Author's Note: Hello all, I'm back! Finally, actually on break until mid-January, so you can expect at least one chapter a week until such time as I bury myself in yet another pile of 'I really shouldn't have put all this off until the last three weeks of the semester…' At any rate, I do hope that you enjoy, and as always, any feedback is appreciated.

"Hello Nadia – may I call you that?"

Nadia's dull eyes looked up from the floor for the first time since this strange woman had invited herself into the room. Nadia herself had been there a while now – two of the damned Atlas robots taking her here from her cell and then locking the door from the outside some time ago – or maybe it was just ten minutes. She didn't really know or care anymore The woman had a powder-blue woman's suit and nice shoes… really nice shoes, she was quite aware – if only because noting them had hitherto not required her to look up from the floor. That was all presentable enough, she supposed, and then there was her hair… It was a well-kept, fair shade of blonde – it reminded Nadia of her own, the last time she'd looked in a mirror - well, except the 'well kept' part. She hated it.

"No."

"Miss Undine then-?"

"No."

That gave the woman some pause – not that Nadia particularly cared in that respect; she just didn't want to hear her name. The woman sighed, "Very well… I am Dr. Edrych-Gwydr – but you may call me Alice, if you prefer…"

Nadia didn't answer.

"Are you feeling any better today?" The woman persisted. What the hell kind of question was that? Of course she wasn't feeling better! Sure, the ugly patches of cracked and blistered skin were smooth again without leaving much in the way of marks or scars, and sure, her dislocated shoulder had been set and was not particularly bothering her, but she still felt empty.

The woman leaned forward in her chair – although it was really more like a couch, Nadia supposed idly; whatever the case, it looked expensive – and offered her assurances, "I'm here to help you, Miss…"

"Then let me out of here and take me to that tower…" Nadia's voice came cracked and small, "that should be high enough…"

The good doctor was quiet again, for a long while this time. She thought she was so clever… Cozy up to her, and then Nadia would just spill her guts? As if. I know how this works… You're not a real doctor – just some stupid head-shrinker who thinks she knows everything…

The woman finally sighed, "Doesn't that seem like running away to you?"

"So what?" Nadia demanded without much vigor, "It's all I've ever been good at…"

"And why do you say that – if you don't mind my asking?"

"I spent my life in the White Fang! Why do you think?" Nadia snapped, before suddenly withdrawing just as quickly, "Just leave me alone…"

"Then is that all you want?"

Nadia's heart stopped cold, "W-what do you mean…?"

"I'm guessing that life hasn't been kind to you, has it?" The woman asked, seemingly without relevance.

"It was awful-,"

"'Was' is not the appropriate descriptor for anyone to summarize her own life with," The woman shook her head, "You've said that you've spent your whole life running, but if it was truly so awful, then is that really how you'd like to end it as well? It's never too late to change your mind, Nadia,"

She winced a bit hearing her own name, but her eyes widened nonetheless, "I…" she shook her head, "You don't know me-!"

"No, I don't," The woman extended her hand, "But if you'd allow it, I want to help you…"

Nadia stared unbelieving at the woman's outstretched hand, "Y-you're lying…"

Yet still the hand remained extended, "Am I?"

"You're a human-,"

"I am Alison Edrych-Gwydr, and you are Nadia Undine; all else is secondary – if at all a consideration." The woman corrected, "But I can only help you if you let me…"

"You can't help me…" Nadia accused – and I don't need help…"

The woman heaved a sigh, "Miss Undine… Let us not deceive ourselves…"

"Shut up!" Nadia exploded, "I do not have a problem! There's nothing…" But she lost steam by the word, "nothing wrong with me…"

"I didn't say that," the Doctor shook her head, "There's nothing wrong with you, but you do have a problem…"

"W-what? I don't understand…" Nadia pressed befuddled.

"Your feelings for Miss Carfax-,"
"But I love her! Nadia protested, "She's everything that I-,"

"Perhaps she is…" The woman interrupted her again, "But look what your obsession has gotten you Nadia; If I correctly understand the facts, you met her for the first time in person by trying to kill her, and not long thereafter you very nearly succeeded, along with most of the people whom she holds dear-,"

"Belladonna's a traitor and the rest of them were damned humans-!"

"Like me?" Nadia froze. The doctor did not seem angry, but disappointed – or perhaps that wasn't the word so much as… resigned, "And now we come to it, I suppose…"

Nadia had nothing to say – what the hell does that even mean? She's got no right to judge me – but then, just to look at the woman that did not seem to be the case. The doctor looked sad, yes, but not indignant, but… why?

