Welcome back dear Reader for what is without a doubt the longest chapter in 'The Darkling Thrush'!

As always I'd like to thank those who left a review last chapter! Thank you Baoh joestar, The Novice Storyteller, noone297, jin0uga, Nordlending, Vostok2142, Ussop, Bagration and Drake187! As always, thank you for your support, you guys make sitting behind a computer and typing worth it.

I'm not going to waste too much time with notes up here, rather save that for down below. So let's just skipped on down to the story, eh?

Warning: Cardin's life sucks. Someone give him a hug.

XXX

Downtime: Conclusion

"He's down this way." Yang announced before walking down a familiar alley. This wasn't the first time Yang had walked down this very alley. But it was the first time she'd had company. Under the light of the shattered moon above, ten Huntsmen in training took a left down an alley right beside one of the more well-known law firms in the district. The irony wasn't lost to Yang. She'd had that very same thought every time she walked through these alleys.

"So where is this guy?" Neptune asked aloud. If he hadn't spoken up, someone else surely would've. Before the group of ten students was an empty alleyway with litter and trashcans to keep them company. There was no sign of this 'Kevin' individual.

"We have to lean against that wall." Yang casually gestured to a nearby brick wall.

"We have to lean against a wall?" Blake asked skeptically. "And then what? He'll just show up?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Yang nodded. Already familiar with Kevin's routine, the bombshell no longer found it brotherism, nor did she find it an inconvenience. Any attempts to rationalize Kevin's obsessive behavior had fallen to the wayside, especially after the goods he'd delivered had proved time and again worth the effort.

So Yang led by example and took up leaning against the brick wall. The others shared odd looks and expressions, silently conversing with another on whether Yang was serious or not. But as time passed each and every one of them joined Yang against the wall. And then as they began to settle in at staring at the wall opposite of them, out of a nearby shadow walked the hooded form of Kevin.

"Yang Xiao Long? Haven't seen you by here in a while." Kevin greeted the blonde bombshell before taking a spot beside her on the wall. "What's up with the posse? I thought you rolled solo?"

"Looking for some information. By any chance do you know where Cardin Winchester is?" Yang said as Jaune handed her Cardin's scroll. Yang raised the scroll and showed Kevin the background photo and pointed to Cardin.

"Hm. My memories a little fuzzy." Kevin scratched his chin as he feigned amnesia. "It's gonna cost you."

"How much we talkin', Kev?" yang inquired coolly.

"Two Hundred lien." Kevin said before being followed by the sound of glass shattering on floor. And then every looked down the line with confused looks on their faces. There at the end of the line of huntsmen leaning against a wall stood Ruby with an apologetic look on her face."

"Sorry." Ruby smiled sheepishly as she gestured to trash can right beside her. Apparently hearing the amount to pay Kevin for his knowledge had cause Ruby to jump and bump up against the trash can, knocking a glass cup out of it and falling to the ground.

Ruby's response was an adequate one. Aside from probably Weiss, none of them had that sort of cash on them. So then all eyes fell to the Schnee heiress, hoping that she might pick up the tab. Hearing her friends' quiet plea, Weiss let out a long tired sigh. Was that all she was to her team, to her friends? Oh, well, she thought to herself before pulling her credit card out of seemingly nowhere.

"Sorry, I don't take plastic." Kevin muttered.

"That's literally I have." The Schnee Heiress said as she pulled her wallet out of thin air and showing its contents off, revealing the number of credit cards inside.

"Well I don't like leaving a paper trail." Kevin shrugged. "Cash only."

"Alright, how much do we all have?" Jaune turned to the group. One by one the assembled group of huntsmen began to empty their wallets and pass up their cash to the front of their little line against the wall.

Yang collected the lien and began to count. "Maybe next time it wouldn't hurt to bring cash, Weiss." Yang glanced at her snow white haired teammate. "Take this as life lesson if anything."

"Yes, because a proper young woman such as myself will be spending a lot of time in back allies with shady men. That's how I want my life to be." Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Damn it." Yang frowned as she finished counting. "We're ten short." She looked to Kevin and smiled. "You don't think you could knock that price down for little ol' me, would you?"

"Not even if you were my own mother." Kevin deadpanned. "Two hundred lien. That's my offer. Get me that or kiss Cardin's whereabouts goodbye."

"Well can we at least get some fake I.D.s?" Sun asked before getting elbowed by Blake. "I was kidding, I was kidding!"

"Ugh." Ruby groaned. "Where are we going to get ten lien?"

"I'd suggest visiting an ATM." A familiar voice said, causing all to turn to the alley entrance. There stood Pyrrha looking disappointed in her friends. "But just as it so happens, I have ten lien to spare."

"Pyrrha!" Nora cried happily.

"What are you wearing?" Ren questioned as he pointed at Pyrrha's outfit.

"It's my 'incognito' outfit." Pyrrha's cheeks darkened as for the second time today she was forced to explain this particular combination of clothing. And given how easily her friends had recognized her, this just reaffirmed her decision to look into a more discrete 'incognito' outfit.

