Author's Note: This fic uses my other story RWBY V3C12 Redux as a base. It's probably worth the quick read to get an idea of what's going on in the world around these guys. This story will combine with Still Running and Rekindling to lead into a bigger, action-focused story called RWBY Redux (coming soon). The focus may be action but ships will still sail.

It was all gone. Their friends, their possessions, their home. It was not a new experience but it hurt all the same. Ren and Nora had been there before, refugees with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the weapons in their hands. Somehow they had gotten through it before, and now they would have to do it again.

The refugee shelter in Vale was crowded with confused and terrified people. The world was crashing down around them. Some were Beacon students like Ren and Nora, with Beacon overrun with Grimm some had nowhere to go. Most went home, but that was not always an option. Others had lived in parts of the city that had been destroyed. A few were foreigners in for the Vytal Festival who were now stranded. For all of them it was the greatest catastrophe in living memory and there was nothing they could do.

Except for Ren and Nora. They had been through it before. Their village wiped off the map, everyone they knew dead. And they could do something about it. They were warriors now, proper warriors. It was only natural then that they volunteered for guard duty. The city was now considered safe but a Grimm attack could still come at any time, just as it already had. There were also rumors that the White Fang was still operating in the area, and what better target than a building full of helpless humans.

The pair guarded an underground tunnel, the emergency escape route in case of an attack. It could just as easily serve as the vector for that attack. It was boring, standing there in semi-darkness, the concrete walls claustrophobically close. At least they had each other to talk to. Well, Nora did most of the talking. Her boundless energy had survived the attack but some of the spark, some of her joy had not. Ren was even more quiet than usual but threw in the occasional comment if for no other reason than to encourage his friend.

For two whole days they waited, knowing nothing of what had happened after they had left Beacon. Then General Ironwood arrived. He was there to inspect the shelter's defenses. He immediately recognized the Beacon students when he went to check on the tunnel. "The two of you attended Beacon, correct?" He said. "Why have you not gone home?"

"Beacon was our home." Nora replied. "We don't have anywhere else to go."

"That's unfortunate." Ironwood sighed. The entire crisis clearly weighed heavily on him. "I'll do what I can to find you a place." He shook his head and started to walk off.

"Hold on." Ren stopped him. "May we ask a few questions?"

Ironwood stopped and stood still for a moment before turning to face them. "What do you want to know?" He asked.

"We want to know about our friends." Nora said. "We haven't heard anything."

"Who?" Ironwood asked.

"We're on Team JNPR, so our teammates Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos would be a start." Ren replied.

"Pyrrha's whereabouts are unknown but a reliable source has informed me she is safe." Ironwood replied. "As for Jaune...I don't know how to say this…"

"He's dead isn't he?" Nora asked. She began crying hysterically.

"He is missing and presumed deceased." Ironwood confirmed.

"What about Team RWBY?" Nora cried. "Are they okay at least?"

"Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao-Long returned home." Ironwood answered. "They have both suffered severe injuries but should recover. Shortly after her father's arrival, Weiss Schnee disappeared. Blake Belladonna has not been seen since the evacuation."

"And what about Beacon itself?" Ren asked.

"It's still overrun with Grimm and more arrive every day." Ironwood said. "It will remain under quarantine indefinitely."

"Thank you for the information." Ren said. He turned his attention to comforting the still sobbing Nora.

"You two look tired." Ironwood observed. "How long have you been on duty?"

"Thirty-six hours." Ren replied. "We have been taking turns napping. The shelter is understaffed."

"That's unacceptable." Ironwood grumbled. "Soldiers need their rest to be effective. I'll send someone down to relieve you. Then I order you both to get some rest."

"With all due respect, you're not our commanding officer." Ren said. "If anyone is it's Ozpin."

"And he's missing." Ironwood let slip. The look on his face displayed his instant regret. "Forget I said that. Just...I will not have students doing a job for soldiers. I will speak to the people in charge about finding you both jobs to do."

"I appreciate the concern." Ren said.

Nora was starting to calm down. "How did you know so much about our team and Team RWBY?" Nora asked. "Except for Weiss they're not from Atlas."

"An old friend of mine...well he was a friend...is looking for Ms. Schnee and Ms. Belladonna, as well as caring for the others." Ironwood admitted. "Trust me when I tell you they're in good hands." He was beginning to look impatient. "Is that all?"

"Yes sir." Ren said. Ironwood left. A few minutes later a group of Atlesian soldiers arrived to take over for Ren and Nora.

"I know what you're thinking." Ren said. "It's not going to work."

"But we know where Ruby and Yang live." Nora said. "Maybe Pyrrha's with them. It would make sense. And with all of them there Blake and Weiss are bound to show up eventually. We should go there!"

