She had been watching her for a long time.

But now she was stagnating.

And Raven decided it was time to intervene.

Yang had always prided herself in her ability to get up and continue to fight. She had always been able to take a hit. She was never one to give up.

But things were different now.

The Yang Xiao Long that people knew was gone. Gone like her arm. Gone like her dreams. Gone like her mother, like Blake, like Ruby. Now she was nothing but a shell of the person she once was. Empty and unfeeling. Waiting, and hoping, for an end.

"I told you I wouldn't save you again."

Yang's gaze moved slowly from the spot outside to see that woman, the one from her dreams, lounging disinterestedly in a chair next to her bed, legs crossed as she surveyed her nails.

Raven.

The elder's eyes gave nothing away as they took in the sight of her broken daughter before her. Finally, the red orbs came to rest on the stump of Yang's right arm. Yang, aware of where Raven's eyes had settled, shifted slightly, turning her body so that what was left of her arm was hidden.

All the questions that Yang had wanted to ask her mother had disappeared. She knew that she should feel something about Raven casually showing up, as if nothing had ever happened. As if she had never been the one to abandon Yang in the first place. But after so long of feeling nothing, Yang's emptiness remained. She didn't care about those questions anymore. She just wanted to be left alone – which was ironic when she was so damaged from being left behind.

"Why are you here?"

A dark eyebrow rose in amusement. "It's a wonder it took so long for you to lose your arm."

A wave of heat raced through Yang. How dare this woman – her mother, no less – abandon her and only show up to gloat when Yang was at her worst? How dare she?

But, as soon as the anger had come, it died out again. Raven was right. During the time that Yang had spent by herself since the fall of Beacon, she had thought about what had gone wrong. She fought using her emotions. Her anger fuelled her fire, so to speak. She relied on it. She should have surveyed the situation rather than racing in there without a thought for herself. But seeing Blake like that…

Yang mentally shook her head. She didn't think of her partner anymore. It hurt too much and brought up emotions that Yang was trying her best to lock away.

Yang knew it was her fault that she had lost her arm. She had no one to blame but herself.

Raven watched as her words sunk in. She didn't outwardly react when Yang's eyes flashed crimson for a moment before returning to the sunken lilac. So, there was still some fight left in Yang. That was good. Raven could use that. She needed that. Yang was alright before, but with Raven's mentoring, she would be great.

Raven sighed. Yang was stubborn and it would take some persuading on her part to convince her to come with her.

"You might think you have given up, but you're more Branwen than anyone gives you credit for." Tired lilac met confident scarlet. Raven lent forward. "I could make you great again."

Longing flashed in Yang's eyes, only to be quickly overridden by uncertainty.

"Why?"

That question. Always 'why'. Raven hadn't wanted to answer any questions with that word in. Her intentions were her own. But Yang needed some incentive to go with her.

Leaning back again, Raven nonchalantly answered. "I need you." A small crease formed between Yang's eyebrows as she frowned and Raven resisted the urge to flinch. She looked so much like Taiyang when she did that. She could see another question forming in her daughter's mind. "I cannot tell you more until I know that you are with me."

Yang's eyes drifted away. To anyone else, it would appear that the blonde had spaced out, but Raven knew her daughter well enough to see the spark of thought flickering in her eyes. She sat patiently whilst her daughter thought. She could have said more, but she knew that Yang was in a fragile state of mind and didn't know how much she swayed towards not getting hurt. If Yang had lost interest in her own safety, it would make Raven's job a lot easier, as much as that thought didn't sit well with her.

But Raven had always been the pragmatic member of Team STRQ.

She knew how to get the job done.

Yang, on the other hand, was torn. Well, as torn as an emotionally stunted person could be. She didn't trust Raven, despite how much she said she needed her. Yang doubted that she would ever be able to trust her biological mother. But there was a small part of her that didn't want to quit. It slowly floated to the surface of her mind and whispered traitorous thoughts. That she could be a whole new person under her mother's instruction. It told her that she didn't have to be weak anymore. She could be strong; like Summer, like Qrow, like Raven.

And what did she have to lose. Ruby was gone. Blake was gone. Her friends were gone. Her school was gone. The world had abandoned her. Remnant saw her as nothing but a brute who broke the leg of an innocent boy. She was an outcast from it. And with one arm she was disabled. She couldn't fight like this. Could she?

