'Ever done something so incredibly stupid and then wondered what came over you to make you think it was good idea in the first place? My answer to that is it seemed like a good idea at the time. What I did over the last 24 hours, though? At no point did it seem like a good idea. In fact, the more I went through with it, the dumber it seemed. I made it a point not to lie to myself about these things. Logically speaking, there would be no benefit in interfering save for the satisfaction of giving a sleaze ball an ass-whoopin' that was a long time coming. That, and, well, rescuing a pretty girl. What can I say? I like to be the hero…

My mom used to say I was all heart, no head, and that one day it would get me in trouble.

She was absolutely right about that.'

Yang came to slowly. As if she were dragging her conscious through sludge. She could hear things, like the sound of a siren in the distance; She could smell things, like the coppery stench of blood; She could feel things, like pain. A lot of it. But she couldn't form a coherent thought. Couldn't open her eyes. She sensed her body and her surroundings but felt trapped within her own body and mind, unable to move, unable to think clearly.

Minutes passed. Or perhaps it was only seconds. Yang managed to peel her heavy lids open. She found herself staring at a sad excuse of a staircase, the wooden parts rotting and the metal parts so rusted a hard breeze might make them disintegrate. The officer stared blankly at the stairs, her mind spinning as she tried to gather her bearings.

She passed out. Blacked out. Whatever. She lost consciousness. It felt like she was gone for days, but judging by the lack of cops and an audience, it was, in reality, only a few seconds or minutes.

Yang brought a shaky hand up to her hair and brushed her fingers through her unruly mane. "Shit," she muttered, her voice trembling. She felt sick to her stomach and the reasons why were far too many. She kind of wished she'd stayed unconscious.

She took a moment to catch her breath, steady herself. It was eerily quiet. The last thing she heard before she fainted was the sound of gunshots and sirens. She was sure she would be waking to a circus of cops, ambulances, and bodies. Fear struck her numb. That last one was still very much a possibility. As an officer Yang had an obligation to go inside apartment 2016. As a human she wanted to run away and never look back.

Eventually, she managed to stagger to her feet with a hiss. Her leg felt tingly and heavy. Adam must have hit a nerve or something equally important. Yang grimaced, tightening her grip on the railing as the world shifted without her. "I'm gonna puke,"

"Pl—please don't."

Yang snapped her head to the side, eyes darting over her shoulder.

Blake had her back pressed against the wall. Her head was tilted back; She wore a frown, and her scrunched features (speckled with blood) screamed pain. Yang swallowed roughly. She couldn't remember if that blood had been on her face before.

Blake rolled her head on the wall, angling it towards Yang. Her eyes opened sluggishly, as if it took a great deal of effort to accomplish such a small feat. Glazed over amber eyes stared tiredly at Yang. "If you start hurling, I won't be too far behind you," She explained.

Yang bit the inside of her lip. A fresh dose of adrenaline surged through her veins as her mind sorted through every worst case scenario. She drew a deep, shuddering breath, turned her body to face Blake, and tentatively asked, "What happened?"

Blake stiffened, and it looked painful. Her dark brows furrowed and her jaw bulged as she clenched her teeth. "He's alive, if that's what you're asking."

Yang's entire body deflated, her relief palpable. She blew out a breath, her gaze flickering to the door before jumping back to Blake. "Are you okay?" Blake scoffed, but the previously hard look in her eyes softened. Yang smiled grimly. "Right. Stupid question."

They stared at each other, silent and contemplative. Yang was the first to look away, glancing down at her feet with her lip caught between her teeth. "What now?" She asked, her voice just above a whisper.

Blake cocked her head to the side. Yang sounded… scared. That was the Faunus's fault. All of this was her fault. She reached up to scratch a suddenly itchy spot at the crown of her head. "This is quite the shit storm, huh?" Yang huffed. Blake's lips pulled back in a small, stiff smile. "I'm so sorry I got you involved in all of this."

"Don't. Don't do that." Yang said, her voice stern. She took an unsteady step towards Blake. Amber eyes tracked her diligently, but Blake didn't seem put off by her approach. She inched a bit closer. Close enough to reach out and touch her. "Don't blame yourself for something you had no control over. It was my choice to come here."

"But you wouldn't have come here if it wasn't for me."

Yang tilted her head to the side. "That's only half true. I had no idea I'd run into you when Sun and I took that call."

"Most cops won't take calls here."

"I'm not your average cop."

Blake narrowed her eyes as she studied the beat-up officer. "No. You're not. There's nothing average about you."

Despite everything, a goofy grin appeared on Yang's lips. "Are you flirting with me? Because coming from you, I really don't mind it."

