The door to Winter's room creaked as Qrow elbowed it open. It was dark, save for the moonlight streaming through the window, but he knew where the bed was. All these tiny rooms at Shade Academy were set up the same.

Winter had been no help in supporting any part of her own body on their walk home, so he decided to ignore her protests and eventually picked her up piggy-back style. What should have been an annoying experience hauling her home was for some reason, not. Her head rested on his shoulder, she slept the whole way and for him, it was becoming increasingly difficult to rationalize to himself that he didn't enjoy being that close to her.

But that was a problem for another day.

He moved to the bed and sat her down gently on it. Immediately she tipped sideways on to the pillow, her legs still hung off the side of the bed. How many times had he fallen asleep in that exact position? He had lost count.

It wasn't comfortable.

He moved to swing her legs up onto the bed and realized she still had all her armor on.

He sighed and stopped. Why had she started wearing all this armor anyway? She used to fight without it.

Nevermind.

He flicked the bedside lamp on.

No response from Winter.

He decided he had two choices, leave her be which looked decidedly uncomfortable, or help her out of her body armor at the risk of getting slapped or worse.

He sighed again, then started to unbuckle the armor on her thighs.

'I'll do it.' Came a quietly stern voice from behind him. He turned, surprised to see Willow leaning in the doorway. 'You can go.' She ordered, as she walked into the room.

'Hey I was just helping her—I'm not trying to…'

'Leave.' She said harshly and moved to sit on the bed next to Winter. Qrow put his hands up and moved aside.

'Well let me know if you do want help since, you know, I'm probably the only sober one in the room.' He retorted as he stood to leave.

Willow sighed. 'I'm not drinking tonight.' She added absently as she started undoing Winter's other leg straps.

'Oh that's new, what's the occasion?' Qrow asked sarcastically and leaned against the doorframe, arms folded. 'Finally trying to set a better example for your children?'

Willow paused briefly, then removed Winter's rapier and set it aside. 'Something like that.'

'I guess we'll see won't we.' He shook his head and sighed, then turned to leave.

'Wait.' Came Willow's soft voice again. He stopped. 'I'm sorry.'

He turned back to face her. 'It's not me you need to apologize to.' He said with a raised brow.

Willow nodded slowly, seeming to understand. 'Can you lift her?'

'What?'

'Lift her so I can get the top armor off.'

'Oh. Uh, yeah.'

He lifted Winter so she was sitting again and sat next to her so she could lean on him. She grunted, but didn't wake up.

Willow undid the straps on Winter's back and with his help, lifted the shoulder armor off over her head. She then proceeded to undo the rest of Winter's left arm armor. He noticed she didn't have that on the right side.

'Why does she have more armor on the left?' He asked curiously.

'To support injuries she sustained from her first encounter with Cinder.' Willow answered as she worked. 'That's why she wears all of this. Cinder fractured her spine as well.'

Qrow's eyes went wide. 'Oh I, I didn't know that.'

'Well, I suppose I didn't either. I only know because I called the military hospital when I found out she'd been injured.'

Qrow nodded solemnly. The list of reasons why Cinder needed to die only kept growing.

Willow finished pulling Winter's boots off, then lifted her legs up onto the bed. Qrow laid her top half back down and backed away. He watched curiously as Willow spread a blanket over her, then brushed hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. She stood and glanced at him before switching out the light.

'You know, just because I have my own demons, doesn't mean I don't still love my children.' Willow said as she clicked the door shut. She turned to face him.

'I… Well I guess that much I do understand.' He admitted.

She hummed in acknowledgement. 'I've seen you two together a lot, recently.'

He smirked at the unsubtle inquiry. 'I'm just looking out for her, ya know? She's been dealing with a lot with lately, not sure if you've noticed.'

'I have.' She added sharply.

'Well. Good.' Qrow shrugged and turned to leave.

'I'm trying…'

Qrow stopped and turned once more to face her.

'I'm trying to be there for her more…' Willow admitted earnestly and wrung her hands. 'But Winter she, she's always been so independent, she never really needed me. But I'm, I'm worried about her.'

'Well that's another thing we can agree on.' He admitted and leaned against the wall. 'Not only does she have a massive target on her back now, but she doesn't seem to care. She's being reckless with her own life.'

'So, the Winter maiden power is all you're worried about?' Willow accused with a raised brow.

'No.' Qrow said sternly and pushed himself off the wall to look at her directly. 'I care about her. But none of that matters if she get's herself killed on one of her solitary Grimm killing rampages or blacks out drunk in the wrong place again. She's not thinking clearly.'

Willow withered at the word drunk. 'Well what can we do? She's never listened to me.'

'That makes two of us.'

'I wish her sister were here—she was the only one who had a chance of getting through to Winter.'

'Well right now we're the best she's got. I don't know how to get through to her, she's hurting really badly—but I'm gonna keep trying to earn her trust. And if you love her like you say you do, you'll do the same. You don't get to check in and check out of being a mother, it's a full time thing.'

Willow nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. She looked as if she'd been slapped.

'And a word of advice, don't go back to the bottle—it'll only make your relationship with her that much harder. Believe me on that one.'

Willow nodded again.'Goodnight Mr. Branwen—and, thank you, for looking after her.'

'Qrow. And don't mention it.'