A night spent without sleep - first, the stakeout, then racing to Vale Valley Bank, then tracking down Ilia - should have left Blake exhausted. Instead, she buzzed with nerves and adrenaline as she followed Yang through familiar halls. Yang's long, determined stride and resolute expression said that something important was about to happen, but Blake could only imagine what until they entered a large room aptly labeled the 'Tactical Operations Center.'
Rows of metal lockers took up one wall, each with a last name printed on a nameplate. Through the metal mesh, body armor, helmets, and other gear could be seen. Several long benches sat in front of the lockers, where several men and women currently lounged. Others stood nearby, chatting in small groups. On the other side of the room, an enlarged floor plan had been taped to a whiteboard. Ruby stood in front of it, a helmet clasped in one hand as she stared at the image.
The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, which spread to Blake as she and Yang crossed the room. Curious eyes followed, but Yang thought nothing of it - she patted Ruby's shoulder and gestured to the floor plan.
"Figure it out?"
"You know it." Ruby's nod held only confidence and certainty. "Offices are easy though. So many entrances."
Ruby motioned to the printout, where various circles had been drawn, but Blake realized that this wasn't just any building. This was the building. The one Ilia told them about. Her mouth fell slightly open as she stared at Yang and Ruby in a mixture of disbelief and awe. For whatever reason, she couldn't comprehend that they were moving so fast. That they just got the address yet were already prepared to rush in.
"Chief gave us the green light," Ruby said before her gaze grew serious. "You ready?"
As soon as Yang nodded, her mouth set in a firm line, Ruby addressed the room.
"Alright, listen up!"
Conversations stopped and every ounce of focus snapped to Ruby, who then motioned for Yang to speak.
"Ok, here's the deal." Yang's gaze swept the room before she spoke again. "We have the location of a possible White Fang hideout. Our objective is to get in there, arrest anyone we find, and let evidence catalog the rest."
Yang waited for several nods before pointing to the photo of Adam pinned to the board.
"Our primary target is Adam Taurus. His second-in-command is Cinder Fall." Yang pointed to Cinder's photograph before planting her hands on her hips. "Bring either of them in and drinks are on me." When the group chuckled, Yang flashed a smile before glancing at Blake and regaining a somber expression. "This info came from an active White Fang member, so it could be a trap."
Blake's brow shot up as murmurs swept the room.
"Knowing that…" Ruby added, stepping forward as Yang moved off to the side. "Assume everyone's armed and hostile. We don't want to get caught with our pants down on this one." Ruby checked the room's reaction - one of grave acceptance - before pointing at one of the red circles on the floorplan.
"Alpha Team, you'll breach the main entrance. I want a two-man shield line as soon as the door's open. Expect immediate contact."
Several officers nodded while Ruby moved her finger to a red circle on the opposite side of the building.
"Bravo Team, you'll take the service entrance. I don't think it'll be guarded, but be prepared for surprises."
A different group nodded, yet Ruby waited a split second for objections before continuing.
"And Charlie…" Ruby glanced at several officers near the edge of the group and smiled. "You're going through the windows." The members of Charlie team pumped their fists and high-fived as Ruby pointed to the circled windows. "Here, here, and here. They're big and smash-worthy. Make some noise but be prepared for incoming fire."
As restless murmurs swept through the room, Ruby met each officer's eyes with her own steely gaze.
"Any questions?" She waited for several seconds but, when most shook their heads, nodded. "Good. Gear up. Comms check in two, move out in five. Remember - no heroics, watch each other's backs. Let's bring everyone home…and some White Fang with us."
When Ruby grinned, whoops and hollers filled the room, quickly followed by metal lockers opening and closing. The atmosphere could only be described as excited, but nerves tightened in Blake's stomach as Ruby and Yang went over to the weapons rack near the exit. Everything from sniper rifles to submachine guns, all gleaming in the overhead lights, waited for their call to action.
After Yang pulled on a thick black vest, Ruby grabbed a long, sturdy shotgun from the rack and handed it over.
"You can handle this, right?" she teased.
"Ha ha."
Vest in place, Yang grabbed the weapon and tested the weight of it in her hands. Meanwhile, Ruby collected a box of shells and a tactical belt for them to go in. Within seconds, Yang transformed from a street clothes-wearing detective into an armor-clad, shotgun-donning soldier. Her comfort handling the shotgun only added to a stunning display of competency that Blake hadn't expected to see today.
