Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Hello all! First time RWBY fanfic writer here so feedback is much appreciated. I want to know if I have a shot writing in the RWBY-verse. Just want to say that this is purely fictional and for entertainment's sake, so no getting up in arms about the content. There is a small passage towards the end that describes a brief scene of abuse so if that kind of material bothers you, heads up. There are other parts in the story that mention abuse but it's more implied than anything. This starts off kind of dark, but I promise that will not remain the case.

When I initially thought about this fic, I planned to make it a short, cute and fluffy oneshot. However, as I wrote it, it took on a life of its own. I am now merely a slave to my muse's whim. This fic will be two chapters long but I wouldn't be opposed to expanding it if the reception is decent.

Anyway, on to the show!

"Blake…"

Her name was said in a warning tone. Her father was beginning to grow impatient. They had spent the last five minutes arguing, and now he was fed up. "Why won't you tell Mr. Port who is picking on you?" He asked. "If you don't tell him, how is he supposed to help you?"

Mr. Port was Blake's teacher.

Eight year old Faunus, Blake, glared and pouted at her feet. Her ears were bandaged and made her look like more of a freak than she already was. As if they didn't call enough attention to her already; now the white bandages made them stand out even more! Her pout grew. Why did she have to go back to that stupid, human school anyway? And now daddy wanted her to be a snitch?

Her father sighed. "If you won't tell us who keeps bullying you then we can't do anything about it."

That made Blake snap her head up. Tears instantly filled her eyes. "But they pulled my ears!" She protested.

Her father's tired, amber eyes regarded her intently. "Who is 'they,' Blake? Why won't you tell us? Why won't you tell me?"

Blake snapped her mouth shut once more. She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff, and looked away from her father. He didn't understand. Cardin and his friends said they would cut her burn her ears off if she told on them. They also said no one cared about some stupid Faunus mutt anyway so she would just be wasting her breath. No human would side with a Faunus over another human.

Les Belladonna looked at his tiny daughter with a sad expression on his scruffy face. Of course he knew that she was coming home every day with a new bruise, stolen lunch money, torn clothes, and more recently, with her ears in a battered state. The bullies had escalated their torment of his daughter. It made Les see red. There was nothing he would like more than to follow his daughter and ambush the bullies. Teach them a lesson about messing with Faunus and his little girl that they wouldn't soon forget. He couldn't, though. He was already considered less than human by virtue of the fact that he was a Faunus. He would probably get lynched for touching those bastard kids. His hands really were tied on the matter until Blake told him and principal Schnee the names of her bullies. Not that her telling the principal would make much of a difference. Principal Schnee was one of the most racist individuals Les had ever had the displeasure of meeting.

He glanced at his watch. They only had fifteen minutes to get Blake to the bus stop. "Grab your things. We have to go."

"Daddy, please don't make me go! I can stay home, I'm a big girl!"

Les shook his head. "You need to get an education so you can help the Faunus one day."

"But I don't want to help the Faunus! I don't want to go to school!"

Les pinched the bridge of his nose. His heart was breaking. Humans were undeniably cruel. If it were up to him, Blake would be attending an all Faunus academy in Atlas. Unfortunately, he didn't make enough money to be able to afford that. Some days they barely had enough money to put food on the table. And he wasn't at liberty to make these kinds of decisions for his daughter. The school Blake went to was up to his master.

"Get your things."

"Daddy—"

"GET YOUR THINGS, BLAKE!"

Blake jumped back, petrified by her father's roar. A fresh wave of tears stung her eyes. Her lower lip began to tremble as she quietly walked over to the table and grabbed her bag. She walked past her father to the door, her head down and her bandaged ears pressed against the top of her head.

Les mentally cursed himself for losing his patience. It was understandable that his daughter didn't want to go to school. Who would want to willing subject themselves to that kind of torture every day? Did he have to make it worse by yelling at her?

His hand clenched into a fist at his side. His vision became blurry. He silently prayed that today, just for today, his daughter might get a reprieve from the bullies.

