All she could see was smoke and fire. All she could feel was fear.

"Emerald! Emerald!"

Cinder called her name till her lungs cried in agony, but no response ever came. Room after room, floor after floor, she frantically searched through the smoke and heat, seeking her partner in the crumbling building. She had to find her... she was not... leaving... without her...

Wake up, not here, not now. No matter how fatigued she felt, how ragged her breathing became, she could not pass out. She needed to find Emerald, she needed to make sure she was safe, they were both safe.

But as Cinder looked around the smoke filled room she felt panic grip her heart. Was she even on the right floor yet? She had no way of knowing, the area around her was so damaged, the smoke so thick, she could barely see farther than her own arm. A hacking cough overcame her as she attempted to call out once more, clutching her throat. A second attempt was no better, leaving her light headed and off-balance.

Terror overcame her senses, breathing was becoming impossible, she could no longer muster the voice to call out, her vision was beginning to blur... No. She had to go on.

But it seemed the Maidens were not on her side. Her balance vanished, and the ground rushed to meet her face, leaving her vision dimmed, and her mind reeling.

"Em...rald..."

Her world turned to darkness.


Cinder woke up in a cold sweat, afraid to open her eyes.

No... not again...

Over and over again she told herself she was still in her shitty apartment, but she was still scared... scared that if she were to open her eyes... she would be back in that hospital room. Using one of her shaking hands to wipe the sleep and tears from her eyes, Cinder observed her surroundings. She never thought she would thank the Maidens that she was in her current apartment.

Attempting to turn over, Cinder was pulled back by something. Looking down, she realized there were two arms snaked around her. If not for the mumbling voice, she would have screamed.

"Fivemoreminutesren..."

Even in her current state, Cinder could not help but smile. Pressed up against her still naked back was the also naked and very much asleep form of Nora. She could not describe how relieved she was to have someone else with her after a nightmare like that. It was true that even that specific dream was not new to Cinder, but it had been quite some time since it had been so vivid. So... real.

Eventually wriggling free from Nora's embrace - surprisingly without waking her - Cinder fumbled for her scroll, which like the various pieces of their clothing, was on the floor. Sitting up, she turned on the device, squinting as the screen burned her eyes. She hated when she forgot to lower the brightness when she went to bed.

3:48 AM

Dropping her scroll back onto the floor, Cinder sighed. After so many nightmares, she knew there was no way she was going back to sleep. What a way to start her first day. She was about to get up to retrieve a glass of water, but heard a voice from behind her.

"Nnngh, Cindy? What time is it?"

Turning to face the younger woman, Cinder tried to smile. "Just before four, I'm sorry if I woke you. I... had another nightmare..." She whispered.

Nora instantly sat up to meet her friend. "What can I do-" She started before freezing. "Cindy... you're shaking..."

Cinder looked down at her hands. Nora was right, they were trembling. "It was... about the fire..."

The redhead did not verbally respond, simply pulling Cinder into a gentle hug. Even after only a minute or two, she could already feel her shaking begin to lessen. In truth, no words needed to be shared, as it was not the first time the two were in this kind of situation. Since meeting the older woman, there had been multiple occasions where the pair had slept in the same bed, and a few of those times Nora had been woken up by the whimpering caused by some of Cinder's nightmares. It tore Nora's heart asunder to hear.

"Nora?" Came Cinder's muffled voice from Nora's shoulder.

"Yeah?"

Cinder lifted herself off her friend. "What... are we?" She wondered.

"We're whatever you're comfortable being." Nora smiled. "I'm comfortable with you, being in your life, helping you smile, it's all I ever want. Whether you want a friend, boop buddy or something more, I'm here for you."

"I..." Cinder hesitated, not knowing how to respond. Part of her wanted to say she wanted more, to tell Nora that she loved her, but she could not. She knew she would be saying it for the wrong reasons. In all honesty, she was happy with where they were. "I just want to be in the arms of someone who cares."

Nora just grinned. "I think I can help with that."


