Prologue/ Authors note

This story is a continuation of my story "Back to Back, Side by Side", you can find it on my profile. I highly recommend reading that before reading this story, if you don't want to do that (understandable, we all got busy lives) directly following this is a TLDR for it and if you don't have time for that, there's a TLDR TLDR after that. For reference, that story was written prior to season 5 ending, Weiss getting stabbed was just a weird prediction on my part.

TLDR: Ruby and Weiss fight an intense battle to protect Haven Academy from the hoards of White Fang. During the battle, an exhausted Weiss is badly stabbed by a random White Fang soldier and goes down, suffering a broken knee as well. Ruby has to fight hard, defending her profusely bleeding friend. As Weiss is bleeding out, cradled in Ruby's arms, she realizes that what she feels for Ruby is more than just friendship. Weiss passes out with a smile on her face, thinking she's dying in Ruby's arms. Ruby manages to get her to a hospital in time, but Weiss is in a coma for four days, with Ruby never leaving her side. After Weiss wakes up, the two girls confess their feelings for each other and become a couple.

TLDR TLDR: After Weiss is horribly injured and hospitalized fighting the White Fang in Haven, Ruby and Weiss confess having feelings for the other and become a couple

A Long Way Home

Chapter 1

Day One: Morning

Ruby slowly became aware of the annoying tone of her scroll's alarm as it roused her from sleep. Not wanting to expend the effort to open her eyes, she groped around with one arm, the other pinned beneath her head as she lay on her side. She quickly realized that the offending device was not in its usual spot.

Sighing, she opened her eyes a fraction, blearily looking around, simultaneously locating her scroll on the floor and also realizing that she wasn't in her own upper bunk, but in Weiss' lower one. Something stirred against her and she quickly realized that said bunk's owner was currently pressed up against her back.

"Come on Ruby," her partner's sleepy voice said in her ear, "Turn that off…five more minutes..."

Ruby smiled, memories of last night beginning to return to her, and tapped the snooze button. She felt Weiss' cool arm slip under her Atlas Academy sleep-shirt, and drape across her ribs; Weiss pulled herself closer to Ruby, entwining their legs.

Ruby hummed contentedly, she loved being the little spoon; feeling Weiss' warm body pressed against her back always made her feel safe, and the closeness helped keep her nightmares at bay. Since becoming a couple in Haven, Ruby and Weiss occasionally slept in the same bed; though it was nowhere near often enough in Ruby's opinion. In an ideal world, they'd bunk together every night, but they tried to keep it to a minimum for the sake of the other half of their team. Yang and Blake knew Ruby and Weiss were together, after all it would be impossible to hide something like that in a group as tight-knit as theirs, and they didn't want to make things uncomfortable.

Yang and Blake had left the previous afternoon for an overnight mission in Mantle; and with them out of town, Ruby and Weiss had decided to do a date-night extravaganza. Ruby knew the riot Jaques Schnee had started the previous night was eating at Weiss and Ruby was determined to take her mind off of it. Ruby had planned the date and had started the evening off at the Atlas Aquarium, which Weiss had admitted she'd never been to as her family had considered it 'Too Lowbrow' for people of their class. They'd spent quite a lot of time watching the octopi flit around their tanks, and enjoying the peaceful serenity of the jellyfish gently pulsing through the water.

Eventually, the aquarium closed, so Ruby set a course for their next destination: an adorable little ramen shop that she'd seen while on one of their missions. As they ate, it had started snowing so Ruby had excitedly run outside, dragging Weiss behind her. They walked to a city park where they quietly sat on a park bench watching the snow falling under the softly glowing street lights. Shivering, they'd eventually made their way back to the dorm at the academy and snuggled up under the thick blankets in Weiss' bunk, eating warm popcorn while watching bad action movies.

She sighed happily, relishing in the memory of the date. She gently flipped over on her left side, being careful not to jostle Weiss, and looked at her sleeping partner; even fast asleep she was absolutely gorgeous.

The five minutes up, she gently placed a kiss on the white-haired girl's lips, causing her eyes to flutter open. "Morning, beautiful…" Ruby said quietly.

"Good morning, yourself…" Weiss replied, giving her a sleepy smile. She tilted her head slightly, studying Ruby's face.

"What?" Ruby asked, wondering what was on her mind.

"Just thinking about yesterday," Weiss replied, luxuriously stretching, "We need to have date nights more often."

"Yes!" Ruby agreed excitedly, "Since we got to Atlas, there's hardly been any time we've got to spend where it's just the two of us!"

"Well," Weiss said, sitting up and giving her a sly look, "It's just the two of us right now, why don't we make good use of it while we can?" Weiss began to lean in, with the clear intention of initiating a morning makeout session.

