Chapter 16

Ruby and Penny relaxed on the couch, watching television. Penny jumped as an explosion flashed on the screen. "I feel like half of these experiments are just an excuse to blow things up." She observed.

"That's the beauty of it." Ruby explained. "It's educational and exciting."

Two sharp knocks on the door drew their attention. "Yang's back already?" Penny said.

"I'll get it." Ruby said. She hopped up and walked to the door but was not prepared for who greeted her. There stood Pyrrha, seemingly frozen in place with her fist still raised as if knocking.

"Ru-Ruby…" Pyrrha gasped.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby exclaimed. She wrapped Pyrrha in as tight an embrace as she could manage. Pyrrha groaned as Ruby squeezed tighter than even Nora. "You're back!"

"Y-yes." Pyrrha said. "I...I'm so sorry Ruby. I just...I didn't know what to do and...and God I've missed you."

"I missed you too." Ruby said. "Please, please come in." She practically dragged Pyrrha inside, Penny helpfully closing the door behind them.

"I was just...I was so afraid." Pyrrha wept. "I hurt you and I...I...was afraid I'd hurt you again. But when I left I hurt you anyway, worse than anything I could have done physically. I left when you needed me most and...I'm so sorry. You deserve better."

"Just don't leave ever again...please." Ruby said.

"I won't." Pyrrha said. "Not again, not ever. I promise. I'm sorry I ever..."

Ruby grabbed Pyrrha by the collar, pulling her down into a passionate kiss. It became increasingly heated as they went on. Penny cleared her throat and the pair jumped apart. "Oh...Penny...right." Ruby said.

"I think we should move to the bedroom." Pyrrha suggested.

"Fine." Ruby sighed.

"Sorry for ignoring you Penny." Pyrrha said. "Thank you for taking care of Ruby." Penny smiled and nodded. "We're just going to go to the bedroom and...and…"

"Have sex." Penny finished for her.

"Yes, that." Pyrrha nodded.

Penny waved awkwardly as the pair made their way out of the main room. "I hope these walls are soundproof." She said before waiting a few seconds. "Oh my…"

Penny sat on the couch with her hands folded on her lap, the television volume turned all the way up. There was a knock at the door, just barely audible over the TV. Penny took a deep breath, stood and answered the door. "Hello Yang!" She said cheerfully.

"Hey Penny." Yang said. Coco stood behind her holding a bag. "We brought dinner."

"Oh thank God you're here!" Penny's cheerful and calm facade crumbled in an instant. "Since Pyrrha got here...she and Ruby...they've been...the walls are so thin...I can hear everything!"

"As much as I hate to end their fun we should eat this food while it's hot." Yang said. She walked over to the bedroom door with a smirk on her face. She laughed to herself, then threw the door open. "Dinner time you two!" Her grand entrance was followed by screaming that soon turned to angry shouting, all accompanied by Yang's hysterical laughter. Yang backed out looking very pleased with herself. "They'll have a minute to get dressed while we unpack this stuff."

Yang and Coco made their way to the dining table and started laying out the food as Penny brought over some plates and utensils. It was take-out, traditional Mistrali, but good stuff. And what better way to celebrate Pyrrha's return than with food from her native Mistral? By the time everything was arranged Pyrrha and Ruby had emerged from the bedroom. Their hair was chaotic and their faces flushed, but their facial expressions were pure anger. That anger quickly melted away as they gathered around the table.

"It's been a long time since we've had a family dinner like this." Ruby observed. "Too long."

"Family…" Pyrrha sighed. "I don't think I deserve the title."

"Of course you do." Yang cut in. "Sure, you fucked up, but you realized your mistake and here you are. And you only messed up in the first place out of love and fear. Ruby and I forgive you, and that's what really matters."

"Yeah...I guess." Pyrrha said.

"What about Coco?" Ruby asked. "Are you two more than just fuck-buddies now?"

"If she didn't love me she would have left a while ago." Yang replied. "Hell, she should have. But she stuck with me and she's helping me get my life back together. I'd say that qualifies her as family."

"I'll have to tattoo you." Ruby said, pointing her fork at Coco.

