One Shot Collection - (Don't Die Series) - Levi x OC

by docoo

A collection of one shots that take place between Levi and Aubrey and depict scenes that never made it into the original fics!

5. Pregnancy Scare

Description: Aubrey and Levi have a pregnancy scare. Pretty straight forward lol.

Setting: This one shot takes place between Don't Die and Stay Alive. Aubrey is 21 and Levi is 23.

Genre: Angst; Some Fluff

A/N: Okay, soooooooo… this one turned out even more angsty than I really intended it to be. I think the person who requested this might have wanted it to be more… lighthearted? But, this is what came out of my brain. Sorry lol. Also, this one shot WILL CONATAIN MENTIONS OF ABORTION. If this is a topic that is going to make you uncomfortable or make you want to fight with me in the comments, then PLEASE move on. We don't need that energy here. Alright, I don't have much more to say for the 'before' author's note, so I'll see y'all after.

WARNINGS: Mentions of abortion, period/period blood, pregnancy

Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Fuck. Shit.

This isn't happening. This can't be happening. This isn't happening.

Aubrey hung her head in her hands, her elbows on her knees as tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. This couldn't be happening.

She started down at the ground, taking a few steps forward so that she could lean against the bathroom wall. Where was the blood? Why was there no blood? Why hadn't it come yet?

Aubrey bit her lip to hold back a sob. She knew one perfectly good reason why there was no blood in her underwear, why she hadn't started her cycle… because the cycle had gone in a totally different direction.

Was she… pregnant?

It was the only thought running through Aubrey's mind. And it was the only thought running through Levi's, too. He was standing right outside the bathroom door, praying that she would come out and tell him that she'd seen red in her underwear. But she hadn't.

There was no way she could have hidden it from him. He knew her cycle better than she did, always running a hot bath for her on the morning of the first day before she even woke up. Making her breakfast and letting her eat it on the bed. Laying out her uniform for her so she hardly even had to think. Somehow, he always managed to keep track of exactly when it was going to happen and he always managed to make her feel better.

But it had been four days now… and still nothing.

The first day hadn't caused her much concern. She had an extremely regular cycle, almost always coming on the day it was supposed to, but the hour varied quite a bit. It could come in the morning or late at night. Both weren't out of the ordinary.

So, when she'd undressed at the end of the day only to find no blood in her underwear, she'd simply shrugged and told Levi that they still had time for a blood-free hour in the bed. Which he'd been rather excited about.

But when she'd woken the next morning to find nothing on the sheets or in her pants… she'd started to worry. She was hardly ever late. Hardly ever. But… it had happened before, so she'd decided to keep calm. When she was late, it had never been by more than a couple of days. So, she'd just wait it out.

When night had come around, though, and Levi had torn her pants off only for them to find that there wasn't a single speck of blood, he'd actually made them stop and talk about it. The furrowed brows and hard look in his eyes had spent spikes of worry and horror all through Aubrey's body, but she'd assured him that they shouldn't think too hard about it. It would come in an hour, two hours, maybe by morning at the latest. But it would come.

It hadn't. On the third day, Aubrey had woken before Levi only to instantly be jolted from the haziness of sleep when she realized that she still didn't feel any kind of wetness in her pants. She'd shot out of bed and raced to the bathroom to check, waking Levi in the process and listening to him speak to her through the door as she shook her head and stared at the completely blood-free set of underwear she'd worn all night. It still hadn't come.

When she'd finally given in to Levi's pleading, she'd opened the door only to have him see her biting her lip and shaking her head in shame. He'd just picked her up and carried her back to the bed, whispering in her ear that they were going to give it one more day. If it still hadn't come by tomorrow morning, they would talk about it. One more day.

But that day had passed and now it was the next morning and Aubrey was standing in the bathroom, slumped against the wall as tears ran down her face and she bit back sobs. Still no blood. Not even a drop.

How could this be happening?

Had they missed the tea one day? That didn't seem possible. Levi never forgot. He was absolutely meticulous about not only how he made her tea, but also making sure she drank every bit of it. And, even if he had forgotten, surely she would have caught it. Right?

But, anything was possible. Maybe they'd both just… blanked? No matter how hard she searched her memory, she couldn't remember if there was a day they could have possibly missed the tea. It had become so routine that they just went through the motions now.

So, maybe she was pregnant. But…

How was she supposed to go out there and tell him?

She and Levi wanted children, yes, but they were still too young and they still didn't live in a world that either of them wanted to bring another person into. Plus, they only saw each other for three months of the year. She was on base with Levi right now for her leave, but she'd be heading back to the north in a couple of weeks.

Their lives weren't set up for this. They were soldiers, not civilians, and they couldn't be fighting and risking their lives on the regular when they had a child relying on them to return. And the training camp… what the hell would happen to that? Aubrey knew she certainly couldn't be full on sparring with soldiers and flipping around on 3DMG when she was pregnant. Those didn't seem like very safe activities. None of this worked. If she really was pregnant, it was going to turn their lives upside down just when they were starting to figure them out.

Aubrey let a sob slip through by accident and instantly slapped a hand over her mouth. But it was too late. Levi had already heard.

"Aubrey?"

She heard the doorknob rattle as he tried to get in and heard him grunt as his frustration grew.

"Aubrey, come out here, please."

Even though it was muffled by the door, Aubrey could still hear the comforting and steady tone in his voice. She knew that was all for her benefit and that he was probably exploding on the inside, but she still appreciated the gesture. She wasn't sure she would have been able to face him if he'd sounded angry or scared. She was already angry and scared enough. Mostly scared.

But she needed to tell him now. She knew that. She figured he probably already knew since he'd heard her sobbing in the bathroom, but he still needed to hear it from her lips.

She kept one hand over her mouth, biting back the sobs, but being unable to do anything about the tears and the sniffles. And she was sure the sobs would be coming out as soon as she saw Levi's face. But there was no avoiding it. She had to tell him.

Aubrey put her hand on the doorknob, turning the lock and feeling Levi stop his rattling the instant she did. He was going to let her come to him.

So, with a few long and shaky breaths, Aubrey turned the knob and pulled the door open.

She kept her eyes on the ground for a moment. She wasn't anywhere near ready to face this. Her entire body was buzzing with horror and she felt like she was going to fall over. But, somehow, she managed to force herself to raise her head… and meet Levi's eyes.

She saw her own feelings reflected in his eyes. Horror, disbelief, panic, uncertainty… but he was hiding it better on his face. She could tell he was trying not to look worried for her and he was instead forcing a steady look. She wasn't fooled for a second. His eyes had always told her exactly how he truly felt and right now was no different.

She stared at him, her bottom lip starting to quiver as sobs made their way forward and, just as the first one burst from her lips, she shook her head.

There was nothing. No blood. Nothing. And they both knew what that meant.

Aubrey started crying uncontrollably and, instantly, she felt Levi's arms wrap around her, pulling her into his chest and tucking her head into his chest.

"It's alright, Aubrey. Don't cry. It's alright."

Aubrey shook her head. How could she not cry? All of this was so overwhelming, so unreal. She felt like her body and mind were being overloaded with thoughts, feelings, and emotions and the only way she could express them was through tears.

She felt so horrible. How could this have happened? They were always so careful, so consistent.

"I-I'm so s-sorry, Levi."

Aubrey could barely manage to stutter out the words. And they'd barely left her mouth before she felt his hand wrap around her chin and guide her eyes to his. He was shaking his head, tears of his own forming on his waterline and threatening to spill over. When he spoke, his voice was tight and Aubrey could tell his throat was closing up.

"Don't apologize, Aubrey. You know that. This is on both of us."

Aubrey gazed at him through blurry eyes and then nodded. Of course she knew he was right. She knew this wasn't her fault alone. It did take two after all. But she just felt so horrible and she knew he was feeling so horrible and an apology had been the first thing to tumble off her lips.

She tucked her head into his chest again, clawing at his shirt as he held her close, his lips pressing into her hair over and over again. Her mind was swirling, her thoughts just incoherent messes of panic. She didn't know what to think, what to do. She couldn't do this. She couldn't do this. And she was desperate enough that maybe she wouldn't do this.

She leaned her forehead against Levi's chest, taking deep breaths and trying to calm herself enough to speak semi-steadily.

"I-I can fix this. I can find someone who can… take it out. We'll just… get rid of it."

Aubrey felt Levi freeze, his grip tightening around her body. She started to look up at him to further elaborate, to make him see that they had to do it, that despite the fact that her gut was already churning with grief and horror, it was the only reasonable choice. They couldn't do this. They weren't ready and they weren't in a place to be parents. And the child… it didn't deserve to be brought into a world of horror and death and titans. It was the only option. But she never got the chance to say any of that..

Levi's hands found her face and he held her jaw so tightly that she couldn't move and inch as he stared down at her. Or maybe glared down at her. He looked furious, angry, frantic. But there was also horror and desperation. All of it mixed together sent a shiver down Aubrey's spine that left her stunned to silence.

"Absolutely not, Aubrey. You are not going to do that. You know how dangerous those things are. There's a good chance you'd die. You are not going to go to some piece of trash with a rusty knife. Absolutely not."