Blake blinked. What was happening? "Um, are you okay?"

Yang shrugged. "I feel pretty good. Considering," She added as an afterthought.

"Good. Maybe you can help me out then."

"Help you—"

Blake's legs suddenly crumbled beneath her. She expected to hit the ground, but Yang was fast. The blonde officer lunged out and caught her. Blake fought the urge to vomit as her head spun. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Blake! Blake, come on!"

She slowly opened her eyes at Yang's behest.

Yang's features were tight with worry, her eyes wild with concern. Blake kind of had to just stop everything for a moment. She stopped thinking. She stopped breathing. She just wanted to let this sink in. Yang Xiao Long was holding her in her arms again. She'd dreamt about this, but never imagined it could actually happen. Sure, the circumstances surrounding their reunion was less than ideal, but that hardly made this any less of a small miracle for the Faunus.

"I'm okay," She reassured the panicking woman.

"I'm sorry, Blake," Yang spat the apology past the lump in her throat. She was starting to lose her voice. It was painful. "I—I—" She couldn't get the words out. "I should have come sooner. I shouldn't have left. This is my fault."

Blake had so much she wanted to say, but in all honesty it was getting harder not to give in to the pain in her side and scream. Being held in Yang's arms was the stuff of dreams, but the position was beginning to irritate her broken ribs. She just needed Yang to stop beating herself up about this. "This isn't your fault."

"But I—"

Blake shook her head. "Yang, I—…Will you just take me away from here? Please?"

Yang looked stunned for a brief moment before giving Blake a quivering smile and a nod. "Of course."

"What about your job?" The Faunus wondered as the blonde began a painfully slow descent down the ratty staircase. Concern flared for the officer. She took quite the beating, and she hadn't forgotten that Adam slashed her leg with a box-cutter. There was so much blood, Blake wasn't sure how Yang was still standing, let alone carrying her.

"It doesn't matter," The officer choked out, her voice incredibly rough. "You matter."

Blake swallowed. Yang sounded so sincere. So determined. And she held her so gently. Like she was afraid Blake might shatter. Blake offered her a tentative smile. It hurt her jaw to do so, but she felt her heart flutter a little. She hadn't had a reason to smile in so long.

"So… This brings back memories, doesn't it?"

"You remember?"

Yang made a small noise in the back of her throat. Her eyes darted away, but the corner of her mouth lilted upwards a little. "Of course I remember. I couldn't forget someone like you."

Blake felt her neck and cheeks warm up. Her own lips twitched into a smile as she ducked her head. Her eyes darted to Yang's hand curled around her knees. "Someone like me?"

"We have a lot to talk about. One step at a time, kitten." Her head shot up. Her eyes peered ahead. Blake looked up, following her line of sight. Her heart skipped several beats then shot into overdrive.

In the distance, the red and blue lights of several VPD squad cars lit up the street.

"What do you know," Blake said, feeling strangely numb. "They took the call."

Yang's mouth was a hard line. "This should be fun."

XBullyX

Nine Months Later…

Who can say, at the exact moment it happens, that they know they've made a decision that will forever alter the course of their lives? Were the things that happened always meant to happen that way? Would they have happened regardless of actions taken or decisions made? Is life pre-destined, or is it one big cosmic joke?, a series of random consequences triggered by random events? And who can say, in the moment they meet someone, their destines will be forever intertwined?

Actually, that last one was far easier to predict, in Yang's opinion. She knew Blake Belladonna was meant to be a part of her life the moment she laid eyes on her. It was just a feeling she got that fifteen years of separation were not able to shake.

Even so, Yang wondered if perhaps the circumstances surrounding their fated meetings could have been avoided. Maybe they could have met at a bar, or they could have bumped into each other while jogging or something less… inconvenient.

Yang was brought back to the here and now by the D.A.'s insistent questions. "How's life on the other side of the glass?"

"The same as I remember it. I was only gone for a month."

"You'd be surprised what can happen in a month. You can fall in love, knock someone up. Turn to a life of crime. Join a spin class,"

Yang squeezed her cellphone. "Nobody's falling in love in jail. Or joining a spin class. Now, tell me what I want to hear, you pesky drunk."

Her comment was greeted by such a heavy sigh, Yang swore it tickled the fine hairs inside her ear.

"You don't ever make things easy, do you? I swear you get that Hardass-y-ness from your mother."

"Hardass-y-ness is not a word. Besides, I'm pretty sure I get it from my uncle."

"You know I can get in a lot of trouble for giving you this information, don't you?"

Yang felt a sliver of affection surface for her uncle Qrow. He might be an ass but he always came through for family. He was reliable in a rough situation if nothing else.

