Once, during a particularly heated discussion, Winter had asked him how the hell he could possibly be a teacher. With a grin, Qrow had explained that as a seasoned huntsman, he had a lot of experience that he could share with the youth of the day. He had even offered to give her a private sparring session considering they both knew Atlas was hardly up to scratch.

What had happened next could hardly be described as a sparring session, or particularly private as Ironwood had been quick to point out while reprimanding his specialist.

Truth be told, Qrow was only a good teacher about fifty percent of time. Maybe forty percent depending on the month. During that time, Qrow did actually consider himself a fairly good teacher. He was competent with most basic weapons so could fix most kids issues. Occasionally there would be someone with a overly complicated piece of junk (seriously a trumpet) but even that Qrow could normally blag his way through.

At the end of the day, Signal was just a normal combat school. Most of the kids just needed the basic skills and didn't want to be Hunters anyway. As long as he was lucid and not hungover, Qrow was a fine teacher.

And therein lay the problem.

Frankly they should be impressed he had made it in at all today. His head was splitting, his mouth dry and his stomach felt like it could empty at any moment. This was a bad hungover even for him.

Luckily, Qrow had managed to get into Signal without anyone noticing his state. Classes had started after all so he was unlikely to run into any other disapproving teachers. Taiyang would kill him if he caught Qrow walking around like this. Well stumbling would be more accurate. Actually even stumbling might be generous.

His class were talking amongst themselves when he arrived, more than used to his late attendance by now. Most didn't even look up at first but there was always a few. The go-getters and try-hards who thought he might mark then down for disrespect.

And of course, there was the smart mouths.

"Afternoon sir."

The shout brought a round of laughter from the class. Rolling his eyes, Qrow turned to face the girl who had called him out.

"Alright Viridian, I'm not that late," he said before smirking. "Actually, am I that late? I didn't pass a clock."

"Not quite, but you're almost there."

"They don't give medals for almost, so I shouldn't be penalized for almost either."

Another round of snickers from the class as the outspoken pupil fell back into her chair. That gave him a little time to prepare a curriculum for the day.

Sparring was off the table. Even if he could just set up matches he would still have to step in to correct if something went wrong. And considering it was a bunch of kids with something to prove, realistically he was going to have to step in. That sounded like a lot of work for how he was feeling.

Aura training didn't sound much better. The basic exercises still required a lot of concentration. The stuff was all natural to him now but trying to actually think about what he was doing so he could then explain it, exacerbated his already pounding head. Plus he didn't like showing off his semblance at the best of times but if he tried now, Qrow had a feeling he would either throw up or pass out.

Or both.

Not wanting to choke on his own vomit today, Qrow sat down at his desk. Resting his feat up on the wood, he continued to think. The class waited with baited breath. Well this was bloody awkward since he didnt really have a lesson he could pull out of the hat. He only took this damn job to pass the time between actual missions... Now there's a thought.

"Alright class," he said. "Let's try something a little different today. You got any questions about what being a Hunter is actually like, I'll answer anything you want to know."

A wave of nervous trepidation echoed around the class. Most Hunters preferred not to talk about their lives to the children. Especially not the teachers. Qrow knew why. If they were teaching and not Hunting chances were, something had happened. Maybe to them or someone they cared about. An injury or worse. Not something they wanted to share with their students for fear of scaring them.

Qrow didn't agree with that philosophy. The world would always need Huntsman (no matter what Ironwood thought) but that didn't mean they should take anyone. These kids deserved to know what they were getting into. Not just the fairy tales but the actual stories. The people who didnt make the legends.

"What?" He said after a minute of just murmurings. "No one has any question? Not even you Viri. I can't normally shut you up."

The girl huffed slightly at the jab as the class laughed again. Recovering quickly, the green eyed huntress to be stated at him, unflinching. So much like Yang.

"Alright sir," she said. "You were partnered with Professor Xiao Long yeah?"

He never got used to hearing his friend called that. Just sounded wrong.

"Yeah Tai was my partner."

"What was he like? Back in the day, I mean."

"I say I will answer anything about me and the first thing you ask about is Tai?" Qrow scoffed. "I'm offended."

Leaning back in his chair, Qrow took a deep breath as he mused upon his former partner.

"How best to describe Taiyang..."

"God damn it Qrow."

Rolling his eyes at his partners anger, Qrow lazily ducked under an Beowolf's claw before dispatching it with a flick of his sword. Before it could even fully dissolve to ash, it's corpse was swatted aside by an Ursa. The creature roared at the nineteen year old student. Qrow was unimpressed but before he could respond in kind, a boulder ploughed into its side and the monster vanished in a haze of black bloody mist.

