"Oh, did you hear Winter and Qrow are finally going to get married?" Pyrrha changed the subject. "It happened very suddenly, like with Jaune and me."

"How's that going?" Emerald asked, a little awkwardly since she and Mercury were still kind of just dancing around being in a serious relationship.

"Oh..." Pyrrha smiled and her whole face lit up. "It's been going really well...I mean, I thought it would be a bit more of an adjustment to live together alone, no Ren or Nora, or anyone--but after the team trips, and Jaune having 7 sisters, it's honestly just almost too easy to only worry about one other person. Though maybe soon enough, it won't just be the two of us."

"Oh...wow...you're...thinking about kids already?" Emerald said. "I mean, you just turned 20, you want to be a mom?"

"I've always wanted to be a mom," Pyrrha said quietly. "And my parents had me by my age, and Jaune's parents had his older sisters. I think Winter's mother even had her not that long after 20...You know it's better this way. Why wait?"

"It's just, you'd be so busy," Emerald said. "And it's so much responsibility."

"Emerald...you know you're thinking of asking a lot of people to take kids who don't have families anymore," Pyrrha said quietly. "But you're not willing to do it yourself because you're afraid you're not ready. Jaune and I have been working with plenty of them ourselves at the hospital, I've visited there too, you know. They love Jaune...I won't say we haven't even considered being part of your project. But we also agreed that if we were ready for that, we were going to be ready for our own kids too... So if it's either or both, I still want to get ready. I'm...I'm not sure we have the luxury of waiting to be ready for responsibility at exactly the time we want. People need help now. And we'll never have more or less time, really. Just 2 hours a day...You learn to deal with it."

"Are you saying that you think I should be practicing what I preach?" Emerald said. "But me? Take care of a kid? I couldn't--I've never taken care of anyone other than myself."

"Well, neither have I," Pyrrha said. "But I think with people, you have to do what you can. Did you ask if you were ready to save the world when you'd never done it before? To face those mind grimm? To try to help Mercury with his Silver eyes? A lot of things you didn't know you could do till you did them, and neither did I, or Jaune, or any of us. How is this any different? Is being responsible for one person so much worse than the entire world?"

"Wow... when you put it that way, it sounds stupid to hesitate." Emerald said. "Dang..."

"And not enough people have offered to help yet," Pyrrha added. "You have the resource...you've said yourself we should set an example, people are inspired by us. I have had my problems with that, but if it can help those kids and other survivors to use my influence, I'll do it." She looked determined.

"You never are going to get over this self sacrificial kick," Emerald noted. "Being friends with you can be hard, you know."

"Only if you make it hard," Pyrrha didn't take that as meekly as she might have before. "Aren't you just saying that you already felt bad for holdings back?"

"Yeah... yeah, I guess I am saying that," Emerald said. "But...wow," she sat back. "That's a lot..."

"I guess we're all making some big decisions," Pyrrha mused.

* * *

"You're really doing this?" Mercury asked Emerald later.

"I mean...I have to, it was my idea," Emerald said. "If I don't...I'm being a hypocrite. Anyway Jaune told me if I do it, he definitely would."

"Taking in random kids?" Mercury said.

"I'm not saying you have to do it!" Emerald said. "I mean having you around kids is probably a bad idea anyway."

"Hey!" Mercury said. "That's not untrue, but you don't have to be mean."

"You don't always have to talk me down!" Emerald said. "I want to do something and you say I can't! You're not helping anything."

Mercury paused.

"I think you can do it," he said, more seriously. "I just didn't think you'd want to."

Emerald raised an eyebrow.

"And some stranger living at your house, or lodgings, I should say, it's going to make your life harder. You have to go on missions," he said.

"Yeah well...everyone has an excuse..." Emerald said. "It's just for a short time right?'

"I guess..." Mercury said.

* * *

"Well, here you go," Winter handed Emerald the paperwork. "We kept it simple, but you do have to sign a few things so we can be sure you went through us and didn't just walk off with them...it's not enough of a safeguard really, but this whole thing was so rushed...And honesty, not enough people have agreed to anyway."

