"I don't agree with your decision; this is too dangerous."

"I know. That's why I'm refusing to let you go alone."

Marco turned his head. He stared down his sister who seemed far more relaxed about the situation than she had any right to be. It was a stark contrast to the grim faces of the soldiers standing nearby. Out of all the members of the Military Police Brigade assembled atop Wall Sina, she was the only one with a smile.

"You're too altruistic," Celine said. She turned her head to gaze over the remnants of Stohess. Few buildings were left untarnished; the destruction grew rampant the further out one looked. Celine's childhood home was unrecognizable. She felt a pang of solidarity with those who had survived the breach of Wall Maria all those years ago.

The Scouts should be looking down on Shiganshina around now, Celine thought. I wonder if Eren and the others have the same, hollow feeling?

"You're too willing to throw your life away for a good cause," Celine continued. "You'll do what you think is right no matter the cost. I'm nowhere near as selfless. Since you wrongly think my life is worth more than your own, I'm going to take advantage of the fact. I know you won't do anything reckless if I stick to you like a burr."

A shadow passed over Marco's features. It had no effect on Celine's warm expression.

"Have you given any thought to what anyone else might think?" Marco asked. "What about Captain Levi?"

Celine's cheeks grew warm. She clasped her hands behind her back like a shy schoolgirl. "I wouldn't be the woman my husband loves if I always chose the safer path. I'm sure he won't be happy, but he can't be surprised."

"And if something happens to you?"

"For that to happen," Celine said, looking over the buildings again. "That has to mean something happens to you, too. I'll be frank, Marco – I don't want to live in a world where you're not in it."

This was the second time Celine had witnessed Marco regard her with rage burning behind his eyes. She shot him a side glance in interest.

Perhaps my temper … wasn't something I inherited from my mother, after all? Our father must have given us more in common than just our eyes.

"How can you accuse me of throwing my life away?!" Marco said, voice cracking. "Then turn around and do the same?"

"You misunderstand," Celine said. She lifted a hand to cup Marco's cheek. He flinched against the touch.

"My life is in your hands," Celine said. She gave Marco's cheek an affectionate pinch before pulling away. "That's how it's been for some time now, isn't it? You're the one in charge of your sister's fate, so make good decisions with that in mind, hmm?"

The tension in Marco's shoulders relaxed. He dropped his gaze, the anger slipping away to be replaced with something more dejected. "What if I'm not strong enough to carry that burden?"

"Come on," Celine said. "I'm not that heavy – even with the metal foot."

"That's not–"

"Have some more faith in yourself, Mr. Seventh-in-his-class," Celine said. The hearty slap to Marco's back left him almost tumbling off the wall before he regained his balance.

"You always think everyone around you is so great," Celine said. "But for whatever reason you can't get it through your head you're also at that level. You never shut up about your friends being good leaders, or confident, or brave. For once, try to see things from their perspective – how you're all of that, plus some. There's a reason I'm standing here about to come face-to-face with a Titan and I'm not afraid."

Marco's eyes roved over Celine's face. He couldn't seem to find a crack in her resolve. A slow nod communicated his resignation, a sharp nature growing behind his eyes. "Then I'll protect you no matter what, Celine."

"As you should; I'm quite precious," Celine said. She turned to face the officer standing behind them. "Inform the Commander we're heading out. We'll send back the guards as we make our approach. The final guard should be Captain Rowan – when you see her, make sure there are no boots in the district."

"Yes, Unit Captain," the officer said. He pounded a fist against his chest in a salute. "Best of luck, you two."

The journey into the heart of Stohess had to be completed on foot when the lack of structures meant ODM gear was no longer viable. Black soot clung to Celine and Marco's boots as they crested piles of rubble and ducked under fallen support beams. Celine offered Marco a handkerchief to wipe his hands free of grime when they finally arrived at the hole marking their destination.

"Don't stick around once the lift is at the bottom," Celine said, speaking to the operators standing beside the pulley system. "We'll use ODM gear to get back up – return to the wall as soon as we touch ground."

