For The Better (ch3)

EARLY RELEASE REWARD FOR ALL PATRONS! THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE!

I'm so happy this fic got some attention! Not a lot, but certainly more than I'd expected! I hope you all enjoy this final part! I'd like to thank beacontacticsmod and antonslavik020 for their support. And again, thanks to alexander-the-amazing for commissioning me!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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															Part 3.

Ever since the horrible accident two years earlier that had cost Yang her right arm, she'd been avoiding cars in whatever ways possible.

She hardly even cared to look at them, let alone walk near them or touch them. She hadn't gotten inside of one voluntarily in many months for reasons other than being driven to her college classes by her father.

The last time she could remember getting into a car for any other reason had been last year when her family had gone to attend a cousin's birthday party. Yang had been anxious and panicked for the entire ride there, and she hadn't eaten anything while at their cousin's house for fear she might throw up on the car ride home.

Taiyang and Summer knew of and understood her phobia of cars.

Hence their total disbelief when she had come home that Saturday, drenched from the rain and begging to re-learn her driving skills.

They'd been very curious and a little excited as to where this sudden outburst of a request had come from. Yang didn't want to lie to them, but she didn't exactly want to tell them the whole truth, either.

"Um... well I just kinda... met someone... she lives kinda far..."

That had been all her parents needed to hear. Both of them were enthralled to hear the news that Yang had made a friend, especially in the classes she'd been avidly dreading attending just one month earlier.

As Summer had dried Yang off a bit, Taiyang had spoke with her for a while, checking to make sure she was really all right with getting behind the wheel again. Yang reassured him.

"Yeah. I really want to, Dad. I do."

And so, they'd started that week.

After Yang had finished her college classes for the morning, Taiyang drove her to the local park, where there was a wide expanse of concrete parking lot that was vacant. There, they practiced the old routines, just as they'd done when Yang had first been practicing how to drive years ago.

Even now, it felt odd for her to sit in a car for so long, but what was even stranger was when they switched seats. As Taiyang got into the passenger side and Yang took the driver's side, she felt her stomach flip and twist.

But then she reminded herself why she was doing this. That thought steeled both her mind and her heart.

Gripping the wheel felt a little weird, because the nerves in her flesh arm felt it very differently than her prosthetic did.

But as she gently put her foot on the gas for the first time in over two years, Yang discovered that relearning how to drive was almost like relearning how to ride a bike.

It all came back to her very quickly, how to turn the wheel, how to shift gears, how to break and accelerate. Taiyang kept offering little hints and calm reminders as she got used to it all again. He also reminded her of what a great driver she'd been in the past, even when she'd first been starting out.

They practiced in the parking lot for a little while that day before switching seats once again.

Once they arrived home, Yang wrote in her notebook about her fears of driving, and any uncertainties she'd harbored or negative thoughts that had popped up when she'd gotten behind the wheel.

That night, she shredded the page, just like always.

For the rest of the week, that was what she and her father did. Whenever they both had some free time from work and school, they'd let Yang get used to driving once again.

Halfway through the week, Yang expressed confidence that she could start driving on the road again. Once Taiyang was certain she could handle it, he let her.

Yang drove as well as she always had, if not better. She'd turn on her favorite music stations to ease her mind off the stresses associated with driving.

Sometimes, when she came to a stoplight and needed to pause for a moment, the old memories resurfaced, since the accident had happened when a driver had run a red light.

But instead of that, Yang tried to think about other things.

Like that little kiss Weiss had giving her in the rain last Saturday.

She made a habit of associating driving with good things, mainly Weiss. Because ultimately, Weiss was the reason Yang had wanted to start driving again.

All throughout the week, she practiced and got comfortable behind the wheel again, until Friday night rolled around. At dinner, she made her request to Summer and Taiyang.

"Do you guys think... I could drive to my class tomorrow morning? There's someone I met and she's always on a tight schedule. I was thinkin' I could help her out a bit and drive her home."

They were hardly surprised to discover the entire reason Yang had wanted to relearn driving was for someone else's sake. She'd constantly talk about this girl she'd met at her sessions, even if Yang herself didn't fully realize it.

Therefore, her parents looked to one another and came to a unanimous decision.

"If you think you'd be comfortable," Taiyang said. "I don't see why not."

Yang perked up, until she was almost shining.

"Really? You mean it?"

"I do," he nodded. "But, if you decide tomorrow morning that you're not feeling up for it, then don't force yourself, kiddo."

"I won't, Dad. I promise."

She'd become much more talkative and social at mealtimes nowadays, but that night she was positively giddy.

She only had half a page of negative thoughts written down in her notebook that evening, and decided not to rip it out until she'd filled it up.

She went to bed that night, more eager for tomorrow than she'd ever been before.

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And when it came, she was jumping out of bed within seconds.

She pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top to combat the late-spring heat, then hurried down the stairs for breakfast. She ate quickly, but not enough to upset her stomach, which oddly enough, wasn't feeling so twisted this morning.

