*peers around corner again*

Next chapter is the last, and it's lucky number thirteen as well.

Do what you will with that information…

*slinks away as evil laughter sounds*

Chapter XII

Weiss was certain now.

She was being followed.

It had started as nothing more than an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach occasionally after leaving the Home—whether she was strictly there on business or just to visit Ruby didn't seem to matter.

But last night she was certain she had caught a glimpse of whoever was tailing her.

And, like in all stories in every form of media, Weiss couldn't describe the person as anything more than a dark figure. The…man, Weiss was assuming, was wearing dark clothing, even going as far as wearing a baseball cap to obscure his face. She had seen him leaning against a car in the lot of the Home once, standing on the sidewalk a few houses down from her own, and even standing at one of the street corners Weiss had to pass on her way home. What had started out as a gut feeling had erupted into nothing short of panic.

Yet Weiss tried to keep her cool; especially in front of Ruby.

But of course, as perceptive as ever, Ruby soon caught on to Weiss's paranoia; how she would be constantly observing her surroundings if the two went down to the pond, or even how she would stop before exiting the Home, as if she had to mentally prepare for such a simple task.

When she couldn't ignore it any longer, Ruby finally confronted the heiress.

Like usual, now that it was nearly summer, the pair found themselves down by the pond at the Home, hands interlocked as they sat side by side and soaked up the sun and each other's company.

Seeing Weiss's eyes nervously darting every which way as always, Ruby swallowed a lump in her throat before slowly pulling her hand out of Weiss's grasp and reaching into her hoodie pocket to retrieve her notepad.

"Ruby?" Weiss finally spoke, managing to divert her attention to the space around them and to the girl beside her now busy writing something down.

Something's up, Weiss, her note read. You keep looking around like you're expecting to see someone, and yesterday you even looked scared to leave the building! What's wrong?

Weiss went rigid at the words before her, and Ruby's fears were confirmed.

But of course, the stubborn silverette tried to brush off her concerns, though Ruby knew deep down, Weiss was thankful Ruby was there for her, and had noticed her strange antics as of late.

"It's… It's nothing," she mumbled anyway.

Ruby just fixed her with a stare that screamed her disbelief, and Weiss blushed at the accusations she knew Ruby would throw at her could she tell her.

"I just…don't want to make you worry," she added.

I'm always going to worry about you, Weiss, Ruby told her next with a loving smile that warmed Weiss's entire being, let alone her cheeks. Even if you just stub your toe or something, until the pain dissipates, I'll worry.

"That's exactly why I don't want to tell you," she mumbled once more, this time looking at the ground in shame.

Ruby's hand found hers again, and gave a gentle, persuading squeeze.

Please, Weiss…

Gripping the girl's hand back, Weiss sighed. She knew Ruby wouldn't drop the matter until she forced the answer from Weiss's lips, and the heiress knew she couldn't leave Ruby today coming up with countless possibilities as to Weiss's strange behavior. The girl would worry herself into a coma.

Though she was sure to do that anyway once she knew the truth.

"I just think… I'm being followed," she finally forced out.

Ruby's eyes went wide with the admission as she, too, looked around them before scribbling furiously on her pad.

Please tell me you're joking. How long has this been going on? Haven't you told anyone?

"I wasn't able to confirm it myself until a few days ago," Weiss explained. "Even then, who am I supposed to tell? My parents are still gone, and I'm not the responsibility of anyone here at the Home, so I couldn't bare to put this on Glynda or Ozpin."

You don't know why they're following you? Or who it could be?

Weiss just shook her head. "I don't even know if they're male or female because they're always wearing a hat. I've seen them outside in the parking lot here, a few houses down from me, and even at random intersections on my way home from here. I never noticed, or they hadn't started following me yet, when I had school, but now that I'm coming here more often than not, they always seem to be around."

Weiss, you need to tell the police!

"And tell them what?!" Weiss snapped before she could stop herself. "That some mysterious figure is following me? They'll probably just brush it off and tell me I'm paranoid."

