When she agreed to lead this mission, she did it knowing that it wasn't going to be easy. Leaving the problem ignored though, would put all of Atlas at risk. She knew this now. These Grimm were not worth the gamble to leave them alone. They were too powerful, and needed to be taken down. This unfortunate realization came more clearly than she suspected it would.

Still, she wasn't at her best, either, and she just couldn't sleep.

Coco had a whole list of excuses lined up neatly in a row. It was cold, the barometric pressure was bothering her, she just wasn't tired…the list went on. The only problem was, those were all lies. It was cold, but Fox was keeping her warm, and the norther pressure never bothered her. Not truly, anyway. Lastly, in spite of being exhausted, which she was for sure, she just missed Velvet.

Fox wouldn't say it outright, but he worried.

There they were, stranded in a mining town with one copiously injured team member, and their mate in the care of others. Coco trusted Weiss, and Yang wouldn't let any harm come to anyone, but the only reason they'd even gone on this mission was Yatsuhashi. He was there, he was going to watch Velvet, keep her safe. Keep their swarm of children, safe. Yet it wasn't enough.

Coco wanted to be there with her, she needed to be.

Velvet kept the brave face she always did when her mates were away. Assuring them that everything was alright. Fox was the skeptic though, and for well over an hour, he sat in front of the monitor. Digging around and asking questions, trying desperately to ascertain if Velvet was telling the truth. She seemed as if she was, but the woman had always had such a strong spirit. Knowing where that backbone and spirit came from was what bothered him, because life had been rather unkind to her.

But, Velvet had promised she was doing okay, that her pregnancy was going well…and no, she wasn't just saying that, because she was fine…the children were fine…and all of them were getting by.

"This is pointless." Fox ranted.

"Then close your eyes and stop fidgeting." Coco demanded.

Fox turned to look at the clock. "We've been tossing and turning here for hours."

"Damn it all." Coco sighed, her eyes glaring daggers into the dark room. "Where's my little shit when I need her…"

"Sienna's probably curled next to Velvet." Fox replied dryly, letting his usually prickly mate cuddle in close. Coco was not the kind of woman to snuggle by choice. She liked her space, especially when she was sleeping. "Or she's curled up on Yatsu, again. She does that a lot when you're gone."

"Like mother, like daughter. Hey, let's face it, he's always made the best human pillow." Coco replied. "Our kids aren't stupid, they know who'll cave first and give them what they want."

"Especially at night." Fox replied with a sigh. "Sienna can't stay in one spot to save her soul."

Coco ignored the jab at her bad attitude whenever she was woken up, more focused on her inward musings given voice. "If Yatsu wants to become a human mattress, let him. He never seems to mind…anyway, Bruno normally stays with Velvet at night. Chances are good Sienna kicked Bruno out of the way. I'd place my bets on that." Coco pointed out.

"Love to know what fantasy world you're living in."

"The one where you shit rainbows, wiseass."

"You love my ass." His voice had that tit-for-tat bite that Coco had come to find attractive. It was his competitive streak along with his abrasive nature that had attracted the two of them. Without Velvet around, they could playfully sling mud at each other for hours…and sometimes, they did anyway. "You fondle the damn thing enough."

"To be fair, for a dude, it's a nice ass." Coco cracked an eye open again. "I'm sick of being out here, Fox."

"Because I love wandering around face first into unfamiliar walls and doorways…"

Coco sighed at that. Fox had a point. His eyesight was admittedly terrible, and getting worse by the day. Unlike the domiciles that sheltered most of the workers, the small cottages along the outskirts were crammed and compact. They belonged to small families with enough earning to have a place of their own, quaint as they usually were.

This particular home belonged to Ruby. She'd stay up here during long journeys. Unfortunately, it was sparse, and made rather unrepentantly for a short woman who wasn't going to be staying there often. There wasn't even electricity. Just a few dust powered lanterns, and a wood burning stove for warmth.

When Coco rested her forehead on his shoulder, Fox began to obsess about the mission. About home, and everything in-between. Unfortunately for Fox, Coco noticed that.

"Stop." She said, thwacking his butt for good measure. "Whenever you get restless, so do I."

"Too late."

Coco just buried herself in closer, leaning up to kiss him before snuggling back down. "Shut up and go to sleep…"

It was not the first time Yang's fist blew a hole into the nearest drywall, and it most certainly not the first time her aura flared violently before giving out entirely. The crimson blood surrounding the now gaping hole was the testament to Yang's helpless rage. "What do you mean, Sun's been critically wounded?"

"You heard me, Yang." Weiss said, her eye downcast to the scorch marks in the shape of palms. Yang had put on her desk in shock. "Ruby's location is unknown, and Sun's health remains questionable at best."

Yang shook the blood off of her hand. "His aura should have pulled him through something as minor as a few boulders."

