Ch 18: Break

Yang had run into issues on her mission that caused it to take longer, her and Coco ending up also having to fight several massive Grimm that were unexpected. While they got out fine, the unexpected had dragged out their mission by a few days. By the time Yang got back to a place she could get Blake's message, she was frantic to get home, not even properly telling Coco goodbye.

When she made it back, Blake and Jin were already back home. She burst through the front door and looked around, finding Jin and Blake in the living room staring at her a bit surprised, Yang relieved, "Oh thank god."

Jin squirmed and got up to her feet running weakly over to Yang excitedly with her arms reaching in the gestured request to be lifted up. Yang happily picked Jin up into her arms as Blake watched them from where she was sitting on the floor. Jin's small arms hugged around Yang's neck, "Mama you're back!"

The blonde gave her child a smile and kissed her head causing her to giggle, "I sure am kiddo. You ok?"

Blake was standing up now, a few toys in her hand as she walked them over to a box to put them away while her ears flicked listening to her family. Jin nodded, "I'm ok. I beat up a bad doggie that stole my toy!"

Yang didn't like the way that sounded but played it off, giving a surprised sound to her voice, "You did huh? Well, aren't you brave?"

Jin flexed her arms in a mock way she had seen Yang do before which made Blake snicker in amusement despite herself, "Don't encourage her Yang. She was "fighting" Grimm. She's only three."

Yang waved Blake off at first as if she wasn't really listening until she heard a bit of a growling warning from the woman and folded her will, "Alright alright. Well, you heard your Mommy. No more fighting the mean animals kiddo."

When Blake started to leave the room, Yang leaned close to the pouting child in her arms and whispered, "But I still think you are cool kiddo."

"I heard that," Blake called back, both blondes flinching before sharing a laugh.

—-

Winter had just finished a meeting that had run late, the sky already starting to darken outside. She had been dealing with meetings all day so grueling getting teeth pulled would be more enjoyable. She looked at the still massive stack of paperwork on her desk and groaned deeply, laying her head down on the hard wood desk.

As her eyes were closed and she was trying to get the smallest of breaks in, her scroll started to ring. At first, Winter thought to just ignore it but with her daughter staying with her sister she didn't like risking missing a potentially important call. Another groan left her as she reached into her pocket without even looking, pulling the scroll onto the desk near her face and answering it, the video screen showing mostly the top of her head and a bit of a closed eye, "Yes?"

"Winter we need to… Winter are you alright?" Weiss had started to speak about Dove but taking in her sister's state she shifted gears to check on her first.

Winter's other hand rubbed her face as she took in a deep inhale before sitting up and opening her eyes, composing herself, "I'm fine. It's just been a very… long day. What were you starting to say, Weiss?"

Her sister wasn't quite sure Winter was being entirely honest but didn't press the issue, instead focusing back on the topic she had called for, "Winter, we need to discuss Dove. Do you have some time?"

Winter's face grew concerned, brows furrowed as she nodded, "Of course. What is it, is everything alright?"

She could see Weiss hold up a hand to stop Winter, speaking calmly, "Dove is alright but I wouldn't say everything is… fine. She's been… continuing to cause problems when Jin is around. She wasn't directly the cause of the Grimm attack this time but she did just stand there and watch it happen without even coming to tell me or Ruby. I'm not sure why and she didn't give any good answers either and just got upset when I tried to get her to tell me. Winter, do you think… maybe she might do better going visit Mom, Klein and Whitley for a while instead? I know all the sand in the air in Vacuo isn't the healthiest for people but they could certainly provide so much more attention and care than even I could."

Weiss really wanted to ask Winter to consider telling Qrow but Winter already looked like she might have stress on her plate so she swung for her plan B instead. Her sister was quiet for a while before she sighed in a way that made Weiss's heart ache, watching the older woman put her face in her hand and lean on the desk, "Winter… Dove just… I don't know, she seems like she's acting out. I don't know the reason for it but it's putting me in a tight spot. I'm having to choose between my two nieces and Sterling wants to see his other cousin too. It's not really fair to anyone. You know… you could maybe talk to Q…"

Winter was quick to cut off that thought, "I'll come get her in the morning. Thank you Weiss for everything you have done for me while you could. I'm sorry she's caused so much trouble. I'll figure something out. Is it alright for her to stay the rest of the night at least?"

