I'll admit, I had quite a good chunk of this typed up *cough* the ending *cough* I will say, we are near the end...next chapter should be the epilogue. After that, we'll be back on character arcs starting with Jinx!

Chapter 14

Secrets and Trust

There was laughter and sounds of joy in the Infirmary, first time in a long time…especially with the three newly returned Champions and Chosens.

"I swear, you're not leaving our sight," Tommy huffed as he and Kaitlyn hugged Tracy, who merely gave a smug grin as she stretched and put her arms around her cousin and sister.

"And I don't want to either," Tracy said.

"Same goes here," Tryndamere growled, holding Ashe tightly as the Frost Archer smiled and leaned her head against his chest.

"I might be running into things for a while," Amelia admitted, "Just until I relearn depth perception,"

Tryndamere's eyes blazed in anger.

"I'm going to kill him," he swore.

"Dear…" Ashe sighed, "No bloodshed off the Rift…"

"He blinded you…his wellbeing goes out the window,"

"Believe me, we all are still angry about this," came the low baritone growl from the entrance.

The three new Projects and their loved ones looked up to see the original six and their loved ones.

"But I do wonder if Caleb had anything to do with this," Pantheon finished.

"I don't know," Leona admitted, "But…"

She fell silent grabbing her wrist and looking down at the floor. Her boyfriend put his arms around her, comforting her.

"It's not so bad I guess…" David shrugged, "I mean, I feel like I can run a few marathons without breaking a sweat, but it still hurts to move some ways,"

"Yeah, just skip out of the whole 'tortured' bits," Tracy snarked, "I dunno about you, but I didn't much appreciate getting blasted with lightning…"

"I just thought of something though…" David started, "What's gonna happen to us back on Earth?"

"What do you mean?" Amelia asked.

"Well, we know that Cira, Victoria and Zayne look like their Project selves on Earth, but that was because they were Chosen after their Champions had been changed," Ekko reasoned, "You three were Chosen before we were…taken,"

"Kait took me home and I ended up still having servos and I think my legs were still screwed up," Tracy stated, "So we're still human…for the most part. Just altered a bit,"

"Wait…so will we have sight in our eye again?" Amelia blinked, "I mean, 'cause here…well…I'm…"

She suddenly burst out laughing.

"Oh my God I'm Nick Fury…"

Tracy, David, Cira, Arthur, Victoria, Shane and Zayne all started howling.

"My God, you are," Cira chuckled, "I always thought of you like Hawkeye, but…"

"From what Ashe tells me you're quite the archer too, Leo," Amelia grinned.

Cira's eyes flashed gold and she gave a faint blush.

"I'm nowhere as good as you or Lucian," she muttered, "Hence why I'm a Support…not a Carry,"

"So, now what?" Tracy asked, "Do we just…go home? I mean…I feel like there's something that needs to be done. I mean…you guys had a hard time reintegrating. Care to explain if we'll have that same problem?"

"Somewhat," came the shrug from Lucian, "But you three have it a lot easier than we did,"

"What do you mean?" David asked.

"For one, your memories are all intact," Victoria said, "Ze only ones who remembered what 'appened to zem were Leona and Yasuo. Every time Zayne and I brought up ze subject, Fiora and Zed 'ad no idea what we were talking about,"

"And they thought we were crazy," Zayne added.

"It carries a downside though as well," Cira said, "We thought our PTSD was bad…but yours…time will only tell how it will effect you. Unlike us, you have people you can actually talk to,"

"Six who've actually been through this," Yasuo told them, "We'll help you as much as we can. It's hard, and it never goes away…but it might be easier on you because you'll have help and support,"

"Literally," Cira chuckled, raising a laugh from those present.

"As for the loved ones," Arthur started, getting them to look up, "I'm sorry to say, but your job is going to be just as hard, if not harder,"

"What do you mean?" Tommy asked.

"It kind of ties in with the PTSD thing," Shane explained, "They all get really nasty nightmares every night. They relive them getting turned and some of the things they did while still under Viktor's thumb. You're gonna be in for some long, sleepless nights,"

"If I can help alleviate some of that pain, sleep is a sacrifice I'm willing to make," Tryndamere said firmly.

"I'm sorry you all went through this," Cira murmured, "I should have kept a closer eye on you…I failed my job,"

"You couldn't have known, Ci," Arthur told her, "None of us could have,"

"But I should have been there to help," Cira growled, "And now look what happened…"

She gave a heavy sigh.

"I just…I can't believe Caleb…"

"Can't believe Caleb what?" came a familiar voice that made all nine Projects freeze.