"Huh. Nice." Yang nodded approvingly.

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Jaune quickly asked before Yang or anyone else could begin a long drawn out dialogue about clothing.

"A little bird told me you guys were trying to 'lynch' Cardin." Pyrrha frowned before taking a ten lien note, he change from her meal at the coffee house, and passing it down the line.

"And you've come to join us? Sweat!" Nora exclaimed.

"No." Pyrrha shook her head. "I'm helping you find him so we all could sit down and discuss what happened like civilized adults."

"But, Pyrrha, he took advantage of you." Ruby spoke up.

"No, he didn't." Pyrrha sighed. "That's not what I said Jaune. I told you about wat happened, at no point did I say he took advantage of. In fact, Cardin had more drinks than I did. When I woke up he was still past out. We were both under the influence, that's it."

"Pyrrha. Who told you where we were?" Jaune asked firmly.

"Russel." Pyrrha begrudgingly answered.

"Oh hey, you guys know Russel? That's cool." Kevin couldn't help but chuckle.

"Wait, how do you know Russel?" Yang turned to her supplier.

"Haven't any of you been paying attention? I sell high quality fake I.D.s. A good chunk of my customers are in fact from Beacon." Kevin laughed. "That reminds me! May I interest any of you in my private detective business? Between Cardin and those spouses who think their significant others are cheating on them, I'm making a killing."

"…How much for you to find out what the Headmaster of Beacon does on his off hours?" Weiss asked, taking a interest in the offer.

"Oh, Ozpin?" Kevin's eyes widened, but not from shock or surprise, but in utter fear. "No fuck that. That's above any pay grade. Shit."

"Pyrrha, you of all people know what they did to me." Jaune said angrily. To those in his confidence, who knew about Jaune's faked transcripts and the blackmailing incident could only sympathize for the blonde Arc. "They held my actions over my head and forced me to be their indentured servant. They made me almost hurt you for goodness sake! Even if you both weren't in the right state of mind, do you honestly thing any of this wasn't planned? Team CRDL is filled with scrupulous manipulators. They even had a party over at their room to witness your confession."

"Don't mention the fact they hooked up a camera!" Yang chimed in for a split second.

"Yeah they-wait a minute they had a camera watching us the whole time?" Jaune spun around, having caught how overly informed Yang's comment was.

"Yes…" Yang slowly nodded. It didn't take too long for her to realize her mistake.

"Go on, Yang. Tell them how you know." Pyrrha cast a knowing look Yang's way.

"…Yeah so I sort of, maybe, kind of, go to those little gatherings." Yang admitted while she grabbed her arm.

"Bad Yang! Bad!" Ruby quickly ran over from where she leaned against the wall and smacked her sister's arm. "This is delinquent behavior! Think about what Dad would say!"

"He'd say 'Yang, that's not how I raised you'." Yang rolled her eyes.

"Hey, you get back against the wall! I need plausible deniability!" Kevin shouted as he pointed at the empty space between Blake and Weiss against the wall.

A number of eyes fell onto Yang for an explanation regarding Kevin's outburst. Yang could only shrug and offer what wisdom she could. "He's very obsessive. Just go with it."

"And then how did you find out about that, Pyrrha? Russel told you didn't he? Just like how he told you to come here." Jaune muttered, not liking how the more and more this discussion continued it all appeared to be a CRDL ploy.

"So he did. What of it?" Pyrrha crossed her arms over her chest.

"Pyrrha, you can't seriously think there isn't something off about this, right?" Jaune exclaimed, flailing his arms into the air. "Just take a step back and see what's in front of you. You're getting information from Russel of all people. How does that not sound suspicious?"

"Russel was the last guy we saw at Beacon before turning to Neptune and Sun." Blake spoke up. "He also knew enough to point Pyrrha to Kevin's way, seemingly as if he knew we'd show up here."

"Actually, I told Russel what we've been up to." Velvet informed before removing her scroll from behind her back and showing a number of messages she'd sent to Russel.

"Okay, who is this Russel guy? I just go into Vale I don't know everyone." Neptune asked before Sun reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Of every one present, they alone shared the burden of being outsiders to whatever argument was occurring. Now if only they'd brought popcorn.

"You all think Team CRDL's a bunch of bad apples. Sure, they all messed up just one time. But since then they've all gone to lengths to make amends. Cardin especially. But they aren't inherently bad people. And I've worked with Russel long enough that, despite his really colored view of the world, he's not that big of an asshole."

"You've worked with him?" Ren questioned.

"Does anyone else have something to reveal about Team CRDL right now?" Jaune threw his arms up in the air in frustration. "Anyone?"

"Ren was getting hit on hardcore by Sky before the dance." Nor blurted out.

"Nora! You swore you'd never speak of that!" Ren shouted before throwing his hands over Nora's mouth.

"I'm the chief editor for the Shining Beacon. You come to me if you want something published." Velvet said a matter of fact. "You just don't write what Russel sent in. You need to on some level believe in what you're writing."