The two lanterns in hand became Marco and Celine's only source of light the farther they were lowered into the earth. The opening above made Marco think of how the night sky would look if everything aside from the Moon were to be extinguished. It was an unsettling feeling which suddenly made him feel very alone.

"Come to relieve me of my post?" a voice said. A cloaked figure came into view as the lift touched the cave floor. The woman lifted her lantern to get a better look at the newcomers' faces.

"Are you the only one down here?" Celine asked.

"I am," the woman said. "Everyone else has survival instinct."

"Captain Rowan?"

"At your service, Unit Captain Bodt," Rowan said. "I've lit the torches along the path leading to the prisoner, but I'll show you the way all the same."

The trio walked along the dimly lit tunnels, their footsteps echoing from the walls. Celine turned her head to look down the dark passages. "I heard rumors Maria's Knight is being held down here."

"Seeking out a family reunion?" Rowan asked from ahead.

"Well, if she isn't dead," Celine said. "I'd be obligated to correct that mistake. Updating the military records would be a real hassle, and no one wants that."

Rowan chuckled. "Well, aren't you terrible? You really are your mother's daughter."

"I'd take more offense to that if you didn't also insult her in the same breath," Celine said. Her eyes narrowed. "Otherwise, I don't want to hear anything else from you, Captain."

A glimpse of a smile became hidden by dark hair as Rowan turned her head forward. "Noted."

A pair of large, metal doors met the group as they turned a corner. Brass keys hanging from a ring shined in the dim light as they slid from Rowan's cloak. She held them aloft without a word, dark eyes tracking Marco as his fingers slowly curled around the keyring.

"I'll be off," Rowan said. She sized up Marco and Celine before turning away. "You'll wait a few minutes before heading in, won't you? I'd like to make it out of the blast radius."

Celine cupped her hands around her mouth. "There's a reason they have you down here all alone!" she said, her voice echoing around the tunnel. The only reaction her comment achieved from Rowan was a listless wave over the other woman's shoulder. Rowan's cloak snapped around the corner, taking her out of sight.

A mumble too quiet for Marco to hear caused the corner of his mouth to tilt up as he watched his sister. Celine dug through an inner pocket of her jacket, producing a pocket watch. "We'll wait thirty minutes," she said. "I'm starting the timer now."

The wait passed in silence. Celine used the time to clean soot out from under her nails. It was clear her casual nature was being used as a means to put Marco at ease. It helped, although more so from the presence of another person than anything else.

The watch in Celine's pocket let out a chime far too cheerful for their environment. They rose in tandem from where they'd been sitting against the wall, Marco picking up his lantern as Celine brushed the dirt from her pants. He regarded her over his shoulder. "Are you coming in?"

"I came all this way," Celine said, picking up her own lantern. "It would be rude for me not to say hello."

A knot turned in Marco's stomach. He watched Celine for a moment longer before turning back to the door.

I can't make any mistakes.

The lock clicked with an ominous sound. Marco took a deep breath before pulling the door open. He flinched when Celine slid into the room under his arm.

She thought I'd try to shut her out, Marco thought. He frowned. I wasn't going to, but I had considered it.

The torches in the room had gone out. There was a sound of scrapping metal as Celine stepped down a short set of stairs with her lantern held high. The light soon reflected off a series of chains in the center of the room. A gagged figure recoiled from the glow suddenly brandished in their face.

"Celine!" Marco said, rushing down the steps. "Don't get so close!"

"His restraints are still intact," Celine said, her eyes boring down on the prisoner. She dropped into a squat. Her brow furrowed. "We're much farther underground than the prison. Trying to transform here won't do you any good. You know this, don't you?"

The figure's gaunt features looked nearly ghastly in the dim light. He took a shuddering breath, nodding.

"You were a beanpole before, but you look much thinner, now," Celine said.

Marco placed a hand on Celine's arm. He guided her to her feet, taking a step to put her behind him. "You've met Bertholdt before?" he asked, surprised.

"Once," Celine said, leaning around Marco to keep Bertholdt in her sights. "He was there after you rescued me in Trost, and I had a fight with Jean."

The comment left Marco taken aback. "What?" he said. "You and Jean had a fight? I– no, that's not important right now. Just … stay behind me, Celine."