Blake was so caught up in her budding attraction that, when someone whistled, she almost thought it was her. Then the brunette from the other day sauntered over to Yang, and Blake tried not to openly scowl.
"Damn, Yang. That looks good on you." The girl trailed her fingers down Yang's vest before stepping back and giving an appreciative nod. "Forget detective - you should join SWAT."
Blake's jaw cemented itself together at the touch, which was entirely inappropriate considering this was a workplace. She couldn't even unglue it when Yang's gaze flitted to her before moving away.
"Uh, thanks Mel…" Yang chuckled softly and ran her fingers through her hair. But a blush rose on her cheeks which, unfortunately, only made her even more attractive. And Blake wasn't the only one to notice.
"There's space on our team. Right, Ruby?"
The girl - Mel, Yang called her - grinned at Ruby, who offered a sweet smile in return.
"Sure, Mel. She can have your spot."
Mel laughed as if that was the funniest joke in the world, but Ruby rolled her eyes and turned away.
"Alright, let's move."
Ruby waved a finger in the air before shoving open the back door and holding it while her team filed out. Her intense gaze inspected everyone as they passed, prompting one or two equipment suggestions that were immediately heeded. The room steadily emptied until it was just Ruby, Yang, and Blake. The two sisters glanced at Blake before sharing a long look. The conversation played out silently, free from Blake's ears, but she knew who won the instant Ruby sighed.
"She stays with comms," Ruby determined before walking out, leaving Blake to perk up and turn to Yang for an explanation. Yang, for a split second, almost smiled. Then she forced her lips into a flat line and said, "You heard her," gesturing the shotgun to the exit.
Flooded with relief, Blake thought nothing of quickly squeezing Yang's hand on her way to the parking lot. The big, black, boxy SWAT trucks had been parked all in a row, with SWAT officers now clambering into the seats. Reinforced steel doors slammed shut. Engines roared to life. Every cell in Blake's body vibrated with anticipation.
The last time she felt this way had probably been her last successful heist. She had crafted the plan down to the finest detail and the White Fang had executed it with precision.
Ruby created this plan and Blake played no role in it, but that didn't lessen the sense of expectation as Yang gestured her into the back of one of the smaller armored vehicles. Communications and video equipment, most of which she could only guess the purpose of, covered one wall while seats lined the other. Yang sat beside her and another officer while Ruby hopped into the front seat. Blake had hardly strapped herself in with thick seatbelts before the vehicle lurched into motion.
Besides the sound of the engine, silence settled over them. Blake glanced at Yang several times, yet Yang sat pensively, staring at the other side of the vehicle as it rocked and swayed through Vale. The nostalgic tension convinced Blake to remain quiet, figuring that Yang was doing what Blake had done many times in the past - envisioning the stress to come. What happened if the plan went exactly as designed? What if things went wrong?
Blake's imagination ran wild with her own scenarios. Arresting Adam and the rest of the White Fang without any incident was the best outcome. Anything other than that…especially considering the firepower loaded into the trucks, made her stomach churn.
Yang would tell her that this was their job. They accepted the risks just by putting on the uniform. The argument had never made Blake feel better in the past, and that remained true when the vehicle finally stopped. Before Blake could even figure out how to unbuckle, Yang stood up and motioned for her to remain seated.
"You don't do anything until I come get you - got it?"
Blake nodded but, when Yang arched a brow, said, "Got it." As soon as Yang turned to leave, however, Blake grabbed her hand.
"Wait." Yang froze and looked at her hand, which Blake released like a hot coal before clasping hers in front of her instead. "Please be careful," she quietly pleaded. When Yang finally looked at her, she mustered a small smile. "I'd like to leave the truck eventually, and I can't until you get back, so…"
At first, Yang didn't react, then a smile tugged at her mouth.
"Well, can't have that, can we?"
A sparkle appeared in Yang's eyes, but then she turned and hopped out of the truck. She joined the rest of the team outside, and then she was gone, blocked behind a steel door. Blake closed her eyes and silently prayed for the best while the officer remaining in the vehicle with her began flipping switches and toggling sliders. A small video screen flickered to life with four separate video feeds showing four separate paths being traveled toward a nondescript white office building.