Weiss's face softened watching winter, nodding, "Of course it's alright. She's family and I love her. I'm not going to just kick her out Winter, relax. I'll let you get back to it then. See you in the morning. And Winter? Please try not to work yourself too hard."

The older woman gave a weak, forced smile and the call ended. She set down the scroll and placed her face into her hands leaning into her elbows on the desk. She had hoped she could either get through all this rough start-up nonsense or get Dove to a year or so older before she had to figure out bringing her daughter to work with her.

She wondered if telling Dove about her dad so early had been a bad choice? She was growing more than certain that it might be the root of why she was acting up in some way. She wasn't entirely sure though why it was directed at Jin except that maybe it was just because Dove wasn't really around many other children except for Sterling so Jin was just an unfortunate proxy.

Winter knew her family in Vacuo would offer love and care but Winter didn't want to send her daughter so far away just because of her job. She dragged her hands down her face and stared at the stack of paperwork. If it meant she could have a bit more free time that would allow her to figure out having Dove with her in the office, she would stay up all night to finish the stack.

—-

Weiss came back into her living room after the call ended and sat next to Ruby. Sterling was tucked under her arm leaning into her having passed out and the woman was just enjoying watching him sleep not wanting to disturb him. Dove last anyone checked was in the room she had been staying in with some colors and something to color on, not wanting to come out.

Ruby turned to look at Weiss as she had sat down, "How did it go?"

When her wife just sighed with a sad looking expression, "I think Winter is pretty overwhelmed right now but she's coming to get Dove in the morning. I don't think Dove will be staying much with us after this."

"Oh," Ruby said softly. She gently rubbed Sterling's back. Even if Dove was not great with Jin she was amazing with Sterling, always acting like a loving big sister almost when Jin wasn't there, "He's going to be upset."

She also felt bad. Granted they were not raising Dove or anything but she didn't want Weiss to have to pick and choose family. When it all started, Weiss had been really happy for the opportunity to be able to help her sister out like this. Add on the fact that Winter means so much to Weiss and Ruby felt like Weiss's sad expression might be due to having a feeling of failing her sister in some way or something.

Weiss reached and pulled the clips and ties out of her hair, letting it fall loose and running her fingers through it to help it fall from its braid with a relieved sigh as the feeling, "Oh well. It can't be helped I suppose. But Jin will be able to see him more so that should help."

Ruby nodded slightly, "Yea… I guess so…"

A finger poked into her cheek and she glanced over at the culprit, kind eyes staring back at her, "It'll be fine in time Ruby."

The younger woman nodded and turned her face to kiss Weiss's finger before the older leaned in to rest against Ruby's side, her head on Ruby's shoulder.

—-

Winter didn't feel like talking much when she came to get Dove that morning. It was extremely early, the sun still not fully up in the sky, and she looked like she hadn't slept. Dove was still sleeping and Weiss was the only one up to greet Winter. Even Weiss was too tired to try to make conversation, letting Winter inside and exchanging the necessary pleasantries before excusing herself to go back to bed once Winter agreed she was not at all bothered to let herself out so that her younger sister could rest.

Winter had left note that she would be taking the day off and had every intention to bring Dove home and get as much sleep as she could before getting up for the day with the child to give Dove her full attention.

—-

Jin and Sterling spent several days a week together without the worry of Dove, even though Sterling now seemed quite withdrawn when Jin wasn't around, having gotten used to having Dove for company.

Time turned fall into winter and the family got together for Christmas and Sterling's birthday. However, Winter took Dove to Vacuo to stay with Willow, Klein and Whitley rather than go to the Rose household that had become the tradition.

