Source Material: The Flash Season 3: Episode 23.


Phoenix looked upon all the viewers, each going through their own grief for the death of the alternate Yang. Ruby was still breaking down in her sister's arms while Yang was holding onto her little sister. Like a lifeline to not break down. Blake and Weiss were trying to be supportive but both had their own tears running down their cheeks. With team NPR, Nora was breaking down while holding onto Ren for dear life. Ren was trying to use all his self-control to not break down while holding his partner. Pyrrha was rubbing her teammate's back while her own sniffles were being heard.

Qrow was looking up at the ceiling as his eyes were misted over and his flask held tightly in his hand, it was shaking from the amount of pressure he was holding it with. Tai was slumped forward, his face in his hands as he cried silently to himself. Ozpin, Goodwitch, Ironwood and Winter were all silent, each in their own heads trying to come to grips with yet another life snuffed out too soon.

Phoenix cleared his throat after an acceptable amount of time passed. Everyone turned to him besides the distraught family, "I think we should carry on with this viewing."

Qrow looked to him with anger in his misty eyes, "Continue? We just watched Yang get killed. Why would we want to watch more?!"

Phoenix was unfazed by the anger the uncle had displayed. "Because, this is not over. Tragic as it is, if the people who can change the world fall apart at every failure, the Multiverse would have no hope. Now, you will witness what this Jaune Arc as he will always be remembered. As a Hero that stands among the greatest of heroes." He turned to the screen, "And the reason why I chose this world…" With that, the screen came to life to view the world again.

The world opened up to show Jaune was still dressed as the Flash and was holding the body of Yang. He was rocking and crying to himself.

Tai, still on the roof, dropped the laser rifle in his hands to the ground. He then turned away before he collapsed onto the roof and began to cry for the death of his first daughter. That was when AW came running in and quickly picked up the fallen laser rifle. He pulled it up and looked through the scope at the tragedy that had happened below. He pulled away as he dropped the gun, "Oh no." was he said as he placed his hands upon his head.

Ironwood just looked upon the alternate version of Arthur Watts, this one was certainly nothing like the man he once knew. He was pulled back to reality when his Specialist spoke up, "He probably blames himself more than anyone. Right, sir?"

Ironwood nodded, "Most likely. He was the one that gave away Miss Xiao Long's location."

Jaune was still rocking Yang in his arms when suddenly, a pair of drumsticks fell from her pocket and clattered onto the ground.

The General's eyes narrowed slightly, "Are those..?"

Glynda turned to her colleague, "What are you saying, James?"

He looked down in confusion before Yang awoke in his arms with a gasp. He turned back to her, "Yang?" She was gasping and choking on the air she was trying to get, "Yang?" he asked again.

She just looked up at him and said, "JA?"

"What?" he asked in confusion.

She pulled out a small piece of tech. She turned it on and her disguise was reverted, revealing it to be AW all along. "JA." He said again.

Everyone just stared in shock, no on expecting this to happen. Most of all those from the Xiao Long/Rose family. "It wasn't Yang?" Tai asked as he removed his hands from his face.

Qrow nodded, "But then the guy on the roof has to be…"

Jaune, still stunned just uttered his name, "AW."

The AW on the roof removed his hat before looking back down to the crying Tai, "Dad." He said. Tai slowly looked up to him, confused. That was when that disguise faded away and Yang stood in his place, "Dad." She said again as she started to cry.

"It was her." Qrow said in shock.

"Yang!" Ruby shouted as she hugged her older sister tighter. Tears were still pouring from her eyes but these were of joy, not sadness. "You're alive! You're alive…"

Yang finally snapped out of it and was gently rubbing her sisters back, "Yeah." She then chuckled. "I guess I am."

Weiss rolled her eyes, "You dolts, Yang was going to be fine no matter what. I don't know why you were getting emotional."

Blake looked at her with a teasing smile, "So, those tears going down your cheeks were from what exactly?" Weiss looked away with a small huff but all seven students laughed all the same. Just relieved that the Yang on screen was alright.

"B-baby?" he asked.

She just nodded as more tears fell, "Yeah."

The father quickly got up and hugged her, both crying in relief but sorrow. "I don't understand."

Yang looked down from the roof, "It was AW."

"But how and when did he do it?" Ozpin asked as he turned to their host. Phoenix just kept quiet and motioned to the screen.

The world quickly went to a flashback of AW saying goodbye to Ren as he went to go help Jaune. As the hero left, he looked down to a case in front of him that held one of the spears from Savitar's suit. He used it to help guide him to where Savitar and Killer Frost were, along with the captured Yang.

Yang saw him hiding while Savitar and Frost were working on his suit again., "AW?" he turned to her. "Hi." She said simply in disbelief and relief.

He quickly went over to the wall she was chained to . "Hi." He said simply. "Let's get you out of here." He said as he worked on the chains with Savitar's spear.

"Where is everybody else?" she questioned, still confused on what was happening.

"I couldn't tell…" AW started. "Barry, or Savitar, would know I was coming." The blade finally cut through the chains, "Let's get you out of here." He reiterated.

"That is actually a fair point." Pyrrha said out loud as she was dabbing away her tears. "He couldn't risk telling anyone about what he was planning."

"But that also left him alone to try to deal with Savitar and the alternate Weiss." Ren added. "It's risky."

"Okay." She agreed instantly and the two got up to run to the exit. But as they were doing that, the spear was wrenched from his grip and flew back to the rest of the suit. As it reconnected, Savitar and Frost turned around to see what was happening. They abandoned all stealth to try to get to the exit as fast as possible.

"They have to get out of there!" Nora shouted in a panic.

"How?" Weiss asked the bomber. "One of them is a speedster."

"I don't know, okay?" Nora turned to the heiress. "I'm stressed out right now."

"Get her." Savitar commanded as Frost started to march forward.

The two quickly wound up in a dead end and Yang turned back to where Frost was coming from. "We can't outrun them."

"No, we can't." AW agreed as he pulled his piece of tech out. He used it to quickly swap their appearances.

"So, that's why they swapped places." Winter said out loud.

Ironwood nodded, "He knew they couldn't escape so he took her place."

"But, why would he go so far?" Winter asked. "He knew there was a good chance he'd be killed instead."

"I think I know why." Ironwood said but kept staring at the screen.

Yang, now looking like AW, quickly asked, "What are you doing?"

Aw, now as Yang, had the answer all ready. "I'm the reason why Savitar found you. I need to remedy that."

"Exactly what I thought." Ironwood stated.

"But how did that Yang go along with it?" Ruby asked. "I know Yang and she'd never let someone else take the fall for her."

Yang just nodded, "You got a point, Rubes."

Yang shook her head, "Not like this. Give me that." She quickly tried to grab the piece of tech but she was blasted into the wall by Killer Frost's ice.

