Author's Note: First off, I just wanted to say that i finally found a name for Yang's new outfit that i showed off back in chapter 24, and it shall be forever known as… her Strider outfit! Also… lol, I guess I was able to upload before Christmas! Hehe!

Anyway, i just wanted to give a big thank you to all of you who became new followers of Desertion this year, and hopefully we can expand this little following in 2017. Because It's… something big compared to my real life, as it's not exactly going that well at the moment, even during this time of the year, but…. This has definitely helped me in some way.

Whether it's from seeing your feedback, or just teasing you guys and planning ahead and scheming with myself and my friends here on the site, it's… been a very cool experience. So… with that, here's to 2017. May i get better irl, and may Desertion continue to grow and expand!

Goodbye 2016! It's been one hell of a ride! Also… if anyone got that one christmas movie quote i added in at the end of that last chapter… i luv u! Oh! And Merry Christmas! Again! XD

Song: I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab For Cutie.

…

After waking up at nearly nine o'clock in the morning, Gage got dressed, showered, and left his dorm by himself, without Yang bothering him at all, as she was still sleeping like a loud snoring baby by the time he left, as she may had a little too much to drink during the previous night.

So, Gage left, but without his suede jacket or weapons. Instead, he was just wearing a dark green long sleeved urban flannel, with a black shirt under that, and with his brown pants and skate shoes, armed only with his prosthetic left arm.

And now, he was standing in front of the gates of a familiar place… The City of Vale's own memorial park. Where… his parents had been buried.

The ghost shook his head, and just forced himself to smile as he entered through the gate, along with a few other groups of random people, and he just began to walk through the main yard, and down a path that lead to the hill where their grave sites lied.

He walked with slow pace, as he was trying to make sure his metal hand wasn't too visible… but once the other visitors left him, he looked down at his own two hands, as he was holding an item in both of them.

In his right, he was holding a cold beer bottle that he bought from a store on his way there, and in his left, in his metal hand, was a single red rose which he made sure wasn't wilted in anyway when he bought it from the flower cart that was at the front gate.

"Hopefully Yang understands why i didn't have much last night. Mom wouldn't want me drinking this young, or right before i visited her so… i can have my fun after our next Mission…"

Gage wandered slowly unto the trail until he reached the hill, and walked up to the small forever fall tree that was towering above his parent's grave at the top of it.

That was when he laid eyes upon their tombstones once again. Two slabs of stone, engraved with their names while a plaque laid in between the two, and showed their separate dates of death, which were permanently engraved into the depths of Gage's mind even now after all this time...

Here lies Gaigus and Miriam Sim.

Both a Loving and Caring Mother and father.

May they walk, and light the path endlessly for others…

The ghost approached his mother's stone, and brushed off the red leaves that had fallen from the tree that was above them, and he placed his red rose on top of her grave before he just turned to his father's, and placed the beer bottle in front of his stone.

Then, Gage took a deep breath, and stepped back from their gravesite as he put his hand together, and looked at their stones once more,

"Hey, I'm back again. I'm… sorry i didn't show up back in November… or… well… recently. I… kinda got into an accident… and… now i have this thing…."

He was referring to his metal arm of course, and he just pulled up his left sleeve up a bit, to show it to them. "Heh… I didn't do anything stupid i promise. Someone else just got into a pickle… and i had to get them out…."

"...And It hurt… it still does. But it was worth it. So you don't have to comfort me, or anything i promise… Yang's already got that covered pretty well."

Then, the ghost gulped, and reached down to his belt straps, and took the small glass ornament Yang had gotten him for Christmas off before he raised it, and pressed the little button on the side of it so the yellow heart on the inside of the glass box would light up,

"She's… something else, i'll tell you that. You both would love her. She can cook… she can drive like a bat out of hell, she's funny, beautiful, and she's just… *shaky breath* ...She's so sweet!"

He gripped the small gift a little tightly as he felt a catch in his throat, and desperately tried to make it go back down from whence it came with a small laugh, as he just began to play with the ornament's little button again…

Gage did this at first because he knew he was about to go off into a tangent about his love, and once he did that he would go on and on and on about his feelings and how much he loved her… and… then he became afraid.

Not because of admitting those things… but more afraid of accidentally telling them about his… marriage proposal. To Yang.

