Weiss sighed deeply as she heard the plan from Jaune. It wasn't as if she didn't trust him or her team, it just… worried her. She was practically being used as live bait after all. No, a distraction.

She frowned at the thought. Using her name as a free pass to go anywhere. She knew that her team didn't think of her like that, but it still hurt to think of it. Was that the only use she was to them? She shook her head as she packed the essentials that she needed for the plan and got ready for bed.

In a few days, when the storm clears, their plan would be put into action, and she trusted Ruby one-hundred percent. She only hoped that she would be able to sleep well to assist her as best she could.

Weiss made her way onto the airship and looked at her large suitcase. Maria was being oddly quiet. Wasn't she just complaining a few seconds ago about the guards? The ex-heiress tapped the case to make sure that she was alright, and grew more concerned when it was still silent. Once the doors were closed and she was sure that they were alone, she opened the case to peek inside.

Her eyes widened when Maria wasn't there, and just her regular spare clothes and dust case replaced where the old woman would've been.

"Ruby!" Weiss contacted her partner. "There's something wrong! Maria isn't in the suitcase!"

"It's fine. There's simply been a slight change in plans." Weiss frowned at the unnatural coldness in Ruby's voice. What happened to the warmth she was used to hearing?

"R-Ruby…?"

"Weiss. We don't need you. With how much weight the Schnee name carries, we thought that we could use that to our advantage in Atlas. But that's not the case. Your father would do everything he could to stop us from doing anything at all, so we're giving you back to him. You've finally fulfilled your promise to me. You're the best trade that we could have."

"R-Ruby… please…" Weiss couldn't believe what she was hearing. What happened to the promise she made? About how Team RWBY wouldn't leave her side? Was that a lie after all?

"Don't worry. As long as you're back by my side and listen, I won't do anything to them." Another voice spoke as Weiss felt her blood run cold.

"...Father?" How could he be here?!

"You have been nothing but an embarrassment to the family, young lady. Not only did you run away from home, but you have the gall to come crawling back even after I had disinherit you. I would love nothing more than to ignore whatever it is you do, but you are still my daughter, and everything you do will do nothing but bring shame to the family name. You have never done anything useful in your life, now have you?" He sneered.

Weiss stayed quiet, unsure of what to say or do anymore. The plan was to have Weiss sneak onto the airship with Maria, but with the older woman gone and her contact with her team lost... What could she do?

"I'll see that you'll be properly treated at home, once you've arrived."

Weiss shook with fear. That could only mean one thing, and she didn't want to go back. She turned towards the door and only saw that she was trapped. No doors. No windows.

"N-No…! No!"

"No!" Weiss jolted awake and gasped for breath. She looked around the room and sighed in relief when she realized it was only a dream. She shakily got out of the bed and walked towards the bathroom to wash her face.

Since when was she this pathetic? Almost always needing her team's company to not feel lonely? Tears started to form within her eyes as she thought of how lost and lonely she would be without them.

"Stop." Weiss berated herself as she slapped her cheeks and stared at her pathetic self in the mirror. "A Schnee doesn't cry or feel lonely. What you're feeling is useless." She grabbed the edge of the sink and controlled her breathing, reciting what she'd taught herself over the years as she grew up. "Conceal. Don't feel. This pain will pass. Just like everything else. What you feel is nothing. Ruby promised. She never breaks her promise to her friends."

As she managed to keep her breathing under control, she slowly moved out of the bathroom and looked outside the window. It was dark, but she could hear the sounds of the rain pouring outside. Thinking about it now, she was alone, and this would be a good chance to let it all out.

Quickly leaving the room and making sure that no one spotted her, she made her way outside and gave a small smile, feeling the pouring rain upon her skin.

Weiss aimlessly walked around the city and looked up at the sky, allowing the water to hit her face. She closed her eyes and thought about letting go.

There had to be a reason why she dreamt that she was alone on the mission. There was no way that Ruby would allow her to get on that airship alone. She promised, after all. Promised that Team RWBY won't leave her side for a second.

She started to laugh at herself when she realized how much she depended on them for warmth.

The warmth of friendship.

Tears fell from her eyes when she thought how easily she could lose that, and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Stop it…! She promised! No matter how many times I broke my promise to her, she never once did with me." Weiss told herself that and stumbled towards a building wall, leaning onto it.

What if she tosses her aside like her father? Like her family? What will she have left?

The ex-heiress slid down the wall as she silently sobbed. Just thinking about her team, about Ruby casting her aside like her family, like her father, terrified her. She knew that it would never happen, but the thought and nightmare terrified her.

"I'm pathetic… She deserves better than me…"

"Weiss?"

Weiss snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Ruby out of breath and kneeling next to her.

