LJNT

Realizations

A couple of days passed, and Janelle still hadn't managed to apologize.

It wasn't because Janelle thought she was right. No, she didn't think that at all. But it was because of that deep truth that Janelle was having such a hard time apologizing. Her parents were wrong...? It was impossible for Janelle to fathom that was even a possibility. Still, Ozpin's words echoed in her head...

"Your parents raised you a specific way, but that doesn't mean it's right. You know this, or else you wouldn't have joined this academy. I encourage you to think about that fact a little more."

That was right...Janelle had already disobeyed them once just by coming to this academy. So why, why, why was she having so much trouble admitting they were wrong here?

Because it went against everything she stood for...

"She's not worth our time."

Tanya's words echoed in Janelle's head again and again.

They grew louder and louder each time, only making the deafness of the room more apparent. Her loneliness was the only thing to be heard as silence filled their dorm like an old friend. Janelle should have been used to it considering she used to spend her childhood in her room alone, studying, but now, the room felt empty and hollow. No laugh or stupid pun from Lyra, no quiet snore from Nico, and no screaming from Tanya. It was silent. It was what Janelle should have wanted...

But all she felt was anger.

Anger...toward herself.

"She's not worth our time," Tanya's voice echoed in Janelle's head, and this time, Janelle agreed. After witnessing just how badly she had betrayed them, Janelle couldn't disagree with that statement. She should just leave them alone, let them be the best team ever, never disgrace them again with her presence...but before she could disengage herself from them entirely, she needed to make things right.

Janelle sprinted out of the dorm after the rest of her team.

They had only just made it out of the dorm building, walking away carelessly. The thudding of Janelle's flats against the pavement caught Nico's attention, whose ears had perked up attentively. Nico turned around, and upon seeing who it was, growled lowly.

"Wha-?" Tanya frowned as she saw who it was. "Let's go, Nico."

"Wait!" Janelle said breathlessly. Her heart was pounding in her chest quicker than it ever had before, but she couldn't let herself be deterred now. She could already hear her parents' voice coming, and she could tell how disappointed they would be...but frankly...Janelle didn't care anymore. "I am...I am sorry."

Silence.

Then, of course, Lyra couldn't help but voice her opinion.

"That's nice," Lyra smiled all happily, but as per usual, her eyes held some empty, hollow look in them. Janelle was beginning to notice that her eyes were usually like that, and she had just never noticed... Lyra's grin grew wider. "...If you're being honest, that is. I'd hate to find that you're lying just to get on our good sides again."

"I am being honest! Please, please...Listen to me. I am so sorry. I was a fool."

This time, Lyra's eyes softened just the slightest bit.

"I think I could listen to you apologize all day...but I can tell you mean it. Alright, then. Janelle, come on. I forgive you as long as the others do."

"R-Really?" Janelle said hopefully before realizing that Lyra was not really the one she needed to apologize to. "...Nico, Tanya...I am so, so sorry...Nico, I understand if you never wish to talk to me again. I knew you had problems with being a Grimm, and I was still rude...I am so, so, so sorry..."

Nico remained silent, her red eyes narrow in cautious fear. She wanted to trust her teammate, but...she'd been hurt before. Janelle shut her amber eyes in sorrow.

"You are not just a Grimm at all...You are a human, my teammate. You are not the problem, I am! There is no excuse for my actions! I know we were not close, but...I still saw you as someone I could count on. I am so sorry. You deserve better..."

"...Okay," Was all Nico said in response. Quite honestly, she was still upset about hearing those remarks from a teammate she'd spend the year with. It wasn't going to heal instantly.

"Tanya...I...Um...I am sorry. That is all I can say. I know my words are truly meaningless, that actions speak louder, that I already messed up and there is no going back, but...I hope you know that even though I was a terrible teammate, you were a great partner to me," Janelle swallowed the lump in her throat. "I will enjoy observing you from a distance, I hope life treats you well-"

She was interrupted with a sudden bone crushing hug from Tanya. Stunned, Janelle stopped her rambling as Tanya squeezed her tighter.

"I'm so happy to hear you say that," Tanya said quietly before her tone began to turn into it's normal, upbeat tone. "and yes, life is going to treat us well."

"...I called you a no one, how could you accept me back so easily?" Janelle could feel her breathing growing more frantic, more hectic and heavy as the lump in her throat grew bigger. Even so, Tanya's comforting presence helped to soothe that feeling.

Tanya just smiled.

"Because we're partners, that's why."

Incredibly relieved as well as slightly confused, Janelle couldn't help but sniffle. She well don't let herself cry, but...she knew she didn't deserve to be welcomed back with open arms.

That didn't change how grateful she was.

"Yeah! You guys are partners, and we're all one big team!" Lyra chimed in, and while her tone was genuine, her eyes were still dull. What would it take to see Lyra's real face? No, Janelle already knew the answer to that. When their leader's eyes were narrowed in red hot fury, in unstoppable insanity...Janelle shuddered at the thought. Lyra grinned wider. "Right?"

"Right!" Tanya agreed readily. Nico just shifted from side to side, unable to agree so quickly as her other teammates.

"I will make this up to you all," Janelle vowed. "I promise."

She would have been crucified for a single mistake by her family, but here her team was, just accepting her back in...Her team...her team really was more important than her family. No...no, that wasn't it. Her other family, her birth family...that's all they were to her. People who had raised her and shaped her so wrongly. No, what she had now...

That was her family.