Chapter 21: Choice

Weiss Schnee

Waking up wasn't the usual haze of blurriness. These days the first sensation was the chill of a winter morning and the harsh throb radiating from her still bruised knuckles. The cuts had mostly healed, all the glass pulled out, but dragging oneself up from the depths of sleep meant experiencing every worldly sensation as fresh as they came. The dull ache was definitely one of them.

Weiss pulled herself up, immune to the aforementioned cold as the combined force of air conditioning and Spain's worst curving over her thin blue nightgown could not compare to a German frost fall. Hair like streams of silver rain ran down her body and face, an inconvenient nuisance as she ignored the sting in her bandaged limb and went for her phone. Brushing those strands away, her alerts appeared just shy of what was desired. Another message from father, asking her how she was and sending more money to her account and another from Winter, juxtaposed perfectly as she bitched about the purchase of more equipment, which was mostly to replace what was torn asunder days prior. Expensive, but they would come in just the same, hell to any other Schnee who said she couldn't have them. After all, had it not been for their interference, she wouldn't have needed to smash them. No, you're the one being a child.

She regretted that, ruining her prime method of catharsis. She had other instruments, and instead of her guitar she did pick up a bass or violin, when her hand allowed, but without the recording equipment, it all felt for naught. It robbed her of finding something in the heartache received every morning Ruby sent her nothing. Get up, don't be pathetic.

Weiss obeyed, standing in the morning light. It was an early Sunday, the clock had struck nine just barely a moment prior and painfully devoid of a class for distraction. No rush to find out if Ruby was there today. Weiss knew of the party, respected the unspoken requisition of space. The mean time was spent plucking meaninglessly at the strings of a cello, the wire's sting long since dulled by her calloused fingertips. The sound produced was a strange blend, an unintended consequence of the nature of strings that allowed it to be played like a guitar, a deeper rhythm to her strumming, no real composition or thought to give. Just movements to pass the time. Pass it till something, anything happened. For good or ill, this waiting was bound to put Weiss in the grave sooner rather than later.

As the repetitive jerking of strings threatened Weiss, choked her, as notes entered her mind and transcribed that night, it put her personal failings to music. She meant to avoid it, but that natural inclination dragged a focus out of her. Violins from the walls accompanied the concerto Weiss made in her head, the center a piano instead of a cello. Harsh minor key chords followed a one two pattern. An anthem to stupid decisions. The idiocy, foolishness she was still feeling, thinking Summer's passing could ever be so simple as a weapon pointed at Weiss. Stupid. It was just as absurd as Winter seeing her as paperwork. Father spilled pounds of bullshit into her life, telling the sisters to have more humanity wasn't. Weiss was rewarded with an excellent view as she watched Ruby walk away from such a selfish perspective. Stupid. She couldn't spare a moment from her own fears of being torn apart to tell Ruby it was okay, that she was there for her, that she didn't have to re-experience the loss of a mother by herself. Instead, Weiss, with the wisdom of the brat she was, told her to just cast it off like a little bit of thrown mud, to ignore it like a blatant attack. Stupid.

Weiss' phone went off, pulling her out of her mind and back into her room. The girl's hands had stopped playing, the bandaged one clenched so hard she knew her nails would leave temporary dents in her palm, another silly expression of angst that was frankly beneath her. The silver girl snatched her phone with a mixture of excited interest and cautious optimism. It was a text, but again not Ruby. An unknown number, an entirely different country code, not her girlfriend this time.

Ready to give up, Weiss opened the text, a short message, one line. 'This is Penny, if you can, I think you should really come to Ruby's house. '

Weiss didn't need much else to get ready. The signal, as well as it could be, was sent. She had always had a spirit that preferred action over patience, perfection in execution of course, but never simply waiting for life to come to her. She was showered in record time, cutting minutes by mixing in dental care as she went. No jewelry attached to her finished body and only the most basic of product. She dressed well, unwilling to be a slob, but quickly. Blouse, jeans with uggs, and a tan, fur lined peacoat. She, despite her bandages, pulled her hair into the stylish off kilter ponytail she was famous for, and stepped out her door once again. It was time to procure the last need: transportation.

"Uhh, what is it?" Weiss heard from beyond Blake's door. It was the Italian, not her target, but another groaning voice proved her theory right. Yang was in there.

