Hi everybody! I want to apologize because I haven't update this story for a while now and I'm really sorry but I'm not doing well in the last chapters and I stopped myself from writing everything.

I appreciate so much seeing people reading my story and I want it to be good enough even in the last chapters.

Thank you so much for waiting, for reading and for eveything. I love you.

When I grow up I want to be amazed.

The snow had slowly begun to cover all the roads, creating an almost fairytale-like white mantle. It seemed that those battles had never occurred to look at that scene from a simple window, sheltered in the safety of one's home and daily life.

But for the soldiers of the Survey Corps, or rather, for those who had survived, it was not the same thing.

The burden of the fallen was felt day after day, for three people in particular. One of which had decided that morning to take a day off to do something she'd been putting off for too long.

She had made a promise to Petra and, even if months later, she intended to keep it. Since the death of her old team, she had felt compelled to inform their parents with letters to highlight how their deaths were not in vain but, at the same time, that they weighed on them and that they would never be forgotten. And, in the end, she had kept in touch with their families periodically, exchanging letters from time to time.

In particular, Petra's parents who knew very well what she wanted to do, kept writing to her how much she would have liked to meet her in person by virtue of the bond she had with her daughter.

And now she could no longer put it off.

She put the green hood over her head, well covered from the cold.

The horse was ready to go, she had small supplies of food in case she got hungry and was armed.

Levi tightened the knot of her cloak on her chest; it seemed like an incredibly cheesy gesture on his part but he felt he had to do it to show her all his apprehension. She had always done it with him and it was only fair that she knew too.

He did not consider wrong what she was about to do but, after Shiganshina's events, the fear of losing her had drastically increased.

"Be careful." he murmured in a low voice, moving closer to kiss her on her lips. Many were still asleep at that time of the morning, but she had taken advantage of it to get to Petra's parents' house in time and then come back for that evening.

"I'm always careful." she replied with a slightly amused smile, which widened conspicuously when she saw him raise an eyebrow, not completely in agreement.

"Sooner or later you will drive me crazy." he murmured still very close to her face.

"I thought I already did." she whispered back, a little mischievous, before reaching out and bringing their lips together once again. When she let herself go a little, deepening that little contact, the horse snorted, evidently disagreeing and eager to leave.

"Go, before I change my mind and tie you to the bed." Levi exclaimed, moving away from her just enough to make her turn around and mount her horse.

"You could always do it when I get back."

"Careful, I'll take you at your word."

Elizabeth chuckled amused once more, taking the reins in hand and sending a quick kiss to the Captain, before tapping the heel on the side of the animal to give him a sign that he could leave.

"See you tonight."

The journey was peaceful, passed in complete silence except for a few passersby who, recognizing her, offered her greetings or thanks for their service.

She tried to respond politely to everyone but her mind was processing only what she was about to do.

She was incredibly nervous, even more so than when she had to face the titans, and she didn't know what to expect. She was afraid of doing something wrong and, in some way, tarnish the memory of what for her was her sister.

Her heart began to beat faster as she approached the Ral family home, where her father had once taken care to leave coordinates in case she wanted to join them for tea sometime. Her hands were shaking slightly and even the horse seemed to notice her nervousness.

With a snort, the animal moved its head, getting a caress between the ears.

"You're right, I shouldn't be so nervous." she murmured with a small smile. But that anxiety increased sharply when she saw a couple standing in the doorway of a house, she in his arms and with her hands on her chest, but both with shining eyes and a smiling face. And they were looking at her.

She had arrived.

Sitting at the wooden table, with a steaming cup of tea in her hands, she looked around herself for a while, noting how clean and tidy the house was. In the air there was the smell of a baking cake and some flowers that adorned the window, somehow surviving the winter snow, but which would soon wither like all the others.

Elizabeth tightened her grip around her cup slightly, warming her hands and avoiding showing the couple the tremor that had hit them.

"We are very happy to have you here Vice Captain Elizabeth." said the woman with a smile so sweet that couldn't avoid making the blonde melt.

"You don't have to be so formal." she answered trying to use a tone firm enough not to show tremors but sweet at the same time not to be rude.

"You are married." instead murmured Mr. Ral, sitting down next to his wife and hinting precisely at the ring that stood out on her ring finger. The news had not yet been officially made public but they had not removed the wedding rings since that night.

"Yes. In the end, Captain Levi and I decided to do it." she answered lowering her head to her cup from which she had already taken a few sips.

"Petra told us about your relationship, but we always kept it a secret, you know." the lady added, putting a hand on her arm. When Elizabeth looked up at her, now lucid, she found happiness and sadness on the other side, at the same time. Yet it was strange because no one was angry with her but she still felt sad.

She wanted Petra there with her, there had never been a day that went by without a thought going to her old team. She missed them as terribly as on the first day.