"Everyone in position," Ruby ordered over the radio as the feeds displayed the team's approach. Blake swallowed and gripped the edge of her seat as the cameras raced closer, some of the videos showing officers with their weapons already raised.
"Alpha team at the front entrance," Ruby called out as several officers bunched up near a sliding glass door.
"Bravo team at the service entrance, awaiting signal," a gruff voice responded. Then, from another channel, "Charlie team in position. Preparing for window breach."
"On my mark…" Ruby said, her voice level and calm.
The videos went still. Every second took an eternity. Blake's fingernails dug into the edge of her seat while her heart pounded in her ears. She was so used to being in the building that waiting outside felt excruciating.
"Go, go, go!"
A series of sharp bangs echoed in the distance as the cameras - and the people wearing those cameras - surged into motion. Blake could hardly keep up with the action as the videos bounced in an almost nauseating manner.
"Alpha, lobby's clear, moving to the main office," Ruby said, her voice strained and breathing more pronounced.
"Bravo, loading bay's clear, moving in."
"Charlie, atrium's clear, searching offices now."
As Blake watched the officers sweep through the building, seeing nothing but office furniture and supplies, her relief wrapped around a bundle of concern. Where were the White Fang? What if this was a trap?
But why would Adam do that?
Why would Adam do any of this?
As more 'clears' came over the radio, Blake released the chair and dropped her shoulders in a sigh.
"Building is secure," Ruby eventually said. "No sign of the White Fang."
"This was definitely their place though," another voice - Yang's voice - added. "Get evidence over here ASAP."
"Roger that," the officer with Blake responded. Blake's knee bounced while the woman did as instructed. Yang said that it was the right address - Ilia gave them good information - yet the White Fang were already gone. Had Ilia known they were moving or had Adam been a step ahead once again?
Those worries and many more filled Blake's mind as she stared at the floor and waited. Minutes passed, then even more, before the back door finally opened. She blinked as mid-morning sunshine streamed into the vehicle. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she found Yang standing there, shotgun held down at one side while the sun at her back made her blonde hair glow like embers.
"Was she good?" Yang asked the officer while Blake stared.
"Hardly moved a muscle."
"Good."
Finally, Yang smiled. Then she motioned with her head for Blake to follow. Blake nearly got tangled up in the seatbelt in her rush, which Yang noted with no small amount of amusement, and she gladly accepted Yang's hand for help jumping down from the truck. As soon as her balance returned, however, Yang let go and led her to the building now swarming with police cars.
"How do you know it was their place?" Blake asked as they wove through the growing chaos.
"You'll see."
Blake's brow furrowed at the coy response but, as soon as they entered the main office area, nostalgia hit her like a tidal wave. The conference table covered in papers. The break area with Emerald's soda cans. The various tools with no purpose in a traditional office, like blowtorches, pry bars, or spools of wire. Then there was the big, gray safe sitting in the middle of the work area.
The safe that drew Yang and, by extension, Blake.
"Did you get prints?" Yang asked the officer circling with an evidence bag in hand and a camera hanging around their neck. Once they nodded, Yang grabbed a set of latex gloves and passed them to Blake. "Can you open it?"
"It's empty."
"How do you know?"
"Because that's how we did it. We'd get a copy of the make and model so I could practice…" Blake trailed off when Yang frowned. "And if there was anything in it, Adam would've cleared it out when they left," she muttered toward the floor.
"Open it anyway. Otherwise, we have to lug it to the station, and I'd rather not do that."
Transporting a safe to the police department sounded more acceptable than reminding Yang of who she used to be, but Yang pressed the gloves into her hands. So she sighed and, after slipping them on, knelt in front of the safe and stared at the dial. Her heart was already racing and her palms growing clammy, making the latex even more uncomfortable. She glanced at Yang, wondering if this was some sort of test, but Yang just motioned for her to begin.
She almost didn't know where to begin. It had been so long since she let her mind even consider a lock, let alone imagine what it might feel like to find the combination. Her hand trembled as she set her fingers on the dial, and a deep breath hardly calmed her jumpy nerves. The clicking dial was softer than she remembered it. The vibrations under her fingertips practically nonexistent.
