Chapter 7

Pyrrha woke up feeling very refreshed. She glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was already past 3 in the afternoon. After such a busy weekend, not to mention the exertions of the night, it was no surprise that she had slept so long. She sat up and swiveled to sit on the edge of the bed. She yawned and stretched. Ruby was not there but she rarely slept in. Even after a night so physically demanding she had probably been up just after dawn like usual. Pyrrha got up and walked over to the dresser. There had been no time to dress the night before but Pyrrha quickly found what she was looking for, comfortable panties, sweatpants and a tank top. She would never go out in public in such sloppy attire, but there was no need to go out today. It was her first real day off in a long time.

After dressing Pyrrha left the bedroom. With another yawn she stood just outside the door and looked around. The dirty dishes in the kitchen sink told her Ruby had taken care of her own breakfast and lunch, and the fact that the television was off implied that Ruby was in her art studio. It felt...normal. Pyrrha crossed the apartment and knocked on the door to the studio. "Everything alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Ruby replied. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Take your time." Pyrrha said. She walked over to the couch and sat down. Even after all that sleep she could rather easily have drifted off again.

"Hey sleepy-head." Ruby said as she approached.

Pyrrha turned her head to look at Ruby. The hair on the left side of Ruby's head was still quite short and her scar was very visible. So much for normal. "Sorry, I was very tired." Pyrrha apologized.

"That's alright." Ruby shrugged. She made her way over and sat beside Pyrrha, leaning against her.

Pyrrha adjusted her position to make it more comfortable for both of them, with Ruby reclining against her. "So what did you do today?" Pyrrha asked.

"I started my next painting." Ruby replied.

"Oh?" Pyrrha said. "What's this one?"

"It's a portrait...of you." Ruby answered.

"But you've already painted my portrait." Pyrrha said.

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago." Ruby said. "I made so many mistakes and I'm a much better artist now. It's embarrassing to even look at the old one."

"Well, do you need me to pose for it or anything?" Pyrrha asked.

"No, I'm doing it from memory." Ruby replied. "How could I forget your face?"

"I can't wait to see the finished product." Pyrrha said. "If it's anything like your painting of Yang it will be incredible."

"That one was really good huh?" Ruby said. "Everyone seemed to really like it."

"Well it was amazing." Pyrrha said. "The flames were breathtaking. How did you come up with an idea like that?"

"I...uh...had a nightmare." Ruby lied. "Everything was on fire and there was a figure made of flames."

"Oh...that's...interesting." Pyrrha struggled, not sure what to say. "Do you have anything special in mind for my portrait?"

"Not really." Ruby said. "I was just going to paint you normally. You're beautiful enough as you are." Ruby paused for a moment. "Oh yeah Yang called."

"What about?" Pyrrha asked.

"Her title fight is scheduled for a month from now." Ruby answered.

"Isn't that short notice?" Pyrrha asked. Fighters typically had months to prepare between fights. It would barely be two months between bouts for Yang.

"Yeah, it's kind of a fill-in fight." Ruby explained. "Apparently the Heavyweight Championship was supposed to be contested but the champion got hurt. The VFC still wanted a title fight to headline the card so they moved up Yang's fight."

"Consecutive fights on short notice." Pyrrha sighed. "That's going to be rough on her."

"Yang can handle it." Ruby said. "You should have seen her in the gym the other day. She was unstoppable. I've never seen her like this. She's better than ever."

"It sure seems that way." Pyrrha agreed. "The fight's going to be in Vytal right?"

"Yeah." Ruby sighed. "I guess I won't be able to go. I probably shouldn't fly with my...headaches."

"You should be there for Yang." Pyrrha said. "I'll charter a flight just for us if I have to. One way or another I'll make sure you get there."

"Wow, thanks Pyrrha." Ruby said. "It means a lot."

"I'd do anything for you." Pyrrha said with a smile.

Yang was not having a great day at the gym. Sure, she was obliterating her sparring partners the way she always did, it was just that she was feeling ill. She had spent the night before with Coco. It started with drinking...probably too much, then moved on to some very clumsy drunken sex, followed by more drinking. Then they both passed out, waking up in the morning with massive hangovers. Her funeral nightmare had become a recurring one, but with enough booze Yang could shut off her brain to let her sleep in peace. A little discomfort the following day was a small price for not having to relive that horror.

Yang clinched with Ren, twisted him over her hip and slammed him down to the mat on his back, landing in side-control. Before Ren could recover from the shock of hitting the ground, Yang had transferred to full-mount. If it were a real fight Yang would have battered her opponent into unconsciousness from the position, but for sparring this was enough. She stood and helped Ren to his feet. He rubbed his back, still a bit sore from the impact. "I think I need a break." He said.

"Sure." Coach said. "Ren, Yang, take five."

Yang grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off her face. When she looked up Blake was standing in front of her. "What's up?" Yang asked.

"Are you alright?" Blake asked.

"What do you mean?" Yang asked. She was legitimately confused by the question.

"I mean you're not as quick as usual." Blake said. "Sure, you threw Ren around pretty easily, but you're normally faster. Some of your moves were a little sloppy too."

