Ch 20: Menagerie

Blake came out of their bathroom a few weeks later with positive proof of their efforts. Yang lifted her into her arms happily and they shared an excited laughter. Jin was down the hall in her room and poked her head out at the noise, curious. When the little girl approached, the door cracked open so she pushed it to look inside at her parents' excitement.

She didn't really know why they were so happy but it made her smile and giggle, Blake's ears twitching towards the door. She turned her head, hands currently wrapped around Yang's shoulders still held off the ground in the strong woman's embrace and smiled, "It's alright Jin, come here."

Yang turned her head as their small blonde ran to them. She reached down and in one swift movement swooped the child up into her grasp as well, pressed with Blake who pulled an arm to snuggle the little one close. As Jin had been picked up so suddenly she squealed with joy and giggled before clinging to Blake. The scene could only be described as adorable with the small family. Jin tugged Blake's shirt, "Mommy why are you both so happy?"

Blake tucked hair behind Jin's ear and beamed down at her little one, glancing at Yang who gave a nod before she leaned close, "Jin, would you like your own little sister or brother to play with?"

Jin squirmed and squealed with more excitement than either parent had ever seen her have as she nearly vibrated with her joy, almost being too difficult for Yang to keep a hold of, "YES! Mommy please!? PLEASE?!"

Yang couldn't stop laughing but she had to set them down before Jin's wild movements caused the woman to drop her, Blake grinning as she sat on the floor by the child shaking with so much happiness and stroked her hair sweetly, "Yes Jin. But you can't tell anyone yet ok? It's still a secret. Understand?"

Jin was still stuck on the fact she was going to be a big sister, unable to really listen to much else as her energy had her too riled up to sit still and she bounced around the room. Yang was sitting on the edge of the bed as the child climbed and jumped around chanting about how she was going to be the best big sister and chuckled, moving when needed to not obstruct the little one's path, "We can worry about the details like that later Blake. Just let her be excited for now."

Yang of course knew what that excitement was like even if Blake had never had such an experience. When she had found out she was going to have a sibling she was probably just as happy. It was almost nostalgic to watch and yet brought its own sweet sense of new with it. Even if Blake didn't know the feeling, it really made her heart melt watching her daughter so happy. She had been a tad worried the past few days if Jin would end up happy or feel slighted in some way. She felt a foot poke her and looked over to Yang, "I told you it would be ok. Jin loves being around other kids. And she knows we love her so she won't get jealous."

Blake just turned her eyes back to Jin as the girl started to wear down and flopped happily into Blake's lap, leaning back into her and panting from all the exertion. Blake stared down at her, her hands holding her sweet child softly as the tiny amber orbs looked up into her own, "Mommy… why can't I tell anyone? I wanna tell Sterling."

The woman chuckled and gave a light tickle to her sides before hugging her closely and lovingly, "Because Mommy and Mama need to get a few things taken care of first and tell a few adults before you can tell anyone. Ok?"

Jin didn't really understand fully but she sighed and nodded, "Ok Mommy. So will it be a sister or a brother? Will they like to play outside with me? Can I show them my toys?"

Blake leaned and kissed her nose, "We don't know yet little dragon but I'm sure whatever they are they are going to love you."

Jin huffed and nodded, kicking her feet playfully, "Ok Mommy."

Yang leaned down, ruffling Jin's hair which made the child growl a bit, "Go on and get dressed kiddo so we can head over to your Aunts' house."

Jin got up and went to go get dressed, smoothing out her hair with a pout. Blake leaned back on her hands and watched her go before turning to look at Yang, "You know she's starting to hate that right?"

Yang just chuckled and leaned her chin in her hand, "Yea but that's why it's so darn cute."

"Just don't get mad if she bites you one day for it," Blake warned teasingly before getting up.

Before she could go to get ready Yang grabbed her wrist and pulled her on top of herself in the bed, surprising the faunus. Blake glanced down at her wife and gently slapped her shoulder, "Yang the door is open what are you up to?"

The blonde smirked and leaned up kissing Blake sweetly before letting go, "Nothing I just wanted to hold my beautiful wife for a second."

The faunus rolled her eyes and pulled away, "Yang get ready to go and stop trying to smooth talk me."