"I wouldn't have called you if this wasn't important. You're the D.A. You have to know something. Why do they keep postponing the trial? It's been months. And what the hell happened to Adam Taurus? No one will tell me anything and not knowing is killing me." She whined.

"Shouldn't you know? I mean, you were there, right?"

"I was high as a kite on pain meds, remember? For all I know, we were in Narnia."

"Trust me, sweetie, Vale is a far cry from Narnia." Qrow muttered darkly.

"Are you going to help me out or not?" Yang growled into her cellphone.

Qrow had a few choice words to share about her tone, but eventually he relented and told her what she wanted to know.

"As you know, Mr. Taurus suffered several broken ribs, a fractured nose, a fractured cheek-bone, a fractured eye socket and lacerations to his face. He had a dislocated thumb, considerable damage from blunt force trauma to his groin, and due to the gunshot to the knee, he is still walking on crutches. He also lost a few teeth. Care to explain that last one?"

Yang recalled the memory, though a bit hazy, of Blake using a gun to slap Adam. She didn't tell Qrow that, though. He'd never even met Blake outside of the courtroom but he disapproved of her by default. Anyone that got one of his nieces in trouble was automatically on his shit-list. Yang both adored him and hated him for that. What happened that night was not Blake's fault.

"It was self-defense."

"Don't you find it a little peculiar that he was shot in the right knee? Your right leg was injured, if I recall correctly."

Yang bit her lip. Yes, she did find it peculiar. "It was self-defense," She repeated, unwavering in her defense of Blake's actions.

Even though she wasn't present for the shooting and therefore did not know what happened after she walked away, she maintained that Blake was innocent. She never asked Blake for the details. Something at the back of her mind told her the less she knew about that, the better. All she knew is that Blake was forced to shoot Adam in order to get away. Apparently he'd regained consciousness after she walked outside.

Qrow sighed. "Okay, yeah. Sure. Let's go with that. Anyway, I've been told Adam's father had him moved to their summer home in Vacuo." He paused. The silence dragged on so long Yang feared he might be reconsidering talking to her. "What I am about to tell you is extremely confidential, Yang. One slip from you and we're both screwed."

"I won't say a word." Yang promised.

"I'm serious. I can't tell how you how bad things will get for all of us if anyone finds out I shared this with you. Hell, I'm not even supposed to know this."

"I said I get it."

Qrow muttered something she didn't quite catch. Knowing him, that was probably for the best.

"Alright. Word is that a few nights ago Adam's father received a package at his home. Inside were three items; a thumb drive which contained parts of a highly sensitive, highly incriminating document. Someone hacked into Wilt's computer to get it. It could land him, several other members of the Taurus family, and several high-ranking city officials in prison."

Yang whistled. "Damn."

Qrow snickered. "My thoughts exactly."

"Are you one of those high-ranking officials?"

"You're pretty cheeky for someone begging for help."

Yang pulled her lips back in a sneer. Her uncle had been very touchy as of late. "What else was in the package?"

"The second item was a Newspaper clipping; the one about you getting suspended." Silence. "The third was an index card with four words typed out in all caps and bolded. It said, 'MAKE IT GO AWAY.' We assumed it meant make this whole ordeal with you and Blake go away. Needless to say, Old Wilt has convinced some big fish to quietly sweep the case under the rug."

Yang's breath hitched. Her world came to a stand-still. Did that mean what she thought it meant? Was she—was she—Yang gulped. "What—what does that mean?"

"Do I have to spell everything out for you? I know you're sharper than that, kiddo."

"Please, Qrow."

"That's why your trial keeps getting postponed. There isn't going to be one. The only reason you're still being kept in the dark is that Wilt's lackeys are making everything look legit. Do the math. It adds up to you and your friend getting a 'get out of jail free' card. You're a lucky son of a bitch."

Yang bit down on her tongue to keep back a few choice words of her own at Qrow's insensitive comment. She'd sustained considerable injuries including a broken nose, fractured jaw, a severe concussion, and considerable damage to the nerves in her right leg and to her vocal cords. That was not to mention the legal repercussions. And Blake! Through-out the incident, Blake had slowly been bleeding out internally due to a previous injury—a tear in her lung from a broken rib. The Faunus spent almost two weeks in a coma.

Yang was still trying to… deal… with all that shit. Some days were better than others. Qrow called that lucky?!

"Blake coded, Qrow. Twice! I spent three months in therapy learning to walk and talk again."

"Yang," Qrow sounded taken aback. "I didn't mean—"

"I know." She sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. Yelling at her uncle wasn't helping anything. She just needed him to understand that neither she nor Blake walked away unscathed. "I wouldn't exactly say we got off Scott-free. You ever spend a month in the slammer? It's not pretty. Especially not when you're a cop."

