Qrow paced the floor. "You can't take her there!" he shouted at the older man sitting at his desk

With a calm voice, Ozpin replied, "Yes. I can. And I must."

Qrow spun around, furiously, and stalked towards the door. He spun again, his black cape billowing around him. He pointed at Ozpin. "You cannot take a little girl into the Vault!"

"I've already taken her, once. Besides, I'm not the one whose sister defected while possessing the Repository Key." Ozpin arched an eyebrow as he spun around to face the fuming Qrow. He bore an eye patch over his left eye. "Speaking of, have you tracked her down yet?"

Qrow growled, "She is not the discussion right now, but if you must know, I've narrowed her location down to somewhere in the vicinity of Hue."

"Hue? Really? But that fortress was destroyed during the Third Crusade." Ozpin sighed.

"Well, I'd have to take your word for it. You're the only one besides Goodwitch and Ironwood who's still alive to tell that tale." Qrow folded his burly arms over his chest. He'd gotten slightly bigger in his old age, but every move he made rippled with the power of an experienced Hunter.

"The Third Crusade deserves to be buried along with any other mention of the truth of those times. We did awful things. The world only remembers the Paladins and I," Ozpin glanced into his mug, "would prefer to keep it that way."

Qrow closed his mouth and shook his head. "Damn you, Ozpin! Stop changing the subject! We're talking about my niece here! You are not taking her to the Vault!"

"Qrow, I've respected your counsel for many, many years. But the matter is closed. Ruby and I are going. It will only be for a few days."

"For us, maybe," Qrow interjected, "not for you! Two years with only you for company? That's not going to happen!"

"And what would you ask?"

"If you're intent on giving it to her, then let me go with you. She deserves to have family by her side and with Taiyang's…disappearance, I'm all she has left."

Ozpin sighed. "Very well. You may come. I'm sure Ruby will be thrilled to see you again." Ozpin sipped his coffee. "We leave in an hour."

The burly man growled and turned towards the door, slamming it behind him. Ozpin turned back towards the window, staring out at the bustling city beneath him. His desk alert chimed and he turned to accept the call.

"Headmaster?"

"Yes, Azura, what is it?"

The blue-haired woman had concern written all over her features. "It's Ruby. She was poisoned during the battle. She made it back to the locker room and collapsed. It seems to be a metal-based poison. Probably mercury or blacksteel shavings. Maybe both. If we don't do something soon, she will die."

Ozpin stood. "Have your husband bring my things down to the arena, I'll be right there."

Professor Lapis nodded. "Yes'sir!"

"Ruby? Ruby?" Ruby's eyes were lidded and half shut, her vision a glazed blur. "It's me, Ruby. It's your uncle, Qrow."

The big man cradled the small girl in his arms. Her hand was turning a deep purple and the wound in her shoulder was leaking silver and red, the edges crisped black.

A pair of emergency medical technicians readied a syringe of liquefied artificial healing Dust. One of them shooed Qrow's hands away from Ruby's face and the medic injected the serum into Ruby's neck. "Sir, she's going into shock. The wound is healing but the poison needs to be neutralized now. If we don't get her to a medical facility, she will die."

The young woman stared at Qrow and he nodded, letting the smaller girl go from his arms. Before the medic could wheel Ruby away, Ozpin appeared. He stood over Ruby and ran a finger through the liquid that oozed from Ruby's wound. He studied it for a moment and then dismissed the medics.

"B-But Professor Ozpin! If this young woman doesn't receive medical care immediately…" Ozpin raised his hand and she shut her mouth.

"I will take care of it. Miss Rose will survive. You may go."

Qrow glared at Ozpin. "What the hell kind of games do you have set up this year, Oz? Poison? Stab wounds? Both of my nieces have been critically injured by the same opponent?"

Ozpin turned and addressed Cole, who had just entered. "Sir, I brought your stuff. I also brought some changes of clothes for Miss Rose."

"Thank you, Cole. Could you and your wife make sure no one else disturbs us?" The dark-skinned professor nodded and stepped outside of the locker room. "Now, Qrow. I need you to stay very, very calm and even more importantly, I need you to stay very, very still. If you can manage it, quiet, would also be a boon."

Qrow shook with rage. "I am not some small child, Oz! I've been to the Vault! I've been to the Repository! I know about the Guardians! I've fought them before!"

Ozpin bowed his head, "Of course. My mistake." A small, pained moan from Ruby brought both of the feuding men back to the matter at hand. "Stand back." Ozpin turned and lifted the eye patch. Set into his eye, was an intricate gold-inlaid diamond and sitting where his pupil would normally be, was the Vault Key.

"Gods, Oz, when you said you'd keep it close to you, I never imagined you'd keep it there."

The old man simply shrugged, "It was the safest place I could think of." The familiar black and purple tear in space formed as the universe bent the laws of physics to the Key's will. Distance and time became meaningless as the distance between the two points in the universe was eliminated. Time collapsed on itself around the vortex as the dimensional rift expanded.

The portal opened and Qrow's eyes widened. "No matter how many times I visit this planet, Fracture still freaks me out."

Oz actually laughed at this. "Clearly you've never been to the Sanctuary on Meta. The Guardians there are worse."

