RWBY: A Thorn in My Heart

Chapter 16: Stubbornness

Yang's head head ached as she awoke from her nap. All those hours of listening to her nephew scream for his mom wore her out, but she knew who the boy got his high-pitched voice from. His mother was giving off her own right now that made Yang's ears ache worse than her head.

"Hurry! We got to find it quick!" Ruby yelled, panic fueling her tone as her mind raced. Her son was crying non-stop the last half hour and Yang knew why.

"Take it down a notch sis, his squeaky ball is much less annoying then his crying or your screaming." Yang groaned as she got out of bed in a wobbly fashion. Ruby glared back at her in frustration. Yang sheepishly stepped away from her, telling her sister was in a foul mood.

"We are going home soon and I refuse to leave without the one thing that keeps him calm when I am not around!" she yelled.

Yang curled up in a ball sheepishly as she became comically depressed over the issue. Not only did she feel like crap whenever Ruby got mad at her, but she remembered leaving Thorn alone for a bit to wash spit up on her hands while playing with him. When she got back she noticed the ball missing and Thorn crying for it. Blake told her dog faunus she grew up with usually liked ball sports so she could tell why Thorn loved balls so much. Yang felt awful her negligence brought on this situation, before realizing Ruby just declared their trip over.

"What do you mean were…." Yang began to question.

Before her answer could be give she was knocked aside by Blake, or rather one of her many new shadow clones who were darting around looking for the ball. She felt dizzy as she tried to collect herself before noticing one clone perk her ears up.

"Found it! It was under the couch, he must have threw it under there." The Blake clone said as she passed it on to Ruby before dissipating. Thorn ceased his crying as he giggled while gripping the soft ball. He began to teeth on it as Ruby gave a huge sigh of relief. Yang gave one herself as she saw the glare on Ruby's face fade.

"Okay then, you can play in your crib while mommy packs up." She said to her son lovingly.

Yang saw Ruby place Thorn in his crib before approaching her.

"So why are we leaving, we've only been here a few days?" Yang asked confused. The whole point of this vacation was to give her sister a break from school and recuperate after her mental collapse. Yang soon felt a sharp chill down her back as she turned and saw Blake giving an icy glare worse than Ruby's.

For Blake this was a natural response. Yang had been dense to the fact Ruby suffered an assassination attempt, her son was kidnapped, and she has been forced to fight for her life constantly.

"How was this a great vacation at all?" she coldly questioned her partner.

Yang stood silent as she realized what Blake was implying. It certainly might be better to stay home with dad and let Ruby relax there. Soon a wonderful response popped into the blond brawlers head.

"Well, my sister got herself a cute girlfriend. I can't say it was all bad right?" she said in a teasing manner. Blake blushed a little before grinning. She had to admit it was a silver lining becoming the lover of the silver leader she admired so much. Ruby, having put her son down, soon decided to answer her sister at last.

"It has been an "eventful" week, but I think we should finish our vacation at dad's place. He's totally been worried sick and I feel time with our family is more important." She replied. Yang's eyes widen in shock as she realized he spent the past 2 days since the Atlas fight at home so Raven could transport them back home. He was surely losing his mind in panic over his daughter's health, despite hearing Ruby had recovered quickly. Yang's panic faded as she noticed her sister's previously broken hand all healed. Apparently, Ruby found out her evolved semblance allowed her not only control over plants, but also granted her accelerated healing. Her body no longer needed bandages and her stomach barely had a scar from Tyrian's stab wound to everyone's joy. Yang shuddered at the thought of anything worse happening to Ruby after all her torment. So she decided then and there to accept her sisters wish to go home.

"Well then, I better start packing." Yang said as she returned to her guest room to do just that.

Sun and Weiss then came into the room so Ruby informed them she was planning to go home. Weiss was elated and Sun had mixed feelings. He liked being in his home, but that made him supportive of the decision as he could tell Ruby wanted a comfortable space.