That thought crushed him, of him telling them, even though they couldn't actually hear him, because it made the ghost realize… that even if the White Fang were to be vanquished and their new world would become real…. His mother and father would still never be able to be there to watch him as he stood there on the aisle.

To never tease the couple about their honeymoon or reminisce about their own… to never be able to be there to see the child Yang kept pestering Gage about be born grow… or to even help their son become the proper parent.

None of that was possible now. Or ever. His parents couldn't become some spiritual being like Ruby's mother… no. He was to find out and experience all of those things by himself without any guidance...

...But, he made light of that, thinking that it would still be better to do that along with just Yang at his side, and the thought comforted him… just like he said the blonde always did.

So, once he realized that all of those thoughts and emotions would be released if he went on about the bodacious blonde, Gage let out a shaky chuckle, and made himself stop,

"...*shaky sigh* ...Anyway, i didn't come to cry and just rub her in your guy's faces. What i came to tell you… is that… i think that my hunt for dad's killer is finally going to end... "

He said this, and turned to his dad's gravestone with a half-smile, before he exhaled one more time, and looked down at his metal hand again,

"Yeah… i can finally finish all of this… and put an end to whoever they are. I'm not going to let this opportunity slip away from me, so i'm going to do this. No matter what."

The words nearly stung as they came out of him, and he could still feel how his parents would react to this, which would be a stern glare, accompanied by a look at disappointment.

The one thing they always told him about their jobs, was that killing or hurting anyone out of hatred was a crime against their causes, The Huntsmen and The Atlesian Military. Whose jobs were to protect those who stand against the Grimm, no matter their background or beliefs.

"Now… i know that… My intentions… would never be what you want from me… but… I HAVE to do this." Gage mumbled, as he fidgeted with Yang's ornament even more. "...Once this is finally said and done, I can focus on changing… everything…"

"...I can change myself. How I act, how I fight, how I carry myself… and how I can protect those people, my friends, and the woman that I love. Because once that… 'menace', is no longer of this world anymore… then I can stop worrying about losing anyone else close to me."

Once he got that confession out, the ghost put his ornament back on his belt strap, and just kept his hands at his side while he now looked down at his parent's graves, and was trying not to let out anymore sighs of self-hatred.

He felt as if he was...going against what he was taught by them, and fracturing the good sense he associated himself with thanks to how his parents brought him up… but… now he was his own man.

And now… it was his turn to form his own rule. His own morals. For better, or for worse.

"...But… i promise, once i can get past this… i am going to try to make the world, and my life alot better than it is now… because i know it's what you both would have wanted to do for me."

Then, with a larger smile, Gage took out a bottle opener he had in his pocket, and crouched down on one knee so he could reach for the beer bottle he set next to his dad's stone, and pop off the cap for him,

"And besides i have to uphold your spirit, don't i? Hehe."

He laughed once he thought of his father, and how he would have probably told him to buy another bottle to share with him when he arrived, and that thought made him comfortable enough to return to normal.

But, as the afternoon was slowly approaching, he was thinking more and more about leaving, so then Yang wouldn't be too worried and question where he was if she was awake when he got back to Beacon.

"Look…" Gage then started to speak as he got back up, and stood on his own two feet once again. "...Just, don't worry about me you guys. I'll… I'll be fine. And once I get past this… and I feel safe… I'll come back here to see you both again" He told them, as he put a hand on his mother's grave one last time… and he turned to leave.

"...But… until then… Mom, Dad... I love you both. And I'll make sure to make you proud by the time I get to see you again…"

…

Later…

…

Gage went back to Beacon by himself again, and was heading over to the RWBY dorm, as Yang told him to meet him there before they could go out and do whatever daily activities they usually did when in each other's company.

So now he was approaching the dorm in silence, still dressed in the casual outfit he had dawned earlier that day, and he sighed with nervousness as he took out his scroll, to unlock the door with the code his lover had given him,

"Jesus… Seeing Blake naked must've really traumatized me or something…"

He whispered that to himself, and was about to close his eyes as he reached the door… but… then he stopped, as he began to hear a tune of some sort coming from inside of their dorm room…. That of an acoustic guitar strangely enough,

"The hell?" Gage thought.

The ghost put his scroll down, and decided to put his ear close to the door as he tried to listen… and… once he did that… it began to sound like someone was… also singing along to the music as well.

