Chapter 4

Acceptance

(:R:)(:W:)(:B:)(:Y:)

Noir looked desperately towards Ozpin and Goodwitch, silently pleading for help, but to his horror he saw both adults had folded their arms and were glaring at him with distain.

"B-but even with everything I have, I don't have 320,000 lien!" The man cried, and for once he sounded completely honest.

"I wouldn't worry about leaving enough to spare for running costs, as far as I'm concerned this establishment is finished." Ozpin spoke, and Noir started crying once again, and this time, his tears were sincere.

He knew that Ozpin alone had enough power at his disposal to shatter his business into a thousand pieces. Even if the man didn't, nothing would stop Weiss Schnee from using her influence to annihilate the company he had built from the ground up, by hook or most commonly, by crook.

"What...what if I signed the deed over as well as my assets?" Noir asked miserably, seeing no possible way out.

Ozpin however snorted.

"Do you really think Beacon wants to be associated with such a sub-par establishment such as this? The 'Deed' wouldn't be worth the paper it's printed on!" The man raged. He was brought up short as Weiss spoke again.

"Sign it over to me."

The adults looked over at Weiss with a look of incredulity. The young woman herself had just put her phone back into the pouch resting at the small of her back, and she folded her arms impatiently.

"Your assets go to Beacon and this company is now mine. Take the deal or deal with the headmaster. The offer expires in 10 seconds so make up your mind."

Noir sweated as the heiress tapped her foot, and then started counting down.

"5...4...3-"

"OK ok I'll sign!" Noir screamed and launched himself into his office draw faster than the trio could follow.

"What are you doing Weiss?" Glenda asked quietly, not seeing Ozpin nod in agreed confusion.

Weiss just smiled sweetly.

"Just wait, I have an idea." She whispered quietly.

As Noir finished fishing out the deed and the other documentation to transfer possession of assets and ownership, Weiss stepped forward, pointedly ignoring the pen offered by the still snivelling businessman, and signing it with one she retrieved from her pouch.

The entire process took about ten minutes, but the end result was that Beacon had an unexpected windfall, Weiss now had her own business, and Noir was left with nothing but the clothes on his back and whatever he had in his house.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Noir's assistant poked his head inside.

"Sir there are some people from the Schnee Dust Company who want to see you and they won't take no for an answer."

Noir looked from his assistant and back to Weiss, noting the savage smirk the girl sported.

"Please ask them to come in." She said, not looking away from Noir.

"Sir?"

"Just...do as she says Billy...she's the new boss." Noir said, sitting back in his chair, his resolve completely crushed.

Billy for his part blinked before disappearing again, and a man and woman came in a moment later, both of them wearing immaculate suits and expensive looking sunglasses.

"Miss Schnee, we got here as soon as we could, what's the problem?" The man said, his companion looking around and sneering in disgust. Weiss turned to the newcomers and smiled appreciatively.

"Ah, Amber, Jade, glad you could make it. Due to unforeseen circumstances I find myself in possession of this poor excuse of a company. I'll explain later, but Amber, I need you to check over these documents and make sure they stand up to scrutiny. After that I'll need your team to go over everything this company has, right down to where they got the carpets from. Jade, please assemble all of the staff here for 'Evaluation' in the kitchens. I'd like this done as soon as possible please, and if they complain, just glare at them until they get moving. I'll be addressing everyone here in a moment."

Turning around to her companions and Noir, she smiled.

"Allow me to introduce you; this is Amber, one of the Schnee Dust Company's top legal experts, and Jade, the senior Caterer for the family estate. They are going to help me turn this dump around."

Ozpin and Goodwitch could do nothing more than blink at what they were seeing.

"What do you mean turn this place around?" The professor asked, as Amber and Jade went to their assigned tasks with a respectful nod towards the heiress.

"Put simply professor, Amber is going to make sure that this company is above board, and from what I have seen so far, I need to apologise for the immense workload I've just given him." Weiss looked a little unhappy at the prospect, but was surprised when the man in question just chuckled and looked back.

