Bertolt didn't return home.

I sat on my bed, staring at his cot, wondering where he could've gone.

I would dare to say that he finally tamed what was Annie Leonhardt, but I knew now that she was only being polite and covering her vulnerability.

And I was hounding her about going on a date with him not so long ago…

I rubbed my face, standing up.

Ymir said she would tell me the truth.

Why was I willing to believe her? Maybe, I thought, because nothing made sense anymore, and I was willing to believe in anything.

There was a brief knock on the door as I stood up, straightening my work suit out.

Annie slipped inside and stared at me.

"So you're going?" She asked, frowning.

Who was Annie Leonhardt?

She could've been working for Connie and thus Ymir, or she could be as blind—no.

Hah.

She was more perceptive than me.

"How long did you know?" I asked, fidgeting with my cufflinks.

Again, her eyes stared long and hard at me.

"Does it matter what I knew?" She questioned and it only made my chest feel heavier as if someone kept putting weights on it.

"I take it either you found Bertolt's revelation or Ymir spoke to you." She murmured, glancing at the research table.

"You played us both." I didn't even have the spirit to snarl or fight back.

Just say.

Like a machine giving the results people expect.

"My line of work requires secrecy," she responded and she gave a sympathetic look.

"It is not personal."

"It never is," I responded, smiling a little.

"So…you and Ymir are a thing then…"

Annie's face turned red and she sighed.

"It's something but to call it a thing would be a leap." She crossed her arms, staring out the door.

"And you feel no guilt towards Miss Historia?" I asked with a sidelong glance.

Annie frowned, eyes narrowing a bit.

Her fingers tapped her arm.

"Guilt isn't something I associate with her. No."

I shook my head.

"Whose side are you on? You're just sort of there…and it just pisses me off." I nodded to the door and we went down the stairwell and out into the evening streets as the lamps flickered on.

"I'm on the side that makes most sense—the one I feel protects more people." She kept her eyes ahead of her as her boots clacked against the ground.

"Vague as usual."

"Again, secrecy," she muttered, bored of the conversation and lazy, open probing questions I gave.

I couldn't even bother to cover myself anymore.

The new insight ripped me open and spilled all my determination and what I thought was right.

"Where's Bert?" I asked because I was hoping she'd throw me a bone and tell me.

"You don't know where he is?" She finally looked at me.

And I realized what a terrible liar she was. She only stared and analyzed people to scare them from doing the same to her.

"No. But I do know you know where he is," I felt something crawl up my throat, lodging itself there.

Annie scoffed, laughing almost.

"I do. I will give you that," so she did feel bad for me, "he will be anniversary party. Ymir had to speak with him after his shift and he needed time to process it all."

"Are you lying to me?" I asked outright.

It was stupid to ask because it didn't matter.

I was in no position to fight against dishonesty. I was the weakest link in this game.

"Not at all." Annie even put her hand onto my arm.

She was sincere despite what her cold exterior showed.

"Don't worry, farmboy," she tried to tease. She was so terrible at this that I knew it was honest.

"He will be there… and Ymir will be happy to know you changed your mind and understand."

"And…what about Historia Reiss? We just leave her to suffer?" Thinking of her still caught in everything…it made me feel something deep that promised to spark my will to fight again.

She was innocent, caught up between both forces of greed and violence… the true innocent of it all.

"You must forget about it. They fight here and there but Ymir always comes back." She promised.

It didn't sit well with me but the rest of the walk made it easier to pretend.

We were a block away but already there were lines of cars to the block party. Even children were racing by to visit the vendors, excited with sticky fingers and missing teeth. People of all different classes came to enjoy the festivities.

I smiled.

Ymir was right in a way.

They might be going against the law but there was good in it…

Annie flashed her emblem at stationed guards and they gave a nod.

"Don't need that around here, Sweetheart," one laughed and I recognized them as the men before.

She glared at them and they giggled like schoolgirls as we passed, going straight to the building.

There were bands playing all over—one in the parking lot, the main plaza, smaller artists scattered about, and then the main band that I could hear jazzing it up inside.

It was like a holiday.

And for what… A tarnished, fake marriage…?

One that goes against God…

But was it really that bad if it had problems?

"There they are," we only took one step in and already Ymir was going through the parting crowd, grinning like she won the lottery.

She took my hand into hers and shook it furiously.

"I am so glad you made it!" She seemed relieved.

And happy.

Because of what—that I was a changed man?

It felt surreal…and stupid.

"Yeah," I worked up a grin and she didn't question it as Historia followed behind her.

My heart picked up and I felt that squeeze of life again.

She was in a beautiful white dress with long gloves on. She was the star of the show—the apple of my eye.

She took my hand from Ymir's, holding it so tenderly in her own.

"It's good to see you here, Braun." She smiled.

I want to run away! Help me escape!

"I'm glad to see you both." I glanced around.

I was promised Bertolt would be here.

Was he hiding in shame?

I could see him moping at some speakeasy already. That Bert better not be getting into the drugs again…

No.

He wouldn't.

I smiled more genuinely.

He was a good guy. My best friend. He knew better now.

"Come, have a drink!" Ymir toasted with hers and everyone in the party cheered.

Oh, she was drunk.

She grasped Annie's shoulder, pulling her close and holding her by the waist.

"You, too! Drink, drink, drink!" She laughed and Annie was fifty shades of red as she sighed, following along.

I glimpsed at Historia to find a strange look on her face—critical, narrow eyes and a lone eyebrow raised and—

"So, Reiner, would you like to get a few drinks with me as well?" She smiled.

I shook my head.

My mind was playing tricks on me.

"Sure thing."

I glanced at the clock.

It'd be awhile till six.

.

.

"Woo!" I hollered, laughing like a maniac as Historia hung around me, smiling and patting my shoulder.

