Author's Notes: Hey everyone! Long time no see! So, I'm starting a new story. A RWBY one! I did what I always do, guys! I fell for the romance that gets ruined by shitty deaths! Yay! And my favorite character is the one who gets the boot! Yay! It's Peter and Gwen all over again! YAY!

My sarcasm is strong here...so very strong.

Anyway, this story is technically an A.U. Takes place two months after the Volume 3 finale, here's the important changes that affect this story:

- Pyrrha lives - obviously.

- Cinder's attack fails.

- The Grimm Dragon is never woken.

- Beacon stays operational.

- Ozpin survives.

- Blake doesn't run away to Menagerie.

It's Arkos and Renora primarily, but I am open to other pairings if there are popular enough opinions in the reviews or private messages. So! Onward! Talk more after the first chapter my ducks! -Dave

...

Prologue:

"Mom? Mooooooom!" A little girl called from her bedroom, clutching the covers in dainty hands over her nose, bright and wide emerald eyes staring in fear at the dancing skeletal shadows on her wall. "Mommy!"

The door opened slightly, an expanding column of artificial light mixing and cock-tailing with lunar glows on the floorboards. Stood in the doorway, generous hair thrown over her shoulder in a thick woven mess of blood red. The late thirties woman rubbed her eyes and grumbled, stepping into her petrified daughter's room. Her curvaceous Mistral figure wrapped in a silky violet dressing gown. She tied the belt around her thin waist and sighed heavily.

"What is it, my sweet?" She whispered softly, sitting on the edge of the little girl's bed, pinching the tented patch of quilt her dinky toes made. The little girl, with a messy tuft of rich red hair looked up with sparkling green eyes, pointing a shaky finger over the protective blanket at the window.

"M-Monster!"

"Oh, honey..." Her Mom sighed. She bit her lip and shuffled closer to her daughter, looping a warm arm around her shoulders, resting her mature face in her four year old's hair. "Pyrrha, it's not a monster, baby. Look." She pointed out the window at the swaying tree, the cause of the jagged arm on her wall. Little Pyrrha's eyes followed her Mother's finger, then frowned, looking up at her ever wise mother.

"No Mommy. Not the twee." She threw the covers off and the little girl crawled over the mattress in her bronze colored onesie, crouched on the edge of the bed to point her dainty finger out at the shattered Moon nestled in the black abyss above. "The moon. It's scawy!"

"Oh bubba." Her mother coddled her daughter, picking her up and sitting her on her thighs, hugging the infant. Pyrrha nuzzled her face into the warmth of her mother's chest, clutching the silky fluffy gown. "The Moon is nothing to be afraid of. It is a vigil over us while we sleep. It protects us."

"From tha Gwimm?" Pyrrha looked up with bountiful full eyes. Her Mother beamed, pecking a soft kiss onto her daughter's head, stroking her red hair.

"Yes. From the Grimm. Never fear the Moon, Amica Mea."

"B-B-B-But it-it's big and bwight...it's bwoked too. Mommy, why is tha Moon Bwoked?"

"Broken, honey." Her Mother chuckled lightly. "It's Broken."

"oooh. Bw...Bwoken?" Pyrrha looked at her Mom for confirmation. The smile spoke volumes.

"Exactly." Another kiss to her hair. She sobered and sighed, looking at the moon over her baby girl. "But...nobody's really sure why the Moon's broken. Only that we should be happy it is." She bit her lip, rubbing gentle circles into the tiny Nikos girl sucking her thumb in her lap.

"Why Momma? It's bad b-bec-it's bwoken." Pyrrha mumbled over her thumb. Her warming Mother gave her a gentle squeeze, looking up at the ceiling to watch the rotating nightlight project warming orange and pink stars onto the ceiling, and a simplistic crescent moon with specks of broken fragments orbiting it. She worried her lip and her greener eyes flit down to her babe.

"Two yellow Crescents will one day make the moon whole." She breathed a whisper, before forcing a smile onto her face. "Don't worry, my sweet. That's a story for when you're older. For now though, get some sleep." She laid her little bundle down on the bed and tucked her in, handing the infant her plushie bear and planting a soft kiss on her brow. "Sweet dreams my darling Pyrrha."

"Night Mommy." Pyrrha whispered back, closing her eyes as her Mother walked over to her window, looking out of it as she hugged her upper arms. She looked at the Moon and bit her lip with worry, before shaking her head and drawing the blackout curtains, blocking out the lunar light. She sighed heavily and looked at her daughter softly as sleep began to claim the little girl, gently sucking her thumb.

"You'll do wonderful things when your older, my darling Pyrrha. Never fear the broken Moon my dear..." She walked out of the room with a gentle smile as she pulled the door shut with a gentle click. "...fear the Moon being whole."

...

ECLIPSE

Act One: Chapter One:

TWO CRESCENTS AND A SPEAR

...

The first day back at Beacon after the Vytal tournament attack was a sorrowful and almost preternatural experience. Students offloaded on ships at the docks, heads downcast and low murmurs rumbling over the cold tarmac. Smiles were distant and painted on with fake emotions at first, but as soon as old friends reunited, those plastic smiles became flesh and blood.

Scars of combat strafed along the silver skin of the school, swept up piles of debris cut into swaths to allow students to mingle and reintegrate themselves into school life. Towering over the school, the CCT tower was a cracked and worn carcass, the once bright green orbs within now dark and dead. An exoskeleton of crisscrossing scaffold poles ran up the length of the building, a straightened spine of cobwebbed steel hugging the structure. Icy blue skies envelope the very air overhead of the wounded school.

With Cinder defeated and her wounded retreat marking a victory for Beacon and it's students, now the clean up operation begins. The quiet air is broken by sparking welders and buzzing chainsaws, high up the length of the CCT tower.