"Miss Undine…" Edrych-Gwydr sighed, "Why do you fixate on Miss Carfax?"

"I love her-,"

"But why do you feel that way?" the doctor adjusted her glasses as she clarified.

"I…" What does it even matter anyway…? "I just… I do – she's beautiful, intelligent, strong-,"

"Strong how?" Edrych-Gwydr sought for Nadia to clarify, and caused her to fall quiet again.

Nadia felt herself develop a bit of a headache. Mina was beautiful, smart, and strong – wasn't that enough to love someone for? What the hell was 'strong how?' supposed to mean anyway? Mina was physically stronger than she was, but Nadia did not think that that was what the woman was looking for – and it had not been what Nadia had meant either… Maybe that was what the stupid shrink wanted, "She…" Nadia struggled to find the best phrasing, "She's blind… but even still she,,," She felt herself get choked up and tears inexplicably welling up as she continued, "She fought for our rights – my rights and… and…"

"And you didn't?" Edrych-Gwydr suggested.

Nadia's face fell once more to the floor tiles as she preferred to evade the question, "And she… the way she has to drink blood… People… they – even Faunus – hated her more than any of us – and she had more stacked against her – but still… she's my hero…"

"I see…" the doctor acknowledged with a pause for consideration, "So it's hero worship then?"

"I – no! Don't call it that!" Nadia objected, "It… she means so much more to me than that…"

"Did you also 'fight for your rights?'" Edrych-Gwydr asked with a raised eyebrow.

Nadia looked away, evasively, "You just want me to confess-,"

"Miss Undine," the therapist shook her head patiently, "I am here for you, not law enforcement - and even if I was, in light of recent events, the authorities are well and truly past need for your confession; all that concerns me is your mental and emotional well-being,"

Nadia's evasion of the doctor's gaze was accompanied by a slight pang of unaccountable shame now, What do I care what she thinks? She's a human… She just wants to keep me from Mina… but… "No…"

"Hmmm?"

"I didn't do anything! What could I have done? I'm just one, small, weak person! I can't even make her love me…"

Doctor Edrych-Gwydr was mildly perplexed by the outburst as Nadia broke down into tears, before recalling the previous thread of conversation, "Ah… that… that explains a fair bit…"

"Hmmm?" Nadia intoned past a stream of tears.

"Your Semblance," the woman clarified, "You've spent so much of your life feeling helpless that your Semblance manifests itself as a desperate grasp for control," Nadia was silent, "But let me ask you this: what is it that separates you from Miss Carfax?"

Nadia blinked, "Belladonna-,"

"No, no, that's not what I meant," The shrink shook her head, "What is it that you perceive as making Miss Carfax stronger than you?"

"I…" What…? "I… don't know…"

"I see…"

"So…" Ruby posed the question awkwardly to no one in particular as she kicked her feet back and forth over the edge of her bunk, "You think she knows anything important?"

Blake shook her head, "Not with the way she was behaving – even as far back as when she lured Mina to the docks… as… impressive as the short-term scheme was, she's never seemed to have any long-term plan…" She sat down beside Mina on her own bed, "Plus, this all started as a personal vendetta-,"

"She had a lot of Dust for a personal vendetta…" Weiss interjected from her desk, having open her books, but never actually brought herself to reading them, "And there's no way that she could personally steal that much…"

Yang slammed her fist into the wall in her frustration, not for the first time, "And how the hell did she learn to do that freaky eye thing?"

"Yang…" Ruby sought to mollify, "That wasn't you're fault-,"

"That doesn't make it okay!" And Yang struck the wall again, ""The stupid, psychotic nutjob!"

Blake looked away, wrapping a concerned arm over Mina's shoulder. She was not happy to have Undine within the walls of the school – however far removed and however many walls lay between – and her persistence as a subject was not helping… "She's dealt with now…"

"But why must the Doctor trouble with her?" Mina fretted, "A wretch such as her should-,"

"Mina…" Blake interrupted soothingly, "I'm glad to have her off of the street and to know that she can't hurt you anymore, but she doesn't matter anymore-,"

"Not now, no," Mina shook her head, "But she is still here…"

Blake found herself torn. On the one hand, her own relief was genuinely immense; with Undine now captured, who was there to come between her and Mina? No one to threaten their relationship – preposterous as the thought was, knowing Mina – and that no one could take Mina from her – Blake blinked.