Even when spring came and then summer, dove's birthday was spent with Winter taking her somewhere rather than doing something with the others. Ruby had tried to reassure herself eventually it would be ok but it was getting harder to do so. Even Weiss seemed to be struggling to believe it would be fine and clearly missed her sister and niece, calls from a scroll not nearly enough to actually fill that void.

—-

As if time blinked and someone missed it, time had gone by since Dove had last come to their home but finally as Sterling's fifth birthday was coming around, Winter and Dove were coming back to see them. Blake and Yang were already there with Jin when Winter and Dove arrived. Winter kept Dove in the car for a bit as Qrow, Tai and Raven were finishing up with the kids before leaving though Dove peered over the window and frowned watching her father with Jin in his lap getting a gift and hugging her before they left.

Dove was becoming a rather cute girl and while she was fairly healthy, compared to her scrawny sickly cousins, she seemed to almost have a radiance to her when next to them. She had started keeping her hair in a short cut, almost like a bob and having interest in wearing more dresses and girly things. As they entered the house, Sterling and Jin were standing near the door and the boy got excited, quickly hugging Dove, "Dove! I missed you!"

Jin just stood there unsure watching. Dove hugged him back smiling. She had greatly missed him too. She had spent so much of her early life around him that she had been saddened to not see him in person for so long. When they parted, Jin tried to be friendly, attempting to show the toys her family had just given her to share but Dove's expression immediately darkened towards her and she smacked them away, "I don't care about your junk, animal."

Dove didn't think poorly of faunus, she just thought poorly of everything to do with Jin in particular. The parents hadn't noticed, all caught up in conversation. It had been so long since the last time the children had all been together that the idea of any lingering trouble was out of mind, the rational thought being the girl had grown out of it. After all, Dove's behavior that Winter could comment on in the time since was nothing short of stellar.

Sterling frowned but Jin's lips turned in a sad expression, clinging to her gifts, her set of sharp dragon teeth lightly nibbling nervously into her lower lip. Dove noticed them of course, frowning and pointing at them, "What are those? Why are your teeth so freaky? You just get more like a monster as you grow huh?"

Jin immediately tucked them back into her mouth and closed her lips, tongue running across them absent-mindedly as Sterling folded his arms, "Dove that's mean. Be nice!"

The older girl shrugged, walking past them towards the living room, her shoulder shoving Jin's, "It's not mean it's true."

Sterling watched her go before he looked at Jin who seemed like she might cry. His hand grabbed her shoulder, "Don't listen Jin. You aren't a monster. You're cute!"

Jin rubbed her eyes and just pulled away from him. Her teeth had already been hard to get used to. She had stopped teething a while back once they all grew in but her family did have to spend a lot of money replacing almost all of their furniture which meant Yang was gone on a lot of extra missions to afford it, many of which were longer and further from home. Getting used to sharp teeth also had meant many accidents biting herself a few times or getting into a lot more trouble being taught not to bite Yang.

To say her trait had already basically been a hassle would be an understatement and even at almost five she was very aware of this. She felt like it was her fault Yang was gone so much like she was being punished away from her beloved mother and playmate for her ravenous teething. Now she was here with that girl pointing it out to her face that she was different.

"I'm not cute…" she mumbled and walked away from him.

Sterling just watched before following her, as he usually did. He wasn't a very adventurous child, instead often following Jin around to whatever fun she was up to, her imagination and need for excitement much more fulfilling than his own, even if it did often get them into weird situations or trouble.

As their parents all were talking in the kitchen around the counter, Jin and Sterling made their way towards them. Jin tugged Yang's shirt to get her attention and when the blonde turned the little dragon pointed towards outside, "Can we go play in the snow? It's boring inside."

Yang rubbed the back of her neck, glancing towards Blake and Weiss first, unsure if she could even let the kids go out there without the two giving her hell for sickly kids being in the cold. When neither of them protested, she turned back to Jin with a big smile, "Sure kiddo but let's get you bundled up first, yea?"

Weiss also excused herself to help get Sterling ready to go outside. They got the two in their coats and other clothing to stay warm before letting them out the back door, Jin grabbing her small backpack with a few toys in it. Weiss was stern as she looked at them, "What is the rule about the woods?"

