He was used to worrying. Came with the territory, you know? First it was his team, back in Beacon. Brothers, the crap they got up to, he had no idea how they managed to SURVIVE, much less make it through without getting expelled.

It was messy, VERY messy, but they managed. They graduated, received their huntsman license, and Oz brought them all into his little club. Then he started worrying more about Salem. In Beacon, they almost always went on missions as a full team. After graduation, every now and then Oz would call, and one or sometimes two of them would go off for a few weeks.

Tai hated that. Oh, he understood, sure. Oz usually only gave them missions he thought they could handle, and if he wasn't sure, he'd send the whole team. But he made mistakes sometimes, and sometimes they paid for it.

He paused for a moment to think on what his plants needed done today, breaking his train of thought. He enjoyed gardening. It gave him a nice bit of busywork to do, and he found it soothing. Especially when dealing with more, unpleasant memories.

Raven left, with a crying baby in their room and not so much as a word of goodbye. He started worrying for her, too. He still did, if he was being honest with himself. And Yang. Brothers, what would he have ever done without Summer? Gone crazy, probably.

But Summer left too, and he worried about her, and she didn't come back. The worrying turned into grieving and things were bad for…a while. But the world kept on turning, and, little by little, they got better again, thanks in no small part to Yang running off into the woods and nearly getting herself killed.

Things slowed down after Summer. Obviously, he couldn't go on missions anymore, and Raven seemed to be doing…fine, so he spent his time with his daughters, doing the best he could to raise them right. The only one he really worried for back then was Qrow. He insisted on never staying too long, no matter how many times Tai tried to convince him too, and since he was the only one of Oz's agents left not tied down to a school, he got to handle all the secret missions sent his way. His drinking got worse, and Tai suspected he hadn't handled Raven leaving as well as he claimed, but he seemed to make it work. He doubted it was entirely healthy, but he was thankful that at least he held it together.

Ruby and Yang grew older, and they quickly gave him a reason to start worrying again. Ruby idolized her Uncle, and especially her mother. By the time she could walk and talk, she had already decided she'd be the greatest huntress Remnant had ever seen. Yang, being the protective older sister she was, seemed set on becoming a huntress as well, if only to look out for Ruby.

Tai frowned, setting down his watering can. He didn't think Yang ever really got over her and Ruby nearly dying. As easy going as she was, Tai was sure she still felt at least a little guilty over the incident. And though he knew she still searched for Raven, she had at least learned not to be so reckless.

He was so proud when Yang was accepted into Beacon, and terrified when Ruby was. He'd refrained from informing Oz about Ruby's eyes, not to deliberately mislead Ozpin, but because he wanted her to have a normal childhood. Qrow did the same, he knew. If Oz found out, he would immediately start nudging Ruby towards learning how to use her eyes. to defend herself. And while Tai understood the reasoning, really, he wanted Ruby to grow up without worrying about being hunted for her eyes, and all the other horrors that came with it. It was what Summer wanted, too.

He'd calmed down soon enough though. Ultimately, he trusted Oz. He would make sure Ruby received whatever training she would need. It would be good for her, too. Beacon was her dream after all, and not only did she get to go early, she even got placed on the same team as her sister, as the leader. Besides, where in Remnant would they be safer than Beacon?

He drove his spade into the ground with a bit too much force, throwing up a clump of dirt into the air. Beacon fell. Yang lost her arm, Ruby fell into a coma, both nearly died, Oz DID die, and any chance of saving Amber was firmly put to ground. He only knew about the girl from what Qrow had told him, but no one that young should have to have gone through what she did.

Ruby left, with a few of her friends who had survived Beacon. Qrow went with them, thankfully, but he worried for them all the same. Yang stayed, still reeling from Beacon. It took some effort on both their parts, but he eventually managed to break through to her. Just like she and Qrow had all those years ago.

Then she left too, to go after her sister. And once again, Tai was left alone on Patch. Only, this time they weren't on some routine mission, or under the safety of Beacon. All that was left of his family had chosen to run headfirst into danger, with no way of keeping in contact with him due to the collapse of the CCT.. And it was the right thing to do, he knew that.

Still, he worried.

