Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The slow but steady beeping of the hospital equipment filled the hospital room. Ruby lay in front of her on the white hospital bed. Ruby was motionless, pale, and ever so slightly breathing. She had been like this for weeks now, and from the looks of it, she wasn't gonna wake up anytime soon. Yang had requested some alone time with her sister, as she knew this would be her last chance to say goodbye properly.
Today was the day they'd pull the plug on Ruby's life support.
And so Yang sat there by Ruby's bedside, gripping her hand tightly. She never wanted to let go. She desperately wanted to feel Ruby grip her hand back.
But she wouldn't. No matter how much Yang plea she wake up, no matter how much she cry herself to sleep at night during these weeks, Ruby was never gonna wake up. Never gonna hug Yang again.
And Yang had never felt so hopeless before.
The death of her and Ruby's mother was hard, but her death is what drove Yang to become what she was today. Yang had been there since the day Summer died. But now, Yang was losing what drove her to this point. What drove her to never give up.
No matter how many times people said it wasn't her fault, no matter how many times people said Ruby took the brunt of the hit to save another, Yang couldn't help but blame herself.
"Damn that Torchwick! Damn Cinder! Damn the White Fang!" Yang muttered through clenched teeth, clenching her fist as she looked down at her lap. Great, she could feel hot tears streaming down her face. Maybe if Yang had run a little faster, maybe if she didn't stop to save that hunter from a stray shot... Just maybe... her baby sister would be awake and well.
Enough. She had to be strong during this final moment, no matter how much she wished she could simply flicker out and vanish. Besides... Maybe... Just maybe, Ruby could still hear her.
"Hey, Ruby..." Yang said softly, trying to wipe away the hot tears from her face. "Ruby, can you hear me?" No response. It didn't surprise her, but she had to try anyways. "I guess this is the last time I get to spend some... q-quality time with you..." Yang mentally cursed herself as her voice cracked. Clearing her throat, trying not to burst into tears, she continued.
"I-I really don't know what to say, sis..." Yang said, "You and me have talked a lot during the weeks you were here, huh? Even Weiss and Blake joined in sometimes..." Yang sniffled slightly. She had a pause in speech as she desperately searched for what to say. She was so tired, having barely slept the past few days. She looked terrible, and her hair was an utter mess. She lost the will to keep it tamed, so to speak.
Suddenly, a memory came to Yang. The memories of when Yang would sing to Ruby to help lull her to sleep after having a nightmare. Oh how Yang wished this could all be a nightmare; a nightmare she'd wake up from and have a good laugh about.
"Hey s-sis, would you like me to... sing for you?" Yang asked Ruby's still body. Not a single twitch or sound. Just nothing.
Yang had to say something. Do something. And as such, she mustered up the courage to sing.
"Don't you worry about the dark,
I will light up the night with the love in my heart."
Night time had long since fallen upon Remnant, the shattered moon above providing just enough light for Yang to see Ruby's pale face.
"I will burn like the sun, I will keep you safe and warm."
Yang wished she could. But now, Yang was a fading star. A star about to lose what was dear.
"Like the smell of a summer rose on a summers' day, I will be there to take all your fears away."
Yang remembered what Summer had told them: "I promise I'll be right back."
But, Summer never kept that promise. This is why Yang had been determined to make it up to Ruby and always be there, always be there to protect her.
Yang had failed Ruby.
"With a touch of my hand, I will turn your life to Gold.
Gold..."
Yang knew she probably sounded terrible in this state, and could feel her voice wanting to crack, but no... She had to be strong for her.
"Don't worry... I've got you."
Yang reached up, brushing a stray strand of black hair away from Ruby's face,
"Nothing will ever harm you."
Oh what a lie that was.
"I'm close by, I'll stay here. Through all things I will be near."
Well, at least she was near now, right? She would be near her until her final breath.
Yang tried to continue, but felt the tears become too much. She broke down right there, the hot tears streaming down her face once more as she sobbed.
She stayed like that for a good minute or two until she looked back at Ruby's face. What she saw utterly smashed whatever remained of her heart. Ruby shed a tear.
That right there was enough encouragement to keep going.
"Close your eyes, don't you cry..."
Yang forced a very small smile as she wiped away Ruby's tear,
"Loves around you, in time you'll fly..."
Yang sat at the desk in team WBY's dorm. It was about 4 AM now, and it was still dark. She could hear the quiet sobs of Weiss from her bunk. Looking over, Yang could see Blake lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling silently. Yang herself would've cried, but she had cried all her tears away. Maybe Ruby took the remainder of her tears with her when she died.
Yang went back to staring out the window into the distance, letting out a small strained sigh.
"Thank you sis..."
Yang looked to her side to see Ruby, right there standing by her side. Yang was too tired and emotionally dead to react properly.
"Thanks for being with me until the end." Ruby smiled, "It's not your fault, alright?" She added.
"Promise me you'll take good care of Weiss and Blake, too." Ruby said, glancing at Weiss' bunk. Her smile never left her face, "Well, I gotta go sis! Mom is calling me. We'll meet again, I promise." Ruby said, seemingly hovering over to the door, "Hey Yang..."
"Y-yes...?" Yang asked weakly.
"Remember when you said in time I'll fly?" Ruby asked, turning to face Yang, who nodded in response.
"I already was. Thanks to you." Ruby smiled, waving, "Bye sis."
And with that, the Yellow beauty that burned gold, went out like a light and blacked out.
-FIN-