A/N: Wow, it's been a while, sorry of the delay, glad to see people still read this, been working on my Krem from Dragon Age cosplay as well as a quite complicated fanfiction on Dragon Age Inquisition. In any case, i do hope to finish this fanfic. Enjoy perhaps one of the last moment of peace for these two.

10:56am Initiate manual Black Box Recording.

Warm arms, strong arms, skin like the colorful pages of a story book.

The morning sky holds the barest hint of sunlight peeking over the mountains. The coolness of the morning mint matches the air outside. Another stir, tightening around my waist.

Her breath is still even. Brows relaxed, no mischief, peaceful as ever. Older; not the brash vigilante I studied; sharper, clever.

She has lived such a harsh life...what has pushed her back to brilliance? repeated question, it still bothers me. Still worries me.

Change of subject

What does she dream of?

Of me?

On occasion she tosses and turns, murmuring about a sister and apologizing. Her breath would come choked and heavy with sobs. Tears even after waking.

Jinx. what is the connection…

"You gonna keep staring at me like that?"

blink

Amused voice, slight tug of the lips. Eyes are clear. A touch of noses and a brush of the lips.

Such a free spirit.

Why?

Pause

I didn't mean to ask that aloud. Harsh, her face falters, it is on her mind as well.

Apolo-

"No it's alright, I...should've told you earlier. You know, before all this shit."

It has something to do with Jinx.

Air rushes out of her nose, a chuckle. Fingers play with the sheets behind me.

"Yeah, always the detective. When she rolled into town, I didn't remember her at first. Thought she was just another crazy from Zaun, I heard they're all the rage right now."

It is a bitter comment. A sneer, words through clenched teeth.

"One night, she dropped by my flat and I finally got a good look at her face as did she. It all came rushing back, the chill of the cell, the constant smell of brilliance and burning bodies. And…"

She stutters and falters. Tears slip from her eyes. A steadying breath. Raising voice.

"It's all true. Fuck Cait, all my fears.."

Fingers dig into the small of my back, shaking. Terror.

Her fear;

"I don't know who I am. The more I try to remember, the more I convince myself that I should just forget it all. I keep thinking to myself; they took my memories away, what's stopping them from putting new ones in?"

Her back shakes with every gasp of breath. She talks, not forming her thoughts. The spilling of words.

"That memory of me being strapped to the table with my chest ripped open. Not me, somehow they did it, sickfucks. Jinx's memories, that was her. Tiny 'ol Jinx. The name Jessie? That was the name of her sister that I had-"

The rest comes out as a growl and a whimper. The information sinks in deep, I hold her and tell her that it'll all be okay, that I am listening. I want to promise-

Promise

Promise me Caity

promise to help her get through this.

She averts her gaze. It is shame and guilt.

"They always told me I would thank them for what they did for me. That I should be proud. Bastards. They told me these things because I volunteered. Not just that, I fought and killed other kids to be the one who they turned into the 'Champion of Zaun'."

Spat with venom

A competition. Rather than run tests to find who was the best candidate, they let it happen "naturally". Brainwash them, see who wants it the most, they will have the highest chance of survival. Forced natural selection.

How many?

"100 of us. I killed everyone pitted against me believing that I could become my city's pride and joy, to become something more. I had nothing to lose as an orphan, so much to gain. They told all of us this."

In cold blood.

"37 for me. I can't say that most of them deserved it though."

"It was me and this other girl in front of the whitecoats, they were willing to take the both of us since we had so much potential. I refused, demanding that there could only be one champion. So stupid and full of myself. They smiled at this, saw my spirit as valuable as my strength. So one final battle and I had her beat to the ground.

She looked at me with eyes too sad for her age. She kept talking, not blubbering that she wanted to live or empty threats of revenge like the others. No, her voice was calm, soothing almost, like a mother. It drove me up the wall, her trying to sweet talk her way out of my glory.

She told me that she knew she was going to die by my hands and she understood my reasons. She didn't blame me, nothing. But she did beg for the life of her sister. Fuck, somehow she found it in herself, even with my hands clamped around her neck, to tell me that they had a cat named Fishbones. It always brought home whole fish skeletons it stole from the processing plants."

A spiteful chuckle, she hates herself. Closed eyes, pressing me close.

"She wanted me to promise that with the strength of being the champion, I would protect her little sister like she had planned to.

I kept my mouth shut even though my gut told me to let go. I had nothing to live for and she had so much. I didn't realize it until now that I had kept that promise throughout my life."

Jinx. Jessie.

"I wish I didn't know, I wish that didn't remember her tiny little neck in my tiny little hands. Watching with glee as I passed my final test. "

Pause

Vi has Jinx's memories.

Jinx has Vi's.

Oh cogs.

"Yeah, shitty isn't it. I didn't start remember until Jinx had to go digging, she's genius under all that crazy you know? Hacked into the research logs when she got here and read everything, started remembering, realizing that her nightmares of happily strangling her sister were real. Not only real, but it was me, the one she trusted so much. She...snapped. Can't blame her"

She wipes the tears on the pillow. Her voice grows soft, no longer bearing an edge of anger.

"I don't know what to do. I wish that I could make her forget, let her have her memories back, keep the burden of mine to myself. I see her sister in my dreams sometimes, of their laughter on the swing sets, scraping by but having each other. I wish I could take it all back, go back to that day and let Jessie go. If I could, knowing how much pain I have caused, I would've gladly laid my life down so that things could be different."

She blames herself. This misplaced guilt, perhaps is the root of her refusal to kill.

Shattered trust and faith, already delicate. Her true fears becoming reality, she thinks that the same could still be happening.

How do you help someone who believes that they are forever adrift?

How can I help?

Emotional trauma. Simply listen, understand to the best of your ability.

She may have done wrong in the past, but she can do good now, fulfill the promise. Help others. redemption. It is not her fault.

And she doesn't have to do it alone.

"I'm here for you Vi."

We'll get through this together

"I promise."

She smiles. We both do, the words send tremors through my chest. A promise that I may not be able to keep. But I will try.

The morning passes in comfortable silence peppered with murmurs. Her sobs ease away with every stroke of her back. Calm, the streets below rise with the sun. Another day.

There is a rumble that sounds.

A pause followed by hearty laughter.

"Breakfast sounds good right about now, Cait."

A return to the grind of life.

Make her feel loved

"It's high noon when I spot her sitting alone on a bench in the Compass Shopping Square in the lowercity. Her gauntlets are tucked under the wooden seat as she shares her sweets with a group of orphans that sprint over to her, shouting her name. She smiles, distributing a small pile of candies in each of their tiny outstretched hands."

Breakfast in the lowercity, a day with the children. It has been years, would any of them still recognize Vi?

"That...would be amazing. i'd love to do that. Haven't seen the runts in weeks."

Of course she finds the time to visit.

She pulls me close, chest flutters. Warm lips, familiar but still welcome. Never tire of it.

"Thanks Cait, for everything."

11:21am Manually end black box recording