The Wings Of Our Dreams

AN: Hello there, my dear readers! Now, this chapter is very special indeed. Why? Because it's the season 1 finale! Yes, I decided to write you all a longer chapter so I can finish the fight at Stohess and get season 1 done. I hope you enjoy!

Now to reviews.

RememberShiganshina: No, there isn't, lol

Yoyon586: Well, here's the next chapter!

Lach: Yeah, our boy went through a lot

Guest: They eventually will

Guest(2): Eeyup

Ann: Well, that's an interesting opinion on the subject, but I think I made it clear before on how this will turn out. You'll have to wait and see

Battle At Stohess

"Go again, Annie!"

A young Annie groaned before kicking the padded log again with her shin. She couldn't tell how long she was doing this, with her father "encouraging" her to continue. She just continued kicking, trying to ignore the ever-increasing pain she felt.

"Again! I only want the best from my daughter!"

Gritting her teeth, Annie made another kick. And another. And another. All her frustration, all her anger was poured into those strikes. She continued striking at her target… until her last kick was actually stopped by a forearm.

"Whoa there, I think that's enough for one day."

Annie blinked in confusion. Instead of her usual training log, in front of her stood Collin, that damn smile present on his face as he got out of his battle stance. Looking over herself, Annie noticed she was back in her present self.

"C'mon, Ann, we don't gotta train all day," Collin said while extending his hand. "Let's take a walk near the waterfall. Ya know, alone time where nobody can see us. 'Less ya wanna finally tell everyone we're together, eh?"

Annie glanced to the side where her father was, but there was nobody there. Looking at Collin again, he nudged his hand forward again, eager for her to accept. Her hand moved shakingly up and reached, her fingers just about to touch his.

Crystal blue eyes opened as Annie let out a gasp. Finding herself in her assigned MP room, Annie rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes and got up. It was morning, though probably later than when she should've awakened.

She looked at the spot on the bed behind her and saw that it was empty. She sighed. Honestly, why was she expecting anything different? Ever since… that night a couple of days ago, every time she woke up she looked behind her and hoped to see Collin there. And of course, that side of the bed was always empty. It was usually empty, true, but these days it actually felt that way.

The next morning after they did the deed, Annie woke up and felt a very pleasant warmth. One that came from Collin being behind her, embracing her as they lay together in that hotel bed. What they did the night before was incredible, but that moment just seemed like a good finish to the affair. And she never felt closer to anyone at that point.

She scoffed before shaking her head. What was she now, a romantic? God damn Collin and what he did to her.

Annie got up from her bed and began dressing. Hopefully, Hitch was able to cover for her. As annoying as that girl was, at least she wanted to act like a friend.

Only her military jacket remained, the one with the symbol she had no respect for and only took out of necessity. After finishing putting the jacket on, she noticed something seemed… off. She reached into one of the inside pockets and finally figured out what. Collin's journal wasn't there!

"Ya know, Pixis, I don't remember when was the last time we sat together and toasted."

Pixis chuckled to himself. "Even I can't remember. Ten years. Or maybe it was fifteen. Ah, that's the problem with old age. It's a miracle that geezers like us are even around."

"Hah! Not me! I still got plenty o' life left in me!"

"Of course you do, Ferris. Of course you do," Pixis said before taking a drink from a glass.

The man sitting across him, positioned in a wheelchair, was Ferris Holt. The man's hair and beard were now a shade of gray with some white streaks. He had a few notable wrinkles, but the joyful energy that he had from their younger days still remained as far as Pixis could see. Ferris was dressed pretty casually in a white shirt and black pants.

Next to Ferris was a blonde woman seemingly in her thirties with green eyes and her hair in a bun. She was dressed in a black dress and a white apron. That woman was named Hilda, and she worked as Ferris Holt's caretaker.

Pixis recently sent a letter to his old friend, deciding that they should formally meet after some time. Ferris was more than eager to accept and the two of them met in one of the bars of the Klorva district. Nothing too fancy, but they served good drinks. Pixis' own "caretakers" Anka and Gustav were seated at one of the other tables. While Pixis wanted to be alone, he couldn't just not have an escort so he at least he had the two close by.

"Though I have to admit, I'm pretty jealous," Pixis said. "That's quite a lovely lady you have with you. If only I could have someone like that taking care of me."

Hilda lightly blushed as she lightly smiled while Ferris chuckled. "I ain't sure you're wife would approve. If ya did somethin' like that, I think she might end up turnin' ya into a worse invalid than me."

Pixis laughed. "True, true. Man, that woman can have a nasty temper. I love her still." He took another drink. "Anyway, I was wondering when you'll finish your time teaching classes. I'm sure your grandson wants to see you."

"Well, I still got about weeks before they can let me go," Ferris said before smiling and giving a clap. "After that, I'm back to bein' retired."

"You know, before all this, I'm sure you would've jumped for joy."

"Oh, ya think I can't for joy, do ya?" Ferris said before gripping the sides of his wheelchair. Pushing down, the elder Holt lifted himself up and hanged. "Hah! Whaddya got to say to that? Ain't exactly jumpin', but close enough." He pushed himself up and down for several moments.

Hilda immediately began looking concerned. "Ferris, please, stop. You might hurt yourself."

Ferris let himself down again. "Sorry, Hildy, but ya know me. Gotta show off sometimes."

