CHAPTER 16

I stood alone in a white room staring at nothing for what seemed like an eternity as red rose petals fell all around me.

"So Doctor, What is to become of me now?" I asked the petal that I had just caught in my hand.

"Now you need to wake up child." I looked up and saw Doctor Serena. She smiled sweetly and held her arms out towards me. "Even though you weren't my real child I always loved you like one."

I staggered towards her slowly and enclosed myself in her arms as I sobbed uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you, I failed. You were what grounded me to this world, to this life." I managed a whole sentence before sucking in air again to cry.

"I may have been a while ago but now you have Weiss and my daughter and all your other friends. Icarrus look at me." She said as she lifted my chin. "You don't need me anymore, you out grew the need for me the day you met the girls. They will be your new rock, the new force that keeps you bound to earth."

"But why do I have to feel so much pain and even though you say I don't need you why does it hurt so badly?" My knees weakened but Serena held me up.

"I said you don't need me anymore not that you don't still want me here. Humans are fragile creatures and most of them need people to support them. Very few can stand alone and even fewer can thrive while alone." She pulled away from me. "I have to go now Icarrus. I love you and tell my daughter I have always loved her too." She seemed to vanish in an instant.

My closed my eyes and when I opened them I saw a dark sky and bright stars. I could feel my body being lifted up and placed on something. I tried looking to my right but I couldn't move so instead I shifted my eyes side to side until I saw a man with black and gray hair. He wore a white coat and a red tie. He looked down and made eye contact.

"Good job son you did good saving them." He sighed and looked up for a moment. "With the amount of blood and sheer volume of the injuries in there in surprised you didn't kill any of them. I'll be seeing you when you get better."

He turned away and walked off. I could hear people around me chattering.

"Wasn't that Mr. Ironwood?"

"You meant the Head Master of that one school in Atlas?"

"Yeah that's the guy they call The General."

"Wicked cool. What do you think he whispered to the kid? Couldn't have been much seeing as the kid is unconscious."

"Probably gave his last respects. Poor kid from the looks of it he's probably not going to make it."

"Yeah well let's load him in and get him to the hospital ASAP."

I could feel my self being lifted once again but this time the sky above me was replaced by the roof of an ambulance. I felt someone climb in and saw a face come into view. They looked down on me and smile.

"Hot damn the kids awake!" He shouted out the back.

"That's good now strap the stretcher down I'm gonna make sure we get to the hospital like yesterday." Someone from outside said. As soon as I heard the doors close it felt like time stopped as I lay motionless. I heard the doors swing open and light shone onto my face.

"He's still breathing but it's getting weaker and weaker." The man next to me said as he reached down. "He has lost a lot of blood and has two severe wounds, one in the chest and the other in his stomach, also many lacerations across his whole body."

"Thank you Jon we'll take care of him." I heard a female voice speak from outside the doors. I felt my self being lifted and moved outside of the ambulance and switched over onto another stretcher. As soon as I saw the woman had seen me I could see the horror rush across her face.

"Get him to OR 3 NOW!" She screamed at the 3 men who began pushing me away. I heard her talking to the men from the ambulance. "You forgot to mention he has two blades sticking out of him!"

I was pushed through many sets of doors until we stopped in an extremely bright room. I saw the men hustling to get IV's into me and try and get a blood bag started. I heard the doors open again.

"Open the top of that blood bag Hank the phone call we got from the Schnee Company about him said that he needs raw dust mixed in with the blood transfusion." It was the same female voice from outside. She came into view and placed a hand on my head. "Sorry kid this is gonna hurt a lot but Mr. Schnee said that's what would help and those ladies outside were adamant about it as well." She smiled then frowned. "Let's try and get him something for the pain."

"We can't do that Janice he's lost way to much blood. He just gonna have to be strong about it." An older man came into view as well. "Janice he has two blades in him and he hasn't so much as shed a tear. I think he's gonna be alright."

As soon as he finished his sentence I felt like fire was being poured into my veins and it coursed throughout my body. I didn't flinch or rather couldn't as my body wouldn't move. I made no sounds or facial expressions either. All that I did was stare at the blinding lights above. I had no idea how much time had passed but when I came back to my senses I could see nothing.

[Fourteen hours Icarrus.] I heard Eve say.

'What?' I thought back.

[You were in surgery for fourteen hours and finished and managed to stabilize you and it's been 2 days since that.] Her tone was soft.

'What's wrong Eve you don't sound like yourself.'

[I'm surprised that's all. It's not every day you see death and walk away from him.] She laughed. [You won't have to worry about him next time because we struck a deal.]

'What are you talking about Eve?' I thought as I started coughing.

Her voice started to fade out. [Nothing for you to worry about now.]

I heard shuffling next to me and felt something being pulled from my throat followed by something rushing up after it.

"I should have expected that." The same feminine voice that I heard before said. "Well are you awake now Icarrus?"

I choked on my words for a second. "I think so but why can't I see anything or move at all?"

"Well you have a blindfold on because you wouldn't close your eyes and nothing we tried worked so we covered them and as far as movement goes you won't be doing that for quite some time." I felt the blind being removed from my face and was greeted by a warm smile in a dimly lit room.

