Well Austria is as awesome as I remember, first time back in about 7 years and it is as beautiful as ever. Felt pretty good to disconnect for two weeks as well, but I also got about... 12,000 words written so :P YAY! Editing them and transferring from paper to laptop has been the usual headache though - my handwriting takes a swandive whenever I'm in the sunshine I SWEAR. Anyway :D on we go! And as I'm a little ahead of myself now, I should be able to update in two weeks. I would do so next week, but I think the longer I can allow myself to remain AHEAD of myself like I used to be, the more of a guaranteed two week schedule I can hope to maintain for you, my amazingly awesome readers. And FYI... came up with a buggery tonne more ideas whilst away!

Anyway I hope you enjoy this slightly longer chapter :)

Disclaimer: I still don't own Aot. (IS ANYONE ELSE READING THE MANGA? HOLY CRRRRAP!)

Note: Spoilers for the manga, so if you're not reading it beyond first season of the anime YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. But also any detail from the manga is probably mixed in with my own take on things :P in case you hadn't noticed..

To look at the compound you wouldn't know that anything more than a gusty storm had passed through. I can barely believe it myself despite the fact I still have a few splinters here and there. The wall repairs were going well, thankfully the wood supplies having presumably not been lost in the commotion. Small mercies.

Cadets go to and fro; kicking up the newly dried dirt, some just off duty and laughing with friends, whilst others strap on gear and get ready for the next watch. A beat hadn't been missed. We seemed to be like those wooden toys with the rounded bottoms, always moving, and always lolling upright sooner than you would think, no matter how hard the strike. I walk amongst my fellow toy soldiers, smiling at those that say hello, and trying to ignore the probing gaze of the others who glared or scanned with suspicion. In many ways I wished to have remained just a face in the crowd with slightly odd hair; no one had known me, not many had cared to. My aura of crazy had pretty much kept me separate from the majority. But those days were long gone. Nowadays my many titles reached far and wide, but I doubted any songs were being planned in my honour. I was known as: the rage machine that killed Jack Fuckface, the Squad leader who killed the entirety of her first team, the one that got kidnapped with the Captain, the one fucking the Captain, or the one that snorts oddly when having drunk too much coffee and started laughing too hard. Whilst it rather sucked when I just wanted to fade into anonymity, at the end of the day I know the Scouts would be behind me, no matter how many dirty looks I garnered. I knew their loyalty would endure. This world was cruel, but when we needed to be, the Survey Corps could be pretty damned mean as well.

I head along for Eren's tent, my mind reeling over Valarie's words. Grisha was no longer with them, but had indeed had a serum from which they were working. Potentially she had confirmed Hanji's previous theories. I look up at the cleared sky and take a long deep gulp of the hot air. It seemed more than likely now that Grisha Jaeger was dead, probably killed by the White Cloaks when he wouldn't share his secrets. Eren could only hope for answers from the basement now, and it seemed a hope that frayed with each passing day. But would Eren even care outside of that? How upset would he actually be that his father was dead? Grisha had been such a bastard; abandoning Eren, possibly using him like some kind of experiment and then not even lingering long enough to explain. My fists clench at the mere thought of the hateful man.

Eren deserved better.

I touch the doorway to Eren's tent; the material rough and well weathered after a few missions. How much more could it endure? How many more storms till these worn edges tore and tattered? I swallow hard and grip it tightly before heading through, immediately faced with Mikasa's dark eyes. I freeze and find myself locked in that intense gaze, the usual shine gleaming back at me as she worried for Eren yet again. If only she knew. Suddenly her arms are round me and squeezing in a manner I had rather intended for her brother. I hug back after a moment of surprise and I feel her relax a little, a small shudder running through her as she suppresses a sob. The warrior who feels too deeply.

"Hey love, you okay?" I murmur in her ear as the smothering embrace continues with no apparent end in sight. She gives a soft sniff before I feel a nod against my shoulder, clearly she was trying her best to pull things back together. "We're all okay, Mikasa. We have the bitch in custody... It's okay Mikasa." I nuzzle her a little.

"This time." she breathes heavily before walking past me to the compound. I'm not sure why she's so upset, but I can tell she needs space right now. Or possibly to kill something - hopefully not someone. I look back inside and see Eren in his bed, with Armin sat next to him; both look after Mikasa before turning their confused gazes to me. What the hell had I stumbled into with my usual elegance? I let the rough material slip through my fingers before heading to sit on the other side of the bed from Armin and smile cautiously at Eren.

He still looked a little frail, bruising still under his eyes, and a general pallidness to his complexion. Not all that surprising really, he had been in recovery when this had all happened, and on top of that he had used this new controlling ability. I had only the vague hope that it might be the lighting making him seem so sallow, but this recent amount of shifting and battle had definitely taken its toll on him. Fraying edges.

