Chapter 3

*flashback*

He had noticed them first when she had injured herself during a job she had been doing for him. She had come back, bloodied and bruised and, for the first time in a very long time, Levi actually felt scared, scared that she was putting herself in situations that, not only could she not get out of, but that he couldn't save her from. It was meant to be a simple job, all she had to do was pretend to be one of the many 'call girls' that the rich men of Stohess loved to indulge in. It would have been a ploy, to find out information that would either guarantee the success or failure of a particularly delicate job that he had been asked to do.

After two days, she hadn't come back, which was unlike her, she always reported to him, or found a way to contact him, even if the job would take longer than expected. Her silence during those two days had been unnerving and it put him on edge. He found himself snapping at others that worked for him and acting, for the most part, like he had been acting in all the years until he had met Ella. The months since she had joined himself, day by day, little by little, he found himself opening up, allowing her to get a little closer to him, even if he hadn't really noticed the change himself. It was only now, that she was gone, with no word, that he realised just how much she meant to him and, how much he needed her in his life. Her and those children that she cared for, they had become a part of his life without him even realising what was happening and, with her gone, the prospect of not seeing her every day was unbearable.

So, he had sent his two most trusted men to find her, as well as going on the search for himself. He knew it was a risk, knew he risked getting caught and ending up spending the rest of his life rotting in a prison cell, but, she was worth the risk and he would have done it ten times over if that meant keeping her safe from harm. It was a feeling he had long forgotten and it was something he wasn't about to give up on. For too long he had shut himself off from the rest of the world, pretending that it didn't matter if he hurt someone, or if someone suffered because of the things he had others do. He was one of the most feared criminals for a reason. He had a ruthless reputation, and it served him well up until now. People didn't cross him unless they were feeling particularly brave or they were stupid and it was very rare that he found anyone who could keep his interest. Very few were as intelligent as he was, and that was a problem with most of the grunts that came with the job. They followed simple instructions and some of them excelled, but very few could match him when it came to his intelligence and, for that reason, he found it incredibly easy to dismiss others and look down at them for this very reason and, again, it was yet another way to create a barrier between himself and the world that he lived in.

But with Ella, it was different. From the shadows, he had spent months watching her moves, following her as she stole all the food she could carry, observing her as she took the food to the starving children in the tunnel. She was so careful and moved with such precision but even she didn't sense his presence as he watched. But, for some weird reason, he didn't see it as a failing and nor did he dismiss her talents because of this. Whenever he saw how happy the group of children were when she returned, how their faces lit up, not only because they were getting food, but because she had returned to them, it stirred something in him that he had long since forgotten. He had even watched her one night, as she told wild stories about the scouting legion, adding all the little details, the long silences, the sudden noises
that made the children jump with shock and then giggle wildly with excitement, how she added various different voices and explained weird and wonderful things to keep her audience entertained. One by one, the children fell asleep, all huddled around this amazing young woman who had a torn look in her eyes, one moment she looked so content with the world and a second later, it looked as though her heart was about to break, as though she knew deep down this was no way for the children to live. It was when he saw this look in her eyes that Levi felt this complete and overwhelming urge to help her. He couldn't explain it and had no idea where it had come from, but he knew he needed to help her, that it was something he wanted more than he had wanted anything in a very long time and so, he had made it happen.

As Levi made his way through the streets of Stohess, trying to find any trace of Ella or her whereabouts, he realised how stupid this move could prove to be. The cold, heartless, ruthless criminal mastermind was risking everything in order to find this woman, the only weakness that he had, the only thing that could make or break him in the matter of seconds. There were times when she would look at him, when they were alone and he felt as though everything was right with the world. Then, there were the times that she would give him a look that pretty much destroyed him. It was usually when he had done something she didn't approve of, whether it be the unnecessary assault on a grunt who had messed up, or whether she felt one of their latest missions would put someone at risk. She was the only one who would challenge him and
there were times that they would scream at each other, until both couldn't scream any more and, he wanted nothing more than to be able to take her into his arms and squeeze her so tightly, to prove that nothing that had been said meant anything. But she had never given him the chance. After their arguments, she would sweep from the room so fast, that he never had the chance to apologise and, at times, he was thankful, because it was for this reason that he was able to maintain his cold and distant approach to the world.

However, even though he had tried to deny his feelings for a long while, there was one memory that came to mind, that seemed to linger above any of the others. Ella had only been in his service for a few months when it had happened and even to this day, he remembered it as clearly as the moment he had experienced it. Ella had gone on one of her usual visits to the children she had been looking after, however, now, she had been able to find a place for them to stay, with warm beds and food on their plates, as well as hiring someone to take care of them whilst she was absent. He wasn't sure why he had felt the need to accompany her on this visit, but, it had been an urge that he couldn't over come. The night that he had watched as she told her stories still lingered in his mind and it was something that he could not shake. Living and working in the Capital, it was easy to forget that there was still some humanity in people, that there were some who simply existed to help others and he had witnessed this first hand through her.

