Day 6: AU

As he followed Ironwood past the hospital's numbered doors, the more idealistic part of Qrow's mind imagined a very different scenario; after months of trying Winter had tracked him down to tell him about the baby and asked him to come and see them. Qrow would go buy some flowers and a sickeningly fluffy toy that his nieces would insist on helping him pick out.

Qrow's chest started to hurt and he forced that fantasy right out of his head.

Qrow tried not to grip the flowers too tight, he was more nervous than he'd ever been and he desperately wanted a drink but Winter would never forgive him if the kid smelled alcohol on his father's breath the first time he held him.

Hell, Qrow would never forgive himself.

Maybe he should have let Weiss and his nieces come with him, they could be distracting him right now or acting as a buffer between him and his baby momma.

The elevator doors opened and he stepped out into the sterile white hallway, walking until he found Winter's room.

Should he knock? If he knocked too loud it could wake the baby, but if he didn't knock then he could walk in at a bad time.

He opted on opening the door halfway, "Winter?"

"Come in," she said quietly.

The baby was sleeping in her arms, wrapped tight in a white blanket, Qrow couldn't see him very well but it was still enough to frighten him.

"Hey," he said, ever so eloquently.

"Hello."

He held up the flowers, "I, ah, brought you these."

"Oh, thank you. Just put them by the window."

There was a garden's worth of flowers and balloons, Qrow's shoulders slumped in defeat as he carelessly put his meagre bouquet with them.

He ignored the elephant in her arms and pulled up a chair next to the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she lied.

Qrow raised one eyebrow sceptically.

"I'm exhausted, I'm sore, and I desperately want a bath. You?"

He shrugged, "a little cold."

Her eyes narrowed for a second, "what's in your hand?"

"Ah…just a little something I got for the tyke," he held out the small, stuffed bird.

"It's nice. Do you want to give it to him?"

"Um, sure."

Oh, Gods, the kid looked just like him, why hadn't he prepared for that? There was a tiny version of him in sleeping there.

"Hey, kid," he said quietly.

With incredible care, born out of fear of waking him, Qrow placed the toy next to Jay's hand.

The miniscule contact made the baby stir.

Qrow froze, not even daring to breath.

"He's not a bomb."

"You ever hear one of these things cry? They go off like a bomb."

"That's something to look forward to, I suppose."

There was a nice little awkward silence until Qrow spoke.

"I… I'm sorry I wasn't here for the birth," he would have made if it weren't for the new Altas border laws, but he knew bringing that up would start an argument.

"I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner."

"I was trying not to be found, until Haven, at least."

"What happened there?"

"Not ten minutes after walking in, Lionheart broke down and admitted he's been working for the people who attacked Beacon."

Winter managed to smother the shocked sound she wanted to make.

"Saved the school, caught some baddies, I'll tell you whole story later."

"Including how you picked up my sister?"

"Not my fault, but yeah."

Jay stirred again, making Qrow tense up.

To his horror, those little eyes opened.

Winter stroked a chubby cheek, shushing gently, "it's alright."

She picked up the toy and held it in front of him, forgetting all her exhaustion and pain as she fussed over him.

Qrow stared frowning.

"What?"

"How come I never got that much attention?"

"You're not helpless without me."

"I am when I'm really drunk, but you don't coddle me. I'm pretty sure you kicked me once."

"Once," she wasn't even looking at him anymore, all attention was on Jay.

"You could at least act happy to see me."

Now she was looking at him, half annoyed, half offended, "I… I am. You worry me when you leave."

Shit, "I know, I'm sorry."

Well, this was awkward, but at least they weren't yelling at each other.

"Why'd you go to so much trouble to tell me?"

"You deserved to know."

"Did you think I'd come?"

"I hoped."

"But you didn't think I would."

"Whatever it is you're doing out there, that you all refuse to tell me about, you've made it clear that it's more important than me."

"It's not, it just-" he hung his head, keeping this secret from her had caused nothing but strife in their relationship, but revealing it wouldn't cause less, "it's not more important than you, or Jay."

She nodded gratefully.

"This kid's already making us soft."

"No, I'm just too tired to argue," she combed Jay's dark hair with her fingers. "Do you want to hold him?"

Qrow made an uncertain sound for about fifteen seconds, "I guess."

Transferring him from one set of arms to the other was incredibly awkward, Winter wasn't used to handling babies and it had been more than a decade since Qrow had been around one.

But finally Jay was in his father's arms, wiggled unhappily.

"Didn't you hold Yang or Ruby when they were born?"

"Yeah, and was sure I was gonna drop them," he tried to adjust to make the boy more comfortable.

Jay's opened his bright blue eyes and looked up at the man holding him, like he was sizing him up.

"You're heavier than you look."

The kid's arm flailed in Qrow's direction, almost like he was trying to punch him.

Oh, good, he had the Schnee temper.

"Hey, be nice," he caught Jay's hand, "I'm the one who'll sneak you cookies and fireworks."

A tiny hand clasped his thumb, Qrow's breath caught and his face softened. Instant and unconditional love shining in his eyes.

Winter's heart swelled at the sight, "he likes you."

"Must not take after your side of the family very much," he played with the boy's fingers. "I think he's gonna be a sword fighter."

"Do you want another one?"

Qrow stared at her with wide eyed horror, "what?"

"I said, do you want another one?"

Winter's voice slowly morphed into a deep, impatient one and suddenly he was looking at a bartender.

"Sure," Qrow said, pushing his glass forward.

As he nursed his new drink he tried to lose himself in the fantasy again.

The world where he and Winter were happy together and he had no intention of leaving them.

It wasn't much, so why couldn't he have it?