Isa wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Clearly the man restraining her knew Levi, and it looked as if Levi knew him as well.

Who is this person?

"What do you want?" She thought she felt the slightest tremor coming from the man behind her at the menacing snarl in Levi's voice.

Is…is he afraid of Levi? Even though I'm the one he's restraining?

As the man behind her spoke, Isa somehow got the sense that he was struggling to keep his voice from wavering. "Well now, that's no way to talk to an old friend, now is it?"

An old friend? Is…is this man a member of Levi's old gang?

Levi didn't answer, only watched the person with those narrowed, dangerous eyes, though she could tell he was fully aware of the other person standing beside of him, the one that had been the distraction so the person behind her could grab her.

"Alright fine, neither of us were ever much for small talk. See, we need your help with something. Consider it payment for abandoning us."

Levi's glare darkened further. "No."

The person laughed, though Isa could have sworn she felt another tremble of fear come from the man at the sight of Levi's glare. "You think you have a choice? You don't." He emphasized his point by wrenching Isa's arm behind her further, and she had to clench her eyes shut and grit her teeth to keep from crying out, refusing to cave.

When he'd made his point, he released some of the pressure on her arm, and Isa let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, eyes opening. "See, I saw the two of you, walking around a few days ago, looking real cozy. We had someone go after you, test to see what you'd do, and I was pleased to see your first instinct was to shove her out of the way. Showed me I can use her as bait. You're gonna help us, Levi. If you wanna see your girl again that is."

"I never abandoned you." She felt the man shiver at the sound of Levi's icy snarl.

This…this man is afraid of Levi…yet he still antagonizes him.

Maybe we can use that against him.

"Is that so?" Isa heard the man's voice drop into his own icy growl, though the effect was nonexistent, not holding a candle to Levi's. "Is that why the three of you left without a word, never to hear from you again? You always had your dreams of going to the surface, and now look at you, all high and mighty with a pretty girl beside you. She must be a real good lay to keep someone like you interested. Never showed much interest in women, then again, we never really had time for that sort of thing."

What an asshole.

Again, Levi said nothing, and Isa could tell he was running through different options, trying to find the best way to deal with these two people and get her back safe.

I'm going to do my best to help you, Levi. Like you always tell me, we'll get through this together.

"I heard you got Furlan and Isabel killed. They always thought too highly of you and look where that got them."

Isa's teeth ground together at that, an icy rage she'd never felt before running through her. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about." Her own voice had dropped to a chilly snarl, unaware that it had the man's blood freezing in his veins. "Levi did everything he could to protect those two. You don't know what it's like outside the damn walls. You'd probably shit your pants if you saw a titan."

Think, Isa, think. You can't fight him, not with that knife to your throat and your arm wrenched behind you. But maybe you can outsmart him.

The man snorted out a laugh, and she was disgusted to feel his breath against the side of her head, letting her know just how close he was. "Someone's been around Levi for too long I see. I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut missy, if you know what's good for you."

A sinister, icy chuckle escaped her, the desire to protect and defend fueling her confidence. "You don't scare me. You won't kill me."

"Oh? What makes you so sure?"

She caught on to the slightest tremor in his voice, and knew she'd found something.

Think, when people make plans, there are often flaws. What's the flaw in his plan?

He wants Levi to help him with something, and he's using me as an incentive to get Levi to agree.

A gleeful look passed over Isa's face as realization dawned on her.

If I'm dead, if he even injures me in the slightest, he can't use me as bait.

"Because you've failed to see the obvious fucking flaw in your plan. I don't know how you were part of Levi's gang, considering how idiotic you are."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She caught the hesitation and doubt now lining his voice.

A twisted smirk filled Isa's face, dark iciness lining her voice as she spoke. "If you had wanted to kill me, you would've done so already." Her eyes met Levi's, reassuring him that she was not in danger. "Besides, if you kill me, if you even so much as hurt me, you can't use me as bait to get Levi to do what you want. You may have a knife to my throat, but the upper hand is still ours."

She felt the hand holding her arm behind her shake ever so slightly, and a sinister thrill ran through her, knowing the man was now fully aware of this flaw. She watched as the hint of fear that only she could see in Levi's eyes fade, and she thought she saw the slightest glint of admiration behind the fury.

She could tell the man holding her was trying to maintain control of the situation, but the waver in his voice was obvious. "Damn, Levi, where the hell did you find this girl? Did you teach her to be smart? Or was she already like this? I may have to keep her for myself. See what all the fuss is about."

She continued to ignore the pain coming from the pressure on her shoulder, refusing to let it stop her. "Not even in your wildest dreams, asshole." She let the disgust fill her voice, letting him know that would never happen.

She felt his body shake behind her as he chuckled. "Quite the mouth she's got on her. I'm starting to see the appeal. Bet we could put that mouth to real good use."

Isa watched as Levi's fists clenched tight, eyes flashing in warning at the man. "As if I'd ever let you put your filthy hands on her any more than they already are."

"Be that as it may, I'm up here, and you're down there. Now if you want her back, you're going to help us."

