Winter stared up at ceiling of her apartment. It was, without any need to boast, the most luxurious in Atlas. No one would disagree with her, probably not even Weiss. Her sister was playing catch-up. Whereas Weiss was forced to make do with what she could buy, this apartment had been designed to Winter's specifications before the skyscraper had even been built. It would have been more accurate to say that the luxury tower had been built to house her apartment, than the other way around.

Despite the foam mattress hugging her form, the perfectly regulated temperature, and the softest moonlight penetrating through the tinted windows, she couldn't sleep. It wasn't an issue that affected her usually. On a normal day she was so exhausted by her workload that she passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Today hadn't been the usual. Her weekly meal with her sister had continued long past the restaurant. It was partly because they'd delved too deeply into an issue not to resolve it, but mostly because Winter had thought Weiss needed the break.

The Schnee ball should have been the crowning triumph on what had been an extremely successful year. Naturally, with her planning the festivities, it had gone off without a hitch. Well, almost without a hitch. The absence of the Lady Schnee had not gone unnoticed.

In all honesty, if Winter ever saw Ruby again she was of a mind to slap her ̶ ̶ or have her arrested. Weiss had gotten over her. She'd recovered from her heartbreak, and then Ruby had reappeared and opened all the old wounds anew. That would have been bad enough by itself. At the breakfast table she'd seen how Weiss had almost literally been glowing. It hadn't been hard to guess what the pair of them had been doing in Weiss' old room. If it had stayed that way, Winter knew she would have been able to call a truce with Ruby for her sister's sake but, just as she'd feared, Ruby had hurt Weiss once more.

Ruby had run off the first time when Weiss had needed her most. Made her believe that she'd been kidnapped. Weiss had been close to inconsolable in those few days. It had only gotten worse when the pictures of Ruby boarding a flight under her own free will had surfaced. It had broken Weiss. Rather than cry, she'd thrown herself into her work as she often did. She hadn't cared about her own wellbeing, and Winter had been entirely unable to reach her.

Weiss had ended up burning herself out. It was only when she was restricted to bed under her doctor's orders that Winter had managed to talk to her sister. She'd thought they'd gotten through it, but then Ruby had returned to ruin it all.

In the days since she'd vanished Weiss had been less than forthcoming about the details, though the withdrawal of the arrest warrant told its own story. Weiss had once again tried to lose herself in her responsibilities. It had taken multiple reminders and undoubtedly nagging from Starling for Weiss to put down her work and meet Winter for a meal.

Normally they attempted to steer clear of business though, this week in particular, she knew that Weiss could only bend so far. Their strategy proposals had carried on in the waiting car and, helped by several bottles of wine, into the small hours of the morning.

The alcohol was likely a factor in why she couldn't sleep. Her head spun ever so slightly, but the gentle perssure of her bladder was just enough to be noticeable. The discomfort coupled with the thoughts swirling round her head ensured that unconsciousness continued to elude her.

A scream rent the silence. Long and loud, it pierced through the walls and into Winter's ears. She scrambled over to her bedside table and ripped open the drawer, her pulse rocketing. The scream had only been silent for a moment, before it came again, louder and shriller than ever. In the darkness the inside of the drawer was lost to her, and her fingers scrambled against the wood before they settled on a polymer grip.

In one smooth motion Winter disengaged the two safeties and chambered a round. The mechanical clicks reassured her, even if they were barely audible over the screams. It was a low calibre weapon but, unlike Weiss, she'd never undergone more than basic self-defence training. She'd never thought she'd needed it when she could Summon. Now she knew better. Even the light weight of the weapon was comforting in her hand. She was sure most people with hunter-strength Auras would laugh when she pointed it at them, but she was equally sure most people couldn't afford to fire a not so small fortune with every shot.

With her weapon firmly grasped Winter tore from her room. The screaming had stopped, but Winter knew just where it had come from. She threw open the door to the guest room that her sister occasionally used.

Her pupils contracted; unlike the rest of the apartment this room wasn't shrouded in darkness. A figure glowed within. Without the need for conscious thought, Winter brought her pistol to bear on her target, her finger moving to the trigger.