"We are happy for you. Congratulations."

"Elizabeth..." the man began. "Can I call you Elizabeth?"

"Sure." she murmured raising the cup to her lips and taking another sip.

"We are happy that you are here. You were like a sister to our Petra and know that we are not in the least angry with you. It wasn't you who killed her."

The cup returned to the table and Elizabeth's gaze with it, as Mrs. Ral's grip on her arm just increased in consolation. She wasn't there for that, she didn't want to be consoled, she was the one who had to talk to them.

"Yet I feel like..." she began, then swallowing to keep her voice from getting stuck in her throat. "I don't know, I could have organized that plan better. I should have foreseen that..."

"No. You couldn't have. And this is because no one can foresee these things." the man interrupted, smiling sweetly at her. At that moment she saw Frank's same smile every time he tried to comfort her and empower her about Max's condition. For a moment she thought she was back in the couple's house, in the underground. "Her death destroyed us but it doesn't mean we have to accuse innocent people. She chose to be a soldier and we have always supported her. We knew that one day we would get that news, even if we weren't ready."

"I would have liked to have at least brought back the body."

"We just need to know how much you loved her. And an affection like yours fills us with joy. She has not been forgotten." the woman added, gently stroking her arm a little before letting go of her. The smell of her cake had told her it was ready and she had to get it out before she got burned. It was a cake made especially for Elizabeth.

"Never."

"Besides, I guess you feel pain similar to ours. Both for your brother and for all the fallen during the reconquest of the Wall Maria." she added, from her back, as she placed the hot pan on the kitchen counter, her hand wrapped in a cloth to avoid burning herself. Her voice was calm while her husband's was a little more cheerful, despite the argument and the sadness that harbored in their eyes.

"Did she tell you about Max?" she asked a little incredulously, her eyes widening.

"We know you've been alone for a long time."

"She never made me feel alone." she concluded raising the cup again and finishing its contents. Its warmth warmed her throat without burning her, at the expense of the chill that had covered the streets and the air. Not far from her a fire had been lit that was warming her back.

"And you did the same with her. We are grateful to you." the lady smiled at her, handing her a slice of cake that smelled of fruit. The smell was incredibly inviting and she wondered how much trouble she had taken to prepare such a thing for her at this hour. Her heart warmed with emotion.

"Say a little..." the husband began instead, giggling and intriguing the Vice Captain.

"Mh?"

"Is it true that she met a boy?"

"Hi guys."

When Elizabeth entered Levi's office, she found standing in front of the desk, with their hands behind their back, Jean and Connor who, as soon as they heard her enter, turned to her and greeted her.

"Miss Elizabeth."

"Did you miss me?" she asked smiling, looking straight at her husband.

"No." he answered simply but following her gaze.

"We both know that's not true." she commented smiling. Levi immediately saw a much more relaxed air in her than when she left, which meant the meeting had gone well. "What have you two been up to?"

"Oh no, we were just asking Captain Levi if it's possible to go home for a couple of days." Jean answered while Elizabeth quietly walked around the desk to lean against it with her side.

"What did Hange say?"

"To ask you two because she has too much work to do." Connor answered instead, now more hopeful.

Levi was a tough nut to crack, while she was easier. Good cop and bad cop.

"And what about you? Do you agree?" Elizabeth then asked, this time to the Captain, sitting in his chair.

"We have to prepare the expeditions for the titans."

Elizabeth looked at him for a moment, then concentrating on the gaze of the two young men who seemed to be begging her.

"A couple of days will change nothing."

"But they could still take advantage of it."

"Oh come on, they're not that stupid." she chuckled, prompting Jean to raise an eyebrow.

Connor beside him began to mentally cheer for her.

"You shouldn't spoil them too much."

"Am I the only one who feels like we're asking permission from our parents instead of our superiors?" Jean whispered, stretching slightly to the side, towards his friend.

"No."

"Fine." finally conceded the Captain with a snort, then rolling his eyes. He just couldn't deny her anything, especially if she looked at him with those big eyes. "Two days. You leave tomorrow morning and the following evening I want you to be here again."

"Thanks Captain. And thanks to you too, of course." Jean commented happily, smiling at them.

"Be careful and come back all whole." Elizabeth smiled back, waiting for the two to be out of the room to sit on Levi's lap.

"How did it go?" he asked, welcoming her on his own legs.

"Good. I'm glad I did."

"I'm proud of you, you know." he murmured, brushing a lock of blonde hair from her face. "You have become an incredible woman."

"Sometimes I still seem to see that young man who helped me out of the fountain." she commented feeling incredibly light. That morning she was a bundle of nerves, she had barely managed to sleep a couple of hours from the tension. But now she felt good and at peace, she felt that she owed that to Petra and that, somehow, it had served to make her closer to her.

