"Look, guys, I really appreciate it but you don't have to do this."

"It's our pleasure," Ren told Yang, while he worked at the stove. "The shared meal seemed a very bonding experience when you and Weiss showed up to rejoin Ruby, so why shouldn't you invite Blake back with in the same manner?"

Yang couldn't argue with Ren's logic. After driving Cinder's forces away from Haven, they were all more than a little strung out, and wanted to catch up with what Blake had been up to after Beacon fell. Ruby's RNJR teammates, with help from Sun, had decided that Team RWBY needed a night in, to themselves, to catch up and reform their bonds.

"Ever since the two of you arrived here, we haven't had any down time," Jaune pointed out, as he came into the kitchen to scoop up several bowls of rice. "We haven't had the chance to sit down and talk about...things." With a slight frown, he was back out of the kitchen, to deliver the food to the table.

"Besides, now I get to show you guys my town," Sun added, as he slipped into the kitchen and grabbed the kettle that Ren had been working on. "Okay, I only spent a semester here, but I learned of a couple of cool places to hang out."

Ruby, who had just walked in from her room, frowned at that. She then chided herself for her reaction even as she carried the teapot and cups out to the dining room table. With everyone working, the table was quickly set for four. It looked quite a bit like the table did when Yang and Weiss and unexpectedly showed up; it was just this time, there were only four places and there was fish included in the food.

"Blake's on her way," Yang announced, putting away her scroll while walking into the dining room. "She's coming with Ilia, so shouldn't we set five places?"

"Nah..." Sun told her. "We all agreed, this one is all about Team RWBY, so Ilia's coming with us to check out Mistral. Besides, she really doesn't like humans all that much, so I'm hoping that having her hang with some cool ones will change her mind a little."

"Oh, you know some cool humans for her to chill with while we're all here?" Yang asked him.

For a moment, Sun looked puzzled by the question. Understanding, he snickered and looked at the friends who would be accompanying him tonight. Jaune had a look of pained resignation, Ren grinned slightly, allowing that Yang had landed a shot, while Nora looked both highly offended and ready to take things to a physical level.

"I got cool people with me, right now," the faunus boy told the blonde brawler.

"Well, if Sun says we're cool, then I guess we're cool." Jaune smirked at Yang.

"I'd say...diverse," Weiss corrected him, although her slight smile and giggle told everyone that it was all in fun.

"Whoa, since when does the ice queen joke around with us?" Nora taunted in return.

"Since I missed all of you," Weiss answered. "Don't worry, I've had about my fill of all of you, so I'll be back to my old self in no time."

"Even joking about yourself," Yang commented. "We're really rubbing off on you."

"I thought this was Team RWBY vs everyone else!" Weiss protested.

"Nah..." Yang shrugged. "I think it's a free-for-all."

"Okay, I know that Sun is going to take Jaune, Nora, Ren and Ilia off to have fun in Mistral while we catch up," Weiss pointed out. "But what about Qrow and Oscar?"

"Uncle Qrow said that he had to make arrangements to get us to Atlas," Ruby told her. "With General Ironwood closing the borders, we're going to have to get in...well...less than legally."

"And Oscar is worn out," Jaune added. "He said something about how Ozpin was drained from all the fighting he had to do, and it spread to him. He's asleep but don't worry, we left him a bowl of food."

"So it's just a matter of waiting for Blake," Yang announced.

"Yeah...I think I'll wait outside," Jaune declared. The blonde boy slipped out to the practice yard. Seeing everyone engaged in conversation, Ruby went outside and joined him. She found him leaning on the rail, staring out over the city as evening closed in.

"Hey...Jaune," she greeted him. He didn't turn, but shifted slightly. They had been teammates long enough for her to recognize the invitation to join him at the rail.

She also leaned against the wooden structure, trying to find something to say. Somehow, she knew that he was struggling with the same issue.

"So, where do you think Sun is going to take you guys tonight?" She finally asked.

"He's keeping it a secret, but I'm expecting something kind of wild. He has an odd sense of fun." Jaune's smile was a little forced, but Ruby had to snicker a little bit at the truth of the statement.

"Think you'll hit any dance clubs?" She asked him, then immediately regretted it.

"If he takes us to one, I think I'm going to be a wallflower," he sighed. "I don't think I'm quite ready to be social after..."

"Yeah," she agreed. "With Yang and Weiss showing up, then the big fight at Haven, we really haven't talked about..."

"I know," he heaved a sigh. "Ruby, I shouldn't be this upset about it. We're cousins, so we should be happy, even if we can't..."

"Yeah," she rested her chin on her hands, which were resting on the top rail. "I should be happy about it. I mean, I always thought it was just me, Yang, dad and Uncle Qrow. I should be really glad that I have cousins...oh no!"

"What?"

"I never told Yang!" Ruby gasped. "I've never had the time."

"Well, that can be a surprise to pull on her tonight, while the four of you are catching up," he suggested. "Or, you can wait and we can tell her together."

"I'll try to let her know tonight," Ruby told him. "But still..."

"Yeah," he agreed, his shoulders visibly slumping in the fading light. "But maybe it's better this way."

If he had been a grimm, her eyes would have probably incinerated him. Still, she looked both upset and shocked.