I didn't even care where Ymir or Annie or Bert were!

I didn't feel a thing—fuck yeah. Fucking finally I get some slack!

Everything was great as fucking hell as I grabbed Historia close, laughing even more as she pulled me to the corner of the room.

"Reiner…get ahold of yourself," she patted me down from the suds on the side of my face.

And she lingered.

Her hand held my jaw and I stopped giggling and stared into her eyes.

They were so soft.

"When are we leaving?" She asked and dropped her hand to my chin—a lone finger stray to glide under my lip and then leaving altogether.

"Is it six?"

"It is." She peered up at the clock and I shrunk.

"Shit." I grabbed her hand, racing her out.

"Wh—Reiner?!" She gaped and then there were sirens everywhere.

"EVACUATE THE AREA!" I heard Mr. Springer's voice bellow.

Oh.

I had never felt happier as I saw the NYPD race forward with guns at ready, surging forward and police cars blocking in everything.

I—I never thought there was goodness in the world until he came and Historia gasped, surprised to see Connie standing on his car.

We rushed through the people until we got to an alley where I parked my own cruiser.

"Reiner!?"

"We're making our escape!" I barked and the whole world felt a bit woozy but I knew better. I only pretended to be beaten down.

I only fucking faked being weak and giving in and drunk.

And they took the damn bait.

"We're getting out of here—you and me, Historia!" I told her, stopping short and cupping her face.

"You don't have to stay with Ymir! You don't have to be with your dad! We can run away and find a place that's true—people who're honest! No more running, no more hiding, no more being lied to!"

Historia just stared at me—shocked.

"B-B-But Bertolt?!" She breathed, holding my hands that were on her face.

"He can take care of himself!" I shook her and she snapped out of her scared trance, nodding.

"Let's run away! Together!" She agreed, smiling with tears glistening in her eyes.

"THIS IS THE NYPD," Connie roared and the crowd was gasping.

And then Connie laughed, stopping me in my tracks as Historia crawled into the car.

"AND WE ARE READY TO PARTY!" Connie sang and the crowd laughed and clapped as the bands struck up again.

What?

No.

He said—

Fuck him.

Fuck this whole fucking town.

Fuck everything!

I had what I wanted and we'll find a new place.

I jumped in my car and we drove—we went past the skyscrapers, the apartments, and then into the suburbs, and then the country.

It got dark and we kept driving until I saw Historia nodding off over and over.

"Can we pull over…and stay somewhere nice?" Historia asked.

How many times did people ever listen to her?

"Yes, of course," I promised and brought my hand over to her leg.

She took hold of it and squeezed it—a promise to our new beginning.

Everything felt like a blur…but I'd rather feel that than nothing.

We pulled up into the rundown motel. She waited in the car as I rented a room.

One bed.

"One bed?" She asked when I opened the room.

"Is…Is that a problem? We can rent one," was I being too hasty?

All I wanted to do was hold her.

If there was more to come then I'd take it…but otherwise it was okay to sleep apart if not.

"No…no…" she smiled, hopeful, clinging to my arm.

"It's just… I never been…close with a man before…" She murmured, shy.

Oh.

It made my heart burn in happiness.

"How about…we get a few drinks and talk before bed?" She asked, departing from my arm and I nodded.

"Anything… we can do anything you want…"

She disappeared to grab some cheap wine and she came back with two glasses, smiling.

"Here," she gave me mine, sitting near me and holding it to my lips.

"Oh," I raised my eyebrows and drank from the cup she held.

It was fucking nasty—cheap ass wine—but I drank it all, laughing when she giggled.

"It's just us now…so relax…" She murmured, stroking my hair back and sipping her wine, grimacing.

"When we have our own place…I will buy you better wine…and we can have nice things every day." I promised.

She leaned into my chest, smiling.

"That'd be amazing."

We drank and drank until the world melted.

She was so warm and hot and I couldn't help but try to kiss her as the world churned and smeared like paint.

"Wait," she stopped me, "let me freshen up."

And she left to the bathroom.

She came back and floated like an angel into the fortress of my arms.

And that's how the night ended and our love began.

She was so gentle with me.

So loving.

The rest became a blur of pleasure and smiles.

Bliss.

.

.

.

My head hurt.

It felt like a train had rammed into it hundreds of times as I groaned, trying to hide my face from the light, but I was bound.

"Wh—what?" I choked, mouth dry and lips chapped.

I swayed and tried to look around but it was blinding.

I couldn't fucking see anything but white and stars.

My ears were ringing and I felt my stomach roll, threatening to heave.

"Ugh."

"Dim that fucking light," I heard a voice snap.

It was oddly familiar.

"Fucking hurry! Jesus Christ!"

It made my head hurt—it made me…sick to my stomach.

As the person demanded, the light dimmed until I could make out shadows beyond the overhead light.

I saw I was in a chair.

I was completely naked.

I felt my face turn red as I shot my head around—dear God, fucking hell my stomach and head. Why?

I couldn't move.

What…

"Whatss…whatsss going on?" I tried to ask and finally my eyes were seeing in the dark.

"I tried to tell you," Ymir spoke and I saw her face finally.

She looked guilty…upset…and hurt.

"I told you…to change your mind…why didn't you listen?" She was about to walk to me but somebody stopped her.

They pulled her onto the chair's armrest.

Huh?

Annie was on the other side, staring down at me with a frown.

They were both being held by their waists…

"Don't worry about him, dear heart," the person spoke, "no need to be guilty over a fool."

"Wh…Whats…Historia?" I squinted and she grinned—no, she was smirking like a wolf.

"Hello, farmboy." She winked, sneering, and tightened her grip on Annie and Ymir.

"It's about time you came to."