Petra invited them in, gesturing for the two officers to sit down.
Deep down she hated the Military Police. She remembered when Sara was afraid that she'd join them after she placed sixth, but Petra reassured her, saying she wouldn't join them even if they weren't so corrupt. As far as she knew, the Military Police officers were drunkards who forced the new recruits to do all the work. But despite all this, she prepared and placed two mugs of coffee in front of them and took a seat.
Levi leaned against the wall. The officers had been shocked, even scared when they caught a glimpse of him. He wasn't exactly the most welcoming person.
One of the officers pulled out a clipboard, the one with dark, curly hair.
"Petra Ral," the other one with straight, blonde hair said, shuffling through papers in his hands. "Member of the Survey Corps, enlisted at 15. Placed sixth in the Trainee Corps."
"Hmph," he put the papers down. "Ms. Ral, we'd like to know what your father was doing exactly before he was killed."
Petra's hands were tightly clasped together in her lap, shaking.
"He was going out to get food," she explained. "He told me that food would be hard to get, given the situation, so he was going to buy some before it became too scarce."
The curly-haired man jotted this down.
"And where exactly was that?"
"The main market, I believe."
He flipped through the pages again.
"It says here that your father's body was found south of the main market," his eyes squinted. "It appears from the location of this house that he was headed directly north from here."
It made sense. When she'd go to pick up food or buy clothes, she'd walk past the library and down the street would be the market.
"That's the normal path we'd take to go there, sir."
"I see."
His eyes scanned the papers.
"Where were you at the time he went out and was killed?"
A small part of Petra believed they were accusing her of murdering her own father, but she shoved that feeling aside.
"I was here, at home," she informed him. "The whole time. I never left."
"Were you alone?"
"No. Levi-Heichou came to discuss business with me after. He was here when the news was broken to me."
He flipped a page.
"And who did that?"
"Daniel Castur."
Just the name coming out of her made her mouth taste sour.
"Do you believe there is anybody who would possibly have had a reason to kill him?"
She shook her head.
"No, sir. My father was well liked by many of the people here. Refugees and former residents alike."
Her throat felt dry, and her eyes watered. She hoped she didn't look like she was about to cry.
"And does he have a reason to kill anybody?"
Of course not, she wanted to hiss at them.
She shook her head.
"My father doesn't believe in violence unless it's against the titans. He'd never harm someone unless it was in self-defense."
The officer with the curly hair looked at his fellow and nodded.
"That is all the information we need."
He straightened the papers.
"We'll have to do some more investigating and get to the bottom of this case," he said. "Given the information we'll have to assume it was a thug attack of some sort."
They stood up to leave.
"Good day, Ms. Ral."
Petra opened the door for them and then shut it, locking it.
She sobbed as she fell onto the couch, burying her face into the pillow.
"This is horrible," her voice was muffled by the fabric. "Who would do this?"
Levi walked toward the couch and stood over her, saying nothing, only looking down at her with a sense of pity.
After a minute she wiped her eyes.
"I-I'm sorry," Petra said quietly. "For showing weakness..."
Levi's eyes met hers and locked onto them.
"Weakness is when you don't have the resolve to keep fighting," his voice was firm. "Grief is sadness and mourning. There's a difference."
Her eyes widened in surprise, still staring into Levi's.
"You're not weak," he assured her. "That's why I chose you."
Petra looked down and the world swirled around her.
Suddenly she was back at the Survey Corps HQ, eating her dinner alone three months after Sara's death. It was a feeling she felt she'd never get used to. People surrounding her talked among themselves, enjoying each other's company, even if it was sadly temporary. A spoonful of soup warmed her throat as the mission played itself in her head over and over. She was surprised when she heard a voice behind her.
"Petra."
She looked up to see Levi standing there, and she felt sick. Her head was still scrambled after what happened with Sara and her feelings for him only made his presence worse. Not that it was his fault, though.
"Yes, sir?"
She hoped her voice didn't show the emotions she was feeling underneath.
"I'd like to speak with you privately."
The room got quiet almost as soon as he entered, and everybody's eyes were fixed onto him.
"Yes, sir."
She stood up, her stomach churning.
