Author's Note: Okay, last chapter of the Junior High Arc! I'll be uploading chapter 5 to the High School arc VERY soon! Please review, thanks!

It was a cold winter afternoon. There was snow on the streets, and the trees were dormant. People shoveled their driveways, while children built snowmen.

Eren, Mikasa and Armin were walking home from school. Mikasa had her scarf on, and they all had their winter clothes on.

They were 14 years old. High school would be starting for them next year. It was hard to believe so long had passed already.

"It's freezing!", Armin shivered, hating the cold. "Mom is making us hot chocolate, you want to stop by and have some?", Eren offered.

They all her cell phones now, so Eren's mom had called him ahead letting him know of this. Mikasa's wallpaper on her phone was of herself and Eren.

Armin's was of the famous cat Lil Bub, and Eren's wallpaper was from the Assassin's Creed video game.

"No thanks, I need to get home and under my futon!", Armin shivered. Mikasa had been quiet the entire walk home.

Eren noticed it too. "Mikasa? You okay?", he asked. Mikasa didn't hear him at first, looking down.

"Mikasa!", Eren raised his voice. Armin blinked, looking worried. Mikasa looked up then.

"Sorry Eren...I spaced out", she simply said, her voice quiet. "Again...Mika, what's wrong? Something's obviously on your mind", Eren asked.

"It's nothing, Eren", Mikasa answered, pulling her scarf over her mouth. Eren frowned, worried.

This wasn't like Mikasa at all. Anytime she was upset, she always wanted to talk to Eren about it. "Maybe it's...girl problems", Armin whispered to Eren.

"Girl problems?", Eren blinked. "Well..Mikasa doesn't have any girlfriends to talk too. Maybe this is something she needs to discuss with your mom", Armin explained quietly.

Mikasa didn't hear the boys talking. She remained deep in thought, a worried look in her eyes.

After parting ways with Armin, Eren and Mikasa arrived home. "We're home", Eren said.

"Welcome home you two, there's hot chocolate in the kitchen", Carla greeted them. Eren and Mikasa removed their coats, and went into the kitchen.

By evening, before dinner Eren was doing his homework. Mikasa had finished hers already, so she was helping Carla with the laundry.

"It's going to be frigid tonight, be sure you and Eren dress warm for bed", Carla said, as she folded the laundry.

Mikasa looked down, very quiet. Carla caught this, her eyes worried. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? You've been very quiet lately", she asked.

Mikasa glanced up a bit. She then exhaled. "I haven't...gotten my first period yet", she then said. Carla blinked.

She remembered Eren and Mikasa's class recently went into health study, plus Akane had already explained the basic idea of periods and pregnancy to Mikasa before she died.

So it made sense Mikasa knew what a period was...but it was her worry that concerned Carla.

"Some girls get it late, sweetie. You don't have to worry", Carla gave a comforting smile, as she knelt down at Mikasa's eye level. Mikasa was sitting on the laundry basket.

"But...I'm 14, Carla...is there something wrong with me?", Mikasa asked, worriedly. Carla's eyes softened.

"You've been through severe trauma early in your life, honey. So it makes perfect sense you won't get your period at the average age. But you're not too late on it. Some girls don't get it until your age", Carla told her softly.

Mikasa didn't answer, a worried look in her eyes. "Carla...is it true? When a girl gets her period, it means she can...have children one day?", she asked.

Carla blinked, a bit surprised by the question. "Yes...that's true, sweetie. Why do you ask?", Carla asked.

Mikasa's dark eyes seemed to wander somewhere else for a moment.

She then placed her hand over her stomach. "It's just...after losing my parents I...", Mikasa suddenly trembled.

Carla gently sat by her, rubbing her back. "Breathe, Mikasa. It's okay...", she soothed, knowing it was still difficult for Mikasa to speak about her parents.

Mikasa took a few deep breaths, placing her hand over her rapidly beating heart.

"I just...when I'm an adult, like you...I want to be a mom. I...want to be like you, and...my mom when I grow up. I don't want...any children I have to go through...what I did...", Mikasa explained shakily.

Carla smiled softly. "It's a bit early to be thinking about children, sweetie. But I understand. Tell you what...if you don't get it soon, we could talk to Grisha and see why it's late", Carla assured her.

Mikasa gave a small nod. "Thank you, Carla", she said. That evening, Mikasa was helping Carla prepare dinner.

She was spending a lot more time with Carla, the two even bonding closer in a mother daughter relationship.

Eren came downstairs, groaning. "Eren, did you get your homework done?", asked Mikasa, as she set the table.

