When Jaune had first taken on this mission he couldn't help but feel that he had become the butt of jokes once more. Like going back in time to Beacon when he wasn't as strong or confident as he was now. Being a glorified babysitter and crossing guard seemed beneath the abilities of a licensed huntsman.

However, he'd soon come to learn that this particular job did have its perked. In addition to the genuine good he was doing for the people of Mantle, he found himself receiving almost daily gifts from the parents of the children in his charge. Mostly food, and in particular, casseroles from a nice young woman named Cassy. And then there were the other gifts they offered him…

Loathe as he was to admit it, Jaune had been close to the breaking point. There were only so many flirtatious advances and suggestive looks that a group of attractive ladies could give a man before he was tempted enough to give in. He knew that some of the mothers who enjoyed oogling him every day were single. Some weren't. Yet it didn't stop them. Jaune knew that all he had to do was turn on the old Arc charm, the same charm that hadn't worked on Weiss back at Beacon, and he'd be in those tight yoga pants quicker than Ruby got in the cookie jar. And then…

A single night had changed that all. A single night had cast the thoughts of all those thirsty moms out of his mind.

It had been a simple thing. An innocent thing. A game of truth or dare.

One thing had led to another. Passions and desires had overcome both him and Weiss. They'd had sex.

Despite the fact that he'd been there, he'd been fully awake and in his right mind, he could still hardly believe it had happened. Weiss of all girls. Weiss! The girl who'd shot him down more times than he could remember had been his first time. He'd been hers.

Though they hadn't done it since then, their interactions together were far warmer than they'd been before. Even in the presence of their friends it wasn't uncommon for their eyes to meet across the cafeteria table and share a private look with one another. Flash a warm smile to each other. A suggestive eyebrow raise. Small, subtle things that the rest of the gang wouldn't notice, but they would.

Jaune knew he couldn't harp on such thoughts, however. He still had a job to do. Getting these kids safely to school was his top priority.

Stepping out into the middle of the street, Jaune held his stop sign high, halting all traffic before gesturing for the kids to cross. "Alright, kids! Let's move out."

Like a shepherd guiding his flock, the children crossed, Jaune only moving once the last of them had passed him by. Back on the sidewalk now, he followed behind them, his watchful eyes making sure none of them strayed from the path to the school building.

As they walked along Jaune felt his scroll buzz. Fishing it from his pocket, he smiled at the face and name which came up on the display. A message from Weiss.

We need to talk immediately. Come back to Atlas.

Digesting the message, a small frown crept onto his face. We need to talk. Those words were never good. Despite the fact that he and Weiss weren't dating, at least he didn't think they were, a girl telling a guy that they needed to talk was always a harbinger of bad news.

Even if it had been a good message, Jaune couldn't abandon his post here. He had to finish his mission and ensure the kids made it to school safely.

Sorry, Weiss. I'm with the kids right now.

Looking up from his scroll, he smiled at how they remained in their single file formation. The smile was fleeting, however, as Weiss quickly responded to his message.

I might be too.

Jaune squinted down at the screen. What did she mean by that? Was she also on an escort mission? Did she need his assistance in it? Was that maybe why she had messaged him?

You're doing an escort mission too?

His eyes didn't leave the scroll, and in seconds Weiss had sent her reply.

I'm late, Jaune.

Late? Late for a mission? Then why was she wasting time… with…

Blue eyes widened, and a chill ran down his spine.

With kids. Late.

"Pregnant," he whispered to himself.

The rest of the morning was like a blur to the young man. With the children safely delivered to their classes, Jaune was finished with his mission for the next six hours. They'd need to be escorted back to their waiting parents after school, but for the next six hours, Jaune had all the time in the world for himself.

Or rather, for himself and Weiss.

Weiss… she was… she might be…

For the first time in a long time, Jaune was afraid. Not of Grimm. Not of being kicked out of Beacon. Not of losing another person in his life.

Rather, gaining another.

Pregnant. What if Weiss… what if just a single night with her was enough to do it…

She wanted to talk to him. She needed to talk to him. He understood that. He knew what had to be done. And yet… yet his long striding legs wouldn't work. They stood locked, standing in the middle of the sidewalk, refusing to do what his mind and his heart told him to.

In the end he found an empty bus stop bench and sat down on it. How pathetic was that? It'd taken only a few simple words from Weiss to paralyze him with fear. A few words of text. How was he ever going to be able to handle speaking with her face to face?

He didn't know how long he'd sat there, head down and staring blankly at the pavement between his feet. Only the familiar sound of a warm voice stirred him from his thoughts and brought his attention up from the ground.

"Is that Jaune Arc I see sitting all alone?"

