The wealthiest and most powerful woman on Remnant lay dying in bed of old age. Weiss Schnee was ninety-seven years old, but swore her eight years of being a huntress and her partner's babysitter deserved to count double, pushing her well over a century.

Her mind was still as sharp as it'd ever been, or so she claimed, but her body was beyond its breaking point, taking all that remained of her dignity with it. She couldn't get out of bed to use the restroom without assistance from a nurse, she had to be bathed in bed, and some days even needed help feeding herself.

She spent her long days lying in bed remembering the past, repeating it to anyone willing to indulge her. It had taken Weiss almost her entire life but she eventually learned to look back fondly at her childhood, and let go of her anger and resentment toward her father. She often thought back to courting her husband and the children he'd fathered. He was gone, as was their second eldest daughter, but they remained alive and well in her memories, and were currently waiting for her. They wouldn't be waiting much longer.

More than anyone, Weiss Schnee thought of her partner who she hadn't seen in nearly seventy years. She'd died on a mission before her thirtieth birthday just as everyone knew she always would. Not a day went by that Weiss didn't cry thinking about her. The day Ruby Rose died, a part of Weiss Schnee died with her. The rest of her was just slow to catch up.

Weiss had been the final living member of her team for over a quarter of a century. It hadn't been much of a surprise, and although in their younger years Team RWBY had joked about there needing to be a 'reward' for the last one living, the unofficial death pool had never been particularly funny to Weiss. She had known from the very beginning that she'd spend her final years alone and broken-hearted, and her instincts were rarely if ever wrong.

'Well, maybe not entirely alone,' said a youthful voice in the back of her mind.

After her kids were grown and both her husband and partner passed unexpectedly, Yang had decided to see the world one final time, and go out in a blaze of glory at age sixty-nine. Personal accounts stated that Yang had died laughing while taking thousands of Grimm with her. It had made the news and eventually the textbooks, and she was now a household name with her birthday a national holiday in Vale, mostly celebrated by getting drunk and shooting off fireworks.

It was the kind of death only Yang Xiao Long was worthy of, and she would've approved of the staggering amount of debauchery that came around every July.

How Blake died was more of a mystery, though not for lack of trying on Weiss' part. Some said it had been a Grimm, others a former member of the White Fang taking revenge, and others a human supremacist assassinating one of the most influential faunus to ever live. Since Weiss couldn't be sure, she'd covered all of her bases and removed anyone and everyone that might've played a part in her murder.

Weiss was the lone survivor, and making sure the world was a better place had fallen on her shoulders in the wake of her team's absence. She did what she could to honor them and make the world more like how they envisioned it even if she herself didn't necessarily share that vision, and laid awake most nights wondering if they were proud of her.

It didn't much matter anymore. She'd soon find out. Today was the day Weiss Schnee was going to die. More importantly, today was the day Team RWBY was going to finally reunite after nearly seventy years apart.

'It's gonna be the best day ever!' the voice exclaimed.

Weiss smiled, wishing the voice would stick around for more than the occasional quip or retort, but it was fitting that her partner would be even more infuriating in death than she was in life.

Despite their long time apart, a part of Ruby's soul still dwelled within Weiss, just as bright and cheerful and wonderful as the day they met. Ever since their first soul dive together, Weiss was never truly alone, which was the only reason she hadn't taken her life or allowed herself to die sooner.

Her children were growing old now, and even her grandchildren had children. And if she had lived another six months, she would even have gotten to meet her very first great-great granddaughter.

Weiss hadn't been the kind of loving mother she wished she could've been, but she tried to be a better grandmother and an even better great-grandmother. Ruby had never wanted children, but then again, she'd never given herself the opportunity to fall in love either. It was a shame then that the part of Ruby that lingered within Weiss' soul made such a good mother to children that weren't even her own.

She had said goodbye to her family without actually saying goodbye the day before, but today she'd said those exact words to her faithful nurses, maids, butler, and other servants who waited on her hand and foot, and would mourn for her as much as anyone in the coming days.

It had been said countless times by those that knew her best that Weiss Schnee was as stubborn as they come, and never in her life could she agree more. Today was the eighty year anniversary of Ruby Rose becoming her partner and the formation of Team RWBY. She had stubbornly suffered through month after agonizing month just for today, and she'd do it all over again if she had to.

The Emerald Forest was where she had gotten her first taste of what being a huntress was like, and although by the end of initiation she had stood in front of the entire congregation of Beacon Academy exhausted and covered in a mixture of blood, sweat, and filth, she had barely been able to contain her tears as Ruby Rose became her huntress partner and they stumbled through saying their vows to one another that were meant to last a lifetime.

At the time she could barely tolerate her teammates, had nearly fainted when she saw their tiny dorm room, and had considered accidently killing Ruby no less than seven times that day, but it turned out to be the best day of Weiss' life, and that held true eighty years later.

She glanced at the clock next to her hospital bed and smiled, recalling someone's insane plan to decapitate a Nevermore with a giant slingshot and scythe. "Not much longer now," she rasped.