She was making her way over to finish 'HR" when 'Yang' raised her hands, "Don't! I'm the one he wants." Frost turned to 'her'. "Okay, Please, don't hurt him."

That made the rest of Yang's team, friends and family laugh a bit. "That explains it." Blake said to the embarrassed Yang. "You didn't have a say in it."

Back to the present, AW was still dying in Jaune's arms, "Oh, no. JA? JA?"

That quickly sobered everyone up. They were so focused on Yang surviving, that they had overlooked that AW was now taking her place.

"I'm right here." He told him in a calming voice.

"Please, tell Robyn, I'm sorry and I love her. That she'll have a glorious future and a brilliant story?" Jaune quickly nodded as tears fell from his eyes." And will you tell Ren… Please tell him…" he said weakly. Jaune leant down so he could hear him better as he whispered to the hero. "This took strength and he gave it to me."

That made Ren's eyes grow wide. He then closed them before bowing his head in respect. Nora saw her partner and closest friend do this and gently started to rub his back. That was when she felt the weak shaking coming from him.

He pulled away and looked down in shock, "Will you tell him that? For me?"

"Yeah." He replied with full confidence.

"Good." Aw said in relief. "Now… Go stop Savitar." He gave the Flash a wink before his eyes finally closed and AW's time was over.

"I think I moment of sadness is in order." Ironwood said out loud.

Ozpin nodded, "I agree, James. For a man that wasn't a speedster or genius, but just a man with a good heart." With that everyone bowed their heads for a few seconds of silence. In that time, Tai, Qrow and Ruby were mentally thanking him for saving that version of Yang.

Jaune just looked down at his dead friend before his eyes widened as he saw Yang run over to them. He stood up and just stared at her, still trying to believe she was still here. Still alive. She ran over and held him and Jaune held her just as tightly as both still sobbed.

Tai ran over and had to tell the Speedster something important. "Savitar took the Speed Force bazooka." The two separated and just looked at Tai in confusion. Why would he want that of all things?

"That is supposed to imprison him in the Speed Force, right?" Yang asked. "Why would he want that of all things?"

"Maybe to ensure they couldn't use it against him again?" Pyrrha put her opinion out there.

"Then wouldn't he just destroy it?" Ruby asked.

Back in the snowy forest, Ren was on his back and was slowly backing away as Frost had her hands extended, ready to finish her former best friend. "Bye-bye, Vibe." She said with a murderous smirk.

Weiss just shuddered at the look on her face. "Weiss, you can be really scary when you want to be." Ruby said.

Weiss just sighed, "If I ever turn out like that, please hit me over the head… not you Nora." That made the cheery bomber pout.

Before she could deliver the final strike, Savitar appeared on the scene, still in his armor. "Keep him alive."

Frost just turned to her boss in confusion, "What? Why?"

"Because I need him to build something for us." Savitar answered cryptically. That was when the rush of new memories went through his head, revealing that Yang was alive. He gripped his helmeted head as he groaned in pain.

"Oh that's not good." Ruby whined. "Now he's going to go after her again!"

"Will he?" Phoenix asked with a smirk. That made everyone look at him in confusion.

"Savitar?" Frost asked as she saw this.

He was walking away as he held the bazooka in his one hand, "Something's wrong." He said in pain.

"What is it?"

He dropped the bazooka in shock, "She's… not dead." He said in shock.

That earned shocked looks from Ren and Frost with the latter asking, "How is that possible?"

"AW." He said as he turned back to her. "He took her place."

"AW?" Ren asked in shock.

"I thought you said AW lives?" Frost asked in a panic.

"Not anymore!" he shouted to her, making her flinch back.

"Okay, that is a new kind of angry from him." Nora said in a worried tone.

"Well, everything that he was certain of just got thrown into the garbage." Pyrrha explained. "I think anyone would be angry."

"But a speedster being angry is so much more dangerous." Ren added his own wisdom.

"If Yang doesn't die…"Frosts started before she looked back up to the God of Speed.

"That means the future's changing." Ren finished for her with a grin of victory on his lips.

Savitar just walked towards the down hero, "So is yours."

"Oh, no." Nora said in worry. "Not Ren!"

Ren was thrown to the ground in the same warehouse Yang was held in not too long before. Savitar walked to a table not too far away, out of his armor. He then placed the bazooka onto the table as Ren was chuckling, "Oh, you better have a plan B, because I don't think your plan A worked out to well."

Savitar didn't even look at him, "Fix this."

"Fix what?" Ren asked as he got up and walked over to him. "The Speed Force bazooka? Hey, I didn't name it. If I didn't name it, I didn't make it. And if I didn't make it, I don't know how it works."

Savitar just looked at him with his arms crossed, unimpressed. "Oh, you know enough about it to alter what it does."

"Oh, I see." He said as he looked at Weiss next to him before going back to the evil speedster. "You want me to alter it. Well, what do you want me to alter it into? Like a hair dryer? Or a waffle maker? Oh, I know. Maybe something that's gonna fix that thin-crust pizza you call a face."

"Mister Ren, your alternate seems to be quite the smart mouth." Glynda said as she pushed her glasses into place.

"Yeah, I've notice that too." Yang said before she grinned. "I honestly kinda like the change. Usually you're always so serious and quiet."

"Be that as it may." Glynda continued. "Your other should be more careful. That duplicate of Mister Arc has all his abilities but none of his heart. And now he is running out of time, making him more dangerous."

Despite the insult, Savitar continued as normal, "An interdimensional quantum splicer."

"A splicer?" Ren said getting an idea on what he was planning.

"I do have a plan B." Savitar smirked. "I open a time portal, exposing the Speed Force, you shoot me with that, and I become fragmented throughout all of time. The past, present, future. After that, the paradox can't reach me."

"You wanna splice yourself throughout time?" Ren questioned and Savitar nodded. "Exist in every single moment there ever was?"

"All of us aware and connected through one consciousness." He confirmed. "I'll be everywhere: every hour, every minute. And then, I will rule from the Bing Bang until the end of the world."

That made everyone have a chill go up their spine, even the adults. "That is terrifying." Tai said out loud.

"Yeah." Qrow agreed. "When he was talking about becoming a god, I didn't think he meant something like this."

Phoenix shrugged, "People have different interpretations of what godhood is. You all thought I was one until I corrected you, remember?"

Ren looked down at the device in front of him, "You wanted us to build this thing."

"Well, why do you think I let you idiots live?" He said in disgust. "Robyn Hill trapped me in the Speed Force in the future. All I had to do was get her to build this a little earlier and have my best friend make all the adjustments." He gloated.

"He had that planned out too?!" Weiss asked in shock. "How far did he think ahead?"

"Mister Arc has quite the mind for tactics." Ozpin added. "And sometimes, a mind can be more powerful than any weapon out there."