Glancing toward the source of the voice, Jaune was greeted by the familiar sight of one of the mothers of the children he escorted to class every day. Cassy Rol, wearing her usual red winter coat, strolled over toward Jaune with a smile as warm as the delicious meals she gifted him on a daily basis.

"You're looking a little lonely there, Jaune," she continued, moving to stand before him. Jaune wasn't at all surprised to see the blonde woman holding one of her signature casseroles in her hands. "Is everything alright?"

No. Not at all. Jaune couldn't even muster the strength to lie and put on a happy face, saying that everything was okay.

Cassy's face fell when she didn't receive a reply, and normally bright and warm chocolate-brown eyes lost their luster as worry formed on her face. "Jaune?"

Taking in a deep breath, Jaune shook his head softly. "I don't even know what to say."

She took a seat next to him, the casserole coming to rest atop her lap. "Jaune, sweetie. What's wrong?"

Everything. But how did he even go about explaining it to her? How does one drop a bombshell like he just had on an almost stranger? It wasn't Cassy's burden to bear. She wasn't his therapist. She didn't deserve to have all his problems dumped onto her.

Jaune's head hung low, and his gaze once more dropped to his lap. "I don't even know how to say it," he admitted softly.

Cassy leaned forward enough so that she could stare over and up at Jaune's downcast face. He may have been trying to avoid looking at her, but she wasn't having any of it. Despite the playful smile on her face, he knew that she was taking this situation seriously.

"Jaune," she scolded lightly, the smirk on her lips almost evaporating completely. "Why not just start with the truth and we'll go from there?"

The boy held her gaze, and he knew that despite the no-nonsense expression she held that she was also making it clear that she wanted to help. She wanted him to know that she could be trusted to be an emotional pillar to support him in whatever was going on.

At the end of the day she was still basically a stranger to him. Cassy didn't know any of his friends. What did he have to lose by telling her the truth?

Taking her advice, Jaune straightened himself out and leaned back against the bench. "I might have gotten a girl pregnant," he stated flatly.

The mood in the air changed, and Cassy too leaned back. He heard a long breath enter and exit through her nose. "Gotcha. Yeah, that'll make a guy act how you're acting."

Jaune nodded. He wasn't sure what else he should or could say. All he could think about were those few words Weiss had texted him.

"So what are you going to do?"

The question snapped Jaune from his thoughts. He sighed, shaking his head softly. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" she asked. There was a hint of an edge to her voice, and when Jaune glanced over to her he saw a frown creeping on her lips. "It shouldn't be very hard to figure out."

Shouldn't be very hard? This was earth-shattering. Not even going into Beacon untrained and without Aura was as difficult as this situation was. Or rather, could be. He didn't know for sure if Weiss was pregnant, only that she was late. But considering that they'd just done it a few nights ago…

"I've never gone through anything like this," he told her. As he spoke he couldn't meet Cassy's judgmental brown eyes. And she had every right to judge him right now. "I'm nineteen years old. I don't know how to be a dad."

Jaune flinched when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders, and he turned to see that Cassy had scooted over on the bench to press against him. She gave his far shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Before he might have thought that the woman was stepping up her game and making an even bolder move on him than giving him daily casseroles. But as he looked into her eyes now, he saw no judgment. No lust. No ulterior motives. He saw a woman a few years older than he was trying to offer him comfort in his time of need.

"I was a little younger than you when I got pregnant," she said softly. As she did her own eyes broke from his, and she like him before, stared down at her lap. "My boyfriend was nineteen. I wasn't ready to be a mom, and he wasn't ready to be a dad. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

Jaune nodded. In that moment her comforting arm felt a little bit warmer. To know that she had gone through the same thing and had turned out fine was the kind of thing he needed to hear right now.

"So he didn't bother," she followed up after a brief silence had settled over them.

Blue eyes went wide when Jaune realized what she meant. He turned to look Cassy in the eyes once more. "Oh gods. Cassy… I'm so sorry…"

He felt the shoulder that was pressed against him shrug. "Screw him," she laughed. "Maybe he got turned into Grimm food by one of the latest attacks. Who knows, who cares. I haven't seen him in years. Not since he decided that he didn't want to be a part of his daughter's life."

The words made Jaune's blood boil. How could a person be such a coward? How could a person abandon his family like that? It was difficult enough to raise a family in a world ravaged by the creatures of Grimm, but to have to do it alone? In Mantle of all places?

Jaune wanted nothing more than to find the father of Cassy's child and knock him senseless.

"I've never met the guy and I hate him," the boy growled. "Civilian or not, I wanna kick his ass."

Cassy laughed. "You're sweet, Jaune, but he's not worth the effort. It's his loss, missing out on his beautiful baby girl's first words. Her first steps. I'm getting along just fine, especially with a little help from the local huntsmen," she added with a wink.

