Vi entered the bedroom, exhausted. The only thing she cared about was getting to her bed and falling into it. She knew Caitlyn would arrive only later — stupid paperwork, she said. She couldn't shake off the thought that it was something more than that, but she trusted her to handle it. Since she was alone, she debated going into the pantry instead for a quick nap, but forced herself towards the bed.

"Come on, you can do this."

She was so lost in thought, she didn't even notice that somebody else was already in the room.

"One would think that the Sheriff of Piltover would have better locks for her little palace. That, or maybe Mylo was a genius after all."

She froze. There she was, sitting on the side of her bed with her legs hanging down.

"Pow… Jinx!"

"You can call me whichever you want, sis."

Vi charged at her sister with open arms which prompted Jinx to immediately stand up in fear, calling out to her.

"Wait, Vi, careful!" She put both arms in front of herself in a hurried manner.

"Huh, what's up?" She stopped. Jinx ran her hands alongside her belly with a smile on her face. "Oh… Oh! What? No way…"

"Yeah, right? Same reaction."

"Is it… Little Man?"

"I call him Big Man nowadays," she grinned.

"You… and him. Oh my god, Powder."

She pulled her in to a gentle embrace — not quite the bear hug she wanted to give at first sight, but with the same depth of emotion poured into it. Jinx remembered the last time they did this, months ago — on the day she decided to end it all.

"Are you… real?"

"Yeah."

"You're not gonna gut punch me again, are you?"

"No. Not again."

"I thought… I thought I lost you too. After the battle. Then Cait told me that they didn't find you, that you probably escaped, that you wanted to be gone. She announced you dead in the official investigation to let you get away. But then I talked to Ekko…"

Oh sis…

"He told me… what you went through in those final weeks. How he found you. It was right after I busted you out of prison, I know. That you went… you went to…"

"I'm sorry."

"How could you think that I could ever be happy again if you… if you did that. If I ever found you… like that."

"I'm so sorry, sis."

"I was so worried that you would never return."

It was their first heart-to-heart in a long time.

"Are you going to leave again?"

"No, sis. This time, I'm staying."

A wide smile appeared on Vi's face. The sound of a metallic click permeated through the door, but neither one of them noticed it.

"Where have you been?"

"Pretty far away. Met some old friends."

"Huh? Who?"

"Mom and Dad want you to know that they love you very much."

"Wha… what are you talking about?"

They heard a stern voice as the bedroom's door flew open.

"One would think that the number one wanted criminal in the history of Piltover would know better than to break in to the Sheriff's house. That, or she was insane after all."

Caitlyn stood in the doorway, her rifle in her hand, aiming it at Jinx.

"Cait, no. Wait!" Vi stood between the two of them. "How long have you been listening?"

"From the very beginning… I heard reports that someone matching your appearance was sighted at the docks… I had an obligation to investigate… I thought you would pull something like this if it was really you, but I still don't believe it. Why are you here, Jinx?"

She did not answer.

"I don't get it. I understood why you left. I even agreed with you. You gave us the opportunity to heal, which we took. I let Vi help you get away so you could get a second chance. We announced you dead to honor your efforts at rallying the Undercity to help us. So I don't understand at all why you would return and come here, risking to undo it all!"

Jinx came forward leaving the cover Vi provided for her. Caitlyn instantly noticed it.

"And you have the audacity to do all this while expecting a baby? If you really had to come back, because of that… then why did you not just disappear into the Undercity? Why did you make such a show to let your presence be known? To force my hand to investigate after you? Why did you come here and put everything we accomplished in peril again?" she practically shouted at her.

"Cait, please…" Vi pleaded, but Caitlyn ignored her.

"And what's this about talking to the dead once more… have you lost it again? Still hearing voices?"

"I went to Ionia," she finally answered. "I'm sure you know what's happening there at this time of the year, being educated and all."

It only took her a few seconds to make the connection.

"The… the Spirit Blossom Festival. You're kidding. No… you're not. This doesn't answer my question, Jinx. Why are you here?"

"Because I made a promise to your mom," she replied in a guilt-ridden voice.

Caitlyn dropped the gun, dumbfounded at her response.

"You were right. I cannot erase my crimes. I came here to atone for them."

Caitlyn stood in the middle of the Bridge of Progress, looking over both sides of it. It was bustling with people from all around the twin cities — Piltovans and Zaunites, merchants and entertainers, enforcers and thugs, nobles and the poor — everybody wanted to see the action unfolding in the middle.

"They really caught her."

"I thought she was dead!"

"See, there was no body, I told you!"

"She must have escaped."

"But why did she come back?"

"Hey… is she… pregnant?"

The Council abandoned the ceremonial hall it presided in for centuries. As part of the new agreement between the two cities, all sessions had to be adjourned in a public space open for all inhabitants. As such, they chose to hold all their meetings in the middle of the bridge that connected Piltover and Zaun, symbolizing the growing unity between them.

Unity that seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

Jinx sat on a simple wooden chair facing the Council members, her hands cuffed behind herself.