"I've never had a girlfriend," he explained. "But I have five older sisters, and most of them have had boyfriends. It was always the same; when they broke up with a guy, they weren't friends anymore. Well, maybe after a few years passed they were able to be civil...but none of them liked being around an ex...after he became an ex."

"So you think we would have broke up?" She asked him, sounding a little hurt.

"I've never had a girlfriend," he repeated. "And I usually screw things up the first time I try them."

"I guess that makes sense," she sighed. "I mean, some of the girls my age back at Signal had boyfriends, but they never seemed to last very long. I just thought, after all we were through together...it just made sense."

"Maybe it would have worked," he shook his head. "I just wish we would have found out the truth a little earlier."

"I'm glad you insisted I answer my scroll," she pointed out. "If I had just let it go...well..." She blushed furiously, unable to say any more.

"Are you thinking that we would have known each other an awful lot better than we do right now?" Jaune too, was blushing.

Still unable to speak, she could only nod. Both sighed.

"So maybe it is just as well," she finally said. "We kind of didn't think of limits."

"And now we realize that...well...hormones can get the better of us." He agreed. "Still, it tanks."

"Yep!" She agreed. Before she could say anything, she heard loud and cheerful greetings from inside the house. "Blake must be here," she said. "We don't want them to come out looking for us."

"Yeah," he was clearly as reluctant to move as she was.

After a short pause, they turned to each other and shared a hug, clearly regretful about what couldn't be between them, but happy that they were still friends.

"...like I was sayin', the rest of us can have a big reunion tomorrow," Sun was explaining, as they returned to the house. "Right now, it's all about Team RWBY having a chance to reconnect. Sure, there's a lot of work to do and a lot of hard decisions to make, but let's take some time to ourselves."

"That...sounds nice," Blake told him. She looked at those who were going to be with Sun for the evening. "Be safe, everyone. Sun has some very strange ideas about what is entertaining."

"Everyone's a critic these days," the young man in question grumbled, but everyone could see that it was all in good humor. Without any further delay, Sun rounded up his charges for the evening and herded them out of the house. That left Blake looking at her teammates, wondering if they were a former team or not.

"Well, why don't we get something to eat?" Ruby suggested, after the silence had gone on for an uncomfortable time. "Ren sort of outdid himself, so it would be a shame to let it get cold."

"Good idea," Weiss agreed. "Youngest first."

Ruby gave Weiss a hard look, trying to find an insult in the statement but Weiss seemed curiously focused on her, but yet not paying attention. Confused, Ruby took a seat and Weiss moved quickly to the one across the table from her. Suddenly, Ruby understood; Weiss had just forced Blake and Yang to sit across from each other, where each would have to face the other.

"So, Blake," Ruby started the conversation, while scooping some noodles from the kettle. "The rest of us have already told each other what we've been up to since Beacon, so why don't you start this out by telling us what's happened to you?"

It was an innocent suggestion, but it forced first Blake and Yang to face the goliath in the room. Perhaps it was the best thing to say, because Blake had to describe her feelings, looking at her friend and partner, missing an arm because someone from her past had come back.

"That's my greatest nightmare," the faunus girl told Yang...and by extension the others. "That my past wouldn't catch up to me, but to anyone close to me. Somehow...in the back of my mind...I knew that Adam and Sieena had the wrong idea...that attacks against innocents were wrong but I was blind. I idolized and desired Adam so much that I wouldn't let myself see that he had become a monster; at least until the was going to blow up that train and the crew. By then, it was too late, he saw me as one of his and he wouldn't just let me go. If I hadn't become one of his inner circle, the White Fang might not have attacked Vale, Yang wouldn't have..."

"It's not you," Yang told her. "Adam did this. And Cinder, and Salem."

"Just like it wasn't General Ironwood's fault that the robots attacked civilians," Weiss added. "Cinder did it."

"But you don't understand!" Blake protested. "Adam came after me! Yang, he hurt you because he wanted to make me suffer! If I hadn't made those mistakes in the past..."

"You didn't swing the blade!" Yang interrupted her. "I don't blame you for my arm; but I do blame you for leaving!"

"I...couldn't face you," Blake told her.

"Your leaving hurt me more than anything else could have..."

"I'm so sorry..." Blake began, but Yang interrupted her.

"Weiss talked me through this," the golden-haired girl told her partner. "And I understand that you were feeling guilty. I can understand...a little...but don't run off like that again! We're supposed to be a team!"

Blake could only drop her head in shame.

"But it's okay now," Yang assured her, reaching across the table to pat her hand. "We've all made mistakes and we'll work through them. The three of us have already told each other our stories, so how about yours?"

It was that simple; things were almost back to normal between Blake and Yang. There was still tension, but Yang was able to sit back with Ruby and Weiss as Blake told about what she had done after the fall of Beacon. As she spoke, she became less hesitant, telling about the ship with the friendly captain, the sea serpent attacking and Sun showing up and helping her fight it off. She told about how her parents welcomed her back with open arms and Sun wouldn't let her shut him out of her life. She then told about the attempt on her parents' lives, and how it made Ilia realize that Adam's way wasn't the right one. She chuckled about Sun 'getting even' with Ilia by pinching her arm, then described the rapid training the Kuo Kuana Police, as well as such trained people available, were able to provide the volunteers.

"I wouldn't want to put them up against huntsmen, or even soldiers," Blake told her companions. "But they were able to form a shield wall and work in conjunction with the Mistral Police against the White Fang."

