Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin / Attack On Titan nor its characters.

"Papa… why don't I have a Mama?" The little girl questioned, as she looked up at her father, with the same look he had worn at Mikasa's grave.

A look, so desperate for an answer.

Eren stared blankly at the look she had shot him, it was something he had never seen before, a look of desperation mixed with curiosity which Sachiko currently wore.

"I... uh... ah …" Eren stuttered. What could he say? He wasn't mentally prepared to answer that question, he hadn't expected to be cornered like this, with such a painful question to answer.

"L-Let's go home first… okay?" Eren muttered, before carrying his daughter up, who again hugged Eren tightly. Even though Sachiko didn't question anything further after that, Eren was still worried of what was to come when he actually reached home. To be frank, he was concerned about everything now. Sachiko was acting different, she was quiet, and she didn't have the bubbly and happy look. Those expressions were all replaced by dull looks, pained eyes… the awkward and uncomfortable silence.

"S-Sachiko… so how was school today?" Eren questioned, in hope of brightening up the mood. After all, the little girl always had something fun to say about school, always had some adventures to share that she went on with her friends. She would at least say something.

However, she didn't. Though, the trigger that caused Eren to remain silent throughout the ride home was when he noticed his daughter flinching at the word 'school'. What had exactly happened in school? Was she being bullied?

Worrisome thoughts circulated around the brunette's head on what was going on with his daughter. But one thing's for sure, he was not going to give up on cheering her up. "Sachiko… there's this new ice cream place down the street… do you want to—"

"I want to go home." Sachiko responded, "...I want an answer." She muttered, being rather blunt. It seemed she was impatient for the answer that she hoped she'd get from the brunette. Hearing her words, the brunette could detect some determination in her tone, and in that instant, Eren knew there was no backing out, there was nowhere to hide anymore. Or was there?

Eren didn't really know what he should do. Even if he did tell her that her mother passed away, he knew she was bound to ask the question of, 'how?'

And then what was he to say afterwards? That she died while giving birth to her? Hell no. That was the last thing he ever planned to tell the six year old. She hadn't fully matured, she hadn't seen the true cruelty of the world and hadn't understand how it worked, how life worked. And because she hadn't, he knew there was no way she'd be able to take the truth so easily without putting all the blame onto herself, just like how Eren did until Levi helped open his eyes. Well, regardless of her age, he knew she wouldn't be able to handle it. But for a six year old hearing such a cruel truth… the consequences of her knowing said truth would be disastrous.

But, the brunette couldn't lie about the truth either. The truth will come back and bite him after all, and not only that, but he didn't want to lose her trust. If he lied to her now, and told the truth later… what would she think of him? Even if he did lie about such a tragic yet important topic for the sake of the six year old's happiness, what good was it when she would know about it afterwards? He just didn't want to lose her trust, he didn't want her to lose faith in him. He didn't want their father-daughter bond to be strained, brittle and weakened because of that.

She was all he had left ever since then, she was the strong spirit that kept him alive. If he had lost the bond with her, with Sachiko, he would be left with nothing. At least that's how the brunette saw it.

There was also the option of running away, hiding and avoiding the truth. But Eren knew, that wasn't what Mikasa would want him to do, that wasn't something he would want to do. To leave his daughter in the dark was something he never wanted, she deserved to know the truth after all. Because, she is Mikasa Ackerman's daughter, and only child.

And before he knew it, they were finally home. A place Eren never knew he would be so reluctant to return to. The silence between the two till remained as they exited the car, entering the house.

Eren was never good at handling such awkward and tensed situations, he would often do silly things to cheer her up, but he knew that wouldn't really help with the situation at hand.

The question still remained, should he tell her the truth?

In the first place, what triggered such a question from the little girl whose eyes were devoid of anything positive?

"Papa…" Sachiko called out in a pained manner, sending chills down the brunette's spine. "Today… the teacher told us to draw something special… for Mother's Day."

So that was it, what triggered all of this. Now that he thought about it, Sachiko never really mentioned about Mother's Day until now, he had supposed that after he had told the school about their family circumstances that they avoided anything related to that. After all, if an innocent six year old, who knew of no truth about the cruelness of this world, were to say that she didn't have a mother in the middle of class, or anything related to that, it wouldn't end well. And that was what Eren had assumed had happened, he wasn't sure if it was a slip up or whatever-so, he didn't blame the school though. These sort of things were inevitable. They had done enough in assisting the brunette in sheltering her from the inevitable cruelness of the truth.

