"What? What do you mean?" Eren asked him. His mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts and nothing was making sense anymore. He looked at Levi, expecting some sort of response but the captain gave him nothing.

"ANSWER ME!" Eren yelled. If he wasn't going to give him an answer, then he'd just provoke him to give him one.

"Watch your tone when you're speaking to me, Jaeger," was all he said, sounding slightly annoyed at his disrespect. He turned to make his leave.

"Wait! Where are you going? You didn't answer my question!"

Levi turned his face to the side so that he could see Eren's face.

"I don't have to explain myself to you. What happened that night has nothing to do with you. So just keep quiet and do as I ask of you."

Eren stood there motionless for a while. He didn't know what to say to him anymore or rather he didn't want to say what his mind was telling him to.

"Nothing to do with me..." Eren repeated his words under his breath. "Nothing to do with me? It has EVERYTHING to do with me!"

"Oi Eren! Keep your voice down!"

"Captain Levi, Commander Erwin is ready for you now," Jean announced, standing by the door. Levi nodded and turned towards Eren, shooting him look as if to say keep your mouth shut!, and left.

Jean shifted between his feet awkwardly, not sure whether he should leave, or stay and talk to Eren. He chose the latter.

"What the hell was that all about?" Jean asked him. Eren glared at him before turning his attention towards Mikasa.

"Tch. Like I care," Jean said, noticing how irate Eren was, and left.

Mikasa was still unconscious, her red scarf placed beneath her fingers. She was still breathing, still living, but what for? When she awakes the world will be no different. Humanity will forever be kept like cattle unless he can change it.

Eren felt something surge through his body. Without thinking, he slammed his fist onto the cold, rough surface of the wall. The impact made small cracks appear where his hand was and he cursed, looking at his torn skin, the blood now started to flow out.

"Damn it!" he yelled in frustration, looking for something to stop the bleeding.

"You shouldn't do that, you never know what could trigger it." Armin walked in handing him a dry cloth.

"Armin... I"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Eren. I know it can't be easy, with everyone relying on you and all." Armin smiled at his childhood friend, who looked back at him with questioning eyes. Almost understanding his unspoken question, Armin continued.

"Your dad kept all the answers hidden beneath you this whole time, and now he's nowhere to be found. Mikasa is badly injured, but we still won't know the extent of it until she wakes up, and you're just in the middle of it all. I can't imagine myself ever being in that position…"

Armin trailed off knowing that what he had said was the truth but only just the half of it.

"I just want everything to go back to the way it was, you know? Mum…Mikasa…Dad...all of us. And now, I have nothing" Eren said, almost inaudibly. He turned his face away from Armin and looked out the window. It was getting late in the day and the sky was suffused in beautiful shades of red.

"You still have me…and Mikasa will be up in no time, you'll see."

Armin tried his best to sound optimistic but his own voice was deceiving him. How far had they come and what had they achieved? Yes, they retook Trost district, but how many people had to die, had to witness the horrors that they did to achieve that victory? More importantly, Armin couldn't help but ask, how long was this triumph going to last?

"Yeah…" Eren replied softly.

A single tear rolled down his cheek as the memories of everything that had happened to him rushed back. The good with the bad and it made him wonder, could he ever have that life again? A family, living happily together with nothing to fear. A whole world where they could go out and explore and discover new things. His mind kept flashing between his mother and Mikasa. That day when he had met her, had been the most painful and yet the most fortunate. Painful - for her - but for him, he saved a life and that life was now his best friend.

"Let's go for a walk." Armin broke the silence, snapping Eren back into the present. "You've been here since we got back, some fresh air will do you some good. Clear your head." He added, hoping that he would agree.

Eren looked towards Mikasa, hesitant to leave her. He wanted to be there when she woke up but he did need to get some air. He nodded at Armin and followed him down the long flight of stairs and out of the building.

"Hey! Hey guys!"

Eren and Armin looked towards their comrade, who was running frantically towards them.

"Hey Connie, what's up?" Eren asked him once he was in earshot.

"It's Mikasa! She's awake!" He huffed and doubled over, trying desperately to catch his breath. Before he could even stand upright, Eren had already left! He bolted towards the run down building, willing his body to move faster.

Mikasa, I'm coming.

Eren stopped outside her door, trying to steady his breathing, thinking up different things to say to her and what she would say back. It felt like he hadn't spoken to her in so long. He took a deep breath and slowly turned the handle…and he instantly regretted it.

Levi was sat by Mikasa's side, her small hand placed in his as he was talking to her about something. So deep in conversation, neither of them had noticed the dark haired boy standing by the door.

