Chapter Eighteen: Shadows Of The Past.
Ruby was having so much fun. After the bakery Weiss had led them to a park were several artist had set up tents and booths to display and sell their work. "I didn't know Vale did art fairs." Weiss commented as she eyed the brochure she had picked up. "Looks like they are promoting the new gallery at the Vale Art Museum. Might be interesting to see what they will have on display." The Heiress muttered as she continued to look.
The wolf smiled widely as her partner eyed a canvas displaying the red hues of the Forever Fall. She knew Weiss had an appreciation of the arts, admiring how the artist conveyed emotions or subject matter through colors and shading. Most of the things the Heiress would say would go over the wolf's head but she loved listening to the white haired girl as she spoke explaining the story behind the piece she was looking at.
The entire time they walked Ruby held Weiss arm close to her body, the warmth of the older girl's body radiating deep in the wolf's chest. She couldn't believe that she had kissed Weiss and was now walking around with the person who meant everything to her. Her tail continued to sway happily as she looked at her partner, she was just so beautiful; the way her white hair shimmered and shined in the light, her bright blue eyes that would flash every once and a while when she was looking at a piece of art and her heavenly scent of vanilla and mint. Ruby just couldn't believe that she was with her.
"Something on your mind?" Weiss asked looking over at the wolf who was staring at her. "Ruby?"
The wolf blinked realizing that she had been caught staring only to blush and look away. "I, ah, I was just thinking how pretty you look."
Weiss felt blush erupt on her face, "R-Ruby." She stuttered taken back by the redhead, the girl looked up at her sheepishly. "T-Thank you." Weiss broke eye contact trying not to blush any harder, "Y-You're very pretty too."
"Really?" Ruby asked suddenly making Weiss look back at the wolf on her arm, silver eyes flashing.
"Yes Ruby, really." Weiss smiled as she pecked at redhead forehead. She felt the girl's tail tickle the back of her legs as it wrapped around her. A small beep from the redhead's pocket made both girls jump. Ruby grumbled as she pulled out her scroll and scowled at the screen, her face widened in shock causing worry to spread through the Heiress. "What is it Ruby?"
"Yang and Blake are in the infirmary." The wolf explained as she quickly led Weiss away from the park and towards Beacon.
"What?" Weis asked in confusion picking up her pace, she hadn't expected Ruby to suddenly take the lead so the sudden switch caught her off guard. "What are they doing there?"
"No idea, Velvet just said they both showed up in a Vale ambulance and were beaten up." Ruby explained Weiss could hear the worry in the younger girl's voice as she led them towards the bus stop. Weiss stopped the girl; the bus would be too slow.
"Hold up Ruby. I've got a faster way back." Weiss said as the wolf looked back at her, quickly the Heiress hailed a cab and motioned for the redhead to get in. "Vale airfields," She instructed the driver before he could ask. "And if you can get us there before the next ship leaves for Beacon the tip will be worth it."
The cabbie nodded smugly as he turned back around, "Aye Miss, just hang on tight." Weiss barely had time to brace herself before the man put his foot to the floor rocketing the car forward. The expertise of his driving was astounding, weaving in and out of traffic where there was barely a gap wide enough to fit his cab, turning down hidden alleys to avoid stoplights, and even skirting a few surprised police officers in one daring maneuver.
Just as nausea started to set in to both of the girls the cab screeched to a stop just outside of the airfields, five minutes before the next airship was due to launch. Thanking the man Weiss paid the fair and as promised tipped him handsomely before quickly following the crimson wolf to the airship. Ruby had a look of worry as she took her seat, fingers tapping at the armrest.
Weis sat down beside the redhead and gently took her hand, "I'm sure they're fine. Yang wouldn't let anything bad happen to Blake that easily." Ruby nodded before squeezing her hand back.
Once they arrived back at Beacon both quickly made their way to the infirmary, Weiss holding the wolf back to prevent her from using her semblance. Opening the doors to the waiting room for the infirmary they were greeted with an odd sight.
Coco stood in the middle of the room tapping her foot in annoyance as she held a staring match with an orderly who look as if he was ready to panic and run away from the brunette. "I told you already Miss Adel you can't go back to the treatment wing just because Miss Scarlatina is here. She's not supposed to have visitors while she is working."
