TWO CHAPTER UPDATE (sort of) TO PREVENT CONFUSION (or if you want to see bonus material) GO TO THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Also, an author's note about the...status of certain characters is at the bottom of the chapter.

Expect more relationship development in the next chapter, this is more of establishing what Blake and Adam have right now...he's probably OOC, but I'm trying to slowly develop the characters into what they are like in the show. Hopefully, Blake isn't too docile, she's one of the hardest characters to write for; a lot of inner turmoil is in store for our poor cat faunus...

Chapter 11 – Disorientation

"Blake…don't' die on me…"

The voice sounded very familiar, and Blake wanted to find out who it was. However, she didn't have the energy to open her eyes. Blake was in a strange state of semi-consciousness – both asleep and awake.

She felt like she was immersed in a murky darkness but could still feel the pain in her side. It had now dulled to a persistent ache.

"Who is she…?" The new voice was unfamiliar, but Blake didn't bother looking. The winds had been replaced with a low hum of a motor.

Then, there was a sharp sting on her arm, and she plunged deeper into the abyss.

There was a faint sound, somewhat like a puff of air blowing past her cat ears. Blake opened her eyes to see an empty wasteland around her. There were charred remains of buildings, and heavy smog hung in the air. It looked like she was in an abandoned town, maybe even a city.

For a moment, she wondered if she had somehow been frozen in ice, but that was impossible. As her eyes wandered, Blake could pick up the faint sounds of rustling; Grimm would be near.

Frightened, Blake looked for a place to hide, only to find that she was left out in the open. Gambol Shroud wasn't with her, and she didn't have the strength to make a Shadow.

Suddenly, there was a crack of a stick breaking coming behind her. Swinging around, Blake turned to see two figures walking towards her.

Blinking, Blake gaped in disbelief; they were her parents. Had she died and was meeting them in the afterlife?

"Mom? Dad?" Blake asked, "Is it…you?" She wasn't sure of it was a trick of the light or if she was actually seeing them. She was about to run towards them until she saw them clearly.

However, instead of her parents smiling, their faces looked grave.

"You ran…" Luna said, "Why did my daughter abandon her loved ones?" Blake felt like someone had gripped an icy vice around her heart.

"No…" Blake desperately tried to explain, "It wasn't like that…"

"How could you leave them there?" Shade asked, "They relied on you and you…failed them."

Blake took a step back and shook her head; she couldn't find the words.

"Blake…why did you do something do cowardly? Why have you shamed us?"

"No…no…"

"Blake how could you leave them there to burn?" To her horror, blood began to run from their eyes as they slowly began to dissolve into ash.

Terrified, Blake did the first thing that came to mind – turn and run. The wasteland had morphed into a fiery inferno, and the sounds of Grimm's cries, screams, and crackling fire rang in her ears. The Grimm sprang out her, claws outstretched while the flames licked at her ankles.

Out of breath, Blake stopped to look for a way out.

Then, Sterling stood in front of her. Unlike the rest of the world, he looked like he was frozen. Frost formed a thin white coating on his skin, and his fingers and ears were tinged dark purple.

"You never found my body, you never checked to see if I was still alive," he groaned, "I froze to death. You ran, Blake, and let all my research go to waste. You let me die for nothing."

Suddenly, she felt an iron grip on her shoulder. Turning around, her eyes were met with the horrific image of Fiona covered in ash with blood running down her face, arms, and legs. Her face was white with blue veins coloring her skin. Aster and Larch stood behind her, equally as horrible.

"You abandoned us…" Fiona whispered, "Why, Blake, why…? Why did you abandon me like you did with your parents?"

"S-stop!"

"You never tried to see their bodies…you never checked if they were really dead…they burned to death because of you…"

"We all burned to death…" Aster and Larch echoed. Blake desperately tried to tear her arm free.

"You betrayed us…" the world seemed to echo, "You left your loved ones to die…"

"You abandoned us in our greatest time of need," Fiona continued, "You ran…you're nothing more than your empty Shadow clones…"

"Do you know what you truly are?" the three of them said at once, "A TRAITOR!"

The word "traitor" rang throughout the wasteland, through her ears, and into her head as the fire converged on her, burning her flesh.