"How're you doing, Eren?" my voice is small, reserved at the back of my throat like my tongue suddenly got nervous. He smiles, but I know the tired look in those bright eyes, he's still exhausted. Can I really tell him so soon? I look to Armin and his eyes are glued to his childhood friend, concern shining out amongst the tents gloom. Eventually the blonde glances my way and I see the reflection of what lingered in Mikasa's gaze; they were both fearful of losing him. Was this latest moment of recklessness from Eren the blade to snap the horses rein?

"I'm doing fine but Armin and Mikasa are freaking out for some reason." he sighs, but his casual smirk is met with an uncharacteristic frown from the usually forgiving bookworm. "Seriously Armin would you calm down? I'm here aren't I? Good as new!" Eren snorts and I nudge his arm in warning.

"Lay off Eren," I murmur, and he shakes his head with raised brows.

"Not you too..."

"Look you made a pretty reckless move out there last night, mister. Mikasa and Armin are allowed to feel protective, you three are each other's family, its their job and yours to look out for each other. Don't get annoyed at them for that." I smile softly and look to Armin; expecting that sweet smile in agreement, and yet finding an even deeper scowl. Grumpy pants.

"You're a part of this family as well Robyn, don't think for a second that you're not." he says sternly and I chuckle a little, somehow the frown deepening again. "I'm not joking."

"I didn't think you were." I clarify, and a small bit of the scowl falls away. "I just seem to be adding to my family a lot lately."

"What do you mean?" Armin raises a brow, a small glance to my stomach almost making me flinch and laugh at the same time.

"Apparently our esteemed guest is my long lost Aunty Valerie." I laugh with a roll of my eyes, again finding my expectations quashed when they don't join in. Instead they look empathetically horrified. "Guys..."

"Are you all right? Is it your father's sister?" the tone of voice that comes out of Armin was far better suited to a ghost story round the campfire in all honesty. I just stare at him blankly. That misconception about me being a delicate flower better not be trying to make a comeback - do I really need to wrestle a bear or something in order to regain bad-ass status?

"It's a blatant lie, c'mon Armin, you're meant to be the clever one right? She also claimed my mother was attached to some kind of nobility or royalty, it's all bullshit." I say and gradually they look more confused. "Why aren't you two laughing with me? This shit is funny!"

"Why are you immediately dismissing it?" says Armin as he ties his hair back and then leans on the bed. "You could be for all you, or we know. After all how much do you actually remem-"

"Armin!" I interrupt sharply and he slowly closes his mouth. "I am not royalty or nobility, or any of that! My family is about as noble as a mangy stray humping the carcass of a rat. End of."

"I'm with Armin." says Eren with a shrug. "I have always sensed something about you, Robyn. Something different."

"Yeah, I'm a nutjob, not news." I retort and watch them share a dismissive look. Ugh... men. With this in mind I am half expecting Levi to have bought into this shit. I shake my head and try to remember why I had even come into this bubble of irritation. Then I see the key glint on Eren's chain and I swallow hard again. Oh yeah... Shit.

"Robyn?" says Eren as though repeating himself, his hand moving to touch the key as I stare at it. Ever since discovering his Titan ability, that key had been the shred of hope, the carrot at the end of the stick leading towards his father and answers. And now? Now it might just be the manipulation of a man who would never be able to fully explain his callousness. How the hell do I say this? What do I even know for sure? Nothing really. Shitting hell on a shitstack of shittery. "Robyn the hell are you looking at?"

"I..." I try to talk, but my tongue feels heavy.

"Armin... maybe you should go get Hanji?"

"N-no I... I'm... I'm fine." I shake my head again and lick my lips. "It's just that um... well I came to talk to you about something. As well as check on you of course. I um... well, me and Levi talked with the prisoner, Valerie, and well..."

"Robyn spit it out." mutters Eren, reaching and putting a hand over mine, squeezing gently. He assumes its bad news for me. Once again he's looking after me, once again those green eyes burn with an affection I cannot claim to deserve.

"She mentioned your father." I say quietly, knowing that really I shouldn't mention the theory of Hanji's at all. Nothing had been confirmed. Eren's hand trembles for a second before there's a pause of still silence, that same grip tightening. His eyes continue to bore into me, and I sense another miss-assumption coming on.

"Was he involved in what they did to you?"

Fucking hell Eren, think of yourself for once? I think my sudden smile throws him a bit as he blinks and stares at me. Such kindness in his bruised heart, and yet the world seemed intent on punishing him.

"No... not directly anyway." I say because of course if it weren't for Grisha's serum I or Levi would never have been taken. Eren nods a little, but his grip remains the same, he knows there's more behind my words.

"Is he with them?" he asks almost in a whisper. Despite the fact Eren had so clearly lost hope of his father being good, there is still a glimmer, a moment even, in those boyish eyes that allows a son to yearn for his father. Again I squeeze his hand and smile sadly.

