Morning everyone and happy Mother's Day!

As you all know these last few chapters have been kicking my tail because dang, getting all these details just right while keeping up with my kid and job – not easy! I so appreciate the kind words and encouragement and those who have wished me good health and the like! I want to share that last weekend I was able to celebrate FIVE YEARS of marriage and let me tell you, that was a milestone worth celebrating!

Either way, I know I've had a really hard time getting these last few chapters out but like I've said from the beginning, I refuse to post poorly written material. After all the time we've ALL invested to get here, even if it takes me another six months (oh gods please no haha) to get out the last few chapters, it is what it is. I will not rush this piece and will continue to write it out to the same level of quality I've written every chapter before it, even if I'm going out of my mind with the details and rereading almost every chapter to make sure it ties up the loose ends it needs to. Almost there!

All that to say there are EXACTLY two chapters left after this one. I have no idea when they'll be up and I am working on them, but I haven't been kidding in that the writer's block has been very real. Again, thank you all for your patience and have an awesome week!

…

…

"I trust everyone had a good, wholesome lunch break." Erwin began the meeting, intentionally ignoring the notably more cheerful demeanor in not only Petra's expression, but the Captain's as well.

Well. It seemed the house tour had been rather successful then, as was to be expected.

After a few nods, the room seemed to settle and Erwin continued, "I know we've been handling this meeting with more of an open floor format, and I feel at this time we'd be best served to get down to the nitty gritty. I believe everyone has brought along a folder of listed expectations, benefits and pay, as well as housing expectations should Petra change factions and find herself needing to move to a new division. Petra needs to be aware of these details, and I think now is the best time to review them with her so we can proceed with the main event. I'm suggesting that each squad receive a half hour to review these details with Mrs. Ackerman directly, without any interference from outside sources. After that presentation, Petra is welcome to extend the time further if she sees fit, however that will be left to her discretion, should she have further questions or negotiations to make. We have a side room just off to the left - if everyone agrees, I feel it would be best to have one or two representatives take the time to review those details with Petra directly, and once their time is up, the next faction can shuffle in. Is this acceptable to everyone?"

Erwin hadn't actually run this idea by Petra first, but he had a feeling she would like the idea of seeing the numbers on paper and didn't think she'd be opposed or overwhelmed by the notion, considering she seemed to do considerably better in one on one situations anyway. He glanced toward her first, watching as she thought his words over and gave a confident nod of agreement. Erwin had almost smiled then, because while he knew he had had the upper hand from the start, even still, this day was going even more smoothly than he had anticipated and it wasn't often that situations played out so ideally for him.

Yes, in terms of the other two factions, they had been underdogs from the start, which was uncommon for them. Erwin had known from the beginning that the MP's never really had a true chance, simply due to the sheer impracticality of Petra taking residence in wall Sina – that and the fact that Petra didn't have a glory seeking bone in her body, which was a fundamental driving point of their division. Even if she could do the work they asked of her, Petra simply wouldn't function well in such an environment, where most of their staff was focused primarily on their own bottom line.

If he were being as neutral as possible, Erwin couldn't deny that Pixis could give her a remarkable situation that he couldn't exactly replicate with the Scout's limited resources. Her ability to travel and work where she wanted made it so she wouldn't have to request time off to visit her friends or family, she could relocate as she pleased and set her own schedule, and her workload wouldn't interfere with her relationship with Levi, unless she herself allowed it to. Petra would undoubtedly prosper in the Garrison, because she made friends wherever she went, and she would easily become an Officer that would be favored by all, in a setting where her changes would likely make each Outpost's living situation just a little bit better.

Of course, Erwin wasn't blind to the fact that the Scouts had their own unique perks that couldn't be replicated by the other factions – Petra's loyalty to the cause of direct, head on battle with the Titans being one, and the other, was of course Levi himself. While it wasn't exactly a perk that Erwin was technically 'providing' her, it was understood by all that Levi Ackerman was a Scout exclusive tool, and Petra would know full well that to live life with the Captain, was to simultaneously live life with the Scout Regiment.

Now that Levi had shown her the house, confirmed that he also wanted to have such a life with her, the dominos had finally begun to fall in such a way that would effortlessly lead to his desired outcome, without him so much as having to lift a finger. Erwin's timing had not been a fluke of course, because he purposefully directed Levi to lay the groundwork that would be used as a foundation for the rest of the day. Thanks to the Captain's intervention, at this point it simply didn't matter how many benefits the Garrison would throw at her, or just how extravagant the salary that she may be offered by the MP's – now that she had a life with Levi in mind at her very fingertips, without him, their offers were all but worthless.

However.

In some ways Erwin had already known from the very beginning that Petra wouldn't have actually selected a position outside of the Scouts, and this had only been reconfirmed in his mind when Petra had pulled him aside to confirm that her largest concerns were related to the wellbeing of her Captain, rather than her own prosperity or recognition. Something that had come as a surprise to him however – Petra wasn't at all unwilling to partner with the other factions and even saw the larger picture of how her work could impact different groups, no matter her location.

And that…

That was interesting, and was an avenue worth exploring because that concept alone caused new pathways to form in his mind that he had admittedly thought of, but didn't think she'd be interested in so had negated the possibilities entirely.

As a result of his miscalculation, Erwin had spent the entire lunch hour reworking his plans to try and accommodate her because he could use her flexibility to benefit the military even further, in ways that would please his fellow Commanders so that no one was walking away with nothing.

