Repose

EARLY RELEASE FOR MY HIGH-PLEDGING PATRONS!!

Quick thing I whipped up the day after episode 12 aired. I wrote The Last Stand in order to incorporate R_BY into helping Weiss, but this fic adheres directly to canon events until a certain point. It's loyal to the end of episode 11 but imposes my own ideas on how I think episode 12 should go (in terms of Weiss' predicament, at least). Main focus on Ruby and Weiss (because y'know they ARE partners).

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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														Repose

When Ruby comes to, there's an ache in her shoulder, a reminder of why she'd lost consciousness in the first place.

Immediately the sounds of fighting rush back to her – clashing metal, whizzing bullets, the collisions of fists and kicks. She's aware of a familiar timid voice coming from above her, and recognizes it as Oscar's. She can't comprehend what he's saying right away, but the desperate hand on her back says enough.

A moan slips out as her eyelids slowly lift, blurry shapes and images filling her view. She hears another voice above the din and recognizes it as Nora's. A pair of firm hands support Ruby as she pushes herself up, shaking her head slowly to get ahold of her jumbled senses.

She can't discern what any of them are saying. She can only hear the sounds of fighting, grunting, blasting.

She's expecting to see all of them still fighting after she'd gone down, save for Nora who had run in to cover her.

But that isn't the case at all.

More than half of her friends have already stopped fighting.

And it takes her a long, dreadful moment to comprehend why.

"Weiss...?"

Her voice is small, timid, disbelieving as she tries to make sense of the scene before her.

Weiss is there, lying on the ground with Jaune and Ren beside her.

She isn't moving. At all.

Ruby's heart drops to the pit of her stomach, and yet she can feel her pulse rising high in her throat. A horror unlike any she's ever experienced before shreds through her.

It's different than Pyrrha. Worse than Pyrrha.

This...

This is her own partner.

Weiss.

Whom she'd made eye contact with in the forest back on initiation day, a silent promise that they'd always be there for one another, always have each other's backs, as partners...

And she'd failed.

A crushing numbness grips Ruby as she tries to get up, her eyes fixated on Weiss. Judging by how Jaune has his hands pressed hard on her and by how Ren is purposefully holding her wrist, she can tell it's bad. Very bad.

She doesn't know what that strange glow coming from around Weiss is either. All she knows is she has to get to her.

"Weiss-"

She calls for her again, louder this time, and with Nora's help manages to get to her feet. Her eyes are only on Weiss, unnaturally motionless on the floor, eyes closed.

Ruby runs – dashes across the room in a split second, putting Crescent Rose away as she skids to her knees beside her partner.

Weiss looks even more fragile than usual, even more so than when Ruby had first seen her again, covered in dirt and bruises and on the verge of tears.

This is so much worse.

With shaking hands she takes Weiss', finding her partner's fingers limp. Frantically she looks to the others, voice thick with worry.

"What happened?"

The strange glow is still encompassing Weiss. Her brow is furrowed and her breathing is shallow. Ruby's fingers brush against the pulse in her wrist, finding it very slow.

"What's going on?!"

Jaune looks to Ren, and the latter explains in a calm voice.

"I think she's going to be okay. She seems to be stabilizing."

Ruby almost chokes with relief. She watches as a sudden gasp passes through Weiss' body, and her breathing increases to a more reassuring pace, though she can still hear it trembling. Ruby squeezes her hand, feeling her partner's pulse beating a little more fully beneath her fingertips by the second.

But she can tell Weiss' condition is barely above threatening. What had happened when she herself had been unconscious? To make this seem like 'stable'? How bad had it been...?

She can't bear to think about it right now. All she can do is squeeze her partner's hand a little tighter.

But then a familiar voice sounds from behind her in the form of a grunt.

Ruby whips around to find Yang being unfairly matched by Mercury and Emerald, taking blows left and right. And behind them Oscar is still struggling with Hazel.

Ruby's mind jumps into action as any leader's would. She turns back to the others, releasing Weiss' wrist. She moves Janue's hands away, wanting to alleviate some of the pressure on Weiss' stomach to let her breathe more easily, and also to see the severity of her partner's wound. There's a stain of blood and a tear in her dress, but it doesn't seem to be bleeding badly anymore.

