Chapter 2

Blake crouched down nearby just inches away, but the crying girl did not seem to notice her. "Hey." Blake said to get her attention.

The girl squeaked and recoiled in surprise. "O-oh, hey." She said, doing her best to quickly compose herself.

"You okay?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, just a few things on my mind." The girl said. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

Blake sat down cross-legged. "You sound like Weiss, but without the bitchiness." She laughed.

"She's not a bad person, she's just…" The girl started.

"Difficult?" Blake finished for her. "I know."

"You know her?" The girl asked.

"Sure do." Blake confirmed. "I'm Blake, and she's my closest friend."

"I'm Ruby, her roommate." The girl introduced herself. "Weiss...has friends?"

Though she tried to suppress it, Blake had to chuckle, finally letting go into hysterical laughter. Ruby joined in and it seemed to calm her. "Sick burn, Ruby." Blake said.

"I guess meeting you here isn't a coincidence." Ruby said. "She...uh...told you about me?"

"Mmhmm." Blake confirmed. "She was worried about you."

"She has a funny way of showing it." Ruby groaned, thinking back to the tongue lashing she had received upon first meeting Weiss.

"Weiss is snappy, bitchy, and a pain in the ass, but she's not cruel." Blake explained. "She's just used to fighting people for their respect."

"But she's beautiful and smart." Ruby said. "Why wouldn't people respect her?"

"Her family name." Blake replied. "Her father's company had a poor reputation, and people tend to throw that on her even though her family doesn't even own it anymore."

"That poor girl…" Ruby sighed.

"Is worrying herself sick over you." Blake said. "What's got you down?"

"Oh…" Ruby said. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, making herself as small as possible.

Blake slid closer, placing a hand on Ruby's knee. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, but it might help." Blake suggested.

"My big sister…" Ruby started, tears already welling in her eyes again. "She was in an accident, and she was hurt real bad, and she hasn't woken up. I had to leave or I wouldn't be able to come here, and she's back home and I'm here and she'll wake up and I won't be able to hug her and make sure she's alright." Ruby started sobbing too much to say anything else.

Blake slid in closer, wrapping Ruby in a hug. Ruby leaned into the embrace and grabbed at Blake's shirt, burying her face in Blake's shoulder. Blake rubbed Ruby's back to soothe her. "It's alright." Blake said. "It'll work out."

"I'm...s-sorry." Ruby stammered once she had calmed down a bit.

"It's okay Ruby, I'm here for you." Blake said. "Take your time. Don't bottle it up."

"Th-thank you." Ruby wept. "Thank you so much."

Once Ruby calmed down a bit she and Blake chatted about happier topics: what they thought about the school, fashion, a common interest in reading. Then Blake suggested Ruby should talk to Weiss to clear the air. No matter what Blake said, Weiss was going to be worried about Ruby until she explained things herself. Before they parted Blake gave Ruby her scroll number, to call if she needed someone to talk to about her problems. Ruby decided to head straight for the dorm room she shared with Weiss, hoping to clear things up as soon as possible. Happily, Weiss was there.

"Uh...hey...Weiss." Ruby said meekly from the doorway.

"Hello Ruby." Weiss said, turning from her desk to face the doorway. "Don't just stand in the hallway, it's your room too."

"Right…" Ruby said. She scurried in, rushing over to sit on her bed. "I...I talked to Blake. She said you were worried about me?"

"How could I not be?" Weiss asked. "You hardly say a word to me, then you spend the night crying. I'd have to be heartless to not be worried."

"Well I'm...I'm sorry." Ruby sighed. "I never meant to worry you or anyone else."

"I'm sorry too." Weiss said. "I was...harsh, and my behavior could not have helped matters. So what's wrong?"

"I just have some stuff on my mind from back home." Ruby replied. "Family stuff."

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that." Weiss groaned. She knew all about "family stuff." Both her parents had died in a plane crash when she was young. Even before that her family situation had never been normal, with both her parents rather cold and distant. "If you ever feel like talking about it, just say so."

"Alright." Ruby agreed. "So you and Blake are close friends huh?"

"We are." Weiss confirmed. "She's been living with my sister and I for a few years, and there's no one I trust more."

"I guess that makes her kind of like a second sister, huh?" Ruby suggested.

"Uh...something like that." Weiss replied.

"Why didn't you two room together?" Ruby asked.

"I've been asking myself the same thing." Weiss laughed. "We agreed it would be good to meet some new people, maybe make some new friends."

"I hope I don't disappoint." Ruby sighed. "I'm kind of tired...I didn't get much sleep last night...so I'm going to take a nap, okay?"

"Just try not to snore." Weiss said. It was hard to tell if she was joking or not. "Do you want me to wake you up for anything?"

"No, that's okay." Ruby replied. "I just want to rest."

Ruby slept for a long while, not snoring but making the occasional sigh or squeak. She woke at around dinner time and headed to the dining hall alone, Weiss having already eaten. Then she came back and just went to sleep. Though Weiss was up a few times over the course of the night, she noticed no crying this time. Ruby woke up first the next morning and went to have breakfast on her own. Weiss woke a little later. She had never been a morning person.

