**SO glad you guys are enjoying this fic! Some musical inspiration for this chapter are as follows; watch?v=VcnzqKpFZ0I&list=HL1378486791 (Berlin - The Piano Guys) watch?v=gosY-UrpHcA&list=HL1378486791 (Nearer my God to Thee - The Piano Guys) and if you were wondering what melody Rivaille is playing - is Vogul Im Kafig! **

Rivaille

Four: Berlin Wall

Eren snapped his gum as he stared at the Mansion in front of him. His hand in his pocket, hair slightly ruffled from the walk from his house to here, he pushed open the gate with his free hand and walked up the drive.

"They sure cleaned up the place..." He mused knocking on the door. Almost when he was about to walk about to walk away, the large doors opened and a tall man with a beard stepped out.

"Uh, hi, I'm...um, Eren Jager." Did he just sniff me? Eren thought eying the man carefully.

"Mike, Zacharius," a huge hand was offered to the young man. Eren took it still wary.

"My mom told me, you needed another guy to work around here?"

"Yes, come on in," Mike stepped back to let Eren in.

"Whoa..." The mansion was completely the opposite of what he thought it would be. It was, open. Light poured through glinting off of gleaming chestnut and oak panels and crystals on the chandeliers.

"I need some help upstairs in the East Wing. The downstairs is for the most part, finished." Mike let the boy look around, a small smile hiding beneath a clean-cut beard.

"This place is awesome." Eren's sea-green eyes were bright, crossing his arms, impressed.

"There is, one place where you do not go."

"Oh? Why not?" All too soon, Eren's curiousity was peaked.

"You are not allowed. No matter what, you do not go through, these doors, do you understand?" Mike walked to a pair of sliding, oak doors. Swallowing back his disappointment, Eren nodded.

"Yes sir."

"Good, now, follow me and I'll get you set up," Mike motioned to the grand staircase. Eren followed behind him, but still stopped to look at the doors with a childish pout.

"Eren." Mike warned.

"Sorry..." He caught up.


If there was one thing Eren never wanted to see again after his work at the Berlin Mansion was dust – and spiders. There were some interesting creatures that he wasn't even sure were classifiable. He was moving boxes of old books when one fell from the top.

"Shit..." he didn't know how old there were or how valuable. Upon picking it up and turning it over the words -Greek Mythology- caught his attention.

"Hmm..." Looking around he slide it nonchalontly into his backpack before moving the box. He seemed to be on a roll dropping things. The iPod he had shoved in his back pocket slipped out a few minutes later while he struggled with a ladder. Growling, he took the ear buds out, since the wire had come detatched and stepped down to collect that.

His entire body froze.

Eyes dilated, a chill went up his spine – a piano?

Picking up the electronic, he shoved that in his backpack and quickly surveyed the hallway. Assuming it was Mike-free, he crept to the stairs and strained to hear where it was coming from.

"I knew it..." A triumphant grin broke out as he silently walked up to the sliding doors. It was coming from in that room for sure. He pressed his ear to the thick wood, desperate to make out the melody. Leaning against the door, he misjudged the doors sliding ability. The sound was loud enough to stop the piano mid-chord and Eren cursed himself. Cheeks burning, he thought about just running up the stairs. Mikes warning played in his head, but, he wanted to know who was the source.

Sliding the doors open as slowly as he could, Eren poked his head inside and saw a vacant piano infront of the same window he and Armin had looked through a week ago. Licking chapped lips, he took another step inside. Music instruments lined the walls. His stride stopped next to a beautiful, black Cello. Fingertips ran along the stringes and the urge to play was there. He shoved it aside and looked back to the empty piano, eyes narrowing. How did they move so fast?

"I thought you were told not to come into this room." A smooth, but commanding voice made Eren jump and quickly turn around.

"I...uhh...sorry...I..." His face turned bright red.

The figure standing next to the closed window, he could tell, was studying him. Taking a careful look back, he noticed the man had a cane, and a relatively short – but lean stature. He decided to try a new approach.

"I'm Eren Jaeger." He started to walk towards the man, but a hand gripped his shoulder as he saw the stranger tense.

"Eren...what did I tell you?" Mike's eyes were irritated.

"It's fine, Mike." The man took his time walking across the floor and back towards the large chair next to the piano. He walked with a limp, Eren tried not to stare, but he was curious on how he was injured. Or – it was just the way he was born...He shouldn't judge. Guilt washed over him.

"I told him not to come in here, sir." Mike let go of Eren's shoulder.

"It's alright. Apparently he likes music," the voice sounded slightly amused.

"I do, yes." Eren blurted out.

A hand motioned for Mike to leave them.

"To the carpet and no further. I mean it Eren..." Mike hissed as he turned to leave.

Eren nodded to the warning and walked to the edge of the carpet. From here, and the way the shadows played on the man's face, he couldn't see much. Just two very intense blue eyes. Eyes that burned through him it seemed. He suddenly felt very exposed.

"You enjoy music? Eren." The way the man's voice played on his name was as if he was tasting it.

Eren nodded again, "Yes, sir..." He didn't know what to call him...Mr. Creepy Shadow Man? Who plays the piano?

"Do you play an instrument?"

"I...well..." How to explain this? Eren gritted his teeth. "I used to play the Cello and also, took some singing lessons."

"Did you now? How did that go?"

"My sister was right." He shrugged, "I sounded like a frog."

A dry chuckle was heard, "My – she sounds delightful."

"She's just honest..."

"Perhaps, so tell me, would you ever, dare to play again?"

