["I'll Keep You Safe"--Sleeping at Last]

"You okay?" Shine asked Qrow, who was pacing around the edge of the parking lot.

He didn't even act surprised she was there.

"Oh sure," flatly.

Shine tilted her head.

"I just...didn't want there to be any problems," Qrow said. "I mean, I probably already jinxed it to be early."

Shine smacked him in the arm.

"Ow, what was that for?" Qrow rubbed his arm.

"That was for Winter. She would have if she was here," Shine explained. "Really, Qrow, stop saying it."

"I know we agreed not to dwell on it, but you can't argue that it's possible...even if it's just because I was being negative," Qrow said.

"It might be, but, Qrow, millions of births in my world go wrong or all kinds of reasons, and million more don't. It's just how it is," Shine said. "Don't worry too much. It's only about 2 months or less early. Hardly any babies at that age don't make it. Just takes a few extra days in the hospital, that's all."

"Well, it's not that I don't want to be in there. It's just that I'm not sure I could control it right now." Qrow was perspiring.

"I suppose if you'll feel better. I mean, heck, they don't even let men in in some places," Shine shrugged. "Willow is with her. I'm sure she'll stay calm. She's been through this three times. I wonder if Jacques freaked out."

"Maybe," Qrow said. "If he wasn't made of money inside by then."

"Sometimes it's a slow change," Shine mused. "Other than the Semblance thing, how are you holding up?"

"Oh, fine." Qrow paced some more. "Just wondering how well I'll do at this.... I can't say parental skills are my strong suit."

"I don't know that I'd agree with you there," Shine said simply.

"One of your pep talks isn't a replacement for years of experience, I'm afraid," Qrow said.

"No, I don't suppose it is," Shine acknowledged. "But, Qrow, it's okay, really. No one is perfect, as a parent or as a person. Whatever you do, you could not be worse than some of the dads of our little team. So cheer up. As long as that's what they have to compare you to, you'll look like you're doing well."

Qrow managed a weak laugh, but didn't look convinced.

"Well, if humor isn't doing the trick, I could just say I think you'd make a good dad," Shine said. "I wish I had someone like you when I was growing up. I think Ruby and Yang are fortunate."

"Oh, get out," Qrow said. "I was barely around."

"Well, there were reasons for that, but quality over quantity is more important, I think. I suffered through long, tension filled game nights, car rides, church services, and other events with my own father," Shine said. "I only fondly remember a few of them. I think you should feel better that most of their memories of you are positive, even if they're fewer than with their dad. That's the main thing, the overall quality, not having some bad moments."

She put her hands together. "To be straight with you, you will mess up. You'll say things you shouldn't have. You'll lose your cool. And so will Winter... more likely in her case, in fact. And one day, you may get told that your kids hate you."

Qrow winced.

"But don't buy it," Shine said. "If you're doing what's right, they'll come around, trust me. Kids aren't always wise, but they know deep down when someone really cares about them. They'll come back to that. I've fought with kids my whole life, never really stuck, because I made sure to pour that love in also. Love fixes a lot. I know I'm not a dad, but, anyone who wants to take care of kids has to go through this. We're not going to do everything right--but we want to. That's the main thing. I'm saying you freaking out about it is a good sign.... Is Winter worried?"

"I think she's more worried that I'll freak out than worried for herself," Qrow said. "I'm sure she's glad that her own mom is here for her."

"I know it would help if you had parents here too," Shine said sympathetically. "If it helps, I do look at you as sort of a son."

That joke made Qrow give her a salty look.

"Okay, okay, maybe more like a brother," Shine said. "Raven is here. She's showing up in person now. That's good, right?"

"Yeah, I guess I've gotten used to her actually doing that," Qrow admitted. "Whatever scares her about it, I guess now she can't just fly away."

"And neither can you," Shine pointed out.

Qrow winced.

"I deserved that," he admitted. "Maybe you were right--I gave her a hard time. I've...started to see why she was so scared now. It's tough to work through stuff."

"You and Winter have had fights of your own, I take it," Shine said. "But you don't have to tell me."

"I won't go into details, but of course we've fought," Qrow said. "But we only broke things a few times."

"I hope that was joke."

"It was...mostly."

"Still, you wouldn't change it."

"No, I wouldn't," Qrow said. "It's been the best time of my life. Really too good. I keep worrying something will ruin it. Does that ever go away?"

