The bus bumped and jostled along while Blake leaned against the window, staring at her reflection rather than the streetlights or bustling restaurants outside. The dark circles under her eyes stood out even in the scratched-up grass. She couldn't even remember the last time she had been so tired. Planning their mission, begrudgingly studying the Vanguard 9000, and spending every other waking second with Yang left little time for sleep.

Fortunately, a reprieve was on the horizon - on Vale's very next horizon, in fact. That was the only thing moving her forward right now. Just a few more hours and then she could relax. Those few hours would be packed with adrenaline and stress, but she had developed a peculiar way of dealing with her nerves - a way that convinced her tired feet to carry her off of the bus, into the nearby apartment building, and up several flights of stairs.

She didn't have to see Yang tonight…but it would lessen suspicion. Besides, they hadn't seen each other in several days courtesy of her erratic schedule and Yang being pulled into a couple of double shifts, so she craved Yang's presence. Just a hug, or a smile, maybe a kiss or two - anything would renew her energy for tonight.

It would also pile on the guilt, but she shoved the White Fang from her mind as she rang the bell. Footsteps approached and the door opened moments later, revealing a beautiful young woman dressed for a cozy night in. Vale P.D. T-shirt, Vale P.D. sweatpants, blonde hair slightly damp from a recent shower, and a smile that could convince the sun to come out regardless of the late hour.

"Hey, gorgeous." Yang's arms wrapped around Blake's back to pull her into a kiss that erased a day's worth of stress.

"Hey, stranger," she replied, trailing her fingers across Yang's cheek while melting into Yang's embrace. "It's been too long."

"It has been." Yang stole another kiss before studying Blake. "You look tired."

"I am tired."

"How about I make dinner then we watch a movie? Or go to bed early - promise to keep my hands to myself."

Yang grinned and wiggled her fingers while Blake smiled but shook her head.

"I wish…but I have a work thing tonight. I just wanted to see you for a minute first."

"Only a minute?"

Blake glanced at the time and sighed.

"For a few minutes."

Yang hummed and led her to the sofa. Knowing better than to sit down on the comfortable cushions - she would never get up - she perched on the arm instead. Yang stood between her legs and played with her hair, then gently touched one of her earrings, then fiddled with the collar of her light gray jacket.

"You look great."

"They made us dress up…"

"I'm not complaining." Yang kissed Blake again, slower this time, before pulling away and letting her brow slightly furrow. "Hey, so I sent you some flowers the other day, but they were returned. The company said you're not at that address anymore?"

"Oh. God, that's right." Just like that, Blake's pulse shot through the ceiling. "I'm so sorry - we moved offices. It was a last-minute thing. Lease was up and the bosses just told us to pack our desks one day. I meant to tell you and then…I just forgot."

"No worries. I know you're busy." In case Blake was still worried, Yang kissed her cheek. "Maybe I can get your new address though? In case you ever need me to drop something off or pick you up?"

"Of course. I'll send it to you." Blake would figure out later whether or not to give Yang their real address. "But if you're going to send something, maybe you could send it to my apartment instead? One of my coworkers just got dumped, so…"

"Got it. I won't flaunt our relationship in front of their broken heart."

"Thank you," Blake sighed. "And thank you. For sending flowers."

"But you didn't get them."

"It's the thought that counts, and I like knowing you're thinking about me."

"I think about you a lot." Yang stepped closer, not breaking eye contact with the confession. "All the time, really. You're the first thing I think about in the morning, the last thing at night, and pretty much every second in between -"

Blake couldn't take anymore - she grabbed the front of Yang's shirt and pulled her into a kiss. Kissing Yang satisfied something deep in Blake's bones, like drinking the elixir of life through those soft, capable lips. The kiss seamlessly deepened - Yang's tongue playing with hers while strong hands firmly grasped her sides and her legs locked Yang in place.

"I need to go…" she mumbled against Yang's lips while slipping her hands under Yang's shirt, tracing her fingers across lines of muscle.

"Do you have to…?"

"It's -" A gasp slipped through her lips when Yang kissed her neck. "- mandatory."

Yang hummed against Blake's neck, sending electric currents through her veins, but inched a step back, making just enough room so that Blake could stand up without their lips breaking apart. Blake then walked Yang backward to the door, content to make progress while also keeping Yang's lips and hands on her. She needed to disentangle herself eventually, but Yang seemed unlikely to release her anytime soon.

