hello all! I am new to writing but I have always been fond of stories. This is my first fan fiction story. Comments are welcome and appreciated! Thank you so much for reading! Enjoy!

Qrow looked towards beacon on the horizon. The school was flooded with Grimm, even more were on the way. He couldn't fathom what exactly had happened, but as time had passed it became clearer that this was an opening move, rather than an end goal. He thought of Ruby and Yang, Ruby had awakened the silver eye power, but at what cost? Two of her friends were dead, Yang was emotionally scarred and had lost an arm. In the end, it had been a complete defeat.

-Vale CCT tower three months ago-

Qrow recalled picking up Ruby's limp form from the CCT tower, she was unconscious but otherwise unharmed. Yang was already in a bulkhead and was safe. Now he need to get Ruby away as well. Qrow looked through the rubble. That red-head had supposedly been here too according to the Schnee girl. How Ruby had become friends with her was beyond his comprehension, Winter was a soldier with a stick way too deep in her ass, He wondered if Weiss was dramatically different. His eyes fell upon a bronze headpiece that had been left on the floor. He recognized it from the fights at the coliseum.

"Oh, no…" he whispered as he lifted the headpiece from the ground. While it could have been knocked off, or abandoned he had a feeling in his gut that this headpiece had been left here for one reason.

The person who wore it was dead. Pyrrha Nikos had been killed on top of the CCT tower, possibly by the Queen or the Dragon, he suspected the former.

Qrow gritted his teeth so much had happened to vale, to Yang, to Ruby, now he had to add this? They wouldn't break not from this, but it would be some time before they would be anything close to how they were a few days ago, bright cheerful, happy. That witch had stolen their innocence, the idea that the good guys always win in the end. It was an idea they would realize wasn't always true, but that was the kind of thing that people should learn when they are older, not when they were still just kids.

He turned and started to walk away with Ruby in his arms but he heard a rustling behind him. He turned and nearly dropped Ruby.

"Where is Ozpin?" The figure asked. He was probably in his mid to late twenties. His hair was cut short but most of his head was covered by his coat's hood. The coat itself was a dark teal color, with black stripes down the sides. He wore dark jeans and combat boots. A scarf was wrapped around the lower half of his face. At his side he carried a katana with a light green cloth wrapping around the hilt.

"Who are you" Qrow demanded, tensing. He could not fight and defend Ruby at the same time. If this guy was after Ozpin he needed to stop him. Qrow didn't know where Ozpin was but he was probably injured, maybe if fate was especially cruel, dead.

"Qrow, Where is Ozpin?" The figure asked.

'How the hell do you know my name?" Qrow asked drawing his weapon.

"Dammit it's me!" The figure pulled down the scarf. His face was similar to that of Ozpin. However his hair was a brownish red and his eyes were a silver color.

"Tale? What the hell are you doing here?" Qrow asked confused as to why the young Hunter was Here He was supposed to be in Atlas, working as a liaison for Vale.

"Ozpin wanted help. Said there was trouble brewing." Tale responded.

"What the hell happened, I was thinking a terrorist attack or maybe a horde of incoming Grimm. This," he said s[reading his arms out "was not what I was expecting. Hell, I wouldn't have thought of this as a worse case scenario."

"It's really bad, we're getting out of here while we have the chance. Soon this place will be flooded with Grimm."

"That is an understatement." Tale responded. "Let's get out of here. Where to?" He asked.

"Home." Qrow responded. "We will talk more there." Tale nodded, he raised his hand as the air beside him started to warp and crack. Soon it split open, as a pale greenish-blue glow appeared to flow from the sky. Qrow walked through quickly, Tale following just behind.

"Looks like the towers all over again." Tale muttered to himself as he looked out over the ruins of beacon and the CCT tower. It had been only a few months since he had last been in Vale, and yet it seemed like forever ago. It had been brighter and a happier place back then. Tale walked through the portal he had made without a word. The portal soon closed in on itself. No one, not even cinder would have been able to point to exactly where the portal had been. In effect, it was like the portal had never existed in the first place.

