"Mmh…"

A soft yawn rings out into the relative silence of Team RWBY's dorm, Weiss stretching her arms out before reaching up and rubbing at her eyes. With Nickel remaining in her grasp, she slowly pushes herself up into a seated position, then brushes a few stray strands of hair away from her face.

"Good morning Nickel, and you too Muffin…" She quietly says to her plush companions before another yawn escapes, more stretching occurring before she places her bear beside Muffin the cat and swings her legs off the bed. After spending a few moments trading her headgear for two elastics, she picks out a comfortable, casual outfit to wear and dresses in it before brushing her hair slowly and diligently. Once she's satisfied with it's state and it's secured in a long braid, she gets up and departs to have breakfast, only to run into Penny who had been about to knock.

"Oh! Good morning Penny." Penny smiles cheerfully before sharing a quick kiss with Weiss, then holds out a letter in an envelope to her.

"Good morning Weiss! This letter arrived for you this morning!" Weiss looks over the envelope once it's in her grasp, making note of the Schnee Dust Company emblem on the back, and the return address with the name Willow Schnee written in a neat and tidy scrawl.

"A letter from mom? That's… Odd, normally she'd visit instead, but… She hasn't been around recently…" Murmuring to herself, Weiss opens the envelope and unfolds the letter before beginning to read it, eyes widening slowly as she soaks in it's contents.

My darling,

I hope you've been well. I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit these past few weeks, when your father found out where I've been going, and that Whitley had been accompanying me, he was furious. He has been… Unsettled, for lack of a better term, he's had the grounds of the manor on watch since he found out, I can hardly leave my room without him appearing and watching over me, and his treatment of your brother… Suffice to say Whitley's elected to spend most of his time in his bedroom, as have I. I promise you, I haven't started drinking again, I've tasked Klein with helping make sure of that, and he's been keeping an eye on Whitley as well.

I don't know what your father is up to and why he's behaving so out of the ordinary, but I don't think it means anything good. If this letter gets to you safely, I will be happy, please don't try to send a response, I fear he will intercept it and grow angrier. That man Whitley had spoken of, he's been around almost constantly, and Klein has informed me he hardly ever leaves your father's study. If things change, I'll try to write and let you know. Please be safe my darling, I love you so very much.

Willow

"I can't believe him… No wait, I can believe him." Weiss mutters angrily, glaring down at the letter as she rereads it once, then twice, and a third time still. Noticing Weiss's soured mood, Penny places a hand on her shoulder and gives her a comforting squeeze, a worried expression on her face.

"Weiss, what's the matter?" Penny asks with concern to her voice, Weiss giving off a sigh before looking up at her.

"My father. He's not letting mom and Whitley leave to visit, and he's treating Whitley poorly. As well, that man my brother talked about, apparently he's been spending more time with my father." Penny's frown grows slightly as Weiss speaks, Weiss being pulled into a hug which she reciprocates before leaning into her girlfriend.

"We need to inform Winter, she would know what to do." Penny calmly says despite her changed mood, Weiss mulling over things for a few moments before nodding.

"I suppose we should, if anything Winter could at least pay them a visit to confirm if what mom said is true." Once Penny releases her, Weiss and her make their way to Winter's room and knock, Winter answering after a few moments.

"Good morning Weiss, good morning Penny. How may I help you?" Weiss shows the letter to Winter the moment she stops speaking, Winter reading it over before a scowl forms on her face. "I see… That bastard…"

"Winter, we were hoping you would be able to pay mom and Whitley a visit, make sure they're okay." Weiss says with hesitation, Winter rereading the letter before looking between the two in front of her.

"If you do not mind, I would like to show this letter to General Ironwood. If allowed, I will pay mother and brother a visit, a wellness check as the social workers would call it. I do not know who this man is, but if he and father are up to know good, then it seems we may need to pay closer attention to the Schnee Dust Company." Weiss nods before giving the letter to Winter, a quick hug being shared by the two sisters before Weiss steps back.

"Thank you, Winter, I… Really hope they're okay, father's going too far." Winter grants Weiss a nod of her own, then gently folds the letter up before stowing it away.

"You may leave you two, if I depart then I'll inform you of what I learn when I return." Now smiling, at least a little, Weiss and Penny turn and leave, splitting up by the cafeteria before Weiss heads in to fetch herself something to eat.

"Ah, Winter, what a… Pleasant surprise." Jacques dryly says in greeting to Winter, who looks to him with a relatively neutral expression. "I certainly wasn't expecting a visit from you of all people, what might I ask brings you here?"

"I'm here to see my mother and brother." She simply says in reply, Jacques beginning to frown for a few moments before regaining his prior smile.

