Author's Note:

Hi, so this is a new RWBY fic. I'm stuck in quarantine with time on my hands, an idea, and decided screw it, let's write a RWBY fic. A very quick bit of background, this is canon-compliant until after the Volume 7 finale, then it definitely goes its own way.

Any comments, reviews, critiques etc are all welcome, and anyone who wants to be a beta reader feel free to give me a shout! I haven't got one yet so it's probably going to be a little bit rough around the edges to begin with, but we'll see where we go!

It's been a month since they fought Salem. A month since Ozpin had taken over Oscar's body and, with a little help from Ruby's silver eyes, wounded Salem enough to force her into the Winter Vault, with Penny sealing it, and Salem, away. Tyrian had been recaptured and, whilst in a fury at Salem being sealed, was goading the Ace Ops with how many people he had killed in the fight, and accidentally let slip he'd also killed Clover. Robyn Hill had used her semblance on both Qrow and, under heavy restraints, Tyrian, proving Qrow's innocence and his release. The CCT towers are slowly being set up again, and a message was sent to Vacuo to make sure they didn't try to open the Summer Vault, along with a promise to Beacon that the Atlesian Military would send help to rid Vale and Beacon of the Grimm that were plaguing the city and old Academy grounds, including the Wyvern Grimm clinging to Beacon Tower. Once the two kingdoms worked together, and nearly the full might of the Atlesian military was brought to bear, the Grimm surrounding Beacon were forced back and Beacon returned to the way it was two years or so ago.

Following that, a rather awkward conversation took place in Atlas tower, involving the now General Winter Schnee, Team RWBY and JNR, and with Professor Goodwitch on call from Beacon.

"What do you mean our licenses were revoked?!" Yang slammed her hands down on the table.

Winter sighed, "Former General Ironwood revoked your licenses when you declined to support his plan to save Atlas. I've…"

"You mean when we refused to let him sacrifice the whole of Mantle and the people in it." Blake retorted, glaring at Winter.

Winter met Blake's stare for a beat before continuing, "As I was saying, I've tried to reinstate the licenses, as well as issue you new permanent ones, however when he revoked the licenses he blocked all seven of you from being granted a license by anyone with Atlesian authority, including military and the council."

Ruby turned to the scroll with Professor Goodwitch on, "Professor? Is there anything you can do?"

Professor Goodwitch's voice came through the scroll, slightly crackly as the CCT system was not back up to its prior strength, "Atlas is the only country who can produce Huntsmen licenses without graduating at an academy. Without returning to an academy, completing your education, and then graduating, we cannot grant you your licenses."

At this nearly everyone looked crestfallen. "So, despite everything that's happened, there's nothing you can do? We helped to defeat Salem! Surely that should count for SOMETHING!" Jaune yelled.

Professor Goodwitch sighed, "I appreciate your frustration Mr Arc, and the whole of Vytal is thankful for your assistance in defeating Salem…"

"Not that they'll ever know about it" muttered Blake.

"Thank you for your comments Miss Belladonna, but considering the panic you all saw in Mantle and the amount of Grimm it brought, would you really wish that on the rest of Vytal when they learned of an immortal Queen of the Grimm that is trying to destroy humanity?" Professor Goodwitch replied sharply, "Even if she is sealed away, it would still bring panic and Grimm, leading to loss of life."

Blake looked down embarrassed and Yang glared at the scroll.

"Back to your point Mr Arc, I've spoken to the council members in Vale, and informed them that your absence from all of the Academies was approved by Professor Ozpin before his death, and your recent efforts were part of an extended mission, watched over by Qrow Branwen. Fortunately, news of his mistaken arrest, which I WILL be speaking to you about General, did not reach Vale. I have convinced them that due to the success of your highly secret mission, your entire second year, for all of you, was passed."

"Is that really all you can do?" Ruby said quietly.

"Yes Miss Rose. That is all I can do." Even to most of the people in the room Professor Goodwitch sounded tired, and possibly even a little sad.

Everyone looked at each other, slightly unsure of what to do or say until Ren spoke up "So what happens now?"

"If you all still wish to graduate and become professional Huntsmen and Huntresses, you are welcome to return to Beacon to complete your training there, starting in your third year. I'll give you until 5pm tomorrow to decide. Since the disaster of the last Vytal Festival the council is trying to keep a much closer eye on Beacon, so I have to tell them what is happening with you seven at their next meeting tomorrow."

Ruby looked back to the scroll "And if we refuse?"

"Then you will not become legal Huntsmen and Huntresses."

There were a few moments of silence before Winter spoke up, "You can go back to your rooms now to discuss this. It's the best option you have."

Taking her not so subtle hint to leave, the two teams left the room, but not before hearing Professor Goodwitch turn her attention to Winter, "Now, would you please be so kind as to explain not only why the hell you put out a warrant for Qrow's arrest, but also why you then followed through with it?" Any further words were cut off by the doors sealing behind them. Ruby and Yang glanced at each other grinning slightly, they'd been on the receiving end of one of Professor Goodwitch's scolding, more than once for Yang, and knew how bad it could be.

It wasn't long before they reached their rooms and split into their respective teams.

Ruby and Blake sat on the beds, with Weiss and Yang taking chairs opposite their respective partners, Yang spinning hers round to sit backwards.

"Well Ruby? What do we do?" Blake asked.

Ruby looked to them all in turn, "What do you guys WANT to do? I know I'm the leader of our team, but I don't want to force you to do something you don't want to…"

Weiss was the first to reply, "Personally, my vote is to graduate and become a Huntress. My only other option would be to take over the Schnee Dust Company, but I don't want to do that, in fact I want nothing to do with it. I'm done with Atlas; Ironwood was the last straw."