Half way across vale Qrow and Tale walked out of a portal right in front of a very surprised Taiyang. He had been glued to the TV, likely horrified at think what his girls were going through. Taiyang lost his balance as Qrow walked out of thin air, holding Ruby. Tale followed right behind. Almost as soon as Tale had appeared he dropped to his knees, retching for a few moments before vomiting onto the floor. Taiyang now on the ground, groaned at the inconvenience, cleaning that up would be a mess. But quickly he stood, noticed Ruby and rushed over.

"Qrow! What happened to Ruby? Is she hurt? Where's yang? I she alright?"

"Ruby is fine, just a little tired. She needs some rest. I'll take the fighter to her bedroom, ya might want to clean up the mess down here while I do that." Qrow responded smirking and quickly walked up the stairs towards Ruby's bedroom.

Taiyang got on his knees. "Tale, are you okay?" He asked. A look of concern showing on his face. Tale looked up weakly and put on a weak smile. He looked exhausted like summer sometimes used to after taking care of Ruby, Yang and a thousand other things all day.

"I'll help clean up my mess. Sorry about this Mr. Xiao-long, I'm not used to so many-" Tale started to cough violently.

"You need rest. I can clean this up." Taiyang said. Whatever this kid had done he had clearly pushed himself. "By the way shouldn't you be in atlas?" Taiyang asked suddenly curious.

"Semblances come in handy." Tale responded. Taiyang suddenly became much more concerned, a look of confusion and shock on his face. "You used your semblance to get to Vale and then did the same to get here?" His tone, part accusation, part shock.

"Ozpin said he needed help ASAP. It was a surprising call to get but you know what they say about rest for the weary. I cut the trips with smaller jumps, should help speed up my recovery." He responded in a tired and weak voice.

Tale pushed himself up, using a nearby wall for balance. Taiyang stood with him. "Take it easy Tale, Ozpin warned you about doing so many jumps and about that kind of distance."

"A little vomit never killed anyone, and when Ozpin misspells in a text we both know it is serious." He said smiling somewhat. Taiyang nodded and put his arm under tale's as Tale put one arm over Taiyang's shoulder. Taiyang slowly guided tale to a nearby chair and lowered him. Tale thanked him and fished his scroll out of a pocket. He tapped a few buttons before showing Taiyang the text.

Tale, need Hep A wap, Come buck immediately.

-Ozpin

"To be honest I thought it was a joke. His spelling has never been this bad." Tale said trying to chuckle before shoving the phone back into his pocket. Tale started to blink sleepily. "Sorry Taiyang, I think I'm gonna need a nap. Sorry about leaving you the mess…" Soon Tale was snoring quietly. Taiyang stood; He would need to get answers out of Qrow now. Tale had used his semblance to travel halfway across the world something Ozpin had told him never to do, Beacon was overrun and Yang was not at home. He was afraid for his eldest daughter's safety and afraid of what had happened to his youngest daughter. What had she seen? What had she experienced? Qrow would tell him, and he would tell him the minute he got back downstairs. Taiyang waited with his arms crossed, staring at the staircase, waiting for Qrow to reappear.

He waited

And waited

And waited.

Taiyang sighed as he marched up the stairs, he turned left and briskly walked up to Ruby's door, he opened it "Qrow we need to talk." He said fiercely. The scene he saw was unusual, for Qrow at least. Qrow sat backward on a chair Arms crossed over the chairs back, head resting. Qrow slowly turned to look at Taiyang. Taiyang was quick to notice that Qrow looked like he had been crying.

"Dammit Tai, can't you give an uncle some alone time with his niece?"

"We need to talk, you need to tell me what happened." Taiyang said in a strong, measured voice. Qrow paused for second then nodded.

'You're right. Let's go downstairs." Qrow said, standing and walking out to the hallways. Taiyang followed him out and closed the door to Ruby's room behind him.

They sat in the kitchen, making sure not to wake up Tale, who was sleeping in the living room. It did not take long for Qrow to get to Yang and her run in with an apparent White Fang member from Blake's past. Taiyang went pale when Qrow mentioned that Yang defended Blake, who was already injured. And his jaw dropped when Qrow told him yang lost an arm. Qrow struggled to calm Taiyang down as he explained what happened with Ruby, Her silver eyes and what had happened on the CCT tower.

