Chapter Fifty: The Point of No Return
Weiss skated through the halls of the facility dodging around piles of debris that had fallen barely braking her stride as she moved from one glyph to the next. She was on a mission and nothing or no one was going to stop her. Any guard that did try to stop her met a quick end as she flashed past them the tip of her rapier cutting them open or getting a blast of lighting putting a hole in their body. She knew she was nearing the back portion of the facility so she put on an extra burst of speed making her rocket down the halls.
"Stop her!" A cry went out as she neared an intersection. Ahead of her a group of four guards bought up their rifles but Weiss didn't even slow as she summoned a silver glyph in front of her. Their guns barked out repeatedly only to have their bullets reflected back at them with nearly twice the speed, two of the men fell instantly and the other two were wounded.
"Get out of my way." Weiss growled as she reached them a heartbeat after bullets. Spinning as she slide past the tip of Myrtenaster tore through neck of one man while Weiss produced a black glyph that threw the other backwards against the hard wall snapping bones in the process. The whole encounter was over in less than two heartbeats. Weiss was already halfway down the hall before their bodies even hit the floor.
As she rocket down more corridors Weiss' thoughts whirled in her head. She knew she had acted rashly and put her team in danger all because the Doll had mentioned her sister. If she had taken a moment to even think about the information before she had acted she would have remembered that it was SDC standard practice that Winter was moved to a new facility every year, and this facility was a year and a half old. She had recklessly endangered her team, and what was worse she had practically giftwrapped Ruby to that madman.
Weiss rushed down hall after hall passing room after room noting a few as she passed; conference room, tech lab, dust refining, medical room. Room after room passed.
The Heiress stopped suddenly in the middle of the hall the wind whipping her hair forward at her sudden halt in motion. The reason she had stopped wasn't because of a blockage or that she was lost but the open set of doors to her left.
It was the main server room of the facility. Everything that had ever been stored on any computer here was saved and backed up here. And that wasn't all each server room in any SDC facility was connect to the others across the globe. All the SDC information could be accessed from these points, with no redactions.
Weiss knew she needed to needed to hurry to find Ruby and to out of this facility before it came down around her but she couldn't help but think of all the information that had been kept from her was being stored just feet from her. Everything about the projects she had been reading about, everything about the SDC's past, its deals with the Council, blackmail, bribes and all the corruption her family name had been a part of was in that server. And it was all protected by one of the most advanced biometric security systems in the world, it would take years to override it maybe more. Unless the person accessing it was a Schnee. Years ago her great-great grandfather had implemented a fail safe that would allow any member of the Schnee family access to the files should something ever happen to the current head of the company without them leaving behind their access codes.
Making up her mind Weiss ran into the server room. If she was going to protect her team, protect her wolf and take over the SDC she needed this information for after this was finished, she had made a mistake by coming here but now she was going to make sure that mistake never happened again.
Reaching the terminal Weiss typed in the override command. 'Please confirm identity' the computer asked, a glass needle came out of the terminal. Quickly puncturing her finger on the needle allowing a drop of blood to flow into the hollow needle, the needle retracted. 'Identity confirmed, override commencing.'
After a few moments there was a list of options on the screen before the Heiress. Scrolling down Weiss found the one she was looking for, download all, and pressed it. 'Are you sure?' the screen asked. Weiss hit the confirm button. It took a few minutes but soon the terminal ejected a small secure digital card from a port, 'Download complete. Next task?'
Weiss paused before scrolling down and finding the option she wanted the Heiress pushed it, 'Destroy terminal'. Sparks ran across the terminal and server frying them to a smoky crisp. Placing the card in a secure pouch on her waist Weiss ran from the room just as the server burst into flames and continued down the hall using her glyphs to speed her along.
It wasn't long before Weiss came to another set of double doors, a repulsion glyph in front of them sent them flying off their hinges allowing her into the back part of the facility.
