Ruby could count on all of her fingers how many times she's done something stupid and reckless. Okay, maybe on her toes as well, but that wasn't the point—the point was that she rarely did something as insane as stealing her uncle's car, breaking into a billionaire's mansion, and kidnapping his daughter in the most dramatic fashion, ever. She could feel the sweat from her clammy hands beginning to loosen her grasp on the steering wheel. Her stomach was in an absolute Eagle Scout level of knots, and she pressed her right hand onto the red pouch of her sweatshirt. Weiss reached out, grabbing that sweaty hand and pulling it onto her own lap.

"Sorry," Ruby said. "My hands are really clammy."

"It's okay." She gave it a squeeze.

There was a pause.

"So, uh, what were you up to for the past two weeks?" Ruby asked. "It feels like I haven't seen you in years. One year for each day, I guess! I, like, didn't do much, I just," Ruby wiggled her fingers against the steering wheel, "plotted. And then I played a lot of Hunters of Vale—but it isn't as fun without you. Also, Jaune's the worst class to play with and he's been in England visiting family or something, too, so yeah, I've been really lonely and I've missed you so much. I've messaged your phone but you didn't respond, so I thought you hated me, so honestly me coming to you was, well, it could have easily gone so wrong, but uh—"

"Ruby."

"Rambling. Sorry."

"No," Weiss started. "I missed it. Your rambling. I was really lonely, too."

Ruby smiled, keeping her eyes on the road in front of her.

"And I didn't do anything. Well, except study. My father took my phone and computer. He didn't even let me leave my fucking bedroom."

"Jeez, Weiss," Ruby breathed.

"'Jeez,' indeed."

"Can I say something? And you can't get mad at me."

"Okay, go."

"Your dad's a huge dick."

Taken by surprise, Weiss let out a loud laugh, placing a dainty hand over her mouth. In the flickering of street lights, Ruby could see a small smile on her lips. "Yeah, he really is."

"Did he ever treat your sister like how he treats you? Didn't you say she was in Germany or something?"

"She is. And no, not at all." Weiss paused. She lowered her hand and began wringing her fingers together.

Ruby opened her mouth to apologize for pressing into what seemed to be an open wound, but Weiss started again.

"He never really had to worry about Winter. She got out of the house before my mom died and things became considerably worse. She's a lot older than me, I don't think I ever told you that. Almost 10 years. I was angry for a while, that she was free to move to Germany and become some lawyer and I was stuck being the heiress to a company I didn't even understand. He felt like he didn't need to watch over her. In his eyes she had her shit together—she was perfect. She wouldn't do anything to fuck up our family name. She's even engaged to the son of one of Schnee Corp's biggest shareholders." There was a pause. "But me? Well, I am his perfect daughter, too. Or at least he tried to make me his perfect daughter. Not perfect enough, I guess. Did you know nearly 70% of Schnee Corp's shareholders are organizations that have knowingly and willingly funneled millions upon millions of dollars into anti-LGBT groups? I would not be surprised if some of the very people my father has forced me to suffer through dinner with were there in Congress fighting against legalizing same-sex marriage through the pockets of US politicians."

"Oh, Weiss," Ruby whispered.

"Me being gay was just something we didn't talk about. Well. We talked about it once. I told him, really, and I have this lovely scar to remind me why that was a bad idea every single day."

She was quiet then. Ruby was, too. She grabbed Weiss's hand again, holding tight and saying nothing. What was there to say? What could change this shitty story aside from a swift punch to Weiss's father's jaw?

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Weiss," Ruby said, squeezing her girlfriend's hand even harder. Weiss squeezed back. "I will never let you go back there. Ever."

Weiss smiled, thin and tight. "Thank you, Ruby."

They were silent then, but comfortably so, knowing that they were moving directly away from their greatest issue. And then Ruby's cell phone rang. Weiss's eyes flickered down to the screen that hummed loudly within the cupholder. It seemed out of place in the comfortable silence that had enveloped them.

"Who is it?"

"It's Yang," Weiss said.

"Shit."