Jaune blushed, again being forced to avert his eyes from Cassy's under her borderline flirtatious praise. He knew that in this moment she wasn't actually coming onto him, instead trying to lighten the mood.

"I may have only known you for a couple of weeks, Jaune, but I know you're a good man. You have to be if you're running around down here in Mantle playing babysitter for a bunch of kids. This probably wasn't what you had in mind when you signed up to be a huntsman, right?"

Bingo. Jaune had never thought that such grunt work would be a part of his duties as a huntsman, but once he had started doing it he realized that it was a necessary job. Being a huntsman wasn't just about fighting Grimm. It was about ensuring the safety and happiness of the people of Remnant. A little peace of mind could go a long way in curbing negative emotions, and therefore curbing Grimm attacks.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Can't say this is what I had in mind when General Ironwood gave us our huntsman licenses."

"But you're doing it anyway because it's the right thing to do, right?" Jaune nodded once again. "Even though this job wasn't your first choice, you're doing it anyway. And you're doing it with everything you've got. You're not a man who will run away from his problems or his duty. You won't run from this either. Like it or not, if this girl is pregnant you have a duty to be there for her."

Jaune knew she was right. He'd known that all along. Still, being able to talk to someone about it, getting his feelings and doubts off his chest, being reaffirmed on what was right, those things all helped. They helped so much. Just being able to hear someone else say it filled the boy with hope and confidence that he'd been lacking before.

"This girl, is she a huntress?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. He wasn't about to say who, because disinherited or not, Weiss Schnee was still a name that carried weight in Atlas and Mantle. He would have protected the identity of the girl regardless of who it had been. But there was no harm in admitting she was a huntress.

"Here's the unfair thing about pregnancy," Cassy continued. "She's the one who's going to have to carry this burden. Literally. The father can stay hidden during all of this. The mother can't. Once this girl starts showing, there'll be no hiding what she's done. And that's where you'll come in, Jaune. You have to be at her side and stand by her physically and emotionally. Can you do that?"

Be there for Weiss. Be at her side. Act as her shield. Be the gallant knight to her princess. Jaune had always wanted to be a hero. He would be Weiss' hero. He would stand with her through all of this if it turned out she was pregnant.

"I can." His voice became firmer as he spoke. "I will."

"Good. Remember that as worried as you are right now, it's ten times worse for her. You," she said poking his shoulder to emphasize each word. "Can. Do. This."

Jaune took a deep breath, standing up and feeling himself filled with renewed confidence and vigor. Yes, he could do this. He would do this. He wouldn't abandon Weiss in her time of greatest need. If he needed to be the father of their baby, then he would be. He even had a loving family he could call upon to aid him if need be. He knew his parents would support them in this. They'd raised eight kids, after all. They'd love another grandkid! And maybe his and Weiss' child would be friends with Adrian! They'd be cousins! Yes, worried or not, Jaune knew he would have a strong support system throughout this all.

"Thanks, Cassy," he smiled warmly as he gazed down at her. "I needed this. I needed to hear all that. Seriously, thank you."

She stood up as well, a happy, reassuring smile on her own lips. "Guess now I know why you never took me or any of the others up on our offers," she said playfully. "You've been getting some prime huntress tail up there. I always did wonder if students got it on at the academies. I suppose this answers that question."

Jaune coughed and blushed at her words. He'd always suspected, but here Cassy had plainly spelled out that she and the other moms had been interested in him physically. He knew that she was just kidding around with him now though. Being a single mother herself, he knew Cassy would never try to steal his attention or affection away from the girl who would need him the most.

"I need to go see her," he said, taking a step away. "But I'll be back this afternoon for the kids. See you then."

"Jaune," she called after him, prompting him to turn around. She held up the casserole dish, urging him to come take it. "There may be a girl who's eating for two now."

The boy blinked, but quickly understood her meaning. Jaune was grateful for all the free food Cassy provided for him, and this would be no exception. He stepped over and graciously accepted the homemade casserole from the thirsty mom who had turned out to be a genuine and helpful friend.

"Thank you," he beamed. "I know she'll love it."

"Just be sure to invite me to the baby shower, understand?" she grinned.

Jaune chuckled, walking away backwards with the casserole. "Anything for you, Cass. I'll see you later."

She offered him a smile and a wave, and Jaune turned around to quickly walk to the nearest air ship terminal so he could get a ride back up to Atlas. So he could be there for Weiss when she needed him the most.

Weiss stared down at the small package in her hands. So tiny, yet so powerful. Under any other circumstances she might have compared it to herself.

A pregnancy test. Purchased while under disguise down in Mantle. There was no need to let anyone who might recognize her know what she was buying. Despite the fact that she was a disgraced former heiress, rumors could, and would still spread.

