Hi again! So, I'm reaching the busy time of my school life so please be patient and I'll upload when i can :D also, i may be reaching a writer's block soon so if you have an idea that you want to see, send it in and I'll have a look over :) A shout out to all my followers/favourites/and especially those reviewers of mine ^^ thanks so much for giving this story a go!

"No break this time, Chief?" puffed Mikoto, wiping the sweat from his head. I took a sip from my water bottle.

"You can sleep when you're dead." I replied, ignoring the sweat on my own forehead and glanced down at my notepad on the table. "Seems like you're slowing down Mikoto." I noted.

"Or maybe Yara is just speeding up?" he offered the alternative, grimacing at the thought.

I shrugged. "That's plausible too. Same conclusion though. You're slow. You haven't been stuffing yourself with chocolate, have you?"

"I wish." He muttered.

"If that were true, Sasha would be looking for him to kill." Kelvin pointed out, referring to another fellow cadet who was mad about food.

My mouth quirked into a smile at the truth of the statement. Then a familiar face strolled into the training yard, walking awkwardly on a pair of crutches.

"Squad leader Seline!" the team yelled and raced over to him. I smiled and simply shook my head. They were tight-knit after all.

"You guys should be training and should stay with your current Squad leader." Seline scolded, balancing on his crutches.

"Oh, give them a break, Seline. They made it back from the Expedition." I called, also coming over.

"And for that, I thank you. Although Liane did suffer a fractured ankle." He shot a glare at me. I clapped my hands together in apology.

"Sorry. So anyway, you can see how much the team misses you. Are you coming back to duty?"

"Of course I'm coming back to duty! I trust you with my life, Rina but I don't trust the kids here with you. You'll soon be corrupted and I don't want a fellow squad leader to follow my doom."

The five cadets began to argue back passionately and I laughed at the scene.

"However, it won't be anytime soon. Looks like you brats will have to deal without me for a little longer." Seline teased warmheartedly.

"Hazura!"

I jerked at the shout and immediately fell in a salute.

"Commander Erwin, sir!"

As predicted by the voice, Erwin casually marched up to us and everyone else also fell in a salute, fist on the heart.

"Commander Erwin, SIR!" they chorused. The blonde smiled gently.

"At ease, cadets. I'm here to escort Squad leader Hazura back to my office."

"Sir?" I questioned, relaxing my stance. He then turned his troubled eyes to me and gestured for me to start moving. I quickly placed my notepad and drink bottle onto the table.

"Seline, watch the kids for a bit, will you?"

"Can do!" he replied and I quickly followed Erwin away.

"Uh, sir? What's the matter? Did something happen? Is someone hurt? Oh god." I slapped a hand to my mouth. "The Special Ops. Are they-"

"-relax, Rina. Everyone is all right. It's Petra Ral's father. He's waiting in my office."

I froze in my stride before blinking and quickly caught up again.

"Petra…oh no, he's here about her body."

My mind flashed through the memories that I personally wanted to forget. The Water Gate, the pile of bodies, Petra's corpse and of course…Levi.

By the time I shook myself out of my thoughts, we were entering the Commander's office. I paused in the doorway as Erwin rounded to the other side of his table. Levi stood on one end of the desk, his arms crossed and gaze averted from Petra's father. The father stood up from his chair, turning to face me. I forced myself to move, closing the door softly and slowly approaching Petra's dad.

"Um, hello sir, I'm Squadran Leader Rina Hazura."

"Yes, I've heard about you, Rina. I'm Albert, Petra Ral's father." He stepped forward and we shook hands in greeting.

"Albert, please sit. I believe you have something to pass onto my two officers here." Erwin urged gently.

"Ah yes." Albert gingerly sat down, his eyes suddenly bright. "I want to thank you two."

Levi and I blinked in union, before swapping glances with each other. Albert continued.

"Captain Levi, Petra was in your Special Operations Squad. To be honest, I was highly against her joining the Survey Corps but once she got stars in her eyes, I couldn't stop her. You were her inspiration to join and fight and to survive. I know that you would have done everything to save her and the rest of those who were lost."

Levi tore his gaze from the father and looked away, gritting his teeth. Just from that, I knew my best friend was straining through the waves of guilt flowing through him.

"But please don't blame yourself. As Petra constantly reminded me, it was her choice to fight and die. I know she died honourably and for what was right. You know she was a warm hearted person. She would hate to see you blame yourself for their deaths. Please don't blame yourself. I know I don't."

Albert then turned to me, eyeing me a second.

"I heard about an Officer Hazura cutting my Petra's arm off."

I stiffened, my eyes instantly hardening for the oncoming onslaught. Levi shifted uncomfortably next to me on his feet.

"I also thank you."

I blinked in shock. I did not see that coming…

"At first, I was admittedly mad. Then I heard the full story. About how you and the rest of the Squad went to fix the Water Gate, about how you saw something grizzly and about how you found my Petra. You found her. Then you freed her from the wreckage. I cannot be more grateful towards you than I already am. I consider myself lucky that she was brought home. I know so many others that don't have the same situation as I. Thank you…for bringing her home."

Albert abruptly stopped his speech and began choking up with tears. Erwin stood up and wrapped a reassuring arm around Albert. With one last handshake and nod, Erwin led the father out. Levi and I remained stock-still, reeling from the conversation. Surprisingly Levi was the one who broke the tense silence first.

"Do you blame yourself, Hazura?"

A moment of silence followed. Levi knew that I heard his question and was just processing an answer. He didn't need to clarify what.

"Yes. I can't help but blame myself. You?"

"Yes."

We locked eyes and I smiled gently.

"I guess being Humanity's Strongest isn't all about fame and survival, huh?"

"Nothing is ever easy." Levi shortly replied. "Not in the Survey Corps."