A/N:

Epic fail by me, same chapter twice it seems. Sorry!

CHAPTER 1:2

"So…"

"Spring water, spinach and cherry tomatoes salad, two toasted sandwiches with cheddar cheese and steamed turkey – skip the onion and the pepper, as well as the pickles – and a fruit salad with no red or green things. They should be chopped into small, cubic pieces, but not too small. Thank you."

Their waitress tried to write down Caitlyn's order as fast as she could and turned to Jayce. He raised his eyebrows at the Sheriff and slowly regarded the menu.

"Any recommendations?" he asked and gave her a little smile. She was very young and he didn't recognize her face, guessing that this was her first day at work. Poor girl got Caitlyn… he thought amusedly and handed her the menu. "I trust you'll choose something good for me. Don't mind the price."

The waitress blushed and hurried away after mumbling something.

"You're much too kind, Jayce."

He shrugged and met her gaze.

"Or maybe you are too harsh," he replied and smiled as she sighed. "How was today?"

"Fine, just fine." Caitlyn put her elbows on the table and sank down her heart-shaped face into the cup her hands were forming. "It's just Vi… we're really getting at each other recently and I don't like it. She attacked the suspect with a table and—"

"Yeah, I heard," he interrupted. "I actually heard you two from my place."

She rolled with her beautiful eyes and he felt his heart tighten. If she only knew what I really felt for her; I can't tell her since I don't want to lose what little we have. Call me a coward, but I just can't.

"Ha-ha, very funny," she said and sighed again. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong but whenever Vi does something like this, I want to fire her. We lost the case and I heard that he was in a hospital now, his treatment being paid by the government."

Jayce reached for her arm and she straightened. He took her hands in his and hugged her reassuringly.

"It's alright, you know that Vi has a temper." She opened her mouth to answer but he shook his head. "No, stop it. You remember what you promised me when we first started doing this?"

"'Keep work and me apart'," she replied and scoffed. "I'm doing a great job on that promise."

"Right," he said sarcastically and she broke up in a laugh.

"Thanks for making me feel better." Caitlyn took off her hat and hung it on her chair. "You always manage to do that, amazingly enough."

The same waitress as earlier came back with their food and she carefully put the overflowing tray of Caitlyn's order in front of her, and gave Jayce a single plate and a glass of lemonade.

"Roasted chicken with walnuts and an avocado sauce, served with baked potatoes and vegetables," she stated and then quickly left, her face flushing with color.

"I reckon she took the most expensive just to make more money," said Caitlyn as she poked her food with a fork. "Or maybe the cheapest to not make you pay."

"She left a note," he replied and read it out loud. "'It's on the house'."

The Sheriff made an impressed sound and nodded thoughtfully while raising an orange-colored cube to her lips.

"Or she paid it herself," she said and chewed. "Ah, perfectly sweet. This is why I love this bistro; always fresh fruit."

Jayce nodded in agreement and took a bite of his own meal. It was much better than he had anticipated and he made a mental note to order it another time as well. He normally avoided avocado since he didn't like how it glued to the mouth, but the sauce was very smooth and light.

"What was it that you wanted to talk about?"

He swallowed a piece of chicken before answering.

"Have you read the news, lately?" he asked and she nodded. "Well, it seems like Ezreal found something during a recent excavation underground; an ancient object from a civilization that ruled Valoran thousands of years ago and … else."

She gestured for him to continue and he obeyed.

"Well, now it seems like it was a sort of power generator," he said and sipped his drink. "The reports I received a week ago didn't say especially much but I was in a meeting with a statesman yesterday. I'm now an official employee for the Government of Piltover."

"Congratulations!" she exclaimed and he averted his gaze, not at all anticipating her sudden joy. "No really, I knew you needed a new job since the money for your last patent would run out some day. Good going."

He scratched the back of his head and looked around. They were alone in the small restaurant but he still felt a bit shy. It isn't really Caitlyn's thing to praise anyone; I guess I really impressed her.

"Thanks," replied Jayce and yawned. He was still tired as he had dozed off at dawn. "I'll receive the artifact later this afternoon. Are you busy tonight?"

She stretched out on the chair and gave him a foxy smile.

"Now I am. I'll be there after eight."

"Certainly."

They continued to talk about whatever their minds came up with and the hours passing by felt like minutes. Before he knew it, Jayce was forced to end their lunch and drove Caitlyn back to the police station. He managed to give her a quick kiss on her cheek before anyone saw and left towards the world famous: Yordle Academy of Science and Progress.

Another one of Cait's restrictions, he thought grimly as he dismounted his vehicle. Don't let anybody see.

"Jayce?"

He pulled back his hair and saw a little yordle with red goggles and a deceptively dark voice who was holding a tiny box in his even tinier hands. The two of them were standing outside the gigantic building of the school – where he himself had attended once – and seemingly alone.

The students are probably also on summer vacation, he thought and smiled, remembering the feeling of finally graduating and visiting his family. His parents had always lived in Demacia and were trying to get permission to start a university there, but even today they hadn't succeeded. He had a younger sister as well but she was something of a wild child, always searching for new places to find and she hadn't gotten an exam anywhere, therefore stamped as somewhat of a failure by his parents.

"That's me," replied Jayce and the dark-haired – skinned? – yordle handed him the metal box. It was very heavy and he felt something pulsating under the surface. "Is this what Ezreal found?"

The short yordle eagerly nodded, happy to lose the weight of the strange box. Jayce gently shook the object and heard something shuffle inside of it.

"I wish you luck," said the yordle and gave Jayce a reassuring pat on his hip. "Everyone in the academy was let a chance to crack the code but it was impossible, I tried it myself. I hope you know what you're doing; some of the professors were even harmed. Whatever it is, it's incredibly dangerous so be careful."

Jayce was surprised with the thoughtfulness of the yordle but realized that it was custom for their people.

"I appreciate your concern, thank you," answered Jayce and the yordle nodded. "I'll take my leave."

He then turned to his motorbike and headed home, stopping just once at a local grocery store where he bought some dark chocolate – Caitlyn's favorite; he didn't like sweet stuff – and as soon as he reached his apartment, he decided to take a nap. Caitlyn would wake him if not Claire would, and Jayce slipped into the realm of dreams almost immediately as he lay down in his bed, the dark box resting on his desk.