A/N: Fun fact: Before I even considered making this a fanfic, the entire premise of the story and the choice to use RWBY characters can all be traced back to a single coin flip.

"On the bright side," Weiss reckoned. "She's not dead."

They were all still seated around the small table in the shed outside Rio as they waited for Antonio to relay Red's message.

The sun was starting to set as he spoke. "That is correct."

"And why, exactly, would my sister send you instead of telling us herself?" Yang asked.

"Because, she trusts me."

"Sorry Gramps, but considering what's happened today, I'm a little short on trust." Yang scowled harshly.

"What she means Padre," Blake clarified, "is that the last contact of Red's we trusted betrayed us and endangered our lives. So we're going to need more than just your word that she sent you."

"I assume you are talking about Agent Daishi?" The former priest inquired.

"How do you know that?" Pyrrha asked suspiciously.

"Because, mi pequena joya told me about it." Antonio replied.

Weiss wasn't entirely sure what, but something in the way Antonio answered was of significance to Blake, Yang, and Pyrrha, and made the three women's eyes widen in surprise.

"Who are you," Yang demanded. "Really?"

Antonio merely smiled mysteriously at the interrogation. "I'm just the messenger."

"What is this message anyway?" Blake asked.

"You are to continue with the plan and meet up with Red on the day of the event."

"How will she know the time and location of the auction?" Weiss asked.

Antonio shrugged and stood up. "That I was not told." He brushed himself off and cast a glance at them all stopping on Pyrrha sitting in front of her computer. "But if I had to guess, I would say the same way you will." With that he walked out, leaving them all confused as to their next move.

Later that night, they checked back into their hotel, having decided that if they had to wait for someone to make contact with Adam, they might as well wait in comfort.

Weiss was sitting on the balcony watching the twinkling lights of the city below when she heard the patio door open and someone step out to join her.

"Mind if I join you?" Yang asked quietly.

"Not at all," Weiss replied politely, gesturing to the unoccupied lounge chair next to her. Yang took a seat and held out a beer which she accepted with a quiet thanks. They sat in silence for several minutes, the only sounds coming from the city's nightlife –and even that was dying down –before the flaxen boxer spoke quietly.

"So, I'm not really the best at this kinda thing…"

Weiss raised an eyebrow but kept her head forward. "What kind of thing?"

"Saying thanks." Yang explained. She too had her gaze fixed firmly on the city.

"And what would you be thanking me for?" Weiss asked confused.

"For giving me a much needed kick in the ass… and for not giving up on my sister."

Weiss didn't need to see her eyes to tell how sincere Yang was being. She smiled to herself and took a swig of the, frankly, terrible beer. As she forced the swill down her throat, she couldn't help but appreciate that it was probably the farthest she could get from sipping century-old, fine Italian wine at some fancy party or gala. Suddenly the beer started to taste better and better.

"Well, I figured I owed you after you did the same for me back in Miami."

"Does that mean you're gonna break into my room later and punch me in the gut too?" Yang joked wryly.

They both laughed softly and Weiss found herself fondly reminiscing on her last few months. "No. I think I'll hold off on assaulting you for now."

They both shared another laugh then fell back into a silence that was not entirely uncomfortable and simply sat sipping their drinks for the next several minutes.

"You're really good for her. You know that, right?" Yang whispered, breaking the silence.

"The benefits are mutual."

"I'm serious," Yang reached out and grabbed her arm, prompting Weiss to look her in the eye. "She's never had someone who was just… there for her like you are."

"What about you? And Pyrrha? And the others?"

Yang released her grip and shrugged, turning back to contemplate the glimmering lights below. "Sure, she trusts us. To an extent. But you saw how quickly we were prepared to give up on her. As ashamed as I am to admit it, you were right. Living the kind of lives we do… it hardens you. It can make it easy for you to just decide to cut your losses and run at the first sign of trouble." She hung her head briefly and her long, golden locks obscured her face as she took a shaky breath before looking up and continuing. "I think that's part of the reason why it took her so long to open up to us. She's always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Did you know Blake didn't learn her real name until the Miami job? And that's only because I let it slip by accident in all the excitement."

"She's a complicated person." Weiss defended softly.

Yang let out a bark of humorless laughter. "That's the understatement of the century." She paused again and it felt like she was trying to see through the other woman as she took another swig of her beer. "But then, who isn't?"

"Good point."

Bright Lilac eyes narrowed as the brawler continued her examination. Weiss could have almost mistaken it for hostility if not for the oft tone with which she spoke after a few more minutes.

"You love her, don't you?"

"Probably."

Silence reigned once more as both women contemplated the implications of what they just said. Weiss found herself lost in her memories, trying to figure out when her attraction to her friend had mutated into something… more. While she couldn't pinpoint the exact moment, she knew that her feelings for Red were something… more. And while she may not have been able to name it, even to herself, she found the more she thought about it, the less terrifying it became.