Cinder loved having Nora stay over. It meant she was able to wake up comfortably - which when it came to her lumpy mass of a mattress, did not happen very often. But this particular morning was different. When Cinder awoke, it was to an unexpectedly cold bed. There was no warm pressure anywhere around her... But there was a delicious scent filling her nose and a rather out-of-tune song filling her ears. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked around the room and found the source. Nora was in the kitchen, naught but a light pink apron, cooking what she guessed was breakfast. Cinder could not help but smile. Why must that girl always cook naked? She wondered to herself. Stretching, Cinder pulled herself up, threw on the tank top and sweat pants from the prior day, and sleepily made her way to her friend.

Upon noticing her, Nora smiled. "Morning Cindy!"

"Good morning Nora." Cinder greeted with a smiled of her own. "What are you making? It smells delicious."

"It's a surprise!" Nora chirped. "Go sit down, it'll be ready soon!"

"Okay." Cinder nodded before heading to the table, taking a seat in one of the two fairly worn down wooden chairs. Thankfully she did not have to wait long before the redhead approached her, a plate full of piping hot food in her hand and a glass of orange juice in the other.

"Breakfast time!" Nora beamed, placing the items in front of her friend before sitting in the chair across from her.

Cinder looked down at the food Nora handed her and immediately smiled... just like the meal did back at her. The eggs made the eyes, two crispy pieces of bacon made the eyebrows, and a large juicy sausage made a mouth. It all looked mouth watering... Wait a minute. "Nora... I don't own any bacon... or sausages..."

"Nope!" Nora burst. "That's why I went back to my apartment to get some!"

The older woman quirked her brow. "So does that mean you got dressed, went to your apartment, came back, and then got naked again?" Nora gave no response, simply smiling. "Oh." And there it was again. That girl was too good to her. Grabbing the utensils in front of her, Cinder cut off a piece of sausage and took a bite. "This is amazing... but where's your breakfast?" She asked before continuing to eat.

"Oh don't worry about me." Nora waved her off. "Plus, I already had plenty to eat last night." She finished with a sly grin.

Cinder was lucky she had some control, or else she would have spit her food all over the table when she laughed.

"Besides, it's your first day of work!" Nora continued. "I've gotta make sure you're fed and dressed before I worry about myself!"

Cinder could only smile at her friend. She really did not deserve her. "Thank you Nora..."

Nora grinned back. "Alright! Now eat up, and I'll find you an outfit!"


It was not long before Cinder had near-devoured her meal. In her defense, it had been a while since she had tasted something that good. Once finished, she deposited her dishes into the sink before heading back into the main room, where she found Nora - still very naked aside from the apron - holding a few articles of clothing.

"Ta da!" The redhead beamed, raising the pieces for Cinder to see - a black button-up, a pair of black skinny jeans and a black belt.

Cinder raised her brow. "All black?"

"Yup!" Nora grinned. "All waitresses wear black!"

Cinder chuckled. "Whatever you say Nora."

"Oh! That reminds me! Do you happen to have a black tie?" Nora wondered.

The older woman shook her head, her gaze dropping. "I don't have any ties... not anymore..."

"No matter! Not having a tie isn't gonna make you look any less sexy!" Nora gushed, to which Cinder blushed. "Now go on and get dressed, you've got work soon!"

Taking the garments from her friend, Cinder paused. "Are... you just going stand there watching?"

"Oh hush, it's not like I haven't seen that bangin' body of yours before." Nora near-purred.

Cinder just scoffed before taking the garments and tossing them onto her bed. "Bangin' body..." She mumbled as she stripped off her pajamas. Nora held out each article of clothing as she needed it - underwear, bra, jeans, button-up, and finally a pair of socks.

"All ready!" The redhead cheered.

Cinder smiled. "Thank you again Nora."

"It's what I'm here for!"

A sudden chime drew pair's attention to Cinder's scroll. Picking up the device, Cinder silenced the alarm. "Looks like it's time to me to head to work." She informed before her lips curled into a small smile. "It feels good to finally be able to say that again..."

Nora held out her hand. "Wait! Not before my pep talk."

