Backdraft

Prologue

"Can't catch me! I'm too fast!" A young brunette with red pajamas on was running around a small grass yard in front of her house.

"Oh yeah? I'm fast too!" Yang replied. She charged after her sister, Ruby, who at 6, was two years younger than her.

Try as she could, Ruby was too quick for Yang to catch up to her. Yang collapsed on the ground eventually and panted. "Why are you so fast?"

Ruby ran back over and flopped over Yang's stomach, ignoring Yang's "oomph". "Wellll I run like the wind, Yangy! I'm super fast! Vroom vroom!"

Yang grinned, one of her front teeth missing with the new one barely poking up. "Yeah well I'm super strong!"

The two young kids wrestled on the grass for a bit before a brown-haired woman stepped onto the porch and smiled at their antics. "Okay, kids, time for bed! And quit wrestling in your pajamas; you'll end up with grass in your bed."

Both Yang and Ruby tried for more time to be outside, but Summer shook her head. "It's getting late, girls. Besides; if we want to head to the park tomorrow you got to rest up and store energy!"

That got them moving, and Ruby dashed into the house with Yang right behind her. Ruby brushed her teeth first, with Summer helping. Summer smiled at Yang once they were done. "You're getting to be a big girl; do you think you can brush your teeth on your own while I tuck Ruby in? I'll be to your room right after so I can tuck you in too."

Yang grinned wide "Okay mom!"

Yang quickly brushed her teeth, and in her hurry to put her toothbrush back, she knocked over the cinnamon-scented candle that was by the sink. It fell, but Yang didn't notice. Her young mind didn't hear the sound, or notice how the area where it fell was lit up in an orange glow.

She put back her toothbrush and hurried upstairs to crawl in bed. Summer came up a few minutes later and smiled at Yang all snuggled in bed. "Hey, little dragon." She said. Yang smiled. "I brushed my teeth all by myself! I didn't even knock the toothpaste off the sink again!"

Summer chuckled at how adorable the small blonde was being. "I'm proud of you, Yang. Now, your father should be back tomorrow from work; so just get some sleep and then you can tell him all about your teeth-brushing experience, okay?"

Yang nodded. "Okay mom. Goodnight!"

Summer tucked Yang in and gently kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, little dragon."

Summer stood up and stopped at the doorway to smile at Yang, who was already fast asleep. Summer got an odd feeling that something was wrong, but she shook it off and shut the light off; gently closing the door. She headed to her bedroom and climbed in the covers, exhausted from dealing with two little rambunctious kids all day. She quickly drifted off to sleep.

Summer woke to the smell of smoke and an odd crackling sound. She looked around her room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her room looked okay… The brown-haired woman got up and opened her bedroom door. The sight was horrible. The whole kitchen and living room was on fire; the source of the fire looking like it was coming from the bathroom. Summer was suddenly very wide awake, and she rushed towards Ruby's room.

She burst into the room and quickly shook the small child awake. "Ruby, Ruby wake up!"

Ruby groaned and rolled over. "Mommy just let me sleep…"

Summer shook her harder. "No Ruby, the house is on fire!"

That got Ruby up in a hurry, and she looked around fearfully. Smoke was starting to spread around above her, and she could hear the fire pick up its intensity. She clung to her mother's leg. "Mommy I'm scared…" She started to tear up.

Summer looked at her. "Rose, it's going to be okay. We just have to get Yang and get out of the house, okay? Come on. Don't be scared." She picked up Ruby and headed to the door. She grabbed the doorknob to open it, but jerked back, hissing in pain. "Ouch!"

Ruby looked more scared than before. "Mom what is it?"

Summer looked under the door and saw an orange glare. It would not be safe to open the door. She looked around the room and spotted the window.

"Quick, Ruby, the window!" Summer set Ruby down and hurried over to the window and opened it. Or tried to.

The window was stuck, and only opened about 3 inches, not nearly enough to fit Ruby through. And the window itself was too small to fit Summer through, but Ruby could. Summer was just picking up an object to break the window, when Ruby started coughing. Summer looked over at Ruby, and just then noticed how bad the smoke was getting. Instead of the ceiling being covered in smoke, now the smoke was so thick, and was reaching Summer's head. How had it gotten this bad this fast?

Summer coughed too, also noticing that breathing was getting more difficult. "Hey, Rose it'll be okay." He voice was growing hoarse, and she winced. Her head was starting to hurt, but she moved over to Ruby and sat down on the floor where it was easier to breathe. "Come here, little rose." Ruby slowly crawled into Summer's lap and hugged her close. "Mommy I'm scared…and I'm getting fuzzies in my eyes...it's hard to see and breathe…"

Summer just closed her eyes and tried not to panic. Okay. The window was too small to fit herself through, but if she could lower Ruby to the ground with sheets or something, Ruby might make it…

But Yang! Summer's eyes widened. How could she forget?! She looked at the door, which was slowly starting to smoke, like the flames outside were finally starting to set the wood on fire. There was no way she could open the door without the flames burning her and Ruby…she'd have to try her best to get Ruby out. She glanced down at Ruby, and saw that Ruby's skin was starting to turn a cherry red, and her breathing was slower than normal.

