Walking back in, Eren was surprised that everyone was up with worried looks on their faces. Catching a glimpse of the shock on Armin's face, Eren found himself surrounded by his friends, talking all at once making it hard for him to make out what they were saying. Mikasa shushed them as she stepped through the wall of people and close to Eren. Trying to keep her cool, she asked in a low voice "Where were you last night?"

Eren looked at her oddly as he looked at the others, who were also curious as to where he was. He shrugged his shoulders, unaware of what had happened. Mikasa's eyes dropped slightly from direct eye contact with his. Her eyes seemed to water as she shook her head. The others watched as Mikasa walked away and out of the door. Turning back to him, they bombarded him with questions that he could not answer. Quickly and swiftly escaping out of the door, he spotted Mikasa sitting on a log that they had sat on only hours ago. Walking closer, he saw a figure in the corner of his eye. Although he fought the urge to observe the figure more clearly, he sat next to Mikasa, her gaze emotionless as she watched the sun rise higher from the horizon. Eren sighed as he looked compassionately at her. She started to blush as she looked over to him. Before she had the chance to see him blush, he looked to the sunrise.

"Eren...?" Mikasa began slowly.

"Yes?"

She blushed even more as she rubbed her arm shyly. "Eren, I thought something happened to you while you walked aimlessly out into the woods. I... thought the worst had happened, and I-"

Eren placed his hand on hers that rested on the gap of the log in-between each other. Trying his hardest not to blush, he smiled to her, comforting her the best he could. "I would never abandon my family." She began to blush significantly less when Eren said that. Though they were family, she felt something more about Eren. She began to think back when Eren gave her the scarf she treasured for many years. "Family..." She mumbled under her breath. Eren's smile began to fade at the sight of this, but stood shortly after and patted her on the shoulder, walking away and leaving Mikasa in a deep coping thought; "Family..."

"Armin, can I see that book?" Eren walked up to Armin, who sat alone inside on his bed. "Yeah, I was about to read some more myself." He reached underneath the bed and pulled out the book, opening it to the folded page to begin reading more aloud, when Eren stopped him. "Could I read it?" Armin nodded his head slowly as he handed the book to Eren. "Thanks!" Hurrying off, Eren exited the building and rushed off. 'What is wrong with him? First he goes missing under night's cloak and now he is fascinated by that book.' "Hmmm..."

Sitting, back against a wall of a building, Eren began to read more; "When he finished, he thanked her and gave the empty flask back to her. She smiled as he sat up with his back to the wall. She sat down next to him. She giggled as she watched him awkwardly fix himself. He was astonished by her laugh, smiling as she leaned closer to him. He felt a bit of a cool breeze as the sun fell from the sky and into the far mountains. She laid her head against his shoulder, causing him to blush. "I've never seen a night quite from this perspective. Eyeing her oddly, Maximus was puzzled by her words; 'What do you mean?'

'Well,' she began, 'I'm not from around here. I'm...' She hesitated to tell him the truth. 'I'm princess Anne, princess of Rome.'

Maximus blushed as he realized the trouble he would be in if he were caught with her, but, after a moment of studying her, she was too alone and vulnerable to the outside world. He sighed as he invited her to stay with him, at least for the night. A smile crossed her face as her happiness infected him. As the night progressed, they slept comfortably against a wall, where she rested her body against Maximus's. He watched as the stars passed by the two. 'Why me, of all people poor and homeless, why did you gift me with such happiness, yet such a risk, Jupiter?' He thought as he slowly shut his eyes and drifted to sleep. He had a strange dream that night; giants terrorized the city, eating the humans that lived in peace and harmony. But all he could do was watch in terror, unable to move, as the beasts came closer and closer. One giant, towering high above him, had a horrifying smile across it's face as it grabbed Anne from behind him. Feeling a sudden burst of strength, he reached out for her, and before the giant could eat her, Maximus jumped awake from his nightmare. Anne still on his chest, and the darkness covering them, Maximus calmed himself down and closed his eyes with a dreamless rest."

'Could those in his dream,' Eren thought almost aloud, 'could they have been Titans?' Snapping back to reality, Eren was interrupted by one of the other cadets, telling him that they were going to help the cannon men with the guns. He nodded as he folded the page he stopped on and followed the cadet back to the sleeping quarters. As he walked, Eren couldn't stop thinking about the city of Rome, and Maximus. Why did he feel so connected to this Maximus character, as if he had met him before? Eren shook it off as he gave Armin the book back.

Armin, Eren, and Mikasa walked together in silence as they went to help the cannon men set the guns up. Eren couldn't help but notice the cold, dead look in Mikasa's eyes, as if she had been greatly disappointed. Eren thought to himself for a moment about Maximus and Anne, then turned back to Mikasa; "Hey, Mikasa, I... I have to tell you something." She looked to him, curious as to what he was going to say. Before he could speak, the cadets began to get divided into group for different sections of the wall. When the three were put in the same group, Mikasa moved closely to Eren. "What were you going to tell me?"

"Oh, I'll, I'll tell you later, okay?"

She sighed, giving a nod. They used their 3D Maneuver gear to reach the top of the wall, where they began to help position the cannons and prepare the ammunition.

'Family...'