Well, we're almost there. Just a few chapters to go. Two, technically. No double upload, though - things came up.

Here, my characters finally get to shine a little - but they aren't allowed to steal the show! That's for their own story.

Still, when I started thinking up stories I never really thought I'd get this far. So yay!

There will be a special chapter of Xmas Day after the end of the story but before the Epilogue. We're so close now!

Enjoy!

To Steal from the Cookie Jar

A Rosewick Story

Chapter 16 – Revolution

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Roman listened as the roof burned.

At first it had worried him – it could have been a potential entrance for Cinder, after all – but as the stone held strong, the sound had become comforting. A reminder of their temporary security.

It couldn't last long.

He got up, stretching. "Anyone for tic-tac-toe?"

Ruby, having played twenty games already, shook her head. Neo, who had woken up a half-hour before, was also uninterested. Blanche scowled.

"So what, we're just going to sit here?" Blanche raised her arms in question. The others in the room shrugged or murmured in response. She crossed her arms, eyebrows furrowing. "We can't stay here forever."

"No, we can't – but we can't really go anywhere either." Roman motioned to each of his allies as he mentioned them. "Neo might have her Aura back, but she's still tired. Ruby is still recovering from, y'know, being sliced across the stomach by Adam fucking Taurus. I haven't come up with a new plan yet. You haven't come up with a plan yet." He shook his head. "We aren't going to do anything yet because there is nothing we can do. If we go outside, we're toast."

Blanche let out a long sigh, slumping back into her makeshift seat on a crate. The same argument had come around every half-hour since they had got stuck here, so Roman had gotten pretty good at the delivery. He looked up at the stone ceiling, from which a crackling could be heard.

For all of the problems with the argument, Blanche was right. This wouldn't last forever.

He needed to get planning.

Neo couldn't teleport them out, she was too weak… but she could teleport herself. Maybe she could… teleport out and help them escape! That was it – she would teleport out and create a decoy, make the road clear for the rest of them to rendezvous and escape. He hated the idea of using Neo as bait, but it was the only choice… wasn't it? He looked over to the girl in question, his daughter reclining tiredly on an uncomfortable-looking pile of neutral dust.

"You alright, kid?" Roman said.

Neo looked up. Her clothes had been scorched – while her trousers had survived, the jacket had been too burnt up to wear. With the jacket missing, the new burn-scars on her upper arms were even more apparent. Despite this, Neo had no difficulty lifting her hands to sign.

"Better than I was. You know, this dust is surprisingly comfortable."

Roman chuckled, shaking his head. "You just don't stop, do you?"

"You wish!" Neo reached up and gave Roman a light-hearted punch. He took it, laughing. She smiled and dropped back to her original position.

Ruby giggled in the corner. "You're so cute."

Neo pouted at Ruby's giggling, looking over at Roman. "Well isn't she cheeky!"

Ruby's giggling petered out and, to Neo's clear surprise, Ruby lifted her shaky hands. "That is something I have been called, yes."

Neo looked between Roman and Ruby, surprise clear in her eyes. Quickly, however, a grin grew on her face. She smiled wickedly at Roman.

"No..."

Neo tilted her head cheekily.

"Neo, don't…"

Neo looked over at Ruby, who was (rightfully) nervous.

"Neo!"

Neo flashed him one last grin before she pounced, squeezing Ruby like a bench vice. Releasing her, Neo signed her smarmy blow. "Thanks for being so considerate Mom."

Neo skipped off, leaving Ruby with a perplexed expression. Ruby stared after her for a few seconds before looking back to Roman. "Did she just call me 'Mom'?"

Roman sighed. "It looks like she's adopted you, Red. Don't worry about it. What we need to focus on is how we're getting out of here."

Blanche leapt to her feet, stretching enthusiastically. "Finally!"

"Right. So, there's no way we're getting out of here with those guys in the way." Upon receiving Ruby and Blanche's nods, he continued. "So we need a decoy."

A sigh came from behind him. Roman turned to see his heir-apparent giving a dramatic bow. "I volunteer."

Roman nodded, sighing. He walked over and gave her a hug. "I don't want to use you like this, but… I have no choice. You understand that, right? No risky business."

Neo pulled back and nodded solemnly. Roman looked over to the other two people in the room. "Right. We should probably… huh?" Roman stopped as commotion was heard through the walls. Ruby and Blanche looked around in confusion as the sound grew louder.

The White Fang were doing something outside. It sounded like a mass mobilisation – Roman could hear the cried orders of the White Fang leadership. There were screams.

Suddenly, an earth-shattering kaboom shook the whole building. The screams doubled in intensity, followed by barked orders. Roman could barely make out, 'attack!' followed by an equally panicked, 'retreat!' before another boom sounded.

A third came, feeling like it had shocked the whole complex. Roman looked up in mounting suspicion. There was no way… but if anyone could get it done…

With a fourth, loudest crash, the solid stone roof of their sanctuary crumbled like corrugated tin against a steamroller. Roman covered his eyes as rubble came down, only to widen them at what followed.