As they entered the building, Levi could still remember the sounds of thundering footsteps that sounded through the entire house as about ten children of various ages and sizes came rushing to greet her. They practically flattened Ella as they piled on top of her for hugs and to see what presents she had brought them this time. Being so used to seeing the spoilt children in the Capital, he was amazed at how a piece of clothing, or a simple wooden toy was all it took to make them the happiest child on the planet. Again, he caught a glimpse of the good that there was in people and he found that rather than dismissing it and scoffing at the thought, like he had for so long, he found that he actually took comfort in the warmth and happiness that filled the very foundations of the home she had built for them.

'Oh, we have new faces here. When did you arrive?' Ella's voice was soft and soothing, coaxing the young boy and girl out from the crowd of youngsters. The girl had scruffy blonde hair and she clung to the boy. Judging by the matching blonde hair, Levi had already come to the conclusion that they were brother and sister.

'I'm Marcus and this is my sister, Emily.'

'Well, it is a pleasure to meet you both and I hope you soon find yourselves right at home. Though, it would seem that I must possess some magical properties of some kind, because, do you know what? I have two presents left over...fancy that!'

Ella smiled as she saw the look of delight in the boy's face, something that also caused Levi to try and banish the smile that threatened to form on his lips. He watched intently as she handed a simple wooden soldier to the boy and the resulting hug that came with it. As Ella went to hand the girl her present, the little girl shrieked and pulled away from her brother, running over to Levi and squeezing between the little space that there was between him and the wall. Somewhat taken aback by this surprise assault, he stepped forward a little and looked down, feeling her hold on his trousers get tighter. He frowned softly and then turned around, crouching down to the girls level.

'Now then, what are you afraid of little one? No one is going to hurt you here, ok?' He smiled as the girl peered at him through watery eyes for a moment and then nodded. She then held her hands out to him, again, taking him completely by surprise. He heard a soft chuckle of laughter from behind him and looked up into those warming brown eyes of Ella's.

'I think she wants you to pick her up...'

Levi blinked for a second and then looked back at the girl, who was now nodding her head enthusiastically. He sighed softly and obliged, silently thanking the fact that no one else could see him right now. He felt the girl cling tightly around his neck as he turned to face Ella, the look on her face was incredibly soft, though he could see the glints of amusement in her eyes. He stepped closer to her and felt the girl finally pull away and acknowledge the bear that Ella held out. Hesitantly, she took the bear and then held it tight to her chest with one hand, the other reaching out to Ella. He allowed her to go over, making sure Ella had her before he stepped back. As he stepped back, his eyes caught Ella's and that is when it happened, that was when he realised that he was completely and utterly taken with this amazing woman.

He didn't see that moment as it was, something as simple as handing over a child to her, he saw it as his future and, rather than it being a child that Ella had taken under her wing, it was his daughter, the daughter that she had given birth too. It was only a split second and over before he should have taken notice of it, but it was so vivid and took him completely unawares. He had never even considered a future anywhere remotely close to that, let alone imagining the whole being settled and with children and with a wife. However, he wasn't unnerved by it, in fact, it gave him an incredibly strange sense of peace and, as though, he had finally found the thing that he wanted more than anything else in the world. The only thing that he didn't know, was how to go about making it happen, which again, was not something he
experienced very often.

So, from that moment on, Levi had spent the last few months trying everything to let Ella know how he felt about her. There were times when he wanted to just say it out loud, but lost the nerve, through fear that she may not feel the same way, and that life he had caught a glimpse of would never happen. He tried to spend more time with her, made an effort to eat with her in the evening and whilst they had grown closer, he had still been unable to admit how he felt about her, instead, retreating back into his cold, distant shell, where it was distinctly safer than bearing your soul to someone who, quite probably, didn't feel the same way.

Levi shook the memories from his head, knowing full well that this wasn't the time or place to be thinking about such things. The only thing that mattered right now, was finding Ella and making sure that she was ok. Everything else would come after that, including the moment that Levi would finally find the courage to admit how he felt about her.

He had finally come across her hiding away in an alleyway near the royal district, disgustingly named Utopia, a blanket wrapped around her body, which was bloodied and brusied from head to toe. A flash of anger surged through him like he had never known before and, in that moment, all he wanted was to find the person who had done this and tear them limb from limb. It was only hearing her voice that broke him from his rage and his eyes softened as he looked at her.

'You came...'

