December 20th
Beacon Academy; Vale
6:15 PM

"Cassie!" Hope squealed as her sister came into the room with Caitlin behind her, closing the door sharply. "Ooo...Caity!"

"Hey Hope," Caitlin said, leaning down to the little girl's height and ruffling her white curls. "Do you want me to carry you on my back again?"

"Yeah!" Hope screeched in excitement, hopping onto Caitlin's back and tightly wrapping her small arms around the nineteen year old woman's neck. "Cassie! See, Caity strong!"

"You're so sweet with her…" Cas said as she lightly kissed her partner, causing Hope to giggle as she watched. "Seriously, she loves it when you're around."

Hope nodded furiously, her white curls shaking in the storm. "You and Cassie are the bestest!"

"Aww…" Emmett said as he came into the room with an unholy cup of steaming coffee. "This is adorable."

"Daddy…" Cas groaned as she looked to the steaming mug. "It's six fifteen in the evening! Mommy always said that you shouldn't drink coffee past two!"

Emmett sighed and sat down on top of his desk. "Think about it this way...in some parts of Vacuo, it's two. So, technically, I'm not breaking the rule."

"If you had said that to her she would have slapped your arm…" Cas insisted though it was no use and Emmett's smirk proved that to be so. "Or she would have just taken it away from you."

Shrugging, Emmett looked at his daughters and Caitlin. "You know, soon enough I can see Caitlin actually being Hope's sister...if you know what I mean."

Colour rose slowly in Caitlin's cheeks at the quip. "Emmett!"

"Okay, so not right now maybe, but I mean...I don't know...like in a few years or something!" Emmett corrected, setting down the coffee. "But, okay, let's think about more amusing things. Like the fact that Qrow seems to think that turning up drunk in Vale is a brilliant idea."

"He's thick, that about sums it up," Cas muttered. "I mean, did he seriously think that attacking Winter was a good idea?"

Caitlin shrugged and bounced from foot to foot, causing Hope to giggle hysterically. "I don't know, I think his real goal was to get her in trouble with my dad."

Emmett nodded, taking another sip of his coffee while Cas glared. "That sounds about right, and, Cas, if you're jealous there's the coffee maker in the back. Go use it, you know how. You just pop the k-cup in with some water and a cup and in a few minutes you'll have coffee."

"Can't I just have a beer?" Cas whined and Emmett smirked.

"Well, since you're eighteen, technically, yes. But it would be breaking Emmeline Ciel's rule number six hundred and seventeen: No alcohol before nine unless I specifically hand it to you and tell you to drink."

Cas laughed weakly. "Okay, fine, I won't break that rule even though you're breaking Emmeline Ciel's rule number twenty three."

"I'm not technically breaking it!" Emmett exclaimed adjusting his glasses. "And I have the book -"

"There's a book?" Caitlin asked, incredulous at the thought. "Since when?"

"After mommy…" Cas sighed and whispered the rest to her though Emmett still heard every word she spoke. "He compiled every single thing that she had ever attempted to lay down as a rule or whatnot into a dangerously long document on the computer and we follow the majority of them religiously. Even Hope is starting to learn, which she likes because she feels closer to her."

Emmett hopped off his desk as Caitlin set Hope down and took her into his arms while she immediately snatched his glasses from him and shoved them on her face with an evil grin. "Cas is right about that...especially the part about following the rules religiously...even if we've found a couple of loopholes that we know she wouldn't be able to argue with."

"She would be able to argue with the coffee one!" Cas snapped, crossing her arms. "And I know that for certain because -"

"Ah, but see Cas," Emmett said with a heavy sigh. "I could get away with things like that because the worst she would do would be to slap my arm and attempt to chastise me before she'd give up and kiss me."

Cas didn't respond before she nodded grudgingly. "I guess that's true."

"No, it's very true," Emmett told her while Hope played with his glasses. "And you know that because you spent fourteen years watching a weird couple before Hope happened."

"Wi...wi...wei..weird coup...coupe...couple?" Hope asked, shoving Emmett's glasses haphazardly onto his face. "What that...me...mean?"

Emmett smiled and booped her nose. "Have I ever told you girls about Cassie's first Hallow's Eve?"

Cas looked at him, her interest piqued. "No, why?"

Emmett smirked as she sat down on the arm of the couch with Caitlin next to her. "Hope, you're going to love this story because mommy's in it and I'm not holding back anything."

The little girl's eyes went wide and she was practically shaking in excitement; Emmett was usually fairly reserved when and if he told her stories about her mother. "Mommy story!"

Cas glared at her sister and stuck out her tongue. "Hey, it's a story about Cassie too!"

"Of course," Emmett said with his smirk only the more devious. "And don't forget me!"

Curls bouncing, Hope began to tug at Emmett's hair. "Daddy, tell us!"