As they had before, Pixis had gone first, and about forty minutes later the door had opened again and Pixis and his accompanying squad leader had walked out. Based off the time spend in the room, it seemed Petra didn't have many questions or negotiations to make with them, and that was either a good sign, or a very, very bad one.

Nile had gone in next, and once the door had been closed, Erwin looked toward Levi and nodded, "Captain, do you want to look this offer over? Once Nile has had his turn, I'd like to go over our own offer, and I've made a number of adjustments during lunch that is different from the direction we discussed previously. Considering who she'll be working with, I'd prefer it if myself and Hanji were to discuss this with Petra during our given timeslot. Not trying to rub salt in the wound, but she expressed her concerns that she feels you aren't making it easy for her to make the best decision for herself, and I think you being there while the final offer is made would only muddy the waters."

Levi scoffed and gave a dramatic roll of his eyes, and Erwin merely gave a soft smile at his warranted response, "There's nothing in here that we're trying to hide from you however, so if you're curious-" He slid the folder across the table and Levi began looking through the pages, his expression changing from irritation to a more focused calm as he noted the changes Erwin had made.

He didn't look up from the folder, speaking softly considering they had guests in the room, "Is there a reason for the change? This isn't just a small sort of amendment, this is drastic. I thought you were pretty confident in your offer before and it's not like you to make such severe changes at the last minute like this. What, she threw you a curveball out there and now you're left scrambling? She tends to do that a lot, and if you're set on being her Commanding Officer, you need to be ready for that irksome little habit of hers because it's not a fluke. All in all, I have to wonder if you're even half as confident as you're pretending to be."

Erwin gave a proud smirk and chuckled smugly, "Come now Captain, you should know that I can handle a simple matter like this. I'll admit I made a few wagers that didn't pay out, but the end result hasn't changed. In truth, I'm confident that if I provided her that same original offer we had prepared, even now she'd be pleased and remain here on site. This isn't happening because I feel the need to 'keep up' with the other factions, no – in talking with your wife outside a bit ago, it seems there are ways that we can optimize the situation in a manner that will pay off for her, but also the Scouts as well – in ways that I hadn't accounted for previously. As you're well aware, the adjustments are only partially made with her in mind, because if I can use her desires to benefit everyone, then there's no reason to not exploit that desire to the fullest."

Levi read the pages, a focused expression on his face as he mentally reviewed the changes Erwin had implemented in the time they were away. Levi continued looking through the folder page by page and eventually spoke, "She'll like this, a lot, and no thanks to your little pep talk or whatever in the hallway, it seems that she's all but walking down a one-way road. I'll have you know that I did try to widen her perspective during lunch, but I don't think she really paid me any mind and it's frustrating as hell that you've got her running to you in all of this. You've got her pretty well snared at this point Erwin, so I hope you're damned satisfied."

Erwin only shrugged, "It's appropriate isn't it? I'm going to be the one she reports to after all, so I don't think it's as big of a deal as you're making it out to be. Besides, you mean to tell me that you object to this arrangement? Don't take me for a fool Captain – you of all people stand to benefit most of all, where one would think you'd be thanking me for paving such a path for you in such a seamless manner. Don't you want Petra to stay? Speaking as a friend, I figured that's what you would have wanted, more than anything else. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't want her to actually leave the Scouts, right? I understand you're trying to be the ideal husband and saying what you think you should, but at the end of the day, we both know full well that you'd be deeply dissatisfied if she left."

Erwin's expression sobered and he gave a soft sigh as he watched Levi with a focused expression, "And I'll admit that this is mere speculation, but you have to know that Petra knows that as well. I'd wager that she knows you don't want her to leave, but your words are giving her the opposite message and it's putting her in a lose lose situation – which is understandably upsetting to her, considering that she lives to meet your approval. I'd bet that's largely why she's somewhat pushing you away now that it's down to the wire like this – it's impossible to make you happy and your odd version of honesty is putting her at odds with herself and clouding her judgement."

Erwin's words weren't without merit, but Levi couldn't help but feel that he had already been far too 'honest' with Petra regarding his feelings about her career and her participating in the Expeditions or not – and the Ackerman was quite certain that him delving even further into his complicated thoughts and unsorted desires wouldn't help her in the slightest. Maybe it was for the best that he stand on the sidelines, even though it frustrated him to do so.

Levi's expression didn't change and he closed the folder softly, "I'm not opposed to her staying in the Scouts, Erwin. I'm opposed to you manipulating her feelings for me and turning them against her. I've told you before that she's not to be used as a pawn in your sick little games and based off what I'm seeing here, she'd be in the fucking thick of it." The Captain slid the folder back across the table toward Erwin and continued, "That being said, if this is what Petra chooses, then I have a few stipulations of my own that I'd like considered."

Erwin watched Levi more directly and he gave the shorter male a careful nod, "This may not be the right time to have this discussion, Levi. I'd like to respectfully remind you that for all intents and purposes, Petra is my subordinate now, assuming she remains a Scout of course. Our previous arrangement will no longer be in effect, but even still, I hope you can trust that I have nothing but the best of intentions for her. She's not a pawn to be sacrificed or traded off as the game progresses, and I'm well aware of that. My plans for her are strategic, and the classic strategies haven't failed me yet."

Levi watched him flatly, and Erwin returned the Captain's challenging, distrustful glower with a narrowed stare of his own, "Doubt my intentions all you'd like Captain, but everything I've done is to ensure she stays here in house, and that alone protects her from a vast majority of the powerplays we see happening in the other divisions."