Les stalked over to the coat rack, grabbed his jacket, and stepped out the door. Blake was waiting for him on the curb, her head down and her little shoulders shaking.

Blake came home that day with a sprained ankle and sore ears…But she wore a small smile and there was a glimmer of hope in previously dull eyes.

Just maybe, Les's prayers had been answered.

"Yang? Sun? Got a 10-22D. Location is White Fang apartment complex. Unit 2016," Weiss Schnee, head dispatcher for Vale Police Department, announced.

Officer Yang Xiao Long glared at the scanner, a fresh hotdog half way to her mouth. She glanced at her partner, Sun Wukong. His cheeks were puffed out, full of masticated chips, salsa, and burger. There was no way he was going to swallow that in time to respond. He grinned at her, making a rather good impression of a chipmunk.

She groaned, shooting her meal a longing look before sighing and setting it down. She grabbed the radio, "10-4, dispatch."

Sun gulped his food down with a sip of Ginger Ale, and gave his partner a little side eye. Yang looked displeased. Sun didn't blame her. It was a busy night, and Yang had yet to catch a break long enough to eat a meal.

He gave his head a little shake as he turned on the patrol car's ignition. He didn't bother to turn on their monitor or GPS; he already knew the area by heart. Every police officer in Vale was intimately acquainted with the Menagerie District. It was the place of nightmares.

Sun pulled off the curb, flipped the lights, and shot straight into traffic. Even on a Wednesday, the night life in Vale was pretty lively. Several cars swerved to the side of the road, making way for the patrol car. Sun laughed at this.

Beside him, Yang chuckled. "The place is literally around the corner. What do you need the gumballs for?"

"It makes me feel special." Sun said with a shit-eating grin.

Sure enough, the complex loomed into Yang's vision as Sun swung a right at an intersection. Just like that they went from a fairly decent part of town to one of the poorest, most crime-infested neighborhoods in all of Vale.

Menagerie. AKA the Faunus side of town…

Whatever was left of Yang's good mood dissipated. Not many officers bothered taking calls in Menagerie; some because they were racist assholes and others because the district's reputation preceded it. Too many cops had been hurt while answering calls there, and half the times the cases never made it through the docket, pushed aside or altogether discarded by some low-level secretary before someone with authority ever laid eyes on it. Yang's mood didn't sour because she was in Menagerie. It soured because of what she saw; Prostitutes passed out on the sidewalks or soliciting anyone and everyone that passed by. Small Faunus children drugged out of their minds loitering in small groups around every corner. Hoodlums with guns walking down the street like they owned the place, shooting nasty looks her and Sun's way as they drove towards the complex.

"Ugh," Sun groaned, rolling up the windows. "Smells like something died."

"It's pretty bad out here. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a few bodies lying about."

"This place has gone to hell."

Yang turned herself in her seat. "You used to live here as a kid, didn't you?"

Sun's grip on the steering wheel tightened, causing the rubber cover to creak. There was a pause before he muttered, "Yeah. But it wasn't nearly as bad."

Yang felt sorry for the monkey Faunus. Sun was a good guy and a great partner. He had to overcome a lot to get to where he was today. Yang respected that, and deeply admired his resolve. She knew that more than any other cop in the PD, Sun hated coming here the most. But She could not in good conscious ignore a 10-22D.

10-22Ds, Intimate Partner Violence or Domestic Dispute calls were as common in Menagerie as birds in the sky. Yang had heard some horror stories from some of the other officers that had been unfortunate enough to get the calls. Some of the situations they described gave her nightmares despite not having experienced them herself. The sad thing was that her fellow officers were putting their lives on the line every time they answered the call, fulfilling their oath to protect and serve. But more than 80% of the time, their presence was in vain. No one in Menagerie pressed charges. To them getting beaten half to death was simply a way of life.

The whole thing made Yang sick to her stomach.

"Weiss?"

"Go ahead, Yang."

"What's the situation?"

