Chapter 7: I Won't Ever Give Up.

Ruby the Rose

When light came in, warmth followed. A gentle warmth at that. It seeped into the bed sheets and with a sweet touch woke Ruby from a soft slumber. She did not open her eyes at first, the comfort of the sleeping world was too pleasant to let go of immediately. Even so her body began to feel where she was, her ears heard the light breaths of another and that sweet winter flower scent that filled her senses. Weiss was there, small body under hers so warm and soft Ruby thought about staying there forever, nuzzled into the open white collar. Wouldn't be so bad, at least till Weiss woke up and yelled at her for sleeping in. Then again that would be cute, and the thought of it made Ruby smile.

Weiss shifted still asleep in her arms, likely feeling the movement of Ruby's lips smiling against the silk of her partner's neck. Still, Ruby was not the type to sleep in; she was too restless and roaring for activity. What she really wanted was to wake Weiss up with a kiss full of passion and want then drag her off on an adventure together to some far off place. Go be heroes and travelers, wandering place to place saving the world and protecting everyone. A naive desire maybe, but the world might be a better place if gifted with more naive people.

Muse at dreams as she might, Ruby needed to get up and greet the day, though she need not wake her own private sleeping beauty up. Careful as she did so, Ruby raised herself up, freeing Weiss from her clutch. The sweet silver girl seemed to grumble at this, unhappy but not awaken. Without Ruby's warmth the heiress curled up into a ball, her pajamas messy and wrinkled from the night before, hair an unraveled beautiful mess of sterling silver. 'So cute.'

Ruby couldn't resist it, though she desired not to wake her sleeping partner. She lowered herself, just ever so slightly to kiss Weiss on the forehead. The heiress recoiled a little, her sleeping self mumbling some sort of curse. Ruby matched that curse with a silent one of her own, quickly getting out of the bed and tossing the blanket back over the chilled Weiss. The night before came back to Ruby alive and intense when she stared at Weiss in the bed. It warmed her way more than the sunlight ever could. There was no way anyone was going to stop her from sharing more nights like this. Dreams were worth too much, and Weiss's dad had to realize that somehow.

"See you later Weiss, I lo…" She whispered to her dearest, but mouthed the end silently. The way she felt was real enough even if Weiss had doubts. Smile on her countenance and warmth in her chest, she looked over the room again, the moonstone bright from the sun and the red light of sunrise giving the moonstone a glow. This was good luck if she ever saw it.

Stepping outside however, the huntress saw her bad luck.

"Miss Rose, you are daring to leave that room so early in the morning." Zawisza, the handsome if really creepy old guy was leaning just across the other wall. "You sure you wanna leave her be? Weiss could have a very frightful wrath to her if she find's you missing." Ruby responded with a raised finger and a shush. 'He should be more careful!' Weiss was sleeping. The old knight waved his hands defeated with a smile. Ruby let the door close silently before saying a word, but once she did the knight beat her to it. "Sorry about that, I should watch my voice."

"It's kinda weird with you creeping around here." Ruby started feeling a little nervous about getting caught leaving Weiss's room. Thinking of what might be misunderstood made her cheeks turn as red as her name, but what could they do, separate them?

"Just waiting for anyone to wake up. Might be of service you know?" He spoke with a casual tone to Ruby, unlike what he did for anyone else. Ruby couldn't help but wonder why.

"Are you spying on me?" Ruby asked knowing the answer. Even she wasn't that dumb.

"Probably." Was the only response Ruby would get. Well that and a light laugh with a guilty sort of smile. At least he was cheery unlike everyone else in the morning.

"Do you really think Weiss is better off without me or Beacon?" Ruby asked honestly. She knew how she felt, but she had to show the others, make them understand. Whatever it took person by person. Zawisza watched Weiss grow up, he had to love her at least a little. If he did, then he could understand somehow.

