Levi had left Petra after taking care of their horses. He knew he should track down Erwin and request his approval of Marcus joining the Survey Corps as their first honorary custodian. Levi personally thought it was one of his best plans. The men and women around the place just didn't know how to keep things clean, much less maintain their personal hygiene. The fact remained, though, that Levi was exhausted. He hadn't slept much before their trek beyond the wall, he never really did, but the day's events left him physically and mentally drained.

The death of his friends had hit him hard, but it was difficult for him to fully realize that he wouldn't see them again. At any moment, he expected Mina to come bounding out of nowhere to jump on his back, yelling to Lennox to look at what goofy thing she was doing now. Lennox would laugh and elbow Stan, shooting off some stupid joke about Levi. He would shake his head and call them all idiots, and then they would journey inside to relax in the dining hall.

But Mina never jumped on him, and Lennox and Stan never made a joke as he walked up the steep hill from the stables to the barracks. He clenched his fists to keep the grief from showing on his face. People couldn't see him, of all people, vulnerable.

Several people greeted him as he entered the castle, none of which he replied to. His only focus was his room, all he wanted was to be there, where no one could see him. All he wanted was to be alone.

"Captain." Someone called, and he half-turned to find one of the higher-up officers headed his way.

He felt physically pained as he faced him and said, "Yes, Commander?"

"You're looking well." The Commander smiled. Levi's usual solemn face didn't change. The officer cleared his throat, "My name is Fidencio Porticelli, you can call me Fide." He held out his hand for Levi to shake.

Levi stared at it for a moment, and then looked back up at Fide, "Does this conversation have a point?"

"Oh, uh, yes, sir." Fide dropped his hand to the side, "I've been tasked with debriefing you from the day's mission."

Levi sighed, partly because even the Commanders called him 'sir', and because this whole situation was making him even more exhausted, "Can't you give a guy a minute to breath? I haven't even been back for five hours."

"I'm sorry, Captain, but your memory is at it's freshest." Fide said.

That was when Erwin Smith stepped in. His authority was present the moment he stepped foot in between them. It seemed to weigh down the air, "The debriefing can happen later, Commander Porticelli. I think the Captain, here, deserves some shut-eye."

"Yes, sir." Porticelli gave Levi a quick glance and then walked away, Erwin's presence obviously flustering him.

"You'll have to talk to him sometime, you know." Erwin said, "The sooner the better."

"You remember Mina." Levi said quietly, changing the subject completely, "She was a member of my squad."

"Yes, how could I forget?"

"She has a brother with disabilities that prohibit him from living on his own. I've already spoken with his judge about giving the Survey Corps custody of him. We need someone to help take care of the estate, I thought he'd be the perfect person for the job." Levi explained.

Erwin's already thick eyebrows furrowed together to make, what reminded Levi as, a caterpillar, "You acted without my authority?"

"Don't act all high and mighty." Levi put a hand on his hip, "It's not hurting you to take on a new man, especially one that's only helping with the chores. I'll take full responsibility for him if that makes you feel better."

Erwin's eyebrows relaxed, and he sighed, "As if you don't have other burdens on your shoulders."

Levi turned around to continue to his room, "The judge needs your approval. I'd appreciate it if you did it today."

The soldiers would always marvel at Levi's audacity to speak to the Commander as he did. They didn't understand the amount of loyalty and respect the two men had for each other. Even after Levi was sent to kill Erwin for an even pettier criminal than he had been, the Commander still took care of him. Standing there now, in the castle, Levi wondered why. Why had he trusted him enough to keep him in the Survey Corps? Why trust him enough to make him a Captain? A squad leader? Looking back, Levi couldn't answer that question, the only thing he knew was that he would follow Erwin to the ends of the earth, and beyond if he had to.

When he finally reached his room, he closed the door and turned around to face the emptiness. He rested his back against the wooden door, and all of the events of the day came crashing down on him. He still felt the blood of his friends on him, the images of each of their deaths flashing against his closed eyelids. It became all he could do to stand, and suddenly his knees buckled and he slid to the floor. Pent up tears flowed down his face, and he pulled his knees up to his chest.