"Oh, I heard about this." Coco said with barely contained excitement. "Can I get a dragon?!"

"A big one, all across your back." Yang suggested.

"Sweet!" Coco exclaimed.

"It'll be painful." Ruby warned.

"Just like the real thing." Coco laughed.

"Am I...am I part of the family?" Penny asked.

"Of course!" Ruby enthused. "You took care of me in my time of need."

"It's just my job." Penny said.

"Nonsense!" Ruby said. "Pyrrha might be paying you to be here, but you've gone above and beyond. You've been more than a nurse. You've been emotional support, you helped me turn things around. Of course you're part of the family!"

"That's wonderful." Penny said with a smile. "I could do without the tattoo though."

"They're not for everyone." Ruby shrugged.

"I need some touch-ups on mine." Yang said. "I've been thinking of a few modifications too. I feel like I'm a new person, and my ink should reflect that."

"No problem." Ruby said. "Just tell me what you want."

"I have to wait for my arm to heal first." Yang said.

"Speaking of tattoos…" Pyrrha started. She trailed off and took a deep breath. "Could I...could you...give me a new one."

"Sure." Ruby said. "What do you want?"

"A rose." Pyrrha replied. "Like the one you and Yang have."

"Do you know what that means?" Yang asked.

"I...I do." Pyrrha confirmed. "It's a commitment." She looked Ruby in the eyes. "I'm not leaving again. Not ever. No matter what."

As Ruby and Pyrrha cried and embraced, Yang shed a few tears of her own. "It's great, isn't it Coco?" She asked.

"Yeah...sure." Coco groaned. "It's like I'm watching one of those sappy romance movies you love so much."

Coco dropped Yang off. The place was one of those cheap chain hotels. It made sense. Yang walked into the lobby and up to the reception desk. "Hi, I'm looking for Raven Branwen." Yang said.

"And you are?" The clerk asked.

"Her daughter." Yang replied. "I called earlier and was told she's staying here."

"Oh, hello Yang." A second person walked up to the counter, edging the clerk aside. "I talked with you on the phone." She reached over the counter and shook Yang's hand. "Your mother's staying in 202."

"Thanks." Yang said. She handed the woman a 5 lien card and walked off.

Yang took the elevator to the second floor, then walked down to the end. Room 202. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. She could hear stirring inside. "Just a second." Raven said as Yang knocked again. Raven opened the door. Her eyes went wide and she gasped when she saw Yang.

"Hello Raven." Yang said. "Can I come in?"

"Yang...sure." Raven replied, waving Yang in. It looked like Raven had been packing up, preparing to leave. "I'm sorry for bothering…"

"No, I should be the one apologizing." Yang cut her off. "I lost my cool, yelled at you, and smashed a door in your face. You were just trying to help me."

"I should still apologize...for all the years." Raven sighed.

"Yes, you should." Yang said. "But an apology isn't going to cut it for that."

"I know." Raven said, her eyes downcast. "What I did to you...to Tai...it's unforgivable."

"Maybe, maybe not." Yang shrugged. "I didn't come here to talk about the past. I came here to apologize, and to thank you."

"Thank me?" Raven gasped.

"Yes, thank you." Yang confirmed. "It happened in kind of a roundabout way, but you helped me get my life back together." Raven stood there speechless, her mouth agape. "I was drinking too much, pushing people away, basically self-destructing. Then, you pushed me over the edge. I freaked out at my girlfriend, ran away on my motorcycle and…" She looked at her bandaged arm. "Well, it was a wake-up call. Now I'm sober, and I'm committed to keeping it that way. And all it cost me was a fight and a little skin."

"I...I'm glad to hear that." Raven said. "I'm sorry you had to tear up your arm."

"It's alright." Yang said. "I just need to have my tattoo retouched when it's healed. No serious damage."

"I noticed one of your tattoos watching you fight." Raven said. "One on your back. Your top partly covered it so I couldn't really tell what it was. A crow?"

"A Raven." Yang corrected her. "It was supposed to be small but Ruby kind of went nuts with it. Still, it is meant to represent you. You may never have been there for me, but you're still my mother."