Not in a bad way, at least. It was more from butterflies and excitement than anything else.

As she put her plate in the sink, Yang grabbed an egg shell from the bowl on the counter and crushed it to channel her jumpiness. After tossing it away, she slipped into her boots and headed for the door.

"Remember!" her father called after her. "Just take it slow. You'll get there really early now since you'll be driving instead of walking."

"And also," Summer added. "If you feel you need to, you can pull over at any time. Call us if you have to."

"Yeah, I will. Thanks, guys."

With those words of reassurance for her nervous parents, Yang stepped out the door and into the day, twirling the car keys on her finger.

This wouldn't be her first time driving since the accident, but it would be her first time driving alone. Her purple stress ball was in her handbag along with her notebook. As she sat behind the wheel, she took out the ball and squeezed it a few times, then started the car. She turned the radio on to her favorite station and let the music relax her.

From there, it was simply a matter of taking some deep breaths and putting her foot on the pedal. She went slowly, as her parents had advised, following the road she'd used to walk alongside.

If someone honked their horn at her for going too slowly in the past, she might've thrown a fit and started raging and cursing at them. But when it happened to her that morning, she simply pulled over, parked for a moment, and wrote down her emotions in her notebook.

Once she'd cooled off, she went back to driving again.

She made it to her building within minutes, pulling in around the side to find a spot. Once she'd turned off the car and hopped out, an empowering sense of accomplishment lifted her spirits high. She texted Taiyang to let him know she'd made it, and he sent her a thumbs-up emoji.

She went inside and signed herself in, surprising Glynda with how early she was.

"You've even bested Miss Schnee!"

Yang chuckled softly as she took her seat.

Weiss was only a few minutes later in arriving, but as soon as she saw Yang there already, she froze in place.

"Yang!"

"Surprise!"

The blonde turned to look over her shoulder and grinned.

Weiss was wearing a dress as she often did, and Yang also noticed a plastic bag on her arm other than the handbag she usually carried.

Glynda excused herself to the office for a moment, leaving the two of them alone.

Weiss was still standing stiffly halfway to the circle of chairs, unsure of what to say. Yang stood slowly and walked over to her, stopping a foot or so away.

"So, uh... how was your week? You didn't call me so I'm guessing it wasn't too bad, right?"

Weiss clutched the bags in her hands a little tighter.

"I was... awfully distracted," she mumbled. "Because of you..."

It took a moment, but Yang soon blushed.

"Oh... ahaha, yeah. Same here."

Their eyes met, timidly at first.

Weiss stepped in and leaned up to kiss Yang's cheek.

Yang's heart leapt for joy as the kiss reminded her all that had transpired last week hadn't been just a dream. She slipped her arm around the small of Weiss' back and softly kissed her cheek in return.

Together, they headed to the chairs and sat down, moving their seats as close together as possible. Yang draped her right arm around Weiss' chair, subtly enough to look casual, but intimate enough to lightly touch her hair or shoulders on occasion.

They chatted privately for a few minutes, about the events of their week, though Yang was sure to leave out news of her driving practice.

Instead, she listened to Weiss talk about how her father had gotten to yelling at her as per usual, but Weiss hadn't said a word back to him, which had confused him and caused him to back off.

Yang praised her and kissed her cheek.

As it neared 9AM, the room began to fill up. Everyone seemed to be arriving earlier than they had in the past, likely because they were all enjoying these classes to a great degree now.

The session passed by rather quickly as everyone discussed their successes for the week, and Glynda gave her brief lecture on new things they could consider trying out to help themselves.

The session was soon over, and before long, Yang and Weiss found themselves alone in the gym once more. Weiss was hurriedly picking up her two bags, then seemed to remember the plastic one.

"Oh! I'd almost forgotten. Here." She pulled out a familiar folded-up sweatshirt and offered it to her. "Thank you again for letting me borrow it."

Yang blinked.

"Huh? No, no, I said you could keep it, remember?"

"Right. I kept it, washed it, and now I'm returning it to you."

"No, see, that's not what I meant. I didn't mean you could only keep it for a week. You can keep it forever, Weiss. Or... at least as long as you want to."

The white-haired girl seemed truthfully dumbstruck by those words. She was silent for a long moment, still holding onto the sweatshirt. At last, she found her voice again.

"You... you really mean that...?"

Yang smiled, bending down to kiss her atop the head.

"Yeah. 'Course I do."

Weiss' lips parted, as though she wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. It made Yang wonder when the last time Weiss received a gift had been.

Slowly, Weiss slipped the sweatshirt into the bag once again.

"Thank you, Yang. I... It means a lot to me. To be honest, I've been wearing it all week. It's so warm. I felt safe."

Gently, Yang pulled her into another hug.

"All the more reason you should keep it."

Weiss wanted to savor the hug for a little longer. But she could almost hear the clock ticking behind her. Panic started to bubble up in her stomach as she stepped away.

"I should get going-"

"Hold on." Yang took her hand and guided her forward a step.