Sixteen heads turned to face Caleb, who had stopped in the doorway.

"Sorry, ears were burning and I happened to be walking by," Caleb apologized, "I…"

He let out a yelp as he was tackled by a Barbarian King.

"Tryndamere!" Ashe yelled, dashing forwards at inhuman speed and pulling her husband off of poor Caleb, who now sported a few dents in his armor.

"What…what did I do!?" Caleb demanded, "I'd understand if Pantheon, Shen or Wukong here did that, but why you!?"

Yi frowned.

"You…do not know?" he asked slowly.

"Know what?" Caleb blinked, "I just got back from my lab, which was completely wrecked and in flames…"

He stopped as he spotted David, whose projector had glitched at the wrong time.

"What the…" he breathed, "David…what happened to you?"

"Oh nothing…" David growled venomously, "Just got kidnapped and tortured and turned into a Project,"

"Who!?" Caleb demanded, "David, who did this to you?"

"That's funny…because you'd think you'd remember the one you liked to torture the most," Ekko hissed, "You stole my Z-Drive and broke every bone in my body, rewound time and did it all again! Not once, not twice but multiple times!"

"I didn't…" Caleb stammered, "Ekko, I didn't do that! I swear!"

"You sure?" Amelia asked, "Because the guy who did this to us looked a lot like Viktor, Caleb,"

Caleb's eyes turned horrified as he looked at the other two Chosen, whose projectors switched off.

"Those are my designs…" he breathed, "But I didn't…"

If one could have seen Caleb's face…one would have seen that all the blood had drained out of it as a stricken look crossed it.

"Viktor…what did you do…?" he whispered, "Did you do this?"

"Do what?" Viktor asked.

"Viktor!" Caleb snarled, "You know very well what I'm talking about! DID YOU MAKE ME DO THIS TO THEM!?"

"I did no such thing," Viktor replied.

Caleb started shaking.

"I did however do it myself,"

"How…" Caleb started before it dawned on him, "You did it when I was asleep…or too hopped up on medicine…"

He turned to the Projects and their loved ones.

"I had no idea…" he started, "You have to believe me…"

"Kinda hard…because you looked like you enjoyed it," Tracy deadpanned.

"Please…Cira you ha-," he stopped, his blood running cold as he looked at the First Chosen.

It wasn't that Cira looked angry that made Caleb want to crawl under a rock, nor was it fear.

It was the look of disappointment in those stormy blue eyes that made Caleb feel like he was less than an inch tall. He'd broken her trust and something told him that it would be hard, if possible at all, to get it back.

"You have to believe me," Caleb pleaded, "I didn't know…I didn't have anything to do with this…all I did were sketches, but I did that with everyone. I even told him that I would only do them if someone said yes and I would make as painless as possible. I didn't want any of this to happen…"

"I think it's time you go, Caleb," came Cira's deathly quiet voice.

Caleb flinched. She didn't even raise her voice in anger…though he could definitely feel it in the metal-laced voice.

"I'm going to fix this," Caleb swore, looking Cira directly in the eyes, "Even if it kills me. I'm going to fix this…"

She said nothing, the look of disappointment still there. Caleb ran out of the Infirmary, anger burning in his heart.

"Caleb,"

"I don't want to hear a word out of you," Caleb snarled, "You did this to them! Viktor we talked about this…you can't do that to people!"

"…"

"I don't care how much work you put into this," Caleb told him, "I'm undoing it all,"

He sensed the anger rising in his chest from Viktor, but his own Anger overruled it.

"You aren't taking control of me again," Caleb growled, "I'm going to get Andrew or another High Summoner to make sure you don't. Not without my express permission. I refuse to take another beating because of something you did,"

Viktor was silent still. He didn't talk for a good long while after that either.

After being deemed fit to leave by Soraka, Sona and Akali, the three Disruption Projects started to part ways and recover. Unfortunately, there was another problem.

During the scuffle with Warwick before, Ekko's core had cracked, causing his voice and movements to glitch at the worst times. That also included the projector. So, to help with it…they called in Jayce, much to Ekko's displeasure.

The Zaunite boy was giving Jayce a hard time, doing what Jayce asked…but only after a round of bickering and biting sarcasm thrown at him. By the end of it, Ekko's core was still cracked, but the glitching was stabilized somewhat. And, even after everything Ekko said and did, Jayce offered to take the boy back to Zaun and to his parents. Ekko protested, but Jayce reminded him that it was still a real possibility that the projector would glitch again and Jayce would be the only one to fix it. The Boy Who Shattered Time tried to snap back, but David took over that time and agreed to let Jayce accompany him and Ekko back to Zaun.

