Someone was talking to me and I wasn't sure why. I saw… red hair… green eyes that were very sweet and the feelings I was getting were confusing. Aiya.

"Dahlia? Are you alright?" Pyrrha asked, her green eyes glowing in my murky vision. "Oh. Oh, I'm fine, sweetling. Just a little tired." I said, willing myself to wake up. Elise and Elin were with their mother so I was by my desk working on case files.

I must have looked pretty awful for Pyrrha to look at me like that.

"Are you sure you're alright to talk? I can come back later." I shook my head, getting dizzy from the motion. "Now is fine. I have plenty of time." Pyrrha rubbed her arm, worriedly. I sharpened my senses to get a feel for her. Pyrrha was a maelstrom of doubt and worry. She didn't want to say anything about it but she felt trapped. "C'mon, dear. You know you can talk to me."

Maybe I saw tears in her eyes. "Mommy, I'm scared." She whispered raggedly.

Without another thought, I took her to the long white couch that sat opposite to my desk and curled an arm around her. "What's scaring you?" I asked, completely open to her. She shuddered, wanting to tell me but holding back hard. "I… I can't talk about it. But, it's tearing me apart." I wrapped my other arm around her and Pyrrha melted into me. I had never seen her in such a state. Not even over Jaune.

"Pyrrha, love, it's alright. It'll be okay." I murmured soothingly. Was it me or did my words sound rather slow?

"But what if it's not? What if I mess everything up? I never wanted this, Mommy, I never wanted to be anything but a huntress! Why is this happening?" I rocked her back and forth, despite that it made my world spin.

"You don't have to tell me what it is. It seems like there are many secrets running around right now. But… I don't like that you're feeling this way. I hate seeing you so torn up." She was sobbing and I could feel her hot tears rolling down my skin. I tried to reach into the maelstrom of her emotions but I was so weak that she booted me right out.

"I don't want to lose myself! I want to save the world but can I pay the price? Is my destiny worth my soul?!" She practically screamed and it echoed in the empty infirmary. I had been turning out patients as fast as they came in so that I could focus on healing Mama Thayet. I suppose, it was a good place to have a breakdown. No one heard you screaming in here.

I gathered up my wits and strapped some steel in my spine. "Pyrrha." I said, with all the sternness and love I could. Her cries stopped and she looked up at me with glazed eyes. "Listen to me." I said gently, petting her hair.

I kept my voice low and gentle. "No matter what, you will always be you. Nothing can change the fact that you are Pyrrha Nikos. It doesn't matter because we all change constantly. Every day you change, but you remain the same person. Destiny… well, destiny is a far away thing that is merely the point when you become the person you were always meant to be. Now who that is, is up to you and no one else. The future is mutable. Nothing is set in stone. Your destiny is yours to make. The person you are when you meet your destiny is up to you. But no matter what, you will always be Pyrrha. You'll always be my friend."

My words were simple but I had such conviction in them. It quieted the maelstrom enough that she regained control of herself. "Can you promise that?" She whispered, her voice raw from crying. I smiled, full of love and sorrow.

"I promise. I'll love you till the end of time, Pyrrha, no matter what. Your future is going to be glorious." Once the maelstrom quieted, I was able to help ease the pain in her heart and soul. It didn't go away. There was still a nugget of doubt and fear that she wouldn't let me touch. Part of her didn't want to believe me.

I held her for a long time, holding back groans of pain as I dumped more and more energy into the threads connecting me to Mama Thayet. It made every muscle in my body contract and pain shoot through my right leg like a lightning bolt.

Finally, Pyrrha took a deep breath in and released it heavily.

"What is your destiny, Mommy?"The question caught me off guard and Pyrrha levered herself out of my arms. I rubbed my neck, trying to ease the ache in it. "That's a good question, Pyrrha. I'm not sure. I guess, my destiny is restitution for the past. I think once I've paid back the world for all the bad I've done, then I'll have met my destiny. I'll have become the person I want to be." She looked very confused and I backtracked. "Ah, don't listen to me. I'm rambling. You got get some rest. You've got another round of finals to get ready for. The weak ones are being rooted out now and you and Elise are representing Beacon now."

I stroked her hair a little more, taking comfort from the closeness. She was so beautiful. So kind. I could almost see the kind of person she would grow into and it made me so proud and happy that for a moment, I didn't ache anymore.