"It's Weiss. I need to speak with Yang!" Lying about the dorm rooms, hoping Ruby would stumble her way in, allowed Weiss to watch the sister do it instead. The two were a tempest of laughs, waking anyone who chanced to not find some other way to spend a Saturday. Where Yang was, bumblebee couldn't have shied too far off.

"We don't want any!" Yang answered, much as Weiss predicted. This was not how this ended, so close, clawing at the opportunity to set it all right. Three steps away from avoiding calamity, Weiss god damn Schnee was not going to be stopped.

"Yang!" Weiss punctuated with a heavy knock, "Xiao!" another followed just as hearty as the last, "Long!" Schnees were no nuisance to ignore, and her first slammed unrelenting into the frame. Was this going to make her Blake's most beloved friend? Heavens no, but what else mattered than the red in her white-washed world.

"What in god's name could you possibly want this bad!" Yang swung the door open with such force the handle could have easily embedded itself in the wall. Blake even stared surprised. Weiss, however, stood firm and unphased by the beast in mad gold curls.

"If you're done freshening up post coitus, Yang, I need your help," Weiss tried to be nice and spectacularly failed. She lacked the skills to converse with the sister without taking the piss out of her. Still, seeing them both in pajamas, Blake's it seemed as they were terribly tight around Yang's abs, was positive. Happy Yang meant a happy Ruby and Blake, which could start sending them down the proper path of being at each other's throats, but with marketably less gusto.

"First off, we did not have sex, I slept in Velvet's bunk. I'm on this whole showing restraint and whatever thing. Anyways, second, the hell is up with you?! It's like ten on a Saturday! People are hungover, Weiss!" Yang pointed out in accusation, eyes still crusty from sleep. Weiss was unwilling to waste the time with an explanation, especially given she didn't have one. Instead, she embarked on the simplest path, shoving the texts right in the girl's face.

"Ruby needs us, we have to go." Yang pulled the phone from her hand, lilac eyes darting over the short message five more times than necessary. Weiss crossed her arms distasteful of any response other than, 'let's go.'

"Ruby's tougher than you give her credit for," Blake butt in unwelcome, but Weiss resisted the urge to initiate a verbal smack down, "she doesn't need anything, but she could use patience and understanding till she comes back." Blake wasn't wrong, but it certainly didn't make it any less irritating. Half a week of worrying, a smashed keyboard, a plethora of churning guilt, Weiss did not go quietly into that good night.

"It's from Penny, she has no interest in us getting back together. If she's asking for me then this must clearly be worthy of our concern," Weiss contended, unwilling to give in so easily. Yang let out an annoyed click, calling Blake to her sweetly. The newly minted partner put her light hand on Yang's exposed tan shoulder. The ease was palatable, and with a breath, they all looked to the sister's confirmation.

"Alright," Yang let up, closing the phone and tossing it back to Weiss like a coin of fate, hopefully coming up heads, "let's get going, we've got a Ruby to comfort. Special girlfriend delivery." Yang, for all her shortcomings, was a predictably good sister, turning right around to gather what she needed to save the day.

Weiss was committed, however, to not act as predicted. To leave behind the selfishness, a husk of an unhealthy Schnee-centric view imparted by years of getting whatever she wanted. Be the person Ruby needed, not just wanted her to be. To act with some actual grace, to be gentle while it was needed, to prove herself worthy not just of an accepted sorry, but of a future together.

Without meaning to, without sense or reason, Ruby Rose had carved herself a fitting room in Weiss' heart, found a warm spot by the furnace of her soul, sprang forth music when there was silence, and churned up storms when there had been nothing but sterile desert. Basically Weiss was falling fast, terminal velocity, coming crashing down.

But Schnees don't crash; they land with elegance fitting of a god damn lady.

Ruby Rose

"Alright, Ruby," Nora growled in a threatening predatorial rumble, hungry for whatever evil she could inflict, "Truth... or... dare?!" The Danish girl was near bouncing from her throne on the couch, clad in a simple boop shirt and paper-like shorts. Unsurprisingly, she found the most life after a day of fun, enough to stir them all awake and finish their hybrid abomination of Dare Super Dare, The Question Game, and Truth or Dare that seemed to change rules with every turn.