Panting heavily, Blake's eyes flew open. At first, they were blinded by the sunlight gleaming through a pair of light blue curtains. Then her eyes adjusted.

She blinked. Blake was in a hospital bed. Her arm was hooked up to an IV drip, and an EKG sensor was taped to her chest. Her side had been bandaged up, and gauze wrapped her fingers, legs, and forearms. Red splotches dotted her arms and legs. Blake had been cleaned, and her clothes had been replaced with a thin hospital gown.

Covered in cold sweat from her nightmare, Blake noticed a glass of water on the nightstand and downed in one gulp.

After clearing her head, Blake's heart skipped a beat in fear. Where was she? Who had taken her? Was she captured by the Schnee Dust Company for spying? Could she escape out the window without alerting anyone?

However, her questions were quickly answered.

Amber eyes widening in surprise, Blake just noticed that someone had pulled a chair up to her bedside. He was very tall, wore a black and red trench coat, and had two horns protruding from his red hair. Two white strips of medical tape were placed near his temple. His eyes were closed, and his head was inclined forward, sound asleep.

The name, one that she thought that she would never utter again, found its way her lips.

"Adam…" her voice was barely above a whisper. Her eyes then noticed an open book on his lap – a fairytale book, one of her favorites. Had he been reading to her while she slept?

How long had she been asleep? How did she get here? Most importantly, where was Fiona and the others? If she had been rescued, then did they find help as well? Or had they given up looking for her and escaped to Vacuo?

Either way, Blake hoped that they were alive, and she would see them. Soon would be best though.

Her eyes found Gambol Shroud resting near her. She subconsciously relaxed. At least her weapon was still with her.

For now, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she wake Adam? She didn't want to cause a scene.

Instead, Blake opted to take the book from his lap and began to read. At least it would take her mind off that nightmare. It felt like it had been ages since she last held a story book. She turned to the story Adam had been reading.

"Beauty and the Beast" – her favorite. It had been the only fairytale that had a faunus hero, albeit an ill-tempered Faunus prince. While the others lacked Faunus characters or painted them as villains, the story's prince was a misunderstood horned Faunus who fell in love with the beautiful daughter of a merchant. When she first read it to Adam, he had scowled at how the Faunus prince had been depicted as an ugly, foul creature. Yet, Blake had admired how the heroine was willing to courageously sacrifice herself to save her dear father.

When she told Adam that, he had made a face and proclaimed that he "hated fairytales". But, Blake was surprised that he owned a copy of the book.

A small smile crept on her face. Perhaps he hadn't forgotten her at all.

Blake was about midway through the story when Adam began to stir.

His maroon eyes blinked, and, noticing that the book was no longer in his lap, looked up at her. An expression of surprise had etched itself onto his face. Blake gave him a shy wave.

"It's been awhile, Adam…" her voice was slightly hoarse, "Long time, no see."

"You're awake…" his voice was deeper than she remembered, "Thank Remnant." Blake tried to think of something to say, something to break the thick tension.

"You have a copy of one of my favorite books," she began, "It's been ages since I last got my hands on a story book." Adam nodded as his eyes studied her face.

"Do you want to know about what happened? Or do you want to rest a little more…" Adam looked around awkwardly, "I'll answer any questions you have."

Blake paused. She wanted to know where Fiona was, but…somehow, a sinking feeling had settled itself in the pit of her stomach.

"How long have I been out?" she asked.

"About a week. You were sedated until your condition had improved."

"A week? What do you mean?" she was surprised, "How badly was I hurt?" A frown settled on his face.

"You had lost a lot of blood from that gash in your side and had developed pneumonia from being exposed to the harsh weather in wet clothes. Your fingers also developed a mild case of frostbite." Oh, so that's why her fingers were bandaged. "You also had a few burns, scrapes, and bruises on your arms and legs, but those were minor."

"I got the burns from the village catching fire, and the scrapes and bruises are from being tossed around in the river."

"Is that how you escaped?" Adam asked with interest, "I was informed that Grimm had swarmed the area."

"Oh yeah," Blake agreed, "They were everywhere. One of them happened to knock me into the river, and I was carried downstream."

