Chapter 21: The Truth Will Appear

"Mr. Schwartzman wasn't happy about his appointment with you being rescheduled," Rosalie said over Weiss's scroll.

Weiss was not in her office like she'd originally intended today. Instead, she was riding in the back of a luxury sedan as it drove down the streets of Atlas. She said to Rosalie, "Mr. Schwartzman is never happy about anything. So there's no reason I should care."

"Very true," Rosalie said. "The rest of your calendar has been cleared for the day, just like you asked. Are you sure you can't tell me what you're up to?"

"I'm afraid not," Weiss said. "You'll have to get your office gossip from some other source today."

"Why, Miss Schnee! No one here would ever dream of gossiping about you," Rosalie said with just enough sincerity that Weiss might have believed her.

"Of course they wouldn't," Weiss said in a dry tone.

"Before I go, is there anything else you need?" Rosalie asked.

"Yes, I wasn't able to watch the news last night," Weiss said. "Was there anything of note?"

"Hmm," Rosalie said. "Lisa Lavender did present a fascinating retrospective on the Faunus Rights Revolution."

"I see," Weiss said. "Faunus malcontentedness must still be on the public's minds."

"Maybe," Rosalie said. "But I think Lisa Lavender just likes the alliteration. It does roll off the tongue rather nicely. Faunus Rights Revolution Retrospective."

Weiss actually chuckled. Rosalie used to be the only person who could make her laugh, until Ruby had come along. Weiss said, "Thank you, Rosalie. That will be all."

"Of course, Miss Schnee," Rosalie said. "Make sure you have fun today!"

"I will. Goodbye," Weiss said. She lowered her scroll and ended the call.

Weiss peered down at her scroll. It had been pressed to her ear almost nonstop since the gala. She probably still would have been talking on it again for the majority of today if it hadn't been for a certain realization she'd had late last night.

For the past three days, discipline, willpower, and an obscene amount of coffee had taken the place of sleep for Weiss. It wasn't the first time her job had demanded incredibly long hours from her, and it wouldn't be the last. She'd learned how to handle the strain. Ruby, however, had not.

Ruby had kept a constant vigil since the attack at the mansion, but yesterday, she'd finally succumbed to exhaustion. Weiss had found her napping in one of her office's chairs. She'd immediately sent her home to go get some sleep, and only then, once Ruby had gone, did she realize that she'd been taking her presence for granted. She'd practically treated Ruby like she wasn't even there, focusing entirely on her work instead.

Weiss knew that she was out of practice being a friend—and she didn't have any experience being a girlfriend—but nevertheless, her behavior was unacceptable to her. There was still a lot of work to do in the wake of the disastrous turn of events at the gala, but that was a poor excuse. If Ruby was truly important to her, she could find the time to prove it.

After getting some sleep herself, Weiss had decided to set aside today for Ruby and Ruby alone. The only problem was that she hadn't told Ruby that yet. She knew exactly why; it was another emotional defensive mechanism. So long as her plans hadn't been finalized they were just theoretical, and she wouldn't be compelled to contemplate what had driven her to make them. It frustrated her how readily she seemed to avoid any sort of introspection. Ruby inspired so many emotions in her that were completely baffling if for no other reason than how straightforward they were, but confusing or not, Weiss didn't want to hide from them anymore.

Weiss glanced out of her car's window. She didn't recognize any of the buildings rolling by. That undoubtedly meant that she was getting close to her destination, Ruby's apartment. If she wanted to let Ruby know that she was coming before she arrived then she was running out of time.

Weiss looked at her scroll again and opened up her list of contacts. Her finger hovered over Ruby's name for a moment. Then she swallowed her fear, tapped her scroll's screen, and lifted it to her ear.

There was only one ring before Ruby answered. "Hi, Weiss!" she said cheerfully. "I was wondering when you'd call! I'm all rested and ready to go back on duty!"

"Actually," Weiss said. "I was thinking that we should spend some time together. Off the clock."