"Your pep talk?"

"Yep!" Nora answered. Stepping forward, jade eyes met amber as she took both of her friend's hands in her own. "Cinder Fall. You are a strong, kind, smart, beautiful woman, and you can do anything. I believe in you. Don't ever forget that."

Cinder had to resist the urge to tear up. "I won't Nora."

"Say it back to me." Nora instructed.

"I'm... a strong, kind, smart... b...beautiful woman..." Cinder managed.

"Again."

Cinder took a deep breath. "I am a strong, kind, smart, beautiful woman." She stated, more confidently this time.

"That's the spirit!" Nora beamed, releasing her friend's hands. "Now get to work missy!" She padded over to begin redressing.

The older woman chuckled. "Yes ma'am."

Once Nora was dressed, the pair exited Cinder's apartment. The redhead bid her farewell, but not before giving her a nice slap on the rear. For good luck as she put it. A short walk later she arrived at the bar. As she approached the front entrance, her pace slowed to a stop. You can do this. She told herself. You are a strong, kind, smart, beautiful woman. After a few moments and a deep breath, Cinder entered.

Like the prior day, the bar was fairly empty, only a few people were scattered around the booths and tables. Rather than Qrow, a shorter blonde girl stood behind the bar, wiping down the counter. Upon spotting Cinder, she offered a warm smile.

"Hi there, welcome to The Perch." She greeted. "What can I get for you?"

"Hello... I'm Cinder... Cinder Fall." The raven-haired woman began. "I'm supposed to be have a trial shift today."

"Oh so you're Cinder." The blonde walked around the bar to meet her. "Nice to meet you, I'm Yang, Raven's daughter." She extended a hand, which Cinder took. "Speaking of, head to her office, she has a couple things she wants to go over with you before you start your shift."

"Okay." Cinder nodded before making her way behind the bar and into the back area. Gently knocking on the manager's door, she was called in. "Good afternoon Mrs. Branwen."

Sitting back in her chair, Raven chuckled. "Never quite got there, and just Raven is fine. We aren't very formal around here."

Cinder nodded. "Of course... Yang said you wanted to speak with me?"

"Right, yes, I do." Raven acknowledged, sitting up a bit straighter. "Just a few last minute tips before you start your shift." Opening one of the desk drawers, she began sifting through it. "First of all, don't worry about being too professional, you're serving drinks to tired shift workers. No one expects you to be perfect." Pulling out what appeared to be a small rectangular piece of paper, she wrote something down on it before handing it to the younger woman.

HELLO
my name is
CINDER FALL

"Sorry it's so tacky, I'll make sure you have a proper one by your next shift, so long as everything goes well today." Raven explained.

Sticking the tag to her shirt, Cinder smiled. "Yes ma'am."

Raven chuckled again. "Don't worry about calling me ma'am or anything like that. Again, just Raven is fine." To which Cinder nodded. "One other thing, listen to Yang. She'll talk a lot, hopefully it'll put you a little more at ease. And don't be afraid to ask for help, there's no shame in needing it."

After a moment Cinder spoke up. "I won't... Thank you Raven."

"Don't mention it." Raven responded. "Now get to work, I'm not paying you to just stand there." She added with a slight smirk.

Cinder offered a smile of her own. "Of course. Right away." As she watched Raven return to her work, Cinder exited her office, finding Yang back behind the bar, filling a couple glasses.

"Ready?" The blonde asked. Cinder nodded in response. "Alrighty, why don't you... take a walk around, familiarize yourself with where everything is." She suggested before bringing the drinks to a pair in one of the booths

Cinder nodded. "Okay." Looking around behind the bar, she began noting where things were. A variety alcohols lined the shelves on the wall, while an assortment of different items - glasses, cups, napkins, coasters, trays, etc. - filled the shelves beneath them. Several beer taps lined the left side of the counter, a large metal sink sat in the middle, a drying rack next to it, and a cash register sat near the end. There were also several mini-fridges behind the bar - two filled with bottled alcohol, the third with energy and sports drinks.

