Roland closed the suitcase, setting it on the floor next to his backpack. He turned and took a good look at the room, thinking about how many memories were stored in the small space.

In all honesty Roland was more than ready to get away from Beacon. The amount of trouble this school had caused him was unimaginable, and some nights he had wondered if it had been better if Ozpin had never come after the boy. But, despite all the stress he had been put under in the past year, there were plenty of good times too.

Such as meeting Elisabeth, who now set her things next to the door and scanned the room quickly, making sure she had gotten everything.

"Man, I can't believe the year is over. It seemed to go by so fast." She walked over to the window, gazing down at the courtyard she had seen so many times before.

"Easy for you to say. I find it very easy to believe its done. I need a break from all this." Roland joined her, having a few flashbacks as he remembered all the times he had looked out of the window before.

"Oh come on, it may have sucked at some points but you know you loved it."

"Don't get me wrong, this has been a blast, but I could have done without the constant hospital visits."

"Half of those were your fault and you know it, Mr. Hero."

"If not for me being such a hero most of you would be dead."

"Well, you may have saved us one or two times." She leaned up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "But we kept you alive too."

"True enough." Roland shrugged and backed away from the window, heading towards the door. "So, you ready to head out?"

"Yeah. I gotta say though, it's going to feel weird not being in this room. This place has become our home."

"That it has. I'll miss this place too. But, it'll be nice to go back to my old home. I hope that little shack has held up."

"Whoa now, do you honestly think I'm going to let you go back to that place?"

"I told you many times I intended to return to my shack. It has sentimental value." Roland picked up his luggage, swinging the backpack over his shoulders and holding the suitcase in his left hand.

"Sentimental value my ass, you need a real home. Either get a real place to live or you're coming to stay with me."

"Hm, both of those do sound pretty tempting. I suppose I could always get an apartment somewhere. Who knows, maybe I'll actually enjoy civilization." Roland opened the door and stepped out, followed by Elisabeth. They both took one last look at the room before Roland pulled the door closed, both of them now walking down the hallway.

"There we go, that's more like it. That way I can come see you whenever I want."

"Yeah yeah, But you might want to be careful. Come over too often and one day I might not let you leave." Roland bumped into her shoulder playfully, laughing slightly as he watched Elisabeth get thrown off-balance.

"I don't ever recall saying I'd leave in the first place." She bumped him back, both of them laughing as he was sent into the wall.

It was a beautiful day as Roland and Elisabeth exited their building, looking around at all the students who were saying their goodbyes. It didn't take long for them to find RWBY and JNPR, especially considering the fact that Ruby was a blubbering mess of tears and hugs as she said goodbye to her friends.

Even as the two approached the girl was latched on to Pyrrha, saying something about how much she would miss the warrioress.

"Will you get off of her you dunce? We're going to be seeing each other over the summer! And probably quite often, due to how small of a place Vale is." Weiss was trying to tear her girlfriend away, eventually managing to get Ruby off of Pyrrha.

"B-but what if I start to m-miss some of you?" Ruby wiped the tears from her face with her cloak, trying to get ahold of herself.

"Then you can call us, or meet up somewhere. Besides, you'll be seeing plenty of us four, and I'm sure JNPR won't ever be too far away."

Roland and Elisabeth simply stood back and watched the exchange, smiles on both their faces as Ruby continued to stumble over her words. Roland's smile faded when the small girl saw him, and in a cloud of rose petals she was suddenly latched on to him.

"And you! You b-better not hurt yourself a-anymore, you g-got that? If you ever need help or something, just c-call us, don't you dare try to d-do it alone!"

"Yes Ruby, I'll make sure to survive." His voice was strained due to his lungs being crushed by Ruby' hug. She had obviously learned from her older sister. "But do you think you could let me breath?"

"Oh! Sorry, I just-"

"Shhhhh, I get it. Just remember, I'm a pretty skinny kid, it doesn't take much to squish me." He smiled, ruffling the younger girl's hair.

"R-right, just be careful, okay?"

"You got it kiddo. I promise, nothing bad is gonna happen over the summer. Besides, even with Roman and Cinder still lurking around somewhere, the White Fang is gone, which is gonna set them back a whole lot. They won't have the strength to do anything for a long, long time."

Ruby nodded, knowing that his words were true, and then turned to Elisabeth. She hugged the faunas as well, remembering to be a little softer about it and not crush the small girl. "Take care of him for us, will you?"

"Yeah, you got it Ruby. He'll be a handful, I know it, but I'll keep him from getting hurt. And you make sure none of your team gets hurt. They seem to attract just as much trouble as Roland does." Elisabeth laughed, returning the hug for a few moments before letting go.

