A/N: I'm so sorry for being late, the first week of school has thrown me out of wack. I should be back on track if I can keep on top of my coursework.

So thank you in advance for being patient.

Quick announcement: I 'd like to invite you guys to check out my buddy's page. eden36 is a good author that I beta for and do a collaboration with.

This chapter has a bit of character and relationship development, so get ready.

Please enjoy!

I don't own RWBY or RT

Guilty Rose Chapter 16

Raven sat on the couch in Summer's apartment trying to be as small as possible. She didn't know what happened while Sum was out, but whatever it was had her pissed. And when the faunus women was pissed, she was scary.

Though Raven would never admit that she found Sum insanely hot when she was scary.

Summer was in the kitchen washing dishes with the fury only a mother could have.

CRACK!

"RRRAAAGGGHHHH!"

Raven shot up from the couch when she heard the sound of a dish breaking and Summer letting out that growling noise that was a mix of frustration and pain.

"Sum!"

Raven ran over to the faunus and wrapped in a hug from behind, damning the consequences of trying to restrain a veteran huntress.

"I'm fine!"

Summer made a valiant effort to break free from her best friend's tight hold on her.

"I guess she is my girlfriend now. GIRLFRIEND!"

Summer was suddenly reduced to flailed about and all but struck Rae to get loose, all while blushing. Unfortunately, the woman was adamant about keep her hold on the faunus.

"No you aren't."

The words came out as a whisper, but Raven might as well have yelled them with the way the woman in her arms went stiff. They stood there like this for a few moments.

Finally, Raven broke the silence.

"You haven't been okay since you got back from the store. I don't know what happened, but you're scaring me. So please, won't you tell me what happened?"

Once again, the whispered words had far more impact than they should. Summer sighed and grabbed Raven's left hand with hers. This wasn't an attempt to remove the hand, but rather hold it there.

"What did I ever do to deserve a best friend like you?"

Raven knew Summer sounded better, but there was still a harsh undertone to the woman's voice.

"Girlfriend, Sum."

The smaller woman blushed again.

"Yeah, still getting used to that."

"Would you rather mother of you child. I know I like the ring that has."

The faunus' blush intensified and she let out a high-pitched whine.

"Rae!"

Raven snickered and gave her girlfriend a loving squeeze.

"Are you calm enough to talk now?"

Summer chuckled softly and squeezed Raven's hand.

"Yes, thanks Rae."

"Always. Now, let's go sit on the couch and talk about this."

"Okay."

Summer reluctantly left Raven's arms and immediately felt a little colder, so she kept hold of Raven's hand. Raven seemed to notice this, but said nothing as they made their way to the couch. They sat beside each other waiting for Summer to speak. However, the faunus just worked her jaw in silence for a moment.

After a while of this, Raven sighed. She knew something that might help Summer, but it wasn't something they'd done since their time in Beacon when they had hormones and teenage problems to sort out.

"Want to braid my hair and talk about it?"

Summer's head snapped to Raven and she stared wide-eyed at the woman.

"Wait, really?"

"Yes. So you want to or not?"

Summer wanted to, that was a fact. Raven's hair was the softest, smoothest hair she had ever touched, barring Yang's.

So, the faunus did the first thing that came to mind and began nodding her head vigorously. This elicited a smile and giggle from Raven, making Summer's heart flutter and heat rise to her face.

"Okay then, remember to be gentle with me."

Raven's seductive tone made Summer blush a bit harder.

"Yes, dear."

The pair adjusted their seating so Summer was facing Raven's back. The faunus woman slowly reached for the long black locks that she hadn't touched in almost twenty years. When her fingertips finally came in contact with their prize, she couldn't help but run them through Raven's hair.

"It's softer than I remember!"

Slowly, she ran her fingers through more of the locks, both to savor the sensation and to prepare the hair for being braided. Raven let out a content sigh letting Summer know she was enjoying the act just as much as she was.

Finally, Summer began braiding Raven's hair. It was going to be a simple braid, but it always looked good on her.

"So, what happened while you were out?"

"Well, on my way home from the grocery store I saw Yang's teammates, Weiss Schnee and their illusive fourth member."

"Weiss Schnee, the heiress to the SDC, is on Yang's team?"

"Yes, I've told you this. Anyway, that's not the important part. I saw the two and thought I'd sneak up on them. Also because I thought it was an excellent chance to finally meet the leader of team RWBY."

"Okay, did it not go well?"

"That's...an understatement. Just before I could sneak up to them, I saw this guy glaring at them. It didn't sit right with me, especially when he started talking into his phone about them. So, I confronted him. Turns out, he was from the White Fang and..."

"And he was after Weiss?"

"Not exactly...He was after her partner...and you won't believe who they are."

"Um, I'm gonna be honest, I have no clue who the White Fang would be after worse than a Schnee."

"Well I found out, the Guilty Rose."