Isa glanced down at Levi, and when she saw him watching her, she could tell he was asking her to trust him. She did her best to nod ever so slightly despite the knife at her neck, but it was enough for him.

"Fine."

"That's what I thought. You're going to go with Ben here, and when you're all done, then you can have your pretty little girl back. Shouldn't take long, I remember how fast you could get a job done, I can imagine with an incentive like her, it'll be done in no time."

"On one condition."

"You're not really in the position to negotiate but go ahead."

"The two of you stay here, and don't move. If you leave this spot, I will kill you." Isa could see the seriousness in his eyes, and she knew the man could too, based on how his hand shook again.

"Fine, fine, it's not like I have anywhere better to be."

Isa couldn't help but smile gleefully at the resurgence of confidence in his voice, clearly thinking he'd regained the upper hand.

The idiot really didn't think this through. Does he really think that Levi is going to help? Does he really think that 'Ben' will have a chance the minute they're out of sight?

Isa watched as Levi left with Ben, knowing he wouldn't be gone for long, and now she needed to do her part.

She needed to make sure this man's ODM gear was damaged enough so he wouldn't be able to escape once Levi returned.

A memory came to mind, one of that expedition with Furlan and Isabel, when Furlan had landed on his back, and his gear had been damaged, and a plan formed in her mind.

Her voice lost the iciness, turning haughty and demanding. "Now that Levi is gone, you think you could move the knife from my neck? I don't think Levi will take too kindly if you accidentally scratch me."

"Why would I do that? So you can attack me?"

"Attack you?" Her voice was incredulous, as she worked to convince him there was no way she could take him. "Look at me. Why the hell else do you think I have Levi with me? I do research, I don't actually fight anyone."

That's right, Isa, make him think you're some weak female. Make him let his guard down.

She kept up her taunts, striking at his ego. "Are you that weak that you wouldn't be able to take on a woman who barely comes up to your chest?"

He brought the knife down from her throat, sheathing it at his hip. "Maybe you're not as smart as you thought, if you're going to sit there and tell me that you're worthless at fighting."

That was all Isa needed.

She shoved back into the man's side with her elbow drawing a grunt from him as the breath was knocked out of him. His surprise had him releasing her arm, which she used to her advantage.

She spun around behind him, leg sweeping his feet out from under him while her arm simultaneously came up to his neck, yanking down, her desire to help Levi, her desire to be back with him pushing her, giving her the needed strength to succeed. She knocked him down onto his back and she let herself land on top of him, needing the extra weight to make sure the gear was damaged.

She heard the telltale crunch of the metallic gear being crushed, satisfaction coursing through her.

Perfect.

She jumped off him, and when she whirled around, she didn't have time to dodge the sweep of his leg, as he knocked her off her feet, pinning her legs and arms down with his.

Before she could do anything else, he'd flipped her onto her stomach, wrenching her arms up behind her back, tying them with rope he'd pulled out of his cloak. She couldn't stop the wince or grunt of pain that escaped her as she felt pressure on both her shoulders when he jerked her arms towards the center of her back.

He used her arms to yank her to her knees, another whimper escaping her from the added stress on the joint. "Sneaky little bitch, you won't pull a fast one on me again."

That's perfectly fine, I did what I needed to do. I bet you didn't even hear your gear crunch as you landed on it.

Fucking moron.

It wasn't long until Isa heard the muted whirring of ODM gear coming from behind her, and when she turned, a wave of relief crashed through her when she saw Levi, now without his cloak. As she'd expected, he must have stolen the gear from the person he'd been blackmailed into leaving with.

The man behind her turned, face paling when he saw Levi. He grabbed Isa by the hair, yanking her up, hard, the surprise and pain of it drawing a pained cry from her.

She felt the knife once again at her throat, though she felt no fear. She knew the man wouldn't kill her. She thought she saw Levi's steps falter ever so slightly, and she spoke, wanting to reassure him that she wasn't in danger.

"You may as well put the damn knife down, we all know at this point you're not going to kill me. You're too much of a coward to do anything, and if you kill me, then there's nothing that will stop Levi from torturing you, killing you. You think the things he did down here were bad?" A dark chuckle escaped her. "That's nothing compared to what we've had to do on the surface. Makes those things look like child's play."

She was bluffing, but the man didn't need to know that, and her words had him pulling the knife away from her neck ever so slightly, and seemed to have given Levi the push he needed to keep going.

As Levi stormed towards them, eyes more feral than she'd ever seen, Isa could feel the man behind her begin trembling in fear.

In a last-ditch attempt to escape, the man threw Isa to the side, and as he'd expected, Levi didn't hesitate to go after her, keeping her from falling flat on her face, guiding her gently to her knees, before turning back to their attacker.

What the man had failed to realize, was that his scuffle with Isa had damaged his gear, and his controls failed when he tried to grapple onto the next building, leaving him stranded with a furious, lethal, feral Levi who was once more, stalking his way to him.

Isa couldn't stop the smug smile when she took in the sheer terror written all over the man's face.

The fact that you actually tried to take on Levi, but clearly didn't think your plan through, shows just how idiotic you are.

