Answered Prayers

by slingzarrowz

Levi and Petra are in love and together. They are finally, perfectly happy. But as the world around them falls to madness, their love will change not only their own destinies, but the course of history as well. Rivetra.

35. Chapter 35

He was supposed to just drop Kiyomi and go, but fuck it. There was tea. And since Mikasa wasn't much of a talker, and Levi was a blood relative, Kiyomi thought it was okay that he sit in on their little family discussion. Plus, this ginger tea was incredible. Kiyomi had excellent taste.

They were in one of the fancier inns in Mitras. There were small cakes and sandwiches as well, but Levi was happy with only the tea.

Mikasa sat there, looking polite and stoic as ever. Her hair was now cut boyishly short, and she still wore that red scarf. She treated Kiyomi with the same respectful distance she did Levi, though at least she didn't give any 'get away from me' vibes to the Hizuran woman. For ten minutes, Kiyomi had chatted about the coming spring blossom festival in Hizuru. How much she wanted Mikasa to be able to see it.

Woman kept pushing for the kid to come see Hizuru, and Mikasa kept politely declining.

Why? Levi knew. Because one day, Mikasa believed Eren would return. He'd left her here on purpose.

Levi thought again of what Petra had told him about Eren's future predictions. He frowned. Nah. Bullshit.

Though he couldn't help but wonder where Eren and Historia had got to. It'd been almost a year…

"Captain?" Kiyomi turned to him, politely smiling. "Would you like anything else?"

A smiling waiter stood at attention.

"Oh. No. Thanks," Levi grumbled. He returned to enjoying his tea. When Kiyomi had asked if he wanted a spoonful of honey, he'd almost decked her on impulse. How dare anyone sully good tea?

"Are you staying in Mitras long?" Mikasa asked, polite and cool as ever.

"Only a couple of nights. I had hoped you might agree to accompany me back to Hizuru for a few weeks when I return home. The Azumabito clan have longed to meet you, and so far only Kanada and I have had the pleasure."

"Thank you very much," Mikasa said. She even smiled. "Perhaps another time."

"Ah." Kiyomi sighed. She never lost the pleasant façade, but Levi could tell she was weary with this whole thing. Sick of trying to crack Mikasa's façade. Get her to open up.

Levi hadn't been able to do it, and Mikasa had not only known him for years, she loved his wife and kid. Kiyomi didn't stand a chance. If Mikasa decided you weren't family, no amount of trying would make you so.

"Guess I don't need to take you back up to the airfield?" Levi asked. Thank fuck.

"No, thank you."

"Okay, let me just call my wife then. She can expect me before dinner."

While the women kept talking, Levi asked for the inn's phone. They put him in a small parlor, and he sat down and dialed. He hated this shitty thing, the phone. Buzzing, tinny noises. He hated all this new crap that Hange loved.

As he dialed, he gazed out the parlor window and onto the elegant main boulevard of Mitras. In the distance, he could see the palace rearing up all golden and gleaming white.

The phone rang only once before someone picked up.

"Oi. Pet? I'm—"

"Levi?"

It was Ingrid. Her voice was raw; sounded like she'd been crying, or screaming. He heard something in the background.

Sobs. Kuchel's sobs.

His entire body became rigid. His heartbeat actually slowed; his instincts lit up, ready to do whatever it took to stop his daughter's crying.

"Ingrid. What's wrong? Is Petra there?"

"Oh god. Oh Levi. They…" Some words got lost in a garbled sobbing. Now a splash of anger blended with his icy calm, a drop of red into blue.

"Ingrid. What?" he snapped.

"They took her. And Armin. The soldiers, they came in here and…"

He stood. No.

No, that fucker hadn't…

It did not take a genius to figure out whose soldiers they were. Levi had to stop the humming in his ears, to listen to Ingrid. She said they'd put Petra and the baby into separate cars and taken them away. But where? Where had they taken them?

Levi knew exactly where.

He looked out the inn's window once more. He looked at that gargantuan fucking palace.

Erwin. What are you…?

But Levi locked it all away. His bewilderment. His heartbreak. His rage. His Ackerman instincts focused only on what was relevant. Petra and Armin had been kidnapped. Erwin had kidnapped them. He had them at the palace.

Levi had to save them. Simple. Clean. Easy.

The one not-easy part was Kuchel. He heard his daughter still sobbing hysterically in the background, and the yellow lightning hissed in his blood. They had traumatized his baby. They were fucking dead. All of them.

No matter who. No matter how many it took. He'd get Petra back.

"Ingrid. Wait," he growled. The yellow lightning laid everything out easily in front of him. Kuchel first. Petra second. Erwin might come back for his daughter, might try to use her to get to Levi. Unacceptable. "Here's what you're going to do. Grab Kuchel and pack a small bag. You can drive our car? Good. Take the back roads down to Wall Maria, all the way to Shiganshina. Avoid highways. Don't take the train. Take Kuchel to a woman named Hange Zoe. Yeah, you've met her. I'll give you the address right now."

Hange worked from home. Levi knew she would help. Once off the phone with Ingrid, he would call her. Tell her what was happening. Tell her what to expect.

And then, when Kuchel was taken care of, his mind would turn to murder.

---

"I…can't," Petra breathed. She waited for Erwin to grin and say 'just kidding!' But he looked perfectly serious. "I can't be your queen. You already have one!"

"I've already thought of that." Of fucking course he had. "In the Old Eldian Empire, it wasn't unheard of for a monarch to take multiple spouses, particularly a king. It was done to increase the amount of royal blood. This specific polygamy is reserved only for the royal family. Of course, it hasn't been in use for hundreds of years, but old customs can be revived."

"You said royal blood. You aren't royal," she snapped.

"I am the king of Paradis. I wield far more power than Historia ever could have. Besides, one day soon we'll find Eren and I'll eat him. Then I'll truly be the Founder, and when I have Historia again my control will be complete. My word will be absolute law, if it isn't already. As for Historia, this provides a good explanation for where she's been. She has always loathed the spotlight; journalists have made mention. She is still queen regnant, but retired from public life. Meanwhile, the king takes a queen consort, one who will give him children and sit at his side."

Children. He thought…he actually thought he was going to have more with her.

"Which reminds me. This insane, disgusting idea that you and Levi are going to share me," she said. In that moment, Erwin Smith became the ugliest man in the world to her. The idea of his touch made every inch of her body revolt. "I can guess what that means."

Erwin cleared his throat. "I won't force myself on you."

"Oh, right. You'll kidnap me, force me to marry you, but raping me is something you would never do. You're such an honorable man, after all!"

"You were the one who came to me, Petra." His voice was silk, with a dagger underneath. "You were the one who stayed for hours. I know that you enjoyed it." She wanted to block her ears. His every word was like a wound. "If you came to me once, I believe in time you'll come to me again."

"You're right. I went to you. You're right. I enjoyed it, as much as I hate myself to admit it." She clutched Armin closer. He made little whimpering noises as she sneered in Erwin's fucking face. "But even though it gave me Armin, fucking you is the biggest regret of my entire life. You are the most hideous, most revolting, most disgusting piece of shit I've ever laid eyes upon. Whatever part of me cared about you or how you felt is fucking dead now." She felt Levi speaking through her at that moment. It was freeing. "I would rather take a kitchen knife and shove it up my cunt multiple times than ever, and I mean ever, let you touch me there again. I'd fuck a horse before I'd fuck you again, you ugly, awful, evil fucking thing!" she shouted. Armin started to wail then. She cuddled and cradled him, but didn't wrench her eyes from Erwin's. He did not react. In fact, he'd gotten noticeably more relaxed while she shouted. Colder. He no longer worried about hurting her feelings, or being delicate.

"Levi makes such language endearing. It only coarsens you."

"I don't give a fuck!" Armin continued to fuss. Erwin reached for the baby, but Petra pulled the child away. Erwin's flat gaze became a warning.

"If you won't let me hold my son, I can have him taken from you." The words were soft, but deadly. Petra froze. "If you give him to me freely, you have my word I'll return him. I don't violate a given promise. You know that."

"No. But you're a snake. You'll always find a way." But she believed him this much. Fuming, Petra handed a fussing Armin to Erwin. The king rocked and shushed the baby. He looked upon the boy with rapture. "You've blown up all our lives because you couldn't be satisfied."

"You expect me to be satisfied with any separation from my son?" He shot her a venomous look.

"We could have worked things out over time!"

"He needs me."

"Right now he needs me more! I'm his mother!"

"And I'm his father!" Erwin barked. "You seem to think that Levi has more rights to this child than I do. That you should take his feelings into consideration before mine!"

"It's because I love him!" She was shouting; she shouldn't be, but she was. Armin wailed again, and Erwin shushed the boy. "I only went to you because I loved him. And now I hate you. God, I hate you so much."

"Then hate me," he said simply. "But you're still going to marry me."

"You can't force me."

"That's exactly what I can do. I don't want to." He sounded gentler again. "I want Levi and Kuchel to live here with us. Both Levi and I have a child by you, Petra. We're linked now. We can all be one family."

"So what? You imagined me splitting nights between the two of you?" She sneered. "Or maybe having the three of us share a bed."

"I'm amenable to either option," he said, his tone withering. "The three of us should be together, with our children."

"You fucked things up with Marie. You can't take our family because you couldn't make one of your own," she snapped.

Erwin's gaze became dangerous for one moment.

"This boy is my family. For his sake, you will be, too."

"Armin isn't—"

"That's another thing. I don't like the name Armin." Erwin frowned upon his son, who was now gurgling and fussing. "I can imagine why Levi named him that. It doesn't make me happy."

"Too fucking bad," she growled. She gripped the covers; she wanted to hold her baby again. "It's already on his birth certificate. Armin Ackerman."

"That will be easily dealt with. I've thought of a better name. Siegfried. Do you remember that book I loaned to you years ago? The Ring Cycle?"

"Yes." Fuck, of course he wanted to name their son after some mythological hero. Nothing could touch such divine beings. "I don't like that name."

"You'll have to make some concessions. Besides, Siegfried was a great hero."

"He also died tragically."

"Yes." Erwin sighed. "All mythic heroes meet tragic ends."

"Give him back to me." Erwin hesitated. "He needs to be burped."

Grudgingly, Erwin gave the child back. Petra burped him, Armin.

"I remember that woman from the Ring Cycle, Brunnhilde," Petra muttered.

"Yes, the warrior goddess. Laid low and turned mortal. Left to slumber in a ring of fire," Erwin said. His gaze softened a minute, and he reached out to stroke her face. Petra jerked away, baring her teeth. "The fate of a goddess who defied the king of the gods."

"But Brunnhilde is saved," Petra said. "By a hero."

---

"I'm so sorry, Levi." Hange sounded sick. "I'll be waiting for them."

"Find a place for them to stay. Remember, if I'm not there by—"

"I know. Don't worry. I can handle it."

The lightning told him to hang up now. There was killing to be done. He got off the phone and stood. Levi looked out upon the city streets, the long straight shot to the glittering white palace. His wife was there. Erwin had…

Erwin. Levi could feel his mind exploding with the mere idea, the knowledge that the king had ripped his wife out of bed and taken her away. Just taken her.

It made him feel insane. It made him…

The part of Levi that could feel shut down on impulse. No. He couldn't grieve, or try to understand how. The new, modern Levi, the Levi with a beloved wife and daughter, the Levi who raised horses and grew crops, that Levi vanished like smoke. All tenderness leaked out of him. It was like turning around and seeing his shadow on the wall, except the shadow was himself as he had been once, when he was younger: dead-eyed, remorseless, ready to break bones and spill blood to achieve his desired outcome. When he hadn't minded playing a maniac in order to save humanity.

Now humanity could fuck itself. Petra and Kuchel were all that mattered.

And honestly, none of this was Armin's fault. Levi worried for the kid, too.

Okay. Kuchel was taken care of. Levi called his house again. He told Ingrid to go, and go now. She said she would. When Levi hung up, the lightning spelled out the next step in yellow letters: arm yourself.

Tie up any loose ends.

It'd been so convenient, hadn't it, that Erwin had been able to send Levi on this 'errand.'

Kiyomi. What good timing to show up today, of all days. Really, the woman was very good at being in the right place at the right time. Too good.

Levi strode back into the private room Kiyomi had arranged. He shut the door. The women looked up; Kiyomi put down the teapot.

"Captain. Would you like some—?"

He gripped her by the throat and hauled her up and out of her seat. Kiyomi lost her expression of calm for the first time ever. Levi slammed her bodily against the wall; the woman kicked and choked, gripped his arm. One of her heeled shoes shot off and landed halfway across the room.

"Levi!" Mikasa was coming for him. But Levi Ackerman was the only person on earth Mikasa could not defeat physically. He easily tripped and flipped the girl, then pressed his boot on her chest. She looked shocked. Vengeful.

"Wha…?" Kiyomi choked.

"Did you know?" Levi asked. His heart was beating so slowly now. He felt absolute calm. He had missed this, he realized. He had missed the violence. The force. The sensation of beating down some asshole. Mikasa struggled to get up, but he wouldn't let her. He hadn't taught the kid all his tricks, and with good reason. It gave him an advantage in moments such as these.