"You made a big difference," Ruby told her. "If you hadn't shown up, with the volunteers, Adam and the White Fang would have been able to come into the school and turn the fight against us. Instead, you came in and helped us win."

"And Sun finally taught you not to push your friends away, even if they get hurt by helping you," Yang pointed out.

"Yeah," Blake agreed. "But what about the rest of you?"

"I think Ruby's had the most interesting time," Weiss pointed out.

The youngest of them then told her story, about sneaking away from home with the remains of Team JNPR and crossing both Sanus and Anima, mostly on foot. She told them about trading their fighting ability for goods and services along the way and finding the destroyed village of Shion. She told them about fighting Tyrian in Oniyuri, being over-matched and saved by Qrow. Then, the desperate attempt to save Qrow that culminated in the fight in the ruins of Kuroyuri.

"We have a long way to go," Ruby told the others. "I didn't realize how capable Uncle Qrow was until he fought Tyrian to a standstill, after the creep clobbered all four of us."

"But your friends stood with you, didn't they," Yang asked her sister. "When you needed them, when your team was scattered, there they were."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed. "But now I think Weiss has to tell her story."

While Weiss didn't have many tales of battles, she told about her father collecting her in Vale and taking her home to Atlas. Once there, it became clear that her father simply discounted what she wanted to make of herself and insisted that she become the perfect figurehead for the Schnee Dust Company. She told about the charity concert, losing control of her semblance and nearly causing an obnoxious woman to be injured...or worse.

"That was the final straw," she told her teammates. "After that, I knew I had to get away from my father."

She then told about training while setting up her escape, fleeing the mansion and paying a pilot to smuggle her to Mistral. She told about the lancers attacking, being captured by the Branwen Tribe, rescued by Yang and then reunited with Ruby and what was left of JNPR.

"I realized that I couldn't keep sitting back and watching bad things happen," she concluded. "I shouldn't have returned to Atlas with my father. I should have made the pilot assist the first airship that called for help. Well, I've learned my lesson; no more watching while these bad things happen. From now on, I'm doing something!"

There were a few moments of silence as the team all nodded to each other. They had taken the path to become huntresses because they wanted to make a difference.

"Well, I guess it's my turn," Yang decided. As Blake was already feeling guilty, she didn't describe waking up in Vale without an arm. Instead, she talked a little about her struggles to adjust to life without her arm and her reluctance to put on the robotic appendage. She told them about Dr. Oobleck and Professor Port visiting her father, which prompted her to move on with her life.

"Port's afraid of mice?" Blake couldn't keep the smile off of her face.

"Apparently," Yang winked back. "But as soon as I stepped out of the house the next morning, dad dropped everything and started to work with me," she told them.

"Well, if you don't mind me saying so, you three have great parents," Weiss told them. "I think your fathers could challenge each other for the title of 'Remnant's Best Dad'."

"Yeah, I never appreciated him enough," Yang admitted. Impulsively, she lifted her teacup. "To family!"

Blake repeated the toast and clicked her cup to Yang's. Weiss didn't repeat the toast, but raised her cup, as well. Ruby also lifted her cup, but her toast of "yeah, family..." caught the others' attention.

"Are you mad with dad?" Yang asked her sister. "that toast seemed a little weak."

"I...found out that we may have more family than we thought," Ruby answered.

"What?" Three voices demanded.

Taking a deep breath, the younger teen plunged forward. "Yang, has dad ever told you much about his past? I mean, when he was a boy?"

"Not much," Yang shrugged. "He said that he came from Anima; and I think he came from inside Mistral, but I got the impression that his family was involved in some things that he wasn't exactly proud of. It could have been smuggling, extortion, or even multi-level marketing."

Even Weiss, whose father cut corners on employee safety and paid faunus workers in company script, gasped at the implication that her friends' grandparents could have done anything so dastardly.

"Yeah," Ruby agreed. "Well, after we got here, Uncle Qrow loaded an app onto my scroll that linked into the Mistral City online archives and searched birth records. It turns out that dad came from Mistral and he had a sister."

"Really," Yang gasped. "We have an aunt?"

"Yeah, it's Jaune's mother."

"Whoa," Yang smiled widely. "Vomit-boy's our cousin?"

"Please don't call him that," Ruby quietly requested.

"Doesn't he have four sisters?" Yang asked.

"Seven," Ruby corrected her.

"So we have eight cousins!" Yang hugged her sister, lifting the smaller girl from her feet. "It's not just us, dad and Uncle Qrow anymore! Doesn't Jaune's family live in Vale?"

"Uh, a smaller town, but in the kingdom."

"So we can visit them when we get back!" Yang shouted. "An aunt, another uncle, cousins! Isn't that great?"

"Yeah...great," Ruby didn't show the same enthusiasm that Yang did.

"What's wrong with Jaune being our cousin?" Yang demanded. "You're already friends, doesn't being cousins make it even better?"

"Yeah...I guess," Ruby's tone and expression didn't match her words.

"I don't understand you," Weiss declared, staring intently at Ruby. "Why aren't you happy to be Jaune's cousin?"

"I am happy!"

"You don't act like you are," Blake pointed out. "Are you embarrassed to have him as a cousin?"

"No!"

