Enjoy.
The paramedics arrived soon, asking for some space, which Summer was reluctant to give. She backed away, while they checked all of Mark's vitals. She felt a hand slip into hers, turning to find Ruby, eyes red and puffy from crying.
"He's going to be okay right?" she asked quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear her words.
"Of course he is Ruby, you know how stubborn he is with his promises." Summer comforted her daughter as she hugged her.
A paramedic walked up to the two. "Are you two his immediate family?" she asked, getting nods. "Well, the good news is that his body is in its peak of physical form." the medic said, a blush staining her cheeks. "But his aura levels are a different matter. While we were trying to gauge what they were at, it would go from deathly low, to absurdly high, fluctuating constantly. After a few moments, his aura would reach an intermediary, before spiking again. His body feels like that of a dead person, but the ragged breathing and trembling his body is giving off proves otherwise. He seems fine, aside from the aura levels and his condition with all the weird symptoms. We are going to take him to the Metropole hospital, then take him to wherever you ask."
"Beacon Academy." Ruby blurted out.
"Yes, once you're finished doing tests on him, can we accompany him to Beacon?" Summer asked.
"Of course, we're bringing him to the hospital now, if you would like to accompany us." the medic smiled.
"We would, thank you." Summer replied.
They arrived at the hospital, where Mark was taken into the ER for further tests. Ruby and Summer stayed in the hospital, until it was time for them to go. Sieg had appropriated a floor of a hotel he owned for everyone to rest in. The next day, the girls had to go back to Beacon. Summer voted to stay behind, watching Mark until they moved him. She sat by his side every day, waiting for the day he would wake up, giving him an earful of what she felt after learning what he did. By the time the weekend was over, They deemed him ready to be moved. Summer accompanied him through check ins with the airport and onto Siegfried's private airship, outfitted to be able to monitor patients should anything happen.
"Miss Rose." the pilot called back to her, snapping her out of her trance of running her hand through Mark's shaggy black hair.
"Y-Yes?" she asked, looking up to face the pilot.
"We'll be moving into Beacon's airspace soon." the pilot replied.
She nodded her thanks, turning her attention back to Mark. Since Thanksgiving night, he had been getting steadily better. There were still fluctuations between his aura levels, but nothing as massive as when they first checked on them. His body had also stopped trembling, no longer feeling cold, a warmth emanating from him now. She felt the pilot talking to ground control, asking for permission to land. She heard the sign to buckle up, so after kissing Mark for a quick sec, she returned to her seat.
Their airship touched down, Summer unseating herself to check back on her fiance. As she heard the door open for people to exit, she gave the medics on-board some room to get Mark out of the medical bed and into a stretcher. She followed them offboard, seeing her daughter and her team waiting for them with a surprised looking Ozpin.
"Summer, What- How did you-?" Ozpin was at a loss of words.
"We'll talk later, I want to make sure Mark is safe first." Summer asked. Ozpin nodded at her request, telling her to meet him in her office as soon as she was able to. Team RWBY followed Summer and the medics into the infirmary of Beacon. After making sure everything was settled down, they sat with Mark, nothing but the sound of his heart monitor beats filling the room.
"He's gotten better." Ruby pointed out.
"Yeah, he has." Summer smiled, running her hand through his hair. "How're your classes?"
"It's the same for the most part, Mark was teaching a sparring class here, but now he can't in his condition, and when he wakes up." Ruby pointed out. She was so sure that he would wake up, the promise he made probably made her believe in him so much.
"Maybe I can take over that class until he gets better." Summer proposed.
"That sounds like a great idea." Weiss advised.
Summer nodded at her approval, returning to stroking Mark's hair. "Did you learn anything new of Mark's condition?" she asked.
"No, aside from what you told us, we know that he's probably having a nightmare right now. There will be some side effects due to his actions, like extreme sensitivity to light, seeing illusions, dizziness, weakness, among other things, but they should pass after a while." Weiss pointed out.
"Thank you, we should be off to Ozpin's office, I promised Mark I would tell you about his past, should he be unable to." Summer stated, placing a kiss on Mark's lips, before standing up.
Ruby came to the left side of Mark's bed, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Wake up soon." she whispered. Weiss gave Mark a hug as well, Blake and Yang exchanging some comforting words with him before taking their leave.
They all walked towards Ozpin's office, Ruby skipping like a child while Weiss scolded her about acting more mature, only making RUby become for childish to the chagrin of Weiss. Blake and Yang spoke to each other softly, telling about each other's day. Summer noticed the two had gotten closer ever since the attack, always spending more time with each other. They arrived at his office soon enough, knocking and waiting for an answer.
"Come in." they heard Ozpin say from inside. They walked into the room, seeing the gears above his office turning. Ozpin was behind his office, staring out his window, overlooking Beacon's grounds. "So, you've been alive ever since you left." Ozpin said to himself, more than to anyone else.
"Yes." Summer replied.
"I want to know everything." he replied.
"After we fought the-" Summer started but was interrupted.
"No, from the beginning, ever since you met Mark." Ozpin answered.
