Chapter 74

Yang paced in the lounge, scroll to her ear. "...I'll be right over." She tapped the screen then slipped the scroll into her pocket. "Alright, that was Ren, Ruby's at his place. Let's get over there." Yang headed for the door.

"Shouldn't you tell Summer?" Pyrrha asked.

Yang glared at her. "Why would I do that?"

"Ruby is her daughter." Pyrrha noted.

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure Ruby doesn't want to see her right now." Yang growled. "I certainly don't."

"Okay but...no, you're right." Pyrrha sighed. She took a step toward the door but hesitated, allowing Weiss and Blake to pass her. As Yang, Weiss and Blake grabbed their coats, Pyrrha stood at the threshold of the kitchen.

"Move it Pyr." Yang insisted. "No time to waste."

Pyrrha looked back over her shoulder, at Summer - still sobbing before the shattered table - and Winter - doing her best to soothe Summer. "I'm...not going."

"Uh...I'll go get Ruby a change of clothes." Blake absented herself from what was sure to be an unpleasant conversation.

"What do you mean you're not going?" Yang demanded.

"I'm going to stay here...in case...so things don't get even crazier here." Pyrrha struggled. "I don't want anything else to happen."

Yang rolled her eyes. "Suit yourself." She grabbed her keys and rushed out the door.

After standing there for a few moments, Pyrrha turned around, and moved to Winter and Summer. "Why didn't you go with them?" Winter asked.

"I thought I'd stay here to help out." Pyrrha replied.

"I don't deserve your help." Summer sniffled. "I hurt everyone who ever loved me."

Pyrrha carefully chose her words. "That may be, but that doesn't detract from the kindness you've shown me. You would not abandon me, and I will not abandon you. I care for you Summer." Summer slumped in the chair. "We should move to the lounge...where it's more comfortable." She eyed the shattered remains of the dining table.

"Good idea." Winter agreed. "Come on Sum." With a gentle pull she coaxed Summer from her chair, guiding her to a couch in the living room. Summer sat in the middle of the couch, hunched forward, still covering her face with her hands. Winter sat beside her, attempting to get close, but Summer resisted. Pyrrha sat across from the pair, and there they remained for some time, as Summer's sobs and hitches transformed into sniffles and sighs.

"Summer, do you want anything?" Pyrrha asked.

"No." Summer shook her head, looking at the floor.

Pyrrha and Winter shared a glance. "Summer, why don't I make us tea?" Winter suggested. Summer did not respond, but that was not about to stop Winter. "Pyrrha, would you like a cup as well?"

"That would be wonderful." Pyrrha nodded.

"Alright, Summer, I'll be right back." Winter promised. She stood and headed into the kitchen.

Pyrrha and Summer sat in silence for a time. "I'm sorry." Summer finally spoke up. "I'm sure you're disappointed that I'm not the person you thought I was. I'm sorry for letting you down...letting everyone down…"

"It isn't…" Pyrrha started before pausing. "I know it doesn't look good for you, and a lie like this is...shocking, to say the least, but I'm sure you had your reasons."

"Reasons...all I have are excuses." Summer sighed.

"Reasons, excuses, I'd like to hear them all the same." Pyrrha encouraged. "I want to understand your point of view."

Summer leaned back, sinking into the couch. "Do you really?" She asked. Pyrrha nodded. "Fine." She still refused to make eye contact. "When I found out I was pregnant I...I panicked. I knew Qrow was the father and...I knew I didn't really love him. I loved Tai. If he found out the child wasn't his...I didn't want to break up the family we'd built for Yang...I didn't want to lose the love of my life.

"Qrow panicked as much as I did, he didn't want this. He knew what it would do and he wasn't ready to be a father. So I thought, what if I just told Tai the child was his? He loved being a father, a-and maybe he'd finally commit to us. So I said so and Qrow...he did what I told him to do." Summer stared blankly at the floor, her voice carrying barely any emotion. "Tai was simple to fool. He hated using protection, we were always in charge of it. One lapse had brought us Yang...so another brought us Ruby.

