(Jaune's Point of View)

This was the end. I rest on my back as the sounds of fighting within the Haven Academy surround me. Qrow, Ren, Nora, the others; they've all made their way here and they're so much stronger than me, it's no shock I'm the first to fall if I'm being honest with myself in my final moments.

I feel a very heavy shoe slam onto my stomach. I wince in pain as it feels like it's going to bruise from the amount of weight on me. I finally open my eyes and slowly look up to see Cinder Fall staring deep into me; her eyes on fire from her anger and powers. "You think you really had a chance against me, the Fall Maiden?!" she yells directly at me as she slams even harder on my stomach.

I look over to the others; each of them valiantly fighting on as I try to grab Crocea Mors. Cinder sighs as she lets me have a short breath as she powers down. "You're a failure with a death wish you know." She says in reply to her own question.

I try to get out from under her leg but she stops me. As she slams my body back down I start to talk back. "If I die buying them time, then it's worth it. They're the ones that matter."

"Really?" Cinder replies to my horror as we both see Weiss sliding across the floor. "I'll put yourself on the line for your friends; but what happens when you're not able to save them? Like Ms. Nikos." Cinder looks at me and smiles wickedly as she turns and pulls out an obsidian spear out of thin air.

"No." I manage to get out as I get up from the floor. Slowly watching as Cinder turns to me and smiles before turning back; now focusing on her new target.

No; not Weiss. Anyone else but Weiss! I watch in horror as Cinder lined up her spear. The spear aiming right for the weakened heiress who lay helplessly on the floor across the room. With Ren and Nora fighting Mercury and Emerald it made sense for Cinder to target her. I scream trying to catch everyone's attention, knowing my own self sacrifices were now slowly falling to vanity as Cinder walks slowly away from me and towards her new target. "No!" I finally make out as the spear finally left Cinder's hands. I shut my eyes fearing the worst as I heard it hit flesh.

Time felt like it slowed down in this moment as I slowly open my eyes to see a red hooded figure had intervened, the spear had torn through their cloak and had lodged itself deep through her; I couldn't see it but looking at the amount of spear I saw; clearly it had gone through the whole body cleanly. I saw everyone turn to also see the person when they slowly started to fall. It hit me hard like the Petra Gigas back at Beacon as the person falling caused their hood to come off: Black hair with its ends a ruby red. No it can't be, not her!

I actually remember meeting someone who looks exactly like her down to the red cloak in fact. We were both on the same airship to Beacon. However I had and still occasionally have motion sickness and thus vomited a little on the trip over; pretty sure I nearly hit someone's boot as I walked past trying to get to the bay doors. After the ship landed I finally got to a trash can and got myself cleaned up. I finally started to head towards the main campus from the Bullhead docks when suddenly I and likely half the school heard a loud explosion. I looked up and made a dash for the rising plume of smoke. I arrived to seeing a girl in white walking one way and a girl in black walking another while a girl dressed in blacks and reds just lay there on the bricks of the avenue. I came over and she opened her eyes to reveal they were a beautiful silver. I smiled as I extended my hand. "Hey, I'm Jaune."

The girl looked around for a second before grabbing my hand. "Ruby." I lifted her to her feet as she giggled. "Aren't you the guy who threw up on the ship?" I just smiled weakly at that. So much for first impressions actually.

It wasn't long until we got lost as I tried to explain to her that I just had motion sickness. "I'm serious about it; it's a real problem of mine."

"Ok ok." Ruby said giggling. "I'm sorry for calling you Vomit Boy back there alright?" I smiled as she turned to me, her hair flowing in the slight breeze, the red tips really visible in that moment.

I thought for a second in that moment to think of a comeback. "What if I called you Crater Face then?"

I saw Ruby blush for a moment in embarrassment, man her cheeks turned as red as her name. "Hey; that was an accident!" She squeaked out loud.

I gave a soft laugh. "I already told you my name is Jaune. Jaune Arc's the name, I hear the ladies love it." I tried to flirt but Ruby wasn't showing interest in it.

"Do they really?" she asked skeptically; however I noticed she was smirking and giving a soft smile.

That broke my ego within seconds as I frowned. "No…" I answered. "But my mom says they'll love it… But I see you don't."

"I just didn't expect that is all." Ruby said laughing. I noticed Ruby's smile fade after she giggled at that moment; I didn't know until later but Yang had told me after the fall that she and Ruby had lost their mom at a young age on mission. "So... I got this thing!" She quickly yelled as she turned and grabbed her weapon; converting it to its fullest form: a red scythe.

"Whoa!" I yelled in reply, that's a big weapon. "Is that a scythe?!"

That caught Ruby's attention real fast, her smile beamed! "It's also a customizable high-impact sniper rifle!" She happily replied.