"No he isn't, but they were using his serum as a basis for making their own." I say gently, and unfortunately I can't deny the way that glimmer flickers and fades. But I keep going, I want him to have time to digest this. "That was the reason there was so much experimentation, because theirs never quite matched up." I say quietly, more to Armin now as Eren seems a little far away despite the fact he's still staring right at me. He can now assume that his father turned him into a Titan, in fact I wonder if he's ever remembered something to do with it. Was that what was going across his scattered mind now? I can only guess the noise behind his vacant stare.

"Did she say anything else, Robyn?" asks Armin, and I can tell he's trying to think of a way round all this, trying to decipher an escape route for his dear friend. But I really don't think he can, not even the genius of Armin Artlet could out-think the cruelty of Fate. I just shrug and shake my head, watching the information sink in and take hold of Eren; it had been his father who turned him into a shifter, as well as left him to figure it all out on his own. It was so much worse than abandonment.

"Eren... I'm so sorry." I breathe, and his frown deepens.

"What're you sorry for? I'm hardly the only person around here to have a terrible father." he grits his teeth and I feel a little heat rise in his hand. "What the hell was he thinking? And what does that mean is actually in the basement? What the point in giving this to me anyway?" he snarls, looking down and turning the key over again and again in his hands. A slight tremble has taken hold of him. I look to Armin but he looks just as lost if not more so. Perhaps the bright young man had come up with a theory of his own about Grisha, and now it had been blown out of the water. Either that or it had been confirmed.

"We don't know everything yet Eren... she had barely begun explaining."

"Why did she stop?" asks Armin, and I blink, shrugging as a blush takes to my cheeks.

"I... I just... I had to get out of there." I explain, my tongue feeling sluggish again as I shudder. Both men before me apparently come to the right conclusion from my words, knowing it was the woman from my captivity. "And keep in mind that it could all be lies." I add in order to change the subject as I watch the storm clouds gathering in Eren's mind. Again his jaw tightens, but this time I could have sworn I heard something pop.

"That's all it ever is isn't it? Secrets and lies. Then more secrets backed up by more lies, on and on. I'm fucking sick of this!" yells Eren suddenly throwing the key away, it giving a soft thud as it lands in the dirt of the tent's floor. We all stare at it sitting in the small crack of sunshine from outside, the gentle glimmering almost mocking us. I look away and see the soft glow to Eren's green eyes; stable was not the way to describe him right now. Not by a long shot.

"We're all sick of it, brat." says Levi from the doorway, and I feel myself jump a bit. I turn to him and see that stern gaze, knowing I would have to bite my tongue very soon. This was my Captain, not my Levi. The key is slowly picked up and brushed off by the meticulous man, twirling it between his fingers as he gradually approaches the end of the bed. Silence hangs heavy; but I see no blood upon his sleeve or boot, so presumably the questioning had remained civil. Or at least controlled.

"Sorry Captain, Eren was just-" but Armin is soon letting his mouth close again, quieted by the long look from those steely eyes.

"I know well enough what Jaeger was doing, he was being a whiny brat as usual." the Captain summarises and immediately silences me with a raised hand; this was not the time to interfere. "We don't have all the information, and any that we do have cannot be trusted. That has always been the case in this regiment, so if you're not on board yet? Speed the fuck up, Jeager, the last thing we need is a retarded Titan throwing a hissy fit every time it gets confused."

Me and Armin both sink back in our chairs whilst Eren stays defiantely still.

"What are you suggesting, sir? That I just accept that as the way things are and move on? I can't do that, I have to keep fighting." Eren says, chin jutting out a bit with his pride. A flash passes over Levi's eyes for a moment and I swallow, this would not be pretty. But when the smirk appears I genuinely fear for Eren's life.

"You have to keep fighting?" the captain repeats slowly, the key still turning in his hands as Eren nods and grits his teeth.

"Yes."

"Oh... that's what you were doing just now? Looked a lot more like throwing in the towel. Or indeed the key..." the Captain murmurs as he chucks the key back, I watch it hit against Eren's chest and then plop into his lap. The boy wavers before the man. "It's no longer your right to throw that hope away, brat. Too many people look at that stupid key and see the means to save our shitty world. Don't go thinking you're allowed to do anything but fight as hard as you fucking can."

"Sir..." Eren starts, but a click from Levi's tongue silences him.

"Just do us all a favour and don't fuck it up again?" the Captain wrinkles his nose and shakes his head. Eren frowns. In fact I think we all do.

"What? What did I fuck up?" he looks to me and Armin, but we are in no way helpful. I glance at Levi again and see another flash light his eyes, only this time it seems like a personal one.

Shit.

