"I'll get us more."

While Yang stumbled to stand, Weiss held onto her shoe to be helpful and called up to her.

"You're the sweetest."

Finding the comment adorable, Yang sent her a wink. She left the group to refill their jungle juice. Weiss watched the game spin the bottle, but she quickly grew bored. She had no intention of legitimately playing unless Yang was there as a perfect excuse to kiss instead.

In her fogged mind, Weiss decided to stand and said to the group. "I'll be back."

No one was really paying attention, so she took that as her cue to leave. She needed a second to recharge, away from the noise and people. For a while, she was used to being alone. This was a big adjustment. There was a subtle warmth in this house that slowly grew to be hot.

Weiss made her way upstairs slowly, making sure she didn't miss a step.

I might've drank a little too much. A few more sips should be fine.

The warmth from liquor bloomed over her body. When she reached upstairs, Weiss gazed at her target, which was the front door. When her hand was on the knob, a firm hand landed on her shoulder.

"Nice hair. White's better, though."

From his monotone and familiar voice, Weiss stiffened like she was in fight or flight mode. In seconds, her adrenaline shot through the roof as her breathing stopped. His voice alone yanked her out of the fog her brain was in the last couple of hours.

It can't be… it can't be him?

She was afraid- terrified- to turn around. Afraid that her worst nightmares had come true in a disturbing reality. Her heart thudded violently against her ribcage, threatening to leap out of her chest. It felt like time stood still and she was glued in place.

A friendly voice chirped from behind. Weiss barely recognized that as Penny, who sat on the couch.

"No children are allowed here at this moment. You must leave."

From her description of the guy, Weiss forgot how to breathe. Her hand was firmly on the knob as he loomed over her. That voice… he was younger…

"I was just leaving," he said loudly and whispered into her ear. "How about we go outside for a little chat, dear sis?"

There was no denying it. He found me.

Time was almost up. From the realization, Weiss was no longer blurred by the haze of alcohol. If only briefly. Vale was fun while it lasted. Her new, revitalized life was a treasure. And now it would be stolen from her. Her past aligned, clashing against the two realities.

With a clenched jaw, Weiss hesitantly opened the door. Her hands shook, but she was eerily in control of herself. Like she was in a trance.

She wanted to alert someone that danger was here. Maybe Penny was a good bet, but Weiss found herself struck silent. It felt like her heart was in her throat and kept her quiet. If she was alone with him, her very life could be in danger. But after all this time, she needed to try and talk to him.

There was a speck of hope that he wouldn't take her away tonight.

Why show up now?

When they stepped outside, a gust of chilly air pricked their skin. Weiss was immune to the cold thanks to the liquor. It took all her willpower not to stumble. Eventually, they stopped at a nearby tree. It was like a lion directing his prey to an ambush site, so Weiss intentionally didn't stray far from the house.

"You've gotten too cozy here," he said, referring to her inebriated state. "Did you turn into mother while you were away?"

It took several moments to comprehend how disgusting that comment was. "Shut up, Whitley," Weiss sneered, surprised that she snapped at him. "How did you find me?"

Finally, Weiss confronted one of her worst nightmares. It was a matter of time before she'd be taken away. The question was when Whitley would make his move. If that was now, Weiss did have her switchblade in her stocking, but she wouldn't stand a chance now that the world slightly tilted.

The devil spawn in front of her smugly smirked from her question. Like he'd been waiting to be asked.

"I can find anyone in time," Whitley reminded. "You can thank father for that."

Weiss bit her lip and stifled a hiccup. "Does he know my whereabouts?"

"Not yet," Whitley replied, noting her shock. "While he wouldn't show mercy, I'm willing to give you a little more time."

"Why?"

Weiss was done with this game. She wasn't going to argue with him. She only wanted to know his intentions for tonight.

Whitley was well-aware that she was intoxicated based on those glassy azure pools. Her breath smelled of citrus and face was redder than an apple.

Whitley chose simpler words so she'd understand. "I've never seen you smile so much. It will be grand to take it all away," he said ominously and smoothed his fingers on the side of her face. "Enjoy it while it lasts, dear sis. Your time is almost up."

Almost, Weiss noted, thankful she could at least stay here tonight.

While he creepily caressed her hair and stared at her with those wide, beady eyes, Weiss was stiff like she was unable to move. This reminded her of how big cats play with their food before the kill. That's what Whitley was doing. He wanted to watch her pain before the kill.

