"I swear, I saw him, Dahlia. He was right there with me but he had gotten taken out in the geyser fields a second before." I studied Coco's emotions as I ate a quick meal between patients. I hadn't slept yet, even though I said I would to Qrow but there was so much to do.

Sleep could wait a few days.

Coco wasn't hysterical, she wasn't lying and I had seen her fight before. She didn't get stressed enough to have hallucinations like the Atlas specialists were saying. The notion was slightly ridiculous but there was no other explanation for the sight. At least none that anyone else was willing to bring up.

My lips pressed together with the thought and I nodded to Coco. "I believe you. I don't believe it was a hallucination but… I have to keep my mouth shut for now." Coco nodded understanding. With so many Atlas personnel around me, I had to be extra careful with my words. I had no doubt that these 'helpers' were also spies. Ironwood was watching me very carefully.

I rolled to my counter and brought back an herbal mix. "Steep this for two minutes and drink it for the headaches. Same goes for Yatsu. Get plenty of rest and stick with plain food." She nodded and stood, more than ready to change out of her infirmary gown. Coco was nothing if not stylish. "Yes, Mommy. And thank you for getting us on our feet so fast." I winked and drank more coffee. It burned my nose hairs but it was strong. "Stay out of here, will ya?" I called after her before I rolled to my 'desk' and glanced at the screen.

A knock startled me and I nearly dumped my pot of coffee in my lap. "Come in!" I cried, wheeling to a bed to prepare for whatever was coming through the door. Bleeding, head trauma, broken bone, whatever.

I was not prepared to see Winter enter, looking surprisingly guilty.

" Winter! How can I help you?" I asked, taking a big gulp of coffee, wishing it were whiskey instead. "I, ah, came to see you before I go. I was supposed to leave last night but you were... busy." I raised an eyebrow but motioned for her to sit. Busy, that's a nice way of saying wasted."I would like… to thank you. For all your work here. I know it… can't have been easy." I shrugged. "T'is my burden. It's not the first I've had to bear." She nodded and chewed on her lower lip sweetly. "I also would like to ask you to… continue watching over Weiss. She is very precious to me and I worry." I smiled and eased her fears with a flick of my thoughts. "She is a precious person and I will personally ensure her well being, Winter. Although, you might've seen but she isn't alone and is quite capable herself." Winter smiled. "Yes, she is. She has grown strong here and it relieves me to see that she has made friends… I'm just worried about our Father."

Mmm, something I could relate to. I already knew plenty about Jacques Schnee. "Don't worry, Winter. Weiss is stronger than she thinks. I think your Father might be very surprised that his little princess is now a warrior with her own mind and heart." Hearing my words, her knot of worry was let go. It pleased me to know that Winter was realizing how capable Weiss was and that, despite harboring ill feelings towards her Father, Winter held nothing but caring for her younger sister. Just like any good older sister.

"Thank you, Dahlia. I must be going but... I hope that we can meet again in the future." I nodded and smiled as Winter stood, saluted and the left the infirmary.

I sighed and looked at my screen, watching Penny finish up her match. She made it all look so easy. The next matchup was Weiss and Yang versus two people from Atlas. It was quite entertaining to watch but I found myself nodding off during most of it.

I had no idea that Weiss had been hurt till my team and the rest of team RWBY came carrying her in. "Guys, I'm fine." A very sooty Weiss said as they laid her on the nearest available bed. "You can fix her, can't you, Dahlia?" Blake said worriedly. "Of course." I said rolling over to the crowd, rubbing my eyes.

"Dahlia, when was the last time you slept?" Elise said sternly, with her hands on her hips. I chuckled. "Don't worry. I've been catching naps between patients." I said. I mean, I had just taken one now and I was counting it. I looked Weiss over, noting no extreme injuries. The only thing I was concerned about was her lungs. If she had breathed in hot air, it would cause severe damage, Aura or no.