It's impressive that you outwitted him enough to get me out of his reach, but the rest of your plan was complete and utter shit.

Levi grabbed the man by his collar, cold, narrowed eyes glaring up at him. "If you actually thought I was going to help you, you're more of an idiotic shithead than I remembered."

Isa could hear the crack of flesh against bone as Levi emphasized his point with his fist against the man's face, and she wasn't sure how to feel about the smug sense of satisfaction that hit her when she saw blood spattering out of his nose.

"Did you really think you could blackmail me into doing your dirty work?" His voice was a deathly snarl that could have killed on its own.

She heard the man's breath whoosh out as Levi sent a kick to his stomach, sending the man stumbling back, and she just knew the spot was going to be bruised for weeks.

He twisted the man around by his arm, yanking until Isa heard the nauseating pop of the joint dislocating followed by the high-pitched cry of pain coming from the man. "Did you really think I'd ever leave her alone with you?"

He grabbed the man by the throat, dragging him so he could tilt him over the edge of the building.

His tone dropped to a menacing growl. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't drop you off the side of this building. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

Isa watched as the man's face paled, leaving it a sickly pallor. "I…Levi, we used to be pals, remember all the good times we used to have."

Isa saw the dark humor come into Levi's eyes at the words. "I remember a good for nothing shithead who had trouble following orders. One who didn't think things through and got himself into more trouble than he was worth."

The man's hands came up to grip at Levi's hands as they squeezed tighter. "C-come on Levi, you wouldn't kill an old friend, would you?" His voice had turned wheezy as it became harder for him to draw in air.

Levi sneered down at him, and Isa thought his eyes alone could commit murder. "We were never friends."

"I…c-come on, Levi, I'll do anything." Isa rolled her eyes at the breathless whine. "P-please don't kill me."

This moronic coward actually thought he had a chance?

The scowl on Levi's face twisted further, eyes narrowing into dangerous slits that flashed with warning. "This is your one, and only warning. Leave now, don't ever come near her again, don't come near us again, and I'll let you live. If I ever see you so much as in the same area as her, I will kill you. You know me, you know I will. I suggest you take my warning if you want to live. Consider this your payment."

He flung the man back onto the roof of the building, before walking back towards Isa to gently help her to her feet, using his knife to cut the rope from her wrists. His fingers traced gently at the reddened skin, and she could tell it upset him.

He turned his back on her. "Come on, hop on my back. We're almost there, Isa, and we'll be able to get there faster now."

She placed her hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. "There's one thing I want to do first."

It was her turn to stalk over to where the man was lying on his back, Levi close behind, refusing to leave her side, even for a minute. She enjoyed the way he warily looked up at her, knowing he was beat, knowing he couldn't do anything with Levi standing right behind her.

She sneered icily down at him, her own chilly fury filling her voice. "This is for cutting Levi you bastard."

She reached down, picking his head up and slamming it back down. She watched as his eyes lost focus and before he had a chance to recover, she'd brought her foot up, crushing it down on the man's crotch, twisting her foot as if squashing a bug.

More of that same, smug satisfaction filled her as an inhuman, high pitched sound that was a mix between a whimper and a groan escaped the man, face turning different shades of green.

She turned back to Levi, who was watching her with what she thought was humor and admiration in his eyes.

She smiled sheepishly at him. "I couldn't resist."

He shook his head in amusement, turning his back so she could hop on. Her shoulders were sore from where they'd been twisted behind her, but she ignored it for the time being, ready to be as far away from these people as possible.

"C-come on," the man groaned, still reeling from the pain, "you're not just going to leave me up here are you? How am I supposed to get down?"

Isa's chuckle was lined with dark humor as she spoke over her shoulder. "Not our fucking problem. You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out of it. Fucking idiotic shithead."

"You really have been around Levi for too long."

She smirked at him. "That's not any of your concern. For all you know, I was already like this."

With that, she climbed onto Levi's back, wrapping her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, excitement coursing through her at the thought of flying through the air like this with Levi.

Something about the thrill of the moment temporarily pushing away any trace of nerves had her unable to resist the temptation of his neck within her reach, encouraging her to lean down and brush her lips gently across the skin. A bolt of excitement shot through her when she felt him shiver, ever so slightly.

So…I can affect him…the way he affects me? It's…it's not just me?

And the thought of it was both exhilarating and arousing.

He cleared his throat, and when he spoke, she thought he sounded slightly embarrassed. "I would recommend you not do that while we're moving, unless you want us both to die." He kept his voice hushed, only loud enough for her to hear.

With the lack of nerves in her during that moment, adrenaline from the interaction still flowing through her, something spurred her to tease him, her own voice a teasing, breathless whisper in his ear, the sound of it surprising her. "What's the matter? Can't handle a simple kiss? Too much for 'Humanity's Strongest'?"

She heard him mutter 'pain in the damn ass,' though she caught the humor and affection in his tone, and she couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her. The realization that she had some effect on him had a rush coursing through her that made her want to keep finding ways to tease him, to drive him crazy, the way he drove her insane.

