Levi stared in disbelief. Before him was none other than Kenny, on his last few breaths. Cautiously he moved closer until he knelt down.

Erwin had been right. Fate had a strange way of making things right. Kenny glanced at him. The mirth was gone from his pale eyes.

"Heh. Knew you would find me." Kenny laughed, which turned into a coughing fit.

Levi breathed in. He was copying Erwin's method of remaining calm. He didn't want to rush things in this moment.

"I see you took the serum. Why didn't you use it?" He noticed the box.

"Don't get me wrong. I thought about it. But, it means I have to eat someone."

"I doubt you gained a conscious after all the people you killed." Levi glared.

"Heh heh. You're right. That's not why I didn't use it. But, it got me thinking. Life wouldn't be the same. It means I have to fight more. Do more. Now that I'm older, I'm tired. I suppose I've come to terms that this is the end for me."

In a sense he understood. Levi knew his days were numbered as well. However, he planned to continue fighting until the very end. He had come to terms with the path Erwin set for him.

"What are you to me? Why did you seek out my mother?" He found himself asking perhaps a bit too eagerly.

"One of our ancestors came from outside. I don't know the origins, or the how or why. But, the man who raised me, he told me family was important before he passed on. I knew of my sister in the Underground City. Then I come to find you instead." Kenny paused, his expression far off. It had been a long time since he thought of her.

"...If family meant so much to you, then why abandon me at all?" Levi found the answer conflicting.

"I wanted to ensure you would at least survive. When you showed that you can, I brought you topside as one last favor. And look at you now. Someone tamed that wildness in you. Just as the king before this mess had done with me." Kenny smiled.

"I am nothing like you." Levi snarled, earning a hearty laugh.

"Face it, we're not so different. We're the same coin, but different sides. I guess I served the side that lost." Kenny was being too cryptic.

Levi was confused. The man he knew was brash, straight forward and rude. He supposed being at death's door humbled him a bit.

"Is this what I have to look forward to in my old age? Speak in riddles to whoever is left of our family?" Levi couldn't help himself.

"Unless there's another with the last name Ackerman, we're all that's left. I never had any kids that I know of. That commander took up your life, it seems."

"There is one, actually. A girl, she's one of the friends of that boy you kidnapped." Levi knew Kenny was usually bad with names unless he had put in the effort to remember.

"Is that the girl with a scarf? I thought I was seeing things. Heh. Guess that cousin of mine really did have a family."

"What's so special about us?" Levi had a vague idea.

"We have a strength like no other. I know you know what I mean. It's within our blood. And it takes special people to warrant our loyalty."

"How could you be loyal to that idiot?"

"I was loyal to his brother. Through him, I stayed with the idiot once it passed down to the daughter. And then that doctor ruined everything."

"So loyal you stayed with a dead man even though his brother was an idiot." Levi snorted.

"You will understand should that commander ever die."

"Oi. Leave him out of this." The captain glared.

"Or else what? I'm already dying. There's nothing you can do to threaten me with." Kenny flashed a toothy grin.

Levi raised a blade to his throat. This prompted another breathy laugh. Kenny really didn't care.

"I can make it painful."

"Go ahead." Kenny challenged. "I'll welcome the pain."

He almost gave in. But then an image of Erwin came to mind. And Levi found that he couldn't. Slowly his hand lowered the blade.

"Knew it. That commander made you soft."

"At least I have something to fight for." Levi spat.

"Yes. I suppose you're right."

Levi sensed there wasn't a lot of time left. Kenny's breathing grew weaker. His face paler by the second. And the fight in those eyes were dimming.

"Why did you abandon me in some town?" He needed to know.

"Hey, be grateful I even taught you how to survive. I did you one last favor. And look how that's turned out for you. You get to live while I'm waiting for death." Kenny weakly coughed at the end of the rant.

"Enough talk. Just give me the answer." Levi wanted to punch him. He knew Kenny was hiding behind anger. One last laugh before leaving this world forever.

"...Because I knew I wouldn't be a good fit for a father."

And then Kenny Ackerman went still. In his hand was the tiny box of the titan serum. After a moment Levi pried it from Kenny's hand. After placing it within his pocket the captain stood.

He stared at the body. Levi didn't know how to feel. Relief? Grieving? He was confused. He usually grieved those he watched pass on. This was a little different.

"Captain!" Eren's call interrupted his thoughts.

Levi walked away. He approached Eren and his friends as Hange and their squad crawled out of the hole in the ground. He was relieved that they all survived.

"Captain? You all right?" Eren blinked.

"I'm fine. Why?" Levi wondered.

"It's just, I've never seen you so at peace with yourself." The titan shifter observed.

"...I know who I am now." Levi turned as Erwin and the rest of the Survey Corps approached. The commander was close enough to hear his words.

The captain knew Erwin was secretly interested. However he didn't say anything, as this would be intruding a conversation he wasn't originally part of.

"That's good! May I ask what's your birth name?" Eren was excited.

"It doesn't matter. I am still Captain Levi Smith." All the while his eyes never left the commander's.