"Who are you?" I asked drearily.

"I'm Doctor Janice Knox and I have been in charge of you since you have been here." She smiled.

"Have you thrown the blades away yet?" I asked weakly as she pulled the covers off of me and threw them away.

"Not yet they are still in the operating room while it's waiting to be cleaned out." She walked around the bed and cleaned my face then checked my pulse. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I want them. I want to keep them because what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I forced out a half chuckle and sighed. "When can I have visitors? Are they still even out there? I mean two days? Nah I doubt it they are probably at home crying their eyes out waiting for a call." I smiled.

"First of all how do you know that it's been two days and second of all they are still waiting outside?" Her expression was one of shock.

"It's a secret Doc. Are they allowed to come in yet?" My eyes looked around as quickly as they could while checking to see if they were in my room like the last time.

"I'll send them in." She said as she walked away slowly. A moment later the door busted open and I heard four sets of feet followed by gasps.

"Hey girls sorry I won't be able to turn my head to see you you'll have to come into my eyesight because the Doctor told me I won't be able to move for a while." I laughed out. Slowly all four girls came into view and each had a different emotion plastered on their faces. Yang looked relieved, Blake looked happy, Weiss looked sad and Ruby looked angry.

"I'm so happy you girls are ok." I stifled back some tears.

"You dummy!" All four girls exclaimed as the draped themselves over me causing me to groan and them to reel back fast. "Sorry."

"It's alright maybe just one at a time and slowly though." I chuckled causing me to cough. This brought sad looks across all their face. "Don't do that."

"Don't do what." Yang asked as she laid her hand over mine.

"Don't look so sad for me. As you can see I'm alive and perfectly fine." I coughed once more but this time blood dripped from my mouth. As soon as Weiss saw it she sprinted out of the room and returned with the doctor moments later.

"Relax girls it's just a little blood that his body doesn't need and is trying to get rid of it. Also Icarrus I had them clean those blades and wrap them up they are with the rest of your belongings." She wiped up the blood and checked my pulse. "Take it easy when trying to talk if you do that you'll be fine but if you do spit up some blood again one of these ladies can wipe it up as long as they don't freak out."

"Thanks Doctor Janice." I said as she smiled and walked out.

"What was she talking about Icarrus?" Ruby asked.

"Oh I asked her if I could keep the pieces of Cinders blades." I inhaled as deeply as I could as I felt my eyes tear up.

"Are you ok Icarrus? Are you in pain?" Weiss reached up and wiped them away.

"What about Doctor Serena?" My voice cracked and more tears followed.

"They had a small service for her yesterday. With everything that happened and with us explaining the situation as best we could Professor Ozpin had her buried in Hunter's Rest." Yang sat on the edge of the bed.

"That's the schools cemetery for fallen Hunters and Huntresses right? But Serena wasn't-" I clamped my mouth shut and closed my eyes.

"Mrs. Sabrina told Ozpin everything that she knew as well." Ruby said as she sat in the chair next to my bed. "She is my aunt and I never had a clue."

"Ruby I...I'm sorry. If I would have remembered everything sooner I could have stopped all of this I could...I could have saved your mother." The tears came back in greater number and ran down my cheeks. Ruby sat silently and Yang stood up quickly.

"It's not your fault Icarrus! If that bit- If Sabrina would have let us know everything in the first place then no of this would have happened!" She was shouting at the top of her lungs. (SLAP) Everything in the room seemed to freeze and the scene was Yang holding one hand on a red cheek and Blake with her hand reeled back. It stayed like that for a moment and then Blake grabbed Yang's arm and pulled her towards the door.

"We're glad you're ok Icarrus just get better we'll see you later." Blake's voice had a hint of anger in it. They disappeared out of my sight then the opening then slamming of the door filled the room. Ruby stood up, gave me a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"Just start feeling better." I could see tears running down her face as well. "Don't worry I'm crying because I'm just so happy that you're alive and just-"

"Ruby! Don't cry for me I want you to smile for me. If you want to cry, cry with me. Cry for our mother." I struggled to speak while trying to maintain my voice. Ruby sat on the bed and draped herself over me and sobbed uncontrollably which I followed suit. After we were all cried out Ruby sat up looked me in the eyes and smiled.

"I'll be back tomorrow Icarrus so just rest up until then." She retreated out of sight and Weiss stepped into view.

"Hey Beautiful." I smiled. "I can understand if you are angry at me and if you want to break up. I was being selfish and I-" I was cut off by her lips to mine. She lifted her head.

"Don't be a dumbass, I was furious when I woke up and found your note but we got kidnapped right after and I had a lot of time to think about what would happen to us and when I saw you were there to save us all my doubts went away." She laid down on the bed and cuddled into me as best she could. "I was so scared when you lost control and then I was hurt when you shouted out Ruby's name and now I know why but it still hurts me."

"Weiss look into my eyes please." I told her and she sat up a little bit to look. "I love you. I also love Ruby but I love her like a sister where as I am in love with you. I told you this before but I will continue to tell you as many times as you need me to."