Blake insisted that the pilot of the Airship power down the engines before they disembarked at Beacon, now well into the small hours of the morning. There was some objection to this, but a brief reminder to the man that she was a personal friend of Weiss Schnee had the issue sorted well enough. Whatever she thought of the Schnee Dust Company, Blake had to admit that having the option to throw the Schnee name around could be exceedingly helpful. Normally she wouldn't have made such a nuisance of herself with the ship's pilot, but Blake made an exception in this case; Mina was in no condition to be accosted by the whines of the engines as she was guided off of the airship. For their part, Cardin and Russell were silent.

With one hand on Mina's arm and the other on her back, Blake led Mina back towards the dorms, letting Mina lean on her for support whenever she felt that she needed it. Mina had ceased to cry, but her eyes were bloodshot, her face tracked with tears, and her breath came in unsteady gasps. She would wince at any sudden noise, no matter how distant, and Mina's shaky steps told Blake that she was relying totally upon Blake's guidance as they went; Mina couldn't concentrate hard enough to use her semblance effectively, and her ears were only bringing her pain.

How could I let Torchwick do this to her? Blake demanded of herself, She's in so much pain…

Blake noted, albeit with all the focus of an afterthought, that Cardin and Russell didn't move off to return to their dorm when they entered the dormitory building, but didn't pay them much heed anymore. She – and Mina – had done enough for them, now Mina deserved Blake's undivided attention, and Blake meant to give it to her. Despite her best intentions though, Blake couldn't but raise an eyebrow at the sight of Weiss pacing outside RWBY's dorm in her nightgown as they rounded the corner.

"Weiss…?"

"Blake-!"

"Shhh!" Blake suddenly hushed her teammate as Mina cringed back a fresh flow of tears, before explaining in as soft a voice as she could muster, "Please… quiet…"

Weiss nodded, the concern evident on her face as she whispered back, "What happened?"

"I'll explain in a minute; first, Mina needs to lay don…" Blake hesitated, "I don't suppose you keep anything for headaches…?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, opening the door, "Do I? Of course; I'll get her one from my-,"

Before the heiress could finish her muted offer though, a figure in a black tank-top and pink heart-patterned pajama pants stumbled out into the hall with uncharacteristic sluggishness, "What's…" a yawn, "are you guys okay…?"

"She wanted to wait up," Yang explained as she followed her sister out, and looked to be about to say more until she saw Mina, whereupon the only words she had were, "The hell happened?"

"Shhh…" Blake whispered, gently stroking Mina's hair and ears as she whimpered in response to the unaware loudness of Yang's voice, "Please…" Blake quietly begged to Yang this time, "Let me lay her down, then we can talk about this out here in the hall, okay?"

Yang nodded, "Uh.. yeah, okay…"

Without another word, Blake took Mina into the dorm, leaving her puzzled, tired, and worried teammates in the hall for a moment, "You can lay down in my bed while I explain to the others, alright?" Blake offered, almost silently as she shut the door behind them. When Mina nodded, no further discussion was necessary; Blake helped Mina the last few feet over to her bunk, gently sitting her down, before bending down to take off Mina's shoes for her. Blake was momentarily flummoxed when Mina put up her arms, but after a moment, she understood; it seemed that Mina wanted to be babied, if only just a little, so Blake complied with the faintest trace of a smile despite everything as she helped Mina out of her blouse as well, and much of the rest followed before Mina was persuaded to lie down. As she pulled the comforter up over Mina, Blake leaned in to give her a quick little kiss and assuring her in a voice scarcely more audible than a simple exhalation, "I'll be back soon, alright? I promise." After ensuring that Mina was safely snug under the covers, Blake heaved an inaudible sigh and turned back for the door, beyond which her team was assembled and awaiting her explanation.

Opening and carefully shutting the door to their dorm once more, Blake greeted her teammates with a slightly somber expression, "Thank you for your patience; it really means a lot, as does your waiting up…" Even if Ruby looked dead on her feet, eyes half-lidded, It was nice to know they all cared, "Now I guess an explanation is in order…"

"You're damn right that an explanation is in order!" Weiss all but exploded, though still under her breath, "I thought that we had this conversation already! Come to us when something big comes up!"

"Well I-,"

"I don't know what to think of this, Blake," Weiss continued, gesticulating angrily, "I don't know what to yell at you about first; that you did something dangerous again without us, or that you asked Cardin for help! I mean seriously?"

Blake blinked a few times, glancing to her right. Sure enough, Cardin Winchester and Russell Thrush both had yet to take their leave, "Weiss, I-,"

"Relax Schnee," Cardin rolled his eyes, but it did not escape Blake's notice that he spoke rather softly, "I asked Carfax for help; I didn't realize they'd be a package deal,"

"So help me, Cardin Winchester, you will speak of my friends in more respectful terms or there will be Hell to pay!" Weiss snapped.