"With respect Miss, it'll be fun sorting this place out. Most of my work is just glancing over pages for mergers, and they would never dare deceive your fathers company. Now I can do some real work and get my hands dirty for once!" The man laughed at the end of his explanation, and after a moment, a surprised and grateful Weiss joined in.

"Hopefully not literally Amber! You have more nerve than I do touching that desk without gloves." The heiress quipped, chuckling as the older man stopped and took off his sunglasses so he could see the desk more clearly, as if looking for contaminants. Weiss then turned her attention back to Ozpin and Goodwitch and continued explaining.

"While Amber is, having fun," She smiled in the direction of Amber who flashed a 'thumbs up' before they returned to their individual tasks. "Jade is going to instruct the staff here on catering etiquette and technique. That might not sound very harsh, but the fact is...well, some people joke that she may be part Death Stalker considering her attitude in the kitchen. She has a reputation of breaking..." Weiss paused, trying to find the right word.

Glynda looked curious and offered some possibilities. "Breaking what? Equipment? Dishes?"

Weiss shook her head, and turned back, locking eyes with Noir.

"She usually breaks people. Leaves them a sobbing mess on the floor. And that's why I called her here. She is a perfectionist in the kitchen, every dish, slice of bread, even every pinch of salt must be precise and perfect. And she will get the people who work here to that level or they will die trying. I may even pay her a bonus from my own funds, each and every time a staff member breaks."

"Why are you doing this to me!?" Noir screamed, finally at the end of his rope.

"You really want to know? The Team mate I mentioned earlier, is actually the leader of my team, and beyond any of that, she is my partner in the school. She is important to me and I have just spent the entire day watching her come close to turning herself inside out because of your incompetence. I could do far worse, and believe me, I would relish it. But I gave her my word I wouldn't hurt anyone. Be forever thankful to her that you at least have a home to go back to. If it had just been me here, I would have at the very least made sure you couldn't even live on the streets."

Noir closed his eyes and lowered his head in shamed resignation. He knew there was nothing he could possibly do to escape the situation. All the bribes, all the sabotage on other catering company, all of it was useless now. The best thing he could do was to stay silent, and submit to his fate.

And that's exactly what he did.

A moment later, Amber looked up and nodded when he caught Weiss' eye, silently letting her know the papers were in order. She smiled gratefully at him and looked towards Ozpin and Goodwitch, who were still where they were, smiling, but their eyes held awe at what they had just seen.

"Well, I think our business is concluded here, correct?" Ozpin asked, taking a slight step away from a crooked picture on the wall, convinced he saw something scuttle behind it out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm finished here Professor, we can leave whenever you're ready after I address the staff, which should only take a moment. Oh and Amber? Call in anyone you need to, starting with a deep cleaning service. The smell alone is starting to make me ill." The heiress waited for Amber to nod, noticing that the man had started working through the draws in the office, moving around the immobile and emotionally destroyed Noir Guardman. Sparing him one last look of distain, Weiss turned around and walked out, followed by the professors.

Billy was still sitting at the desk, looking incredibly confused, but as he saw Weiss and the others, he got up and started smiling sickly.

"Is there anything I can do for you miss?" He asked, trying to put on a charming attitude. Weise simply rolled her eyes.

"Get out of my way and go join your co-workers in the kitchen. Now."

Billy looked like he was about to take exception, but seeing the glare directed at him, and remembering Noir's words earlier, he nodded his head and exited through a side door leading further into the building. After shaking her head, remembering with irritation Billy had called her Ozpin's maid, Weise moved over to the desk, frowning as she saw the clutter. A moment later she noticed the intercom and, after taking a handkerchief from her pouch, the initiated the system.

"All employees of Guardman Catering, my name is Weiss Schnee. As of this moment I am now the owner of this company, and from this moment forward, things are going to change here. Staff members of the Schnee Dust Company are due to start arriving here within the hour, and over the coming months, this company is going to see massive changes. All staff members are going to be instructed by professionals and I expect everyone to improve by a significant margin. My representative, Jade, will act as my proxy with the Kitchens, and Amber, my proxy in matters pertaining to Administration. If you do not think you can handle it, feel free to collect your things and leave. If you wish to stay and believe you have what it takes to be a high calibre company, then step up."

