Heading into V7-8 I had 2 options: 1) figure out how to work with every single character that appears in the canon or 2) retcon and cut most of the canon events and characters. Considering I make $0 from this, I chose the easy answer. Sorry in advance for a really big retcon on a particular character's backstory.

As someone who doesn't write that often, this Act gave me such a hard time. I did things I've never done before and it was rough lol. This definitely isn't perfect but I tried my best :')

Buckle up because we're only halfway done!

Act 3: Smoke and Mirrors

Weiss woke up to sunlight hitting her eyes. She shifted to turn away from the light when she noticed her legs were tangled with someone else's, and something heavy draped across her stomach.

Her bedmate groaned at her disturbance and buried his face into the crook of her neck. His breath brushed against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

Her eyes snapped open. Even when she confirmed it was Adam snuggled against her, it didn't feel real.

She wasn't upset with the situation – far from it. It wasn't every day she woke up in the safety of someone's arms. Just as she closed her eyes again, she thought of the empty bed her teammates were waking up to and jolted awake.

"Adam, wake up." She shook him. "I forgot to tell everyone where I went."

Her breath hitched when the arm on her midsection pulled her closer to him. This wasn't how she imagined her terrifying day to start.

"I know you're awake," she said, giving him another shake. "I need to get back. I told them I was leaving for Atlas in the morning."

"You should've told them you'd go in the evening. Then we could sleep in," he complained, turning onto his back so she could move.

Weiss blushed at how he wanted them to sleep in together. It was stupid to take it to heart, he was half-asleep and unaware of what he'd said. Weiss hurried into the bathroom to freshen up, rinsing her face with cold water until she completely cooled her blush. He went in after her, leaving her to wait in the room alone.

Now that she was more awake, the weight of what she had to do today made her weak to her stomach. A part of her wished she'd stayed in bed to avoid Atlas for a bit longer.

Her eyes bounced anxiously around the tiny room, stopping at a small purple box on the round coffee table. She didn't notice it last night. Weiss picked it up, staring at the five chocolate roses blooming on the other side of the transparent lid. She recognised them from the chocolatier she'd seen the previous night.

The roses were arranged like a tile, with a stunning white rose blossoming at the very heart of the box. The four roses surrounding the white rose were of different flavours. It was the subtle difference of colour that differentiated one from another.

"Can we grab something to eat before–"

Weiss almost dropped the chocolate box when he walked out of the bathroom.

"Sorry, I was curious!" She hastily put the chocolates back on the table. "Were you treating yourself to some sweets last night?"

"Oh, those." He stared at the box with an unreadable expression. "They aren't for me."

"I-I see. I hope whoever it's for likes it." Weiss forced herself to reply in her most cheerful voice.

It was surprising he found time to see someone – he'd only left her side for a few weeks. Was he ever going to tell her about his new partner? What were they like?

Not that it was any of her business. It's not like she needed to know every little detail of his life – especially not his love life. It still would've been nice to know who he was seeing, though. She wanted to know if his new partner was treating him well.

Weiss pretended to check her nails when he picked up the box, inspecting with such intensity she wondered if he was mad she damaged it.

"It's for you."

She looked back at him in surprise. Adam glanced at her for a second before averting his gaze to the side.

"It's for your birthday," he explained quietly, holding the box out to her. She couldn't stop staring at the dessert roses as she accepted the gift. The delicate petal arrangements were so much more beautiful than she remembered them to be.

"I know you like sweets, and I thought these roses looked nice. I don't know much about luxury gifts. so I'm sorry if this isn't usually what you'd receive."

"Don't be sorry. I love it." She beamed. Weiss couldn't believe he was worried that she wouldn't like it.

"Y-you do?"

"I wanted to buy these chocolates last night. Looks like you know me better than I thought," she said, popping the box open. "Thank you!"

Weiss was used to getting expensive jewels and clothes on her birthday, but very few people thought about what she liked. It was always about getting the most expensive items as if a big price tag alone would make her happy.

Adam's gift kept a permanent smile on her face.

"Let's eat it together," she suggested.

"Now? Didn't you want to go back to your friends?"

"It won't take long to eat some chocolate. Besides, you were the one who wanted to grab some food first. It's perfect."