Suddenly, with a loud BANG, the door to the dormroom slammed violently open.

"AAAAAHHH!'' The two girls cried out. Their arms wrapped around the other for protection from their unknown assailant, their faces smushed together.

"Sal-U-tations friends!" a bright, friendly voice cried cheerfully, "The general has asked-" Penny stopped mid sentence, finally taking in the scene in the room: two terrified girls with wide, panicked eyes, clutching onto each other in the same bunk.

"Oh no…" Penny said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head, "I did it again didn't i?"

"Uh, Just a little bit, Penny." Ruby replied, beginning to disentangle herself from Weiss, realizing they were not going to be murdered in their bed, spitting some of the platinum blonde girl's hair out of her mouth.

Penny had developed a habit of somehow finding them when Ruby and Weiss were in secluded sections of the academy looking for a place away from their teammates or other prying eyes to kiss or cuddle. Weiss had goodnaturedly joked that Penny hadn't quite grasped the concept of 'Social cues' or 'Alone time' quite yet. Both girls sighed as they extricated themselves from the now horribly tangled covers

"I'm so sorry friends!" Penny said guiltily, "I'll make sure to scan the room with my sensors prior to entering next time! That way I'll know if you're doing something I should not interrupt!"

"NO!" Ruby and Weiss said simultaneously, each blushing a little, "Maybe you should just knock next time Penny." Weiss said, pinching the bridge of her nose as Ruby held her head in her hands in exasperation.

Penny nodded crisply, "Affirmative! I can do that!" she replied, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"So what's up Penny?" Ruby asked, helping Weiss fix her wayward ponytail, "You said something about Ironwood?"

"Oh, yes!" Penny said brightly, "the General has asked for you to go up to his office, I believe he has a mission for the two of you!"

"Aw darn," Ruby said, looking a little forlornly at Weiss, she had been hoping to spend some more time cuddling before they got ready for the day, "There goes our morning free time." Weiss gave her an 'oh well' shrug.

Penny tilted her head slightly, "Well, perhaps the three of us can spend some 'free-time' together after Robyn's victory rally tonight? Maybe we call all go stargazing! I have heard that the aurora borealis is supposed to be particularly spectacular tonight. Besides, I would like to get to know friend Weiss better." she smiled and addressed Weiss directly, "You are very important to Ruby and therefore you are important to me!" Penny said, nodding decisively.

"Well, I think we'd both like that a lot, Penny." Weiss said looking at her partner who nodded, she turned back to Penny, "But it would all depend on what kind of mission the general has for us. We might not be able to attend the party at all."

"Ah yes, that is fair!" Penny replied nodding understandingly, "Please Let me know what your plans are for tonight. We can always schedule some friend-time for another day!" She triggered her rockets and began to hover, "I will inform the general that you will be on your way shortly! Goodbye friends, I'm off on patrol!"

"Bye Penny!" the duo called after her as she zoomed down the corridor, the door shutting after her.

Weiss gave an amused chuckle, "She's a character, that one."

"She really is," Ruby giggled, "We should sit her down one of these days and set down some ground rules for when she can burst into our room."

"Eh," Weiss said, shrugging, "Keeps us on our toes. Never know when she'll show up. It's almost fun in a way." With a quick movement, she vaulted out of bed, "I call first in the bathroom, by the way." she said, smirking.

"Aw, no fair!" Ruby said, putting a cute pout on her face, "You always take so long! Why can't I go first?"

"Well," Weiss said, turning her back to Ruby and beginning to walk slowly towards the bathroom, putting as much sway in her hips as she possibly could, "Mostly so I can tease you like this."

The white haired beauty slowly pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it aside, exposing her bare back to Ruby.

Ruby felt her face get hot as she admired her partner's lightly muscled shoulders and the gentle curve of her spine. The jagged, pink scar on her lower back somehow made the view all the more tantalizing. Weiss smirked at her over her shoulder, knowing damn well the effect she was having on Ruby.

"Hey no fair!" Ruby said in mock indignation, still taking in the pleasant sight of her partner's form, "Two can play that game!"

If that was how Weiss wanted to play it, then she'd have to fight dirty. She exaggeratedly cleared her throat and took a deep breath, preparing her breathiest, most loving voice, "Weiss Schnee…" Weiss stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned towards her, one arm covering her chest. She had taken the bait, now for the finishing blow: "I love you…" she breathed, fixing Weiss with the most affectionate look she could muster.

Weiss' eyes widened, and she quickly had a full face flush, all the way down to her neck.

"RUBY ROSE!" Weiss yelled, brandishing her finger in an almost-convincing display of anger, "That-that's- CHEATING!" Weiss turned and stormed into the bathroom; but just before the door slammed shut, Ruby saw, reflected in the mirror, a happy grin on Weiss' bright crimson face.