Weiss was about to turn the system off, when a sudden inspiration came to her mind, and she smiled at the thought.

"Also, for the record, this company's name will from this point on be White Rose Catering. That is all."

Weiss turned off the intercom, and tossed the handkerchief in the waste bin under the desk. She had several more back at the dorm, and wasn't willing to take the chance. After that, Weiss looked towards her teachers and followed them when she saw they were waiting patiently by the door for her.

As they entered the car once again, Weiss chuckled, surprised at herself; she had set out to get revenge for what had happened to Ruby, not to grab herself a business.

"That was quite an impressive display, Miss Director." Ozpin quipped kindly, and Weiss couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"I'm assuming that Beacon staff and students will of course eat free at the cafe?" Glenda piped up with a smile, blinking at Weiss' surprised gaze.

"Cafe? What are you talking about?"

"On the other side of the building is a small cafe come restaurant, nothing major, and considering Guardman himself, it never seemed terribly successful. But if Jade is the kind of culinary sorceress you implied, I have a feeling the customer base will grow quickly." Ozpin explained.

"Oh, I didn't realise...Looks like I just made Jade's day, she said she always wanted to run a restaurant." Weiss shook her head bemusedly. The professors chuckled as the car set off once again, and they were shortly heading swiftly back to Beacon, the late afternoon traffic being rather light.

"I still can't believe you pulled that off. The talk about the health and safety committee? That was inspired!" Glynda offered, a truly impressed look on her face.

"Indeed, but how did you realise the importance of that note?" Ozpin asked, his curiosity now impossible to deny.

"Well that was the easy part; I was taught allot about business management last year. But here's the real question. How did Blake get that information?" Weiss offered, looking askance at Ozpin, whose brows drew down in confusion at the thought.

"You're right, and how did she get that information so fast? We left your dorm room less than a minute before Miss Xiao Long caught up with us. How could she get that information, write it down and hand it to Yang all in that short space of time?"

Everyone in the car seemed to be considering the situation, and no one could explain it. Blake was an exceedingly mysterious individual. She was undeniably intelligent, and very fast. Not quite Ruby fast, but still faster than the average student.

"I'll worry about that tomorrow. Right now I just want to pass out. After a VERY hot shower, of course." Weiss shuddered after the mention of the shower, feeling like she would need to use bleach to remove the smell of that office. She almost missed the sight of Glynda cringing in agreement, but she heard the disgusted short from Ozpin.

"That's a very good idea, Miss Schnee. I'm glad I didn't bring my cane, I'd probably have to burn it."

"You've got it easy Ozpin, Weiss and I will need a hundred gallons of shampoo and conditioner for our hair! I'm sure there was a spider web in the door when we walked through." Glynda groused, not noticing Weiss' eyes going wide.

"I thought it was my imagination! Eww! I hate spiders!" The young girl started checking her hair, making sure she didn't have any uninvited guests. Once she had calmed down, she looked down and noticed Ruby's cloak, and carefully checked it for any marks, stains or other damage.

A few moments passed, and Weiss' moments changed from checking the cloak, to gently caressing. The feel of the material was incredibly soft and light, merging the best features of cashmere and silk. Her eyes narrowed with slight worry as she considered the cloaks owner, lying in Weiss' bed back at the academy.

"I hope she's doing ok..." She whispered.

Ozpin noticed the quiet words, but decided not to interfere or comment. He knew that he had pushed the heiress a little too far earlier and decided to simply let the matter rest. As a teacher, he had voiced his concerns and made sure they were understood. But as a person who understood the pain of loneliness, he couldn't bring himself to dissuade Weiss from a decision that could make her happier in her life.

