Vi

I stood across from Caitlyn who was looking around at the tree in awe, I mean I was the exact same when Ekko brought me out here. It's so beautiful and every creature, child and human has a smile on their face.

This is their hideaway, Ekko had told me, they've been here since Silco took over the Lanes. When he first brought me out here, he show'd me the memorial wall he had decorated with Mylo, Claggor, Vander, Powder and I's faces on it along with other people they've lost. When he had first explained it to me, I was sad to hear that Ekko truly believes Powder is dead, but what confused me was that I hadn't seen Laylas face anywhere.

Before I could've asked though, her name rang out from multiple children as I saw them running towards a woman who had just entered the hideout. The air in my lungs disappeared as she had smiled widely at her little greeters, she hadn't seen me since her entire focus was on the kids she was crouching down to hug.

She wore the same dirty blonde hair, but she had it cut in different sizes, her layered hair curled and framed her pale face perfectly. Her facial expression changed from happy, to surprised, to disgust, and back to smiling as she listened to the kids who all talked at once. I heard Ekko curse behind me, she doesn't know I'm alive. My heart threatened to burst from my chest and race towards her when I didn't move my feet. She had on an off the shoulder crop top with baggy pants that sat low on her hips, she looked so good. She had always been pretty, but now, I almost fell to my knees I was so entranced by her beauty.

When the kids pulled her towards me in excitement she was confused and then when they pushed her towards us, her face dropped. I was terrified she wouldn't like what she saw when she looked at me. But when she threw herself at me all my worries disappeared.

Now we stood across from Caitlyn with Ekko next to Layla who rested her head on my shoulder. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't want to let go anytime soon. Ekko sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose before waving his hand around animatedly.

"Tell us again how this enforcer knows your name? Since you said it was a "long story"." He asked looking Caitlyn up and down in disgust, I bit my lip trying to hide my smile at Ekkos blatant disregard for the girl. She looked over at me, seeing me hide my amusement and subtly flipped me off.

Layla leaned her head up off my shoulder as she straightened, still holding my hand. "A Piltie came to the club...five years ago..."

"FIVE?!" Ekko screeched making her wince slightly before continuing.

"His name is Nickson. He saw me singing one night after Domi retired and promoted me as boss," I smiled proudly, I knew that must've made her extremely happy. She's been working there for many years now, the people have always adored her. "And he offered me a job to sing at one of his galas, the amount of coins he offered me was more than I make in months at the club. He came back to the club saying his guests really liked me, so I kept accepting his job offers. Ekko where do you think we've been getting the money to obtain all the resources we have here? We made a deal, you focus on the Firelights and I'll handle finding the money needed to continue keeping our rebellion open to everyone." She said calmly, I stared at her as she looked at Ekko lovingly.

She's always been cool and collected when the people around her weren't, unless things were extremely hectic. She's always had the ability to soothe me after a rough day, after my usual pummeling in jail I would imagine I was with her and she would sing me to sleep.

"But why didn't you tell me?" Ekko asked throwing his hands up in annoyance, Layla rolled her eyes before resting her free hand on her hip.

Her reply was sassy, "You would've let me pretend to be a Piltie and sing for them by myself if you knew my deal with Nicks?" He paused before shrugging, finally understanding her reasons for not telling him.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest before muttering, "You still could've told me."

"So you lied to me too?" Caitlyn said mimicking Ekkos stance, as she looked at me expectantly.

"Yeah sorry, Cait. How did you even get down here?" She asked staring intently at the girl, a blush came across Caitlyns cheeks at her nickname. I clenched my jaw, the same jealousy coming over me like it did whenever I'd go to see the girl perform at the club and she'd have girls and boys all over her telling her how amazing she was.

"Well, the day I saw you at Nicks' banquet I had gotten in trouble with the sheriff because I looked through the aftermath of a crime scene without clearance. It was some attack at the docks, I found a tattooed overgrown man hiding below but before I could question him I was caught. After the explosion and the stolen gemstone, I decided to listen to you and figure out a plan. My plan went south though when I went to Stillwater to talk to the man from the investigation only to find out one of the inmates broke his jaw with a lunch tray." She looked over at me annoyed, Layla turned to me too but she had a bright smile on her face rather than her usual lecture look. My heart warmed and I winked down at her before Caitlyn continued.

"So after Vi and I's delightful conversation, I faked her release form so she could take me down here to find the gemstone and figure out who's behind all this."

"But, she forgot a tiny detail when telling me her real reasons for coming down here. What the fuck even is that thing?" I gestured to the case Ekko was carrying that held the gemstone, he opened it and Layla gasped.