Ekko's throat tightened as they reappeared in Zaun from the Institute. They weren't too far from the Memory Wall where he had been taken by the Vigilnauts. He gave a shudder, a faint flicker travelling over his form. Jayce put a steadying hand on Ekko's shoulder and the boy glared at him, throwing off the reassuring appendage and continuing on his way.

"I know you don't like me," Jayce finally said as Ekko turned his head, his form sputtering.

"No, really, what g-g-gave you that-t-t impression," Ekko huffed, putting a hand on his chest as his voice glitched slightly.

"Look, I'm not going to try and change what you think of me," Jayce sighed, "But I'm only trying to help you, Ekko,"

"Riiiiiight," Ekko drawled as he tightened his grip on his bat, "Let's see…last time someone said they're were 'only trying to help'…"

His form started sputtering, sending a vibrant green glow as his circuits ignited and a visor appeared over his eyes.

"I got turned into a freaking monster!" he snarled, "Save your pity, P-P-Piltie. I d-d-don't need it,"

"I'm not pitying you, Ekko," Jayce tried, "Look, I'm just as upset about this as you are. Not that I'm taking you back to your parents, who are worried sick about you…but that this happened to you in the first place. We thought Caleb would be able to control Viktor…we were wrong,"

"Wow, you're admitting you're wrong on something," Ekko snarked, crossing his arms as his visor flickered, "That's a first,"

Jayce took a deep breath.

"Kid, I'm serious. I want to help you…but I can't if you fight me," he said slowly, "Your projector reacts with your mood. If you're too angry or too scared, it'll fail. I couldn't figure out how to bypass that…whatever AI Viktor installed in you found a backdoor in the projector and tied it with your feelings. You're a hot tempered teenager who thinks he knows everything and doesn't understand why this had to happen to him,"

"And what makes you think that," Ekko growled.

"One: Leona was the same way when she was turned. She wasn't much older than you when Viktor got his claws on her," Jayce told him, "And two: I was a hotheaded teenager who thought he knew everything,"

Ekko gave a staticky huff and Jayce imagined the Project rolling his eyes.

"You think I don't care about your home, about Zaun, don't you?" Jayce finally said.

"What gave you that idea," Ekko deadpanned, "None of you Pilties do. To you all, this is the place where the rejects and idiots go. You say it isn't, that you couldn't survive without Zaun…but you all think differently. If Zaun disappeared, you Pilties wouldn't care one bit,"

"And that's where you're wrong," Jayce pointed out, "You didn't look too deeply into my family history, did you?"

"…What are you g-getting at," Ekko growled, his glow deepening to a more emerald green in his anger.

"My parents were born and raised in Zaun," Jayce explained, "They didn't want me growing up choking on the Grey and so they worked hard to get a place in Piltover to raise me. I still like to come down here…to see where my family actually came from. I might be Piltovian…but I do have some Zaunite in me. Pretty close. I'm not trying to make you all disappear, Ekko…I'm trying to make this place safer,"

Ekko was silent and with a soft crackling sound, his projector kicked back on. The dark eyes specked with blued-green glared at him.

"We don't need you here," he said softly as he turned around and started towards his home.

Jayce sighed, shaking his head.

"Kid, you don't know it yet…but you're acting exactly like me…" Jayce thought as he followed Ekko.

It took a while, but they finally made it to the apartment where Ekko's parents and he himself lived. Sneaking past the landlord was fun, at least in Jayce's mind. The Piltovian had never done something like that before…even as a child. He wondered what would have happened if they had been caught.

He was knocked out of his thoughts as he almost ran into Ekko. The boy-turned-Project had stopped before a chipped and splintered wooden door.

"This the place?" Jayce asked, almost shocked that a Champion of the League lived in a place like this.

The Boy Who Shattered Time gave a nod, pulling his 'shirt' down farther to hide the Z-Drive that was belted at his waist.

"Your parents don't know you can rewind time, do they?" Jayce asked.

The Project shook his head.

"I'd rather keep it that way…they worry enough as is,"

Ekko reached for the door, his dark hand shaking violently as his form flickered. Jayce lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you let me go first," he suggested, "So you can calm down a bit,"

Ekko looked up at him, his eyes flashing between his dark human eyes and the vibrant green visor that covered his face. He seemed to fight himself…but eventually David took control, gave a nod and stepped back, taking a few steadying breaths as Jayce knocked on the door.

It didn't take long for an answer.

Kaela opened the door, her dark eyes widening as she saw Jayce. She gave a soft gasp and frantically started straightening her hair.