"Get off her you bastard!" Eren yelled, pulling their hands apart. Levi immediately stood up, taking a defensive stance.

"Don't touch her!" Eren spat, his voiced laced in venom. He stood in between the two Ackerman's, shielding Mikasa away from Levi as though he were a threat to her. Levi, however, appeared to be unfazed by the young soldier's actions and just stood there.

"Eren?" Mikasa's voice broke the deafening silence that fell upon the room. She tried her best to sit herself up, but her ribs were still bruised and the pain was evident on her face.

"Mikasa! Don't." Levi was quick to rush to her side and ease her back down. "You're still injured, we don't need you making it worse," he scolded her. Mikasa didn't put up a fuss and did as she was told.

"What's going on with you two? Did something happen?" she asked him, motioning towards the back of Eren's head, who hadn't moved since Mikasa spoke. Levi didn't say anything for a while and neither did Eren, who was awaiting his response.

"No, we just had a disagreement about an assignment and now he's acting up. Don't worry, get some rest."

"But-"

"That's an order, Ackerman."

Mikasa decided it was best not to argue and laid back down, wincing as she did so, though she tried her best not to show it.

Armin walked into the room. Sensing the tense atmosphere he looked around perplexed.

"Arlert! Keep Ackerman company and someone get her some damn food! I need her to get her energy back up. Jaeger and I are going to have a little talk." He gestured towards Eren who still hadn't moved.

"Y-yes sir!" the blonde saluted, and went to Mikasa's side. Levi lead Eren out of the small room and gently closed the door behind them and walked a little further down the hall. Eren felt bad about shouting at him, he honestly didn't know what came over him. What the hell was happening to him lately?

"What the hell was that, Jaeger!?" Levi snapped, pushing him back against the wall. His tone was colder, angry even. Eren had never heard him like that before, and right at that moment he felt threatened, like his life was in his hands. Killing him would be as easy as stepping on an insect for him. Eren looked away not able to look him in the eyes.

"She doesn't know, does she?" he asked him after a while, still not meeting his cold gaze.

"And what would that be?" Levi questioned him, his voice back to its usual monotone.

"Whatever the hell it is you're hiding from us!" Eren shot back, still annoyed at how he had avoided his question yesterday. Levi stepped back and Eren pushed himself off the wall, wandering what was going to happen next. Was he going to tell him everything? Or just give him a vague answer and walk off? Maybe he wasn't going to tell him anything at all. The two of them stood in the dark, cold hallway in silence.

"I got there too late…that time." Levi finally spoke after several minutes. "What happened to that family was my fault."

Several questions ran through Eren's mind in that moment but he tried his best not to interrupt, knowing that Levi was going to continue. A mix of emotions enveloped him at once thinking of all the possibilities that could link Levi to that day.

"I was working for a man known as Kenny the Ripper. He was a serial killer who pursued victims in the Capitol. He taught me everything I know from a young age. I left him to join the Survey Corps and…he decided to take it out on my family."

Levi turned his back towards Eren who was stood listening to him intently, his green eyes were piercing and urging him to go on every time he paused.

"I went there as soon as I could, but when I got there…my sister and her daughter were nowhere to be found and her husband was already killed."

"But when did-?"

"That's all I'm going to tell you, so you can save your breath," Levi told him, firmly.

"I don't understand…why don't you just tell her? It's not like you could have done anythin-"

"Her parents died because of me. She's like this because of me. Do you really think me reminding her of her dead parents will make her feel any better?" Levi cut him off, beginning to get irritated by the sound of his voice. He wanted this topic to end.

"R-right." Eren looked down at his feet, feeling stupid for thinking that he could have harmed Mikasa in any way.

"Captain Levi...I'm sorry for what I did earlier. I was out of line and it won't happen again. Honestly, I don't know what's wrong with me lately."

"I'm glad you agree." Levi turned around to once again face Eren, who looked back at him, puzzled. And as though he understood what Eren was trying to say, he continued. "You won't be seeing her again."

"I'm so glad you're alright, Mikasa."

Mikasa looked down at her food that was displayed across her lap on the tray that Armin had brought up for her. Armin kept rambling on about what had happened since she left, with Mikasa giving nothing more than a small nod to show that she was listening.

"Everyone was so worried, especially Eren."

Mikasa tuned back into what Armin was talking about at the sound of his name.

"Eren was worried about me?" she asked him with a tone of disbelief, his last words that he had said to her still ringing in her ears. Armin smiled at her, glad that she was now talking to him.