"Well then, it has been one hell of a year. Between the White Fang, Cinder and Roman, the Grimm, and all the crap that's come up in between, I think this summer will provide us with some needed rest. But I have to thank you all." Roland looked at the group before him, knowing that they probably wouldn't all be together like this for a while. "You've done a lot for me. You kept me alive, you were my friends, my team, my family. I'll never be able to repay you. You gave an orphan with no hope something to believe in. You gave me a life to live. For that, I am in your debt. Thank you all, so much."

"Aw, c'mere you!" Yang locked the boy in a bear hug, making Roland wish he had just kept his mouth shut. However, before the blond could even put him down, everyone else joined in, forming a large circle of people.

"This is what I get… For going with the sob story…" Roland was finding it increasingly difficult to breath as the others gathered around, making Yang's death grip even more painful. "Alright, playing a game of break the Roland is always fun… But I'd hate to die on our last day of school."

"True. But you brought it upon yourself." Yang released him as they all took a few steps back.

"Yeah, I know I did." He dusted himself off, fixing his cloak that had been thrown off-center. "But, I think I'll be going now. I've got a few errands that need running, then I have an apartment to buy. Make sure you all keep in touch." He took a few seconds to regain his breath, looking at the group on front of him.

"Oh, believe me, you'll be seeing plenty of us. I have no doubt that Ruby here is gonna drag us to your place every chance she gets." Yang gave her sister a small pat on the back, the younger girl's tears now replaced by a smile.

"You bet'cha." Ruby nodded, giving Roland one last hug, this time making sure she didn't crush him. "We're gonna miss you, you know that right?"

"I know Ruby. I'm going to miss you as well. But hey, we'll see each other plenty, don't you worry. Just watch over the others for me, alright?" He let her go, Ruby now giggling at the fact that Roland still didn't fully understand. She figured now was as good a time to explain it to him as ever.

"You still don't get it? Roland, you're the leader of all of us now. Team Luna, remember?" The younger girl took a few steps back, flinging her arms around Nora's and Blake's shoulders. "We're your problem now. You gotta look after us." She smiled at him, seeing a smile grin appear on his face.

"Alright, alright, I see how its going to be. Well, if that's the case, then as your leader, I order you all to stay safe. Next time I see you all you better be in perfect condition. I'm talking not a single scratch, scar, or bruise, otherwise I'll raise hell about it."

"You got it!" Nora saluted clumsily, laughing as she nearly elbowed Ren in the face.

"Good. I think I'll be off now, but like I said, it has been a damn good year. I'll see you around." Roland was about to walk away until Nora showed him that he wasn't getting away without handing out a few more hugs.

After more affection than Roland had ever had before, he finally managed to leave. He was sad to have to go, but he knew that they would be seeing each other plenty. Elisabeth had decided to stay behind with their friends for a while longer, telling Roland to go on ahead. He didn't mind, knowing that he would rather be alone for the next few minutes anyway.

The boy stood by an old, rotted church, overcome by vines and weeds. The sounds of nature surrounded him, birds tweeting as they sat in the trees, crickets chirping in the grass as the boy stood and looked at the building.

"One day I'm going to fix this place… But… Baby steps I suppose." He walked forward, passing by the building and dragging a finger against the rotted walls.

In no time at all he arrived at the back, proceeding into the graveyard that he had so preciously maintained for so many years. The grass was still green and healthy, the fence still perfectly painted white.

Roland went through his regular routine, walking around the area and taking a moment to look at each and every one of the gravestones, sometimes wiping away dust or spider webs that had come to rest on the white stones. He read every name, every date, every inscription that there was, until he soon came to the pyramid that rested in the center.

"Hey you two." He slowly sat down, suddenly feeling like he was very, very aged. He remembered in years past when he had sat in the same spot, his bones aching and body tired like an elderly man.

"So… It has been a good while. But hey, I did it. I made it through a year at Beacon. Who would have thought, huh? And let me tell you, that was probably one of the hardest things I've done. A lot has happened, and I've changed a good bit. They all helped me so much. They came in and they filled the spaces that you two left, and now… Now, I'm not alone anymore. So, I just came to let you two know. Your son did it. He rose from the ashes and he built a life. And now, here he is, all grown up and strong, healthy and happy, just like you would have wanted him to be. I've done it for you. I know that if you were around, you'd be bragging about me, telling all the neighbors about all the things I've done. And I avenged you as well. The White Fang no longer exists. Even as we speak the lasts remains are being hunted down. But don't worry. I've got a plan for the faunas. The White Fang may be destroyed, but those people will have their freedom, and I intend to deliver it. But I've talked enough for now. I have someone else I need to see." Roland stood up and reached into his pocket, carefully pulling out a purple flower that he had bought. He set it down just in front on the pyramid, then pressed his lips to the smooth stone, "I love you both. We'll meet one day, and be a family."

