Im so sorry for how late I am on this chapter guys ^^" Please enjoy.

There is a song that inspired this chapter. Give it a listen befor reading to get more of a feel of what Ruby is going through in this chapter.

"Paralyzed" by NF

Adam fixed figs and branches against each other creating a small triangle peak. He snapped his fingers and a spark ignited the pile of wood. The color of the fire matching that of the setting of the sun in the distance. Adam stood back up, slapping the dirt away from his gloves. He peeked over his shoulder to Ruby sitting quietly against a tree. She fiddled with strands of ripped material from her skirt. She stopped speaking to him when he refused to answer her question.

How do you know my mother? Those words would sting in his brain. Could he tell her? Would she really want to know that her mother knew such a vicious person? He was surprised at how much he wanted to tell her and fought against the idea. He shook his head and walked to the opposite side of the fire. He looked up noticing her staring at him. Maybe she did to make feel him feel guilty to tell her the truth. It worked. He breathed an irritable sigh.

"I know your mother because.." He stopped when he noticed Ruby adjusting herself closer to hear better. "She trained me...To be a hunter."

"What?" Ruby looked to the ground trying to absorb what she was hearing. "H-How?" Adam smirked.

"My father." He replied mildly amused while he threw a twig into the fire.

"Your father?" She repeated.

"I lived on the Island Menagerie. I never met my dad. My Mom died when I was four and my uncle sold me to this butcher. I worked there till I was ten and then he found me...He knew who I was and bought me."

"You were...a slave?" Ruby asked. She didn't care how evil or damaged someone was. No one should be put in a situation like that. He ignored her question and continued.

"My father brought me to Vale. When I thought I was just sold to another master, he introduced me to this women. Her name was Summer Rose. She accepted me into her home...Her family liked me. And I belonged." When he finished Ruby frowned and pondered a few moments.

"I don't remember you."

"Well you were five and I didn't stay long at your home for you to remember much of me anyway...I left after a couple months and lived with my Dad. Summer was still determined to train me so she would make visits and stay weeks at a time. When it got to the point where I could train myself that's when she stopped...And she died." Ruby heard him sniff. Was he getting emotional? Her heart began to beat hard and she clenched her fists. Ruby laughed in disbelief and looked to the night sky.

"That's why Cinder picked you."

"What are-"

"To manipulate me."

"What?"

"You had me fooled." Ruby stood up clapping and kicked the dirt at her feet. "Your good. Using my dead Mother to your advantage. Wow!" She spun around and closed her eyes tight trying to cry. "Your more sick than I thought you were." Once she said that he stood up defensively.

"If i'm making all this up then how did I develop a semblance like Moon Slice?"

"I don't care!" She admitted and gripped at her skirt.

"Really?" She walked closer to him. Her face inches from his.

"No I don't!"

"Why?"

"Because your a liar." As the words left her lips a dart shot into Adam's neck. Ruby blinked confused as he struggled to stand up right..

"R-Rose..Get out of here!" He fell and lights flashed from above them. Ruby shielded her eyes from the piercing light from a heli-carrier right above them. Strong wind whipped into her lungs as it settled closer to the ground. Soldiers surrounded the area and they inched closer to her with guns aimed at her. She instinctively rose her hands in the air and froze.

Adam fought the drug and grabbed his weapon and stood in front of Ruby. Ruby winced when something sharp hit her neck. She pulled it out and held an empty tranquilizer in her hand. Adam looked back to her swaying and eyes fluttering. Adam dropped his weapon and caught her before she hit the ground. He blinked away the urge to shut his eyes and picked her up to escape. He failed when the military shot three more darts into his back.

"Get up!" Ruby opened her eyes with a gasp and looked to a solider not much older than her standing in front of her. She looked around inside a large tent. She was in the enemys camp now.

"Where-" She stopped when she noticed her hands cuffed to her chair. "What is this?! Let me go!" The solider crouched in front of her and placed his hand on her thigh.

"That's what we do to traitors."

"Don't touch me." She demanded and grimaced when he inched his hand higher.

"What? Does this make you feel uncomfortable?" Ruby smiled and jammed her boot into his groin. He flew back ward in pain as Ruby adjusted into her seat and crossed her outstretched leg over her other.

"Ouch. Did that make you feel uncomfortable?" Ruby asked as he fought back tears still laying on the floor. Her smiled disappeared when someone entered the tent. It was Qrow.