Cardin Winchester was easily the better part of two feet taller than the Schnee Heiress, but that didn't seem to matter; Cardin obeyed, "… Sorry…" he sighed, "It's just that Russell got his dumb ass kidnapped stickin' up for Carfax in town, and I needed help to bail him out so…"

"I'm guessing the rest of your own team flaked out on you…" Yang raised an eyebrow.

Cardin nodded.

"So you thought you could ask Mina to help you?" Weiss demanded.

"Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry she got hurt, and whatever I can do…." He sighed, "whatever I can do to help her out in the future… look, just ask, alright? I don't like being in debt,"

"Hmmm…" Weiss glanced between Blake and Cardin, and when Blake nodded, she continued, "Well I suppose that will do fine…. But you…"she turned her attention to Russell now, "Who was it that kidnapped you over Mina?"

"Roman Torchwick," Blake stated for him as Russell took an involuntary step back, "I couldn't tell you why he's working with the White Fang, or why they are working with him, for that matter, but…" She shot Cardin a look.

Cardin rolled his eyes, "Look Belladonna, maybe I'm a bastard, but I'm not a traitor; my lips are sealed," he sighed, turning to leave and nearly dragging Russell with him, "But since you obviously don't want me around, have a good night,"

Blake almost felt guilty as the boys departed. Almost. Right now though, her priorities had to be Mina's welfare and explaining herself, "The bottom line is that Mina and I are loose ends for the White Fang; remember, Mina came here in the first place to bring me back in, and now that she's left, well…"

"You two know too much?" Weiss suggested.

"Well… not really…" Blake sighed, "I left before this whole business started, whatever it is that their up to, and Mina… she's not the type to ask questions that she doesn't need the answers to. Still, between that episode at the wharf and Mina's own walking out on them, I'd guess whoever's pulling the strings doesn't want us to be a problem…"

"Alright, so Russell stuck up for Mina before he had the chance to wonder who the arms strangers were and why they were after her, Cardin asked for your help, you agreed, which leads us to where we are now," Yang fit the pieces together aloud, "But God… What the Hell happened to her? I don't think I've ever seen her in that much pain…"

"She didn't look injured though…" Ruby put in tiredly, "Her aura should've… should've…" Ruby's thought was clipped short by another yawn.

Blake shook her head, "There wasn't anything to 'hit' her, strictly speaking; Torchwick dropped a flash-bang at her feet…"

"Her ears…" Weiss' eyes widened, "I can't even imagine…"

"She doesn't seem to have suffered any permanent harm," Blake assured weakly, "but she's going to be out of it for a few days, and her ears are still extremely sensitive right now, so can you all promise me quiet in the dorm room until she feels better?"

There were nods all around, but it was Yang who punctuated the conversation by slamming her fists together, "I'm gonna knock the bastard's face in if I ever see him…"

Blake nodded wearily, "Get in line…"

Mina's first awareness upon waking was the persistent dull throbbing pain. The migraine caused by the previous night's events had subsided somewhat, but she could not claim to be comfortable. Still, she could hear her own breathing rather acutely; as with that of Blake, Weiss, and Miss Rose, to say nothing of Miss Xiao Long's snores. Whatever pain she might yet suffer though, the knowledge that her hearing remained undamaged by the ordeal cheered her somewhat, bringing her the motivation she needed to rouse herself. At first she thought to fumble about for Blake's scroll and impute the verbal command for it to tell her the time, but she did not much feel like making any undue noise, both for her friends' sakes and her own, and it was Sunday anyway, so instead she simply lay awake trying to concentrate on anything but her headache.

There was the pillow beneath her head, there were the blankets, soft against her bare skin, and then there was Blake, still sleeping beside her. Groggy; as Mina yet remained, and dully painful as even the slightest sound was, Mina could not help but enjoy the sound of Blake's quiet breathing in an out beside her. Despite the fact that the two of them were presently sharing Blake's twin-sized bunk, Mina wanted to be closer still, and so rolled over onto her side and drape her arm over Blake, though she took care not to wake her; they'd been out very late last night, and Blake needed her rest. Of course, Mina knew that she probably did too, and if nothing else, more sleep would be a welcome reprieve from her discomfort as it further diminished, but right now, Mina didn't quite want to drift back into sleep so much as to feel Blake's warmth beside her and the rise and fall of her chest with each not-quite-silent breath. She was momentarily amused by the thought that it had only been the previous night that the two of them shared a similarly intimate sleeping arrangement, albeit under better circumstances at the Vale Grand Hotel, but she ultimately pushed that train of thought away; there was a time and place for everything, as Blake would always tell her, and this was not the time or place for that. Instead, Mina just clung to Blake a little bit tighter before allowing herself to drift back to sleep, this time with her head resting in the crook of Blake's shoulder. It was a comfortable place to rest her head, actually, and Mina could hardly imagine that her Dearest would take exception to this much indulgence on her part. Comfortable once more, Mina drifted back to sleep.