Metal catwalks spanned the deep chasm that separated her side from the opposing side many of the upper ones had fallen to the ground below as the facility shook under the White Fang's attack. She knew that Ruby was most likely locked up in a cell in the upper portion of the opposing side. Taking off she made her way up the stairs on her side until she reached the last catwalk before she would be forced to continue on the other side. A clapping filled the air making the Heiress freeze.
On the other side of the catwalk stood the Doctor, slowly clapping his hands as he made his way across the metal walkway. "Very good Miss Schnee, very good." Doctor Stein smirked as he stood in the center of the catwalk. "I knew it wouldn't take you long to reach this point. But to also use that time to retrieve all of the SDC data and destroy the terminal? I admit I hadn't counted on that." He shook his head. "Now I'm going to ask have to ask you to hand that card over and surrender. It's futile to try and resist. The White Fang is going to be pushed back soon and once I have this facility back under control I'll prevent your friends from leaving and go back to experimenting on Prometheus. I'll also be able to finally finish Leviathan as well, don't worry Miss Schnee I'm positive you'll survive it."
"I'll never surrender to you, you bastard." Weiss hissed as she stepped onto the catwalk. "Now I'm taking Ruby back and then we are leaving, but first I'm going to kill you for everything you have done to the people I care about, and this time I'm going to make sure you stay dead." She brought up her rapier and took her stance.
Doctor Stein sighed and shook his head, "You know Miss Schnee I really abhor violence, especially unnecessary violence. It's too messy, there's not enough time to appreciate the destruction or to really learn anything. But if this is the path you insist upon then I will just have to teach you a lesson." As he spoke the Doctor pulled something from behind his back, a familiar clicking filled the air as it unfurled.
Weiss' blood boiled as she saw the Doctor holding Crescent Rose carelessly behind him. "Give that to me right now you bastard." She hissed, her grip tightening on the handle of her rapier.
"If you want it Miss Schnee, come claim it." Stein taunted. Weiss snarled as she shot forward, Myrtenaster singing as she stabbed towards the man. Stein carelessly moved to the side allowing her to pass by without touching him. Before Weiss could recover he spun on his heel slamming the back of the scythe into her back causing her to tumble.
As Weiss rolled she used her glyphs to catch and correct her body allowing her to flip to her feet just as the head of the scythe crashed against her guard. Landing on her feet she saw that Stein held Crescent Rose by the very end of the shaft as if it weight no more than feather. His fighting style was radically different from the one Ruby used to fight her scythe. Where the wolf used her own weight combined with the scythe's to preform acrobatic feats, Stein simply forced the scythe around his body as a pivot point and let the full weight of the scythe do damage. While it wasn't the style she was accustom to fighting, she was still familiar with the weapon and its features.
The building around them shook again and a large chunk of the ceiling fell to the ground taking another catwalk with it. "My, my those animals are causing an awful ruckus." The Doctor tutted as he swung Crescent Rose to his shoulder, "I sure do hope some of them survive though, they'll be excellent test material for the Prometheus before I dissect it."
Weiss' blood began to boil, "If you think I'm going to ever let you touch Ruby again then you have another thing coming." She readied her rapier switching it to lighting Dust.
"Really Miss Schnee, have you forgotten that I oversaw your training? I arranged for everything you fought. I came up with every regime you underwent. I spent hours honing how your fighting style could best be amplified by your family semblance. I know everything you're capable of and I know what you're going to do before you do it." Stein sneered at her, "So do you really think you can defeat me?"
Weiss narrowed her eyes, "I guess we're about to find out." The Heiress exploded into motion, a repulsion glyph sending her screaming forward as her rapier sang through the air. As the Doctor readied to block her she summoned another glyph just before him pushing her high into the air. She twisted as the Doctor took a swing at her and landed lightly on another glyph while firing a bolt of lighting at her opponent. The Doctor deflected the bolt with a twist of the scythe but Weiss was already on the move. She dropped below the catwalk and shot across underneath the metal walkway and back up on his blind side, switching to fire Dust.
