Blake paced back and forth like a predator, her movements smooth as her ears twitched. She was set on high alert.

Blake didn't argue with Weiss often, but when they did decide to have a true and proper argument, it was always something to behold. The shouting had followed them out of the office, through the halls, and upstairs into the bedroom, the door nearly slamming shut on Yang's nose. The commotion had even roused Ruby, who looked out of her own sitting room door. She went back to bed, realizing it wasn't a Grimm terrorizing the house.

Though they were now in a place that usually calmed Blake's nerves, her edgy demands were still being brushed off, which led her to become even more irate. Their shouting had subsided, but the war reached a whole new level. "No, absolutely not. I forbid it. You are in- Weiss, just what in the hell do you think you're doing?"

Weiss ignored the mutterings of the cat Faunus in question, more focused on her bindings as she readied for battle. "Preparing."

"Weiss, I said no."

"I don't believe I asked for your opinion in this matter."

"Well, you're going to get it."

"This isn't up for discussion."

"Damn right it's not. You are not going up there to fight in this…in this…" Blake shook her head. "You are not going."

Weiss just sighed. "I know you don't like this, but I have to go. I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do." Blake argued. "Send Yang…send Ruby. She wants to be up there. She lives for this kind of fighting. You don't have to do this."

"Coco's going." Weiss replied steadily. "It makes sense for the two of use to be leading teams. Any repercussions should fall onto our shoulders." It was her calm, unwavering stance that was probably pissing Blake off the most. "We've got a good strategy planned out."

"Velvet's probably shitting a brick!" Blake protested. "Weiss, you can't do this."

"I can, and I will. If those Grimm get down into the mines…or worse yet, if they can't be stopped as they come in from the north..." Weiss didn't dare think of what might happen. The damage would be incalculable. "Atlas is going to be in trouble."

"I don't care. What about you? Have you lost your ever loving mind?" Blake asked, rattling her brain for a way to knock it through her wife's thick skill. Weiss couldn't fight Grimm anymore. It wasn't only that Blake didn't want her to, Weiss physically couldn't.

"Sharp as a tact."

"You have a bad back." Blake growled deeply.

"I have eight five percent mobility."

"Weiss, in case you've forgotten, your spine was severed in half. If it hadn't been for your aura…" Blake chewed on her lip, she wasn't going to allow this. Weiss could get away with many things, but Grimm fighting wasn't one of them. Not anymore. "You're lucky to have survived, and you know what Ozpin told you. You cannot, under any circumstance, go looking to fight creatures of Grimm anymore."

"Two hundred, forty seven…" Weiss coined slowly. "Do you know the significance of that number?"

"I don't want to." Blake refuted. "And you're not going to add to it."

It was the death toll. Sun called rarely, but when he did, he informed them that the situation in the north had grown dire. There were several new kinds of Grimm, and though they'd been slowing them down, killing them proved to be a difficult task. One Sun vowed to take care of, but Weiss decided it was time to call in some more muscle. Pyrrha, Nora and Ren were more than happy to come up.

Jaune was going to be staying at the mansion with the children for added protection. By the sounds of it, Coco and Yatsuhashi were going north as well, leaving Velvet and Fox safely behind as well.

While Velvet might be inclined to listen to Coco's demands, Blake was not inclined to do the same when it came to Weiss. She took Weiss and pinned her to the bed, her instincts screaming at her to make Weiss obey…to keep Weiss safe…protecting her mate was such a deeply ingrained byproduct of who she was. The very thought of Weiss going up north alone provoked a sense of irrationality.

Frenzied and without direction. "You are not leaving, do you understand me? It's a death trap up there, and I can't let you go."

"Blake..."

"No Weiss!" Blake growled, her teeth bared, tears at the edges of her eyes, ears down flat. "Just no. That's final."

And then there was crying. Weiss hated the crying. She rolled her eyes as several droplets plopped down, landing on the combat bindings she'd already wrapped around herself. The smatterings of those emotions made Weiss sigh. She could force her hand in the matter, but that would result in a fight she just couldn't justify. The growling she could deal with…but, the crying?

