chapter 13

I woke up in darkness. My clothes were wet but I still on the beach. The tide had come in and soaked me. I stood up and watched the fish that swam just a little further away. My stomach growled and I patted it. I found a tree and climbed it watching the ocean as I fell back asleep. The next time I awoke I heard yelling. I knew it was my commander I could feel his titan form close by. He must have tracked me out here. Commander was one of the only titan shifters who could talk in titan form. I got up and jumped out of the tree. I headed away from him. I froze when I felt four other presences with commanders. It was Annie, Bertholt, Allison, and Reiner. I squeezed my eyes shut and ran, I couldn't shift because if I did then they would all know where I was. They would all be better off without me there anyway, I am a criminal now. I felt the ground shaking as I ran and tried to run faster. A abnormal titan was running for me his arms stretched out at me. When it picked me up it ate me in one bite not bothering to chew. That was this titans last mistake. I shifted tearing through its flesh with sickening sounds, the blood splattered against the green grass painting it red. I had ahold of the titans tongue and ripped it out of his head. It let out a slow gurgle and I tossed the remains to the ground. I turned and began running away from the others who were approaching quickly. The only person the would be able to catch up to me now would be my sister but they wouldn't let her go by herself because she cannot fight worth shit. Apparently I had been wrong because I turned my head to see my sister running at full speed straight at me like a missile. I noticed Reiner and Annie on her shoulders. 'Great' I thought. I looked forward and saw a strange forest up ahead. I ran into it and saw that what I had seen weren't trees but old buildings. It was all overgrown with weeds. Mother nature had taken her toll on this place. There was a still standing building that seemed to be sturdy I ripped myself out of my titan and climbed inside of the shambling building. I looked around to see that it was a library and I hid behind a bookshelf. 'I could live here, the books can become my family.' I picked up a book and opened it. The book was about a girl who had fallen asleep and fell down a rabbit hole. It was a strange story but interesting. I smiled as I read, I could defiantly live here. I heard crashing and I peeked around the bookcase. I held my breath when I saw Reiner searching frantically around outside the library. His eyes were wide with worry and my breath hitched. I sat back down hoping to the heavens that he wouldn't find me, I couldn't handle having to explain myself to him, not when he looked like that. I picked another book off of the shelf and the entire thing crashed down. I looked up through a hole in the ceiling and cussed out whoever resided up there.

"Kat!" I heard Reiner yell.

"Shit" I murmured trying to find another hiding place.

I crawled on all fours hiding behind bookcases as Reiner and the others ran inside the library. I heard Annie laugh when she saw all of the books.

"Of course she would find the last standing library" She said.

I smiled to myself, she knew me so well. I accidentally kicked a book and they all ran over to where the book had come from. I found an old vent and had hidden in it quickly making my way down it. They walked right past it not once thinking that I would be desperate enough to crawl into an old vent. Until of course they heard me cuss because I had just cut myself on a bit of metal. Since Annie was the smallest of all of them she was the one sent in to get me. She quickly caught up to me and stared at me with wide eyes.

"Kat, thank god your okay" She said worry leaving her eyes.

"Annie go tell the guys to leave. Just leave me here I can live here peacefully, I haven't seen any titans around for miles well except the one that ate me not too long ago."

"The elders are mad at you yes but they aren't going to kill you, they want you back for a full assault on the humans"

"Then what would they do with me afterward?"

"I'm not sure about that yet but the thing is they said you are safe to come back"

"I can't"

"Why not!" She yelled at me and shook the ventilation shaft causing it to break and Annie fell.

I caught her hand and lowered her down onto a table that was below me before I myself fell and landed on my back. I let out a scream and stared down at my abdomen. There was a metal chair leg sticking straight through my stomach. Annie's eyes were wide with horror. I tried to stand up but all of my strength was gone. The others ran down to where we were and Allison gagged when she saw the blood pouring from body. Reiner ran to me and tried to pull me off of the chair but I screamed in pain.

"Why do you always save me?!" Annie yelled.

"Cause you're my best friend and I love you" I barely got out as I was losing consciousness.

"You always get hurt though! You are always the one getting hurt for all of us!" She yelled as she motioned to all of them.

I smiled and nodded slowly.

