Ruby's new team quickly learned her absolute intolerance for bullying and nonsense.

At one point Ruby caught them picking on one of the other student's fashion choices.

"Really?" She asked, having them cornered in the cafeteria. "You think it's funny? You know what? Maybe what you are wearing looks funny to me."

"Oh come on, you gotta agree that it looks stupid." Dove whined.

"No." Ruby replied. "I will have your punishment in the dorm tonight. If you don't want it to be worse, behave."

That evening, after classes they walked into the dorm to receive their punishment, they had no idea what Red had in store but they were sure it was bad if it was not to be displayed earlier.

They walked in to find their leader sitting on a large wooden box locked with a padlock. She had the key in her hand.

Sky closed the door behind him and they silently waited to find out what she was thinking.

"Strip." Ruby told them flatly.

Once only wearing their underwear she tossed the rest into the box, they saw the rest of their clothes in there too, then locked it with the key.

She then went over to a cardboard box and handed them each a pink dress with little bows on them.

"You will wear this for the rest of the week, if you behave, I'll give you your clothes back, also, your uniforms have been switched for the female ones."

"Are you serious?" Russel demanded.

"The teachers won't let you do this!" Dove snapped.

"Got permission from Ozpin, you wanna go ask?" Ruby asked.

They fell silent, resigning to their fates.

The very next day at breakfast someone started picking on Russel for wearing a dress. He turned to Ruby, looking for help.

"You can't let them do this!" He insisted.

"You did it so it can't be that bad." She replied then walked off.

So, they spent that week trying to hide from everyone.

They behaved for about two days after they got their clothes back but then went right back to bullying others again when they thought their leader wasn't around.

She was across the courtyard when she saw them teasing a boy who wore thick glasses, holding them out of his reach and laughing at him.

Sky was the one holding the glasses and suddenly his vision blurred, he felt a sharp pain in his back.

"Give them back." Ruby ordered.

He wheezed and lowered the glasses.

Ruby then marched over toward Dove and Russel who were holding the boy down.

"Let him go." Her deadly tone was enough and they did so.

The boy grabbed his glasses and ran off.

Ruby punched Russel and Dove for good measure then went on about what she had been doing before.

That night when they got to the dorm she was already there waiting. She was holding a small box in her hands.

"I really do not appreciate you picking on someone for their impairment. Especially eyes." She said, pointing to her own eye patch. "It is not cute, it is not funny. It is serious and what you did was rude."

She opened the box and handed them each a pair of glasses. They were the extremely dark type most often used by the blind.

"You will wear these for the rest of the week. The only time you may take them off is during class or for homework." She ordered.

They didn't bother arguing this time.

The rest of the week was filled with the same cold silent attitude they had shown her the entire time.

They were behaving themselves though.

When finally the day came they were allowed to take off the glasses, she let them take them off that morning instead of that evening.

"You've been good this week, I believe you've learned your lesson on this matter?' She asked.

They nodded.

"Then you may remove the glasses." She said with a calm, even tone.

They did and seemed relieved.

At lunch, after what had been weeks of silent lunches with them they started talking around her. Not really to her but around her for sure.

That afternoon when class let out she went to track the three down only to find Russel pulling on Velvet's ears, tugging her around in circles.

Ruby marched right up to him, without a word she grabbed him by the ears and started pulling him around. He released his grip on Velvet and she stepped back, watching.

"Ow! That hurts!" He complained.

"Then why did you do it to her? Not so funny now is it?" Ruby snapped at him.

"No! I'm sorry!" He said, trying to wiggle away but Ruby had a strong grip.

She tugged him hard to the side then let go, sending him to the dirt on his butt in the fading sunlight.

He shot her a glare but she matched it, crossing her arms and nodding her head in the faunus' direction.

He sighed, standing and turning to Velvet. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me and I won't do it again."

Velvet nodded. "Apology accepted."

Russel looked at her in sudden surprise, he hadn't expected her to forgive him so quickly.

"Thank you..." he said, a bit at a loss.

Ruby glanced to the other two who shrunk back under her glare. She let that hang as her threat, not beating the two of them this time.

That evening Ruby left, she didn't tell them where she was going and they didn't ask.

It was the beginning of the weekend and she wanted to see Roman. They didn't follow her either, figuring she was tired of them and she guessed they might enjoy a break from her.


It was late by the time she knocked at his door.

Roman answered, his weapon held at and sort of behind his side.

When he realized it was her he smiled, welcoming her in.

"I'm glad to see you." He smiled.

"Same to you. You are never going to believe this." She smiled, hugging him.

"Really?" He asked, pushing the door closed and carrying her to the couch, he set his weapon to the side.

"Mm-hmm. I get back and Ozpin believed the file we gave him. He decided to make me leader of a team without one." She started explaining.

"Oh, not your old team." He said, wide eyed.

"That is what I thought at first to but no, they have been suspended." She explained.

"Then who?" He asked.

"Team CRDL, Cardin was suspended too." She explained.

"Wow, now you get to control the school's resident jerks." Roman laughed.

"Actually I've been punishing them for picking on others." She smiled.

"Ah, I see." He said, pulling her close. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She said, hugging him tightly.

When they leaned back to look each other in the eyes Roman smiled.

"I think we need cookies." He said, grinning

"Ooh, yes." She smiled back.

"We will have to make them ourselves though, I don't have any." He said, tilting his head.

"That's ok, we can do that." Ruby grinned, leaning in and kissing him.

Somehow, they never made it to the kitchen.


The weekend didn't last as long as she would have wished and she was rushing back to school at the break of dawn the day classes where to resume.

She got back in time to find her team getting ready and they all nodded to her in greeting.

None of them questioned where she went or why, they didn't even ask why she was walking a little funny. They just waited for her to get dressed and followed her to class.

That day at lunch they joked with each other, picked on one another but no one else, they still didn't really speak to her though.

A couple of days passed like this, then one evening she saw her team, in the courtyard. They had circled someone and was beating on them.

Furious she stomped over, grabbing Dove by the collar of his shirt and twisting her weight to send him into the fountain.

The other two spotted her and backed off from their victim. It was Fox, one of Velvet's teammates.

"He started it." Sky stammered.

"So you all attacked at once? Beat on him while he was down? And did you ever think he was just tired of you picking on Velvet?" She snarled at them nearly yelling with rage.

Fox stood, dusting himself off. The left side of his face was swollen so he couldn't see out of that eye.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Fine..." He grumbled, limping off.

Ruby returned her glare on her team.

Dove dripping wet and still standing in the fountain.

