The first time she had said anything, it had been on a scouting mission as partners.
"What do you think you're doing?" Weiss yelled, doing a dive roll on the ground to dodge her eccentric partner, who had jumped in front of her, Crescent Rose swinging at full speed.
The pair normally had great chemistry – two years together in the academy as partners, plus an additional year learning to communicate as girlfriends helped.
But today, today was another day.
As the sounds of battle died down, Weiss looked up to see a familiar grin on her girlfriend's face as she offered her hand to help the heiress up.
Scrapes and cuts were littered across Ruby's muscular body, but nothing that her aura wouldn't heal.
"Sorry Weiss!" she shrugged, apologizing with a sheepish look on her face. "I just got lost in the moment! Like, we're partners, right? I'm supposed to be your protector – your barrier, your knight in shining armor! I guess I got carried away…"
Weiss rolled her eyes as she got back up. "Last time I checked, I normally provide defense for our team – as per your plans. I don't need protection"
"But Weiss! It's cool!"
Weiss sighed. It was going to be a long mission.
Weiss awoke from her dream with a start, sweat trickling down her body.
"Dammit…" she mumbled to herself, shaking her head, hands clutching Ruby's signature red cloak to her chest tightly as she forced herself out of bed. "Protector huh? Ruby, you idiot…"
It had been two weeks. Two weeks since that dreadful call.
Two weeks since she was informed of how remnants of the White Fang had gotten a hold of her lover.
Two weeks since she began her nonstop search for Ruby Rose, aided by her teammates; her search that she would never give up on.
The stakes were higher than ever. This wasn't anything Ruby needed to be involved in, and Weiss would never forgive herself for it. This wasn't a simple kidnapping – this was aimed directly at her. Aimed at the heart of the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company.
No, this was an act of revenge and one that Ruby only got involved in due to her hero complex and insistence on protecting Weiss, no matter the cost.
When Ruby left on a mission, Weiss felt she should go after her. Ruby insisted she stayed home – it was supposed to be a simple one, and Weiss relented. She didn't trust her instincts, and now the love of her life was in grave danger. Rage fueled the CEO, and she couldn't ignore the bile that dared to climb up her throat.
No, the stakes could not get any higher. Not anymore.
Ruby awoke slowly to the sounds of fighting. Her body hurt, she had scraps and bruises all over her body, not to mention some very purposeful slices alongside her chest and neck – nothing fatal, but it was enough damage that her aura wasn't able to fully heal her.
She had been questioned over and over again in the past few weeks for any information on the inner workings of the Schnee Dust Company, and her refusal to answer only caused her pain. But, it was pain that she would endure to the end of time; she would never betray Weiss; she'd rather die. And from the way things were going, she wouldn't be surprised if death was the result of this whole mess.
It was a death she would accept without regrets.
Shaking her head out of any invasive negative thoughts, trying to keep her mind off of her situation, she struggled against the ropes that bound her to a chair as she looked around the room.
It was small – not quite a prison, though she assumed that was more due to the lack of resources of her captors than anything. The walls were white and around her were simply tools used to question prisoners – tools she had first hand experience dealing with.
She shook her head, trying to focus back on the situation at hand. She hadn't been poisoned – but having only been given the bare minimum of food and water to survive – her head felt fuzzy, and it was getting harder to concentrate every day.
That was when she heard it.
Two screams. Not out of pain, but instead, out of anger.
The first – a deep, blood-wrenching scream of rage, an explosion sounding soon after – it could only be one person. Yang Xiao Long.
And Ruby's heart jumped at the second. It was a scream she had never heard before. One that sounded out of control, fearful, and vengeful. The owner never lost control, she was the cool-headed one – at least in battle – but in this scenario, all control was gone. That voice was unmistakably Weiss Schnee.
"Weiss!" she rasped out, adrenaline finally taking over. Ruby had to admit, as much as she fought in the beginning, her hopes were starting to fall over anyone finding her, though she never doubted that her team was doing their very best. Struggling against the ropes, she continued to fight.
"C'mon…c'mon you darn thing…" she mumbled, letting out a scream as the chair she was in fell over, making her land on one of her more recent wounds.
There was a pause in the air, and for a moment, everything stopped.
Before she could begin to register what this meant – her mind beginning to zone out once more from the pain – a familiar glyph appeared on her door, retching it apart, and in the doorway stood her savior.
Ruby felt tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes as her heart raced. She was choked up, and in pain but she couldn't help it.
"Weiss…" she whispered.
Weiss Schnee raced over to her side. Her uniform was full of cuts, and Ruby noticed the open cut on her forehead, staining some of her white hair red. Raising Myrtenaster slightly, the ropes that bound Ruby were cut and she was pulled into a tight embrace.
"C'mon…" the heiress whispered into her ear. "Let's get you home."
With a call out to her sister and their faunus teammate, Ruby was lifted up and their escape was imminent.
After all they went through, a trip to the hospital was necessary. Weiss spent the most time arguing with doctors and nurses, and refusing treatment until the very last moment.
Although Weiss knew she needed rest, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself from flying off the handle if she received treatment before her teammates.