There was a pause on Ruby's end. Then she asked, "Really?"

"Yes. Really," Weiss said. "Would it be okay if I met you at your apartment?"

"Yeah! That'd be awesome!" Ruby said. "When do you think you can get here?"

Weiss's car pulled up to a curb and stopped. "Um…now," Weiss said.

"Now?!" Ruby asked.

"Yes, I'm already here," Weiss said. "Is that alright?"

"Of course it is!" Ruby said. "Come on up!"

"I'll be right there," Weiss said. She hit the button to end the call. Nervousness was bubbling up in her, and she wasn't sure why. Ruby cared about her. Ruby wanted her to be there. Why should she be nervous?

Weiss quickly composed herself as her driver opened her door. She stepped out of the car. She hadn't really been paying attention to her surroundings during the drive, but now that she was, she didn't like the look of Ruby's apartment building or the area around it. Everything was so grimy and run-down, even more so than she'd been expecting. Weiss had intentionally dressed more casually than usual today in an effort to blend in during her journey to the less affluent side of Atlas. She was wearing a simple white blouse, dark slacks, and plain but stylish boots. However, she could tell that she was still going to stick out like a sore thumb.

Weiss knew that Father would explode if he learned that she'd come to this part of the city. She could almost hear his lecture about the supposed danger she'd exposed herself to by mingling with the riffraff of Atlas. Yet she didn't feel like she was in danger. Ruby was close by, and if there was any upside to all the White Fang attacks that she'd recently endured, it was that she'd gained a much deeper understanding of her semblance.

Weiss turned to her driver. "Don't wait for me. I'll call you when I need you," she said. She was eager to get rid of him before he figured out this was where Ruby lived.

"Yes ma'am," the driver said. Weiss could see that he had concerns about leaving her there alone, but it wasn't his place to question her and he knew it. He walked back to the front of the car and got in.

As Weiss's car pulled away, she heard someone above her shout, "Weiss! Weiiiss!"

Weiss looked up and saw Ruby poking her head out of an open fourth-story window. Ruby waved excitedly when she saw Weiss notice her.

Weiss smiled. Just seeing Ruby somehow made her fears fade away. An idea came to her. With a wave of her hand, dozens of small, white glyphs appeared in the air. They formed a helical pattern, creating an impromptu spiral staircase that led all the way to Ruby's window.

Weiss started climbing up the stairs that she'd conjured. She hoped that Ruby didn't think she was trying to show off. She simply wanted to get to her as quickly as possible, and this was the fastest way.

A few trips around the helix deposited Weiss on Ruby's window sill. She started to say, "Ru—"

Weiss was interrupted by Ruby grabbing her, lifting her off her feet, and spinning her around into the apartment. The moment Weiss's feet hit the floor, Ruby hugged her and planted a kiss on her lips.

Weiss's eyes went wide with surprise, but they quickly fluttered closed as she kissed Ruby back. She had no idea what was happening, but she didn't dare try to stop it.

By the time that Ruby finally broke the kiss, Weiss's lungs were screaming for air. She felt dizzy, but in a good way. It was fortunate that Ruby's arms were still around her. Otherwise she might have fallen over.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Ruby exclaimed.

"We've only been apart for less than a day," Weiss said.

"Yeah, but yesterday you were my boss," Ruby said. "Today you're my girlfriend."

"I appreciate you making that distinction," Weiss said, but then she looked away guiltily. She pulled herself out of Ruby's arms. "But…I'm sorry that you have to."

"Don't worry about it," Ruby said. "It's not like you hired me as part of some elaborate plan to seduce me or anything."

"N-no! Of course not!" Weiss said. She felt herself blushing. She'd never even considered such a scenario before, but it was a disturbingly appealing fantasy.

"Although, I guess it would've worked," Ruby said. "I mean, I am your girlfriend now."

Weiss's blush deepened. She quickly shook her head clear. "Regardless! I was hoping…that…we…." Weiss trailed off as her gaze began to wander around Ruby's apartment.