"I'll let you know. I still think about that." Shine eyed her own engagement ring. "I'll be getting married soon enough. I think I have almost as many insecurities as you do about things not working out. But, in a way, all of you have inspired me. If you can take my advice, maybe I can take my own."

Qrow finally chuckled more willingly. "You know something, Likstar? At first, I thought you two were picture perfect examples of stuff. Your whole 'God sent us' line probably was part of it. You seemed like saints."

"You got mad at us."

"I got mad at you because you were so sure of yourself. I could never have hoped to be that confident," Qrow admitted. "But now that I know you outside of missions, I get it. It was never really that easy for you. You had to hope you were right just as much as we did. Now you're doing the same thing we did, trying to move on."

"Of course," Shine said. "My world is not perfect either. Do you think I don't have to choose to push aside the fears of what taking risks will lead to? Wanting to have kids, to get married, to trust myself to take on those challenges, to dream, to work for everything, I risk burnout and failure as much as all of you. Sometimes I think these world missions are for me more than you.... They show that things can work out. If not for me, then for you. Time keeps on. Our connection might get fainter bit by bit, but at least we've had it. Isn't that what matters?"

"Now you do sound like a parent," Qrow acknowledged. "But yeah.... Doesn't it bother you at all though? One day you might not come back here again. We'll never know why, maybe. The door might just stop opening."

"And I don't want you to worry about us when it does, if it does," Shine said. "We're bound to have to move on. And that's okay. We'll see you again someday anyway. We all have to leave this world and go on to the next, the one where we can all be together and it not be weird...but less talk of that. Today we're focusing on new life."

She glanced toward the clinic.

"Why not at least come in the lobby?" she offered. "You can sit with Wally and me. Our Aura will cover your Semblance, I think. I'll pray. Nothing ever happens to us."

Qrow considered it.

"I guess it's pretty far away..." he said slowly.

* * *

No one said a word when Shine and Qrow came in.

Weiss had asked if she could be admitted into the delivery room, and was told she could be since she was family, if Winter was okay with it.

Winter was, but Willow, when Weiss was at the door, told her she wasn't sure this was really for her.

"Mom, I can handle it. I've seen people die. Seeing them be born is no problem," Weiss said.

"It's not that part," Willow said. "You look up to your sister so much, I think seeing her in pain would bother you an awful lot."

"It's not bothering you," Weiss said.

"I'm your mother. I'm more used to having to take care of you when you're hurt...well, once." Willow probably hadn't done that since Winter was a kid and Weiss was a toddler, but still. "I suppose I won't stop you from coming in. I just wonder if you will find it too overwhelming."

Weiss actually was a little unsure herself after that was pointed out.

"I'll go check with the others first," she said. "Update them.... How much time?"

"Oh, Weiss, it'll be hours still," Willow said. "Actually she's all right, right now, but it's getting slowly worse, so..."

Weiss walked back to the lobby.

"Well, it's not even close yet," she said.

"What exactly is not close?" Mercury knew nothing about this at all.

"It," Weiss said vaguely.

"It's a really fascinating process--" Shine began, but she was cut off by most of the boys and at least half the girls begging her not to describe it.

"Are you all going to sit here all night?" Cinder asked.

"Maybe jerk has a point," Nora said. "We should come back in the morning."

"I won't sleep a wink," Ruby complained.

"Yes, but you're only giving the staff more people to think about," Tai pointed out. "Some of us will stay. We'll call you when they say it's almost time."

Well, most of the kids went home.

Shine and Wally stayed though. Wally had pulled plenty of night shifts with his League and was used to it--he did coffee runs for everyone else.

Shine dozed off a few times, but then was up again and reading or listening to music.

Qrow and Tai, who stayed, both didn't sleep at all.

Tai commented that he was sure he was this nervous when it was Yang and Ruby both. Technically both of them had been the first.

Hours ticked by. They felt endless.

Then it was dawn.

Weiss, who hadn't left, but had decided not to go into the room after getting more descriptions of it from Raven than she really wanted, texted her mother.

"Guys--" She jolted up suddenly. "--she says that the doctors think it'll be less than an hour now. We've got to call everyone back!"

"Really?" Qrow stood up, only hearing the first part.

"Wow, somehow even though it's been forever, that didn't feel like enough time." Tai rubbed his head.

"By this point, Qrow," Shine said, "any complications are probably already taken care of. Want me to go check? If there's anything that might matter, I'll let you know, but otherwise you should be there for this part."

