Till Ashes do we Part

"Love is not a feeling of happiness. Love is a willingness to sacrifice." –Michael Novak

Chapter 7

"How much longer do you plan to stay with us exactly?" Winter had always known Tai to be a patient person. However, a week of Ozpin and Oscar visiting the manor seemed to be enough to push the poor man over the edge.

They were all seated around a large mahogany table to share their meals, or rather the vampires drink while Ilia, Winter, and Oscar were the only ones needing actual food. However, it didn't feel awkward or hostile, sharing meals like this, until tonight. Though, it more felt like a relative who had overstayed their visit then anyone was actually angry at the two.

"I have seen you in about a century and you are getting unnerved by a week-long visit," Ozpin stated though even Winter could tell it felt more like a taunt than anything. "Honestly Tai, I expect this kind of behavior from Qrow and the girls but I expected more from you."

Winter could hear Ilia and Yang snickering and Winter took it upon herself to shush the girls. While she was glad to see Ilia warming up to the environment, that didn't mean that it gave her the liberty to start behaving like an animal. What would the Belladonna family think if they saw the ward of their's acting so unsightly?

There was one thing that caught Winter a little off guard though. Ruby wasn't joining in any of the festivities or harmless pranks that she normally did. From what Winter could see Ruby had been joined at the hip with Oscar since he arrived but now as she sat next to him at the dinner table she didn't try to make any conversation or even dare look at anyone at the table. Instead, she just stared at the cup that held her meal in silence while her mind seemed to be somewhere else entirely.

"Actually, there is a reason I have been here longer than I planned. We originally planned to leave a few nights ago, but I brought a proposition to Ms. Rose out of curiosity and I've been waiting for her response. Just before dinner, she gave it to me," Ozpin paused and took a drink. Winter could see the blood ever-so-slightly and it still made her uneasy even if it didn't make her as sick to see the sight of blood on their mouths as it used to. "Would you like to announce it, Ms. Rose?"

Ruby looked uncomfortable being in the spotlight all of a sudden. Her eyes were still down a little but she still stood at the table to make sure she had everyone's full attention. Her hands rung together and she glanced at Oscar for support. The freckled boy just gave her a slight nod in response that seemed to calm her.

"I've decided I'm going to travel with Ozpin for a while." The room turned deathly silent. Yang even went as far as to drop her cup that she was holding causing the liquid spill out onto the table. Winter just looked around. It didn't seem that odd to her that Ruby wanted to leave for a while. While she was sixteen in appearance she was actually over a century old. Surely in that time, she had ventured away from home before?

"Absolutely not!" Winter had never seen Qrow and Tai in sync before.

"But dad, uncle Qrow, you two used to travel the world with mom. Even Yang remembers it," Ruby began to complain as she called out her sister. Yang just sunk lower in her chair as a response. "Why can't I go and see more of the world then this castle. I've never even been outside the walls before!"

Winter didn't know if that was impressive or appalling to hear that Ruby had never been outside the walls before. On one hand, she was absolutely disgusted at the lack of freedom to the youngest member of the family. She remembered her days in the Schnee manor and even she was allowed to leave for school, but Ruby never had something like that. Though, she was mildly impressed by the girl's willpower to stop herself from venturing outside of the castle.

"We've been over this Ruby, It's too dangerous for our kind out there. We may be stronger but they have numbers. Your speed will not be enough to stop an angry mob or a vampire hunter. And forget if you run into a hostile clan." Tai was practically foaming at the mouth now at just the idea of the harm.

"We already lost your mother from our travels, we will not lose you too," Qrow added as he stood from the table. "And that is final."

"You can't stop me from going," Ruby yelled at the two adults as they began to walk away from her.

"Want to bet," Qrow growled and Winter watched as Ruby began shaking as her eyes locked with Qrow. Finally, she collapsed backward in her chair and Qrow walked off. She looked like she was about to get ready to cry. Oscar rubbed her back soothingly not even bothering to say a word. Ozpin, on the other hand, looked appalled.

