Yang Xiao Long is surrounded in nothing but cold emptiness in the cell where the guards have dumped her like the monster they believe her to be. Fear her to be. She’s left with only her thoughts, a muddled mess of anxiety and despair for what will happen to her. Not herself, but for the one and only thing that she’s genuinely cared about with all her being since the day of their birth.

What will happen to Ruby if she’s gone? If she’s not there to protect her baby sister, to care for her like she had once Summer had died. Who will understand her like Yang does? Make awful puns to make her smile? Will Ruby ever even smile again after what she had done? Her mind had seen one thing, the screen another. Her wellbeing doesn’t even matter to her, as long as Ruby is okay–that’s all that matters.

“Please, please, please.” Yang never bows, but her lip is trembling as she tries to hold the tears back to no avail. “Someone, please, don’t let her be alone.”

-

“Whoa, slow down there, kid!” The rush of rose petals collides with the monkey faunus, small girl so blinded by tears that she hadn’t even noticed him in her path. She blubbers what he assumes is an apology as she tries to step out of his way, only to be halted by his hands on her shoulders. Waterfalls of tears are gushing out of those silver eyes that can barely make contact with his as he kneels down before her.

“Hey, hey. Are you okay?” It’s a stupid question, Sun saw the match–the whole world did. Rather, what the illusionist had crafted for them to witness, but nothing got past his perceptive vision. “They aren’t just going to let you see her,–”

Ruby Rose. That was her name. He almost forgets she’s only fifteen, practically a child despite their two year difference, and yet leader of her own team. Baby sister to the spitfire blonde, and what little information Blake had let slip about the siblings’ past.

“I–I–I have to try–!” Ruby is determined despite how her whole body is trembling, likely reliving the whole event over and over in her mind as if trying to make sense of it. “That’s not like Yang–she–she’d never do that! They think she’s a monster, they don’t know her like I–I–do–she’s my sister, without her, I–I–”

Dust, she’s so small. Her voice is lost to the hiccuping sobs, and Sun wraps his arms around her shaking petite frame. His heart shatters as she accepts the gesture, tiny hands grasping at his jacket. He wonders how many times her own sister has held her like this, how many times a simple hug has meant so much.

“You believe me, don’t you?” Sun almost doesn’t catch the muffled whisper, more of a desperate plea for someone to stand with her when all had turned away in heated debate and fearful insults.

“Of course I know Yang didn’t do that. It was an illusion.” The reply definitely surprises her, as if not expecting it despite her heart daring to hope. Ruby stares up at him, a sniffle the only sound she makes as he continues for her sake. Anything to make her feel better, to add onto that ray of hope. “I saw through that little trick of theirs, making her think that guy was attacking her. Your sister is innocent.”

“R–Really?” She doesn’t think her heart can handle a lie, and the way he nods with a warm smile and ruffles her short hair snuffs out any doubt.

“Really. We’ll both figure this out together, okay? So, uh, Yang in there.” She always told awful puns, didn’t she? The memory of the little fact is rewarded with a tiny smile that tugs at her pale lips as well as a ghost of a giggle. Good.

“‘Both figure this out together?’ And what are the rest of us supposed to do, O perfect leader?” Sage, Scarlet, and Neptune are behind him, unable to pretend to be irritated for long once they see the distraught girl peering over to them.

“See, Ruby? We’re growing in numbers. Things are looking up already.”

“‘Looking up’, indeed! Do you know how worried we were, Ruby! You can’t run off like that!” The unmistakable scold of the Ice Queen has the leader of RWBY break free from Sun’s arms to see her two teammates approaching them. “We’ve gone through this before, remember? If there’s a problem, you come to us. Not that…you, Sun, aren’t a good person to go, but we’re a team still. We should be first.”

“She’s right.” In agreement to the previous time to when the cat faunus had run away, or that Sun is a trustworthy friend, Blake doesn’t specify. Maybe both. “We need to stay calm. Focused. It won’t help Yang’s cause if we just rush in there without thinking.”

“Y–You guys.” Ruby looks about fit to start crying all over again. It had always been Yang that had looked after her, had supported her, and now to have everyone do the same for her, when everything was looking as bad as it was–

“I didn’t realize we were having a meeting! We’re going to prove Yang’s innocence, right?” From their right comes all four members of team JNPR, followed by the redhead robot that immediately picks up on her best friend’s distress.

“Do not worry, friend Ruby! I also believe sister Yang is not guilty! Please do not cry!” Penny wastes no time in pulling her friend into a crushing hug. She’s requesting the impossible once she lets Ruby go, the embrace nearly suffocating her, as she can’t help the tears that begin to fall down and blur the vision of all her friends.

“Yeah! We’ll break their le–”

“Nora.” It’s not just Ren that gasps her name, not the best time to bring up the delicate subject. A pout forms on her face, muttering something about breaking arms instead, and countered by her ninja friend that they probably shouldn’t be breaking anything–besides the rules that they were clearly going to.

“Like they broke my chic sunglasses, you mean? Count us in, then.” Coco Adel huffs from nearby, not forgiving the strange duo that had ruthlessly beaten her and Yatsuhashi to a pulp.

“But Coco, you’re not fully healed–” Velvet frets over her two recovering teammates, receiving a snappy answer that the feud is personal. No one messed with her fashion and got away with it, sparring student or overgrown Grimm. Besides, she had a feeling there had been something more to their overpowered opponents, and while she did admire Yang’s style, even she knew that was out of her character to strike a downed foe.

“So it’s decided. We’re all in this together, yeah? No one is fighting alone, not now or ever.” Sun confirms with a nod, Ruby much too overwhelmed now by all the support to speak. All attempts to thank each and every one is overrun by incredibly relieved cries, no amount of gratitude will ever be enough to express how thankful she is. She doesn’t know when the group hug starts, or how long it lasts, feeling the love and determination from each individual as an eternity passes. Here there is warmth, kindness, safety, and peace.

-

And from where Yang is curled up in her cell, regardless of all the unknown uncertainty of what will happen to her future now, she’s comforted by the knowing thoughts that Ruby will be okay. They aren’t alone, their family has grown since the childhood days of just the two of them, Zwei, their distant father, and the rare visits of Uncle Qrow.

“Thank you.”