It felt good to relax knowing what would be going down tomorrow. The room was thick with steam cleansing our pores. Jess and I sat in a sauna wrapped in white towels.

"This is nice." Jess sighed. I hummed in agreement. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" she gave me a hard look.

"As ready as I can be, I guess." I shrugged. To be honest I was more worried about Eren. More steam filled the air.

"Are you sure this plan will even work?" I frowned thinking.

"No."

"Seems like a big gamble to me." Now she was frowning.

"It is."

"Where will you be stationed?"

"I'm still apart of Levi's squad, so I'll be with him and Commander Erwin. Chances are I won't see much of the fight….maybe." I couldn't be sure. All depended on Levi's orders for me. "I'm not exactly happy with this plan, but I know it's necessary."

Jess nodded her frown still deep. The steam was causing her auburn hair to darken and curl up. I'm sure my own brown hair was in a similar state.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." I assured her.

"I know that." She replied quickly. "I trust you. I just don't trust others."

Jess lived in a little farming village before she joined the military. That little village was known for having bright blue eyes and auburn hair. My own mother had blue eyes, but they were nowhere near as bright as Jessica's. My skin was several shades darker that hers. I had a dark complexion all around. Dark hair, hazel eyes, golden brown skin. I looked just like my dad. My sisters had taken after my mother. Light complexion. Blue eyes and blond hair.

I wondered what they would look like now. All grown up. I bet Jema would have been married by now. Maybe pregnant. I felt a tear run down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly.

"We should get going. A friend of my mother's asked me to stop by for dinner." I stood taking hold of my towel so it wouldn't fall off.

"You were think about them weren't you?" she looked up at me with sad eyes. She met them once. After second year.

"Yeah. I was think that if they were still alive Jema would probably be married and have a baby on the way. Maybe I could have delivered it." I felt another tear slip by, but I made no move to wipe it away. Jessica hugged me. We washed off before getting dressed.

We walked together for a bit, but she went home while I walked in the opposite direction.

"Have fun!" she called smiling. I waved back.

I knocked on the door a little nervous. A stout woman open the door and hugged me tightly.

"Oh look how you've grown! Such a lovely young woman." She cooed. "Come in. Come in." she ushered me inside.

"Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Kirstine." I smiled.

"Oh hush, you're always welcome here dear." She led me further inside. She got quiet for a moment.

"You're mother always talked about you you know. She was mighty proud with you when you went off to join the military even if she was scared to death. She was a very comforting voice when Jean-boy joined. I mean she wasn't here in person, but her words were comforting." She smiled nervously.

"She had that way about her." I smiled back. Her face lit up then.

"Have you seen Jean-boy around? He joined the Survey Corps." I couldn't be sure.

"I'm not sure. I don't know many of the Greenhorns." I shrugged apologetically.

"Greenhorns?"

"Newbies." I rub the back of my neck.

"I'll get Jean-boy. Dinners almost ready."

I looked around the room. Nothing had changed really. A few pictures of Jean when he was a little boy were the only differences I seen. I heard some yelling and a door slam. For a moment I was worried. Jean's mother came down the stairs with a pained expression. I frowned.

"Jean-boy has always been a troublesome child." She smiled wearily. I put two and two together and suddenly got angry.

"May I speak to Jean?" She looked shocked for a moment.

"Uhh, I suppose. Maybe you could coax him down." She turned for the kitchen while I headed up stairs. I managed to find the correct room and knocked.

"GO AWAY!" I sneered at the door unable to believe Jean talked to his mother in such a disrespectful manner. I opened the door and dodged a flying projectile.

"Now, that's no way to treat a guest, Jean." I opened the door completely. Jean fell out of his bed and stood quickly.

"Ki-Kira? Wh-What are you doing here?" he stood at salute stuttering. Now I remembered him. I shut the door and leaned against it. I looked him over for a second.

"Did you know my mother was killed—by titans? In fact my whole family."

