Mila rode behind the cart in which "Eren" was being held by the Military Police. Hanji rode to the left, Captain Levi to the right and Commander Erwin was at the front of the detail with Commander Nile. So far the plan was running smoothly. The MPs didn't think anything about Jean's Eren impersonation, in fact, they ignored the boy altogether when they took him into custody. The real Eren, along with Mikasa, and Armin had not yet been caught by the MPs and by now, should have found Annie to lure her to the underground tunnel. Connie, Reiner, and Bertholdt should be close behind them as back up in case things went south. Finally, Ymir, Krista, and Sasha rode just behind the cart detail to keep suspicions down.

As the entourage rode down the street, most of the nobles in the town murmured about the Scout Regiment's presence in the interior. The last time there was this much fuss surrounding them, Eren Jeager had been on trial. Most of the comments being made were about Commander Erwin's ineptitude at running the Regiment. Mila couldn't tell if the Commander was bothered by such disrespect, but she knew where she stood on them. She was at her limit with their ignorant comments and glared at anyone who dared speak as she rode by.

"Ignore them," Hanji had slowed her horse so she could meet Mila's pace, "The Commander can take it." She put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, gave Mila a somber look and returned back into position.

Hanji's gesture shook her. Her words were kind but her eyes had been hard. It was a silent signal for Mila to get herself together and focus. She noticed Mila slipping out of her usual composure and they couldn't afford such a thing. Mila steeled herself and ground her teeth, ignoring any other comments she heard. It was true that the Commander's orders had sent many soldiers to their deaths outside the safety of the Walls. However, if it weren't for their sacrifice all these stuffy nobles would be Titan fodder. Mila continued to grumble to herself as the detail rounded a bend when an explosion shook the ground and filled the air with heat.

Everyone in the detail turned their heads to look to the West, a column of smoke rising into the air. Titan steam. Mila turned to look at Hanji who gave Commander Erwin a slight nod that Nile didn't catch. Captain Levi came around the cart and looked off into the distance as well, his lips set in a harsh line. He turned his head to give the same loaded nod to Mila, one that seemed to convey urgency. Mila gulped and looked back at Ymir, Sasha, and Krista who were all staring at the smoke. She signaled for them to follow a group of MP soldiers making their way towards the site of the explosion. As they did, another explosion shook the buildings around them and a familiar shriek pierced the sky.

Eren.

The young soldier had turned as well, meaning the plan had failed. Annie didn't take the bait to walk into the underground tunnel where they planned to capture her. Eren would now have to subdue her somehow, though, after last time, Mila wasn't sure if that would work.

"Brandt!" Captain Levi called, "Get Jean his gear, we every able body to protect Eren and capture Annie!"

Mila nodded and dismounted, reaching into a discreet compartment on the cart that held Jean's gear. The young kid had taken off his wig already and was halfway out of the cart when crashing and booming distracted them. From the sounds of it, Annie and Eren were engaging in a violent fight. There had to have been casualties-civilians, soldiers. Thoughts of Mila's dead comrades came back to haunt her as Jean ripped his ODM gear from her grip.

"Mila!" Jean's voice took her out of her sluggish movements and he shook her, "We have to go! They need us!"

She looked around to find that everyone but she and Jean had left to join the others. She then looked at Jean's somewhat panicked face, he was looking to her to lead him. For the first time in a long time, Mila was afraid. She had faced dozens of Titans, seen endless death, but this….After seeing Squad Levi die, people she had known for years, she didn't want to experience that ever again.

He grabbed her wrist and forced her into a run, "There's no time for this bullshit, Mila! You're one of the best, start acting like it!"

Mila was dragged behind this young soldier, someone who had barely seen action. This young kid who had already gone through so much and wanted to keep going, to free humanity. She ripped her wrist from his grip and ran alongside him, she then deployed an anchor from her ODM gear. He followed her swiftly and as deftly as a seasoned soldier. Mila knew that, despite his confrontational personality, Jean would become a great leader. She had heard of his accomplishments during the Battle for Trost. She would not allow such potential to be destroyed so brazenly.

"When we reach the site, I want you to join the rest of the Cadets!" Mila yelled, the wind filled her ears as she flew down the street, "They need you!"

"Roger!" Jean called back.

When they reached the location of the fight, Jean broke their formation to join Reiner and Bertholdt. Mila couldn't see where the rest of the Cadets were, and, as much as it pained her, she couldn't think about that right now. She had to find Mikasa and Armin to gauge the situation. She followed a path of destruction, hearing gunshots and screams filling the air. Houses were decimated and the streets were littered with bodies. It had been less than fifteen minutes since the turning and yet there was this much destruction. Mila looked away from the body of a young noble girl as she flew over it, her stomach churning with rage. So much needless death caused by someone who had pledged their heart to protect them.