"Then the only reason that you'd have a problem with him being related to you would be if...you...wanted..." Weiss trailed off, her eyes suddenly going wide and a hand covering her mouth.

"What..." Yang wondered, only for her eyes to suddenly fly wide, as well. "Ruby, were you getting the hots for him?"

Ruby couldn't answer; she started to blush and refused to meet anyone's eyes. After several, endless seconds, she realized that the room was perfectly quiet and all three of her teammates were staring at her. With massive effort, she managed to look at Yang. "Well...sort of?"

It was still quiet for several more seconds.

"So, you're not all going to laugh at me?" She asked.

"Getting feelings for a tall, blonde, blue-eyed guy who has grown up a great deal and with whom you've been through some difficult and dangerous times isn't something to be embarrassed about," Blake finally told her. "It's a little cliche, but not foolish."

"Did you let him know?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah," now Ruby couldn't meet anyone's eyes again.

"Just how?" While Yang's face held a touch of humor, her tone was deadly serious. The blonde girl picked up her teacup while waiting for her sister to answer.

"I was...well...mumfplt," Ruby mumbled.

"What?"

"I was kind of...well...we were..." Ruby stammered.

"Just spit it out," Yang demanded.

"FINE! I WAS MAKING OUT WITH HIM WHEN MY SCROLL WENT OFF AND I FOUND OUT WE WERE RELATED!" Ruby yelled.

The teacup in Yang's hand shattered, while Blake sprayed the sip of the warm beverage she had just drawn into her mouth. Weiss dropped her chopsticks, although she absentmindedly continued to try to scoop up a morsel of food and wound up wiggling her fingers over her plate.

"You're not gonna clobber him...or me...are you?" Ruby asked her sister.

"I'm not sure," Yang growled. "Who's idea was it to make out?"

"We both decided!" Ruby growled right back. "So there's no reason to break his legs!"

"I'll decide that," Yang declared. "Just how did the two of you wind up doing that?"

"We had gone to a dance club with Nora and Ren," Ruby told her. "And while the dancing was fun, after a couple of hours I wanted to take up with what we had been doing the night before."

"What?" Yang's eyes were very wide now. "You made out with him twice?"

"Sort of," Ruby admitted. "After we got here and Qrow got better, he was off at some bar and I didn't feel right taking a shower in a strange room by myself, so I asked Jaune to come over. After that, I didn't like being alone so I asked him to stay, we started talking and I told him that I had never danced with a boy or kissed a boy so I asked to him if I could kiss him to see what it was like."

"That actually worked?" Weiss asked her partner.

"Weiss!" Yang shouted at the interruption. "I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to have to deck Jaune or spank Ruby. I don't need these distractions!"

"Hey!" The platinum-haired girl protested. "I don't have a boyfriend and I just want to know if that line works to break the ice!"

"It worked," Ruby reported.

"Don't get distracted!" Yang commanded her sister. "Just say what happened next."

"After we got the hang of it, I really enjoyed it and he was the one that said we should stop!" Ruby told her sister. "He said we were getting out of control and that we should slow things down."

"Okay, he just avoided a pummeling," Yang told her. "So, you're a little upset that he can't be your boyfriend?"

"Being with him really felt right," Ruby told her sister.

"It always does," Blake interrupted. "But Jaune's a good guy, so being a little disappointed is understandable but can I give you a little bit of advice? Boys will come and go, but family is forever. Keep in mind that he'll always be your cousin."

"I guess I should," Ruby admitted. "But still..."

A sudden glimmering of reddish light interrupted Ruby. A flickering hole, surrounded by red light, seemed to appear in the air.

"That's one of mom's portals!" Yang declared, as all four young women sprang to their feet. Moments later, all were armed and waiting. However, instead of Raven, Taiyang Xiao Long stepped out of the portal, accompanied by Zwie.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Qrow was tired from both the battle and the long day he had just spent meeting with several less than upright folks from Mistral City's lower levels. However, he had accomplished his mission. While many of the huntsmen and huntresses he had known in the past were gone, victims of Leo's treachery, he had also met enough folks who made their lien through...questionable...means. While it was easy to slip out of Mistral, getting into a closed Atlas could be hard. Again, he wouldn't have any problems, but moving a group as large as the one he was with would be with was more problematic. However, he had more contacts now, so it was just a matter of getting to Wind Path and tracking them down. Tired but satisfied, he has just approaching the house he shared with the Beacon students when he saw the familiar glow of one of his sister's portals. Mumbling a curse, he yanked his blade from his back and rushed to the house, only to skid to a stop when he saw Taiyang step through. The portal closed without disgorging Raven.

After a moment's thought, Qrow muttered an even more vile curse, turned, and ran off into the night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So that's what happened," Taiyang told Team RWBY, once everyone had settled down a little. "Raven told me what happened here, but I'm pretty sure she didn't tell me everything. I agreed that my being on Patch would just endanger my students, so I agreed to come here."

"Your mother is correct," Blake told Yang. "We know that Emerald, Mercury and Hazel escaped, and we can be pretty sure that they will report to Salem as soon as they can...if they haven't done so already."

"But why would Salem go after dad?" Yang argued. "There are things I...just don't feel like talking about...so Salem can't know what happened down in the vault."

"I understand," Weiss interrupted. "They're going to report what they saw. They know that Raven, Vernal and Cinder went into the vault. At some time after that, there was a great deal of noise from down below, and the whole building started shaking, like two of the maidens were fighting each other. Sometime after that, you went into the vault."

