Author's Note: I am SO sorry that these chapters are becoming monthly guys, I've been really busy with my youtube channel, and plus I've been having a microphone issue with my new computer and have literally been spending days trying to fix it, plus, and not to be TMI but I don't wanna lie to you guys, I've had the worst period ever in years and its really been making me ill. Thank you all so much for your patience!
"Levi, wait", Hanji stepped forward, as Levi kept the barrel of his gun firmly pressed against Eren's forehead, his finger on the trigger.
"Why? This little bastard will just run back to the Titans and sell us all out", Levi snarled, darkly. "Is...is killing him really the answer?", Sasha asked nervously, as she continued holding Mikasa, who was silent.
"Levi, I know...I want to waste this piece of shit too...but if he really is the son of the Titans leader...killing him would just bring more trouble", Hanji explained carefully.
"They know where our camp is...they only stopped shooting because they saw Eren...they know we have him...if we kill him, they'll kill all of us", she added firmly.
Levi glared dangerously, as he collected his thoughts. Eren swallowed hard, sweating as he glanced down slightly.
Mikasa held her breath, still silent, but tears were in her eyes as she continued to glare.
Slowly, Levi lowered his gun. He then kicked Eren right in the face, as Eren yelled out in pain, a tooth getting knocked out.
Some blood hit the white snow, as Eren fell back. Mikasa felt her heart jump a bit...but she didn't say anything.
"Get the hell out of here Jaeger...if you ever show your face again...I'll put this bullet right between your eyes...", Levi snarled dangerously.
Mikasa looked at Eren, as he sat up. He made eye contact with her, but she didn't say a word to him. Eren looked down, as he got to his feet, and ran off into the night.
The snow fell harder, as the wind breezed violently. The trees creaked loudly, as the sound of Eren's running footsteps vanished.
That night, Hanji, Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, Sebastian and Connie were sitting around the fire inside a tent.
Mikasa was resting in bed, wincing off and on from her wound. Sasha was sitting next to her, rubbing her back soothingly, as Armin starred into the fire in complete shock.
Connie was also dumbfounded, while Sebastian had been very quiet since Mikasa and Hanji told them what happened.
"It doesn't make sense...when we first met Eren..before everything turned to shit...he was a nice guy..just a regular high school senior we hung out with...he talked about his parents, Annie..", Connie started, breaking the silence.
"Annie wasn't his girlfriend...not the way he was with Mikasa...she was either made up to make him look more...normal, or she's a member of the Titans", Hanji spoke up.
"If anyone should have seen this coming, its me", Armin said then. They all looked at him.
"I was with him the most during high school...he often had to take private calls, he always told me it was Annie and...I believed him", he added.
"What choice did you have, Armin? He put on a great act, it was normal you'd believe something like that", Sasha pointed out.
Mikasa looked down, she bit her lip and clenched her fists. "No..if anyone should have seen it..it was me. I..knew him better than anyone..well..I thought I had...", she began.
"Mikasa...", Sasha said softly, worried. "He...", Mikasa tensed, as she hugged herself. She felt...violated.
Sebastian suddenly looked at his sister, the way she held herself, and her uncomfortable expression. She didn't even need to say it...he could tell just by looking at her.
They had slept together...and done so while Eren kept this whole thing from them all. Sebastian glared dangerously, gritting his teeth.
"I'll kill him...!", he suddenly got up and stormed out. "Sebastian!", Mikasa got up, she flinched a bit, clutching her chest.
"Mikasa, easy! You're still hurting!", cried Sasha worriedly. "I got to make sure he doesn't do something stupid...", Mikasa shook her head, as she followed him out.
Sebastian was outside the tent, he paced around, frustrated beyond belief.
"Sebastian...", Mikasa started softly, as she approached him. "Did he hurt you?!", he questioned suddenly. Mikasa blinked.
"N-No...", she started. "The way you looked in there...did he force himself on you at any point sis?!", Sebastian demanded.
"NO! He never did..he wouldn't...I..consented..", Mikasa explained quietly, looking down.
"You SLEPT with him?!", Sebastian gawked at her, with an expression of disgust and shock.
"Sebastian, I loved him! I didn't know at the time he lied to all of us...I...I really loved him...", Mikasa's voice cracked hard, as tears filled her eyes.
"He saved my life Sebastian...", she added, shakily. "He caused you to get injured, he caused us to lose our parents...so he has a guilty conscious, big deal! It doesn't excuse any of this", Sebastian pointed out, his tone softer.
"I know it doesn't...", Mikasa winced then, clutching her chest, her wound hurting again. She collapsed to her knees, as Sebastian hurried to her side.