"RUBY!" No response. Summer quickly laid Ruby down on her back, and knelt on the floor, trying to figure out what was wrong with Ruby. Just then, the door burst inwards, and the window that Summer was going to break shattered. The real problem was the flames rolling into the room with an immense heat. Summer thought she had moved far enough out of the way, but as she was still kneeling, her legs were caught in the rush of fire. Cursing and patting out the fire, Summer quickly realized her dexterity was failing her. As was her strength. She could barely scoot her and Ruby against the far wall; away from the flames that scorched everything in its path. The wall with the window was now covered in flames, and Summer gulped. No escape. She looked back at Ruby, whose breathing was slowing. She looked down at her legs, which were burnt so badly, she had to fight a sudden wave of nausea. She quickly looked away, and took a deep breath, only to start having a coughing fit. This is it; the end.

The smoke was filling the room up so much by now, that Summer could hardly see or breathe. She took one long last look at Ruby, before huddling over her protectively. She laid there like that until she passed out. Both Ruby and Summer were gone by the time the flames got to them.

Yang was woken up by the smoke filling her room. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and frowned. "Mom?" She quickly hopped out of bed and opened her door, so she could head downstairs and look for Summer and Ruby. But when she opened the door, she was greeted by the stairway completely engulfed in flames. She screamed, and looked around her room for a way to get away from the fire that was slowly moving towards her. She ran towards her window, but her dresser was in the way. Yang dragged a chair over to the dresser and climbed on top of it. Try as she might to open the window, it stayed securely shut. Yang glanced back and saw that the flames were by her door now. She cried, the tears leaving clear trails on her soot-covered face.

"MOM!"

She crawled off the dresser and hid in the back of her closet, crying and shouting for her mother.

The flames quickly started spreading throughout her room, and the heat was picking up in intensity. Yang started coughing, but was too young and too hysterical to think of covering her face.

"MOM! RUBY! HELP!"

She closed her eyes so she wouldn't see the flames creeping ever closer to where she was huddled in the back of the closet, but she could still hear the flames cracking, burning everything it touched…until suddenly, there was no sound.

Yang glanced up and gasped. Summer and Ruby were standing in the flames, and they looked at her with a longing. "Mom? Ruby?" They looked like her mother and sister, but flames were wrapping around them, not like it was burning them, but like the flames were part of them. Ruby came up to Yang, and held out a fiery hand. "Come on, Yangy." Yang shrank back from her hand. "But, but you're burning!"

Summer shook her head. "Come on, little dragon, we have to get you downstairs and outside where it's safe. Don't worry, the flames will keep you safe from now on."

Yang frowned, but her mother had never lied to her before, so she hesitatingly took Ruby's hand. As soon as the flames touched Yang, instead of burning her like she expected, they danced around her hand before coating her whole body in comforting warmth that reminded her of the hugs Ruby and Summer would give her.

Yang looked up at them in wonder. "Did I die?" Summer laughed softly and began leading them downstairs. "No, little dragon, you didn't die."

Ruby giggled. "This is fun, Yangy!" She swung their interlocked hands and grinned.

Yang couldn't help but smile too at Ruby's infectious grin.

Summer then stopped in the living room and pointed at the front door. "Go on, Yang, you have to get outside."

Yang frowned. "But, but can't you come with me?" Summer shook her head.

"No, little dragon. I have to go now, and Ruby is coming with me. But remember that wherever the flame is; there we will be also."

Ruby looked sad all of a sudden, but she smiled. "Bye, Yangy…"

Ruby and Summer started to look dimmer, and they almost appeared see-through. Yang shook her head violently. "No, mom! Ruby!" Ruby's hand slipped out of Yang's grasp, and Yang cried out "RUBY!"

"Ruby!" Yang jerked awake, sitting upright on her bed.

She was sweating and breathing heavily. Yang sighed, covering her face with her hands. She was still in the fire station, where she had fallen asleep.

"Stupid dreams…" Yang glanced at the clock. The bright red digital display read 2:32 in the morning. Yang sighed and made her way to the bathroom.

She took in her scraggly appearance in the mirror; her long blonde hair a tangled mess and her lilac eyes still trying to wake up.

Yang splashed cold water on her face and took a deep breath.

She glanced down at her right forearm, where a burn mark covered about two inches; the flesh was darker than the rest of her arm, and had little circle marks on it; typical with burn scars.

Yang shook her head, trying to rid her mind of the nightmare and memories. "Why do I always dream about that night…?"

Just then, Yang's radio on the bedside table beeped long twice, then once short (the fire station's call sign), crackles, and the dispatcher is heard through it; speaking urgently:

"Can Unit 5 please respond immediately to a near fully engulfed house on 22nd street; we have had many calls for this fire; it looks like it's something. It's spreading rapidly. Repeat, Unit 5 to 22nd street for house fire. It's the large white mansion. Responders needed immediately."