Marco turned back to Bertholdt. Like Celine had said, his former comrade looked in poor health. Less than three days had passed since the time it took for himself and Celine to travel from Calaneth after receiving the report of the crystalline casing shattering. There was some suspicion it had been weakening even before that, considering it looked like Bertholdt had gone without sustenance for much longer. Any normal person would probably be dead.

"We've brought you food," Marco said after a moment. "I'll tell you now, it's poisoned. We have the antidote; you'll get it later if you don't … if you don't try to kill us. Will you agree to that?"

It was hard for Marco to decipher what Bertholdt was thinking. Light green eyes seemed to shift in and out of focus. Almost a minute passed before Bertholdt finally nodded.

"Alright," Marco said. He handed his lantern to Celine. A resolute nature washed over him as he took a step forward. He bent down to undo the tie securing Bertholdt's gag. A second later he took a quick step back the moment it fell away.

Bertholdt opened his mouth as if to speak. He appeared to lose his conviction, looking away.

"Here," Marco said. He reached into a pouch at his side, producing a canteen and a hand pie wrapped in cloth. Marco removed the lid to the canteen and got to one knee. He lifted the item to Bertholdt's lips. A moment of hesitation passed before Bertholdt accepted the offer and took a drink.

Marco fed the hand pie to Bertholdt in a patient manner between more offers of water. He kept his firm gaze on Bertholdt as the other boy kept his eyes averted. When the meal was gone, Marco screwed the cap back on the canteen and tucked it away.

"Your stomach will start to bother you a bit," Marco said. "Sorry for that."

Bertholdt grit hit teeth. His voice shook. "Why?" he said, his voice crackling like the spine of an old book which hadn't been opened in some time. "Why didn't I let you die back in Trost?"

Marco studied the pain traced over Bertholdt's features. "I can't answer that."

Bertholdt still wouldn't meet Marco's gaze. His breaths grew shallow. "Are they dead? Reiner and Annie?"

"Yes."

Tears welled up in Bertholdt's eyes. They spilled over his cheeks as he continued to stare into the darkness. "So it's … just me?"

"It's never been just you, Bertholdt."

Bertholdt met Marco's gaze. He held it as tears continued to fall. "How long … have I been here?"

"A few months," Marco said. His frown deepened. "Annie died a little over a month ago. I think her casing on you started to weaken then, but it wasn't until Eren got farther away did it break."

"Eren?" Bertholdt asked, eyes going wide. "Does that mean he …?"

"He didn't want to," Marco said. Pain shot through his chest; it was pushed down. "Annie was fatally wounded by Reiner, and Eren took her power as she wanted."

"Reiner?!"

Thin, boney hands reached out to grasp the front of Marco's jacket. One of the lanterns hit the ground with a crash and shower of glass before going dark. Celine had forsaken the lantern to draw a sword from her hip and place the blade against Bertholdt's throat.

"Stop, Celine," Marco said. She didn't comply at first, her delicate features washed in the shadows from the remaining lantern. Bertholdt recalled that look filled with venom from when she'd confronted Jean because he'd attempted to speak in Marco's defense. The situation now couldn't be any more different as Celine appeared ready to fight on Marco's behalf with everything she had. Her sword slowly withdrew with some reluctance.

"Reiner … really killed Annie?" Bertholdt asked. He studied Marco's features in an attempt to see if the statement was a lie – a bluff. An attempt to chip away at Bertholdt's loyalty.

You're too honest, Bertholdt thought. He choked as more tears began to fall. You're too honest to make a face like that and have it not be true.

A stabbing pain ripped through Bertholdt's stomach. He wrapped his arms around his middle, dipping his head as he took deep breaths. His form shuddered like he'd been left in the cold. The spasms passed as quickly as they appeared.