Turning to face his partner, Qrow grinned.

"I fail to see how this is my fault. If anything I should be mad at you."

If possible, Taiyang got even more furious.

"Really? You're blaming me for this?" Tai caught a Beowolf's swipe before slamming his foot into its chest, separating arm from body. "I wasn't the one who decided to sneak out alone, in the middle of the night just to impress some girl-"

"In my defense, she was very hot."

Taiyang ignored him, continuing his rant as he beat the Grimm to death with its own arm.

"-And I'm not the one who brought a whole pack of Grimm down on our asses."

Qrow wasn't exactly sure that was true, but it didn't exactly seem like the best time to point out that it had been Tais complaining that had attracted the horde. Maybe later when he had calmed down.

"Yes but you are the one who followed me."

"Only to make sure you didn't get killed. A choice I'm seriously starting to regret right now."

"Ow that hurts my feelings."

"Oh don't eve-"

Before Tai could finish, the ground broke beneath their feat and a Alpha Beowolf burst forth. It roared at them spit and bile flowing from its jaws as the two teens stood side by side. Qrow glanced at his partner.

"Do you want to take this one or...?"

"By all means Qrow," Tai said folding his arms. "Be my guest."

Stepping forward, the young huntsman flicked the switch of his sword and it started to transform. The gears began to turn letting out mechanical whirs and clicks. The blade began to extend, transforming the sword into the weapon that would reap this Alpha from the-

Bang

The creature let out a pitiful moan, staring down at the hole that had appeared in its chest. Then realising it's own mortality, the creatures scattered into black ashes revealing a figure in a white cloak. A figure who looked rather angry with them.

"When did you noticed she was here," Qrow muttered to his partner who just smirked at him.

"What, you think I deliberately made you look stupid in from of our leader? That doesn't sound like me."

Before Qrow could respond, Summer started walking towards them and the two boys paled at the sight of their glaring leader. Despite her short stature, Summer Rose was not to be taken lightly.

"Honestly," she said, shaking her hooded head. "What is wrong with the two of you?"

"Me?" Tai protested. "This was all Qrows fault"

Qrow finished the tale, taking a moment to enjoy the look of disbelief on his students faces. Over his long career as a Huntsman and his tenure as a professor at Signal, Taiyang had worked hard to develop a certain reputation and professionalism. Qrow liked the fact he could destroy that reputation so quickly.

"No way that the Professor was like that."

"People change," Qrow shrugged. "Especially Huntsman."

"Whys that?"

The huntsman paused, trying to think of how best to describe it. Well he knew how to describe it pretty well, but he didn't want to say it. Maybe he was getting soft but there was a difference between informing his students of the dangers they could face and traumatizing them.

"The life of a huntsman is more... concentrated than a normal one. We do more, see more and feel more in one lifetime than most people could do in four. And it's not just the good but the not so good as well. It changes a person."

"So yeah Tai wasn't always quite so mellow but two kids will do that to you." He smirked. "Especially when one of those kids is Yang."

The mood lightened at the mention of his niece. The blonde firecracker had manage to garner quite the reputation during her time at Signal. Not surprising considering her explosive... well everything. Personality, temper, even her class projects tended to involve pyrotechnics.

For good for ill, everyone had an opinion on Yang. Ruby tended to slip by relatively unnoticed, due to her timid nature and less than Xiao Long like appearance. In any case, most people seemed be rather relieved that Yang was heading to Beacon in a few months.

With the first tale breaking the ice as it were, the students grew more bold. Soon all semblance of order had vanished with the kids yelling out questions as fast as they could think of them.

"Most Grimm you've killed in an hour."

"I lost count at 250."

"Biggest Grimm you ever killed alone?"

"Nevermore."

"How well did you do in the Vytal Tournament."

"Disqualified," he muttered. "My sister didn't see the point so didn't turn up for the first round. We tried to argue saying that we could have beaten the team with only three but they wouldn't let us enter." He was still sore about that one. "And we could have as well."

"Proudest achievement."

"So I know this Atlas specialist... Actually that story's probably not appropriate for this. Give me a second..."

For a few minutes Qrow sat trying to think of something in his career he could use for this. He couldn't tell the about the missions he did for Oz. Considering what Oz would ask him to do, Qrow wasn't even sure he was proud of it. Saving his nieces from the Beowolfs was a personal high but the students wouldn't care about that. Beowolfs were hardly an exciting kill.

