Year 844

Danielle's PoV

I play around with the cuff of my hoodie, my eyes traveling over recent reports from Zaxdor and Eren walks in with Armin and asks, "Hey Danielle? Do you want to come and play with us?" I shake my head and I say, "I'm busy Eren. Sorry bud" He raises a brow and he asks, "What are you doing?" I shrug and I say, "Nothing interesting. Just some reports from my hometown. Increased criminal activity, murders and the like. Nothing special but I have to do it" Eren groans and says, "Sounds boring" I chuckle, and Armin asks, "What do you do back in your home nation?" I look at him and I say, "I'm a General-Commander in the military and next in line to the throne" Armin smiles and asks, "Have you seen the salt water?" I look at him with a raised brow and I ask, "You mean the ocean?" Armin nods and I answer, "Yeah I have. My parents used to take me there every weekend. Of course, it was only if I had been keeping up with my studies and such, but it was fun"

Eren grins and Mr. Yeager walks in and he asks, "Danielle? Would you like to accompany me on my next medical trip?" I nod and I answer, "Of course sir. Where are we going?" Grisha smiles and answers, "To the Ackerman's house for a usual check-up" I nod, and I pack my paperwork back into the case and Carla asks, "Would you like me to keep them safe for you, dear?" I nod and I say, "Thank you Mrs. Yeager" Carla ruffles my hair and says, "What have we told you? You can call us mom and dad you know" I look at her and I say, "I know but I'm just staying here, I'm not actually your kid" Eren nudges me and asks, "Who cares?" I think for a moment and I say, "Oh what the hell. Thanks, mom" Carla smiles and I stand up and Eren asks, "Dad? Can I come?" Grisha thinks for a moment and he answers, "I don't see why not" Armin smiles and says, "I'll see you when you get back guys" We wave goodbye as he walks out, and we follow Grisha.

In the forest

"Mikasa?" Eren asks curiously and Grisha nods and answers, "That's right. She's your age. There aren't any other children around here, so make friends with her" Eren rolls his eyes and answers, " Sure. I mean, depending on what she does" Grisha sighs and states, "You see, Eren, that attitude is why you only have one friend" Grisha knocks on the door and Eren protests, "That's not true! Danielle is my friend!" He looks up at me and asks, "Right?" I nod and Grisha mutters, "Hm? Maybe they're not home. Mr. Ackerman? It's Yeager" He opens the door and asks, "Is anyone home?" I notice the blood and the dead bodies, and I nudge Grisha and he says, "Danielle. Check the house for a young girl" I nod, and I say, "On it" and I search the house for any signs of Mikasa.

When I find nothing, I walk towards Grisha and he says, "Dammit... no good. They've been dead for some time now" He looks up at me, a hopeful look in his eyes and I shake my head slowly. Grisha growls and he turns to Eren and asks, "Eren was the girl... Mikasa around?" Eren shakes his head and answers, "No" Grisha nods and answers, "I see. I'm going to call on the Military Police Brigade and request that a search party be sent out. You two, wait at the base of the mountain. Do you understand?" We both nod hesitantly, and we part ways from Grisha. I stray from Eren to go and find Mikasa. Eren follows behind and asks, "Danielle? Where are you going?" I look at him and I say, "Shh. I'm tracking" He nods, and I crouch down, and I swipe my fingers against a dried bloody footprint, and I say, "A few hours old perhaps. They went this way" Eren nods and I lead him to a cabin in the woods.

I pull out my pocket knife and I say, "Stay close to me Eren, understand?" He nods and pulls out a knife. I nod at him and I ask, "Do you know how to use that thing?" He nods and we walk up to the cabin and I push open the door slightly and I ask, "Is anyone home?" I swallow hard, counting two traffickers and one of them throws the door open and asks, "Hey brats! How did you find this place?!" I swallow and I say, "Um... my little brother and I got lost in the woods and we saw this cabin..." The man grins darkly, and he pats my head and says, "You should know better than that. I mean, two kids walking through the forest alone? There are scary wolves in the forest, but you've got nothing to worry about now. We'll take good care of you ..." I nod and I say, "Thanks, mister... I know... so die, you bastard!" I slam the blade into his throat and Eren does the same thing. I kick the man back and I close the door. I pass Eren the broom with the blade attached and I hear, "Hey! Get back here! You little shits!" The door is thrown open and Eren runs at the man and stabs him repeatedly.

I run over to Mikasa and I say, "It's alright now... you can relax. You're Mikasa, right?" I begin cutting at her bindings and I say, "I'm Danielle and that is Eren... Dr. Yeager's son. I'm pretty sure you met him before. We went along with him to your house for a consultation and then..." Mikasa cuts me off and mumbles, "There were three" I look at her with a raised brow and I hear a door creak open. I turn around and I get kicked in the gut and sent flying into a wall. I yelp and the guy grabs me by the hair and yells, "Did you do it? I don't believe it! Was it you who did this to my partners?! You... How dare you?! I'm going to kill you!" I look at Eren and I yell, "Eren! Take Mikasa and run! Now!" I claw at the man's hands and Eren runs up to him and kicks his legs. The man turns around and boots Eren to the other side of the room.