No one talked, all of them trying to assimilate the events of the day in their own way. After fifteen minutes, due to taking the more direct route and the surprisingly light traffic, the car came to a gentle stop in front of the school's main entrance.

Ozpin and Weiss stepped out, and Glynda drove the car away, returning it to the garage before returning to her office. Weiss and Ozpin, on the other hand, headed inside, and noticed that the students had thinned out. A look once again at the central clock revealed the reason why.

"Seven o'clock? Wow, how time flies." The headmaster blinked as he stared at the clock, not realising they had been gone for so long.

Weiss couldn't really bring herself to be surprised, once again having expected it to be later. She turned to Professor Ozpin and smiled, bowing her head in respect and gratitude.

"Professor...I can't ever thank you for all of your help, if you ever need anything, I mean anything, please let me know."

Ozpin simply shook his head with a tender smile and took Weiss' hand in his own, shaking her hand comfortably.

"Just make sure to invite Glynda to the cafe when it reopens and all debts will be paid."

Weiss laughed at this but nodded in response, plans already accumulating in her mind.

"Of course sir, and Beacon Staff and students eat free." She added with a cute grin.

Ozpin nodded one last time and released Weiss' hand, waving kindly in farewell. Weiss took that opportunity to head to the dorms, feeling as if her legs were made of lead. She was immensely tired, but she knew that she couldn't sleep yet.

Once she finally reached the dorm, she opened the door quietly, noticing that the room was completely silent. As she looked around, she spotted Blake sitting in a chair next to her bed, reading a book by candle light. Ruby as still curled up in Weiss' bed, and Yang had already gone to sleep in her own bed.

As if sensing the new presence, Blake's eyes rose and she smiled slightly in recognition upon seeing Weiss, nodding slightly.

Weiss smiled in return and closed the door, taking the opportunity to return Myrtenaster to its place on the shelf and, rather reluctantly, taking off Ruby's cloak and hanging it next to the door, taking one last quick glance to make sure it was clean.

"She fell asleep about an hour ago, and she kept asking when you would get back." Weiss turned around as she heard Blake's quiet voice.

"I was hoping she wouldn't worry too much with you two keeping her company." Weiss whispered, looking at Ruby sadly as she walked closer.

Most may have taken the heiress' words as recrimination, as if Weiss was blaming Yang and Blake for not keeping the girl's attention distracted. But Blake could see in Weiss' eyes how unhappy she was that Ruby continued to worry.

"Yang talked to her for a while, most of it was teasing though, something about Ruby missing her 'Juliette' and asking how long you two have been dating." Blake did try to keep the amused smile from her face, honestly she did, but she couldn't help but find the teasing slightly amusing. She did cover a quiet chuckle as Weiss' face erupted in a massive blush.

"Don't be surprised if tomorrow you wake up to find your partner smothered." Weiss muttered quietly, menace dripping from her words.

"It's just harmless fun; Yang doesn't mean anything by it." Blake's voice carried clear amusement at the discussion, but her smile faded to a curious expression.

"Or...forgive me for asking...but is there something between you and Ruby?" Blake asked her question very delicately, knowing that one wrong word would cause the heiress to react badly.

Weiss was quiet for a few moments, trying to calm her conflicted emotions. She wondered how it was she could go from verbally tearing someone over three times her age to pieces, yet her resolve and confidence practically turned to jelly today when she was anywhere near Ruby.

"Yesterday...I would have said you were out of your mind to suggest such a thing. Now..." Weiss trailed off quietly, still finding the situation very difficult.

"Things have changed and you don't know what to think?" Blake offered quietly, smiling as Weiss turned to look at her in surprise.

"I read the occasional romance novel." Blake admitted with a blush, thinking back to her favourite, Ninjas of Love.

Weiss shook her head and looked back at Ruby, her heart clenching slightly as she noticed that Ruby was hugging Weiss' jacket closely, as if hugging a loved one.