Tai shook his head, wiping the sweat off his brow. He was always worried. He had faith in Ruby and Yang, and in Qrow. Hopefully, Oz comes back sooner rather than later, and links up with Qrow. That'd at least give them all an extra layer of security.

He was so focused on tending to his flowers, the familiar ruffling of flowers took him by surprise. He stood quickly, looking for the source. When he found it, the surprise on his face turned into a scowl. He had learned how to tell between the two Branwen's Corvid forms years ago.

"What are you doing here, Raven?"

She's been watching her ex-husband garden for an hour. She didn't even know why. It was pointless, and beyond boring. And it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair he could sit here, so unphased, so content, while her heart hadn't stopped racing since Haven.

I suppose that's probably why I haven't interrupted. I don't know what else to do. And she didn't know where else to go, either. Yang and Qrow had made their opinion very clear, and she couldn't even blame them for it. But she couldn't return to the tribe, either. Vernal had literally been her only link to the tribe, and once she had…after what happened in the vault, she had no way back.

Besides that…she wasn't sure she wanted to go back. Not yet.

For the last hour, she had been agonizing over her last confrontation with her daughter. Every word, every action, every misstep. Deeper and deeper, a hole seemed to dig itself into her chest. Her brother, who for so long had been the only person outside of the tribe she spoke to, if only rarely, had finally renounced her. Yang…Yang had confronted her with every awful truth she had known about herself for years. She had told her, flat you, that she was a coward, who would walk away from the relic, and leave it in Yang's hands, because it would shift the danger to her and away from Raven. Yang knew she would run.

And she had. Forced to turn to the only place she had left, she opened a portal just outside of Taiyang's cottage. Where she had been watching him garden, for almost an hour now. Until, while hopping to another branch, the ruffling of her feathers drew his attention.

"What are you doing here, Raven?" Well, no more hiding. She came here, and chose to stay, knowing full well she would have to speak with him sooner or later. She hopped out of the tree, and rose from the ground, leaving her Corvid form.

"Why do you waste so much time on flowers?" She asked, crossing her arms. "They're plants, Tai. They grow just fine in the wild. Spending who knows how long trimming and pruning is just pointless."

Her former partner shook his head. "Of course that would be what you focus on. Seventeen years since we've spoken to each other, and the first thing you do is mock me for gardening. I tend to the plants because I care about them, Raven. I put a lot of work into them, and I'm not just going to let them grow wild however they want. Now stop avoiding the question."

She winced, refusing to meet his eyes. "Perhaps you have a point." His words had struck a chord with her. Of all the moronic things that could have come to mind, she managed to find a metaphor in gardening. He nurtured his flowers, while she would have let them grow on their own.

His eyes widened for a moment, taken aback. "You just backed down before an argument started. Something's wrong. What happened? Did Yang find you?"

Raven bit her lip, unsure of what to say. You came all this way. You fed your daughter to the wolves, and let one of the last people who trusted you die forgotten in a hole. The least you can do is speak. "Yang found me." She finally admitted. "And I sent her to Qrow. As for what happened after…much happened, Taiyang."

He frowned. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"The fall maiden came for me." She blurted. "She and her lackeys approached the tribe, demanding my aid. They knew the spring maiden was with me, and they needed to open the vault. I blew them off, at first, but they told me Lionheart was already a traitor. They would just come back for me if I refused, so I agreed." She took a deep breath before she continued, shaking. Get a hold of yourself. "On the condition that they killed Qrow. I thought…I thought they would manage. Between Qrow, and the half dozen children, I thought they could throw themselves against Cinder and her lackeys, and I would slip in and take the relic for myself, as insurance. Qrow and the others would be fine, Salem's brats would retreat, and neither would have the relic."

"But things got messy. Chaotic. I didn't kill Cinder as fast as I thought I would, and…Someone paid for it. In the time it took me to finish her, Yang caught up." Her eyes seemed to glaze over, and she stopped shaking as she recalled their last meeting. "She told me that I would leave, and let her take the relic. Because I was a coward, and having the relic meant sooner or later Salem would come for me. I thought it would be insurance, a bargaining chip, but Yang knew better. She knew I would let her take it, and put the risk on her shoulders." She shook her head, and looked him in the eyes. "I did, Taiyang. I let her do it. I couldn't stay, I had no way back to the tribe, so I came here and I, I…" Raven trailed off. She still couldn't believe herself. Her entire life she clung to her values of strength, of self-worth, and her daughter had torn it all down in the span of a few minutes.