What used to come as easily as breathing now felt like an enormous struggle. She spun the dial once, twice, three full times before she snuffed out even a hint of the first number. The second took even longer as she second-guessed every miniscule shudder under her hand. Yang's unwavering presence, looming over her shoulder, only made it harder to concentrate. When she spun in a combination and the lock didn't budge, she sighed and leaned back.
"You're making me nervous," she admitted, so Yang pulled over a folding chair and sat down. That barely helped, but Blake took a deep breath and tried again.
This time, she closed her eyes, hoping to block out the feeling of Yang's knee brushing her leg. As her focus zeroed in on the soft click and vibrations under her fingertips, her heart and breathing slowed. A sense of calm fell over her like a warm blanket on a chilly evening. Something deep in her soul briefly felt…whole…but guilt and shame swallowed it, followed by a small burst of pride when the last pin clicked into place.
The door swung open, revealing an empty void where cash or other valuables had once been. Yang glanced into the safe then at Blake.
"Good job."
Unsure if the remark was sarcastic or not, Blake removed the gloves and ran still-trembling hands through her hair. Her gaze flitted around the office swarming with police taking photographs and collecting evidence. At some point, possibly only hours ago, Adam and Cinder and the rest of the White Fang could have been here. Plotting their next move.
Would it even be possible to catch them before they acted next? They already surprised her by hitting two banks back to back. Cinder had always been unpredictable, but Adam used to make some amount of sense. Now…
"Hey." Blake's gaze flew to Yang, who offered a small smile. "Let's get out of here. They'll clean this up and we can go through it later."
Blake bit her lip and glanced around.
"If you're sure…" she said, but Yang motioned out of the building.
"Ruby!" Yang waved for her sister's attention and, once she had it, pointed to the door. Ruby nodded, then dug into her vest and launched a pair of keys across the room. After catching them in one hand, Yang chuckled and led Blake outside. "Patrol's going to be so jealous when they hear I got to drive."
Though Blake mustered a small smile, she only felt like she could breathe again when they stepped outside. And, once she sat in the passenger seat of the truck they'd ridden in here, she finally took a deep breath. Leaving the building behind helped even more, though she couldn't completely erase the new memory imprinted in her mind.
"You ok?"
When Yang's gaze flitted her way, a lump of emotion lodged in her throat.
"Yeah." She cleared her throat and tried to pull herself together. "It just…doesn't make sense. Adam knows Ilia can't handle anything like the Diamond Guard, so why choose Vale Valley?"
"Maybe she convinced him she could do it?"
"Did we meet the same person?" Blake shook her head. "He knew she would fail, but why let that happen? He hates failure…"
Frowning, Blake leaned against the door and tried to understand Adam's plan. She felt Yang's glances - quick and frequent - but they remained silent for the rest of the drive to the police station. There, Yang parked and led Blake into the busy precinct. Midday energy filled the halls, but Blake's energy dropped with every dragging step. The dark circles under Yang's eyes surely matched her own, but Yang held her head high as she knocked on a door frame and ducked into the office beyond.
"Hey," she said while Pyrrha looked up from the file in her hands. "How'd it go?"
"Really well." Pyrrha's reassuring smile put Blake's heart more at ease. "I just left her at one of our safehouses. We'll check back in tomorrow."
"Get anything good?"
Pyrrha's emerald gaze flitted to Blake before she nodded.
"There's some that could be helpful, but I think she needs time to settle down before we'll get more."
"Good." Yang nodded and returned to the door. "Let's catch up tomorrow," she added before entering the hall.
Blake moved to follow but paused at the doorway and glanced back at Pyrrha. She opened her mouth but, failing to find words, simply nodded. A small smile graced Pyrrha's lips in return, and she gave a responding nod before Blake rejoined Yang.
"Thank you," Blake said. "For helping Ilia," she elaborated when Yang glanced at her.
"You did most of the work. And she'll have to do the rest."
"Still…you were willing to help. And you didn't shoot her even though she did some stupid things."
"The last thing I ever want to do is shoot someone," Yang replied without a shred of humor. "Especially not your ex-girlfriend."
"'Ex-girlfriend?'"
Blake laughed and shook her head, but Yang shot her a dark gaze.
"Clearly, you don't see the way she looks at you."
"We're friends," Blake insisted, but Yang scoffed and started walking. "I recruited her," Blake explained, lengthening her stride to match Yang's. "I'm more like…her mentor."
"She's definitely hoping for more than that."
