"Enough," Jaune answered, sipping from his glass. "I told her that we have both killed good and bad people, that I was seen as the good guy and you weren't." he could see Cinder growing worried about that but he kept going. "I also told her that being good and bad isn't as simple as it seems. I told her that we used to be enemies and that I once tried to kill you."

"Did you tell her about Pyrrha?" CInder asked softly. She wasn't sure how Jaune would take to her even saying his partner's name but she had to know.

"I told her that you killed someone very dear to me and that I wanted to kill you for that for a long time."

"Wanted?" Cinder asked, knowing what Jaune's words implied but not wanting to go any further without confirmation.

"Yeah, wanted," Jaune replied. " It's against my better judgement but as far as I can tell killing you would only serve to hurt your child and mine. I don't want that." pouring himself a second shot of rum and downing it before he continued.

"Make no mistake, the children in the other room are the only reason that I'm not actively trying to kill you in as violent a way as possible." he said leaning back on his stool slightly. "Yet, I know that I shouldn't want to, it's not right to long for revenge like that." he was clearly conflicted but he knew the right choice and he was going to make it no matter how bitter it was.

"What happened to you?" Cinder asked a little bolder in her tone now that she was somewhat safer.

Jaune didn't really need to ask for clarification but he did anyway. "What do you mean?"

Cinder also threw back her shot and elaborated. "The last time I saw you was when you were trying desperately to save Weiss Schnee's life. I understand you succeeded?" she asked on a slight tangent. When Jaune nodded an affirmation she continued. "Good, but my question remains. You were bent on killing me a few minutes prior. What changed in your mind to turn you from that rage?"

Jaune needed to try and find the words for his answer. He wanted to say that seeing Weiss almost get killed because he was trying to kill Cinder was what did it but that wasn't true. "Oh hell you already know enough to ruin my life." he said before explaining. "After we killed Watts Hazel came to me. He asked me to do him a favor."

When he mentioned the giant in the service to Salem Cinder perked up slightly. Out of all of her associates she worked with Hazel was the one she respected the most. He was a deceptively subtle person but had the power to do great things. There was more but she wasn't going to bring that up now.

"He said that he wanted out. He gave us Tyrion and in exchange I told the others that I killed Hazel Rienhardt. Weiss didn't believe it, I doubt she does now but she understood that whatever the truth I had dealt with him and he was going to be a problem."

Jaune was hesitant to continue but he knew that someone needed to know. "Then I found Emerald and Mercury."

"Whatever happened to them?" Cinder interrupted wondering about her underlings.

"They're both dead." Jaune kurtly shot back making Cinder's slight grin fall.

"Oh, do you know what?"

Again Jaune answered kurtly hoping that the discussion would end. "We tried to arrest them, they tried to fight so we killed them."

Cinder had to look away, her own feelings getting the better of her. She knew that she had no right to the anger she was feeling but that didn't change anything. Putting her feelings in check she looked back to Jaune and saw the remorse that was hanging over him like a cloud.

"There's more." she said prompting him to share whatever he was holding.

"They were Ferro's parents." he explained, barely able to say the words before his voice failed.

Cinder seemed to take the news better than he had expected her to, the only tell of her emotions being a long sip from her glass to hide her face. "Is that what made you quit?" she asked.

Jaune nodded somberly not having the words to answer with right now.

There was a time of silence where they both lacked the will or words to keep the conversation going. "How much did you tell him?"Jaune asked taking his turn to play the worried parent.

Cinder half filled her glass before answering. "I told him that there are times where good people have to do bad things in order to keep worse people from doing worse things. I think he understood but he wants the truth out of you more than anything else."

Looking into the living room they saw the kids still asleep on the couch but now they had grabbed the blanket that had been draped over the back and had wrapped themselves up in it. " I say we let them sleep," Cinder said, making Jaune look at the clock.

It was nearly eight thirty so he agreed with her. "I'll be by to pick up Ferro tomorrow." Jaune said heading for the door.

"You don't have to leave,'' Cinder said knowling.

Jaune froze in his tracks. "I must have misheard you?" he said giving them both a chance to pretend that her last sentence didn't actually happen.

"You didn't," she answered, heading for her bedroom. "If you don't want to sleep in a proper bed there are a few places where you get some rest. The choice is yours." he heard her climb the stairs and open her bedroom door. A door he didn't hear her close.