"It all worked out. Tai proposed, we got married, and when Ruby was born, the only trait she shared with Qrow was her black hair. I cried the first time I held her, not just because she was here, in my arms, my own baby girl, but when she opened her eyes they were silver. Everything was okay, nothing had gone wrong, everything was perfect...but Qrow...he couldn't take it anymore. I'd already been pushing him further away, but seeing Ruby just...broke something in him. So he ran, joined the army, went from drinking to a drunk, and whenever he came back on leave I kept trying to push him away. But it didn't work, he was Ruby's Uncle Qrow, and they loved each other, and that terrified me, because if Ruby loved Qrow...he'd want to tell the truth.

"It all came to a head when Tai and Qrow got into a fight, about Qrow's drinking of all things. Tai didn't want his kids exposed to it, and that was what broke Qrow...when Tai came home, he wasn't even angry anymore...just...broken. He listened to what I had to say and...that was that, our marriage was dead. It took a while for it all to fall apart entirely, Tai started drinking too, he grew angry and spiteful, but I didn't do anything until he hit Yang...it was enough to convince myself that he was in the wrong, he was the bad guy. He and Qrow, they'd destroyed everything, and Raven turned on them too, because just like Qrow, she loved me, and I used that against her, because that's what I thought I needed to do...and it worked. Tai and Qrow were gone. Everything was alright again, even if it wasn't. It never really had been.

"Now the truth's out...Ruby hates me, Yang hates me, Raven hates me...it's all gone, everything, and it's my fault. From the start it was always my fault, always me wanting what I shouldn't have and didn't deserve. I should never have lied. I should have let Tai go, let Qrow be the father he deserved to be…" Summer descended into sobs once more. "I knew this would happen...I just hoped it wouldn't be until Ruby and Yang didn't need me anymore...then it wouldn't matter if they hated me." Summer hiccoughed. "Maybe they don't need me...maybe it's better they don't have me…"

"Summer…" Pyrrha started, but failed to finish her thought.

Winter emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a pair of mugs on it. She placed the tray on the coffee table, then handed one mug to Summer. Pyrrha took the other. Winter looked up at Pyrrha expectantly. Pyrrha could only frown and shake her head.

Yang barely spared the time to call Qrow, calling on her way out to the car before bundling in with Blake and Weiss. It irked Yang that Pyrrha had decided against going with her, that she was staying with Summer instead of following her, but she could see the worry in Pyrrha's eyes, she was genuinely afraid something bad might happen. Yang tried not to think about what, but she could easily guess.

In spite of Weiss' protests, Yang sped most of the way to the Valkyries', at times even skidding in the snow. It took a shoulder of sharp nails and stern words from Blake to get Yang to calm down. Crashing on the way would only make things worse. Still, they made it there in relatively good time, spotting Ruby's scooter already gathering a blanket of snow in the parking lot, and rushing into the apartment building. Ren opened the door hardly more than a second after the first knock, and they strode in.

"Where is she?" Yang asked.

"With Jaune." Ren replied. "He's keeping her distracted."

"Okay." Yang headed down the hall, but stopped short, turning to Blake and Weiss. "I need to speak with her alone first, please."

Weiss deflated and Blake almost objected, but closed her mouth with a grimace, nodding. "Fine." Blake bit out, turning to sit on the couch instead. Yang shared a look with Weiss before turning away and heading down the hall.

Jaune's room was obvious, the only open door. Entering, Yang found Jaune turned towards her, Ruby sitting at the desk, headphones on, staring at the computer screen. Jaune offered a smile as he walked past her, closing the door behind him. It was just Yang and Ruby. "Maybe I should build a PC." Ruby thought aloud as Yang approached, though Ruby assumed she was Jaune. "I use my laptop more than my console anyway, and I'm getting tired of all the judder."

