The next day, Raven woke with a sick feeling in her stomach. She wasn't sure whether it was genuine illness or just the guilt eating at her, but she took some medicine for it anyway, hoping it would help. However, nothing she did could erase the terrible feeling she had. It drove her mad, until finally she'd had enough. Getting out of bed, she walked around the monotonous series of hallways, finally finding the person she was searching for.

The man she had seen when she arrived at the facility the previous day was sat at his desk, seemingly reading something. Noticing Raven walking towards him, he looked up, his pleasant face happy to see that she was feeling at least a little bit better than yesterday.

'Hello, Raven. What is it?'

'I want to take some men out and go search the mountains.'

Her response commanded a look of shock from the man.

'Raven, you know as well as I do that giving away men isn't something we can afford to do. Do you realise how many people we've lost to patrols already? We can't afford the extra casualties.'

'You'll have Ozpin and Glynda here to protect this place, Gray. Please, just for one day.'

'And if Yuki sends more Grimm over here? What will we do if we don't have enough people to fend them off? We barely scraped through the previous attacks with low casualties, so sending men out there is absolutely out of the question.'

Looking disheartened, she realised it wasn't an argument she was going to win.

'Fine, I'll take Adam and search myself then.'

'Raven, that's stupid! Those mountains cover more area than Vacuo! How low do you think the odds are of finding them out there, in the snow no less?'

'I don't care. What I did yesterday was wrong. I abandoned two people who needed my help, and if I cause their deaths I'll never forgive myself. They're innocent, Gray. I'm not just going to let them freeze out there.'

Letting out a dissatisfied grunt, he reluctantly spoke again.

'Fine. Take the four best men with you. But that's all, OK? No more than that.'

Four was more than enough. That would cut down the time they'd need to search by a colossal amount, Raven thanking him gratefully as she left. Going to inform Adam and gather the soldiers, she hoped, prayed that they were still alive out there.

Yang had woken that morning with a sharp pain plaguing her once again. It was getting gradually worse, and she knew she was slowly losing to the Grimm within her. She was still able to contain it fully, but she would occasionally have animalistic urges, things which definitely did not come from Yang herself. Stumbling onward, the thumping headache never once giving her any respite, she found herself coming across a meadow, reminiscent of the one they had come across right after the group met up with Ren and Nora.

This is familiar…

Back when we were all still together…

I wish we could go back to those times…

I wish we could just be together again…

Huh…? That's strange… why do I feel drowsy…?

Slumping against a tree, the sunlight gave her a tranquil, almost serene feeling. If it weren't for the fact that she knew she was fighting a losing battle she may have been able to convince herself, even if just for a moment, that everything was fine. She was so lost in her fantasies that she hadn't even realised that she'd been crying the whole time.

Huh…? When did I start crying?

She wiped her tears, but they continued to flow regardless. Submitting to defeat, she leant back against the tree, her aching joints appreciating even the texture of the rigid wood.

I don't want to become a Grimm…

Please, somebody… help…

Then her thoughts drifted to her sister.

Ruby... are you doing OK? I hope you and Raven aren't taking my disappearance too hard. I'm sorry, but I'm sure you'll understand why I left, right? I hope you find that facility… I know they'll take good care of you.

Yeah.

They'll take care of you in my place.

I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to protect you.

In the end I still ended up hurting you, didn't I?

You're better off without me now. I'd just be a hindrance.

But…

At the same time, I'm scared.

I'm scared, Ruby.

I don't want to go.

I don't want to be alone.

I don't want to leave everyone's side.

Quivering under that tree, Yang knew that if her sister saw her in that fragile, pitiful state that she would have broken down right there and then. And amidst her tears and fears, Yang fell asleep again.

Where are you, Yang?

Ruby had relentlessly searched for the entire day, not even sleeping through the night, her solitary sneezes being the only thing confirming to her that she was indeed alone. She was determined to find her sister, no matter what it took. She dragged her feet through the exhaustion, the bitter cold numbing her feet. But she didn't care about that. If it took her legs, she would give them. If it took her eyes, she would give them. If it took her life, she would give it.

As long as she could see Yang.

Crescent Rose by her side, her movements grew more sluggish with every minute that slowly ticked past. Fatigue was affecting her and she knew it, but she pushed onwards anyway. When she dropped to her knees, she carried on crawling. When her knees could take no more, she dragged herself through the snow with just her arms. When the cold finally got to her fingers, her breathing growing faster and faster she finally lost the strength to carry on moving. Her chest stung - no, it burned. It felt as though someone was scorching her lungs with every breath. And then, she finally lost consciousness, succumbing to sleep through her fever.

'There's someone over here!'

'It's a girl with red hair and a scythe.'

'It's her!'

Raven's worried voice carried through the air as she dashed to Ruby's side.

'Oh my God, I'm so sorry… this is all my fault…'

Turning to look at two of the other soldiers she beckoned them over.

'Take her back to Gray. She's got a high fever and her breathing's pretty erratic. It seems like pneumonia. Gray should have something for it.'

The soldiers did as she told them, hastily carrying Ruby back to the facility whilst doing everything they could to keep her warm. Her temperature was dangerously low, and had they been a few minutes late it could easily have cost Ruby her life.

Thank God I was in time… now where the hell is Neo?

Little did she know that Neo was already nearing her destination, having headed straight for the Valley rather than choosing to search for Yang. While she was shivering and most definitely feeling the effects of the cold, Neo was in a much better shape than Ruby.

Raven got a call not too long afterwards that Neo had arrived on her own, much to their relief. Calling the search off, they all headed back, both Neo and Ruby requiring medical attention for their conditions.