The guitar strokes were faint, barely even audible… but they sounded sweet. And majestic… as a familiar squeaky and bubbly voice sang in a much lower octave than she was known to be heard in… and she sang with that same tone an unfamiliar song into Gage's ears. Which was, in actuality…. Shiver by Lucy Rose.

"...~And we broke… Everything that was right, We both enjoyed a good fight… And we solved… All the holes we had to breathe, To make the other one leave…~"

"~...And I loved... the way you looked at me… And I miss... the way you made me feel… When we were alone… When we were alone…~"

Gage put his hand against the door and held his breath, as he was trying to get some idea of who this person was… and who owned the guitar.

Yang was out, Weiss's voice was more angelic rather than subtle and low, and while Blake did have this characteristic… he doubt she could hold the melody just as well as this person was…

...So now, Gage could only think of one other person who would be able to sound as gracious and quaint as this mystery singer,

"~...And I'll shiver like I used to… And I'll leave them just for you… And I'll shiver like I used to… Just for you…~"

He could hear the rhythm of the song become louder, along with the person's voice as she let out a breath full of stress and shakiness… which made Gage nearly grab the door handle right then and there… But he stopped himself.

"...Maybe they just want to be alone right now…" The ghost thought. He could feel something alarming in their voice, even though they kept on singing… but.. he couldn't just tell Yang to change her plans now. He was already there.

"~...And we stole… Every moment we had, to make the other one feel bad… And we hoped... that we could be what we knew, we'd never turn out to be real…~"

And so, since his lover was probably already on her way, Gage just mentally drilled the idea of knocking before opening the door… and, he still made sure to stay silent for the one that was still inside of the dorm room...

"...~And I loved... the way you looked at me… And I miss… the way you made me feel… When we were alone… When we were alone…~"

"...~And I'll shiver like I used to... And I'll leave them just for you… And I'll shiver like I used to… Just for you…~"

Her voice became even louder, so that she was able to be heard through the walls of the room, like she didn't even have a care in the world, as the song was already beginning to reach it's climax without any interruptions, which she was more than glad for.

But… right as she threw caution to the wind, the mystery girl inhaled one last time, and let her heart guide her fingers across the strings of the acoustic guitar… however… her own clumsiness and caress demeanor got the better of her in that final moment…

"~...And if we-"

"*Pluck!*"

And out of the blue, the girl accidentally plucked the wrong sting, and it let out a small, but loud high pitched scrape, and it caused the person to stop playing entirely, before letting out a sigh of frustration, and also relief.

"...*sigh* ...Dang it…" She exhaled.

Gage frowned at the person's fault, but could now make out the voice to be Ruby's out of all people, so with that knowledge… the ghost let out a tiny breath, and pressed a button on his scroll to make the door unlock, before he knocked on the door, reached for the handle, and opened the door slowly.

Right then he heard Ruby gasp quietly, along with the creaking of a bed as she fidgeted in her spot, but was too late to do anything as Gage opened the door all the way, and he looked over at the small rose blankly…

"...Ruby?"

The small girl was there, sitting on Weiss's bed with an acoustic guitar in her arms, with the holding strap around her body, and she had a massive blush on her face as she gave her sister's boyfriend an incredibly nervous smile, and wave to accompany it,

"H… H-Hey Gage! Um… s… sorry about all that noise…"

"...That was really you?" He asked her, as he shut the door behind himself before anyone else could hear them. "...I thought someone was just playing music… or something."

She sat there on the heiress's bed, with her back being cushioned by a pillow, and with a sleeping Zwei next to her as the rose sat there, and looked down at the guitar while she held onto it gently,

"...Y-Yeah… that was me…" She admitted, as she was trying not to look the ghost in the eyes for… some reason.

Gage titled his head in confusion though, as he didn't remember her or Yang owning an acoustic guitar, so he decided to ask about it. "...Wait, where'd you get the guitar?"

"Oh, it's Jaune's. He left it here after Yang's birthday party, and i found it... But i wanted to try and play it for a little bit before i gave it back to him…"

"Tch, that explains it. But I still didn't think you played. Hehe, and acoustic, out of all things?" He chuckled, trying to make her smile again.

The ghost made sure to do this with a tiny grin as he approached her bed, and he decided to sit down next to where her legs lied as he gave Zwei a little pat on the head, the corgi turned and laid on his back.

And Ruby did smile, and she even leaned up from the pillow she was laying against, feeling comforted by her friend's acceptance of her small secret.