Not even when Isabel and Farlan died, had he cried. He'd only sat on the rooftop of the castle, looking up at the stars, wondering if they would have survived had he stayed with them that day. Or would he have met the same fate as they had?

He dug his fingers into his arms as he buried his face into them. He was alone again. He had finally found people he could feel comfortable with, people who understood him and would do anything for him. People he was willing to die for. They weren't only his friends, they were his family.

He thought about Stan and his parents, who were doing everything they could to keep their house. Stan had joined the Survey Corps because he looked up to them as a kid, yes, but he had also joined for the salary. Every paycheck he received he sent to his parents, so they could pay for their home and live the rest of their lives in comfort.

Lennox had been so excited for the birth of his child. He hadn't been told that his wife had given birth before the mission, so as not to distract him in the field. Not even Levi had known until he visited Jenny. Lennox had had a son, and he would never know.

Mina lost her mother and was on the verge of losing her brother, but she was still doing everything she could for him. Levi knew the whole situation before he'd asked her about it in the woods, he'd known how bleak Marcus's future looked. He knew Mina had too. Despite that, she'd still been prepared to fight for her brother, because she loved him and that's what you do for people you love.

He thought of all of his friends, all of the purposes they had in life, and he wondered why they were the ones to die. When all of these things were happening in their life, when so many people depended on them, why did they die? And the lingering question in the back of his mind was, why not him? He held no purpose in his life other than the Survey Corps, so why wasn't he the one that had died?

Tears still flowed down his cheeks as he picked his head up out of his arms and rested it against the door. You were supposed to fight for the people you loved, but he'd left Mina behind knowing that she was alive, because one man ordered him to. He couldn't forget her face, the look in her eyes with tears streaming down her face. He'd betrayed her.

His legs straightened and flumped to the floor, and the tears eventually stopped flowing as his heavy eyelids drooped. He didn't dream as he slept, leaving him with a well-deserved rest. His body relaxed, leaving his muscles to spasm and turn sore. The missions outside of the wall definitely took a toll on his body, much more so than he let on to those around him.

He didn't know how long he had slept, but he was suddenly jarred awake by a pounding on his door. He snapped awake, looking around in sleep-induced shock before he realized he'd fallen asleep slumped against the door.

Getting to his feet with a slight groan, he opened the door to find Petra standing at attention, "Captain," her eyes ran up and down his body, "you look awful."

He exhaled, scratching the back of his head, "What do you need?"

"I heard the men say you hadn't been in the dining hall yet, and that they hadn't seen you around. I think they were a little worried about you." She said, shifting her weight to one leg, "I think I was too."

"Why?" He asked.

She looked sympathetic, "You've been through a lot the past couple of days-"

"Couple of days? How long was I asleep?"

"About a day I think." She said.

He was surprised, though he knew it didn't show on his face, he was good at hiding his emotions, "I suppose I should eat then. Care to join?"

"Oh, I have duties with Captain Reikker-"

"Forget them, you won't have to deal with him much longer." Levi said, opening his door further for her to enter. He turned away from her to unbutton his usual white shirt, folding it neatly and placing it in his laundry bag.

Petra stood in the middle of the room awkwardly, a light pink blushing her cheeks, "Why, might I ask, sir?"

"I'm going to request you to be transferred to my new squad." He said, facing her with his new white shirt clasped in his hands.

Her eyes paused for a moment on his toned chest, before she looked away, the pink of her cheeks flaring to red, "Me? You want me in your squad?"

"I've seen your cadet file. You graduated top of your class and have outstanding marks from your training officers. Of course you don't have any experience in the field, but your abilities and instincts are hard to pass up." He slipped into his shirt, donning the Survey Corps jacket.

Petra slipped out of his room ahead of him, watching a group of men at the end of the hall stare as they came out, and she turned to find Levi adjusting his shirt. Turning back to the group of men who were whispering to each other, she felt her face turn crimson, "Thank you, sir."