"Sir!" she stammered, "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry…the place is a wreck and Elian is asleep…please, come in…"

"It's alright, Kaela, I promise I won't be here long," Jayce reassured her, "I'll stay here in the doorway. Could you please wake your husband? I'm sorry to ask it, he probably had a long day…but this is important,"

Kaela nodded and Jayce could hear Ekko mutter something in a low, staticky language that he'd often heard the Overdrive Projects speak in. Jayce turned to face him, seeing the distressed look on the boy's face as he spotted his mother leaving the doorframe.

"What's wrong?" Jayce asked.

"…I'm a freak," Ekko muttered, "I shouldn't let them see me…they'll…they'll…"

He started shaking and glitching again. Jayce put steadying hands on the boy's shoulders.

"You are not a freak," Jayce said firmly, "This was forced on you, just like it was the others. These are your parents. They will love you no matter what you look like. You're still their child. Don't worry…"

He heard footsteps and he let Ekko go, turning to face Kaela and Elian as they made their way to the door…still unable to see their son behind the Defender of Tomorrow.

"I'm sorry to wake you, sir," Jayce apologized, "But…I thought this would be important. For both of you,"

Both Zaunites frowned, looking at one another…And Jayce stepped aside…revealing the thin, heavily scarred and burned form of Ekko.

"JONATHAN!" Kaela shrieked, teleporting to her son's side and tackling him to the ground, getting a soft 'oof!' from the Disruption Project, "Oh Jonathan…"

She started sobbing and Elian ran to his son, hugging him tightly as tears streamed down his own face. Ekko blinked rapidly, his face contorted in anguish as tears fell and he hugged his parents, shoulders shaking in sobs.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry," he wept, "I didn't…I c-c-couldn't…"

"You're here…you're home…" Kaela whispered, still crying, "We have you back,"

Elian turned a tearful face to Jayce.

"You brought him back alive," he told him, gratefully grabbing Jayce's hands and shaking them, "Thank you,"

"It wasn't just me," Jayce told them, "Leona, Yasuo, Yi, Lucian, Fiora and Zed helped me locate him, Katarina and Ashe. We found him in Viktor's lab, deep under the Sump. He's still very injured, the League is letting him recover from the incident, so he's to remain in the house and taking it easy for a while. Not that you're going to let him out of your sight anytime soon…am I correct in guessing?"

"You aren't leaving your room," Kaela muttered, her voice muffled as she still had her head buried in her son's chest.

"I…I don't mind that," Ekko agreed.

"You or David," Kaela added.

Ekko's face went pale and a faint ripple ran over him.

"You…know?" he asked slowly.

"I'm your mother, you can't hide things from me," she deadpanned, getting a soft laugh from Jayce and Elian, "I'm very proud of you…for being brave and giving David a second chance to live. I would like to meet him every once in a while…"

The blue-green specks in Ekko's eyes faded and David gave a shrug.

"I'm glad to meet you too," he finally said, "You…uh…you remind me a lot of my ma…if she was still alive,"

Kaela held David's cheeks in her hands, smiling.

"You are part of this family now," she told him, "Nothing is going to change that,"

David gave a smile and gave Ekko back control. Ekko looked at his parents and gave a tired smile.

"I'm…just glad…to be…home," he mumbled.

Power levels at 0.001%. Commencing System Shutdown.

His dark eyes gave a weak flash and he collapsed to the side, completely unconscious. Kaela gave a light shriek and Jayce held up his hands.

"He's just tired…he's been through a very big ordeal," Jayce explained, "He'll have nightmares. He's…different now. What Viktor did to him…he's changed. He'll tell you eventually, but I would suggest waiting until he is ready before you press. This has happened before…the six Champions I mentioned have gone through it too. They are alright now, but they still had a long road to recovery,"

Kaela gave a smile as she stroked her son's wild white hair.

"I don't care," she whispered, "I have my sons back. I'm thankful that they are alive,"

Caleb's kinda crushed. The Chosens have a 'relationship' with Cira. She's kinda the Mom of the the whole group mainly because she trained them and all and is their protector. Hence why that look of disappointment really hurt. Cira's one of those that will give you their trust immediately...but if you break it...it takes a long time for it to heal. Kaela knew about David not long after Ekko Chose him. Again, you can't hide anything from Mama. Also, please let me know what you guys think...it makes my day when I get stuff from you all and it lets me know I'm actually doing something right. I want to hear what you thought of the chapter, what you liked, what you didn't, what you think'll happen...because you never know if I might actually use it... :)

Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Farewell and fair writing

Elhini Prime signing off.