"Brandt!" she heard Captain Levi's voice cut through the gunshots and cries of pain, "Here!"

Mila landed on a rooftop with a roll, she had been going too fast. She could hear the tanks of gas on the side of her gear slosh around as if they were half empty. She had been reckless, trying to reach the Squad as fast as possible could've cost her life. She jogged over to meet Captain Levi and Hanji who were talking to Armin. Armin didn't seem to be too worse for wear, that revelation gave Mila a sense of strange relief. She itched to see where the rest of the Squad was but knew it was not the time to ask.

"What's the situation?" She asked, slightly out of breath, she looked at Hanji and Armin's faces.

"Annie turned at the entrance of the underground tunnel. She knew we were trying to trap her." Armin's voice had a slight shake to it, but he continued, "Eren turned and is currently trying to subdue her. Mikasa is with him, attempting to help but, like before, Annie's too fast and her hardening abilities are proving to be an issue."

Mila looked at the Captain then, her eyes dark, "I'm assuming you want us to do the same as in the giant forest?"

The Captain's eyes flashed with bloodlust and Mila felt a small shiver go down her spine. She was always taken aback by his hatred for the Titans. His skill was unsurpassed by anyone in the Regiment, though Mikasa now ran a close second. The last time they had fought the Female Titan was in the giant forest, they had barely won. This time, with Eren's knowledge and training paired with Levi, Mila and Mikasa's strength they should be able to capture her easily. At least, that was the hope.

"You'll help the others evacuate this part of town. They're down below with the MPs." He said finally.

"Like hell!" she yelled back.

As she did, another boom and burst of shrapnel exploded in their direction. Mila saw Annie and Eren's Titan forms grapple as they had before. Though this time it seemed that Eren had her on the ropes. Annie was on her back, her arms pinned to her chest as he screamed in her face. There had to be a way for him to hold her with the nape of her neck exposed to them, though her hardening ability would be a problem.

"That's an order, Brandt!" those were his final words to her as she watched him take off towards the scuffle.

His cape flapped behind him, the emblem on his back made it seem like he was flying on real wings. She felt her heart lurch and the taste of anger returned. She had been relegated to the back burner when her skills would be better suited in the front lines. She figured he was trying to protect her, his comment last night replaying in her head.

I won't let what's left of my squad die.

She would be damned if her last memory of the Captain would be this. For him and Mikasa to be relegated to another patch she carried in her pocket. Mila saw Jean's blonde head stick out from the crowd below and knew the rest of the Squad was in good hands. Reiner and Bertholdt were down there as well, they could handle themselves. This time there weren't scores of Titans and Variants to be worried about save for one. She wouldn't let the bitch get away a second time.

Mila gave Hanji and Armin one last look before taking off behind the Captain. She used what was left of her gas sparingly, though she caught up with the Captain quickly.

"Brandt!" his voice was full of fury, "I told you to stay behind!"

She ignored him, "Mikasa!" She called out for the girl, who had been standing on a nearby building. Mila landed next to the Oriental girl and looked at the two grappling Titans.

"I'm glad you two are here," Mikasa's eyes never left Eren, "Captain, I suggest we attack in the same fashion as before."

"Only one problem," Mila jumped in before the Captain could get a word in, "Her back is pinned to the ground, we need Eren to hold her in such a way that we can cut her out."

"Her hardening abilities would just protect her." The Captain had given Mila a severe look but all it did was fuel her rage more.

"How long have they been fighting?" Mila asked Mikasa, still ignoring the Captain.

"A few minutes," Mikasa said, still not tearing her eyes away from the fighting Titans, "Why?"

"Eren is giving her a good fight and the Captain is faster than her hardening abilities. If we get Eren to hold her up, you and I can go for her eyes like before and the Captain could then take the nape." Mila's plan made Mikasa's eyes tear away from Eren and regard her.

"We don't have much time," Mikasa looked at the Captain, "Mila's plan is pretty solid."

"Tch," was his response.

That was all the short bastard could say? If they survived this, Mila would throttle him for sure.

Mila couldn't wait anymore, she wanted to sink her blades into that murderer's flesh, "Move out then."

Mikasa gave a short pause, looking between the Captain and Mila, but then shrugged her shoulders. She used her ODM gear to maneuver herself onto Eren's shoulder, no doubt telling him the plan. The Captain, fed up with Mila's disobedience, glided over to a building that was still standing across the street from where they stood. He would wait until Annie was blinded and Eren had her in a compromised position.

