Chapter 1: Shore Leave

The ship's foghorn filled the air to announce the arrival of the latest batch of veterans and refugees. The pitter-patter of footsteps filled the deck as a young blonde girl watched three children chase each other. Children, the word echoed in girl's head. Children, She thought as she briefly watched them. Her lilac eyes studied the little beings; she was fascinated by their carefree nature.

A breeze rustled her long tan jacket and pulled at her midnight black arm gloves. She looked down and straightened her coat out. A shiny glint caught her eye as a part of her glove rolled down. Instinctively, the blonde rolled the long slender glove up until it was nice and snug to her skin. Feeling her stomach grumble, she reached down to her pouched belt that held up her black pants. She pulled out a nutrition bar and took a smile bite as her gaze went back to the ocean.

The port city of Vale came into the distance. The dock's serving other ships. A myriad of different types of ships and boats could be seen. Fishing and commercial cargo ships were docked as they passed a rather impressive battlecruiser.

That was when the blonde girl noted the injured sailors strewn about the deck as orderlies did their best to stave off death that seemed to stalk the wounded and dying soldiers. It wasn't just a battlecruiser; it was a makeshift hospital ship. Two passive lilac eyes watched her fellow soldiers-in-arms battle for their own survival.

Once the ship docked, the speaker came on announcing that the passengers may disembark. The blonde girl grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder as she watched the families walk down the ramp and onto the docks.

Children

Her eyes drifted down to her gloved hands.

Live your life.

She clenched her fists.

Child.

You're a child. You need to find your family.

"..."

The girl blinked her lilac eyes as she came back to reality.

"Hey girl!" The voice called out. "Get off my ship! I have to leave port in ten minutes to pick up the next batch of refugees."

Instantly, the girl snapped to attention giving a crisp salute at the sight of the captain's uniform, "Yes sir."

Her boots click-clacked as she marched down the ramp with uniform precision. Upon reaching the pier, the girl scanned the docks. Families held signs up in the air as soldiers found their perspective loved ones. Hugs and affection surrounded her, yet there was none for her.

Impassive as ever, the girl moved through the crowd. Lilac eyes scanned the townhouses and warehouses that seemed loom over the dock. Not a very practical military port. She noted to herself as she could see multiple points where a well placed 150mm shell could disrupt the entire dock.

She made her way up the docks and found herself on a busy city street with cars zooming to and fro. A man was leaning on the railing overlooking the docks. He wore the uniform of Valesian Intelligence Officer that consisted of a green wool overcoat with the pinned emblem of two axes crossed with a key running upward. He pushed one of his bangs up to the rest of his slicked back hair. His crimson eyes met her lilac eyes.

In his hand dangled a sign that said "Yang."

The girl snapped to attention giving a crisp salute, "Reporting for duty, sir!"

The man looked down at her with a hard look. The girl watched as the sign dropped from his hand. A hard look replaced by shock and awe. "Yang…" He whispered.

"Reporting for duty, sir." Her arm held firm like a sculpture despite the ocean winds.

He jumped over the railing and landed right in front of her. Whoever this man was, he seemed rather surprised as he clasped her by the shoulders giving a gentle shake.

"Sir, please remove your hands before I have to remove them for you." Her eyes flickered red ever so slightly. There was something underlying that passive tone of her's.

The man's arms dropped to his side. "Don't you know who I am?"

How was she supposed to know? He clearly wasn't one of the frontline soldiers she fought with. He wasn't one of her handlers. He wore the uniform of an officer, and by military guidelines, she had to salute him. Even still, she ran his image through her memory and came up blank. His crimson eyes were the only thing that stuck out to her.

Eyes just like…

Her.

"I'm your Uncle!"

She didn't even know what an 'Uncle' was.

The man jaw dropped slightly. "Ya know… Uncle Qrow…?"

Uncle… Qrow… it still didn't help her.

"You can stop saluting!" It dawned on him just how long she was standing at attention

Hearing the order from a superior answer, just put herself at ease as she clasped her hand behind her back, her boots shoulder-width apart. "Yessir." She complied.

"Don't call me that." The man frowned with a slight shake of the head.

"What shall I call you, Si-" she froze, trying her best not finish the word.

The frown sunk in deeper, "Yang, we're family."

Family. She thought to herself as she stared at her apparent kin.

