And here is some more
Chapter 58:
Walking into the room, Ruby simply smiled as she could see the large man trying to get comfortable on his seat. It was just a case of amusement for her. Looking around the room, Ruby just smiled at the other woman who was slightly hunched over. It was a posture that Ruby had seen countless times before.
That was until the woman looked up.
Ruby's gaze locking solely onto the eyes. The ones she had seen countless times in her dreams. It was nothing but panic that seemed to increase as she could start to hear static. Those silver eyes...
That face she occasionally has seen in her thoughts...
Everything about that woman had been haunting her.
"Ruby..." Yang said as she snapped her fingers in front of the smaller woman. Watching her shake her head as if to regain her senses, Yang was a little relieved to just see Ruby breaking from the trance she was caught in. "You alright? Where do you want me to sit?"
"Huh? Oh... um... by your dad... I'm going to go see if Mom needs some help." Ruby said not even giving Yang a chance to respond before she turned around and quickly walked into the kitchen where she could see Cinder jumping a little from not expecting her.
Before Cinder could even ask what the matter was, Ruby had ducked behind the counter and crawled into the corner. It was a sight that Cinder had seen so seldom. It was actually starting to worry her as she placed the hot pan onto a tea towel as she bent down to look at Ruby.
"Ruby? What's wrong?" Cinder asked softly as Ruby just seemed to push herself further into the corner. It was a sight that caused Cinder all kinds of rage. What had that couple done to Ruby to cause her to act like this.
"I'm not going out there... you can't make me." Ruby said in a frail voice that just caused Cinder some worry. She wondered how hard it was going to be to remove blood from that dining room. She knew it was a pain in some of the rooms. Cinder didn't even care if she had to wipe the family from existence. She knew that it was happening if they were dumb enough to ignore her warning that flippantly about what was going to happen to them if they harmed Ruby.
"Ruby, talk to me. What did they do to you?" Cinder demanded as she could see Ruby shaking her head. "I'm not going to force you Ruby. I'd still like you to talk to me." Cinder continued as she bent down to just match Ruby's panicked eyes.
"Silver eyes. That woman... it is her..." Ruby said taking a deep breath as she just started to fight Cinder's trying to calm her down as she just maintained her tight wrapping around herself. Something that just caused Cinder to frown as she gave up trying to untangle that ball and just pulled Ruby into a tight hug. "It has to be her. Those eyes... that expression. It is her..." Ruby continued as Cinder just took a deep breath and started to rub Ruby's back.
"Ruby... those are nightmares." Cinder said in a soft tone as she could see Ruby just shaking her head in as feeble a manner as she could. At least Cinder was hoping that that was what was happening. Because she didn't know how she was meant to react. She knew that it was just her well wishing that she could help Ruby and remove those nightmares from her, but she didn't know if she could.
"No. It is her. I know it." Ruby said as she started to rock gently back and forth as Cinder just rubbed her back the best she could. Just the fact that Ruby seemed like she moments away from having a full on panic attack. It was something that was causing Cinder a lot of pain just because she didn't know how she was meant to help her. "I can't go back in there... I'll eat shellfish before that." Ruby said as Cinder just tilted her head to look into her covered eyes. "I can't go back in there Mom... I can't do it." Ruby sobbed as Cinder simply held Ruby closer to her.
"I'm not going to force you Ruby. You should know me a lot better than that. But I also can't kick them out just yet. They deserve a proper meal. If you want I'll come up with a lie to tell them, and you can just go and hide in your room. Then we can talk once they are fed and out of the house on their way back to their own. I promise though, nothing is going to happen to you. Does that sound like a plan to you?" Cinder asked in a hushed tone as she could feel Ruby just nodding her head.
It was one gesture that made Cinder feel a lot better. It at least meant that Ruby was going to be fine once everything was said and done. "Okay then... go take the back stairs up to your room. I'll go in and come up with something. Just you focus on yourself Ruby."
"I can't do this Tai." Summer said as she was about to storm out when her husband quickly caught the woman. "She looks too much like our Ruby. I can't do it." Summer bellowed gently as Yang rolled her eyes as Tai just took a deep breath and started to rub Summer's back.
"Summer it isn't. Don't you think Yang would have at least said it to me? And Yang has stared at Ruby's pictures every night for years and years. She would know if it was."
"A mother knows Tai." Summer began as Yang let out a bark of laughter as Tai simply shot Yang a look.
"What? She can't play the mother card like that because a mother should know not to kill their daughter!"
"Yang you aren't helping." Tai said as he just placed Summer down into a seat. "And Summer you need to relax. I promise you this isn't the same Ruby. You just need to sit down and relax. Just remember I'm here, and so is Yang. Even if she wants to fight, you do mean a lot to her."
