The New Rose

Chapter 31 - Regrets

The hospital room was silent, no one having the strength to utter a single word after the shocking revelation Yang's mother, Raven Branwen, was the reason for the units defeat and Ruby's bout with death. Tai and Qrow shared a look of contempt, their inner fire burning as they struggled to fight the urge to smash something in this room at the thought of their old flame and sister respectively actually trying to kill Ruby. However, they knew Yang would surely be feeling an even worse rage and throw another tantrum, the sight of that poor boy Seth bruised and bloodied on his bed being all the proof they needed. Tai hid a small smirk no one caught,

"That's what you get for dating my little rose without my blessing punk." He coldly sneered in his thoughts, mindful of the somber atmosphere of his friends worried for the boy's condition, soon being treated by Sindel who got the first aide kit before glaring at Yang, the cause of it.

"I knew you were psychotic after reading your file but this Miss Xiao Long?! Who the hell beats up an injured patient!? That train crash was one thing, but assaulting my detective? I should put cuffs on you and have in the cell with those prisoners…. Are you even listening to me young lady!?" Sindel angrily yelled as she realized Yang paid her no mind.

Tai's eyes soon widen, as did Qrow's, as he saw his daughter limp past Sindel and collapse on her knees and weakly crawl to Ruby's bed as opposed to throwing a fit like assumed. All Yang could focus on was her cousin's weak body, the slight rise and falls of her chest being the only signs of life she could see. It brought a mix of intense relief and dread to the brawler.

"Firecracker?" Tai fearfully whispered to her, but she ignored him. Her only response was a shocked whisper of her own.

"M-Mom, cut up Ruby?" Yang choked as she weakly grasped Ruby's bandaged hand and winced.

She could almost feel electricity raging through it, as if whatever shock went through her little cousin's body was still surging within. Her eyes flooded as a sense of powerlessness consumed Yang's body. She wanted to pummel her mom right now for hurting her, but Yang had no idea where she could be nor did she have any idea how to help Ruby. She shuddered as she weakly turned to Akali, the girl she heard blamed herself for this earlier, and her lips quivering as she struggled to speak past the pain.

"W-Why?…. Why did she do this…. Why?" Yang weakly cried. Akali's eyes watered in response. She rubbed her bandaged shoulder painfully, not from her burns that bitch Raven inflicted, but by the shame she was feeling. As she opened her mouth to speak, sudden voice cut her off.

"WHO DID THIS TO MY LITTLE ROSE!" Tai angrily shouted, making Akali wince frightfully as she put her hands on her kamas. Tai slowly advanced towards her menacingly, no longer having the patience to wait for the explanation now that he knew his ex harmed his niece.

"Easy Tai, were in a hospital." Qrow tried to calmly say, despite his own anger and anxiety building, as he placed an empathetic hand on his brother in law's shoulder but it was swatted away.

"Stay calm!? How can I when Ruby's!…. she's…." Tai yelled back before losing the strength to speak.

He didn't dare speak the word "dying" despite it echoing in his head on repeat. Just like Summer, Tai ran the risk of losing another important person in his life, this was like a horrible curse! This is why he didn't want Ruby in this unit, around kids he never met away from him, it was too risky.

How could he trust them to keep her safe? How could he have trusted her to be a huntress period? This is what he feared really ever since she voiced her dream, it became his nightmares and tonight they came true. Qrow sighed heavily in response, as if reading those thoughts on Tai's face.

"Because she's hurting Tai? Yang's hurting, we're ALL hurting and scared, but we can't keep screaming and losing our minds fearing the worst, it's not going to wake her up or heal her." Qrow said, his voice raspy as he struggled to hold in his own despair and sat by his daughter and niece, rubbing the latter's head tenderly.