Tranquility

Warning: Suggestive/slight lemony themes below. Proceed with caution.

August 12th

Year 854

2:54 p.m.

The sun held high above the grassy plain, beating down mercilessly upon the canopy of trees. Thankfully it was quite a deal cooler within the forest, and it was here that two people staked their spot. They had traveled a great distance to arrive there and the young man of the two was considerably starving.

"Ah, this is good." The woman declared, dropping her satchel and taking up her water source for several large gulps.

"Commander….why did you bring me out here?" The blonde asked. Licking her lips and resealing the container, the five foot seven inch woman placed her hands on her hips in an authoritative manner, looking around.

"You see, Armin, I become privy to more things than I'm sure you would care to know. As is part of the job description." She said as she kicked at a small stone near her foot. "A little birdy told me that you come out here to relieve stress and scream until you feel you can scream no more. Is that correct?"

Quite a personal assumption, but the boy nodded.

"Yes, I…..come out here when I can. I haven't as of late….there's really no need."

"Excellent." She bubbled mischievously as she turned to face him squarely and extending her palms to the heavens. "Let 'er rip."

"Wha-!" Armin exclaimed. "Now?"

"Yes, now. I want to hear your best battle cry." Hanji demanded.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Armin did as he was told. He yelled for a long moment. He believed it was enough, but by the dissatisfied arch of his commanding officer's brow, he could tell she was not satisfied.

"Louder." She urged. He blinked hard, and filled his lungs with as much air as he could. He expelled it rapidly, feeling a bit of blood rush to his head from the pressure of his diaphragm.

"LOUDER!" Hanji barked. "Do you think that in the heat of battle, your soldiers are going to hear that mouse squeak?" She shrieked.

Armin opened his mouth a little wider, and what he let loose was unfamiliar to him. He never thought he could shriek so loud. The birds scattered from the trees above at the tumultuous sound. It carried across the entirety of the forest, echoing for at least a mile or two. Hanji bellowed with laughter, throwing her hands up once again.

"Ha ha ha, YES! There it is, Armin Arlert! Your battle cry!" She beamed excitedly. When he could no longer push any air out, he hunched over in pain, panting heavily. She crouched down with him.

"From now on, every command that I teach you, I want to hear that voice. Do you understand me?" She ordered. Armin only could manage a breathless nod. Hanji clapped a hand on his back, standing back up and taking a look around.

"Ah, we are off to a great start." Armin dreaded what the rest would be like if that had only been the beginning.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

5:31 p.m.

The ring of his blade slicing through the dummy's nape was like music to his ears. Effortlessly, he changed direction with a hiss of his 3DMG, kicking his legs forward to allow maximum momentum for his counter-slash. He took his spin, feeling the blades cut the air. Then contact. Flawless.

The young male landed on his feet with ease, heaving for air. The adrenaline made his grip on the handles to his blades tremble and rattle. He quickly sheathed them back in place.

"Still got it." He uttered, observing his effective gash into the Titan dummy's neck. The wind whistled through the gap in the soft material meant to simulate a Titan's flesh. He marveled at his handiwork for a long moment.

"Nice form." His comrade teased from behind him. He closed his eyes to collect himself. Believing it to be Connie, he smirked.

"Thanks, baldie. You're the only one who thinks so."

"Not the only one." Suddenly he realized the tone was not low enough to be Connie Springer's. Eyes slightly widened he turned, and startled to meet the charcoal orbs of Mikasa Ackerman. Three month old Grace adorned her hip, finger planted in her mouth as her large green eyes also watched him.

"M-Mikasa!" He stammered. He had scarcely seen the oriental beauty since her daughter had been born. She smiled.

"I see Eren isn't the only one who still practices with his blades." Upon mention Jean looked around and realized his frenemy was not anywhere in sight.

"Speaking of which, where is that bastard?" Jean chided, feeling confident enough to call him that in front of Mikasa. The young woman adjusted her daughter's weight.

"Getting re-fitted for his uniform." She replied.

"Re-fitted? Which means…" He started, but she nodded in reply.

"It won't be long before he'll be joining you again in the ranks." She said, looking to her little girl. Grace babbled incoherently.

"What about you?" He asked. She breathed a chuckle through her nose.