Sky and Russel standing near Dove, all waiting for something to happen, ready for her to start throwing punches.

"If you wanna fight someone three on one like that, you do it with me." She growled.

They all grinned, liking the idea they might get the chance to beat her for a change.

Ruby stood ready, motioning for them to make their move.

The three charged her, attacking at different angles.

She dodged Sky's attack and rolled under Dove's. She let Russel's fist graze her shoulder.

She dodged about, getting a feel for how they fought before attacking. It didn't take long to see they liked to play dirty. Sky threw dirt in her good eye and Dove followed that with a punch at her back.

She twisted away but found herself in line with Russel. He kicked her and she was very glad she wasn't really a guy, still that did hurt and she sank to her knees.

Russel laughed, she used their distraction and took that moment to place a hand in the grass and spring forward, headbutting Russel in the jaw. He hit the ground out cold.

She turned on the other two, still not really able to see, she had to trust her ears.

Dove charged in from the side and she waited until he was nearly on top of her. She ducked, and stepped into him, hitting him at the waist and making him over balance, falling across her back. She twisted and threw him into Sky, sending both to the ground.

Fox returned with professor Oobleck and they watched the fight.

Sky and Dove scrambled to their feet and charged.

Ruby still couldn't see anything, she ducked under their punches by leaning back and falling to her hands, kicking up with her legs as she did a backflip. She caught both under the chin and sent them flying away.

Dove did not get up but Sky did, rubbing his jaw before he charged in again. Ruby waited for the last moment then sidestepped, grabbing his arm and using his own momentum against him, sending him face first into the base of the fountain.

He didn't get up again.

Professor Oobleck walked over.

"It is not good for a team leader to be beating their team senseless, even if they were picking on someone else... You need to go see Professor Ozpin first thing tomorrow morning, understood?" He asked.

Ruby only nodded then set to picking the idiots up and dragging them back to the dorm.


Russel was the first one awake. He looked around, realizing he was back in the dorm. There was an ice pack on his jaw and he was in his bed, his shoes pulled off.

He looked around, remembering he had been fighting Red.

Red was standing over Sky with a worried expression, cleaning blood from his forehead.

"I'm sorry Sky... With the dirt in my eye I couldn't see, I didn't mean to hurt you this bad... Please be okay..." She was saying quietly.

Russel felt bad for fighting his leader when they did seem to care.

His vision blurred and he fell back into sleep.


The next morning the three woke, other than being bruised, they were fine.

Ruby however, had not slept. She smiled when she saw the three had woken up but quickly hid her relief.

"So, you still think you can take me?" She asked.

They shook their heads, admitting to defeat.

"From now on, if you try to bully someone like that you will have to face me in combat. Understood?" She asked, getting up and turning to leave.

"Yes." Sky and Dove said together.

"Where are you going?" Russel asked. He realized they had been up all night and he remembered them being worried about Sky.

"I have to go speak with Ozpin. Oobleck saw our little scuffle last night. Fox thought you three where going to kill me so he fetched the Professor." She explained then left.


Ozpin was in his chair, drinking coffee and reading an incident report.

"It says here that you singlehandedly beat your own team unconscious last night." Ozpin said, looking up at her, trying to hide the fact that he was impressed.

"Yes sir." She replied.

"And why would you do such a thing?" He asked.

"They were picking a fight with someone else, three on one, not fair and I wouldn't let them do something like that just for fun." She explained.

"You're still having to deal with them bullying others?" He asked.

She nodded. "Often, I'm trying to break them from it, teach them discipline."

"They will need discipline if they are to survive as hunters. How are you handling that other than making them dress like girls and beating them up, though?" Ozpin continued his questions.

"Most times I found out they were bullying someone I would pull them aside and put them through the same humiliation. See how much they liked it. Hence the dresses. Even though I'm smaller than them I can still easily take them on without much effort. If I hear so much as a rumor they are bullying someone I will take them to the ground, even in a three on one fight like last night." She explained.

"I see." Ozpin said, interlocking his fingers and leaning back. "Is it working?"

"I think so, they have started behaving better most the time." She explained.

"Then keep up the good work." Ozpin smiled. "You are dismissed."


She returned to the first floor to find her team waiting, gloating.

"Got in trouble didn't you?" Dove sneered. "The professors won't be letting you beat up on us now, will they?"

"Actually." she said, unfazed. "Ozpin said to keep up what I was doing."

The three of them fell to the floor, not expecting that.

Still, she was telling the truth so they accepted it.

Lunch that day was about the same, still not really talking to her much.

They were starting to behave much better though.

Just when she was starting to think they had really straightened out their act, they were walking to class behind Ruby and passing Velvet they shoved her to the ground.

Ruby caught sight of the move in the reflection of the glass window at the end of the hall and spun round, leaving each of them with bloody noses that class.

They sat a little away from her, nursing their wounded noses as Oobleck sped about jabbering ninety to nothing about Semblances. The unusual, the dangerous, the strange. Things they would not have learned about in the previous schools like Signal.

"Does anyone here have a high risk semblance?" He asked, waiting for the class to respond.

Ruby raised her hand, she was the only one to do so.

This had been Roman's plan, since her semblance was so signature she couldn't use it here, the best way to handle that was to say hers was a 'high risk' semblance.

"Yes, Red." Oobleck noted, turning the attention of the class to her.

"I have a Death Semblance." She announced.

"Ahh, how exactly does this one work?" He asked her.

"I can lay my hand over someone's heart and will it to stop. I can lay my hand over their head, and will it to stop. When I do, they die." She explained.

"I see, how did you learn of your Semblance?" He asked.

"I killed my father." She slid her face into her hands, acting the part. "I just wanted him to stop yelling, I didn't want him to die. I was only nine years old.."

"Dreadful, simply dreadful." he said, giving her a moment of silence before continuing.

"This is why those with this type of Semblance are put through special training at an early age." Oobleck went on.

Ruby glanced over at her team.

They had fallen still and silent, watching her. Knowing she could kill them at any moment.

After that they finally stopped bullying others.


Now she could focus on their training. They had questions for her though.

"Did you really kill your old man?" Dove asked.

"Yeah." She said coldly.

"That's why we've never seen you use your semblance." Sky stated.

"Trust me, you don't want to see it." She sighed. "Besides, I've vowed to never use it again."

"What did you mean by you just wanted him to stop yelling?" Russel asked.

"My parents fought often, my father was the drunken type." She said, acting so that they would think she didn't really want to talk about it.

Russel walked over and hugged her.

"I understand." He squeezed her a little tighter before letting go. "My dad is the same way."

They all fell silent a few minutes.

