Part 12 - ...

My lip throbbed rhythmically - I could feel that it was swollen when I probed at it gingerly with my tongue. I looked around me, my eyes straining at the darkness until I gave up with a sigh.

Blood trickled down my side from a deep gash, the heat radiating from it making me sweat as the wound slowly knit itself back together. Perspiration covered me as my body gradually healed, plastering my hair to my forehead.

I itched to push it out of my eyes but the chains circling my wrists in a chafing hold stopped me from moving my arms. Echoed voices sounded outside the door of what I guessed was my 'cell', but was more like a hole in the ground.

If the ground was made of solid stone and probably reinforced with steel, I thought to myself. I made an attempt to stand up and hide my injuries, my frustration rising as my legs shook with the effort.

Light burned at my eyes as the door swung open. The best I could do was squint in the general direction of the men who walked in. Their gruff voices made my pulse raise and I tensed up.

A booted foot swept my legs from beneath me and I crashed to the floor. My knees flared with pain as they tore on the stone floor. A sweaty hand grabbed my chin roughly. "Get off me you bastard." I snarled from between gritted teeth.

He struck me in the open wound in my side and I groaned at the sudden wave of pain. "You'll learn to show respect to your superiors, Survey Corps scum." I kicked out at him and smiled as my foot connected with his solar plexus.

The other figures moved in and I bit my lip to keep from crying out as they kicked me. I curled up, trying to protect my head from the rain of blows.

The attack began to slow, leaving me bleeding heavily on the floor. I spat at their feet and felt my nose shatter as one of them threw a jab at my face. "Leave him." The man I'd kicked commanded. He gave a raspy laugh. "At least he's got fighting spirit. You're gonna need that son."

"Don't call me son!" I snapped. His face was covered by the shadows but I could swear that I knew him. Where do I know you from?

"I'll call you whatever I want you insolent cur. You better get used to it in here, 'cus you aren't getting out any time soon". He headed for the door of the cell, the light flickering across him. "Enjoy your stay... Jaeger."

The door slammed shut behind them as the rest of the men filed out. I sank back against the wall. This makes no sense. Why would they do this?

Blood from my nose filled my mouth with the tang of copper but I ignored it. Because when that man had walked out, I had seen his jacket. And that jacket bore the green symbol of the Military Police - the supposed allies of the Survey Corps.

What's going on? Why would they betray us like this? Fear clenched at my heart. What if they hurt Mikasa?

Part 13 - Broken place

Mikasa's P.O.V:

I opened my eyes and looked around me at the lush green of the trees. Not this. Not again. The dappled light of the sun chilled me - because this time I knew it was a dream, and that he was going to be here and yet be so far away at the same time.

My nails bit into my palms as I paced, muttering to myself in an attempt to wake up. "Why are you doing this to yourself?" I hissed. "Get it into your thick skull that he's dead and that whatever this is will only make things worse!"

"Is that a private conversation or can anyone join in?" I froze as his voice washed over me before shaking my head and continuing my feverish pacing. Not real. Not real.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. I imagined the awkward look on his face, the slight red tinge of his ears as he thought of something to say - the way he flexed his hands into fists when he got frustrated.

The way he had looked before he kissed me. That wasn't real! I reminded myself. "Why is this happening?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know." He replied after a pause. His breath hissed through his teeth as he shifted position, as if he held back a groan. I twitched as I fought the urge to turn around. It's just a dream - just a stupid dream. He's not hurt. You can't help him.

"How can I stop this from happening?"

I could hear the hurt in his voice. "Am I really that bad?" He joked half-heartedly.

"I can't do this Eren, seeing you every night when for the past week I've been trying to accept that you died. It has to stop and you know it too." I stared resolutely at the ground in front of my feet, refusing to give in to the need to look at him.

I heard Eren move closer to me. "I don't know what this is either, ok? All I know is that I get another chance to see you." He grasped the back of my arm. "Mikasa? Why won't you look at me?"

I pushed away from him, trying to get some space to think. He gave a strangled cry as my palm pressed into his chest - when I looked at my hand it was covered in blood. My heart dropped and I spun to look at him.

Blood trickled down his bare chest from numerous wounds - I couldn't see much of his tanned skin that wasn't mottled with dark bruises. Cuts lined his arms, the skin around his wrists red and raw. As if he's been chained.

Eren raised his head to look at me. His lip, still scabbed and swollen from the time I had hit him, split open as he gave a pain-filled smile. "Guess I look kind of rough, huh?" Bruises ringed his green eyes, one of which was swollen shut.

Anger rushed through me, mainly at myself for caring about the shade of him I'd conjured up. I turned to walk away but Eren grabbed my hand and spun me around again.

Looking up at him, I still thought he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. His nose was swollen and obviously broken but he still gave me the crooked smile that I had loved. "Don't walk away, Mika."

The sound of my nickname on his tongue was painful. He hadn't called me that since his mother had died and the little boy that I had known disappeared under the hate and anger that fuelled him to succeed.

"Don't..." I whispered, a tear rolling down my cheek as I remembered the boy I loved and the person he changed into. The person I loved and who loved me back, even if he waited until it was too late to say it.

"I don't want to make you cry." Eren said, wiping away the tear. "I don't know where I am, or what's happening to make you have these dreams. But what I do know, Mika, is that I love you."

"What do you mean you don't know where you are? You're just something I made in my head." I replied wearily. I can't keep doing this.

Eren shook his head. "I'm not dead Mikasa. This," He gestured to the marks all over his body, "Is real. I know you don't believe me, but I'll find you and show you the truth. I promise, Mika."

I opened my mouth to speak but stopped as Eren's head snapped to the side. Red blossomed across his cheek. Shock froze me in place - all I could do was watch as he fell to the floor. He let out a yell as a wet crack sounded out and a rib on his left side snapped.

"I guess it's time for me to go now, Mikasa. Don't give up on me." Eren choked out. "I won't give up on you".

I reached out to grab him but I fell as the ground began to shake. "Eren!" I cried. He didn't answer.

Something grabbed my shoulder and I hit out at it only to have my fist enveloped in a steel grasp.

"Wake up Mikasa!" I bolted upright to see Sasha looking at me worriedly. "Are you ok?" She asked.

I wiped the sweat from my face and let out a shuddering breath. "I don't know. I think... Eren's alive."