He nodded in understanding.

"I see…do you remember anything else?"

Blake nodded. Her mind flashed back to the image of him standing amongst the snow.

"I mistook you for a Grimm, didn't I? Sorry about your…mask," Secretly, she was glad it had been destroyed. Blake had always been opposed to the new practice.

"It's fine. I'm getting another one in a month anyways."

They were quiet for a while, not knowing what to say to each other.

"Did…did you find anyone?" her voice sounded hopeful. However, Adam sighed and looked her straight in the eye.

"I'm not going to lie to you; I'll tell it straight." His black gloved hand reached out and gently covered her bandaged one; it was the only way he knew how to comfort someone. "As of now, the status of your teammates are unknown. Their bodies were not found, but there has been no extensive search to find them. The refinery exploded. For now, they are marked as 'missing'. We're still waiting for any news." Adam studied Blake's reaction.

Her eyes were downcast, and her hands were trembling. It felt like she had been punched in the stomach, like when Sterling died, only a thousand times worse. Blake didn't know what to say, but…

For now, she wanted to be left alone.

"I need some time to myself," she blurted out. Adam looked surprised at her outburst, but he nodded.

"I'll be back in a few hours. Yell if you need anything." Reluctantly, he released her hand and stepped out, sparing one last look back at her.

He had a strange expression on his face, an odd mix of sympathy and…guilt? Blake looked down at her hands until she heard the door shut.

Almost immediately, tears sprang to her eyes and sobs shook her chest.

She didn't know what to do. Fiona was lost and possibly dead – the only person who she completely trusted. Her surrogate sister, the one who made her feel comforted and safe.

It was all gone now. Blake had run, leaving her to die amongst the flames and snow. The medicine had been used to save herself instead of Aster. Her nightmare was right; she was nothing more than a cowardly traitor.

Tears blurred her vison as she attempted to wipe them away. Her running had led her straight into the very place that Fiona had warned her not to go. Without a doubt, Blake was in a White Fang base, amongst killers and psychopaths who would execute her once they found out who she was. Maybe even Adam would turn on her.

Terror make her heart stop at the thought.

What could she do? Who could she trust? Was there a sliver of a chance that Fiona had made it out of the town alive? Did Fiona give up hope and think that Blake had perished in the fire? Were they already on a train to Vacuo? Was there a way for her to escape without getting noticed?

Right now, Blake felt exhausted but wanted nothing more than to hear the sound of Fiona's voice.

The next day, Blake had learned that she would be held in the medicine bay until her gash showed no signs of infection. Therefore, she would have to remain confined to the hospital bed until further notice.

Meanwhile, Adam visited her twice a day, bringing her books, magazines, and newspapers to read. Due to their long time apart, things felt somewhat awkward between them. Adam would step in, hand Blake a book, ask her how she felt, and then left to do the day's duties. In the evening he would return, and they would make small talk. Usually, Adam would talk about his day while she quietly listened. For the most part, ever since she had received the news, Blake was quieter, only talking when asked to.

Ever since she woke up, Blake learned two things: she was in a base in Vale and Adam had a position of power. The former didn't do much to comfort her (a Vacuo base would have been much, much preferable) while she didn't know how what to think about the latter. On one hand, Adam acted friendly and was genuinely concerned about her state of health. Yet, on the other, he was a White Fang supporter, and she didn't know what kind of things he did once he left the room. Nor, how much he had changed since the last time she saw him. Adam was friendly but intimidating, and she felt that he knew more than he let on.

Fiona had warned her not to trust the White Fang, to run and never turn back. Yet, here she was, in the center of it, befriending one of its leaders. Moreover, Blake didn't know what she would do once she recovered. Would they force her to work for White Fang? For a few hours, Blake entertained herself with the idea of living out in the wilderness, like Sterling and Violet. However, she knew that it would be impossible for someone with her age and inexperience. Ultimately, Blake decided to wait until she was discharged and find a way to Vacuo, perhaps sneak onto a train or a ship.

In the end, Blake gave Adam a mixed response of friendliness and caution. She kept her responses short and vague. Along with the consistent cloud of sadness, there was a sense of apprehension and unease. Did he know that they supported Lycannis? What would happen to her if they did? Blake wanted to ask Adam but knew that it could lead to a bad outcome. Thus, she remained in an uneasy silence.

