So, that Yang short. EEEE! I've been waiting for a Ruby/Yang sparring session for forever! Also with Yang teaching Ruby unarmed combat! So cute! Yang! Get to Ruby ASAFP! You two need a happy reunion!

Vol 5 comes out for RT site members today. It's not a paid membership like FIRST, so anyone can sign up and watch it now. Either way, I won't be able to write my reaction to what's going on until it's up on Youtube because of how early I upload. So from this point in time, if I spoil something in a reaction, not my fault.

Raven opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of her room. She let her head fall to the side and looked out the window. It was…bright outside. The only sound came from the air conditioning and the shower running. She blinked and looked at the clock. Eight-thirty…Did Yang actually sleep through the night? That would be a first. That, or Tai or Summer did the work for her.

She let her head drift back to her pillow and sighed. This was nice. Raven debated whether trying to sleep for another two hours. It had literally been months since she had a full night's sleep. Her little jerk in the next room over saw to that. Raven loved Yang to death, but she couldn't wait for her to get to sleep on her own.

But Yang needed to get a solid sleep schedule going if she ever was going to grow. Raven pushed herself out of bed and got dressed. She left her room and slowly pushed Yang's door open. Raven heard sound coming from Yang's crib, but she wasn't crying. If anything, she sounded confused.

"Yaaang," Raven sung. The sounds from the crib stopped. Raven walked over to it and peeked her head over the side. Yang stared up at her with those beautiful lilac eyes. "Good morning, Firecracker." Yang smiled and giggled up at her mom.

Raven picked Yang up out of her crib and held her close. "You slept well last night. That, or I slept like a rock." Raven shifted all of Yang's weight to one of her arms, then booped Yang's nose, drawing out one of Yang's now famous giggles. "I don't know which is more likely."

She rocked Yang from side to side as she left the nursery. This had become routine. Raven would rock Yang as she walked her through the house on the way to the kitchen. She typically bottle fed Yang. Breastfeeding didn't work well for either of them.

This morning, Summer was in the kitchen as well. She was looking at her Scroll while eating a bowl of Corporal Crunch. For once, she wasn't smiling. Whenever Summer wasn't at least half attempting to smile, things were not okay. She looked up from her cereal and her frown almost literally turned upside down. "Hi, Yang." She stood up and ran a hand through Yang's short blonde hair. "Your hair is so soft." Summer's eyes jumped up. "Oh hi, Rae. I didn't see you there."

"Yeah, yeah." Raven walked to the fridge and pulled out a fresh bottle of milk. "What were you looking at back there?"

Summer scowled. "Qrow was right. This Jacques guy is a jerk. Raised the price of Dust and cut workers, most of them were Faunus. And now, he's parading his newest daughter around like she's a trophy." Summer shook her head. "Poor Weiss. She's not growing up in the best family. At least Winter appears to be nice."

"People on the top act like they know and have everything." Raven shook her head as she aimed the bottle at Yang's mouth. The baby girl took the tip in her mouth and drank happily. "My tribe got that right."

"Not everyone," Summer defended. "Nicholas wasn't like that, and neither is Ozpin."

"That we know of. Oz may share with us more than anyone else, but unless he tells you a lot more than me, he's either keeping a lot of secrets, or he's hiding how much he doesn't know."

"No one knows everything, Raven." Summer's tone became more serious. "Anyone who has half a brain knows that."

"Which is why we get along. You don't pretend to be someone or something you aren't." Raven sat down with Yang on her lap. "Heck, everyone on Patch wears their hearts on their sleeves. I'll take this over city people any day."

Summer continued to stare at Raven, then shrugged. "You got something there. City people are crazy. Then again, who wouldn't be after living in glorified sardine cans for so long?"

"We were at Beacon."

"That was temporary, and we moved up to the nicer dorms halfway through second year."

Raven gave a sideways nod. "Those were nice."

"Until we moved here, and I wouldn't want to go back now." Summer sighed and returned her Scroll to a pocket. "Bumblebee's been running hot lately. I'm going to see if I can find what's wrong with it."

"That's what you get for buying the newest model. They break down if they get a speck of dirt on them."

"That's why I'm probably going to redo the entire engine at some point." Summer stood up and made for the front door. "That and the tires. I would love to not worry about going above ten miles an hour off road."

