A/N: this chapter officially brings up to my current published story on AO3. So that means that it might be a few days in between chapters from this point forward (I'm averaging about a day in between. Trying to give myself some time to

make sure I handle the ending properly.) things will start getting exciting (literal action) in the next chapter or two... Thanks again to you all! I can't tell you how excited it makes me to see so many enjoy and take the time to comment on my story!

Enjoy today's offering! (I enjoyed writing it...)

"... we had, uh... missed each other. A lot. It was one of the last happy memories of all of us I remember, that week. You were just so happy. Happy all the time. It was rare when you cried."

Qrow looked over at Ruby, as she flicked through the pictures on his scroll, and his heart warmed at the sight of her. She was still a happy person. Her eyes flicked up to meet his, but his were staring at the latest picture she had pulled up on his scroll.

"I snagged that- it was the last picture of the two of you together. We were leaving for that mission."

"It's the one my mom died in, isn't it?" After so many years, and such vague memories of Summer, it was easy to speak so callously, but as her words reached Qrow, he visibly recoiled.

He dropped his gaze back to his hands, studying them intently. Ever so gently, he pulled the dual rings off of his right ring finger and studied them. He could feel the familiar sensation in the back of his mind. He needed to calm down. Or drink. Both,
preferably.

"Think the other three are back yet with my stuff?"

"Don't be trying to tune me out again, birdbrain."

Alcohol would really help my grasp of reality.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm real?"

I mean it would really help. Before the semblance starts kicking in soon.

Sigh.

A pause.

"You do know the only reason it always follows me talking to you is cause you get all panicky, Legs?"

At this point anything would help. I'll even take some rubbing alcohol.

"Not in front of your daughter, you won't."

I might. I'm getting that desperate.

"Not if you take a look at the expression on her face."

Eh. She knows I drink.

"But she doesn't want you drunk. Especially not now."

I've got to stop talking with you.

"It's the only time I can have a reasonable discussion with you! You're either drunk, fighting, or screwing over some barmaid. Or all three at the same time."

That's talent, sweetheart.

"For someone who doesn't believe the voice in his head is real, you sure like to fight with me."

Practice for the real thing.

"Sometimes, Qrow, you can be such an asshole."

Sometimes?

Frustration built in the young woman, and she threw a glare the way of the older man. His distress told her what he was looking for in his stuff. Liquor. His eyes never shifted from the rings he continued to fiddle with, refusing to look at

her eyes. A deep breath accomplished to quell some of her irritation.

"Qrow." She tried softly.

His head snapped up, looking her straight, and Ruby crumpled. The Huntsman's gaze was heavy and broken- this was harder on him than she thought it would be.

He knew who her mother was. All she remembered was a shadow and a whisper.

"What happened? On... on that mission. Dad never would tell us."

The older man swallowed hard, "Simply put, it wasn't just a Grimm slash fest." He dropped his eyes once more, refusing to meet her gaze. The walls were up again.

"She deserves to know."

I know.

"Then stop trying to avoid it."

Easier said than done.

Ruby sighed and tried to think of a better way to ask.

"Where was the mission at?"

A pause. "Vacuo."

"Okay. So what was the mission?"

"A large batch of Grimm had shown up at a northern decent sized town. It was supposed to be a simple mission- one that between the two of us would only take a few days." The older man still kept his gaze down, and once more Ruby recognized the insecurity
that he masked under bravado and sarcasm.

She slid over a few inches, and reached for one of his hands, fiddling still with his rings. In a single touch, his hands quelled and he turned his eyes to where she held his hand. Obviously steeling himself, he took a deep breath and brought his focus
back up to Ruby. Matching her eyes, he shuddered once, and began.

"Ruby, that trip was supposed to be the beginning. The beginning of what our lives were supposed to be. You safe at home, your mom and I together on these missions, coming home to you. And once you got older, teaching you whatever you wanted to learn,
watching you at Beacon, having you at our side as we went out to fight. Our plans- we had talked about them so many times.

"But in the back of Summer's mind there was a fear. That one day I was going to leave. Follow my sister, or throw myself into endless missions. I had decided by that point that I wasn't going anywhere. After that one night, when you were so little, nothing
uncontrollable happened, so there was no reason to leave. Summer had been right. She needed to know that.