"Okay, pipsqueak," Emmett told her as he ruffled her hair. "So it was Hallow's Eve just a little over eighteen years ago and Cas was a newborn baby, having only been born literally a month and a day prior on the thirtieth of September. Now, Emmy always hated Hallow's Eve because she thought it was creepy so I went behind her back to put candy in a bowl outside our apartment. By that I mean I was holding Cas and gently rocking her while she giggled and I very discreetly pulled a bowl of candy out of the pantry. I warned your sister about what I was going to do and why Emmy didn't like it and also told her to not tell her but she did anyways."

Cas puffed out her lower lip and set herself down in Caitlin's lap while pushing up her partner's teal glasses. "That's hardly fair! I couldn't even talk!"

Emmett winked at her before rolling his eyes. "Well, maybe it's more of my fault for doing it while your mother was just in the other room, reading reports on her scroll. She did point out that she could both see and hear me, so…"

"What did mommy say after that?" Cas asked as she wrapped her arms tightly around her partner. "I bet she was annoyed."

Emmett laughed. "She pretended to be but, usually, she struggled with being angry at me for terribly long because she'd end up feeling bad about it. Anyway, she told me, and I quote: 'I'm only letting you get away with this because I know that you'll do it either way.' I agreed with that, and reminded her that it was probably going to get stolen though I also pointed out that it was just plastic. She joked about me putting it out there in fine china but I countered with the fact that that guarantees that someone will steal it, to hell with whether or not there's candy in it."

Hope giggled. "Candy!"

"Not now, pipsqueak," Emmett told her and Cas and Caitlin laughed. "Anyway, we briefly debated on if the fact that Hallow's Eve was indeed fact before shifting to the idea of letting Cas do so when she was around four or five."

"Which you did," Cas said haughtily, crossing her arms while Caitlin kissed her cheek. "I remember going out with you, Caitlin, and Ivy when they were six and I was five -"

"I know, that was something I finally got Emmy to cave into," Emmett told her, sighing as he remembered that and wishing it hadn't turned into such a nasty row. "Seriously…"

"But Emmy…" Emmett protested while his wife slipped off her heels and set them down against the wall in their room. "Come on, Casey's five years old! If I'm with her and the Ironwitch twins then nothing's going to go wrong!"

"Glynda and James agree with my assessment," Emmeline countered, sliding off her jacket and hanging it up on the door. "And -"

"Emmy…" Emmett said, dramatically falling backwards onto their bed with his long, white waves splayed in every direction. "Come on, I'm a fully qualified huntsman -"

"And you're a media personality, Emmett you're famous whether you like it or not, just like I am. Okay, do you think that I like people looking at me and thinking or even saying, 'oh, that's President Ciel's daughter, Emmeline' anymore than you like people looking at you and saying things like 'oh, that's Nicholas Schnee's son...Emmett. Isn't he known for having sex with General Ciel and for being sarcastic and a bit of a diva?'" Emmeline sighed and sat down next to him, playing with his hair. "Ugh, fine she can go, but Emmett -"

"You like it when we have sex, though," Emmett reminded her in an attempt at distraction though he was relieved that she had finally agreed although she sighed in exasperation. "If I'm not wrong, you're usually the one who initiates it. Hell, you were the one who -"

"Emmett, that's not the point! Do you ever fucking understand anything I'm trying to say? Ever? Because sometimes I think it goes in one ear and out the other with you! Seriously, Emmett, sometimes you really do piss me the fuck off!" Emmeline snapped though she sighed when she saw the hurt look flash across his face. "No...no, Emmett, I...I...I…"

"Emmy," Emmett began slowly, shaking and with tears in his eyes. "Do you...do you not love me?"

Against her will, Emmeline turned away from him and began to sob into a pillow, her speech broken by it. "Emmett! I...I...I...do you...how could you?"

"Emmy, I'm sorry!" Emmett said as he shifted over so that he could rub her back. "Emmy, that's not fair and I shouldn't have said it! I...I know that -"

"Then you shouldn't have to ask! You shouldn't question it! Ever!" Emmeline exclaimed through her sobs. "If you know that I love you then you shouldn't doubt that for even a second!"

"Emmeline Cecilia Ciel…" Emmett said as he began to cry himself, gently prying her away from the pillow and letting her sob into him. "You have ever right to be angry with me because I know I have a tendency to provoke you - even if it's by accident. But Emmeline...I'm not going to ever leave you, not only because we're married and parents of the same child, but because I honestly love you more than I love my own life. I need you but I also shouldn't upset you."

Emmeline looked up at him with her deep brown eyes wide. "You really mean that?"

Emmett nodded. "Emmy, I've meant that since almost the day we first got involved. I promise, I love you so much and I...I'm sorry that I upset you because I'm being irrational...but...Emmy I will always love you, no matter what. It's… Emmy, what else is bothering you?"

