Snowbird: The Forbidden

A Following Punishment: Winter's Deadly Confession

The next morning, Winter found herself wrapped in Qrow's arms. Warm, safe and comfort were all that she felt. As he slept, she looked at him with a smile, sun shining through the window. Not once in her life had she felt this happy, but was Qrow happy? Even if it was for only one night? Hopefully, yet while she hated the man, a sense of attraction had since sparked.

Slowly setting his arms aside, Winter wrapped his shirt around herself and proceeded into the shower, as the night for her was an intensity she had never once felt. As she showered, the cool water ran across her slender body, her heart beat steady as she thought about Qrow, only causing it to beat faster, only jumping when he knocked.

"Winter?" he said as he knocked three times.

"Y-Yes Qrow?"

She tried to keep her calm, hoping he wouldn't comment on the night before, even despite the fact he was one to speak his mind.

"You left your clothes again. I'll set them on the towel bars."

"Oh, alright. T-thanks."

Embarrassed again. She was not in her game. Qrow was calm, and not commenting made her feel at ease.

"Oh, and one more thing. No one will find out. I promise."

Qrow then left the bathroom and awaited his turn. His statement left Winter with a strong sense of relief. Hopefully he was right. No, he was right. Qrow is hardly wrong. After a few minutes, Winter exited the bathroom dried, dressed and her hair loose.

"Your turn Qrow."

A simple nod, Qrow stood and entered the shower. As she waited, Winter looked through the scroll for their mission, checking if any updates had been recorded, or changes. No news had been sent, but missed calls and messages. Who were they from? Much to her relief, Weiss, and would do so, respond back.

"Ice Queen, want some breakfast?"
Qrow asked as he exited the shower. Winter responded with a nod as she tied her hair before speaking.

"Yes please, if it's not too much to ask. And don't call me Ice Queen."

Qrow chuckled as he fixed his hair.

"Whatever you say. I'll cook up anything I see. If we're lucky, this mission will be scrubbed off and Ironwood can't stop bothering me every once in a while."

Winter nodded and set her scroll aside. In one way, she didn't want their task to be scrubbed, and in one way she did. Her reasons were obvious, but focused on thinking about them, but much to her dismay, a call from Ironwood following their breakfast would only give her a result she didn't want.

Qrow himself was annoyed by this, due to the fact their target surrendered the night prior and hadn't been informed, and following their return to Atlas, Qrow confronted Ironwood, and as one would guess, Qrow was escorted out by soldiers. Still, before leaving Qrow gave a reassuring nod to Winter, and she replied in response.

"Winter, conference room, now."

Ironwood called with a stern voice. Winter followed and sat in the seat across the general.

"Miss Schnee, I'm very sorry as to how this turned out. We really didn't expect our man to do such a thing, and apologies on not informing you. We had assumed you were sleeping, and we were busy with making aware no one else had followed."

The mere mention of the word "sleeping" was enough to make Winter loose a breath, only to quickly regain her composure.

"Considering all things, you're leave is still up, with an extra one. That should give you time to see your sister, correct?"

More time off? No, no. She didn't want this. Her only home was the prison of Schnee Mansion.

"But, I want to stay here."

Winter complained.

"That's not needed Schnee. Enjoy your time off. Dismissed."

Winter had no say. Defeated, Winter returned "home", gloom and broken. What would she say? Hopefully he was away on business trips. He must be. All these thought circulated her head the entire ride home. However, if she thought of anything that could give her a sense of relief always turned out to be the opposite. Mr. Schnee was home, though oddly enough, he didn't pay attention, and would not do so for the following days, until one fateful night.

One week later

"Winter!"

Mr. Schnee bellowed, his voice could be heard through the hallway and her bedroom door. An instant sight of terror consumed her. Arriving, he slammed the door open and lunged at her, pulling her to stand up by the hair.

"Aaaah! Father! What is it?"

She yelped in pain.

"What did you do that night? You better not have done anything with that drunk fool!"

Winter's eyes opened wide in shock. Absolute terror bestowed upon her body, unable to release herself from her father's grip. He couldn't know, could he?

"Worthless, disgusting, insignificant being sharing my blood! How dare you call yourself my daughter!"

And with a release, he slapped her, causing Winter to fall in her bed crying.

"I didn't do anything father! Nothing! I promise!"

He only glared and pulled her by her hair again out of her room and to the laundry room, where maids, terrified fled. He would then push her against a bin, in which her clothes would drop.

"Then why do your clothes reek of liquor?! Explain! Explain now!"

He shouted as he pulled out a large ruler.

"F-Father. P-please. I'm beinh honest. I'm telling you the truth! That night ...I....just had a drink. But me and Qrow did nothing. We only reviewed our mission. That's it!"

She cried at the top of her lungs as she backed up towards a wall.

"Not only do you lie in my face, but you dare address that scum and lowlife by his name! In my presence. Unacceptable!"

He slammed the ruler, by her side, missing the first swing. Winter's fear was beyond anything she'd seen or felt. A cold, dark near malevolent stare left his eyes.

"Father, please."

With one other swing, it connected on her lower shin, screeching in pain. If only Qrow was here, he'd fight back. Fighting back? Out of the question for Winter. For years she lived under the same abuse, and all the fear petrified her still.

Minutes, that seemed like hours passed, or even an eternity, and Winter still did not say, yet unwilling, let it out, a comment that would freeze Mr. Schnee. A statement, that even with the consistent crying and now shaky, broken and battered voice, was still audioable.

"I'm pregnant!"

Her body, shaking, tears raining down, and her right leg, bruised with the markings of the ruler. At that second, Winter did not realize what she had just said, but the dreadful silence of a minute passed the realization of the unexpected. Winter had confessed, but was she? Yes, she admitted, but was it in a state of panic or did she really carry a child? Not one word was sent for near half an hour, but Winter knew she was doomed.

"Pregnant? From a drunk?! This is far more worse than I realized. You must be disciplined!"

Disciplined? That was never good. Every time he said that, things for Winter and Weiss became a natural hell. Once again, he dragged her back to her room by her hair, only to luck her up, by nailing her windows and doors.

"Until you learn, you will not exit this room!"

Storming off, Winter was crying a river of tears, her back to the wall, hugging herself with a shiver.

"Q-Qrow.....s-save me. Please."

With that, Winter cried herself to sleep, mumbling Qrow.