The Captain leans forward just a little, but he might as well have drawn a blade and held it to Eren's throat the way Eren sits back the same amount. The gloom of the tent seems to darken tenfold, and its as if I can hear nothing of the outside world.

"You fucked up the second you exhausted yourself to the point that you couldn't even defend this base, let alone Rob-" he stops to clear his throat and I bite my lip. "Let alone yourself. Had you followed orders then you might have been more use than a fucking spoon." he snarls, voice so quiet that I am immediately reminded of how terrifying the love of my life could be.

"But sir I only-"

"You let your pride almost cost everything!" Levi suddenly yells, and I stand to put a hand on his shoulder, which he promptly shrugs off but he has at least receded a step.

"Levi please..." I implore, but he just jabs an accusing finger at Eren who stares in slight disbelief at these words. Perhaps having not considered that even having been an issue, but apparently the Captain thought it was.

"He made me a god damned promise, and I expect it to be honoured." Levi growls, reining himself back as usual, burying the rage back down deep. Whilst I don't know exactly what my Captain is talking about I can only guess it's to do with my stupid self.

"I'm sure Eren intends to keep it... whatever it is." I say with a small shrug, and Levi sighs, taking a step back.

"Actions speak a lot louder than words, Sanshi." and then Levi clears his throat again and looks to me properly. "Erwin wants to question her again... we should get something to eat before we head back over. We need to strike the bitch whilst the iron is hot." he nods and then walks away, stiff in his stride, leaving the tent flap swaying as he goes. For a couple seconds I just let the silence hang there, the only noise being the gently slither of material on material.

"Eren I-"

"He's right Robyn. I was an idiot. I could have gotten a lot of people hurt because I didn't do as I was told... because of pride." he mutters, putting the key back around his neck and then laying down properly. "I think I'll get some rest guys."

"Okay... rest well..." I head for the door, pausing to look back, hating the way he stares down at the mattress, defeatedly deflated. "Can't remember if I said yet or not, but thank you Eren. Whatever else you, or Levi, think you did wrong, you still saved my life." I smile and walk away before he can blush or refute.

Once again the blinding sunshine makes me stagger a little, but it really wasn't hard to tell which way my Captain had gone; a wake of space left behind. It seemed to the world was intent on reminding him of how small he was; no pun intended. I head over and enter the make-shift coffee tent with a small moment of hesitation. I can't help but wonder if he would prefer not to see me, yet another reminder of those dark six months as this mess swirls around in his troubled mind.

"Am I really that terrifying?" he muses through the tent, and I smirk and roll my eyes as I go through, glad to see that secret smile flash into view for me for a moment before vanishing.

"Guess you're not so bad in this light." I chuckle and accept the steaming coffee and draw it in deeply. "Feeling any better, Captain?" I ask quietly, taking note of the way his brow furrows momentarily as my use of his title.

"I meant what I said Robyn, he's still accountable even if he is your little friend or pet. I'm still Captain as you say." he takes a long sip before leading the way through to where they were serving up the food.

"I realise that but don't you think you were being a bit harsh?" I grab a tray of food and sit down, finding that damned smirk tantalisingly confusing. "What's that look for?"

"Would you be any less harsh with someone if they had done something that pretty directly landed me in harms way?" his brow raises slightly, and dammit I can't help the blush that blossoms to burn at my cheeks.

"That's..."

"No different." he finishes with that smirk before falling back into his usual stoic expression. "Me and Erwin made good headway towards breaking her down. Hopefully this time we get further... but if she brings that shit up again just hit her Robyn. Don't let her under your skin..." he says, voice dipping. I take a chance and put a hand over his for a moment, public settings always making me wary of outright affection. That line remained a little blurred to me.

"I won't, Levi. I promise." I smile and he nods before going back to his food. "So what got you so tense before? I know you're mad at him but... I dunno it seemed too much to just be Eren." I nibble on my ration of bread; not really feeling hungry but not wanting to risk being caught weakened right now. Levi chews slowly, his eyes casting around every now and then. There was definitely something off.

"Levi?"

"I reckon there will be someone coming for her." he says, and my mouth feels very dry at the thought. My own eyes cast around, as though Valarie's henchmen would be somehow sat casually amongst us. Ridiculous. Then Sarah's face flashes into my mind, and I recoil a little. Paranoia was threatening to take hold. A hand takes mine, and I find solace in his eyes; together, we could do this together.

"Any reason in particular you think that?" I whisper.

"Nothing more than a hunch really, but she seems too far up the food chain to be abandoned when her plans go awry." he takes another long sip of coffee, hand leaving mine. "And considering the fact we have already found some fanatical brats here anyway..."

"We should keep a close eye on her." I agree, and he nods, brow still furrowed.