"I guess... but make sure that it's all past the worst part," Qrow said.

"Shine, isn't the birth part the worst?" Wally asked.

"Actually," Shine said, as they walked towards the hall, "while there can be problems at that point, most of the time it's before that, getting the baby through the canal--well, you don't want the details, but once they're almost through, the only real problem is bleeding too much or getting tangled in the umbilical cord. I assume they'd already have let Willow know about that, and Klein." (Klein was helping, naturally, though he'd hardly had time to speak to anyone.) "But I'll ask to be sure that it's okay."

"I've helped deliver babies before, you know," Wally told her proudly. "As part of the job, you have to deal with stuff like that sometimes."

"Yes...Booster Gold did that once too," Shine said.

"That hack? I'm sure you don't think he's cooler than me," Wally said.

"Wally, a lot of people have to help deliver babies," Shine said. "But yes, you're cooler... What's your point?"

"I just wonder if you can handle it," Wally joked.

"I wonder that also." Shine looked a little pale. "Still, as the godparent, I do feel a little like I'm shirking while Willow is in there."

"I don't think that's a thing," Wally said.

The doctor and nurse wouldn't have let them in, but they were much too focused on the delivery to notice when Willow opened the door.

Wally stayed in the hall.

"How are we doing?" Shine asked Willow.

"As well as could be expected for how long it's been." Willow looked very tired.

"Miss Winter is doing splendidly," Klein said. "Only she's been asking where her husband is."

"He's coming," Shine said. "Just as soon as you tell me that it's completely safe now and everything is going normally."

"Hmm? Oh, yes," Klein said. "All by the book, except for the fact that it's early. I think we're quite fortunate, or blessed, as Miss Winter would say. Should be no trouble now."

Winter gave a loud cry.

Shine jumped.

"Perhaps you shouldn't be in here," Klein said kindly. "It's not for everyone."

"I'm okay," Shine said. "I'm pretty familiar with how this works. Just caught me off guard."

And she felt calmer now that she was standing in there.

"I'm just going to let Qrow know he can come in now." She texted him. Then she joined Willow standing next to Winter.

"Do you mind if I'm in here?" she asked.

Winter was between contractions.

"If you don't mind me screaming," she said, sounding perturbed. "I'm told it would have hurt this much with one, but I cannot believe it that two did not make it worse."

"At least they didn't fight each other before birth like Jacob and Esau," Shine said.

Winter gave her a look.

"Sorry," Shine said.

"Wait till you experience this," Winter grumbled. 

Then she gripped the side of the rail.

"Did she not use pain meds?" Shine asked Willow, under the noise.

"Slight ones," Willow said. "Didn't want to risk it too much. I think after a certain level, they don't help as much."

"I hope that's a Remnant thing and not a usual experience," Shine winced.

"It's almost over, honey," Willow told Winter soothingly. "Probably."

"Qrow better get in here fast or he'll miss the first one," Shine muttered.

Weiss was outside with Wally.

"Do you think we should go in now?" she asked.

Wally patted her head. "Winter will be touched that you waited here all night," he said.

Weiss took that to mean he didn't think she should go in.... In fact, just being this close and hearing it made her second guess her nerves.

Qrow came up slowly.

"Well, I guess it's all clear," he said nervously.

"Just get in there, man. It'll be fine." Wally thumped him on the shoulder. "We'll pray, and you just go on being there for Winter."

[Don't worry, I won't describe the rest of this in huge detail for you sensitive people. It doesn't bother me. I find this kind of thing fascinating, but I know some people think it's intense.]

Qrow went in.

Klein nodded at him.

"Here he is," Willow told Winter.

"You b-----d! Where were you?!" Winter swore at Qrow roundly.

Willow winced.

"You're shocked?" Shine asked her. She wasn't.

"No, just remembering my own delivery," Willow said. "I think I said something like that and that I was never going to let him near me again."

"I hear you forget this whole part once it's over," Shine said.

"Mostly... I remember it better now," Willow shrugged.

Luckily, Winter was too pained to care that they were talking about this so casually right next to her.

"I was waiting outside." Qrow wasn't sure how to handle this.

"You know, many fathers do that," Klein said, meaningfully. He didn't think Qrow was ready for this.

But Qrow didn't like to chicken out now, so he didn't leave.

Though it did take about 40 minutes, no one felt like it was that long before the obstetrician and nurse and Klein were saying to get ready.

