A/N: So, this was a weird one that just sorta popped into my head. Sorry for the long absence I have been terribly busy recently, I just went back to school and have a part time job so my free time to write is exceedingly small. The Serena story will be getting more updates too. I have been wanting to do a RWBY story for a while but have never really had an idea. I think season 7 was a great return to form and while this is set after the entire series many of the themes will be coming from season 7. this is mostly just going to be a character study on Whitley. However, Penny will be the other main character.

Chapter One:

Whitley's POV

Everyone always thought the life of a Schnee was the dream. But I hate to break it too you, but no life is the dream. Especially not a Schnee's. Ever since the end of the war my life has been one mess after another. The official conviction of my father, Jacques. Found on the charges of conspiring with a known war criminal, Arthur Watts. Committing electoral fraud to win his spot on the Atlas council. As well as numerous Faunus reaching out with actuations ranging from professional misconduct, sexual harassment, and even torture. That second one was especially troubling given father had been married to my mother, Willow. Ah Mother… growing up she had always been distant. Drowning herself in wine or liquor every family gathering. I always felt she blamed me… Like whenever she looked all she saw of me was reflected onto father. Maybe that's why I felt like I should grant her wish. But after his trial and sister went off to Vacuo to fight in the war, it was just us. We finally began to connect as mother and son, or as well as we could.

Sitting up on my bed I looked around at the pristine walls of my bedroom. Painted perfectly white, adorned with high class artwork that could no doubt cost enough to feed the entire population of Mantle, or well what's left of it. I lowered my head and lightly shook it from side to side at remembering that day. The day the witch Salem came with her Grimm army to destroy all of Atlas. General Ironwood had fought to his last breath to defend Atlas that day, but he couldn't do the same for Mantle. My sisters and their friends were able to take the fight to her and drive her back to Vacuo before all of the city could be destroyed. However, Mantle looked almost unrecognizable now. Destroyed buildings on every block, many people living of the streets, and constant military presence.

Deciding to not worry myself I climbed out of bed and glanced over at my clock. It was almost noon, and I felt a certain wave of disappointment wash over me at sleeping in this late. Then again thinking about it, what would I really be doing in the morning anyway. It was only a few months until my eighteenth birthday, when I could officially take up the role as the CEO of the worlds largest dust company.

Taking a huge sigh, I looked out the draped and cleaned window to the snowy exterior of the Schnee manor. I just felt sad… it was hard to think about or put into words. I ultimately just wondered what to do now. It reminded me of some wise words I heard a while ago, "Sometimes we are so focused on our future we never take a moment to ask, where we are, what we are doing." And if I were to answer that question… it would just make me cry.

*Knock* *Knock*

Luckily before I fell to hard onto my self-wallowing, there was a soft rapping on my bedroom door. It was at that time I realized I wasn't properly dressed. Simply telling them to wait a moment while I tidied myself up, I dressed myself and brushed my teeth, while also making sure to put on a smile in the mirror.

As I approached the door, I figured it was either one of the maids checking up on me. It would be a simple exchange of "are you alright" "yes" do you need anything" "no" "then have good day" "you too". Either that or it was one of the many suitors attempting to woo the future SDC CEO. No matter who it was I needed to put on a good face. However, upon opening the door I was shocked at seeing who was at the door.

"Mom!" My jaw dropped hang agape at seeing the white-haired image of my mother. While we have been connecting more, it had mostly been at mandated dinner or meetings. She had never tried to reach out to me in this sort of way.

"M-Mother Ah yes- What- what was it you wished to speak of" I quickly attempted to compose myself, standing up straight and putting my hands behind my back and using her proper title of mother. However, what she did next surprised me, without another word, she stepped forward and just embraced me.

A hug was a strange thing, mainly because I had never really felt it. Sister never wanted to show me any love, Father always strictly kept our relationship professional, and Mother was always to busy drowning herself to show any true affection.