With a measured flick of her wrist she fired a trio of fireballs at the Doctor who spun the scythe about blocking the attack but Weiss hadn't counted on the fireballs to do any damage, they were just a small distraction for her real attack.
While the Doctor was dealing with the fireballs Weiss had summoned an array of glyphs and charged them with ice Dust with sent hundreds of tiny sharp ice needles flying towards the Doctor from all sides.
Unable to deflect so many projectiles the Doctor crossed his arms as he was assaulted from every angle by countless sharp needles. Weiss landed on the catwalk as her attack ended and readied to continue her fight.
The Doctor was covered in icy shards, several along his shoulders had punctured deep enough to draw blood, staining his bright white lab coat red. His legs and arms were similar but all of his vital spots remained untouched. A chuckling filled the air as the Doctor lowered his crossed arms, "Very good Miss Schnee, very good. I see you have improved some since our time together. Well then, if that's how it's to be I suppose I should start taking this serious." With a quick motion that shattered the needled embedded in his skin the Doctor flicked off his coat revealing a dark gray shirt. "Now this shall we try this again?"
Weiss readied herself but before she could process it fully the Doctor shot forward Crescent Rose level with her neck. She barely had enough time to duck as the blade sliced through the air, taking half of her ponytail as it passed by. Following her instincts the Heiress rolled forward just barely making it as Doctor swung the massive scythe down in the place she had previously occupied. Continuing her roll into a handstand Weiss pushed off the ground with the assistants of another glyph that pushed her away from the Doctors attacks. In the air Weiss twisted herself into a spin while summoning another pair of glyphs in front of her. With a push the glyphs gave a concussive blast that pushed the Doctor back knocking him to his knees.
As she landed Weiss summoned another glyph and shot forward once again, her weapon singing as it pierced air. As she charged she charged the blade of Myrtenaster with wind Dust. The Doctor raised Crescent rose to deflect the attack but another glyph appeared with Weiss stabbed her rapier into sending out another concussive blast only amplified with the Dust she had enhanced her blade with. This time the doctor was sent flying down the catwalk.
Sparks flew into the air as the Doctor slammed the blade of Crescent Rose into the metal floor causing him to slow down to a stop. "Impressive attack Miss Schnee, in fact I'll admit that it even caught me off guard. But now I've had quite enough of this little tantrum of yours." Weiss summoned another glyph and shot forward again while the Doctor rose to his feet. "Slow." With a single move the man's right hand lashed out and backhanded the Heiress across the faces knocking her to the side.
Stars swam in Weiss' mind but she knew she couldn't pause as she pivoted and lunged upward trying to impale the man, only to be slapped across the face again sending her spinning away. "Slow, again." Weiss stumbled and before she could recover the Doctor smashed his foot into her back make her fall. She tried to roll away only to have her hair seized and pulled back. Pair lanced through her scalp causing her to yell out in pain.
Weiss lashed out blindly behind her with her rapier, only to be tossed back wards by her hair, again the Doctor's leg lashed out, this time hitting her hard in her stomach causing blood and spittle to fly from her mouth. She hit the ground hard and rolled to a stop several feet away. "I will admit Miss Schnee, you have improved." The Doctor said as he slowly approached her, Weiss struggled to get to her feet just as the man lashed out again kicking her in her stomach. She felt her ribs crack as she was sent rolling away. "But not enough to put up a decent fight."
This time Weiss managed to get to her knees before the Doctor's foot slammed into her chest knocking her to the floor. "You were such a disappointment then, and you are still a disappointment now." Weiss coughed, blood hit the floor as she pushed herself up. The Doctor stood a few feet away, Crescent Rose resting on his shoulder, an annoyed expression on his face. "I'm waiting."
