Chapter 9

Patch was definitely different to Vacuo. More green grass than sandy, dry dirt. Less storms and more sunshine. The fact that Robin could almost smell the salty ocean from the house was a bonus. Yang was fun and although the young Xiao Long was still cautious of Robin, she enjoyed playing together. Summer was lovely, dedicating her time between the newly born Ruby, Yang and even Robin. Tai was nice as well, giving Robin his heart and treating her like family. They'd even converted one of the upstairs spare rooms into her own bedroom, giving her her own space.

But it wasn't home.

She pulled at the grass, scattering the newly pulled strands around her legs as she listened to Summer coo at Ruby whilst Yang swung from Qrow's arm. Tai was busy cooking some food for everyone and the sun was nice and bright and warm. Robin wiped at her face, pushing the bangs out of her eyes and her fingers brushed across the line that marred her face. At least it no longer hurt to sleep on that side of her face and the angry red marks would hopefully ease off and lose their colour.

It would be wrong to say she didn't enjoy it in the Xiao Long-Rose-Branwen household. It was a lively environment that anybody would want to live in. But she couldn't help the feeling that she was trespassing and that she didn't belong. It felt as though they put up with her out of pity because she had nowhere else to go and sometimes she didn't want to leave her room. And her Mom wasn't here. That was the worst of it.

Suddenly she was hoisted into the air and thrown over somebody's shoulders. "Who have I found here!"

Robin was aware that she'd been hauled over Tai's shoulders and his fingers started to inch towards her waist. "Don't!" she shouted but it was too late and his fingers started their assault. She kicked and twisted, trying to get away from him as he tickled her, the cries of laughter being forced from her. "N-No!"

"I don't understand that word," he teased as he secured her against his shoulder with one arm and ticked the backs of her knees. "You're going to have to try that again!"

Yang's giggles could be heard and Robin slapped at Tai's back the best that she could. "Stop it! Unca Tai! S-St-top!"

"Magic word?"

"N-now!"

He paused for a moment with a hum before he shrugged a shoulder, "Nah." His fingers came back, creeping along her sides and just underneath her ribs, getting her most ticklish spot. Just as suddenly as it had started it ended, Tai pulling her back over his shoulder to heft her onto his hips. "Hi there," he grinned, poking her nose with his finger.

"Hi," she said.

"How about you come help me finish up in the kitchen little Miss?" He glanced over to Qrow and Robin followed his gaze to see her Father holding Yang upside down by the leg, Yang giggling away as she reached up for his arm. "Qrow!"

"What?" he shrugged. "She likes it." He glanced down to Yang who giggled, wriggling in his grip and making her body swing slightly as she reached out to try to grab his leg.

Robin giggled and let her head rest on Tai's shoulder. Times like these helped her to almost forget what had happened just a month ago. "Summer! Can you tell him?"

Summer only laughed and Robin turned her head to watch Summer playfully tell Qrow to put Yang the right way up. Her view was cut off by the door frame and she turned to look at the kitchen. The table in the centre of the room was already decorated for five people plus a baby. The counters were mostly empty, a few chopped piles of vegetables decorating it and waiting to be added to the bubbling pot of stew.

Tai set her down on the counter far enough away from the pot that it wouldn't splash back onto her and moved to grab the chopping board. He pushed it next to her and said, "You want to add them for me?"

"Okay," she said and she worked on carefully adding the pile a few pieces at a time, trying her best to avoid it splashing back on her.

Tai stroked his fingers through her hair as he passed her to boil some water and grab some cups. "You okay, Robin?"

She nodded her head and dropped a couple of carrots into the pot, "Yeah."

"You like it here in Patch?"

She shrugged a shoulder and dropped some cubes of potatoes into the pot. "It's okay. Dif'rent."

"I know what you mean. I used to live in Vacuo myself. Then I decided to become a hunter, attended Beacon and met Yang and Ruby's Mom's."

Robin paused to look at him, a small squint in her gaze before she looked out of the window and across the grass to Yang. She looked over at Ruby before looking back to Yang and tilted her head. "Raven?" she whispered.

Tai sighed and Robin turned her attention up to him. He gave her a tight smile and nodded her head, "Yang's Mom." He blinked and straightened up, clearing his throat, and grabbed a handful of food himself. He dropped them into the pot and held the handle of the spoon out to Robin. She took it and stirred the food carefully as Tai cautiously went on, "Do you remember what happened yet?"