What was I thinking, coming here? I just told him I nearly got Qrow, and the girls, and all their little friends killed. This was a mistake.

But Taiyang didn't try to fight her, or shout at her to leave. He just sighed, and nodded towards the house. "Come inside. We should talk."

"And who exactly was this Vernal girl?" Tai asked.

No one important. A dead girl who served her purpose. The response came unbidden, almost on instinct Because that's what she would say. She was supposed to be Raven Branwen, Chief of the Branwen Tribe. Vernal served her purpose and that should have been the end of that.

But it wasn't. Yang had torn down the wall of lies she had surrounded herself in for years, and confessing to Tai had brought down whatever remained. No sense lying to herself now. "Vernal was my decoy for the Spring Maiden. But more than that…she was what I wanted to have with Yang. What I wanted her to be. I couldn't raise Yang, and I didn't raise Vernal, but with her at least, I could have some sort of halfway relationship. It wasn't fair to her."

"Did anyone else die?" That was it? That's all he has to say?

Raven shrugged. "The fall maiden, obviously. I can't speak for the others, but Yang, Qrow and Ruby are all still alive, and I doubt they'd let anything happen to their friends. I didn't stick around for the latter half of the battle, though."

"You have a bond with Ruby?" He asked softly.

She thought for a moment that she would deny him, saying she misspoke. But she was tired. She didn't want to argue with him. "I've watched Yang over the years. I know you and Qrow have seen me a few times. I've watched Ruby by extension. She's Summer's child, and yours as well…and that means something to me." Raven had to force the last words out. Brothers, she hated this. She was never very good at this kind of talking, even when she was with Tai, but now she didn't see any choice.

Thankfully, Tai didn't push her. It seemed he still understood her. She hated being vulnerable. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know!" She threw her hands up. "I didn't have a plan, I just came here! If you want me to leave, just say so."

"I didn't say that." He said calmly. "But you could have left once you came through the portal. You wanted to speak to me. Why?"

"I can't get to the Tribe right now." She answered slowly. "And…I'm not sure that I want to. After what Yang said…I needed to speak to someone." She looked up to meet his eyes. "And, I suppose, I knew you would listen"

They sat in silence for a moment, before Tai spoke up. "You'll have to speak with them again."

"I know that!" Raven snapped. She cooled down immediately after. "Sorry," She added. "But I can't just…It's too much, right now."

"Until then," He continued. "You can stay here."

Raven paused, processing his words. "What?"

Tai smiled. "I've been trying to get you to come back for the last seventeen years, Raven, we all have. And right now, I'm more worried about my friend, who needs a place to stay, than I am about being petty."

"You heard everything I just told you, correct?" She asked.

"You have no place to go, in the middle of a personal crisis, and you don't want to go back to the Tribe. Sounds like Beacon all over again. We'll call it a high school reunion."

"And how did that turn out last time?" She asked mockingly.

His smile faded. "Raven, everything you did, I got over years ago. You left, and it hurt, for a long time. Eventually, though, it just faded. And the hurt grew into concern, largely for you. If you're serious, you're more than welcome to stay. Things will never be how they were Raven, we both know that, but you'll always be a friend, if you let us."

"You're an idiot, Tai." She cried, choking back tears.

"Yeah, yeah, heard it a million times. I'll go prepare Qrows room. Not like he's using it."

He left her alone, to wipe away her tears before they spilled. I should thank him for that. That was thoughtful.

Things were bad, now, she knew that. In truth, They'd been awful, and for a while. But maybe now, away from the tribe, with Tai, they might start slowly getting better.

And perhaps, next they meet, her daughter might look at her with something more than disgust.

When all was said and done, it coulda gone a lot worse.

Haven was still standing, the brat who cut Yang's arm off was on the run, and the White Fang were apparently good now? Lionheart was dead, and so was the fall maiden according to Yang.

The Relic was secure, and no one on their side kicked the bucket. The Schnee came close, But thankfully Arc's semblance came in.

Raven ran off, and the rest of Fall's lackeys made it out, but considering his luck, he'd call the day a win regardless.