"Come on guys, it's a nice day and we all got classes off early today, lets do some sparring." She smiled, changing the subject.

They started sparring hand to hand then, mostly just testing each other's reflexes that day. Even so she worked them till they were ready to drop.

She was barely fatigued though. "See, when your only form of training is rough housing and picking on people weaker than you, you never get any stronger."

They knew she had a point.

The next day showed them the beginning of their new training.

"I'm gonna show you how hard we train in Atlas." She told them.

They were up before the sun, starting with stretches then jogging, followed by extensive workouts and sparring. They learned not to eat before hand, if they did she would work them until they threw up and then force them to keep going.

Once done training she had them shower before getting ready for class.

After classes she would give them a bit of a break until it was time to do homework.

She never let them skip or copy someone else.

That got on Sky's nerves and one day the threw the papers in her face. "I don't want to do this! You can't make me!"

"Why?" She asked. "It is for your good not mine."

"Because it's stupid and doesn't make sense!" he snapped at her.

She picked up the papers and looked them over. "What doesn't make sense? Maybe I can help."

His anger deflated and he pointed out what he was having trouble with.

"Oh, I see, yeah, that's tricky, here let me show you a thing." She smiled.

Even though she worked them relentlessly in the mornings and made sure their homework was done and ready before they could go to bed, they all had to admit that they were getting stronger, faster and a bit smarter.


Months passed and none of the three had figured out for sure if she was a boy or a girl, just to be safe they referred to her as he and Ozpin and the other professors were no help there, always just referring to her as 'Red'.

Finally the end of the school year grew close and the Vytal Festival was set to start soon.

Ruby saw Cinder around school and at the Vytals as well but never said a word, fearing retaliation against Roman.

When the school year came to a close Ruby had found herself with a new friend in Velvet, her team was behaving better than she had hoped and finally starting to open up to her a little.

Once she left Beacon for the summer Ruby returned to the apartment. She had seen Roman rarely and contacted him little. He had missed her and she him.

Cinder's plans seemed to have a lot to do with Beacon as the movement slowed in the summer, Roman even got some time off. When he did go out Ruby would let his work slide, trying not to think about it too much.

She had been home no more than a week and he'd had to leave. When he came back he found Ruby laying in the floor, staring out the skylight.

"Please don't tell me you are having another crisis." Roman said, walking over to look at her.

"No, just watching the clouds." She smiled up at him.

"Well, how about instead of lazing around here on such a lovely day we go out and enjoy it?" He asked, offering her a hand up.

"Alright." She grinned, taking his hand and letting him pull her to her feet.

Still holding her hand he guided her to the door.

"What are we going to go do?" Ruby asked, curious.

"You'll see." He grinned back at her.

She could tell he was up to something.

They got in the car and drove off, heading out of town. Ruby watched out the window as the buildings got farther apart.

Roman still wouldn't tell her what he had planned but he seemed in a very good mood so she let herself look forward to whatever it was.

Finally he turned down an abandoned highway that led to one place, an abandoned air hanger.

She glanced at him curiously as he drove past the old buildings and parked at one of the hangers.

Killing the engine he looked over at her. "Tell no one about this place."

She nodded and he smiled, getting out of the car and opening her door for her. Taking her hand again he lead her out to one of the runways, parked there was a little red car, very nondescript and simple.

They got to it, and Ruby noted it had little to no tinting, the interior was clean but plain.

Ruby gave Roman a confused look. "I don't understand..."

Roman grinned and tossed something at her, on reflex she caught it.

Car keys.

"Wait... I don't know how to drive!" Ruby said in shock.

Roman grinned, opening the driver door and motioning her to it.

"I know, you're going to learn." Roman grinned.

Hesitantly Ruby got in behind the wheel. Roman got in on the other side and started explaining how everything worked. Once he had been over it twice and made her repeat it back he instructed her to start the car.

She did.

He explained the gauges again now that they were reading.

She nodded.

He pointed out the gears and their relation to the stick shift.

"Now, hold down the brake, no no, your right foot only. Yes, now, hold that down and move this to the drive position." Roman instructed calmly.

Ruby followed his instructions nervously.

She eased on the gas and slowly took the little car around the runway. There were places to turn on to other runways and she did whenever Roman instructed her to, slowly she got more comfortable and was able to drive a little faster. Once she had gained some confidence and was driving at acceptable speeds while staying in control Roman had her pull to a dead end, park, then put the car in reverse and go back through everything backwards.

Once she was not only comfortable but fully competent at driving the little car, which took a couple hours, Roman had her drive back to the hanger. As they neared the door Roman took a remote from his pocket and hit a button, there was a loud noise as the door's motor kicked on and started lifting the door.

Once it raised enough Ruby flicked on the headlights and drove in. The building was huge and Roman had her park off to the side next to a newer, faster looking car.

Ruby killed the engine and they got out, Roman walking over to the far wall and flicking a switch.

The large overhead lights kicked on with a bang and the place flooded with light.

Now that she could see Ruby saw that there were a multitude of vehicles.

Everything from a forklift to a Bullhead. There were the two cars, a delivery truck, a semi without a trailer, a motorcycle and the Bullhead.

Ruby looked back to Roman and he was smiling ear to ear with his hands held wide.

"What do you want to learn next?" He asked.

Ruby laughed. They made their way through learning everything. Ruby saved the Bullhead for last.

It was easier than she expected, she took it up into the night sky, as night had fallen a few hours before. She thoroughly enjoyed flying and turned out to be a natural.

Roman was satisfied that she could handle herself no matter what she needed to drive so he suggested she land and they go home.

Ruby agreed, she was getting tired.

It was a good call, Ruby fell asleep on the drive back.

Roman didn't wake her, just carried her in to bed when they got home.


For the most part Roman really did get a good amount of time off, on those days he would take her out to the hanger and let her practice driving things.

Other times he was out late for 'work'.

It was one of the nights he had to go out he came back late. Ruby had waited on him, she was reviewing things on her scroll.

"Ah, did they give you a new one?" Roman asked.

"Yeah, I'm glad, too. I missed having my old one after leaving it behind the night I ran away." She smiled.

Ruby also kept tabs on everyone while she was 'at home' for the summer.

Nora called her and she went to the roof to take the call, just in case someone should look over Nora's shoulder and see where she was.

"I have to tell you what I found out today!" Nora proclaimed.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"Well, did you hear that Ruby's team stayed in Yang's home town with her dad after the funeral?" Nora asked.

"No, I didn't." she answered.

