Chapter 7-
Once they were alone Mia turned to Neo and asked rather bluntly, "Are you and Ruby dating?" She asked innocently.
Neo stammered and started blushing as she attempted to say, "N…no…no we aren't." Neo stammered out before she could recover and ask, "Why do you think that?" Neo asked.
"I can see energy attempting to meet between the two of you. I've only seen it once before." Mia answered.
"What do you mean you can see energy between us?" Neo asked with interest, wanting to know what she was talking about.
"Ruby says it's my Semblance. Say's I can see bonds or energy between people. We discovered this when I was here and two of Ruby's friends, Winter and Blake I think. I could see the energy between them dance amongst the two and well, Ruby explained why that was." Mia explained as if it was obvious.
"And you see this same energy between Ruby and myself?" Neo asked as her tone was full of curiosity.
"I do. But it's like her energy is reaching out to you, surrounding you as if it's comforting you and yours is responding, but not as much." Mia answered calmly, looking at Neo.
"I see." Neo responded quietly, trying to work it all out in her head, and see what exactly this meant.
The rest of the time the two spent getting to know each other as they avoided the heavier topics involving the abuse and of Ruby and Neo's relationship.
"Are you two ready?" Ruby asked as she leant against the doorframe looking in at the two of them talking.
"We are, aren't we Mia?" Neo asked, smiling gently.
"Yes. We are." Mia answered.
"So, I was thinking Mia. Would you like to return to your house to get anything?" Ruby asked kindly.
Mia didn't answer verbally but nodded her head, although she didn't want to go back to that place she wanted to collect some of her belongings.
"Right, come on then." Ruby said, taking Mia's hand and leading the two outside and to her car. Climbing in, Ruby started driving towards Mia's house as she already knew where it was.
It was quiet as they drove towards the house but both older women could feel Mia's growing anxiety over going there. As they pulled up, Ruby and Neo both grabbed Mia's hands and held them reassuringly.
"Do you have a key?" Ruby asked.
"No…normally but I…I forgot it." Mia said as she looked down at the ground.
"It's alright. Hand on a second." Ruby said as she let go of Mia's hand to crouch down in front of the door.
"You know how to pick locks?" Neo asked in surprise.
"Yep, there's always a room somewhere you need to get into but can't so I just learnt by doing." Ruby explained as she took out a couple tools and started to play with the lock.
After a few minutes the lock clicked and the door opened allowing them all to enter. "Right, Mia pack as much or as little as you want, I don't mind." Ruby explained and the three of them went up to Mia's room and watched as she dashed around packing what she wanted to take.
It only took ten minutes for Mia to pack everything she wanted into a small suitcase, there wasn't a lot of clothes so she made a note to take her out shopping for more.
After Mia was done Ruby smiled at her and took her hand once more and drove them all back home where she cooked them a meal before heading to bed.
One week later.
It had been a week since Mia had started staying with them. The day after coming home with them, Neo took the girl to the police station to file a report on everything and Ruby was given temporary guardianship over Mia.
Mia had her own room though most nights she would share the bed with Ruby and Neo as she struggled to sleep past her nightmares. But she would wake up in the middle of the night and wander downstairs as she couldn't get back to sleep.
Ruby and Neo both noticed this each night but were waiting for Mia to come to either of them about it, until one night they decided they just couldn't do nothing.
"I'll go speak to her." Neo said first.
"Are you sure?" Ruby asked softly.
"Yeah, I…I know what she's going through." Neo replied, looking into Ruby's eyes and seeing understanding in them.
Unsure why but Neo suddenly felt comforted as a warmth enveloped her body but she didn't give it anymore thought as she climbed out of bed and pulled on a dressing gown and headed downstairs to speak to Mia.
Standing in the doorway, Neo simply took Mia in. She had long black hair, which was dishevelled from tossing and turning in bed. And she knew if she considered her eyes, her brown eyes would be darting around the room or simply just staring off into the void.
She was careful as she moved into the room and from her view she could see her pyjamas, black shorts and shirt. And at twelve she was still developing but she was further than others her age, and it was clear that she was going to end up taller than Neo.
"Can't sleep." Neo stated, heading for the kettle. Careful not to scare the girl. "Tea?" She asked and receiving a nod in return she made two cups of tea, placing one in front of Mia.
"So, would you like to talk about it?" Neo asked calmly.
Over the last week while Ruby was working the two had stayed at home together. On the first day Neo took her out shopping for clothes and other bits, using Ruby's card that she had been given. Much to Neo's annoyance.
"I just couldn't sleep." Mia said, clearly lying and for a change Neo decided to call her out on it.
"I know about the nightmares." Neo said softly as her voice was kind and gentle.
Mia froze up upon hearing the confirmation from Neo that they knew about them, "How?" Mia asked in a small voice.
"Ruby and I both have nightmares. We recognise the signs and we understand them. We haven't said anything as we hoped you would talk to one of us, but you're barely sleeping and eating. It isn't healthy sweetie and well, the longer you wait to talk about it then the worse it will be." Neo explained.
"Talking about it won't change anything." Mia spat out harshly.
"It will, it helps just to have someone listen to you and hear your story. Trust me I know that it helps." Neo replied calmly as she attempted to convince Mia but seeing as it wasn't working she decided to go a different route, "Would you like to hear my story?" Neo asked.