Not wanting to meet his deeply concerned gaze but forcing herself to anyways, Emmeline studied his pale blue eyes before she started crying again. "I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid this would happen…"

"Tell me what?" Emmett asked, gently caressing her cheek. "Emmy, what happened?"

A heavy, broken sob escaping her as she wrapped her arms tightly around him, Emmeline could barely speak. "I was...I...I was pregnant the last two months but I...I miscarried again…"

"Oh, Emmy," Emmett said as he held her more securely. "I...I'm so sorry…"

"I don't even know what's wrong with me!" Emmeline exclaimed through her sobs. "This is the second time that's happened since we've had Casey and now I...I...I...Emmett I want another child so bad, because I want Casey to have a sibling she loves, someone she connects to in that way and I...I also just want us to have another baby for us because...not because I want to replace Cas...never, never, I love her so much but I...I...I…"

"Emmy, I know you love Cas, you don't have to justify yourself," Emmett told her, massaging her arm. "And I know that you want us to have another baby for us because having Cas has only brought us closer. It's not impossible, we'll manage it even if we keep losing a few times. Okay?"

Another broken sob escaped her. "Emmett, there's got to be something wrong with me! That's the only reason why -"

"Or maybe there's something wrong with me!" Emmett countered, knowing that wasn't an impossibility. "Maybe I'm the reason you haven't been able to get pregnant and carry to term!"

"No! That's not fair to you!" Emmeline said as the tears continued to fall. "It's my fault! It's all because I'm just not capable and Cas was an incredibly lucky accident! Why the fuck can't I just be like normal women, hell, why can't I be in my twenties like you and be more capable because of that -"

"Emmeline Cecilia Ciel, I am not going to listen to you tear yourself to pieces!" Emmett snapped, causing her to look at him in surprise before he softened his tone. "Emmeline, there is nothing wrong with you and there never has been. And I don't care that you're forty four! There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and I just want you to be happy - you know I can't bear watching you suffer because it breaks my heart. I promise, we'll have another child...even if it's not as soon as we're hoping. But Emmy...Emmy, I love you no matter what happens, okay?"

Emmeline nodded and curled into him even more tightly. "I love you too."


December 20th
Team RWBY Dormitory
Beacon Academy; Vale

"You'll never beat me, old man!" Ruby screamed in spite of how nervous she was as she and Qrow played video games.

Smirking as he looked at her, Qrow laughed. "You're nothing but talk, kid!"

Yang clasped her hands together and started to shout support for her cousin while watching the screen as the pixelated ninjas continued to battle. "You can do it, Ruby!"

"Soaring Ninja Wins!" The game's announcer declared as Qrow's ninja decapitated Ruby's. "Total Annihilation!"

Grinning at his victory though feeling slightly marred when he noticed his daughter lower her head in shame, Qrow's own nerves resurfaced when he heard Yang whispering to Ruby. "Ouch."

Still attempting to be normal, Qrow smirked at his daughter who half heartedly returned it. "And by the way, don't ever call me old."

"My turn!" Yang screamed, pushing Ruby out of her spot and grabbing the spinning control out of the air.

"New Challenger Approaches!" The game declared and Qrow began thinking to himself before speaking.

"Now...where was I?"

Hesitantly popping up behind them, Ruby began a little nervously though excitement grew as she went on. "You were...telling us about your last mission!"

"Right...right…" Qrow said with a smirk, his plan to ruin Yang's chances of winning beginning to formulate in his mind. "I'd come across a small village in the swamps west of Mistral. Right off the bat, I knew something wasn't right."

Despite still feeling terribly nervous, Ruby's awe overtook her. "What were you doing there."

"I need information," Qrow told her, his voice still deadly serious. "Tired from battling grimm along the way, I decided to start my search at the town's inn. The place was crawling with lowlifes and thugs, even a few huntsmen that I could assume had been hired by less than reputable people for less than respectable jobs...and that's when it happened."

"What happened?" Yang asked excitedly, none of them noticing Elizabeth coming into the room as the woman glanced at information on her scroll.

"I was defeated! By the mere sight…" Grinning maniacally, Qrow declared what he had seen wildly, remembering the night with the maid well despite the fact that she had gotten him beyond simply drunk. "Of the innkeeper's skirt length!"

Angrily looking up and slapping Qrow on the back of the head, Elizabeth glared at him while he turned around and her step daughter threw a pillow at him that he, regretfully, caught to both Yang's ire and the Atlesian President's. "Qrow Branwen! The hell are you thinking, telling -"

"Soaring Ninja Wins!" The game declared once again, causing Elizabeth to roll her eyes. "Total Annihilation!'

"You are the worst!" Yang screamed, crossing her arms.