Ruby exhales as she gets to her feet, coaxing Jaune and Ren to do the same.

"Whatever you're doing, don't stop."

"I won't."

"Good." She steals another glance behind herself, then looks back to Ren. "Oscar needs help."

"I'm on it."

"Jaune and Weiss still need cover."

Nora finally steps in beside her own partner, hammer raised.

"No one's gonna touch 'em."

Ruby takes one last look at Weiss, wishing she could stay by her side, but knowing she needs to continue this fight. If Weiss were to wake up and find her dilly-dallying worrying about her instead of helping Yang, Ruby knows she would've gotten scolded. She straightens herself up and draws Crescent Rose once more.

"Okay. Make it happen, RNJR."

And with that she charges off toward her big sister.

Mercury is giving Yang a run for her money when Emerald jumps in for a cowardly attack.

But Ruby's faster. She's always faster.

She throws herself in between right at the final second, blocking the hit with her scythe and sending Emerald staggering back with a hiss. Ruby's eyes bore into the both of them, unblinking, unwavering. From behind she hears Yang getting to her feet.

"Thanks, sis. You okay?"

Ruby lets out a sharp breath from between grit teeth.

"No. I'm angry."

So she let's it fuel her.

She charges, and Yang's right there with her, both of them swinging left and right now that the match is a fair two-on-two. Her presence seems to irk Emerald and Mercury, which only makes Ruby more smug. These two were always cheaters, after all.

With a shout she swings Crescent Rose again, deflecting more of Emerald's slashes. At the same time she manages to fire a round at Mercury to cover Yang. As she does so, Yang darts in to throw a punch at Emerald, sending her opponent back once again.

It's been a long time since the sisters have fought side by side like this.

They don't let up. They just let loose.

And they don't feel bad about who's on the receiving end of their fury.

Emerald and Mercury had both been a part of this. A part of this scheme that had seen many people hurt and many more killed.

Qrow's countless acquaintances.

Penny.

Pyrrha.

And now Weiss.

They aren't going to lose anyone else.

Not if Ruby has anything to say about it.

She leaps high and uses her weapon to balance herself, sending out a few fierce kicks, a trick Yang had taught her back in the day. Emerald staggers back again, cursing under her breath.

"Jeez, Red," she smirks. "It took Cinder hurting your little friend just to get you to fight this hard. That's sad, really."

Ruby pauses only for a brief second to think.

/Cinder did that to Weiss...?/

Good to know.

Everything went back to Cinder.

The fall of Beacon, Penny's death, Pyrrha's death, and now she'd almost killed Weiss too.

Ruby needed to get to Cinder.

But first she'd have to get past these two.

With another yell she twists her blade and swings. Emerald jumps to avoid it but Ruby's already on her heels, leaping high and twisting herself around to land a kick. Emerald stumbles when she lands, but Ruby doesn't give her a second to get her bearings before she's swinging again.

It isn't long before she realizes there are fewer and fewer bullets coming at her. She looks back over her shoulder just briefly to check on Yang.

Her hair and eyes are alight with fire and fury. Like his partner, Mercury is taking more hits than he's landing. Yang's punches come in a heated array of ire, a well-earned display of revenge.

Ruby gradually inches herself back, drawing Emerald closer to the others. She blocks and fires and dodges as per usual, until her shoulder bumps tellingly against Yang's. Her sister takes the cue.

Mercury comes in for his next kick, and this time he aims it at Ruby. But they'd expected this; after all, he's the kind of person who'd rather target Yang through someone she loves. Just like Cinder.

Ruby sees it coming a mile away and ducks down, and Mercury is too close to prevent his hit from colliding with the next-closest person. Who just so happens to be his own partner.

Emerald shrieks in pain as the kick collides with her arm like a truck. At the same time, Ruby knocks out the backs of her knees, then she and Yang jump back to let the two crash on top of each other.

Emerald screams out a few colorful curses as she shoves him off of her, eyes red with rage as she glares at the sisters.

