A table came flying and crushing on the stone floor. Nathalie and Levi were just walking downstairs to check out what the hell had broken and made a sound like that. Hange and Moblit had taken care of locking the soldiers up, but something must have happened that had infuriated Hange enough to kick on that table.
"I'm sorry, seems I made a mess," Hange said.
"Are you okay?" Nathalie asked turning at Hange, but Hange just put her goggles back in place and Moblit shook his head no from behind. Nathalie got the message.
"I encountered a large cockroach," Hange said, it was obvious she was lying, but Nathalie's eyes widened anyway.
"COCKROACH?!" Nathalie cried out, and before Levi even knew it, he was holding her bridal style.
Her body, shaking in terror. Levi sighed. He could never understand how Nathalie could approach ten-metre titans and experiment on them and even smile at them, whilst she could never approach a goddamn cockroach. He wouldn't complain though. She was so cute when scared of insects. Levi had always been around to deal with them. Nathalie's hands tightened around his shoulders and she scanned wide-eyed the floor, trying to find the small insect. Even though, a more logical part of her told her that there was no cockroach at all.
"A large one too?! HOW BIG?!"
"Relax," Levi said. "I bet she kicked it hard enough to learn its lesson," He let go off her and Nathalie's feet found the floor again, even though, she still cowered behind him. Hands slipped around him and she was still searching for something on the floor. "Nat," Levi caught her attention. "It's time you filled them in,"
Nathalie sighed in relief. There's no cockroach. "Oh! Right,"
The four adults walked into the other room, where they found Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, Jean and Connie sitting around a table and waiting. Nathalie and Hange had taken a moment to talk about the things that Hange had figured out about the titan spinal fluids, and the serum, and about Eren being devoured. Nathalie had theories about all these, and Hange was just providing her the evidence.
"So, they plan to eat Eren?!" Armin said, wide-eyed when Nathalie finished explaining.
"I'm afraid so. My previous theory was, that when an unintelligent titan consumes an intelligent titan, then the intelligence -or else- the ability to change back into human form, is passed down to the unintelligent titan along with the specific power," Nathalie said.
"It's been proven by a conversation that Eren remembered between Berthold and Ymir," Hange added.
"B- But how did you know this, Nathalie?" Armin asked.
"It's simple, really. Eren has a protein in his body that deactivates the genes that turn people into titans. If an unintelligent titan was to consume that protein, then they'd too turn back into a human. That's what I've been meaning to try on Connie's mom," Nathalie explained and Connie tensed up. Nathalie turned at the kid. "With your permission, of course,"
Connie nodded, but Armin continued with the questions. "Yeah, but how did you know about Eren having that protein?"
Nathalie parted her lips to answer, but she realised, she didn't. At least, when she first started working on her theories, she wasn't sure about Eren and that particular protein and how it worked. She just knew.
"W- We found out from the samples that we got the other day during the experiments!" Hange saved her. "But the thing is, if the government has a titan of their own, they'll use it to eat Eren,"
Mikasa growled. She jumped on her feet, ready to storm out, but Levi's hand found her shoulder, stopping her. "Calm down. I know you want to get Eren back, but going on a rampage won't help," He reminded her and Mikasa sighed deeply. Levi turned back at the others. "We head for Rod Reiss's Estate. Prepare to leave at once,"
"Sir!" The kids left to go get ready.
"I'll go tell Erwin everything we've learned about the Reiss Family," Hange said. "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to know that everything's going according to plan,"
"Right," Levi said.
"You better leave quickly after you tell him. I'm willing to bet they're already trying to frame him and take him into custody," Nathalie said. All according to plan.
Moblit sighed. "Reckless plans as always,"
"Tell me about it," Hange sighed. "You two take your squad and head to Reiss's estate. We'll come find you with my squad when we can," Hange said.
"Did Nifa and the others find you safely?" Nathalie asked and Hange nodded.
"Yes," Hange pulled on her cloak, giving her friend a smile. "Thanks, Nat. For keeping them safe,"
Nathalie nodded. "Of course,"
Nathalie and Levi followed Moblit and Hange as they walked out of the small building. It was late in the night, and Nathalie could tell, the new day would be dawning soon. Before Hange and Moblit had the chance to mount their horses, gunshots came and bullets buried deep within their horses' legs.
"Shit!" Levi cursed. He threw a protective hand around Nathalie, urging her to move behind him.
"What the-" Hange tried to say, but Moblit pulled her out of the way of a bullet that could have injured her badly in her chest.
"Hange!" Moblit cried out. His hands tightened around her. Her back pressed against his chest.