"Well, that's -" Blake briefly froze and then jogged to catch up. "Wait. Are you jealous?"
"Of course not."
Blake laughed at the prickly response.
"Why would you be jealous?" she asked while Yang clenched her jaw and walked faster. "She's not my type -"
"Yet she knows a side of you that I never will," Yang snapped, abruptly stopping and spinning around. When Blake froze, Yang took a deep breath and ran her hands over her face. "Just…forget it, ok? I'm not jealous. It's just not exactly easy having you here again. I'd finally started accepting that you were gone."
The comment hurt, yet Blake still wanted to reach out. To console Yang in some way. She folded her hands in front of herself instead.
"I always hoped to see you again…" she admitted softly. "And Ilia might've known me in the White Fang, but you know me better than anyone. The real me, not…not that person."
"It doesn't feel that way."
"Then I just need to prove it to you."
That was Blake's primary reason for being here, despite how difficult it was to watch Yang chew over another thought.
"You told me her name was Stacy."
Blake's brow furrowed until she remembered what Yang was referring to: the night of their first date. Yang had walked her back to her 'office' and met Ilia outside.
"Right," Blake sighed, glancing at her hands. "I didn't want to give you her real name."
"In case I found out who you were and arrested both of you."
Blake opened her mouth, but nothing she said would be a good answer. She simply nodded, so Yang sighed and rubbed her eyes.
"What a long fucking day..."
Blake nodded again and resisted the urge to rub her own tired eyes.
"I have an idea," Yang said, sparking back to life. "Come with me."
Curious, Blake followed Yang until they reached what she quickly recognized as the evidence room. Metal shelves covered every wall while free-standing shelves made neat rows like bookcases in a library. Instead of books, however, evidence boxes stuffed every shelf. What the right side of the room lacked in shelving, it made up for in an assortment of odd and ends too large to fit in a box. Amongst those random pieces of evidence stood a tall, skinny safe.
"Vice brought it in a couple days ago," Yang explained, patting the top of it. "Think you can open it?"
"Probably…" Blake glanced at the safe and then at Yang. "Do you…want me to?"
When Yang nodded, Blake nearly asked 'why?' Why would Yang want another reminder of who Blake used to be, and why would Blake want to serve that reminder? Instead, she sat on the small stool that Yang pushed over to her and took a deep breath.
Freed of the White Fang hideout and the cops milling around, she only needed to tackle the subtle nerves from Yang hovering over her shoulder. That, as it turned out, was much easier to do the second time around. Combined with a safe manufactured for personal rather than industrial use, the combination practically shouted itself as she spun the dial. In hardly any time, she turned the handle and opened the door, revealing various rifles stacked inside. When she stood up and looked at Yang, however, Yang stared at her with an unreadable expression. The safe's contents hardly seemed to matter at all.
"You enjoy it."
Blake blinked then ducked her gaze and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"It's just…something I'm good at," she mumbled, but Yang stepped closer.
"Be honest."
Blake sighed and, regardless of the shame settling on her shoulders, met Yang's gaze.
"I do. It's…challenging. There are so many moving parts and messing up means starting over. You have to work for every clue and trust your instincts, hoping your senses aren't playing tricks on you. Then there's this rush when the bolts slide out of place…"
To her, that was one of the greatest feelings in the world, like triumphing over a formidable foe. A great victory. Under Yang's piercing gaze, however, she trailed off and bit her bottom lip.
"I've never seen you so passionate about something," Yang remarked before sighing and shaking her head. "It's a shame it had to be this."
"If I could pick up knitting, I would…" Blake muttered to the floor. Yang's surprised, genuine laughter brought her gaze up in no time.
"Somehow, I can't see you doing that," Yang said before her expression grew thoughtful. "I could never quite see you as an accountant either. It didn't fit."
"I'll figure out how to be an accountant if it proves I'm serious about you. I'd never touch a lock again for the rest of my life."
The emphatic response garnered another long stare during which Yang grappled with what to say.
"And you mean that," Yang said as if it was a revelation, but Blake sighed.
"Of course I do, Yang. I mean it. I'm done with the White Fang. Adam, Cinder, all of them. Because you -"
Her words faltered when Yang stepped closer, eyes never straying from hers.
"Because…you mean everything to me…" she whispered.