"I'm very good at lying, but I was never as good at thinking." Zawisza laughed again, but not a happy kind of laugh. For once he seemed a little sad, a bit of something inside him seeping out. "I leave thinking to Lord Schnee, he has better sense than me. He loves her more than he can love anything else too." Zawisza for a liar was good at sounding sincere, but as untrustable as he was Ruby still believed this. At least she wanted to so badly; she was going to believe it no matter what. If they loved Weiss, they could be convinced. "We don't mean you ill will...even if it might seem it. If you believe nothing else, believe that."

"But I think, and I think that I'm good for her and that there is no school better than Beacon for Weiss." Ruby wasn't one to lie about this kind of stuff. Is she was really hurting Weiss anymore she would have walked away. They had talked about everything, this was supposed to be the start of working more like the team they were, by now they would have finished their new study schedule and practice arrangements. If anything they were the interruption.

"And so we have a difference in opinion it seems. Rather unfortunate." The knight replied, shrugging his shoulder with senseless chagrin seeming so sullen yet shameless. Sod him and this whole mess.

"I'll have to change Mr. Schnee's mind then, if he thinks for you too right?" Ruby asked without meaning to sound rude or haughty. She wasn't really all that mad at them or anyone for that matter. She just wished meeting Weiss's family would have been a cause for celebration not vilification. All she wanted in a way to be a part of this family. 'Maybe she should be a part of mine instead' Ruby couldn't help, but think.

"Yes miss you will, you can find him in his office if you're feeling brave. Third floor far left tower, the room with the music boxes." That was a little surprising and weird all at the same time to hear the knight say that, but when Ruby turned around to look at him, he was the same as usual, back leaning on the moonstone walls staring at Weiss's door waiting for the princess to get up.

"Why help me?"

"I think he wants to talk to Summer's girl too."

Ruby found herself frozen behind the door, unable to pass the threshold over to Weiss's father. It wasn't so much that she was scared of him, but there was something different about this. Ruby was huntress, gamboling her life was easy, came with the whole thing. She wasn't scared of things that we're up to her. She would be better or she would lose. Thing was this wasn't up to her, and it wasn't her life she was betting. It was up to him and it was all of Weiss' future, every day they would or would not share together, that would be gone forever if she didn't convince him. That was plenty scary.

"Mr. Schnee?" Even as the thin door to the office seemed impassable, Ruby reached out to the wooden door finding it open at the touch. Sounds from within ended up the light chiming of a music box and the warmed air of the inside emptied as the office's own chill mixed in. The room was not devoid of light; a fire was near burnt out, nothing but ash and embers in the center fireplace. Added to that the window was left open for light to shine in from the day outside. One wall was lined with old books of varying size all numbered with years, the other of more obscure objects, other music boxes and oddities. In front of the burned out fire, eyes locked on a scroll and body seeming worn from a night of toil was Mr. Schnee. He appeared for once more tired than scary.

"What do you need bastard?" He spoke with little reverence, but not so aggressively, like addressing a noisy coworker. It still hurt being called that. Ruby knew she was only Yang's half-sister, but between Yang's mom and this, Ruby wasn't really thrilled by hearing it some more.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Ruby asked softly, thinking back on all of this. All the rudeness and harshness. There was no reason for it, at least not that she could think for there to be. Though the question did seem to make the older Schnee stir, shifting slightly in his seat those blue eyes drifting to the mass of his collection.

"I don't." Was his only defense.

"If you don't hate me why do you call me a bastard?" Ruby pushed forward not giving him the out.

"I call you a bastard because that is what you are." When put into a corner he resorted to name calling. Well at least Ruby knew where Weiss got it, though it was cuter when she did it. "I have no ill will toward you."

"You sure act like it…" Ruby mumbled just under her breath, but not so much that Weiss' dad didn't pick up on it. The older man shook his head in distaste, unhappy with the accusation. 'If you're unhappy with it stop acting this way' Ruby thought to herself.

"As much as I don't care for your family, I hold nothing against you. The matter is over." His voice was stern and mean, but that didn't surprise Ruby so much as the content of its message.

