Author's Note: Ahh! Chapter two is finally done! Thank you to Miouhaneun and sasukesbigtoe for your reviews! I super appreciate them. So, I think I'm going to stick pretty close to the canon for the most part in this, but with a slight change. I'll let you speculate on what that change might be. It won't be relevant for a while, though.

Miouhaneun - Yes! I agree, its really hard to introduce OCs into a plot in general, but the additional complexity of familial relations with canon characters is a tough hurdle to overcome. I figured there was enough ambiguity about Zeke's past that it might work, but I'll be honest: I'm shooting in the dark, haha. Thanks for taking the time and I hope you enjoy it!

sasukesbigtoe - Poor Erwin really doesn't get that much love, does he? He's such a good guy. Well, here's one for the count. Thanks for your review and I hope you enjoy it! Super appreciate you guys 3

Chapter 2

Year 842:

The heel of Cassandra's boot tapped rapidly against the wooden floor of her office. Description of Encounter. She read the title of the line on her expedition report again and again, trying to figure out exactly how she should word her recollection of events. She couldn't be honest. She wished she had copies of her old reports so she could pull sentences from each of them, putting in just enough effort to seem convincing. She had learned that lesson the hard way. Squad Leader Hange Zoe was in charge of reviewing expedition reports and compiling their data. If Cassandra's responses were not satisfactory in their level of detail, Hange would march down to her office and insist on an extensive interview.

Cassandra closed her eyes and sighed, leaning into the chair until her head hung back. She played the events in her head and returned to the report, grabbing a pen to describe them in perilous detail. Encountered titan posing direct threat to Squad Leader Erwin Smith. She paused here, softly sucking on her bottom lip. She ran her teeth across the flesh until it popped out from between her incisors, returning to its plump shape with a hint of redness. The report had been truthful up to this point. Now, she had to choose her words extremely carefully. It had been terrifying watching that titan reach for Erwin. She was forced to jump into the beast's hand—driven by pure adrenaline-fueled fear. Fear of losing Erwin. And though she had managed to keep her composure on the battle field, it was painstakingly difficult. The brief moment between the swings of her blade, in which she had caught a glimpse of Erwin's wide open, ocean eyes, had washed her with relief—cleansed her of her anxiety. He was okay.

Her eyes softened at the memory of him scolding her, pressing her to consider her own safety. The corners of her mouth hinted at a smile. A hint gone so quickly that no one would have caught the ghostly thing. Engaged with titan extremity (left hand) prior to nape due to extenuating circumstances. Squad Leader Erwin Smith was rendered immobile at the moment of engagement. She ran her eyes across the two sentences over and over again, wondering if her admiration for her squad leader had somehow slipped into the words by mistake. A wave of goosebumps spread across her body, starting from her legs and traveling up to her shoulders. The tingling finally ended in her cheeks, heating them and flushing her slightly tanned complexion with a soft pink. It happened every time she thought about how much she cared about Erwin—how much she liked him.

Erwin had taken Cassandra under his wing from her first day in the Survey Corps. He had high standards for his squad and he wanted to make sure she met them. Her valedictorian status at the Training Corps had certainly caught his attention, but he had told her he needed to be sure. She was used to this. It was standard. She demonstrated her skills to Erwin, particularly impressing him with her hand-to-hand combat abilities. She could still see the dumbfounded look on his face when she ended up on top of him. Just moments before, he had confidently kicked out her feet from under her. He was sure that this tiny girl, whose crown only reached his shoulders when she stood on the absolute tips of her toes, would fall by his hand—or foot—but her flexibility and agility had proved to be his undoing. 'I guess you killed me.' He had playfully remarked, motioning to the wooden knife that they had been grappling with. It had been pushed against his throat forcefully. Cassandra remained as intentionally speechless as ever, releasing her arm from under his hooked leg and tossing the knife on the soft grass of the training field.

Perhaps the only moment more surprising than her physical victory over Erwin, a man much larger than her not only in height, but in muscle mass as well, was the revelation of his motives. 'Your reflexes are sharp. You'll be just fine on an expedition. Hang back for the first few encounters, and watch veteran soldiers take down titans. I wouldn't want a soldier with so much potential to end up in the jaws of a titan before she has an opportunity to realize it.' Erwin had labeled her as someone with potential—someone who had the ability to become an elite warrior. She had never been told that before. To her father, you either were or you weren't. Any other conversation was a pointless one to have. This was the first that Cassandra had heard of her potential. The fact that she was currently dispensable had hardly even bothered her. All she could focus on was her potential. She wanted to prove Erwin right. She wanted to meet and exceed his expectations. She had saluted, silent and emotionless. She had never dedicated her heart to humanity. That salute meant nothing to her until that day—until she had decided to dedicate herself to him.

