"What are you doing here?"

"Who are you?!" Blanche yelled.

"I got persuaded to come save you," Neo said softly.

"What? By who?

Scarlet had ignored the shots that had been fired her way because they had been deflected by one of the men on Blanche's team. A few shots went flying by her and hitting the gate. Ice built up onto the gates. Neo pushed Scarlet down onto the ground to protect her.

"Ugh!'

Blanche whipped around to see Red, Blake, Wyeth and Akairo jumping out of a transport.

"YOU!" Blanche yelled and pulled out two long range shotguns.

The man never had a chance to fire theme off. Fire came flying out of no where and it made it drop the deadly weapons onto the ground. He looked upward to see a small boy on top of the gates. His jaw dropped.

"Nice one little man!" Neo yelled.

"Ash?!" Scarlet screamed.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Red yelled, "You should be at home!"

"Sorry Dad!"

"UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE ATLAS MILITARY, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST!"

Scarlet looked around to see war ships surrounding them.

"Scarlet."

Akairo knelt down by her girlfriend.

"I missed you!" she said with her bottom lip quivering and she threw her arms around her.

Neo smiled and patted her arm.

"You can't be that much of a bad guy."

"She isn't going anywhere," Blanche snapped.

They looked over at him and his red eyes were glowing. He raised his hands into the air. The look on his face was creepy.

"Everyone run!" Scarlet screamed.

Blake turned around to see Grimm flying through the air above them. He took off into a sprint and jumped. Her grabbed Ash's arm and pulled him down to the ground.

"Thanks Uncle Blake."

He grinned, "That was close. I'm surprised you got up there anyways."

"I jumped on the ice."

"Of course you did."

Ash looked over at his mom.

"MOM!"

"Ash!"

The boy sprinted towards her but was stopped in his tracks as a Griffon landed in front of them. Scarlet froze but Ash didn't. He breathed fire onto the flying Grimm without hesitation and it fell onto the ground blowing black smoke into the air.

BOOM

Everyone took cover as a warship exploded in the air. Grimm of all kinds was swarming around it.

"RUN!" Wyeth yelled.

Pieces of the ships fell onto the ground and one piece landed on the gates crushing it downward. Blanche grabbed Scarlet's hand as his men ran inside.

"You started with me, then you finish with me," he hissed angrily.

Scarlet opened her mouth to protest but he didn't give her a chance too as he dragged her to the fallen gateway.

"No you don't!" Neo yelled.

"MOM!"

A shot was flying through the air and hit the Grimm-like man in the shoulder, almost knocking him off his feet. He stumbled a few feet forward with blood run down his back.

"She stays here," Blake growled, "I won't be hiding up in some damn tree again."

"I won't miss your head next time," Red threatened, "I am not in the mood."

"You think I care? I can take down your whole city if she doesn't come with me."

Scarlet looked ashamed as she stared down at the ground.

"That bullshit won't work a second time," Red threatened.

Akairo grabbed Scarlet and pulled her a few yards away from the burning gates. Everything was in chaos.

"Red, we have to do something about the Grimm," Wyeth whispered in his ear.

"Do what you need too," he whispered.

"Akairo and Ash."

Ash looked up at his uncle.

"Can I have some assistance, please?"

Ash grinned and nodded running to his uncle's side.

"Ready!" he yelled eagerly.

"Scarlet, you will be going home with us. You have nothing to worry about."

"I can't go home. Look what I-

Akairo put a finger on her lips.

"Whether you choose to stay with Red and I is up to you but you're going home to Vale," Akairo said as she looked over at Neo, "Just don't run off again without saying something. We love you."

She gave a quick nod and Akairo ran off pulling out her red bladed sword with an evil smile on her face.

"So, is this how it's going to be?" Blanche asked glaring at Scarlet, "You choose a life of nothingness and boredom?"

"It may be boring but now... I realized I love it more than anything. My son needs me."

Scarlet raised her hands into the air. She took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Neo could feel the heat coming off of Scarlet's hands from a few feet away. It was almost like a heat wave had come down on Atlas and it was growing more intense by the second. Grimm charged at her through the air but it was a grave mistake on their part. They got too close and were turned to ash from the heat.

"Shit," Neo said out loud.

Ash filled the air around them. Blanche watched as Scarlet made quick work of his evil army. At that moment he wouldn't even dare go near her. Red held his aim with his weapon without moving a muscle and Blake was on the other side ready to shoot him.

He had lost.

"You might as well kill me, boy."

Red snorted, "I only kill when I have too. You wouldn't be the first though. Stop being over dramatic."