"My brain hurts too much, I'll finish it tomorrow", Eren grumbled, sinking into the chair.

Not long after dinner (chicken with mashed potatoes and some vegetables) was ready, Grisha returned home from work.

"I'm home", he said, brushing snow off his coat. "Welcome home dear", Carla smiled. Grisha took off his coat, and came into the kitchen filling his plate.

"Long day?", asked Carla, while Eren stuffed his face, ignoring his vegetables.

"No longer than any other day", Grisha assured his wife, as he pecked her cheek, and sat at the table.

"Eren, eat your vegetables", Mikasa scolded him, Eren groaned, annoyed.

"Kids, how was school?", Grisha asked. "Oh, it was fi-", Eren was cut off, as Mikasa suddenly shoved broccoli into his mouth.

Eren whined miserably, and quickly took a huge drink of milk to wash down the taste. "Mikasa, whhhyyyy?!", he whined.

Grisha chuckled a bit at the two. "Dear listen...I was thinking, if you could give Mikasa a check up tomorrow?", Carla asked then.

Grisha blinked. "Mikasa, do you feel ill?", he asked worriedly. Mikasa paused, she shook her head, while Eren looked confused.

Carla knew how busy her husband's work was, being the head doctor of the hospital. So dinner was the only time she could bring it up.

"It's not that she's sick, Grisha. It's just she's worried about her...", Carla gave her husband a look, hoping he'd catch on.

Grisha took a moment to understand, but then he remembered Mikasa's age. "Oh...OH! You mean she hasn't...yet?", he asked.

Carla shook her head worriedly.

"I'm worried...if I'll ever get it", Mikasa admitted then, her voice quiet.

"Get what?", asked Eren, eating. He looked completely lost, like his family were suddenly speaking a different language.

"Well you were through a lot in your life already, Mikasa. So it makes sense you'd get it too early or too late", Grisha admitted.

"Get what?!", Eren growled, getting irritated with this. He was also worried, was Mikasa sick?

"Eren, you paid attention in your recent health class, right...?", Carla asked. "He fell asleep", Mikasa said simply.

Carla and Grisha exchanged nervous looks. "What's with this weird talk? Mika, are you sick?", asked Eren worriedly.

Mikasa looked away. "No, I'm not...", she said. "Then why do you have to see my dad tomorrow?", Eren pressed worriedly.

"It's nothing to worry about, Eren", Mikasa said, her tone firmer. "Like, hell it's not! Mikasa, come on! Talk to me!", Eren continued.

Mikasa's fist clenched. She suddenly stood up. "May I be excused?", she asked, sharply. "Yes sweetie", Carla said, understand.

"Hey, Mikasa! What the hell did I say?!", he asked, as Mikasa hurried upstairs. Now that they were 14, Mikasa was able to be in a different room from Eren.

Now it was more a matter of she couldn't be away from him more than a few hours. But that showed how far her recover has come.

"Eren, leave her be", Grisha said firmly.

Eren glared. "She can't still be mad about two years ago...", he said, suddenly looking worried. "No, son. Listen we'll explain it to you tomorrow", Grisha promised.

By the following day, Eren and Mikasa still had to go to school. Mikasa's appointment wasn't until late afternoon, it was the only spot Grisha could fit in.

It was lunch time. Mikasa was very quiet most of the day. She barely touched her food even. Eren and Armin watched her, sitting a few feet away. They were in the courtyard.

Although they had to sit on benches since the ground was frozen and covered in snow.

"I don't get it, Armin! Now my whole family's acting weird!", Eren sighed. Armin blinked. "Eren, you fell asleep in health class, didn't you?", he remembered.

"Yeah, so?", asked Eren. "Oh boy...that explains it. Eren, Mikasa is 14", Armin stated. "No shit, Armin", Eren frowned.

He often swore when his parents weren't around. Mikasa blamed it on all the mature video games he played.

"My point is, Mikasa's maturing. She's...becoming a woman", Armin continued. "We're all growing up, why is it different for Mikasa?", Eren asked, still not getting it.

Armin sighed. "Let me think how to explain this...Eren, do you know where babies come from?", Armin asked then.

Eren starred at his friend, and turned white. "What the hell kind of question is that, Armin?!", Eren yelled, turning red.

"Look, do you want to know what's wrong with Mikasa or not?!", Armin shot back, also looking embarrassed.

Eren looked down. "Yes..okay, fine...continue", he said. Mikasa was sitting several feet away, and was deep in thought so she didn't hear them talking.