"And you were the only one to come out," Blake finished. "With the relic. Salem is going to think that you have the relic and one of the maiden's powers."

"Which is why Raven told me I was endangering my students," Taiyang concluded. "Salem's obsessed with the maidens' powers, so she might try to get to you by threatening me, and might try to get to me by threatening my students."

"But if you're in a huntsman's academy, rather than just a combat academy, you'll be surrounded by hunters, huntresses and students more advanced than at Signal," Yang concluded.

"So, I guess I apply to the academy tomorrow," Taiyang shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you think it's that easy?" Weiss asked him.

"I don't have the reputation that Qrow does," Taiyang answered, with a wink. "But I have more than a few contacts."

"Especially since Headmaster Lionheart was betraying hunters," Ruby added. "There are fewer of them around now."

"It's getting late," Yang decided. "Why don't we all turn in and finish this conversation in the morning?"

"But Yang!" Ruby protested. "We need to know more about..."

"We can handle things in the morning," Yang insisted. "When we're all rested up."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sounds of calling birds brought her awake. Opening her eyes, Ruby saw the sunlit ceiling of what had become known as the girls' room. It was peaceful and relaxing. For the first time in months, she had the luxury of sleeping in until the sun was up. For the first time in months, she woke up with Zwie curled up by her feet. Then, she remembered why sleeping in wasn't a very good idea at the moment.

"Dad!" She yelled, startling her dog. She was out of the room a moment later, eager to apologize to her father for sneaking away, looking forward to telling him about her adventures, and really wanting to question him about his sister. In a flurry of rose petals, she rushed to the dining room, to find Yang and Weiss enjoying coffee after breakfast.

"Well, good morning to you, as well," Yang quipped, sheltering her beverage from the gust of wind her sister had just generated.

"Where's dad?" Ruby demanded.

"Already out the door and headed to Haven," Yang told her. "He left about an hour ago and told me to let you sleep in."

"But...I..."

"He also promised to meet up with us again," Yang patted her head. "Don't worry, Rubes, dad's not about to ignore us after he finally caught up to us."

Ruby flinched.

"And he isn't very mad," Yang told her, interpreting her reaction. "Or I should say that he isn't very mad at you. He's mad at Qrow for putting the idea to slip away into your head and letting you walk all the way here as bait."

"Where is Qrow?" Ruby asked. "And Blake, and Jaune, Ren and Nora?"

"Slow down," Yang smiled. "Only one question at a time!"

"If she's asking this fast right now, what's she going to be like after a cup of coffee?" Weiss asked the taller blonde.

"Hey, I'm worried about everyone!" Ruby protested.

"Qrow is still setting up transportation to Atlas," Yang told her. "He sent a text that he was going to Wind Path. Blake went back to spend the night with her parents and break the news to them that she's going to Atlas with us."

"Yay!" Ruby jumped in the air. "The team's back together! What about everyone else?"

"The bunch that went with Sun last night is crashed out in the living room," Weiss answered. "They were too tired and sore to make it to their beds."

"What happened to them?" Ruby gasped.

"Sun's idea of entertainment left them a little...incapacitated." Yang told her.

Ruby jumped to her feet and rushed to the aforementioned room, failing to see the twinkle of humor in her sister's eyes. The curtains were closed in the living room, and the lights were off. In the dimness, Ruby could seen Ren and Nora huddled together on one couch while Jaune sprawled on his belly on another. The faunas girl...Ilia, lay across a chair while Sun sat on the floor in front of another, resting his head on the seat. All of them had cloths of some sort over their eyes and occasional groans of suffering sounded from them.

"What did you do to everybody!" Ruby shrieked at Sun, drawing pained groans and grimaces from everyone.

"Ruby, we are all tired, dehydrated and sore," Jaune grumbled.

"And our ears hurt," Nora added.

"But what did you do?" The younger teen demanded of them.

"Nothing that I didn't do while I was a student here," Sun rasped. "But never to this extent."

"I'm still waiting!" Ruby snapped. "And if I don't get answers, I'm opening the curtains and letting the sun shine in!"

"Okay, okay!" Sun waved a hand, weakly, in the air to protest her threat. "We had a little drinking game...for most of the night."

"What kind of drinking game?" Ruby demanded.

"Combat karaoke," Ilia whispered. "We had to fight and sing at the same time. Then the crowd judged each match. Whoever won the combined combat and singing score had to drink one round. Whoever lost had to drink two."

"What did you drink?" Ruby growled. "Beer, wine, or something stronger?"

"Energy drinks," Nora grumbled.

"What!?" Everyone flinched at Ruby's yelp.

"Ruby, please keep your voice down," Ren murmured. "We have spent a night subjected to bright lights, loud noises, simulated combat...and our adrenal glands were stimulated into overdrive. Jaune took the worst."

"Oh?" Ruby approached her cousin and placed a comforting hand on his forehead. "Got beat pretty bad?"

"No, he won," Ilia muttered. "We were the final two, we were fighting on a log over a pit and I caught his leg with my whip. I pulled him off balance, he fell, straddled the log and hit a high note that no man his size should be able to."

The faunus peeled the cloth from her eyes to glare in the tall blonde's direction. "I beat him in the fight," she declared. "But he beat me by a greater margin with the singing."