"Yes, yes, but please, be careful. I don't want you to hurt yourself on my watch. That'll make me look bad."

"Oh, ya sure that's the only reason, my dear?" Ferris playfully asked with a raised brow to which his caretaker blushed.

Pixis chortled. He was glad to see Ferris in high spirits again. The man was incredibly distraught by what happened five years ago. His son and daughter-in-law were in Shiganshina that day along with Collin, and he hasn't seen them since. The reclamation of Wall Maria only deepened the feeling of sadness since it almost ensured that Karlo and Amelia would perish even if they survived the breach. Didn't help that the man who saved Ferris, Frank, was also sent to his death.

Then when Pixis discovered Collin in Trost the previous year, he was honestly surprised, even if he didn't show it. Though he still had to confirm with Ferris if Collin was actually his grandson. The moment he mentioned that to Ferris, the man was elated. And how could he not in that situation? Pixis was sure that he himself would feel the same way.

"So, I see you kept yourself in shape," the Garrison Commander commented.

"Of course," Ferris said before rolling down his sleeve, showing his muscular arm and giving it a flex. "Think I can keep this by just sittin' on my ass? I may be crippled, but I ain't lazy."

"Though you should definitely be resting more," Hilda commented. "Sometimes you go beyond what's needed when you exercise."

"Trust me, Hilda, I knew him for decades," Pixis said. "Ferris is a survivor. In every sense possible. He isn't gonna keel over by a pull-up."

"Well, nice to see ya havin' faith in me, Pixie," Ferris said with a smirk.

Pixis shook his head. "That nickname again?"

"Yup. 'Cause unlike the both of us, it ain't gettin' old," Ferris said before the two of them laughed together. "Hey, I've been meanin' to ask ya. How's Collin?"

"Hmm, well he went on a scouting expedition, an operation that's overseen by Erwin Smith."

"Ah, heard about the man," Ferris said. "Quite a record he has. Still, this is my grandson's first mission. Just hope nothin' goes wrong."

"Ferris, I assure you, Collin is a great soldier, and I can tell that he's a survivor, just like his grandfather. Your strong blood flows through him."

Ferris didn't respond immediately, only gazed in the direction of the Wall that loomed over Klorva, as if trying to peer over it. There seemed to be a slight hint of melancholy on the Elder Holt's face as his eyes focused on the Wall.

However, almost immediately Ferris brightened again.

"You're right," Ferris said with a smile. "He's my grandson through and through. He'll make it. Can't wait to see 'im again."

Annie sighed. So this is what it came to. After the failed expedition, the Military Police officially gained custody of Eren Yeager. Well, it wasn't all that surprising.

So right now, her and some of her co-workers, she hesitated to call them friends or comrades, were tasked with overseeing the transfer of Eren through the Stohess district. As if having to keep Marlo's ass safe from getting killed because he talked too much wasn't enough of a bother.

She and several other MPs were standing lined up on each side of the main road while several carriages passed, with the MP Commander Nile Dok riding on his horse in front. The MPs that stood there held the military salute and waited until the carriages passed.

Once they did, the MPs dropped their salutes and began heading in the direction of the carriages, with Annie joining them as they hoisted their rifles on their shoulders.

"Hey, Annie! Over here!"

Annie stopped at the familiar voice. She turned to see the person who called to her, standing in between two buildings and wearing a military cloak, but she could recognize the face.

"Armin?"

The said blond nodded before gesturing for her to come. "Listen, I need to talk to you. Please, come with me."

Up on the roof of one of the buildings of Stohess, Collin looked in the distance, his arms crossed while his face didn't show much emotion. So, he has found himself once again a part of Erwin's plans. And he couldn't believe that he was.

"All right. Armin has made contact," Hange said to several other Scouts. "We have to be on standby in case the initial plan doesn't work out. Get ready the cannons and wait for further development."

"Yes, Section Commander!" The Scouts said before some of them zipped to the building across the street with their gear or descend down while several stayed to man the cannon that was right there.

"Collin," Hange spoke. "That means you, too."

"Hange, this doesn't make sense," Collin said. "I mean, if it is true, why not let me talk to 'er? I'm sure I can-"

"Collin, please," Hange said before walking over and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I know this isn't easy, but you can't be in denial anymore. We have too much on her for us to ignore it."

"Yeah. I know," Collin said before scratching the left side of his face where the scar was.

"Still feel it?"

"Yeah, but it ain't the worst I had. Trust me, my arm itched for over a month."

She patted him on the shoulder. "You really are a tough kid. Now come along. We have to get the cannons ready."

Collin sighed. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around all this. Why on Earth was this happening? How could it happen? He couldn't believe it. Or maybe it was true, and he just refused to believe it. Still, he hoped beyond all hope that this was all a misunderstanding.

A few days earlier, Collin was called to a meeting by Commander Erwin Smith at the bottom level of the Scout HQ. There were several people gathered around the table. Along with Levi, Eren, and Erwin, to Collin's surprise, there were Mikasa, Armin, and Jean.

"Glad you could join us," Erwin spoke. "Now we can officially begin."

Collin wondered what on Earth was going on. What was this meeting about and why such a peculiar group of people? Still, he nodded and took a seat on the remaining chair.

