Historia doesn't recover all at once. There are tests, and scans, check-ups. Ymir is by her side for it all, supporting her through everything. It's not easy, but with every day that passes, Historia becomes stronger and more sure of herself. After a week, she's allowed home, with scheduled appointments for later reviews of her injury.
To Ymir, it feels as if the last six months never happened, or even that her entire new life had ever happened - everything felt normal and just right. Her Historia is back, and everything has perfectly slotted into place. The things she had anxiously obsessed over have become part of her past, and she can finally look forward.
Historia forgives her for leaving. They talk about it for hours. "It's not as if I didn't have a lot of time to think about it or to try and understand," she says when they make it back to her apartment from the hospital. "I mean, I was fucking pissed, but I came around. I get it."
Ymir looks at her, knowing how hard that must have been. She takes Historia's hand and squeezes it tightly, vowing to never let it go.
A normal life isn't something they can have, but they've accepted that. Their life is weird - and that's okay. They don't keep secrets and they are open with each other. They tell each other everything about their previous lives. Ymir explains the motivations behind her actions, and Historia tells Ymir all about her life after she had gone. They learn things about each other that they never thought they'd get to know. Little things, like why Ymir's favourite colour is blue, and how Historia adores the smell of the seaside.
Historia changes her name legally, and they get a new apartment. Moving in to the flat makes everything feel so real. It's a big step for the both of them, and a confirmation that yes, we're doing this.
After countless appoinments, Historia's head wound heals, and she manages to take her exams. Ymir finds a job at the Italian restaurant where they'd had their first date as a waitress. They don't have much money, but they dont care - they have each other.
Armin moves out of his flat with Eren and into a new place with Jean, soon after announcing their relationship. Eren takes control of the website they had created, updating the page with the faces and names of everyone Ymir found in Germany, while remaining in the same apartment sulking about how Armin had left him for Jean.
Months pass, and summer rolls around once more. It has almost been a year since that morning in the coffee shop, when Ymir and Historia had first found one another. Looking back on that memory is strange for Historia - she is a whole new person now, and Krista is someone she can barely recognise. That doesn't stop the flurry of butterflies in her stomach at the thought of seeing Ymir for the first time in this life.
It's a day like any other when they get the call.
"Hello?" Historia murmurs groggily down the phone at six in the morning.
"Historia!" Eren's voice yells, startling her.
"What is i-"
"I think I've found her!"
Ymir rolls over in bed, rubbing her eyes.
"Who is it?" She mouths.
"Eren," Historia mouths back.
"Are you listening?" Eren asks, and without waiting for Historia to answer, he continues. "Anyway, she's contacted me, and I really think it's her!"
"Who?"
"Mikasa!"
Historia gasps. "Wait, what? Mikasa?"
"Yeah!"
"Where is she?"
"She's in Canada, but she wants to come to London after I told her about all of us."
Historia's eyes well up with tears. Ymir shakes her head and looks confused so Historia puts the phone on loudspeaker.
"Hey, Eren," Ymir says.
"Hey, 'Mir."
"So you found her huh?"
"I think so. Do you two want to come over? I've asked Armin and Jean too."
"Sure," Historia says, sitting up and swinging her legs out of bed. "Give us 20 minutes."
At Eren's flat, the five of them wait anxiously for the Skype call to connect. Eren is frantically smoothing down his hair and checking it in the monitor. Historia squeezes Ymir's hand.
"Eren?"
They all hear Mikasa's voice as the face camera loads, and suddenly there she is, through the screen. Historia's immediate thought is that Mikasa looks so different - she's missing her signature scarf, and her sleek black hair is long and tied into two plaits.
"Oh my god," she says. Her Canadian accent is strong. "You're all here."
Armin's eyes fill up with tears - Eren is lost for words.
"I've missed you so much," Armin says. "We all have."
"Me too," Mikasa says. She's beaming, smiling more than Historia had ever seen her smile.
"You need to get here," Eren says, welling up a little himself. "Come and stay with me, I have a spare room."
Mikasa looks surprised. "You just expect me to leave my whole life behind?"
Eren opens his mouth but no words come out. "I-"
Mikasa laughs. "Sure."
The airport bustles with people traveling to destinations all around the globe. Historia grips Ymir's hand tightly as they navigate through the sea of people in arrivals. It's been almost a month since the Skype call, and the group has been anxiously awaiting Mikasa's arrival the whole time.
"There they are," Ymir says, finally spotting Armin, Eren and Jean.
Eren paces nervously, pale as a ghost, his hands balled into fists so tightly that his knuckles have turned white. Armin and Jean are sitting down on a bench together watching a video on Armin's phone. Jean's arm is draped around his shoulders, and Armin holds a red scarf in his hands.
"Hey," Eren says as they approach. "She should be here any minute."
The minutes pass so slowly that Historia could swear time is slowing down. Eventually, the tannoy announces the plane's arrival, and the group huddle together nervously, watching as a steady stream of people begin to come through the doors. Armin passes the scarf to Eren, who stares at it, wide-eyed, for a second. When he looks up, Historia notices the determination on his face.
And then she walks through the doors.
Or rather, she sprints, her long hair flowing behind her. An airport attendant yells at her, but Mikasa doesn't care; as her suitcase falls to the floor she outstretches her arms, and pulls Eren in for a rib-crushing hug. After a brief second Armin joins them, and then Jean; suddenly, they are all enveloped in each other's arms, laughing and crying. Historia closes her eyes and squeezes tightly. Ymir's arms are around her - there's not a more perfect feeling in the world.
Despite what happened in their previous lives, they are all back together. It doesn't matter if it was due to chance, or to fate - all they care about is that they get to have a future.