Phoenix: First off I would like to formally apologize to any and all Taiyang fans it was not originally my intention for him to be a murderer nor for him to have killed Summer. The characters seem to have taken on a life all their own and I apologize if this affects your reading experience in a negative way.

V.C.: Yes because this is all HIS fault If I had My way none of this would have happened.

Phoenix: Okay apologies out of the way. Now I suppose it's on with the chapter.

Disclaimer in prior chapter.

Chapter 5: A Scornful Battle

Taiyang sat in his recliner, gauntlets dormant on his wrists and a cup of tea in hand as he watched television.

However, his thoughts were not on the show currently playing, rather they were on a familiar topic, Summer. More specifically, that fateful mission from thirteen years ago.

'I still struggle to understand how things ended like this. I loved you Summer Rose, but my foolish rage and jealousy sent me down a dark road. I wish I could have acted less heartlessly, there is no excuse for murder, if not for Ruby and Yang I would gladly turn myself in.'

Taiyang's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door being kicked in. On instinct, Taiyang activated his gauntlets and leapt to his feet, awaiting his foe.

"Tai."

Taiyang blinked in surprise upon hearing Qrow's voice and seeing Qrow wielding his scythe, Harbinger, while giving him a hateful look.

"Qrow? What are you-WOAH!" Taiyang narrowly dodged an attack from the raven haired drunk.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED HER! NOW I'M GONNA REMOVE YOUR SORRY ASS FROM EXISTENCE!" Qrow shouted at the blonde huntsman before swinging Harbinger at Taiyang.

The nimble hunter dodged the attack once more and further distanced himself from Qrow. "What? How did you know?"

"That doesn't matter! Now come here and die!" Qrow threw his scythe which spun in the air like an axe. Taiyang ducked, causing the scythe to break down part of his wall that led into the kitchen.

"No, I don't want to hurt you Qrow." Taiyang ran into the kitchen, then to his back door. Quickly exiting the house and preparing himself.

Qrow burst through the back door, Harvenger in his grip once more. "Yeah, well, I wanna hurt you."

Realizing he had no choice, Taiyang got into a battle-ready stance. "Very well then, if it's a fight you crave then it's a fight you'll receive."

Taiyang backflipped to gain an aerial level and shot Ice Dust bullets at Qrow, who easily evaded all of them and leapt forth. Slashing into Tai's upper arm and sending him flying into nearby trees.

"Ow." Taiyang quickly examined his wound, a shallow cut to his upper forearm, before standing on two tree branches and leaping back into battle.

Shooting from above once more, Taiyang descended in such a way that Qrow couldn't block every bullet.

Qrow did try, however, using his scythe's blade to ricochet most of the bullets into nearby plants or water. One of the bullets managed to pierce his shoulder, making him wince and almost drop Harbinger.

Taiyang noticed this and took advantage of Qrow's weakened state. Jump kicking Harbinger out of Qrow's hands and kicking it into the bushes.

"Damn it!" Qrow growled. "Fine, I don't need Harbinger, I can take you with my fists!" He sucker punched Tai's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him, then delivered a stiff uppercut to his jaw.

Taiyang stumbled back, dazed from the attacks, he narrowly dodged another punch from Qrow and delivered a series of knee strikes to Qrow's chest, landing most of them in rapid succession.

Qrow sweeped Taiyang off his feet before he could attempt another strike. Qrow slowly approached him, cracking his knuckles.

"Qrow, please, don't do this." Taiyang pleaded with his brother-in-law.

"Nope." Qrow glared. "You didn't spare her, so now I won't spare you."

Taiyang closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact. But no impact came, he opened his eyes to see a light orange protective barrier surrounding him.

"What the?" Qrow blinked.

"Awesome job Autumn!" Qrow's eyes narrowed at the sound of Dao's voice. He looked up from his adversary to see the two youths.

Autumn had her eyes closed and looked to be in deep concentration to uphold her semblance. Dao stood close by his 'sister' supporting her.

"Get lost!" Qrow shouted in rage. "He deserves to die! And I'm going to finish him!"

"Uncle Qrow!" Qrow froze at the sound of Yang's voice. He turned to see Teams RWBY and JNPR rushing toward the battle, weapons drawn and ready.

Taiyang rose to his feet, shield still surrounding him. "No, Ruby, Yang, both of you stay back!"

The groups stopped dead in their tracks, confused by Taiyang's request. He shot through his barrier with his gauntlets, shattering it and causing Autumn to fall to her feet.

"AUTUMN!" Jaune and Ruby ran to their daughter while Dao knelt beside her to check on her.

"Ya 'kay?" He asked worriedly. Autumn nodded, too weak to speak. Jaune and Ruby both grabbed her in a tight embrace upon reaching her.

Qrow felt his rage boiled at the sight of his future granddaughter falling in pain from Taiyang. "THAT'S IT!" He lunged at the bushes, grabbing Harbinger and slashing at Taiyang.

The attack left a gashing wound in his back. He cried out in pain from the attack, unable to dodge or block the punch to his chest which sent him toppling to the ground.