Did Yang believe her this time? An emotion almost like affection flitted through Yang's eyes, then a warm hand landed on her hip, making her breath catch. Instinct told her to tilt her head up to meet Yang's lips, welcoming their soft, warm, tentative embrace.
Yang's hesitance contrasted with Blake's unabashed certainty. This is right, her body shouted as she pressed closer, molding against Yang's larger frame while her arms wrapped around Yang's neck.
A switch flipped in Yang as desire won out. The kiss deepened, her hands clutched Blake's hips, and she backed Blake against the counter holding all manners of evidence. The cold, hard edge digging into her back and Yang's warm, soft form pressing against her erased any shred of self-control. Their lips hardly parted while she ran her hands through Yang's hair, then down Yang's neck, then started grasping any inch of Yang that she could reach.
A phone call shattered the moment, freezing Yang so fully that she could have been confused for a gorgeous statue. Then she scrambled to disentangle herself and fish her phone from her pocket.
"Hello?" she answered, her voice breathless.
"Hey!" Ruby's voice filtered through to Blake's ears. "Where are you? I'm back."
"Oh, cool. I'll, uh, meet you in the pen in a second?"
"Sure thing!"
Yang put her phone away, glanced at Blake, then blushed and left the evidence room as if nothing happened. Blake's body protested the loss of warmth, and it would be some time before she calmed down, yet her heart fluttered as she followed Yang to the front of the station.
Maybe this wasn't a lost cause, after all. If nothing else, Yang still wanted her - she felt just how much in that kiss. Yang wasn't willing to admit that desire right now, but Blake welcomed each and every reminder of the chemistry they shared.
"Thanks for the assist with the gun safe," Yang eventually said, motioning behind them. "That helps vice out."
"Sure. You're welcome."
"And you could consult with manufacturers if you're ever looking for work, you know. Help them make their safes…safer. Or specialize in safe cracking. People are always locking themselves out of those things." Yang glanced at Blake out of the corner of her eye. "I mean, once this all blows over and you…go back to Vacuo or whatever you're going to do."
"Oh." Blake could hardly envision tomorrow let alone a future with a steady job involved, but she dipped her chin and said, "I never considered that. Thank you."
"No problem," Yang said, but her smile was brief and strained.
"And I'm staying here," Blake said. "If I can," she added when Yang's gaze landed on her. "I don't want to be anywhere else."
This time, Yang studied Blake for a long second before shrugging and saying, "That's your call," as if Blake's location meant nothing to her. Blake knew - or sincerely hoped - that wasn't true, but only time would tell.
That hopeful future faded when they entered the large, open room filled with officers, small desks, and mountains of paperwork. Ruby was easy to spot amidst the hubbub, clad as she was in full SWAT attire. She chatted with another officer at the moment, an assault rifle lazily clutched in one hand.
"Wait at my desk?"
Yang gestured to her desk in the middle of the room, so Blake headed there instead of to Ruby. Ruby's conversation partner quickly departed, leaving the two sisters to hug and then share what appeared to be some serious words.
Ruby's glance across the room filled Blake with suspicion that she was the source of Yang's consternation, but she swallowed her concern when Ruby smiled and patted Yang's shoulder. Appearing relieved, Yang nodded before motioning to Blake that she would be back in a moment. As soon as Yang rushed away, Ruby locked eyes with Blake and, after a moment of indecision, walked over.
Prior to leaving Vale, Blake had only known Ruby to be lighthearted and effusive. The Ruby approaching right now was not that Ruby. Black tactical armor made her look undefeatable while her silver eyes, far from sparkling, bore through Blake like a drill. Black combat boots clomped against the floor, and the matte black rifle in her hands was all the more intimidating because of the comfort with which she wielded it.
"Yo." Ruby set the rifle down on the desk, making Blake slide to the edge of her seat when the muzzle pointed a little close for comfort. "Sucks no one was there, huh."
"Yeah. It does."
"I was hoping we could round them all up. Finally end this so we can move on."
Blake nodded and then stared at her lap, reminding herself to breathe while her nerves fried by the dozen. She knew what was coming - the weighty silence said it all - but she didn't know if she could handle it. Not from Ruby. Not from the closest person to Yang.
But Ruby sighed, so Blake braced herself.
