This wasn't originally going to be multi chaptered but I went through all of my posted fics and decided that poor Qrow and Winter deserve a semi happy ending this time. There's going to be one more chapter after this one so stay tuned for the final chapter.

The last few hours had been a confusing blur of movements and shouting that Qrow had witnessed through bleary, sleep deprived eyes. He remembered a ship descending down to meet him, he remembered how heavy Winter had felt in his arms and how the medics had lifted her away from him and rushed her back to the airship. Ironwood had arrived with them, looking stricken as he marched towards Qrow and ushered him onto the ship.

Qrow was not entirely proud of how he had been acting throughout the ordeal. He had been anchored by Winter's bedside, despite it all, and the medics had been responding to him with absolute indifference except to swat his hand away when it reached to touch her.

When they touched down in Atlas she had been rushed to an emergency operation room. Repairing her aura was a priority.

Qrow was no doctor, he only knew basic first aid from his years of skinned knees and injuries that came from being a Hunter. But even he knew Winter's situation was dire. You didn't come back from an aura depletion like that. At least not the same.

He had been seated in a waiting room, surrounded by others crying and worrying over their own family members. Qrow felt horribly out of place. His throat was tight, his fingers thread together and his knuckles white.

He wasn't quite sure how long he had been waiting when Ironwood came to him. The General took a seat beside Qrow, exhaling heavily when he did so. The two men sat in silence for a moment.

"Winter has been my protege since she graduated. I had always planned that she would assume my position after my retirement." Ironwood told him, stiffly, his voice even and not betraying his anguish.

Qrow snorted. Winter would love to hear that.

"She'll be a better General than you." Qrow told him.

There was a brief silence again.

"I know." Ironwood conceded.

Qrow looked at him for only a moment, considering the man beside him. He had never really liked Ironwood. It may have stemmed from his resentment of Atlas, but his dislike for the General only grew when he began dating Winter. She was overworked and under appreciated in her position. And Ironwood took advantage over her strained relationship with her family.

Winter deserved better. Qrow just hoped she would live to realize that herself.

A few moments later a healer came to speak with them. Qrow stood to meet her, eager for good news. The woman hesitated, eyes flickering from either man.

"She's stable but still in critical condition. Miss..." the Healer hesitated, eyes narrowing at the file in her hand, "Miss Schnee's aura was repaired. We expect now that it's replenished she will be on her feet soon enough."

Qrow felt instant relief wade through him. His fists uncurled at his sides.

"Now, Mr. Branwen may follow me to her room but you must wait until visiting hours, General." she continued.

Qrow gave the General a sparing glance, but saw the flicker of disapointment.

"I understand. Give her my best wishes, Qrow."

Qrow moved to follow the healer but Ironwood stopped him, a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I had to contact her family, Qrow. You understand."

Qrow shouldered the hand off and continued. "Yeah." he mumbled.

The room he was lead to was immaculate. There was a faint beeping originating from one of the machines they had her attached to. Qrow moved to her bedside immediately, though his hands hovered above her, unsure where or how to touch her.

Her skin was pale, more so than usual. The soft pink that typically tinged her cheeks was absent, replaced by a sickly white tone. The veins in her eyelids were apparent, little tracks of blue in her transparent skin.

He touched her cheek. She was still cold. Her chest was rising and falling from the machine forcing air into her lungs. There was an iv in her arm pumping in strangers blood and various liquids that were meant to artificially heal her damaged aura. It was all so foreign, she looked so small beneath the tubing and strange wires protruding from her skin.

He sat with her for hours, until his eyelids grew heavy and the healers brought him a blanket. Qrow fell asleep at her side, his fingers brushing over hers.

"I want him removed immediately!"

Qrow was woken abruptly to a man berating a group of healers, who were all exchanging confused and exasperated looks. His stomach sank when he recalled who the man was. With the pale hair, glassy blue eyes- he was undeniably a Schnee. Qrow had only known the man by reputation and seeing him in flesh did little to improve his opinion.

Qrow stood, stretching his legs as he did so. Winter was asleep beside him, peaceful and unnervingly still.

"You-" Mr. Schnee snarled, striding up to Qrow with a finger waving.

"Hello, Qrow." Weiss Schnee sighed from beside her Father.

Qrow nodded in hello towards the younger girl and looked back to the Schnee patriarch. Seeing Winter's Father up close was about as dramatic as Qrow had anticipated. Already, he had a burning hatred towards the man, a feeling he thought to be quite warranted.

"Look, I-" Qrow began, already exhausted.

"I am her Father! Why was I not called the moment she arrived?" he seethed, glaring at Qrow then turning accusingly to a healer.

"Sir, she arrived with General Ironwood. And her documents state that her husband is next of kin and be given full rights to decide the direction of her medical care." a nurse explained, rifling through Winter's file.

Qrow exhaled. There it was.

"My daughter is not married."

There was an uncomfortable silence, as Mr. Schnee looked from the healer, to Weiss, who was shifting nervously beside him, then to Qrow. He bristled, winding tight as his face took on an odd shade of red.

"Father, she-" Weiss began, sending a nervous glance Qrow's way.

"We're married, we have been for almost a year now." Qrow informed him, lifting his hand up to loftily show his father in law the silver ring on his finger.

Qrow swore he saw the man's moustache twitch in rage. Mr. Schnee turned abruptly towards Weiss, teeth grit and fists curled at his sides.

"You knew about this?" he demanded of Weiss.

"Yes, Father." she admitted. The younger Schnee looked towards her sister, and in a moment of bravery, her expression harded and she said, "I was the maid of honor. I walked her down the aisle."

"Do not expect me to forget this." Mr. Schnee warned his daughter, who once again shrank under her Father's anger.

"Winter didn't want you there and she definitely wouldn't want you here." Qrow told him, turning to take his seat at his wife's bed side.

She hadn't made a single move since the arguement began, and Qrow was vaguely relieved she wasn't awake for this. Her family was always a touchy subject. Qrow only knew that her Mother had been an alcoholic and had been a distant figure, and her Father was over bearing and cruel. Her siblings had been the only happiness in her life. Even they had been torn away from her when she chosen to join the military rather than take her role as heir to the company.

When she had finally been granted permission to see her siblings, Weiss was away at Beacon and Whitley was a stranger, convinced of his Father's stories of Winter's betrayal and malevolence. Weiss was the only connection to her family that maintained.

She would be happy that Weiss was here, if not a bit worried. He could imagine her being absolutely indignant that her sister had been allowed to see her so weak. He smiled, leaned forward and touched her hand.

"Qrow." He turned, where Weiss was standing, hands folded formally in front of her.

"Yeah, kid?"

She exhaled, her shoulders sinking at her brother in law's informality. She walked to her sister's bedside, her face scrunched in worry. Weiss tentatively touched her sister's hand, running her thumb over her bony knuckles.

"Your Dad finally leave?" Qrow asked.

Weiss sighed, shaking her head. "He's speaking with the General. He's...very upset."

Qrow snorted. "No shit."

He considered it for a moment. "I don't like the guy, but it was one hell of a bomb to drop on him."

Weiss frowned, mouth curling down hard in the corners. "He's awful. He doesn't deserve to know." she said, firmly. "You make her happy, he'll just ruin it."

Qrow looked back to Winter, her sleeping face impassive, and his grip on her hand grew firm.

"Let him try."