After he was done Roland walked to the side, where another gravestone sat, this one obviously newer than the others. He kneeled down, running his hand over the snake that had been etched into the stone as he read the poem.

"Hey there Cobra. Damn, if you could see the things we've done. If you knew what they were all like, how much they've grown. I mean, I think about Ruby, and it seems so hard to believe that she's only sixteen. She is more capable than most the adults that live in Vale, and the same goes for the others too. All of them, they really are the best of the best. And I've got the honor of being their leader." He paused for a few moments, gathering his thoughts.

"I miss you Cobra… I'd give so much to have you back. You deserved so much more. I can't bring you back, nothing can, but I will make sure you died for a good reason. The White Fang is already gone, and now Cinder and Roman are in the crosshairs. This world is going to know true peace, I promise you that. And one day, hopefully a long time from now, you and I are gonna raise hell again, just like we used to." Roland pulled out another flower, this one being bright blue. He set it in the grass in front of the grave, adjusting it so it sat straight up. "I'd say goodbye, but I remember what you told me. And you were right about it. If you're watching this, if you know that I'm here, then do me a favour. Watch over the others for me. Do what you can Cobra. I'll see you some day."

"So this is gonna be the place I live…" Roland stared at the wooden door before him, sometimes looking left and right at the other doors that lined the hallway. "I guess this should be… New." He pushed the key into the lock, twisting it and pushing the door open.

It was fairly nice as far as Roland was concerned. A well sized living room, a small kitchen with a stove, refrigerator and all the other kitchen necessities, one bathroom, and a single bedroom that Roland assumed was through the door to his left.

"Its… Nice I guess." The boy tossed his suitcase and backpack aside, looking at the barren room. There wasn't much in it, besides a coffee table and what looked like a bookshelf that sat against the wall. "Well, they did say this room was completely empty. At least it'll make it easier to decorate."

Roland walked around the space, trying to familiarize himself with his new home. It wasn't what he was used to, but currently it was the best he could get. His parent's money was more than enough to pay the rent for his entire life, although he doubted he would be staying in the apartment for too long.

But he could worry about all that later. For now, Roland wanted to make this place more homely. After walking around the apartment for about ten minutes and seeing that he had little more than a kitchen, a queen sized bed, and a couple of pieces of furniture, he decided a bit of shopping was in order. Besides, he needed to buy food anyways, might as well hit two birds with one stone.

"Okay… I got a sofa, a table, food, a tv, and a dresser. That should be everything…" Roland crossed off the items on a mental list, looking around his apartment to see if there was anything else he should go out and get.

"Place still looks a little barren… Ugh, where is Elisabeth when you need her? Girl never stops talking about interior design." Roland was ever very adept in the art of decoration, always preferring to get the base necessities and role with that. "Screw it, I'll get anything else I think of later." He waved his thoughts aside, walking into the bedroom and starting to unpack his clothes. Admittedly, he didn't have much to unpack, just a few extra cloaks and some casual clothes that he would probably never wear.

"So… What do normal people do for entertainment?" The sun had set a while ago, Roland spending all of the day getting anything and everything he thought he would need. Now, he pulled out his scroll and stood on the balcony that his apartment provided, leaning over the metal railing and looking at the city below.

He was on one of the highest floors and therefore had a good view, able to see most of the city as cars raced through the streets below, leaving lines of color from their lights. He could even see Beacon, the school towering over the city on the same cliff it had always sat on.

"Well… It is a nice view, the staff was right about that." He felt a cool breeze drift by as he pushed off the railing, going back inside and tossing his scroll onto the couch. Roland had decided to do something that he hadn't done in a long, long time.

So, he unclipped his cloak, tossing it over the bathroom door as he walked in. It was small, with just enough room for a toilet, shower, and sink. The mirror was fairly large, enough to fit in at least two people at once.

He pulled his shirt off, hanging it on the door as well, then centered himself in the mirror. And for the first time in a long, long while, Roland stopped looking at everything around him. He stopped scanning the streets, snapping his head in a direction every time he saw the slightest movement, stopped searching for any signs of danger or trouble.

Because now, Roland was taking this small time to look at himself.

He had aged, that much was obvious. His hair, which had used to be a bright brown, was now much darker, but still the same length, covering his ears and resting just above his eyes, curved to left while the back extended a small way down the back of his neck, just the way he liked it. His eyes still had the same sharp expression, even his milky-white left eye having a threatening glint to it.

He traced the scar on his face with his fingers, knowing that it was something he'd have for the rest of his life. His right eye was currently green, reminding the boy of the times when both his eyes shone with the brilliant emerald color. He had come to terms with the loss a long time ago, but he still felt a small sting of sadness at the sight.