"Oh, are you sure?" Yang asked. "It felt alright."

"No, that definitely wasn't your best." Blake insisted.

"I kind of had a crazy night last night." Yang said, forcing a laugh. "Me and Coco probably had a little too much to drink."

"Well, alright." Blake said. "As long as you're not hiding an injury or anything."

"Was I really that bad?" Yang asked.

"No, but I wanted to make sure." Blake replied.

"Yang, break's over!" Coach called.

"That's my cue." Yang said. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm alright, really."

"Okay." Blake shrugged. "Now get back in there before Coach has a fit."

The rest of the night was relaxing for Pyrrha and Ruby. After lounging around for a few hours Pyrrha grilled some chicken for dinner. It was the first time Ruby had been treated to her cooking since the incident. It was quite the treat, just as good as Ruby remembered. That it had been so long made it extra special. After dinner they watched TV for a few hours before going to bed early. Both were in need of some good rest. As Pyrrha drifted to sleep she could almost imagine things were back to the way they had been.

Yang got home from the gym late. With her fight on such short notice she was cramming in all the training she could. It was exhausting but exhilarating at the same time. Yang loved fighting, whether it be in a proper match or just friendly sparring. That she could keep fighting all day filled her with confidence. Championship fights were almost double the length of normal matches, and few of Yang's fights had gone beyond the first round besides. But if she could train all day without totally wearing herself out, she could handle a 25 minute fight. If it came to that. Chances were Yang would have her opponent finished off in seconds like she usually did.

On the way home Yang stopped at a liquor store. She was not used to buying booze by the bottle, really having only previously drunk in bars. She picked out a few bottles of booze - some vodka, a little wine, whiskey Qrow had once told her was good - made her purchase and headed home. Until recently she hardly drank. Now it was the surest way to keep the nightmares at bay. Just days earlier going to sleep had been something she feared but now that fear was gone. The booze helped with the guilt too. Drink enough and she would feel nothing at all.

Ruby and Pyrrha both got up early. They had somewhere to be. After a quick breakfast consisting of their favorite cereals, they headed to the gym for Ruby's physical therapy session. Doc had her down to twice a week after the pace of their first week proved unsustainable. Normally Pyrrha would have sparred with someone while waiting, the way she would if Ruby was there to do some tattooing, but instead she stuck around and watched Ruby work out. Ruby was not in the greatest of shape. She had not been even before her injury. She struggled as Doc put her through a demanding routine. Pyrrha was impressed though. Ruby was not a professional athlete, but here she was training like one. Pyrrha's worries from a few nights before proved unfounded, as Ruby was now performing activities more demanding than anything the pair had done.

Ruby and Pyrrha headed home after Ruby's session wrapped up. Ruby was feeling pretty good. Doc's regimen was strenuous in the extreme, but Ruby felt that if she could get through it she must be getting better. There were aches and pains, and the workout left her drenched in sweat, but it was all worth it if it meant she was healing. She hoped her brain was healing too. It seemed to be. Her headaches, once debilitating, had reduced in intensity to the point that they hardly bothered her. It would be nice if they would stop entirely, but she could live with the current level of discomfort. There were other aspects of her mental recovery, but she preferred not to think about them.

Ruby and Pyrrha got lunch on the way home. It was just take-out - acceptable in quality but not spectacular - but for Ruby it was extra good because she shared it with Pyrrha. Ruby was used to the routine. In the days leading up to her fights Pyrrha was always busy, always away. Ruby understood and had no problem with it, but after her injury she very much wanted Pyrrha to be there to comfort her. At the same time she was not about to get in the way of Pyrrha's career. Now that Pyrrha was home, things were a little different. One might expect that Ruby would cling to Pyrrha, but that was not the case. Just knowing she was there if needed was enough and Ruby was happy to do her own thing. Pyrrha was happy with the arrangement too, even if she was concerned about Ruby.

Once back at the apartment Ruby headed into her studio to paint. Pyrrha sat on the couch and watched some television, something she rarely had the time to do. She had never watched much TV until she started dating Ruby. She had not even owned a television. It was a nice diversion though. Ruby felt like her painting was progressing nicely. She was still just sketching out the basics but already she thought it looked better than her old portrait of Pyrrha. Soon she was entirely absorbed in her work. Her hands seemed to move on their own. It was a great feeling.

Ruby felt a presence. She looked up from the canvas to see Jaune standing by the window, leaning casually against the wall. "Oh, hey Jaune." She said. "I didn't hear you come in. Sorry, I guess I was really focused."

"No sweat." Jaune said. His voice was a bit hoarse, as if he were ill.

"So what's up?" Ruby asked. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Jaune said, scratching the back of his head. "I've been busy. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm doing alright." Ruby said. "I'm feeling a lot better lately."

"That's good." Jaune said. "How's your art going?"

"Really well." Ruby replied. "Everyone said my last painting was amazing and this one's coming along great." She laughed. "This whole brain thing might have made me a better artist."

Ruby heard the door open to her right and turned to look. Pyrrha was standing in the doorway, looking around the room. "Did you call me?" Pyrrha asked.