"Have you eaten?" He asked, taking the lead as they journeyed to the dining hall.

"Yes, sir."

"Then I need your help with a matter."

Her eyes widened, "Of course."

"You know the recruits that followed you to the Survey Corps from the Cadets. I want you to compile a list of those you believe to have good qualities and present them to me tomorrow morning at breakfast." He descended the stairs into the dim dining hall, which was now almost fully empty, "Breakfast is at 0700."

Silvester saw them enter as he juggled a stack of dirty plates and said, "The usual, Captain?"

"Throw some eggs in this time." He said politely.

"You got it!"

Levi sat at the head of the table, and Petra reached out to sit in the chair next to Mina's. He held up a hand and pointed it at the chair next to his, "You're my second in command now."

Her eyes widened, "But, isn't that Mina's chair?"

His stomach twisted, "It was, but she's gone and she's not coming back. There's nothing to gain by dwelling in the past. None of us knows how much time we have left, so we shouldn't waste any of it grieving over things we can't change. She's dead, and she'll stay that way. You will become my second in command, so that is your chair now."

She took a seat in her chair, and despite the fact that he knew he had sounded harsh, he knew that she saw through it all. She saw his pain. This person that he had only known for two days, he felt cared about him well enough to read his emotions that he hid so well.

"Are you alright, Captain?" She asked, not in a worried tone, more like a casual, conversational one.

Silvester entered through the kitchen door, holding Levi's usual cup of tea, along with a plate of four fried eggs. He sat them down in front of Levi, saying, "Enjoy, Captain."

"I'm fine." Levi said, answering Petra's question.

"Are you?" She asked, her eyes piercing his.

He didn't have time to answer as a recruit entered the dining hall and saluted Levi, "Captain."

Levi sipped his tea without looking up at the recruit, "Yes?"

"I've been sent by the high Judge Bresco. You've been granted Marcus Sleven's full custody, you are supposed to retrieve him from the courthouse as soon as possible." The recruit said.

Levi nearly spit out his tea as he looked at the recruit, a tall brown haired boy, for the first time, "I've been granted custody? He was supposed to be given to the Survey Corps."

"I'm only the messenger sir." The recruit said, a small amount of fear on his face.

Levi sighed, "Alright, thank you."

The recruit hurried away and Levi looked at the clock on the wall, which read nine thirty. He looked down at the plate of eggs and sighed, now he would have to rush his breakfast. He looked over to Petra, who was staring up at him with her large eyes. She smiled, "You're the guardian of Mina's brother now. I think she'll rest easier knowing you're taking care of him."

"You can accompany me to the courthouse, or go to whatever duties Reikker has for you." Levi said, "I don't care which."

"Will I get in trouble if I don't go to Reikker?" Petra asked.

"Not if you're with me."

She smiled, "Then I'll go with you. I'd like to meet Marcus."

After Levi was finished with his breakfast, he and Petra strode outside. It was a nice enough day, and he didn't have any duties to attend to, so they decided not to take the horses.

They walked together down the streets of the city, Petra talking non-stop about this and that. She would be talking about one thing, and then she'd see something in one of the shop windows and start a new story. Levi didn't mind, her rambling kept his own mind from wandering. Besides, she had a nice voice, one he wouldn't mind listening to when it was late at night and the night terrors wouldn't let him sleep.

She was in the middle of a story about a dog she used to have, when he saw a green hooded figure in the crowd. He couldn't see the person's face, but he didn't have to. He'd known what his men looked like by their silhouettes in the darkness. A wave of chocolate brown hair fell out of the hood and his blood ran cold.

He started pushing through the crowd of people, vaguely registering that Petra was calling his name. His eyes stayed on the hooded figure, who was walking away from him, but suddenly a vender blocked his line of sight. Levi ran forward, pushing the man to the side, who stumbled and fell. He shouted something harshly at Levi, but he didn't hear him. The hooded figure was gone. Levi looked through the crowd desperately trying to find the familiar green of the Survey Corps.

