A/N: I broke this into two parts for those who get overwhelmed.

I keep my knees black and blue 'cause they often hit the hardwood floor,
(Wake me if you're out there),
And I believe, so I'm not praying to the ceiling anymore,
I've been sleeping with the nightlight unplugged,
With a note on the rocking chair that says I'm dreaming of the life I once loved,
So wake me if you're out there.
Living close to the ground!
It's seventh heaven 'cause there are angels all around,

Angels - Owl City

College was a mistake. Going to college was a mistake. Ruby didn't need college to know she was an engineering genius, she could build anything given the tools and an appropriate amount of time. Given that she had all A's and penchant to keep to herself, you'd think the professors would leave her alone! But noooooo, her teachers had something to say about everything! Every day it was something new! Ms Rose, you didn't show your work! Ms Rose this isn't how we organize our tools is it? Please Ms Rose, could you turn that racket down? If it wasn't for her full ride scholarship, (and how proud Yang was of her,) she'd stop showing up.

Today had been a particularly rough day for the wild redhead. Ruby had been saddled with another student for a 'group' project and said student, hadn't followed her instructions as thoroughly as she had hoped. The project had exploded, and they had to vacate the lab due to the smoke. Ruby had taken the brunt of the punishment, explaining that she probably could have explained the process to him better. Their professor hadn't been so understanding, demanding that he and Ruby stay back to clean up the ruined school building, and ensure that no one else's projects had been damaged. Jaune, the boy wonder, had agreed to clean while Ruby inspected, and though he seemed like a really nice guy, there was no way he should be in that advanced of a class.

So instead of working on her previously exploded project she swiped some of her sister's alcohol, and was relaxing in her backyard, (Swiped was probably too extreme of a term, Yang would gladly had given her 'unbearably responsible' younger sister access to the substance upon request, but where's the fun in that?) Ruby took another long sip from the bottle, letting the sweet beverage burn it's way down her throat. Her phone beeped, another anxious message from Jaune about the project that she promptly ignored.

The sound of the screen door behind her caught her attention, she downed the rest of the bottle before dropping the lawn chair fully vertical to look up at the new arrival. Silver met gold as she locked eyes with her sister's girlfriend, sorry fiance; dark skin and darker hair, Blake was a living shadow, and one of the best people Ruby had ever known. The dark haired woman smirked down at Ruby, before snatching the now empty bottle from her.

"Yang was really looking forward to her last spicy lemonade."

Ruby groaned, sitting up in the chair, "Blaaaake, can't you see I've had a reaaallllyyyy rough day!" Blake only laughs at her cries, "Can't I go one day without you guys bring up the 'spicy lemonade' incident?" (Yang had excitedly insisted Ruby celebrate her early admittance to college with an adult beverage, an alcoholic lemonade that Ruby had playfully referred to as 'spicy lemonade,' and now she'll never live it down.)

"Absolutely not." Blake's smile is bright, and Ruby doesn't have the heart to ruin her fun. "What happened to make today so rough?"

As usual, Blake was the best person to talk to about anything and everything. She always gave the best advice! But don't tell Yang that! Though Yang would be the first to admit how smart Blake was, (And beautiful, and wise, and cunning, the list goes on, and honestly Ruby had started to tune it out.) Turning in the chair Ruby sinks her shoulder, and recounts her day, ending on the disastrous explosion.

"I know he's just trying to help but!" She sighed, throwing her hands up in frustration.

Blake nodded, she'd been silent for the whole exchange, listening intently. "College is designed to challenge you, Ruby. I know it's frustrating, but you can do it." Ruby grumbles, knowing Blake was right, (she usually was!) "As for this Jaune thing: give him some time, maybe he'll surprise you."

Groaning Ruby fell back into the chair, "I know."

