Rose had sent everyone apart from Lily and Violet to do their jobs for the day, each member left without protest in the knowledge that they would be told what occurred later. Alexander held an expression of disappointment as he left casting glances at Lily and Levi, but Lily had made a point to stand away from the silent man and gave a pointed look at the boy when he lingered at the door to their dinning hall.
Erwin had sat on the small table for six with a weary sigh, Lily guessed the trip had been long and rushed by the abruptness of the visit. That could only mean that something was wrong, if it got Erwin this wound up then it was big.
Levi, always at his heels, had lent against the wall opposite from the one Lily herself was leaning against. She wasn't sure what erked her more, the blank look he gave her or the fact he was ignoring her. Levi then turned to the wall with a scowl and muttered insults about their lack of cleanlyness, Lily sighed and let it go like she had let many things go before. Rose, ever the leader, had positioned her self opposite the commander with Violet sitting on her left.

Rose gave Erwin her serious face as she leant her elbows on the table. "What brings you here, commander?" She asked solemnly. Erwin gave her the same grim expression.
"You are aware of what has been happening regarding the MP's and the Survey corps?" He asked and Lily got the distinct impression that if he had his other hand they would be clasped in front of him. Rose nodded at his question as she opened her mouth to speak, but Lily had gotten there first.
"Unicorns are trying to clip our wings, that's what I got from our spies." She said tilting her head slightly to look Erwin in the eye. "you are to be executed. You being here will not help your cause." Lily clicked her tongue as the realisation hit her, Erwin was too smart to do this on a whim. He had a plan, of course.
"You want us to turn some military police members. You need help from inside." Lily looked from Erwin to her sisters. They were far to easily swayed, no regard for their own safety as long as they could help. This operation would no doubt be risky and possibly life threatening.

"No." Lily's face betrayed nothing, but confusion at his reply shone through her green eyes. "I do not need your squad to turn anyone, I have my own connections. What we need is for you to combine with Levi's squad." at Lily's clenched jaw he smiled. "The military Police will come to you. They'll try to turn to their cause, and knowing Lily you will refuse. If you do that they will kill you."
Rose nodded, her hands folded on the table "Then I guess we are coming with you." Violet smiled at Eren who had been staring at the triplets. Rose stood and saluted the commander "I'll go prepare for our journey. You are welcome to stay the night, I'll see you at dinner." as Rose walked out of the hall Lily pushed herself away from the wall with a sigh "Vi, why don't you take Eren and go peel the potatoes. You know how much I eat." she gave a small smile at her youngest sister, who smiled back and jumped up.
"Sure Lilla, come on Eren." she said gesturing for the boy to follow. Eren looked from Levi to Violet but did as he was told at Erwin's nod to him.

A silence descended on the three remaining survey members, a tension so palpable you could cut it with a knife. Levi stared boredly at Lily as she looked between the two men, her eyes taking everything in and analysing what ever information she could find.
It was hardly a surprise when she could find nothing.
Levi 'tiched' and pulled away from the wall too "What?" he asked bluntly. Lily shook her head sending hair to fly in her face, "We'll get hurt either way, won't we." she let out defeated breath "I'll try to get word to our spy, see what i can dig up. No doubt you need an idea of what's happening with your trial." Again the unconfortable silence settled over them.

Erwin chuckled leaving both Lily and Levi to look at his shaking shoulders, it struck Lily that maybe the last few months had gotten to him. Erwin however, shook his head "You two." was all he said before he pushed away from the table, the chair screeched loudly in the echoy hall while he stood. "I am quite tired from our ride, would it be ok if i used a room?" Erwin asked pushing his chair in. It seemed he remembered Rose's little pet peeve when it came to chairs not being pushed in properly.
Lily waved a hand at him, "You're the commander, course it's ok. Just ask Maria to show you to a clean room. She's the new one with the brown hair and squeeky voice."

He nodded and thanked her as he left, leaving the two old friends together.

In truth Lily had missed Levi, in a way. Levi didn't expect anything nor did he usually cause unnecissary drama, everything she liked about a friendship where there was no pressure on her to be anything but her. He made her feel free in a way she didn't know she wasn't. His humour wasn't what most people would call apropriate, but neither was hers. Lily constantly made dick jokes and refrences to sex.
It was time they made up, even if it wasn't her fault she needed to make the first move. Levi being as stuborn as he was, wouldn't make the first move.

"Sorry." she whispered relaxing her body, she hadn't even noticed how tense she was until it had bled from her. The air became less sofocating now the words had left her lips and a relived smile softened her edges. It had been two years since their 'conversation' and the words she had wanted to say since her squads move weighed down on her. The titans ,though rare in their part, reminded her of how short life was and her only true friend would die thinking she hated him. Similarly she would have died with one huge regret chained to her soul.
She had exspected Levi's face to be hold no emotion as usual, but as to her surprise he looked...also surprised.

"Why?"

