Scarlet crept up the stairs after Red fell asleep on the couch while they were watching a movie. Akairo made sure to keep herself for the time being to let Scarlet think alone. Scarlet froze outside of the door almost afraid to walk in. She had hurt Akairo a lot more than she ever thought she could. Her heart hurt.

Scarlet never thought Red would be so mad at her. The thing was… everything she had said was very true. She was still angry at Akairo for every single mishap in her life. She grew up without her father thus losing the most important person in her life.

Akairo might have suffered a lot of mental damage herself but that was no excuse for what she had done to her over the years. Scarlet hadn't realized she was clenching her fist to the point the palm of her hand was bleeding. Could she really get over all this or was she going to leave all this behind? Could she forgive it?

Her thoughts drifted over to Ash and how much her son loved Red and Akairo.

They were almost the perfect couple. The perfect parents. It made her angry and jealous. Behind it all, it should have been her. She should be with Red on that level and not Akairo. She had Red first and the only person she could feel angry towards was the Faunus.

Scarlet took a deep breath and headed downstairs. She scribbled a note and put it on the fridge. She needed a few days to herself and she knew Ash would be ok without her. She slipped on her boots and was gone into the night.

X

X

The next morning Red woke up first and he headed upstairs to wake his girlfriends. He was in a good mood seeing that Scarlet wasn't on the couch so that meant she had made up with Akairo. He pushed the door open and saw only red hair. He frowned and pulled back the covers slowly.

A smile creeped across his face seeing Ash was under the covers with his hair messed up. Akairo was snoring away but it looked like Scarlet never came into the room. He left the room and headed back downstairs. Maybe she was in another room of the house or perhaps she went to the library.

Red messaged her through his scroll and waited a few minutes in the living room. There was no answer. He headed into the kitchen seeing a paper hanging there with her handwriting. Even with the fridge covered in twenty pages of Ash's drawings, it stuck out like a sore thumb.

Guys,

I need time alone. I'll be back in a few days. I need to think things over. Please watch Ash. I know he misses you anyways, Red.

-Scarlet-

Red rubbed his face.

I thought it was going to be a lot easier than that.

X

X

"I haven't seen her Red. If I knew where she was Brother I would tell you."

"I shouldn't be surprised this happened at all. I figured after four years it would be all cleared up by now."

"Sometimes there are wounds that won't heal."

"I want everything to be ok."

"Not everyone has the same heart as you. You forgive so easily but there is a big difference between you and Scarlet."

"How much of a difference?" Red asked unable to think what was so different.

"Scarlet and Akairo had been fighting for a long time. Scarlet saw her father murdered and Akairo watched her father as he was murdered. To be honest I didn't even think you three would have made it this long without issues. Scarlet cared for you and she watched you sit in a chair with your guts hanging out. I honestly saw red when I saw you in that chair but I forgave Akairo since you cared about her so much."

"I guess I didn't see the big picture."

"Scarlet needs help too. She told me she has constant nightmares of Graylyn. She can't get over it."

"She never told me."

"She had fallen asleep over here and she was covered in a cold sweat. Luckily the kids never saw it but it definitely was scary. She tore up her arms and everything."

"Scarlet needs to see a therapist then. I don't know what else to say about that."

"She won't do it. She sees herself as an adult. She shouldn't have all these problems. Rain tried to her to admit to it but she won't. She would only hear you out probably."

"Yuri, I need to find her."

"I can go look in town. You mind if I bring the kids over so Rain can have a break?"

"Sure. Ash and Akairo would love that."

"Flora and Sunny keep asking where Akairo is at and if Uncle Red will take them flying. Honestly, it's driving us up the wall."

Red laughed.

"I'll pack an overnight bag and I'll be there in an hour."

"Ok. Love you, bye."

"Bye."

Right on the dot, his blonde haired brother pulled up in his pick truck. Yuri got out shaking out his yellow mane. Red ran and jumped on the six foot man almost knocking him down. Yuri laughed and shoved him off.

"I haven't got to enjoy that in a while!" Red said laughing.

"I know you would always jump on me. Especially when I was sleeping."

"UNCLE RED! UNCLE RED!"