They sat around the round table and split the chocolate roses between themselves. The roses weren't only beautiful, but they also tasted just like the luxury desserts she had in Atlas. The silky petals melted on her tongue and blossomed with rich flavours of cocoa and other ingredients.

Her favourite part wasn't trying what each flavour had to offer, but it was seeing Adam's reaction to them all. His face seemed to light up when he took his first bite from one of the roses. For a moment, she completely forgot what she needed to do that day. All that mattered was seeing the unfiltered joy sparkling in his eye.

"Wow, I don't think I tasted anything like this before," he noted with a bright smile. "I guess the price was worth it."

If buying him luxury chocolates was all she needed to see him this cheerful, she'd be happy to spoil him with as many gourmet desserts as he wants.

By the time they finished, Weiss had the strongest urge to kiss his cheek and thank him for such a thoughtful present. The black cloth hiding part of his face stopped her before she could get too carried away.

Adam offered to piggyback her back, even allowing her to wear his coat to ward off the cold. Weiss worried someone would identify him without it, but he wasn't too concerned about it.

"If Sienna's here, she'd already know that I'm staying somewhere nearby. Your team doesn't exactly blend in with the crowd," he explained to her.

Weiss threw the dark hood over her head, hoping no one from her team (mainly Blake) saw her on his back. Embarrassment burned her face when she spotted Jaune up ahead. As her luck would have it, he recognized her even from a distance, making an instant beeline for them.

"He's a friend," she assured Adam when she felt him tense.

Jaune and Adam stopped when they were within arm's reach, cautiously sizing each other up. For a long moment, neither of them made a single move. Weiss glanced warily between them, unsure if breaking the silence would do more harm than good.

"T-that's him?" Jaune stammered, one hand slowly reaching for his sheathed sword.

Adam took a tentative step back, but he made no further move to retreat or retaliate in any way.

"Yeah," she replied. "Jaune, this is Adam. Adam, this is Jaune."

Jaune squared his shoulders and met Adam's eyes with a stony expression.

"You helped destroy Beacon," Jaune said bluntly.

"I did," Adam answered without hesitation. Jaune winced at the directness of his answer.

"You've helped the White Fang hurt innocent people."

"Correct."

Jaune didn't break eye contact with Adam even once. His jaw tightened while Adam remained visibly calm.

"Was it necessary to attack Beacon? You seem strong. Why did you give into Cinder's demands?"

Weiss was sure Adam would lose his temper. The growing tension in his shoulders gave away his impatience.

"You sound familiar with that witch, you should know how devastating her powers are. It was either kill or be killed."

"Do you regret it?"

"Do I regret saving my team from being slaughtered? No. You're full of shit if you tell me you would've done it differently."

A cold breeze brushed between them, weaving invisible fingers through the red sash hanging by Jaune's side.

Jaune's expression morphed into outrage. Adam's dominant hand loosened its hold on her leg.

"Why did you help me back in Haven?" Jaune challenged him. "You don't even know me."

"That doesn't mean I should stand back and let Sienna take your life."

"I could've been a real jerk to the Faunus."

"I promised not to pass rash judgement on Humans, and I intend on staying true to it."

"What if I was a jerk?"

"I'd make your life hell." Adam lowered his voice dangerously.

"You'd kill me," Jaune accused coldly.

"That'll depend on how many lives you destroyed and how much of a threat you pose to her."

For the first time since the conversation started, Jaune looked at Weiss. The tightness in his expression softened.

"I heard you saved Weiss' life," Jaune said more calmly.

"I'll do it again if I have to."

"Even if it means fighting against the White Fang?"

"Without a doubt."

Jaune didn't react at first. He continued to stare at Adam with a strict expression that could even rival her father's. Finally, his shoulders relaxed.

"Thank you for looking after Weiss…and for helping me back in Haven. I'm Jaune."

Jaune held his hand out. A moment of embarrassment passed his face when he saw Adam's hands were full.

"Sorry, I–"

"Adam." He let go of Weiss' leg for a second to accept his handshake.

They retreated from each other as if they'd touched molten lava. Weiss breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She didn't say a word when Adam readjusted his hold on her.