"They did. I just got off the line with Blake, I'm really worried about Yang. Blake said that she wasn't eating much and sleeping even less. That she goes into the wilderness for weeks at a time just killing Grimm. I'm scared something is going to happen to her." Nora explained.

"Yeah, that's pretty bad... I hope she snaps out of it." Ruby sighed.

"Me too." Nora agreed.

It was about a month later Ruby called Velvet up to see how she was doing.

"Oh, I'm doing well. I found out about a new organization rising up for the faunus, it's founded and run by Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee. It's called 'The Clan' and it's a peaceful alternative to the White Fang. It is friendly to Hunters and I think I may join."

"Wow, that is really cool. Where could they have gotten the funding for it though?" Ruby asked.

"The Schnee family is funding them, backing them up even." Velvet explained.

"I see." Ruby nodded.

They talked on for awhile then Velvet had to do other things.

It was a few day's later when Nora called her again.

"So here I am, reading through my journal you know? It's almost like reading about someone else. I don't remember any of this stuff... Anyway did you know Ozpin almost had me sent home? For good?" Nora asked.

"No, why would he do that?" Ruby asked.

"Because, when I got shot in the head I lost the part of my brain that keeps up with the day's events. Every time I go to sleep I forget almost everything that happened after that night." Nora explained.

"How where you able to stay on at Beacon then?" Ruby asked.

"Ren!" She smiled. "He suggested I keep the journal and he promised to help me find ways to survive as a huntress even with this problem. He managed to convince Ozpin to let me stay!"

"That's great." Ruby smiled.

"Oh, I have to go, Ren just made pancakes!" Nora said excitedly, not even letting Ruby say bye before hanging up.

Nora getting shot had become common knowledge around Beacon, she hadn't heard Nora's memory had gotten so bad though, making her glad she had managed to get a hold of Nora's scroll during one class and slip her contact info into it. Now, Nora with her memory problems didn't realize that 'Red' Wasn't someone she had already known before.


The summer passed faster than she would have liked but she had enjoyed it greatly. Her and Roman had gotten closer and she felt warm and content inside.

The morning before she had to return to Beacon Roman woke her with a kiss.

"I have something for you." He was smiling, up to something again.

"Oh?" She asked sleepily.

He let her get dressed then lead her out to the garage.

Ruby gave him a confused look as he punched in the code to open the door.

When the door rolled up there was something in front of his car. It was covered in a tarp.

Roman was practically giddy with excitement. "Come on, look!"

She smiled at him and pulled the tarp away.

Underneath was a motorcycle. It was a deep rose red and accented in chrome with black leather. It was a different breed than Yang's motorcycle, where hers covered most everything this was one of the exposed type. Giving it a lighter, sleeker feel.

"Oh... Roman..." Ruby said, astounded.

"Don't think I didn't pay attention to which vehicle you frequented." He grinned, quite proud of himself. "And I didn't steal it." He added.

Ruby brought her hands in front of her and made fists then squealed loudly.

"This is sooo awesome!" She squealed.

Roman grinned and happily accepted her barrage of kisses and hugs. After a few minutes of that he held up the keys and grinned at the look in her eyes.

She snatched them up and got lost in the awesomeness of looking the thing over more closely, it even had her symbol on it. Roman smiled as she bounced about looking over every inch and noting things about its engine and other features. She finally started it and was giddy at the open roar of it. Much louder and far better a machine then the one she had practiced on.

Roman walked over and opened one of the leather saddlebags, pointing out the drivers id and insurance that was all titled to her.

"I may have bought it but I've had it put in your name. Anything that happens is on you, Red." Roman explained then tapped the insurance card. "Call that if you do get in a mess, they will help you get fixed up and should have it all covered."

"How much do I owe for that?" She asked, both of them speaking loud to hear each other over the engine.

"Psht." Roman waved the notion away. "Pocket change."

She squealed again and hugged him.

Once she let him go he got on behind her so she could drive it.

It was easily the best gift anyone had ever given her.


When the school year started her team greeted her happily. They were more responsible and she found herself liking them and they were quickly warming up to her as well. Velvet hung out with her more, even sparring with her some.

Ruby spent time with Nora, telling her things since she knew the girl wouldn't remember them.

It was at least two more months before her team finally figured out she was a girl.

Sky walked in the dorm without Ruby knowing, she hadn't heard him.

She continued to change clothes as he looked for his missing scroll he seemed to lose daily. He looked up and saw Ruby only in her underwear. He turned bright red and looked away. "I'm sorry, I, uh, I didn't know you, your... you were... I won't tell anyone."

"It's ok, I know you didn't do it on purpose." Ruby said, getting dressed.

Sky continued to look away. "I mean, well, you're a girl... None of us knew.."

"Oh, yeah, I didn't know you hadn't figured it out.. I don't mind you and the other two knowing... I'll tell them." Ruby said, slipping on the last article of clothing. "And you can look at me now, I'm dressed."

Sky smiled, turning around to face her. "You look like a guy, you totally had me fooled."

Ruby chuckled. "Yeah, I prefer to leave people guessing."

She tracked down Russel and Dove and told them the truth about her gender, apologizing for not saying sooner.

"Don't worry about it." Dove said, waving the apology way.

"Yeah, it was actually kinda fun trying to figure out which you were." Russel added.

Ruby smiled. "Thanks, guys."


Time passed and Ruby continued working with her team, making them stronger and their bond stronger as well. They where actually becoming respectable young men under her leadership. Ruby notice the steady improvement and was glad when even the practical jokes ended, only teasing each other.

Somewhere along the way they started being quite nice to the other students, even those who were faunus. Ruby saw Russel holding a door open for Velvet more than once and often saw them helping wherever and whoever they could.

The school year had been peaceful thus far, Cinder was biding her time.

It was late on a weekend night that Ruby left to visit Roman. She didn't notice her team was not sleeping. Didn't' notice them follow her.

According to her records it was her birthday the next day but they knew that whenever she left during the weekend she didn't come back till the night before school started. So they had decided to follow her and see where she was going, figuring it to be her moms' place so they could throw her a party.

Where she led them to surprised them. She had said her mother didn't have much, yet they were on the rich side of town.

Ruby went to an apartment building, they watched her go to the fourth floor and knock.

The door was answered by one Roman Torchwick.

They all tensed, expecting her to be surprised, to attack him... She was neither.

They all watched in shock as she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

All three stood, shocked, dry mouthed and confused. Their leader, who had been so much better a person than Cardin, was dating Roman Torchwick.

"She has to have a reason." Sky stated.

"Maybe she's working undercover?" Dove offered.

"I think she would have told us that..." Russel stated.

"Let's find out." Sky said, starting off across the street.

