Hi! This is my first attempt at writing fanfic, though I've been reading it for years.

This idea has been bouncing around in my head for a while. In fact, since I read Remnant's Reclaimer by Hysterical Clerical Hijinks (which you should definitely go check out) and Relic of the Future by Coeur Al'Aran, I've wanted to write this. I think the time-travle AU is a little played out, but it's certainly interesting, so I took my own spin on it here.

Ladies and gents, I give you Past Mistakes.

Sweat and blood dripped from Ruby's brow in equal amounts as she limped her way out of the collapsing chamber. Her legs quaked, and her eyes threatened to fuse shut from the dust in the air. Just a few more meters until she was free of that horrible place. No sunlight was visible, but she could see the exit growing ever closer. The dark sky looming outside never looked so inviting.

Across her shoulders, Ruby's faithful weapon dripped with the blood of her enemies. Never before this day had Crescent Rose taken a person's life, nor had she ever fought with the intent to kill. It had been a furious battle, the final fight between titans of a time long past and their champions. Many had sacrificed much to bring them to this moment. Finally, after years of fear and doubt, it was over.

She was gone.

Salem was dead; the ancient witch from before the beginning of time was gone, banished by Ruby's hand. As were her servants, Tyrian had guarded his queen with a ferocity that none in Ozpin's company had seen before. Hazel Rainart still had that same need to kill the old wizard as he had when they'd met him at Haven. And even with the powers of a maiden at her disposal, Cinder, it seemed, could not stand up to a reunited Team RWBY for long. However, in the end, she proved to be a coward and fled, disappearing into the dark corridors and passages of Salem's palace.

Pale light illuminated Ruby's face as she trudged out of the massive stone archway. Everyone, her friends, her brothers and sisters in arms, the soldiers that General Ironwood had lent them looked to her in shock. Even Oscar - or Ozpin, whichever was in control - stared, dumbfounded, at her. Slowly, she saw the smiles creep across their faces. They began to realize what her emergence meant. They'd won. At long last, with so many dead, victory was theirs.

Her knees hit the ground as the cheers started. Her scythe clattered down beside her, and shadows crept into her vision. Somehow, all of Teams RWBY and RNJR found a way to crowd around and pick her back up. All of their voices erupted and fought for dominance. Congratulations, questions as to her condition, and simple cries of disbelief that they'd done it filled her ears.

Above all of them, however, one made itself discernable. Yang, her sister, her rock, and her hero whispered to her, "Is it over? Did you do it?"

Tears welled in Ruby's silver eyes. She nodded. "Yeah, we did." The hug that she was pulled into was filled with more love and relief than any she'd ever had. Yang very nearly crushed her with her considerable strength without knowing it. Ruby laughed and closed her eyes for what felt like the first time since this whole mess had started. "Now, uh... if you don't mind, I think I'm gonna pass out now."

Yang chuckled. "Go ahead, Rubes. I think you earned it."

Ruby awoke to the subtle, constant beeps of hospital equipment. Though she'd slept and rested up, she found it hard to move or even open her eyes. After a few failed attempts, she managed to crack one eye open, then the other; she hissed as bright white light pierced through her retinas, forcing her to fuse her lids shut again.

When she finally did open them all the way, she was greeted by an unfamiliar room, powerful standing lights shining out from all four dark corners. There were no windows on any of the cement walls, and the ceiling was dropped low, giving Ruby the idea that she may be underground. The damp feeling of the air around her reinforced the hypothesis, as did the faint drip... drip she heard off in the distance.

Situated around the room, atop a few tables and rolling carts, were various medical instruments. A desk with a computer and paperwork strewn across it sat near a rusty door across the room from Ruby. She was in a hospital bed, hooked up to an EKG machine and an aura monitor, which displayed her heartrate and aura levels, respectively. In her arm, via a plastic tube, clear liquid from an IV dripped into her bloodstream.

She was in some sort of a makeshift hospital; that much was clear. What wasn't was where said hospital was and why she was here. Where were Yang and the others? How long had she been out to warrant this kind of treatment? The last thing she remembered was passing out in Yang's arms after their victory over Salem. Something must have gone horribly wrong, considering the small clinic was nowhere close to Atlas's standards, or that of any other kingdom, for that matter.

"Where-ack!" Ruby could only form the single word before she was overtaken by a vicious coughing fit. Her throat was so dry that each hoarse cough sent grating, awful pain stabbing through her. Beside her, the heart monitor beeped faster and louder as she became more and more stressed.

Where on Remnant was she?

After a few more seconds, the door's rusty hinges squealed as it was frantically swung open. A man in faded green scrubs jogged across the room to her bed. When he reached the side of her, he looked from the EKG to Ruby's strained face, back to the machine, then his gaze settled on her.

"You're awake?!" he asked; shock polluted his voice, something Ruby definitely did not like. The doctor leaned in close and shone a penlight in both her eyes. She hissed and fused her lids shut—the bright light was too much for her eyes to take so soon after waking up. "My gods," the doctor said with a heavy sigh. "You're actually awake. It's simply a miracle; unbelievable."

The beeping of the heart rate tracker hadn't slowed down since before he entered the room, and it was only getting faster with the more confused Ruby got. She tried to lean away from him but was stopped by the raised bed behind her. Something didn't feel right about this whole scenario. Where was Yang? Where was Weiss, Blake, Jaune, Oscar... anyone? Even if Ruby had been out for a few days, maybe a week, undoubtedly someone would have stayed with her. And why in the world would they bring her to a dank, underground doctor's office? Judging by her surroundings, the bullheads that carried them to the Grimmlands were better-equipped than this place!

The man in scrubs must have seen her confusion and stress, so he backed away from her slightly. Though he still kept his hands on the mattress and leaned over her with visible awe. Ruby attempted to speak again, to ask where she was and who he was, but he held up a hand to silence her.

"Please, don't speak yet," he said, walking away briefly and returning from his desk - at least Ruby assumed that it was his - with a plastic cup of water. Placing a straw in the cup, he held it up to her lips. "Drink." Ruby did as she was told and sucked gently from the vessel. The water was room temperature, maybe a little on the warm side, but to her dry mouth and parched throat, it was better than an oasis in Vacuo. The water drained from the cup quickly as she greedily siphoned it down; when it was finally gone, Ruby was left gasping and still unbelievably thirsty, but her sore throat was soothed.

"There," the doctor chuckled, "Better? You can talk now if you're able."

It took a few tries, but eventually, Ruby was able to weakly form the question: "Whe... where am... I?"

Chapter 2 is already in the works, so don't worry, we'll find out more about our darling Ruby's predicament soon...