Blake laughs again, letting her ring tap against the glass of the bottle she still held. She'd been doing things like that for a while now, bringing attention to the ring on her left hand, though it was probably unintentional. Ruby knew how excited she was, whether she said it or not. Her and Yang had been dating for close to five years when Yang had clumsily popped the question over a family dinner with Belladonna-Xiao Long-Rose household. (Blake's parents were in town specifically for it, Yang had asked them for permission to marry Blake, and from what Yang relayed back to Ruby later, Ghira had cried he was so happy.) Blake had nearly forgotten to say yes in the excitement. The date was still up in the air, but they might as well have already been married.

The rumble of a familiar motorcycle pulls the two from their conversation. Ruby sighs again, but waves Blake off, "Go see your wife, I'll be here, contemplating my life's choices."

Blake laughs again, swatting at Ruby as she turns to leave, "Don't think too hard, dinner will be ready soon." but she moves inside, leaving Ruby to her thoughts.

Dinner comes later than expected. It's dark when Yang calls from the kitchen for Ruby to join them. Ruby yells a quick "Coming!" before standing and stretching lightly. After a quiet pop from her spine Ruby opens her eyes to a streak across the sky. Closing her eyes again, she makes a silent wish, but when she opens them again the streak is noticeably closer, and there's a pull in her chest. The thud that echoes across the property nearly throws Ruby off her feet. She tosses a quick "Give me a minute!" before dashing straight for the impact site.

Out of breath and anxious Ruby skids to a stop. Whatever it was was deep within a crater, and smoking. This close the tug in her chest is rough, almost harsh. Her phone rings and Ruby answers it, breathless.

"Yang!" It's a shout, and she can almost hear Yang wince in response.

"Ruby, where did you go?"

"Um! Something crash landed in the backyard!" She's still yelling, but a soft cough from the crater catches her attention, "Gotta go! Be there soon!"

She nearly chucks her phone behind her before almost diving into the crater.

Sliding down the edge, she makes it to the bottom quickly, and what she finds there leaves her breathless.

Lying unconscious is a woman, she's covered in soot and dirt, but is still breathlessly beautiful. She has long silver hair and is wearing what looks like sheets, or a toga, something tied together with a sash, and when Ruby isn't looking right at her, she can almost see wings behind her. The only obvious wound she sports is a vertical scar down her left eye.

"Wow…" Ruby breathes out the word in a whisper, and pulls off her red hoodie to dab it at the woman's eye. "H-hey, can you hear me?"

The white haired woman doesn't move, she doesn't even look like she's breathing, and Ruby starts to panic. She scoops the woman up and makes her way out of the hole. Yang and Blake have arrived by then, and they help hoist the woman up and out of the hole.

Yang looks more panicked than Ruby, but thankfully Blake is there to calm them both down. "She's not breathing, do either of you know CPR?" There's silence between them, Yang and Ruby just rotating between each other and the unconscious woman, Blake snaps "Ruby! Don't you know CPR?"

"Y-yeah! Sorry!" Jumping to Blake's side she takes a deep breath, angles the woman's head back and opens her mouth. She counts out the chest compressions, and leans down to administer mouth to mouth, but there's a loud gasp and Ruby bolts upright.

Sitting straight up, and breathing heavy the woman looks just as shocked to be there as the other three women.

"Are you okay?" Ruby's still straddling her, their faces close together, breathing quick.

"Obviously." It's curt, in a tone Ruby can't quite understand.

"But you just-"

"No I didn't." She shoves Ruby back before standing, dusting herself off before looking at her surroundings. Her brow furrows, confusion present as clear blue roam the otherwise vacant yard.

"That's not really how you should treat someone who just saved your life." Yang stands as well, fists clenched at her side as lilac eyes narrow at the white haired woman.

"My life was in no danger, I assure you." The woman takes a deep breath and frowns, before taking another look around the yard. "I can't believe she would do this to me." She trails off, and Ruby takes a moment to catch her attention.