This was a new experience for me, so I had no clue how to react. Should I wrap my arms around her? Should I push her away? While in my thoughts I just started to freeze up causing me to become completely stiff as she embraced me.

Finally deciding to act, I rest my chin on top of her white halo and brought my pale hands to her waist. We remained like that for some time, just silently embracing each other. Until a maid walked by and seemed like she had a question before blushing and scurrying away. That's when I realized the awkwardness of our current situation.

"Okay, okay mother, you can let go of me now." I lightly asked while removing my arms from her waist as she followed, equaling me from her grip.

"Ah, Sorry, sorry it's just… You've never called me mom before" Willow spoke quietly and blushed almost out of embarrassment at realizing her unprofessional behavior.

"I almost forgot you could." That sounded somewhat extreme but when I thought about it. I had never really addressed her by that name.

"Well then come on in, Mom" I made sure to accent her title and give her a giggle to show I was accepting of our new relationship.

"Why thank you, Son" Willow also made sure to accent my title while also giving of a chuckle as she made her way into my bedroom.

It was silent for a while as she walked into my bedroom and took a seat on my white sheets. I felt somewhat awkward as I stood there almost concerned. I didn't say anything as she was the one coming to meet me, so she must have something to talk about. I grew more nervous as she pats the spot next to her on the bed, inviting me to sit. I felt somewhat insulted as I just crossed my arms and signaled for her to speak. It wasn't that I didn't want to sit next to her. It was just that father had always acted the same way. Telling me when to sit and stand and such.

"Are you okay son?" Mother asked me, which I felt was a strange way for her to open since she appears to have come for something important.

"Never better" I quipped sarcastically back at her not being overly aggressive but trying to set her off to the fact that I was confused about the generic nature of her question. She was not as amused.

"Whitley, please I'm trying to help you." Mother chided in sounding scared about what it is I was thinking.

"I know that." I affirmed her, understanding that sarcasm was not the best answer to our familial problems. I then sought to ease her tension, trying my best to not set off any kind of argument.

"It just seemed odd you would come her to talk and that would be your only question?" I threw the question out there hoping for an answer as I made sure to keep up a small grin to put on a good face. Mother smiled back at this and seemed to have been in a much better mood now.

"It's just I've been worried…" she bluntly stated while looking me dead in the eyes, my smirk rapidly disappeared as I knew a serious topic was bound to come up. "Back when Weiss and her friends came to Atlas, we had a talk."

My eyes widened and my blank expression turned into a frown. She opened her mouth to continue the story, but there was something I needed to say first.

"Mother, I really don't want to talk about sister." I annoyingly told her. In truth I've grown past my sisters, they have their lives and, and I had… Well what was left of mine.

"But that's just it, we talked about you." Mother spoke sounding solemnly, I then realized I should shut my mouth.

"I understood why you resented her, she left you." It was like she could read my mind. "But there was something else I realized, I left you too."

That last part had her choked up, like it took a special part of herself to have to admit that. I began to move closer as she spoke, being drawn in further by her words. My frown transformed into a look of sadness as I realized where she was going.

"I was so scared of that man, so worried what I had done, that I never thought about how it affected you." Tears began to threaten to break through her eyes as I sat down next to her on the bed. I attempted to comfort her though it seemed I failed.

However, she clenched here fists and dried her eyes to look at me straight with a small grin. "But I just want you to know, I'm not gonna leave you now."

Staring at her, I felt our bodies grow closer until her head was resting on my shoulder and my chin was on her head. We remained silent for a while, just embracing each other again. That was until I realized I hadn't said anything to her. In truth… I didn't know what to say. I felt my mind flood with so many emotions and thoughts. I'd never been drunk in my entire life, but I imagined this is what it felt like.

Feeling so overwhelmed and so worried and so… scared, I shot up off the bed and ran over to window.

"Whitley! What's wrong!" Mother asked as if she was concerned.

"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Stop doing that." I practically screamed as I spun around to face her.

"Stop doing what? I'm just-" She got up and tried to move closer to me, but I moved away from her grip.