"You two are gonna pay."

Yang steps forward, eyes burning, and snarls:

"Make us."

Their opponents both charge, but Ruby and Yang already have an unspoken plan in mind. Ruby rushes out, keeping Emerald where she is while Mercury runs in close to get to Yang.

Ruby engages her adversary once again, just for a few seconds, blocking and swinging and kicking and jumping as she predicts each one of Emerald's moves, no illusions to hinder her.

At the same time Mercury comes in for a kick, but Yang whirls around and grabs his leg in midair. She smirks with devilish smugness as she watches his expression turn to dismay.

With a shout and a mighty swing, Yang crushes her fingers into his shin, feeling several satisfying cracks as her prosthetic damages his. She twists herself in a wide circle, dragging him with her.

Ruby checks behind herself and ducks down right on cue.

Yang tosses him, sending him flying helplessly across the room-

-right into Emerald.

The collision sounds like a car crash, both of them crying out and gasping as they're sent flying, only stopping when their backs slam against the nearest wall. They both slump, and this time they stay down.

Ruby and Yang stand up straight, looking over their work in satisfaction.

"Nice kick, sis."

"Nice throw, Yang."

Just for a second they share a moment. Yang pats her sister's shoulder and Ruby smiles.

But then the rest of the situation comes back to them.

There's still a tremendous racket from where Hazel and Oscar are fighting nearby, and even with Ren there to help it still seems like the battle is against them. The sisters share a knowing glance and come to the mutual agreement to help them out next.

But then Nora's voice calls out from the other side of the room.

"Ruby!"

Ruby whips around to look back. Nora and Jaune are still standing over Weiss. Nora looks up to catch her eye and hurriedly waves her over.

Ruby is torn momentarily. She knows she has a duty as a huntress, but...

But she also has a duty to Weiss.

As her leader. As her partner. As her friend...

She doesn't even realize that she's already taken a subconscious step toward Weiss until she feels a tap on her shoulder and looks back to find Yang a pace behind her. Her big sister smiles calmly at her, her voice kind despite the fire in her eyes.

"Go, Ruby. I've got Oscar covered."

Ruby swallows. She wants to be a good leader. She wants to help in all of this. But...

"Yang, a-are you-"

"I'm sure, Ruby. Go to Weiss. She needs you."

Yang draws in a deep breath and looks across the room then. Ruby knows she's suppressing her own urge to rush to Weiss' side. But with her semblance still burning, she's still raring to fight - to take her anger out. She looks to Ruby one more time.

"I saw what happened. I saw what Cinder did to her. She almost killed her. She wanted to..." She shakes her head, swallowing hard. "Go, sis. I've got this."

Ruby sniffles, eyes watering as she hurries to give her sister a quick hug.

"Be careful."

"I will. Now go."

With this they part and take off in opposite directions.

Ruby covers the distance in less than a second and finds herself on her knees beside Weiss once more. She picks up her hand and squeezes, looking frantically up to Nora and Jaune.

"What's happening? What-"

But she stops when she sees Nora's soft expression. Jaune cuts off the flow of what they've all now understood to be his semblance and takes a step back. Ruby's gaze goes back to Weiss instantly.

Her chest is rising and falling much more evenly now, though her breathing is still very shaky and labored. Ruby holds her wrist once again, trying to decipher a pulse. It's still very slow, but feels a little more normal than before. She sobs, and the first tears start dripping down.

"Weiss... please, please..."

She remember's Yang's words. Cinder had done this. Almost killed her...

Ruby is pulled from her thoughts when she notices Nora pulling Jaune aside. Their eyes are kind and calm, reassuring her that Weiss is going to be all right now. They hurry off to where Emerald and Mercury are lying to restrain them in case they wake up.

With their only opponent left in the room being Hazel, and with plenty of people now at Oscar's aide, Ruby can give her full attention to Weiss.

Slowly, she leans forward, bowing her head as she lifts Weiss' hand against her forehead. She cries, trying to keep quiet so she can focus on Weiss, listen to make sure she's still breathing. There's still a puddle of blood on the floor, but it's not fresh. Her tears fall and mix into it.