Aubrey stared up at him, more tears spilling out of her eyes as her body started to shake all over. If she didn't have Levi to lean against, she was sure she'd fall over. But she still had to speak. He'd only told her no, but he hadn't given any other solution. This was the only solution.

"I know that, Levi! I know! But we can find someone good, someone who knows what they're doing. There have to be real doctors out there that can do it better. Please, Levi. We can't do this. We're not ready. We're too young. We're soldiers. We don't even live together for most of the year! We can't do this!"

Aubrey knew it was over before she'd even finished her plea. Levi was already shaking his head.

"No, Aubrey. You don't… I can't… I can't let you. You don't know how many of my mother's friends thought the same thing. They'd come back to the brothel with blood seeping out all over their clothes and then it was only a matter of time before they died. Even if we found a real doctor, someone who claims to know what they're doing… it's just too dangerous, Aubrey. It's too much of a risk. We can't. You can't."

Aubrey's entire body shook as she cried. She knew he was right. The amount of women who died from those procedures was horrifying and it wasn't just poor women. Middle class, even upper class women died, too. And Aubrey was well aware that they'd probably thought the exact same thing as her, that they'd find someone who knew what they were doing. That they'd find a real doctor. And yet, despite their efforts, they still died. Levi was right. She had a much better chance of surviving… childbirth… than of surviving one of those procedures. And that was saying something. Childbirth was already dangerous enough.

But she still didn't feel like she could do this.

She stared straight into Levi's eyes, pleading with him to give her some kind of answer that would fix all of it. She knew there was no such answer, but she still craved it. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to do.

"What are we going to do, then?"

Aubrey wasn't sure if she meant to say the words or if they'd simply slipped out because they were running through her mind on repeat. But they'd come out regardless and Levi had heard them. And, despite the absolutely terrified look on his face, he seemed to have an answer.

One of his hands left her face and it slid down her body, grazing over her shoulder and her side until… it rested on her stomach. Aubrey froze, feeling like her heart was going to stop beating. But Levi only pulled her closer, his eyes turning sad and soft as his face hovered a few inches away from her.

"We're going to have a baby."

For a long moment, Aubrey couldn't breathe. She just couldn't comprehend, couldn't believe the words that had come out of his mouth. They were the words she'd been expecting, but they still felt so… unreal. He sounded insane. A… baby?

Aubrey felt her body start to shake even more violently than before. This time, even leaning on Levi wasn't going to save her. And Levi seemed to know it, too.

He bent down, scooping her off the floor and swiftly carrying her to the bed as she started to cry into his shoulder. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to make her pain, her discomfort, her terror, all of it, go away. But he couldn't. This wasn't something he could solve with the right actions or words. This was something life-altering. And he was just as scared as her.

Carefully, he shifted Aubrey in his arms as he crawled onto the bed. They needed to lie down for a few minutes and calm themselves. There was still a lot more to discuss, but neither of them would be able to think clearly in this state. They were both in shock.

Levi lowered them both down to the mattress and then pulled Aubrey close, tucking her head into his chest and rubbing his hand up and down her back in soothing motions. He was shaken to his core, but he could imagine that Aubrey might somehow be feeling even more overwhelmed. If she really was pregnant, she was the one who would have to carry a child for nine months. Or… carry their child for nine months.

Levi felt a shiver take over his body and he pulled her closer, pressing his lips to her hair. There was so much to think about and work through and yet he had no idea where to start. His brain was moving a million miles a minute and every time a solid sentence started to form in his mind, it slipped away and morphed into some new thought. He was lost.

"Levi…"

Levi was snapped from his bundle of confusion when he heard Aubrey whimper his name. He instantly felt guilty. He should have been doing more. Cradling her, talking to her, kissing her, anything. He'd ventured off into his own mind and left her on her own.

He inched her body up his chest until she was eye to eye with him and he could see her face. His brows knit together when he got a good look. Endless tears stained her cheeks and her face was red and flustered. She was sniffling and clenching her teeth to hold back her sobs and it broke him. She was so scared.

And so was he.

Levi brought a hand to her cheek, wiping away the tears even though they were just replaced by more almost immediately. She was scared and hurt and panicked and helpless and shaken and he felt the same… but he was going to have to guide her through this. He was the only one who could guide her through this. She needed him to be strong right now and he would always be what she needed. So, no matter how clueless and rattled he was, he had to think. He had to get his thoughts together. Aubrey needed him.

Levi leaned forward, lightly pressing his lips to hers before touching their foreheads together and whispering to her.

"You're gonna be okay, Aubrey. We're gonna be okay. We're gonna figure this out. It'll be alright. I know you're scared, but it'll all work out." He wrapped her hand around the back of her neck, pulling her even closer. "You're so strong, Aubrey. You can do this. I know you don't think you can, but… you can. I know you can."

He heard her whimper again and a wave of pure sadness went through him. He hated this. She was terrified and he was terrified and this wasn't how things were supposed to go. The day she told him she was pregnant was supposed to be happy, one of the best days of their lives. But timing had suddenly turned this day into a horror story.

"I-I don't know, Levi. I don't feel like I can do this. I'm not ready. We're too young to have a baby. How are we going to make this work? I'm a soldier, a captain. I can't be pregnant. That's not going to work. How are we going to do this?"

Levi's first thought was that he had absolutely no clue how they were going to do this. He was just as overwhelmed as her. But then he remembered his earlier promise to be strong for her, to guide her. Right now, he had to force himself to think. Really think. They needed a plan and Aubrey wasn't in any kind of shape to think of one. So, he'd do it.

Levi took a breath and forced himself to clear his mind and put together the pieces. What did they need to do first? What came after that? What came after that?

He wished he could think it all out before he started talking, but Aubrey was waiting for his reassurance, so he'd have to think while he talked. But he could do that. He could do that.

"The first thing we do is tell Erwin-"

"No!"

Aubrey cut him off instantly. No, no, no, no, no. They weren't telling Erwin anything. The idea of telling Erwin that she'd accidentally gotten pregnant was too horrible to bear. She could hardly even think about it without wanting to bang her head against a wall. She could already imagine the look on his face. Those blue eyes looking straight through and seeing all the shame and horror in her soul and the horribly awkward and awful conversation they'd have to have about her pregnancy. She couldn't stand it. The very thought made her want to crawl out of her skin.

"You didn't let me finish, Aubrey."

She was suddenly brought out of the torturous vision of telling Erwin and her brows furrowed as she processed Levi's words. She stared at him, horror mixed with confusion written all across her features.

Levi sighed and held her tighter as he continued to explain himself.

"We have to tell Erwin that I'm taking the day off."

Aubrey relaxed instantly. Just telling him that Levi had to take the day off. That was fine. No problem, but…

"Why?"

Aubrey stared into Levi's eyes, as she waited for his answer. He gave it to her immediately.

"Because there's no way in hell I'm going to leave you alone for even a second today. Plus, I'd be a shitty captain today. I wouldn't be able to think about anything other than you. Even paperwork would be pointless."

Even at such a tension-filled and panicked time, Aubrey saw the sweetness in his words. All he'd be thinking about was her. Aubrey knew it was true. All she would be thinking about was him. He was right. It would be best if he took the day off and stayed with her. The only question was what their excuse was going to be.

"What are you going to tell him?"

Levi hummed and let out a long breath. He'd already come up with an excuse that he was sure would be perfectly acceptable.

"I'll just say you're sick and need me to stay home and take care of you. There's no way in hell he'd say no to that."

Aubrey felt the tiniest smile come to her lips. Levi was right. There was no way Erwin would say no to that. In fact, he'd probably be concerned enough to ask if he should send for a doctor.

Aubrey nodded, silently agreeing with Levi's choice of excuse. It was a good one.

"But, Aubrey…"

She gave Levi her full attention, a tiny smile still on her lips. Until he started talking again.

"If this is for real…" Levi paused for a moment and Aubrey felt her whole body tense again, her smile disappearing. The tension only got worse when she felt Levi slide his hand down her body until it was resting on her stomach, right where… their possible child would be growing. "We're going to have to tell him the truth sooner rather than later."

Aubrey felt the tears in her eyes again. She didn't want to think about this. She didn't want to think about any of this. The horror wasn't lessening one bit. She was horrified.

She shook her head in denial, but still managed to squeak out a response.

"Let's wait until I've missed two. If I miss two, then we know it's real. Then we can tell him."

Aubrey saw a deep sadness overtake Levi's features as he stared at her. He seemed reluctant, like he didn't want to say what came next. But he had to. So he did.

"No, Aubrey. We're going to give it a week."

Aubrey's eyes flew open, her throat closing up in shock as she gaped at him. A week? What the hell was he talking about? Tell Erwin in a week?

Levi pressed closer to her, making sure to keep his eyes on hers at all times as he tried to calm her and make her see reason as he explained.

"Listen, Aubrey. You're supposed to go back to the north in two weeks. That's not enough time for us to know if you're going to miss two. And you know that there is absolutely no way I'm letting you go back to the north to train yourself ragged when you could be pregnant." Aubrey could only continue to stare at him as he went on. "So, we need to tell Erwin that there's at least a possibility if there's still nothing in a week. I'm not going to let you out of my sight if you're pregnant with our child, and Erwin certainly isn't going to allow you to continue your regular duties. If there's even a possibility, Aubrey, I'm not letting you go back to the north. No way." Aubrey saw him take a deep breath as he gathered his final thoughts. She was still gaping at him. "So, in one week, if there's still nothing, we're going to tell Erwin and then we're going to sit down and make a plan with him." Aubrey grimaced and Levi held her tighter. "I know you hate that. I'm sorry. But we have to do it. Your safety and…" Aubrey saw him trail off and his eyes widened. He swallowed and then spit out the words. "The baby's safety are most important."