"Uh-Hey. Your eye's still bleeding." As if she forgot Ruby was there the woman spins and locks icy blue to Ruby's silver. She takes a moment to look her over, messy red hair, rumpled black t-shirt ripped black jeans, and combat boots. Ruby's still holding her red hoodie, sleeve bundled up with the blue eyed woman's blood on it.

"So... It is." She makes no effort to move, just stares at Ruby while the blood trickles down her cheek.

Taking slow steps Ruby moves forward, hoodie presented like the woman was a wild creature, certain that any wrong movements would scare her off. She reaches up again, pressing the fabric to the woman's wound. Blue eyes widen and she tenses up, but Ruby places a calming hand on her shoulder, and she relaxes.

"I'm Ruby, this is my sister Yang and her fiance Blake." She speaks slowly, and the white haired woman makes no additional movements, and stays silent. "I think you may be in shock, I don't know what happened, but let us help, let me help." The last words are almost a plea, whispered into the space between them.

"W-why?" The woman croaks out, but Ruby laughs in response.

"Because you're hurt, and it's the right thing to do." The woman frowns at the words, but nods evenly.

"You've given me your names, it's only proper I give you mine." Stepping away from Ruby, she bows low, her left arm tucked in against her stomach, and her right arm out wide. "You may call me Weiss, and I apologize for my previous behavior, it was… Unbecoming."

The blood has stopped for the most part, but Ruby scurries back over to ensure the grand gesture hadn't reopened the wound, and breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that it hadn't. "It's nice to meet you Weiss," Ruby smiles brightly and Weiss seems to shrink at the intensity. "Let's get you inside, dinner's ready."

Scoffing, Yang tosses up her arms and begins walking back towards the house. "I guess you're invited to dinner, Ms priss, but you're on thin ice." Ruby frowns, but tosses her sister a thankful look before looping an arm around Weiss' waist, (onto very soft, warm skin, apparently her toga-dress-thing is backless!)

The action causes the shorter girl to stiffen again, but she takes careful steps, in time with Ruby, towards the house. The trek takes longer than usual at the slower pace, so by the time they make it into the dinning room there are already four plates set up and portioned out when Ruby settles Weiss into a chair. Weiss angles herself forward, as if to keep pressure off her back and Ruby notices with a frown.

"Does your back hurt?" Worried, Ruby places a hand softly on Weiss' back, testing it for damage. Like the rest of her body, save for her eye, Weiss' back was spotless, unmarried, but she still twitched under the scrutiny.

"No, I-" she furrowed her brow, looking down at the food on her plate. "Nothing, I suppose." She leaned back, sitting straight in the chair, folding her hands elegantly into her lap. She takes another deep breath before looking intently at the food on her plate.

Taking their seat Blake and Yang share a brief confused look, and turn to Ruby. The redhead sits next to Weiss, and lays her hand softly on the silver haired woman's.

"If you're not hungry that's okay, you've been through a lot." Watching Weiss' face intently, Ruby can see the crease between her eyes, and the storms brewing in blue eyes.

Weiss nods, closing her eyes, and inhales deeply. "I think I just need to lie down." She continues nodding as if to assure herself more so than the other three women.

Moving to help, Ruby is stopped by a delicate hand, but on uncertain legs Weiss sighs and allows herself to be assisted. Ruby thinks she could get used to being so close to someone so beautiful, but she keeps her thoughts to herself. She escorts Weiss downstairs to the basement, where Ruby's room is located. The cool air seems to sooth the white haired woman, she takes a few deep breaths before Ruby helps her to her bed. Weiss stares forlornly at the ceiling, and Ruby watches from the edge of the bed. There's more going on here than what Ruby can see with her eyes, but she can tell that Weiss is struggling.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ruby can see Weiss' eyes well with tears.

Weiss pauses, confusion floods through sky blue eyes. She opens her mouth, and closes it again. It's not until warm tears spill down her cheeks does she say anything, "I-I" Her voice comes out choked, a soft gasp of words. She clears her throat, fighting through the flood of emotions that echo across her face. Ruby is a pillar of strength beside her, instinctively she reaches for Ruby's rough hand clenched in the sheets.