"What'd he write?" Blake asked cautiously, not liking the sound of Russel being involved with the Shining Beacon. The place where she now operated as Author X.

"That's need to know information. And you don't need to know." Velvet said simply. "But he's got my vote of confidence. He's not a monster."

"But he is an asshole?" Neptune raise a brow.

"Sadly, he is." Velvet frowned. "He kicks dogs and refuses to say sorry. He's an asshole."

"And yet you're sure he isn't a monster?" Sun couldn't help but ask.

"Can we get back on topic?!" Jaune shouted, causing any murmuring and discussion amongst the group to cease. He then took a deep breathe, quickly calming down and then turned to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, with all that evidence, cameras watching us as we sparred, Russel orchestrating events for us to be here, do you honestly still believe there isn't something off?"

"Yes." Pyrrha declared without hesitation.

"How could you say that?" Jaune practically shouted.

Pyrrha sighed. "Because he's the only one who hasn't been lying to me."

"What?"

"How long have you known I liked you?" Pyrrha asked quietly.

"Whoa." Everyone besides Janue and Pyrrha said as they stared in utter awe.

"Wait, does that count as you confessing?" Yang curiously asked, recalling the amount of money in the betting pool.

"Yes, yes it does. And I am very well aware of your betting on my love life. Those proceeds better go to a nice children's hospital or there will be hell to pay." Pyrrha said in a threatening manner before quickly apologizing. "I'm sorry if that sounded a little too mean."

"I've known since a little after

"Then why haven't you said anything?"

"Because you're my partner. Because I respect you too much." "I'm a goofball who lied his way into Beacon. You're The Invincible Girl. You can do better than me. You should do better than me."

"But I don't want better, I want you." Pyrrha proclaimed, taking a step closer and closing the distance between herself and Jaune.

"I think I'm tearing up man." Sun whispered quietly

"Dude shut up. We're men we can't cry." Neptune said before breaking out into tears.

A hush fell across the alley as all stared in awe at what they were witnessing. Both Jaune and Pyrrha were simply staring into the other's eyes, as if in a trance. Though none spoke, the body language was doing all the talking. Jaune slowly leaned in, as did Pyrrha.

"Ahem." Someone coughed, causing Jaune and Pyrrha to yank themselves back and recompose themselves. Al eyes then turned to the source of the interruption. "So you guys want that Cardin info or not?" Kevin asked, interrupting the silence.

"Oh, right. Here you go." Yang said casually before handing the two hundred lien off to Kevin.

"I'll be right back." Kevin smiled before walking off back from whence he came.

"…So is there like a back room I'm not seeing or what?" Nora looked to her friends, who all shrugged in unison. Apparently all were confused as to just where Kevin had went.

"Aaaand I'm back." Kevin announced merrily as he stepped out of the darkness. "Here you guys go. Pleasure doing business." Kevin winked before slinking back into the shadows once more.

"Alright, let's take a look." Yang said before opening the folder.

"He's at the Memoria Nightclub!" Kevin's voice shouted from the darkenss of the alley. "You'd better hurry!"

"What?!" They all shouted in unison.

"Why couldn't you just say so?" Weiss questioned.

"I love money." Kevin said in a deadpanned tone. "Now get the hell out of my alley you're brining too much attention to yourselves!"

Any chance to further protest was dashed by Kevin's departure. So then one by one they departed the alley and began their trek to the Merchant District. Once more Yang took the lead and led the group of eleven students through the city of Vale. It didn't surprise anyone that Yang would have such knowledge. Only Ruby threw a fit, but that was to be expected. This entire day she'd been learning all sort of new things about her sister. Enough to give their father a heart attack.

But aside from that the trek was mostly quiet. There was still the lingering tension amongst Jaune and Pyrrha, but it was clear to them and everyone else that finding Cardin now took priority. In order to put the last week behind them, they needed to sit down with Cardin a properly hash things out.

As they drew closer and closer to the Memoria nightclub, they suddenly found police cruisers dashing down the street. It was an odd sight, sure, maybe even exiting to see for a few of the group such as Sun and Neptune, after all they were junior detectives. But they paid no real attention to it. Vale was a busy city, certainly there could all sorts of crime occurring within its borders.

But then the sound of fire trucks caught their ears. After making a left and crossing the street, the fire engines crossed as well and made a turn down the next street, the very same Yang was about to lead them down. They all exchanged odd looks, thinking the same thing, something was going on at the Memoria club. So they quickened their pace.

It was then at the sound of airships flying overhead that the eleven huntsmen fell into full on sprints. The sight of General Ironwood's flagship warranted their attention. Wherever that man went something bad was bound to occur. After running through the streets of Vale, they found themselves right outside of the Memoria nightclub. And to their horror, they found the building set on fire.

"What happened here?" Ruby couldn't help but ask aloud.

"I'm not the one you should be arresting! You're making a huge mistake!" Everyone turned to see a pair of Atleasian soldiers a young man around their age.

From a nearby dropship, out stepped General Ironwood who was surprisingly accompanied by Sky. The two soldiers, seeing their commanding officer, began to march the young man Ironwood's way.