Sitting atop the bottom bunk of her and Ruby's bunk bed, Weiss simply stared at the thing rather than use it. How could she use it? How could she face this truth? This test meant everything to her. Everything about her future. Just like before when she had passed her father's test in order to earn her freedom from Atlas, this too would determine where she went in life. Who she went with.

Pale blue eyes closed and Weiss exhaled deeply. She was such a coward. It was so simple to use, and would provide her with an answer in mere seconds. Yet… she couldn't bear doing it. However, she knew she had to. After telling Jaune about her private issue, he must have been worried sick. When he finally came back to Atlas Academy after his mission, he would want an update. She would have to be able to provide one.

Maybe that's when she would take it. Maybe all she needed was someone to hold her hand through it. Not literally of course with what she would have to do in order to take the test, but just… someone. Anyone. A friend to tell her that things would be okay, and that her life wouldn't be over if it turned out that she was pregnant.

The sound of her dorm room door unlocking earned the girl's attention, and her head snapped up to see who it was. Had Jaune arrived back so soon?

Weiss stood up, and as the door opened saw that it wasn't Jaune at all. Blake stepped inside alone, and wore a soft smile as she greeted her friend and teammate. "Hey, W-"

The words died on her lips as Weiss quickly and unsubtly stuffed the pregnancy test underneath her pillow, and moved to sit down on the edge of the mattress in front of it. She folded her hands atop her lap neatly as she gazed up at the faunus girl. "Good morning, Blake. You're back early."

Golden eyes narrowed curiously, but Blake otherwise went about her business, moving into the room toward the mirror that stood upon a row of desks. She looked into it, lightly running her fingers through her hair to fix what might have been messed up from her own early morning mission. "I'm surprised to see you here alone," she commented, staring at her reflection. "Done for the day?"

Even if she did have more work to do, Weiss wasn't sure she should be out fighting monsters when she could be carrying a baby. Luckily, however, she had nothing on her schedule today but training with Winter. She could come up with an excuse to get out of that easily enough.

"I am," she confirmed. "I think I'm just going to take it easy today. Catch up on some sleep. The General has been working us ragged lately, and I for one could use a nap."

Weiss pulled out her scroll, anxiously checking to see if she had received any messages from Jaune. She hadn't, and she snapped the device closed with a frustrated sigh.

One that had apparently gotten the attention of Blake's sensitive feline ears, if the way they twitched atop her head was any indication. She gazed at Weiss in the reflection of the mirror. "Weiss, are you okay?"

The ex-heiress shifted uncomfortably, patting the surface of the pillow before moving closer to it. "Of course I'm okay. What would make you think otherwise?"

Deeming her work done, Blake spun around and approached the bed. She took a seat next to Weiss. "I don't know. You seem… nervous."

Weiss placed her hands on the pillow and moved it backwards, pressing down to make sure it took the pregnancy test with it. She scooted further onto the bed in order to put herself between it and Blake. "Nervous? Nervous about what?"

"You tell me."

"I… I am not nervous. I'm perfectly fine. I'm just waiting for someone."

"If this is about your father, about the election, I'm sure everything will be okay." Blake smiled at her. "There's no way he can win this. Not with how popular Robyn is in Mantle."

If only this was still about the election. Truth be told Weiss had completely forgotten about that whole mess. No, this was far more important and more personal to her than even her father's bid to win a seat on Atlas' council.

"It's not about that," Weiss said softly.

Blake tilted her head. "But it is about something." Weiss frowned. How had she been so easily tricked like that? She could say she just misspoke, but she hated the idea of continuing to lie to her friend when she knew something was wrong. "I won't press any further, but if something's bothering you then you can tell me." Blake placed a hand atop Weiss'. "You can trust me."

Weiss swallowed. Of course, of all the people on her team, of all her friends period, she would trust Blake most with a secret. The idea would have once been laughable with the faunus girl being a terrorist of the White Fang. And herself being a Schnee? Utterly laughable that the two of them had formed the bonds of trust and friendship that they had. But then again, life was strange like that sometimes. She never would have imagined that Jaune Arc of all people would have been her first time. Or that she might be pregnant with his child.

Nodding without a word, Weiss reached back underneath the pillow and grabbed a small cardboard box. She pulled it out and held it in front of her so Blake could get a clear look.

Staring up at Blake's face, she saw how her friend's eyes widened and her lips parted. She sucked in a breath before speaking. "Weiss…"

"I don't know if I am yet," she said, answering an unspoken question that would have been inevitably brought up. "I haven't used it. I… I'm afraid to."