"What do you mean my family? Are you talking about mom? What did she do to you?!" Ruby let her temper get the better of her for a moment, not the one to ever be mad, but mention of her mom spark a fight in the little huntress. Mom always said to help everyone, to be good to people. It was hard to ever imagine her doing something to enrage someone like this.

"Not your mother no...We were friends, she meant a great deal to me and my brother. Back then your uncle, mother, my brother, we were all together. Your mother almost became a permanent fixture of this household, a gifted engineer. That was until her brother abandoned my family. One in a long list of betrayals." There was venom on the tip of his words. Ruby had no idea what Uncle Qrow had done to Mr. Schnee, doubted she would ever know, but he wouldn't forget it clearly. "But never your mother...she was a good woman, I almost met you at the funeral you know. Qrow stopped me from coming however…"

"You were close to mom? Wait...does that mean you were almost my dad?" The thought both amused and perturbed Ruby thinking maybe Weiss and her could have been sisters, but easily preferred it the way it was. 'So much better this way.' Realizing not only had she had the thought, but vocalize it too made Ruby began to feel that sharp want to go bury her face in the sand, but no, this was Weiss' dad. She stayed firm and looked as serious as possible with red cheeks.

"What? Ha...no." The older Schnee seemed to find it funny though, coming as close to a laugh has ever seen him do. "An amusing thought, but our status, among other issues, would have never allowed something like that. Not to insult Summer of course." He had said her name and something about it had softened the old man's mood. Ruby saw opportunity and went for it.

"I don't think so...I think what matters is if they are happy...and if they make each other stronger." The thin grin so fragile on Mr. Schnee began to turn sharply, the pleasantness draining faster than Ruby would have hoped. "I know I'm not what you would have wanted, but I'm good for her. I make her stronger. I know you love Weiss too and-" A hand raised cut her off. Better than as shout Ruby had to admit.

"Stop...I've enjoyed our talk bastard…do not ruin it now. You remind me very much of your mother and just like her you do not understand the greater issues." He did not raise her voice and the word bastard was spoken with much less venom than before. Almost gently. "That Scythe, did your mother make it?" He added, trying to reconnect with the previous discussion.

"No I made it. I mean Uncle Qrow helped." Ruby admitted taking her beloved Crescent Rose out. At least one other person in the world subscribe to her philosophy of weapons being easier to talk about than anything else.

"Qrow? A clever man, but he couldn't build his way out of a box. You made this weapon bastard show some pride in what you do and let me see it." Obeying lest the conversation get any weirder, Ruby handed him the folded up Scythe, hoping Mr. Schnee didn't throw it out or something. "You inherited your mother's skill I see. What round types do you use? Magic I would hope."

"Regular fire, force, frost...Some personal electric." Ruby was not really so gifted with dust, preferring mechanics to magical elements. She bought her bullets save the electric rounds that were not for sale in this variety. Those were custom made. Just not by her.

"You make them yourself?" Ruby almost groaned at the question. 'Why did he have to ask?'

"No I don't know how…" She admitted, but the next bit of truth was even more troubling and problematic. "Weiss makes them." She always said Ruby relied on regular rounds too much...her hand crafting them was sweet, something Ruby didn't mind leaving just to her.

"She has some of my talent with dust….Well she won't be making them for much longer." The way he said it so casually, like admitting a dish was spilled or button to a shirt was missing made it all the more hurtful. Mr. Schnee seemed to notice the frown on Ruby's lips and said something that would have seemed impossible "Let me show you how then, if you die for lack of specialty rounds I'll never hear the end of it." Something actually kind.

"Father….what are you doing to her?!" Ruby was snapped out of her absolute daze by the voice of the one she had come here intending to fight for. Weiss was at the doorway, dressed and proper, if noticeably hasty done, hair not properly combed or tied back perfectly. She had gotten dressed before looking for Ruby, but clearly did so in a rush.

"Having a pleasant conversation child." The older Schnee replied returning to his natural stern and unpleasant demeanor. Weiss seemed angry, looking at the meeting with certain distaste and disdain.