Qrow pushed his sister out of his mind. No use dwelling on it now. She made her choice.

He knocked twice on the door, and entered. Ruby was still in bed, awake. She smiled as he entered. "Uncle Qrow! Did something happen? What's going on?"

He rolled his eyes. "Nothing happened, you dork, I'm checking on you. How ya holding up?"

"Oh, I'm fine." She said earnestly. "I wasn't hurt too bad, not really. But the stupid doctors say I have to stay in bed so I'm stuck here." She pouted, crossing her arms.

"Those "stupid doctors" know what they're talking about a bit more than you do kiddo." He reminded her. "Anyways, what about your friends? I know the Schnee girl, Weiss? She got hit pretty hard."

Ruby beamed. "Weiss is great! Jaune's semblance completely healed her. Or, her aura did, but he helped? I don't really get how it works yet." She admitted. "But it's cool! She doesn't even remember getting speared! Everyone else is pretty much the same as me. Oscar's a little tired, but that's it. Yang's even better than she was before, now that Blake's back, especially given everything that happened with Raven."

Qrow winced. "Right. Yeah, that's good to hear." He tried to sound reassuring, but his voice came out as hollow.

Ruby noticed, frowning. "Raven made her choice. We gave her every chance we could to make the right one, and she refused. Still…I'm sorry. She's your sister, and I know you still cared for her."

He forced out a laugh. "You're right." He said. "And you have nothing to apologize for. Raven made her choice, and we have to deal with the fallout. It's just…a lot easier said than done for me."

Ruby nodded in agreement, before wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing him into a hug. "You still have me and Yang, if you ever want to talk."

Qrow laughed again, this time without force. "I thought I was the one supposed to be looking out for you."

She shrugged. "Everyone needs someone looking out for them sometimes. Even you."

"Alright, alright, I get it. Enough with the sappy crap." He waved his hand. "I'll quit moping around. I just…need a little bit of time, is all."

"Sure thing, Uncle Qrow." She chirped.

"Thanks, kiddo. I mean it." He said. " Anyways, you should rest up. It's a long ride to Argus, and we still gotta get from there to Atlas. And I gotta have a word with Oz."

"Bye!" Ruby waved emphatically. "See you soon."

Dork, he thought, closing the door behind him. I'm leaving the room, she'll probably see me in a few hours.

She was right, of course. About everything. Raven brought this on herself, and ran off the first chance she got.

He stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked the halls of Mistral. Wasn't that how it's always gone, though? Her leaving, and him staying? No, that wasn't quite right. He'd left before, at Beacon, after Summer confronted him. He'd left after, for shorter periods of time. His semblance demanded it.

No, He decided. The difference between Him and Raven, was that no matter what, he always came back. Summer had told him as much, that day in the Tundra.

And she was right as well. Raven had left, again, and he came back. He was there, when they needed him.

And this time, He thought, I'm not going anywhere.

Goddamn. This'll be Thirty thousand something words by the time this is over, and five chapters long. I was originally planning on making this a two-three thousand word one-shot.

In my defense, again, this is the first time I've ever written anything that wasn't for a school project. And I didn't really understand how long each chapter was until I posted the last one, and looked at it on the website. These are LONG chapters. Well, like I said last time, this one's a little shorter.

I learned a lot from this. Like, you know, NOT HAVING A PLAN is kind of a bad idea. Thankfully, I had one finished by the end of the third chapter. I also have a better idea of how to use the websites I'm posting this on, both AO3 and .

Going forward, I want to keep chapters a little shorter, two to four thousand words. I personally prefer longer stories, but a seven thousand word chapter right of rip might be a little intimidating. In the past couple weeks, I've also been getting in the habit of writing at least five hundred words a day, as evidenced by the faster uploads. Hopefully, this means I can set a schedule for updates. No promises.

I have two Ideas for other fics, One for Code Geass, which Is completely plotted out, beat for beat, and another one for RWBY which is mostly plotted out. Not sure which I'll tackle first, as they're both really long. I may do a one-shot or two in the meantime.

Anyways, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out considering. Thanks for sticking with it, and please leave a comment if you have any thoughts, I really appreciate it. I learned a lot from this, and I think I'll try experimenting a bit more in future fics. I'm not fully satisfied with how I portrayed POVs.

Till next time