Aubrey choked on air. The baby?

She still couldn't believe this was happening. She was fully aware that she was probably still in shock and that none of this was going to feel real for a little while until the initial adrenaline started to wear off. But it all just seemed so… fake.

"I think it goes without saying that camp will be shut down. It can't run without you and you certainly can't run it while pregnant. And even after you…" Levi trailed off again and she saw him swallow as he spit out another difficult word. "Give birth, I'm not going to give a single shit about Erwin's fucking goals and his reasons for keeping you in the north. He is not going to separate our family. Neither of us is ever going to be separated from our child."

Aubrey was still in shock, but she already knew… this was one area where they completely agreed. If she really was pregnant and they really did have a baby, there was no way they were ever going to be separated from each other or their child. It was one thing for the two of them to be separated. It hurt like hell to be apart every single day, but they were both adults and they both knew their separation was for their children. They were separated in hopes that they could create a world that would allow them to buy the shop in town and keep their children safe. But, if this was real and their child was going to be born now, there was no safer place for them to be than with their parents. Even now, Aubrey knew they'd sacrifice the world for their child. A baby couldn't be raised in two different places and Aubrey was well aware that neither herself nor Levi's would be able to care for a baby alone. Neither of them had any clue what to do and they'd be relying on each other tremendously. And, finally, despite the fact that having a baby right now horrified her even more than the titans did… Aubrey knew that she would love their child so much it hurt. She wouldn't be able to bear being separated from them for even the smallest amount of time. It would crush her.

So, on this, she and Levi agreed completely.

She nodded.

Levi let out a long, relieved, breath. He'd been sure she would feel the same way, but seeing her agree without argument was reassuring. They were on the same page somewhere. But there was still plenty more.

He stared at her, his mind still churning. He'd never thought this through before and only now was he realizing just how much thought and effort went into just this beginning of… being a parent. He swallowed again, choosing not to think too hard about that particular subject. There was absolutely no way he was ready to be a father, but he could unpack that later. Right now, he had to keep talking to Aubrey and telling her that he had it figured out, that he would guide her. Even if he was just as clueless as she was.

"You're going to have to take a desk job for a long time. At least for the whole time you're pregnant and then I'd prefer that you didn't jump right back into training when we get off of leave with the baby… but I guess I can't really stop you as long as you're healthy."

Aubrey huffed. Damn right he couldn't stop her. She wasn't going to keep a desk job for a second longer than she had to. Odds were that she'd be completely and totally bored within the first week and Levi would still probably insist that she take an endless amount of breaks despite the fact that she'd only be sitting around all day.

"And then… we'll have to find a midwife."

Aubrey clutched Levi's shirt in her hands. A midwife? It made sense, but Levi was so far ahead of her. She was still thinking about the fact that there was no blood in her pants and he was already thinking about midwife visits.

Hopefully, they wouldn't need to visit a midwife. Aubrey was still clinging to the hope that this was a false alarm. After all, it had only been four days and her period usually lasted five or six. So, they still had a couple of days before she'd really even officially missed a period. But she also knew that she was grasping at straws. She was hardly ever late in the first place and the fact that she was four days late was enough to tell her that something was wrong, something was different.

And the most likely reason that something was different… was that she was pregnant.

Aubrey closed her eyes, more tears spilling down her cheeks as Levi wiped them away and kissed her forehead. But she still nodded. He was right. If this was real, they'd need to find a midwife.

"We're going to get the best one there is. I don't care about the price or anything else. We're going to get the best."

Levi watched her nod, tears staining her face. He just pulled her even closer, kissing her cheek and holding her shaking body. When he said he was going to get the best, he meant it. He'd never spoken his fears out loud, but the fact that Aubrey's mother had died in childbirth absolutely terrified him. He knew those things weren't necessarily hereditary, but… still. It horrified him. So, they were going to get the best and only the best. It would ease his mind just a tiny bit.

"And what about when we have the baby?"

Aubrey's voice was shaky and soft, barely above a whisper. But it was all Levi could hear, all he could focus on.

"What do we do when we actually have a baby in our arms, Levi? Do we leave the military? We can't! The Scouts are…" Aubrey trailed off, but Levi knew what she meant. The Scouts were their purpose, their family, their lives. "But, the baby… we can't be risking our lives when we have a child that needs us to come back. We can't let them lose their parents. If we have a baby, we have to raise them right, Levi. Not with a dead parent or two dead parents. We can't do that to them."

Levi grit his teeth. This was one question he didn't have an answer for. She was right. It seemed like the only option was to leave the Scouts. But… how could they? Both of them were needed and they'd already devoted their lives to the cause. They'd wanted to create a world that was safe for their child… but their child had come too soon.

Levi let out a breath. He didn't have an answer. And, for now, they'd just have to accept that.

"I don't know, Aubrey. I don't know. But we have nine months to figure it out."

"Only nine months."

Levi's eyes widened and Aubrey cried a little harder, whimpers escaping her lips as she continued.

"And If I'm pregnant we're already more than four weeks in."

Levi's eyes widened even further and he swallowed as his gaze moved down Aubrey's body to settle on her stomach. It all seemed so unreal. Was she really… pregnant? And she was already four weeks pregnant? He couldn't believe it. His hand trailed down her body to settle on her stomach again and he felt another sob wrack her body. He instantly leaned over, kissing her cheek and nuzzling into her neck for a moment. Was their child really growing right beneath his palm? Was this all… real?

"I can't do this, Levi! I can't carry a child! I'm not ready to grow a baby! And I'm not ready to be a parent! I'm not ready to be a mother!"

Levi could hear the sheer panic in her voice and she was clutching at him as her breaths started to come faster and faster. She was losing herself… and he could understand why. He didn't know much about pregnancy, but he knew it wasn't easy. Nausea, fatigue, cravings, mood swings. It didn't seem like an easy thing to do at all. And then her body would change… a lot. Not to mention the fact that this was all so unexpected and every symptom would just be a reminder of how unprepared they were. And then there was the birth… Levi could hardly even bring himself to think about that. The idea of Aubrey being in such unbearable and horrible pain… he was sure that was something he'd never be prepared for.

But if this was the real thing… there was no avoiding it. She was going to grow their child and then she was going to give birth to them whether they were prepared or not. So… they'd just have to do their best to be prepared.

Levi pulled away from Aubrey's neck and instead pressed their foreheads together again, staring into her eyes and doing his best to sound both comforting and sure. Because what he was about to say… it was something that he was absolutely sure of. Not once had he ever doubted it. It was fact.

"I know you're not ready to be a mother, Aubrey… but you're going to be such a good one." Levi stared at her, seeing her eyes open a tiny bit. "The best one."

Aubrey felt her lips starting to quiver again and, before she knew it, she was full on sobbing. She threw herself at him, burying her face in his neck as he held her, telling her it was all going to work out and kissing her hair.

"Levi…"

Aubrey whimpered his name over and over again and he hardly knew what to do. He ended up simply lying there, holding her as tightly as he could and continuing to tell her how much he loved her and that no matter what they were going to figure this out. Because it was true. They would figure it out. It was scary and terrifying and they had absolutely no idea what they were doing… but they'd figure it out. They always did.

Aubrey wasn't sure how long she cried for. Levi cried too, but not as… aggressively. She knew he was being strong for her and she would never be able to express how grateful she was for that. If he'd broken, too, she wasn't sure how she would ever have stopped her tears.

But, eventually, her tears did stop. She grew so tired, so absolutely exhausted. She felt disgusting, with tears and nervous sweat and aching muscles. And it was still only 7 o'clock in the morning.

But Aubrey knew that she'd have to calm herself even further. Levi would have to leave her for a few minutes to go tell Erwin he was taking the day off. But even those few minutes felt too long and the thought of him leaving her for even a second made her want to burst into tears again. But he had to go. And Levi knew that, too.

He felt horrible that he had to go, but if he didn't someone would come looking for him and that would be worse. But he had a plan. Aubrey needed to relax and he wasn't going to let her lift a finger for the next week while they waited to find out if she was actually carrying their child. So, for the next week, he was going to take care of her. He'd take every day of the week off if he thought she needed him to, and if he did work, he'd only do paperwork in his office with her seated in his lap the entire time. Aubrey needed him and he needed her and they weren't going to be separated for a second.

Except… these upcoming seconds when he went to tell Erwin.

But, he really did have a plan.

He knew that she was already exhausted from the crying and the overwhelming sense of worry and while he was gone he just wanted her to relax and stay calm. Even if he was only gone for a few minutes he still needed to be sure that she was relaxing and staying calm. He wouldn't be able to leave if he thought she'd break down.

So, he rubbed his hand up and down Aubrey's back, trying to soothe her even further. He could tell just how exhausted she already was from the way her breaths were falling heavily on the skin of his neck and also from the way that her grip on his body had loosened significantly since she'd started holding him. She was tired.

