
Caitlyn glanced at him with a small smile. "You get lucky?"
Jayce grinned. "Fish in a barrel. They were all sad and huggy. Every girl there was either claiming to be your closest friend, or one of your exes who were sad they never got a chance to patch things up with you."
Caitlyn chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, if you know me, you’d know half of them were probably lying."
"Which is exactly why I didn’t feel bad taking advantage of it," Jayce said, leaning back in his seat. "And also why I’m counting on another target-rich environment at your welcome-home party."
"Ah yes, my welcome-home party," Caitlyn mused, gazing out the window. "I assume Mel is already planning something extravagant and dripping with opulence."
Jayce smirked. "Well, yeah. You came back from the dead—obviously, we have to make it the biggest event of the year."
As they continued driving through Zaun, the midday light illuminated the crumbling buildings, the grime, and the quiet suffering of the district. Caitlyn’s eyes lingered on a derelict Kiramman Consolidated factory, standing tall like a forgotten relic among the ruins.
"This part of town really went to shit," Jayce muttered before glancing at her. "Anyway, why did you even want to drive through here? I figured you'd want to go somewhere nice—maybe the Ritz, or literally anywhere but the worst part of the city."
Caitlyn didn’t look at him. "You know why."
Jayce sighed. He had known this was coming, but he’d hoped she’d hold out a little longer. "Everyone in Piltover is glad you're alive, glad you're back with us. And the first thing you want to do is see the one person who isn’t."
Caitlyn’s voice was quiet, laced with guilt. "I need to see her,Jayce” Jayce simply nodded driving towards the 6th precinct.
6th precinct, Zaun.
Violet stared at the small evidence board hidden in her desk drawer. She had been chasing these leads for weeks, trying to connect the dots between the Piltovan elite and Zaun's underworld. She knew she was missing something—if only she could get her hands on the actual evidence buried within the scattered cases. The Captain had told her to let it go and that they were isolated incidents but she knew better she could feel it, something wasn’t right.
She mulled over the board for a few moments before the sound of approaching footsteps made her snap out of it. Quickly, she shoved it back into the drawer. Her personal vendettas would have to wait.
Turning around, she spotted her partner, Loris.
"Vi, you got the files for that jewelry store case?" he asked.
The jewelry store—the case that had occupied most of Loris’s attention for the past few months. A mess from the start. It had been a small-time midnight smash-and-grab, but the owner had fought back, and the thieves had killed him. One of them, Thierem, had felt guilty enough to turn himself in, pleaded guilty, and agreed to testify against his crew in exchange for a reduced sentence.
"We closed that already," Vi said, frowning. "Perp turned himself in and gave up his crew for a deal. Why are you asking about it now?"
Loris hesitated. "Dunno, but something doesn’t sit right. I called Stillwater last night. Thierem got shanked in a prison fight. Now the DA wants us to testify in his place."
Vi exhaled sharply. "Well, fuck us sideways, then." She stood up, rubbing her temples. "I already sent it to records, but we should probably go over it again, just in case—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Standing in front of her was the last person she wanted to see.
Caitlyn Kiramman.
Caitlyn gave her a small, guilty smile. "Violet."
That was all Caitlyn could say. The only word she could manage. The name that had kept her going. The name of the person she had wronged—the person she would beg forgiveness from for the rest of her life.
The world around Vi came to a halt. Of all the times—now? Now Caitlyn decided to come back into her life? Now she decided to show up unannounced? Now she had the audacity to knock against the gates of Vi’s heart?
Something surged within her—anger, love, confusion, all tangled together in a volatile storm.
Vi inhaled, steadying herself. "I'll go through the case later, Loris." Her breath was shaky, but her voice remained firm.
Loris gave her a knowing nod and returned to his cubicle.
Vi grabbed her coat, keeping her composure. She wasn’t about to blow up in the middle of the precinct. "Let’s take a walk."
Heaven knows she had words for Caitlyn and her audacity.
The Lanes.
"So, you got your criminal justice degree, joined the force—you fulfilled our dream," Caitlyn said, carefully choosing her words, trying not to piss off her ex.
