60

For some reason, I'm getting some serious deja vu.

Bursting into the first-year dorm stairwell, Yang finally, finally, came to a stop. She leaned heavily against the wall, gasping for breath as her heart tried to pound its way out of her chest. She looked morosely up at the ten stories worth of stairs that led to the roof, heaving out a groan between gasps.

After what felt like an eternity, Ruby had finally stopped running. Just beforehand, she had been running all over on the grounds, seemingly aimless, as Yang tried desperately to keep up with her. Yang had quickly realized how futile it was, seeing how Ruby wasn't holding back in the slightest, and Yang was still nowhere close to her level when it came to running. It was only thanks to the Link that she was able to keep track of where Ruby was.

Finally getting her breath back, Yang looked up the flight of stairs. When she closed her eyes, she could see the wispy red form of Ruby's aura, sitting at the edge of the building's roof, staring down at her hands.

Probably looking at that stupid picture, Yang thought bitterly as she slowly trudged up the stairs.

Without the rush of Ruby's Semblance distracting her, the sound of blood surging through her ears, Yang couldn't stop her thoughts from rushing back to her.

She felt… she didn't even know. Every time she tried to make all the new information make sense, everything just became more jumbled. It should have been so simple. She just gets Raven to tell her where the hell she been all these years, then decide if it was good enough to warrant actually getting to know the woman. If so, awesome! If not… well, it would suck, to say the very least, but at least then she'd know.

Instead…

Ruby and I have the same mother. The very thought seemed alien to her. Yang gave her head a hard shake. Except, Raven's not her birth mother, she's her 'father'... seriously, the hell? And, she and Summer…

Between the 3rd and 4th floor, Yang had to come to a stop. She let out of shuddering breath, her trembling hands gripping the stair railing as she stared down the stairwell.

Raven and Summer… were together. Like, together, like… me, Blake, Weiss, and Ruby. That's… wow. I don't… I can't… even…

Yang ran a hand down her face, letting out a slow breath. She was thinking in circles, making herself more confused. There were still more questions, so many more questions, she needed to ask Raven. Not just her, Taiyang and Qrow, too. Oh, that was a whole nother can of worms that made her blood boil. Those two didn't just know, they were part of this whole mess from day one, lying to her face every damn day! She-!

Crack!

Yang jerked as she suddenly pitched forward, nearly tumbling into the now open stairwell. She pulled back suddenly, looking down to find the railing broken off in her hands, snapped and crushed in each fist.

Yang stared at the broken metal for a long moment, before dropping them to the ground. Calm, she thought to herself, reminding herself why she was there in the first place. Freak and smash later. Help Ruby now. Repeating the words in her head almost like a mantra, she started back up the stairs.

She's steadily ignored the kernel of disbelieving Joy bubbling in the back of her mind, stomping it down before it could become more than just a wayward thought. She didn't want to acknowledge the relief she felt at the simple fact that Raven… chose her. That she wasn't the result of some... mistake that Raven chose to abandon. That Raven having her was something she chose, that she actually… wanted her. And Summer, the woman who treated her like her own daughter, had taken her in… hadn't taken her in. She didn't have to… because Yang had already been Summer's daughter from the day she was born. Summer… really was her mother.

Yang wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to be happy.

Then she remembered Ruby's face as she ran out of that room, how she Felt, could still Feel, how much Ruby Hurt, and all Yang could feel was pure frustration at the entire situation.

Once she reached the top, she had to pause at the roof door. She closed her eyes, both to steel herself and to check on Ruby's emotional state.

Confusion. Denial. Betrayal.

…

Hope.

Yang's eyes blinked open in surprise and confusion. That last one… it was definitely hope, but… something was off about it. Now even more concerned, Yang pushed open the door.

Sure enough, Ruby was sitting at the edge of the roof, staring down at the photo held loosely in her hands. Much to Yang's increasing worry, the hood of Ruby's cloak was pulled up, hiding her sister's face from view. With a sigh, she walked over to her.

The sound of her footsteps startled Ruby, the younger sister lifting her head to look up at her. Yang felt her heart clench when she met Ruby's bloodshot eyes.

"Oh! Y-Yang," Ruby said, her voice low and rather scratchy.

Yang did her best to muster up a small half-smile as she sat down next to Ruby, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the building. "Hey, Little Sis," she greeted, her voice soft and gentle. "What's shaking?"

Ruby just stared for a moment, giving Yang an up-close look at the dried tear tracks running down her face. Ruby swallowed thickly, her eyes trailing back down to the photo. "I'm… okay. Just… trying to think."

A quick quip popped into Yang's head, but she had neither the willpower nor energy to do much of anything, so she instead just did the same as Ruby, staring down at all the people milling about in the main courtyard. "Yeah," she said, sympathizing. She breathed out a humorless huff. "I've been trying to do the same. This whole thing is just… crazy."

Ruby gave a small nod in agreement. "N-No kidding," Ruby said. She took a shuddering breath. "But… at least it's all good stuff, though."