With a smile Ruby lifts the smaller hand between both of hers, holding it delicately, to stroke softly with calloused thumbs.

"Whatever it is, it'll be okay!" her nerves make her hands shake, but she pushes forward. "I'll help in any way I can! And I'm here if you want to talk!"

"You wouldn't understand." She chokes back a sob, and fear laces through the white haired woman. Ruby thinks for a moment, she looks like she doesn't know how to cry.

"Try me."

"No really," Weiss' takes a deep breath, her tears still flow softly, "You either wouldn't understand, or believe me." Her statements are clinical facts, nothing more, nothing less.

Smiling brightly, Ruby scoots closer to her, her voice low, "Weiss, I watched you fall out of the sky, crash land in my backyard, and walk away with a single scratch. Try me."

Weiss sighs, and fidgets quietly, "This has to be our secret, Ruby, you can't tell anyone."

Ruby's pulse drums in her ears, the idea of keeping a secret with Weiss was so deliciously appealing. Something between just the two of them, a connection that wouldn't easily be broken, she nods breathlessly.

With a deep breath Weiss locks eyes with Ruby, her voice soft but sure, "Ruby, I'm an angel." Well yes of course she was, did Weiss have any idea what she looked like? She's beautiful in every way.

Ruby laughs, "Yeah, Weiss, you're like perfect, but what's this really?" And with Weiss' frown, Ruby's anxiety returns.

"No, Ruby." Another deep breath, "I'm really an angel, well a fallen angel. I was cast out of the land of the gods." Ruby feels dizzy, she drops Weiss's hand and shifts before looking back to the silver haired woman.

"What?"

It's several hours later and Ruby finds herself upstairs finally eating dinner. The time between Weiss' statement and this moment with her meal are mostly a blur. She'd left Weiss to sleep after the confession, stating "You've been through a lot, please rest." She immediately set out on a run around the block, several times. When she slowed down finally her hunger threatened to knock her off her feet, so she made her way inside to heat up dinner.

Blake and Yang had moved to their bedroom for the evening, the soft drone of a sitcom that only Yang liked drifted between the crack in the door. She mulled over the information she was privy to, and altogether she wishes it wasn't a secret anymore. She wanted nothing more than to burst into Blake and Yang's room and talk to them about this. (Well maybe not burst, that could end very badly.)

Finishing up her meal Ruby moved her dishes to the sink, before venturing back to the basement. She moves slowly, keeping her steps quiet. When she gets to the bottom she's greeted with another breathtaking sight. Weiss is awake and the television is on, she's sitting with one leg angled up, arms wrapped around her angled leg. Her hair is down, a cascade of silver snow reflecting the light of the television. She's still wrapped in her toga-esc dress, and the whole sight makes Ruby's knees weak. (She can almost see the flutter of angel wings behind her, and she doesn't care if it's a lie- she believes.)

Weiss' eyes move lazily to Ruby, trapped, enamored in the stairway. The moment breaks as she shuffles out of bed, moving to turn off the TV, but in her haste she trips, ending sprawled across the carpeted floor. Ruby is at her side instantly, pulling the flushed angel to her feet. Ruby helps her get her bearings, smiling at the usually stoic woman's flushed cheeks.

"Apologies Ruby, I didn't ask to use your television, please forgive me." Ruby laughs softly, hands lingering on Weiss' bare arms, feeling the steady heat still there.

"Hey, you don't have to apologize, it's fine." Weiss's brow furrows again, letting out a rough huff of a breath.

"It's been quite some time Ruby, so you'll have to forgive me. Is it not rude to use another human's personal items without permission?" So clinical, Ruby laughed, belatedly realizing how close they were standing.

She steps back with a nervous giggle, "Usually, yeah, but you're my guest! I invited you in so you're welcome to use anything of mine." Weiss watches Ruby move, confusion once again fluttering across her face, she takes a step forward, putting herself the exact same distance away prior to Ruby's move.

