Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she ran, desperate to get further and further away from the monster in the ruins of the dining hall. Blake couldn't even bare to think of his name. She betrayed him, but he ruined everything. She knew he wouldn't come after her; he had his fun and got what he wanted, for now. Blake shifted Yang's dead-weight in her sore arms as she lumbered forward. I have to keep going….

Blake's aura was desperately trying to clot the wound in her side, tingling while it worked to close the wound. I don't want it! Blake internally screamed at her aura's efforts. I don't need it! Give it to Yang! Give it all!

Choking out a sob, she brought her eyes down to where Yang's right arm should be, her severed elbow causing Blake's vision to blur. Images flashed before Blake's eyes, ones that she took for granted. Yang sparring with her in the gym after hours, her right hook catching her off guard. The pair lounging side by side on the fanus' bed, Yang pointing at some nonsensical video on her scroll with her pointer finger. Yang delivering poorly timed puns with a flourish of a finger gun. Yang hugging Blake in the empty classroom when the dark haired girl was worn to the bone, her eyes growing heavy as she sunk into the blonde's strong arms.

Blake didn't know how long she had been crying or when she even started. She didn't care. She didn't care about anything but getting Yang somewhere safe.

Weaving through the rubble, Blake heard several voices. She crouched with Yang behind a broken piece of wall and bit back her pain as she kneeled in a ready position. She needed to defend Yang. Yang tried so hard to help Blake. It's her fault the brawler lost her arm. It's her fault the White Fang is terrorizing the school. Blake shuddered as a raspy cry overtook her. She tried to hold it back.

The voices grew closer, feet pounded on the pavement. Blake only guessed it to be another army of monsters with red swords, coming for her and her brawler. She tensed again and struggled to hold back her heaving breaths. Closer they came, she could almost smell the rotten spice and musk that lingered long after she left the White Fang. She had just gotten used to its absence. Blake heart sank further and further. She bared her teeth and hovered over Yang's body in the most menacing manner she could manage.

"Blake!" a voice screamed as several dark figures cornered Blake's hideaway. Blake lowered her body even more over Yang and let out a deep growl. The figures kept coming.

"Get away from her!" Blake lashed out harshly at the looming silhouettes. There seemed to be thousands of them, tumbling down on top of her, reaching their shadow claws out to rip her away from Yang. Blake was about to lunge out in a desperate attempt to slow the attack when she saw a dinged glimpse of white step into the dusty light from the moon.

"Blake!" Weiss exclaimed again as the heiress dropped to her knees. She noticed her teammate's roughed up state, the blood seeping from her side and dripping down on…Yang. Tears stung her eyes, "What happened?"

The fanus started shaking as she released the breath she was holding, letting out a gargled wail. The grimily shadows retracted to reveal her teammate and her fellow students, looking worse for wear. Blake's body shook violently, she no longer tried to hold it in. How could she tell Weiss that she failed? She couldn't protect the one person who had always been there for her. She couldn't uphold her team. She adverted her eyes from Weiss's concerned gaze, her stomach daring to empty itself on the spot. "I…." Blake started. "It was….", she couldn't even begin to explain.

Coco pushed her way to the front of the students, crouching in front of Blake. She gently rested her hand on the younger girl's shoulder, bringing Blake's eyes to her own. Chocolate gazed into withered amber and she sighed. Coco knew she never could fully know the tortured images that flashed before those eyes. Taking control of the situation she softly commanded, "Blake, we need to get Yang to the medic bay."

Blake retracted and clamped herself over Yang's body. Her mind raced as she tried to separate the images in her mind of the monster with the mask and her friends in front of her. Red consumed her vision as fresh tears tumbled down her cheeks She hissed at Coco, causing the group behind her to retract. Coco regained her startled self and tried again.