Vi let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah. You know, it was hard after you di—left. Found myself at my rope’s end, most days at the bottom of a bottle, sometimes in the pit. But I survived. Vander made me… made me realize I had to—for me. Because there was more to life than just being your girlfriend." Her voice carried a storm of emotions, as if she had more to say but was forcing herself to hold it back.
Vi turned to Caitlyn with a frown. "Why are you here?"
Caitlyn swallowed and nodded, deciding to get straight to the point. "I wanted to say—" She hesitated, wracking her brain. Say sorry? What good would that do?
She clenched her jaw and forced the words out, guilt lacing every syllable. "Don’t blame her. It wasn’t her fault." She exhaled shakily. "It was my idea. My fault. You have every right to take it out on me, but please… remember Maddie for the friend she was, for all the good she brought into our lives—not the mistake I made."
Vi scoffed. "Blame her? Why would I blame her? For making the same mistakes I did—getting swept up in you and your charm?" Her words stung, sharper than anything Caitlyn had endured on the island.
Vi shook her head. "No. I blame myself. For letting you in. For becoming friends with you. For everything."
She took a breath, steadying herself, then let out a bitter laugh. "Wanna know the worst part? I still loved you—even after I found out. I still loved you." Her voice cracked slightly before she forced herself to continue. "Do you know how hard that is? I wanted to grieve you. To remember you for all the good you were in my life. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t—because while I was home taking care of my sister that weekend, you died screwing our best friend."
Vi crossed her arms, staring up at Caitlyn, whose cerulean eyes quickly averted themselves.
Caitlyn’s voice was barely above a whisper. "I didn’t mean to—"
“She was our friend, Caitlyn. One of my closest friends. God, she was like family. She helped me plan my first date with you—" Vi turned away, anger and grief colliding in her chest. Her hands clenched into fists. "You know what? Just go. Give my regards to your dad, but frankly, I never want to see you again."
Caitlyn opened her mouth, but no words came. Finally, she managed a broken, "I'm sorry. I really am."
But Vi didn’t respond.
And Caitlyn walked away.
Piltover,early afternoon.
"I swear, dealing with these people is impossible! He’s a fool who refuses to take action against that bastard who cheated millions from Zaunites," Mel said aggressively, deep in conversation with Viktor as they entered the café. They made their way toward the table where Caitlyn and Jayce were already seated.
"I swear, this job is killing me. I'm supposed to be making a difference, but all they care about is covering their own arses," Mel huffed as she and Viktor sat down.
She let out a breath and waved a dismissive hand. "Anyway, enough about my terrible morning," she exclaimed before turning to Caitlyn. "I hope your first official day back has been better?"
Caitlyn gave a small shrug. "Honestly, I'd rather hear about what’s going on with you. Actually… Where do you even work?" she asked, feeling out of the loop.
Mel blinked before laughing lightly. "Goodness, it completely slipped my mind. I work for the CNRI based in Zaun as a legal aid. We’re a non-profit organisation that provides legal services to the less fortunate." She grit her teeth.
"Lately, Finn Hunt—a big name in Zaun real estate—has been accused of robbing hundreds of low-income households blind, and I want to go after him. But my bosses..." She sighed.
"Let’s just say the only good thing for me this week has been your return."
Caitlyn chuckled. "Well then, I’m glad I could be of service. Although, I would have assumed you’d be working at Med—"
Before she could finish, Mel swiftly cut her off. "At my mother’s legal empire? Yes, that was my plan initially. But after—" She hesitated before quickly continuing,
"Well, I suppose I had a change of heart. But as you know, the great Ambessa Medarda raises wolves, not foxes. So when I told her I didn’t want to work at the family firm and wanted to make a real difference and help people, she promptly froze all my assets and kicked me out until I ‘came to my senses.’ Luckily, Jayce and Viktor had a spare room, and I haven’t looked back since."
