"Pardon me for showing up a bit early for visiting hours, Miss Belladonna, Miss Schnee," he stepped into the room. The look in his eyes as he tipped his head to look at the two girls over the tops of his spectacles was one of concern, "I've just been made aware of a matter I believe we should discuss."

Ozpin nodded to the nurse at Weiss's bedside, "Remelda. How is our patient this morning?"

Blake felt herself stand just a bit straighter to hide her mortification at facing the Headmaster while wearing nothing but her sleep wear. To her surprise, Goodwitch did not appear at his side, as she so often did. For once, the Headmaster was without his shadow.

"Oh she's doing just fine," the nurse's voice drew Blake from her reverie. The old woman's kindly eyes crinkled in a smile as she patted Weiss's shoulder. "This girl's a tough one. Her aura is back on its own two feet and should have her fighting fit in no time."

Weiss clutched a fistful of sheets in her lap and tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace.

"That's good to hear," Ozpin appeared to have taken the room in at a glance- the sleeping bag, the stray plates of food set aside on the small bedside table, the flowers shoved under the bed. Amusement showed in his eyes, "Especially since I believe Professor Peach was just now requesting your assistance at the front desk- something about injuries involving an unusually large Venus flytrap?"

The nurse's cheery disposition withered and she huffed, rolling up her sleeves. "I keep telling her to nip those beasts in the bud before they eat one of our poor students, but does she listen?" She slipped past the headmaster, grumbling to herself the whole way.

Without the nurse as a buffer for Ozpin's attention, Blake shifted to high alert, eyes fixed on their headmaster, tracking even the slightest shifts in his posture or expression. Unlike Goodwitch, this man knew about her status as a Faunus... She knew full well how bad must it look - a Faunus student from outside the kingdoms taking the Schnee heiress to a downtown Faunus area, only to be attacked…

But he still didn't know about her past ties to the White Fang, which was the only thing other than Weiss keeping her from outright fleeing the room. In fact, having Weiss nearby gave her the courage to sit beside her on the sheets, legs folded and back straight, poker face firmly in place.

Weiss meanwhile grew tenser and tenser, running through her mental list of successes and failures- the latter being larger and more recent. All of her training, and she'd been put out of commission in one hit. Out of commission for days. Maybe she wasn't up to par as a Huntress-in-training. She should have trained harder, spent more time perfecting her aura's defenses, something. Now the Headmaster had shown up. Why? She'd performed so poorly- was he going to reprimand her? Put her on some kind of probation? Dismiss her from the school? She darted a glance at Blake in an attempt to be positive. Maybe he was going to commend Blake for bravery? Maybe?

Ozpin, having given the nurse time to stalk down the hall towards the front desk, turned to the pair on the hospital bed. "You've been the center of quite a lot of excitement these past few days, Miss Schnee."

"Yes, sir," Weiss managed as her heart dropped. She lifted her chin, bracing for her dismissal from Beacon.

Would Atlas would even take in a Beacon drop-out? (Probably not. Probably she would have to continue her education in Haven, or someplace in three-fourths uncivilized Vacuo)- before she could resign herself to that Ozpin continued, tipping his head to give Blake a kind look over the top of his spectacles, "Blake. Your unwavering support of your teammate does you credit."

That seemed like a good start. No harsh words, no blatant suspicion. A small wave of relief idly swirled against Blake's defenses. Still, Ozpin was hardly ever blatant, and always had an air about him that kept her guard up. She remained wary even as she managed a half-smile for her headmaster. "Thank you, sir..." she stopped short of asking why he was here, and why Goodwitch wasn't with him. No sense looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Ozpin left her a moment's space to continue her sentence if she chose. When she didn't, he sighed, drawing a scroll from his pants pocket, "Unfortunately, this isn't merely a friendly visit. As Huntresses-in-training, you're aware, I'm sure, that there is a certain amount of danger inherent in your education," he set his mug on the bedside table, opening a file on his device as Weiss nodded, "You're also aware that we've had your room monitored."

