River leaned on the railing of Nick's cabin, staring out into the woods around her. She just couldn't decide. It never seemed the right time. River kicked a support in frustration. She had to leave. But she couldn't. Not yet.

Four months had passed since the first meeting of the White Fang. River, Dennis, and Nick went to every meeting, along with a surprisingly large number of Faunus wishing to still join after the nearly confrontational first meeting. Charlie praised them and began making plans immediately for non-violent protests. They sat at several restaurants for hours without eating, stood in front of racially biased shops with protest signs, and refused to buy groceries from vendors, relying instead on Faunus hunters. One time, every single member crammed inside of Dustin's store for hours, preventing anyone from shopping without forcibly removing them. Dustin himself screamed himself hoarse for guards, but they refused due to the Equality Treaty. River caught glimpses of the captain several times that day, barely repressing his smile as Dustin jumped up and down in rage. They were not always successful, however, and some Faunus bore signs of having been hurt, but so far had not been injured to a severe degree, and no one had been accused of violent acts. After the initial incident, Charlie suggested traveling with a group to discourage further attacks. A few times, River saw a group of men approaching her, Nick, and Dennis, but one look at her usually discouraged a fight. Dennis was terrified of them, for among them were some who had beat him on River's first trip to Ingwine, but Nick and River stood by him at all times. River had slowly begun to grow on the Faunus as they watched her attend every meeting and share her thoughts. River wasn't sure, but they seemed to see her as a protector, of what Humans would eventually act like in years to come. Unfortunately, none of them could tell her anything useful about her past.

River shivered in the breeze. Fall was approaching fast and Nick had to prepare for winter. He had already packed up his tent at the insistence of River and slept inside the house in a sleeping bag in a far corner while still giving River the bed. River helped with what she could and Nick declared that he was more than ready. River looked out to see Nick bringing in the last of the wood for his fireplace. Setting it down near the door, Nick joined her on the railing.

"You got that look on your face again."

River sighed. "I just can't commit."

Nick looked out into the woods without saying anything. River looked at him in exasperation. "You know, you can give your opinion."

"I can't," said Nick.

"Why? It's your opinion I'm asking for."

"It's your decision and I don't want to influence it."

"You keep saying that, but that's still not an answer. I want to leave to find my family. I have to try the nearby city, but it's a journey and who knows if I'll find anything? And the White Fang; I'm a member. I can't just leave them. I have to protect them."

"You don't have to. But your good nature wants to."

River banged her head on the railing. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think Lamassu is right to an extent. The town is nervous of me, I'm a Human siding with Faunus with combat training. If I leave, I know someone will try something. I want your opinion, essentially, on how bad it would be if I left."

Nick shifted over and sat on the steps. "Anything I say will be biased. I…I don't want…" he gripped his head in frustration. "I just can't do it okay?"

River looked at him in surprise. In the months of living with him, she had notice a slow degrade of his personality. There had even been a couple of Grimm attacks on his house, something River had yet to see previously. She sat next to him on the steps and comfortably put her arm around him.

"Nick, tell me what's wrong. Why can't you tell me? Is there something you are worried about?"

Nick reached to take her hand, but forced himself to stop. He stood up and walked into the yard and turned to her.

"I would tell you to stay here."

River looked at him expectantly. "And why couldn't you tell me this before?"

Nick took a breath. "Because it's for purely selfish reasons."

River stared. "What do you mean by that?"

Nick internally struggled, running a hand through his hair. "I…I like you River."

River's heart skipped a beat. "I…like you too, Nick."

"Damn it, River!" shouted Nick suddenly. "I love you!"

Silence fell on the clearing. River looked at Nick, who loved relieved and humiliated at the same time.

"Since I first saw you," said Nick quietly. "You're the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. You floated down that river and all I could think of was getting you to safety. Then you washed up right into my arms and I nearly dropped you. When you finally woke up, scared and confused, all I wanted to do was take care of you. While you recovered, we talked and I felt…connected. You are charming, smart, strong. When you left for that clearing with the Grimm, I had hoped you didn't find anything. I didn't want to be in love with someone who really did have a family back home. Your memories started coming back, and all I could think of was, how could I persuade you to stay?" He paced the yard, the words pouring out of him in shame and relief. "Roux sensed it. She almost didn't give me any medicine because she could see the selfishness I had in saving you, as well as the good intention. But she did and I was so happy to save you. I love you. But you have a family. You need to return to them, I know, but I don't…" He looked at her with an angry tear in his eye. "I'm horrible. I really am a horrible person." He sat in the clearing and hung his head.

River sat on the steps in shock of Nick's words. She walked to him and reached down to pull him to his feet. She them put her arms around him.

"Nick…" she said. "I'm sorry. I am so very sorry." She broke away and looked at him with tears of her own. "My being here hurt you. I wish you had told me, I would have left sooner."

"No," said Nick. "I couldn't do it. I didn't want to."

"I know," said River. "But I can't stay here if all I do is cause you pain. I can't stay. I have a husband, a child, friends, family, and they are all waiting for me to return to them. It's been over six months since I disappeared from their lives." She took a step back from Nick. "I have to go back."

Nick nodded, his throat too tight for speech. He turned and walked to his shed and disappeared inside it. River walked into the house and began packing her few belongings and some rations. Strapping her gauntlets on her wrists and placing her Grimm trophy in her travel bag, she walked back outside to see Nick holding some kind of cloth in his hands.

"I've been working on this," said Nick, holding it out to her. "I wanted to give this to you, but I held off just in case…" he faltered.

River took hold of the material and pulled to reveal a new traveling cloak. Wrapping it around herself, River saw it was made of the same material of the blanket she had when she had first set out. Perfectly camouflaged, it fit perfectly around her. River admired it as Nick turned to walk away.

"Nick."

He stopped and turned just in time to receive a hug from River. He hesitantly returned it, holding her for a moment.

"Nick, the fact you made this," said River. "Something to keep me safe on a long travel, shows you really did want me to find my family. You are a good person, a good Faunus. One day, you will find someone who cares about you as much as you care for me." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and stepped back. "I promise you this won't be the last time you see me. I will come back to visit you."

Nick gave a small smile. "Thank you River. Good luck."

River started making her way along the road leading to Ingwine. Before she reached it, she turned on a branching path and, taking one look back at the road leading to Nick's cabin, made her way into the woods. She would come back, she promised, once she found her family.