He tugged her closer, bringing his mouth to her ear and being careful to speak quietly. He didn't want to jar her or startle her with a normal speaking voice.

"Let's get you a nice hot bath. You can just relax in there while I go see Erwin. I promise I won't be long. When I get back, we'll get you in some clean clothes, I'll make you breakfast, and then we can just lie here in bed, okay?"

Levi rubbed her back again and he heard her sniffle as she pulled him just a tiny bit closer.

"Okay."

He let out a small sigh, relieved that she'd agreed without a fight. He'd been worried that she'd start crying again when he'd told her he was going to go see Erwin and then he'd end up being unable to leave. He could never do anything but hold her when she was crying.

But, she wasn't crying, and he was going to be able to go. Although, he'd be hurrying right back to her once he was done.

So, Levi pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her body and lifting her up as they slid off the bed. He carried her to the bathroom, her face tucked into his chest as he kissed her hair. He was already feeling anxious about leaving and they hadn't even made it to the tub yet.

When they got to the bathroom, Levi immediately walked over to the bathtub, plugging the drain and turning on the water until it reached just the right temperature. He ran some soap under the water, too, just to give her some suds to relax in. And he used the rose scented soap. That was her favorite.

But, as soon as he was satisfied with the amount of bubbles he'd created, he set the soap aside and fully turned his attention to Aubrey. He'd set her on the edge of the tub and kept one of his hands in hers the entire time he'd been getting the bath ready, but he still felt like he'd neglected her somehow. She was just so fragile right now. And for more than one reason. Not only was her mind on the edge of breaking, but her body… there was a decent chance it was growing their child.

Levi met her eyes for just a moment, trying not to let the helpless look on her face break him. He wished so badly that this could have been happening at the right time. If it had, they'd be giggling and kissing and feeling more excited than they ever had in their entire lives rather than crying and staring at each other in horror. He wished so badly that it could have been the former… but it wasn't.

Levi brought his hands to Aubrey's face, pulling her in gently and pressing his lips to hers. He kissed her gently, suddenly feeling like he might break her if he did anything more. It felt like she was made of glass.

He didn't keep her for too long, just enough to give her a bit of reassurance and comfort. As awful as it was, that was all he could offer her right now. His affection.

He pressed his forehead to hers as he brought his fingers to the seam of her shirt. He worked the fabric up slowly, softly kissing her cheek or her neck as he pulled it. But, eventually, it came time to pull the shirt over her head and he moved back as Aubrey raised her arms. He tugged the shirt gently over her head, instantly returning his lips to her skin the second he could. But there was still more to do.

His fingers traveled down her sides and he found her waistband. He wrapped one arm around her lower back, pulling her into his chest and lifting her just enough to slide her pants past her hips. He took her underwear, too, and then, slowly, he set her back down on the edge of the tub.

He started to pull her clothing down the rest of her legs, but he froze when his eyes landed on the completely blood-free pad in her underwear.

His brows furrowed and a small frown formed on his lips. Never in his life had he thought he'd be so upset that Aubrey hadn't had to deal with the annoyance of a period.

Levi quickly kept moving, pulling the pants and underwear completely off Aubrey's body. He couldn't allow her to see that he was shaken up. He didn't want her to get upset herself. She was already so broken.

So, he tossed the rest of her clothing to the side and stood before leaning over and turning off the water. The tub was full.

He quickly wrapped his arms around Aubrey's body and gave her a quick glance to make sure she was ready to get in. She gave him the smallest of nods and then he kissed her hair one last time before lowering her into the hot water.

He felt her relax instantly in his arms and his worry eased just the tiniest bit. Maybe the bath really would help her while he was gone.

He positioned her so that she could lean her head back on the edge of the tub and then let go after just a few more seconds. But, his efforts to get her to lie back were ruined when she instantly moved to the side of the tub, a wet hand coming out of the water to hold his own. He took it without complaint.

He looked into hers eyes, again seeing the terror, but now there was also longing. She didn't want him to go.

But he had to. For just a little while.

He raised a hand to her face, leaving wet fingerprints on her cheek. His arms were still soaked from lowering her into the tub. But he couldn't have cared less.

He leaned close to her, speaking in a low and soft voice.

"I'll just be a few minutes. Is there anything you want before I go? A book? A snack?"

He watched closely as she shook her head.

"No…" She took a small breath that sounded more like a desperate gasp. "No, just… hurry back."

He nodded, quickly leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. He was almost frantic to reassure her. Of course he'd hurry. How could he not hurry?

As soon as they broke away he spoke to her again, still keeping his voice low and soft.

"I will. I will. Just stay right here and try to relax, alright? I promise I'll be right back."

He saw Aubrey's eyes start to glisten with tears and his throat started to close as he stroked her cheek.

She squeezed his hand as she answered.

"Okay."

Levi knew he had to stand, but every bone in his body was telling him not to. The look in her eyes told him exactly how much she needed him and now he was about to walk away from her. But, if he didn't go, someone would come looking for him and that would just make everything worse. Aubrey didn't need to be disturbed right now. She just needed to relax.

So, using every ounce of strength he had, Levi leaned forward, placed one last kiss on her lips, and then stood.

Aubrey stared up at him and felt horribly that she couldn't even muster a comforting smile for him. He was doing so much for her… and she couldn't even soothe him.

But, even if she couldn't give him a smile, she would let him go. He had to go. She knew that.

So, with a last squeeze of hand in his, she gave him a nod and watched the pained expression on his face as he finally turned and walked out, gently closing the bathroom door behind him.

Aubrey felt like crying almost immediately. She didn't though. If she was going to do that, she at least had to wait until Levi was out in the hall. So, she sank back into the water, leaning her head on the edge of the tub as she took shaky breaths.

Now that Levi was gone, it was up to her to hold herself together. And to think all of this through.
Levi had done the thinking for her and given her a plan that had eased her worry just the tiniest bit in the moment. But, if she was being honest, she'd still yet to really process it. She felt like she was having an out of body experience. Which was strange, considering that the thing that was causing all of this worry was happening inside her body.

That thought stuck in Aubrey's mind.

What was happening inside her body? Was she really growing a child? She didn't feel like she was. She felt perfectly fine. No nausea or fatigue or anything like that. But, then again, maybe it was too early for that. Maybe she really was carrying a child and she just hadn't started to feel it yet.

A child.

Aubrey blinked, staring at the ceiling and trying to make it all make sense.

A child. Her child. Levi's child. Their child.

Aubrey took a sharp breath. Their child.

Aubrey sat up, the water splashy angrily at the sudden movement, but she paid it no mind. Her attention was elsewhere. She was looking down… at her stomach.

It almost seemed like a foreign sight, like it wasn't really even her body despite the fact that she'd seen it a million times before and it was attached to the rest of her. But… maybe it was foreign. Maybe there really was something completely and totally new there. Someone.

Aubrey took another harsh breath, feeling her heart rate rise even though she was only sitting in the bathtub. Her body was reacting to a different kind of exertion than physical. Her mind was racing and she was completely overwhelmed with the realizations that were just now setting in. Assuming all of this was real… she was carrying their child. A child they'd talked about countless times, even if they had imagined meeting them much further down the road. But, despite the timing… maybe she needed to start seeing all of this in a different light. If she really was going to have a baby it wouldn't do anyone any good to be scared and upset the whole time. Of course, it was scary and upsetting, but… maybe it could also be exciting. In fact, it needed to be exciting. No child deserved to come into the world being seen as an "accident" or a "mistake". Even if this baby was unplanned, Aubrey knew they needed to be excited. It was the only way they would get through this. And, in a way, she already was excited. This was something she and Levi had talked about for years… and it was here. A little haphazardly… but it was still here. They were going to have a baby. A baby.

Another shaky breath left Aubrey's lips. They were going to do this. Somehow, they'd make it work. They always did.

Aubrey kept staring at her stomach, but her hands slowly moved beneath the water. She could feel her body shaking as her fingers finally landed on her stomach. A jolt went through her and she gasped even though there was nothing different. It was still just her stomach, but… was she holding someone beneath her hands? If she was… how big were they? Were they a boy or a girl? How much longer until she'd get to meet them?

"Aubrey?"

Aubrey's eyes widened immediately and her head snapped to the side as she saw the bathroom door open, Levi standing in the entrance.

How long had she been sitting there, staring at her stomach? How could he already be back? The instant Levi's eyes landed on her, he froze.

Aubrey instantly felt embarrassed and ashamed. Levi had just walked in her holding her stomach when they were still reeling from the idea that she might be pregnant. She had no idea how he was feeling about all of this. She knew he was scared and worried, just like she was, and she also knew that he couldn't be completely opposed to having a baby, considering he'd been the one to convince her they needed to see this through… but… she didn't know if he held any kind of excitement or even hope for the future yet. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't. They'd only really started thinking about the fact that she might be pregnant less than a half-hour ago. She couldn't expect him to be excited or happy or hopeful.

So, Aubrey quickly let her hands drop away from her stomach and she stared at Levi, waiting for him to speak, to move, to breathe, to do anything.

And, after a few seconds, he did do something. But not what Aubrey had been expecting. He smiled.

