Odin and Shiro rode for several days until they made it to the Branwen camp. "I can't go with you from here. Now you are on your own."

As Shiro approached the doors opened and several men "you had better have a damn good reason for being here"

Grabbing the first man by the collar he growled. "Tell Raven Branwen that Shiro has arrived." quickly spinning his sword to res the edge on the throat of the man he was holding he continued. "And if she takes more that five minutes I will kill this man."

The others ran off to do as commanded. That left Shiro with the poor soul being held at sword point. He tried to fight for a second but soon found himself on the ground with a cut across his chest and a sword returned to his throat. "You still have two minutes," Shiro muttered. "Use them well."

"What do you want brat," came the voice of his aunt. She was walking closer with Vernal at her side.

Taking his blade away Shiro answered. "My seat at the table." Odin had told him how to survive here. You take what's yours let go of what isn't and never forget who's in charge.

Raven looked him over. She had never spoken to her nephew before but she could see a lot of his father in him and that made him useful. Turning to the rest of the camp Raven thought and made her choice. Vernal had been underperforming as of late. most likely due to her cushy position as the second in command.

"Vernal take him for his initiation," if the girl was shocked by the order she didn't show it. Simply nodding and walking into the forest with Shiro close behind.

They spent the next few minutes walking before Vernal suddenly turned and lashed out at him. He blocked the swung chakrams but before he could counter Vernal disappeared into the woods. "Welcome to initiation. Only one of us gets to return to the camp."

Understanding what she meant he quickly cut down a small tree and remembered which way the camp was in relation to the fallen tree. Then dropping into his fighting stance Shiro closed his eyes and listened.

He heard Vernal moving and waited. He saw her weapons and noticed a weakness. Sure enough she attacked and when he did he ran his sword inside of her chakrams loop and spun his blade twisting the weapon from her hand.

It was clear that nobody had ever done this before since she was too shocked by it to stop Shiro from repeating the motion with her other weapon. She reached with her right hand to grab one of them when Shiro brought his blade down and in one clean motion cut off the woman's hand. Vernal screamed in pain and fell to her knees.

Shiro leveled his sword at her heart. "It's over, now get out of here."

In repayment for his mercy she used her left hand to throw sand in his eyes and drove hard into his chest tripping him with her right foot. Grabbing a rock she lifted it up and brought it down on his face damaging his aura and flaring his rage. Dropping his sword he tried to block her second strike. He failed and after she drew back for a third strike the Beawolf he summoned to fight Pyrrha back at Beacon clamped its jaws around Vernal's body and threw her into a nearby tree.

As Shiro scrambled to his feet the beast viciously ripped Vernal's throat out before leaving her body to rot against the tree and turning to face Shiro.

His first thought was fear until he noticed the beast gut had a massive slash in it. Right where he had attacked it. This was the same beast but now made of what seemed to be ice. It stood motionless in front of him so he reached out and slowly rested his palm on its chest.

All at once the creature melted into a puddle on the ground. Shiro was still trying to figure out what happened when Raven interrupted. "Well that was unexpected," turning Shiro saw her sitting on a branch of a tree not too far from the fight. "It seems you got your mother's semblance. I was right to give you a shot,"

"What do you mean my mother's semblance?" he asked. "What do you know about her?"

…

"My mother was a Schnee!" Shiro yelled. He had never even known his mother's name but now that he did a lot of things made sense. Winter hates his father because she thinks he is to blame for her aunt's death which he probably was. It also explained his newly understood semblance.

He could summon a defeated enemy from his past. That explained the beowulf he kept seeing. That wound he gave it must have been fatal after enough time.

"Now on the matter of your placement here," Raven started only to be interrupted by Shiro.

"I'm not staying, I'm here to learn and earn my keep doing it but I'm not here to stay." he said hoping not to seem too rude.