I hovered my hands just above her chest and stretched healing strands into her. She hadn't breathed in hot air but plenty of ash and soot. "Weiss, this isn't going to be very fun. Everyone, please leave." They all looked at me as if I actually believed they were going to leave. I sighed. "I don't believe Weiss wants everyone here to see her coughing up everything she breathed in. It's isn't going to be a pretty sight." Weiss heard this and told everyone to go. And they did. Just outside the door.

I rolled my eyes. "Now, dearling, I want you to take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly. This will feel a little strange." She did as I asked and moments later a cloud of ash exhaled from her lips. "Keep going." I murmured, pressing her lungs to reject the ash. Weiss struggled to keep exhaling. "C'mon, sweetheart, just a little more."

Ash mixed with her saliva and became a tar like compound that leaked down her cheeks and onto the pillow. I goaded her lungs further, pushing the ash and soot out till finally it was gone. Weiss gasped and slumped down. "Excellent job, Weiss. I'll have you on your feet in no time." She smiled, looking ghastly with the black ash against her white skin. "Thanks, Mommy." She whispered raggedly. I healed the minor burns, and bruises she had picked up before going to work on the delicate tissues of her throat.

She was fast asleep by the time I had started on her throat. She had put on a good fight in the arena. She deserved the sleep. Once, she was healed, I carefully undressed her and wiped her down with a wet soft cloth. Sometimes, I forgot how tiny Weiss was. How much her clothing was like armor for her. The long sleeves and flared cuffs hid thin, graceful arms and small, delicate wrists. Her dress concealed the tiny waist that showed her finely made ribs through paper thin skin. Even her boots made her look taller than she was and hid the fact that her calves were very lean. She had muscle of course but it was very lean and had only just developed to strength.

She was going to be stunning when she grew older. Absolutely stunning.

I dressed her in an infirmary gown and laid her clothes off to the side to be cleaned while she slept. I unbound her her hair and brushed it clean, soothed by the pull of the brush through her soft fine hair. She made cute little noises in her sleep.

I promised Winter I would look out for her, I thought fondly. I kissed her forehead and tucked her in. "Sweet sleep, lovely girl. I'll watch over you." She murmured something in her sleep and then fell silent. I tucked her blankets up under her chin and rolled to the door where the rest of her team and mine waited.

"She'll be fine in a few hours. She just needs some time to rest." I said, hoping that the weariness in my voice wasn't as obvious as it sounded. The way Blake looked at me, it was. "You all are more than welcome to stay and watch the rest of the fights here but I think it'd be more fun if you went to the stadium." I said smiling. Elise smiled at me a little bit and came inside, taking another chair. Peyton and Elin followed her. The others looked at each other and said goodbye. It made me smile to think that none of them had to speak to know what the others were thinking.

I was left in a quiet building with my pack whom I could sense were about to jump all over me.

The moment the door clicked shut, Elise started in. "You haven't slept in days. I'm not talking about naps, I'm talking about a full night's sleep cuddled up with your lover." Her lips pressed together firmly in a way that let me know she wasn't playing around. I sighed and rubbed my temples slowly. "Things have been tense lately. Oz hasn't slept either and I have a lot of work here that has to be done."

Elin sighed and came around behind me. "There are other healers, Dahlia. You don't have to fix everyone." No, just one in particular, I thought to myself. He started massaging my tense shoulders. "This is a festival. With all that's… happened… we need a break. We need time, just like before, to recover. You and Elise most of all. You can't keep pushing yourself, darling, or something will give. Take a break. A couple of hours, and spend time with Oz. He needs it as much as you do and he won't admit it before you do." Much to my chagrin, he was right. I needed to be in peak condition to handle Mama Thayet. I couldn't afford to be in shambles when the time came to wake her up.

And Oz… I hadn't seen much of him since I came back from Vasilius and I felt his absence like a gaping hole in my chest. He had been running himself ragged, for the Vytal Festival and for whatever job he and Qrow were working on.

I sighed and leaned back.

They all looked at me expectantly.

"Fine. A few hours. I can't be away too long with all the Atlas personnel here. If they think I'm slacking off or can't handle the workload, they'll take your mother from me." I said, my voice turning frosty near the end. Damn those Atlas specialists and their so called 'expertise'. They only cared about one thing and it was not Mama Thayet's life.

