Man these papers are killer... thank God I have this fanfic and my screenwriting, always fun. Anyway, I do wanna take a minute and just say thank you guys. It's been a rough two months for me, I know the writing may not be the best quality, but every review, positive or negative, every follow, fav and every views means a lot to me, so thanks again. Only four chapters of this story is left! Which means I need to double down on Uprising when I can! Hope you guys enjoy this and I'll be back next week with Chapter 13! Have a good week! Please review, fav, follow all that sweet jazz!

Chapter 12

Aero stood from the rest of the group, a scowl burned onto his lips, a hood pulled over his eyes. He leaned against the dark yellow wall of the waiting room, everyone else sitting in chairs, waiting for the doctors to come back from operating on Yang, preoccupying themselves as best they could. They had stopped back at the mansion for Aero to get a shirt and to tend to small wounds before they made it to the hospital. Scarlet, Weiss, Blake, Ruby, Aero and Lila had avoided any major injuries. Sun and Sebastian had gotten hit with shrapnel but were fine, both needing proper stitches but none no longer or deeper than half an inch. At long last a doctor entered the waiting room and stared at the party.

"She's fine," she began, everyone sighing in relief, Ruby's eyes filling with tears as the doctor continued, "She'll make a full recovery. She'll need to stay for at least a month for physical rehabilitation to get used to a prosthetic. X-Rays show no further damage, so she should have no problem with motor skills, memory, all that."

"Will anything disrupt her Huntress duties?" Aero asked.

"Just this month off. She should be fine to continue. Just give me a minute to make sure everything is okay in her room and you guys will be able to see her," the doctor said, everyone nodding and allowing the doctor to leave yet Aero trailed behind her.

"Doc," he called out, the woman turning around as Aero pulled his hood down, "What kind of prosthetic?"

"Well a regular one."

"Are there any advanced ones? I've heard of a female android that General Ironwood created-"

"Those are highly expensive."

"Like what? 500,000?"

"Try 9 million Lien sir," the doctor said. Aero stood there dumbfounded as she patted his shoulder.

"She'll be fine with a regular one."

"No she won't," he said, turning back and leaving the doctor. He returned to the waiting room, everyone still sitting in the red chairs and barely saying a word. Aero moved over to Sebastian and whispered in his ear.

"Is there any way you can get money from the Guild?"

"Of course, but if it's a large amount then we'll get locked out."

"Get 10 million before you get locked out," Aero replied, Sebastian looking at him with a look of shock.

"Are you crazy?"

"It'll pay for a better leg and give them extra money Sebastian. Do it," Aero said through gritted teeth, surprising Sebastian, who nodded and began typing away on his Scroll, Aero standing next to him with his arms crossed. The doctor re-entered the room a few minutes later.

"She's awake, you may see her. A word of warning though, she is still loopy from the anesthetics," she said before leaving them. Everyone looked at each other and got up except Sebastian, leaving the room, Weiss stopping to lay a hand on Aero's arm. She looked up at him and got a cold gaze back that reflected remorse. Weiss gently squeezed Aero's hand and left with everyone else, Sebastian watching the exchange.

"Aero."

"What?"

"Calm down."

"I am calm."

"That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard," he said, getting up and standing in front of Aero, "You can't blame yourself for this Aero."

"I'm not Sebastian, I just knew this would happen."

"What would?"

"One of them getting hurt!"

"It happens! Hell they could've gotten hurt on any of their Hunts!"

"NO it doesn't happen! It happened because of us! No one else needs to get hurt!" Aero said, screaming in his friends face and walking away, his fists clenched and tears in his eyes. Sebastian walked over and stood next to Aero.

"I know why," he said, waiting for a response and continuing when he didn't get one, "Weiss... You don't want to see her get hurt."

Aero looked at his friend then nodded his head, wiping his eyes with his hands.

"Aero this isn't your fault."

"It is Sebastian… If we hadn't gone to Weiss's mansion… if I had just killed Henrik…"

"Aero, life is weird but it all happens for a reason."

"Yeah, and look what happened, one of them got hurt and is permanently scarred."

"That could've happened at any time Aero," Sebastian said, shaking Aero's shoulder, "Stop it man, you can't do this."

"I can't keep getting them involved," Aero said, looking down and shaking his head.

"Look mate, just stay here for like five minutes and I'll be right back," Sebastian said, leaving the waiting room and down the hallway to Yang's room. He entered and saw everyone standing around Yang, chuckling at her slurred speech.

"Seb! Buddy ol'pal! Look!" she said, showing off her stump with a giggle that made everyone laugh.

"She's in great spirits," Blake said with a smile, standing next to her and looking from Sebastian down to her.

"That's good."

"Did Aero ask about her prosthetic?" Scarlet asked, Sebastian nodding in response, "Ah, doctor just came by asking which one we wanted for her and she brought him up."

