So quiet and peaceful… Raven had no idea how Cinder could stand living alone in this house for so long. She would not forgive herself for making Cinder do that in the first place. She did not think she deserved forgiveness.
Where was the peril? The drive to become stronger? Living out in the Grimm-infested forests of Mistral was a testament to the few who could stand it, but living here in comfort and serenity?
Raven a month ago simply would not understand it; even then, she had barely started to see the beauty in choosing happiness and love instead of power and strength.
Although, Raven also noticed some similarities between the two lives she has had the privilege of experiencing. With the tribe, each tribesman was the others strength: much like the family she had come to know, however briefly, on Patch.
The only difference was that if a tribesman ever displayed their weakness; any reason that might hint at their true enervation, they would be cast out and left for dead. It was a cruel but fair world in the Mistral forests. If you were not useful, you were gone.
Raven recently realized that, in this current life of hers, each member of the family shared a weakness. If it was bringing one member down, it brought all members down, and it was the duty of the family to bring that person back to full strength.
In a family, no one gets left behind.
That brought a sense of comfort to Raven. One she had not experienced before. Not with her brother or with Taiyang… not even with Summer. The one person who sparked that feeling within her was Yang, but she knew that should not be the case.
Every thought in Raven's head expected for that person to be Cinder because that would make sense. She had spent years with Cinder, and she had only truly known Yang for less than a month.
Cinder would not leave her behind as long as Raven did not leave Cinder behind first. But Yang?
Raven sighed, deeply. She rested her folded hands on the kitchen table and allowed her eyes to rest.
The talk she had with Weiss the other day had been gnawing at her from the inside out. The news of her old tribe occupying the area around the massive dust deposit Weiss mentioned was not new. She had not foreseen their presence there to be a problem. She regretted not moving the tribe's home camp before leaving them.
Then again, she had no idea that Yang's wife would want to take the deposit for herself, let alone be the daughter of the CEO of the largest dust conglomerate on Remnant, Weiss Schnee.
The worst part was that Raven could do nothing to help with the situation. Of course, she could go back to the tribe and tell them to let Weiss do whatever she wants at the deposit, but they would surely want to know why she had been gone for so long.
On top of that, she was not certain how the new tribe leader would feel about her return. For all she knew, she could be killed on the spot, however unlikely.
Raven wished she could talk to Cinder about it, but she knew it would be a bad idea regardless of whether Weiss wanted it or not. The fewer people who knew about it the better. That way, there was a smaller chance of Yang hearing about it.
Raven rubbed a hand over her face and groaned, tiredly.
Why does everything have to be so damn difficult…
It felt like the pile of secrets Raven had locked away grew larger by the day. Eventually, Yang would start asking the big questions, and Raven would have to give her an answer. If the answer was a lie, the pile would grow. If it was the truth, the whole pile would collapse and probably bury everything she had established with Yang so far.
Raven already knew Yang was not comfortable with Weiss going on that search and destroy mission without her. So, how much worse would it be for Raven if Yang found out the people she used to raid villages with could potentially contribute to her wife's death?
Yang would hate Raven more so than before she even knew her.
However, Yang still talked to her, so that meant Weiss must not have told her yet. That was something Raven was extremely grateful for. Clearly, Weiss wanted the bond between her and Yang to hold just as much as she did, for better or worse.
Maybe all these secrets were a sign. Would Yang really be better off with Raven around? That question had plagued her ever since she realized how much she genuinely enjoyed being in Yang's life.
Raven nearly flinched as a pair of soft hands gently squeezed her shoulders and slipped around her torso.
"How are you holding up?" asked Cinder as she rested her chin on Raven's shoulder and kissed her cheek, "You've been moping more than usual."
Raven indulged in the contact and nuzzled into Cinder's warmth, "I've had a lot on my mind recently is all."
"You seem to always forget that I'm here to talk," Cinder chuckled.
"I thought you were still mad at me."
Cinder was quiet for a moment, and Raven could feel her frown, "Yeah… I shouldn't have screamed at you. It wasn't productive or helpful, and I'm sorry."
"You're too hard on yourself, Cindy," Raven sighed, "Everything you said was right. I shouldn't have invaded Yang's privacy like I did, and her kid paid the price for it."
"If it makes you feel any better, Weiss told me Wendy's nightmares are getting better."
"Already?"
"Yeah, Weiss thinks it has something to do with what I said, but I suppose there's no real way to prove that," explained Cinder, "But enough about Weiss' family. I want to hear about what's on your mind."
Raven opened her eyes and pulled her head down. She kept her eyes trained on her fists that were resting on the table.