"The sooner we get out of here the better." Weiss said bitterly, still having a tear in one eye that was picked up by Blake. She could sense some deep negativity from her teammate.

"What's wrong Weiss?" Blake asked softy. But she could guess what it was. Weiss was almost raped during the last mission after all. Blake and her friends experienced first hand what the actual experience did to Ruby, how it shattered her soul and left her a shell of her former self a year ago. Ruby frowned as she also recalled this, having saw the attack from Salem. She and Blake honestly didn't feel surprised by the Heiress behavior or next response.

"I can't stand being around this many "people" anymore, I want a break from them!" she said agitated. Blake could tell she meant faunus and truthfully felt the same rage towards them as Weiss. She always felt shame how low her own people could stoop since finding out the White Fang tormented poor Ruby and one knocked her up. Even though she usually got into fierce arguments with Weiss over these issues, this was one time she felt Weiss had a right to be uneasy around them. Blake was brought out of this self-deprecation by the surprising sight of Ruby running up and hugging Weiss. Though she didn't know at first why she was surprised, Ruby was always sweet and encouraging, but a sense of bitterness formed in Blake's gut as she frowned.

"O-Okay Ruby I think Weiss might need some space." Blake hesitantly stated. She was really starting to get jealous over her girlfriend hugging another girl and Weiss returning the hug intensely as she rubbed Ruby's head tenderly further aggravated her. Weiss was Ruby's partner and it did seem like to Sun, who was grinning to Blake's annoyance, that perhaps Weiss had more than just trust in Ruby. Ruby was starting to find it hard to breath, as Weiss gripped her further in hug, but she couldn't release Ruby now, she needed the comfort.

"I get if now, what it's like being looked at by them, t-touched by those filthy hands. It makes you want to shower so much, but water isn't hot enough!" Weiss tearfully stated. Ruby couldn't help form a tear in her eye as she understood Weiss's feelings all too well. It was why she left Beacon in the first place and how agonizing her first 6 months of pregnancy felt. Sun and Blake instantly ran over to join the hug as the two girls collapsed to the floor.

"It's okay your safe now, they can't hurt either of you again." Sun said in a soft tone. He only said what he felt would give them enough closure to get by for now and it worked. As soon as the hug broke off Weiss and Ruby decided to pack up faster. Ruby had offered Blake and Weiss to stay at her father's place for some vacation time.

"Are you sure your dad's fine with that?" Blake questioned, she had felt embarrassed from this, recalling she asked her parents to house 11 people, but was simply worried for him as she knew the father was anxious from nearly losing his family and might not be in the mood for guests.

"Well, he better be after all I got to introduce my girlfriend to him right?!" Ruby said teasingly, causing Blake to perk her ears up. It always made her feel embarrassed but happy when Ruby was happy to acknowledge their relationship. She then gave a jealous glare to an equally irritated looking Weiss. She wasn't sure if it was faunus related or Ruby related where that look came from but she was gonna talk with the heiress later that was for sure.

"Okay then, lets finish packing up, Sun go tell Raven, Qrow and Jaune's team the news." She asked her friend who instantly darted out to do just that.

Blake packed up her suitcase then went to see her father in the living room to give one last goodbye hug to him. He frowned as he returned the hug, he was sad to see her go so soon.

"Don't be a stranger anymore, come back anytime." He said softly. Blake smiled warmly before noticing a stranger in their living room. A chameleon faunus woman.

"Speaking of stranger, who is that woman?" she asked.

Ghira frowned again as he struggled to blurt out these words.

"This is, Llia's mother Leia. She said she wanted to meet you specifically" Ghira said.

Blake let her cat ears down. Ghira could tell she was clearly uneasy being around the mother of his daughter's friend who betrayed her. Leia decided to break the wave of silence to not drag things on.
"Hello Blake, its really nice to meet you, and I mean that." Leia said. Her tones showing some worry as she could sense what the others were thinking. Blake and Ghira were instantly snapped out of their sour mood by shock from seeing Leia quickly bow and get on the floor.

