Not Giving Up On You

Don't Walk Away

Street lamps illuminate painted cement in the darkness. Fast and furious droplets of rain fire against it, bouncing off in a fury. Maybe they're feeding off the council's useless energy. I stand in the middle of the streets, unable to move and the rain mixing with my tears. My hair and uniform are soaked through, chilling me down to my bones. Despite the wet and cold, I feel numb. I watch as Vi flips her hood up and walks away from me without looking back. I know she was only speaking out of frustration when she said that we were oil and water but it still stung.

Sniffling, I wipe my eyes which deems to be useless as my sleeve is drenched. Useless, like my feet that seem to be rooted in their place on the ground. As I look back up, I see Vi is no longer in sight. Sighing, I finally turn around to start heading back home, holding myself in some sort of pitiful hug. My boots splash amongst the puddles as I look around at all the buildings, dark inside as everyone is tucked in. The odd few people still out and about, hurrying back inside to escape the miserable weather.

As I get to the gate surrounding my family's house, a couple women run past me to their home. Now on their doorstep, they share a quick laugh, folding up their umbrellas and sharing a kiss as they head inside. I smile slightly but it's quickly replaced with a frown as my heart stings, thinking of Vi. I look up at the gate, about to unlock it and head in but I stop.

"Fuck it." I turn away and start running back in the direction I came from. I don't care if Vi thinks this is all over. We've come too far to give up now and I need her to see that. I start calling out her name, searching around everywhere for any signs of the red haired woman. The pain in my leg seizes me in my running and I wince, my hand automatically going to it. I stop running but continue on, walking speedily. I sigh in frustration, wiping away my bangs that are plastered to my forehead.

I head to the Bathysphere station to check for Vi there but the station is closed for the night and sure enough, Vi is nowhere to be found. She's probably already back in the Undercity. The heels of my boots clack against the ground angrily, matching my mood as I turn around once again, heading back in the direction I came from. As my house starts to come into view, I notice a hooded figure walking in front of me. The red jacket and brisk pace all too familiar. Ignoring the pain in my leg, I race up to her.

"Vi!" I call out as I run up but she doesn't respond. "Vi!" I try again but no reply, not even as much as a turn of her head. I sprint ahead of her, turning around and firmly gripping her shoulders, stopping her in her tracks. Her head finally snaps up.

"What do you want, Cupcake?" she asks and I frown. She can't actually be serious.

"Just sightseeing," I respond, sarcasm heavily laced in my voice. "What do you think, Vi? What do you think I want? To ask you where the best bakery is for muffins?!" I don't mean to be harsh but I need her to hear me out.

"I personally prefer cupcakes, but," she says, removing my hands from her shoulders and continuing to walk away from me. The regret on being harsh towards her starts wilting away. I grab her by the arm, this time shoving her up against the side of a building, causing a winded groan from her end.

"What the actual fuck, Cait?!" I finally have her proper attention.

"I need you to listen to me, Vi. I don't care if the council refuses to help us, I don't care if everyone thinks this is a waste of time. I'm not giving up and I sure as hell am not giving up on you. We've come too far and I know you're too stubborn to just drop this and tell me some bullshit like 'we did all we could.' But if I'm wrong, look me in the eye and tell me." Vi breaks away from my eyes as I finish my rant, averting her gaze off to the side.

"I can't do this," she mutters quietly.

"Yes, you can Vi," I tell her, my eyes softening and stinging at how broken she sounds.

"No, I mean I can't do this with you, Cupcake." she clarifies, looking back at me.

"Vi, yes you are. I don't care how hard headed you may be but you are not talking me out of this. I have willingly put myself in this position to discover the truth, to make a difference for the people of the Undercity. You are not keeping me away from this," I tell her, my earlier anger resurfacing. I feel her pull my hands away from her shoulders and firmly grip my own, switching our positions as she forces me against the building.

"Caitlyn, listen to me," she tells me, removing her hood and allowing her still wet hair to be on display. "It's not that I think you're not capable. I refuse to put you in anymore harm."

"Vi, you're not listening to me. I chose to put myself in harm's way. You didn't drag me into any of this. Not once have I been forced against my will." She runs a hand down her face aggressively in frustration. "This was my choice."

"Did you know I thought Marcus had shot you on the bridge?! How much that terrified me? How scared I was that you were possibly killed after my sister's bombs went off? Within minutes, I thought you had died twice. Fucking hell. You don't understand the relief I felt when I found you alive." I can see her whole body starting to tremble and tears forming in her eyes.

"Vi, I.."

"I have lost too many people, Cait!" she practically screams at me. "I have lost too many people in my life and you are not going to be the next, not ever." Tears have now started to run down her face and she cups my cheeks in her hands.

"You won't lose me, Vi," I tell her, even though it seems like a fucking far stretch, considering the potential future circumstances and given the previous ones.

"Don't bullshit me. You can't promise me that. I know you know that too. When Powder fired at us on the bridge, I pushed you out of the way so you wouldn't die."

"You know I covered you in my arms to protect you from the gunfire. I put my life on the line to keep you safe." I fire back and I see her face start to falter. She starts shaking her head. "You're not getting rid of me, Vi, whether you like it or not. So don't..." I'm cut off by her lips on mine. My eyes widen as I return the kiss but it's over as quickly as it started. I wipe a tear from her face, tracing over the "VI" tattoo on her cheek. She firmly holds my face in both hands, her forehead resting against my own.

"Cupcake, I'm not giving up on this case. I promise you I'm not. But I need you to know I'm doing this to protect you. I don't want to leave you. Your house is just right there. Go in and get yourself warm." I go to respond but before I do, Vi turns and punches through a window from the building we're up against. I hear the yells of enforcers and see them start running towards us. I look back at Vi, who's pulled her hood back up.

"I'll see you once this is over," she says, running away as the enforcers chase after her but she's long gone. And once again, I'm left alone in the rain.