Mila felt like the world had slowed down around her. The crashes and booms of the Titan's fight sounded like they were underwater. Her heartbeat filled her ears as she steeled herself for battle. It felt like she was on fire, like she was a demon summoned for a specific purpose. The purpose being Annie's demise. She gripped her dual flesh-paring blades tightly, her knuckles white with tension. She took a deep breath and waited for Mikasa to signal them. She saw the Oriental girl's eyes flash her way and knew that now was the time to strike.

In what seemed like an eternity, but was more than likely a few seconds, Mila and Mikasa managed to blind Annie. The Titan let out a guttural cry of pain, her hands trying to break free off the hold Eren had on her. He held her on her knees, his hands on her wrists holding them behind her back. Captain Levi was a blur of movement and before she could harden her skin, he had already broken flesh. Annie's Titan form looked horrified and let out one final scream before it was silenced.

The Female Titan had fallen, face first, onto the ruined ground. Hanji and Commander Erwin arrived on the scene first, standing next to Captain Levi whose blade had broken on something. The Titan body began to deteriorate around them and soon all that was left was a massive chrysalis. Inside of that chrysalis, Annie Leonhart lay dormant. A final layer of protection shrouded her from the Scout Regiment, much to Commander Erwin's dismay.

Mila landed a few feet away from the site when another blast of heat hit her. Eren's Titan form began to deteriorate as well, the boy ripping himself out of the 15-meter body. Mikasa, of course, helped him out of it and helped him to the ground at which he was greatly annoyed. Armin ran over to meet them, along with the rest of the Squad. Mila watched as they all gave each other relieved looks, some of them even smiled. None of them had died as she had feared, a few burns and scrapes but nothing worse than that. A sense of ease filled Mila seeing them help the MPs load the chrysalis into a cart. She could chalk up their survival to their training, but Mila knew better. These Cadets, these soldiers were resilient, tough. Eren had come through for them, though Annie was trapped inside a hardened crystal, she was captured. The MPs would get off of Erwin's back, at least for now, though Nile looked like he could spit fire he was so angry.

"Don't just stand there Brandt," the Captain's cruel tone took her out of her thoughts, "Move out."

Mila stared at him, a sense of gladness washing over her. They were both still alive, she would still see his face and be bossed around by him. Though the latter didn't appeal to her in the slightest, she was strangely relieved by it. They had survived another of Erwin's gambles, though there were casualties, they weren't as steep as the last time.

He was still enraged by her actions, and Mila could see it in his eyes, "Sir!" She saluted and went to help the others with clean up.

The next few days were full of frustration. The Military Police wanted to keep Annie in their custody. Obviously Commander Erwin would not allow such a thing to happen, so he proposed the next best thing. They would keep her within Wall Sina at the Scout's HQ. There was a massive dungeon that would keep her well protected, and the MPs could stand guard there. This seemed to sate Nile and his commanding officers, and the nobles as well, at least, for now.

While Commander Erwin, Hanji, and Captain Levi were in meeting after meeting with councils and military leaders, Mila was left in charge of Squad Levi. They had been tasked to help the Garrison and the Military Police clean up the wreckage Annie and Eren inflicted on the town. That meant that bodies needed to be wrapped up and taken to cemeteries, debris needed to be cleared away. The entire ordeal made the Squad numb and emotionless, though Mila heard that this wasn't the first time they had to do this. After the Battle for Trost, all of them had to help clean up the devastation inflicted by the Titans.

Eren was taking the whole thing the hardest. He felt responsible for the deaths of some of the civilians and soldiers. Though there weren't that many to begin with, the town felt devastated. The entire Interior was in mourning, black banners were raised, everyone wore their darkest clothes. The town was dreary and mostly silent, even though a vicious enemy had been captured, the losses outweighed the victory. The Scouts would not go back to their castle in the secluded woods outside of Wall Sina, they were forced to stay at HQ. Their stay would be indefinite, according to Commander Erwin. Mila figured it was so the MPs and the King's Court could keep an eye on them.

It had been two weeks since Annie's capture, and the town seemed to return to a semblance of normal. Throughout the time they'd been at HQ, Mila hadn't seen the Captain at all except at dinner or for debriefings. It was as if they'd gone back to the week before Annie's capture. They hadn't had any one-on-one time since the mission, and Mila knew he was still angry at her disobedience. She had the perfect excuse to speak with him today, however, Hanji had sent her to fetch some paperwork from him. Mila saw through her thinly-veiled ploy to get them to talk. They all worked in the same building now, there was no reason Hanji couldn't walk down the hall to get the papers herself. Still, she didn't hesitate to take the chance she was given and her heart raced as she walked down the hall to his new office.

