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Yang's eyes widened at the all too familiar face in front of them.
"Neo... " said Ruby, the air thick with tension.
In a flash of white and black at her side, Yang saw Blake launch herself angrily at their silent adversary.
"Blake!" Yang yelled, prepared to back her up, when she and the rest of team RWBY noticed Neo was not alone. They were soon surrounded by an army of Neo’s. Ruby didn't even hesitate as she started to engage the Neo's.
Yang cocked her gauntlets, and leaned towards Weiss. "This is bad."
"Bad doesn't begin to cover this."
Weiss and Yang entered the fray and honestly they were outnumbered and outmatched. They were fighting a losing battle from the start.
The four were quickly separated. Blake was viciously attacking Neo Prime. She was consumed by her desire to pay back Neo for every ounce of pain she had ever caused her and her team.
Neo Prime backflipped behind a wave of Neo's and Blake paused.
A sudden scream caught Blake’s attention.
Blake turned to see Weiss running towards the still form of Ruby. Blake ran towards the pair. "Is she…? " Blake asked.
Weiss was kneeling next to their team leader. "Unconscious. Blake, we have to retreat." Weiss summoned her knight to pick up Ruby as she threw up a giant ice wall to separate them from the army of Neo's. "Find Yang. I've got Ruby." Weiss hurried with her knight away from the fray.
Blake scanned the shadowed rocky terrain. Where was Yang? She didn't see her partner. Panic was starting to rise in her. Where - was - Yang!? "Yang! Yang! Where are you?!"
Did Neo... No, not again. No no no no no no no no "Yang!?" Terror had crept into her desperate yells. Blake ran all over, every second causing her heart to race faster.
Blake could only see Weiss and her knight getting further and further away. Blake heard harsh breaths and it took a moment to realize that they were her own. Breathe. She had to breathe. She had to find Yang.
Wait. Wait. Breathe. Slow down. Breathe. Blake stood still and closed her eyes and concentrated on her breaths. She heard them even out. Now listen. Listen. Blake concentrated hard. After a few seconds she could hear a familiar groan in the distance. There.
Blake opened her eyes and rushed towards the sound. Yang was slumped behind a boulder. "Yang!" Blake slid toward her partner on her knees. Blake cradled the blonde's face in her hands. "Yang."
Yang's eyes fluttered open, then shut. "Ow."
Blake got an arm under Yang's shoulders and hoisted her up. Blake led Yang away and in the direction she saw Weiss head.
"Blake! Here!" Weiss called out from a well hidden cave.
Blake brought Yang inside and set her down against the wall. Yang had her eyes closed and was mumbling nonsensically. Blake took the time to carefully examine her partner for any major injuries. Finding none, Blake stood and started to leave the cave.
"Blake?" Weiss called out.
"Need some air," she managed to force out.
"Don't go far," Weiss said, understandingly.
Blake nodded and rushed out. She found an isolated spot out of sight and as her body reeled from the adrenaline dump, her stomach rejected its contents. All she could do was bend over and let it happen.
Bent over, leaning on a tree for support, Blake tried to steady her shaky breathing and calm down the tidal wave of emotions surging through her.
Blake wasn't sure how long she was there when she heard a soft voice calling out.
"Blake?"
Yang. Blake headed towards the voice and when she saw her, Blake couldn't help but immediately embrace her tightly.
"Whoa. You're shaking. What's wrong?" asked Yang softly.
Blake shook her head and held onto Yang tighter.
"Okay." Yang held Blake's head and ran what she hoped was a consoling hand up and down Blake's back. Yang maneuvered the pair to sit and Blake practically curled up against Yang as she kept up her gentle ministrations. The two spent a few quiet minutes taking comfort in each other's presence.
Blake pulled back and Yang held Blake's face, using her thumbs to brush the remaining tears away. "Hey, you ready to talk yet?"
Blake rested her head against Yang's chest and nodded. "I couldn't find you. After the fight I couldn't find you. I thought Neo…” Blake couldn't continue.
"Oh." Yang paused. "I am so sorry for ever making you feel that way."
"It reminded me too much of when you fell and I didn't know what had happened to you. When I couldn't find you I panicked. I was -” Blake's voice broke. "- so scared." Her tears started to flow again and Blake nuzzled further into Yang.
Yang squeezed Blake tightly. "I am so sorry." After another lengthy pause, Yang asked, "Is this why you're always keeping an eye on me when we fight?"
Blake nodded.
"I'm not going anywhere, Blake."
"But you might. Neo..."
"Not if we fight together. When we do that no one can stop us." Yang brushed a hand over Blake's hair. "You told me I can't run into danger head first, to think first. Blake, I saw how you went after Neo. If I have to try and be safer, so do you. We are a team."
Blake sighed. "You're right."
"Sometimes. Hey, you feeling any better?"
"Yeah."
"Wanna head back to the others?"
"In a few minutes," said Blake as she tightened her hold on Yang.
Yang chuckled lightly. "Anything for you."
"I love you, Yang."
Yang rested a gentle kiss on the top of Blake's head. "Love you, too."