"That is very kind of you Ruby" The redhead shifts again, Weiss' beauty is borderline ethereal, and she wants nothing more than to touch the soft pale skin inches away from her. "Ruby, is there something wrong?" Again Ruby's head spins, if Weiss doesn't stop saying her name like that she's going to lose it.

"Yeah-No! No. Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired. Yeah." Weiss's brow furrows again, but she clutches Ruby's hand and moves her towards the bed.

"Please Ruby, get some sleep. I will watch over you." The phrase settles low in Ruby's stomach, my Guardian Angel.

Shaking her head, Ruby clears her throat, stopping in her tracks. "No. Weiss, you take the bed." She gestures to the couch in the center of the basement. "I'll sleep on the couch."

Unconvinced, Weiss frowns deeper. "Ruby," Please stop saying my name like that. It's gentle and pleading, like Weiss had already decided to do anything and everything for Ruby, and she wonders if all angels were like this. "I will not allow you to give up your bed. Perhaps we could both take it?"

Ruby's mouth goes dry, the image of ethereal, glowing Weiss above her in bed and- "No! No! Th-That won't be necessary." Weiss takes a step back, nervousness reflected in her eyes before moving back to her more clinical tone.

"Whatever you wish, Ruby. I will take the bed then."

As quickly as possible, Ruby rushes into her closet and grabs the first items of clean clothing she can find, and scurries back out, nearly shoving the items into Weiss's hands.

"You can wear these!" Weiss looks like she wants to respond, but stops short, setting the clothing on the bed before moving to remove her dress.

The action sets a fire in Ruby, she sees a shoulder and a bare back before she turns around roughly. "L-Let me know when you're done!"

Sleep doesn't come easy for Ruby. Weiss is out nearly instantly, and it should be noted, she sleeps like an angel. Her sleep is soundless, the only noise being the soft sighs of breath. She slept on her side, hair fanned out behind her, and body curved slightly, both arms tucked under her chin, and her legs crooked at the waist and knee. Ruby felt the need to watch her sleep instead.

Despite the constant assurance that Weiss was an angel and would be fine, Ruby was still worried. The look of sky blue eyes filled with panicked tears sat constantly behind her closed eyes. The clock downstairs clicks and chimes, signaling three in the morning and Ruby sighs. She climbs off the couch and makes her way into the kitchen, the cookies in the pantry her true destination.

With cookies and milk in hand, Ruby makes herself comfortable at the island. She's two cookies in when she feels hot breath against her neck, a chill runs down her spine and she spins arms ready to strike anyone dumb enough to sneak into Yang Xiao Long's house, and sneak up on her sister. A chorus of laughter breaks the silence of the dark home, and Ruby nearly passes out at the site of her sister.

Yang's joyous laughter does something to sooth Ruby, despite the fact that the tall blonde was the one that had scared her to begin with. "Yaaaang." Ruby whines, letting her head fall to the island.

"Sorry, sorry! But I could hear you eating frustration cookies from our bedroom." In the more recent years Yang had become something of a light sleeper, ever since Blake had come back from their impromptu relationship break, (but that's another story entirely.)

"They're not frustration cookies! They're chocolate chip!" Yang smiles and takes the vacant seat at the island, snagging a cookie herself.

"What's got you down party clown?" Ruby groans.

"It's nothing." Yang nods, and lifts Ruby off of the stool, tossing her over a shoulder and walks into the living room. "Yang!" Ruby whisper-screams. "Put me down!"

"No-can-do baby sis, something's up, and if you're not going to tell me the easy way, I'll give you the hard way." Ruby wriggles, but it's useless. Yang is easily the strongest person she knows, and escaping wasn't going to happen without back up.

But that didn't mean Ruby would just give up. "Let me go! Yang!" Kicking and swinging her arms, Ruby fought with all her might, Yang maybe the strongest, but she'd also trained Ruby, and she was prepared for the fight.

