Thank you too: Dragoness of the Moon for your review.

Time and Deceit

Ozpin slept deeply after Ruby and Qrow left. When he awoke it was to the feeling of someone rubbing something on his bare chest. He blinked a few times, slowing waking up. "Lydia?" He croaked.

"Hello sleeping beauty." Lydia purred, counting to rub his chest an oil. He wasn't sure what it was but it was strong smelling and tingling his skin.

"I'm not beautiful anymore." Ozpin slid his eyes closed again, he was still so tired.

Lydia reached up and removed his oxygen mask then turned off the machine. A dandelion smell filled his nose. "What I am I inhaling?" He asked with a bit of a slur.

"Tussilago. It's best when applied rather than consumed." Lydia said grabbing a cloth and drying her fingers.

Oz took a few more deep slow breaths, it was in fact easier. "Seems to be doing something." The slur was still in his voice. "Why I am so groggy?"

"The nurse did refill your morphine drip shortly after I came in and let you have a little more. You were jerking in your sleep, don't get used to it. They only reason she did was because I was here to make sure your breathed often enough." Lydia pulled the tea cosy off a pot and poured a steaming cup of tea into a light cup.

"What's that?" Ozpin asked, all he could smell was tussilago.

"You're favourite." Lydia said with her most evil smile.

"Awww." Ozpin groaned and dropped his head back, he knew what that meant.

"Well you so rarely got sick before I hardly got a chance to baby you." Lydia said with a smile. "Now your poor immune system is working in overtime and needs all the help it can get."

"It was that tea that made me learn how to shield to fight off colds with Aura." Ozpin said turning his head away as she stood cup in hand.

"Now none of that. If you don't drink it now, I'll just give it to you later when it's cold." Lydia said putting a hand on her hip.

Ozpin knew she would do it, she was evil incarnate. He turned his head back to her and unleashed his best puppy dog eyes.

"Nice try, better luck next time." Lydia brought the cup to his lips.

Oz co-operated and took a small sip from the hot cup. Lemon, ginger and honey. "Needs more honey."

"If you had it your way it would be 'would would you like some tea with your honey.'" Lydia said setting the cup aside.

Ozpin smiled groggily up at her. "I like my sweets."

"And you're not getting any till you're healed." Lydia said smiling, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small letter of yellowed paper. She put it in his hand and tucked it under the blanket. "For your Raven."

"She's not my Raven."

"That's not what I read from her mind, she was lurking outside of the hospital but made a tactical retreat. She's a very conflicted woman." Lydia rubbed more oil on his chest.

"That's putting it mildly." Oz said his eyes sliding shut again, breathing deeply of the oil. He turned away from her looking out the window. "Am I doing the right thing Lydia? I never planned for any of this and in light of my condition I can't help wondering if perhaps I should have chosen a different path. I don't even feel like myself anymore."

"Do you have regrets my little becan valen?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, many." Ozpin looked down at his tattooed arms.

"Then you're doing the right thing."

"What do you mean?" Oz asked.

"No one can go through life without some sort of regret, it's what reaffirms our motivation, our choice to strive. If we had no regrets then is that not just the same as having nothing to change. Mistakes happen, regrets live, it's what we choose to do with them that sets us on our path." Lydia said.

"Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right."


Qrow and Ruby swung out, Grimm dust followed them in a black wake. It was good to fight together again, even if it was under Hawk's supervision. They blasted forth gunning for another wave of Beowolves, the two scythe wielders all but rolled their eyes. Talk about boring Grimm. Ruby blasted forth with her Semblance, materializing for brief seconds to since the young Grimm to bits. Qrow swung Harbinger out behind him in a ready stance and laughed. "That bored already Rubes?" He walked towards the treeline.

The red petals blew towards him, enclosing him in a cyclone before Ruby materialized out of it floating. "You know, I've been killing packs like this since I was like thirteen."

"I didn't let you do any fighting till you were fourteen, don't exaggerate." Qrow reached up and booped her nose.

Ruby fell out of her Semblance with a giggle, but Qrow caught her wrist and pulled her to him before she could fall on her butt. "Yang and I snuck out a lot."