"Carlo Memoria. The only son of Rex Memoria, the alleged kingpin of crime in these parts of Vale." Ironwood said coldly as he sized up the young man brought before him.

"What the hell are you doing man? The guys you want are inside! They just showed up out of nowhere and tried to kill my ass!"

"I am unfamiliar with such individuals. But I am familiar with your Father's dealings."

"Get away from my son!" Everyone turned to see a badly burned old man carrying a rocket launcher/battle axe hybrid marching out of the fires than consumed the nightclub.

"Rex Memoria I presume?" Ironwood addressed the man. "Lay down your arms. You're under arrest for racketerring and intimidation."

"Arrest me? Feh. Atlas Dog. You think you can come to my country and tell me what to do? Take that metal hand of yours and shove it up your ass." Rex Memoria gestured to Ironwood's prosthetic. He then quickly shifted his weapon out from the battle axe into its rocket form and took aim at the General. "Now let go of my son."

But before Rex Memoria could harm anyone, Ruby and Weiss sprang into action, disarming him with a combination of the former's speed and the latter's glyphs. Before Rex Memoria knew it, his weapon was on the floor as Atlesaian troops began to surround him.

"Ah, yes, Team RWBY. Good work as always." "I'll be sure to inform Headmaster Ozpin of your efforts." "There's a nice cell on my ship right beside Roman Torchwick with your name on it."

"You can't do this, you have no authority here Atlas dog!" Rex shouted as he was brought before Ironwood.

"I am the authority." Ironwood said lowly in a threatening manner. "Take him away." With that said, the troopers marched Rex to the drop ship and seated him right beside a number of his bouncers and his son.

"General Ironwood, sir." Pyrrha shouted, quickly gaining the ear of the Atlas military officer and headmaster. "We're looking for our fellow student, have you seen them anywhere."

Ironwood spared a glance Sky's way before returning his attention to Weiss. The general let out a tired sigh. "We've evacuated everyone we could. But from what we gather, your friends are still inside." Ironwood then glanced at the Memoria Nightclub lay and frowned, doubtful of their survival.

Inside the burning nightclub, underneath a pocket of debris on the dance floor, lay both Cardin and Russel. Cardin was perfectly still on the floor, unmoving, his head resting right beside a still functioning air vent. His suit jacket and dress shirt were in ruin, having taken a rocket point to the chest. Though his semblance had taken the brunt of the blast, Cardin was barely capable of moving.

Russel on the other hand had most of his motor functions intact. Aside from the steel beam pinning his leg, the young Thrush was alright. Every attempt to move the beam off of himself had failed. Russel neither had the leverage nor the strength to move it.

"Why didn't you take the damn shot, Cardin?" Russel asked, doing his best not to raise his voice. He didn't fault Cardin for the events that led to their current situation, rather, he was more concerned about Cardin's own wellbeing. The Winchester boy had come a long way to kill a man. But in the end he just couldn't pull the trigger.

"Because he shot a rocket at you." Cardin answered simply. He glanced over to the empty space between the pair of trapped huntsmen where his weapons lay. But it wasn't the mace Cardin was focused on, but rather the handgun he'd brought, the one he'd taken from the Inn Keeper back in Oakwood. The very same gun he'd pointed at Carlo Memoria's head and failed to fire.

"We're going to die in here unless we can figure something out." Russel muttered. "Any chance you can move? Maybe kick your mace my way so I can free myself?" Russel glanced over to Cardin's weapon which remained beside its owner, quite a distance away from the young Thrush. "I'd really like to not cut my leg off man."

"You'd bleed out before you could even reach my mace." Cardin muttered darkly, shooting down Russel's ideas of self-mutilation.

"Cardin, why didn't you take the shot?" Russel asked once more in an effort to understand his partner. "You had Carlo at gun point. You had him there at all if you couldn't shoot him?"

"I've been thinking about this night for a while, Russel." Cardin answered quietly as the fires raged and outside firetrucks wailed. "When it came to it I fucking froze." He shook his head as he began to get all misty eyed.

"Here I am trying to kill this little shit and I couldn't even do it. I couldn't even do it." Cardin shook his head angrily, disappointed in his own inability to go through with killing Carlo.

Russel sighed. "I know this involves your sister, Cardin. But just why the hell do you want him dead anyways?"

"Do you really want to know?" Cardin question as he turned to face a nearby air vent in an attempt to breathe in fresh air and not the smoke that surrounded them.

"Does it look like I got somewhere else to be?" Russel deadpanned, once more he gestured to the steel beam that'd trapped him.

"There was this girl. Her name was Delilah." Cardin struggled to say. "She was a friend of my sister. Close friend they'd always stay up talking on the scroll, you know, talking about boys and shit. Stupid stuff. One night word got out that Delilah was caught with a boy in her bed. Carlo Memoria, that's the first time I hear his pansy ass name."