Weiss realized she'd been watching Blake and instead glanced up at the security camera in the corner.

"It's a precaution I hoped would prove unnecessary. However, I'm afraid we managed to catch something... rather disturbing," he handed the scroll to Weiss, who held the sleek older model so Blake could see.

It was a video of the two of them, sleeping together in the low light. The video was grainy, black and white, but Weiss could see the way she was holding Blake's hand, resting on her shoulder. The heiress looked up again, something akin to outrage spiking in her chest. She would do her best to cover up her relationship with Blake in public so the press wouldn't have a field day and her family wouldn't disown her, but if they were going to record her while she was drugged and in the infirmary... "Professor-"

"Keep watching," the Headmaster retrieved his cup. His green eyes were hard.

The screen flashed white and a third figure stood in the room in the video, right next to the IV apparatus.

Neo.

Blake's hand moved of its own volition to rest atop Weiss's leg, as if to confirm that the girl sitting beside her was real, solid, living and breathing - not just some expertly crafted illusion. A potent mixture of fear, shame, and anger seethed beneath her calm exterior. Neo had access to the school grounds. They weren't safe here. They weren't safe anywhere. Amber snapped up to meet emerald. "Was she captured?"

"If she had been, I would be showing you videos of a holding cell designed to contain semblance users with this sort of ability. Unfortunately, she made this particular move and was gone before our security on watch could act," he said gravely as, in the video, Neo pulled something from her pocket- a sharpie? She uncapped it as she leaned over Weiss. Then, with a smirk up at the camera, the screen flashed again and returned to a quiet picture of the two sleeping teammates. Neo's appearance lasted all of three seconds.

Fury temporarily overpowered the sick feeling in Weiss's stomach as she clapped a hand to the side of her head, "Was that a marker? She did not-"

Blake was there in an instant, peeling Weiss's hand away to brush her bangs aside. Her eyes flashed with shock that quickly darkened to something akin to rage at the small winking smiley-face staring up at her from Weiss's temple. "She did." Blake rounded on her headmaster, a thousand questions vying for the first shot at the mysterious man. Practicality narrowly took the win. "What are we going to do about this?"

Ozpin seemed to have expected the outburst. He nodded to her, "You will both stay with your team," he indicated the screen in Weiss's hand, which looped the video of the intrusion, "It's uncommon for first year students to learn to detect the signals and traces that may accompany this girl's semblance use, as it is quite difficult, but your lessons begin tomorrow," he held out his hand for his scroll and Weiss returned it to him, "if you're feeling up to them, of course."

Weiss tried to listen, her hand plastered back over her temple. The acrobatic psychopath who had stabbed her in the back had broken into Beacon... to draw on her? Though she was probably hardly fit to stand, Weiss blurted, "We have to wait till tomorrow?"

"I understand your eagerness to begin," a tired smile pulled at the edge of Ozpin's mouth he motioned to the scroll in his hand, "As our most able instructor spent most of the night watching over your room, however... yes, you will have to wait," he looked over the top of his spectacles at the girls, "Of course, you will not be unprotected. A number of upperclassmen, all with strong proclivities for this type of semblance detection, have volunteered to accompany you until you receive training or our criminal is apprehended. Whichever comes first," he tipped his head to the door, "In fact, I believe one of them is waiting for the two of you at the front desk."

Blake sat back a little. It was a lot to take in, but she was nothing if not determined. Weiss had always been a high-profile mark within the White Fang, and if they were using Torchwick and his henchman to finally succeed where they'd never been able, then what better way to subvert their misguided murderous path than by protecting Weiss? "We should probably get ready then..." Blake glanced down at her own sleep clothes, then to Weiss.

- Weiss, who remembered that she was in a hospital gown. No real surprise there, but in front of Beacon's Headmaster? The paper-thin garment wasn't much better than a nightgown. She flushed, covering her temple with one hand while suppressing spikes of anger at both the girl who stabbed her and drew on her, and at herself for allowing herself to be stabbed and drawn on.

