It had taken everything they had to give, but eventually, Team RWBY and their friends had managed to find a way to defeat Salem and her Grimm horde.
Now a few years on from the final battle with Salem's forces, and Team RWBY are facing their toughest foe they could ever imagine...
Planning a secret birthday party for Weiss Schnee.
With the family home now in Argus, it made sense to host Weiss's surprise birthday party. With Weiss's mother, brother and older sister actively involved in the planning it was sure to go off without Weiss finding out. It was a challenge to keep the surprise a secret from the head of the Schnee Dust company, especially from Penny as the former mechanical android had a hard time keeping secrets, but somehow the surprise birthday went unspoiled.
"Ruby can you please remove this blindfold from my eyes at once! I can't see where I'm going!" Weiss complained as the pair struggled to walk in a straight line as Ruby tried her best to guide her best friend to their destination.
"It's fine we're nearly there- oh watch your step." Ruby helped Weiss enter into the Schnee family estate, making sure her best friend doesn't trip or fall.
The current Schnee family estate isn't as grandiose as their last estate in Atlas, rather than settling for a small modest home that would be perfect for Weiss, Ilia, Willow, Klein and any other guests they wish to house. Sometimes Saphron, Terra and Adrian visit if the two wives needed someone to look after their son while they had an evening meal or some... alone time.
"Ruby come on now, this is getting ridiculous." Weiss moved her hands to the top of her head to try and loosen the blindfold from her eyes.
"Oh, don't you dare. Ilia will be upset if you ruin this for her." A smirk then spread across Ruby's mouth. "You don't want to upset your wife, now do you?"
That's a low blow Rose.
"Fine!" grumbled as she Weiss gritted her teeth, crossed her arms and gave in losing her restraint as Ruby effortlessly guided Weiss to a particular room in the Schnee Estate.
Weiss noticed that Ruby had stopped her from moving and felt her hands leave her shoulders.
"Can I finally take this stupid thing off now?" Weiss didn't hear a reply back, so her hands flew straight to the blindfold covering her eyes.
After silently cursing Ruby for tying, it too tight, the Huntress manged to get the blindfold off, but was immediately shocked by what she saw in front of her.
"SURPRISE!" Yelled the voices of all of her close friends and family. The entire room was lit up as the candles flickered with a blue flame, revealing the decorations, her family and friends, as well as the many dishes scattered around the tables.
Though the kitchen was smaller compared to the kitchen from the old Schnee Manor in Atlas, it still managed to fit everyone.
Ruby and Penny stood together holding white and blue balloons with a big '24' on it, with big toothy smiles spread across their faces.
Next to them was Weiss's Mother, Willow, standing right beside her youngest child Whitley and her butler and dear friend Klein.
All three looked to be overjoyed that the work they had hidden from Weiss was paying off, especially from Weiss's mother. Weiss has never seen Willow looked so... Happy in all of her life.
Weiss's wife Ilia was standing next to Willow holding a cup of coffee as she tried her hardest not to run over to Weiss and press multiple kiss onto her.
Standing directly next to Winter with an arm around her waist, was her girlfriend Robyn.
Finally, her eyes settled onto the Belladonna-Xiao Long family. Yang and Blake were holding up a banner, that read 'Happy Birthday Ice Queen'. Weiss couldn't help but smile at her old nickname.
She then felt two small pairs of hands tackle her waist.
"Happy Birthday Auntie Weiss!" Yelled the two voices belonging to her young nieces. Melony and Mingmei hugged tightly to Weiss's legs as the former heiress rubbed the top of their heads and Melony's cat ears.
A smirk appeared across Blake as they scooped up their two daughters into their arms.
"Alright you two. You both ready for some of Auntie Weiss's birthday cake." Both of Blake's daughters nodded their heads quite vigorously. "Ask Mama to cut some pieces off, but not too much okay."
Both Melony and Mingmei hugged tightly to Blake's legs as they both smiled at their parent and said, "Love you." Before quickly departing for their Mama, begging for some of Weiss's cake.
"Those two are just so cute." Weiss spoke fondly as she glanced back at Blake with a smirk. "You think Yang would mind if Ilia and I steal them for a while."
"Oh? Interested in having some of your own?" Blake asked with a smirk of their own.