"Dad taught me, actually. Heh… he use to always play little songs for me and Yang to fall asleep to on his own guitar when we were sick or couldn't sleep… so i learned from him."

Gage snickered, and tried to think about that entire atmosphere when Ruby and Yang were little. Being there, the island of Patch, which wasn't that much of a 'tropical' island not that he thought about it.

Then, it made him chuckle once he remembered a comment he made a while ago when the sisters mentioned the place they were born, as it seemed more of a rural place… that was the ideal location for farmland.

"So you lived on a ranch house, and you were raised by a truck and guitar owning overprotective father? Hehe, i guess i can call you two a bunch of country girls rather than island gals."

"Pfft… couldn't have said it any better myself." Ruby snickered as she waved him off with a smile. "And Blake's the only 'island gal' here in this dorm. She's from Menagerie actually." She added, which made Gage give her a confused look in return,

"Huh… the more you know.."

Ruby giggled with him too, and finally began to take the holding strap off of Jaune's guitar before she grabbed the instrument by its neck, and placed it gently next to the side of the bed as she blushed, and decided to rest her legs on Gage's knees.

"So… what are you doing up this early Gage? You and Yang usually sleep in… o-or do other things, until the afternoon when you get the chance."

"Oh… i just… went into town…."

She then hummed, and looked the ghost up and down because of his hesitant answer, and noticed that he seemed… dressed a lot differently than how he usually would when he went out.

"Hmhm, for what, a secret date?~" She joked.

Gage's face was drained of all merriment, even though he would enjoy the small moments of innocence and cluelessness that Ruby would create, and he just looked away from her as he chose to answer truthfully…

"No, i… i went to… see my Mom and Dad's grave, at that one Memorial Park near the citt center… and i just thought it would be nice to get out of my old drags…"

"Oh…" Ruby droned quietly, with her eyes sinking as she mentally baka chopped herself. "...I'm sorry Gage… I...-" But the ghost interrupted her with a smile, raised a hand, and signaled for her to stop.

"It's alright Rubles. You didn't know… I was kind of trying to keep it that way, but… I can't keep anything from you. Hehe, You would've kept pestering me anyway."

He said this, but she still kept looking away with a frown, so Gage just rolled his eyes and grabbed onto her foot since it was still resting on top of his knees, and he just raised her leg up so he could get her attention again.

And it did, as Ruby blushed and went to swat his hand away with another smile that had crept into her face again, thanks to the ghost. "H-Hey, don't touch that! Yang told me about your foot thing!"

"SHE WHAT?!"

Now his face was an incredible shade of red, and his turquoise eyes were the size of marbles as the rose covered her mouth while she giggled at him, and pointed at Gage as she just let him continue to hold her foot up,

But once he looked at her leg, the ghost blushed even more, and set it back down on top of his knee as he held his head in his hands, and groaned loudly… because the last thing he wanted was for his girlfriend's little sister to know about his kink…

...So he audibly whined, and laid on his side as he did so, which caused the small girl to just quit her laughing, and gently brush his hair with a smirk. "Relax Gage, Yang just told me to use that against you! But… i still don't know what that's suppose to mean…"

"O-Oh thank god…" Gage quietly gasped as he raised his head back up to face her. Then, he blushed even harder, and looked up at Ruby with a massive sigh escaping from his lungs, "...A-And… don't worry your pretty little head about that! It's just… a-an inside joke! Y-You know?"

Her smirk still showed although, as she wasn't actually that clueless, and she rolled her eyes as she looked away, and gave him a partially sarcastic answer. "Ohhh... no wonder i don't get it..."

With that being her last response, Gage sighed again, and just stood up as Ruby moved her legs away from him with another grin, and she decided to change the subject, since she knew it was just what he wanted at this moment.

"Sorry, i'm just trying to get all the jokes I have on you while I still can! You know, with that whole Archive thing going on in like… three days." She said, as she crossed her legs.

Then he finally managed to calm himself, and he sat normally again, while he tried to calm himself so he wouldn't blush any longer. "Yeah… tomorrow's the day we're going over the plan, so don't worry."

"I won't. You're the one making it, so I have nothing to worry about."

"Hmm…" Gage hummed, and just looked over at the small girl curiously, but also with an expression that showed gratitude towards her small comment. "...You're really that confident in my plan?"

