Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been encouraging and supportive of this story thus far! I'm really enjoying writing this and I really hope that at least a few of you are enjoying reading it as well! As always, any and all reviews would be loved!

Special thanks to:

Camo and D3 for being proofreaders and awesome friends~

Jenna for proofreading as well and giving me new ideas even though she isn't aware of it!

Aravitz for being supportive and also giving some interesting insight.

Articuno2011 for being supportive and putting up with long chats about stuff.

Yol'Do Vokun for leaving a review and allowing me to better my writing (hopefully).

Waking with a start, I blink a few times to clear the haze of sleep from my eyes. As they adjust to the light, I began to take in the surroundings. Monochrome paint plastered the walls, tan curtains covered the windows, and an IV was attached into my arm leading up into a drip with a heart monitor not to far from my plain bed.

Why am I in a hospital? Ugh...my head is pounding. Perhaps I should ring for a nurse to come and explain things?

Turning my head, I spy a red button on the side of the bed with the words "CALL FOR AID" engraved above it. Instead of reaching for the button, my eyes fixate on the color.

Red.

A small gasp catches in my throat as the realization of the situation dawns on me.

Ruby! She...she was hurt...if I'm here...where is she?

Thoughts racing through my head, I yank the IV out of my arm and quickly scramble out of my bed. Too quickly, it would seem, as a wave of nausea crashes over me and I slump to the ground with tears staining my face. The door slams open as a nurse bursts into the room, worry and concern evident on her face.

"Miss Schnee, are you all right? Here, let me help you back into your bed." The sweet yet stern voice left no room for argument as she immediately grabbed my arms and gently lifted me from the ground. "You've been through an ordeal dear, just rest for a little while longer."

"W..wait! Where am I? Where is Ruby? Is she being treated?" With my voice faltering slightly, I manage to squeeze out the words that have been caught in my throat.

Frowning slightly, the nurse begins to answer my questions with the same sweet voice as before, "You are currently in the hospital wing located within Beacon. You and your partner's aura signals went down around three hours ago, so we sent in team JNPR to investigate what happened. They found you passed out and brought you back immediately."

A wave of relief flushed throughout my body as the nurse guided me back onto the bed. "I see. I will have to express my thanks to them." Collecting myself, I mumbled these few words to no one in particular. Shaking my head, I turned to face the nurse, "Thank you, how is Ruby doing? I remember her being hurt."

A dark expression fell over the nurse's face and she refused to make eye contact. Feeling as though chains had grappled onto my heart, understanding hit me.

She said that JNPR had brought me back...she didn't mention anything about Ruby being okay. Though she could simply be in critical condition!

Grasping onto the one hope that I had, I reach out for the nurse and turn her to face me. "Please tell me, where is Ruby?" Contrary to the intense whirlwind of emotion threatening to burst out of my body, my voice was perfectly level and concise.

The nurse never got to answer her, for in that instant the door was thrown open with enough force that it was torn free of its hinges. Standing in the doorway was her teammate Yang; and she looked pissed. Her normally violet eyes had turned crimson whilst wisps of fire sparked around her body. Her hair seemed to burn in a brilliant radiance. Turning to look me directly in my eyes, I could see tears pouring freely and uncontrollably from the blonde.

In the next instant, Yang had charged into the room and grabbed the front of my hospital gown and raised me into the air before slamming me into the wall. Pain erupted through my back, causing a low whimper to escape from my lips before Yang began shouting.

"YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU LET HAPPEN, SCHNEE! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO WATCH OUT FOR HER!" Pure anger seeped from Yang as she shouted with all her heart.

"I...I tried to help her... There was nothing I could do after she got hit by the fire." Tears began to flow freely through my eyes as well as I sobbed an excuse to Yang. Dread and despair gripped at my heart as I recalled holding Ruby's disfigured form before blacking out myself.

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT SHIT! YOU WERE THERE! YOU COULD HAVE PROTECTED HER!" Yang shouted as she raised her free arm and threw it into the wall next to my face. Ember Celica quickly blowing a hole through the monochrome paint.

"I..I tried my best! We...we got split up-" I began to explain, before Yang let loose another howl of anger and dropped me onto the floor. Staring down at me with such intense pain and loss, she drew back her first once more, aiming directly at me this time.

The nurse rushed forward, apparently getting over the shock of Yang bursting in, and grabbed Yang from behind. "Miss Xiao Long! This is a hospital and I will not have you treating a patient like this! I have called for the Headmaster and he is on his way here as we speak!"