"Yeah, of course. We all were!" he told her. A slight frown found its way to his lips, and Mikasa was surprised at his sudden change in emotion.

"Armin, what's wrong?" she asked him, softly. Armin kept his head down, staring at the scarf that was still folded the way Eren left it by Mikasa's lap.

"It's just…I want this all to end so much but…I also want everything to go back to the way it was, you know? The three of us, together again, but with a whole world left for us to explore. When I was talking with Eren earlier, he sounded like…"

Armin trailed off, not wanting to finish off what he had started. He was beginning to sound so negative, he didn't want Mikasa to feel down as well. All he could think about was how distant Eren was being whilst Mikasa was unconscious, and how the fire he had became seemingly burned out. The way he talked to him, it was like he had given up and had accepted his fate.

Armin felt his eyes water, and was brought out of his thoughts immediately, sensing a weight on his hand. He looked over slightly to see Mikasa's hand placed on top of his. He looked up at her, surprised by the simple gesture.

"Armin, I know our future may seem bleak, but I promise you this. We will defeat the titans, and we will go to see the outside world. The three of us, no, all of us, will be a part of that vision. Everything will change, you'll see." Mikasa's dark eyes met with Armin's blue ones as she spoke in a gentle manner, almost motherly. Armin fell silent, looking at her, feeling overwhelmed he felt his eyes begin to water.

"Mikasa…"

Without thinking he hugged her, and instantly regretted it, feeling her wince. He immediately drew back.

"I'm sorry!"

Mikasa shook her head to say it was alright, and although it was only for just a split second, a small smile replaced her pained look.

Eren felt as though Levi had stabbed him with his own sword. Those words, they echoed around in his mind trying to search for a meaning.

"What do you mean?" he asked him, his voice weaker than it was a few seconds ago.

"I mean...you and Mikasa will be separated from now on. She's not safe around you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Eren spat. All this time he had been taking care of her, watching over her and waiting for her to wake up so that he could speak to her again. Hear her voice, and tell her how sorry he was for what he had said to her.

"Did your brain stop functioning when you turned into a titan, boy? You're too hot-headed and unpredictable and I can't lose another soldier," he told him, like it was the most obvious explanation in the world.

Why is he treating me like I'm a threat? Like I'm one of them? Me hurt Mikasa? That's impossible, I would never do anything to hurt her! In fact, I was the one who saved her and Captain Levi that time, so what the hell does he even mean?

Eren felt as though he was going to explode at any moment and lash out. This whole conversation was just sounding ridiculous.

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't think you-"

"Don't tell me what to do. I've had numerous reports back about what happened between you and Jean outside Castle Utgard. And they all say the same thing."

Eren's mind raced back to that night, he was on top of Jean, strangling him with all the strength he had, looking into Jean's eyes that were begging him to stop and listening to Armin's desperate pleading.

"And do I even have to mention the time you tried to kill Mikasa in your titan form back at Trost?"

"No… You don-"

"Not to mention how you lashed out at her just the other day. It's only a matter of time Eren, and I won't let you hurt her," Levi cut him off again.

"JUST LET ME FINISH DAMN IT!" Eren snapped, not wanting to hear him say anything else. Levi paused and looked at Eren, with the same stoic expression that always embroidered his face. It was only after a few seconds that Eren had realised that he was waiting for him to finish.

"I...I would never hurt anyone…I didn't mean to-"

Eren's voice was wavering and he was struggling to get his words out. Everything had just hit him all at once, he didn't know how to cope. He knew he would never intentionally hurt his friends, or take away a life, but the fact that that is what the captain was implying hurt him and it hurt him even more that he assumed his target was Mikasa.

"This conversation ends here. Go wait for me at the entrance, Hanji and Commander Erwin should be waiting for you," Levi instructed him, knowing that this conversation wasn't going anywhere.

"Where are we going?" Eren asked, noticing how dark the space around them was getting. It could only be late at night, and Hanji would always wait till daylight for experimenting, although he wouldn't put it past her to think up some crazy idea that involved working in the dead of night.

"We're leaving in a few days or possibly tomorrow morning when the time is right. Either way, we need you to be clear on the plan to avoid anything going wrong," he told him.

"Plan? What plan?"

"We're heading over to Zhiganshina. It's what me and Commander Erwin were discussing earlier, he's mapped out our route and this has to go right the first time."

Eren was at a loss for words. They had already planned everything and it was almost time. It almost felt unreal. He had been wanting this for so long, that for it to be in his reach so soon seemed like a fairy tale. But it wasn't until Levi said his next words that it had hit Eren.

"Everything is going to change, Eren."