"A wha?" I tried to reply. I should of known that those words meant it's a gun but I was such a dumbass in that moment, I still don't know why.

"It's also a gun." Ruby said as she cocked the gun.

"Oh!" I quickly replied. "That's cool!"

It honestly long after that; that we realized we were lost just wandering the grounds of Beacon together. Ruby actually dragged me over to meet her sister that day before we met Weiss and then listened to Ozpin's speech. Man that really feels like years ago; that's how much the world's changed in a year or so….

I open my eyes again to see I'm back at Haven; I get up as I realize I need to be here for this person. As I got up to her my eyes could barely keep open as I kneeled down to her as the spear slowly turned to a golden dust and faded away. My eyes widened as I saw a symbol on her upper chest; a silver rose held together her cloak, it's markings similar to the one I remembered from Ruby's belt back at Beacon. I turn back to see nestled underneath her cloak was a weapon I remember quite well; Crescent Rose. I couldn't believe it; there falling down in my arms was a girl I had told myself time and time again that I would never be able to see again. Ruby Rose. I turn to the others and without hesitation picked up Ruby and like a bullet, dash for a safer spot in the room to rest her. I can not let her die; not here just when we just got her back!

I turn to see Ren has arrived as my backup and is checking on her while I try to stop the wound from bleeding any more. "Ren." I say as I'm pumping my hands down onto Ruby's body trying to keep her heart beating Ren had joined me in holding onto her. "Speak to me, please." I say trying not to full on burst into tears as I turn to him as he's checking her pulse.

"Jaune…" Ren's words tremble as he says them. "This is bad… I can clearly see she's lost part of her ribcage." Ren slowly answers as another tear falls onto Ruby's arm.

"Nooo noo noo!" I scream as I pound my arm once more on Ruby's chest. "Come on Ruby; not like this! I've already lost you once!"

I bite my lower lip a little as I hear Ren whisper "We're gonna need a miracle. A spark of hope to defeat Cinder's goons." 'I couldn't agree more.' I think to myself as I keep trying everything I can that was taught to me and Ruby in leader class I know if I was in her spot she would do this for me.

"Jaune." Ren's voice breaks me out of my thoughts and nod but make no contact as I stare still into Ruby's hole. "She's hardly breathing… I…. don't know if we can do anything." He finally says looking down at Ruby's arm.

"No, we have to try Ren." I say as I look down to Ruby's face to see she's still breathing. "I can not lose Ruby again, not like this when I have a chance to save her like she tried to save Pyrrha. She sacrificed herself to save Pyrrha now I'm gonna do all I can to save her." I say as I slowly lay my head down onto Ruby's chest, one hand directly over her wound, one on top of her heart. I slowly feel as if the world's opening itself to me and I feel a very tight tug on my soul as if it's wanting to go somewhere but I refuse to let me leave Ruby's side. Right now Ruby is what matters to me; not myself, as I feel another tug. I don't open my eyes to even look at what's happening. A soft shimmering sound is heard as I rest there; trying to hear for myself Ruby's heart beating. It's slow but the rhythm is still beating a soft pattern.

"Ruby!" I hear Weiss scream as I hear her shoes run up. "Is she-?"

"She's stabilizing." I hear Ren say out loud. 'What a relief.' I think to myself as I hear those words. "Whatever's happening to her is healing her." Sure enough I stop focusing on them to hear Ruby's heart is beating like a drum.

"Jaune?" I hear. Nora's voice has entered my head as I lift up to see her standing next to me.

"Yes?" I reply as I open my eyes to see Ruby is recovering. I smile weakly at Nora as my hands keep the rhythm of Ruby's soul channeling into me. It's peaceful. "Whats…-" I look down to see Ruby's glowing a white aura. "Am I doing this?" Nora nods at me and I smile. "Wow…"

Nora smiles. "Hey; at least this is your semblance!"

'What?!" I think to myself as I look down and then back up to her. "My semblance?" I croak out, unsure if that's true.

Nora nods and smiles before speaking. "How else could you be healing her?"

I shake my head, this isn't healing. "But I'm not… it's more like I'm using my aura to recharge hers." Yeah… that really explains that tugging I'm feeling; it's my semblance using my aura to recharge hers! That's amazing!

I see Nora gasp at those words. "Wait then? Jaune!"

I turn to Nora with a confused look. "What's wrong Nora?"

"Aren't you worried about running out?" Nora's words hit me and even jog my memory of Pyrrha telling me about Aura.

I just smile at those words and at that memory. "Once Pyrrha told me that she felt that I had a huge well of potential aura stored. I trust her judgement still, and I will gladly spend all of my aura on Ruby if it saves her life." We both hear a loud boom as Ren is flown across the room. "Go! I'll protect Ruby!" I scream to Nora who grabs her weapon and bolts for it.