"Yang…"

"But you just got here…" When Blake found the self-control to pull away and reach for the door, Yang grabbed her arm and pushed her into the wall. Another soft gasp left Blake's lips, this time accompanied by a fire burning in her belly as Yang pressed against her from behind. Yang's arms wrapped around her stomach to prevent her from moving while Yang's lips found and claimed the most sensitive parts of Blake's neck.

"Are you sure you have to go…?" Yang mumbled before lightly sucking Blake's skin between her teeth, making Blake draw a sharp breath.

"I can't be late…" she sighed while Yang's hands started roaming.

"Not even a few minutes?"

Imagining showing up even a few minutes late, she laughed.

"Promise I'll make it worth it," Yang added, proving her intention by sliding one hand under Blake's shirt. For a second, Blake considered taking the offer. Staying with Yang instead. Never seeing Adam or Cinder or any of the White Fang again.

"What're you going to do when my boss shows up furious that I no-showed?"

"Pull out my gun and kindly ask them to leave."

When Blake laughed this time, she felt Yang smile against her neck. And she savored Yang's hands running over her body, one warm and calloused, the other cool and smooth. Yang could work magic with either, or with neither, and Blake wouldn't mind a quick trip to ecstasy. But she would have to reciprocate and that would make her late…

"I could totally get out of this, you know…"

"Oh, I know…" Yang's hold tightened, silently challenging Blake to put her skills to the test. She melded into Yang's bigger, stronger form instead, letting Yang envelop her like a warm blanket. Again, she considered staying. But after putting so much effort into this plan…not to mention Adam's wrath if she bailed…

"Ok, I really need to go." Despite having little room to operate, she gently pushed back so that Yang gave her enough space to turn around. "I'm sorry," she said as soon as she saw Yang's adorable pout. "I'll call you as soon as I'm done, alright?"

"Fine…" Yang sighed. "Have fun then. I love you."

Blake froze. Yang's eyes widened.

"I-I mean - not that I - just -" Yang paused, mouth open, then ran a hand over her face. "I mean exactly what I said…I love you. I'm in love with you. And that wasn't exactly how I planned on telling you, but -"

Blake didn't let her get out another word before kissing her deeply, stealing the end of that sentence and then some.

"Now I really don't want to leave…" she murmured against Yang's lips, pressing against Yang in a way that encouraged Yang's arms to wrap around her waist.

"Then stay."

"But my job…"

"It's just a job, right?"

"I'm starting to think so…"

As much as she believed in the White Fang's mission, that mission took her away from Yang. Even worse, it put them at direct odds and kept her from falling into this like she wanted to. If she could leave without risking Adam's vengeance…she might. She would get an actual accounting job if she had to.

Instead, she savored Yang's lips for several more seconds, breathing in Yang's every exhale, absorbing every shared drop of heat. When she finally found the wherewithal to pull away, the way Yang's fingers subtly clutched her sides filled her with desire matching what she saw in Yang's eyes. She took a deep breath but then swallowed the words desperate to get out. They bubbled back up again, doing their best to escape.

"I love you too," she confessed before kissing Yang again. "Don't get tired," she teased before rushing out of the apartment, still beaming.

Based on her light, upbeat steps, the hallway had transformed into clouds. That feeling only grew when she glanced over her shoulder and caught Yang watching her leave, smiling bright as the sun. Blake waved before floating down the stairs and out into the cool, slightly damp night.

Her smile only fell when she boarded the next train heading to the other side of town. Darkness crept in, hushing her joyous heart. Thinking about Yang now only reminded her of how betrayed Yang would be if she knew what Blake's real plans were.

If Yang had any inkling that something was happening tonight, she would have mentioned it, or she never would have left work. As great as her instincts were, she was…distracted.

Blake couldn't afford to be distracted.

But Yang loved her. The sweet, gorgeous detective who could make her heart go through a whole gymnastics routine loved her. Her.

No, Yang loved Blake Belladonna, and Blake Belladonna needed to be left behind tonight. As much as she wanted to dwell on what this meant for them, she shoved all thoughts of Yang from her head. If she wanted to make it back to Yang's apartment so that they could properly celebrate, she needed to focus. Assuming everything went off without a hitch, they would be together within a few hours.

She reminded herself of that multiple times before she even made it through the door of Cash Flow Consultants, and she reminded herself one more time before letting herself into the building's back room.