Ruby contemplated ignoring the call, but maybe that would be too suspicious. It buzzed a few more times, before she held out her hand. "Hand me the phone please—" Ruby pressed the button— "Hey, Yang! How's it going?" Was that too cheery for fifteen minutes past 12 am?

"Oh, not too bad. Just ordered some Chinese food, cleaned the kitchen a little bit. Got out of work early, too. Ya know. The usual."

"Wow, sounds like a lot of fun! I'm sure that's delicious."

"Oh, it really is." A pause. "How about you, Ruby? What're you up to?"

"Oh, uh, nothing much. Just hanging out with Jaune. The usual."

"Really."

"Yeah. Big, big raid on Hunters of Vale. You know how it is."
"You're right, Ruby. I do know how it is. Definitely explains your not being here, except Jaune is in England and your laptop is right here with me, no Ruby in sight. Also, definitely explains why Uncle Qrow is here, why he had to fucking walk here, because his lovely truck seems to be missing from his driveway. Oh, let's not forget the fact that I can hear that you're in a car right now. Really, a Hunters of Vale raid just explains away all of this!"

"Yang, I—"

"I get it, Ruby," she snapped, "I really do. You're emo that your princess was caught in her tower, but you could at least, I don't know, fucking tell me that you're off to face the dragon? Maybe just give me a subtle hint? A text even?"

"I couldn't—"

"Oh, no, you couldn't, because Big Bad Yang would have swooped in and stopped you from making a completely idiotic move!"

"Yang, you know that this is something I had to do!"

"Yep, just had to steal a car and sneak out of the house. Where are you now?"

"Why does it matter?"

"It matters because Qrow is five seconds from reporting his car stolen and I am five seconds from reporting my sister stolen."

"Yang, please," Ruby pleaded.

"Don't even start."

"But I never do anything bad!"

"Fuck, Rubes, I did tons of stupid shit when I was your age. I don't care if you do something 'bad,' but why did it have to be stealing our uncle's car and running away? " There was an angry laugh from the other end. "Why couldn't you do something less stupid? Like, I don't know, rob a bank or something? Maybe go to a party for once?"

"Whatever, Yang," Ruby snapped, "I'm sick of you babying me like this. And I'll have you know I have gone to parties!"

"Ruby Rose, you have five seconds to turn around and come home before I call the cops on your dumb ass."

Ruby grimaced, eyes flicking off the road and towards a concerned looking Weiss. Yang was yelling so loud that Weiss could definitely hear both sides of the conversation.

"Yang, for once let me do something that means—"

Blue flashing lights filled the car. Ruby froze. She waited for the cop car to pass them, but it

stuck close behind.

"Yang, it hasn't even been five seconds—did you already call the cops?"

"What? No, not yet!"

"Fuck!" Ruby hung up and tossed the phone onto Weiss's lap. She hit the break, slowing to a stop on the shoulder. Other cars whizzed by in the left lane, lights almost as blinding as the cop car behind them. "Weiss, do you think your dad called the cops?"

"Fuck, I don't know—maybe? We did kind of make a show of running away and I wouldn't put it past him—"

"Oh shoot! We're done for!" Ruby cried.

There was a knock on the window and a tall, intimidating man in uniform appeared. Ruby swallowed the rock in her throat and felt it fall into her stomach, hot and heavy. She rolled down the window as slowly as was physically possible for an automated window.

"Good evening, ladies. Do you know why I pulled you over tonight?"

"Uh, n-no, officer, sir."

Ruby's hands were clammy before, but now both were sticky with sweat and sliding down the steering wheel. Here she was, just barely 17, and she was about to go to jail for kidnapping and she was never going to get out because the girl she decided to kidnap was the daughter of a multi billionaire who probably had more lawyers than bathrooms in his mansion and rich people loved having an absurd number of bathrooms and Yang and her only had one bathroom, which honestly counted for one third of a bathroom because the chain in the toilet's tank always came unlatched and—

"You have a brake light out. The right one. Just wanted to make sure you were aware, and let you know that I will be putting a warning on this vehicle that requires you to have the tail light fixed within the next week or two."

"Oh, okay!" Ruby squeaked. "Yeah, yes, I will be getting that fixed soon, officer, sir."

