A/N: I commissioned another art piece and just had to write a oneshot for it like last time. This is canon to the previous oneshot 'Her Little Puppy'

Very special thanks to rainbow-zebra23 for making this (go check her out on deviantart, she makes a lot of cool stuff and you'll find an uncropped version o f the piece).

Ironwood heard the elevator descend behind him. This was it.

"Winter, glad you could make it," he said, eyes still on the vault door. "You got here sooner than I expected." There was no response. "Winter?" He turned around and eyes widened. That wasn't Winter.

"James," Glynda's heels clicked as she walked off the elevator towards him.

"Glynda..." The shock soon forced from his face as he tried to remain calm and turned back to the vault door. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," she said sternly.

"No, I don't think we do," he easily dismissed. "What can you try and say that hasn't been said by the others already? Besides, I already know what you're going to say."

"Do you?" Her skepticism was was more than obvious

"You're going to lecture me. You're going to tell me how the choices I've made are wrong, that I've lost my way, that I've become an oppressive dictator who cares not for those he rules over, that I'm nop better than Salem" he spoke in a tired voice as if he's gone through this time and time before.

"James-"

"NO GLYNDA!" His body snapped around to face her. "I'm tired of the lies! I trusted team RWBY and her friends, and they hid the truth from me and gave classified information to someone who for all we knew could have been working for Salem! I trusted Qrow, and he and Robyn got one of my best and most trusted agents killed! I trusted you and… and…" Glynda was able to see the temporary brief change of emotion in his eyes. "All it has been since you all came here is lies and deceit!"

"I'm here to help you James! Not because I am the acting headmistress of Beacon, but because I care about you, because… because I love you." James kept his gaze averted from hers turning his back on her, closing his eyes trying to drown out her voice.

Glynda was silent for only a moment. That was all she needed to choose her words carefully. "I understand your actions, the measures that you've taken, and the reasons why you've done what you have. I may not agree with them, but I understand why you did them and I don't blame you." She moved a few steps closer as his head turned to the side, still not facing her.

"You're afraid. Afraid that there is an immortal being that has her sights set on Atlas and making no easy decision to save those that can be saved. Wracking your mind for a way to kill her so you can save your nation. If I were in your position, I can't say I wouldn't most likely take the same actions." She stopped, only leaving six feet between him and her.

"I am here for you. Not Atlas. You're not the only one who was shaken to the core about Salem's true nature. They… we lied to you, deceived you and we should be reprimanded, but right now is not the time. We must band together to see tomorrow."

Ironwood was silent and seemed to ponder her words. A smile almost formed on her face, then he spoke. "Glynda… do you honestly think that..." he turned around looking at her, "or are you just saying that because that's what I want to hear?"

"What?" Any relief she felt was washed away. "James-"

"That's all you've done. Ever since you got here, all you have done is tell me lies and half-truths," Ironwood's eyes squinted. "What reason do I have to doubt you're doing that now?"

Whatever immediate response Glynda had died before it left her mouth. "Wait a minute James-" She took a step forward and tried to raise her hands. It was the wrong move. Ironwood quickly brandished his prized hand cannon, Due Process, the usually shining silver weapon turned half-black from his fight with Watts.

"No!" He pulled the hammer down with his thumb, face twisting in so many emotions that Glynda couldn't put a pin on what he was thinking. "I'm done with this! I finally see through your lies Glynda, and there are so many of them! Was anything you said to me true?!"

"James-"

"What about what we had?!" The grip on his magnum tightened as he aimed at her head. "Was that a lie too?!"

Of all the things Ironwood had said, that was the thing that truly hurt her. Glynda couldn't blame him for everything else though. Like team RWBY, she too was a little paranoid after Lionheart's betrayal. So, when they learned the truth from Jinn and Ruby told him the same half-truths Ozpin told them, she said nothing and allowed it to happen. But after the mission in the mine, any paranoia she had faded, and she felt silly for thinking negatively about Ironwood like that. Yet, she did nothing. She couldn't even remember the reasons why she stayed silent.

But… for him to now think that what they wanted, what they had was false, a farce, a lie… it hurt. It hurt more than anything she's ever felt before, and it was her fault. She couldn't look him in the eyes and somehow fought back the tears. Seconds felt like hours as she finally found the strength to look back up at him.

"James, if you truly believe that… then pull the trigger. I won't stop you… nor will I blame you," the words hurt to leave her throat. Jame's expression mostly stayed the same, but it was obvious that was not the answer he was expecting.

She stood still and silent, not moving an inch, feeling a bead of sweat start to form on her brow. James's hand started to shake, his lips quivering as he tried to muster the strength to fire. Glynda couldn't make out his expression. He looked as though he was dead set on pulling the trigger, yet at the same time it seemed as if it was the last thing he wanted to do.

Glynda's whole body flinched and her eyes shut as Due Process roared with a loud bang. Five more loud bangs quickly followed. Glynda's body stiffened, afraid to even breathe. But as the seconds ticked by, Glynda realized she was still alive. She let out a gasp and opened her eyes.

They first focused on the smoke from the gun barrel. She immediately looked down and saw that there were no holes or blood on her clothes. Her head immediately snapped behind her. In a wide uneven arc, there were six smoking bullet holes on the wall. Glynda knew Ironwood was a good shot, which meant the only way those shots missed was if it were done on purpose.

She turned back forward to face Ironwood. The gun rattled in his shaking hand, face twisted in regret as a tear ran down his cheek. The gun clanked as it fell on the floor. Ironwood soon followed as he fell to his knees head down, shoulders buckling as he tried to hold back his sobs.

Seeing him broken like this broke her heart. She rushed forward towards him. Ironwood flinched, expecting to be hit in retaliation. He gasped in surprise when Glynda instead dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him tight.

"G-Glynda," he forced out through his throat dry and hoarse throat, "...I-"

"I'm sorry," she whispered quickly. "I'm so sorry." Ironwood felt wet droplets fall onto his shirt. He brought his good arm up and wrapped it around her, holding her as tight as she was holding him.

A/N: Thanks for reading, have a good day : )