The back doors of the truck flew open and two small children came running at him. Red scooped both children up giving them kisses. They both squealed with delight. Ash threw the front door open, screaming his cousins' names and came running out. The siblings jumped out of Red's arms and tackled Ash onto the ground.

"Must be a family thing to greet each other with a tackle."

Red laughed.

"I guess so."

Yuri sat on the porch swing with Red for a few minutes watched Akairo chase after the three kids.

"Thanks for helping me with the train."

Yuri nodded quietly.

Truthfully, the whole incident was horrible. Those children might've been kidnapped and almost sold into slavery but the words that came out of Scarlet's mouth was a lot worse. Maybe the only reason she had said those things was thinking they wouldn't get out alive. It still didn't need to be said even if it was their final moments.

"I always saw Scarlet as this smart calculated criminal… Never knew her to be so emotional and angry."

"It's all my fault."

"No. You were just trying to fix a bad situation to the best of your ability. Who knows what would've happened otherwise."

"Yea."

"I'll go into town and check. I'll see you later."

Yuri hopped into his truck and he was gone.

X

X

Red shut off the light in Ash's room. The three kids were on the floor in their sleeping bags sleeping away. It was about ten at night and they had knocked out while watching a kids' movie. He checked his scroll again hoping for some news of Scarlet's whereabouts but his scroll had no notifications.

"No answer."

Red looked up to see Scarlet staring at him as he came down the stairs.

"No."

"I don't blame her for hating me."

"Akairo… Don't."

She gave a sad smile.

"I hate myself more than she ever could."

Red sat down beside of her.

"It's no excuse but I felt like I was in the passenger seat. I don't really remember hurt anyone as a kid… I had a front row seat but it was like watching a movie. If that makes any sense."

"It does."

"He might've been a bad person but it hurt me seeing my father die."

"I get that."

"I hate him too."

Red took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I always felt like I bordered between two worlds. The one where everyone accepted me and other where everyone feared me."

Akairo pulled her hand away.

"Scarlet and I… we are trying to force ourselves into a world we don't belong."

"You belong here! Akairo-

She placed a finger up to Red's lips.

"The only reason other people have accepted us here is because you are there taking us in. Even after four years… We are lonely. Bored. Full of some kind of regret. I wanted to jump back in and I hurt you both. I can't stay still in this house. I am not a normal house wife of any kind."

Red nodded.

"Akairo… I'm so sorry."

He placed a hand over her abdomen where their baby would've been. Tears stung her eyes.

"I'm sorry too."

"I still love you more than anything."

Akairo grinned, "Thank you. Sometimes I need to hear that."

A few more days had passed without any word from Scarlet. Red was given a month off and he was grateful for it but he didn't want to be worrying about his girlfriend the whole time. Him, Blake and Yuri took turns looking for her throughout the city but none of them had any luck.

Red even called Wyeth to see if Scarlet might've headed for Atlas.

There answer was no.

Red was losing more and more sleep. Ash was getting upset his mother wasn't there and Akairo did her best to keep the young child's mind off of it. She wasn't doing too well either. She had constant contact with some of her old loyal Faunus members but they had seen no sign of the orange haired vixen.

X

X

Blake filed the rest of his paperwork and sat down. He leaned back and closed his eyes for a few minutes. He really wasn't sleepy but his body was exhausted. He was barely sleeping between all the work he had and the few times he went searching for Scarlet.

He had told Red that if Scarlet wanted to be found, she would've hid in plain sight but she hadn't. Blake wouldn't be surprised if she went by and took Ash then headed out of Vale to get away from everything. Blake didn't think she would leave without her son. Red was persistent in finding her no matter the cost and it was driving everyone up the wall.

Ding!

Blake reached out to grab his scroll but it wasn't on the table. He opened his eyes and looked to see thinking he placed it out of arms reach but the scroll wasn't on the table. He looked on the floor and then felt around in his pockets. He checked his shirt and his jacket but it wasn't there either.

That's weird. Where the hell did I put my scroll? I could have sworn I placed it on the table.

"You know… I can't seem to understand why anyone would care for her… So, figured I would come here and ask you."

Blake turned around in his chair to see Scarlet standing in the corner.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home with your son?"

"I want to talk."

"About what? I have nothing to tell you."

"You have everything to talk about. I want to talk about Akairo."