Trigger Warning.
/==/ Chapter Seven /==/
"You have classes shortly. Do not be late." Glynda's stern look sent the pair of gitrls that had been dancing with Yang and Jaune to scurry down the hall away from authoritarian professor. Glynda watch them leave before returning her gaze to Yang and Jaune. "As for you two. Ms Xaio Long a weeks of detentions, for the destruction of school property. Understood?"
"Yes, Professor." Yang replied.
"As for you." Glynda turned her entire focus on Jaune. She resisted using her true name, and stuck to just pronouns. "I know you incited this disturbance. You will return to your room and await my arrival. We are going to have a long discussion about your recent behaviour. A long overdue discussion. Am I clear?"
"Yes, professor." Jaune replied her dark blue eyes lowering to the floor.
"And you." Glynda pointed at Cocco as she stood of to the side.
"What did I do?"
"I thought I made it clear to you. You are to watch over her, which means you should be stepping in to prevent such... distractions." Glynda crossed her arms over her chest. "You also skipped your morning classes. A weeks of detentions added to the week you already have to serve."
"That's not fair! I didn't do anything wrong!" Cocco protested.
"I shall repeat myself... you skipped classes and you allow this disturbance to happen. A week of detentions, or would you like to add more for insubordination?"
"No professor."
"Good, now with that settled. Classes now." Yang and Cocco trotted off, as Glynda watched them until they were out of sight. She turned to regard Jaune. "Your room, with out delay."
Jaune walked off her shoulders slumped. Her heel clicking against the tiled floor. Glynda kept her attention on her niece until she was out of sight. Once alone she pulled off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was getting a headache, and it was not just caused by the antics of her students. Jaune was going to start giving her grey hair soon. She was sure of it. Letting out a sigh, she returned her glasses to their perch, and walked off. Her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she made her way to her own classroom.
/=/
Pyrrha made her way towards the staff dorm. Her long talk and subsequent rest followed by a second talk with Nora and Ren had allowed her to vent. She let everything she had pent up inside flow out. Things not even about the situation with her upcoming choice and the situation with Jaune. The together; but not together couple listened to her, and offered what words of comfort and advice as they could. The whole exercise hadn't totally repaired the bridge, but it was a start. It did come as a surprise to her that the pair knew of her infatuation for Jaune. Apparently she wasn't as discreet as she thought she was, when shooting him looks of longing behind his back. They did push her towards approaching Jaune. The sooner the better, and as Pyrrha was the only one excused from classes, she was going to have to do it alone, or at least that was what they thought. Pyrrha knew Cocco Adel was going to be there. The fashionista had barely left Jaune's side since Pyrrha's attack; and though she was worried how Cocco would react; it was Jaune's response to her that was causing the butterflies to turn her stomach. She didn't even realize she had reach Professor Goodwitch's door, until she actually standing in front of it.
"Pyrrha?" the soft questioning voice brought Pyrrah from her thoughts. She looked up and took a long look at Jaune standing in the hall in a Beacon uniform.
"Can we talk... in private?" Jaune nodded and reached out with her scroll to unlock the door to Glynda's apartment. Pyrrha followed Jaune inside, and stopped in the foyer. Jaune moved further into the room and turned to sit on the couch. Pyrrha noticed the tangled blankets, but decided not to say anything. It wasn't her place to pry. "I tried contacting you earlier, but you didn't answer."
"Sorry... Aunt Glynda kind of confiscated our scrolls last night, and I only got it back around noon." Jaune rubbed the back of her neck with her right hand, looking ashamed and not replying to Pyrrha's early morning texts. "We also slept in, so there was that too."
"We?" Pyrrha shook her head. It was none of her business. "Never mind, I shouldn't be asking. Jaune... I... I..."
"Pyrrha?" Jaune rose from the couch as Pyrrha started to sob, as she collapsed to her knees. Jaune rushed forward and dropped to her own knees wrapping her arms around the distraught Champion. "Breath. Just breath."
"I'm... so... sorry... I'm... a... terrible... person..."
