Year One of Beacon

Blake paused outside the door. She could hear Ruby pacing around inside, her footsteps landing loudly on the floor. Blake only had to ponder for a moment before turning and continuing down the hall. She would have a much easier time reading in the library than their dorm room thanks to Ruby.

It had been two weeks since that night Ruby had woken her up. Two weeks since Blake had dragged her to the roof, tried to brush her off, and completely failed. Trying to satisfy Ruby's curiosity had, ultimately, backfired. Now the younger girl wouldn't leave Blake alone.

Warm air blasted Blake as she opened the door to the outside, the heat of summer desperately clawing its way into the dorms. Quickly closing the door behind her, Blake started off to the library.

"Blake!"

Only to find Weiss coming from the same direction Blake had been heading.

"Hello, Weiss." Blake greeted her teammate amiably. "Have you been studying?"

"Yes, yes I have. I don't suppose you've seen Ruby? She was supposed to have met me in the library over half an hour ago now. I try to be lenient, and this is what I get."

Blake forced a grin onto her face even as she realized that meant Ruby had broken a promise with Weiss to try to talk with her.

What a persistent person!

"Actually, I believe she was in the dorm room. I could hear something jumping around inside the room when I went by."

Weiss's composure broke a bit as she lifted a hand to her mouth in horror at the mention of 'jumping around.' "Please, please don't tell me you could smell baked goods."

Blake genuinely chuckled at Weiss's fear, although it was understandable. Ruby on a sugar rush was simply annoying to be around, and there wasn't a chance of her working in that state.

"Well, thank you for the warning. I shall be taking care of that. See you later, Blake."

"Good luck!" Blake had to call after her teammate as the icy girl was already storming inside.

Blake turned back to look towards the library, but stopped herself before heading its way.

Weiss is going to find Ruby and realize Ruby isn't on a sugar rush… Then drag her to the library? Most likely.

Blake sighed as she realized reading in the library was out. She forlornly gazed at the cover of the book in her hand, titled 101 Ways to Improve Your Stealth. It was an interesting read, because it talked about ways to move around sneakily but was written by a person who was not a thief, nor an assassin, nor anything requiring stealth. It fascinated Blake reading all the tips and realizing regular people thought they would work.

Blake began walking out into the grounds in the direction of the forest. There were a number of trees in the fields between Beacon and the surrounding Emerald Forest, and she figured laying in the shade of one to read would be good enough.

After a few minutes she chose to settle under a giant oak tree. Even if someone she wanted to avoid ended up coming this way, Blake was confident she would notice her before she noticed Blake. In that time Blake could hide in the plentiful leaves and branches of the massive tree.

Blake settled down, propping her back up against the trunk and opening the book in her lap. It was very hot from the sun, and the air was dry, but the shade of the tree and a slight breeze kept it from being uncomfortable.

After a few minutes of reading Blake found herself slowly growing sleepy. Lying here felt nice, and it was the first time in nearly a week she had felt at peace. Ruby was with Weiss in the library by now, so she didn't need to worry about that. Plus, unlike most people, Blake rather liked stretching out in the heat. It was a shame, really, that being near the oak tree to hide also meant staying out of the sun.

After a few minutes she could feel her eyelids growing heavier as her relaxation made her want to sleep.

I should leave… Go to the dorm…

Blake thought about her nightmares, and realized that for once the thought of them didn't make her feel anxious.

What I wouldn't do to sleep well for once…

Blake let herself drift into sleep.

"They're coming! WHY WON'T THE DOOR SEAL?! THEY'RE COMING!"

Blake could hear frantic screaming from inside the room as they approached. She and Adam nodded to each other, and he charged into the door with his shoulder, blasting it open and sending three humans flying.

Blake leapt in behind him and covered his back. A human immediately leapt at her, brandishing a pipe he had clearly just picked up off the ground as a makeshift weapon.

In a single stroke of Gambol Shroud's sheathe Blake killed him. Mercilessly she cut through his chest, making him drop to the floor instantly as he clutched his wound.

Two more jumped at Blake. With one quick slice she opened both of their abdomens, and they fell to the floor with screams of pain. She could hear Adam's blade swishing through the air behind her, screams of pain accompanying it moments later.

"Let's go." Adam's voice was rough and remorseless as he strode to the door opposite of the one they had entered.