"Hypothetically speaking," The heiress started, blushing slightly and casting a shy look towards Blake. "Do you think it would be wrong? I've been a complete bitch to her for so long, you were there when we first met after all. Even after all that, she still didn't quit trying to be my friend. And I'll admit it's been great. But...like I said, I was so horrible to her, is it wrong of me to want to...to have her heart? To start a relationship with her and...fall in love?"

Weiss twitched a little, it was the first time she had used the word 'Love' when talking about Ruby, and it was possibly one of the most difficult admission she could make.

Blake sat quietly, considering Weiss' question. She was sharp enough to ignore the hypothetical part, knowing that Weiss was using that to try and protect herself, but the fact was that it was clear to see that for whatever reason, Weiss was starting to fall for Ruby, or had already fallen.

A small, vindictive part of Blake's mind whispered how this could be the perfect way to get back at the heiress, by convincing her that pursuing anything with Ruby would be a bad thing. It was no secret that while Blake and Weiss functioned rather well as team mates, they would never be friends because of their differing opinions on the Faunus and the White Fang.

They had been involved in an argument the previous week that lasted a few hours, and it was close to erupting into a screaming match when Ruby and Yang had done their best to distract their respective partners. Yang had wrapped her arm around Blake and convinced the amber eyed girl to go with her for something to eat, or maybe convinced isn't the right word, as Yang kept talking and didn't give Blake a chance to protest, or even resist as she was dragged out of the room.

From what little she heard as they were leaving, Blake thought that Ruby had tried asking Weiss to calm down and not fight with a friend.

She hadn't heard anything from Weiss, until she heard Ruby cheer and then Weiss started complaining, and demanding Ruby put her down. It seemed that Weiss had agreed to a cease fire.

As she remembered that and also considered that her plan would probably cause Ruby even more pain than Weiss, Blake made up her mind, and looked towards the heiress with a kind smile.

"Hypothetically...It seems as if she has given you her heart already. She didn't let go of your jacket once since you gave it to her."

Weiss didn't say anything to this, simply looking down at Ruby's sleeping form, her eyes soft, yet still conflicted. Blake for her part closed her book after marking her place with a bookmark, and headed to her bed.

"Blake?"

The older girl turned around, noting that Weiss had turned around, but was looking at the ground uncomfortably.

"I know that...we haven't really, you know, clicked recently...but...thank you. We may not agree, but I truly value and treasure your friendship." Weise' words were slow, and obviously difficult for the girl to express.

Blake knew that Weiss had a difficult time opening up to people, trusting them, or opening herself up to friendship; it was oddly enough something they had in common, though for different reasons. But the difficulty they both shared previously assured Blake of the sincerity of the younger girl.

Knowing that anything more would make things harder for Weiss, Blake simply smiled and nodded, before she bade the heiress a quiet goodnight.

Weiss sighed in relief. The fact was it was the closest she could come to apologizing for the argument last week. She still refused to change her mind on the subject of the White Fang and its members, but she had, over the next few days, realised that she didn't need to colour every Faunus with the same brush she used for the White Fang.

But her words to Blake about their friendship had been pure and genuine. The older girl didn't have to offer any advice but she did, and Weiss remembered the note that Blake had given her, and it all just served as further proof that the girls in this dorm, especially Blake, were girls who she could risk putting her trust into.

Unfortunately those were only a few of the many hurdles Weiss needed to deal with, the most confusing one of all being the girl curled up in her bed sleeping.

Rubbing her hand over her face, Weiss grabbed her nightdress and headed into the bathroom, heading straight for the modest shower on the other side of the room. After letting the water warm up, Weiss quickly undressed and stepped under the warm water, letting the heat penetrate her skin and sooth her tired muscles.

The gradual release of tension and stress was almost painful, and it was surprising just how much she needed this shower. Normally Weiss was a bath-girl, preferring to relax in a nice hot bath of perfumed water and some nice music. But at times Weiss found a shower to be more soothing, almost therapeutic.

Shuddering in remembrance of the office, Weiss reached up and freed her hair, having forgotten to remove the pins that held her hair in its customary ponytail before she got into the shower. She quickly picked up the shampoo and started cleaning her hair, convinced that the suds would start turning a sickly grey. Leaving the suds to work on her hair, she took a step back and picked up the washcloth and body wash, starting to clean her pale skin.

