It must have been close to the day's end, an orange layer of colour coating the sky above the outpost as the golden gaze only sunk further behind the shadows. From the front this made the outpost more of an eye sore, the suns sinking in behind it made the bright lights simply spew from the outlines of Beacon, an almost heavenly image.

"The sun's starting to set" Emerald lowered the binoculars to press against her chin, her darkly toned hands reaching up to rub a small amount of sweat from her forehead. The temperature was the warmest it had been for the last few days, that wasn't by much considering this came on the heel of winter, but being able to feel sweat that wasn't cold drip from her forehead was a much better feeling.

The woman let the binoculars drop from her hands and allowed it to dangle from it's straps, turning her head to look down from her perch on the rock. At the foot of the rock she watched from stood a faunus, one with a very expectant look. "We should probably get going"

Blake stared back up at the woman lazily with hazel eyes, taking in the very dishevelled look of her companion, Emerald's short hair was splayed out in every direction. Frankly, it looked very similar to the moss she'd see on the ground sometimes. Making Blake wonder if the girl's hair was always like that.

The raven haired faunus responded with a dry tone ''What did you see?"

"There's no mistaking it, this is where those guys from the city are holding up. I saw them drag the survivors in" Emerald informed her, emphasizing the word 'I' as she dropped down from the rock. Dust rising around her feet when she reached the ground. "It's strange to see an outpost here, didn't Adam say that this was where all the Grimm are coming from?"

"You doubt him?" The cat-eared girl produced a glare towards Emerald. After Torchwick had his little 'accident' and filled that town with armoured corpses, Adam had angrily ordered Emerald and Blake to scout the survivor's place out, in case they sought to retaliate to the uncalled for slaughter.

"I didn't say that" Her response was immediate. Defensive. "I meant that it's a strange spot to house your people" She held out her hand with a small gesture of moving her finger up and down, in response a small water canteen was shoved into her hand. The top was popped open and she delightfully raised the container to her lips. "You'd think the Grimm would have got them by now…"

"They must of only got here recently" Blake stated firmly.

"And what if they didn't?" The suggestion caused the faunus to frown, the moss haired girl draining the water from the container with a slight smirk at Blake's expression.

"What if?"

Emerald opened her mouth to reply, but after thought went through her mind she stopped herself, just taking a slight satisfaction in the flash of anger crossing Blake's expression. "Nothing, nothing" Tossing the canteen back to Blake, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small map that laid folded up in her palm.

"No, please. I love hearing your opinion, again" Blake grunted, crossing her arms. When there was only silence and another aggravating smirk. "I said please"

"I don't have to do anything just because you tell me to" Emerald's voice was now more frustrated. "What I mean is that Adam hasn't always made the best of decisions, he let Torchwick live"

"Torchwick is useful"

The woman spoke through gritted teeth as Blake peeked around the rock, making sure no Grim were about. "He's a spineless coward who left me and Mercury to die"

The anger faded from Blake's eyes as she remembered the state she last saw the blue haired man in. "How is Mercury?"

"He's missing half of his fucking fingers, they might just chop off his whole hand" The smirk was gone now, only replaced with a venomous glare at Blake, who had opened her mouth to extend sympathies. "Don't try to act like you care, because you don't care" Blake had fallen silent, biting her lip while trying to hold a blank face. "Everyone knows you're like his little princess. While we're busting our assess to get supplies, you're keeping his bed warm"

"That isn't even remotely true!" Blake fought back the urge to yell, both to not alert any Grim or the outpost and to not lose her composure. "I do as much for the White Fang as anyone, and I do not… 'warm' his bed!" Emerald was already walking away, the silent reply clear. They were going back to camp. Blake did suspect that people had these thoughts against her, but this was the first time they were vocal about it. As she followed the moss haired girl, Blake only sighed at the predicament. It was hard to let evident anger enter her face. But she didn't need to explode over a … petty accusation. Even when the world's gone to shit, I'm still judged… I guess I'm used to it by now.

