Winter Break 13

Jaune's mood just kept improving as he crawled on the bed and got under the covers, "We haven't even gotten married and you're already demanding my presence in bed? My, my, my, Ruby, you sure have become bold."

Ruby slapped his chest as she cuddled closer to him, "Naughty...be careful I don't tell Yang. You know how protective she is, and what she does to people who bully me."

Jaune laughed as thought, "Oh, do I ever!" he then wrapped her arms around her and gave her a quick peck on the head before saying, "Goodnight, my Adorkable Rose." 

"Good night, my Adorkable Knight," Ruby said as she closed her eyes and started to fall asleep.

That night Jaune didn't have any nightmares, for once in his new life, he was free from the guilt and pain from losing his family and partner. For what felt like an eternity to the blond knight, his dreams weren't plagued with memories of battlefields and horrifying Grimm both new and ancient. 

No, with the love of his life in his arms, the time-traveler slept like baby. With Ruby by his side, Jaune always slept easier.

Late into the night, hours after Gwen and Team BRWN returned, two shadowy individuals weren't seen sneaking towards the workshop. 

"This is the best idea I've heard since coming here," Yang's voice whispered out.

"Hehe, those two haven't come in all night, you don't think they are..." Rouge's voice whispered next to Yang.

"No, he's not that brave..." Yang's eyes turned crimson, "He knows what I'll do if he does. Besides, it's probably something w-a-y cuter than what you're thinking."

The two opened up the workshop to discover the two sleeping in each other's arms while still fully clothed.

"Aww!" Rouge gushed as she gazed at the young couple.

"See, what did I tell you? Although, them being in the same bed was outside my expectations." Yang pulled out her scroll.

"We keep a spare bed and a couple of Futons if we're working overnight. I'm glad my bro put it to good use." Rouge pulled her scroll out as well.

They took a bunch of pictures and even pulled back the bear pelt to take some more.

After they had their fill, they looked at each other and Yang said, "They'll forgive us someday."

"How can they not? Look how cute they are! No doubt they want these someday for a family album!" Rouge replied.

"Mnngh! Yang, stop!" Ruby cried out in her sleep.

The stealthy duo thought the jig was up when Ruby nuzzled her nose into Jaune's chest and said, "Stop teasing Jaune! He's my Cookie Knight! My knight, my cookies!" 

Yang and Rouge let out a sigh of relief as they quickly left the building. They giggled all the way back to the house and laughed out loud when they were in the clear.

"I wonder what dad would do if he saw these," Yang thought that this was the perfect form of revenge. She could tease and blackmail Jaune now…again, "Damn that EMP!"

Rouge had similar ideas and negative feelings about Jaune wiping the data off their Scrolls. She couldn't wait for some old fashioned big sister payback. 

Looking at one another and realizing they were on the same wave length, the two big sisters walked back inside the house before the two started hatching several plans to embarrass Jaune in the future.

Inside the Arc living room, Blake and Sun sat next to each other discussing their lives, both past, and future. 

After coming back from the Hunt with Gwen, Sun waited patiently for Blake to return so they could talk.

Throughout the entire night, the two Faunus lovers spilled each other's secrets to one another. Sun already knew pretty much everything about Blake's past because he had the full knowledge of his future counterpart.

Blake, however, only saw rapid images and scenes play out like movies with her husband's eyes as the cameras. Not to mention, the only information she had of herself came from the time the two spent together. 

From what she learned about Sun, she found herself being quite surprised. His father was known as the strongest Faunus in Vacuo. It's also the reason he left and joined another school. He got tired of being compared to the Great Sun Goku.

His father had great expectations of him and trained him relentlessly. However, it wasn't until much later in his life he realized how foolish he had been not to put his all effort into it.

Sun Goku was the last man standing in an army of Grimm before he passed away. He recanted how everyone was forced to escape during the time when Team RWBY and a reformed Team JNPR with Pound taking Pyrrha's spot on the team. 

Pound was the male counterpart to Penny. Her program and A.I was backed up and they used that data to recreate the android with a soul with Dr. Polendina Semblance. After returning from the under-void, Jaune confessed to being the one that killed Penny, but the good doctor knew that it was at her behest. 

Instead of hating him, the good doctor pleaded for his help. For Jaune to use his Semblance so that he might have a chance at surviving another transplant. When the robot and joined their team during Jaune's time discovering the nearly fallen Atlas, Sun would soon be fighting for his life across the ocean. 

