Chapter 12:

'Not guilty on the grounds of insanity.'

That one verdict seemed to stick inside Yang's mind. Leading up to and the trial and even the trial itself, Ruby had only said three words. 'It's my fault.' No one could make heads or tails about that one statement.

It was what Yang had attempted to try and despite four weeks, and constant media coverage... she still couldn't figure it out. Even when she had to testify against Ruby, who was in prison garbs, and chains. Literal chains. She was deemed 'too dangerous' for everyone. Despite the fact that she literally hugged her knees the entire time rocking back and forth.

Just muttering that one line. 'It's my fault.'

She wasn't a threat to anyone. Even if she was guilty of the extra crimes that Qrow had slapped onto her case.

But here Yang sat, in the maximum security asylum. With Ruby just on the other side of a table. Next to Yang sat Weiss. Neither knowing what to say. They both just decided to wait for the right phrase to come by them.

Both actually wanted to know what Ruby had meant, but neither could ask. As if it was a taboo topic. The occasional silence was broken. By Ruby saying, "It's my fault."

After a solid two hours, Yang finally spoke up, "God dammit Ruby! What the fuck do you mean!" Yang bit, she needed to know. She knew Ruby would never kill. Or at least she hoped that her sister wouldn't. But the time line always matched up.

Ruby blacked out... and appeared a matter of feet from the bodies. The evidence was too much, she needed to know what Ruby meant.

"It's my fault..."

To Ruby she heard nothing except Blake's confession. Yang was furious. Ruby just said the same thing. Over and over again. Weiss could see it was making Yang madder and madder. Weiss just reached over and grabbed hold of Yang's forearm.

"Yang... She has only been here for a few days. They said it could take a while for her mind to recover if at all." Weiss spoke trying to calm the furious blonde. She doubted it would work. But she had to try.

"It doesn't make sense Weiss! What is her fault? That is all she has said. In the weeks since she has been in jail, and here! Ever since we broke down her door and saw her in that ball the only break in what she has said is to confess she killed Blake! How would you feel if Winter was in a similar position! You would want to know what the fuck she meant!" Yang yelled as she slammed her fist down on the table.

"My sister isn't the issue, nor is it an issue with Ruby! You are trying to figure out why Ruby did what she did! It might not have been everything Qrow and the DA placed on her, but we literally saw her, in a locked and barricaded room covered in Blake's blood with the murder weapon a few feet from her." Weiss began as Yang began to tense up anew.

Yang couldn't believe it. She wanted to beat her long time partner. Like she had just spat into Yang's face. Yang knew she didn't mean anything by it, but it still hurt her. And that was what was infuriating her. Weiss knew how hard it was for Yang.

"Yang... yes, Ruby is messed up right now. Yes she'll spend the rest of her natural life here. But you screaming at her! While her mind is this broken is going to do nothing but hurt yourself. So calm down. If you get angry you are just harming yourself." Weiss continued her point smiling as Yang calmed down.

"I deserve pain Weiss... I didn't see the fact my little sister had the ability to kill someone. Let alone someone she loved deeply. No one saw it... despite what my uncle said during his testimony. He didn't even see it coming. He just thought of her as some junkie, alcoholic, and a writer for the media... all of those he hates in people... despite how hypocritical one of those are. So I'm sorry I want to feel pain." Yang practically demanded as Weiss' look softened.

Weiss frowned as she looked at the clock on the wall. "Yang... visitation ended three hours ago. We can't flash a badge anymore. Ruby needs medication now, and you need to actually sleep that was our deal." Weiss continued as Yang looked back towards her sister who hadn't stopped once from rocking back and forth saying the same phrase.

"Rubes... I... I... I may... not make it back here... just so you know... I may never understand why you killed Blake at least... but I still love you." Yang whispered as she stood up and leaned down and kissed Ruby's forehead.

"It's okay Ruby. I'll make sure she visits at least twice a year. On your birthday and on Christmas." Weiss spoke as she hugged Ruby, carefully just in case it was all an act. She doubted it though. She had seen Ruby act for things. But this was different.