"I'm dreading what will happen when Yang knows the truth… Everything I've done… The misuse of my abilities… Why I left all those years ago…?"
"You're worried Yang will not like your answers?"
"I know she won't like them," said Raven, "I'm worried about what she'll do afterward. I think she'll be reminded of everything she hated me for and want me gone for good. And even if she didn't want that, would she ever be able to look at me again without seeing a monster?"
"I would've thought you would have more faith in Yang," Cinder frowned and pulled her arms away, "Especially after you've finally gotten an idea of the type of person she is."
"Oh, I know what kind of person Yang is. She doesn't trust people easily, and when that trust is broken, she'll never trust you again."
"You can't possibly know that."
"I do," Raven sighed as she turned in her seat to look Cinder in the eye, "Because I'm the same way."
Cinder stared into Raven's deep, red pupils, "Well, after nearly a decade of knowing Yang, I think she's a kind and compassionate person, who always does her best to see the good in everyone."
"Stop kidding yourself, Cinder. I know you're not that naïve," Raven huffed as she looked down at the table, "You saw how she acted when I first got here. She'll go right back to that when she knows the truth."
Cinder sighed tiredly as she sat down in the seat adjacent to Raven and grasped her hand, "You need to have faith."
Raven shook her head, "I should just go back to the tribe and beg them to let me stay. It'll be easier for all of us."
Cinder furrowed her brows in disgust and pulled her hands way from Raven's, "Is that what you've been thinking about for the last couple of days?"
Raven did not meet Cinder's eye, "It was one thing among a few others."
"I thought you were serious about this!" said Cinder, betrayal lining her voice.
"I am," said Raven, "But even if Yang didn't want me gone after everything is said and done, what the hell am I supposed to do here? You want me to sit back and be a nice little grandmother to two kids that I haven't even formally met yet? Yang does not trust me and she never will."
"Have you forgotten that Yang is your daughter?" Cinder asked in disbelief, "How about you make good on your promise and actually be there for her? She's spent her whole life without a mother because her first one abandoned her and her second one died. Do you have any idea how traumatizing it can be for a little girl to lose a parent at such a young age!?"
Cinder paused as she felt the warm streaks on her cheek. She looked down on the table to find a tiny round puddle on its surface.
"I didn't mean to open old wounds…" Raven bit her cheek as she stared at the teardrop; letting the seconds tick by, "I… I don't know if I can do that."
Cinder wiped at her eyes and wiped the tear on the table with her sleeve, "You have to. You promised."
"You don't understand," whispered Raven, "I don't know how. Even if Yang doesn't hate me by the end of this, how am I supposed to be there for her? She already has a loving wife, children, and everyone else who lives here… What am I supposed to do?"
Cinder looked at Raven, almost puzzled. The quiet in the room was nearly tangible before she folded her hands.
"When I was hired by Jacques Schnee, I thought I would serve as the family physician. It wasn't until the first time I met with him that I found out he had chosen me to be the one and only physician for his daughter Weiss. Frankly, I thought my talents were being a little underutilized, but I digress."
"At first, everything went normally. I would see Weiss a few times a year plus any times she fell ill. But I realized Weiss was changing as the years went by. I didn't know it at the time, but Jacques was getting harder and harder on her. She would smile less, say less… her health, both physical and mental, was taking a huge toll. I'm no psychiatrist, but Jacques demanded anyway that I 'fix' Weiss, so I began to see her more often for therapy."
Raven looked up at Cinder, "I remember that."
"Then you'll also remember that I had little idea of what I was doing," Cinder chuckled, "I got to know Weiss very well in that time, which is why it was so heartbreaking to learn of everything she went through on a daily basis. Her father always screamed, her mother always screamed back, and her sister always took the brunt of the punishment for both of them."
"Weiss idolized her sister, so when she left, she was completely lost. Her condition grew worse and Jacques asked me to work with Weiss even more. Every week, she would talk to me and I would listen, but she would always hold herself back… keep careful control of her emotions… Eventually, her mother became as neglectful as her father, and she had no one… No one except for me."
"There's a reason Weiss likes me so much," Cinder smiled, "It's because I would spend hours with her; listening to her when she'd rant, embracing her when she'd cry… I never had the chance to have a daughter, myself, but I know I was the closest thing to a loving mother Weiss had and it was all because I cared about her."
"I had no idea…" Raven frowned, "Did she get better afterward?"
"She did, eventually, but Yang played a bigger role in that than me," Cinder smiled to herself and looked Raven in the eye, "But what I'm trying to say is all you have to do to be there for Yang is show her that you care. If Yang's about to leave for a hunt, wish her good luck. When she comes back, ask her how it went. Haven't heard from her in a while? Call and ask how she's been. Show her that you are interested in her life and that you want to be a part of it."