I look to see Ruby's breathing as her hand moves slightly and it hits the floor. I slowly start to hear metal boots coming closer to us. I frown to see Mercury trying to get to us. "No! You're not attacking her!" I shout getting ready to get up when my hand feels Ruby's heart skip a beat and then within a moment Mercury was on the floor as if something hit him. I turn to see Ruby's left eye open a little before closing again. A soft smile formed on her face as I saw her other hand grab my hand that was on her chest still. "Ruby; take a nice rest; you're going to be fine. You took a very heavy hit." I say to her. I feel her heart skip another beat in that moment but shrug it off. I look up to hear the sounds of the other battle and the sound of sirens. 'Are the police here?" I think as I see the lights of a ship floating past. I look out at everyone fighting, we're winning. I smile as Ruby's grasp on my hand tightens. It's warm. Even though we haven't seen each other in months it feels like our bonds haven't changed at all. I look up to see Mercury getting up.

"That was a funny glitch." he says turning to me. "I'll make sure you two will pay-" A grenade lands at his feet and explodes. I turn and just smile at Nora who turns back to Hazel.

I feel Ruby's hand tighten again and then in a flash I hear from across the floor. "Checkmate!" I look at Ruby who weakens her tight grip on my hand but is still firmly holding it. I hear the sounds of the elevator awaken as Yang comes up with the relic in her hand. A second passes until Emerald casts something on all of us, a horrible Grimm looking woman. Ruby's grip is tighter than before now, I know she's having the illusion in her sleep as well. I smile as the police finally barge in through the hole as Hazel busts through them carrying Emerald and Mercury away.

They turn to me and Ruby before calling on their radio. I can't hear what they're saying but within seconds I see them start to all move out of the way for two dudes bringing in a stretcher. I just smile and slowly have to let go of her hand. My mind's racing as it happens. I feel myself starting to cry as my hand slips away from hers. "Ruby!" I scream as the ship takes off towards the hospital. I turn back to feeling a hand on my shoulder. I turn to see Ren standing next to me using his own semblance on me.

"Come on; you heard them right? Ruby's being taken to the hospital." Ren says as I stop crying and stare back at the ship leaving.

I turn to dash as I hear the voices of my friends behind me yelling for me. I need to be with Ruby. I failed Pyrrha by letting her shove me into that locker. I'm not gonna fail Ruby. Not today. Never again. I quickly slide right into the Faunus army; ploughing them away as if they were nothing. I look around now. I'm standing at the top of one of the cliffs and there across a large bridge was the air ship already landing at the top of a large building that stretched multiple layers of the city. I make my way across until I stop when a bird hits me knocking me down. I blink and there standing is Qrow. "Kiddo; what the hell are you thinking."

I look at him and start walking again. "Leave me alone Qrow" I whisper in the nightly air. The gusts of wind rap around me as I make my way closer to the building. I weave through crowds of people trying to make their way to Haven after feeling the Earthquakes and the concerned until I see the signs for the Hospital entrance.

I slowly enter the building trying to get back to Ruby. I can't leave her side. No sooner as I do that; Qrow enters right behind me. "Hold on kiddo!" he yells.

"No I need to make sure Ruby's ok!" I shout back as I get to the desk.

Qrow walks up and sighs, it looks like he's pissed at me but refuses to yell. "We're here for Ms. Rose; she was just airlifted from Haven."

The guy at the desk just looks at his computer. "What's her first name."

Qrow looks at him. "Ruby, Ruby Rose."

"I'll see what I can do for you guys. I assume you're her father?" the man asks of Qrow.

Qrow nods. "I'm one of her guardians. Qrow Branwen is my name." The man nods. "Just have a seat you two. I'll call for one of you when she is able to be seen." Qrow turns to me. "Listen Jaune; I know you're feeling bad for what happened to Ruby; but you leaving like that isn't right either. Now tell them I gotta be right back, I have to go back to everyone else." Qrow finishes and without a second more rushes out of the building towards Haven.

"Right." the man says to me. "Well; she's stable; a medic got to her at Haven it seems; she's going to be put into a room shortly. Tell me your name young man."

"Jaune Arc; I was that medic actually." I reply smiling, hoping to see Ruby again. Every second without her is like an hour. I look at the clock and see it's slowly ticking. I look back to see the man gone. Ruby's gotta be fine; I know she will be. She's been through worse; like that time we fought the Nevermore, Petra Gigas and the Deathstalker all at once at Initiation.