"Unless he didn't have any." Weiss told her. "These Grimm, they're larger than we first assumed, much more powerful too. I'm going to have a copter airlift him the moment I have word that the skies are clear of invading Grimm."

"What about Coco and the others?"

"Neptune will accompany Sun. Coco and Fox still have a mission to finish."

"It's been botched, stupid." Yang shouted. "Get them out of there, now."

"It's not my call to make."

"Like hell it isn't!"

"Coco's got the lead on this one!" Weiss hollered back, standing from her desk. She went to her bookshelf, grabbing the first aid kit she kept there, and tossed one of the rolled up bandages at Yang's head. "I'm not out in the field. What right to I have to order Coco around?" Weiss asked heatedly. "We're not fighting, we're safe, secure. What right do we have, making calls like that?"

Yang didn't need it. Her aura had already mended the damage to her hand. "It's better than sitting on our asses…"

"I have a great deal I'd like to do, but all of it would prove inadequate." Weiss could feel the tension in her shoulders mounting. A headache that started in the back of her head and neck, drifting downwards further. When was the last time she took a break? When was the last time she felt she could? She restlessly worked to gather the supplies. The northern barricades, communities, and towns were direly in need of equipment.

"Something is better then nothing."

This, Weiss could agree with, but she still wasn't going to send Yang. "What are you going to do, get on the next flight out? You were given your orders, that's to stay here and act as a personal guard…"

"For what, a stray ursa or two that may or may not wander onto SDC grounds?" Yang asked. "Put me in the field, Weiss. Swap me, for Sun."

"I'm not putting you out there."

"You should."

Weiss sighed. She wanted to. She really wanted to. Yang might stand a better chance at finding Ruby and the others. She might be able to get a better handle on the situation. As much as she wanted to, Weiss couldn't compromise the integrity of Coco's trust. "There are a lot of things I should have done about this, but I didn't…and I won't. I can't."

"Yes you can!"

"Coco and Fox will continue to deal with the Grimm. Meanwhile, they will look for Ruby and the others. That is the plan going forward, that is the plan all of them settled on. If separation occurs, it's imperative everyone follows the expected contingency. You know this."

"The plan's already ass over tits." Yang pointed out. "Put me in."

"No." Weiss sighed. she sat back down, her mind running laps around her paperwork. "If I change that plan, I'm adding factors to what Coco has to deal with…and quite frankly, I can't send you." Weiss wondered if blunt honesty was the way to go. Even if it wasn't, what choice did she have? Yang wasn't feeling calm and civil. "You have rocks for brains when you're angry, and you're not exactly calm. I'd hate to see what you'd do in front of a Grimm...Blake can't be there to pull you back."

"Fuck you…" Yang breathed, flinging open the office door and storming out.

She walked beyond the small conference room and down the hall. In spite of her fury, her blood ran cold. She found the rest of their little group in the more relaxed sitting area on the upper floor, right beside the drawing room. Jaune, Velvet, and Blake sat relatively calm. Yatsuhashi was standing on the far side of the room, equally composed.

This fried Yang even more. "Jaune, what the hell are you doing?"

"Drinking tea." He said morosely. "What else does it look like?"

"Like you're sitting on your ass."

"Wonderful deduction, because I am." He said, giving her a sideways look.

"Well, maybe you should man up, and get your god-damn gear." Yang raged, a heat in her voice rarely ever witnessed. "Those two I get." Yang spat, thumb gesturing over to Velvet and Blake, who were in no condition to be fighting Grimm. "But you…damn it Jaune, that's your wife out there."

"Man, don't I know it," He sighed with a shake of his head. "I'd be out there in a heartbeat if I could, but…" He looked over to his daughters who were busy making a mess with the blocks along with the others. He scratched his stubble covered face. "My place is here, Yang. I'm not going anywhere."

"So that's it?" Yang asked, flabbergasted. "We're all going to sit here on our asses?"

"Looks like it." Jaune said to her, a tired, cold edge in his voice. "It's called having a little faith, maybe you should try it."

"I'm tired of just sitting around!"

"Well, so am I." Jaune said, standing to his full height. "But I can't just leave. I thought you of all people would understand that."

"Get out of my face, Jaune."

"No."

"I said step the fuck back."

"Yang…" Blake was too mentally exhausted to listen to this fighting. When red rimmed lilac eyes met hers, she shook her head. "You're scaring Zhu."

Zhu who was nearest the arguing adults, curled up into the furthest possible ball in the corner. He smelt the rage, the anger, the outright dangerous wafting off of her, and crawled under the nearest space he could get under to hide.

"Shit…" Yang sighed softly. That had never been her intention, but she was too soaked in her own rage to think clearly. The only thing she could do was turn on her heel and storm away again like a bull in a china shop.

AYangThang: Monday's update comes early this week. It's an inherently shorter update than usual because I just don't have the time to edit. It's a major work weekend for me. Don't worry, we'll be back to the regularly scheduled update/chapter length on Wednesday.