Levi crossed his arms and gave a shallow nod, stubbornly holding the Commander's stare and responding softly, "I'm sure it won't be a problem then, when I remind you that I'll also be there, every step of the way, to keep your little game in check." Erwin opened his mouth to speak and Levi cut him off, "Don't misunderstand, I'm not asking for anything that's outside of your abilities, Petra chooses this path, which I imagine she will, I'd merely like you to hear me out and then you can make the judgement call as you see fit."

Erwin gave an unconvinced, irritated snort, "How generous. And – I'm just going out on a limb here - if I don't meet your demands, I wager that you'll be stubborn and impossible to work with?"

"Oh I'll be a huge fucking pain in the ass," Levi remarked dryly, a light smirk pulling at the corner of his lips as he returned Erwin's stare in silent promise, "After all, the classic strategies haven't failed me yet."

Erwin groaned and mumbled a frustrated 'Impossible' under his breath, and from behind them, there was an amused sigh, "Alright boys, now don't make me separate you. If you can't play nice then the next three years are going to be difficult for all of us, so at least try to be amicable, at least for the first ten minutes? You'll have the rest of her contract to tear each other to pieces, so there's no need to get such an early jump on the fighting." The voice was Hanji's, and Erwin gave a bemused smile at the light teasing in her tone. She cleared her throat in a sobering fashion and moved up from the table behind them, walking around until she had joined her male peers, "Now then, I imagine the MP's will be wrapping up here in a bit, so we'd be wise to stay unified and on task. Are we all set? This is the final offer we are prepared to make?"

Erwin nodded toward the Scientist confidently, "It is. Levi has graciously agreed to remain here so that you and I can review the offer with her directly."

Hanji gave a simple nod and grabbed the folder off the table, once again reviewing the pages with a studious expression – inwardly amused by the way the two men were suddenly avoiding each other's stares, because in some ways they both enjoyed their debates and it wasn't often they had to pull their punches for a better, less public setting. Hanji knew full well that this was not the last time she'd hear of Levi's last-minute demands, nor Erwin's exasperation at trying to command Petra when her previous Commanding Officer wasn't entirely ready to let go of the reins.

In truth, she was looking forward to seeing how the situation would resolve itself, because both men were prideful and self-assured, and while it wasn't often that Levi put his foot down, when he did – true to Erwin's summation – the man was simply impossible.

After Nile's team left the small room, Erwin gave a nod towards Hanji and the Scientist handed him the folder, taking a step away from the table and pausing in step as she looked towards Levi. The Ackerman gave her a single quirk of his eyebrow and she gave him a soft smile in return, because it was obvious he wasn't entirely comfortable with being left behind, again.

"You nervous, Captain?"

Levi rolled his eyes and gave a bitter mumble, "Petra's being manipulated again."

Hanji looked toward Erwin for a moment, then back toward Levi with a soft shake of her head, "I know this isn't what you want to hear as I promise you I'm not taking sides but…I'm not so sure that's the case anymore, you know? I think Petra's really grown up a lot this past year and I truly believe that whatever decision she's going to make, it's going to be her who truly decides the outcome, not me, not Erwin, and not even you. I've been working with her personally for some time now, and she's not exactly a pushover these days."

At Levi's stubborn, unsatisfied stare, Hanji adjusted her glasses and gave a smile, "I'm not trying to put myself in a place where I'm not welcome but…maybe you could stand to have just a little more faith in her? I get you worry, but you're treating her like a child and trying to safeguard her at every turn and it just isn't needed anymore. Petra needs your support, not your permission. It's time to let her go, Levi."

At his soured expression, Hanji gave a laugh and placed a hand on his shoulder to grab his attention. She leaned forward softly, her voice dropping down to a soft hum as she continued, "Petra's not the only one who's changed during this past year, either. If it means anything at all, watching you grow to care for her has been nothing short of amazing. I know you're not really the type for this sort of thing, but even still, I hope you're proud of yourself. You've come a long way."

Levi's eyes widened at her words, and he eventually took a breath and looked back into the table with a frown, "You always talk too damn much, Four Eyes."

"Is that so? Well, I guess I'll leave you be then. Afterall, a lot is riding on this, and even if you're on the fence about it, I know full well that I wouldn't mind keeping your wife around for the next few years. Wish us luck, okay?"

Levi rolled his eyes and shrugged out of her hold, "Fine. Good luck or whatever, just get going already."

Hanji took a few steps away from the table and Levi called out to her, "Oi, Four Eyes."

She paused and turned back toward him slightly, and while it could have been the light, Hanji was surprised because from this angle…it almost looked like Levi was blushing.

"That's my wife in there so don't…don't screw this up."

She gave him a soft, understanding smile and nodded warmly, "We'll take care of it, Levi."

…

…

"Well here we are, Mrs. Ackerman."

Erwin sat down on the other side of the table, and Petra struggled to keep the smile off her face. Maria, she was making it so easy to the extent that it just wasn't fair. He pretended not to notice and he merely watched her with a slight grin of his own, "Tell me, any exciting offers you've gotten so far?"

Petra only shrugged, "Well, I'm hoping to get one right now Commander. Save the best for last, so they say."

Yes, far, far too easy indeed.

He allowed a slight amused chuckle to leave his throat, and the Commander only nodded, "We'll get to that here in a bit, but as you know we decided to go a different direction, based off the conversation you and I had earlier. If you don't mind, what are the highlights from what you've been offered? What stands out to you?"