"Great. I am just going to need to make a record of that—would I be able to see your license and registration, please?"

"Oh," Ruby said. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. "Well, uh, well, I don't have my license on me."

"Alright, ma'am. Would I be able to have your name, please?"

"Yes, it's, uh, Ruby Rose. Ruby as in the gem and Rose as in the flower. And," she leaned across Weiss and reached into the glove compartment to grab the registration.

"Here's the registration, sir. Officer."

"Alright, I'll be back in one moment."

The officer turned around on his heel and walked back to his car. Ruby was as pale as Weiss, if not paler, and her hands were back on the wheel, turning blue.

"Ruby, it'll be okay," Weiss said. "He'll just look your name up in the system."

"He won't find me though."

"What do you mean?"

"Weiss, I don't have my license."

"What? I know that."

"No, like, I don't have my license, as in I don't have my license."

"Oh, shit." Weiss rubbed her temples. "Oh, Ruby, are you fucking kidding me?"

"I wish I was," Ruby groaned. She slammed her head back into the headrest. "What do I do? Drive away?"

"Fuck no, he literally has your registration. Let's not turn a misdemeanor into a fucking felony."

"Should I just explain to him what's going on or something?"

"That's an even worse idea."

"Well, Weiss, what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't have my license either, Ruby. I've never been pulled over either, how am I supposed to know?"

The officer chose that moment to return. He knocked on the window again and again Ruby rolled it down.

"Excuse me, ma'am, you name is not—"

"I don't have my license!"

The officer jumped, just a little.

"I don't have my license and this is my uncle's car and I really don't want to go to jail and please don't let me uncle get in trouble, because he doesn't know I took his car!"

He blinked, slowly. And then he sighed. "Could you please step out of the car, ma'am?"

Ruby thought she could hear Weiss groan, "You fucking dolt."

Ruby always thought this scenario would be the other way around. For example, Yang getting on phone call to beg Ruby to pick her up after a late night fight at the bar. Instead, Ruby used two and a half phone calls to drag an absolutely fuming Yang and half asleep Uncle Qrow to the local police department. The handcuffs were beginning to scratch her wrists, and the cold bars left imprints on her forehead. Both handcuffs and a cell felt like overkill, but hey, Ruby was the criminal here. She didn't have a say. Weiss sat on the outside, hurt leg daintily crossed over the other and fingers twisting the strap of her too full backpack. In a strangely poetic way, this moment kind of reflected their past two weeks. Separated, with one of them in a prison. If they weren't in this shitty scenario, maybe they could've laughed about it. But, as Yang walked in after an hour conversation with the police officers, Ruby knew that then of all times was not the time to make jokes. An officer trailed behind Yang, slowly unlocking the cell door as she, with her arms crossed, burned holes into Ruby's core.

"Hi Weiss," Yang said.

"Hi Yang," Weiss replied.

"Hi Yang," Ruby said.

"You don't get to say hi to me right now."

"Okay, gotcha."

They all silently walked out of the station, Weiss limping, Ruby with her head down, and Yang exchanging a few words with an officer at the front desk. With an envelope tucked under her left arm and this long yellow trench coat that she had found at some second hand shop, Yang looked like she was a detective in some shitty crime show. It wasn't until they actually reached the car that Ruby wondered where Uncle Qrow was and how they were getting home when Yang only had a motorcycle. The car in front of her seemed familiar, and when Ruby slid into the backseat next to Weiss she realized why.

"Oh, hey Blake," Ruby said.

"Hey you two. How's your evening been?" Blake said from the driver's seat. She looked down at the clock that read a quarter past three. "Or morning now, I guess."

"It's been good," Weiss answered before Ruby could shove her own foot in her mouth.

"Great. Glad to hear it."

Blake started the car once everyone was in and buckled. The car pulled out of the lot, heavy and silent with tension. Yang clearly had no intention of saying anything to Ruby while Blake was in the car. So, when the car pulled into their house's driveway after a tense car ride, Ruby piped up from the back seat to say,

"Blake, would you like to come in?"