Yang blinked, slowly turning to look at Ruby. That was the last thing she expected her sister to say, let alone in her usual happy-go-lucky tone. "You… really think so?"

Ruby nodded again, so hard her hood slipped a little further over her face. "Yeah! Why wouldn't I? I mean… everything's g-great!"

Yang frowned when she heard Ruby's voice crack. A sinking feeling wormed its way into her stomach.

"Raven really does love you." Ruby went on, though Yang was fairly sure she wasn't so much talking to her as to herself. "She didn't leave for no good reason, or because there was a big fight. She just wanted to keep you safe. She wanted to keep...u-us s-safe."

Yang scooted closer to Ruby, trying to get a bead on her emotions. She could Feel negative emotions swirling beneath the surface, but Ruby had them buried under what Yang could only describe as Forced Happiness.

"B-because, Raven and Mom l-loved each other. I-Isn't that a-awesome? I-Its like some kind of fairytale! All that's missing is the... h-happy ending… b-but it's still good! I-I mean, I was hoping our family could get a little bigger, and now we know Raven was always family. B-because… she was Mom's girlfriend. And she's my... m-my…"

"Ruby…" Yang felt like her heart was being squeezed as the pieces came together. Like always, Ruby was trying to be her usual ball of sunshine, grasping onto anything positive she could. But this… Yang could practically see Ruby's emotional walls cracking. This was just too much. It was like Ruby was trying to hold a gaping wound together with band-aids.

"S-she's my…" Ruby's stuttering got worse, her fingers clenching down on the picture frame to the point Yang thought it might break. Her breathing quickly grew choppy, emotion in her every word. "She's my… I'm… her..."

"Ruby," Yang said more forcefully, putting an arm around Ruby's shoulder. She finally startled a reaction out of her sister, making Ruby look up to her and surprise. Fresh tears streaked slowly down her face, and with her cloak pulled up like it was, Yang felt like time had gone back five years.

Ruby stared up at her for a full minute, before her false grin crumbled away, replaced with a pained look. She threw her arms around Yang's middle, burying her head into her sister's shoulder. Yang felt a slight pressure as the photo dug into her side, still clutched in Ruby's hand.

"They lied to us." Ruby murmured into Yang's chest, her voice breaking as more tears fell. "Sh… She lied to us."

Yang didn't need the Link to know that by "she", Ruby didn't mean Raven.

"Oh, Sis…"

Heaving a pained sigh, Yang pulled Ruby further into her one-armed hug, holding her tightly as Ruby started sobbing into her shoulder. She ignored the prickling feeling in the corners of her eyes, knowing that if she broke down as well, they'd likely never stop.

"So… Are we just going to ignore the fact that Yang just used Ruby's semblance?"

Blake glanced towards Qrow as he muttered to Taiyang. Her gaze didn't linger, however, quickly going back to watching Raven pace around the room.

It was far from the first time Blake had felt like she was being torn in two different directions, but that did not make things any easier. Part of her, the part that was constantly aware of Ruby and Yang's emotional turmoil, wanted nothing more than to jump up and rush after the sisters, to help her Mates in any way she could. Yet, something kept her from leaving the room, almost a sixth sense telling her to leave Yang and Ruby alone for the time being.

Thus she was left to just sit awkwardly in the lounge, watching Raven pace about nervously, Weiss remaining next to her on the loveseat, tapping away at her scroll with her brows pinched in worry.

Across the room, Taiyang grumbled in reprimand. "Qrow, not now."

Qrow just gave a light snort. "Yeah, I know… but come on, Tai! I know you're wondering too."

Blake bit her lip, contemplating whether or not to say anything. She shot Weiss a quick look. The heiress could only shrug in answer, just as flummoxed as she was. Figuring there was little reason not to, Blake spoke up. "Um… Sir?"

Qrow looked over, quirking a brow at her. He flashed her an easy-going smile. "Don't bother with the 'sirs', kid. Between your relationship with the girls and everything you just saw, you're basically family at this point."

"Oh," Blake said back, blinking. His easy acceptance was rather unexpected. "I just thought… I can tell you how Yang used Ruby's Semblance." Tai and Qrow shared a look, turning back to Blake expectedly. Blake squirmed a little in her seat, before steeling her nerves. "It's because of our Affinity."

Taiyang cocked his head to the side, brow furrowing in thought. "You girls managed to get one?" When Blake nodded in answer, his eyes seemed to light up. "That's amazing! What is it?"

Blake hesitated, not quite sure how to explain, before deciding just to show them. Lifting her hand, she curved her fingers as a violet glow enveloped her hands. A simple glyph formed in front of her, the purple snowflake spinning lazily.

Qrow's eyes bugged out. "Hold up, that's…" His eyes drifted towards Weiss, looking for an answer.

Feeling his gaze, Weiss let out a small sigh. Closing her eyes to focus, a white haze enveloped her as her form blurred, white rose petals slowly drifting off of her.