Shine wasn't really watching, but she stood next to the door and told Wally and Weiss it was time.

A few more painstaking minutes passed, and then, out of nowhere it seemed to Weiss, there was a very small cry.

Weiss was surprised at how small. She'd seen this in movies and it was always really loud.

"Only one?" she said to Wally.

"Oh, it can take hours for another twin," Wally said.

Fortunately for all of them, this was one of the exceptions to that rule. It took about 15 minutes.

In that time, the nurse had washed the first infant and wrapped them in a blanket.

"It's a boy," she announced, as they'd all been too distracted before to ask.

Qrow had kept his focus on Winter mostly, but he looked up. 

"We have a boy," he said to her.

Winter was already crying, so it was impossible to tell if she cried more at that, but Qrow looked choked up.

Willow was crying also.

Then the second infant came, a girl, and the doctor announced that it had gone well.

"We won't need to do anything extra complicated for the mother," he said. "She's strong. And the babies' weight is a little more than I expected for their age. Just might need a little time here to be sure, but I don't think they'll need a lot of time to be out of danger."

"Thank heaven," Klein said fervently.

"We'll have to run some tests to be sure," the doctor added. "But that won't take much time. You'll be able to hold them after that," he said kindly.

Of course they wanted to.

But they knew that the testing was necessary because they were early, so they waited.

It didn't take long, and then the nurses brought them back.

Winter was sitting up now, still damp, but already feeling much better.

Qrow was holding her hand, and Willow was patting her head.

Weiss had come in also.

The others were all in the lobby, and Weiss was video chatting them so they could see.

"Look," Pyrrha breathed. "They're so tiny."

"That's actually a pretty normal size, just a little smaller," Raven shrugged. "For twins, that's expected."

"I know, but they're so... tiny," Ruby said.

"Oh, gosh." Emerald started crying. 

"Why are you getting so emotional?" Sun asked. "They're fine."

"I know. It's just so beautiful." Blake started crying too.

"Girls are so weird," Sun shrugged.

Tai wiped his eyes.

"And old guys," Neptune added.

"Wait till it's your turn," Tai muttered.

The nurse handed Qrow one and Winter the other.

"A boy and girl," Winter said, in awe. "Just like you and Raven."

"Yeah." Qrow was amazed.

"Aww." Wally was looking over the others' shoulders. "That's just adorable."

"I think the girl even looks a little like Raven," Shine joked.

They shot her a look.

Actually the girl did have darker eyes.

[Fun fact: a lot of babies are born with blue eyes, but they change months later. I was one of them. I think it happens more with some ethnicities than others though.]

"The boy looks like your grandfather." Willow was staring. "He has his nose."

The babies had both stopped crying already. They seemed tired.

"They're adorable," Shine said.

"They're the most beautiful things I've ever seen," Winter said.

"Yeah," Qrow said. "Them and you." He smiled at her.

Winter smiled, looking tired but happy.

"Aww," Weiss sniffled. "Can I hold one?"

"Of course, but careful." Winter didn't like that Weiss was holding her scroll.

"Here." Weiss handed it to Shine.

"Hey, I want to hold them too," Shine argued.

"One at a time," Weiss said. She took the girl. "Oh, you and your Aunt Weiss are going to be best friends," she cooed. "Hmm, she does kind of look like Raven."

"All right, I can't take it anymore!" Ruby was in the doorway. She rushed in. "Can I see?... Oh...aww, they're so cute!" she said it real quiet.

Yang was right behind her. Even Whitley was right on her heels.

"Oh my gosh, those are the cutest little babies I've ever seen," she said.

"They look a little odd," Whitley said. "Why are their heads like that?"

Everyone glared at him.

"That's normal, Master Whitley," Klein said. "It'll go away as they get older."

"Oh," Whitley said. "Well, I didn't think they weren't cute. The boy looks a little like me."

"I think he's better looking than that." Yang was mean.

"What are you going to name them?" Ruby asked.

Qrow and Winter exchanged a look.

"Well, we've been tossing around names for ages," Qrow said.

"But we didn't know their sex and decided to wait," Winter said. "See what fit. I mean, I had a list, but...well, I didn't want them to have a strange name like mine."

"Or mine," Qrow said. "Enough with the jokes."

"I like your names," Ruby said loyally.

"Ruby Jr. didn't fly," Qrow said.