"That would be nice around here. Good luck." Raven picked up one of Yang's hands and waved it for her daughter. Summer's smile returned and she waved back at Yang. She managed to open the door behind her without turning around.

Summer wasn't outside for a minute before she returned with a bunch of envelopes. "Mail's early today. Looks like more of the usual, except you got something." Summer set an envelope in front of Raven without a return address.

"Did Qrow get something too?"

"Hold on." Summer flipped through the rest of the mail. "Nope just you." She paused as she set the mail on the table. "You think it's your tribe?"

Raven hesitated then shook her head. "It could be anyone. Could be that creepy guy to stared at me in class all the dang time, that wasn't Tai."

Summer shivered. "You weren't the only one he ogled. If it is, let me know. I've got some friends in the VPD. They might be able to sort him out."

"I might do it myself." Raven sighed. "I'll let you know. You go work on your motorcycle."

"Twist my arm why don't ya?" Summer left the kitchen then the house again.

Raven slid a finger under the folds of the envelope to open it. She pulled out a bunch of…pictures…of Yang. Raven narrowed her eyes. She didn't have anything developed, did she? There were a bunch on a disposable camera in her room, but she didn't think she took them to Bullseye to get them developed. Oh well. Tai must have taken a bunch of these. Raven was in most of them with Yang in some fashion. They all turned out really well, except for the white bar running down at least one spot on all of them…

Wait…That wasn't a development error. That was a window frame. They could only have that if taken from outside. Raven's eyes widened and she looked out the kitchen window. Someone had been spying on her. She flipped through the rest of the pictures. All of them had the window frame to some degree. Yang was in absolutely all of them.

The last one was a kid Raven didn't know, but he had a single ear on his head with no stump on the other side. A bloody line was carved across his neck. Raven turned the square over. There was a note written on the back. 'This is the brat of the last bitch that hurt us. Continue to fight, your 'Firecracker' will join this one.'

They found her. The Nevermores finally found her. Her jaw dropped and she looked down to Yang. Her baby girl's eyes had teared up and her lower lip trembled. There was no way she could know what was in the envelope, but she must have known what her mom was feeling.

Those…bastards threatened her Firecracker, her little Yang. They just painted a target the size of Sanus on the backs of their heads. No one threatened her family and lived…the problem was the Nevermores could do it. At the second place she hit, she faced a Huntsman that could have given Summer a run for her money. Raven still didn't know how she came out on top. If they had more, and they probably did…

Okay, Raven. Think. Raven leaned her head back as she pet Yang's head. Option one, take out the Nevermores completely and quickly. Positives, the Nevermores would be gone and they'd never hurt anyone again. Negatives, if she didn't do it in one day, the Nevermores would attack. Option two, do as they say and stop attacking. Positives, no repercussions from the Nevermores. Negatives, she couldn't help any more kids out of those hell holes.

Raven clenched her eyes. There had to be another way. Summer always said there was. What was that way here? She didn't know how long she thought about it, but something finally came to her. Leave here, keep fighting. Positives, Yang would be safe and she'd be able to keep on hurting the Nevermores as opportunities presented themselves. Negatives…not being able to see Yang, quite possibly for a long time.

No, that couldn't be it either. There was no way she could leave Yang without a mother. But the more Raven thought about it, Yang wouldn't be motherless. Summer adored Yang, and never complained when Yang threw up or otherwise made a mess on her hood. Anybody else, they'd have Sun's Light to their necks in seconds. But…no. Yang wasn't Summer's daughter, she was Raven's. There had to be some other way. Summer always found something, Raven could too.

But at the same time she was thinking this, Raven stood up and held Yang close to her chest. She fought back tears as her legs carried her against her will. Why was she doing this? She couldn't leave Yang like this. There had to be something she could do.

Raven pushed open the door to Yang's room. She walked over to Yang's crib and set Yang down. Yang looked up at her mom, with a confused look in her eyes. This had never happened before. So much for keeping any routine. Raven leaned forward and kissed Yang on the forehead. "Remember this face, Yang. Your mommy loves you so much. I'll be back when I can. Be good for your daddy, Auntie Summer and Uncle Qrow." Her own lips trembled and she kissed Yang again. "I love you Firecracker…See you later."