Is.. Is that what I…? Blake glanced at Mina, and then looked away again, I let myself accuse Weiss of trying to take her from me – and let myself hate a living person because… She shook her head, "It's over now…"

"Do you think that Doctor Eddy-Girder-,"

"Edrych-Gwydr…" Weiss rolled er eyes.

"Fine… Do you think Doctor Edrych-Gwydr can help her?" Ruby asked.

"I hope so…" Yang bitterly grumbled, "'cause when she does put the girl's head back on straight, I'm gonna-,"

"Yang…" Blake spoke up to interrupt, "Can we please just let this go…? Just for now…?"

Weiss glanced down at her scroll before Yang could object, "In any event, we'll have to; our appointment with the good doctor is in fifteen minutes…

You just had to open your mouth… Weiss thought resignedly; Blake, Mina, and herself had arrived outside Dr. Edrych-Gwydr's ad hoc office several minutes early – and she was beginning to regret having brought up the time earlier. Confidentiality or not, the secret that Undine was in there now was a very open one… In all truth, the Heiress wasn't sure what to expect when the obsessed Faunus walked out that door – there were a pair of Atlesian guards detailed on either side of the doorway wearing opaque visors, but they would be small comfort if someone with powers like Undine got any ideas.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Weiss noticed Blake's hand tightening around Mina's. Mina smiled slightly in return, but it was plain as day that the reassurance was small comfort, so Weiss reached out to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "It'll be okay,"

"Promise?"

"Yeah,"

Blake was about to contribute verbally as well, but then the doorknob turned and all fell silent again. Weiss's eyes reflexively fell to the floor just in case, and she could only assume that Blake and Mina had done likewise, or at the very least closed their eyes as the sound of Nadia Undine's footsteps could be heard emerging from the room. She could hear the Atlesian soldiers stepping to as their charge walked out, and upon hearing nothing going awry, she dared a glance up from the floor. The sight that she was met with was… odd… Not unsettling as such, but most definitely not what she'd been expecting.

Having not gotten a good look at Undine before the explosion when they'd captured her, consequent of the very deliberate effort to avoid meeting her eyes, Weiss was modestly surprised to find that she looked remarkably… normal. Thanks to her Aura, the burns hadn't left any clearly visible scars, and at a cursory glance, one might mistake her for a human girl. Granted, it didn't take long for Weiss to spot the gills on the side of her throat, but that detail was fairly easily overlooked. No, what truly struck Weiss was the look on her face: familiar in its downcast expression. She didn't look angry, obsessed, or wide-eyed and crazy, just confused and… sad… and she made no effort to look at them, let alone pull anything. Without a word, Nadia proceeded past them and out of the ward, flanked on both sides by the guards. Weiss would have expected something but… nothing happened.

In any case, it was Blake who breathed the sigh of relief, "Right then… our turn…"

As Blake led the way for the door, the three were met by an initially surprised, but nonetheless cordial Dr. Edrych-Gwydr. At first, she looked concerned and contemplative, but upon seeing them, she adjusted her glasses as she greeted them, "Ah, hello girls, you came… early… I trust Nadia gave you no trouble on her way out?"

Blake shook her head for the group, "No… It's almost as though she didn't even see us…"

The Doctor nodded, "We've just finished an… important discussion; I'd wager that she has a lot to think about. But enough about that – come in; we have a great deal to talk about ourselves,"

Acceding to the doctor's invitation, the three girls filled in and took seats on the various articles of furniture which had been moved in for the purpose of making the repurposed infirmary ward feel a bit more homey; Blake and Mina shared a loveseat, whilst Weiss occupied the single armchair nearest, quietly wondering whether or not the furnishings were coincidence or chosen as part of the therapy. Last to sit was Edrych-Gwydr herself, accommodating herself in the chair situated near as might be said to be opposite the three girls from Team RWBY, and wasted no time in initiating the conversation.

"So ladies, how do you feel, now that you've successfully apprehended Miss Undine?"

"…Better…" Mina tentatively responded in the manner that all of them were thinking – at least in part – though it did somewhat concern Weiss that she had not responded with 'safe.'

Irrespective of this, Edrych-Gwydr nodded, "Always a good first step – but now tell me: do the three of you feel that you are adjusting back to your normal lives and habits?"

