Wooo, a new chapter! This one turned out rather short since I was kinda struggling with not wanting to put too much in it. The end turned out to be crap, I somehow couldn't write the police scene well but oh well, practice makes perfect... I hope you still like it :3

Eren groaned, his eyes slowly fluttering open. For some reason his head hurt and he felt somewhat numb. But whatever the reason was, he could not remember. With another groan he looked around, slowly regaining his focus and realizing where he was.

Why was he in the nurse's office? Had something happened? He could not help searching for someone in the room, a small smile settling onto his features when he saw a blonde teen, just a bit older than him.
"Thomas?" He mumbled, slowly moving into a sitting position, feeling his head spin at the sudden movement. What the hell had happened?

"Oh, hey Eren," was the quick reply as he spun around, looking as if he had been caught doing something illegal. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?" He moved closer, stopping beside the bed the brunet was placed on, smiling down at him. "You didn't look well when I found you. I actually even had to carry you back here because you passed out. Did something happen?"

Realization hit Eren, making him want to throw up. Armin. That's what happened. His best friend and brother, the one person he trusted most and relied on was gone. And there was no trace of where he went. "A-Armin… H-He's gone. Armin is gone. He's gone!" He didn't know why he started to shout at Thomas, after all it was not his fault, but he couldn't help it. It hurt knowing that he was completely powerless right now.

Thomas scratched the back of his neck, putting the other hand on Eren's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fi-" he was cut short by the smaller one who pushed him away, glaring daggers at him.
"Don't touch me!"
"Calm down, Eren, this isn't helping anyone." He felt his eyes narrow, once again hating how impulsive the other was.
"I will calm down when I want to! How can you know he's fine if you aren't the one having taken him? Tell me!" Eren now got up; stumbling slightly as he started closing in on Thomas, not caring the he was both older and bigger. "Tell me!" he yelled at him, looking as if he were willing to kill him on the spot.

Thomas raised his hands in defense, looking somewhat scared by Eren's outburst. "I don't know, alright? I just wanted to calm you down. You seemed like you were going to break down again!" He backed away a bit, trying to not lose his focus on the brunet as he did not want to be attacked for caring.

Eren groaned as he sat down again, starting to cry now. "Why would someone do that? Armin never hurt anyone! Why would kidnap someone like him? What monster does such a thing?!" Thomas was beside him again, this time only holding out his hand with the pills that should help him.

"I don't know. But if you go to the police I'm sure you will find him. He will definitely return home safely." Eren nodded slightly, taking the pills and swallowing them dry. He didn't want to have to go to the police. He wanted his brother to be returned to him. Safe and without any injuries or anything. "So try to stay calm. If you break down again it won't help him."

It took Eren all he had to nod and not scream out. Instead he just sat on the floor and curled up, crying silently as he could feel his panic rise to the level it always was at without Armin. How was he supposed to remain calm in a situation like this? The only reason he had not gone crazy years ago was gone now and he didn't know where he was or if he'd ever get the blond back. Why did it hurt so much more than knowing he lost his parents? They were dead; Armin was hopefully alive but it still felt like his heart was being ripped into shreds by some creature.

"I-I'm going to take his stuff home… If anyone asks… I had to leave… D-Did you bring them here?" His head raised again, tears being wiped from his cheeks as he looked at Thomas, deciding he had to be strong for at least some hours until he had contacted the police and they were looking for his best friend.

"Yes, they are next to yours. Don't worry, you'll find him, I'm sure."
"I'm just scared something might happen to him. He never hurt anyone so why would they choose him? He's as innocent as a little newborn child!"
"I don't know. But it happened and now it doesn't help him to sit around like this. Go get the police. They'll find him in no time."