Petra sat back in her chair and thought for a few moments, "Well a few things I suppose. Pixis came in first and I'm not going to lie, his offer is really tempting so I'm not putting it off the table just yet. He said he wants to take some of my methods from the gas shortage and use them on a wider scale. He believes that if we took some of the top Outposts and looked at consistencies with management, leadership styles and general tenure, we'd be able to reformat the Outposts workload and rework some of the locations that aren't up to par. It would be a huge project, and by the time we had a good handle on the situation, other things would come up and like he said – I'd never be bored! It's the largest faction so there would always be work to be done."

Erwin nodded, "That's certainly true. Were there any other details that stood out to you?"

"None that you aren't really already aware of. On the whole, the Garrison really doesn't want much to do with Levi. I don't think there's any issues between them per say, it's just Levi's skills aren't exactly needed with the way their division functions, and so I don't feel I'd have to watch my back as closely. I mean, Levi himself has said that he's worked with Pixis a few times over the years so, I dunno, it's a definite option."

Hanji spoke next, "And the Military Police? What are your thoughts on that aspect?"

"In truth, I've never even said two words to Commander Nile before, so it was a little uncomfortable because he's well aware that there's some unresolved tension between him and Captain, but even still, he was actually very kind and professional." Petra paused then and looked up toward Hanji in thought, "It wasn't expected, but aside from the obvious perks of a position with the MP's and the fact they are ready to double my pay, turns out I really like the idea of knowing that I would have my hands in things that actually matter – especially in a legal sense considering they want me filtering through their procedures regarding how research is to be carried out, how criminals are to be apprehended, look at different cities and the effectiveness their ranks have in keeping the peace…"

Petra took another breath and her expression sobered as she spoke in sudden thought, "I originally joined the Scouts so I could fight the Titans with my own two hands but at this point, I'm aware that I can do more with this type of role instead, and that doesn't have to be limited to just the Scouts to make a difference for everyone. The ability to personally have a voice in those type of decisions, where I know I have the best of intentions for mankind at heart and I'm not jaded in the same ways that many MP's are – that's a big deal to me. People's lives could really be improved if there were someone like me in the mix, and I'm not sure if I'll ever get another opportunity quite like this one where…maybe some part of me does feel obligated to put my own desires aside and focus on the greater good."

Petra's expression twisted slightly, and Hanji chuckled at the somewhat soured expression the ginger suddenly wore, "Uh oh, I feel a but coming."

Petra nodded and readjusted herself in her chair, "But. It's just not practical for me; living so far away from Levi and forcing either him or I, or more likely the both of us, to have to travel back and forth between the districts every so often. I know that's selfish and a terrible reason to knowingly reject such a position, but…" The ginger paused and shook her head, "Practically speaking, I'm aware that working with the MP's is the optimal situation where I could make the biggest impact in terms of the war and humanity itself, but it comes at the cost of having to move into Wall Sina and I just can't do it. Captain says I need to be more selfish, and I figured this – rejecting the opportunity so I can stay here with him - is the most selfish thing I could possibly do."

Erwin smirked at Petra's words, inwardly amused that Levi's previous attempts to 'widen her perspective' had only backfired in the end, and Petra continued, "And what's more, the MP's would undoubtedly benefit by having Levi in their ranks, seems as they service the King directly and who better than Humanity's Strongest to lead the royal guard. I know full well that they wouldn't be above using me to get to him, and so I'd have to always stay on my toes to do my due diligence, plus all the travel and the bad blood and that…that just sounds so exhausting. The prestige and the pay and the job itself is unparalleled, but it's just not practical."

Erwin nodded at her summary, admittedly surprised by the fact that Nile had managed to create a job that had actually interested her, but knowing that the same problems that he had anticipated from the beginning, simply weren't mitigated and in the end, Petra had still found his offer to be lacking.

Petra gave a long sigh and eventually shrugged, "Maybe I shouldn't be saying this, but in truth, I already told Commander Nile his offer wasn't going to pan out, because there's no point in drawing it out any longer. It's great they made all this time and put the work in to give me such a good offer, but between the distance and the fact that there's that tension between Levi and that faction specifically, I'd be knowingly putting myself in the middle and inevitably causing frustration on all sides. I just can't work for them right now; not under those conditions."

Hanji looked at Erwin, and he gave a single nod back as he opened the folder in preparation, "Our original offer was somewhat basic, but still necessary and one that I believe you'd enjoy. In terms of alignment, you'd report to me directly, and your closest work peer would be Hanji in most instances. You'd have access to the Scout's metrics as a whole, and your job would have been an extension and partnership with the Hanji team, where you would have worked side by side with Hanji until eventually, we could build out a team of your own that was similar to hers in function, but more specialized with regards towards trends and day to day upkeep, instead of the testing and live experiments that the Hanji squad is built for."

Petra blinked, "You want me to have my own team?"

Erwin made a face and sighed, "That was the original goal, in some ways. You said yourself that you could see how the Hanji squad was more than shorthanded, and it's long been a dream of mine to have a team that was made exclusively of analysts because when every body and every penny helps, we need to have a very clear grasp of all our tools and resources, and like you said yourself at the last Expedition, as things are now, it's far too subjective and many details can fall through the cracks."

Seeing Petra's eyes narrow in thought, Erwin raised a hand and looked at her expectantly, "Don't get too far ahead of yourself though, because I told you that was our original offer and I meant it when I said that I think we can do better."

