Ch 7: A Dragon, A Maiden And A Tower Of Mistakes

The air was very tense. Winter frowned at Yang but Weiss was the first to speak, tucking her hand over Dove's ear and shielding her face as if Yang's mere presence would harm the baby, "Yang! We are not doing this today!"

The brawler glared at Weiss but growled out a frustrated breath, "I came here to check on both of you and she's here with that… that…"

Winter's anger flared as the blue formed around her eyes, "Don't you dare finish that sentence you hot headed..."

"Oh you wanna go?! I don't care if you are a maiden! We can take this outside right now!"

Weiss was fuming, the baby in her arms was starting to cry at all the aggression in the room. Ruby could feel the daggers of Weiss's angry disappointment stabbing into her as she ducked down to hide, pretending to check on the oven. Blake was still trying to calm Yang down but the woman was ignoring her, red eyes blazing deeper as her hair practically began to glow.

When Ruby peeked back over the counter, Weiss was giving her the darkest look she thought the icy woman ever had, the baby wailing as the white haired aunt tried to rock her softly. Weiss groaned slightly in frustration as she took Dove to another room to try to calm her down first before she would clearly have to be the one to handle the situation, "It's ok my little turtledove. No one's going to hurt you, I promise. You want to watch something fun with me?"

She turned on a children's show she knew her niece loved and sat with her on the couch, still rocking and bouncing the baby while she tried to calm her crying, tiny hands gripping into her shirt tightly. It seemed to be working, the baby sniffling and getting distracted by the bright moving colors. Good thing too because rocking and bouncing her was causing a sharp pain in Weiss's body where she had been stitched up inside. Dove was probably just barely a bit too heavy for her to have been holding in all honesty but bouncing her weight around definitely was too much.

Either why, Weiss wasn't going to let the little girl be scared and upset even if it did hurt. It's not like Ruby would take the baby and everyone else was the problem, Blake not so much but the woman was still stuck behind Yang outside the doorway. The tired woman rested her head back on the back of the couch listening to the chaos in her home as Dove became fully engrossed on the screen leaning back against her aunt.

In the kitchen, Yang's fists were clenched, "How can you even show your face around Ruby knowing what you are doing!? I know Qrow isn't the most responsible but he deserves to know!"

Winter grit her teeth and stood tall, poking her finger angrily into Yang's chest, "I'm here for my sister just like I assume you are! It's none of your business what happens here anyhow! You do not live here! I was invited to be here! And you need to get your nose out of business that doesn't involve you, you brute! It's not your business if I tell that worthless scoundrel or not about my dau..!"

Winter was cut off by Yang's growl and fist flying into her face and catching her cheek. The older woman grunted and her power flew from her shooting Yang back out the door, the precision careful not to damage the house. Blake stepped out of the way just in time to not basically be cannonballed by her heavy wife. Ruby flinched, 'oh no… I am not only dead, Weiss is going to bury me somewhere no one will ever find me… I did not see this coming…'

Blake was shouting at her wife, trying to get her attention as the two women scuffled around the yard yelling at each other. Fists were flying and the words were hard to make out with how the two were smashing into each other. At a certain point, Blake was frowning so deeply she could burn that look into the ages, but she didn't feel it safe for herself or the life inside her to try to physically separate the women. Unfortunately, that was probably the only way anyone was going to get through to Yang long enough to cool her down.

Ruby stared at the open front door before slinking into the archway of the living room, watching Weiss as the woman kept the baby distracted. She could see the tears on Weiss's face and instantly the little guilt she felt flared into a full forced regret that made her cower, her voice coming out meekly, "Weiss I…"

She was cut off by Weiss's shaking voice, clearly able to hear the way it caught here and there in her throat in her sadness and fury, the woman doing her best to not scare her niece, "Ruby shut up. I just needed my sister. How dare you do this. You knew when you had Yang over that it would be a mess. I can't… believe you right now. Is it really that bad for you to have my sister around without you feeling like you have to punish her?! Now, I feel like I'm having to choose between my family and the family I married into. I can't even go settle things because I can't leave you to watch your niece so I can fix this mess you made. I… I can't do this if you can't figure this out Ruby… I should be able to have the support of my wife and my sister. She's the only family I have living close enough to lean on… please… do something right and watch Dove so I can stop this nonsense."