There was a pause. Weiss was probably reading through her report. "Caller identified herself as Coco. She said she heard her neighbor screaming and her boyfriend shouting. This isn't the first time the address has been logged for a 10-22." Weiss informed her over the radio. "Yang… I think it's that asshole that got Pyrrah fired. Be careful out there. Both of you."

Yang sighed. "10-4, Weiss."

Sun pulled the cruiser up to the curb. He removed his seatbelt, shoved the door open, and slid out of the car. He left the lights on, hopefully dissuading anyone from trying to get funny with the car.

"Check your piece," Sun muttered, pulling his sidearm out of the holster and making sure he had a bullet in the chamber and a full clip. "If it really is him…" He left his thoughts unsaid but Yang understood.

Her pulse sped up as she began to mentally prep. As far as she was concerned, there were only two rules in this business—stay alive, and save and/or protect as many people as possible. She chanted this mantra every night before she left for her shift, and countless times during.

…The White Fang apartment complex looked like something out of those grimm horror movies. It was eerie, dilapidated, and gave anyone with a half decent sense of self-preservation the instant urge to tuck tail and haul ass in the opposite direction. Yang fought this urge all the way to their destination.

The two officers finally arrived at apartment 2016 on the third level of the complex. They halted in front of the door. Sun tilted his head toward it, listening for movement or shouting.

"Someone is crying."

They shared a look. "Let's do this."

They positioned themselves on either side of the door. Sun rapped a closed fist against it.

"Vale PD! Open up!" Yang shouted.

Sun kept his ear toward the door. "There's movement… Two sets of steps, one heavier than the other. Must be him. He's moving… Second pair is coming to the door…"

Yang took a step back just as the front door cracked open. One puffy, bloodshot eye peered at her.

"Y-yes?" Came the weak inquiry. It was the girl.

"Vale PD, ma'am. I'm Officer Xiao Long. This is Officer Wukong," Yang introduced them. "We received a call about a domestic dispute. May we come in?" The woman didn't immediately reply. Yang arched a brow at her. "Ma'am are you in immediate danger? Are you being threatened?"

"N-no." The woman said hesitantly, a slight tremble in her voice. "It's just my boyfriend. He has a headache and I don't want to disturb him. I… I didn't make any calls to the police."

"One of the neighbors did." Sun said over Yang's shoulder. "May we come in? We just have a few questions and this will only take a minute."

More hesitation. And then, "Okay," the young woman said with a sigh, stepping away from the door. "Come in."

Yang gave the door a nudge with the tip of her boot. The door swung open, giving her an unobstructed view of the woman she had been speaking with. Yang's throat tightened at what she saw.

A pair of uncertain, amber eyes looked at her briefly before shifting away. The woman—no, girl—ducked her head, hiding her face from Yang.

Yang briefly examined her. She was a few inches shorter than herself, but the two erect, fuzzy ears on top of her head gave the girl the illusion of being much taller. She had long, flowing black tresses pulled back in a messy ponytail. She had fair, pale skin. She was pretty, stunning even, but her natural beauty was marred by a black eye, scratch marks, and bite marks on exposed shoulders that peeked out of a ratty, oversized t-shirt.

The sight immediately triggered Yang's protective nature and righteous anger. Her eyes darted around the apartment in search of the one responsible for the disfiguring marks. She found him in the living room.

He was lounging on a poor excuse for a couch, looking completely at ease in a pair of black pants and a red shirt. Webs of tattoos ran up and down his arms and disappeared into the sleeves of his shirt. He had jet black hair with red tips, olive skin, and a good physique. He was undeniably attractive, and the smug look on his face made it evident that he knew it, and that he would use it to his advantage. One word screamed in Yang's mind. Sleaze.

Yang's blood began to boil at the mere sight of him. His name was Adam Taurus, son of Vale's most powerful scumbag politician; a spoiled, rich dirtbag that believed he was above the law. Mostly because he was thanks to his daddy's influence. What the hell was he doing in Menagerie?

Sun set his hand on her arm, drawing her attention to him. The blonde shot him a withering look, but the expression on Sun's face cooled her somewhat. Stay professional. Keep your head, it said.