The tense, jittery energy hit her first. Emerald leaned against a white van near the loading bay door. Cinder sat on the sofa, looking disinterested in everything around her. And Adam…Adam stood with Yuma near the door, both doing their best to look intimidating. It was Yuma, however, who drew Blake's frown.

"What're you doing here?"

Adam held up a hand to halt Yuma's response.

"He's coming with us."

"He's not part of the plan."

"Then add him," Adam replied. "It's just one more person - he can help clear the safe."

Adding 'just' one more person threw off everything from timing to seat arrangements. As much as Blake hated last-minute changes though, she clenched her jaw and thought through her strategy with Yuma involved. Could she minimize his impact yet still get something of value out of him?

Glowering at the young man, who flashed a charming smile, she said, "You do exactly what I say, got it?"

Her jaw clenched harder when his gaze flitted to Adam, so he quickly nodded and said, "Of course."

Considering she had bigger things to worry about, she merely glared at Adam before moving over to the white bakery van.

"This looks great," she told Emerald while looking over the logo stuck to the side.

"Told you - my guy's worth every penny." Emerald patted the hood before opening the sliding door. "Just don't expect anything fancy inside."

Blake poked her head into the back and saw nothing more than a rusted metal floor. "It'll work," she concluded before glancing at the time. "Alright," she called out for everyone's attention. "Let's load up."

No one said a word while piling several black bags into the van. Blake checked and double-checked her tool bag before setting it inside, then changed out of her 'work outfit' - worn only for Yang's benefit - and into black clothing. Her clothes were stuffed into a bag and tossed into the van, then she pulled her hair up in a bun, pulled her hood over it, and picked up her mask.

The red and white mask symbolized the White Fang. It symbolized a movement for justice and equality. It replaced her identity with that of Shroud, a vigilante in some eyes and a criminal in others.

Yang's expressive lilac orbs flitted through her mind, but she shut down the thought by fitting the mask in place and climbing into the back of the van with Adam, Cinder, and Yuma.

Everyone wore variations of the same outfit: all black, basic, and covering as much as possible. Cinder's outfit clung to her like a catsuit, prompting Blake's eyeroll as Emerald hopped into the driver's seat and started the engine. The van rolled out of the building, the loading bay was secured, and then they were off.

The beginning of any heist always felt surreal. After so much time spent strategizing for every little detail, she finally saw it in action. Each small movement from here on out checked another item off of her list. They left on time. Traffic was light, as expected. They reached the alley behind the bank after the bakery owner had taken their own van home after a busy afternoon delivering the orders Blake had placed, and Emerald parked in the spot where the van's height obscured a security camera on the corner store across the street.

Emerald shut off the engine but left the keys in the ignition, enveloping them in eerie silence.

"How long?"

Blake glanced at her watch.

"Thirty minutes."

The rest of the cabin seemed to sigh in unison, a feeling Blake understood all too well. They wanted to start now, not spend half an hour waiting. But, besides some soft grumbles, no one complained. Adam, in particular, remained stony and silent, a model of calm despite the approaching storm.

Blake usually emulated him well, but her heart wanted none of it tonight. She checked her phone for confirmation from Ilia, which she received, and found several messages from Yang. After glancing at Cinder and Adam, she opened the messages and stifled a smile.

They didn't say much, but that was the beauty of them. Yang was just letting Blake know about the evening and playfully complaining about Weiss, who had apparently blessed Yang with more front-page-worthy quips. Blake considered responding, but she was supposed to be at an important work event, and responding now suggested that she could respond throughout the night. She needed to keep up the act, so she silenced her phone and focused on the mission.

The closer the time crept to the top of the hour, the less anyone moved.

"Get ready," she told them with minutes to spare. Everyone checked their masks. Everyone grabbed the bag they were responsible for - empty now but soon to be filled. With seconds to spare, she looked squarely at Yuma, the man she didn't trust but would be forced to for the next few minutes.

"Stay right behind us, got it?"

He slung one of the bags over his shoulder and nodded. Blake looked over Adam and Cinder, making sure they were equally prepared, before grabbing her own bag filled with any tool she might need. She set a hand on the door handle and watched the remaining seconds disappear.

"Five and a half minutes," she reminded Emerald, who nodded and prepared to start a timer.