"Qrow, you have no right to keep the girls locked up here the rest of their lives," Ozpin called after Qrow even though the dark-haired man was walking away from him. "They need to be allowed to make their own mistakes as well."

Qrow said nothing as he left the room. Instead, he just flipped the bird and stormed off to his little keep to sulk.

"Such a willful…" Ozpin was obviously displeased with Qrow even if his face still remained somewhat neutral. "Do not cry, Ms. Rose. I'll speak with him."

"Don't," Winter found herself speaking up and causing all eyes to land on her. "I'll speak with Qrow. If you do at this point it will just escalate things. And Qrow is the only one who could convince Tai to let Ruby go."

Winter gave a soft smile to Ruby who blinked at her and gave a faint smile of her own. When Ruby was like this she truly did remind her of Weiss.

"Also, can someone show me which way his room is?" Winter felt the feel of an unwelcomed blush crossing her cheeks. "I don't really know where it is."

…

Winter could feel one of her eyes twitching involuntarily as Yang lead her up to Qrow's room. Of course, he would have a room in one of the tallest towers of the castle. Drama King probably felt like it made him feel isolated and allowed for the whole brooding vampire act that, frankly, she was getting tired of.

Yang had left her alone now and Winter stared at the door with enough force that she half-expected it to disintegrate in front of her. It didn't though, which only gave her the option to knock or not. Winter was wishing she was feeling that rush of adrenaline she had been at the table. Unfortunately, most of her conviction had shriveled up the closer she got to his room. The words of the story Ozpin told her were still echoing in her mind.

"Quit standing out there Winter, I can smell you. Just let yourself in already." Winter could feel her whole body tense up at the sound of his voice. However, she wasn't going to let him with by embarrassing her into going away. So, she opened the door.

And wished she didn't.

Winter couldn't even focus on what was in the room because the idiot was only half dressed. His shirt was off and thrown haphazardly to the floor and he was holding a crystal glass that Winter could already smell and recognized from her mother spiking her tea in the garden.

"Didn't know vampires could drink," Winter stated as she stared Qrow in the face. She refused to be intimidated by sex appeal and intimidation tactics.

"Isn't as strong for us, but our body will still process it as it does most liquids. Water tends to be a little iffy, but most everything else is good," Qrow explained with a shrug as she poured another glass. Silently, he offered it to Winter. Winter was never a huge drinker. Family history aside she followed the same views as Elizabeth Swan when it came to drinking; vulgar poison that turned people into their worst selves.

However, some childish part of her didn't want to be outdone, so she took the liquid and knocked it back like a pro. She regretted it almost instantly as she liquid burned down her throat and nose, even long after the drink had left her throat for her stomach. The alcohol wasn't going to hit her right away, but that put her on a time clock for about a half-hour before the booze started to affect her judgment.

"Let Ruby go with Ozpin and Oscar. He's obviously not dead yet so I'm sure she will be perfectly safe with him." Winter felt herself blurting out the words before she could even think about it. Qrow smirked in response.

"Someone's getting comfortable with speaking her mind now," Qrow taunted and Winter growled in response. Qrow held up his hands in response as a sign of surrender before setting his now empty glass back on a table that was filled with bottles of alcohol. "Sit with me, we'll talk."

Winter was cautious at first but still ended up fallowing Qrow to a small sofa that was more of a love seat.

"I could hear Ozpin telling you my story," Qrow admitted and Winter could feel herself tense up again. Even if she knew she wasn't at fault for prying—she hadn't exactly asked for Ozpin to tell her he just did, she still felt as though she got caught by Kline doing something she wasn't supposed to. "Nosey bastard can't let things take their time to play out."

"I'm sorry about your loss," Winter said quietly. She wasn't really sure what else to say in response to the loss of a loved one. "But fear is no reason to keep Ruby trapped her."

"It's fine, it was a long time ago. Tai and I have already come to terms with the loss. I know I can't keep Ruby here forever and neither can her father. I…" Qrow looked as if he was about to cry for the first time since Winter met him. How much had he drunk before she got here? "I don't know if I could take Tai hating me for being the reason behind losing Ruby."