It felt surreal. One day she was fighting for her life, the next she was initiating polite small talk with her long-lost friend.

One day, she got a new visitor.

It was a few hours past noon when Blake had heard the door squeak open. But, it was much too early for Adam to be stopping by. Looking up from her book, Blake saw a stranger standing in her doorway. The stranger had dark brown wavy hair cut into a short bob, light grey eyes, and brown feathers growing from her mocha arms – a hawk faunus.

The woman, who looked at least five years older than Fiona, eyed Blake with interest.

"I guess I ought to introduce myself," she began and held out her hand for her to shake, "Hi, I'm Moira Jones. I was working with Adam when he found you that night." Blake nodded respectfully and shook her hand.

"Hello, I'm Blake Belladonna…I was friends with Adam in the Menagerie headquarters." Moira raised her eyebrows with interest.

"Oh, so that's how you knew him. I was wondering what caused him to act like that." She then sat down in the chair and took out a clipboard. Blake began to feel nervous; the last time something like that happened, a horrible person named Khan tried to take her away from Fiona. But, she was still injured, they wouldn't start this now, would they?

"Okay, I'll cut to the chase. Do you know the whereabouts of Bai Lycannis?" That was out of nowhere.

"No," she replied truthfully, "I don't know where he is."

"I see, do you have any information that you might have overheard or…"

"No." Moira nodded and scribbled something on the clipboard.

"I have you marked here as a friend of Adam Taurus. Your name and birthdate have already been pulled from the records…You have a Semblance…" Moira them looked surprised at the printed words. "You've had experience with using the kantana and are currently in possession of a Huntsman weapon?" Her grey eyes glanced at Gambol Shroud. "We're trying to assess your level of combat skill. Have you fought against large Grimm?"

Blake had. Sterling had taught her where to strike.

"Yes, but I still need to get used to my weapon."

"Have you fought against…human opponents?" Frowning, Blake shook her head.

"Alright then," Moira continued, "I think that's about it." She put away the clipboard. "Now then, I have a few personal questions to ask that don't need to be recorded. You don't have to answer them, but I'd be nice to know why Adam is so tense these days." She gave Blake a polite smile.

"Adam isn't the same person from your memory," she stated bluntly, "But, with you here…he's acting different, like a mix of…I don't know. A different side of him." Moira looked at Blake with a pointed expression. "As his bodyguard, I'm a little concerned. Heck, he even made a two month leave request. He doesn't even take sick days off. I have to lock him in the barracks." Moira sighed.

"I…I didn't know that…" Blake mumbled, "We haven't really been talking much."

"Still, the most interesting thing…" Moira lifted a sheet to show her. It was Blake's profile, and a large, red stamp of the previous White Fang symbol covered the page.

"What…wha…"

"You've been marked as a Lycannis supporter," Moira concluded, "Personally, I could care less. I joined White Fang for my own selfish reasons, but a mark like this…the doctors would have let you die if Adam wasn't breathing down their necks."

Blake felt cold, a horrible chill freezing her heart. Mouth dry, Blake could only gape at her.

"Moreover, since your guardian has been marked missing, you now fall under two jurisdictions. And, weirdly enough, there's been talk going back and forth about who you answer to. You're wanted in two divisions…you've demonstrated a lot of potential."

Wait, were they debating about which White Fang faction she was going to join? Blake didn't want to rejoin White Fang at all! She couldn't let Fiona's efforts go to waste!

"What do you mean? Please, tell me!" Blake pleaded, "I…I don't think I'm cut out for White Fang."

Moira eyed her carefully.

"From my viewpoint…I think you are. You're at a much higher level than the recruits. It says here that you qualify for apprenticeship…you aren't required to apply."

"No, I..." Blake didn't know what to say. Her cover was already blown; she wasn't wanted here. The only thing she could do was to escape when she felt well enough.

"Hey, I think you might know more than you let on," Moira's mouth twitched up in a smile, "After all, my brother told me about what happened in the Vytal headquarters last year. You were that little girl, weren't you, the one that my brother rescued. You held your own against an Ursa."