In her haste, Weiss completely missed the fact that she picked up Ruby's rose scented body wash.

She realised it though as she picked up the intense smell that she had started associating with the younger girl, never having partaken of the scent so strongly before. It immediately brought a tender smile to her face, and she wrapped her arms around herself, indulging in a small fantasy that it was Ruby's arms holding her safe and warm.

A sudden spike of embarrassment tried to lance through her mind, reminding her that she was nude under the showerhead, but she fought it down, wanting to remain within the grip of her imagination for a few moments longer.

As if in understanding, her mind decided to shut up.

Twenty minutes later, Weiss stepped under the shower head and started rinsing the soap from her face and hair, glancing down and noting with amused relief that the suds were their normal white, her earlier fears proving unfounded.

Grabbing her bath robe and tying it securely, Weiss then grabbed a towel and started rubbing her hair dry; taking a few steps back into the bedroom and making sure that everything was calm. She noticed that Blake was asleep by now, her face peaceful and relaxed as she breathed gently through parted lips, a contrast to Yang who was snoring quietly.

The heiress smiled as she remembered White Castle, knowing that even now, her father was furiously adamant that he did not snore, despite several attendants saying they could hear him snoring all the way in the basement, her father's room being in one of the higher towers.

Her gaze shifted to her bed, and she noticed that Ruby had shifted a bit, bringing Weiss' jacket to her face as if she was trying to breathe in the heiress' scent.

'It seems as if she has given you her heart already.' Blake's words whispered in her mind, and Weiss was sure she felt her heart flutter for a moment at the thought. She could see the truth in the other girl's words as clear as day, and while still a little concerned at what may happen, she found she didn't feel as frightened.

She went back into the bathroom and sat down in front of the vanity mirror, brushing her long snow white hair and taking a long look in the mirror. Weiss had been told for years that she was beautiful, but she had usually brushed those compliments off, usually hearing them from potential suitors introduced by her father.

Each and every one of them had been promptly put off by the disinterest Weiss exhibited, and about four months before she applied to Beacon her father stopped trying to set her daughter up with some boy from another wealthy family.

But as she looked into the reflection, her own blue eyes looking back at her, she couldn't help but wonder what Ruby saw when looking at Weiss.

'Does she think I'm pretty? Or plain? That can't be pleasant to look at.' She thought bitterly, casting a critical look at the scar over her left eye, a gift from the Dark Armor.

Weiss usually spent a good deal of time on her appearance, having learned from a young age that an immaculate appearance will help get things she needs or wants from those she was dealing with. The only blemish on her pure skin was the scar, and despite the confusion of her father, she refused to have it removed. Mostly she pretended that it was a symbol of her strength, a reminder of her first solo encounter with a being of darkness.

The reality though was it was a constant reminder to never let her guard down.

During the battle, Weiss had grown over confident, believing she could evade or, if necessary, block every strike from the Dark Armor. After she jumped over a sword strike, her opponent capitalised on this mistake and struck Weise full force, the punch sending her flying.

Even the thought of that failure made Weiss cringe in shame, but she shook off the feeling, remembering she had grown far stronger since that day.

As she finished brushing her hair, Weiss spared her reflection one last glance. The girl she saw there was pretty, she decided with a small smile, she just hoped Ruby felt the same. After brushing her teeth and changing into her sleepwear, Weiss walked back into the team's bedroom, acutely aware of how tired she was.

She was considering her sleeping arrangements, having sworn to herself she would NEVER get up onto Ruby's bed unless her life depended on it, when a movement caught her attention. Her eyes locked on the form of her partner, who was moving around as if in distress.

Immediately Weiss was at her side, worry filling her entire being as she tried to discern what was wrong.

"Weiss...please...where are you...? Don't go...don't leave me alone...please..."

Ruby's quiet yet desperate words made Weiss freeze, and she suddenly knew that Ruby was having a nightmare, but why would Ruby dream of Weiss leaving?