"And… when I said I didn't… I didn't have a m-mother… everyone stared at me…" Sachiko mumbled, her body starting to tremble as she gripped onto the sleeves of her shirt tightly. And almost instantly, Eren scooped her up and placed her on his lap after sitting down, hugging her. "Shh…we don't have to talk about it—"

"W-Why did they stare at me like that? Is it wrong not t-to have one?" Sachiko started, and without having to look at her expression, Eren knew she was on the verge of tears. Just by hearing her shaky tone, he knew she was scared, scared of the truth and everything now. "I have a papa… why don't I have a mama..? A mother..?"

"Sachiko… I…"

"I want the truth..." Sachiko spoke, cutting the brunette off with the same desperate tone she had earlier on.

Biting his lip, the brunette hugged her tighter, squeezing her closely as he searched for words to say. And eventually, an answer came to him, but not an answer she'd like.

"Sachiko… I-I'll tell you when you're older…for now you should get some rest…" Eren stuttered out. The brunette had never felt like such a coward in his entire life. He shouldn't tell her the truth, right? Not now, at least. She was six years old, this wasn't a good time… right?

There was also the option of running away, hiding and avoiding the truth. Was Eren doing exactly that?

Well, he wasn't lying. As reluctant as he may be, he had always planned to tell her the truth, when she got older. Though, it was wrong for him to have assumed that Sachiko would've remained quiet about that manner until then. But, was he hiding? Running away? Was this the correct choice?

Eren didn't really know if this was considered running away from the truth. He just knew, or at least assumed, that a six year old wouldn't be able to handle such heavy emotions on such a matter. There was no way this wouldn't end in a flood of tears.

'Make a choice with no regrets.' Levi had often said, whenever he would ask him for advice.

Was this the right choice? Was this a choice with no regrets?

And now, Sachiko had remained silent, making no eye contact with Eren.

Silently, she squeezed her way out of Eren's embrace. "I'm going to rest now…" She had murmured, as she walked towards the stairs that led up to her room. "Sachiko, wait I'll come—"

"No…it's okay…" The raven girl had muttered out quietly, though loud enough for the brunette to hear before she had rushed up and went into her room.

Sachiko needed time, time alone and to herself. She needed time alone to think, to breathe. All she wanted was the truth, why was that so hard?

She loved her father so much, she had never once doubted him, and she always trusted him. So why can't he trust her back to know and understand the truth? She didn't know.

'Is it because… I'm six?' she thought to herself quietly, as she crawled slowly onto her bed. There was a time she recalled Levi and Eren having a seemingly serious situation. Curious, she went forward to ask. But only to be met with a response along the lines of, 'you're too young' or 'it's grown up stuff' before she was shooed away to play with Hanji or whoever was there.

In a way, she understood that there were some things a six year old did not understand. But at the same time, this wasn't just any 'grown-up stuff', it involved her mother, whom she never seen or met in all her life.

The words that the other students had whispered about what she said about not having a mother triggered an awful feeling inside of her.

Statements like, 'My dad told me that families like that are broken.' Were spoken, and many more harsh ones that she didn't wish to remember, it ached her heart—it still did.

Never once had she thought her family was broken, but now...

'Family, Sachiko, doesn't exactly have to be blood related. Someday, you'll have friends who will mean so much to you, as if they were family to you.' Those were words that Eren had told her, several times.

Those words left a huge imprint on her. But in this moment of time, blood related or not, was her family really broken? Was it incomplete?

Thoughts like that clouded into her mind, consuming her bit by bit as tears started to roll down her eyes as her classmate's words started to echo in her head.

Another statement went through her mind, a comment made by a student, 'Did her mother leave her?'

Simple comments made by those of her age had never hurt her so much. She was human, just like them, and yet they looked at her so differently when realizing she didn't have a mother. Not only that, but they made such crazy assumptions, that she didn't even know if it were false or true.