It was always a wonder to me that Jaune wasn't absolutely madly in love with her. Or maybe he was and he just didn't know it yet. I hoped he would realize what a treasure he had.

"Mommy… I know you're not okay. Please… watch out for yourself. We need you." I chuckled. "Not as much as you'd think, lovely girl. Besides, I've got watch dogs everywhere. Everyone is watching out for me so I'm quite covered." She smiled weakly, her eyes puffy and nose runny. "Here." I handed her a tissue which she took gratefully.

"I'll be fine, Pyrrha. Believe me when I say, I won't go down so easily." Pyrrha half smiled and sighed. "Mommy, you'd never bow down for an enemy. You'd never let them take your life. But for someone you love? I know you. I've watched you all these months. I've seen what you'd do for those who mean something to you. For us, you've sacrificed your time, your health, sometimes even your sanity. I'm just telling you that, I understand you and I don't want to see you give up your life when there are so many of us who need you. You say we don't but by all the known Gods, Dahlia, we do." I felt a lump well up in my throat.

I need you all too.

"You say that my future is glorious but your destiny, Mommy Quicksilver, is more than glorious. There won't be a person in Remnant who doesn't know your name. There won't be one who doesn't love you."

Emotion pain like a shock swept through me. Everyone in Remnant did know my name. And everyone in Remnant hated me. I was the monster of their nightmares.

"Ah, Pyrrha. If you only knew." I murmured, caressing her cheek. There were dark spots across my vision and the warning bells went off in my head. "Nora is waiting to pick me up. Call me if you need me?" I nodded and smiled knowing Nora would break down the door soon if Pyrrha didn't appear soon. "I'll call. Go on. Have a good day." I said, kissing her cheek gently.

Surprisingly, she kissed me back, her lips warm on my cheek.

"See you later, Mommy Quicksilver."

The words and the kiss warmed my soul. "Hey, Pyrrha." I called as she opened the door. She turned and looked at me with those wonderful green eyes. I smiled. "I love you. Don't forget it."

Were those tears in her eyes or were my eyes getting fuzzy again?

"I won't. Thank you, Dahlia." She left and I cracked my neck. I rolled to my desk and poured myself more coffee. I took a big gulp before realizing my mistake.

It hurt a lot but I stood and ran to the bathroom as fast as I could and threw up, my arms shaking as they tried to hold me up. Oh dear, that can't be a good sign, I thought dizzily. It tasted like coffee and bile.

Once my stomach had emptied itself, I stood on wobbly legs and limped painfully out to my desk. My leg hurt a hell of a lot more than usual and my stomach remained nauseous. I was overexerting myself. It was slow and gradual but the drain on my soul and on my body was taking its toll.

I had power in bulk and my Semblance was extremely powerful. I used it so much that it was stronger than any physical muscle in my body. But like everything, it had limits and I was fast approaching mine. It was time to stop playing around. I needed to Heal Mama Thayet and I needed to do it quick.

Elin and Elise were in the lobby when I limped back it.

"Hey, loves. Good visit?" I asked, my eyes unfocusing and focusing randomly. It annoyed me that I hadn't even been up that long compared to other times I had stayed awake but the last time I had stayed awake for weeks, I hadn't been using my Semblance so heavily.

Damn, I was exhausted. "It was good. We're heading out. We've only got two more days till the finals and I want to keep an eye on the competition." Elise said, her voice wobbly and I could feel her deep sadness that I didn't have the strength to figure out. Elin just felt very numb inside. The twins clung to each other and Elin looked around. "Any patients?" I chuckled. "I've been turning them out as fast as they've come in. Besides, now that it's the finals I don't have nearly as many coming and going." I smiled but it fell as my vision blackened for a moment before coming back.

"Go on. I've got work to do. Tell me how these next few rounds turn out." I said, my voice slightly rusty. I stood with Orchid's help and began to limp to the private room. Elise caught my hand as I went by and stopped me.

"Dally?" Her voice cracked on her nickname for me. She'd called me that since the first day she'd met me. She squeezed my hand gently. "Dally, you know… you know that you are my best friend, right?" I chuckled dryly and pulled both of them into a tight embrace. Their heads buried into either side of my neck and their arms went around me perfectly. "You two are my world." Elin pulled back for a moment. "Dahlia. We'd like to ask you to do something. Mom thought of it and we'd like to do it."