"Of course you did." Qrow said. He scanned over the ground and pursed his lips. "One sec." He stepped away and turned into a crow flying up above the clearing for a moment. Before returning with a snap. He raced to the edge of the field and knelt by a huge… hoof print. He knelt and studied it for a second before spinning around and screaming out. "HAWK PULL EVERYONE BACK NOW!"

PAD, CLOP, PAD, CLOP.

A huge Grimm emerged from the tree like, Ruby took a few steps back as Qrow raced toward her. "What is it?"

"A Nuckelavee, those arms can stretch without end and it's got a sonic roar. If we split up it can target us individually, we should stick together. With your Semblance and my crow, we should be able to avoid its attacks." Qrow said.

"Why not just Maelstrom it? Ruby asked.

"Think you can hold us together?" Qrow raised a brow. "If it screams…"

"I won't know till we try." Ruby said.

The Nuckelavee stopped, the imp upon it's back with it's long distended arms twitched and pulled up as it body jerked forward. Ruby had a moment to take in the white skull face and Grimm eyes before its jaw unhinged, showing rows of sharp black teeth and screamed. The sonic blast shockwaved around the tribesmen, making everyone cringe from its blood curdling scream.

Qrow charged forward, Harbinger in it's scythe form extended out behind him. Ruby took a few deep breaths and activated her Semblance, she blasted at him and wrapping him up in it. Their petals darkened slightly with the addition of Qrow. Ruby wrapped them around the Grimm, Qrow materializing in and out of the storm. Cutting and slicing, black Grimm dust bleeding out of it.

The Nuckelavee screamed again lifting its arms and spun in a circle. The wind blew Ruby and Qrow into a fine mist of petals, they floated listless for a moment before Ruby pulled them together and they blasted as one towards the Grimm. The Nuckelavee proved its age, learning from their attack and caught on. At the next point when Ruby and Qrow's storm was its thickest it launched, stretching its arms into them, trying to grasps their physical forms. Ruby split them into three coming together to smash into the horse chest. Qrow materialized his sword buried in the Grimm's chest. The horse head slammed him in the chest, sending him tumbling head over heels into the dirt.

Ruby materialized firing Crescent Rose, flanking the Grimm. It sent it's arms after her spinning to follow her. "Qrow remember Naga?!"

Qrow hauled himself to his feet. "That is a TERRIBLE idea!" He glanced around, could see that Hawk was pulling her men back and was watching from the tree line. There would be no back up them.

"But there is already a storm brewing!" Ruby Rose petal burst to another tree. "It could work!" Ruby had to dodge from the tree as the Grimm launched into the spot she had just been taking refuge on.

"Not much point if it sets the whole forest on fire!" Qrow found that Harbinger was still suck in the Grimm, seriously how much punishment could this one take.

The Nuckelavee batted Ruby from the sky, she landed with a ground with a hard thump. "Qrow!" She screamed.

"Fuck it." Qrow took a deep breath. "Call my name."

"Fight for me Muninn."

Qrow's eyes changed and his Semblance ripped free, his Aura flared bright upon skin. The sky overhead boomed and lightning struck the Grimm, only missing Ruby by inches. It screamed and stumbled away from her, Qrow blasted forth a blur of red. The Nuckelavee screamed, finally ripping Harbinger from it's chest and tossing it into the tree line. It crossed it's arms over it's chest and screamed again violently jerking. The spines on its back and horns lengthed, it's mouth unhinged again and roared it's sonic wave. Qrow didn't even flinch, the Grimm zeroed in on him and charged. It's front legs raising up to step on him.

He caught them both, stepped inward and spun, between them. His talons sliced tendons and black flesh apart, an arm came for him but he swept out with a single Aura strike, cutting the arm off. The Grimm stumbled away from him, the horse head swung around to hit him.

It impacted with his hand, all the muscle of the Grimm against Qrow warned for a brief second before he again stepped in under the Grimm's space and spliced the horses throat open, dung his talons in and planted his foot on the monsters chest.

Ruby felt what he wanted, she grabbed Crescent Rose and jumped up swing down on the horses neck at the same moment Qrow heaved.

