A/N: There will be significant divergence this chapter.
The room was deathly silent as the weight of the situation settled onto the shoulders of Jaune, Ren and Nora. They were in an impossible fight against an unbeatable foe. Jaune's mind races trying to process it all. None of that mattered if there was a plan. Ren seemed to be reading his mind.
"If Salem can't be killed, then how are we supposed to win this?" The dark haired boy questions.
The silence he's met with is infuriating. "Wow, great plan guys." There's venom in his voice.
Oscar tries to placate the older boy. "None of this is great but, we're not the bad guys here." He says putting his hands up.
Jaune's anger flashes. The farm boy has the man responsible for Pyrrha's death in his head. Her death meant absolutely nothing! He rounds on the younger boy, stalking towards him. "Are we sure about that? He's in your head isn't he?"
"He didn't know any of it" Weiss reasons.
Jaune grabs the younger boy shoving him into the wall. Yang calls his name, he either doesn't hear or doesn't care. His emotions and voice becoming more turbulent by the second. "How much longer can we even trust him? What if it's really him? What if we've been talking to that liar this whole time?"
"JAUNE!" Ruby shouts, the blonde boy lets go of Oscar and rounds on Ruby.
Jaune rages "None of you understand! If it weren't for Ozpin , Pyrrha, that liar recruited her into his impossible war! You all have your partners and mine is dead! I've had enough I done!"
Two things happen at once. Ruby gasps and her hands fly to her mouth and Ren shouts Jaune's name snapping him out of it. The young knight blinks face falling. The room is silent again, Jaune takes a step towards Ruby realizing how the weight of his words had hit her. She shakes her head and shifts into her semblance speeding past him up the stairs.
"I'm going outside" Jaune sighs in anger stalking by the rest of the group.
"I think it would be wisest if everyone gave everyone some space right now." Ren states heading up the stairs with an angry looking Nora. The girl hadn't uttered a word since the revelation of the new Information.
"Weiss, Blake… lets go get food?" Yang decides "Hopefully by the time we get back things will have settled down." The girls leave casting a worried look up the stairs. Oscar is left alone downstairs.
"Arggh !" Jaune shouts stepping outside the door to the back yard.
"You know, I came out here to get away from all the yelling." Maria scolds.
"Sorry." Jaune sighs sitting on the porch. "What's the point of all of this? After everything we just learned, why go on? Maybe I should just go back home to my parents after all. I don't have anything left."
Maria chuckles. "I thought I was supposed to be the blind one here."
The blonde boy raises an eyebrow at the woman. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"You have love, the honest kind that's not seen very often." She motions at him with her cane.
He sighs running his hand through his hair. "We're in a battle we can't win, we're just delaying the inevitable. What's the point?"
"Hope." She states simply.
"Hope?" He repeats back.
"Yes, think about it, Ruby knows everything you now know, and she still chooses to move forward hoping to find a way. That girl is so full of hope that not even the apathy were able to affect her, at least not for long. Hope is what drives us when all else is gone. That girl is a beacon of hope among the dark clouds of our world. I was the best huntress of my generation. Inspiring hope in the people with my victories. I couldn't hold a candle to her, from what I've seen."
He sighs. "She's stronger than I am." He leans back looking up at a passing butterfly.
"You don't give yourself enough credit." She points out.
"Thanks." He smiles a bit.
"That wasn't a compliment." She explains.
"I don't understand." He answers.
"If I have to explain it to you, you'll miss the point. Jaune, I saw it on the train, you love Ruby. The new information we've learned, has that changed anything?"
"No, not at all. I just feel so lost, so hopeless." Maria whacks him on the head with her cane.
"Weren't you listening? If you're feeling hopeless borrow some hope from Ruby. I've only known her for a few days but my impression of her tells me she seems to always know the right thing to do. I watched her fight for it as well. Believe in yourself, and if you can't do that right now, believe in her. She certainly seems to believe in you." Maria smiles a bit as Jaune nods.
"I've been a real idiot." He sighs.
"Yep, but you're learning from your mistakes. It's only shameful to be an idiot if you chose to stay that way." She states matter of factly.
"Jaune" Yang calls from inside the house. The boy thanks Maria for their talk and heads into the house. "What's up?"
"It's Oscar, he's missing." Blake explains.