"Yeah, we know we can't the cybernetic one, so a-"

"Actually, that's the funny thing. Ms. Rose, you just happened across 10 million lien, congratulations," Sebastian said with a quick grin as he finished taping his Scroll. Everyone looked at Ruby, who pulled out her Scroll, opened an app and looked at it, her eyes going wide in awe.

"10-10 million…"

"Get her the proper leg. It's what Aero wants and what's best for her. Speaking of, Lila and Weiss, come with me," he said. Ruby, Scarlet, Sun and Blake were too busy smiling at the account, Yang wondering what was the square they were looking at, to notice what Sebastian had said.

"What's wrong?" Lila asked.

"He's… he's really distraught."

"Let me talk to him," Weiss said.

"I was really hoping you would volunteer," Sebastian said as they walked out of the room and back to the waiting room.

"He just needs a big hug," Lila said with a chuckle as they opened the door to the waiting room and looked at the empty space.

"What…"

"Oh you gotta be fucking kidding me!" Sebastian said, running back as Lila and Weiss looked around the room.

"Ma'am!" Sebastian yelled at a desk attendant, "Question! Did a guy with a scowl, dark hood and jeans leave?"

"I think so, I was doing a write-up on a patient so I wouldn't be able to tell you for sure. I'm sorry," she said, Sebastian sighing and rubbing his forehead. He walked back to the two in the waiting room and shook his head.

"He left."

"Well maybe we can catch him, he can't be too far," Lila said, turning but being stopped by Sebastian.

"No point, he's probably hijacked a vehicle and is long gone."

"Well what else? We can't let him die Sebastian!"

"He won't."

"What is he going to do?" Weiss asked.

"I think he's gonna just attack the Guild. Think about it: it would direct all their attention to him, leaving us be. He's the one that's been killing all of their men, you guys haven't, so he's the priority now. The Guild will want to take him out so they can refocus on you guys," he said, Weiss's eyes going wide, snapping back to normal as her Scroll buzzed.

"Hello?"

"Act like it's your sister and walk away," she heard a familiar voice say.

"Hey Winter," Weiss said, waving the two assassins off and leaving the large area, walking to a quiet hallway.

"Alone?"

"What the hell are you doing Aero? Where are you?"

"That's not important Weiss."

"It is to me and everyone here Aero."

"Look-"

"You can't take them on your own Aero. Let us help!"

"Look what happened when I let you guys help!" Aero exclaimed in the phone booth he stood in 2 blocks from the hospital.

"It happens Aero. That's the career we chose!"

"Yeah, this was supposed to happen because of a Grimm, not because of my enemies!"

"Aero-"

"I don't want you to get hurt!" he said, his face burning at what he said. He breathed slowly, Weiss too stunned to say anything as he collected himself.

"I don't want them to get any of you, especially you… I… You know, maybe in another life, things would be different. Maybe we could've been more than an assassin and a huntress, a bodyguard and a heiress… I'm sorry Weiss, but I have to do this. Something is telling me to direct them to me, to attack them on my own. Just look over Yang, she'll need everyone there. I… I'll be okay."

"Will you at least be in contact with us?" Weiss asked very quietly, tears going down her cheeks.

"I'll do my best. Goodbye Weiss."

"It's not goodbye Aero…"

"… I'll see you soon," he said, hanging up and walking out of the phone booth. Aero walked another block, grabbed keys left on a café table and walked to a motorcycle, turning it over and driving off.

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

"Fuck off Randy, it's every damn day with you," the assassin said to the other. The two on guard stood on a catwalk overlooking the large area below. In front of them was a door that seemed to be the front door of a house, yet instead led to a five story underground fort of the Guild, where assassin's trained and rested. It was one of the few remaining, with others just using hotels in the other kingdoms, however this one in Vacuo was one of the first forts built and the Guild didn't want to get rid of it.

"Just saying man," Randy said with a shrug as the knob on the door jiggled. The two looked in confusion until the door was kicked down, the two being greeted with a headshot each from two pistols. Aero stepped forward, a month removed from the attack on the train, his golden eyes cold and steely as they looked around then down. Since the attack, he had destroyed three hotels and was now assaulting this fort, trying to take down as much of the Guild as possible. He had retrieved all of his weapons from the manor the day he decided to attack the Guild on his own and was constantly on the move, getting ammunition from dead guards and eating whatever they had.