Blake nodded. There was no use lying to get out of this.

"He told me there was a scene with your guardian and Lieutenant Khan. Commander Pitch had to intervene."

"I…don't really know much," Blake explained, "I just waited for Fiona to take care of things."

Moira leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. Blake noticed that the skin was patterned with fading scars and burns.

"Honestly, expect a test when you're well enough. One good rule of thumb, read everything that's presented to you before you sign. You don't want to hand yourself over to the wrong division."

Moira's conversation had hung over Blake's head for the rest of her day. She soon began thinking of various escape routes. She knew White Fang wouldn't make her leave the bed without a proper discharge.

The IV drip was taken out of her, and, for now, she was waiting for her body to heal. But, the doctors were still handing her painkillers, antibiotics, and changing bandages.

Blake guessed that she had at least two weeks to escape. She would slip out in the middle of the night, steal a uniform, and pose as a member. Then, she would slip away. Blake hoped that the gate was not as well guarded, like the Vytal unit.

Adam not visiting that evening worsened her fears.

For a moment, she wondered what it would be like working under Bane's division, with Adam. Would they complete missions together, like she imagined as a child? Or, would she be placed behind a desk to do paperwork, so there wasn't a risk of mission sabotage? Bane wouldn't treat Lycannis supporters well. Moreover, Blake wasn't sure if Adam cared for her safety much; White Fang had much more significance to him. She couldn't rely on him. From what Moira said, there was more to Adam than what met the eye.

Either way, White Fang was undoubtedly trying to do the same thing to her like it would do to Adam. They'd make her go through some training program to groom her to become some high-ranking official.

Blake didn't want that. White Fang had turned its back on its roots; she wanted no part of it. She'd find some other way to help the Faunus.

Adam didn't visit in the morning either.

Blake was staring to get scared. She had to at least practice getting out of bed.

After her painkillers had been administrated and the nurse had left the room, Blake kicked off the blankets. To go use the bathroom, Blake had used a chair to lean on, but, now, she had to learn to get up by herself.

The gash, which had been stitched shut, began to ache while her fingers stung. However, her leg muscles appreciated the stretch. Knees wobbly, Blake let go of the chair and stood on her own. The change in gravity sent a shooting pain to her side, causing Blake to gasp and nearly double over.

Hanging her head in defeat, Blake sat on the edge of the bed. Her forehead was slick with sweat from the minute of standing. Discouraged, Blake sighed and wiped it away. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

For the rest of the afternoon, Blake practiced standing and taking a few steps. Fortunately, the painkillers began to take full effect, and walking became less painful. The pain had changed to a dull ache that could be ignored. Blake could walk across the room at a very slow pace, pausing between steps.

Panting from exertion, Blake was about to turn around and walk back to the other side when the door opened, and Adam stepped in.

Maroon eyes wide with surprise, he darted forward, grabbed her arm, and slung it over his neck. Blake found herself putting her weight against him; legs tired from standing so long.

"What are you thinking?" he growled, "You'll reopen your wound if you do that!"

"I'm fine," Blake insisted, "I needed to start walking again, or I'll get weaker." Adam sighed.

"You're crazy," he muttered, "The wounds won't heal unless you give it time. Even I know that."

"You don't even take sick days," Blake retorted, "Don't lecture me." Adam shot her a glare before placing a hand on her back and the other under her knees. He lifted her off her feet and placed Blake back on the bed.

"I have some news for you," he began, "And, I need you to hear me out."

Blake's eyes widened, but she nodded.

"Go ahead."

"I'm sure Moira has told you about which branch you belong to, although I told her not to tell you that." Adam frowned and looked stressed. "You're stuck between Commander Pitch's and mine."

"Yours?" Blake was expecting to have to choose between Pitch and Bane. "I thought you weren't a commander."

"I'm not, but I've been working under Bane ever since I left Menagerie. He's currently on a long-term assignment, so I'm leading while he's gone." Adam took a seat. "That's not why I came here to say. I want to let you know that I now have jurisdiction over you."

Blake didn't know how to react. It was certainly better than working under Khan, but…

"I…don't want to work for White Fang anymore." She couldn't meet his eyes. "Too much has happened…I don't think I have the courage or ability anymore."

