You can thank my friend for getting me involved in this feeling induced series. I do not own RWBY and this takes place sometime between this week's episode and last week's episode. Also I borrowed elements from the Anthology Manga series so yea…

Strength and Weakness

There was no real way to pinpoint the when it happened. She supposed it could have happened after her talk with Professor Port the day after their initiation into Beacon; her promise that she had made, "Just know, that I am going to be the best teammate you'll ever have." She had meant it back then, but only in matters of a 'working' relationship. She hadn't actually intended on being friends or 'best friends forever' type friends; hell she hadn't even counted on being family.

She stared at the ceiling from her sleeping bag in Jaune's sister's living room; having finally arrived after the dreadful events of Brunswick farms. Weiss shivers as the flashes of the Apathy cross her mind and turns on to her side facing the seemingly sleeping forms of Yang and Blake. She frowns deeply as she recalls Blake's explanation when she and Yang apologized for their behavior. She had mentioned that it was those Grimm that made them feel the helplessness and tiredness; however she isn't too sure that was entirely the case.

Rolling back over she continues to stare upwards as Ruby's devastated face crosses her mind. Her frown deepens as those silver eyes are normally filled with light and hope; but in those moments they were dull and lifeless…all because of them…her…filling Ruby's head with doubt. In fact it wasn't until this thought crossed her mind that she realized Ruby had been fighting the hopelessness they were all filled with during their short stay at the farm.

Ruby's words were playing in her head, the desperate need to assure them that what they were doing had a real purpose; that they shouldn't give up despite learning Ozpin's past and the truth that they couldn't simply destroy Salem. For those few precious hours, Ruby still managed to try and assure them, but all it took was Yang and her revealing their doubt to pressuring her to just dispose of the Relic of Knowledge down that damned well that she loss the will to continue.

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and clenched her jaw, "I hope to be strong enough to protect her happiness and optimism." Her own thought echoing from her head from a memory the more she had gotten to know her team leader. She failed. Failed miserably and then as if to add salt to the wound in her heart, she never had asked Ruby how she had been holding up during their stay.

Speaking of Ruby, she turned once more to see that Yang and Blake were still in their sleeping bags, and then rolling over to her other side, she saw that Ruby's bag was empty. She sat up startled and looked around to Jaune, Ren, and Nora sleeping in their sleeping bags. Maria had taken a guest room, and Oscar had taken the other one with Qrow.

"Hey you alright?" Weiss turned to see Yang and Blake sitting up. It was Yang who asked the question, lavender eyes seeming to glow against the dying fire place.

"What are you doing up?" Weiss whispered back.

"Couldn't sleep, but it seems that is the case for you as well;" Blake responded knowingly. Then looking to where Weiss's gaze had fallen to, "Where is Ruby?"

Before Weiss could retort, Yang sighed, "Come on. Let's go find her before she gets into trouble." Nodding in agreement, they got up and based on the darkness and silence of the house, they could only assume that Ruby had gone outside. So carefully they made their trek across the living room, and snuck out the door.

They didn't have to go far before Blake, with her cat ears, picked up faint whispers coming from the backyard, "Thank you for meeting me, I know you must be tired…properly tired not Grimm Apathy tired." Ruby's hushed voice with a forced attempt at humor.

"It's alright. However I don't know exactly how this will go. He has been quiet ever since that incident with Jinn." Oscar's equally unsure tone responding, "It is kind of eerie."

Motioning for Yang and Weiss to not do anything to disturb this meeting, they stealthy moved forward to see the Ruby and Oscar just looking at each other; and Blake, for her part, didn't need her cat instincts to know that something didn't feel right with this meeting, and looking at her other two teammates, she knew that they felt the same way. So for now, they hung back, waiting in the shadows for one of them to start talking again.

"Ruby, I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them." Ozpin's words had echoed in her head since the beginning when she had first questioned him if he had made the right choice of making her team leader. Those words had only grown in weight since the fall of Beacon to nearly being unbearable since learning the truth and setting foot on that damned farm, "Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?"