Petra gave a slow nod at his words, and Erwin handed her the folder, "Go ahead and take a look at this if you will. There's a lot of legal jargon and things that are more than a little boring to read, but perhaps the easy way to describe it is by saying that I would like you to become a bit of a contractor for the military, Mrs. Ackerman."

"A contractor, sir?" Petra looked up from the folder, then back and forth between Hanji and Erwin in confusion, "I'm familiar with the term as my father is a contractor himself, but I don't think I understand what it means in this context. I'm already contracted by the military as it stands now so…I think I'm missing something here."

Hanji spoke first, a half-smile coming across her face as she picked her words carefully, "How to explain because…yeah, this position is one that Erwin truly invented, so it's not like a predetermined rank or role that can be compared to a job like mine or Erwin's. Maybe…well, your father is a carpenter if memory serves – at least I think that's what Levi said – so at all times of the day, he's a carpenter for hire. That may involve fixing something that's broken, making a new piece, installing a finished product at a consumer's house – whatever that current project demands of him. Once a job is agreed upon, he does the work and then returns back home, keeping his skills sharp and ordering new supplies and staying diligent, until the next offer comes in and he starts the process over again."

Petra nodded at Hanji's summary, and Erwin took over, "In a way, that's exactly what you'd be doing as well. In terms of reporting, you'll still report to me directly, but you wouldn't be employed by the Scouts specifically anymore. Instead, you'd be employed by the military as a whole. You'll have your jobs and tasks here that will need to be kept up with – reports that will be realigned to better distribute the workload throughout our commanding officers who are overwhelmed and give you areas to specialize in and make your own, however, I'm suggesting that both the Garrison and the Military Police be given the opportunity to send you some of their projects as well."

Petra's eyes widened in surprise and her head shot up, "Wait, send me some of their projects as in…working for them? How is that…I don't even understand how that's possible, sir."

Erwin nodded seriously, "Well just suppose it were possible - you said earlier in the hallway that you liked the idea of helping out the fellow factions, right? What's more, you said you enjoyed both of their offers to some extent – with regards towards the jobs specifically at least. If given the opportunity, would you still like to try and improve those areas in the other factions, if it meant you could still stay here and not sacrifice your position or Levi's?"

Petra gave a baffled nod and Erwin nodded toward the folder and continued, "It is possible, and this is how we can make this happen - without sacrificing your location or control of the situation. To try and explain, the way this would work is that you – using the carpenter analogy – might specialize in building tables for us and you do that faithfully day in and day out, but then the Garrison says they need you to build them some tables for a while. They'd send over a contract, you and I could go over the needs of the Scout Regiment, make sure we're all set on tables first, and if we are, we might agree to their contract and you'd work for them until the quota is met. At the time of the offer, we'd be able to go over expectations such as if you can stay here on Scout's Property, if they are requesting you travel or other details they are wanting cared for. Naturally we can counteroffer or ask clarifying questions, until an agreement can be made or the entire project is sent back to the drawing board in the event an agreement can't be reached. I'd like to note that once we accept an offer, you'll truly be employed by that faction and you'll be on their payroll until the job is done. Of course you'll still report to me as I oversee your progress and act as your boss to hold you accountable, but on the whole, you will truly be working for, and employed by that faction until the project's completion or agreed upon end date."

Petra continued reading over the pages studiously, nodding her head to confirm she was listening and somewhat able to follow along, and the Commander gave her a few moments, eventually leaning back into his chair and smiling softly at her mystified expression, "I don't mean to brag Mrs. Ackerman, but if I do say so myself, this is pretty imaginative. The factions have never had a resource or tool they can all pool from in terms of people, and after the gas shortage results, I think all the Commanders are interested in the idea of working together a little more. This might be a way we can accomplish that – but in all fairness, I should warn you now that this role will be messy and come with undoubted pain points that will truly be unavoidable. Fact of the matter is, it's the first time we've ever tried something like this so we're bound to drop the ball as we all work together to figure out what works and what doesn't. If it helps, we went through a similar phase with your Captain's squad as well – most of the transition had been ironed out before you came along, but even still, Levi could tell you that the first starting few months of the brand new 'Elite Squad' wasn't exactly smooth or tranquil."

Petra's expression was quizzical, and she was slowly reading over the pages and some of the amendments Erwin had made to the offer, and she outright coughed when she came to the section regarding her compensation. She looked up from the folder in surprise, "Commander, can we…can the Scouts afford this? I mean, it's not at the same levels of the Military Police of course but I'm well aware that this is…quite generous. If I were to stay in the Scouts and move into a position like this…"

Erwin laughed and cut her off, knowing full well the nature of her concerns, "You should know me better by now, Petra. To be perfectly upfront, this adjusted position is how the Scouts will be able to give you such a competitive pay raise. Fact of the matter is, I don't anticipate having to fulfill your paychecks much more than half the year at best, so even with such a notable raise in pay, we're actually saving money in the end because what comes out of our budget per year will actually end up being less than what we pay you right now."

Petra rolled her eyes in dry amusement, a smile coming to her lips as she realized that her 'pay raise' was nothing more than Erwin sending the bill off to the other factions, and Petra found herself laughing outright, because only Erwin. "Alright, alright, I'll admit that's pretty clever. I guess I shouldn't be surprised though, considering who it is I'm talking to. Levi warned me about things like this some time ago, but even still, I think it'll take me by surprise for a long while when you pull things like this. This is pretty ingenious, Commander."