Weiss struggled to her feet; Myrtenaster trembled in her grasp as she brought it up to the ready. She could feel blood trickling out of her mouth but she ignored it and grasped her weapon tighter. Another explosion rocked the building, debris fell to the floor below, there must have been a canister of red Dust near one of the chunks as soon the floor far below them became an inferno. A smirk pulled at the Doctor's lips "Now this bring back memories, doesn't it Miss Schnee? You, me, a catwalk and a raging inferno below." A wicked grin pulled at his stitched face, "Don't worry Miss Schnee if you fall this time I have plenty of experience of putting a burned body back together. You may experience a few side effects though."
Weiss gritted her teeth as she gripped her weapon tighter. "The only thing that will change this time is that I will make sure I kill you." Weiss hissed. She shot forward again. She knew her chances of actually landing a solid blow were low but she needed to be close to the man if she wanted the plan that formed in her mind to work.
As she got closer the Doctor lashed out with his hand and grabbed her by the throat. Weiss dropped her rapier and grabbed the man's hand with her own to try and keep him from choking her out. With a saddened sigh the Doctor spun the scythe with his other hand so that the handle rested against Weiss' side and the blade curved up towards her, one of her hands fell along the shaft. "You know your father said I was to bring you back so we could continue your training, but he never said what condition you had to be in besides alive. How about I just let this lovely weapon impale you a bit, that might make you a bit more pliable." The Doctor looked at the scythe in his hand with admiration. "To think that my creation could create such a master piece, maybe I should dissect it's brain as well, it would make for interesting data I'm sure." While the Doctor was talking Weiss moved her hand that was along the shaft, she knew it would be close but she couldn't draw attention to her actions. "Just look at this craftsmanship, the curve of the blade, the balance of the whole construction, the way the counter point evens out every strike, truly a beautiful weapon." Weiss continued to move her hand slowly, darkness started to creep into the edges of her vision but she had to concentrate, she had to find it. There. Her hand finally found what she was feeling for.
With a small smirk Weiss grunted out, "It…lo….un."
Stein frowned, "What was that?"
"It…a..l…g..n" Weiss grasped out.
Finally the Doctor loosened his grip. "Please annunciate clearly Miss Schnee."
Weiss took a deep breath before glaring down at the Doctor. "I said 'It's also a gun'!" The Doctor's eyes went wide as she depressed the thumb trigger on the shaft. During their fight Weiss had noticed that not once had the Doctor fired a shot out of the scythe but the clip was in and loaded. Meaning he had not discovered that the weapon could fire while in its scythe form. The Heiress knew she had to get close and let the man distract himself so she could reach one of the triggers and turn the tables. When he had lifted her up by her throat and changed how he was holding the scythe he had inadvertently placed the barrel in line with his chest Weiss knew she wasn't going to get a second chance.
As the Heiress depressed the thumb trigger the high caliber round caused the scythe to buck back as it tore through the Doctor sending the Heiress, who had a tight grip on the scythe in one direction while Stein was thrown in the opposite direction.
Weiss landed hard enough on her back to knock the wind out of her but she continued her grip on the scythe. Slowly she sat up and looked towards the Doctor. The high velocity round had hit him just off center exploding a hole the size of a watermelon in the man's chest, his arm that had held the scythe was missing. The man looked down in shock at the hole, his knees went weak causing him to fall. With a grunt Weiss pushed up off the ground and got to her feet, Crescent Rose still grasped in her hand. She looked for her rapier only to see it broken on the ground between them, it must have broken when she had dropped it, that the cylinder hadn't exploded was lucky. With a shake of her head the Heiress stepped over her old weapon and towards the man who had tormented her for years.
As Weiss approached Stein looked up at her, an amused smiled pulling at his blood stained lips. "Amazing, simply amazing." Weiss glared at the man as she grasped Crescent Rose with both hands and started to bring it back.
"I don't know how you survived the first time I killed you," Weiss said to the man, her voice just barely above a whisper, "But this time you won't have that chance."
Stein looked up at her and started to chuckle, "You're going to make a fine Schnee after all." Weiss raised the scythe higher. "Do it. Shower yourself in blood and take your place as the next head of the Schnee family."