The sound of bones breaking and ligaments tearing was one Ruby wouldn't forget for a long time as Qrow tossed the horse head away behind him. The horse part of the Grimm gave out and it lashed out with it's remaining arm. Qrow stepped neatly to the side and jumped up onto the striking out once with a glowing red fist.

The Grimm's shouldered exploded, it's arm falling to the ground. It screamed again a weaker sound and Qrow grabbed it by the bottom of it's jaw. "Shut up." He ripped it clean off and spun it around driving it's own teeth into it's skull. The Grimm collapsed on itself, flecks of black drifting off the body as it finally died.

Qrow stepped off of it as it dissolved, he wasn't even breathing hard but slow deep breaths. His black eyes turned to Ruby who was taking tentative steps closer. The air around them crackled with tension but slowly it faded as it started to pour rain, quickly soaking them both. She collapsed Crescent Rose and set the weapon on her hip. "Qrow." She reached out and took his hand. "Come back to me."

He could feel blood dripping from his fingers, though Grimm did not bleed. The red iris of his eyes was thin and unfocused. Ruby smiled and called out. "Muninn shh, time to rest again. I'm safe."

Qrow closed his eyes and look a deep breath, the red fire of Aura faded from sight. His talons receded and when he opened his eyes again they were normal. "I really hate that."

"Worked though, I think you fried it's brain." Ruby said with a smile.

Her partner reached out and brushed a lock of hair back from her face. "And almost you."

"Na, I had plenty of Aura left." Ruby smiled and Qrow lifted a brow. "What?"

"Watching you fight is really sexy. That was brutal but awesome." Ruby leaned up on her toes. "We should go find a private place."

Hawk was walking towards them from the tree line. Qrow waved at her and yelled. "Be back later!" Ruby grabbed him and they blasted off into the forest to find a dry place to celebrate their victory.

They reappeared under a thick pine tree, giggling as Qrow shoved her up against the trunk. Ruby grinned and reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Come on come on." Ruby pulled him to her kissing him thoroughly.

"Does fighting really rile you that much?" Qrow asked, breaking the kiss and going for his trousers. Then hiking her up against the tree.

"Not all the time, but we had back up. I wasn't worried." Ruby reached down to stroke him.

"Hawk wouldn't have helped unless we were about to die. She probably wanted to see you use your eyes." Qrow dipped his head and started to kiss her neck. "But I really don't want to be thinking about my mom when, I've got you to play with." He grabbed her wrist and pinned to the truck as he bucked up into her, cherishing her moan.


Ozpin stood by his room's window, it had been a couple of days and he could breathe and stand unaided now. Lydia, pleased with the speed of his recover had left that afternoon, reassured in the knowledge that Oz was actually looking more himself. That doctor was still not letting him out of her sight though, maybe she knew a troublesome patient when she saw one. Oz smirked, him, troublesome? Never~.

His gaze fell again as he rubbed his chest. Tuberculosis, it seemed so unreal. It was frightening, to have carried around his own potential death for so long, if the cysts had burst while he had been alone… A memory, crawling out if that pool into the cold air. He shook his head, no now was not the time to get lost in those memories.

He walked over to the bed carefully pulling his shirt off. He gently touched the bandages that covered the surgery site, they mirrored on his body. He flinched as even the tiniest gaze hurt deeply, he guess his Aura had its work cut out for it, tending to his insides. He pressed the heel of a hand to his forehead, they would just become yet another set of scars. More scars, he knew he was not above vanity, he freely acknowledged it. He liked looking his best, but he had a feeling what his best was… was going down the drain. More scars, more scars that he couldn't hide, couldn't pretend they weren't there by hiding them under ink. How could Qrow and Ruby, just accept them? When they had started courting he had been a beautifully perfect man, now he left like he was giving them a cheap knock off. Gods how could he face them again, his mistakes were stacking up again him.

Stop this Oz, they love you. Lydia still loves you, they don't care and you know that. He other part of him said they should care. You're such a vain insecure fucker, all charms and smiles cause you can't bare to let them see how twisted ugly and broken you've become.