They set off looking for the farm boy in two groups. Team RWBY and The rest of Team Ranger plus Saphron looking for the farm boy. Jaune unexpectedly finds a beautiful statue of Pyrrha and has a heartfelt talk with a woman. Ren and Nora find him, at long last the weight of guilt lifts off Jaune's shoulders. They find closure together at the memorial of the invincible girl. They arrive back to the house having found no sign of Oscar.
"Any luck?" Blake asks as Yang and Ruby drag Qrow up from the stairs.
"No, but we're not going to Atlas without him." Jaune answers.
"We?" Ruby repeats almost not believing she heard right. The relief evident in her voice.
Oscar surprises everyone by opening the door. He's showered with praise and apologies. His casserole was delicious for the record. They cobbled together their plan to steal an atlas airship Terra and Saphron are totally on board with helping them which was a nice surprise. Once the plan specifics were settled Ruby had joined Maria in the backyard for a talk of her own. Jaune couldn't find a moment alone with the tiny reaper to apologize for his outburst. Saphron notices her brothers predicament, when Ruby finally comes back inside she decides to help out. She wanted to talk to them together anyway.
"Jaune, Ruby, can you two come here?" Saphron calls to them to Terra's office.
"What's up sis?" He asks confused. Ruby stands quietly, she's tired, emotionally drained, and confused.
"I figured you two needed some time to talk. I'll be back in a little bit, I have some things I want to talk to the two of you about." She smiles and leaves the room shutting the door behind her. Ruby and Jaune stand in awkwardness for a moment. It's not a feeling either one is accustomed to having in the presence of the other.
"I'm sorry." He starts voice low. "I overreacted.. again."
She shakes her head. "I was scared you were leaving us..me." She whispers tearing up a little.
"I'm not going anywhere." He reassures.
"promise?" There's still insecurity reflecting in her eyes.
"On my name as an Arc." There is conviction in his voice, but her eyes still speak of uncertainty. "What's wrong?"
She looks away from him, concentrating on the floor. "I wasn't fast enough. I'm sorry."
He furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "Ruby?"
"I made it up the tower, as soon as I was at the top.. I didn't make it.. It's my fault you're hurting." Her words come out in a hoarse whisper.
He gently raises her chin with one hand gently letting her meet his gaze. She's surprised to see the gentle look in his eyes. "Ruby, have you been carrying that around this whole time?" She nods into his hand. "It wasn't your fault, I know you did everything you could. I don't blame you, none of us do."
"But." She begins, something overtakes Jaune in the moment. He want's desperately to prove his sincerity. He does the first thing he can think of and leans down and kisses her, surprising them both. Her eyes go wide for a second before closing as he draws her in close wrapping her in a hug. He breaks the kiss and rests his chin on her head. "I love you." He murmurs. "I love you too." She returns.
"Sorry, that was kind of impulsive, he chuckles. I realized tonight that there was nothing I could have done to save Pyrrha. It's the same for you, She knew she was going into a battle she couldn't win. She did it knowing all the facts and still went, hoping to make a difference…. I lost all hope today, for a while. Maria told me to borrow some of yours." The young knight smiles. "Turns out I didn't need to."
Ruby steps back so she can see his face, hers showing confusion. "What do you mean?"
He places his hand on her shoulder and smiles. "When you stood up for me with Qrow, you gave me my own hope back."
She blinks smiling. "Well, I do happen to believe in you, ya goof."
There's a knock on the door and Terra and Saffron join them. "You two are just so precious." Saffron gushes causing Ruby to blush.
"They know." Jaune points out.
"Obviously" Ruby retorts causing both Terra and Saphron to laugh.
"So, I had this big long speech planned about relationships, and responsibility, and all that. I changed my mind after watching you kids the last two days. I'd say you are all very mature. So, I've settled on this." She places her hand on top of Jaune's hand that's still on Ruby's shoulder. "Ruby, you're family now as far as we're concerned." Saphron starts.
Terra places her hand on top of Saphron's "Take care of each other out there, and when you're done, come back to us in one piece."
Ruby and Jaune look to each other and then to Terra and Saphron. "We promise." Ruby answers. The four of them hug before Saphron sends them to bed for the night. Tomorrow promises to be crazy.
A/N: Maria's speech is loosely inspired by chapter 8 of Phonius Pwnage the 3rd's story The Knight and the Wizard. The muse had fun with this chapter. I completely had zero plans for a kiss scene, muse had other ideas. I've never written one of those (since I mostly go out of my way to not write ships, huh). I've got a scene I'm particularly excited to write in the chapter after next. I do seem to be developing a better flow with dialogue, so any tips or constructive criticism is well appreciated.