"Like a starving man wants to be given an empty plate." Yang muttered as Tai just took a deep breath as he gestured towards the seat Summer had occupied for Yang to take.
Placing the woman into the seat next to him, Tai took a deep breath as he just wanted this to continue with as few breakdowns from Summer as was possible. Even though it was starting to look like a harder and harder thing for them to really accomplish. He still just wanted that single grace to be bestowed onto them.
Seeing the door swing open as one of the men who seemed to be one of the guards that the woman had been talking about, as she started to walk into the room with a calm expression holding a clearly hot dish.
"I'm sorry, but Ruby couldn't be with us. She had an accident not that long ago with a welder that burnt her eyes pretty bad, and while the outside is healed, they are still super sensitive to light and she was just in too much pain to even eat." Cinder spoke as she placed the container down onto the table as she snapped her fingers and another man entered holding plates.
Seeing the group develop a little bit of shock, at Cinder's command of the people she just glanced over her shoulder. "Back to your new stations. If it doesn't concern Ruby or a level three... well... you're going to wish Salem got hold of you. Do I make myself clear?" Cinder spat with such a chill in her voice the family was shocked as they could see the duo quickly running out of the room staying scarcely long enough to close the door. "Now where were we... oh yes. Ruby. Again, I'm deeply sorry but the lightning was just too harsh for her even with those medicated glasses. And call me old fashion I'd much rather my daughter not be in pain. Even if it is for as long as a dinner." Cinder chuckled out as she shoved the spatula under the food to produce a clean cube almost of food.
"How about how you just treated those people?" Tai asked curious if just from how much risk Yang was in by being around her.
"With security, you must be firm. But there is nothing you need to worry about. I won't harm anyone here. And if you are worried about poison, I'll gladly take the first to prove it isn't. And with the allergies you gave me yesterday I'm happy to inform Ruby is already deathly allergic to a number of similar things between you and your wife and as such, I refuse to keep those things anywhere near this house. It is nice to see that someone else has some rare allergies."
As Cinder spoke she could see Yang just gulping a little as Cinder had started to hand the plates around. "Not that I don't believe you. But..." Tai began softly as he looked at the food.
"If I wanted to cause you pain or discomfort, even death... there are thousands of easier ways for me to do that. Including just shooting you. People in my line of work when they get to this level don't have people poisoned unless we really want to make people suffer. I mean I couldn't even begin to tell you how many people I've killed and had everyone from police to coroner to the district attorney say it was nothing but natural causes but the person was hanging quite literally by their intestines in over... oh pick a bridge." Cinder said with a calm tone as she just sighed as she scooped up some of the sauce and meat concoction before placing it into her mouth. "You'd be surprised with what people just leave in the open for people to find once they go looking and they know the right questions to ask. Especially when they worked as a bag person for you on several occasions. Then decided to go the way of so many prominent poets after giving birth to a child." Cinder spoke seeing Yang and Tai stopping to just look at her.
"Don't worry. She never looked at what was inside the bag and she was never told what it was. Just where to drop it off and where to pick it up. That is the difference between you and I Tai. I know everything that goes on despite what people might think. Including things that go on in your household. Even things you might not know. Including the exact locations of all of Summer's old crack dens." Cinder spoke as Summer looked up at her. "Yes, you see under my authority... you won't find a supplier willing to sell to you anymore. Not even a single hospital will give you anything unless it literally is your life or death. The only exception is a single psychiatrist." Cinder spoke as Yang just smiled as she looked at her.
"You can't do that... those places are Grimm territory!" Summer yelled at her as Yang just covered her face gently to just restrain the laughter.
"That is what made it so easy. Even the White Fang aren't going to even look at you. Because I can assure you, the next time you and I will be meeting Summer, you won't be dealing with the friendly Cinder Fall, and instead you'll be dealing with the Fall Maiden." Cinder spoke as Tai and Summer both froze as Yang simply took a deep breath not understanding what was said. "Anyways, dig in. The food is best eaten hot. If it isn't, the vegetables will lose that texture you work so hard for."
Rubbing her eyes, Ruby took a deep breath as she reached for her phone. She knew that her mother was going to be angry, but she figured if anyone really was qualified to talk to that woman, it was Glynda.
Not to mention Glynda did say if any time she got like this, she should call. And who better for Ruby to vent to while her mother was talking with Yang's family... and that woman. It was the second one of Ruby's nightmares to come to life and it was easily the worst one for Ruby.
She just had to speak to someone that knew enough about Ruby that could give Ruby advice which is why she was just happy that she could hear the ringing.