"I know that James, and I also know that she should have been off two hours ago so I'm here asking; what's going on?" Coco growled as she continued to stare at the man through her black glasses, "You had better not have booked her for a double this weekend, we have a mission on Monday and she needs to be fresh. So as her team leader tell me what the hell is going on."
The growl from the fashionista made the man tremble, it was a well known fact in the Beacon staff that one did not cross Coco Adel when it came to her team members and when it involved Velvet, it was safer to face a starving Beowolf in a meat suit. Ruby chose that moment lightly touch the brunette's shoulder drawing her attention. "Oh, sup Ruby?" The girl chimed as she smiled widely, her attitude flipping instantly, dark glasses flicked up to see Weiss standing with the wolf and the smile turned into a smirk as she nodded at the Heiress, "Snowcone."
Weiss bristled at the nickname and was about to launch into a lecture when Ruby drew Coco's attention back to her. "Velvet messaged me saying Yang and Blake are here. They got hurt somehow."
Coco turned her attention back to the orderly, "Well, are they?"
The man cleared his throat and turned towards the wolf, "Yes Miss Xiao Long and Miss Belladonna both arrived a while ago with injuries. They are currently with Miss Scarlatina and the doctor she's attending."
"Excellent." Coco smiled pushing past the man motioning for Weiss and Ruby to follow.
"Miss Adel I already told you tha-" The man started.
"That I'm not allowed to go see Velvet, I know." Coco turned back as Weiss and Ruby followed, "But I'm not, I'm going to go see Yang and Blake, its just coincidence that Velvet's with them." The man looked frustrated as his face turned red.
Weiss had to hand it to the brunette she knew how to make the best of any situation. "Was that really necessary?" She asked the taller girl.
"Hell yeah it was." Coco chuckled, "Guy gets on my nerves and he keeps hitting on Velvet." Weiss noticed Ruby stiffen slightly as she explained. Coco took notice to and gave both of them a roughish smile. "Sooo are you two together yet?" Both girls' faces instantly ignited into a bright red they looked down at the ground trying to avoid the girl's eyes, "Oh Ruby did you already forget I can tell." Coco chuckled throatily.
"I thought it was only if I lied." Ruby muttered straying closer to Weiss. The Heiress looked at the older girl in confusion as she felt the wolf's tail brush against the back of her legs sending shivers up her spine.
"Oh no kid, I see all that is in your hearts and minds. So even without you saying anything I already know." Coco laughed making Ruby blush harder and Weiss more confused. "So Ruby what's Weiss taste like?"
Weiss felt her eyes bug out of her head as the heat increased on her face. "Well- I- How- You-" The Heiress could only stuttered out responses as the older girl continued to laugh but she was in better shape than Ruby, the poor wolf had buried her head into Weiss' shoulder hiding her face from embracement.
"Coco stop teasing them." Velvet sighed as she leaned out of a doorway hearing the group coming, she sent a weak glare at her girlfriend, the tired look in her eyes defeating its purpose.
Coco sighed as she reached the rabbit Faunus, "Sorry bunbun, I couldn't help it." As the two older girls met in the hallway Ruby and Weiss continued into the room to see their other two teammates on the beds.
Yang was laying down with her eyes closed, an IV with Aura boost hooked up to her arm. She had been changed into loose fitting sweats and a baggy t-shirt, a few bandages showed around her stomach, and an ice pack pressed up against her face. Blake sat up in her bed one arm in a sling while moving an ice pack around her stomach, wincing from time to time.
Ruby could barely tear her eyes away from her sister as she quickly zipped to the blonde's side, "Yang?" The wolf questioned as she picked up the older girl's hand.
"Ugh." Yang groaned as one lilac eye cracked open, looking around she found the worried face of her younger sister looking back at her. "Hey pup." The brawler smiled as she squeezed Ruby's hand. "It's not as bad as it looks, my Aura's low so until it's back most of my injuries will be slow to heal."
"Yes, it's a good think you have an abundance of it." A new voice said making the new occupants of the room jump and face the source. In the corner of the room looking over a medical chart stood a tall man with white hair and a full thick beard. Deep green eyes looked up off the chart and through small glasses at the two new girls. "Hello, I'm Dr. Iosif Tashaun. And you must be Miss Ruby Rose and Miss Weiss Schnee." The man smiled widely as he offered out his hand to each of them.
