The announcement was surprising and not good. "Please follow lock-down procedures immediately. This is not a drill." Petra could imagine Erwin's blank delivery reflected in his face.
As per procedure, the class hid under the desks. Petra clambered under her desk after turning the light off.
The seconds ticked away as the time which flew over the weekend stretched out to compensate. There were footsteps in the hallway - presumably a security guard. Petra looked for a 'weapon' in case the walker was not a guard. The dustbin was all she could find. Desperate not to look like a fool, Petra still clung onto the bin. The door slammed open - it could not be locked and now the school would pay for its negligence.
The lights flicked on. "I know you all are in here!" It was a young man, as always. From under the desk, Petra could see feet. They pointed away from the desk and towards the class. Luckily, the student's desks hid their occupants with a metal front casing.
"I will fire." Of course he had a gun - it was the beauty of the law. Petra had only one instinct. "One of your key purposes is the safety of the students." a professor's voice rang in her mind. With that fuel, she pounced from under the table. Holding the bin, she leapt the last pace across the room. She knew the shooter had turned. She hit the shooter and he fell with the empty bin covering his head. Petra grabbed the gun - some semi-automatic rifle. With the butt of the rifle, Petra struck the shooter, adrenaline turning into rage.
The class emerged. Most of the students could not react. The shooter was unconscious and Petra breathless. She stood up and faced the class. Mikasa spoke up. "Ms. Ral…" she began, pointing at Petra's abdomen. Petra looked down and noticing a spreading red.
"Shi- shoot." Registering the pain, Petra fell against the wall.
"The bullet did make it through…" Armin began, "it make a mark on the wall. So anyway…" he picked up Connie's towel and offered it to Petra.
"Hey-" Connie began. "You should probably have somebody else tie it around you." Jean said.
Petra tied the towel on and replied "it's ok."
At that point Levi and a security guard entered the room. Seeing the unconscious shooter, the guard spoke into his walkie-talkie. Levi rushed over to Petra, realizing her injury. "Lockdown is finished. All students and staff please report to the gym."
Petra handed a sheet of attendance to Sasha and said "make sure everybody gets to the gym." With that she passed out.
Levi carried her limp body to the gym. Students noted two things: it was Levi - the most unaffectionate person in the building - and he did not carry her as a fireman would, but bridal style in front of him.
Erwin met Levi in the gym as Levi handed Petra off to the medics. "Well, Sir, seeing as you are the only person here who knows her, why don't you come with us."
Levi glanced at Erwin and turned away, following Petra's stretcher to an ambulance. A medic gave him the hospital address, seeing that the ambulance would not be a suitable place for Levi. Levi also got a card to show to the ER people, stating that he had a purpose in accompanying Petra.
Levi drove to the hospital in record time. He reached the ER and was informed that Petra was stable, but at high risk. Her liver was shot yet still could recover, but if and only if it did not hemorrhage. Petra was unconscious and working through shock. The minimum recovery time was a month, but in a week she could be discharged.
If she did not hemorrhage. Levi called up Hange. "What's up shorty?"
Ignoring the annoyance, Levi asked "what are the odds of a liver hemorrhaging?"
"Hmmmmm… In Petra's case I'd give it a 50-50."
"What?!" He thought these were improbable.
"She did get shot directly through the liver, right?"
"How do you…"
"The way Armin described it, it sounded like it." Hange was a genius, as much as Levi hated her.
After a silence, Hange continued: "She'll be fine…"
"You just told me that she won't."
"She's a fighter, don't worry."
"Shut up." Levi hung up knowing to expect stupidity from Hange.
"School's off for the rest of the day. See you Monday. How's Petra?" Erwin texted.
"Ok. Might die." Levi did not have a way with texting.
"Don't worry."
"Not you too."
With that, Levi's phone left him alone. Unfortunately, his empty mind was a devil's workshop. The first thought was Isabel's words: "Try lasting a week without talking to her! You'll see!" A week? The universe now made lasting a lifetime without her possible.
