I wrote this some time ago but couldn't come up with a name. The one right now might change if I find something more fitting. Anyway this is, again, a bumbleby story taking place after volume 4. This time it's going to be a multi chapter fic.

Thanks to my awesome beta for reading over it.

I don't own RWBY.

1. Second dance

It was shortly after the bell rang the twelfth time that Blake turned to Sun. "It was a fun night, Sun, but I think I better head back to the dorm."

"What? Already?" The monkey faunus was surprised by her sudden declaration.

"Yes. Sorry, Sun."

"It's no problem. I'm just surprised." He said, more mellow than before. Disappointed?

"Good Night." Blake said and made her way through the other students to the door.

He looked after her for a moment. "Yeah. Good Night, Blake." He murmured.

Blake felt a bit bad for leaving him like this. She enjoyed the night and his company but it became a little much for her. Something about him just was a little suffocating over time.

She barely got a few meters away from the building when she heard a voice call for her. "Blake! Wait up!"

The noirette turned around and saw her blond partner ran to her.

"You're leaving already? The party is far from over." The brawler stated, gesturing to the still lively building. She looked a little disappointed, which surprised the faunus. After the dance the blonde hadn't made any attempt to spend more time with her.

"I know, but I'm still a little exhausted from last week. I could catch some sleep yesterday but I'm not fully back on my feet yet. All that dancing was tiring." She explained.

The last week ended just minutes ago and Blake had barely slept, too obsessed with her search for Torchwick and the White Fang.

"Right. It's just, you looked much better this evening so I assumed everything was alright. I should've thought of that." Yang started walking. "Come on. Let's get you back."

Blake stared at her cheerful partner for a moment. "You're coming with me?" She asked surprised.

The blond turned back around. "Yes. You don't want me too?" Yang looked a little surprised that Blake would ask that.

"I don't mind but I thought you wanted to stay longer." The cat faunus started walking and as soon as she reached her partner they continued on side by side.

"It's not like the party was that great anyway. And it would be a catastrophe if you would collapse from overexertion on your way back. Someone has to keep an eye on you." Yang joked with a wink.

The noirette rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. And it's not like the way back is that long."

"Still, better safe than sorry. And I wanted to make sure you enjoyed your time at the dance."

"I did. You're a better dancer than I thought, Xiao Long."

"Why, thank you. You're not so bad either." The taller girl paused for a moment. "How were things with Sun going?"

"Sun?" Blake thought for a moment. "He can dance, though he stepped on my feet twice. But he is funny company."

"But I'm sure he's not as puntastic as I." The blond pointed at herself proudly.

Blake rolled her eyes at her partner but a small smile played on her lips. Though not really funny, the faunus was quite found of Yang's puny nature. Her happy and carefree behavior was one of the things she liked about her.

"So, you're happy you came today?" The blond brawler asked smiling. It wasn't one of her usual bright smiles. It was soft and somewhat untypical for her. There was something in these lilac eyes that the cat faunus couldn't place.

"I am. Thanks for making me come." The noirette returned the smile.

"I'm always there if you need someone to talk some sense back into you." Yang's usual bright smile was back.

"I hope it won't be necessary."

They silently continued on for a few minutes before the brawler went a little ahead of her partner. She turned around and walked backwards looking in amber eyes.

"You know, I had really fun dancing with you. I would've asked for a second but some monkey boy couldn't get enough of you." She scoffed playfully. "Such a selfish guy."

"Then maybe you should have just come and ask me. I think I could've made it work somehow." Blake still wore a slight smile on her face.

Lilac eyes widen for a split second. "You would've danced with me again?"

"Why shouldn't I? I had fun dancing with you."

The blond grinned from ear to ear before her expression fell. "Now I really regret not asking you." She brightened up again. "Maybe I should change that."

Blake raised an eyebrow at her.

"Want to dance with me again?" The blond asked with her trend marked smile.