So what did she have to lose?

Turning her eyes back to her mother, Yang gazed for a long moment into Raven's eyes, trying to discern some ulterior motive. But her mother was harder to read than Qrow was. The world was full of secrets. She knew that much now. But it was time for her to be told them.

"Fine."

A slow, victorious smile spread across Raven's lips. She hadn't expected Yang to give in so easily, but this wasn't the same daughter that she once was. Raven knew that Yang resented the world now, and this was her opportunity to hit back at it.

And knowing Yang, she would hit it harder than it had ever hit her.

"Hey Yang. I got you some new flowers from-" Taiyang's words were choked off at the sight of his daughter, and beside her, Raven. Raven who had left him with Yang years ago without a word. Raven whose whole presence spelt trouble. "Raven. What are you doing here?"

The bright sunflowers dropped from his hands as Raven stood from her seat. There was a smirk on her face that Taiyang recognised. It was one of victory. Whilst Qrow never failed to voice his thoughts, Raven was more dangerous. She never revealed her true intentions until it suited her. She was a snake that needed to be kept at a safe distance.

"What have you done, Raven?" his clipped tone caused Raven to cock her head at her former teammate.

"I was visiting our daughter, Tai." Raven replied coolly. "She's going to be staying with me for a little while."

Taiyang's eyes shot open and swung to Yang. "Yang no! You don't understand Raven. Whatever she's told you isn't true. She uses people." Raven scoffed in offense at having been spoken about as if she weren't there whilst Taiyang desperately tried to get Yang to look at him, but she stared down at her lap, refusing to meet his gaze. He glared at Raven. "I won't let you do this. You don't get to show up when it suits you and take my daughter away from me."

Yang's frown deepened but she stayed silent. She had made up her mind. She was going with Raven.

"Tai, you are in no position to stop me." Raven calmly stated. "But I'll admit that I can't let you get in my way and prolong this any further. Goodnight Tai." With a click of her fingers, Taiyang's eyes rolled back and his knees buckled, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"What did you do?" For the first time since she had been there, Yang raised her voice slightly, alarmed at how easily her mother had brought her father down.

With a disdainful look at the blond on the floor and then at the one in bed, Raven shrugged lightly. "The right combination of dust can put anyone to sleep. He'll be out for long enough for us to get a good distance away from here. I meant it when I said I can't prolong this further. We're running out of time if you want to get stonger. There's so much to do." She turned fully to her daughter. "Now hurry. We leave in five minutes." Turning on the ball of her foot, she walked out of Yang's room.

Yang wasted no time in pulling herself from her bed. Her legs were weak from disuse and shook beneath her. But she made it to her father. She checked his pulse and was relieved when she felt it beating strongly beneath her fingers. She wondered if Raven could have killed him if she desired it. Yang had no idea if she could. Raven was still a mystery to her.

"I'm sorry, dad." She whispered before pushing herself up.

Looking around her room, she realised that there was so little that she wanted to take with her. Everything was shrouded in memories of a past life. Of a past that she was trying to forget. Throwing some clothes into a bag, she grabbed Ember Celica and threw it in there as well. One thing she didn't doubt was the fact that Raven was going to make her stronger. She just didn't know how.

Clothing and weapon packed, Yang hesitantly opened her bedside draw and withdrew a photo. Smiling up at her, Team RWBY were wrapped in a group hug that was more like a dog pile than anything. Ruby had her arms around Weiss's neck whilst the heiress was laughing at the other girl's antics. Behind them, Yang had her arm slung comfortably around Blake's shoulders and was looking at her with a reverence that in hindsight made her feel embarrassed. Blake, whose cheeks were tinted pink, was laughing at Weiss and Ruby, but had her own arm wrapped around Yang's midsection, her hand resting on the blonde's waist. Yang couldn't even remember why this picture was taken but it was such a happy picture. Velvet had given each of them a copy of it and it had once been one of Yang's most treasured possessions. But now? She went to put it back in the draw before hesitating and folding it before stuffing it in her pocket.

With one last glance around the room, Yang stepped over her father's unconscious body, leaving her old life behind, and followed after Raven.

So I've jumped on the RWBY fanfiction train. I'm so worried about Yang that I cant help but think that something bad is going to happen. If you liked this, then please comment and like.
Thanks for reading.
tumblr: warrioroftheice