Grinning slightly at Taiyang and Qrow's shocked looks, Blake explained. "It seems that each of us can now access the others Semblances as well as our own."

Qrow stared blankly at her for a moment, then slapped a hand over his face. "Okay… you four have officially blown our team out of the water. Four Semblances, good gods…"

Taiyang could only stare in amazement. "You can really use all of your team's Semblances?"

"Mostly. So far, each of us has been able to use Ruby's speed, Weiss's glyphs, and my shadow clones, so we can probably use Yang's strength as well. We haven't tried yet, though. Yang says we might hurt ourselves."

"Good call," Taiyang said, shaking off his shock for the time being. "Yang had a lot of bad spills when she was little. We eventually learned how to make it work. Maybe I can help you guys figure it out." His shoulders slumped a little as he sighed. "Y'know… assuming Ruby and Yang still want to talk to me."

At that, Raven paused her pacing just long enough to give Taiyang a withering look. "Tai, you kept them happy and healthy for thirteen years when Summer and I couldn't. You are their father. You've earned it." Her tone implied an unsaid statement of 'stop being an idiot.'

Taiyang blinked at her, then grinned ruefully. "...I appreciate that, Rae. But that's not really your call."

Raven paused again, this time holding his stare. She looked down at the ground briefly, before her eyes sharpened. "I'm going after them."

Qrow, instantly pulled from his mutterings, lifted his head in surprise and worry. "Uh, that's probably a bad idea, Rae. Yang's probably pretty steamed over... well everything, and Ruby's probably not much better. Maybe we ought to let them cool off and process first."

Raven considered his words for just a moment, then shook her head. "No… no, if they're going to process, I want them to know everything. I...I've made them wait long enough." She waved her hand, and the floor beneath her wavered.

In a near panic, Qrow lunged to try and grab her. "Rae, wait!"

He was too late. The ground seemed to drop out from under Raven as she sank into the billowing clouds beneath her feet. Within a second, she had fallen away, her portal snapping shut as Blake and Weiss looked on in shock.

Taiyang and Qrow looked to each other in worry. "What are the chances that goes well?" Taiyang asked.

Qrow could only look back grimly.

Taiyang rubbed the back of his head, his stomach sinking. "Oh, boy…"

When Raven's feet hit the ground, the first thing she did was look around at where she was. She'd tried to make her portal appear at the furthest distance possible from her daughters, in the hopes of not surprising them any more than she was going to. She couldn't help but smile slightly at the familiar sight of the first-year dorm stairwell. There were memories here, and they helped give her a slight boost of confidence.

She had appeared just on the other side of the roof exit, the plain steel door appearing more ominous than she remembered. With a steadying breath, she quietly pushed it open.

She had to stifle a sigh at the sight before her. Yang and Ruby sat at the very edge of the building, Ruby practically in Yang's lap. Yang's hand was curled underneath Ruby's hood, gently running through her hair. Neither made a sound as they stared out at the Beacon grounds.

"Yang?" Raven softly called out, hoping to draw their attention. "Ruby?"

Despite her attempt not to startle them, both girls jumped like they'd been shocked. They whirled around, eyes going wide when they saw her. Raven felt her heart ache when she saw Ruby's eyes bloodshot.

Yang jumped to her feet in an instant, lowering into a protective stance in front of Ruby, who could only stare at Raven with an unreadable look. "What do you want?" Yang practically growled.

Raven froze in her approach, nearly taking a step back at Yang's sudden aggressiveness. "I just want to talk," she said, holding up her empty hands.

Yang wasn't having it, if anything becoming more defensive. "I think we've talked enough. Go away."

Raven's head jerked back like she been slapped. Her eyes quickly narrowed. "You can't be serious. You must have questions."

It was only thanks to decades of experience that Raven noticed Yang swallow discreetly, a clear sign of her conflict. She hid it quickly, though, when she glanced back at Ruby, who was flicking her gaze between the mother and daughter rapidly. Yang clenched her hands into fists. "I don't… I'm not in the mood anymore. Just… leave us alone."

For a moment, Raven honestly considered it. Qrow had been right, Yang's emotions were running high. And with anyone else, Raven would easily consider that it would be best to leave her alone until she cooled off.

But with Yang, it was different. She'd been told by Qrow in the past that she and her oldest daughter shared quite a few similarities, especially when their tempers were involved. And if that was true, if Yang was even slightly like herself, Yang wouldn't take time to cool off. She'd just use it to stew, letting her thoughts make her even more angry and frustrated. If there was any chance of holding a calm conversation with her eldest, Yang would have to get her anger out of her system sooner rather than later.

So with that thought in mind, Raven fixed Yang with a hard, unflinching stare. "No."

In an instant, Yang's eyes flashed red. "What?"

Raven held her head high, defiant. "I have left you two in the dark for almost thirteen years. I'm here to at least try and make amends, but I need you both to know everything to do that. If you're going to hate me, I at least want you to have all the information first."