"Truth," Ruby requested for many reasons, because the biggest one of all was that this was one Rose that intended to stay in her hammock until the house burnt down. This little web of ropes and warped mattress was a welcome home, considering how late they were up. She could cocoon herself in this, live there, start a small utopian society. None would know the fear of winter's cold or the horrors of responsibility, not in Rubyville, where blankets ran free and the naps were long.

"I truth you to dare!" Nora shouted, heroically circumventing the rules again. Ruby envied her morning enthusiasm. It was hard to muster lately, but definitely the way to be.

"Please truth. I really don't wanna get up, I am like one with comfort," Ruby begged, letting herself laugh at her own joke. Truly though, this was peace.

"But I'm awful at truth!" Nora protested, dropping her body back onto the couch defeated, "At least with dare I can make you do jumping jacks till you throw up. Now I'll just look like an idiot who doesn't know how to even come up with a simple truth! I mean, who can't come up with a question? How do I even have friends exposed as a loser like this?" Nora's meltdowns seemed comical in nature, but Ruby always felt bad laughing.

"It's okay, Nora. I love your truths, they have a simple brilliance to them!" Ruby mostly BSed. Wasn't really like she was into the idea of rating friends by their individual skill at bored people party games. Heck, Ruby didn't even have enough friends to make any kind of competition for her. When the first round of the final round, best not to turn your social groups into thunderdome.

"I got a question if you don't mind, Nora," Penny interrupted from the floor, bundled in blankets like a Yorkshire mummy. Certainly surprising to hear her speak, the girl had mostly been silent all morning, even more so than last night, upset after dragging the truth about the night with the Schnees out of Ruby. The party was suppose to celebrate all the steps forward she had made in her life: getting a girlfriend, choosing a program, letting go of mom. Ruby wasn't surprised Penny was disappointed to find she hadn't managed a single one of those all over the course one night. Well, I suppose I still have Weiss... assuming she even wanted her after being ignored for half a week…and continued to be so.

"Yes, Penny, my dearest friend, save me from this shame!" Nora immediately accepted, practically dropping down to her knees to be saved. Girl was too hyper for early mornings. This was not right for a mortal.

"Well," Penny started, looking away from either of them, a tiny ginger thing on the floor. Her voice was hushed as if she was about to whisper a deep dark secret, not ask a silly question game remark, "Ruby, how mad would you be if Weiss came over?"

"I don't know. Not really? I just wouldn't know what to say," Ruby admitted all without thinking, without asking why on earth Penny would ask that. It took the words leaving her mouth for Ruby to put the pieces together. "Penny," she asked, calmly, unable to really muster anger, more a confused why, "Truth or Dare." There was no hiding the awareness in her voice, or the melancholic sound of someone recently betrayed.

"Dare, please?" Penny squeaked, hiding despite knowing Ruby had figured her out immediately. Picking dare over truth was just a short delay of the inevitable. If Nora put it together, she remained silent as the air grew increasingly tense.

"I dare you to tell me the truth: did you tell Weiss to come over, and if so, why?" The first half was a formality, letting Penny admit to it without it being thrusted on her. The latter was the true line of questioning. Didn't even really make sense, as the young English ginger had all to lose, sacrificing trust to what? Making things awkward? Ruby couldn't parse a reason out.

"Yo Penny, it's a little early to be making moves, you think?" Nora finally got involved, whispering to the more orange of the two friends. She had intended to keep Ruby out of her machinations, but was either really deaf or terrible at judging earshot.

"No, I just," Penny sighed, pausing to find the words, her phone flipped over to a number Ruby assumed was Weiss'. What was said couldn't be made out, but any educated guess pointed to them getting an unexpected guest.

"Penny, it's okay. Just talk to me?" Ruby tried to reassure her friend that, despite it being shitty, Ruby wasn't going to disown her and toss the poor girl into the woods to be set upon by the wolves.

"Ruby, I think you need to talk to her. You're hiding, friend, but that's not working. You've been stuck in the mud since you got here," Penny sighed, unable to look at either of her watching friends, "And we've never been the ones to get you out. Weiss has." The truth stung Penny just as much as it did Ruby. Reality was that neither of them had the power to do what they wanted, not by themselves. Wasn't like Ruby didn't know that, didn't realize she was hiding, not dealing with it. Was it so evil to just want to close her eyes to wait till the world turned over and the problems solved themselves? "There is a person in you Ruby, she's smart, driven, awkward like me, but brave. You said you wanted to be that person, so I called over the only girl that brings her out of you."