This time it was Blake who nodded. Her gaze cast downward into her lap, and for long moments the two girls sat side by side in silence. In that moment Weiss was happy it wasn't Yang who had come in. Or Ruby. Friendly and helpful as they were, right now she didn't need their loud, wordy brands of comfort and support. Sitting here in the comfortable silence with Blake Belladonna was surprisingly peaceful.

Finally though, the other girl spoke. "Jaune?" she asked in a single word.

Weiss nodded once more. "Yes. The night you and Yang found us… we became intimate with one another." An unwelcome smile curled on her lips. "I suppose you can say that we took Yang's advice and 'got a room'."

Blake hummed thoughtfully as she nodded. "Why do you think you might be pregnant? Or is it just a precaution after sex?"

They'd been careful. If not for her missed period, Weiss probably wouldn't have given the idea of being pregnant a thought. "I'm late," she said simply. "Unusually so."

"I see."

"Blake. I'm scared."

Two words were all it took for her friend to wrap her arms around Weiss' body and pull her close. Weiss reciprocated, wrapping her own arms around Blake's back. A head of white hair rested against Blake's collarbone, and the simple act of being held like that was nearly enough to cause Weiss to break down in tears. She held back, however. Not out of fear of judgment or being seen as weak. Weiss would not allow this to make her cry. She would face it head on one way or another.

"You know we'll all be there for you," Blake whispered soothingly into her ear. "Every one of us."

Weiss nodded into the girl's chest. "I know. Thank you."

She pushed herself out of the comfortable space, but remained in Blake's embrace as an arm rested around her shoulders. Weiss appreciated the gesture. Physical affection wasn't really the norm growing up in the Schnee household.

Blake smiled warmly as she watched her friend. "Does Jaune know?"

"I told him I might be pregnant. He's coming back after his mission is over. I… I was hoping to be able to have an answer for him beforehand. I don't know why I told him before taking it. I think… I just…"

"Needed someone there with you?"

Words like those might have once sounded like weakness to Weiss. However, she'd come to learn that relying on the help of others, especially your friends, was anything but weak.

"Yes. I didn't want to do it alone…"

"You don't have to, you know," Blake said warmly. "Like I said, you can trust me. Whether it's to keep a secret, or be there to hold your hand while you do this." Her face scrunched up for a second. "Metaphorically speaking, of course."

The correction caused Weiss to giggle. "I thought the same thing."

Blake's hand rubbed comfortingly against her shoulder, and Weiss leaned in to rest her head on Blake's own shoulder. "So if you're ready, if you want an answer before Jaune comes back, I'll be here for you."

Weiss nodded against the girl's arm. "I'm ready."

"Okay. Let's go."

The words had been easy enough to say. The idea was simple in concept. And yet… neither took action. Neither moved so much as a muscle to get off the bed and go to the dorm's bathroom.

Weiss closed her eyes as she remained leaning against her teammate. "Blake. My legs aren't moving."

"I know. We can wait a little longer then."

"That… sounds like a plan."

Another deep breath followed by a sighing exhale filled Weiss' ears. Even with Blake's aid, this was the hardest thing in the world for Weiss.

"So are you and Jaune official now?" Blake asked, breaking the silence.

The question caused Weiss' eyes to snap open. She raised her head to look upon her friend. "Official?"

Blake shrugged. "I mean, I felt like it was worth asking. Seeing how, well, it's possible he might be the father of your child."

A worthy question, then. And small talk which would hopefully help get her feet moving. "He's not my boyfriend," she admitted. Honestly she didn't know what he was right now. She seemed to be struggling to put it into words. "He's… he's just…"

"The guy you text constantly?"

Blue eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"The guy who makes you laugh," Blake smiled, continuing without answering Weiss' question. "The guy you spend three to four nights a week with. Not counting all the times you've gone to hang out with him which totally weren't dates or anything."

Weiss didn't know how Blake had acquired this information, but the accuracy of it was startling. It was also eye-opening. Had she… had she and Jaune been dating since the night they'd played truth or dare, and neither of them had even known it?

"Oh brothers…" she whispered. "He's my boyfriend…"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Did she? If she had, she hadn't meant to. It wasn't a bad thing. No, despite her and Jaune's tumultuous past, they'd moved beyond it. They were entirely different people than they'd been at Beacon. Jaune had filled out that tall, lanky, and scraggly frame. He was muscular now. Even taller than before. And with that new haircut of his, even…

"Cute…" she said aloud. She shook her head of the thought before moving on to address Blake's concern. "It's not bad. I just never really thought it would happen."

"What did you think you were?"

Weiss shrugged softly. She'd never had a boyfriend. She'd never been in any sort of romantic relationship before. A crush on Neptune didn't count. Especially with how brief and one-sided it had been. "I don't know. Friends?"