"Stop doing this thing where you act like we're normal! Because we aren't!" Then I started screaming. "Stop acting like our family has ever been anything more than just trinkets and trophies to barter with others!"

"Whitley, I'm not saying that-" she began to explain but I was to angry to want to hear it.

"Saying what! Suddenly we can be a loving family?!" As I grew louder, I should have let the sensible part of my brain take over and stop, but I was commuted at this point and Mother had to be the one receiving all of my rage.

"Well take one fucking look around!" I cursed at her as all the rage I'd been keeping in exploded. "We are as far from fucking normal as you could possible be!"

"You're right about one thing! You did leave me!" Tears began to break through as I realized my words no longer made sense. I ran my hands through my bleach white hair as I gave up holding back and allowed my eyes to fully water.

"Well Mother! It's too late!" As I yelled at her she also began to fully cry. Both of us understood the pain of the words I was delivering, but equally understood the necessity of them.

"Because in eight months!" I threw my arms up in a shrug gesture. "I'm gonna have to make all the decisions!"

"So, stop acting like you can help me! Because it's too late!... You just left me with him! You knew what would happen and you just left me!" I recoiled back and laid into the wall as I pounded it will my boney hands.

"Then tell me what to do to fix this! I'll do anything!" She yelled at me between sobs, that only added more heat to the raging fire in my heart.

"YOU CAN'T!" I spun around to face her as I pointed my finger right at her crying eyes. At this point my face was completely devoid of any emotion other than rage and sadness.

"Don't you get it! All our family ever does is, HURT! HURT! HURT! And HURT!" I bellowed out, my voice cracking as my lips quivered from the tears.

"And why should either of us break the cycle!" After saying that. I truly realized what I had been doing as I looked at my crying mother and realized I had hurt her. All I did was hurt.

I ran my fingers through my hair again and cried into my forearms as I couldn't take the pain any longer and crumpled to a squatting position. As I wallowed, Mother walked over and pushed my head into her lap so my tears could soak into her. She seemed to have stopped crying and wanted to console me.

"I-I'm Sorry!" I croaked out between sobs as I realized how much pain I had just thrust upon her, and it was all my fault. If I was just stronger. I felt so overwhelmed all I wanted to do was cry into my mommy. Feeling so much pain all I could do was ask her one question…

Willow's POV

As my son continued to weep into my lap, I realized I had to be strong for both of us from now on. If I could do anything in my life, at least one thing to be proud of. I was going to help this scared, lost, hurt little boy.

Then he asked me a question. A simple, innocent, pain filled question.

"Mom…"

"Yes."

"Am-Am I a bad person?"

How would one answer this? He was looking to me for an answer and I didn't know how to satisfy him. I was not the wise, smart, strong mother he needed in this moment… But he needed and answer, and I was the only one who could give it to him.

"I suppose, all we can do, is what we believe to be right…" I hoped, I prayed what little advice I could give would help him in some way. Maybe it was my primal motherly sense, or the guilt I felt for leaving him, but I knew in that moment why parents cared so much. Why they would give anything to simply give their child a smile.

"And in doing so we, become who we are meant to be." The words came like a flood. I couldn't stop them from flowing out of my lips and into his ears. Hopefully, they would ease his pained mind. I dawned a small smile as his wet eyes looked up into mine. "So, the question is what kind of person do you want to be?"

He began to soften up, his eyes drying, looking like he was about to perk up. As he stood up and began to recollect himself. After that we made our way out of the bedroom ready to hopefully take on the day and putting this behind us.

But I never forgot our conversation. I realized I had seventeen years to make up for. In truth I didn't know the first thing about being a mother. How to care and protect. But I couldn't let him know that.

I was also scared about the future. The enemies we made. The hatred many felt for the Schnee's. But I had to be the one who knew all the answers. I had to at least pretend to know. For him.

