The next few hours went by in a blur of red and blue lights where Winter was bombarded with question after question. Some questions were simple, others complex, but she couldn't answer any of them with how heavy her mouth felt. After figuring out they weren't getting any info from her, most of the police went to raid the car for evidence, which they found in the form of a glove in the back seat.

Winter's attention was being pulled in a thousand directions at once, and she found herself hardly even noticing the countless cops who would come up and talk to her and Qrow individually, questions hot on their tongues. Qrow would say a few words to them, but Winter could only look up at them and nod or shake her head, and she hardly even had the energy for that.

Some police were understanding, some were a bit pushier, but all of them eventually left them alone when they noticed her resting her eyes, fading in and out of the lightest of sleeps. She could hear the handcuffs click shut around Tyrians wrists and could hear him crying weakly. She had no clue if he was crying from the pain in his leg or because he was getting arrested, but Winter couldn't help but hope it was his leg.

It wasn't until the ambulance arrived a few minutes later that they had any sense of peace. The paramedics shooed off the police like they were a pack of stray dogs that were fighting for a bit of fresh meat, grabbing Winter and Qrow, and getting them situated in the back of the ambulance as fast as they could, rushing them off to the nearest hospital.

The doctors were a lot nicer than the cops, or at least they were a lot less pushy than the cops. The doctors talked softly and slowly, asking simple yes or no questions at a pace she could keep up with. They also forced the legion of police to wait in the lobby, which won them a few extra points in Winter's book.

They ran test after test on her, making sure her brain and body weren't too badly beat up from the crash and the cocktail of drugs Tyrian had dumped into her system.

They ran test after test on her in the next few hours. They were looking for things like brain damage, what cocktail of drugs Tyrian had dumped into her system, how her motor skills were doing, and plenty more. They weren't too bad, but an hour into the tests and Winter's mind was strained and she could hardly keep her eyes open. The more time that went on the more feeling she got in her legs and arms, which were sore and tight from the crash. Winter moved slowly and stiffly, but she forced herself to bite back her complaints.

When Winter thought she'd reached her limit, it was Qrow who'd put a hand on her shoulder and tell her to rest if she needed it, to sleep if she needed it. Even that simple little push gave her the strength to keep going throughout the long night.

It wasn't until about 4 am that everything started to slow to a crawl and leave her and Qrow alone in a hospital room where Winter could whimper in peace over how many needles they'd stuck in her arm. The room smelled like lemon pledge and laundry detergent, which was comforting for some odd reason. She was lying back in her bed, looking out at the starry night from her window, glad she was on one of the higher floors of the hospital.

Qrow was sitting on one of the hard plastic seats in the corner of the room, pretending to be on his phone while his eyes glanced up to check on her a few times every minute. There was a tv the corner of the room that she'd asked Qrow to switch off when they first got there. Winter liked listening to the hustle and bustle of the hospital, there was always movement or the sound of steps coming from the hallway, and it reminded her of listening to the city in her bed at night.

"Merry Christmas," Winter choked out, her voice hoarse and broken. Winter's throat burned as she talked, and she wasn't sure if that was because of how little she'd talked tonight or because of all the crying she'd done. If she was being honest, her money was on the ladder.

Qrow looked up from his phone and smiled at her warmly, "I guess it is Christmas, isn't it?" He chuckled before standing up and stretching. "Doesn't really feel like a very merry Christmas, but it could be a lot worse. Shit, wait. Don't be shocked if that old bag Maria busts in here and tries to kill me. I told her I'd be gone for a few hours, and something tells me she's probably running out of patience,"

"If it makes you feel better I can protect you from the big bad Granny. I'm pretty good with a nail file if you didn't notice," Winter joked as a hoarse wheezing sound came from her throat. It shocked her until she realized that it was her laughing. "God, my voice!" Winter wheezed, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling with a pout.

"I think it's pretty cool, you sound like Darth Vader,"

"Wait, the burn victim? How is it cool to sound like him!" Winter complained with a wheezing laugh.

"Wait, you've actually seen Star Wars?" Qrow questioned, utterly stupefied.