"A-Are you ok?" Ruby looked over her partner, relieved that she'd found her, but worried about why she was crying.

"Ru...by…?" Weiss blinked the tears out of her eyes and was about to get up, but Ruby wrapped her arms and cloak around her. "W-What are you doing, you dolt?"

"Warming you up." Ruby mumbled into her hair, holding onto her closer. Thank Oum, I finally found you. "Let's get out of the rain. We're gonna catch a cold."

"Right…" Weiss slowly moved with Ruby towards an overhang and shivered as she sat next to her partner.

Ruby had an arm wrapped around Weiss to keep her warm and held onto her closely. She looked at the ex-heiress and noticed the dark bags under her eyes.

Just how tired was she? Is there something bothering her? Is it the plan? She seemed bothered by it when we came up with it. I don't want her to think that we're just handing her over to the military. I don't want to lose her, after all...

"Weiss…" The young leader started. "I…" She bit her lip and looked at Weiss. "I really care about you and I'm thankful that you're here. Don't forget that, ok?"

Weiss blinked at the sudden confession and raised a brow. "What brought that on?"

"I think it started as a small crush. Nothing too big when you saved me from that Deathstalker and said that I was doing fine. You made me feel normal, like I wanted to be, and I didn't have to tell you about it. It scared me when you were annoyed that I was the leader, but then you gave me coffee that day, and made a promise to me that you'd be the best teammate that I've ever had. You really did keep your promise of trying to be nicer, too. You helped me study, and made sure that I didn't fall too behind, even though I made it difficult for you because I couldn't pay attention." Ruby chuckled nervously as she looked ahead, scratching the back of her head sheepishly as she continued. "You always went with my stupid plans, no matter how crazy they were. You were always there to back me up. Then… before we were separated, you told me that I could do this. It made me believe that I could do anything. Weiss… if you don't believe in me, I… I don't think that I can do anything anymore."

"Ruby…?" Weiss was confused. "Where are you going with this..?"

"Well… don't you see? You're my reason for going on. The source of my strength. I'm scared… I'm so scared without you." The young leader gave her a small smile and nervously placed a hand onto Weiss's cheek. "So please… don't think for a second that you're useless and unwanted… I need you just as much as you need me…"

"Ruby…" Weiss was surprised to hear this coming from her partner, and the trembling of her hands truly showed her how much she meant each and every single word. "Thank you…" She sighed a she leaned onto her hand.

"Come on, we're gonna catch a cold like this." Ruby started to stand and helped her partner up.

They slowly made their way back towards the Cotta-Arc house in comfortable silence and Ruby stopped walking for a moment just before they arrived at the house.

"Ruby?" Weiss was confused and wondered if something was wrong.

"Hey, Weiss." Ruby grinned at her partner.

"What is it, Ruby?" The ex-heiress raised a brow, unsure of what her partner wanted.

"Do you trust me?"

Weiss blinked at the question, wondering why she was suddenly asking that. "Of course I do. Why would you ask such a foolish question?"

"Just trust me, ok?" Ruby took both of Weiss's hands and used them to cover her ears.

"Ruby? What are you doing, you dolt?" Weiss was confused. Why was Ruby using her hands to cover her ears like this?

"Mmm… yep. I can hear it. You don't have ice in your veins. You're a really warm person that cares about me very much!" Ruby grinned.

Weiss blushed madly and pinched Ruby's cheeks. "W-What are you talking about, you dolt?!"

"Aww aww! Ice…! Awr urtin' eh!" Ruby took Weiss's hands off her cheeks and rubbed them. "Ow! You don't have to be embarrassed, princess!" She pouted. "And it was something that a friend of mine did before. Whenever she was questioning herself and life, she would cover her ears and stay quiet for a while. I asked her why she did that and she explained why." She frowned a bit but looked at Weiss. "She told me that she was listening to her blood flowing through her veins. To remind her that she is a real person. It sounds dumb, but it's always the little things that help." The young leader smiled at Weiss.

Weiss frowned at the explanation but looked at her own hands, closing her eyes as she covered her ears. It was faint, but she heard a low, rumbling sound. Was that the sound of her blood flowing within her veins like Ruby said? She didn't have ice in her veins like everyone thought?

"I love you, Weiss. Don't ever forget or doubt that, ok?" Ruby blushed as she said that and kissed Weiss on the cheek.

"D-Dolt." Weiss blushed and glanced around before grabbing Ruby's cloak and gently pulled her in for a more proper, firmer kiss on the lips. "B-But I won't. I love you too and… thank you."

A/N: A little drabble I wrote for a fanbook. Hoped that y'all enjoyed~ Happy Birthday, Ruby!