"So…" Jaune looked between Adam and her curiously. "You spent the night with him?"

"I was having a rough night," Weiss explained hastily. "I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything. I was a bit of a mess yesterday."

"I'll call the others and let them know you're safe. Try to bring your Scroll next time. Ruby nearly had a heart attack this morning."

After updating the others, Jaune offered to carry Weiss back the rest of the way. Adam refused almost immediately, insisting on carrying her there himself. Jaune shrugged and beckoned him to follow.

The heavy silence between them persisted. Weiss didn't know why Adam would subject himself to such an awkward walk, but she also couldn't think of anything to say that could ease the tension.

"You…h-have a nice sword," Jaune suddenly blurted.

"Thanks," Adam answered without looking at him.

"Why is it…uh…red?"

"That's due to Red Dust," Adam replied, still not meeting Jaune's eyes.

"Red Dust?"

"Red Dust infused with steel."

"That's crazy! I've never seen a sword made with Dust before. So…you can light this thing up like a torch?"

"That's one way to put it."

"I also like using swords. I-it's nothing crazy like yours, though. I'm not an expert in it or anything, but I can hold up in a fight…s-sort of–"

"Let's see it."

"H-huh?"

"Your sword." Adam glanced at him. He sounded genuinely interested in learning more about Jaune's weapon of choice.

"O-oh, right." Jaune took out his sword and explained the new upgrades he made to it.

The more he went on about his sword and shield, the more relaxed Adam's muscles grew. It was almost like the dynamic he had with Tanner at first, a respectful but distant curiosity.

"Your arsenal is impressive," Adam said at the end of Jaune's explanation. "They seem a bit heavy for you, especially that sword."

"That's thanks to the new upgrades. I'm not used to them being this heavy," Jaune explained a bit too quickly. "I-it's a steep learning curve, I guess."

"It's not an issue if you train properly." Adam looked like he wanted to say more but held back as if remembering who he was talking to. Jaune seemed to mirror Adam's thoughts as he snapped his mouth shut and continued walking in silence.

The house came into view not soon after. Adam was hesitant to get any closer, but before he could let her down, Ruby flew out of the front door in a blur of rose petals.

"She's a friend too–"

"Weiss! Don't you ever disappear like this again!" Ruby stopped right in front of them. Guilt punched her gut at the sight of Ruby's puffy eyes. "I thought something bad happened!"

Weiss profusely apologised to her and provided a toned-down version of what happened last night. After Ruby was satisfied with her story about having nightmares, she finally noticed Adam.

"It's him isn't it?" Ruby gasped, eyes wide with awe.

"Yeah." Weiss cringed at how dumbstruck Ruby was acting. Why couldn't her friends act normal for once?

"Wow! This is sudden. Um…I'm Ruby, leader of team RWBY."

"You're the leader?" Adam didn't bother hiding his surprise. Ruby laughed it off, not upset by his reaction.

"Do you um…want to stay for breakfast or something? We have coffee and a lot of pancakes right now."

"I…what?"

"If pancakes aren't your thing, we also have waffles. Um…we have some toast left, but it might be gone by now…"

"She's not joking about inviting you to breakfast," Weiss whispered as Ruby rambled about their food choices.

"I…don't even know what to say," he muttered. "Why is she so generous? I don't even know her."

"That's just who she is."

"Sooo…you want to eat with us?" Ruby asked again.

"No thanks. I uh…appreciate the offer." He shrunk away from Ruby. To Weiss, he added, "Since so many of your friends are here, I think it's safe to let you down."

Weiss shivered when her feet met the cold pavement. She was about to shrug off his coat when he caught her hand.

"Keep it with you," he insisted. "Consider it a good luck charm for today."

Her throat constricted at the reminder of her upcoming task.

"What about you?" Weiss asked in an attempt to distract herself. "Are you still heading to Atlas?"

"Yeah, I'm going to sneak on one of the cargo ships."

"That sounds risky." Jaune frowned. "Blake told us it's difficult to sneak past Atlas security."

"It's not like I haven't done it before."

"You could come with us," Ruby offered shyly. "We don't know each other very well yet, but you mean a lot to Weiss, and I'd be happy to have you with us."