"Play again?" Eren's eyes snapped to meet the narrow blues.

"Yes, the Cello, or even try singing again. You stopped how long ago?"

"I was thirteen..."

"And you're what, eighteen now? So five years has passed. Your voice has changed, that can do a lot to ones ability."

Eren shook his head, "Nah, I'm...I'm nothing special. I just liked to play is all."

"And how is that not special?"

"Sir?" He watched the man stand slowly, stiffly.

"You dedicated yourself to one of the most challenging instruments and you say you have nothing special? You have drive, a yearning, that, is special." He was moving towards the piano.

Eren desperately wanted to see whom he was speaking too. His voice was so familiar, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions. Fidgeting in his place, on the edge of the carpet, he shook his head.

"...Its gone now though, so, I don't need to think about it."

"Tell me, why did it fade?"

"...I lost my inspiration..." Eren put his head down.

"And what was that?" The man was staring right at him. Eren looked up slightly and took a step forward onto the carpet.

"An amazing songwriter...musician...singer...he was inspiration to me, my sister, and my best friend...and he just, vanished."

"Sometimes, some things must come to an end."

"Not him...he was only twenty-six. Too young to just give in or up." Those eyes challenged the ones in the shadows. The man raised his chin slightly.

"You have no idea what happened – you shouldn't judge."

"I'm sure he inspired thousands."

"...Maybe..."

"He did." Eren growled. This man knew nothing! He knew his love of Rivaille used to be seen as a bit ridiculous, a bit out there, and yes – Eren's cheeks burned at that thought.

"He moved you that much?" Ice blues were slow to blink.

"Yes..."

"Tell me...when he played – what did you feel?"

"Feel?" Eren looked at the man as if he were crazy.

"Yes – music is about feeling, emotion. I want to know yours." He had finally sat down at the bench and hands were poised over the keys.

"He...he made me feel, alive." Eren struggled with words. That was, until a gentle playing began.

"Go on..."

"...I felt free...like..." Eren struggled to speak and listen to a very, sad...song.

"Like you had wings?" He was leaning back slightly, before rocking back into the sorrowful notes.

"Yea..." Eren took another step.

"...We've all been to that peak and back, Eren..." Hands moved like liquid along the black and white ivories.

"...Who are you?" He held his breath, hoping...waiting...

The man stopped playing and Eren had to fight the urge to beg him to continue. "I am no one...to you I am sir...nothing more...nothing less..."

Green eyes widened and then Eren growled, frowning. "That isn't good enough, Sir."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said, that is not good enough, Sir. If I am going to work with you, and you are going to ask me personal questions about why I chose to quit my instrument – I demand you tell me your name."

The man stood, the air in the room thickening.

"And I shall reply – No. You may go back to what you were doing Eren."

"And I am sorry, but not until I see who I am talking too."

"You are already over the carpet, that is warning enough." Those mysterious eyes grew harsh, "I will have you escorted off of the property should you come closer."

Eren snarled. "It might be worth it. What coward hides in the shadows?"

"Watch yourself."

"Why can I not know at least your name? Why do you hide?" Eren's patience was being worn thin.

"...You have to trust me..." The words weren't what Eren thought would be spoken at all.

"I can't trust someone I don't know!"

"I let you work here, I trusted you not to come into my home and steal, and I didn't know you."

"Yea...well..." his face flushed thinking of the book in his bag, "Don't put too much faith in humans."

"But that's what we lack today, faith in humanity...giving people the benefit of the doubt, a chance."

"People take advantage of that." He didn't know what this man was getting at.

"Yes, some do, but some do not."

Eren stood off with man in the shadows, gritting his teeth, "So you're not going to tell me your name?"

"Does it matter?"

"YES! It matters!"

"What if I am not who you think I am?"

"I..." Eren stopped for a moment and thought.

"...I could clip your wings..."

Eren took another step forward, something sent a thrill through him about this game. He saw the shadow tense, but stay silent.

"So you have to trust I listen to you?"

"Yes...I do."

"And I have to trust that you'll tell me in time?"

"Yes."

"What if you trusted wrong?"

"Did I?"

"Well – I could ignore your stipulations."

"Yes, but then you would just be another person who takes things for granted...you would be meaningless, worthless to me."

Eren's eyes widened. Ouch.

"I want to offer you the chance to play again, Eren...do not take my kindness for granted."

The young man was silent, contemplating.

"Why do you want me to play again?"

"...Don't you want too?"

"I don't know..." Eren was honest...Did he want too? "Why do you want to help me."

"Potential and talent shouldn't be wasted."

"...Tell that to Rivaille..." The comment was out before he could stop it and the awkward silence fell over the room again.

"You are dismissed, Eren. Think about it, and come back only if you wish to seriously consider my offer."

Mike seemed to appear like magic to escort the him out.

"But – I still have no idea who you are."

"...Trust me. Or don't come back."

"Ugh...you're ridiculous. I can see myself out," he spoke to Mike, walked back upstairs and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Walking outside, he heard the sad melody playing again. He hesitated...would he come back?


Rivaille played through the original piece and let the last note hang in the air. Hanji knocked on the door and entered quietly.

"Do you think he'll come back?"

He was silent for a moment, "That is up to him."

She nodded and handed him a packet of paperwork. "Congratulations, you now own Wings Of Freedom Records."

"Thank you..." He took the packet and ran his hand over the logo.

"...Oh, Miss. Ral wanted me to give you this," She handed him a card.

"Thanks..." He took it with a sigh, opening it. He read through it quickly and at the bottom it simply stated - "Have Faith."