"Just breath Pyrrha. Slow down, and breath. In and out. In and out." Jaune tried to keep her voice even, to make it as calming as she could. It was hard with her own emotions running high, her nerves about this meeting threatening to have her fall apart like Pyrrha was currently doing. But one did not have seven sisters and not learn a thing or two about comforting someone who was suffering. That's it, slow and easy. Take your time there is no hurry. Breath in and out. That's it, nice and even."
"Why... why... why... are..." Pyrrha brokenly whimpered.
"I'm helping you, because right now you are hurting. Regardless of what happened, you are still my partner... partner's look out for each other." Jaune spoke softly and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I wont lie, you hurt me, Pyrrha. You hurt me deeply by what you said, and how you acted."
"So... sorry... I... don't... understand... what... came... over... me..." Pyrrha twisted her body about and snaked her arms around Jaune. "I... don't... know... what... to... do."
"Right now, just calm yourself." Jaune replied as she fought back her own emotions to remain steadfast for her hurting friend and once crush. "Then we'll sit down and talk."
"So... sorry... so... sorry" Pyrrha mumbled as she and Jaune held each other on the foyer floor.
/=/
Professor Glynda Goodwitch was glaring at Headmaster Ozpin, with so much open rage that the Headmaster was glad that phrase "a look that could kill" was not an actual reality. Though he did swallow nervously as he saw her tighten her grip on her riding crop. When he called up for this quick meeting, he knew she would not be happy with what he had to say, and he was obviously correct on that assumption.
"Please repeat that. I don't think I heard you CORRECTLY!" Glynda spoke through clenched teeth.
"I will not be able to reverse Ms Arc's transformation, at least right now. If I had..."
"You've had months to have the counter to that fucking ritual ready... MONTHS!"
"I had other urgent pressing matters to attend to."
"REALLY?" Glynda was seething, and Ozpin was getting the distinct impression the more he talked the deep the hole he was in with her. "And do TELL ME what those matters were? Because I can GUARANTEE they had nothing to do with running this school!"
"I..."
"Why do you NOT have the counter ritual ready?"
"I never bothered to prepare it!" Ozpin snapped back as being the centre of Glynda's anger was wearing his own temper very thin. "I didn't ever think we would be in a position to require it this early! You happy?"
"No I'm NOT!" Glynda shouted, "We told her we would change her back. YOU told her you would fix this!"
"I told her NO such thing! You all assumed it!" Ozpin rose from his seat and planted his hands on his desk, "I WILL say this again, just so you can understand it! SHE IS BETTER OFF THIS WAY!"
"She is NOT!" Glynda planted her own hands on Ozpin's large desk bringing her face to face with the headmaster, "She is barely holding on, and if we don't fix this now we might loose her!"
"We will not loose her! She's and Arc! They are the most stubborn, hard headed family on Remnant!" Ozpin's aura flared, as his temper was finally exhausted.
"She is NOT her father or her mother! Nor is she like Rouge! Jaune is soft! She is emotional like Saphron and Noir!"
"Well it can't be helped! There isn't enough time, so she'll just have to handle it!"
"She's going to break! She's fragile enough now! You need to FIX this now Ozpin!"
"I can't! There isn't the time, so she's just going to have to suffer through it!"
"And what about the next time? Are you EVEN going to try? Or are you just stalling hoping for the outcome you want?" Glynda actually snarled at Ozpin, she was no longer acting like Beacon's Deputy Headmistress, or even it's combat instructor. No right now, she was Aunt Glynda, and she was ready to wage war for her little angel. "There HAS to be a way! So figure it out, before I decide to see if I can reach Mount Glenn from here, by using you as a javelin!"
"Is that a threat? Are you threatening me Glynda?" Ozpin's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"No, it's not a threat. IT'S a promise." Glynda's own aura flared.
"Its not that simple."
"You had MONTHS to be ready for a situation like this. MONTHS!" Glynda lifted her hands before slamming them back down on the top of the desk. "Fix this like you said you would! Then I can train her and Nikos!"
"I never..."
"You insufferable old coot!" Glynda snapped "This is just all a game to you, isn't it?"