"Yes sir." Ruby replied as she shook his had trying not to crinkle her nose, he smelled like rubbing alcohol and antiseptics making her nose burn.
"Splendid." Dr. Tashaun continued to smile, "I must say I was a bit taken back when I head we'd have a wolf Faunus attending Beacon. I never thought I'd see the day."
"Yep, mom wanted me to come to Beacon so I trained really hard to get in." Ruby chimed as she smiled back at the man.
The man nodded in understanding, "Well, sadly I can't spend all day around here chatting so I'll let Miss Scarlatina finish up here. You two take it easy for the rest of the weekend." He nodded to both Yang and Blake before leaving.
"I'll make sure you get the paperwork before I clock out." Velvet said as he passed her, once he was gone the rabbit turned to the two girls in the bed, "Alright, Blake you should be fine to stop icing your stomach I just need to check to make sure that there's no swelling." The panther nodded as she laid back down and allowed the other girl to prod her stomach, "Let me know if you feel any sharp pain."
"Just keep it professional doc." Yang quipped making Velvet roll her eyes and Coco snicker.
"Yang, so not appropriate." Blake sighed, why couldn't Yang be mature for ten minutes?
"Hey just making sure she knows." Yang smirked.
Velvet ignored the blonde and continued to gently touch the panther's stomach her eyes closed as she continued her work. After a few moments of silence the rabbit nodded before backing away, "You're all good, no internal damage or broken ribs, you'll be sore for a few days however so just take it easy." Velvet turned to face the blonde, "Your turn Yang."
Yang's smirk grew, "Oh didn't know you-"
She was cut off by a swift flick on the nose by the unamused rabbit, "You know I can order a cast put on you and revoke your gym time and combat training just for fun right?" The blonde's eyes grew wide at the threat. "Better." Velvet nodded as she placed her hand on blonde's face and shoulder. "Your Aura is still low so you're going to feel weak and depleted until it's back up. The swelling on your face should go down in a few hours as long you keep icing on it, the wounds on your stomach won't heal fully until you're Aura is back but you should be able to take the bandages off in the morning." Brown eyes glanced up at the half full Aura boost bag, "You'll be good to go once the bag's done so just hang tight until then."
"Right-o doc." Yang gave a small salute, which made the rabbit Faunus chuckle.
"I'll be back in a half hour to pull your IV." Velvet smiled, "Coco you can come with me to finish my rounds. Dr. Tashaum won't mind." The two older girls nodded to the others and left.
Once the door was shut Ruby bounced back to her sister, "So Yang what happened?" Her tail swished excitedly now that she knew her sister wasn't in danger. "Did you get into a fight? What happened to Blake why is she hurt? What was it over? Did someone hit on you again? Or Blake? What don't tell me someone touched your hair!" The wolf's rapid fire of questions made the Heiress roll her eyes and before she could ask another question she reached out and pulled her back by her hood.
"Ruby slow down and let Yang answer before you start asking more." Weiss sighed as the redhead looked up at her with a questioning look. She smiled down at the shorter girl softly as she reached up and stroked the wolf's cheek Ruby leaned into the touch.
"Aww." Yang cooed as she watched their interaction, Weiss sprung away from her partner temporally forgetting they had an audience, it was really too easy for her to get lost in the girl's silver eyes. "You guys are soooooo cute! Don't you think Blakey?" Blake had sat back up and was hiding her mouth concealing her snickers.
"Yaaaaannnnng." Ruby cried out in embarrassment hiding her face in her hands.
"Oh relax pup, I'm just teasing you." Yang chuckled, the Heiress glared at the brawler as she patted the wolf on the back, Ruby relaxed slightly and looked up at her partner. "Any ways to answer you're question Blake and I ran into some White Fang members." Both blue and silver eyes shot up to look at the blonde instantly attentive.
It took the full half hour for Yang to repeat the tale of their fight in Little Mistrial, Ruby oh'ed and aww'ed as the blonde spun her story, leaving out what the tiger Faunus at yelled at Blake but she did notice the panther tense when she reached that part. Weiss took notice of the black haired girl's reaction as well briefly wondering what it was about. "And when the ambulance got to us they were in total shock cause I had molten metal cooling on my skin and no signs of burning." The blonde laughed.
"So what happened to your stomach?" Ruby questioned, if it wasn't from the burns then what had caused the damage.