Mia didn't answer verbally but was curious so nodded her head in reply as she waited to hear Neo's story.
"I didn't start on the right side. When I first saw, Ruby I was fighting against her. I almost killed her sister at one point as well. It wasn't until the battle of Beacon that I finally changed sides and that's because Roman Torchwick died. Or so I thought." Neo began explaining.
"But I guess I should go back a little earlier. I don't remember much of my family life; I guess my mind decided to block it out so I only remember when Roman found me. I was mute, didn't speak at all. He found me in an alley way bloodied and in tears. At first, he was kind, gentle and helped me a lot. Took care of me, but that soon changed when he decided to help Cinder Fall." Neo spat the name out as she spoke.
"After that they both just used me to get what they wanted. See I had a duel semblance as I could teleport but also make illusions so I was valuable in their eyes. I refused to steal stuff so instead they kept hitting me until I agreed. In the end, it was simple, do what they say or get hurt." Neo explained, her voice was level but looking into her eyes you could still see the hurt.
"How did you get out?" Mia asked quietly.
"It was Ruby, although unintentional. During the battle of Beacon Roman was aboard General Ironwood's flagship. I got on board and freed him and once there we used a code to take control of the androids the Atlas army used. Ruby seeing what was happening went to stop us and we ended up fighting. Well, Ruby was hanging on the edge of the wing about to fall off when she reached up and opened my parasol so I ended up flying off as the wind caught it." Neo answered, explaining it all rather calmly.
"How did Roman die?" Mia asked.
"I thought he had died but he didn't. Ruby managed to save him and he was put into prison but I thought he had died. After that I followed Ruby to find her, when we first met up she thought I wanted to kill her but that was far from the truth." Neo replied as she smiled slightly at the memory.
"What are you doing here?" Ruby asked, drawing her weapon and getting ready into a fighting stance.
Neo simply raised her hands as she dropped her weapon to the floor. They were currently in the gardens at Beacon, one of the first areas to be repaired after the fighting. Though unknown to Neo at the time, it was all Ruby's doing as she spent the time repairing and replanting the gardens.
Ruby cocked her head to the side as she looked at Neo, weapon still ready by her side but slightly lowered. "You're not here to fight are you?" Ruby asked and seeing Neo shake her head, she asked. "What are you here for?"
"Safe." Neo said softly, her voice was raspy and barely used.
"Not long after that, Emerald changed sides as well, not believing in what Cinder was doing. But back to the important part." Neo began again.
"I suffered from serious nightmares at what had happened to me, I used to sleep in a room next to Ruby's. I guess one night she heard me crying and she came in." Neo said fondly, remembering the memory well.
Tears soaked through her pillow as she buried her face into the fabric as she tried to escape all the thoughts that invaded her sleep.
Hearing the door creak open only scared her more as she cowered down, believing that to be Roman or Cinder coming in to attack her once more, even though the logical part of her brain knew they were both dead.
Moments later Neo felt the other person's presence next to her bed and looking down at her. Hesitantly Neo opened her eyes and slowly moved so she could see who was there.
In the darkness of her room she saw Ruby, her eyes practically glowing as she looked down at the smaller girl, dressed in a large shirt and panties which were her sleepwear.
Wordlessly the two made eye contact with each other and Ruby reached down, picking Neo up effortlessly bridal style and carried her back to her room and bed.
"The next morning, I spilled everything to Ruby. I told her everything that had happened, about my entire life. It was like a weight had lifted off my shoulders as someone knew what I had gone through and she just, she cared for me." Neo said fondly. "She made sure I was alright and looked out for me as much as she could even though we were enemies just weeks beforehand. We slept in the same bed most nights and she managed to keep the nightmares away and during the day she stayed with me as much as she could unless otherwise called away for something." Neo explained.
"But I've been digressing a lot. After I talked to Ruby things started to look up, I was able to get past it. You'll never truly heal from it or forget any of it. But you just learn how to handle it and someone to just lean on. It's up to you when you talk to someone, but please don't wait too long." Neo pleaded with Mia.
"But what happened?" Mia asked.
"How do you mean?" Neo asked in confusion.
"You and Ruby sounded so close then, so what happened?" Mia asked.
"The fighting. Salam and the Grimm. That all happened, it changed Ruby and while she was still there for me she just…" Neo attempted to say.
"I simply couldn't stay there. I saw a different side to people, to myself. And I'd much rather help people then to kill them. And I simply couldn't stay there, I regret leaving some people behind but it was best for me and sometimes we should be allowed to be a little selfish." Ruby answered what Neo simply couldn't, standing in the doorway leading into the kitchen watching the two of them.
"As Neo said, you can come to either of us or someone else if you want to talk to someone. But for now, why don't we go back to bed?" Ruby asked softly.
So, the three all went back together and that's how it stayed for the next couple weeks where each night the three of them shared a bed together.
A/N
So, another chapter down. Again, not much to really say about this except (Can't spell your username, sorry.) Someone pointed out that I haven't described Mia and how she looks so I added that in.
Other than that, there isn't anything else to really say but I'm struggling to think up a new story concept or work on something else I've already started, and I've got to re-write the Immortal Maiden story as I really don't like what I've done so far.
Anyway, until next time.