Why did he need something so fickle as a person? Even through no fault of her own, Petra could disappear. In fact, it was her job. There would be twenty pairs of parents made happier by the survival of their child at the cost of a teacher. Beyond that, four grandparents, countless aunts and uncles, numerous cousins, a multitude of friends - all happy that Petra is in the hospital, not their child.
What of Petra's dad? Was all civilization such that some had to sacrifice for the many? Did Petra really have to put her life at risk because she taught and angry people could gain means of killing? Was that what humanity had worked for?
Why did he care? Levi had the fortune of being detached. He could view all in an unbiased seat, next to God, couldn't he? No. He was human. He was not the fair and impartial jury, in fact he should be the convict.
With this, Levi moved back in his timeline. What came before Petra? He liked math. He liked happy people. So, he had likings. Combining the two, Levi tried to make people happy with math. That was all addition.
Yet something had been missing. There were certainly sparks of momentary happiness. Yet, Levi had no motive. He became a teacher by the force of his logic. He did not fall in love, he decided.
Was that the key? That he did not decide? Levi looped through his acquaintances. All of them he decided on or disliked. With Petra, the liking came naturally. He did eventually analyse what he like. She looked good. She sounded pleasant. She was smart. She was passionate. She was strong. She knew when to shut up.
"Was." What will she be by the end of this?
Why was he so concerned? If Hange was shot he'd be bothered and sad, but musing so much and re-evaluating the world?
Isabel called. "Hey, why aren't you home?"
"Petra got shot."
"Wait." Isabel had read of a school shooting, but dismissed it. She re-read the school's name. "Holy crap!"
"I'll be back soon."
"Is she fine?"
"I don't know, I'll ask once more."
"Feel free to stay there, ok?"
"Fine." Levi did not intend to stay back - he thought Petra would be fine and he needed to straighten things out before a longer vigil.
Isabel had not hung up. Levi realized and asked: "What's up?"
"You alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"You love her, right…?"
"I…" Levi's train of thought had reached this station, but did not want to open doors and commit to it. Petra deserved better. "I… don't know."
There were noises on the other end of the line. Isabel's phone was going through the abuse of a lifetime. Isabel did not know whether to be happy Levi bothered to consider it or sad that Levi had to consider it.
As the noises died down, Levi commented: "And I had to realize when she dies."
"She's going to die?!"
"Maybe."
"Don't be so negative! She'll be fine!"
"Et tu Brute" was all Levi could think. "I'll check on her."
"You do that."
"See you."
"Bye."
Levi walked up to the reception. He stated his purpose and was directed to a room, followed by a doctor.
"She's fine. There's a small chance of her still bleeding, but other than that she is recovering well."
They reached the room. Petra was still unconscious, but breathing steadily. All the monitors were at a calm hum. Levi was struck by a feeling - a spark so sorts. His heart changed rhythm. His breath grew short. His eyes stilled. He was mesmerized by the sleeping body. He was in love. This was his falling.
"Well, as you can see, she's fine…" The doctor brought Levi out of his reverie.
"Thank you."
"If you do come back tomorrow, she'll probably be moved to a recovery ward. Here's the patient number so you can find her." The doctor handed Levi a sheet with numbers scribbled in the stereotypical handwriting.
"Thanks." With that Levi left.
After a sleepless night, Levi returned to the hospital. As the doctor predicted, Petra was in a recovery ward. As a nurse guided him to the room, Levi was informed that Petra had regained consciousness.
"Hey!" Petra lit up in a way Levi had never before noticed. It was as if everything about her was in a new light.
Before thinking twice, Levi leaned over Petra. He paused to see that everything was alright before kissing her.
It felt right. It felt perfect. It felt eternal. At some point, Levi pulled away. Petra smirked. "That broke the second rule."
"So you don't forgive me anymore?"
"Damn it. Of course I do… but..."
"Can we be in a relationship?"
"Sure." Petra was about to ask the same, but Levi beat her to it.
After standing around and looking at Petra, Levi asked: "So what does it entail?"
"What?"
"A relationship."
Petra giggled. "More or less everything we do and some more commitment and intimacy."
"That's it?"
"Yeah. What more can there be?"
"How are you?"
"Fine. It hurts and I can't move for the week, but that's about it."