"Oz made sure you were separated from Gen Pop. It could have been a lot worse and you know it, kiddo," He said, not unapologetically, but Qrow had his own way with words.

Yang grit her teeth to keep from spouting off at the mouth again. He didn't know how many times she came close to getting whacked by Vale Correctional Facility's finest. Separation from the general population did not mean separation from asshole guards that took it upon themselves to dish out "justice" on "corrupt asshole cops." Their words, not hers.

"You're right. I should be grateful. Things could have been so much worse. I'm just relieved that it's all over now."

"Even so, you have to be careful. Just because Adam isn't pressing charges doesn't mean you're off the hook yet. VPD is still investigating. And you have to know not every officer on the force has your back. The Taurus family has a lot of connections."

"I know."

"You've got a big bulls-eye on your back. Not everyone feels the same way about the Faunus as you and Ozpin do. Not everyone appreciates your heroics. Especially not for a Faunas and at the expense of a fellow human."

Yang flinched. "Trust me, I know."

Qrow kept going like he didn't hear her. "Your mom and pops are worried sick about you. As if you joining the academy was not bad enough, your kid sister had to go and join the Atlas Military. Sheez," He groaned, "Even I'm getting gray hair worrying about you brats."

Yang glanced past the glass doors of her deck. She shivered at the sight of powdery white snow covering the ground.

Her sister and Weiss were running around the backyard, chucking handfuls of snow at each other, squealing and trading insults every time one successfully managed to get snow in the other one's clothes or boots. Ruby wore a huge grin on her face. Her much longer hair flowed out of a festive, red, wool cap that sported a pair of reindeer antlers on top. Weiss was ducked behind a tree, grinning maniacally as she rolled up a snowball. Her cheeks were a lovely shade of red beneath her pale complexion. Ruby said something Yang wasn't able to catch, but Weiss certainly didn't take well to it. She dropped the snow ball, released a battle cry, then charged across the yard, tackling Ruby into the snow. Both their upper bodies disappeared into the snow, leaving only their legs flailing about as they stuck out of the snow mound.

Yang grinned. "I don't think you have to worry about Ruby, uncle Qrow."

There was a shuffling noise, like papers being moved around. "Right now it's not the pipsqueak I'm concerned about. I know that pretty little girlfriend of hers keeps her in line. But you, Yang? You were always the impulsive one, jumping into things without thinking them through… Now there's someone else involved in this mess and we don't even know who."

Yang ignored the comments about her impulsivity. 'Like you're one to talk, Qrow. You probably have a hundred babies out there.'

"You mean whoever is blackmailing Wilt?"

"You wouldn't happen to know any hackers, would you?"

"The only person I know that is even remotely decent around a computer is Pyrrha."

Qrow muttered something unintelligible under his breath. "She got a stake in this?"

"No way. She even stopped talking to me after she was fired."

"Hmm… And what about your little friend?"

"She has a name, Qrow. Try using it sometime. What exactly are you suggesting?"

"Maybe she has some friends in high places. Think about it, Yang. How well do you know this woman?"

Yang licked the back of her teeth as she bared them at the counter. "I know her well enough," She said tersely. "Even if she does have 'friends in high places,' that's a good thing. You just said Wilt is going to make this entire mess disappear."

"Yeah, but at what cost? And who is going to pay it?"

All good questions demanding solid answers Yang didn't have. "If you don't mind, I want to get back to my breakfast before it freezes."

"Hey, you're the one that called me."

"You're incorrigible."

Qrow chuckled. "I know you're pissed once you start using big words."

"Screw you, Qrow."

"Yeah, yeah. Stay safe, kid. I'll be seeing you soon."

"Say hi to mom and dad for me."

"One more thing, Yang."

"What is it?"

"You should consider moving out of Vale. It's a given that you'll never work as a police officer again. The Anti-Faunus group won't let Oz reinstate you without making a bigger mess of things. I'm afraid you'll end up making things worse for yourself if you fight them. There's nothing left for you out here, kid. Nothing but trouble… I'm sorry about your job. I know you loved it."

Yang smiled sadly. "Some things just mattered more."

Qrow snorted. "You mean someone."

"Bye, Qrow."

"Alright, alright," He appeased, "Just…" He sighed. "Just be careful. You've got a big heart, kid. Some people won't fail to take advantage of that. Just watch your six. I'll see ya later."

"See ya." Yang hung up. "God, that man gives me a headache." How could one conversation be so encouraging yet so discouraging at the same time? All that back and forth had given her whiplash! However, Qrow's warning carried considerable weight; her uncle was not the type to cry wolf for the hell of it. If he was concerned, then maybe she should be too.