The other two followed, worried and confused.

They knocked, Ruby answered, Roman behind her.

Silence followed.

Ruby looked between them, then to Roman behind her, she looked back to her team.

"I'll explain..." She offered.

"Tonight." Sky pressed.

She nodded and pointed to the roof. "I'll meet you in five minutes."

Satisfied they headed for the ladder on the side of the building.

Ruby breathed a heavy sigh and closed the door.

"That was your team wasn't it...?" Roman asked.

"Yeah.." Ruby said, suddenly worried.

"I'm sorry Red. Whatever happens, I'll be here." He said, hugging her.

"Thank you." She smiled, hugging him back.

"I think they deserve the truth." She sighed heavily.

"This could go bad..." Roman said, worried.

"It already has, I'm afraid." She said, changing clothes and donning her cloak, picking up her real weapon, just in case.

Then she left, climbing the ladder and standing on the ledge, letting the wind play with her cloak.

The three of them looked up at her.

No eye patch, odd silver eyes looked back at them.

Her hood was down, showing the short red hair.

She transformed Crescent spirit so the could see it, resting it over her shoulder.

They looked at each other and back to her again. Silent.

Ruby stepped off the ledge and walked a little closer.

"You're... Ruby?" Russel asked.

She nodded.

"So you didn't die?" Sky put in.

She nodded.

"You became Red." Dove said.

"Yes." Ruby answered.

"So that human trafficking ring..." Russel left the sentence for her to finish.

"Fake." She confirmed.

"Roman Torchwick?" Sky asked.

"My boyfriend... My lover.." She explained.

"Crescent Rose?" Dove asked.

Ruby pointed. "Right here, with me the whole time."

"Cardin's uncle David?" Russel asked.

Ruby bowed her head. "I killed him."

"I know what Cardin did was bad... but all this? Why?" Sky asked.

"Are you going to kill us? Now that we know?" Dove asked.

Ruby took a deep breath, sitting down. "No."

"After what happened... After how my old team treated me, I wanted to die. I ran away, I was going to find a way to kill myself. Yet, I had made friends with Roman through the school minecraft server. So in my time of weakness, I went to him. He was there when no one else was." She explained, watching the faces of the others. They believed her. "I had been here a long while and one day decided to follow Roman to see what he did... He was meeting with David Winchester to discuss dust trafficking. David didn't like what Roman was paying him so he shot him... I reacted fast, I gave David the option to drop the gun and walk away, but he tried to kill Roman anyway so... I killed him." Ruby sighed heavily. It was clear she had never wanted to kill another human.

"After that I knew I couldn't go back to Beacon, not as Ruby at least. So, Roman and I faked my death." Ruby explained.

"Then you created an alias and came back to Beacon." Sky summed up.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah."

They fell into silence for a moment.

"So... Are you going to turn me in?" Ruby asked.

They looked at each other then to her, saying together. "No."

"You are a way awesome leader." Sky added.

"You've taught us the meaning of respect." Russel said, smiling.

"You've given us reason to be brave. And really, what is a hunter without that?" Dove added.

Ruby was surprised, she looked at them and started crying. "Thank you..."

All three jumped when she started crying, promising they were serious and that everything would be fine.

When she didn't stop crying right away Sky called for operation 'Team leader tickle party.'

Before Ruby could react they started tickling her and her sobs turned to laughter. They tickled her until she was out of breath, which actually took a while.

When they did stop Ruby laughed and gasped and promised they would pay for that.

"Got you to laugh didn't it?" Russel grinned.

"When did you guys come up with that?" Ruby asked.

"When we found out you were a girl." Dove laughed.

Ruby laughed, they all started laughing and Ruby conked them all on the head at once with Crescent Spirit's shaft.

"Don't do that again. I mean, plan on doing things just because I'm a girl." Ruby said, wagging her finger at them.


Inside the apartment, Roman leaned on his stove, listening through the vent to the sounds on the roof. He had missed most the conversation due to them being quiet. He got worried when he'd heard Ruby cry. But then she had started laughing, laughing hard. Just as he thought she must have snapped and killed them, they started laughing too. Then he heard a chorus of 'ows'.

He sighed, not sure what the hell they were doing.


Back on the roof, Ruby was waiting for them to quit rubbing their heads.

"Now, go back before someone realizes we are all gone. I'll see you tomorrow night." Ruby said.

They agreed, said their goodbyes and left.

Ruby went back inside, relaxed and smiling.

Roman came in from the kitchen. "What where you doing up there?"

Ruby shrugged. "Team things and stuff."

"So it went well?" Roman asked.

Ruby nodded and he hugged her. "Good, I'm glad."


Things resumed as normal for a while. That is, until two weeks later.

Ruby, her new team with Velvet and her team where hanging out at Ruby's favorite pizza place one weekend when someone started pitching rocks at the lot of them.

Ruby looked in irritation in the direction they were coming from. Her team and she spotted the culprit at the same time.

It was Cardin.

Russ, Dove and Sky stood, blocking Velvet from the little missiles.

Ruby stood with them.

Cardin glared. "Glad to see you replaced me!"

"It wasn't our choice." Dove called back.

"Well he looks weak to me, A good for nothing freak loving wimp!" Cardin yelled.

"Watch your mouth, Cardin, you're not half the leader Red is!" Russ shouted.

"Is that so?" He snarled back.

"Why don't you go back to where you belong, Cardin? You're no Hunter if you pick on others for amusement." Sky called.

"I'll have you know I just see it as my duty to strengthen the weak and weed out the freaks! And it looks to me you have a good for nothing, weakling, short, freak loving idiot of a leader who brainwashed you!" Cardin yelled, starting toward them with his eyes locked on Russel.

"Why don't you back that up?" Russ yelled at him.

"Oh, don't think I won't." Cardin said, then suddenly the air was filled with screeching brakes and honking horns.

The lot of them watched in stunned silence as a truck skidded out of control and struck Cardin dead on, rolling over him.

Ruby looked away, not wanting to see what was left of the fool.

The silent moment that followed lasted several minutes but it felt like hours. A crowd of gawkers gathered and then the police arrived on the scene. Ruby and Velvet's teams were still glued in place when the Police started questioning witnesses. Everyone was in shock, none having expected something like that to happen.

The police sent the traumatized kids back to school with a detective to explain what they had been through, apparently the truck driver had lost control and in that moment, hit Cardin.

Little did Ruby know that the truck driver was the same man that Cinder had wanted her to kill.

Ozpin gave all the witnesses of Cardin's demise a week off, sending them home to cope.