Next, he told her about how he and his team journeyed to the west to reach Vacuo. They eventually met up since team RWBY and JNPR since they were heading in the same direction and had the same goals, to help keep the Summer Maiden safe and collect the Sword of Destruction.

After arriving and greeting the summer maiden, they retrieved the relic only to be ambushed by Salem's men, who just so happened to have brought a magical device that could summon a horde of Ancient Grimm.

Needless to say, it was the fall of Vale all over again. Blake was driven to tears as she heard how Sun's father knocked him out and forced everyone to evacuate with civilians.

He fought off the army and even forced Salem's men to retreat as he took on a giant monkey form. With his gargantuan Semblance, he managed to fight for several days and saved many lives in the process. Unfortunately, he was also killed for his heroic actions. The countless wounds on his body took its toll on the fighting prodigy Sun Goku, and he collapsed after saving everyone in Vacuo.

Sun also told her that after he was done there in Vale, he would return to Vacuo to continue his training. There was something his father had that he took to his grave in the last timeline. It was teaching meant to be passed on from father to son, but because of the unfortunate events, Sun failed to obtain.

Sun informed her that it could be of great use to their team and that by the time the tournament rolls around, they would be completely different this time.

Blake told Sun everything, even if he already knew, it helped her breakthrough that wall she put up around herself, she knew that her team would accept her, that she could change herself and prove there was a better way to obtain equality. 

By showing that they were no different than anyone else, by working hard and earning other's recognition over and over again, they would have no choice but to see the Faunus as equals.

It was only by building this trust up over years of hard work and labor did the Faunus truly begin to step out of the shadows of their oppressed past.

The connections she made with Weiss, allowed her to point a spotlight on Jaque's corruption and how he tainted the company's once great reputation. By coming clean and announcing that Belladonna's would be major shares owners in the SDC, she managed to become the owner, and for a short while, she corrected her father's mistakes and started anew.

She and her mother brought up Whitey to the best of their abilities over the course of a year and a half before they handed the Corporation over to him. Only once she was sure he could be trusted, of course. 

Jaune offered the idea to strip Whitey of everything and let him loose in the streets to live a hard life and learn a lesson.

Once Whitey was given a job, he managed living a normal life and was forced to rely upon himself, living off his paycheck to get by day after day.

It took him time, but when he met the future love of his life, Whitey began to change, and after a while, he met friends at his job, real friends, and even started to take care of a cat. He wondered what Weiss would think if she heard that Whitey married a Faunus with the Semblance to transform into a cute kitty.

After making several corrections with her company's work ethics and operations, Weiss felt it was time to step down and rejoin the quest with her friends. 

Whitey was ready to lead a clean company, and he kept it that way.

Her family that always supported her, a team that became heroes during the most turbulent time in Remnant's history, all of these things helped mold her own future, and she wanted that more than anything.

If it wasn't for the Grimm Apocalypse, then she had no doubts that she not only would have achieved her goals, but the world would have been a brighter place because of how she did it.

Thankfully because of her and so many others' efforts, Humans and Faunus were on better terms by the time the Grimm overpopulated the planet.

It made everyone joining together much easier during the end, it was the world's darkest moments when she saw the best of humanity and her kind as well.

They banded together and fought back against the darkness of Salem's forces. They fought together, bleed together, lived together, and they died together.

Blake got married to the love of her life, had children, and then lost it all in the final siege.

Sun was more than a little worried about Blake. She had suffered the more than any of her other teammates. Yang's kids made it through thanks to Taiyang's sacrifice, and Qrow obliterated the Grimm responsible for killing her two kids, so they had nothing to vent on, only Salem.

In the final clash against Dark Queen and her forces, she lost Sun through his act of self-sacrifice, and lastly, she lost one of her oldest friends, Jaune.

The lesson she took from learning of her future counterpart, was never to run away again, to face her adversities head-on, and be open and honest about herself. She saw how not only did her running make things better but, almost caused the loss of her greatest friend and partner, Yang. The sister she never had.

"So, are we still...I mean...we're..." Sun wanted to ask her if they were in a relationship, but Blake placed a finger on his lips and said, "I still have a lot to process, but, we can at least start dating."

Sun grinned as he pulled Blake closer to him and gave her cheek a gentle kiss, "I know it's a lot to take in, and I want you to know, no matter how long it takes, I'll wait. I don't think I can love anyone other than you."