As per usual, though, Yang was victorious. She tossed Ruby easily to the couch, effortlessly pinning the smaller girl, poised to strike. "Alright Rubles, one last chance. What's wrong?"

Ruby gulped visibly, opening her mouth to reply, "I-uh..."

"Too slow." Yang pounced, she dug her fingers into Ruby's delicate sides, causing the younger sister to bite her lip to prevent a howl of laughter.

It took seconds that felt like minutes for Ruby to finally wail "I give! I give!" and she was released.

"Alright Rue, fess up." Yang's face was stern, worry evident in lilac eyes.

"It's just… Weiss." Ruby sighed, dropping her feet on her sister's lap. "She's different than most people. She's pretty" It's meant to be a thought, not something she deliberately said out loud to her older sister.

Yang's grin is catlike, something she learned from Blake, as she descends on Ruby again. "Pretty, huh?"

"Yang-!"

"Ruby thinks Weiss is pretty, how pretty is she Ruby?" Yang's voice grows in volume, she's just above speaking volume, and though Ruby is sure Blake will hear about this incident in the morning, she doesn't want to risk a double team teasing at three in the morning.

"Yes! I think she's pretty! Ridiculously pretty!" Ruby exclaims, trying to keep her voice low. "She could be an angel and I'd believe it!"

Yang laughs, mirth overflowing like a geyser, as she drums her hand against Ruby's back. "Well there killer, guess you should go back downstairs and climb in bed with her!" Ruby flushes a deep read, snorting before standing up from the couch.

"Goodnight Yang!" She whisper-yells, before descending the staircase into the basement.

The cool basement was often her haven, the one place she could be alone and do her own thing, she even had her own workshop! Now that Weiss was here it felt different. In less than twenty four hours the silver haired fallen angel had turned Ruby's entire life upside down. Every second around Weiss felt white hot, like hours passed, in the best kind of way. Something about Weiss comforted Ruby, and the redhead didn't know what to do about it.

Landing on the last stair, Ruby was once again greeted by the sight of Weiss, the t-shirt and boxers Ruby had frantically handed her were a size too big, with the shirt hanging off one shoulder, and her slender legs on full display. She was awake, bathed in the light of the moon, the basement was still dark, the single thin window producing the only light.

Milky white limbs move deftly across the bed, Weiss' eyes locked on Ruby, and the redhead's mouth runs dry. It would be easy to replace them with different versions of themselves, Ruby a sweet talker with a smile like Yang's, and Weiss her beautiful girlfriend, waiting for her to come home and climb into their bed. But that's not who they are, they're strangers, and Weiss might be an angel, is an angel, one Ruby would feel guilty for corrupting.

"What are you doing awake?" It's a croak, something gasping and dry, Weiss looks concerned, blinks, and sighs.

"I woke up when you left the room. I was... concerned." Like most emotions this seemed to confuse the white haired woman.

The distance between them feels like it grows and shrinks in tandem. Ruby feels drawn to the other woman, as if by fate, but her previous thoughts keep her from moving the few feet towards her. Ruby locks onto pools of blue and knows Weiss feels something similar. The urge- a pulse visible on her face. Weiss lifts a hand towards Ruby, and the redhead feels like it's a command she can't refuse, rushing to her side.

"Ruby… What is this?" Her voice is soft and Ruby wants to cry with the emotion held behind paper thin walls.

"I don't know." She whispers back, touching her hand to Weiss' outstretched one.

Weiss slides over, allowing for Ruby to climb into the bed with her, settling just far enough to not touch the angel, but close enough to feel the heat from her body. Ruby takes a shuttered breath and braves a look at Weiss across the impossibly short distance. The blue eyed angel is already looking at her, heavy lashes bat softly in her direction and Ruby swallows thick. They stay still, Ruby is too afraid to move, and Weiss' motive is unclear. Ruby closes her eyes, experiencing the moment fully, Weiss' presence a pleasant buzz of energy beside her.