'Then again, Qrow Branwen does have a flair for the dramatics.'

Yang set her cell phone side.

'Ugh! I just want to forget this shit for five minutes. I guess the best way to accomplish that is to focus on something good. You know, like the fact that I'm not going to prison. Yeah, I'd say that's something worth cheering up for, Xiao Long.'

"Good point," She muttered to herself.

Her attention diverted back to Ruby and Weiss. They were rolling around on the ground, shoving snow in each other's faces. They looked so carefree. So unfettered and young. Yang sometimes found it hard to believe that Ruby was a soldier, and Weiss Schnee was one of Vale PD's shining stars. At the moment, none of that mattered. They were not Staff Sergeant Ruby Rose of Atlas and Captain Weiss Schnee of VPD—they were two young girls playing in the snow and enjoying each other's company. Seeing them happy made Yang's heart soar. They were her light at the end of this very dark tunnel.

'Well, them and Blake. Speaking of…'

"They look like they're having fun."

Yang shuddered at the mere thought of the cold. She'd much rather be inside where it was warm. "Fun? In the cold? I don't do well in the cold."

"With the amount of heat your body puts out, I find that difficult to believe."

Yang waggled her brows suggestively, grinning cheekily. "You'd know all about my body heat."

"That I do."

Yang guffawed at the retort. Blake strolled to her side, smirking.

Her eyes roamed hungrily over the Faunus, drinking in everything from her cute, crazy bedhead to the pair of long, bare legs poking out from underneath Yang's black and yellow VPD Academy t-shirt. The Faunus had gained a little weight in the past nine months, making her fill out nicely. Her complexion wasn't so pale anymore, either. If Blake had been beautiful before, she was drop dead gorgeous now. Her long, glossy black hair was swept back over her left shoulder, cascading down her back in silky curls. Besides her ears and eyes, Blake's hair was Yang's favorite part of the Faunus.

"Ms. Belladonna, correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe you were bragging just now."

Blake flashed her a sly smile as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "I learned from the best." She said with a wink, then snagged the half-eaten piece of bacon from between Yang's fingers.

Yang's expression morphed from one of awe to one of agony. "My bacon!" She whimpered.

Blake giggled around a mouthful. "I'm Sorry?"

Yang pouted. She was so not sorry.

"I hope you realize how much you mean to me. I don't let just anyone eat my bacon."

Blake slipped herself onto her lap. Yang's arms instinctively encircled her waist. The Faunus reveled in the contact for a moment before she stole more of Yang's food.

"You're a monster!"

Yang protested, only half serious. She grinned as Blake made happy sounds of approval. If it were anyone else –even Ruby—stealing her food, they'd find themselves staring down the business end of her Glock. As it were, Blake seemed to have this special power that made Yang act a fool. All she had to do was bat her pretty, dark lashes or flick those little, black ears of hers, and Yang was putty in her soft, strong hands. She held Blake as she watched her finish off the breakfast, her heart racing and face flushing as the Faunus wiggled in her lap.

"Thank you, sweetie," Blake said happily, nibbling on a piece of toast. "Why don't I make you some pancakes? Chocolate chip?"

Yang squeezed her. "You don't have to."

Blake leaned her head back, nuzzling Yang's cheek with her nose. "I want to."

"Mm," Yang sighed happily. "Whatever you want."

Blake smiled. As much as she loved to tease Yang, Blake never wanted to take her kindness for granted. Truly, the last nine or so months had felt like a dream. Every now and then she wondered when she was going to wake up. She wondered if she was still in a coma and her time with Yang was an illusion. There were instances in which she was so convinced that was the case that she would become paralyzed with fear and depression, and she'd lock herself up in her room for hours. Yang always gave her space, but she never let her stay alone for too long. Some days it was more difficult than others to convince her that this was all real. The only thing that fully convinced her were the scars they got as a memento of that awful morning at her apartment. Yang would also hold her so securely that even if it was a dream, Blake knew she would never slip from her embrace. Yang was damn near perfect.

"How about we just sit together and talk?" Yang suggested, her body curling around the Faunus.

Blake set Yang's now empty coffee cup down on the table. She gently shifted in Yang's lap, facing her. "Yang?"

"Yes?"

Blake looked deeply into her eyes. It soothed her like nothing else could. She could look at Yang's eyes for hours, for days on end, and never grow tired because Yang was just so open and honest—something Blade hadn't experienced too often.

Yang's breath hitched as Blake reached up and clasped her hands behind her neck. She twirled a tuft of her blonde hair around a finger, the gentle touch making her shiver. Blake leaned forward and placed a little kiss on the corner of her mouth. Yang's heart swelled. Butterflies in her stomach? More like pterodactyls. Blake's kisses were so sweet they were agonizing! It was the best kind of torture.