"Even the greatest of foes can be toppled with the right plan." Phoenix added with a sip from his coffee mug. "That's why the most terrifying kind of enemy out there are the ones with great power and a greater mind." Ozpin nodded, thinking about his once love and greatest enemy, again.

"I'm not your friend." Ren said in a hateful tone.

"Get… to work, Lie." The duplicate commanded, using his first name to make the point further.

He looked down at the bazooka before looking back up to him, "How about I sit on my ass and let you obliterate from existence." He said as he walked around the table. "How does that sound?"

The evil speedster just looked down with a smirk. He then stepped closer to his former best friend before raising his right hand and vibrating it. Ren stared as the hand got closer to his chest before it stopped vibrating and touched his shirt. Savitar just gave him a conceited grin.

"Nora." Ren gasped out. "Too tight."

Nora looked down to see that she was holding onto his hand very tightly. She quickly let go and looked down sheepishly, "Sorry."

He just gave her a calming smile, "It's okay. Just be careful from now on. Please."

"That's your plan?" he asked. "Do it or you'll Reverse Flash me?"

"Not you." Savitar said before he pointed over to Killer Frost, who had her back to them. "Her." He whispered.

"Weiss?" Her team questioned.

"Me?" Weiss asked as well. "But I've been working for him. Why would he threaten me.?"

"You forget that Lie Ren went to try to save you before." Winter spoke up. "He cares for you, so threatening you will get better results rather than threatening his own life." Winter narrowed her eyes at the screen, "It's clever, as much as I hate to admit it."

He gave a sharp gasp as more memories came to him. "You know what I'm remembering?" he asked the vibration hero as he place his hand on his shoulder. "Neptune just got back to STAR Labs. He has the cure."

He looked into his eyes, "He can turn her back. You can have her back. You're so close. But not if she's dead." He then raised his hand to rest it on the top of Ren's head, "So put that mechanical genius to good work. Make me what I need. And I will let you both go."

"He's clearly lying." Blake stated.

"Obviously." Weiss nodded. "But I doubt that Ren has much of a choice."

Jaune was sitting in the Time Vault, just looking across to the Reverse Flash's suit as he was contemplating.

"What is that doing there?" Yang asked.

"As I said before, the Reverse Flash trained Jaune to become the Flash." Phoenix explained. "Because of that, he always had his suit nearby. They just never bothered to get rid of it."

Yang came in and sat next to him on the floor. Neither said anything to the other as they both looked upon that suit. Finally, Jaune spoke, "I hated Thawne… and Zoom. They took so much from me. And I've hated Savitar for threatening to take you away from me too." He said as he turned to her.

She gave him a weak smile, "But he didn't."

He returned it, "I know." He then turned away slightly. "There is strength in anger. I've used it before. And so we sit here, with our anger, trying to think of a way to hurt Savitar or maybe kill him. And I don't think hate's going to get it done this time." He said as he turned back to her.

"Violence begets violence." Phoenix stated before anyone could say anything. "It's easy to hate. To want to hurt someone in retaliation. What takes real strength is to show restraint. To be able to forgive."

"Those are wise words, Phoenix." Glynda spoke up.

He shrugged, "Spend enough time exploring and watching the multiverse, you pick up a few things."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Something that Torchwick said to me… that the Flash should stay a hero, all the way, and sometimes that it's not about who can punch the hardest or run the fastest."

Yang nodded before asking the important question, "So what are you gonna do?"

"The last thing he'd expect." Jaune answered.

"What is he planning to do?" Ruby asked.

Jaune was now in a mechanic's garage. It had numerous cars and motorcycles. He just started to slowly walk through it as he looked around. Eventually at a different entrance, Savitar raced in still outside his suit of armor. Jaune looked at him and started to speak calmly, "I wasn't sure you'd come." He started to calmly walk over to him, "Must be an odd sensation, getting new memories." It cut over to Savitar walking over to him at the same pace. "You having an uncertain future."

"What do you want?" Savitar asked in a rough voice. "I'm busy."

"That is the million lien question. What is he planning?" Weiss asked as she crossed her arms.

Jaune chuckled as the two began to circle one another again, "Doing what? Getting erased from existence?"

Savitar was just looking down, "We will see which one of us gets erased."

"Are you still planning on becoming a god?"

"Ren and Weiss are still alive." The Time Remnant told his original. "If that's what you're worried about."

"Oh, I know. You need them right? To pull off your grand ascension?" he asked as Savitar had his back to him and was walking away.

He turned, "Look, Jaune, if I wanted to talk to myself, I could have done that back at my lair. What… do you want?"

"I wanna help you." He said simply.

There was silence and then, "WHAT?!" all the students, Tai, Qrow and even Winter shouted. Glynda, Ironwood and Ozpin were stunned as well, they were just less vocal about it.

"Really?" the Duplicate scoffed.

"You don't have much time before the paradox reaches you. Come back to STAR Labs. Let Ren and Weiss go and let us figure out a way to save you." The entire time he was speaking, he was slowly walking closer as his other self just kept staring at him.

"You really think I'd trust you?"

"You showed up." Jaune said as he motioned to their surroundings. Savitar was beginning to look less sure than he usually did as he kept talking. "You remember me coming here. Did I have any tricks up my sleeve? Was I… was I planning on blindsiding you?"

"I don't know, Jaune." Savitar emitted as he shook his head. "Maybe I get off on watching you grovel."

"No, I don't think that's it. I think you're hearing me." He said with certainty. Savitar just tilted his head. "I'm still in there. Deep down, buried beneath the scars and the pain, that part of you that… it must feel so lonely. But it also knows what it's like to have a family, to have friends." Savitar looked away, "You can have all that back. We can stop hurting each other."

"I can't believe he's trying to reach out to him." Blake stated. "He tried to kill Yang."

Ruby just sighed, "No, this is exactly the kind of thing he'd do." She smiled to herself. "He tries to see the best in everyone. Even if they don't deserve it." Everyone looked at Ruby and had to agree with her. Yang and Pyrrha looked up and met each other's eyes. After a few seconds, they smiled at the thought of just what kind of person the guy they liked was.

Savitar just slowly looked up and stared at Jaune. So, he continued, "I remember when I was six and uh… I begged Mom and Dad to let me go to the Science Expo in Midway. And, uh, we got that flat tire on that dirt road, no spare, so we were towed to that garage in a tiny, one-street town. Of course, we were stuck there all day. Then we got ice cream and French fries with gravy at that little diner. And then that night, we watched the local fireworks show and… Actually, it turned out to be a great day."

He was now standing directly across from his other self, "And it's my favorite memory of Mom and Dad." He just looked at his other self. "What was the name of that town?"

Savitar looked different now. Like something in him was stirred to the surface. "Masonville." He said as he looked to his original.

"He reached him?" Pyrrha asked stunned.