"Yeah...we need to work on that," Emerald sighed. "I feel kinda nervous about this...I mean I don't even know if kids like me, they could hate me."

"Not all of them are young kids, plenty of them are older and would be independent in a few years," Winter pointed out. "They can take care of themselves, they just need a house, and then we'd have more room for those who can't take care of themselves in the small Center...if that helps."

"Yeah, I guess you won't be participating, huh?" Emerald said.

"I've elected to help some of the older survivors," Winter shrugged. "That's easier for me to do in my position. We all have to do something."

"Raven could take in a few if she'd be willing," Emerald noted. "She mostly lives here, not doing missions, and she works in the city, unless you, most of the time...she could do it."

"Raven wouldn't take care of her own daughter, I can't see her taking care of total strangers, even in name," Winter sighed. "Don't repeat what I just said to her, though."

"Why not?" Emerald said. "Someone should tell her to grow up. If I can, she can."

"It's not that easy."

"Anyway, congratulations," Emerald said. "When are you guys going to have the ceremony?"

"Spring...about 4 months from now," Winter said.

"That's a long time to be engaged," Emerald said. "Especially for the two of you."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean everyone knows you're so into each other, I'm surprised you can wait that long," Emerald said.

"Keep your remarks professional, Miss Sustrai," Winter frowned at her. "And it makes sense to wait a bit...anyway, Miss Rose will be on break then and she's anxious to be part of it, so it worked out. Weiss will be on break also...You're welcome to attend. It will be small though."

"I'd rather it be small, too many strangers at the last one," Emerald said. "And I'll be there if I'm not on a mission...Geez, everyone's going to be getting married now."

"Better that than the alternative."

"Weird to hear Miss Workaholic say that," Emerald said.

"Emerald," Winter warned her.

"Right, professional. I should have said Lieutenant Workaholic."

"You're dismissed." Icily.

Emerald still thought it was funny.

Winter rolled her eyes to herself. People never got tired of ribbing her about this apparently.

* * *

Preparations flew by for the next few months.

The program for the orphanage and refugees began to gain traction. The promotional idea worked. Though most of the kids and adults still had to spend the Winter in Argus.

Emerald went through with her decision, and so did Pyrrha and Jaune.

Jaune and Pyrrha were naturals at it. They started off with one child staying with them, and then it grew to 3, 4, 5, pretty soon. Some of them were siblings.

Pyrrha took more time off work to be home, or Jaune even took them with him to work at the hospital. (This idea might not have been encouraged in more comfortable times, but Remnant was short on too many things to care if people bended the rules a little.)

The kids liked them just fine. Though they were often somber enough for children, who could blame them? Everyone had been through a lot. 

Emerald had an older girl, closer to Whitley and Oscar's age, stay with her.

At first it didn't go so well-at least Emerald thought it didn't, as the girl didn't really take to the situation.

But then, losing your family would make anyone miserable. And Emerald had no pretensions about that.

But the girl didn't really dislike Emerald personally, and was somewhat intrigued to be situated with a famous hero and a Special huntress. And she was one of the ones who'd been in the Caravan, as it turned out, though Emerald barely remembered seeing her there. So she was secretly grateful for the save.

Finally Emerald got used to sharing her space, and they seemed to get along pretty well. She told Mercury it wasn't like she was her guardian or anything, more like roommates, and that was fine.

Mercury accepted the situation as not being as weird as he thought, though he still had no wish to do it himself.

Yang told Emerald she thought it was cool of her to put the effort out to live by her own words. Which was high praise from Yang to Emerald.

"Actually it makes me think," she told her. "You've got this vision for saving people like you. I kind of wish I had something like that. Shine told me to find a purpose other than just going around and helping here and there. When Winter's over, that's all I know to do again...I'm kinda liking the volunteer corps missions, it's nice to have to be working with a team again. One my sister isn't in with me. I love Ruby, but it's...you know, not being compared to her is nice."