As soon as the new hour began, Blake threw the door open and jumped out. Despite nearby sounds of traffic, the lifeless alley posed no threat. She made it to the employee exit in seconds and, even though the door looked fully closed, smiled at the almost invisible wire blocking the latch from fully sliding into place. She slowly removed the wire and opened the door just enough to slip a magnet over the door sensor. With the sensor fooled, she opened the door fully and hurried into the bank.

Being in a dark, motionless bank always got her heart pumping. Maybe it was knowing that she wasn't supposed to be here. Maybe it was knowing how close she was to a stash of money. Maybe it was anticipation of the upcoming challenges.

She made it to the first minor challenge - the security gate separating them from the back of the bank - dropped her bag on the floor and knelt to pick the lock. It worked just like she practiced, clicking open seconds later. She was still shoving her tools back into her bag when she noticed something she hadn't seen during her last visit.

"Wait -!"

Cinder had already shoved the gate into the path of a motion detector hidden behind a stack of innocuous papers. The sensor made no sound, no blaring alarm - it just blinked.

"Fuck," Blake swore while Cinder and Adam finally realized what just happened. "We're bailing. Cops will be here in five minutes."

"We have time."

"Adam," she tried, but he was already rushing ahead. Cinder and Yuma went with him, leaving Blake to chew over her options before hurrying after them.

The vault door was just how she remembered it. They had no issue using the code Ilia snooped out when the manager opened it that morning and the key that Emerald copied. Usually, Blake had more time to appreciate pulling the heavy door open, revealing rows of glistening security boxes and the jet-black safe on the far side.

"Cops are on the way," Cinder relayed from Emerald while Blake rushed to the safe, dropped her bag on the floor, and pulled out her tools.

"Shit, shit, shit…" she mumbled while putting on her stethoscope and setting her hand on the dial. Her heart pounded so loud in her ears that she couldn't imagine cracking anything, but she took a deep breath and told herself to calm down. The nearest police station was several miles away and the patrols shouldn't be anywhere near here tonight - she had time.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the soft clicks and searched for the nearly indecipherable tremble under her fingertips. The harder she focused, the easier it became - she called out every number as she found it, letting Cinder write it down so that she could move that much faster. As soon as she reached the end, Cinder shoved the pad of paper in front of her so that she could spin in the full combination.

The lock clicked and she opened the door. Her heart clenched when she saw the neatly stacked bills inside, each secured by a paper band. She had already reached both hands in, prepared to shovel money out by the armful, when a small wire caught her eye.

She pulled back and carefully picked out two stacks of bills, between which a dye pack lurked. After setting those aside, she searched for more before finally grabbing the rest by the handful and shoving them into the duffel bag Cinder set beside her.

"Get the car ready," Adam told Cinder, who grabbed her bag as soon as it was full and raced out. Adam then dropped his duffel next to Blake and knelt down, bodying her out of the way. "Get out of here," he ordered her in a low grumble. She didn't need to be told twice. While he emptied the rest of the safe into Yuma's bag, she stuffed her tools back into her own bag, half zipped it, and sprinted out of the vault.

The exit was in front of her - just across the bank - but she only made it halfway across the lobby when motion caught her eye. As soon as she turned toward it, a bright light shone directly into her eyes.

"Hands where I can see them!"

Blake's heart dropped through her stomach at the voice that she would recognize anywhere.

"Turn towards me, slowly. Don't do anything stupid, ok?"

Blake slowly raised her hands, her heart pounding as she slowly turned toward Yang. She held her breath, wondering if Yang would recognize her the instant their eyes met, but Yang was on the other side of the lobby - she had just gotten through the front door. Her gun was in her hands though, aimed at Blake.

"Let's just talk for a second, ok?" Yang's posture was rigid as a statue but her tone conciliatory. "Listen, I know the world's shit and shitty people get away with whatever they want, but this isn't the right way to change the world. I can help you find a better way though. Just…come with me, and I'll help you. I promise."

Blake knew that Yang would keep that promise. In another world, where taking off the mask didn't risk destroying something that she cherished, she would consider the offer. She still seriously considered it. Revealing her identity, admitting who she was, and begging Yang for a second chance.

"Just give me a chance…" Yang added. Blake opened her mouth, wanting nothing more than to accept.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adam and Yuma rush out of the vault. Yang noticed them too late. Her eyes had just narrowed, recognizing a new threat, when a gun went off.

