We sat in silence for the entire journey back to HQ. Mike and Erwin took one carriage with Levi, whilst Hanji, Moblit, Dita and I took the other with the two thugs we had learnt were called Isabel and Farlan. It was a long, tiring journey. We couldn't mindlessly drift into a daydream with two thieves sat amongst us.

When we got back, Gunther and Aurou were stood in the courtyard awaiting our return. As soon as I jumped out of the carriage, I went flying towards them, embracing them in the tightest hug I'd ever given.

"I told you I'd be fine", I whispered into Gunther's ear, as he playfully pushed me away and raised his eyebrows at me.

"I'm still allowed to have worried."

Aurou opened his mouth to speak, but as soon as he did, closed it again, staring into the distance behind me. I spun around to see Mike and Erwin escorting Levi into the building, his hands still chained behind his back. Mike and Erwin marched forward, not even acknowledging the three of us. As Levi was forced inside, his eyes met mine, but I was unable to read them. His gaze never broke from mine as they pushed him through the large wooden doors. Gunther stepped back, confused.

"Who the hell was that?" he whispered quickly, as if he knew something was off.

"That...that's the man we had to find...he's joining the Survey Corps..." I whispered back.

"Are you being fucking serious? I thought he'd be the Military Police's problem, I'm sure as hell not comfortable with some Underground freak behind around!"

He looked up behind me, and his face dropped completely.

"You've got to be shitting me."

Isabel and Farlan were being dragged in by Hanji and Moblit, but they were different. Hanji gave a sympathetic look towards Aurou and Gunther, whilst Isabel and Farlan stared at the ground, defeated. It led me back to my thoughts that the only person who really knew what was going on, was Erwin himself. Then again, I wasn't sure even he knew what he was doing.

"What's going on, Petra?" Aurou asked.

"To be honest..I don't even know. Erwin changed the plan last minute, then he basically decided he wasn't giving them to the Military Police...I don't even know, Aurou."

I could see the anger on Gunther's face rising out of the corner of my eye as I spoke.

"Erwin did what? Were you okay? Were you hurt? How can he do that on your first mission?"

I couldn't look at Gunther. I did end up getting hurt, I don't know how long I had blacked out for, but someone had hurt me somehow. I looked at my shoes and closed my eyes. I didn't want Gunther to know, but I couldn't lie. I'd always been a terrible liar when it comes down to things that really happened. I could hide my emotions when I wanted to, but I couldn't ever fully lie.

"Petra? Goddamn Petra, what happened? You were hurt, weren't you? Did you go along with it? Fuck, you just can't say no to him can you!

Aurou suddenly furrowed his brow and his eyes darted between me and Gunther.

"Say no to who?"

I stared at Gunther, hurt and betrayed. Accident or not, it hurt me too much that Gunther would even touch on the subject of me and Erwin when Aurou was around. It hurt me more that he thought it was that simple. I didn't even look at Aurou as I pushed past the two of them and stormed into the kitchen. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes as I thought about how much everything had changed so quickly. Things were constantly changing, too fast for me to keep up with. It was like I couldn't settle for five minutes.

The tears fell down my cheeks and I froze as I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me.

"Are you everywhere that I fucking go?"

I span around, quickly wiping the drops from my cheeks. Levi leant against the door frame, his cool composure not reflecting that of either a thug, nor a man that had been beaten and forced to come here.

"Well?" he asked, staring at me with grey eyes that penetrated right through me.

"I...I'm going." I muttered, grabbing a sandwich from the side and trying to walk as quickly as I could past him. He threw his arm in front of me, blocking the doorway so I couldn't get out.

"What's your name?" Levi asked.

"P...Petra."

He leant in closer to me, his face inches from mine.

"Did I hurt you?" he whispered, his deep voice drowning my thoughts.

"N-No, I'm fine."

"Good. Because if you - Petra - are an example of what I should expect from the Survey Corps, I'll have done my job here in no time."

"I'm new..." I whispered, "That was my first mission."

"Tch. That explains it then. How do you like being an almighty Survey Corps soldier?" he said, his tone sarcastic and dry.

"I like it. I'm...I'm enjoying it here."