"Seriously. Thank you for everything."

"No problem," The blonde squeaked.

A minute went by. Yang felt a little more composed after Blake hopped off her lap. The Faunus collected the dirty dishware on the table, and padded to the sink. "Hey, Blake? I, uh, I have something to tell you."

The dishes almost slipped out of Blake's hand so she set them down a bit harder than she intended. She glanced up at Yang, who looked sheepish. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that is the worst possible way to start a conversation?" She was trying to joke, but there was definitely a hint of nervousness in her voice. "What is it?"

Yang's hands fidgeted on the table. "Do you, ahh—umm… Do you remember Cardin Winchester?"

Blake ears twitched before flattening on top of her head "Acutely," She said, licking her suddenly dry lips.

Yang smiled nervously. "He's an elementary teacher now."

Blake's expression remained blank. Yang had quickly learned that Blake Belladonna had one hell of a poker face. "Good for him."

The blonde mentally snickered at the terse reply. Blake might have a good game face, but her eyes, ears, and voice tended to give her away. Her burning curiosity shone through, breaking past the initial defensiveness. It was encouraging. Curiosity was a good sign.

"He has three kids."

"Yang, is this conversation going anywhere?" Blake finally asked. Why was she talking about Cardin Winchester of all people? Why now?

"He's married to a Faunus. A wolf Faunus, to be exact."

"He… He is?"

Yang nodded. She got up from the table and walked to Blake's side. Shimmering, amber eyes watched her with an intensity that could make a statue sweat. Sometimes Yang felt pretty small beneath those eyes. "He… He has Faunus children?" She detected a small hint of fear in the Faunus' eyes. Yang vowed to one day remove every trace of it.

"He does. I saw him yesterday at the market. He actually flagged me down. He asked if I had seen you around. He said—"

"He said what?"

Yang wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close. Blake shuddered as she took a deep breath, inhaling Yang's scent. Her tense muscles loosened up a little. She closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into Yang's chest, tucking her head beneath the blonde's chin. Yang's warmth immediately enveloped Blake like a cocoon, and it eased away some of her tension. Yang stroked her back. Blake's chest began to vibrate with a purr. It was the second time in nine months that Yang accomplished that—making her feel safe and comfortable enough to do something so intimate; something that if done in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong person, could get her killed. The amount of trust required for her to feel so at ease was staggering. Trusting Yang so implicitly was not something that came about easily.

Yang sighed contently, her body sinking into Blake's. She closed her eyes, savoring the contact. It was an attempt to comfort the Faunus, yes, but she also just liked hugging Blake. A lot. Like, she wanted to do it all the time.

"What did Cardin say?" Blake prompted.

"He asked about you. He asked how you were doing. He said he heard about your father. That he tried to look you up when he heard about it. He also said that he was sorry for everything that happened. That he knew saying sorry won't make the pain go away, but that he wishes you the best."

"He said that? Cardin Winchester said that?"

Yang nodded.

Blake bit her lip to keep it from trembling as a mess of emotions surged up inside of her like demons resurrected from hell. She couldn't quite keep the tears from falling. There had been times when she'd blamed Cardin for all the misfortune in her life. She even fantasized about hunting him down and giving him a taste of his own medicine. But the truth was that after Yang gave him that smack down, Cardin's ire towards her eventually fizzled out. Sure, there were other bullies to take up the torch, Adam Taurus included, but as far as Blake was concerned, Cardin Winchester's role in her life ended the day Yang's began. Honestly, it was thanks to that school yard bully that she was given the opportunity to meet Yang. She wasn't sure it would have happened otherwise.

'It's funny how things work out. Still… I'm not sure how to feel about this.'

"Are you okay, Blake?" Yang inquired, feeling the Faunus tremble. She'd debated with herself long and hard, asking herself if delivering Cardin's message was the right thing to do. She took a week and a half to think it over. After much internal conflict, she came to the conclusion that Blake was nothing if not resilient, and if she could get past the initial pain, Cardin's words might actually do some good.

In a way, bumping into Cardin was good news. They could surely use some of that.

"I don't know." Blake answered truthfully. "I still have Adam to think about. Adding Cardin to the mix…"

Yang tightened her hold on Blake. She lowered her lips to the cat ear with the scar, the one that almost got cut off, and placed a feather-light kiss on it. She let her lips linger there, enjoying the way the soft fur tickled the sensitive flesh, and the way Blake started purring again.

"You don't have to worry about Adam anymore, Blake."