Weiss tensed. "Yang, you know I-"

"I know," she soothed her. "I know. Trust me, I know. But you don't have to worry today, okay? I promise." Yang leaned down a little bit, and, keeping one hand on Weiss' hip and the other on her cheek, kissed her full on the lips.

She felt Weiss' little gasp, but it was more from surprise than anything else. After all, this was their first big kiss together, and probably both of their first kisses in general.

Yang was sure to take it easy, moving her lips gently against Weiss'. She could feel the girl's stiff posture relax a little as she started to kiss back.

It came naturally to them both.

Yang caressed her hair in slow, careful strokes, while Weiss moved her arms up to loop around her neck. Yang pulled her in a little more, until their chests were pressed together. She could feel Weiss' heart beating quickly, but discerned it was more from excitement than worry about being late.

After a moment, they parted and caught their breaths. Weiss' face was pink, and she quickly hugged Yang in order to hide her face in her shirt. Yang was feeling warm as well, and she'd never felt better. She felt truly at ease for the first time in years.

"Come on," she murmured. "I'll take you home."

Holding Weiss' hand, Yang led her outside.

Weiss tried to pull her towards the sidewalk so they could set a quick pace, but Yang gave a gentle tug to stop her. Puzzled, and a little worried about the time, Weiss looked up at her.

"Yang-"

"I said relax, right?" The blonde girl gave her an easygoing smile. "I'd never let you be late in getting home. Follow me."

She guided the baffled girl around the side of the building, to where the parking lot was. Yang stopped in front of her dad's car and grinned.

"Ta-daaa!"

Weiss stared at the car and blinked once, confused for a moment.

Until the implications finally sunk in.

Weiss gasped out loud and squeezed Yang's hand a little harder.

"Yang! You... is this-?"

"Yup! It's my car! Well... my dad's, technically, but for today it's mine. I drove here this morning, and I plan to drive home, too. But first..."

Bashfully, she glanced down at Weiss, running her free hand through her hair. "I figured... I could drive you home. I-If you wanted. 'Cuz like... this way you wouldn't have to walk all the way back and worry about being late. What would've taken you twenty minutes before will take you five now. Plus, the weather's getting hotter by the day, and I don't want you to overheat or something when you- mm-!"

She was cut off by a soft, appreciative kiss. Weiss' arms looped around her torso and squeezed in excitement before she pulled away.

"Yang!" Her eyes were wide and sparkling. "I... I don't know what to say... This... this means so much to me... I won't have to worry about being late getting home to Father." She put a hand to her chest, where her heart was thumping quickly. She felt tears rising up behind her eyes. "To think... that you'd do this for me..." The hand that wasn't still holding Yang's reached up to wipe her face a bit.

Smiling, Yang stepped in again to hug her.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. It's okay. I'm happy to be able to help you out, Weiss."

Weiss sniffled and embraced her again, exhaling slowly.

"Are... are you sure, Yang?"

"Whadda you mean? Of course I-"

"I mean... are you okay with doing this...?" Weiss took a step back, and her piercing blue eyes bore seriously up into lavender.

Yang almost flinched.

Weiss knew about the accident years earlier, and she knew Yang's phobia of cars better than most people. So it made sense that she was concerned for her now.

Yang didn't want to think about the bad times, though. She shook her head, leaning down to kiss Weiss'.

"I'm okay," she said. "Like, I said, I drove all the way here today. I've been practicing all week. Some good music and good conversation helps me focus and I don't get scared anymore. It's really not so bad. I promise we'll be fine."

She knew she'd be concentrating on driving a thousand times more if Weiss were in the car with her. She refused to think of what might happen if Weiss got hurt because of her carelessness. But that wasn't going to happen.

Yang was earnest in her response, and Weiss recognized that. Only then did she fully accept the offer.

"All right. If you're sure you'll be okay."

Yang pecked her nose.

"I will be."

She unlocked the car and went around to the passenger's side to open Weiss' door for her, then helped her in. She then got into the driver's seat and buckled herself up.

Weiss was fidgeting a little in her seat, her eyes naturally glancing to the dashboard to catch the time. Yang did her best to put the girl at ease.

"So, what kinda music do you like? Here, find a station."

As she got the car started, Weiss was thankful for the distraction as she turned the radio knobs, searching for a tune she liked. Once she'd settled on one, Yang was already backing out of the parking spot.

She had to admit, she was a little nervous about driving in general, and a bit more so now with Weiss in the car with her. But her instinct as an older sister was to do everything within her power to protect those dearest to her, and right now, Weiss was at the top of that list.

So it wasn't too difficult for her to focus now as she started driving to the parking lot exit, and eventually, onto the main road.

Weiss' heart was beating a little quickly, mostly from excitement at this point. She wasn't so worried about getting home late anymore, but rather, she was thrilled because Yang was driving her there.

She'd only ever been in her father's or her own older sister's car before.

But... Yang was technically her girlfriend.

