well folks here we are. the story unfolds and slows as we near the end. its been a wonderful story to write. and my obsession with it will undoubtedly continue. but i like to keep them short. there will only be one more chapter after this. so let me know what you think.

Chapter VII – The Child

Its been 2 years since our heroes have left the relative safety of Beacon Academy, and life most certain has changed since then. Team JNPR has gone home to their respective homelands, Mistral and Haven, with their partners in tow. The Arc family has grown, to include Pyrrha, and the wonderful son that came of Arkos' love. Arthur was a sweet child that was just over a year old, and his "Aunts" - being the members of team RWBY – were constantly spoiling him.

Ren and Nora have been investigating what they had discovered of their homeland and their families history. The pairing havent been heard from much, save the occasional update to the Arcs, which was then usually passed on to team RWBY whenever they came to visit. Ruby lifted Arthur up to her shoulders to cart him around the quaint little home, that Jaune and Pyrrha had purchased with the winnings from the Vytal festival, while Weiss sipped tea at the dining room table with Arkos.

"How are Ren and Nora doing? Have you heard from them lately?" Weiss casually asked, as there was usually either nothing to report, or there would be an insane revelation into the history of the two. She would update Ruby on the journey home, as she knew that Arthur would simply not stand for his playmate to be taken from him.

"they haven't sent anything for a month now, but i'm sure we will hear from them soon. Besides, in the last message they sent, they included this." Jaune handed the photo showing the two in a gown and tuxedo to Weiss. " I'm happy for them, and I am assuming that they have put the investigation on hold for while, while they settle in. They mentioned that there was an estate left to Ren when his parents passed, that has gone untouched all this time." as Jaune finished explaining the situation to Weiss, Pyrrha grabbed hold of his hand, as memories of their honeymoon flashed between them.

"Daddy!" the young Arthur bounded into the room, followed shortly by an exhausted Ruby.

"Hey buddy, did you wear Aunt Ruby out yet? Why don't you grab her a glass of water so she can sit down with us all for a minute. Mommy has something that she wanted to ask them." Jaune ruffled his boy's hair and sent him to the kitchen with a kiss. Ruby collapsed in the chair next to Weiss and sent a silent thank you with a meaningful glance.

" Whats up, is everything ok between you?" Ruby managed between breaths. Arthur returned and set the glass of water in front of Ruby with a toothy smile. The scythe wielder whispered something in his ear, and in a flash, he disappeared upstairs to complete his mission.

"Its nothing really, I was just curious as to how your sister and Blake are doing." Pyrrha refilled her cup as Ruby jumped into the tale of how Bumblebee was slowly dismantling the White Fang, and getting the Faunus Equality Movement up and running. It had left them with little time to spend with their old teammates, but they did what they could. " There was something else too..." Pyrrha stopped short of her question, unsure of how to ask it. Weiss had been in contact with her sister almost non stop when the pair wasn't on a mission. What no one in the room knew but Weiss, was the plan that she had made with Winter over the last year.

"Just ask, I doubt anything you could say would really faze the two of us, right sweetheart?" Ruby spoke for her wife as she thumbed the necklace around her neck. Weiss had been nervous about what the redhaired woman would ask, and was planning her escape route, should the topic of Winter come up.

"Well, its just that you two do so wonderfully with Arthur, and you seem like you would want one of your own, so why havent you adopted? I know that you are mostly on the road lately, and that makes it hard. Jaune and I make it work though." Pyrrha's inquiry was pushing the boundary of what Weiss was comfortable with, and she planned to change the subject. Lets ask them about her parents, and if they have seen their grandson yet. Maybe I can ask them to fill Ruby in on - her scheme was cut short as Ruby grabbed her hand.

"We've certainly talked about it, but Weiss isn't sure now is the right time. Our careers are just taking off, and we want to wait a while, and discuss somethings." Ruby was lying through her teeth about the last part. She had begged Weiss, almost incessantly, asking her on her thoughts about adoption, but she had always received the same reply, in one form or another 'its not the right time' . Weiss cast a knowing glance at her wife, wondering why she was doing this. It was not like her at all to decieve their friends like this. She would ask her later.

"I see. Well, the only thing we care about is seeing the two of you happy, however that is." Jaune, was the one who carried the conversation for rest of the evening as Pyrrhas embarrassment at the extremely personal question had effectively silenced her.

It was almost 2 hours later that the members of team RWBY left the Arc home, much to the chagrin of the son. As Ruby and Weiss got in the care to head home to Patch, Weiss drove. She needed the roads to calm her mind about the situation with Winter, and with Ruby.