"All right, now that we're all in attendance, I'll bring us all up to speed," Erwin spoke, his tone serious. "I think we have uncovered the identity of the Female Titan."

Eren gasped in surprise while Collin looked wide-eyed in shock.

"Y-ya have?" Collin asked.

Leaning forward in anticipation, Eren asked. "Then who is she?"

"According to all the data we gathered, we believe that she's part of the 104th Cadet Corps," Erwin answered.

Collin blinked. "Wait wha…? What?!"

"Huh?!" Eren exclaimed as he rose from his chair. "What do you mean? Are you saying that the Female Titan is one of the people who trained with us?"

His tone unchanging, Erwin answered. "Unfortunately, yes. She's one of us. And the name of that person… is Annie Leonhart."

The next several moments were silent, with Eren looking wide-eyed and his mouth agape as he stared at the Commander. Collin, on the other hand, had his mouth only partially opened as his brown eyes looked at Erwin's unflinching gaze.

"Um, sorry, sir," Collin spoke. "But… could ya please repeat that?"

Levi scoffed. "What's the matter with you, brat? Are you deaf? He clearly said-"

"Yes, Annie Leonhart of the 104th Cadet Corps is the Female Titan," Erwin interrupted. "Thanks to the information provided by Armin Arlert, we've deduced that she is the most likely person to be the Female Titan."

"That's… that's…" Eren stammered.

Collin tried to speak but couldn't seem to find the words. What could he say to that? They just accused his girlfriend of being a monster that killed dozens of Scouts, killed half of Team Levi, and almost killed him.

"Guys, come on, it's Annie," Eren spoke. "She's our comrade. She may act cold, but being the Female Titan… Collin, say something, damn it!"

Blinking his initial shock away, Collin gathered his thoughts. "Um, look guys… I… T-that just sounds ridiculous. Annie ain't a murderer. I know she cares for us, I saw it myself. There's gotta be a mistake."

"Collin, you were with us when she attacked," Armin said. "Remember, she knew what Eren looked like before she attacked, and she reacted when I used the 'suicidal maniac' nickname. Something only our classmates would know.

"However, the biggest reason I think she's the one is that I think she's the one who killed Sawney and Bean. Those two were killed by a precision strike to the nape, meaning it would naturally be someone familiar with using ODM gear."

"Uh, Armin, I hate to interrupt," Collin said. "But wasn't there a gear inspection after that ordeal? Annie was cleared."

"Listen to him, Armin!" Eren exclaimed. "You're reaching here. Can't you hear yourself?"

"Well, I wouldn't suspect if not for the fact that the gear she gave for inspection wasn't hers, but Marco's," Armin countered.

"Wait, Marco's?" Collin said.

"What does Marco have to do with any of this?" Eren demanded.

"I examined Marco's gear before, and the one Annie gave had the same scratches and denting as his," Armin explained. "I didn't say anything before, but now I think there's a connection."

Collin gripped the armrest of the chair tightly. "Look, I'm… I'm sure there's a good explanation for her usin' the gear."

"Honestly, I'm surprised we're even considering your opinion," Levi spoke as he drank some of his tea. "You clearly would defend her considering she rocked your world during that visit of yours."

"Wait, what?" Jean said, honestly shocked at what he just heard.

Collin's fingers began digging into the wood of the armrest. Normally he'd feel embarrassed for such a comment, but this time he was just annoyed as he looked at the Captain. "Look, I'm just sayin' that Annie's no murderer. She doesn't have any reason for doin' all that."

"Well I think the fact that you're even alive right now should be a good indication," Levi stated.

"Huh?"

"From all the reports we got, the Female Titan pretty much left everyone crushed or mangled when she killed them. But from what Eld reported, the Female Titan had you in her grasp before slamming you into a tree, and all the damage you got was a headache and a line on your face. Or are you saying that with you was the only time she made a miscalculation and left you alive?"

"So what're ya sayin'?"

"What else? She obviously had a soft spot for you so she left you alive on purpose. Though she obviously didn't feel that way for everyone else. Like it or not, your girlfriend is a monster."

Collin's completely crushed the wood of the armrest in his grip, making everyone besides Erwin and Levi flinch, his teeth grit in frustration. "Annie ain't a murderer! Some people just get lucky! So what if I happened to be one of 'em?! That don't mean nothin'!"

"Collin," Mikasa spoke, getting the large teen's attention. "Tell me, are you saying she didn't seem familiar? You took a good look at her. Didn't you see any similarities?"

Collin blinked. He was about to retort but remembered something during his confrontation with the Female Titan. He remembered how he went to attack, only for her face to be obscured by shadow where the visible muscles and torn skin were blended into a shape he found… familiar. Those blue eyes, the shape of the nose…

"Collin," Mikasa called out again. "Did you really not see anything?"

"I… I…" Collin stammered. "I… thought I saw somethin' familiar back there, but… Well, it coulda been just a trick of the light… or somethin'."

"Well, while you ponder that," Levi said as he reached into his pocket and to Collin's surprise pulled out a familiar brown book. "You lost this. Again." He threw it over to Collin who caught the journal before looking at it in confusion. "Next time you better take care of that."

Collin stared at the journal for a moment before opening it, his eyes widening slightly. "Cap'n, where'd ya get this?"