"Make a list, I'll ask Winter to help out." Yang wrapped her arms around Ruby from behind.

Ruby gasped and looked up. "Yang!" She jumped up, taking off the headphones and leaping into Yang's arms.

"Ruby." Yang whispered, stepping back until her legs hit Jaune's bed, falling back to sit on the mattress. "Don't you ever do that to me again. You scared the shit out of me!" She clutched Ruby just as desperately close.

"I'm so sorry Yang." Ruby whined. "I panicked and dropped my scroll and...a-and…" Ruby croaked, whimpering into Yang's shoulder.

Yang choked back tears of her own, rubbing soothing circles into her sister's back. "I know, it's okay, you're here, you're safe, I've got you, you're okay." She chanted.

Ruby shuddered with little sobs. "Yang...I don't know what to do...this is just...m-mum lied Yang, she never lies to us, but she's been...p-please tell me you didn't know."

"No Ruby, I promise, I promise I didn't know." Yang insisted. "I would never keep something like this from you. I'd never risk hurting you like this."

"Okay...okay...because you're the only family I have left that hasn't been lying to me." Ruby nodded. "You're the only one I can trust Yang, my...w-well, I guess you're not my sister...just another lie we were told."

"It doesn't matter Ruby." Yang soothed. "I'll always love you the same."

"I know...you'll always be my big sis." Ruby sniffled.

"And hey, there's kinda' a silver lining to this." Yang suggested.

"Oh yeah?" Ruby pulled away to see Yang's shaky grin.

"Yeah, we don't have to feel so bad about what we did anymore." Yang laughed uneasily. "It's not like people care about cousins kissing, eh?" She waggled her eyebrows.

Ruby burst into tearful laughter. "Too soon Yang!"

"Never too soon...hey, look at me." Yang cupped Ruby's face, thumbing away her tears as silver met lilac. "I love you Ruby. I'll always love you, doesn't matter if we're sisters or cousins or if I'm some genie from a bottle dad found. I'm your family, I love you, I'll always love you, and if everything about this family changes that won't. Nothing comes before you, I will always be here for you, you are my everything Ruby, you always have, and you always will."

Yang felt fresh tears running down her cheeks, as well as Ruby's. Instead of wiping them, she leaned forward to gently kiss each cheek, resting her forehead against her sister's, and letting them sit in silence. Slowly, Ruby calmed, her hitches dying down, and her heartbeat steadying. Sudden movement saw Ruby climb into Yang's lap, straddling her legs, moving as close as physically possible, their faces barely an inch from each other.

"I told Blake, and Weiss." Ruby confessed.

"I know, Weiss told me this morning." Yang said.

"Oh...does Pyrrha know?" Ruby asked.

"Not yet...but I'll tell her soon." Yang replied. "If the others know, it's only fair."

"Hmm...good." Ruby hummed.

"You know...Weiss said something interesting when we talked." Yang noted.

"Hmm, what?" Ruby asked.

"If we wished to...express our love...she wouldn't object." Yang answered.

"Wow...Weiss said that?" Ruby pressed.

"Yup." Yang nodded, grinning.

Ruby could not resist smiling herself. "Hmm...I could really use some love right now Yang."

"Of course...anything for you Ruby." Yang responded. And with that, Yang and Ruby's lips met in a kiss, gentle, slow and loving. The day's emotional and physical stress melted away, replaced entirely by each other, and the love they shared in this moment, until they parted, breathless and flushed.

"I miss that." Ruby whispered, dazed.

"Me too…" Yang replied, equally stricken. She lay back, Ruby falling along with her, shifting to snuggle into her side. They lie there, basking in silence. "We have to deal with this soon."

"I know." Ruby sighed.

"Blake and Weiss are waiting." Yang noted. "I asked for some time alone first, and...Qrow, I told him we found you, but I didn't know if you wanted him to come, so I told him not to yet."

"I...I need to talk to him." Ruby stated.

