Chapter 20

Back to Base

Levi flew through the trees trying to find his squad. He heard Eren's roar. He found them. Gunther was hanging from the tree and Eld was cut in half. Petra and Oluo laid in a bloody mess.

"Damnit." Levi said as he landed on a branch above Petra.

'Where's Kara? Please say she's alright?" Levi thought.

"Kara!" Levi called flying through the trees. He saw a body laying on the ground not to far off. He landed on the ground fast and rolled her over. She moaned in pain. "Kara."

Kara heard her father's voice as he rolled her over. Pain radiated through her body. Her eyes open and looked up at Levi's face. Relief flooded his face.

"Father. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for you team." Kara said, tears in her eyes.

"Kara. Some stuff can't be stopped. I'm relieved your alive." Levi said. It didn't stop her from crying. "Brat. This is no time to cry."

"Father. I know who the Female Titan is." Kara said. Levi stopped. "It's someone I went to Cadet Corps with." Levi gritted his teeth.

"Tell me and Erwin as soon as we get back to HQ. I need to find Eren. I'm sending you back to the others." Levi said. He helped her up, but she nearly fell, gripping her sides in pain. "Call your horse." Kara put her two fingers to her mouth and whistled. Lucky came running. "Get to the meeting point and get looked at." Levi got Lucky to lay down and helped Kara get on the horse. The pain was causing her eyes to water as Lucky stood up. "Don't stop for anything. Your in to much pain. Now go." Lucky took off running. Kara gritted her teeth as every jolt shot a pain through her body. She looked back and saw Levi taking off.

"Father. Be safe." Kara whispered as she got out of the woods. She laid down on her horse, hugging his neck. "Find Jean." She whispered to her horse, as she fought to stay awake.

Jean was helping feed the horses with Armin. There was no sign of the Levi Squad so far and he was getting worried.

'Damn it. Where are they?' Jean thought.

"Jean!" Conny yelled. Jean looked towards his friend. "Isn't that Kara's horse?" Conny pointed towards the direction and Jean saw a horse heading their way.

"Shit it is." Jean said.

"Go." Armin said. Jean jumps off the wagon and runs towards the horse. Conny had grabbed the reins, but Jean saw his eyes wide. Jean ran over and gasped. Kara was slumped over the saddle, hugging Lucky's neck.

"Kara." Jean said. Kara turned her head to see Jean looking at her. "What the fuck happened?!"

"Female Titan. Ribs broken. Hit head." Kara whispered as she started slipping off the horse. Jean caught her before she hit the ground. "Annie." Jean heard it and he gritted his teeth as Kara's eyes closed as her head landed on Jean's shoulder.

"Need someone to help here! Got an injured Cadet!" Jean yelled. Hange ran over and her eyes widen.

"Kara." Hange said.

"I think the Female Titan hurt her. She said ribs broken and she hit her head before she passed out." Jean said.

"Get her on the wagon over there." Hange pointed. Jean headed for the wagon and a soldier helped him get her on. "Your the boy that she likes?" Jean nodded.

"Yes, Section Commander." Jean said as Hange looked her over.

"I can't do anything till we get to HQ where doctors can help. You got my permission to stay with her till we get back." Hange said. Jean got in the wagon. Armin, Conny, and Sasha came over to the wagon.

"I hope she's alright." Sasha said with worry on her face.

"I think she's got some ribs broken and a hard hit on the head. She'll be alright." Jean said.

"LEVI! Where's your squad?" Hange called. Jean looked to see Levi standing, holding Eren with Mikasa standing next to him. Eren was knocked out.

"All dead. Where's Kara?" Levi said seeing Lucky being held by Christa.

"Captain. Over here!" Jean called, waving. Levi came over and Jean helped him get Eren in the wagon with Kara. Mikasa took off her cape and laid it over Eren.

"She'll be looked at as soon as we get back to HQ." Hange said, coming over. Levi nodded and walked away. Jean looked at the others.

"Can someone take my horse back. I'm staying with Kara." Jean said.

"I got you, man. Looks like Christa got Lucky. I'll have her take Lucky back with her." Conny said. He went to talk to Christa. Jean sat down next to Kara. She was pale. Jean grabbed her hand gently. She was alive that's all that mattered to Jean, but he hated seeing Kara injured. A man got on the driver's seat as the order was given to move out. Mikasa was on her horse got on the side that Eren was on. Jean didn't miss the worry on Mikasa's face for their friends. The Scouts started moving out. Jean held onto the side as they headed to meet more of the soldiers.

They came to a stop where people were gathering dead bodies. Levi limped over to the wagon where his daugther was. He had gotten injured trying to save Eren.

"How is she?" Jean looked at the Captain.

"She hasn't moved, sir." Jean said. Levi nodded and left. Mikasa walked over and looked at Eren. Jean watched as Armin helped another Scout load up the bodies. This was something that he knew he would never get use to. They lost a lot of Scouts with this mission and some bodies could not be recovered. Jean saw some soldiers arguing with Erwin and Levi and ignored them.

"Jean." Kara whispered. Jean's head snapped back to her and saw her head turned towards him. Kara's eyes were still closed. Jean smiled softly. He bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Mikasa watched the two. She couldn't help, but smile a bit.

They start heading back to the walls. Mikasa kept close to the wagon. Jean looked ahead as the wagon rode. They were towards the back.

"Wait!" A voice yelled. Mikasa and Jean looked behind them. "Heads up! We've got Company!"

"Damn it." Jean said. Two soldiers were heading their way with two Titans behind them.