He walked toward the door to the hall, his boots making a distinct sound against the floor in the quiet room. Petra tagged behind.
When they were out in the hallway, he turned around to face her.
"I'd like to recruit you into the Special Operations Squad," he stately plainly, cutting right to the bone. "Your performance in recent missions has been particularly notable."
She wanted to vomit all over the floor.
Instead she nodded.
"Yes, sir."
He examined her.
"You look sick. Is something wrong?"
You have no idea.
"No, sir."
The coldness of his eyes made her want to curl up in a ball in the corner and hide.
"Is that so?" he asked rhetorically. "Very well. Meet up with the rest of the squad in the dining area tomorrow morning."
She nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"You may leave."
She internally sighed and was about to do just that when he suddenly grabbed her shoulders roughly.
"Petra!" he shouted, not angrily, but like he was trying to get her attention.
This never happened.
She paused, thinking it over.
This is the past.
When she blinked everything was gone and she was seated on her couch, Levi's hands on her shoulders.
"I left again, didn't I?" her voice quivered.
He nodded.
"How long did I tune out?"
"Only a few seconds. When I tried to get you to wake up you came right back."
"No, that can't be," her eyes were wide. "It... It felt like ten minutes."
He looked at her in concern.
"How long does it normally take you to snap out of it?"
"At least a few minutes," she recalled.
Levi thought over this.
"You should tell Dr. Marlene. She probably knows what this means."
"Yeah," Petra agreed.
After a slight pause, Levi spoke.
"I have to return tomorrow. I leave today at noon."
A voice in Petra's head cursed at him, wanting to tell him that she needed him to be there for her. Before she knew it her hand grasped his.
"I knew you had to leave eventually," her voice was soft. "I'm not a child anymore. I can take care of myself."
"I know you can."
She laughed slightly.
"You should go," she told him. But deep inside she wanted just the opposite.
"Yeah," he agreed.
They got up and stood by the door.
Petra smiled halfheartedly.
"Tell Eren I said hello, okay?"
Levi nodded. Something didn't seem right.
"Are you okay?" she asked him.
He didn't answer for a few seconds.
"It's nothing. It's just that we won't be able to see each other until your examination."
"Well, I'm willing to wait," Petra replied.
After a pause she looked down.
"I'm going to ask you again," she said. "Please... Please don't let me get in your way."
"Petra, I told you-"
"Promise."
He sighed.
"Fine. I promise."
She beamed.
"Good," her voice lifted. "Well, technically, I'm getting in your way right now so you should go..."
"Hasty to get rid of me?" he raised an eyebrow.
Her face reddened.
"No! It's just-"
He abruptly lifted her chin up and placed his lips on her forehead softly.
The contact made her entire face warm.
"Goodbye, Petra," he released her and opened the door.
After recovering from her shock, Petra ran out and wrapped her arms around him.
"Be safe, okay?" she said.
"I will," he replied.
Levi was the one who walked away this time, and Petra waved to him and he waved back.
Her heart fell as he disappeared from view, and went back inside.
The rest of the day she spent gathering her father's belongings. Although he hadn't written a will, since she had no other family his belongings and the house were now hers.
She ate a late dinner and went to bed, the covers cold.
Her eyes closed and she drifted to sleep, fearing what she would see.
Petra awoke to the sound of what sounded like a door banging, and she bolted up.
Lighting a candle hastily, she wandered downstairs cautiously, candle in front of her.
She glanced around the living room, seeing no one there.
Stepping into the kitchen, her eyes widened in shock when she found that the door was busted open and was about to scream when a piece of cloth wrapped around her jaw into her mouth and a pair of hands grabbed her arms.
A dark cloth was pulled over her head and she kicked and struggled against their grips but they were at least twice as large as her, she guessed, and she was outnumbered.
Her hands were bound together and she was tossed over a man's shoulder like a rag doll.
The girl tried to scream but it was muffled by both the gag and the sack.
"C'mon, you idiots! Hurry! They'll find us!" a voice said insistently.
Petra wanted to scream in anger or throw up in disgust.
That voice belonged to Daniel.
Author's Note: And scene! Did you see that coming? Haha. Anyways, as always, thanks for reading and stay tuned for more!