"If it's for the woman I love, I would bathe the snows of Mantle in rivers of blood." Weiss declared. With all her might the Heiress brought the scythe forward slicing the head of the monster before her from its place. The lifeless corpse slumped to the side and slowly slipped off the catwalk into the fire below. "This time, stay dead."
A few seconds after the body slipped from view a siren started blaring out making Weiss look around. 'Building Manager terminated.' A metallic voice called out, 'Protocol Eight Nine Nine Five activated. All personal please evacuated the building. Self destruct in t minus ten minutes.' Weiss' eyes went wide as the message repeated before she quickly folded off Crescent Rose and started running as fast as she could, she needed to find Ruby, quickly.
Weiss knew that Ruby would be deeper in the back half of the facility in the high security cells but as to which wing she had no idea. She was just going to have to trust herself on picking the right one the first time. With each step she listed to the repeating message as the timer continued to count down. She hoped Yang and Black had secured their way out because they were going to need a quick escape.
As she tore down the halls she passed several guards that were running in the opposite direction but she paid them no heed as they seemed to be panicking to the point that the only thing they cared about now was themselves. Finally she reached the high security cells and paused. The wing stretched out to her right and left and if she screwed up her choice now she could pay for it dearly later. Steeling herself the Heiress made her mind up and headed left.
Open door after open door zoomed by her and Weiss was beginning to fear that she had made the wrong choice when she saw a closed door a head of her on her right. Reaching the door Weiss pressed the release button and froze at what she saw.
Ruby was crumpled on the floor as if she had just been dumped there carelessly. "Ruby!" Weiss cried again as she ran to kneel beside her and gently pulled her head up. "Come on Ruby wake up." Weiss gave her a slight shake. Looking over the younger girl's body Weiss could see the multiple cut and bruises that covered her. "Please wake up Ruby." Weiss begged.
A small whine brought her attention back to Ruby's face, twin silver orbs cracked open slowly. "Weiss?" Ruby asked in a weak shaky voice. The wolf's ears twitched a bit as did her tail.
"Yes Ruby I'm right here." Weiss said softly stroking her face lightly.
"Weiss why is it so cold?" Ruby asked as a small shiver passed up her body.
"Don't worry about that we'll get you warm soon enough okay?" Weiss reassured her trying to keep her voice steady at the broken from of her girlfriend. "You've just got to stay with me okay?"
Slowly Ruby brought her hand to Weiss' face and cupped her cheek. "Don't cry Princess." Weiss leaned into her hand trying to keep the tears from flowing.
"I'm not crying you dolt." Weiss chide lightly. "I'm just happy. Now we've got to move okay? Yang and Blake are waiting for us."
"Okay Weiss, I just need to close my eyes for a bit." Ruby's breathing stuttered her hand slipping slightly. Her ears dropped and her tail started to slow.
"No Ruby I need you to stay awake for me okay?" Weiss ordered, "You've got to keep your eyes open."
"Yeah okay." Ruby nodded slowly her eyes slowly closing. "It's just I'm really tired." The wolf's ears dropped more and her tail fell still.
"No Ruby you need to stay awake." Weiss ordered franticly trying to keep Ruby awake. "Please Ruby you need to stay awake."
"Weiss?" Ruby asked her eyes opening again slowly; sterling silver was now a dull grey.
"Yes Ruby?" Weiss asked tears now flowing from her face.
"I'm glad that I got to meet you and that you let me be in your life." Ruby smiled weakly. "Even if it was for a short time."
"Don't say that Ruby." Weiss choked out, "You're not going anywhere you've…" Ruby slowly pulled Weiss down into a soft kiss ending her rant short.
"I love you." Ruby's voice was weak as her hand slipped from Weiss' face, her breathing grew shallow as the light in her eyes faded to black.
"I love you too." Weiss sobbed clutching her loves body closer to her. "Please don't leave me, I don't know what I'm suppose to do with out you so please you can't leave me here alone." Weiss sobbed harder as she felt Ruby's Aura fading before giving off a final flicker as fading into the void. "RUBY!" Weiss screamed as she rocked herself and the only person she had loved back and forth. "Please don't go."