"So...why didn't you challenge him to a rematch?" Ruby asked her.

"And guzzle more energy drink?" Ilia shook her head...very slowly. "I had taken in so much caffeine and sugar that I was changing colors faster than a dance-club light. Besides that, he wasn't in any condition to go another round."

Jaune only whimpered slightly as a response.

"We're all strung out," Nora added. "So please, just let us sleep this one off."

"Besides, I just got a call from dad," Yang, who had just entered the darkened room, informed her sister. "He'd like to meet us at the Academy. Why don't you let Soprano-boy sleep this one off?"

"I think I liked Vomit-boy better," Jaune protested...weakly.

"Well, cuz, if you're ready to debate it, let me know," Yang cracked her knuckles, meaningfully.

"Maybe some later time," Jaune told her.

"Cuz?" Both Nora and Sun looked very interested in the term.

"I'll let Jaune explain it to you," Yang smiled at her friends. "Me and Ruby have to meet with our dad."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, where are we supposed to meet him?" Ruby asked, as they stepped onto the now-familiar grounds of Haven Academy.

"He just said to go to the administrative office and ask with the receptionist," Yang shrugged. "You know dad, he likes to surprise us."

"Wow, they really repaired a lot of the damage," Ruby looked pointedly at the wall that Nora had knocked Hazel through. "We're going to need to use a door instead of walking through the hole."

Yang ruffled her sister's hair in an affectionate gesture as they slipped by the workmen that were still repairing the damage, into the reception lobby and approached a young man sitting behind a desk.

"May I help you?" He inquired.

"Yeah, were here to see Taiyang Xaio Long," Yang told him.

"You mean Headmaster Xaio Long," the man corrected her.

"Headmaster?" Ruby asked.

"Whom shall I say wishes to meet with him?"

"His daughters," Yang told him. "Ruby R..."

"Rose and Yang Xiao Long," the man interrupted, although not unkindly. "Headmaster Xiao Long is expecting you. One moment please."

Yang and Ruby stared, confused, as the man murmured into a headset. "The headmaster will see you now," he told them, after a few moments. "He said that Miss Rose knows the way to the headmaster's office."

"Uh...yeah," Ruby agreed.

With a quick thanks to the man, Ruby led her sister towards the office that had once belonged to Headmaster Lionheart. Approaching the door, they both noted that a name board now declared that it belonged to 'Headmaster Xiao Long'. For a moment, both contemplated simply walking in, but they had been through the experience of their own father being their teacher; they knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Sounded from inside.

Opening the door, Ruby and Yang noted that their father was sitting behind the desk, and that Oscar was sitting in one of the guest chairs.

"Uh, dad?" Yang asked. "I know that you said you were going to try to get a job here, but moving right to the top?"

"It wasn't my idea," Taiyang grumbled. "Why don't the two of you have a seat?"

"Professor Ozpin?" Ruby asked the boy. "Did you help dad to get this job?"

"I did not need to, Miss Rose," the older man's voice, coming from the boy's face, sounded weary. "The staff here at Haven was interested in hiring Mr. Xiao Long, as they are short on teachers. While the existing staff was showing the prospective employee's the facility, a rare and dangerous grimm, known as a seeker, was discovered in one of the storage rooms. Your father quickly dispatched the creature and this action, combined with his teaching experience and respectable mission history, prompted him to gain this position."

"Which effectively nails me to the ground, here in Mistral, under a mountain of paperwork," Taiyang grumbled as his daughters seated themselves. "According to Ozpin and Qrow, the two of you are going to be heading to Atlas soon."

"I don't want to leave you again," Ruby told him. "But..."

"But the mission demands it," Taiyang finished for her. "I understand, but I had just hoped that there would be a few more years, and more training, before the two of you had to answer the call."

"I can assure you that they are as safe on this mission as they would be here, or in Vale," Ozpin told him.

"I know the logic," Taiyang countered, his voice rather cold. "And I agree; while they are performing a mission, they are moving targets and not sitting ducks. I don't have to like it."

"No," Ozpin agreed, his voice sad. "I can only assure you that Qrow and myself will make every effort to keep them safe, as will General Ironwood, once we reach Atlas."

Taiyang's answer was simply an annoyed scowl.

"However, we will have a chance to speak at a later date," Ozpin continued, rising to his feet. "You have not been together as a family for several months. I urge you to spend what time you have together, as you never know when you'll be reunited again."

The combination of young boy and old man left the office, leaving Taiyang and his daughters to face an uncomfortable silence.

"Well, life tends to throw some awkward situations at you," Taiyang finally said. "This is one of them. I took a path that my parents didn't approve of, when I was about Yang's age, and had one of these conversations from your side of things."

"I'm so sorry that I left," Ruby burst out. "But...I knew that something might be happening here and Jaune and Ren and Nora wanted answers about Pyrrha and the nobody at home would listen to me and the only clues we had..."

"Were supplied by Qrow," Taiyang finished for her. "He manipulated you, just as Ozpin manipulated the four of us, when we were your age." Taiyang sighed. "Believe it or not, even after all we've been through, I still think that Ozpin has good intentions, but he'll do anything to get there...and Qrow is getting to be more and more like him with every year that goes by. I want the two of you to remember that; the two of them have a goal and it's not your safety. They'll protect you as best they can, but when they need something, they don't care who they're using to get the job done. You need to look out for yourselves."