She stood up and left the room. The door closed silently behind her. Raven's shoulders slumped and she leaned against the door. What am I doing? This is terrible! There has to be some other way! But she pushed herself away from the door and stumbled downstairs. The shower had stopped, probably had been for a while. Qrow only showered at night, so it had to be Tai. Just the one Raven needed to see.

Raven walked downstairs. Sure enough, Tai stood in the center of the living room holding his Scroll toward the projector. He turned to Raven as she made it to the base of the stairs. "Hey, Rae. Sleep well?"

Raven marched up to him. There was no going back now. "Fuck you, Taiyang!"

Summer brought an arm to her forehead and stopped just short of wiping it across. It was probably filthy with lubricant and Burn Dust. She lowered the arm and saw that was exactly the case. She shrugged and walked to the sink she installed in the shed for just this reason. As far as she knew, she fixed Bumblebee's overheating problem. Now to take him out for a test drive.

She dried her hands and arms and grabbed her helmet and hood from where they hung. With her trademark cloak around her shoulders, Summer straddled Bumblebee and walked him out of the shed. After this, her next project would be the off road modifications. She'd lose speed on road, but riding offroad would make more sense than walking or running.

Just as Summer was about to kick on the engine, the front door of the house burst open. Raven ran out and made for the trees, her weapon at her hip. Summer tensed. The way she was running, there had to be something going on somewhere. Summer dismounted and put her helmet on Bumblebee's seat. She pulled Sun's Light's sheath off where is was secured to Bumblebee.

Before Summer could take two steps toward her partner, Tai burst out of the house. "Raven!" he yelled. "What's wrong?"

Summer jogged over to her teammate. "Tai, what's going on?"

Tai ran his hands through his hair, his lips not sure if they were grimacing or not. "She basically told me I could go eff myself and ran off. I don't know what's in her head this time. She's never said anything like that before."

Summer's heart dropped. "I can think of something. I'll go after her. You make sure Yang's okay." She ran into the trees after her partner. What was in that envelope she got? Did her tribe find her?

As she ran, Summer picked out signs that Raven passed by. Charred cuts in the trees, deliberately broken branches…Raven was leaving a trail. She wouldn't be doing that if she was trying to run. There weren't any sign of Grimm, so Raven couldn't have gotten into a fight.

The trail led Summer to one of her favorite spots on Patch, a cliff overlooking more of the forest. Raven stood at the edge, one hand on the hilt of her sword, the other on a Nevermore mask, the one she took from her tribe. Summer tightened her grip on Sun's Light. "Raven, you know I can't let you go back to them."

Raven turned her head slightly. "Were you followed? And I don't mean Tai or Qrow."

"Yang's three months old. She couldn't follow you if she wanted."

Raven tensed up. "I'm not an idiot. I don't mean her."

Summer blinked. Did Raven's voice crack on 'her?' She turned around and looked into the trees. There was no movement whatsoever, not even from the weak breeze. "No one followed me, Raven. It's just you and me here."

"Good." Raven's shoulders slumped and she dropped her mask. She turned around to reveal…tears running down her cheeks. This was a first. "Summer, help me…"

Again, this caught Summer by surprise. Raven almost never asked for help unless it was for a mission. Summer took her hand off her weapon. "Raven, what's going on?"

"This!" Raven reached into her jacket and pulled out a few white rectangles. "Look at these!" She turned them around and marched toward Summer.

Summer looked at the pictures of Yang. "I don't see the pro…blem." Her eyes widened as she realized what the white bars down the center were. "Those aren't from inside the house." She whipped around and grabbed Sun's Light again. This time Summer searched for anything that looked unnatural, a camera or otherwise. Nothing glinted in the early morning sunlight, but that didn't mean anything.

"They found me Summer," Raven sobbed. Summer once again faced her partner. "The Nevermores found me. They know who I am. They know where I live. They…" Raven's throat visibly constricted. "They know about Yang."

"Raven," Summer put her hands on her partner's shoulders, "we can protect her. She is probably the safest baby in Remnant living in our house. The only way she could be safer is if we kept her in the vault under Beacon."

"…You think Ozpin would let us raise her there?"

"You're worrying too much. There's no way-"

"Am I?" Raven interrupted. "You haven't seen these people. They have Huntsmen that can give us a run for our money. I've seen their records. They have some big guns, and the Lien to keep them maintained and stocked. The Nevermores aren't a north side street gang. They're on par with some of the old drug cartels. Heck, I'm pretty sure they do some of that too."