Yang grinned slightly, "Well at his core, Savitar is Jaune."

"I'm still in there." Jaune said quietly. "Come home."

Everyone was in STAR labs, waiting for Jaune to arrive. They all looked when he came in but soon everyone tensed when Savitar did as well. Yang most of all. He just looked around, unsure.

Tai marched over to him and pointed, "You make on move towards Yang-"

"He won't." Jaune said, cutting him off. Savitar just crossed his arms over his chest, clearly nervous and out of his element. "Killing Yang… won't save him now, not anymore." He said a she turned back to his Duplicate.

"This is so weird," Nora said as she looked at the evil version of her Fearless Leader. "He's always been so serious and sure of himself. To see him acting… well, like Jaune is…"

"Eye opening?" Ren supplied. Nora just nodded but still watched the screen.

Neptune stood up and across from him, "Where is Ren? Where's Weiss?"

"They're safe." Jaune tried to reassure him.

"I was asking him." Neptune replied, not taking his eyes off Savitar.

Jaune turned to him and Savitar uncrossed his arms. He walked further into the room as he looked at Neptune, everyone keeping their eyes on him as he did. "Show me you can help me. Then I will tell you where your friends are." He said quietly.

"Smart move." Ironwood stated. "They want to help him and get him to stop with his scheming, they need to show that they are serious."

Glynda shook her head, "Looks like he doesn't trust anyone anymore."

"Trust is earned, Glynda." Ironwood stated.

"It can also be broken quite easily." Phoenix stated. "But then again, you have skewed concept on trust, don't you, General?"

"And what do you mean by that?" He asked with a slightly heated tone.

"Simple. I've seen you in multiple worlds and it's always the same. The only trust you have is in yourself, your toy soldiers and those so loyal to you that they will never question your choices." Phoenix just shook his head with a frown. "That isn't trust."

The General narrowed his eyes, "You think you can judge me."

Before anyone could flinch, Phoenix was now standing directly in front of the General. Having appeared in a flurry of his orange flames. "Yes. I can. Because I have seen your world's future. I've seen your future." The Writer leant in to stare into the General's eyes, "Here is the truth for you: Keep on this path of yours and you become a villain." Violet flames covered the General and the Writer so only he would hear his next words, "You become as bad as Salem."

Ironwood's eyes widened in shock. He searched the Writer's eyes for any kind of sign he was lying but found none. When he was sure he got the message, Phoenix walked out of the aisle of seats and back to his normal chair. The violet flames burning out as he did.

"Sir?" Winter asked. "Are you okay?" He didn't answer.

"You tell us now or you go up in smoke." Tai said angrily as he stood next to Yang, protectively.

"This is bloody insanity." Neptune added.

"Can't believe this." Tai added.

Savitar just looked away from them all. Neptune was beginning to lose it., "What is he doing here? He's a monster."

Jaune quickly raised his voice above everyone else's, "Hey! Stop!" He lowered his voice, "Guys. It's okay. Everyone, just…"

"This is bad." Ruby said out loud once everything had calmed down since the Writer's outburst. "If they can't get on the same page…"

At that point, Yang started to walk towards him. As he did, Savitar looked at her before he looked down and turning away from her. Unable to look at her.

"Yang, what are you doing?" Tai asked in shock and rose to his feet.

"Yang, stay away from him." Ruby nearly screamed.

"I agree wholeheartedly." Qrow added as he stared down the screen.

She ignored it and was now right in front of him. "Look at me." She all but commanded. He refused to, he kept looking at the floor. "It's okay. Look at me." She told him gently. He did so, very hesitantly and shakily. She raised her hand and gently laid her palm against the scarred side of his face. He closed his eyes as she did so. "We're gonna help you, okay?"

"Yang?" Ruby said in shock.

She looked to the side as she shrugged, "He's Jaune. He's just been through a lot. Maybe he can be better. And if I can help him…" she shrugged again. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because he tried to kill you." Blake added.

"Yeah and if he didn't, he would die!" she said with a glare. "Are you saying you wouldn't do the same if it meant you would die?"

She pulled her hand away and he opened his eyes. And they looked more like those of the man he was before. He slowly turned to Jaune, looking more timid than ever before. Jaune just nodded to him. He then looked back to the woman he once loved. The woman he tried to kill and said a single thing, "Thank you." He said weakly.

"Damn it, Yang." Qrow complained. "You're going to give me a heart attack."

"Right there with you, Qrow." Tai agreed.

Savitar was now in one of the many labs in STAR Labs, just looking around. He then turned to look back at Jaune and Yang. "So, how's this gonna work? Where will I live?"

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked.

"Are Ruby and I gonna be bunkmates? Am I supposed to just rejoin Team Flash, fight some Rogues? What kind of life were you thinking I'd lead?"

"I hadn't gotten that far yet." Jaune told him honestly.

"All good points." Glynda agreed. "If they do save him, those are all things that need to be addressed."

"Very true." Ozpin agreed. "But they should first try to figure out on how to save him. That is indeed the priority right now."

"How do we explain me at the wedding?" He joked. "And do I sit bride-side or groom-side?"

"Ah, look." Jaune started. Both he and Yang were unsure of any of this. "I mean, we don't have all the answers. You know, we're gonna figure it out. Together."

Savitar looked from Jaune to Yang before looking down. "No." He looked back up. "Not together." He focused his sights on Yang. "Love and hate, they're so close. It's easy to mistake one for the other. You're going to spend the rest of your life with him. But I remember giving you the ring. Singing to you. Asking you to marry me."

Yang's eyes widened, "Oh…"

Blake turned to her partner, "Didn't think about that , did you?"

She scratched the back of her head as she blushed, "In my defense, I was so focused on not dying…"

He looked at them both before turning back to the ground. He took a sharp breath, "I can't do this." He started to leave.

Yang quickly got in front of him, "No, yes, you can. Okay?" He just looked at her. "I will be here for you."

"I tried to kill you." He said, voice heavy with emotions. "I killed AW."

"And you are going to have to live with that." She told him. "But we won't give up on you, okay? That is not what we do. There is a way through this for all of us." He was just looking at her, like he was searching for something. "Where are Ren and Weiss?"

He looked to Jaune who just nodded. He turned back to her, "I'll bring them home." Yang smiled at him before he dashed away.

"Did it work?" Ruby asked.

Weiss sighed, "I doubt it, Ruby. I really do."

As soon as he was gone, alarms started to go off in the facility. Jaune and Yang looked at each other before they started to make their way to the others. As soon as Yang was through the door she quickly asked, "What is it?"

Neptune and Artie were already at the controls, the latter being the one to explain. "There's energy radiating from the breach room." He brought up security footage of a small orb of energy hovering in the air. "It's not breach energy."

Neptune stood up in a panic to look closer, "It's the philosopher's stone. It's releasing all of its energy." They looked back to see the orb growing bigger and brighter.