"That sounds like…" Raven trailed off and bit her cheek.
Cinder's smiled faded and her brows furrowed as she examined Raven's unsure expression, "Raven… Do you truly care about Yang?"
The two women turned as the doorbell rung repeatedly. They shared a puzzled look under the loud, imperishable clangor.
Raven stood up, her chair grinding against the tile, and held her hand out to keep Cinder at the table. She prowled to the door, and slowly pulled it open.
Confusion was her first response until she looked down and became stupefied.
Two little girls, one with bluebell colored eyes and the other with red, stared at her and smiled.
"Hello, again!" the taller of the two girls greeted.
"How the…" Raven trailed off as she peeked around outside looking for girls' parents.
"Do you remember me!? I remember you!" giggled the small platinum-blonde.
"Wendy and Wilma," Raven mumbled as she turned her head to call into the house, "Hey, Cindy! Could you come over here?"
Cinder was by Raven's side in a second and was equally bewildered, "Kids?"
"Miss Cindy!" Wendy and Wilma cheered in unison.
Cinder shared a glace with Raven and looked around outside, "Where are your parents? How did you get here?"
"We followed a little blue birdie," said Wendy as Wilma nodded in confirmation.
Cinder furrowed her brows as she ushered the two girls inside and shut the door, "Come inside. Weiss and Yang are probably worried sick."
The two girls giggled and ran into the living room.
Cinder turned to Raven and frowned, "Raven…" she growled.
"It wasn't me," Raven defended herself as she raised her open hands, "I was here all day with you."
Cinder groaned and ran her fingers through her hairline, "I need to call Weiss. Can you watch the kids?"
"Actually, I don't—"
"Could you please just do it?" Cinder grimaced as she went back to the kitchen to get her scroll.
Raven bit her cheek and sighed as she watched the little girls run in circles in the living room. She trudged into the room and plopped down on the couch.
Two pairs of wide eyes were trained on Raven as soon as she was settled.
"That's the lady I saw at Yelena and Nyssa's birthday party, Wilma," Wendy whispered to her sister, despite being loud enough for Raven to hear, "Doesn't she look like Mommy?"
Wilma stared at Raven, "With black hair… and old…"
Raven looked to the side, unamused, "…Yeah… I'm old."
"How old are you?" Wendy asked.
"Yeah, how old?" Wilma reinforced.
Raven eyed the two girls and folded her arms, "Fifty-five," she mumbled.
"You're way older than Mommy," Wendy laughed.
"You're Mommy is way older than you." Raven huffed.
"How are you Miss Cindy's best friend?"
"We've known each other for a long time," Raven answered, brusquely, "Do you two ask this many questions to everyone you meet?"
The two girls shrugged.
Raven chuckled and smirked, "You say you followed a blue birdie here… Did you see anyone with it?"
"Yeah! Daisy!"
Raven raised an eyebrow.
Daisy…? I don't know anyone with that name…
"Hmmm… Interesting… So, you just ended up here because you were following that bird?"
"No!" Wendy shouted as she folded her arms in offense, "I knew the way! I didn't need the birdie's help!"
"Then why did you come here?" Raven asked.
Wendy pouted and hugged herself tightly, "Because Miss Cindy knows the monster."
"Monster?" Raven asked before realization dawned on her, "Oh…"
"Me and Wilma wanted to ask Miss Cindy to tell the monster to go away forever."
Raven frowned. That would probably be best for the two girls… If she left for good.
"I know the monster too, you know," said Raven as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, "I know her better than Miss Cindy does."
"The monster is a girl!?" Wendy shrieked in shock, "She's so ugly!"
Raven rolled her eyes, "Yeah…"
These kids just can't stop insulting me…
"Tell her to go away," Wilma piped in.
"Yeah! Since you know the monster more than Miss Cindy, you tell her to stop bothering me when I'm sleeping!" demanded Wendy.
Raven smirked as an idea popped into her head, "Can I tell you girls a secret?"
The two girls gasped and inched closer to Raven by the second, "Secret!? I won't tell!"
"Did you know the monster is more scared of you than you are of her?"
"What!?" Wendy cried in disbelief, "But she scares me all the time!"
"Only because she wants to make you think she isn't afraid of you," Raven smiled, solemnly, "She told me that's how she felt."
More so than you will ever know…
"When will she stop trying to scare me, then?"
"That's up to you. Only you can make her go away," explained Raven, "Show her that you're not afraid of her. Show her that you're strong."