"If you're worried, we'll move. Ozpin knows people."

"Didn't Ozpin help us get this place?" Raven gestured back toward the house. "Who says any place else is safe? Who says they can't find us anywhere else?"

"Raven, what are you saying?"

"I need to leave, Sum." Raven hugged herself and turned around. "None of you are safe."

"Odds are they aren't prepared for me. You've heard how Maidens ended large battles in seconds before we went into hiding. I can do that too."

"And what if you're not around? What if Qrow is the only one around. And don't give me that crap about how his Semblance isn't bad luck. You may not believe in bad luck, but most people do."

"You asked for help! That's what I'm trying to do."

"Then figure out something that makes sure the Nevermores can't find me or Yang! Please!" Raven's knees shook. "All I got right now is to make them think I want nothing to do with Tai and Yang. They'll be safe and I can keep on going after the Nevermores."

"Raven, no." Summer fervently shook her head. "Yang needs you. You can't go away."

"You don't think I know that?" Raven fell to her knees. "I don't want to leave my baby girl. She needs a mom."

Summer took a knee and put a hand on her partner's shoulder. "She has one. Come home with me, tell Tai you're sorry, and cuddle Yang on your bed all day."

Raven grabbed Summer's arm. "Sum, please look after my little Firecracker."

"No. You're her mom. Not me. Be there for her and-"

"Summer, please!" Raven locked her overly red eyes with Summer's. "I need to hear you say it."

Summer looked deep into her partner's eyes and her shoulders slumped. Raven had her mind made up, and it was easier to convince rocks to be a soft landing spot than to change Raven's mind when it was set on something. Nothing Summer said would have made any difference. She slowly took her hand off Raven's shoulder and ran her arm through the hand that held it. Two hands ended up in a tight embrace. "Raven Branwen, I will look after Yang Xiao Long like she was my own."

Raven sighed. "Thank you, Summer."

"I will play along with this, on one condition." Summer held up her index finger on her opposite hand.

"Name it." Raven nodded like a begging dog.

"When you're able, you come back. You and I will tell Tai exactly what's going on right now. Hopefully Yang will still be too young to understand what's going on. Speaking of Yang, when you're back, you will spoil her, kiss her, and cuddle her until she doesn't want it anymore. And that's an order. Do I make myself clear?"

Raven blinked and gave Summer the smallest of smirks. "I think that was two conditions."

"Do I make myself clear?" Summer asked again, tightening her grip on Raven's hand.

"Crystal, ma'am." Raven nodded.

"Good." Summer pulled Raven into a hug which was eagerly returned. "I love you, Raven. You've been like a sister to me from the beginning."

"Even when I treated you like a dumb city girl during initiation?"

"…Okay, not the beginning, beginning, but soon after that."

"I guess I have to say the same…though it's a little weird with you being a sister and team mom."

Summer shook her head. "You and Qrow, always trying to make this whole thing weird." She removed herself from Raven's arms and searched the trees. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. "Well, if you want to disappear, might as well make it believeable." She stood up and drew Sun's Light. "One last spar?"

Raven stood up and retreated to where she dropped her mask. She picked it up and fit it over her face. "Why would we spar?" Raven faced Summer, every emotion hidden behind the Grimm. "You mean nothing to me. No, this is a fight."

"Don't do this, Raven." Summer spread her legs and held Sun's light in front of her. "You know you can't beat me."

"Is that so?" Raven drew her own sword. "How would a city girl be able to best one who grew up outside the Kingdoms?"

"Very carefully." Summer paused. "I don't want to hurt you, Raven."

"Of course you don't. You're weak. You don't have the strength to do what needs to be done."

"So you agree this is what needs to be done!"

Summer thought she could see a smile break out behind Raven's mask. "Stop talking." Raven ran forward and slashed at Summer, who caught it effortlessly on the center of Sun's Light. Despite Raven's words, her attack was only at sparring strength, maybe weaker. "Kick my ass," Raven whispered. "Make them scared of you."

"Will do," Summer whispered back. She pushed her partner away and swiped at Raven's right arm. Raven would have had trouble blocking that if she wasn't faking it. Now, it caught her right in the side and sent her sprawling. "Raven, I am taking you back to your daughter, and you are going to care for her like a good mother should."