"I'll be steering clear for just a little while longer. Grace is a handful at times and she needs at least one of us to keep an eye on her." Mikasa explained, still watching her daughter ogle at her surroundings. Jean was no idiot. He could tell the woman did not want to leave the baby's side. Neither did Eren, he was sure of. Suddenly, he remembered a small detail that he had never come to know the answer for.

"Have you figured out who's going to look after her when you're both needed?" He asked.

"Dahlia said she would happily stay behind to do it. Simon and Dmitri also volunteered, since they rarely follow us on missions anyway."

"Well then utilize them. They offered, so take them up on it!" Jean insisted. Mikasa stared at him. He immediately turned his gaze away.

"Thank you, Jean, but I feel I can make the decision on what's best for my daughter." She said coldly.

"Th-that's not what I meant." Jean quickly defended, tightening his fist but then slowly releasing it and looking off into the distance to keep from meeting Mikasa's glare. "We all just miss you. Connie, Sasha, and I." He looked back to her. "I know you don't want to leave the kid, but you gotta think about what's best for both of you." He received what he had only hoped for. A dead stare. He sighed. "Don't let me tell you how to live your life, but I just thought I'd…..put it out there."

Mikasa prepared to say something, but Jean quickly made way across the way and disappeared into the door. She was left standing there with Grace cooing and laughing at the birds overhead. She looked to her child once again.

"You like the birds, little one?" She questioned with affection heavy in her tone. She expected to hear the little girl's squeals in response, but a strong voice replied for her.

"It seems she does."

Mikasa whirled about to spy Eren and Captain Levi approaching. At the sight of Grace, she saw Eren's face shift to a gentle smile as Grace shrieked with happiness at her father's appearance. Levi was as stoic as ever, arms crossed and posture rigid. Upon reaching them Eren scooped Grace up into his arms.

"How was the fitting?" Mikasa asked.

"Same measurements as when he joined, except for a slight expansion in the upper chest and arms which calls for a slightly bigger jacket." Levi replied. He turned a judgemental gaze to his soldier. "Perhaps lifting and carrying that little brat around all the time has done you good, Yeager."

Eren flushed. It was apparent to many of them that the young man was indeed entirely smitten with his beautiful daughter. You rarely could catch Eren anywhere nowadays except at the mercy of his little girl's doe-like gaze and tiny hands. They were inseparable.

"Yes, well….I have to get back into the hang of things before too long." Eren reminded them both, giving a glance to Grace, who smiled up at him the best way a baby knew how. "No matter how much I want to stay inactive."

"I hope you do." Levi answered flatly. The lot of them began their journey back into HQ.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

8:03 p.m.

Surprisingly, Dahlia and Archie opted to join the group as they made their usual trip to the tavern. Flabbergasted, Connie asked them why.

"I figure if we really want to get to know you all, we'd drink with you." Archie insisted. In response, the bald teen shrugged.

"Alright, but I warn you: we can really throw it down once things get going."

"Bring it on. I was shots champion amongst my peers back in my village. I bet I could out-do any of you." Archie threatened.

"Better come ready to lose, Tzimmerman." chimed Jean, who had been listening in the entire time, a devilish smirk across his face. Sasha quickly made for her notepad.

"I'll keep score!" She exclaimed. No objections to that.

Unsurprisingly as they made their way for the front door through the hallway, Jean spied Eren sprawled across the carpet playing with Grace in their room. He almost said something, but decided to leave it be after his blunder with Mikasa earlier. He truly had never seen a pair so in love with their child.

Making their way through the gate and thus into the city square, Dahlia and Archie marveled at the sights around them. Lanterns adorned every corner and glowing amber emitted from endless panes of windows. It was like seeing everything in the city for the first time.

"Wow, why have we never come with you guys before?" Dahlia chattered.

"Beats me. I love coming here." Connie replied. Sasha had made a point to walk relatively close to the bald teen, of which he took notice but chose against saying anything. He caught her stealing glances at him, but again chose not to acknowledge the odd behavior.

Reaching their destination the group prepared to go inside while exchanging taunts of victory and trash talk about who would reign supreme in the world of alcohol before the night's end. As the bouncer at the door began to make his rounds for their I.D.'s, Jean's hearing perked to the sound of sharp breathing and heavy sobs nearby. He trained his ear to the left, hearing it once again after a few moments. He looked to the direction of which the sound came, but found nothing but the corner of the building that disappeared into oblivion.