The other's understood immediately and gave in at that. The twins turned especially cold. They had kept remarkable restraint over themselves when it came to their mother. It made me proud that they were staying calm. They knew I would do everything in my power to save her.

They trusted me.

I smiled tiredly. "I'll go now since Weiss is asleep and won't be up for a long while. I'll tell Miriam to keep an eye on her while I'm gone." Elise reached over and took my hand in hers, squeezing it gently. I could feel her wishing she could give me some of her strength and I loved her for it.

"Before you leave, I have presents." Peyton said after his long silence. I looked at his face and saw the stress lines that furrowed his brow but there was a pleased sparkle in his lovely green eyes. Elise grinned and Elin simply smiled. I could feel his love for Peyton wash over me and I marveled at its strength and depth.

"What do you have for us, Peyton?" I asked, interested in what Peyton had been fiddling with. He reached in his belt pouch and pulled out four strange devices. They looked like sleek black earpieces. "I've been developing something that will make it easier for us to communicate. These four are linked together and they fit just like this." He picked up one and fit it on his right ear. A little loop went over the back of his ear and a small speaker fitting right into his ear directly. Then once it was settled, I watched tiny little strands of something creep out about an inch and meld to his skin. "I've designed it to only work for the one who puts it on first, that way no one can steal it and it makes it harder for someone to try and rip off." I was fascinated with the device. It was very clever. "Go on." I said, eager to hear more.

Peyton smiled and tapped the side of the earpiece once and a small microphone came out of the bottom, reaching his cheekbone. "One tap and you can speak with anyone in the group, instantaneously, by saying their name. Now to talk back to whoever is calling, the person being called has to also tap their earpiece once. Or you can call all of us into a group call by saying 'team'. But that isn't the best part." Peyton looked extremely proud. He tapped the earpiece twice. From the front of the earpiece, a small antenna shot out and turned 90 degrees so that it rest in front of his right eye. The part in front of his eye expanded into a small see through screen. "It links up to your Scrolls so you can call up data and see it right in front of you by tapping the earpiece and asking for whatever file you're looking for, or if you need a visual from another team member, just say that person's name and 'visual'. There is a small camera right here." He pointed at the front of the ear piece. "So you can see what someone else is seeing. Then to get rid of the screen, just press the side of the earpiece for three seconds. The only thing that won't ever turn off is the camera unless you tell the earpiece 'off' and tap it three times. That way, if you're in trouble, all of us can see where you are." He held out the earpieces to us and we all took them eagerly.

"Peyton, you're a bloody genius!" Elise said. The large boy looked a little smug but I let him have his moment. These little devices were a revolutionary idea. My mind was already spinning, thinking of how these could be used.

"Alright, everyone put them on so it can recognize you as their owner." I did so, settling it just right on my ear. It was a little strange having something there but I would get used to it. This device was invaluable and I told myself that I would rarely if ever take it off.

The little strands of tech were slightly cold as the melded with the skin around it but it wasn't unpleasant. "This is incredible, Peyton." I smiled a genuine smile, few as they were. "Thank you." The huge man blushed. "You're very welcome, Mommy. It's just really nice to see you smile again."

Elin grinned. "Alright, oh fearless leader. Times up. Go find Oz and bully him into cuddling with you for a little while." I sighed. "Or I'll bully you." Elise said, crossing her slim arms in front of her heavy chest. Those deceptively slim arms that could bench Peyton, Martris and Cardin combined easily.

I pretended to pout. "Not fair. When you bully me, it hurts!" Everyone laughed and I stood up with Elin's help and grabbed Orchid. "We'll head to the Coliseum to catch a few more fights. Only a few more days till the finals rounds. I'm gonna crush them." Elise said with relish. She and Elin had gone on to the next round and massacred their opponents in a record time. I was very proud. Elise was, of course, sent onto the finals round.

Part of me wondered how we could all be laughing now, with everything that had happened. The other part was relieved that we could.