It was just a small smile, perhaps mixed with a bit of sadness, but it was still a smile nonetheless. And it made a wave of hope rush through Aubrey's entire body.

Levi stepped fully into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and then making his way over to the tub. He kneeled down instantly and Aubrey stared anxiously at him, unsure of what to say or do. But Levi did it for her. One of his hands went to her cheek, pulling her closer as he continued to give her that same soft and sad smile. But his other hand… his other hand dipped into the water and found her own. Aubrey's eyes widened when he brought her palm back to her stomach, pressing his hand over the top of hers.

Aubrey was even more frozen than before. She could hardly breathe. Was he… happy?

"Don't be embarrassed, Aubrey." Levi stroked her cheek, bringing her even closer as he brushed his lips over hers. "Even if this isn't… ideal… it's still our baby. Our baby, Aubrey. And… if they're really in there…" Aubrey felt Levi press his hand just a tiny bit harder against her stomach for emphasis. "Then I can't wait to meet them."

Aubrey felt tears in her eyes almost immediately. He was always so perfect, so supportive, and he always seemed to know exactly what she needed to hear. He'd come so far with words since they'd first gotten together. Now, they seemed to come naturally. He hardly ever faltered. But, sometimes Aubrey wondered if that was because he was actually better with words… or if he simply knew her so well that he didn't even have to think anymore. She had a feeling it was the latter. And, right now, she was so entirely grateful for that.

Aubrey felt a tear spill over and Levi wiped it away before wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her in for a kiss. Aubrey kissed him right back. Desperately. He was so good to her, always so good to her. And she knew that would never change.

Aubrey felt like she wanted the kiss to last forever, but Levi pulled away after just a few moments, whispering to her again.

"Erwin gave me the day off. No questions asked."

Aubrey nodded, relieved to hear that he could stay with her, though she'd never expected Erwin to deny Levi in the first place.

Levi stroked her cheek again, brushing a few locks of wet hair out of her face and tucking them behind her ear. Aubrey leaned into his touch and suddenly decided that she needed to get out of the tub now. She wanted him to hold her.

But she didn't even get to stand before Levi apparently read her mind and spoke again.

"Stay here for another minute. I'll get you some clean clothes."

Aubrey nodded, leaning in again and kissing him one last time before he stood. Levi kissed her right back, pulling her closer and gently rubbing his hand over hers on her stomach. The action sent a jolt through Aubrey's body, but she didn't let it show. As surprising as it was, she was happy beyond words that Levi was on the same page as her. They'd figure this out. And if they had a baby, they were going to love them more than anything else in the world. Except maybe each other. There was no possible way they could ever love someone more than they loved each other, but they certainly had no qualms about adding another person that they loved equally.

Levi broke away from the kiss again after just a few moments and gave Aubrey a soft smile. She gave him just the tiniest upturn of her lips in return and then, after one last look, he pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered to her.

"Be right back."

Aubrey nodded again and then Levi stroked her cheek one last time before standing from his crouch and making his way across the bathroom. When he stepped out, Aubrey didn't fail to notice that he left the door open. Probably so that she could see him while he got her clothes ready.

Her smile grew a little bit and she leaned back in the tub, resting her head on the edge as her eyes followed Levi around the main room. He moved gracefully and swiftly, making his way to the closet and shuffling through their clothes. Aubrey watched as he pulled out her favorite pair of pants and one of his own shirts. She huffed a small laugh. He had a habit of giving her one of his own shirts whenever she asked for comfy clothes. She had a feeling that he thought "comfy" equated to "baggy", but she never complained. Quite honestly, his shirts were comfy. Sometimes she slept in them just for the hell of it.

Levi pulled out some underwear for her, too, and then neatly folded everything into a small pile before picking it all up and returning to the bathroom.

He walked in silently, setting the clothes down on the sink and then reaching into the cabinet underneath and pulling out a clean towel and a pad. Aubrey's brows furrowed at the sight of the pad. She wasn't upset about it, it was just… confusing. Everything was so unsure and unstable. Would she need that pad? Would she not? All of it just added to the tension.

But, Aubrey didn't get to linger on all of that for long. Levi came over to the side of the tub, reaching his arms toward her as he spoke.

"Ready?"

Aubrey gave him another tiny smile and nodded, raising her arms as he picked her up and lifted her from the tub. She was well aware that she was getting water all over him, but he didn't seem to mind. He was still in the clothes he'd slept in. He hadn't bothered to change before he'd gone to see Erwin.

Aubrey was slightly surprised by that fact. Levi never left the room without being perfectly and pristinely dressed. His uniform was always pressed and free of wrinkles and even on their days off, his casual clothing was plain, but immaculate. But, he'd gone straight to Erwin in his pajamas. In his defense, Levi's pajamas were just a loose pair on black pants and a cotton t-shirt, but, still… it showed just how rushed he'd been.

Levi set her down on the edge of the tub, quickly reaching for the towel he'd gotten out and wrapping it around her shoulders. Aubrey sighed when his hands started working over her body, pressing into her skin with the towel to remove any lingering water. It was entirely relaxing and… it was comforting. Levi was taking good care of her, just like he always did when she needed him. And, while she'd usually tell him that she wasn't made of glass and that he didn't have to watch her like a hawk, right now she had absolutely no problem with him doing everything for her. She kind of did feel like she was made of glass.

So, Aubrey let Levi work the towel over her body, noticing when he lingered on her stomach for just a second. But he quickly moved on and he was done with his job just a moment later.

He reached for the clothes next and helped her slide a bra up her arms before hooking it in the back. Next came her underwear and he placed the pad in her hands as he helped her hook the underwear around her ankles. She slid the pad into place and then Levi wrapped an arm around her back and helped her stand before sliding her underwear the rest of the way up her body until they were settled on her hips. He pressed his lips to her cheek before reaching for the shirt he'd grabbed her, one of his own, and then slipping it on over her head. That left just the pants. He'd grabbed her favorite pair, the ones she always wore whenever they decided to have a lazy day in bed. And that's what this day was going to be. They were going to start a fire, get some food, and lie in bed with his arms wrapped around her while he assured her over and over again that everything was going to be alright. Because it would be. No matter what.

So, Levi took her hand and put it on his shoulder, silently telling her to hold onto him for stability while he helped her out. He crouched down with the pants in his hands, helping her slide her feet in before working the fabric up her legs and over her hip. He'd brought some socks for her, too, and he helped her slip those on. Sometimes her feet got horrifyingly cold and he didn't want any part of her to be uncomfortable right now.

When she'd finished slipping her feet into the socks, Levi stood again, taking her face in his hands and pulling her in for another short and gentle kiss. He still felt like he could break her with just a single rough movement and he couldn't shake that feeling. So, today, she wasn't going to lift a finger.

As soon as he broke away from their kiss, he led her over to the sink, pressing her toothbrush into her hands and then grabbing his own. They scrubbed and then spit and then Levi quickly leaned down and scooped her into his arms. Aubrey didn't say a word and she didn't even squeal. All she did was curl up into his chest as he kissed her hair.

He quickly walked out of the bathroom and headed for the bed. He laid her down carefully and gently, tucking her under the covers and then curling up next to her, one arm around her waist and the other on her cheek. He wished he could stay with her right now. He felt safest when he had her in his arms and he knew she felt the same… but he still needed to light a fire to make sure she stayed warm. The last thing he wanted was for her to catch a chill. That wouldn't be good for either her or the baby. And food. She needed food. She hadn't had breakfast yet and now she'd need food now more than ever. Definitely food.

So, he pulled her in and placed a light kiss on her forehead before whispering to her.

"Just relax right here. I'm going to start a fire and get you some breakfast. Just keep yourself warm and close your eyes. Go to sleep if you want."

Aubrey couldn't help the small smile that came to her lips. He was already being so gentle and cautious with her. She had a feeling she knew why, too. And despite the fact that she really didn't mind being taken care of right now, she didn't want him to worry himself sick.

"I'm not going to break in half, Levi. I'm alright. Physically, I feel completely fine."

Levi's brows furrowed instantly and Aubrey suddenly felt his hand on her stomach again. She nearly gasped but managed to hold it in as he spoke.

"You might feel fine now, Aubrey, but I still want you to rest, please. If this is real…" Levi trailed off for a second and his eyes flickered to her stomach before he looked back to her face. "Then your body is working hard. You're growing a person, Aubrey. And that… is amazing."

Aubrey didn't know what to say. She was stunned that he'd say such things, but she also… loved it. He cared so much. And she loved him for it.

So, slowly, she nodded and agreed to his plans.

Levi instantly gave her a smile, ecstatic that she'd given in so easily. She hardly ever agreed so easily. She was always putting up a fight about something. And he loved that about her… but this was something he really wanted her to do for him. It would put his mind at ease.

He leaned over, pressing his lips to hers for just a second and then smoothing her damp hair away from her face. He'd need to start a fire soon so that wet hair didn't give her a chill. So, with a last glance and a last gentle press of his palm to her stomach, he shifted off the bed and headed for the fireplace.

It didn't take him long to get a fire roaring. There were still a few embers burning from the night before, so he'd only had to add a few more logs and fan the flames. He was glad he'd been able to do it quickly. Every second that passed without the fire was a second with no warmth filling the room and he was still concerned about Aubrey catching a chill.