"Sir," Sun said to Adam, "I need to speak with you."

At the sound of Sun's no nonsense tone, Adam stood up. "Yes, Officer?" He drawled.

His voice gave the monkey Faunus the impression of a snake's hiss. Sun subtly smelled the air, checking for hints of a snake Faunus, but the only scent he detected was that of the girl, a cat narrowed his eyes at Adam. He didn't like him. Not one bit. But one glance at Yang told him she liked him even less, and knowing Officer Xiao Long's tendency to resort to force when dealing with these kind of guys, he chose the lesser of two evils and decided to deal with the man himself.

"I've got him," He told Yang.

She nodded then turned to address the girl.

…Was it her, or had the Faunus grown extremely pale? And did she look a little…scared of her?

Yang mentally shrugged. She tried to not let it put her off doing a thorough job. A lot of people got nervous around cops. Heck, even she got her nervous around cops when she was out of uniform, so she didn't blame her.

She cleared her throat. The girl jumped slightly, refocusing wild eyes on Yang. A moment later, a small hiss escaped her lips, and she wrapped her right arm around her ribcage. Yang had noticed the girl favoring her right side. She felt bad for startling her.

"What's your name, ma'am?"

The brunette Faunus looked her right in the eyes. Almost as if challenging her. "Blake Belladonna," she said.

"Is there somewhere we can talk, Blake?"

Before Blake could answer, her boyfriend interrupted from the living room. "You can talk right here. You don't need to go anywhere."

Yang shot him a glare. "Did I ask you?" She snapped, her voice thick with the effort it took not to speak her mind to him. She'd probably lose her job.

"She's my woman. I can—"

"Sir." Sun said sternly, "Over here. I'm talking to you. Do not interrupt my partner again or I will take you outside."

Yang narrowed her eyes at Adam for good measure, then returned to questioning his 'woman.'

Blake was beginning to look extremely skittish, like she wanted to bolt. This made Yang frown. Why was the Faunus acting so edgy all of a sudden? She had looked worried before, but now she seemed plain panicked. Yang didn't like it. Not one bit. It made her nervous. The first thing she was taught at the academy was that most officers that got hurt on duty were usually hurt during these sort of calls. Tensions and emotions were running high in these situations—you just never knew when someone would snap and do something incredibly stupid or dangerous.

As if those thoughts weighing on her mind weren't bad enough, Yang was getting more agitated the longer she looked at Blake. Anyone with eyes could see that Blake was being abused by Adam. Why did she have to wait until the victim pressed charges to get scum like him off the streets? Better yet, why did girls like Blake put themselves in such horrid situations?

Get a grip, Yang. Stay cool. Follow protocol.

Yang cleared her throat.

"Ma'am, I need to take your statement so I can find out what happened here. You're not in any trouble, I promise. We just want to make sure everyone is safe and unharmed."

Amber eyes crinkled as the Faunus frowned slightly. Reluctance. Yang needed to find a way to break through it. She would really like to speak to the Faunus in private, in a place where Adam's influence over her wouldn't be that poignant. Maybe getting Blake out of sight of Adam would make her feel better. Then she might get the girl to tell her the truth. It was obvious that she had been crying recently. A couple of the bite marks on her neck looked fresh, too. Yang knew those things wouldn't be enough to arrest and prosecute Adam, though. He could just as easily claim they were into some kink.

… The thought of that filthy man and this girl doing those things… Yang's mouth watered in a very unpleasant way, a sign that she was about to throw up. She swallowed roughly, and fixed her eyes on Blake, silently pleading with her.

The weary look in Blake's eyes softened ever so slightly.

"I suppose we can speak in the bedroom."

Yang exchanged a look with Sun, silently asking him to keep himself between Adam and the bedroom hallway.

Blake shuffled away. Yang followed after her, an overwhelming sense of dread making her breath hitch. She had a bad feeling about this call. She wanted evidence; A drop of blood, a fist-shaped hole in the wall. Something—anything- to put Adam away.