As the Heiress sobbed something deep in her mind finally broke. They had taken her from her. They had taken the only thing that made this life worth living and stole it from her like it was nothing. They had to pay. They had to give it back.
"Give her back." Weiss growled softly to the darkness around her. "Give her back." Again her voice ground out into a feral growl at the dark. "GIVE HER BACK!" Weiss screamed as her aura flared around her a white glyph formed around her as she stood still cradling the crimson Faunus in her arms. "SHE IS MINE AND YOU WILL GIVE HER BACK!" Weiss felt the glyph activate as the world shifted. With a blink Weiss found herself standing in the medical room.
Gently placing Ruby on the table Weiss grabbed a syringe full of adrenalin taking off the cap she slammed the needle down into Ruby's heart. You will give her back, Weiss growled in her head. Grabbing a defibrillator Weiss charged the device and placed it on the girls chest.
"Give her back." Weiss said as she sent the charge. Glancing at the side she saw no change in Ruby's heart beat. Again.
"You will give her back." Weiss growled again as the device charged. Again she sent the charge, again no change. Again.
"She is mine." Again the device charged, again the charge was sent, again no change. Again.
"She is mine and you will give her back." Charge, sent, no change. Again.
Weiss set the device to its maximum setting and coated the paddles with her own aura. "SHE IS MINE AND YOU WILL GIVE HER BACK!" Weiss screamed as the charge was sent.
No change.
Weiss collapsed on to Ruby's body sobbing. The defibrillator thrown to the side forgotten, she clutched the body close as her hands balled up the fabric in her hands. "P-p-please give her back." Weiss sobbed, "She's all I have, she's all I need so please don't take her. Please just give her back."
The Heiress sobbed on; nothing mattered any more. Ruby was gone. The only person she loved was dead and now she had nothing. She could hear the count down reaching it's final minutes but she didn't care, why should she? Without Ruby her life was pointless, without Ruby she was just was just another cold, heartless Schnee. Why should she keep on living if she had nothing.
Weiss ignored the sound of doors being bashed open as she continued to sob.
"Yang they're over here." Blake called out as she approached. "Oh fuck, Yang quick!" Blake's eyes went wide as she pieced together what had happened.
"What's the hold…" Yang's voice dropped as she spotted Ruby and Weiss. "No." Her voice was barely a whisper. "No, this can't, no. Oh gods no." Yang sprinted over to where Ruby lie. She reached out with her remaining hand grasping at one of Ruby's. "Come on Rubes stop messing around we've got to go." She couldn't feel the heat her sister's body. "Come on please don't do this. Come on Ruby its not funny we've got to go." Blake had tears streaming down her face as she hung her head in sadness.
Another explosion rocked the building bringing the panther from her grief. "Yang we need to leave now." Blake said shaking the blonde.
"Blake tell Ruby this isn't funny anymore." Yang ignored the black haired girl.
"Yang we need to…" Blake said blinking the tears from her eyes.
"We'll go as soon as Ruby is up." Yang said still staring at her sister. Lilac eyes pleading as tears stormed down the blonde's face
"Yang, Ruby's not going to…" Blake was cut off as Yang turned on her, eyes blazing with fire.
"She is not dead!" Yang yelled making the Faunus pull her ears back. "She's just messing with us she wouldn't go and die on us."
"Yang…" Blake tried again.
"NO BLAKE SHE'S…" A sharp slap to the face made the raging blonde stop. Blake winced as she shook her hand.
"Yang she's gone." Blake keep her tone natural as tears stormed down her face again, "And now we need to get out of here before we lose anyone else." Yang blinked as her words settled. With a sharp nod Yang tugged Weiss off of Ruby's body, the heiress collapsed into Blake's arms as she continued to sob.
"Make sure you and Weiss stay right behind me." Yang said as she scooped her sister off the table with her good arm, the wolf's body settling against her shoulder. Yang used her stump to steady the crimson wolf.