"In the Forest of Giant Trees, a little bit away from where we trapped the Female Titan," Levi answered. "Guess it fell out of your slippery pockets."

"No. No, it couldn't have. I didn't have it. I… got myself a new one days ago, and this one I gave… to… Annie."

Everyone stared at him for a minute after he said that, with Collin once again glancing at the journal. He wished that it wasn't what he thought it was, but everything was there. His journal entries, his drawings, the exact creasing on the pages, everything. This was his journal.

"Well, unless that journal has a mind of its own, I think this is a clear indication that Annie was there," Levi said while eyeing Collin. "Or are you going to insist that it's also a coincidence?"

Collin groaned while grabbing his face with his free hand. "It just… Argh, it doesn't make sense! She couldn't be… She… wouldn't do somethin' like this. I know her."

"Do you? Do you really?" Levi asked. "From what I've seen, I think you really don't."

"I… I… I don't… I mean…" Collin tried to say something in Annie's defense, but he didn't seem to have many options on the table. But he had to do something. He just had to.

"Collin Holt," Erwin spoke, getting the said teen's attention. "Do you remember what the Female Titan looked like?"

Collin blinked. "Uh, yeah, I do. Why?"

"Because I need you to draw her," Erwin said as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "I feel it'll help us in our investigation."

"Uh… All right," Collin said before taking the paper and pulling out a pencil from his pocket. It didn't take him too long until he had a full-body drawing of the Female Titan, down to every facial detail he remembered. "There."

Erwin nodded before turning to the others. "Can any of you confirm that this is what the Female Titan looked like? Are there any details that are off or supposed to be different?"

Jean looked at the drawing. His eyes narrowed for a moment before he replied. "Yeah, that's her."

Mikasa looked at it next. "That's her."

Once it reached Armin, he gave it a more thorough examination. "Yeah, that's it. No detail was missed."

Erwin nodded again. "Very good. Now…" He turned to Collin. "Do you have any drawings of Annie Leonhart?"

Collin stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I… I have some in my journal," he said before opening a page where he had a drawing of Annie from the waist up.

"Then try to see if the two look similar. To make sure it wasn't just a 'trick of the light' as you put it."

Taking the drawing back, Collin put it next to his journal before looking at the two drawings. His eyes trembled as he examined them. The details were, the shape of the nose, the eyes, and even the hair was similar to how Annie's looked when she let it fall down.

Unbeknownst to Collin, Levi whispered to Erwin. "Is this really necessary?"

"If he wants to accept the truth, then yes," Erwin whispered back. "Well, are you certain now?"

Collin's lips were slightly parted, but he spoke nothing, only staring at the drawings. Then the words finally found him. "Let… Let me talk to 'er. I… I'm sure we can sort this out. Just gimme a-"

"Out of the question," Erwin interrupted. "If Annie Leonhart is the Female Titan, then our priority is her capture. What you propose is too risky, and could potentially lead to Leonhart finding out we're on to her."

"Collin, look," Armin spoke. "I… I don't like it either. We have to come to terms that Annie might be the Female Titan. We can't let personal feelings get in the way."

Biting his lip, Collin looked away.

"Whatever information we have gathered probably won't be enough for the Military Police," Erwin began. "So, I devised a plan that will help us get the MPs off our backs while we focus on Annie Leonhart."

Collin pocketed his old journal again. The plan was now in motion. They put Jean in the place of Eren by putting a wig on him and the MPs were none the wiser, Armin, Eren, and Mikasa would lead Annie to the path underground where she couldn't transform, and there were several fail safes in case Annie didn't take the bait. Collin himself was put on cannon duty as Erwin believed he shouldn't be too personally involved in this.

Still, there was this feeling that Collin had; something that just wouldn't go away no matter how much he tried pushing it away. Why would Annie do all this? He saw on her face how she felt, and he knew he cared. He noticed it even when she thought he couldn't see it. Was it all just an act?

No, Collin refused to believe that. He had to know.

"Okay, make sure that the cannons are angled right," Hange said as she oversaw the soldiers handling the equipment. "Hey, Collin, come and help already," she ordered, but Collin didn't appear, and she couldn't hear his steps. With a sigh, Hange turned around. "Look, you can't just keep-"

Hange stopped when noticed that Collin wasn't in that spot anymore. "Collin?" she began looking around for any sign of the teen. She couldn't lose him, considering how tall the young man was, but she couldn't see him among any of the soldiers stationed there. "Collin!"

Hange's eyes widened. "Oh no, please tell me you aren't doing what I think you are."

"Annie, I know you used Marco's gear," Armin spoke. "I helped him with maintenance so I could tell. What were you doing with it?"

Annie was silent. She knew this was a charade from the start yet she still went along with it. The street they were passing through being abandoned was a pretty good sign of it. So why did she humor them in the first place? Even she couldn't tell.

And now here she was, looking at the entrance to the tunnel leading underground, with Mikasa, Armin, and Eren on the stairs as they looked at her expectantly.

"Yes, I took it," Annie said. "But you knew this for over a month. Why did you not say anything until now?"

"Because I…" Armin stammered. "Because I didn't want to believe I was right. So I stayed quiet. But then… Back on the field, the fact you didn't kill me then and there, that's what lead us to our current situation."

So that was it. It was because of her sympathy that this was happening. "Yes. We're here because I let you live. Of course, I never dreamed you'd end up cornering me like this. Even I'm not sure why I spared you."

