So what up everyone! I know it is not Saturday but I had finished actually the day after I wrote the last chapter and I couldn't wait any longer! So no more posting on Saturdays I can't wait that long xD. But in this chapter there's a little 'date.' The only reason I call it a 'date' is well...you'll see. Thank you to: vivvy09, and ElucidatorHJ for Favoriting and Following. Thank you all for staying with me so far. I will be rewritting the first few chapters as time goes on but please enjoy this one as I finish the next chapter. 3 Have a wonderful fantabulous day today/tomorrow!

~Amaya

Last time on Street Rats

"Excuse me darlings? I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Do you need help finding someone?" The old woman spoke her voice delicate and light. When she saw the boys face she seemed to light up a little. "Oh Mr. Rivaille! It's just you I wasn't told you would be coming today."

"I would have thought my commander would've told you but I guess he didn't Mrs. Lockheart." At that last name Alice froze.Lockheart...Mom?

The older woman looked over at me looking me once over.

"What's your name? Your such a cutie pie. Is she your girlfriend Mr. Rivaille?" The old woman looked at both of us, motioning to get our horses walking to lead us to her house, we did just that.

"Oh uh my name..." Alice quickly thought of some names, "Melody, Melody Peterson and uh I'm not his girlfriend just a childhood friend." Her voice didn't waver as she watched her 'mother' walk ahead of them, leading them to their destination.

"Oh I see. Well it's nice to meet you Ms. Peterson. Your such a beautiful young girl. You remind me a lot of my daughter, thought I haven't seen her in a little over two decades." The old woman's voice seemed sad and longing, almost as if regretting something. With that Alice saw Levi look sideways at her. He opened his lips to say something.

"What happened to her? If you don't mind me asking, seeing as how old you are your daughter is probably around our age. Almost in her 30's now." Levi spoke his body movements moved with the horse's movements.

"She ran away with someone when she was very young. We searched for her but never found her." The two young adults didn't say anything and allowed silence to overtake their conversation. Birds chirped along with the sound of leaves crunching under the horses hooves. Heavy breathing escaped the horses chest from the hour long ride. Leaves fell from the trees dancing along with the small wind. It was around two in the afternoon and the sky was cloud free, the sun just a little bit away from the middle of the sky. The ride wasn't very long before they reached a small house in the middle of town. It was plain and ordinary just like every other little house next to it. Alice and Levi hopped off of their horses. Levi handed his horse to Alice.

"Tie them up. Then meet me inside." She nodded and looked around for a spot to tie the two horses up. While Mrs. Lockheart brought Levi inside offering him tea which he gladly accepted. After about 5 minutes of searching for a spot she finally found one tying each horse up.

"Alright! That should do it. Now you two stay here and...Hey! Ow!" As Alice began walking away her horse grabbed onto her braid pulling her back. "Let go of me! Landon let go!" The more she tried wiggling out of the horses grip the tighter he pulled. From inside the house the woman and Levi had heard the commotion and looked out the window. Mrs. Lockheart laughed at Alice watching her finally break free of the horses grip.

"Stupid girl." Levi mumbled under his breathe as he stood there in the window, watching her some back towards the house, his tea cup in his hand. As soon as Alice came into the house he gave his tea cup to her. "Relax, it happens."

"I know it does." Alice sighed in defeat taking a sip of the tea. Mrs. Lockheart getting a second cup to replace Levi's.

"I'll go and get my husband. You two sit down and make yourselves comfortable." As she left the room Alice and Levi sat down on one of the two small couches they had.

"Why do you think Commander Irvin sent me here?" Alice said softly leaning forward staring blankly into her tea. Her pointer finger rubbing the side of the cup enjoying the warmth the cup radiated, elbows resting softly on her knees.

"Maybe he wanted to show you they were all right." Levi responded not really knowing why and not really knowing what to say or respond.

"Or maybe he wanted to show me...never mind." She sucked back her words and sat back on the couch trying to sink into it. Levi watched her as she did so concern slightly hinted in his eyes, seeing her not being her peppy self. After she sank back into the couch Mrs. Lockheart came back the old man Alice knew well followed her. A package in his hand, which he threw down in Levi's lap. The package was thick and looked like papers were in it. The man was small yet large at the same time; crimson eyes lay in his head, black-white hair laid upon his head slick and smooth. A large fresh wound ran across his right cheek as if his face had been cut open by something. The stitching was neat and looked like it had been done professionally by a doctor. A scruffy beard-mustache combo gave an old man look to his face.

"I think that's all that your Commander asked me for this the last time he came by." Mr. Lockheart looked over at Levi his eyes scanning him. "Where's my package?" The old man questioned as Levi stood the one package he retrieved in his left hand. He pulled another package out of his jacket with his right it was small compared to the one that Levi received. This one also had paper in it.