"I just don't understand how they can warp their heads that much... well... without the more pressing techniques." he rumbles without a flinch despite the fact I'm sure horrific images just came back to him. How long ago was it that Levi openly reacted to things still, allowed himself to wince and cringe at the awful things in this world? In some ways I'm very glad to have not known him then, to not have that to miss. But then again, a younger Levi would be fascinating to know, to see, to learn from.

An idea bubbles into my head.

"Unless..." I mutter, and those eyes swivel up to me again as he eats. How badly had he squinted the first time he was introduced to the sunlight of our world? What had he been told of the surface during his childhood in the shadows? His past had never really bothered me, and he had never seem overly keen on discussing it, and therefore I had never asked. But I knew he came from the Underground. I knew he had risen up and escaped from hell.

"Unless?" he presses, and I lick my lips, leaning in a little.

"Unless they're taking them from the underground?" I suggest quietly and he swallows, that fraction of a second showing a hint of pain in his eyes. The armour was thick, but for me it did occasionally crack. I still can't figure out if that's ultimately good or bad.

"Go on..." he says unenthusiastically.

"Well think about it, how many kids down there have no more than stories to go on about our world above them? A nice lady turns up in a cape of gleaming white, offers food and shelter, throws in the promise of sunshine whilst whispering nonsensical fanatical bullshit..."

"They would believe almost anything." he nods, looking a little sick at the idea of such a thing. "Perhaps we should make a visit there once back in the walls." he doesn't look happy about it, but I can only imagine the bad memories that linger in that dark place for him.

"You think Erwin would sanction that?" I know the history there is a little clouded between Captain and Commander, but as that smirk appears again I know its well buried between them.

"I doubt Erwin worries about me making a break for it any more. And if it'll garner some answers he'll be pretty keen."

"Perhaps we could mention it to her? See if we can get a reaction or something?" I suggest and whilst he agrees I can see something behind his eyes.

"All right... seems we have a plan. But Robyn please... just don't let the shadows back in. Not when we've been doing so well to get rid of them." he murmurs, eyes fixed on my hands, the same hands I used to scrub at till they were raw. I move them to rest on my lap. He looks up and clears his throat. "Sorry."

"Don't apologise for caring about me, Levi." I smile, and that downcast nature to him is soon gone again. I sip my coffee and look at my hands, clean despite the wear and tear of this outside world. "You've already cleaned me up pretty good... not entirely surprising considering your affinity for cleanliness."

"Brat..." he rumbles and I just simper and continue eating as a more pleasant quiet settles over us.

Other cadets come and go, and whilst I know they're looking at us, I don't mind for the sake of my privacy, but instead because I wonder why they're looking. Is it to idly gossip once meeting up with their friends again, or to devise a way to kill us both, to bring down the scouts, to end all of this. I eat about half my meal, the whirlwind of my imagination rather putting me off my food.

"You ready to head back and see how she reacts to Underground talk?" Levi sits back and smooths his hair as he does so. I push my tray aside and nod, thankfully he doesn't comment on the remaining food, a little left on his tray as well. It was so irritating how in times of stress when you needed the most nutrition, our bodies seemed intent on starving us.

As we head back I see the door to Eren's tent is gently swaying in the breeze and I can only guess that he has decided to obtain the answers himself. Levi wouldn't like it, but really he couldn't complain much either; it had been him to tell Eren to stop wallowing. I can hear the low rumble of Erwin's voice before I see him appear through Valarie's makeshift cell's door-flap with Eren in tow, Armin soon following as well. My pace quickens and so does Levi's as it becomes clear Erwin is annoyed.

"Enough Jaeger, go and rest. Consider that a direct order." the set line of the Commander's lips leaves no room for argument, at least to any normal person or obedient cadet. Then again me and Eren had always shared an issue with registering that line. Eren shakes his head, looking desperate whilst Armin approaches Erwin with his diplomatic expression in place.

"Commander please excuse us, Eren just-"

"The time for you providing Jeager with excuses has long come and gone, Artlet." Erwin interrupts with a stern look to accompany the tone of respect. "Kindly allow him to explain his behaviour alone, or to simply do as he is bid by his commanding officer."

"Sir, please." pipes up Eren, and fresh irritation appears on Erwin's face at the lacking submission from the cadet. "What if that woman knows what's in the basement?" and whilst I can see where Eren is aiming with such a stupid suggestion, I know Erwin's curiosity wouldn't outweigh his reasoning to that extent.

"I hope you're not actually stupid enough to think that is the case, brat." sighs Levi, and Eren spins round in surprise, a blush appearing on his cheeks seconds later.

"You never know, sir! And surely it would be good to know where my father actually is? She might tell me." he reasons, and I cringe as I realise that may well be the case because the truth would likely be very painful. The woman seemed to thrive on cruelty. My eyes meet Erwin's and immediately I know we're on the same page. Dammit Eren you masochist – my own medicine has a bastard of a sting. The Commander nods to me and I place a hand on Eren's shoulder, my expression probably confusing to him.