"We can't get there." Ren pointed out. "We have no money. Taking an airship or ferry to Patch now would be incredibly expensive. Most of them are reserved for official use."

"We can't just sit here!" Nora complained. "I hate it here. It reminds me of the other shelter too much. I'd rather be anywhere else."

"Here we're safe and our needs are taken care of." Ren countered. "This is the most logical place to be."

"I don't care how logical it is!" Nora shouted. She was making a scene. Some of the other refugees slowly edged away while others crowded around to get a look. "You can stay if you want, but I'm leaving! I can't stay here another second!" Nora picked up Magnhild and headed for the door.

"Nora, wait…" Ren started. He saw that his words were not going to make any impact so he grabbed his own weapons and followed her. "Where are you going to go?" He asked as they exited the shelter.

"I'm going to Patch." Nora said defiantly. "I don't care what it takes, I'm going there. I'll even get a job if I have to."

"But that could take days, even weeks." Ren argued. "Where will you stay until then?"

"I don't care if I have to sleep on the street." Nora said. "I just...I can't stay there."

Nora's mind was made up and nothing Ren could say would sway her. He made the only decision he could. "I guess I'll join you." He said.

"Thank you!" Nora exclaimed. "This is going to be so fun! Just you wait!"

Ren and Nora headed for the docks. It was the logical place to go. Taking a boat to Patch was far cheaper than flying and that was where the action was besides. After the chaos many people were trying to get out. Ships frequently departed for locations all over the world, though most of those fleeing chose to place themselves under the protection of Atlas and its massive military. As people went out supplies came in. The other kingdoms had little concept of what had happened, other than that it was a terrible catastrophe. Food, medical and building supplies, and all manner of equipment poured in to help with the cleanup and rebuilding efforts. Perhaps there was a job to be found.

The port was hiring. Ren and Nora decided to try their luck. They entered the building that served as the control center and headquarters of Port Vale. The lobby was empty except for a man sitting at a desk. "Job seekers?" The man asked.

"Yep!" Nora confirmed.

"What are you looking to do?" The man asked.

"We're combat trained, so…" Ren started.

"Security, perfect, you're hired." The man said. "We need that. People keep sneaking in at night and stealing."

"What do you want us to do?" Nora asked.

"Stop them." The man said. "You shift starts at midnight. It pays 20 lein per hour. Pay day is Friday."

"We need the money sooner." Ren said. "We're homeless right now."

"You and half the rest of the workers." The man said. "You can get paid on Friday or not at all."

"I guess we don't really have a choice." Nora said. "We'll take it."

"Good." The man said. "Just fill out these papers." He slid a pair of applications across his desk. "Like I told you, you start at midnight, not a minute later. Your shift manager is Rosso. He'll be making the rounds if you have any questions. A word of warning: he'll fire you on the spot if he catches you sleeping, so don't."

Ren and Nora had nowhere else to go, so they hung around the port until midnight. Then they returned to the office to start their new job. It was not ideal. Nora looked as if she could fall asleep at any moment, even before they started, but it would have to do.

A tough-looking, scarred older man met them in the office. "You the new hires?" He asked. Ren and Nora nodded in confirmation. "I'm Rosso, your manager. You'll alternate between walking the perimeter and checking on the goods. If you see anything suspicious, hit an alarm. There's an alarm button on every light pole. The man, what's your name?"

"Ren." He said.

"You're on perimeter for the first hour." Rosso ordered. "Girl, you're on the goods."

"My name's Nora." She said.

"Sure, Nora, goods." Rosso repeated. "After an hour you switch. I'll be in here if there's a problem." He walked to the desk and sat down. "Get going."

Ren and Nora headed out to the freight yard as ordered. Ren walked along the fence line. It was obvious how the thieves, whoever they were, had gotten in. The fence was poorly constructed and it was easy to pull parts of it back enough to open a gap. With all the containers and other obstructions, once someone was inside they could easily hide from any guards that may happen past. Only with luck would they actually be able to catch someone.

After about forty-five minutes of walking, Ren's scroll beeped. It was Nora. "What is it?" He answered.

"Someone's in here." Nora replied. "Come to stack A5, I don't know what to do."

Nora immediately hung up before Ren could give her advice. He decided against hitting an alarm until he knew what was going on. He rushed to A5 and found Nora ducking behind a shipping container. "Where are they?" Ren asked.

Nora pointed to a container a few stacks over. The door on it was swinging open. After a few seconds a small person ducked out of it, followed shortly thereafter by another. "Should we stop them?" Nora asked.

"Try not to hurt them unless you have to." Ren advised. Nora nodded. The pair crept through the maze of shipping containers and split up. They got in front of and behind the pair of intruders and waited until they walked into an alley made by the stacks.