"Information for information like always." Levi mumbled. After receiving his small package he smiled content until his eyes landed on Alice.

"I've never seen you before here. What's your name?"

"Melody Peterson sir." Alice formally said, before taking a small sip of her tea. After she said that the man shoved his face into hers examining her facial features.

"You don't look like a Melody." Alice sat there still just staring at him with her one eye. They stayed like that before Levi coughed and stepped in between them.

"Well I'm sorry sure but I am Melody. That's my given name." She growled slightly, sitting up now with her face in his.

"You sure look very familiar...have you come here before or somthin'? Ir maybe I've seen you somewhere?" He questioned still examining her.

"No I'm sorry I'm just a new recruit. Corporal Rivialle over here is just showing me the things I need to know, for now."

"You don't say...I could'a sworn that I've seen you before." The man thought.

"You said that the day you met me. Maybe your just getting old." Levi pitched in a careless look on his face like always. His tea cup empty on the table, Mrs. Lockheart filling it up. Mr. Lockheart leaning back out of Alice's face now glaring over at Levi.

"Hey! I am not getting old!" He snapped.

"Says the man with white hair and a nasty beard." Levi quickly came back. The old man sucking back. Puffing out his chest, trying to look bigger then he already was. His face growing red from slight anger. Alice and Mrs. Lockheart watched them both laughing lightly. The two men went at it and Alice, not wanting to be in the middle of their half-heated argument, got up and walked over to Mrs. Lockheart.

"Those two look just like when you two were fighting earlier. You were the only one who actually cared about the conversation." Mrs. Lockheart sighed a smile plastered onto her face.

"That's how it normally is with him. He look like he doesn't care about anything but, he does. His heart isn't cold like every one thinks it's kind, just some people seem to over look that." Alice said smiling watching Levi ignore the older man looking away as the man threw a hissy-fit in front of him.

"I can see that in him. He tries hard to hide it but I see it when he's with you his guard goes down. You two must have a pretty strong relationship." Alice nodded at her comment.

"I guess it is." Alice watched as Levi got irritated by the man standing in front of him, getting up making his way over to Alice.

"I think it would be best if we left. Come on Melody." Levi put emphases on her fake name as he grabbed her gently by the arm dragging her along with him to the door. Both of them placing their tea cups on the table quickly. Once out the door Mr. Lockheart sat down on the couch were they had been.

"What type of information did you request this time for your work?" Mrs. Lockheart asked coming out of the kitchen, after putting the two tea cups away from their visitors.

"I requested information about the whereabouts of our daughter and the street rat she helped as a child and who that boy was." He stated his fingers tracing the small bow of rope that held the package together. Pulling the rope, the wrapping came off revealing the papers and photos that were in it. The files of Alice and Levi were in there.

"Wait a second...Is that Melody and Levi...?" The old woman asked looking at the photos. She gasped looking through the prison photos and the experimental photos that were taken of Alice. Tears pricked her eyes, walking away quickly to the window to look for them and they were gone. Tears were falling silently down her face and quiet sobs erupted from her. Her hand clamping over her mouth. The man sat there silently in shock staring at the photos and files he held in his hand.

Once Alice and Levi got out of the house they quickly, made it to their horses. They mounted onto them after they had untied them. Quickly took off, knowing they had a long ride ahead of them. Even though it didn't feel like it, they spent about an hour and a half over at the Lockheart's house. Now had a hour ride home. Half-way through the ride as it started to get dark, they stopped in a small town to get the horses water and to let them rest a little. By this time it was around 5 in the afternoon and the sky had turned to dusk. The northern star barley noticeable in the still some what lit sky.

"Why don't we go and get something to eat while they rest?" Levi suggested as they tied the horses up. "It'll be my treat."

"I think that's a good idea. Thank you." Alice smiled and Levi just rolled his eyes as they left their horses, walking down the streets together. Not that far from were they tied their horses they found a small restaurant. The waiter seated them down by a window at the window they had a perfect view of their horses. The restaurant wasn't much it was lively with young people and seemed to be the hang out spot for most of the townsfolk's. People hung out drinking and cheering at the bar while others sat at the simple wooden tables eating food with others. Alice sat on the side were her good eye was facing the window while Levi was on the opposite side of the table from her.

"Levi." Alice said looking down at the table, focusing on a dark swirl in the woord. Her eyes not moving from the position she had them in as he looked up at her making a slight huh noise.

"The other night back in the hospital...You and Irvin were talking about this...uh deal. I want to know what you two made the deal about!" She said her eye now on him now. Her golden eyes set and determined to find out what it was though her eye were clouded with something Levi couldn't figure out. Levi let out a sigh.

"It's nothing that big you don't need to worry about it. It's my problem if anything." Levi said as he crossed his legs looking at the small menu the place had. Alice filled her cheeks with air puffing them out a little mad. She crossed her arms then sighed.