Ruby bit her lips to hold back any denial. Her hands held the sheets of the blanket tight around her, but there was no avoiding this. Part of her wanted to try, to text Weiss to stay home, to hide again for weeks, retreat to the cowardly self that she knew she never really was. Yet she didn't. Ruby remembered a little girl who faced monsters, who wanted to make the fairy tales real, the little girl who had become a grown woman in the last month or so. She remembered the self she wanted to be, and the promise.

I better get a really bloody good reason.

With a deep breath, blowing air into her lungs to free up the cobwebs, Ruby tossed aside her blanket. Time to be brave again. Pinned in a corner, what else was there to do? Find herself and stand, even for a minute.

"So," Ruby asked, turning her legs over the edge of the hammock, plopping down onto her feet by herself for a little while, no other options proving a good motivator, "How much time do I have?"

"So, you girls sure you don't wanna stay another night?" Taiyang asked the two gingers who awaited Ruby in the living room. Ruby came down freshly washed and bathed, hair languide wet ribbons of black oil and molten red. She gave herself enough time to dress as the old Ruby, a gothic skirt to go with her dark blouse and red jacket with stylistic black graphics. The ensemble was designed to remind herself that the dulled, passionless person she liked to hide in was more the ghost of her mother than the reality of Ruby.

"Nah, Ruby has to face her ultimate destiny and basically make the final decisions that everything's been leading up to," Nora answered, dramatizing the day and passing its events completely over Ruby's father's head, "and we don't wanna cramp her style and stuff, you know, but I'm betting on a happy ending." Penny laughed watching Taiyang's face contort into something that matched his real confusion.

"What?" he asked with a smile, blinking rapidly like he had missed some visual aid to explain this strange Danish child.

"What my mate means is: Weiss is coming soon and she and Ruby need to talk about things. It's best we leave them be, wouldn't you think so sir?" Penny simplified down a few steps closer to reality, though Nora would probably suggest she was ruining the fun.

"Don't worry about it dad. Sorry for making you rush them home," Ruby cut in as she stepped out into the open. Penny flashed her a thumbs up in approval. Taiyang nodded with a happy grin, fairly blind the the intricacies, but better off that way.

"Damn Ruby, you're going to kill her with sexyiness before you even talk!" Nora shouted, much more explosive with her support than the others, and frankly more than needed. Taiyang choked on the word sexy, mind erasing it the second he heard it.

"Come on, my hair hasn't even dried. I look like a mess." Ruby gripped her left arm with her right, a common tweek of hers when she was embarrassed. "Penny, how much time we got?"

"Any minute to be honest. She hasn't said anything in awhile, so I assume she's driving. She's so bloody curt, how do you manage that?" Penny asked, discovering firsthand the wonders of one on one communication with the elegant Weiss Schnee.

"You realize her sweetness isn't in what she says," Ruby replied, believing it.

"So is everyone ready to head out?" Taiyang interjected, snatching his keys and wallet, "I'm assuming you're staying Rubes? Is Weiss going to need a ride home?" He started his way towards the door, the train of girls following with sleepover supplies strung over their shoulders.

"I don't know," Ruby admitted. How this was all going to go was a mile from planned. One step at a time. Best scenario, they could wait. Worst... Well taxis would have to do.

"Well, she's welcome to stay the night. I mean, we are all adults and I trust you to be responsible, if," Taiyang started off in his usual cheer before getting higher pitched with every step towards the low brow point he was scratching at. "You get it, you're mature," he settled on, making Ruby wonder how he survived her sexually hyperactive sister.

"Best not to think about it, sir," Penny cut in jokingly, though Ruby didn't know if the advice was for herself as well. This couldn't have been easy to do, no matter the necessity. Ruby couldn't help but think of how much the Yorkshire girl probably wished she could have been the one to pull Ruby out of hell.

Ruby wondered if Penny realized, in her own way, she had.

"Agreed," Taiyang nodded, turning the corner into the foyer, stopping dead when the front door opened from the other side. Yang walked in, with yesterday's clothes and today's troubles.