"Ruby let's go." Weiss commanded, snatching Crescent Rose from the desk before any argument could start. Ruby could not resist either, the young heiress pulling her out of the room by her very cloak before she could explain what this meeting had been about. The old knight was right, she was pissed.

"Where are we going?" Ruby asked in a soft voice, unable to stop Weiss from dragging her about the Castle. Better that she know what to expect, at least Ruby hoped so.

"A date." Weiss replied with anger.

"I didn't mean with them!" Weiss shouted angrily watching Yang nearly topple over one of the many Ice statues that stood proudly in Winterstown square before the melting Vale would take them all away. It was actually a beautiful place, the cobblestone not quite as old as some of the outer parts of Vale, nor the buildings, but it shared the look of an old city made modern again with the capitol. The plaza allowed for no cars, the center filled with walkways between the ice titans. It was apparently a tradition here for the last forty or so years to immortalize soldiers in the form of ice statues every autumn until spring. Some war memorial. Either way Ruby thought it was really cool. Not to mention all the stores along the side of the plaza, finally giving Ruby some time to shop with Weiss like she always wanted to.

"It's not that bad. We should stick together anyways; it'll be more fun that way." Ruby replied to Weiss, resting her hand on the angry girl's shoulder. Weiss didn't knock it off at least, instead crossing her arms in the usual Weiss is pissed stance.

"Yang almost breaks everything she gets her hand on, Blake keeps making fun of us, last but not least the freaky robot girl is spying on us." Penny just waved at Weiss when the Heiress shouted, sweet if weird girl that she was. Probably spying on them, but Penny just seemed to want to play...even if she kept almost buying Ruby everything she suggest she might ever like. Seemed she wasn't programmed with the concept of being a thrifty shopper.

"I resent that." Blake started in mock offense, her usual chill tone giving away how little offense she actually felt sitting below the feet of one of the ice soldiers reading a new book she had just bought. "I just make a note of each time you two act like a real couple. Like now for instance. Ruby kiss her, she'll stop complaining." That almost pushed Weiss over the edge. Ruby was quick enough to pull her away before her and Blake really start fighting.

"I have gifts for everyone!" Penny announced sweetly gathering ice cream she had just purchase from one of the nearby shops. "A cup for each of us!" Penny finished as Weiss shook her head in disbelief Ruby had never seen the purchase of ice cream making someone angrier before today.

"It's below freezing and she's buying us ice cream?" Weiss yelled waving her arms at Penny for emphasis, completely flabbergasted at the girl's action. Not the right weather for it sure, but Ruby gave a weak grin happy the robot girl was trying.

"Thanks weirdo, we're buds now" Yang declared, snatching one of the small cups of ice cream from Penny's hands. Apparently some people liked frozen treats when everything else was also frozen.

"Friend I made a new friend!" Penny proclaimed happily to Ruby, rushing over to present a cup to her. It had been like this since morning. Weiss showing them one place from her childhood to another, from a park she had sneaked out to every weekend when she was thirteen, her favorite restaurant for dinner, overly fancy and foreign of course. It was the sort of day Ruby loved most, all the most important people together in one place, seeing location to location with her dearest and laughing all the while with friends. Ruby had wanted to talk with the whole team to discuss what to do tomorrow when they had to act, but here it seemed unnecessary, like the shadow of the problem was gone forever never to return. Also there was Penny...who was probably spying on them even if she didn't know it. Wasn't the right time.

"Alright Weiss. What's next… this time it's just me and you." Ruby whispered, watching the rest of the gang get distracted over which flavor of ice-cream was naturally superior. Weiss nodded back, saying nothing, but quickly pulling her away when the rest were no longer looking. They continued like that for a little while, hand in hand in utter silence. People looked on thinking they recognized Weiss no doubt, yet cautious of Ruby whom was holding her hand. Mr. Schnee was going to hear about this one way or another.

The silent walking continued for even longer, but ended this time at where they had started the day, Castle White. A small line had formed from the street into one section of the Castle opened to the public. They were dressed in fancy clothes and populated mostly by the older and richer. Ruby was confused, but didn't argue. Weiss seemed focused, not wanting her surprise, whatever that was, to be ruined.

