A/N: A one shot of a possible Pyrrha Resurrection theory

Jaune stood at the window of a small bullhead that was heading to Vale. Only a day ago, he was in Mistral celebrating a pyrrhic victory over the White Fang, the Grimm, and Cinder, all of whom attacked Mistral just as they did Vale. Jaune himself confronted Cinder at Haven, and while he was unable to kill her, he defeated her in battle and forced her to retreat, keeping the Relic of Mistral safe from her hands. Jaune shifted at the window and let out a sharp hiss. His hand shot at his left shoulder, which was garbed in bandages and cotton swaps; a burn scar Cinder left him from their battle.

"How are you doing, kid?" Qrow asked Jaune, who was sitting on a cushioned seat and drinking from his flask. "You sure you're up for this? I mean, Oscar warned you about the risks."

"I know, but if there's a chance this could work, I gotta try," Jaune answered him. His right hand trailed to a small pouch on his belt, one that held a chess piece, a knight. The Relic of Choice.

"Ozpin says he wants to make amends for what he did to your friend, Pyrrha," Oscar told Jaune the day after the Battle of Haven. "Now that we've protected the Relic of Creation from Salem, there is a chance you can save Pyrrha."

Jaune was shocked, but he demanded to know more. "What do you mean? What must I do?"

Oscar took Ozpin's cane, and with his guidance, he spun the gears within its guard and a latch opened up, revealing a small knight chess piece inside. "He says that this is the Relic of Choice, and with it, you will be able to go back to the night of the Battle of Beacon to save Pyrrha." He handed Jaune the chess piece. "Ozpin says that while he has made many mistakes over the years, he has corrected some that he deemed worthy of change, but only those that he could change that allowed time to flow as it has."

"What does this mean for Pyrrha?"

"Pyrrha's death atop Beacon Tower was a fixed point; it had to happen so Ruby could emerge as a Silver-Eyed Warrior and wound both Cinder and the Grimm Dragon. If you want to rescue Pyrrha, you will have to save her while ensuring Ruby's Silver Eyes still emerges. Go to Beacon and activate the Relic of Choice while thinking of that night, then when you reach the tower, clench the relic tightly to freeze time for a short moment, and do what you can to save Pyrrha…Ozpin also wants to warn you that…that if you intend to save Pyrrha, someone must die to ensure that Ruby's Silver Eyes emerge…I think you know what that means…"

Jaune bid farewell to his friends, promising all of them that he will return. "No matter what, even if you can't save Pyrrha, you come back to us, got it?" Nora told him, giving him a big bear hug. "I don't wanna lose you."

"You be careful over there, Jaune," said Ren, giving his friend a hug, both him and Nora unaware that he would never return, not in this timeline.

"I know the risks, but if it means saving Pyrrha and changing things, then I'm ready for whatever comes next," Jaune answered Qrow.

Qrow let loose a light chuckle. "Ozpin once told me you're so much like your great-great-grandfather, and I can see it now. Both of you are dumb, courageous, and willing to die for your loved ones." Jaune did not answer back, instead he continued to gaze outside the window as the borders of Vale appeared within view. When the bullhead touched down outside of Beacon Tower, Jaune remained inside while Qrow and a squadron of Atlesian soldiers filed out to quell the nearby Grimm. "It's all clear out here, Jaune!" Qrow called out after a few minutes. Jaune stripped himself of his armor and went straight for the Tower. "See you in another future, kiddo…"

Inside, Jaune found the empty elevator shaft––the same one Pyrrha took the night Beacon was attacked––and began the long climb up. Upon reaching the top, he stepped out onto the floor, still encased in the strange silver ice with the frozen Grimm Dragon above. Jaune slipped the knight chess piece in between his fingers and swallowed hard. "No going back from here on…" he mumbled to himself, knowing that he needs to go all out if he wants to save Pyrrha. Jaune clenched the knight chess piece tightly and concentrated on that terrible night. Take me back to the night Pyrrha died, he thought.

Jaune's vision instantly transformed to greyscale as if he became colorblind. The ice encasing the Grimm Dragon dissolved into nothing and the creature returned to life once more. The bodies of Cinder and Pyrrha formed from thin air and Jaune saw a time-frozen Pyrrha on her knees at Cinder's mercy, who was pointing her glass bow at her. This is it! Jaune suddenly realized. He drew his sword and stood off to the side behind Cinder, ready to catch her by surprise. Color returned to the world and everything began moving again.

"Do you believe in…!" Pyrrha started before she suddenly halted upon seeing Jaune in her peripheral vision. Jaune crouched down, not wanting to draw attention. At that moment, Ruby emerged, flying up from the side of the tower and landing inside. She spotted Jaune and Pyrrha standing still.

No tuning back now! Jaune thought as he rushed forward. Cinder released her arrow aimed straight for Pyrrha's heart when a blur appeared and Jaune was suddenly between them. Her arrow instead found Jaune's lower stomach, plunging into fabric and flesh. Jaune grunted in pain and stumbled, but he did not fall. Tears rushed to Pyrrha's eyes, but the shock kept her from moving. His hand gripped the arrow's shaft and he gave Cinder an angry glare, who was shocked at his suddenly appearance. Cinder growled and materialized another arrow, which she fired into Jaune's right shoulder; again he stumbled, but did not fall. Jaune raced for Cinder with a yell to goad her, and it succeeded. A third arrow was fired, which found itself embedded through Jaune's left breast. His heart. Jaune fell to the floor at last, but he was still alive, just barely.