"That means you're staying here?" Yang asked.

"As much as I hate to admit it, it's the best thing I can do," Taiyang scowled at the thought. "Salem will hear about my new job within days...and might conclude that I'm hiding something...or someone...for Ozpin. It might keep some of the heat she can generate focused here, rather than looking for you."

"Dad?" Ruby asked, determined to get the knowledge she wanted. "Why didn't you ever tell us much about your parents? Were they upset that you became a huntsman?"

"My parents were petty criminals," Taiyang told her. "And they wanted me to take over the fraud schemes they had going. I wanted something more out of life, and they were disappointed...to say the least."

"Are they still around?" Yang asked him.

"I don't know," Taiyang sighed. "Our last parting wasn't exactly on good terms."

"But who did you leave behind, with them?" Yang demanded. "You left your own sister in that life!"

"Sister?" Taiyang was confused. "I don't have any sisters! I'm an only child! My mother let me know, several times, that they had never planned on having me and that she had learned her lesson."

"But..." Ruby was confused again. "I downloaded an ancestry app and it said that you had a sister. That sister turned out to be Jaune's mother."

"Where did you get the app?" Taiyang asked, a sudden look of understanding coming onto his face as he pulled out his own scroll and laid it on his desk.

"From...Uncle...Qrow..." now Ruby was getting an expression of unwanted understanding.

"This might explain a text I got from Qrow," Taiyang activated the large, projected screen.

The two girls read the text, in which Qrow told Taiyang that he had deceived Ruby about her family, but that it was for a good cause. Furthermore, he stated that Tai, of all people, should understand how certain complications could affect a team. While they read, Tai fixed his younger daughter with a very inquisitive look, which had the heat rushing to her face.

"I can only think of a few reason why Qrow would want you to believe that this young man, Jaune, is related to you," Tai told Ruby, after giving the two girls some time to read the text. "But when he talks about me understanding, there can be only one."

Ruby blushed even brighter.

"You told me that this young man was a friend of yours," Tai continued. "I'm pretty sure that you've started to see him as more than that."

Ruby nodded, still blushing.

"And the fact that Qrow did this tells me that you were acting on your feelings."

Blushing even brighter, Ruby nodded again.

You're growing up, both of you," he told them. "Faster than I wanted you to, but I have to accept that you aren't my little girls anymore."

"You're not upset with her?" Yang gasped.

"The two of you have faced life-and-death decisions," Tai answered her. "You've taken on an adult's responsibilities, so I can't really object if either of you decide to...get affectionate...with someone."

Both girls looked surprised at the logic.

"But I'd like to warn you about something," he continued. "Qrow was right. These sort of things always become complicated and they can do a number on a team. I went through the same thing and let me tell you; it can turn a good friend into someone you hate."

"So I shouldn't be doing this?" Ruby asked.

"I didn't say that," Taiyang told her. "This is something you're going to have to decide...along with the young man in question. I just want you to know the risks you're taking, to understand that it could tear your team apart when you need teamwork more than ever."

"So if it's all bad, why aren't you saying to stop?" Yang asked him.

"Because, despite all the heartbreak and problems along the way, doing the same thing gave me the two best things in my life...and they're sitting here talking to me, right now." Taiyang now favored his younger daughter with a stern glare. "You're not ready to take that step...neither of you are...but you might take that step some day. It's up to you to decide if the risks are worth it."

For a moment, Ruby and Yang just looked at each other.

"But I bet you're hungry," Tai told them. "I know that I am. I'm supposed to have a private dining room that I can invite guests to. Why don't the two of you help me find it?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, it turns out that you and Jaune aren't really cousins, after all?" Weiss asked her partner, as Team RWBY, plus Sun, lounged around the house.

"Nope," Ruby answered.

"What's this?" Sun asked.

"Long story," Blake told him. "I'll fill you in later."

"So, are you going to...well..." Weiss stammered.

"I believe that Weiss want's to know if you are going to re-establish a romantic relationship with him," Blake told her team leader.

"I don't know," Ruby admitted. "There's an awful lot going on, so any distractions would be...distracting." She sighed. "By the way, where is he...and Ren and Nora?"

"We worked up a list of supplies we needed for the trip to Atlas," Weiss informed her. "The three of them volunteered to go out and pick them up."

"So, is your father upset that Ruby and Jaune were becoming romantically involved?" Blake asked the sisters.

"Strangely enough, no," Yang shrugged. "He sort of wrote it up to us getting older, gave us some warnings, then said to just think things through before we act. Then, we had a great afternoon with him...some real dad-daughter talks."

"I envy you," Weiss told her. "All three of you. My father isn't much of a dad."

"We're back!" Nora's voice shouted from the front door. "We got it all!"

Any further conversations were interrupted by the need to unpack and organize the supplies that the remainder of Team JNPR had acquired. The sun had set by the time they were finished. Jaune walked out to the practice yard to look over the city.

"Guys, could you give us a minute?" Ruby asked the remainder. "Yang can get Ren and Nora caught up." She left to join Jaune, while Yang quietly filled the others in on what the sisters had learned.

"Hey, Jaune," she greeted him.

"Hey." He turned partially, and unspoken offer to join him at the rail. "Did you have a good afternoon with your dad."