Emerald didn't know the feeling really, but she just shrugged. "So find a purpose."

"I kinda like what you're doing," Yang said. "Just don't think I could do it."

"Yang, we still don't have enough people doing it, even if you just see it as having a house guest, would it really be so bad? At least you're taken care of someone before. And it's not even really that, it's just a place to live." Emerald said.

"I guess..." Yang rubbed her head. "Maybe I could. I mean I won't need that room once we can leave anyway, might as well let someone else use it--could I keep the loan going while I'm gone?"

"If you signed the paperwork for it, I think. We heroes do get those perks," Emerald said.

"Yeah they'd probably tell me it's an honor to let me use it or some crap like that," Yang made a face. "But if you're going to get VIP treatment anyway, it may as well benefit someone else right?"

* * *

Well, things went along this way for another couple months.

Spring came finally, and the snow melted.

Winter and Qrow finally picked a place--Ruby and Raven had suggested it.

For different reasons.

The place they suggested was the Courtyard they destroyed. [My Mom suggested this. It does seem perfect.]

"It's close to the school, so you could totally just have the reception there," Ruby had been hyped. "And I won't have to travel all the way to Mistral!"

"It's poetic," Raven had said. "That's really where it all began. I was there, for crying out loud. I saw the whole thing."

Winter at first thought the idea was ridiculous--until Glynda told her they could use it for free if they did the decorating and set up themselves. It was just a courtyard after all.

Well, that kind of cinched it.

Winter, not one to repeat Pyrrha's mistake of inviting the DJS too late for them to be there until the last minute, had sent them word weeks in advance.

And her forethought paid off, they arrived a week earlier.

In fact, before most of the team had.

When they walked up to Beacon, Winter saw them as was surprised.

She and Ruby rushed out, with Oscar not far behind them.

"Wow, you're early!" Ruby called.

"You said not to come an hour before the ceremony this time," Shine said, hugging her.

"Oscar...whoa dude, you're even taller!" Wally high fived him. "Sweet."

"I'm glad you came," Winter actually hugged Shine. "And I apologize for it being only 10 days later."

"No, it's been 10 weeks," Shine said.

She didn't look any older, but she was dressed differently this time, she had her Remnant clothes in her bag, she was dressed for different weather than they had.

"But before..." Winter puzzled.

"Time schisms aren't consistent," Shine said. "And the longer we're gone, the more they tend to widen...or narrow, I guess...before too long it might be years for us as well as you...still probably less time for us. It was so soon the last time...but the point is expanding...it's because we don't need to be here anymore...does it bother you?"

"I...don't know, should it?" Winter said. "I suppose it's just as well you're not going to be back here constantly in your own time."

"I'm so excited for you two," Wally said. "We've been rooting for you from the start. But I'm always down to hear what Emerald's been doing, she's been writing us a lot about it asking for advice, I really like the sound of it."

"Yeah, it's an inspired idea, I was hoping you guys would think of things like this," Shine put her hands together. "But can we help you get ready at all?"

"Well it's not for a week, and I don't want to bother you with preparations, sometimes we just need people to arrive and get situated," Winter said. "I do have some business--"

They frowned at her.

"I can't just not work for a week," she defended herself.

"Hmm, well I could offer some perspective on that?" Shine suggested. "You guys keep asking us for advice, might be better in person."

"I suppose if you want to spend your visit time doing that..." Winter said.

"Winter, I'm here to help you," Shine pointed to her. "So whatever you need help with, I'm game."

"I'm going to say no to boring stuff," Wally said. "Ruby, Oscar, what do you say we find something fun to do?"

"Want me to show you the new and improved training room?" Ruby offered. "And I've learned how to use my semblance more. Maybe I could even beat you."

"That's never going to happen, Ruby, but it's cute when you try," Wally said.

Ruby gave him a look. "Well fine then, I guess we'll see."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Oscar really didn't care. He just liked to be included.