The blonde could only grin at her words and he gave a slight chuckle, "When you run a division like mine, you get rather good at becoming creative like this. Perhaps this isn't fair for me to say in a setting like this one as it's not meant to sway your decision, but even still, I know of a certain squad who's all due for raises - according to that Captain's recommendations, at least. I did some quick math while you were gone at lunch and if we brought you up to that figure each year, estimating we foot half of your annual salary ourselves, the amount we will save from the other factions footing the other half of the bill makes it so we can give a six percent raise to the rest of your squadmates and even with that, it looks like we'll still break even so the budget won't be impacted at all. Pretty neat, right?"

"Six percent? And you won't have to pull those funds from somewhere else? That's so amazing Commander, and they would be so happy." Petra was shaking her head in silent wonder, a soft smile pulling at her lips as she thought of her teammates finally getting a proper raise for once. She knew it shouldn't influence her decision and she knew better than to sell herself out for such a small detail, but even still, the thought was heartwarming because even though it had only been a month and she still saw her old team on a daily basis, even still – she missed them terribly.

She gave a small laugh at herself, because just like that, there was a sudden prickling sensation behind her eyes that she hadn't expected. She rubbed her eyes and groaned in embarrassment, because this wasn't exactly how she had envisioned presenting herself at the time of the Scout's long-awaited job offer. "Sorry, I'm still not used to all these changes just yet because it's been a whole month and I still get teary eyed just talking about them. Either way, that really, really makes me happy to hear. I haven't heard of the Scouts giving that sort of raise...ever."

Hanji grabbed a tissue from a nearby box and handed it toward Petra with an understanding grin, saying nothing further as she allowed the conversation to progress, "That's true, but in all fairness, the Levi's squad specifically is the only reason we're even able to give such a raise in the first place. You assisted more than anyone in the gas shortage of course, but Levi proved the material was sound, and then it was your own team that trained the rest of the regiment and proved it could work on a large-scale basis – which is how the other regiments got involved and led to this event today. The Levi squad was instrumental in the entire process, and it wouldn't be fair to not recognize that."

Erwin's expression sobered and he responded seriously, "In truth, some part of me would love to pocket the opened-up funds and use it to make other changes that we've been wanting to initiate but like Hanji said, it just wouldn't be fair. The elite squad has earned every bit of that raise – your Captain as well - and I intend to give you all what is due. I don't say any of that to sway you of course-" his words hadn't left his mouth before the smirk came to his face, and Petra even gave a sort of amused snort as he continued, "It's just…I'm fairly confident that your mind is already made up so I don't mind reinforcing the decision you've already made."

Petra's smile grew all the more, and Hanji nodded down at the folder in good nature, "It's all written down for you there, but in summation – your role would be to partner with myself and Erwin to keep the Scout's on track. The great thing is that my group can keep focused on more theoretical and experimental initiatives, what we were built for, and you would work more regarding inventory, concerning metrics, outliers – constantly keeping an eye out for inefficiencies or things that don't add up. In addition, we're aware that you were working with Levi regarding the types of training that work best based off the data you were seeing. We know you won't have the time to do such a thing for all the teams in the Scout Regiment on a week by week basis, but we were hoping you might lead a few workshops with leadership in attempts to create more effective training paths as a whole."

Erwin picked up and continued explaining further details of her future role, "And let's not forget that in this sort of fluid position, the Garrison and MP's will undoubtedly reach out to you – always through myself first – with their own initiatives that they'd like your assistance with. When the factions come to an agreement where I'll confirm the offer and you and I can come to an agreement where, heads up, I will have the final say, and you will work on their project until the agreed upon conditions have been met. In short, you won't be exclusively a Scout anymore, but rather a tool uniquely used and partnered with all the factions to make the groups unified and functioning as smoothly as possible. As confirmed in your official offer, you'll be expected to be in all the meetings, changes won't be happening without you being aware of them, and you will officially be promoted into the role of a Commanding Officer who, like Levi and Hanji, reports directly to me."

Erwin took a breath and allowed Petra to keep reading over the pages, eventually leaning back in his chair and smiling at the telling, uncontrolled grin on her face, because she looked nothing short of gleeful. Eventually, she sobered her expression and looked up toward him suspiciously.

"Hold on just a moment though – an offer like this, there's no way the Garrison or the MP's would have made the same offers they did, had they known something like this was already in the works, meaning you haven't even run this by them yet. What do we do if I move into this role and they aren't interested or find someone else? It may work out on paper, but if the other two factions don't do their part, you've royally screwed yourself over and it doesn't look like you've built in a safety net of any kind."

Erwin only shook his head, "We don't need one. Your concerns aren't without some validity, however you underestimate your own value and necessity. Please note that the reason both factions came to you like this is because they are interested in what you can do for their divisions and they don't have anyone else they can turn to. To your point it would be much easier for them to train someone else up from their own division in attempts to eliminate the middle man, however they are experiencing the same problems we did before."

Petra watched him curiously and Erwin explained, "How do you go about recognizing that someone even has such a talent, when everyone is already doing an important job that can't be sidelined in attempts to cultivate a new skill? To be frank, even by my standards we simply got lucky in that things played out the way they did for us with your skillset and work ethic. Granted you had an interest and showed some promise back when you started doing Levi's paperwork, but that alone wasn't enough. Had it not been for the unfortunate accident that took you out of commission for three straight months, none of this would have happened in the first place because the military isn't in the business of paying someone a full salary for a job that they hopefully, might, be able to one day succeed in. All that to say, no, I'm not worried about the other factions disregarding the open door we're creating for them. If anything, they'll be thrilled because next year's review is just twelve months away, and who knows, maybe you'll be ready for something else then too."