"It HAS NEVER been a game! I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm playing a game, because none of this is a game! I will not loose someone else needlessly! Jaune Arc is not ready, she is too weak, she is unprepared and she is vulnerable! Even you can't keep control of her, or are you forgetting that impromptu shopping trip to Vale?"
"I have not, forgotten, and I have nightmares about what could have happened; but she's been revealed. She has three strong teams willing to look out for her. I can train her. Let me train her!"
"Then train her! What's stopping you, huh? Teach her to manipulate aura, that was how we started with Amber."
"And look how that worked for that poor girl! She needs to know how to draw and shape that damnable power; and the only way she will is by USING it!"
Ozpin and Glynda paused in their argument as Glynda's scroll buzzed and Ozpin's terminal sounded a notification. Glynda yanked her scroll out as Ozpin dropped to his chair, and started to access his terminal.
/=/
"Something happened with Jaune!" Blake posted.
"What happened?" Glynda asked.
"We don't know. Pyrrha called Ren. She yelled for help, before shouting about Jaune needing to hang on, that help was on the way." Blake replied.
"What type of help?" asked Ozpin.
"Medical." Ren answered.
"I NEED everyone to remain where you are. Jaune should be in my quarters, I'm on my way."
"Too late. Yang bolted as soon as Pyrrha started screaming, and if Cocco's scroll is on I doubt she's still in class either."
Glynda stuffed her scroll into her pocket, and send rushed to the elevator. She was seething with Ozpin's attitude and answers, but right now that could wait. Jaune needed her. She never thought the elevator was slow before, aside from this very moment. As soon as the doors slide open for the lobby, she bolted. No one had ever seen the Deputy Headmistress run, but that day the few students in the halls witness something surreal. Even with heels on she barrelled down the halls towards her room. When she reached it, she nearly lost it. Jaune in his male form was being wheeled out on a stretcher. Heavy bandages wrapped around his left arm, bandages that were slowly turning deep crimson. Nestled between his legs and oxygen bottle, near his head a nurse holding up an saline drip and blood transfusion bag.
"What hap..."
"NOT NOW!" yelled Beacon's resident Doctor as she helped guide the stretcher down the corridor while it was being pushed by one of Beacon's security staff.
Glynda watched helpless as her beloved angel was wheeled away toward the infirmary. She never felt so powerless as when she saw him strapped down, with his face deathly pale. Trying to compose herself she moved to enter her apartment, noticing how her door was buckled and ripped from the jam. Inside she found a screaming and hysterical Cocco Adel being held back by Yang Xaio Long. The blond haired bomber was struggling to keep control of the thrashing brunette, having pinned her arms to her side and physically lifting the young woman from the floor.
"Ms. Xaio Long?"
"I don't think I can..." Yang replied through clenched teeth.
Glynda moved, she knew she was going to regret what she was about to do, and she resolved to make it up to the fashionable gunner. The sound of flesh against flesh echoed about the room. The strike of the flat of Glynda's hand against Cocco's exposed cheek utterly shocked the young woman, pulling her from her hysterical behaviour.
"Sit!" Glynda order before turning her eyes to Yang watch her. Yang nodded, "What happened?"
"Pyrrha's in the bathroom, she knows." Yang replied as she moved to crouch in front of the now sobbing Cocco, her hands gently rubbing the distraught young woman's forearms.
Having diffused one situation Gylnda moved to her bathroom, and stalled at the broken in door. A pool of smeared blood covered the floor, littered with pieces of shattered mirror. Off to the side next to the bathtub, Pyrrha ways splay legged. Blood stained her uniform, and in her hands she clutched a blood sodden towel. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she just stared at the bloody section of tiled floor. Ignoring the mess Glynda entered the room, and dropped to her knees before the obviously dramatized red head.
"Ms Nikos?" when she didn't respond Glynda reached out, and place a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Pyrrha?"
Red rimmed emerald eyes looked up. They had a distant, almost vacant look.
"What happened?"
"My fault... my fault..." the in shock girl muttered, and Glynda frowned. This all indicated something seriously disturbing happened, it centred around Jaune; and she had a dark suspicion she knew what it was.