But she also knew it wouldn't be wise to do so while flying, so she just let her cheek rest against the side of his head, putting her full trust into him, knowing he'd keep her safe.

When he shot out his grappling hook and they flew off, she couldn't stop the joyful laugh that escaped her, at the feel of flying while someone else was in control.

She'd never moved so fast before. She'd seen his speed in training, outside the walls, but to experience it, was the most thrilling thing she'd ever felt.

Despite the staleness of the air, she reveled in the feel of it whipping in her face, sending her hair flying behind her, long having come loose from its braid.

The buildings were a blur as they flew by, the people below didn't register. In that moment, nothing existed except for her, and Levi, and she could live the rest of her life relishing in the feel.

She couldn't stop the excited squeals that escaped her whenever he cut a corner when she didn't expect it. She couldn't tell if he was doing it on purpose, but she didn't care, she just never wanted him to stop.

She held on even tighter, loving the feel of her body pressing up against his back, her legs wrapped around his slim waist. She could feel the muscles in his back and stomach moving as he maneuvered them through the air.

The fact that this powerful man wanted her sent a different thrill rushing through her to mix with everything else she felt as she flew.

She wondered how she ever thought rage would get her what she wanted.

When they finally landed, she immediately recognized the area from Levi's memory, but she had no time to look around, as Levi dragged her into an empty alley, pushing her up against the wall.

There was no way for her to know how beautiful Levi found her in that moment, hair loose and wild on her shoulders, cheeks tinted pink with excitement, the wide smile on her face lighting her eyes with emotions he didn't know how to read, that had his own heart clenching with something he still didn't understand.

She met his eyes, and she thought she saw desire and that same warmth lighting them, and it sent a bolt crashing through her.

Before she could say anything, he'd taken her face into his hands, crushing his lips onto hers. Her own lips parted on a gasp, which he took advantage of, and she relished in the feel of it, arms coming up to wrap around his neck, threading her fingers in his hair.

Something spurred her, like that night at the tavern, to draw his lip in between her teeth to bite gently, her tongue swiping across to soothe, and this time, she recognized that the groan came from him, and it sent a hot rush through her, as she continued to learn that she had an effect on him, as much as he had an effect on her.

The feel of his hands on her face and his lips on hers swept her away once again, and she hoped that she'd never stop feeling this way. She could feel his desire for her, the affection, and it sent a thrilling rush in her she never wanted to lose.

He pulled back, pressing his lips against her forehead, her cheeks, before resting his forehead on hers, hands moving to her shoulders. "You're fucking amazing, do you know that?"

Her cheeks reddened further at the affection and admiration she saw in his eyes, the smile on her face wide as ever, her lower lip caught shyly between her teeth. "Really?"

His only response was to lean back in, brushing his lips across hers, and when he pulled back, she, once again, could do nothing to stop the shy giggle that escaped her.

She wanted nothing more than to stay here, in his arms, forever, even if it meant never leaving the Underground again, but she also knew they had a mission they needed to complete, so when he, reluctantly, pulled back, she didn't stop him.

"Let me check your shoulders, do they hurt?"

"They're a little sore, but I think they're fine other than that."

He hummed as he moved her cloak, pressing gently along the joint and muscle surrounding it, watching her face for any signs of discomfort, and she could see the relief in his eyes when there were no hints of pain from her.

She watched as he lifted her hands so he could look at his wrists, and she could tell he was displeased with the red marks on them.

His fingers brushed gently across the skin, as if he were trying to erase the marks, and as he moved to the inside of her wrist, tingles washed across her skin.

When he lifted his face, she was stunned to see the glimmer of tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Isa."

The sudden change in mood threw her off, but she took it in stride as she brought her hands to his face, brushing away the stray tear that trickled down his cheek. "Levi, why are you sorry?"

"Because of my past, the things I did, you could have died."

She shook her head, not willing to let him believe that. "Levi, that was not your fault. You're not the one who grabbed me, twisted my arms, and held a knife to my throat."

She hated the way his eyes grew even sadder at her words. "No but I've done that to others."

A sweet smile crossed her face, lighting her eyes with understanding. "I know, Levi, but even still, that was always only ever to survive. I've told you before, I've never judged you for doing what you had to do to survive."

His gaze moved to the wall beside her, the frown on his face deepening. "Isa…you…you saw what I'm capable of. How are you still not afraid of me?"

She put gentle pressure on his head, forcing his eyes back to hers, wanting him to see how serious she was, desperately needing him to understand that nothing he could do could make her fear him. "Levi, I could never be afraid of you."

She watched as another tear trickled down his face, gently brushing it away. "I've told you before, but I'll keep telling you, until you believe it, and once you do, I'll still tell you. You don't hurt people because you like it. The only time you hurt someone is if they're a threat. You've never seen me as a threat, so you've never had a reason to hurt me."

An affectionate smile crossed her face, lighting up her eyes with everything she felt for him. "You're a lot of things, Levi, but cruel and callous, you are not. That night after Ethel died, when you took care of me, helped me, held me? No one has ever treated me like that, not since my parents died." Her own eyes filled with soft tears threatening to spill at the reminder of how gentle he'd been with her, her voice growing quieter, more serious. "No one has ever made me feel like I mattered, not like that."