"Annie please, stop this!" Eren exclaimed. "Come on, just say this is some horrible prank! We'll understand! Come down these steps and prove that you're innocent! Annie, please, Collin wants to see you again!"

Her face twitched. "Is that right? Well… I'm not sure if I want to see him. Sorry, Eren, but I can't."

"Annie, this is a matter of life and death!" Eren insisted.

"Listen, we can talk this over like human beings!" Armin tried desperately.

"Enough!" Mikasa said before taking off her cloak and pulling out her blades. "There is no point in talking anymore." She glared at Annie. "I'll carve you up again! Do you understand me, Titan!?"

Annie looked to the side, not saying anything. The silence lasted for several moments, only being interrupted by a passing breeze. And then, Annie laughed. The three didn't expect that reaction, though Mikasa didn't seem bothered while Armin and Eren looked surprised. The laugh seemed unhinged, almost maniacal. And they never heard Annie laugh before. Ever. To say that the sight was unnerving would be an understatement.

Her laughing ceased while Annie just continued smiling. "Looks like I did end up being a good person to you, Armin. If only I could've been a good person to him as well. Well, looks like you won your bet. First round goes to you."

Armin could feel the sweat dripping down his brow, his fingers fidgeting around the flare gun he was holding.

"But now," Annie continued, that smile never leaving her face. "I think I'll gamble, too. And my wager is-"

"Annie!"

Annie felt her entire body freeze at that moment, her smile immediately dropping at the familiar voice. Mikasa, Eren, and Armin looked surprised as well as they saw who was walking into the scene.

Turning around, Annie was wide-eyed to see Collin standing behind her. All the sudden relief she felt left her as Collin's eyes looked at her, but unlike with Armin or the other two, she couldn't see any sign of worry in them.

Collin then smiled. "Hey, Ann. I… thought I'd drop by."

"Collin, you're…" Annie said, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. "What… are you doing here?"

"Well, the thing is, I ain't really s'posed to be here," Collin explained. "But I… I had to see ya."

Annie's lips trembled as she looked at him before she noticed the scar he had. "Your… Your face," she said as she moved her hand up to his scar, he didn't stop her as her fingers touched the damaged skin.

"Yeah, looks like my face got a bit of a decoration, don't it?"

"Collin, what are you doing?!" Mikasa demanded. "Your orders were-!"

"How about ya let me handle this myself, Mikasa?!" Collin interrupted, with Annie's hand flinching away from his face. "Ya had your shot, so at least let me have mine!"

"Collin, why are you here?" Annie asked as she was about to bring her hand down, but Collin ended up gently grabbing it.

"Annie, please, I need ya to tell me somethin'," Collin said. "Tell that you ain't the enemy. I'll trust ya." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I promise."

Annie could feel a tear escape her eye as she saw the hopeful look he had. The way he phrased that, he didn't ask her if she was the Female Titan. He asked her if she was on his side. So, even after all that, he still had faith in her.

She wanted to say she wasn't. All of her being wanted to. But… it wasn't that simple. She couldn't. Annie had her duty, and she was already too far into it. She couldn't abandon it now, could she?

Several more tears escaped her, along with some sniffles before she shut her eyes and gritted her teeth.

"Annie?" Collin said.

Her teary eyes opened as her gaze met his. "Collin, I… I'm… I'm so sorry."

She then grabbed his arm and kicked his leg, causing him to lose balance before she threw him over her shoulder. With a grunt, Collin's side hit the ground before he rolled away from her. She brought her hand to her face, her mouth open and ready to bite down.

Armin saw what she was doing and shot the flare gun, catching Annie off guard. Then several people ran out of their hiding spots. They were soldiers dressed in civilian garb that were stationed there, and this was their signal.

Annie didn't have enough time as they grabbed her, restraining her limbs, and even putting a cloth over her mouth so she couldn't take a bite. However, she had one more trick up her sleeve. She moved her thumb on the underside of a silver ring she wore, sliding a small blade down.

Gasping, Mikasa grabbed Armin and Eren before pulling them down. "Get away!"

Slicing her thumb on the small blade, Annie was soon enveloped in bright yellow light.

Collin could feel himself getting knocked back by the force. He rolled for several moments before stopping and getting to his feet. The wind picked up strongly from the transformation, making his long hair wave around in the wind.

He looked up to see Annie rise into the air as the Titan body was forming beneath her, his eyes wide as she was completely enveloped in the giant muscles. The winds calmed down, and the ground beneath giant feet was now littered with bodies of soldiers that were thrown by the transformation, with some of them being scorched because of their close proximity to Annie.

The Female Titan appeared again.

At first, she simply stood there for a moment before her gaze turned down and met Collin's own. The young man looked perturbed. Once again he found himself feeling disbelief. He hoped that he could convince Annie to stop, to have her explain why she was doing this. When she started shedding tears, while he admittedly felt bad, he also felt some hope he was getting through to her. But it seemed to be in vain.

It seemed that Captain Levi's words rang true. He didn't really know her.

She took her gaze off him before looking down. Annie brought her giant fist up and punched through the ground.

"Wha… Annie?" Collin whispered as the Female Titan punched into the ground again. "What… are ya doin'?"