/=/
"Anyone know what happened? Cocco bolted from class and hasn't come back." Velvet asked in the girls only chat.
"Yang did the same." Weiss informed.
"Did something happen with Jaune?" asked Ruby.
"All I know is that Pyrrha was going to see her, and talk." Nora added.
"You don't think she?" Weiss asked.
"She wouldn't." Nora replied.
"But what if she did?" Ruby asked.
"Then I'd break her everything." Nora replied ominously.
"It wasn't Pyrrha." Yang informed the group.
"Do you know what is going on, Yang?"
"If it wasn't for Pyrrha being there... we could have lost her."
"You don't mean?" Weiss asked.
"She tried." was Yang's response.
"WHAT HAPPENED?" Ruby posted.
"Brb."
"YANG?" "YANG?" "YANG ANSWER!" Ruby posted with only a few seconds between each.
"Get everyone together, and meet in Goodwitch's class."
"YANG WHAT HAPPENED?"
"Get to Goodwitch's class." was Yang's final post, her icon going dark showing that she had logged off.
/=/
Yang leaned against the door jam of the waiting room, her lilac eyes watching the other two occupants. Pyrrha sat slumped in a chair, her uniform still stained. Cocco paced, looking up expectantly every time the doors to the treatment area opened. Goodwitch instructed Yang to watch the pair, as she tried to get a handle on the situation and cut off any further possible violent reactions. Yang's heart beat rapidly in her chest; even as she forced herself to project a cool exterior. This incident had hit her very close to her heart. It brought up memories that she would rather have remained repressed. She could tell by their body language that the pair of girls she was watching were near the ends of their rope. If this went further south, Yang was going to to be hard pressed to keep any sort of control over them. All three turned their attention to the Doctor as she exited the treatment area and cleared her throat.
"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked in a very shaky voice.
"Is she okay?" Cocco added, Yang winced at that statement. Everyone here knew Jaune had changed. She was no longer a she.
"I need everyone to remain calm, and out here for the time being. We are still working on Mr. Arc," the Doctor raised her finger cutting off any comments, "He is now stable, but he is not out of danger yet. His wounds are very serious, and that is all I can tell you."
"Can we..." Cocco started to ask.
"Not at this point in time." the Doctor replied, "Right now you would just be in the way. Let us do our job, remain out here, and wait calmly. After I give Professor Goodwitch my report, IF she gives me consent I will inform you; personally. Until then I expect your best behaviour. Understood?"
The trio of friends all nodded their agreement. The Doctor returned the nod, and stepped back through the doors, leaving Yang, Cocco and Pyrrha alone to their individual thoughts.
Cocco was barely keeping it together. She wanted to lash out, and collapse at the same time. She knew Jaune was meaning more and more to her. She was cherishing the simple and personal moments they had shared, and she wanted to experience so many more.
Pyrrha was a wreck inside. Self doubt, and blame rolling about her. She knew she still cared for Jaune, maybe not in the same way that Cocco did, but her feelings were deep. Even though Goodwitch had said it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help by dwell on the recent past between her and Jaune. Even if she wasn't the sole reason for what happened, she knew she had been a contributing factor.
Yang was reliving a very similar incident from her past. It had turned out for the best, with her father getting the help he desperately needed to get over the abandonment of her mother; and the loss of her step mom. It was hard, and she was drawing parallels; but she knew this situation was more than a little different. Jaune's reasons if even she wasn't totally conscious of them were radically different from what her father had suffered through.
So the trio, lost in their own thoughts continued to wait. Pyrrha withdrawn as she just sat there staring at the floor, Cocco pacing back and forth trying to burn off her nervous energy; and Yang forcing her own memories down, so she could be ready to assist her companions.
/=/
Glynda almost lost her composure when she spoke to the gathered members of RWBY, JNPR and CFVY. They all were obviously shocked, and upset by the news; but Glynda forcing her own feelings into the bottom of her heart used her authoritarian persona to make sure they all understood that she... that Jaune needed them to remain calm and composed. She promised to inform them all as soon as she had news, and excused them all from classes for the remainder of the day. They had all be instructed to stay away from the infirmary, and to wait for news directly from her. If it wasn't from her then they were to ignore it. With that all accomplished and the gathered students dismissed, Glynda stalked her way towards the Headmaster's office.