And why would it upset the girl so much?

Unable to think of a different course of action, Weiss sat at the edge of the bed and leaned closer, caressing Ruby's cheek and gently shushing the still thrashing girl.

"Shhhh, Ruby it's ok, I'm here. I won't leave you Ruby, I promised you, remember? Shhh, I'm right here, it's alright."

Weiss kept up her soothing tone and continued to gently touch the girl's face, noticing that she was starting to calm down, when suddenly Ruby reached out almost blindly and wrapped her arms around the heiress' neck, pulling her down onto the bed as the rolled over.

It was all Weiss could do to keep the shocked 'eep!' quiet, not sure if she could survive the unladylike sound ever being heard. She tried to gently pry Ruby's arms off of her, but Ruby strengthened her grip and nuzzled her head against Weiss's chest, the older girl shivering at the unexpected invasion of her personal space. Finally Ruby calmed, her breathing slowed, and she murmured in contentment, the side of her head against Weiss's chest, listening to the elevated heartbeat.

"You...came back..."

They remained like that for some time, curled comfortably together on the bed, their legs slightly entwined, much to Weiss' initial embarrassment. Weiss, however, soon relaxed into her partners embrace, enjoying the new sensations. She had never been held like this, surrounded by warmth that was comforting but also needy.

Silently, Weiss started to see that being close to another was not a weakness as she had been told; it was not something to be avoided or feared. She could finally be herself, let down the defences she kept around her heart, she could be free.

They laid like that for some time, Weiss occasionally brushing a lock of hair from Ruby's pretty face, and Ruby occasionally nuzzling closer to Weiss' heartbeat. Weiss wasn't sure exactly why Ruby wanted to hear her heartbeat, but faded memories of being with her mother reminded Weiss that listening to the heartbeat of someone dear to you was very soothing.

The thought made Weiss blush shyly, because following that logic, it seemed she was very dear to Ruby, considering how the young girl held her as close as possible.

And Weiss realised that she didn't have a problem with that.

"I won't leave you Ruby, I promise. I don't know how or why, but today you've become so special and important to me...I swear to you, I will never leave you. No matter what path our lives take, be they as friends...or more...you'll never be alone."

Weiss spoke softly to Ruby, her words loud enough only for Ruby herself to hear, even if only in sleep. She had hesitated when implying that their relationship could be more, still uncomfortable with the very idea, but she couldn't deny that somewhere, deep inside her soul, she wanted this closeness with Ruby.

She wanted to be loved.

As Ruby hummed softly in her sleep and hugged Weiss tighter for a moment, Weiss smiled, and closed her eyes, cradling the younger girl as one would a precious gift. As she was drifting off, Weiss considered that it was Ruby's birthday in a couple of months, and she smiled, knowing that she had something to do for that special day.

'I think Ruby would like eating for free at a certain restaurants grand reopening...' With that thought, the huntress surrendered to sleep and smiled, already in the grip of pleasant dreams, and in all of them Ruby was with her, smiling and laughing.

It was a dream she would continue to enjoy for the rest of her life.

Fin.

Author's notes:

Ok, that wraps up the modifications to this story, and I hope that everyone likes the change to a multi chapter format. A lot of people said that the previous format was a little too intensive and I'm forced to agree, the fact of the matter is when I was writing this story I just kept typing until the story was done, I didn't even consider putting in separations for the scenes, especially considering I didn't really switch to different events or scenes, I just kept the story moving.

And don't worry, I'm working on a sequel already, just let me take a bit of a break and get some other work done first.

Wow, just wow, I intended this to be a small fluffy piece, but it's somehow grown into an absolute monster. Seriously, I was expecting an Ursa, now I'm looking at a Nevermore/Death Stalker combo right now!

Sorry. If you accept my apology, please send Cookies so I can give them to Ruby. 'Cause, you know, that's the only reason she allowed me to write her like I did in this story and, well...I don't have the money to make 50,000 cookies myself...