Blake blushed as she leaned into his chest and said, "Dummy."

Sun ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead, "Yep, can't deny that one, but I'm your dummy."

Yang quickly snapped a few pics as she passed by and thought, "Man today is great, I got all this awesome blackmail material...I mean, fond memories to reminisce over."

Rouge grinned as she took a couple of pics herself, the two made sure to stay hidden before they returned to their room.

Weiss stayed in the Guest room looking out at the shattered moon in the sky, "I won't let father get away with his crimes, and thanks to Jaune, I know just how to expose him." 

She looked off in the direction of Atlas and smiled, "Sorry Whitey, I have to put you through such a harsh life, but I'm really looking forward to your improvements."

Weiss had come to terms that she couldn't run the company and be a Hunter at the same time. At most, she'll have the final decisions about the ethics and future practices of her company and leave Whitey in charge of all the logistics.

Ren and Nora were sitting on Jaune's rooftop and holding hands. Nora's face was bright red and every time she turned to see Ren smiling at her, it only made her fall in love even more.

Hearing and watching the memories of the times they were together-together made Nora both happy and a little shy. While she was still her usual self, moments like these showed a much tamer side of orange-haired Valkyrie.

Even though they didn't talk about it, they appeared to be happy with their future results.

Ren was a bit flustered at first. However, when confronted by Nora about their future relationship, he took the chance and kissed her, and for the first time in Ren's life, he saw a speechless Nora.

That was until she tackled him and started to kiss him like there was no tomorrow.

They discussed their future and promised to defend each other and their friends. They didn't want to see such sad expressions on the faces of their chosen family, and would do anything to protect their happiness.

Ren stood up with Nora still holding his hand, "Come on, let's go to bed." 

Nora blushed and stuttered as she said, "Y...you...mean like, in the same bed?"

Ren grinned and picked her up bridal-style and said, "What do you think?"

"I'm thinking...Pancakes!" Nora shouted still trying to hide her embarrassment.

She twirled her fingers around one another and mumbled, "And to nap with my Ren-Ren."

Ren kissed her again and jumped off the roof before the two went to the spare bedroom and slept beside each other in tranquility.

Lance sat against a tree in the field behind their house. He was on his Scroll talking to none other than the headmaster of Beacon. 

"Oz, while I don't appreciate you not notifying me of Jaune's illegal entree to your school...I do, however, appreciate that you saw his potential and chose to foster it."

"Lance...I understand your worry, but the succession rite will never end unless Vale falls or someone passes Ozthur's true test. When Jaune came to my school, I saw limitless potential inside that boy, and I have to say, I haven't seen such a rough gem in need of polishing since Julius Arc the first. If anyone can end the curse of the Arc Bloodline, it's going to be Jaune," Ozpin responded.

Lance wanted to argue, he wanted to tell Ozpin he never should have even thought about training his son to be a Hunter. However, the image of Jaune crying over his lost child, the infant that could have one day been his Grandchild, it made him regret more than anything. 

He wasn't there for Jaune, he wasn't there to see his new family, and now that his son had no other choice to take Ozthur's trial. The Arc Patriarch only hated himself more when he realized that he couldn't help him with that either.

He punched the tree behind him, felling it in one blow, "Ozpin, listen and listen well. I want you to train Jaune, personally," Lance said as he sat down on the tree he knocked over.

"Really?" Ozpin was surprised to hear such a comment coming from Lance, "Usually you would tell me to butt out of your family's lives."

Lance sighed, "That was because I knew you were hiding something from me, I didn't trust you. Then again who can trust someone with so many secrets?" 

Lance looked up at the star-filled sky and said, "After hearing about the Queen herself, I understand why you kept it so close to the chest. Her Semblance is just like the Grimm's right, the more people that know her, fear her, the stronger she becomes."

Ozpin nodded his head, "Yes, I forgot just how intuitive you are, Lance. My plan was to push her image into obscurity, if everyone didn't know about her, they would have no reason to fear her, I even went as far as to seal her in the Grimmlands with magic. Unfortunately, it will not last forever."

[A/N: Now that I'm caught up with the series, I know this isn't true, but since this is an AU anyway, I'm just going to keep it. Besides, can anyone else explain why Salem never did what she did during the Atlas Invasion? If Salem could destroy a city with the snap of her fingers and a Grimm Army, then why all the theatrics like sneaking into Beacon and having human allies? I couldn't explain it away, so yeah, magic plot-filler…sorry.]