"I have to agree with her," Elizabeth said, still glaring at the huntsman. "And, besides this, what were you thinking, provoking a fight with Winter Schnee yesterday? Do you have any idea, any idea… just even the faintest…" Groaning irritably as she crossed her arms, Elizabeth tried to calm herself. "You can't just go around destroying Atlas Military Property and, considering that there are significantly more Special Operatives and soldiers here in Vale than there are AK-200s, I really hope that you won't attempt to decapitate them as well."

"Oh, calm down Liz," Qrow said, while he laughed at both her and Yang's anger though he looked to his niece. "Best two out of three?"

Yang didn't respond though Ruby sat down on Weiss's bed. "So, did you get in trouble with Ozpin?"

Elizabeth scoffed. "Ruby, if there's one thing I want you to remember about Qrow it's that he, no matter what he does, never gets in trouble with Ozpin."

"How would you know that?" Qrow asked her, standing up and pulling her in by the waist though he stopped when she slapped him. "What, Liz, you don't like me flirting with you?"

Forcing herself not to stomp her foot like Rose would, Elizabeth opted to slap him again. "For fuck's sake, I've never liked you, I'm married, and I -"

"Qrow, get your arm off from around my wife," Tai said as he came into the room though he didn't need to when Elizabeth kneed Qrow in the groin and he fell down glaring at her and howling in pain while Elizabeth gave him a self satisfied smirk. "Lizzie, was that -"

"Yes it was necessary!" Elizabeth snapped, turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I needed to teach him a -"

Swiftly kissing her, Tai smiled and held her close. "I guess, maybe, you're right."

"I beg to differ," Qrow said, getting off the floor and looking at Ruby before answering her question about the previous day. "Nah, Rubes, me and Oz go way back. We're cool."

Yang scoffed and smirked slightly, still angry about her loss and his sexual quip. "Cool for an old guy."

"Hey…" Qrow said, anger taking him over temporarily. "Not funny."

"Yes, it is," Elizabeth told him and he shifted to glare at him. "What?"

Qrow clicked his tongue and reached for the video game controller. "Elizabeth, I'm in my late thirties and you're in your late fifties. So if anyone here can call the other old, it's any of us to you. Not that you look at all you age, of course."

"So...what are you doing here anyways?" Ruby asked him, a little shaky. "I thought da - Tai - said that you would be on a mission for like...ever."

"Well," Qrow said as he continued to play. "A professional huntsman like myself is expected to get results, as soon as possible."

"Yeah...I get that," Ruby said, laughing in spite of herself. "We're pretty much pros too."

Elizabeth started to laugh though she stopped when she met Tai's gaze and Qrow responded. "Oh, really?"

"Uh, yeah!" Yang declared. "Read the news sometime. We totally saved Vale while you were gone!"

More restrained, Elizabeth looked at Tai with a raised eyebrow, her eyes not hiding that she was thinking, You've got to be kidding me. "Yang, I think you're forgetting that the majority of the grimm were stopped by the Atlas Military and -"

Qrow rolled his eyes and cut her off to continue. "Funny, Yang, because I heard Vale suffered a grimm attack after you almost managed to stop a train." Leaning over as he rubbed his victory in his niece's face while the console kept declaring his victory, Qrow went on. "But they don't give out medals for 'almost'."

Ruby responded indignantly. "They do, and it's called silver!"

"Well, we helped take down Roman Torchwick!" Yang countered. "He's locked up in Ironwood's ship and crime's been down ever since! That's basically a bounty mission!"

"Sure," Qrow agreed. "You may be acting like huntresses but you're not thinking like one. You really think four girls and their friends could end all crime in a kingdom? Because even with Ironwood's kids and Schnee's daughter you all -"

Yang glared. "Ivy and I are a perfect team and -"

"Speaking of which," Qrow said, temporarily distracted. "Are you two getting married any time soon, you know, just considering how you talk about her."

Yang turned red. "No! We're just involved right now and, for fuck's sake, I'm not even eighteen for another few weeks!"

Tapping her fingers together as she changed the subject for Yang's sake, Ruby sighed. "I mean, I did think we could do that until you said that…"

"Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed - it's stopped, completely," Qrow told them, deadly serious though Elizabeth tensed in fear of him saying too much. "No White Fang activity around the city. You cut off the head of the King Taijitu, but now the second head's calling the shots -"

"Qrow…" Elizabeth began dangerously and he sighed before finishing.