"N-No, Ma'am."

"You know Eren watched his mother get eaten, right?" his face got red.

"Y-Yes." He looked to the floor.

"And yet you have the audacity to treat your loving, living mother that way you do." I glared at him fiercely.

"Why are you here?" he glared back.

"Old friend of the family." I said simply.

"You have no right to come here and tell me what to do." He shook with what I guessed was anger.

"My mother was very sweet, in fact your mother reminds me of her." My face softened. "You're right Jean I have no right to tell you what to do, but if titans were to break through right now and your mother got eaten and what just happen a few moments ago was your last conversation with her would you regret it?" He looked away his face redder. "I doubt it wouldn't haunt you. Come downstairs and have dinner with us. It could be your last chance."

I left with that. Softly closing the door behind me.

"Is Jean-boy coming down?" Mrs. Kirstine asked me when I entered the kitchen. She was ladling soup into a bowl, a third one in her hand.

"Yes." If he didn't come down on his own I'd drag him. I helped set the table. Just as we finished Jean enter the kitchen looking not as angry. He sat down at the table.

"Oh, Kira, I wanted to show you his." She hand me an old picture. Jean, curious, stood up and looked over my shoulder. He plucked the photo from my fingers.

"I've never seen this before." He frowned at the picture.

"Oh, I've been saving it."

"Why?" he asked.

"Well I wanted Kira here to tell the story. You're all grown up now." She smiled sadly the way mothers do at their children. I'd seen that face on my mother many times. We sat down. "Jean was your last baby, right Kira?"

I nodded. Jean about spit out his stew.

"Her what?" he gawked at his mother.

"Yes he was." I smiled. "A month later I joined the military."

"That's right." She mused.

"Th-That's not possible!" He looked between us.

"Of course it is. I delivered you. You were my third." I put a spoon in my mouth.

"You delivered me?" his cheeks became a deep red.

"Yes, that's why I'm holding you in that picture. Your mother was sleeping and I gave you a bath." I concentrated vary hard to keep my face neutral as Jean began to look horrified with a red face. I suppose I didn't have to add that last part, but it was funny seeing his reaction.

"If it makes you feel better I delivered Eren too." I pointed my spoon at him. "You were a difficult one coming out. Put your mother through over a day of labor." She grimaced at the thought.

"Who was your second baby? You said I was your third." He asked still red in the face. The whole bath thing really threw him for a loop.

"A little girl, but she died when she was two." The soup was really good. I stood to get seconds. "You were a cute baby, Jean. What happened?" I grinned at him over my shoulder. He glared at me. I sat back down.

"Y-You tell anyone and I'll kill you." He threatened. I laughed lightly.

"Why, because I gave you a bath went you were barely an hour old? Because I seen you naked when you were a BABY?" I raised an eyebrow at him. He looked away crossing his arms over his chest.

"I seen Eren too. You were both fat and health." I smirked at him. I turned to his mother. "Thank you for the dinner Mrs. Kirstine. It was delicious, but I should be getting home. I'll see you tomorrow Jean." I ruffled his hair which he promptly smoothed back down.

"Keep Jean-boy safe for me, will you Kira?" I nodded to her.

"Of course."

I walked home. It was dark and the air was cool and the moon was full providing plenty of light. I was worried about Eren. About all the civilians that were sure to be injured and killed tomorrow. When I reached the apartment jess was already in bed. I laid down on my bed, which was really just the couch with a sheet over it, but I couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts ran ramped.

"Everything will be fine." I assured myself. I got up and lit a candle so I could read a book for the rest of the night.

I can't believe how long this story's getting. I've posted 26 27 and last time I counted on my word doc I had 60ish wrote. Also spoilers next chapter. (not like anybody didn't see them coming and I don't know why you're reading fanfiction if you haven't read the Manga or watched the Anime but that's none on my business.) Longest chapter yet!