"No," Yang answered. "She's had a long night. I think it's best if we head our separate ways."

"Babe, I can answer for myself," Blake said. "No, I've had a long night. I'm going home and straight to bed. Good luck in there, though. Yang? Don't make me an accessory to murder, please."

On that note, the three exited the vehicles and slipped into the house single file. It was quiet, too quiet, and Ruby felt like she was walking directly into an ambush. She was ready for the house to be filled with flames and explosions, and who knows what else. Ultimately, Ruby was about to be murdered. If not now by Yang, then within the next 24 hours by Weiss's father's hitmen. They all stood in the kitchen, the lights dim. Yang pulled out a chair for Weiss to sit on, but made no effort to do the same for Ruby. She threw the brown envelope onto the counter and her jacket onto another chair, revealing her loose pajamas that consisted of a tank top and sweatpants. She folded her arms.

"You know what, Ruby?" she began. "I can't even be that mad. The amount of shit I got up to in high school… well, I got into a lot of shit." She paused. "But I thought you knew better. Jesus, you could've just asked me and I would've driven you or something! But stealing Uncle Qrow's car? Really? You are so fucking lucky that he was able to convince them not to charge you with grand theft auto—which, according to them, you admitted to! Trust me, Rubes, that shit isn't as fun in real life as it is in video games." She huffed a deep breath out. "But please, open your envelope. You're going to be dealing with paying this and Qrow's upped insurance rates for the next five years."

Wordlessly, Ruby reached out and ripped open the brown paper. Inside was a ticket and a court date.

"Oh, shit," she said. "Is this for real? 1,000 dollars?"

"Yes, Ruby, it's 'for real,'" Yang said. Her face shifted, eyebrows furrowing and her mouth growing even tighter than before. You drove without a license. You can barely ride a bicycle! It's a wonder you didn't kill anyone! God, it's a wonder you didn't kill yourself and Weiss!"

"Yang," Ruby started. "I am really, really sorry. Like, so extraordinarily sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt anyone. I just, I had to do this, Weiss—"

"God, I know, Ruby."

"Really, Yang. I am so sorry. I should've told you."

"Yes. Yes, you should have." She ran a hand through her hair, which was even wilder than usual. "And honestly? I would've done the same fucking thing." Yang turned towards Weiss. "Your dad sounds like a real fucking dick, no offense."

"Oh, he is. A massive one. None taken."

"Just," Yang began. She raised a hand to her face and rubbed hard between her eyebrows. She looked up and right into Ruby's eyes. "Just, I was so worried about you, Rubes. I get home and my baby sister's just gone? She's not answering her phone and then I get a call from our uncle saying his car's been stolen. Like, c'mon dude? Are you seriously going to put my heart through that? Especially after losing Mom and Dad?" Sudden slow tears slipped down Yang's face, and she wiped them roughly.

And now Ruby was crying. God, she could be so stupid sometimes. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Yang. "Yang, I am so, so sorry."

Hesitantly, Ruby held her arms wide open, and Yang threw herself into them, hugging Ruby so tight that she felt the breath squeezed out of her lungs. They held themselves like that for a long moment, until Yang raised her head from Ruby's shoulder and said,

"Stop watching like this is some emotional peep show and get in here, Ice Queen." Her arm reached out and yanked Weiss up and out of her seat, who stumbled on her hurt foot, and right into the hug. "I've missed you, too."

And now Weiss was crying. Not as messily as Ruby and Yang, but still tears slipped down her cheeks. Ruby wondered when the last time Weiss cried was, or when the last time she had a family hug was, or if she had ever even had one. And, as they hugged in the tiny kitchen, in the dim overhead light right above the table, Ruby decided she never wanted Weiss to go without a family hug ever again.

When they broke apart, everything felt whole again. That was the nice thing about sisters—they never seemed to stay angry for very long. Yang rubbed her snot and tears away, smiling.

"Alright, welp, are either of you hungry? It's a bit late for a midnight snack, but a three-thirty AM snack should be fine. I can whip something up."

"I am starving," Weiss said. "And could I possibly get an ice pack for my foot?"

"I got it," Ruby said, digging into the freezer.