Yang smiled lightly. Knowing full well Weiss will try, but that doesn't mean she would succeed. The partners began to walk towards the exit when Weiss spoke up, "I heard you handed in your resignation... are you sure you really want to leave Yang? Even if Ruby just killed Blake. The press still believe she is 'The Smiling Killer'. That still guarantees you literally any job you want. If you wanted to you could even get a desk job at the FBI."

Yang frowned as Weiss took the car keys from Yang's hand. "And you think after four days of no sleep and nearly crashing you think I'm letting you drive? You are having a laugh. Now speak Yang. Why are you leaving?"

Yang tensed her hand as she turned to look at Weiss."Because Weiss... I couldn't see the fact my own sister was a deranged killer. I couldn't see her as anything but my sister. And even then... I still can't believe she killed anyone. I'm not fit to be a cop. And I'm fine to drive. I just took some sleeping pills a couple hours before you got me. So I'll be fine driving back."

"No Yang. And that confession alone was enough for me to not let you. You haven't been sleeping, you're starting to pop sleeping pills... I'm not letting you drive. So either relax on the drive, or I'll get one of the staff here to sedate you." Weiss demanded as Yang looked down to the ground and shook her head.

"Fine... I just want the day to be over... and if letting you drive is the only way I can achieve that it is worth it." Yang muttered softly as Weiss relaxed.

'That was slightly too easy... I was expecting more of a fight with her... she always loves driving.' Weiss thought as they stepped out. The moon having already started its journey across the sky. 'Doesn't matter... it is far too late to question it. We both need to sleep.' Weiss continued to think as they made the walk to the car short. She actually was glad Yang seemed to recover a little since the arrest.

It was something Weiss had worried about but glad that she was just making a mountain out of a molehill it seems. Yang was seemed to be fine. Not overly happy. But fine. Or at least not down enough to where Weiss wasn't going to worry.

Once Yang was sitting in the car, she looked down and noticed a small, orange pill bottle. She picked it up and smiled a little. Weiss was soon to enter and looked at what yang was holding. "Looks like Rubes still had some anti depressants." Yang spoke placing them on the ground as Weiss smiled dryly.

"You need to take your mind off her Yang. A good night's rest will do just that for you. So just enjoy the ride." Weiss continued as she pressed her foot down onto the gas pedal as they continued to drive. She felt Yang reach over and grab her hand.

Yang squeezed the hand tightly, looking for some comfort. But to Weiss it felt weird. Yang never showed this kind of emotion to anyone. Yang never felt the need for human contact. Or at least the contact she didn't need to pay for.

Weiss figured she just needed some genuine contact. But as she continued to drive she began to doubt that decision. She didn't want to believe the alternative idea that had been flooding her mind since Yang's commentary about how she liked Weiss or at least her sides... but Yang was also the reason that she was questioning her feelings and intentions.

She was glad she didn't need to think about it much longer. She saw Yang's apartment growing causing her a pang of something she was unsure about. Once she came to a stop Weiss spoke up, "Are you going to be okay Yang? Want me to stop by later with some dinner... or hot chocolate... or something?" Weiss asked hoping the answer was a 'yes' she had no idea why. She just wanted the answer to be yes.

"No... I just want to sleep... maybe take a few extra sick days. I'm just tired a little." Yang muttered letting go of Weiss' hand as she reached for the door handle. Leaving Weiss a bit down trodden. "Okay Yang... I'll call you in the morning... just... get some sleep Yang... you really need it."

Yang smiled a little as she began to step out, "It is okay Weiss... you need to relax as well." Yang commented as she began to walk back towards her place. Smiling as she pulled the nearly full orange pill bottle.

She knew she was going to hurt a few people, but she just couldn't handle it. She had tried to rationalise it, but came up short every time. She wasn't fit to save her sister. She wasn't fit to catch a killer who drove her dad into an early grave, but what she was able to do, is do what she had planned.