"Catch up with you guys here in a minute." He declared, giving a nod to the bouncer before jogging over to the corner and rounding it.

There, lying in a watery heap upon the dirt path, was the very reason he had made so many trips to the popular hangout spot.

She lay with her hair mussed and unbrushed, tears streaming down her face as she clutched at the ground desperately. Jean moved forward slowly, not wanting her to realize he was there just yet. She continued to sob, her gaze turned away from him as her small body heaved for air.

"May I ask what your name is, miss?" He inquired. She gasped, snapping around to face him. Upon recognition her expression changed only a little.

"Jean?" She muttered. The young man finished his trek over to her, extending a hand. She readily took it, coming to her feet. "I….I wasn't expecting you and your friends to show up tonight."

"We decided to. Connie had nothing else he wanted to do and a few of our newer soldiers wanted to see the infamous tavern." Jean replied. The girl nodded, wiping away at her dirt and tear streaked face.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. I was hoping I was alone." She uttered.

"It's no problem at all." He wanted to desperately to ask her why she had been in such a state, but one pleading look from her silenced his curiosity.

It was then that he noticed how close he was to her. Not once had he ever come within three feet of the woman, but he began to see the smallest features about her that he couldn't have acknowledged beforehand. Her hair was incredibly dark, shiny in the lantern light. Her eyes were a deep brown, warm and inviting as they searched his own face. However what had intrigued him most….was the small freckle at the corner of her eye. How had he not seen it before?

"What's that?" He asked, pointing to it. She looked confused for a moment, then a streak of recognition went across her face.

"Oh, it's a beauty mark. All of the women in my family have one." She explained.

Beauty mark. He had never heard of such a thing but completely understood why it was named as such. It complimented her perfectly.

"By the way, my name's Charlotte tonight." She added after realizing she had not answered his question. He nodded absently, watching her wince as she shifted her weight.

No. It was high time he knew what was going on.

"Charlotte, do you care to tell me why I found you like that just a minute ago?" He inquired. She immediately stiffened, looking at him as if to say how dare you.

"Jean, please forget it." Charlotte began. "I….that wasn't for anyone to see. Please, just…drop it."

"How can I? You were an absolute mess. And I want to know why." Jean prodded, his temper beginning to get the best of him. The blood rushed to his face in a wave of emotion.

"You won't understand…." She muttered. It was then that she felt the sudden force and grip of his hands on both of her arms. She let out a small cry.

"Then make me understand! I can listen! Just. tell. me." He begged. She stared at him for a long moment before glancing to the way he was holding her. His expression twisted to frustration and he let her go. He flipped himself around to face the opposite direction, crossing his arms to release a heavy sigh. Neither of them moved for several minutes.

"I don't know your circumstances. I don't know your past. Hell, I don't even know your real name." He finally spoke up, causing her gaze to return to him. "I've come here so many times because I kept thinking….maybe she'll tell me tonight. Maybe I'll know her true name. Maybe I can….help her." With each word he became softer and weaker in his tone until it was but a whisper. He turned around to face her, his fists tightening.

"But I'm done. If you won't tell me, I won't force it out of you. It's your life." He stated. Charlotte's eye began to brim with tears again. She saw the flash of pain plague his features before it hardened into indifference. "Just remember, the only way you'll ever get out of hell is by trusting others. Believe me, I should know."

With that, he turned on his heel and began to walk back to the front of the building. The girl started after him, but he sensed the light patter of her footsteps behind him and gritted his teeth.

"See you around, No Name." He called out in scorn. She slowed down to a halt, her heart clenching in her chest.

Just as he was rounding the corner again, he ran smack-dab into Dahlia, who shrieked in surprise.

"Hey, we were starting to wonder where you'd gone!" She piped cheerfully until catching a full glimpse of his face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I'm leaving." He growled, shoving past her. She let out another shriek, her eyebrows knitting in anger at his rude reply.

"Oi, Jean! Where ya going, bro? We haven't even started yet!" Connie called out from the nearest window.