This was an entirely different experience for Weiss. She didn't have to act professional or keep quiet. She was allowed to talk and relax.

Not only did her casual conversation help ease her own mind, but Yang's as well. She talked about her favorite singers, to which Yang eagerly responded with her favorite bands. Yang rolled down the windows to let some fresh air in, and the breeze pulled their long hair back and allowed them to breathe more easily.

The ride went smoothly, and with minimal anxiety on both their parts. Which was a very, very nice feeling.

Weiss didn't once reach for her bag or her stress ball, and seeing that she felt totally comfortable made Yang even happier.

Yang followed the familiar road, taking her time and going slowly.

At one point, the car behind her beeped at her, and Weiss jolted. She saw Yang grit her teeth, her grip tightening on the wheel as a mixture of anger and anxiety started to bubble up. Weiss reached out and lightly rested her hand on Yang's knee.

"It's okay," she murmured. "You're fine, Yang."

Her smile cured Yang's negative emotions on the spot. She exhaled, sending her fears along with the breath.

"Thanks, Weiss."

Only a few minutes later, they pulled up outside of Weiss' house. Yang parked the car and leaned back in her seat, feeling accomplished once again.

"Phew! And with time to spare!" she declared.

Weiss was relieved to see she was right, and they still had a good ten minutes or so. It felt immensely wonderful to know she didn't have to worry about her father getting upset with her.

"Thank you so much, Yang. Really." Weiss unbuckled herself and leaned over a bit to kiss her cheek sweetly.

If Yang hadn't known any better, she never would've thought this was the same girl she'd met several weeks back who'd only scowled at and ridiculed her. She realized that she herself had changed a great deal since then as well.

"No problem. Oh, and um..." She trailed off a bit awkwardly, already having second thoughts about asking this. But she remembered Summer's suggestion, and since she and Weiss were technically dating now, it made a lot of sense to ask her.

She just... hadn't ever been too good with words.

She started mumbling to herself under her breath, her cheeks warm and pink. Weiss understood she was struggling to find the right words. She reached out again and rested her hand over Yang's by means of motivation and support.

"Go on, Yang. I'm listening."

Yang took a deep breath.

"Y-Yeah... um... so like... I know we only really get to see each other like... for our sessions and stuff on Saturdays. But like... I was wondering if maybe, y'know... if there's some other time during the week you're free or something, we could maybe... go out somewhere... if you'd want..."

Again, her voice tapered off, and she had to look down, away from Weiss' eyes.

It took Weiss a moment to understand what had just happened, not because Yang hadn't articulated it well, but because she herself was so shocked by it.

It took her another moment to realize Yang was still waiting for a reply. Weiss gasped softly and gave her one.

"O-Of course! Yang, I'd love to go out with you sometime. Anywhere. We could go out to eat or see a movie, or just shop or walk around. Anything is fine with me as long as it's fine with you."

Yang finally turned her head, peeking timidly at her.

"Really...? Heh, you took the words right outta my mouth."

Weiss smiled and leaned closer once again.

"Then perhaps, I should put them back?"

Yang didn't even get the chance to laugh or reply before Weiss had pressed her lips against hers, giggling softly. Yang kissed back, despite the awkward angle.

But this kiss ended before long, as Weiss wanted to get to her father as quickly as possible. She pulled away and sighed.

"Thank you again, Yang. I really mean it."

"Again, don't sweat it. I'll do this for you every week from now on, okay? We could probably even stop to get some lunch or something beforehand now that we've got more time to kill!"

Weiss perked up at the idea.

"Maybe we could. That would be nice."

"Well, let's text more details later," Yang decided. "Go on now. I'll text you once I get home, 'kay?"

"Please do."

With one last kiss to Yang's cheek, Weiss opened her door and slipped out.

She stood there waving as Yang drove off, until she was out of sight.

. . .

Yang took her time in getting home, and once she had, she texted Weiss right away to let her know she was safe.

Taiyang and Summer were too eager to know how things had gone to keep quiet this time, and Yang didn't mind telling them about how well she'd driven. She told them more about Weiss, and how she'd helped calm Yang down when the car behind them had beeped.

"Sounds like a nice girl," her father mused.

"Very nice," Summer agreed. "Are you going to see her at all this week?"

Yang nodded a little coyly.

"Yeah. We're gonna text details. Maybe see a movie on Wednesday evening."

"That's wonderful!"

For the rest of the day, Yang enjoyed her time at home, helping Summer clean the kitchen and then helping her dad clean the car.

She felt so energized, so rejuvenated, so alive.

And she knew it was all thanks to Weiss and their classes together.

Before bed that evening, Yang tore out the previous day's page from her notebook and ripped it up. But there were no bad things she had to write about today.

So for the first time since she'd gotten it, the next page in her notebook was left blank.

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The next few weeks were some of the best of both Weiss' and Yang's lives.

They started texting on a daily basis now, before or after their classes, wishing each other good morning or good night.

They went out for their movie date on Wednesday evening as planned, then went for a walk in the park together on Friday.