"I don't blame you. It's damn better than the Underground. I look out my window here and see flowers, sunlight, people moving freely in their own environment. You have true bliss here...in ways."

I looked up at him, my eyes widening. I didn't expect a man who could drive such fear through my heart to be able to say such things about how beautiful the world is. I thought about how I felt when I was in the Underground. 'How were people not saved from this hell?" Levi must have lived like that for his entire life. Only the rich were able to leave the Underground and get citizenship. Our eyes met, and I found myself searching for something, something to show me that he wasn't just a cold-hearted bully. Something that could be saved. But there was nothing. As soon as he realised, his brow furrowed, and he leant back from me.

"So what about your Commander? Erwin, was it? You don't think there's something strange with him? I could tell as soon as he invited me here. A newbie like you should be able to tell right away. Damn minions have to much respect for someone, even when they're fucking crazy. That's what he has. Fucking minions."

I was speechless. Levi was right. I knew something wasn't right, but I didn't want to admit that. I should trust Erwin, just like everyone on his team does. It had been on my mind all day, but telling a dangerous man that I agree with his theory that my Commander might be doing something suspicious? That wasn't something I was going to do.

"I...I like the Commander. I think...I think I should trust him." I said, my voice cracking. It wasn't a lie..but I wasn't telling the complete truth either. Levi saw right through that.

"You're a terrible liar." Levi's spare hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me with a jolt towards him.

"Something isn't right, and you know it. I'm not the one you should be scared of, brat. You really think I'd agree to join the Survey Corps if I didn't have a motivation too? He's up to something and I'm sure as hell going to play my part in it too. You'd be wise to take the right side."

With that, his arm that was blocking me dropped to his side, and I stood there for a moment, staring at him, trying to comprehend what Levi was saying. It wasn't until he pushed me out the doorway himself that I realised. I stumbled forward, trying to take one look over my shoulder at him, but he had already closed the door behind him. My thoughts were a whirlwind in my head, and I knew there was one person who could help me.

I ran upstairs to Gunther's room, frantically banging on his door. When he opened, his face collapsed in front of me.

"Petra, I'm so sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to-"

I flung my arms around him to break him off, him wrapping them around me.

"It's fine, Gunther. I know you didn't mean to, I just...it's been a long few days. I just...I want to know, what is it about Erwin that you don't like?"

"Oh god. Well...at first, I just didn't think it was appropriate, or even real. I'll be honest, I thought it was just some fantasy you had." Gunther said, letting out a chuckle, before his tone turned serious.

"But it was real, and he made you cry, Petra. You're my best friend and he made you cry. He was your first kiss, and he made you fucking cry. You don't deserve that. I thought he was up to something from the very beginning and I stand by that now. I just...I really don't trust him, Petra. He hurt you, and he's sly, really sly, and I don't trust him."

"Do you think he's up to something now? Honestly? Or were you just saying that to scare me?"

Gunther let out a sigh and sat down on his bed.

"I don't know Petra. At first, honestly? Yes, I was just trying to scare you. Maybe I was even a little jealous that you got to go on the mission. But now? Now I'm happy I wasn't chosen. Again, he hurt you. I don't know if my mind is all over the place because of that, or because I genuinely have a voice at the back of my head telling me that something's not right. Like an intuition. Like something with this just can't be right, because it doesn't fit, y'know. Why? Why do you suddenly care?"

As I stared at him, focusing on his every word, I knew what I had to do. Gunther was right. It was only too obvious that Erwin had me in his plan from the beginning, to use me as some kind of vulnerable bait who would do anything he said. I thought I should have listened to Gunther, and now I knew for sure. I stood up and ran out of Gunther's room, ignoring him shouting my name down the corridor after me. I barged into the kitchen, to find Levi was still there, sat with a glass of whiskey in his hands. As I slammed the door behind me, he stood up, slowly walking towards me.

"I...I think you're right." I whispered to Levi.

"And?"

"I'm taking the right side. I'm taking your side."

I looked up at him, my eyes wide with fear and hope as Levi slowly walked up to me, a small smirk on the corner of his lip as he raised his glass.

"Cheers to that."