She clutches Weiss' hand with gentle desperation, her thoughts and heart racing.

/Please... Please wake up... Please be okay.../

Even though she knows Nora and Jaune wouldn't have left unless they'd known Weiss would be all right, Ruby's still terrified something could go wrong.

She loses herself to the thoughts of what could happen. She could lose Weiss like she lost Pyrrha and Penny.

Only this time she would've been unconscious when it happened. She wouldn't even have known.

One moment she would've been fighting alongside Weiss. And the next, she was waking up and Weiss wasn't.

/What if I lose her too? What if... I don't even get to say goodbye...?/

She can't bear the thoughts.

Ruby sobs harder, clinging to Weiss' hand as though for her own life. She can still feel her pulse, still hear her breathing...

She isn't going to lose her, too. Not Weiss.

And as if to reaffirm that reality, Ruby perks up when she hears a sudden gasp. It's much fuller, much livelier than all the other sounds she's been hearing from Weiss until now.

She opens her eyes and looks down, watching as her partner struggles, fighting her own battle behind the backs of her eyelids. Ruby clutches her hand and pleads.

"Weiss... please, Weiss..."

A few more unsteady breaths. A few more twitches of her brow.

And then, like a miracle, her eyes flutter open. Tired blue flickers, shifting in and out of focus as the breath rushes through her collar.

Ruby whimpers with the purest relief and sobs her name.

"Weiss? W-Weiss-?"

She almost can't believe it. After she'd lost so many other people, she almost can't believe that she gets to keep holding on to Weiss.

Her partner's eyes flash with recognition before she winces in pain, her breath coming in raggedly. Ruby quickly but gently puts Weiss' hand down and instead slips her arm beneath her shoulders, lifting her up. She lays her other hand lightly over Weiss' wound, just to make sure it doesn't start bleeding again. She rests Weiss in her lap, her throat clogged with emotion as another sob tumbles out.

"Weiss... Weiss... oh, thank goodness..."

Ruby can't help herself. She leans forward and pulls the heiress up into a soft embrace, burying her face in Weiss' neck. She can hear for herself now that Weiss' heart is beating, that she's breathing-

"Ruby...?"

And her voice.

"Oh thank goodness..." Ruby whimpers again, easing back until she can look down into her sky-blue eyes. Her tears keep dripping down nonstop now, landing on Weiss' clothes. Ruby reaches out to gingerly brush the bangs out of her partner's eyes.

"Y-You're okay," she murmurs, trying to remind the both of them. "Jaune healed you. I-I'm not sure how, but you're gonna be okay now. Ren said so..."

More heavy tears plop down and Ruby blinks, shaking her head so she can see past them. She just wants to look at Weiss clearly.

She can see the relief in her partner's eyes just as strongly as she can feel it in herself.

She can only imagine the kind of pain and terror Weiss had been through. Ruby hadn't even seen what had happened, after all. She isn't sure she wants to know.

Weiss shifts slightly in her arms, trying to peer around her leader.

"What about Yang... and the others?"

"They're all fine! Cinder and Raven ran off somewhere, but we're all fine. Like usual, you're the only one who got hurt..." Ruby bows her head again, closing her eyes as she rests her forehead against Weiss'. "Don't talk so much... You need to save your breath."

"Ruby... I'm all right now."

"No you're not!" she yelps. "W-Weiss, you... you almost-!" She can't finish, as though voicing the word aloud might somehow invite an opportunity for it to become real again. She just cries harder, holding Weiss close. "I-I almost... lost you, too..."

She breaks down, her voice rising up in a caterwaul that draws the attention of everyone in the room who can afford to look. Even though she knows they're supposed to be in the middle of a battle against their greatest enemies, Ruby can't bring herself to stop crying.

Not until she feels a gentle hand reach up to rest on her cheek.

Blubbering, she opens her eyes to find Weiss smiling back up at her.

"You didn't lose me, Ruby. I'm right here."

Ruby raises her own hand to cover Weiss', holding it in place on her cheek.