"Oh...that's...touching..." Raven sighed. "I shouldn't have left. I…"

"If you hadn't left Ruby would never have been born." Yang cut in. "Still, it would have been nice if you came back once Summer died. You know, before dad killed himself."

"I know, there's a trail of destruction in my wake." Raven said with tears in her eyes. "I screwed up your life, Tai's, Summer's, Qrow's…"

"Qrow's?" Yang asked.

"Never mind." Raven said. "How's Ruby been?" She quickly changed the subject.

"The day of my fight in Atlas...she was shot...in the head." Yang said, staring off into the distance.

"Oh my God." Raven gasped. "Is she…"

"No, she's alive." Yang said. "She's not in great shape though: headaches, memory loss, hallucinations, the kind of stuff you'd expect when someone's suffered a brain injury."

"You couldn't have taken it well." Raven observed.

"No, no I didn't." Yang confirmed. "That's what started me drinking."

"I'm so sorry." Raven wept.

"Yeah…" Yang sighed. "So why did you leave?"

"Fear mostly." Raven replied. "I was afraid I'd screw you up. I was depressed too, and I had...thoughts...that terrified me. So I ran, like the coward I am."

"But why not come back?" Yang pressed.

"By the time I got my shit together Summer was dead, and I didn't dare come back." Raven answered. "I couldn't, not after all the pain I'd caused. The same goes for when Tai died. I only showed up when I did because when I saw you in that fight...your face...that pain...I saw myself. I didn't want you to end up like me."

"I guess you're planning on heading home." Yang said. "Where is home for you right now?"

"Patch." Raven said. "Returning to the scene of the crime I guess. I've been living in hotels."

"Where did you get the money?" Yang asked.

"Tai...that wasn't my last failed marriage." Raven admitted. "I married a rich guy. When we divorced I got half his stuff. I guess that makes me half rich." She forced a laugh. "The divorce was my fault too. He's just another broken life I left in my wake."

"Why don't you stick around?" Yang suggested.

"What?" Raven asked. "Why?"

"I want to give you a chance to make things right." Yang explained. "I don't forgive you yet, and Ruby sure as hell doesn't, but maybe one day. You deserve the opportunity at least."

"I don't deserve anything." Raven groaned. "Not after what I've done." She looked up into Yang's caring eyes. "But I guess I would like to meet Summer's daughter."

"That's the spirit." Yang said with a smile. "Do you need a place to stay or…"

"I can handle that." Raven cut her off. "Thank you Yang. Thank you for giving me another chance."

The days slipped by and and while things were not perfect for Ruby, they were better. Pyrrha and Penny managed to talk her through one hallucination as Nora had shown them, but in another they could not reach her. She was not violent but it resulted in Ruby curling up in a ball on the floor to cry until it passed. Still, Pyrrha was there to comfort her when it was over, and Penny had soup at the ready. Ruby reached the point where she felt she could almost live with her present condition.

After a day of training Pyrrha and Yang arrived at the apartment. Coco was taking some time off from work to help Yang, so she came along as well. Ruby and Penny were making cookies in the kitchen. Judging from the absence of an apocalyptic mess, Pyrrha guessed that Penny was doing most of the work. "Hi Ruby, how was your day?" Pyrrha asked.

"Pretty good." Ruby replied, not looking up from the oven as the cookies baked. "I did some painting, then Penny offered to help me make some cookies. They're almost done."

"Hey sis." Yang said.

"Oh, Yang." Ruby said. She stood up straight and spun around. "And Coco. What are you guys doing here?"

"Coco wanted to discuss the tattoo you'll be giving her, and I have something I need to talk to you about." Yang answered. "Could we just step into the bedroom for a minute so we can talk in private?"

"Sure...uh…" Ruby said. "Penny, can you handle the cookies?"

"Of course." Penny said with a smile.

Ruby and Yang ducked into the bedroom and Yang closed the door behind them. "So what's this about?" Ruby asked. "Not bad news I hope."

"No, it's good news actually." Yang said. "You know how I told you my mother showed up?" Ruby nodded. "Well, she wants to meet you."