When Blake woke up, it was well past eleven, and Ruby, Weiss, and Yang had departed the room. It was just her and Mina, as she was very aware, judging by the way that Mina was nestled up against her, sleeping soundly. Blake smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair out of Mina's sleeping face. It was good to see her like this, resting peacefully; if she didn't know better, Blake might have thought last night had been completely normal. Mina shifted slightly, and her eyes fluttered open. Always the light sleeper, Blake supposed.

"Good morning," Blake whispered in her softest voice, "are you feeling better?"

"Hmmm…?" Mina clearly wasn't quite awake yet, but she didn't wince. That was a good sign.

"Do your ears still bother you?" Blake asked as Mina let out a little yawn.

Mina shook her head drowsily, "Not as such…" Mina spoke, "perhaps a slight headache, but I am over the worst, I think…"

Blake nodded. "That's good to hear. Can I get you anything?"

"My blood-pack?" Mina asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and moving to sit up.

Blake offered her wrist, "Here, go ahead,"

Mina blinked, and eagerly pulled Blake's outstretched forearm, but then hesitated, and shook her head, "No… a pack…"

"What?" Blake asked in disbelief, her forearm slumping slightly, "But I thought-,"

"I do prefer yours Dearest…" Mina turned away, "but it is far too soon; the last time was just the other night…"

"I'm sure that we can make an exception in this case," Blake assured, "You've been through a lot-,"

Mina shook her head all the more vigorously though, "No. I would not think to jeopardize your health. Please, a pack…"

With a sigh, Blake stood and reluctantly did as she was asked, shortly returning to her bedside with the blood pack, "Here,"

Mina reached for the pack with both hands and drew it to her lips, "Thank you Dearest… I am sorry if I have disappointed you…"

Blake stared, dumbfounded, "Disappointed? What? How?"

"Last night…" Mina clarified before sinking her fangs into the pack and continuing to speak,, her voice slightly muffled by the blood pack in the way, "I allowed Mr. Torchwick to get the better of me…"

"No, you didn't! He pulled a dirty trick that neither of us saw coming! If anyone needs to apologize-," But Blake stopped mid-sentence as Mina's body language shifted. Mina's shoulders slumped and she almost seemed to shrink like she was being reprimanded. Blake instinctively averted her eyes as the blanket slipped from Mina's shoulders, That's right… I let her skip changing last night… Shaking her head in self-reproach, Blake adopted a gentler tone this time, and decided to change tactics besides, "Don't blame yourself Mina; you had no reason to expect that he would do something like that,"

It was true enough that Mina wasn't one to claim additional responsibilities, or allow responsibility to be pinned on her, but neither was she one to dodge or default on responsibilities that were rightfully hers, or at least that she perceived to be hers. Clearly, Mina had expected herself to make it through that little rescue last night without a hitch, and having been put out of commission, she thought that she'd placed an additional burden on Blake's shoulders; this of course, was Mina's touchiest subject. The merest suggestion of so burdening Blake above and beyond what their relationship otherwise entailed would cause Mina paroxysms of anxiety. It continually baffled Blake how Mina could be so self-confident in almost all other aspects of life – and she had to be to work at a maid café – would be so instantly and completely crippled by a phobia of a wholly imagined resentment. Blake would have freely given anything to help ease her mind, but she did not know how.

"Look," Blake leaned in to kiss her on the forehead, pulling the blanket back up onto Mina's shoulders for modesty's sake, "I do not blame you, alright? I wouldn't have made it out of there without you – hell, Cardin's a racist jerk and even he thanked you; he offered his help whenever you need it too. I never thought I'd agree with him about anything, but we needed you last night and you did an excellent job, alright?"

Mina was silent., so Blake added, "Can I do anything else for you? I don't want you to lift a finger today, alright?"

Mina pondered the offer as she emptied the plastic pouch, "Hmmm… could you… read me a story?"

"Of course,"

Author's Note: And there goes another one; I don't know about you all, but I'm feeling like another fluff chapter for next time, what do you think? And do feel free to volunteer scenarios if you are so inclined. Much as I like writing introspection and all the feels, I do rather enjoy writing fluff; it just really has a way of brightening my day. Until then though, please leave your thoughts and suggestions, and I'll see you next time.