"Yeah," she took a deep breath, but stood next to him. "I...found out something."

"Oh, did you confirm it?"

"The opposite," she told him. "Dad's an only child and Uncle Qrow loaded a bogus app onto my scroll, to fool me into thinking we were cousins."

"Did he hate me that much?" Jaune looked at her, clearly dreading the answer.

"I don't think so," she answered. "He left dad a text that said that these things get complicated and we're in a war right now. So...maybe he has a point."

A momentary look of despair flickered across Jaune's face, but he had matured a great deal during the walk to Mistral. He thought before speaking again.

"Maybe you're right," he finally admitted. "Maybe this isn't the right time to make things more confused."

Ruby frowned, but nodded.

"It really felt nice...and right...to kiss you," he told her.

"Yeah," she managed a slight smile. She turned around and leaned back against the rail. "So, I guess we're still friends?"

"Yeah," he said. "Except for one little thing."

"Oh?"

"Right now, I want to do the right thing, rather than the smart thing," he leaned close to her.

"You too, huh?" She managed to whisper, before their mouths were on each other.

Back in the house, a collective gasp sounded from the remaining teens. Of course, they hadn't actually left to give the two privacy, being far to curious. Yang's eyes bugged out slightly, Nora breathed out a happy sigh while Ren slipped quietly from the room. While Blake remained reserved, she smiled slightly and a faint blush appeared on her face. Sun scowled, but grinned, as he pulled out his wallet, extracted some lien and gave them to the smugly beaming Weiss, who had won their wager.

When Ruby wrapped her arms around Jaune's neck, a very quiet, strangling noise made its way out of Yang's throat. When Jaune lifted Ruby to sit on the top rail, without breaking their kiss, the quiet noise was replaced by a high-pitched squeak. When Ruby's legs slid around his waist, holding the two together, Yang reached for the doorknob.

"Perhaps there is an alternative to violence," Ren noted, returning to the group and carrying a bucket.

"Ren, you're a genius," Yang smiled at him, taking the container.

"Well, I try to think things through," Ren told her, blushing furiously.

Yang didn't notice, she had slipped out of the door and was approaching the distracted pair. By now, Jaune's mouth was on Ruby's neck and the younger teen was holding it there. Ruby's face was directed to the sky, her mouth open with a wide smile her eyes closed. As such, the lovebirds were caught completely by surprise when Yang dumped the bucket of ice water over them.

With a wordless shriek, Jaune stumbled back while Ruby fell on her face. Moment's later, Yang was confronted by two sets of angry eyes; one silver and one blue, glaring at her.

"Go put some dry clothes on, you two," Yang told them, her smile wide. "We need to have a talk."

Growling, but not willing to challenge the blonde brawler, the two stomped off to their respective rooms.

"Did you really have to do that?" Weiss asked Yang. "They weren't really getting out of hand and it was kind of sweet."

"That's my little sister," Yang reminded her. "I want some limits set, here and now."

While Blake remained, with a slight smile on her face, the remainder of the teens decided that it would be a good idea to spend another night on the town...but not at a combat karaoke club...and left the house. Thus, Yang had Jaune and Ruby mostly to herself when they both emerged, now clad in their pajamas.

"Okay," Yang addressed them. "It's pretty obvious that the two of you have decided to pursue this, so I want to make sure that nothing foolish happens."

"Don't you trust us; trust me?" Ruby demanded.

"Not with this," Yang sighed. "We're both our father's daughters, and he really doesn't have a good track record with relationships. I don't want that to repeat with you."

"So why don't we get to talk about you?" Ruby asked.

"Because I'm not the one with a boyfriend," Yang countered. "Before you say anything...yes, the two of you are boyfriend and girlfriend now...so deal with it."

"So what are your limits," Jaune asked.

"It's nothing too dire," Yang shrugged. "I'm just saying...nothing permanent. The two of you aren't ready for certain, possible consequences of what you may do."

"Do you really think we would let it go that far?" Ruby asked. "We've fought the biggest grim we've ever seen, we've faced bandits and Salem's lieutenants, but you don't think we can step back from...doing something physical?"

"Guys, I trust you," now Yang was completely serious. "But you have to admit that the two of you have become very close before getting romantic with each other. This isn't just some little fling, so the two of you could get out of control pretty easily."

"What makes you think that?" Ruby asked.

"Look how far you were taking it outside, with people watching you," Yang smirked at the two.

"Alright, point taken," Jaune admitted. "But I think the two of us have got a grip on things now."

"Okay, but not getting out of control."

"We've got it," Ruby assured her. "Where is everyone else?"

"They went off for a night on the town," Yang told her.

"Good!" Ruby got up and pulled Jaune to his feet. Holding his hand, she led him to the room that he shared with Ren and Oscar. For a moment, Yang could only stare as she led the boy into the room and closed the door behind them. A few seconds later, the door opened, Ruby emerged and, with a harsh look towards Yang, firmly tied a sock onto the outer door knob before disappearing back into the room.

"Good move," Blake commented towards her partner. Although the faunus girl didn't often use sarcasm, she was surprisingly good with it when she did. "They were exploring, in their clothes, out in the practice yard but now they're exploring, in a private room, in their pajamas."

Yang could only shake her head. This was going to be an interesting trip to Atlas.

-finis-