Turning to glare at the nurse, Yang lowered her arm and slumped to the ground next to me and began to cry into her arms. All traces of anger towards Weiss were all but gone. "I..I'm sorry, Weiss... I just..I failed her. I swore to always be there for her and I lied. I couldn't protect her!" Sobbing, Yang turned to face me, her eyes having shifted back into her usual gentle violet. "W..what am I supposed to do now? She was my world."

I'm so sorry Yang. I couldn't protect her either.

Reaching out I lightly pat her shoulder as we sob together on the ruined floor.

A few minutes later Professor Ozpin entered the room and looked down on us with a sad smile. "Well well, it seems you two have reconciled." He bent down to be on our level as he bowed his head to us, "I just want you both to know that I take full blame for what has happened. We had received faulty intelligence about the Beowolves. Due to my mistake, we have lost someone irreplaceable. Now, I know you are both grieving, but I need to ask something difficult of you. I need you...to identify the body for the coroner's report." He said the last sentence in almost a whisper. The slight hesitation showed that he knew he was asking for something very difficult for the two girls.

Identify the body...what a cruel reminder to what I let happen. Yang was right, this is all my fault. Ozpin had no way of knowing all the factors. He wasn't the one who was unable to save Ruby. It was all me. So it is my duty to see this travesty through to the end.

Yang and I slowly rose, using each other for support as we nodded our assent.

"Thank you girls. I deplore myself for having to ask this of you now of all times. Now, follow me then." Ozpin turned on his heel and began to lead them out of the room, and into the basement of the hospital wing.

The morgue was a quiet place. Everything was made out of stainless steel, giving the air a cold, almost overbearing feeling.

The quicker we finish up here the better...I don't like this atmosphere.

Shivering slightly, I turn to look at Yang, seeing that her face appeared equally disturbed by the air in this place. A noise from Ozpin pulling a white sheet across a silver gurney made my heart stop. Laying there, naked upon the stainless steel, was the lifeless figure of Ruby Rose. A choked sob caught in my throat as I fought to look away, but my body wouldn't listen to the pleas of my mind.

Here she is. Dead. Gone. Never again will she annoy me, or get in my way. Yet I only want to cry at that fact. Did I ever truly hate those irksome traits of hers...?

Advancing forward with Yang, we gazed upon her form. Yang stood there in stunned silence, soaking the image in. Like me, she seemed lost for words. Ruby's body was pale white with no flaws upon the young girls body. The only mark marring her smooth features was the raw pink of the severed section of her torso.

Clearing his throat, Ozpin began to speak, "As you can see, she suffered only one wound. The shock wave from being sliced in half killed her immediately, so she felt no pain during the course of the fight. So that is at least good to know. Can you both now identify the body? Then we can leave and go up to my office for some coffee to talk about the future." His voice was clear and casual as he spoke, though I could tell that he was pushing himself for our sake.

Wait...no other marks? That's impossible! She got hit by my light salvo full on in the chest. While it wouldn't cause lasting damage, there should definitely be at least a bruise! I have to check..

Moving forward, I placed my hands on Ruby's smooth belly and applied some of my aura to examine the tissue. Sure enough, there was no trace of damage.

If there is no damage...did I not hit her? No. I surely scored a hit, that's what allowed her to be sliced from behind. Then why is there no damage...?

Turning around, I looked Professor Ozpin full in the eyes. "Professor...there is something wrong with this. Ruby got hit in the chest by one of my attacks during the fight, but there is no such indication on this body." Hesitantly at first, I quickly summed up what had happened in the fight as Ozpin and Yang listened to me with their utmost concentration.

"I see. Well, that certainly is a conundrum. I can only draw one conclusion from this..." Ozpin trailed off with his voice dropping to a low whisper as he observed his shoes with an apparent fascination.

Yang moved forward and asked the question on both of our minds, "...and what conclusion would that be..?" Hope bled through her words as she waited for the reply from the strange headmaster.

Looking up from his shoes, a twinkle had appeared in his eyes and a small smile broke his usual demeanor. "I'm saying that this body is not Miss Rose, which means that she could still be alive." As he spoke these words the chains around my heart faltered slightly as hope rained down on me.

She could still be alive! We can save her!

Sparks flew in front of my face as Yang lit up, literally, with joy. "Well what are we waiting for!? We have to find her!" The enthusiasm in her voice was was evident, as well as the meaning behind her words. She had lost Ruby once already. She would NOT lose her again.

Ozpin nodded and gestured towards the door. "Would you go and fetch Miss Belladonna and then meet in my office afterward? I shall be waiting to discuss what needs to be done."