Yang glanced down at the bandaged the shrugged, "When the containers fell on me it caused a few cuts that I didn't notice until we were on our way here."
"And she's lucky they weren't very deep." Velvet cut in as she and Coco reentered the room. "Injuries to the abdomen are no laughing matter." Weiss felt a chill run up her spine as she glanced at Ruby remembering when she was injured, Ruby must have had the same thought as she shivered too. "Now you'll want to come back if you notice any bleeding or extra pain from your wounds." The rabbit instructed Yang as she removed the IV and placed a cotton ball and medical tape over the puncture site. "Blake if your shoulder still bothers you tomorrow same thing, come back and we'll get another x-ray." Velvet smiled at both girls before looking between Weiss and Ruby, her smile becoming a smirk. "Yang's right you two are just too cute." As blush erupted on the two girls' faces the rabbit happily skipped back into the hallway where Coco was laughing.
Once Team RWBY had returned to their dorm Yang flopped down on the panther's bed with a groan. "I am bushed. Next time let's skip the fight and convince the bad guys to just go to jail."
"I don't think that will work." Weiss rolled her eyes, "Especially if we're dealing with terrorist." Blake tensed at the Heiress words, which drew the blonde's attention.
"Hey you okay Blake?" Yang asked as she sat up slowly, she remembered Blake said she would do some explaining but didn't want to push the girl if she wasn't ready.
Blake had been trying to arrange her thoughts ever since they had been picked up at the warehouse by the medics. How was she suppose to tell her team, people that she trusted that she had once been a member of the White Fang? How was she going to tell them that she was a killer? She knew her actions had been wrong, she knew that she should have said no sooner than she had, she knew she should have done something before it had gotten as bad as it did, but she didn't and she had to live with her choices.
She had come to terms with her actions, she had to or else it would have driven her mad. But those actions still haunted her, still made it hard to breath, pulled her deeper into the blackness and made her fight to come back. It had gotten easier since Yang had come into her life, Yang was a source of light and warmth in her life, one that pulled her back and let her know she was safe.
Would Yang still be there for her once she told them the truth? Would Ruby look at her with distrust in place of kindness and caring? Would Weiss turn her in without a second thought leaving her to the mercy of a jury? What would they do to her? A life sentence in jail? Hard labor in Mantel? Or would they just execute her?
The panther's mind spiraled down threatening to drown her in the blackness and blood. A soft warm touch on her shoulder brought her back.
Yang had walked over to her and laid a soft hand on her partner's shoulder sending a soft wave of warmth through the panther. Even if she didn't have a lot of her Aura the Aura boost and given her enough back that she could comfort her Kitten.
Blake looked to the soft lilac eyes gazing into her own amber eyes seeing a deep caring in them giving her the strength to do what she had to do. She had to tell them. Yang wouldn't push her away, Ruby wouldn't look at her any differently and Weiss, well she hopped would understand. Taking a deep breath Blake closed her eyes and centered her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine." Stepping in closer to the blonde she gently wrapped her hands around her waist and leaned her head against her collar, "Thank you." She whispered placing a soft kiss into the blonde's cheek. Stepping out of the hug she looked between her teammates, "I need to tell everyone something." She motioned for everyone to sit down, Yang took her place on her bed while Weiss and Ruby sat down on the Heiress bed.
"Yang left out part of the story when she was telling it." Blake started, after taking a deep breath. "When we were scented out by the tiger Faunus he noticed not only Yang's scent but mine. When he did he yelled out 'traitor', Yang questioned me about it but I told her to wait until we were all together." Weiss narrowed her eyes at the panther, "I only ask that you let me finish before you jump to conclusions."
Taking another steading breath Blake closed her eyes, "The reason her yelled out traitor was because he recognized my scent, and he recognized it because up until a year ago I was a member of the White Fang." Slowly she opened her amber eyes to see the reactions of her teammates, Ruby had her head cocked to the side in confusion; Yang had a look of mild shock, Blake suspected that the blonde had guessed as much but the confirmation was still shocking; Weiss had a look of pure betrayal on her face, her blue eyes had hardened into deadly ice and her left hand strayed to her hip where her rapier normally rested. Decided it was best to continue quickly Blake started again, "I was born into the White Fang when it was the peaceful activist group. My parents were key members who kept the legal battles moving forward, they were both lawyers who helped draft each Kingdom's Faunus Rights Bills, save Mantel. I grew up protesting and fighting for Faunus rights peacefully, but that all changed when my parents were killed." The panther could feel a burning in her eyes as she remembered the day her family was killed; blinking rapidly she pushed past it. "They were killed in a bombing during a rally in Mistrial twelve years ago, a Human Supremacy group took credit for it and it was then that everything changed.