"Weiss what is this." Ruby ruined the silence, though was rewarded with a proud grin on Weiss' lips, the Heiress looking back wryly clearly thinking highly of her next event. She had no answer, but when they approached the line, all stood to the side in reverence. It was her Castle after all.

"Welcome and enjoy." Was all that was to be said by anyone they passed, each bowing lightly to the lady of the night. Soon enough they were inside a darker part of the castle, the halls dimmed for some reason, the whole affair made Ruby feel terribly out of place. Light did greet them at the end, though minor as it was the walls gave off a glow from it that grew more intense with each step. At the end Ruby found her surprise.

"I had the show set up this morning, a sort of secret concerto. The Orchestra will play my chosen works, and we will enjoy it all from our own booth. The brute and that robot won't ruin our time here." Weiss announced with all the pride she had. The look on Ruby's face only made her more smug and happy. This was crazy, a packed concert hall in one day, an entire orchestra set up inside the Castle and here above all the others facing the performers in white and red was their booth. It was solitary with a single red couch with fancy silk cover. The table had whatever choice of drinks, though Ruby would guess each was nonalcoholic as to Weiss' preference. This was insane.

"How did you?" Ruby couldn't even finish something she could tell Weiss loved. The heiress did not answer, just pulled the younger hunter to their setting area, auditorium hushing as the lights began to dim ever more. In low lighting they sat together and Ruby felt her chest tighten at exactly how close Weiss chose to sit, letting her hand wrap around her partners.

"Be quiet dolt, the performance is starting." And it did with the singing of some sort of string instrument. Ruby's understanding of classical composition and instruments was limited and so was her understanding of this performance. What little she did understand was how beautiful the music was. Something about the way each player moved and mixed together into one single sound was unassailably amazing. More and more Ruby began to understand Weiss' preference, more and more Ruby wanted to close her eyes and feel the sound, more and more she began to feel a similarity in the movements.

Then it started. The song Ruby would grow to learn was one movement of a symphony, which she remembered from a recorder, the song they had danced to at midnight. That beautiful piece of slow work, oh how incredible it sounded here, the same yet different. Weiss knew it too, after all she planned it. The tightness of which her partner grasped Ruby's hand was confirmation of that truth. If that moment had lasted into infinity it would have been a perfect endlessness.

"Thank you." Ruby whispered resting her head on Weiss's shoulders the movement beginning to fade into another.

"Stop talking." Weiss whispered back, just as obsessed with the formalities as always, but without any real cruelty to the words, especially with the added kiss Ruby felt applied to her forehead. No cruelness whatsoever.

Eventually all music ends, even symphonies. It was plenty long though, the night having finally come at some point, though when Ruby could not remember. It felt all too short after it was said and done. As people finished applauding the auditorium emptied, the players finished yet they remained just were they were. Ruby supposed no one could really kick the theaters owner out of the theater.

"So what did you think?" Weiss asked cutting the silence between them short, and just when Ruby contemplated napping on Weiss' lap. 'Oh well', it didn't matter much after all the young huntress planned for them to cuddle tonight anyways.

"I loved it, it was beautiful. So clear too." Especially considering the fact it was a live performance. To Ruby such a thing was always cool, but marred by less than stellar audio or volume mix. Here everything was perfectly synced and the distance seemed irrelevant to the sound itself.

"The acoustics here are incredible. As someone who has performed in this auditorium, there is none that match in all of Vale that I have ever seen." Weiss said with complete pride in her theater. Well it made sense for the owner to think highly of their concert hall. What seemed more daunting and incredible is what was implied by her statement.

"You used to do performances?!" Ruby shouted shocked and interested all in one. In one way she was sad to know that she did not know this about Weiss. In fact she seemed to know little about her whatsoever. The other half was simply enthralled at the idea of Weiss on the stage. It really did match her to be center stage here. Somehow the image was perfect.

