It was now the fifth time Yang had fallen asleep, her tiredness was slowly getting the better of her. Her mouth opened in a long drawn out yawn as she stretched her arms. It was still dark outside, so she had probably not had much sleep. She blinked, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands in an effort to wake herself up. Glancing around the empty room, she looked a mess. Her hair was still messier than usual, clumped together from the rain. Obviously she had the white wrappings around her arms to remind her of the previous events, but the scratches covered nearly every inch of her body. At the moment however, she was far more interested in the sleeping leader lying on the bed. Yang had been told that the knee injury was not as severe as it sounded, and that the bone had only slipped out of place a little. The news did come as a relief to her, but not much - it meant that Ruby would still be in considerable pain. She had asked about recovery times and been told that the minimum would be around two weeks, depending on how Ruby felt. It wouldn't surprise Yang in the slightest to learn that Ruby would lie about her injury to return to her team faster, it seemed just like something she would do.

Yang groaned, rubbing her cheeks with her palms. It must have been some time in the morning by now, her sleep had been very broken since they returned, and she was showing it. Weiss had stopped by earlier to check up on Ruby, but there had been no sign of Blake. Normally this wouldn't be unusual in the slightest, but if her previous actions were anything to go by, Yang would've thought that she would at least visit every now and then. She had not seen her partner for close to an entire day now, and she was almost missing the quiet presence that she had become used to. A quiet sound caught her attention, someone was approaching the door at the far end of the infirmary. She squinted through the gloom to see who was coming, a tiny smile worming its way onto her face at the familiar sight.

Blake took a chair opposite Yang and sat wearily, the remains of her breakdown trailing down her face. She knew they were there, but she didn't care. She glanced at Yang briefly, gesturing to Ruby as she asked.

"How is she?"

"Well...it's not broken. The bone slipped out of place." Yang sighed. "They say it'll take at least two weeks for her to recover. So..."

"So," Blake interjected, reading the guilt on Yangs face. "It will take two weeks for her to recover. Short of forcing it back into place there's nothing you can do about it. -Oh no."

Yangs face lit up somewhat, considering the possibility.

"You're not seriously thinking about..."

"Well, why not?" Yang asked, confident that Ruby would go along with her plan.

"Because it will be extremely painful, that's why!" Blake exclaimed, a little disturbed at how willing Yang was to shoving a bone back into order.

"She's been through worse!" Yang countered, her expression hardening immediately at the realisation of her words. Blake shook her head.

"You can't just push bones around. In the weeks of recovery it will slide back naturally, that's why they've bandaged it. Are they going to strengthen the binding?" She inquired, changing the topic slightly. Yang shrugged.

"I have no idea. They never mentioned anything like that to me. But c'mon!" She grinned again, trying to take her mind of things. The smile faded into concern.

"Blake, where have you been? It has to be early in the morning by now, what are you still doing up?" In time with Yangs words, Blakes head sank.

"I've been...studying." While it wasn't completely true, it was still largely accurate. Yang cocked her head.

"Studying at this time?" She asked, leaning forwards. Blake sat up, straightening her back. She was slightly uncomfortable with the conversation, but she knew Yang was only looking out for her.

"It's been bugging me for a while." She smiled, a little amused at the exchange. It felt normal.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Yang leaned even further forwards, practically resting her chin on the bed.

Blake took a second to think about her next words. She could either tell Yang everything she felt and lay it all down on her already occupied partner. Or she could lie to her face and carry her guilt for longer. She found it hard to decide until she took the time to look at her teammate. Yangs face was reminiscent of an eight-year old child being told stories of heroes and dragons. It was too cute to pass up on, she smiled.

"Alright. I've been having difficulty remembering a certain thing, and it's been clawing at my attention for days." Yangs eyes brightened with curiosity.

"Go on!" She pushed, more interested every minute.

"And I can't seem to recall what it is."

"What is it?" Yang asked, acting before she processed Blakes words. "Oh. Well, is it study related? Orrrr..." Yang raised her posture as she spoke, rolling her eyes to the side with the last word.