But, now he'd done all he could for that and he'd have to move on to getting a warm breakfast into her.

So, he made his way back to the bed again, kneeling at the edge and reaching out to stroke her hair as he whispered.

"What would you like for breakfast?"

He watched Aubrey gave him a tiny smile and he smiled back, happy to see that she was able to smile right now. Maybe she was figuring out that everything really was going to be alright. As long as they worked together, they could do anything.

"Pancakes?"

Levi's eyes narrowed instantly and he gave her an unamused look.

"Pick something more nutritious, please."

Aubrey rolled her eyes immediately, but Levi only waited. On any other day he would have made her pancakes happily, but today she had a lot more going on and that would probably require a breakfast with more… substance.

"Levi, even if I am pregnant, the baby certainly isn't going to be hurt by pancakes."

Levi only continued to stare at her, giving her an unamused look until, finally, she cracked.

"Fine, how about oatmeal? But at least put some fruit and honey in it. Oh, and some cinnamon, too, please."

Levi's frown instantly turned to a smile and he leaned forward to kiss her forehead before completely standing.

"Of course. Just call if you need me."

Aubrey gave him a tiny nod and then, with that, Levi reluctantly left her side and headed for the kitchen.

He got to work immediately, lighting a fire in the stove and then putting the kettle on for tea. After he was done with that, he got to work on the oatmeal, cooking it on the stove as he prepared the fruit and everything else that he'd be adding.

But, as he chopped, Levi couldn't help the way the thoughts and feelings started to creep in. All of this was… so much. If Aubrey really was pregnant, their lives were going to be turned upside down. It was horrifying, scary, uncertain and it made his insides churn. But… he was… excited. They'd always talked about having a child and while they'd only ever planned to do it when all of this was over and the world was safe, it seemed that their plans weren't going to follow through. But… when did they ever? Aubrey had planned to join the Scouts with her friends and find freedom. That hadn't ended happily. He himself had tried to live a peaceful life on the surface with the two people he considered his family. That hadn't worked, either. And when they'd found each other, they'd planned to live together for the rest of their lives and never be separated for a minute. Now Aubrey lived hours away in the mountains of the north for most of the year.

It didn't seem like their plans ever worked out… and maybe this was just another one of those times.

So, he was going to make the most of it. If Aubrey was going to give birth to their child, he was going to be there every step of the way. And he was going to be excited about it. He was going to be a father. And while that scared even more than almost anything… he would do his best. And with Aubrey beside him, he knew they'd be able to do it well. They wouldn't be perfect parents, he already knew that was impossible, but they'd do their best to give their child the world.

Levi was jolted from his thoughts at the sound of the whistling kettle. He blinked a few times, trying to ground himself, and then pulled it off the stove and set it aside. He readied the tea leaves and then got everything ready. And, soon enough, he had everything made and ready to eat.

He put all of their food on a tray, along with a cup of tea he'd reluctantly added milk and sugar to for Aubrey, and then carefully carried it back out to her.

He found her sitting up in bed, her eyes glazed over as she was lost in thought. But, at the sound of him rounding the corner, she snapped out of her daze and looked to him, a tiny smile on her lips.

Levi's heart jumped at the sight. She hadn't been sitting here wondering what they were going to do or thinking about how this was going to be the end of life as they knew it. Obviously, she'd been thinking about something else… something happy. And that made him happy.

He gave her a gentle smile back and set the tray on his bedside table before instantly crawling onto the bed. He took her in his arms, pulling her into his lap and pressing gentle kisses all over her face. He smiled brightly when she let out a tiny laugh. It was the first time she'd laughed today. And… that had to be a good sign.

Levi pressed one last kiss to her lips and her giggle was muffled slightly. But, he broke away just a few seconds later and reached for the food on the bedside table. It was time to get some food in her. She needed it.

He took her bowl of oatmeal and placed it in her hands gently, making sure she didn't burn her hands on the bowl. She didn't, so he reached for his own bowl, which he'd put considerably less honey and fruit in. Aubrey had a sweet tooth that continuously blew his mind.

"Eat."

Levi nudged the bowl closer to her and gave her a stern look. She followed his instructions immediately. She raised the spoon to her mouth and took a bite. She smiled instantly and Levi smiled back. He smiled even wider when she swallowed and leaned forward to kiss him. He kissed her right back.

But, when she leaned away again, Aubrey opened her mouth to start a conversation. She needed to fill the silence somehow.

"So… Erwin didn't ask questions, huh?"

Aubrey found it somewhat surprising that Erwin wouldn't give Levi a hard time. Not because he needed the day off, but because of the reason for his day off. She found it difficult to believe that he would've just agreed without asking a few questions.

Levi hummed as he swallowed his first bite of oatmeal.

"Well, he didn't ask anything I didn't expect him to."

Aubrey raised a brow, taking another bite of food. So, Erwin had asked questions.

Levi seemed to pick up on the fact that she was fishing for the story, or for anything distracting in general, so he took another bite and started to speak.

"He was in his office. I checked the Mess Hall first and Hange asked me if you were dead. They couldn't fathom any other reason I would have left our room in my pajamas."

Aubrey laughed a little and nearly choked on a bite of oatmeal. That was definitely something Hange would say. Levi only gave her a tiny glance and then continued.

"They told me Erwin had taken breakfast in his office, so I had to fucking hike my ass half way across the castle just find him." Aubrey smiled as she swallowed more oatmeal. So far, the story was doing a good job of distracting her. "When I got there I practically busted the door down and I told him you were sick and that I needed the day off to take care of you." Aubrey smiled again. The image of Levi busting Erwin's down was certainly good entertainment. "He nodded, so I tried to leave, but he started talking." Aubrey giggled. "He asked what was wrong with you and I told him…" Levi trailed off and, suddenly, he smirked at her. Aubrey's brows furrowed. Why would he be smirking? But, that thought soon left her mind when Levi's hand pressed to her stomach. She gasped, but Levi talked over her. "I told him you had a stomach bug."

Aubrey's eyes widened and she smacked his shoulder.

"Levi!"

Levi just leaned forward and nuzzled into the crook on her neck, a small huff of laughter leaving his lips.

"What? If this is real, then it wasn't far off…"
Aubrey rolled her eyes and angrily took another bite of oatmeal.

"That's the point. If we end up having to tell him about this next week I'm going to die of embarrassment."

Aubrey took another bite, realizing that her bowl was nearly empty now. Levi must have noticed, too, because the second she was done with the last bite, he took the bowl and set it to the side along with his own. His lips were back on her neck in a second.

"Hmm, well, he was rather concerned. He asked if he should come by to visit you-"
"Oh my God, Levi. Please tell me you said no."

Aubrey loved Erwin with all her heart and any other time she would have appreciated a visit when she wasn't feeling well… but, right now, she just needed to be with Levi. Alone. They needed to process all of this and figure out how they were feeling. They'd already made some progress, but it was going to take a long time to work all the way through it.

"I said no."

Aubrey sighed. Thank God. She wrapped her arms around Levi's neck and his hand pressed ever so slightly harder against her stomach. It felt… nice. It was warm and comforting and soft. She didn't think about the reason he was doing it, but she didn't want to worry about that right now anyway. She just wanted to sit here and have her fiancé comfort her. Because she needed him.

"But, he did ask if he should call for a doctor." Aubrey just knew he was smirking again. Her hand was twitching, ready to smack his shoulder the instant the words left his mouth. "I said maybe if it's not gone within a week."

Aubrey smacked him and groaned. If they really did have to tell Erwin she was pregnant he was going to remember just how much of a hint Levi had given him. The thought only made Aubrey flush harder.

Levi just chuckled again and pressed another light kiss to her neck. But she was done eating now and he wanted to be even closer to her.

So, gently, and with more caution than he'd ever had in his life, Levi wrapped his arms around her, one hand finding the small of her back and the other supporting her head as he lowered her slowly down to the mattress.

Aubrey gave him an amused and confused expression. He was being so careful, like he really truly believed that she was carrying their child and that any sudden movements would somehow hurt her or the baby. It was sweet… but it was also scary. If all of this was real, then she had nine months of an overly worried and overly cautious Levi on her hands. And she had a feeling he wouldn't believe her if she told him she could, in fact, move while pregnant. That would be a hard sell based on the fact that he was already treating her like she could break at any moment and they weren't even sure she was pregnant yet.

Aubrey gazed up at him as her back slowly sunk into the mattress, a softly smiling Levi hovering over her with his hand resting on her stomach again. She was surprised that he was so… willing. Obviously, neither of them had really wanted this or planned for it, but if it was going to happen, Levi seemed to be in the same place as her. They were going to do their best to be excited.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Aubrey almost rolled her eyes again. But she didn't. She knew he was just genuinely concerned about her.

So, she raised a hand to his cheek, her fingers grazing over his skin as she spoke.

"Yes, Levi, I promise I feel fine. I'm just… tired."

Levi's eyes softened as he stared down at her. He felt the same. They'd only been awake for an hour and yet it felt like they'd endured one of the longest days of their lives.

But, the fire was crackling, the morning light was shining in, Aubrey was warm and had a full stomach… perhaps in more ways than one… and Levi wanted to use this day to show her that they really were going to be alright. No matter what.