He blew out a breath of chilling cool air, his lungs drying out on the inhale. Ruffling his thatch of straw on his head, Jaune Arc hefted the strap of his duffel bag onto his shoulder, taking a few steps away from the busy docks of returning students. He took a moment to look around and take in the returning students. Many he recognized, if not all. He saw Velvet meeting Coco, hugging and laughing at their embrace. He caught a glimpse of Cardin thumping fists with the rest of his returning team.

Then he was engulfed in a crushing hug and a face full or bright orange hair. He staggered and tried to breathe in, as the Valkyrie's arms tightened. "N-Nora...c-can't...breathe."

"Oopsie...sorry!" Nora let go, bouncing on her toes before him, a bright smile. "Soooo good to see you again, leader!"

"Yeah...you too, buddy." Jaune beamed, looking around the bright and joyful woman to see the green draped boy pacing over, his own bag hefted over his shoulder. "Ren! Hey bud!"

"Hello again. Been a long two months." He hugged his leader, patting his spine. The JN and R of JNPR was reunited. Ren stepped back, tucking a lock of magenta back into his black mane. "How've you been?"

"Okay, mainly. Ah, you know how it is. Fight. Save the school. Get sent home. Come back once it's tidied up...at least a bit anyway." Jaune chuckled. Ren's smile lowered. "But yeah...I-I know what you mean...kinda dreading seeing her again to be honest."

"You know you have to. We all do!" Nora shrugged. She bit her lip as she studied Jaune, his downward gaze, brows furrowed in thought. "W-What she did...with that fire girl..."

"I don't wanna talk about it right now, okay Nora?" Jaune gave a weak smile. Nora went to retort but bit her tongue, nodding instead.

"Okey-dokey. Ooh! Hey, Ren, come on lets go find team RWBY!"

"Err...Nora..." Ren gently took her upper arms, Nora's turquoise eyes bearing into his magenta ones. "Yang's not here, her injury means that she's staying at home with her Dad for the time being. I think Ruby's here, so's Weiss and Blake, but be careful with them. Their emotions are high...I think all of ours are." Ren gave a meek smile. Nora gave a forced smile, gulping.

"O-Okay Ren. C'mon!" She grabbed his hand, attempting to cheer him up. She beamed at Jaune. "You coming?!"

"I'm err...I'm just gonna go to the dorm. Put my stuff back, boring stuff. You guys go on ahead though!" Jaune waved them off. Nora nodded and dragged Ren with her. When they disappeared into the crowds, Jaune let his smile drop and he groaned, rubbing his temple. He sighed and hefted his bag, before firming his upper lip, straightening his back and taking off towards the school.

He never noticed the red head step off of the shuttle, with a thump of rubber soles. Her emerald eyes flit around nervously at the other students. As each one saw her, they gasped and some even pointed, as she felt all eyes fall on her. Her cheeks dusted red and she tugged at her free flowing red hair, tugging and flipping it over one shoulder to shield her face from everyone's eyes.

She padded across the docks, hugging her graphite grey hoodie clad arms, attempting to make herself smaller, if possible. Her circlet devoid of her usually tied back hair, her eyes red and raw, the Nikos girl was a shell of her former self, back to square one she felt. Her friends hated her, that much she knew. She'd shoved the boy she loved away and ran off essentially to die, only to live and have to face the consequences. Now she was alienated again, placed back on that now taller pedestal, but not through fame, but as the girl who went to fight a losing fight...possibly with the intention to meet her destiny.

Now though, her view of destiny had warped and changed from it's previous. Her fight with Cinder was what she assumed to be her destiny, a heroic end with the defeat of a foe. Instead, she was beaten, only surviving when Ruby arrived just in time, to ignite her silver eyes with a blast that unwrapped the very night sky with brilliant white. Now she didn't know what her destiny was, and to be honest she didn't care. She'd lost her best friend, and loved one, just as the apex of their relationship had peaked to a whole new level she'd always wanted, all because she wanted to be heroic. She didn't realize at the time, but by shoving him away after sealing a kiss, she'd made him feel worthless, made him unlock whole new levels of feelings for her, only to snatch them away and make him truly feel absolutely helpless and useless.

Pyrrha's eyes began to sting again and she quickened her pace out of everyone's view, pacing her sweats clad body into the school grounds.

...

Jaune set his bag down by his bed. He blew out a breath and smiled as that feeling of home washed over his body. He sat on the lip of his bed, peeling the zipper back on his bag tooth by tooth, until he could pull out his sheathed sword, laying Crocea Mors back on his bed. He pulled out his Pumpkin Pete's T shirt and set it folded up on his pillow, followed by pajamas - a more suitable pair of vest top and baggy shorts - and other assortments of clothes and toiletries.

He stepped into the Dorm's bathroom and set his toothbrush and deodorant can on the sink, before walking out, stifling a tired yawn into his cupped palm. That's when the door to the Dorm opened with a click, swinging inwards towards Jaune.

"Hey Nora, Ren, did you find Ruby? Is she o...kay..." Jaune trailed off as his eyes met emerald pearls, outlined with strained washes of red. His ocean blue beads locked onto her, as she worried her lip with her teeth, almost drawing blood from the chapped skin.

She looked so different. Her hair was straight and flat, draped over her shoulders. Her face was pale and tired, lacking makeup at all. Her circlet was devoid, her fringe almost over her eyes.

Her curves were hidden in baggy dark grey sweats, and a shoulder bag slung over her left side. She blinked and neither knew what to say. Until her voice broke the silence, still only just above a whisper.

"H-Hello again." She croaked. Jaune sucked on his lip and nodded, slapping a hand to his thigh before burying it in his locks.

"Hi." he managed, shuffling his feet. "How umm...how've you been?"