Before Blake moved to follow him something grabbed her ankle. Startled, Blake had already half-drawn her blade by the time her eyes reached the source.

"Please… please… you have to… tell my wife… her number is saved in my phone… tell her I didn't mean it… If she wants to send our son to Beacon… that's fine… I love her too much to disagree…"

The man's voice was tight with pain, and there were gurgling sounds coming from his mouth as blood flowed out of it. But his eyes were staring up at her, and in them shone a brilliant determination.

A determination to tell his family what he thought was most important to be cleared up before he died.

And Blake was the reason he had to die? She was already the reason he WAS dying?

More and more hands grabbed at Blake as the room around her melted away and was replaced by a black void. Countless hands grabbed at her as whispering voices accused her.

"You killed us."

"You ended our dreams."

"You left our families broken."

"You erased our hopes."

Blake awoke with a scream, her body drenched in sweat.

Ruby wandered around the edge of the forest, feelings of boredom permeating her mood. She had waited for Blake for as long as she could, but she had known Weiss would eventually come looking for her. Wishing to put off a scolding, however, Ruby had slipped out of the dorm and left to wander the grounds. She had nothing else to do, after all.

She sighed as she turned back to stare towards Beacon.

This is such a waste of a day.

Just as she thought that, though, she spotted something that immediately lifted her spirits. Blake was lying under a tree! And, although it was hard to tell from this distance, she appeared to be sleeping.

Ruby approached cautiously at first, but she sped her slow walk into a jog once she was close enough to tell Blake really was asleep.

Ruby sat down cross legged on the grass a couple of paces away from Blake's sleeping form, only to begin idly pulling up blades of grass as she wondered if she should wake Blake or not.

Looking more closely, Ruby realized Blake was having another bad dream. Her face was taut with distress and her skin looked clammy.

Ruby began chewing her lower lip nervously. She wanted to wake Blake up, but the last time she had tried that it had turned out… poorly.

Fortunately, the decision was made unnecessary as Blake jerked upright, completely awake. Unfortunately, Blake's accompanying shriek literally made Ruby fall over backwards in surprise.

"Blake! Blake! What's wrong?!" Ruby scrambled to her feet, disheveled by the startlingly loud noise.

Blake stared up at her with huge eyes. Her hands were trembling slightly and she looked as if she were ill.

After a moment Blake's amber eyes slowly closed and she leaned back against the tree.

"Blake?" Ruby tentatively called her teammate's name.

"Sorry Ruby."

"What for?" Ruby couldn't think of any reason Blake could have for apologizing, especially since it seemed like Blake was the one in distress.

"Sorry for startling you. Didn't mean to scare you." Blake's voice was a bit hoarse, and her eyes looked unfocused when they reopened.

"Hey, that's fine. Not like you meant to!" An awkward silence fell after Ruby's reassurances. She wasn't sure of what to say, and Blake was still staring off in the distance blankly.

"Are you okay?" Ruby knew she was treading on thin ice, but she ventured to ask anyways.

Blake picked her book up from where it had fallen on the ground and began carefully brushing the dirt off of it. "I'm fine."

"But Blake-"

"Ruby. You know how I feel about this. You know, I don't go poking into your past. Can't I ask you to return the favor?"

Ruby sucked in her breath at that. Blake was correct in saying she had never pried into Ruby's own past.

That meant this was Ruby's chance to tear down a wall?

"Blake, I'd be willing to tell you about my past. I don't even want to know about your past really, it doesn't matter."

Blake turned her head to look at Ruby in surprise. "You don't? Then why are you always asking me so many questions?"

"Well, we're teammates. And I'd also like to be better friends so… You know, I feel like there's always a wall between you and the rest of the team when you're hiding your emotions from us."

Blake's face appeared troubled as she looked away from Ruby again, avoiding Ruby's gaze.

"Hey, Ruby?" Blakes voice trembled a tiny bit.

"Yeah?" Ruby kept her voice as cheerful as she could.

"I don't think I realized you cared before now. Not as much as you do." Blake paused to take a deep breath, and her voice was steadier when she continued.

"I think I can try to open up a little. Let's just… Not rush. Please."

Ruby sat down next to Blake and wrapped an arm around her teammate's shoulders.

"You can take all the time you need. As your team leader I promise I'll listen! Let's get along, okay?"

Blake nodded once before quietly beginning to cry.