MEL & JAYCE

It took hours, and the best medical assistance possible, but he was still to wake up.

And despite the insistence of doctors, early on, that she could be called as soon as he woke up, Mel insisted on staying. After all he did, she couldn't just leave his side. Mel herself never thought she'd be so close to anyone, but it only proved how much worth was it. Even more now, with all this catastrophe. At the very least, Mel could be thankful that Jayce has mostly come out of it intact, though with a scar or two.

His friend Viktor wasn't as lucky, and Mel knew Jayce would be heartbroken to know about it. The crippled one lied on a nearby bed within the hospital ward, but was collapsed for the moment, only a weak breathing the only invisible sign of motion.

To not mention 'mother' was on the prowl, also waiting for Jayce to wake up and try spilling more poisonous words into him, as if the previous days weren't enough. For all the concern General Ambessa pretended towards Jayce, Mel knew better.

Just another bridge. Just another easy way to her actual goal - Hextech. Especially it's military applications and the eventual political leverage.

Mel heard a coughing right besides her, and she turned towards it. The Man of Progress woke up, at long last, and was writhing in the bed.

"What...", he started, weak. "What-"

"Stay still.", Mel immediately reached to him, laying a hand on his chest. "You've been through too much, you can't work up the body yet."

"What, where...", Jayce started again.

"It's me, Jayce, it's Mel.", Mel started. "You're in the hospital."

"What...", Jayce started, pausing before his eyes widened in recall and started ventilating. "Wait, the Council, explosion...!"

"Easy-", Mel tried to calm him, but too late as Jayce already started working to sit on the bed and try to get up.

"Viktor, where's Viktor?", he asked, tense, as Mel grabbed him as to stop him.

"Easy, Jayce!", Mel commanded, sternly. "Viktor's here. He's still alive. He's right there."

Jayce turned to where Mel was glancing, at the nearby bed where Viktor was lying at. Even though from a distance, he could see some of his friend to realize the damage was too much, as his face was encased beneath a mask and most of the body beneath a sheet.

"He took most of the burning in the explosion.", Mel started. "Those were unnatural burns, he shouldn't have survived. That is until the doctors discovered traces of Shimmer on his body, they theorize that's how he most likely made it."

Jayce looked away in pain. He knew Viktor wasn't any prime example of a healthy person, but now with this...

"What of everyone else?", he asked.

"Shoola is still in critical condition, no news yet.", Mel answered. "The others..."

Jayce understood the message as Mel stopped. "Even Caitlyn's mother?", he asked, and Mel nodded. This wasn't good news at all, and if Caitlyn didn't know it already, she would and the pain would be worse.

"It makes no sense!", Jayce started again. "Silco seemed to agree to it! He'd be glad to know the result was unanimous! Why this attack?"

"What I heard so far is that this wasn't Silco at all.", Mel started. "Remember that one of the terms was to have that girl surrendered?"

Jayce paused, then let out a sigh in pain, now recalling it. Now this was the means and the motive, now it only remained the opportunity. The chance that would've elaborated that Jinx went rogue, probably having learned of the agreement.

Mel herself took the opportunity to look behind her loved one, now realizing the true cost of shielding her - his whole back now totally burned and ruined, it'd take ages to scar.

The door suddenly opened, and she came in, in consistent steps.

The mother. And right behind her an enforcer.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I warned her that-", the enforcer started.

"Leave it at that, officer.", Mel ordered, getting on her feet and away from the bed, ready to face her. "Leave us."

The enforcer immediately nodded and left the ward, closing the room.

"At long last awake.", Ambessa said. "Good. Can't have the future son-in-law all asleep now, can we?"

"Oh, 'the future son-in-law', now? I thought you were going to say 'my Councillor Talis'.", Mel started, in sarcasm. "And he's not in the mood to discuss politics!"

"Discuss politics?", Ambessa asked, impressed, yet angry at her daughter's firm stance. "What we need to discuss is what's to be done, especially in this first hour! The fruits of your attempted diplomacy, dear!"

"General Medarda...", Mel warned.

"Going by names, Mel? I thought you were past childhood...", Ambessa retorted, coldly. "You attempted your way, and look where it's almost got you, as if Kino wasn't enough. This Silco was enough of a fox to sway Jayce with this peace agreement, and enough of a wolf to jump at the throat when the chance presented itself!"

"It wasn't Silco.", Jayce quickly interfered, stopping the discussion, garnering the attention of both Medardas. "Maybe it was his right hand, Jinx, whom did it herself. She was one of the terms of the agreement, in exchange for independence."

That caught Ambessa off-guard. "And I suppose this one was a term of either you or my daughter?", she asked.

"Totally mine.", Jayce answered straight.

"Then let me ask you how could you be so stupid?", Ambessa asked. "Or perhaps just naive? Forcing the hand of leaders is one thing, forcing the hand of their henchmen is another! Or perhaps Silco himself saw more value in this one than in the prospect of independence, which shouldn't even have been considered, in the first place!"

"You came here at the cusp of this crisis, General, you-", Mel started.

"I'm your mother, Mel!", Ambessa cut off, raising her tone.

"You barely realized the delicate situation!", Mel stood her ground. "Don't you dare pretend to dictate, Piltover isn't Noxus!"

"With all this incompetence, I'm now even considering trading Noxian prestige for Piltovan politics.", Ambessa coldly threatened. "You make shows of force at the wrong time, you parley at the wrong time, you waddle about with diplomats and statesmen, when you clearly need a general!"

"Hey.", Jayce called, though it wasn't heard amongst the heated debate.

"I told you that war isn't our first and every recourse!", Mel shouted.

"War *has* come to you, dear, just like rain does!", Ambessa raised her voice at the same time.

"HEY!", Jayce shouted, halting the discussion, both women staring back at him. "I won't go to war. Not yet, at any rate."

"Didn't you heed to any of my-", Ambessa started, after taking a moment to absorb the blow.

"If Jinx did this on her own, meaning without Silco even knowing it, we can still salvage this.", Jayce interrupted, in a decisive tone. "And as Mel... as Councillor Medarda so pointedly stated, Piltover isn't Noxus. You're a guest here, Miss Medarda."

Mel simply glanced, first at Jayce, then at her mother. "A chance at making things right.", she said.

Ambessa looked at both the failed daughter and failed son-in-law with disappointment. "Just like rain does, Mel.", she said, turning to leave. "You remember that, the moment you end up having to remember this day."

As Ambessa walked towards the ward's doors, opened, crossed through them and left, Mel let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Jayce.", she said.

"She's still got a point.", he stated, a second later. "If Jinx isn't brought in soon, I won't be able to settle this down with the other Chem-Barons. The first shots will be fired. I'll end up needing her."

"You won't.", Mel replied. "Piltovan problems are for Piltovans to handle."

Jayce simply glanced at her. "Weren't you a Noxian?", he asked.

"A decade ago, I was.", she answered straight, glancing at her loved one, eye-to-eye, to get the point of the words across.

The doors opened again, this time an enforcer coming towards them in hasty steps.

"Councillor Medarda, Councillor Talis.", the enforcer said. "We have a problem brewing in one of our precincts."