"I know what my daughter did to you both was…. Awful. I never meant to raise a k-killer, please forgive me!" she begged, praying for forgiveness while choking on her words.

Dread infected Blake's heart as she heard these words. She didn't know how to react to this woman's act of apology. Anger, guilt, pity, these were the many feeling flooding her mind as she processed this action. Her father looked on surprised, but saw his daughter's uncertainty and decided to press the issue.

"Why do you feel sorry for what Llia did? She made her choices, you need not blame yourself for her folly." Ghira asserted in a stern but empathetic tone.

"B-But I raised her. After she lost her father in a dust mine collapse at the Schnee Company, all I did was complain. Complain about humans causing it, complain about him not being around anymore, and worst complained about having to raise a child alone!". She yelled in grief. Ghira frowned as he heard this, he had felt similar when atlas police murdered his wife and left him alone to raise Blake. It was part of the reason he married Khan, to give her a loving mother figure. "Look how that turned out." He thought to himself. He honestly couldn't blame this woman for what Llia did, he would be a hypocrite then. He raised his head in surprise and anxiety as Blake approached the kneeling woman, he was certain things were gonna get ugly.

Blake merely knelt down slowly and grasped the shoulders of the woman and shook her. She saw how self-deprecating this woman was, after all, Blake felt that way many times as well. She remembered her father snapped sense into her earlier this way and knew she had to be this woman's guide as well.

"Listen to me! You made your choices and so did Llia! You might share some blame but are you just gonna wallow in misery forever then!?" Blake yelled as she shook Leia. Leia stood their in shock, tears still flooding her eyes.

"It was my…" she started to say.

"Then stop apologizing! Being sorry for yourself changes nothing, believe me I know." Blake retorted. She remembered running away from home, the White Fang, and her team because of fear and anger towards humans and her own inadequacy. It only brought danger to herself and others many times and she couldn't let Leia walk down that path anymore.

"If anyone is to blame for what happened with Llia its me. I wallowed in misery and ignored her just like you did. We both set her down that path, but its over now. We have to move on, remember good times too and try to make the best of life with whom we still have." Blake lectured Leia, who merely glared at her somberly.

"But, I don't have anyone left in my life." She said, earning a somber look from Blake.

"You still have your brethren, you still have me. I want to help cease this rift between Faunus and humans so we can have more friends and family. It won't replace those we lost, but your story can help us teach others the folly of hatred and self-deprecation." Ghira said, offering her his hand up, which she took after a moment of hesitation.

"You really would accept me?" Leia asked confused. Blake could tell she still felt guilt.

"I could never ignore a person in need again." Ghira said, he had already done that with the White Fang years ago and was determined not to do so again. Leia said nothing, merely crying harder and hugging him as she sniffled into his chest. Blake looked on with pride, she was happy her father was successful in helping their new friend.

After Leia finally collected herself and went home, the heroes finished gathering their things and prepared to have Raven open her portal to do the same.

"Your all welcome back anytime." Ghira said as he saw them off.

"Thanks but next time we won't crush half the town." Qrow said awkwardly. He acknowledged their presence surly left a mess around, but Ghira merely laughed it off.

As Blake was about to pass through the portal, she turned back to see her home out the window and couldn't help but feel nostalgic. A part of her wanted to stay, but the soft hand the grasped hers instantly made this feeling fade as warmth filled her heart to replace it.

"Let's go home Blake." Ruby lovingly said.

"Yeah lets." Blake softly replied with a smile. She felt home now was wherever she was as long as Ruby was with her.

Ruby's house

Taiyang paced around his houses living room, his nerves making his body feel like it was on fire.