"What happened to it?"

"Well, thanks to your sister I jumped out a window on the second story. And she didn't catch me."

"Hey, I tried!" Ruby wrapped an ice pack in a dish towel and handed it to Weiss.

"Rubes, dude, this is why you need to start going to the gym with me. How else are you going to catch your girlfriend while breaking her out of prison?"

"Oh shut up, Yang," Ruby laughed, giving her sister a light shove. "Speaking of girlfriends, did I hear Blake call you 'babe?'"

Yang made a face. "Yeah, I've been meaning to tell you about that. We're dating. Surprise!"

"I'm shocked."

Yang moved to making something quick for them all to eat, deciding on fried rice with whatever she could scrounge up. They were just clearing their plates when someone knocked on the front door. Hard.

"Is Blake coming back over?"

Yang, already standing as she was piling more rice onto her plate, moved to go open the door. "No, not as far as I know—"

Before her hand could even touch the doorknob, there was another loud knock, and then the door slammed open. Ruby and Weiss both stood up. Ruby didn't need to be at the door to know who was here. She panicked, fumbling with her phone, ready to dial 911—not that they would be able to stop the man from legally collecting his daughter. Then she had a better idea and she started recording.

"Uh, excuse me? Who the fuck are you?" she heard Yang ask.

"Where is she?" a deep voice yelled.

Ruby heard a scuffle, and Weiss froze beside her, and they both watched as Weiss's father shoved past Yang and into the doorway of the kitchen. His white hair was askew and his coat jacket was ruffled. He took a step across the threshold, raising a shaky hand and pointing them at his daughter.

"You," he began, voice crackling with anger, "You are coming with me. Right now."
Ruby grabbed Weiss's arm, her own stomach dropping to the ground. Her mind flashed back to two weeks prior, to Weiss being torn away from the bonfire. She opened her mouth, but Weiss spoke first.

"No."

Her father visibly recoiled. "What?" He took a step closer to the two and Yang moved in behind him.

"Sir, you need to leave my home right fucking now, or I will call the police—"

"Shut up!" The words reverberated about the house. "You," he said again, grabbing the front of Weiss's shirt and yanking her towards him. "You constantly embarrass me. I am sick of this. I am sick of you. You need to grow up and understand that your actions have consequences and that they are not solely your own. They are our company's. You are coming home with me, now."

"No," Weiss repeated in his face. "No, I am not."

Right then he slapped her. Harder than he had knocked on the door. His palm connected on her right cheek, below the scar, leaving it searing red. Ruby gasped, nearly dropping her cellphone. Yang lurched forward, shoving the man away from Weiss and onto the ground, his back hitting the counter. He looked up at the three girls in shock.

"You do not fucking hit her," Yang growled. She stepped forward, but Weiss grabbed her arm. Her other hand was pressed to her cheek. Her blue eyes started right back into her father's.

"You," Weiss started, "have controlled my entire life. You have decided my hobbies. My friends. My studies. You have placed the pressure of an entire company on my shoulders, all while allowing my older sister to decide what she wants, whenever she wants. You have forced me into the 'perfect' mold, shaped me into the 'perfect' daughter, creating what you wanted. You have effectively taken away my childhood. I have spent so much time trying to impress you—no, appease you—trying to make you love me, trying to create a relationship that somewhat resembled a father and daughter." She paused. "Fuck you. Fuck you. I wish I could say I hate you, because that would make things so much easier, but I can't. Thank you for everything, especially these past two weeks, because I've had a lot of time to think, and I've realized that I will never be your daughter. I never was. I was just a means to an end, a method of keeping this goddamn company going and in the Schnee name. I cannot, and will not, return to that prison you call a house with you. Not now. Not ever. Fuck you."

"I—"

"Also, I'm gay. Fuck you," Weiss said. "Fuck you and your stupid fucking shareholders. I am gay, so gay, super duper gay, no matter how much you don't want me to be."

There was a long, long silence. The air was thick, and Ruby could feel her own hands shaking as she propped up her phone. She could see Weiss's hands shaking harder. Weiss's father slowly rose from the ground, standing taller than all three women.