Ruby spent that time laying in bed, watching the world go by and waiting for Roman to come back, he was out of town and she was alone.

She was almost normal again when she returned to school, her team seemed to be faring less well.

She forced herself to climb out of that strange stupor so she could lead them out of it as well.


The rest of the year seemed to go by quietly.

The following summer Ruby managed to keep up with everyone.

She found out her sister was in the same condition but Weiss and Blake were making headway with the faunus.

Nora still remembered nothing day to day.

Roman informed Ruby that Cinder would be initiating her plans soon.

That was when Ruby decided there was something they needed to get clear.

"Roman... I love you... but I cannot stand idly by and look the other way any longer. While I will never turn you in, the minute we step out of this apartment, I will be working to stop you. Once we step back in here, though, I will be at your side again." Ruby said bravely.

Roman looked over at her, surprised. "Fair enough. And same to you then. I will not kill you though I will do my best to succeed in spite of your efforts."

Day in and day out after that they entered a game of cat and mouse. Ruby managed to slow Cinder's progress a good deal.

Team JNPR was set to start following Glynda that summer and when they did Ruby started shadowing them. They were trying to track down and catch Cinder.

More than once one of them would catch sight of her shadow in the moonlight. Every time they looked, though, all they saw was the edge of a white cloak disappearing over a building.

One late night Team JNPR was separated from Glynda, they could hear fighting on the other side of the building from them. From the sound of it the bad guys had tried to cut them off but found resistance. Without backup, the members of the White Fang fell away and JNPR reached the other side of the building just as the fight ended.

When they got there they expected to find Glynda. Who they saw was Ruby.

The four stood stunned. Ruby winked at them and vanished.

Nora smiled. "My guardian angel!"

Ruby was more careful after that not to let them catch her.

Before long Cinder was way behind schedule and Roman informed Ruby that she was extremely angry.

School started again before she was really ready.

Her and her team took missions, quickly shaping up to be excellent Huntsmen. Ruby was proud of this team, glad she had managed to make such a positive influence on them.

Everything had fallen into a sort of normality. She stayed at school most weekends to keep from raising suspicion.


It was nearly a month into school when she finally risked a visit to Roman's apartment.

He wasn't there.

She sighed, he often was out late so she decided to just wait on him, falling asleep on the couch.

It was closer to dawn then midnight when she was wakened by the sound of running water in the bathroom.

She glanced that way in confusion, she hadn't heard Roman come in and she hadn't left anything running. The door was open so she got up to investigate.

It was Roman, he was soaking his white coat in the bathtub and pouring a bottle of peroxide into the mix.

He was coated head to toe in blood.

"What...? What happened? Are you ok?" Ruby asked, worried.

"Fine." Roman said, looking up at her, his eyes were troubled but he was unharmed.

The blood wasn't his.

Ruby looked at him in shock for a moment before asking. "Did you...?"

Roman sighed and went back to what he was doing.

"Cinder needed someone removed." Roman admitted at length.

Ruby stumbled back, her stomach turning in knots thinking about what he had done. She turned to leave the room.

"You knew from the beginning what I am!" Roman yelled after her.

Irritated and upset at having this all happen together, Roman pitched the empty peroxide bottle across the room.

Ruby heard the plastic bottle bounce around in the other room and stopped. She found herself in tears over some unknown dead person.

He was right, he had told her that he had killed before and might have to again. She just hadn't been ready for it. For reality to come crashing in so soon.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, in the middle of the living room, one hand holding her face and the other arm wrapped about her middle, crying.

Roman stepped up behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Ruby jerked away, she hadn't even thought about it, she had just done it.

Roman stood there looking at her, hurt.

"You knew." He reminded again. "It's my life."

Her vision was blurred by a new onslaught of tears.

"Please, Red... Ruby..." Roman said, trying to reason with her.

She couldn't stand to look at him then. Couldn't stand to be there. So she ran.

Roman didn't follow, just sank to the floor, he always tried to avoid killing, too messy. He told himself she just needed room to accept things, that she would get over it.

Ruby didn't return to the dorm yet, needing to calm down. She spent most the morning just driving around Vale, trying to wrap her head around things.

At the moment though, she couldn't stand the thought of even looking at Roman.


By the time her tears had dried and her emotions were under control she had burned through most of a tank of gas, she decided to just return to Beacon, to her team.

They could tell something was bothering her but decided not to ask then, figuring if she wanted them to know she would tell them.

The week crawled on and her mood didn't improve. She snapped at anyone who so much as looked at her wrong. Finally the weekend rolled in and her team took her out to spar with them.

When they found it easy to knock her around they knew something was truly wrong.

"What's going on?" Sky asked, concerned.

"It's... stupid, don't worry about it." She said, not wanting to talk.

"We're your team, you can trust us!" Dove put in.

Ruby sighed. "I know... It's just... My own stupidity."

"Does it have anything to do with your boyfriend?" Russel asked.

Ruby flinched, he'd guessed exactly the problem.

"Did he hurt you?!" Sky asked, quickly getting angry. "I'll kill him."

"No.. No it isn't that..." Ruby said hastily, not wanting Sky to get himself killed.

"It is about him though?" Dove asked.

Ruby sighed again, nodding this time. "I knew from the beginning what I was walking into with him... I just... There are things his life requires him to do..."

Russel rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't handle it.." She finished.

"What are you going to do?" Sky asked.

Ruby shook her head. "I don't really know... I just.. need time to think."

They all nodded.

It was the night before classes where to start and her Scroll buzzed.

I'm sorry, Red.

Ruby looked at the message, knowing who it was from.

She wasn't ready, she couldn't bear talking to him. She deleted the message.

Nearly an hour later her scroll buzzed again.

I know you probably hate me right now... I just wish you would at least say so.

Again she just deleted the message.

She didn't bother reading the next one, she just deleted it.

The next few days she was in a darker mood, she got mean in sparring matches. She was going through the same argument in her head, over and over and she couldn't make it stop or find a solution.

"I love him, but he's a killer, I knew that, but i didn't believe he'd do it..." Round and round that internal argument went.

It was nearly a week later when Roman messaged her again.

Red, please.

She deleted without answering.

I love you.

She deleted without answering again.

If you are cutting me out of your life at least tell me.

She still gave no answer, just deleting the message. She didn't want to cut him out of her life, she loved him. Yet she couldn't find the will to speak to him.

She sighed, staring at the ceiling, tired of this argument.

A few more days passed before he messaged her again.

I get it. I still love you. I'm sorry.

She didn't even really get his point, just deleted the message.

I won't bother you anymore. Or anyone else.

Ashes to ashes.