She set Dove on the couch and gripped at her painful area still healing with a squint in one eye as she moved to pass Ruby. God Ruby felt so stupid right now. She wanted to reach out and make sure Weiss was ok but the way her wife shoved past her she knew she couldn't. Weiss didn't deserve this. She was right. Ruby should be able to put this pettiness behind herself at least long enough for Weiss to have her family. She moved to sit with the baby who was staring up at her now shyly, shrinking into herself.

Ruby had always refused to know this baby, so now the two sat here as strangers. Dove didn't know who Ruby even was. The scythe-wielder looked down at the nervous baby and suddenly she felt so awful about herself. She had treated this child like a burden and a plague but it wasn't this child's fault she existed. It was terrible to treat a baby like they were the worst thing ever when all she did was be born. She had no control over who her parents were or how it turned out, no more than Ruby had control over her lost daughter.

Ruby tried to think about why Winter was stubborn about telling Qrow again, having done so once before but her bias had clouded her judgment. Now she thought about her uncle. He really was still a mess. He didn't have his own real place, still drifting around as he worked. He was constantly gone and constantly chasing women, using them for pleasure before ditching them. He also had returned to drinking after Salem was defeated. His sister was also a terrible woman, constantly after a quick buck and vile in general. Hell, she had kidnapped the baby's aunt that actually loved her! On top of all of that, there was the fact Winter didn't love Qrow. She didn't even really like him. They had made a drunken choice during Ruby and Weiss's wedding reception that Winter just wanted to forget the moment of weakness and how easily Qrow had taken advantage of her loneliness.

While Ruby still thought it was wrong, she could see why this was a tough choice for Winter. She wasn't sure if she would do better if she was in the woman's shoes honestly. It would be terrifying for someone like Qrow to suddenly want to have even particle custody all things considered and if she was a woman like Winter she could only imagine how the woman would feel about it.

Her eyes watered. Ruby felt so bad as she leaned her hand out, forcing herself to speak sweetly, "Hi there Dove. I'm sorry we hadn't really met before but I'm your Aunt Ruby."

Dove watched her cautiously for a moment and Ruby glanced over at the cartoons and gave a smile, wiping her tears away, "I love cartoons too. Can I watch it with you?"

After a while of the baby curiously considering Ruby, the baby crawled close and leaned close to Ruby's side, watching the TV, "Otay…"

—-

Outside, Weiss leaned in her doorway and looked at Blake who was growling and shrugging, "I can't get my idiot to stop! I'm so sorry Weiss. If I'd known Winter was here I would've made Yang take us straight h…"

Weiss sighed and shook her head, "It's not your fault Blake. This was bound to happen sooner or later."

Blake noticed how Weiss gripped at her pained abdomen and reached to support her when she stumbled out into the front porch. She refused to let Blake say anything about it, holding up her hand as she stared at her sister and sister-in-law locked shoving each other around the yard, both covered in dirt. She grit her teeth and took a deep breath, her all too familiar tone filling her as she yelled at them, "THAT'S ENOUGH! This is ridiculous and childish! Yang, what my sister chose for herself and her baby is her decision! You can either get used to it or never come here again! Your choice! I love you both but I'll be damned if this is going to continue for even another second in my home! Winter, I swear this behavior is so beneath you. I don't care if she did insult your daughter or your pride, I have been in my living room making my niece stop crying because her own mother helped scare her and no one else seemed to fucking care including you! Now you two can stop this madness and find some sort of ground to be peaceful while you are both here or you can both get the hell out of my house! Either way, I'm going back inside! Ruby cooked good food and I'm hurting and so fucking over this!"

The two women stared at Weiss quietly, eyes blinking in shock as the recovering woman turned to Blake, voice a forced calm, "Blake… can you help me back inside please? I think I might have popped a stitch or something. It hurts pretty bad."

The cat nodded, giving Yang a glare that shook the blonde to her bones and reminded Yang of Ghira's glare before the women disappeared inside. Blake helped Weiss to a chair at the table and knelt by her feet making sure Weiss was ok, the timer on the oven going off, "I'll go get Ruby. Hold on ok?"