Petra grabbed hold of his arm and said, "Captain, what is going on?"

He looked down at her without saying anything. Had it been a figment of his imagination? Petra let go of his arm, probably frustrated that he hadn't said anything, and went to help the man he had pushed to his feet.

He watched as she did, and then saw something out of the corner of his eye. He gasped as he looked forward to find the hooded figure standing in front of him. Her dark eyes he'd gazed into hundreds of times stared up at him, void of emotion. Her green cloak was nearly red, and her face was spattered with blood. He looked down at her missing leg, her pants ripped and stained crimson.

It was as if the world stopped, everyone around them a blur as he looked down at her, his face showing his shock, "Mina?" He whispered.

"Behind you." She said monotonously.

He turned in time to see a man with a gun, pointing it at Petra. His Scout instincts kicked in and he shouted, "Petra!"

She stood up and looked at him in confusion. He didn't have time to explain, only to lunge for her. He jumped in front of her, shielding her body with his, just as he heard the loud bang of the gun. People screamed, and he heard another bang. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his upper right chest, toward his spine, and pain in his lower abdomen. He gasped for breath and coughed up a spray of blood. His knees felt weak, his fingertips tingly.

"Captain!" Petra cried whirling around to face him, as his knees finally gave out and he clung to her as he fell. Someone must have tackled the gunman because she didn't seem to look as if she were in danger. He coughed up more blood, and suddenly the world looked fuzzy. It was like he couldn't breath, every time he did wasn't enough. Petra's face was growing darker, and gradually the pain began to subside. He was really tired.

Petra gently set his body on the ground and took off the scarf around her neck, ripping open his blood-soaked shirt to reveal two small gunshot wounds. She placed the scarf over the wound in his stomach. She knew that was one of the worst places to be shot. She was worried about the wound in his chest, being that it was so close to his spine. People were screaming and running past them, while a few men had knocked the gunman unconscious. She shouted for someone to get a doctor and for someone else to send word to Commander Erwin from the Survey Corps.

Levi was staring up at the clouds, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His eyes would close, and then snap open, and he was muttering something. She kept pressure on his stomach wound and shouted, "Captain,Captain Levi! Stay with me, sir!"

His dark, sad eyes met hers, "Mina?" he breathed. He rose his hand up to catch a strand of her hair. He rubbed it between his thumb and index finger, "You're not Mina."

"I'm Petra, sir." She said desperately, "It's Petra."

"Petra." He breathed, his eyes widened. Her hair was lit up by the sun, making it seem like a halo around her, "Are you an angel?"

His hand fell to his side, and his lolled. Petra's heart stopped as she searched for his pulse. She didn't find one. "No, no, no! Captain! Levi, stay with me!" She cried, starting chest compressions, "Where is the doctor!" She shouted to no one in particular.

She opened Levi's mouth and pressed her's against his, breathing air into his lungs. She started the compressions again, her mind was racing a mile a minute. She didn't even remember if this was what she was supposed to be doing to save him.

"Levi, please!" She shouted, feeling tears prick her eyes. He had saved her, and she'd be damned if she didn't save him.

As she looked around for the damned doctor, Petra didn't see the woman in the bloodied and tattered Survey Corps uniform kneel next to Levi's head. She cupped his face with her scarred, dirty hands and smiled at the fact. She then said, "Now is not your time."

Slowly, she pressed her lips against his, and then rose to her feet as he sucked in a deep breath, coughing a clot of blood onto the pavement. Petra cried in relief and a doctor finally arrived, placing his body onto a stretcher, the mysterious hooded figure disappearing into the crowd without notice.

Sorry about that huge wait guys, summer and college break have been busy busy, but I still haven't abandoned anyone! I recently finally got around to watching No Regrets, and was a little disappointed. I read the manga and it was super emotional, and I just wish it would have been the same emotional in the anime. I still loved it though, not saying I didn't! Anything to do with Levi is love!

So thanks for reading!