She still managed to miss his point, deleting the message.


Roman sat alone in his dark apartment. He felt cold and empty. He'd lost her. His heart was breaking and he hated it.

He was furious and hurt. He couldn't find purpose in his life anymore. It seemed so worthless. Everything he had worked for thus far seemed so pointless, and that infuriated him.

He wanted to hurt her and couldn't bear the thought of it at the same time.

Pitching his scroll across the room hard enough to shatter it he sighed.

"No point." He grumbled, trudging out of his apartment.

He left his car behind and walked into the night.

Eventually he found his way to Cinder's current hideout. She was having a discussion with a few members of the White Fang.

Just looking at her made him angrier.

"Ah, Roman, I was wondering how long you were going to make me wai... What is the matter with you?" Cinder asked, noticing his dark, angry look.

"You." He growled. "I'm sick of you. We were supposed to be in this together and some how I've ended up being your lap dog!"

She blinked, not expecting the sudden outburst.

"You've done nothing but sneak around and keep me in the dark, at this point I don't even know what your agenda is! AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M SICK OF IT!" Roman roared the last bit at her.

"And what do you want?" She asked, her anger quickly rising to match his.

"Oh, I don't know, a bit of respect? A bit of equality? TO KNOW WHY THE HELL I'M EVEN WORKING FOR YOU!" He roared again.

Cinder narrowed her eyes. She didn't give time for threats this time. She balled her fist and coated it in fire dust. She swung at the right side of his face, she was so close, he didn't see it coming.

He was suddenly enveloped in white hot pain.

He didn't remember finding the ground.

He vaguely remembered Cinder picking up his head by the back of his hair.

"You work for me because I tell you to. Don't question me again." She said to him, her voice back to it's normal seductive tone.

"Just finish me off." He growled, honestly wanting to die.

Cinder tilted her head, thinking about it.

"No, you are still useful. But if you cause me more problems... I'll kill the girl." Cinder said, almost cheerful.

The pain in his face and the ache in his heart were too much, the darkness welcomed him.


When he finally woke he was in Doctor Arvan's hospital again. It hurt to move any muscles in his face, still, he looked around, finding the doctor standing over him.

"Don't tell Red I'm here." Roman said, his voice was hoarser than he'd expected.

Arvan arched a brow but didn't question him, just handed him a mirror.

"You'll live, but you'll be scarred for life." Arvan informed him.

Roman took the mirror and looked.

His bangs had been burned back, though his scalp was fine, from just above his eyebrow to under his cheek then back and down the right side of his face was badly burned, it was gruesome.

His right eye was also completely gone.

Roman sighed, setting the mirror aside.

Doctor Arvan took the hint that his patient wanted to be left alone so he took his leave without another word.


Ruby woke that morning feeling like something was wrong. She couldn't place her finger on it though. Something just felt wrong.

She tried to brush it aside, to go about classes as normal but she found it creeping up on her constantly.

That evening she tried to discern the cause.

She asked her team if they had anything bothering them.

"No, it's all you boss." Russ said.

Ruby sighed, she had been the only one with so much on her mind.

She thought about Roman and was suddenly worried. Even though he was a criminal, even though he was a murderer, so was she. She loved him.

She sighed, that finally stopped bothering her. Remembering she, too, had killed someone meant that her hands weren't clean ether.

Then she found herself with that wrong feeling again. The worry for Roman.

She scooped up her scroll and messaged him.

No answer.

"I kinda deserved that..." She mumbled to herself after a while.

She laid back on her bed, trying to figure out what to do.

She messaged him again.

Still no answer.

Then she remembered.

"Ashes to ashes... Cinder..." Ruby said aloud, getting up and heading for the door.

Her team quickly moved to follow and she turned to look at them.

"No, stay here." She ordered.

They looked to each other then back to her.

"We want to go with you." Sky argued.

"Stay." She ordered again. "Please."

They nodded and she slipped out.

She headed for the apartment.

He wasn't there, looked like he hadn't been in a day or two.

She slipped out and headed for the hospital.

"Special guest for the Rising Darkness." She told the woman at the desk.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked.

"Nothing, I need to check if a patient has been admitted in the last couple of days." Ruby asked.

"No, no one has come, been rather quiet." The woman said tonelessly.

"You're sure?" Ruby asked.

"The Doctor built a small castle on his operating table with playing cards and matches." She replied, still toneless.

Ruby sighed, leaving there she returned to Beacon, she had classes tomorrow so she couldn't stay out all night.

Still, she was worried.

On her way back to the dorm she bumped into Emerald.

"Have you seen Roman?" Ruby asked hushedly.

"That idiot?" She scoffed. "He made the grave mistake of making Cinder mad. Came in yelling at her the other night. Let's just say she didn't take that well and he won't be doing it again."

Emerald smirked and walked off.

Ruby's heart sank. She knew what had happened, it was easy enough to guess.

Roman was dead.

Ruby wandered back to her room, feeling like she was in a daze, it couldn't be true.

And she had treated him so badly the last few days.

She stepped through the door to find her team waiting on her anxiously.

"What happened?" Russ asked.

Ruby stumbled in.

The reality of it all sank in and she dissolved into tears.

The three of her team were at her side instantly, holding her up and asking what had happened.

All worried.

"He's dead..." She sobbed. "It's all my fault."

She was sobbing so hard it was hard to breathe.

The pain was overwhelming.

She felt like her heart had been ripped out and crushed, she felt that tearing, crushing pain.

She was alone.

He was gone.

She had pushed him away.

Now he was gone.

Forever.

Ruby cried until she fell asleep, fitful as it was.

She kept having the same nightmare.

Cinder, angry and throwing that fireball at Roman, just like when she had taken the hit for him, except, in the dream, she didn't move and it hit him.

She watched him burn to death, screaming in agony.

That same nightmare woke her repeatedly that night.

It began to alternate with another nightmare.

She was somewhere dark when she heard Doctor Arvan say. "I'm sorry Little Red, I did all I could."

She would then find herself standing over the cold and motionless form of Roman after having been shot, but when she went to hug him he was suddenly a burned, sticky mess.

Both nightmares had her waking in tears, waking her team.

They would try to calm her down, get her to go back to sleep, though they were all worried.

The next morning for class Ruby moved like a ghost, not saying anything and with no real thought to her actions. She sat through class, no one able to tell if she was paying attention as she just stared blankly in the direction of the professor.

At lunch, Velvet sat next to her and chattered on for a moment. When Ruby didn't respond she glanced over at her, seeing that she was just staring off into space.

"You alright?" Velvet asked.

The other team members of CRDL just shook their heads.