The reverberating boom shattered the stillness in the bank. Blake ducked and covered her ears, but Yang staggered backward, clutching her shoulder as she fell to her knees. Her eyes were wide, shocked, as blood ran between her fingers, looking black in the darkness.

"Yang," Blake whispered, already moving forward when Adam grabbed her arm and dragged her outside. Suddenly, she was in the alley and shoved into the back of the van. Her shins hit the rear step before she crashed to the rusted metal floor. Tires squealed on the pavement before she pushed herself to her feet and whirled around.

"What the hell did you do?" she screamed at Yuma, tearing off her mask and whipping it into the side of the van.

"I just saved you," he replied, looking borderline amused by her anger.

"'Saved' me? Did it look like I was in danger?"

"There was a gun pointed at you, so yeah. It did."

"She wasn't going to shoot me, you asshole."

Blake shoved him against the side of the van, rage and distress taking over. When she went to shove him again though, Adam grabbed her wrist and said, "Stop."

"Don't touch me." She tore her arm free and pushed him away from her, almost falling herself when the van swerved around a corner. "He shot her!" she shouted, jabbing a finger at Yuma. "You promised no one would get hurt. We promised no one would get hurt."

"Relax," Cinder drawled. "It's just a cop."

"'Just' a cop?"

Blake couldn't believe her ears. She could hardly think. It wasn't just a cop - it was Yang. Yang was hurt. Shot. Bleeding on the floor of the bank. And Blake just left her there.

"We broke our promise." Tears threatened to well up in her eyes, but she clenched her fists in anger instead. "We made a promise. We just broke our word to the city -"

"The city will understand. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"But we aren't desperate! We're choosing to do this. No one asked us to!"

"They don't have to." When Blake turned away, Adam grabbed her wrist and spun her back around. "She outsmarted you," he said, his voice low and angry. "This wouldn't have happened if you did your job. If you knew what she was doing, we would've been in and out without tripping an alarm. She never would have been there."

This wasn't her fault. This wasn't her fault. She wasn't the one with the gun. She wasn't the one who decided that violence was the answer.

None of that mattered. Yang mattered. Blake needed to get to her. Help her.

No. The cops would already be there. They would take Yang to the hospital.

Biting back a slew of angry responses, she shoved past Adam and grabbed her street clothes from where she'd stored them earlier. "Drop me at the next corner," she told Emerald before quickly pulling on her change of clothes.

"Where are you going?" Adam demanded as the van slowed.

"To play loving girlfriend," she shot back at him. "Because I'm pretty sure I'm about to get a call that I need to go to the hospital." Without waiting for his approval, she shoved the back door open, hopped out, and slammed it shut. The van sped off, leaving her on a random street corner in the dark.

Fortunately, it wasn't so late that no one was out. She flagged down the next cab and practically dove into the backseat.

"Get me to Valley Hospital as fast as possible," she told the driver, who glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

"You ok?"

"Not for me."

He nodded and stepped on the gas while she set her phone on her lap and stared at it. It started ringing minutes later and, despite her urge to answer as soon as possible, she took a deep breath and tried to muster a normal, "Hello?"

"Blake? It's Ruby. I just got a call -" Ruby paused and Blake's chest tightened. "Yang's in the hospital," Ruby blurted out. "She was shot."

"What?" Blake breathed out.

"Valley Hospital," Ruby said. "We're on our way now. Ok?"

"Ok. Yeah. I'll be right there."

Ruby hung up, leaving Blake staring at the screen before clutching her phone in her lap and squeezing her eyes shut. Her heart raced and her adrenaline pounded as if she'd never left the bank, reliving that moment over and over again. The flashlight, Yang offering a way out, the gunshot, the blood. There was so much blood. More blood than any person should lose.

There should have been another minute before the police arrived, but Blake had missed something. A factor that lurked right under her nose yet never made it into her calculations.

Yang's apartment was closer than the nearest police station. Yang wasn't doing anything tonight - she was at home. And, as soon as she heard about a robbery in progress, she left home. Of course she did. This was her case. This was her mission just as much as it was Blake's to empty that safe.

Tears burned Blake's eyes when she realized that she didn't know how long it would take for an ambulance to arrive. She didn't know how far away the nearest hospital was. She hadn't taken any of those things into account. Now, she could only sit and hope that those few minutes weren't a few too many.