"Okay." Pyrrha nodded to herself. "I went home for a while. Saw my parents. Ironwood took me to Atlas and they removed the small amount of Maiden power I had...stored there under lock and key." She scoffed, lifting her head to the ceiling. "Funny. After all that, I was just some glorified bag used to move something."

"W-What do you mean, moved?" Jaune swallowed. Pyrrha sniffled and bit her wobbling lip.

"There's a girl. She had an accident. Fell into a coma. They're storing the power in her. Can you believe that?" She wiped her eyes. "Y-You think you know someone, huh?"

"Uh huh." Jaune nodded at the feeling all too well, stepping over to his bed, busying himself. "You think you know someone." He murmured to himself. The awkward silence returned, heavily. Pyrrha set her own bag down with a thump by her bed, steeling her nerves. She flit her eyes up at him.

"So, umm..."

"Pyrrha, listen, I umm..." Jaune sighed heavily and stood up straight turning to face her. "I'm gonna be honest with you...I dunno how to continue where we left off. I don't even know if it's possible." Jaune's voice cracked. Pyrrha nodded to her feet, hugging her upper arms.

"O-Of course. I understand." she whimpered. She looked so frail and small. It made Jaune's heart squeeze and crumble, like wet sand in a tight fist.

"I-I mean...I started to...what I'm trying to say is..." Jaune huffed and rubbed his brow. "I started to feel things for you. It started at the dance. We got closer and closer. Finally we...we kissed..."

"We did." She let a small smile curve her lips.

"But then...when it mattered, you pushed me away, into that locker. It hurt me so, so much and..." He sniffed and thumbed his eye. "...I...right now, I...I can't deal with that right now." Jaune looked up at her pleading eyes.

"I-I understand." She whispered, afraid if her voice were louder she'd cry.

"So umm...I think it'd be best if we just stay...friends." He said and Pyrrha shut her eyes, a single tear sliding through the interlocking fingers of her eyelashes.

"Okay." She said, but it came out as more of "O-ay" as her quiet voice cracked. She blew out a breath and stared at her feet. "C-Can we still...spar? O-On the roof?"

"I...I don't think that's a good idea right now. I'm struggling...just being in the same room, feelings wise." Jaune gently delivered the blow. Pyrrha nodded to herself and hugged her arms a little tighter. She felt so alone.

"O-Of course...another time." she croaked. "F-For everything...I'm so, so..." She quivered and whined, thumping a sleeve swallowed fist into her thigh as she eyed the ceiling, blowing out a breath. Jaune looked at her with eyes full of sorrow. She lowered her watery gaze to him.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away." she breathed.

"I know." Jaune said as he sheathed his sword on his belt, rolling his shoulders. He looked at the shadow of Pyrrha's former self. With a soft sigh he walked over, gulping his nerves. She didn't smell of her usual wonderful infusion of lilac and what he thought was cinnamon. She smelt of...nothing. No perfume. Just an emptiness, one he was causing.

"Pyrrha." He stepped over to her, tips of his boots brushing her plimsolls. She looked at the love of her life that she couldn't have with red raw eyes. "Welcome back, I guess." He murmured. "Even though I don't know what to do, with...this..." He pressed a hand to his rapid heartbeat, swallowing dryly with an audible click. He smiled lopsidedly, giving her upper arms a squeeze. "...I've...missed you a lot."

"C-Can...I know I'm overstepping a new boundary...but..." She lifted her trembling lip. "C-Can I have a hug. Please?" she begged for human contact, and Jaune caught on to her sheer loneliness. He worried his lip and nodded, wrapping his arms stiffly around her back. It was awkward, nothing like their hugs before the Vytal tournament attack. He was rigid, she was curled in on herself.

He pat his fingers against her back and let go, clearing his throat. "I-I gotta go. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Y-Yes...of course." she whimpered. He opened the door and she lifted her head. "Jaune?"

"Mmm?" he looked at her, almost through her as he was struggling with the twangs in his heart.

"I'm so sorry." she hoarsely whispered.

"It's okay, Pyrrha...just...g-give me some time, okay?" he smiled meekly.

"O-Okay." She whispered, sitting on her bed, sniffing and wiping her eyes. He stepped back and clapped his hands together in front of himself, before thumbing to the door over his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go meet up with Ruby. Nora and Ren should be here soon." Jaune cleared his throat. Pyrrha looked up and licked the salty tears off of her lips. He left the awkward air and shut the door with a click, sighing heavily in the hall, pressing his back to the door, the back of his head thumping against the wood. He placed his hands over his face and groaned into the hardened skin.

What he didn't know was that on the other side of the door, Pyrrha had gotten up and was doing the same, leaning her back against the door, resting her head back. She groaned and ran her fingers down the curves of her cheeks, until she cupped them over her mouth, closing her eyes to choke back a sob.

Jaune huffed and gulped over the lump in his throat, rolling his head and turning his body, till his forehead pressed into the hardened wood. Pyrrha unknowingly mirrored his action, pressing her forehead into the door, an ugly sob wracking her body.

"I still love you. I can't stop." Jaune breathed, lifting a hand to press against the cool stained wood. Pyrrha lowered a hand from her quivering lips to press into the door.

"But I love you, Jaune." She breathed, unaware that the four inches of thick wood was all that separated their palms and foreheads. "...I can't stop."

...

Jaune lazily walked into the cafeteria, looking around at the bustling tables of reunited friends. Conversations overlapped and occasional loud laughs stabbed through the murmurs.

Overall it was nice to see people happy again. Even if he wasn't. He firmed his upper lip and strode over to their table. It seemed to be an unspoken rule that everyone had their own tables. Had their own areas, and everyone also seemed to respect that. He looked up from his stupor over love issues and slapped on a smile at the sight of Ruby, Weiss and Blake sat prodding their food with their cutlery.