"In my opinion she should have kicked you harder." Qrow kicked into his side and he sighed in pain once again. Qrow gripped his shirt and yanked him to his feet. The by groaned as he shoved him into a walk. "If I see you in here again I will personally see to it that jr. gets a trim understand me?" He nodded nervously at Qrow's threat and walked out of the tent. Once he was gone Qrow looked to Ruby and smiled.

"Qrow?"

"Showing who's boss even if your the one in cuffs?l." He complimented. He leaned against a table And folding his arms. "Heard you went to the dark side." Ruby shifted uncomfortably.

"And apparently you joined the Military? So what are you a war dog?" He rose a brow as his smile turned to a frown.

"Well that was a little harsh?" She watched as he looked to her cuffs, pulling out a key from his pocket removing them from her hands. She stood up and rubbed her wrists tenderly.

"Thanks Qrow."

"What? No Uncle Qrow?"

"No." She answered sadly while noticing a hint of sadness in his eyes. She hadn't called him uncle since Yang's accident. She grew up...She had to. He pulled out a chair for her at the table and she sat down. She scooted in as he sat across from her.

"So ill get to the point. Ruby what are searching for?" She went to say something but remembered. Juane...Blake. Everyone...She couldn't get help or...they die. "Is it the ember?" Her eyes brows furrowed. How does he know that? She didn't say anything. "You need to talk to me or there could be consequences." His voice was genuine but still...She didn't like feeling like she was under interrogation.

"I don't know what your talking about?" She lied and hoped he wouldn't notice. He did and stood up annoyed.

"I don't understand." He turned toward her and placed his hands in his pockets. "You can trust me and I can trust you." Her head rose up in his direction and anger burned in her expression.

"Bull."

"What?"

"Bull! You don't trust me! You don't even trust me to make my own decisions!"

"Ruby?"

"Oh, c'mon!" She stood abruptly and walked around the table. "I went off to find White Fang with JNPR and you had to follow me? Here's a little tip. Wanna to spy on me? Fly with a flock a birds, Crow." He looked to the floor and chuckled.

"You noticed that huh?"

"Took me awhile to find a path that would make you lose me."

"I did that to protect you."

"Oh sure just like how you were trying to protect me from the fact that Yang's Mom was back in town, right? Are you kidding me?!" She rubbed her head. "You really think i'm was so naive to see what you guys were hiding behind my back?" He didn't say anything. "You didn't even think to tell me that you had suspicions of me being a Maiden? I don't understand. My own sister lying to me? You?! How am I oppose to trust someone who will not trust me!?" She stopped when his fist slammed into the table.

"I agree! How am I to trust someone who is working with Adam!"

"You have no idea why! So do not accuse me of anything!"

"Ruby...He is a killer and he always will be a killer. He was when he was a kid and just as so now!"

"Wait." Ruby lifted her a finger in his direction. "How do you know Adam?" Qrow blinked and slowly removed his hand from the table and rubbed at his jaw. "Qrow?"

"I...Adam was just a kid...He was in pretty bad shape when I found him in Menagerie. He was a slave. I got him out of there... It was really your mother who gave him a better life. He-" Qrow stopped when Ruby covered her mouth and walked back.

"Oh my god...He's your...You have a son?!" Qrow went pale.

"How did you know that."

"He's your son?" Qrow looked to the floor as if he were ashamed.

"I met this fauness girl, Adam's mother, while on a mission in Menagerie...We spent a night together...But I didn't know until she sent me a letter." Ruby lifted her arms behind her head.

"Oh god. Not only is he your son but your frigg'n love child?!"

"Ruby." Qrow went to touch her shoulder but she whipped her body away.

"You just now, literally, lied to my face. I-I don't know who to believe anymore."

Qrow firmed his jaw as screams and orders from captains roared outside the tent.

"We are not done here." Qrow assured and Ruby lowered her gaze toward him. Liar. Qrow stepped back when a Solider came running in.

"Sir?!"

"What's going on!?"

"I-Its the prisoner! He-" The Solider's eyes widened, he froze with his mouth gaped.

"Kid?" Qrow rose a brow of concern but it soon turned to shock when young man fell to his feet revealing an army knife that penetrated the back of his neck.

Ruby gasped as his dead body that lay in front of them. Qrow looked up to where he stood and there in the distance walking towards them was Adam. He swiped the blood from his cheek as he walked over the path of bodies he cut down in front of him.

"Qrow!" Adam yelled breathlessly waving his blade over his shoulder. "You have something that belongs to me!"

Qrow put his arm in front of Ruby and forced her to back up. He grasped his weapon and it unwrapped itself as he swung it to his side.