Still he had to tell them something. Come on, Qrow had been a Huntsman for years, there had to be something he could tell them. Glancing down at his hip flask, he considered taking a drink. Probably best he didn't but it did give him some inspiration. Maybe not the story he was thinking of but Winter could still entertain these kids.

"As a Huntsman, you probably expect that all it takes to complete a mission is Aura control and a big enough weapon."

Just for effect, he flicked his sword out earning oohs and ahhs from kids who would never tire of its grandeur. He had never even showed them his scythe, its base form normally being enough to create the desired effect.

"However, sometimes you find yourself in situations that require a little more subtly..."

This might be the greatest mission he had ever received. Sit in casino bar and drink. That was literally the briefing. Well that and a little data acquisition. He hadn't even cared that he was to be shadowed by one of Ironwoods specialists.

Unfortunately, Ironwood had neglected to mention which of his specialist would be accompanying him. So now he was sitting in a casino with, an admittedly very attractive, stuck up rich girl who was wound up tighter than a Grimm in a therapy session.

"Relax."

"I am relaxed!"

"You don't look like you have relaxed a day in your life. I suggest whiskey."

"You would."

"Now that sounds like Jimmy talking. Isn't a Huntress meant to make her own judgments?"

"You should refer to Gen-"

The specialist was cut off as Qrow raised his finger over her lips. The glare she shot him would have put the Goodwitch to shame. Unfortunately for her, Qrow had dealt with worse but he should probably explain before she got angry... Or stabbed him.

"First off, since we are undercover here, perhaps you shouldn't shout out are friend Jimmy's job like he's a damn lumberjack."

He repressed a smile at the way she flushed red. Either from anger over his opinion of her boss, or more likely embarrassment from almost making such a basic error that could have ruined the entire mission. Let's see if he could rock the boat a little more.

"Secondly, I'm telling you to relax because you are drawing attention. Newly Wedded wives don't normally look so uptight on their honeymoon."

"Our cover said nothing about marriage."

"I embellished," he said with a wave of his drink. "Did I mention how lovely you looked tonight sweetheart?"

"I swear to god Qrow-"

"Thirdly," he interrupted again. "Why should I show him respect? He ain't my general."

"That's irrelevant. Gen... J James-"

"Wow you actually struggled to say that."

"Shut up," she hissed. "James Ironwood has had a decorated career and regardless of where you are from, that is too be commended."

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"I've had a decorated career. Illustrious even." He grinned. "Do I not deserve your respect?"

Trapped by her own logic, Winter let out a groan of frustration and turned away. Qrow laughed, downing the rest of his drink in one swig. Standing up, he held out his arm for his 'wife.'

"Come on dear," he said. "Let's head back to the room."

"You are such a pi-" Winter took a deep breath, trying to suppress her rage. For her cold demeanor, the rich girl sure had a short fuse. He would have to remember that. Could be useful. "We still need to complete the objective. Identify the target and retrieve the memory stick."

"You mean this thing," Qrow said tossing said device.

"What- How did you get this?"

"See that guy at the bar. Grey jacket. His boots are too big. They are hiding something. Has to be a custom build, I'm guessing high caliber judging by the supports on his leg. You can see the line through the fabric if you are looking. It's probably capable of Dust ammo but that's besides the point. Anyone walking around in that kind of equipment had to be our guy. I asked the barkeep about him when I ordered our drinks and apparently he's been here for hours. Drunks are easy to pick pocket but I suppose they don't teach that at Atlas."

Winter stared at him, dumbstruck. If Qrow didn't know better he could have sworn there was a trace of admiration on her face. But of course, he knew better.

"When did you do all this?"

"About four drinks ago."

Any trace of respect vanished from her face, replaced once again by her default scowl. He responded with his own default for dealing with Atlas. A smug grin.

"You mean to tell me," Winter said slowly. "That you have had this for an hour and have just made me sit here."

"Pretty much."

He saw the drink coming but decided to let her have it. It was a hard decision. Catching might blow their cover and it would definitely piss her off even more. On the other hand, it was a waste of good alcohol. Still he managed to recover some of it as the liquid ran down his face.

"Just admit it," he shouted at Winter as she stormed away. "You're a little impressed."

"What part of that was subtle?"

"That was very subtle," he said a little offended. "I picked pocketed an assassin."

"You almost started a fight in the middle of civilian bar."

"What did I tell you about almost?" He said. "Besides that's subtle for me."

Glancing at the clock, he noticed that class was nearly over. Damn when did time get so fast. Just when he was starting to enjoy himself as well. The mornings hangover was nearly forgotten memory and Qrow could probably stand to actually teach his next class.