—-

When they got to the Rose household, Sterling and Dove were swimming in the pool. Jin had learned to swim since last time years ago though so she was not scared, running over and cannonballing in, splashing Dove with water. The older girl fuming with a gasp as it washed over her, glaring at the faunus child who was just chuckling.

The parents all settled on the poolside but Yang and Ruby jumped in, coaxing the kids into a splash fight with a fit of laughter. Of course Dove was annoyed further and climbed out the pool pouting, stomping over to plop down by Weiss. Winter had to run a few errands otherwise Dove would not have even been present and would have instead been home with her mother. But one of those errands meant Winter was going to have to talk to Qrow and a few other seasoned Huntsmen about some Beacon mission board stuff and Winter didn't want Dove going with her for that.

Weiss set down her tablet, putting her work away for now, and looked at Dove, "Don't you want to go play with the others? They look like they are having a lot of fun?"

Dove just huffed, folding her arms and glaring at the others, mostly Jin, "No. I don't. It's not fun."

A brow raised on her aunt's face before she ran a hand through Dove's short two tone hair and leaned back into her chair, picking the tablet back up, "Alright if you say so. But if you ask me it's rather boring sitting her on the side."

Dove seemed intent on proving her point but Weiss didn't humor her as she got her work done, occasionally holding conversation with Blake whenever the faunus spoke however Blake was mostly catching up on a book in a chair off next to Weiss. Even though she was super bored, she managed to be stubborn about it until they all got out and cleaned up for lunch.

Blake and Yang noticed the slight tension between Ruby and Weiss that seemed to linger anytime they talked about Sterling but they didn't feel this was the time to say anything and tried to ignore it. They got the kids set up with juice and sandwiches on the small porch of the pool house while they all went inside to eat and change.

Blake wasn't currently stressed about watching Dove and Jin and Jin had plenty of energy and strength to avoid letting someone push her around nowadays and had gotten better at coming to get her mothers if something was wrong. Plus, aside from some rude looks Dove hadn't done anything to her since the questionable backpack incident where they still weren't sure Dove did or not anyway.

Of course, Jin didn't tell her parents about every time she saw Dove the girl made fun of her teeth or was just rude. He didn't like to tattle, especially since some of Dove's cruelty was making fun of how close she was with Blake in the past year. Besides if she said anything Blake might stop letting her come over again and she gets lonely at home and it was more fun here with Sterling than at her own house. The yard was bigger and there was the pool and he didn't try to spend the whole time digging through Blake's books even though most of them were too hard for him to read yet.

As expected, Dove was quick to poke fun the moment the kids were alone, watching Jin drink her juice carefully to not poke holes in her straw, "You should just bite the box. Might be easier for you and those weird teeth."

Jin puffed her cheeks with a frown and tried to ignore her. She was still determined to not let Dove bother her so much because Sterling enjoyed having her around and she cared about him. When Dove didn't get the reaction she wanted she glared at the younger girl and glanced over the table at everything set out, looking for something she could use to get a reaction.

With their sandwiches they were served some summer fruits with some of the red sap from the trees of Forever Falls dripped over them, the jar still on the table but sealed. She wasn't really sure what it attracted but her mother had once told her before that the sap couldn't be used when she was eating things on campus outside because certain Grimm were drawn to it.

Grimm always made such easy ways to bother Jin that Dove had learned and that sparked an idea. Maybe those Grimm weren't here, maybe they were, but she could find out and succeed at bothering the little girl at the same time. She smirked at Jin who had finished her sandwich and was trying to eat the fruit without making too much of a mess with the sap, grabbing the jar. With a quick glance that the parents were distracted, Dove looked at the faunus, "Hey, bet you aren't brave enough to cover yourself in this stuff and got in the woods!"

Well that just sounded silly to Jin really. She didn't know it attracted anything, she just knew the stuff tasted good on fruit. She hadn't changed out her swimsuit yet so it wasn't like it would make her clothes to wear home gross. She wasn't allowed in the woods but that hardly ever stopped Jin from going on little adventures when no one was looking. None of it really seemed like anything to challenge her courage over so she grinned, "Yea huh!"