Blake entered the bedroom, only going in a few feet before spinning around to face Officer Xiao Long and effectively preventing her from walking further into the room. The blonde cop looked rather imposing in her uniform, and the intense stare only added to the overall effect. She noticed the cop inspecting the room, and even though her expression gave nothing of her thoughts away, Blake could just imagine what she must be thinking.

She began to chew on her lip, her eyes flitting to the ground as she crossed her arms over her chest and clasped her biceps in her slightly shaky hands.

"So, um, what did you want to ask me?" She inquired.

Yang decided not to dance around the issue.

"I want to make sure you're okay. A concerned neighbor called and said your boyfriend was beating you up."

Blake stiffened beneath Officer Xiao Long's scrutinizing gaze. The blonde's kind eyes spoke volumes about what was really going on in her head. Blake could tell she was genuinely concerned for her.

She couldn't have that. The officer's concern was only going to make this situation much more dangerous. She needed to push this cop away now. Needed her gone.

"A concerned neighbor?" Blake scoffed. "Right. You mean one of the heroin addicts downstairs that has beef with Adam and is trying to get him arrested."

"This isn't the first time VPD had been out here. Your address has been logged four times in this month alone. That's a high number of calls. We're not even including this one yet. Surely, this is about more than a vindictive neighbor."

Blake met Officer Xiao Long's lilac eyes. Despite the intimidating outer appearance, there was a gentleness to the officer than showed itself in her eyes. It seemed Xiao Long really was one of the good ones; one of the people that joined the force because they truly wanted to help others and make the world a better place for all. She obviously had good instincts, too. Blake was certain she had covered up most of the wounds and bruises that might have actually gotten Adam in trouble, and by now she had become an expert at lying yet Xiao Long wasn't taking any outs. All the other officers that been here had jumped at the opportunity to wrap up quickly. But not Officer Xiao Long. She must sense that something was afoot.

Blake almost whimpered as she was suddenly overcome with sorrow. Here was someone who genuinely cared. All Blake could do was lie to her.

Even if Officer Xiao Long had the best of intentions, she knew that the blonde could only do so much. So she wasn't about to rat Adam out to the cops. She could take the beatings and berating because at the end of the night at least Adam had wanted her, a dirty, filthy Faunus. No other human had ever wanted her. No one except—except—

No! Don't go there, Blake.

Blake couldn't allow herself to think about the past. There was nothing there but painful memories. Shattered dreams. Hope that had gone nowhere.

"I appreciate your concern, Officer Xiao Long, but everything is fine. I'm sorry you had to come all the way out here for nothing."

Yang visibly deflated. She knew it was coming, but it still didn't prepare her for the massive disappointment she felt at Blake's response. Her heart broke even more as Blake proceeded to give her a statement in which she said she did not need medical attention, that she was not in any immediate danger, and in which she firmly denied that Adam had beaten her. Yang's stomach was turning the entire time.

"Well, Ms. Belladonna, I believe we are done here," She said once she finished jotting down the statement in her logbook. If Blake was unwilling to cooperate, then there was nothing more she could do. Not legally.

Blake pursed her lips. She looked down at her feet, then back up at the Officer. Those eyes, Blake thought. It really is her. A sliver of guilt entered her mind. Officer Xiao Long looked like a kick puppy.

"I believe so, too." She muttered, feeling self-conscious as the blonde continued to stare at her. The expression on her face was peculiar, like she was lost deep in thought, or was in the middle of figuring out some complex mathematical equation.

Could it be that Officer Yang Xiao Long recognized her?

Yang tilted her head to the side. Blake's attention was drawn to her lips as the blonde licked them. "Ms. Belladonna," she began hesitantly. "I—"

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

Blake and Yang jumped.

"Shit," The cop cursed.

Yang didn't like to brag, but she had some pretty good instincts. So when her internal alarm began making all kinds of noise, she mentally cursed herself for ignoring the initial warning. She was about to ask Blake about something that had nagged at the back of her mind since they met. That's when she heard Sun raise his voice, asking Adam to stop moving towards him. At that point, Yang excused herself from Blake and jogged back into the combination living room/kitchen.

