(AN: So I forgot how much fun it was to write this story and after much deliberation, have decided to release this alternate ending. Hope you guys enjoy and have a wonderful day!)

"J-Jaune. Tell Velvet-"

"Whatever it is, you can tell her yourself." My team leader said with steely determination.

I weakly nodded and clutched the stone of the necklace and my mind flooded with thoughts of Velvet, our first date, the Cardin incident, meeting each other's families, our time together during summer break and our dreams of building a future together. Additional voices reached my ears but soon became white noise as my mind went blank and went numb.

The tunnel. I thought I recognized and chuckled. "Oh yeah, I guess I've died before." I waited and sure enough, the figures of Denara, Elias and Andrea emerged from the shadows to greet me once more. Elias still held that smug grin, Denara kept on smiling but this time Andrea just looked aggravated.

"Hey guys, we've gotta stop meeting like this, it's becoming a bad habit." I declared with a grin.

The wolf-twins laughed while Andrea face palmed despite the smirk I could see forming on her face. "Yeah Joe, it is." My best friend declared as she looked into my eyes. "But if you were anyone else, you'd really be dead right now."

As soon as the words left her mouth, something hit me hard in the chest again. I fell to my knees on the paved road gasping for air and upon finally regaining my breath, asked them to confirm my suspicions. "Defibrillator?" I inquired, to which everyone nodded.

"But you tease us like this one more time and we'll kill you." Denara of all people declared with a bright smile.

I began to chuckle but the strike hit me again, forcing me into the prone position. I heard footsteps as Andrea took a knee in front of me and held my chin up with her left hand.

"You really are one stubborn son of a bitch." She then reared back her right arm and struck me in the face before lifting me to my feet and shoving me to the darkness behind.

Exactly as before, I could see nothing but whiteness and muffled voices save for one, which screamed my name over and over again.

As my eyes readjusted to the surroundings the face of Velvet was the first to greet me, tears streaming down her face. It pained me severely to force my hand to cup her cheek, but the sight of her in pain was far, far worse.

I began to feel light-headed and dizzy which is when a man and woman wearing paramedic uniforms gently pushed Velvet away and tended to my rather severe wound. I lost consciousness when my head hit the stretcher.

Waking up, I was in a hospital bed with the only difference this time being that Velvet was sleeping in a chair to my right, using her crossed arms as a pillow on the bed.

I used what little strength I had to grasp her hand and rubbed circles over her knuckles until her eyes fluttered open.

She saw my face and immediately smiled. I returned the expression before speaking.

"Told you I'd come back." She giggled and the melody of her voice made me grin with absolute joy.

The wolf-grimm charged and I dodged to the side, severing one of the front paws with Pollux before plunging Castor's blade into its throat. Upon hearing a roar, I instinctively turned around but before the other beowolf could even being to jump, Yang had caved in its skull with a devastating strike.

"Eyes open, Blay-boy."

I let out an audible groan of aggravation before turning my attention to the few remaining grimm that surrounded us. "We were assigned code names for a reason, Blaze!"

We fought back-to-back but I could practically hear that smirk. "I know, but I like mine better."

I shook my head as I kicked a creep in the jaw before delving both blades into the underside of its skull and letting loose my remaining grenades on the few of its comrades who remained.

The corpses began to disintegrate and I turned to my fellow graduate. "That's never going away, is it?"

"What do you think?" She inquired smugly as the leader of our hunting party approached.

"Thank you very much Blaze, Wardog." The brown haired woman nodded to each of us. "Payment has been transferred to your accounts, we can take it from here."

"Thank you, Oni. But I think I'll stick around for a little while longer, just to make sure." Yang declared. Oni gave her a smile while I let out a tired sigh.

"Not me, this is the fifth one I've dealt with in three days and I'm ready for a little shut-eye."

"Alright, Blay-boy." Yang declared as she opened her arms for a hug, which I returned. "I'll let Aiden and Ruby know you said 'hi' and you're going to follow my advice right?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah. Just because I'm thirty-three doesn't mean I'm old, I get it." I affirmed with a smirk before departing with a wave.

Holy shit these missions take one hell of a toll. I thought. But at least Vale missions mean I'm close to home. As I walked through the post-winter, pre-spring forest in the midday sun to return to base camp, my mind went to the events that had occurred fifteen years ago.