"That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his. Having soldiers and Special Operatives in Vale alongside some AK-200s, please, that's not going to do -"

"Qrow Branwen, that is just a precaution!" Elizabeth snapped. "And a necessary one too, one that I have expressed full support for though not without warning to the Valerian Council because if they attempt to throw Atlas or Vacuo under the -"

"Shut up, Elizabeth," Qrow said and she looked at him in shock. "Ah, see you're used to people listening to you now, aren't you? Well, let me remind you of where you've been...for starters, you sold your soul to Cinder Fall so that you could live when any of us would have died instead of doing so -"

"Qrow!" Tai exclaimed in horror. "That's not fair -"

"Yes, it is," Qrow said, glaring at Elizabeth who was shaking. "Now, in the end you did turn her in but only after you were indicted and were appearing before the Atlesian Department Of Justice. That was something that saved Emmeline Ciel's life...for about a year but of course she still died anyways. Now, I'm not saying you're a terrible person because you've done so much since then to fix your mistakes but that doesn't mean they still aren't there. That's something you don't understand, Elizabeth. The past doesn't just die, it stays as a reminder and while I can tell you're trying, you're still the -"

"The fuck, Qrow!" Elizabeth exclaimed, tears streaming down her face. "You...you haven't even the slightest idea what that woman did to me! She...she tortured...beat...and...and...and…" Pushing up one of the sleeves of her blazer, Elizabeth revealed a deep scar on her arm that went all the way from the bottom of her inner wrist to about half way up her arm. "She intentionally harmed me to keep me silent...and these aren't the only scars...there's the one...the one on my back and...the one that...that...that…"

"Lizzie," Tai said while she shook and he brought her closer. "Baby, shh...shh...I've got you. She's not going to harm you again."

"Tai, during the…" Elizabeth continued to cry into him while Qrow felt guilt rising in his chest for making her cry. "Emmett, Rose, and I almost had her but…"

"I know," Tai said, rubbing her back. "But she'll be caught, just like Roman was."

Trying to ease the tension in the room, Yang sighed after exchanging a look with Ruby, both girls having heard and seen these fights more than once in the last few years. "You...know the General? I mean, more than just a few brief interactions when we were in Atlas?"

In spite of the guilt, Qrow laughed. "Hey, I know everybody to some extent. Remember, you're talking to a member of the coolest team that graduated Beacon!" Reaching behind him as Tai continued to comfort Elizabeth, Qrow pulled out an old photograph of Team STRQ and Yang's eyes widened whens he saw her mother and remembered her offer, still a little conflicted as Qrow continued with a sigh as he lingered on Summer Rose. "Hah, Team STRQ...that's where I met your parents. We were pretty well known back in the day."

Ruby stared at the image of her mother before looking at Qrow and speaking quietly. "What was mom like?"

Sighing and handing the picture to Yang, Qrow moved over to his daughter and wrapped an arm around her. "Ruby, Sums loved you so much. The day she found out she was pregnant with you… well, she was exhilarated. Pinned me to the floor and kissed me before telling me, actually. I loved her so much, and I was so happy when you were born but I was scared of hurting either of you because of my semblance of misfortune. She wasn't though, she always encouraged to me to be around you as much as possible and, I'll be perfectly honest, despite the fear, those were some of the best moments of my life, seeing my daughter giggling and happy. Summer and I...I was afraid of marrying her because I didn't want to risk hurting her so we deliberated for months. I was too late...the...the…" Finally crying as Ruby looked at him and felt tears fighting at her eyes as well, Qrow sighed and continued regardless. "I was going to propose to her the day that...the day that that bitch killed her."

Ruby hesitated. "Who killed her?"

Forcing himself to look at her, Qrow fought with the anger that arose every time he thought of the woman. "Listen to me, Ruby, there's always been a very good reason why I've always told you and Yang to never trust a Schnee. Now, the two of you haven't ever listened to me but here's why you should. Your mother...my beautiful, loving Summer Rose...was killed by Emmett's sister…" Bitterness rose heavily as he went on. "Fallon Schnee, though you know her as Cinder Fall."

"That's enough," Elizabeth said, looking at Qrow and then the photograph. "And if you think you were well known, apart from Tai, you were known for having a gobshite fashion sense."

"Hey!" Qrow exclaimed glaring at her while Tai laughed and kissed her forehead. "It wasn't just Tai who looked good! And I have a number of inappropriate stories to back that up!" Noticing Yang's continued stare at Raven and the slight confliction warring in her face, Qrow took the picture back from her and put it away. "But I'll save those for when they're older."

Recoiling in disgust, Ruby shook. "Oh, gross!"

"So…" Qrow said as he got up and began to walk out. "Elizabeth, let me guess, you have something you need me to answer for?"

"Damn right," Elizabeth told him, crossing her arms as she leaned into to Tai. "Let me count the ways…"

Sighing as he looked at his daughter, niece, and even Zwei asleep on Blake's bed, Qrow finished his thought. "Look, just remember that you've still got a long way to go...and don't think for a second that graduating means you're done. Every day out there is worth a week in this place. You two, you're going to go far, but only if you keep learning. If you never stop moving forward."