"Yeah, you loaned it to me, you dork. I've watched most of those movies you gave me," Winter admitted skittishly, "Is that bad?"

"No, that's great! Now I can make fun of you and you'll actually get the references," He grinned leaning down and poking her nose while she had to sit there and take it. Her head was way too sore to move it away and her arms were still a little wonky, so she didn't trust her hand not to hit her in the eye.

"I like that I'll get your references, but do you have to make fun of me?" Winter questioned him, trying her best to copy Ruby's masterful puppy dog eyes.

"Of course, that's half the fun,"

Winter stuck her tongue out at him lazily, but as they gazed into each other's eyes the jokes all but faded away. Time seemed to stop then, both of them wanted to say something, to restart the conversation they'd had at the banquet hall, but neither of them knew how… But then Winter realized something, she didn't really care how awkward it was, she was starting this. "Hey, Qrow-" Winter started, right as a soft knocking at her door interrupted her.

The two of them looked at the door, annoyed. "Come in," Qrow called out as he smiled at her, knowing that they'd continue this talk soon.

The door cracked open and in walked an older woman with short black hair and a full faced smile. Winter recognized her as the doctor who'd been bombarding her with tests, but couldn't place her name to save her life. "Hey, Winter, how're you doing?" The woman asked kindly as she walked up to Winter.

"I guess I sound like Darth Vader, but fine apart from that," She smiled at the woman while Qrow tried to hold in his laughter.

"That's better than sounding like Jabba at least," The woman winked at Winter before she reached down and started to poke and prod Winter's legs."Looks like you're doing fine. Doesn't appear to be any major damage to your muscles or voice, and your sense of humor seems like it's in perfect condition, so that's a major plus. Your chart said you lived alone, right?"

Winter nodded, not wanting to stress her voice anymore.

"You have a few options then. You could either stay here for a few more days, go to a friend or family member's place, or you could stay at your boyfriend's place. It doesn't really matter as long as you stay with someone who can watch you," The woman explained with a wink of mischief in her eyes, glancing between her and Qrow with more than a little interest.

"Wait, we aren't-" Winter started to say, but a quick pat on her arm from the doctor was enough to get her to shut up.

"Just teasing, dear. Think about it and let us know where you're staying. Once you do that you should be fine to head out," The woman said standing up, fidgeting with one of the monitors that were hooked up to Winters's fingers. "Oh, and one more thing. There's an officer who wants to ask you a few questions if you're feeling up to it. Or if you want me to send her packing, I can do that too," The woman chuckled, dead serious.

"I appreciate it, but I think I can talk to them," Winter nodded. Talking was the last thing Winter wanted to do right now, but she also wanted this whole thing taken care of as soon as possible. She was tired and wanted to sleep, but still had to call Amy and beg the girl to let her crash on her couch for a few days.

"I'll send her in," The woman nodded as she got up and left the room, shutting the door softly. Winter was blushing, looking down at the sheets while Qrow looked away, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

Winter wanted to say something to fill the silence, but neither of them said anything. Instead their eyes danced around the room, doing an impressive job of not making eye contact. Thankfully, the door opened a minute or two later, saving them from the silence.

Winter had seen a lot of police commissioners and higher-ups whenever she went to gallas with her family. They were always tall, quiet, imposing figures with impressive mustaches that could stop a criminal cold with a glare. That's why Winter had to do a double-take when the exact opposite walked through the door.

The woman was short with a stout nose, shoulder length gray hair, and an intense face that looked stuck grimacing. Her posture was even stricter than James' and she walked straight to Winter's bed quickly and with enough purpose to shake Winter. She reminded Winter of a teacher who yelled at kids for laughing too loudly.

"Hello Miss Schnee, my name is Caroline Cordovin, police captain, and I had a few questions I could hope you could answer for me," She said dryly, looking down at Winter and not even glancing at Qrow.

"Um, sure-"

"Excellent. My men couldn't get many answers out of you at the scene of the crime, which they will be reprimanded for, but that is of no concern to you. The first question I have to ask is probably the most difficult one; what exactly happened?" She talked quickly and to the point, and it was clear that she wanted Winter to respond the same way.

