So funny story, I actually completed this story about a year ago J Here's the thing, I wrote the whole thing rather than uploading a chapter every so often, I didn't want people to have to wait for an update. Now this is where it becomes funny, my laptop decided to explode after all 92 chapters had been written, I'm pretty sure I cried that day :D so yeah, I kind of decided to cut my losses and forgot all about this, however I actually received a notification on this story yesterday requesting I continue and I thought, why not? My writing has gotten a lot better since I wrote this before, so I'll try again, plus Attack on Titan is back itself after a few years, so I may as well celebrate with some fanfiction! J To ensure no disasters, I'll stick to the regular update rather writing in bulk! Now obviously there are going to be quite a lot of differences to the canon, as this is more of an alternate story, I'm also a reader of the manga but not enough that I know the story inside out, so please expect some changes! This chapter in particular simply documents how the law had been passed, so will jump between current events and past events, so please bear with it! Thank you xx

(Eren POV)

2 years later…

They were gone. I could hardly believe it myself, after more than a century since they first appeared, the Titans had been eradicated. All except me.

There had been many losses, too many…in fact I think even that is an understatement. I had never seen so much blood, death and gore in my whole life. The faces of my fallen comrades still haunt my nightmares to this day. But we won, and that's all that matters. And she's still alive, Mikasa still lives and breathes. For that I will be forever thankful.

Despite our win on that final battle, the one that ensured the complete annihilation of the Titans that had once driven us into hiding behind our giant walls, there were those that simply couldn't deal with the idea of a new world.

The congregations of those who once believed the walls had been a gift of God, would now have to live in a world that no longer needed them. The mothers, fathers, siblings, lovers and friends that lost their loved ones to the Titans, could now live in peace and happiness, with a constant reminder of the sacrifice that had to be paid. The soldiers that bravely stared death in the face and lived, but only to lose their sanity once they came home, no longer having to sleep with one eye open.

Suicide rates skyrocketed in the first few months without the Titans, more so than ever had in the last decade according to Hange. This combined with the fact we now have far more land to occupy means that we now technically have a shortage in population and could very easily become a thing of the past ourselves within the next century…

As I walk through the now free city of Trost, I can't help but feel such a wonderful sense of contentment. I haven't been outside during daylight in such a long time, it feels almost surreal knowing that there is nothing more to fear…well almost nothing.

Many people fear me, knowing that I still have my Titan shifting abilities and to be honest I should be dead right now along with the other shifters. However, for her first act as Queen, Historia awarded me with an official pardon for my services in battle and loyalty to the crown. I would be allowed to live out my days as I choose with the vow that I would never again use my Titan power unless directly ordered by the Queen herself, or a member of her royal guard. In addition to this, due to the lack of knowledge held on my existence, I would be forbidden from entering into a marriage or fathering any children, for it cannot be known if the serum that gave me this ability could be genetically transferred on to any of my offspring. Mikasa didn't care about any of the rules that would limit our relationship, she was simply relieved we would no longer be kept apart.

This pardon had many mixed reactions from the general public, some had been very much in support of my plea to remain alive while others had been less than pleased about it, slamming me with death threats and even making attempts on my life. There had been angry mobs and protests calling for the Queen's word to be revoked, and from what I've heard there were even members of the small council that had advised Historia that my death would be far more beneficial in the long run and would allow the opposition to die down before things became too much to handle.

Historia, being Historia, called a mandatory public announcement in the following weeks announcing that punishment shall be implemented on anyone who attempts to cause physical or mental harm to me or any members of my friends and family. Despite everything, she has never forgotten what we've been through together.

As a result, since they've been told they can't touch me, I have had to deal with their looks of anger or fear, or in some cases both whenever I decided to venture outside. So for a long time I stayed indoors until nightfall, much to the chagrin of my irritable housemate.

Today I felt like going on an early morning stroll, and I can't help but feel relaxed at all of the sensations I have been missing out on all this time, the wind blowing through the trees, the chattering of townsfolk and the children playing in the streets. Although, the main sensation that hits me right away is the smell coming from Sasha's bakery, where is in fact the place I'm heading.

I see her as soon as I enter the building, a small little bakery on the corner of one the busier streets in Trost. It's early, so I'm currently the only customer but she hasn't noticed me yet. She's flipping several rows of crusty bread, her heavily pregnant stomach protruding so far out since I last saw her.

After the scouting legion secured victory, Sasha and Connie decided that life was too short and they should begin living before their time to settle down had passed, even though the pair of them are barely 19. They married as soon as they could find someone to perform the ceremony, Mikasa had been named maid of honour and Jean had been best man, it had taken me all I had not to smack the horse every time his hand ventured too low. Connie had asked me to be a groomsman, but it was their day and what with everything going on I hadn't wanted to steal any of their thunder, so I politely declined. Even Historia made a brief appearance to her friends' wedding, her schedule must have been packed but she made the effort. I had never seen two people look so in love and happy to be together, in hindsight it must have looked like how Mikasa and I look at eachother. Sasha had done her own catering, her desserts had been delicious and quickly became the talk of the town. Hence giving her the motivation to open her own bakery, and Connie had given strict orders that she would not eat all of the produce herself.