Jean ignored the lot of them, continuing his brisk walk up to the cobblestone street and making a left to go back down the way of which they had come. Connie and Dahlia exchanged concerned looks, and the two of them darted after their comrade. Sasha and Archie quickly caught on to what was happening and arose to dart off too.

"Looks like we'll have to do a rain check on that shot challenge." Connie informed Archie. The tall boy did not reply as they continued to pursue Jean Kirschtein down the street.

Back in the alleyway, the girl slumped back into the spot she had been in before the incident, a whole new pain searing into her. Tears flowed freely once more, and her hands clutched desperately at her server gown.

Goodbye, Jean.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

9:15 p.m.

The room was dark, save for the candlelight the occupant could squander from his desk. He had removed all that he had needed, staring up at the centerpiece of the room. Barely even giving it a thought, he opened up his book to the marked spot, glancing back up.

"Tonight's chapter is on the volcano islands." He stated before looking down again and beginning.

"Dating back millions of years, the volcano islands' orgins are….." He started up, his voice fading into the background as he sat for a good hour reading away. Temperatures of lava, the different types, and eruption numbers and damage estimates were flung into the stuffy air. Once finished, he simply closed the book and continued to stare up just a few feet in front of him.

"How was that chapter?" He asked. Receiving nothing but the small crackle of his candle's wick in response, he sighed in disappointment. He gathered his things and began to walk across the room. Reaching the door, he cracked it before looking back.

"I'll come back tomorrow. Maybe the ice caps will intrigue you more." He said into the empty air. No response.

Closing the door behind him, he produced the key and locked it back before tucking the key into his pocket. Taking a quick look down either side of the hall he began to retreat back into its depths in search of the door to his study.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

September 5th

Year 854

12:28 p.m.

"Happy Birthday, Commander!"

The swarm of Scout Regiment soldiers buzzed about in the dining hall, trying their best to busy themselves and serve their congratulations to their commanding officer. There was drinks and food galore, a rare sight indeed for the corps. Hanji, amidst all the bustle, eyed Eren and Mikasa in the corner. Grace was passed out, resting her head on Eren's shoulder as he held her close. The woman smiled, arising from her spot.

"She truly is the sleepiest baby I have ever known." The esteemed Commander commented as she approached them.

"Let's be thankful for that, shall we?" Levi pleaded indifferently, not too far from where the couple stood.

"She knows what environment she's in." Mikasa commented.

"Heh. I wouldn't give the half-pint that much credit." Connie chimed in, engaged in eating his third platter of party foods along with Sasha, who was too busy wolfing down her cake to speak.

"I would." Mikasa defended, not tearing her eyes away from the little girl.

"Regardless, with as much noise as what's going on, I thought she would have been wide awake." Hanji remarked, beginning to glare at the group of 106th recruits gathered in the corner over a heated-game of makeshift beer pong. Whoops and hollers erupted as one of them made a perfect shot into one of the farther cups. The alcohol sloshed about in their hands, spilling onto the floor and making the room begin to smell.

"I'll handle this." Levi said in a deadly hush, slipping from his spot over to the brood. They watched him for a moment, and smiled in amusement as the group immediately changed their demeanor upon his approach. There was a chuckle.

"Man, does that guy ever have any chill?" Archie questioned. Hanji turned to him, offering a look hard enough to pierce through diamonds.

"That guy is your Captain." She retorted. "Not many things piss me off, Mr. Tzimmerman, but disrespect to a superior that has earned otherwise is a short, sweet way to make sure you're on my shit list for the remainder of your time here at the Scout Regiment."

The poor fellow couldn't catch a break. He immediately clamped up, slinking off to the other side of the room while avoiding eye contact. Connie scoffed.

"Rookie mistake."

"You can't even use that excuse much for them anymore. They've been here almost a year." Eren corrected him.

"They'll learn. Whether it's by their own embarrassment or by the expense of the group, they'll learn." Hanji Zoe stated. She knew, unfortunately, from experience.

Her eyes turned to Levi Ackerman, who now stood very near the once disruptive group of teenagers as they turned their source of enjoyment to a quiet game of poker. Their eyes locked, and she stared at him for a long moment. She saw the flash of something familiar behind his eyes before he turned away, beginning to make his rounds about the room once more to maintain order. She shook her head.

Bastard. She thought.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1:13 a.m.