"Blake," Adam touched her shoulder, "I'm not asking you to drop everything and pick up your sword. But, I honestly think you're not done with the Faunus cause."

Blake couldn't tell him that she had enough of White Fang and wanted nothing more than to run to Vacuo.

"I know you want to help the Faunus, especially after the conditions in the mining town. I've seen the discrimination and prejudice," he continued, "Regardless of what we do, Faunus all over Remnant are being repressed. Blake, I know you want to help stop this injustice. You don't want to fade into obscurity nor live an empty life."

Blake swallowed. He was right. She didn't want to turn her back on the Faunus. But, the way White Fang was going…

"I…I can't, Adam." Adam sighed but nodded. He started to say something, paused, and closed his mouth. They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity.

"We'll discuss this later. For now, I'll put your profile on inactive until you're completely sure. That's not the only thing I want to tell you." Blake looked at him with curiosity.

"In two weeks, Bane and his teammates will be returning from their mission. That means that you'll have to give up your spot on the medicine bay. They're expecting a lot of injured, and there isn't enough hospital beds..."

The cat faunus nodded. Would she be relocated to the barracks?

"Bane's, er, sent me the order to take time off before a big mission. Write closing documents and develop some new tactics before the next assignment." His maroon eyes looked away from her as a faint tinge appeared on his cheeks.

"Since you don't have anywhere else to go, do you want to come with me?"

Blake looked at him in surprise. Since she would be evicted from her hospital bed, was Adam offering her a place to stay?

"The barracks only allow active members to use them," Adam explained, "Your injuries wouldn't have healed completely, and the doctor says there's a high risk of infection."

"So, what you're saying is…you're asking me to live with you?"

"For now," Adam explained, "White Fang has a small house near the coast of Vale. When I was younger, I lived there while Bane mentored me. It's mainly used to stock confidential files that can't be stored in the headquarters."

Blake sighed and contemplated the offer. She didn't have anywhere else to stay, and, no doubt, her injuries wouldn't have fully healed by the time Bane's unit returned. Adam's place was secure, but she still felt uncomfortable living in an isolated area with White Fang's commander-in-training. But, why was Adam going to such lengths for her? Did he feel like he owed her for Shade and Luna's kindness? Blake hoped not.

Moreover, she needed to go to the meeting point. What if Fiona had given up? What if they had already left? She needed to get there as soon as possible.

But…there were confidential files…maybe…just maybe…she could find where Lycannis is. Maybe she could convince him to return to White Fang and lead it in the right direction. At least, maybe she could find out who dropped the bomb on the Menagerie Headquarters and the mining town.

Okay, two things. If you guys were expecting more fluff, there will be more in the next chapter. Hopefully this isn't too cliche...Blake is still not skilled enough to become a high-ranking member, and Adam hasn't even seen her fight yet (she's still injured!)

And, on the status of Fiona, Larch, and Aster, I decided to leave it inconclusive until later in the story (look forward to a chapter called "Closure"). It's like Schrodinger's Cat; technically, they're both alive and dead at this point until we (Blake) opens the box (i.e. gets to the point in the story). However, I DO have a basic inkling on what their fates will be, but there is a lot of room for editing and refining. So, seriously, expect anything.

Why did I decide to leave their fates unknown? Blake needs to be on her own for now. In a way, she's growing up and needs to make conclusions by herself. She can't have Fiona hold her hand and be there to protect her (We have Adam for that now, hehe). Fiona has always protected Blake from the dangers of Remnant, but Blake isn't a child anymore and needs to be exposed to how cruel Remnant can really be.

On another note, I'm surprised that there's a BlakeXJaune pairing. It's quite cute though! But, tauradonna is still my main RWBY OTP. As a parting question, what is your favorite and least favorite RWBY couple, other than tauradonna? My favorite would be Renora and BlakeXJaune. Least favorite...would be a tie between Whiterose and Bumblebee (mainly because of the fans, but indifferent to the actual ship).

Hope you guys liked the update!

Love,

raining-indigo

P.S. Go Team Mystic! Blake would definitely own a Liepard and a Tauros. :)