"Um...come again."

"You heard me, team RWBY's leader is the Guilty Rose."

"Oh was hoping I didn't...So yang is on the same team as her."

"Yeah… Now them keeping her a secret from me makes sense."

"You sure she hasn't been threatening them?"

"Yes...Ozpin for all his faults wouldn't allow something like that...And they have the same look in their eyes when I ask about her that me and Tai did when people used to ask about you and Qrow being Branwens."

"Well, that's...reassuring, I guess."

"It is, and that's the only reason I'm giving Yang the chance to explain herself."

"Really? You're not going to march into Beacon with a holy vengeance?"

"This isn't Ruby we're talking about. I just want Yang to tell me why she kept this from me instead of explaining it to me in the first place."

"Well then, are you gonna call her or do I take us to her now."

"Um...she doesn't know about us...so I'm going to call her."

Raven gave Summer a skeptical look before rolling her eyes.

"Then call her."

"Yeah."

….

Yang was torn and a little heartbroken.

She sat alone in the dorm, stewing in her feelings, while Weiss and Blake were out looking for Rose.

Rose's words cut deep. How could she really not want her family, her sister, to never know about her. Yes, Rose had killed people, but she wasn't given a choice.

"She just wants to be hated."

Yang sighed for what was probably the thirtieth time since her sister had left the dorm. Then she started the vicious cycle of thoughts again.

Suddenly, her chain of thought was broken by the sound of a scroll going off. Her scroll going off.

"Oh, shit, I forgot about mom!"

Yang scrambled for her scroll which caused her to fumble with it until she finally managed to get a grip on it. It was on it's third ring by this point. Luckily she hit the accept button before the call went to voicemail.

"Hey, Mom, Whatcha calling for?"

Yang knew her innocent act wouldn't work in the slightest, but her goose was already cooked. Might as well play in the oven.

"Yang, drop the act."

Her stepmother's voice made it clear that there would be no more games.

Yang sighed, this wasn't going to be fun. Especially given Ozpin's law regarding Rose.

It irked her to do what she was about to do, but she had already fought with Rose tonight. Which was the actual reason she was about to obey Ozpin's law and not because Ozpin made it.

"I can't tell you anything you don't already know mom. I'm sorry."

"No Yang, I want you to tell me everything. You will tell me everything."

"I said I can't. Even if Ozpin hadn't forbidden it, I've already fought with her enough tonight."

There was a pause. Yang knew her stepmom was trying to come to grips with what she had said.

"You fought the Guilty Rose."

"Don't call her that."

Yang didn't realize the venom she had put into that sentence until after it left her mouth. She wasn't going to apologize though, she meant every word.

"Just call her Rose. And No, I didn't fight her...we just got into an argument."

"Oh, okay."

The pain in her stepmom's voice stung.

"You said Ozpin forbid you from telling me anything I don't already know. So, what can you tell me?"

Yang really want ed to tell her everything, but she knew Ozpin and Rose didn't want her to know Rose's identity or past.

"Like I said, I can't tell you anything you don't already know."

There was another pause.

"Can you confirm or deny any information I have on her already?"

Yang was stunned for a brief moment while she wrapped her mind around the question. When she had, she couldn't help but smile.

It was such an underhanded way to feed her step mom information about Rose, but she had to be careful.

"Within Reason, and let's stick to yes or no questions."

"Okay. So, your teammate is...you know who."

"Yes."

"Is that why you and your team won't let me meet her."

"Yes and no."

"That's not helpful."

"I know, but I can't give you more than a yes or no."

"I know honey. How about this, is she old enough to be a first year to be a first year at Beacon?"

"...No"

"Huh? Is she older?"

"No."

"What!"

"I know...it was hard to swallow for me too."

"Yang...I think I'm done asking questions for tonight already."

Yang was genuinely surprised that this little game was ending, but she really couldn't blame the woman.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, you can't tell me anything substantial, though you've already given me enough to chew on. Though I do believe I need to set an appointment with Ozpin. He has a mug to eat."

"Mom...Rose is not a bad person, you don't need to worry about her like that."

"I know sweetie, anyone you care about and protect this much is a good person. But he should have told me nonetheless. As your mo-stepmom, I have a right to know who is on your team."

Yang chuckled softly at her stepmom's over-protectiveness, earning her an indignant response. That sent them both laughing.

When they finally calmed down, Yang heard her stepmom sigh.

"Just try not to push the image of Ruby on the poor girl, I know you want to find her and be a big sister again."

This completely caught Yang off guard.

"I'm not pushing the image of Ruby on to Rose."

Yang cringed at her short response and waited to be chided. But the chide never came, only another sigh.

"Good. Now we need to talk about Rose and the White Fang, I know you can't tell me about her past, but is her future free game?"

"Yeah, how did you find out the White Fang were after Rose anyway?"