It was such a simple question, but Winter drew a complete blank on how to answer it. What happened? Hell, even Winter wasn't totally sure. It was all mashed together and confused in her head, muddled by terror, fear, and adrenaline.

The woman, Cordovin, was looking at her with equal parts disdain and curiosity, making it clear she wanted to know what happened for more than just a report. So, Winter told her about Tyrian. How they lived in the same building, had talked from time to time, the rumors, what they'd talked about that morning, and then everything that happened after meeting him at the banquet hall. Winter could taste the blood in her mouth when she talked about stabbing him.

Cordovin wrote everything Winter had to say in a small notebook with a dull pencil, getting as many of the details down as possible. She was quiet as Winter explained, asking questions or for her to elaborate on some things. It was nice to tell her story to Cordovin, and to Qrow for that matter. Getting her thoughts out of her head helped.

After Winter finished talking, Cordovin kept scribbling into her notebook, but Winter wasn't sure what she was writing anymore. When she was done the notebook went into her back pocket, and she sighed deeply like she was exhausted and finally let herself sit down. "Tell me, do you know about some of the crimes against Tyrian in other countries?" She asked earnestly, her jaw stiffening when Winter shook her head.

"Then you don't know how lucky you are. Tyrian has been charged with kidnapping, abuse, trafficking, and a lot more. There have been at least twelve cases of kidnapping, with a few of those victims still missing… You must be one tough woman managing to escape a man like that," She nodded to Winter proudly, a small and smug grin on her lips. "With what you've given us here, he's going to be going away from now till doomsday, so hold your head up high," Cordovin declared, her hand going into one of her pockets and pulling out a small card. Cordovin wrote something on it very quickly before she handed it to Winter, who took it carefully.

"I can't do much, but if you ever need anything, please give me a call and I'll see what I can do. We'll be in touch" The two of them shared a smile before Cordovin turned and started to walk towards the door, only to stop in front of Qrow.

"Ah, if it isn't Marias little pet project. Tell me, how is that old crown doing?" Cordovin spat.

"She's still kicking somehow. I'll be sure to let her know that you're still alive too. I'm sure she'll be thrilled," Qrow snickered. Cordovin gave a huff, ignoring him again as she turned towards the door sharply, leaving without another word.

"You know her?" Winter asked Qrow, who shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

"She and Maria go way back. Maria did something to piss Cordovin off, then Cordovin did something to piss Maria off, and they've been in a blood feud ever since. I'm convinced the only reason they're both still alive is to piss the other one off," Qrow chuckled as he strolled back over to Winter's bedside, taking a seat on the bed with her.

Winter held her ground against his heavy gaze, gulping as she prepared to finally finish this once and for all. For better or for worse, this conversation was ending right here, right now.

Surprisingly, Winter wasn't the first to speak. She tried, her mouth open and words on the tip of her tongue, but Qrow beat her to the punch by a fraction of a second.

"When we talked earlier, I was… I was mad. I'd been thinking about how you left the girls, how you left me, and I had a lot I wanted to say to you. A lot of bad stuff," He sounded regretful as he talked, and Winter was shocked he'd beaten her to the punch.

"So when I saw you at the party, something Jimmy said you wouldn't be at, I didn't really listen to what you had to say. I shut my ears and didn't even listen, all I know was that I kept getting madder until I had to do something… So I ran. I ran hard and fast, and wasn't even sure where I ended up for a while,"

"When I was lost though, I cooled down and thought about what you said. After everything you said, I couldn't exactly ignore all of it without feeling like a dick," Qrow's voice got quiet as he thought about what to say next, while Winter was on the edge of her seat.

"And?" She eventually asked, full of hope and terror, her patients totally gone.

"I could tell you meant what you said. About still taking care of the girls, being lost, doing better, and wanting to try this. I could tell you meant it all. I was still mad, but I understood at least a bit. It's not like I haven't been lost before either," He chuckled.

"I… I'm glad you see it that way. But, Qrow… What're you saying?" whimpered Winter, feeling fragile and strong at the same time somehow.