"Stay here Ruby." Qrow walked out and Ruby waited inside the tent. She saw Adam through the slit of the tents opening. He was bleeding...His clothes were soaked in it. She couldn't tell if it was his blood or the men he killed. But...He shivered...Was he in pain? Afraid?

"Where's my hostage?" Adam smirked.

"Safe." Qrow shot back.

"Do we have to do this the hard way?"

"Your no match for me; Adam. I know all your moves." Adam shook his head.

"Not all of them...Rose?" Qrow rose a brow and turned around only to feel the blow of a steel chair hit him to the head knocking him out cold. Ruby gasped sadly at what she did and threw the chair to the ground.

"Let's go." Adam walked to her noticing her blank stare. He rolled his eyes and poked her head leaving a bloody finger print on her forehead.

"Here." Somehow he managed to get her weapon back from the military. She grabbed Crimson Rose and fastened it to her belt. "Thought you would be happier to see it?"

"Yeah." She still stared with no emotion to her face. Adam shrugged and looked to the limp man that she called Uncle.

"So. Why did you do it?" She glanced to him and his sinister mask. "You chose to come with me...Instead of asking for his help? I'm curious why?"

"Because I'm sick of liars." His smile went to a frown when he noticed a coldness to her now. "I want him to know that he lost something precious and that she doesn't care anymore." She was acting like someone he knew...She reminded him of himself, something he didn't think he would see from her. Even though he has worn that same expression all his life. He didn't like it. Not on her.

Sirens began to ring through the camp as the wind started to pick up and rain began to fall harshly. Adam grabbed Ruby's arm and they started running toward the woods. After a long while Ruby ripped her hand away when they reached a river that raged furiously in the wind and frozen rain.

"Stop!"

"We can lose them in the storm! Keep going!"

"No." Ruby glanced up and noticed a sniper in the trees. "Adam!" She pushed Adam out of the way as a bullet flew past him and into her side. She grasped her stomach and backed up tripping over a rock and fell into the river. She disappeared into the waves down the river. Adam growled in irritation and dove into the freezing water as bullets whisked past him. Adam swam with the current and called out for Ruby.

"Rose! Rose!" Suddenly he heard the faint cry of his name. Ruby grasped to a rock barely holding on, watching running water around her turn red from blood. She slipped and Adam grabbed her hand before being swept away. He swam hard to the bank. "No Rose stay with me kay?" He grasped her face making her open her eyes again. "I got you your fine, hold on." He lifted her up in his arms from the river's bank. She lay there breathing heavy as he pushed himself up as well. He picked her up again and headed up shore to the woods.

She couldn't stop shivering. It felt like pins and needles were being jabbed all over her body. Her chest was heavy and every time her heart beat against her rib cage it felt as if it would fall on itself. Ruby had never experienced cold like this before. She pressed her face into his chest desperately trying to take any warmth from him but he was just as wet.

Her head was hazy...Ruby could feel her self blacking out. Adam set her down gently and kicked away snow and dirt from a near tree. He took off his vest and shirt and sat against a tree taking Ruby in front of him.

He wrapped his arms around her huddled body to his. Ruby faded in and out of consciousness. She could feel him shiver as well but every time she twitched from the cold he held her closer to him.

"C'mon Rose." Was he concerned? Her cheek against his chest started to warm. She felt thump of his heart against her jaw and soothed her. She raised her hands to his neck. So warm. Her fingers trailed up his jaw' feeling the mask above it. What was behind that mask? She stopped when fingers touched his mouth. Before she could say something she blacked out.

Adam was frustrated. Why would she be so stupid into thinking he needed her help in that fight. She would've never fell in the river if she just stayed out of it. He huddled her body close to his, she was freezing.

"C'mon Rose." She blinked her eyes open and closed a few times which made him irritated. Suddenly she rose her hands to his neck and grasped it ever so gently. Her hands were ice but he ignored. Her hands rose even higher to his jaw and the edge of his mask. Her fingers grazing against it after a moment her fingers touched his mouth. He took a breath in when he felt the softness of her touch but just as her touch came it left as her hand fell to her lap.

Night fell and Adam moved away slowly from behind Ruby. He created a fire. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He put back his shirt and pulled out from the bag for a needle and thread but first focused on Ruby's wound. He touched the stained fabric, peeling it away from her flesh. The material snagged her skin and she woke up immediately and slapped his arm hard. He rose his head up and slapped her arm as well.

"Hey!" She winced in a scream. He grinned which was new considering he would have killed her a week ago. She looked away shutting her eyes. "What are you doing!?"

"Your shot." Ruby looked at the red ooze coming out of her flesh. "You want it to be infected?"