Yang groaned but quickly moved out of the bathroom and got dressed in her firefighter clothes that usually went underneath the actual fire-suit. She snatched up the radio and put on her shoes with one hand while pressing the speak button. "This is Xiao Long, Unit 5, I'm at the station; will be arriving at the scene in around 7 minutes, over." She knew it would be around 7 minutes because one, she knew the area and knew 22nd street was close by, and two and perhaps most importantly; Nora was driving. At two in the morning. They'd get there in record time.

Yang stuck the radio onto her belt that she had hastily put on and grabbed her helmet sitting by the small desk in her appointed room. Rushing out; she met up with Pyrrha Nikos, one of the best firefighters in the area, who also was Unit 5's captain.

She was tall and lean, but muscled. (Yang knew this when they would spar every once in a while) Her hair was a deep red color, and she was a bit darker skinned. Pyrrha said she had some ancestry with Amazonians, which was seriously cool to Yang. She also had the most intense emerald eyes Yang had ever seen.

She had quite a reputation for saving multiple lives and homes; along with the many animals she would go out of her way to rescue. All in all a very respectable and valued fire captain with a soft heart. But right now, her eyebrows were scrunched together as she focused.

"This looks bad, Yang. Head to the truck; Jaune is grabbing his gear and should be there soon." She hurriedly said.

Yang nodded in response and stepped into her turnout gear; quickly pulling them up and putting on the matching coat. Grabbing gloves and slamming her helmet onto her head; Yang climbed into Truck 7's passenger seat and cranked the engine for Nora. (It was faster that way, they learned)

Pyrrha climbed into the back with Jaune, as Nora hopped into the driver's seat and stepped on the gas.

"Let's roll, team!" Nora said and they were out and maneuvering around the streets of Vale; heading towards the bright light illuminating the sky.

Yang had memorized the streets of Vale a long time ago, and in times like these it was super helpful to know where you were going; without the cursed GPS spouting things out when you were trying to talk to dispatch.

Speak of the devil… The radio in the truck crackled to life and they heard the dispatcher's voice over the radio. "Unit 5, are you close? The house is said to be almost fully engulfed."

Yang felt a twinge of sadness. A fully engulfed house wasn't something that could be repaired. She picked up the radio and pressed the talk button. "Roger, dispatch, Xiao Long, Unit 5, we are about a block away; standby."

The fire engine quickly rolled to a stop in front of the house, and Yang, Pyrrha and Jaune all got out and got their SCBA's on. (Self-Contained-Breathing-Apparatus, the ones with the tanks on their back and the mask for safe breathing)

They all stopped to take a look at the nightmarish-looking house with ungodly fire reaching into the heavens; black smoke billowing up and into the air; coating the air with ash and making it hard to breathe even from a safe distance.

It had flames coming out of every window, even the windows at the top of the five-story mansion.

The color of the building was long covered by intense flames and scorch marks.

Nora moved the truck in a good position, while Jaune and Yang connected the fire hose to a fire hydrant just across the street. Police officers helped by putting up road blocks so nobody would run over the hose.

Pyrrha took out her radio. "Unit 5 captain Nikos here, we are at scene, ready to keep house contained. Not sure if we can stop the fire; the house looks gone."

Dispatch replied on the radio, but a loud shouting from the safe zone distracted Pyrrha.

A deputy was holding back a yelling white haired woman, who was reaching towards the house and crying out. "Snowflake!" The woman sobbed into the police officers arms, and Pyrrha quickly walked over. The deputy shook his head. "Miss Schnee the house isn't safe to go in; it could collapse any minute now." This just made the woman cry louder, and try to wiggle under the rope. Pyrrha walked up and looked at her, gently placing a hand on her arm. "Miss Schnee, we are going to try our best to get everyone to safety; who is Snowflake?"

The woman, dressed only in a nightgown, quickly looked up. "She's just a child; on the second floor please hurry!"

Pyrrha quickly ran over to Yang, who was just done attaching the safety rope to her turnout gear. "Yang we got a kid still inside; second floor." Yang ignored the rest of what Pyrrha was saying. These were the times when she felt most at peace; when she felt like she was doing what she was meant to do. The times when she could use her powers to save people that otherwise wouldn't be alive.

Yang grabbed a fire ax and rushed over to the doorway, quickly ducking inside.

There was someone inside this building and Yang would save her if it was the last thing she did.

A/N: So…I know I have some other stories I could be working on, but this AU idea I got has been nagging at me for a while, and since I just finished Forgotten Plans, I decided I would start writing this one, and it's pretty cool; I think you will enjoy it a lot

Snowflake's character is based off of Arieko's Snowflake character he made, so go check out my bro; he has awesome stories and his story Snowflake is adorable so go give it a read! I did not come up with Snowflake's character so don't go using it just cause; lol I got permission to use her.

But PLEASE tell me what you think of this idea or anything you think would be cool to put in it and stuff. Ideas are welcome, you wonderful readers. :) I'm pretty nice, so don't feel nervous to send me a PM or a review with questions; I shall get back to you!

Oh and I am not a firefighter so if I get some stuff weird…I'm sorry, feel free to point it out and I can fix it and whatnot. Thanks a bunches of roses!

I shall see you guys later, Peace! Jackie out!