The White Death - A RWBY Fanfiction

True Family and The Ball

POV - Whitley

I lay in my hospital bed, restless due to my lack of movement this past week. I had tried a few times to sneak out of this stuffy room, but every time I'd finally get into the hall a nurse or one of my teammates would catch me and proceed to throw me back in my bed. I watched as a man I had become familiar with walked into my room.

"Hello Whitley, how are you feeling today?" The kind old doctor asked.

"Restless, and ready to move."

"As is to be expected of a man such as yourself," the old doctor said with a tone that hinted at him knowing something.

"Right... so am I finally free?"

"Yes, you are free to leave once you have put on the clothes your friends have brought you." The doctor finished as he walked out of the room.

I leaped out of my bed and for the first time in almost two weeks I turned into smoke. The feeling of gravity lifted as I felt free and true to myself once more. I pulled my outfit into the smoke and changed in an instant.

I reformed and once more felt gravity pulled me to the floor. The feeling is one that should be pleasant, but for me it was not. I was healed, yes, but was still in immense pain. I hobbled for a second before regaining my footing when I heard my door open. Turning my head I looked and saw James walking. He closed the door behind him and walked steadily toward me, the look in his eyes was - different - to say the least. He looked relieved, but I could see the lingering sorrow.

"Jam-" he cut me off when he ensnared me in a hug. I didn't dare move a hair. This wasn't like him... at all, it was almost frightening. I stood in the embrace waiting for him to let go but he didn't... had he finally accepted it, who he was. I slowly brought my arms up and returned the hug, it was... nice.

'Do I say it'

"Whitley... never do that again." he practically begged.

"I really try not to," I sighed. I try and look up at him in the hug, the height difference not as apparent as it once was. "... Dad."

He tensed at my word; and stayed that way for a few seconds before calming and taking a step back, his hands not leaving my shoulders. "You - you know."

"Yeah, I've known for a little bit."

"How... How long?" His face expressed only shock.

"I was ten when I found out." Blanc had told me some time into my training with her.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because you'd never have worked with me." His shift in expression told me I was correct in my assumption.

"I... I don't really know what to do." he let out the first nervous laugh I had ever heard him make.

"You have nothing to do, it isn't like you've spent the last 4 years becoming the father you should have been, you've done everything you felt you should have, just keep doing that."

"Hehe..." he sighed, "That should be doable."

"Sure would hope so.' Before he could say anything else my scroll buzzed in my nightstand.

I spun around on my heels and walked over to it. I could see the contact name and was nowhere near ready to open that shit storm. I turned around to face him once more.

"Something wrong?" He questioned.

"Just a message from Jackass which I don't want to deal with just yet."

He laughed for a second before zeroing in on me again. "You shouldn't brush him off like that, he'll just come back ten times worse."

"You sound like you're talking from experience Ja... Dad."