"How's the book come by the way?" Wally asked him.

"Slow, too many people I have to ask for stories," Oscar shrugged. "And they don't answer their scrolls...maybe I can ask them more in person if they have time. But most of my part I have written out. It's really hard. I see why Oz took a long time to publish his stories."

* * *

When the others arrived, they all were and to tell Shine and Wally about their activities--though they'd written about them also.

Mercury told them the bandit story in person, so he could brag, probably.

Shine and Wally listened to it all, and Shine noted "Last time we came back, you all didn't sound like this."

"Like what?" Yang asked.

"You had things you were doing, and you were happy about winning, but it had been only 8 months and it was pretty clear it hadn't sunk in yet. Now you've started to find your footing, and I'm hearing you speak with this enthusiasm about what you're trying to do," Shine said. "I love it. You seem happier."

"I guess...yeah, I guess that's true," Yang realized.

"It's nice to have more of a plan now," Neptune said. "To know what we can do to help. That's what it is. And I'm even starting to like some of the other people we're working with.

"Did Claw and Piper ever work out?" Shine asked.

"Let's just say they've been accepting us working with them," Emerald said, waving flippantly. "And that Raven's beaten some respect into them. They're not so bad once you get used to them. Still Atlas stiffs though."

"I heard about that," Weiss crossed her arms. "I just can't believe they lashed out that way."

"You would have set them straight, Snow Tiger," Meridian usually said things like that just to get Weiss riled up.

"Yeah, I would have," she huffed. It usually worked.

"It's just that I wish I could do more," Emerald said. "I mean...for the people who still need it. We just still don't have the funding, though it's a little better now. Dust shipments are more."

"We're just still low on dust," Whitley said. "The mines we still have are lower. And a lot sank with Atlas."

"But didn't your grandfather send people out to find more dust?" Wally said. "I got caught up on some stuff while we've been gone."

"He did," Winter agreed. "But the manpower for that is still hard to come by. Now that it's Spring, there is some discussion from the civilians about starting to expand, since we're reducing the grimm problem...but I don't know if we've earned it enough."

"So get creative," Shine said. "Use the music, prayer, anything you can. Drive the grimm out of an area first, then have people build it before they can regroup. Keep them at bay. We taught you how to do this."

"Not everyone will go for it," Neptune said.

"And they will suffer the consequences when that happens," Shine said. "Then others will realize it's a good idea."

"That's kind of cold," Emerald said.

"If they're going to be stupid, they'll pay for it," Shine shrugged. "But surely you can guard them too. You won't need as many guards if you use the other methods."

"I agree on principle, it's just getting people to do it," Winter mused.

"If we could find the dust supplies, we could finance more expeditions," Whitley said. "We need a miracle of some sort to jumpstart us or it'll take a decade, I swear!"

"Well, let's not focus on the gloomy stuff," Wally said. "You guys are already doing all this amazing stuff. It's great to hear about. I wish people put in this much effort in my city, honestly. I'm lucky to have supportive fans, but if I had half the amount of people like you trying to do this stuff, I'd be so psyched."

"Honestly, it's a little embarrassing that it took us this long," Yang said. "I feel...a little selfish now, for just cruising around the first year...I didn't think about how many people were suffering still."

"You did earn a break," Tai, who was there of course, patted her shoulder. "Don't feel too bad. You're doing a lot now, I'm proud of you girls."

"Yeah, I like Caiden too," Ruby said.

Caiden was she young boy Tai had taken in per Ruby's pressuring of before. He was about 6. He liked Zwei and cookies so he and Ruby had gotten along pretty well right off.

He was hanging with some other kids who were with Beacon staff.

"Holy crap! Is that Dr. Oobleck?" Shine saddened looked up.

"Huh? Oh yeah," Ruby said. he and Professor Port came back to teach at Beacon, remember? It opened last year?"

"Oh wow!" Shine got up. "I've got to meet him."

"Why..." Yang said oddly.

"She's a fan," Wally said. "It is a weird story, but cool."