"Dad!" Yang couldn't stand back any longer and surprised her uncle with a Fire Dust bullet to the back.

"GAH! BOMBSHELL!" Qrow shouted, turning his attention to his niece and engaged her in hand to hand combat. He quickly outclassed her with his extensive experience and strength.

Yang ducked a kick to the head and rolled underneath her uncle, surprising him with a chop to the back bullet wound.

This only angered Qrow, prompting Weiss and Blake to join the fight while Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren helped patch up the wounded Taiyang.

"Urg, I need to help..." Taiyang groaned.

"No, you are in no condition to fight Qrow, or anyone for that matter." Ren stated firmly while cleaning the gash on his back. "Now hold still."

Weiss elegantly skated while using her glyphs to increase her speed and slashed Qrow with her rapier, careful not to strike any vital points.

Qrow delivered a roundhouse kick to the heiress, sending her falling onto her butt. Blake revealed herself from the shadows, landing two spin kicks to the chest and following with a forearm strike to the face.

In response, Qrow struck her with a series of fierce left and right hooks to her face. Blake graceful dodged or blocked all of the rage filled attacks and responded with a flip kick to the face.

Qrow collided with a nearby tree and quickly transformed into his bird form. Flying high and fast, skillfully evading the Electric Dust Bullets, clearly meant to paralyze him.

"Dang, he's resilient." Yang panted. "How do we take him down?"

"I have an idea." All three heads snapped in the direction of the now bandaged Taiyang. "I believe that my semblance could do the trick now that you three softened him a bit."

"Your semblance?! Dad, your hurt! You can't-."

"I will be fine." Taiyang cut his daughter off. "Our concern is calming Qrow."

"What is your semblance?" Weiss asked, ignoring the angry glare from her teammate.

"I give up all of my defensive capabilities to greatly increase my speed and strength." Taiyang quickly explained before becoming outlined in a golden aura.

Qrow descended from the skies, landing on his feet with ease. "So, your gonna fight after all?"

"I'm finishing this." Taiyang darted forward at extremely high speeds, delivering several jabs and knee strikes in rapid succession.

With one final punch to the head, sending him crashing through Taiyang's roof, unconscious.

Much Later:

Taiyang sat in his recliner wrapped in bandages. Teams RWBY and JNPR alongside Autumn and Dao sat on the large sofa with a bandaged, tied up Qrow.

"Is it true?" Ruby finally asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Taiyang paused for a moment then sighed. "Yes." He confessed to the scythe wielder. "I killed your mother."

Ruby's eyes widened in horror, that horror quickly turned to rage. Before she could act on her feelings, she felt two sets of arms wrap around her.

She turned to see Autumn and Jaune both hugging her in comfort, allowing her to let out her emotions with hot, bitter, angry tears.

"Why?" Blake asked her teammate's father. "Why would you kill an innocent woman? One you claimed to love?"

"I often ask myself the same question." Taiyang admitted. "I have pondered this for many years and have yet to understand. My jealousy and rage over the truth of Ruby and Summer's feelings overpowered me, turned me into someone I am not."

"That is no excuse for committing murder." Weiss pointed out, much to Taiyang's annoyance.

"Stay out of this, it does not concern you." Taiyang snapped at the heiress, who glared in response.

"You killed my partner's mother, it involves me plenty." Weiss responded coldly. "You took an innocent mother from their child and took that child for yourself. As far as I'm concerned, you should be behind bars awaiting a Grimm Squad killing."

Everyone stared at Weiss in awe and shock before turning to Qrow upon hearing his voice.

"I agree with the Schnee kid for once."

"Qrow, I-." Taiyang was left at a loss for words. What could he possibly say to the person who loved the woman he'd murdered? Taiyang bowed his head.

"You what?" Qrow glared, demanding to know what his former friend was going to say.

"I...was wrong. Summer deserved the best of life, instead she got an insecure man who selfishly killed her without thinking of those who cared for her."

"And your just realizing this now?" Ruby asked, her voice hoarse from crying.

Taiyang's heart broke at the sound of pain in her voice, raising Ruby caused him to become attached to her as if she were truly his daughter. Knowing he had hurt her in the worst possible of ways made him feel even worse for his past deeds.

"Murder is unforgivable, in my opinion there is not much worse that you can do to a person." Blake spoke her feelings on the matter. "To take a person from this world without reason is an act not even my former White Fang comrades would agree with."

Taiyang finally broke upon hearing that truth, everything that had been said along with the thoughts he had been pondering for thirteen years got the better of him as he sobbed tears of regret for Summer Rose's death for the first time.

Yang's heart shattered for her father at this sight. She was probably the only person who still cared about him, but she couldn't not care. He was her dad, and she loved him as such, but this was a hard thing to swallow.

Looking around her, Yang saw no one seemed to care for Taiyang, as she had expected.

Qrow and Weiss were intensely glaring in hatred, Jaune and Autumn were comforting Ruby, Nora was clinging to Ren sobbing over the scene that had played out before them, and Pyrrha looked conflicted of her opinion and what to make of this.