Her mind caught up with the instincts honed into her body. Weiss was on the bed, her back pressed hard up against the headboard, straining to get away. Despite the climate control in her apartment the room was cold, close to freezing, and goosebumps rose on her flesh.

"No… Go away… Please…" Weiss sobbed, cowering from the figure that seemed to loom over her.

Ice flooded through Winter's bloodstream. A single rational thought sprung to her mind. It was impossible. Completely. Ghosts didn't exist. And yet… Winter recognised the ethereal silhouette. Amber. It was unmistakably Amber standing next to Weiss' bed, an arm raised and pointing.

"You… murdered… me…" The voice that came from her throat was not one that should have come from a child. It contained no happiness, or joy. Instead it was cruel, cold, and chilling. It set Winter's hairs on end, but the words hit Weiss much harder.

She flinched as if they were daggers. The tears streaming down her face glistened in the luminescence. "I'm sorry… I didn't…"

Winter lowered her pistol. This likely wasn't a battle that could be fought with bullets. After the story about Weiss and Amber had come out, she'd done some research. There wasn't much information on just who the girl had been; the pair of them had been photographed together a few times and that was it. The actual details behind what had happened were almost non-existent, and Weiss had refused to even acknowledge her question.

The level to which Weiss had gone to expunge the story from the public consciousness showed that it was at least based on a foundation of fact, and here was the truth before her. Whatever had happened on that day in Vale, Weiss had killed Amber. There was no other way that the girl could be Summoned. It might have been Weiss' Semblance, but to Weiss the ghost seemed so real.

"You… murdered… me…" The girl repeated in the same chilling tone.

"I didn't…" Weiss' whole body shook with fear and remorse.

"You…"

"I'm sorry!" Weiss shouted at the apparition. "I'm sorry!"

Winter had seen enough. She rounded the bed, set her pistol on the table, and climbed up next to her sister. The mattress quivered under its occupant's distress. Weiss fought weakly as Winter attempted to take her into her arms. To her Winter was just another part of the living nightmare. Winter shushed her.

"It's ok Weiss. I'm here. I'm here." Gradually Weiss' feeble attempts to escape stopped, the energy draining from her body. Winter cradled the back of her head as Weiss cried into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Weiss whispered. Winter knew the apology wasn't meant for her.

"It's ok. You're safe now. It's ok." There wasn't much she could say. This entire scenario was one of Weiss' making, and only she could stop it.

"You murdered me." Weiss trembled as her accuser spoke again.

Winter looked at the girl. Her features may have been identical to the ones she'd seen in the photos, but her expression was not. She couldn't even imagine such a young child being able to comprehend such an intensity of malice. Her entire face was contorted with it. The girl hated Weiss, because Weiss believed she deserved to be hated. Her sister was torturing herself over what she considered her past crime.

"Weiss, she's not real."

"She is."

"No she isn't. I can feel your Semblance. Just shut it off."

It might have been the rational thing to say, but rationality rarely existed in symbiosis with emotional distress. Winter wasn't even sure Weiss had heard her.

"I'm sorry," Weiss repeated as if the apology would cause the ghost disappear. It didn't. If anything the room grew brighter and the temperature plummeted.

"Weiss," Winter said, for the first time a tremor entering her voice. Weiss might have been much stronger than her when it came to her Aura and combat, but with a Semblance out of control even the strongest hunters were at risk of doing themselves permanent harm. "Stop it. You're going to hurt yourself. Turn it off."

"I can't." Weiss sobbed against her chest.

"You can. Just like we used to practice." The harsh lessons their father had put them through were etched in both of their memories, but the rough teaching had made them hard to forget. For a moment Amber dimmed, but it was only for a moment.

"I can't."

"I'm here for you." Winter pushed Weiss' ear up against her chest. "Remember the exercises. Count. Focus." Her own heart was racing, but it would provide a far steadier rhythm than Weiss' own.

Weiss made the effort. As she tried to calm herself down Winter rubbed her back. The ghost faded ever so slightly before returning. "I know you can do this." Winter believed in her sister. Weiss was strong. She could do almost anything when she set her mind to it.

In her terrified and haunted state it obviously wasn't easy for Weiss to do something that normally was so instinctive. Time and again the girl dimmed and got brighter, but each time it was for slightly longer, until finally the room went dark and stayed that way.