A firm, large hand grabbed his, which made Whitley glare up at the unexpected arrival. The guy towered over him and launched him a death glare. When Weiss realized it was Neptune, she was taken aback. She'd never seen him angry. Let alone this angry.

"You need to go, squirt," Neptune warned lowly. "Before I make you."

Upset from the threat, Whitley pushed him away. This made Neptune release his grip, but he still stood firmly between the two.

"What, is this your boyfriend?" Whitley asked to taunt them.

"I'm not telling you again," Neptune said sternly in a growl.

From his worried reaction, Whitley smirked. "You poor sap."

Neptune, don't press your luck, Weiss thought and lightly grabbed the cuff of his sleeve to warn him. Whitley could have you down in seconds.

From her touch, Neptune felt her hand lightly shake. That made him even angrier. They were supposed to have fun and forget all their worries tonight. Not let some snot-nosed kid ruin their party.

"I'm basically her bodyguard," Neptune dismissed the jab and adjusted his position protectively in front of Weiss to intimidate him. "Go."

Since Whitley didn't want to cause a scene for now, he sighed in defeat. He turned around and glanced over his shoulder. "I'll be back, Weiss. Be sure to tell your friends goodbye," he finished with a sadistic chuckle.

When Whitley reached the end of the driveway, Weiss let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. His absence felt like an immense weight lifted off her shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Neptune asked in concern.

The overwhelming nightmare finally clashed with reality and her mind was unable to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation in her current state. The warmth in her body bloomed full force, which caused Weiss to sway.

"Woah, woah," Neptune scrambled to hold her upright, which took hardly any effort. "Let's go back inside, get you some nice, cold water. How does that sound?"

"That sounds nice," Weiss replied, trying to fully grasp the situation. A good start would be to find her footing again, so she corrected herself. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Neptune said and held onto her arm in case she swayed again. "Take it slow."

While they walked back to the house, Weiss felt her adrenaline lower a little. Her body was still in fight or flight mode. Like she should either leave immediately or stay and hope her brother wasn't still watching her.

"That was my brother," Weiss said out loud, which made the situation even more real.

Neptune's face twisted in puzzlement and confusion. "Your brother's a douchebag."

Weiss didn't intend to, but she let out a laugh. It turned into a round of giggles, which left Neptune even more confused by their sibling relationship.

"You-" Weiss stammered. "You have no idea how much of an understatement that is."

"Damn," Neptune replied with his brows furrowed. "Some siblings suck. No matter what you do. You can try to fix them, but they'll stay the same inside."

"There's no helping them," Weiss agreed and breathed in realization. "I need Yang."

Seeing her girlfriend would ease her nerves. Yang would know what to do. Yang always knew what to do when it came to her. She knew exactly what to say to keep her grounded.

"She's probably downstairs," Neptune guessed and saw a blonde blob by the front door. "Nevermind."

On cue, Yang dashed to meet them outside. She was stunned by how her girlfriend leaned onto him for support and how they both looked troubled.

"Is she alright?" Yang asked, concerned. "Did she drink too much?"

"Maybe slightly," Neptune informed.

From her arrival, Neptune handed off Weiss for Yang to support. The blonde held onto her arm to prevent her from stumbling.

"I'm in so much trouble," Weiss blurted to her girlfriend. "Big trouble. And I don't know how to fix it."

Yang looked notably confused, so Neptune elaborated for her.

"Her brother was here. Don't know why she's in trouble, though."

From the revelation, Yang suppressed a gasp. Her concerned expression warped to distraught as she felt a sense of urgency crash over her.

"Shit," Yang couldn't bite back the curse. "Are you serious?"

Weiss gave her an eager nod.

"This is bad," Weiss stated the obvious and sighed. "I feel like I should be freaking out much more."

"That's the power of alcohol," Yang replied, feeling a little buzzed herself.

When they made it safely inside, there was the sound of glass shattering. That's when Neptune sprang into action and pointed at them.

"Let me know if you guys need anything. Yang, get her water. Crackers are in those cabinets up there."

Yang nodded to show she was listening. While Weiss sat at the nearby table, Yang grabbed two water bottles from the fridge.

"How do we fix this?" Weiss asked.

Normally, Weiss would try to solve this on her own. Yang was beyond grateful that she looked to her for help.

"For starters," Yang slammed two water bottles on the table. "We get sober."

"I like that plan."

Lyrics from Redo: "Quickly now, the past will align. Before it fades you gotta save it from demise. And now's the time."

Stay dandy,

~Toto