Yang faltered just a little in her anger, just a moment of hesitation as she considered what Raven was saying. But it returned tenfold when she heard Ruby suck in a quick breath, letting out a small whine of discontent. Her eyes burning, Yang snarled. "I said to leave us alone!" She now shouted, hunkering down into a more aggressive stance as her growing anger bubbled away way inside her. "Either leave, or I'll make you!"

"Yang…" Ruby murmured weakly, eyes darting between the two.

Raven grit her teeth in frustration as she watched Yang's thumb hover just above the transformation switch on her gauntlets. "Is that what it will take to get you to talk to me? You want to fight me? Hit me?" As her frustrations threatened to manifest again, she threw her arms open. "Fine then! Go ahead, hit me! I won't-"

BANG!

The sudden sound of a heavy impact echoed across the rooftops, being heard even by those on the grounds. Raven found herself flying across the rooftop, the left side of her face lighting up in pain. She flew back, colliding with the rooftop door so hard it bent inwards. She hung there against it for a moment, before gravity brought her to the ground.'

Ruby's jaw dropped, yellow rose petals dancing around her in the wind. She gaped up at her sister, who materialized just in front of where Raven once stood, fist outstretched and a fierce scowl on her face.

Then Yang blinked, her red eyes turning lavender in an instant. She stared down at her fist for a second, looking almost confused, before her eyes widened. A panicked look spread over her face.

"Yang!" Ruby couldn't help but shout, instinctively scrambling to her feet.

Yang's eyes darting from her now limp hand to Raven's crumpled body, her panic building by the second. "Oh, crap!" she muttered, her voice high. She shared a freaked out look with Ruby before the two rushed to Raven's side.

"Uh… Miss Raven?"

"Oh, jeez! Crap, I didn't mean to… are you…?"

Yang fell silent when Raven let out a groan, her eyes fluttering open. She lifted her head, firmly placing her left hand over her eye.

"...stop you…" she muttered to herself as she pushed herself up. She blinked rapidly, trying to see out of the eye that was stuck in the curious limbo of puffing up into a bruise and being healed by aura at the same time. Her vision cleared, and she blinked in surprise at finding her daughters hovering over her, concern on their faces. Quickly understanding what had happened, she managed to smirk in Yang's direction. "Well… I suppose I did ask for that."

Yang blinked owlishly at her, before crossing her arms stubbornly. "Y-yeah! You did! So… yeah…" She ended rather lamely, not sure what to say.

Raven's smirk grew a little larger, but quickly dwindled when she and Ruby briefly made eye contact, only for Ruby to quickly look away. She heaved a deep sigh as she pulled herself to her feet. After an awkward beat of silence as they stood across from each other, Raven asked, "Can we talk? That's all I want, just to talk."

The sisters shared a look, Raven watching as the Marks on their necks glowed faintly with red and yellow light. Ruby looked very conflicted, while Yang just seemed frustrated. With a loud huff, Yang turned to Raven. "What else is there even to say?"

"Quite a bit, actually," Raven said with a mirthless chuckle. When both girls only looked more worried, she frowned. "Don't you two want to know what happened? Why I left?"

Ruby, despite her clear uncomfortableness, gave Raven a perplexed look. "Didn't you just leave to protect Mom and us?"

Raven grimaced slightly, giving a small nod. "Yes… but I didn't until I felt I had no choice." She paused, then gestured towards the building edge. "Do you two want to sit down?"

The girls hesitated, both wary of her. Ruby looked at Yang, almost like she was asking for advice or permission. Yang looked between her and Raven, appearing very conflicted. With a grunt, she grasped Ruby by the wrist and gently led her to the building's edge. Ruby's shoulders slumped slightly in faint relief.

As the sisters reclaimed their places, Raven moved after them. Yang shot her a sharp look of warning though, bobbing her head to her opposite side. It took Raven a moment to get the message, noting that Yang had yet to let go of Ruby's hand: stay away from my little sister.

Raven felt a twinge in her chest, but couldn't really blame her, all things considered. Nodding in understanding, Raven sat down on Yang's other side. For a moment, she let herself look out over the courtyard, at the dozens of students milling about enjoying their weekend. A feeling of nostalgia washed over her, coaxing her lips into a small smile. With a deep breath, she turned to her daughters, finding them already looking at her expectantly.

"Well… oh, where to start?" She looked up at the sky, thinking. "I suppose… the living arrangements." At their curious looks, she explained. "Just so you have some context. After we graduated, Summer, Qrow, and I didn't really know where to go. Qrow and I were exiled from the clan, and Summer didn't have anywhere to go back to. Taiyang was the only one with any ties anywhere, so we all kind of followed him when he went back to Patch." She chuckled. "It was… trying, all four of us crammed into his little house, but we quickly built up enough money from missions to afford somewhere bigger.

"The Glenn mission was about four months after we'd graduated. It was just a few months after that when Summer started getting serious about starting a family. We thought and considered things for a few months, before deciding to give things a chance. We had you, Yang, and Ruby, you followed a little over a year later.