"N-No." She whimpered. "Okay. Go a hea-" Before she finished he tore it from her and she instantly felt the burning sting of the deep cut.

"So pathetic whimpering over something so small as this. It's just a flesh wound."

"Like you ever experienced a bullet going through you."

"Nine times actually. Leg, shoulder, back and hand." He rose up his left hand as he looked through a bag with the other. "The hand was the hardest to deal with since it's my wielding hand." He then pulled out the needle and thread from the bag. Ruby scooted away a little farther from him putting her hand up.

"No, no, no please no. Not a needle, not a needle. Oh God plea-"

"Do you want to bleed out?" He asked annoyed.

"No... I don't" She pouted placing her hand to the gash. "Why are you helping me with this anyway?" She wished she could see his face. She couldn't make out his expressions with that mask on.

"Trust me it would be so much easier to just drop you here and finish finding the ember on my own...But Cinder thinks your useful...So be good and take off your shirt." Ruby glared.

"Excuse you?"

"What do you want me to do? Stitch your flesh to your clothing?"

She puckered her lip annoyed but soon gave into the circumstances and began to fiddle with the lace of her corset. Adam noticed her hands shaking and raised his hands to help.

"I-I can do it!" Ruby insisted as her cheeks flushed red. He muttered a small laugh as she struggled to get it off. "Finding this amusing?"

"A little." He admitted. Ruby rolled her eyes and finally got it off her.

Her white blouse was all stained with red on her left side. She lost more blood than she realized, she felt nauseous. She ignored her turning gut and un-tucked her shirt from her skirt. Before completely pulling off her top she looked to Adam and rose a twirling finger for him to turn around. To her surprise he turned and gave her privacy.

She blew out air and pulled it off instantly feeling the icy air engulf her bare shoulders and back. She grasped her blouse and hugged the material to her chest for covering and warmth.

"Okay you can turn around." She hated this and hated having this person stitch her up of all people. Why did she get shot? Why did she save him? Instinct? Maybe but right now she was regretting every bit of it.

"Ouch," Adam grimaced as he looked at all the wounds she endured from their previous fight against each other and the gun shot wound she had now.

It was inches above her gash that Adam sliced into her. He glanced up to her arm as well where he had also cut her with his sword. In a way he wished he hadn't done that to her. She was so pale and in alot of pain... It irked him that he cared if she was hurting or not. He shook his head and took off his gloves before beginning.

"Ready."

"No." He rose a brow.

"Hold your breath." He put the needle in and Ruby sucked in. Her cheeks blowing up like a blow fish. He stitched away and Ruby tried her best not to move with every pinch and tug of thread. He noticed her funny expression and grinned. "This must hurt like a mother."

"Mmm-hmm." She whined in reply as hard inhales and exhales entered in and out of her nostrils. Soon enough he was finished and wiped away any access blood while putting disinfectant on the wound. He ripped open a bandage and lightly slapped it on.

"Done."

Ruby squeezed her eyes from pain and slowly lifted her blouse over her head. She winced and shifted from pain when her head popped through the hole, she even struggled to put her arms through her sleeves. Suddenly two hands grabbed the sides of her shirt and gently pulled it down over stomach. Adam adjusted the back of the blouse and put his jacket over her shoulders. She turned her head to look at him. Adam paused when he saw her blank expression and realized what he did.

"Thank you." Ruby thanked him and he stood turning away from her and threw the bag of supplies toward a tree.

"Can't have you die." Ruby gave a small smile. We're they getting alone? Ruby shivered from the pain and huddled into the jacket.

"Adam?" Adam tilted his head with a nod. "I'm sorry for not believing you. You were telling the truth about my mother weren't you? You really knew her."

"I'm not the kind of person to lie, Rose." Ruby blinked and rubbed at her forehead.

"Yang, Qrow, my friends...People I thought I could trust. I can't. They all lied to me. Literally the only person who hasn't lied to me and only one who has been completely honest with me is a psychopath." Adam turned annoyed at her.

"Really. A psychopath?" He stopped when Ruby started to cry. He leaned from side to side uneasy. She was crying and he...Well he never had to deal with something like that. He continued to sway until finally crouching down beside her. "Rose. If you...Um...Want to talk? You can if you want. I'm not the kind to judge either." Ruby wiped at her eyes and looked at him confused.

"You are actually being...Nice to me?...Okay that's really freaking me out." He frowned. So much for being "nice". Instead of coming back with a sarcastic comment he just slapped her arm again.

"Ow." She said with a glare. He grinned and turned his shoulder to her, she let out an awkward giggle and slapped him back. They were getting along and it was...Nice