"You don't have to." Yang suggested.

"I know...but I need to." Ruby insisted. "He...he was hurt too...it's not his fault."

"Ruby...fine…" Yang trailed off.

"Fine?" Ruby asked.

"Fine...do you want me to get Blake and Weiss?" Yang asked. "I can give him a call while they're talking with you."

"Yeah...but can we wait for a bit?" Ruby requested. "I don't wanna' talk about anything for a while, can we just stay like this?"

"Sure." Yang pulled Ruby closer. "We can do that."

Blake stood as soon as Yang left Jaune's room, waiting impatiently for the go ahead, Weiss' hand clasped firmly in her own. "She's okay, for now." Yang sighed, running a hand through her hair. "She needs you. She's gonna' need you a lot."

With a nod, Blake strode past Yang in a hurry, hardly noticing Weiss halt before Yang, laying a hand on her shoulder. "What about you?" Weiss asked.

"I'll be fine." Yang replied. "Ruby needs you. I have to call Qrow." Yang grimaced at the name, then sighed again, this time rubbing the tears threatening to well in her eyes, but metal made for a poor tissue.

"Yang...here." Weiss offered.

Yang opened her eyes to see a handkerchief, and she grinned, accepting the cloth. "Figures you'd have one of these...thanks Weiss." She dabbed at her eyes.

"We're sisters Yang." Weiss smiled. "And I'm here for you."

Yang offered a shaky smile in return, offering the handkerchief back. Weiss just shook her head, patting Yang on the shoulder and heading after Blake down the hall. Silently, Yang thanked the Maidens Ruby found such wonderful women in her life. She wished Pyrrha were here.

"Ruby." Blake hurried into the room and fell to her knees before Ruby, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Hey Blakey, sorry if I worried you." Ruby apologized, threading her fingers into Blake's hair soothingly.

"Please don't do that again." Blake begged.

"I know, I won't...where's Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"Uh...talking to Yang." Blake pulled back, not letting go, but enough to meet Ruby's gaze.

"Oh, uh, Yang knows by the way, that you know, about me and her, heh." Ruby noted.

"That's...not really what I'm worried about Ruby." Blake laughed, moving a hand to cup Ruby's cheek. She gladly leaned down to meet Blake in a kiss. "Are you okay?"

"No, but I don't wanna' think about that yet, okay?" Ruby admitted.

"Okay, alright...is there anything you do wanna' talk about?" Blake asked.

"I uh...I made out with Yang." Ruby confessed shyly. Blake looked surprised. "Was that okay?"

"Pfft, sure." Blake chuckled. "I think in this trying time I can give you a pass on making out with your hot...cousin?"

"Hmm...she'll always be my big sis." Ruby declared.

"I know...Weiss!" Blake exclaimed as her other partner entered the room, taking a seat beside Ruby, laying a hand at the small of her back.

"Ruby…" Weiss planted a kiss on her cheek, holding Ruby's scroll in her free hand. "Please try harder to keep track of this."

"Thanks Weiss, I will, I'm sorry." Ruby accepted the device, turning to peck Weiss on the lips.

"Don't be sorry, be safe." Weiss wrapped Ruby in a hug from the side. "Come to us next time."

"I will, I promise." Ruby nodded.

"You'd better, or I'll chain you to a post and feed you nothing but bread and water as punishment." Weiss threatened.

"Nuuuuu." Ruby whined as Blake and Weiss laughed.

When Qrow arrived, Yang answered the door. He smiled weakly, bracing for the worst, but instead Yang matched his smile, equally weary. "Hey Qrow." Stepping aside, she beckoned him in.

"Hey firecracker." Qrow greeted, obliging. A crinkling alerted Yang to the large paper bag in his hand.

"Seriously?" Yang scoffed, closing the door.

"I wasn't sure if I was getting dinner." Qrow snarked, holding the bag open for her to look in. At least six cheeseburgers were squashed in with several large fries.