"We're in the suburbs. Word travels, next thing you know we're hearing conversation about her family arguing with her and what not. And then there's rumour that Delilah didn't want to have a relationship with that boy. But he's fuckin' Rex Memoria's son so who the fuck is gonna fuck with him. So then she goes and throws herself in front of a car. She was four weeks pregnant."

"Holy shit." Russel managed to say. A horrified expression on his face.

"And then the same shit happened to my sister." Cardin shook his head, a pained look on his face. "Except instead of a car she took a knife and cut open her arms from the elbow down."

"She was my sister, I grew up with her. I watched her grow up, I saw her take her first steps, I used to beat up the guys who made fun of her on the bus. She was my sister, Russel. I turn my back for a month, one month. I go to Beacon for one month and then the world just devours her."

"I didn't find out until the day before, you know? I found out cause a buddy of mine, he found out and reached out to me. He sent his condolences. I go and ask my Mom and Dad, I'm this absolute wreck, I ask them why they didn't tell me. They say they didn't want to worry me. I'm a Winchester, I've gotta be a Huntsman. I gotta be the soldier like my great grandad."

"I didn't get to go to her funeral." Cardin said as he struggled to keep himself together. But Russel could see it in his eyes, holding back the tears was an impossible task. And so soon enough the flood gates opened. Months of hidden emotion began to spill out. "I didn't get to go to my own sister's funeral, Russel. I don't think I would've too, and that's the truth, cause I don't want to say goodbye. I don't want to say goodbye. That's selfish of me isn't it? Right? Holy shit my sister died and I'm too busy thinking about my own feelings. Fuck me."

"Last time I saw her was when I got on the airship. She was standing on the dock smiling wide knowing her big brother was gonna be go kill Grimm, gonna be a goddamn hero. She's smiling wide knowing I'm not just gonna be protecting her anymore, I'm gonna be protecting everyone." Cardin shook his head angrily.

"Keep the fucking Grimm out, beat them back. Stomp the shit out of the White Fang be a goddamn hero. I could do it too, we've both done it, you and me. But I wasn't there when she needed me, I wasn't there when she needed me most."

"I go home on semester break, the first thing I do is demand why my Dad and Mom couldn't be the heroes she needed. I don't know why I did it. The fuck am I talking about? I know why I did it. Cause I wanted someone to blame. I'm so goddamn angry I lash out at them. I'm so goddamn fuckin' angry I lashed out at Velvet, I'm so fucking angry all the time cause I couldn't be there!"

"And I guess they're angry too, you know? My Mom and Dad, I never thought how it was for them. They found her, they've been grieving and they're still grieving cause their daughter's gone. And here I am being the big stupid jerk everyone hates, I'm yelling at my parents because I am just that. I'm a big fuckin' stupid asshole."

"You're not a stupid asshole, Cardin. You're probably the nicest guy I know." Russel asserted.

"Don't you patronize me, Russel." Cardin glared. "We're about to die and the last thing I want is to be patronized."

"I'm not mocking you. I'm commenting on what I observed." Russel looked across the cramped room into Cardin's eyes. "You couldn't kill Carlo because that just isn't you. You're not a…you're not a killer." Russel struggled to say that word. 'Killer'. "And asshole would've pulled the trigger without a second thought, without hesitation.

"We're going to die down here."

"Yep." Russel nodded.

And then just like that the pair of partners burst out laughing.

"I have to say, getting killed by an Ursa seemed more likely than burning to death." Russel muttered as the flames around them began to draw closer.

"I imagined myself dying in battle." Cardin shook his head. "Look at me. I wanted a hero's death. That's just typical of me isn't it?"

"Quit being so hard on yourself. Who doesn't want a memorable death Front page news on tomorrows Shining Beacon. Fellow students die in tragic club fire. I'm sure they'll name a garden after us." Russel couldn't help but laugh.

"There better be a statue. That's what I want in our garden." Cardin muttered.

"Yeah, with us on a motorcycle or something. Motorcycles are cool right? I've read about them in books. They always sounded cool."

"Flaming motorcycles. Like Ghost Rider." Cardin laughed.

"Who's Ghost Rider?" Russel raised a brow.

"A superhero." Cardin said simply.

"He your favorite?" Russel questioned, harkening back to their earlier conversation topic while they all played blackjack. As he recalled, Cardin hadn't mentioned who his favorite hero was.

"No. Superman is." Cardin smiled wide.

Russel shook his head and began to cry. "I'm going to miss you Cardin."

"Yeah. I'm going to miss you too." Cardin frowned. "Not a lot of people join up on a revenge mission, Russel. Thanks for being there with me. I'm sorry I got you killed. Thanks for being my friend."

Russel just stared at Cardin, freezing at the mention of the word 'friend'. "Yeah, yeah I guess we are friends."

Just then the ceiling above began to break apart as the firs between them began to flare even wilder. "This is it!" Cardin shouted before shutting his eyes, unable to watch.

Russel glanced upward and cocked his head to the side. His eyes widedend at the sight of Corcea Mors stabbing through the above wreckage and cutting a hole large enough for its owner to peer inside.