Entirely exhausted and drained of energy Weiss collapsed against Winter, her muscles slack. Winter just held her, making comforting noises that neither of them had heard since her mother had passed. "It'll be alright. It'll be alright." She stroked the back of her hair, smoothing it flat where it had been disturbed.

No doubt, in the moment, her words sounded false, but they would eventually prove true. Her sister would recover from this, Winter knew it. She would be able to get out of bed in the morning and face the day with a smile. Winter's only hope was that Weiss would be able to smile because she'd forgiven herself, not simply smile as a façade to hide her turmoil.

"I'm sorry," Weiss whispered into the sheer white material of Winter's nightgown.

"Weiss." The guilt contained in the simple apology caused her heart to break. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I do."

"Do… do you want to talk about it?" Weiss would have to. Perhaps she had to Ruby, but there was no way to know anymore. Regardless, even if she had, it hadn't helped.

Weiss shook her head, but it wasn't a denial. Winter didn't press her. Instead she continued to make soothing sounds until Weiss began to speak in her own time.

"I murdered her."

It was eerie to hear the same words from Weiss' mouth, but then the ghost had only been a reflection of how Weiss viewed herself. Whatever had happened in Vale, Weiss thought herself a murderer.

"No you're not."

"You weren't there." Weiss tried and failed to escape her embrace. At any other time the anger would have annoyed Winter. As it was, she could only feel relief that Weiss was showing something other than utter sorrow.

"No, I wasn't. So tell me what happened."

Weiss obviously debated with herself, but eventually the need to confess her sins outweighed any reservations. "I found her. Lyra was… and she…" Winter waited, hardly daring to breathe. "She… I couldn't help her."

"Why not?" Winter coaxed.

"Because... I wasn't strong enough."

"I don't believe that."

"It's true. I should have been able to do something to save her. Instead I murdered her." At the admission Weiss broke into fresh wave of sobs. Winter let them subside in their own time.

"Why couldn't you save her?" Winter had never really put much effort into studying the techniques of counselling, but for her not much effort would have been enough to gain degrees. Weiss had contorted the reality to satisfy her own need for guilt, and only by deconstructing the lies could Winter help her.

"Every time I tried it just hurt her more. I couldn't lift the beam. I couldn't do anything."

With Weiss' eyes were pressed up against her body, Winter didn't make any attempt to mask her horror as a scene began to form in her mind's eye. "She was injured?" Weiss nodded. "Hurting?" Another confirmation. "So you helped her the only way you could?"

"I murdered ̶ ̶ "

"No you didn't. You helped her. You made a hard decision, but it was the right one. What would you have done differently?"

"I don't know. Gone to get help. Something."

"Help from whom? The city was a mess, and while you were doing that you would have had to leave her. All alone."

"But…"

"You did the right thing." Weiss had done what few would have had the strength to do. "She would have suffered without you. If she could, she would say thank you."

"Then why didn't she?"

"It wasn't her. It was just your Semblance."

Weiss let out a gasp as a realisation struck her. "I trapped her here."

"What?"

This time Weiss did manage to fight clear of the embrace, and the horror in her expression was more intense that anything so far. She appeared entirely distraught. "I killed her. I trapped her soul. I made sure she'd never move on. Never be with Lyra again."

Winter took a moment to process the latest construction. She'd never come down on one side or the other when it came to religion. There just wasn't enough evidence for someone as logical as her. She wasn't even sure if she believed in eternal souls or some sort of afterlife, but Weiss obviously did, and in her mind she had stopped Amber passing on.

Winter may have been undecided on theology, but she'd studied her heritage intensely in her quest to perfect the application of it. Weiss' argument had one fatal flaw.

"It wasn't her soul."

"It was."

"It wasn't. Weiss, you need to stop and think about it. You can summon the Grimm. Are you saying they have souls?"

"No, but ̶ ̶ "

"There are no buts. You can't have it one way and not the other. Either the Grimm have souls, or Amber is with her mother in a better place."

"She was so angry."

"No she wasn't, because that wasn't her. The things we Summon come from us Weiss. We expect the Grimm to be bloodlusted, so that is what they are. You believe that you deserve be punished, and so your Summon reflected that. But you don't. You did what any decent person would have done. You saved her from suffering, and if she could she would thank you for it."