He noted that she didn't use his name, amazed that she could still be worried about revealing his identity at a moment like this. Stepping forward, he took her small form in his arms, feeling her arms wrap around his shoulders and her face bury into his neck. She was shivering slightly, so he pulled her closer to him, noting how light she was to hold and, also, how good it felt to actually hold her so close, even if it wasn't the exact situation he had pictured, for he had thought about it, often, late at night whilst he lay in bed and she was in the room next to him. He yearned for her to be warming his bed, to have her in his arms as he had slept. Of course, he knew he could have a pick of women if he had wanted and, he had indulged in that perk to his job quite often, but none of them had meant anything to him, other than as a way of finding relief from certain needs. His desire for Ella went deeper than that, he knew full well his was in love with her, but, he had never been
ready to admit the strength of his feelings to himself until the moment he had realised that she was missing.

'Of course I came, idiot.'

'Thank you

'No need for that.'

He felt Ella smile against his neck and then froze, briefly, as he felt her kiss is neck ever so softly.

'I love you...' The words that came from her mouth were so soft, he would have missed them if the streets around them weren't so quiet. Taken aback by the words, he looked down to her, only to find her asleep against his chest, one hand clinging tightly to his shirt as she did so.

Once back home, Levi placed the still sleeping Ella on his bed and set about gathering supplies so he could tend to her wounds, as well as a bowl of warm water so he could clean her. He made sure that they were left in peace, not wanting to be disturbed, mainly because this was one of the rare moments that he got to spend alone with her, plus, he was puzzled by the words she had said to him just before she fell asleep.

When Ella woke, she was surprised to find that she was so warm and comfortable, though, at the same time, completely disorientated. As the room came into focus, she realised that wasn't her room, and the pillows on the bed were distinctly more comfortable than her own. Wincing slightly, she lifted a hand to the throbbing pain in her head, only for her fingers to come in contact with the bandage wrapped securely across her forehead. She fingered it lightly, trying to go through events in her head to make sense of the situation.

'Don't move too much, idiot, you'll open all your wounds again.'

Ella lowered her hand and tilted her vision to her right, looking into the icy blue depths that gazed right back at her.

'I moved my hand...'

'Even so, don't be an idiot.'

She pursed her lips when she heard his words, furrowing her brow a little, but then wincing at the pain that brought to her. She sighed and rested against the pillow, raising her other arm to take a look at the bandages on that one as well. She also noted that she was clean and she had been given new clothes to wear.

'Who...did you?'

A very, very faint flush of colour came to his cheeks, something that Ella had never seen in the time she had spent with him so far. Rather surprised by this, she felt a sudden rush of emotion for him, one that had been there from the day they met, but one that she had been trying to banish for the same amount of time. Not because she was ashamed of her feelings for him, more because she felt that she wouldn't be what he was looking for. Whilst they were similar in many ways, the differences between them were quite striking, but then, wasn't that the whole point of falling in love with someone?

Ella reached her hand out and placed it on top of his, looking into his ice blue eyes and smiling softly. She felt him freeze for a moment, something that she hadn't expected, as, she had assumed, that he was quite confident when it came to women. She watched as he looked down at her hand and paused for a moment, before returning her gaze.

'Thank you.'

'Tch, idiot, I already sai-'

'I know what you already said, and, I will say it again and again until you accept it. You didn't have to come back for me, you could have just left me and, I would have understood...it was a big risk that you took.'

'Shut up. I wouldn't have left you there, how could I?'

'Why wouldn't you? I could easily be replaced.'

'No, you can't be replaced! Don't ever say that again. I need you damn it, so don't think that you can be replaced so easily, not now.'

Ella blinked when she heard this and watched as Levi turned from her, clearly regretting what he had just said. Wincing softly and trying to catch her breath, Ella pushed herself up and reached out with her hand, hesitating ever so slightly before her fingers touched his face. Again, she felt him freeze, but he didn't resist when she turned his face towards her own. She leant forward and rested her forehead against his, again, noticing the lack of resistence from him. She looked into his eyes and spoke in a soft voice.

'I meant it you know, what I said when you found me...'

'Wh-?'

Ella placed a finger over his lips to stop him talking and then traced her fingers over his face affectionately, feeling him lean into the touch, relishing in the sensation of his warm breath against her face.

'I love you Levi. I love you and I need you.'

Levi looked into her eyes as Ella said this, his hand coming to rest on hers, squeezing it gently as it rested on his face. Moving forward, he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply, but letting it linger for, what felt like forever. She responded eagerly, pressing back into the kiss and finally, allowing the kiss to deepen. It was as he felt her tentative kisses that he realised that this, right now, was the first time she had been kissed. The realisation hit him hard and, it made his levels of affection for her surge to a whole new level. Pulling from the kiss, he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled into her neck, stroking her back softly, so as not to aggrevate any of the wounds that she had sustained. He felt her rest her head against his shoulder and, he whispered gently.

'I love you too...'

*End of Flashback*