Eren soon was up again, now determined to get Armin back before he had another attack. He could deal with this. He had to. He had to be strong for Armin and he could not afford failing. "I'll be going home now. I need to put everything away and then I'll head for the police. Bye." Within a few seconds Eren had out on his jacket and collected both bags and everything that fell out and was out of the door, leaving a startled Thomas behind as he rushed out of the school building, not caring about anyone who might try to talk to him.

A few teachers tried to stop him but he even went as far as to punch one of them when he wouldn't back off. Like hell he cared about school and teachers right now. He was fighting panic attacks that were more than enough to have to deal with in addition to Armin being gone. With a heavy sight he left the building, not daring to look at the place where he had found the other's belongings in fear it would make him collapse again. He had to be strong and focus only on his goal. Home and then the police. That's what he was going to do now.

Eren did not know how he did it but he arrived at home no fifteen minutes later. Normally it took him about half an hour but in his panicked state he walked a lot faster and soon was unlocking the door. His hands were shaking as he held the keys tightly, feeling them slip from his hands and clatter to the ground, making him wince at the noise that was disturbing the silence in the street. He couldn't even hear birds sing right now, it was as if the world knew what was wrong and went silent in order to torture him even more. After a few minutes of fidgeting he finally got the door opened.

He entered the small house, quickly closing the door behind him, looking around for a sign of Armin's grandfather. He sighed in relieve when he did not see him but instead found a note. Everything he carried quickly was dropped as he picked it up.

I went shopping.

So he was alone at home right now, the note most likely having been for Armin as he usually returned home a little earlier since he took the bus while Eren would walk or run. These five minutes between them arriving at home were the longest time they normally were separated and by the time he would get home, Eren usually was already shaking with fear of losing his only support and clung to Armin as if clinging to dear life. It was painful to imagine even spending a day without the blond but now that it happened, he felt even worse.

Eren picked up a pen that lay beside the note, not sure what he should write. Should he tell the old man? Or would it be too much of a strain for him and his heart if he did? Finally, he decided he could not keep it a secret. In a rather ugly handwriting he wrote his own part to the note.

I'm at the police station. Armin disappeared.

He looked at it, shaking his head. No, this wasn't right. Something didn't fit in with it. If Armin had disappeared that would mean he could also have left of his own free will but Eren knew better than to believe that. Armin would never leave him like this. He knew how dependent he was and he'd stay with him until he was able to let go.

Armin's been kidnapped.

Tears were now running down his cheeks as he looked at the small note, crumpling it in his hand. Why did this have to happen? Why Armin? Why not him? Sobs were heaving his chest as Eren told himself to calm down. He had to stay calm and get to the police. Armin needed him. He could not fail him because he was getting scared again.

With one last look back he grabbed only his phone and stormed out, not even taking his keys as he started running, heading directly to the closest police station. He most likely would have been faster on bus but he could not wait that long. He needed to move or the feeling of his chest being squeezed would only grow worse with every seconds passing by. If he was not moving, panic had a much tighter grip on him. Like this, with him running although he was out of breath and his body was starting to ache already, the distance being more than he was used to, he could feel himself get distracted. He managed to calm down enough to think clearly again, even if only for a few seconds before his mind would go blank again.

It was before he knew it that he saw the sign, running towards it. He stormed inside, the policemen looking somewhat startled by the entrance of the sweating, panting and shaking young boy.

"I-I need help. My adoptive brother. He was kidnapped." Eren didn't even care to wait until someone talking to him; instead he just spoke unasked, immediately telling why he was there. A man looked at him somewhat pissed off as he walked up to the counter where the brunet was standing, clinging to it to not collapse. It had been a bit much but he needed it. If his body hurt, his mind would hurt less.

The man looked at him, ruffling his somewhat long hair for a second before looking at Eren, his eyes slightly lidded, clearly showing that he did not care at all. "Calm down for now. And the move over there to my colleagues, respectless brat." He moved away again, going back to work as a younger man came over, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry, Ian always is a little mean to everyone who doesn't have a nice cleavage if he didn't get enough sleep… Now come one, sit down and tell us everything that happened. We need some information too so we can go look for him. Did something happen to you?" He carefully placed a hand on his shoulder, making Eren look up at those soft eyes, feeling like he could accept him as a way to calm down for now. His gaze, even if his eyes were completely different from his blue ones, was just as soft as Armin's and he also seemed rather worried.