Moving on he looked at his body, his chest and stomach still adorned by the same scars that had always been there. His skin was pale and white due to the fact that sunlight rarely touched his skin, usually blocked by the long sleeves and cloak he almost always wore. Each mark on his body had a story behind it, and he could remember each and every one of them perfectly. Roland's memory had never been the best, but he would never forget a fight. It was something that burned itself into his mind, etching every detail into the boy's memory.

But his attention was drawn elsewhere when he heard the doorbell ring, and deciding that he could think about his current appearance and how much he had changed later, Roland put his shirt back on a headed for the door, deciding to leave the cloak off for now.

He pulled the door open, seeing Elisabeth standing in the hall with a box in her hands.

"Ah, so you finally made it?"

"Oh don't start. Do you know how hard it was to get out of the house? My parents wanted me to explain to them every last detail of this year, even though they already knew everything that happened. I love them to do death but good god do they ask a ton of questions."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to relive your adventures. But for now, would you like to come in?" He stood to the side, giving her a small view of the apartment.

"I don't expect to stand in the hall for the next few hours, so I think I'll have to go with yes." She smiled and walked in, glancing around the apartment. Roland closed the door behind her, walking into the kitchen and starting to go through the fridge.

"You didn't really buy all that much for the place."

"What do you mean? I bought a couch and a tv, that counts for something."

"A couch and a tv? I know you're used to going with the smallest possible resources, but come on Roland, give the place a bit of life. Its yours now, you get to put whatever you want in here!" The girl laughed, knowing that her boyfriend would require a bit of help when it came to decoration.

"I'll buy more stuff eventually, don't worry. Besides, some stuff hasn't gotten here yet."

"Like what?"

"Well, I went online and ordered a custom-made computer, so that should be here soon. Oh, and I got some display cases for my weapons too, and a few more shelves."

"You do realize this is a big apartment? You'll probably need more than that."

"Ah, I'll be fine." He waved off her words as closed the fridge and opened the freezer, pulling out a microwaveable pizza.

"When you say you bought food, what kind of food do you mean?" Elisabeth walked into the small kitchen and watched as Roland slid the pizza into a toaster oven.

"Um… A bunch of vegetables, some fruit, a lot of ingredients for food, and plenty of quick meals like this one, for when I'm feeling lazy."

"You're always feeling lazy."

"Then I guess its good that I bought plenty of microwaveable stuff." Roland laughed and tossed the box aside, hopping up and sitting on the counter as Elisabeth continued to look around.

"By the way, how'd you get all this stuff here?"

"I just rented a car for a few hours."

"You can drive?"

"Well, not legally, but no one needs to know that."

"How in the hell did you rent a car if you can't legally drive?"

"Ozpin can get you all sorts of perks."

"Roland, you can't use Ozpin to break the law."

"Oh calm down, it was only the one time, I promise. And besides, after everything we've been through in the past year, I think I'm due a bit of driving to pick up some food. I promise I won't do it again. I'm thinking of taking the little class thing for driving anyways."

"Drivers ed?"

"Yeah, that one."

"And what has gotten you so eager to drive?"

"It'd probably be pretty useful. It sure is faster than walking."

"You could always ask one of your friends. I hear the class is a real hassle."

"Yeah, but I don't want to call them up twice a week so they can drive me to the grocery store. I'll be fine, I'm sure I'll breeze right through it." Roland hopped down off the counter, walking into the living room and flopping down on the sofa.

"Last time I checked you hated being in a classroom." Elisabeth joined him, propping her feet up on the armrest.

"It's only a week-long thing. I'm sure I'll survive." Roland laughed again and wrapped an arm around Elisabeth, taking a moment to relax as silence quickly settled in the room.

It was a few minutes before either of them spoke again, Roland being the one to break the silence.

"This is nice."

"What do you mean?" Elisabeth laughed. "We do this stuff all the time."

"Yeah, but I don't have to worry about anything now. I get to just lay back and be calm. I don't have to think about what might happen tomorrow, or next week, or next month. Its nice."

"I think you needed this summer break much more than anyone else. If anyone was put under the most stress, it was you."

"Ha, you can say that again. Lost an eye, lost a friend, got chased through the White Fang base by an abomination. I think I'll pass on doing any of that again."

"Same here. This year had its ups and downs, but hey, we made it out of there in the end. Now we get to have some time to ourselves."

"Thank goodness for that. Although, it might get just a little bit lonely around here."

"Hm, I don't think you'll have to worry about that too much." Elisabeth turned her head and placed a kiss on his lips, letting her eyes remain closed as the contact was broken and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll have plenty of visitors."

"You know what? That actually doesn't sound too bad."