She consigned herself to making the call to the Arc's after she had dealt with Ozpin. They were going to alter Jaune's situation; and there would be no excuses he could make that would prevent her from getting the result she wanted. The resolution Jaune deserved.
"Glynda how is..." Ozpin's question was cut off as Glynda lashed out, grabbing him with her semblance and slamming him into the wall behind his desk, hard.
"I'm about to make a very disturbing scroll call to the Arc family; and before you say a fucking word... I'm making that call." Glynda's heels clicked ominously against the floor of Ozpin's floor. Her eyes blazed with rage. Undiluted utter familial rage. "I want solutions NOW!"
"It will be a month to prepare the counter ritual." Ozpin gasped as he felt Glynda press in with her semblance.
"NOT good enough. Try again." Glynda hissed as she continued to apply pressure using her semblance to her superior.
"There is noth..." Ozpin groaned
"Think harder."
"Hormones." Ozpin gasped, as he was suddenly free of the crushing pressure, and dropped to the floor. He landed in a heap, and took a few minutes to gather himself, before rising to his feet.
"Explain."
"Jaune's reversion to her original body happens when her body is flooded with the hormones linked to menstruation." Ozpin took a pause as he readjusted his clothing.
"Continue."
"If we introduce another hormone into Jaune's system that is more prevalent in women as opposed to men there is a chance the transformation will be reversed for a little while anyway."
"And during this temporary reversal, you will?" Glynda growled.
"Fashion and prepare the counter ritual." Ozpin coughed.
"You better." Glynda commented, before asking, "So what hormone are we talking about?"
"I have a theory, and I could be wrong; but seeing as the reversal is tied to Jaune`s reproductive cycle; then something that continues that cycle should work."
"What are you suggesting?"
"A pregnancy." Ozpin held up his hands defensively as he watched Glynda's eyes flare with unbridled rage. So he quickly in the name of self preservation added "Not a real pregnancy! A simulated one. Injections of the proper hormones, should work... I hope."
"It better... for your sake." Glynda hissed, "Make the arrangements, cause I'm going to go check on Jaune, and if she isn't out of danger you'll be the one that answers for it."
Ozpin knew in a normal straight up confrontation he could take Glynda, but right now, he doubted it. She was so riled up and empowered by anger; you would have thought Jaune was her own child. So Ozpin did the one thing that would diffuse the situation. He nodded his agreement. With that taken care of, he watched as Glynda stalked off, leaving him alone as the elevator doors closed.
/=/
Glynda arrived at the infirmary, and took in the state of the three teens with in the waiting room. Cocco obviously was beside herself in worry, while Glynda could see that Pyrrha had drifted into a pit of self blame. She looked at Yang, and noticed she too was a little out of it, but was holding up much better than her two companions. So Glynda made her choice and approached Yang, understanding just from her glances that the blond brawler would be the best to get answers from.
"Has the doctor said anything?"
"He's stable, but it's still serious. That's all. Said we had to wait for you, and only after she speaks to you, will she say anything to us; with your permission."
"I see. How are you holding up?"
"It's difficult, bringing up some memories I don't want to remember, but I'm dealing with it. Cocco and Pyrrha though..."
"I can tell, just by looking at them." Glynda took another glance at the women in question, before returning her full attention to Yang, "If you want to go have a rest, I'll take over. Thank you for stepping in like you have."
"If it's all the same I'd like to stay and see this through, besides if things..."
Glynda just nodded, and placed a comforting hand on Yang's shoulder to let the young woman know she understood. With that Glynda turned her attention to the other two occupants of the room.
"I'm going to speak with the Doctor, then I will come out and speak to you. That understood?" Pyrrha and Cocco nodded. "So please hang in there."
Glynda then walked forward and pushed her way through the swinging doors. On the far side of the portal she found a hive of activity. Nurses moved about, checking charts, and looking in on the few patients that were in the infirmary for various reasons. One of the nurses, a petite pink haired young woman, stopped before Glynda.