"Open a meeting with Tai, Qrow, and Sieg and Sieglinde then, Mark and myself want them to know about what happened between us." Summer sighed.
It took him a moment, but after a couple of minutes, screens of the four popped up, seeing Summer. She took a deep breath before explaining her childhood, and how Mark fitted into it. She talked about what she felt, and how she grew up forgetting him, but meeting up with him once again, during the mission. Afterward, she dried her tears.
"I never knew that was what you went through." Qrow stated. "Why didn't you ever tell us about this?" he asked.
"I was scared." Summer replied. "But nothing like what Mark went through." she stated. She explained his life story, telling them about his kidnapping, how he was experimented on and the things he had to do. She told about what he did to get out of the facility. and how he had came back to visit her. She was crying now. She told about how he didn't want to hurt her again, so he left to live by himself. He had done many things he didn't want to, but he did what he had to do to survive. Everyone was quiet, except Summer, who was crying quietly, comforted by her daughter.
"If I my ask, whatever happened to the people who kidnapped him?" Sieglinde asked.
"He never told me directly, but from what I gather, he killed every person in the facility who deserved it. Then robbed the people paying for them to do such things." Summer replied.
"That's something no one should ever have to go through." Weiss stated.
"How is Mark?" Tai asked.
"He's in-" Summer started, but the door crashed open, a nurse covered in blood storming inside.
"-trouble!" the nurse yelled, taking a gasp of breath. "He's in trouble!"
Summer was already running to the medical ward. Team RWBY and Ozpin and the others on his scroll following soon after her. As they ran through the hallways, they could hear screaming and wailing. Summer barged through the door, a plethora of doctors and nurses all had blood on their outfits, attempting to calm down a hysterical Mark.
"No, don't go! I'll be good. I swear. Please don't leave me! I don't wanna be alone. I'll be good!" she heard Mark wail. A memory tugged at her heart, she had heard this before. When she first met Mark. He would always cry about how she would leave him and not come back.
She pushed past the doctors and nurses, seeing the sight of Mark, covered in his own blood. His eyes were that of what looked like a scared animal, awaiting whatever punishment would befall him. every couple of yells, he would cover his mouth, coughing violently. He would pull his hand away, covered in blood, before pleading once again to not leave him alone. She cradled his head to calm him down. "Don't worry, I'm here, you're not alone. I'm here." Summer comforted, quieting Mark down as he wrapped his arms around her, holding onto her as if she was the most important thing in the world.
"Please don't go. I don't want to be alone anymore." Mark mumbled as he held her tighter, closing his eyes, quieting down to just small whimpers.
Team RWBY, Ozpin and the others saw a sight they thought they would ever see. Summer was cradling Mark, who was crying and asking for comfort, asking to not leave him alone. His bed sheets was covered in blood, from his tears and from his mouth. Ozpin excused the doctors and nurses for a time until they deemed it safe to return. Ruby approached her parents, quietly shuffling to Mark's left side. She placed a hand on Mark's shoulder a whimper and shudder at her touch.
"Mark..." Ruby whispered. Mark didn't respond. "Can you look at me please?" she pleaded.
Mark shook his head again, shutting his eyes even tighter as he wrapped his arms around Summer even tighter.
"Mark." Summer spoke softly. "Please, she's your daughter."
Summer released Mark, he whimpered once more. Summer held his hand, before guiding them to Ruby's. Ruby took his hands, making small circles on the top of them, coaxing him to open his eyes. Slowly, he looked at her, seeing Ruby's tearing up face. She smiled a little at seeing Mark's familiar eyes, before they widened. He scuttled backwards, falling off the bed.
"Stay away from me!" he yelled, moving away from Ruby.
She felt her heart almost break at his words. She knew how Mark felt now, when she screamed at him to leave her alone. Summer was with him in an instant, atempting to comfort him. Seeing her, only caused him to move even farther away, cowering in the corner.
"Mark close your eyes!" Weiss shouted. Mark didn't know how that would help, but he listened, instantly feeling a little bit better. He heard someone shuffle towards him, wrapping his head with a cloth, covering his eyes to obscure his vision. "I think he's seeing something, an illusion or something. Am I right?" Weiss asked.
Mark nodded. "When I saw Ruby, I remembered the day I hurt her, and when I saw Summer, I saw when the Primordial Beowolf attacked her, drawing blood. I saw through its eyes, not mine. I got scared I was the one who did it, so I didn't want her to get hurt." Mark informed.
"I know you won't hurt me." Summer comforted, cradling his head against her chest.
"Don't leave me..." Mark whispered.
"I won't." Summer promised. "Can the doctors do some tests on you? I'll be right beside you the entire time."
Mark nodded, getting up with the help of Summer. He walked towards his bed, sitting down, waiting for the doctors. Ozpin called them back in, telling them they could check up on him. After the tests and cleaning, Summer asked for everyone to leave the room, giving Mark and her some time to rest. Mark laid down on his bed, pulling Summer into another hug. Only Ruby remained in the room.
"Summer..." Mark whispered.
"Yes?"