Jaune looked down in realization, "Savitar."

"No…" Ruby said sadly.

Weiss shook her head, "This was all just to buy himself more time."

"Not entirely." Phoenix answered. "A part of him was hoping that this would work out. It just couldn't and now he has to resort to his other plan."

"It looks like it's going to blow." Tai added in concern.

The Scarlet Speedster turned to Ruby, "Ruby, get everybody out." The two each grabbed two people: Ruby had her dad and Robyn while Jaune had Neptune and Artie. He didn't stick around and charged back int to grab Yang just as the stone exploded, sending energy ripping throughout STAR labs. The two got out just in time for a beam of energy to fly straight up into the air.

"And now their Headquarters is up in smoke." Blake said in horror.

"Okay, I'm glad Jaune is on our team. I wouldn't want him planning against me." Nora admitted. Pyrrha and Ren both nodded, fully agreeing with her.

Back in Savitar's lair, Ren was still altering the bazooka as Frost was keeping a close eye on him. "Is it finished?"

Not even looking back to her, he answered, "Yeah. It's finished."

Frost just walked around him with a smirk, "Fantastic."

"You know Savitar's gonna turn on you one day." Ren said as he looked at one of his best friends.

"No, he won't." she said with confidence.

"A bad guy like Savitar always turns on his partners."

"Not this time."

"Wake up!" He said forcefully, "You're only saying that because he needs something from you. Once he's done with that, it's over for you."

"Your loyalty to my sister is much appreciated, Lie Ren." Winter said with a small smile. "She didn't have too many people like that when she was growing up. I'm glad that has changed."

"Winter!" Weiss said in embarrassment as she blushed.

Ruby hugged her shortly after, "Don't worry, you don't have to be alone anymore."

Weiss tried to push her away, "Let go of me, you dolt."

She was then wrapped in a pair of stronger arms. Yang grinned at her, "Too late, Weiss. You're stuck with us now."

Weiss stopped struggling and lowered her head in defeat but her team noticed the small smile she was trying to hide.

For a few seconds, the two stared at one another. That was until the man they were just talking about dashed into the lair and directly behind Ren. "How'd it go?" Frost asked.

"As I expected." Savitar said as he walked forward. "I was a fool to think otherwise." He then just looked over to his armor, to his future.

"Where did he go?" Ren asked and he looked over his shoulder at him. "What did you do?"

"I got rid of a problem." He said coolly as he turned back around. "A few of 'em." He walked over and laid his hands on the altered weapon, "Now I can fix mine. Are we ready?" he asked his partner.

"Yes." She answered easily.

He looked at her before motioning to Ren with his head, "Do it." With that Frost raised her hands and started to gather ice in them.

All the students eyes widened. But none more than Weiss' and Nora's for obvious reasons.

Ren took a few steps back, "Weiss, listen to me. He'll do it. He'll kill you."

"I'll take my chances." She said as coldly as her namesake. She shot an icicle towards him but a small breach opened right in front of where it would've hit him, sending it somewhere else. Shocking the cryomancer.

"What just happened?" Nora asked frantically.

That was when Blake showed up, standing besides Ren. "Blake! No, wait. No!" He shouted as she opened another breach and tackled him into it. The two just missing the second ice attack aimed at them.

"Blake?!" the six students asked while the woman in question just stared.

"How'd I do that?" she asked.

"She is a breacher or someone with similar powers to Ren." Phoenix supplied. "They ran into her earlier in the year."

"You don't care they got away?" Frost questioned.

"No, it doesn't matter. It's time." He said a she lifted the splicer.

Blake and Ren fell out of the breach. Blake landed gracefully in a crouch while Ren tumbled down the stairs.

After all the tension so far, that caused all the students to laugh. Ren just smiled slightly and rolled his eyes, also relieved that all the tension was over.

"Ow." Ren stated as he stopped at the bottom. He looked up angrily at Blake as he was standing up. "I had that. I was getting through to her."

"You were almost killed." Blake corrected.

"Maybe that's how it looked to the untrained eye." He argued.

Blake started to march down the stairs, "These eyes are highly trained. And I know you were in danger because I vibed it across the multiverse." She then tossed him his glasses which he caught. "I can't believe this is the thanks I get for saving you!"

"Is it just me or does this sound like a lover's quarrel?" Yang asked.

That made Nora look over to Blake with a glare. The cat Faunus just raised her hands up in defense and shook her head.

"This isn't thanks!" he said just as heatedly. "This is the opposite of thanks!" He stopped, "Wait a minute. How did you vibe I was in trouble?"

"Because we are connected." She told him simply with a bit of care behind her words. "Jackass."

"Oh, yeah." Yang nodded. "She likes him."

That earned her a slap from Blake who whispered harshly, "Shut up."

"Actually, both of these versions of Ren and Blake have mutual feelings for each other. They just haven't started dating. Yet." Phoenix said with a smirk and that earned him a look of betrayal from Blake. "Although, I think I'm right in saying that that doesn't seem to be the case with the two sitting here."

That caused both Nora and Blake to sigh in relief. Yang looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "That was so mean." She said with a grin.

He shrugged before he was about to take a sip from his coffee, "I can be quite sadistic when I wanna be."

"Guys?" questioned a voice behind Ren. They looked to see that the rest of Team Flash was there in Jaune and Yang's apartment.

"Oh, my god!" Ren said in shock as he walked forward. "I thought something happened to you guys. Two-Face told me you guys were dead."

Jaune just shook his head, "We're okay." He then looked over to the other breacher. "Blake…"

"Blake." Ren agreed as he motioned to her.

She walked forward with her usual confidence. "Guys."

"I know what he's up to." Ren told them seriously.

Yang leant forward slightly, "Looks like we are heading towards the final battle."

Ruby nodded, "Let's hope that Jaune can pull through now."

"We'll have to wait and see." Pyrrha added.

"We have to hurry." Savitar fully armored said as him and Frost walked forward. "I must become immortal before the paradox reaches me." He placed the splicer on the ground besides Frost before he walked forward. "Today, I become a god."

He took off running and started to run in a circle. As he did, a portal to the Speed Force started to open within it. Frost stared at it as she took a deep breath. When it was ready, the would be god ran to stand beside her, "This is why I brought you here. The Speed Force doesn't like it when speedsters mess with time." He told her. "Get ready." That is when a zombie looking speedster emerged from the portal. It wore a black suit and had deep red lightning coming off it.

"What is that?!" Ruby shouted.

"Known as the Grim Reaper for Speedsters, it shows up to deal with speedsters that have the worst crimes against time. It is simply known as the Black Flash."

"Well, I'll give him this, he is quite terrifying." Weiss said with a slight shudder at the undead speedster.