"Alright I reckon we got time for one more tale of adventure," he mused. "What you got for me?"

The next few minutes were filled with an array of questions that he could answer in a sentence or two.

Most powerful Hunter he had ever met? Professor Ozpin. Had he ever seen the man fight? Nope. What's his semblance? No idea. How did he know Ozpin was so powerful then?

Qrow had just smiled at that.

Because he's Professor Ozpin.

If he could have any semblance what would it be? Time travel. Was that a real semblance? Probably not. Was that really Winter Schnee of the Schnee Dust Company? In the flesh.

Sadly though, the questions were starting to get a little dull. Either they were simple to answer or he wasn't allowed to. Glynda might actually kill him if he started telling the students about Maidens. Amber would probably laugh though. She had always been good with kids.

"Professor Branwen?"

Qrow blinked at the sound. Had he heard that right? Turning his head, Qrow was surprised to find his quietest student with his hand in the air. A mouse Faunus by the name of Luke Fern, the boy was a stickler for rules, hence his insistence on calling him professor. He normally only spoke when spoken to.

"You got a question Fern?"

The boy almost shrank back at the direct acknowledgement, but somehow managed to squeak out his question.

"When was the last time you went on a mission with your entire team?"

The smile vanished from Qrows face and the urge to drink returned. Stay calm. It's not the kids fault, he doesn't know. That's why he's asking. Taking a breath, Qrow forced a smile.

"The last tale of STRQ. I'm afraid its not that interesting."

"Everyone in position?"

Qrow couldn't let out a chuckle at their leaders overly serious tone. Summer had always had a flair for the dramatic. They were in an abandoned factory that a group of wannabe gangsters were using for their drug making, yet she was treating it like military operation.

Still he wasn't going to be the one to complain. It had been far too long since all four of them had been on a mission together. Everything had just gotten away from them. Qrow didn't think he had spent a solid week in one place for a month. He liked the travel but it was good to be back with his family.

So if Summer wanted to ham it up a bit then he was happy to indulge her.

"Ready to kick ass!"

And it seemed that his own partner was more than happy to join in. Rolling his eyes and enjoying Summers soft giggling, Qrow responded with slightly less gusto.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go Sum."

Silence came from the third member of their team. Qrow smirked, practically able to hear Summers irritation at her partners stubbornness.

"Raven are you in position?"

"What do you think?" his sisters sarcastic tone echoed in his ear. "You can see me through your scope, Summer. You are well aware that I am in position."

"Would it kill you to humor me?"

Knowing Raven, it actually might.

"This is a very simple mission," she replied. "It hardly requires all of us. Even Tai could deal with these amateurs by himself."

"Hey," Tai whined. "I'm still on the line Raven."

"I am well aware."

"Tone it down a little guys," Qrow muttered. "Your blooming love might give away our position."

"Shut up little brother."

"She just acts like this to impress you guys," Tai said. "She's really a big softy when we're alone."

"We occasionally screw Tai, don't oversell it."

"More than occasionally."

"That's my sister."

"Can we please focus on the mission?" Summer said exasperated.

"Are we making you uncomfortable little Rose," Raven said mockingly. "If we had just started the mission then you wouldn't have to hear about how Tai and I fu-"

Bang

Summers rifle exploded as she fired, cutting off Raven, and suddenly the warehouse was filled with the sounds of alarms and panic. There was a brief pause as the three members of STRQ waited for their leaders commands.

"It looks like we've been spotted," Summer said dryly. "Go clean up. And Raven."

"What is it Summer?" Raven said with than less hidden annoyance. "Cant we just get this done?"

"I didn't need you here. I wanted you here," Summer said bitterly. "But apparently, even after four years of Beacon together, you can't understand that."

Raven didn't respond and soon Qrow could hear the sounds of metal against Aura as his sister engaged the enemy. There was a final sigh from their leader and then nothing but high impact concussion rounds as Summer resumed her over watch.

From across the gangway, Qrow caught his partners eye. Tai just shook his head before jumping down into the fighting, creating a shock wave of fire Dust on impact. Taking a sip from his new hip flask, Qrow leapt into the fray.

So much for the numerous adventures of Team STRQ.

"And I think, ladies and gentleman." He paused for a moment rolling his eyes at the collective breath the class took. The bell rang, right as expected and the held breaths turned into many shocked yelps. "That's time kids. Run along now." On second thought, he better cover his bases. "And don't tell Tai about this."