Perhaps… we were getting used to the pain and just enjoying the moments when we weren't surrounded by it.

I limped from the infirmary and about ten steps away I tapped my earpiece. I couldn't see the microphone but I knew it was there. "Team." I said. Then I waited.

"Hello, Dahlia."

"Hi, Dally."

"How did I know you were going to do that?"

There was laughter in their voices. "I wanted to try out my new toy."

Peyton laughed. "I'm glad you like it." I walked, in complete awe of Peyton's skills. They sounded so clear. It was amazing. After a little chat, I hung up on them and the microphone retracted back into the earpiece. What a wonder.

I limped all the way to Oz's office, checking with my Semblance before I went in. He was in his office, several cups of coffee in and very, very tired. He'd gotten less sleep than I had since the Vasilius Massacre. I had drunk myself to sleep a few nights. Oz didn't have that luxury.

I smiled when he saw me and I felt his heart leap with joy. Too long things had been tense between us. With his overwork and my guilt and despair… things had been hard.

"Dahlia?" He asked, suddenly growing worried. "Why are you here?" I chuckled and came inside. "Team's orders. I have to take a long nap and I was told to make you come with me." He relaxed. I wasn't bringing bad news again. I just wanted to spend time with him.

He seemed so burdened.

"You're more than welcome to sleep here, my love. I'm afraid I can't." I walked to his desk. "What has you so busy that you can't take a few hours to come spend time with me?" I asked bluntly. I hadn't gotten any more eloquent with my overwork. I felt bad immediately for making him feel guilty.

I sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm tired and spoke without thinking. I know you're very busy. I'll head back to the infirmary." I said, coming to give him a quick kiss. He grabbed my hands when I tried to leave. "Why?" He asked quietly.

I looked at him and smiled sadly. "I only agreed to take a break because I wanted to see you. I've missed you so much since everything happened. I was a wreck and I know it. I couldn't have been very pleasant to be around." I said sardonically. When I was in a bad mood, unpleasant is an understatement of what it's like being around me. "But I'm on the mend. Working in the infirmary helps a lot. I just… wanted to see you." I finished lamely.

The ache in Oz took me by surprise. I had missed him and he had yearned for me with all his being. He had forced himself to stay away from the infirmary to give me the space I needed to recover. He couldn't sleep without being able to feel me next to him.

I knew the feeling.

I grasped his hand tightly. "Can't you spare a few hours? We both need our rest. Please, my love?" I asked, once again hearing the overwhelming weariness in my voice. After little deliberation, he agreed and we went to his room. It was bright but the curtains around the bed blocked out much of it.

I turned over and fit myself perfectly into the curve of his body. Neither of us had changed. We took our shoes off and he removed his scarf and jacket and we both fell into bed.

"I missed you, Dahlia." He whispered into my hair. He wrapped his arms around me and oh, it felt so good. So right.

"I'm sorry I was so terrible when I came back." I murmured back, kissing his fingers. "Don't be. You held together amazingly well for someone who did what you did. I heard Commander Ryke's report. He has a deep admiration for you and your team. I think he'd follow you anywhere. You're a natural leader." I could feel his smile.

I turned my head to him and he nuzzled my cheek. "I know I would." He said, pressing his lips to my temple.

"It all just happened so fast. The Grimm attack in Vale and the Massacre. I know it was weeks apart but still. It feels so fast." He sighed heavily and I could feel the guilt inside him. Something he wouldn't… no, couldn't say to me.

He cuddled me closer. "I wish I could protect you better. I wish I knew the next play in the game so I could prevent it someway that would keep you well out of it." He meant every word but he and I both knew. I wore trouble like a crown. It followed me everywhere.

"Don't worry, Oz. My destiny is in my control. Sleep now. I claim my future tonight and I need some rest. So do you." I murmured, laying my head back down on the pillow. "What do you mean?" He asked, concerned and curious.

I smiled and closed my eyes. "Tonight, I'm waking up Elisa Thayet. And I'm going to save her."