So lost in thought he barely registered that someone was outside the room, thinking it was probably one of the nurses or Weiss he took the last few moments to wallow. However it wasn't Weiss or any of the other people he had come to expect. It was Raven who pushed the door open.

She didn't really want to report to him but he was the one that had given them targets to scout out and they were solid targets. She stopped mid step staring at Oz's black tattooed back, they were tasteful and ornate, down right gorgeous, but in this light she could also see what they hid. "What happened to you?" The awe palpable.

Ozpin spun to his feet, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on. Only for pain to stab at him, his world changed colours but Raven caught him before he fell. "Startle you did I?" Something close to amusement in her voice.

"Do you need something Raven?" Ozpin asked sitting back on his bed.

"Just to report we scouted out you're targets. They're good and once tribesmen arrive to hold the territory, we'll get started." Raven said, looking his battered chest over, the long vine tattoo over his abs stood out. Before he could stop her, she reached out and drew her fingers over it. Really taking the time to feel the long raised welt. "What happened to you?" She asked again.

Ozpin grabbed her wrist and pushed her hand away. "For that one I was impaled by some shrapnel, otherwise Cinder burned me alive and was arrogant enough to assume she had killed me."

"So you have been playing into that assumption the whole time. That is why you changed your hair and have been using a false name. Clever, Qrow always said you were intelligent but I never saw it." Raven mused, her eyes couldn't stop going over the raised scars both hidden by ink and the ones he hadn't been able to hide.

Oz rolled his eyes, he shoved himself to his feet. Doing the middle button of his shirt as he went. "Yeah, well you don't need to gawk. I know I look like I've been through a meat grinder."

"I disagree. Before when your body was whole I thought it was the most unpleasant thing. It was like your perfection shone back then, not a line on your face, not a mark or blemish on your skin. I use to hate it. This pristine body so free or hardship and pain. It was shameful. Now look at you!" Raven moved to him to stand before him and ran a gloved hand over Oz's chest, the sides of his shirt parting. "This new you, so riddled with suffering and branded with unjust ... its beautiful and it's real."

"Raven I am not interested in your attempts, leave." Oz tired to move away but he wasn't sure he had the strength to move her. "Tell me Oz, does my brother look at you, at this 'new' you and see you the same. Or is there a lingering flash of pity? Disgust? Guilt…" Stepping into his space the older twin watched her prey, seeing the slightest change in expression and grinned. "Ahhh~ He feels guilty, probably over not being able to protect you? Does he run his hand down your body, feeling every scar, every cut, all these badges, proof that you've lived through horror and it hurts him because he knows it was his fault?" The woman hummed in delight, those hands moving lower with every word, feeling the ridges or imperfections, coarse and hard under her palms, her fingertips.

Oz grabbed her hand as she trailed through the hair above his groin. "I'm not interested Raven. You used me once, I will not let you do it again."

"It's not 'using' Oz when I genuinely want you. Seeing you so real and strong, it makes me wet. See for yourself." She grabbed one of his hands and pressed it to her sex.

Ozpin attempted to snatch it back. "I don't believe you. You are jealous of Qrow. You want your magic to change and have gotten it into your head that I'm the means to that end. I don't know how it works Raven, I told the truth on that. What Qrow has done has been all him."

Seeing him look down on her as though she was his student again pissed her off. Dropping his now damp hand she glared at him. "You keep telling yourself that Ozpin. You'll change your mind eventually, what with my brother and your little Ruby with the tribe who's going to take care of you? Who would even 'look' at you. My offer stands, let me know when you decide you want a real fuck. Let me see that new strength of yours."

The only thing I want right now is to wash my hand of you, both figuratively 'and' literally. Seriously Raven, that you think you have anything to offer just because Qrow is gone?

"Do you really think, that this?" He pointed at himself. "Is a sign of strength? You do even really grasp pain?" Ozpin shook his head and sneered. "I'll show you pain, then maybe you'll understand your delusional thinking that it equates to strength." He snapped his hand out and grabbed her by the forehead, covering her mouth with the other and calling on his Aura. Slamming her into the wall, the action jarred his wounds but he grit his teeth.