December 23rd
Beacon Academy Vault
Beacon Academy; Vale

Rose sent Qrow a sharp glare while he stuck his tongue out at her behind Ozpin's back. However irritated she was, she also was not going to let herself sound as if she's twelve and, besides that, the tension in the elevator was almost palpable. Emmett was shaky and just as, if not more, nervous as Glynda and James were. She herself was nervous, if she was being perfectly honest, though she wouldn't admit it and though James had been attempting to be strong he too was struggling. Shifting as the doors opened, Rose adjusted her bag on her shoulder and took Ozpin's free hand tightly in hers while the other he kept on his cane. Emmett was forcing his hands to be steady as much as he could while even Qrow was looking at Glynda in concern while she simply adjusted here glasses and continued to walk down the dimly lit hallway with James next to her. The ominous glow of Amber and her life support systems grew closer still though it wasn't until they were right by it and Ozpin was readying the system to transfer that anyone spoke.

"Glynda…" James said, pulling her close while she sighed. "Glyns, really, you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I do want to," Glynda told him, burying her face in his chest. "I'm scared, James, but I have to do this."

"No you don't!" James exclaimed, looking at her in fear of what could possibly happen to her should something go wrong. "Princess, I love you and if I lost you -"

"I know," Glynda said, her tears weighing down her eyelashes, fogging her glasses as she shifted and leaned heavily against the wall "I know what could happen to me and I am going to take that risk anyways."

James didn't respond for a moment as he rested his head in his hands, terrified still. "Glynda Catherine Goodwitch...whatever choice you make...I'll support you through it. You deserve that and I can't and shouldn't tell you what to do."

She shifted to look at him and temporarily removing her glasses to wipe them off on the billowing sleeves of her blouse. Sighing heavily as she carefully put them back on, Glynda practically threw herself on top of him and kissed him passionately before curling into him. "James...I love you."

"I love you too, Glynda…" James murmured, unclasping her hair and letting it flow freely as he lightly trailed his fingers through her wavy, platinum blonde locks. "I love you so much."

Gently pushing herself out of his arms, Glynda shook as she glanced at Amber and reminded herself what she was doing. Looking away, she focused on the wide corridor and it's intersection that led to where the relic was held but she tried not to dwell on that and what that was going to mean for her soon enough. Lightly shaking her hair while her pale skin almost reflected the grim light coming from the torches but also the life support system, a faint jolt of guilt rose in her for Amber's sake. About to climb into the pod, she felt herself stopped by Emmett who pulled her into an awkward hug before looking at James and then to her before sighing in regret and anxiety.

"Glynda…" Emmett said, looking at the woman who was both one of his closest friends and his teammate. "If you won't murder or hate me, may I kiss you? Just once?"

Glynda hesitated before looking to James who nodded to tell her he wasn't bothered by it, that it was okay. "I don't know, Emmett -"

"Please," Emmett said, his voice weak. "I…"

"Emmett, I don't know…" Glynda said, shaking as she glanced back at the pod. "Emmett, I love you but not necessarily like that and...I love James so much and -"

"You don't have to," Emmett told her, letting her go. "Really, it's stupid -"

Not letting him finish his thought, Glynda gently pulled him close to her and kissed him with his hands just barely touching her waist. Tightly hugging him, she sighed. "I'm going to be okay, I promise."

Qrow laughed sarcastically. "Unless of course you die. And we don't know what this thing might do to you. Of course, it kind of provoked you kiss Schnee, so maybe you'll finally do so for me and -"

"Qrow…" Glynda growled, her hand tightening on her crop before she used her semblance to knock him back. "Fuck off!"

Rose smiled at her in approval. "You know, I've always enjoyed watching Qrow get what he deserves. You know the other day he told his nieces that he was defeated by seeing some scantily clad maid while in Mistral? Oh god, Elizabeth was pissed beyond belief…"

"Roz…" Ozpin said, turning to face her and she sighed before he glanced to all of them. "Let's not make this harder. Any of us."

Her vibrant green eyes meeting James's blue, Glynda wrapped herself tightly around him before pulling him into a deep, passionate kiss. Forcing herself not to cry, Glynda handed him her crop. "I love you."

"I love you too, Glyns," James promised her, holding her close for a lingering moment before letting her go and finally climb into the pod, which closed behind her.

Emmett sighed and looked at James nervously while Ozpin began to enter to codes to transfer Amber's aura into Glynda. "I wish Emmy was here...I...I...I…miss her so much, my wife, I love her so much and...and James I hope you won't be able to understand after this. I know how much you love her."