"Friends who have sex together?" Blake questioned.

"That's a thing," Weiss said defensively, before her tone softened in embarrassment. "At least… so I've been told."

"More than told now, Weiss," the faunus girl smiled. "So you've experienced."

"Yes. Yes, I suppose I have." A cold realization hit her. Maybe her doubt was merely creeping into other areas of her life, but a question came to Weiss' mind that she needed to ask her friend. "Blake. What if Jaune doesn't want to be my boyfriend?"

A soft chuckle wasn't what she had expected to hear from her completely honest question. "Are you kidding? This is Jaune we're talking about, remember? The same boy who serenaded you back at Beacon."

Weiss frowned at the memory. It hadn't been Jaune's finest hour. It hadn't been hers either. As much as he was wrong for being an unwanted pest, she had been wrong to assume he wanted something out of her that he had in fact not. She was glad they'd both grown as people since then.

Still, Jaune had wanted her at her best. What if he couldn't handle her at her worst? "However, what if he doesn't want to be my boyfriend if it turns out that I am… with child?"

"Jaune's a lot of things, but a coward isn't one of them."

"True, but becoming a father is different from facing down an Ursa Major."

"You're right," Blake agreed. "But I know he's not the type who'd run away from this. We all have our flaws. I've run away from my problems more times than I can count. Yang has her anger. Ruby runs into things without thinking. You…"

Weiss gave her a glacial glare which stopped Blake in her tracks. Right now she did not want to hear about any of her flaws.

"Are a great and wonderful person," Blake instead stated diplomatically. "And Jaune has his flaws too, but none of them tell me that he's going to abandon you in your time of need. If the stories are true, he was there by your side when you got injured at Haven."

Weiss smiled at the memory. Or at least, at the memory of her dream. While she'd been unconscious she'd dreamt of Jaune filling her with his Aura. Making her feel warm. Safe. Secure. And most of all, loved.

She was so happy she'd been able to experience it while awake. It had been wonderful. She wanted to feel it again. She wanted this man by her side more often, pregnant or not. It was a good thing Ruby was spending so much time with Penny lately. Maybe her leader wouldn't miss her too badly if she hung out with Jaune more.

"He even told me he had to stay and finish up his mission down in Mantle," Weiss smiled, recalling just the latest instance of Jaune's integrity. "At least I know he'll be responsible when it comes to children…"

"Which," Blake said clearly. "We still don't know if you are." She glanced down at Weiss' legs. "Think you're ready to move now?"

Feeling more confident now after her chat with Blake, Weiss finally stood up, test box in hand, ready to take it. "I am." She stood there for a moment before turning to face her teammate. "Blake?"

"Yeah?"

Weiss wrapped her in a tight embrace. "Thank you for being here for me."

Blake returned the gesture in kind, hugging Weiss close to her. "Always," she said softly into Weiss' hair. "I'll always be here for all of you."

When the two separated Weiss took a step back, and then a deep breath. Spinning around once more, she marched to the bathroom to find out what her future had in store for her.

Jaune stood before Team RWBY's door and took a deep breath. He was ready to face his destiny. No matter what it may be.

Rapping his knuckles on the door, he stood back as seconds seemed to pass like hours. Finally, a faint shuffling on the other side told him that someone was coming.

The door opened, and he looked down to see the sight of his lover. Her face lit up, eyes sparkling like ice being hit by the winter sun.

"Jaune!" she cried, leaping up at him to wrap her arms around his neck.

The boy stumbled back a step before he caught Weiss completely, wrapping his arms around her back and holding her close against his body. Her own arms coiled around his back, and she pressed her face into his shoulder as she was suspended off the ground in his embrace. Her boots dangled near his shins, painting a comical picture of the height difference between the two when she was elevated up to his level.

For long seconds she clung to him, and this display of affection made Jaune fear the worst. Like she needed him for emotional support in her time of greatest need. If that's what she did need, then she would get it. Jaune made no move to let go of her or set her back on the floor. He merely squeezed her tightly, clutching her protectively against his chest as he leaned his head to rest against hers.

Finally, however, he felt her squirm a bit in his arms and he received the unspoken message to set her back down. Taking his hand in hers, she pulled him inside the empty dorm room before shutting the door behind them.

She turned back around to face him, one hand still captive in hers. She grabbed hold of the other one as well, and held them tightly as she peered up at him. "Jaune."

He swallowed hard. He was ready to face the truth. "Yeah?"

"I'm not pregnant," she smiled. It was the happiest, toothiest grin he'd ever seen on her face.

It was contagious, as Jaune's own lips split into a wide smile, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank the gods."