A Few Hours Later:

Whitley's POV

I still felt guilty for yelling at mother. But I knew wallowing in my own self pity was what a child would do. I couldn't be that little crybaby anymore. I needed to be strong. For her.

As I walked into the kitchen, I looked at the mounted clock. The time read 4:35 and I realized I could try and cook something. I might have never seen what went on in the food room, but I didn't really have much else to do. As I investigated the pantry and saw the many ingredients and food products, one of the maids walked in likely trying to prepare cooking.

"Oh, terribly sorry Master Whitley. I didn't realize you were in here." She bowed and look slightly scared of what I might say. My heart shattered as I realized truly everyone, even our staff was afraid of the Schnee's.

I had never really taken notice of many of the maids, but wishing to stop hurting, I really looked at her. She had pitch black raven hair that was tied in a ponytail. It was a sloppy braid only held together by a small scrunchy. She was dressed in the standard dress code for our maids the traditional French dress and apron. The most interesting part of her was her eyes. One was blood red, and the other was as green as an emerald. As her duel colored eyes met my ocean blue ones, we both blushed as I realized how long I had been staring at her.

"Oh, no it's fine I was just… Ah…" I stumbled over my words as I was caught off guard from her sudden presence. I just frantically pointed at the door to the pantry.

"You don't need to worry about that. I was just about to get to cooking" she explained as she maneuvered her way around me to get some ingredients.

"Yeah, that's why I was here, I was gonna try and help." I explained to her to which she scoffed and almost looked concerned. Realizing her mistake fast she bowed again and apologized.

"I'm so sorry once again! Please forgive me!" I looked down at her and again felt guilty. She was scared to make a simple look at me.

"Uh, yeah it's okay. You don't have to apologize." I explained and lightly pat her head signaling for her to stop bowing. Even though we both smiled at each other she still seemed scared, and I realized I would need to try and break the ice. That being said… I knew virtually nothing about this "small talk".

"So, you're eyes… that's pretty crazy." I mentally jumped off the floating city for how stupid I sounded. Much to my disappointment she looked to the ground and fiddled with her dress as she voiced her discomfort. "Yeah, makes me look pretty freaky right."

"No, No not at all!" I immediately sought to rectify my past mistake that she had taken as an insult. "I was just meaning it looked pretty badass."

She looked surprised and began to smile up at me with her to contrasting irises. "Now that's a first, I've heard freaky, ugly, Faunus like, but never badass."

The black-haired girl immediately clasped her hand over her mouth realizing she had just cursed in front of her "boss". I just giggled and pat her on the back while whispering to her "I won't tell if you don't."

We both laughed at this and began to look at some of the ingredients she had taken out. But we were interrupted by Mother walking into the kitchen. We both separated from being so close at the counter and blushed a little at being "caught" being friendly.

"Oh, Whitley, I didn't expect to find you in here." She stared bluntly as she got off her scroll that seemed like she had been using to call somewhere mere moments ago.

"Yeah, I'm hearing that a lot today." The maids and I laughed at this, to which Mother looked between both of us almost confused at how friendly we were acting.

"Well that's… lovely." Mother gave us both confused glances as we both quit laughing shaped up like we were being evaluated. There was a short pause before I decided to speak up.

"Yeah, I was just coming in her to see if I could help with the cooking." I explained and mother, much like the other girl, just scoffed. Except she didn't look as scared afterwards.

"Really?" She questioned me and I rolled my eyes.

"Why does everyone think that's so ridiculous?" I threw that question out to nobody, but I ended up getting an answer from the woman who birthed me. "It's just… I didn't think you even knew where this room was."

"What! Of course, I know where the food room is!" I exclaimed trying to make myself sound smart, but after both began cackling so hard, mother needed to steady herself on the counter, I understood I had made a mistake. Rather than questioning it further, I just gave in and began laughing with them even if I didn't get what I said that was so humorous.

"It's fine! However, you better stop cooking because. We have other plans!" Mother told me this new information between chuckles.

"We do?" I questioned not remembering any dates with any suitor.