"I won't pretend that I was the best parent." She pointedly ignored the baffled, almost insulted look Yang shot her. "I didn't have a whole lot of experience with children, so… there was a bit of a learning curve. But, I had Summer at my side, not to mention Taiyang and Qrow helping out every chance they had. We had four great years together, the six of us all crammed together in that house. It wasn't perfect, but… it was a good life." She looked down on her lap, smiling sadly. "I was… happy."

She fell silent for a moment. Memories started coming back, fondness tinged with an unwilling bitterness.

"What went wrong?"

Raven with startled from her thoughts by a soft, hesitant voice. She turned towards the source, finding Ruby staring at her. She had her arms wrapped around herself in a tight hug as she leaned around Yang. There was a frown on her face, but it was small, thoughtful. Yang had a similar look, but with more than a little wariness in her eyes.

Raven held their gazes, letting out a small breath. She continued. "Like I said before, The Cult of Salem thought I had the Silver Eyes, so that painted one hell of a target on me. I didn't really care that much since most of the people that came after me were either weak or inexperienced. It was almost fun, waiting to see if my next mission would have a bit of extra challenge. Until…"

Raven stopped, her voice leaving her for a moment. She stared intently down at the grounds below, as if they held some answer they were keeping from her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Yang and Ruby share another look, though she couldn't fathom what they were thinking. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of the cool afternoon air. When she opened her eyes again, she kept them towards the ground, not looking at the girls.

"I took a solo mission. Nothing major, just clearing out a pack of Beowolves harassing a small village in western Vale. I took them out and went back to the village to get paid. I guess the Grimm had been hounding these people for quite a while because they were acting like I was some kind of hero. I played nice, shook a few hands, accepted my payment. But right when I was about to warp home…"

Raven looked down, her eyes darkening. "This kid walked up to me. Brown hair and brown eyes, couldn't have been more than four or five. He smiled up at me and held out this little four-sided toy top, with the four elements carved into each side. A gift for 'beating up the scary monsters'." Her frown deepened into a scowl. "I didn't even think about it. It was just a little boy! I thanked him for the top, watched him run back to his parents, then went home.

"I warped right to the back door, had Summer welcome me back, then went to just go rest in the living room. You two were already there, playing with… a family friend." Her lips curled up into a nostalgic smile, looking towards Yang. "You ran right up to me when I walked in, asking if I got you anything on my 'adventure'." Her smile faded, suddenly looking… defeated. "I didn't even think. I just gave you the top, figuring you'd enjoy it. You ran over, showed it to little Ruby, and you both just started playing with it, spinning it on the living room floor. I… I thought it was just a toy."

The way Raven was now speaking, softly with a far-off look in her eye, was quickly putting the sisters on edge. It was like she'd forgotten she was telling a story and was now just reliving the past. Ruby looked at Yang, dread starting to form in both of them.

"I laid down, dozing on the couch, just talking with the sitter while you two played," Raven went on, not noticing the girls' worry. "Just listening to you two laugh and Tai train out in the front yard, while Summer made dinner in the kitchen. It was… just another day in the STRQ household."

She closed her eyes, her voice becoming quieter. "Then… the top landed fire-side up… and it exploded."

Yang's mouth fell open, both sisters having looks of disbelief as their faces paled. "What?!" They both shouted.

Raven's eyes opened, seeming to darken in that she looked back for the girls. "It was a bomb. Some psychopath went and turned a kid's toy into a bomb. A little one. For us Hunters, it would have just left us with ringing ears and a bit of a burn. But…" She focused on Yang, and her eyes looked so drained. "To a four-year-old…"

Ruby's mouth gaped uselessly. "B-But… why?"

"Because I made them angry, Little Rose," Raven answered, the old name slipping out without her even noticing. Ruby's head jerked back a little, but had no time to focus on it as Raven went on. "The Cult of Salem had been trying to kill me for five years, with no success." She scowled fiercely at the ground below, her hands clenching into fists. "At some point, I must have let slip that I had kids to the wrong person. I guess the cult was getting tired of trying to kill me and settled on hurting me. So they went after an... easier target." The venom in her voice could have melted stone.

The girls were quiet, trying to comprehend what they were being told. "I don't remember this," Yang finally mumbled, more stunned than disbelieving.

"Of course you don't," Raven answered, barking out a humorless laugh "You had a bomb go off in your face. ...how much do you remember from when you were that little?"

Yang opened her mouth to retort, only to freeze. Her eyes darted back and forth across the ground, her mouth working uselessly as she thought. A look of shock and disbelief slowly formed on her face. "I…"

Raven just nodded slowly. "Yang… you were right next to the bomb when it went off. You… it threw you back and you hit the ground so hard that…" She breathed in sharply, shuddering. She closed her eyes, giving her head a small shake.

Ruby gasped as Yang's hand flew to the side of her head, her whole body jerking back. "I… what?"