Jaune felt all the air in his lungs leave him as the small form of Ruby collided with his stomach, her hug causing a huge impact that almost knocked the boy off his legs. "Ruby! You're awake!" The fifteen year old wrapped her fingers around his wrist and dug the back of her heels into the ground to keep his currently shaky body steady. "How're you feeling!?"

When she looked up Jaune felt a little lump rise in his throat, the sight of her swollen eye made him pause. He knew that her eye was damaged, but he didn't think it would of gotten worse from the day before. "I feel dizzy, my arms ache and my eyesight has gone funny… Aside from that, I'm 100% A-Okay!" She pulled away, shaking her bruised hands, the aching that ensued reminded her that pulling a boy almost twice her height and weight wasn't that good an idea.

The boy smiled at her, though the smile diminished slightly as he witnessed her eyes grimace as they attempt to move. He could only imagine that sort of pain. I wonder if it's like a bee sting… "You really scared us yesterday-"

"That's what Yang said" Ruby interrupted almost immediately, a frown on her lips. She didn't like people saying that. No one should be scared because of her bad decisions, and it seemed to be a more common occurrence these days. "Will Pyrrha, Glynda, Ozpin and Ren say it too?"

"You were dragged through the front gate bloody and unconscious. We were worried" He closed his eyes, breathed deeply. Exhaled. He didn't want to seem forceful. "Is that so bad?"

"It's not wrong, I just don't like worrying anybody"

"I-… Let's just drop it" The sudden diversion from the topic was unusual for Jaune, he was usually too meek or polite to stop people from talking. The surprise was evident on Ruby's face. "We've had enough drama and arguments… Let's just be happy you're not dead, okay?"

"Drama? Did something else happen?"

"Nothing, just drop it" He waved his hand dismissively.

But Ruby still continued to protest "If something happened, I wanna know"

He froze. Thoughts running wildly through his mind, all questioning him. The decision of whether to tell Ruby about Weiss and Yang's 'fight' weighed down on his mind. Yeah, she deserved to know, but he felt like he was betraying Yang's trust yet again by doing so. And after already siding against Yang before, Jaune was hesitant to break her trust a second time.

"He's obviously not comfortable talking about it, Rubes" To Jaune's surprise, the teasing tone Yang used was her usual tone, unmistakably not angry or awkward. Considering the situation beforehand, it came as a relief for the blond boy. "You know mom never liked you prodding people for more then they're comfortable with"

When the small girl looked to her sister, it wasn't with a look of offence or glee, but a mix of shock and confusion at the comment. "M-mom?" The word came out as a simple whisper, her fingers frozen rigid on her leg. "You haven't talked about her since…"

The older sister looked upwards towards the greying sky, a tear in the clouds only providing a view of it's dark wound "I haven't? Oh…"

"Not since…"

"Not since then" Yang finished for the girl, already moving closer to the two, only as the taller girl closed in on the two did Jaune realise that her 'amused' gaze was directly on him. "Now, I need to talk to Jaune"

Silver eyes narrowed in worried suspicion as they switched between looking at each blonde's facial expressions, Jaune did not look… Safe. "Yang, I can't let you kill my best friend…"

"I'm not going to kill him. I just need to talk to him" When both Jaune and Ruby gave a sceptical look towards the reply, Yang crossed her arms and reaffirmed. "I'm not" No one was convinced "I just need to talk to him about something important, in private. And to clear stuff up"

One more look between the two, Ruby's unwavering protective nature towards her friend almost made things seem less… tense. Well, it at least made the tension less able to be cut with a knife. But before she could again voice her protests to leaving Jaune alone with her sister while something was obviously up, Jaune let out a sigh and gave Ruby a nod.

"But…"

"I'll be fine, Rubes. You should go find Pyrrha, she'll be happy you're awake" It was less of a polite suggestion and more of a friendly urge of 'Go away'. "Please, Ruby" With even Jaune telling her to go, Ruby only sighed before taking off away from the two back towards the sleeping area with a worried glance back to them every two seconds.