"That wasn't like you, Ruby. Why did you lie to them?" Weiss gently asked of her wife, knowing that there must be a reason behind her uncharacteristic behavior.

"I was saving face. I know your not ready for it, and I've decided that I won't push the matter." Ruby leaned over to the driver seat to kiss her on the cheek. As if by fate, Weiss' scroll lit up as she received a call. Ruby had known about the contact with Winter, and had simply taken it as making amends for the childhood that neither of the sisters had been able to share.

" Its Winter, do you want me to take it, or do you want to call her back when we get home?" Ruby asked as she picked up the scroll and showed it to Weiss. It would be another 4 hour drive before they would reach home, and Weiss knew that Winter was close.

"Take it, and say hi for me." Weiss knew that she was walking a fine line with this, but felt like she had no other choice. Ruby answered and before she could get a word out, Winter yelled into the phone so loudly that Weiss could hear it too.

"I DID IT! WEISS, ITS READY! YOU NEE-" Weiss swerved the car slightly as she yanked the phone from Ruby. Her passenger was irritated at the sudden gesture, and began to pout silently in her seat. Weiss would pay for this later, she knew it. But dammit Winter, at least wait for me to say hello before you tell Ruby the whole damn plan! Weiss fumed internally as she placed the phone to her ear.

" Hey Winter, hows life in Atlas?" Weiss cut her sister off midsentence and the message was instantly relayed.

"Sorry, but its done. There are no more side effects, and the genome is exactly that of a normally birthed child." Winter relayed the news to her sister with joy, knowing that it would be a turning point in her sisters marriage when the procedure would be complete. " you need to bring Ruby to the lab, so we can extract the marrow...And Weiss? Im so happy for you!" Winter continued giving Weiss instructions with only the occasional hum of agreement or grunt of the opposite.

"Wow, it sounds like your really busy! Well maybe Ruby and I will make a trip up there soon. Let me talk to her first, and we will see. Okay, I love you Winter. Bye!" It dawned on Ruby for the first time in a year that Weiss may have been keeping secrets from her.

"Soo, whats going on with Winter." Choosing her words carefully, Ruby would find out what the secret was before she lost her cool. It was not uncommon for the two to plan surprises. However, this was beyond the realm of their usual playful secrets.

" she called to let me know that she had a breakthrough in her lab, and to update me on her romantic life. Its still as dry as it ever has been." Weiss hated lying to Ruby, and so she opted to tell her a half truth. " She also said that she wants to see us. Would you be up for a trip to Atlas?" the second statement came barely above a whisper. This was the moment of truth. It would decide the fate of the couple for the rest of their lives.

"Sweetheart, you know that we are really busy, and the the trip to Atlas it over 12 hours by air shuttle. I want to, but if we want to keep living the way we do now, we won't be able to make that trip. Ruby had just unknowingly shattered Weiss' heart into a million pieces, but Weiss could not let that show, at least not just yet. So with a silent nod of agreement, she made a plan to tell Winter when they had returned home, that the entire last year would be for nothing, and wondered how to break the news.

The rest of the drive was quiet, with only the music from the stereo, just barely on to keep Weiss awake for the drive. When the couple arrived at their home, Weiss woke Ruby, and the two went straight to getting ready for bed. As Weiss slipped on her nightgown Ruby emerged from the bathroom.

"Weiss, I know that something is going on with you and Winter... will you please tell me what it is?" Ruby had decided that being upfront about finding out what was going on was going to be the less painful option, though she still braced herself for the worst. Is Weiss going to leave me, and go to Atlas? Is Winter offering her a job? Ruby silently preened, waiting for the inevitable response.

Weiss had a decision to make. She had three options right now. First, that she could tell Ruby what the plan had been and all the work that went into it, but she knew that if she did that, Ruby would feel guilty about shooting her down and never forgive herself. Second, she could lie and tell Ruby that she was helping Winter with her job, but she knew that Ruby would see through that and she would lose the quickly fading trust that she had with her wife. Lastly, Weiss could tell Ruby how she really felt about their situation with kids, and ask her a question, effectively changing the subject. She chose the last route.

"Ruby sit down. I think it's time that you know what Winter and I have been working towards." Wait a minute, she thought. This wasnt what I was going to say. If I keep going, Ruby will be devastated. "Ruby, you know that Winter is the head of a medical research facility right?" Weiss had started the train and it simply had no breaks. She prepared herself mentally for the pain she was about to cause her love. " Well, after you first brought up the idea of children I was shocked, but ecstatic. The only problem is that I don't know if I have it in me to love another persons child."