"Without the peaceful leadership of my parents and their core members the White Fang quickly changed with the new leaders that took over." Blake clenched her hands as she recalled the events that followed her parent's death. "Even with the progress that had been made it was still not enough for them and they began to push for more using any means necessary. Shops that still refused service to Faunus were their main targets at first, mainly smashing windows and destroying products. Then when that didn't get their message across they moved on to more violent measures.
"They began attacking political figures and their families, stealing Dust and training us like a militia." Blake shook her head trying to keep her emotions under control, "I was too young to understand fully what was happening, one day I holding a sign the next a hand gun and knife. I watched as my all my parent's hard work was dismantled and buried under a pile of bodies. But I did nothing to stop it, I thought that one day it would go back to normal back to the way it was when my parents lead it. But it never did it only got worse they only got more violent. And as I grew up I began to feel as if it was what was needed because they were making progress, they were getting results.
"People were taking notice of the White Fang and Faunus Rights. Bills were being passed to bring equality hoping that the violence would stop." Blake glanced at Weiss, the Heiress still had her eyes narrowed but her face had relaxed slightly now only looking angry instead of betrayed. Her eyes darted to Yang, lilac eyes had tears building up in them but her face remained passive. Ruby continued to watch her with wide eyes listening to the tale. "Things got worse when He took over." Blake's ears burned at the mere thought of him. "His name is Adam Taurus and he's the current leader of the White Fang. Once he took over the violence got much worse, he started targeted assassinations of political members and the violent heists of Dust. And again I just went along with it." Blake finally broke, she felt her knees buckle as her emotions took over. A strong warmth caught her before she could fall, she looked up at Yang's soft face though her tears. Slowly Yang lowered them to the floor and came around to her back cradling Blake against her chest.
Blake fought through her sob to continue, "I became his number one, doing anything he asked whether it was a heist or an assassination I just did it with out question. I never did anything to stop him I just complied. I put people in danger because he said to, I hurt people because he said it was right, I killed because he ordered it. I did nothing to stop him." Tears streamed down her face as she cried out, why hadn't she done anything to stop him? Why had she just complied with what he wanted? Why hadn't she left before it had gotten to that point? WHY?
"What caused you to leave?" Blake's head shot up at Weiss' voice. The Heiress' eyes still bore into her but they had lost some of their intensity.
"Right before my last mission I was sent to remove an up an coming politician in Vacuo that was pushing for a segregation bill." Blake kept her eyes on the Heiress, "I cut the brake lines in his car knowing the route would take him along the cliffs but what I didn't know was he had his four year old daughter with him." Yang gasped at her words and Weiss' eyes widened. "Once I saw her in the back seat I tried everything to get him to change routes but I was too late, I watched as the car went over, I could hear her screams as it went down, I was the first one on the scene and I held a little girl in my arms as she bled out and died in the rain. I killed her. Her name was Daw, and I killed her. It was then I realized I couldn't do it any more. I couldn't believe in something when the innocent were paying for it with their lives. So when the chance arose on my last mission I left."
Blake felt Yang drawing soft circles on her back trying to comfort her just as she had done with Daw, the little light that she killed. Blake looked down at her hands, the girl's blood once again coating them in crimson. She could feel the cold chill of the rain as she held the small girl to her chest feeling her tremble. She could see the hurt in the girl's violet eyes as she tried to understand what was happening to her, trying to understand why she was dying. She could hear her soft voice as she whispered for her daddy and mommy to make the pain go away, as she cried that she was cold. Blake had tired to comfort the girl the best she could pushing her light blonde hair away from her eyes leaving a streak of crimson on her forehead. She held the girl close as she tried to keep her warm in her last few moments, telling her it was going to be okay, knowing she had been lying.
A soft touch to her face made her look up. Weiss was knelling before her, her ice blue eyes dancing with confusion as she looked into her own amber eyes. Slowly she took a breath and closed her eyes collecting her thoughts. Blake waited.