Ruby chuckled to herself and lay back on the bunk. She had, rather unexpectedly, even to herself, dropped the L-Bomb on Weiss on the Argus Limited. While the others were out in the common area, they had been cuddled on the bed in their stateroom, Ruby's head resting on Weiss' chest. The rhythm of the train had lulled them both into a comfy daze; Weiss had been gazing at her with a small smile on her pretty face, running her pale fingers through Ruby's short, black hair. It had suddenly dawned on her: she wanted this forever; To be with Weiss, to be this happy and content, to feel this cared for. She had looked up at her partner and whispered, "I love you." She had known it was early in their relationship to be saying that, but she didn't care; she knew how she felt.

Weiss' eyes had gotten big, seemingly with fear, and Ruby had thought she'd made a terrible mistake, that she'd scared Weiss off, that she would run away, but Weiss had leaned in and kissed her passionately, blushing bright red the whole while.

Weiss hadn't yet said it back to her in the weeks following, but to Ruby, it didn't really matter that much. She was certain Weiss felt the same way about her; the way she treated Ruby hadn't changed and she'd often catch the older girl staring at her and smiling when she thought Ruby wasn't looking. She was fairly certain that Weiss just wanted to make a big show out of it when she did finally say it.

Ruby would occasionally tease Weiss by saying those three words; the way she'd get totally flustered and red was too cute for Ruby to resist.

Realizing she needed to get moving, she went to the closet and pulled her outfit out, hanging it up near the bunk. She returned and pulled Weiss' out as well, smiling a little to herself at the sheer amount of belt buckles that she'd managed to fit on it.

She could still hear water running and quiet singing coming from the shower, and figured she still had a little while before it was her turn. She laid back down on the bed and started to browse the news on her Scroll, but was quickly distracted as her mind flashed back to the image of her partner's bare back from minutes ago.

The black haired girl smiled as she replayed Weiss' tantalizing walk towards the bathroom, her well toned shoulders almost taunting Ruby. Her smile lessened somewhat as she saw in her mind's eye the jagged scar, just above Weiss' left hip. It marked the entrance wound where Weiss had been stabbed by a sword-wielding member of the White Fang.

Ruby knew all too well that Weiss still had nightmares about the cold steel sliding into her gut. Every once in a while, late at night, she would hear her partner quietly moaning from the lower bunk. She would peer down and Weiss would be tossing and turning, often clutching her left side as if in pain. Ruby would gently climb into her bed and hold Weiss until she stopped shaking and her breathing resumed the regular rhythm of sleep.

Likewise, Ruby would often have nightmares herself. Occasionally the disembodied faces of the White Fang members she'd killed while defending Weiss would haunt her dreams. Still other times she'd be back up at the top of Beacon Tower, watching Pyrrha die over and over, not being able to stop it. But the most frequent one of all featured Weiss dying in her arms because she was too slow to make it to the hospital in time. No matter what form the nightmare took, she would always be gently woken by Weiss, who held her and made soft, comforting noises, drying her tears and reassuring her that she was most definitely alive, and had the scar to prove it.

Ruby knew that her partner had been very self-conscious about the matching scars on her back and stomach, often going to extreme lengths to hide them, though they lived in the same space. She was glad the Weiss finally felt comfortable enough to not only show them to her, but seemed to be proud of them.

"And what are you smiling about?"

"Wagh!" Ruby cried out, jumping and dropping the scroll right onto her own face. She found Weiss, wrapped only in a towel leaning over her. She'd been so absorbed in her thoughts she hadn't heard Weiss come out of the bathroom.

"Uh…you, to be honest!" Ruby said, jumping up and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, "It's hard to keep the prettiest girl in all of Remnant off my mind!"

Weiss gave her a smile, "Flatterer..." she saw her outfit already hanging up, "ooh, you're helpful too! No wonder I keep you around." she said playfully, giving Ruby a peck on the lips.

Ruby giggled, "Get dressed Weiss! The General's waiting for us!" and she zoomed into the bathroom, eager to get their day started.


So, this first chapter is super fluffy and light, but fair warning that story WILL get dark and angsty as it goes on. I liked the first chapter so much, at some point in the near future, a modified version will be the first chapter of a 100% fluffy story called "Now and Always", so if you don't like angst, keep an eye out for that. I'd like to give a shoutout to my editor and Fiancé Vanessa!

As for a release schedule for this story, I have a full time job, so my writing time is fairly limited, (as is my editor's) I'm going to try to release another chapter every two weeks, possibly every week depending on how fast I type and how often we do an editing session.

If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review, I always appreciate feedback of any kind!