She reminisced for a moment, but she didn’t have the nerves to tell Caitlyn that her decision had been influenced by none other than Caitlyn’s ex-girlfriend, who had shown her the struggles of the city’s impoverished firsthand after spending months together alongside Jayce and Viktor grieving Caitlyn.
Viktor said dryly, as he remained focused on his phonebefore finally looking up with a smirk. "Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?”
“ Especially with the way you yell at us? And our quote un quote asinine habits" he continued finally looking up with a smirk.
Mel scoffed. "In spite of my roommate’s less than adequate housekeeping skills, I am happier now than I ever was living under the luxurious Medarda thumb," she said confidently.
Jayce took the opportunity to change the subject. "Anyway, we still need to plan your big welcome home party."
Mel immediately perked up. "Yes, yes! It has to be spectacular. In fact, I’ve already called up a few venues. I was wondering if you’d like to see them later this week?"
Caitlyn gave a half-smile. "Of course. It’s not like I have much to do since coming back from the dead."
Before Mel could respond, a waiter approached, asking if they had decided on their orders.
The rest of the lunch passed in a haze. As much as Caitlyn had missed her friends, her mind kept drifting elsewhere. She had a mission to complete, targets to cross off her list—and now, Finn Hunt had just become her newest priority. She vaguely remembered his name from her mothers notebook.
Just as they were finishing their desserts, Viktor’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and sighed. "Jayce, we have to go. The board wants progress on our project and we need to introduce our newest partner."
Jayce groaned. "Yeah it’s been months since P-” Jayce interrupted silently chiding himself for almost letting it slip that her ex's sister was now their co-worker “But I promised Caitlyn I’d keep her company today!" He continued glad he managed to salvage the situation.
Viktor smirked. "You also promised the board we’d have news for them. Besides, you’re the face of the whole project—we can’t have you absent for our first breakthrough and we have to help our new partner make a good impression."
Caitlyn waved him off. "It’s fine, Jayce. Honestly, I could do with a bit of alone time."
The irony wasn’t lost on her. She had been stranded and alone for five years. And now? She wanted to be alone.
Jayce frowned. "You sure? What about you, Mel? Can’t you keep Caitlyn company?"
Before Mel could answer, Caitlyn interjected. "It’s fine, really. I have a rough idea of what I want to do anyway."
Jayce hesitated. "Sprout..." Concern was evident in his eyes.
Caitlyn smiled reassuringly. "I’ll be fine, really. You all have lives to live—no need to put them on hold just for me."
With a reluctant sigh, Jayce, Viktor, and Mel finally took off, leaving in Mel’s car.
And with that, Caitlyn turned her attention to what truly mattered.
The Lanes,
Pulling into an alleyway a couple of blocks from the factory she had scouted that morning, Caitlyn surveyed her surroundings, ensuring the coast was clear. Satisfied, she retrieved a trunk marked with Mandarin characters from the island, along with a duffle bag. Moving discreetly through the Lanes, she took care not to draw any unwanted attention.
Upon reaching the factory, she set her belongings down before scaling the fence. A quick lockpick job granted her access, and she pulled her gear inside the main warehouse. Scanning the space, her eyes landed on a section of the floor that had been covered to conceal a lower level.
Perfect.
The next day, Caitlyn returned with additional equipment—basic industrial machinery for crafting her arrows, computers, and various tools. She quickly realized that the scrap metal scattered throughout the factory would allow her to fashion whatever rudimentary equipment she still needed.
With measured force, she smashed through the concealed floor, revealing the hidden lower level. Using a pulley system, she carefully lowered her equipment down before descending herself. Over the following days, she worked tirelessly, transforming the abandoned space into her base of operations.
Slowly but surely, her fortress of solitude took shape. The tools she needed to save her city were now in place. All she needed was a target.
Thanks to Mel, she had one.
Finn Hunt.
South China sea - five years ago
All Caitlyn could see when she looked up was darkness—the endless abyss of the night sky. The ocean swallowed everything, debris floating aimlessly around her. She couldn't even process what was happening.
All she could think about was how she would never get to tell Vi she was sorry. Never get to tell her that she was too good for Caitlyn. That—
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder, yanking her into a life raft.