The two in unison responded reciting the words dryly, "Do not go anywhere near them and if we see any Grimm we come straight inside."

Weiss nodded satisfied and waved them off, "alright go play."

The two ran off into the snow with excited squeals. Yang chuckled watching them before returning to the others. Weiss turned to Dove who was watching them go and smiled, "Do you want to join them?"

Dove seemed to think for a moment before she shrugged, "I want to go outside…"

Weiss had her get herself bundled back up and let her go as well with a warning, "Do not drag them anywhere they are not allowed to go, you understand? And the same rules apply to you as well. I mean it Dove. Get a fresh start ok?"

Dove gave a bit of a scowl but hid it well in her scarf around her chin before nodding quietly and heading out after the other two. Weiss watched them cautiously for a bit from the door window, the two younger children working together to try to make a snowman as Dove seemed to wander the yard exploring the snow on her own. When satisfied that things seemed fine and she heard Ruby calling for her, Weiss rejoined the others.

Dove was poking her feet into odd sunken pockets of snow not far from bushes and daring the tree lines once Weiss had left them. What looked like a child simply kicking up snow in some sort of game of pretend was actually a girl digging for anything interesting in the ground under the snow. Dove was bored and had zero interest in helping with the snowman if it meant playing with Jin.

The more she could hear Jin's joy the more she felt her jealousy burning inside herself, the image of her father giving all his love and attention to the other girl seared into her mind so painfully it made her hatred boil tenfold compared to years ago. As she worked her way aimlessly around the yard she eventually was in a patch of bushes near where Jin had tossed her backpack down.

Sterling tried to call her over to play with them but she declined calmly, still focused on whatever it was she was digging for, she wasn't sure yet but she knew she would know when she discovered it. About a foot from the backpack, her foot kicked up a patch of snow that revealed a small den hole slightly bigger than an adult fist with something white and yellow glistening motionless inside.

She crouched down to peer within and saw a few tiny hibernating deathstalkers, completely immobile from the cold. With a subtle quick glance back she could tell no one was paying her any mind as the idea struck her. Turning back she carefully scooped the two out and shuffled them into the bottom of the backpack that's zipper was open wide, hiding them in the toys. She had enough sense not to want to kill anyone and with the frozen Grimm it made it easy to snap off the stingers so they wouldn't poison Jin. She just wanted to scare her or maybe get her pinched.

As she was tossing the stingers back into the den, Sterling called out to her for help from the taller child getting their snowman's head on. She stood up, turning to them, "Ok, coming!"

Everything still lay as it had been and she jogged over, helping the younger children reach to get the head onto their lumpy, poorly crafted snowman. Jin had given it cat ears like her mom which seemed interesting to Dove in a way and she smirked, "Why did it have to be a cat? Did the lizard make the head?"

Jin's face twisted into an angry pout as Sterling fussed at Dove, "Dovveee stop! It's cute! Aunt Blake's ears are cute too! Be nice!"

Dove rolled her eyes and sighed, folding her arms, "Fine! Kitties are cute I guess. But lizards are still gross."

She stared at Jin as she said that, making the little dragon shrink in on herself a bit and fidget her fingers. The older child went to make snow angels closer to the porch as the others started dressing up their snow faunus in whatever they could think of. The warmth of being tucked into the backpack was thawing and waking the little deathstalkers which were not happy about their snapped off stingers.

The younger children felt something was missing from their creation when Jin remembered she had a small toy dagger from Raven in her bag. Sterling went to go get their parents to show off their snow faunus as Jin grabbed her bag and walked back to the being. A small hand rummaged around in the bag, amber eyes peering into the dark space crowded with toys as she was digging.

Dove didn't watch but just listened as she continued to entertain herself. As Ruby and Blake were dragged outside by Sterling, Jin yelped and her hand flew out of the bag with the tiny angry but lethargic deathstalker clamped to her finger by a pincer. The bag flew down and the other one went crawling out and towards her slowly. Dove shot up to watch her flail around, snickering as Blake and Ruby rushed over, Blake crushing the one on her daughter's hand to dust as Ruby stomped her boot into the other over and over until it was dust.