"Because you guys are my family"

She stared at me starting to cry because Reiner was trying his best to pull me off but every inch I slid more blood gushed out. I would die of blood loss at this rate. I didn't die when Levi cut me in half because that had been a quick slice and he didn't leave his blade stuck inside of me. Now I had metal inside of me and as long as its there I can't heal. I remembered the book I had just read. I imagined the little white rabbit leading me away into a bright light but then I was ripped away by searing pain. My eyes had closed and I opened them to see commander Zeke standing above me with the chair in his hands. I felt something wet hit my cheek and saw Reiner crying over me. I then passed out and dreamed a dream of darkness, I was stuck inside a black abyss but I wasn't scared. The darkness welcomed me and I went towards it deeper and deeper into the abyss. A hand shot through and pulled me out though and I sat up my eyes open wide. I looked around and noticed I was back at my house in my bed. I went to get up but something heavy was on my lap. Looking down I saw Reiner's head laying on my lap his mouth open with a little bit of drool spilling out. I laughed at him and ruffled his hair. He stirred awake and stared at me not fully awake yet. I stood up and stretched but was tackled back to the bed.

"You've been out for three days!" He cried out.

"Sorry did I worry you?"

"No you didn't worry me you scared me half to death!"

He nuzzled into my chest as I pet his hair softly.

"I was so upset when I woke up and you weren't here. The last thing I remembered was you taking me from my titan and then I woke up here in your bed. When I went to find you I found Allison instead crying because you had taken off in the middle of the night and now everyone was searching for you. You took Eren and traded him for Annie. The next day when Annie came running in to the town in her titan form we were all scared. Annie told us that you had thrown her far away from the humans that had been chasing you both. I thought you got captured! But commander Zeke took all of us out to search for you when he had come back from scouting and had found that you had gotten away from the humans." Reiner explained to me.

"I'm sorry Reiner I just had to save Annie."

"I'm not angry at you for that Kat. I'm angry because you ran from us when we found you!"

He squeezed me against him and sighed.

"You realize you almost died saving Annie again? That chair kept you from healing" He said rubbing his face around in my hair.

"I know but I was ready for death"

"Don't you ever say that ever again!" He yelled at me.

He spun me around and I stared up at him looking into his golden eyes. Then he smashed his lips against mine. My eyes fluttered closed and I kissed him back.

"Don't ever run from me again or leave me alone" He whispered.

"I can't promise anything, I might die when we assault the humans" I told him truthfully.

"I won't let you"

"That's not exactly something you can control"

He growled and held me tighter while biting.

"Yes I can and I will" He grumbled.

"Okay man, whatever you say"

I got out of his arms and looked at myself. I was in a pair of sweat pants and a double layered sports bra. I raised an eyebrow at the new addition to my array of scars.

"Who changed me?" I asked Reiner.

"Your sister and Annie"

I sighed in relief. Then I walked out of the bedroom and went out into the living room. Everyone was there in my tiny living room. Bertholt was holding Annie, Allison was snuggled into Dylan, commander Zeke was sitting at the table drinking tea, and three of the elders were standing around talking.

"Ahem" I cleared my throat and all of their attention was on me.

Annie ran to me and squeezed me. Allison glared at her and hugged me too.

"Hi there guys" I said smiling and rubbing the back of my neck.

"Finally you're awake" Zeke said smiling at me.

"Commander I'm so sorry" I apologized.

He waved his hand at me dismissing my apology.

"I would have and went to search for anyone" He said and choked on his tea when one the elders refuted him.

"No you wouldn't have, Katherine is your favorite we all see it"

I laughed still hugging the two girls clinging to me. Zeke hid his face with his tea cup and glared at the elder who had spoken. Bertholt was starting to cry and I went and hugged him too.

"I'm fine guys, nothing like a close brush with death to set the mind at ease" I joked.

It earned me a punch to the boob from my sister. I yelled out and grabbed my boob in pain. I started laughing at the look on her face.

"Katherine we have already had council and we agreed to let you keep your general position" One of the elders said.

"What you did was stupid but brave and most of us would probably have done the same" Another said.

"I agree would have been a major loss and we still have a chance to get back the boy" The third said.

"Thank you elders!" I bowed.

"Whaaaat?! You get to be higher ranking than me?" Reiner said shocked at the news as he out of my room.

"Shut up Reiner I have always been higher ranking. I have always been the best fighter well besides commander Zeke" I said.