"Whatever she says to you, Eren... just try to stay calm all right? She might use the truth to wound you but keep in mind that lies are her speciality." I say gently. I can see the reservation creep into him, but he stays firm and just nods in agreement. I knew he could do this, I just wasn't totally convinced he should. I lead him inside and approach the woman in question. Her eyes crinkle with a sneer upon seeing my return.

"Dearest Robyn, how wonderful to see you again. Here I was thinking-"

"Shut up you pompous hagshite." I groan and watch the irritation pass over her. Small victories. I then look to Eren with a small smile and then back to her with contempt. "This man shouldn't really need introduction but considering how far up your own ass you have shoved your head, I'll go ahead anyway. This is Eren Jeager, you may also know his work as the Rogue Titan?" I say with a small tilt of my head, the realisation melting over her expression and spluttering into terror soon after. Presumably his newfound controlling abilities worried her; that could only be a good thing for us.

"Where is my father?" he dives right in, and I feel like the whole room just held their breath simultaneously. I can't read her expression to be perfectly honest, but I can tell she is scared, perhaps too scared to lie? One can only hope. Eren's shoulder tenses and he repeats himself, making the fowl excuse of a woman recoil.

"He..." her voice is small. "He's gone."

Suddenly Eren's jolts forward.

"Speak plainly! Gone where? When? With who?!" he yells with fists clenched by his side, attempting to keep a lid on things I think. I glance at Erwin and Levi, but they don't look too concerned, in fact I don't think they would mind at all if Eren gave the woman a good kicking.

"Dead." she spits out, "He's dead you fools!" she snaps, a tear escaping as fear seems to fill her. Surely she can't hope for a good reaction, and as the room goes densely silent, she shakes her head and bares her teeth. "How can you be this ignorant whilst surviving so long! My gods you should have been obliterated years ago, decades even!" her chains rattle as she pulls against them, becoming manic.

But I'm not looking at her any more.

I'm too focused on Eren right now, wondering what was going on in that head as he remains looming towards her, but otherwise completely still. I knew he had a hard-set hate for his father, but that didn't stop that kind of news knocking someone flat. But now she had seen his pain, now Valarie can see how the news has struck a chord in him as Eren stares at the tent wall. Robbed of closure, of conclusion, of explanation; the world had once again taken something from him before he even knew to grab for it.

"How?" he gulps with a tremor running through his whole body. I look to our prisoner and feel cold as an odd looking sneer falls into place, warping with cruelty as she sees a fresh wound to open up for her to play with.

Dammit.

What now?

When she doesn't respond he straightens up a little and sets his jaw tighter.

"How did my father die?"

"You." she says slowly, lips seeming to drip with venom as that simple yet suddenly painful word comes rolling out to slam into our ears. You. Grisha had died because of Eren? Slowly laughter rises up from her and turns into a cold cackle as Eren looks like he might pass-out, puke, or both.

"Explain, wench." demands Erwin in a hollow growl.

"That's how the boy became a shifter, it's how everyone becomes a shifter you simpletons. He took little Eren to the outskirts of town one night, soon after the fall of Shiganshina I believe. Took him out there and—"

"Stop." I snap, feeling a sickeningly detailed tale about to unfold. It wasn't needed surely? But Eren shrugs my hand away, eyes shining and soon spilling over.

"No! Tell me, tell me now. I want to know god dammit." he says, voice thick and wavering. No one else interrupts, no one dares right now as this bloody massacre unfolds before us. Valarie sits up and smiles, teeth gleaming, making me understand a little more why her Titan form had such razor like fangs. She was a beastly bitch.

"When you were a boy, he found you in one of those filthy little refugee camps, took you into the woods on the edge of town and then made his deal with the devil." she chuckles again and licks her lips. "He pinned you down, squirming and complaining as all children do. He took out the syringe, and plunged it into you, injecting the serum and watching you transform into the hideous creature he had intended." Her voice seems to linger in the air like a stench, and I watch Eren look to Armin in open alarm. They share a look that speaks very loudly; at some point Eren had spoken to his friend about a dream to the same affect? Something he had pushed aside as a nightmare instead of memory? Armin looks completely frozen.

Valarie continues, pleasure rolling off her as she watches the young man before her be torn apart word by word.

"You turned almost instantly, born to it obviously. You grinned down at him like all those inane beasts out there, and you ate him. You gobbled your father whole, drooling the whole time and grunting as he slid down your gullet to complete the transfer of power." she snorts. "I think you even burped for good measure."

"H-How do you know these kind of details?" Armin stammers in a flimsy voice and once again her thin lips stretch into a sneer, her eyes not leaving Eren for a second.

