The Bird and the Garden

Chapter 1: Sins of the Past

Tai was sitting on the couch with Qrow. The two of them were making jokes, and overall having a great time.

"So, you have two sons, eh? That's something to be proud of," Qrow told Tai. Tai nodded happily.

"I'm so proud! I hope that one day, they'll grow up to be great huntsmen!" Tai gushed. Summer came in with a sleeping baby Y/N in her arms, a smile on her face. "Tai, honey... Keep your voice down, you'll wake up Y/N..." Summer whispered quietly, stroking the little Y/N's head lovingly. Y/N looked like a mixture of both his mother and his father, with a patch of H/C on top of his head.

"What, don't care too much about VAO?" Qrow joked. Summer giggled before pointing at Qrow's side. At Qrow's hip was a small baby who resembled Raven, reaching for his uncle's flask. Qrow picked up the baby VAO.

"Sorry, kid. Maybe when you're older," Qrow told VAO, chuckling a bit. The baby VAO made some frustrated noises before happily giving his uncle a hug. Qrow laughed again.

"Geez, you get mood swings just like your mama..." Qrow joked once more, earning a laugh from Summer and Tai. Raven poked her head around the corner.

"Qrow, you better not be saying bad things about me to my son..." Raven warned. Qrow sweat dropped.

"Nope, nothing bad here..." Qrow told her. Raven gave him a suspicious look before disappearing around the corner.

"Sweetie, I need to go grocery shopping, can you watch over Y/N for me?" Summer asked Tai. Tai nodded before taking the little Y/N into his arms and cradling him lovingly. VAO eventually crawled over to his father, snuggling into Tai's arms with Y/N. Tai felt pride. He was so happy with everything. He had a daughter, two sons, and another child on the way. He couldn't be more happy. Qrow smiled before taking a sip from his flask. Soon, Raven came in and cradled the sleeping VAO, sitting on the couch with them. Things were so happy...

So happy...

...

Tai and the rest of his family was sitting in the living room, remembering all their adventures. The three babies were sleeping quietly on the floor, happy and content expressions on their faces. Everything was good...

Everything was so good...

...

But all good things come to an end.

VAO and Y/N: Age 1

Tai was in the park with Summer. Qrow and Raven were there, too. Playing in the sand, were three babies. These babies were Yang, VAO, and Y/N. VAO was busy throwing sand at pigeons, while Y/N and Yang were happily building a sandcastle together. Summer's belly had grown significantly larger, holding her second child. She was only a few months away from giving birth, and her and Tai had already come up with a name; Ruby. Summer rested her head on her husbands shoulder, while Raven and Qrow were having a conversation. It was all so fun...

...

The shattered moon had risen far above the sky, as everyone in Tai and Summer's house was asleep. The door to Tai and Summer's room opened, as two figures entered, one a woman wearing a cloak, the other a man with a mustache. The woman approached the sleeping parents, pulling out two small vials filled with a red liquid. She emptied one into each of the parents' mouths, before exiting the house with the mustached man. The two stopped halfway to the Branwen house.

"Mistress, they're still babies. If they get beat, they could die," warned the mustached man.

"I know, which is why we didn't give them a strong dose, Watts. We gave them a small one, to get them started on the path we want. Now let's go, the Branwen house is further past these trees," the woman said. Watts stayed silent and followed her toward the Branwen house, where they gave Raven and Qrow the red liquid as well.