"A kid I knew, Porco, said something to me once," Bertholdt said. His head dipped further. "He told me I was scenery – like the backdrop in a play. I wasn't even a supporting character. I just existed as a means for others to compare themselves to: Marcel was braver than Bertholdt. Annie was smarter than Bertholdt. Reiner was stronger than Bertholdt. The Colossal Titan … isn't the one you assign to a warrior who's particularly skilled at anything. It's slow, and utilized when the other warriors place it in position for a surprise attack. Being the Colossal Titan means you're a tool, not a fighter. If Marley had been able to give the power to an animal … they would've."

Bertholdt gasped. He retched, yellow bile splattering over the stone near his knees. The material of his shirt stretched between his fingers as he clawed at his stomach with a low groan.

"Celine," Marco said, turning his head. "Hand me the vial."

Celine pursed her lips. "Are you sure?"

"Please, Celine."

A deep exhale preceded Celine pressing a button on the handle to her ODM gear. A clicking sound indicated a small panel on the back of her right heel popping free from her boot. Black soot fell free as Celine crouched down to pull the panel fully open and grasp the item inside.

Clear liquid sloshed within a small vial held aloft. Celine's grip remained firm as Marco attempted to accept the item. Whatever she saw within Marco's expression caused her fingers to slide over the glass as the vial was pulled away.

"Lift your head," Marco said, turning back to Bertholdt. "Drink this – you'll feel better."

Bertholdt slowly did as Marco asked … at first. Marco didn't expect the burst of speed which followed. He cried out as Bertholdt slapped his hand with all his might. The vial flew into the darkness, the sound of glass rolling over stone drifting from somewhere out of sight.

"I don't want to be saved," Bertholdt said, his face twisting in rage. "Especially by you. I lost everything because I made the mistake of allowing you to live. I failed as a warrior, and now Reiner and Annie are dead. There's no point in fighting without them … no point in going home without them. Our mission was botched because of me. I forgot my place as a prop and tried to be something more. This is my punishment."

The shadows lining the walls spun in a dizzying fashion as Marco leapt to his feet and snatched the lantern from Celine's grasp. She only watched with a grim expression as he rushed to the other end of the room.

A series of wracking coughs overcame Bertholdt's ability to breathe. The darkness meant he couldn't see the color of what was coming up, but the taste of iron was more than enough to indicate it was blood. The warm liquid dripped between his fingers as his vision began to grow blurry.

Without you two … I'm not anything, Bertholdt thought. He squeezed his eyes shut against the burning sting in his gut. What would the people I know even say if I were the only one to return home? Probably something like:

"What a shame it wasn't one of the others."

"Celine! Hold him!"

The restraints around Bertholdt's wrists pulled his arms taught behind his back. A hand on his forehead pushed his head back, fingers pinching his nose shut.

Bertholdt screamed. He thrashed with all his might against the hands trying to hold him steady. A cold object forced its way between his teeth, sending an even colder liquid down his throat. Bertholdt spit the glass out in an attempt to trigger his gag reflex. The hand forcing his jaw closed made him unsuccessful.

It's … too late. I can already feel myself … falling.

"Annie wouldn't want you to die!"

The hands over Bertholdt's face pulled away. He fell to the stone, taking breaths that grew shallower with every rise as fall to his chest.

"For someone who stayed in the background and watched others so intently," Marco's voice said, swimming through the darkness. "I don't think you ever tried to look past how you thought others perceived you as opposed to their true feelings. Did you ever even ask?!"

No.

Bertholdt allowed the darkness to close in.

I never did.

"Bertholdt."

Annie?!

Bertholdt snapped his eyes open in shock. He took panicked breaths as his attention darted about. He was still in the round room acting as his prison, chains securing his limbs to the floor. The torches that had previously gone out had been relit to bask the room in an orange glow.

I heard … Annie's voice …

"I wonder if the antidote actually did anything?" Celine asked. She sat at the bottom of the steps leading to the door, her chin leaning against her palm as she looked at something across the room. "It's possible his body just regenerated fast enough to fight off the effects of the poison. I'd be upset to learn I received a bruise to my cheekbone for nothing."

"I know you didn't want to help," Marco said. He came into view as he stepped from behind Bertholdt. "Thank you for holding him steady."

Celine shrugged. "You're lucky I'm so considerate." Her eyes snapped to Bertholdt. He flinched as they narrowed. "He's awake."