She let out a deep breath before looking up at Ruby shamefully.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I didn't mean to yell. I just… Why is this happening?"

Ruby pulled Weiss to her into a hug, Weiss immediately clinging to the girl.

"Ruby…" she whispered, and Ruby's eyes immediately began to water at how small and broken Weiss sounded then. "I'm scared…"

Weiss's graduation fell a few weeks after school had been let out. Of course, her parents were still out of the country, as Weiss figured they would be long ago, but she was no longer bothered by their absence. She still had people in the crowd for her, and Weiss was comforted by the fact that the people present meant more to her probably than her own parents.

Namely, Ruby and Yang. Weiss smiled as she recalled Blake inviting the other two without the heiress's knowing, her only having found out when Blake showed up at her door earlier this morning to take Weiss to the ceremony.

That simple action meant more to her than anything her parents could have put together.

Still, as she sat in one of the front rows of the auditorium the event was being held in, she couldn't help but fidget as her paranoia mounted once more.

What if the person followed her even here?

She wanted to look behind her, but knew Ruby was watching her closely and would immediately become alarmed if Weiss were to do so.

The ceremony went by fast, and Weiss was certain it was mostly because of how jittery she was. While her peers around her were restless to get their diplomas, she couldn't care less at the moment. She just wanted to leave and be surrounded by the comfort of her friends once more. Even around her schoolmates she felt exposed and vulnerable, and it was most definitely not a pleasant feeling.

She didn't even notice when Blake's name was called and her best friend received her own diploma.

"And finally," she heard their principal announce from up on the stage, "graduating summa cum laude, and top of her class, Weiss Schnee!"

Attempting to put her mask back in place, she stood and walked towards the stage. She could hear Yang whooping in the background, and that alleviated her worries for the moment.

While she wasn't the last one in her class alphabetically, it was school ritual to announce the valedictorian last. Weiss didn't know why that was, but at the very least it meant the ceremony was nearly over.

Walking up on stage, she strutted over to her principal where he handed her a diploma in green leather binding, and draped a medal around her neck to show her valedictorian status. The crowd was still applauding as she shook his hand before facing the audience as the photographer took her picture.

After being blinded by the flash, Weiss blinked and looked out over the crowd.

And her stomach dropped.

There, leaning against the doorframe at the very back of the auditorium, was a dark figure, baseball cap and all.

Weiss rushed back to her seat, not caring if anyone found it odd. Closing notes were said, and a few students went up on stage to give their own speech—Weiss had adamantly refused to give a speech of her own, even though it was custom for the valedictorian to do so—and as soon as the final applause sounded, Weiss was heading for the exit, making sure to go out the other set of double doors she had seen her stalker loitering around.

She had nearly made it outside when someone called her name.

"Weiss!"

It was Blake, dressed in a matching green cap and gown, and Ruby and Yang were right on her tail.

"What's wrong?" her best friend asked. "They took the picture and then you looked like you saw a ghost. Now you're making a mad dash for the parking lot?"

Ruby, obviously picking up on what had her so panicked, came up to her and wrapped her in another hug.

"Wiss…" she whispered so only Weiss could hear.

The first of the tears fell then, and Weiss could no longer hold in her cries as she buried her face in Ruby's hoodie and sobbed.

Blake and Yang looked on in shock and concern.

"Wh… Wh-What's going on, Weiss?" Yang tried asking next.

Pulling away from Ruby, she looked over the girl's shoulder, the crimsonette refusing to let go of Weiss completely, and addressed the black and yellow pair.

"I've been…being followed lately," she explained, her voice cracking as she tried to speak past the tears. "When I was up on the stage… He was here. Standing at the doorway."

"What?" Blake growled.

Yang's eyes nearly blazed red as she pounded her fists together. "Where is this bastard? I'll pummel him for sure!"

"I… I don't know," Weiss stammered. "I didn't see him upon running out, but…"

Yang took off running never the less, and a smile ghosted across Weiss's face. She was not only being comforted, but someone was standing up for her. Someone other than Ruby.