"What the hell Raven, you said you'd keep me updated!" he groaned. After the battle she had sent him home to make sure he could be the anchor to get Ruby home soon, but he was irritated things were taking so long. He wanted to see her now.

As if fate heard his thoughts, a portal opened up in the living room. Tai gulped as he felt anxious. After all, the last time the portal opened his brother in law came through alone with his daughter's blood on his face. He winced as Team JNPR, Sun, and Qrow came through first, but his anxiousness faded slightly when seeing they had a positive look on their faces. It gave him hope that nothing bad had happened. He was further delighted to see his wife pushing a sleeping Thorn in his stroller. His grandson was always so adorable and seeing him cuddle his ball and bear made his heart melt. He soon was ecstatic to finally see his daughter, fully healed, walking out last with Blake holding her hand.

"Ruby! Your okay!" he yelled as he ran and hugged his daughter and Blake in a vice like hug.

"G-Good to…see you… too dad" Ruby said gasping for air, causing a shocked Tai to release his hug out of embarrassment.

"Sorry, I forgot your still recovering" he said.

"Nope. I am all better now, barely a scar." Ruby retorted as she showed her delighted father her healed hand and stomach (which had just a small pink bump).

Tai took notice of something else, Blake hadn't released Ruby's hand. Nora didn't have much tact and decided to hint the elephant in the room.

"Soooooo, you gonna tell him or what?" she said giddy. Ren shook his head while Pyrrah and Jaune pressed their eyes with their fingers. They were annoyed Nora was so insensitive.

"Tell me what?" Tai asked.

Ruby and Blake looked at each and took a deep breath as they smiled, excited and nervous to tell him.

"Dad, me and Blake…" she started

"Are seeing each other now." Blake finished.

Tai merely smiled as he hugged them again, though less hard to avoid a potential beat down from them. He was overjoyed his daughter found someone to love it didn't matter to him it was another girl. He then looked at Thorn sleeping in his stroller again and then frowned.

"What's wrong dad?" Ruby asked taking noticed of her father's sudden change in behavior.

"Ruby, if you two are really serious, then I need to ask you something that's not going to be easy to hear." He said.

Ruby and Blake frowned as they formed a worried face. Raven and Qrow decided the 3 need time alone and motioned the others to go outside with them. As they walked outside to enjoy the beautiful garden and forest before them, they were startled by a yell from Ruby.

"No way!" She screamed.

Beacon

Ozpin's desk shattered from the weight of a fist charged by lightning dust from Hazel. Ozpin took a few deep breaths, he was nervous. A few more inches and the fist would have crushed his head instead of the desk. He barely had the time to process that possibility before ducking his head to avoid another first, this time from Emerald. He was clearly having trouble avoiding two powerful opponents at once, but he knew the real danger was hazel.

"What's wrong Oz, too scared to fight me!?" The older man roared. But Ozpin didn't budge his poker face, he knew Hazel was trying to goad him into a reckless charge. Hazel's semblance allowed him to negate all physical pain, hence why he could overdose on Dust to power his already powerful arms up. One strike from those hands would crush Ozpin's head like a grape. But Ozpin had a plan with dust in mind as well.
"I'm no brawler, you might remember I'm more of a magician." Ozpin snarked, gathering Hazel's attention. He knew what his old teammate was up to.

"You really do got a death wish do you?" he asked.

"Question is do you?" Ozpin retorted as he charged his cane. In its core held dust and a special power few in the world ever possessed, Magic.

Unlike semblences, which is unique to an individual, Magic could be used by anyone if they could handle absorbing it into their bodies. It was a rare energy hidden in the deepest and most dangerous dust minds of the world that few dared to travel. Ozpin may not be bulky like Hazel or have an affinity for it like the grim witch Salem did, but he found a way.

"Why do you think I kept this cane all these years despite the pain it brought me?" Ozpin asked Hazel, who held an arm up to Emerald to stay back, he knew what Ozpin was implying.

"You think you felt pain?! When I was the one who lost his daughter because of you!" Hazel roared.