"No." Ruby said. "I don't want anything to do with her. Not after what she did to dad, what she did to you."

"Ruby, if she hadn't left you'd never have been born." Yang pointed out.

"I don't care." Ruby said. "If she hadn't left, I may never have been born, but dad would be alive and you'd both be happy."

"What if's aren't going to get us anywhere." Yang said. "Raven wants to make amends. She knows she fucked up and she wants to try to make it right."

"I'd say she's about ten years too late." Ruby said.

"Maybe, but I'm giving her one more chance." Yang said. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

"And if she screws up again?" Ruby pressed.

"I've gone my whole life without her." Yang shrugged. "It won't be too hard to cut her out again."

"Just leave me out of it." Ruby said. "Is that it?"

"Yeah, that's it." Yang replied. "You should probably talk to Coco now. She's really excited about the whole tattoo thing."

Ruby went straight from her conversation with Yang to one with Coco. "Yang told me you're really looking forward to the tattoo." Ruby said.

"I am." Coco confirmed. "I even sketched out my idea." Coco reached into her bag and produced a folded paper. It appeared to be some sort of template to design clothes, but instead of clothing being drawn around the human form in the center, a dragon was sketched in the center of the back.

Ruby looked the paper over for a few seconds. "I can do something like this." She said. "I hope you don't mind if it's not exactly the same."

"Hey, you're the artist." Coco shrugged. "I just want to give you an idea of what I'm looking for."

"Good." Ruby said. "So, when do you want me to do this? I could do it right now if you want. I closed up the tattoo parlor so I have all my equipment in my studio."

Suddenly Coco seemed reluctant. "Uh...maybe another time." She said. "I feel like this is something I need to mentally prepare for. I would like to see the equipment if you don't mind though. I'm just a bit curious."

"Sure, follow me." Ruby said. She headed into her studio with Coco in tow. Yang and Pyrrha followed as well. She pointed to a padded table. "You'll take your top off and lie face-down on that while I work. Something this big and elaborate will probably take a few hours."

"I can live with that." Coco said. "What about the actual needle?"

"Ah yes, the infamous needle." Ruby said with a smirk. She took a case out from under the table and laid it on top. She popped it open and pulled out what looked like a mechanical pen. With the flip of a switch and press of a button it emitted a buzzing sound and the needle at its tip shot back and forth. Ruby turned it off and handed it to Coco.

"It's not as bad as I thought." Coco said, looking the tool over.

"Yeah, it kind of stings but it isn't too painful." Ruby said. "A few parts of your back will be more sensitive than others though."

"Nothing I can't handle." Coco declared. "Yang could tell you."

"I don't even want to know." Ruby shuddered. "So, anything else?"

"Not really." Coco replied. She looked around the room. "Wow, you've got a lot of paintings in here."

"Yeah." Ruby shrugged. "I've been painting a lot lately."

"These are really good." Coco said, walking up to a line of Ruby's more recent pieces.

"I painted all of those recently." Ruby explained. "Penny suggested that I paint my hallucinations, or how I was feeling, and that's what came out."

"The portrait of Pyrrha is quite good, and the one you did of Yang not too long ago was amazing, but these are incredible." Coco said, getting up close to the art to see it in all it's detail.

"Thanks." Ruby said. "I guess they're pretty good."

"They're better than pretty good." Coco assured her. "Have you ever considered putting your art on public display?"

"Not really." Ruby answered. "I never really thought it was good enough."

"You need to be more confident in yourself." Coco said. "Some of these are masterpieces."

"See Ruby, I told you." Pyrrha added.

"I mean, even if they are, I wouldn't know how to begin." Ruby said. "I haven't even thought about it before."

"Oh, that's easy." Coco said. "A friend of mine runs a little indie gallery. This stuff is way better than what she normally has and she owes me a favor besides. So, what do you say?"

"Uh…" Ruby stalled. She looked to Yang and Pyrrha. They both smiled and nodded, Pyrrha gesturing with her arm. "Okay, I'll give it a shot. Who knows? I might end up famous."