Aero now sported a new look as well: no longer was his hair reaching his shoulders, instead being cut short. He now sported a dark blue hoodie that was unzipped but had the hood pulled over his eyes, all of it being completed with his black jeans, matching boots and fingerless leather gloves that Sebastian had given him years ago. He made his way down, cutting down members of the Guild that attacked him while sparing those that didn't wish to fight. He made his way to the second floor and was immediately met with gunfire. He breathed in, hugging a wall and throwing out two smoke pellets, which exploded on impact. He could hear his attackers coughing hard, allowing him to click his tongue, bring out his assault rifle and easily put three bullets in both attackers. Five more ran forward, one being met with a well-placed shot as another watched a throwing knife impact her chest, stopping her in her tracks.

The remaining three met the master assassin with blades drawn, each of their blows deflected by Aero's sword. He stepped back and waited, exploding forward and driving his blade into an assassin's heart, stunning him. Aero whipped around the dead attacker, took out his short blades and parried two blows. He moved in and slit one's throat, turning in time to deflect a blow, side step a sloppy attack and drive his blade through the back of the last attacker's head, the tip of the blade exiting their mouth. Aero quickly gathered supplies and made his way down, everyone surrendering on his way to the last floor, allowing him to make it to the fifth with ease, where he was stopped.

"Ah, Aero Kalo, I've heard a lot about you from Eli and Danielle. Did a number on those guys up top, curious to see how you'll do with the eighth best assassin in the Guild," the man said, holding two large, curved blades. He sported a cocky grin and wore a black beanie that hid dark, wavy brunette hair that matched his skin tone. He wore a light brown t-shirt, jeans that hugged his legs and combat boots.

"Who are you?" Aero asked, genuinely curious, which insulted his opponent.

"You asshole, you don't know me?"

"No asshole, I don't," Aero said, taking his sword out and engaging the blade.

"I am Vladmir, the-" was all the young assassin could say before being cut off as Aero swung at him, catching Vladmir off guard, who barely blocked the strike.

"Rude!" he yelled before being kicked in his shin and his chin being rocked by Aero's knee, flattening him on his back. The young assassin rolled away from a sword strike, shot up and launched a flurry of his own, some hits cutting Aero's arms. Vladmir knocked him back and launched himself at the downed master assassin. Aero grinned as he watched Vladmir jump at him, bringing his sword up in time to stab him in the stomach. Vladmir's eyes went wide as he looked down and watched Aero stand up then slowly remove the blade, only for him to then leave a deep gash across Vladmir's chest. The cocky assassin fell to his knees, looking down at the deep gash and blood leaving his body as Aero held a pistol to his head.

"Don't say it," Aero said, pulling the trigger as Vladmir was about to say something to him. Aero turned and left, walking into a group of members who had watched the short fight. Aero looked at them, picked one from the group and gripped their shoulder.

"Tell them what you saw and tell them who did it. Got it?"

"Y-yeah."

"Get out of here," Aero said, allowing all the survivors to leave first before he activated a self-destruct sequence, which caused the underground sections to cave in. Aero left the house and got into the sports car he had stolen five days earlier. He looked up another address and punched it in, trying to finish the Guild in Vacuo. As he was about to drive off, his Scroll buzzed and Aero already knew who it was. Over the past month he had gotten calls from everyone on a daily basis, yet in the past week only Weiss had been calling him and had done so once a day. Her messages were either sweet and caring or icy and bitchy, but he didn't mind any of her messages, just enjoying the sound of her voice. He stared at his Scroll, tempted to pick it up, yet he shook his head, put the car in gear and drove off. He let it go to voicemail as he usually did, wondering what message the heiress had left him this time.

"Hey Aero, it's Weiss… Yang's doing a lot better, she's already talking about how many asses she's gonna kick with it; her words, not mine… Lila and Sebastian are good, everyone's doing good… We all just want you to be safe and come back… I want you to come back… I want to talk some things over with you… about us... please be safe," Weiss said into her Scroll after getting a default tone when he didn't pick up. She lowered the Scroll and looked up at the shattered moon as she stood on her balcony, sighing to herself. Halfway across the world a few hours later, Aero listened to her message while looking up at the same moon then down at the Scroll when the message ended, his fingers curled into a fist, a lone tear landing on one of his curled fingers.

He was seated on the concrete balcony of a motel in Vacup he was staying at and looked at his phone, fighting the urge to call her and go back to her and his friends. He wanted to run back to her and tell her how he really felt about her, about how he wanted to be with her, but knew he had to keep going.

Aero walked in the park in Mistral at night, enjoying the peace and quiet, the dim streetlights illuminating parts of the walkways as he stopped on a bridge and looked down at the water of a still pond. His Scroll buzzed and he looked down, knowing the image that would be there and squeezed the Scroll. Right as he was about to finally answer it after three months, a rough hand stopped him. Aero saw the pale skin and looked up, recognizing the green eyes, the military cut black hair, the white leather trench coat that was outlined in blue. Aero's eyes narrowed and his heart stopped.

"Eli."

"Hello Aero. Am I interrupting something?"