I raised an eyebrow but Gods, it felt heavy.

Elise ran a hand through my hair. I hadn't brushed it in days so it probably looked like a mess. "We'd like you to become our Blood-Sib. Like you and Blake." I was shocked and the surprise was sluggish in my veins. "Really?" They both nodded solemnly.

"When?" I asked, still slightly confused and the excitement was slow coming. "Now. Peyton, Daren and some of the others are on their way now to witness. Do you remember how the ritual goes?"

Sure I did, my memory was just working at a half rate.

Elise and Elin… wanted to be my brother and sister? They wanted to be part of my family? I'd always just had Blake. I never saw much of my adopted Aunt and Uncle once they'd left the White Fang and Mum, well… she was gone a long time ago.

"I remember… you guys… really want me as your sister?" I asked, the wonderment dawning on me.

Sad smiles bloomed on their faces. "You've been our leader and our friend since we first met. Now we'd like you to be our family." Elin said, oh so gently. The tears didn't help my vision but they were happy tears. They wanted me to be their older sister. My family was growing again.

"Alright. Let's do it!" I said, smiling. Mama Thayet waned and I had to turn away to keep them from seeing the agony cross my face. "I'll grab what we need." I gasped as I limped away. I could feel their worry pressing on me, covering the elusive emotions that were running beneath them. What was wrong with the twins?

I grabbed the things we needed from a back cabinet and composed myself. Please don't let me get sick again. It'll only make them worry more.

When I returned, Daren and Peyton were there. So was Blake. I was so happy to see my little sister that I stumbled over to her and threw my arms around her. "Hey, big sis." She said, holding me tightly.

"Our family is growing, Blake." I whispered and her feelings, like a golden warmth floated over me. Because, as the ritual states, her blood was also mine, anyone who became my Blood-Sib was also hers and vice versa for anyone who became her Blood-Sib.

For so long, it had just been me and her.

"Come on. Mom's waiting." Elin said, motioning for everyone to go inside.

It wasn't a huge room but we all fit in around Mama Thayet's bed.

She was very small in her bed and very pale but her deep brown eyes sparkled with happiness. "You agreed." She said, her voice full of warmth. I nodded and went to the table at the foot of her bed. Suddenly, I was self conscious. Everyone was looking at me.

I tried to remember how to start but bless, I wasn't the only one who remembered the ritual. Blake stepped forward.

"Blood is life. Blood is binding. Blood is family." She said quietly but everyone heard her. Daren smiled at me and I grinned right back. If he and Elise ever got married, once this ritual was over, he'd be my brother-in-law.

"Blood is what ties us all together. I come here today to witness my family grow. When Dahlia and I were very young, our parents witnessed for us as we became blood-sisters. Her blood became my blood and mine hers. Today I, Blake Belladonna, witness for Dahlia Derivalle as her family."

Blake stepped back and took my hand. I could almost feel our hearts beating together. A Blood Sister. Closer than a sister of the flesh because a Blood Sister is chosen. A Cat and a Wolf. Best friends and sisters of the heart.

She had tears in her beautifully canted eyes and her fingers were slim and strong, twined in my own.

"I, Elisa Thayet, witness for my children Elise and Elin Thayet as their family and welcome you two into my family and heart." Mama Thayet said, her voice clogged with tears. I wanted to break down crying. She was accepting Blake too. My baby sister shook with a massive mix of emotions and looked at the two boys behind the twins, motioning for them to say something.

Peyton blushed and took a small step forward. "I witness for my two closest friends and the love of my life. We're all family… and I'd like to announce my intentions…"

He blushed deeper and I sensed trepidation and excitement in him. "After graduation… I plan to marry Elin Thayet and join your family by matrimony." Everyone gasped. Peyton was declaring his intentions at a Blood Binding ritual in front of witnesses. It was as good as a solemn oath. Daren coughed and all eyes turned to look at him. "Way to upstage me, Summers. You took the words right out of my mouth." He murmured and there was another gasp around the room.

Elin and Elise looked like they had been bashed in the face with a board.