Weiss glanced at her wife with an honest smile. "I do... and I think so does Ilia." Weiss glanced back at Blake. "Whenever Saphron and Terra asks us to watch over Adrian, Ilia gets this look in her eyes. It's the same look whenever she plays Melony and Mingmei. I... I just want her to be happy."
"And she is." Blake answered as they comfortably rubbed Weiss's arm. "I've known Ilia a long time. Trust me I know she's never been as happy in her life as she is with you."
Weiss smiled softly at Blake's answer. "Thanks Blake." The former Heiress then took in Blake's new appearance. Wearing navy blue shirt and slacks with a purple waistcoat.
"By the way, I love the new look. It suits you."
Blake blushed as she nervously moved a piece of hair behind her ear. "T-Thanks. I wanted to try something I felt comfortable with. Something that felt a lot more... me."
Weiss patted her friend's shoulder. "Good. I'm proud of you expressing yourself more." A teasing smirk then grew onto Weiss's face as her eyes moved towards blonde brawler. "I bet Yang liked the new look."
Blake grew a smirk of their own as she looked at Yang playing for their two daughters. "Oh, you have no idea."
The two laughed together as the party got underway. The two friends returned to their lovers as Weiss leapt at the chance to thank her wife for her birthday celebration.
As the birthday party continued, the younger members of Weiss's extended family had tired themselves out early and were now asleep on Ilia's lap; as Weiss, Ilia, Penny, Ruby, Whitley and Willow were in the cramped living room watching some news show talking about the progress that has been made throughout the remaining 3 Kingdoms since Salem's defeat. Yang, Blake, Winter, Robyn and Klein were cleaning up the dishes from Dinner. Ilia's hands were rubbing the heads of her two nieces as Melony leaned further into Ilia's hand while Mingmei curled her tail around Ilia's wrist. Every few minutes, Weiss caught her wife's eyes drifting to the two children in her lap as her hand moved from Melony's cat ears and strangely rested onto her stomach.
Weiss had noticed that Ilia had done that a few times today when they were all eating the assortment of dishes that everyone had made.
Is she not feeling well? I did notice she isn't eating much. It can't hurt to ask.
Weiss leaned her head to the side and rested it on her wife's shoulder. "Hey, is everything alright?" Weiss asked with concern dripping from her mouth.
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be, silly." Ilia answered as she pressed her lips to Weiss's cheek. Ilia's answer settled Weiss's nerves a little, though out of the corner of her eyes, Weiss noticed that spots on Ilia's skin turned slightly gray.
Okay, something is definitely up.
A few minutes passed when Ilia had slowly and carefully handed the two sleeping children to Ruby and Penny.
"Sorry, I forgot that there's something I had to ask Blake and Winter." Ilia spoke up, which normally wouldn't alarm Weiss, but couple this with how she's been acting, and alarm bells were going off in her head.
As Ilia walked to the kitchen arena, Weiss's heartbeat was like a jackhammer in her chest. It wasn't until Weiss turned and saw her Mom's should lightly touch her shoulder, did Weiss's heartbeat slow down slightly.
"Is everything all right?" Willow asked her daughter softly.
"I...I..." Weiss hesitated as her eyes drifted to the Kitchen area as Ilia looked like she was nervous about something as Blake rubbed her shoulder. Her gaze then moved back to Willow, though this time, Whitley, Ruby and Penny were now listening.
Weiss took a deep breath as she nervously squeezed her hands. "It's just that... Ilia has been acting a bit... odd. I... I don't know. Maybe it's just me seeing things that're not there."
"She seems fine to me." Ruby said as Penny nodded her head in agreement.
"Why not ask her if there's anything up. A healthy relationship is built on communication..." Willow spoke up before retracting her hand from Weiss's shoulder and placed it in her own lap as she lowered her head. "T-That's one of the first things I learned in therapy."
Silence settled over those settled in the compact living room. That was until Whitley moved and sat on his mother's right. He grasped Willow's hand tightly and leaned his head onto her shoulder. Weiss joined her brother and squeezed her Mother's other hand.
Willow squeezed their hands back as a thankful sign, before turning her attention back to her daughter. "Talk to Ilia, Weiss."
"It looks like you won't have to wait long to ask." Ruby answered as her eyes drifted from Weiss to Ilia, standing nervously rubbing her hands together.