"Well...the thing is when most girls reach 11 to 13 years of age, they get something called a period...it occurs every month", Armin began.

Eren starred blankly. "Like class period?", he asked. Armin facepalmed...his friend was so dense.

"No...nothing like that. Basically when a girl gets this, it means she can have children one day. And well...Mikasa's already 14 and she hasn't gotten it yet", Armin explained.

Eren blinked, slowly getting it. "You mean...she's upset because she thinks she can't have children someday?", Eren asked, looking over at her, worried.

"Yeah...", Armin sighed in relief that Eren didn't ask anymore questions about it. While it was true Armin was mature for his age, he really didn't want to go into the graphic details of a woman's period. Especially with Eren.

He'd let his parents scar him for life with that lesson.

"Then...why is she avoiding me, Armin? Wouldn't something like this make Mikasa want to talk?", Eren asked then.

"Well...you see...um...", Armin started nervously, when suddenly he felt his futon lift off of him. Even though they were older, Armin still wore his futon during winter.

"Hey!", Armin yelled, shivering, and they saw it was the group of bullies. "I don't believe it! Arlet still brings his blanky to school!", one sneered, amused.

"Come on, just give it back", Armin said, trying to reason with them. But Eren glared.

"Don't you jerks have a hobby?!", he yelled, clenching his fists. Mikasa blinked, looking over, hearing Eren's yelling.

She stood up, to see the scene. "Yeah, and its a pretty fun one", one of the bullies chuckled, as they tossed Armin's futon around.

"Give it back!", Armin cried, reaching for it. But the bully suddenly pushed Armin to the ground. Eren glared, about to attack, when suddenly Mikasa sprinted over.

She glared, and her fist slammed into the bully's face. He dropped the futon, blood coming out of his mouth, as he hit the snowy ground.

"How many times do we have to go through this?", she growled. The other three bullies glared, and attacked. Eren and Mikasa began to fight them off.

Eren punched one, although right after the bully threw Eren, while Mikasa kicked the other.

The last bully sprinted at Mikasa. Mikasa glared, ready to take him, when suddenly she got a sharp pain in her abdomen.

Mikasa froze, her whole body tensed as she suddenly gritted her teeth painfully, clutching her belly. The bully was inches away now, his fist raised.

"MIKASA!", Eren saw this, he sprinted over and got in between them. Mikasa, who had fallen on her knees at this point from the sharp pain, looked to see what happened.

Her eyes grew wide in horror then, seeing the bully had hit Eren's arm. There was a loud snapping sound...like a bone breaking.

"EREN!", Mikasa screamed, her heart sinking.

Eren gritted his teeth painfully. He even yelled out in pain, as he hit the snowy ground beside Mikasa.

"Not so tough now!", the bully grinned, when he suddenly felt a stone hit the back of his head. "Ow! What the...?!", he looked to see Armin had thrown it.

"You wanted me in the first place, right?! Well come get me!", Armin growled. "You little brat...", the bullies chased Armin.

"A-Armin..!", Eren yelled worriedly. "It's okay! I'll keep them busy!", Armin yelled back, running.

After the bullies and Armin vanished, Eren was still gritting his teeth painfully, clutching his arm, leaning against the tree.

"Eren!", cried Mikasa fearfully. "D-Don't worry..I'm fine...Mikasa, what happened? Y-You looked like you were in pain...did they hurt you?", Eren asked her.

Mikasa looked down, she shook her head. "I'm calling your mom", she said, getting her phone out.

"It's not a big deal...", Eren said stubbornly, although he winced, and even yelled out in pain when he tried to get up.

"It IS a big deal! Eren, I think it's broken!", Mikasa cried urgently, as she began to dial Carla's number.

When Carla picked them up, they hurried to the hospital. Mikasa was holding Eren's hand through the X Rays.

"Luckily it's not a severe fracture, he won't need surgery", Grisha sighed in relief. Mikasa also exhaled. "Thank goodness..", Carla cried.

"How long until it heals, dad?", asked Eren. "Keep it in a cast, and stay on pain medications, and it should only take a few weeks", Grisha replied.

"Sorry Mika...you can't have your appointment today because of me", Eren looked down softly. Mikasa's eyes softened.

"Eren, don't apologize!", she cried worriedly. "I sorta of get what's going on. Kind of...Armin said you were worried you might not be able to have kids someday", Eren said.

Mikasa paled a bit, but she nodded. "Something like that", she said. Carla and Grisha watched the two. They decided they'd explain it properly to Eren once they got home.