Sterling was frowning, mumbling but no one was listening to him which only made him mad, "I dunno Jin this seems like a bad idea…"

"Be quiet Rosey boy I am too brave and it's just syrup!" Jin hushed him, not really paying him any mind as Jin and Dove peered that the cost was clear and snuck over to the tree line.

Dove opened the jar and snickered as she turned it over above Jin's head, the sap slopping out all over her and throughout her hair in a massive sticky mess that made Jin spit and grumble at her, "Hey!"

Dove just laughed and pointed, "Go on now! Prove you aren't a scaredy cat!"

Jin growled, stomping off into the woods, "I'm a dragon I told you!"

Sterling refused to join them, staying at the table with his food, annoyed by the two's antics, his sour face made him look like Weiss in the early Beacon days, "Girls are weird."

Jin walked several feet in and turned, throwing her arms out, "There! Happy?"

Dove folded her arms and shook her head, "Not far enough! That's still too close to the edge to be scary."

The little dragon growled and turned, stomping further into the woods. She was getting irritated at the dirt and leaves sticking to her when she heard a weird buzzing sound that made her jump in the direction and hold her breath, looking around.

At first she didn't see anything, even with the ability to see in the dark, she couldn't spot anything in the shadows of the trees, until it got closer. That's when she was surrounded by rapier wasps. They weren't babies either, but roughly the size of kittens as they swarmed her for the sap, stinging her angrily every time she moved and disturbed them.

She was swatting her arms at them as she tried to crouch her body low to stay protected, shouting at them to get away and shrieking in pain when they would sting her. Eventually they had licked her clean of the sap and her teeth had bit through enough of them to dust them down to only a few that retreated but she was so covered in stings she was red and swollen, hurting as she trotted slowly back to the house with small whimpers.

When she emerged from the trees, Dove took a look at her and gasped at first before laughing, "I thought you were brave but you are crying! What a baby!"

Sterling glanced over and jumped from his seat, going to the door and yelling inside though Jin couldn't make out what. She assumed he got her mom though because suddenly Blake came out the door and was coming towards her quickly. The woman placed a hand tightly on Dove's head and shoved the girl out of her way as she knelt down to see Jin, "Jin what happened!? Why did you go into the woods? I've told you so many times not to! Are you alright!?"

Sterling was walking over with Yang, "Dove tricked her! She put the syrup on her and told her she wasn't brave if she didn't go in!"

Dove glared at Sterling from where she had been shoved to the ground and he stuck his tongue out at her. Blake grit her teeth. She had had it up to her eyeballs with Dove over the years and was tired of giving her chances to grow the hell up from whatever this bullshit was. Her angry eyes glanced over to Yang who was just standing there looking torn and growled, "Well?! Are you just going to stand there?! This like… ugh kid keeps fucking with your daughter and you aren't even a little bothered by that?!"

At this point in time, Yang had already come to realize from watching more closely during holidays that Dove had seen Qrow around her daughter. While she wasn't sure if Dove knew he was her dad or not, Dove always seemed to get more bitter when those times happened so Yang could only assume this was some sort of jealousy that was kind of unfair to both the children.

Dove was almost eight but she was still just a kid and probably didn't understand the complexity of why her dad wasn't in her life or "loved" her. It just made Yang feel like when she couldn't figure out why Raven didn't want her and she didn't want to be an ass to the kid but she also hated what was happening to her own kid.

"Blake I…" Yang started but didn't get to say anything as the woman stood to her feet with her injured child in her arms and growled aggressively at Yang, "I'm leaving. Don't you dare follow me Yang or I swear I will seriously hurt you."

Jin was clinging to Blake, staring sadly at her mother who didn't make any moves to protect her. It was making her cry more than the stings were. Yang tried to protest but Blake's sharp glare stopped her. Yang figured she could wait and talk to her at home once things cooled down but she knew something had to change for any of this to get better long term.

She looked down at Sterling who was staring at her as Dove was getting up and dusting herself off before going to the pool house where Ruby and Weiss were standing. Sterling shrugged, "Girls are confusing."

Yang just blinked at such a funny thing for a little boy to say to her right now, "Come on, let's go back before your Mama gets mad you are so close to the woods."