Adam was no longer lounging on the sofa; instead, he was standing almost toe to toe with Officer Wukong. Yang noticed Sun's tail had come loose from its pocket and had become visible. Adam must have noticed it. Probably why he become antagonistic. The Taurus family was notorious for their blatant hate of the Faunus.

Which begged the question; why was Adam Taurus in a relationship with Blake? Why the hell was Blake in a relationship with him?

With a bully, of all things…

Yang shoved her logbook back into her vest then ran over to Sun's side, gently grabbed the Faunus' arm and gave a it a pull, putting some much needed distance between the seething men. She could practically smell the testosterone in the air. Neither of them were going to back down on their own. Yang didn't blame them for that. She wouldn't have either.

"What's going on here?" She asked, directing the question at Sun but keeping her focus on Adam.

"Nothing." Sun muttered darkly. "Are we done here?"

Yang arched a brow at him, but Sun completely ignored her. He had eyes for Adam only.

"Yeah, we're done here. Let's go."

"Good." Sun spun around, making a beeline for the door.

Yang turned to leave as well, but something Adam said under his breath stopped her in her tracks. "What the hell did you say?!"

A lazy, smug smile stretched itself across his mouth. "I said I can't believe my hard-earned tax dollars are paying some animal's salary. The least you can do is go out there and look for real criminals instead of breaking into people's homes and making up stories."

"Do you have a problem with Faunus? Because in case you didn't notice, your girlfriend is a Faunus." Yang pointed out.

"Oh, I noticed. That kitty tongue of hers does—"

"Finish that sentence," Yang challenged. "I dare you."

Adam's eyes widened and the rest of his words died on his tongue as his mouth flopped open in shock. He was suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun, a pair of livid lilacs eyes peeking over the sights. For a brief moment, Adam questioned his decision to harass the monkey Faunus. He hadn't been intimidated by Officer Wukong's tough guy act, but he hadn't counted on his partner being a loose cannon. This one… the look in her eyes…

She might actually have the balls to do it, Adam thought.

"Xiao Long, that's enough!" Sun barked across the room, his own hand resting on his gun as he assessed the situation. It was quickly getting out of control. It was obvious that asshole, Taurus, was baiting them. He was the kind of guy that had no respect for an officer of the law.

When it became apparent that Yang wasn't going to move of her own accord, Sun stiffly stomped over there. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Let it go, Xiao Long," His blue eyes darted to Blake who remained in the hallway, looking apprehensive, but unwilling to get involved. "It's not worth it."

Blake flinched at his tone. She knew he meant she wasn't worth it. She and Adam had a bad rep with the cops; they were called to the house at least once a week by some do-good neighbor. Blake never pressed charges and Adam was rarely taken to jail unless he happened to be extremely drunk or extra belligerent. Even then, the Taurus family lawyer and fortune made it so that the racist misogynist got out with little more than a slap on the wrist. The cops hardly bothered with him anymore.

But Officer Xiao Long… Blake shivered. Officer Xiao Long looked like she wanted to rip Adam's throat out with her bare hands. Blake knew she could do it, too. That fire in her eyes didn't lie. It was unmistakable.

It really is her…

A very tense moment passed before Yang shoved her gun back into the holster. She shrugged Sun's hand off her shoulder with a snarl. "I'm cool, Wukong. Let's go." To Adam she said, "You have yourself a good night, Mr. Taurus."

Adam stiffened. He recognized a threat when he heard one. That woman was pissed off, her rage simmering just beneath the surface.

Yang gave Adam a cold, grim smile. I have your name and number, asshole. She turned away from him, ending their stare down. On her way out, she only paused for a moment to share a look with Blake Belladonna, who remained frozen to her spot by the hallway. Yang wanted so badly to take the Faunus away from this hellhole and away from that bastard.

She couldn't. She couldn't protect the Faunus. Not this time.

I'm sorry, Blake.