What reason in deed? She tried hard to fight the Apathy. Even before they knew that was the cause of their distress. She had wanted to believe Blake that it was because of those Grimm, but really she couldn't blame those creatures entirely. She could see the truth in the eyes of everyone there, they had been tired. Tired of the fighting, of the loss, the hopelessness; and Ruby couldn't fault them for it, but she tried damn it! Tried hard to be the hope, to be the voice of reason, to be…to be a leader. Yet she failed. Failed because she had a weak moment, a moment that could have costed them everything. Weak in will and strength. Blake's unconscious form crossed into her mind, what would have happened had she not used her powers? Had Maria not realized what color her eyes had been, or helped her focus on using that strange power again in that tunnel?

She didn't want to think about it, but lying there, staring aimlessly up at the ceiling made her relive those moments again, and more moments from before Brunswick farm. In her mind, she didn't think she performed her best, that there was always something more she should be doing. So it was with that thought, she had discreetly pulled her scroll out and sent a silent message to Oscar to meet her outside, that she needed to talk to her headmaster.

Now though, under the shatter remains of the moon with Ozpin's words ringing ever more loudly in her head, she took a deep breath unsure if she was going to get the answer she desperately needed, "He hasn't been communicating with you?" Ruby decided to ask.

Oscar shook his head almost defeated, "I've tried talking with him but he won't answer. Like I said, it's been eerie."

"Is he still-"

"He's there, I know he is still there; but it's like he's retreated so far back into my self-conscious that it's like he might as well not be there…if that makes sense."

Ruby nodded and bit her lip, before eventually deciding to say, "Well you are him in some way I suppose, and I need my headmaster." Then looking unsure again, she asked, "Would it be too weird if I start talking to you like I would talk to him? Let me know and I can figure something else out."

Oscar looked at the young woman with pity. He was used to seeing Ruby holding herself with such confidence that he was sure nothing could break her, that she was invincible; it scared him to see her looking so vulnerable. However this was his chance to feel useful, and in all honesty he wanted the same young woman back that gave him something to hope for, "Of course. Whatever you want me to be, I will try my best to be." He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

Ruby, for the first time since leaving the farm, genuinely smiled and grabbed his hand giving it a squeeze, "Thank you." Letting go of his hand, her smile fell and she took another deep breath looking at Oscar with her piercing silver eyed gaze that nearly made his heart stop, "Professor, Oscar says you are still with him. You do not have to talk with me, but I need you to at least listen."

He saw Ruby falter a bit, but then felt something faintly stirring, nodding encouragingly to her, she continued, "Once upon a time, you told me that you made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on the planet. Remember? It was just after you witnessed Weiss's and my argument after Professor Port's class and I asked if my appointment in being a team leader was a mistake." She bit her lip, "You told me that you would not consider me being a leader to be one of them. I need to know if you still believe that." She turned her self-loathing gaze downward towards the ground.

Weiss and Yang felt their jaws nearly drop at this, and the sudden pull to go to their leader was strong, but Blake (fighting the same instinct) held them both back. Clearly this was something Ruby was struggling with for a long while now and if Ozpin was the one she wanted to confide in, then who were they to stop it?

"I am trying hard to be the team leader that everyone needs; but it just seems like my best isn't enough anymore. Proof of that was back at the farm. I tried to give hope and encouragement, but it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough, then we almost got killed because of my weakness. I dropped the relic down the well; it was my fault that we were almost killed."

"No Ruby-" Oscar tried to speak up.

Ruby's remark caused Yang's protective nature to flare up, "Ruby…" She whispered.

"It wasn't her fault." Weiss muttered, "It was mine."

"Ours." Yang growled out.

"It was no one's." Blake stated softly and firmly, "It was those Apathy." Wasn't it? Or was it a combination? She hadn't said much in the matter when they were around the well, but then again she didn't try very hard to fight the hopelessness like Ruby had.

Weiss and Yang silently disagreed with Blake's assessment. Yang was Ruby's older sister, she was supposed to support her and encourage her, not bully her into giving up like she had. Weiss had promised to be the best she could be, and knowing she hadn't even realized Ruby's true feelings deep down…what kind of partner was she? What kind of friend was she?

"Oscar please;" Ruby stated looking at him imploringly, "I need to get this out with any interruptions."

Oscar nodded, but the faint feeling became stronger. As if an inner strength somehow was awaken from a deep slumber. He knew that Ruby's words reached the dormant wizard inside of him, "I'm sorry, please continue."

Ruby nodded, and sighed, "I am sorry Professor. I shouldn't have judged you too harshly. I may not fully understand your reasoning or logic, but I think I can understand of failing the ones you love. I feel like I failed the ones I love too." She looked away again, "I invaded your privacy. I asked the question, and I betrayed your trust. I made you relive your darkest memories. For that I am sorry."