Eren sighed as he let himself be lead to a desk, sitting down opposite the man as someone else joined them. The man who just joined them looked at Eren, "Well, tell us what happened."

Eren didn't need to be told this twice. He sighed, taking a deep breath. "My best friend and adoptive brother –he's both to me- disappeared suddenly. I-I always have panic attacks when he isn't there for some time so I know he didn't run away. He never would. We were at school, he said he needed to use the toilet but didn't return so I went to look for him. I-I went to look for him. Outside our school building I found his bag and belongings. Everything was there but he was gone."

The younger of the man smiled slightly, softly putting a hand on Eren's. "Did you move the bag and things or are they still where you found them?"
"I-I took them home with me because I needed something to hold on to. I nearly had a nervous breakdown at school." Eren looked down, feeling his heartbeat slow down a little at the touch. "Should I have left them?"
"It's fine, no big deal. We can find him like this too. As long as there was no blood, it should be fine."

Eren nodded, still looking down. He was so dumb; he should not have picked the bag up at all. He should have left it there.
"I'm sorry."

The man shook his head. "Could you describe your fri-" He was cut off by the other man speaking up, looking somewhat pissed.

"What's his name? Your friend's I mean."

Eren needed a few seconds, feeling himself be thrown into a state of panic again by these harsh words. "A-Armin. Armin Arlert."

The younger man nodded, about to write it down when he was stopped by the other. "We can't do anything for you. You moved the only evidence and he hasn't been missing for 48 hours yet. Most likely he just took off for a day so he could get a break from you. Go home."

Eren sat there, his chest heaving as he pulled back, nearly jumping up. They couldn't help?! Just a moment ago they could help! This couldn't be true! They were supposed to help those in need of help! How could they just say no?

"Hey, Nile-"
"Shut up, I'm out of here. That brat can come again once 48 hours have passed, maybe we can do more then," he said as he got up, turning around and just walked off.

Eren glared at the man's retreating back, unable to form words. He looked back at the other when he spoke again, wondering what he still wanted from him.

"I'm sorry I can't do anything. He's my superior. But if you get anything new, you can call me. I'll make sure this is made urgent, alright? So stay calm, go home and look through his stuff carefully. If you find anything there, bring it here. Just try not to touch it without gloves, alright?" Eren couldn't help nodding. This man was trying to help him although he was told not to. How could he thank him?

"Here. My card." He handed the boy the small card, crossing out the number on it and putting his private one on it.

Marco Bodt it read is slim, elegant letters. It was nothing like he expected from a police officer.
Eren stared at it for a few seconds before he started moving, not noticing the way he was being watched as he left, putting the card in one of his jacket's pockets.

It took him a moment to realize there was something else in there. A small piece of paper he did not know where it came from. He stood outside the police station, staring at the neat handwriting on the paper.

The police won't help; they are paid to keep quiet. Come to club Recon at 8pm. Ask for Levi.

Eren felt his grip tighten on the note, crumpling it as he felt his hands form into fists, his nails cutting into his skin. If the police could not help him, he would have to do this. He didn't care what the price was as long as he got Armin back. Even if he had to do it in an illegal way. Where the note came from, he didn't know. He only knew that he'd follow the orders on it. If there was any way to get Armin back he'd do it. And if he died in the process, he'd die. But for now he had only one hope. And that was this stupid little note he was holding right now. He read it once again, hissing at the fact that he was about to most likely commit a crime. But he didn't care. He'd do anything.

Ask for Levi.

I will try to update in a week. I want to make regular updates after all. And finally there will be some Levi in it!