Raven thought about it before responding. "One, interrupt me again and you will be in a world of pain, two that's fine but you need to work harder to earn your keep if you aren't sticking around. Your first assignment is to get rid of some drunk that's been giving us problems, I'll go with you to make sure you do your first job right" with that she headed for the door not waiting for Shiro but not running either.

…

Shiro and Raven walked into the bar and walked in on an active fight. Three of the Branwen bandits were in the middle of a brawl with a scraggly looking man. His most notable feature was the fact that his right arm was missing. But it wasn't until Shiro saw the ring on his left hand that he recognized him.

Jaune Arc was doing his best to fight with only one hand while drunk. He was doing well all things considered. Just as Shiro was about to get involved Jaune drew a sawed off shotgun and took off two of the heads he was fighting.

The third man got the muzzle jabed into his face and as Jaune holstered his weapon in order to break the action and reload. Grabbing one of the man's arms Jaune pulled and staggered the man off balance and while he was trying to get his feet back Jaune put a barrel of buckshot through his chest killing him before returning to his seat and returning to his beer.

"Go get him tiger," Raven joked, shoving Shiro closer to the now preoccupied man.

"Been a hot minute huh Jaune?" Shiro asked, hoping to be recognized as a friend and not a foe.

Not bothering to look up Jaune quickly respond "fuck off"

"Can't do that. I am on a mission of revenge and an important part of that is the training I'm getting now. But in order for that to happen you need to stop being a thorn in my aunt's side." as Shiro spoke he got closer ultimately sitting down next to the man.

"Fuck off," Jaune repeated.

Ignoring the words Shiro continued "Does Yang know where you are?" when he got no answer Shiro extrapolated. "I see, does she even know that you're alive." the silence stood and so did his assumptions. "Well I need to go talk to the bitch at the door don't go anywhere,"

Getting up he walked back to his aunt who looked both mildly amused at the fact that her nephew had the gaul to call her a bitch and mildly annoyed that her nephew had just called her a bitch.

"I need you to use one of your portals." Shiro explained.

"Why?" Raven knew better than to say no but she still wanted a reason.

With a knowing smile Shiro explained. "That is your son in law, Yang's husband. I intend to return him.

Raven looked around Shiro to see Jaune. She seemed to think about it sizing him up before concluding that given how much he looked like Tai it made sense. "If Yang can't keep what's hers then she doesn't deserve it."

Shiro had to fight the anger that blossomed when he recognized the way that Raven was looking at Jaune. He was young but if he cleaned up he was handsome. Whether she was looking for a good time or a new recruit neither of those was going to happen.

"I'll owe you a favor," he said with a tone of finality.

Raven laughed openly at this prospect before Shiro continued. "We both know that if you didn't see potential in me then I wouldn't have made it this far. That favor is going to be worth something one day, now you can take it when it's cheap or you can buy it when it costs more."

Raven's laughter stopped as she looked at her nephew. In truth she had been nothing but impressed by him. Even with the advice that Odin must have given him he was still right. He had his father's instincts but he didn't have the devotion to Ozpin that spoiled so many of Qrow's gifts.

Drawing her sword he opened a portal "you have about three minutes before I close that portal, make sure that you aren't on the wrong side of it."

…

Yang was sitting at the table getting ready to deal the dishes from dinner when her gut alarm went off. The last time she felt that she lost Pyrrha and Jaune less than an hour later. Getting to her feet she looked around the house. When she entered the living room she saw Shiro and Jaune the later of the two was staring at the floor and smelled like he hadn't showered in weeks.

"I gotta go but I think you misplaced this," Shiro said before heading back through the portal that Yang just noticed. The portal closed leaving the two of them alone. Jaune still refused to meet Yang's eyes and it took Yang a moment to figure out why.

He was ashamed. His pride was so wounded that he couldn't even look at her. Stepping closer she gently raised his head until he was looking into her eyes just like she was looking into his. Through his bloodshot eyes she could see the pain that he was holding.