In the situation around them, neither assumed Dove did anything due to the fact she was off on her own nowhere near the scene and it wasn't like she chose not to go get anyone, though Blake gave her a nasty look at her laughter which shut Dove up instantly with a gulp. Jin's hand was fine, just a bit red, the small Grimm having still been too weak and cold to do much harm. Blake assumed Jin was more surprised than hurt by the situation as she calmed her down.

There were no distress calls as the cartilage had already mostly dissolved by this point in Jin's age so Blake wasn't sent into any sort of mindless frenzy but she was glad she was around when it happened. Ruby gave Dove a disapproving look before walking over, "Dove, why were you laughing?"

Dove frowned and looked at her feet as she swayed them back and forth, still sitting in the snow, "Well… it reminded me of cartoons."

Ruby couldn't really argue that factor. She scratched her head and sighed, "Ok well, that might be true but it's still not a very nice thing to do ok?"

The girl sighed and nodded. Blake tried to express her doubts to Yang but the blonde diverted from the conversation treating Blake like she was over exaggerating based on the fact there was clearly no way to prove Dove was involved in any way to what happened, rationalizing what happened as two Grimm finding a warm place to hide. She was not really wanting to deal with anything to do with Dove as the girl got older, still very uncomfortable with the fact her uncle didn't know she existed.

—-

At midnight the night of Christmas Eve, Ruby and Weiss crept into Sterling's room for the tradition of wishing him happy birthday with a cupcake. Jin was in the guest room with Blake and Yang and Dove was in the spare room with Winter so they didn't have to worry about waking any of the other children.

Ruby knelt by the side of his bed with the cupcake wearing a big grin as Weiss sat gently next to him, her fingers lightly running through his soft long hair as she spoke his name sweetly. His eyes blinked open and he yawned, grinning and sitting up as he saw the treat and candle, their voices whispering the short tune of happy birthday to him before he blew it out happily.

As Weiss kissed his head, Ruby pulled the candle from the snack and when the older woman moved away Sterling got up from the bed to eat it, sitting in Ruby's lap on the floor. Weiss leaned over resting on her hand to watch them, messing with his hair more as she whispered, "What did you wish for?"

Swallowing down his bite, frosting on his face, he grinned big, but Ruby stopped him before he could answer, using her thumb to wipe his face, "You can't say it or it won't come true."

He squirmed against her thumb and then giggled, "That's not true Mama! Besides I know it will! Mommy says I can do anything! I wished to be a cool hero just like you Mama!"

It was the first time he had ever voiced a desire like this though Weiss wasn't entirely surprised. Still, she did worry. They didn't know if he would ever be healthy enough to be able to do anything like that but any time he had wanted to try things Weiss tried her best to let him if she could, not wanting to stifle him like her parents had to her, wanting him to have a childhood worth having as best and as safely as she could provide even if it meant tweaking his experience against his knowledge to do so.

Ruby worked a lot but always was home in the evenings with her family and often found a day or two each week to be off to be with them so there was a lot she didn't know about what Weiss found ways to provide in their son's interests. It was never anything too extreme as he wasn't much of a wild child but Weiss had seen him once or twice in his room playing in ways that did look like when Ruby would train in the yard.

Before Weiss could give any sort of reassurance to his young dreams, even if she was mostly humoring him, Ruby spoke, "No buddy, I don't think so."

His little brows scrunched as he turned a bit to look up at her, the few bites remaining on his cupcake becoming quickly forgotten, "But… why? Mama is amazing. I wanna be like Mama…"

Weiss was pulling herself to their side of the bed and sitting up, moving her legs over the edge getting ready to grab Sterling as Ruby continued, her voice carrying a tone he had not really heard before, sounding almost rude, "Because you can't. You aren't strong enough."

He was starting to frown, eyes getting watery, "I can get stronger!"