It was he who acted this time, once more pulling Weiss close to him and lifting her from her feet. She squealed softly with delight as he spun her around the room, her already feather-light weight feeling like nothing as he spun around in place. Her musical laughter filled his ears with each spin, and after a few seconds he was dizzy enough to return the girl to her own wobbly feet.

The two grinning teens merely stared at each other for long seconds, both collecting their senses after Jaune had just given her a human amusement park ride. Weiss had the right idea, and took one of his hands again to lead him over to her bed, where she took a seat. She urged him to sit next to her.

It was a familiar feeling to be in bed with Weiss. However, after the scare they'd both just endured, sex with the young huntress was the last thing on his mind.

"So you're not pregnant," he repeated, happy to have heard the words, and more happy to say them himself.

She nodded eagerly. "Yes. As it turns out I'm just late. I'll spare you the details of how female anatomy works, but as it turns out long distance travel can affect a woman's… cycle."

Jaune nodded. She was right; he didn't want to hear about the details of that sort of thing. He'd already been exposed to way too many female issues when he'd grown up with seven sisters. Weiss could keep all the beautiful secrets of the female body to herself.

Travelling to Atlas so recently, it made sense that this could be the reason for her scare. Maybe it was good that it had happened. A condom alone wasn't the safest method of birth control. If, and that was a big if, they were to ever be intimate again, he'd want even more forms of protection. He was certain she would as well.

"I'm so glad," he smiled. "I don't think I would have been ready to be a dad."

Weiss nodded. "Nor I a mother," she agreed. Her face fell, the smile fading before her icy eyes flicked to meet his. "Jaune. Truth or dare."

Jaune's eyes narrowed on her after she asked the question. Was this really an appropriate time to be playing this game? In any case, he'd entertain her and pick the safe option. "Truth."

Her fingers toyed with each other as they rested on her lap. "What would you have done if it turned out that I was pregnant?"

Before his conversation with Cassy, Jaune might have needed to think about his answer. Now, however, he had one to give to the girl at his side without hesitation. "I would have married you."

Weiss' eyes went wide. "Married?"

"If that's what you would have wanted," he followed up. Truth be told he had no idea if Weiss wanted that sort of commitment with him. "If not, I still would have stayed by your side." He reached out to take her hand, engulfing it in both of his and holding it tightly. "I'd be there for you. Always. Our kid would have had the best, most loving parents they could have asked for."

The girl nodded, her liquid-blue eyes glistening with newly-formed tears. Happy tears, if the wide grin on her face was anything to go by. "The very best," she agreed, a shaky breath escaping her lips.

He didn't let go of her hand, and Weiss made no attempts to retract it. Jaune loved the feeling of holding it, and really any part of her, in his arms. He loved this girl. He always had. Even back at Beacon when they'd been two totally different and far worse people, he'd loved her. Back then it had been for more superficial reasons. Now, however, after getting to know the girl, after learning all about who she was, he knew for a fact that he loved her. Every part of her.

"Weiss," he started. Beginning to ask a question he needed answered. "Truth or dare."

Her smile lessened, but she still looked at him warmly when she gave her response. "Truth."

Just what he had been hoping for. "If you were pregnant, would you have wanted me to be in your life? In our kid's life? Being stuck with me forever, even if we weren't married? A kid would have tied us together for the rest of our lives…"

Weiss' face was a whirlwind of emotions right now. Wet and glistening eyes were threatening to spill tears down her cheeks. The muscles in her cheeks and mouth moved and twitched as she sought to come up with an answer to the deep and personal question he had just posed to her.

Rather than answering it verbally, however, Weiss tilted her head and practically lunged at his face. Their lips met, where Weiss hungrily attacked his own, quickly overwhelming his unprepared defenses and took control of the affectionate display. The hand that wasn't held by his own wrapped around his back, keeping Jaune in place as she kissed him. Not that he would have even considered backing away from her loving lips…

When she finally pulled back, Weiss gazed into his eyes with a happy, confident smile on her face. The tip of her tongue darted out, licking her lips and parting them before she spoke. "In case it wasn't clear, that means yes."

Jaune chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. Very clear."

"I couldn't imagine not being with you if it turned out that I'd been pregnant. And… it's comforting to know that you feel the same way. That you would have been there for me through thick and thin. For better or for worse."

"In sickness and in health," he added.

Weiss' eyes locked onto his again, and her front teeth gently toyed with her lower lip as she grinned at him. She knew exactly what he had been implying. "Mister Jaune Schnee," she mused. "It has a certain ring to it, don't you think?"

Hearing the words spoken aloud made his jaw drop, and Weiss giggled at his reaction. When he found the strength to formulate words again, he asked the obvious question. "Would you ever want to take my name?"