Holding up Myrtenaster, Weiss chambered a vial of white dust and flicked her wrist, and a figure shrouded in white emerged from a complicated glyph at the foot of her bed.

She stared at the figure with tears in her eyes, out of breath despite the oxygen machine and struggling to remain conscious. "Ruby..."

"What, couldn't wait just a few more minutes?" she laughed.

Ruby's aura still resonated within her partner even after seventy years, allowing Weiss to summon her just like everything else her soul connected with. "Shut up, dolt," she said for the final time, just barely managing it.

The summon nodded and removed the red blanket from atop of Weiss and wrapped it around herself so that she more resembled the real Ruby Rose. It had been her favorite cloak, once belonging to her mother, kept in perfect condition all these years thanks to a variety of Weiss' more complicated glyphs.

Rose petals scattered around them, and the summon crawled into bed with Weiss, snuggling close and wrapping them both in the cloak.

"I love you, Ruby," she whimpered. "I miss you. I miss you so much..."

The summon kissed her on the forehead and helped her get comfortable. "I love you too, Weiss. Now get some rest. You've earned it."

Weiss did as her partner suggested, and after ninety-seven long years, she finally allowed herself to be at peace in her partner's arms. "Till death do us part," she said, finishing her vow from eighty years prior.

Time stood still, or perhaps it passed by in the blink of an eye. Weiss forgot about the hospital bed and her body failing her, as well as all the other indignities and tragedies in her life. When the world finally came to a stop, it was more colorful than she ever remembered or could've ever imagined. Touching the left side of her face, she discovered that not only was the ugly scar she received from childhood gone, but her cybernetic eye had reverted back to its natural state.

She looked down and saw the hands of a young woman again, practically belonging to a child. Everywhere she turned she saw fields of beautiful wild flowers, streets paved in golden bricks leading off to some kind of city in the distance, and running water flowing from the most elegant fountains she had ever seen. Somewhere in the distance she could hear an angelic chorus singing, but it was too far to quite make out the words.

Weiss had been the richest woman on Remnant, and yet all of her wealth combined couldn't have afforded the garden she was currently wandering around in. She wanted to ask where she was but didn't see anyone else around, and deep down already knew. It was home. She was finally home after all these years.

"WEISS!"

She turned around just in time for a red blur to tackle her, and the two rolled down a hill of thornless white roses, laughing and hugging each other tightly until finally coming to a stop.

"RUBY!" she sobbed, burying her face in the crook of her partner's neck. She couldn't form words or even coherent thought, and knowing this, Ruby hugged her close and told her that everything was going to be alright.

"I've missed you so much," Weiss said, repeating herself over and over.

"I know, and I'm sorry for leaving so soon, but it's all better now!"

Weiss stared at the caped-girl who hadn't aged a day since they first met, and hugged her tightly as if afraid of losing her again.

"Hey, Ice Queen," called a playful voice, "what took you so long?"

Weiss looked up and saw a tall blonde standing over them, looking even more radiant than the streets of gold. Beside her was a young woman with dark hair and cat ears atop her head, a wry smile on her face.

"We were starting to think you weren't coming," she laughed.

"Yang! Blake!"

Weiss sobbed and leaped to her feet, still holding onto Ruby to keep her from wandering off, and fell into their awaiting arms. She didn't know how long they stood there hugging, or how long they rolled down the hill together, wild flowers sprouting around them, but she supposed it didn't matter much anymore. They had all the time in the world now. Team RWBY was back together, forever this time.

And they all lived happily-ever-after. Instead of the end, the fairy tale was only just the beginning...

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I've had this story in mind for a while now, and with it being my personal bookend for Team RWBY, it seemed fitting to post it on the day Rooster Teeth shuts down. Regardless of what happens to RWBY, in my personal fanfiction universe, Team RWBY are reunited again in Heaven, together forever where nobody can ever hurt them again.

For whatever reason I've always headcanoned Weiss outliving her teammates, with Ruby dying in the line of duty at a relatively young age (late 20s, early 30s), Blake dying mysteriously in her 40s or 50s, and Yang going out with a bang at age 69 (because Yang). I just imagined for some reason Weiss living well into her 90s, and I chose 97 so that it'd be the 80 year anniversary of the greatest day of her life, which subsequently changed her life for the better.

I hope this story has been of some comfort to you, and despite the somber day and days ahead, that we'll all be able to look back fondly on RWBY and Rooster Teeth for all the joy they've brought into our lives. I began writing fanfiction on December 2, 2014, and I wouldn't be the writer I am today without RWBY, or all of you wonderful readers. I love RWBY, and I hope this story and all the stories that have come before and still to come are a testament to that. Thank you, CRWBY, for blessing us with this wonderful franchise that's so fun to play with, and thank you, Monty Oum, for inspiring me and creating so many beloved characters that we hold dear. I can't wait to thank you in person someday.

The cover image of Team RWBY at the fair belongs to Ein Lee, and was the end card to Episode 12 of "RWBY: Ice Queendom". It just came across as Team RWBY's personal Heaven to me.

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and wonderful readers such as yourself. God bless)