With her traditional confidence, Weiss Schnee transcended through the boundary into the Long family home. She wasn't all smiles like last time, nothing cunning in her expression, only an austere sobriety, like she was off to fight another war, prepared and aware for what that meant. She crossed her arms around her chest, as if the thick, petite false fur lined coat failed to keep her warm. "Mr. Long, Penny, Nora," she was the first to speak, either too brave or too afraid for an awkward silence, "And Ruby." Weiss' blue irises saw right through everyone else in the room toward the true object to her gaze, the only person in front of her was Ruby, and though she didn't move towards her, those eyes did all the chasing.

"Good to see you're all ling up to see me, but I'm gonna go do some workouts. Call me if you need me, Ruby." Yang made the snappiest departure, sensing the mood right off the bat. Nora and Penny shared glances, feeling the awkward air, leaving just Taiyang ignorant.

"Oh, Weiss! Good to see you again. I'm just dropping off the rest of the crew, will you be over for dinner tonight?" The last of Yang could be seen, shaking her head at her father, the most aloof of all guardians.

"I think that'll depend on Ruby," Weiss admitted, draining Taiyang's smile. "I'm a sudden guest. That's all," she added, hoping to pop his smile back on. He bought it enough to nod and head out the door. Nora skipped on after him, leaving only Penny behind.

"Good luck, friend," Penny whispered to Ruby, squeezing her shoulder before continuing out the door, pausing only briefly as she passed Weiss. "Don't fuck up mate." With that final warning, she was off, leaving a disgruntled Weiss and nervous Ruby behind her. It was just them in the room now, something that a week ago would have been pretty much the gold standard for awesome. Now, now it was oddly nerve wracking. Was she mad? Didn't she have the right to be? Were they together still? Was Ruby even ready to forgive her yet? Was there something to forgive? All these questions were sure as heck easier without a beautiful girl with ice eyes staring at her, wanting to know now.

"Hi," Ruby started, figuring it was better than nothing. Had to be better than sitting there gawking like an idiot. Well, that pretty much was what she did in the first place to get Weiss, so… Ruby agreed she had not the semblance of a clue what was anything approaching the right conclusion.

"Hello," Weiss mumbled back, the roughness of her expression snapped for a second, momentary weakness let loose with a bit lip and a swallow, "I can leave if you want? Penny messaged me saying that I should come. I've been trying to give you space." Weiss hid her mouth with a hand, afraid to give more away, but it revealed the bandages along her knuckles.

"It's okay, I appreciate that." Ruby decided she didn't give a damn about personal space when Weiss had any part of herself wrapped in gauze. She closed the space between them, snatching the thin left hand up, Weiss reacting only with a slight jump. "What happened to you?" Ruby traced the knuckles without adding a newton of force, exploring the bumps of fabric that intertwined with her slim, musical fingers, dainty things, rough and calloused at the tips. Important hands.

"There was an insignificant incident. Glass shards got in my hand, but it's nothing major. I just want to keep it bandaged so it doesn't scar up. Hands are important in presenting yourself." That wasn't wrong. Weiss' hands told of how hard a worker she was, the preciseness of those callouses, how carefully she moved those digits, each a metric marking how relentless she was.

"Did someone hurt you?!" Ruby feared for a second it was William, but Mr. Schnee honestly didn't seem that bad. Winter maybe, but Weiss shook her head no, no reason for her to lie, not if she had any sense.

"I did it to myself. I got upset, broke my monitor, which made me more… irritated, so some other things were ruined. Everything is fine, replacements are on their way. I don't even believe it'll leave a mark." Ruby didn't care about the marks, she cared about Weiss hurting herself. Guilt immediately struck the younger girl. Maybe if she had just texted her, or called her, or stayed. Weiss must have noticed the change as she put her healthy hand on top of Ruby's searching ones, blocking her view and forcing their eyes to meet. "It's not your fault, I was acting like a child. Throwing a tantrum is my decision. I'm a grown woman, so stop thinking like that. You're not my mother, at least I would certainly hope not."