It was one step away from forcing Blake into aggressiveness…forcing her to act on her most primal, basic urge to protect what was hers…and doing that, would ultimately hurt Blake. She hated being driven to that point, where fear implored her to act. Now was not the time to temp Blake's ire. It wasn't good for anyone, most certainly not while Blake was pregnant…and even if she wasn't…nothing good came from tears.

"If I stay here, I'm going to have to send Ruby and Yang." Weiss murmured, trying to soothe Blake as she pulled one of her wrists from that iron grip. "I didn't want to leave this house so under fortified." But it seemed as if Blake didn't care about that, already burying herself in her wife's arms, another sob causing her to shiver.

She clung into those bindings, her nails snagging the fabric in desperation. A half strangled growl in protest flooding under the weight of her tears.

"Okay...okay, you win." Weiss promised…even though she was cursing herself inwardly the entire time. "I'll call Coco, we'll figure something out…"

They did, eventually, come up with a new plan…several new ones, in fact. At the time, Weiss and Coco refused to tell their spouses what they'd decided. They couldn't afford any more changes. It wasn't until everyone was at the Schnee family manor, that Coco and Weiss were finally ready to explain what was happening to everyone.

"Geeze, you weren't kidding, were you?" Coco said as she eyed Blake with equal measures of amusement and pity.

"As you can see, my hands are tied." Weiss admitted, giving her wife a sideways glance. Those Golden eyes were eyeing her like a hawk, her left ear flicking skittishly. "I'd leave if I could…but…"

"Weiss, no..." It was a half strangled cry of protest.

"See what I mean?" Weiss rolled her eyes as Blake wrapped her arms around her, nose buried into long white tresses.

"You really did a number there…" Coco laughed, only to be on the receiving end up a very upset growl that morphed into a sniffle.

"She's been like this since yesterday." Weiss lamented. "I know it puts you at a disadvantage, but, if I leave her alone right now, she'd going to loose it."

"It's to be expected when a Faunus is expecting." Coco relented with a knowing little smirk. "I understand, trust me." Coco had been on the receiving end of a similar argument, but Velvet was a much more passive by nature. Where Blake had to maintain some level of control in her relationship, Velvet was much more inclined to bend to her mate's assurance and willpower. "I've already decided on contingency plan three. Fox, you'll have to come with me. Yatsuhashi, you'll stay here and keep an eye on Velvet."

"What?" Velvet perked up in defense. "Coco, no. Not both of you."

"It can't be helped." Coco shrugged, used to changing plans on the fly. She gave her lover a cocky little smirk. "It'll be fine, you've got the big guy to watch over you…just like old times, right Yatsu?"

"Just like old times." He assured in his deep voice. He rested his hand on Velvet's shoulder. "Your family has my blade, and my loyalty."

"Then see? Nothing to worry about…"

"Except for you." Velvet said, her voice worried. "Coco, you promised to be careful…and Fox…" She looked over to her male mate in exasperation. "The two of you are suicidal maniacs on missions." She looked up to Yatsuhashi. "You were supposed to go and keep Coco out of trouble."

Yatsuhashi shrugged, but he slung his arms around Velvet, trying to comfort her in the best way he knew how. "Coco has never chosen a path that has taken you astray. Have faith in her, Velvet, just as I do."

"I do have faith…" She gave Coco a pleading glance. "Faith that she going to shoot up everything in sight. You know how she is with that gun…"

"You know me so well." Coco grinned.

"That's not helping..." Velvet pled. "Coco, please, don't go doing anything stupid. This isn't like the Grimm attacks along the Vale coast."

"She's no worse than Pyrrha." Jaune said, already resigning himself to staying behind. He was used to this practice by now. "Or Nora. Ren, please keep Nora from...well, being Nora."

"I will do my utmost." Ren assured.

"We shouldn't let them do this." Blake said, still keeping her arms around Weiss for safe keeping. "You're all crazy. Someone do something..."

"If we're crazy, we're good to go then." Nora said with a smirk.

"Easy for you to say..." Velvet murmured. "Fox, tell her!"