Lily tilted her head in confusion "For what I said two years ago. I was out of line saying it was your fault. Levi, it wasn't."She clasped her hands together ashamed "I wanted to hurt you, like you hurt me." She had no illusions that Levi wasn't one to show much emotion, he had learned like them to hide it, but she hoped he would shout at her. He hadn't then and it had annoyed her.
"tch, you were always forgiven. Idiot." he said walking to stand in front of her. "I was wrong too." he rested his hand on Lily's head for a second then pushed her back to bump lightly against the wall "Where's you cleaning supplies?"
"We are not cleaning, we'll be leaving in the morning." Lily told him with a look of disgust.
"Yes but if I'm to sleep here it should be immaculate. Now grab a mop and start cleaning."

Meanwhile, Eren and Violet had relocated to the kitchen to peel potatoes. Eren trailed behind her with a dumb struck expression on his face as she tried to reach the top shelf where the pots were. Maria passed them on her way to grab cleaner sheets for the commander, at Erens face she stopped. "What's up with you? You seem speachless." Maria giggled at him as he turned to face her.
"Your squad...your the Walls Thorns. That's what people call you." he gasped, obviously realising who they were. Violet laughed at that, it was something that had been started by recruites. It was something Rin had started as a joke but quickly grew to great lengths once the recruits had heard. Maria gave him a smile as she went on her way with the clean linen. "They also call us the spy division." Violet quipped as she gently lowered a huge stew pot from the shelf and settled it on the stove.

"Here." Eren said handing over the scrounged up ingredients for stew. It was a rare treat for them to be able to afford the ingredients and seeing as they would be leaving in the morning Violet was going to use this as an excuss. "I always wondered why they called you that." He said glancing at Maria as she came in with a blush covering her cheeks and muttering 'he winked at me.' Violet just gave a strained smile as she played with the hem of her shirt.
"I'll get the patatoes for peeling." With that she left for the potatoes.

Eren was left to watch her fading back. "Because of who they are." Eren turned to look at Maria. Her eyes were sad as if it was painful for her to talk about this. "Did you know they came from underground?"
Eren gasped, taken aback that such highly thought of soldiers were from such a place. Although, it did make sense that such hardened people had come from a place like that. Where every descision they made could possible mean you wound up dead.
But Violet seemed so nice, warm and ...friendly, not what Eren had expected from underground citizens.
Maria looked out to where Violet had disappeared to "Lily was a thief, thug and assassinator. She refused for Violet and Rose to be involved, but even so others still think they were all thugs and thieves. Rin was saved from a slaving ring down there..." she stopped her glance at the door unsure "I shouldn't really be saying any of this, I just want you to understand there are some things they will never tell you. Some things they will hide. Try not to take it personally.I only know because of Terry."

Suddenly the old bell tower sounded for the first time in years, panicked shouts found their way to the kitchen. Eren hadn't moved but Maria had quickly fastened her gear on as she ran up the stairs, finally Eren kicked into gear and stumbled up the stairs after her.
They were greated with Frankie's panicked form running towards them, she slowed to a stop "Violet, It's the Military Police. Their on their way. Lily said to get you..."
BANG!

All eyes snapped to the nearest window, it overlooked the court yard where the cobbled grey stones where splattered with red.

Red?

"Shit." Violet cursed. Because being dragged away by Alex and Terry with blood seeping into a large stain on his uniform shirt was Rin.

They could only watch in horror as the gates opened to a waterfall of squirming MP's filled the cold cobbled yard. Rin had been successfully removed from the army of green and brown, Alex then appeared running to the small group, Terry had Rin thrown over his broad shoulder as he too lumbered in with his load.

Erwin had appeared on the court yard, being lead held high by the small squad that had found him. Behind him was Oliver and Rose who was ever the calm leader.
Levi and Lily ran down their corridor where the group had been frozen at the unfamiliar scene of humans being threat to their squad. "Kitchen." Violet said suddenly. "There's a seceret door down there. Behind the cutlery unit." Terry was the first to move, Lily watched as Rose said something to Nile earning a hit from another soldier to the face with his gun. Lily growled.

Alex and Maria hurried after Terry, Frankie however was stuck where she stood. "Frankie! Move!" Violet shouted at the watery eyed woman.
Frankie shook, her whole body vibrating. MP's were swarming down the corridor at an alarming rate, but all Frankie was looking at was Oliver. Oliver punched the MP that had hit Rose and...

BANG!

Frankie screamed and fell to her knees.
Violet gasped. Lily dragged her sister like a rage doll to the stairs, and almost pushed her down them before she finally moved. Levi ran past them swearing in French as he did so.
Lily looked back from where she was halfway down the stairs, but Violet knew Frankie was gone. Guards converged on her small form, her fists connecting with faces as she put up a valiant effort and screamed for them to run. Violet reached the secret door and turned to see Levi pick Lily up. Lily screamed and shouted her fists hitting Levi's arms around her waist. "Frankie!" she screamed.

"ROSE! FRANKIE!"

"ROSE!"