Robin froze and stared down at the bubbling pot. The screams had shot through everybody in the Inn, quickly followed by the caw of a Griffon. Something slammed into the wall of the Inn and everybody inside jumped at the sudden thump. "Robin," Leona whispered, "come here." She gathered Robin in her arms and crouched behind the bar. "Stay here," she whispered, reaching for the shotgun she kept stored underneath the bar top.

She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands and shook her head. She didn't want to remember. Red eyes. Black feathers. Black skin. The fire. Gun fire. Swords. Blood. She slapped her hands over her ears and screwed her eyes shut, trying to forget the sounds from that day. The nightmares were bad enough and she couldn't wait for the day that they stopped.

"Hey, hey, hey," Tai whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his chest. Robin buried her face against him and clung to his neck as she tried to hide away from it. "Hey, you're okay. I'm sorry, let's forget it, okay? You know, Summer was thinking about taking you girls for a shopping day. Get you some new clothes. What do you think about that?"

Robin shrugged, her face still buried in his neck.

"Did we paint your room yet?" She shook her head and Tai hummed as he walked around the kitchen with her on his hips. "What colour do you want?" She shrugged and he stopped. "You don't know? It's your room. Your choice."

She leaned back in his arms and finally looked up at him. "Am I staying?"

He pulled a face and shook his head dramatically, "Are you staying? Of course you are! Why wouldn't you be staying?"

Robin shrugged and looked away as she muttered, "Cause it's your fam-e-we and I'm not."

Tai chuckled at that. "Of course you are. You belong here just like I do. We're not going to get bored of you and kick you out. We're not going to drop you off at an orphanage and tell you enoughs enough. You're here to stay." He poked her belly and Robin flinched, trying her damnedest not to smile. "Have you been worried about that? Is that why you've been quiet?" He poked her again and a smile crept out. She tried to push him away and Tai grinned, "Well you're stuck with us whether you like it or not."

He wriggled his fingers against her belly and Robin laughed once before she threw herself at his neck. "Stop it," she mumbled, voice muffled slightly by his shoulder.

"It's alright to feel sad sometimes," he whispered. "What happened to you wasn't nice, but don't feel like you can't enjoy things. I don't want you to think that you can't talk to us or come to me or Sum' and cry. We want you to cry on our shoulder, feel comfortable enough to want to curl up with us. We want you to feel like you belong here, because you do. You're family and you just have to live with us from now on. This is your new home and I want you to feel safe here and comfortable. We want you to be you, open up and show us the smiles and laughs we know you're hiding from us. Okay?" He nudged his shoulder against her and leaned back to get her to look at him. He held his hand up and held out a pinky finger. She eyed it suspiciously, the corner of her eyes wet and she wiped at them. Tai grinned at her and nodded his head, "You ever heard of a pinky promise?" Robin nodded her head and held her hand out in a similar fashion. "Pinky promises can't be broken. They're the strongest of promises and I want you to pinky promise me that if you're feeling sad again, you talk to me. Or Summer. Don't hesitate. Even if you have to grab our hand and drag us into another room, promise me that you'll let us know okay?"

Robin bit her lip and stared at his finger for twenty seconds before she locked their fingers together, sniffed and shook their hands together. "I pwomise."

"Good," he kissed her temple and set her back down onto the counter. "Now, let's finish this food. And remind me to put extra chilli peppers on your Dad's food. Payback for cutting holes in my shorts."

Robin giggled and nodded her head. It wasn't the same family and home she'd come to know and love, but she was willing to give them a chance to become her new ones.


A/N: I love reading all of your comments. I hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think!

The Masked Mummer: Well, I'm a terrible person is all I'm going to say. I guess we'll see what happens ;)

Conna McCanna: Love you too and thank you. I'm really enjoying writing it and I'm glad to see that you're enjoying it too.

RightHandOfPalpatine: Cause I'm cruel like that.

Dzzzy228: Well, Robin definitely has a world view of some sort and I could. We'll see.

Diego Silver: Sorry, I'd planned it since the beginning that the last chapter was going to happen. Even before I started writing the story it was always going to happen.

poshboy: Well thank you so much for that!

Guest: Yeah, poor Qrow and Robin.

Fanficfan20XX: Thank you! I hope you enjoy what else is in store.

UnitedLuck: I'm stuck with Tai being Ruby's Dad. (I'll send you a PM because it'll be quite lengthy. If anybody else wants to hear my opinion then let me know.)