"They're over here!" Jaune shouted to a number of out of view individuals.

"Jaune?!" Cardin shouted in surprise before Jaune and Sun jumped through the opening and landed before the wounded Winchester. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass." Jaune said a matter of fact. "You ran into a mobster club? Really?" He said in a scolding manner before he and Sun managed to pry Cardin off the floor and began to carry him over to the opening.

"How'd you guys find us?" Cardin managed to ask.

"Ventilation shaft." Sun jotted a thumb over his shoulder at the nearby vent. "We just followed the echo to the source."

"Hey, Cardin, I think I can speak for everyone when I say this. I'm sorry about your Sister." "I have seven of them. I wouldn't know what to do if I were in your shoes."

"Thanks Jaune." Cardin managed to smile.

"Hold on tight, Pyrha's going to pull us through.

"Wait, how?" Cardin began to question. The next thing the Winchester boy knew, he along with Sun and Jaune as they held onto him.

"I'm pinned beneath a steel beam I'm not going anywhere! Just get Cardin out of here!" And then, before Russel could protest any further, the steel beam began to move as if by magic off of him. Russel glanced upward and found Pyrrha peering down below, seemingly moving it on her own.

"Hold onto your daggers, Russel!" Pyrrha shouted before magnetizing Russel's weapons. Russel did as he was told and held on tightly to the handles before being pulled into the air. On the way out, however, Russel made sure to reach back down and reclaim Cardin's mace.

The next thing Russel knew, medical crews stormed their position and whisked both Cardin and himself onto stretchers. The young Thrush just stared upward as the building around him burnt down and he and everyone else made their way outside.

He could hear people shouting all around, he could hear his fellow students asking about both his and Cardin's wellbeing. But then before Russel could do anything, both he and Cardin were tossed into a nearby ambulance and jetted to a nearby hospital. Behind them, the nightclub burnt down. Russel sort of wished he could've stayed to see it all through.

After an hour in surgery, Russel and Cardin were tossed into the only available rooms for observation. Russel glanced down at his leg and the cast around it. He frowned at the sight, even with an aura the damage that had been dealt would take time to heal. The same story went for Cardin, who was in the room next door in a full body cast.

The Winchester boy was rolled into his room and welcomed by joyous Dove. Cardin could barely move his head, but he managed and noticed Dove lying in the other bed with a tub of ice cream in his lap.

"Hey Cardin!" Dove waved with his spoon. "What happened to you?"

Before Cardin could speak, another voice filled the room. A gruff and weary tone that commanded authority belonging to one General Ironwood. "This young man was injured while assisting in the apprehension of the head of the Memoria Crime family."

Cardin glanced to the doorway where Ironwood stood. Around the edges of the doorframe the CRDL leader could see the rest of his peers looking into the room. As soon as Ironwood took a step inside they began to pour in.

"Let's not crowd the young man." Ironwood said over his shoulder as the students funneled into the room. "He's had a difficult day."

"How you feeling, Cardin?" Ruby asked in a quiet tone as she winced at the sight of his casted form.

"I feel like a building landed on me." Cardin said in a joking tone, in effect, breaking whatever tension his peers had brought into the room with them. Some of them couldn't help but laugh, most notably the two Haven boys Cardin had yet to officially meet. "So, how's Russel?"

"Sky's with him now." Velvet spoke up from the assembled group. "He's a bit banged up. Won't be walking anywhere for a while."

"We're not in trouble, are we?" Cardin directed his question at Ironwood.

The General nodded, it was a reasonable question. "We're the good guys, Mr. Winchester. We only arrest the bad guys. You just worry about getting better." With having said his piece, Ironwood turned to leave. The General made his way past the students and exited the room, knowing fully well they were sure to bombard the poor boy with questions of their own.

"So you guys heard everything?" Cardin asked as he stared up at the ceiling. "That's how you found us right?"

"Yeah, we heard everything." Jaune said as he found himself at Cardin's bedside. "We're all sorry Cardin. We mean that."

"You shouldn't have to be." Cardin muttered as he found himself tearing up once again. "If anything, I should be the one apologizing. To all of you."

"Aw." Dove couldn't help but gush from where he sat in bed. "How sweet."

"I haven't been at my best for a while. And I took it out on you guys. I shouldn't have done it. It's easy to say, you know? To say you're sorry. But I want guys to know, especially you Jaune. I am so sorry for what I've done." And then he was crying again.

"Hey, it's okay." Jaune offered a smile as he placed a hand on Cardin's shoulder. "New chapter. Just get some rest man."

With that said, Jaune stepped away from Cardin's side and joined his friends. "That was so beautiful." Yang couldn't help but say.

"I have no words." Weiss said as she shed a tear. "No words."

After the bully and former bully victim made their peace, Jaune, Nora and Ren, along with Weiss, Yang and Ruby, as well as Neptune and Sun departed the room. There was much more any of them could have said, but they weren't the ones who really needed to speak with Cardin. There would be more time for that in the coming months and years.