"Oh, really?" Ruby sighed. Then, "Why not?"

"Too soon," Winter explained. "But I did like the idea of naming them after someone. So we decided to name a boy, if we had one, Nicholas, after my grandfather."

Willow started crying again. "That's...perfect," she said. "And it fits, since he looked like him."

"And we're going to name the girl Whitney, after Grandmother Schnee," Winter added.

"Your grandmother's name was Whitney?" Shine said.

"Yes." Winter nodded.

"That means 'white island'," Shine said, "and Nicholas means 'victory of the people'."

"Both of those fit incredibly well," Klein said.

"Yeah...actually weirdly well," Qrow said. 

"What is it with Schnees and being named after white colored things?" Wally wondered.

"I believe it was actually started by my mother," Willow said. "The 'W' thing, I kept it going."

"Well, as a girl whose family names are after different names for light, I'm no one to judge trends," Shine said. "I think those names are nice."

"What about middle names?" Yang asked.

"I hadn't got that far yet..." Winter admitted.

(Later she and Qrow decided to add 'Perez' to Nicholas' moniker, after a twin from the Good Book who had showed strength even at birth.)

And to Whitney they added "Esther", after a queen.

(Qrow pitched that as a joking homage to Winter's nickname of "Ice Queen", but she let him get away with it.)

"Excuse me," the nurse broke in, "but we do need to move them to the nursery now so we can monitor them. No reason for alarm, it's just procedure. You can all visit them again tomorrow."

"I have to wait till tomorrow," Ruby sighed.

But of course they all did.

* * *

Shine and Wally had to go home soon, but before they did, Winter insisted on a brief ceremony to designate them as godparents.

Since this had to be just the next day, it gave the others who hadn't met the new arrivals yet a chance to do so.

Cinder was still hanging around the group, not sure where else to go, and Emerald insisted that she come with them. 

"You can sulk here just as well as sitting around some house hiding," she said.

Cinder was still unclear about what this whole thing was about.

It wasn't that complicated.

Just a set of promises and stuff.

"Are you sure you want it to be us?" Wally said. "Since we're not here that often?"

"I have every confidence--" Winter was back to her usual self after one day of rest. "--that you will write and send gifts and advice often enough for us to be sick of it. Your physical presence is almost a formality."

"I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment," Shine said.

"Who else could we ask anyway?" Qrow pointed out. "Glynda?"

No one thought that was a good idea.

"They're perfect." Emerald was finally getting a closer look.

"You can hold her," Ruby offered generously. She was holding Whitney right now.

"Oh, I... I've never..." Emerald said uncertainly.

"Just sit down first," Winter advised.

Emerald sat in a chair.

"All right." Shine took her arm. "Prop your elbow up like this, put it under her head, keep your arm along her back, then use your other arm to steady her, like so..."

Ruby handed Whitney over, and Emerald did as Shine said, clumsily.

"Nicely done, Shine," Willow approved. "You've taken care of babies?"

"Lots," Shine said. "I've been holding newborns since my sister came home from the hospital and balancing kids on my hip since before I was old enough to really do that effectively."

Mercury and Cinder were partially in the doorway a little, and Hazel was there also.

"They sure are tiny." Mercury was surprised. "They look bigger on TV."

"They use older babies for that," Cinder sniffed. "Like everyone who's in high school looks old enough to be in college."

"You notice that too, huh?" Mercury said.

"Aren't you going to come in and have a closer look?" Sun asked them.

"Me?" Mercury said.

"I don't think anyone would want that," Cinder said.

"Oh, don't be so awkward." Sun took their arms and pulled them into the room before they could brace themselves.

"I'm not any good with kids..." Mercury protested.

"You want to hold Nicky?" Tai offered. He had him currently. "He's pretty tough. Already tried to swing at me."

"Nicky" was swatting his tiny gloved fist around.

"He's definitely Qrow's son." Raven was watching but smirking.

"You know, when Yang was born, she kicked something off the changing table the first time  we had to--well, you know," Tai said.

"Dad!" Yang was mortified.

"I'm just saying you were one tough little girl even then," Tai said.

"What did I do?" Ruby asked.

"Oh, you slept like an angel," Tai said. "Which was good for Summer, since...well, she had a bit of a rough time."

"She did?" Ruby said.

"Everyone is different," Tai shrugged. "She was fine after a few days. I remember when I showed you to Yang, she got this look of wonder on her face and she asked me if you were a 'real doll'."

