All I need is you

Words: 2443

Summary: Vi, Piltover's enforcer, gets badly injured through one of Jinx's rampages. A very worried Caitlyn rashes to the hospital while the Defender of Tomorrow tries to confront Caitlyn's mother over Caitlyn and Vi's relationship...

Trigger warnings: Some mild language, injuries, mention of blood.

It wasn't a very common sight to watch the Sheriff of Piltover, Caitlyn Kiramman, storming down a hospital corridor covered in blood, her long blue hair in a total mess. The sound of her heels clicking against the floor made some heads turn towards her but the sheriff didn't seem to notice - or care. Instead, she kept walking towards her destination, walking as fast as she could with a hardened expression on her face. Her heart was beating so fast, she thought it was going to explode. Finally, she reached her destination; room 417. She pushed the door open, without even bothering to knock and stormed inside.

There she was, her partner, that goofball, laying on a bed near the window, her face full of scratches and bruises and her left arm into a plaster. She looked just fine except for those injuries. If anything, she looked a bit too happy. Caitlyn sighed in relief. It could have been worse, she mused.

At the sound of heels, Vi turned her head towards the source of the noise. Immediately, a smile appeared across her face.

"Hey Cupcake," she greeted.

Caitlyn couldn't help but adore Vi, who looked extremely cute with that smile on her face, even though she had every reason to be livid with her at the moment.

"Why do you have to give me a heart attack every time we chase down Jinx?" The blue-haired woman scolded her partner, taking a chair to sit next to Vi's bed.

Vi simply chuckled at Caitlyn's concern. Every time she got recklessly injured like this time, Caitlyn would give her exactly the same lecture, every time without failure. Vi found it endearing.

"You needn't worry 'bout me, Cupcake," she shrugged. "I always make it through, you of all people would know that better than anyone else."

Caitlyn frowned deeply. How could she not worry when a whole building collapsed on top of Vi while chasing after Jinx? Sometimes her partner could be really ignorant and careless. She didn't give a damn about her personal condition most of the time and that was worrying.

"Seriously, Vi…. Is it worth risking your head like that every single time?" Caitlyn let out a shaky breath. "You and I understand what's at stake, but is it really worth it gambling your life like that? You know I hate relying on possibilities."

Vi's right hand instantly captured Caitlyn's palm into hers. She could tell her partner's concern from miles away. She tried to sooth her as she drew circles on the back of her palm. Caitlyn looked up at her partner's eyes, feeling the tears she was holding back for so long finally coming out.

"Oh Cait," Vi murmured softly, squeezing the sheriff's hand harder.

"I was scared Vi, I was so fucking scared," Caitlyn whispered, capturing Vi's palm with both hands, "It was so damn scary watching the whole building collapsing while you were still inside."

"Caitlyn…"

"And then... When we managed to get you out of that hell... By the Gods above... I thought... I thought of the worst, Vi!"

She could help herself but let the tears roll down her cheeks. She shook her head, trying to wipe that image off her mind.

"Hey it's okay, I'm here now. I'm fine, just a broken arm, that's all," Vi whispered back sweetly, trying to comfort her partner.

"I know I've said that lots of times and you never listen to me but I'll say it again in hopes that it might go through that skull of yours," Caitlyn sighed, finding her self control again, although her lips were still trembling. "Please don't do that ever again."

"Ya know I can't promise anything," the enforcer responded. "But I can promise I will try."

Caitlyn didn't say anything. Instead, she leaned in and planted a kiss on the enforcer's forehead.

It was then when Vi noticed Caitlyn's blooded clothes and scratches on her hands. Hasn't she been treated yet? Vi wondered.

"Caitlyn... You are injured," the enforcer stated.

"What?" Caitlyn frowned and looked down at her hands and clothes "Oh, that. I'm fine, Vi."

Vi raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "You have blood all over your clothes…" she pointed out.

Caitlyn chuckled humorously. "I can assure you this isn't my blood, Vi."

Vi laughed nervously. At least, she was alright…

"You should worry more about yourself," Caitlyn murmured, stroking Vi's pink hair.

"Come on Cait, it's not like you're invincible or somethin'," Vi frowned. "You shouldn't be neglecting yourself for me…"

"That's funny coming from you."