"Can I help you Professor Goodwitch?"
"Direct me to Jaune Arc and the Doctor please." The nurse nodded and lead Glynda down the hallway to the individuals requested. Glynda gasped at the sight of Jaune. He was in his male form, and didn't look healthy. A deathly pallor was upon him, and the image wasn't helped by the straps restraining him. An IV fed saline and blood into his right arm, while his left was tightly wrapped in bandages from the wrist to the elbow. She watched as the doctor continued to check his vitals and jotted notes on her tablet.
"Professor." The Doctor greeted Glynda as she looked up from her duties. "I take it you're here for the condition of the patient."
"I am."
"Well he's stable, but he lost a lot of blood. If it hadn't been for the actions of his friends we would have lost him."
"What happened?"
"He slit his arm from his wrist to his elbow. It's a rough and jagged cut with some obvious tearing. So he didn't use a proper cutting implement."
"Piece of a broken mirror?"
"That would do it, and if I remember the scene correctly... it would fit." The Doctor's orange eyes, "We had to stitch the wound together."
"Why? His aura should be..."
"He's unconsciously suppressing it; or that is what I think." the Doctor turned from looking at Glynda, to look over Jaune. "He would have had to suppress it so he could wound himself so severely. But now, with him sedated it should be kicking in to speed the healing but it's not."
"But why would he?"
"I'm not a psychologist, but I would say he wants to die, and he's fighting everything that we are doing to keep him alive. As I mentioned we had to sedate and restrain him. He kept ripping out his IVs along with attempting to tear his stitches. So we are going to keep him under for the next few hours, and hope whatever he did to suppress his aura fails and it starts kicking in."
"Anything else you can tell me?"
"We're treating him with a broad spectrum antibiotic, and this is his third transfusion, which should be his last one since we now have stopped the bleeding."
"Will he heal?"
"He needs some psychiatric assistance; and I will be submitting the forms for having his training suspended until he receives it. As for physically, he'll have a nasty scar, but aside from that, he should be fine."
"Thank you. I'll inform his team and friends. I assume you'll be submitting an official report to the Headmaster."
"I will, and I noticed there is no Next of Kin contact info for Mr. Arc in his school file. I will need that so I can contact his family, and inform them."
"You already have."
"Wait? What? Glynda?"
"If you'll excuse me I have some students to placate. I'll leave Jaune to your care, but I will be back to check on him." with that comment Glynda turned about and headed out towards the waiting room.
/=/
Yang watched silently as Glynda held Cocco and Pyrrha, both of the young women totally giving in to their feelings, and becoming complete emotional wrecks. Yang new Glynda was showing a side no one had ever seen. It was almost motherly in its regard, and reminded her of similar times were Yang had need to comfort Ruby. Glynda had told all three of them that Jaune was safe, and he'd be okay, but it was going to take sometime for him to heal. She spoke on a plan to stop the transformations, she consoled the girls, thanking Pyrrha for the precious life she saved. Yang watched it all and waited. Professor Goodwitch hadn't dismissed her, so she would wait. She would watch and be there for them all, because Yang could see even as Glynda was comforting Cocco and Pyrrha; she was nearly breaking herself.
It took a good hour before everything for the three women settled. Yang used the group chat to get Velvet and Nora to come down and help their teams mates back to their dorms for a rest. They reluctantly agreed once Glynda promised to excuse them from classes so they could be with Jaune for the day. With a hug to Yang for her help Glynda bid them all a goodnight and returned to Jaune's room. Pulling a chair up to the bed, she sat down and took hold of his hand with her right, and slowly ran her thumb in circles against his skin, while reaching up with her left and pushing his hair back from his eyes.
"I should have stopped all this nonsense." Glynda whispered, "I should have stood up to Ozpin and prevented all this; maybe then you wouldn't be in here. You'd be happy and free. Enjoying friends. I'm so sorry my precious baby. This shouldn't have happened to you, none of it, but mommy promises she'll make it all better."