"Know…what?" Kiyomi whispered.

"Erwin has taken my wife." And her son, but that opened the door to too many questions. "He made me drive you around today so he could send some goons up to the farm to snatch her. Did you know it was happening?"

"No. No." Kiyomi coughed. Her face was scarlet. Levi loosened his hold enough for her to draw full breaths. "I came to see Mikasa. That is all. She is the only reason I care to set foot on this damned island." For the first time, Levi saw Kiyomi Azumabito lose her temper. For a tiny, older lady, she could be impressively frightening. It was the eyes. "If you say Erwin kidnapped your wife, I believe you. I wouldn't put it past him. He's a damn monster."

Levi felt no impulse to defend Erwin for the first time in over ten years.

"He took Petra?" Mikasa stopped fighting. She looked horrified. The door opened. A waiter came in, saw Levi with the two women, and wisely ran away.

"And Armin," Levi growled. Mikasa gasped. Since she'd heard the name of the new baby, she'd been especially fond of the boy. She'd seen the kid once, and had wisely not commented on how not like Levi the boy looked.

"I…I think I know why the king took them," she whispered.

"Yeah. You think right," he said. Sensing that Mikasa would be on his side now even if he had to rough up Kiyomi further, he let her off the floor. He also set Kiyomi back on her feet. She rubbed her throat. Maybe he'd leave bruises. Too bad.

This is what you become without her.

Erwin had taken Levi's heart. His compassion. His kindness.

Erwin was going to find out how dangerous Levi could be without those things.

"Why would Erwin take your wife and son?" Kiyomi asked.

Levi shut his eyes. No way around this.

"Because the kid isn't my son," he rasped.

"Oh." Kiyomi sighed. "Oh."

"She thought I was dead. She wasn't thinking. She—"

"I think I understand." Good, because sometimes Levi still had trouble understanding. "Captain, listen to me." Kiyomi had resumed an air and expression of complete serenity. Woman was ice cold, he'd give her that. "Erwin Smith has become the most powerful and dangerous member of the Triple Alliance."

"He bombed Hybernia with your help," Levi said. Mikasa lowered her eyes.

"And not a day has gone by that lets me escape that fact," Kiyomi whispered. "What I've done can never be undone. Since that day, the world has existed in a state of perpetual fear." She narrowed her eyes. "Tell me. What do you plan to do now?"

Why not? He'd tell the truth.

"I'm going to the palace. I'll retrieve my wife and…her son. And if he tries to stop me, I'll kill Erwin Smith." He meant every word. Even though the idea of killing Erwin was a blow, it was now a minor one. This was all his fault. Levi had given the man too many chances. And Erwin had taken his wife.

He had made Kuchel cry.

He would pay for that.

Kiyomi nodded. "Then I will not stand in your way. Not in the slightest."

"Say I go get them, and Erwin dies. Paradis becomes kinda fucked, doesn't it? You and Willy Tyber don't exactly love us."

Mikasa stepped in. "We can't let that happen."

No. Kid loved her homeland. Her friends. Mikasa was loyalty personified.

"I understand. You both may as well know. Dot Pixis and I have been in…regular communication." Kiyomi glanced at Levi and Mikasa, back and forth, gauging their reactions. "Erwin was the right man to lead Paradis into the modern age, but now he's outlived his usefulness. Pixis would make a much better king."

"He's old," Levi said.

"Experienced. And more importantly, moderate."

Now he was feeling fucking dizzy. He'd gone from busting in here ready to throttle Kiyomi's ass to discussing treason. He fucking hated all these politicking types. Truthfully, he didn't give a shit about any of this. Erwin had Petra. Levi would kill Erwin and take Petra back. Easy. Straightforward. Just.

"If you could find a way to incapacitate Erwin, giving us enough time to feed the Colossal to someone else, then—"

"Lady, I don't give a shit about your plans. I'm not your fucking puppet. I'm going to get my wife. If I somehow manage to maim Erwin's ass, I'll drop it on your doorstep. But that shit isn't my priority."

"Mmm." Mikasa nodded. She probably felt sympathy for Kiyomi's position, but she was also more like Levi than she was the Azumabito woman. Yeah. Mikasa was an Ackerman. That gave him a weird little feeling of pride. Kiyomi continued looking slyly at the girl. Fuck, this woman was too smart. Levi had a bad feeling.

"And when you've taken your wife back? Do you imagine they'll let you walk out the front door?" Kiyomi shrugged elegantly. "Mikasa? I imagine you wish to accompany the captain on this…errand?"

"Yes," the girl replied simply. Oh, fuck.

"You stay here. I don't need you slowing me down," he said. The kid was on thin enough ice. If she defied the king again, it wouldn't be jail. She'd get the rope.

"You'll be up against the entire palace guard, the king, and maybe Connie and Floch," Mikasa said. "You'll need me. And I'm not letting him hurt Petra and Armin."

Loyal girl.

"If I may," Kiyomi said. "I can offer some help. You'll most likely want to escape the island after your, well, coming bout of treason. I can help get you away. You, your wife, your children."

"And what'd you want in return?" he muttered.

"Mikasa. If you go through with this, you'll be in trouble. At least, until Pixis has taken control of the situation. Come with me to Hizuru."

Levi understood. This was a trade, basically. Mikasa was the payment to save Petra and keep her alive. He seethed, but he saw the Hizuran woman's thinking. It was solid.

Mikasa paled. "But I—"

Fuck, she was still hung up on waiting for Eren. "Mikasa! We'll both need to get off the island," he said. "Kiyomi'll make you comfortable."

"I hope you understand, Captain. I can't offer you shelter on Hizuru, at least not right away. If you fail in this attempt, the king will hunt you and—"

"Yeah, yeah. You gotta cover your own ass. I get it. Enough talk, unless it's strategy. We need weapons, including ODM. Erwin's got titans. And we need to know where Erwin's keeping my wife. Don't want to bust in there until we've got intel."

"I can assist in equipping you," Kiyomi said smoothly.

"You can get ODM?" Since the power of the titans had become less important, Erwin had reduced the number of people with titan slaying equipment to a handful. He said it was a show of peace, but Levi now imagined it'd been a way to keep dangerous weapons in the hands of only his most loyal followers.

"No. But I can get you guns."

Levi fucking hated using guns, but he would if he had to. Besides, the guards would be armed with them.

"I also need swords. If I don't get any ODM, finding a way to cut the titans off at the ankle's gonna be my best bet."

But this was really why he needed to get in and out quickly. If he had to choose between getting Petra and escaping or killing Erwin and getting caught, he'd pick the former. But if he could save her and kill him…

"I'll go with Kiyomi to get equipped," Mikasa said. And to keep an eye on the old bat. Good thinking.

"Meet at the south end of the palace, next to the royal park."

"Why so far from the entrance?"

"I need a little privacy. I'm going to grab one of the guards and get my information." Levi made a fist. "And I'm not gonna ask nice."

---

"Well, I heard he wants to make her queen."

Inga normally kept her head down when she was at work. But occasionally the other palace maids would gossip, and she couldn't avoid hearing it.

King Erwin had been kind to her after the whole debacle with Zeke. He'd granted Inga automatic citizenship and offered her a job in the palace. She'd taken both, gladly. Most days she'd polish silver or lay fires or sweep. Better than digging trenches.

But today, she heard about the "visitor." The woman they'd brought.

Petra.

Now, Inga was laying fresh sheets on a bed with two other women, and all they wanted to talk about was "the visitor."

"How can he? He already has a queen."

"Yes, but he didn't sleep with that one."

"Doesn't she already have a husband?" The other one, a girl with frizzy hair, curled her lip. "Ugh! This is so messy."

"Well. Sara says when she went into the room, that woman was sitting there in bed, hugging the baby and crying. Like she has it tough. 'Oh no, I'm going to be forced to be queen, feel sorry for me.'" The other maid giggled. Inga left off making a hospital corner and reared up.

"He kidnapped her."

"Um, pretty sure it's treason to say that, Inga." The blonde wrinkled her nose. "Anyway, she must have known the baby could be his. She made the choice to have it."

"This isn't the baby's fault," Inga said. The others rolled their eyes at each other. "You're going to blame her for having a baby and not the king for sending his soldiers into her house to—"

"I think she's going to cry now and be happy to suck the king's dick later on when she sees what she's getting out of it," the blonde said coolly. "I saw the jewels he's giving her. I think they were some old empress's or something? Sorry. No sympathy."

Inga stepped towards them. She was a tall, strong-looking girl. The other maids automatically stepped back.

"Stop talking about her like that," Inga said.

"Why do you care so much? She doesn't even know you exist."

"She's the one who saved me," Inga snapped. "Back in Marley. She killed the doctor who was torturing me because she was trying to save me."

"Yeah. Well. You're a girl with an unfuckable face who's going to be washing dishes the rest of her life. What exactly did she save?"

The frizzy haired girl shied away. She looked terrified, like she knew what was coming. Wise girl. The blonde—Greta, yeah, that was her name—looked smugly up at Inga.

Inga slapped her hard across the face.

Greta sobbed while the other maid tended to her. Inga just got on with her work. Her hand smarted a bit, but she'd hurt worse. Maybe they'd fire her, and maybe they wouldn't. She'd gotten used to things being impermanent.

And she felt sorry for Petra. Inga hadn't gotten to know the woman back in Valle, but what she'd seen had been brave, and kind. The king even told Inga during their second debriefing that he had ordered Petra not to go back to Fischer's for the sake of the mission. But Petra had dared everything just to try to save Inga's life. Just to save an ordinary girl she didn't know.

Maybe Petra was too emotional for her own good. Inga could believe that. That didn't mean she deserved what was happening.

Inga finished making the bed on her own. Greta and the other maid were still crying. She then headed for the door, dusting off her hands.

"If you don't want to work—" she began.

A noise cut her off. Noises, really. Inga heard shouts coming from down the hall. She poked her head out the door, then had to pull back as a guard nearly ran into her. They were all rushing together, eight or ten of them, going fast.

"Wh-what is it?" Greta sniffed.

"What's going on?" Inga called. Most of the soldiers ran by, but a woman turned to Inga. She looked tense. Nauseated, even.

"The Ackermans," she said. That was all she said, and then she followed the rest of her squad around the corner.

Inga stepped back into the room, worrying her lip.

"Like…Levi Ackerman?" the frizzy-haired girl squeaked. "What's he doing here?"

"Well, it was his wife the king took," Inga muttered. "So guess."

---

It was so easy, becoming the monster again. Like breathing. It'd been so easy to pull up the hood on his coat and sneak up behind one of the guards as he was getting off patrol. Levi had followed him a safe distance away, then incapacitated him. Then he'd pulled him off a little farther away, into the park.

Then he broke the guy's wrist, and his arm.

"Tell me where the king took Petra and the baby," he said, lifeless. He didn't see a human being in agonizing pain; he saw a tool. A means to his end. "I know they're in the palace."

The palace was the closest thing to safe Erwin could get from Levi Ackerman.

"I-I don't know. I—"

Levi broke his other wrist. At some point Mikasa joined him. She had a rifle strapped across her back, but she'd also been equipped with a few blades. She gave him a couple. Good. He felt better with sharp objects in his hands.

The guy screamed face first into the snow as Levi made him bleed.

"I got no reason to keep you alive if you can't tell me what I need to know," Levi said. He was the king of the underworld once again. He was a passionless murderer. It was such a simple, clean feeling. He loved clean things. "So if that's it…"

He lifted a blade to take the kid's head off.

"Wait!" The kid rolled over and shrank away. "She's in the royal quarters. Q-Queen Historia's old room. Please… Please…"

Killing would've been easier, but Levi knocked the guy unconscious and left him out in the snow. If he froze to death, tough shit. Life was like that.

This is what you become without her.

Erwin. Why? I think I know why, but…why? Why did you do this?

Why are you making me do this?

The yellow lightning flashed warning signals, but he ignored them. Mikasa hadn't been able to lay hands on any ODM, but Petra's location wasn't all Levi had gotten from the kid these last twenty minutes. He also knew where the weapons room was. And that it had what he needed.

Getting into the palace through the side entrance involved killing a couple of people. These were men on Levi's side. Patriots of Paradis.

He cut them down without a second thought, because the choice was them or Petra.

While he and Mikasa entered and crept into the bowels of the palace, while they found that storeroom and equipped themselves with ODM and titan-killing blades, Levi found he could scarcely feel anything.

Petra. Erwin.

This debacle was happening for many reasons. Because Petra fucked Erwin. Because Erwin didn't stop her. Because Levi had gone along on that trip to the Lotani islands. Because he stayed behind on the ship and got blown up. Because he stayed in the war when he could have retired.

Because he needed to serve Erwin Smith no matter what.

Levi knew then, bitterly, that he had allowed three people into their marriage. He had let Petra know by actions, by decisions, that she and Erwin occupied equal space in his heart.

They were here now because Erwin had kidnapped her. But he'd kidnapped her because Levi had never made a choice between them. Not really.