Erwin paused and met Petra's gaze purposefully, his tone softening as he watched her with a knowing, pleased grin, "After all, a lot can change in a year, Mrs. Ackerman – wouldn't you agree?"

At the Commander's charge, Petra could only give a slow nod, reviewing at a glance all the various things that had changed since last year's review and this current one; wholly aware of the point Erwin was trying to make and knowing now from experience, that his words were undeniably true.

"So." Erwin didn't linger on his question and nodded down toward the folder instead, "That's the general idea, and all the details are laid out there with all the fine print and expectations we'd like to see you meet. As you notice, there's not really metrics or a solid way of tracking your performance, and right from the get-go I can promise you that's going to be one of the first projects you tackle because we need a way to be able to rank you and tell if you're keeping on task or not. Either way though, at this point you have officially heard all of the offers available to you for the coming year. Normally I'd say this is the part where you'd ask your questions and the like, but we're already well past the thirty minute mark so unless there's something you need to know now, perhaps it's better if we wait until later to address the nitty gritty. My fellow Commanders aren't used to feeling outdone, and I'm not trying to cause any later problems in our relationships."

Petra could only nod and Erwin folded his hands across the table, watching her seriously, "If I understand correctly, you really only have two offers you are considering – mine, and the offer presented from Pixis. I'm curious Petra – have I done my job correctly and given you an offer that will keep you in house, or should I prepare to give a congratulations to Pixis instead? The choice is yours, and we'll support you every step of the way, no matter which direction you choose."

Petra carefully closed the folder and looked at Hanji, and then Erwin squarely, "I appreciate you asking, Commander, but you knew before you even walked in this room what the outcome would be, so all this pandering really isn't necessary, you know? I'm staying in the Scouts. I got married for Maria's sake, just to stay here, and so to leave only nine months later just seems cruel. A nice pay rise from the MP's, traveling perks from the Garrison – I'll admit it was a nice attempt, but you'll have to try much harder if you're ever going to be rid of me."

Erwin couldn't help but give a small laugh, and Hanji had to bite her lip to keep an excited shriek from leaving her lips. Erwin gave a pleased exhale and returned Petra's amused grin with a shrug, "I'll admit the outcome was predictable, but it's rude to assume. Either way, we are thrilled to hear of your decision, Mrs. Ackerman. Would you like to announce the news now, or would you rather stay in here a few moments so Hanji can collect herself?"

Petra laughed and she stood up from the table, the other two following her lead as Petra held the folder in her hands and spoke softly, "Being serious though, this offer truly is unique and it honestly exceeded my expectations – I would have never thought of something like this but it really is perfect. Thank you, Erwin, because you more than delivered when you said that you'd go out of your way to help me and I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Just to clarify you…you really think I'm ready for something like this? I'm grateful to both of you for being willing to work with me because you know that I'm a little…unpolished, but to give your stamp of approval and have me somewhat represent you and the Scouts as we partner with the other factions…I just don't want to make a fool of myself or let you down."

There was a hand on her shoulder and Petra's gaze fell onto Hanji as she shook her head, "Petra, you are ready. Erwin and I, we both think so. To be frank, you will mess up and perhaps feel a little foolish or do things that require some clean up on the backend, but every person goes through that when they step into a new role. I mean, think of your first few months on the Elite squad, right? They may make you cringe in hindsight, but at the time you were doing the best you could and it's all part of the learning process. Eventually, you learned how to keep up with the squad and made a name for yourself as one of the best, where you truly earned your place alongside your peers. You'll do the same thing here – you'll take a few steps forward, a few steps back, learn a trick or two, and eventually you'll flourish just as you always have before. It will just take time."

Hanji got a mischievous look on her face then and she leaned toward Petra intentionally, "And if you think my reaction is dramatic, that's nothing. Can you imagine Levi's face, when he learns that his wife will be staying here with him, for good? He may act like he's fine with whatever outcome you choose, but the reality is that he's more anxious than anyone else because he's a control freak and he can't do a thing right now."

Petra gave a small chuckle at Hanji's words, and Erwin took a step toward the door, pausing in place and watching Petra expectantly, "He's been left out of the loop long enough now, and I think it's high time we tell him the good news. What do you say, Petra?"

…

...

When they walked out of the room, Levi couldn't help but frown, because while he should have expected as much from Hanji and Erwin, Levi would have assumed that the outcome of the meeting would have been written all over Petra's face, but much to his irritation, she was just as stoic as Erwin himself.

Of course now she would suddenly master her poker face, and his dreadful luck only caused a small wrench of anxiety to churn in his stomach because try as he may in watching her expression or body language, he couldn't tell if she was excited or disappointed or something else entirely.

From the back of the room, Levi took a slight inhale, having long since moved out of his chair in favor of the back wall because after being in this meeting since early morning, he was more than tired of sitting idly for hours on end with nothing to do other than wait. At this point he was feeling extremely restless, and he couldn't determine if it was because of his nerves, or if it was because he was legitimately that bored because this god-forsaken meeting would never end. What was worse, all the important conversations that would have been interesting and would have helped the time pass more smoothly, were the same ones he hadn't been privy to, and as a result, the meeting had been long and miserable and had offered him very little avenues for a mental reprieve.