"You love her too," James pointed out though he shook his head as he looked at Glynda in serious concern, terrified of losing her. "But I...I can't lose her. I love her so much and the idea…"

Emmett looked at him in surprise. "I don't love her in the way that you do. I love her as...as more than a friend but less than a sister. I'm not romantically attracted to her, but I would do anything to protect her. Just like I did with Emmy…even though…" In spite of himself, Emmett started to cry and turned away from the pod, leaning against the wall and starting to cry. "I failed and...and...and I need to stop Cinder now. I'm a terrible person for wanting to do so...even if it means killing her, but…"

"Emmett!" Rose snapped, glaring at him while he turned around to face her with tears steadily falling down his face. "If I could, I would bring Emmeline back right this second, and I would do it a thousand times over, every day of the fucking week if it made you happy! Yes, I know I gave the two of you a hard time for being so openly affectionate but I know that that's only the surface of your relationship with her! I'm sorry I got so angry at you for that night when the two of you went out and snogged each other damn near senseless! I've never apologized for that which is why I'm doing so now! I know you love her and I would do anything to bring her back for you because, despite us not always being able to get along, I care about you!"

Emmett was speechless before he pushed up his glasses and wiped his tears away and spoke, his voice rough and little more than a whisper. "I wish she was here right now, wrapping her arm around my waist and kissing me or even just in my arms. Emmeline Cecilia Ciel and our daughters are everything to me and I...and I lost her...because I wasn't fast enough."

"Emmett," Ozpin said, turning away from the glowing keypad as he stopped entering the last code to the system. "I wish I could do something to bring her back but even with my magic I can't. All things have their limitations, and magic cannot bring back the dead, no matter what the stories tell you."

"Oz is right," Qrow said, looking to Emmett. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. If I could have Summer Rose back, believe me, I would have done so ages ago."

"I'm so fucking stupid…" Emmett said, crying again while Glynda looked at him in surprise through the pod and the others did the same. "I was naive enough to think that true love's kiss would save her and of course it didn't. Not because I wasn't her true love and she wasn't mine but because it doesn't exist. And I was stupid enough to dare to hope that it would."

"You're not stupid," James told him with finality, crossing his arms before he worriedly met his wife's gaze. "I would have done exactly the same thing."

Sighing heavily as he entered the last part of the code that would allow him to initiate the transfer of Amber's aura into Glynda when ready, Ozpin turned to her. "You don't have to do this, you know that, right?"

Glynda nodded. "I know."

"Are…" Ozpin glanced at Rose who was shaking as she stood by his side. "Glynda, are you ready?"

Not trusting herself to speak, Glynda nodded though her stomach was sinking and she could feel the fear and nerves of all five of them - not only her own which were rising by the second. James was staring at her with nothing but worry and love, Emmett couldn't even bring himself to watch, Rose was shaking worse by the minute, Qrow was too afraid to even drink from his flask, and Ozpin was uncertain, his face showing signs of confliction as he leaned more heavily against his cane. Sighing heavily, knowing that she didn't want to speak but not feeling right without her verbally agreeing, Ozpin shook his fingers through his already tousled silver hair and looked at her with sympathy, speaking slowly and nervously while his fingers hovered over the activation buttons.

"I...I...Glynda, I need you to say it."

Sighing as she fought back tears, Glynda forced herself to speak, however quietly. "Yes, I'm ready."

"Thank you, Glynda…" Ozpin said, turning back to the keypad and hesitating. "Gods be good, this had better work."

Closing his eyes for a brief moment while he took in a deep breath, Ozpin pressed the last few buttons on the screen to initiate the activation sequence. Turning around as Amber's pod raised up, Emmett felt himself beginning to shake in spite of his attempts to be calm. Having read through Emmeline's reports on the technology, he knew just as well as James how it worked and, while the technical description was 'Aura transfer through the means of advanced particle technology', he knew that Qrow was right in his description of the technology as capturing aura and cramming it into something, or, for this purpose, someone else. Looking to James, he sighed heavily and shook his head.

"For so many reasons, this is so wrong…." Emmett told him and James who didn't respond as he looked at Glynda. "I know this is a desperate measure...but…"

"I agree that it's wrong," James agreed as the pod finished raising. "I've been pushing back against these experiments for years...but it doesn't look like we have a choice but to do this. I just wish it didn't have to be her. But believe me, I'll be damned before I'll be unsupportive of her."

Emmett nodded. "I know, but -"

James briefly glanced at him. "Emmett -"

"No, James, if she survives what will this do to her?" Emmett asked him and he sighed as he looked back at his wife. "James -"

"I don't know," He admitted regretfully. "Chances are, nothing except giving her Amber's powers but it could have unforeseen consequences. This has never been done before, except in the case of PENNY and observing that caused Crystal Watson-Winchester to drown herself a few weeks ago. I just...I hope nothing happens to her because if she got hurt because of this I would never be able to forgive myself for it...and I wonder if she would be able to herself."