At first, memories of her father's punishment sprung forward. She thought she had moved past that specific issue from her past, but it seemed admitting she felt more than simple attraction for the other woman made it all the more real. But the more she thought about it. About how happy, and safe, and comfortable she felt around Red. About how she just wanted to stay by the brunette's side, no matter what. About how she felt so charmed by the intelligence and confidence of the world-class criminal, and even more so by the nerdy, dork hiding beneath that. The more she thought about how she had been given the chance to make and retain memories that included more than just pain and lessons. The more she realised how fundamentally wrong she felt in every memory of her past before Red, limited though they may be, and how absolutely right she felt every day since that fateful meeting in a rundown coffee shop. The more she thought about all this, the easier it was to admit that she wanted… more.

Should probably work on actually saying what it is I want first. Weiss thought with a smile.

"You know what always interested me about my sister?" Yang asked, bringing the pensive redhead back to the present. "She was never conflicted."

"What do you mean?"

"Most of us criminal-types have some sort of code that we live by to justify our actions. It helps you deal with the guilt the first few times you knowingly ruin someone's life who doesn't necessarily deserve it. But not my little sis. I mean, sure, something like ninety-five percent of her work and profits are helping someone, somewhere, but she's made it clear she has little to no problem accepting that, no matter what, most people will think she's doing wrong."

"Really?" Weiss inquired. "It didn't seem like that to me."

"I never said she liked it." Yang replied. "Or rather, she doesn't like that she does like it. For as long as I've known her, she's loved two things more than any other: helping people, and winning. So when she found out she can help people best by outsmarting and outmaneuvering others, she just accepted that she'd be living in, at best, a morally grey area."

Weiss thought back to that day under the bridge in Sao Paulo and frowned.

You're poison.

She turned back to face the city and fought to control her emotions. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, before she met you, she wouldn't have even told us she was going after Torchwick. Let alone invited us along."

Weiss didn't reply as she reclined in the patio chair considering what Yang was saying. They remained there, watching as the sky slowly turned lighter and lighter grey. Eventually, just as the first traces of pink were appearing on the horizon, Blake stepped out and silently leaned back into her girlfriend's arms, while Pyrrha followed with her laptop and took a seat next to the transporter.

"I've got something." She announced. They all turned to face her and she spun the computer in her lap so they could all see. "Adam just received the formal invitation to the auction."

"So do we know where it's going to be?" Weiss asked. "Or who's hosting it?"

"Or who's going to be there?" Blake added.

"Not yet." Pyrrha replied. "All it said was that it's in six days and hosted by one Sergey Fedarov."

"Never heard of him." Yang supplied.

"That's because it's an alias."

"Gregorovitch." Weiss reckoned.

Pyrrha nodded. "I also managed to trace his IP to a restaurant in Praia da Pipa."

"Dolphin's Bay?" Blake remarked skeptically. "That's a huge resort location. There are tons of places the auction could be held there."

"Assuming that's even where he plans on hosting it." Yang added.

"Considering Gregorovitch owns an island just off the coast there, I think it's a pretty safe bet on the location." Pyrrha countered.

"Alright, so we have a location, we have a time, and we have a mark. What else do we know?" Weiss asked.

"We know that the only people allowed to be armed will be Gregorovitch's personal guards." Pyrrha supplied.

"What about entry and exit points?" Blake queried.

"I can probably sneak in as one of the staff working the event." Pyrrha suggested thoughtfully. "And scaling to an open window shouldn't be too much trouble for you and Yang."

"Yeah, if we don't get shot on the way up." Yang grumbled as Weiss raised a confused eyebrow.

"What about me?"

"I've been thinking about that. You," Pyrrha replied, "are going in as part of the entertainment."

Weiss blanched as she registered what the other woman was suggesting. Surely she couldn't…

"Oh yeah!" Yang exclaimed. "You're some sort of hot shot musician, aren't you?"

"I may have sung on occasion for a few of my father's in-house functions." Weiss said haltingly. Could she really do this?

"Look, Weiss. It's no biggie." Pyrrha offered, noticing her discomfort. "We can find some other way to get you in if-"

Weiss cut her off shaking her head. "No. I'll do it." For Red.

"These plans are all well and good," Blake noted, "but what are we going to be stealing anyway?"

"Well, we know this Gregorovitch guy's got some sort of lead on Red's mom." Yang suggested.

"And Adam will have the plans for that battery there too." Blake added quietly.

"That's true," Pyrrha agreed. "But I don't think those are our main goal here."

"Then what is?" Weiss asked.

"I'm not sure." The crimson-haired thief replied, shaking her head. "But that Antonio man said Red would be meeting us there, so I'm going to trust she'll know what to do once we get there."

"Alrighty then," Yang concluded with a clap of her hands. "I guess this means we have some work to do."