"Weiss," he said, quieter, "You will return home with me now, or else you will have nothing. I will revoke your education, I will remove all support, I will make sure you are blacklisted in every way possible. I will make sure you have nothing."

"Then so be it."

"Weiss," he said through gritted teeth. "I've only done all of this because I love you. Because I want you to inherit something great, something powerful. I want our name, our company, to be remembered, I—"

"No. It's your company. Your name. I didn't choose any of this. I don't care. I never have." Weiss frowned. "Please leave."

He opened and closed his mouth, looking at Weiss, then Ruby, and then Yang, before he adjusted his suit jacket and turned to leave. "Fine."

Mr. Schnee moved through the threshold and Yang went to follow him out.

"Wait!"

Mr. Schnee stopped,.

"You are going to let Weiss stay here. And pay for her schooling, both for Beacon Academy and anything afterwards. And you are going to leave us all the fuck alone."

"And what makes you assume that you have any power to command all of this?" he asked, stiffening his shoulders.

Ruby raised her phone. "Because I have video evidence." Ruby knew that if there was one thing a Schnee hated, it was having proof that they weren't who appeared to be. Also, he slapped Weiss, which is grade A child abuse and a criminal offense.

Mr. Schnee floundered. "Delete any recording of me this instant. You have no right to record me without my consent."
"You are one, on our private property and two, the same person who just slapped his own daughter. So, you can get the heck out of here, and not mess with Weiss ever again, or I will have this video distributed across the Internet like wildfire. Capiche?"

He didn't even respond before Yang grabbed him by the sleeve and shoved him out the door. There was a slam, and Yang was back, and she looked right at Weiss and said, "Are you okay?"

Weiss was silent for a moment, as if weighing exactly how she felt. "Yeah, actually. Yeah, I actually feel really good. That… that had been on my chest for a long time." She smiled. A small smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Ruby hugged her then, nice and tight, and Weiss hugged back, nice and tight.

Perhaps everything would finally be okay, perhaps finally the two could just enjoy being together, perhaps this summer wouldn't be so bad after all.

"I just realized I never asked," Weiss said, pulling away from Ruby's hug, "Could I stay here with you two? Just for the time being?"

"Oh, Weiss," Yang replied, back at the table and eating rice as though nothing had ever happened. "You can stay as long as you want."

Half an hour later and Ruby and Weiss were laying on that same well loved couch they had for the first time so many months ago. Ruby's eyes were heavy, the late night finally catching up to her, and the warmth of Weiss's body and the blanket so comfortable that she wanted to cry. She missed this. Missed Weiss. It had only been two weeks, but in a way, Ruby had been mourning the future together they almost lost.

"Is it okay?" Weiss murmured.

"Is what okay?"

"If I stay here."

"I would love it if you stayed here."

"Really?"

"Really."

Weiss hummed and smiled and placed a soft kiss on Ruby's forehead. "You're such a dolt."

"I know. But I'm your dolt," Ruby said. "This feels like a dream."

"I hope it isn't."

"The only part that I wish was a dream was that 1,000 dollar ticket. I should've asked your dad to pay for that, too."

Weiss laughed. "That would have been pushing it."

"Probably," Ruby said.

There was silence, and Ruby thought maybe her girlfriend had fallen asleep. "Weiss, I think I love you." It was easier to say when the other person couldn't hear.

But Weiss did hear. "I love you, too," she mumbled.

Ruby smiled, squeezed in closer to Weiss, and fell asleep.

And even though she didn't know what tomorrow would bring, and even though she didn't know how she would pay the fine or act in court, and even though she had broken her number one rule, Ruby was so glad she had fallen in love with Weiss Schnee.

A/N:

lol hope everyone's having a nice day!

I started Layers my freshman year of high school and I am now a junior at university. If you go from start to end you can definitely see the change in my styles over the past 6 years. Absolutely wild. Anyways, I'm so happy to finally be finished. I'm switching over permanently to ao3 under the pseudonym sharleeh, where I will be posting a revised version of Layers and possibly future works, if anyone is interested!

Hope you enjoyed the final chapter xoxo