"I thought you hurt yourself, and you were so petite that you looked a lot smaller."

"Did you eat that apple?" she then asked, remembering the detail of that apple she had deprived herself of to thank him. At the time it had seemed like a purely simple gesture, a way to show her gratitude, but she now realized how huge it was. That was her meal, she who had nothing had deprived herself of what she had obtained, for him.

And for Levi that gesture was extremely important for this very reason.

"Yes. It was good." he answered, making the girl's heart beat faster. She didn't know if he ate it or not but knowing it was another matter entirely. "And that same night Isabel insisted on coming to hear you sing."

"You were there." she whispered excitedly, remembering the emotions she had felt that evening. She felt light, despite it being the first time she had met that boy. And to think that she hadn't seen him again either until her training. "It's weird that we never talked to each other in the underground."

"Probably, if I hadn't received that request and stayed there, it would have happened." he commented. After that day they never met again. She slept during the day to be able to work, if that was how her games could be defined, at night, when the customers of the bar were easier to fool. Instead, he acted during the day or when it was easier to commit his crimes.

And Levi had never even set foot in Frank's bar.

"Do you think we would have met anyway?" she asked softly, in a voice so sweet that she had the power to make the Captain's heart beat faster, full of tenderness.

"Isabel was obsessed with your voice. It was only a matter of time before she begged us to meet you."

Elizabeth burst out laughing, imagining what it would be like for her to be approached by a particular trio interested in her voice. She would probably deny that she was her, and if Isabel was really as persistent and joyful as he put it, she would eventually give in. Who knows what it would have been like to have friends under her, what it would have been like to know them already there...

"I would have liked it, you know."

"Me too." he commented lowering the tone of his voice and slowly approaching his wife's lips, already feeling her breath against his lips. "But at the moment... I have a promise to keep and I don't want to wait any longer."

"What?" she asked smiling and resisting the urge to bridge that distance.

"I said I would tie you to the bed when you come back." he concluded before reaching out to his desk drawer where a tie awaited her return.

He opened it quickly and the red fabric was already there, ready to be used; he grabbed it quickly and brought his other hand up the thigh of his wife, standing up and bringing her now clinging to his torso.

The blonde chuckled happily, clinging better to the Captain's body who was dragging her quickly towards the room.

He sat her down on her bed, slowly pulling her shirt off and kissing her languidly in the meantime. When the first piece hit the floor he pushed her along the bed, making her rest her back on the mattress.

"I bet you've been thinking about this all day." she commented feeling the coolness of the sheets on her back.

The weather was starting to stiffen, but she already felt hot. Her skin seemed to smoke from the intensity of that heat as her cheeks warmed and her heartbeat began to accelerate.

Levi took her wrists, lightly stroking her skin with his thumbs as he lifted her arms and brought her hands to the keyboard of the bed. The red fabric still firmly held between his fingers, was soon tied around her white wrists, preventing any kind of movement.

Even that fabric was cold to the touch, but the only thing Elizabeth sensed was Levi's fingers moving expertly along her body.

Levi's eyes seemed to worship her, bright and deep, as if they saw nothing but her.

"I missed tying you up." he commented with a mischievous grin, then going down to torture her neck with his lips, then leaving a purple mark at its conjunction with her shoulder.

Elizabeth writhed slightly under his attentions, trying in vain to catch her breath. But the sensations that Levi caused her were more and more intense and difficult to bear.

And with disarming slowness all of their clothes hit the floor before their bodies joined once more.

The missions in Shiganshina began soon after the boys returned; in the end even Levi had agreed that it was right for them to see their families again and they were even more serene. They had seen so much in the last year and they deserved it.

The District was still full of titans just waiting to be killed by them, -to actually eat them, but it was better to be confident-, and Elizabeth quivered with desire.

Once on the walls, in religious silence, everything seemed too quiet to be about to start a new mission that could turn out to be suicidal if they had not paid due attention.

The air was starting to get stiffer, freezing the tips of their noses and fingers and letting their hot breaths create a light smoke that came out of their mouths.

"Elizabeth..." Levi called after hesitating before continuing. He just studied her for a few moments and found her in perfect shape. "Go wild."

In honor of the old days.

The difference was that she was no longer a subordinate and that was no longer an order, but the tone used was exactly the same, capable of bringing that particular memory back to their minds. And also in the mind of Hange who, turning towards them, smiled at them affably.

How far those two had come in those years. Levi, in particular, looked like a completely different man. He seemed like a happy man.

"Let's see if you still remember how to do it." the Captain then added, grinning slightly at her, with his arms folded.

"Let's see if you can still keep up with me." she concluded, with a slightly mischievous tone which, however, could have understood just him, and she then drew her blade. "Mom is back!"

Elizabeth turned to Hange, looking for her for that particular madness they used to do, in honor of the old days too, and they both hurled themselves into the District ready to cut off as many nape heads as possible.