Her mother.
"Caitlyn, are you alright?" Cassandra asked, her voice laced with worry as she checked her daughter for injuries.
Reality snapped back into focus. "Maddie—we have to find her! She—"
"She's gone," Cassandra interrupted, her voice heavy. "We've been searching for hours. You're the first person we've found."
Caitlyn turned, her eyes scanning the raft. She spotted the captain—the only other survivor so far. He must have been the one who got her mother to safety first.
They drifted for what felt like hours, their only light source the faint glow of emergency illumination sticks. There was no land in sight. No help. Just emptiness stretching for thousands of kilometers.
Caitlyn could only guess it was the early hours of the morning now. The sky was still dark. She had fallen asleep, cradled by her mother, only to wake when Cassandra gently nudged a bottle of water toward her.
"What the hell? That’s all we have!" the captain protested as Caitlyn, shivering and dehydrated, drank.
"If anyone has a chance of surviving this, it’s her," Cassandra shot back. She knew time was running out. She had to speak now. For Caitlyn. She had to be honest.
"I’m so sorry, Caitlyn," Cassandra murmured, her voice tinged with sorrow. "We should have had more time. There’s still so much I have to do… so much to make amends for."
"What are you talking about, Mom?" Caitlyn asked weakly, her body heavy with exhaustion.
"I’m not the woman you think I am, Caitlyn. I’ve failed you. I’ve failed our city. I’ve failed… everyone."
Caitlyn's eyelids drooped. Lethargy weighed her down. "Sleep, Mom… we need to rest," she mumbled, drifting back into slumber in her mother’s arms.
Zaun, the day before Caitlyn’s welcome home party.
"Send a reminder to our good friend Judge Rousseau—I got him his job, and I can just as easily take it away. And that attorney, Medarda… that stupid name," Finn huffed as he and his entourage strode through the parking garage toward his car.
"I can't have her barking up my tree. Fix it," he ordered, waving a dismissive hand toward one of his henchmen.
but before they could reach the car.
CRASH!
A fluorescent lamp behind them shattered, sparks flying as darkness crept in, swallowing the garage in eerie shadows.
Then, a sound. A sharp whistle, slicing through the silence—
One of Finn’s men gasped in pain and crumpled to the ground, an arrow buried deep in his shoulder.
"Get to the car!" another henchman barked, grabbing Finn by the arm and dragging him toward the vehicle. Yanking open the backseat door, he shoved Finn inside before drawing his sidearm and firing wildly into the shadows.
A voice—smooth, refined, and laced with amusement—cut through the chaos.
"You missed."
An instant later, an arrow struck his right hand, forcing him to drop the gun. He barely had time to react before another pierced his leg, sending him into a crumple on the concrete.
Finn sat frozen in the backseat, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he stared at his fallen men. The garage was silent now, except for the distant hum of the city beyond.
Then—THUNK!
An arrow punched through the window beside him, embedding itself in the adjacent seat.
Heart pounding, Finn leaned over, staring at the arrow in shock. Before he could process it, a hand shot through the window, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him out of the car.
He stumbled, barely catching himself before looking up at the figure crouched atop the car—wearing a dark green hood, bow drawn, another arrow nocked and aimed directly at him.
"Woah, woah—what do you want?" Finn stammered, his voice shaking.
The figure leapt down, gripping his collar tighter.
"You’re going to transfer forty million dollars to City of Piltover Bank account 1141 by 10 p.m. tomorrow night," she said, her voice calm, measured—deadly.
Finn swallowed hard, trying to regain control. Negotiation was his game, after all. "Or what?" he scoffed, feigning confidence.
"Or I’ll take it," she replied coolly. "And it won’t be pretty."
She shoved him back against the car before turning and walking away.
Finn glared after her, his anger overtaking his fear. "You’re dead!" he shouted.
WHOOSH.
An arrow zipped past, missing him by mere inches, before crashing into the front passenger window.
Finn froze, staring at it—realizing just how close he had come to death.
His eyes darted back to where she had been, scanning the darkness.
She was gone.