Ruby nodded, and now moved closer to Gage with her left leg hanging off of the bed as her entire body was now turned towards him. "It's probably better than anything I could think of…" She admitted.

The ghost turned towards her as well, but, then he put a hand on her shoulder, and appeared to be shocked by her words, and how casual she sounded,

"Are you kidding me?" He asked her, with another smirk showing while he looked into her silver eyes. "I basically wing this shit every time. It just so happens that my luck is amazing… so far."

She giggled, and stared back into his own Turquoise orbs with a blush… but… then she turned away from her sister's boyfriend again, and gently rubbed her arm as her eyes drifted away from his again too.

"Yeah… but… still. You've done a lot more than I have with this whole battle we have going with the White Fang, and that other group too. A lot more than… I ever could have done I think."

She couldn't bear to say it around her Team, since they would obviously just try to bring her back up, being the supportive friends that they were, so…

...Ruby thought it would be better to say it around him when she was alone with him again, even though that only happened during rare occasions. But luckily, this was one of those occasions, so she didn't hold back at all.

"I couldn't even bring myself to go on this whole quest you're on right now either… maybe… if it was about my Mom… then maybe, but… *sigh* ...I wouldn't have gotten this far either way… I mean, Your security system classified me as being 'harmless' Gage…"

However, that made the ghost only smile more, and increase his grip on her shoulder as he scooted even closer to Ruby again as he spoke,

"Ruby… Virgil's just a machine." He told her, with a half smile. He then let go of her, and just let his hands rest on his knees as he went on, and made sure to keep eye contact with the small girl. "You don't have to look the part to be threatening, or be threatening at all to show that you mean business. I mean… you are a Rose, right?"

"...Yes…"

"Exactly! And Roses are suppose to look subtle and beautiful, but at the end of the day, they still have their thorns ready for anyone willing to pluck their petals away."

Gage said this, and Ruby's cheeks became as red as her cloak as he tossed out the word beautiful in his analogy, which kind of distracted her at first…

But, she still understood what he was saying. That her looks, her body, her attitude, and everything about her was nothing to compare to her own capabilities, even though there was absolutely nothing wrong with either of them at her age.

"Gage… I…"

"No, no, no, I'm not finished!" Gage rebutted, making Ruby giggle and blush even more as he leaned towards her further. "I had all these questions when I was your age, and look how I turned out!'

"I didn't even have the opportunity to attend a Huntsman Academy two years early. So… you're going to be one hell of a Huntress by the time you're as old as me. I know you will!"

And after all the praise, he managed to get Ruby to finally return eye contact with the ghost, as she was starting to feel flustered by his words, but... it felt more like something Yang would say to her.

"Y… You really think so?" Ruby asked him.

Gage chuckled once more because of her, and just balled his metal hand into a fist as he tried to reply. "I know so. Because, you do have promise Ruby. You just have to see it, and believe in it… like you believe in me." He answered her solemnly.

Ruby still remained a blush, but this time… this time she didn't hide it from him, as she looked up into his eyes and suddenly jumped at him so she could pull him into a hug, and let out another small giggle as she closed her eyes, trying to hide how happy he made her.

He was nearly knocked onto his back because of how fast her semblance made her move, but once he felt her embrace and saw the rose petals appear randomly, he just hugged the rose back as he felt one of the petals land on top of his head, and rest there softly as he laughed with her as well,

"Hehe… You know Gage, i never would have thought Yang's first boyfriend would be a guy as… 'charming', as you…"

"Yeah well… thanks for supporting me and her after all this time. It really-"

"*knock!* *knock!* *knock!*"

They both then heard three loud knocks on the door before the dorm's front door suddenly opened, and caused Ruby to let go of Gage, and scoot away from him, still with the blush on her face.

After that, her and Gage both turned towards the front door, and watched as Yang peeked her head into the room, and waved at both her boyfriend, and her little sister, "Hello!~"

She greeted them in a sing song voice, and the sight of her immediately made the ghost stand up with a nervous smile, while Ruby just waved at her nervously.

The blonde now entered the room fully, but squinted at her little sister as she closed the door behind herself, and put her hands on her hips afterwards as she smirked at the two,

"Hey you two! ...Wait... *gasp!* ...Ruby! You weren't trying to steal Gage away from me, now were you?~"

"Pfft! W-What? No! I-If anything, he barged in here to hang out with me!"