He smiled down at her again, just a slight upturn of his lips showing her that he loved her and that, if she was pregnant, he loved the child growing inside her. He didn't know them yet, he didn't even know if they actually existed yet, but… how could he not love them?

Levi lowered himself slowly, his lips hitting Aubrey's gently. This time, he kissed her a little bit longer than he had before, going until he heard one of her breaths turn a little heavier than he liked. He certainly wasn't going to make her pant. But, that was alright. She had plenty of other skin to kiss.

He moved his lips to her cheek, then her jaw, then her neck, then her collarbone. He went all over, just barely brushing his mouth over her body but smiling when he heard her let out a content sigh. That was all he really wanted, for her to relax and let him take care of her. And it seemed like she was going to let him.

Levi kept kissing her, going over all the usual spots. But there was one less usual spot that he wanted to visit. He wasn't sure how Aubrey would react. So far, he'd only used his hand to hold her stomach. But he wanted to do more, to show her just how much he'd accept all of this if it was real. He just hoped the action would freak her out or push her too far. He hoped it was comforting more than anything. But there was only one way to find out.

With gentle hands, Levi worked his mouth back to her neck, finding the hollow of her throat. He lingered there for a moment, feeling Aubrey's chest rise and fall steadily beneath him. She'd since closed her eyes and her muscles were totally relaxed and calm. He had a feeling she'd at least open her eyes for this next part, he just hoped it was out of pleasant surprise and not uncomfortable shock.

So, ever so slowly, Levi tugged at the seam of her shirt. He felt Aubrey stir as he pulled it up and away from the skin of her stomach, leaving her abdomen exposed to the air… and to his lips.

With a last breath, Levi left Aubrey's neck behind and moved back, settling between her legs as his hands rested on her waist. For the first time, he met her eyes and let out a relieved sigh when he saw no sign of discomfort. Instead, all he saw was curiosity and perhaps some confusion. But that gave him all the encouragement he needed.

Bit by bit, Levi lowered his head until his lips were hovering just over the bare skin of her stomach. He stayed there for a moment, half frozen by the idea of what he was about to do. It felt strange and scary and terrifying… but it also felt right. If Aubrey was pregnant, he was about to kiss his child for the first time. Their child for the first time. And, even if it was scary, there was nothing more right than he and Aubrey getting the future they'd always wanted… even if it was a little… unconventional.

So, with one more breath of confidence, Levi lowered his head the rest of the way, his lips pressing into the skin of her stomach. Physically, her body looked the same, felt the same. He'd know if there was any change. He knew her body better than he knew his own. But, the instant his lips touched her skin, there was a shift inside him. His child, their child, were they really right beneath his lip? Had he just kissed his unborn baby?

At that moment, Levi didn't really care if this was real or if it wasn't… all he could think about was the fact that, one day, Aubrey was going to do something completely and totally amazing, something he could hardly even comprehend. She was going to grow their child. And whether that was today or ten years from now… it was amazing. Although, he found just a tiny piece of him hoping that the day was today. He hoped his child was just beneath his lips, patiently waiting and working to meet him. Because he wanted to meet them.

Levi felt like he couldn't stop. He kissed Aubrey's stomach over and over again, emotions washing over him in waves so intense he could hardly identify them. The only thoughts in his mind were of Aubrey and their child and all of those thoughts were beautiful, happy, amazing.

But, then… he heard Aubrey crying.

Levi halted his touches immediately, only pausing for one shocked second before he was hovering over her again, desperately searching her face for answers.

But what he found wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting. She was crying, yes, but she was also smiling.

His brows furrowed instantly, his hand coming to her cheek and wiping away the fresh tears as he pressed his lips to her cheek and whispered to her.

"Aubrey… what's wrong?"

Levi felt her body shaking and her breaths were erratic gulps of air that he could tell were concealing cries. He pulled away enough to see her face, but her arms wrapped around his neck, holding him close and keeping him still.

He gazed down at her, desperation growing within him. He couldn't wait another second. He needed to know what was causing her so much distress. But she spoke before he could even get his mouth open.

"Nothing's wrong, Levi. At least, not like that…" Aubrey trailed off for just a moment, but she started again. "I just… you… thank you, Levi. Thank you for always being with me and being on my side. You don't… you don't know how much that means to me. Knowing that you are always going to support and love me no matter what, that you're going to support and love our baby no matter what… Thank you, Levi."

Levi felt tears in his own eyes. He brushed his fingers over her cheek, trying his best to assure her that everything she'd said was true. He loved her, he would love their baby, and he would support both of them no matter what. Always.

His lips lowered to hers and Aubrey kissed him back despite that fact that she was still crying. But, at this point, Levi was crying, too.

But, when they broke away, he knew he needed to speak. This was an occasion where his practice with words was needed.

"You never need to thank me for that, Aubrey. I love you more than anything, absolutely anything. And that will never change. I will always be by your side no matter what. And this baby is no different." Levi pressed his hand to her stomach again. "You're going to grow our baby and I'm going to be there every step of the way. I know we don't feel ready, but we can still be excited, Aubrey. We can still be excited to meet our child no matter how complicated things are going to get. But we'll figure it all out. And I'll be by your side the whole time. Always. I promise."

He saw more tears start to stream from her eyes and she suddenly hugged him closer. Levi knew she needed to be held. Desperately. So he held her.

He rolled them both onto their sides and pulled her as close as he possibly could, wrapping his arms around her body and burying his face in her neck as he kissed her skin. She cried into his shoulder, grasping at his shirt. But that was what he wanted her to do. She could cry all she wanted and then, when she was done, he'd just continue to hold her and get her absolutely anything she might need. They were going to do this together. All of it. No matter what.

Aubrey cried for a long time, but Levi held her all the way through. When her tears finally dried, he just wiped the stains from her cheeks and kissed her until she was completely calm. And then, for the rest of the day, he took care of her.

They laid in bed and chatted, both about the baby and everything else. He made her lunch and dinner and snacks and let her eat all of them in the bed. At the end of the day, they took a bath together and he washed her more gently than ever and when they got out, he changed the sheets and then they went to bed. And, when they fell asleep, he had her back pressed to his chest, his body curled around hers as his hand slid under her shirt to hold her stomach. It was… peaceful.

When morning came, Aubrey ran to the bathroom again only to find that they were in the same situation as the day before. Still no blood. Once again, they were shaken up, but not as dramatically as the day before. Levi took the day off again and they spent the hours the same as they had before, lying in bed, cuddling, talking. There wasn't much else today.

On the next day, when there was still no blood, things started to seem even more real. Aubrey had officially missed a period and it was late. Very late. Levi had decided to take one more day off and they'd talked a little more about their plan. They'd still wait the rest of the week, but tomorrow Levi would go back to work. He'd only do paperwork, though, and Aubrey would go to his office with him. He'd still take care of her and he probably wouldn't get all that much work done, but at least they'd start to return things to a routine.

So, that was what they did. For the next three days, Aubrey went with Levi to his office, sitting in his lap while he scribbled at his papers, stopping far too often to kiss her and then her stomach. His squad had been instructed to conduct their own training with Eld in charge. They could handle a week without him and, that way, Levi got to lock his office door and have Aubrey all to himself.

And then the night before they were going to tell Erwin finally came. They ran through exactly what they had to tell him and what exactly they needed to ask him for. When they had all of that laid out, Aubrey cried. Hard. Levi held her again and they got through it eventually. And, when they did, they went to sleep with Levi intending to cradle Aubrey's stomach all night long.

But, in the early hours of the morning, Aubrey woke to a familiar feeling that made her gasp loudly. Loudly enough to wake Levi beside her.

He sat up instantly, moving so fast that it caused Aubrey to gasp a second time.

"What?! What is it?! What's wrong?!"

Aubrey brought a hand to her mouth and took a few panicked breaths. She shook her head, slightly embarrassed but mostly shocked. Was it really happening? Had all of their worry been for nothing?

"Aubrey?!"

Levi was stil horrified, his hands gripping her wrists as he desperately tried to get her to tell him what was wrong. Had she had a nightmare? Was she in pain? Why was she giving him that look?

But Aubrey still couldn't find her voice. The sheets… she was sure they were stained. She'd worn a pad to bed, but she and Levi had already somewhat accepted that she wasn't going to get her period at all and so she hadn't bothered to get up in the night to check or change. But… she'd gotten it. She was sure.

"Aubrey! Please!"

Aubrey knew she had to speak now, even if she was still in shock. She had to say something. Anything at all.

So, somehow, she forced her mouth to move.

"Levi…" She glanced at his face, seeing the sheer panic and horror. His eyes were flashing and his brows were furrowed. "I… we… we need to change the sheets."

Levi's brows furrowed even further.

"What?"

His voice had lowered to barely above a whisper, but the sound made something switch inside of Aubrey. Suddenly, the shock started to wear off and it was replaced by an overwhelming sense of… pain. Not physical pain, but every other kind of pain. This whole week, these last seven days… they'd been preparing to have a baby and now… they weren't going to have one.

Tears started to form at the corners of Aubrey's eyes, but she knew that Levi still didn't have any clue what was going on. She needed to show him.