Nora jumped out in front of them, Magnhild in hand. "Freeze!" She shouted. "Hands up!"

The pair turned to run but Ren blocked their escape. "Hold it." He said, weapons drawn. "Move into the light." The pair froze for a moment before edging into the light cast by an overhead lamp. It became immediately obvious why they looked small. "They're kids." Ren said. The pair of thieves were maybe ten years old, a boy and a girl.

"What did you take?" Nora asked. She lowered her hammer and slowly approached the terrified pair.

"F...food." The boy stammered.

"Why?" Ren asked. He slipped his guns back into his sleeves and approached from the other side.

"We're hungry." The girl said. "Our house burned down when the Grimm came and our parents…"

"We don't know where they are." The boy said.

"What should we do?" Nora asked. "We can't call the police on them."

"Why not?" Rosso appeared from the darkness. "Good job you two. It looks like you managed to apprehend out thieves."

"What are you going to do with them?" Ren asked.

Rosso walked past him. "Hand over the goods." Rosso ordered.

"They're starving." Ren said.

"I don't care." Rosso said. "Hand over the goods. Don't make me take them." The boy quickly handed over the box of food he was holding but the girl did not. "Now!" Rosso shouted. The girl refused, holding her box away from him. "Fine." Rosso sighed. He grabbed the box and the girl refused to let go. After struggling for a few seconds Rosso kicked her in the stomach. She toppled backward and slammed into a shipping container before curling up on the ground and crying. The boy rushed over to comfort her and shield her from Rosso.

"What's wrong with you!?" Nora screamed. "She's a little kid!"

"And she's a thief." Rosso countered. "I don't care how young she is."

"You're a monster!" Nora shouted. "You'd rather they starve to death!"

"I'm just doing my job." Rosso said. "I suggest you get back to yours." He turned to the children. "You're both coming with me. We're going to have a nice little chat before I turn you over to the cops." He stood over the pair. "Get up." He commanded. Neither did. "Why do you have to make this difficult?" He reached down and grabbed the boy by the collar and yanked him to his feet. The boy struggled to get free so Rosso slammed his head into the container.

"Leave them alone!" Nora demanded. She already had Magnhild drawn and ready to swing.

"You wouldn't dare." Rosso laughed.

Nora swung her hammer straight for Rosso's head. The cockiness his face had displayed disappeared instantly, replaced by terror. "Nora stop!" Ren yelled. He leapt forward and caught Magnhild with his own weapons.

"Thank you for saving me from that savage...what was it...Ren." Rosso said.

Ren pushed Magnhild back then punched Rosso in the face. Rosso lost his grip on the boy and stumbled into the shipping container. "Get out of here kids." Ren said. "Take the food." The pair got up, grabbed their boxes and fled. Rosso took a swing at Ren but he ducked it and flipped Rosso over onto his back. "Stay down." Ren advised.

"You're both fired!" Rosso shouted. "I'll have you both arrested!"

"I don't want this job anymore anyway." Nora said.

"As for the cops, I'm sure they'd love to hear about how you beat up a pair of starving children." Ren said. "Your boss would love that story too. Or we could just leave, having quit. Your choice."

Rosso spit on Ren. "Get out of here you bastards." Rosso hissed. "Don't ever come back."

"Gladly." Nora said. She and Ren left without another word.

Ren and Nora found an abandoned building to call home for the time being. It was heavily damaged but it was a roof over their heads. There was no furniture but the carpeted wood floor was better than sleeping on the cold hard ground. "That could have gone better." Nora sighed. Ren just nodded. It looked like getting a job was not going to happen. Even if they had escaped prosecution, Rosso would probably spread word of the two lunatics who had attacked him. "I'm glad we helped those kids though. I wish we could do more."

"I know what you mean." Ren said.

"It was like I was looking at us from the past." Nora continued. "I guess that's us now too, homeless and penniless." Nora started to cry. "We're never going to make it to Patch. We've got nothing left!"

Ren slid over beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. "We've got each other." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, that's true." Nora said, her mood already swinging away from despair.

"We got through it the last time." Ren said. "We'll do it again."

"Yeah, we can do it." Nora said.

"Though I wonder…" Ren started. "I wonder if this is all there is. If we'll just go from disaster to disaster for the rest of our lives."

"If you stay with me I don't care if it is." Nora said. "Together we can get through anything."

"Nora, how do you really feel about me?" Ren asked.

Nora was surprised by the sudden question. She was not sure how to respond, still afraid to admit how much she loved him. "You're awesome!" Nora exclaimed. "You're my best friend!"

"But you wish I was more than your best friend." Ren said.