The Female began punching again, each time making a hole in the ground much to Collin's confusion. Her gaze seemed to linger each time she did so. Collin gasped in realization. Eren and the others! She's looking for them!

Annie brought her fist up, ready to strike again. She needed to find Eren, and quickly. After everything she did… that's the only thing she had.

Her fist only made it mid-way before a blur passed and her hand suddenly exploded into a spray of blood and meat chunks. Following the sound of shot wires, she saw Collin in the air next to her, a deep frown etched on his face.

"Leave 'em alone!" he yelled before zipping downward. Annie didn't react in time before the back of her knee was sliced. She lost her balance and almost fell to the ground if not for her good arm stopping her fall.

Collin's hook dug into her shoulder, her eyes widened when she saw him once again going after her. Thinking quickly, she pushed against the ground and sent herself into a building. And also unwittingly collapsing the small part of the street where her hand was.

The impact stopped Collin's attack and unhooked him from her shoulder. Collin almost lost his balance but fired a hook into a nearby building. His breath got caught in his throat when the Female's hand shot in his direction but with a few switch clicks, he flew away just before she grabbed him.

"Not this time, Annie!" Collin exclaimed as he once again turned around to face her.

Then out of one of the holes in the ground, Mikasa shot out, her face brimming with anger. "You won't take him!" she screamed zipping towards Annie, her blades ready.

"No, wait!" Collin warned but Mikasa only flew at Annie. But just as she was about to strike, Annie brought her regenerated hand up and crystallized it. Mikasa's blades struck the crystal and broke, making the oriental girl groan as she quickly replaced the blades. The Female Titan swung her arm in a wide arch, forcing Mikasa to dodge. However, the arm struck a building nearby, sending debris flying, and causing some of it to hit Mikasa, causing her to fall down with a grunt.

Collin gritted his teeth. "Damn it!" He zipped forward, avoiding the arm sweeps sent his way before he passed Annie, turned around, and swiftly zipped towards her face, his blades slicing through her eyes. Annie screamed as she swiped around to make sure Collin was away and used her other arm to defend her nape while she pushed her back against a building.

Collin knew this wasn't going to be easy. She gained quite an experience from her time fighting in the forest and she knew how to keep him away. And the way she was close to the building meant he won't be able to get to her weak points before her eyes heal.

"Collin!"

Looking down, the tall teen saw Armin appear from the wreckage in the street along with Jean at his side. Collin quickly descended down.

"Guys, where's Eren?" Collin asked. "The plan failed. Shouldn't he be a Titan by now?"

Jean glanced back at the wreckage briefly before turning to Collin. "Yeah, well, he'll need some time. We need to get the giant bitch away from here."

Annie brought her hands down, her healed eyes now looking at the three Scouts on the ground.

"We'll distract her. Follow my lead!" Jean said before flying upward, with the two going alongside him.

"Hey, Annie!" Armin called out. "You said you wanted to make a wager! Well here, take it!"

Annie stared at them for a moment before frowning and running after them, unbeknownst to her leaving her target behind.

The three zipped through the street of Stohess with Annie hot on their trail.

"So, I guess we're usin' Hange's idea after all!" Collin said.

"No choice!" Jean confirmed.

They flew for several more moments, with Annie just about reaching them, only for cannon fire to appear. Annie was halted in place her sides were once again pierced by giant spikes connected with thick wires. The Female Titan lost her balance and fell down, after which almost immediately a giant spiked net was thrown on top of her. The three she was chasing stopped and dropped down to see the bound Titan.

"Nice!" Hange exclaimed from one of the buildings. "And here I thought having a plan C was nothing short of paranoid."

Annie grit her teeth. There was no way she would let them capture her like that again. This time she didn't have the opportunity to call for Titans. But then again, those restraints they had her in didn't hold as tight as the ones before.

With a swing of her leg, she smashed through several cannons, forcing the people on the ground to quickly fly up. With a huff, Annie lifted herself up, tearing some restrains and throwing the net off of her before quickly running away.

"Damn it! We didn't have enough time to set the cannons!" Hange said.

"Well, cryin' over it ain't gonna help us, any!" Collin exclaimed. "We'll have to take 'er down ourselves!"

Collin didn't waste any more time before zipping away, along with several others joining him. He flew ahead of the others, trying to catch up to Annie the best he could. They couldn't let her get away again. Whatever was going on, whatever she was doing, they needed to capture her to find out. And she was quite slippery.

As Collin got close, the Female suddenly brought her hand back, catching Collin off guard as her fingers wrapped around his form. But this time he swung his blades and cut through the fingers, freeing himself. He snatched unto her neck with his hook and shot forward with his swords posed for a strike, only to be met with her crystal-covered hand, shattering his blades.

Cursing under his breath, he retreated slightly before replenishing his blades. The other Scout members soon began gathering around Annie, surrounding her as she protected her nape with her hand. All of them positioned themselves on the buildings around Annie, who kept an eye on anyone who might even move.

However, whatever they planned would never come to fruition as a giant bold of yellow lightning struck from the sky. And soon after, a huge roar followed, making everyone look around in shock.

The ground began shaking as thundering footsteps began sounding louder and louder. Annie in particular was worried about what was coming as she tried to pinpoint where exactly the footsteps were coming from. She got her answer as she saw Eren's Titan form sprinting in her direction… and incredibly close at that.

Annie didn't get enough to time put up a defense as Eren's fist connected with her cheek, sending her flying into a temple building, reducing it to rubble. The Scouts around were shocked to see what was happening.

Annie quickly got up and began running, with Eren in hot pursuit.

"We have to go after them!" Hange exclaimed as the group zipped away in the direction of the two Titans.

The Scouts tried catching up to them, but the Titans ran at incredible speeds. What made the situation more complicated was the fact they were going towards even ground, meaning their gear wouldn't be of much use there. Hange quickly ordered the group to split and go around. They weren't so sure Eren would be able to stop her by himself if his last fight was anything to go by.

Annie and Eren found themselves in an open space, with Annie ceasing her run before turning around and facing Eren, who also halted. The two Titans got into their battle stances, ready to engage.

Eren quickly threw a punch which Annie blocked with an elbow encased with crystals. She went to counter with a kick only for her leg to be caught by Eren. He swung her around, making land into a building before going after her. Pushing through another building, Eren attempted to tackle or only for Annie to evade and cause Eren to crash.

From a distance, the group watched the Titans fight. And none of them looked any relieved.

"We should be helpin' him," Collin said as he gripped his blades.

Moblit looked towards Hange. "Section Commander, I hate to say it, but the city will be debris and corpses before long. Even if we manage to catch her."

"Well then that's how it's gonna be," Hange said undeterred. "We're sticking to Commander Erwin's plan, got it?"

Collin almost growled. "Yeah, 'cause that worked out so well so far."

"Collin!" Hange spoke. "The Commander knows what he is doing. He's-"

"After everythin' I've seen so far, I doubt it," Collin said. "I've half a mind to just go there and-"

"Enough! You already disobeyed orders once, don't make it worse," Hange said before turning to Moblit. "Get ready the nets."

"Well, if ya don't mind me, Section Commander, I think those two need close observin'," Collin said before zipping away.

"Hey!" Hange called.

"We'll go with him, Section Commander!" Armin spoke as he and Jean went after Collin.

The two Titans continued fighting. Annie ended up cutting through one of Eren's arms with her crystal-enhanced kick.

"Annie. Annie!"

The Female's eyes widened as the desperate voice of her father suddenly appeared. Why now of all times?

"I've always believed in you. I'm always by your side."

Her thoughts distracted her, causing her to see Eren leaping toward her at the very last moment. She kicked him into the building, but her leg got stuck as Eren bit down onto the crystal, actually cracking it. Annie then crystalized her fist before beating Eren over the head with it.

"I know ya ain't so bad, Annie."

Now it was Collin's voice. Annie gritted her teeth before she began hitting harder, dealing enough damage to the skull of Eren's Titan to force him to let her go.

"I know deep down you're a good girl. Even if ya won't admit it."

Annie quickly shook her head. She couldn't be distracted now of all times. She… she had to get out of there. And she had to do so quickly. Turning away from Eren, she began running toward the Wall. She made her bed and now she had to lie in it.

For better or worse.

Just as she reached halfway to her destination, she heard Eren roar again behind her. Turning her head to look back, her eyes widened at what she saw. Eren was once again after her, but the flesh of his Titan darkened, several lines adorned his body as they smoked and spewed some fire, and his eyes were completely white and filled with rage.

His damaged limbs weren't regenerating, but he was still able to move through the streets at great speed. Eren jumped, tackling her from behind before they both began skidding across the ground.

The Scouts were shocked for who knows what time today when they reached the scene.

"The hell's happenin' to 'im?!" Collin asked as he saw Eren suddenly catching fire.

"I don't know," Hange said as she observed the situation. "Something happened to his Titan. And considering how he's acting it may have something to do with anger."

On the ground, Eren lay on top of Annie who had both of her hands covering her nape in fear. She rose, trying to get him off but he quickly grabbed her face and began squeezing. She screamed, actually feeling the searing pain caused by Eren.

She elbowed Eren in the face, causing him to let go. Eren swiped at her but barely avoided it before kicking Eren into a building. If she wasn't sure about needing to leave before, she definitely was now. She doubted she could beat Eren while he was… whatever he was now, and he was out for blood.

Crystallizing her fingers, she ran over to the Wall before making a jump and digging her fingers into the giant structure.

"She's trying to escape!" Hange exclaimed.

"She won't!" Mikasa proclaimed, now recovered from her confrontation before as she zipped over to the scene.

"Hey, wait!"

Collin followed after her. "Not without me, ya ain't!"

"No, stop it, you two!"

Annie clung to the Wall and began climbing. However, she felt something grab her legs. Looking down she saw that it was Eren again, who began biting on her leg. Without much choice, she dealt a kick to Eren, but the damage made her tear off her leg as it fell along with him.

"Annie! They'll despise you, but your father will always be on your side!"

Brushing the voice of her father away she began climbing up, trying with all her might to reach over the edge. However, Mikasa flew next to her, and swiftly sliced through her fingers. One of her arms dropped, with only her other holding onto the Wall.

But then, Collin swung on the other side, slicing through the other fingers. Annie looked at him in absolute shock as she began falling. He actually returned her look, but this time she noticed he wasn't angry. His voice once again assaulted her thoughts.

"I'll always have your back, Annie. I promise ya."

A tear dropped from her Titan's eye as she fell. Her back soon impacted the ground, sending debris flying. She turned around, and shortly after, Eren was upon her again, slamming into her back.

Not giving her any reprieve, Eren brought his fist down, and tore through her Titan's head, sending it flying and making her Titan body go inert. Eren leaned down, opening his jaws to show his sharpened teeth that slowly began approaching her nape.

"Oh no, he's gonna eat her!" Hange exclaimed in worry.

"No, Eren!" Armin called out.

"Don't do it!" Mikasa yelled.

However, just as Eren's mouth was about to bite, a blurring motion appeared near his nape as blood flew out of it, and his Titan halted.

"Sorry, buddy," Collin said as he tore out Eren from his Titan, with the young man actually looking unconscious. "I can't have ya killin' her just yet."

Collin dropped Eren on top of his Titan before jumping down and landing near Annie's nape. He brought his blades up and then struck down. A blinding barrage of blade slices began tearing through the nape, digging through the Titan flesh covering Annie.

He had a good idea of how deep she was from the times he saw Eren emerge from his own Titan, so he knew not to accidentally hit her.

When another strike revealed her jacket, he sheathed the blade before grabbing the cloth and pulling. Annie was torn through the remaining muscles that tethered her with her Titan, once again revealing her human form to the world.

Collin looked at her, seeing her crying face that was framed by her hair which was no longer in her usual bun. Her gaze turned him, and brown eyes once again met her bright blue ones. He stared at her for a moment, panting from all the effort he put in while Annie gazed at him with her mouth lightly parted. Her lips trembled when she saw his face. Again, he wasn't looking at her in anger. Only wonder, desperation, and… hope.

"Collin, I… I…" She sniffed before closing her eyes. "Please… forgive me."

Then suddenly, a big glow emanated from her as winds picked up again. Collin gasped in surprise as the winds flung him away, forcing him to let go of Annie. Crystals once again began forming from her Titan, but this time they started encasing Annie herself.

Once the crystal stopped forming, it fell out of the Female Titan and struck the ground. Collin rose from the floor as he looked at the crystal. Annie Leonhart was completely covered in the formation, seemingly completely frozen, her eyes closed as if she were asleep.

Collin could only stare at her. Confusion and surprise completely dominated any other emotion as he still processed what happened.

The Titan bodies evaporated to skeletons. The Scouts gathered around the crystal that encased Annie. Jean tried in vain to slice through it with his sword, but it was worthless. This crystal was far thicker than what she used to defend herself and if they couldn't harm it then, then they couldn't do it now.

Eren was also tended by Armin and Mikasa, and the green-eyed youth groggily began waking up. The lines underneath his eyes were once again visible since he got out of the Titan.

"Annie… Where is…?" Eren wondered.

"Over there," Mikasa said as she pointed toward the crystal.

"But we won't be able to get any answers from her, unfortunately," Armin commented.

Hange approached the group. "Get some net wiring! We'll have to tie this thing and take it underground!"

The Scouts nodded before they went to do as they were told.

Collin stood unmoving, his eyes never leaving Annie's form even as they began working on tying the crystal. His arms hang at his sides while his breathing was shallow. To think that just a little while ago the two hung out, went to the market, ate together, and… and…

He tried his best to control his emotions. His fists tightened as he tried desperately not to break down. He remembered her smiling face that day, and how everything seemed to fall into place. And now… it all came crashing down around him. Both figuratively and literally.

"Hey," a soft voice spoke.

Collin turned to see Hange standing next to him, looking at him with pity. "I… can imagine this isn't easy for you."

He took a deep breath before responding. "Hange, if I'm bein' honest, I'm still hopin' that this is nothin' more than a nightmare. That I'll just wake up the next mornin' and everythin' will be back to normal." He rubbed his eyes before shaking his head. "I'm… I'm sorry for breakin' formation back there… I just…"

Hange softly patted his shoulder. "I don't hold it against you, Collin. Can't really say you jeopardized the mission in any way. In fact, you and Mikasa may as well be the reason why she hasn't escaped." She looked to see how he would react to the praise, but his expression didn't change. "Hey, um… They'll need help in getting her out of there. So… if you have the time…"

"Yeah, I'll… I'll help," he said before sighing. "Well, I better-"

He was interrupted as a large piece of debris fell from the Wall, catching everyone by surprise. The group looked up to see a small chunk of the wall was torn off from one of the spots where the Female Titan was holding unto.

And what they saw… well even they couldn't believe it.

Because in that hole in the Wall, there was a Titan's face peeking out. A Titan that had no skin covering its face, leaving the muscles visible. The Titan's only visible eye began moving, and it looked down on them.

Looking at the strange phenomenon, Collin could only speak one thing. "What the hell?"

AN: And that is it, for now, my dear readers! As far as I'm concerned, this is a milestone. I'm finally done with the events of season 1, and season 2 is on the horizon. And I'm sure to some of you that's the one you're excited about the most. Well, I still hope that you found this chapter enjoyable.

Also, I like to show thanks to my dear friend RememberShiganshina. Without him, I'm sure if I'd have been able to do this as quickly as I have been. I hope you people go and check him out. He needs more love.

And once again I implore you to check out my others stories. Trust me, they are worth it. And leave a review, they are great motivators.

See ya next time! Stay tuned!