So, slowly, Aubrey started to pull the covers away from her body and then, with a last deep breath, she stood from the bed.

The stain wasn't huge, but it was there. It was there. This "pregnancy" hadn't been a pregnancy at all. It had only been their brains dramatically overreacting. They weren't going to have a baby. They weren't going to have a baby for a long time.

Aubrey couldn't hold it in anymore. She cried. She didn't even get a chance to look at Levi's reaction before her eyes blurred so much that she could hardly see. She was feeling far too much at once to process any of it. There was relief, yes. A great deal of relief. Neither her nor Levi had been ready to be parents. But, there was also… grief. Even if she hadn't been pregnant, they'd spent the last week preparing to have a baby and even being excited about it. And, as much as Aubrey hated to think about it, she still knew in the back of her mind that, perhaps, the time that they felt safe enough to have children would never come. What were the odds of them defeating the titans entirely? Really? Slim to none. This baby could have been their accident turned gift. They would never conceive a child purposefully when the world was still so cruel. But, for just a moment, she'd thought that maybe the universe had given them a sign. Perhaps that accident would have been the only way they would ever have a child. But there hadn't even been an accident. Just a scare. And now she was grieving a child that had never existed. And it hurt. It hurt a lot.

Aubrey clawed at her shirt over her stomach, her tears coming even faster and her cries filling the room. At some point, Levi had reached her, his arms completely wrapped around her body as he held her. She didn't know what to say, what to do.

And neither did Levi. He felt the same. He felt like they'd lost something they'd never even had. And he was crying. It hurt. It had only been a week and it already hurt.

But, despite the pain, he needed to take care of Aubrey first. If the sheets were stained, so were her pants and her underwear and she was so distressed that she couldn't possibly take care of herself right now. So, even though he was feeling the same pain, he would have to help her.

Without wasting a second, he bent down, sliding and arm behind her knees and scooping her up. He carried her quickly to the bathroom, starting the shower immediately.

As it was warming up, he stripped her down, removing her pajamas as quickly as he could and pausing every so often to wipe away her tears, kiss her cheek, and whisper a shaky 'it's alright'. As soon as he had her clothes off, he moved onto his own and they were off in half the time it had taken for hers. He checked the water, relieved that it was already warm enough, and then he immediately pulled her inside.

The first thing he did was kiss her. And he kissed her for a long time. She was still crying and so was he and they just needed to hold each other for a moment. And they did. They grabbed at each other desperately, trying to find some kind of stability. And it helped… a little. But it still hurt. And they both knew… it was going to hurt for a little while and there was nothing that would heal except time.

So, after a few moments, Levi broke away from their kiss… and moved on to getting Aubrey cleaned up. She was definitely bleeding and the sight was almost jarring. Not because he'd never seen it before, but because they'd halfway convinced themselves that she wasn't going to bleed at all for quite a while. But she was bleeding. And they knew exactly what that meant.
It didn't take Levi long to get her clean and slightly more relaxed. Sobs had turned to occasional whimpers and the atmosphere had calmed somewhat. It was all so strange. They were relieved, so relieved. They both knew that this was best and this was what they wanted. They weren't ready to be parents. They were waiting to have children, not only because they were young, but also because they couldn't bear the thought of bringing a child into this kind of world. And yet… they'd been excited. In just one week they'd become attached to an idea, to a concept, to something that didn't even exist. And even if it hadn't been real… the loss still hurt.

Levi turned the water off, instantly finding Aubrey a towel and helping her sit down on the edge of the tub before he found her some clothes. He wrapped a towel around himself and then reluctantly hurried back to the main room, ripping open their closet and quickly finding Aubrey another set of pajamas. He hurried back, pressing the clothes into her hands before reaching beneath the sink and getting her a pad. As soon she was dry and dressed, Levi pulled his own clothes back on and then he scooped her up, carrying her back to the main room. He set her in a chair as he stripped the sheets. The mattress only had a small stain and he scrubbed out as much of the blood as he could. The actual stain he could worry about later.

He put on the new bedding, laid down a towel for Aubrey, stoked the fire in the fireplace, and then grabbed Aubrey from her chair. Her body was somewhat limp in his arms and he pulled her closer to his chest. Both of them were overwhelmed right now. They didn't know how to react or what to do. But he knew they needed to talk before either of them would be able to sleep again. In fact, he wasn't sure they'd be sleeping even if they did talk about it. But… they still needed to talk about it.

Levi laid her down on the bed, gently settling her into the mattress before crawling under the covers beside her. His arm went around her waist instantly and his other hand cupped her cheek, pulling her eyes up to his. Her tears had since stopped, but she was still sniffling occasionally. Levi knew that this conversation might bring the tears right back, but they still needed to have it. They needed to get it out.

"Aubrey…" Levi hardly knew where to start… but he did his best. "Tell me how you feel."

Levi was almost sure she was feeling the exact same things he was, but he couldn't assume. All of this was so complicated. He needed to hear it from her mouth.

Her lips started to quiver and Levi could sense another round of tears coming on. But he needed them to hold on just a little longer, just long enough to get this out.

He leaned forward, kissing her and putting an end to the quivering in her lips. She was upset, he knew that. But he needed her to tell him the rest.

So, when he pulled away, he looked at her expectantly and, after a few seconds, she started to speak.

"I… I'm relieved, Levi. We… we weren't ready for this. We weren't ready for a baby and… if we're being honest, we didn't even want a baby right now. But… it still hurts, Levi." Aubrey squeezed her eyes shut and Levi leaned forward to kiss her forehead as she continued. "I just… even if we weren't ready and this wasn't how we wanted it to happen… I still…" Her voice broke and Levi pulled her closer. "I still hurt. I still feel like we've lost something."

Levi sighed and nodded. They were on the same page. He'd been right about how she was feeling. Now it was time for him to make a plan for them. He'd made a plan for when they'd thought she was pregnant and it was time for him to make a plan now that they knew she wasn't.

So, he took a breath and let it out.

"I know, Aubrey. I know it hurts. It… hurts me too. It hurts, but we'll be okay. We…" Levi swallowed nervously as he held her tighter. "We'll do it one day. The right way. There isn't going to be any worry or pain or trouble with complicated plans and the Scouts. One day, when all of this is over, we're going to do it. And it's going to be amazing. That day just… isn't today. And that's okay." He saw a single tear escape Aubrey's eye as she nodded and he wiped it away gently. He wasn't done yet. He still had to tell her the plan. "Now, the good news is we don't have to tell Erwin you're pregnant, hm?" He smiled slightly when she nodded and huffed a weak laugh. He kissed her forehead again and continued. "But, I am going to tell him that you're still feeling sick and that you're going to stay here with me for an extra week before you go back to the north. I don't care what he says, you're not going back for at least another two weeks, alright?" Levi was slightly surprised when she simply nodded and agreed with him. Apparently, she also felt like they needed a little more time. "Okay, good. Try to get some sleep now. I'm right here and we're alright. Everything's going to be alright."

Levi tucked her head into his chest and he felt her snuggle into him. He held her tightly, bringing her as close as possible.

"I love you, Levi. So much. And…" Levi glanced down at her as she trailed off for just a moment. But then her head shifted and she looked up at him, a small smile on her lips. "You're going to be a great dad one day." Levi froze, but Aubrey just raised a hand to his cheek, staring into his eyes as she spoke one more time. "I couldn't ask for a better person to be the father of my children."

For a few long seconds, Levi could only stare at her in silence. But, slowly, a small and sentimental smile worked its way across his lips and he leaned down to kiss her. The kiss only lasted a moment and when they broke away he whispered against her lips.

"And I couldn't ask for a better person to be their mother."

Both of them held each other tightly and, ever so slowly, they drifted off to sleep, dreams of their future family filling both their minds endlessly until the sun finally rose and a new day began.

A/N: Hiyooooooooo! I hope that wasn't too serious or angsty for y'all lol.

I went down a darker route than I'd originally intended, but I still think it worked out well! I think Levi would be a TOTAL worry wart if he had a pregnant s/o lol. Like, this man would be afraid to let them WALK. I just KNOW he'd always be sayin' shit like "is that good for the baby?" and "I think you should take a break" and "are you allowed to do that?". Mans is gonna put himself over the edge lol.

Anyway, I think that this chapter almost makes Aubrey and Levi's desire for children even more meaningful in a way. The fact that they got attached to a non-existent baby after a week of thinking that Aubrey was MAYBE KINDA SORTA pregnant makes me cry :' ( They really would be such good parents.

Also, do NOT ask me how the tea works as birth control because the answer is… I don't know lol. It's for plot and I REALLY don't know because I absolutely did not think it through ever at all. I just needed a way to prevent babies lol.

Omg, I think my favorite part of this one shot is the end when Aubrey tells Levi he's going to be a great dad. I think that, even though he wants children, he's still very concerned about being a father. He never had a father figure besides Kenny and Kenny wasn't exactly an ideal role model. I think he feels like he wouldn't know what to do or say to his children and he worries about it a lot. But I think Aubrey telling him he's going to be a great dad really helps him with those worries :' )

Okay, that's all I've got for this one shot. As always, let me know what you thought! I think this one shot can be dissected pretty thoroughly lol. And if you have more requests for one shots leave them below! Alright, love y'all 333