He rubbed her back softly, as Mikasa leaned into her brother. Sebastian bit his lip worriedly. "Let's get inside out of the cold...", he decided, helping her up and inside the tent.
As they entered the tent, Hanji looked at them. "Its best we find a different base...somewhere safer. That way they don't know our location..", she decided.
"Do we have a place to go?", asked Sasha. "There's a cottage...its a bit far but..", Levi spoke quietly then.
Hanji froze, looking at him. "Levi...you mean...", she started. "Petra's and my summer cottage...its legally our owned property, so no one would be there...its in a forest, outside of Koga...", Levi explained, grimly.
"Is it big enough for all of us?", asked Connie curiously. Levi nodded silently. "We should leave tomorrow", Hanji added.
By the following morning, the blizzard had cleared off. It was safe enough to travel, though they had to pack quite a bit.
Armin and Sebastian helped Levi load the horses, while Hanji helped Connie pack.
Sasha helped tie some supplies to one of the horses, before entering Mikasa's tent.
"Mikasa, sweetie we gotta hurry, Levi wants us to move out in just five minutes", Sasha said quickly, she paused then.
Mikasa was sitting on the bottom bunk bed, looking down, her hands fidgeting. She looked very pale, her eyes expressing a state of shock.
She hadn't even packed anything, and it seemed like she was sitting there for a while. Her red scarf, which Eren had given her, was laying on the bed beside her.
"Mikasa..? What's wrong?", Sasha approached her best friend, as she sat across from her, taking her hand.
Mikasa didn't answer at first, still in shock. Her mind seemed to be somewhere else, as she continued gazing down.
"Mikasa!", Sasha cried, worried not, as she gently shook her friend's shoulder. Mikasa blinked, slightly snapping out of it as she looked at Sasha.
"Sweetie, what is it?", Sasha pressed, anxiously. Mikasa swallowed hard, her breathing a bit labored.
"I'm late..." she whispered, squeezing Sasha's hand a bit tightly. Sasha's eyes widened, as her heart sunk. "A-Are you sure...?", she asked fearfully.
"My period's..never been late before. Not even during all this...", Mikasa explained, shaking her head. Sasha went pale, as she collected her thoughts.
She gently squeezed Mikasa's hand and took a deep breath.
"Mikasa...did...did he...pull out?", she asked, lowering her voice. Mikasa closed her eyes, shaking her head.
"No...", she uttered, barely a whisper, as her voice cracked. "Girls, come on! Levi's ready to go!", they heard Armin's voice then outside the tent.
Sasha looked at Mikasa, who was still pale. "We'll figure this out sweetie, okay? C'mon..", the redhead helped Mikasa up, as they exited the tent.
May 3rd
10:04 AM
Forest Outside of Koga, Japan
Deep in a large forest, right near a gentle running creek, was a medium sized cottage. It was hidden deep within the forest, and it was a good 8 miles from any city or civilization. It was even further from cities than the original camp was back in Fukuoka.
The weather was warming up, and inside the cottage were Levi's group. The cottage had three bedrooms. Levi and Hanji shared a room, Mikasa and Sasha shared one, and Connie and Armin shared another with Sebastian.
Because they were so deep in the woods, they mostly hunted and fished for food.
Levi and Hanji were sitting in the kitchen at the wooden table, while Connie, Armin, Sebastian and Sasha went out to find more food.
"How much longer will they be gone?", asked Levi. "Depends...it can't be helped Levi. Mikasa's eating for two now...", Hanji answered him swiftly.
"Why the hell would she want to keep this kid...", Levi growled. Hanji frowned. "Its not like she can just walk into an abortion clinic...she's wanted, like the rest of us by ZCP...besides...", Hanji took a few steps, and glanced down the hallway.
Mikasa was resting in the window seat. She had a long white nightgown on along with a soft pink jacket over her shoulders.
Her belly was swollen, and quite obvious already. She was about 5 months pregnant now, and it showed. She didn't get huge, it was obvious it was just one baby, but it was still noticeable unless she wore a heavy sweater.
She was resting her hands over her swollen belly, gazing out the window. Her red scarf was in a drawer in her and Sasha's bedroom.
Hanji's eyes softened, worried. "Levi, she lost her parents...and Eren in a sense. It makes perfect sense why she wants to have this baby...", she pointed out.
Levi remained silent, not saying anything. Hanji sighed, she walked down the hall and approached Mikasa.
"How are you feeling, sweetie?", she asked in a soft voice. Mikasa looked at her. "I'm okay Hanji...is my brother and the rest back yet?", asked Mikasa.
