It had been years since Levi had heard that scream. It sent chills to his very core. He dropped all of the groceries he had been carrying, spent their hard earned money on. He sprinted home, tried not to think about it. People started running the other way, they were screaming. He was crying, couldn't help it. He didn't understand why this was happening now, why life was ruining their happy lives now. He turned the corner and saw Eren's titan sprinting full force towards the wall. He couldn't see anything, though, couldn't see a target. Had Eren lost his mind? Levi had no choice but to run for their house, check on the kids check on the kids. Kids are fine. Eren was with the kids wouldn't hurt the kids. Kids, kids, kids. He would have ripped the door open if it wasn't already off the hinges.

"Marvin!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "Anna!" He was crying and moving around the house like a trapped predator.

"Daddy!" He heard his kids' voices. Oh saints, oh heaven above oh bless it all they're here, they're alive. He had a handful of bodies before he could even think and he's sobbing hard. Holding them so close that surely there must be some permanent damage being done but blessed world they're safe.

"It's ok, it's ok," he's on repeat, couldn't even think of anything else to say, so he said that about a million times he suspects.

"Daddy where's Amara?" Damian was the first to break the silence. His eyes shot open and scan the heads. Brown curls for Marvin, paper straight black hair for Anna, matching messy grown out black mops for Damian and Leo, blonde mop for Jessie. Pamela was surely in her room from the crying he could hear but, but, the beautiful black curls that would bounce tighter in the spring that sat on Amara's perfect little head. Gone. His breathing dipped low. Oh god. His daughter. His little girl. Gone. No. Why?

"What, what happened?" He tried to stay calm, to not alarm the others. But his voice was airy and strained and they knew, he knows they know that something awful was happening. But no not to them, he wanted to cry. He'd paid with his tears and his pain before why his babies? Why take them now?

"Someone ran in here and grabbed her. Daddy followed them and told us to get in the basement, the one under the stairs." Leo said and Marvin got up quickly and went back down. Levi pushed himself off the floor and helped them one by one. He followed Marvin down and his son has grabbed the crying Pamela and was rocking her.

"We don't know where he went next, he just said things would get bad but if we stayed here that we'd be ok." Marvin looked at him. "Did dad lie?"

"No," Levi said firmly. "Your father didn't lie. You'll be fine. But I have to go help him. I don't know if anyone will come for you. They might have already left, but I have to go help. So stay here ok. I'll leave you with enough food for two days. If you run out. Then you need to get out of the basement and go find a garrison member to help you evacuate. Take care of each other and know that no matter where they put you, if they split you up, or put you with different people if some of you stay in Wall Maria and others go to Wall Sina, your father and I will find you. And we'll come home." The kids looked scared again but they nodded. Levi grabbed food, ones they wouldn't need to cook, got more than enough water, got baby formula. Gave them blankets and pillows. And when he knew, as much as anyone could know in times like these, that his family would be safe, he left. He was shaking with fear, he'd never felt fear going out to face a titan before. But he was scared. Scared that by some awful chance whatever was happening would land on his house, would hurt his family. It had happened to Eren before, what was to stop things from repeating now.

"Hey," he saw a garrison member, "give me your gear."

"Are you nuts?" The guy blanched.

"Ya, I am!" He yelled at him. "I'm also Levi Yeager-Ackerman and I'm worth ten soldiers your caliber so give me your damn gear!" He screamed at the man. The guy eyed him up but seemed to decide he doesn't really want to fight anyways, so he strips the 3DMG off and hands it over. Levi strapped it in like he'd never taken it off and prayed that once he was airborne it'd be as easy as walking. He launches it and takes off. He's moving towards the wall quickly, looking for Eren as he went. Eren's either over the wall or lying down because he should be able to see him. He saw him suddenly, his mouth was completely covering a titan's hand as the titan bit his face. He's biting repeatedly and deeply into Eren's eye and nose. Eren didn't move, though. Levi fell quickly to the ground beside them and was searching for Amara but can't see her anywhere. For a moment he thought the worst but just like every time he thought that with Eren there's no point, it would just make him freeze. So he didn't think that, instead he thought of how he could help Eren. He could get that damn thing off his husband that's how. He launched forward and it was the first time he realized he's not the only one watching. These men, these scouts and garrison members, they're just standing there, they aren't helping at all! Levi's furious but he didn't have much time to be. As he turned his attention back to the titan he noticed it lunging for him, his neck was like rubber and it was nowhere close to his body. Levi dodged.

"Eren bite his hand off babe!" Levi yelled. Eren started applying a pressure Levi could only be envious over. Bones started to crack and sickening sounds ripped from the titan's mouth. The monster headed back for Eren but Levi jumped in his way and slashed at his face causing him to dodge. Eren was biting viciously but Levi noticed not with all his force.