Frost fired twice at it but it easily dodged them before running towards Savitar. It was just inches away from grabbing him when Frost managed to freeze it and it crumbled apart. "See ya later, Mercury." She said as she looked down at its pieces.

"Mercury? Emerald's teammate?" Ruby questioned.

"Yup." Phoenix started. "In this world, Mercury Black was the evil speedster Zoom. He broke the rules of time so severely that the Speed Force punished him by changing him into the Black Flash. To punish others like himself that wish to abuse time."

Everyone nodded but Qrow was deep in thought. 'Black? As in Marcus Black?' he thought to himself. 'Did that assassin actually have a kid?'

"The one thing Black Flash can't fight: cold," Savitar said cockily.

He then dashed to stand a few feet in front of the portal. Frost picked up the splicer and aimed it at him. "Finally! To be a god!" he said in excitement as he had his arms extended out at his sides. She fired at him and after a brief shout, an unending line of Savitars appeared behind him, leading into the Speed Force.

"Oh no!" Weiss shouted.

"Where is Jaune!?" Pyrrha shouted in panic.

That was until the energy turned red. The Savitars quickly fused back into one. The original just stared down at the energy going through him. "What?" he looked back up "NO!"

The energy stopped and he turned around to stare at the portal. That was when something else emerged from the portal with yellow lightning. It hit him to the ground before it came to a stop not too far away. Bart Oobleck. "I've been waiting a long time to do that." He said with a grin.

"Bart?" Ozpin, Glynda and Tai asked in shock.

"What? I told you he was a speedster." Phoenix spoke up with a knowing grin.

"Oobleck!" Savitar shouted as he stood up. "How did you-"

"He didn't." another voice said. Frost wheeled around to see Ren as Vibe walking over with Jaune, Ruby and Blake right behind him. "I did." He tossed Bart his helmet as he walked over. "By changing the polarity of the climbing arc, I changed your Speed Force splicer into a Speed Force skeleton key. You didn't think I was actually gonna let you become a god now, did you?"

"Way to go, Ren!" Nora shouted in joy as she hugged her partner.

"Yeah, Ren. You just saved the day!" Ruby added just as loud.

"Let's end this." Jaune said as he stared across to his other.

"GO!" Frost shouted. Savitar raced off as she fired her ice forward. Jaune, Ruby and Bart all followed him as Ren and Blake fired their own waves of vibrations. They shattered her ice and Frost twisted out of the way before she fired a storm of icicles at the two. The two quickly ran out of her firing range before they could get hit.

Savitar was just a blur of silver lightning as he ran through the forest. All three of the other speedster were similar blurs of yellow lightning.

They chased him for several seconds before the debunked God of Speed leapt forward. He deployed both his spears and he threw his arms forward, cutting down two massive trees that fell behind him as he ran off. Ruby went into a slide to go under the trees and Bart simply ran around them. And finally, Jaune leapt over them. None of them missing a beat and keeping up the chase.

"Yeah, go get him me!" Ruby shouted.

"Ruby, she can't hear you." Weiss reminded her again.

"That's it! Kick his butt, Jaune!" Yang added just as loudly.

Weiss sighed with her hand on her forehead, "Not you too."

Savitar jumped, getting a height that was above most of the trees. He spun around to face the three streaks of lightning behind him. He threw his arms forward and released a large bolt of electricity at them. The explosion knocking all three off their feet.

"Damn!" Yang shouted. Everyone else agreed wither at different volumes.

Back to Frost and the breahcers, they had just collided a wave of ice with two more vibrational waves. Frost then tried to fire another icicle at both but Blake stepped forward and hit her with a vibrational wave, sending her onto her back.

The two started to walk over to her as she was groaning, trying to sit up. Ren extended his hand at her. Frost just looked up at him, "Go ahead, Ren. Go bad." She taunted him.

The two stared each other down before he dropped his hand, "No. I never will. But I will give you a choice." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the cure for her. "You wanna be Weiss again?" he asked as he gently tossed it onto the ground in front of her. "Here's your chance." She looked form it back up to him. He just turned his back on her and started to walk away.

"Ren, you're such a good hero!" Nora sad happily as she hugged him again. Pyrrha smiled at that, enjoying Nora fangirling over the superhero version of Ren. Although, she was still hoping Nora would just talk to him already.

"Very noble indeed, Mister Ren." Ozpin added with a small grin.

"Look out!" Blake screamed just before Ren and herself was knocked off their feet by a speeding Savitar.

Blake could only watch as she saw Savitar stop in front of Ren and grab him by the front of his shirt. He lifted him off the ground, "You'll pay for what you did! And you can die the same way twice." He pulled his arm back and started to vibrate his fist.

"Ren!" Nora shouted in worry as she held tightly onto her version.

That was when he was hit in the chest by a wave of ice and sent flying into a tree. The screen then showed it was Frost but her eyes were no longer glowing. This wasn't Killer Frost but Weiss.

"Weiss!?" Ruby shouted before she hugged her. "You're back!"

Nora let go of Ren ad ran over, tackling the two girls to the ground to hug Weiss as well. "And you saved Ren. Thank you!" she said as she held her tightly.

"Nora… let go." Weiss squeaked out since she was having trouble breathing from her crushing hug.

"And get off, please!" Ruby squeaked from underneath both girls.

She then walked over to her best friend and helped him to his feet. Savitar then spoke up, "I knew you didn't have it in you, Weiss." He was standing tall again ready to finish them. Jaune came speeding in but the Duplicate just punched him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

"That one hurt." Yang said as she flinched at the impact.

"Come on, Jaune." Pyrrha said under her breath.

He loomed over Jaune as he spoke with a voice filled with hatred. "I only have a few minute left. I can feel it. But before I go, I'm gonna kill Tai. And Ruby. And Yang. If I am going to die, the everything you love is going to die too." He turned away and was about to speed off.

That is when an angry snarl came to Jaune's face, "NO!" he shouted as he launched himself off the ground. He ran behind him and leapt off the ground, his whole body vibrating as she ran into him. He phased into the suit and threw Savitar out through the front.

"Holy crap!" Yang shouted.

"I can't believe he just did that." Pyrrha added.

"Yes!" Nora shouted as she got off the ground. "Go Jaune!"

The suit's lights changed to red as Jaune's voice came from within it now, "How's it feel to get so close to your ascension and end up on the ground." He stalked forward as Savitar just looked up at him.

Savitar didn't look afraid however, "Now I see." He then grinned up to his original. "It's written."

"Nothing's written!" Jaune shouted.

His shout made most of the theater jump. It was quiet intimidating coming from the glowing red suit. Ironwood finally looked up to the screen to see this as well. To see a hero have the visage of his enemy.

Savitar jumped up to try to fight but Jaune was easily beating him. After one last good hit, Savitar fell to his knees. Jaune pulled back his arm and the same spear that almost killed Yang extended.