"Uh...what are you talking about?" Nora asked in a near panic.

"Maybe I'm just projecting myself onto you." Ren sighed. "Forget I said anything."

"No, continue, please." Nora pleaded.

"Fine." Ren sighed. "We've been together for a really long time. You're the closest thing I have to family. As great as that is...how do I put this?"

"Ren, I love you." Nora blurted out. "And not as the brother I never had."

"Well...huh." Ren said, taken aback. "That phrases it nicely. I love you too."

Nora felt faint. "Wha...really?" She asked.

"Really." Ren replied. "I've felt...different about us for a while now. I just didn't have the courage to say it."

"Me too!" Nora exclaimed. "I was so afraid you didn't feel that way and that telling you would make it weird and you wouldn't want to hang out with me anymore and that you'd leave and…"

"I'm never going to leave." Ren cut her off. "You're loud, and excitable, and outgoing, and just about everything I'm not, but there's no one in the world I'd rather be with."

"I was afraid you thought I was too much trouble." Nora said. "I know I can be annoying and I make a mess sometimes, and I was worried you saw me as a burden."

"You could never be a burden to me." Ren said. "Even when I'm cleaning up after you, I love every moment I spend with you."

"I couldn't be happier!" Nora said. She grabbed Ren by the sides of his head, pulled him in and kissed him on the lips. Ren's eyes bulged and he flailed about for a moment before moving twisting himself around to embrace her. He pulled away, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and leaned back in. The kiss seemed to go on forever, but neither wanted to stop. They had been waiting for this moment for so long, each longing for the same thing but never realizing how the other really felt. Now that it was here they did not want it to end. Finally, the need to breathe separated them. "How'd was that?" Nora asked.

"Good, good...just warn me next time." Ren replied.

"Here's your warning." Nora said with a wink. She leaned forward and they kissed again. They laid down on the floor, wrapped in a tender embrace. Nora broke the kiss and gazed into Ren's eyes. "I love you."

Ren and Nora awoke in each other's' arms the next morning. The previous night felt like a dream, one they were both glad was real. Unfortunately, they now had to face the harsh reality of their situation. They were still homeless and penniless, no closer to getting to Patch than they had been the day before. Together though, they knew they could overcome any obstacle. They kissed again, neither wanting to depart the other's embrace to face the day.

"What do we have here?" A voice asked from somewhere out of view. Ren sat up and looked around. To his side was a thin man with messy black hair. He was leaning against the wall just across the room.

"Who are you?" Ren demanded. The man looked vaguely familiar but Ren could not place it.

"Qrow." The man said.

Nora sat up too. "Ruby's uncle?" She asked.

"That's me." Qrow confirmed.

"What are you doing here?" Nora asked.

"I could ask you two love birds the same thing." Qrow replied.

"We're homeless." Ren said.

"There's a shelter for refugees." Qrow said.

"I couldn't stay there, not for another day." Nora said.

"Bad memories?" Qrow said. "With what happened to you two I'm not surprised."

"How do you know…" Ren started.

"It doesn't matter what I know or how I know it." Qrow cut him off. "You wanted to know why I was here. I've been looking for the two of you. Pyrrha and my nieces are very worried about you."

"Are you the one taking care of them?" Ren asked. "We talked to General Ironwood."

"So Jimmy told you?" Qrow said. "I guess you know about Jaune then. I'm sorry."

"Yes, we know." Ren said. Nora shed a few tears at the mention of his name.

"Anyway, I'm here to take you to Patch..." Qrow started.

"That's where we want to go!" Nora exclaimed.

"...But not yet." Qrow finished. Nora's excitement was squashed. "Things are a little unsettled at the moment so you'll have to stay in Vale for a while longer."

"So what are we supposed to do until then?" Nora asked.

"Here's some Lein." Qrow said as he tossed a few cards at the pair. "There's a hotel by the docks called the Portside Inn. Tell them I sent you. It's kind of a dive but it's better than this. I'll come to take you to Patch when the time is right." He started to walk away before turning back. "Oh, and the walls there are pretty thin so if you do anything, try to keep it down."

"We just kissed." Nora said.

"I'm not judging." Qrow shrugged. "Just try not to get into any trouble."

"We'll be waiting." Ren said. He turned to Nora. "Together."

Nora met Ren's gaze and smiled. "Together together."

Author's Note: I have to admit I wasn't really thrilled with how this one came out. Renora is absolutely my favorite ship but I just couldn't figure it out for this story. I feel like I did a good job with Still Running and Rekindling, along with previous shipping stuff I've written, but for whatever reason not this one. I guess these characters just lack the same kind of conflict I thrive on. If you don't think it was crap, please let me know.