When she received a nod, Blake stood and went into the living room, noticing Dove asleep tucked next to Ruby. She stepped over and helped scoop the child so Ruby could stand, "Weiss might have hurt herself trying too hard. The two idiots outside have stopped but I think the food is ready. I'm sorry about all this, I really didn't think it would escalate that far or I'd have made Yang leave somehow…"

Ruby shook her head as she stretched out the tweak in her back from the odd angle she was sitting in and her saddened expression spoke volumes to Blake, "No… this was my fault. I was so annoyed about the whole Winter thing I let you both come here knowing she was coming. I was being stupid and childish… I'm going to go check on the food."

Blake said her name disappointment but softness in her voice but Ruby ignored it, getting the food out the oven before turning it off and stepping over to Weiss who refused to look at her. She sat on her knees at Weiss's feet as tears went down her face, "Weiss I'm so so sorry. What I did was stupid. I didn't mean to hurt you, I was just… it doesn't matter. I messed everything up and I'm so sorry. I realize now how much of a mess I'm making all this when it doesn't even involve me. I know you are mad at me right now but can you please tell me if you are ok? Do you need to go be seen?"

Weiss was holding her face in her hand and struggling to tell whether she wanted to cry or scream or both. She was still gripping her side but the pain had gone down to just throbbing from time to time. She wanted to stay mad at Ruby, needed to stay mad, but she just couldn't. This was all such a disaster and she emotionally was topped out. She just needed support right now. Ruby could see her wife's shoulders tremble and her hands rub at her face and temples as she let out a shaky frustrated sigh, "Ruby… it's subsiding. I think it'll be fine. Can we just…eat and go to bed? I can't anymore with today."

Ruby nodded and stood, getting food prepared on plates. She gave Blake one and handed Blake some of Dove's packed food when Blake offered to make sure the baby ate before going outside with two plates. In the yard, Winter and Yang were talking. She couldn't tell about what and neither looked particularly happy but they seemed to be finding some sort of compromise with each other. From here she could see the bruises and burns on them both. She waved until they noticed her and she set the plates on the porch table, making sure they saw it before she went back inside and sat with Weiss and Blake at the table.

Blake had Dove in her lap and was trying awkwardly to feed her. Weiss was about to take over to help when Ruby reached out and took the spoon, "Please… let me help. You both just focus on getting food in you."

Weiss eyed her for a moment but felt the pleasant shock absorb on her face as Ruby acted so kind and sweet to Dove, getting food into the baby. When she finished and brought her back to the couch to watch her show, she returned to Weiss watching her carefully, no anger on her face. Ruby shrugged, "What?"

Blake chuckled lightly and they all chose to say nothing about it though Weiss gently touched Ruby's hand for a moment, thanking her wordlessly for trying. Blake watched the women outside from the window. At this point the two were eating their food in what seemed to be silence, sitting several feet from each other. The cat sighed, resting her head on her palm, "Well, I think we can try to come back another time. I'll get Yang moving. Next time Ruby, don't pull this trick again. I get that all of this is hard for you two, you are both so honest and just but really, please try not to add to the fire again ok? If you need, I'm always willing to be a neutral party to listen."

Ruby nodded and Blake thanked them for the food before she hugged Weiss farewell and went outside. From the window, the couple watched Blake grab Yang by the ear and drag her off back to the bike before they drove off. Weiss stood, wincing for a moment, "I'll get Dove to bed…"

A gentle hand gripped her wrist with the strength of someone who constantly carries around something heavy and she turned to look into pleading silver eyes, "Weiss, let me. You really need to stop pushing yourself."

"But… you don't know her… you don't even know what she needs to get to bed… how are you…" Weiss protested. Winter was coming back inside staring shamefully at the plates in her hands as Ruby got Weiss back in the chair, "Just trust in me ok? I can do this. You sit."

A heavy sigh was all Weiss gave in permission and Ruby walked off as Winter came into the room fully and set the dishes in the sink. The youngest woman found Dove already passed out on the couch and smiled, the baby was actually very cute now that she let herself really look. She scooped her up and got her into the guest room, leaving the door ajar.