"How do you know?"

Winter could have lied. She could have said she did. It might have been easier, and she wasn't above lying to get her own way, but Weiss didn't need a lie. "I don't. Not with certainty. But I know you Weiss. If you did it, it was because there was no other option, no other way to save her. You have to stop torturing yourself."

If her sister had one fault ̶ ̶ in actuality she had many ̶ ̶ it was that she blamed herself for everything. Even for matters that she had no control over. In contrast to the moniker the common people gave her, her failing was that her heart wasn't made of ice.

Weiss didn't immediately dismiss the claim. Instead she actually seemed to be assessing its merit. Ultimately Winter knew she had done as much as she could. She'd always be there for Weiss if she needed support, but it was Weiss who had to accept that she was good person.

Winter waited patiently for whatever conclusion Weiss arrived at. She had to ignore the chill in the air that was the result of Weiss' Semblance, her sleepwear proving little match for it. Judging by the way Weiss wrapped her arms around herself, she was feeling it too. "Can you stay here tonight?"

They weren't the words that Winter had expected. It was such an innocent and childlike request that she had no choice but to agree. Weiss had seen monsters tonight, and she wanted her sister to banish them. "Sure. Just lie back." Winter rose and attempted to remake the bed that Weiss had disturbed in her distress. Gently she settled the quilt over Weiss, before climbing in herself.

Winter hugged her. Despite the technicality of their ages, she had always felt as if she were the big sister. Perhaps it was because she'd always been further ahead in their lessons, maybe because their father had trusted her with more responsibilities, or maybe simply because she'd always been taller. Whatever it was, now that they'd reformed their relationship, she was determined to protect Weiss. She kissed the back of her sister's head.

"Go to sleep," Winter whispered and, after a time, Weiss did.


"Ruby," Weiss muttered feeling the warm body alongside her own. The body started.

"No Weiss, it's me."

Weiss tried not let disappointment overwhelm her as the memories of the previous night came flooding back. The nightmare, Amber, what she'd confessed, how Winter must view her now that she knew the truth. It was enough that she wanted to curl into a ball and never face the world again.

"Are you ok?"

There was a simple answer to that, and a truthful one. No she wasn't. Not in any way that mattered. No matter what she did for Atlas, the people complained. Her painstakingly negotiated treaty was on the verge of falling apart, Ruby had left her again. But worst of all the guilt of her actions was close to overwhelming.

It was Ruby who'd stirred them up. Weiss still couldn't believe that she'd simply let Ruby walk out of her life. Before the ball she'd always had the belief that, if she'd just been given the chance to explain, Ruby would have seen her point of view. Seen why her actions had been necessary.

The reality couldn't have been further from the truth. She'd explained it all, and Ruby still viewed her as a monster. She hadn't said it, but she hadn't had to. There was no other reason why after that magical night, Ruby still left.

Since that time, all of Weiss' doubts had doubled. She'd relived all of her decisions, only viewing them through Ruby's eyes. If it had been anyone else, Weiss could have ignored them. But she loved Ruby and, by extension, she loved the way that Ruby viewed the world. The world where she was painted the villain.

She could see how her actions must have looked to someone who didn't know all the facts. She couldn't help but wonder if she could have done things differently. Maybe in ways that wouldn't have made Ruby feel sick just being in the same room as her.

She probably could have; not for all, but maybe for some. Maybe some of her decisions had been too hasty, too harsh. In the moment they'd been made to best of her abilities, but now… some had begun to weigh heavily on her.

It was since Ruby had left that she'd begun to have nightmares. Not every night, but often enough that she started to fear her pillows. The ghosts of the departed paraded before her in her sleep. The nightmares were bad, but they weren't the worst. Not by a long way.

Any dream of Ruby superseded reality. For a few short hours she lived in a land of bliss, only to wake to a cold bed. Although cold was vastly preferable to waking in a warm one. That only allowed the fantasy to perpetuate for a few more precious heartbeats before the pain struck again.