Today, that changes.

Armed, he and Mikasa moved like shadows up the staircases, hiding in corners; they didn't want to fight unless they had to. Once they had Petra, they could decide the next step and how overt they needed to be. Levi had to admire the kid as she hunted alongside him. That serenity never went away, but he sensed the steel in her heart and bones. He had the same qualities. He'd trained her well enough. And she had killed humans before.

"If things turn bad, escape any way you can. If things go real shit, get into the royal forest across the south lawn. I know a secret way into the underground city if we need to hide."

With Petra. They would hide with Petra. And the kid.

They avoided servants and soldiers alike until they reached the royal corridor. Levi hustled over to Historia's room, and entered while Mikasa kept watch in the hall outside.

"Petra," he whispered, opening the door.

He found himself facing a whole squadron of guards. Petra was nowhere to be seen, and neither was the baby. The bed was empty.

"She's been moved," one of the soldiers said. He sounded high-pitched with fear. Kid couldn't be more than nineteen. But he tried for bravado. "Did you really think the king hadn't planned for this?"

"Sure. I just didn't think he'd play keep-away with a bedridden woman. Real cowardly piece of shit," Levi growled.

There were nine soldiers in here. They aimed their rifles at him as Mikasa burst through the door.

Avoiding gunfire was tough, but with the help of their ODM and the fact that he and Mikasa were fucking Ackermans, it was a little more than child's play. Soon Historia's royal carpet was stained with blood. Nine bodies lay on the floor. Levi moved to the window, and gazed out. There was a straight view towards the royal forest from here.

And there they were.

"Mikasa," he said. She stood beside him and swore gently. There were rows of soldiers out there. Levi could see Connie and Floch as well—the two titans.

And before them, dressed in white, was Erwin.

Go to him. That was the message in his blood.

"Mikasa. Go back down the southern corridor. Try to get outside and come up from behind through the trees."

"Roger."

She started to walk away, that utter resolution evident in the set of her shoulders.

"Oi," he said. Then, "Remember. If shit goes wrong, head deeper into the forest. The secret entrance is there, and at the very least you can get away on ODM."

"Yes." She frowned. "We shouldn't look for Petra?"

"This place is huge. She could be anywhere. Erwin did this deliberately. He wants me to go out to him. We can't get Petra without getting past him. You understand what I'm saying?"

He couldn't get to his wife while Erwin Smith lived.

She nodded grimly. "Be careful."

"Likewise."

Then she was gone. Levi believed in the direct approach, so he shattered one of the windows and leapt outside. He trudged towards Erwin across the snowy field, his breath steaming in the air. The sky had taken on that deep, almost purple-ish blue of winter afternoons. It'd be dark in a couple hours. He needed to move fast.

They didn't attack him as he approached. He realized then that at some point he'd lost his coat. Sweat froze to his skin, but he didn't care.

Levi stopped twenty feet away from Erwin. He gazed at the man. So tall. So blond. So fucking immaculate, in his white winter robes. For a minute, the two just stared at one another.

"What is your name?" The tall, arrogant blond shithead looked down upon him as he knelt in that filthy puddle.

"Levi," he growled. Beside him, Isabel and Furlan watched in fear and awe.

Then the giant man knelt before him. He smiled.

Levi had never hated anyone like this before. Or been this secretly fascinated.

"I knew you'd come," Erwin said.

"Yeah. Kinda had no choice." Levi looked at the shifters. Connie was fighting tears; Floch was fighting a smirk. "Oi. Hello."

"C-Captain." Connie's face broke. "Please don't make us—"

"Quiet," Floch snapped. Erwin held up a hand, and both fell silent. He advanced two, three steps.

Fucking ballsy.

"Give them back," Levi said quietly.

"Them? You mean give you my own son?" Erwin's eyes narrowed. "That makes little sense."

"The kid needs his mother. His mother is my wife. The logic works fine."

"Yes. She is your wife." Erwin looked oddly curious now. "But what if she could be ours?"

Levi blinked. On the outside, he looked stoic as usual. On the inside, he was chaotic as fuck.

"Pretty sure that's illegal," he growled. Why was he speaking so calmly? Why not chop the king's head off where he stood? Because he knew it would be wiser to wait? Or because maybe…maybe he wouldn't be able to lift his sword.

Even now. Fuck, Erwin's hold was tight on his brain.

"You're no stickler for convention. I know you. This is exactly as it should be."

"Me getting ready to kick your ass in the snow?"

"You have a daughter by her. I have a son. Our families are united, Levi. We should be as well. Don't you see? Can't you imagine?" And now Erwin's face was suffused with a truly frightening expression; one of complete joy. "I believed there was no comfort left to me in this world. Now I see. This was always our destiny."

"You sound like some religious nut. Or a shitty salesman."

Erwin had the audacity to smile, to be charmed by that shit.

"Think about it. United, the world is entirely at our feet. It could be the five of us together, you, me, Petra, the children. Your daughter deserves to grow up as a princess."

"And my wife'd be your fucking queen. Right?" He had to be dreaming this. No one was this fucking crazy.

But that light in Erwin's eyes reminded Levi of those days in the Corps, when they'd stood together on the top of battlements and looked out across titan territory. When they'd been young men. When Erwin had promised that a future for humanity lay beyond the horizon.

"The world would see her that way, but in private she would have the both of us. I wouldn't force myself onto her, you understand. But would it be so terrible? She wanted me once, after all."

She wanted me once. The dreadful images of Erwin taking Petra flooded his mind again. But Levi shut them out. This was a trap, a way for Erwin to set him off kilter, trick him into making a mistake.

He had seen the horror in Petra's eyes. The misery. The genuine regret. It had been a mistake. More than that, it'd haunt her always. There was no way she would want that to happen ever again.

Because he knew her as he knew himself.

"Nice try, you blond cunt. But I know my wife doesn't want to be here."

"She doesn't want to leave her son, Levi. He's her child. She'll choose him over you. Mothers choose their children over every living soul on earth." Erwin narrowed his eyes. "She'll choose this world with him in it. It would be wise if you joined her."

She would leave him. Levi forced himself to stay focused. But she would always love her own child over him; it was true.

"And Kuchel?" Erwin said. "Would she prefer Kuchel grow up in a palace, be given a place as a king's beloved stepdaughter? Growing up with her parents and her little brother? Or would Petra prefer the child grow up without a mother entirely?" Levi had to stop this talk. It was twisting his brain up, pounding him down with sheer, ugly logic. Petra was a mother, and mothers loved their children. Why wouldn't she choose a palace, a handsome king, and her beloved kid over a short, ugly, foul-mouthed—

No.

"I trust my wife," he rasped. "I know she doesn't want this. She never will."

"Levi. Listen to me." There was urgency in Erwin's voice now. He saw that Levi was avoiding his traps. The bastard was cunning. "With you and Petra and Kuchel by my side, I can be a good king. I can be merciful to the world. You are all the better part of me. All I ask is that you live with me, live as my family. I won't take Petra if she doesn't want it. She can be yours entirely in body, and ours in spirit. This is the family we always should have made. Now, because of my son, it's possible. Please." Erwin held out his hand. His eyes held a genuinely pained light. "Join with me. Be at my side, as she will be. Rule this island with me; hell, the world will follow wherever we lead. Use your compassion to guide me. This world can be what we make of it. This is the reason you brought me back on that rooftop. Isn't it? I saved our island. Our people. I gave up everything I ever loved to protect Paradis. Now I've been given this one chance at salvation. I admit that I overreacted when I took her and the boy. I should have done this differently, but can you blame me? Imagine if it were Kuchel. Imagine if you had to go one day without holding her in your arms. The agony you'd feel. Haven't you done extreme things when those you loved were threatened?"

He'd killed two boys who'd cut off Isabel's pigtail…

"I…" Levi felt himself wavering.

"We can work this out. We can have whatever we want—the farm, the palace. Petra will be one of the most revered, no, the most revered and elevated woman in the world. You'll be at my side and hers the whole way. And in private, you can have her all to yourself if that's what she wishes. Everything you have ever wanted can be yours. You can have more children with her; I'd like that. You sacrifice practically nothing, and gain the world. The world, Levi! It's what we dreamed about all those years ago."

"You dreamed it," Levi croaked. He felt weak. "All I ever wanted was to get rid of those fucking titans."

"You imagined a world beyond death. A world of peace. We can give them all of that, Levi. If you thought you were happy before, just wait. It all is yours. All you have to do is take my hand. Be my family."

Erwin held out that hand. Levi stared at it.

He had worshipped this man. He had followed this man into hell. Erwin was the greatest man Levi had ever known. Would ever know.

He had suffered so much…

He had knelt before the man in Shiganshina and made promises. Kill the Beast Titan. He'd kept that promise. He kept his promises to this man.

His king.

His liege.

Slowly, Levi knelt in the snow at Erwin's feet. He bowed his head.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't be," Erwin whispered.

"No. I am. I'm sorry because I know this is all my fault." He stared at the snow, at Erwin's feet, his blue shadow. "You said you gave up everything for us, and you're right. I made you do that. I'm sorry." He sighed deeply. "I didn't want to believe it. I'm a piece of shit."

"You are not. Just come with me."

The world lay at his feet. Exclusive sexual rights to Petra. More children. Power beyond anything he could have dreamed. Wealth. This man was offering him everything.

The yellow lightning crackled through his brain.

The Ackermans of hundreds of years whispered in his blood.

You are free. Zeke's voice. You can choose.

Levi had always had a choice between Petra and Erwin.

"I did this to the world," he whispered. "So it's my responsibility to fix it."

He pulled the blade from his belt with a speed most would describe as inhuman.

"I have to kill you."

He roared as he swung for Erwin's legs. The king leapt, his reflexes good, but Levi nabbed the other sword and thrust it up simultaneously. Erwin howled as it got him through the face, slicing through the cheek and ripping out the eye. Levi stood, snarling, and swung for the head.

Any other man would have died then, but Erwin knew Levi's tricks. He'd sometimes sparred with the man during training, and had always laughed breathlessly at how easy it was for Levi to defeat him. Erwin was a remarkable athlete, only considered average in the company of Mike and Levi. But Levi had shown Erwin all his feints and dodges. He had let Erwin know every one of his tricks.

Because he trusted he would never have to turn his blade on the man.

Because he loved him.

Levi snarled as bursts of titan lightning went up on either side of him. The hot wind bowled him backwards as Connie assumed his armor, and Floch his jaws. The soldiers immediately surrounded Erwin and aimed their guns at Levi. But the king was able to speak.

"I want him taken alive!" he roared. He held his face; blood dripped between his fingers.

"Bigass mistake," Levi snarled. He deployed his hooks and shot up, latching onto a tree and sailing right over Erwin's head as the titans tried and failed to nab him. He somersaulted through the air, turned around, and aimed for Erwin's back.

From this moment on, Erwin, you're a dead man. You'll die by my blade. I'm the only one who should kill you.

I saved your life. I owe you your death.

Levi's heart sank briefly, but he blocked the pain away.

The Erwin Smith he had known, followed, the man that he had loved was gone.

He'd been gone since Hybernia, at the very least. But Levi had been too stuck in the old ways to see it. For fuck sake, the man had fucked Levi's wife at her lowest and most vulnerable, and Levi had still wanted to fix things between them. He'd let Petra see that there was nothing Erwin Smith could do to her that Levi could not forgive. He had chosen Erwin over Petra again and again.

And this was where it had gotten him.

For years, he'd been split between two faces, two images that always appeared whenever he made a big decision. Now, Levi saw one face only. A face with those amber eyes.

She was the center of his world now, and he would get her back.

She'll choose the baby over you.

No. Couldn't think of that now. Levi flew through the air, aiming for Erwin's nape in the split second he had left before they caught up to him. Maybe Levi loved Petra more than she did him; fine. So long as he had her in his life, he'd be content.

So long as he had someone to soothe him, make him forget the shit he'd made of Erwin's existence.

He aimed for Erwin's nape, but even he was not fast enough.

Levi had less than a second to change course, and yanked his legs out of the way just in time to avoid Floch chomping them off. The Jaws grabbed one of the forest trees, turned himself around, and hurtled back at Levi as Connie crouched in his armor, ready to pummel the man.

Connie. Damn kid.

Levi maneuvered fast, heading left and then back into the forest and narrowly avoiding both titans. Shit. At least they weren't trying to shoot him, since Erwin wanted him alive, but the soldiers were mostly equipped with ODM. They came at him, bobbing between the trees as they pushed him back into the forest.

And Erwin was crossing the field quickly, guided by a squadron of his soldiers.

Erwin had Petra. Levi sneered, and rocketed forward. He sliced one man in half with a single stroke of his blade. Blood rained on the snow as he dodged, and cut, and dodged, and stabbed. He was making his way to the edge of the forest, but then he'd be in the middle of a field. ODM would be useless. And the titans…

Floch leapt at him from down below, jaws open to swallow Levi. He turned upside down and sliced the top of the head clean off. Floch's titan collapsed. Levi made it to the edge of the forest. He sneered, seeing Erwin almost at the palace.