"Weiss Arc?" she asked. Her jaw clenched in thought, eyes darting to the ceiling as she pondered the sound of the name. In the end she shook her head softly. "No. I don't think that sounds nearly as good as Jaune Schnee."

"Weiss Arc-Schnee? Weiss Schnee-Arc?"

"Schnee-Arc sounds ridiculous," she frowned. "Like some sort of strange female shark."

"And the other one?"

She hummed. "It had potential. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, however…"

The way she trailed off with such a sudden loss of confidence concerned Jaune. His brow furrowed as he peered into those pale blue eyes that wouldn't meet his. "Weiss?"

She glanced back up at him, meeting his gaze with a look of uncertainty that was strange for a girl as confident as her. "For now, I would simply like to call you my boyfriend. That is… if you want to call me your girlfriend…"

Words he'd longed to hear years ago at Beacon had finally left Weiss' mouth. It almost seemed like a step backwards, considering they'd already had sex. However, to be officially an item, to be a romantic and loving couple, was indeed going forward. They were more than just friends now. More than even lovers. They were in a relationship now. One which had all the potential to grow in the world.

Jaune wrapped his arms around his new girlfriend, pulling her close and kissing her atop the head. "I'd love to call you my girlfriend," he said softly. "And… I…"

"Yes?" she asked, speaking into his chest as he held her against him.

"And I… I love you. I love you, Weiss."

She pushed away from him and gazed up into his eyes. Her soft features and even softer eyes regarded him with affection and care the likes of which he'd never seen from her before. "I love you too, Jaune."

He leaned in, this time being the one to kiss her. She graciously accepted the gesture, tilting to meet his lips and sharing a second loving kiss. The soft moan which hummed in her throat drove him wild, and caused his body to react to the soft feeling of her body in a matter of seconds.

When they parted she let her hands linger on him for a few seconds, and she smiled while letting her eyes trail down his body. Down to his lap. She must have noticed a bulge in his pants, for her gaze was held there for long seconds before she finally spoke.

"I'm afraid we won't be able to do what we did a few nights ago," she offered regretfully.

Jaune nodded in understanding. Coming fresh off of a pregnancy scare, the last thing he would have expected for her to want was more sex. Truthfully, as much as his body wanted it, his mind did not. "Yeah," he agreed. "I totally get it."

"However, I've made the decision to start taking birth control pills as soon as I can arrange to see a pharmacist. So in time, once that has taken effect…"

The unspoken promise of what that meant made Jaune's heart race. "I can't wait…" he whispered excitedly.

"You'll have to, boyfriend," she smirked. "But even once I'm on the pill, you're still wearing a condom, mister."

Again, it was understandable. Jaune had no problems with that. He never wanted to experience this kind of scare again. If and when he ever had children, he wanted to be ready for them. He wanted it to be the choice of both himself and Weiss.

"I can do that," he agreed.

"Good," she grinned, shifting on the bed before standing up. She turned and gazed down at him, her hands coming to rest on her hips while she eyed him. "Jaune."

"Yeah?"

"Just because we won't be having sex for a while doesn't mean we can't still do things together," she said, licking her lips suggestively as she stared down at him.

Jaune blinked. "Oh…"

Yes, that's right. They did enjoy other things the night of their first time. Things that involved no risk of pregnancy.

"I think we both need to let off a little bit of steam, don't you agree?" she asked, already moving toward the door.

Jaune was on his feet in an instant, moving to stand behind her. Weiss looked over her shoulder, a devious grin on her lips. Yes, a few simple words from the young woman were all it took to wrap him completely around her finger. She must have realized this. He did as well. He didn't care, either.

"Definitely."

She reached for the handle and pulled the door open. "Good boy," she purred. "Because I want to show my new boyfriend just how much he means to me. And I want him to show me how much I mean to him."

Jaune's heart was racing as he followed Weiss out the door and into the hall, en route to one of the empty dorm rooms in the academy.

Yes, he would show Weiss just how much she meant to him. Even if it took all day. As a matter of fact, he might prefer it that way.

Author's Note: Special thanks go out to a reader named ChuckG65 for being the one to inspire a third chapter for this story. Without him this wouldn't have ever happened. So thank you for such an awesome idea to continue this story.

Here we saw the return of my favorite thirsty mom, who I've unofficially dubbed Cassy because of her giving Jaune casseroles. If you want more of her, check out a one shot of mine called Ara Ara Arc.

Most of the time in White Knight fics, it's Yang who acts as Weiss' confidant. However here I thought Blake would be a nice change of pace. She definitely seems like someone who would be good with secrets.

Anyway, I don't know if there will be anything else for this story. It depends on if there are any other words that rhyme with date/mate/late, and if there's a good plot for a new chapter. In any case I hope you've enjoyed this latest chapter.

Thanks for reading.