"Hey guys." Jaune smiled, sitting next to Weiss, as Blake and Ruby looked up at him opposite. He crossed his arms on the table top and leaned his chin onto his wrists. "How's Yang?"

"Upset. In pain." Ruby closed her eyes, the usually bright rose now dull and wilted. "Her injury's taken a lot out of her. D-Dad's looking after her though."

"Oh that's good. She's not alone." Jaune reached over the table, squeezing Ruby's hand softly. "She'll be okay. If it had to happen to anyone, it happened to one of the strongest people on Remnant. Yang's as tough as they come." Jaune beamed as Ruby let a small smile grace her lips.

"How's Pyrrha? Have you seen her?" Blake broke the air, sighing and pushing her plate of fish away, not hungry. Jaune's eyes lowered and his smile followed suit.

"Umm...yeah. She's okay. I've seen her, yeah." He coughed into his fist, sitting up straight. He sighed heavily and lowered his head back down to rest on his replaced arms. "Love sucks." he mumbled.

"Huh?" Weiss snapped her eyes to him. Jaune huffed.

"It's...Pyrrha." He looked at her. "We're umm...I told her we should...be friends?"

"Oh Jaune." Weiss slapped her forehead with a face palm, groaning.

"Well, I'm sorry Weiss, but she literally ran off t-

"Yes, to face a foe and fight to save us all, how very selfi-

"Let me finish!" Jaune snapped, louder than he wanted, and the cafeteria fell silent, all eyes wide on him. Weiss licked her lips and straightened her back, clearing her throat and raising her stoic chin.

"Go on."

"She kissed me, Weiss, okay? We were told to go and get help. But Pyrrha looked up at that tower and she stopped. I told her no, told her it was suicide! Th-That girl, whoever she was, she's left Ozpin in a critical condition! If she did that to him, what chance did she have? But no, she had to do it! Had to live up to that stupid...damn title of hers! Invincible girl?! Well guess what, it's a crock! It's a name, and funnily enough, you aren't invincible, Pyrrha!" He was fuming, shouting at the table, at his reflection in the shiny worktop, as if it was her.

"Jaune..." Ruby reached to grab his arm, before he started up thrashing again, Ruby quickly pulling her hand back.

"She kissed me, and it was amazing, but for some reason, in her head, she knew it'd be our first and last. Sh-She...I felt something for her in that moment I'd never felt before. At peace. At home. Loved. I had that feeling for the grand total of about three seconds, before she shoved me in a locker, and sent me off to cower!"

"Jaune..." Weiss breathed, hand over her chest. His eyes were stinging.

"I-I mean what was the point of it all, huh? All that training, all that build up, all that telling me I was becoming a better fighter, if when it truly came down to it mattering, for me to have her back through the worst of it...she just shoves me in a locker and runs off to fight alone?! You know how...gods, how worthless I felt? How weak, and worst of all...how I was going to have to live the rest of my life without her, knowing I'd missed out on so much with her." He sniffed, wiping his eyes with the heels of his palms.

The cafeteria was deathly silent. Not even a clinking of plates and cutlery could cut the choked air. Jaune turned to everyone else and snarled. "What are you all looking at huh? What? Oh look, it's that wacky Jaune Arc up to his usual tricks! Making scenes and drawing attention! How about you all just mind your own damn business!" Jaune snapped as he stood from his chair, chest heaving as everyone turned back to their plates.

"So to answer your question..." Jaune sat down and thumped his head into his wrists on the table top. "...Yeah. Pyrrha's fine. Just freakin peachy."

"Oh...well..." Weiss flit her shocked eyes to Blake's, then Ruby's. "Umm...ch-chin up?" She winced, gently patting his head.

"That's all you've got?!" Ruby hissed a whisper at the Schnee. "He's not a dog!"

"Well I'm sorry, but emotions are not my strong suit!" She crossed her arms, huffing.

"Yeah. We noticed." Blake mumbled. She licked her lips and tucked a black lock back into place. Her ribbon and bow were totally devoid of her hair, her cat ears fully uncovered. She didn't care anymore, didn't care what anyone thought.

"Jaune?" she spoke raspily.

"Mmm?" Jaune looked up over his wrists.

"I blame myself for what happened to Yang. Yeah, it was Adam who did it...but he was there because of me. And Yang? Yang was there...because of me. She tried to save me. I'm not...good with this stuff. I usually run a mile at this point, and I did consider going home to Mom and Dad, but..." Blake looked at Weiss and Ruby. "...But my friends need me. And I need them."

Ruby pat Blake's shoulder and Weiss beamed over the table at her.

"No. I-I'm not running. Not this time. Sure, I need time to clear my head, to make sense of it all, but who doesn't? The point is, Jaune...we need each other so much right now. And the last thing we should do is push one another away...especially the people we care about."

"Whoa..." Jaune looked at her with wide eyes. "Blake...I..."

"So listen to her, you dolt." Weiss elbowed him in the ribs softly. There was no venom in her tone though. Calm and tranquil. "Be there for your team. Sure, be upset with her, and sure put feelings on hold. But...as their leader? Be there for them. For her."

"I..." Jaune looked downward, guiltily. "Yeah. You're right. Urgh, I've been a jerk."

"Not on purpose." Ruby chimed up, sticking a carrot stick into her mouth with a loud crunch. "I undershtand how you feel, Jaune." She chewed her food. "It'sh okay to be upshet. But..." she gulped it down. "Weiss' right."

"Of course I am." Weiss beamed, crossing her arms, chin held high.