Ozpin remembered that day vividly, the day Gretchan died on their last mission together.

Ozpin had just graduated from Beacon and earned his license. He felt confidant and excited to lead a mission for the first time. He was paired with Hazel, Salem, and their daughter Gretchan who was a student at Beacon at the time. They were investigating a dust mine where a large number of miners deaths there. It was their Ozpin and Salem found the magic source they desired. A dust Crystal filled with it. Ozpin and Salem had felt the power within it and wanted it more than anything. As they absorbed it into a staff that would become Ozpin's cane and Salem's arm, a cave-in happened.

Salem and Hazel were separated from Ozpin and Gretchan who came face to face with the source of the collapse and those workers deaths. A large twin-headed serpent grim. He could never forget the sight of that monster, it was the one that injured his leg and required a cane that day, and it was the one that killed Gretchan too.

"I admit I was overconfident, but Gretchan's death was…" Ozpin began before a scream from Hazel cut him off.

"Don't bullshit me, I saw you stab Gretchan, you killed her it was no accident!" he screamed.

Ozpin sighed. He knew telling Hazel the truth of what happened was pointless. He was too deep in rage to hear him out and he stubbornly believed what he saw was the truth.

"Like that girl over there your stuck in you own illusions. Perhaps its time I gave you a dose of reality." Ozpin said while pointing his cane towards Emerald. Her glowing red eyes winced in fear as she realized his cane had fully charged. Ozpin was just goading them to buy time.

Ozpin knew the time was now, a chance to blow the office with them to kingdom come or at least alert his staff to the battle with the explosion. A mirage couldn't shield their ears after all. With that thought he pulled the trigger and released the magic burst stored in his cane. His office was enveloped in a green flash.

Meanwhile at Ruby's home….

"Ruby, I want you to quit being a huntress." Tai coldy stated. He ignored the screams of surprise from his daughter who was distraught at such a request.

"Why?! Why do you want me to give up my dream?!" Ruby yelled. For her it was the appropriate response. How could her father ask her to give up when being a huntress was her childhood dream.

"Because, Blake and I can handle hunstman duties and support you taking care of your son as a mother should. You don't have to keep fighting anymore." He said sternly. He then pointed outside the window where Ruby and Blake noticed a crying thorn in Raven's arms. "You're a mother and need to focus on raising Thorn first." he said.

"I-I can be both, I even saved the world while he was in my stomach you know." She stuttered in response, Blake could tell Ruby was getting nervous from the pressure.

"Yeah and it almost killed you and him. Just like you almost got killed a bunch of times this week." Tai yelled. He was clearly growing agitated, but Blake could tell it was just out of care for his daughter's health. She felt both happy he was so quickly accepting of there relationship as well as angry he was trying to force Ruby to quit her dreams.

"If someone wants me dead, they'll attack me wherever I go, even if I quit training at school and my dream that won't change." Ruby retorted. Blake felt her stomach knot from this retort. Like Tai said, Ruby certainly had some close calls recently.

Tai knew Ruby was right deep down, but he felt her staying at home with him would be the safest option. He could keep an eye on her and fight those monsters that tried to take her from him, just like the ones who took Summer from him. Tai's heart sank as he resorted to using his trump card for the argument, despite knowing it was a low blow.

"I don't want what happened to your mom to happen to you, think about Thorn growing up without a mother." He said.

Ruby's eyes filled with rage and tears at the mention of her mother. That was the final straw as she punched her father in the gut so hard her fist almost went through him, shocking Blake who held her hand over her mouth.

"How dare you use mom as a weapon and pretend your looking for me and Thorn when your just thinking of yourself!" she screamed before petal bursting outside and away from her friends and Yang, who looked shocked or depressed as they could hear the conversation quite well.

"Ruby!" Yang yelled as she tried to run after her before Weiss grabbed her arm. She merely gave the blond brawler a defiant head shake, signifying Yang needed to give Ruby her space.