With their friends' departure, this left only Pyrrha and Velvet in the room. The second year student walked up to Cardin's side and folded her arms over her chest. "You're a little dumb, you know that?"

"I've been told. Usually behind my back though. Thanks for being honest." Cardin couldn't help but smile.

Noting Cardin's injured form and his inability to move, Velvet reached over and grabbed a nearby cloth and dried the Winchester boy's eyes. "If you ever want to talk about it, I'll be there."

"I'll do that." Cardin said a little flushed.

Velvet just smiled as she waved goodbye. "You'd better." She said before leaving the room.

With Velvet's departure, that left only three of them in the room. "Hey…Pyrrha." Cardin glanced at the Mistral native as she approached him.

"Hey." Pyrrha said quietly.

"Dove?" Cardin called out to his teammate.

"Yes?" Came Dove's reply.

"Shut your ears." Cardin ordered.

"What?"

"Shut your ears."

"Why?"

"Because I said so. This is a private conversation."

"Oh, right. I'll do that." Dove said before sticking his index fingers in his ears.

"You really think that'll stop him from listening?" Pyrrha spared a glance Dove's way, not totally buying the idea that his actions would

"Close enough." Cardin murmured before moving his head Pyrrha's way. "So…about last Sunday."

"That was a mistake." She said immediately.

"I couldn't agree anymore. I'm sorry, that it even happened."

"I should be the one apologizing, Cardin. Everyone was just about to lynch you over the idea you took advantage of me."

"That's nothing you should be sorry for. I haven't been the most likeable nor the nicest guy at Beacon. Heck, I'd hate me too." Cardin sighed. For minute or two the pair remained silent. Cardin glanced over at Pyrrha and then back to the ceiling, holding back the urge to ask The Invincible Girl a question.

Noticing this, Pyrrha implored the boy to spit it out, she would not judge him, not after today. "Was I at least any good?" He asked awkwardly.

"Uh…" Pyrrha blushed at the question. "Alcohol, you know." She said in a flustered manner, looking away off to the side away from Cardin. "Can't remember any of it." She laughed nervously as she rubbed her arm.

"Oh, yeah. Can't remember a moment of it either." Cardin said as he caught on. "Almost like it never happened."

"Yeah." Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "Like Jaune said, new chapter."

"You know that's not going to end well, right?" Cardin said, causing Pyrrha to raise a brow in confusion. "You've been pining after the guy for a while and thrown him all sorts of hints. I'm not saying he's not a decent guy, quite the opposite in fact. But this isn't going to end well for you Pyrrha."

"We'll see." She muttered. "Goodnight, Cardin." Pyrrha said before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

"Hey Cardin?" Dove called out.

"Yes Dove?"

"Is it alright if I take my fingers out of my ears?"

"Yeah, sure Dove."

"Cool."

"Thanks for passing my message along, Sky. I mean that. We very much would be dead unless you hadn't brought the cavalry." Russel said from where he lay in bed.

"We weren't the ones who ran in and got you, but I'm certain you'd planned on Team RWBY and JNPR's interventions." Sky shrugged, not really feeling like he'd contributed at all. "But we caught the bad guy, so we did that."

"Good. I hope Ironwood throws the book at them. Hell, I hope he just throws them both, father and son, out the ship and they go splat." Russel said, meaning every word. "Cardin's okay though, right?"

"I checked in with him, he's alright. His parents are in there with him right now." Sky nodded to the room over. "Not to mention everyone else is in there. Jaune, Pyrrha, Ruby, those two other guys? The monkey boy with those fabulous abs and his dashing companion."

"I'm just going to forget you said 'fabulous', alright?"

"Eh, no offense taken." Sky shrugged. "Want me to fluff your pillow or something? You look uncomfortable." Sky said after noticing Russel struggling to get on the right side of his pillow.

"Why do they only give you one pillow?" Russel questioned. "Mind grabbing me one from the other bed?"

"Sure." Sky jumped up out of his seat and crossed the distance between himself and the other bed in the room. "Huh, this one has two. Weird. So, Pyrrha confessed to Jaune earlier."

"And? Don't leave me in suspense, Sky. What happened?" Russel said before having a pillow tossed his way. The young Thrush then took the pillow and tossed it behind hi shead and on top of the one he already had.

"Well, they aren't a couple or anything. From the sounds of it they're both aware of the attraction but none of them are willing to make a move."

"Yeah that sounds like them." Russel sighed. "So, who won the bet?"

Sky dug into his pocket and withdrew a list of names. He quickly skimmed the list and found who had today's date. "Huh, it was Dove."

"Where is Dove?" Russel questioned having not seen the youngest member of Team CRDL since their game of blackjack earlier that day.

"Oh, he ate some bad candy. Would you believe he's Cardin's roommate? They're keeping him for observation too." Sky informed.

"Well then, I pity you Sky."

"Why's that?" Sky raised a brow.

"With all three of us in the hospital, that means you got to clean our room." Russel couldn't help but laugh. "Jaune and the others tossed it. Last I saw it was in terrible condition."

"Oh goddammit." Sky groaned.