But… did her mother really leave her? Was that why her father looked so pained whenever he would glance at those completed families as well?

Did she leave because of her?

Sachiko's heart was palpitating now, she now started to take deep breathes, in order to calm her nerves. She didn't want to puke again, even though her stomach urged her to. She wanted to get all these agitating emotions out.

"Sachiko… I-I'll tell you when you're older…for now you should get some rest…"

She sensed worry in her father's tone as he said those words, one of her reason to have given up persisting the brunette for answers. The last thing she wanted was to worry her father. But then again, the last thing that she ever wanted was to be devoid of any truth.

"Papa…" She called out softly, "How long will I have to wait…? I… I want to know who Mama is… Is she bad? Is she good? … Why do you never talk about her? Where is she…?"

"Papa… why are you hiding? What are you hiding…?" She whispered ever so softly, her eyes closing slowly, gradually fading off to the land of dreams, an escape from the pained reality.

When Sachiko had went up to her room, and requested for Eren straightforwardly not to follow her, something felt as if it were dying inside of the brunette. Was it the wrong choice he had made? The one that filled with regrets?

Clenching his fist, Eren punched the couch as he cursed under his breath. "Damnit… Damnit…!"

Even without asking, the hurt that his daughter felt was obvious in her face. After all, knowing how sharp she was, Ern knew she was just so frustrated, saddened, that he would not tell her anything about her mother.

"What do I do..?" Eren uttered under his breath, as he gripped the scarf that he wore ever so tightly, "Mikasa… what do I do now? Tell me… say something... anything…"

And as obvious as it was, he got no response. 'Ah… that's right.' Eren thought quietly as he recalled what Levi had said back then. It was along the lines that she wouldn't be able to come back.

Silently, he dragged himself upstairs. Standing a few feet away from Sachiko's room, he finally mastered the courage to go check on her. And when entering, he noticed her having fallen asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, he left. So now, he went back into his room, collapsing onto his bed exhaustedly as he rolled over to what was his wife's side of the bed.

"Mikasa... even though you're not here…" He whispered quietly, closing his eyes. "Lend… me your strength…" And with that, he drifted off into a deep slumber.

Around seven or eight, where the sun had already set, Sachiko slowly woke up from her 'mini' nap. The exhaustion of her day at school that day seemed to have gotten to her, regardless, it was a good rest. Except, now feeling more energetic, it'd be a definite huge issue for her father later on if he were to put her to bed to sleep later on.

Though, despite feeling refreshed and more energetic as compared to earlier in the day, something inside of her prevented her to return her usual bubbly self.

Rolling herself out of bed, just as she were about to exit her room, she took a glance at herself in her mirror, before she halted in her steps. After having stared at her reflection for a while, her finger reached out to twirl her raven in-colour hair. From almost all the cartoons she had watched, from all the families she had observed, their child would always have something similar in terms of physical traits, from both parents.

"Papa doesn't have black hair…" She muttered quietly, now wondering if her mother had black hair, or was it just inherited from her ancestors? Though, such a coincidence like inheriting said traits from ancestors from who knows how long was like a once in the blue moon coincidence.

"I wonder what Papa is doing…" She mumbled quietly, considering for her whole long afternoon nap, Eren hadn't wake her up, which was what he normally would do if she overslept, or rather, 'over-napped', so that she wouldn't be a nocturnal being for the whole night.

Suddenly, she heard a loud clap of thunder, echoing from outside, startling the little girl slightly. Glancing out, she noticed it beginning to pour rain.

She wasn't that afraid of lightning and thunder, Eren had managed to get her to overcome that fear long ago, making fun of the sounds and doing silly things, telling exhilarating fantasy stories about rain that he'd often make up. Though, it did startle and scare her once in a while, especially if the atmosphere felt eerie.

On rainy nights like this, she and Eren would normally play a game involving the sounds of the rain, but that wasn't the case now.