"Weiss," Blake said sternly, coming up and placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder as Ruby continued to hold her, "why haven't you said anything?"

Weiss squeezed Ruby harder as she replied, "I didn't want to make anyone worry…"

"Weiss, this is serious," Blake scolded her gently but firmly.

"I'm sorry…" she whimpered as she buried her face back against Ruby.

Blake just sighed, knowing she couldn't stay mad at Weiss; she would be freaking out too in this situation.

"Okay," she sighed. "We'll see if we can put a report in with the police. I don't know what they can do, but we can at least take some comfort in knowing the authorities are aware. Otherwise, let's try and stay calm. We can go out and celebrate you graduating; anything to get your mind off it, okay?"

Ruby finally pulled away, but left her hands on Weiss's shoulders as she nodded her head, agreeing with Blake.

"Okay," Weiss mumbled.

They waited for Yang to come back, after running the entire circle the exterior hallway made around the auditoriums, saying she didn't see any suspicious figure lingering about. Still, the group of girls were all on high alert now as they exited the building. Weiss couldn't help the flutter of her heart again as she watched Yang and Blake scrutinize every person at every intersection they passed through from the front seat, Weiss leaning against Ruby in the back. The entire car ride, Ruby never stopped the threading of her fingers through Weiss's hair, the movement more comforting than the girl probably realized.

Throughout their time at lunch however, at a simple small café in town, Weiss's mood lifted and her paranoia simmered to a tolerable level. She couldn't feel any immediate anxieties, assuming her stalker had decided to leave her be for a while. After letting her friends know, the rest of lunch was filled with jokes and laughter, and Weiss was finally able to bask in the joy of having graduated.

They even skipped going to the police.

Once it got out that Weiss had a home theater, it was instantly decided by Yang that they finish up the day with a movie marathon. Perhaps more out of the unease of letting her friends go and leave her alone than actually wanting to partake in the marathon, Weiss readily agreed. Soon, the four were walking into her house, and after glancing up and down her street and still failing to see any elusive figure, her spirits lifted even more.

However, that peace was not to last…

Her scroll ringing at five-thirty the next morning is what woke Weiss from her slumber. Groggily, she lifted the device to her ear.

"H-Hello?"

"Weiss, it's Glynda."

The heiress was instantly wide awake, knowing if Glynda was calling her this early in the morning, it was for a good reason.

Though Weiss was hesitant to use the term 'good' if the woman's frantic voice was any indication.

"What's going on?" Weiss asked with an impending sense of dread.

"There was a break-in at the Home last night," Glynda relayed. "Pyrrha came in this morning to start her shift to find the glass in the front doors broken, our third shift nurse, Sun, unconscious on the third floor, and…"

"And what?" Weiss asked, though the tears already streaming down her face had her knowing the answer before Glynda even said it.

"Ruby's missing."

Weiss leaned over the side of her bed and wretched.

Not fifteen minutes later, however, she was pulling into the lot of the Home, nearly forgetting to turn the car off in her haste. She sprinted past two police cars on her way in, and their presence only solidified how real this situation was.

Ruby was missing.

She had been kidnapped.

And Weiss had the nauseating feeling her stalker had everything to do with it.

"Glynda!" she cried upon running up to the woman behind the front desk, busy talking to one of the many cops.

"I'm so sorry, Weiss," the woman tried to console, pulling the heiress into a hug.

"She's going to be okay," Weiss whispered, mostly to assure herself rather than anyone else. "She has to be okay."

"Miss Schnee?" a cop spoke up once Weiss pulled away from Glynda. "Is there anything you can tell us about the situation? Do you know who could have done this? Why?"

"I-I… I can only think of one person," Weiss mumbled, doing her best to wipe any tears away in order to seem calm and controlled.

"Qrow…" Glynda growled, piecing everything together as well.

"I think… I think he's been stalking me," Weiss continued to explain, shocking Glynda and the cop right off the bat. "Someone's been following me lately, but I've never been able to see him clearly enough. I don't know…why he would have been tailing me all this time if Ruby was always his target though."