"We had been intending on capturing Grisha that night, but unfortunately it all happened too fast. It was over in the blink of an eye, a big bulbous Titan one for that matter." she replies, sending another shiver through Eren. He goes rigid before he lunges for a bucket and promptly, and understandably, vomits.

But I can't accept this outright, not so easily. Her eyes linger on me now, seeing the challenge in my disbelief but apparently not surprised by it.

"Why not take Eren instead once this had all happened? Why let him go back into the camp and live out his life? It doesn't make sense." I keep shaking my head, Armin moving across to help Eren as best he can. Valarie tilts her head at me, and I wonder how soon we can actually kill her; the bitch was enjoying this too much.

"We had the vague hope that he might turn when back there and kill some rats for us. No such luck unfortunately." she sighs, the sound of Eren's dry heaving making me feel a little nauseous myself.

"You're fucking sick." I hiss, and again she laughs.

"I'm not the one who ate their own father." she cackles away, earning a fresh wave of gagging from her victim. Finally Levi speaks up, stepping forward and making the cold coils of laughter slow to a stop.

"So you've been trying to make shifting permanent without having to sacrifice someone?" he speaks loudly, and I wonder if its to allow Eren some privacy, or to save himself the noise of someone vomiting. Either way I was grateful.

"Not just someone, it has to be another shifter." she tuts and slowly Eren manages to straighten up again, trembling. "Seems Papa Jeager left a lot out before hurtling from this world. Unfortunately we didn't anticipate his son acquiring the controlling ability."

"Seems you lot are experts at underestimating people." mutters Levi and finally that breaks her smug expression, a prideful pout taking its place. "All right, now that story time is over. Do you know what is in Jeager's basement?" he asks, and I know its just an act of kindness. We want to know about the Underground, but right now that could wait, right now we had a rather more pressing issue. Our resident shifter, and supposed Hope for Humanity was hanging by a thread. Eren looks over with wide, pink-rimmed eyes. But Valarie just shrugs, and I feel another weight pressed onto Eren's hunched shoulders.

"Haven't a clue, hence another reason we tried to relieve you of the boy." she says with an almost bored look. I head over to Eren, take his other arm and wrap it over my shoulder. I hear a bark of a laugh leave Valarie. "Don't pretend this doesn't change how you look at him."

"It doesn't." I say plainly, squeezing the cold hand in my grasp. She laughs again.

"He's a monster, and you know it Robyn. You know what he's done now."

"He's not the one who actively participated in my torture and set their dogs on a prisoner whilst making the man who loves her watch." I hiss back, and that expression turns icy. "Don't be thinking you're any better than anyone in this tent Valarie. You're the most wretched of us all. For the first moment I have to consider some truth to you being my father's sister. He was a pro at sickening cruelty and demented self praise as well." I snarl before helping Armin get Eren out of there.

With every staggered step we hear Eren muttering under his breath, breaking our hearts with every whispered word. 'I'm sorry', 'kill me', 'Mum...', 'what have I done?' . Round and round it goes in a loop, his eyes unblinking as he stares ahead with a complexion more befitting a corpse.

We get him across the compound, but as we head inside his tent, a small cry of Eren's name makes all three of us flinch. Mikasa. Eren jolts again, clamping a hand over his mouth as he hears his adopted sister rush over, concerned over his ragged appearance no doubt. His eyes stare ahead intensely as though willing the earth to swallow him whole.

"Armin, talk to her." I murmur, taking more of Eren's weight and moving him inside whilst Armin hopefully calms Mikasa down, to then explain what had happened and then likely try to calm her down all over again. I get Eren to bed and pass him a bucket just in case.

The murmuring continues.

For a few minutes I just let him do it, knowing that there was no proper way to deal with these things. There was no rulebook on how to deal with knowing you had not only killed your own father, but eaten him. I shiver as I consider the fact Eren clearly remembered something about that night, and I just hope this wasn't the last thread to break and let him completely unravel.

He dry heaves a little more, but eventually that calms to nothing more than heavy breathing and he is able to take a few sips from the water I offer. I wipe a few trickles away from his chin and set the cup back down. I don't think he's blinked yet.

"Eren please... even if it is all true, which it probably isn't, it's wasn't your doing. It's wasn't your choice." I go to stroke his hair back from the cold sweat on his forehead, but he cringes away with a violent shake of his head. "Eren? Did I-"

"Just... j-just leave... p-please Robyn." he stammers, looking so small it hurts my heart. Was this how I looked to him that night he found me screaming into the dark? Small, pale, frightened and trembling as my lips quivered with withheld shrieks. I hope not because this is too awful. I can't leave him. Despite his words, and despite the pleading tone, I cannot do that right now, not a chance. I sigh and get up, but instead of walking away as he intended, I move forward and sit on bed by his side. Again he flinches in retreat, the voices of his childhood friends outside warbling through the tent material, but I stay put.