Ruby, Oscar was momentarily startled by the voice, but did his best to hide it. He did however unconsciously fix his posture so that his back was straighter and griped the cane on his belt loop, "I understand if you are regretting your decision of me being a leader, I understand if I let you down. I am willing to do whatever I can to make you not regret your decision, to seek your forgiveness, to regain your trust. To restore your faith." She reached towards her belt and unclipped the relic. To everyone's amazement, she held it out for Oscar, "I am giving you the relic back. What I am about to do once we can get to the base towards Atlas, I will not be needing it."

"What the hell is she talking about?" Weiss demanded to know.

Yang was quiet, not understanding Ruby's words and yet not liking the look in the seemingly glowing silver eyes. Blake, gasped though and knew exactly what the young leader has planned, "She is not coming with us to Atlas." She muttered.

This stirred something in Oscar and suddenly he felt a huge pull in his core and knew that he was no longer in control as now he trapped in his own mind, Ozpin finally taking over. Ruby saw Oscar's hazel eyes glimmer for a brief moment and his hand reached for his cane so that he was leaning on it in a familiar fashion, "Ms. Rose." His voice was different, tired, but it was so familiar that Ruby almost smiled, keyword almost, "What are you alluding to?"

"Professor, it is just as I said. I am trying to make amends, and I know you want to as well. So I am using the relic as an olive branch of sorts." She did not pull away, still holding the relic out for him to take.

Ozpin did not reach for it, just looking at her. Analyzing her words and actions, trying with his might to read through her, "You are not going to Atlas. You are abandoning your team."

Ruby frowned, but did not drop her arms, "I am not. I am going to ask Maria to train me. To help guide me. I will only hold them back;" looking away she stated softly with an edge of bitterness, "I might even get one or all of us killed."

Ozpin frowned deeply, "That is not true. What you said to…me." He stated, "I do not regret making you team leader. It is possibly the only thing I've done right these last few centuries. You have nothing to apologize for."

"I hurt you. I hurt us. I loss faith and hope. I nearly got us killed. What good am I?" She almost yelled, but her voice did raise a few octaves.

Ozpin shook his head, "So what if you allowed a moment of weakness? It wasn't all your fault. It was the-"

"Do not just blame the Apathy. They would have had to have something to latch on to…to feed off of and I am not just talking about having the relic on hand either." Ruby sighed and held out the relic once more, "Please Professor. I am not abandoning them. I want to protect them, and I cannot do that if I cannot control these powers. I will only slow us down. You know this."

"Yet you took the time to train Oscar, to help him and myself."

She huffed tiredly, "That was different. That was when we had time. We do not have time. We have to get this to Atlas."

Ozpin looked into the tired silver eyes that once held brightness and eagerness. Filled with hope and joy for life's treasures and love. Now tired, and aged; having seen and lived through too much for such a young age. He sighed, "I see you've thought about this."

Ruby nodded, "It's something I cannot stop thinking about. I've let a lot of people down I feel like."

"Can you assure me that you are not running away though? That you are not using this as an excuse?"

Ruby glared harshly at him this time. Her eyes now glowing from the anger she felt at his words instead of the shatter moonlit night, "Running away?! An excuse?! I nearly watched those damned Grimm kill Blake! Because of me and my weakness I almost got us killed in that tunnel! Where were you?! Hiding in Oscar's mind because why?! I forced a secret out that you probably wouldn't have told us about! So do not question if I am running away!"

Before he could comment further, Ruby dug in more not knowing what she was saying or caring, "You do not know what happened to us. Blake just up and left us with no word or warning." She growled out making Blake flinch at the venom behind the words, "Weiss…I may not know a whole lot about her home life, but I think I gathered enough to know that it wasn't filled with the love Yang and I had, aside from her sister that is. So I can only imagine how she felt isolated from the rest of Mistral." Weiss winced as she recalled that feeling of loneliness and isolation. Ruby was right; aside from her butler Klein, Winter was the only one to show her some type of affection. However Winter wasn't around when she was home.