"Very well," Ozpin stepped to the door, where a pair of long, brown Faunus ears preceded the familiar face that popped into view.

"Couldn't help hearing you mention me," Velvet said, stepping into the doorframe and rubbing her forearm with her free hand. Her soft brown hair fell straight past her shoulders and her dark chocolate eyes looked from Ozpin, to Weiss and Blake, and back, ears drooping a bit sheepishly. "Sorry to interrupt."

"On the contrary, your timing is perfect," the Headmaster rested a gentle hand on the rabbit Faunus's thin shoulders, "I'll leave you two in Miss Scarlatina's capable hands. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me or any of your professors."

Weiss managed to nod, and Ozpin excused himself, shutting the door most of the way closed on his way out.

"Velvet," Blake had perked up at the sight of her friend. Seeing a familiar face somehow made everything seem at least a little less dire. She left Weiss's side to greet her fellow Faunus. "It's good to see you. We're... still getting ready," she glanced back at Weiss, "Do you want to change first?"

Weiss had been looking at Velvet's alert, possibly-teleportation-detecting ears with new appreciation. She swung her legs off the edge of the bed, bracing herself with her hands to fend off the wave of dizziness she experienced, "Are my clothes here somewhere?

"In there," Blake nodded to Ruby's bag under the table. She wasn't sure exactly what the sisters had brought - hopefully something easy to get into, with how unsteady Weiss looked. Not that she wouldn't immediately help if asked...

Weiss gathered her energy to try standing, but Velvet motioned for her to sit back, "No worries-I'll get it."

She unzipped the backpack and pulled several messy stacks of paper out, squaring them up a bit on the tile floor and making stack as she further excavated the bag's contents.

Weiss felt warm-too warm, like her system was overheating from the effort of being awake and semi-upright for such a long stretch after weathering that course of aura enhancers. She wanted to change, but she also just wanted to be in bed. Her bed, back at the dorm. Maybe she could find that 'do not disturb' sign Blake had made for her a while back. In the meantime she set her jaw against a budding headache and started counting different colored sheets of paper in the stack Velvet had unloaded.

"Um, it looks like it's just books and notes and, um..." Velvet turned out the last of Ruby's bag- a scattering of pencils and empty Dust shell casings.

Blake facepalmed, physically swatting away the sudden and unexpectedly enticing mental image of Weiss wearing nothing but a few choicely-placed Dust rounds. Of all the places her mind could wander at a time like this.

Fortunately, she was able to distract herself by focusing on an equally enticing possible solution. "Wear mine." Blake stalked across the room in seconds, pulling her clean change of clothes for the day from her own bag - a simple pair of black jeans and her black-and-white striped long sleeve shirt.

Amber eyes sheepishly slid to Velvet, silently begging her not to comment. Weiss was already more-or-less scent marked by shampoo, though it had faded with her lack of showering for a few days... Anyway there was certainly no ulterior scent-marking motive behind this offer to share clothing. None at all.

Clearing her throat, Blake set the pile of clothes beside Weiss. "They might be a little big on you," she warned, figuring it was still better than waiting for someone to trek across the school to grab something from the heiress's closet.

"Alright," Weiss said. Anything to be out of the infirmary sooner. She got up- shaky, but okay- but Velvet put a tentative hand on her shoulder before she got to the small attached bathroom.

"I guess Ozpin wasn't super clear about how... um... important... it is we stay together?"

"What...? What are you talking about?" Weiss gripped the bundle of clothes under her arm as if that would steady her somehow. She did her best to keep her shoulders square.

Velvet's ears shifted to the side as she avoided eye contact with the heiress. She glanced at Blake for a second, "Well, I mean, you've had a walker after you, right? Somebody who jumps between spaces, I mean. You can't just go someplace by yourself, you know? Either of you. Till the professors teach you how to look out for yourselves."