"Uh…is something wrong?" Ruby asked.

Weiss was completely aghast at what she saw. Ruby's apartment was a single room and not even that large of one. The bare floors were worn to the point that the wood was splintering, the appliances looked like they came from the time of the Great War, and the furnishings, what little there were, could charitably be described as shabby.

Weiss asked, "Is this really where you live?"

"Yeah?" Ruby said. "It's what I can afford."

"I know what you're paid, Ruby," Weiss said. "You can afford better than this!"

"Yeah, maybe so," Ruby said. "I guess it couldn't hurt to get a little nicer place now."

"You won't have to settle for a little nicer! You're getting a raise!" Weiss declared. "Effective immediately."

"Weiss! You don't have to do that!" Ruby said.

"Yes I do. I was already planning on putting a bonus in your next paycheck, but…" Weiss hesitated. Conventional wisdom had already told her that dating an employee would be fraught with peril, but now she was starting to experience that peril firsthand. "The fact of the matter is, I was only paying you the bare minimum amount someone in your position could expect to make."

"Really?" Ruby asked. Fortunately, she didn't sound upset. "Well I thought it was a lot."

"The point is, you deserve more. Especially after the gala," Weiss said. "You deserve to live in a better place than this."

"Okay," Ruby said. "I'll start looking for a new apartment soon."

Weiss thought that should have satisfied her, but it didn't. She couldn't stand the idea of Ruby spending one more night in this hovel. Without really stopping to consider it, she said, "I have plenty of extra space in my penthouse. You can stay in one of my guest rooms in the meantime."

Ruby giggled. "Wow, Weiss. You're asking me to move in with you already?"

Weiss knew that Ruby was making a joke, but it gave her pause. "Perhaps I am," she said. "It…it would save you the expense of having to pay rent."

"Wait. You're being serious?" Ruby asked.

Weiss's worries from earlier returned. Sweat started to bead on her forehead. She'd told herself that she didn't want to hide from her feelings anymore, but that didn't necessarily mean that she had to share them with Ruby. This didn't seem like a good time to discuss them anyway. Then again, maybe there never would be a good time.

"Ruby…" Weiss said. "I am being serious. Because…because I'm in love with you!"

"Love?" Ruby softly echoed. "But…we haven't even really been on a date yet."

"I know. Believe me, I know," Weiss said. "But it's how I feel."

Ruby looked bewildered. It was not the reaction that Weiss had been hoping for, but it was one that she'd been expecting.

Weiss said, "I know you probably don't feel the same way, but—"

"No, no," Ruby interrupted. "I, uh…. I…."

"Ruby? What's the matter?" Weiss asked. She started to fret, fearing that she'd just ruined everything. Why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut?

Ruby grabbed her own wrist and squeezed her palm against her bracelet. "It's just that if you love someone, and…." She trailed off.

"Ruby, please tell me what you're thinking," Weiss said.

Ruby wandered over to her bed and sat down on it. She pulled her legs up and held them close to her chest.

Weiss walked over to the side of Ruby's bed. It was plain to see that Ruby's mind was racing a mile a minute. Weiss stood there, giving Ruby all the time she needed.

Eventually, Ruby said, "I've never told you about my dad."

"Something obviously happened to him," Weiss said.

"Yeah. Something did," Ruby said.

Over the next several minutes, Ruby told Weiss the tale of how her father and uncle had fought and died in the Maiden War, and how her mother had been killed fulfilling her duty as a huntress. Weiss quietly listened, growing more and more dismayed at the hardships that Ruby had unfairly been forced to endure.

Ruby said, "Everyone I've ever loved is dead. That's what happens to people you care about too much. They die or leave you or something."

Weiss felt a physical pain in her chest from hearing Ruby's story. She said, "I'm so sorry. But…I'm not going to leave you."

"That's exactly what Mom and Dad and Uncle Qrow thought too," Ruby said. "It's not a promise you can make."