—-

Blake was only home long enough to grab a duffle of a few important things and get some salve on Jin to help get the swelling to go down enough before she slipped out the house, still extremely irritated with her wife. She made her way to the docks with Jin and talked to the captain she knew about her situation and he took a look at the little girl and invited them on board.

It wasn't a fun trip but the two made their way out to Menagerie. Blake had sent Kali a message that she was coming and that there was a good reason but due to the lack of contact on the trip she would have to explain when she got there. Dealing with a hurting achy Jin while on a ship but eventually they arrived on the docks.

Blake was emotionally worn out from the trip. She had effectively in her anger taken her child and just up and left her wife to run home to her parents all while pregnant again and that all was just a lot to dwell on stuck on a ship. When she got to her parents' home and got inside her mother was shocked at Jin's state.

Blake took a seat with Jin and rubbed her face as her father slipped next to her with an arm around her while Kali left to call in the town's healer, Garnet Sleight, a lovely fox faunus woman. When her mother came back, Blake was crying slightly in her father's arm, "She just… stood there and did nothing about any of it. She never really has. I mean… how could I stay? My little girl is finally healthy. I won't let anything or anyone do anything else to her Dad… If Yang won't help me then I… I don't know."

He hummed as he listened, rubbing her back. Jin was groggy and her stings were itchy. Blake had done her best to help but Blake wasn't able to really get all the stingers out and she didn't have the means to cure any of the venom. Her mother scooped Jin and sat close to Blake, Jin staring up at her. She had only really seen them a few times and in some video calls so she didn't really know them but Jin wasn't adverse to strangers, simply curious about them.

"I… I don't really know what to do… I can't accept Yang just doing nothing to protect her child, especially not when…" Blake started to say it, stopping herself because she wanted to do this with Yang but then frowned as she held her face in her hands and decided she wasn't sure if that even mattered now, "not when I'm pregnant again. How can I do this again knowing Yang won't keep our children safe?"

Her parents shared a glance, saving their joy for later to handle their daughter now. Ghira sighed, "Well… you said once years ago this girl is Qrow's daughter but he doesn't know correct? Have you stopped to consider what position that puts Yang in as his niece?"

She looked at her father with a frown and he held up a hand, "I'm not saying she is excused by any means but… children tend to make choices in strange ways when they feel something is unfair. And she is Yang's cousin. You are basically asking her to harm her family. MAybe Yang has already come to a conclusion that the girl might be jealous of your daughter? Has she ever seen Qrow around Jin? Does she know that's her dad?"

Blake leaned back into the couch and tried to think about it all. She supposed it was possible Dove might know, especially with how much more careful Winter had gotten to avoid the two crossing paths. And it was possible during events that Dove could have snuck glances at Jin with Qrow. Still, she refused to just accept the behavior. As her face shifted through the emotions of her thoughts, her mother touched her knee, "Blake dear, your father isn't saying any of it is ok. He is just trying to look at it from the outside. It's a delicate situation and it isn't really fair to either of these little girls. MAybe the best course of action might be to talk to Yang about how you feel and see what the two of you can't do to stop this? I know you don't want to keep Jin from her family but maybe that might have to be what you do if Yang is really torn. Would you be able to choose between family when everyone involved has a right to be upset?"

Blake groaned once it snuck in and laid her head back, "I don't know but I get very protective with my babies and I don't think I can let Yang around if I know she will resist doing what needs to be done if they get hurt. She has had years to explain herself and yet she has just let it slide. So she still has a lot to answer to if she wants me to come back home."

Ghira nodded, "Well that's fair enough. You already know you are welcome here as long as you need."

When there was a knock at the door he headed out and returned with the sun worn woman, her red tail bright from sunlight. Next to her stood a child also carrying their own satchel of tonics, brilliant green eyes shining and a head of short red curls with vibrant tanned skin. Blake couldn't tell if it was a girl or boy the way the child was dressed and the androgynous look to them at such a youthful age but Garnet caught her curious gaze and smiled, "Ah, Blake I remember when you were knee high running along the beach! This is Scarlet. My husband and I are letting Scarlet figure out how she wants to be seen in the world so for now we just go with whatever makes them comfortable. Right now she's going with a lot of back and forth though. She wants to help people when she grows up so right now she is working as my little helper. She is only seven though so I won't let her do anything dangerous with your little girl don't worry. Now, where is the little tyke?"