Winter could hear the words of Ozpin echoing inside her head again. Qrow craved their companionship more than anything. Maybe it was the alcohol finally melting into her system, but Winter felt her hand reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, much how she remembered Kline and her mother doing to her when she was upset about something.

"I don't think Tai could ever hate you. You are the last family he has besides his children. He may be mad at you for a time, but you will always be his family." The statement seemed to sooth Qrow a bit and he fell to the side enough to rest his head on Winter's shoulder. Part of her wanted to shove him off, but another part of her decision to let him be.

"I'll talk to Tai in the morning," Qrow said and Winter nodded and hummed in response. "Thank you, Ice Queen, for talking this out with me."

"It's no trouble. After all, I have to act like a wife at some point," Winter teased softly. Though she still wasn't thrilled about the idea of having been forced into a marriage she didn't want she was still warming up to the idea of him.

"Wife? I don't remember ever giving you a ring."

Winter had never wanted the earth to swallow her up so much in her life.

"If I'm not your wife," Winter felt herself begin to ask through gritted teeth. "Then why the hell was I escorted her as a vampire bride?"

"It's just a figure of speech for people brought here. Doesn't mean I actually marry you. If that was the case then Ilia is technically married to Tai and that's gross." Qrow grumbled as he fell to the side a little more his head falling into Winter's lap. The white-haired woman had to fight the urge to not shove him off of her. "It was probably the only way you were ever going to get to wear a wedding dress so they played into the name."

Winter really did shove him off of her this time. Forcing the vampire to fall on the floor. Honestly, it was almost laughable now how terrified of him she was when she first got there.

"I can't believe I thought we could have a serious conversation without you insulting me," Winter huffed as she began walking to the door. She could hear Qrow scrambling to his feet as she headed to the door.

"Wait," Qrow said as he rushed forward to block Winter from the door. "Please stay. I'm sorry about what I said."

"Honestly you are the most childish and barbaric person I have ever met," Winter spat the words out but as she turned around she could feel her heart hammering in her chest at his proximity. He didn't have the teasing façade he normally did. Instead, his eyes were wide and on the verge of tears in his apologetic state.

"I know," Qrow said simply as he let his forehead lean down and touch her. She blamed the strong alcohol for her not pushing him away. "But please stay with me. Just for a while. Please let me forget. You are the only person I've ever met who makes me feel… human."

He hugged her close then and at that moment Winter knew she was going to stay whether she really wanted to or not.

…

Morning, as they called it when it was twilight, came and Winter could hear breathing much too close to her. She shot out of bed and the arms that were wrapped around her fell slack as their owner rolled the other direction. Winter had never felt so ashamed of herself in her life. Even if both of their clothes were still in place she had still never felt so indecent in her life.

She snuck out of his room and hoped he was too hung over to remember anything after their conversation about Ruby last night.

…

"I'll miss you all so much," Ruby cried as she threw her arms around her family and they hugged her tight as well.

"Remember to stay close to Ozpin alright," Tai said as he kneeled down to look his daughter in the eyes. Ruby only rolled her in response.

"I promise," She stated with a giggle and Tai hugged her close again.

"Take care of yourself, sis," Yang said to her sister before hugging her sister close.

"And I'm sure Ilia will take care of you," Ruby teased back. Yang protested while Ilia only blushed at her side.

"I hope to see you again soon Winter," Ruby said with a smile as she waved at the Schnee who only waved back in response. When it came time for Ruby's goodbye with Qrow he just ruffled her hair and her smiling in response. It still seemed to have a lot of heart even for a minimal interaction.

And with that, Ozpin, Oscar, and Ruby were gone. Leaving the house much quieter then it had been before the visit.

They all disappeared back into the house one by one. Winter was one of the first to go inside, but she could see from the second-floor Window that Tai and Qrow were still outside watching, their arms slung over each other's shoulders in comfort.

It didn't take Winter long to retreat to her room after and check her email. And what she saw made her freeze in place.

There was an email from Weiss with one simple line sent to her in the e-letter.

I'm coming for you Winter.

BRK: Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think and until next time. Later Gators!