"Hi, Miss Amitola-Schnee Are you here for Weiss?" Penny asked in her own regular curious yet innocent way.
Ilia didn't speak, instead opting to just nod her head. Her eyes were downcast, avoiding her wife's eyesight at all costs.
"Is something bothering you Ilia? You know you can tell me anything." Weiss softly said as she stood and lightly touched Ilia's arm.
"C-Can we talk in private somewhere? Like our room... Please." Ilia pleaded as she continued to avoid Weiss's eyesight.
"Of course. Come on." Weiss smiled as she led her wife to their own private room, as Ilia interlocked her fingers with her wife's, while her other hand drifted to her stomach.
Though as they left the living room, smiles spread across Blake's, Winter's and surprisingly Willow's face, confusing Whitley though he didn't comment on it.
"Did I miss something. Weiss seemed generally confused by Miss Ilia's actions, yet Blake is smiling. I'm confused." Penny spoke up as she asked her wife.
However, Ruby was just as confused as Penny, so she just shrugged her shoulders.
"Yeah, I'm in the same boat." Whitley agreed with the former mechanical Android.
"We're going to be a lot busier, Whitley." Willow spoke up, squeezing her son's hand.
"Busy?" Whitley tilted his head to the side.
"Yang and I have some things left over, hopefully there'll be enough." Blake said to Willow as Penny and Ruby watched on even more confused.
The pair shuffled up the staircase and into their room. Ilia sat on their bed as Weiss took a chair and placed it in front of her wife. She caught her wife nervously fiddling with her hands, to try and distract herself from her thoughts. Weiss lightly took her hands into her own and rested her forehead against her wife's.
"Hey, I'm right here. You can tell me what's wrong, okay." Weiss spoke softly as she lightly squeezed Ilia's hands.
Ilia breathed in and let the air out of her lungs slowly. "I... I didn't want to hide this from you. I was scared to see how you, or your family would react." Ilia powered her head and rest it against Weiss's shoulder. "It's stupid. I shouldn't be feeling like this. I'm your wife."
Ilia squeezed tightly to Weiss's hands as she felt the former Heiress press her lips onto her wife's forehead.
"Hey..." Weiss softly spoke raising Ilia's head while cupping her left cheek. "It's not stupid, but whatever is going on in that beautiful mind of yours is completely valid. All I can do is stay with you and help with whatever you're feeling." Weiss squeezed Ilia's right hand again. "I know my family doesn't have the best reputation with the Faunus, but we're fighting to fix that. But just know that I love you. My mother loves you, as does Whitley and Winter. You're safe and we love you."
Weiss's little comfort talk seemed to work as the tension in Ilia's shoulders lessened and she let out a small sigh.
"I'm pregnant."
Weiss was stunned into silence. A few seconds passed as a smirk grew on Ilia's face as she took in Weiss's shocked face.
"Um... Weiss... Snowflake. You okay in there." Ilia giggled as she squeezed Weiss's hands.
"Y-You're pregnant... and I'm the uh..."
"Yup."
"I-I see..."
"..."
"..."
A sudden smile emerges on Weiss's face as she hugs tightly to Ilia.
"I'M GONNA BE A MOM!" Weiss shouted gleefully as tears started to fall down her face.
Ilia giggled at Weiss's reaction as she felt Weiss repeatedly press kisses onto her mouth, cheeks and forehead.
"After all these years of being together I think this is the most excited and happy I've ever seen you."
"How can I not be. My beautiful and amazing wife, just told me she's pregnant with our child." Weiss said as she pressed a lingering and passionate kiss onto Ilia's lips as her hand drifted to Ilia's stomach.
Weiss moved lower down Ilia until she reached her stomach. Weiss caressed Ilia's stomach softly.
"We're gonna be the best Mom's we can be, okay Snowpea."
A small smirk grew over Ilia as she relaxed against Weiss's hand. "If you're anything like you are with Melony and Mingmei, you're gonna spoil them."
"Of course. They'll be my little snowflake; I'm allowed to spoil them." Weiss cutely pouted, causing Ilia to laugh.
Weiss slowly retracted her hand from Ilia's stomach as she moved back up towards her wife's face. "I love you so much."
Ilia pressed a kiss onto Weiss.
"I love you too." Weiss returned Ilia's kiss with one of her own.
"Oh, and happy birthday, snowflake."