Blake blinked and gave a gentle smile. Garnet had been the town's healer since she was in her early teens and Garnet's mom had the title. Garnet wasn't old though she was much older than Blake by a little over a decade and had even treated Blake when she was younger in her early career. Jin had already passed out slightly on Kali's lap when Blake gestured towards her.

Garnet nodded towards Jin and Scarlet gripped her bag's strap and followed Garnet over. Her vibrant emerald eyes stared down at the dragon curiously. She didn't say much Blake noticed but she was very cute. She had a red tail like Garnet and it swished rapidly back and forth with her curiosity. Blake had always found fox faunus interesting, the entire lot of them so full of intrigue at the world around them especially when they were children.

Garnet glanced Jin over before pulling out the tools needed to remove the rest of the stingers, handing a bottle to Scarlet and some bandaging, "Now get those good and ready with that remedy while I remove the stingers and than you can help me apply them so we can draw the venom out ok?"

"Yes Mama," the sweetest voice responded as the little fox got to work, brows creased in concentration and tongue poking out as she worked. Blake couldn't help but hide a giggle. Garnet easily got the stingers out, waking Jin a bit but the little dragon whimpered and squirmed, becoming sleepy and still when the cooling soaked bandages were applied by the two foxes, the little one watching her carefully and staring at her teeth, "Mama… what faunus is she? I've never seen those before."

Jin tucked in on herself, the soothing feeling lulling her back to sleep with a whimper and working rapidly at drawing out the venom as Garnet shushed Scarlet, pulling her gently away before she could poke at Jin's mouth to look closer at the teeth, "It's not nice to stare dear. Come, let her sleep now."

Blake leaned in her hand watching the sad expression of the curious little one and spoke softly, "She's a dragon actually. Probably the only one to ever exist."

Scarlet looked over at Blake with a sparkle of fascination in her eyes as her mother tugged her along, "Well Ghira she should heal right up quickly but call me if she doesn't. Come along Scarlet, we have other homes to visit."

The little fox groaned in protest, too interested in Jin to want to leave but was dragged along anyway. When they left, Blake stroked Jin's hair and spoke, "What did her mother mean by letting Scarlet figure out her world?"

Kali chuckled lightly, "Oh, Scarlet is one of triplets, the other two are boys but all three of them have that rare extended trait that some tailed faunus have. You know the one? Well, some tests show Scarlet has a triple chromosome set so they are just letting her decide for herself what she wants that to mean for her life rather than trying to pick for her like some humans do. I think Garnet is happy she wants to be a girl though, considering she has nothing but boys otherwise."

Blake blinked. She knew that rare situation. IT was usually when the trait extended to the front as well and included a furry sheath and animal genitalia. She had to give credit to Garnet though for not trying to force one gender or the other on her child. Not many parents were that way, "Well, she was very cute."

Kali nodded, "As all fox children usually are. I swear it has to do with their curious nature. You used to befriend so many of them when you were little that your father and I swore you'd end up with a type one day."

Blake turned red as her mother just giggled, "mom!"

—-

By the next morning, Jin was almost entirely cured, her energy returning and only a bit of swelling remaining. Blake spent time with her mother trying to figure out what she might do from here as her father knelt down and tried to make himself as small to Jin's level as the massive panther could, her eyes big watching him having never seen anyone as big as him except for Ghira, "How about I take you to a;ll the places your mother liked when she was your age? Would you like that?"

Her face brightened and she lept around ecstatic, causing him to chuckle as he set her on his shoulders, "Shall we then?"

Jin gripped his chin and pointed with her other hand at the door, "Yea! Let's go Granpaw!"

Blake watched them leave but completely trusted her father to keep Jin from any danger. She could feel her heart melt at the time her daughter was getting to spend with him honestly. She wished her child could see her parents more but she didn't want to move her family to the island and her parents were both very happy and unwilling to move away. Tickets to visit were also expensive and would only get more expensive if her family continued to get bigger.