The students started to pack up, some in awe over his stories and some grumbling about it being over. A few were even claiming that he had made half of it up. It didn't bother him though. Whether they believed him or not was up to them, Qrow couldn't care less what they thought of him.

At least that's what he told himself.

"Sir?"

He looked up into the green eyes of his favorite student. Taiyang had told him when Qrow had started that you weren't meant to have favorites but it was hard not to. Not that he tried very hard. Some students were good, some were little twats. Just because he had to teach them all doesn't mean he had to like them. And the reverse was true too.

"What is it Viridian?"

"I uhh..."

Qrow frowned at the girls pause. This was new. Viridian was never nervous. He had seen her wing entire presentations with no notes or preparation and still seem like she knew what she was talking about. Apprehension and hesitation were traits she had never shown.

"Spit it out kid," he said. " You know Professor Coral blames me if you are late to her class."

"I was wondering sir, with the applications for Beacon coming up..." She swallowed. "Actually never mind. It's nothing."

"Didn't seem like nothing."

"Really sir, I'd better go," she said, half running towards the door. "You know how Coral gets."

"Viri," he said softly. "What is it?"

His student stopped moving. Slowly, she turned around to face him and opened her mouth. No words came out quickly she closed it again. Biting her lip, the young girl struggled to put words to the question she could barely bring herself to ask.

"Whats it like to los- Have you ever been late sir?"

In bird form, Qrow cut through the air faster than he had ever flown before. His aura, his body and his mind were all pushed to their limit as he tried to increase his speed. Avoiding air currents, sharpening his aura to streamline his form and straining his wings as he flew. Anything to be faster. Anything to get there quicker.

He shouldn't even be here. Ozpin had sent her alone for a reason and Qrow knew he should trust the head master after all this time. But the dark feeling he had any time he thought of her would not abide. The warning that seemed to yell from his very core. He couldn't just sit and home and do nothing.

Suddenly, the horizon exploded into a white light. The shock wave slammed into him and Qrow had to fight to stay airborne. It didn't deter the Huntsman who just pushed himself even faster. He knew what that light meant. It meant that Ozpin had been wrong.

Please just hold on Summer, I'm almost there.

Beneath his wings, Qrow noticed a burst of red and black. As it appeared a figure flew fourth and with the slash of metal another portal appeared and she was gone. In the distance, he saw another glow of the gateway. And then another. They trail of red and black rushed across the landscape, faster than anything Qrow had ever seen. The speed of desperation.

Reverting to human form, Qrow hit the snow laden ground with a crunch. Drawing his sword, he ran through the collection of frozen Grimm. Towards the center of the monstrous maze, Qrow ran. And that's where he found them.

Her white cloak remained unblemished despite the hordes of Grimm she had faced. Not a single one had made it to her and not a single mark marred her body. But he could feel it. The normal brilliant shining aura was gone. Summer have given everything she had to wipe out the horde that could have flattened Vale three times over.

And there was Raven, kneeling in the snow. She cradled her partners body, sobs wracking her body as she howled into the night. Qrow had never seen her like this before. It made everything real and extinguished what little hope he had left.

"Raven..." he said softly.

She didn't answer but even if she had, Qrow would have no idea what he would say. One of their best friends was dead, what the hell do you say to that. No don't think like that. There wasn't time for grief. Right now he couldn't be a brother or a teammate. Right now he was only a Huntsman.

"We need to get her out of here," he said with more conviction. "Before more Grimm show up."

Raven stopped sobbing. Slowly, she placed her teammates body back on the ground. Leaning close to her hood, Raven whispered something that Qrow couldn't hear. Then she stood up, turning to him with fire in her eyes and spoke with cold fury.

"Where is Ozpin?"

"Sir?"

Qrow blinked, Viri's voice snapping him back to the classroom. They were alone, with all the students already on their way to their next lesson. Only Viridian remained, staring at him with none of her usual bluster. How long had he been silent?

"Yeah I've been late before," he said quietly. "You should get to class Viridian. Being a Huntsman's hard work. You can't afford to miss a thing."

She nodded heading towards the door. Then she stopped, hovering in the frame as she turned back to him.

"Actually sir, I don't know if I really want to be one."

And then he was alone. Letting out a sigh, Qrow reached for his hip flask. Taking a large swig, he welcomed the burning sensation as it flowed down his throat. It was strong stuff able to affect a man with their aura up and his wasn't. Relaxing in his chair, Qrow closed his eyes, waiting for the spirit to do its work. In a couple of minutes this feeling would begin to dull, just like it always did.

"I really hope you don't."