After the White Fang and creatures of Grimm sieged Beacon, all four kingdoms gathered their most elite huntsmen and soldiers, scouring the entire world for a place known as Salem's Fortress. It everyone a year to find it and six months to destroy the grimm that guarded it but after losing so many, four powerful women combined their strength and annihilated the Queen of The Monsters. I proposed to Velvet the following year and much to my heart's joy, she accepted the second the words left my mouth. We then got married within six months, bought a house in the Vale countryside and took on missions to clean up the rest of the grimm roaming around aimlessly.

I finally got back to camp, cleaned out my designated tent, sent a message requesting an extraction and walked to the landing zone half a kilometre away from the town of tents. My bullhead arrived and took me to the Vale airport before flying off again. I removed my combat mask and shouldering my duffle bag, strode towards a waiting taxi, told him my home address and we were there within forty-five minutes.

I paid the driver with a five-lien tip and he drove away. Before making my to the front door however, I gazed at the beautiful home Velvet and I had made.

Personally, I liked the home for its isolation whereas my wife loved the aspect of being able to walk out the bedroom balcony and see the surrounding woods accompanied by the sounds of woodpeckers as well as the water making its way down the river in our backyard.

The building itself was made of brick, a classic style that wasn't exactly my favorite but I grew to like while Velvet loved it. The twenty-metre driveway was made entirely of gravel with birch and poplar trees on either side. It then diverted left into our garage that was large enough for both our vehicles with a stone pathway connecting it to the house.

Our front door began where the stone walkway ended, a set of stairs ascending to a screen door followed by the actual door which led into the living room with a closet for jackets and boots immediately to the left. We ended up compromising on the interior because Velvet wanted an open-style home and I wanted a spiral staircase. So, if you went forward and looked left, our kitchen and living room could be seen without having to move. Where the stove and adjacent counter were was also a large window that overlooked the entire front yard and on the opposite side of the kitchen, a marble island connected it to the living room with a large blue cloth sectional, hardwood floor, HDTV and a two rocking chairs. As soon as you entered through the front door, the hall ahead would divert right which led to two bedrooms, one of which had an attached bathroom while the other had one across the hall. At the end to the left was the spiral staircase that led up to mine and Velvet's bedroom featuring a dresser, a king size bed that featured a leather frame with two large cushions in addition to the pillows and a set of leather arms on either side which made it perfect for both sleeping and cuddling while gaming or watching movies on our wall-mounted TV, a desk for any paperwork that needed doing an attached bathroom and Velvet's balcony made from wood with concrete supports pounded into the ground. The downstairs was a simple rec room with a weight bench, computer and pool table in case we had company.

I eventually made way to the front door, opened the screen door and tried the front door, but it was locked. Huh. She must've gone shopping. I thought, making my way around to the back door and ran my hands over the frame until I found the spare key, unlocking the back door.

I stomped my shoes to clean off the mud before removing them and placing the footwear on the rubber mat. I then opened the mudroom door and looked around, the house awfully quiet. I then remembered what today was and grinned. "Anyone home?!" I shouted, which was answered by two voices.

"Daddy!" Our kids, Andy and Larissa rushed from the living room to greet me. Today was Friday, so I thought they were at school until remembering that today was a PD day. I dropped my bag as Larissa, older than her brother by a year, jumped into my arms. I picked her up with both and held her with my left arm while Andy hugged my right leg and I ruffled his hair and rabbit ears.

"Mommy said you weren't gonna be home until tomorrow!" Larissa declared. The six year old had inherited her mother's hair and eye colour and unfortunately, my stubbornness. She wore a pink over shirt with a matching t-shirt and purple skirt, her favourite colour.

Andy had my blue hair and hazel eyes, which I assume he got from his grandmother along with his mom's shy nature. He was clad in an orange t-shirt and black sweatpants, apparently not liking the Pumpkin Pete's hoodie Velvet and me picked up for him.

I kissed the top of her head and smiled. "I had some help from auntie Yang, so it went faster." I explained.

"Did she send presents?" Andy inquired, his little voice filled with hope.

I tousled his hair again and chuckled. "Sorry kiddo, not this time." The response eliciting an expected 'awww' of disappointment. "Where's mom?"

"Oh, she went to get gros- uh… grosh…"

"Groceries." I drawled out for Laurie.

"Yeah! I think she said she'll be gone a hour." Andy added. As soon as my son gave me the information, I had an idea. I put down Laurie and crouched to look both of them in the eyes.

"Do you guys wanna play a game?"

"Yes!" Andy immediately declared.

"Only if we can have macaroni and cheese tonight." Laurie declared.

I let out a sigh and had trouble not smiling. Definitely my daughter all right. "Will you eat your veggies?" I inquired.

"Only if you eat yours." She declared with crossed arms and a glare. Yup, definitely my little girl.