Levi was finally beginning to see. It was so late in the night, but clouds finally moved away allowing the moonlight to shine through and reveal Kenny and his squad. Levi gritted his teeth. He was armless. He only had a knife on him. Hange and Moblit were wearing their ODM but still, the men that came out were many. All in their thick, black coats that hid the Anti-personnel ODM gear beneath.
And then it was Sasha, Connie, Jean, Mikasa and Armin, all made to kneel down with daggers in their necks. It only needed a move to slaughter them all like animals. Nathalie's and Levi's eyes widened. She couldn't believe this was happening. No. She could hear nothing but the sound of her heartbeat, and her kids squirming.
"Levi… o- our kids…" Nathalie's voice trembled. She wasn't armed either. She had no daggers on her. She didn't have her ODM. How did they find us?! They weren't ready. They didn't expect to be cornered like this. Nathalie's fingers fisted painfully.
Levi gritted his teeth. "Kenny," he growled.
"What is it, boy? Surprised to see me?" Kenny smiled wickedly.
"Let them go!" Nathalie shouted.
"Now, now, why would I do that?" Kenny leaned and took a better look at Jean, Armin, Sasha, Mikasa and Connie who were standing in line, with both knives in their throats and guns in their heads. There was nothing that they could do. "They happen to be in perfect throat-slicing position,"
"You son of a-" Hange growled. She and Moblit pushed their cloaks aside and tried to use her ODM but Kenny stopped them.
"You might regret moving, Section Commander. All they need is a notion of my hand and the poor kids will bleed out before you know it," Kenny said.
"What the fuck do you want?!" Levi cried out. He was furious. He couldn't lose another squad. He had lost a squad. He had lost his friends. No more.
"I'm just a simple man trying to fulfil my dreams, boy. What I want is dear daughter to come back home with daddy," Kenny mocked pointing his gun at Nathalie, but Levi got in the way. It was all the same. Just like back then. The first time Levi had brought Nathalie to this man. He was standing between her and a gun.
No, no, no, no, no… Levi's eyes widened. He urged Nathalie to make another step behind him. Now he had to choose between his kids and her. No. No. Why?! Why did this have to happen?! Their hands were tied. There was nothing they could do. Hange and Moblit, even with their ODM, they couldn't do anything. A wrong move could have them splitting the kids' throats open.
Levi knew what Nathalie was thinking. He knew exactly what she was going to do. He wasn't going to let her. He wasn't going to let her get herself killed. That wasn't in the plan. No one was supposed to die in their plan. Kenny showing up here and now wasn't in the plan. What were they going to do to her once they'd take her? They were going to torture her. They were going to pull her nails out. They were going to beat her up and then kill her.
He couldn't let this happen. She shouldn't expect him to let her. He couldn't let go of that one person in his life that made that wretched life of his bearable. Nathalie tried to push his hand away from around her, but his hand only tightened.
"No," Levi said firmly.
"Please, Levi, you need to let me-"
"No, dammit!" Levi growled. He turned to look at her. "You can't trust that he won't kill them even if you do as he asks,"
"I can, watch me," Nathalie said. Before he even knew it, she escaped his grasp. She grabbed the dagger that he had fitted in his belt and she pressed the blade slightly at her one wrist. She lifted her hand up, threatening to cut her wrist open and bleed to death.
Kenny and everyone flinched slightly. "What the hell are you doing, kid?!" Kenny cried out.
"I'm making a bargain," Nathalie spat. "My life, for theirs," If all they needed is to bring her in alive, then she could take away from them just that. The only way she could bring herself to trust Kenny, was to hold something that he needed right now, and right now he needed her alive to bring her in to his superiors. If he was going to slit the throats of her kids, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of succeeding on his stupid mission.
Levi's heart was about to burst. Was she actually doing this?! Was she actually threatening to commit suicide to save the kids?! Of course, she was. She loved each and every one of them as if they were her own. But those tactics were going to get her killed. He couldn't let this happen. He couldn't lose her.
"Put the goddamn knife down, Nat," Levi growled.
"Are you fucking crazy!" Hange growled.
"Lieutenant, don't do it!" Moblit said.
"Nat! Don't!" Connie cried out.
"No! Nat!" Jean tried to fight against his captor.
"You're not thinking clearly! Stop!" Sasha cried out.
"Listen to them!" Levi growled. His hand reached for the knife to snatch it off her hand, but she took a step away from him.
"Don't try it, Levi, I'll do it," Nathalie said. She was serious. Her strong act wavered when she met his eyes. They were wide. Shocked. It was only a few times that she had seen Levi shocked. Frightened. Desperate. She wasn't bluffing like he had hoped. He knew she was insane. She had done lots of things to prove it to him. But he wasn't going to let her self-destruct.