She grabbed one of his hands with hers, bringing it up to her face, covering it with her own. "These hands, may be able to cause pain, may be able to kill, but they have the ability to be gentle and sweet, just like you, Levi. I only ever feel safe around you."

His thumb brushed across her skin, and to her, that simple act proved her point. "I could have killed him, Isa."

She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, her other hand still on his face, stroking lightly with her thumb. "I know. And if you had, I still wouldn't be afraid of you."

She brought his head down so his forehead lay on hers, her nose brushing up against his, his gentle breaths mingling with hers. "Levi, you're not a bad person. You've done things I know you aren't proud of, but that was only ever to survive, and I understand that."

They were close, so close her lips practically brushed against his as she spoke. "You're an incredibly kind man, Levi, just not everyone has earned the right to see that. If I'm the only person who gets to see the soft, sweet side of you, the side of you that holds me, kisses my forehead, strokes my hair or my face, the side of you that lets me do all those things too, then that's okay. It just tells me you trust me enough to fully let your guard down."

His eyes were intent on her, and only her. "I do, you know I do."

She brought her hand up to brush lightly at the bangs on his forehead, watching his eyes close as a content sigh escaped him. "This world of ours makes people do things, and it's even worse down here. I know that now more than ever. I told you, just hours ago, that I would have killed to keep you safe. Why would I be afraid of you now?"

His eyes opened to meet hers again, and she could tell he was still having trouble believing her, so she did the only other thing she knew to do when it came to Levi.

She'd show him.

She tilted her head up, meeting his lips with hers, her love for him and her desire to comfort guiding her, temporarily washing away the nerves as she gently reassured him that she could never be afraid of him, again, wanting to show how much she loved him, even if she wasn't ready to say the words.

Once more, she used her past experiences to guide her, as she tilted her head, changing the angle, deepening the kiss further. She brushed her hands gently through his hair, desire tightening within her when he sighed lightly into her mouth.

His hands came to rest on her hips, squeezing lightly before slowly sliding up to her waist, a shiver coursing through her when his fingers brushed against the sliver of skin that had been exposed as her shirt slightly rose from the movement of his hands.

She could taste the salt from the single tear that spilled from his eyes, and it saddened her that he thought she could be afraid of him. She could never be afraid of him. Afraid of what she felt for him, the intensity of it, but never of him.

She didn't care about what he'd done in the past, that didn't matter to her, all that mattered, were the little moments like these, where it felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

She pulled away, keeping his forehead against hers, her hand coming back to his cheek, brushing gingerly at the skin as her eyes met his. "Don't ever let me hear you apologize for stupid shit like that again. It's not needed, I promise." Her voice was quiet, the sweetness of it bringing a calm to him that he only ever felt around her.

She couldn't stop the affectionate smile on her face when the guilt cleared from his eyes, a breathless chuckle escaping him at her use of his words with him.

He brought a hand up, covering the one resting on his face, fingers tracing lightly across it, eyes now full of warmth as they stared into hers. "I won't."

She could tell he didn't want to let her go when he pulled back, but they both knew they needed to focus.

He led her back out to the area from his memory, watching over her as she looked around, trying to find her childhood home.

A sad smile filled her face when she could practically see her dad running with her on his shoulders, his face full of joy as her childlike giggles filled the surrounding air, the both of them ignoring the looks from the people surrounding them.

A bittersweet feeling filled her when she saw it, and nodded her head in the direction they needed to go, silently telling him she'd found it.

She walked them both towards one of the many run-down buildings, through a door that creaked with age and decay when it opened.

Almost as if by instinct, she led them to her old home, to the door that had held the only real home she'd ever known. Isa took a deep breath before knocking. When no one answered she assumed that meant either no one lived there, or they weren't home.

She tried the handle and found that it opened. Before she walked through the door, she reached for Levi's hand, needing that added strength, soothed when he linked his fingers with her, silently reminding her that he was right there with her, always.

She led them both into the home she'd lost so long ago and had to squeeze her eyes shut at the sight of the two dark stains on the floor where her parents' bodies had fallen. If she looked too closely, she could practically see their slumped over bodies, their lifeless eyes staring at nothing.

A stray tear trickled down her cheek, and she felt Levi's hand come up to brush it away. She opened her eyes to meet his as he watched her closely, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

She swallowed thickly, and moved to the curtained off area, Levi beside her as always, his hand still holding tight on hers.

She pushed the curtain aside, and more tears pricked her eyes, a shaky breathy escaping her when she saw her old stuffed bunny sitting on the floor.

I'd completely forgotten about this.

An unsteady hand reached down to pick it up, ignoring the dust and dirt that caked it as she brought it in tight.

"I remember the day my dad brought this home." Her sorrow filled eyes met Levi's, a mournful smile on her face, voice shaky as she struggled to speak. "I…I don't know how I forgot about this. It was one of the few birthday gifts they were ever able to give me. I think it was my fifth birthday. I can only imagine how long it took to save up enough for this."