"Huh?" Weiss said.

But Shine was gone.

"Some things never change," Qrow noted.

"Wait, I can kind of see them getting along though," Jaune spoke up. "Yikes. They both can talk a mile a minute, together they could talk several miles..."

"We could never keep up, dude," Sun said.

"Just don't make eye contact," Blake looked down carefully.

"I like Dr. Oobleck, he's actual been really supporting of my book," Oscar said. "He teaches writing class, you know--well it's literature class, but they cover some writing stuff in it."

[As a writing tutor and student, let me say you learn more about good writing from literature than you do from writing essays. Just don't tell that to your English professor--unless they're honest enough to already admit it.]

* * *

The rest of the week flew by, with no mishaps worth mentioning, despite how nervous Qrow was making his semblance act up a little more. But no one ribbed him about it. If Tai had even tried, both his daughters and Raven, and most of all Winter, would have lost it.

Qrow did have those prenuptial jitters...the guys tried to talk him up.

"I mean, you're really good together," Jaune said.

"You're never going to find another girl that committed," was Neptune's cheerful take on it.

Theo, who flew in because he didn't want to miss this, despite Winter's lack of enthusiasm for him being invited, had his time poking fun at Qrow.

But Qrow really was so nervous, it wasn't as rewarding as usual. He just took it meekly.

"Look," Wally told Qrow. "I get it. I think I'll probably feel the same way when it's my turn...but you've gotta believe that this is the right decision. You guys love each other, and you need each other, that's the main thing."

Qrow was shaking his head. "Yeah, I think I've gotten to depend on her a little too much. I mean...at this point, I'm not sure what I would do without her. It's..."

"Scary?" Wally said. "Yeah...it is kind of. I get it."

"Sappy," Mercury muttered. "I think we won the bet though."

"Would it kill you to be a little sensitive?" Neptune said. "You're never going to have the guts to marry someone, it's easy for you to make fun of other people for it."

"Why would I want to get married?" Mercury said. "Ew."

"I don't think you should just lead Emerald on like that," Jaune took this very seriously since getting married himself. "She's a nice girl. Actually she's one of our best friends now--weirdly enough."

"Yeah, we all like her and if you hurt her man, we'll all kill you," Sun made a fist and then pointed at himself. "For real."

"Get real," Mercury said. "I don't think we're the type."

"Well, you better be treating her right," Neptune said.

"Who died and made you her guardian anyway?" Mercury said.

They all glared at him.

"I mean we could get Hazel instead..." Oscar spoke up.

"Okay, okay, you know what?" Mercury put his hands up. "I get the message. But I'm not doing anything to Emerald--more than usual--so if she's not happy, she should just say so."

"You don't think this is one of those things where someone just thinks they won't get another chance?" Qrow said to Wally and Theo, nervously. "So they say yes without thinking about it?"

Theo gave him a look.

"Yeah...that doesn't really sound like Winter..." Wally shook his head. "You're just making up reasons to worry now. Breathe, all right man? You'll be fine."

* * *

On the girl's end, Winter was--probably--just as nervous. She tried to hide it. But she knocked stuff over twice at least in 10 minutes.

"Winter, you need to breathe," Weiss was trying to help. "It's going to be okay."

"Yes, you'll be fine," Pyrrha said. "I survived didn't I? Look at me."

"Did you feel like you were going to faint?" Winter said, fumbling with her glove.

"A few times, but I didn't," Pyrrha said.

"I have smelling salts if you do get a little dizzy," Penny offered.

"Well you look beautiful," Blake surveyed her. "Wow, doing this the second time in 2 years...I can't believe it."

[It's easy to find wedding art, but not so easy to find it for Winter, sadly. This one is pretty good.]

"You can't? I can't believe you're all going to see me cry again," Shine already had tissues out.

"When is it gonna be my turn?" Nora griped. "Ren really needs to stop stalling."

"Maybe you should give him a hint," Yang said.

"Maybe I could catch the bouquet?" Nora suggested.