"What's this fridge for?" Cinder wondered, pointing at the third fridge as Yang returned.

"Oh that's for us, just in case we get a little tired on the job." Yang explained.

Cinder blinked. "Do the shifts really get... that bad?"

Yang shook her head. "Not really, but sometimes you don't wake up right in the morning and the coffee isn't enough, amirite?"

The older woman sighed. "Something I know all too well..."

"Well, feel free to take one if you need it." Yang offered.

"Thank you..."

"So, you find everything alright?" Yang asked after a few moments of silence.

"For the most part." Cinder responded. "Just one thing... where are the cleaning supplies?"

"In the back room." Yang clarified. "There's a shelf that's filled with... well, a lot of things actually. Could've sworn I saw a dildo there once, but next time I checked it was gone." Another few moments of silence went by. "Uh, anyways, the cleaning supplies are on the bottom shelf."

Cleaning supplies. Bottom shelf. Noted. Cinder simply nodded.

"Alright, well, why don't you start with..." Yang started, looking around the room until her gaze stopped on something. "Clearing and cleaning that table." She pointed to a recently vacated booth, several used glasses clustered in its center.

"Of course." Grabbing a tray from under the counter, Cinder gently flipped open the bar hatch and made her way to the vacant booth. She placed each glass onto the tray, followed by the coasters. Luckily the table was not very dirty, so it would only a quick spray and wipe down. As she placed the tray onto the bar counter, Yang began to reach for it. "Oh, you don't have to..."

Yang just smiled, taking the tray and putting the glasses into the sink to wash. "Don't worry about it, we're here to help each other out."

"Okay... Thank you Yang..." Cinder nodded before making her way behind the bar and into the back room. Looking at the shelf the blonde mentioned, the bottom row had just what she needed. Searching through the various spray bottles, she grabbed the one labeled Table Soap and a cloth and headed back to the front area. As she passed Yang, the younger woman spoke up.

"You got the right soap?" Yang inquired, to which Cinder showed her the bottle. "Just making sure. I'll admit there have been a few times where I almost sprayed the tables with leather cleaner." She admitted with a small chuckle.

"I'll make sure to be careful." Cinder assured before going to clean the table. As she expected, it did not take long for the surface to shine like it was brand new. Once she was done, she put away the soap and rinsed the cloth in the back sink before returning to Yang to inquire about another task. She could not let herself become idle, lest she give the impression that she is not needed. "Yang?"

Placing the last glass onto the drying rack, the blonde turned. "What's up?"

"Is there... anything else you need me to do?" Cinder wondered.

"Uh..." Yang took a quick look around the room. "Not at the moment... but that's not a bad thing." She assured. "Sometimes we end up just hanging around until something comes up."

Cinder nodded. "Okay..." They proceeded to do exactly that. Over the next few hours, Yang served customers while Cinder cleaned up after them once they left. It was... nice. The stress she had earlier was slowly fading. Just like Raven said, Yang was quite talkative, which definitely helped Cinder feel at ease. She asked about her likes, dislikes, hobbies - though she did not have much of an answer for that one - all the standard first meeting questions, but nothing about her past. Cinder was extremely thankful for that. As she was cleaning a pitcher, Yang approached the bar.

"Hey, you think you can handle yourself for a minute or two?"

Cinder blinked. "Wh...What for?"

"Just need to hit the little girls room." Yang admitted.

It's only a couple minutes, no problem. Cinder told herself. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Okay. I can do that."

"Cool, be right back!" Yang called as she made her way to the bathroom.

And now Cinder was alone. She could already feel her stress levels slowly rising. Calm down. She told herself. All you're doing is watching the bar until she gets back. Taking a look around the room, Cinder took another deep breath. Every customer has a drink, they shouldn't need anything from you in the next two minutes, just relax- Her thoughts were interrupted as the front door opened, followed by a red-haired man in a white coat entering the bar.

"Hey there blondie!" The man greeted with a smile and a wave. As he approached the counter that smile somewhat faded. "Oookay you're not who I thought you were..." To which Cinder timidly shook her head. "Did I wonder in the wrong bar by mistake?" He asked, looking around the room. "No... I'm in the right place... You new here sweetheart?"