She stopped herself in that thought. Would that even happen now? Her heart already missed Yang dearly. Sure they had spats but they had never gone as far as walking out on the other. Her scroll had been going off since she got here but she had simply turned it off, needing the space for now to think. While some might think she was overreacting, faunus took their young very seriously and protected them with a fierce instinct that humans couldn't really relate to.

With another on the way, Blake's mind wasn't sure if her instincts were going to start coding Yang as a threat or not and that was sure to be a very dangerous situation. But god she missed her. Even when Yang was away for days on missions her wife found a way to make time to contact her family so Blake had not gone this long without even hearing Yang's voice since they became a couple years ago.

Her mother could see Blake stuck in her thoughts as they were making tea and gave a gentle smile, "Blake, you know it is ok to forgive her right? She makes you happy and she loves you. You love her. People make mistakes, sometimes big ones. You can find resolve. You don't have to leave her if it isn't what you truly want."

Blake was placing the kettle on heat to start to boil and sighed, "I know I'm just… Yang is always so protective and fierce that I just feel so betrayed when she does that with Jin. You should've seen the way Jin looked at her too, like she had been the one that hurt her. I know if that keeps up when the baby comes, I'll end up doing something I'll regret towards her. I really don't want my inner beast to code Yang as a danger to my children…"

Her mother nodded, "A valid concern. I wish I had exact advice there but I've never been with a human and I've only ever had you. But, I think if you tell her your fears, you two can work it out if that's something you want. And if not, our home is more than big enough for you and your children."

Blake nodded, thanking her mother as the kettle whistled. They settled for tea and discussed a few other things about her new baby as Blake tried to figure out her thoughts.

—-

Ghira had taken Jin to town, shown her markets, trails, and they ran into Garnet and Scarlet on their way to the beach. Scarlet stared at her and watched her curiously as Ghira waved to Garnet as they passed.

"That nice woman helped you feel better, her child helped too. You should wave too," he said sweetly and Jin nodded and waved excitedly, causing Scarlet to blush and wave back too.

When they got to the beach he set her down and held her hand as he let her kick the edge of the water, his hearty laugh deep and full of care. They spent their day on the beach, playing in the waves, building sand castles, and chasing crabs as they retreated from the rushing child until evening came around.

Ghira snatched her up with a playful roar that made Jin giggle and squeal, holding her to his broad strong chest, "We should head back. I'm sure your Nonn has a great feast for us. Hungry?"

She nodded excitedly and he helped her point out the house, her eyes wide at the size compared to the others as they headed home. The docks were lively as they passed them, the captain coming in to dock for the day and the deck hands helping bring the ship in as they passed, Ghira happily answering all of Jin's curious questions to her delight.

They got back and ate dinner, Jin filling the meal with excited retellings of her day to her mother and grandmother, making her grandfather fill with warm pride at a job well done. Once everyone was turned in for the night, Blake sat on the balcony of the second story, curled up in her pajamas with a hot cup of tea as she watched the night sky, letting her mind settle as much as she could before she tried to get any sleep, not wanting the stress to carry into her night.

—-

Yang tried to give Blake space after she left her sister's home, sitting with the others inside as Weiss scolded Dove in ways that would probably make Blake proud. Ruby was patting Yang's back trying to help as Sterling left the room, avoiding Ruby. Yang noticed that too. She would have to ask about it eventually. It has been super weird lately the way he shrunk away from the younger woman all the time, "I just… How can she want me to be mean to some little kid just acting out because she's got no dad and feels left out!? Plus, she's my cousin… it feels… wrong…"

Ruby shrugged, "I don't know, have you tried to talk about it?"

Yang grunted, "No. I always worry about bringing it up and making her mad. You've seen what she's like when she's mad over our kid! No thank you."

Ruby chuckled, "This seems like one big misunderstanding that could be avoided if you two just talked to each other."

Yang glared at her, pointing in the other room where Sterling, Weiss and Dove were, "Oh yea? Practice what you preach then. What about you huh? Why has your son been so scared of you for like… a year now? And you and Weiss always seem to have this thick air between you that I haven't felt since we all became a team back in the first year of Beacon! Have you two talked it out? I bet she's tried because we all know Weiss doesn't bite her tongue. What about you?"