His red eyes went over to Scarlet who finished off at least thirty Grimm within minutes alone.

"You would've been a real asset."

"She is," Neo said loudly, "You just have respect her. She isn't a thing."

Scarlet lowered her hands. She looked over at Neo with tear filled eyes.

"I missed you," Neo said, "I'm sorry I made the biggest mistake of my life."

"What was that?" Scarlet asked walking closer to him.

I want to hear him say it. Please say it.

"That I betrayed you and didn't trust you enough to talk about how I felt about you."

She broke out into a short sprint and jumped into his arms. He fell onto the ground holding her tightly, Scarlet cried into his broad shoulder ignoring the burning metal around them.

"Do you surrender?" Red asked.

Blanche rolled his eyes, "You're going to ignore the fact your woman is hugging onto another man."

Blake hit the back of his head and knocked the pale skinned man out. Blake pulled out a pair of handcuffs and handcuffed the unconscious man. He gave Red a thumbs up and dragged the man to the transport that had just landed.

They had no problem taking care of the Grimm and Ash handled himself well for being so young. Akairo and Wyeth were giving high fives to him. Red looked back over to Neo and Scarlet. If it wasn't for Neo messing up like he did, Red would've never been with Akairo or Scarlet for that matter.

X

X

"Dad."

Red arched an eyebrow at his young son.

"I already told you that you're grounded until you get to school."

Ash smiled and laughed nervously, "I know that but can I ask you something?"

"I suppose."

Ash scooted closer to Red and lowered his voice.

"You know how you, Mom and Mom are dating?"

Red's face heated up.

"Y-Yea."

"Mom said she still loved Mom even though she left. Do you still love her?"

Red nodded, "Of course I do. Why do you ask?"

"You think Neo can date you too?"

Red's face turned dark red now and it was hard to hide.

"Why would you ask something like that?"

"Mom loves him."

"How would you know this?" Red asked quietly.

"Mom kept a locked trunk in your room. I opened it up and saw her photo album."

"Oh..."

Red gave him a dirty look and crossed his arms.

"Why were you snooping?"

Ash shifted in his seat, "I wanted to help bring Mom back."

Of course you did. I had no idea what was in that trunk either but it was up to Scarlet to share it. We all have secrets.

"What... What was in her photo album?"

Ash smiled and grabbed his back pack.

"I'll show you."

He pulled out his scroll and typed in his password.

"Here."

Red went through the pictures Ash had taken.

No wonder she hid this. Some part of her couldn't let go. I wonder if she missed being the bad guy. I had wondered if she was ever happy with me or Crimson for that matter. She must've been escaping the pain she felt when she felt betrayed by Neo. No wonder she was never happy.

"Dad, I don't want you to get mad. I love you all and if it wasn't for Neo, we wouldn't have stopped Mom in time."

"You like him that much?"

Ash nodded, "I had read a few of Blake's books and he explained how your guys relationship worked so I would understand a little better."

Damnit Blake.

"I don't think Neo would be the type to jump into a love square Ash."

"Oh."

Ash took back his scroll and leaned against the seat.

"I just want Mom to be happy."

Me too, Ash... me too.

X

X

"Go talk to her," Akairo said leaning against the door frame of the room.

Neo looked up at the red headed Faunus.

"What?"

"Go talk to Scarlet. I'm sure she has a lot to say."

"Isn't she your girlfriend?"

She nodded and unfolded her arms from her chest.

"As her girlfriend, I want her to be happy. She still needs to thank you."

"She doesn't need to say that to me."

Akairo reached over and slapped the back of his head.

"Don't be a dumbass. Go and talk to her, NOW."

Neo got up and headed for the train car Scarlet was in.

What am I supposed to say to her? It's been five or six years since I saw her. Well, actually say something to her. I usually avoid her in public. It helps I can always look like someone else. I should just clear the air up and let her live her life when we get back to Vale.

Neo stood in front of the door without moving. He wanted to open it and see her but it would just be too hard. The way everything happened... His mistake sent her down the path of pain. She had no place to turn too. She had a kid and the father died. How alone she must've felt all this time.

"I can see you."

He jumped.

"Sorry..."

"You can come in."

Neo's trembling hand slid into the door handle and pulled it open. He looked down to see Scarlet sitting on the floor in her fire damaged clothes.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked.

She cracked a smile, "Heh... You're the tallest person I know."

"I guess that was a stupid question..."

Scarlet shrugged. Neo closed the door behind him.

"I guess... We need to talk."