Reed sat in the dorms, expression blank, aside from his wide eyes. He'd told the others about Lizzie, but hadn't said anything since. Crimson and Melanie had decided to give him space, but Nina was still sitting across from him, looking worried.
"So...she's your sister...but...what happened to her?" Nina finally asked.
Reed leaned back. "About...ten years ago...there was a riot in Mantle, where my family lived. Some people were blaming Faunus for...I don't even know...poor living conditions, the frequent Grimm attacks, anything they could. They busted open shops, got their hands on dust crystals, and started attacking Faunus homes. All the negativity brought Grimm, and my parents had to leave to fight them off. When the riots reached our building, we were alone. The fires trapped my sister in her room. I tried to fly out to her fire escape, but...when I opened the window, the flames rushed right out into my face. I...didn't know how fire worked, what the airflow would do, but..." He adjusted his glasses. "I lost my sister...my eyes were permanently damaged...and since then, I've...kept my emotions hidden. It was panic and hysteria that made me try to open that window, instead of finding frost dust or getting help. If I can be calm and rational, then that won't happen again."
"But...if you refuse to feel...then what's the point?" Nina asked. "The only reason you cared about saving her was because you love her."
Reed paused. "It's also the reason losing her hurt so much."
"Of course it did!" Nina insisted. "You think losing my eye didn't hurt?"
"That's part of you." Reed countered.
Nina put her hands on Reed's shoulders, making him look her in the eye. "So are the people you love."
He looked down. "So what do I do? She was gone, and now she's back, and..."
Nina sat back down. "You know, this eye isn't the same...never will be...but it's better than not having one. Having it back was...unbelievable for me. Not just having depth perception again, it was like...like the things that happened to me really could just go away. I'll always have reminders of it, but it doesn't have to hold me back."
"So...you're saying she's not the same Lizzie...but she's still my sister..." Reed inferred.
"Did I say that?" Nina asked, a little cheekily. "I'm saying, if you shut off your emotions, you won't be able to reconnect with her. She needs to know that you still love her."
He took a deep breath. "I'm not sure if I can do that, Nina."
"Try...I know it's still there inside you. You may hide your expressions, but I've still seen you express emotion." Nina said. "When we first met...you offered me that blanket. That was empathy, Reed. Right now you're scared and confused...you should stop hiding it...maybe once you let yourself feel it, you can control it."
He looked at her again, and his eyes began to water. "Nina...thank you."
She pulled him into a hug, as his tears began to flow. She held him tightly as he cried into her shoulder, letting it all out. When they released each other, Reed's eyes were still red with tears...but he was smiling.