Raven nodded grimly, then shook her head, scowling. "Everything's just a blur after that. The house started filling with smoke, everything was covered in shrapnel. Ruby started screaming and you… you just…" She trailed off, her eyes glazing slightly as she stared downward at nothing. Her voice ended in less than a murmur. "... you weren't moving."

Yang flinched, her shoulders tensing with every word Raven spoke. This time it was Ruby comforting her, placing a hand on her shoulder even as she stared at Raven in horrified awe.

Raven sucked in another breath before continuing. "Summer came rushing in. She picked you up, Ruby, and, Yang, I grabbed you, and warped all of us to Qrow." At the silent question in their eyes, she explained. "He was already in town, the closest one to the hospital." She managed a small smile, though it didn't remotely reach her eyes. "One minute he's looking over the info boards for our next mission, the next all of us drop down in front of him, along with half the living room. Would have been funny if it hadn't been so terrifying.

"We got you both to the hospital just in time, but that was when I realized I had to leave. Over five years since they learned the Silver Eyes existed, and not only did the cult never stop but now they were going after my family. And they were going to keep doing so every chance they got, just like they had been hunting me. I… I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't lose you. Any of you."

Silence fell as Ruby and Yang tried to digest what they'd just heard. "And Mom just… let you leave?" Ruby asked quietly.

Raven smiled ruefully. "Not without a fight. The biggest one we ever had. She didn't want me to leave, none of the team did. But we didn't have much other choice. We had no idea where the cult was, no way to tell who was a member and who wasn't. I still don't even know who I blabbed about you two to. So, I made myself scarce. I went back to Mistral, doing everything I could to draw their attention to me and away from all of you." She smiled sadly. "Since we're even having this conversation, I suppose it worked… to an extent."

"But… why didn't you come back?" Ruby practically begged, still looking utterly confused. "When we were little, I… I kind of get it. But when we got older… why not come back?"

"Because just being near me puts you two at risk!" Though her voice stayed even, the intensity in Raven's tone brought both girls up short. Raven made sure to meet each of their eyes before going on. "I told you, I have no idea who I blabbed to, and we have no idea who's part of the cult and who's not. We didn't want to risk you two talking about me to the wrong people."

At that, Yang let out a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and a growl. "Are you kidding me? I've known about you since I was five!"

"And how many people did you tell?" Raven fired back, just as forcefully. "How many times did you tell someone that your mother was Raven Branwen instead of Summer Rose?" Yang jerked back, her face pinching in discomfort. Seeing that, Raven's eyes softened. "Yang, we have no idea how to tell who is in the cult and or how many there are. I let slip to the wrong person that I had children, and you two nearly died for it. I still have no idea who it was, or if any random person on the street might be part of it. If they heard you say that I was your mother…" She let out a soft breath, forcing herself to calm down.

Yang grimaced as she looked downwards, her eyes darting back and forth as she tried to come up with a response. "You… still didn't have to wait until now," she finally managed.

Raven gave a small sigh of frustration. "I… maybe," she conceded, though denial was clear on her face. "The plan was to wait until you both entered Beacon. That way, even if the cult did find out you were my daughters, you'd have the security of the school and be able to defend yourselves. Maybe it was wrong, and I could have been there to raise you two with no problem. Or, I could have woken up one day to find both of you missing, or worse."

She paused briefly, looking them both over. "I don't like asking 'what-if'," she admitted quietly. "I had a very dark mindset once upon a time, and when I think about who I'd be if I had kept following that path…" Raven shook her head slightly, as if to banish the very thought. "Things could have been very different. But they're not. The three of us are right here, right now. And frankly, given what I've seen, I think things have turned out about the best they could."

At that, Ruby and Yang both gave her completely baffled looks. "What?" they said in perfect synchronization.

Raven couldn't stop a small huff of a laugh from escaping her at their reaction. "You're both here. You're both strong, healthy, and before I showed up today, happy. You didn't have to spend every day worrying about what was out there. You were able to grow up peacefully, without fear, safe. You've turned into two powerful, beautiful girls, strong and willful." She hesitated, before smiling gently. "Summer would be so proud of both of you."

Ruby and Yang blinked at that, unsure how to react. Normally, being told such a thing would make both of them happy as could be, and put a warm feeling in their hearts. But given all that they'd learned in the last few hours… they weren't sure what to feel anymore.

All three of them sat in silence, none of them sure what to say next. As the quiet drew on, each of them found their eyes slowly turning towards the courtyard below. Students milled about, laughing and talking as they enjoy their Sunday afternoon, oblivious to the emotional rollercoaster going on above them.

"You still could have found some way to come by…"

Raven and Yang both perked up, turning to look at Ruby. The youngest kept looking downward, her hands limp in her lap as she slowly kicked her legs back and forth absently.

Raven watched her carefully, glancing to Yang as well. She hesitated only a moment, considering, before deciding. She had promised to tell them everything, after all. "Well actually… I did come by every now and then."

