Ruby was worried.

I shouldn't be worried, it's probably nothing. Yet the fact that she hadn't received word from team JNPR, from Pyrrha was causing her to worry.

Team JNPR had been sent on a mission past the city limits, past the safety of the kingdom of Vale. It was part of the job of being a huntress. Sure, Ruby worried every time Pyrrha left on a mission, but she was confident in her girlfriend's abilities, after all she is Pyrrha 'Invincible Girl' Nikos. She could handle herself.

What made this time different was that Ruby hadn't been able to get a hold of Pyrrha since JNPR's airship had landed in Grimm territory. Like at all. As in total lack of communications. When Ruby tried to call Pyrrha's scroll, it didn't even ring and Ruby just got 'the number you dialed is unavailable' message. Maybe Pyrrha just forgot to charge her scroll, she is forgetful in sometimes. So Ruby had called Jaune's scroll with the same result. Same with Nora and Ren.

Naturally Ruby had turned to her partner, especially considering how much the Schnee Dust Corporation was invested in communication technology. Weiss had provided a helpful pamphlet to Ruby… which had only raised more questions. One thing led to another and Weiss did a few calls before she was able to give Ruby an answer.

"It means the scrolls are either out of power or destroyed."

It wasn't unusual for someone to lose a scroll while on a mission, or to have it turned off. Sometimes it just wasn't possible to turn it on or they were required to have radio silence. But Pyrrha had promised she'd call me…

The mission in question that JNPR was on was a long one, projected for nearly a week long. True, team RWBY was on their own mission, but theirs had been a mission that did not take that far from the walls of Vale and hadn't been anywhere near as involved as the mission to Mountain Glenn.

This only made the wait harder for Ruby without anything to do. Classes were on hold for a week and a half until the last teams made it back. So without anything else to occupy her, Ruby as just left with her worry.

All of her teammates had given suggestions; Weiss had suggested getting ahead on schoolwork, a logical but very unappealing prospect. Yang had suggested immersing herself in the news Call of Dust game, Ruby was having trouble finding motivation to get into another one – I swear they come out with a new one every year. Blake, however, had suggested reading some books.

Which is why Ruby found herself in the library, reading a book without actually comprehending it as her mind. In truth, the book was actually one of her favourites, one that Yang had used to read to her when she was growing up. Yet it held no appeal to her now, the words offering no comfort.

When is Pyrrha going to get back?

It was the thought that occupied her mind. As it stood, team JNPR was due to arrive back yesterday, yet the lack of Pyrrha to hug meant they had not. How much later are they going to be? Couldn't one of them found a scroll or a charger?

Ruby couldn't acknowledge the other possibility. Pyrrha is a champion, of course she is okay! She has to be…

The girl shook her head, trying to get the thoughts to leave her. She has her team, Pyrrha is going to be fine... Eeeeexcept I can't get a hold of them either. Ruby's mind was going to a dark place as her thoughts continued to spiral out of control. Pyrrha has her partner right? Jaune would definitely be able to keep her safe- who am I kidding, Jaune couldn't save a fly. But its Pyrrha… Pyrrha is always alright!

Ruby felt a chill creep through her body. What if she isn't alright? What if… what if she is stuck in the middle of the wastes, all alone, her teammates are gone and she can't call for help. What if… what if she never comes home? Ruby quailed at the thought.

A chair squeaked as some sat down at her table, Ruby barely glancing at the person before returning to her brooding and attempts at reading. The long swishing ponytail meant it was Weiss, I hope she isn't going to tell me to study again.

Ruby tried bury her nose further into the book, intent on blocking out her teammate's attempts to get her to study. I'm not in the mood for i-

"Boop."

Ruby felt a finger poke her in the nose, before automatically responding.

"Hey Pyrrha."

Wait.

Ruby did a double take; there was Pyrrha, looking slightly worse for wear, but definitely there. Dark circles under her eyes but the warmth of the smile, the long red hair, the beautiful emerald eyes…

The smile turned into a slight frown as Pyrrha pouted. "I don't get hugs? Is it because I didn't ca-oomph!"

Ruby tackled Pyrrha, knocking her off her chair, her small arms locking into a death grip around Pyrrha, as she latched onto the bigger girl, the chairs clattering as they fell over. Pyrrha hesitantly hugged back, surprise etched into her face at suddenly being pounced.

That surprised morphed into concern as she felt Ruby trembling. "R-Ruby are you okay?"

"N-n-no…" Now with Pyrrha back, Ruby felt a week's worth of worry start flow out as tears trickled down her face. "I m-m-missed you."

"Oh Ruby…" Pyrrha returned the hug, pulling Ruby against her as tight as she could. Ruby felt lovingly crushed in the embrace. "I missed you too."

They stayed like that for long minutes, Ruby gripping onto Pyrrha as a life line, while Pyrrha cradled the shaking Ruby against her. "I…I was really worried." Ruby finally pulled enough out of the embrace to look directly into Pyrrha's eyes, their noses touching. "How come you didn't call?"

"Nora… may have packed a considerable amount of syrup in the baggage. Syrup, that I might add, was not securely contained." Pyrrha gave a forced laugh. "Scrolls, it would seem, are not syrup-proof."

Ruby knew she should be angry at Nora. That she should feel something. Instead she felt nothing towards the girl in question.

Ruby was just happy to have her champion back.

AU: Fun fact, since team JNPR's scrolls are destroyed (or ruined by syrup) they can't get into their room which means party at team RWBY's room!

Hopefully this chapter turned out better than the last one!

Expect a Dilation chapter later today followed by chapter 15 of Acceptance! – Got to start this month with a… yang! Eh? EH?!

Quick question for you guys, but what do you think Ruby and Pyrrha would call each other, like terms of endearment?

Have a great day!

Omake:

"Boop."

Ruby felt a finger poke her in the nose, before automatically responding.

"Hey Pyrrha."

Wait.

Even as Ruby's sight sped towards the source of the boop, a resounding BOOM could be heard as Nora burst out of the wall "THAT'S MY LINE!"