Erwin blinked in surprise. Then his expression softened. There was also a sense of pride in his eyes. This moment was seen by everyone. Even so there wasn't any judgment.

"I am an Ackerman." Levi revealed when it was just the two of them one evening. It had been absolute chaos for a few days.

"And yet you still want to claim Smith?" Erwin smiled.

"I prefer it." The captain remained stubborn.

"You know that won't help the rumors, right?" Erwin teased.

"I don't give a damn. Let them speculate all they want. We just won ourselves an uprising, secured a queen from one of our own, and rallied more to our cause to retake Wall Maria." Levi was confident.

"Even so, we can't get too ahead of ourselves. I am certain when we aim for Shiganshina, it will be my last as commander."

"You won't die, Erwin. I won't allow it." Levi swore.

"We like to think ourselves invincible. But you know most of all that we're not."

"Enough. You make it sound like you'll die soon." The captain studied the taller man.

"You know I aim to see beyond Wall Maria." Erwin reminded. "To see the secrets within that basement."

"There's nothing that I can say that will make you change your mind, is there?" Levi hated this subject. "You know I don't want you to go."

"I have to see for myself. See it done with my own eyes. This is what I've prepared for all these years. And it is within my grasp. If I stay, then it would mean passing the torch to someone else."

Like Hange. And the captain understood. He wouldn't dream of passing along his position to be the leash on Eren. It would have to be taken from him by force.

"Then I'll make sure you see it all." Levi promised.

And yet neither could shake that there was an unspoken promise. That this wouldn't just be Erwin's last ride out. Levi couldn't shake the feeling that the commander was prepared to never make it back home.

The idea still frightened him. The prospect made him angry. He wanted nothing more than to live up to the reputation he had crafted over the years. That he will be the one to give up his life for Erwin.

As the days gave way for preparations for the big push towards Shiganshina, it was noted how Captain Levi's demeanor changed. Big enough for one of the squad members to bring it up.

"Why is the captain being so silent?" Jean wondered.

"He's always silent." Sasha commented.

"I mean worse than normal. It's like looking at a caged wild animal, ready to charge."

"He's torn." Eren spoke up. His answer earned many of his squad to stare. "He's torn between what he wants, and what Erwin expects of him."

"...You talking like one of them will die." Jean eyed the titan shifter.

"You can see it in the commander's demeanor. He's accepted whatever will happen. Captain is anxious because he wants to prevent it." Eren replied, and his squad followed his gaze to Commander Erwin.

While he carried himself with confidence, it was noted there was a slight change. As if he was at peace. At peace that this will be his last mission as a Scout.

But will he be coming back?

No wonder the captain was silent. Some of the squad turned to glance at Levi. He didn't notice their stares. Or if he did, he couldn't bring himself to care. Instead his pale eyes solely focused on Commander Erwin.

To Armin, he recalled the day that he and Mikasa thought they lost Eren. She intentionally pushed herself, not giving a damn about preserving her tanks. All because she lost the one person she devoted herself to follow no matter what path Eren chose.

And that terrified Armin. He wondered in worst case scenario and they lost Erwin, how will Captian Levi react? Will he allow himself to succumb to the same carelessness as Miksasa had?

One evening the boy sought out the captain.

"Has anyone seen Captain Levi?" He asked those in the kitchens sometime after dinner.

"Stables." Sasha answered.

"Thank you." The blond figured, but wanted confirmation first.

"Captain?" Armin asked as he peered over the stall door.

"What do you want?" This time Levi had a lamp. He was giving his horse extra groom care. He turned to stare at Armin.

And the blond felt his heart shrivel up inside. Never had he seen the captain so defeated even when his expression was guarded. Even that day he collapsed he continued to have the fighting spirit within.

"If anything happens with this mission to Shiganshina. I just wanted you to know that we, as in our whole squad, needs you. Not just Eren. All of us." Armin knew his voice was shaking a little. But he felt that this had to be said. It was important for the captain to hear.

Levi tensed. He understood what Armin meant. And yet he still felt the need to be bitter.

"You lot are the best squad I've ever had in my years here. I think you all can do fine without me."

"And if we lose Erwin too? You've carried us, gave us hope, told us exactly what we needed to hear at the right time in order to keep fighting. We need you. More so if we lose - "

"Don't even finish that sentence." Levi spat.

Armin was shaking. But even so he continued.

"I am speaking for all of us! We need you! This is more than just about Eren! No one can replace you, captain! It will be your strength that holds us together no matter what!"

"Even foals need weaning from their mothers when it is time to leave." Levi glared.

"Then you're the earth that holds us up! Without you, we have nothing to stand on." Armin held his ground.

Levi blinked at the perspective. And his fury dwindled. The blond could see it clear as day. The moment he glared his mask fell to pieces.

"Promise me we will still have our captain at the end of whatever happens in Shiganshina?" Armin sensed the atmosphere changing.

"...Whatever happens, I will always be Captain Levi." The determination was there. It was enough for Armin to relax his anxieties.

"Thank you. I'll leave you alone." Armin smiled briefly before taking his leave.

Meanwhile Levi wondered why he felt a change within his heart.