When the next Saturday finally arrived, Yang went so far as to drive to Weiss' house to pick her up before their session as well. Strangely enough, Weiss had told her father about Yang, and he wasn't disapproving or angry at all. It seemed he didn't care what Weiss did so long as she was on time to her appointments.

Of course, the news that Weiss' father accepted, or at least didn't oppose, her relationship with Yang, made both of them all the more gleeful.

That morning, they had a nice session together with their instructor and classmates, who also all seemed to be doing better than they had in previous weeks.

When it was over, Yang drove Weiss to a local cafe for a lunch, and still got her home with a few minutes to spare.

Both girls had a much more positive outlook on life, and were doing better in school as well.

One day, Ruby came home to visit and brought Blake with her, and Yang actually worked up the guts to apologize to them for the way she'd once acted in her jealousy. She embraced them both, listened to, and accepted their apologies as well.

The hole that had been expanding in Yang's heart for years and years now had finally started to mend.

Ruby and Blake stayed over that night, and Yang told them all about Weiss. They played games, stayed up, watched movies, and simply enjoyed each other's company.

The next morning, they said goodbye again, until their next school break. Yang told them she was looking forward to it, and she actually meant it this time.

She later relayed her successes to Weiss via text messages, and Weiss praised and congratulated her a million times over.

It was all just a lot of good vibes and positive energy for a while.

Two and a half weeks went by in this blissful manner, where all was finally starting to seem right with the world.

But of course, nothing lasted forever.

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It happened one night.

It was a Tuesday evening, and Yang and Weiss had just gone to the movies. Yang drove her home, kissed her goodnight, and took her leave.

But once she'd gotten home, Yang had eaten dinner with her parents and taken a shower right afterward, then gone to bed. She'd forgotten to text Weiss she'd made it home safely.

Weiss waited for an hour, hoping Yang would text her. But when she never did, Weiss' heart started to pound.

She knew it was probably just a simple case of Yang forgetting. Realistically, she knew that.

But her mind could only stray to horrible thoughts.

/What if she got into another accident...? What if she's hurt...?/

Weiss could already feel the panic boiling up inside her stomach, acidic and burning, threatening to make her vomit. She was shaking, curled up on her bed in the same clothes she'd worn that day, for she'd been too worried to change.

She started to cry.

She sent Yang several texts, but none were answered.

After an hour and a half had passed, she couldn't wait any longer. Her chest was aching terribly. She couldn't take this any more.

She picked up her phone and called Yang.

. . .

She'd been dreaming about Weiss when it happened.

Yang heard her cell phone buzzing.

At first, she thought it was part of the dream-

-until she opened her eyes and still heard it.

She shot up in bed and grabbed her phone to confirm it. Weiss was calling her.

In over a month, she'd never called her before. That had been reserved for the worst-case situations or emergencies.

And now, she was calling in the middle of the night.

"Oh, shit-"

Yang realized she had six unanswered text messages, and she knew who they were from and why. As quickly as she could, she swiped her phone to answer it.

"Hello? Weiss? I'm so-"

"Y-Yang..."

The voice on the other end of the line was heartbreaking to hear. She sounded so fragile, so scared... There was a tremble in her voice, and she was gasping heavily.

Yang knew she must've been crying all this time. Her heart sank as she listened to Weiss' break.

"Weiss-"

"Yang... y-you didn't text me... I got... s-so scared..."

"I know! Weiss, I know, I- I'm so sorry. God, I..."

She couldn't bear to keep listening. Weiss was sobbing and shaking on the other end of the line. Yang was torn between concern for her girlfriend and anger at herself for being so careless. Both burnt equally as fervent.

This was the first time in weeks Yang had felt so angry. She'd forgotten how it felt during the kinder days, but now it was all too familiar. She clenched her fists, grit her teeth, and growled.

"Damn it!"

She wanted to relapse and curse a lot more, but didn't have the time. She was already getting off her bed and hurrying down the stairs to grab the car keys. Weiss was still on the other end, crying softly. Yang slipped out into the night, trying to keep her voice calmer than she felt.

"Weiss? Listen, I'm gonna come and get you, okay? Just wait for me. I'll be there soon."

She heard a whimper in response.

"No... it's okay... you don't-"

"Too late," she said, opening the car door. "I'm already on my way. Just wait for me, okay? I gotta hang up, but I'll be there soon. Just wait for me."

She closed her phone and got into the driver's seat. She slammed the door shut to channel a fraction of her anger, then started the car.

As soon as she was on the road, she wanted to speed as quickly as the car would take her. It was late at night, and there were only a few other cars on the road. She could do it...

But just before the dangerous thoughts could take over, she remembered to take a few deep breaths. The rational thoughts then trickled in.

/No. There's always the risk of getting into an accident. It's later now, so there are fewer people driving, but there's a good chance some of them are drunk. Plus, if a cop catches me and pulls me over, I'll never get to Weiss./

So even though it was difficult and she was so desperate to get to Weiss, she went slowly, and stopped at every stop sign. She just drove a few miles over the speed limit, and instead of slowing down for the amber lights, she sped up to beat them.