Pain he refused to let go of. Pain that was eating him from the inside. No, she wasn't going to sit back and watch this. Yang was scared of commitment but she had already made one to Jaune, one that he also made and was doing a lousy job of keeping but Yang was willing to do a little bit of the leg work right now.

Taking Jaune's hand she led him first to her room where she reached for the gun on his leg. Hand tensed by instinct but relaxed almost as fast. That was good, it meant that he trusted her. With the gun unloaded and placed on the nightstand she led him to the laundry room where she ignored the shocked and confused face of her father who was folding laundry.

Grabbing two towels she left for the shower. Silently she locked the door before stripping off her clothes and helping Jaune with his. The notion of taking a shower with Jaune was one that a month ago would have sent her into a blushing mess but now it seemed a lot less sexy.

She washed the parts of his back that he couldn't reach and opened the container of shampoo. She hoped that it wasn't lost on him that she was letting him use HER shampoo. It took her several minutes to clean her hair properly but Jaune didn't seem to mind. He was just looking at her and he seemed like he was trying to think of the words he wanted to use.

With the cleaning done Yang shut off the water and handed Jaune a towel. They both dried off fast and put their clothes back on. Jaune followed Yang back to her room and when she was getting dressed for bed he did likewise which in his case meant taking off his shirt and boots. As well as taking off his belt. Before she climbed into bed she noticed that Jaune looked tense. She knew that he was stressed and that made sense.

"Lay down on your stomach" she said, breaking the several minute long silence. He did as she said and Yang went to work massaging out the sore and tight spots in his back and shoulders. She picked up this skill from years of helping Ruby when she would come home sore from running all day.

She also realized that at some point in the last seven seconds Jaune fell asleep. He had been living on the run and so roughly that now that he was in a safe place and a soft bed he was almost instantly sleeping.

Once she was done working out the tough spots Yang curled up next to Jaune draping one of her arms over him and settling down to sleep. Tomorrow she would talk to Jaune about what happened and her father was going to want answers as well but that was for tomorrow and tomorrow wasn't here.

…

Ruby, Nora, Ren, Willow, Weiss, and even Mitch were walking to Haven. It was a long journey and it wasn't getting any shorter. That was why any kind of action was enjoyed. They had run into a few stray grimm on their way here but nothing major.

It was for this reason that everyone was getting antsy when Ren froze and asked "did anyone else hear that?"

They all froze and when they listened they heard what may have been someone running but that stopped almost as soon as they heard it. When they were all certain that there was nothing to hear. Ren shook his head with mild confusion muttering. "I guess it was nothing."

…

Tyrion Callows was running at his top speed. He enjoyed the chase and the fight so what he did his best to be noticed. That was until he was suddenly tackled and dragged off the road and down into a nearby marsh.

Springing to his feet he saw that his attacker was a woman in a face mask with short hair and a single edged cavalry sword. Not in the mood for banter, Tyrion lashed out only to have his blades slice through air as the woman backstepped and thrust her swords through the opening in his defences under his left arm.

Still having his flare for drama he cartwheeled over the blade and swung his right foot in a kick at the women that knocked her mask off. She staggered back and just barely had time to dodge the barrage of bladed gauntlets that came her way.

She knew who Tyrion was and she knew how he liked to kill. So she chose to take a risk and lead him. When she felt her back bump into a tree she knew she had to act fast. Grabbing at both of Tyrion's hands she waited for the inevitable strike from his tail.

When the stinger rose she did her best to look scared of it and when it surged forward she rolled to the left having to accept the pain of one of Tyrion's blades draining her aura. Getting back to her feet she saw that his gauntlets had guns that were now pointed at her. Quickly rolling behind a tree she was about to think of a plan to finish him off when she heard a sickening spilling of guts and what sounded like an attempt to scream.

"That was for all the friends you've killed, you bastard," Qrow growled.