"Actually...I agree." He said smoothly. "We discussed my involvement beforehand. It's our best chance."

Coco wasn't going to change her mind, her focus was the mission at hand. "If my team is going down into the mines and sewers to secure the passages into Atlas, I need frontline combat fighters. Ruby will have to come with me since she knows the way around." She looked over to the towering man. "Yatsu would bring everything down from around us. Fox has concussive blasts. His controlled fighting style makes him more suited to this."

"Yeah, got a point there. Sun will be meting us at the northeastern entry point." Yang said, geared up and ready to go. "Or at least, he's supposed to be."

"Change of plans for you too, blondie." Coco said. "You're staying here, Yang."

"I'm what?" Yang said, looking over to Weiss, who nodded.

"Our fallback plan." Weiss said offhandedly. "I don't agree with it personally, but, I'm not in charge of this mission anymore. Not if I'm staying here. Coco forced my hand about you, when I agreed to stay behind."

"Why?"

Weiss shrugged. "She doesn't think I can provide enough protection to her family."

"You can't. We have too many children staying under this roof." Coco explained, her mind always several steps ahead. "You're the one in charge of SDC security personnel, Yang. It makes sense to keep you here." She flipped open her scroll laying out the new battle plan. "Neptune and Sun are staying north with the interfering freelance hunters. Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, Ruby, Fox, and myself will make a six man squadron. Starting here at the basement floor of the SDC and working our way up. We'll take out any nesting Grimm, and meet up with the others. Once the threat in the north is stabilized, we'll form two four man teams with Sun and Neptune to traverse our way back down, clearing the tunnels of any escaping Grimm."

Jaune frowned. "I shouldn't have to say this…"

"I'll be careful." Pyrrha promised.

"That goes double for you squirt…" Yang said between gritted teeth as she ruffled Ruby's hair. "No heroics…"

"I'll be fine Yang." Ruby sighed, as she passed Zhu off to Blake. Though, her next words were aimed at Yang. "Look after them…"

"You watch your own back…" Yang scolded. "And theirs. Don't you be worrying about the other stuff. Any Grimm gets down this far, I'll blast their damn face off."

Nora and Ren shared a look, but it was Nora who spoke. "I really hate to break up this little love fest, but it'll take ten hours to get out of the city on foot…"

"That's our cue…" Coco said as she pulled Velvet into a hug. "We got this, babe. Honest."

Velvet still didn't believe that. She gave Fox a hug in goodbye as well. "Don't you dare get reckless, Fox." She begged. "You need to come back to me in one piece…both of you."

The afternoon passed by in slow agony, and the evening went by much the same.

It was made worse when an call of absolute distress rang out as Zhu cried late into the night.

Blake and Weiss had taken turns pacing up and down the call with him. It was to no avail, he continued to fuss about. He was just getting used to Ruby, and now she was gone too. Sleeping was out of the question, late night snacks were ignored. Whenever Weiss put him down, he tried to climb up one of their legs, and cried some more. It seemed like nothing would work. They were close to waking Yang for help...that maybe, just maybe...Zhu would favor her better.

Weiss passed him over to Blake when he reached for her, but after a searching sniff, he realized that she didn't have what he wanted. He stopped screaming, but the sobbing didn't ebb. It was only a matter of time until he started up again. The last person that they wanted to see was walking down the hall at this point.

"This is becoming ridiculous." Wilson half ranted, having been bothered by the commotion for long enough.

"Father, please, we've got the matter taken care of." Weiss said, trying to appease him.

"Clearly, you do not." He eyed Blake up and down before sighing. "And with this incompetence, it's no wonder why…"

"Ruby's been sent out to deal with the Grimm infestation. I don't think Zhu likes being left alone here with us." Weiss explained. "His father has been gone a long time. He's never been away from him for this long."

"The plight of any child." Wilson said smoothly. "I left you often for business. That does not excuse this racket. Give him to me."

"I'd really rather not." Blake said, not sure she trusted him with the young Faunus male.