Connie stood before him. As the Armored Titan, Connie looked like a rock-hewn version of himself, only over fifty feet tall. Levi hung there, looked the Armored Titan in its eye.

"Connie! Erwin's crazy. You know he is. Help me! Let me ride on your shoulder. We can still catch him!"

It was a long shot, but the alternative was fighting Connie one on one, because Levi would be in a bad tactical position if he left this forest right now. With nothing for his ODM to latch onto, he'd be seriously handicapped. He believed he could take the kid down…with time. But he didn't have time.

Connie's titan couldn't speak. But he held up one hand, palm facing Levi. He shook his massive head. Levi could read the sorrow.

"Don't make me kill you, brat," he said mournfully. If he had to, he'd remove Connie from Erwin's arsenal. The man had become too powerful…and Levi had helped him attain all that power.

Then Connie took a step back. He was retreating. Because…

Because they were coming for Levi. He felt them as he turned around.

At least one hundred soldiers were advancing on ODM. Fuck. Erwin had thought of everything. He'd ordered the reserves to lie in wait.

Levi would fight. But even for him, one hundred alone…

Then, one of the advancing soldiers lost their head.

Mikasa appeared above them, a darting shadow through the trees. Only her crimson scarf identified her. Back up would help right now, but…Levi looked back across that field, and roared his fury.

Erwin was now inside the palace. Getting past all this shit, into the palace, and through the masses of guards to the king was too much work even for an Ackerman. Two Ackermans.

Connie advanced while the other soldiers approached, boxing him in.

Levi'd lost his one fucking shot to do this easy.

Petra…

For her sake, and for Kuchel's, he had to stay free and fight another day.

"Mikasa! Back!" he yelled. He launched and gutted a soldier, swinging through the trees as he had long ago, when the world was different. His cousin practically ricocheted off a trunk and speared another soldier on her blade before following him. Behind them, Connie roared. But he didn't follow. The forest was too dense for his titan, after all.

Or maybe…he just wanted to let them go.

Fuck. Fuck, it had all gone so wrong.

"We need to lose them. I don't want them to find the entrance," he snarled. Once they were clear of the soldiers, Levi went faster than he had before, maybe in his life. He thought of the slums under the earth, waiting for him. He had grown up beneath a palace, but he'd never enjoyed any of the privileges of such a place.

He could have enjoyed them if he'd given Erwin what he wanted. That lightning impulse still wanted to, in a weird way. Maybe it always would.

But he wanted Levi's family for his own. To share.

And Levi was a greedy man.

"Down!" He spotted the gap in the rocks, and he and Mikasa hit the ground and raced over. Together, they managed to roll some debris out of the way. Levi jumped down, felt some wooden boards give beneath his feet. They boarded up every way out of the city they could.

He needed in.

With a roar, Levi kicked and kicked until a hole formed in the makeshift roof. Then he and Mikasa fell down, back into the underground.

Back home again.

He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't. It was real fucking funny, huh?

Once again, the Ackerman clan was on the run from a king.

---

"We'll find him," Erwin said. It was later that evening, and Petra was weak from the medicine they'd given her. She lay against the pillows, her eyes drooping shut. The royal physician had said that she needed total rest for a few days, as well as antibiotics. Grudgingly, she admitted that she might have gotten truly sick without the doctor's help. The woman had administered a sedative as well, to keep Petra docile.

It'd take more than a sedative.

"He's going to kill you," she said. Erwin held Armin, bouncing the boy a little before the fire.

"No. I saw him start to understand me. Levi's a stubborn man, he always has been. But in time, reason will win out over pride."

"If you believe that, you're crazier than I thought." What an ugly man. What a stupid bitch she'd been to fuck him.

"I may as well tell you. I sent a squadron back to the farm, to pick up Kuchel. It was an oversight on my part not to include her in the "evacuation.""

"If you fucking touch my daughter!" she barked, trying and failing to sit up. Erwin came to the foot of her bed. No farther. Good.

"She and your mother were gone. We don't know where. Kuchel must be afraid, Petra. She could be here, with you and her little brother. Warm and safe, fed and loved. Instead she might be cold, or even hurt. She must be so scared."

"I guess she would be since your soldiers fucking kidnapped me."

"I want you to help me locate her."

"So you can have one more thing to hold over Levi?" She slumped back in bed, but gave a small, triumphant smile. "I hope he finds her first."

"And then what? Take her into the underground city? We're positive that's where he and Mikasa fled."

"Mikasa?" Oh, that poor girl. Petra felt a stab of fear for her.

"Yes. The Ackermans will be hunted once more. Hunted, but not persecuted. All I want is to give the three of you everything."

She saw then the true mourning in his face. He was grieving their relationship like a normal man would a death.

"All you want is to control us. Because everything else in your life is shit," she whispered. Armin fussed, but his father kissed his head and the baby calmed. It hurt her on a deep level to see her baby so happy in Erwin's arms. But why should she feel that way? He was Armin's father.

"Incidentally, Siegfried—"

"Armin."

"Siegfried will need a proper naming ceremony after our marriage. In a few days, when you're up and healthy, we'll have the wedding. Then directly after, we can have him named and photographed in front of the world."

"So you're going to just divorce me and Levi? Because I think you need our consent before you do something like that."

"As I said, you don't have to divorce. I'll be taking you as my second bride, and you, being then royal, will be allowed a consort of your own. But you will be seen only with me in public from now on."

"You don't really think this is going to work. Do you?" she asked softly. He wouldn't look at her; he was fixated solely upon his son. "I won't let you. Neither will Levi."

"You'll both come around. You'll have to," he said darkly. Petra shivered.

The baby started to cry. His hungry cries. Erwin let her have Armin back, and she fed him. She wouldn't look at the king.

"I have something for you," he said. He pulled on a bell cord and waited. Minutes later, a couple of footmen entered carrying parcels. One spread a white satin gown out upon the bed, and the other presented a small wooden chest. Erwin took the box and sent the men away. Then he approached the bed, and set the box on the bedside table.

"What the hell is that?" she asked.

He opened the lid. Even in the dim light, they glowed. Petra's jaw fell open as she saw the multitude of jewels on display. There were sapphires and rubies, diamonds as well as emeralds. Gold and silver bracelets and rings, a necklace of gems, even a small crown of white gold and blue diamonds.

"These were the Empress Frieda's from the Middle Imperial Age," he explained. He took up an emerald bracelet, let its facets wink in the firelight. "The superstitions and simple trappings of the Old Empire were a good start, a way to get the world to see us as humble people. But now it's time to establish ourselves as rich and powerful. We must command the international stage. Historia was a farm girl through and through—she never looked comfortable in finery. But I believe you'll do nicely." He offered the bracelet. "They're for you. The mother of my son should be respected and admired by all who look on her."

Petra felt numb. She kept staring at the jewels, making no move to take them. Armin finished feeding and squirmed, giving little coos. She covered herself again, but couldn't look away from the box. Erwin gently knelt before her. She felt his eyes tracing her face over and over.

"This is an Eldian Restoration. A true restoration. No; a renaissance. A rebirth. Historia was the Old Empire: simple and humble. You're the face of our next phase, Petra. You're older and more poised. The mother to a royal child. You—"

He was right next to her. Just what she'd wanted.

Petra spit in Erwin's face. He cursed and moved away, wiping himself off.

"I'm the daughter of a vegetable seller. I'm not some fancy queen. I never will be. Levi and I understand each other. I belong with him, not you."

Erwin finished cleaning himself. His gaze was flat, but deadly.

"I will find Kuchel. I'll bring her here for safety. And if Levi won't be tamed or reasoned with, I'll be forced to take him down. And then Kuchel will have one father. Just as you'll have one husband."

Petra was shaking now. If she hadn't had Armin warm and cuddly against her, she might have lost it entirely.

"You have to know what you've become," she said dully.

His face changed. Every crease and wrinkle displayed pain.

"Of course I do. But I lost my soul a long time ago. This isn't for myself, Petra. It truly isn't. It's for him."

Armin had fallen asleep against her breast. He looked so soft and innocent just then. Petra held him tight.

I love you so much. But was bringing you into this world a mistake?

No. No. Armin deserved life. All this was Petra's fault, and no one else's.

"And I may as well tell you." Erwin sounded harsh again. "Levi and Mikasa killed over twenty soldiers in their failed attempt to find you today. Those soldiers' only crime was protecting you."

"No. They died because you took me," she muttered. But Erwin's words hit like an arrow to her heart. She glanced at the white gown laid upon the foot of her bed. A satin wedding gown. "I'm not marrying you," she said. "Not ever. I'll kill myself first."

"And leave your children motherless? Perhaps that's to be expected from such a selfish woman."

She sneered at him. "I'm the one who's selfish?"

"You're the one who comes out of every situation with whatever she wanted, Petra. You want what you want, take it, and then never believe you should suffer any consequences. You wanted me to take the pain of Levi's supposed death away. I gave you what you wanted that night. He is the result." He gestured to the baby. "You honestly expected to manage my investment in him? You're spoiled." His tone softened. "Yet I'd give you whatever you wanted if you didn't deny me the one thing I need."

"Me? Or Levi?" she whispered.

He didn't answer that.

"Don't be like Levi. Don't be so proud that you ruin your own chance at happiness."

Before she could continue to spit invectives, he left the room. Fucking coward.

But he was right, wasn't he? She took, and took. She satisfied every urge and craving. She always had done.

Everyone had joked that joining the Survey Corps meant you had a screw loose somewhere. 'Why're you here, Petra?' they'd often asked. She'd been the 'normal' girl, on the outside. Bright, smiling, sensible, and competent. Truly, she'd seemed like the last person to ever sign up to fight titans for a living.

But the other Petra that lurked beneath the surface of her smile had always needed. She wanted to experience, to indulge. She loved physical action and pleasure. The other Petra was greedy, hungry, insatiable. She wanted experience. Even when she hadn't been attracted to men, she'd slept with them to know what it was like. Even when she'd pissed her pants in fear the first time beyond the walls, she'd been impatient when she got back, eager to do it again. She liked to read, but she wasn't a thinker like Hange and Erwin; she loved doing. She loved danger. She'd always climbed on rooftops as a child, balanced on ledges with the thrilling knowledge that if she fell she could really hurt herself…but she didn't fall.

He whole life, Petra had crept closer to the edge, terrified and eager to see if she would die.

And now she was paying for all that self-indulgence. But she could live with paying the price; Levi, on the other hand, deserved none of this. He deserved easy love and kindness, of being put first no matter what…

Petra looked at the ceiling. Armin gave a little gurgle. She rubbed his back…

Where was Kuchel?

The thought had plagued her all day, and it was like half her heart had been ripped from her chest. She had forbidden herself to cry in front of Erwin, but now the tears came back.

Her little girl had to be so scared. What if they found her? What if they didn't find her?

What if Levi…?

Please let him be safe. You can have anything from me. You can let me die, or be miserable forever. Just keep him safe. Please. Let him find Kuchel. Let them be okay. It doesn't matter what happens to me.

The tears dropped from her cheeks as she prayed to some nameless deity.

Maybe Erwin was right. No. Erwin had been right. She was spoiled. So fucking spoiled. She was married to the greatest man in the world who accepted her and loved her no matter what pain she put him through. She'd already stabbed him in the heart with Armin, but he never spoke harshly to her. Now he was risking his life and Kuchel's safety to get her worthless ass.

He should leave. Leave, take Kuchel, and forget about me.

But he never would. He was too wonderful. She didn't deserve it.

And he'd keep trying to find her and the soldiers would keep trying to capture him and—

Didn't he know she wasn't worth the effort?

---

Hange really had no idea what the fuck was going on. Normally that feeling excited her; now it just made her exhausted. The sun had fully set by the time a car pulled up in front of her building, idled, then rumbled around the corner. A minute later, a woman hurried down the walk, cradling a child. She hurried inside the apartment building, where Hange met her.

"Hi. Ingrid?" She tried to shake hands, but the woman was carrying Kuchel. The little girl had fallen asleep. Hange saw that her cheeks had been stained with tears, and her eyes were swollen from crying. She clutched a doll, even in the grip of sleep. Poor little thing. "Come on."

Hange hustled them upstairs and into her apartment. Pieck sat by the window, keeping watch outside. She waved softly at Ingrid as she carried Kuchel into Hange's bedroom and laid Kuchel onto the bed. Er, Hange had to make it first—she wasn't much for housekeeping. And she had to take out a few crumpled papers lying on the floor and toss them in a wastebasket. She also found one of Pieck's bras lying across the back of a chair, and hastily shoved it into a drawer. Heh. Fun having guests.

"So. Ah. Want some tea?" she asked Ingrid.

Kuchel whimpered in her sleep.

Minutes later, the women were seated at the kitchen table with their drinks. Pieck had a cup as well, and sipped it as she gazed resolutely out the window. She was dedicated. One of the things Hange loved about her.

Pieck…

If Erwin found out about all this, Hange's involvement, would he…he wouldn't take it out on Pieck.

Would he?

He's still the same man I used to know. Buried somewhere underneath.