"Y-Yes..." Cinder managed.

Approaching the bar, the man extended his hand. "The name's Roman."

Cinder shook Roman's hand. "I-I'm Cinder..."

"Nice to meet you Cinder." Roman smiled. "Gotta say, I'm diggin' the hair style, don't see people pulling off a good fringe these days."

"Thank you..." Cinder mumbled. She hoped Yang would be back soon.

As if on cue, the blonde appeared behind Roman. "Not trying to hit on the newbie are ya Roman?" She wondered.

The man in question let out a nervous laugh. "Of course not blondie, was just saying hi is all."

Yang quirked a brow. "Oh yeah? That true?" She asked, turning to the older woman, who nodded. She turned back to Roman. "Alright Torchwick, you're off the hook this time. Now go sit down and I'll get you the usual." She stated before shifting her gaze back to Cinder. "Hey, it's been a few hours, why don't you take a break. I can handle things out here for a bit."

Cinder blinked. "Oh, okay..." A break sounded nice. Though she was not particularly busy, she still probably needed it. Finishing up with the glass she was washing, she placed it on the drying rack and headed to the back room. Once there, she was able to get a proper look at it. The shelf she retrieved the cleaning supplies from stood against the wall closest to the door, the sink next to it. A wooden table sat in the center of the room, four chairs surrounding it. All things she saw before when she came for her interview. What Cinder missed was the fridge and microwave in the corner of the room. There were also four lockers lining the far wall - next to the back door - each of them presumably for one of the other staff members. Picking one of the chairs, she sat down at the table.

Then Cinder realized something. What was she going to do? She could not browse the web, as she did not have the money for a data plan. Maybe she could text Nora... No, the redhead had work to do. Though it was a very different kind of work, it was still work nonetheless. Maybe I should just close my eye and relax... As she was lost in thought, the back door opened, revealing Vernal, a motorcycle helmet in hand. She smelled of cigarette smoke.

"Oh, hey, didn't realize you'd be here today." Vernal admitted, the door closing behind her as she opened one of the lockers - probably hers.

"G-Good afternoon Vernal..." Cinder greeted. "Raven has me on a trial shift..."

"Cool." Was Vernal's simple response. "That going alright?"

Cinder nodded. "I'm on with Yang... Her personality is very... relaxing..."

"Yeah she has that effect on people." Vernal observed. "If you're ever feeling stressed, just get her talking, you'll feel better in no time."

"I'll keep that in mind." Cinder replied. It was a fairly accurate statement. She had been quite nervous when she first arrived, but the more Yang spoke to her, the more at ease she felt... At least up until the blonde went to the bathroom and she was left alone. Luckily Roman was nice enough, but he was a little... much. Maybe she should ask for help next time...

"Uh, Cinder?" Came Vernal's voice, pulling the older woman from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I was... zoned out..."

"What's that on your necklace you're fiddling with?" Vernal asked.

Looking down, Cinder realized what she had been unconsciously doing. She was playing with Emerald's ring again... Something she often did when she was lost in thought. "It... was my engagement ring..."

"Must not have gone too well." Vernal guessed. "That thing looks like it was tossed into a fireplace."

"Y-Yeah..." Cinder managed. Even at the mere mention, she could already feel a tear beginning to form in her eye. Relax, she didn't know. She told herself, trying to fight the urge to cry.

Upon noticing Cinder's face, Vernal's expression changed. "Oh shit, uh, I didn't realize it was that bad... Sorry."

Wiping away the tear, Cinder shook her head. "Don't be... you didn't know..."

Before Vernal could respond, the door to Raven's office opened, and the manager stepped into the break room. "Vernal, your girlfriend is trying to act punk again."

The short-haired woman let out a small chuckle. "Tell her I'll be right out." To which Raven nodded before leaving for the front area. As Vernal stood, she turned to Cinder. "Come on, if you're gonna work here you gotta meet her. She's around a lot, and fussy about her drinks."