As Amber's pod finished raising and locked into place, Emmett tapped Qrow's shoulder and motioned towards the flask that was now in his hand. Passing it to him roughly, Qrow gave him a dark look while Emmett took down over half of the disgusting liquid at once before handing it back to Qrow with a serious grimace. The man wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulder briefly before slapping his back while Rose tightened her arms around Ozpin. The girl began to glow a pale orange while her eyelids fluttered and the glow began to travel through the pipes that were connected to both pods and traveled up into the ceiling before traveling down into the pod where Glynda was; Glynda's eyes, in spite of herself and her best efforts, were wide in fear as the glow finally began to surround her. The sensation was almost burning though she couldn't tell if it was hot or cold and she began to scream in pain though she didn't want to. Several minutes passed like this, her screams and shifting being the only sounds that filled the vault while James watched her in horror and fear, tears steadily falling down his face. Unable to watch, Ozpin tightened his hold around his cane and stared down at his feet.

"I'm…" Ozpin began, his voice almost inaudible. "I'm so sorry."

"Glynda!" James exclaimed as the glow slowly began to fade and she twitched, her eyes fluttering between closed and shut and his hand gripping her crop tightly. "Glyns…"

The second the final bit of orange glow faded and her dark purple aura encased her, no trace of orange visible, there was some ease. Ozpin looked up in surprise, having expected Amber's aura not to have been apparently destroyed by Glynda's but nonetheless was relieved that the woman was alive. Once he looked at the screen and saw that it read that aura transfer was complete, Ozpin sighed and entered the codes to release the pod so that she could get out. Pulling out her spell book and flipping through to basic conjuring, Rose nodded as she used her powers to lift the lid of the pod up. Shaking, Glynda began to climb out of the pod while James ran to her side and she began to walk out though she stumbled and one of the heels of her high knee boots slipped beneath her. About to fall, she found herself instead looking up at James who had caught her and was looking at her in concern before he gently kissed her and she grabbed his dark hair and pulled him as close to her as possible until she finally broke the kiss and steadied herself against him, his arms holding her by the waist and preventing her from falling before he let one of them go and handed her her crop which she quickly took into her right hand and sighed in relief at how natural it still felt. She didn't feel any different, apart from the tingling feeling in both of her hands and a headache but she had been concerned that something was going to happen.

"How do you feel?" James asked her gently as she pushed her wedding ring back down on her finger so that it wouldn't fall off. "Any pain?"

"Apart from a headache? No...but…" Glancing to Rose who looked up from her spell book and nodded at her to continue, Glynda sighed. "But my hands are...it almost feels like they're numb but…"

"Normal," Rose told her seriously. "I know I'm not a maiden, but when I was branded by mother my hands felt numb for a few minutes too. Tingling?"

Glynda nodded. "Yes."

"Do you want to try and use your semblance?" James asked her and she closed her eyes but nodded and focused her crop.

Pulling a raw Dust crystal out of her bag, Rose tossed it across the vault and Glynda captured the shards with her semblance and manipulating them to come towards her before using her aura, channeled through her crop, to blast them to fine pieces before they could hurt her. Noticing that her aura was still the same as it always had been, she sighed in relief at both that and her semblance having gone unaffected. Reattaching her crop to her boot, Glynda quickly turned to look to Rose, her pale blonde waves shifting with her, something she had forgotten about. Brushing her hair away from her face while Rose closed her eyes and focused for a brief moment, she watched as the woman closed her palm and opened it rapidly though when she opened it there was a fireball in her hand, glowing red against the dim green light.

"I know this is going to be difficult," Rose said slowly, dissipating the fireball. "But try and do that. Just imagine summoning the fire in the palm of your hand and you should be able to. While not the same, your powers are fairly close to mine or at least should be."

Nodding, Glynda shook as she attempted to summon as Rose had, glaring at her hand as she struggled though staring in surprise when she finally managed it after six previous attempts. "Like that?"

Emmett's eyes went wide before he shook his head. "Are you going to throw that at me?"

Twirling a finger over the flame to manipulate it in her hand, she smirked. "Do you want me to throw this at you and singe your perfect white hair?"

James started laughing as he pulled her in. "I love you, really, for so many reasons but sometimes you manage to be hilarious."

Emmett, on the hand, was looking at her in exaggerated fear. "It's a good thing you didn't have these powers twenty years ago when we were in our last year at Atlas, okay so a little before then in our first year, because I think you really would have killed us in our sleep."

"Of course I wouldn't have!" Glynda snapped, dissipating the flame and glaring at him. "Honestly, you're ridiculous -"

"Am I?" Emmett asked, leaning against the wall. "Am I really?"

James and Glynda shared a look before he nodded while she adjusted her glasses. "Yes, sometimes you are."