Yang reddened. "I was two, okay? I didn't know what babies were. I lived on an island--I didn't see that many other kids."

"I thought it was cute," Tai said.

"So Yang never got that sibling envy thing?" Shine asked. "I've been told that happened to me. No memory of it, myself."

"I think actually she was just glad to have someone to play with," Tai said. "I do remember having to explain once or twice that babies weren't ready for certain games..."

"Or wagon rides," Blake muttered.

Yang crossed her arms. "I was a good older sister. I taught her how to punch."

"Yeah, that left hook did save me from a Nevermore," Ruby admitted. [I love how Volume 5 forgot that Ruby punched a Nevermore away from her in one hit in Volume 3 but was somehow weak on hand to hand combat. Girl is a miniature tank.]

Mercury didn't really want to take the baby, but Tai kind of didn't give him much choice.

He ended up really awkwardly trying to hold him.

"He's not going to bite you," Sun said. "Check this out." He used his tail to tickle Nicholas' nose.

Nicholas started crying.

"Now you've upset him," Mercury said.

"He's probably just hungry," Winter said, reaching out.

Mercury was only too glad to hand him back.

"All right, come to Papa." Qrow took Whitney from Emerald.

"You guys already act like you've been at this for weeks." Pyrrha was impressed. "I can't wait for my turn.... Seriously, I don't know how I'm going to make it another 2 months."

"Trust me, it's better to wait," Winter said. "Then you get to take them home right away," she sighed.

"Just a few days, a week tops," Raven shrugged. "Be glad you get a chance to rest."

"I don't want that." Winter shook her head.

"But you're doing good?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, yes, I'm completely fine. The doctor said I could go home as early as tomorrow if I wanted," Winter said.

Shine sighed. "I hate to go, but...you know we can't stay for long."

She said a quick blessing for the babies and for the parents.

Wally gave them a thumbs up. "You guys will be fine. Let us know what's up. It's gonna be exciting."

"I hope we'll be back in time for yours," Shine said to Pyrrha, hugging her. "You'll be fine."

"I know, but I'd like you to be there," Pyrrha said. "This, well, it would be easier with you and Wally."

Jaune nodded.

"Of course our moms will be there," he said. "I really hope mine doesn't try to say how much easier it will be at number 6 again."

"You mom really needs a hobby," Wally said.

They left.

Cinder was watching the infants with an odd look, as if she was again thinking about how nearly she'd ruined all of this.

It was staggering to think that if she'd had her way, Winter wouldn't even be here.

Winter glanced at her like she wondered if that was what was on her mind.

"You can come closer," she said, calmly enough.

The others pretended not to be watching Cinder, though they all were.

Not that they thought she'd do anything, of course. Cinder had been a massive psycho, but some things she wouldn't stoop to, and no one thought she'd ever have attacked helpless infants even in her worst days, and now she wasn't going to attack anyone anymore.

But on the other hand, they didn't think that she'd know anything about children.

Cinder didn't want to hold them; she was sure she'd drop them if she did.

She wasn't even sure she liked babies, but since she'd not been that close to one in ages, she was just as astonished as the others were at how small and fragile they were.

Tentatively, she touched the mittens.

"What are these for?" she asked a safe question.

"Oh, it keeps them from scratching their faces," Winter said.

"Yes, babies have nails," Willow said, in awe. "Amazing, isn't it? You don't think of the little things like that. If they were a bit bigger they might have hair already, but they'll grow that soon."

You couldn't tell with the little hats on anyway.

NIcholas grabbed Cinder's finger before she could move it.

She stiffened as much as if it had been a kung fu death grip.

Mercury couldn't help snickering at the look on her face.

"It doesn't actually hurt," Ruby said, incredulously. "What's wrong with you?"

"You can just pull away..." Yang said.

Cinder pulled back and looked embarrassed.

"I didn't know if that would hurt the...creature," she said uncomfortably.

"Creature?" Yang said. "'Baby' is not a bad word, you know."

Somehow that felt too personal.

"I think this is wasting my time," Cinder said hastily. "One of you is supposed to helping me find lodgings."

"Right, right," Emerald said. "We'll come visit you once you're home. I mean I will. I've gotta learn all I can so I can babysit for Pyrrha later."

"Same for me," Pyrrha said. 

"All of us," Ruby agreed.

Cinder left hastily, Emerald with her.