As if she could not escape from those in a split second if she wished to.

She was particularly interested in one specific Councilor - as she recognized Sevika she whistled towards her with a surprised expression on her face. The one-armed woman was filled with other emotions it seemed — her face betrayed her fear, anger and excitement all at the same time.

"Given that we are living in unstable times and the accused has committed multiple politically motivated felonies under the old regime, the Council refrains from debating the punishment and delivering its verdict upon her," Shoola, the only surviving member of the old Council still in office announced.

How convenient. Guess it goes as you planned so far.

"Instead, we ask Sheriff Kiramman, head of law enforcement and then-Commander of the city to make her decision based upon our revised penal code and her best judgment of the situation and its circumstances."

Of course. They are washing their hands of this case and I am the scrubbing pad, ready to be discarded at a moment's notice in case my sentence is not well enough received.

Caitlyn stepped forward and walked in front of Jinx, ready to start her trial. She saw Ekko and Vi in the front row, both reeking of anxiety.

"How could you let her have that right?"

"She's not impartial!"

"She's gonna sentence her to death!"

"She's pregnant, you monster! Don't you dare!"

She closed off all outside noises and focused on the blue-haired criminal sitting in front of her. Her source of hate. Her source of pain.

I do not understand, mother. You sent her to me. Why?

"Let's get the formalities over with. Your name is Jinx?"

"Yes."

"You are the one who destroyed the Council Hall barely a year ago, killing three councilors and thrusting us into civil war?"

"Yes."

The wound you left behind barely started to heal, and you are tearing it open again?

"You are charged with multiple counts of aggravated murder, manslaughter, arson, assault, battery, robbery, theft, espionage, incitement of violence and insurrection, sabotage and terrorism. I say multiple, because the exact number is impossible to say, probably well over a hundred. Your actions have caused an untold amount of pain for the people of our cities. What say you in your defense?"

"Guilty on all charges."

She is admitting to all of it. And you really want me to…"

"We can't let them execute her! Let's go and free her!" a loud noise enraged the crowd on the Zaunite side. As people started to move, Caitlyn saw Sevika stand up, but her interference was unneeded. A flash of purple passed by and the instigator fell on his knees, gasping for breath, reaching for his lungs. The handcuffs were no longer on Jinx as they bounced off the man's chest, surely breaking some ribs along the way.

"Sit. Your Ass. Down," Jinx shouted, enraged. "I don't need anybody's protection. Whatever verdict gets passed here, you follow it to the letter and you do not fight it. You hear me?"

Silence.

"I asked, do you hear me?"

The mumbled noises of dejection seemed to satisfy her enough. She sat back on her chair and placed her hands behind herself as if nothing had happened. "My apologies for disrupting the procedure, Sheriff. Please continue."

Unbelievable. You really are submitting yourself to this. This was not another ploy of yours after all.

"With your crimes out in the open, we must also mention the services you rendered to our cities in your time with us. As the Noxians descended upon Piltover with the intention to ransack and conquer it, it was your voice that convinced the people of Zaun to fight."

What is it you are feeling, right now? When you look me in the eye?

"Without you, many of us standing here would be dead. Without you, our cities would be under foreign rule and tyranny, and neither Piltover nor Zaun would have a future. With that said… no amount of good deeds can undo your crimes."

Jinx smiled sadly. The noises from the crowd became louder again, but this time she was able to completely close herself off from them.

This is the moment, mother.

"With everything mentioned before taken into account…

Is this what you wanted?"

"I sentence you…"

I cannot say it.

"to spending the rest of your life…"

I cannot say it.

Ekko and Vi started to move. Her mouth twitched.

I cannot forgive her.

At that moment, time stopped for her. It was as if she could feel someone watching her. She looked across the bridge, seeing the imminent fight that was about to begin, the endless cycle of conflict, continuing forevermore — and she finally understood.

"…giving back to those that you've taken from," she finished.

Silence. Not a single soul dared moving an inch, everyone shocked at the words that had left Caitlyn's mouth. Everyone, except for Vi and Ekko, who looked excited and Jinx, whose eyes radiated gratefulness towards her.

Stop looking at me like that.

"You will spend your life here, being the anchor that binds us to each other, being the bridge that connects us. You will help us undo the wrongs you have caused and support those whose lives you have affected with those wrongs."

I said, stop looking at me like that.

"So that one day, when trouble finds us again, we may stand together in the face of adversity. Not as Piltover and Zaun. Not as Topside and Undercity. But as brothers and sisters."

"I accept this sentence," she said, teary-eyed.

You win.

As cheers erupted in the crowd and Ekko and Vi rushed to Jinx to celebrate the amnesty she had just received, Caitlyn turned towards the sky. She could have sworn she saw her mother's silhouette standing on top of the bridge, watching over her.

I understand, mother. You do not want me to forgive her. I might never be able to do that. You want me to move towards the future as well, just as this city does.

A giant weight fell off her shoulders.

I will do that for you. For myself.

It was as if she was smiling at her.