"Oh god, you took the gemstone from her." Layla said nervousness lacing her voice, Ekko closed the case before turning to her confused.

"How do you know about the gemstone?" Caitlyn asked confused, Layla closed her eyes before looking around at us.

She turned to me first to fill me in on what I've been wondering since we first got here. "After the explosion we found out Silco had taken Powder, so one night I snuck into The Last Drop to visit her. But when I tried to bring her back here with me, she refused, saying she wanted to stay with him. I couldn't just leave her with him, so to stay near her I became one of Silcos goons." My eyes widened and my jaw dropped at her statement, she quickly put a hand on my shoulder smiling. "Not like that, Shiner. I only did it to stay close to Powder, he knew I was close with Vander but shockingly both Powder and Sevika vouched for me. Thankfully Silco grew to like me and I earned his trust. Ekko and I came up with the Firelights rebellion and realized we could use my new position as our advantage to take him down. I'm the only person that sees the tiniest bit of Powder left in her, I never gave up on her and because of that Silco hasn't invaded her mind completely."

In that moment I wanted to kiss her so bad I didn't care who watched us, she's still risking her life to stay close to my sister while being a spy for the rebellion.

God I've never loved her more.

She saw the look in my eyes and smiled softly before turning back to the two, "When she stole it Silco was proud of her and it made her feel good knowing she earned his respect. I was helping her learn how it works and how to control it, she freaked out because it reminded her of the explosion when she first played around with it by herself. We built a machine that generates the gemstones power and keeps it from exploding its energy, thanks to the book we had too. She's not gonna stop until she gets that crystal, E."

"You were apart of the attack she caused? It killed enforcers who had families!" Caitlyn yelled at her, I stood up straighter not liking her tone.

"Everyone's got a family, but look me in the eye and tell me they fought for what was right. For both Piltover AND the Undercity. Your people hunt us like animals. And Silco pays them to do it." Ekko said to Caitlyn walking towards her slowly, anger rolling off him in waves.

Caitlyns face dropped, "That's not possible, you're wrong."

Ekko got all up in here face, "Say that one more time."

Layla went between the two as she saw Caitlyn growing defensive, and sadly letting go of my hand. She pushed at Ekkos chest, "E she believes what she's saying, nothing you say is gonna change that. Look, I had no idea she was going to pull a stunt like that and even if I did I most likely wouldn't have had the time to stop her. What's done is done, so grieve those bastards and move the hell on. What we have to focus on is getting that stone away from here, when I left her she wanted to go to Silco to tell him how it works. If he gets it, it'll be even harder to stop him, so we need to bring it back to where it belongs." Her voice was stern and I hate to say I was more than just a little turned on by her authority.

Being in prison gives you a lot of time to expand your imagination, and now that I've seen Layla all grown up...I now realize how much of a dirty mind I have. Not that I'm complaining. And at the right moment, I don't think she will either.

"Fine, I have a friend on the Council who'll listen to me. You have to let me take that back." Caitlyn said, Layla backed towards me grabbing my hand again. I let out a breath of relief, as the enforcer walked over to Ekko who stepped back in disgust.

"We could beat Silco with this," He looked towards Layla with hope shining in his eyes.

Caitlyn interjected, "That would only make things worse."

He chuckled but it lacked humor, "Easy for you to say! That attack was the first you saw your people dying while we see ours die everyday!" Layla tensed at his words but her shoulders fell in defeat, he was right but if we kept it here it would wind up in the wrong hands again.

Caitlyn put her hands in front of her hesitantly, "Ekko, I know what's been done to you. You'd be well within your rights to keep it, I couldn't blame you. But...if you do, the cycle of violence will never stop. This is our best shot at setting the record straight. This city needs healing, more than I ever realized. Please, let me help you all."

The glare I had as I stared at the girl, faded as I heard the honesty in her words. I spoke up before Layla could say a word, "Ekko listen to her. She knows this thing and what it's capable of, Layla just figured it out but has no idea how much it can do." I said softly, making the blonde girl lean into my side relieved that she didn't have to be the one to go against him.

"One condition, I'm the one that gives it to him." Ekko demanded, making Caitlyns jaw go slack as she stared at the man like he grew a third eye.

Layla chuckled at his boldness, "Well you're definitely not going alone so don't even think about it." She said before giving him a playful smile, he rolled his eyes and kept his eyes hard but didn't argue.

"Well I'm kind of your chaperone down here so I might as well get a tour of the lifestyles of the rich and annoying." I said throwing an arm around Layla, Caitlyn continued staring at us before letting out a groan of acceptance.