Levi's POV

"I want her on my team, Erwin." I folded my arms while leaning against the wall. "You saw her out there. She was fast, and a quick thinker. If that translates over to her use of 3DMG gear, she'll be more than capable to be a member of my squad."

Erwin folded his arms and stared down at the table. He still didn't think it was a good idea. "She's not a team player. She doesn't follow authority well."

"Tch. That didn't stop you from recruiting me. Since when did we want a bunch of mindless sheep in the scouts? Sheep are raised to be slaughtered." He looked up, and it seemed like he was about to say no again. I put my hands on his desk. "Give me three months, Erwin. Three months, and I'll turn the brat into the best damn soldier you had the privilege to meet."

He sighed and leaned back against his chair. "You're not going to let me win this one are you?"

I smirked back at him. That had been his way of saying yes.

Madeline's POV

Sweat poured down my neck as I shot up and looked at my surroundings. Where was I? Where were the titans? Was I back behind the walls? Everything was so noisy and busy and, and… bright. It was so bright it was practically blinding. A hand placed itself on my shoulder. Terror shot through me as I turned around to look at who did that.

The woman who gently held my shoulder had a calm, kind face. She was incredibly tall, and had a large brown bun sitting on the top of her head. When I looked at her, my demeanor changed. The motherly features calmed me down. I sighed and relaxed into the bed I was in. So, I survived. That was miracle. The last things I could remember was hitting the wall… I hit that wall, and couldn't climb up it. The only possible explanation was that someone from the top must have got me before the titans could. Whoever that had been, I owed my life.

"Glad to see you're awake." The woman's voice sang out. She smiled and glanced down at a paper she was holding. "You sustained three fractures in your arm, two broken ribs, and a nasty cut on your head, but I think you should be okay. While you were sleeping, we removed all the glass we could find from your skin. How are you feeling?"

I chewed on my bottom lip and looked at my hands. The wraps on my hands went up my arms and on my torso. "I'm doing okay." The truth was, I was doing great. I looked to the person who was lying in a hospital bed to my right, and noticed that he had lost both of his legs. The sight made me nauseous. It was sad, really, even if he did survive the titan attack and recovered, he was going to be out of the military. To be kicked at of the military meant poverty. Yeah, so, you get a little bit of cash for your effort, but it was only enough to make sure you didn't starve. The poor man was going to end up homeless and starving on the streets. Even if the titan didn't kill him immediately, it would end up killing him slowly. "What time is it?" I asked the nurse.

"It's time for you to rest, honey." Reaching over me, she adjusted my pillow thinking that it would make me more comfortable. Really, it just hurt my ribs more. I flinched from the pain, but she didn't seem to notice. Instead, she walked away after, and left me there the rest of the night.

Sleep never came to me though. All night, the moans from the man beside me echoed. His life, or the end of it, was all I could think about; how he had given up his life, and it meant nothing. Tears filled my eyes as I let out a shaky breath. What had been the purpose of that stupid mission? We couldn't even make it a mile before ten percent of the force was wiped out. Humanity couldn't let things be like this anymore. We had to eradicate the titans. Something inside of me told me that if we didn't it wouldn't be long before they destroyed us.

In the morning, I was told by the doctor that I had to stay in the infirmary three month until my wounds healed completely.

"Welcome back, Maddie!" My roommate, Avery, hugged me tightly. It was ridiculous that I teared up when I saw her at HQ because she visited me almost every week while I was locked up in the infirmary.

Smiling, I looked up at her, "You have no idea how good it is to be back, Avery." I wiped my eyes dry.

A voice popped up behind me, "Psh, you're not one to cry. Did you time off make you soft or something?" Isaac, one of my squad mates jested, while walking up to me. He placed his hand on my head, and rubbed it like a dogs. "Glad to have you back, Squirt." He stood at 6'5" and towered over me by about a foot. At first I was intimidated by him, especially when we had to do hand to hand combat drills, but it turns out that his size makes him slow.

I shoved his hand off and punched him in the ribs, smiling. "What, did you miss me kicking your ass at the combat drills, Gigantor?

"Like I said, your time off probably made you soft." He folded his arms and a superior grin plastered his face. "I wouldn't be so cocky."

Scoffing, I turned my back to him and started walking to my room. "We'll see!" I laughed. It really was good to be back. I missed the training and my team members and every damned thing about this place. Being trapped in the infirmary drove me crazy. There were at least three occasions I tried to "escape".

When I made it to my floor, I saw Captain Levi standing by mine and Avery's room. I watched carefully as he knocked on our door, and waited for a response which never came. "Captain!" I called and saluted him. He glanced down my way and stared at me with that cold look he gave everyone.

He walked up to me slowly. "You've been transferred to my squad, LeClaire." My eyes widened from his shocking words. It couldn't have been true. I had to have my ass rescued from the last mission. This was a mistake, the captain was confusing me with someone else. "Stop gawking, and say something, brat. Do I have shit on my face or something?"

I stumbled over my words trying to think of something to say. Hopefully, could say something that wasn't stupid. "Did I do something wrong, Sir?" Well, okay, apparently stupid was the only thing I could manage.

"Tch. This is a promotion, idiot." He handed me the paper he was holding, folded his arms, and leaned against the wall.

I read it over. He was right, I was getting promoted to the elite squad. "Pack up your crap and move it into the east wing. I want to see you in my office in two hours." The captain turn swiftly on his heels and walked towards the stair before I could make another stupid comment.