"Another." Qrow asked the bartender for another round of cheap whiskey. The bartender handed the Huntsman another glass of the alcohol; Qrow lost track of how much he drank, and he did not care; he would rather drink himself to death than deal with what he is feeling now.

That look… that traumatized look on Summer's face; that image forever seared into his brain. 'I did that to her, I caused this.' When he had to tell Taiyang… nothing could be more gut wrenchingly painful than looking his best friend in the eye and telling him the truth. 'I killed her.' Tai, Summer, and little Yang. 'I had hurt all three of them, in the worst way imaginable.' Qrow drinks down the liquor, the taste made him want to vomit. 'Shit whiskey, for a shit man.'

"Another." The bartender hands Qrow another round. He stares at it for a second before he lifts it up to drink.

"Stop it!" A voice catches Qrow's attention. It was from one of the waitresses, a Faunus with foxlike ears, and a tail; she was serving four men, who were getting too handsy with her. This place is known for having questionable customers: cutthroats, thieves, and Huntsmen who dishonor the title; nothing make's Qrow's stomach turn than the latter, and those four schmucks were it.

"I said, stop it; you pervert!" The waitress snapped.

"Come on foxy, me and the boys just want to show you a good time. We'll pay you good for it." A large, bald, and dumb faced member of the group said.

"I'm not that kind of waitress, now leave me alone!"

The thug grabbed her by the hand. "I love it when they play hard-to-get."

"Let go!"

Qrow's grip on his glass grew tighter, he turned from his stool to the four ruffians. "Hey! You, the one with the stupid face; she said no! Now leave her alone, some people would like to enjoy their drinks in peace."

"Oh, sod off, what's this little fox to you; she someone special in your heart?"

"No, but I've been having a shit week; so, I'll ask you again politely. Leave. Her. Alone." Qrow said with menace in his tone.

The thug just laughs. "And what are you going to do a…" Before he could even finish, Qrow throws the glass at him, shattering the shot and knocking the goon out. The three remaining ruffians look at the annoyed Huntsman in surprise; even drunk, Qrow is still a force to be reckoned with.

"I did warn him."

"You're getting it now, you bastard." The goons grab their weapons and walk over to the Huntsman with a murderous intent. Qrow had his sword with him, but decides they are not worth the effort.

A lean fighter charges him with a hammer; Qrow moves out-of-the-way, then kicks him in the back of the leg. A stocky member of the group comes at Qrow with a pair of knives, swinging frantically; Qrow steps back, dodging them with ease; he grabs the knife user's hand and breaks it before slamming his face on the counter, knocking him out. The last member comes at Qrow with an axe, the Huntsman easily moves out-of-the-way from the swing; Qrow grabs him and slams his face on his knee, breaking his nose. The hammerman gets up and grabs one of the knives to stab Qrow in the back; the skilled combatant blocks the attack with one of the axe wielders hands, the blade going through his palm. Qrow pins the stabbed hand to a table, before shattering a beer mug across his face, knocking him out. The last thug tries attacking him with the hammer again; Qrow head-locked the assailant and body slams him on the counter, leaving cracks on the counter and bones; before sliding him across into a table, putting him out of commission.

Qrow turns to the bartender and gives him a hefty sum of lien. "Sorry about that, I needed to blow off some steam."

Qrow turned and left afterwards, but not before leaving a handful of lien cards by the waitress.


Outside the Tavern, it was pouring; the rain drenched the Huntsman, but he did not care. Qrow walks down an alley way, still under the alcohols influence; he takes out his flask from his pouch and chugs down more drink; continuing to punish himself. 'It's what I deserve.' Qrow grips his stomach in pain, feeling as if he was about to vomit, but did not. Qrow prepares for another swig, but stops; something catching his attention. 'Why can't I be allowed to grieve?'

He closes his flask. "What do you want Raven?"

"Now is that anyway to greet your sister?" Raven steps out of the shadows in her usual wear; her Grimm mask included.

"When it comes to you, yes. You don't bother yourself with any of your friend or family unless it suits your needs. So, what the Hell do you want?"

Raven removes her Grimm mask, to look at her brother face-to-face, her bright red eyes staring at him. "Is it so hard for you to believe, that I want to check on my brother?"

"Yes."

"I'm here because… I heard what happened… to Ruby."

"Oh, don't pity me Raven, that's the last thing I need. Especially from the likes of you."

Grief and alcohol were not a healthy combination, especially for someone like Qrow; Raven knew this and knows when it is her brother talking, and when it is the drink. "Qrow, I know you loved her, like she was your own daughter."

"And you would have a clear picture of what that is like, wouldn't you? Sis." Qrow said, with harsh amounts of venom.

Raven stood unflinching at the words. "Yes, I abandoned Tai and Yang, for reasons I won't be explaining to your drunk ass." Raven walks up to Qrow, looking him straight in the eye. "I'm here because, I won't let you do what I did."

"Oh, and what's that."

"Abandon your loved ones."

"Oh, I'm not selfish like you Raven, I left because it's better for all of them if I'm not there to cause them anymore grief; like how it will be better for me when you get out of my sight."

Raven grabs the collar of Qrow's shirt and pins him against the alley wall. "You listen to me and listen well; Summer needs you with her now, as much as she needs Taiyang. While you're off getting drunk and picking fights with thugs, Taiyang is trying his damnedest to not break down into an emotional mess. He's only human, and can't keep that up forever."

Qrow starts speaking, but is stopped by Raven.

"If you say you're doing this to protect them again, I will break your jaw."

Qrow silently glares at his sisters.

"Your semblance has nothing to do with… what happened to Ruby; shit happens with or without you being there. If you want to be angry at yourself, fine, torture yourself with cheap alcohol; but don't let your pitiful, self-loathing hurt those that matter to you. Abandoning Team STRQ, my family; was the most painful decision I ever had to make, but it was one that I had to do. You can call me selfish, fine too, but you're just being selfish as well; by abandoning your loved ones when they need you the most, and adding more stress of making them worry about your health, physically and mentally." Raven releases Qrow, as he slumps to the ground, continue to stare at his sister.

"You can do one of two things, Qrow Branwen; continue getting drunk and punish yourself for something that wasn't your fault. Or you can pull yourself together and go back to a family that loves and misses you."

Raven puts her Grimm mask back on, giving her brother one last look. "Please do the right thing." Before disappearing into the night.

Qrow took a few moments of silence to let those forceful words sink in. He reaches for his flask, ready to take a swig. But something in those words struck a chord with the Huntsman. 'It hurts me to admit this, but she's right.' Qrow clenched his fists; denting his flask, hating himself even more for being such an idiot. 'Summer, Tai, and little Yang; I left them when they needed me to help them through this, I left them to handle all this.' Qrow eyes his flask for a few moments; deciding to dump out the contents. Qrow gets up off the ground, almost losing his balance; not in a condition to safely head home. 'I doubt they'll want to see me like this, I'll wait until I'm sober.' Qrow walks off to find an inn that will take him for the night, and will return to his family in the morning.

Qrow was scared to face them after just leaving like he did. But he knows they need him now, just like he now needs them. 'God, have mercy on this poor drunken soul.'