Weiss ate lunch with Blake as she had the day before. They chatted about this and that, then parted ways. In the afternoon the students met with the professors in their various departments, just another step in the orientation process. After dinner was a scheduled team-building exercise. All the residents of the floor of the dorm met in the lounge to introduce themselves to one another and play some little games meant to help them get acquainted. Weiss noticed Ruby was absent. She had not seen Ruby all day. Since the schedule was packed for all students Ruby should have at least been at dinner, but Weiss did not remember seeing her in the dining hall.

After the activities were over for the night Weiss returned to the room. Ruby was already there. She looked half-asleep, lying on her back with her headphones on. "Hey, Ruby." Weiss called. When she got no response she walked over and waved a hand in front of Ruby's face. "Anybody home?"

"Oh, sorry Weiss." Ruby said as she took off her headphones. "I didn't hear you come in."

"You weren't at team-building." Weiss said.

"I was too tired." Ruby complained.

"I didn't see you at dinner either." Weiss observed.

"Yeah...I didn't eat." Ruby admitted. "I had a big breakfast, so I'm not really hungry."

"You didn't have lunch either?" Weiss gasped. "No, this won't do. If you want your mind and body to be healthy, you need to eat regularly. Hold on." Weiss went over to her things, digging around in a bag. After a few seconds of searching she produced an apple and brought it over to Ruby. "Here. I keep fruit and energy bars around in case I'm too busy for a normal meal. I'd be happy to share."

"Thanks." Ruby sighed. She took the apple, looked at it for a moment, then took a bite.

"Yesterday you said you had stuff on your mind." Weiss said. "I have to believe it's still bothering you."

"It is." Ruby admitted.

"Want to talk about it?" Weiss asked.

"It's nothing you can help with." Ruby replied.

"Sometimes just talking about a problem helps." Weiss suggested.

"Blake said something similar." Ruby said. "I guess...I guess I could talk about it." She curled up on her side. "My big sister, Yang, she...she had a motorcycle accident. She was hurt really bad and still hasn't woken up. I just...I want to be there with her but I had to come here when I did or I'd have to miss the semester."

"Is she...do the doctors think she'll wake up?" Weiss asked.

"They're pretty sure she will." Ruby answered.

"Then there's not much to worry about." Weiss encouraged. "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"But she won't be." Ruby sobbed. "She...she lost her arm. She works as a personal trainer, it's basically her dream job, and...there's no way she can keep doing that now. When she wakes up she'll be...crushed, absolutely crushed. She's going to need support, and I want to be there for her like she's always been there for me but...I'm stuck here."

"I...I'm sorry to hear that." Weiss said, not really sure how to respond. "I'm sure just knowing you care about her will be a big boost, and you can talk or video-chat with your scrolls."

"I just want to give her a big hug." Ruby wept. "Her hugs always made me feel so much better and...I just want her to be okay." She began crying too much to speak and curled up tighter. Unable to find the words, Weiss just rubbed her shoulder.

"And then she curled up in a ball and cried…for like...half an hour." Weiss groaned. With her elbows on the table she rested her face in her hands. "I have no idea how to deal with this. She's not even eating. She admitted she didn't have lunch or dinner, and I didn't see her eat breakfast yesterday so I don't even know about that. I gave her an apple from my stash and she had a few bites, probably just to placate me, but left the rest. At this rate...I just don't know."

"How about I hang around with her?" Blake suggested. "You know, make sure she's eating, taking care of herself, that she doesn't do anything stupid."

"I'm her roommate." Weiss countered. "If anyone should do that it's me."

"But you don't handle intense emotions well." Blake countered. "Regardless of who should do it, don't you think I'm better equipped to do it."

"That's...that's a really good point." Weiss relented. "If you think it's a good idea and you don't mind doing it...it would be a weight off my mind."

"You said she usually goes to the library around lunchtime?" Blake asked. Weiss nodded in confirmation. "Alright, I'll catch up with her there."

Blake once again saw that Ruby was not in any of the more populated areas of the library. She suspected Ruby could probably be found at the same spot as before. Blake's theory quickly proved correct. At least Ruby was not crying today. She was just sitting in the same corner, partially hidden by the shelving, this time with her headphones on. Ruby spotted Blake as she approached and took off her headphones. "Oh...Blake...what are you doing here?" Ruby asked. The way her voice cracked and eyes darted, indicated she was nervous.

"I was just looking for a quiet place to read." Blake lied. "I remembered how deserted this place was when I talked to you the other day."

"Oh...you like to read?" Ruby asked.

"Yep." Blake confirmed. "At life's bleakest, a good book can take me someplace better, even if it's only for a little while." Ruby laughed. "What?"

"Nothing...it's just that...no, it doesn't matter." Ruby said.

"Come on, tell me." Blake requested.

"Well, it's a little embarrassing, but when I was little my sister would read to me when I was feeling down." Ruby said, smiling and staring off into the distance. "They were usually just silly little fairy tales, but it always made me feel better. When I got a little older she started reading me real books, and then I'd read them myself too. She'd pick up from wherever I left off, even if she had no idea what was going on."