Ruby chuckled despite herself, letting go and taking a step back. Funny how quick a snicker stole away a lot of hurt from people and returned them to who they once were. An old comfortability snuck in. "I'm sorry I ditched that night, and I haven't said anything, or done anything, it's just..." Ruby cupped her face, trying to explain the incomprehensibility of everything, "I'm really glad you came." That made sense to her though.

"You don't need to be, I'm very sorry," Weiss leaned onto her leg, eyes searching the room for an answer, some way to put it right. "I know the way I put it wasn't as elegant as it could have been. Ruby, I just saw someone... I saw something that made me happy being threatened and I couldn't, really I can't, comprehend what you were feeling. My mother and I aren't even close. I don't know what the right decision is." Weiss wasn't accustomed to apologies, especially when those apologies required admitting she couldn't anything. She strained on them, barely muttered them, and could not do so looking at Ruby. Their meaning was not lost at all.

"I don't understand what I'm doing, like ever. Weiss, I'm losing my mind and every time I think I'm about to figure stuff out everything I thought I understood gets flipped up on top of me, and when it's my mom... I don't know how to fight that." Ruby let out her word vomit, stopping every second to focus it down to something tenable. Something to direct her. Instead, it was like peeling away at cabbage; it just lead to more cabbage.

"I don't understand either," Weiss lowered her head, eyes staring at the floor, finding her own limits down there, Ruby realized, "Maybe you should date someone who does, someone who understands your feelings better. I don't know if I can." Weiss' eyes twinkled in low light, her breath evaporated as she spoke, as she for the first time in her life gave in. Accepted defeat, found a mountain she couldn't climb by herself and walked downhill. Greek heroes of myth follow the same pattern, achieving greatness and using their amazing feats to try to change the world. They always fail. They are at their most tragic point when they discover they will never be gods.

"No," but in that moment, they are the most human, "I don't want that. I want you. I don't know how to be me without you! Even if you can't figure it out, it's not like I can either. I don't want you to give up on me. Please, Weiss, I'll try to be the best partner you'll ever have, just don't give up on me." Ruby found herself crying, sobbing. Yet she was without shame, resolute in her break down. Resolute that she wasn't going to give up, that even if they weren't gods, that it was no excuse to give up.

"You think I want to give up?" Weiss yelped, half angry, half ready to wail. Her hands were balled into fists, ready to fight, but instead, she dove, pulling Ruby into a hug so tight and warm there was no way Weiss could have ever been a snow angel. "I hate giving up, I hate losing so much. I just don't want to be why you're hurting! I don't know why I'm so mean, so selfish, I say so many awful things. I hate it so much and now, on top of all that, as if I wasn't enough of a monster, our family got your mother killed. You'll look at me like a murderer! I hate this so much! Why can't I be good enough when I'm trying so hard!?" Weiss' shouts were loud enough and Yang and Envida could likely hear them, but neither stirred. Ruby couldn't care less. She hugged Weiss and let her scream as her English rant turned German and incomprehensible. Ruby knew these were whispers of secret pain, a break in her that was deep and hidden likely to even Weiss. Everyone had pain, all of it relative. Mom told her that once.

"You're not awful, you're not mean. You're sweet, strong, you do so much. Weiss, you always show up right when I need a hero, give me exactly what I need, and kick my butt to be better. Weiss, you're amazing." Ruby let herself whisper that again and again, knowing her partner, partners still for sure, needed to hear it. "You're so cool, I don't even understand it, how you like me. I'm selfish, I need you around me." Not your money, not what you can do. I just need you.

"You do?" Weiss mumbled into Ruby's shoulder. There was a childlike quality to it, one she didn't expect to hear for a very long time.

"Yeah, I'm still scared. I still don't know what to do," they both needed this, connected maybe, like two paper boats floating down a stream, tied together, "My dad gave me a video today, from my mom. I'm too scared to watch it by myself."

"You don't need to be scared."

"I am," Ruby admitted, "But I'm less scared with you, so please?"

"Ready?" Weiss asked, holding the phone for Ruby. They had descended into the basement room together, closed the door behind them, and prepared to meet fate. Took some time, more talking it out, or trying to. They never found the words, but wasn't that always true? Wasn't words how they communicated their individual truths.

"Yes," Ruby whispered, clutching Weiss tight, afraid of what was on the other side. A message from the dead. Weiss wrapped them both in her surprisingly wide furry coat, warmth stretched over their combined shoulders. "Do it." Together, they hit play. The screen flashed black, turning white, and sound began to play.