She gave Levi a weak smile when he brushed the hair off her shoulder, thumb stroking lightly against her jaw.

She looked back down at the bunny in her hand as another tear trailed lightly down her cheek at the memory. She remembered how excited her father had been when she'd opened the gift, the way her mother had hugged her tight when she'd seen the joy on her daughter's face.

She'd taken the bunny everywhere she could.

Outside to play when her mother would sit with her at the front of the building, watching her beloved daughter's imagination run free as she took her bunny on adventures.

Holding it tight against her when she'd sat on her father's shoulders as he ran.

She'd slept with it every night as it brought her comfort, helping to ease the nightmares.

She sniffled, tucking the bunny away in her satchel, needing the only other connection to her parents she had, not caring that it was filthy. She'd clean it when she got home.

She felt a featherlight touch against her temple, as Levi brushed his lips across the skin there, doing his best to comfort. She brought her gaze back up to his, giving him a reassuring smile, squeezing the hand that still held onto hers.

She turned back to the small area, and made her way to the tiny closet, opening the door. She crouched down, pulling up the floorboard her mother had shown her, reaching in, puzzled when she felt cloth.

She pulled out two jackets that she recognized, it was the one like she wore, except, instead of the Wings of Freedom that was on every Scouts' uniform, this one had the horse emblem of the Military Police.

What the hell?

"Your parents were in the Military Police?"

Her wide eyes turned to meet Levi's, and she could see the confusion in his, matching what she felt. "I…I don't know, I had no idea."

She set the jackets to the side, reaching back in the hole, expecting to find the hard cover of her mother's journal, instead, all she felt was a thin sheet of paper. She pulled it out, confused.

Her brow furrowed, certain her memory hadn't been wrong. "I…My mom said she'd hidden the journals in there, but they're not here." She stood, walking over to the small window where a trickle of light was filtering in, enough to read the letter. She felt Levi behind her, his hand coming up to her shoulder, stroking lightly with his thumb as they both read.

My dear Isa,

I'm writing you this on the night before your seventh birthday.

My love, if you're reading this, then that means the worst has happened, and you have been left alone in this world. I want you to always, always, always remember that your father and I loved you, more than life itself. You were one of the few things we did right in our life, and I only hope that you can be happy, that you find someone to love, who loves you, and supports you, no matter what.

My love, I know I told you that you would need to look in this loose board in the floor to find the journals explaining who we are and the things we can do. But I had to move them to a safer place. Your father and I learned that we'd been found by people who don't want the truth to be known. These people don't know everything about us, don't know how much we know, and I couldn't risk them finding those journals. The information in them is too important and would put you at risk.

Know that if nothing happened on your seventh birthday, like some friends of ours had warned us, I intended to move the journals back here. If you're reading this, that means we didn't make it past that day, and for that, I am truly sorry.

There's so much that I want to tell you, so much to teach you, not just about who we are, but about life, love, and friendships.

This first part of this letter will hold everything I wanted to teach you.

I love your father, so much. When I look at him, I feel like I could burst with my love for him. I want you to find a love like that.

Your sweet father, he can be a difficult man, but I know he feels the same for me, as I do for him. He just shows it differently than I do.

Isa, my love, find a man who treats you with respect, and who supports you, no matter what, even when you frustrate him.

Find a man who asks you to put what you want first, because he'll know that you often forget.

Find a man who isn't afraid to tell you what he thinks. Honest men are hard to find, but they're the most loyal, and you can count that they'll always tell you the truth, that they'll always be there for you.

Find a man who doesn't hold you back, but holds you up.

He may not always be able to tell you he loves you, but he'll be able to show you. Each man is different, so you'll have to learn how to read him, to understand what he's trying to tell you. I know how frustrating that must be to hear, but one of the greatest parts of finding love, is the journey of it, I promise you that.

Isa, dear, love goes both ways. I could tell, even as a child, that you were going to be like me. You were an affectionate, loving child, who found joy in the little things in life.

When you find the man you love, you need to show him.

If you're anything like me, I know at first, you'll find it difficult to tell him, you'll be afraid that he doesn't return your feelings, or you don't want to pressure him in case he doesn't feel more.

If you're anything like me, you'll have found yourself with a man who has a tendency to be gruff and difficult to read, but with a sweetness hidden deep inside that's just waiting for someone like you or like me to pull out.

You'll have trouble reading him at first, but I know you'll learn, just as I learned.

So show him, Isa. Show him you love him, even if you aren't ready to tell him. Men like your father, they deserve love as much as anyone else, even if they never ask for it.

A relationship is challenging work but is worth it for those little moments where it's just you and him, as if the world around you doesn't exist. It's worth it to see that look in his eyes, on his face, the one that tells you, you are everything to him. The look on his face that matches the one on yours when you look at him.

Find friends who you can trust no matter what, and who trust you. Those friends are hard to come by, but when you find them, cherish them. Show them how much you care, even if you struggle with telling them.

