Old Soul ( RWBY Fanfic with my OC)

Chapter 23

They were still laughing as they walked to their rooms. There was a cheerful energy in the air, brightening the gloomy atmosphere around them. This was just what they needed. They stopped as they heard someone grunting, winter.

" Winter?" Weiss asked and the scene silenced them.

" Eyy...Ice queen...how 'bout we-" Winter covered his mouth as she was currently dragging him back to his room. " Just a couple more..." He groaned as Ruby helped her. After they left him, Winter decided to stay a bit to make sure he was okay.

" Winter..." He took her hand as she was about to get up and leave. " It hurts....Don't leave me...please..." She cupped his face and looked deeply into his red wine eyes. He pulled her in, kissing her softly before letting go. " I just...I'm scared, I don't know what to do. How do I protect the ones I love when all I do is...bring misfortune. I wish I was alone..."

" Don't say that," She told him as she placed a hand on his cheek.

" Then I wish I was dead, so I wouldn't have to feel like this...any of this.." She ran her hand through his black hair and pulled him close again. The kiss lasting longer and sweeter.

" Don't say things you don't mean, Qrow. How would you have felt me if you died?" He gave her a sad smile and held her gaze. He shook his head softly and was starting to fall asleep again. " Sweet dreams, Qrow.." She kissed his forehead and left him there.

The next morning stwrted off with a scream. The maid ran down the hall screaming and crying for help. Team RWBY was the first to respond as they chased down the nurse and asked her what had happened. Bumping into Ironwood and Qrow as they did.

" A monster, she's a monster!" The woman told them as she was visibly shaking.

" Where?" Qrow asked. The maid colllected herself and led them to the garden. JNR had just woken up to all the commotion and followed them. Upon arrival they found Oscar woth his cane ready and a finger to his lips as he signalled them to keep their voices low. One of the soldiers who was with Winter followed them. They approached the area, bloodstains becoming more and more frequent.

" Zea?" The ghost stood there, looking straight ahead, ignoring Blake. Whatever she was looking at shocked her into silence. They could hear breathing and saw her standing there, among the bodies of two soldiers and caught a glimpse of the grimm before it evaporated. Qrow held up a hand in front of the children as to not startle her.

The soldier walked towards her, ignoring the silent gasps and warning. Hearing the footsteps, Verna turned to  to the soldier. She wore a blank expression, showing no remorse or any emotion. She looked restless upon further inspection, she'd been crying and possibly had stayed up all night.

" Kage." The scarf gone as she glanced at her surroundings for a bit. " They were dead when I got here, I took out the rest of the grimm..." The soldier crossed their arms and tilted their head, almost judging her. She knew that pose, she looked down as soon as she knew. " I'm sorry..." The soldier removed his helmet and looked at her with the same violet eyes. " Brother." She hugged him as he staggered back a bit. He hugged her back as she started to cry. " I'm sorry...I shouldn't have--I should've gone home," He wiped a tear from her face and smiled at her.

" Vee, you're talking to the man who hasn't gone home for a decade." She laughed a bit as he brushed back some of her hair. " You had a nightmare?" She nodded almost child like. " Hey, don't cry. Big brother Aswad is here." Her legs gave in as he caught her. She clearly didn't sleep last night. " It's okay, get some sleep little sister."

" Is she okay?" Ruby asked him.

" She didn't sleep for hours." Zea informed them. " She wouldn't tell me why and insisted she needed to be alone. So I did..."

Ironwood ordered his men to clear the bodies and clean up. A storm was coming in a few days and not the best kind.  Weiss concidered her options and thought of hiding or running away again. She hated coming to Atlas specifically because of situations like these. She sat with Veena's brother in her room as they put her to bed. She finally had her own breakdown after seeing the others go through their own.

" Hey, Weiss. Hi Mister..?" Ruby trailed off trying to decide weather or not to call him Mr. Cloud.

" Just call me Aswad." He told her.

" Right, Aswad. How's she doing? I brought some cookies in case it helps make her feel better." Ruby said handing then a plate full of them.

" Actually," Aswad smirked. " I remember that she stress eats sweet things for troubling times...maybe her habit hasn't changed, so this will suffice."