"I feel like in the past week when ever I bring this up you always seem to try and dodge the conversation." Alice complained slightly.

"Well like I said it's nothing you really needed to know. Do you trust me?" He questioned her eying her.

"Of course I trust you but-" Alice said as she was cut off by him.

"Then please...just trust me on this one." He looked at her his eyes sincere and his body language told her to do just that. To trust him.

"Alright I will." She gave a small smile towards him and he gave one of his rare smiles back. "But do you think that one day you'll tell me."

"Of course I will." He said simply she looked down at the menu. Not long after the waitress came and took their order.
"Now that you've asked me a question. I would like to ask you one as well." His face become a lot more serious then it normally is.

"What is it?"

"I want to know...What did they do to you in the experimentation lab? Its fine if you don't answer...but I would like to know."

"I'll tell you later...once we get back. Is that okay?" Alice said playing with the straps on her pants for the maneuver gear.

"Yeah that's fine." They sat there for a little in the silence looking at the horses as they drank they ate some hay one town resident had brought them. Kids that were out with their parents took a second and just stopped looking at the two horses. The kids would break free of their parents grip, running up to the huge creatures in awe. Some would even come back with some carrots or apples to feed them. At one point Landon grabbed a kid by his shirt, bringing him off the ground. The kid had then slipped out of his shirt and ran to his parents, who got the shirt back. They didn't even notice but while they were watching the kids have fun around their horses, their food came and sat waiting in front of them. Levi pointed it out about a few minutes after the food arrived. The two ate in silence listening to the loud people around them talk about their various issues or talk about them.

"Wow that girl over there is really pretty. Do you think if I ask her out I would have a shot?" One man said his friend laughed.

"No way man! She's with a guy here and...wait it looks like she's with the Scouting Legion!"

"Really no way! And the guy shes with...black hair, blue eyes, short...Do you think he's the newly appointed Corporal! He's a lot cutter then I've heard!" A girl this time spoke. All eyes in the place seemed to be on them.

"If that girls with him she must be high up! Or their dating!"

"Alice! Levi! Found you!" A voice pierced through the rest of the crowd. Every one in the bar got quiet as someone approached their table. "So this is were you two were. Commander Irvin was wondering what could have taken you so long. I've checked every town and once I saw your horses I knew you were here." Alice and Levi looked up to see Hanji standing in front of their table. Alice jumped a little in surprise coughing on the food that was in her throat. "Would you mind if I join you two?" They both shook their heads and she sat down with them picking off of Alice's plate. "So how long were you guys over at the info guys house?"

"About an hour." Alice said finishing up allowing Hanji to eat what she didn't. Levi took care of the bill, while Hanji asked Alice about what she thought about the information guy.

"Wow...Do you really think they might be your parents?" Alice nodded as the three of them headed out of the restaurant. Levi following behind the two girls, bored.

"I think they might be...they look like them and they have the same last name but, they told us their daughter ran away. We also know that shes around our age so...maybe they are my parents." Alice said as she made her way to the two now three horses.

"I don't think that really matters they could be lying to you about their daughter running away." They each mounted onto their horses and people watched them as they moved out of the town and headed to their base. Kids waved goodbye to the soldiers, some even screamed. "Bye horsey's!" Hanji and Alice laughed and waved back to the kids. Levi looked annoyed while he rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth. Once they left the town they made their way back. The trip was silent all except for a few conversations here and there about the oddest of things. When they got back to base it was around 7. By then night had fallen and taken over the sky. The moon was in its crest form shinning above the star less sky but full of white clouds that glowed from the moons gray rays, illuminating the night. The base quiet and peaceful. Owls could be heard hooting in the trees above. Irvin immediately came out, greeting them. The three soldiers dismounted leaves crunching underneath their feet. Levi gave Irvin the package of information he had wanted.

"Thank you. I trust everything went smoothly, did it not?" Irvin asked.

"Yes everything did. I'm sorry we got back later then expected we let the horses have a small break." Levi responded as he walked to his horses stall.

"I see well great job. I'll see you all in the morning." With that the Commander left the three alone. The sky was dark and candles illuminated the walk paths and stall doors. Each soldier took their horse in and cleaned them up before heading to their dorms. Alice was the last one out, taking her time with grooming her horse in the beautiful night air. As Alice walked back to her dorm room she was grabbed by the wrist and turned around quickly. Levi stood their gripping her wrist.

"I think it's about time for you to answer the question I asked you earlier."

So next chapter you guys all get to hear about the experimental lab! Yay! I'm actually almost done with the chapter so I'll post it when I'm done. Thank you all for reading! Favorite, Follow, Review, Read! See you all next time! Love you all! 3

~Amaya