RWBY was created by Rooster Teeth and I have no affiliation with RWBY or its creators whatsoever. Please R&R - let me know if you'd like me to keep going :)

Qrow flew faster than he had in his entire life.

Come on. Just a little bit further.

Tyrian was annihilating Team RNJR in battle. Her friends scattered and injured, Ruby was the last one standing. Tyrian's speed and wild technique easily outmatched an exhausted Ruby. With three powerful blows he sent her flying; her scythe was no longer in her grasp.

Please.

Qrow pushed himself to move faster, though he knew it was impossible. How he wished he had Ruby's semblance right about now.

Tyrian was not finished with Ruby yet. He sped to the spot where he sent Ruby flying, ready to land a crushing blow to Ruby's abdomen.

No!

Qrow could practically feel Ruby's aura shatter. He returned to his human form and felt his feet slam into the ground as he willed them to move as fast as possible. He reached for his weapon, knowing he would need it.

Tyrian giggled maniacally as he inched closer to Ruby, who was far too weak to defend herself any longer. His tail began to coil behind him, and Ruby's friends watched in horror as Tyrian prepared to deliver his final blow.

Ruby looked up at Tyrian, terrified. Was this really it? Was it all about to end with this one crazy guy? She didn't even know who he was or where he came from, and he was about to kill her. Ruby wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't. Instead, wide-eyed, she looked up at her soon-to-be killer, who was seconds away from ending it all.

I WON'T LOSE YOU TOO!

CLANG!

Ruby flinched, then winced in pain from the sudden movement she'd just made. For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating, but after blinking a couple times she realized her Uncle Qrow stood before her.

Qrow was breathing heavily, but his body held still as he used every ounce of his strength to become a wall between Ruby and this psycho. His eyes were closed, but he could feel Ruby's presence in front of him. He could hear her breathing. She was alive. After he'd convinced himself of that fact, he opened his eyes and looked down at the battered and bruised girl in front of him.

Ruby looked up gratefully, almost tearfully at her Uncle Qrow. He held his large blade behind him, blocking Tyrian's tail from striking Ruby. Ruby was so happy to see him - he stood tall, strong, and calm as he protected her.

But he wasn't calm. White hot anger was boiling inside of Qrow as he looked at the harm Tyrian had inflicted upon Ruby. It was all he could do to keep himself from exploding into an uncontrolled rampage. Ruby's wide eyes, which were filled with pain and worry, continued to stare at Qrow.

"Hey," he finally muttered, and Ruby smiled. That was all he needed.

Qrow turned to face Tyrian, who was clearly excited about his new challenger.

The battle was fast, intense, and unforgiving. Qrow quickly adjusted to Tyrian's spastic technique, but keeping up with his tail - which was essentially an extra limb - was no easy feat. Ruby's friends attempted to help, but Qrow urged them not to come closer. He couldn't risk it. He could handle this guy.

Qrow and Tyrian's ferocious battle destroyed anything and everything in their path. As it went on, neither one of them seemed to have the upper hand. Ruby watched in panic as she realized that this fight could go either way. After sniping from the roof proved unsuccessful, Ruby returned to the ground as Qrow and Tyrian both crashed through the roof of an abandoned building.

Qrow's damaged aura glinted in Ruby's silver eyes as he stood atop his blade, waiting for his attacker. Tyrian launched himself from the destroyed building at Qrow, but collided with Ruby instead.

Right then, Qrow felt it. The familiar sense of dread. The impending doom. The floor falling from beneath him.

Ignoring Tyrian's taunts, Ruby had thrown herself back into the battle. Qrow raced after her as panic began to consume him. He reached Ruby just in time, as Tyrian's tail was just about to strike her again. Qrow's heart was racing.

"RUBY! WHAT DID I SAY? GET BACK!"

Qrow's words stung Ruby. Did he think she couldn't handle this? He'd always taught her to fight her own battles, to stand her ground. She would do just that.

"This is MY fight too!" shouted Ruby, launching herself at Tyrian once again.

Qrow could barely breathe. It was coming, any second. He was barely managing to keep himself steady as he held Tyrian's blades at bay.

"No!" he shouted, "It's not that, it's - "

Qrow suddenly felt cold all over, as if someone had just dropped him in an icy lake. He knew it was too late.

Ruby rounded behind Tyrian and attacked, but he still bested her. He kicked her and sent her careening toward the building he and Qrow had destroyed. Then it happened. Ruby slowly stood up, not noticing a huge chunk of the roof falling fast toward her. Qrow's stomach dropped and he dove as quickly as he could to save her.

Qrow sliced the debris just in time, and Ruby looked up at her uncle once again in awe. Qrow was just regaining his balance from his dive when he realized, all too late,

That wasn't it.

"Augh!"

"Ruby!" shouted Jaune.

Qrow whipped his head around to see Ruby dropping to her knees in pain. Tyrian stood behind her, his tail piercing the back of her shoulder. He giggled uncontrollably as he caught Ruby before she hit the ground.

"You'll be coming with me now, little Rose."

Little Rose.

Qrow lost it. He flew at Tyrian with all his might, his blade ready. Tyrian only giggled some more and held up Ruby's unconscious form as a human shield, but this didn't phase Qrow. With a sudden burst of speed, Qrow thrust his blade at Tyrian's foot. He did not miss.

Tyrian's scream echoed throughout the deserted village, but Qrow did not stop to listen. With Tyrian now pinned to the ground, Qrow flew forward and planted his foot directly on Tyrian's face. As Qrow's force knocked Tyrian backwards, he was forced to let go of Ruby. She'd barely started to fall before Qrow caught her. He sped toward Ruby's friends and held her out to Jaune's awaiting arms, then sped back to Tyrian, who was desperately trying to remove Qrow's weapon from his foot.

Qrow viciously smashed Tyrian's already bloodied face with his fist. Once. Twice. A third time. Jaune, Ren, and Nora watched as Tyrian's aura flickered and then disappeared soon after.

Qrow ripped his sword out of Tyrian's foot, then swiftly kicked him right where Tyrian had kicked Ruby just minutes ago. Qrow kicked him again and again.

"HOW. DARE. YOU. TOUCH. HER." Qrow shouted with every blow. Ruby's friends began calling out to Qrow. He was going too far. It was over. But Qrow wasn't listening. It didn't seem like he had any intention of stopping until -

"Qrow! Ruby needs you!" Jaune shouted, and Qrow froze. He turned to look at Jaune, who was still holding onto Ruby. She looked so still and fragile, she looked like a porcelain doll.

The deserted village that was so recently filled with the noise of battle was suddenly dead silent again. Qrow looked at Ruby with tears in his eyes, then turned to Tyrian's crippled figure below him. He raised his blade high, then plunged it into Tyrian's chest. Qrow roughly ripped the blade back out, looked at Tyrian with pure disgust written all over his face, then ran back to Ruby.

Please don't leave me.

When I originally wrote this, I was just planning on it being a one shot, but I do have some ideas about how I could take this story further. So, if you'd like me to keep going with some more chapters, let me know! Thanks for reading!