"So you want me to change here," Weiss looked firmly at the nodding Velvet and not at Blake. She'd managed not to think of any of the connotations of wearing a significant other's clothing before now, but changing into said clothing in front of said significant other? Absolutely out of the question.

Or it would have been, if she didn't feel about five minutes from keeling over, which might make the nurses reconsider her discharge. Weiss's shoulders slumped and she re-seated herself on the thin infirmary mattress, brushing strands of her long hair out of her face, "Can you at least turn around?"

The request snapped Blake from her terrifying ride on the unfortunate train of thought fueled by Velvet's clarification - if they had to stay this close, how long Weiss would be able to hold out before agreeing to shower with both her and Velvet standing guard in the bathroom? Would they survive the fallout? She slowly turned around, her back to Weiss as she gathered her clothes from yesterday to change into.

The changing itself went without incident. Velvet dropped her head, focusing on her hands while Weiss turned so she and Blake could have as much imaginary privacy as possible.

The borrowed shirt and pants weren't huge on Weiss, but the shirt's wide collar threatened to slip off her shoulder, and she definitely could have used a belt. And underwear. The shirt sleeves she just rolled up a few inches so they didn't cover her hands. Wincing, she drew her knees up on the mattress to do the same to the pantlegs.

Okay, so they were huge. Blake obviously had several inches on her arm and leg-wise. How can one person be so long all the way around? Weiss huffed, running her fingers through her hair again. Dust, she needed a shower. Her blue eyes shut when she became aware of the shuffle of clothing behind her because wow, she'd forgotten that Blake was changing five feet away. Blushing and cross at herself for almost looking at her most likely half-naked girlfriend without thinking, she adjusted the too-big collar of her shirt, "Are you done yet?"

Blake had in fact just finished pulling her oversized purple sweater over her head. Picking up her sleeping bag and school bag, she peeked over her shoulder, only turning once she was sure Weiss had also finished.

"Yes, I..." she went silent, having lost her train of thought somewhere between Weiss is actually wearing my clothes, and Weiss should wear my clothes more often. "I, uh, would you... like me to carry Myrtenaster?" she managed a coherent thought, dropping her eyes to their weapons on the floor so as not to get stuck staring at the elegant collar bone peeking out from where her shirt's collar was slipping down Weiss's shoulder.

"No. I mean, no, thank you, I'd rather- I can just-" Weiss bent for her weapon, flustered because Blake was flustered. The ill-fitting clothes that belonged to her girlfriend did not help at all.

Also she and Blake were apparently going to be under guard for as long as it took to learn to detect teleporters, one of whom seemed to have a flair for both practical jokes and attempted murder.

Could the week get any better? The wound in Weiss's stomach ached and pickled even though it was mostly healed. She hadn't exactly taken the time to examine it while she was changing, but she knew how scars worked. It would be that raw pink color a while and then it would fade. If that pint-sized maniac did show up again, she would... well... Weiss didn't have a plan yet but there would definitely be payback. She brushed her bangs out of her face, hand stopping at her temple in a low-key attempt to hide the marker.

In the meantime, Velvet poked warily at the batch of flowers under the bed, "Is... this the bouquet Coco picked out...?"

Blake's expression flattened. Wordlessly, she pulled the flowers from under the bed, unearthed the pink bottle of who-knows-what, and handed it to Velvet, roughly one hundred percent certain that Coco had neglected to mention this only-slightly-illegal part of the gift.

Velvet turned the bottle over, her human ears going red with embarrassment or some version of fury, but it was hard to tell which.

"I'll... have a talk with her about this. A long talk," she put the bottle in Ruby's bag with the re-packed notes and hefted it to her shoulder, "For now, let's get back to your dorm."


A/N: Snap, what kind of game is Neo playing? And what about Roman? Will Blake and Weiss ever have alone time again? Ever? (As this is a romance story, you can probably make a pretty good guess on that last one.)

Stay tuned, guys, and have a great Saturday!

- Fiercesomest