"I appreciate your offer, but I prefer to work alone," he turned her down politely.

Weiss had a feeling he'd reject the offer, but it didn't make her feel any better to hear he was planning to sneak into Atlas.

What if something went wrong and she couldn't contact him? What if they caught him and threw him in jail? Would she be able to convince Ironwood to set him free?

"Please be careful," Weiss said before he could leave. "I know you've had experience doing this sort of thing before, but you don't have to work alone. There's a lot of people like Sapphire out there."

"Thanks, Weiss, but I'm not the one you guys should worry about today." He smiled kindly. "Keep your head up and remember what we talked about. I'm only a call away if you need me."

Weiss couldn't keep still during breakfast, let alone stomach anything. Ruby urged her to eat something before heading out, but her stomach wasn't agreeing with the food. It all tasted like cardboard. Even her coffee lacked any flavour.

The table was heavy with tension. Blake didn't even tease her for staying overnight with Adam, and Yang set aside her animosity to sit by her side in support.

Finally, the dreaded hour was upon them. Qrow led the way with Weiss trailing behind him. Her backpack weighed on her shoulders like bricks. Ruby held her hand when the Military Base came into view. Weiss regretted eating so much earlier when the dreaded iron doors slid open.

Cordovin directed her sneer at Blake before asking what they wanted. Qrow stepped in and did all the talking for them. He didn't stop when Cordovin scoffed at his request to go with Weiss.

"We are fully capable of escorting Miss Schnee home, Mr Branwen," Cordovin explained. Seeing Qrow's credentials promoted him from a questionable individual to Mr Branwen.

"I'm sure you can protect her just fine, Commander. James wouldn't have appointed you as Argus' commander if you weren't qualified," Qrow added. Cordovin perked up at the mention of Ironwood's approval. "But I'm sure you understand it's always better to be overprepared than underprepared. Miss Schnee would feel most comfortable with an extra pair of hands on deck."

"He's right." Weiss nodded along. "I-I completely trust your team, but I'd feel more comfortable if he came with us. I'll even send a good word for you to General Ironwood."

A small grin stretched on Cordovin's face at the mention of getting into Ironwood's good graces. Still, she pretended to mull over their request.

"Very well, but I assure you we won't be needing any extra hands on deck," Cordovin finally relented. "Let's go then! Oh, and be sure to let your Father know we were delighted to take you back and…"

She didn't bother to see if Weiss was following her into the base.

Ruby's hand squeezed Weiss' so hard it hurt, but she didn't care when her terror turned her blood to ice.

"I'll go ahead, kid," Qrow offered gently. "Take your time."

Ruby opened her mouth to say something, but Qrow left before she could get a single word out.

"It's going to be okay," Blake said, taking her other hand. "We're going to be with you as soon as we can."

"We're not going to abandon you, Weiss," Ruby promised. "There's no way we will."

Weiss was completely speechless when all her friends closed in on her with a breathtaking group hug. Yang even whispered something about beating up whoever made her so frightened to go home.

Adam was right. She wasn't alone anymore.

Cordovin couldn't stop talking about herself. From the moment they boarded the airship to the moment Atlas came into view, she kept bragging about her credentials as one of Atlas' best Huntress. Weiss tuned out her pointless monologue as Qrow did all the talking for her.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the Schnee Manor. Weiss wasn't sure what to expect once they landed. Father wasn't stupid enough to hit her with people watching, but she still remembered the complacent guards that did nothing when she screamed for help all those years ago.

She hugged Adam's coat closer to her body. It smelled like him. He felt so much closer to her despite the physical distance separating them.

Weiss felt like she was heading towards her execution when the airship finally landed. Cordovin went out first, excitedly greeting Father who was waiting on the other side.

With one last deep breath, she stepped out to meet Father.

He was the same as she remembered. From the spotless white suit to the grey wedding ring he wore for show, nothing about him indicated her disappearance had taken any toll on him.

Father didn't acknowledge her when she approached, choosing instead to praise Cordovin as if her towering ego needed to grow any bigger. He only noticed her when she was standing right in front of him.

"Sweetheart, it's good to see you." Father's jaw tensed as he studied the oversized coat draped over her shoulders. Weiss swallowed the bile rising in her throat and forced herself to curtsey.