"Thanks for everything. I love you." Mark whispered.
"I love you too." she whispered.
Ruby walked up to Mark once again. "Mark..."
Mark turned, seeing Ruby's aura staring down at him. He sat up, reaching out at her, to give her a hug. "I'm sorry for saying that to you." he apologized, holding her close.
Ruby wrapped her arms around her father. "It's okay, I know you just didn't want to hurt me."
"It's still something I should've never said to you." Mark repented.
"But I said the same things to you!" Ruby retorted.
Mark let her go, staring at in her eyes. "That's to be expected, you are a teenager." Mark joked. "But you're a young woman now, you have a girlfriend and everything. You're growing up, and I can't stop you. I can only hope to be able to make this world better for you, Weiss, and little Fuschia." Mark teased, his daughter turning beet red.
"Shut up!" she shouted, causing Mark to laugh.
"Who's Fuschia?" Summer asked.
"Oh you know just our daughter's-" Mark spoke, before feeling a hand clamp over his mouth.
"Don't you dare, I'll tell her later." Ruby hissed.
Mark smiled, giving Ruby a kiss on her head, before lying back down. "I don't want to keep you guys here. You can go rest if you want to." Mark asked.
"I'm staying here." Summer stated, lying besides Mark.
"I'm going to go meet back up with Weiss." Ruby announced.
"Take care." Mark called out.
Ruby exited the room, seeing her team, Ozpin, and the others on his scroll standing outside.
"How are they?" Sieglinde asked.
"They're doing good. Mom will keep Dad company." Ruby beamed.
"That's nice to hear, please keep us updated." Tai asked.
"Sure." Yang replied.
"Well, I must be off. Please tell Summer to speak with me if she needs a job here. We'd be more than happy to accommodate her here." Ozpin asked.
"Thanks." Ruby thanked.
"See ya pops." Yang said as she waved goodbye.
"See ya kiddo." Tai smiled.
"Bye mother, father, tell Winter I said hello." Weiss asked.
"We will, take care Weiss." Sieglinde replied.
"Bye Uncle Qrow!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Goodbye Ruby." Qrow answered.
With that, everyone went there separate ways.
It was the middle of night, and Summer felt Mark move from her side. She opened her eyes, seeing Mark standing, getting dressed in clothes for going outside.
"Where are you going?" she mumbled as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"It seems like a waste of a good night to just sleep in. Want to join me for some stargazing?" Mark asked, holding his hand out to her.
"Well aren't you the romantic?" she chuckled, taking his hand.
They walked out of the room, taking the stairs to the roof. Mark opened the door, his skin meeting the cool night air. He held the door open as Summer walked out, holding his cloak around her shoulders for warmth. They sat at the edge of the building, laying on his cloak, staring up at the night sky. Summer took the cloth from Mark's head, slipping it off, seeing his eyes glow in the dark.
"You're a good actor." she said, snuggling closer to his chest for warmth.
"Well, I need to make it seem that I'm losing it, if our lie is to be convincing." Mark replied.
"Yeah,... I'm scared of leaving Ruby again. I don't want to, but it's to make sure they have a better world than we lived in." Summer thought.
"Well, maybe you don't need to leave her." Mark said, causing Summer to turn to face him.
"What are you talking about?" Summer asked, astounded.
"I can do this myself, you don't have to." Mark informed.
"But I-I-" Summer stuttered.
"I asked you to leave her before, I won't ask it of you again.. She'll be distraught if we both leave. If I just leave, then you can comfort her, and prepare her for the future." Mark replied.
"But..." Summer started.
"Don't dwell on it." Mark comforted, wrapping his arms around Summer. "We'll talk about it, once it comes to pass." Mark comforted.
"How are your eyes?" Summer asked, running her hand along his cheek, up to his scarred eye.
"I don't feel the tingling sensation anymore, but my eyes are sensitive to bright lights right now." Mark informed. Summer stayed quiet for a moment. mark could tell that she wanted to say something, but held back. After a few awkward moments, Mark finally asked. "What's up?"
"It's nothing." she rushed out.
"Don't lie to me." Mark said.
"Were you really acting?" Summer asked, feeling him stiffen behind her. Mark hesitated, not wanting to answer." Please..."
"No, I wasn't, I was seeing things. I was hallucinating, and I was scared of you leaving me, like when we were children." Mark answered.
She wanted to talk about it some more, not believing that they would talk about it, but held back. "I promise I would never leave you." Summer comforted. "I'm going to miss doing this, with you." Summer stated, snuggling closer to him for warmth.
"Me too." Mark agreed, watching the night sky until he felt Summer relax besides him, falling into a peaceful sleep. Mark slowly got up, putting the cloth around his eyes, before wrapping her in his cloak so she wouldn't get cold. He wrapped her in his arms, carrying her back into their room, setting her down on the bed, laying besides her, stroking her hair until he too fell asleep.
The plot thickens! Welcome once again, if you're one of the people reading this far into my story, I would like to say thank you fro your continued support. It means a lot to me to know some people are still reading my story. Any feedback is welcome. Until next time.