"I know you mean well, Yang, but—"

Yang shook her head. "No, I mean, you really don't have to worry about him. Like ever again. I just got off the phone with Qrow. The trial is being dismissed. Adam isn't pressing charges. In fact, he's not even in Vale anymore. We're good, Blake."

Blake pulled herself away from Yang, seeking out those lilac eyes she adored so much. "Are you serious?" Her heart began to pound and her breathing grew heavy with excitement. "You're not going to jail again?" That month had been the worst of Blake's life. That was saying something, considering her life. The Faunus wasn't quite sure how she survived it, but she certainly had Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Sun Wukong, and even Winter Schnee for that- all Yang's family and friends.

"I'm serious." Yang smiled. "We're free. And I'm sorry I told you about Cardin. I thought hearing his message might help you somehow."

"Don't—don't worry about it."

"I won't if you promise to stop worrying about Adam. No one is ever going to hurt you again, little kitten. I promise. I swear on my life."

Blake's lips twitched with a watery smile. Too many promises made to her had been broken, but if there was anyone she could trust to keep their word, it was Yang. She knew the blonde was not exaggerating when she said she swore on her life. Yang was the kind of person that backed up her words with action

"Okay," She sniffled.

Yang kissed her ear again. "Okay... Would you like to join Ruby and Weiss outside? They-"

Ruby and Weiss chose that moment to barge inside, red-faced and panting. Powdered snow stuck to several parts of their bodies.

"Speak of the devils," Yang muttered, rolling her eyes.

Blake subtly reached up to brush the tears from her eyes. "No kidding," She said, amused.

"Blake! You're awake! Come outside and help me take Mount Zwei back from the evil Ice Queen!" Ruby flailed.

Blake shared a look with Yang. "We'll talk more later," Yang promised. They slowly untangled from each other but remained pressed into each other's sides.

Blake glanced at Weiss. "Mount Zwei and the evil Ice Queen, huh?"

Weiss huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and jutting out her left hip. She was far from being amused, judging by the cross look on her face. "I'd hardly call a heap of your sister's forgotten garbage covered in snow a mountain, you dolt. And Mount Zwei? How creative." She said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean it's not creative!"

"How dare you insult our adorable corgi?!" Ruby stabbed an accusing finger at her girlfriend.

"What are you going to do about it, Staff Sergeant Rose?" Weiss taunted, her tone caustic.

Ruby's right eye twitched. "What am I going to do about it?!" Her silver eyes narrowed at the challenge. "Yang!"

"Oh, this is going to be fun," Yang winked at Blake.

Blake groaned. "Weiss is going to kill you."

Yang ignored the warning, gracing her soon to be sister-in-law with a sinister smile. She smacked her fists together. "I'll hold her down, Rubes. You dump the snow in her shirt. For Zwei's honor!"

"For Zwei's honor!" Ruby parroted.

There was a blur of motion as Ruby shot out the open door and Yang seemed to materialize behind Weiss. The white-haired woman only had a moment to protest before Yang wrapped her up in a bear hug, spun around, and half ran half waddled outside. Weiss shouted a string of colorful profanities and growled several death threats as Yang carried her to Ruby.

Blake glanced down at the sound of a soft whine. Aforementioned 'adorable corgi' sat at her side, looking utterly unamused. Blake crouched down to pet him. He was alright. For a dog.

"I give her ten seconds before the cold sinks in…"

Zwei blinked in agreement.

"Oi! It's freezing! Whose bright idea was it to come out here?!" Yang yipped.

Blake exchanged a glance with Zwei. His dark, intelligent eyes said, 'They're all idiots.' Blake shook her head at the little dog. "I guess that's my cue." To the girls, she shouted, "I'll get you some towels and make hot cocoa."

"Aw, Blake, you're such a sweetheart! You're the best!" Ruby said, throwing her hands up in the air in her usual enthusiastic way of doing things.

Weiss finally managed to shove the sisters off of her. She shook the snow off her clothes, then shot a glare at them, her nose turned up. "Honestly, Blake. What is a classy lady, such as yourself, doing with a brute like Yang Xiao Long?"

Blake chuckled under her breath. "I'm just lucky I guess." She said sincerely, her eyes meeting Yang's briefly. "I'll go get those towels."

Yang, Ruby, and Weiss watched her until she disappeared into the hallway that connected the kitchen to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Weiss and Ruby shared a private smile before Ruby looked at Yang. "I think you're the one that's lucky, sis," The brunette commented, grinning at the look on her sister's face. It was the same look she got whenever she thought about Weiss, or so she'd been told. By Weiss.

Huh…

Yang nodded dumbly, still staring. "Trust me, I know."