"Bigger?" Qrow asked.

"Much." Ozpin replied.

"Oz?" Qrow's tone was low and serious. "What about Ruby?"

Ozpin turned and placed his hand on the girl's sweat-beaded head. "The portal purifies the body. She'll be completely healed the second she's over the threshold."

The bear of a man nodded and he stood, his cape drawn tight around him. "W-Wait…" a small voice called out. Both men turned to face Ruby, whose eyes were weakly trying to stay open. "W-Weiss… I can't… I can't leave yet…"

"Ruby, stay still. You'll be okay soon." Qrow said, his hands holding the now struggling Ruby to the gurney. Suddenly, the locker room door froze over and blasted open. In stalked an angry, short, white-haired girl.

"How DARE you try and take her from me!" Weiss called out, pointing Myrtenaster at her headmaster.

"Weiss…" Ruby called meekly. "Weiss…is that you?"

Weiss glared at the two men who both held their hands up in mock surrender. "I'm sorry, Professor!" Cole cried as he came in, sword drawn. Behind him stood Azura, who's kamas were in full scythe form. "She just flew right past us."

Ozpin smiled. "Never underestimate a woman in love."

Weiss rushed to Ruby's side, taking one of her hands in her own. "Ruby, I'm here. I'm here, okay?"

The injured girl smiled weakly. "Weiss, I can't see you… Where are you?"

"I'm here, Ruby." Weiss choked back a sob. Ruby's silver eyes were unfocused and glazed. "I'm right here. I love you. I'm here." She frantically stroked Ruby's hand.

Ruby reached up and touched Weiss's cheek. "I'm so glad you're here, Weiss. I think…I think my uncle should meet you." Ruby's head lolled to one side and Weiss looked up at the taller of the two men. "Uncle…Qrow… this is Weiss…. She's my…my…my…" Ruby took a deep, shuddering breath. "She's my girlfriend."

Qrow smiled sadly. "Weiss, it's a pleasure, but we need to take Ruby now. She's dying and if we don't get her through that portal soon, it may be too late."

Weiss turned to Ruby and she stroked the girl's face. "I love you, Ruby. I love you so much." Tears fell freely.

"Time to say…goodbye…Ruby…" Ruby said aloud. "G'bye, Weiss. I love…love… I…" Ruby's breathing quickened and her eyes widened for a moment before her lids relaxed and her breathing stopped.

"Ruby!" Weiss cried, "Ruby! Answer me!" The white-haired girl sobbed as Qrow took ahold of the gurney and wheeled it to the portal. Ozping followed him in and the portal blinked out of existence.

Weiss fell to the floor and sobbed.

Only five minutes later, the portal suddenly reappeared. Cole and Azura, who had knelt next to Weiss and consoled her, stood suddenly, turning back to the door to make sure they were still undisturbed.

Qrow exited the portal, Ozpin's eyes clutched gingerly between two of his sausage shaped fingers. "Miss Weiss?" he asked. "She made it. It was touch and go for a few days, but Ruby made it. The portal purified the poison and she came back to us. She's been recovering for about a week now. She asked that I come and tell you personally."

Weiss sniffed and looked up at the large man. "A-A week?" she asked before remembering the time differential. "She's okay?" she sniffed.

Qrow nodded and smiled at her. Kneeling beside her, he put a large hand on her shoulder. "She's talked a lot about you. You're really special to her, you know that?"

Weiss smiled and wiped her eyes. "Y-Yeah. She's special to me too. I wouldn't be who I am today without her. I love her."

Qrow pulled Weiss into a big bear hug. "That makes you family in my books." Qrow set her down and she coughed softly. "One more thing before I go, Weiss."

Weiss raised her eyebrows and turned her gaze up into the man's deep crimson eyes.

"She said to give you this." He tossed a small, shiny object through the air. Weiss caught it in her hand. "Well, I'll see you around! Got lots of work to do! Keep yourself busy these next couple days, okay? Ruby's really worried about you."

You dunce, Ruby. You're the one who will be gone for two years. Weiss smiled sadly and wiped her eyes again.

Qrow turned to Cole and Lapis, "Hey, Firsties!" he grinned. They hated the nickname because Qrow had been a second-year when Cole and Azura first started. He'd called them that on their first day and the name stuck. "If you lovebirds don't mind tossing in the luggage, that'd be just great! Okay? Okay."

Cole and Azura growled before setting to work. Weiss turned away and opened her hand. There, glistening like starlight in her palm, was a beautiful solid white-silver ring with a pure ruby cut into the shape of a rose. A ruby rose? You dolt. Weiss smiled and slipped the ring onto her left ring-finger. She splayed her fingers and admired the way the Ruby refracted the dim locker room lighting.

Thank you, Ruby. I'll see you soon.

Author's Note: So it begins! Two years of training in only a few days! Not much else to say about this chapter, really. Oh, I suppose I should mention that for most of his life, Qrow was smaller than Taiyang. Skinnier and scrawnier, too. However, he recently hit an unusual growth spurt. (Yes, the growth spurt was natural, no Dust or steroids).

So yeah, fun facts!

Next Time! Ozpin vs Ruby and Cinder vs Penny! Training and the Puppet's Fatal Flaw!