Part II: Reunion

"You." Ilia snarled at the newcomer.

Weiss Schnee froze as she took in the girl she once called best friend. In a broken whisper she breathed, "Ilia…"

"So, uh, you two know each other?" Sun said as he subtly (but not really) stepped between Weiss and Ilia in case violence broke out.

Weiss suddenly went from haughty to heartbroken as she looked at the trembling chameleon Faunus. Ruby was confused. She'd never seen Weiss look so devastated before. Was that shame the little team leader recognized in Weiss's demeanour?

Ilia's skin was steadily changing from scarlet to a darker crimson while her freckles became indigo as she gave her fellow Atlesian a look of hatred and sadness. Ilia looked at her one-time closest friend. She had a scar on her face now, a cut through her eyebrow and down her pale cheek.

As Ilia's eyes traced over the girl who had hurt her worse than anybody else in her lifetime, she noticed something that vanished the crimson from her skin: Weiss was covered in blood.

The was a massive tear in her dress, like an exit would. That was not a survivable wound. How was she on her feet at all? Weiss flesh made visible through the hole in her dress wasn't unblemished, but it looked far better than the amount of blood would suggest. The unbidden thoughts of concern were enough to shock Ilia out of her emotional spiral. She suddenly took in a deep, harsh breath, her nostrils flaring and her eyes wide.

She spun on her heel and walked away as fast as she could. When she got into the shadows of one of Haven's turrets, her skin and hair colour turned to darkness and she disappeared from their eyes. Sun considered following her, but there was no way she was going to explain anything about what just happened…at least not without cooling down first.

After Ilia vanished in the shadows, all eyes were on Weiss Schnee.

"Hey, Weiss? Are you alright?" Nora asked in a rare moment of tact. Weiss didn't appear to hear her. Her eyes were swollen with tears. Before they cascaded down her cheeks, she, like Ilia, turned and fled in the opposite direction.

Nobody was quite sure what to do. Ruby looked to where Weiss disappeared into one of the buildings, and then turned her head to where Ilia stepped into shadows.

"Hey, Sun? I think there's something we're missing," Ruby said with her brow pinched in a frown.

"Yeah. I'm gonna try to find Blake, she's the one who really knows Ilia. Maybe she can offer some insight," Sun said.

Ruby glanced at Sun before saying, "I'm gonna try and talk to Weiss. I don't know what just happened, but I'm not sure she should be alone right now. Solitude doesn't suit her very well." Ren, who was standing slightly behind Nora with a hand gently laid across her waist, looked at team RNJR's leader with a new respect.

Just before Ruby turned, she looked to Ren and Nora. "Can you two help the adults with rooming situations? Ren, you're good at organizing stuff, and I think they're gonna need all the help they can get. Also, Weiss and I might not see you guys till morning, so don't let my uncle or Yang freak out, ok?"

Nora and Ren both nodded (Nora a tad more enthusiastically). "Of course! Good luck thawing out the Ice Queen." Nora replied. Ruby nearly grinned. Nora's affectionate use of Weiss' previously despised nick was something that brought fond memories back to them, if only for a moment.

Ruby Rose slowly began making her way to where Weiss went just as Sun went towards where he thought he saw Blake and Yang walk off to. He didn't want to interrupt them, because he was pretty sure Yang might murder him. And Blake. But Weiss and Ilia's apparent knowledge of each other changed things. As much as he trusted Ilia to fight on Blake's side, he wasn't sure how much that applied to whatever her issue was with Weiss.

It took Ruby longer than she would've liked to locate her partner, all the hallways look the same!, she thought as she searched the southernmost building of Haven Academy. Weiss was in the southernmost room.

Because of course she was. Anything to put distance between her and Atlas I guess. What happened to her there? Ruby's thoughts were interrupted as a sound she'd never heard before caught her attention. She gingerly nudged open the door from which the sound was coming from. Ruby's eyes went wide when she saw what was inside.

It was a professor's personal quarters. There was a small bed, and Weiss was sitting on top of it, leaning against the headboard. Weiss was sobbing. There were no elegant or dainty sniffles here with a cloth to wipe her running nose and eyes. Weiss's whole body heaved as she tried to get enough air through her tears. Her dress's top was stained with her mucus and tears. There was no attempt on Weiss' part to stop herself, she needed this, and on some deeper level, the former heiress knew it.

Without a word, Ruby shut and locked the door, and crept over to her partner. If Weiss was startled by Ruby's presence, she didn't indicate it. Ruby gently unclasped her cloak and used to tenderly wipe away Weiss' running nose and tear-drenched cheeks. Weiss' sobs became a little quieter as Ruby sat down and pulled Weiss into a chaste hug. Pale arms belatedly encircled Ruby as Weiss' breathing got more under control. Ruby just rubbed small slow circles between Weiss' bare shoulder blades.

"I'm here, and when you're ready to talk, Blake and Yang will be here for you too," Ruby murmured into Weiss' ponytail.

Weiss Schnee didn't say anything for a short while. But when she did, Ruby's heart broke, "I hurt her Ruby. I hurt I–Ilia. I d–did something beyond un–unforgivable." Her stutter was something Ruby had never encountered before. "She should hate m–me." Ruby held her tighter. Weiss did not speak again for the rest of the night.

Ruby Gently laid Weiss and herself down on the pillows, not bothering to pull the covers over them both. The former heiress' trembling weeping eventually gave into a fitful sleep. Ruby kept her arms around her best friend as she too drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note: Hello all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a review/follow/favorite/PM to let me know your thoughts on this chapter, or hell, even this rare pairing.