Rest easy, my love, knowing that your mother wasn't always the affectionate person you probably remember. I struggled with telling people I loved them, which is why showing them can be a first step. It's the little things you do that tells someone how much you care.

Laughing with them on days where everything is calm.

Holding them on days where they're hurting.

Listening to them when they need an ear.

Find friends who do this for you and be sure you do the same for them. Relationships, friendships, they're never one sided, and it's important that they're balanced, so you need to put effort in as well.

Find joy in the little moments with your loved ones, enjoy the time with them, because, as awful as it sounds, one day, they may no longer be there with you, and you'll be left with only your memories of them.

I never got the chance to teach you to read, and for that, I'm sorry. There's nothing I love more than curling up with a good book and going on an adventure with the characters inside. Your father and I were always busy in making sure you were safe and taken care of, safe from the things that threatened us. You're a smart girl though, so I know you'll be able to learn on your own if and when you have to.

I know you will grow up into a beautiful, strong, woman, despite whatever hardships you may face.

I know you will find a man deserving of you, in every sense of the word, even if he doesn't always feel he deserves you. So you'll have to show him he does.

I know you'll find amazing friendships, people you'll consider family, so make sure you cherish every single moment with them.

All I can ask is that you never lose sight of who you are, and don't let others bring you down. There are cruel people in this world, who love nothing more than to tear down people who can find joy in the little things in life, because they don't know how. They can only feel better about themselves by hurting others.

Always remember that you are a beautiful person, inside and out, who cares for others, more than she cares for herself, which is both a fault and a virtue, so you need to find balance between the two.

This final part of this letter will give you some information that's in my journals. There's only so much I can share in this, the last thing I want is for you to be put in danger.

Isa, your father and I have abilities that allow us to see the memories of certain people, that you may or may not be aware of at the time you are reading this letter.

Which people, I cannot say in this letter. The people coming for us have suspicions on what we can do, and the last thing I want is for them to know who the abilities were meant to be used with.

We were never certain if these abilities could be passed on to our children, which is why I must be careful with how much I share in this letter.

The last thing we want, is for you to be in danger because of the mistakes we made in our past. There are many things we used to believe, and I'm ashamed of how wrong we were.

I regret nothing, because our mistakes, led us to having you. You were the best thing your father and I ever did.

If these abilities were passed down to you, then you will need to learn to control them, and I'm truly sorry that we won't be there to help you.

It's simple. Touch and the desire to know, will show you what you seek.

Your father and I have been through so much, and you deserve to know our story, know who we are, why we're able to see memories, and what this ability was for. For that, you will need to find my journals.

ZD ES QK TQ ZD MU CT CY PQ XI TF CL FE SH SU QN TU BO BW

I love you, Isa. Your father and I love you.

All my love, forever, and always,

Freya

Isa's eyes were clenched tight, hand pressed tight to her mouth as she struggled to contain the tears welling in her eyes, but failed as they streamed down her face. She could do nothing to stop the trembles in her body as it shook with held back sobs.

When she felt strong, but gentle hands turn her, she didn't resist, nor did she resist when she felt those same hands gently unclench her fingers from the letter, tossing it to the side so he could draw her in as close as possible.

Broken wails left her as she buried her face in his neck, fists clenching tight into his shirt, desperate for a lifeline to keep her from crumbling to pieces.

She felt him lift her into his arms as he sat on the ground, draping her legs over his lap, pulling her in tight, not caring about the dirt and dust on the floor.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, face still buried against him as she sobbed, faded memories of her parents filling her mind.

Her mom spinning her in circles, peppering her face with kisses, and her giggles that would fill the air, her child body filled with love and joy.

Her dad hoisting her on her shoulders, running through the streets of the Underground as she shrieked with laughter, filled with the trust only a child can feel for a parent.

Her mom crawling into her dad's lap late at night, watching him hold her close, seeing the love the two shared.

The excited faces of her parents when they gave her the stuffed bunny, the joy that sparkled in their eyes at the wonder on her face, because, even as a child, she'd understood that money was scarce and hard to come by.

The contents of the letter battled for dominance over her memories, her mother's words and teachings overwhelming her as she shook and gasped between sobs.

They…they knew someone was coming after them? Why were they being hunted?

Why didn't they run? Why did they stay?

Slowly her cries quieted, as she was soothed by Levi's arms around her, his hand stroking gently at her hair.

She pulled back, her tear-stained face looking up at Levi. "Levi…they…they knew someone was coming for them."

His hand came up to gently brush away the tears on her face. "I know."

She sniffled, morose eyes staring into his calm ones, and even though she saw the concern in his eyes, they managed to soothe her. "Why didn't they run?"

He brought a hand to her shoulder, gently squeezing. "Isa, if they knew it was Kenny coming for them, they knew there was no running. He'd find them, no matter what."

"I just…they were my parents," her voice trembled, eyes clenching tight, "and they're gone, and there's so much I want to ask them, so much I want to know, and I'm never going to be able to."

His hand moved up to cup her cheek, desperately trying to provide comfort for her. "I know, Isa, I know."

