Stohess HQ - mess hall

As soon as Sierra rushed off with that Frei guy to investigate a breach the wall, Eren couldn't get her face out of his head. He toyed with his food unable to eat while she was out there, possibly risking her life while he sat here doing nothing.

He felt Mikasa's ever-watchful gaze on the side of his face and woodenly loaded his spoon full of gruel and forced his mouth to receive the morsel. He wasn't in the mood to be lectured on not eating so he went through the motions.

Like a damn robot.

I wonder if Miss Sierra's okay. He thought as he swallowed the chicken-flavored broth. Not even flinching as it burned a hot trail all the way down to his stomach. I hope so. The shifter smiled a little, liking the way that sounded. Calling her Major seemed way too formal...but he'd ask permission first. No sense in getting on her bad side.

Eren grabbed his mug of water and took a long sip. He caught Captain Levi sitting across the room near the door with his ever-present teacup in hand. A tendril of steam curled past his stoic face, but the slight pinch around his mouth and eyes told him the older man seemed troubled.

I bet he's worried about Miss Sierra too. He'd watched the near-silent exchange between his mentor and the older woman and couldn't help but be reminded of another set of soldiers who could do the same thing before they were brutally murdered...their blood staining the grass and trunks of a certain Forest...strong bodies scattered like broken toys along its sun-dappled floor...

Abruptly, he grabbed the ends of his tray and stood startling his friends.

"E-Eren? What's wrong?" Armin tried to ask before the shifter strode across to where Levi was sitting, spine rigid and stiff as he walked.

Eren tuned out the fearful whispers and pointed looks thrown his way. The sound of two chairs scraping the floor and hurried footsteps indicated his friends were hastily following him out of concern. Stay away, stay back, he wanted to shout, not caring if they were in the middle of a packed canteen. This is personal...you didn't see what I saw in the Forest...Mikasa, you only saw the aftermath of my failure...that wasn't your fight...and now Captain Levi's injured because I was weak and you disobeyed his orders.

Levi barely spared his charge a glance as the boy plonked his tray with his remaining meal across from his position.

"So," he paused to take a sip of tea. "Yer thinkin' about it too."

Eren raised his eyebrows. Internally cursing his superior's keen eye and blunt words.

"Sir?"

"Don't pretend kid. Why else would you brats invade my personal space?"

Ackerman shot a death glare at him which Levi ignored with ease, knowing full well how much she hated that. He wasn't in the mood to entertain her vengeful attitude nor did he have energy to spare. Arlert's wary gaze darted between him, the girl and the boy she loved-no matter how many times she was in denial, it was there to those who could read between the lines-she couldn't hide. Not from him. Levi had seen and done way too much to be fooled by a pair of lovesick brats who were determined to convince everyone but themselves there was nothing deeper going on.

"Eren's just worried about the Major, sir." Armin supplied by way of an explanation. He grunted when his best friend jabbed a rock-hard elbow into his arm.

"Shut up Armin." Exasperated Eren shoveled another spoonful of soup into his mouth, glaring at the small blond. "I swear to God, yer just as bad as Mikasa when it comes to keeping secrets..."

Mikasa peered sideways at her friend, mug raised halfway to her lips, a slight twinge in her chest at his words. Thanks to her voicing concern for his safety, Eren's last words to his mother had ended in a heated argument just minutes before she'd been devoured right in front of her horrified son's eyes.

"I did that for your own benefit, Eren-"

"No." the young man said lowly, his voice flat and cold. "You didn't."

The three didn't speak for a few tense moments. Levi remained silent through the kids' brief exchange, wondering what Ackerman could've said to piss Jaeger off like that, but decided it wasn't any of his business.

"You're worried about her too. Aren't you Captain Levi?"

Humanity's Strongest blinked out of his stupor and focused on Arlert's probing question. Damn this kid and his ability to see everything.

"Don't be ridiculous brat. People die. She's no different." He turned his attention to the table mind wandering. Petra was one of the best. So was Eld, and Oluo and Gunther. Just because yer skilled doesn't mean yer granted immunity from death.

Armin made a move to protest but was silenced by Levi's icy glare. He cares. He doesn't like to show it but he does. I wonder how much longer he's gonna keep lying to himself.

Eren blew out a heavy breath. Covered his eyes with a calloused hand.

"I just...I don't want anything happening to her. Not yet." His gruff voice was unusually hoarse and soft. Almost like he was trying to hold back tears. "Not for a long time, Captain." Not after I've finally met someone who's accepted me without fear, without me having to beg, plead or explain or drawing their blades on me. I need more bold spirits like her.