I continue to claw at the man's hands and I look at Mikasa and I choke, "Fight! Fight, dammit! If you don't fight then we're gonna die" The guy squeezes harder and growls, "What the hell were you thinkin', you little shit?!" Saliva begins to drip from my mouth, and I continue, "If you win, we live! If you don't fight, we can't win!" Mikasa's dark eyes meet my cold blue ones that are glistening with tears and Mikasa picks up the knife from the floor. She whimpers, her body quivering and she whimpers, "I can't..." I begin to choke on my own saliva and Mikasa clenches the blade tightly in her hand, the handle splintering and she drives the blade it the man's heart before he even knew what hit him.

He drops me and I cough and wheeze as I try to catch my breath and Mikasa rushes to my side and asks, "Are you okay?" I look at her and I say, "I feel like I should be asking you that" Mikasa rubs my back as I break into a fit of coughs and Eren rushes over and he throws his arms around me. I pat his back and I wheeze, "I'm alright, Eren. Just need to get my bearings... that's all" He pulls away, tracing the bruise on my neck and I stand up and the door bursts open, revealing to MPs and Grisha. We are shuffled out of the house by the MPs and Grisha pulls Eren into a hug after draping his coat around Mikasa and he chokes, "Dammit Eren" He squeezes his son and he shouts, "I told you to wait for me at the base of the mountain! What did you... Do you have any idea what you did?!" Eren looks at his dad and yells, "I stopped dangerous beasts! They only happened to resemble humans!" Grisha growls and yells, "Eren!" I sigh and I say, "Mr. Yeager... don't yell at Eren. It was my fault. I wanted to go and find Mikasa and I was too busy tracking that I forgot to tell Eren to go and wait for you. I'm sorry" Grisha looks at me and answers, "It's alright"

He turns to Mikasa and asks, "Mikasa? Do you remember me? I met you several times when you were still little, but..." Mikasa cuts him off and says, "Dr. Yeager? Where should I go from here? It's cold ... there's no place for me to go home to any more" I take off my hooded jacket and my scarf and I give Grisha his jacket back and I put my Jacket on Mikasa and I wrap my scarf around her, and I say, "You can have those... They're warm, right?" Mikasa begins to tear up and she mumbles, "It's warm" I zip up the jacket and I ask, "She can live with us... right, Dr. Yeager?" Grisha nods and answers, "Of course. Mikasa, come live with our family. You've been through a lot and you need plenty of rest" I take Mikasa's hand and I say, "Come on, Mika. Let's hurry up and go home to our house" Mikasa begins to cry and she says, "Okay... let's go home" I send her a soft smile, my eyes filled with care and we walk back to Shiganshina.

Back home – Shiganshina District

We walk into the house and Carla comes rushing over and she asks, "Danielle? What happened?!" I smile and I say, "I saved Mikasa. That's what happened" I motion to the girl who's clinging to my hand and Carla says, "Hello Mikasa. I'm Carla, Eren's mom, and Danielle's adoptive mom. You are welcome to live with us" Mikasa nods and I say, "She can stay in my room with me. The bed is big enough" Carla nods and answers, "Go and get some rest you three." We all nod and Grisha says, "Danielle... I want to take a look at your neck in the morning okay?" I shake my head and I say, "No need, dad. I'll be fine" I wave him off and I take Mikasa upstairs.

I push open the door to my room and I say, "I hope you're alright with wearing my clothes, Mikasa" She nods and answers, "I'm alright with that" I nod, and I pull out a long T-shirt and a pair of sleeping shorts. I blush and I say, "Sorry... I'm a bit of a boyish rogue" Mikasa takes the clothes with a soft smile and she takes off the scarf and the hooded jacket and I turn away as she begins pulling them on. I pull out my sleepwear and I pull them on, and I lead Mikasa to the bathroom and I hand her my extra toothbrush and I say, "You can use this" She nods, and we begin brushing our teeth. I make a funny face at her in the mirror and she giggles softly.

After brushing our teeth, we walk into the corridor and I call, "Night Eren!" I wait for a response and I hear, "Night Danielle! Night Mikasa!" come from his room. I smile and I walk into the room and I crawl into bed. I pat the space next to me and Mikasa hesitantly climbs in next to me, lying stiff as a board. I touch her shoulder softly and I mumble, "You can relax, you know. I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe" Mikasa turns to me, "Can I cuddle with you?" She asks shyly and I nod with a grin and I say, "I give the best warm cuddles" I open my arms and she shuffles into them, sighing contently. I run a hand through her hair, and she nuzzles closer, smiling against my throat. I smile and I murmur, "Goodnight Mikasa" She hums in response and murmurs, "Goodnight Danielle" and we both fall asleep.