Vi grimaced. She never minded getting hurt just to keep Caitlyn safe. She owned her that much. But she got just as annoyed and worried when Caitlyn neglected her injuries to stay at her side. They were too similar in that regard for their own good.

"Are you alright? Are you in pain? Oh, how stupid of me, of course you are! Do you need me to call-" Caitlyn blurted, noticing Vi's frown.

"No! No, I'm fine. I'd left... To my own little place of thoughts if y'know what I mean…"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm perfectly fine, Cupcake."

Caitlyn gave her partner a long, concerned look before she backed off. Vi was as stubborn as she was (maybe even more) and she knew there was no point in arguing with her.

"What happened with Jinx?" Vi asked suddenly, catching Caitlyn a little off guard.

"Who knows," Caitlyn shrugged, stroking Vi's hand with her palm. "She probably fled, per usual. All I was worried about was getting you out of that building safely. I couldn't care less about her at that point."

"But Caitlyn, we cannot afford making such a compromise, what if-" Vi insisted but Caitlyn interrupted.

"Vi…" murmured the sheriff, placing a hand over Vi's tattooed cheek and looking straight into the enforcer's perfect blue eyes. "I know I'm selfish and I know I should have continued haunting Jinx down. But I couldn't let you die for both yours and my sake."

"What…" Vi started, being completely confused by the sheriff's sudden affectionate behavior towards her. She wasn't used to it in such situations. Caitlyn typically got so mad, she spared tenderness. She would often say that Vi had brought this upon herself and she deserved it - although she begrudgingly looked after her anyway, murmuring complaints the entire time to ensure that her point was made across. This was so different. Caitlyn wasn't mad; she was vulnerable, sad, relieved. And scared.

"Please let me finish," Caitlyn requested. "If I had abandoned you there, I would never, ever forgive myself for that. I'd end up being just an empty husk of a person."

Vi stared back at Caitlyn's crystal blue eyes, being aware of the fact that her partner was going to make a big confession to her. Her heart was beating fast in her chest and she almost forgot to breathe when she saw tears glittering into Caitlyn's eyes.

"You helped me realize how corroded our society really is. You showed me the truth about what our city stands for. You made me realize that there's much more suffering than anyone could imagine. You made me realize how naive I was. And you showed me what needed to be done. And we promised we'd do it together."

Vi remained silent. She never expected such an outburst. Surely, she had been injured before while on duty, but perhaps this time she had underestimated the severity of the situation. By the Gods, how could she be so stupid…?

"You gave my life meaning; one that exists out of my work, out of my role as a sheriff," Caitlyn continued. "Are you seriously willing to throw all of that away? After everything we've been through?"

"Caitlyn, I-" Vi choked on her own breath. "You know why I have to do this. It has to be me, no one else! I cannot let anyone else get hurt. This is my responsibility!"

"I know! Which is why we made this deal! But the deal doesn't include you getting killed over it!" Caitlyn shouted. "Please… how do you expect me to keep going without you ?"

"Caitlyn…"

"Just… promise me, okay? I'm serious."

Caitlyn really understood Vi to the core. She knew how Vi felt about promises.

And how Vi couldn't stand breaking them. She really had pushed her in a corner, like a wild animal. Caitlyn was an excellent hunter after all. It was no surprise.

"Seriously, Cait…" Vi sighed. "Alright. I promise."

Caitlyn seemed satisfied. Some of the tension was alleviated from her shoulders. Finally, she managed to pull a smile, although it didn't quite reach her ears. She leaned down and kissed Vi, putting some strands of hair behind her ear. Vi sighed and deepened the kiss. She reached for the sheriff's hand to hold on. The usual soft and warm hand felt hard and cold under her palm. When they broke apart, Vi stared at the hand she was holding. It was full of scratches and some blood here and there.

"I still think you need to see a doctor," the enforcer noted.

"Sometimes, all I need is you, Vi," Caitlyn whispered with a smile appearing across her face, a genuine one this time.

Vi thought she might have been the luckiest person in the world.

Never had the Defender of Tomorrow felt so embarrassed and awkward before as he currently did, especially around Cassandra Kiramman, Caitlyn's mother. Surely, she usually was pleasant company but at that time, it wasn't for Jayce. Not at all.