"Hey Rubbles." The scary thing Ruby was hiding from, she lay in a bed, skinnier than she remembered, most of her hair still in, if notably thinner in patches, and dying. By the time chemo started all it did was extend a month or two to three. Not even enough time to lose all those red locks. She was smiling so bright, eyes a gleaming silver like Ruby could only hope to have. For a dying woman she was absolutely filled with life. "I've asked Reese to record this for me and give it to your dad. Say hi!"

"Yo buddy!" Reese of course, her old best friend a distant memory, her voice tasted of better days.

"I wanted to record this, encase things get rough. Dad's suppose to hand it over if you have some trouble handling," Summer's smile never stuttered for a moment, even if the camera girl's hands did, even if, near a year later, it made Ruby shiver, "Well, me not being here anymore. Really, I think it's stupid of me to hope you sort of get over it quick, but you see Ruby, I never want to be something you get hung up on. 'Cause I'm okay.

"My life Ruby, god how did anyone live like me? I'm barely forty-two and I've lived so many lives. I've seen some incredible places. I could tell you about secret little plazas filled with letter art in Baghdad. How the Amazon looks so alive from above, like one big green beast. There is this one waterfall in Jamaica I really hope your dad takes you to. Its water is so crystal clear, you can see through the mini-lakes it makes as the pools on the way down. It's amazing, and Nigeria? That country is just beautiful in a way I can't even explain. Spain, too. You'll love it there, if you choose to go, dad's looking forward to seeing you so much.

"Most people will never leave their birthplace, and I got to see so much, have so many adventures. They were all such a blast. I've been so blessed. Then I got to meet you," Summer's eyes never lost their glisten, never lost their life in such a dark place, while machines held her down, while she cried, Summer smiled and was absolutely beautiful, "I've never been one for relationships or sex or whatever. I never thought I was going to have you and my god, I lived a hundred lives and got blessed enough to watch you grow up into the most amazing woman I've ever met. You are going to have so many adventures, Ruby, meet so many people, find girls who will rip out and rebuild your heart, see places and things most will only ever read about. You're going to experience a whole world of wonders, and I am so excited for you to take every step along the way.

"Which is why you can't let me clip your wings. You're ready to leave the nest. You might not know it, but you're already flying and I got to watch you go. I'm done, I'm ready to turn it over to you. Let you have a thousand times over. It's your turn to make this life a wonderful adventure, make this life free and beautiful. Your mother loves you so, so, very much, so fly baby girl. Get out there, have fun, and never look back for me. It's your turn. I love you," there was a pause, Reese could be heard crying in the background, "You can turn it off now Reese, thank you sweetheart."

The video ended, camera coming to a shaky close on a tearing up Reese and a bawling, but even more so laughing, Summer. Going back to black and putting the room into a deep slumbering silence, only sound were the sniffles of Ruby and Weiss, both letting themselves cry unabashedly throughout. Weiss didn't say anything, didn't really need to, she pulled Ruby onto her lap, holding her so tight like she could break. Maybe because she already was.

Ruby mumbled something, burying her head into Weiss' collar. What she tried to mutter was a broken, I love you too, mom, but it was closer to a dying animal. Yet, despite the waterworks, maybe in part because of them, Ruby felt the tightness ease, not completely, maybe never completely, but it was there. Mom's gentle point was not lost in mourning. Even when dead, you're saving me.

"So, how was the party?" Weiss asked, rocking her girlfriend in her lap. Her voice was hoarse from her own emotional high, but they needed something. Each craved a little of the others voice.

"Not a real party till you got here," Ruby joked, pulling away just enough to face her partner. She didn't intend to leave her lap though for quite a long while thought, "We decided to do something for me finally picking a program."

"I am the walking embodiment of a party," she laughed, knowing its preposterousness.
"You picked a program? I didn't know that?" Weiss asked, a little irritated, but a lot proud.

"I wanted to wait to tell you till it's final. I haven't done it yet. Paperwork's in Spanish. I can't even pick my writing program right." Ruby laughed like herself again. No ghost haunting her right now.

"You know," Weiss whispered, "I can read Spanish, if you're sure you can pick."