Wendy stared at Raven with wonder in her eyes and looked to her side at Wilma, "I'm strong, Wilma."
"I'm a princess," Wilma smiled in return.
Raven chuckled and sat up in her seat, "You two are going to go far… I can already tell," she murmured under her breath.
Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Raven turned in her seat.
Cinder smiled at her with her arms folded from where she was leaning against the wall.
The two of them watched the children play. Their joyful laughter bounced off the walls like ripples in a pool of water.
At the sound of a hurried knock on the door, Raven watched Cinder scurry toward it and open it.
"Cinder! Thank Oum you found Wendy and Wilma."
Raven stood up and stared as Yang stepped through the front door.
"Actually, they found us," Cinder chuckled, "They rang the doorbell and imagine how surprised we were to see them when we answered."
Yang flashed a smile at Cinder and halted as her eyes met Raven's.
"Yang," Raven greeted with a respectful nod.
"Raven," Yang smiled as her eyes darted between Raven and the children beside her, "…Nice to see you again."
Following Yang's quick looks, Raven stepped back from the children, who had finally spotted their mommy.
"Mommy!" Wendy laughed as she scampered into her legs, hugging them, "I know how to make the monster go away!"
"That's great, Wendy, but what were you thinking?" Yang scolded, "You left Auntie Ruby's house and no one knew where you were. What if something happened to you? That goes for you too, Wilma."
Raven found her place at Cinder's side, "I thought you said you called Weiss," she whispered.
"I did," Cinder hushed.
Wendy pouted and hid her face between Yang's legs, "I'm sorry, Mommy. It's not Wilma's fault! We had to ask Miss Cindy something and I didn't want to bother you. I already did that so much. That's why you gave us to Auntie Ruby."
Yang watched with a conflicted expression as Wilma slowly approached her and joined Wendy in hugging her legs.
Yang sighed and placed her hands on her children's heads, "Sweetie, you can never bother your mother and I. We always want to be there for you and make sure you are safe. If you have a problem, we are here to help you, okay?"
Wendy and Wilma whimpered as they nodded into Yang's legs.
"Now let's go home. Your mother is worried sick," Yang smiled as she nudged her children towards the door and smiled at Cinder and Raven, "Thank you guys for looking after them. You have no idea how relieved Weiss sounded when she called me."
"Of course," Cinder smiled softly.
Yang nodded at Raven, "I'll see you later?"
Raven, almost surprised Yang acknowledged her, watched Wendy and Wilma as they trotted out the door, "Um, yeah. Later…"
Yang's smile faded slightly as she turned and walked out the door.
As soon as the door was closed, Raven sighed deeply and ran a hand over her face, "Her face said it all, Cinder."
Cinder placed her hand on Raven's shoulder and squeezed, softly, "Just give it time."
Raven frowned and went back to sit at the dining table. The ring of the doorbell made her raise an eyebrow.
"The kids must have forgotten something," Cinder reasoned as she opened the door.
Yang was standing there with a huge smile on her face and her hand on either of her daughter's shoulders, "Hey, Cinder. Could you grab Raven for me?"
Cinder smirked and looked back at Raven, "It's for you, Rae."
Raven gave Cinder a skeptical look and took her spot at the front door.
"Hello again, Yang. Is there something I can do for you?" Raven asked.
"Actually, I wanted to introduce you to my girls," Yang smiled, widely, "This rascal who always seems to get in trouble is Wendy."
Wendy giggled and hopped in her place.
"This one, the little quiet one with no filter, is Wilma," Yang chuckled as she introduced her younger daughter.
"Mother says I am polite," Wilma added.
"She really takes after Weiss," Yang shrugged.
Raven stared, mouth agape at Yang, Wendy, and Wilma.
"It's really nice to meet you two," Raven said a little too quickly and grimaced at the way Cinder giggled behind her.
Yang chuckled as she steadied Wendy and Wilma and nudged them forward, "Kids, I'd like you to meet someone," she began as she met Raven's eyes, "This is your grandmother, Raven… My mom."
"You have a mom too?" Wilma asked.
"I thought only Mother had a mom," Wendy contributed.
Yang sighed as Raven chuckled, "Yes… I have a mom. There she is… Right in front of you."
Wendy and Wilma shared a look before smiling, "Grandma!"
The two girls leaped into Raven's legs, nearly sending her to the floor, and held on tightly.
Raven giggled as she rubbed at the girls' back and Yang and Cinder watched with happy smiles.
"Does this mean I get more presents?" said Wilma, her blunt nature not failing to make everyone laugh.
A/N: Hello again! I hope you liked this chapter. I had fun writing it! I don't really have much to say here, so... See you next week! Please leave a review!