"She was doing good…not great, but good enough that I thought I was finally getting my sister back. Now, this." Ruby motioned around the department before leveling Blake with an accusatory stare. "You're messing with her head."
"I'm sorry…I'm not trying to make it worse."
"But you are." Blake flinched at the blunt response while Ruby crossed her arms over her chest. "Once this is over, you're leaving Vale, right?"
"I don't want to," Blake admitted. Ruby's gaze darkened.
"You have to. You can't have a future with her."
"Can we just…let her decide that?"
"You think she'll forgive you after what you did?"
"I hope so." Blake's heart clenched when Ruby's brow rose - an incredulous expression if she'd ever seen one. "I know I messed up," she added, refusing to shy away from Ruby's hard gaze. "I know I hurt her and don't deserve another chance, but I love her, Ruby. I'll do anything to fix this, but I don't want to leave her again."
Ruby stared at Blake for a long time before sighing and dropping her arms to her sides.
"I just want her to be happy. You get that, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Blake replied, her voice small. "I want her to be happy, too. And I…I think that I can make her happy." When Ruby frowned, Blake took a deep breath. "If I can't, then I'll leave. I promise."
The bargain hung in the air as Ruby contemplated whether it was acceptable. Eventually, she nodded once, then glanced to the side and smiled as Yang rejoined them. Yang's eyes flashed between them, but Ruby didn't leave an opening for her to ask what was going on. After grabbing the rifle, Ruby patted Yang's shoulder and said, "Get some rest, alright?" Once Yang nodded, Ruby headed into the department, glancing back once before disappearing.
"We can get out of here."
Yang studied Blake, questions in her eyes, but Blake just pushed herself to her feet and solemnly followed Yang outside. Not only did she have to prove herself to Yang, but she also had to prove herself to Ruby. To Weiss. To the entire police department and anyone who had ever known her in her past life. Despite making some progress with Yang, the rest of the task felt so insurmountable that she sank into the passenger seat as if it could engulf her whole.
"You alright?"
When Yang glanced over, Blake rubbed her heart.
"It's just…a lot."
"Don't worry. Everything will feel better once you get some sleep."
Yang looked over again and even smiled. Blake's heart responded to the small effort like taking a breath of clean air, reminding her that some of the best accomplishments lay behind significant challenges. And Yang was, undoubtedly, worth the effort.
"Thanks, Yang," she said softly, then stared out the window despite the curious quirk of Yang's brow. Even though the sun hung high in the sky, exhaustion pressed down on her as adrenaline faded. Thankfully, they arrived at her temporary home before long.
The dark circles under Yang's eyes suggested that she was even more exhausted than Blake, yet she still escorted Blake all the way to the apartment and confirmed that it was empty. Once satisfied, she returned to the door, where she again hesitated with one hand on the handle.
"I'll, uh, have someone drop off some food for you. Want anything special?"
"Anything is fine," Blake said, too tired to even think about food.
"Ok. I'll have someone do that and -" Yang paused and covered a yawn with her hand. "And then we'll be back at it tomorrow, ok? I'll pick you up in the morning."
"I'll be ready."
"Good. And, uh, good job today. You did really great."
Blake's heart soared at the compliment paired with a small yet sincere smile.
"Helps that I have a great partner," she pointed out, earning a modest scoff.
"I could be the best detective in the world and there's still no way I'm getting those safes open."
When Yang chuckled, Blake tilted her head to the side. The concept of Yang complimenting her ability to break into a safe had never occurred to her, so she had no idea how to interpret it. Yang didn't present the opportunity to as she none-too-subtly glanced at Blake's lips.
Blake wetted them on instinct, her skin heating up as if Yang's gaze held the sun's warmth. She inched closer and held her breath, waiting for Yang to lean in. Yang's throat bobbed when she swallowed, but then she threw on a big, bright smile and opened the door.
"I'll see you then." She turned so fast that she nearly ran into the doorframe but quickly stopped and shuffled to the side. Blushing now, she waved over her shoulder as she hurried down the hall, seemingly determined to put as much distance between them as possible.
Blake stared at the suddenly empty doorway for a disappointed second before locking the door and moving over to the window. There, she watched Yang jog out of the building and drive away. Blake's heart went with her but, when Blake turned around and faced the small apartment alone, she still smiled.
This might be the most difficult thing she had ever done but, if she succeeded, it would be worth it.