"Are you and Miss Rose together often?" the cop questioned. "If that's the case, he might have been studying when you were most likely to be away from her."

Weiss just nodded—the only thing she could do in that moment without breaking down.

"With your permission," the policeman explained to Glynda, "we'll examine any security footage, question the nurse that was on duty at the time, and begin our investigation."

"Can I see the security recording too?" Weiss asked. "I… I need to see it."

"Weiss, I don't think—." Glynda started only to be cut off.

"Please."

The cop—whose badge read 'Officer Lionheart'—looked to Glynda for confirmation before the woman sighed and nodded. Weiss thanked her quietly before following Lionheart to the back of the front office.

"This mess was here when the first shift nurse first arrived," Lionheart explained as he saw Weiss absorbing the wreckage in the office, papers thrown everywhere haphazardly, any drawer or cabinet left wide open. "We assume he went back here to look for Miss Rose's room number. Aside from the office and her room, nothing else has been disturbed."

Weiss shuddered at the thought of what Ruby's room could possibly look like now. Had she been able to put up much of a struggle? Weiss wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

"According to Mr Wukong, this all happened about three AM." The officer sat at the computer monitor and rewound the video to a little before three.

Weiss steeled herself as Lionheart pressed play.

At two-fifty-two, Ruby was sound asleep in her bed. At two-fifty-four, the door to her room opened, and a dark figure slipped in, shutting the door behind him. The figure pulled a roll of duct tape from his jacket before all but pouncing on the bed and taping Ruby's mouth. Ruby woke up at the sudden disturbance, and even from the low quality of the footage, and the fact the camera was a good distance away from the scene below it, Weiss could still clearly see the fear in Ruby's eyes as she struggled with the man above her.

The man appeared to be saying something, and soon Ruby stilled, fear turning to surprise as tears leaked from her eyes. Weiss had to remind herself to breathe and she swallowed a tight knot in her throat as she continued watching.

Whatever the man had said to Ruby had her cooperating instantly, for she no longer was thrashing as the man continued to tape her wrists and ankles. When she was thrown unceremoniously over the man's shoulder, Weiss had to suppress a growl.

As the pair left Ruby's room, Officer Lionheart cut to another camera that followed them out into the hallway. Immediately, Weiss saw Sun sprawled unconscious on the floor, and, though she didn't know the boy too well, her heart went out to him nonetheless.

When Ruby began to struggle again, Weiss hardened her focus. Ruby had managed to kick the man in the chest hard enough for him to drop her, and once she landed on the floor—what looked to be painfully on her side, Weiss observed with another crack to her heart—she quickly squirmed over to Sun's side. It all happened so fast, and before Weiss knew it, a powerful blow had been landed to Ruby's head and she was out like a light, the man continuing his escape with ease.

"Wait!" Weiss cried as Lionheart exited the video. "Go back to when she breaks free!"

Glancing to Weiss curiously, Lionheart did as she requested before letting Weiss take over. She paused the video and pointed as Ruby stretched out her hands towards Sun, both of them on the floor and only centimeters apart.

"There!" she exclaimed. "She reaches out towards him! Why?"

Inching the video forward frame by frame, an object could be seen briefly on the footage before whatever it was found safety in Ruby's pajama bottom's pocket. Hope lifted in Weiss's chest as an idea came to her.

"His scroll," she mumbled.

"What?" Lionheart asked.

Weiss didn't answer him, however, instead running out of the office and seeking out Glynda, who was out in the parking lot and checking on Sun, being treated in the rig of an ambulance.

"Sun!" Weiss shouted as she came to a screeching halt at the back of the vehicle. "Is your scroll missing?"

Both the boy and Glynda looked to Weiss curiously at her frantic question, and then to the officer running up behind her.

"Weiss? What's going on?" Glynda asked.

"Do you have your scroll?" Weiss just asked Sun again.

"Um, now that you mention it, no," the boy replied as he searched his pockets, a curious look overcoming his features at its disappearance.

Weiss surprised everyone when she smiled, even going as far as laughing.