In the kitchen, Winter took a seat next to Weiss, "I'm sorry I just snapped with how she was talking about my baby but we worked it out. Can you find it in yourself to forgive me Weiss?"

Her younger sister stared at Winter for a moment before rubbing her face and nodding, "Of course I will so long as this stops. I really don't need all this stress and really it's been a year of this chaos. It needs to rest."

Winter nodded and the two moved away from the topic as if it never came up, their usual way of handling this situation, "So, your message had said you needed to talk with me specifically?"

Ruby was in the room gathering the dishes to wash them after putting leftovers away. Weiss watched her for a moment and when she could tell Ruby was being respectful she nodded, "I… I know you didn't really have much trouble with your pregnancy so it's not really the same but… I just feel like I need someone around for a bit who knows what it's like to have a being growing inside them. Ruby is doing a great job despite this hiccup at being there for me but I feel like I'm alone sometimes because she couldn't possibly relate."

Ruby bit her lip at the sink, her back to the two. She didn't want to take it personally but she still felt like she was failing Weiss in some way. This stupid situation tonight didn't really help that feeling either. Now that she heard why Weiss wanted Winter here right now, she also felt another sway of guilt for being mad about it. It completely made sense what Weiss was saying, not that her wife should need a reason to want family around right now.

As the sisters talked, Weiss spilled her worries to Winter, Ruby glad to hear it was all things Weiss had also shared to herself, and Winter did her best to reassure Weiss, "The best thing I can tell you is even healthy pregnancies can be scary. I was worried often even though I had no reasons to be. It's best to listen to what your body tells you. I mean in the end Dove's birth had complications because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her when I was delivering and I had been getting an odd feeling when I went into labor that something was off. Your body will tell you if something is wrong. And even if it's all fine, better to listen to your worries and discover it's fine than to ignore it and end up in this situation again, agreed?"

Weiss nodded, feeling a bit better now that she heard that and felt less paranoid about her own experiences. Winter's hand rested on her shoulder with a light squeeze, "And you should continue to depend on your wife. She really is trying her best and I think she's doing a great job, all things considered."

The two shared a laugh that eased the tension. Ruby was already in the process of walking off to the living room before Winter spoke about her. Weiss leaned in her seat and watched through the archway the younger woman turn off the screen and start to fold the fleece Weiss had been laying with to flop it back on the back of the couch. Winter had gotten up and headed to the guest room with a soft goodnight.

Weiss felt her emotions shift into her hormonal swing again as she teared up but smiled watching that silly woman. When Ruby was done smoothing the blanket the way Weiss liked and stared at her work with her hands on her hips and a proud smile in herself, her eyes caught sight of Weiss watching her. She blinked and blushed, waving bashfully at the white haired woman.

Weiss lifted a hand and coiled her finger, beckoning Ruby to her. Ruby playfully pointed at herself as if questioning it and looked around pretending to make sure Weiss meant her. When her wife pouted and rolled her eyes Ruby giggled and came over, daring to loop her arms around Weiss's shoulders from behind and nuzzle into her neck, "Hi there cutie. I couldn't help but notice you from across the way."

She heard Weiss huff but saw her smile and felt those soft fingers wrap around her own arms, "Help me get to bed you dolt."

Ruby gave a goofy salute, "Yes Princess," then scooped Weiss up, careful of her sore side and brought her to bed.

As they got settled into bed, Weiss pulled Ruby into her own arms and held her head loosely to her own chest, fingers playing with the short soft hair. Strong arms looped around Weiss's waist and pulled them closer together. She could hear Weiss whispering against her hair, "I'm still a little disappointed in you for this evening but watching you take care of that little girl really made my heart race."

Ruby smiled and placed sweet kisses against Weiss's chest, sliding her lips down along the shirt to her stomach and lifting the hem lightly, kissing over the skin that hid their son beneath as Weiss watched her, fingers tangled in her hair. Ruby snuggled into her belly and held onto Weiss tightly but carefully, softly whimpering as she drifted off, "I'm going to take care of both of you and never let anything else happen I promise. I love you both so much."

Weiss couldn't help her eyes glazing over and she held Ruby close to herself, getting the first night of peaceful sleep since the hospital.