"You've just got to be their friend and leader right now. Ren and Nora have always been like, super strong cos they've always had each other. But Pyrrha?" Ruby huffed and shut her eyes. "She was...m-manipulated into so many things during the Vytal tournament. She...was manipulated into...a-accidentally killing..." Ruby's eyes watered and she sniffed, gulping. "P-Pen...n-ny."

"Hey, shh, it's okay, Ruby." Jaune leaned over to grab her tiny hand again, giving it a soft squeeze.

"I-I'm not hungry right now." Ruby sniffed, pushing her tray away and wiping her eyes with her black and frilly red sleeve.

"I don't think anyone is." Weiss dropped her spoon into her soup. "Especially when they serve this slop."

"Hey guys!" Nora boomed as she sat heavily next to Weiss, dropping a heaving tray of food onto the counter. Weiss startled and snapped her eyes to the tray in shock.

Ruby giggled into her hand and Blake smiled. Nora was amazing. She had this amazing ability to cheer everyone up, no matter what. To breathe life back into a broken group.

Ren sat next to Blake, opposite Nora. The Valkyrie soon caught on to his absence beside her and her eyes watered in hurt. "R-Ren!"

"I'm sat here, Nora." She trembled her lips and massive watery puppy dog eyes glimmered at him. "Nora!" he snapped, but they only seemed to get bigger.

Ren huffed and got up, walking all the way around the table to sit next to her.

"Yay!" Nora yelled, hands in the air. "Always works." She grinned at the giggling others. Ren huffed at her.

"It won't always."

"Err, yah. Yeah it will, silly!" Nora grinned at him. Ren rolled his magenta eyes but smiled, because he knew exactly what she was doing. She was cheering everyone up. Weiss and Ruby were giggling, Jaune was beaming and Blake was chuckling into her palm. "Ooh, hey Ruby! They got cookies up there! Why ain't you got any?" Nora gasped exaggeratedly into her palm. "You're not...cutting down on sugar, are you?!"

"No! No of course not! Where?!" Ruby snapped her head towards the front of the cafeteria.

"Over there. Go get em!" Nora laughed as Ruby shot off in a flurry of rose petals. "There. Now she's eating." Nora mumbled to Ren.

"You're amazing, Nora." Jaune smiled across the table at her, head resting in his palm, propped by his elbow. Nora shrugged and wolfed down a handful of fries. Jaune chuckled.

"Yeah. She really is." Blake smiled brightly for the first time in a long time.

"She's something. Jury's still out on what exactly." Ren smirked as she looked at him, scandalized at his words. He simply wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled the orange haired girl into his side. He felt something dig into his ribs and reeled out of the embrace.

"Oh, yeah." Nora reached into her grenade pouch and pulled out a long chocolate bar, setting it on the table. "Okay. Hugs now!"

Ren chuckled and pulled her back into his side. Smiles adorned their faces for the first time in over two months, and finally the feeling of home had washed over all of them. Weiss had managed to insist to her father that she stay and finish her studies, Blake almost got on a boat out to Menagerie, but decided it better to stay and help her best friends and partner recover. For the first time ever she had people that truly needed her. And she needed them.

Jaune went home to spend time with his family and heal, not to mention cry on his Mother's warm shoulder and let his flood of emotion over Pyrrha escape his lips. His sisters looked after him, and his father told him it was all going to work out in the end. He hoped he was right.

Ruby stayed with Yang, tried to cheer the miserable and one armed brawler up. But after two months of barely any luck, she decided to listen to her Dad and go back to school. Ruby now thought about bringing the rest of RWBY and JNPR round to surprise and cheer Yang up. They'd definitely do that at the weekend...she hoped. She hadn't even thought about her silver eyes...honest.

Nora and Ren had gone into Vale and spent their time together, whether that be in a B&B, or a hostel. Eventually the pair with nothing but each other returned to school, and found home once more in their friends.

Jaune laughed for the first time in weeks, a proper, genuine laugh as Nora stuck a pair of colorful straws into her mouth, pretending to be an Atlesian walrus. The table followed suit, laughing joyfully for the first real time in what felt like months. Blake had tears in her eyes, she was laughing so hard, Weiss was snorting occasionally, Ruby was giggling like hiccups, overall everyone - for the first time in a long time - was laughing, thanks to wonderful Nora.

But Jaune's smile vanished and his heart sunk as he looked over at the large double oak doors that led into the Cafeteria hall. Still clad in sweats and hair not even tied back, Pyrrha walked in, rubbing her hand up and down her opposite upper arm. People murmured, and laughter stopped. Pyrrha blew out a breath and tried to ignore the eyes as she went up to the front and grabbed a tray, taking a handful of carrot sticks on a plate, some soup in a small bowl and a small length of battered fish.

She cleared her throat and the hall echoed with it. Walking away she paced to the far end of the hall to the empty, furthest table, sitting down and resting her cheek in her palm. She propped her arm with her elbow and stuck a carrot stick in her mouth, eyes never leaving the plate.

Weiss and the others all looked among themselves, unsure of what to do. Jaune however. His heart ached. Painfully. Really painfully. To see the girl he loved in such solitude and upset broke his heart into a million pieces. So, despite his pained feelings, pushing aside his issues with loving her, and even his anger towards her selfless act - which in turn actually felt selfish - he stood up as her leader and...friend.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Nah. This isn't right." Jaune muttered, before blowing out a steely breath and pacing toward her with bold shoulders. Those shoulders did slack however as his nerves grew and his doubts crept in. But he tossed them aside as he stood over her. "What're you doing?"

Pyrrha paused mid chew and looked up through her fringe at him. "U-Um...sorry?"

"You not coming to eat with your friends?" Jaune asked, the light behind him illuminating his head in a halo of gold. Pyrrha swallowed her bite and wrung her hands together.

"But...I t-thought they all hated me?"