"…J-Jaune…" Pyrrha whimpered with horror.

"JAUNE!" Ruby screamed. Watching her friend get struck down forced her Silver Eyes to emerge, causing her to unleash its power, enveloping the entire tower in a silver light. Pyrrha and Jaune were blinded by the bright light.

When the light died away, Cinder had disappeared completely, the Grimm Dragon was frozen atop the tower, Ruby was lying unconscious upon the now ice-covered floor, and Jaune and Pyrrha were both unharmed aside from their previous injuries. Pyrrha crawled to Jaune, who was laying upon his back as a blood formed under him. "…Jaune…" Pyrrha sobbed over his dying body. Knowing that she was about to lose the man she loved forced all her sudden confession from her mind.

"…No time…" Jaune wheezed as a puddle of blood slowly formed under him. "…Take my sword and give it to Jaune…" Pyrrha looked confused, but Jaune knew he could not explain in time. He then dropped the knight chess piece into her hands. "…Take this and ensure that Qrow or Glynda get it…" She rapidly nodded her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "…I'm sorry…Pyrrha…I love you…I'm sorry I didn't realize it until after you died…"

"…Huh? I…died?…" Pyrrha was puzzled.

"…Not this time…I changed that…" Jaune let out a long cough. "…Pyrrha…trust Jaune and his abilities…Promise me…" His hand reached for her and she went down to him, pressing her lips to his. The kiss was the same as their first, yet it felt more special for Jaune. Just as her lips left his, Jaune let out a long exhale and passed away. Pyrrha broke into sobs and cradled Jaune's dead body, crying out his name.

Just as Pyrrha took the unique Crocea Mors from Jaune's hip, she heard a loud TAP behind her. Spinning around, she saw Qrow by Ruby's side. Qrow asked what happened, but Pyrrha had no answer. She offered him the Relic of Choice, which surprised him. Qrow marveled upon Jaune's body and let out a sigh. Oz was right about you being so much like Jaundice You're willing to do whatever it takes to save those you love he sighed.

"Qrow, sir…what are we going to do?" Pyrrha whimpered, still holding onto Jaune.

Qrow thought it over silently for a moment. "I'm going to take you and Ruby outside of the Vale walls to where everyone is grouped at camp. You will rest and recover with your friends and I will take Ruby home to Patch for her to recover. As for Jaune…" He stole a glance at his body. No one else must see his body, especially Jaune. "I will give him a proper burial, I promise." Pyrrha nodded and held onto Jaune while Qrow flew off to find Glynda to retrieve a bullhead. When it arrived, Pyrrha was forced to leave Jaune's body behind, despite her protests, but she held onto her broken weapons and the Parallel Crocea Mors.

When the bullhead touched down, Qrow came out with Pyrrha hanging onto his back and an unconscious Ruby cradled in his arms and he took them deep within the Vale Encampment, where Pyrrha reunited with her friends, all of whom were overjoyed to see Pyrrha was alive and well, but Jaune was noticeably absent. Qrow took both her and Ruby to a large tent set up for the wounded, where they were laid upon cots. A nurse came to Pyrrha within a couple minutes and helped remove the arrow shaft lodged in her ankle and patched it up with bandages. Pyrrha did not need to be told that she will likely never be able to walk again without any metal implants or support. Pyrrha shed some tears and curled up into a ball.

"Pyrrha!" called a voice. She glanced up and saw Jaune––the same Jaune she shoved into the rocket locker––at the tent's entrance. He rushed to her side, where he took her into his arms and began to weep. "I was so scared…when I saw that light at the tower…I…" he stuttered. He pulled his face away to look upon her, where he gave her a teary smile. "…but it's fine, because you're okay…You're alive, and that's all that matters…"

Pyrrha sniffed and wiped at her tears, but they refused to stop. "Jaune, is it really you?" was all she could say. She was still confused about the Jaune who died at the tower.

Jaune said nothing, not taking note of her words. Instead, he pressed his lips to hers. Pyrrha was caught off guard, but she quickly accepted his kiss, wringing her arms around his neck while his snaked around her waist. This time, there was more passion behind Jaune's action; there was no sadness or a farewell like before, just pure, unadulterated love. Jaune broke the kiss and the two exhaled onto each other, then he crept to her ear. "I love you, Pyrrha…I wish I could've told you before you kissed me in front of Beacon…"

Pyrrha's tears grew stronger and she began to hiccup. "Can you ever forgive me for what I did?" she whispered with uncertainty.

Jaune gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I can, and I will, but I want you to promise me that you'll trust me from now on, okay? Believe in me as you always have." He cupped her chin and gave her a smile. "You're not invincible, Pyrrha, and there's no shame in admitting it and needing help." She nodded.

"Jaune…someone saved my life up there. He sacrificed his life to save mine. He…he wanted you to have this…" Pyrrha handed him the Parallel Crocea Mors, which he was astonished to see. Jaune drew the blade and marveled upon how perfectly similar it was to his own Crocea Mors. "…The man…was you, I think. I think he came from the future, one where I died at Beacon Tower on this night…" Jaune was shocked, but seeing the Parallel Crocea Mors cemented this as proof.

"It doesn't matter now, all that matters is that you're safe," Jaune told her. He sat down with her and cradled her in his arms. "Whatever comes for us in this new future, we'll face it together. We'll continue to help each other. We'll believe in each other, as we always have." Pyrrha smiled and agreed to that. Suddenly, everything the happened that night seemed to just fade away while Jaune and Pyrrha were together.