A/N: Its still cold. I think in this fic I'll work towards NJR realizing how much Ruby hides from them. I also want to focus on how they feel about WBY. IDK, I'm not in charge of the chapters as we all know, my fickle muse is.

The first little town in their journey had been left behind two days ago. A slight warming trend weather wise was quite the nice surprise, it being the dead of winter and all. The sun was setting casting the clouds in oranges, purples and blues. The second best thing about this trek was getting to see so many beautiful sunsets. The best things of course being her travelling companions. They set about building a fire, making dinner, gathering firewood to get them through the night and setting out their bedrolls. Tonight Ren has first watch. Jaune finally getting used to sleeping out in the open took half his normal time to fall asleep. Nora was out practically the moment she laid down.

From his position overlooking the camp Ren could see Ruby staring up at the stars. He watches her for a while, the flicker of the fire causing dark shadows to roam over her face making her look weary and far too old for her sixteen years. No, that's not quite right he thinks. The shadows were only accenting what already was there. He knows a thing or two about hiding emotions. It just strikes him as quite sad that Ruby seemed to be in the same mindset. He couldn't say he was an expert on the tiny reaper while they were at Beacon, but she had always seemed to be the kind of person to wear her heart on her sleeve. He isn't sure if it's simply because she hadn't reached that kind of comfort level around them yet, or if that horrible day had truly stripped the younger girl of too much of her innocence.

He knew, they all knew, that she had been found unconscious on top of the tower where their teammate met her demise. No one had the heart to ask if that condition came before or after. He knew though. to him it was obvious. The girl tried desperately to put up a façade of cheerfulness for their sakes, but every once in a while her eyes would flash in the haunted way that he had seen in Nora's eyes after their village was destroyed. He knows she witnessed the last seconds of the invincible girls life. He wont ever force her to recount that day. It would be cruel, so, He files his suspicions away. She will tell them if or when she's capable. He scans the horizon for a while lost in thought. It's getting close to time to switch watch with Jaune. Ren makes his way quietly over to the blonde boy. His hand is hovering above his friends shoulder when he hears Ruby whimper her sisters name in her sleep.

Ren blinks and stands, not yet waking the knight to be. He finds himself an odd mix of curious and angry, irrationally so. He sits next to the fire, adding a few more logs to keep the blaze strong. Nora snores, Jaune shifts in his sleeping bag and Ruby whimpers again this time for Blake and Weiss. His anger flares again. Before he wasn't sure exactly why he was angry. This time realization hits him. He was angry at her team for abandoning the tiny girl when she needed them the most. Weiss he understands, he isn't mad at her. Given the circumstances she didn't have a choice. Blake and Yang they DID have a choice. They chose to push Ruby out and flat out abandon her respectively. Sure, they had traumas and demons of their own to deal with. There wasn't a person unscathed by that night. Ruby needed them and he was just so frustratingly angry on her behalf.

He blinks, these kind of emotions are no good in the wilds. He scans the area quickly. Taking a moment to meditate and calm himself. He does not want to be the cause of a grimm attack. He touches the ground sending his semblance to wash over the sleeping silver eyed girl. Hes hopeful it would ease whatever dream she was dreaming. He smiles as she relaxes in her sleep. His secret gift of support for the girl that brought him hope on one of the darkest days of his life. Ren didn't have any blood related family any more, he had Nora, he had Jaune, and now he had Ruby. Oh, He chuckles quietly to himself suddenly understanding. This is why Yang was so over protective of the tiny reaper. This must be what it's like to be a big brother. He thinks maybe he was being too hard on the three girls. He sighs and makes a silent promise to them. He will be there if and when she wants to talk. He will keep her safe until they meet again and he will do his darndest to bring back at least some semblance of her innocence in their stead.

A/N: When Ren wants POV Ren gets POV, apparently.