"Why would you think that?" Jaune asked softly. Pyrrha bit her lip and shrugged, itching her cheek with her sleeve engulfed hand.

"I...ki...I killed Penny." Pyrrha sniffed. Jaune's eyes filled with sorrow at her in this state of self loathing. "I don't blame them...because right now, I really hate me too." She whispered. Jaune sighed and took her tray of food. "Hey!"

"You want it? Come eat. With your friends. Cos...we miss you." Jaune smiled. Pyrrha looked over at the eager smiles at the far table, and her heart lit up for the first time in ages. Gingerly she stood up, stepping out of the bench and walking around to pace over beside Jaune. Slowly her hunched and small stature began to - if minutely - return to it's old bold and stoic posture.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby beamed, hands held up over her head.

"Hello!" Weiss beamed.

"Hey P-money. Sorry, Yang wanted me to start using it." Blake mumbled, still smiling.

"Oh it's capital "P" followed by capital "Y",iiiiiiit's...PYRRHA!" Nora exclaimed as energetically as ever.

"Hello Pyrrha. Come, have a seat." Ren pat the bench beside him. Pyrrha blushed and a hand flew up to her chest.

"O-Oh! W-Well...hello everyone." Pyrrha smiled brightly, sitting next to Ren, Jaune setting her tray before her. "Forgive me for my bad hair." She blushed. "A-And lazy attire."

"Oooh, Pyrrha's back, she's worrying about her appearance. That's a good sign." Weiss winked at her. "Here, have a drink." Weiss slid a juice box down to her.

"Th-Thank you, Weiss. Thank you everyone. Thank you Jau..." She looked over her shoulder but he was gone. He'd sat on the far side of Weiss, but still leaning over to smile at her. She gave a weak smile. It hurt, but it must of hurt a lot more for him. She'd give him time. He at least wanted her here, that much was certain, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Pyrrha smiled, and felt at home.

...

The group cheerfully all caught up, and Pyrrha's smile never left her face as slowly she began to reestablish herself within her friends. Jaune smiled at her across the table, just as the familiar clacking of Professor Goodwitch's heels filled the air. She trotted up to the front of the cafeteria, a thick notepad cradled in one arm, flanked by Professors Port and Oobleck.

Jaune nudged Weiss with his elbow and before she could snap at him, her eyes fell onto Glynda as she cleared her throat.

"Attention students!" Goodwitch's voice echoed, everyone falling silent and a sea of multicolored pairs of eyes landed on her. "Now...first of all, welcome back to the Academy. I want to say a warm thank you to all who returned for their studies. True colors come to show in real combat, and everyone showcased their bravado and determination in the Grimm attack. However, I'm sure you all noticed how few of you there are as appose to last semester. Sadly a lot of our students have not returned, either through choice, or parent's wishes. But, it is warming to see so many recognizable faces here today."

"Yeah...there is a definite...population drop." Blake murmured, looking around the room. Suddenly the doors to the cafeteria burst open loudly, as everyone gasped and looked up. A spiky mop of blonde filed in, followed by bright wavy blue, straight crimson and finally sage green.

"Sorry we're late Professor! Had to go over our transfer papers!" Sun announced. His eyes scanned the hall before finding Blake's. Her golden gaze gleamed at him with a smile. "My friends need me here, and hell...s'better school anyway." Sun shrugged.

"Very well mister Wukong. Please, can your team take their seats."

"Sure! What'd we miss professor?" Sun called across the quiet hall, as loud and bold as always. Goodwitch chuckled minutely under her breath, refreshed to see such bright and full of life students join her roster.

"I was just welcoming everyone back, and saying how few students are here now. But it seems the loudest and most memorable stayed behind." She said with a small smirk over her glasses as a gentle murmur of laughter echoed around the hall. Sun smirked and shrugged, sitting next to Blake. His hand went under the table and found hers, giving it a small squeeze. Her ears spiked up in shock and she blushed.

"W-What're you doing?" Blake hissed.

"Trying my luck." Sun shrugged, running his thumb over her skin. "And...being there."

"Thank you." Blake breathed, bravely squeezing his hand back. He let go and cleared his throat, crossing his arms on the table. Neptune sat next to him and his eyes met Weiss', sending her a comforting smile and a wink. She smiled and nodded, quickly dropping her gaze to her fingernails, clearing her throat. Stupid feelings!

Sage and Scarlet sat on the opposite side next to Pyrrha. Scarlet nudged the other red head with his elbow and her emerald eyes flit up to him.

"You okay?" he asked. Pyrrha smiled softly and gingerly nodded. Scarlet smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze. Team SSSN were amazing, and thankfully now the life force that could get Beacon's heart to beat again.

"Now, I want to address a few issues that some students brought to my attention this morning. Number one, yes the CCT tower is still offline, so your scrolls I'm afraid will be no good for long range calls. We've installed a temporary Atlesian Wireless fidelity system, so we can still send you all your studies and homework."

"URGH!" the entire room erupted.

"Hush please." Glynda huffed, touching a finger to her glasses to slide them back up her nose. "Number two, is our beloved Headmaster. Professor Ozpin is alive, and he is gently healing here. He's still very weak, but he says he'll promise to be up and about by the dance." She said, as the hall murmured. Jaune looked at Ruby.

"Dance?"

Ruby shrugged, looking back up at the professor. Glynda cleared her throat, finger tracing the pad before her.

"Item number three...we will be holding a Celebratory dance in a few weeks time as a thank you and welcome back party. It's for Beacon students only, and we believe it will be a fantastic opportunity for us all to rekindle what we had before that horrific event. More information will be given at a later date."

"Cool!" Sun shrugged.