"Glynda?" she snapped her hand around, and soft eyes instantly became seething spots of anger, as they settled on the speaker. Ozpin stayed in the doorway, his hands raised. "So is Jaune your daughter?"
"What of it?"
"No, it just explains a few behaviours I've noticed. Why didn't you tell me."
"I..."
"You thought I would use her. Didn't you? If I knew."
"Yes."
"Considering everything that has happened, I understand." Ozpin looked towards the spare chair in the room, and after getting a nod from Glynda he moved to sit down. "So if Jaune is your daughter; why was she with the Arcs?"
"Her father was Nicholas Arc. We met during a mission when I was around twenty-five or twenty-six."
"I though you and Ironwood?"
"We were having a break. Things were not good between us, and we decided to have a trial seperation."
"I see. So you met Nicholas, and?"
"We became an item, and were nearly inseparable for almost a year. It was about the same time you approached me to start teaching her at Beacon." Glynda brushed Jaune's hair from his forehead as she continued to talk. "Nicholas was to leave on a mission, so we chose to have a private celebration, Just the two of us. He never came back from that mission. I found out I was pregnant two months after that, as I was just starting to get into my duties here at Beacon."
"I see, I think I remember you taking a leave of absence around then, though you never did give me a specific reason for the request. Which I found strange for someone just joining Beacon to do."
"But you approved it anyway."
"I did. I saw your potential Glynda, but I also saw some turmoil with in you. I figured you would sort it out during your break, or you wouldn't return. So I made an easy choice."
"I left Vale, and I went to Ansel. Nicholas always talked about his family, I had even met them a couple of times." Glynda's breath started to hitch, and Ozpin could see wetness forming in her bright green eyes. "They welcomed me with open arms and without questions. They comforted me, and swore that I would always be family."
"If I remember you were gone for almost two years. Were you with them that entire time?"
"I was. Jaune was Nicholas' middle name. Josphine my mother's and by coincidence Nicholas's great-grandmother's, and of course you can guess why I chose Arc as her last name."
"So she wouldn't be singled out after you left her with Jasmine and Jonathon."
"They offered to take her, and raise her for me, after they watched me struggling to do it on my own. I accepted their offer, on the condition they raise her like their own; which of course they were going to do anyway."
"So you became Aunt Glynda?"
"They wouldn't let me not be part of her life. So yes I became Aunt Glynda, though every important decision in Jaune's life I had input in, and more often than not; final say in.. Her schooling, medical treatments, if she was going to get training. They never left me out. I have several albums of photos hidden away in my room. All her baby pictures, including the ones of me with her after she was just born. I actually have a copy of every picture they ever took of my angel... along with her original birth certificate."
"Proof that you are her mother."
"I thought at some point we would tell her. Explain it all, and let her know." Glynda started to cry, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks, "I almost lost her tonight, do you realize that Ozpin? I almost lost my baby, all because of some ill thought out plan to protect her... how am I suppose to deal with that?"
"I'm sorry, Glynda. For all of it. At the time it was the best we could do, but you are right. We... I should have thought harder, looked at other options... regardless if she is your daughter or not. We could... no, I should have done better."
"Can you leave please. I just want to be alone with her."
"Alright." Ozpin rose from his seat and made for the door, but paused before stepping through. He spoke over his shoulder, "I'm sorry for all this Glynda, and I'll make things right. I promise. I'll reverse the ritual."
"Please do that." Glynda responded as she continued to gaze at Jaune's face. The door softly closed behind her, as she again brushed his hair off his forehead. "Please come back to me baby. I already your father, I can't lose my little angel too."
/==/
So yes I went there, and I apologies to anyone that finds the content of this chapter disturbing.
As for the ending of this chapter, I do hope everyone was pleasantly surprised, and hopefully you all feel it fits with the story. I had read my story over a few times, just to enjoy it, and noticed things that lend themselves to this reveal. As I've mentioned before I write as things come to me (which makes having any type of schedule for uploads horrific to fulfill) and this just came to me.
If this doesn't feel right, please let me know. I have done re-writes for other stories due to feedback.
As always, comments, suggestions and critiques are always welcome.
Hope you enjoyed.