It wasn't fair. It was a spell—witchcraft of sorts. Cassandra felt pain, pleasure, tranquility, and anxiety pass through her in quick, sharp impressions. Sometimes she would feel them all at once. She loved watching him. Every inch of him was perfection that her eyes hungrily swallowed in the short glimpses she would steal. The pain would creep in immediately after they left him, pounding against her for more. She ached. When a few dozen repetitions of her addiction would begin to soothe her, providing her with a scarce, precious relief, the anxiety would settle into the small absence in her craving. Would people notice? Would he notice? Was it obvious? Was she obvious?

Fear would finally appear. 'What if he doesn't think of you the same way?' It would drape around her like an old friend, promising to keep her safe. 'What if you're just his subordinate?' It appealed to her. She was a careful creature. She would listen to the whispered extrapolations of her worst-case scenarios, nodding and agreeing with Fear. 'What if you find out he's a liar, and he breaks your heart?' It was right. She needed to protect herself. It would hold out its arms to her and she would retreat into its embrace, letting it harden around her like diamond. 'What if he finds out you're a liar, and you break his heart?' Cassandra was scared.

Year 839:

Zeke's pale green eyes stared off into the distance. The slow, steady tapping of his pen served as a metronome for his thoughts. He paced them, planning out his remaining days. Thirteen years. The world around him slowed. The voices in the war room were distant hums. Thirteen years. The pen twirled over his hand again. He caught it with his index and thumb, tapping the point against the desk, leaving a small blue spot of ink behind.

"Zeke?" He looked over at the man who called his name: Theo Magath, the commander of the Eldian unit of the Marley military and chief overseer of the child warriors. "You had something for us?"

"Yes." Zeke gently pushed up his round glasses until the metal bridge met his nose. "Sending warriors to Paradis may not prove to be as fruitful as we hope without further information on how the Eldians are living."

"What do you mean?" General Calvi asked, absentmindedly fiddling with the medals that hung off the left chest of his jacket.

"Specifically? We need to know what their military capabilities are and what the general political climate is like. My concern is that our warriors will arrive ill-equipped to deal with the unique challenges of Paradis Island and waste precious time that we do not have."

"We have thirteen years." General Calvi stressed.

"Thirteen years is the blink of an eye in times of war and conflict. Time is not our ally in this fight." Zeke contested.

"What do you suggest?" Theo chimed in. Zeke glanced between the two men. He hated the impossible situation he had been forced into.

"I suggest sending a spy to infiltrate in a non-combative role." He waited for the impact of his proposal to be fully absorbed by the high-ranking officials.

"We're hardly equipped for espionage." General Calvi whispered to Theo.

"Do you have someone in mind, Zeke?" Theo asked, knowing his captain all too well.

"Cassandra Yeager, my sister."

"Your sister?" the general asked with a near scoff. "She's hardly a warrior."

"She has no need to be a warrior. As I said, this is a non-combative role." He contained his anger and glanced down at his pen, twirling it between his fingers as he continued. "She has the correct temperament for it. She is able to build relationships and trust with people quickly. A small, petite woman would hardly draw any attention. Most importantly…" He turned his gaze up to the two men. "…she is fiercely loyal to me and would never betray our cause." A pregnant pause filled the room.

"How do you plan on communicating with her while she's on the island?" Theo inquired.

"I've been training homing owls. They can travel vast distances in relatively short periods of time, and high enough that they go unnoticed by those not specifically looking for them. We can communicate through letters." The men thought for a moment. A soft chuckle left General Calvi's creased lips.

"You would send your only sister to an island of monsters for Marley? You would risk her life for information?" he asked.

"Of course." There was no hesitation in Zeke's response.

"Your loyalty never ceases to amaze me, War Chief." Zeke internally cringed at the nickname. It made him sound barbaric. "How soon will she be ready to deploy?"

"As soon as you command it." he answered.

"In one week, then." the general ordered, gathering his papers and standing from his chair. Theo and Zeke followed his lead, standing at attention as he took his leave. This was the best way to protect her. He was sure of it.

"Will you show me another one, grandpa?" Cassandra's sweet voice called out as she handed a thick book to their grandfather. Zeke observed her with a smile.

"O? You already finished it?" their grandfather asked, astonished by her reading speed.