"Doctor Glynda Goodwitch speaking."
"Doctor Goodwitch... It is Ruby, and I'm just about to have a panic attack and Mom can't help me right now." Ruby said as she just took a few panicked breaths knowing that is exactly what Glynda was going to suggest that she do.
"Ruby? Are you taking deep breaths?" Glynda asked rhetorically as Ruby just took a much more vocal breath. "Okay. Can you just try and tell me what is causing it?" Glynda spoke in a calm tone as she knew that it would do the bulk of the work.
"The woman... silver eyes..." Ruby got out between gasps of air that she felt like that she desperately needed. She was even hoping that it was enough for Glynda to go off of. The woman had countless times before with seeming less information being given to her.
"Ruby... is this another nightmare?" Glynda asked in what Ruby knew was a clear hope that was one that she shared. If it was a nightmare, while it was the most real feeling one that she had ever felt... it would still make her feel a lot better because she knew when she woke up that this would all become non-existent.
"No. She is downstairs right now. I know those eyes." Ruby began as she raised a hand to just rake her hand through her hair, feeling her fingernails scraping her head giving her some sort of relief. "They've haunted me every night since I can remember... and the woman is downstairs right now." Ruby continued as she could just feel her worry double further as she took a deep breath that just seemed to fail at the one job it was meant to do.
"Ruby. I need you to just focus on breathing. Can you do that for me?" Glynda asked as Ruby just groaned gently.
"Don't tell me it is all in my head! I know those damn eyes! Even with my eyes being damaged! I still know them!" Ruby screamed before she took a small breath as she knew that she was going to need to apologise to her once she was back in the office. But that really was a case for her of just not caring until it was much later. She had to simply not care until she could feel something besides just pure dread. "I know them..."
"I wasn't going to say it is all in your head Ruby. You know that isn't something helpful for me to say and so I won't. Just talk to me. Okay Ruby? What is your mother doing right now?" Glynda asked in a soft tone that often had given Ruby some comfort. Or at least was able to reason with her enough just to force Ruby's mind to restart.
"Downstairs... it is my roommate's Step Mom." Ruby said just taking a deep breath to just continue what she had to, just to explain to Glynda why she couldn't get the comfort from her mother which would be what she really wanted. "She invited them over for dinner and I just met the woman and I barely had the strength not to break down in front of her. And now I'm just in my room freaking out. And honestly feel like I'm going to have a mental breakdown or worse and all because that woman is in this house."
"Ruby. Focus on your breathing. Just keep doing that. Okay? Do that." Glynda continued in her soft manner as Ruby just continued to do some panicked breathing. "Just continue breathing. Don't think about anything else. And just focus on breathing. Okay? That is what you need to do."
"How can I? She is down stairs. The same look is in them... anger and disappointment and everything in those eyes. What if she tries to harm me again? Or worse my Mom?" Ruby begged as she could hear Glynda taking a deep breath.
"Ruby, we both know that your mother won't let anything bad happen to you. Not even if the God of Darkness came knocking on the door asking for your head. She would intentionally try and kill him. Don't undersell what she would do to keep you safe" Glynda began before sighing a little. "And she is more than able to defend herself. You need to trust her. I'll gladly stay on the phone with you as long as you need." Glynda continued as Ruby could hear a gentle but purposeful knock at her door.
"There is a knock at the door... I'm scared to open it... what if it is her?"
"There is an easy way to find out Ruby. Just put me on speaker and ask on the other side who it is." Glynda said as Ruby just took a deep breath.
"Okay... just... don't hang up unless I tell you to... okay?"
"I promise Ruby. I won't hang up unless you tell me to." Glynda said as Ruby just nodded as she pulled her phone away and pressed the button to turn it onto speaker as she walked towards the door.
"Who is it?"
"It is me Ruby. Me and the folks are leaving... just... I hope you feel better. That eye thing sounds like it sucks." Ruby could hear her blonde roommate on the other side.
"I'm sorry Yang... safe trip back. I need to be back in the dorm tomorrow anyways... I'll see you then."
"Okay Ruby."
Hearing the footsteps leaving Ruby could feel her panicked breath stopping as she jumped towards her bed as she picked up her phone and turned it off of speaker. "They are leaving... they are leaving and I can actually feel my mind getting better already."
"See Ruby? Nothing to be worried about."
"No... there really is. That was her Glynda. I'd be willing to swear on anything you want."
"I believe you Ruby. And I'm sure you want to talk about it with Cinder... and we can talk about it Wednesday. I swear if you want to."
"Okay... Bye Glynda. I'll talk to you then."
"Bye Ruby."
Author's Note:
And there is them meeting and it seems like biological mother like biological daughter...