Silently, she exited her room, before walking over to Eren's room, turning the knob as she opened the door. And normally, the girl would've bounced up and down on his bed to wake him up, or anything else that related to her being his personal alarm clock. But that wasn't the case now. Moving closer to Eren, she noticed him having an odd expression, it was hard to tell if it were something sorrowful or something peaceful. Either ways, she had decided to let Eren sleep in peace, not wanting to disturb him. "Papa…" She muttered out quietly, and now, having nothing else to do, she decided to try to go back to asleep, next to her father who she wished were awake, she wanted to play games with him after all. But for now, she just wanted him to get proper rest, to stay in his land of dreams a little longer. She recalled the look he had on after she had specifically told him not to follow, it was something of hurt, and knowing a nap had always brightened her father's gloomy mood, she wanted him to sleep a little longer.

Carefully, she crawled into her father's bed, covering herself with the blanket, but even with the blanket she was still chilly. Sighing, she slowly got out of the bed as she walked over to Eren's closet, searching for one of his jackets that were huge enough to be a six year old's blanket. Though, as her hands dug into his drawers to find a jacket, she felt something else… hidden beneath all his other clothes that he messily stuffed in there.

Cautiously, she took it out, only to find a photo album.

Silently, she started to flip through, and as she kept flipping through the pages, she soon noticed a little girl who had similar facial features, the same coloured hair as her… a similar smile.

'Is that my…?'

Sachiko kept flipping and flipping. She was unable to block her curiosity from venturing any further. And as she kept on flipping, that little girl got older, and the pictures of her and her father had increased. What confirmed this theory that, that was her mother was that one of the pages was labelled as 'wedding day,' and it contained numerous pictures of her father, and the bride, her mother, gazing into each other's eyes with such a loving, caring look.

As Sachiko continued looking through this photos, she didn't feel… sad or anything like that which wasn't what she had expected to feel. These vibrant pictures didn't trigger those sort of emotions. Her father and mother looked so happy in all of these pictures, it led her to completely believe that her family wasn't 'broken' like what her classmates said, and that… maybe she would come back. That maybe she was just on a long vacation, and would come back home, to her father, to her.

Though, the smile she had on as she kept flipping was extremely quick to change immediately, to a look of which was opposite.

Under the label, 'Birth of our child', there were no pictures, none—it was the end of the photo album.

Sachiko's hand began to shake with fear, confusion. What…. did this mean? Why wasn't there any photos of her father and her supposed mother? What—

Before she could go deeper in thought, lightning struck the sky as it was then accompanied by loud echoes of the raging thunder, causing the girl to drop the photo album, photos scattering everywhere now. And now, her heart was palpitating, it was racing now.

And then, it came to her. Everything linked up.

A few moments before she had vomited out her fear at school, she had heard her teacher's comment ever so faintly. Before, she couldn't manage to make it out, the sound of her puking had blocked out other's words. But now, that scene which now replayed countlessly in her head— the one single particular comment that had been partially cut off by the noises of her puke now echoed in her head, was now getting clearer.

"Didn't the principal tell you?"

"No… no. no. no…" Sachiko muttered out, as her little hands reached out to cover her ears as she shook her head, an attempt to keep those voices out. Now, she feared the truth.

"Her mom's…"

"No... no...no… no. stop it...stop it..." She pleaded as tears started to flow out her eyes, her hands covering her ears even tighter as her body trembled. Now, she didn't want to hear the truth. That was the last thing she wanted suddenly, it was fear that led her to change like this.

"Didn't the principal tell you? Her mom's… dead."

Another flash of lightning shocked the entire sky filled with ominous gloomy clouds, along echoed the thunder... and a little girl's scream that awoke the brunette who had been in a deep sleep.

"Sachiko?! Sachiko—"

Eren had recognised his daughter's scream easily, his heart was thumping in fright, assuming the worst had happened as he jumped out of bed immediately, following the sound of her screams to only find that she had been sitting down on the floor next to his bed, finding scattered pieces of papers on the floor, and his daughter crying, with an… unexplainable look she now had on.

"Sachiko?! What happened—"

It took him a few more moments to know what those pieces of papers were, they were photographs. He didn't have to question anything, he knew she looked through them, and in an instant, he knew what she knew.

Before Eren could've even have enough time to make an expression, Sachiko had looked up to her father, with pained eyes that were drained and devoid of any form of life. That look in her eyes had startled Eren, but what frightened him more was her words and her agonizing tone laced with those words.

"Mama… Mama… Did she die because of me?"

Author's notes: Hope this was okay haha, please leave a review!