Ruby was in her home in Mistral, browsing the Hunter Network for contracts. Her bank account was telling her it was time to make more money, and with excellent timing too. With a clever little feature called 'holding' she could essentially reserve a contract. She was basically promising she would fulfill it, but saying she couldn't start right away. It was useful for lining up multiple contracts in a row, or in Ruby's case, lining up an excellent reason to leave the Reunion tomorrow without raising questions.

Flora and Ash were busy settling in and helping Ruby prepare for her trip. "So, after Atlas, I'm going to the Forever Fall on a Beacon contract. Seems the grimm presence is a little heavy for students, and they need it quelled to continue holding lessons there."

"Don't they have a ton of Huntsmen on site?" Ash asked.

"They like to outsource jobs like this to provide work for Huntsmen and Huntresses as a whole." Ruby explained.

Ruby walked over to the highchair where Phoenix was waiting for his lunch. She still had a few hours before she had to leave for Atlas. She spent the next twenty minutes entertaining Phoenix with baby-talk and a game of peek-a-boo. Flora and Ash smiled as they watched her. By now Ash knew the story, and had teased Flora about making Ruby keep a 'Child of non-consent', which is a nicer version of what she actually said. Of course, Ruby told her off. Flora didn't force the young mother into anything. Maybe she made the options known, but it was still up to Ruby in the end. Ruby loved Phoenix, and that was that. It proved to Ash what a good mother she was going to be.

"Lunch is ready!" Flora announced, and everybody settled around the table to eat. All in all, it was a pretty normal day, the main exception being Ruby's inevitable departure.

A question had been bugging Ash for the past few weeks. "Why didn't you have a birthday for Phoenix? Didn't he turn one a few months back?"

Ruby more or less anticipated her and Flora asking this eventually. "He's too young to understand what a birthday party means. I'm not a big fan of birthday parties myself. When he's old enough to understand and decide, in school with friends and what not, I'll let him decide what he wants to do, if anything. For now, it's not really something that I'm worried about."

"I guess that makes sense." Ash replied. "I guess it saves you some money, too."

"That, it does." Ruby admitted.

That moment soon came, and Ruby was gathering her bags to leave. "So you guys have everything?" Ruby asked.

"I do believe this makes four times I've babysat for you, the first Reunion and two Hunting trips before this." Flora replied. "I think we all know by now."

"Right." Ruby nodded, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Take care. I'll see you soon! I love you Phoenix!"

The young redhead was halfway out the door when she heard a new voice. "Mo… Momma…"

The young mother turned back around, dropping the bag where it lay. She rushed back in and took her child's face in her hands. "Momma…"

His first words… Ruby was ecstatic. With her Hunting trips, she was so worried she wouldn't get to hear his first word. Something else also struck her… The way he said it, Phoenix sounded sad. He doesn't want me to leave.

"Momma…"

"I'm sorry, Phoenix…" Ruby lamented. "I have to go… even without seeing my family, I have to take care of us. It's my job." Even if Phoenix couldn't quite understand the words, Ruby hoped he could hear that she wasn't happy to keep leaving him behind.

A small movement, one that came across as a sad nod, was Phoenix's reply. "Momma…" he tugged at her hood.

Ruby didn't even need a moment to think it over. She unclasped her red cloak straight away and draped it around Phoenix. "This is precious to momma. Not as much as you are, of course. But it's a piece of me. Take good care of it, sweetheart." She kissed her child on the forehead and stood back up. Phoenix nestled into the cape like it was a blanket, seeming content. Sad, but content. "I'll be back soon. I promise. I love you."

The young mother went back to her bag and picked it up. Unfortunately, she still had a flight to catch. "You better start recording him. If he walks and I don't at least see a video of it, I will be sorely disappointed." She told Flora.

"As you wish, Ruby." The nurse nodded. "Please, be safe out there."

"As safe as I can be. See ya soon, guys." With that, the door to the apartment shut and Ruby was on her way.


"Ruby!" Yang was as excited as she always was when she got to see Ruby these days, even if the redhead's presence was expected. "How have you been?"

"I've been good. Stopped by to check on the clinic the other day." Ruby told her.

"To check on Flora?" Yang asked, still trying to see if the two were in some secret relationship.

"No, Yang. In fact, Flora is straight." Ruby told her.

"Really? Did you ask?" Yang continued questioning.

"No, Yang. It came out when she tried to set me up with her trail-lesbian ex." Ruby confessed, glad to finally give Yang a reason to stop asking.

"Tried?"

"And failed."