*(OoO)*

Yang groaned to herself as she inspected the aged, French brickwork of Gregorovitch's villa through her binoculars. The last week had been a non-stop grind as they rushed to get everything ready; forging IDs, memorizing stolen guest lists and guard pattern, studying blueprints, and gathering supplies. She had no idea how Ruby managed to do all this in less time and make it look easy. Amazingly, they had finished all of their prep on time, and after spending all of last night reviewing and re-reviewing their plan (which to be honest was only the start of a plan, they'd have to rely on Ruby for the rest), she was sure she knew it backwards by now.

"Doesn't get me out of climbing the damn wall like some sort of crazy spider monkey, though." The brawler grumbled as she shifted her focus from the daunting wall to the window three stories up. "It's a lot higher in person."

"Look on the bright side," Blake said as she zipped up her jumpsuit and took the binoculars from her. "When this is all over, you'll not only get to make fun of Weiss for dressing all fancy, but Ruby as well for standing in the middle of the crowd and drooling over her singing."

Yang grinned widely and pecked her girlfriend on the cheek. "See that's why I love you: you always know just how to cheer me up."

"And here I thought you just loved me for my body." Blake deadpanned.

"Well," Yang cocked her head and let her eyes run over her girlfriend's body. Even in those bulky coveralls, she could see still make out hints of the mouth-watering figure beneath them. "I won't say that's not a definite side benefit."

"Not to mention I don't tell anyone about your fear of heights." Yang grumbled and shoved the dark-haired burglar playfully, making her smirk amusedly. "Come on," she said standing up, "Pyrrha just flashed us the signal."

They made their way down through the tropical foliage, making sure to keep out of sight of the guards patrolling with military-grade rifles as they crept around the side of the villa.

They approached the wall, and with a deep breath, Yang followed her girlfriend up the rough stonework of the building. "Hey," she grunted, trying to focus on anything but the increasing distance between her and the ground below. "You think Weiss is right about Ruby doing all this for some bigger reason?"

"You think she's not?" Blake countered.

"I don't know what to think."

"Well, it makes more sense than going to all this trouble for the money."

"So does my sister wanting to get back at someone for bruising her ego."

"Yang," Blake whispered seriously as they sidled along a ledge, waiting for a guard inside to walk away from a window. "You and I both know that, no matter how cocky Ruby acts, pride isn't exactly something we have to worry about with her."

"I know," Yang huffed, "you're right. I guess I'm just worried about what this 'something bigger' is, and why she didn't tell us."

"She didn't tell us so we wouldn't worry needlessly and lose focus." Yang's foot slipped on a loose brick and she yelped as Blake's hand shot out to grab her. "Like that."

The brawler breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled herself up. "Thanks."

"Why are you so worried about this all of a sudden?" Blake asked. "It's not like it's the first time Ruby's withheld information. Hell, it's not even the first time she's randomly vanished, only to somehow meet up with us later."

"It's just," Yang hesitated, "you remember how I told you I had something to tell you about the next time we were in New York?"

"Does this have something to do with that?"

Yang nodded, averting her eyes. "You could say that." She paused and sighed in frustration. "Man, Ruby even mentioned something back in Ottawa, but I didn't do anything then. Now… I'm not even sure what to do."

"Yang," Blake reached over and squeezed her shoulder comfortingly, "you know the first and last thoughts through Ruby's head have and will continue to always be those she cares about. I can guarantee you, whatever it is, she's taken it into consideration."

"Thanks," Yang smiled and followed her through the open window. Once firmly on her feet, she turned and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist, looking into her eyes. "I love you, Blake."

"I love you too." Blake smiled softly as they leant closer and shared a deep kiss. They held each other tightly, ignoring the need for oxygen. They barely even separated when the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted them.

"I hate to interrupt," Pyrrha said, flicking on the lamp next to the couch she was sitting on. "But we do have work to do, and I don't Weiss is particularly enjoying being left in the limelight longer than necessary."

"Oh please," Yang riposted as she and Blake shed their coveralls revealing the same formal uniforms as Pyrrha and the rest of the staff members. "You're just jealous because you left a certain gangly blonde back in New York."

Pyrrha's cheeks nearly matched her hair as she flushed brightly at the implication. She handed them both their earpieces and, after fitting them in, they joined her at the balcony where they all watched as the stage lights reflected off Weiss's fiery tresses while the former heiress crooned gently into a microphone.

"Gotta admit," Yang noted, turning away from the performance to observe the guests from above. "Ice Queen's got a wicked set of pipes."

Blake nodded and turned to Pyrrha. "Have you seen Red yet?"

Pyrrha merely shook her head, eyes still trained on the stage below. "But I think I found what we're here for. There's some sort of golden statue that was added as a last minute lot, and the bidding starts at one hundred million."

"How do you know that's what we're after?"

"Because, Roman Torchwick is the one selling it."

Blake was about to question her further, but was interrupted just as she noticed the current song came to a close.

"Uh, guys? We might have a problem." Yang said.

They both turned from the stage, where Weiss was standing off to the side, visibly frozen, and followed her gaze toward the doors where guests were still arriving. Standing there, surveying those around him critically, was Augustus Schnee.