"Things have been… hectic… Weiss offered noncommittally, "although given the alternative…"

Blake nodded her agreement, squeezing Mina's hand again, "It's good to have her back…"

Mina, for her part, leaned over to Blake and rested her head on Blake's shoulder, "And it is good to be…"

"Good, good…" The doctor nodded understandingly, "I take it then that the experience has not done particular damage to your relationship and friendship then…?"

Weiss took a minute to mull the question over, but was first to answer in any event, "Not to any degree of which I am aware…"

Blake however, wasn't so eager to answer, provoking concerned and curious looks from Mina and Edrych-Gwydr, respectively, "I…"

"Dearest…?"

Blake looked Weiss's way hesitantly, "Mina said… certain things while she was… under the power of Undine's Semblance…"

The doctor raised an eyebrow, and Weiss and Mina continued to watch Blake with confusion, but said nothing, so Blake reluctantly continued, "I mean… I understand, given the circumstances, but…" she looked away, "I'd be lying if I claimed that it didn't bother me that, through it all… I… I let – no, I forced her to rely on Weiss and…"

Mina looked hurt, "But Dearest, I-,"

"It isn't your fault Mina," Dr. Edrych-Gwydr assured her, "And Blake knows that, but sometimes emotions are… uncooperative…"

"And you're worried that my quuassi-maternal relationship with her over the lasts weeks could get in the way of your relationship with her?" Weiss suggested, trying not to sound accusing or incredulous.

Blake's face fell, "I know it isn't fair of me but… I'm used to a monopoly on Mina… I don't mean to be selfish, but-,"

"Dearest," Mina interrupted, a note of determination behind her voice, "I am still all yours – please, do not ever doubt that – and if what you say is 'selfish' then by all means, indulge…"

"I'm really nothing for you to worry about," Weiss added with a shake of the head and a subtle smile, "And besides, you two are my friends and I will move heaven and earth to make sure that you are happy,"

Edrych-Gwydr held out a hand gesturing to Weiss, "You see, Miss Belladonna? Your worries are unfounded – and thus the first step is taken,"

Blake nodded, however slightly, "O-okay…"

Taking this as approval, the doctor continued, "What is needed now, then, is for a mutual undertaking for the two of you to re-ground your relationship; if I may refer back to Mina's memories, my understanding is that, originally, your relationship – while having since evolved past this – began on the basis of dependency?" Mina nodded slowly, "Yes…"

"Well then, what's needed is for you two to change that," The doctor explained, "Establish a foundation of mutual cooperation, rather than dependent need, and then there can be no doubt where you stand with each other; the continuance of your relationship will be its own proof that there need be no doubt to separate you, provided you live and act as equals who choose to love each other,"

Blake nodded slowly, but it was Mina who recoiled from the idea, "But Dr. Alice, I-,"

"Blake" The doctor interrupted, foreseeing Mina's objection, "Do you consider Mina's… unconventional needs to be an obstacle to your affection for her?"

Blake shook her head, and Mina fell silent as she answered with a slight blush, "It's… no trouble… If anything it's kind of… exciting…"

Through all this, Weiss tried her very hardest to keep a straight face. It was not that she found the line of discussion, particularly the implicit subject, humorous, but uncomfortable, and generally not her business besides. She held her peace though, as her own friendship with the both of them, particularly in light of recent events, meant that she needed to be a party to their recovery, unless explicitly told otherwise. Fortunately, the subject naturally eased onto a topic of a less… graphic nature…

"But how?" Blake pressed – interested, but unsure, unlike Mina's quiet reticence.

"There is a certain Dr. Van Abraham who currently runs a small practice in one of the poorer districts of Vale… Edrych-Gwydr suggested, "Although I am afraid that to suggest anything more at this time would prove counter-productive..."

Mina's eyes belied surprise – though not necessarily displeasure – Blake's expression on the other hand, markedly darkened, "I see…"

"I won't give you any 'doctor's orders' as such," Edrych-Gwydr elaborated, "But for now, at least, I would say that you two have some decisions to make, so perhaps it is best that we adjourn?"

Blake nodded slowly, "Yeah…"

Weiss blinked a few times, not entirely believing it; was the appointment over already? And who, for that matter, was 'Dr. Van Abraham? She could reasonably surmise that he was someone from Mina's past based upon her reaction, but then what accounted for Blake's? As she started up from her chair to follow them out though, the Atlesian therapist's voice stopped her, specifically.

"Miss Schnee, a further moment if you would?"

Weiss turned back as Blake and Mina turned to leave outside the room, "Hmm?"

"I was wondering…" The woman spoke tentatively, "If you might help me with something…"