As time had slowly continued to pass by, more than once, Mike had stolen a knowing glance to the back of the room, and that alone had kept Levi standing rigidly in place against the wall, because while some part of him desperately wanted to pace back and forth as a way to pass time, there was no way he'd give Mike that level of satisfaction.

In all fairness, it had made him feel like crawling out of his skin to remain so still when he felt so damn anxious, but for some reason his pride prevented him from acting out and playing into Mike's hand. Still though…was it that obvious that even Mike, who usually kept to himself, was taking amusement at his expense? Hell, he should be invested in Petra's decision, where his rather obvious agitation was only natural, right? After all, he had been her boss for almost six years now, so it would make sense that he would want to see her off and wish her well. Plus he was her husband now too, so that surely accounted for some of it so why everyone was acting like this and…

Levi gave a long sigh of defeat, knowing full well that his thoughts were running away with him. As much as it aggravated him, he understood the glances and the smirks, because no one, not even him, would have ever believed he would have found himself living life with someone like Petra. Of course she would never believe it and deny it at every turn, but Petra was too good for him in so many ways, and while he hated to feel so damn sappy and vulnerable, he almost felt desperate to keep her.

The only problem was, after being relatively stand offish and having a perpetual bad attitude, it usually came with the general understanding that Levi Ackerman wasn't desperate for anything or anyone, and that alone caused his peers to whisper and stare as he tried to navigate what his life would look like now that he was truly, willingly married.

Fuck, in all fairness he supposed that if he were in their shoes - he'd probably watch too.

It was frustrating as hell and made him feel somewhat self-conscious, but he knew they meant well and he'd try his best to just ignore it until, like everything else, they got bored and moved on.

"Thank you all for your patience," Erwin began, walking with Petra and Hanji as they returned back toward their table, "I'm sure you're all curious as to what happens now or what Petra's thoughts are." Thankfully, Erwin did not spare him a glance and continued speaking, "After some discussion about what she's looking for in her future, I believe Petra has come to a final decision. Petra, if you will?"

Levi allowed his gaze to shift to Petra and he could feel his brows pull down in outright curiosity, and he took a deep breath because fuck, he just wanted to hear her decision and be done with it already.

"Thanks Commander. I have to give a big thanks to everyone because the thought you put into it was obvious and it really made it hard to choose what that next step would look like for me."

Petra took a breath then, looking around the room and finally – Levi almost felt like looking away, because her stare landed on him directly and based off the way her expression immediately softened, he could only imagine what his own expression must have looked like. She watched him for a single moment longer, then looked back towards the rest of the attendants with a sobered expression, "I'll be staying here, in the Scout Regiment and seeking further career opportunities within my home faction. I feel there are things that I still need to accomplish in this setting, and I'm not ready to…"

Her explanation had drawn off then, because without a word, Levi had moved off the back wall and quietly made his way to the door. From the corner of his eye, he saw Petra take a step forward as though planning to chase after him, but Hanji had grabbed her arm and directed her focus back toward the gathered officers with a serious expression.

Levi had allowed himself a slight smirk at Hanji's subtle intervention, and he gave a single nod toward Hanji in appreciation, and she gave him a wordless, knowing grin in return, softly nodding toward the door in understanding.

With a slight stutter, Petra cleared her throat and continued, "Not uh…ready to leave just yet. Over this next year I'm hoping to accomplish-"

Levi had closed the door behind himself, where any further words were lost to him. He quietly walked down the hallway step for step in silent contemplation, and he eventually reached the exit where he stopped, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms as he mentally reviewed her decision.

…So Petra was staying after all then.

He had told her to not get distracted by their relationship and choose what she wanted because he would be there for her, no matter what faction she chose. He had told her that it was okay to leave if she wanted, because maybe the other factions would be better for her and might actually offer her more success and happiness than a position here in the Scouts could.

He had told her that she didn't need to worry about him, because this decision was about her and yet…

When it was all said and done, just like always, Petra just hadn't listened to him and decided that she wanted to stay in the Scout Regiment.

Fuck. She was so, so fucking stubborn and even now…

He just couldn't get the smile off his face.

Levi took a breath, shaking his head in absolute wonder and allowing himself to walk out of the building. Try as he may to school his expression, he'd be grinning for some time and even if he earned more than a few concerned glances, he just didn't care.

Gods, he was just so fucking, amazingly happy and he didn't give a damn who knew it.

…

End of Chapter

...

Alright. Now if I'm not mistaken, there were bets being taken over what faction Petra would end up working with? Whichever of you picked 'All 3 factions' you make sure they pay up! *dramatic laugh* Whenever I read that comment, I about DIED laughing because I was like…huh. Don't know how they'll settle the score on this one because there's a lot of technicalities depending on who she's working for at what time and to say she's working for…any of the factions, is an accurate statement. Sorry about that, and best of luck with your determinations!

In other news, this chapter probably took me the longest to write, aside from our one chapter WAY back at papa Ral's house. There were a lot of points I was trying to tie up and facets of people's characters that sorta get wrapped up in a bow here, all with the backdrop of the job review and Petra's options and why she's choosing what she is and the very core of her character in this story. It was a delicate chapter in many ways, even though it may not seem like it as you are reading it because it reads more as a 'this happened, then this, then that' which also took some doing, I might add.

Its an odd balance. I do hate making you guys wait this long – especially when we are so close to the end – but I just kinda have to deal with it because I am determined to finish this piece up perfectly. Two more chapters guys! Just TWO more! Thanks for everything, and I'll see you next time!

~Mid