"Yang…" Yang's head perked at this, wondering with dread what she was going to hear from her sister's angry remarks, "I had to watch her nearly waste away since she had loss her arm at Beacon! Do you know what it was like for me to watch someone who had a strong inferno fire inside of them like Yang has to just watch it go out? Extinguish into bare nothingness?! Then what? I leave her? She lost Blake that day, but then not only a week or so later I leave her?" Yang lets out a sob, but it was just loud enough to draw Ozpin's attention.

"Ruby please-" Ozpin starts to say as he sees the rest of team RWBY in the shadows. The girls try to sink back into the shadows, but they were already seen, and he motions them quickly to stay.

"No. No, you do not get to feel sorry for me. I watched Pyrrha kill my best friend Penny in that tournament; then no sooner did that happen I watched that bitch," she spat the word out shocking the older girls, "kill Pyrrha. Then my team splits up and there was nothing I could do to help! I couldn't help Blake, Weiss, or my own sister! So what the hell kind of leader am I?!"

Shaking herself, Ruby takes a deep breath and regains control of her emotions. This is just enough of a pause for Ozpin to intervene gently, "Have you told anyone of this? Confided in your team perhaps? Qrow?"

Ruby shakes her head, "No. They have enough things to worry about, than to worry about me."

"That isn't true you idiotic dolt!" Weiss snaps out still silently with bitterness at underestimating how much Ruby had been holding in.

"Were we that so wrapped up in our own pain we didn't see her's?" Blake questioned more gently.

"I am her older sister. Why didn't I see this?" Yang questioned angrily at her own blindness, "I should have seen this…"

Ozpin sighs deeply, feeling that time for him to relinquish control to Oscar was almost at hand, "Very well. There seems like nothing I could say to change your mind. Tell me about this olive branch."

Ruby nods, "I am giving you the relic back in hopes I can trust you once more like I trusted you when we were in school."

"Trust me to do what?"

"Protect them while I am gone. I plan on asking Maria tomorrow to train me separately from the team."

Ozpin nods, but does not take the relic, "You haven't even asked Ms. Calavera yet about this plan of your's?"

Ruby looked away and kicked the ground beneath her feet, "I've mentioned it once, but I need to talk to her more about it. I told her if she wanted to still do that right thing, she could teach me more about my eyes."

Ozpin again nodded, "Then why don't we do this instead. Talk to Ms. Calavera, and depending on what she says, talk to me more about taking the relic back."

"What?"

He allowed himself to smile at her confusion, "You heard me. What is the point in turning the relic back over to me when Maria hasn't even given her word to train you? Besides I think you may find it harder than you think to just leave us."

Ruby was watching him as he smiled his signature 'I know something you don't' smile, "I am going to leave to train whether she says it's alright or not."

"Go sleep on it, then we will talk some more." He reached out and pushed the relic back towards her, "Like I said, I've made many mistakes. You've seen this, but making you team leader wasn't one of those mistakes." Ruby looked at him and at his hands, "You can never let us down nor fail us."

Ruby hesitates, but does as he suggests. She clips the relic back on her belt and turns away to walk inside. Ozpin watches her go, and makes sure she is in the house before motioning the others out of hiding, "So what did you learn?"

"We are crappy teammates." Yang states not surprised that they were found out by their former headmaster.

"We didn't realize she was hiding so much emotion." Blake says sadly.

"I let her down. I broke my promise." Weiss whispered.

Ozpin sighs, "There is still more to learn, as I am currently learning. The important thing is what we do from here on out."

"How do we do that?" Weiss asks not really forgiving the man for his secrets, but at the same time willing to listen if it meant helping her friend.

Ozpin kept his glance towards the house, Oscar's aura growing stronger as he pleaded for a bit more time, "Watching her closely and perhaps stopping her from making any rash decisions. Talking to her, and just continue acting at your very best." With that he allowed Oscar to regain control.

Oscar was back looking at the girls, he had heard and listened to everything that was being said between Ruby and the wizard. He reached out and felt Ozpin's aura once again and was oddly comforted that there was no deep cavernous hole in his soul anymore. Instead there was a simmer of light, but for now there was another problem, "She wouldn't really leave would she?"

Yang pounded her fists together, "Not if we have anything to say about it. I am not letting my sister down again."

"I know a thing or two about hiding emotion." Blake said crossing her arms, "I am not letting that happen to Ruby anymore."

Weiss nodded, "She is not getting away from us. Unfortunately for her, where she goes we go. We said we'd help her, and that is what we are going to do because she is our teammate." And my best friend.