"B-But I almost did... I... I'm your partner. I promised I'd... always have your back, a-and I didn't... I couldn't do anything... I'm so sorry..."

"You dolt..."

Ruby sniffles, blinking away more tears at the sound of the old, affectionate name. She can't remember the last time Weiss had called her that. It brings back so many memories in a single second.

She hunches forward over Weiss and just cries.

And she can feel Weiss' arms wrapping carefully around her shoulders, returning the embrace with everything she can offer.

It feels like a year has passed before Ruby is aware of pounding footsteps coming from behind her, and her sister's terrified voice.

"Ruby!" Yang skids to a halt and drops down on Weiss' other side, panic flaring in her eyes. "Ruby-" But as her hands reach out, one to touch Ruby and the other to touch Weiss, the terror fades. "Weiss...? Y-You're-"

"I'm just fine, you oaf." Weiss pulls herself away from Ruby for a moment and looks up at the brawler. "I'm not going anywhere."

Ruby rubs her sleeve over her eyes and looks to her big sister as well. Yang collects them both and pulls them in to her, weak with relief.

"Oh god... Ruby just started crying all of a sudden, s-so I thought... I thought-" Her voice hitches and cuts off.

For a moment no one speaks. While their companions ensure their fallen enemies are subdued, Ruby, her sister, and her partner are allowed a moment of repose – relief.

She knows they don't have long. Cinder and the others all got into the Spring Maiden's vault. They're going to have to go after them, and quickly.

But... just for a moment...

She holds Weiss close, crying into her shoulder as she savors the sound of her heartbeat.

/She's alive... she's alive.../

She can feel Yang's warmth spreading across her back for additional comfort, and she can feel Weiss' partial embrace as well.

For a moment everything is composed of heavy tears and tentative breathing.

It's instinctual more than anything else when they know they've got to continue this fight.

All of the others are ready and waiting for them now.

Ruby eases herself back, her eyes moving from Yang back to Weiss.

"This isn't over." Her voice is gradually becoming firm once more. "I'm going to make her pay for what she did."

"I'm with ya there, sis." Yang gives her little sister a pat on the shoulder.

"Count me in as well," Weiss grunts.

"Okay," Ruby agrees. "But you have to let Yang and I cover you. You're still hurt, Weiss."

"I'm aware," her partner sighs. "And I'll stay behind you, two."

"Okay."

With that, Ruby and Yang both support Weiss and slowly get to their feet. They keep the heiress steady between them, catching her when she sways.

Once she's on her feet Ruby refuses to let her go until she's caught her breath properly, and even after that as well. Weiss draws in a deep breath, and it doesn't hurt so much anymore.

Ruby looks her over again, making sure there's no fresh blood on her side. Then, she moves in quickly to pull Weiss into a fervent hug. Weiss closes her eyes and wraps both arms around her shoulders softly.

Nothing needs to be said with words. It's all conveyed through this. The apologies, the regret for not being there for one another, the fears they'd shared...

And the relief, the determination to finish this, to see it through – together.

From here on out, just like old times.

Together.

When they finally part, it's only a second later when Yang pulls them both into another embrace. Ruby and Weiss each wrap an arm around each other and then one around Yang.

And at last they pull away. Nora approaches with Myrtenaster in-hand and tosses it to Yang. The blonde nods her gratitude before handing the heiress her weapon. Weiss doesn't bother sheathing it.

They all ready their weapons.

Ruby sweeps her gaze around the room, to all of her friends in turn, ensuring they're all prepared. Ultimately she looks back to Weiss, whose blue eyes are fierce and focused.

Ruby gives a sharp nod and turns toward the vault. With a swing of her scythe, her cape flutters up behind her.

"Let's go."

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A/N: I just wanted a partner moment, and then a sister moment, and then more RW_Y moments. And also I've always written team RWBY as calling each other little nicknames, and Weiss' for Yang was always "oaf" so I just naturally wrote it that way. Also just really want her to kindly call Ruby "dolt" again in canon please.

Just let them worry about Weiss and give her hugs in episode 13. That's all I ask.