"Weiss, love, your heart is bigger than I think you realize." Ruby's own fear was creeping up on her now. Where was this going?

"Im not so sure, so when I called Winter, she told me that she had been working toward creating the possibility for 2 women to have a child. And that once the testing phase was done that she would need to move to human trials." I'm so sorry Ruby. "I volunteered our DNA and myself as the carrier, Ruby. I so desperately wanted to have a kid of our own."

Weiss, looked at the floor, ashamed of the years worth of lies, but forced herself to continue " Winters call tonight was not about her love life, but it was about a break through. She did it Ruby. She needed us to come to her laboratory to do the procedure. That was why I asked about a trip to Atlas."

This was all to much to take in at once, even for one whose combat semblance was super speed. Ruby unconsciously stood. So many emotions were flooding through her right now that she couldn't even begin to-

"Im so sorry." Ruby was pulled from the daze by Weiss' sob of an apology. Weiss' repeated herself until Ruby moved in to hug her. But for the first time since they had begun this journey through life together, the hug felt empty to Weiss. The white haired huntress looked at her wife in horror as she saw the fruits of her speech. Ruby's beautiful silver eyes had dulled to a stainless steel color, and appeared emotionless. You have completely broken her. How could you. . . . Weiss berated herself, and was about to make another apology when Ruby spoke.

"Weiss, thank you for telling me. I think I am going to go for a walk. I need to clear my head. I need to process this. I need to.." Ruby's deadpan voice trailed off, as she redressed herself to leave. Weiss knew that it was not in her right, or her power to stop the girl. A few moments later, Weiss collapsed on the bed, full of self loathing as she heard Crescent Rose open, and the door open and shut.

How could she keep this from me? Why doesn't she think she could love anothers child? This meant so much to her. How could I have ripped that dream away so coldly? Ruby allowed her self pity to swallow her up for just a little while longer as she wandered through the path in the familiar wood.

Can I really trust either one of us after this? Ruby's final thought rung clear as a bell as she found herself standing at a familiar cliff, with the tombstone of her mother only a few paces in front of her. Of course I can. Weiss wanted to make us happy, and though she was very misguided about how I would feel about it, she did it out of love. I can't ignore that. Ruby's feelings of love for her wife remained unchanged, and she would continue to trust her, but she also knew that she could not do this again, and they needed to be on the same page about that. Ruby grabbed the necklace around her neck and played it, while she wrestled with the feeling that she had betrayed the one person she truly loved, however unknowingly.

Weiss waited for Winter to pick up. And when she did, the only thing that she could manage to say to her sister was - "Winter...she said no."

"Oh god, im so sorry Weiss. Ill keep working, maybe there is something I can do. Change the formula, change the process. Something." Winter rambled, trying to think of anything she could say to console her little sister.

"I'm not sure if Ruby will even stay with me after this, Winter. She left, and looked so sad when she did that I am not sure if she is even going to come ba-" Weiss cut herself off as she heard the door open, and Crescent Rose collapse into the storage compartment by the door. " Ruby's back, can I call you la-" This time, Ruby was the one who cut Weiss off. Silently Ruby held her hand out, waiting for the scroll.

"Winter?" there was something in Ruby's eyes now that Weiss could not place. Pride? Resentment? Determination? All of these things?

"Hi Ruby," Winter responded to her sister in law gently, knowing that she had wreaked havoc in their lives. "I should have made Weiss tell you. Im sorry."

"You have no need to apologise."

"Wait, what?"

"I said you have no need to apologise and neither does Weiss. You both did this out of love and you never meant to hurt me by it. Winter, I would love to come to Atlas with Weiss, but we simply cant afford to."

This revelation stunned both the Schnees involved in the conversation, but there would be time to question this line of thinking from Ruby later.

"Ruby, I didn't tell Weiss this because we needed to have your approval first, but because this is a clinical trial, that the carrier will be paid their full salary during the course of pregnancy." Winter added " but if you give me a week, I can have the equipment shipped to a local hospital and we can do the procedure there?" the question was spoken more out of desperation than anything. But Winter would not sit back and let her mistakes become worse. Ruby's determination that she had started the conversation with cracked after hearing these words, and her heart was full of emotion.

"You need to tell Weiss what you just told me, and Winter? Never hold information like this from me again. Im holding you to that promise okay?" Ruby choked the words out through sobs and handed the phone back to Weiss, who was visibly concerned now that her sister had dealt more damage than she already had.

"Winter what did you say?! Havent we done enough?" Weiss screeched into the phone. Ruby shook her head, and jumped into Weiss' arms.