"Okay, fine if I have to." I resigned. I then told my kids about the game and went upstairs to lock up my equipment and shower before changing.

I watched TV upstairs until Larissa shouted that Velvet was pulling into the driveway at which point I shut off the TV and waited quietly.

The door opened and Velvet announced her arrival with an "I'm home!"

Immediately, our children rushed to her and asked if they could help.

"No it's just one bag, you guys." She declared with a light laugh, the melody of her voice resounding throughout the entire house. "Did anyone call?"

"Uncle Fox did." I heard Laurie announce.

"He just wanted to know if dad was home." Andy chimed in, adding in a little disappointment to his voice just as I instructed.

"Did you say that he'd be home tomorrow?" Velvet asked.

"Yup." Laurie replied. She then sighed and gave me my prompt. "I just wish he was here now."

"Oh it's okay honey, just wait until-"

"Tomorrow?" I asked while descending the stairs. She let out a shriek of surprise and then ran to my arms before we shared a kiss that lasted at least five seconds before we broke away but made no move to leave my embrace.

"Did you put them up to that?"

"I think we both know you know the answer to that." I said with a chuckle.

Adorned in black jeans, a hoodie that belonged to me before she stole it and a dark red t-shirt she was still every bit as beautiful as the first time I laid eyes on her. She giggled back and looked at my eyes as I found myself lost in hers. Over the years, she hadn't changed one bit. Still the shy, sweet young woman I first fell in love with, her perfect hourglass figure she maintained because she claimed she needed to in order keep doing missions.

"How did I get so lucky?"

Velvet laughed and pecked me on the cheek as I let her go. "I keep asking myself the same question every day."

"Can we have macaroni and cheese now?" Laurie asked as Velvet finished putting away the remaining groceries and lounged in the sectional.

"Oh, is that what dad promised you guys?"

I smiled at her and nodded. "Yeah, but as long as they eat their veggies."

"Well you're going to have to wait until suppertime, sweety."

Our daughter reluctantly agreed and gathered her brother to spend time playing in the backyard as we observed from the bedroom balcony.

"Two beautiful children, a nice house and the perfect wife." I declared with a shake of my head and a smile. "If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up." A second later a sharp pain emanated from my left elbow and I flinched, seeing Velvet smiling with an eyebrow raised.

"Did that feel real?" She inquired.

I smirked back and kissed her again, cupping her cheek as I did so. "Did that?"

She gave another bright smile and nodded happily. "But you're still not getting any help with dinner from me."

I laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I wouldn't want to put too much stress on you."

She laughed back and we just watched our kids until it was time for supper, which Andy insisted on helping with. We then sat in the living room and ate while watching TV until it was time to put the kids to bed.

Velvet was tucking Andy in while I put Laurie to bed. Pulling the sheets up to her shoulders, I gave her a kiss on the forehead and bid her goodnight until she beckoned me back.

"What is it, honey?" I asked from my standing position.

"Will I ever be like you and mommy?"

At this, I cocked an eyebrow and crouched beside her bed. "What do you mean?"

"Happy. You and mom always smile when you're close." I then smiled at her.

"Of course you will, Larissa. One day, you'll find someone who makes you just as happy as your mom makes me."

"But how do I know they make me happy?"

Letting loose a quiet chuckle, I could only smile. "Trust me, you'll know. But for now, just worry about going to sleep okay?"

"Okay. Goodnight daddy."

"Goodnight Laurie." I whispered as I stood and closed her door. I then made my way upstairs where Velvet was already in bed watching TV. I changed into my pyjamas and put an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

She then made herself comfortable by putting her head on my chest and snuggling even closer.

I let out a content sigh. "I missed you, baby girl."

"I missed you too, cuddles."

"Did anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Jaune, Pyrrha and Nathan dropped by."

"Oh yeah?" I asked. "And how is our youngest nephew?"

"Good. Says he wants to do what his mom and dad do."

I gave a chuckle. "If that kid grows up to be half the man his father is and half the warrior his mother is, the next generation of kids might put ours to shame."

"I think ours will too." Velvet paused. "All of them."

All? Why didn't she say both… I thought until she took my hand and guided it to her stomach.

I was at a loss for words, but she wasn't and began answering my questions. "Three weeks." That coincided with the day that I left and our passionate night together. "I found out just last week."

"D-do we know the gender?"

"Female."

Tears of joy quickly welled up in my eyes but Velvet saw them and thumbed them away.

We shared another kiss and I gazed into her beautiful brown orbs as I clutched the necklace of her symbol around my neck as she did the same. "I love you." We whispered simultaneously.