"I see… Hey, where's your cloak?" Yang just noticed Ruby wasn't wearing the precious item.

"It's safe." Ruby answered. "Just not with me right now."

The guests mingled, consumed half-a-Schnee's-pantry's worth of snacks, and generally enjoyed themselves. They played board games, watched a movie, a few of them played a few video games… It felt just like they were all back at Beacon. Though, admittedly, the dorm was a little larger here.

"So Rubes, you staying the night?" Yang asked while her and Ruby were playing a fighting game. From across the room, Blake's ears perked up.

"The night, yes." Ruby answered.

"And then?" Weiss continued. She knew this was important to Yang, and decided recently to start seriously helping.

"I have to be in Vale by the end of the week." Ruby answered.

"Contract?" Yang asked.

"Yup. Setting a few up after that too." Ruby answered.

"Do you have a place you live? Go whenever you're off?" Weiss asked.

"I figure it out…" Ruby answered uneasily.

"Why do you need that much money if you don't even have a home?" Yang asked next.

"Who says I hunt so much because of the money?" Ruby argued, becoming irritated at the line of questioning.

"Even you would be exhausted by how much you work." Weiss countered.

"Hence the extended times off." Ruby rebutted. "Are you still stalking my completed contracts?" The redhead was glad they couldn't track her holding missions with her ID number.

"Still, maybe you should get a room here." Weiss offered. "I know Yang would sleep easier knowing you're okay…"

"I said I'm fine." Ruby deadpanned, setting down the controller. "I need to go to the bathroom…"

The redhead exited the conversation not-so-gracefully, fuming to herself. Why can't they leave me be? I talk to Yang enough… What did they think would happen to me even if I didn't have Phoenix? Hunting was always what I wanted to do. The only reason they really have cause to worry, the only person I'm really distant from at the moment, is Blake…

"Hey, Ruby!"

Ruby jumped, so consumed in her thoughts that the voice frightened her. "Oh… hey Sun."

"You doing okay? You seem a little angry… That's not something anyone sees often." Sun asked her.

"I'm fine, Sun." Ruby promised. "Is… Blake okay?"

Sun was taken aback by the question. "Umm… Yeah, she's fine. Well, she is now. When you took off again last year it… wasn't pretty."

Ruby's face fell, confirming Sun's sudden suspicion. If she still loves Blake, why did she push her away? "Well, you keep having fun, Ruby. I'll talk to you later?"

"Sure." Ruby nodded. The monkey faunus walked away, and couldn't help but watch Blake from the corner of his eye. The faunus seemed to be focusing on Ruby from across the room, her eyes betraying conflicted emotion. The impressions Sun got made him frown.


That night Ruby was very much looking forward to a full night's sleep in a warm bed. Between Phoenix and her missions, she rarely got both. She wouldn't get her wish. A knocking at her door woke her up, and she turned to the clock to see it read 12 30. "God damn it…" She struggled out of bed and made her way to the door. On the other side was none other than Blake Belladonna.

Ruby was immediately awake and very aware that they were the only two people within sight. Everyone else in the Manor was likely asleep by now. Ruby crossed her arms. "Come to make sure I'm still here? I promised Yang I'd stay the whole night."

"I heard." Blake nodded. "Ruby, I need to talk to you… can I come in?"

Ruby looked left and right down the hallway again, before sighing. "I guess so."

Blake entered the room and sat at the edge of the bed. With no other seating, Ruby choose to lean against the nearby desk. "What do you want to talk about?"

"What did I do?" Blake asked.

Ruby was confused. "What do you mean?"

"I can't stop thinking… about us… I don't know what happened, Ruby." Blake confessed. "We were amazing. We were together… and then we weren't. I've gone over everything again and again in my head, but I have no idea why we didn't work. The only thing I can think of is… what did I do?"

Ruby's heart seized. Blake thought it was her fault… no wonder she seemed off all day… "It's not your fault Blake…"

"Then why aren't we together?" Blake pleaded, standing up.

Ruby turned to face the wall, away from Blake. She began to fiddle with her necklace. "I swear it's not your fault… There's… something I never told you guys."

Blake thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion. "It's about Adam, isn't it? About that week you were trapped with the Fang."

Ruby nodded slowly. Can I really go through with this? Am I going to tell her…?

Blake seemed to feel some relief, but she also felt anger. "I should have known it had something to do with that monster."

Monster.

Ruby's grip on her locket tightened. Can she see past the 'monster'? Is it even possible at this point? Even if I explain everything… will she ever see him as my son? Blake's choice of adjective sealed Ruby's decision. They could still be friends, but not if she couldn't stand the thought of Phoenix.