Yang took a cup of fries with a chuckle. "Ren and Jaune are cooking, but everyone here eats like a black hole anyway. Nora will probably want some."

"Sweet." Qrow dropped the bag on the coffee table, and Yang flopped back onto the couch. "Where's Ruby?"

"Jaune's room." Yang replied. "Blake and Weiss are with her."

"Ah…" Qrow said.

"Maybe give them a little more time alone." Yang suggested.

"Yeah...sure…" Qrow sighed loudly as he sat beside Yang.

The television was on, but muted, some Solstice celebration being aired. Yang stared blankly at the screen, eating fries one at a time robotically. It was good practice for her prosthetic. She did not fumble once. "I've been thinking...about all the shit in the past that makes sense in retrospect."

"Yeah?" Qrow asked.

"It's kinda' funny really, I hit the nail on the head so fucking hard." Yang sighed. "When Tai lost it, he'd been riding my ass about coming home late again, and I say to him, 'You've got another daughter don't you? Go bother her!'" Yang waved a fry in the air for emphasis before popping it in her mouth. "Who'd have fucking thought." She scoffed.

"He told me about that." Qrow noted.

"Yeah, figured...bet he felt like shit, lost one daughter, then punched another, and honestly I deserved it, I was a little shit." Yang admitted.

"No one deserves to be hit." Qrow declared.

"Bullshit Qrow, sometimes people need some sense knocked into them." Yang suggested. "Sometimes people need more than that, otherwise we wouldn't need the military."

"That's different Yang." Qrow insisted.

"Maybe, but it doesn't change the fact that I came so fucking close to knowing the truth." Yang continued. "Maybe if I hadn't laid him out, he'd have just told us then and there. We'd have dealt with this ages ago, and not now, not on Solstice, not when everything seems like it's going good for all of us."

"I'm sorry Yang." Qrow apologized.

"What?" Yang asked. "For lying to Ruby? I'm not the one who needs an apology, but for telling the truth? Fuck no, it needed to happen, better late than never, and better now than years down the line when Tai got hit by a car or something and we're dealing with death both in and of the family."

"Yang…" Qrow sighed, rubbing his brow. "Don't joke about that."

"I'm not fucking joking." Yang persisted. "What if that's what happened, huh? I just found out my dad wasn't an abusive prick, he was cheated on, then lied to for thirteen fucking years, his entire marriage was a lie!" Yang did not yell, but she was certainly livid, the cup of fries crushed in her pathetic flesh hand. "I don't fucking blame him for drinking. I don't blame him for hitting me. I'm surprised he didn't hit Summer, just tried to drink away his pain instead of ending everything, and he kept lying. He didn't fight, he didn't argue, he didn't pack up and leave. Summer broke him Qrow. She ruined his life, and he's still in Vacuo because of her, and that scares the shit out of me, that I could get a call from you one day, 'Uh, hey Yang, Tai just got run over by a bus, that he stepped in front of, on purpose, because his bitch of an ex wife broke his heart, and oh yeah, Ruby isn't your sister, I'm the real father, surprise!'" Yang shook, hunched over, hands fisted in the air.

Qrow mulled over his words before reaching over, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Your father's fine Yang. Took him, well us more like, a while, but he's gotten better, a lot better. He's got a good job, and a...a girlfriend."

"Pfft, hah, seriously?" Yang snorted, wiping at her eyes as she calmed.

"Yeah, maybe you should ask him about her, when you call him." Qrow suggested.

"When huh?" Yang asked. "Yeah, sure, maybe."

"Think about it." Qrow advised. "Ruby sent him a letter. Maybe he'd appreciate a call from his real daughter too."

"Oh for fucks sake Ruby...that's gonna' kill him." Yang groaned.

"He'll be fine." Qrow disagreed. "Just call him, come on, we've all gotta' do awkward shit that'll end up emotional. I'm about to reconnect with my daughter after being her uncle all her life. At least there's no lies between you two."