"No." Ruby replied.

"Oh, I swear I heard you talking." Pyrrha said, looking quite confused.

"I was just talking…" Ruby started. She looked over toward the window and there was no one there. It clicked in Ruby's head. Another hallucination.

"Are you alright?" Pyrrha asked.

"Oh...sorry." Ruby said, forcing a laugh. "I was talking...to myself. I was really absorbed in my work."

"Okay." Pyrrha said. She looked relieved. "I'm here if you need anything."

"I know, thanks." Ruby said. When Pyrrha backed out and closed the door Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. She hated lying to Pyrrha, but she did not want her to worry. If Pyrrha knew Ruby was still having hallucinations, she would be very worried indeed. "Hey Pyrrha!" Ruby called.

Pyrrha opened the door again. "What is it?" She asked.

"Do you know what's up with Jaune?" Ruby asked. "I haven't heard from him in a while." A look of concern spread across Pyrrha's face. "What?"

"Ruby...Jaune...Jaune's dead." Pyrrha said. "Yang and I keep telling you."

"But that's impossible...he can't…" Ruby stammered. Images flashed in her head. Jaune being shot on the surveillance video, Jaune lying motionless on the concrete, his grave. "Oh God...he is dead. Why did I forget? How did I forget?" Tears filled her eyes.

Pyrrha rushed over and hugged Ruby. "It's alright, it's alright." She said, trying to soothe Ruby. "It was a traumatic event. I'm sure your mind just wants to forget."

"He was my best friend…" Ruby cried. "And I can't even remember he's dead. What's wrong with me? Why am I so broken?"

"You're not broken." Pyrrha said. "You just need some time to heal. That's it." Pyrrha was trying to convince herself as much as Ruby and she knew it. "You've been taking all your medication right?"

"Yeah." Ruby said.

"Every day?" Pyrrha pressed.

"Yeah." Ruby repeated.

"Maybe one of the drugs is messing with your memory." Pyrrha theorized. "Combine that with the trauma...yeah...it's totally understandable that you could forget."

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure it's fine." Pyrrha replied. "I'm sure you're fine."

"I...I guess you're right." Ruby said. "I hope you're right."

"Everything's going to be fine." Pyrrha said. She had still not released Ruby from her embrace. "I'll be here for you. We'll get through it together. We can get through anything together." Pyrrha was crushed. Seeing Ruby so hurt, so afraid, it was unbearable. She had convinced herself that everything was back to normal but that illusion had been shattered.

"I think...I think I want to paint now." Ruby said.

"Oh...okay." Pyrrha sighed. She released Ruby. "Just yell if you need anything. Anything at all."

"I will." Ruby said. "Thanks."

Pyrrha reluctantly left Ruby in her studio. She just wanted to hold her. She wanted to make everything alright. But she could not make it alright. Maybe no one could. She sat on the couch, picked up her phone and called the one person she knew would understand. "Yang...hey." Pyrrha said as Yang answered.

"What's wrong?" Yang asked. She could hear it in Pyrrha's voice, even though she was already a few drinks in.

"It's Ruby." Pyrrha sighed.

"What happened?" Yang gasped.

"Nothing major...she just...she forgot Jaune was dead again." Pyrrha replied. "She was so distraught when I told her. I just...I don't know what to do. Seeing her like that hurts so much."

"I know." Yang said. "She was like that the last time she forgot too. I took her to Jaune's grave. I was hoping that seeing it would force her to remember but I guess not."

"What should we do?" Pyrrha asked.

"I don't know if there's anything we can do." Yang sighed.

"Maybe she should see a psychiatrist." Pyrrha suggested.

"If you could convince her." Yang said. "She doesn't like doctors of any kind. It reminds her too much of her mother's death."

"There's got to be something we can do." Pyrrha said.

"I don't know." Yang said. "Even if there is, I don't know what. This might just be something we have to deal with."

"But how can she go on like this?" Pyrrha asked. "How can I go on like this?"

"We just have to live our lives." Yang said. "The same goes for Ruby. Maybe if we act like things are normal, they will be. Maybe she'll just get better. I really don't know."

"I feel so helpless." Pyrrha said.

"Me too." Yang said. "Me too."

Yang felt sick after getting off the phone with Pyrrha. She had hoped that once Pyrrha came back, once Ruby had that stabilizing force in her life, that everything would get better. Well, it was not getting better. Yang wondered how long it would be before Ruby's next hallucination. It hurt Yang to keep them secret from Pyrrha, but that was what Ruby wanted. Yang feared Pyrrha would find out soon enough. Ruby could only play things off for so long. If Yang had seen through Ruby's deception Pyrrha would as well. Then there would be an extra layer of pain.

Yang was already about halfway through the bottle of wine when Pyrrha called. Once Yang hung up she stopped even bothering to pour it into her glass, drinking straight from the bottle instead. Now being awake was a nightmare of its own as guilt and worry swirled in her mind. When the bottle was empty Yang still did not feel sufficiently drunk but she called it a night anyway. She stumbled into her bedroom and collapsed on the bed. Maybe things would be better in the morning. She knew deep down that would not be the case.