"Titans!" A soldier yelled. A red smoke signal was shot into the air.

"Enemy spotted at the rear!" A soldier called to the front.

"Full speed! All soldiers!" Erwin called back. Jean watched as one Titan tried to grab one soldier that looked like he was holding a corpse. The body fell. The other titan grabbed the other soldier. The soldier screamed as he was eaten. Mikasa swung around to go help the soldiers as one of the Soldiers was gaining on the wagon with the dead bodies. Armin was riding on the other side of the wagon Jean was in.

"It's about to be right on top of us." Armin said.

"Looks like we've got no choice but to fight." Jean said, gritting his teeth.

"Ground's to flat to engage ODM gear. And not only that." Armin said. Jean looked and saw more Titans running at them from another direction. "We'll soon be outnumbered." Jean sihged.

"Perfect. Then what do you suggest we do, genius?" Jean asked, looking at Armin. Armin looked at the wagon with the bodies.

"The only thing we can." Armin said. Jean gasped when he realized what Armin said. Dumping the bodies was the only chance they had. Jean looked back to see the Titan finish eating the soldier as the other soldier swung around to kill the Titan. The Titan grabs him out of the air. The soldier screams. Mikasa latches onto the Titan and swings around and slashes the Nape of its neck. The Titan falls as Mikasa lands on the ground. The Soldier stumbles out of the hand, alive.

"We're done! It's gaining on us!" A soldier in the wagon with the dead called. The Titan was almost on the wagons.

"I'll jump behind the bastard and distract him! Give you a chance to put some distance.."

"Don't bother!" The soldiers turn to see Levi riding beside the wagon. He had slowed down to help. "You've got to jettison the extra weight. Dump the bodies."

"But sir." The soldier said.

"Do you know how many corpses we've already left behind? These aren't special. Dump them!" Levi ordered. The Soldiers looked shocked. "Consider it their last service to the cause." The soldiers hesitated. Jean didn't blame them for hesitating. The Titan was getting closer. Levi gritted his teeth as he grabbed his leg. He couldn't do anything with the injured leg. "Damn it." The Soldiers started to unload the bodies. Levi watched as one of the cloths came off and it was Petra's body. The wagon started picking up speed as all the bodies were dumped and they started loosing the Titans. Levi picked up speed. Jean sat back down as Mikasa came back to the wagon.

Couple hours later. They reached the wall. Mikasa was now in the cart with Jean. Kara groaned in pain and Jean looked at her. Her grey eyes open and Jean grabbed her hand.

"Kara." Jean said. She looked at him.

"Jean. Where are we?" Kara asked. "We're almost to the wall." Jean said. Kara grabbed her head. It was pounding. A gasp comes and Eren was awake. Mikasa dealt with him. "Are you alright?"

"My head is pounding and my ribs hurt." Kara said. Jean helped her sit up and she groaned in pain. She leaned against him for support. Jean wrapped his arm around her.

"Kara. Why did you say Annie's name before you passed out?" Jean whispered. Kara clutched his shirt.

"I think she's the Female Titan." Kara whispered. Jean gritted his teeth. Kara burried her face in the crook of his neck. "Jean. I'm happy your alright." Jean gently hugged her.

"You had me worried, pipsqueak." Jean said. Kara smiled.

They reached the gate and it opened. The soldiers stepped through. There were shocked whispers.

"Am I miscounting, or are there fewer of them than when they left?"

"No, there's a lot fewer."

"Must have been a bad one."

"I don't get it. They were all piss and vinegar this morning. They're already back?"

"Hell, why bother leaving in the first place?"

"No idea. I'd say by the looks on their faces they hoped to be gone longer."

"Our taxes hard at work, ladies and gentlemen. Bravo."

Kara gritted her teeth. Eren goes to sit up.

"Eren. Ignore it." Mikasa said. Eren froze. Kara looked out and saw the two kids watching them with huge smiles on their faces.

"Awesome! Beat, but they're still ready to go! You gotta be made of nails to ride with these guys. They're unstoppable!" The boy said. Jean chuckled. Kara looked up at him and smiled, weakly. Eren laid back down. Kara heard more shouting. Kara felt her heart sank.

"Give us more answers, damn you! We have a right!"

"How many lives were lost on this mission? Was it worth it? Was it really worth it?"

"You think the last thing going through their minds was for the good of humanity?"

Kara burried her face in Jean's chest. Eren was crying.

They reached Headquarters. Jean gently helped Kara towards the edge of the wagon. Levi walked over.

"Get her to the infirmary and get ready to head to the Captital." Levi said.

"Why?" Jean asked.

"We are called for a meeting." Levi said. Jean jumped off. Jean looked at Kara as she got off and almost fell from the pain.

"Tch." Jean said. He gently picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Levi watched the two as Kara laid her head on Jean's shoulder.

"Brat." Kara looked at Levi. "Get some rest. Your badly hurt."

"Yes, father." Kara said. Jean turned and headed for the Infirmary. The doctors ran over and pointed her to the bed.

"I have to go." Jean said as he set her on the bed. Kara didn't want him to go, but he had to. He goes to leave and Kara grabs his arm. Jean looked at her.

"I love you." Kara said. Jean came over and kissed her.

"I love you too. I'll be back as soon as I can." Jean said. Jean took one last look at Kara before he left. The doctor and nurses gather around her as more injured were brought in. Kara felt exhausten take her as the doctors checked her out. She was safe back in Headquarters but the thought of one of their fellow cadets being a traitor filled her head.

AN: See. I wasn't going to kill her. Till next time.