That got both girls to look at her again, both shocked and baffled. "But… you just said…"

"That we couldn't let people know I was your mother," Raven confirmed. "I couldn't let you two know I was there, obviously, in case you let something slip. But… I still checked in to make sure you were okay."

Yang stared for a moment, before just letting out a huff, too emotionally drained to muster up anything more than exasperation. "What, did you just stare in our window like a stalker?"

"...not that far off, actually," Raven said slowly, almost sheepishly.

Yang blinked. "...come again?"

Raven rubbed the back of her neck, and each sister was mildly disconcerted by how much they thought Raven resembled the other at that moment. "I have a few abilities that let me move around without being noticed."

"What are they?" Ruby asked, her ever-present curiosity making a reappearance.

Raven open her mouth to speak but paused. She glanced back down at the courtyard, then turned back to her daughters with a smirk. "You two wanna see something cool?"

Surprised by the sudden question, Ruby and Yang pulled back a little. Yang turned back to look at Ruby, Raven seeing their Marks light up once again. After a moment, they both faced her and nodded, curious.

Raven smirked a little wider. Then, with no warning, she let herself fall forward.

Ruby let out a loud yelp as Raven tumbled over the side of the building, Yang shouting "Hey!" in a panic. They watched fearfully as she fell two stories down, their hands flying up as their fingers instinctively curled into the hand sign Weiss had shown them.

But just before they could form their glyphs, their fear turned to shock as Raven's form morphed and twisted in mid-air, shrinking into a small black dot. The dot unfurled its wings, revealing it to be a large bird. The sisters' shock increased when what looked like crimson clouds appeared right in front of the bird. The bird twirled in the air, doing a quick loop-de-loop before flying into the cloud.

Yang and Ruby jumped as a loud crack sounded above them. Looking up, they were surprised to find another red storm cloud hovering over them. The black bird flew out of it, flew a circle around them both, before landing right where Raven had been sitting. The sisters watched in continued awe as the bird shifted it's form, turning back into Raven, arms crossed and still smirking.

"Well?" she asked calmly. "What do you think?"

The girls could only stare dumbly at her. Then, in a literal flash, Ruby appeared on her other side, the sudden speed blowing back her hood. She grabbed Raven's left arm, lifting it and looking under it, as if the older woman was hiding the bird somewhere. Raven watched her in amusement, having to keep from laughing.

After a full minute of fruitless searching, Ruby looked Raven in the eye, the picture of confusion. "How…?" she asked, unable to form a full sentence.

Raven snorted lightly at the innocent question. She glanced back to Yang, seeing her just as baffled and curious. "Well, the portals are part of my Semblance," she explained. "I can use them to get from wherever I am to anyone I'm bonded with, who, including you two, totals at five. As for my avian form…" She let out a small huff, glaring up at Beacon's tallest spire. "It's a supposed 'gift' from Ozpin."

Despite them both wanting her to elaborate, something in Raven's voice, a certain bitterness, made both Yang and Ruby hold off. Instead, Yang quietly asked, "So, you would watch us as a raven? How often?"

"I'd show up every couple of months, making sure you two were being taken care of."

"And, what?" Yang asked, crossing her arms. "We just never noticed the big ass bird hanging around the house?"

Raven turned to her, an odd, amused look on her face. "Did you have any reason to be on the lookout for a 'big ass bird'? Plus, I did do my best to stay out of sight." She stopped for a moment, frowning as she thought. Then, with a sigh of resignation, she admitted, "Actually... Ruby, you and I did have a bit of an encounter a few months back."

That took both sisters by surprise, Ruby and Yang looking to each other in confusion. "We did?" she asked Raven.

Raven's eyes turned upwards in near exasperation. "Yes… on your first day at Beacon. I decided I'd warp over and watch you two's entrance exam in my avian form. Though," Her face screwed up in an odd expression, like she was annoyed but trying not to smile. "We had a bit of a closer encounter than I would have liked."

Ruby's brow furrowed in confusion. "What? What do you mean…?"

Ruby laughed as she soared over the treetops, the wind whistling by her as she flew. Her body trembled as her Semblance activated, giving her a little more speed.

A black dot suddenly appeared in her path. She only had a split second to see what it was before-

Crsh!

"Wrark!"

"Birdy, no!"

Ruby's eyes widened in horror. "That was you!?"

Raven stared back at her silently, crossing her arms she tried to look stern.

Ruby looked like she just caused someone grievous harm. Which, for all she knew, she did. "I'm so sorry! I didn't, I mean, I, I couldn't…" Ruby continued to stream apologies faster and faster until her voice became little more than a sad whimper.

Yang made of sound like she was choking, a startled laugh bursting from her lips. "That bird was you? Ruby was sad about that for an hour that night!"

Raven took a slow deep breath as Yang devolved into giggles, while Ruby kept on giving louder and more elaborate apologies. Her lips started to hurt as she tried to hide a smile. "How do you think I felt? Twenty-two years honing my perception skills, just to get blindsided by a fifteen-year-old." She looked up to the sky, then fixed both girls with a hard stare. "Never tell Taiyang or Qrow about this," she said sternly.

