Ruby Rose heard the latches on the new window pop themselves open.
That meant Pyrrha was probably six stories up, floating outside her window, about to let herself in.
It was a major breach of the rules that had been laid down for her when she got her Maiden powers.
Not that Ruby could bring herself to care, at this point. Let the whole world see. If the people were panicking, at least they were feeling something.
Violet refused to leave her side, clinging to her in a tight hug.
Ruby couldn't tell if she wanted her to leave, so she could follow through with her planned suicide, or was glad she wasn't, so she couldn't.
"Ruby?" Pyrrha asked as she stepped inside.
"Go away, Pyrrha." Ruby sobbed.
"Momma, don't be mean to Aunty Pyrrha." Violet scolded.
"That bad, huh." Pyrrha said, taking a seat in front of Ruby. "Yang told me what happened. I'm sorry."
"No you're not." Ruby accused. She didn't really mean it.
"I hate seeing my friends get hurt." Pyrrha said. "I should have been there for Nora, and now I can't be. I'm not going to make the same mistake with you."
Nora had been absolutely inconsolable after Ren died. Ruby couldn't imagine what Pyrrha could have done to help then.
Just like she couldn't imagine Pyrrha being able to help now.
"If you don't want to see it, just go away, then." Ruby sobbed.
She could hear Pyrrha shifting.
"No. I'm going to be here for you." Pyrrha said as Ruby felt a strong, calloused hand on her knee. "Even if you don't want me to be. And I know you'd do the same for me."
"No I wouldn't." Ruby lied. She was just lashing out at this point. Trying to make people hate her so it wouldn't hurt so bad for them when she was gone.
"You don't mean that." Pyrrha said calmly. "You'll get through this. You have plenty of people who love and care about you."
"I only needed the one." Ruby whispered.
"What about your daughter?" Pyrrha asked.
It was probably the wrong thing to ask, given the way she was lashing out.
"What about her." Ruby said coldly, her own words firing harpoons into the abyss that remained of her heart.
Pyrrha gasped audibly.
"Momma?" Violet's voice quivered, and she started crying.
"I'm… going to need some help with this." Pyrrha said, apparently to herself. "Where's Blake?"
"Gone." Ruby sobbed. "I threw her out."
Pyrrha shifted to double check that the windows were intact, and make sure Ruby didn't mean literally.
"Alright." Pyrrha sighed. "I guess Violet's going to have to come too, because I can't leave her alone. Oz is going to kill me."
A strong arm scooped under Ruby, and she dropped the stuffed rabbit to the floor as she struggled to escape. It was fruitless. Pyrrha's grip was absolute. Eventually, Ruby gave up, and returned to moping, this time hanging from Pyrrha's side.
"Violet, come here please." Pyrrha said, before bending over to scoop the girl up. "Have you ever gone flying before?"
In a few moments, they were whipping out the window, open air below them as Pyrrha flew towards Beacon.
If she didn't reflexively activate her Aura, a fall from this height would kill her.
Ruby didn't give herself time to consider it.
She kicked against Pyrrha with all her might, and was rewarded by finding herself alone.
Alone, and plummeting towards rapidly approaching concrete.
Ruby closed her eyes.