"Now? Right here?" The faunus was skeptical for a moment but could barley contain a smirk when she saw her partner's sheepish look.

Yang scratched her neck sheepishly. She hadn't thought that through. "Hehe. Eh, maybe not here but in our room?" Her face turned hopeful.

The cat faunus lips twitched upward. "Hmm, why not."

The brawler cheered at that.

"But just one dance." Blake added.

"You got it!" That didn't seem to deter Yang at all. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

She turned back around and begun walking a little faster.

The noirette allowed a small smile. It was strange how Yang could make her happy so easily. While just a few minutes ago she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than sleep, she was now looking forward to spend some time alone with her partner back in their dorm before going to bed.

They walked in silence for some time. The blond had noticed that the cat faunus hadn't tried to match her faster pace and fell back a little to stay by Blake's side.

"You know" the noirette begun. "I'm surprised you didn't try to spike the punch."

The brawler laughed sheepishly at that. "To be honest, I did. But Weiss caught me."

Again the black themed girl suppressed her chuckles. "Better Weiss than Goodwitch."

She could see from the corner of her eye how Yang stopped suddenly and paled. If Goodwitch had found out she would have not just scolded her but punished her and probably the rest of the team. And then Weiss would rant about how careless and irresponsible she was. It would have been ten times worse that way.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing" The blond admitted.

"Maybe?"

"Okay, you're right."

Satisfied with the answer Blake continued their way with a small smile on her lips. "Come on. The sooner we get back the sooner you get your dance."

Yang stood a few seconds longer, starring in bewilderment after the faunus before her smile was back on her face and she hurried to catch up with her.

They reached their room and Blake opened the door, letting them in while rolling her eyes at on of the blonde's puns.

She barely closed the door behind her when the brawler already had her scroll out, searching through her playlist. After finding a good song she pushed play and turned the volume up a little before throwing her scroll on the next bed.

"You promised me a dance." She said after turning to her partner, holding her hand out to her.

Blake was surprised at the blonde's choice of music. But she smiled as she took the offered limb.

They swayed to the music in a slow dance. Yang wore a sincere smile as lilac gazed softly into amber.

The faunus girl couldn't help but return it while a familiar warmth raised in her chest.

It was the usual warmth she felt when Yang was with her. Not long after the incident at the docs, Blake felt her chest swell with warmth and affection when being near or even thinking about the blond brawler.

It was at that moment, slowly dancing with Yang while she looked at Blake in the way she did right now, that the faunus realized what these feelings were.

Suddenly the room vanished and shortly after, Yang did too. She was alone in the cold darkness. A feeling of dread came over her.

"Yang!" Blake called after her partner

"Yang!" She begun to ran. Searching for her. Searching for anything.

"Yang!" Her cries got more desperate each time.

A sudden heat replaced the cold. And it wasn't pleasant.

With the heat came the fire that suddenly surrounded her. The brawler stood in front of her, her back turned to Blake.

"YANG!" She shouted, her fear rising. But the blonde didn't hear her. She just stayed there.

The faunus wanted to run over to her but a movement to her right let her spin around.

The glowing red markings on the grim mask was the first thing she noticed on the man.

"Adam." She whispered his name.

Adam smirked before kicking her to the ground. The pain from the kick and the harsh landing made her groan.

He was still smirking at the noirette while he held Wilt over her, ready to strike.

"I will destroy everything you love. Starting with her." He said before his blade pierced through her abdomen.

Blake screamed in pain. That was what caught the blonde's attention as she spun around her eyes widening before they turned red and her hair caught fire.

"Get away from her!" She shouted while charging at Adam. The bull faunus just smirked.

Blake watched in horror as he cut the brawler's arm off.

She crawled over to Yang with tears obscuring her view. But it was not enough to hide his sadistic expression as he brought Wilt down upon her helpless partner.

Blake shot up in her bed with the blonde's name on her lips. She was sweating and panting heavily.