She meant what she said to Ruby. She doubted she would ever be back to see Ruby. She knew this was going to be the easiest way out. She just hoped that Weiss would forgive her eventually. She knew this was the cowards way out, but she was a coward. She couldn't even testify against her sister. She really wasn't worth even half the detective her father was.

Once she entered her living room she tossed her jacket onto the chair as she grasped the bottle in her hands. "I guess it is ironic... I'm going to off myself with things that are meant to prevent just that." Yang thought as she popped the lid off the bottle. "Bottoms up Ruby!"

Weiss smiled as she turned on the radio, enjoying the sounds of the piano as she came to a stop at a set of lights. She looked over to where Yang was sitting and smiled. 'She is going to be alright... Yang is always alright.' Weiss thought as she quickly leaned down to try and get Ruby's pills so the next time she would visit Ruby she could at least let the staff know she was on a specific medication.

"Where the fuck is that bottle?" Weiss asked herself as she blindly felt around, eventually giving up and actually looking down for it, to be met with an immaculately clean floor. "Where the fuck is that... bottle...?"

That was when it clicked. Yang's sudden mood shift, the fact she went from beating herself up to being angry at Ruby, to suddenly being happy...

She prayed she was wrong, she needed to be wrong. She quickly flicked the button on her dashboard to turn the sirens on as she did a u-turn and slammed her foot down. She knew she was over-reacting. She had to be. It the emotions she had often ignored coming back twice as strong making her over react. That is all it had to be.

Once she saw Yang's apartment she slammed on the brakes and jumped out and ran up the flight of stairs, she quickly turned the corner and found her spare key for Yang's condo and slipped it into the keyhole and saw Yang on the floor.

She noticed the empty bottle on the ground next to her. She ran over and moved Yang onto her side as she opened Yang's mouth and shoved her finger into Yang's mouth. She knew enough first aid to know that the best way to treat an overdose was to remove what caused it. She just hoped she had enough time to do that.

"I swear to god Yang if you die, I'm going to reach into Heaven and rip you back here so I can kill you myself!" Weiss yelled as soon as she felt Yang's throat begin to contract causing her to nearly rip her fingers out as Yang let the contents spray over the floor.

Yang began to cough as what Weiss hoped was the last of the contents in Yang's stomach. As Weiss smiled. "You are the dumbest bitch I've ever met." Weiss continued as Yang began to cough harder onto the floor.

"Just let me die Weiss!" Yang yelled as she reached towards the pills in her vomit as Weiss pulled her hand back. "I'm not letting you die on me Yang! I don't want you to go..." Weiss continued as Yang began to fight against the hold Weiss had on her hand.

"I just want to die... I have nothing left worth fighting for Weiss..."

"I... I think I may love you!" Weiss blurted out causing Yang to stop fighting the white haired woman. Before Yang could respond, Weiss continued.

"I think I may have always been attracted to you... I know I've been fighting the emotions since we became partners... but after everything... I meant what I said when I told you... I like everything about you... and I refuse to let you die..."

Yang let her arm go slack as she looked up to feel some stray tears from the normally stoic woman. She was crying, like a new born child. She had no idea why it had hurt her so bad. "So if you are going to die... it should be when you are old and in bed."

"I'm a bad cop Weiss. There was a serial killer so close, and I didn't know..."

"Then don't be a cop anymore like you planned. You fucking dolt." Weiss laughed a little at Yang who leaned up a little, as Weiss leaned down. "I'm sor-" Yang was but off by Weiss smashing her lips into the blonde's.

Author's Note:

Welp, here is the final... something that has been planned since the beginning. This was always going to end up as freezerburn. And Blake was always meant to die by Ruby... actually bar for the people in the quadruple murder, this has always been exactly what we wanted. I hope you all liked it. And I'd like to thank all who, followed, favourited, and reviewed. You guys are great.

Wow, I can't believe it's finally done… or is it? I'm so happy ya'll liked the story and thank you so much for all the reviews, favs, and follows. -d.z.