Raven's tensed muscles relaxed as she realised they were both going to survive. Ruby's condition was far more severe, but Neo was up and about within a few days.

'Where does that stamina come from?' Raven asked her, almost in awe of how quickly Neo recovered from her fever.

'Who knows,' Neo responded, a playful teasing tone to her voice. The both of them sat at Ruby's side nearly every day, her chest gently rising and falling as proof that she was still alive and kicking.

'She's strong,' Neo commented. 'She's very strong. Stronger than either of us, that's for sure. She has so much potential it's scary.'

Neo's sudden seriousness surprised Raven. It was the first time she had seen the girl show this side to her, and it worried her a little bit. She almost seemed scared. Looking back at the frail redhead laying in front of her, she couldn't help but wonder.

Is she really that powerful?

Raven knew that Neo was strong, and she knew that she herself was stronger than Neo, but for some reason Neo's fear seemed to spread to her.

Even if she has all this power, she wouldn't use it against any of us.

Would she?

Why?

Why did that single phrase send shockwaves of fear through Raven?

Yes, they had argued, and she might have even angered and hurt Ruby with her words, but she wasn't the kind of person to seek revenge.

Right?

Flooded with paranoia, she went back to her room for a while to think things through.

'No, she wouldn't. But… she doesn't harbour any strong positive feelings towards me. Stop it Raven, you're being stupid. You're just being stupid and paranoid, right?'

Muttering to herself like that, the stress ate at her so much so to the point that she couldn't sleep that night. Tossing and turning, she couldn't help but be scared of what Ruby might do out of revenge. And then, her door began to creak. Slowly groaning, the door's hinges ached as it slowly opened, letting in the unintelligible whispers of her twilight visitor. Frozen with fear, she took a glance at the clock.

2:46 AM. Who would want anything with her at that time of the morning?

Well, there was one person who would have a reason to come to her when nobody else was around.

'No… please…'

Strapped with fear, she could do nothing but beg and mumble at the mysterious stranger who had opened her door. And then, almost in defiance her door slammed open completely, making a loud bang against the wall.

'NOOO!'

Her ear-shattering scream rang through the halls as she fainted, her tears still staining her face.

'Raven? Raven?!'

When she woke, she found she was hyperventilating, breathing in quick, short gasps.

'Raven, what's wrong?'

'There was… was s-someone in my room… last night…'

She almost couldn't force herself to squeeze the words out, her terror choking her throat as she spoke.

'Raven, it was just the wind.'

What?

Raven's head didn't know what to make of this information.

'Someone left a window open last night, and the wind was especially strong last night. That's all.'

'B-but they opened my door…'

'Your lock has been broken for a few days now, remember?'

Oh yeah.

That's right.

She felt silly, having worried over something so easily explained. Her tense mood calming, she finally began to relax. She realised that had she simply thought about the situation, she would have seen the obvious solution to the problem. The whispers were simply murmurs of the wind, the door slamming being the wind pushing it open. It all made sense, and what's more, Ruby was still unconscious.

I'm such an idiot, she thought to herself.

A few days later, Ruby finally awoke from her comatose state, Raven being one of the first people to go visit her.

'Where am I?' she asked, still groggy from a combination of the medication, illness and waking up.

'You're at the Snowpeak facility,' Raven gently answered, Ruby recognising the voice as hers.

'Wait, I was-'

'You were nearly dead is what you were,' she cut in, trying to shrug her fears off as she spoke. 'You're such an idiot sometimes.'

Ruby gave her a look that was almost sorrowful.

'Look, I'm sorry Ruby. I said some things back there that I really shouldn't have, and I understand if you don't want to forgive me for what I said.'

'Are you stupid?' Ruby replied, Raven realising it was hopeless. Of course she wouldn't just forgive her as if nothing happened. But then Ruby carried on, and shocked Raven with her words.

'If anything, I should be apologising to you. I wasn't thinking of how you felt at all. You're her twin, and yet I just flattened your feelings in favour of mine.'

Raven decided to take the opportunity to make amends.

'Friends?' Raven said, opening her arms to Ruby.

'Friends,' she replied, embracing Raven's warmth.

'I understand if you still want to search for Yang, but you're not going to go out there just yet,' Raven continued, having a proposal in mind. 'I spoke to Ozpin and Glynda the other day, and they're willing to personally train you in combat. They said that there are things about you that you don't even know. Things that will make you a force to be reckoned with. From what I can gather, you're one of the strongest Huntresses they've ever seen. Even Glynda seemed to be surprised at how much potential you've got, Ruby. If you want to go out and look for her again, at least take the training first.'

Ruby didn't even have to think about it. What was there to think about? Of course she would take it. If it would give her the strength to protect the people she had left then of course she would take it. All she'd ever wanted to do was to protect others.

'Alright, it's a deal. But when I do go searching for Yang, you're coming with me,' she said with a smile.

'Deal.'

The two of them hugged again, before Raven sent Ruby off to Ozpin and Glynda. After she had eaten and gotten something to drink, they wanted to immediately start her training, Ruby being the same. The sooner she got stronger, the better.

Good luck, Ruby.

Because by the time we go looking for Yang, I have a bad feeling that I won't be able to accompany you.

She didn't know what it was, but something didn't feel right, and Raven knew exactly what it was. Yuki, an X-Class Grimm had assaulted the facility many times during her time here, but for some reason she hadn't attacked a single time while she had been gone. Something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what.

There was one thing she did know, however.

Their peace would not last long.