She remembered her first day in the Survey Corps, when she'd been a gangly nineteen year old. She'd been even more disruptive and effusive back then, and everyone had sort of edged away from her when she started speaking too loud out of sheer excitement. But then she'd shown them all her unique way of approaching ODM out in the field; some of her techniques worked, some didn't. But at the end of the day, a handsome young man had approached her. Honestly, he'd been the best looking guy—or gal—in the entire Corps. Hange almost doubted he was coming over to talk to her with a smile on his face; surely he was going to someone more normal.

But he wanted to talk to her.

"I'm Erwin." He sat down at dinner with her. "Your strategies were pretty brilliant."

"Yeah. Well. They didn't all work," Hange said. She flushed a bit. Getting any attention at all was a new experience for her. At home, her parents had always looked a bit tired when she really got going, babbling about something new and exciting. Her two sisters had told her to her face that she was a ridiculous person.

"Listen. The Commander's considering giving me my own squadron," Erwin said. She'd gaped at him. What was he, twenty-five? That was a lot of responsibility for someone that young. "I'd like you to be on it."

"Me?" She almost fell over from the shock.

And from that day on, Erwin became her friend. Soon, her best friend. Him and Mike, and a few years later Moblit and Nanaba. And then Levi had joined, and—

Levi. Erwin. This can't be happening.

The three of them had gone everywhere together. She'd felt invincible in their company. Now…

"This tea is very good," Ingrid said softly.

"Sorry." Hange shook her head. "I mean, thanks. Levi taught me how."

"Do you know where he is?" Ingrid looked a bit unsteady. Hange gave her more tea.

"Here's what he told me: he was sending you and Kuchel down to me. Hopefully, he'll be here in a couple of hours with Petra and the baby. If he isn't, though, we have to assume he's either hiding or captured. Probably hiding." Or dead, but she didn't say that. Ingrid looked fragile enough. "He thinks Erwin may eventually send people here looking for Kuchel. So I'll have to move you both."

"How is this going to end? I can't just take Kuchel with me to Calaneth?"

"If Levi's right, and I think he is, Erwin's taken Armin and Petra as leverage. We got lucky that he didn't think to nab Kuchel as well."

"Would he hurt her?" Now pink spots appeared in the woman's cheeks. She looked pissed at the idea.

"No. I think in his own weird way, he wants to take care of her. I don't know the whole story, but…" She sighed. Hange hadn't seen the baby yet, but Levi had told her enough. "I know Armin isn't Levi's. Erwin's been alone for a while now; he probably panicked when he thought the baby was going to be out of his reach. Maybe he's holding Petra and the kid to negotiate a better deal for himself, weird as that sounds. Or…"

She didn't want to say what else she was thinking. That Erwin wanted Levi's family for his own.

That he'd…gone truly insane.

"They can't stay on Paradis any longer, can they?" Ingrid slumped.

"No." Might as well tell the truth. "If Erwin's decided to start kidnapping, he's not going to be reasoned with. You're all going to have to escape. Or at least, Levi, Petra, and the kids are. You and your husband might want to go, too."

"Paradis is our home." Ingrid rubbed her eyes. "I've heard what life is or was like out there in the world for Eldians. I'm not like my daughter. I don't want to go on any adventures or gamble anything. I want to stay here. I'd be useless anywhere else."

Hange nodded. "You understand Erwin could use you and your husband to lure them back?"

"I'm willing to risk that. Now. What's your plan if Levi doesn't come?"

"There's a safe house. Well, sort of a safe house. More like a warm, dry crawl space I can put you in. Heh. Sorry. Anyway, in a couple of hours we'll—"

"Someone's coming." Pieck sat up straighter. "A car. It's parking outside."

"Shit. Uh, are you sure it's for us?" Hange bolted out of her chair and went to stand behind her girlfriend. She placed her hands on Pieck's shoulders as they both watched…

Yep. A man dressed in the black of the Paradisian Guard got out. Shit.

Okay. Plan C: bullshit your way out, and if you have to, fight.

"Ingrid. Get in the bedroom with Kuchel. If she wakes up, you have to keep her absolutely quiet. You got it?" Hange said. Ingrid nodded, jumped up, and rushed into the darkened room. Hange heard the door close. "Uh, I'm hoping we don't have to fight. If we do—"

Pieck squeezed her hand. "I can go in the bedroom and get out through the window with them. Maybe I should go now."

"Okay." She leaned down and kissed Pieck. Her heart seemed to pause at the idea of the Guard getting their hands on her. Of Erwin…transferring her power. "Just stay out of their reach. No matter what."

Pieck hurried down the hall, and Hange faced the front door with a rehearsed smile. Okay. This was okay. Just smile, and laugh, and act weird, and he'd want to go away. That strategy had worked on many men in the past.

A knock. Hange waited a second; didn't want to look like she was expecting it. A knock again, harder this time. "Okay, hold on," she called, adopting a relaxed, casual air as she crossed and opened the door. "What can I—? Oh."

Nile Dok stood outside, wearing a grim expression. He removed his black Guard's hat. His silver buttons had been polished very nicely. He looked very…police-y. Shit.

"May I come in?" he asked.

"Oh. Sure. Yeah, come on." She ushered him into the hall and closed the door. She leaned against it, and watched Nile's back as he sauntered into the apartment. He took a good look all around. "Can I get you something?"

"Were you having tea?" he asked. He looked right; the kitchen door was open. "Hmm. Two cups. Did you have guests?"

Shit fuck shit.

"My girlfriend and I were unwinding. She went to bed a little while ago." Hange pushed off the door. As she did, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small knife—always keep a blade handy, that'd been Levi's teaching. She hid it behind her back. "What's going on, Nile?"

"Oh, you don't know?" He turned and regarded her coolly. "We have a fugitive situation on our hands."

"Fugitive?" She frowned. "Who?"

"Fugitives, really. Levi and Mikasa Ackerman."

She wasn't the actress that Petra was, but Hange did a pretty convincing job of not understanding, then getting bewildered, then downright caustic. Through it all, Nile watched her closely. She felt his appraisal.

"So you don't know where they are?" Nile asked. Then, "Or Levi's daughter, Kuchel?"

"She's not at home?" Hange's shredded nerves were helping her performance. She wanted to either laugh or scream. "Shit. Shit!"

"And you've had no contact with Levi at all today?" Nile stepped towards her, and Hange suddenly remembered that this guy had once risen to be Commander of the whole Military Police. Levi liked to give Nile shit for being a dumbass in comparison to Erwin, but Nile was smart and competent. He'd had to be to earn that job.

"No. I still don't understand, why is he running?"

"That isn't your concern." Nile glanced around the living room and out into the hall. "Tell me something. Is there anyone else here tonight?"

"My girlfriend, I told you."

"Yes, but besides her."

"No."

"Hmm." Nile scratched his chin. "I just wondered why you had three coats hanging in the hall instead of two."

Fucking. Fuck. Fuck.

Ingrid's coat. Ingrid's goddamn coat. Holy fuck, Hange was an idiot.

"Is it a crime for my girlfriend to own more than one coat?" She tried to sound nonchalant. She sounded sick instead. Great.

"Let's stop playing games, Hange," Nile said. "I've spoken with Kiyomi Azumabito. She told me everything. You must know why I'm here."

Kiyomi. Fucking bitch.

"Yeah," she said, ready to whip out the knife and attack. "I do."

---

He had not been back to the underground in years. Not since that one crazy time with Petra. The earliest days of their relationship had been spent down here, running from Kenny and all his asshole friends. Yet she had still loved him. No matter what, she had loved Levi.

She was not here now, with him. She wasn't at home, she wasn't anyplace where he could touch her. She was trapped.

In his mind, he was trapped as well. Levi stared out the window onto the gloomy streets of the city. Things were a little better down here since Historia had put together her charitable programs. You didn't see orphans huddling in doorways any longer. That was something. But people here still wore those lost, hungry looks.

Hopefully by now, Hange had stashed Kuchel somewhere. He had to figure this out. He had to—

"You need to eat something," Mikasa said. She sat at the opposite end of the room. Levi had pilfered a loaf of bread a while ago, casually breaking someone's nose to get it. Old habits, they died hard.

"Not hungry. Tch. Just keep a lookout. Kiyomi said she'd send someone." Normally Levi would not put so much faith in someone, especially someone he didn't fully trust. But these were desperate times. Before Levi had gone, he'd told Kiyomi where to meet them underground in case things went south.

Now Levi sat in a building directly across the street from that spot, watching. Like hell he'd sit there like a stooge waiting to see if the woman would keep her word or not. If someone trustworthy showed, he'd go down. If not, he'd either wait here until they left or kill them. One or the other.

Still so easy to kill. He was so fucking busted.

But she loved him. Why did she love him?

"What time is it?" Mikasa asked.

"Fuck knows. The bells rang a little while ago, didn't they?" Had it been two or three strikes? Either way, it was early morning. Levi didn't sleep much normally, and now he was way too jumped up to be tired. He and Mikasa had sat in silence most of the last few hours. He liked quiet. He looked at the brat as she sat in the window, knees pulled to her chest. She tugged absently at that red scarf. "Maybe you'll get lucky and Eren'll be on Hizuru."

"He wanted me to wait here," she said. Stubborn to the end.

"He didn't want you to go with him. That's not the same as wanting you to wait."

She pulled her scarf up so it covered her nose. Took comfort from it.

"Why? Why is he always going away from me?" she whispered.

If Levi hadn't made that choice in Shiganshina, at least she'd have Armin right now. And he…he wouldn't have his own Armin. God, he felt all mixed up about that kid. Didn't hate him, but couldn't stand to look at him. But the baby was Petra's, and if she wanted him Levi would make sure she had him. Levi was a tough asshole to the world, but to those he cherished there was nothing he would not do. He cherished her beyond the world. She'd have whatever he could give her.

She loved him. Not as much as he loved her, but she loved him.

"I don't know," he grumbled at last in answer to Mikasa's question. "Look, maybe this'll be good for you. Kiyomi wants to make you part of the family. She'll be better about that than I was."

"You do fine."

"Petra does. I'm not the type." He looked again at the kid. Truth was, she was too much like him. For that reason, he'd never really warmed to her. He cared about her, same as he cared about the rest of the 104th. But she was not special to him in the way family should be. Mikasa was right; he was her blood, not her family.

But Kuchel was both to her.

"Maybe one day, you can see Kuchel again," he said. Scratched his chin. "I'd like that. She loves you."

Mikasa's flinty gaze softened. "I love her. I just wish that we all didn't have to go away. So far away."

Her mind was still with Eren. Levi looked back out the window.

He would be going away from Erwin now. No; he was already gone from Erwin.

No. More than that. Erwin had been gone for years. Levi had watched him that day in Shiganshina as he charged on horseback towards the Beast. In that moment, he had seen a true hero. A great man. A good man. A man at peace.

Then he gave Erwin the injection, and tore all those qualities away from him.

Erwin had crossed the line. He needed to die, for his own sake as well as Petra's and the world's. But Levi was the true piece of shit. His selfishness had caused all this.

Petra had told him what Eren said, that Levi changed the world when he chose to love her. How could he regret that shit? He couldn't. It'd given him Kuchel. He had found something to live for with his wife and daughter, something beyond death and emptiness. Erwin had saved Paradis, giving meaning to their comrades' deaths.

Like Kiyomi had said. Erwin had been useful once. Now, for all their sakes, he had to die.

Levi had to be the one to do it. It was only right. You clean up your own mess.

I'm free, Erwin. I've said goodbye. He shut his eyes. But I'll always look for you. Even after I take your head, I'll look the rest of my fucking life.

"Hey." Mikasa shook his shoulder. "Look."

They both gazed out the window. Someone dressed in black was headed for the meeting spot. Levi drew his weapon as Mikasa drew hers. They stood, waited. Watched the figure go up the steps, knock. Knock again. A third time. Then they watched the figure kick in the door and enter the empty space. Levi waited patiently until the guy came back out and faced across the street. Levi could see his face, and his irritation.

His face. Shit.

"Nile," Levi breathed. Nile fucking Dok.

Mikasa looked tense. Levi nodded. He understood.

If Nile knew where they were, then either Kiyomi had betrayed them or Erwin had found them out.

"On my signal," Levi said coolly, staring at the man as he walked down the steps, "we get him."

---

Petra awoke the next morning, bleary after only a few hours of sleep. She managed to get out of bed, and discovered that she moved better now. Her pain was almost gone. She used the bathroom, then opened her door to the hallway.

Two soldiers stood guard.

"Yes, ma'am?" one said. They politely wouldn't let her leave.

Petra shut the door on them. Hard.

Armin woke and fussed. Petra fed him, but paced the room with him in her arms. Around noon, the servants brought lunch and wanted to take Armin. The king wanted to see his son for an hour or so.

"He's not taking my baby out of this room," she snapped. She would not risk him snatching Armin away. But he'd grow angry if she kept the boy away. "Tell him to come here if he wants." The servants left. Soon after, the king arrived.

"It's nice to see you out of bed." His eyebrows lifted. "You look lovely."