"Eren, I'm not leaving."

"R-Robyn jus-"

"Please stop flinching away from me." I continue gently, coaxing him through my words. "I'm staying right here until you look me in the eye and accept that you are not a bad person, not a monster, not a murderer, and certainly not culpable for this." I speak as gently as I can whilst remaining stern enough to let him know I was serious. I wasn't letting him get away with this guilt. I was not about to abandon him now, not when he had stuck it out for me for all those months, saving me so many times when the shadows loomed so high. As my words reach his unwilling ears he swallows hard, and shakes his head still. This would be an uphill battle, that was for sure.

"Eren, look at me." I say, reaching and gripping hand tight, squeezing hard as he wriggles, trying to get away from me still.

"Robyn, don't!"

"Eren stop trying to push me away, it isn't going to work." I say, squeezing again and refusing to waver.

"How can you stand to be near me? Let alone touch me. I ate my own father!" he cries brokenly, eyes watering all over again as this nightmare refuses to end. I stay quiet, letting him breathe a bit before responding. First of all I tug him into a hug, he fights me at first but I just stay there, letting him struggle and bruise me until finally he just slumps into my affection and takes it with a small whimper.

"No Eren, no you didn't."

"But..."

"The Titan your father turned you into did, the Titan form your father forced you into did. This is not some heinous crime you have committed, this is your father having basically committed suicide and turned you into the sword to fall on." I keep my voice as level as possible, but frankly it wavers out of sheer anger at the unabashed selfishness of Grisha Jeager. Eren breathes deep and slow, hiccuping every now and then whilst the shivers lessen a little. I stroke a hand through his hair, listening to his breathing and the gradual slowing of his heart. I don't if it's been five minutes or an hour, but finally when I lean back those green eyes move towards me and don't immediately look away when meeting mine. They waver, but they do not flee.

That's it Eren.

Come back.

Come back to me.

"You really..." he swallows and clears his throat. "You really don't think I'm a monster? Not even a little?" he looks up in uncertainty, watching my lips instead of my eyes. It was an improvement I suppose. I sit back and take his hands again.

"We all have a little bit of monster in us Eren, comes with being a Scout."

He almost smiles.

"Not to mention I ripped my father's jugular vein open with my teeth without any serum having been near me. So I'm afraid resident monster is probably already taken by yours truly." I wink when he blushes a little, bottom lip worried by his teeth. I tap his chin and finally meet those eyes as I speak, willing the words to sink into him.

"Robyn... I..." but I silence him with a shake of my head.

"You're Eren Jeager; the Rouge Titan, the man who has helped save countless lives, and mine, many times over. You're a fierce friend to many, and a son that Carla Jeager would be proud of. Don't let one man's selfishness ruin that." I lean in and gently kiss his cheek. "I know it's going to take time Eren, but please remember all of the people who love you. And yes, we still do." I add before he can argue anything.

It's probably another long ten minutes or so before Eren looks up as the tent's door flaps open. Mikasa stands there staring for a few seconds, the edges of her eyes pink as well but I feel confident that those tears were not shed for Grisha, but rather the son he had left behind.

"Eren..." she sniffs and staggers forward a little. He gulps and opens his arms to her, a small whimper escaping as she falls into them gladly. They hold each other, and he glances my way with a grateful smile appearing for a moment before faltering again.

I take my leave and smile encouragingly at Armin outside before heading for the tent where I see Levi stood talking with Erwin. Both men look sombre as I approach and not much changes once they spot me.

"How's Jeager doing?" Levi asks, stepping away from Erwin, trying to hide the blood on his cuff; apparently his patience had finally given in. Good.

"He's okay, getting there I think." I nod and see both men slightly relieved. "Mikasa and Armin are with him now." I shrug and look to Erwin, his gaze having moved towards the compounds gates.

"Levi... I think you and Sanshi should take the night watch for our guest." he murmurs gently, and Levi agrees but I can't avoid spotting that look they both have. They want this to be bloody, I think they both thirst for revenge. It was good to know that not all the superiors were above bloodlust.

Tonight we might catch some rats.

Thank you for reading, I hope it was worth the wait, see you in two weeks, possibly less if I get impatient. Which I very well might because I have LOVED writing these new sections.

SHOUTOUTS!

Sebastian: I am so glad you're still here! I was worried I had lost you due to my tardiness! I hope these more frequent updates start to make up for that. Thanks for sticking with me, you're brilliant :)

UmbreonGurl: I had an absolute blast, thank you so much! Hope you enjoyed the longer chapter and that it was worth the wait, see you next time.

BookNerd123: Robyn certainly has spunk haha, thank you so much for the praise and I'm glad you like her as a character, I am very pleased with her so far. Thrilled to know you've read my other stuff as well, always great to know people have tried the others and still enjoyed! Hope you're still enjoying!