"Days ago!" Cassandra replied in a humble brag.

"Alright, alright. Hold on." the aging man said with a small laugh, digging through his extensive collection of literature. "Have we read about dragons, yet?" Cassandra stared back at him with large doe eyes, shaking her head. "Then why don't we start with this one." She held out her hands for the book, sinking a bit when its weight transferred to solely her arms. She carried it to the dining room table and flipped it open.

"Cassandra, come talk to me for a moment before you start reading." Zeke called out to her. She glanced hesitantly between the book and her brother, trying to decide between her two loves.

"O…okay." she finally responded, shutting the heavy cover and following him up to their room. "What's going on?"

"I talked to the commander and general today. You'll be leaving for Paradis in one week." He observed her closely. She nodded, trying to hold back the disappointment she must have been feeling at that moment. Zeke hugged her. "I know. It won't be easy for me either, but that's the safest place for you to be. I'm sure of it." Zeke may have been a boy wonder, but he was no god. If Cassandra stayed here, she could be drafted into a war, her bloodline could be discovered, or she could just be the victim of some sadistic officer. Zeke was not his father. He would not allow it.

"I trust you." She didn't need to say it. It was implicit. She needed no justification from him. She only needed orders.

"Can you finish that book before you leave?" he asked jokingly. "You won't be able to take it with you." She looked up at him and smiled, giving him a cute nod of her head. "Good."

Cassandra's arms tightened around Zeke's waist at the sound of movement nearby

"It's just an animal." He assured her. The pitch-black night had played tricks on her. Even as the first rays of sunlight began to spill into the sky, she worried they could be attacked by a titan. "We're here." He stopped the horse, dismounting it and helping her down. Cassandra took the moment to stare up at the massive wall in front of them.

"They're living in walls?" she asked, craning her head back to see the top.

"Doesn't seem that different from Liberio." Zeke grumbled, whistling to call down the large horned owl that had been following them. It landed on his arm gracefully, digging its talons into the thick leather of Zeke's glove. "Take off the carrier tube on his leg and hide it somewhere on your person. Some place no one will find it." Cassandra quickly obeyed, unbinding the straps around the owl's leg. She went to place it in her pocket but stopped. "Some place no one will find it." Zeke cautioned again. She shoved her hand down the front of her shirt, fumbling with her bra until she had secured it under her breasts. He nodded and released the owl, letting him settle high into the branches of a tree. "What did you name him again?"

"Hal." Cassandra reminded.

"Hal…why does that sound familiar?"

"He's a character in one of the books grandpa gave me. He's a war chief." Cassandra smiled at her brother, clearly alluding to his title. It was sweet—a piece of home when they were miles away. Zeke pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes." He grabbed a small branch from the ground and looked back at his precious little sister. His nostrils momentarily flared as a frustrated breath left them. "I'll be okay." she assured, pulled her bangs back and closing her eyes. It still made him uncomfortable. Zeke reared his arm back and slammed the broken, jagged edge of the branch against her forehead. Pieces of the wood splintered on impact, above her left eye. A soft whimper left her. He knew she had been holding back. The blood dripped in three lines, joining together at her eyebrow and evading her eye. He stopped himself from wiping it when it reached her cheek. It needed to look serious. She blinked a few times, standing up straight and taking a few steps.

"Are you losing consciousness?"

"I don't think so." she whispered. "No, I'm fine." A deep sigh of relief passed through his lips.

"Good." The chirping of the birds reminded them of their closing time together. "The sun is almost up. Hal will follow you into the wall once you're taken in." He could see the sudden anxiety on her face. "You know what to do right?" She nodded.

"Invisible ink only."

"Good girl." Zeke planted a kiss on her forehead. "Go." She ran to the wall, turning to glance at him once over her shoulder. He nodded with a forced smile, encouraging her to keep going. He wanted nothing more than to tell her to come back. She was his only light in this dark, cruel world. The thought of living out his last decade and a half without her filled him with a sorrow he had never felt before. But she would be safe this way. That was all that mattered. He watched her from a distance. She ripped her shirt and skirt, and laid down, barefoot and bleeding, pretending to be unconscious. Zeke stayed hidden until he heard a bell ring. The gate opened. An older looking soldier came out first, with a small group in tow behind him. They stopped when they noticed the unconscious girl, discussing her amongst themselves. The older soldier, presumably the leader, stepped down from his horse and gently lifted Cassandra into his arms. They retreated back into the walls. Zeke waited another few moments, praying for Cassandra's safety before returning to the edge of the island where the military naval fleet awaited him.