Ruby leaned over and pulled Yang into a one-armed side hug. "I'm so happy for you, Yang!"

"Goodness knows you deserve a little happiness. Blake is a good girl, so you better take care of her, you big ape." Weiss waggled a finger at her. "No more messing around with my sister."

"Winter and I haven't messed around in- Wait..." Yang's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. She whirled on her snickering sister and her girlfriend. "Wh—what?"

"Oh, we knew. Winter's not exactly quiet," Weiss said, a distasteful look on her face. "Well? You and Blake have been living together for almost a year. It's time to make it official. It's time for Winter to back off because she's driving me crazy asking about you all the time. Honestly, Yang, Winter's a fiend. I'm surprised she's lasted a year without sex."

"I think I saw her climbing up a light post the other day," Ruby scratched her chin, a mischievous glint in her silver eyes.

"She—She knows about Blake. She knows she lives with me," Yang sputtered, mortified that her baby sister apparently heard her, uh, doing things with Winter. Little sisters were not supposed to know those kinds of things. 'Even if Rubes is one of the biggest perverts I've ever met.'

"Obviously, that's not enough. Some women need these things spelled out for them, sis. You're gonna have to spell it out for Winter. Unless…"

Yang grew weary from the lecherous glint in her sister's eyes. She slapped her palm to her face "Ruby," She groaned into her palm. She really didn't want to hear what was about to come out of her mouth.

"Unless you think Blake doesn't mind sharing, eh? Wink, wink."

Yang's face turned an alarming shade of red. Before she could respond, Blake glided out of the house, three towels draped over her forearm, a pair of baggy black joggers hanging precariously off her hips. She wore a peculiar expression. It reminded Yang of the look in a predator's eyes right before it pounces on prey. She was looking right at her, too.

'Oh, boy.'

"I don't like to share." Blake declared.

"What? How did she—what?" Ruby sputtered. "How did she hear that? I was totally whispering!"

Weiss pointed at the top of her own head. "Ears. Also, you don't know how to whisper."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Schnee." Blake handed Ruby a towel. "Thanks, Blake. And, uh, heh, I was just kidding. Yang only has eyes for you. When I mentioned Winter, she was like, 'Winter who?'"

'Please, don't help me, Rubes.' Yang grimaced.

"Good. Because I'm a cat Faunus." Blake explained, handing the next towel to Weiss. Her attention lingered on Yang as she gave her the last one. "I can be territorial." Blake smirked at Yang's lovely, fair complexion gave way to a maddening blush. "Extremely territorial."

Yang got the message loud and clear. "Eh, heh heh! That sharing thing was just a joke. Ruby and Weiss love to tease and say stupid things and Ruby's a Class A perv…" Yang gulped, flustered. "Wow, it's really nippy out here! Did it just get colder? I hate the cold. I'll be inside."

The three women watched her bolt inside, her speed impressive.

"I think you broke her." Weiss cackled.

"That just means she knows who is boss," Blake shot them a wink over her shoulder before following after the blonde.

Ruby started snickering. "Well?" She glanced at her girlfriend.

"Yang running away, with a nosebleed, proves nothing."

"Oh, it proves everything. She looked like she busted a vein. You owe me ten bucks, Schnee." Weiss grumbled under her breath as she fished out the money from her jacket pocket. Ruby cackled as she snatched the bill from her girlfriend's hand. "Heh heh! Amateur!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You're twisted, betting money on your sister's love life like that."

"You're only saying that because you lost."

Weiss rolled her eyes. She grabbed Ruby by the collar of her coat and started dragging her inside the house. "Come on, you dolt. Let's go make sure your sister isn't hemorrhaging."

Ruby laughed for the next five minutes, ten bucks and a potential sister-in-law richer.

AN: Well, fellow BumbleBY fans, I do hope you enjoyed this little ride. Thank very much to everyone that took the time to read, review, and PM me. It keeps a writer going. I very much enjoyed reading all the comments, especially the ones for chapter 3, which were hilarious and inspiring. A commenter mentioned Ruby]'s absence from this fic. My friend, I hope that little tidbit at the end did something for you. I included it just for you :) Someone else asked about the timeline. Everything is taking place over the course of 24 hours (at least for the first 3 chapters and the first part of chapter 4.) Also, sorry, I took so long to update; graduation, holidays, and a general spirit of laziness came upon me.

You might have noticed that I did not tie up all loose ends. This was deliberate. If I go through with another fic involving this world and characters, then those potential holes will be a good set up. (If I do go through with it, I've already written an outline and have three chapters. I simply haven't committed myself to continuing or posting, yet. What do you guys think? Is there potential for another fic? Any plot/character suggestions? Any tips for better writing?

Once again, thanks!