Lone Wolf

Summary: The Ace Ops or his family? Ironwood or Mantle? People were going to die either way, there was no avoiding that; it was all about limiting the causalities.

Yeah, I don't really know where the pairing came from either, but I like it and it gives me an actual healthy ship for Weiss. Besides, they look cute together.

They had won.

Once Vine and Elm had incapacitated Blake, it was over. Yang was the next to fall, having to deal with two opponents without the help of her partner. Then Elm had gone to help Harriet. Vine had come to his aide just when he was running low on aura from repeatedly using his semblance.

He realizes now he should have used it before the fight even started. The whole team had been on one side of the room and while he might not have caught Ruby in it due to her own speed-like semblance, the others would have been forced to stay still as they cuffed them. And Harriet could have caught Ruby without all of them having to expend as much as energy as they did for the fight.

If he hadn't hesitated that is.

It was still hard to believe: the 'kids' they had taken in had turned on them when they needed their cooperation the most. An immortal being named Salem was on her way to destroy their city, but... they could hardly release the prisoners to help keep her at bay before Atlas could rise out of her reach. As much as he would rather have the talented team on their side... they were all locked up. In different cells of course, there would be no communication between them, not when a few of them were literally at opposite sides of the Academy.

Marrow was sitting outside one of the cells right now, waiting for its occupant to wake up, to apologize for what his team had had to do... and make sure she didn't escape. With her summons Weiss was the one he was worried would be able to get out the most. After Harriet had set Ruby in a cell designed to not let her slip through even in petal form.

At least Hare hadn't followed through with her earlier words.

"Marrow! Cut the crap will you?"

"I'm trying to arrest her, not kill her, Hare! You're being excessive!"

"It's not excessive if it's necessary!"

He's surprised Ruby came out of her fight in one piece, more-or-less.

"Hm?"

His tail perked up at the sound from the cell, gaze turning to focus on the prisoner. Weiss blinked a few times, taking in her surroundings, possibly dealing with the fact that she had been knocked out before her gaze met his.

"Where are the others?"

Ah. Of course, she would be concerned about her friends first and foremost. "In another cell." It was probably best to keep any answers to her questions short. "Are you feeling okay?"

Weiss sat up, gaze wandering. Trying to determine if she could break out or not? Nothing was going to work. He was here to stop her in case she tried, with little effort needed on his part.

With a frown she turned to face him once more. "Has Mantle been evacuated? Or has Ironwood already lifted us up into the air?" He didn't respond, there was nothing to say; he didn't know about Mantle and if Ironwood had risen them up... team RWBY would just go on a suicide mission to save those left in Mantle, once they were out of their cells. Which is exactly why the Ace Ops wouldn't let them go even if that were the case. He at least refused to lose good huntresses to a lost cause. "I won't be okay until Mantle is safe."

He sighed. "Salem's on her way. No one is going to be safe until your sister gains the power of the Winter Maiden so-"

"Then prioritize getting everyone out of Mantle so we don't have to leave anyone." Weiss had taken a few steps forward, so she was less than a foot away from the bars, fingers gripping the metal as she looked at him. "Please."

He wanted to look away from her teary gaze, but he might miss her trying to summon a glyph if he did that. "There's grimm everywhere. As far as I know the ships are still running between the cities right now. We're just trying to transport who we can until Salem shows up."

"That's not good enough!" Her palms hit the metal with a defiant ring. "We need to be down there to buy them time!"

"If we abandon Atlas it could fall and we would lose everyone. You have to understand that. I know it's not ideal, but-"

"Don't you care about the people down there?"

His gut twisted. "I lived in Mantle my whole life. My family and friends are down there. Of course I care."

Weiss went silent, perhaps realizing how low of a blow that had been. To assume he was just a solider, that his life revolved around only General Ironwood and the others. It might seem that way since he became a huntsmen, but...

"Have you... heard anything about them? Your family, I mean."

The energy seemed to drain from his very soul as he rested his head in his hands. "No." That was something he had been trying to avoid thinking about. The potential death of those he cared about; those that were still alive.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't respond, feeling his eyes begin to burn he took a deep breath, reining his emotions back in. He didn't want to leave anyone behind, but what was he suppose to do about it? One person wouldn't make a difference against Salem. He wasn't even sure if an army could. Not when she was bringing her very own. The defenses along the coast had already been destroyed, there was no telling when they would show up. Just the inevitability of it.

"Marrow?" It took him a moment, but he raised his head back up to look at Weiss, standing almost complacently in her cage. So she knew how low her chances were of getting out. She slid an arm through the bars, hand reaching out to him.

He took it and squeezed. There was a brief sound of pain from Weiss at his crushing grip, but she didn't pull back.

For a time it was silent and then there was a blaring alarm ringing through the academy. Grimm, more grimm. Salem was here. A tremor ran through his body at the realization. He could hear Weiss slide to the ground while keeping a hold of him, her gaze searching his. "Is your team guarding the others as well?"

"Vine was with Blake and Yang, but he's probably gone off to join the others by now." He knew what she was going to ask next.

"Can you take me to them?"

Somehow he gripped her hand even tighter. His heart was torn: he could stay loyal to a plan that was likely to fail or he could trust that maybe even they held a chance against a witch. The Ace Ops or his family? Ironwood or Mantle? People were going to die either way, there was no avoiding that; it was all about limiting the causalities. If Winter didn't have the Maiden's powers... there was little hope.

His scroll had been silent this whole time. No updates on Mantle, his family, his friends; nothing to suggest Atlas would be rising into the clouds. He was running out of options. If Ironwood had failed in his task... there wasn't much left they could do.

"I..."

"Marrow, I want to help." He glanced at her, feeling his gut twist once more. If they were left in their cells during the battle they would die. Either grimm would get to them or Atlas would fall. It would all be a waste... and Remnant would have lost its main force opposing Salem. It was obvious why she had come here herself: to rip their army to shreds.

"Promise you won't die during the battle." The casualties would be high, some of his friends and family might have already died from the grimm... he would never forgive himself if he let Weiss go only for her to fall in the field. The world deserved a huntress like her: with a heart of gold, not his own wavering loyalties.

"Only if you make the same promise."

A single tear slid down his cheek at her words. He reached out with his free hand to grab the key from the wall. "Okay."

I would love to hear what you guys think of this pairing! Do you like it? Hate it? Or does it just make you tilt your head and go, "eh?"

Oh, and here's a bucket for your tears.