"Weiss, maybe you should sit down," Glynda told her, beginning to direct the heiress to the edge of the ambulance.

"No!" Weiss exclaimed, breaking away from the woman. "Ruby grabbed Sun's scroll as she was being taken! Ruby has a scroll on her! That means we can track her, right?"

Lionheart, Glynda, and Sun all looked to each other before smiles broke on all their faces in turn. Sun followed Weiss's example and began laughing, Glynda just sighed heavily with a hand to her heart, and Lionheart clapped a hand to Weiss's shoulder.

"Indeed we can, Miss Schnee," he affirmed. "Good eye there. I'll get my boys right on it."

"Please let me know once you discover something," Weiss requested.

As soon as Lionheart reentered the Home, Weiss collapsed against the rig of the ambulance. Glynda was at her side in an instance, rubbing her back as she heard Sun sigh behind her.

"We'll find her, Weiss," Glynda reassured her.

"I know," Weiss whispered. "She'll be alright. If it is Qrow who has her, I doubt he'll do anything extreme. He most likely just wants his daughter back."

"Didn't he qualify for parole right about this time?" Glynda added. "If he doesn't report in to his parole officer after a certain period of time, they'll be looking for him strictly because of that. We'll catch him."

Sighing again, Weiss closed her eyes momentarily. "I sure hope so."

In answer to their prayers, Lionheart returned outside with an encouraging, but stern look.

"We were able to identify her attacker from the video," the officer began to explain. "It is indeed the man you feared, Miss Schnee, Qrow Branwen."

Weiss glowered, and if looks could kill, Qrow would have been dead several times over by now.

"According to his parole officer, he's renting a small flat in the city, but I doubt he would return there with Miss Rose. Regardless, I have officers on the way to the address while we're attempting to track Mr Wukong's scroll."

"We got an address, sir!" a young officer exclaimed, running out of the Home. "A house on the outskirts of the city. It's an isolated area, but there is a lone building on the property."

"She's there," Weiss stated. "Officer Lionheart, please let me come with you."

"Weiss—!" Glynda tried to cut in again.

"Please!" Weiss cried, a single sob breaking through. "I love her! I have to be there for her!"

Officer Lionheart simply stood still blinking at Weiss before heaving a sigh and chuckling.

"Well, how can I say no to such fierce determination?"

Even though Weiss had been granted permission to accompany Officer Lionheart, as four police cruisers pulled up a distance away from the targeted address, the cop turned to fix Weiss with a hard stare.

"You do exactly as I say, understand? I'm already going to get hell from the Chief for letting a civilian 'interfere' with a hostage situation, if anything happens to you on top of that, it's my ass on the line."

"Yes, sir," Weiss replied, equally as serious. "I wouldn't wish to do anything that could jeopardize the situation, or Ruby's safety."

Lionheart allowed a smile at that. "Smart girl," he mumbled.

As the duo got out of the car, Lionheart gathered the rest of his men and set about a plan, while Weiss turned to observe the house before them. The sun had risen hours earlier, but the threat of rain had the day looking bleary and gray. Perfect weather for the situation, Weiss thought grimly.

No lights appeared to be on in the house, though Weiss figured it was because Qrow didn't want anyone to know the building was occupied, obviously. He may be a bastard, but Weiss knew Qrow wasn't dumb. There was likely a reason he had been able to get away with his crimes for so long.

Still, if Weiss had anything to say about it, that ended today.

In her observation of the premises, Weiss also recognized the house from Ruby's file. This was her childhood home. The exterior of the building seemed to be in lackluster shape, so maybe the house had been empty ever since that fateful day ten years ago. Qrow probably had staked out the property, and upon finding it empty, determined it would be the perfect place to take Ruby upon abducting her.

"We're ready, Miss Schnee," Lionheart finally addressed her, now equipped with a sniper rifle and donning a bullet proof vest, the same as all his men. "If you really wish to rescue Miss Rose, I implore you wear one of these."

Weiss took the vest and secured it around herself before taking a small circular object from him as well.