"Call me Uncle Qrow."

Family… family… family…

"Uncle Qrow…" She repeated in a hollow voice. It felt so strange, so empty.

Qrow sighed as he straightened himself up, "Come on, let's take you to your family."

Family… I have family… but what does that mean?

Yang picked up her bag and silently followed behind the intelligence off- Uncle Qrow, She corrected herself as she followed behind.

*Thud*

*THUD*

*THUD*

Suddenly she heard a distant boom causing the ground to shake. Then another boom. Another. Another. Another. Suddenly the buildings on the streets erupted in fire as shells rained down on the docks. "What the..." Qrow pointed out towards the sea.

Off in the distance, large metal towers of battleships peaked over the horizons as their old foe, the Mistralians launched a surprise attack on the Kingdom of Vale. Quadruple engined intercontinental bombers rose overhead as fighters screamed down strafing the buildings and streets. "Shit! We have to get back to-" He never got to finish the sentence.

*WOOOOOSH!*

Heat and force slammed into Yang as she was tossed aside like a doll. Despite the feeling of vertigo and ringing in her ears, she forced herself up as the streets were littered with dead. Explosions erupted as artillery shells fell like rain. Buildings toppled after being battered from salvos of bombs and shells.

Despite all that, she picked herself up ignoring the pain in her arms. She found Qrow on the ground clutching his stomach. "Yang…"

Yang went into autopilot as she applied pressure. "Sir, stay with me. Paramedics will be here."

The man let out a weak laugh causing him to cough up blood, blood trickling down his lips. "Nah, I know how it works… Civilians first…"

Yang pressed her black-gloved hands on the wound with more force in an attempt to slow the bleeding. She knew deep down in her mind that it was too late.

No.

No.

No.

No.

Don't die.

You're family. My only family. Don't die. Don't die.

Qrow looked up cupping her cheek, "You're just like your mother. She'd be proud to know how strong you are…"

For once in a very very very long time, Yang felt something in her break as a tear fell down her cheek. "No… I need you…" She muttered.

*BOOM!*

*Boom!*

A mighty flash filled the room as two bloodshot lilac eyes shot open in sheer panic. Yang kicked the blanket off of herself and scrambled underneath the bed.

*BOOM!*

The blonde girl crawled into a ball and clamped down on her ears. "MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE!"

*WOOOSH!*

The door slammed open

*BANG*

"Mom… w-w-what's w-w-wrong with her..," A little girl's voice trembled.

Yang felt a pair of hands grab her shoulders and pull her out. She felt the surge in her again. The vile beast that took so much from her. Her eyes flickered red in the darkness. "Yang… honey… you're home. Nothing is happening. No one is taking you anywhere." A gentle voice tried to soothe the dragon that was trying to break out.

"YOU AREN'T REAL. NONE OF THIS HAPPENING!" The blonde girl screamed at the top of her lungs. "I DIDN'T WANT TO!"

She felt muscular hands grab her by the ankles in an attempt to stop her flailing legs. "Come on Yang, snap out of it. "

"Mom, I'm scared…"

"everything is going to be just fine, Ruby." the voice called out

The voice changed tone, back to a whisper that only Yang could hear, "Yang, my sunflower, please come home to us. We miss you."

The fear, the anger, the sheer anxiety and panic evaporated like mist coming into contact with the morning sun. The switch was flipped causing two tearful eyes to look up. She could see her adoptive mother's tears roll down her cheeks. Her brunette-red tipped hair masked her saddened silver eyes.

"Mom…" Her gloved arms clutched onto her mother.

It made Yang feel something.

"Tai, could you make some warm milk..?" The short woman asked.

The man released his grasp, "Sure thing Summer." He let out a sigh of relief as he stood up. He placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "I could use some help, Ruby."

Ruby nodded, her silver eyes fixated on her older step-sister, "Sure Dad."

The feeling continued to eat away at her.

Yang looked up to her mom, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten all of you," She apologized.

The feeling started to fade.

Summer wiped away a tear away from the girl's eye. "One day at a time. We'll make up for all of that lost time."

One day at a time, She mentally chanted the mantra, one day at a time. It had been a week since she met Qrow and this so-called family. Did she have it in her?

A/N: Just an idea in my head, we'll see where it goes!