It was another nightmare. She had them a lot since Beacon's fall.

But this one started so nicely, with these memories from after the dance. That made it even worse. Turning one of her fondest memories into one of her worst.

Blake shuddered. A look on her alarm clock told her it was still in the middle of the night. But trying to get more sleep was senseless. The faunus already knew that.

So Blake got up and made her way outside. She rested her hands on the railing of the porch while gazing at the stars. The constellations in Menagerie were different from these in Vale.

The noirette thought about her former partner. It wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last time she did this. No, she couldn't stop thinking about the blonde. About what happened to her because of Blake. She felt her eyes burn with unshed tears.

No matter what Sun and her parents said, she still felt like she deserved to be left by herself. To suffer for what she did.

But that didn't change the fact that the cat faunus missed the cheerful blonde. She asked herself what Yang was doing. How she was holding up with all the things that happened months ago.

Blake hadn't left Vale right after the fall. She had hide from the White Fang and let her wounds heal. And even after that she stayed and fought against the Grimm. But that was a losing battle. So she left to the only place she could think of. Home.

And here she was. She just recently found her will to fight again. She had decided to take the White Fang back. To stop them before they could do to Haven what they did to Beacon.

But with her decision to fight Blake couldn't help thinking of her old team. Her former partner especially.

She wished to see her again and feared a meeting at the same time. She did not deserve her forgiveness. But she wanted it. Forgiveness and more but Blake didn't dare to hope. She wasn't even sure if she would see the brawler again.

Blake made her way back inside. Back against the headboard she sat on her bed with her knees pulled to her chest and arms slung around her legs, thinking of her dream again. Before it turned into a nightmare. The feline faunus thought back of the night after the dance.

She realized what she felt for her partner and why she affected her so much.

Blake got closer to the slightly taller girl and rested her head on her shoulder. Citrus and gunpowder, Yang's usual scent, was now so much stronger. The strange mix had a relaxing effect on the faunus. Just like the brawler's natural warmth.

Amber eyes closed and Blake barley noticed how Yang stopped the proper steps of their dance to simply sway with her partner.

"Tired?" The blonde's soothing voice asked next to the noirette's ear.

"Hmm."

Yang chuckled lightly at the clearly tired hum.

"The song won't continue much longer but if you want, you can go to bed. No reason to fall asleep on me." She assured softly.

"But you're comfortable. And if I fall asleep, you're there to hold me. You always are."

"Of course. And I'll always be."

They stayed like this, holding each other close with Blake resting her head on Yang's shoulder, gently swaying, even a little after the song ended.

"Come on, time to change and go to bed." The brawler said and took a step away from the noirette.

Blake wasn't happy with that but didn't complain. She took her yukata and made her way to the bathroom. A soft chuckle and a quiet comment followed her.

"You're so cute when you're tired, Blakey."

A smile snuck its way onto Blake's lips at the memory. She never thought she could miss her blonde brawler that much. Her heart constricted at the thought of Yang.

Tears started to roll down her cheeks. The raven haired girl thought again about what happened. About how she let her doubts from the past affect her trust for her partner after the incident at the finals. She thought back about Beacon's fall.

And she thought about how much she wanted to see the blond girl again.

Blake pulled her legs closer, burying her face in her arms as she started to wail.

Tomorrow, or better today, she and Sun would board a ship to Anima. From there they would go to the capital of Mistral to stop the White Fang.

Sun's wound hasn't healed completely yet but he was in good enough shape to travel.

Blake's parents wanted to come with them but they had responsibilities here.

The cat faunus was still not keen on taking Sun with her in this fight but Mistral, Haven, was his home. She couldn't stop him from going there. And his team was waiting for him.

And again, the noirette thought of her own team. The tears wouldn't stop flowing.

It felt like she was breaking apart. Why did it have to hurt so much?

Maybe, after this was over, after she was able to close this part of her past, she could find the courage to see her team, her partner, again.