Both blondes were silent for a few moments after Ruby had disappeared from sight, their light breathing becoming one of the most audible sounds around them. Sweat dripped from Jaune's forehead. He was nervous. Should I say something first? Or should I just get ready for her to punch me in the stomach? He found the second option much more productive, but his body still refused to raise arms in defence.

"I'm sorry"

It took a few moments for it to seem off, just how rough and low his voice seemed to have become, the tone, it was all suspiciously unlike him. That's when he realised it wasn't him that spoke. "Huh?"

The girl threw her head backwards with a sigh "I kind of yelled at you yesterday, wasn't intending to... Well, blow up like that" Amber eyes stared back up into the sky, the wound in the clouds healing.

"Oh!" Jaune blurted out immediately at her, his hand shooting up to cover his lips as he began to think of how being surprised could be taken as offensive. "I mean, I thought I would be apologising to you" The words became muffled through his fingers.

"For stopping me from making the precious Princess's eye match Ruby's?" She let out a low chuckle. Jaune wondered what she found that funny. "It's no big deal. Really, I should thank you for stopping me from doing something I'd regret" A sigh of relief. So she realised that what she was doing was wrong? That's a- "You imagine what Glynda would of done if she found out I was in another fight? You guys saved me, quick thinking on your end"

Jaune frowned "That's the only reason you regret trying to hit her?"

Yang still stared up to the Heavens, she couldn't see the downward tug on her friend's lip. "Well, yeah. She was asking for it, but I don't think Glynda would believe me. Why else?"

"Because-!" Yang's chin came down back to normal, looking towards him expectantly in wait for his answer. But as Jaune raised his voice to answer, he found that his voice had seemingly disappeared. Something blocked his throat, pushed away his voice, his reason. I could tell her that she was in the wrong and that she should go and apologise... I could... I should... But... It was fear. I could also just shut up. I mean, Yang probably didn't mean it... So what if she doesn't apologise or realise her mistakes... "Because she's uh... Not worth it..." He forced out, accompanied by an awkward laugh. It seemed to convince Yang.

"I suppose" She turned around, facing away from him again. Who am I kidding? Of course she needs to take responsibility.

Courage pushed back against the fear. "Maybe you should apologise to her" It was a surprise that Yang even heard his words considering how quiet and weak they came out.

"What?" Her eyes narrowed, resembling the eyes of a snake.

Clearing his throat he replied in a much more audible voice. "Maybe... You know, you don't want her holding this against you..." Jaune, you spineless coward

"I don't care what SHE thinks about me. She's just a snobby...uh... She's a snobby whatever. I'm surprised she hasn't had a heart attack yet with all the dirt she has to sleep near" It was like a bear growling at the small idiot that hit it over the head with a stick, though Jaune thought Yang was much more terrifying.

"Right" Courage was starting to win again. "But, I think th-"

"We should drop this... I still have the important thing I want to talk about" And fear slammed down on courage's head.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Whatever you want!" He mentally kicked himself. Coward.

"Ever since we were little, I've always been Ruby's guardian. Helping her through life and making it my mission to never let anyone cause her harm, I guess you could say I'm over protective. With my dad gone and my mom... Dead, I'm the only family she has left. Well, that's what I always thought" She fell down onto her back, spreading out her limbs as if she was about to start making a snow angle. "But seeing her yesterday... It was a shock. I could never imagine her being in so much pain, all I could think was of how much I should of been there. I asked myself why I wasn't"

"Yang, it's not your fault. You couldn't of gone with her, or stopp-"

"I'm not done. After I put her to sleep last night, I was relieved, but that question was still there. It made me realise something, that I'm not always gonna be there to help Ruby, there'll be times when I can't be there for her. Hell, there might be a time where I.. Where I join my mom"

"You can't think like that!"

"Jaune, I want you to know... I trust you. Ruby trusts you. And if I'm ever gone, the only person I could trust to protect Ruby is family. So that's why if I ever die out there in that hell hole... I want you to take care of Ruby for me" There was no mistaking the small rivers of tears that fell from her eyes. "Promise me, Jaune..."

"P-promise?"

"If I'm gone..."

"I... I... I promise."