"It's not for you," she said. She hated sitting around in her nightgown all day. The wardrobe had boasted some nice offerings. She'd found a cranberry colored day dress that mostly fit. Erwin came to her. Petra hated it, but knew she had no choice. She gave him Armin. He ignored her then, walked the room while talking to the gurgling baby. He looked blissful. Like the man as she'd known him back in the day, when she'd first joined the Corps. A young man in his mid-thirties, with age and weariness still on the horizon.

"They haven't found Levi yet. Or Kuchel," he said evenly.

"Good." She could have melted in relief.

"The longer this charade goes on, the more useless pain it'll cause."

"You can't have us," she said.

"I can and will have my son. And you." Erwin looked at her. "You're indispensible to him, which means I'll keep you close."

"We'll get away from you. You'll see."

"I would hunt you." He said it softly, then kissed Armin's cheek. The baby had started dozing. "I'd tear the world apart to find you both. To find him."

Yes. She believed him. Oh god, she believed him.

"I'm not yours."

"Levi destroyed my life for your sake," he said darkly. "All I ask in return is to share you and be with my son. And you say I'm the monster. Again, Petra, all you do is take."

"Right. And you're so perfect and good." She stepped backwards as he advanced on her. He stood a few feet from her, holding the baby. Petra's heart beat so fast. She was better, but still weak. If he tried anything, she might not be able to fight him off.

"After the wedding, when you're fully healed, you'll be moved out of this room." He looked at Armin. "You'll share quarters with me. Siegfried is going to see his parents together."

"You mean I'll have to sleep with you?" She could have laughed, but she felt too hollow. "Your 'no rape' plan lasted almost a day. Good job."

"We don't have to be intimate. But you'll stay with me."

"Where I can stab you during the night while you sleep? How thoughtful of you."

"If you try that, you'd better aim well. If I survive the attack, you won't like what I'll do."

"Beat me? Torture me?"

"I won't hurt you like that. But there are many forms of punishment."

She found she didn't want to know what he had in mind.

"Besides," he continued. "Over time, I believe you'll come closer to me once more. I'm a very patient man. I've had to be."

"If you're waiting for me to love you, or even just to fuck you again, you'll need to wait a lifetime. Which for you is, what? Eight more years?" She gave a withering smirk. "I can't wait."

"Yes. Eight more years." He gave her back Armin. "For now."

What the…? But he bowed and left her there. Petra held her son and felt cold. At least the king still didn't have Levi or Kuchel. Please let them have found each other.

Levi. Please go. Take their girl and go.

Petra was restless for the afternoon, and into early evening. The servants came in around six and began setting up a dinner table for her. There were two chairs. Apparently Erwin was joining her. "Family" time.

Maybe she could stab his eye out with a fork. Even if he tortured her, at least it'd hurt him.

Petra sat down heavily on the bed and put her head in her hands. They closed the door. She waited there in darkness, dark inside and out. If she were truly brave, she'd cut her own wrists and free Levi. Free Kuchel. Spite Erwin.

But Petra had only thought she was brave. The door opened again.

"I'm not eating with you," she said, turning around. But Erwin wasn't there. She almost did a double take. "Nile? What the hell are you doing here?"

The tall, thin man shut the door and came to her. In his black Guard uniform, he was an inky shadow in the fading afternoon light.

"We've had a council meeting. This was my only chance. I would've sent a letter, but it'd be too easy to intercept." He spoke low. "I've seen Hange. And Levi."

"You…?" Now she felt dizzy.

"We've come up with a plan. I'm getting you out of here."

Now this was a trap. Petra couldn't believe Erwin would try something this obvious. Nile must've seen the thought in her eyes.

"Do you remember years ago, during Erwin's wedding, when I promised to help you one day? I said that you could call in the favor, but, well, I've called it in for you. The day after tomorrow, at eleven o'clock at night, I'm getting you out."

"Wha…?" This was too much. Could she trust him? Did she have a choice?

"Listen." Nile sat beside her, whispered. "I can't tell you how. But at eleven the day after tomorrow, be ready to go. I can get you and the baby out of the palace. Kiyomi Azumabito will have transportation waiting. You'll head down to the southern port. There's a ship that leaves at five in the morning for Valle. I've booked passage for you and Levi and the children."

"You…you're not serious." She was absolutely going to collapse.

"I am not going to stand by and watch Erwin Smith ruin another family," he growled. She saw then that the man was perfectly serious. Nile stood, glancing at her door. "I have to go now. Remember. At eleven, be ready. Make sure the baby is, too."

Petra could leave this place. Her heart began to beat faster, her brain to buzz. She, Levi, and Kuchel all together. Going to Marley. Starting again. If they hid on the vast continent, Erwin would have a hard time finding them. They could change their names. They could…

Armin gurgled. Petra looked at him, snug in his bassinet.

He will follow us to the ends of the earth. He'll follow the boy.

Petra went numb.

"Nile," she said. Her voice shook, but she got the words out. "Thank you. I'll be ready. But…you'll only be taking me."

Nile appeared shocked.

"What?"

Be brave. Be strong. You know it's right.

"I have to leave Armin behind. With him." Already, tears flooded her eyes. She wiped them away.

"No. He doesn't deserve your child."

"It's his child, too," she whispered. "But it's not for Erwin." She sighed. "Levi won't leave Paradis without me, will he?"

"What? He—"

"Will he?"

Nile paused. Perhaps he was getting it. "No. He won't."

"The longer he stays here, the longer he risks his life. And Kuchel. She's in danger, too. So if he stays, she'll either stay as well, or he'll send her away without her parents. She's too little for that."

"But if we leave the day after tomorrow, that won't be too late to protect them. I don't understand," Nile said.

"Armin's only a month old. He's too little to make a journey like this. And…Erwin. He'll hunt me. But if I take his son, he'll rip the world apart. He won't hesitate. He'd demolish more cities to find the baby. If I give him Armin, he might learn to be satisfied. So." She picked up Armin and cradled him. The little corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. He loved being held by her. "It's better for Levi, Kuchel, Armin, and the world if he stays here."

"But you…"

"I've thought about myself enough." Her voice was breaking. Already she was saying goodbye, and it was ripping her down the center. She kissed her son's little head while she still could. "The world matters more. Kuchel matters more. Levi…I don't deserve him."

"Petra."

"You know it's the right decision."

His silence spoke for him.

"Honestly, I hate risking your life like this," she said. She looked at Nile. She'd hated this man once. That was so long ago, when she'd been young and stupid. "I don't deserve to be free. But the longer I stay here, the more dangerous it is for Levi. So I'll go."

"All right. If you're sure." She was.

Will I ever see you again? She looked at her baby's smiling face.

"You'd better leave," she whispered. "He's coming here for dinner."

"The day after tomorrow." Nile sighed. "Be ready."

He squeezed her shoulder once, and then he left. Petra sat there rocking Armin. He wouldn't remember his true name. He wouldn't remember her face.

But this was her punishment for that one moment of weakness almost a year ago. It had to be.

When Erwin came in for dinner, she was muted. Listless. He didn't force her conversation; maybe he thought he'd broken her spirit enough.

She watched him across the table. He did love Armin. He'd never hurt the boy.

All she'd done for a long while now was hurt the people she cared most about. Time to stop the bleeding.

Petra sighed, picked up her fork, and ate.

---

Life at Candlemoor was pleasant. The alpine air cleansed her. There were trails to walk in autumn, and in winter the place took on the trappings of a romantic setting from a gothic novel. Now that she didn't have to see him every day, it was easer to avoid drugs and drink. Marie always winced whenever she looked into a mirror now; the drugs had rapidly aged her, so now the last vestiges of her beauty were gone.

But it was all right. He would always know she was here, waiting for him. Hating him.

Marie was in the eastern parlor, sitting before the fire. Outside, snow fell heavily. She gazed into the hearth, forgetting about the open book in her lap.

Senta had called her yesterday to tell her the news. It was spreading secretly, but quickly. Erwin had a son.

It wasn't hard to do the math. Poor Petra. Poor Levi. At least Marie had been able to get free of that monster. She'd gotten out of it with a nice 'retirement' package. The younger girls lived with her in Candlemoor most of the time. Her relationship with Senta was improving. Nile had even come up last week for a family evening.

She remembered while they were eating dinner and laughing that he had been her friend once, and that she'd valued his friendship. Her affection for him had tripled, she realized, now that she didn't have to pretend to feel love that she just couldn't feel. They were more of a family than they had been in years. Maybe ever.

She'd told Nile to come up as often as he liked. She hoped she'd see him soon.

"Ma'am?" A maid curtseyed beside her. "There's a phone call for you in the salon."

"Hmm? Who?" She hoped and feared it was Erwin. She wanted always to be the millstone around his neck, and to remind him of that fact, but she also hated hearing his smooth, icy voice.

"Mr. Dok."

"Oh! Thank you." Marie smiled as she wrapped her shawl around her, got up, and went to the salon. She shut the door for privacy and picked up the phone. "Hello, Nile. How are you?"

"I'm well. You?"

Marie's smile disappeared. She knew the man's voice well, all its inflections. He sounded…

"Are you all right?"

"Heh. Can't get anything past you. I never could."

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Nothing. I've just been sitting here, having a couple of drinks." She frowned. He didn't sound drunk. "I, uh, well. I just wanted to call and tell you…" He sighed.

"What is it?"

"I understand you never loved me. But I will never regret any of the time we had together."

He sounded so sincere. Tender. As if…

"Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye? What is it?" She gripped the receiver tighter. "Are you sick?"

"No! No, not at all. Guess I'm just being sentimental. Listen, Senta's bringing the girls back up to you."

"Already? This was your week with them. Why?"

"Work's gotten to be too much. I can't spend the time I'd like."

"Well, why don't you come up here with them when you're done? There's plenty of room. We could have a nice weekend."

He laughed softly. "I'd really like that."

She shut her eyes. Any other man would have never spoken to her again. Any other man would have scoffed at Nile, called him weak and less than a man for letting Erwin take his wife, for forgiving that wife. She'd even shared that unflattering opinion of him once.

What a fool she'd been.

"Please. Is there anything bothering you?"

"Just memories. You know."

He was being evasive. He was very good at that.

"Then while we're confessing things. Nile…I know what I've done to you is unforgivable. I have no right to offer comfort. Just remember that I'm on your side. If you need anything. If anything's wrong. Know that I'm here for you."

It was silent for a minute. She wondered if the line had cut out.

"I love you, Marie. Even if you don't feel the same, I love you. I just wanted you to know that, one more time."

"One more time? Now you're really scaring me."

"Sorry. All I meant was I wanted to say it again, even though I should stop. So. I have."

She bit her lip. "I…I don't feel it the way you do, it's true. But I love you, Nile. In my own way, I love you very much. In my own way, you're the man I've loved most in this world."

He sighed deeply. He sounded almost relaxed. "Thank you. That was what I needed to hear." He sounded choked up.

"It's true. So if there's anything wrong, pick up the phone. All right?"

"All right. I, uh, better go. Work. The girls should be up around dinnertime tomorrow."

"Yes, all right. See you later."

"Later. Marie? Thank you."

He hung up the phone. Marie hung up as well, but hovered for a minute, wondering if she should call back.

One more time?

What did he mean?

Eventually, she decided he meant what he said he'd meant. That he wanted to tell her one last time before shutting his mouth forever.

Hopefully, their forever would last a while.

---

"You sure about this?" Levi muttered. He sat in the backseat of the car and stared out the window. They were near the palace's service entrance, where deliveries were made and dropped off.

"Lady Kiyomi has ensured that all things are in order," the driver said. Sounded pissy. Well, Levi'd asked a few times already.

Pretty soon, Petra would come through that door with Armin. They'd get in the car, and the guy would drive. He'd drive them out of the city, and they'd switch cars with another driver. Eventually, they'd change a third time. That'd get them to the southern port, and onto a ship.

He looked at the other occupant of the backseat. Mikasa plucked at her scarf, the only nervous tell in her otherwise serene countenance. In a minute, she'd be getting out and grabbing her own transport. There was an eastern port as well, and Kiyomi's personal ship was waiting to take the women to Hizuru.

"You'll be okay," he said.

"I know. I wish I could have seen Kuchel before I go."

"She'll see you again. Don't worry about that."

He should have been down there in the southern port by now, hiding with Kuchel. She needed him. But he had to see Petra. He had to hold her. He had to protect her on the way down.

He had to know she was all right.

"Thanks," he grumbled. "Again. You didn't have to blow up your own life for me."

"Well." Mikasa sniffed. "I suppose…you're all family."

He looked up in surprise. First time she'd used that word and included him.

"You'll find Eren again. Kid'll show up. He doesn't know how to stay out of the action," Levi said. She smiled at that.

"Yes. I just wish I could've said goodbye to Sasha, Connie, and Jean."

Connie especially. Levi thought again of his confrontation with the Armored Titan. Could've gone bad. Worse. Could've been a real fight to the death. But Connie had not wanted to hurt him.

He was a good kid.

They all were good kids. Hell, just kids.

A car pulled up behind them. The guy flashed his lights once. Mikasa's car.

