"I'll be here to pick you up after school, okay?"

Ruby bent to look into the car door, smiling. "Alright, Uncle Qrow. I'll see you then."

"Bye, Kiddo."

"Bye!" She shut the door and waved at him before trotting up the steps to the school.

He smiled as he watched her before pulling forward in the drop off lane and then heading towards work. He'd parked the car and gotten out when his phone started to ring.

He picked it up, but didn't recognize the number. "This is Qrow."

"Mr. Branwen."

"Dr. Ozpin." Qrow turned off the car. "Is there something you need?"

"Just checking in; how are you and Ruby settling?"

"We're alright. She went back to school today, and she seems to be excited about it. I think having Zwei helps her out."

"Zwei?"

"My dog; you probably encountered him when you were having things moved in."

"Ah, yes, that fluffy little thing. It's good that he's helping."

"I mean, she's still sad. But she's adjusting."

"And you?"

"I'm…" Qrow closed his eyes. "I'm still adjusting."

"Not drinking?"

"I haven't since a few days before the funeral. I'm trying not to."

"That's good." There was the shuffling of some papers. "I don't know how well DHA would handle it if you were drinking while she lived with you."

"Aren't you just calling to report back to them?"

"No, actually. I'm just checking in. I want what's best for Ruby, and Summer thought that was you. Even though you've been rocky in the past, I want to trust her judgement."

"Did Chief Ironwood tell you to do that?"

"Again, no. Even though I've worked with Ironwood in the past, he isn't my favorite person."

Qrow chuckled. "You and me both."

"Also, I just wanted to let you know I'll be stopping by for a visit at the end of the week. Usually we show up without warning, but I figured I'd let you know this time."

"Thanks, Dr. Ozpin."

"I'll see the two of you Friday."

Then the line went dead.

Qrow got out of the car, shutting the door behind him.

"Hey, Qrow!" Qrow turned where his co-worker, Mercury, was balanced on the roof of a house while he shingled it. "I didn't recognize you with that car. Where's your bike?"

"Thinking about selling the thing." Qrow tucked in his shirt. "You want it?"

"What're you selling it for?"

"It's not gonna work with me carting my kid around."

"You've got a kid?"

Qrow pulled himself up onto the roof to help with the shingling. "Well, I've known about her for a while, but haven't seen her since she was a baby."

"How old is she?"

"Too young for you to be flirting with." Qrow glared. "Don't even think about it."

Mercury chuckled, putting some nails in his teeth to hold. "Why're you taking care of her all of a sudden?"

"Why don't you focus on your work so you don't smash your thumb up again."

Mercury laughed.

They got the roof finished and the outside walls put up. When four o'clock rolled around, Qrow stepped back, dusting himself off. "I gotta go."

Mercury waved him off. "Go pick up your kid."

"Hey, Merc?"

"What?"

"I'm serious about selling that bike to you if you want it."

He smiled. "Yeah, I'll see if I can scrounge something up."

Qrow waved and got into the car, driving to the school.

"Hi, Uncle Qrow!" Ruby giggled, opening the passenger side door.

"Hey, Kiddo," He reached over and ruffled her hair. "How was school?"

"It was okay." She buckled her seatbelt.

"Good." He started to drive. "That's good."