"This is not helping me," Winter stared at her reflection. 

"Maybe you just need a moment alone to compose yourself," Weiss offered.

Winter nodded slowly.

They all went outside.

"Well, here we are," Yang remarked. "I didn't really want this but I guess I have to deal with it..I mean...Uncle Qrow is happy. So I guess I can accept it."

"It's not really your choice is it?" Blake said. "I think they're cute."

"I'm so excited for them!" Ruby had her hands under her chin. "And in a few hours, Weiss, we're gonna be family."

"Yes...what a joy..." Weiss feigned being against this idea, though anyone could tell she was excited also.

"Your family could not be more different though," Emerald noted.

"Well, at least the entire team came out for this one," Pyrrha noted. "Except..." she paused.

"Yeah...her," Emerald said.

"Cinder, you mean?" Shine looked up.

"Haven't seen her since Vacuo," Yang shrugged. "Not that I'm complaining."

"I know we're not exactly friends," Emerald said. "But you know, I wonder from time to time about her. If she stayed on the right path, if she's alive...it just feels wrong not to know."

Shine tapped her chin. "She's alive," she said slowly.

"What?" They all looked at her. 

"Wait? You've heard from her?" Weiss said.

"Why did you say something?!" Ruby exclaimed.

"If I had heard from her, she'd have asked me not to tell you where she was," Shine said, vaguely. "And I would have agreed to it out of respect. But that's hypothetical."

"Why is she worried about us know where she is?" Yang asked.

"Hypothetically, I'd say Cinder probably doesn't quite believe you've all really forgiven her. It's hard for a guilty person to let go of that fear. She doesn't want anyone to track her down because they changed their minds," Shine said. "And the other part, likely, is that she's embarrassed still about what she was. She won't show up to your parties and spoil the fun. It's just how it is."

"I don't exactly want her here," Ruby said. "But that still makes me sad."

"Yeah, it's sad that all the rest of us have managed to get along, and she's still left out," Emerald said. "Even if there was a reason...but did she really do so much worse than Raven, or Mercury, or Hazel? Or me? Frick, I think Hazel had a higher body count, we just didn't know them."

"Raven probably did too, if we count who she killed indirectly with those raids," Shine shrugged. "But Cinder had a different relationship with it than they did. She...well, healing that, it's going to take her a while. All I can tell you is that she's not gone back to crime, if she has been honest with me. But you shouldn't ask me more."

"I guess that's okay...I mean at least we know that," Emerald said. "Maybe someday we'll find her."

"Maybe someday it won't be weird," Ruby noted.

Pyrrha shrugged. "I no longer think anything is impossible."

"This wedding is proof that stuff you never thought would ever happen, happens," Weiss noted.

Willow came into the hall. (They were prepping in the school since it was closest.)

"Is Winter still in there?" she asked.

"Yes...oh are you going to have the talk with her?" Shine asked.

"Which one?" Yang asked eagerly.

"Yang hush," Shine said. "Let's move."

Willow nodded. "It's tradition...though I'm not sure exactly what I can say here. Still, it would be wrong not to do it."

"Aw," Nora said.

Willow went in.

Winter had managed to calm her nerves slightly.

"Oh hello, Mother," she said.

"You look so beautiful..." Willow said wistfully. 

Winter fiddled with the bouquet. "Well, I look more ready than I feel..."

"You know mothers are supposed to give their daughters some words of wisdom before they get married," Willow said.

Winter didn't laugh, she just looked up uncertainly like she didn't know what to expect.

Willow clasped her hands. "But I really don't know what to say. You're so much....wiser than I was at your age. And I think you've picked a much better man. I wish I was a better example of what to do, but I hope you will at least learn from my mistakes."

"Mother, you don't have to ..." Winter said. "I mean...we understand this situation. There's no need to speak of it."