"That better be my paperwork, Shitty-Glasses," his voice answered her knock, it was bored as usual, "I needed it four days ago."

Mila felt her stomach do a somersault as his voice reached her ears, and she walked into his office, "Hanji sends her regards."

Captain Levi's head snapped up at Mila's voice, but his cold demeanor returned, "You may leave the papers on my desk. Dismissed."

Mila walked over and slammed the stack onto his desk, pissed at his blatant disregard for her, "May I have a moment of your time, sir?"

He looked at the mess she made on his desk and leaned back in his seat, "Sit."

Once again they sat across from each other, it had been a while since she had seen him up close. He was still handsome, he seemed to be a little burlier as well. Was he training more than usual?

"Speak," his tone was harsh and Mila felt her eyebrow twitch at it.

"What's the status of Annie Leonhart?" Mila kicked herself internally at the question, she was blatantly beating around the proverbial bush.

"Still locked away in that damned crystal," she knew the Captain could see right through her, "Hanji is losing what's left of her mind trying to get it open."

"Hm."

"Out with it, Brandt." His tone was even harsher than before, he was more furious with her than she initially thought.

"I know that you're angry with me for disregarding your orders that day, sir." Mila sighed and twidled her fingers in her lap, "I did what I felt was good for the mission."

He regarded her with that cold gray gaze for a moment before speaking, "You could've been killed."

"That's never concerned you before." She met his gaze and held it.

He went silent again, but his eyes filled with the same anger she saw in them the night he went hunting for Ian.

"However," Mila began, swallowing hard, "I apologize for stepping on your toes, Captain."

A humorless laugh left his lips and he leaned forward in his seat, "You think a mere apology is enough?"

"I assume you want me to clean your entire office since the stables are tended to by the MPs." Mila tried to lighten the mood with humor, though she felt she made everything worse.

"Brandt, you're all that's left from the last Squad," his intense gaze never faltered, "They need your guidance, your expertise. You risked your life unnecessarily and the Scouts could have lost a valuable soldier."

Mila felt a surge of anger fill her and she stood from her perch, "I was doing my duty for humanity. I was helping you capture the murderer that killed our comrades. I thought you of all people would've understood."

He remained seated and looked away, "So you did it for revenge?" he scoffed, "You're stupider than I thought."

Mila's hands clenched into fists and she resisted the urge to punch the smug bastard's face, "Regardless, I helped you and Mikasa take down the threat. You can stop being angry with me now."

The Captain crossed his arms, still seated, "I'm not angry with you."

It was Mila's turn to laugh humorlessly, and shook her head incredulously, "Whatever. I'm over it, I won't waste any more of your precious time. Good day, sir." She turned to leave.

"I was afraid," his words, though almost whispered, she heard clearly.

Mila stood frozen, still turned away from the Captain. She didn't know what to do or how to react to his words.

"I didn't want to lose what was left of my squad," his voice was husky, it sent a shiver down Mila's spine.

She heard a rustle behind her and footsteps, then felt his grip on her wrist. He whirled her around to face him, his gray eyes searing into her own.

"S-sir," Mila felt her mouth go dry, she swallowed hard, "I...We...The Squad didn't die in vain because of what we did."

He was so close, she couldn't think of anything else but his embrace. She wanted to feel his arms around her once more. The frustration and anger she felt towards him melted away, and she was filled with a surge of love for her Captain.

"Brandt," his tone was still husky and his eyes had softened significantly, "Mila...this can't happen, but..." He didn't move away nor did he move closer.

"Captain," Mila felt her knees wobble and her stomach flip, "I still love you, and...there's nothing I can do about it anymore."

She could see the Captain's Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed. Mila felt like her body was on fire, it was a fire that only the Captain would be able to put out. She looked down at her feet and steeled her nerve, it was now or never. Before she could move forward, however, his lips met hers in a needy kiss that left her breathless. His arms wrapped around her waist, gripping her hard so she couldn't escape. Not that she wanted to. She felt her arms slide up and around his neck, pulling him closer and meeting his kiss eagerly.

He deepened the kiss, licking her bottom lip and meeting her tongue when she allowed him entrance. Their bodies were pressed impossibly close, she could feel his erection on her pelvis, making juices flood out from her core. She tangled her fingers in his hair as his lips temporarily left hers to find her neck. He left soft, lingering kisses from her earlobe to her collarbone and back up. She was gasping and her hips bucked up to meet his without her permission. She heard him hiss and his lips were back on hers, they kissed each other desperately. Clutching each other, making sure this was actually happening and not just another fantasy.

"Mila," the Captain said between kisses, "Stay with me."

Mila pulled her lips away from his hungry kisses, she panted, "Always."