In this manner, she arrived safely at Weiss' house in just a few minutes.

She could see a small figure, adorning the same white sundress she'd worn earlier that day on their date. She was curled up on the curb at the end of the driveway with her knees pulled to her chest and her face buried in them.

It was a miracle Yang managed to put the car in park before she jumped out of it and rushed to her side.

"Weiss!" She dropped to her knees and reached out to hold her, pulling her in close. "Weiss! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? God, you shouldn't have come out yet. You should've waited inside till I got here." She pulled her trembling girlfriend in closer and kissed her temple. She was relieved to feel Weiss' small hands grip her shirt in return. Her voice was almost inaudible and choked with sobs.

"I just... w-wanted to see you... as soon as possible..."

The anger that had been mounting inside of Yang's chest was quelled a bit when she heard her voice again.

But more worry swirled in to take its place, tightening her chest further. She knew Weiss had suffered another panic attack, and this time it had been Yang's own fault.

"Sorry..." she mumbled miserably. "I'm sorry, Weiss..."

Yang sat herself down in the grass and pulled Weiss across her lap, supporting her back with one hand and resting the other over her stomach. Yang cupped her damp cheek gently, then kissed her for a second to calm her down. When she pulled back, Weiss nestled into the side of her neck and wept.

"Th-Thank god..." she whispered. "I'd thought... something happened..."

"Shhh... it's okay." Yang rubbed up and down her back softly. "It's okay, Weiss. You're okay, and so am I."

Now that they were in each other's arms, the chaotic emotions started to subside.

To them, the world had felt stifling until now, like it was closing in on them, about to collapse on top of them and crush them.

But now that they were together again, the pressure lifted.

The night was still and quiet, save for the still-running engine of Yang's car. There was a faint orange glow from nearby streetlights as well as a silver swathe of moonlight to help them see by.

The loud, rampant rush of blood that had been beating in their chests and heads began to slow, and their frantic breathing was stilled. Now, they could hear the night crickets chirping all around them, and the occasional distant rush of air as a car drove by.

Yang held her for a while, whispering to her to soothe her and fight off the panic. She dipped her head down to kiss Weiss' collar, hushing her gently. She was able to feel Weiss' pulse pounding in her back, even with her prosthetic hand.

Yang's anger at herself melted away for the time being as she focused on helping Weiss. Her girlfriend was still shaking a bit, and though the sobbing had slowed, her breathing hadn't. Yang wasn't sure what she could do to help, but she did all she could.

"Hey. Listen to me, Weiss..." she murmured. "Take it easy. Just breathe with me, okay? Ready? In..." Yang sucked in a slow, steady breath. "And out..." She then let it out, just as slowly, with control. Again, she repeated herself. "All right, again. In... out..."

Weiss was trying to follow her words, though her breathing was much shallower and clipped. Yang encouraged her, maintaining her steadier pace and helping Weiss get there as well.

It took a few minutes, but eventually, Weiss was breathing in time with her, her chest expanding and deflating against Yang's. The blonde was so relieved it had worked. She kissed Weiss' cheek and all along her hairline and forehead.

"Good... Nice and easy. You're fine, see?"

She felt her nod, heard her swallow.

Weiss clung to her for a moment longer and took several more deep breaths against her. Yang waited patiently until she was ready.

When she was, Weiss leaned back and looked up at her with watery blue eyes that threatened even more tears now, but better ones.

"Thank you..."

Weiss closed her eyes as two more tears fell, and leaned in to kiss her. Yang reciprocated as much as she felt Weiss could handle at the moment, then pulled back.

Slowly, she laid herself down on her back in the grass, cradling Weiss on top of her so her dress wouldn't get messy. Yang gazed up at the stars, hugging Weiss securely as she did so.

Weiss curled her arms around Yang as best she could like this, and sighed softly. She rested her head against her chest and closed her eyes.

There was a lot of relief to be relished now, a lot of tranquility to savor.

Yang did her best for a few minutes, committing this moment to memory.

But the irksome coil in her stomach was returning. She was still so mad at herself for causing this, her own forgetfulness having resulted in Weiss' panic.

She soon found she couldn't enjoy their peaceful moment any longer. Grunting, Yang sat herself up, keeping Weiss steady in her lap.

"Hey, you okay?" Softly, Yang pressed her lips to her forehead again. Weiss dipped her head in a nod.

"Yes. Thank you again, Yang."

"It's my fault in the first place," she growled. "Think you'd be up for a little midnight ride with me? I gotta blow off some steam."

Weiss could see the guilt in her eyes - Yang truly blamed herself for all of this. Weiss didn't want her to. She looped her arms around the girl's neck and kissed her again.

"Of course I'll come with you."

"Thanks."

