'Why her… She didn't deserve any of this, neither of them did.' Taiyang took the news hard; losing a child, is the worst thing that could ever happen to a parent. The mixture of emotions swelled within him; sadness, anger, and other emotions he did not know how to describe; he felt as if they were about to violently burst out; paining him severely. But he could not grieve now; not with Summer like this.
After Qrow found Summer, the two men quickly brought her to the nearest hospital; she had lost a large amount of blood and was on the verge of death; the doctors tended to her physical injuries, but her mental ones continued to tear away at her; as she desperately called for her daughter.
Tai sat on a bench outside the operating room with his daughter, Yang. He clenched his hands together, trying to stay strong, and not breakdown; for both Summer's and Yang's sakes. "Dad, is Mom going to be okay?" The little golden-haired girl asked with deep concern. Tai did not have the heart to tell her, what happened to Ruby; he could not do that to Yang, not while Summer is like this.
Tai tried to hold back the tears; the build-up of emotions began taking its toll on him. "Yes Yang, she'll be okay, Mom will be okay." The blonde-haired man desperately wished that Qrow was here; Summer needed him here, just as much as Tai.
As soon as they got Summer to the hospital, Qrow went off to God knows where; the poor man holding himself and his semblance responsible for all of this. He was taking it as hard as everyone else, and believed that they would be better off if he was gone. Tai did not blame him for any of this.
The doctors finally came out of the room after an agonizingly long wait. "Mr. Xiao Long."
Tai breathed in, then out, trying to keep his cool. "Is my wife… is she, all right?"
"Physically, she is fine; we were able to stop the bleeding, stitch up her scars and splinted all of her broken bones."
Tai was glad Summer was alive, but something was telling him, it is not as simple as he is hoping.
"However, the trauma from…" The doctor pauses, trying to find the right words to say, but could not. "She is still in shock and is not responding to anything; with your consent, we would like to keep her here for now."
"Will she be all right?"
"Mr. Xiao Long it is not that…"
"Just give me an answer!" Tai snapped with anger in his tone, realizing how he sounded, he took a moment to collect himself. "I'm sorry… I'm just…"
The doctor looked at the worried husband; sighing sympathetically. "Mr. Xiao Long, I can only imagine what you're going through now. But please try to understand, this trauma isn't something that will heal overnight."
"I… understand." Tai answers, still trying his hardest not to let his emotions get the better of him, he must stay strong. "Can we see her?"
"Of course, but don't take too long." The doctor leaves the father and daughter, giving them privacy.
Tai walks over to Yang and offers his hand to her. "Come on, let's go see your Mother."
The little blonde girl is reluctant takes her father's hand; not sure if she wanted to see her mother; based on what the doctor had said. "It's okay, sweetheart; everything will be okay." Tai tried reassuring his little girl, but was just lying to himself; he was the most terrified to see his wife, not knowing what to expect. Yang took her father's hand, trusting him as she sat up off the bench to go see her mother.
Tai and Yang enter Summers room; she was in a greenish-blue hospital gown, her whole body covered in stitches and bandages and a cast on her right arm. Her red and black hair was a mess and her face showing clear exhaustion, with bags and dark circles under her silver eyes, her head looking down. Tai stepped closer to his wife, clenching on to his daughter's hand. "Summer…" Tai choked slightly on the word, not knowing what to do.
Tai found and sat in a chair next to Summer's bed, he put his daughter on his lap. "Summer, it's me… Tai." Summer did not respond. "Yang's here with me... we're all worried about you…"
Yang leaned in and grabbed her mother's hand. "Mom…" Summer still did not respond.
Tai continued trying to hold back the flood of emotions. "Summer… please…"
"It… It just isn't fair." Summer quietly says. "She didn't deserve any of this…" Summer looked about ready to cry again, but did not. She was tired of crying. "I wasn't fast enough… I couldn't save her… what's the point of all of this, Taiyang?"
Taiyang did not understand what his wife was asking. "Point?"
"You… Me… Qrow… and Raven… we're all given these gifts, and Ozpin taught how to use them at Beacon… with all the training… learning… and arduous work we've poured into them… and I couldn't even…" Summer clenched her fists. "So, what was the damn point?"
Tai looked at the woman he loved, he had never seen her so broken. Tai looked down and remembered that Yang was with him; he could not let her see her mother like this, he could not do this to her. "Yang, sweetie."
The child looks up at her father, still worried.
"Your Mom and I need to talk; can you please wait outside for us?"
"O… okay." The little girl agrees with her father's wishes. Tai puts her down on to the ground; she runs outside to wait. Tai waited for the door to close, before turning back to his wife.
"Summer… none of this is your fault." Tai gently placed his hand on hers, taking caution to not hurt her.
"I tried protecting her from the atrocious horrors of this world… and I… I couldn't."
"There have been no Grimm sightings in Patch for years; none of us could have known." Tai says with melancholy in his tone, still trying to stay strong.
"But that's our job, Taiyang." Summer snapped. "We're supposed to ready ourselves for them. This is all my fault; I was a damn fool to believe we could have a true moment of peace; and now… because of me… she's gone forever."
Tai opened his mouth, ready to say something; he did not know if the words he was about to say would help, but he had to try at least. "Summer, I am hurting as much as you are; hell, it would be easier for me to break down into tears, but I can't; I have to stay strong for you, and for Yang; she misses you." The blonde-haired man's eyes began tearing up a bit. "Yang lost one mother; she can't lose another. Please, Summer; I beg you." Sadness begins filling his voice. "We'll have our time to grieve, but please… please be strong… for her." Tai clasped Summers hand with both of his.
Summer looks over at Tai, then at the door; she knew deep down, she could not drag Yang into this grief. "I don't know if I'm strong enough, Taiyang." Summer quietly says turning to her husband. "But I'll try… For her."
Taiyang nods, still trying to hold back his sadness. Nothing will ever be able to go back to normal, nothing is going to be all right; they both knew that. However, Yang needs the two of them now more than ever; especially once she knows… the truth. For now, all they could do; all they could hope for, is to have the will to try.