"Father," she greeted him politely.

"I'm glad Atlas Military has taken good care of you. I'll be sending my thanks to General Ironwood."

"If it's not too much trouble, Mr Schnee, can you mention my troops were responsible for her journey back home," Cordovin said with an uncharacteristically meek grin.

"Of course, I'll make sure he knows how well you've taken care of my daughter. I'm sure that's to be expected from one of Atlas' finest Operatives."

Cordovin beamed as if he'd handed her a million dollars. Weiss waited until Cordovin had returned to the airship before speaking to him.

"I need to contact Winter." She shivered when he smiled tightly at her.

"Is that any way to greet me after running off like that? Do you have any idea how frightened your dear mother was when she found out?"

Weiss could already picture the dozens of new wine bottles scattered on Mother's bedroom floor. It wasn't like Mother didn't normally binge drink over the tiniest problem, though.

"I'm sorry, Father." She forced herself to bow her head. "It's an emergency. We need to contact–"

"We?" Father finally acknowledged Qrow, who had been eerily quiet the entire time.

"Qrow Branwen, certified Huntsman." He showed Father his license. "Weiss and I are here to contact James for work-related reasons."

"My daughter has just come home after recklessly running off. I'm sure you understand my reluctance to let her go."

Weiss felt like someone had plunged her headfirst into ice water when Father's hand latched onto her shoulder. He was using the same hand that cut her face.

"I believe your daughter is of age, Mr Schnee. Don't you think it's a bit juvenile to ground an adult woman?" Qrow asked.

Father laughed humourlessly. Qrow responded with a mocking grin of his own.

"I mean no disrespect, but you shouldn't tell other people how to raise their kids, Mr Branwen. When children misbehave, it's only fair for their parents to correct that behaviour. Even adult children should respect that."

He gave Weiss' shoulder a rough pat - a warning of what was to come once they were alone.

Weiss squeezed her eyes shut when the world went red for a second. She swallowed down a whimper and held onto Adam's coat like a lifeline.

"It's not a crime for an adult to leave her house without permission. Sure, she could've communicated a little better, but isn't it a bit extreme to put her under house arrest?"

"My daughter has requested to come home. You have no right to force her to leave for some silly mission."

"That's completely understandable, and I'd be glad to stay with her until she's ready to go again. I needed to make some calls anyway."

"You plan on staying?" Father looked incredulous.

"We are here for official business. I'm sure you remember Weiss is training to be a Huntress."

"She's just a student–"

"And I'm a teacher," Qrow cut him off curtly. "We can stand here and chat all day, Mr Schnee, but I'm sure you're a busy man. We'll be out of your hair once we get our business sorted out."

No one ever cut Father off and ordered him around without getting a verbal lashing. Father's hand gripped her shoulder like a vice. She clenched her teeth, not daring to make a single sound.

"I'm a good friend of James. He's expecting to hear from me sometime today," Qrow added as an afterthought. "It's rude to keep him waiting."

Father looked ready to give Qrow a piece of his mind when he became very interested in the sword he carried.

"Very well. Let me show you to the Library."

Weiss stumbled forward as Father dragged her along by the shoulder. Her instincts screamed at her to push him away, fight back – do anything to get his hand off her. Her body wouldn't listen. She was once again at his mercy.

"So, you've decided to crawl back with a new attitude," he whispered to her. "We're going to have a long chat about your little stunt later, sweetheart."

She could draw her sword and get him away in an instant. She was a Huntress for gods' sake! Her Semblance alone could render him useless, but her hand shook so badly she couldn't get a proper grip on her sword.

Adam had told her it wasn't shameful to let her past still scare her, but right now, she wished she was strong enough to overcome it.

Qrow was suddenly on her other side. Father grunted in annoyance and picked up his walking pace. Qrow matched it so he was never out of earshot. The doors shut behind them with a foreboding thud.

Thanks to MajorBrony95, Gleaming Onyx, and GhostHaloRWBY for the reviews!

To answer GhostHaloRWBY's question: no.

I'm pretty excited and nervous to finally share the new content! It's wild to think we've reached the final act already. This year is going by wayyyy too fast.

Take care and I'll see you all next week :)