"Have yourself a goodnight, ma'am." She said under her breath, then all but ran out of the apartment, Sun hot on her heels.

The rest of Yang and Sun's shift was relatively quiet. They did a few routine traffic stops, stopped to talk to a CI, but none of those things were half as strenuous as that call to Menagerie. At the end of the shift, Yang was exhausted and still fuming from the encounter with Adam Taurus and about the fact that someone like him was walking the streets of her city.

…Sun pulled the cruiser into the Sally Port at the PD and turned off the engine. Yang reached for the door handle, but Sun spoke up, causing her to pause.

"So spit it out, Xiao Long. What happened back there? You completely lost it. You're hot-headed, but you're not stupid. What you did back there was reckless and dangerous. One call and the Taurus family will have your job. You'll never work in Vale again."

Yang rolled her eyes. She was too damn tired and emotionally drained to put up with one of Sun's stiff upper lip speeches. Even if he was the senior officer. "Not now, Sun."

"Why'd you flip?"

"Why did you?"

"Do you know him?"

Yang was taken aback by the question. What on earth made him think she knew Adam Taurus? The guy was lucky this was their first (and hopefully last) encounter. Another meeting between them would be bad for his health. "No. I don't know him."

"What about the girl?" Sun pushed. "Do you know her?"

Yang groaned, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling of the cruiser. "What the hell makes you think I know them?"

Sun shrugged. "That girl looked like she'd seen a ghost once she got a good look at you. She couldn't keep her eyes off of you."

Yang sneered at that. "You mean she couldn't keep her eyes off that asshole."

"I'm serious, Yang. Is there something I should know?"

She drew a deep breath, mentally talking herself down from the impending rage-induced fit she was about to throw. She loved Sun, she really did, but he needed to back down. Her patience was virtually non-exist at this point.

"I know you don't want me to ask you all these questions, but try to see it from my point of view, Xiao Long. You're an exemplary officer. Practically a legend in VPD. Your behavior tonight was surprising. I've never seen a punk rile you up like that."

Yang closed her eyes. Breathe, Xiao Long. Don't lose your head. He's just watching out for you. That's it. Breathe.

Sun was right, of course. It wasn't like her to lose her cool like that, no matter how dire the situation. She took a second to contemplate her answer before expressing her thoughts.

"Honestly? I'm pissed off that Blake didn't press charges. He's obviously beating her. Why would she protect him?"

Sun sighed, draping his arms over the steering wheel as he leaned back to ponder her question. "I understand your frustration, but some people are just like that, Yang. They don't know how to be anything other than victims."

Before Yang could argue with him, Sun continued,

"You also have to consider this girl's situation. Adam Taurus is the son of the man who has the mayor paid off. His family is extremely powerful. You don't want to make an enemy out of someone that has those kinds of connections. Maybe Blake did the smart thing," Sun suggested with a weary sigh. "You and I both know Chief Ozpin is a great man, but even his influence only goes so far. Anyway, you seem especially invested in this case."

Yang bit her lip. "You know I hate to see girls cry, Sun. I hate that I couldn't do anything."

She leaned her head back against the headrest. Reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. She wanted to cry. She signed up for the force to uphold the law. She believed in justice. In fairness. Yet Sun was right- there was only so much she could do. Her hands were tied. She would be lucky if she still had a job tomorrow.

Sun watched a volley of emotions play across his partner's face. He felt bad for her. Yang was one of the good ones. She was one of the rare ones—the hopeful, idealist do-good cop that still believed the world could be a just place. He wished that were so, but after six years on the force he eventually figured out that the game called life was played by certain rules, and that these rules were made by people in power. Typically, those in power were the ones with money. Adam's family had a lot of it.

Life could be pretty screwed up.

"Go home and get some sleep, Xiao Long. I'll talk to Ozpin about what happened… Don't let this turn inward." That said, Sun climbed out of the cruiser.

Eventually Yang climbed out of the car as well. She went inside, dropped off her reports, and then beat a hasty retreat to her motorcycle parked out back.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. There was a slight chill in the air.