"Well?" Blake asked cautiously. "What did he do?"

"I've had over two years to get over it." Ruby told her. "I've moved on already, but that doesn't mean I want to talk about it."

Blake turned Ruby back around, her hand resting on the redhead's cheek. Amber eyes pierced Silver, trying to ferret out the truth. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Ruby nodded. The pair stood like that for only a few seconds. But to them, it felt like an agonizing eternity. After overhearing the sisters' conversation a while back, Blake knew Ruby still loved her. And seeing Ruby now, being this close… Blake knew she still loved her too. The faunus's lips started to move in, and Ruby broke away, rushing past her old girlfriend. "What are you doing?" The redhead asked her.

"I… hoped it was obvious." Blake answered, having to turn to face Ruby yet again.

"We shouldn't… we can't…" Ruby stepped back until she felt her legs press against the bed.

Blake never stopped her advance. "Says who?"

Ruby couldn't stop staring at those eyes she loved so much. But she couldn't let this continue either… "What about Sun?"

"What about him?" Blake brushed off the appeal to her conscious.

"Blake, I don't think-"

"Ruby." Blake cut the redhead off, and her hand found Ruby's blushing cheeks once more. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want this. Tell me you don't want me, and I'll go."

Ruby was trapped by the amber gaze. Her heart pounded a mile a minute in her chest. She had no idea how this became this so quickly, but she also knew what her heart wanted. Their lips came together, two years of pent up passion exploding between them. The younger girl was forcefully pushed back, falling onto the bed, and the faunus pounced.


Ruby eventually returned to her senses after what was likely the most intense, passionate, and powerful sessions of love-making the two had shared thus far. Which, make no mistake, was no small feat. The young mother's locket somehow stayed on her person and completely intact throughout the course of their intercourse. The cold metal on her bare chest reminded her of one of the reasons that, in the redhead's own words, "We shouldn't have done that."

"I happen to think it was perfect." Blake smiled.

The redhead sat up after catching her breath. "You know what I meant, Blake."

"Ruby…" Blake sat up to place a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"No." The redhead shrugged it off and stood up, leaving the bed. "I mean, god Blake, you're dating Sun!"

"I don't have to be." Blake suggested.

"You can't just… We can't just do that!" Ruby argued. "It was wrong of both of us…"

"Certainly didn't feel wrong." Blake continued pressing.

"Stop it." Ruby scolded. She couldn't believe she let herself get into this mess… How the hell was she supposed to get Blake to back off now? And Sun? Nothing could justify this, and Ruby was just as guilty.

"Ruby, we can't keep lying to each other. After that, we definitely can't lie to ourselves anymore." Blake pointed out. "What reason is there to not be together again?"

"I can think of one. He has blond hair, blue eyes, and a monkey tail!" Ruby shouted. "I know you Blake… Even if you were mad at me, you wouldn't date someone if you didn't like them!"

"Maybe I like Sun, but I love you!" Blake countered. "And I know you love me too."

"That doesn't change the fact that you just cheated on him." Ruby argued.

"With you." Blake pointed out.

"Yes. With me. I'm just as guilty, and I don't know what to do…" Ruby gripped her head, and started pacing. She was mad. Mad at Blake for cheating on anybody, and mad at herself for going through with it. "I made it clear from the start. You all know I'm not staying."

"Not even now?" Blake asked. "Why can't I come with you?"

"Because…" Ruby was quiet for a long moment. "I'm scared you would begin to hate me…" she confessed.

"That's ridiculous." Blake shook her head. "What could possibly make me hate you?"

Monster.

"You'd be surprised." Was all Ruby gave her.

"Ruby, why don't we-"

"You should get back to him… before he wakes up…" Ruby told her faunus lover, not believing what she herself was about to say. "Maybe… we can keep this quiet…"

Ruby tone held both sadness, and finality. A finality that Blake didn't miss. The redhead heard the tell-tale sniff of Blake's own tears starting. "I'm sorry, Ruby…" The faunus redressed and left, intent on a pore-deep shower before returning to bed with her boyfriend. Ruby decided that might be best for her as well. They don't need faunus senses exposing their new secret.

Sleep did not return easily for the redhead. She was amazed she got any at all after that. She was even more amazed that she managed to get through all the goodbyes the next morning without succumbing to the awkward air between her and Blake, especially in front of Sun. Soon, she was on her way to Vale. Ruby couldn't wait until she returned to Mistral. Somehow, raising a toddler she wasn't at all prepared to bear was the least complicated and difficult thing in the young mother's current life.