"Well. I need to amend my numbers." Mama Thayet said with laughter. "Dahlia Derivalle, Blake Belladonna, Daren Glass and Peyton Summers. I welcome you all into my heart and into my family. I hope you all find happiness in all your lives." She was crying. Well, everyone was crying. I'm vaguely sure even Daren was crying just a bit but my vision wasn't the greatest.

My family was going to be so big.

Blake looked at me and smiled. "Ready?" I nodded. "Ready."

She picked up the knife I had placed on the table and handed it to me.

I turned my left arm over exposing the pale flesh of my forearm. I had used my right arm when Blake and I had bound ourselves and she had used her left. The knife was sharp and I barely felt it part my flesh. Two cuts, one across my palm and one across my forearm. One for the blood given, one for the blood received.

I flipped the knife over and offered it to the twins. Elise took it first and copied my cuts on her right arm and hand before handing it to Elin who waited.

I clasped Elise's arm, cut to cut. Her hand closed over the cut on my forearm and mine on hers, palms bleeding.

I took a deep breath. "Your blood is now mine. I am now your sister and I promise to love you and support you till the end of days and beyond. You are my blood sister and I will never leave you." Blake's tawny eyes were shiny. "Welcome to our family, Elise."

Elise smiled and took a breath as I had. "Your blood is now mine. I am now your younger sister and I promise to love you and support you always. No matter what may come, I'll stand by your side. You are my blood sister and nothing will ever break us apart." We unclasped our hands and Daren took the clean linen on the table and began cleaning his beloved's arm up while all the while her eyes stayed on his face. She hadn't forgotten that he had basically just proposed in front of her mother in a binding ceremony.

And Daren Glass was no oathbreaker. If he'd said it, he meant it.

I turned to Elin who'd already given himself the cuts and clasped his forearm.

"Your blood is now mine. I am now your sister and I promise to love you and support you till the end of days and beyond. You are my blood brother and I will cherish you." Blake smiled. "Our first brother. Welcome to the family." Elin smiled back shakily and looked at me. "Your blood is now mine. I am now your younger brother and I promise to love you and support you for all time. I will always have your back no matter what life may bring. You are my blood sister and you will always be a part of my life."

We unclasped our hands and Blake and Peyton cleaned our arms up. The ritual was done. We were now all family. Though Peyton and Daren had a little time before they'd be official. Once I was bound up, Blake walked over to the twins. "You're now my brother and sister. We're family." She hugged them both tightly. Then she glanced at Peyton and Daren. "You guys are going to be my in-laws." They all laughed and I chanced a glance at Mama Thayet.

She had that look on her face that said that she'd just seen all her dreams come true.

I was tired and sick from overexertion but for those moments, I was the happiest girl in Remnant.

I had just gained a brother and a sister and two almost brother-in-laws. Truly, it was a dream come true.

Then reality set in. "Alright. As your older sister, I have the power to boss you around." Elin rolled his eyes. "Didn't you do that already?" I sniffed. "So, everyone out. I've got work to do." My words seemed to stricken Elise and Elin. "Yes, it's time for you all to go." Mama Thayet said, with an air of finality.

The twins went over and hugged their mother tightly. "I love you, Mom." They whispered. Peyton and Daren both went over and hugged her too, whispering quietly in her ear something that made her smile so sweetly.

I turned to Blake. "Off with you, kitten." She smiled and kissed my cheek lovingly. Then I ushered everyone out. Closing the door, I turned to the bed. "Alright, Mama Thayet. Let's get to work."

"Dahlia. Stop."

I can't.

"Dahlia! Stop!"

I tried to pick my head off the bed but I didn't have the strength. Pain ripped through my body but it didn't give me energy, just took it.

My hands shook as they held onto Mama Thayet's and I wanted to scream in frustration. I'd tried everything. Every trick I knew to coax a body to do what I wanted but nothing was working! Every time I pulled back on a thread that performed a task, her body just stopped. It gave up. If I did make her breath, she stopped breathing. Her heart refused to keep going without my help.

"Dahlia, my silver bird… stop." I shuddered with the pain and finally lifted my head. There were permanent black spots in my vision and I couldn't see most of the room. "I have to keep trying." I said, my voice almost unrecognizable with the strain.

"No." She said.