Raven looked back in the house while cradling a crying Thorn and trying to comfort the infant. Tai lowered his head in shame as he saw her anger in that glare, knowing he crossed the line.

Ruby breathed heavily as she flew by the forest. Her heart raced from stress but she didn't care. She had to see someone important that could understand her right now. She ended her semblance and collapsed near a hill, scattering rose petals all around. She panted heavily as she struggled to raise her head up and see the person she needed. She saw a tombstone at the edge of the hill with a rose insignia on it.

"Hey mom" Ruby gasped, still catching her breath.

Ruby remembered the night she came her to bleed her aching heart out to her mother after her rape. She felt lost, alone, angry and confused. She wasn't sure how she was gonna be a mother, let alone if live with herself after how weak and helpless she was feeling. It was no different now, she was pondering now something hard.

"Mom, Dad thinks I should give up being a huntress and be a full-time mom. I'm… I'm starting to wonder if I should." She hesitantly admitted to her mom's grave. She remembered her mother's spirit being able to talk to her on a full moon because of their magical silver eyes. She had always thought her mom was bad-ass and was now even more that she could defy death to a degree. She also remembered her warm hug as her spirit gave her guidance and strength to give birth despite the hardship.

"I don't want to quite, and I don't blame you, but… I am worried that he may be right and I'll leave my son behind too." She said sorrowfully. She never really blamed mom for dying, but she always felt pain for not having her in her life anymore. She was afraid of putting Thorn through the same ordeal.

"Mom, you could do it, be a mom and a huntress. But I'm worried, after all these attacks on me that I don't have the strength to be the huntress, the hero my family needs to survive. I fear I'll get killed and hurt them, that I'll hurt you by not being the successor to your legacy you deserve." Ruby cried as she stared at the tombstone and looked up at the bright sky. She wished now more than ever it were nighttime so she could speak with her.

"Mom! I can't wait for a full moon Mom, say something mom please why won't you come! She cried as she collapsed on the grave and begged her mother to appear. She felt more lost than ever.

"Maybe thats why she sent me." Ruby looked up as she heard this nurturing voice and leaves rustle as the sounds of footsteps from a single person approached her from behind. She quickly turned her head around and saw Blake somberly approach her.

"Ruby, I need to tell you something." She said softly.

Atlas Schnee Dust warehouse

"Oz-Ozpin come in already damnit." Adam groaned as he clenched his communicator, coughing up blood.

Adam was lying on the ground in the warehouse, his gun shattered and his torso covered in cuts that slowly oozed blood. He was clearly in need of a doctor and didn't know how he ended up in this situation. One minute he snuck into the warehouse to see a cloaked figure give money to the guard as White Fang goons carried weapon crates and dust crates into a portal. Next thing he knows, he gets slashed all over his body by a strange white light and plops to the ground on his back.

The source of this attack was a white sword from the cloaked person who casually walked over and stepped on Adam's chest, making it hard to breath. He looked up and saw a person with white hair and thin body glaring down on him, their face was dark from the cloak but he could still make out them grinning.

"So it was you after all." Adam sighed as he recognized the person who bested him. It was the same one who branded his face a few years ago.

Before he could even utter this person's name in contempt, he felt a blade pass through his stomach. He groaned in agony, but couldn't find the strength to even grasp his stomach, everything hurt as well.

"Son of a.. If only I had my blade" he thought to himself. His semblance only worked if he had his sword, he was certain this would have changed everything. That was the last thought that ran through his head before everything went black.

The cloaked person chuckled as they withdrew the sword and splattered his blood on the floor, wiping it off the blade with a wet cloth before casually entering the portal, leaving Adam to die.

Will Adam die? Will Beacon survive Hazel's attack? Did Ozpin really murder Gretchan? What will Ruby's answer be? Find out next time in Ch 17: Life