Ruby gave a remorseful whimper, while Yang just laughed harder.

At the sound of Yang's laughter, a true smile spread over Raven's lips. Brief as it was, and despite Ruby's exaggerated embarrassment, there was no denying that it felt like a happy family moment, something Raven had not felt for a very long time. From the corner of her eye, she saw the family picture Ruby had left with, likely thrown down in Ruby's rush. With the girls occupied, Raven reached over and picked it up, placing it protectively in her lap.

Once Yang had calmed down and Ruby had petered out, silence fell once again, though it now felt much less awkward. They just sat in the afternoon sun, each waiting for one of the others to speak. After a full three minutes of silence, Raven took a soothing breath. "Are you two okay?" she asked quietly, looking between them both.

Yang bit her lip, then let out a long breath. "I… have no freaking idea. I was expecting a lot of things when I finally… met you. But this?" She shook her head, waving her hand wildly at nothing. "This was not even in the same time zone."

Ruby nodded in agreement, pushing her fingers together nervously. "I didn't even know there was something for me to find out. I…" She met Raven's eyes, looking frustrated and lost. "What do I even call you?"

Raven gave her a small smile, one tinged with sadness. "Whatever you want to, Ruby. If 'Raven' is all I ever am to you, that's fine." She looked between the two, her eyes gaining a determined glint. "Look… all I'm asking for is a chance. I know you're both probably angry and… maybe you're right, and I've done wrong by you both. Let me make amends, let you get to know who I am. Here," she reached into her coat, retrieving two small slips of scrap paper. "This is my scroll number. Call me anytime, and I'll answer. I swear."

Yang stared at the slip of paper with wide eyes, as if she was looking at some long-sought treasure. She met Ruby's eyes, finding her sister looking back in apprehension, waiting for her to make the first move. After a moment, Yang gave a small nod, and took one of the numbers. "Don't think this means we're okay with this," she said to Raven, giving her a sharp look. "This whole thing is… nuts."

"I understand," Raven replied as Ruby hesitantly took the other paper from her. "I know it's a lot to process. Both of you, take as much time as you need. And if you have any questions, call me. I'll be there in a second. Literally, if need be." She flashed them both a smirk, one Ruby found eerily familiar.

Miraculously, Yang answered with a small smile of her own, awkward but hopeful. Ruby managed one a little larger, mostly thanks to years of experience.

Yang looked up to the sky, watching a few wayward clouds float by. "So… any more world-shattering secrets you want to tell us while we're up here?" she asked half-jokingly.

Raven took it seriously, however, following her gaze as she thought. After a second, a sly smile spread over her lips. "World-shattering? Not really. Secrets, though…"

Ruby turned to her, surprised. Her shoulders slumped as she pouted. "Really?" she near-whined.

Raven let out a small chuckle at the sight. "Don't worry, it's just the one. It's about Summer's family."

At that, both girls perked up. "Summer had a family?" Yang asked in shock.

"We have more family?!" Ruby asked at the same time, much more excited.

Raven just kept smirking. "Just one member. Her brother."

Ruby's eyes widened, almost sparkling. "We have another uncle?! Who is he? Where is he?!"

"Yeah, where is he?" Yang echoed in an accusing tone.

Raven held up a hand, hoping to stave off any anger. "He's been drifting around the world doing his own thing. He cut ties with us after Summer disappeared, though he started reaching out to us... rather recently."

"Can we meet him?" Ruby asked, her eyes shining with innocence.

Raven's face was actually starting to hurt, giggles, actual giggles, threatening to escape her lips. "Actually, you've already met him. Several times, in fact"

Yang and Ruby cocked their heads to the side. "We have?" Yang asked.

Raven nodded, cackling inside.

Payback time, Ro.

"You saw him just last week. His name is Roman."

Yang and Ruby fell silent. Their eyes went wide, their faces slack.

In the courtyard below, all movement stopped, all heads turned upwards, as a single synchronized shout echoed throughout the school grounds.

"WHAT!?"

Betaed by Covert Weapon

Old A/n: Whoops. Run, Roman. Run!

I got to admit, I'm a little overwhelmed right now. I was expecting a lot of ridicule over the whole Rose-Branwen Magic Dust Baby thing, as several reviewers put it. Instead, I got almost a hundred reviews of nothing but praise. That's… kind of blowing my mind. Plus... 2000 reviews... Sweet mama... I got no words, and thank you doesn't seem to quite cut it. Just… wow.

As for why Raven stayed away: I know this will not satisfy everyone. Hell, it still doesn't satisfy me. But I think that's kind of the point. Raven is a very flawed, very stubborn character. I don't see why that would change if her focus went from being all about her clan to all about her family.

Next Time: Blake and Weiss have a heart-to-heart, Blake gets a big surprise, and we check in on Uncle Roman.