In the newly-revealed sky, dozens of Atlas airships zoomed past with military gusto – they strafed and dived, sending volleys of dust-rifle fire into the invisible enemy. Blanche leapt out of the dilapidated sanctuary and Neo teleported to follow. Ruby grabbed Roman and the two of them went flying after their retreating allies. They all came to rest on an exposed, tall rooftop, watching as the Atlesian military slowly decimated the White Fang resistance. With a sudden gasp, Roman realised the cause of the explosions – the largest airship he'd ever seen, armed with massive cannons, floated lazily through the sky. It was from this grand weapon that the remaining Atlesian fighters launched themselves from. Roman laughed.

His laugh was immediately drowned out by the whirring of a ship nearby. Feeling the wind on his back, he turned with the rest to see a large red Bullhead lowering itself onto the roof. The door opened, and a boy stepped out.

Crimson smiled as he stepped down onto the concrete. "I heard you needed help, Matchstick."

Roman laughed again, staring in amazement at the buzzing cloud of fighters. "My gods, kid, you've brought the whole of Atlas down on them!"

Crimson chuckled. "Pretty much. By the way, I'm sorry for being late – I had to stop off in Mistral first." He stepped to the side and motioned at the door where a few of his gang stood – the principle members, naturally. They too stood aside, and Roman and Ruby both watched as some familiar faces walked out of the Bullhead.

Yang walked purposefully, looking ready to take the world on. Blake followed confidently, ready to fix her family's legacy. Weiss, the picture of grace, readied her blade.

Ruby ignored her other friends as they climbed out of Crimson's ship, launching herself towards her team at top speed. She slammed into her sister with a vice-grip hug, and her sister returned the gesture with teary eyes.

"Ruby, don't you ever worry me like that again!" Yang sniffed, hugging Ruby even tighter.

Ruby's eyes welled. "N-no promises, sis." They held each other close, unwilling to separate after so long apart. Blake smiled supportively. Weiss rolled her eyes but smiled all the same.

Roman focused on the '& Co' of 'RWBY & Co', waltzing smarmily over to the others.

"Qrow, pipsqueak, other kids!" He heard a gasp of indignation from the pink one, and Ozpin's body-double shook his head. It looked like the old man was in control. "Glad you could make it."

Qrow gritted his teeth in response. Good, get that blood pumping. "If you laid one finger on Ruby, I'll-"

"Gut me like a fish, yada yada, whatever." He turned to the blonde kid – he seemed to remember him being team leader or something. "You ready to fight?"

The kid looked back at his team, who nodded back at him. He turned back and nodded tersely in turn. "We're ready."

Roman grinned, finally settling on the youngest looking one. "You're Ozpin, right?"

The boy looked him up and down. "More or less. I am-"

"Look, I don't need specifics. You're Ozpin, so you're in charge – right?" At Ozpin's nod, he continued. "So you're going to make sure that all these kids are good to fight."

"Of course." Ozpin turned to look at the remaining two kids, and Roman followed his gaze. The girl with the ponytail huffed and crossed her arms. The boy with the monkey tail walked over and held out a hand.

"Hey, the name's Sun Wukong. We got off to a bad start before, so I thought I'd re-introduce myself if we're going to work together." At the words, 'work together', the girl's expression soured even more. "She's Ilia, by the way."

Roman scanned the boy. He seemed okay enough. "I'm sure we'll get along fine."

The boy laughed awkwardly. Roman left them to their devices, walking over to Crimson. The faunus gave him a brief hug.

"It's good to see you alive and well, Roman." His odd accent was more prominent in person, sounding distinctly… northern. Roman chuckled.

"It's good to be alive and well, honestly." Crimson laughed at that, but his joviality was cut short by another boom from the big airship's cannons. The boy made a hand motion and two girls left the Bullhead, which promptly took off. It joined the Atlas ships, sending volleys down upon the White Fang compound. The other two girls approached.

"Sapphire, Rouge – you're with me. Lilac will provide air support." The girls nodded and took out their weapons. The others seemed to take this as a signal, all readying for the charge. Neo nodded to Roman, who looked down at Crimson.

"Ready?"

Crimson nodded. "Ready."

Roman nodded in turn to Ruby, who took a commanding stance. She breathed in deeply, readying her call.

"Charge!"

All at once, Fifteen kids, two adults and a disembodied headmaster leapt down into the chaos below.

And here. We. Go.

Guess it's Atlas-to-the-Rescue! on the menu tonight, which is good because Roman and Ruby are starving. Also, Neo finally officially-unoffically adopts Ruby. Long time coming, that.

And the gang is back together again! And a good thing it is, too - they had only just re-formed as well before Rubes was so terribly ripped from their grasp.

Now they are getting ready to end the White Fang once and for all! I wonder who'll take out Adam...

Next Chapter:
The shit that hit the fan just rebound onto the one who threw it. It's time to end this.

Can they stop the White Fang? Will they survive the fire-fight? Will Ruby finally realise her love for Roman?

Find out next time. See you dreckly!