"Be safe." Levi held out his hand. "Til we see you again."

She hesitated, then took his hand. They shook.

"You, too."

Then she was out and gone. The car drove away down the street, taking her to Kiyomi and safety. Levi was left alone with his thoughts.

He wanted Petra. He wanted to see Erwin, to kill him. Then he could sever this ache under his ribs. This feeling like he was being ripped away from something, something attached to the core part of him.

An Ackerman can choose.

He's free.

He can choose.

That was Levi's whole problem. He hadn't made a choice. He'd kept putting it off and putting it off.

No more. Never again. Just…

Please, Petra. Let me see you.

---

"Hey." She was holding Armin before the fire. The palace was silent tonight. She'd cuddled the baby every chance she got the entire day. The child slumbered peacefully, but when she kissed his nose he awoke. He looked up at her with those bright, happy eyes. He grinned. "I want you to know that I love you. You're not going to remember me, or what I'm saying. But I love you so, so much. I always will. I'm going to think about you every single day for the rest of my life." She kissed his forehead. The baby gurgled. Her head felt tight; her throat closed shut. She wouldn't cry. She tickled his little socked feet—he was wearing socks Ingrid had knitted him, the socks he'd been wearing when they were taken. She plucked one of those socks and held it tight in her fist. She'd have it with her always, no matter what. "One day, I'll find you again. I promise. In the meantime, be good for your Papa. He loves you very much. He'll take good care of you."

You won't remember that your name is Armin. But I'll know, and I'll tell you one day.

Armin cooed, and beamed up at her. Petra forced back the tears, and smiled in return. She kissed him one more time, then laid him into his bassinet as the clocks started striking eleven. She tucked him in one last time, and stroked his plump little cheek with one finger. She rocked the baby back and forth, and he fell asleep almost instantly. The fire crackled in the hearth.

They had a nurse come in every couple of hours to check on mother and child. She'd be here around one, and find the baby alone. She'd raise the alarm, but Armin would be taken care of.

"Petra?"

She almost leapt out of her skin. Nile was standing before her—he'd just appeared, like Erwin had that first day he'd brought her here.

"Where did you—?"

"The servant's entrance is built into the wall." He pointed it out. Yes, a panel opened and shut. He could take her out without anyone seeing. Huh. Nile looked at the bassinet, and frowned. He studied the sleeping baby. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." It was some of the worst pain of her life, but Levi needed…

He needed her. He needed safety. He needed so much that she hadn't given him. And so did Kuchel.

One last time, she kissed her baby's cheek. He gurgled, and smiled in his sleep.

If she stayed one more second, she wouldn't be able to leave him. Her jaw clenched shut to keep from making noise, Petra rushed past Nile and into the servants' tunnel. She lost the fight against her tears, but didn't make noise as they hurried along the corridor. Nile guided her along, his hand on her shoulder. They went down a few steps, passing beneath the palace itself.

She understood now. The snaking corridor would lead them up to the kitchens, and from there it was a straight shot across the room and out the servants' door. This time of night, no one would be there. They had a single chance.

Petra hurried, faster and faster. Nile kept a grip on her shoulder, just to make sure she didn't stumble.

Every step took her farther away from her baby…but closer to Levi and Kuchel.

It was Petra's fault, this pain. She'd have to live with it for everyone else's sake.

"Almost there," Nile whispered. They came upon a wall. He pushed at a panel, and they stepped outside and into the kitchen. It was enormous, the size of some people's entire houses. Past the ovens and rows of kitchen tables, she saw the narrow hallway that led to the outside. Petra and Nile hurried over the floor. Soon, soon they'd be out—

Someone stepped out of the shadows, stopping them in their tracks. Petra bit her tongue to keep from screaming. Nile reached for something in his jacket pocket—maybe a gun—but Petra stopped his arm.

In the moonlight, she saw this was a maid, a young woman. What she was doing here, Petra didn't know. But she saw that the left side of the girl's face was badly scarred.

But that wasn't why Petra stared. She could swear she knew this person. It was a blurry memory, but it started to come back to her in color and sound.

Oh. Oh god. "Inga?" she whispered. Petra took a step closer. The maid looked down at her, seemingly lost for words.

"Shit," Nile whispered.

Yes. If Inga screamed, even one short scream, the watchmen in the outer corridors would hear. It'd be over.

"Don't," Petra whispered, hand behind her. She stopped Nile. Whatever he was about to do… She licked her lips. "What…what happened to you?" She had to say something.

"Zeke. He set the fire and left me locked in that cage. But I got out."

Petra shut her eyes. What a fucking idiot she'd been to think that miserable ape would ever do the right thing.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. You're the reason I…" Inga gnawed her lip. Then she nodded once. "Go. Right now," she whispered. Inga walked past them and away, back down the corridor.

She'd let them go.

Petra was so tightly wound at this point that she almost started giggling like a maniac. She barreled ahead, Nile right behind. He stopped her in the foyer, and opened a closet. Yes, it was where servants kept their outdoor coats. He grabbed one and wrapped her in it. Petra shivered, then put up the hood.

"Go slow," he whispered. "They patrol the grounds, but they don't have people at the back entrance right now. That'll change soon, so go. There's a car on the street. Levi's inside. It'll take you to the port."

"Thank you." She looked back at him. A few years ago, she'd thought him an arrogant, stuck up idiot. She'd thought Erwin was the greatest man in the world. Quickly, Petra hugged him. Nile grunted, but patted her back awkwardly. "I won't forget this."

"Make sure Levi doesn't either," he joked. "Go."

She went. Petra hurried out the door, finding it mercifully unguarded. She went down the snowy path with her head down and hands in the pockets of her coat. The wrought iron gate was locked from the outside, but not chained. Petra unlocked it, searching around in case anyone spotted her. But nothing happened. She slipped out and closed the gate, turned around. She was free. On the street.

Right across from her was a car. The back door opened.

And Levi was there.

She started shaking all over. She almost sat down on the ground she was so dizzy. Petra rushed into the street, nearly getting hit by a damn car for her troubles. The driver swerved and swore at her.

And then Levi was standing in front of her. He was touching her.

He was real.

"Come on, brat."

He hustled her into the car, slammed the door, and they drove away. Petra breathed heavily. She started to hyperventilate, and then she was in his arms. She was pressed against him and smelled the clean, cool scent of his skin. His lips were in her hair, tracing her forehead. Until…

"Wait. Fuck," he croaked. "Where's the baby?"

She didn't let him go. She only held him tighter.

"Safe," she said. "And so are you."

---

Nile returned to his apartment at a quarter to midnight. The girls were up in Wall Maria with Marie now. Good. He hadn't wanted them to witness this.

Even though it was late, he put on a record and played music very quietly. He poured himself a drink, and then sat in his armchair and gazed out at the city streets. He smiled at his reflection, and toasted it.

I wish I could have told the girls more. Everything. I wish I could have said one more time how much…ah well. Bad idea to have regrets.

He leaned back and thought about Marie. How decades ago he and Erwin had been drinking at that one table and caught sight of her sitting at the bar with her rolled canvas beside her. When she'd looked up, Nile's heart almost stopped. She was beautiful. Fresh. Yet worldly. Everything a naïve boy could want.

He remembered Marie's smile. Her dressed in white on their wedding day. He thought of the day Senta was born, and how she'd cried with happiness. That was the first time that she kissed him and he felt she truly meant it.

Their life together hadn't been perfect. But for him, it had been enough.

He sat there and drank as one o'clock came and went. At one thirty five, cars pulled up outside his apartment building. Nile knocked back the last of his whiskey, and got out of his chair. He put a hand in his pocket, and turned around.

The urgent knock came on his door.

He didn't answer.

Nile heard voices. Then there was a crash as they bashed his door down. He just remained there, smiling, as Erwin entered his apartment.

The king seemed enormous in this space. Nile's life had grown so small; Erwin's had expanded. But Nile was the one smiling now.

That felt good.

"Where is she?" Erwin said.

"I don't know who you mean."

"I know you were in her room a few days ago. Alone. I know none of the servants did it. Tell me where she went, and I could be merciful."

"You? Merciful?" Nile scratched the back of his head. He laughed. He felt very free now. Weightless. "If this has been your mercy, maybe punishment would be better."

"Don't be smart."

"I never have been, remember? If I were smart, I wouldn't have done this."

Nile pulled the gun out of his pocket, aimed for Erwin's face, and pulled the trigger.

---

It was almost five in the morning. Erwin was running out of time. He sat there grimly as the convoy roared down the highway, right for the southern port. He absently rubbed his cheek; the bullet wound had healed hours ago, but he could still feel the burn. He'd never been shot in the face before.

He didn't like the experience.

Nile had held out for a while. Longer than he should have. Erwin hadn't wanted to resort to torture, but his son's happiness was at stake. He'd stood outside the room and listened to Nile's screams.

Maybe he'd felt sick. But Erwin had stayed resolute for Siegfried's sake.

Finally, just before four, they had the information. The southern port. The ship bound for Valle.

Erwin had called ahead to the port, but they were giving him trouble. This was a Marleyan ship, and they didn't like being ordered around. So the king went down there himself, to find Petra and drag her back if he had to.

And wherever she was, Levi might be. The thought made Erwin even more desperate to reach the ship. To see him again.

Levi had tried to kill him, but it was pride guiding his actions. Erwin had felt his desire. The way he'd started to fall to Erwin's suggestions.

Levi wanted to join their lives together. Erwin knew that he did.

Sirens blaring, the vehicles roared into the southern military camp, where an escort guided them the rest of the way to the ship. Erwin sent his soldiers onboard and waited. The soldiers tied down the captain and any who resisted. They made a clean sweep of the passengers, bringing out young red-haired women, short, dark-haired men, and any small girls for Erwin's inspection.

He looked at every last one of them. But none were Petra, or Levi, or Kuchel.

"Look again," he snarled. "Turn the ship upside down. Tear it apart. Sink it if you have to, but find them!"

Erwin cursed loudly as he walked back to the convoy. Nile had told them the southern port. The five o' clock ship. Perhaps the Ackermans hadn't come.

Or perhaps…

"No," Erwin whispered. He grew slack with wonder. Despite the situation, he almost laughed.

For the first and last time, Nile had really gotten one over on him.

It was nearly wonderful.

---

Levi kept her in his arms as they arrived at the eastern port. He saw the figures on the dock, waiting to board. Kiyomi. Mikasa. Ingrid, and Kuchel.

When her parents got out of the car, Kuchel screamed and exploded out of Ingrid's arms. She raced to them, sobbing her heart out.

"Mama! Mama!"

"Oh god, my baby." Petra caught the girl and held her close, covering her with kisses as Levi guided them hurriedly to the ship. Damn. Nile was a smarter son of a bitch than Levi'd given him credit for. He'd even convinced Levi that they were heading south. Smart guy.

"Here." Ingrid met them, hugged Petra, gave her Gretel and a small packed bag. She kissed Kuchel. There was no time for long goodbyes, but Levi shook her hand warmly.

"Be safe," he said.

"You, too." His mother in law patted his shoulder, and then walked away. She kept her hands in her pockets. Ingrid wasn't a woman of big emotions. He liked that about her. He understood it.

"Come on," Kiyomi said, guiding them up the plank and onto the ship.

"Thought you couldn't help us," Levi said, hurrying up behind her. The woman's white-coated back remained turned to him. Not a strand of her sleek black hair was out of place. A real shark, this one.

"You're still going to Valle. This is all I can do for you," she said. She looked at Mikasa. "But…Mikasa could not leave the little girl's fate to chance."

Mikasa said nothing, only kept her head down and helped them all get aboard. Levi and Petra watched as Ingrid waved from the dock for a full minute. Then she got into her car—their car—and drove away into the early morning.

Levi realized with a twinge that he was leaving his horse behind…

Well. He didn't think Erwin was the type to take out his revenge on animals.

Probably.

And then they were leaving. They pulled away from the dock, empty at this hour, and steamed off. Levi stood at the railing and watched Paradis's coastline disappear into the blackness.

He was gone.

He'd left home before for missions, for war. But now he was gone indefinitely. Maybe even forever. He didn't know when he'd see the place again.

After Erwin was dead?

I have to kill him myself. It was a promise. Mercy. But…

But then there were his wife and daughter. They weren't on the deck. He found them in the cabin Kiyomi had set aside for them. Petra was cuddling Kuchel on the bed, hugging her so tight that he almost feared she'd choke the kid. But Kuchel only giggled, happy once more. Trauma bounced off this kid. She had seen her mother taken away, screaming, along with her baby brother, and…

Yeah. Armin.

Levi leaned against the doorframe. Petra hadn't brought the kid along. Levi could understand the reasoning. Made sense. But…also, it was such a fucking weight off his shoulders. He'd endured it all for Petra's sake, even gotten to like the kid, but—and it pained him to think this, what a piece of shit he was—but Armin's presence had been like a nail inserted into his flesh, driven a little deeper every day. Now they'd pulled the nail out entirely.

Fuck. He needed to stop thinking like this.