"That Katherine is because I was your teacher and I refuse to let you get better than me" Commander Zeke said smiling.

"One day commander one day" I laughed at him.

Reiner came up and put a hand around my waist pulling raised eyebrows from the three elders.

"Are you and Braun together Katherine?" One said.

"Yes ma'am we are" I said politely.

"I always knew it was going to happen" Another said.

"How? They always fought! I thought she hated him" The third said eyeing us.

Reiner looked at grinning happy that I told the elders.

"Well four years stuck together must have made me lose my mind cause I'm in love with the brick head" I said smiling at Reiner who now was sad.

"Looks like you lost your chance commander" The third elder said looking at Zeke.

"What?!" Reiner yelled staring at the commander.

Zeke laughed and rubbed the back of his head. My eyes went wide and my face got very red.

"Commander I have had the biggest crush on you for years! But you are like twenty years older than me" I said blushing madly.

"Really?! Well crap I should have told you sooner then I guess" Zeke said still laughing.

Reiner was now gawking at the both of us and he pulled me to him kissing me hard in front of everyone. I kissed him back and laughed against his mouth. He didn't let go of me after that. If the commander got close to me he would growl and I would laugh.

"So plans guys when are we doing this thing and how are we doing it because I have some ideas" I asked.

Everyone nodded and I took a seat at the table with some paper and a pencil. I began drawing the blueprints of the entire city. I pointed wall Sina and looked at everyone.

"If we can get everyone through wall Maria without being caught then either Bertholt or I can kick the boulder that blocks the entrance to the town and we can lead an assault through here to Sina. The survey corps is weakened with them having lost so many on the last couple of trips out of the wall. Here is where they refill their gas we should try to take that out first so once they are out they lose their mobility. Then we should head straight for the third wall and take it down. They will be so rushed and freaked out that no one will know what to do which will disorganize them. That is what we need to take them out." I said laying out my entire plan.

Everyone stared at me surprised.

"What I had to do something on my days off" I shrugged.

They all nodded and the elders took my plan of attack to show the others. I got up and stretched.

"I'm going for a run" I told them.

Then I ran out of the door before anyone could tell me no. I heard Reiner yelling at me but I just laughed and kept going. I was still in my sports bra but it was fine because people didn't care as long as I was working out. I got a lot of stares from people who looked at all of my scars and then back to me. They would open their eyes a bit wider when I waved at them. I was almost out of the town when commander Zeke ran up next to me.

"Need a partner?" He asked.

"Not really but I'll enjoy the company"

We ran in comfortable silence for awhile till I fell on the ground breathing heavily. Zeke laughed at me and I kicked his legs out from underneath him and smiled when he fell on his face. His head shot up and he grinned. We sparred with each other for awhile with me winning every time.

"Oh commander seems you've lost your touch" I said laughing with my knee on his back while holding both hands behind him.

"Shut it Katherine" He growled.

I laughed harder and let him go. He got up and stared at me.

"You have gotten a lot better" He grumbled.

"That's what happens when you have to fight humanities best just so he would stop trying to rape you" I said laughing.

Rage flew into the commanders eyes and he stood up and walked over to me.

"Who was it?" He asked.

"Lance corporal Levi Ackerman" I told him slightly afraid.

I have never seen commander Zeke like this and it worried me. He let go of me and nodded.

"He is mine when we go" He said.

"Okay because I've tried to kill the little fucker but for some reason I can't. He is the one who killed my parents" I said.

"Wait the same man who killed your parents tried to get with you?" He asked incredibly confused.

"Yeah he didn't know about that though. I'm sure he thought they were just regular abnormal titans" I said sadly.

I shook my head and went to go back home. The commander followed me for awhile until we passed by his house and he waved as I kept walking. I passed a small cafe and went in. I sat down at a table and a small woman ran up to me to take my order. I told her I just wanted a black tea, whatever was strongest. She nodded and ran off. Once I got my tea I sat there and stared out of the window watching families pass by. Annie and Bertholt passed by not noticing me and I saw that they were holding hands. I grinned and caught their attention. Both of their faces lit up and I pointed and laughed. They walked into the cafe and sat down across from me.

"So?" I questioned them.

"Oh shut up Kat" Annie said still red.

I laughed harder and we talked for while like how we all used too before all this had happened.