"I wanna try this. That's what I'm saying, Snowflake," He said softly as he reached down and grabbed her shaky and clammy hand.

"Y-You're sure? You won't change your mind after I leave the hospital, right? You're sure this isn't just some kind of pity thing?" Winter prodded her throat so tight she could hardly breathe. She grabbed onto Qrows hand tightly, making him laugh.

"No, this isn't a pity thing. I was on my way back to the banquet hall to tell you when that freak picked you up,"

"Um…" Winter opened her mouth to speak and was shocked to find that her foot was already well inside of her mouth, and the best she could manage was an awkwardly loving smile at him.

"So, does that mean you wanna try this? No jokes, no lies, no running away. If you don't want to, that's cool too though. I'm not dumb enough to let a great friend go because she doesn't wanna date," He said earnestly, his eyes sparkling like liquid fire, so tantalizing and warm… But Winter stopped herself and thought.

As much as she wanted to dive into his fiery eyes, Glynda's warning echoed out. Is this really what she wanted?

But her feelings were even clearer now than it was during the party, like an arctic lake where you could see down all the way to the sand. She was in love with Qrow, and there wasn't very much she could do about that aside from hope he loved her back and to nod her head slowly.

"I need to get the girls ready for another therapist, which might take a bit of work. A lot of work. But… I- uh, I think I like you a lot. So, just, I don't really know what to do with that. I've never really dated anyone before or even kissed anyone else, so I might be bad at this for a while," she babbled on, her mind so occupied with the nothings she was saying that she didn't even notice him cupping her cheek until it had already happened.

Once she noticed his hand cupping her face, she stopped talking and focused on the feeling of his warm and callused hands that smelled like oil and cologne. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his hand on her skin, Winter could have stayed like that for hours. A moment later she felt a marvelous shock run up and down her spine and her lungs take in a deep breath as she felt their lips touch for the first time in far, far too long.

Both of their lips were chapped and dry, and Winter still had the bitter taste of blood on the back of her throat, but none of that stopped the heat and electricity bouncing back and forth between them. Winter's mind was totally blank as she focused on this moment, on the passion that was burning in her heart.

Qrow tasted like fresh coffee and mint gum, and it was intoxicating. Winter reached out desperately and wrapped her fingers in Qrows hair, pulling him closer to her like he was the only thing in the world that mattered.

She felt his hands move away from her face and around her back, wrapping his arms around her strongly and pulling her against his chest as he could. All of the stress from her day, all her worries in general, melted under the heat Qrow was feeding inside of her. Her mind felt like mush, hardly able to think anything other than the word more.

The kiss got longer and it got deeper, both of them pushing things farther and farther. Winter didn't wanna stop, she knew he didn't either, but her lungs were burning and they both pulled away for a quick breath. Neither one of them moved far though, and Winter leaned forward and pressed her forehead onto Qrows, both of them smiling at each other, Winter giggling.

Winter closed her eyes and moved her hands all around Qrows hair, knowing it was gonna be looking wilder after she was done. She wondered if anyone would say anything about it. But then again, she didn't really care if anyone did. She was happy, messing up his hair while he sat there and enjoyed it.

As much as Winter was loving this, now that her blood had gotten a moment to cool off, there was something sitting in the back of her mind that she had to talk about. It was something she'd been meaning to talk to Qrow about, but finding the right time to bring it up had been a bit difficult with everything that had been going on in their lives.

Winter stopped her petting and Qrow opened his wide and curious eyes. He saw the look on her face and knew something was wrong, "What is it?" Qrow asked her seriously, his hand moving up and capturing her own, bringing a blush to her face.

"Qrow, I know this is random, but what exactly do you know about Blake?"

-Authors Note-

This was hopefully a pretty good relaxing chapter after last week, and I hope you guys have had a good time. There's not gonna be too many more chapters, definitely 2, maybe 3 if the next chapter gets to be too long. But we're almost there!

Thanks to everyone who has been leaving comments, they really do make my day and it's always so awesome to see what everyone thinks! I'll always take more though! Alright, see you guys next week!