I do not own RWBY and am in no way affiliated with Rooster Teeth.

Author's Note: A word of warning before we begin; this is a death fic, and it will not be a happy read. If tragedy just isn't your thing, I understand completely, but for those of you who do choose to read it, I would greatly appreciate any feedback you care to share with me. This is the first chapter of what I plan to be a three part story progressing through the stages of grief. Whether or not I did good or missed the mark completely, you'll have to be the judge. At any rate, I hope that you enjoy, or at least don't get too depressed.

Denial

"Hey Ruby…"

It was cold… So cold. The slate grey clouds above choked out the afternoon sun, leaving the sky ashen and pale. The very weather itself conspired to sap her of what strength she had left. That was fine though; what would she need it for now? She was living on someone else's time now – hers had ended three days ago.

"I brought you some roses…"

Roses had always been Ruby's favorite, and they were a welcome, if lonely contrast to the bleakness of the day's weather.

"It's funny…" Weiss forced a little mirthless laugh, "Yang would never let me live this down if she saw it…"

A bitter wind blew past, causing a few of the petals to detach and flutter to the still loosely packed earth at her feet. Even the grass about her feet seemed drab and bleak – well, except for the looser patch of bare earth immediately before her. Even plucked from their stems though, the petals remained vibrant as the drifted to and landed upon the ground, looking so painfully, painfully reminiscent of…

"I just wanted to come keep you company for a while…"

Weiss had come alone. Blake and Yang didn't need to know, they'd been to visit yesterday with everyone else. Today it was just her and Ruby, the heiress and the dunce, Weiss and her very best, very first friend.

"You know…" She sighed, "We don't spend enough time like this, just sharing each other's company… I… I know that I'm not always helpful on that front but… I can be better…"

Weiss set the roses down at her feet.

"You know something Ruby?" She inhaled deeply, breathing in the cold, "We really should do this more often…" Weiss swallowed, "But you know what… That stops now… I'm going to be a better partner… I'm going to start finally living up to that promise… I'm going to start living up to my pledge to be your best teammate, okay? I promise… So please…"

Weiss Schnee knelt.

"Come on Ruby… Talk to me…"

She didn't get an answer though, just another biting wind. More and more of the heat leeched out of her, but that was alright; she didn't need it, she'd be fine. Her snow-white bangs hung over her eyes as she looked down to the bundle of roses at her feet. They'd seemed so vibrant just a few minutes ago but now… The bouquet had already lost its luster, just like…

"Please…"

Still more silence, but for the whisper of another chilled breeze, inducing Weiss to shivers and causing her to double over and withdraw into herself against the cold. The Cardigan wasn't doing her any good… It was just so cold…

She shook her head, "No… I can take it… Don't worry Ruby… I'm here for you…"

Yet she was numb. Her fingers, tucked under her arms as they were, her face, exposed as it was, and her knees, pressed to the earth, it was all too cold to feel. But that didn't matter, hell it was better that way… It just hurt so much to feel…

"You don't have to worry about me…" She choked out, sniffling… It was just so cold… "Just… just take as long as you need… Rest is important, yeah?"

She looked up from the dirt on which she knelt for the first time in a while, but didn't let herself look straight ahead; she couldn't; if she did… She just couldn't. Instead she reached out, hand shaking… It's just… cold…

"Come on Ruby… Let's… Let's just go home…"

But as her shaking fingers touched the granite… She couldn't keep it up; she wasn't numb enough… not anymore. She didn't have the energy to maintain the happy delusion, she couldn't think straight, couldn't deny it, couldn't fight it; it was too late for all of that. three days too late, suffered through on time she had no right to. Slumping forward to support herself on the monument to Ruby's memory, she bitterly reflected upon just how warm the stone was. It stung to even touch the frozen granite, but that was not cold; cold was something else entirely.

Cold was the way she'd learned to be, so as to be spared from life's many little miseries. The loneliness, the quiet, growing up to the realization that no one really loved you… It was nothing to a frozen soul.

Cold was the way she'd treated everyone who ever tried to be her friend. No one could be trusted; everyone wanted something… Better just not to let anyone in at all.

Cold was the way she'd lived her life.

And then she'd met Ruby.

Such a stupid, stupid dunce…. But so, so sincere… Eager, cocky, hyperactive, warm, and too stupid to put herself first… So stupid... She wanted to be a huntress so she could help people – everyone said it of course, but how many people could honestly say that was the only reason? Ruby Rose. She was it: the only one, but who could she help now? Now that she was gone…

Cold was all Weiss had felt when an exhausted Ruby had come between Weiss and the grave that should have been hers, allowing her to recover her wits just in time to cast them aside again.

Cold was the hatred with which she'd hewn the monster down.

But most of all… Cold was all that was left as the life had hemorrhaged from Ruby's body.

"Come on Ruby! Please!" Weiss sobbed trying to muster the will to resume the denial even as her trembling fingers traced the engraved name on the stone, "Wake up…"

But it was useless, and she knew it.

"You didn't have to…" She tried and failed to restrain the wracking sobs, "I won't accept it! Please…"

But she didn't have a choice, just the cold.

Next Chapter: Anger & Bargaining