"Not yet, but don't worry. They'll be back soon", Hanji assured her. Mikasa gave a tired nod. Her pregnancy hasn't been the smoothest, given the circumstances.
But luckily she hasn't had too many complications. Mostly just the baby rejecting certain foods since they were limited on what they could find in the forest, though there was a bigger concern for Mikasa's blood sugar.
Without much fruit to find in the forest, it was becoming a possibility they'd have to somehow sneak into the city of Koga, and get proper food for Mikasa. A risk Levi was against making, but one Sebastian and Sasha both agreed on doing if it came to that.
Armin also volunteered for this possible mission and Hanji wasn't against it.
"Mikasa...you really want to have this baby...?", Hanji asked her softly. Mikasa looked at her. Her hands didn't leave her belly, in a protective manner.
"I already know how hard it's going to be...but..I want to have this baby..I already love him or her...I lost..so much already. Sebastian, Sasha and this baby is all I have left...", Mikasa replied, a bit shakily.
"I know..but Mikasa, we don't know the first thing on how Zetsumetsu works in pregnant women...", Hanji pointed out carefully.
"I've been injected with Anti XX, and its gone to my baby..if something was wrong, I would have miscarried by now", Mikasa pointed out.
"I know sweetie...I just want you to be prepared for the worst...", Hanji explained. She knew this was unknown territory...if the baby needed to be injected against once it was born, or if Anti XX would even continue to last.
Before Mikasa could answer, Levi stood up in the kitchen. "Someone's outside...", he growled, grabbing his pistol.
"Mikasa, stay here", Hanji insisted, as she hurried over to the door with Levi. Mikasa swallowed hard, she stood up but stayed in the hall.
She could see the door from where she was though. Levi opened the door, gun in hand, and he froze, seeing a woman.
She had dark brown hair, and some ripped clothes on and looked a bit older than them. She staggered, having come from across the creek, and collapsed onto her knees in front of their porch, panting weakly.
There was a small blood trail behind her, indicating she was injured. Levi lowered his gun, as Hanji hurried down the steps to the woman's side.
"Help me...please..", the woman pleaded, shaking badly, as Hanji checked her wounds. "She's got a deep gash in her shoulder, and I think her ankle's sprained", she confirmed.
"Bring her inside", Levi answered simply, seeing the woman was harmless. Mikasa heard him say this and she approached the door, looking herself.
Mikasa stepped out onto the porch, and she saw the woman's face. The woman looked up at Mikasa as Hanji helped her to her feet, and the two made eye contact.
Mikasa paled, her heart dropped, as she even lifted a hand to her swollen belly. This woman's face...it had a striking resemblance to Eren's.
"Don't worry, we'll take care of you...what's your name?", asked Hanji. The woman looked down weakly.
"My name is Carla...Carla Jaeger" she replied in a weak voice. Mikasa gasped softly, as her eyes widened.
Hanji also looked shocked, as she glanced up at Levi, who had stopped dead in his tracks back to the table.
Carla studied their shocked expressions, and her eyes softened. "I'm guessing..you've all met my son" she said.
Hanji frowned. "Is it all right if we ask you some questions?", she asked. Carla nodded, rather willing.
After Hanji patched Carla up and managed to give her medicine, they helped her into bed. Carla was sitting up in the bed, her back propped by pillows and her shoulder bandaged as Hanji sat at her bedside.
Levi stood, leaning against the wall near the door. Outside the room, Mikasa had just got done telling Armin, Sasha and Sebastian, who had all just come back.
"But..he told us his mother died in the bombing!", Armin said, in shock. "He told us a lot of bullshit", Sebastian muttered bitterly.
"Are you sure she isn't lying or something?", asked Sasha. Mikasa shook her hand, both her hands cupping her belly.
"Not a chance Sasha...she looks just like him..", she replied quietly.
"Why would he lie about his mom? I get why he'd lie about his dad, considering his dad is basically the War Lord of all of this..but his mom..?", Armin wondered.
"She seems harmless..she's even injured...", Sasha pointed out. Mikasa remained quiet, her thoughts racing.
Sasha looked worried, as she gently took Mikasa's hand. Mikasa looked at her. "Mikasa...you need to tell her", Sasha said then.
Mikasa starred at Sasha, and she swallowed hard. "Tell her what?", asked Sebastian. "That she's going to be a grandmother...Carla doesn't even know the baby is Eren's", Sasha replied.
"What?! No! We don't know how much we can trust this woman!", Sebastian protested, more protective of his sister than ever.
"She came here begging for help! I think she's been just as betrayed as we were!", Sasha pointed out. "It could be a trap, or some trick!", Sebastian barked back.