"How're my girls?" he asked, closing the door. Kuchel bounced over to him. He lifted her into his arms and hugged her. Him, Petra, and Kuchel. Together again. Alone together.

He hated that he loved it.

"Good. Papa? Um, Papaaaa?" She started squishing his cheeks. The brat was handsy.

"What?" He sat on the bed beside Petra.

"Where's Armin? Wh-where's Armin? Isn' he here?"

Petra looked away. Fuck.

"Hey. Uh. Armin…" Tell as much of the truth as possible. "He's staying with Uncle Erwin for a while."

"Oh. Okay." Immediately, she relaxed. Then she frowned. "He's comin' back, uh huh?"

"Sure. Eventually." He kissed Kuchel and laid her on the bed. Petra started to tickle her stomach, and the child shrieked with glee. It took so little to make her happy. Thank god for that. She soon fell asleep, hugging Gretel, her stuffed bear lying on the pillow over her head. They only were able to bring two of her toys. Eh. There were toys in Valle.

When their daughter was asleep, Levi took Petra aside. The cabin had two rooms, a bedroom and a small sitting area. He shut the door and sat with her on the couch.

"Petra," he breathed.

He brushed the back of his fingers against her face. She gripped his wrist and kissed his fingers one after the other. She melded into his embrace so seamlessly. He could breathe again. Her heart beating against his, he could breathe.

And for the first time in his life…there was no storm in his mind. Because now he knew everything. What he was. What he wanted.

She whispered his name. Her lips found his. He ran his hand along her breast, her waist, the swell of her hip. They couldn't fuck yet, still too soon after the C section, but it was so quiet here.

So free.

No Erwin. No Armin. Just them, floating away.

"Did he hurt you?" Levi whispered in her hair.

"No. He wanted…" She shuddered. "He's lost it. The Erwin we knew is gone."

"He has been for a while." He ghosted kisses along her forehead. "Since Hybernia. I should've killed him for that. But I didn't want to let him go."

"This all happened because of me." She hugged him tight. "I was such an idiot."

Levi stroked the back of her head, breathed in the warm, floral scent of her.

"No," he said. "It was my fault."

"No, Levi. You can't take everything on yourself."

"Let me finish. Tch." He kissed her neck. "Remember the night we got back together in Trost? A month after the thing in Mitras."

"I remember." She sniffed, rubbed her eye.

"Remember how I said I'd choose him over you every time? How you'd always come second?"

"Oh, Levi. Don't—"

"Let me finish, you brat. I never really chose between you. I let you both be the most important thing. And you knew you had to share with him. That's why you kept forgiving him no matter what he did to you. Because you knew I needed him."

Petra's cheeks became flushed. She looked down. Levi wasn't the world's most intuitive guy, but these past days he'd had plenty of time to think about how the fuck they'd all gotten here. And he'd finally made sense of it.

"I didn't…do what I did for you, though. I did it because I was selfish," she said.

"You were out of your mind with grief. I'm getting sick of telling you that."

"I cheated—"

"You thought I was dead. It's not like we had a fight and you went out, got loaded, and crawled into his bed. What you did's not cheating, Petra. Even when I was feeling raw about it, I knew that much."

She shook her head, but kissed him. She kissed him again. God, those lips were so soft. So perfect. He would spend the rest of his life devouring them.

He'd live and die in her arms.

"What we had was so perfect, and I ruined it," she whispered.

"What we have is perfect. Least I think it is. If you don't…"

He saw the shock in her eyes, and it made all the tension in his chest unknot. That look told him everything.

"Every second with you is perfect." She hugged him again, held him tight. "I just…"

"Listen to me. I let Erwin Smith be the third person in our marriage." And it was true. Always filtering every decision he made with her through the lens of how it'd affect Erwin. "Look. If I'd stopped fighting his wars when you asked me to, neither of us would've gone to Kawani. I never would've gotten blown up. You wouldn't have gone out of your mind. And I knew in my gut he didn't need me anymore, but I needed him." Levi shut his eyes with the pain of remembering. "I had to be somebody."

"But you are." She kissed his cheek. "You're Humanity's Strongest."

"Fuck that. I was somebody when it was just you and me on the farm, making love in that forest. I was yours. Your husband, Kuchel's father. That should've been enough. I didn't want it to be."

"What happened isn't your fault."

"Then it ain't yours, either." She stroked his cheek, and he kissed her palm. "Life takes you in fucked up directions. When we left Paradis, I left him. You understand?" Levi's hands shook, but only a little. He got himself under control. "Erwin's dead to me now. If I get the chance to kill him one day, I don't even know if I'll take it. 'Cause that'd put you and Kuchel in danger." Levi huffed. He tried to put his fragmented thoughts into words. "Look. Zeke said something about Ackermans. We're free. We can choose our liege, or let 'em go. We can choose what we care about." He held her face in his hands. "My life is simple for the first time since I drew a goddamn breath. It's you, and Kuchel, and any other kids we have. I'll live for you. I'll die for you. Only for you."

"Levi." She wiped away a tear, and kissed him. She held him in those gentle arms of hers, and he felt something still inside his chest.

For the first time since he could remember, there was no tension. No concern. Life was simple again.

He had cut the last tie with Erwin. The king drifted away behind them, vanishing into the blackness. Now it was only her.

And if he felt a twinge for what he'd left behind, he thought only of the woman in his arms and it all got a little easier. Her breath, her lips, her tongue, her cheeks, her chin, she was every bit his.

"He wanted to make you queen," Levi whispered, his lips at the corner of her mouth.

"I'd rather live with you in a shack than be his anything." She brushed her nose against his.

"Hey, you might get your wish. We're going to Marley with nothing."

"No. We've got Kuchel. And I've got you." She leaned her forehead against his, and smiled. But he felt that little bit of tension.

Even though he was happy with how things had turned out, he couldn't help feeling sorrow for her. Because what she'd left behind had to hurt worse than what he'd lost.

"You could have brought the kid," he whispered. "I wouldn't have minded."

"Erwin would have blown up the world to find him." Petra sniffed. "And I had to keep you and Kuchel safe."

"I can take care of myself."

"Oh, don't I know it?" She smiled a little, kissed him again. "But also…"

Her expression changed, became muted. He could see her fighting some small battle inside of herself.

"What, baby?" He cupped her chin.

"I saw how much he hurt you," she whispered. Her eyes closed. Levi felt stunned. Too stunned to… She didn't mean…

"You gave him up for me?" He expected her to be aghast at the suggestion, to ask how important he thought he was. But Petra only leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I'm a bad mother. I'm a terrible person," she whispered.

"You are a wonderful mother, and the best person I know. My word trumps yours," he whispered in her ear. Petra looked him in the eyes. The light made her tears shine.

"I know giving him up was better for him, and for the world, and for Kuchel. But I also…god help me." She wiped her cheeks. "You sacrificed so much for me, and I couldn't watch him break you a little bit more every single day."

"You gave up your son…so I wouldn't feel bad?" He didn't feel bad now; only kind of numb.

She loves me like that.

She loves me like that.

Fuck.

"From the second I saw you all those years ago, I knew you were what I wanted most in the world. You're still everything I want. I don't care where we live. I just need to be with you. And I need you to be happy." Her chin trembled. "Or at least, I can't be the thing that makes you unhappy."

And here he'd thought that he loved her more than she loved him. What a giant idiot he'd been. She'd given up a piece of her soul for his damn sake. Levi sat in the revelation. He held her, sat in the quiet with her for a while.

"One day, you'll see him again. I promise," he whispered, kissing the tip of her ear.

"I know Erwin will be good to him. Maybe Armin really will change him. I hope so."

"Me, too. But I'm not gonna stick around to find out." He kissed her cheek, her temple. "My life's you and Kuchel. Kenny said we all were slaves to something. He said I was a slave to being a hero. And I was. But now, you and that kid are what keep me going. You're what I wanna be tied to."

"And you. I want the same thing." She kissed him again, harder this time. They practically melded together. For the first time in fuck knows how long, Levi felt truly light. It was like those first days of their relationship in Mitras, no baggage or complications, only possibility. "I told my father once I wanted to devote all of myself to you. Now, finally, I can do that."

"You said that?" His tongue was clumsy. He just kissed her instead.

"Yes. I think everything kept getting in our way. The estates, the politics, Erwin, the kids in the military, everything. Though I love those kids." She sniffed. "I hope I see them, too. Someday."

"You will. But yeah, I see what you mean. All that shit got too complex. And I kept getting torn between him and you." No wonder she'd gone to Erwin. Levi had shown her that Erwin mattered as much in their marriage as Petra did. Erwin was the closest thing she'd had to Levi's proxy. Fuck, it had never been about the king's looks or status. It'd been the link to get back to him, to Levi.

She loves me like that.

"We can't go back to who we were before all this," she whispered.

"When we had Kuchel, we couldn't go back to who we were at that midwinter ball. Shit doesn't stay the same, Pet. It keeps rolling downhill."

She giggled. "I love how you phrase things."

"You know what I mean. Only kids believe in something good that never changes. But now…" He got up, pulled her to her feet. Petra shrieked a little as he lifted her up, his arms around her waist. She looked shocked, but also delighted. He held her there; she was his alone. "I know what I want, and who I want. And it only took getting killed to figure that shit out."

"I love you." She laughed and cried a little as he set her down. She held him close. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life making you so damn happy."

"Good. Just keep doing what you're doing." Again, he pressed his forehead to hers. They swayed back and forth, much the same way they had that first night in Mitras after the ball. Them in the stables, her in her nightgown and army coat. They had danced; she loved dancing. And he'd known at that moment that she was no fantasy, and that she was just for him. What an asshole he'd been to doubt that for even a second.

He didn't know if you could make your family your 'liege' as an Ackerman. But he was going to try.

Petra sat them both on the couch again. She laid down, her head in his lap. He stroked her hair.

"Oi, Pet?" He cleared his throat. "I know Armin…fuck. If you need to cry about him, it won't be awkward for me. If you were wondering."

"I was." Her voice sounded small, but soft. "Thank you. I…I think I will. No, I know I will." Only natural. His heart broke a little to know that hers was damaged now. Mothers didn't forget their children. She'd never forget the boy. Levi didn't want her to. "Another thing." She sat up again, straddled him on the couch. She wove her fingers together, clasping the back of his neck. "Eren said Erwin would become a monster. He said we'd have Armin. Everything he's said so far has come true. He also said…Kuchel would be in danger."

Levi nodded. "Remember what Zeke told me. Ackermans can choose things. Change things. Kuchel's gonna be safe. I'll see to it."

He slid his hands along her thighs, gripped her ass. He smiled a little when she gasped in mock horror. Then Petra looked up. Her expression changed to one of awe.

"Look. The sun's rising." She got off of him. He followed her to the porthole and looked out. The sky was lightening, and there was pink on the horizon.

"Yeah." He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed her to his chest. She relaxed into him. She was utterly his again, at last. "The night's finished."

---

Two days later

He stood on the cliff as the sun was rising. The breeze played with his long hair, which he tied back into its customary bun. He stretched his arms up to the sky, and felt the coming warmth on his skin. Mornings felt like possibility. Like freedom.

"Hey." Historia appeared beside him. She yawned. They'd spent the night in the brush, sheltering out of plain sight. These days, their home was on the ground or in a cave as much as in some halfway house. But she never complained. "What are you thinking about?"

"We're getting close to our second chance," he said softly. Historia frowned and bit her knuckle.

"Eren, maybe you should just transform me," she said. He wouldn't look at her. "This is leaving too much to chance, and I don't want to do, well, what you're planning. It's too cruel."

"I already said I would never sacrifice you, not if there was any other way." Eren watched the horizon. "Besides, I told you what I saw."

He'd spent months holding her hand, searching every possible thread of every possible path, past and future. Nearly all ended in disaster of some kind.

"You did tell me." She combed her fingers through her blonde hair. Historia hated how tangled and matted it could get when they slept rough. "You're sure those are the only two paths? Really?"

"Every other possibility led to annihilation. No, Historia. If you have to be sacrificed, it'll be at the last possible second. That's the only way the world has a chance."

Historia walked to the very edge of the cliff. There was still that wild, self-destructive impulse in her that Eren knew would never be totally gone. She gazed out at the sea.

"If this second chance is lost, we'll only have one more," she said.

"The world will only have one more. And if it does, you'll have to be in charge." He stood beside her and crossed his arms. "But I think we can make it work this time. As long as I don't lose my courage…and I won't."

She leaned against him. It was soothing to have her. When Eren thought of Mikasa, it was like a stab to his heart. But it had been right to leave her behind. She could never understand. She would have tried to stop him if she knew what he was preparing for.

Unlike him and Historia, Mikasa was perfectly good. As Armin had been.

Armin…

I'm looking at the sea, Armin. I did it for you, like I promised I would.

Mikasa. I'll save you. I swear.

"What are you looking for?" Historia asked quietly.

Eren scanned the horizon again and…there.

A black dot appeared. As the minutes ticked by, the dot grew. It was becoming larger.

A ship.

"Levi's on that boat," Eren said quietly. "He's bringing me what I need to save this world."