Levi stayed a moment longer on the walls with the other guys, Jean in particular who gasped to see Elizabeth kill titans as if she didn't feel the slightest effort.

"Captain, you are a lucky man." the young man commented, thinking back to what he actually was, unlike him who was instead in love with a woman who didn't love him back.

"I am fully aware of that." Levi answered, then pulling out his own blade.

"She still terrifies me..." Eren commented instead, leaning a little to watch the Vice Captain dash towards a titan and cut the back of his head with an almost enviable precision.

"It's one of the reasons I married her." Levi concluded, hiding a grin that Mikasa, however, noticed. "And now move on, brats."

And with that exclamation the first of those missions began, also for them, which then continued for a whole year.

That was the first time Elizabeth and Levi allowed their team to see them in another way as well, one that was less rigid and more personal. In fact, on their return, sitting on board the wagons, Elizabeth went to sit between the legs of the Captain and he devoted some delicate attention to her, stroking her head and intertwining the fingers of their left hands.

Those were now their guys and they cared about them as if they were really their children, there was no longer any reason to hide.

Year 851.

"It's just like you thought Hange." Levi exclaimed, riding beside Elizabeth and behind Hange, looking around. There were no titans around and it didn't even seem like they could arrive at any moment. "The titans inside Wall Maria were pretty much all of them. We thinned out the majority in just a single year."

"In that case, let's head straight to our target as planned." Hange answered seriously.

"Liz, are you ready?" Levi exclaimed in a lower voice, without screaming thanks to the proximity to her, despite the sound of the horses' hooves beating on the ground.

"And you Captain?" she replied with her heart beating wildly. She was nervous and she didn't know what to expect but she remembered that feeling: it was the same one she had felt the day she first came out of the underground, and then again when she left the walls.

It was what, for her, came closest to freedom.

"Always." he murmured in response, his voice so low it seemed he hadn't even answered but she read the word clearly on his lips.

They rode until they reached what seemed to be the end, with a high wall to their left where, evidently, they turned the Eldians into titans to send them towards the walls, according to what Eren had said. They continued on until what appeared before their eyes was almost inconceivable. A vast expanse of water, reflecting the sunlight, loomed before their eyes, so large that even its end could not be seen.

None of them knew what to think.

Levi's eyes widened, feeling a strong, almost salty smell in his nostrils, with the sensation of dampness right down to the skin. And when they approached it, that strong sensation was such that he had to reach out to his wife's hand. With his thumb he immediately went to caress the metal of the wedding ring before her two-tone gaze focused on him, fully sharing those same emotions.

He had kept his promise. He had managed to take her to see the sea. It had taken them a whole year but they were there, that was the sea Armin was talking about. It was all real.

Everyone immediately threw themselves into the discovery of that sea, tasting the water, throwing it on and feeling what it hid with its crystalline color.

Levi paused to observe Elizabeth as if she were an ethereal being. At that moment, with her feet in the water and her hair damp from the water Hange had thrown at her just before, he thought he saw that sixteen-year-old girl who had fallen into the fountain, again.

She had the same slightly frightened look of someone who did not know what the future held. But, at the same time, she was incredibly different because she was happy. Her face was illuminated by a wonderful smile capable of warming him too. And finally she turned to look at him.

Elizabeth stretched her arms around her husband's hips, leaning against him after leaving Hange with her feet in the water. Her skin was still wet and cold and the sand beneath her feet tickled her.

"In the end, you kept that promise." she whispered with a bright and joyful smile. She had never believed she could see so much in her life. A little thought went to his brother Max, to Petra, Eld, Gunther, Oluo, to Erwin who had longed for that epilogue until his last moment of life, even to Isabel and Farlan even if she didn't know what their faces looked like. She wondered what it would be like if they were there too, what they would do and how they would feel.

So many things had been taken from her, from both of them, and they were living that moment for them too.

"I love you, my love." Levi whispered, leaving her a gentle kiss on the lips and savoring her taste. Elizabeth let herself be lulled by her own heartbeat, fast and impetuous in her chest, full of joy and a myriad of different sensations.

"Look! I told you Eren. A salt like so big that merchants could spent their whole lives and still not get all the salt. The stuff i talked about wasn't wrong after all." Armin exclaimed excitedly, while Eren stood ahead, turning his back to them with his gaze fixed on the horizon.

"Yeah, it's so damn big..."

"Look Eren! On the other side of the wall..."Armin began smiling again; smile that faded, however, when he saw Eren's gaze, almost dull when he interrupted him.

"...there's the sea. On the other side of the sea is freedom. That's what I always believed but I was wrong. On the other side of the sea are enemies. Every part of this is exaclty how I saw in my dad's memories. If we kill all our enemies over there...will we finally be free?"