"So what's your favorite book?" Blake asked.

"It's so hard to pick just one…" Ruby complained. "I guess...I guess the Scarlet Rose Saga." The series of books was about a young girl who finds out she has magical powers, then goes to a special school to learn how to fight monsters.

"Really?" Blake said.

"Yeah, I know it's silly." Ruby shrugged. "But when I was a kid I loved that she had my name, and I used to dream of going on the adventures she did."

"No, I didn't mean to insult the choice." Blake explained. "I'm just a little surprised. I always heard those books were good, and I always wanted to read them. I just never got around to it."

"You should." Ruby suggested. "They're a lot of fun."

"I could...we could...read them together if you wanted." Blake offered. "You know, I read a little to you, you read a little to me, that sort of thing."

"Really?" Ruby gasped, squeaking with excitement.

"Yeah, I'll go find them." Blake replied.

"A-awesome!" Ruby cheered.

"Keep it down." Blake admonished. "We're in a library."

"Oh, right, sorry." Ruby whispered.

Blake was shocked by the sudden, if only temporary, shift in Ruby's demeanor. Nothing she had seen or Weiss had told her indicated Ruby was even remotely capable of that level of excitement. If reading with her was all it took to help her out of her depression, it was easily worth the effort.

"Why have neither of us met your roommate yet?" Weiss asked. Blake and Ruby were joining her for lunch in the dining hall.

"Because you haven't come to visit." Blake replied. "I haven't seen Velvet outside the dorm yet, and we don't share any classes."

"What's she like?" Ruby asked.

"She quiet, painfully shy, kind of quirky, and disappears for hours at a time without explanation, but she's really nice." Blake answered. She chuckled and nudged Weiss. "And she's adorable."

"What are you implying Belladonna?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter...Schnee." Blake shot back.

"How adorable?" Ruby asked.

"Cute as a button adorable." Blake replied. "Have you guys made any other friends?"

"Not really." Ruby admitted. "Just you two. I haven't really...felt up to it."

"I'm just glad no one's been particularly unkind to me." Weiss groaned.

"I haven't had too much luck either." Blake said. "Maybe it's the way I dress. Some of the other girls are a bit more...adventurous."

"Adventurous?" Ruby asked.

"I think she means revealing." Weiss said.

Blake nodded in confirmation. "There were a few near misses, but no wardrobe malfunctions yet." Blake said. "Not like yours Weiss."

"Blake don…" Weiss started.

"Ooh...Weiss had a wardrobe malfunction?" Ruby gasped. "Do tell!"

Weiss swore under her breath in a language neither Ruby nor Blake understood. "Back in highschool I was really into yoga." Blake explained. "I'm actually taking a class here. I managed to convince Weiss to join me for once. She shows up in these super-expensive designer yoga pants…"

"I was told they were the best!" Weiss defended herself.

"Well, we do some basic stretches just to get loose, then get into the real stuff." Blake continued. "Weiss bends over and rip! They split straight down the seam! With the tiny sky-blue thong she was wearing she was basically bare-assed." Blake laughed hysterically, joined by a slightly more subdued Ruby. Weiss just pouted. "That was it for Weiss doing yoga."

"That can't be the end of the story!" Ruby protested. "What happened next?"

"So Weiss is bending over, mooning half the class." Blake went on. "She jumps up, tries to force the cloth back together but it's a losing battle. The locker room is at totally the other end of the place, and there's no way she's just going to go with her ass hanging out. She picks up her yoga mat and wraps it around herself like a skirt."

Ruby doubled over with laughter, holding her stomach. "I can't breathe!" She struggled. "This is too…"

"Can we please talk about something else." Weiss groaned. "Anything else?"

"Turns out she forgot to bring a change of clothes too!" Blake exclaimed. "I finished the class and like an hour later made it to the locker room. Weiss was just standing there with the mat still wrapped around her. I loaned her my jeans which were obviously way too big, and we walked out of there with her holding them up the whole way."

Ruby scroll rang. She slipped it out of her pocket and took a look. "Oh, it's my mom." She said. "I have to take this."

"Thank God." Weiss sighed as Blake kept on giggling.

"Hey mom." Ruby said. "How's…" There was a pause. "Really?! She is?!" Suddenly she was smiling ear to ear. Ruby put her hand over the scroll and lowered it so she could talk to Weiss and Blake. "Yang...my sister...she's awake!"

"That's wonderful news." Weiss said.

"That's great." Blake added.

Ruby pressed the scroll back to her ear. "So can I talk to her?" Ruby asked. "Oh...okay...I understand." Her smile remained but faded a bit. "I'll just...call me back whenever. Even if it's in the middle of the night." Ruby nodded at something. "I love you too. Talk to you later." She hung up her scroll.

"Well?" Blake asked.

"My sister came out of her coma, but she was really tired so she's already sleeping again." Ruby explained. "Once she's feeling up to it I'll be able to talk to her. I can't wait. It's been too long already."