Velvet sighed, patting Ruby on the back.

"Well, whatever it is I'm sure you will get through it." She offered before rejoining her own team.

The day continued on, when classes ended and they were heading back to the dorms Russ put an arm around Ruby's shoulders, the other two getting close.

"How long you going to be this way?" He asked.

She just stared blankly ahead, the same expression she had held all day.

"Come on... Snap out of it..." Sky said, watching her worriedly.

"We know you are in pain... but Red, please, don't let it take over you." Dove said, trying to at least get a response.

"He was all I had..." she said finally.

"You still have us." Sky offered.

"Everyone I loved turned on me. He was the only one that was there for me. When he needed me I turned on him. Now he's gone." She explained, near emotionless.

"It's not your fault!" Russel insisted.

"Everyone I love or care about either turns their back on me or dies. How long will you really be by my side?" She asked, the same tone.

They all stood in shock and she walked away.

The next two days were much the same, her team tried to reach out to her but were met with the same responses.

"There has to be something..." Russel said, the first day of the weekend.

"Anything. Do you even feel anything?" Dove asked.

"No." She replied.

It was true, she seemed to have blocked out all emotions.

She had become cold, she had no heart when sparring, losing easily. She looked as if she had given up the will to live and was just waiting to die.

"Come on... Isn't being our leader worth anything? Our friend?" Sky pleaded.

"My mother died when I was young. My sister turned on me and so did the woman I loved. Now the man I loved more then anyone is dead because I failed him." She replied looking up at him. She shook her head. "I can't. I just can't."

They all sighed, hating that they couldn't help her. Wishing there was something they could do.


Ruby left, walking alone. They let her go. Not knowing what to do. She wandered a long time, finally getting on her motorcycle and driving around Vale.

He was gone, and it was her fault.

She pondered just killing herself. It would be easy, get up to a high speed on her bike and just... not turn. Slam into something.

She'd be done for.

She couldn't bring herself to do that though.

She wondered what she was going to do.

She found herself at the warehouse where Roman had brought her to meet Cinder.

Suddenly she was filled with rage. The first emotion she had felt in a while.

Cinder killed Roman.

Ruby had killed for him once, she saw no reason not to do it again.

She marched in.

The White Fang were not there but there were a lot of shipping crates with the Schnee family logo.

She heard voices and headed that way.

She saw Mercury and Emerald arguing.

Ruby continued forward, still shadowed.

Cinder cut the two off and told them something.

Ruby narrowed her eyes, seeing her target. Whether she won or died Ruby didn't care. Just as she was about to step into the light she saw a familiar white coat and froze.

His back was to her but she heard the sound of a him lighting a cigar. For some reason that smell was the greatest thing in the world right then.

Roman turned to say something to Cinder, Ruby saw the side of his face, so very badly burned. Cinder had hurt him. She hadn't killed him, she had only hurt him, he was still alive!

Ruby charged in using her semblance and stopped directly in front of him.

Everyone froze and fell silent as her rose petals danced through the air.

"Red..." Roman said, looking Ruby in the eyes.

"You're alive..." She replied.

She saw the pain in his eye that matched her own misery. Roman waited, expecting her to slap him for what he'd put her though. Instead of hitting him, she tackled him, causing him to stumble back against a shipping crate as she kissed him.

He was surprised but didn't argue, relaxing and kissing back, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight.

"Oh, for... ugh." Emerald said in disgust and walked off.

"Oh come on, I bet you'd like it if I did it to you." Mercury teased as he followed her.

Cinder was equally disgusted, walking up to the two.

When they finally stopped kissing she was far closer than either of them would have liked.

"If you're going to do that, do it elsewhere." She growled at them.

Roman smirked at her, then swiftly scooped Ruby up in his arms and walked off.

As Roman carried her she studied the severity of his burn, realizing he had lost one of his eyes.

"I'm sorry... this is my fault." Ruby said, pained.

Roman shook his head. "I don't blame you, Red, so don't blame yourself."

"But... your eye..." She stated, still bothered.

"Don't worry about it, Red, I couldn't see out that eye anyway." He informed her.

Once outside he set her next her motorcycle and waited for her to get on.

"Let's go home... I haven't been there in days as it is." Roman sighed.

"I noticed you even left your car behind." She noted. "I thought you were dead..."

He chuckled as she got on the motorcycle.

"I thought you had left me for good, that I had lost you forever. I picked a fight with Cinder because I wanted to lose." He explained, finding humor in the situation now. "What made you come back?"

She started the bike then looked at him. "I love you, I've killed to protect you and when I thought Cinder had killed you, I realized I'd kill again to avenge you."

Roman kissed her.

Once he got on the back of her motorcycle she sped off to the apartment.

They spent that night together, having obviously missed each other's company.


The next morning they were awakened by someone kicking the front door in.

Ruby looked at the bedroom doorway in sleepy confusion as Roman grabbed his weapon and swung over her. He supported himself with one knee while the other leg stabilized with that foot on the other side of her legs. He reached down with his free arm around her middle and pulled her up to him tightly and protectively. His weapon aimed at the door way.

"Red? Red?... Red you here?" She heard her team calling.

Roman didn't seem to recognize the voices.

Sky stepped into the doorway, he jumped a little, seeing Roman's burned face, then he realized they were only loosely covered by a sheet and nothing else, then he noticed the weapon pointed at him and raised his hands.

"I see we're interrupting... I am so sorry." Sky said, afraid he was about to get shot.

"I'm fine. Just go." Ruby said, feeling very awkward.

Sky nodded and started backing away. "Good to see you're alive, ah, looking good, totally."

Roman only glared at him.

Sky turned and grabbed the other two.

"Is she here?" Russ was asking.

"Yes, but so is he and we need to go. Now." Sky replied, dragging them towards the door.

They heard the front door slam and Roman laid his weapon down, turning his attention to Ruby.

"You're team is comprised of idiots." He informed her.

"But they are protective idiots." She offered.

"That's my job." He grinned, kissing her and lowering her back down to the bed.


A/N: Maaaan that was a long one! heh, I kinda got started and didn't stop... So, lots of things happened in this chapter, as was the point. If I'd dragged this stuff out longer it would have just been... Too much I think.

Anyway, moving on.

Two years gone in this chapter ;)

So, questions and reviews welcome as always!

Editor2's note: Author do you realize how much time it took to read through and edit all of this. Bah. Oh, and as a side note, anyone confused by Ruby's pronouns randomly getting changed to 'they/them' for like two paragraphs near the beginning, that was because it was seen kinda from her team's perspective and they didn't know her gender.