"I'm not sure of anything," Ruby admitted, life just as scary as when she lived it. "But yeah, let's do it." She spoke with Summer's voice, her own self assured innocent voice, Weiss' voice as well. Most importantly her own. Terrified, but ready to brave the dark, ready if she had Weiss.

"Alright then, I believe we have some work to do!" The two, hysterical from the heavy emotions of a long day, giggled as they chased each other over to Ruby's bag. Giddy, they pulled out the forms, and with a sense of adventure Ruby forgot she was born with, they went to work. Each box they filled hand in hand, Weiss guiding her and Ruby going into it.

Always together, they chose to face fate, a final choice so inevitable looking back now, yet impossibly distant from the start, stepping off the train platform. Somehow every one of these decisions, every winding road, it all felt like a linear arrow pointing them here. And after all, signing away on this wasn't the last decision to make. Life's forest was still dark and labyrinthine, ready to be explored by their inner huntresses. This was not the end of choice, this is the beginning.

***So I don't know if it was because I was listening to Dongo dongo while writing it, but I cried my eyes out writing the Summer video scene. Holy hell. Well this is the official end of the core Choice narrative. I'll be working on 3-4 choice extras after this that will take place into the future, but really the narrative arch here is over. You can expect those in December, as I will be taking November off to work on my own original novel A Walk North, after though, I got plans for two new fics! Summer's Vale as promised (to my readers) and a new sci-fi fic I've yet not named if that sounds cool to you all! Let me know if you think I should post choice extra as its own fic or add it to the back end of this.

I really can not hammer in the importance of LazyKatze to this series. She has been the biggest help. I love her to death she is my best friend, my like partner in crime and just all around bad ass. I also want to thank all you the reviews on and commenters on AO3. You guys were the people who shaped this little novel of mine and really thank you.

For the final choice fact. This ending is actually the combination of 3 different endings all together. The video idea was the last ending to be made, before hand it was just the talk together, but that felt too unimpactful, and the one after that, the choosing the program one, felt like it never really touch on the complete problems, and the feelings I wanted to get out of choice. SO I stitched them together, and I think it actually came out nice.

Thank you everyone, thank you for reading and let me know your final thoughts for the core story! Love to see you around soon again!

"Really, Ruby?"

"I said it's photo time and it's photo time!"

"Fine, don't be such a baby. Now sit on my lap so Ren and Nora can fit in."

"Is this a group photo, friend?"

"Yep everyone! That means you too Velvet and Coco, move your booties!"

"Aye, I will if you shush. Come on babe, the simple folk are calling for us."

"You are positively ridiculous."

"Excuse me, I'm not butting in am I?"

"Nah Pyrrha. Blake, where's Yang?"

"She's somewhere. We can take another when she stops hiding. Un momento Fox, if you don't mind please take the picture already. It's packed in here."

"Fine ,fine. Uno, dos—"

"Ruby, just so you are aware, I think I'm in love with you."

"What?!"

"Hey! Photobomb!"

"Tres!"

The camera flash went off, capturing a rare moment of manufactured spontaneity and planned impromptu. Yang's bombastic attitude taken down on film as she tackled Blake in the background. Nora and Ren mismatched, yet so comfortably wedged in the corner, arm over arm Nora flipped the camera off while Ren just waved. Pyrrha as always looked a goddess among lesser creatures in the pub corner, flirting with silly mortals it seemed with how her and Jaune stood hand in hand. Penny was single, but surrounded by people who loved her, Ruby wanted no one else to sit smashed between her and Velvet. The Australian looked like a bunny frightened by the flash, well that's what Ruby thought until she noticed Coco's laughing smirk. That girl picked the perfect time to slap her girlfriend's butt. Even Taiyang and Raven had been snuck into the photo, the tops of their heads at another table. Raven had kept her hair dyed. Fox was stuck holding the camera, but Yatsuhashi's big old chest made it in, head cropped by the shot as he passed behind them. Ruby, she was in the center, sitting below the black and yellow misfits, her cheeks blushing wildly, which combined with her stupid happy face ruined and made the picture all at once. Weiss sat on her lap, turning just in time for the shot, wildfire brushing off where her finger tips snagged Ruby's chin and her lips pecked at the girl's cheek.

Ruby loved her too.