Chapter 2

Scouting HQ

Levi rode on his horse with Kara riding in front of him. She held onto the saddle and looked around as they approached HQ. Erwin stood on the stairs waiting for them as Levi came to a stop near the stables and a stable man came to get his horse after Levi got down and helped Kara off.

"Glad you found her." Erwin said as Levi walked with Kara up the steps. Kara hid behind Levi. Erwin didn't question. She seemed to trust Levi.

"I'll have a report of the talk on your desk later." Levi said. Erwin nodded. "Come on, brat. I'll show you your room and we'll get some more food in you. Erwin, I want a word with you later."

"Alright. MPs brought clothes and stuff from her room. She's near your office since the girl is close to you." Erwin said. Levi lowered his eyes in a deadly slant. What the hell was the Commander trying to do. The brat was gonna cause an issue with her father still out there and there was no place for a kid this young. Levi walked into the HQ and took her to her room. She looked around and went towards the bed. She sat down.

"I'm across the hall." Levi said, leaving. Kara watched him go. Kara went to the bed. Boxes of clothes and her stuff were sitting in the corner. She went over to one of the boxes and opened it. Her books sat in one and she went to grab one, but her hand trembled. Kara ran towards the bed and laid down. She curled up into a ball, burring her face in her knees and cried.

Levi delivered his report to Erwin. Erwin was sitting in the desk.

"How she holding up?" Erwin asked. Levi sighed.

"Brat is traumatized. I heard whimpering when I walked by her door. Girl will need time to heal." Levi said.

"She's young. Nine. She'll be turning 10 in a few months. From what Nile, whose good friends of the family, she wanted to join the cadet core and become a Scout." Erwin said. Levi looked at Erwin in surprise. "Nile didn't know there was abuse going on in the household. This came to an utter shock to them."

"Tch. Wanted to keep good appearances. Well. Now he's a wanted man. There's no finding him in the Underworld less he wants to be found." Levi said. Erwin nodded.

"You got permission to train her in what she wants to learn, but go easy on her. She's just a kid." Erwin said.

"I told you I'm not babysitting a brat and what are we gonna do with her when we going on Scouting Missions? I'm not taking her out where she could get eaten by Titans." Levi growled. A huge thump came and Levi nearly face palmed.

"Ow!" Hange pushed the door opened. "I heard we got a special guest staying in our custody. Can I.." Hange said.

"No." Levi growled. Erwin shook his head.

"But I didn't say anything." Hange said.

"Your not gonna traumatize the kid more then she already is, four eyes." Levi grumbled. Erwin chuckled.

"Don't want to babysit but yet your overprotective of her?" Erwin said. Levi shot Erwin a glare as he headed out.

"Everything is in the report, Erwin. Make sure the pigs in the MPs get it." Levi said.

"Where are you going?" Hange asked.

"Its lunch time. Need to get food in that brat." Levi said, slamming Erwin's office door shut. He walked to Kara's door. The whimpering had stopped. He knocked and pushed door open. Kara laid curled up in the bed with her face buried in her knees. Levi came over and put a hand on her shoulder. Kara jumped and rolled away from him. "Kara. Its me." Kara turned. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her body trembled. "Hey. No need to cry." Kara threw her arms around Levi's neck. He was shocked at first and patted her shoulder. "You hungry?"

"Yes." Kara said. Levi gently pried her hands from his clothes. His shirt was soaked from her tears.

"Come on. You can meet my squad but I need to change my shirt." Levi said, standing up. Kara got up and followed. Levi entered his room to change his shirt. Kara stood leaning against the wall. She twisted her hands together, nervously.

"So this is the new recruit." A high pitched voice came. Kara nearly jumped out of her skin and looked up to see a woman with brown hair and glasses standing in front of her. The lady had a huge smile on her face.

"Um. Hi." Kara said.

"I'm Hange Zoe. What's your name?" Hange asked.

"Kara." Kara said.

"Nice to meet you, Kara. Hey. You crazy about Titans?" Hange said.

"Um. Not really. I never seen one but I want to." Kara said.

"Great. I want to one day catch one. Maybe you can help me with experiments." Hange said.

"And have her Titan food. I don't think so." Levi's voice came as he stepped out of the office. Hange gave a pouty face.

"I was just gonna have her help." Hange said.

"And I said no. Let's get you food, brat." Levi said, pulling Kara away from Hange. Kara waved lightly at Hange as she walked away. Levi was surprised how much she warmed up to Hange.

They entered the mess hall to find Levi's squad already there. Levi got food and Kara stayed close.

"Hey Captain. Whose the runt?" Oluo asked as Levi and Kara joined the squad. Kara sat between Levi and a girl.

"Guys. This is Kara. Erwin and I found her on the streets of Siena. We're taking custody of her till she's ready to join the Cadets." Levi said. He started explaining how they found Kara. Kara blocks out the talk as she started eating the food. "Kara?" She looked up at Levi. "This is Oluo, Gunther, Eld, and Petra. They'll be training you along with me."

"Hi." Kara said, quietly. Petra saw the girls shyness and keeping close to the Captain.

"So we're on babysitting duty?" Eld asked.

"Erwin put me in charge of the girl. Your just going to be helping." Levi said.

"What about missions? We can't take her with." Petra said.

"We'll stick a recruit on her. We don't have a mission for awhile. So we don't have to worry." Levi said. Oluo was the only one that didn't look happy about the idea. Eld and Gunther seemed hesitant.

"I don't like this." Oluo said.

"If you have complaints talk to the Commander or would you rather have her on the streets where other kids are?" Levi growled. Oluo's eyes widen.

"We don't need more kids on the streets with the Fall of Wall Maria few months ago." Petra said. Kara remembered hearing about the Armored Titan and Colossal Titan breaking through Wall Maria. Her father went on a drunk spree over it.

"I want to learn." Everyone looked at Kara. "I want to be a Scout. I always wanted to be. It was my ticket to get away from my father."

"Well looks like you got an early chance." Gunther said.

"Just remember she's a kid. So take it easy on her." Levi said. Kara held her head high.

'I'll prove to them that I'm not a push over and not a kid. I want to be a Scout. I will defiantly do it.' Kara thought as she started eating her food.

AN: Sorry it took awhile to post. Hope you like. Till next time.