Levi sipped again, holding his cup by its rim. Thought, neither do I kid. But the school of life had taught him the hard, bitter reality of the world at an even younger age than the children sitting before him in a neat little row-a strong triple-braided cord-that no one stuck around forever.

"Don't get attached kid. It'll only hurt like a bitch when she dies." His own shattered heart clenched painfully at the thought, but needing to maintain his stoic facade he brushed it aside. Noting with a pang of irritation, it was taking longer and longer to perform this particular action on a daily basis.

Eren set his spoon down on the tray leaving the rest of his meal untouched.

"It's too late," he whispered.

Beside him, Mikasa tightened her grip on her own utensil. She didn't have to ask to know what he meant and that made her nervous. Sierra Wolf was no clingy little girl terrified of losing what family she had left. She had the look and bearing of a person who experienced the depths of hell, suffered incredible loss and came out a living weapon, forged from its merciless flames.

Armin busied himself with eating his own meal while Levi set his half-drunk cup down on the table and rose stiffly. He understood what the kid was saying. That it was too late to voice such a warning, that he'd taken Sierra's measure and spread his protective wing over her without a second thought.

He limped out of the dining hall, needing to escape while the getting was good. I can't afford to risk it. Not again. The world is a cruel, unforgiving place.

...

Mayor's conference room - Justice Building

Sierra muttered a stream of profanities under her breath as she half-ran, half-jogged to the Justice Building. She heard Frei a few steps behind but not falling back as she set the briskest pace she could without panting. The last thing the short woman wanted was to show up hot and dirty.

When she finally arrived at the spacious room almost every important city official and senior personnel from all three branches and the Wall Cult were seated around the long dark-walnut rectangular table.

Every head turned in her direction as she stood, face flushed in the flung open door. Eyes hard and bright. Frei arrived a few seconds later breathing heavily.

"I'm glad you made it Major. We weren't starting until you arrived. Please sit down." Erwin gestured to a vacant chair on his left as Hange occupied the one on his right. "Runner," he instructed Frei. "Please take your place near the door."

"What?!" One of the Wallists with a receding hairline and pale skin shoved his chair away, tipping it over in his haste to gain his feet. His finger trembling as he pointed it at Sina's most wanted ex-rapist killer turned Titan Ripper. "Is-is that...who I-who I think it is Erwin?!"

"Yes Elder." Erwin's face remained composed in the face of the older man's fearful reaction to his guest of honor. "Please, don't panic. She bore witness to the titan in the wall and will be included in our councils regarding this delicate matter going forward."

Instead of placating the older man, Erwin's words had the opposite effect.

"How can I remain calm," the Wallist croaked, spittle coating his thin lips. "When this ignorant heathen this...this violent butcher is sharing the same space with distinguished gentlemen like my fellow brothers and myself?!" Wide, distended chocolate brown eyes flew to Erwin's preternaturally calm ice blues.

Before Erwin could respond, Sierra took matters into her own hands.

"Shut up, dickhead." Her voice was sharp and cold, like a blade hacking through ice. Every man present broke out in goosebumps as all the warmth was leeched out of the room. "As you said, I specialize in ripping flesh. Unless ya plan to leaver yer balls behind after the meeting, you'd better use that pea-size brain of yers...sit down and stop wasting my time."

The old man's adam's apple bobbed frantically but he obeyed, legs shaking as he resumed his seat, thoroughly chastised. Hange leaned over giving her a thumbs-up and a cheeky wink.

Fighting back the urge to roll his eyes at the Elder's dramatics, Erwin cleared his throat all business.

"Ladies and gentlemen as of thirty minutes ago, titans were spotted by Captain Mike Zacharias and his squad inside Wall Rose." Distressed muttering arose from the nobility seated around the table. The MPs surrounding the room quivered at the thought of their most hated foe running dangerously close to the safest place in the Interior. "Major Wolf has just come from the site itself so she will provide the latest news."

Sierra sighed heavily as she stood to make her report. Wishing she was out in the field slicing titan necks, instead of being stuck in this stuffy conference room with a bunch of spoiled, rotten elitist faggots who cared about nothing except the power and status their money and titles awarded them with.

"The titans seemed to be coming from the southwest corner of Wall Rose," she began making sure she had everyone's attention. "Which is strange, given we haven't found a breach site yet." Something warned her it wouldn't be wise to flat out say the breach didn't exist. "But until Mike and his team gather more concrete intelligence and make their report we need to assume the worst." She turned her gaze to the Mayor who was absorbing every word.

"What do you propose we do Major?"