"Ma?" Yang turned her head to look at the young boy that would one day be her son.

"Yeah?"

"Gramps did some bad stuff, I get that, but we still gotta care 'about him, right?" The young blonde looked uncertain of what he was saying, hoping she would hold the answers to his questions.

Yang paused for a moment before nodding and pulling him in for a hug. "Yeah, we do."

"Qrow, I now know what must be done." Taiyang finally said after the last of his tears fell.

"Then do it." Qrow said in an even tone.

Taiyang walked over to Yang and pulled out a rope. He handed it to his daughter and turned around. "Tie me up."

"What?" Yang's eyes widened in surprise.

"I want you to tie me up so I may be escorted to prison for my deeds. Now tie me up." Taiyang instructed. The blonde brawler hesitated before complying with his orders and tying his wrists.

"Now what? Yang asked, not sure that she wanted to hear her father's answer.

"Untie your uncle so he can take me away." This surprised everyone including Qrow himself. Pyrrha and Ren hesitated for a moment before obeying Taiyang's request.

Qrow rose from his spot on the couch and locked eyes with his former friend down. They stayed that way for a moment before Qrow slowly turned to the door. "C'mon."

Taiyang willingly went to follow the raven haired man only for Yang to rise from her seat. "I'm coming too."

"What?" Qrow and Weiss asked in unison, neither approving of Yang's surprising demand.

"Ya heard the lady." Dao spoke up for his mother while glaring at Qrow. "She wants ta see 'er Pops off for da last time. An' I'm pretty sure ya ain't got much of a say in dat."

"Back off Kid." Qrow's glance grew cold toward Dao. "This is something your too young to truly understand."

"Really? 'Cause I get a lot of stuff I shouldn't. Death, murder, and hatred are kinda natural to Remnant, ya'know?" Dao fired back. Earning an annoyed glare from Qrow and a surprised look from his 'sister' and the eight teenagers in the room.

"Fine." Qrow huffed. "I hope you know what your setting yourself up for Yang." With that he roughly pulled Taiyang to the door.

Yang nodded toward her uncle. "I do, trust me." She turned to facs her future son and smiled. "Thanks for the support kid."

"No prob, Ma." Dao smiled as his mother patted his head affectionately before walking off after Qrow and Taiyang. His smile quickly faded when he turned to see all eight teenagers in the room giving him angered looks. "I'm in trouble, ain't I?"

"You and your sister both. Now come on, we need to have a long talk about following us into dangerous situations." Jaune motioned his future son to come closer and sit next to his sister.

Meanwhile:

Yang and the tied up Taiyang waited as Qrow stepped aside to call in backup.

Qrow activated his scroll and punched in a familiar number. The scroll rang for a few minutes before the person picked up.

"Hello?"

"Ironwood, I need you to send backup to Patch." Qrow spoke into the device.

"Taiyang finally cracked?"

"How do you know about that?" Qrow asked in surprise and anger. Wanting to hear Ironwood's explanation as to how he knew the truth behind Summer and Taiyang.

"I've known since about a year after the incident. However, I could do nothing at the time because my superiors refused to allow me to prosecute a case against Taiyang."

"Yeah, he had everyone fooled into seein' him as a caring, heroic husband who tragically lost his wife." Qrow's tone was icy cold as he spat out those words.

"Yes, well, I have a chopper approaching Patch as we speak, the waterfall can wait."

"Good." Qrow nodded. "When should it get here?"

"Right about...now." Ironwood stated. Qrow blinked, looking around he didn't see any sign of a chopper. He was about to say something when a large, black, chopper with an Atlas emblem on it's side descended from the clouds and landed a few feet away.

"C'mon." He turned to face his niece and her father. "That's your ride." He said coolly to Taiyang, who nodded solemnly before turning to his daughter, tears of regret in his eyes.

"Yang...I love you, never forget that. But also do not forget that what I am about to do is because of that love. At a time, I did love Summer, until that one fateful night."

"I understand, and I love you too Dad, but you need to admit to everyone what you've done and pay for it." Yang failed to hold back tears of her own as her father nodded and leaned forward, kissing her cheek goodbye.

"I know baby girl, look out for Ruby and remember that no matter what, your still the same amazing, talented, beautiful girl that I'm proud to call my daughter."

He then turned his attention to Qrow, the raven haired drunk was waiting impatiently for them to finish. "You done?" He asked coldly.

"Yes Qrow, I am. Please, take care of Yang and Ruby for me."

Qrow met Taiyang's gaze with a harsh glare. "I will, but not for you. I'll do it for them, and for her." With that said, Taiyang was escorted onto Ironwood's chopper.

Yang watched as the aircraft slowly ascended into the cloudy sky, carrying her father off to his new home, A high security Atlas prison where he would await trial. Her eyes didn't leave the chopper as it flew off until it was a far off speck in the distance. She turned to look at Qrow when he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"C'mon Yang, let's get going. The others are probably worried." Yang nodded before giving the sky one last glance and following her uncle back to her house.

To Be Continued...