The two sisters then smiled at each other, and turned towards Gage as he put his hands up in a defensive manner, and just looked at Yang before he replied with a nervous chuckle, "H-Hehe… well, you did ask me to come here and wait for you Yang, remember?"

"*sigh* ...Yeah I know Care-Bear, I'm just teasing ya." She sighed, feeling instantly drained of any amusement by his cluelessness. But she still smiled at him and her sister, "Anyway… are you ready Gagey? You sure looked like it by the way you're dressed up!"

He nodded, but instantly turned to Ruby to make sure that she didn't open her mouth to mindless correct Yang on why he was dressed that way.

"I just felt like being a little more… casual today. But, yeah, I'm good to go when you are Yang."

And luckily, the small rose did stay quiet… but only because she turned away from him and Yang… and sat back down on Weiss's bed… with an emotionless expression on her face.

However, Yang didn't notice, and grabbed onto Gage's metal hand and tugged on him to come, so he chose to take one step forward before he turned to Ruby so he could say goodbye… but… then he stopped.

He could clearly see that Ruby seemed a little off… and that it seemed like she was already alone for a while before he came along and had his talk with her.

Also, the lyrics of the song she was singing earlier were a bit somber from what Gage heard, so it worried him, and caused him to grasp his lover's hand tightly, and take one step back towards Ruby again as he whispered to her,

"Wait…. Ruby. Do you want to come with us?" The ghost asked her.

She turned back towards him, and instantly jumped up once she heard his proposition, "Okay!" But, she then stopped herself, and looked up at her older sister with clear insecurity, "W-Well… if that's alright with you Yang..."

Yang remained still for a moment, and squinted weirdly at Ruby for a few seconds, but then she quickly smiled at her, and gestured for her to come with! "Of course it is little sis!" She nearly yelled.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it'd be great. Because then me and you can have a tag team match against Gage in the Arena!"

"Hehe… that does sound fun!"

Of course Gage stuttered, and he let out a sigh as he looked over at Yang and internally, and externally groaned at the two sisters, "*sigh* ...You guys, it's suppose to be my day off…"

The blonde just giggled, and turned to her boyfriend as she just ran a hand up his chest and smiled, while Ruby laughed too and started to get up off of Weiss's bed.

"Well then once the day is over… I'll make sure to tend to your wounds myself… how does that sound?~" Yang asked Gage, seductively.

"...Fine, but let's just hurry up so I can get changed into my other clothes, okay you two?"

Ruby and Yang both nodded, so he exhaled a little too dramatically to make them feel bad for him, but it didn't do anything but make them laugh even more.

So with that last attempt failing, Gage whined and moved closer towards the front door, with his metal hand still intertwined with Yang's right one as Ruby finally got up, and looked back at the sleeping Zwei on the bed before she clapped, and got his attention,

"Come on Zwei! I can take you for a walk, and then you can watch me kick Gage's butt!"

And once the corgi instantly woke up, got up from the bed, and yipped with joy as he hopped into Ruby's arms, Gage rolled his eyes and opened the dorm's door with Yang hugging his metal arm as he did so, and began to walk out into the hallway.

Ruby followed the couple with the corgi still in her arms, and they both watched as Yang went to whisper something into her boyfriend's ear, and made him blush, which made the small girl just scoff at them, even though seeing him blush was kind of cute in her mind.

As they walked in together down the hall and she followed, Ruby made her way to them and walked along side them as she looked at Zwei while the sound of his panting made her giggle...

...But then she looked back at Gage and Yang… and thought about what was going to be coming. Their mission… and how it important it was to both of them… and what would happen if it failed.

At first, she thought about what could happen to them both, how everything they've built together after the eight months that they've been in love could be shattered in one instant, but… that thought passed as soon as it came.

Because then… it was replaced with the little message that Gage gave her during their little moment from earlier. And Ruby finally understood what he was saying.

He was saying that… even when he was down and out, she could rise up and take charge hopefully in his absence… however, she saw it more as that she wouldn't have to take charge… but that she would NEED to. Eventually. Because Gage wouldn't always be there to help her.

So… with that knowledge, and with that realization finally being seen by her, Ruby just turned away from the couple, closed her eyes as she scratched behind Zwei's ears… and sighed once more as she walked down the hallway with Gage and Yang alongside her…

"Everything will be alright… I know it will..."