She hadn't dreamt of Ruby last night though. Instead, Amber her visited her. It was a dream she'd had before. It would start in a park, or a playground, or anywhere else that Amber was happy and full of life. She'd run around, hug Lyra, hug her, laugh, do everything that she had once enjoyed doing. And, just as Weiss' heart almost couldn't take any more, a stain would grow on the front of Amber's dress. Weiss would run to her, hold her, and be entirely unable to stop her slipping away.

She'd spent the last few weeks reliving her greatest crime time and time again, but tonight was the first time the nightmare had extended past her waking. It had been terrifying to lose control over her Semblance, almost as if her own body was betraying her. Amber had been so real, and so had her hate.

Weiss could only be thankful that she'd decided to sleep in Winter's apartment rather than make the journey back to hers. She couldn't have faced anyone else finding her like that. It was hard enough having to reveal the truth to her own sister. She shuddered to think of what rumours the discovery by someone else would have started.

Winter had helped her, and Weiss pushed herself into a sitting position so she could see her.

"I'm fine." It was obvious Winter didn't believe her. "Look… about last night."

"There's no need to mention it."

"I just want to say thank you." Her gratitude was awkwardly conveyed.

"Like I said, it was no problem. You would have done the same for me. But are you alright? Really?"

"Yes."

Winter was quiet for a time, a slight frown creasing her forehead before she spoke her next words softly. "You still love her don't you?"

Weiss' immediate thought was to deny it. There was no questioning just who Winter meant by 'her'. But she didn't. She couldn't deny the truth, and if she couldn't talk to her sister then who could she? Weiss nodded.

"You want her back?"

Weiss nodded again, her eyes glazing over as she saw Ruby. Not walking away from her, but walking towards her in her old childhood bedroom. With her cheeks glowing and broad smile on her lips. The image made Weiss' heart ache.

"Why did she leave?"

Weiss didn't answer straight away. Instead she mulled the question in her mind, before giving voice to the truth.

"Because she's too good for me."

It would have been reassuring if Winter had protested, told her it was a lie, that she was wrong. That at least would have allowed Weiss to argue with her, to act as one part of her mind as Winter took the place of the other. Perhaps then she would have found some resolution, one way or another, but Winter didn't. Again she waited some time before speaking.

"Do you believe that?"

Did she? Sure. It was what she told herself late at night when she was lonely, when she needed someone to blame. But did she honestly believe she was a bad person? That Ruby had been right to leave her? Weiss opened her mouth and then closed it again.

Ruby had told her why she'd had to leave, pointed at the acts that she couldn't stomach. From a distant perspective they did not reflect kindly on her, that much was true. The steps she'd taken to end the Atlesian civil war before it begun had been aggressive definitely, but she still believed that they had been a necessity.

They were a mark against her, but the end of the war hadn't been the summation of everything she'd achieved. Atlas was stable. It was thriving. People were safe, and the majority were happy. And it still wasn't enough for Ruby.

In the end she just shrugged her shoulders. Maybe she did believe that Ruby was just too good for her, too pure.

"Weiss… If you really do love her, and you can't imagine life without her, win her back."

"How?" Even the prospect made her heart flutter. It was surely impossible.

Winter gave a small smirk. "Ruby didn't fall in love with me. She fell in love with you. You know how that happened. You know who she fell in love with. So be that person again."

"But I can't." It was a moan of petulance, but she couldn't help uttering it. Beacon had been so long ago. She wasn't the same person anymore. She couldn't be.

"Don't give me that. You're a Schnee, but more importantly you're my sister. You can do anything you set your mind to. You have the entirety of Atlas at you beck and call, and the SDC is at your disposal as well."

"But Ruby doesn't want the Ice Queen."

"Perhaps not, but that's not you is it? So Ruby doesn't want the Ice Queen, show her you aren't. Every time she sees a positive story on the news, she'll know that you're behind it. Show her you haven't changed. Ruby didn't fall in love with you because you were a student at Beacon, and she wouldn't turn you away just because of your position now. She fell in love with you. Be that you again."

Could she? Was that her even compatible with her current life? It had been easy to rail against the decisions of her father when she hadn't been the one making them. She and Ruby had discussed so much, talked about what would make the world a better place. Many of their ideas had boiled down to childish fantasies. But surely, with all her power, she could ensure that they were not. Maybe if they became real, maybe, she could also atone for her sins.