"The whelp can't even crawl." Raven pushed herself off the ground. "Your way made her weak. She'll never be as strong as she could be."

"Without my way, you'd be six feet under somewhere, or does your tribe even bury people?"

"Cremation only for those who died in combat against Huntsmen or large Grimm. I would have been hailed as a hero." Raven charged again and tried a backhand swing.

Summer teleported away from the strike and behind Raven. She kicked her partner down. "And I love you as a sister. Where I'm from, that matters more than however many admirers you have."

"Then you know nothing." Raven kicked her legs around and knocked Summer's feet out from under her. Summer fell to the ground and Raven was on top of her in a heartbeat. The edge of her blade sat inches from Summer's neck. "This is what strength is. Strength in numbers is fine, but strength of the individual wins battles."

"Did you learn nothing at Beacon?" Summer teleported a few feet above Raven. She summersaulted in the air and Sun's Light struck just to the side of Raven's spine. Raven fell to the ground in a heap. "Strength means nothing if you don't know how to use it." Summer let go of her weapon with one hand and grabbed one of Raven's ears with it. "Raven Branwen, you are coming with me, and you are going to apologize to your husband and your baby girl."

Raven grabbed Summer's hand and twisted it. Summer gasped and dropped Sun's Light. That actually freaking hurt! Something about a broken arm not healing right before she unlocked her Aura. "Sorry, Sum." Raven whispered. She through her partner to the side and stood up. "Pathetic." She kicked Sun's Light further away. "You have saved my life more times than I can count. I will spare yours this once. Don't follow me."

She turned around and slashed the air. One of her portals opened up and she stepped though. Summer lunged for the portal but it closed just before she could enter, at least that's what she hoped it looked like. She punched the dirt and stood up. Raven could be anywhere within ten miles. But if Summer didn't know where her partner was, no one would be able to.

Summer picked up Sun's Light and walked back toward the house. She thought she saw a lens flare from a high-end camera or a sniper scope. Her instincts told her to ambush whoever that was and remove the threat to STRQ...well, minus the R anyway, but she needed to keep this charade going.

She slowly made her way back to the house. Summer rubbed her wrist where Raven twisted it. She'd need to get Raven back at some point, but that could be a long time from now. Raven would have a lot to answer for, mostly in giving her beautiful daughter lots of hugs and kisses.

After a while, the house came back into view. Tai no longer stood outside. If history repeated itself, Tai was pacing in the living room. Summer walked through the front door and saw that was the case. Tai turned to Summer with his hands in his hair. "Well?"

Summer shook her head. "She's gone. In more ways than one." She took a seat on the couch. "That wasn't the same Raven that we've known. She's gone back to the bandits."

Tai's shoulders dropped. "What? I thought she hated them."

"So did I. But she got an unmarked letter in the mail today, then she went ballistic."

"Why didn't we see this coming?" Tai shook his head, then snapped it upstairs. "Yang." He ran up the stairs, taking three steps at a time. Summer followed with fake urgency. From her conversation with Raven, Yang was perfectly fine. She looked into Yang's room and saw Tai cradling his baby girl in his arms.

"You sure you don't know why Raven ran?" Summer slowly approached her teammate.

Tai shook his head. "Everything was going so well. Things were looking up even since Raven found out she was pregnant."

Summer turned her gaze to Yang. The poor girl was only a few months old and she already lost her mother. Summer approached Tai's side and brushed Yang's growing golden hair. "Tai, I don't know if I can ask this, if it's too soon, or what have you…but Yang needs a mother figure." Tai's eyes snapped to Summer and he looked her up and down. "You say the word, I'll back off."

Tai once again returned his attention to Yang. He stayed silent for a long time, simply rocking Yang. After what felt like an eternity, Tai sighed. "She does like you. I think you've been promoted."

Summer gave Tai a light smile and held her arms out toward Yang. Tai slowly handed his daughter to his teammate. Yang gurgled in protest and wiggled between the two people's arms. Summer held Raven's baby close to her chest. Yang's eyes met Summer's and stopped struggling. A smile burst onto her face and she cooed happily. She reached her tiny arms up toward Summer's face. "Hi, Yang. I guess you're going to be seeing a lot more of me from now on."

Raven's gone, Summer's in. Hopefully there's slightly less hate toward her...Also, keep in mind this whole Raven thing was thought out when I still had hope there was more to her than being a jerkface...