"Yes! I'll have to order a load more doilies!" Weiss rubbed her hands as a plan formed. Jaune smirked, looking at Pyrrha as she nibbled adorably on a carrot.

"And Item number four is...is the..." She looked up at the table housing the Nikos girl. "...Is the return of Pyrrha Nikos to our school. I would like everyone to give a round of applause please to her brave and heroic efforts during the assault. She took on a burden no child should ever have to, and insisted on fighting Cinder Fall herself. No matter how dangerous and suicidal the odds seemed, she faced them for our betterment. To miss Nikos." Glynda cradled the notepad to her chest so her free hands could clap.

Soon the room erupted into a chorus of thunderous applause, team RWBY clapping brightly and beaming at her. Pyrrha bashfully blushed and looked down, Scarlet clapping and nudging her with his elbow softly. She looked up at Jaune, as he clapped almost forcefully, a somber and confused look on his conflicted face. She bit her lip and huffed, studying the table top.

"Now, give each and every one of yourselves a round of applause. You all earned it." Glynda clapped again, everyone smiling at the gracious act. The room erupted once more, until finally it dialed down. As silence once again reigned, bar a few coughs, Glynda replaced the notes in her hands, clearing her throat. "...and onwards, we-

"Is that it, huh? What, we're just gonna gloss over what happened, professor?" A student stood up, his fists trembling at his sides. His bright purple hair spiky and waving down his left hand side. The students all looked to the lone stander, Goodwitch raising a brow.

"Excuse me, young man?"

"Pyrrha?! I mean, she killed another student, and what? W-We just forget it? Just move on, huh?" he scoffed, swiping spittle away with his wrist. Jaune growled and looked over his shoulder at the teen, matched by Scarlet and Weiss. Pyrrha just dropped her head into her hands, groaning.

"That is enough!" Glynda snapped. "We do not alienate our students over accidents. We have all the proof we need that she was manipulated, there was no intent in her actions!"

"She's a murderer!" The student cried out.

"You can't murder a robot." Cardin's voice rumbled. Everyone gasped at him. "What? I'm sorry, but she was. We got hearts and soul, but that's just fancy lights and wires replicating life. I'm sorry, and I know...I'm an asshole, but..." Cardin sighed heavily, crossing his arms on the table. "...Ironwood had us all fooled, huh?"

Glynda looked at all her bickering, hurt and mentally wounded students, unsure of what to say. She gaped and stammered.

"Doesn't matter, Cardin! She should answer for it!"

"SHE IS!" Jaune snapped, standing up, fists shaking, paling white with their tightness. Everyone's eyes fell on him in shock. "Look at her! She's paying for it everyday since! We need to stop pointing fingers, and help her! You think she did it on purpose?" Jaune scoffed. "Well, then your as big an idiot as you look and sound right now. Penny was awesome, and kind, and Pyrrha never once meant for that to happen, but it did. She was manipulated by one of those students that helped Cinder. So how about instead of spitting vile accusations, how about we just be there for her."

"Can everyone just stop talking about me and leave me alone?!" Pyrrha shouted, uncharacteristically, before standing from her stool and running out of the hall, sobbing into her hands. The hall's doors slammed shut and Jaune groaned to the ceiling, all the hard work of cheering her up totally undone by one stupid student's outburst.

"Great, just freakin great!" Jaune growled. "You have any idea how big of an ass you are?!" Jaune shouted across the room at the purple haired boy.

"Oh step off Jaune." He retorted, scoffing. Jaune's eyes flared and he stepped over the seat of the bench, fist shaking until Weiss grabbed his wrist.

"No, you'll make it worse." She whispered softly. "Go after Pyrrha. Please."

"Weiss..."

"Jaune, practice what you preach!" Nora snapped with an uncharacteristic frown. Jaune gulped and looked at Goodwitch across the heads of the other students. Goodwitch sighed and waved her hand to the door.

"Go, mister Arc." She sighed softly. Jaune nodded and ran to the doors, not before glaring at the purple haired student as he sat back down. Sun frowned next to Blake.

"Remind me to kick that guy's ass later."

"I think there may be a line." Ren said as he nodded to growling Nora, frowning Ruby, snarling Weiss and the equally annoyed members of SSSN. Even the enraged Cardin.

"Okay...next topic..." Glynda rubbed her temple.

...

Jaune jogged down the halls of the Dorm block, before he ground to a halt, teetering on one foot before the door to their dorm room. He sighed at the muffled hiccuping sobs coming from inside. He scanned his scroll through the lock and he went to open it, but thumping his face into the door as it didn't budge.

"Huh?" he scanned it again and saw it turn green, but once more the door stayed firmly locked. Then he noticed the black aura coating the metal locks. He sighed and rested his forehead on the door.

"Pyrrha, let me in."

"No, go away." she cried. Jaune hated that sound, how her usual calm and regal tones sounded shaky and broken.

"D'you want me to push? Cos I will." He joked, hearing only sobs in return. He sucked his upper lip and closed his eyes, cool wood heating up against his forehead. He stammered and gaped, the words unable to teeter off of his tongue.

"...For it is in passing we achieve immortality..." He breathed, and he heard the uncontrollable sobs pause amid hiccups and sniffles. "...th-through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance, unbound by death, I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee."

"By my shoulder protect thee. You hear that? I'm not going anywhere, Pyrrha." Jaune licked his lips and kept his eyes closed. "It was when you unlocked my aura, remember? Cos I do. I thought those words had taken you from me. I..." He felt his lips quiver and a seep of salty hot water pushed through his eyelids. "...I don't want to release your soul just yet. I don't want you to be unbound by...d-d..." He couldn't say it, choking on a single gasping sob. "Or infinite in distance...I want...I...

He staggered back as the door opened, Pyrrha standing there, her chest heaving, eyes raw and wobbly with glossy tears, streaming down her cheeks. She sniffed at his watery blues.