The serenity of the gaping windows breezed in the cool night's air with ease, billowing the curtains and rushing across the hardwood floors to cascade up the bedframe and across the sheets. There, amidst its sheer folds, rustled two beings in heavy sighs and smacks of lips.

The shapely, muscular curve of the male's back was exposed to the frigid night almost entirely as he made his rounds along the fiery skin of his companion in bed. Nipping and gently kissing at the soft flesh he continued to ravage her relentlessly, much to the woman's pleasure. Hot breath mingled feverishly as they fought for dominance. The fabric of their undergarments clashed loudly with the sheets as they shifted every which way. It ended with the male retaining his position on top, his rough, strong hands firmly pressing his counterpart's wrists into the pillow above her head. He had to stretch out entirely to do so.

Blasted Titan-sized woman. He hissed in his mind before averting back to reality at the sound of her chuckle.

"Oh Captain, is this becoming too much for you?" She teased, her bangs mussed in such a way to curtain her alluring eyes. He scoffed, clenching his thighs closer around her and making her gasp. The heat between her legs undoubtedly present.

"Please." He mumbled plainly. She chuckled again, this time low in her throat as he began to slide back up to her face, taking extra care to brush his lips along the valley between her breasts.

"Mmmmm hm hm hhm. Happy birthday to me." She hummed, preparing herself for what she could only hope for when a loud bang at the door made them both startle. She growled. Anticipation gone.

"Shit." She hissed.

"You get the door. I'll take care of myself." He ordered. She obeyed, scrambling out of her bed and reaching for her convenient robe that hung on the coat rack nearby. Wrapping it tightly around her, she proceeded to the door as rolled her eyes as she heard the man on the other side begin to yell feverishly.

"Commander Hanji! Commander!" He called. "Commander Hanji!"

"What is it, Percy?" She hissed as she threw open the door, not even having to look to know the identity of her interruption. The young teen was sweating. Heavily. And sounded as if he was having an asthma attack.

"Commander Hanji…" He breathed, hunching over.

"Mr. Aldrich, I don't know if you are aware, but waking a commanding officer in the dead of night must warrant an emergency!" She informed him angrily, her frustration boiling over as the boy still struggled with his breathing. How he had passed the physical portion of training was unknown to her.

"Commander Hanji, this is an emergency. Something of epic, horrible proportions has happened!" He rambled.

"Well what is it, man? Out with it!" She demanded, waving her hands about for emphasis. Eyes as wide as saucers the teen announced the only words that could possibly ruin so perfect a night for her.

"Annie Leonhardt….has escaped!"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Minutes later

"What do you mean, escaped?"

Captain Levi had the deadliest glare across his face as Hanji and himself followed the frantic soldier across the entirety of the building. The soldier, fearful of repercussions, neglected to think about where he had saw the Captain emerge from after delivering the news to Hanji.

"Well….you see…..Jaxson and I were standing watch….like we were supposed to….since it's our turn." Percy began through pants of breath. "It was….about….three past one o'clock when….we heard the shattering of glass. We proceeded…..to investigate…..and that's when we found…" They had reached the door by them, and Hanji ceased to listen to him as she threw open the door, peering inside.

Glass and crystal littered the stone floor, glittering in the half-moon light. A gaping hole could be seen in the basement window above, definitely large enough for their long-imprisoned Titan shifter to slip through. Jaxson stood in the corner sheepishly, cowering at the sight of his superiors. As Hanji began to investigate further, the Captain took the liberty to pick Percy up by the collar and slam him into the wall.

"Do you not realize what you've done?" He said with a savage, deep tone. Percy squirmed under his grip. Levi's eyes bore into his with an anger that the newer soldier had not yet seen. "You've let the military's most dangerous criminal break free. And now we all may be in danger."

"Levi!" Hanji called. The Captain almost immediately loosened his grip on the soldier, letting one of his hands fall to his side again while effortlessly still holding the terrified boy against the wall and above his head.

"What is it, Hanji?" He asked. The Commander of the Survey Corps turned to him and pointed along the innermost part of the now half-broken crystal cocoon that Annie had resided in for so long. Upon further examination, the four of them spied the almost too obvious claw-marks alongside the inner core of the crystal. They were taken aback. How had they not noticed it before?

"Annie Leonhardt has been a busy girl." Hanji stated in a mocking, playful tone.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

3:00 a.m.