"Yeah I just got off the phone with some of the company board members and they invited us to a dinner their having." This heavily shocked me. Mostly because my "co-workers", I used mental air quotes, never really reached out to my family unless it was about new information I needed to know about my up coming position. Or which one of their daughters was excited to meet me.

"Oh, well that's great!" I exclaimed sounding dumb but hoping that if I sounded excited it would make me feel excited. They both laughed at me again.

"Well then. If you two will be going out I will just be putting these back." The maid explained as she put all the ingredients we had taken out and put them back I to the pantry.

"Thank you… ah…" Mother appeared to be trying to remember her name and her face grew extremely red as she was struggling to find it.

"Annette!" She told us both. "My name is Annette."

"Well thank you Annette." Mother said as we both smiled at being formal introduced to somebody. "I real must apologize; I usually know most of you."

"It's perfectly fine. I only started a few months ago." She explained and now I felt less guilty at being surprised by her beauty… wait, what did I just think?

"Well in that case, I'm-" Mother began to further explain but was cut off.

"Yeah, I know your name. I know both of your names." Annette confidently interrupted her to which we all laughed at the irony of what Mother was about to say.

"Well I guess I should get back to dusting." The maid said as she had just finished putting the ingredients away and made sure to give a polite bow before leaving, feather buster in hand.

As she walked away, I felt off, like I should say something funny or quippy. And in a brilliant moment… of pure intelligence, and critical thinking I shouted at her. "Yeah, well, I'll see you around, Christmas tree!"

…

It took me all of two second after she had shut the door behind her for my mother to start laughing again and for me to slam my forehead into the counter.

"Hahaha! Hahaha! CHRISTMAS TREE!" She half asked as I groan from her mockery. "Haha haha! I would have thought after eight dates in three months! Hahaha! You'd be smoother than that!"

As she continued to make fun of my failed attempted at "flirting" I decided to change the topic." So, this company diner that should be exciting!"

"Haha! Yeah, yeah! we should, oh, probably get going" she got out between laughs as she reached up to whip a small tear away that had formed from her cackling.

As we both shuffled out the door, I realized this was the first time I was leaving the house and I wasn't dreading where I was headed. I wasn't going to meet some girl the SDC hoped I would fall in love and we would become Remnant's power couple or whatever. While I'm sure I would have some awkward conversations with some of the executives, I felt much safer knowing mother… Mom would be there with me.

"Hey, Mom…" I caught her attention as we climbed into the back seat of our town car, our driver waiting for a destination.

"What is it honey?" She asked back and I gave her a little smile at the cute pet name.

"Thank you." I told her, and I really meant it.

"Of course." She reaches over and embraced me as the front window of the into the driver's seat opens and we were able to see the driver now. He gave us a questioning look, to which Mom replied with "Take us to the bullhead."

I raised my eyebrow in confusion as we both buckled up and the car began to surge forward. The bullheads were only used for far travel and any restaurant in Atlas would be close enough to drive to… That's when it hit me, she never told me where we were headed.

"Mom…"

"Yes."

"Where are we going?"

She just giggled at this and put on a cheeky smile before saying the location I least wanted to hear. "Mantle."

From that simple word alone, I knew this dinner was going to be special. But I never could have guessed just how important it would end up being.

A/N: So that's chapter one. Again, sorry for leaving you on a cliff hanger… I guess I just like doing that. Sorry for the slow updates. As I said before I've been going to school full time and working a part time job. I also just got the lead roll in a play so that has taken up a lot of my time as well. Right now, this and the Serena story are put on my front burner. This is being written before Volume 8 comes out so this will be a separate AU mostly. Ironwood and Robyn are dead. RWBY pushed Salem back to Vacuo and defeated her. Mantle was destroyed. Etc. Anything that happens in the show now was a complete coincidence. And I probably will be doing more "After the War" style stories set I this AU. I don't know. I'm just trying to take this one chapter at a time. Anyway, like follow and review and all that.