It's only when I'm peering at some of the fancier selections of buns that she finally notices me.

"Eren!" she exclaims, running around the counter to pull me into a hug, it's a little difficult in her predicament and takes me a little by surprise.

"Whoa! Hey Sash!

"It's been so long since I've seen you! Where have you been?" She puts her hands on my face as if inspecting me.

"I've been around, just trying to keep a low profile. You know how things are. But I'm good, finally getting back to normal. Well, as normal as things get around here…"

She nods in understanding.

"I'm so happy you're doing well, Armin told me as much, he's here mostly every day and I make him breakfast sometimes. I hear he'll be going beyond the wall soon. Also, I haven't seen Mikasa in a while either? Is she still at the palace?"

I nod. Once there was no longer the need for a full scouting legion, members started taking up other jobs that would contribute to the building of our new world. Mikasa had been handpicked by Queen Historia to be her sworn sword, a personal bodyguard of sorts, which means she now spends a lot of her time in the castle where she now technically lives, we still see each other whenever she is not on duty. Armin now has his own team within the legion and will be going on expeditions beyond the wall to try and scope new land for us to expand on. Some of the others decided to go for jobs that would also them to keep their domestic life style, like Sasha with her bakery. Connie and Jean had also taken jobs deconstructing the walls, what with the lack of need for them now. This is a project that is estimated to take at least 5 years, it was hard work and ex veterans were to be paid handsomely for their efforts to allow them to begin their new lives. Jean became a project manager very quickly, his natural leading ability kicking swiftly into gear, damn equine…

"Mikasa is doing great, she loves being needed so having Historia under her protection has been a perfect way for her to stop constantly worrying about me, even though after all this time she still does. Armin stops by the house pretty much every day, he normally brings us your bread himself." I say with a smile.

Sasha laughs, it's loud and lovely like always.

"Y'know, your face always lights up whenever you talk about her. Like she's the centre of your universe. I just can't understand why you keep your relationship a secret after all this time…"

"You know why." I interject "Those that want me dead…I couldn't put her through that."

"But the Queen said…"

"I know Sash, but it's different with her. I mean I'm a 15ft Titan that could eliminate the whole of humanity with a bite of my hand, and she's the woman worth a 100 soldiers. If you're an angry civilian, which one are you going to take your chances on? I can't risk it."

She sighs defeated, "You're right, of course you are! I just want you both to be happy, you deserve it."

"Yeah…but hey, let's stop this depressing discussion! I want to hear about you, you look as if you're about to pop any day now!" I say, feeling her enlarged tummy.

She beams at me "Ha! Not quite, the doctor estimated I'm still only around 7 months. But don't forget, there are so many delicious foods now and I'm eating for 2!"

I almost point out that she's been "eating for 2" since the day we met and she pulled out a potato in front of Shadis, but I let her have her moment.

"Do you have any idea what you're having or names yet?" I ask, happy to be finally engaging in a proper conversation with someone other than the bundle of joy I currently live with…

"My Ma and Pa came into town to visit a couple months back, it's farming season so they had to go home but they'll back in time for the birth. They're sure I'm having a boy, they say there's no way in hell my stomach would be sticking out as much if it were a girl, apparently it's a sure sign in heifers…I think Connie wants a girl though, he's been looking at pink fabrics for clothes, I'd hate to break it to him."

I hear the tell-tale bell that the shop has more customers, two middle aged ladies start browsing the counter, paying me no attention, which is a relief.

"Well you never know so maybe don't break it to him just yet! Anyway, I won't take up too much more of your time, so I'll just take the usual that Armin gets and head off."

Before I can finish my sentence, she's already handing me a bag, the contents of which I have become well accustomed to in the last few months.

"Here, I've also added a couple extra of the seeded buns that grumpy pants seems to enjoy." She smirks.

I chuckle lightly at the nickname that she's given my housemate and attempt to pay her.

"Put your money away, it's on the house." She says.

"No Sash! I can't take this!"

"Yes you can, just promise to come and see me more often, I've missed you."

With a smile and a nod, I take the bag, bid my goodbye and exit the shop.

Already I feel much happier after having talked to Sasha, I forgot how nice it could be just talking to my friends about their lives without a care in the world, and not having people stare and judge for once. All at once, I feel a small weight has been lifted and already I'm much lighter.

After about a 15 minute walk through the town and small adjoining village, I reach the path that leads to the house I've been living in for the last 7, maybe 8 months. I know he'll already be awake and have a filled cup already waiting for me, I'll probably be scolded for a lack of note or whatever but I'm such a good mood that I can't even begin to care.

So with a push of the large front door, I head inside to the fresh smell of brewed tea…

So we're not quite at the law implementation stage yet, but there is still plenty more to come and I thought it would be nice to see how some of the characters are living after everything that's happened. Also, I've already hinted, but Mikasa is living at Historia's palace, who do you all think Eren is living with? I shall do my very best to update soon, but until then, please enjoy, comment and follow if you like!