"It's personal. It might go back a long way, I don't know." Blake replied, hesitating a little. She didn't want to risk worrying Yang any more than she was already, nor was she sure that she'd be able to control herself after her previous discharge. She had barely kept it inside while Weiss was around, what would she do with Yang and Ruby? The silence told her that Yang was waiting for a continuation.

"I think that something happened that was so terrible, I've blocked myself from seeing it." The brow on Yangs face furrowed as she thought.

"Oh! You mean like a bad memory?" Blake nodded, resting her hands on her legs.

"I'm convinced that it has something to do with-" She caught herself, swiftly changing her sentence. "-with the Fall Forest." Yangs eyebrow raised.

"Fall Forest?" She repeated, folding her arms loosely. "Why'sat?"

"I'm not sure exactly, but it reminds me of my childhood."

Yangs eyebrows raised again. Blake never mentioned her childhood before, and come to think of it, she never mentioned anything about her past before. Yang couldn't hide the interest in her face, clearly wanting to know more.

"Your childhood?" Yang repeated once more. "The Fall Forest? Did you spend your time there?"

"Not in the Fall Forest, no. Somewhere like it. The leaves were red, just as they are here. I used to sit amongst the trees for hours on end, appreciating nature."

Yang smiled at Blakes own, glad that her partner was finally opening up a little.

"It sounds beautiful." She said truthfully.

"It was." Blake confirmed, gazing down through the floor, reminiscing the better times. "There were no distractions, no worries. I could lose myself in there. It was peaceful."

Yang could've swore she heard a tinge of remorse in Blakes voice, but she dismissed the thought as her partner continued.

"Of course, as the years wore on I became less isolated from the real world." She glanced up at Ruby. "I used to think it was a fairytale, just like her." The smile subsided. "And then my life was no longer perfect." Yang bit her lip, holding herself back.

"Things changed. I couldn't stay there, not after I discovered how broken the world was."

Her words lingered, a melancholic mist blanketing the room.

"So..." Yang began in an attempt to break the silence that hung in the air after Blake spoke.

"So I left. I made some bad decisions. I did things I thought were right." Her voice was lower at this point, hanging her head to obscure her eyes. Yang wanted to interrupt, but she couldn't risk throwing this opportunity away. She leant forward once again, somewhat worried at the dark turn Blakes words were taking.

"It turned out they weren't." She lifted her head to look at Yang. It didn't matter how much she said anymore, she had given up trying to control how much her team knew. It pained her to remember, but at the same time she could feel a weight lifting off her shoulders. A tear welled in her eye, drawing Yangs attention to it as she tried to hold back a gasp.

"The real world is not the same as a fairytale. I made the mistake of trusting someone blindly because I thought they believed in the same things I did. They lied, but I was the fool." Another tear rolled down her cheek, wasting away before it reached her chin.

"I've done terrible things. I paid the price."

"Blake-" Yang started, unable to sit idly by while her partner was in this state. She was cut short.

"I was left with nothing. Everything I had was taken away, and there was nothing I could do about it." They rolled freely now, staining her face and dripping onto the cold floor below. It rended Yangs heart to see the impassive eyes overflow with so much emotion. She was used to seeing people cry, Ruby used to do it all the time, but this was different. She could see scars rising to the surface after being buried for so long, showing Blake in a new light that Yang never would have believed.

Here she was, pouring her heart out beside the unconscious body of Yangs sister. This was exactly what Blake didn't want, and yet it was happening despite everything.

"I left with them. They were the closest thing I had to family, and they stabbed me in the back when I tried to change their views."

"Who?" Yang asked, desperate to console her friend in any way possible.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does." Blake didn't respond. "Blake, whatever happened to you has passed. There isn't anything you can do to change that. We all made mistakes, but they are a part of what makes us us!" Her voice was rising without her knowledge, lilac eyes burning brighter. "Nobody is going to judge you because of what you did,-"

"You think I'm worried about being judged? I am judged every day whether I like it or not, and there has never been anything I could do about it. I'm used to being judged!" Blake was about to continue, but the fire in Yangs eyes gave her reason to pause. The golden hair fell onto Yangs arms as she rose from her chair, propping herself on the bed, her posture challenging. Her tone was serious, infused with feeling.