Weiss opened her eyes. She had digested as lot of information over the past hour. Blake had admitted to being a member of the White Fang, a group that had caused so many nothing but pain. She hadn't cared that Blake was a Faunus; actually it fit the girl's personality just like Ruby. She had wondered what had happened to her ears, the damage was obvious but Weiss had never asked now she could only assume it was because of the person Blake spoke about. But could she accept that Blake, her teammate, her friend was a member of the White Fang? The Heiress mentally shook herself, ex-member she reiterated. Blake had said she had left and never returned, in fact if it wasn't for the fact the White Fang was operating in Vale she probably would have never told anyone about it unless it was forced out of her. But now she was baring her sins in front of the people she cared about hoping they would still accept her.
Taking a steading breath Weiss continued to stare into her amber eyes, "Blake, I need you to be one hundred percent honest with me, with all of us." Blake nodded, "Was she the only innocent person you killed?" Blake paused trying to understand her words; the Heiress seeing the confusion clarified her words. "Those politicians who sought to destroy the world your parents pushed for were corrupt and far from innocent themselves. Many were on the pay roll of the SDC pushing for their agenda. So I ask you again, was she the only innocent person you killed."
"Yes." Blake answered never breaking eye contact with the Heiress, "And her death is my deepest regret."
Weiss looked at her for a few more seconds in silence before nodding, "I believe you." Standing up the Heiress shook her head, "It's not like my hands are clean of blood either, I doubt anyone at Beacon are." She paused, "Well maybe Jaune." Blake looked around to Ruby who had her head down, ears against her hair and a down cast look in her eyes. Weiss noticing the panthers gaze looked back at her partner, her heart throbbed in pain. Quickly she crossed back to the wolf and pulled her chin up, smiling down at her sweetly.
Blake looked away allowing the two girls some privacy as Weiss tried to cheer up the redhead. She felt the strong arms of her partner wrap around her middle and pull her in tightly, "How you holding up Kitten?" Yang whispered gently in her ear.
Blake twisted in the blondes lap so she could face her. Tear streaks coated Yang's face causing Blake's heart to crack. "Oh Yang." She sighed as she reached up wipe the girl's face clean. Stroking lightly Blake couldn't help but be thrown back to that night, now instead of blood her hands came away clean. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have hidden this from you, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you I just didn't want you to hate me for what I've done."
Yang shook her head as she leaned her forehead against Blake's breathing in the scent of lilies. "Blake I could never hate you. We've all made mistakes in our pasts, some mistakes worse than others. I know I've made my fair share of them and like Weiss said, it's not like my hands are clean of blood either." Blake leaned in closer her lips just barely away from the blonde's. "But never think for a moment that I'll hate you Blake, because…" Yang hesitated, "I think I'm in love with you."
Blake felt her heart speed up at the blonde's words, the last person who had told her that they loved her was her mother the night before she had been killed. "Yang I-" She was cut off as the brawler pressed their lips together.
"Don't say it unless you're sure." Yang whispered when she pulled away, "I don't want you saying back unless you're sure."
Blake nodded and pulled away looking back at her teammates, Ruby was laying down on Weiss' bed curled up in a ball, the shower running in the bath room alerting her to where the Heiress was. With a sigh Blake slowly stood and offered her hand down to the blonde. "Let's go to bed." With a smile Yang took her hand and stood.
"Sure thing Kit Cat." Yang agreed. Quickly the two girls switched to their pajamas and crawled into the bottom bunk. The lights went out as the Heiress reentered the room and Ruby went to the bathroom. Blake sighed contently as she snuggled into the blonde's neck breathing in her scent.
Slowly sleep took her as the warmth of someone loving her radiated in her chest.
A/N: Well there's that, ummm so anyhow, welcome to the end of the first 'Act'. I call it this cause all (most) of the secrets are out and the relationships are building. Next week's chapters is going to be a bit odd because it's a small interlude between 'Acts' and jumps around in time (kinda) you don't have to read it right away but please don't skip it either cause it does set up some (a lot) of the main problems. I should clarify when I say 'Acts' its mainly just for my organization processes but doesn't denote how long the story is, if I'd hazard a guess I'd say we're about a fifth of the way through, if that.
With that: As always my thanks are never enough, let's chat if you want, and may you find sunshine even on the rainy days.