"Yes…I use to sing professionally. Well in local concerts anyways, here and Fort castle, one or two in Vale. Small time." While Weiss seemed embarrassed by her history Ruby was amazed. Weiss was a fantastic singer; a voice that the crimson huntress could listen to for hours, but it still incredible to think how people paid to see her, but Ruby got it for free more and more often.

"Why did you stop?" Ruby asked, deciding to take one step at a time to learning more about Weiss.

"I wasn't getting anywhere. I decided to host my last concert here and I left for Beacon the same week. If I can't be perfect at it I'm not interested." Weiss spoke the words, but it was her father's voice. Ruby was thrilled that Weiss had gone to Beacon, that they were together because of it, but she should have never quit singing.

"Weiss…" Ruby mumbled knowing arguing would never fix it. A new idea might help though. "Next time we all come here for a weekend you should host us a private little concert! You'll completely blow them away; even Blake won't know what to say!" It would be hilarious just to watch Yang and the others flip, plus it would remind Weiss how great she was. Wasteful not using her talent when it was so good.

"Ruby...tomorrow is our last day….Don't you get it that's why I've been trying to spend all day with you?!" Weiss shouted, but Ruby didn't believe her. Weiss couldn't give up. Mr. Schnee might not believe in them, but Weiss had to.

"No I won't let it!" Ruby yelled back, not letting it end. Not without fighting it. That's what mom would tell her to do. Fight till you can't just like she did.

"Give up" Weiss prodded again.

"No." Ruby returned not backing down for one moment, she wouldn't.

"Give up, I don't want him to hurt you… I can't protect you...give up." Weiss might have suggested she gave up, but she didn't break up with Ruby, she didn't say the words. Weiss was never afraid to be cruel, she couldn't break up with Ruby because she refused to let go either and the crimson huntress knew it.

"I won't ever give up." Declaring war on the inevitable, wasn't that the nature of a huntress really? Guardians of a fleeting light against an endless darkness and oh was Ruby a Huntress to the core.

"Ruby" Weiss muttered, almost, but unable to say the words.

"And if I can't win….I'll ….I'll wait for you, I'll grow old enough….I'll get a job here as a huntress as soon as I graduate. I'll do it. I'll wait." Ruby felt herself begin to cry. Didn't matter, didn't change anything she was saying. "I waited so long for you to be my friend… I can wait again...just promise to come back and I'll wait." It might have all been childish, Ruby didn't know what love was before Weiss and her had grown close, maybe she didn't still, but something was burning inside of her. 'Weiss please.' Ruby pleaded to herself. She just needed to hear Weiss say it or feel her mean it. Anything. "I'm crying...sorry I didn't mean to it's stupid of me. I-"

"You are so dumb Ruby." Weiss cut her off with a sad smile, of course that's what she would say, but just as she said it those thin white arms of her's wrapped around Ruby. Unwilling to let it go too in her own way.

'I am dumb...that's why I need you… that's why I won't give up.'

***Happy drama llama everyone! I had so much fun writing this and earnestly I'm proud with how it came out for once. Especially after finals are sneaking up and my sister coming in for a visit really threw me for a loop

A lot of these last few chapters have come out of a lot of fics I've read involving Weiss' dad either have the matter trivialized, have him have a weird change of heart, or involve a big fight. I wanted to see what would happen if RWBY was faced with a problem where Yang couldn't punch their way out, Weiss couldn't buy their way out, and Ruby couldn't talk their way out. So how do you win? :P

Wanted to address a guest review who asked if Autumn Vale is necessary for understanding MV. Short answer is absolutely not, long answer is no, but some things are explained in AV I.E. Weiss' dad hates Qrow, doesn't matter so much why, just that he does, but in AV you see why. It's not important but they are connected in small things like that. Anything you need to understand will be explained in MV, but some flavor text is thrown in to reward people who read both. Nothing too important though.

Last is sort of an announcement. With summer (the season) approaching I'm thinking of starting a new RWBY fic with Cat. It will not be part of the Vale series, but details on that later. Thanks to A-rav for edits, and see you all next time!