Mikasa closed her eyes, and she placed a hand to her forehead, looking pale then. She even leaned weakly against the wall.
"Guys, enough", Armin spoke softly, as he approached Mikasa, placing a hand to her shoulder.
Sasha and Sebastian fell silent, seeing. "Sis...?", asked Sebastian worriedly. "I'm...I'm sorry...I just...don't feel too good", Mikasa confessed, her voice coming out weak.
"Do you feel dizzy sweetie..?", asked Sasha worriedly. Mikasa gave a soft nod, plus her head was killing her.
Armin looked at Sasha and Sebastian, and they nodded. "Alright, enough is enough. Mikasa, we're going into Koga to get you some proper food and vitamins", he decided.
"What..? No...its too dangerous..", Mikasa started. "Mikasa, we have no choice, you're getting weaker every day...you could lose your baby if this keeps up..", Sasha pressed anxiously.
Mikasa bit her lip, as she looked down, her hands on her belly. "We'll be careful sis...you're really sick, we can tell", Sebastian added.
"Sebastian...its too dangerous..", Mikasa began, not wanting her little brother to go. "Sis, I'll be okay, Levi's been teaching me how to use a gun even better", Sebastian assured her.
Mikasa's eyes softened, she nodded, too ill to keep protesting. Sasha and Armin helped her sit down on the couch in the living room, and left water with her, before heading out.
Inside the bedroom, Hanji had started questioning Carla.
"When I married Grisha...I thought...I thought he was a good man. We were happy...we had Eren...but...when Eren turned 10 years old...", Carla swallowed hard as Levi and Hanji listened.
"There was a shed behind our home...Grisha told me he worked in there on carving wood...I trusted him so I never gave it much thought..but one day Eren went inside it..and found...a shed full of bombs, material to design bombs, and blue prints and...maps of Tokyo...", Carla revealed.
"When I questioned him about this, confronted him...I threatened to call the cops when he refused to give me a good reason for having such...weapons in his shed...he hit me...", she went on.
"He beat me until I was unconscious...I think...he tried to kill me. When I woke he told me if I breathed a word of this to anyone, he'd kill Eren...I had to keep quiet...Eren's...my only child...", she continued, shakily.
Hanji's eyes lowered. "And then what happened, Carla?", she asked softly. "We kept quiet for a long time...and when Eren entered high school, Grisha started teaching him to build bombs. Eren didn't want to...he had seen what Grisha had done to me...but once again...", Carla swallowed hard.
"Grisha made good on his threats...he took a knife to my throat, and broke my right arm to force Eren to start learning about bombs...", she said.
"Eren didn't want to see me get hurt so he did as his father told him and soon became an expert on designing bombs...and then we suddenly moved to Japan", she went on.
"That's when Grisha told us...he wanted to blow up Tokyo...cause a terrorist attack...he never gave us a reason. When Eren refused to help him with this plan...Grisha kidnapped me. He had a whole group with him, and they held me hostage...", she bit her lip.
"Eren had no choice but to deliver the bombs...he was promised they'd let me go...but...they didn't let me go until just three months ago...", Carla finished.
"You've been on your own for three months?", asked Levi. Carla nodded shakily. "Please...I know what my son did was wrong...but don't view him as a monster. His hands were tied...and he only did it to save me...its his father who you should blame..", she explained, tearfully.
Hanji and Levi exchanged glances. "It sounds like you've been through some horrible things Carla..you can stay here with us, rest, and you'll be safe", Hanji assured her.
Carla nodded, tears in her eyes. "So...the last you saw of my son...was back in winter?", she asked, Levi and Hanji having told her what happened.
"Yeah...though there is someone else here you should meet", Levi replied. He opened the door and exited. Carla blinked, not understanding but waited patiently.
"I'll bring you in some food soon", Hanji assured her, as she got up and left.
In the living room, Levi explained everything to Mikasa in great detail. Mikasa was quiet, looking down.
"No matter if this changes your feelings about Eren or not, his mom is innocent...she has a right to know about this baby", Levi told her simply.
Mikasa's eyes softened. "That...psycho...Grisha...he...he actually did all that...to both her and Eren?", asked Mikasa, looking up at him.
"I'm afraid so", Levi replied. Mikasa clenched her fists, trembling. She then got up, leaning onto the sofa arm for support. Levi helped her, as Mikasa approached the bedroom door.
She opened the door slowly, and stepped in. Carla looked up, her soft eyes expressed concern, seeing how young Mikasa was...too young to be pregnant already. Mikasa had equal concern in her eyes for everything Carla's been through, as the two women made eye contact.