"Yeah, good luck there buddy."

"You planned this, didn't you?" The Lark accused the Thrush. "You asshole." Sky laughed. "Alright, it's late, I gotta go clean our room now, I guess. I'll visit you guys every once in a while." And with that they said their goodbyes and Sky departed. In doing so, Sky shut the lights off, allowing Russel to get some rest. It was already hours into the next day.

Russel closed his eyes, hoping that maybe sleep would overtake him. But there was something at the back of his mind, something primal, something nagged at him. He dwelled on that for a moment and wondered, why was it his bed had only one pillow while the other had two? Russel opened his eyes. He didn't act surprised when he found Blake standing over him, the missing fourth pillow in her hands.

"You just couldn't resist, could you? How long have you been here?"

"Not too long. I'm surprised you hadn't figure it out earlier." Blake answered simply. "Not as smart as you think you are?"

"Well a building fell on me. Cut me some slack." Russel simply shrugged. "Or you could skip to killing me. Whichever, I'm not too picky."

"I don't want to kill you, Russel." Blake spoke honestly and from the heart.

"The pillow in your hand says otherwise."

"Like I was saying, I don't want to kill you. But with each passing day, you're becoming more and more a liability." Blake sighed. "I can't have too many people running around knowing I'm ex-White Fang. Especially with Ironwood and his little crackdown. The less people who know the better. You're not White Fang, though, Russel, you don't deserve my wrath. It was wrong of me to jump the gun the way I did. But you can't honestly have me believe you'll stay quiet about everything, do you?"

"You ever actually kill anyone before, Blake?" Russel asked in a serious tone. "Cardin tried to do that tonight, but he couldn't go through with it. Because he's too nice of a guy. You honestly want to be known as the girl who was worse than Cardin?"

"No one would know."

"But you would." "You're the one who couldn't stomach being in the White Fang. You're absolutely haunted enough by your experience to kidnap and torture the first supposed White Fang agent you've met. You're a guilty woman, Ms. Belladonna. How long before the weight of my death causes you to snap just like that?"

"You're betting on moral character." Blake glared.

"No, I'm, betting on the girl who knows right from wrong. The one who left behind a life of killing people in order to save them. That's who I'm betting on." Russel stated clearly as he met Blake's stare with his own. "I can't fight you, look at me, I'm in no condition to do so. You can get away with murder, Blake. That is if your conscience will allow it."

"Now if you aren't going to kill me? Can you leave? I kind of want to sleep. It's been a long day." Russel said before reclining back in bed. Casually he placed his hand under his pillows in order to get more comfortable.

"Then may this be the end of our feud. Goodnight, Russel." And then, without another word, Blake tossed the pillow onto Russel and headed for the door.

"Goodnight to you to, Blake." Russel said as he watched from the corner of his eye as Blake left. The moment his room's door closed, Russel reached under his pillow and removed the Innkeeper's Handgun, which had been the source of his earlier discomfort until Sky had retrieved him a second pillow.

Russel inspected the weapon, double checking the ammo in the magazine, as well as ensuring it hadn't been damaged in the blaze. What a terrible way to figure out if the damn thing still worked.

The path to recovery would be a strenuous one. In less than a month, there would be the Vytal Festival where he and his team would compete. Russel doubted that they'd win, given the current wellbeing of his teammates and himself, but who knew, maybe they'd pull it off after all. Until then, he was stuck sleeping with one eye open. Blake could always change her mind and come back. That was scary thought. But until then, the young Thrush resigned himself to a hearty smile.

Time for some real downtime. Let the healing begin.

I actually cried a little when I was writing Cardin's dialogue. Since the third chapter of Arc 2 we've seen Cardin dealing with something, it caused him to lash out at Velvet. You can see the similarities between what people think Cardin's done, such as taking advantage of Pyrrha and then you see that he strongly opposes that. It was very important that we stress how fucked up that is, especially for Cardin. And that was always the endgame for this part of Cardin's life.

For the Kevin Alley scenes, I pretty much just wrote dialogue. It's fun to just have characters sit in a room and talk. It's just fun. I also kept everything in line with continuity in regards to Jaune and Pyrrha, surprisingly. I just added more layers and what not.

I sorry if I disappointed any of you with that great set up from last chapter. But while I was writing this, I realized it didn't need a fight scene in the club, all you needed to see was the aftermath and let Cardin and Russel just talk. And that's the emotional core of the chapter and the story overall. Russel is important to Cardin and Cardin is important to Russel. They're partners, they lean on each other because there's literally no one else in their lives. So Bromance.

The ending went through several renditions, but Russel always had the gun. Here comes along Blake, as if we all forgot about her. And I honestly believe given all these experiences, she sees Russel isn't a total piece of shit like she earlier believed, like they all believed. So she doesn't want to fight him or to kill him. Her actions are more about survival, which is an idea I hope to pursue in later arcs.

Next chapter is an interlude, so, we got that to look forward to. And then I'll announce what's going on with the next arc. 'Til then, see you guys later! Thanks again for reading!