"This is a transmitter and mic," the cop explained. "Place it in your ear, and you'll be able to communicate with us from inside. We're going to send you in first, as you can easily fit in one of the windows. Find Miss Rose, and once it's confirmed she's safe and secure, we'll make our move on Qrow. Unfortunately, I'm not authorized to give you a firearm, so you'll have to be very, very careful, Miss Schnee."

"Yes, sir," Weiss repeated, along with a nod.

Lionheart returned her nod before he turned to his men.

"Get into position, and hold until I give the signal. I shall help Miss Schnee gain entrance into the house."

"Sir!"

With Lionheart leading the way, he and Weiss carefully shuffled to the side of the house, where a window was conveniently left cracked. Peering into the frame, Lionheart whispered, "clear," before lifting it ever so carefully. Weiss's heart was thrumming in her ears as she cautiously jumped up onto the windowsill. Sending one last glance over her shoulder at the officer, she nodded.

"Good luck," Lionheart offered her before she slid inside, thanking the heavens she had happened to grab her quietest shoes today. Lionheart closed the window to its previous position before slinking away.

Weiss remained still, fear regrettably mounting within her steadily, the gravity of the situation sinking in for the umpteenth time.

She was in a murderer's house; decked out in police gear and searching for a loved one while men stood ready to descend outside, armed to the teeth.

Didn't this stuff only happen in TV shows?

Knowing standing wide open in the hallway wouldn't solve anything, Weiss set off slowly down the hallway. All the doors were closed, but her gut feeling screamed Ruby was in one of these rooms.

The question was: Where was Qrow?

Peering in door number one led to a small bathroom that reeked of mold, and Weiss continued her shuffling. When the second door revealed a large, dark bedroom, Weiss figured this had been the master bedroom. Glancing to the third and final door at the very end of the hall—of course, Weiss thought sardonically—hope and nerves began to toil in her stomach.

Those emotions only increased as the last door was opened.

Weiss had to remind herself not to break down in tears with what greeted her.

Ruby was there, tape removed in favor of rope, tied to a chair which sat in front of a dusty, old desk. Her head was down, and Weiss could only hope she had managed to doze off. This nightmare would only be over quicker for her had she done so.

"Ruby?" Weiss called in a whisper as she made her way over to her, checking each and every corner of the room as she did so. "Ruby!"

She could barely make out the girl's eyes fluttering open in the dank dark, but as Ruby lifted her head, Weiss smiled.

"Wmph!" Ruby mumbled behind the tape across her mouth. Qrow apparently wasn't taking any chances.

The heiress tried to no avail to hold back the tears, but as she placed a shaky hand against Ruby's cheek, the first one fell.

"It's okay," she sobbed. "I'm getting you out of here, okay?"

Ruby's eyes were shining with tears, gratitude, and overflowing with love as she nodded, Weiss pressing a searing kiss to her forehead.

"Officer Lionheart," Weiss spoke, keeping her voice low, but loud enough to carry to the transceiver. "I've found Ruby. She's being kept in the back bedroom, but she's safe. I don't know where Qrow is, however."

Weiss had managed to peel the tape from Ruby's lips during her relay, and it was as if the tape fluttering to the floor was what triggered everything.

Time seemed to still, but everything still happened so fast.

The closet door behind her opened, and a dark figure stumbled out, setting Ruby off instantly, yet incoherently.

Lionheart's response went unheard, Ruby's thrashing attracting all of her attention.

A sharp pain at the back of her neck had her crying out, and chilling laughter haunted her as she faltered to the floor.

Any small movement of her head had her body screaming in pain, but it would all be over soon as Qrow stepped into her line of sight, red eyes glistening, sinister grin stretching his lips, and the knife clutched in his hand dripping blood.

"Nice try, princess," he chuckled.

A foot came down on Weiss, and her world quickly became dark.

Yet, as the life slowly left her, she managed one last glance at Ruby, whose mouth was open as she continued to struggle violently.

Weiss had just succumbed to the darkness as the most heart-wrenching, guttural scream finally broke free of all restraints.