Ruby: A Different Path

Chapter Ten

        She stumbled down the road, her brain kept skipping like a bad music file. To spare the one person he cared about as much as himself... to spare the one person he cared about as much as himself... to spare the one person he cared about as much as himself...

        He was gone because of her. He was so annoying... but when she thought about it everything made sense. Of course he cared... He was just too stupid to show it like a normal person. The tears she had been fighting overwhelmed her and when she felt Dove's arm around her shoulders, she clung to him and cried.

        By the time she calmed down they were back in their room and she was perched on the edge of Sky's bed. "What happened?" Dove asked once she had stopped crying. "I take it your guess was right?"

        She nodded. "He joined the dust thieves."

        "What." Sky stared at her blankly, unable to comprehend the suggestion.

        "You guys have to swear you won't talk about this to anyone else... Seriously, they'd kill all of us if they knew you knew."

        "I swear." Dove said without hesitation.

        After a moment Sky nodded. "Me, too."

        "The night I got attacked I stumbled across one of their shipments. After that first time I ran them out of the dust shop they decided to just... get rid of me. Cardin saved me. After that we were both threatened. They said if I got involved again they would kill Yang then you guys." She sniffed and slumped, not wanting to think about this anymore. "Cardin... he... He went to them and promised to join them if they would lift the threat against the people I care about. He knew how much it bothered me. How much I wanted to go after them in spite of it and how miserable I would be if any of you got hurt or killed because of it."

        "I can't believe he actually did something selfless." Sky blurted, shrinking under Dove's glare. Ruby hiccuped as a laugh and sob tried to escape at the same time. He was right, though. If she hadn't heard otherwise she probably would have assumed the worst.

        "It's my fault... If I hadn't hit him he wouldn't have run off and we wouldn't have run into those people." She pulled her legs up and rested her forehead on her knees. "I'm a terrible leader."

        "No, you're not." Sky said firmly. "So you lost your temper. So what? People do that all the time. He deserved it. I mean, can you imagine if he had been the leader? He wouldn't have listened to you about anything. We'd probably all be expelled by now. He is where he is because of his own decisions. Don't blame yourself for it."

        Ruby stared at him, she was pretty sure that was the most he had ever spoken at one time. She knew he wasn't shy, he just didn't talk much.

        "He's right. Don't let it get to you. Now, what were you saying earlier about the future of the team?"

        She gave Dove a brief grateful smile for his attempt at distraction. "Professor Ozpin said that there are a few students looking to transfer in and if we are willing, he'll assign one to the empty spot in our team. We don't have to. I mean, you guys are both good fighters and we work well enough together we could probably manage fine without anyone..."

        "As true as that may be we should consider it." Dove said after a moment of thought. "We are at a strategic disadvantage and while we could overcome it if we work hard enough... Why do that if we can remove the disadvantage?"

        Sky nodded and Ruby sighed. "It just feels wrong to be thinking about replacing Cardin the day he leaves, you know?"

        "I'm sure Professor Ozpin wouldn't mind giving us a few days to come to adjust." Dove reassured her. She nodded and hugged him. "Thanks, guys."

        "Get some sleep." Sky smiled. "We'll deal with this in the morning."

         Ruby nodded, forced a smile and trudged to her bed, dropping in to it with a heavy sigh. An odd crinkling sound from her pillow quickly brought her back up to a sitting position as she plunged a hand under it. She held the small folded note with pained relief. He hadn't left without a goodbye after all.

                Don't.

                Don't even think about coming after me, Ruby. I'm sorry to leave

                like this but it's the only way to make it stop. Stay at Beacon and

                become the best huntress ever. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

                Thanks for everything.

        She read the note a dozen times, not sure how to feel about it. It hardly sounded like him at all but she knew it was. She knew that handwriting, that annoying 'don't' of his. Torchwick had been right... He did this for her. She still had no idea how to feel about it.

        "I heard Cardin got booted." Yang said with a smirk as she appeared beside Ruby between classes. "What happened?"

        Her temper flared and she had to fight not to tell Yang that his leaving may have saved her life. "He didn't get kicked out, he just left. I know you don't like him but he IS my friend and I miss him. Just leave me alone."

        Yang stared, surprised at the sincerity. Once she accepted it she hugged Ruby tightly. "I'm sorry! That was insensitive. I didn't realize you actually liked the guy. I thought you were just defending your team like a good leader."

        She relaxed and returned her sisters' hug. "They really aren't bad once you get to know them. Cardin was really irritating sometimes but deep down he was a good person. I wish I'd had a chance to convince him to act like it around other people."

        "Why did he leave like that, then?" She asked, finally releasing Ruby from her inescapable hug.

        "He just said 'personal reasons' according to Professor Ozpin." She said vaguely.

        "Awww... Sorry, little sis. Will you get a new partner?"

        "Probably. I'm not really in a big rush, though."

        "Well, if you need to talk you know where to find me." Yang smiled reassuringly and skipped ahead to rejoin her waiting teammates.