12 So what now

I awake to quiet and warmth.

Groaning, I blink away the lingering haze of sleep and groggily sit up, stretching. The window is open, revealing a sunny day. Noon, I guess. There's no trace of the bad guys and the bad and threatening atmosphere that surrounded the area yesterday. Though my eyes are in a blurry from the sudden rush of sunlight, a glance around reveals that I'm in the hospital of Frost Vale, half-naked and wrapped in blankets.

How did I get back here?

I get up and find my clothes folded neatly on a chair pulled up beside my bed. Though I really have no recollection of how did I got to the hospital everything pass me passing out is a blur, I put aside my questions for the moment and dress myself. As I do so, my eyes are drawn to the drawn curtains over the room to the side, opening them I find team RWBY and my team sleeping some on the floor and others in the coach and bed. There's no evidence of the white fang. If that's the case, I must have been asleep for a while. Days, at least.

"You alright there, friend?" a deep, gruff voice says, snapping me out of my long reverie. I look up to see the Doctor, standing across the room from me, "I can't believe your body withstood that amount of poison."

"I have some resistance," I said with a faint smile.

"I see, please dress up, we have some tests to make before letting you leave," the doctor said looking over a chart, mine I suppose.

I make my way to the bathroom, to clean my face and put on my clothes, the door in the bathroom creak as I open it, announcing my presence, Ruby wakes up and so do Yang, Weiss, Pyrrha, Ren, Nora and Ren, ears perking and tails swishing.

"Jack!" Ruby smiles, hopping up. I've barely reached the bathroom before I have a giddy girl leaping into my arms, giving me a fierce hug. "You're finally awake — I was so worried!"

I blink. "Finally? How long have I been out?"

"Little over a week," Pyrrha said. "The amount of poison they pour into you was huge. You're lucky you survived, Jack."

Luck had nothing to do with it, I train my body for these situations but apparently not enough, whatever poison they used was strong and lethal.

I sigh and rub at my head — I've been sleeping for more than a week? It's hard to believe, except for the sudden and painful growl of my stomach.

Nora takes a step forward hugging me. "Ren make this man some pancakes, he deserves some!."

Ren laughs and goes to what I suppose is the kitchen, I give Ren an appreciative smile and take a seat in one of the chairs in the room I was in. While Ren goes about making pancakes to settle my starving stomach.

"How are you feeling?" Weiss asked she sounded sad, overly sad.

I take a moment to collect my thoughts, trying to find the right words to describe what I felt. And to decide how much I wanted to tell them.

"It's alright Weiss, I forgive you," I said when I notice tears forming upon her eyes.

Weiss rushes and hugs me, making my tail wagging in happiness.

"Ahhhhh he is happy, look at his tail Yang," Ruby said in awe, looking at my tail.

'Wait a sec, I'm still semi-naked, god damn it!' I thought, holding my tail with a hand.

"So everybody knows right?" I asked getting nods from everybody.

"OH your baby sister is here, she is at Beacon, professor Glynda is babysitting her," Yang said.

"HOPE is here!?" I leap out of my seat, dressing up fast.

"Relax hot stuff, Glynda and Ozpin are with her," Yang said with a soothing knowing smile,

A few moments later Ren comes with over a hundred pancakes, sliding a plate in front of me and Nora, he also brought another plate full of bacon, just for me. I can't hold myself back from digging in greedily and it seems it is the same for Nora, "No one has any idea how much food I regularly cook for these two.

"AND THAT NEVER GONNA CHANGE BABY!" Nora said with her mouth full.

Ren smiles and nods, and takes a seat

How can Ren cook so damn well, I thought as I let the extasis of his glorious pancakes with bacon fill my body.

"Did I miss something?" I asked between bites, almost finished with my much-needed meal.

"Oh!" Ruby laughs, rubbing the back of her neck. "We stop the bad guys, they escaped though, and the tournament is getting closer, nothing much, so you didn't miss anything!"

"Huh, how is my sister?" I asked.

"She is fine, she loves you very much," Pyrrha said with a smile.

"I know," I said with a smile of my own.

Ren's smile had faded, at was looking dare I say scowling at me. "Don't run off alone next time you have a problem, we are your teammates, and most importantly your friends, this behavior is unacceptable."

I shovel another mouthful and swallow. "Sorry, I just wanted to blow off some steam"

Weiss has been quiet during the whole moment, maybe she feels guilty about the stuff she said, or maybe she is tired, who knows.

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I spend the next few minutes finishing off my breakfast and collecting my thoughts. Though my mind is still a bit fuzzy after a week doing nothing in bed, the tournament was coming up and I needed to get ready for it, but not only for the tournament.

"We need to prepare," Pyrrha said, sitting on my bed, "Next time rely on me, I would do the same,"

I look at Pyrrha she seems genuinely worried, "I will, sorry."

The bad things were getting closer, Pyrrha's dead, Yang's losing her arm, so much to stop and so little time, but I was going to do it, and save them, or die trying.

"Let's go and see Hope," I said standing up, with my team beside me.