Winter obviously saw her come to a decision. "See? No problem is insurmountable. Not even one as complicated as you two have made this. All you have to do is give us the opportunity to put our heads together."

Weiss smiled. She and Ruby had never liked doing things the simple way, surely this extended to whatever their relationship could be categorised as now as well. And Winter was right, she should share her problems. At one time she might have feared showing a weakness to Winter, but that time had long passed. They were partners, family, and they were stronger together.

As awkward as it was with them both sitting against the headboard Weiss twisted and embraced her sister. After a moment of hesitation Winter squeezed her back. They'd never really been much of a hugging family before, just another thing she had to be grateful towards Ruby for. Just touching someone who you knew cared about you was special. It was a balm on the soul.

"Thank you. And you're right."

Weiss could almost feel Winter's smirk over her shoulder. "Of course I am. I'm always right. Don't you ever forget it." Weiss couldn't really argue with that.

They stayed that way for a while before they finally broke apart. "Are you ok now?" Winter asked again.

This time Weiss replied truthfully. "Yeah." She was. She now had a plan of action. She would make up for her past mistakes and win Ruby back.

"Good." Winter smiled, and it was entirely unfair that she could look that good before the sun had even risen. "Now it's still early, so why don't you have a shower, and I'll make us some breakfast?"

That sounded just about perfect to her. Normally she could barely stomach anything in the morning, but today her gut told her its opinion on fasting. Winter really was the best sister that anyone could ask for.

In addition to her numerous other talents Winter was an exemplary cook. She hadn't gone overboard, but the mushroom sausage omelettes with a side of artistically arranged fruit salad could have graced the plates of any restaurant in the city.

"So?" Winter asked.

Weiss swallowed. "This is great, really great. I don't know where you find the time."

"Here and there. Cooking helps me relax. You used to cook, didn't you?"

Weiss had. She'd even enjoyed the simple and thought free process at one point, but that was before she'd shared that pastime with Ruby. The evenings they'd spent in the kitchen were rose-tinted, and since then she could barely bring herself to zap something in the microwave. She managed to keep the turmoil off her face.

"Yeah, but like you said, it's just finding the time."

"Well, why don't we? Instead of going to a restaurant we should cook something."

That… sounded as if it could actually be fun. She did enjoy cooking, and maybe with Winter keeping her occupied she wouldn't think of Ruby too much. "Sure, but we'll need to wait until we get back."

Winter set down her cutlery and pressed her lips together. "I've been thinking about that, and I think you should stay here."

"What?" Weiss placed her own fork on her plate with deliberate carefulness. The negotiations in Vacuo had been planned months ago. She very much hoped she'd misheard her sister.

"Don't bite my head off, but I think it'll be for the best."

"And why exactly is that?" The question unmistakably came from the Ice Queen, but the icy tone failed to intimidate Winter.

"Do you really need to ask? After this morning? If that had happened in the palace, or even in the embassy, it would have severely jeopardised our positon."

"It won't happen again."

"You can't guarantee that."

"I can." It was a matter of willpower.

"Fine then. Let's ignore the negative connotations in terms of the negotiations, and I'll speak as your sister." Her glare softened. "I'm worried about you. This morning… it wasn't normal. It's not something that I can just ignore. It scared me. I knew you weren't in a good place, but I thought you were getting better. I didn't know it was that bad."

"It's not."

"Weiss…"

"You think I'm crazy. That I need to see a shrink?"

"Of course I don't think you're crazy. But… I think some time off would do you good, and if you want to talk to anyone…"

"I don't need time off, and I talked to you." If she had any time off it would give Coco and the other dissenters among the nobility just another excuse to try and cause trouble for her. Put stories online about her being too tired to rule.

"And I'll always be here for you if you need me, but you've been doing this straight for almost two years. Everyone needs a break."

"You don't." Winter was at the SDC every day, come snow or shine.

Having been caught out Winter looked away for a moment. "Yes, but… I haven't had to go through everything you've been through. I'd need to take a vacation after that."

Winter was lying. As far as Weiss knew her sister hadn't taken a vacation in years. Even after almost being murdered at the Osier ball and their father's death, she'd been back at the Eiszapfen the following day.

"Don't treat me like everyone else. I'm not an idiot."