"Listen to what she has to say, snowflake. It's going to be alright."Ruby whispered in her ear. Weiss listened as Winter recounted the information she had passed on to Ruby, and the promise she made.

"Can you really do that though?" Weiss, being the voice of reason knew that this task was monumental in its own right, let alone the research that had gone into it.

"If it means mending the relationship between you two and myself, Weiss, I don't care what it takes." Winter promptly hung up, and Weiss was stunned at the ferocity of the statement her sister had just made. One week? That is really fast. Can she really do it? Weiss could no longer worry about that, because she had a sobbing Ruby to care for, as she had for so long, and as she would for years to come.

"What made you change you mind?" Weiss whispered to her lover as she laid her into bed, following shortly after. Ruby curled into the fetal position in Weiss' embrace.

"Summer." Ruby was still trying to calm down when she had been asked the question and this was all she could muster right now.

"The season? I don't understand." Ruby looked up in mock irritation at her partner, and lightly flicked her on the forehead.

"Who's the dunce now? No, silly, my mother. I wandered in the forest until I found myself at my mothers grave, and I was reminded of her willingness to forgive everyone around her, including herself. I think that is what made her so happy." Ruby traced her wife's face as tears fell from it. Now it was her turn to bring Weiss happiness.

"Summer Schnee." Weiss whispered through her tears. The moment the words passed her lips she knew that it was the only name that would be right for the girl they would inevitably have. "It's the least I can repay your mother for bringing you into this world, and for bringing you back to me."

"Sounds like the perfect name. Bed?" It came out as more of a statement than a question and Weiss simply nodded as Ruby got up, changed and returned. The white rose fell asleep the second their heads hit the pillow.

Weiss woke to the sound of buzzing, seven days later, and saw that Winter was calling. She checked the time. It was 5:24 AM, and dread filled Weiss. She's going to tell us that she cant make it happen. But before Weiss could answer the scroll, she had missed the call. The white haired huntress leaned over, extricated herself from the nude Ruby and before she could return the call she received a text from Winter

"I need you both at the Vale Hospital at 3 pm today. Dont be late. Ill be waiting. Love Winter."

Rather than wait to relay the message Weiss opted to wake Ruby, seeing as how their morning ritual would be starting soon anyway. Weiss jumped out of bed, and squealed. She poked Ruby's face until the woman woke.

"Whats wrong Weiss?" Ruby mumbled, as she was blinded by the screen of the scroll. In her morning fog it took a full ten seconds to understand what she read. When she did, Ruby picked Weiss up and danced with real joy.

"We're going to have a baby, we're going to have a baby!" the two chanted as they swung across the room. Today, the watching of the sunrise would have to wait.

It was 9 long months of pain, cravings, swollen feet, and the taming of the horny beast (Weiss). Ruby had revealed the news to the Arcs one evening, around the beginning of the second trimester. Weiss was beginning to show and with the pregnant couple's plan to see their friends when Jaune returned from his latest mission it would not do to hide the news any longer. Arthur, of course was happy that he would soon have a friend that he could play with.

Weiss had made arrangements for her partial retirement from being a huntress, and Ruby worked harder than ever to make sure that her wife and unborn child would be as comfortable as they could be. Ruby had decided to chance one last mission before the delivery. This turned out to be a very bad idea. It was two AM and Ruby sat by the fire in the camp she had made while on a recon mission. A lilting tune could be heard from around her neck as she worried about her family back home, when her scroll lit up. Weiss was calling, and this could only mean one thing.

"IT'S HAPPENING RUBY! GET HOME NOW!" Weiss screamed into the phone as her contractions increased in intensity. Ruby kicked the fire out, rolled her sleeping bag up, and proceeded to run as fast as her legs could carry her back to her home. 30 minutes later Ruby had scooped Weiss into the car and they headed for the hospital.

It was not long before the Schnee-Rose family gained a new member. As our new parents held their brand new baby girl Ruby mentioned something.

"She has silver eyes... I just know that she'll be even stronger than we are honey." Ruby kissed her wife's forehead as she mentioned this. Weiss was exhausted from delivery and murmured something that Ruby didn't quite pick up.

Two days later, the happy family returned home, and the final leg of the journey began.

im sorry that i didnt spend more time on the pregnancy, to be honest, after losing my own child 7 months still born, i couldnt bring myself to get into the details of Weiss' time with Summers pregnancy. but enough about me and my sob story! we have a new addition to the family! how will our huntresses cope? where will we go next? find out in the next chapter of WHITE ROSE.