"Mr. Arc?" A voice asks, breaking me out of my thoughts. I turn to see a doctor standing by the Emergency doors. "You said you were the medic that saved our latest patient?" I nod at that as they speak again. "Then come on; I'll take you to her room. There's one or two questions I have to ask of you." I smile as we get to the room. I see her just sound asleep; machines surrounding the hole in her rib. "Do you know what stabbed her?" the doctor asks. "There's no-"

I reply cutting him off. "There was a fight, she got caught in the crossfire, someone threw a spear and it went right through her." 'Ruby's injuries are my fault' I say to myself as the doctor just looks at me.

"Did someone pull the spear out?"

I start to sweat. "Well… No; it kinda turned to dust?" I answer feeling nervous.

"Damn Huntsmen and their crazy weaponry….Well… she's broken a few ribs in multiple places. Even with her aura she's gonna be here a long time. You did the right thing and protected her, her wound's healing but it'll take time." The doctor smiles at me. "You're welcome to stay here, she's not going to be moved for a few hours until we can guarantee her vitals are back to normal. I'll ask the front desk to relay that you're here with her."

I smile back at him with a huge grin. "Thank you!" I say happily as I rush to the other side of Ruby. 'I'm here now. Safety within arms reach of Ruby.' I thought to myself as I sat down in a chair next to Ruby's bed. I just watch as Qrow and the others arrive with the doctor to see me just watching her, my hand on her arm giving her more aura.

"Kiddo, it's in the reports; everyone knows that we saved Haven." Qrow says; I'm not sure if he means it to me or Ruby who is sleeping still. "They're asking if we want to take a photo for the news networks so they can have a group photo for the broadcasts, actually."

I shake my head. "I'm not leaving Ruby's side."

"Jaune…" said Nora.

"Not again." I say, a tear already falling from my left watery eye. "I already lost her and Pyrrha at the Fall; I can't risk losing her again."

Qrow sighs as he looks directly at me. "Kiddo-Jaune, we all lost Ruby, everyone did; we're all in the same boat as you.-"

Yang interrupts him, I notice for once she too is smiling. Ruby must have this effect on everyone. "Why don't we have the photo in here? Surely there's enough room if it's just us?" I take a moment to see just how many people were now in the room; everyone including Blake and Sun were standing around me and Ruby.

"Look-" Qrow starts before a taller faunus interrupts him.

"Yang is right; Ruby here is as part of the group as you or I. I'll go ask if the photo can be taken in here. I'm sure we can all squeeze in one photo if we layer ourselves." The Faunus says smiling towards me as he leaves the room. Soon enough we were all getting ready for the photo. I get up and join everyone in the photo as a woman in a golden cloak. I smile as I stand next to Ruby who is asleep still.

Everyone slowly exits leaving me in the room alone with Ruby. I look over at her heartbeat monitor and watch it's rhythm; it's unchanged from when I felt it earlier. I sigh and look around to see the city skyline looming around us. Life used to be so simple a few months back; we were just hunters and huntresses in training at Beacon; to this…. No one asked for this. The Festival feels like a thousand years ago now. I close my eyes as I fall asleep on the edge of Ruby's bed. I wake up to the feeling of my hair being ruffled. I look up to see Ruby's left arm going through my hair while her right arm is feeling the machine. Gods; her silver eyes are shining in the morning sunshine.. "Hey Vomit Boy." she whispers towards me. "Ow." She says as she looks down to her wound. "How did this even happen?"

I look up to her and try to smile. How do I tell her everything? There's just so much that's happened since she just vanished at the Fall. I pluck up courage and start to speak."We were fighting Cinder a few hours ago; you teleported in right when she threw a spear aimed for Weiss. You got hit instead and-" I couldn't take it anymore I just fall onto her, pulling her into a hug. "I missed you Ruby, we all did. Oh Crater Face….I missed you a lot; I-" I stop as her hand rubs down my back. I look to see Ruby just smiling down at me.

"It seems like you need some more rest yourself Jaune." She says with a smile. A smile I haven't seen in almost a year no less. She tries to get up and manages to after I help her up. "Thanks." she says. "Thanks. Now; you should either get a breath of fresh air and get Qrow to come here, although… I do wanna hear your adventures and why you're with my Uncle; Vomit Boy." She says in a teasing like voice; I look down at my scroll and text Qrow as I put it down I just lay back down in the chair waiting for everyone to return. I just smile back at Ruby who is equally smiling at me. Is this what peace really feels like?

It used to feel like a fairy tale, as if our world was just pretending. We planned to fix our world and have our own happy endings. It turned out life wasn't a bedtime story; more of a tragedy then with no heroic reveal. We were not prepared for the game of life that isn't fair. I thought about going home, but chose to follow through even when all hope was gone; because we're all doing what we believe is right, as it's the only thing to do. Let's just live.