"I'm just trying to look out for you."

"And I appreciate it, but I need to be at the negotiations." She'd been instrumental in the initial stages of the treaty ̶ ̶ the whole thing had been her idea ̶ ̶ and she would see it to the end. If there was an end.

Weiss was entirely at a loss as to why King Badr had changed his tune so abruptly and so vastly. One day the treaty had been coming along slowly but surely, and the next he'd stonewalled it by throwing all manner of alterations and ridiculous conditions in their direction. It didn't make sense.

She'd spent months drawing up the trade agreement. It was vastly beneficial to both their countries, both economically and in terms of the stability it would bring. It would have created tens or maybe even hundreds of thousands of jobs over the coming decade. Jobs desperately needed thanks to the blooming population of the world.

It would have brought their two countries closer than ever, which was especially pertinent when Vacuo needed all the help it could get to deal with the Grimm threatening its internal areas. Her offer of assistance had been the sweetener that she was sure would have sealed the deal. Now it was all falling apart, and only she could fix it.

"Weiss really don't take this the wrong way, but I think your presence would be a hindrance more than anything else."

"Go on, tell me why the person who first wrote the treaty shouldn't be there."

"Do you need to ask with that stunt you pulled in Alfurat?" Weiss automatically opened her mouth to deny all knowledge of whatever Winter was alluding to. "You told me not to treat you like an idiot. Well that goes both ways. Did you really think I wouldn't put two and two together when I saw the chase? I'm not sure what you were after, you've at least managed to keep that hidden from me, but Badr or one of his advisors has undoubtedly worked it out too. It's going to be hard enough to smooth over that mess without them constantly being reminded who ordered an unauthorised military operation within their sovereign territory."

"I need to be there," Weiss repeated. While technically true that she'd ordered the extraordinary rendition of Doctor Sampson, she'd been well within her rights to. Celeste was an Atlesian citizen, no matter what pieces of paper she carried, and as such she'd needed to face judgement within Atlas. If he had any sense, Badr would suck it up like any decent politician and do what was best for his people.

"To put it bluntly you'll be a liability. I'll take Starling. She can keep you in the loop."

"No I won't. And anyway Starling needs to look after Lily. She can't just disappear for a couple of weeks. You're worrying too much. The negotiations will go smoothly. There's too much at stake for Badr and the Councillors not to agree. We might have to make some concessions, but they will sign. And if they don't willingly…" There were certain advantages that came from possessing the strongest hand at the negotiating table. It would only take moderate sanctions to bring Vacuo to its knees ̶ ̶ the country was too reliant on the SDC.

"That's always been a possibility, but it's a last resort."

"Of course it is. I'm confident that it won't be necessary. All we need to do is find out why Badr decided to change his mind. Then we can address it."

"If you won't take my advice and stay here, at least let me have a couple of one on one sessions with him."

"If you think it would help, I see no reason why not. As long as you can actually get him in a room that is."

"I think I'll be able to manage," Winter said with a smugness that was palpable. Being her sister, Weiss often forgot just how extraordinary Winter would appear to someone who didn't see her every day. If the rumours about Badr's secret harem were correct ̶ ̶ and they were, she'd checked ̶ ̶ Winter should have no problem gaining a private audience.

"No doubt. So we're agreed?" The matter of her attendance needed to be put to bed.

"Yes." Winter had a glance out the window as the first light of the day crept over the horizon. "I suppose we should get going. I need to nail some things down before we leave."

Weiss looked at the rising sun as well. Another day, accompanied by undoubtedly more problems to deal with. She rose from her chair. "I do as well. Thank you for the breakfast."

"It was no problem. We should try and do it more often."

"We should." Together they gathered their purses and Winter tossed her a set of keys from a rack of more than a dozen hanging near the door. "Thought you'd want the convertible."

Weiss answered Winter's grin. They both knew she had a soft spot for big engines. Just before Winter opened the door Weiss laid a hand on her shoulder.

"You're the best sister anyone could ask for. I'd be lost without you."

"We both know that's not true but, to be honest, I didn't know what I was missing before everything. I like having a sister around."

"So do I."

A/N: So a nice, fluffy, sisterly chapter I suppose. I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you thought.