"That was not a request." He bristled. "You're perpetuating this squalling." He saw the change in golden eyes, protective, and it made him roll his own. "This is becoming ludicrous."

"It can't possibly get any worse." Weiss sighed. "Let him try…"

So Blake did, reluctantly. Wilson cradled the boy as one might a ball. Zhu fussed a little longer before a deep tuneless humming reached his ears and he began to quiet. His long tail wrapped around Wilson's wrist. The man plucked the appendage off as he looked at the little creature he carried. Zhu, quite unsure what to make of this new person holding him, sniffed the air, his eyes still wide in wonderment.

Wilson said nothing as Zhu made a few noise before settling down completely.

"How in the world did you manage that…" Weiss murmured, almost in shock.

"I managed to raise you, didn't I?" Wilson asked before he looked down, none too pleased about the fur sure to collect on his coat.

"We tried that." Weiss sighed. "He just screamed more."

"It's not the attempt, Weiss, it's the mentality with which you enact it." Wilson said sternly, softening his voice, even if not his contempt. "And as for you, you little hellion, you'll be coming with me if that's what it takes to keep you quiet."

"Watch it." Blake groused.

"Father please…" Weiss warned. "He understands what you're saying."

"He understands more than that, I'm sure." Wilson replied, giving the small boy a crucial eye. He strode over to the mantle, brandy glass in his free hand, and the bottle tucked under his free arm. Then in a juggling act that had to have been well practiced, he managed to pluck the stock reports between two fingers, before going to settle himself down in one of the plush leather armchairs he favored. "There now, this is how a respectable evening with a petulant toddler should go."

"If that's petulance, you don't want to see what he's done to the living room lighting fixtures." Weiss voiced, rather dumbly at that, still trying to gather her wits about her.

"Such disorder should be expected." His blue eyes peered over the paper in his hands. "Weiss, you are about to embark on a journey you are sorely ill-prepared for. You might think that you're ready. Yet, that mere thought alone indicates how wrong you are. No parent withstands the trials of their own child unscathed, and you assume you're to raising three. I dare not guess at the complications you're sure to face."

Zhu sat up in Wilson's lap, and quietly slid to the floor, playing with a bit of crumpled up paper he'd colored on hours ago. "Leave him to play." Wilson said when he saw Blake move. "Take to some reading and stay quiet. He'll tucker himself out on his own."

Weiss, of course, was used to her father's strange explanations. She knew not to ask about things he wouldn't say. Icy eyes could see though, clear as crystal, his well-practiced movements. His sturdy unwavering actions as he poured and sipped his beverage of choice. As if he'd done this all of his life. Blake, on the other hand, had never looked so perplexed in all of the time Weiss had known her.

They each cracked open a one of their favorite books tentatively, as if doing so would provoke more screaming. It didn't. Instead they were met with some manner of peace.

Not long after that, Zhu curled up on the floor right by the fireplace. Calling out a few more times for his father, sadly realizing Sun wouldn't come. His own low hooting was what lulled him off to sleep. Blake, in the interim, had also passed out from pure exhaustion. The elder Schnee didn't miss the way Blake curled into Weiss, or the way her hands clung to the fabric of his daughter's shirt, as if Weiss might sneak away at any moment.

He folded the paper in his hands and sighed, flinging a blanket over them before walking out, and clicking the door shut behind him.

AYangThang: Sorry for the last chapter cliffy, it was one of those split chapters again and I wanted to remedy that. Anyway, shout out to all of you newcomers, and to the folks that have stuck around this long. It's great to see the responses, and the continued support. I've got some fun planned for the next batch of chapters as we detour to enjoy the supporting cast. The forecast for the next ten chapters calls for more pregnancy woes, and general slices of life. I don't plan to write a lot of fight scenes, but in a short time, we'll be seeing some of the Grimm invasion. Finally those of you who've been clinging onto the Ruby/Sun and Yang side arcs, hold on tight...the next ten chapters in regards to them gets just a little bumpy.

Anyway, this is just an auxiliary post to fix the cliffy. Your usual Wednesday fare will be coming up on the 16th, as expected.