Blake nodded and hosted Weiss into a standing position. "Come on Weiss." She whispered as she guided the crying girl her pace keeping up with Yang's. She could hear Weiss whisper "Please," over and over again as they made their way to the hanger.
As more explosions sounded around them Yang kept her gaze looking straight ahead, her back straight as she carried her sister towards the bullhead that they were planning to use as their escape vehicle. As they grew closer a few soldier's poked their heads out from their cover, each were met with hail of bullets from Blake as she forced them back into cover, one unfortunate soldier had been too slow and received a bullet between the eyes for his foolishness. But the blonde kept walking. She only had one thing on her mind and nothing was going to stop her now.
Reaching the ship Yang placed Ruby on the floor gently as Blake and Weiss entered. Weiss fell to her knees at Ruby's side as Yang jumped in the pilots seat. "Blake give me some cover while we take off." Yang yelled back as she flipped switches and placed a headset on. Giving the white haired girl one last glance Blake nodded and manned the small chain gun that was mounted to the floor sending the soldiers that where trying reach them still running for cover as she opened fire.
Weiss placed Ruby's head in her lap she blocked the world out around her. She hadn't even noticed when Yang had moved her nor when Blake had to help her walk to their escape. All that mattered to her was the still form of her partner in front of her. Her eyes never leaving the lids that hide the once silver eyes behind them.
"Please." She whispered, as she leaned over, tears dripping down on to Ruby's face. "I can't do this without her." She felt the bullhead shutter as it lifted off and as Yang punched the throttle to freedom explosions ripping through the facility bringing it down. "I don't want to be alone again."
She closed her eyes as her heart thundered against her chest feeling as if it was ripping her apart from the inside. She couldn't be gone, she was the only one who had loved her, she was the only one that she had loved, the only one that had given her hope about the future and now she was gone. The light that once had brought her from the dark was gone and nothing remained. She was alone again in the dark and there was going to be no one to save her.
Please give Ruby back, I can't do this with out her.
A gentle touch to her cheek sent Weiss' eyes snapping open. Her eyes locking with twin sterling orbs. Weiss froze, her mind lock as she stared into the sliver heaven. "Hey Princess?" Ruby whispered, "Why are you crying?" Her wolf ears twitched slowly as she stared lovingly upward.
"R-R-Ruby?" Weiss stammered in disbelief.
"Yes Princess?" The Faunus answered with a weak smile.
"Ruby!" Weiss cried out as she pulled the girl up into a hug. "Ruby!" She felt her body shake as strong arms encircled her waist slowly. "I thought you were dead."
"I was." Ruby whispered. "But I heard your voice telling me to come back. So I knew I had to come back."
"I'm sorry." Weiss cried as pulled Ruby closer. "I'm sorry."
"For what Weiss?" Ruby asked.
"For everything that happened." Weiss explained as she buried her face into the neck of the Faunus. "It's all my fault that this happened."
"Nope." Ruby shook her head.
"What?" Weiss said pulling back slightly.
"Nope." Ruby said again with a smile.
"But it's because of me that we went on the…" Weiss said her voice cracking.
"Nope." Ruby silenced her with a finger to her lips. Weiss just looked at her partner with wide eyes as the wolf reached up and cupped her cheek. "Weiss you didn't know what was going to happen, none of us did."
"But I lead us here." Weiss tried again only for Ruby to once again cover her mouth with a finger.
"You didn't lead us anywhere Weiss. We came with you because that's what a team does." Ruby smiled, "We help each other and when one person is in danger we do everything we can to help."
Weiss shook her head as she looked at her partner, "You dolt."
"Your dolt." Ruby gave her a bright smile.
"Yes." Weiss agreed, "My dolt." Gently she leaned down and captured the wolf's lips, savoring the taste as she did. As she pulled back she let her hand slip into the crimson tresses of the wolf and vowed she never let anything like this happen to her wolf again.
A/N: One more then epilogue. Give it a day or two.