Ruby slid him off her lap, "No, you can't. Now I said no. I won't allow it."

Weiss had enough and reached, grabbing Sterling as he was starting to cry, his heart broken by a mother he adored and looked up to, her voice curt as she glared at Ruby holding him tucked close to herself, "Ruby! That's enough! He can be whatever he wants to be! He just wants to be like you. Why are you treating him this way?"

Ruby frowned at her but her eyes seemed to be staring through Weiss not at her, voice flat of any actual emotion other than a hint of resistance, "No he can't. His doctor said he won't even develop an ability to produce a protective aura. I refuse to sign him up to die. Why are you so willing to support him marching to his death? He'll never be able to make it and you know it just as much as I do. You shouldn't be encouraging this."

Weiss was so disappointed and confused by Ruby's behavior. Ruby was the last person Weiss ever expected to just shoot someone down when they wanted to be good in the world. Her brows furrowed but her eyes and mouth slacked with her emotions, hand rubbing Sterling's back to try to soothe his crying as he clung to her shaking in his sadness, "Ruby… what's gotten into you?"

"Me? What's gotten into you? We both know this is too dangerous. Was him dying once not enough for you? Why are you so eager to let him die again?!" Ruby said with sharpness now in her voice though her eyes were watering as she continued, walking towards the door, "I've said what I said. I won't discuss this anymore. I'm going to bed."

She left the room. Weiss was just left standing there holding their heartbroken son on his birthday of all days. She was shocked and disappointed in her wife and unsure how to fix it at this moment. Her face turned back to her son and she rested her cheek against his hair, gently shushing his cries and walking to his bed to sit with him, "Don't listen to her, you can do whatever you dream of Sterling, I promise."

His sad whimpering was breaking her own heart and she could only reassure him until he wore himself out and fell asleep. She tucked him into bed and set the cupcake down in the kitchen before slipping into her room where Ruby was in bed with her back towards Weiss's side of the bed. She slipped into the bed and bit her lip, gently reaching out to touch Ruby's shoulder until Ruby jerked away, "Ruby… why are you being like this…"

It was nothing but silence in the darkness of the room for what felt like forever until finally her wife's whisper responded, "Too many people I love have died already. He cannot possibly do this; he will never have the basic skills needed to even try. I can't sit back and guide him to his death just because he thinks it's what he wants to be when he grows up. What kind of parent signs their child up to die?"

"Ruby… that's… you don't know that will ha…" Weiss began, trying to reach out again to try to hold Ruby but once again her wife pulled away from her.

"Drop it please. I'm tired. Let's just go to bed," Ruby said with a sternness unfamiliar to her voice and it was clear she wasn't willing to discuss it anymore.

Weiss wanted so badly to soothe her wife's worry and pain but Ruby wasn't letting her. It was hurtful and frustrating. She knew about Summer. She also of course knew about Pyrrha and Penny and none of them could forget losing Jaune in the battle with Salem, who had become one of Ruby's closest friends before the end. Out of all of them, no one in their group had lost as much as Ruby had. Weiss knew it all had taken its toll on her wife but she hadn't realized it was still such a deep lasting wound.

Staring at Ruby's back, she sighed and pulled her hand back to herself, whispering "Good night Ruby. I love you."

—-

The rest of the week went about the same though there were no more Grimm run ins, Dove didn't miss chances when no adults were around to insult Jin's faunus status or the way she ran to Blake over everything, a few times even making Jin cry to which she would tease Jin about being a sensitive "baby". Sterling was still so upset he just kept to himself and stuck around Weiss who was still trying to figure out how she could resolve the situation, a few small arguments bursting between them on the subject anytime they found themselves alone though dying out quickly not wanting to drag others into the disagreement.

Weiss had gotten no further at convincing her wife or making any breakthrough trying to help heal her pain in her heart from all the loss in the past but she had grown a bit irritable at the way Ruby was hurting their son so stubbornly.

By the time everyone left to go home, Jin had a now completely developed complex about her faunus trait she was keeping to herself and Sterling and Ruby's relationship was permanently changed.