"And that was when Tale showed up, we came here right after." Qrow finished. By this point Taiyang was holding his head in his hands. Qrow sighed, I'm sorry Tai, if-"

"Dammit Qrow! What the hell were you thinking!"? Taiyang shouted, grabbing Qrow by the collar, lifting him up and shoving him into a wall. "They are still kids! They aren't trained hunters! They aren't ready for that save the world stuff, you and Ozpin and Raven and Summer did! Don't you think our family has lost enough]? Now you want to add my daughters into this mess!"

Qrow snapped, maybe it was the accusations; maybe it was the frustration that had been brewing all day, who the hell knew. He grabbed Taiyang's arm and twisted. Taiyang yelped as he felt the bone crack. Qrow threw a punch and Taiyang lost his grip on Qrow.

"You think I am to blame for them wanting to be hunters? Hell Ruby would still be a hunter in training if I didn't help her! The difference is that today I would have brought back a corpse! Summer is gone, who the hell knows where Raven is, be thankful for what you have!" Qrow said as he smashed his fist into Taiyang's jaw

"Yang's arm is gone! Ruby saw her friends die! She isn't a heartless soldier Qrow! How do you think this will affect Ruby? How do you think yang losing an arm will affect her?" Taiyang said as he kneed Qrow in the gut. Qrow buckled over from the force. Forgot his semblance is like Yang's. Need to end this now. He thought. Taiyang's kicked him into the kitchen table, which quickly fragmented into splinters.

"Tai, bad things happen, they happen to everyone! Don't think you are the only one suffering! You kids want to do what's right, you should be proud of that!"

Qrow said standing back up. Taiyang grabbed his collar. But did not throw a punch.

"Qrow, why does this happen? Why do kids have to be the ones to die like this? Why are they the ones suffering? It should be our job, our burden." Taiyang said as he let go and sat back down.

Qrow sighed, "I don't know Tai, I'm not that wise. But these kids, Ruby and Yang. They're strong. They have big hearts they will pull through. We just need to give them time to mourn and accept what has happened."

"When will that happen?"

"I don't know Tai, I don't know."

Tale woke up early the next morning. He stayed for a brief breakfast before leaving again. He still had work to do, had to cover up loose ends and keep Ozpin's information network intact in Atlas. He would be heading back there by Bulkhead from Signal. He told Qrow to keep in touch. And told Taiyang to hang in there, Yang would be back soon.

By coincidence, Yang was dropped off at the house minutes after Tale left. Qrow watched Taiyang become a nervous wreck crying as he stared at what remained of Yang's arm. Yang was… not looking well. Her eyes were dead. Qrow noticed that neither Blake nor Weiss were with her. He didn't want to ask, he could already figure what had happened. Part of him suspected that Tale had known too, or the "hang in there" advice had been really well timed.

Ruby still wasn't awake; Qrow hadn't heard anything from Ozpin and time slowly moved forward. Ruby woke up, Vale began to deal with the Grimm problem, Things were far from normal, hell, they were still very bad but the world was still moving.

Qrow looked down, as Ruby and her friends walked through the snow towards Haven They would have a long way to go. Qrow smiled before he flew off, as a crow, to deal with the immediate problem at beacon.

Tale was there waiting for him. "Got your call. Any idea what we're after?"

"Info, what happened, any hints as to their future plans."

"Or where Ozpin is?"

"Exactly."

Tale cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms "looks like we got a lot to do. We still can't take out the dragon so we better make this fast, I for one don't want to be here when more Grimm come."

"Scared of a little Grimm, I thought Ozpin raised you better than that." Qrow quipped. Tale turned with a small smirk on his face.

"Ozpin raised me for a few years, taught me some important lessons, then sent me off to school."

"So."

"I forgot Ozpin's lessons pretty quickly in Vacuo."

Qrow smiled at that "care for a drink?" He offered holding out a flask

"Drinking before a mission?" Tale said in mock horror before grabbing the flask "Wouldn't dream otherwise." He said before taking a drink.

The two headed off towards Beacon, slightly more drunk than either had intended, hunting for answers but prepared to find only more questions.