"And not me? I'm hurt my daughter. Alas." Jacques turns and retreats back into the manor, Winter following along behind him before ascending the stairs and turning right, towards where she recalls Willow and Whitley's rooms to be. She reaches Whitley's first and knocks, only to suddenly frown quite heavily as she hears him speak.

"W… Who is it?" His voice calls out, quieter and filled with what she can only place to be fear and hesitation.

"Whitley, it's Winter, may I come in?" Instead of a spoken reply, the door is opened and Whitely cautiously looks out, a surprised look forming when he confirms that it is, in fact, his sister.

"Yes, of course…" Once the door is opened fully, Winter steps inside, then immediately pulls Whitley into a hug, startling him further before he leans into the embrace.

"Are you okay, Whitley? Did father hurt you?" She asks in a hushed tone, not wanting any potential eavesdroppers to listen in.

"I… I'm fine, sister… I… Fear it's getting harder and harder to pretend I'm still on father's side, now that he knows I've been visiting you and Weiss…" Looking up at Winter, he manages to smile a small amount, braces being exposed momentarily. "It's good to see you, Winter…"

"… It's… Good to see you as well, Whitley…" Unable to hold back an angry sigh, Winter gently squeezes around Whitley's back, holding him close in silence for a short while before speaking once more. "You didn't answer my second question, Whitley. Did father hurt you?" She pushes, Whitley hesitantly nodding before turning his head to expose his right cheek, a faint bruise noticeable.

"He… Has… I got this after he found out where me and mother had been going, suffice to say I had to make a visit to Dr. Savoy the next day because I popped a few brackets… Explaining away the bruise wasn't easy…" Now beginning to swell with negative emotions she'd rather not feel, Winter slowly releases Whitley, then steps back and takes a picture of his cheek to act as evidence.

"I'm sorry father is behaving this way. I will put a stop to this, I promise you. Whatever father does, whatever he threatens, do not tell him you told me anything, I don't want you getting hurt again." Whitley nods slowly, then slinks over to his bed before sitting on the edge of it.

"I won't, Winter, I promise. Thank you for visiting me, it means a lot." He says with a grateful smile, Winter's anger beginning to melt away as a smile of her own forms, however slight it may be. A single nod is given before she turns and steps out of his room, the door being slowly closed before she makes her way down to her mother's room. A few slow knocks are given before Willow beckons her in, eyes widening in surprise as she sees not Jacques but her daughter step inside. Silently does she approach Winter before embracing her in a tight hug, the specialist all too willing to hug her back.

"Oh, Winter, it's so good to see you." Willow says before kissing Winter's forehead, the specialist unable to hold back a slight blush of pink in response.

"It's… Good to see you as well, mother. Have you been okay? Has father hurt you?" Winter's questions are asked just as she did to Whitley, Willow nodding slowly before releasing her daughter.

"I've been okay, and… Thankfully he hasn't, but I don't think he would dare hit me." Winter sighs in relief before stepping back slightly, gaze drifting around Willow's room for a few moments. Where she had expected to see alcohol bottles or wine glasses, she finds none, a mug of tea instead perched on Willow's nightstand.

"I'm relieved to hear that. I saw Whitley already, and what he told me… I wish I could say I can't believe father, but honestly, I can." Willow chuckles a little before picking up her tea and sipping at it, eyes falling closed for a few moments before turning towards her daughter.

"I trust you and Weiss have been well?" Willow asks after setting her cup back down, more concerned about the wellbeing of her children than her own at the present time.

"We have, yes. Weiss got your letter this morning, and was understandably upset to find out about what it said, as was I, so I requested I be allowed to visit you and Whitley. I fully intend to report this to General Ironwood when I return, father cannot get away with this." Winter's reply makes Willow smile a little more, the specialist being embraced once more before Willow whispers to her.

"My sweet, it is not the time. As I'm sure Weiss has told you, I've had cameras recording everything going on here the past years, and I've saved what I feel is the most important footage. When the time is right, we can come forward, but I want to learn what your father and that man are doing before we reveal anything." Winter frowns slightly as Willow cautions her against reporting anything just yet but nods regardless, fully understanding what Willow is getting at.

"That does seem to be wise, we still don't know who this man is, if we learn of his identity, perhaps that will give us clues as to what he and father are doing." Winter clears her throat after being released by Willow, then steps back slightly before speaking again. "I suppose I should return to the academy, let Weiss know you and Whitley both are okay. It was nice to see you, mother, I'll… Try to visit again, if you aren't able to visit us."

"Thank you, Winter, but please, don't put yourself at risk if you can help it. It was so, so nice to see you, please give Weiss my regards." Winter nods before departing, a distinct lack of Jacques being noted as she leaves the Manor and boards the waiting Manta.

"Father, I swear, you will answer for your transgressions… You do not hurt my family and get away with it."