A pair of brown eyes above a spattering of freckles filled Bertholdt's vision. He sat up with a start as Marco kneeled before him.

"You were out for a while, I was worried," Marco said. He smiled. "Welcome back, Bertholdt."

"Shut up!"

Bertholdt scrambled away as far as his restraints would allow. "How could you be glad I'm alive?! I'm the reason thousands of people are dead! I betrayed you! I tried to kill you! Drop dead! Die! Just … just …"

If I bite down on my tongue, I can transform. Marco will die in the explosion and I'll be crushed. I only have to–

"You just asked how I can be glad you're alive," Marco said. His hands balled into fists atop his knees. A tear in his left pant leg revealed a wound covered in dried blood. It had probably happened sometime during the earlier struggle … yet Marco didn't seem to care.

"I know Annie would be sad if you died," Marco continued. His expression hardened. "And I know that means something to you. You care about Annie, and you feel bad enough about what you did in the past to want to die for it. I'm glad you're alive, because the Bertholdt Hoover I knew in the Cadets wasn't completely an act. You may have thought no one was watching, but as your squad leader, I was. You weren't a piece of scenery – you were my comrade; my friend. I've lost a lot of friends, and I don't want to lose another if there's anything I can do to stop it."

Marco dipped his head. His mouth stretched into a thin line. "I feel bad for thinking like this. You took countless lives and saved only one. It does next to nothing to tip the scales against the terrible things you've done. But when it comes down to it, the life you saved was mine. My sister tells me I should try to be more selfish; I suppose this is me following her advice. I feel I can find the strength to forgive you and still think of you as a friend, because I wouldn't be here at all if it wasn't for you considering me a friend, too."

That's what he meant … Bertholdt thought. He grimaced. The pain in his stomach was gone; now his whole body hurt.

… when Marco said it's never been 'just me.' To him, I wasn't an observer. I was a part of our squad. Reiner … and Annie … did they think that about me, too?

"What did Annie say?" Bertholdt asked, his voice hardly above a whisper. "Did she tell you why she betrayed us to join your side?"

Marco nodded. He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking. "I don't think she did it to hurt anyone. Annie told me Marley viewed her as a tool. I can't say everyone here saw her otherwise, but there were enough of us who acknowledged Annie for who she was as a person to make her feel like this was a place she could call her home."

"A tool?" Bertholdt said. His chest ached like it was about to burst.

She felt … like me? I never knew. I never … asked.

"Why did I … just watch?" Bertholdt said. He sobbed. "Why did I never ask?! Why did I assume no one wanted me to ask? You think Annie wanted me to live … you think that because you did more to know her than just observing. Why did I live my life and let everything slip away without even trying to hang on?"

Marco leaned to the side to unclip a canteen from his belt. He held the item aloft. "This is just regular water. Have some – I can drink from it first, if you want."

Bertholdt held Marco's gaze. He reached out, taking the canteen. "It's alright," he croaked. Bertholdt unscrewed the cap. "I trust you."

A pause followed Bertholdt taking a drink. He regarded Marco from the corner of his eye.

"You know …" Bertholdt said. "... the only time I stepped forward to act in a way I really wanted to was when I … when I kept Reiner from killing you. That was the only time I ever acted and didn't feel like I was being crushed. I was so scared; I've been scared since that day because I couldn't forget what it felt like to not hate myself."

Bertholdt's hands began to shake. "I could've … I could've done the same for Sasha. I don't know … I don't know why I didn't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't. Sasha … She was kind. She wasn't a devil. None of you … the people here … What am I … supposed to do, now?"

"I'm not sure," Marco said. He leaned back, crossing his legs beneath him. The casual air about him reminded Bertholdt so much of their time in the Cadets it made his insides hurt more than the poison had. "Maybe the two of us can figure it out," Marco continued. "Like I said, Bertholdt – you're not alone."

Bertholdt dipped his head. He pulled his knees to his chest, hiding his face behind his arms. Despite his height … he still felt like a small child.

"I'm glad you're here, Marco."

"Me too," Marco said, his voice conveying he believed it wholeheartedly.