He pushed his Aura into her coupled with a memory.

"Tell me immortal man, God of the Wilds. How did you become so? For I do not believe you are a god… Tell me are you familiar with the works of Shan Yu?" The face of a old man, his teeth rotting and a horrible stench for breath came into Oz's vision. "I will meet the real you Mister Immortal man."

The vision twisted and Oz yanked against the chains over and over, his heart pounding. The hand holding the knife was old but he didn't think it was the first man. It cut into his stomach drawing a line straight down the middle of his abs. Blood poured out over his skin and he screamed. Cut after cut. Blood dripped down staining the ground, parts were removed and shown off.

"Do you see strength in this?!" Oz snarled. "Do you see anything here worth any of it?"

"You lived." Raven gasped out.

"No I didn't."

He didn't scream anymore, just watched his blood drip away and tried not to think about what they were going to do with his hand. Darkness pushed in on him as the old man started to do the cutting himself.

"You stupid pathetic man." Ozpin hissed. "You've wasted so much time hunting me and you will get nothing." Oz could feel himself dying he looked over at his stump as his body started to dissolve into gold dust. Most of his deaths had been quicker, so he hadn't seen himself die before, it reminded him of how a Grimm died. This time he welcomed that oblivion, he'd take anything to be away from here.

"Know what it's like to die." Ozpin snarled. "Or shall I set you on fire? I can show you that too."

"But you are still here, you're alive and you keep at it. You are strong." Raven said as Oz removed his hand.

"Pain does not make that so. My body is ruined in more ways than I care to count. But I still have people who love me. Beyond Ruby and Qrow, that is strength." It pained him to admit it but he knew it was true, he was ruined.

"You and I believe the same thing. Strength in family. Have you told them? How much you desire a family of your own. I remember how you looked at me, my belly already swelling with Yang. It only made you harder, made you ache to have me. " Raven smiled seeing the weakness in his eyes. "I'm not a part of this war. You wanted Yang to be ours. Would that really be so bad?" She leaned up whispering into his ear. "Just once, and we both get what we want."

Ozpin closed his eyes and took a deep steadying breath. Desires and feelings he hadn't let himself feel in such a long time bubbled up to the surface. Then he inhaled Raven's scent, a mix of smoke and woods but no matter how much she tried she would never be able to mask that tone of blood that lay beneath. "I can't… say you are wrong there. I doubt you can even comprehend how long I've wanted but my lives have never allowed it. But no Raven. This is wrong. Had we all been on better terms, had the war with Salem not been a problem. Perhaps I would consent to let you be a surrogate. But I don't want a bastard child, one that I'll never see or one that I can't raise myself. You just want power, for you, for your family." Oz stepped away from her in slow laboured steps. "Maybe someday we can be friends Raven, but I can't forgive for you did to Qrow and what you did to me. Please leave."

Raven stepped away, taking in the sight of him. She could see what her brother had and thought it a terrible shame they couldn't share. "I think I see what Qrow does. But I pity you Ozpin. You've given Salem so much of your time and carved out so little for yourself."

"Go."

Raven did, but the defeated tone of his voice left her smiling. She had won this round.


Falcon damped his lantern as he pushed the way into his and Hawk's part of the main tent. He could hear Qrow making love to his little woman, they were being quiet but it was a quiet time of night. He sat on the end of his bed, getting the camp set up again had taken longer in the mud, probably misfourtune reeling it's head but no one was going to blame Qrow when he punched a Nuckelavee to bits.

He stretched and kicked his feet out, nudging Hawk's bag by accident. It tumbled to the side and a clear bottle rolled out, small white pills jingled about in it. He reached out and picked up bottle laying on the heavy rug. He didn't recognize the pills and he knew Hawk wasn't taking anything.

Hawk pushed her way into the room. "They sound like their having fun." She whispered with a smile.

"Hawk, what are you up to?" Falcon asked, holding up the bottle for her to see.

"That is for me to know and you to find out in a few months time." She giggled taking the bottle from him and packing it out of sight.

Falcon rolled his eyes and set about stripping while wondering just what was his wife up to this time.