"Do it!" Savitar shouted, like in a fanatical fury. "You kill me, you become me. Either way, I live."

What the speedster said struck a chord with him and that mixed with Phoenix's words as well. 'Is it worth it? To become what you swore to fight against? Even if it's the only way?'

"Sir?" Winter tried to get his attention but he was too absorbed in his thoughts and the screen.

That was when the spear retracted and Jaune put his arm down. The Time Remnant just looked up in confusion. The whole suit then started to vibrate before it all just shattered, revealing the Flash once again. "I'll never let the pain, the darkness, determine who I am. I will never be you." He then delivered one final punch, knocking Savitar to the ground.

"That's my Jaune!" Yang shouted in victory.

"Your Jaune?" Pyrrha asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Let me have this, Pyrrha. We'll talk about our Jaune at a later date." Yang asked the champion.

"Our?" Weiss asked. That made the two blushed from the unintended way that had come out.

Ironwood on the other hand raised his human hand to rest on his mechanical shoulder. He then took a deep breath, "To think a young man half my age would be wiser than I am."

"General, are you alright?" Winter asked him.

He just looked at her with a small smile, "Not really but I will be. Don't worry." She looked at her superior in confusion but nodded, nonetheless.

Jaune just looked over to his two best friends, all three of them smiling at one another. He then slowly started to walk over to them, exhausted from his fight. That was when Savitar opened his eyes. He got up and raced as quickly a she could towards Jaune.

"Jaune!" Yang, Pyrrha, Ruby and Nora shouted.

He shouted as he was about to bring his arm forward but he was stopped by the gunshot.

"What just happened? Who did that?" Weiss asked.

He fell to the ground dead. And as Jaune, Ren and Weiss looked over in shock, it was revealed that Yang was standing there with the gun.

"Yang?" her family all asked at once.

They all looked down to see Savitar break apart and fade away. Jaune then looked over to Yang who looked back and dropped the gun. They walked over to each other to hold the love of their lives. "All theses months, you were trying to save me from him. Look at that. I saved you." She said with a grin. With that, the two held each other close.

Yang then grinned, "I'm awesome." She said cheekily. That caused her teammates to roll their eyes at her.

Jaune and Yang both nearly collapsed onto their couch. Both were dressed in black and had an emotionally exhausting day. They first had AW's funeral and then they found out that Weiss was not be taking the cure or coming back. She needed to figure out who and what she was now. And she had to do it alone.

That saddened all of RWBY but Weiss could understand where her other self was coming from.

The two sighed before slowly looking at each other. They soon both started chuckling. "Stop it." Yang said quietly.

"It's not funny." Jaune agreed.

"I know."

"Why are we laughing?"

"We should not be laughing. Today, of all days." Yang stated.

"I think AW would have approved." Jaune said, still smiling.

"Probably." Yang relented.

"Sometimes, you just need to laugh." Phoenix said. "When things are there worst, sometimes a laugh is all you need to get a little bit of comfort."

"Talking from experience?" Ironwood asked calmly.

Phoenix gave him a half-grin. "Maybe yes. Maybe no."

"Are you okay?" Jaune asked. "I mean… with what you did."

"I'm sure one day, it'll hit me." She told him quietly. "In the future., which… I have again." she smiled.

"We have." He corrected her. "Every day of it."

"Every hour, every minute." She quietly sang to him.

That cause them both to laugh. "I think we have the song picked out for the dance at our reception."

"I think I would absolutely dance to the song my husband sang for me at our reception." Yang spoke out loud.

"I think I would too." Pyrrha agreed.

Weiss sighed, "What if it was the serenade that Jaune sang to me?" she asked with a smirk.

Yang cringed, "Okay, maybe not that."

Pyrrha looked sheepish, "I still say it was sweet. Poorly executed but sweet."

She gently smacked his shoulder, "Oh, yeah, that reminds me." She reached over the arm of the couch to lift up a box and placed it on the coffee table. "I can officially mail these."

"What are these?" he asked.

She showed him one, "Save the date cards for our wedding. On my braver days, I filled them out. I never mailed them, not knowing if I would live to see the ceremony, but…" She looked at him with excitement on her face. "But now I guess it's safe to-"

Before she even finished, Jaune was off in a blur of lightning. The box of cards gone as well. Yang was just stunned until a few seconds later he was back on the couch with a satisfied sigh. "Delivered." he said with a grin.

"Well that's convenient." Blake said with a smirk.

She just stared at him stunned before she smack him on the shoulder. "I wasted a lot of money on stamps, thank you very much." She laughed to herself.

"Are you ready to be Yang Xiao Long-Arc?" he asked.

She just smiled at him, "I've always been Yang Xiao Long-Arc. I've always been yours." She leant in to kiss him but stopped when a rumbling came from outside. The two pulled away and looked in the direction it came from. "What was that?"

Yang growled, "So close."

"Still isn't you." Blake said.

"Shush!"

Everything started to shake and the lights were flickering on and off. Eventually, even a window broke, startling them, "There's never been an earthquake in Central City." She said.

Jaune slowly moved to the window and looked up. "That wasn't an earthquake." He told her as she saw multicolored lightning gathering in the sky.

"What's happening now!?" Nora said in annoyance. She was really hoping for a happy ending by now.

Everyone soon gathered at the ruined STAR Labs. And with Ruby's help, Ren was able to get a connection to a satellite to get information on what was happening. As they all looked at the screen, Yang was the one to voice most of their question, "What is that thing?"

"That's definitely not a breach." Blake supplied.

"What even emits that many kilojoules?" Ren asked, baffled by what he was seeing.

Jaune and Bart quickly looked to one another, knowing the answer, "The Speed Force." Bart said.

Tai looked to the older speedster, "But Savitar is dead."

Bart nodded, "That's the problem."

"How is that a problem?" Tai asked in confusion.

"Yeah." Qrow agreed. "Evil guy gone is always a good thing."

Ren had a look of realization, "The Speed Force prison."

"It needs an occupant." Bart continued. "When you freed me, you emptied it. Without a prisoner…"

"It goes unstable." Ren finished. "And now it's bleeding energy onto our Remnant."

"How did Bart end up in that prison?" Ozpin asked.

"When Savitar was freed, he manipulated Ruby so that she would take his place. Eventually, Bart and Jaune went in to save her and Bart elected to stay in Ruby's place. He was confident that they would figure out how to free him. Which was why Ren altered the bazooka to do so. Two birds, one stone."

"Okay, so how do we stop this?" Yang asked.

Jaune already had the answer, "By giving it what it needs." He said in a calm but devoid voice.

Everyone slowly turned to him, "Which is what?" his fiancé asked.

"I don't like how he said that." Ruby said.

"I agree with you, Sis." Yang added.