Yang and Blake were lucky – their injuries were minor, due to having each other watch their backs and perhaps a little luck, they only had to get a few stitches and some bedrest – their aura would handle the rest.
Weiss had it a little worse, having a minor concussion, but it was still nothing more than expected after an impulsive rescue attempt.
But Ruby, Ruby who Weiss' heart ached for, was in a much more damaging situation. She would be able to come home; and Weiss knew to count her blessings; but she would be out of commission for some time.
The doctor informed Yang and Weiss, being her emergency contacts, that her aura was almost entirely gone, and she needed time to heal. Without that, what would normally take a day of rest, would take at least a week, and she would also be in a sling for quite some time.
Even then, Weiss knew they were lucky.
She clenched her fist as she thought about it. Ruby could have crippled – or killed – had they not reached her in time. She thanked every god out there for the safety of her girlfriend, but that didn't take away her anger. Towards her family for creating the war between the White Fang in the first place. Towards the White Fang for daring to drag an innocent girl into their deadly game of revenge against the Schnees. And perhaps most of all, towards herself for allowing such an event to take place in the first place.
"Weiss?" her thoughts were interrupted by the demure voice standing in the hall.
"Ruby," she smiled, walking over and bringing the girl into a gentle hug, kissing her forehead.
"Is everything okay?" Ruby tilted her head, always the observant one. It was one of the qualities that made Weiss respect her as a leader.
"I'm fine," she lied, shrugging slightly when Ruby pouted, clearly not believing her. "Let's…let's just go home…"
With a nod, and placing her uninjured hand in the others, the pair headed out the door.
Ruby knew something was wrong. She always felt she was an observant person – something she had picked up from her sister, and a skill that only grew as she fell into the role of leader of team RWBY. And if there one person she knew better than anyone, it would be Weiss Schnee.
Weiss had been off the entire time they were home. She fretted over Ruby, which was to be expected, but it was a step further than usual. It was to a point where Ruby couldn't tell if Weiss was scared, happy, or angry, and that worried the young huntress.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door to Weiss' office. As expected, Weiss was working, and ignoring all orders of bedrest. Ruby smiled. If there was anyone worse at resting than her, it would be her girlfriend. It was something she both respected and hated about the heiress.
After a few seconds without an answer, Ruby knocked again.
"…come in," was the answer.
She poked her head in the doorway before walking in, leaning against the desk where Weiss was working. She was in her nightgown, a beautiful blue one that accented her icy blue eyes and she was stunning. It didn't matter how long they had been together – Weiss Schnee would always be the prettiest girl in the world to Ruby.
"What is it Ruby?" Weiss finally asked, looking up into the silver eyes of her girlfriend with a frown. "You're supposed to be resting."
"I feel like you of all people can't say that to me," Ruby retorted, smirking slightly as she grabbed Weiss' hand, pulling her away from any work she was trying to still do. "Are you okay? You've been off ever since we made it to the hospital."
"Ruby, I'm fine, really. It's just been a long day."
"Is it because of me?" Ruby smiled, her eyes gleaming with sadness and compassion. "I'm really sorry you know. I don't know if I've already said that."
She stood up, wrapping her one good arm around Weiss' shoulders, leaning in closer.
"And thank you," she whispered. "It was scary, but you saved me. I always knew you would. I wish I wasn't such a dummy to get kid—"
"Ruby." Weiss pulled away suddenly, turning her chair to face Ruby, grabbing her hands once more. "Please, don't blame yourself. If anything, this was my fault."
"Wait what?" Ruby blinked. "How? I mean, I was the one who was careless,"
"And I was the one they really wanted."
"Weiss that's not—"
"It is and you know it!" Weiss nearly shouted, making Ruby flinch. "It was my family they were after, and I'm your partner. I should have been there to help! But I wasn't. And…I'm sorry."
To Weiss' surprise, Ruby just smiled.
"Is that what you're worried about?"
"What are you even talking about?" Weiss glared at her girlfriend, though her eyes were soft, and Ruby knew at this point, she was just trying to be angry – an emotion that was probably long gone.
"You did protect me," Ruby smiled, leaning down and kissing Weiss gently before speaking again, their foreheads touching. "You could have left me, but you didn't. You searched. For weeks. I know you did. And you rescued me. It doesn't matter now how it happened, but it's the results that matter. You saved me Weiss, just as I knew you would. You always have, ever since we met."
Weiss flushed. "That was different! We're more experienced now and—"
Ruby grinned, kissing her cheek. "Nope! You protected me from a much worse fate, and deep inside you know it,"
She poked Weiss' chest and chuckled.
"Ruby…" Weiss smiled, sighing softly. "You know we're going to have to discuss this later, right?"
Ruby nodded. "Of course. It's only to be expected. But for now, let's go to bed."
Weiss sighed. "Fine. But only so you'll get the rest you need…dolt."
The pair stood up, and walked in silence to their bedroom.
Ruby smiled as she crawled into bed. "See! You always care. You really are my knight in shining armor too!"
"Go to bed, Ruby." Weiss mumbled, as held her lover tightly against herself.
In the darkness, however, she smiled.
They worked well together. They always had. And even in the mishaps, the dangers, Weiss knew they would be there for each other, always.
When sleep finally came, no nightmares arrived.