"This isn't about you being judged. This is about you being unable to move on with your life!" She leaned in closer, her eyes piercing into Blakes own. It took the words from Blakes mouth, leaving her speechless.

"I know what it's like to feel alone, like you have nobody to turn to. But you always have somebody to turn to. And right here, right now." The fire intensified, her voice strong.

"I'm telling you that you have someone to turn to. You have me. I'm going to be here for you whenever you need me, and you better accept that."

Her words destroyed every defense Blake had, forcing their way straight to her heart. All the frustrations she had locked away were pushed aside, stealing any words she tried to speak. Those few words meant more to her than anything anyone had ever said. They gave her comfort in the agonising torture she was put through every day. The tears that flowed were not of pain anymore, instead rolling as happiness. Reassurance. All her life Blake had been alone, and now it seemed she finally had someone by her side. Her lips turned into a smile, catching Yang off-guard. She couldn't believe what she heard, after all this. The Blake that stared into her eyes was not a calm, calculating huntress in training. This Blake was a terrified girl, her entire life filled with pain and death. She was scarred and beaten, but her eyes now held something besides suffering. They held hope.

Blake didn't move as Yang embraced her, feeling the gentle touch sooth her tears. She felt the arms wrap around her chest, pulling her towards the warmth of a friend. Yang held Blake close, holding her own tears back as Blake slowly slid her arms around Yangs back. They rocked back and forth, immersed in eachothers hold, too absorbed to care about anything else. Yang had seen the Blake underneath the mask, a tortured soul in need of help. She had confessed her past, filled with terrible things. But Yang didn't care. She didn't care that Blake had regretted her actions. She wouldn't have cared if Blake had murdered people. All the cared about was the Blake here, now, in her arms.

This was what Blake had wanted all along, someone to be close to, someone to have by her side. Someone she could turn to when she felt she wasn't strong enough, someone to be with her when she needed them most. She wanted a friend, and now she had one. Her grip on Yang tightened, burying her face into her partners chest as she let all the sadness escape from her heart. She shivered uncontrollably, shaking as she emptied her sadness into her partner. She must have looked so weak, so pathetic. The thoughts were brushed aside effortlessly as Yang brought her closer, her emotions rolling over oneanother while they locked in place. Regret for not realising sooner, guilt at not being there when Blake needed her, fury at those who ruined her life. But most of all, overwhelming happiness. She was with her partner, not just in person but now in spirit. It felt right.

For that moment, all was right with the world. Blake felt her heart rise, while Yang refused to let go. They remained locked together, emptying their emotions into eachother. Blake grasped Yang like a frightened child, terrified that she would leave Blake alone again. Yang held Blake as though she were an abandoned kitten, cradling her close with arms filled with compassion. Neither wanted to let go, captivated by the other and their hearts. Yang was determined to learn more about Blakes past, if only to better understand just what she had been through. Blake momentarily lapsed, remembering the way she was held before he left. She was too young to understand what he meant, but now she knew all too well. But she didn't care, feeling the tears gradually slow to a halt, ignoring her protesting muscles that ached.

Slowly, their grip loosened gradually, with Yang finally pulling away to hold Blake at arms length by the shoulders. She gazed into the brilliant amber orbs, entranced by their beauty. Blake returned the gaze, her face stained with sorrow. She winced as Yang brushed her thumb across Blakes cheek, wiping the remainder of a tear away. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I'm going to be by your side whenever you need me." She smiled, filling Blake with a sense of relief. Blake nodded, still touched by the intimacy they had just shared. No longer was the heavy cloud tormenting her with memories. She felt free, even though she knew she was far from it. For now, she was content to be with her partner, and nothing could change that. Yang quietly seated herself back down, internally beaming. She toughened slightly as her gaze returned to Ruby, but the immense happiness remained in her heart. She was feeling much more optimistic, Blake had opened her eyes somewhat. She watched as the other girl wiped her eyes, her face flushed a beautiful rose red. Yang gave her another smile, finding herself admiring how cute she looked when embarrassed. They both settled for the remainder of the night, a new sense of empathy flowing around them. They both failed to notice the ghostly white figure standing behind the doorway, silently vanishing out of sight.