"Eren take the damn thing off already!"

"There's a girl in there," one man yelled at him.

Amara!

"Eren new plan," Levi could see Eren's eyes shift obediently toward his. "Men in the left charge the thing now, try not to get eaten." The men didn't hesitate, Levi might not have been active duty for a while but he was still involved and still respected. "Eren release his hand," Levi was moving fast and if Eren didn't listen he'd slam straight into Eren's teeth. But Eren opened his mouth, only just enough. Levi shot the cords through the opening and onto an attachment on the other side. "Baby reach up," Levi said desperately. He could see her, see Amara curled in a ball crying in this monster's hand. He entered Eren's mouth and everything moved slowly. He failed he realized as soon as he cleared the first canine. He could see it happening before it did. The fingers were curling up, he's going to watch his daughter get crushed. He released the cords, she's not dying alone. He fell into the hand with her and pulled her as close as he can, shielding her body with his as she screamed and he cried because he can do nothing. The fingers never closed, though. Eren had bitten down to the bone on the titan's hand and he could imagine the pain his husband must be in getting socked in the face, getting fingers through his jaw, and still he didn't waiver, didn't allow the hand to close even an inch more.

It's pitch black and Levi could feel Amara trembling. He had an idea, he's crying and shaking already because it's awful, his idea was cruel and gut wrenching and he can't think of much worse he could do to his husband but it's the only chance his daughter has. So he took out his blades and wrapped her tiny arms around him. Told her to hold on and don't let go ever, not for a second, not even a centimeter. He jumped, kicked the gas on and sliced through his husband's cheek. Eren let out a primal scream and Levi screamed with him because god he should feel it too, the agony his soul mate is in. It tore at his soul and he'd never forget this noise. He held Amara close, both of them soaked in Eren's blood and saliva. He almost can't look back but he had to. He looked and Eren was...up. He's standing, the mark had healed already and Eren was towering over the shifting titan, it must be only seven meters Levi realized with a shock. Taking on Eren, what a fool. Eren brought his leg up high and Levi's eyes went wide as he pulled Amara's head into his chest as the whole earth shook when Eren crushed its head. Levi wanted to vomit, it looked disgusting. But Eren didn't stop, he brought his foot down twice, four times, ten times, Levi was pushing Amara into someone else's arms as he hurried up to Eren.

"Eren," he yelled directly into the titan's ear. "Eren it's done. Eren stop," his foot froze in mid air. "Look Eren," he pointed down, "he's dead."

Eren's body trembled before falling to his knees. He ripped at the back of his neck screaming and Levi rushed over to pull his husband out.

Eren sobbed when Levi got him free. He was sobbing and clutching onto Levi as if he's the last thing that's real in the world.

"Let's go see Amara baby," Levi said and Eren was nodding furiously. Levi lowered them down with the 3DMG and Amara ran up to them as soon as they touched down, the three of them embraced.

"Get people down here to start clearing up, tell Erwin the area is secure and those fleeing can rest easy and return home. Which is what we're going to do," Levi stripped himself of the 3DMG and handed it to a garrison member explaining he'd borrowed it from one of his men.

Levi wrapped his arm around Eren and lead his daughter and his husband home. When they got in he set Eren on the couch, Amara willingly laid on top of her father as he came down from crying and held her close. Levi got the kids out of the basement and they all came up a little uneasy but fine.

"We'll all stay in here and read ok?" Levi kissed Leo's head.

"Can we go to your room instead?" Jessie asked.

"Sure," Levi squeezed Jessie's shoulder and Marvin and Amara help Eren get up, he was hugging the kids and doing his best to laugh as they head to the room that nightmares couldn't get into and that the world would quiet down in. Levi went into the kitchen and was grabbing cold sodas and juices, got painkillers for Eren. The fridge shut as he's holding everything and he saw it. Moved closer to Jessie's drawing that's already right in front of his face. It's the titan from today, a girl was crying in his hand, and a man with the wings of freedom was by her. Levi set the sodas down haphazardously and grabbed the rest from the drawer. A man cutting through a titan's cheek, a man and a girl swinging out but looking back, blood covered cement with half a titan head smashed into nothing.

Oh sweet angels above.

AN: This chapter broke my heart while writing it. It has one of the very few moments that chills my own skin no matter how many times I read it. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. One more chapter to go. Thanks to all who have been reviewing and enjoying my story. I'll see you in one week. I'm not sure how I feel about the twist and I'm even still really debating about how I feel about the last chapter how it is now so please bare with me. All the best.