After Jinx's newest rampage, Vi had been rushed to the nearest hospital and Caitlyn had followed closely, after she had given instructions and orders to her officers. Jayce had never seen his childhood friend so upset. He couldn't really blame her though, but it was unusual to find Caitlyn, the Sheriff of Piltover crying over the bloody, unconscious body of an ex-criminal who had caused her so much trouble in the past.

He would never be able to wipe that image off his mind. Caitlyn, covered mostly with Vi's own blood, holding close to the enforcer's body, tears rolling down her cheeks who were also covered in blood and smoke. Her screams were heartbreaking. And even though his feelings towardsVi were complicated at best, he wished the enforcer would make it.

Cassandra Kiramman had rushed into the scene, a little after Caitlyn had left, searching for Jayce and demanding to learn what happened to her daughter.

Little could he do but tell her where Caitlyn had rushed to and shortly after Mrs Kiramman asked him to accompany her to the hospital and he accepted her offer, being the gentleman he was. However, he cursed his good manners later on.

Apparently, Cassandra Kiramman put much of the blame on him. He was Piltover's hero, surely he was capable of protecting someone who was as close as to being his little sister? Throughout the trip she kept pestering Jayce with questions such as that, bringing him into a very difficult position. The truth was, Jayce was stationed elsewhere in order to prevent Jinx from causing too much damage in the upper city. He couldn't have disobeyed Caitlyn's orders. But he wasn't too sure if Cassandra would accept such an answer. So he kept his mouth shut.

Perhaps the source of the councilwoman's irritation was the implications behind Caitlyn's reaction at Vi's injury. She wasn't particularly fond of the idea that her only daughter and heir to the Kiramman estate and name was involved with a Zaunite ex-carcerate. Jayce didn't share her views, but he wasn't stupid enough to reveal his thoughts to her. He didn't really understand how it worked, but the sheriff and the enforcer were a strong duo. They were good for each other, they worked together well - literally and metaphorically. And more importantly, they were happy. But how could he possibly explain this to Cassandra Kiramman, matriarch of the house of Kiramman and one of the councilors of Piltover? Everything was politics to her, as he had found out. Instead, he kept trying to answer her questions

"...Fortunately, this hospital has some of the greatest doctors in the city. I believe they will take good care of Caitlyn, but I'm afraid I need to say that I'm very disappointed in you, Jayce…" Cassandra cut herself short as soon as she opened the door to room 417. Jayce tried to take a peek in his attempt to decipher what could have possibly made the Cassandra Kiramman effectively shut up.

Cassandra gasped aloud at the view, while Jayce was trying not to chuckle. There was Caitlyn and Vi, laying in each others' arms, sleeping peacefully like nothing was going on, as if the world didn't matter. Caitlyn's clothes were ripped off and she had blood and scratches all over her body, a sign that she hadn't seen any of these great doctors yet.

"This is... Unbelievable…" Cassandra gasped, unable to believe that her worst dreams were a reality.. "Did you... Did you actually know about this?" she asked, turning to Jayce.

""No ma'am, but I assumed there was something going on between those two," Jayce replied, trying to keep his cool and not to burst into hysterical laughter. It wasn't entirely the truth, but he had never received a confirmation from neither of them

"And Caitlyn... Why, prey tell, is she still in this messy condition? Don't tell me she hasn't been seen by a doctor yet because of this... This…" Mrs Kiramman's good manners didn't allow her to finish her sentence.

"I understand why you might be upset, Mrs Kiramman," said Jayce, who still struggled not to smile. "But Caitlyn is happy. Shouldn't that be more important? Besides, you know how stubborn she is. Nothing you can say can change that. It would be advisable if-"

Mrs Kiramman snorted before he could finish and rushed out of the room, leaving Jayce free to smile sheepishly at his two friends. He approached their bed and covered both of them with a blanket.

"Take good care of her, Vi," he whispered, even though he knew Vi couldn't listen to him. He then turned to leave, deciding to leave the couple some privacy. When he reached the door, a voice behind him spoke, making him freeze with his hand on the handle.

"Don't worry Hammerhead, I will."

Jayce turned his head to see a Vi grinning at him. He couldn't help but smile back, a sudden feeling of warmth for the enforcer filling him. He then opened the door and disappeared.