"Blake, I know this is hard, but we need to get Yang out of here. She is hurt and she needs your help." Coco eased the words onto the dark haired girl, watching her strained muscles falter. Coco placed both her hands on the girl's shoulders, "Please Blake, we need to do this for Yang, together."

"Okay." Blake squeaked and slid off her partner. Weiss rushed forward to embrace the exhausted girl as Coco started ordering the other students into action. Weiss cradled Blake in her rigid arms, trying so hard to keep everything together. The heiress couldn't wrap her mind around the situation, the near future clouded and unknown. All she could do was grip the broken girl in her arms and pray to any listening god that her team would be okay.

Blake mumbled into Weiss's stomach, groggily spilling out the words that her mind turned into a mantra. "It's my fault, Weiss. Everything. Yang…" Blake's voice cracked as she clutched to Weiss' skirt.

Weiss's heart thudded hard. Of course Blake would take the blame, stubbornly holding on to it, too afraid to let go. The white haired girl stared down at the fanus with the calmest look she could muster, "Blake Belladonna, don't you damn well dare blame yourself for this."

Blake gazed up at her with glazed eyes and trembling lips. "I- I love her, Weiss….and he tried to take her away from me."

Weiss sighed, only being able to guess what happened to the partners, "I know Blake, but we are not going to let that happen. You, me, Coco, R-Ruby…" Blake caught the faltered name and the glint of fear in Weiss's eyes. "We are all going to keep her safe."

"We got her steady!" Velvet scurried to the two prone teammates, "We need to get to shelter before any more Grimm or mechs come."

Blake jumped at this and struggled to stand, her golden brawler's name dying on her lips as she gasped in pain from her forgotten wound. Weiss groaned as she shifted herself underneath Blake's arm, helping her to regain her footing. Sensing where the girl wanted to go, Weiss lead Blake to Yang's side, making sure to steer her to Yang's left side. Blake followed numbly, staring at the gold mane that hung over the impromptu stretcher Sun and Flynnt assembled with a broken board. The two young hunters lifted the board up and the group walked steadily towards Beacon's main hall.

Blake stretched her hand out to grasp at the blonde's fingers, releasing a breath she was unaware she was holding as her fingers curled around her partner's. Blake's shifty steps fell into a rhythm as she ran her thumb around the only palm Yang had, choking back another sob. She pushed back the thoughts of the future, what hardships and tribulations her teammate would have to go through just to be able to embrace her again. Blake flicked her glance towards Yang's face, desperate to commit every detail to memory.

The fanus inhaled as Yang's eyelids began to flutter. Lilac peeked out into the harsh night as a groan formed from her throat. Lilac hazily met amber as her head rolled on the board, trying to take in her surroundings. "Bla…Blake.."

"Shh, Yang I'm right here." Blake softly hushed. She leaned over the girl to give her an easier line of sight. Blake's heart threatened to tremble as she watched Yang struggle to form more words.

"You're okay… I did it." Yang's lips slinked into a very lazy version of her signature side grin, the one Blake adored, "I saved you."

Blake darted her eyes away, not ever wanting Yang to realize the truth of what happened. She didn't want to see the fear and panic in her eyes when she became aware of what she lost. Blake didn't want to see the look of failure on Yang's face when she was told she didn't save Blake. The fanus pushed those thoughts down with a harsh swallow. It can wait till later, till it doesn't hurt as much, till the dirt and the grime was washed away.

She once again brought her eyes back to the eyes of the girl she'd sacrifice anything for. She saw the trust there, the warmth and teared up again at the thought of it. Without falter in her step, Blake leaned down and brushed her lips against the brawler's cheek. "Yes Yang, you did."

"I knew it." Yang slurred as her eyes began to droop once more, exhaustion taking over her thoughts. Lilac disappeared slowly, but the dark haired girl didn't have to worry. Blake sighed; she's going to be okay. Her partner was safe. Weiss was tucked under her shoulder, she had all her confidence in Ruby's abilities. Everything is going to be okay.