"I ran into a grunt that was watch Weiss and her, he got away, but not before I squeezed out that they considered her a traitor to her kind."

"What?"

"I didn't get any details out of him, sorry. But anyway, Rose is going to have to stay on campus for a while. We also need to tell Ozpin so he can help protect her."

"For sure...damn, the White Fang are really after her?"

"I'm sorry Yang, if it makes you feel better, I'll start going after them."

"No mom, you promised me you'd only take small simple missions when Ruby was taken. Let Ozpin handle this."

"Okay sweetie...Well, I'll come by this week and drop off some more cookies, I'll even call ahead and give Rose a head start."

"Thanks mom...would you bring an extra batch for Rose though? She can't get enough of them and they really do wonders for her."

"Sure sweetie. I love you."

"Love you too, mom."

….

"Rose! Where are you!"

Weiss was officially panicking.

She had gone through most of the campus already and had yet to find Rose. She was getting ready to use her name to recruit the help of Vale's police department to aid her search for the faunus. She even considered calling Summer Rose briefly, and damn the consequences.

"Dammit Rose, where did you run off too."

Weiss walked out to the courtyard. Seeing the statue that stood above the fountain distracted her from everything.

Cinder's words from the first time her team joined teams RWBY and JNPR for lunch played as clear as the time she heard them.

"Does being a huntress mean that I'll really have to deal with other people like Rose. That I may one day be asked to deal with Rose."

Now Weiss went from panicking to disturbed by her thoughts. She immediately tried to clear her head of the thoughts.

And that was when she heard the sound of a girl crying. The sound of Rose crying.

Weiss' head went on a swivel until she located the source of the sound.

Weiss believed she found the source and began stumbling towards it. For the first time in her life, the heiress wished she had the senses of a faunus.

After an agonizing minute of following the sound of sobbing and desperately trying not to trip and fall, Weiss found Rose's small form sitting on the bench they had first met by.

"Rose?"

Rose's head snapped up and Weiss found herself looking into those big, beautiful silver eyes. They were positively glowing in the moonlight.

Weiss would have thought they were the most gorgeous thing in whole world, if they weren't filled with so much pain.

"Weiss?"

The faunus croaked out her name.

Weiss immediately took her place by Rose's side and wrapped an arm around the small form. She enjoyed the sensation of having her arm around Rose, but she did not enjoy having to do this to comfort the girl.

"What happened Rose? Is this because of your fight with Yang?"

"No."

"Then what happened?"

"I caught Cin at the top of the CCT tower after I left the dorm."

"Wasn't the tower closed tonight?"

"It was...she-we weren't supposed to be there...and then Ozpin and Ironwood showed up."

"What did you do, you didn't get in too much trouble?"

"We didn't get in any...I had enough warning that I kissed her so that it looked like we had an alibi."

"You kissed her?"

Weiss' heart broke when she said the words. She thought that there was almost nothing romantic between Rose and Cinder, but to hear that Rose would kiss her so easily.

"It was something I heard about in the tribe...it worked at least. Ozpin and Ironwood just told us to go back to our dorms."

Weiss was still wrapping her head around Rose kissing Cinder, but she followed the conversation enough to have one glaring question.

"If it went so well, then why are you out here crying?"

Rose tensed up when the question was asked.

"The whole situation brought up the question of...what if Cin, or someone else I know, did something really bad...and they sent me."

Weiss was no longer distracted by the kiss. Rose had been asking herself the same question that the heiress had just asked herself.

"It really is a terrifying thought."

Rose turned to look at Weiss. Blue met silver.

"You mean you've thought about it too?"

"I-yes."

"...You thought about me, didn't you?"

"Yes."

There was a long pause and the air got heavy between them.

"So what did you decide to do?"

Rose's voice was small and in no way accusing. For some reason it allowed Weiss to come to a decision if she was ever asked to hunt down Rose.

Weiss put a gentle hand on the faunus' cheek

"Rose...I decided I won't let anything like that ever happen...I'm your partner and I'll always be by your side."

Weiss felt the urge to do something drastic, something she needed Rose's permission to do.

Weiss slowly leaned towards the girl, hoping the expression on her face would ask the question that she couldn't put into words.

After another agonizing inch, she got her answer. Rose slowly raised her chin and closed her eyes.

After what felt like an eternity, their lips met.

A/N: I apologize for nothing.

I'm getting ready to wrap up the volume 1 set of events and most of you should know what that means. So this chapter was necessary.

The scene between Summer and Raven was a bit impromptu, but I like how it turned out. Their fluffiness is adorable.

Also, yes, Yang doesn't know about the relationship yet. So wait for the reveal.

The call itself didn't quite go as planned, but I felt it also shouldn't have happened any other way. Yang can't give Summer the information and so they come up with a loophole.

Now for the last scene. I promised it last chapter, and here it is. And as I said before, I apologize for nothing.

That's it for this chapter!

I hope you liked it!

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