Multicolored lighting was striking down on the city at a fevered pace. Team Flash quickly ran out to see the destruction firsthand. "The Speed Force is unbalanced!" Jaune announced to the rest of them. He turned to his fiancé, "I need to stabilize it."

Yang looked at him in shock, "What? How?"

"By running into it." He told her as he walked closer to her.

"What? No!" Yang shouted. Everyone was just staring on, not wanting to believe what they were hearing.

"No, you can't. Jaune, you'll be trapped in there forever." She told him. Everyone else was looking at him in horror for what he was going to do.

Jaune gently held Yang's upper arms, "If I don't go, the whole city, maybe even the entire planet could be destroyed."

Not wanting to believe him, she looked past him to Ren, "Ren, there's got to be another way, right?" she practically begged him. But for once, Ren had no answer for her. "Jaune" She said as she turned back to him. "Central City needs the Flash."

"And they'll have one." He said with certainty before he looked past Yang to Ruby, "They'll have one." He reiterated as he walked over to his younger sister and hugged her. "Right?" He asked as he pulled away and looked into her eyes.

The Ruby in the theater gasped, "He wants me to take his place?" Her eyes started to tear up as all of what she was feeling started to overcome her.

Ruby just stared at him, trying to come to terms with everything. Before she finally nodded, "Yeah."

Jaune turned over to Neptune as he held his hand out to him, "Mate." Was all he said as he shook his head. He looked down before he shook his hand, finally burying the hatchet between them.

Jaune then walked over to Artie and shook his hand, "You mind sticking around?"

"Anything for you." He replied instantly.

"I can't believe this is happening." Weiss stated. "After everything…"

Blake nodded, "Yeah. It isn't fair."

"Sometimes being a hero means making sacrifices." Pyrrha said as tears traveled down her cheeks.

"Jaune!" Yang said a loud, causing him to turn to her. She was barely holding onto her composure. "Ruby and Bart said they were in Hell."

Before he could say anything, a massive swirling portal opened up not too far away from them all. From it, a blonde older woman stepped through. Tai just stared in shock, "Jaune, it's your mother."

Barry just stared at her as he walked closer. Getting a better look, he knew who it really was. "That's the Speed Force."

"Why would the Speed Force take on her appearance?" Winter asked.

"It's the appearance he trusts the most." Phoenix started. "But also, the Speed Force is proud of Jaune and everything he has accomplished. Just like a mother would."

"Jaune isn't going to Hell." The Speed Force, using Alexandra's voice, told them all. "But like all runners must eventually, he has reached his finish line." He just took a deep breath before the Speed Force continued, "His race is over."

"You can't take him with you." Yang said with finality.

Jaune turned to her, "She's not taking me anywhere. I have to go." He told her as he walked closer.

"Well it seems to be that way!" Nora said in anger and pain.

"Miss Valkyrie, this is the whole planet they are talking about. And Mister Arc is willing to do whatever it takes to protect it and everyone he loves."

"Why? Why are you being punished?" she asked him desperately.

"This. All of this was started with my mistake. With Flashpoint." He turned from her back to the portal. Trying to get her to understand why he has to go. "This, this is my penance. This is my redemption." He told her with a weak smile.

"Damn it." Yang said to herself, trying to hold back her tears but beginning to fail.

"My beautiful boy." The Speed Force spoke up, garnering all their attention. "It's time to rest."

He just nodded before turning to Ren. A quick shot was shown of the city still being torn apart by the Speed Force energy. He got over to his best friend with smile, "Don't mess it up with her."

"I'll do my best." He said slowly looking up to his best friend.

"They're all going to look to you now."

"I'm not a hero like you." Ren told him desperately.

"You've always been my hero." Jaune told him seriously as he hugged him.

That hit Ren hard. To have Jaune, his leader and brother, say that about him filled him with so much pride and happiness. And he was about to lose him. And that's when he let his control slip and a tear ran down his cheek. Only his team saw and were shocked. Nora held him close as soon as she saw it but didn't say a word.

When they pulled apart, he turned and walked over to his father. The whole time, Tai was staring at him with sadness in his eyes, "All this time we were trying to save Yang, you're telling me that we should've been trying to save you too?"

Jaune just smiled as he placed his hands on his shoulders, "You did save me, Tai." He smiled at him. "You took in an eleven year old boy with a broken heart and you gave him a home and so much love. No son ever felt more love from a father."

Tai was finally crying as he looked at him, "No father ever felt more proud of a son." With that, the two hugged each other. Yang covered her mouth with her hand as she began to cry.

"Damn it." Tai said as he looked down. Tears were escaping his own eyes. "Just… damn it." Qrow reached over and gripped his shoulder as she kept watching the screen.

"Jaune." the Speed Force said again. "It's time."

He looked to her and nodded before smiling at Tai one last time. He then turned to Yang as she walked over to him, "Jaune." she said over a whisper. He gently held her cheeks in his hands. She held his wrists. "It's not fair." She cried.

Jaune just shook his head, "I know." He said quietly.

"We're supposed to have our happy ending." She finally began to cry. "I'm ready to be Yang Xiao Long-Arc."

Yang just staring at the screen and her other self's words just made more tears roll down her cheeks. But she kept watching, refusing to turn away for a second.

"And you always will be." He told her with confidence. "But you need to keep living your life. Keep growing. Keep loving. Keep running. For me." He smiled at her. "Promise me you'll run, Yang."

A tear slid down her cheek as she gained control over her voice again, "I promise." He smiled before he kissed the love of his life, one last time. She wrapped her hands around his neck to kiss him back.

They pulled apart and rested their foreheads together, Jaune was smiling while Yang was crying. Jaune pulled away to look her in the eyes, "I need to go." He told her quietly.

He walked away, still holding her hand before he was far enough away and let it go. He took the hand of the Speed Force as she started to lead him to where he needed to be. He turned back to everyone and when his eyes landed on Yang, he smiled again. To be strong for her.

He walked into the portal and it closed behind him. As soon as it did, the Speed Force began to stabilize and the energy stopped raining down on the city. Yang looked over to her father, but he had nothing he could say or do for her. A tear slid down her cheek as she turned back to where the portal once was. She just stared until she took one last sobbing breath and the screen went dark.

There was a silence before Qrow turned to the Writer, "Okay. So what was the point of showing us that?"

Phoenix looked at them all, "That version of Jaune, The Flash, will always be two things: A Beacon of Hope and a Paragon of Love. It is my hope that more Jaunes will have those same qualities." He then gave them a small smile. "Including yours."

Everyone was silent until the crying Yang chuckled. Everyone looked at her in confusion before she turned to Pyrrha. Tears were traveling down her cheeks but she was smiling, "We know how to pick them, huh, Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha had similar tears but managed to smile as she tried to dry them , "I guess we do."

"Take a few minutes for yourselves." Phoenix spoke up. "The next world won't be as heavy. I promise."