HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! I hope that you all had a lovely 2018, a great Christmas/holiday season and will have yet another great year in 2019 :) Last chapter of the year! (literally in the last 2 hours of 2018 for me) Thank you to all who have stuck around despite the inconsistent updates, the long-ass periods of writer's block and once again, I am entirely grateful and thankful for your support and love for Special Operations Squadron Leader Rina Hazura! *salutes*

And officially, for the last time in 2018...

Enjoy!

I swore as I stumbled again, Hanji catching my arm for the fifteenth time. Glaring at my new crutches, I knew I had found a new enemy.

It had been 2 days since Hanji had broken the bad news to me and I was attempting to get used to having the wooden legs with me. Linda was still in deep recovery and the Doc had commanded us to leave her alone for a bit longer. Jack had gotten off relatively lightly, with a cast around an ankle and his left arm in a sling. With limited medical equipment and resources, we kept our slight pains to ourselves, leaving most of the medications for Linda. I guess saving that little girl did some good, as some of the villagers found out and secretly passed on medical supplies for us. Hence why we were alive.

A hoot of laughter pulled me out of my daydream and caused me to now glare at Jack, who was watching my attempts with the crutches. He was enjoying my struggles, to say the least. Levi hadn't come back since he left me with that mixed message and I was partly glad. At least the time apart would allow me to gather my thoughts and practice not blushing every goddamn time I saw his face.

"I swear, these crutches have some sort of grudge against me." I complained, eyeing the bottom of the wooden things. "Are you sure these are supposed to be skid-proof?"

Hanji snickered. "As close as they can be at least."

"Basically, it's not the crutches, it's you." Jack suggested, flinching playfully when I raised one at him.

"You'll still need to keep it easy on the left hand side though. Your left arm is still tender from those stitches." Warned Hanji, steadying the cursed crutches for me. I sighed in defeat and got ready to continue failing. Then a knock on the door had us all perking up and the Doc poked his head in.

"I think it's okay for Linda to have visitors now. Please just keep in mind that she is still heavily recovering."

We all nodded in acknowledgement and the Doc left as quickly as he came.

I smiled faintly. "Quiet is my middle name."

Jack headed out first, eager to reunite with our team mate. I, of course, was more reluctant and slowly hobbled to her room, Hanji quietly (for once) assisting. Sure, I had been super worried about Linda but all this time of thinking to myself had me questioning her situation. Unfortunately, it kept circling down to the conclusion that I ultimately caused it.

Would it have been different if I had taken someone else with me over the Wall? Would we be in this situation if I had decided to follow Levi and not enter Wall Sina in the first place? What if we had taken a different route out of there?

"Rina, stop."

I blinked and looked up. Somehow, Hanji and I had entered Linda's infirmary room without me noticing. Linda sent me a reassuring smile.

"Stop it." She repeated, wagging a finger at me. "I can tell from your face what you're thinking. It's not your fault. It was my decision to save that little girl. Honestly, I'm relieved that I'll still be able to walk after all this."

I took in a shaky breath and shuffled to her bedside, reaching down and taking a hand.

"I'm so sorry." I choked on the end, my eyes no doubt glassy. Linda smiled brightly in return.

"You have nothing to apologize for. As you and the Corporal keep mentioning, the Survey Corps is never easy. Yet I still signed up. I knew what I was getting myself into."

I bit my lip, my mind still swirling with guilt.

"If we had taken a different route-"

Linda squeezed my hand painfully tight, her nails digging into my skin. The pain worked, yanking me out of self-loathing.

"If we had taken a different route, that little girl could have ended up dead either way and then we would have hardly any medical supplies to treat you and Jack. Now shut up and stop blaming yourself. You two saved me and I'm still alive, which is enough to be grateful for." She scolded.

My eyes widened from her firm tone before relaxing into a smile. "Yes mother."

At this, she chuckled and tossed my hand away.

"Permission to leave: granted. Speaking of permission, have you talked to Corporal Levi yet?" Linda's innocent eyes looked up at me.

At mention of his name, I mentally steeled myself and hopefully I didn't come out with a blush. Hanji, however, erupted in laughter.

"Indeed, Rina, have you talked to Levi yet?" she probed, elbowing me gently in the side.

I rolled my eyes and suddenly decided to practice walking on my crutches around the room. Poor Linda looked so confused.

"What happened?" Jack and Linda chorused.

"Hanji, don't you dare." I warned, glancing over at the scientist, her eyes now mad with mischief.

Thankfully, she treasured our friendship. Sort of.

"If Rina wants to give you the juicy gossip, then she will when she's ready." Hanji shrugged, a smirk now on her face.

"Juicy gossip?!" Jack and Linda turned towards me.

"Um, nothing has happened." I murmured, still holding in the threat of blushing.

"Yet?" Jack probed. I raised an eyebrow, glancing over my shoulder at him.

"What do you mean by yet?"

"Oh please, you two have been dancing around each other for a while now." Linda commented, both of their faces dead serious.

My jaw dropped open and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"Wha-I-who-" I spluttered.

"And let me tell you, both of you suck at dancing." She grinned. I sighed, ignoring the teasing looks from the team. I guess I wasn't the only one who noticed the subtle changes in how Levi and I interacted.

"Anyway, back to business." Hanji concluded, sending me a slightly sad look. "The Scouts here have a plan to rescue Eren and Historia, based on the information Jack passed onto us. It's going to be a couple of more days while we scrap together the rest of our supplies. Levi can give you the details later. Linda will have to stay back here to recover but it's up to you how you're going to split your team, in case the MPs get a whiff of some rogue Scouts hiding in these buildings."

I frowned, awkwardly crossing my arms over my chest before realising I had a cast on one arm.

Then a knock on the door had us all turning around. Levi's head popped in, his gaze immediately falling onto me.

"Hazura, I need to talk to you."

I nodded and followed him out into the corridor, mind now set on rescuing Humanity's source of hope, found in form of two 104th cadets. This...thing between us would have to wait.