"We- we had never really talked about marriage. Not like Tai and Raven had. We knew that we loved each other, and that was enough. But I wanted her to know- She needed to know-."

Qrow dropped his head again, staring at the rings in his open palm.

"You know, Ruby, that she would always get stupid small things for me on missions when we were younger. Especially if we weren't always together during it. She's the one who got me my flask. Had the leather etched, even. And it was such a small thing-."

He sighed once more, closing his eyes, and pulling his fingers over the rings.

"I- I haven't told anyone about this before, Ruby. It's not as easy as I thought it would be."

She placed her hand over their clutched ones.

"It's ok, papa."

His eyes shot open, and he raised his gaze to her, his brows peaked. Startled, she took a moment to call back to mind what she had said. It had felt so natural to call him that, the words had slipped unheeded from her lips. Slowly, in the back of her
mind, fuzzy memories began to unfurl.

Qrow lightly shook his head, but gripped her hand tighter.

Suddenly, the realization settled in, "You were going to ask her to marry you, weren't you?"

Nodding, and taking a deep breath, he plunged in.

"I bought the rings- these rings," he opened his palm again, "to seal the deal. They weren't anything special. They weren't supposed to be. Just a reminder that I wasn't going anywhere.

"I never got to ask her."

The town was a decent one, for being in Vacuo. They actually had a true building, and not a shanty, for an inn. The Grimm were attacking at night, testing the borders, then retreating. A common tactic, so they had agreed to respond as was usual. Go out at night and push a little back. Get a feel for the forces lining up.

It was such a simple gig, that neither hunter was too concerned. Instead, on the third night, before their evening "stroll", as they called it, they were soaking in 'local culture' at the town's pub. Summer was reveling in being somewhere different from Patch, and had no qualms admitting it freely.

"Ugh! Qrow! How did you get me to stay on that little island for so long?" She proclaimed as she stretched in her seat next to him at the local pub.

His eyes narrowed at her, and his lips formed a straight line.

"I believe I answered that question four times up to this point."

"True," she laughed, "but I'm not sure that those answers were satisfying enough."

He rolled his eyes, but a smirk formed at the corner of his mouth. Leaning in close, he whispered in her ear.

"It was the amazing sex we had when I came home."

She turned to face him, her mouth agape in mock incredulity.

A raised eyebrow and a deepened smirk was his only response. His lips were far too close for safety, and she turned away, towards her ale.

"That's the best answer you've had so far, I'll give you that."

Pulling back, grin fully in place, Qrow watched his love, as she started to roll the bottom edge of her cup in circles. Underneath, small glistening patterns emerged from the condensation. He rocked back in his chair, one foot propped on another chair pulled up across from him.

"So, Short Stack: northeastern corner tonight, right?"

"Yeah, that sounds right." Her motions suddenly ceased, and she stared into the amber liquid near the bottom of the glass. Brow furrowed, she paused before she downed what was left. Something was off.

Qrow interrupted her reverie.

"What is it, Summer?"

She shook her head. "I- I don't know. It just feels like,... oh forget it."

"What does it feel like?" He pressed.

"Like it's been too easy. We push a little, and they fall back easily. Yet they have the numbers to attack."

She shook her head again.

"Tell me, Qrow, when's the last time you had an Alpha Ursa decide to slink back into the shadows once you've taken out half of their pack?"

He frowned. "They normally don't. The enrage and attack with abandon."

She leaned forward on to the table.

"Yet last night I had one back down from me. The night before last? The Beowolf Alpha, after a hit or two."

A sickening sensation turned his stomach, and he pushed away the remnants of his drink. They had been enjoying their "easy ride" a little too much. Maybe they had missed too many warning signs. But hopefully, that didn't mean they were too late.

"Let push harder tonight. Find out where they're regrouping at."

"Qrow- you don't think that maybe-"

He shook his head.

"Doubt it."

"But she's the only one that can control them."

"Yeah, but she only appears for very specific things. And a small nothing town in Vacuo isn't a target. There's nothing out here but tents and an inn."

"True." She sighed again, "Sorry. Must be a bit jumpy. It's been too long. I'm rusty."

He winked at her.

"You're far from rusty, Summer."

Leaning back once more in his chair, he continued, "besides, you're not wrong. Something's off with these Grimm. But we'll figure it out tonight, on our stroll."

She smiled full and genuine at him, and Qrow felt his heart skip a beat.