She buried her face into him again, fresh tears threatening to spill. "I miss them, so much, sometimes it hurts how much I miss them. I…I never even got to say goodbye, I never got to tell them that I loved them one last time, Levi." Her whispered voice cracked on his name.

He drew her in as close as he could, hand coming up to cradle her head once more as it pressed against him, fingers threading into her hair, not knowing what words to give her.

Her voice was muffled against his chest, though it threatened to break again. "I don't know what to do. I'm nowhere closer to understanding any of this, all I got was the vaguest hint on how to even control this stupid ability, and apparently, I can see memories of other people, I just don't know who. Dammit, I didn't ask for this."

She felt him press his lips against the top of her head, and she couldn't stop the rush of affection that filled her as it worked to take over the despair, knowing he was trying his best to soothe, knowing he hadn't realized that just being with him always somehow eventually brought her peace. "I'm right here with you, Isa. We'll figure it out together, we'll get through this together, I promise you."

She took in a shaky breath, breathing in his comforting scent. "I…I just want to go home."

He brushed his fingers through her hair. "Then that's what we'll do."

She sniffled as a thought occurred to her, one that had been sitting in the back of her mind for as long as she could remember. "Why didn't Kenny kill me?"

"It's hard to say. It could have been that he thought it'd be better for him to make some money than kill you."

She hummed, understanding that she would probably never know why she'd been spared. "Well…whatever it was, I'm glad he didn't kill me."

She felt Levi's arms tighten around her ever so slightly. "Me…me too."

She sat, enjoying the feel of Levi stroking lightly at her hair, once again, proving her point that despite the fact that he was capable of violence, he could be a sweet person to those who'd earned the right to see that side of him.

His cheek was resting on top of her head and she could feel his breaths rustling through her hair. She let her hand rest on his chest, above his heart, enjoying the feel of the muffled thumps beneath it.

A frown formed on her face. "I'm sorry, Levi."

"Why are you sorry?"

"It's my fault we came down here and you almost died."

"I've told you before that you don't have to apologize for stupid shit like that." There was no malice or irritation in his tone, if anything, it was as calm as ever, trying to remind her that she didn't need to apologize for these sorts of things.

Her eyes flashed with irritation, brows furrowing as she pulled back to look up at him, not understanding how he wasn't upset with her. "We're down here because I was stubborn about coming to find journals that aren't even here, and you got cut and almost died because you pushed me out of the way."

Her gaze lowered to the floor as tears pricked in her eyes at the reminder. "Levi, you almost died, I was terrified." Her voice cracked. "I'm not...I'm not ready to lose you."

His hand came up to gently rest on her cheek. "Look at me."

Her teary gaze slowly moved up to his, meeting his calm eyes.

His thumb brushed lightly across her skin. "I'm still alive because of you. Even though you were scared, you fought back, like you always do. It was my choice to come down here with you, for the same reason you didn't leave me, stubborn, pain in the ass that you are."

She lifted her chin in defiance, though it was weakened by the tears in her eyes threatening to spill at any moment. "It's thanks to this pain in the ass that your grouchy ass is still alive."

His face softened in amusement and affection, and her own frustration somehow dissipated. "Exactly. So don't apologize. I'm not ready to lose you, any more than you're ready to lose me. It was my choice to come here with you."

She couldn't stop the shy, affectionate smile that filled her face at his words.

He…he doesn't want to lose me either? I…I know he cares about me, it's like I told Armin, but for him to say that…I don't know what to think.

Right now, I don't really care. I have more than I ever thought I'd have.

"You know, for someone who constantly says he's not good at comforting people, you do a damn good job, Levi." Her voice was thick with tears, as affection, love, and joy worked to push away the sadness and despair from her mother's letter.

His only response was to lean in and brush his lips gently across hers, slowly deepening it, thumb stroking almost absently across her face, his other hand cradling her head gently, fingers threading in her hair.

She brought her hand up to his cheek, trailing across the skin before brushing through the silky strands of his hair.

She couldn't stop the content sigh into his mouth as the gentle fog took over her mind, only allowing him to register, the world around her disappearing until nothing existed except for her and Levi, and she could feel the sorrow in her slowly fade at the gentle reminder that despite everything, Levi would always be by her side, no matter what.

When he pulled back, her eyes were now filled with affection as she looked up into his that were filled with their own warmth that always took her breath away. She brought her hand back down to trace lightly against the side of his cheek, before cupping his face, smiling shyly when she felt him press against her hand ever so lightly, his own hand coming up to rest on hers.

His eyes were on her and only her, and she knew, once again, that so long as she had Levi and her friends, but especially Levi, she could get through anything.

"We make quite a pair, Levi." Humor lined her voice as she spoke, eyes sparkling with love. "Always apologizing for shit we don't need to apologize for."

Her smile widened further, eyes brightening when she heard him chuckle.

Walls I could spend the rest of my life just looking for ways to make him laugh and smile.

She brushed her thumb over the shadows under his eyes, heart swelling as she saw the soft, affectionate smile on his face as he looked down at her. "Let's go home, Levi."

A/N: Thanks for reading! :)