Grumbles and groans of half-awake soldiers riddled the courtyard as the entirety of the Survey Corps stood at parade rest. The moon still hung in the sky, though with it only being half there it provided little light for the outside world.

"What is up with dragging us out of bed two hours early?" griped Sasha.

"I'm sure whatever it is, it's damn important. It's rare that Commander Hanji would do this on such short notice." Archie said.

Just then, their commanding officer and her righthand man appeared, adorned in full gear. Cloak, jacket, straps, 3DMG, blade reservoirs, and swords sheathed inside them. The soldiers gaped in surprise. This must be serious.

"Sorry to wake everyone, but we are in a state of emergency." Hanji Zoe began to her troops. "As of approximately two hours ago, our most dangerous prisoner escaped from her holding room in the basement of HQ. Her whereabouts are unknown and we need to find her as soon as possible. She is the deadliest adversary we have ever captured, and we will capture her again with your cooperation and motivation."

"Annie?" Armin whispered. He exchanged worried glances with his 104th comrades.

"What? I didn't even know she had a name. I thought she was just 'the prisoner'." Dahlia piped up, having overheard his surprised exclamation.

"Of course she has a name!" Jean snapped. "She's Annie Leonhardt, the Titan shifter who killed hundreds on an attack in Wall Sina three years ago."

The 106th recruits gasped.

"Sh-She did that?" Dahlia squeaked, having heard about the horrendous tale through idle chatter in the streets and at home as a child.

"Single-handedly?" Percy added.

"Well, I was unfortunate to contribute to some of those deaths."

Startled once again, the Scouts turned to spy Eren join them quietly. Following behind him closely was Mikasa, with both already geared up for the mission ahead. The 104th comrades collectively cried in excitement.

"Lady Death has returned!" Connie whooped and hollered. "Oh, and Eren too."

"You asshole!" Eren cried, holding back a laugh while giving a shove against his friend's head. They all laughed, but soon they noticed Hanji and Levi glaring down at them. Everyone else had fallen silent and watched them, and with a heat rose to their cheeks they all assumed the stance of parade rest again. No sooner had they done so when Hanji Zoe called out.

"Eren Yeager. Mikasa Ackerman." She boomed.

"Yes, ma'am!" Eren and Mikasa acknowledged in unison, offering up flawless salutes. She grinned deviously.

"Welcome back."

"Yes, ma'am!" They cried again before lowering their fists from their chests. A few more moments of Hanji briefing them and Dahlia leaned across to whisper in Eren's ear.

"What about Grace?"

"Dmitri is watching her." Simon appeared as he spoke, adorned in full Scout gear.

"Simon? You're coming with us too?" Sasha asked.

"You are going to need all the help you can get tracking this monster down." Simon replied firmly. There was a fire in his eyes that they could not place. Only Eren could, for he knew the face all too well. Vengeance. Soon enough, he was made privy to why Simon made such a familiar expression. "My sister and best friend were both killed that day in Wall Sina. They were struck by flying debris from that Titan bitch as she ran through the streets. I made a promise to them to make sure Annie Leonhardt never saw the light of day again. I am keen on preserving that promise."

Hearing Simon curse was like seeing a harmless animal turned rabid. Nobody said anything in reply as Hanji finished her instructions.

"I want everyone to quick-clean their equipment and be back out here in ten minutes ready to go. Every minute that ticks away is another minute with this prisoner not where she belongs. MOVE!" Hanji ordered with a voice so loud it scared the recruits. They had no idea she could yell that thunderous. Armin smirked internally at their shock.

"Well, my fellow comrades, why don't we go catch our dearest friend and bring her back home?" Jean questioned with heavy sarcasm, unsheathing his blade and inspecting it. He eyed his reflection staring back at him.

They were finally doing some real work with everyone back in the squad.

Annie Leonhardt didn't stand a chance.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wow, went from 14, 000+ to 5,000+ words. Oh well! Diversity counts! This was just a sort of feel-good chapter as we ease back into the action. As for the small snippet of Levihan, I threw that in for those that ship it and if you do, I hope you enjoyed. Otherwise, it has been wonderful writing this chapter and I hope you all like it! Until next time!

Sincerely,

Heartforhumanity845