"If it were up to me, I would go to the place the titans came from and launch a formal investigation. We can't have these things getting into the Interior. As for the Wall itself, it's safe to say they could be turned against us."

Murmuring arose, louder than before and this time there was no mistaking the terrified whimpering of the ruling elite and several of the MPs. She held up a hand and the noise died off.

"Not right now though. But hear me gentlemen. Someday soon...and that day might not be too far away, the Wall titans could wake up and start walking around. I hope the King has contingency plans in place when that event occurs."

She sat down and the conference room started buzzing like a beehive.

Erwin stepped to the back of his chair and loudly cleared his throat to restore order.

"Gentlemen, please! Keep in mind this is part speculation regarding the Wall, but the titan threat outside your doorstep is a clear and very present danger." He paused and looked down the table to the Mayor of Stohess. "May I sir?"

The middle-aged man nodded, clasping his hands together.

"Go ahead, Erwin."

"Thank you. Here's what I propose. A small team of Scouts will be dispatched as fast as humanly possible to investigate the direction the titans orginally came from. Squad Leader Hange will be in charge of this group. Major Wolf will accompany her as she provided the general location. Ladies, do you have any questions for me?"

"Nope."

"No."

"Very well. The 104th Squad should be briefed on the situation so feel free to take whomever you wish and see what's there to be seen. Dismissed, both of you!"

Hange pounded her chest, glasses flashing with excitement. Sierra nodded sharply.

Frei raised his hand catching Erwin's eye.

"Excuse me sir. May I accompany the Majors on this investigation?"

"Why?"

The young man hadn't planned a big speech so he repeated what he told Captain Mike on the ramparts of Wall Sina. "Forgive me for being forward, but I don't want to remain ignorant of our enemies abilities, Commander."

Erwin suspected the request held a bit more than simple curiousity, but he wasn't one to discourage learning.

"All right." When the kid's face lit up he knew he was onto something. "But I expect a full report when you return."

Inside, Frei was turning cartwheels. But jumping up and down like a child in front of all these important people wouldn't be appropriate. So he stuck out his chest and thumped it with extra emphasis.

"Roger, sir!"

Sierra felt a vein throb on her forehead as she swept past the overzealous trainee. Great. I'm stuck with a damn puppy dog following me around. Yay.

Her angry thoughts were interrupted by Hange throwing an arm around her as they walked down the hallway to meet the rest of the 104th Trainees an apprehensive, yet excited look stealing over her face at the prospect of observing and possibly capturing new specimens for further research.

"Ready for this girlie?"

Sierra huffed as she shrugged the crazy scientist's deceptively strong limb off her shoulder.

"Long as I git to kill some of them demons, I'll be cool."

Hange raised both hands, laughing playfully. "Hey, easy now. Investigating first. Ripping later."

Sierra rolled her eyes. Not watching where she was going she ran into a warm, solid surface that let out a surprised oof when she made contact.

Without stopping, she pivoted on one foot and skated around the object like she was dancing.

"Watch yer step, dickless!" Sierra snapped at the stunned man she collided with and vanished around the corner of the adjacent hall. Leaving a shocked Jarell staring at the marble floor as if he'd just seen a ghost.

TBC...

Cindy/silent reader: Oooh, Syrian Armenian? That's really cool! As for Sierra and Jarell meeting for the first time in a decade, that'll be heated/awkward in every possible way. I mean c'mon, not only does he work for the MP he serves the King himself. She won't be too happy to find out he's part of the Imperial Guard that's for sure...but with the Uprising in the works...anything can and will happen. :)

Anbu-chan: Aww that's nice of you. :) I'm glad ur digging Sierra's toughness-it seems to be a key part of why everyone's drawn to her-and that makes me very happy she's being received well and with rave reviews. I wanted to deviate from the usual 'fangirl' type of female OCs that populate these kind of stories, . so yeah that played a big factor in creating her character.

WingsofScouts: Hey, hey! Weclome to my little corner of insanity, lol. So ur addicted huh? Oops. I should've warned ya. :P Naw it's all cool. As long as ur enjoying the story it's alright to get hooked. All positive, complimentary reviews like yours are more than appreciated! :)

Guest: Yeah ur right. Levi's def waiting for that opening from her, no matter how small it is, he'll take it. As for Sierra and Jarell...I'll be evil and hold it off until the next chp. Or two. Or three. Muahahaha. ;P

Mun3litKnight: on the brother/sister reunion...u might not wait as long as u think. We'll see. ;)

Big titan hugs to everyone who's followed/faved and reviewed! I'm truly blown away by your support guys! This fic wouldn't exist without it. :)