After the night's drama, Yang should really go home and try to unwind. The thought of being alone with her thoughts, however, made her stomach twist. She didn't want to think about what she saw a few hours ago. About who she saw. So instead of heading home, Yang headed out of town, intent on taking the two hour drive to Signal in the hopes of clearing her mind.

After the police left, Blake had found herself at Adam's mercy.

The problem was that Adam didn't have a merciful bone in his body. He was pissed off that the cops had been called even if they both knew that nothing could be done to him. Adam was protected by his family's wealth and influence.

…Faunus have an incredibly high tolerance for pain. Especially when they put their minds to it. Even so, Blake was certain she had reached her limit when a punch to the jaw that wasn't particularly powerful knocked her to floor.

Her head spun. Blood immediately filled her mouth, and she had to fight extra hard to keep herself from gagging at the taste as she was forced to choke it down instead of spit it up. Adam would kill her if she got blood on the carpet. Not that he cared about the carpet—he just didn't want her to leave behind any evidence of the violence. A black eye could be explained away. Blood stains were not as easily disregarded.

"I saw the way you looked at her."

Blake slowly pushed herself up on her hands and knees.

"Who? What are you talking about?" She slurred.

Her head snapped to the side from the force of a slap. Several vertebrae in her neck popped in protest of the violent blow. More blood filled her mouth, and this time she couldn't keep all of it down. She cringed as some of it dribbled down her chin, but she quickly reached up and swiped her arm across her mouth.

"You know who, my love," Adam said in a velvety smooth voice. He reached toward her. Blake flinched, expecting another slap or punch. Instead, Adam caressed her face in what could have passed as a loving touch.

Blake knew better. He was only mocking her.

She grit her teeth against a groan of pain, and took a shaky breath. "I wasn't looking at her."

Adam lifted a shapely brow. "Are you calling me a liar?" He asked, ripping his hand away from her face. He stooped down and sneered at her. "You, a filthy Faunus, are calling me a liar?" He spat.

Blake saw the kick coming, but wasn't fast enough to brace herself for it. The tip of Adam's boot slammed into her ribcage.

At first there was no pain. Just a brief moment of nothingness as her breath tore out of her lungs. Her eyes widened a second later when she heard a very distinguished crack. The pain came a heartbeat later, and it was so bad it literally zapped all of her strength, causing her arms to buckle. She keeled over with a shrill cry.

"Stop screaming!" Adam snarled through grit teeth. "I swear if your neighbor calls the cops again…"

Blake pressed her forehead into the floor, her jaw clenched as she held her breath in an effort to suffocate the pain. Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes. It felt like there was a knife in her side. If Coco called the cops, this time there would be nothing Blake could do stop them from taking Adam. There was simply no way she could pretend to be okay this time. The pain was so sharp that it made her want to throw up.

"You know, when I picked you to be my girlfriend, Blake, I thought you were going to be cool. Do you even realize how fortunate you are to have me, Adam Taurus, even look in your direction? Let alone give you the time of day. But I was kind, Blake. I made you my girlfriend. I made you, a Faunus, my girlfriend. I buy you things. I treat you good. And now? Now you want to ogle some shit for brains cop right in front of me?"

Blake grimaced and moaned into the floor as she curled into a ball on her knees.

Adam scoffed, and pushed her onto her side with his foot. "Why must you hurt me, Blake?"

His figure became a blurry splotch of black and red as tears blinded her. It hurt to breathe. Like she was inhaling shards of glass with every breath.

"Pl—please stop…" She pleaded with him.

Adam's thin, red lips curled into a cruel, sinister smile. "Are you in pain, Blake?" Blake's heart lurched, pounding against her chest like a caged animal that knew it was about to be executed. "Are you in pain, my love?"

Adam was a bully, and Blake knew bullies very well. What came next was not unexpected, but it still tore away at her soul.

Her nod was almost imperceptible. Things would be so much worse if she resisted. "Y—yes. I'm in pain."

"Don't worry, Blake. I'll make it all better."

TBC?