Once at home, Eren was stuck in bed, his arm in a cast. His parents had just got done explaining it all to him.

While he was scarred for life, at the same time he felt worried for Mikasa.

"So your parents finally explained it?", Armin asked that night. Eren and him were on the phone. Mikasa had gone to bed early.

She felt exhausted by the time they got home, like she couldn't even keep her eyes opened.

"Yeah...pretty much. I need to talk to Mikasa tomorrow when she wakes up...", Eren replied worriedly.

"Hey...are you okay, Armin?", Eren added then. "Yeah, I gave them the slip", Armin assured his friend.

Mikasa slept in her bedroom. Now that she was older, she sometimes slept in her own room instead of with Eren.

Tonight it was because she wanted Eren to rest, since he was injured. And she knew he wouldn't with her there. He'd just worry about her.

Mikasa was in a sound sleep, for once not plagued with vivid nightmares. But her deep sleep was interrupted.

She groaned, getting that same sharp pain again in her abdomen. Her eyes opened, as she actually sweated a bit from the pain.

She sat up, gritting her teeth as she clutched her stomach. It felt like tight barbed wire knots were tied inside her stomach.

She clutched a handful of bedsheets from the pain, breathing heavily. She then blinked, feeling wetness between her legs.

Mikasa froze then, turning her lamp on, to see her white sheets were stained with blood.

At first, she felt frightened, trying to control her breathing. But then she realized it. Mikasa got out of bed, and hurried down the hall to Eren's parents room.

Grisha and Carla were still awake in bed. Mikasa knocked softly. "Come in", Carla said, reading a book. Grisha was falling asleep.

"Carla...", Mikasa opened the door, trembling just a little. Carla's eyes turned to worry. Mikasa was pale, and she looked a bit shaky.

"Sweetie? What is it?", Carla got out of bed, hurrying over.

"I...I think I got my period...", Mikasa answered simply, looking a mix of scared, but also relieved.

"Oh! Really, sweetie? Okay, come on...", Carla walked Mikasa into the bathroom.

"Oh, yes! You got it all right, honey", Carla confirmed, seeing all the blood. "Is it normal for the bleeding to be this heavy...?", asked Mikasa a bit worriedly.

"Yes...especially since you got it late", Carla assured her.

After helping her clean up the blood, and after Mikasa got a shower and a pad on, Carla changed her sheets, helping her back into bed.

"So...this means I can have children one day?", Mikasa asked. Carla smiled warmly.

"Yes it certainly does, sweetheart. You don't need to worry about that anymore", Carla assured her. Mikasa gave a relieved smile, nodding.

Carla gently stroked Mikasa's short black hair, and kissed her forehead.

By the next morning, Eren woke to the blinding sunlight through his window. He groaned, his arm still very sore as he sat up.

His bedroom door opened then. Mikasa entered, carrying a tray in with breakfast on it. Eren blinked.

"Mikasa? Shouldn't you be in school?", he asked. "You're hurt, Eren. I want to take care of you", Mikasa said, in a matter of fact tone.

She set the tray on his nightstand. She looked down. "It's my fault that you got hurt after all..", she said sadly.

"Hey...hey, don't...it's not your fault Mikasa", Eren reached out, and gently took her hand.

"I'd rather it happened to me than you", he added, seriously. Mikasa gently squeezed his hand back. "How's your arm?", she asked.

"It's sore, but it'll heal", Eren assured her. Mikasa sat beside him, and very gently touched his cast.

She had a worried look in her eyes. "Listen, I'll be fine, Mika. You shouldn't be skipping school for me", Eren assured her.

"I can't go to school, Eren...", Mikasa started. Eren blinked, noticing her change of tone.

"I...well..I started...", Mikasa stated. Eren blinked blankly, not getting it. "My period, Eren", Mikasa said.

Eren suddenly turned white as a ghost. "Oh...OH! That...really? Already? I mean...uh...yea...", he scratched his head awkwardly.

He glanced at her. 'How the hell can she have such a straight face?!', he wondered. The talk his parents gave him was still fresh in his mind.

"Eren...this means...one day I can have children", Mikasa pointed out. Eren sweat dropped...he had to say something. The fact Mikasa was comfortable enough to talk about this with him was amazing.

"Um...I..I'm happy for you Mikasa...that sounded right...right?", he asked nervously. Mikasa smiled. "Thank you Eren", she said looking down.

Eren sighed in relief, as he started to eat breakfast.

Author's Note: That wraps it up for the Junior High Arc! Everyone hurry over to the High School arc, which will be longer than this arc. I'll be updating it shortly!