Yang gathered Weiss into a princess carry and stood. She took her to the car, maneuvering carefully to pull the passenger's side door open, then letting her down on the seat inside.

After closing the door, Yang went around and got in on her own side. She folded her arms over the steering wheel for a moment and bowed her head to get her bearings.

On her way here, she hadn't bothered to turn on the radio, and Weiss did that now. She flicked around until she found a station with a calming song, slow-paced, one she knew the lyrics to. Weiss cleared her throat and sang for her as they remained parked there on the side of the road.

Yang had had her eyes closed for the moment, until she heard that angelic sound. It was light and airy, yet strong and supported at the same time, gliding smoothly over every note. It put her at ease, in a way nothing else ever had before.

This was a different kind of tranquility than what kissing Weiss brought her. It was its own kind of comfort.

Yang lifted her head to listen better and found there were tears in her eyes. She wiped them away, then leaned back in her seat to listen more.

The song was over far too quickly, and Weiss was quiet once again. Yang let out a long breath, and discovered the knot in her stomach had come undone. She opened her eyes and beheld her perfect white angel.

"I didn't know you could sing."

Weiss leaned over and kissed her again.

"Now you do."

Yang kissed her back.

After that, they started to drive around the sleeping town, often being the only car on the road. With the windows down, the soft radio music was accompanied by the warm breeze that floated in to caress their hair and ruffle their clothes.

Yang drove slowly and aimlessly for a while, simply enjoying her time together with Weiss, time no one else would ever have with her. These moments were theirs alone.

At one point, Yang realized they were near their therapy building and they decided to park there.

The building that was usually bustling with activity inside and out was now quiet and still. They walked in together, finding the office silent, but with the lights on, as it was open 24/7. The woman behind the desk was the same one who typically worked there on Saturday mornings, and she recognized them in surprise.

"Are you two here to use the equipment?" she wondered.

"Yeah," Yang said as she signed herself in. "Just gonna blow off some steam."

They entered the same gym as always, though again, it was very empty now. The lights were on and the equipment was all there.

Weiss opted to sit down against the wall and rest as her girlfriend went to the punching bags.

Yang let out her rage on them, throwing powerful punches and kicks as she wailed on the bags, shouting and grunting and cursing the anger away and out of her system.

Weiss watched her, not knowing if she should feel happy that Yang was channeling her negative emotions away, or feel upset that she was feeling those emotions at all.

Yang beat her fists against the punching bag for several minutes, until the fire and fury within her began to die down. She stopped cursing and threw another punch.

Then she noticed sweat wasn't the only think dripping off her face. There were tears now, too.

Weiss noticed immediately. She jumped up from the floor and hurried over to her, holding onto Yang as she sunk to her knees. Weiss cradled her head against her chest, holding her close.

"It's all right," she whispered. "That's enough, Yang. Don't blame yourself anymore."

Weiss trailed soft, light kisses through her hair. It was her turn to let her hands map patterns over her girlfriend's back, rubbing her shoulders softly to soothe her.

Yang sniffled bitterly, clenching her fingers into fists in the fabrics of Weiss' dress. She let out a sigh of defeat and acceptance, closing her eyes. She could feel the adrenaline draining from her veins, and her boiling blood began to settle. When she concentrated, she could hear the soft, steady pulse of Weiss' heartbeat beneath the shell of her ear.

Yang pressed closer to listen better. Just as she'd helped Weiss breathe earlier, now Weiss was returning the favor. Her slower, more controlled heartbeat provided a rhythm for Yang's to follow. Eventually, they synched.

It just felt so right.

There was something about this. Beyond the fact that they were in love and here for one another during a less pleasant time.

There was something about the hour of the night, about driving through town at midnight to find each other, about sneaking out of the house and driving off together to come here and express their feelings.

It was a small adventure, one neither of them had ever been on before.

And neither wanted it to end yet.

When they pulled back, Yang's eyes had dried, and she voiced thoughts Weiss had been entertaining as well.

"Let's head out. Just drive around a bit."

Weiss helped her up.

"Let's. Just for a bit."

They left the building, and Weiss threaded her fingers through Yang's prosthetic ones.

Without a word, they half-ran, half-skipped across the empty parking lot, beneath the orange glow of the melancholy street lights.

They got back into the car, and within minutes were on the road again. The radio played softly, the gently-whipping wind a constant addition to the tunes.

Yang took them all around town, sometimes letting the car stroll at a leisurely pace, since there was no one else on the road, sometimes going a little over the speed limit.

It was odd. The clock read 1:28AM, and they'd both attended college classes today. But neither of them were tired. Not in the slightest.

Yang glanced sideways to look at Weiss. Her cheeks were lifted and florid, her eyes sparkling, the picture of excitement. She'd clearly never done anything like this before. It really was an adventure for her.

Yang decided to try and do something like this again in the future, only next time she'd bring some money so they could go on a midnight snack run.

She was getting so caught up in thoughts of Weiss that she wasn't focusing entirely on where she was driving. The car stayed on the road as it should, but she realized now that they were coming down an all-too familiar hill.