Yang looked to Blake before facing Ruby "I don't know Rubes, to be honest I'm not happy with the whole situation, if they do this to us now, what's to say something else won't happen again in the future? I'm not sure about returning to Beacon, but I want us to stay together as a team."

Blake looked at Yang directly whilst saying "I want to stay as a team, so I'll follow you guys." Yang smiled in response.

Ruby looked down at the ground for a moment, "All I've ever wanted was to be a Huntress. To help people. If the only way to do that is to go back to Beacon and graduate, then I would do that. But being together as a team is more important. We got split up once before, that's not happening again." She looked at the time on her scroll "It's getting late, we'll sleep on it and see what we think tomorrow."

The others nodded their agreement and got ready for bed. Across the hall, JNR was having a similar discussion.

"What happens now Jaune?" Nora looked to her team leader.

"I don't know Nora, I don't know." Jaune sat down on his bed heavily.

"Me and Ren have nowhere else to go, we don't have a family or home to return to, it's just us three now. So, we'll follow you where you go." Nora looked to Ren for reassurance, slipping her hand into his, and he nodded.

"Thanks you guys," Jaune smiled at them both, "To be honest, returning to some kind of, I don't know, normal life would be good you know? Finishing school and actually having something to show for everything we've done would be good. Plus, I could kinda do with a bit more training," he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Then back to school we go," Ren said quietly.

The next day they all met up in Winter's office. Professor Goodwitch was on call from Beacon again, "Well, have you all come to a decision?"

Ruby and Jaune looked at each other and nodded. The two teams had discussed it over breakfast that morning. "Looks like you're going to have to put up with our team again Professor," Ruby smiled.

"And ours." Jaune chimed in after Ruby.

"Good. Pack your things, you'll be on the next flight to Vale, it leaves tonight." Winter nodded at them all.

"Mr Arc? If you, Miss Valkyrie and Mr Ren could all remain for a moment, there is something we need to discuss with you three." Professor Goodwitch said.

Jaune looked at Ruby and said, "Go on, we'll catch up to you." Ruby looked a little confused but nodded and led her team out the door. "Yes Professor? What is it?" Jaune turned back to the scroll.

Team RWBY reached their room and packed their things, Weiss double checking to make sure they'd left nothing behind, before heading to the landing platform, finding someone waiting for them. "Hey kiddo, looks like you're hitching a ride back to Vale with me."

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby sprinted to give Qrow a tight hug. "I was worried about you" Ruby whispered into his coat. Yang came up behind Ruby and gave her uncle a hug as well, whilst Weiss and Blake stood back a little, not sure what they should do.

"I'm alright, just tired of this cold." Qrow said, looking to the door as it slid open to reveal Winter standing in the doorway.

"Weiss. Come here."

Weiss breathed out before turning to walk to her older sister. "Yes Winter?"

They walked to one side of the doorway and Winter stood awkwardly for a moment before replying, "I'm glad you decided to continue your education." They were silent for a moment before she continued "Now that Father is in custody, and will never touch our family again, I will…see what I can do to help Mother," she motioned to Qrow with her head, "If that alcoholic idiot over there can drag himself to sobriety, I will see what I can do to help Mother achieve the same."

Weiss almost couldn't believe what she was about say considering how he had treated her but… "And Whitley."

Winter looked a little surprised at Weiss.

"He was always closer to Father than us or Mother. He will need support as well. Especially as he is now the heir and will take over the company." Weiss swallowed hard, wanting to say the words before she changed her mind.

Winter looked solemn for a moment, "Yes, we all neglected him, and Father took him completely under his influence. I will try to help him as well, but I suspect Klein will be better able to help Whitley than me."

Weiss smiled at the memory of her friend and former butler and, seeing the members of Team JNR come out into the air said, "This will be goodbye then sister."

"Yes, it will be." Winter nodded, before Weiss grabbed her in an impromptu hug. Winter hesitated for a moment before smiling slightly and returning it. "Try to write or call more often too."

"I will" Weiss smiled at her sister, before turning and walking back to her team.

Qrow looked up at her arrival, nodded curtly to Winter, then turned, slipped his hands in his pockets and walked up the ramp onto the aircraft. Winter sighed, shook her head, then stood to attention as the others waved goodbye and followed Qrow up the ramp and back to Vale.

Ruby lingered slightly before continuing into the aircraft, a little upset Penny hadn't come to see them off, but the ever-energetic girl had left on a mission from Winter a week ago and wouldn't return for a few more days. Sitting down with the rest of her team opposite Qrow and JNR she heard Weiss ask Jaune "What did Professor Goodwitch want to speak with you about?"

Jaune looked slightly awkward and Nora a little cross, whilst Ren remained relatively impassive as always. "She said when we arrive, we need to go to her office and speak with her straight away, just the three of us. She didn't say anything else." Weiss and Blake suspected something wasn't being said but decided that the others would tell them in time, and for now, all they wanted to do was sit and rest. Just before closing her eyes to sleep Ruby noticed Qrow leaning back, eyes closed trying to sleep, but with a glimmer of green in his right hand.

After arriving at Beacon, they all wearily climbed out the aircraft, Yang and Ruby giving long hugs to Qrow, before he walked off, raising a hand to say goodbye. The seven climbed up the steps to the main doors, not noticing there was someone standing next to Professor Goodwitch.

"Salutations friends!"