Ruby frowned and folded her arms, glaring, "This is not about me, thank you!"

Yang growled a bit and stood, heading for the door as Weiss was coming back, "Whatever, I'm out of here. I need to go see about my family. I don't have time to point out the weird issues with yours."

As the door slammed Weiss raised a brow, looking from it to Ruby, "What was that about?"

Ruby shrugged, refusing to answer which only annoyed Weiss and the woman got the kids ready for baths so they could get settled into the main house until winter came to get Dove, ignoring whatever mood Ruby was now in.

—-

When yang got home she was watching the floor and her hands as she spoke, not realizing right away that it was empty, "Hey blake listen I messed up but hear me… out… Blake?"

It was dark in the house and extremely quiet. The blonde made her way around the house searching room to room but every room was empty even Jin's. In her bedroom, a few things were strewn about. A whine left her throat and she checked the closet seeing Blake's duffle was gone.

"No no no no no," she whimpered as she rushed down the stairs fumbling her scroll into her hands and trying to call Blake, "Please no."

It was going straight to a message that the number was out of service as Yang sank into the couch stunned. At the very least, she knew that could only mean Blake was headed to Menagerie as it was the only transit where she wouldn't have service but with that knowledge in mind Yang knew what it meant. Her wife had taken their daughter and left her. Her pregnant wife had taken their daughter and left her.

The thought made Yang feel sick inside and she hunched over staring at her scroll. She had really made Blake feel like things were so unsafe for their kid that she would be better off leaving and that was killing Yang inside. She had thought Blake had just gone home and calmed down, the thing Blake was prone to do if she was mad until she was more clear headed for them to talk. She never thought Blake would walk out on her, especially not without Yang knowing it was happening.

It forced Yang to reflect on things and the woman was embarrassed at the amount of times their daughter had been injured or in danger and Yang had done little to nothing about it, sometimes even forcing Blake to do nothing as well and excusing the behavior of the girl at fault. She also felt awful about how long Blake had just been forced to accept Yang's complacency with no explanation. Years. Yang had made her wife feel like she wasn't helping keep their daughter safe for years and had never really tried to explain herself.

And now they had another one on the way and Jin was really hurt again and Yang had just stood there? Yang took in a sharp breath, still trying to resist crying as she scolded herself, "Yea… I'd leave me too if I were her… ugh… god I fucked everything up so bad…"

Yang was starting to slump into pity when she slapped her hands to her face, standing up, "Ok! I have to fix this. I can't just give up my family without a fight!"

She pulled her scroll to her face, listening to it ring until a familiar voice picked up, "Hello? Yang you just left, did you forget something or.."

"No time Weiss. How fast can you get me to Menagerie?" Yang cut the woman off.

If money can get you places quickly, she would need any help she could get and Weiss was still one of the richest people in all of Remnant. Weiss was confused but Yang could hear a door open and close then the sound of typing, "Menagerie? Yang at some point you owe me an explanation but I can probably get you on a private ship. It won't get you there any faster than a public trip but at least you won't have to wait for the next ferry opening and you'll have a signal on your scroll the entire trip. Does that work for…"

Yang's voice rushed out as the woman was headed back to her door, grabbing only her coat to not waste any time, scroll tucked in her shoulder, "That's perfect Weiss. Can it meet me at the pier in thirty?"

A bit more sounds of typing and a ding and Weiss confirmed, "It will be there waiting for you in ten."

The sound of Yang's bike revved up, "Thanks Weiss. You have no idea how important this is to me."

Before the woman hung up Weiss responded, a bit of her smugness in her voice, "I don't, but I will soon enough."

The trip on the boat was lavish but agony. Yang sort of wished she was on it on better terms so she could actually enjoy the luxury rather than be racked with worry and anxiety the entire time. When she wasn't struggling to try to sleep at night, she was on deck constantly trying to call or message Blake, hoping to hear the ringing rather than the tone that indicated she was still on the boat.