Yang's grip on the wheel tightened instinctively. There was a stoplight at the base of the hill, and even though it was green, Yang slowed the car.

Noticing the strange change in speed, Weiss peered curiously over at her. She could immediately see that Yang's jaw had tightened as much as her grip, and her eyes had gone wide, almost fearful. Weiss kept her voice low, not wanting to startle her.

"Yang...?"

Though she'd spoken softly, Yang jumped as if she'd yelled.

"S-Sorry."

"Yang..." Weiss could guess what was happening. "You can pull over for a second."

"Thanks..."

Yang did as much, stopping the car just before the light. No cars passed them by or drove on the perpendicular street, even when it turned red, but Yang was still feeling anxious. Weiss reached out and gently coaxed her girlfriend's hands off the wheel and into her own.

"Yang... is this...?"

"...Yeah..." She glanced down at her prosthetic arm and sighed.

Weiss said nothing. She just lifted Yang's hands and kissed them. One of those hands was a little colder, a little firmer than the other, but she didn't care.

They waited for a moment, the carefree music dancing softly on the air.

Yang was already starting to feel better. In fact, she was rather surprised by how short-lived her anxiety was with Weiss there beside her. When she looked over, Weiss' eyes were calm and patient. She offered a small smile.

"Do you feel all right?"

"Yeah," Yang said. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks, Weiss. I mean it."

The white-haired girl dipped her head.

"Want to drive up a bit more? There's a field."

Yang was already reading her mind. She made sure to kiss Weiss' hands before she returned her own to the wheel and started off again.

She passed through the stoplight without issues now, and continued on for a while longer.

Soon, she stopped the car on the side of the road, by a dirt path.

An open field lie stretched out to the side, a reservoir beyond that. The moon shone unobstructed overhead in crescent form, and a faint grey mist hovered over the grass.

Yang parked the car and turned it off. She got out, opened Weiss' door and helped her out.

From there, Yang put her boot on the front tire and hauled herself up onto the roof of the car. Weiss looked absolutely baffled by how she'd done that so easily. Yang laughed as she reached her hand down and instructed Weiss on how to do the same. She waited for the girl to get her bearings and her grip, then when she was close enough, Yang gave a small tug to help her up over the edge.

Weiss was stiff at first, and Yang could safely assume she had never done this before in her life either, sit on top of a car. She chuckled again.

"C'mere. I won't let you fall off. Promise."

Yang opened her arm, and Weiss wasted no time in sliding in closer.

The night was warm, but that didn't stop them from cuddling up as much as possible.

For a time, they sat there, looking out over the silent field and the distant water, where the light of the moon swayed on blades of grass and sparkled on tiny, shifting waves.

But Yang found she liked it best when it gave a silver highlight to Weiss' hair above all else.

She stroked her fingers through it, and though her prosthetic was limited in its haptic ability, it was still one of the best things she'd ever felt with it. It felt like she was touching moonlight.

For Weiss, Yang radiated a subtle, comforting warmth like the sun, even in the darkness.

The night surrounded them in dancing shadows, cool breezes, and singing insects.

They lost track of time, didn't think about it.

They kissed whenever it felt right, whenever they wanted to.

For a while, they just existed together, and that was enough.

. . .

The first yawn came at what they'd soon recognize to be about 2AM.

Weiss rubbed her eyes as she leaned against Yang's shoulder, mumbling softly. Yang kissed her head and shook her gently.

"Come on. Let's get you home."

She slid off the side of the car, then took Weiss' hands to help her jump down.

Now that their little adventure had come to an end, it felt like they arrived back at Weiss' house in only seconds, and they had to say goodbye all too quickly.

Yang stood there with her on the side of the road and kissed her one last time. Weiss gave her a squeeze and sighed wistfully.

"Thank you, Yang. I feel much better. I hope you do, too."

"I definitely do. Trust me." With great effort, Yang let her go, smiling. "I'll text you once I get home this time. And again tomorrow."

"And I'll see you again on Saturday."

"Yes you will!"

Weiss dipped her head and wished her goodnight. Yang blew her a kiss, and parted from her there on the very same curb where she'd picked her up hours earlier.

She drove home, stumbled back up to her room, texted Weiss as promised, and curled up on her bed.

It was the first time in as long as she could remember that she felt the best kind of tired.

She wasn't physically exhausted, or mentally drained. She wasn't angry or upset.

She was just... tired.

Happily so.

All she'd done to get herself feeling this tired had only been things she'd enjoyed, and that felt good.

It was such a drastic change from what it had once been.

And she knew it was mostly thanks to Weiss.

One day, she hoped she could fall asleep beside Weiss, with both of them only feeling this happy.

She'd look forward to that.

But for now, she'd wait, and make sure to get up early again on Saturday.

A/N: There were so many little events I wanted to cover throughout the course of this story, and a lot of them were here in this chapter. But I couldn't resist writing an epilogue too, so keep your eyes open for that!

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