"I can't let you go, Nathalie," Levi finally spoke out. Grey, the usually dead eyes now burned with emotion and shined with tears. "Not you, you hear me?!" Hands fisted. He wanted to touch her. Pull her into his arms and hold her and keep her safe. It was all that he ever wanted. Why wouldn't she grant him that one thing that he wanted? That one thing that was bringing a smile to his face. Why?! Did he have to watch her as she would leave him? Just like he had to watch his mother? Why was it all so goddamn unfair?!
"I can't let him kill them, Levi," Nathalie's voice trembled. "I'll never be able to smile if I know they died for me,"
Finally, her act started breaking. Her own tears overflowed her lower eyelids, and streamed down her cheeks. The hand that was holding the dagger against her wrist started shaking. She would never be able to sleep in the nights, knowing that those kids had died because of her. No. She didn't want to feel it all all over again. It was just like when Furlan and Isabel died. It was just like when Oluo, Petra, Eld and Gunther died. It was just like when Nanaba, Mike, Gelgar, Lynne and Henning died. She had lost so much, and now she was going to lose Levi too.
It's alright. She'd at least know he'd be safe. He was safer without her. That was the bitter truth, and it always had been. She was a weakness to him. The only person that their enemies would use to get to hurt him. It's time this ends. Levi knew she didn't want to be the reason that Jean, Mikasa, Armin, Sasha and Connie would die. He knew those kids were important to her. But she's important to me too.
"I can't let you die," Levi repeated. "You made a promise," A tear slipped down his cheek and he didn't give a single fuck if anybody was going to see it. Nathalie never broke her promises. She never did. Why this time? Why did he have to lose her?! "You promised!" He shouted.
Nathalie sighed heavily. She had made a promise. It wasn't a few minutes back when they talked about this. And now she was breaking that promise. That one thing that he clung onto. She was hurting him. She knew those tears on his cheeks were because of her. He was mourning for her. She was going to die if she let them take her. She knew it. A tear slipped down her cheek as she watched him. I'm so sorry.
"I can't let you go, Nat," Levi extended a hand forward for her to take it. She wanted to take it. She wanted it more than anything. But her body didn't move one bit. There was chaos all around with Hange and Moblit, and the kids screaming at her to not give in. But Kenny had a smile. He knew she would give in. He knew her well enough.
She knew Levi wasn't going to let her. Levi would gladly jump in her place if he could. She would do the same for him. She shook her head. No matter how long she stared at him, trying to create a good picture of him in her head, because she knew she would never be seeing him again, it still wasn't enough. She never thought it would end like this, so fast. They hadn't gotten to do anything. She had at least gotten to let him know that she loved him.
No. That was worse. It was going to hurt even more now that he knew that. "I'm sorry," Nathalie felt hands on her shoulders. She knew they were Kenny's soldiers. She let go of the dagger and allowed them to tie her hands behind her back.
"NO!" Levi cried out. He went for the dagger, but Hange caught him. The kids caught him as well. They kept him in place. Kenny had taken the bargain as it seemed. He had let the kids go. He just wanted Nathalie. He just wanted that one person that mattered the most to him.
Levi cried out and fought against the tight hold of his comrades whilst he watched Nathalie being dragged away. And as if she had regretted it, her hand reached for him as well and she cried out his name and he cried out her own. It almost felt like a vital piece of him was being ripped away. And he was failing to protect her. Once again, he was being absolutely useless. He was failing. He was useless.
"She doesn't pull harsh bargains, does she?" Kenny chuckled before he and his men mounted their horses and they left with Nathalie drugged and thrown in a carriage.
I'm sorry. Those were going to be her very last words to him. He was the one who should be sorry. He was the one who had let her. Levi collapsed on his knees. His body, too numb to move. They were going to kill her. They were going to hurt her. Just imagining her shouting in horror and pain, it made his whole body ache.
Despair. He should've gotten used to that feeling after all this time. Fingers clenched painfully tight in his hair. Eyes remained widened as he stared blankly at the grass beneath him. That was it. He had lost it all. He had lost everything and everyone. He had lost a reason to live. The only reason that he had. He looked at that dagger in his hands that she was previously holding, and he thought about stabbing it to his chest right then and there. It would end his suffering. It would end it all. It was just a simple, short move, that required no energy at all.
But Hange grasped the dagger away from his hand. Hange and Moblit and the kids were all around him, trying to say something that would put him out of the sorry state that he was in. He couldn't hear anything of what they were saying. All that he could see was her face. The sorrow in her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks, and then, her last words to him. It wasn't an I love you. It wasn't a kiss. I'm sorry. Just that.
And now he was going to live the rest of his life knowing that she had died because of him. She had died and the only thing he had from her were a broken promise and just those two, damned words.
I'm sorry.