"Yes..." Willow adjusted a hairbrush. "Well, you know your father was very different when I married him--I thought. I was young, naive...But even my father was taken in, and he was a smart man--just not the best judge of character. Too trusting. Qrow is a good man. Different from your father, thank the new God. So I want you to be willing to trust him...he's not perfect, we all know that, and neither are you. But I've seen you both deal with problems that would have crushed most, and you've done it together. I think if you stick together and take these things together, you'll find your way. I believe that."

Winter smiled faintly.

"I just wish your father was less of a skinflint and was here to wish you well instead of disapproving," Willow sniffed.

"It's all right..." Winter shrugged. "I mean it...I have more friends here than I ever thought I would have in my life, and you, and Klein, and Weiss, and even Whitley. I have all this and Father doesn't. I suppose he can have his disapproval. He doesn't have much else these days."

Willow almost laughed--she'd finally gotten a bit of a sense of humor about the situation after all this time.

"I suppose you're right there.... Well, I'll stop with sentimental speeches now. I suppose your siblings will give Qrow the old 'don't mess this up' line, so I won't need to."

In fact, Weiss had read Qrow the riot act earlier that day about this subject, and Whitley had told him that he had better not dishonor the Schnee family if he was going to be associated with it--so they supposed that was his version of brotherly concern.

[He's 15 or 16--I wouldn't expect much else from him.]

Willow opened the door.

"You ready?" Shine was still waiting. The others had decided to go take their positions.

"I've said all I want to say," Willow said. "But you know her so well, perhaps you had something?"

"I'm not married..." Shine said.

"Dear, I think that hardly matters at this point," Willow said.

"You said that at the last wedding too," Winter called. "I don't think anyone cares."

Shine came in.

"Well, what can I say? You know what you're doing." She shrugged. "I'm so happy for you."

"Any last advice before I make this legal?" Winter asked.

Shine thought. "If Qrow can't talk to you properly, don't take it personally. I saw the look in his eyes earlier. I'm sure he's terrified of messing this up."

"That's your advice?" Winter said.

"I think you'll be fine. You handle pressure well," Shine said. "Just let him have time to adjust. I'm sure he'll be okay by later."

"Nothing about marital bliss?" Winter said.

"Well, single people do love to give advice about relationships," Shine said. "And people who are dating like to give advice about marriage.... I do study this stuff though."

"You study it?"

"I'm weird, all right? Actually I think it's pretty common.... Anyway...look..." Shine thought. "What works for you is not going to be like everyone else, but you can always learn from them. I think my best advice to you is if you have problems, try to find a couple or person who handles it well and look at what they do. We all have our blind spots. But you have your own path, you know? Find what works for you...and don't settle for 'okay' when you could have 'great'. The only problem with the two of you is you both take less than you deserve out of the belief that you can get by. Don't do that with each other. You've proven that you can be the best together, so always try to be the best together. And if someone says you can't be, beat them up."

"Beat them up?" Winter said.

"Or chew them out, take your pick," Shine said. "You know how I get when people diss on my relationship, and I'm not even engaged yet.... So...yeah, I guess that's all I have for you."

"Hmm, that's not bad advice," Winter decided. "Don't settle for less than the best...I can support that advice. I just wish the whole thing was over. This ceremony is for everyone else more than me, I think. I'd have preferred to do this privately, but Weiss was so set on being a part of it, and Ruby..."

"And being unselfish is a good foundation for a relationship." Shine patted her shoulder. "And just think, in a few hours you can sneak off to your honeymoon and it'll all be over."

"Shine!" Winter flushed. "Don't."

"I didn't make any joke. You're the one who went there," Shine argued. "Anyway, if it helps you get a grip, then it's working."

"Oh, you're as bad as Raven!"

"Right...well, that's a good note to exit on. Let's go." Shine shoved her towards the door.

Winter sighed.

But then she swallow her nerves and walked out.

She felt better once she got to the courtyard itself and was outdoors, and everyone was there. It distracted her from her own thoughts.

Time to do this.

https://youtu.be/g8cFtPAy4Go

["You're The One I Want"--Switchfoot.]