There was a moment of silence before Qrow spoke. "You can come out now, I know you're there but I don't plan to kill you."

The woman's heart was pounding. She had been dreading this moment for almost twenty years. But Ozpin was dead; it was time for the truth to be known. Slowly she rose to her feet and turned around to face him.

Her heart broke when she saw the way that Qrow's face twisted. The broken pieces fell when the first thing he thought to do was find his flask and make sure it wasn't empty and that he wasn't drunk.

"Crane?" he weakly muttered his scythe dropping to the mud. His steps were small, unsure, like he was uncertain if anything was real.

"Yes Qrow it's me." she said trying to keep the tears in her eyes from falling. She knew what was coming Qrow had every right to be mad. She had broken his heart and then left him with a child while she was running black ops for the same man that paid Qrow's salary.

Qrow had never been violent with her but he had every right to now and she knew that was next. Once the shock passed and he realised what she had done he would be furious and he would justly lash out at her. So she steeled herself, setting her jaw and readying her mind.

She flinched when she felt Qrow take her left hand in his right. His thumb and forefinger moving her ring finger. She felt them find her wedding ring. The only thing she had kept from her old life. It was a cheap ring but it was also the best that Qrow could legally afford.

When Crane finally managed to look at Qrow what she saw shocked her. There was nothing but love in the eyes that stared into her own. His left hand reached up and gently wrapped around the back of her head before he leaned in and kissed her.

Neither of them knew that this was the first time the other had kissed another person since they last saw each other. All of Qrow's stories he told Yang and Ruby being just that, stories.

Pulling back was hard. They both wanted more but right now they had more important things to deal with.

"What are you doing here?" Qrow asked.

"I was hunting him," Crane answered, pointing at the corpse still hanging from the tree by his stinger.

"I'm watching over my niece,"Qrow said offering Crane his hand as he stepped up out of the callow

With a wide grin Crane delicately took Qrow's hand and let him carry her back to the road. The last time he had done that was on their wedding night. Although calling it a wedding is misleading. They were unable to actually get married in the eyes of the law but they cared not for what the law thought of their love.

Once back on the road Qrow set her down and they interlocked their arms as they walked to catch the group of teenagers. Qrow had introductions to make.

…

Ruby and her group had only made it twenty more feet at their walking pace when Ren perked up and spun. This time they saw Qrow and some other woman walking towards them. They seemed like their arms were laced together and Qrow was smiling. This set off several alarms in Ruby. Very few things made her uncle smile like this.

When they had caught the group Qrow was the one to break the silence. "Ruby, I would like you to met Crane my wife,"

Taking a step closer Ruby asked. "You're Shiro's mom?"

With a look of pride in her son Crane nodded her head saying. "Yes, I am"

Instantly Ruby reached up and struck the woman across the face. She had to jump to do so but if anyone found this amusing they knew better than to voice their thoughts. "Do you have any idea how much you have hurt them both!" Ruby shrieked having to be held back from hitting her again by Willow.

Qrow was about to say something but Ruby kept doing her best to free herself from Willow's grip. "You Bitch, my Uncle has been trying to kill himself with liquor and grimm for the last seventeen years because of you and my best friend had to grow up without a mother, DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS!" she screamed now dangling from her waist like luggage as Willow opted to just carry the now thrashing half pint monster into the nearby buildings to get her to calm down hoping that not being able to see Crane would help.

Crane wanted to cry not because of the pain from being hit Ruby has hands the size of a slightly larger than average fifth grader but the words where true Crane watched as Qrow spiraled out of control being pulled out of his tail spin by his son.

Thinking of her son brought a new wave of sorrow to her. A wave that passed when Qrow wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. Leaning down Qrow whispered. " I forgave you the moment I saw you, Shiro will do the same." the part that Qrow left out was that if Shiro didn't then he was in for a very heavy beating.

"I know you," Weiss said getting the attention of the happy couple

"you should," Crane replied. "I'm your aunt."