He still hadn't moved his hand frozen a few inches from the door handle. He was thinking he was crazy for even considering it. Honestly, if you told him he was going to end up here making this choice then he would have probably told you to fuck off and if you weren't one of his friends then he may very well attack you.

But so much had changed in the last couple of days. And now he was really thinking about her offer. Looking over at his sleeping son he made a realization. He already trusted her with his heart and soul. She had all the means to ruin his life multiple times over by now.

He looked to the chair next to the couch. It would certainly do for a good enough night's his right index finger on his forehead and his bottom three over his closed eyes he muttered to himself."what the hell am I doing?" as he turned to start up the stairs.

…

Emerald woke up to find that Ferro was happily cuddled in her arms. She almost didn't want to move because he just looked so cute but she needed to talk to her mother.

She plodded up the stairs rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she planned out how she was going to confront her mother about her less than legal past, and breakfast.

Emerald briefly considered knocking but thought better of it. Her mom was a light sleeper and she most definitely heard her come up the stairs thus rendering knocking pointless. She turned the handle on the door and was surprised to find it locked. That was odd but only served to spur her on. The handle had a privacy lock on it so she went downstairs and grabbed a butter knife using the edge to turn the lock and silently open the door.

She stepped inside and stopped mid step. Ferro's dad was in bed with her mom and he wasn't wearing a shirt. For that matter it seemed like her mother wasn't wearing one either though she couldn't be certain.

Closing the door and running back down the stairs as quietly as she could Emerald put the knife back in the drawer and went over to sit down next to Ferro. She had to think about this, how did she feel about Ferro's dad sleeping with her mom.

She didn't dislike Ferro's dad but did she like him enough to let him sleep with her mom. As she sat there her wide eyes went wider as the possible implications of their state of undress registered.

What if she ended up with a little brother or sister. Was she ready for that?

It was at this point that Ferro registered that his bestest friend was in distress so he inch wormed his way over to her and started by laying his head on her crossed legs. Ferro did this often whenever he got tired. He would start small but he would end up crawling all over you.

Deciding not to wake him up and not really wanting to think about her panic she snuggled back under the blanket and did her best go back to sleep.

...

Jaune felt for his alarm clock in the hopes of shutting it off before it sounded only to realize that there was no alarm clock and he was in fact touching a face. That combined with the fact that he was also underneath a heavy blanket when he normally slept with just a bedsheet told him that he was not in his bed and he was not alone.

His eyes shot open and he saw Cinder Fall next to him. She was sleeping in spite of his hand currently molesting her face. Drawing his hand back and sitting up he rubbed at his forehead. He was always a lightweight but he wasn't really ready for the headache that he had and was coming soon.

"I can't fucking believe that actually happened." he muttered to himself.

Cinder for her part while still half asleep seemed to be unhappy with his movement and she moved to pull Jaune back down and drape herself over him. This made him go stiff instantly. Well that and the fact that she wasn't wearing a shirt certainly didn't help.

Jaune watched as she woke up step by step and upon realising that she was currently using someone as a pillow her eyes went wide and she snapped her head to look at him. He saw a wave of fear in her eyes. Fear that was from him.

He remembered when Emerald told him about the panic attack that she had after they fought. Apparently almost having a greatsword run through your face was a mentally scarring experience. That being said after last night she seemed a little less frightened of him.

The fear quickly swapped out with shock as she realized that yes, last night did actually happen and she instantly rolled out of bed and started getting dressed. Jaune doing the same.

"Let's just act like last night never happened." Cinder said

"Agreed," Jaune replied, tying on his boots and opening one of the windows.

"What are you doing?" Cinder asked

"I'm jumping out the window so i can walk in through the front door. Do you really want to explain to Ferro and Emerald why we both came downstairs together.?" he answered, getting a nod from Cinder. She opened her door and headed downstair where she found Emerald doing her best to make breakfast

When she heard a knock at the door she said. "Emmy sweetie can you go see who that is?"

With a nod the little girl ran off to open the door. She was quite surprised to see Jaune at the front door. She almost asked him how he got there before she stopped herself not wanting to say too much.

Instead she went into the kitchen while Jaune went to check on Ferro. Walking over to her mother she asked. "Did you sleep well momma?" enjoying the look on her mother's face when she asked.

Oh yeah this was going to be fun.