"What do you want, Jaune?" she asked softly with a broken tone, hiccuping a sob. Jaune breathed and blinked.

"I want you." he managed to croak, unable to keep his aching heart under control. He stepped over and instantly wrapped her up in his arms, both of them sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't know what to do with my feelings, Pyrrha."

"I know, and I'm so so sorry!" She cried, stinging tears soaking into his collar and wetting his neck.

"All I know is...I still care about you, so so much. And...I want to be with you, but...I'm so scared!" He cried out, tightening his arms around her back. "For about twelve hours I thought you were dead. Nobody would tell me anything, I couldn't find Ruby, I...I..." he let a loud ugly sob wrack his body. "Do you know how horrible it was to think you were gone? Th-That I'd have to learn to live without you?" He whimpered.

"I'm so sorry I-gasp-d-did that to you!" Pyrrha cried as she hugged him as tight as she could, as if he'd crumble and blow away otherwise. "I wasn't thinking rationally, we thought Ozpin had died and..." She sobbed a guttural wail. "...I know - w-w-with the Maiden's power, I had to think of a girl, someone else before I died so she couldn't get it but, I couldn't stop...th-thinking of you!"

"Oh Pyrrha." Jaune cried into her neck, hugging her as tight as he could, hands balling up the hoodie she was wearing. "We're a mess."

"Yes, we really are." Pyrrha chuckled within her sobs. "But, despite the tears...th-this is the nicest feeling I've felt in so long."

"Mmm...I know." Jaune hiccuped as he held her warm body flush to his. He finally pulled his head up and blew out a breath, wiping his eyes, before kicking his foot back to shut the door behind him. Now firmly sealed in the quiet of their dorm, Jaune let her go and properly dried his eyes with his hands. Pyrrha sniffed and used her hoodie sleeves to swipe at her eyes.

"My eyes are so sore...Urgh, I'm sick of crying." Pyrrha muttered. "I'm so tired."

Jaune nodded and walked over to the radiator on the wall, turning the dial up a few clicks to warm the room up. Pyrrha watched as he shed his armor and belt, sword clattering to the floor. He walked back over to her and took her hands, getting her to pad over to his bed, where he lay back against the headboard and pulled her down atop him.

"J-Jaune, what're you-"

"Shh...don't think about us, or our issues for a minute, and just rest." he ran his fingers through her hair, Pyrrha humming at the contact and snuggling into his chest. "Shh...shh." He repeated softly as he continued to stroke her hair, letting her hiccuping gasps die down to low breaths and murmurs, her puffy eyelids slowly drooping over her eyes.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"Anything for you." He mumbled, stroking her hair, admiring the girl currently folded up into his lap. He continued his ministrations of stroking until she was sound asleep, pawing at his chest, gentle steady breaths leaving her parted lips. He smiled contently and shook his head to himself immediately, scolding himself.

"What're you doing, Jaune?" He asked himself. Pyrrha hummed in her sleep and shuffled slightly. What's the alternative? Ignore it? Hope the feelings go away? They wont, and you know it. What you felt for Weiss was infatuation. But this? This is more. It'll only make the both of you miserable.

His thoughts tore rampant through his mind, until the warmth and the pleasant weight of her on his stomach and lap made his eyelids grow heavy. He murmured and let his head fall back against the headboard, as sleep claimed him too.

...

It wasn't much later that Ren walked in, tossing a pack of pamphlets on PTSD onto the desk by the door, rubbing his face with a tired groan. He opened his magenta eyes and locked onto Pyrrha and Jaune. It showed how well he knew Nora when he held out an open palm, the Valkyrie walking in and her mouth sealing into his palm, only to scream a muffled squeal of glee into his skin.

"This is happening, Ren!" She whisper shouted, excitedly. Ren smiled at the pair.

Pyrrha had wrapped her arms around Jaune's neck in her sleep and tugged herself up his body so her lips were flush with his cheek, breathing steadily into his skin, her legs having stretched out alongside his. His own arms had in turn wrapped snuggled around her waist, warm smiles on both their faces.

Ren beamed, and looked at Nora.

"It's not the end of their issues, and they have a lot to discuss, but...it's a definite step in the right direction."

"And, it's super duper cute!" Nora beamed, eyes wide as saucers with hearts for pupils. "They're so perfect for each other, I hope they figure it out, Renny."

"They will...they both need some time to readjust and most of all...talk." Ren shrugged, before sitting on his own bed. Nora sat next to him and sighed heavily.

"It's just...cruel. How all that happened to her. To them. I just..." Nora fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "I want them to be happy."

"I know you do." Ren sighed, pulling her into his chest, kissing her orange hair, smoothing his hand up and down her back. "Me too."

Pyrrha mumbled in her sleep and her pouted lips pressed into Jaune's skin. The edges curled up and they saw those lips press firmer into his cheek, before closing again and nuzzling her face into his. Nora smiled and looked up at Ren, before kissing his chin, sliding her fingers up to thread within his.

"Yeah...they'll be fine." Nora smiled.

Author's Notes: So yeah, chapter one! I know, it's a fluff and angst monster, but it was needed to set up the story, show what the changes to the finale were, etc. Next chapter will be better. Leave a review guys, I always read them, I feed off of them! I...I actually check my emails and account first thing when I wake up, and it's always nice to see a review or two to read and take on board.

Your love on "We're Best Friends" still warms my heart, to know it was that popular is wonderful. Thank you all so much.

So, Review begging aside, see you next time! I've got a lot of chapters already written. Just need proof reading, so I'll upload them at a gentle pace, possibly weekly. Let me know that you think, or how often you want an update. Within reason! Love you guys and see you soon - Arkos for life.