"Ruby…" Weiss said. She saw tears rolling down Ruby's cheeks. It was too much for her. She sat down on the bed next to Ruby and put her arms around her.

Ruby turned and hugged Weiss. She buried her head in Weiss's blouse and began sobbing.

Weiss held Ruby close. She kept trying to think of something to say, but nothing she came up with seemed adequate.

Minutes slipped by. Eventually, Weiss felt Ruby calm down somewhat. In an effort to banish the silence, Weiss said, "My sister fought in the War too."

Ruby lifted her head. Her eyes were red from crying. "You mean Winter?" she asked. "The one you don't talk with anymore?"

"Yes," Weiss said. "The War changed her. The sister I knew who went off to fight Cinder Fall wasn't the one who came back. I've always wondered if that's the real reason we're no longer on speaking terms."

"What happened to her?" Ruby asked.

"Beyond the typical horrors of war? Her mentor, General Ironwood, died right before her eyes," Weiss said.

"Wait. General Ironwood? As in James R. Ironwood, the Hero of Atlas?" Ruby asked.

"Yes. That's him," Weiss said. "Winter thought very highly of him. He was like a father to her. She was never the same after his death."

"I'm sorry," Ruby said.

"It doesn't really compare to what you've been through," Weiss said. "But I do understand, at least a little bit. The War effectively took my sister away from me."

"Sister…" Ruby said. Then she suddenly seemed to perk up. "Sister!"

"Ruby?" Weiss asked.

Ruby got up off the bed and started pacing back and forth. Her hand dipped into her pocket and pulled out her scroll. She didn't try to use it; she just held onto it tightly for reasons that Weiss couldn't fathom.

Ruby said, "I guess just because you run out of family, it doesn't mean you can't find more. I mean, maybe there's someone out there you never knew about who could care about you. Surprises don't always have to be bad!"

"I…suppose," Weiss said. She was very confused.

"I like you, Weiss. A lot," Ruby said. She stopped pacing. "Although…hmm."

"Although what?" Weiss asked. "Ruby, you're not making any sense."

"Sorry," Ruby said. She glanced down at her scroll for a moment before shoving it back into her pocket. "Something…happened last night."

"Just last night?" Weiss asked. "What was it?"

"I don't think I can tell you yet," Ruby said.

Weiss was dumbfounded. That was not something she'd ever thought she'd hear Ruby say.

"I want to tell you. And I will," Ruby said. "But we've got to do something first."

"Name it!" Weiss said, eager to understand what was going on.

"So you know how a lot of people have said that your company still mistreats the faunus?" Ruby asked.

Weiss's mouth hung open a little. Ruby was the last person she'd expect to accuse the Schnee Dust Company of misconduct. She said, "I am aware."

"I think we need to double-check and make sure that's not true," Ruby said.

"I have double-checked!" Weiss said. "Father himself arranged for me to tour one of our mining facilities."

"Your dad did?" Ruby asked.

"Yes! Why do you…?" Weiss trailed off. Suddenly, she realized why that mattered. It was something that she should have considered years ago, but she hadn't. Perhaps she hadn't wanted to. Anxiety gripped her. She still didn't believe that her company was guilty of the accusations leveled against it, but for the first time, a doubt had been placed in her mind.

"I'm sorry, Weiss!" Ruby said. "Never mind! It's not that important!"

"No," Weiss said. She stood. "It is important. And you and I are going to get to the bottom of this once and for all. Together."

A small but hopeful smile crossed Ruby's face. "Together," she said.

Author's Note: Ordinarily I'd say it's too early to ask Ruby to move in with you, Weiss, but I'll give you full credit for ripping off that emotional band aid. I wish I were that brave sometimes.

As far as I know, Ironwood doesn't have a canon middle name. The middle initial I've used for him in this chapter is an incredibly obtuse reverence to a popular science fiction franchise. I'll be seriously impressed if anyone gets it.

As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates.