A/N: Sorry for the long wait everyone. My old laptop had a lot of issues so I was unable to write until I replaced it in November. This chapter should have only took me a couple weeks to finish, but it ended up being two months.

I'm going to be honest with you all, I'm not too thrilled with this chapter. For one thing it I've been really stressed out lately, so it is probably noticeable in this chapter. With that being said I don't think this is as good as it should be.

Guest reviewer: Carla is about three months younger than Abel. Eren and Mikasa were actually engaged before Armin impregnated Annie. They got married one month after the events of Eternal Link and Eren knocked up Mikasa not long after their wedding. I hope that cleared things up.

Enough of my rambling. Onto the story at hand. Please R&R

Chapter 2: Aftermath

Armin's POV

Awkward...

That was the only word I could use to describe this moment.

Currently I was sitting in commander Hange's office patiently waiting for this assembly to get underway. Sitting beside me was my subordinate Casey McGee who happened to be in a foul mood. Wrapped around his skull were bandages for the concussion he had received while we were outside the walls. His left hand was also bandaged up tight; the blood stains were still visible though. If you are wondering how he received that additional injury keep reading.

The kid wasn't happy to be here. He didn't express his irritation physically or even verbally for that matter, though it's no surprise since he's not the type of guy who throws tantrums when he doesn't get his way.

No that wasn't him at all, he was more the type to sit in his chair and fume silently which is exactly what he did. Every now and then he'd massage his damaged jaw as he'd glare at Levi.

The corporal glared back at him with authority as he stood behind his wife who was going over all the information she received from us squad leaders. She was so focused on her work that she didn't notice the tension between senior and junior or maybe she was aware it, but just chose not to let herself get distracted. After all, she did have to write a detailed report on today's expedition that would be satisfactory for the new monarchy. Unfortunately this meant she was going to have to include the incident that took place in Wall Maria.

"Almost Done!"

Hange dipped her pen in ink once more before resuming her scribbling at the bottom of the page. I couldn't see what she was writing but I assumed it was a note about what transpired earlier. Not long after her declaration of completion, she was placing the letter in an envelope and sealing it with her saliva.

"Finished, let's begin!"

"Finished you say…?" Levi asked. Thrusting his back off the wall he took a few steps closer and leaned over her. "What do we have here?" The commander visibly tensed when she felt her husband reach over her to grab a folded paper. "This one is from Darius Zackly. Tch…didn't that crazy geezer kick the bucket a few months back?"

Suppressing a chuckle, I took it upon myself to correct the corporal. Clearly age and stress were starting to take its toll on the man. "Actually sir that wasn't him. The funeral we attended belonged to a noble who had supported the military both morally and financially before his death. His name was Isaac Heinrich."

"That's' right," Levi nodded with his unchanging stoic face unfolding the document. "He was the kind old man with the larger than life mustache that rivaled Pixis."

I smiled at the comparison, "Yeah that was him."

The corporal didn't respond, rather he quickly skimmed through the written text for key details and only a minute later he was carelessly crumpling up the paper into a ball. "Apparently we've been summoned to the capital for a conference meeting. This document was dated for the seventh and today is the nineteenth." By this time Hange was smiling nervously and her body was shaking, yet Levi didn't seem amused. "This little get together is happening in three days and you haven't told me a damn thing Hange. I guess that means you were planning on blowing this off…Again."

"Haha, of course not short stuff!" Her laugh was strained as she tried her best not to make contact with his scrutinizing gaze. "I was actually going to-

She was swiftly interrupted when the balled up paper hit her square in the face.

"Bullshit," Levi interrupted clenching his teeth. "Listen shitty glasses! The other meetings you bailed on were optional because the survey corps were already engaged in other operations so we had excuses for being absent. This time around things are different. Not only did we fail on this last expedition, but we also lost more men than we predicted."

"But those meeting are so boorrrring!" she moaned.

"Too bad. It's mandatory since the queen will also be present." he sharply replied.

Annoyed he rolled his eyes and shook his head at her immaturity. Turning away from her his fierce gaze landed on Casey. "Then there's also the matter of our little hotshot here trying to slice a merchant's head off. There's no doubt that will be one of the topics of conversation."

Casey met his stare with one eye since his shaggy red hair fringed over the other. "Are you going to give me another lecture Levi?" he asked lowly. The frustration he was feeling was evident by the way the corporal's name left his mouth. Just like Levi he didn't respect superior rank and addressed his comrades as he pleased. "Because hearing a long winded speech from you was definitely on top of my to-do list," he remarked with sarcasm. "You "Humanity's strongest soldier" who is capable of killing a man in countless ways, please by all means talk me to death, corporal," he spat jade eyes glaring defiantly at his mentor.

"Don't fuck with me brat," Levi warned dangerously. Putting his palms on the surface of Hange's desk, he bent over the table to get face to face with the red headed teen. "I have no reservations about kicking that smugness off your face. I'm on the edge kid, don't push me."

Tension was high in the room and I can candidly say I'd rather be anywhere but here. Hell, even fighting titans was less stressful than this.

"Casey…Being rude and defiant isn't going to get us anywhere," I told him not sparing him a glance. "If you really want to get out of this office than you should sit quietly and wait for the Commander to get started. Upsetting the Corporal is only going to agitate things further."

My composed eyes darted back in forth between the two, waiting for one of them to make a move. I was feeling anxious by the turmoil but it was important that someone kept calm. You would think that after such a long day they'd be too tired to fight. Casey's focus lingered on me thoughtfully before he finally conceded.

"Tch…fine." He even did that same annoying Tch thing that Levi and Eren did. These two were just too much alike to get along.

Seeing that there arguing had been put on hold Hange grinned at me appreciatively, "Always the voice of reason Armin."

"I do what I can," I replied.

Nodding she looked to all three of us, before clearing her throat. "Okay, there are a few things that need to be discussed here. The stupid conference meeting that my Levi so kindly mentioned," she stopped for a moment to glare at her husband and the short man rolled his eyes irritably. Smirking, she continued, "Is a high priority, nevertheless, I need Eren to be present for that discussion and he's late. While we are waiting for him, Shall we get started on another matter?" Her concentrated gaze locked in on the rookie sitting beside me. "Why don't we talk about what happened earlier in Shiganshina? Casey?"

Said boy's response was a grunt and a shrug. Hange didn't seem bothered in the least, she just kept grinning waiting for him to speak. I myself was a different story. His utter indifference usually didn't bug me, but right now he was grating on my nerves with his disrespect.

"Oi!" I flicked his temple hard to get his attention.

"Ah shit!" he muttered rubbing the aching spot. I had a feeling that would work. "What the hell do you want from me Armin?"

"A response," I placidly spoke. "Our commander is talking to you Casey, show some respect and give her your undivided attention."

The kid glowered at me for a second not saying a word. Being strong willed and resistant was something he was known for, but as fearsome as his stare was, it wasn't enough to make me fold. I had plenty of experience dealing with people and their attitudes so this was nothing new to me.

Cursing and grumbling, he turned to face Hange. "That merchant pig was talking too much, so I figured he'd shut up if I gave him a good scare. That's all there is to it."

"Really?" Hange asked interlacing her fingers. "What did he say to make you respond with violence?"

"I don't remember…" he replied. "Sorry short term memory is a bitch. There was a lot of commotion-

A loud bang resonated throughout the room interrupting him mid-sentence. We all looked to Levi who was hunched over the table, eyes ablaze of anger. The palms of his hands were pressed into the wood as he stood there seething with frustration. "Stop fucking around kid!" he thundered. "Do you have any idea the kind of trouble you could have caused us? You almost killed an innocent bystander today Casey. Don't you get the fact that there are implications for your actions!?"

In a second Casey was out of his chair and shouting back. "First off that scum was far from innocent! Secondly, fuck off Levi! You're always trying to act like you're my father, but you're not! I didn't ask for you and Hange to take me in! So I don't need you scolding me all the damn time!" He was showing a lot of emotion, which was seldom, whenever I was around him he was always able to keep a cool head, but not this time. "Besides, I didn't even kill that bastard so there's no reason for you to complain."

Hearing those words make me recall the incident that started all this drama. While Casey was wrong on many accounts he was right about one thing.

He did not kill that man.

Four hours ago…

Shiganshina District

There I stood with my arm wrapped around Annie's neck and hers around my waist. The solidity that I was known for came into play as I looked on with little emotion. The large crowd that had gathered around became quiet. The only sounds that could be heard was abrupt gasping and hushed murmurings. I wasn't quite sure what happened, I know I saw Casey rushed toward him and I was certain I saw blood.

In my head, I thought of many possible outcomes and I was almost certain that he didn't kill that man. I did have some doubt about that man's well-being, Casey is a rebel like Eren and had an attitude problem like Levi, so he was an unpredictable anomaly.

I couldn't see clearly what happened, I didn't have a good enough view of the scene to put the pieces together. I needed to get closer. "Annie…"

"No," she cut me off immediately. Shit, she had already known what I was about to say. "I'm not leaving your side."

"I'm fine," I insisted, though she did not waver.

"Armin…If you were fine you wouldn't be limping around like you were just now." Annie looked on toward the crowd where all the civilians were gathered. Squinting her eyes, she stood on her tippy toes to get a better view. I have to admit it was kind of cute seeing her vein attempts at trying to see over the flock of people. Since we had been together she had grown a total of two inches, so she was about 5'2".

"Damn it! I'm too short," she frowned.

"I could have told you that…"

"What was that?" she asked sharply.

"Nothing"

She smirked deviously, "Good, now come on. We're pushing past these nosy spectators."

"You don't have to do this," I said. Honestly I appreciated the gesture I just didn't like the way my wife handled situations like this one. She tended to get violent when she felt confined.

Annie's stoic gaze met mine as we walked in tow wrapped in each other's arms. "Don't say stupid things like that, you can barely even stand up, let alone walk properly," she muttered while pushing rudely through the townsfolk. People grumbled and complained as Annie kicked and shoved to get us to the heart of all the ruckus. I doubt she even heard their words of displeasure since she had a knack for tuning people out. "I know how persistent you are when it comes to things like this, you'd probably even try to crawl over there. Our son is watching and I don't think he should see his father in such a pathetic state. Do you?"

She was right. The last thing I wanted was to look like a pitiful mess in front of Abel. While he was mature for his age he was still a child so he could be drawn in any color. In other words he was still impressionable. "Of course not," I mumbled hanging my head low.

"I didn't think so," she grunted kicking a fat guy in the back of the knees forcing him to fall to the floor. Okay, I'm not going to lie he was blocking our path but she could have just asked him to move aside. Stepping past the portly man we shoved…let me correct myself, Annie shoved past a few more people before we finally reached the center.

"Here we are," she announced.

As soon as I raised my head, my eyes bulged slightly. Casey stood there quietly as he stared at his left hand which was bleeding profusely. The blood dripped from his palm before splatting to the ground with a thump.

He must have cut himself, but for what reason?

My focus went to the overweight merchant who seemed to be paralyzed with fear. On his chubby face was a shallow cut, a small droplet of blood dripped down his cheek. Slowly the business man lifted his trembling hand to his face to touch the gash. With one finger he swiped the fresh liquid off his cheek and looked at it intently.

"You seem frightened, is something the matter?" Casey asked ironically.

The man didn't respond to the inquiry, he just stood there looking bewildered and out of place. He was so speechless that his mouth was still ajar. "I'm guessing that was the closest thing you had to a near death experience?"

As all this was going on I looked to my right to see Hange and Levi standing to the side. Hange was at the front of the crowd observing and Levi was not too far from Casey looking anxious. The corporal knew it wasn't wise to make sudden moves under these types of circumstances.

Francis and Emma were still sitting in the wagon, they had been swallowed up by the herd of people. From their perched positions they were still able to see everything that was going on.

My focus wondered back over to the scene and I noticed Casey's demeanor had completely changed. He didn't seem to have the same cold and uncaring expression, now he looked enraged, glaring at the business man. "That fear you felt just now, is only a taste of the terror my comrades and I experience every time we leave these walls."

Turning around, the young man addressed everyone who had gathered around. "I have a question for all of you present," he stated loudly so he could be heard clearly. "Excluding members of the military… How many of you people have actually seen a titan devour a human?"

Ten seconds passed and his question still lingered in the air. Within that brief interval of time I could have sworn I heard crickets in the background. Literally no one raised their hand or voiced their opinion. I was actually surprised, I was hoping at least a few survivors of the Wall Maria breach would be present or maybe even some of the escapees from the battle of Trost. This was odd, considering there were well over a hundred people in attendance. Shiganshina is a heavily populated district so my best bet was all those survivors were scattered around the area as well as the rest of Maria.

"Interesting," he continued observing the crowd. When he noticed me leaning against my wife for support he paused probably thinking I was going to intervene, though he quickly shook it off and resumed. "Yet many of you feel the need to mock our efforts while being totally ignorant to the truth, that without us humanity's hope would be lost. I have been in the legion for barely three months now and I've already seen countless soldiers become a titan's lunch. All of them sacrificed their lives to further mankind's progress, without any guarantee that their actions won't end up in vain."

How odd…I've never seen him talk this much. Despite his attitude problems he usually kept to himself for the most part. Now he was speaking with an essence that I had never thought he was capable of.

"Like he just said," Casey gestured toward the merchant. "We signed up for this shit, so there's no room for excuses or complaints, for all the failures thus far we take province for them." He sounded apologetic and the Casey I knew rarely apologized unless he truly felt at fault. Well since he was speaking for the entire legion I guess he was apologizing on our behalf. "However we also take responsibility for you lot having places to lay your head. Without us you'd all still be cramped up in Wall Rose and that's an irrefutable fact."

I wonder where he was going with this. The kid was stating true facts, though I couldn't see the purpose behind it. I know he had gotten rough with the merchant because he said something to piss him off. Hell, only a second ago he looked like he was going to kill the man, but then he started preaching to the audience. Now he walking around, observing the faces of the citizens surrounding him.

At this point, even I couldn't figure out what he was up to.

"But I'm not concerned with who's wrong and who's right," he stated eyes surveying the crowd. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was looking for someone in particular. "At the end of the day, we are all entitled to our own opinions. If some of you feel that we are wasting your money on a worthless cause that's fine, I will not argue. Because I honestly don't know what the future holds for us, none of us do. But one thing I will say…"

Abruptly he stopped and leveled everyone there with a serious stare. Pushing the fringe aside that concealed his right eye, we were now able to see the full intensity of his gaze. "I will not tolerate anyone disrespecting the memories of my fallen comrades! That is where I draw the line!"

Everyone was taken aback by the surge of passion in his voice, including myself.

Lifting his hand to the sky, I marveled as he balled his hand into a tight fist. "Here and now, I promise to remove the titan threat from this earth. Mankind will once again be able to roam free without fear, just as god intended for us. This is my blood oath! The sacrifices my dead companions made will one day bear fruit and their memories will continue to live on through us."

All the people present were now gawking at him with open mouths. Even the soldiers of the legion and garrison seemed astonished by his speech. There were a few journalist among the crowd who had been writing the whole time, but ended up dropping their pens in awe of the bold claim they just heard.

No one had ever pulled a stunt like this, so it was only natural for people to feel a little speechless.

After a long moment of silence I heard the sound of clapping. Annie was still holding onto me for support, so I couldn't move much. Good thing she was such a shorty though, looking over her and to my left I spotted my two other subordinates.

Francis and Emma were sitting in the wagon proudly clapping their hands. The despair that was on their faces only moments ago had vanished and was now replaced with looks of raw determination. Emma was tearing up again, but they were tears of inspiration and hope while Francis wore a grin that said he was ready to take on the world and whatever it could throw at him.

Eventually the rest of the scouts followed suit, then the garrison and before long the entire audience had erupted in applause. It had become so loud that I could barely even think.

"Damn right!" I heard Eren shout over all the commotion. Somehow he had finally made his way through the throngs of civilians.

I chuckled at my best friends antics, I should have known he'd be one of the main guys to truly appreciate Casey's words. Looking down at my wife I almost gasped when I saw a small smirk grace her lips. Since we've been together, Annie has learned to be more social and even yet she still struggled to show her emotions in public. The fact that she was smiling because of one of my juniors made it even better.

I couldn't help but grin myself. I was quite proud of all these kids, they've shown a lot of growth. Francis and Emma had recovered a little from their loss and were now looking forward, while Casey has left me damn near inarticulate. Today he had taken a giant leap in maturity and leadership.

Hange was also proud as well since she was clapping with her trademark grin. Levi did his best not to show it on his face, still I knew apart of him was pleased with the way he handled the situation.

Recovering from all the chaos around me, my focus once again went to Casey. He still had the same ardent expression, but he wasn't facing the people no more. Like before his attention was now on the merchant who was responsible for his fury.

"And you…" Casey muttered eyeing him with a deadly gaze, but this time I could feel no killing intent from him. "I will not kill you…But you do need to be punished."

"Hold on…wait..!" The merchant pleaded, it seemed he had finally regained his ability to speak.

Gripping his blade, he cocked back his opposite arm and delivered a devastating blow to the merchant's stomach with his bloody fist. There was so much force behind the punch I can hear the man struggling just to breathe. Casey had literally knocked the wind out of him. Gasping for air, he dropped to his knees before collapsing on the ground unconscious next to his fallen body guards.

Random gasps echoed in the crowd.

His actions warranted little support other than a few satisfied grins from some the teenage members of the legion. Of course Eren was happy, yet when you think about it the guy was like a big kid anyway and he hated bureaucracy.

In disbelief I slapped my forehead and shook my head tiredly. He really was going to be the death of me one day. I really couldn't understand why he'd do something so stupid? And after making such a moving speech no less. Not to say the man didn't have it coming because he obviously deserved much worse. I guess it was a moot point, no matter how you look at it this was something that will have a negative effect on the entire organization.

I was about to call out to Casey when a boot connected with his jaw easily knocking him to the ground hard. My eyes widen in shock as I saw Levi standing over him with clenched hands and a sneer.

"Do you even have a brain in that head of yours? Just what the fuck were you thinking Casey?" the short man grunted. Kneeling down he grabbed the boy roughly by his collar. "Answer me brat…"

"What's it to you old man?" Casey spit out some blood before rubbing his aching chin. I could tell by the tone in his voice he was back to his stoic and uncaring personality. "I'll do as I please."

Letting out a primal growl, the corporal prepared to strike him again.

"That's enough Levi!" Hange shouted before Levi's fist could meet his face.

Upon hearing his wife's voice I noticed how the corporal immediately stopped in his tracks. The anger on his face was so apparent I was surprised he was still able to control himself.

"Violence isn't the answer when it comes to dealing with hardheaded teenagers," she stated with assurance as she stepped deeper into the circle of drama and disorder. "Besides we need to leave for headquarters immediately, before this situation gets any worse. If that's even possible," she noted.

Narrowing his eyes, he pushed Casey back down before roughly letting go. "I'll deal with you later boy," he muttered.

Back in the office the feud between Levi and Casey hadn't simmered down in the least. Hange sat at her desk without moving with her hands firmly clasped together. Not making a sound she observed the confrontation between her short tempered husband and adoptive son. This was nothing new to the commander so it was normal for her to feel a little indifferent when it came to their bullshit.

At this point in the conversation they could either let it go and take their respective seats or they could start throwing fists and kicks in this closed in space. I'm sure you all know I was hoping for the former, but I've seen these two go at it before and I wasn't going to let it happen just because they had ego issues.

Huffing in annoyance I got out of my chair and stood between them. "Alright, you guys both spoke your piece so why not we put this on hold for now?" being stuck in the middle of a falling out between the scouting legions best soldiers was not an ideal situation for a guy like me, still this was a work place not a damn war zone.

"Step aside Armin," Levi demanded in an icy tone. "The brat needs to be disciplined and the only way to do that is if I train him like a dog. Pain is the best way to correct bad behavior after all, so kicking the shit out of him ought to do the trick."

I was taken aback by that statement. That was the same thing he said to Eren back in the court room when we were still trainees. Only difference is back then he was only saying that to save Eren's life, but right now he sounded dead serious about training Casey like a dog.

Those words struck a nerve, because Casey had his hands balled tightly. The fresh stitches on his palm were going to open at this rate. Biting his lip he calmed himself down. Looking back at Levi he smirked, "So I need to be trained like a dog huh? That's amusing." He tried to take a step further, but I extended my hand to keep him at bay. "But do you really think an old man like you is capable of training such a stubborn mutt? I mean it would be tragic if you pulled a muscle just trying to lift your leg old timer," he taunted.

I could see a vein in Levi's temple begin to throb.

Right then and there I knew I had to say something or I was going to get my ass kicked for just being caught in the middle of their dispute. Levi was about to kill him and myself for being in the way.

By some weird stroke of luck there was a knock on the door and I thanked the heavens for such a timely distraction.

"Enter," Hange shouted.

The door opened to reveal a tired looking Eren. With his hands shoved in his pockets, the shifter strolled into the room but stopped before taking a seat. Even in his sleep deprived state he was able to tell that things weren't quite right.

"What's going on here?" he asked rubbing the drowsiness out of his eyes.

Hange smiled nonchalantly as if all hell wasn't about to break loose only seconds prior. "Nothing really, just your typical family dispute!" she laughed lightly with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Oh…so nothing new," Eren shrugged and took his seat on the window sill next to my chair. Just like Hange he ignored the silent stare down between the two other males.

"Why are you so late Eren? We've been waiting for damn near forty minutes!?" I growled. I wasn't trying to take my problems out on him, but the jerk was late. Because of him I had to deal with all of this crap!

"Sorry about that," he said rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. "Once I finally got to my room I decided to take a nap, but I guess I overslept a little. Come on Armin! You know it's hard for me to sleep while we're outside the walls."

This caused me to face palm. Yes I knew of Eren's sleep problems while out on expeditions. I could sympathize with him since I also had issues getting sleep at those bases we set up. Even if we exterminated all the titans in that region, it was not easy dropping your guard outside the walls. Be that as it may, it just wasn't a good enough excuse for me. "I'm aware of that, still it wouldn't have killed you to wait a few more hours. Then you could have slept all you wanted."

He raised a brow, "Are you mad or something?"

"No…I'm just a little tired." I answered.

"Tch, Well you're not the only one." He stated defensively.

I narrowed my eyes, "True, but I don't have the ability to regenerate lost limbs, broken bones or blood loss like you do. So excuse me if I'm a little ticked off."

"Whoa, Whoa calm down," Eren said waving his hands to make peace. "No need to get angry buddy," hopping off the window sill he came over to me and patted me on the back. "I think I know why you're so irritated..."

Oh this was going to be good… "Yeah? Care to enlighten me?"

Leaning in he whispered, "The reason you're so salty right now is because you haven't had sex in over a month."

My jaw dropped in awe of his stupidity, "Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. I'm one hundred percent serious right now," he nodded with a confident and knowing grin. "Have you ever wondered why most of the male soldiers walk around here like they have sticks up their asses?"

I shrugged, "I always thought they were constipated."

Eren scoffed at my joke, "No. its' because they haven't been laid since they've been on active duty. Some of the women are the same, but they're not as obvious as we are."

I still wasn't buying it, "And just where did you get this ridiculous theory from?"

"It's not ridiculous!" he barked with outrage. "It's true!"

"Of course it is," I smiled.

"Actually… He's right Armin."

The interruption made us both to freeze and look up at Hange who must have overhead our loud whispering exchange. Damn I should have known we were speaking to loud since Eren was never really good at keeping his volume low, consequently I unknowingly start speaking louder as well. It happens all the time.

"W-What?" I asked.

"Eren's right," she continued with an amused face. "When you men go along time without sexual release, you guys start behaving like wild animals. It must be all that pent up testosterone, which makes you guys act like assholes."

"See!" he exclaimed.

I shook my head in disbelief, "That can't be right!" I shrieked. To hell with that! I refuse to believe that I was the type of guy to lose his shit just because I couldn't bang my wife on a frequent basis.

"Sorry Armin," Hange offered. "It's in your genetics! I mean have you ever stopped to think why Levi is always in a bad mood?"

Annoyed with this conversation Levi's pale face became flushed.

"The reason he is always so uptight is because he doesn't have time to roll in the sheets with yours truly!" she giggled which only served to add to her husband's embarrassment.

Casey face palmed to hide his tinted cheeks while shaking his head in discomfort.

"Loudmouth woman," I heard Levi grumble under his breath. I'd say he has either forgotten about his conflict with Casey or was too mortified with this conversation to even remember why he was angry with the teenager in the first place.

Now I have to admit that made me stop and consider this theory. Levi always seemed a little grumpy, but there were times when it seemed like you couldn't do anything to please the guy. The jerk made me clean my entire room three times in one day and it wasn't even dirty. Yeah it was a little unorganized, I did have a lot of weapon design drafts on the desk in my room. All the same, I kept the room dust free and smelling relatively good. This was irrelevant when Levi didn't get to have one of his special meetings with Hange, he'd change from Corporal Levi to Corporal Dick.

Then I had to consider how much happier Eren was while he was off duty. Knowing that guy he was probably giving it to Mikasa every chance he got, even if he was exhausted. I knew I was in no position to judge. I am a huge opportunist so I'd do the same exact thing with Annie, but she was usually the one initiated our sexual escapades. I smirked inwardly recalling some of our fun time until I came to the conclusion I was trying to avoid.

"Damn…" I muttered in defeat. "Am I really that simple?"

Eren laughed looping his arm around my neck, "It's no big deal Armin it happens to me all the time. That's just one of the downsides of being away from your family. Why do you think I start fights with Jean all… the time?"

He finished his statement slowly, as the expression on his face shifted from a smile to a grimace.

We all had temporarily forgotten about what happened during the expedition. The incident in Shiganshina kind of served as a distraction for all the losses we suffered. In some strange way it even managed to lift our spirits. I myself had put the whole ordeal with Jean out of my mind just so I wouldn't overthink his condition. Now that everything had calmed down and we were back within the confines of the walls, we were able to talk about this problem.

His injuries were so severe that we weren't allowed to see him. When I first arrived at the medical ward, they were at least three doctors including Hitch who had been working on him. After they had taken a break, she pulled Eren and me to the side to give us the rundown on the situation. Turns out the news was pretty heartbreaking.

Jean had lost his left arm during the ambush. Apparently a titan got a hold of it and just didn't want to let go. Now I know that may sound bad but that wasn't the worst of his diagnosis. The internal damage that was done to his spine was what sealed his fate. The probability of him walking again was low, but he still had a chance. Even so, there was absolutely no way he'd be able to operate maneuver gear again, even if he was able to regain his ability to walk. In other words Jean's career as a soldier was over.

Things looked bleak for him though at the same time I was proud of him because I was positive that Jean didn't flee until his entire squad was wiped out which meant he did all that he could to protect the rookies who were put under his charge. I remember when the guy use to be a selfish coward, but he's grown so much since then.

Now that I think about it, maybe Eren took a nap so he could escape his dismay. He was so bothered by the news that he didn't really say much. His only words were "So that's how it is?" before turning around and walking back to his private quarters.

While I may be closer to Jean than Eren is, they are still good friends despite the fact that they bicker constantly while in each other's presence. Not once have either of them admitted that their relationship was a friendship despite it being so blatantly obvious. Every chance they got they would mock or take jabs at the other just to get a slight edge in their bitter rivalry.

Sensing the negativity in the air I cleared my throat, "So…Uh… what were we talking about?"

The sound of my voice seemed to snap her out of her reverie, Hange shook her head to rid herself of disruptive thoughts. "Oh yeah… right, let's get back to that," although the grin on her face was counterfeit I understood. Putting up a mask was normal while under this kind of stress. Just as I stated before she always did her best to remain optimistic, which made her a great leader in hard times.

Leveling the boy with a hard gaze, she took a deep breath, "Casey…Let me start off by saying the stunt you pulled earlier was monumentally stupid. Plain and simple" She stated in a less than polite tone. Those eyes of her seemed unreadable, though I had a feeling a million thoughts were running through her head. "Assaulting a wealthy merchant in broad day light, in front of hundreds of people is the epitome of foolishness. Do you even know the kind of disorder you sparked with your actions today? By mid-day tomorrow, the news of what you did will have spread throughout the walls like wildfire. The Survey Corps will once again be put under negative spotlight."

Casey frowned at her words, but kept quiet and let her continue. I'm glad he had calmed down because I didn't think I could deal with anymore drama today. Shit, I usually try not to drink since being drunk has gotten me into trouble before, but right now it was just what I needed.

"There might even be some fabricated rumors of what really happened. And let's not forget about the brown nosing reporters who will be showing up at our door steps at all hours of the day," she went on to say as she removed her glasses and gently placed them on the table. Frowning she regarded him. "All things considered there's only one thing to say…"

Getting out of her chair she walked around her desk to confront him directly. Her brown eyes bore into his green orbs with such intensity even Casey seemed a bit bothered. The relationship he had with Levi differed from the one he had with Hange. Since Hange was a woman and a patient one at that, she was able to approach the troubled youth without making him feel like he was being attacked. Levi didn't have the patience to deal with "Ill-mannered brats" which is one of the reasons why they always bumped heads.

Our bizarre commander is always patient and understanding when it comes to Casey, though this instance she seemed to be pretty upset. However that intimidating appearance vanished in a flash and she wrapped her arms around his frame pulling him into a tight embrace.

"You made me so happy!"

Eren and I both exchange confused looks before muttering "what the hell." Judging by her body language seconds earlier I assumed she was going to punish him but now she's hugging him like he just did something amazing. Levi didn't seemed too surprised and I guess we shouldn't either, since Hange always has been and always will be an unconventional person.

"Hange… I can't breathe...!" Casey managed to gasp out.

Smiling brighter than she had all day, she rubbed her nose bashfully.

"Sorry about that kiddo. I'm just so very very proud of you right now!" once again she rushed forward and brought him into another bone crushing hug.

"Armin…Eren… get her off me… I can't breathe Damn it!" he gasped.

Eren watched on still stupefied while Levi observed with a smirk of satisfaction. Well they're not much help now are they? "Uh commander, I don't think it's wise for a parental guardian to deny their child oxygen."

"Oops!" Hange quickly released him while looking apologetic. "I guess I don't know my own strength."

"That's a… mild way of putting it!" The teenager choked out as he quickly started regain his proper breathing pattern. Perplexed and outraged he grunted, "I don't get it Hange! Why aren't you upset with me? Like you said I just did something that was monumentally stupid. What's the deal here!?"

Hange shrugged and waved her hand dismissively, "We'll worry about all that crap later and there is no deal; I'm just beaming with pride after seeing you take such a strong stance for your companions!"

Casey eyed her strangely, "Are you screwing with me?"

"No, you really did a good thing today," she exclaimed with her hands on her hips. "Not only was your speech coercive enough to boost the morale of your comrades, but it also reached the citizens and made them understand what we go through for the sake of mankind. You're the first person to ever do something that crazy. To be frank, I always thought Eren would be the first one to crack and attack a civilian."

"Hey!" Eren shouted. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're a reckless moron," Levi dully answered.

"Hey at least I don't need a step stool to make out with my wife you midget!" Though I tried, I couldn't help but snicker at the short joke. However when I felt Levi's cold gaze on my form I immediately lost my sense of humor.

Casey's Jade orbs popped for a brief moment before returning to their usual intimidating form. He smirked, "So you're proud that I almost killed someone?"

Hange shook her head, "No, I'm proud of you for displaying such righteous conviction. I never would have expected something like that from you. Don't you think so Armin?"

I should have known she was going to put me on the spot. No big deal though, I wanted to give the kid a little praise and encouragement anyway. After thinking it over I was able to figure out why he said the things he said back there. "The commander's right Casey. You showed a lot of heart and determination. I'm not going to lie I do think you could of handled it a little better, but I also believe the public needed to see something like that. Most importantly, your actions reinforced what the survey corps embodies."

With narrowed eyes he asked me, "And what's that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I deadpanned giving him a sideway glance. "We are the anti-heroes. Though we fight for a good cause, our means aren't exactly just. You see… unlike the military police who like to broadcast all of their 'great deeds'", I made sure to use air quotes for this statement since it felt appropriate. "And are praised by the people for their service, the scouts are different. News of our exploits don't usually reach the masses, which makes it easier for us to operate in secret. From Maria to Sina we are both loved and hated, but that suits us just fine. As a matter a fact we prefer it that way because we aren't gallant soldiers. Being the piercing spear of mankind, we attack relentlessly without concern of the public's opinion. Rather we are sacrificing ourselves during expeditions or raging war with the monarchy, the legion does whatever it takes to ensure human expansion. Even if it means forfeiting our humanity in the process."

By the time I finished speaking Casey had this far off look as he observed his bandaged hand. Every few seconds he would do a squeeze and release gesture with his wounded palm.

"Oi Casey! Be careful!" Eren admonished taking notice to the kid's irresponsible activity. "Hitch won't be happy if she has to close that wound again after just giving you stiches."

"Right…" he nodded absentmindedly and stopped. "So Eren… Do you agree with Armin's depiction of the survey corps?"

The brunette scrunched his face as if he had just been asked an idiotic question. "Of course I do! There is no glamour in this job description. It's either kill or be killed, there is no in between." He finished with that chaotic simper that we had all grown accustom to when he felt energized. Stepping towards the teen, he gave him a supportive pat on the shoulder. "By the way…You really kicked ass out there Case!"

"Really? You don't think I over did it a little?

"Hell no!" Eren shouted. "Sometimes the only way to get a message across is with your fists."

"Eren, don't corrupt my child," Hange warned playfully. She shifted her gaze onto Levi who was sitting on the desk looking indifferent. "What do you think short stuff?"

"Of what?" He asked seemingly bored.

Hange scowled, "Don't play dumb with me."

Levi heaved an exasperated sigh. I can already tell where this was going. "Tch…I don't understand why you three are showering the brat with so much praise when we all know he fucked up. I'm not going to deny that he did relight a fire within the legion, especially the rookies and he even opened the eyes of some ignorant civilians. Still…"

The corporal's steeled stare landed on the boy in question. "There are implications to every crime, even its just to make a point. No matter how much we may not like it the military police will be here in a couple of days to arrest him. You know that as well as I do Hange. That's one of the things you wanted to tell him isn't it?"

The woman frowned knowing that he was right. That merchant would definitely be pressing charges as soon as he regained consciousness. Those bastards were known for holding grudges, well the corrupt ones were at least. Regardless, Casey would probably only be confined for a mere three months at best.

"Well the good news is he probably won't be behind bars for too long," I offered.

"How do you know that?" Eren asked.

"The survey corps are connected to the queen and there is a conference meeting in a few days. During that time the commander can convince the monarchy and the queen to shorten his sentence. Casey is an important asset to humanity and if he is only charged with assault than that would simplify things."

"Shit," Hange grumbled as she kicked over my chair with force. Annoyed she chewed on her lip as she started pacing back in forth contemplating her next move.

"I'll be fine Hange," the red head reassured her. "It's nothing I can't handle." He had that calm poker face the whole time we discussed him going to prison.

The scientist didn't look convinced. "Casey…"

"Come on," he smirked with an eye roll. "If I can survive training with Mikasa and Levi, the two Ackerman's from hell, then this will be a breeze. Who knows I might even make some friends in prison." He joked. The young man yawned as he pulled out his pocket watch and gave it a quick once over. "Anyways if that's all you had to talk to me about then I think I'll turn in now so you higher ups can chat, though it's not like I'll get much sleep after hearing about all of your love lives." Chuckling to himself he gave a farewell wave before exiting the room.

He was a good actor I'll give him that, but I know what really sparked that outburst back in Shiganshina. Even so, there was no reason to confront him about it now, I'd talk to him about it later once things calmed down a little.

"Okay!" Eren plopped down in Casey's seat with an annoyed scowl. "Now that the kid is gone can we get this shit over with? I want to go back to sleep already!" he barked crossing his arms.

Levi nodded, "The knucklehead is right, it's getting late Hange." The short man walked back to his spot behind the desk and leaned against the partition.

"Alright, alright. Keep your pants on," she muttered returning to her desk chair.

Now that Casey we was gone we could actually get down to business. There were certain things that weren't allowed to be talked about in front of lower ranking soldiers and it wasn't a matter of trust issues it was just military protocol. Back when we were rookies there were no such rules, but things are different for this generation. Damn, now that I look back at it we were always in the mix of things.

Nothing has really changed since then, the only difference is that our rank was higher. It goes without saying that with higher rank comes more involvement and obligation. Keeping that in mind I was starting to wonder what was so profound that it couldn't wait till later.

Hange seemed to be focused, seeing as her gaze was set on Eren and I and her lips were sealed in a thin line. She had something to say, but she appeared to be searching for the right words. As usual Levi was quiet as he stood behind his wife.

"First off, there are many things that I had wanted to discuss with you two, including jean's future and what our next moves will be. Still, I feel like most of those things can wait, so we can table those topics for another point in time." Good I was ready to call it a night and it was apparent that Eren and Levi had similar ideas. Any other time I'd be more than happy to talk with the commander about the future of the survey corps, but now all I could think about was sleep. "Since you boys will be returning to your families tomorrow and I doubt I'll have time to chat because headquarters will be hectic all day, I want to ask you guys a personal question while we are here." Now she was frowning awkwardly. "It may sound like a weird and pointless inquiry but trust me it is of the utmost importance. I hope you guys don't mind."

Feeling uncertain and confused, I looked to my best friend who was staring back at me with the same bemused face. Her behavior was really starting to bother me. If the commander needed to ask us something about our personal lives she was usually very straight forward with her approach. The only time she used any kind of subtlety was when politics were involved.

All day she had been acting so hesitant with her words and actions that my concern for her personal welfare was really starting to come into play. She was a headstrong leader so the stress of her job couldn't be affecting her to this degree. That left only one other reason…

"Nah, go ahead," Eren relaxed, but still watched her carefully. Appears he shares my concern.

"Not at all," I followed. "What's the question?" This may have been an intimate topic, yet I had this nagging suspicion that whatever this was probably pertained to that mandatory conference meeting at the capital Levi spoke of earlier. I assumed this because the Corporal's gaze turned onto me for a brief moment as he read the letter, though I don't think he knows I noticed.

Breaking eye contact with us, she started tapping her fingers on the top of her desk without a focused rhythm while humming to herself. Doing her nervous laugh, the next few words she spoke with caution.

"So…Eren…Armin…Respectively...how are your kids doing? Anything new?"

Annie's POV

"Abel," Annie called out to her son from the kitchen sink as she finished the remainder of the dirty dishes. Since her husband was gone she didn't have much to do so it was a fairly quick process. "How many times have I told you no reading during supper?"

The small boy lowered the large book slightly, his stoic blue eyes never leaving the piece of literature in his hands, "I'm not hungry."

A predictable response, the woman thought while dousing a dirty plate with soapy water before rinsing and drying the dish off. Placing the metal saucer aside and sighed as she observed her only child. He may have my awful personality, but he's has his father's ways and ideals. She often had to tell her husband the same thing when he was and that wasn't much.

Armin had introduced his son to the world of books as soon as he was capable of speaking properly which was at the young ripe age of three. He started off giving his son small picture books with very little words, once he had at out grown those, by the age of four he was reading low level fiction tales. By the time he was five, he had progressed to more advanced text, which was basic fiction for adolescence. Now that he was 7 he mostly read complex non-fiction books that had relative plot since he thought it would be more useful in the real world, instead of reading folktale's like most children his age. So it was rare for Annie to see him trying to interpret anything with illustrations.

Abel continued to read completely blocking out everything else. Before he could be further drawn in, the book was seemingly plucked from his hands. Frowning the child looked up to see his mother dangling his reading material overhead.

"You will finish your dinner now before it spoils, we don't have food to waste," Annie's face was deadpan, but the tone in her voice was stern. "After your bath you're free to read until bedtime."

Abel's shoulders slumped slightly and he sighed in defeat, "Yes ma'am." He didn't bother arguing because he knew resistance was futile. Quietly he went back to eating his chicken soup without uttering a word.

"Good," she kissed his cheek and he grimaced at his mother's sign of affection, which put a smile on her face. He always acted like he hated her hugs and kisses, but she knew he secretly enjoyed the attention.

Annie walked over to the bookshelf to put it back when she noticed the picture and title on the cover. "The Origin of Titans" she mumbled to herself. On the cover page was a picture of a poorly drawn giant lifting a human to its mouth. The woman's gaze wondered over to her son who was finishing up his meal.

What the hell… she had remembered seeing this book during her days at the academy. Where she first started developing feelings for Armin. Curiously she flipped through pages to see the periodical notes and illustrations. This book is different from the one from the academy, it has new information.

"Abel…where did you get this book from?" she already having a nagging suspicion yet she wanted to be certain.

The child answered the question only once he swallowed the bread in his mouth because he was taught not to talk with a mouthful of food. "Dad's attic. I found it in the top compartments of his desk."

Annie's eye's widened in disbelief, "But how did you get in there? Your father always keeps it locked and I'm the only one who-

Damn it! She cursed. Now she remembered her mistake. When they had gotten home earlier after that skirmish in the middle of the town she had went up to the attic to clean. She knew her husband was coming home the next day so she wanted his work area to be spruced up and ready upon his return. Though she was tired, Annie didn't bother sitting down when they got home, as soon as they stepped in the door she kicked off her shoes, grabbed some cleaning materials and headed for the loft.

The petite housewife spent a whole hour dusting, cleaning, and reorganizing the large space. Inside the room he kept all of his gadgets and weapon sketches.

By no means was Armin a filthy man, though he was unorganized when it came to his work place. This didn't come as a surprise to her since she was aware that most geniuses were sloppy people in general. Annie had been to Hange's office several times over the years and more than once did she walk into the room and wonder if a tornado had hit the area.

Once she had cleaned up the vast room, she fell asleep on the couch that Armin kept up there so he could take breaks in between working. Sometimes she would creep up there to keep him company and they would end up using that furniture for other activities that didn't require clothes, but that was another story.

"So you took this while I was napping?" Annie was actually surprised that he would do something so sneaky. He was an obedient boy so this type of behavior was out of the norm.

Abel's stiffened in his chair after hearing the cold tone in his mother's voice. Frowning, he turned to her and gave her nervous nod.

Annie folded her arms over her breast and leveled her son with a disapproving scowl. "Abel, you know you aren't supposed to go into the loft without permission. So why did you? Did you think it was okay because I was sleeping at the time? Most importantly what made you rummage through your father's personal belongings?" The words left her mouth in the form of a question, however it was evident to even a young child that these inquiries were actually demands with a punctuation mark attached.

"I…I was curious," he hesitantly answered. The tension he felt wouldn't allow him to face the woman and the only other place he could set his sights on were the wooden floors beneath is feet.

"Curious? About what?"

Taking a deep breath he answered, "Titans…" the adolescent gathered the courage to look at his mom. "I'm sorry mom, I never meant to disobey you."

"Titans?" Annie repeated. Well that explains why he grabbed the book and also why he was reading it so intently. What she didn't gather was what was it that sparked his interest in the first place? Abel has known about the existence of titans for a while now. He knows exactly what they are and what they do, but he never really seemed interested in man eating giants.

Until today that is…

Stepping towards her son she kneeled down so she was eye level with the stoic child. "Did that boy's speech trigger your fascination?" His guilt written face and silence was suggestive so she knew she had her answer. While he was in the wrong she couldn't stay mad at him for wanting knowledge. He is his father's son, so his curiosity is only natural, I can't be mad at him for that.

"Is what he said true mom?" Abel suddenly asked, his normally stoic blue eyes that he inherited from her were now looking peculiar. "Do people really think that dad, uncle Eren, and the rest of the scouts are wasting their time going outside the walls? Do they really hate them?"

Well that was a tough question, though it wasn't like she was unable to answer it. She just wasn't as good as explaining things as Armin. "Yes and no son."

"Huh?" Abel cocked his head to the side.

The woman sighed as she tried to elaborate. Good thing he has the intellect of a 12 year old. "Inside these walls there are people who adore and respect the survey corps for their heroism yet there are also many who see them as fools with a death wish."

"But why?"

Annie shrugged remaining stone faced, "Many nobles and wealthy merchants feel that they are wasting tax dollars on a pointless cause. For that purpose they are vocal about their dislike for scouting legion. If there no expeditions, than their money and assets would be more secure, so to speak."

"That's not only selfish but stupid…"

"Indeed it is," she nodded sadly and then pulled him into a hug.

There was a pregnant silence between parent and child, before the latter spoke up.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

Wrapping his small arms around his mother he nuzzled into her neck. "Why do soldiers glare at us whenever we leave the house? Why do they always watch us?"

That's because your mother is a monster, Annie gulped holding back her tears, it was sad but that's what she truly thought of herself.

With her murderous past, everyone in the military knew what she truly was and what she had done and after that incident two years ago she was sure that there were a small number of civilians who also knew of her identity. Nonetheless, she couldn't let Abel know the truth until he was older.

"Let's just say I did some bad things in my past. Some things that I am not so proud of," Annie simply remarked gently as she stroked his back. Ending the embrace, she pulled back. "You're smart boy, but at your age there are still things that I can't quite explain yet. Once you become a man I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"I understand."

"I'm glad," she patted his mop like hair and ascended to her feet. "Now that you're done eating it's time for your bath."

"What about the book?" he asked.

Annie smirked placing the piece of literature under her arms, "I honestly don't want you reading this crap at all," she remarked with obvious distaste. Grabbing the used bowls and silverware she walked to the sink to finish up. "No matter how mature, you're far too young to be learning about such grotesque creatures." It can compromise your innocence.

"Okay," Abel frowned dejectedly.

Hopping off the chair, he headed for the stairs to bathe.

"However…"

Halting half way up the steps, he turned to look down at his mother who had his back to him.

"Your father will be home tomorrow evening, maybe he can tell you a little about the survey corps. Perhaps if you can come clean about going through his personal belongings I can persuade him into letting you watch him work."

"Really? How long do you think he'll stay this time?" Annie didn't need eyes in the back of her head to know that he was feeling a bit excited.

"I'd say a month." The blonde woman droned as she too was trying to hide her delight. This was the longest vacation he had gotten in years. The amount of time he spent away from home made her yearn for his touch. If he wasn't out risking his life on expeditions he was at the survey corps headquarters. "So are you happy?"

"Yes," Abel smiled mischievously as he stood atilt over the rail. "And I know you're too because you always sleep better whenever dad is home."

She quickly twisted around to chide him, only to see he had already scampered up the staircase. Sighing she shook her head with an amused grin, that kid is something else.

After drying off a wet dish, she deposited the plate on a cloth with the rest. For a while she just stood there contemplating over the day ahead. Pictures of a handsome face, a broad grin, and deep blue eyes entered her mind. She really did miss him.

Suddenly she felt a pang in her chest and it became harder for her emit air into her lungs. Hunching over the counter she tried to rain in her breathing as her thoughts threatened to overwhelm her being. Pressing her behind against the sideboards she took deep and steady breaths to calm her anxiety. With a hand over her heart, her eyes drifted to a family portrait that was placed on a shelf near the door.

Annie was lying in a cot looking exhausted yet content as her husband held a new born Abel who was wrapped in a sky blue bundle. The way he gazed down at their child like he was the most precious thing in the world brought her so much joy. Walking over to the shelf she picked up the picture frame and looked upon it with an affectionate smile.

Armin…

To be continued…

Sorry for such an excessively long chapter. I had to add some mother son feels to pull at the heart strings. The next chapter there will be plenty or aruani and maybe some eremika, but I was thinking of giving these two couples their own chapters, so will see. I hoped it was to your liking, like I said I feel like this chapter could have been better. I probably could have covered more ground and kept the chapter at 8,000 words if I was less descriptive. I also apologize for any punctual errors in advance, I'll be sure to re-edit this in the future.

I do have a couple questions for you readers.

1. Do you guys prefer the character's POV's to be in first person or third? Armin is the main character so he is automatically written in first person, but I want to leave the others up to you. I wrote Annie in third person in this chapter as a trial run because I wasn't sure if I can portray a woman correctly. Eren and Mikasa will also have a point of view chapters in the future so let me know which you prefer in a review or a pm.

2. Lemons? I'm sure most of you love them because I know I do, but I thought I'd ask for your personal opinions before putting one into the story.

Please leave your choice in the review and that is all!

Toto out (;