"... what?" I tried to focus on her face. She looked very serious. "I said, no. Silver bird, you have to let me go." I shook my head and began to topple over. "If you don't, you'll die with me!" She said, almost yelling. I tried to shrug but she was having none of that. "Dahlia, face it. I was dead when I came here and you've done nothing but keep a corpse from being a corpse. You have to let go. I'll not take you down with me."

I gasped as I tried to pour more energy into the threads but there was nothing left.

I was going to die.

"I'm sorry. Mama. I'm sorry. I've t-tried everything…" I sobbed, an emotion so dark it couldn't even be called sadness anymore rose up in me. Mama Thayet took her hands out of mine and put them on my cheeks, smiling serenely. "You've given your life so that I could have my last few days be perfect. I've taken most of your life so selfishly because I wanted to see my kids." I tried to tell her it wasn't selfish. I'd give it to her if I thought it would save her. My wretched life, full of pain and death. What was it compared to hers, which was full of life?

"Let me go, sweet girl."

I didn't want to.

"H-How am I supposed to m-make up for all the bad in my l-life if I let y-you die?" I stuttered, my tongue thick and stupid with imminent death approaching.

With an amazing strength of will, she sat up and touched her forehead to mine. "Sweet silver bird. There is nothing in this world that you could do that I wouldn't forgive you for." I sobbed and sobbed and she held me there, our foreheads touching. She and I were dying, so why keep any more secrets?

"Mama, what do you know of Faceless?" I asked her my voice trembling from crying and fear. She carefully laid back down, keeping my close. It was hard to stand and lean over her but my body was in so much pain I barely felt the strain.

"The Immortal Killer. Not much. Only that they've been around forever and that no one knows what they really look like. I know that they've killed more people than any person Remnant has ever known… why do you ask?" She asked me gently.

I tried to take a deep breath in but my lungs didn't work momentarily. "Mama… I am Faceless." I whispered, my tears falling onto her face. Her eyes were opened wide with confusion. "I'm not immortal… before me someone else was Faceless and someone else before them. It's a l-long line of killer's who passed down the m-mask. I'm the last in t-the line." She brushed my face with her fingertips. "I'm a k-killer. I've killed m-more people than even my predecessor. I am Faceless." I said, crying.

I am Faceless, I am Faceless, I am Faceless…

I waited for her to hate me. Even as we lay dying together, I had told her my most dangerous secret and I waited for the hate and fear.

"My poor silver bird… your life has been so hard." She said, tears in her eyes. I wanted to cry more but there were no more tears. "I deserve to die." I whispered. She shook her head. "You're my daughter now. You have to live. You have to protect our family now.. You have to avenge me and my village. You have to protect all your brothers and sisters. If it takes Faceless to protect our family, if it takes Faceless to save the world, then be Faceless."

I shook my head, not waiting to hear her. "Be cheerful, my sweet silver bird. I got to see my children again. I got to see them love and loved. They now have a fierce older sister who is going to save my precious world and I am happy. Please, sweet girl… let me go." I leaned my forehead against hers. "I will. I'll bring the Empire to its knees to protect this world you love." She chuckled weakly. "That's my girl… I forgive you, Dahlia. I forgive Faceless. Now, my sweet silver bird, sing me to sleep and let me go."

I clenched my weak fists and pulled myself away from her. I couldn't see her anymore. My vision was all black.

I began to sing in a broken, rough voice.

"Are you going to Scarborough Faire..."

I felt her relax and I let her fall gently to sleep. Still I sang.

I pulled one thread out of her and her muscles went slack. More and more. Another and her brain shut off. Another and her lungs stopped.

Finally, I pulled the last one into my body and her heart… stopped.

The song was over and my life was a tiny ball of blue fire inside of me. So small… but it was enough. Death backed away from me, taking it's one prize and vanishing.

I was going to live.

Mama Thayet though was gone.

My vision returned slowly and I saw her, pale and serene, her wonderful eyes closed with a small smile locked forever on her face. I could feel the warmth of her body fleeing away.

Somewhere someone was screaming. It was a terrible scream. If despair and agony had a voice, I think it would sound like that.

My scalp hurt from where my hands had dug into it and balled up tightly, yanking on the hair attached to it.

It wasn't till Qrow ran in behind me and I fell backwards into his chest that I realized that the one who had been screaming was me.