When the rings finally came however, Blake never picked up. She tried a few times but no answer. She was still a day behind Blake, the boat having to slow because of rough waters once or twice being a smaller ship and all. She tried leaving begging voicemails for Blake to call her back and sent a bunch of messages but when she finally was going straight to voicemail she realized Blake had turned her scroll off to avoid her.

That was a very bad sign was all Yang could think. The blonde was going crazy being unable to talk to her wife or try to explain things and apologize. It was depressing and stressful knowing Blake was being very serious about ignoring her but only spurred Yang to try to fix things even more.

—-

When the boat docked, it was really dark out. Yang asked the boat to stick around for her, which they gladly agreed being on the Schnee dime, and she trucked herself towards the house with determination.

Walking up she was prepared to beg Kali, Ghira even somehow to be let in to see her wife when she noticed Blake on the balcony staring up at the sky. Yang could just shout but Ghira would probably get pretty mad at her and honestly she wasn't up to startling any guards either this late.

Looking around she saw a bit of lattice on the side and got an idea, doing her best to move to it and make her way up. She wasn't dumb enough to hope Blake wouldn't hear her but she did hope Blake was distracted enough to not notice before she could get up there, not wanting Blake to walk away before she could get a word in.

Blake's ears flicked and she glanced that way with a raised brow by the time Yang was about half way up. A bit sooner than Yang would've liked but she couldn't do anything about it now except try to get there faster. The faunus moved over to that side of the balcony and glanced down, easily seeing Yang even in the dark and frowned, "Yang?! What are you doing here!?"

In moments, Yang pulled herself up to be leaning over the railing, "Really? You have to ask that?"

Blake helped her over the side of the balcony before letting go, Yang falling to the floor with a thud and a groan, "unf… I always thought if I did that it would be for something more fun than this."

Blake rolled her eyes, ears flattening angrily. she was not amused by Yang's joke, "Yang why are you here!?"

Yang slowly pulled herself to her feet, staring at Blake as the faunus crossed her arms, "You just left. I got home and you were just gone. Not even a note. Do you know how that felt?"

"Yang. I…"

"No… let me finish…please. I felt so awful. But it wasn't because you left me. I mean, yea that sucked, but it was because I realized that I made you feel so alone in caring about our daughter's safety that you would rather drag her and our unborn child back to an island you don't like living on rather than stay with me any longer. It made me realize how long you have been just putting up with me doing so little in those situations and I have never even tried to even tell you why or reassure you that I do care."

Blake just stared at her as Yang reached and took her hands, "I fucked up Kitten. I felt so torn between one family and another and it was a little kid and it felt wrong to do nothing but it felt wrong to do anything else and I really should have just said something to you sooner and we could've worked it out together. But I swear, I will find a way to do something from here on out. I'm not gonna beat her up or anything but I won't just stand there anymore. I can't. I'll do anything if it means you and Jin come back home."

Yang hadn't realized she had tears on her face but her gaze was very certain and intent and Blake reached up and touched her cheek, wiping the dampness away, "Yang. I don't think I could've stayed away even if I wanted to. My parents helped me think about the situation you were put in. But I am worried that if it doesn't improve my inner beast will turn on you. That's why I came here. I can't let that happen. So if you can promise me you will try in whatever way you can, I will come home with you."

Yang pulled Blake close and kissed between her cat ears, "I promise. I'll be better for you and Jin and the baby I swear."

The feeling of Blake nuzzling into her and gently purring in response was all Yang needed. Blake pulled away and pulled Yang with her into her room, closing the door behind them and dragging the woman to her bed. Neither of them were in the headspace for anything beyond sleep but both of them had been in desperate need of the other to finally get a decent night's sleep again. They curled up into each other's arms and easily passed out exhausted.

In the morning, Yang had to face the wrath of Ghira. The man was snarling as he gave her an angry mouthful about her neglect to make his daughter feel like her family was safe, Yang shrinking under his gaze into the couch and only able to give yes sir or no sir responses as she caved to one of the few people who could actually strike fear into her.

By the time he was done, she felt like she was so small she could disappear but Blake didn't have sympathy, telling Yang as they headed for the ship, "You deserved that."

Yang groaned, Jin swinging between her parent's hands happily, "Yea… I know…"