Hanji's POV

I sat on the bench, letting Raven play on the playground. Her playmates are supposed to come in half an hour before we'll eat lunch together. It was just a coincidence to run into him again. It's painful to see him again after these years. Raven was just 2 years old when Levi disappeared from our life. She always seemed to remember his face... and it was pure coincidence that Levi stumbled onto her.

He looks the same, except more exhausted. I've been raising Raven on my own for 3 years without him, so why does it seem he's more exhausted than me? I look down at his hand, surprised he was still wearing our wedding ring, albeit on the wrong finger, but he still wore it.

"I see you decided to still wear the wedding ring. Why?"

Levi jerks his hand with the wedding band, twisting it with his fingers. "I thought it was a regular ring. When I woke up with no memories, all I had was this because it didn't burn up in the fire. I didn't realize it was a wedding ring..." He moves it to the correct finger, "I don't know who you are, so-."

"My name is Hanji. Hanji Ackerman. I changed my last name to yours. Our daughter is Raven Ackerman, and she was two when you left us."

"I don't remember leaving anyone behind... please, tell me who I was."

The sound of his voice was genuine. He doesn't remember a thing. And if he was faking, wouldn't he just walk away? But then again, that girl was forcing him to remember his past. If he loved her dearly, why did she do that?

"I see you don't wear yours if we are supposed to be married."

"I gave it up last year. It seemed you were never coming back. I lost... I lost hope in you, Levi. When I needed you most, you left me."

"Why did you need me the most?"

I chuckle, recalling that sad moment. "You don't remember..." I felt the tears welling up behind my eyes as I continued to remember. "I'll tell you everything about that day... the day I needed you the most."

* * *

The second I opened my eyes, this wave of pain crashed into me. I opened my mouth to scream, but I found no energy to do so. A doctor came up to me with sadness in his eyes. He saw this happen many times... and I knew it wasn't good.

"Mrs. Ackerman, we tried everything we could... I'm sorry. You lost the baby."

Those last words echoed in my head as the emotions broke me down. I carried our second child for 9 months, only for him to die the second I birthed him. Something about him choking on the cord... it wasn't my fault... he just got tangled up in the cords. Raven was excited to meet her little brother, but I had her stay with Erwin for the time being. And Levi...? He said he had work to do, and couldn't be with me the entire day. That was his mistake.

He didn't know I was going to give birth today, but when we tried calling him, his phone was turned off. It scared me, no, I panicked when he didn't answer when we tried calling him about me giving birth. But now... I think he doesn't know that I lost the baby.

"Do you want me to call someone for you-."

"No, I'll do it."

"Mrs. Ackerman, with all due respect-."

"I'm calling my husband. I want him to know it from my mouth. Please, give me my phone."

I called him, and he picks up for the first time in hours. I hear this voice, free from sorrow and the knowledge of his son being dead. I wish I could have that innocence to not witness that. But even if Levi was here, there was nothing he could've done to save our son. But I wanted him here with me because all I want now is his comfort. His words. I want him to tell me how much he loves me.

"Hanji, is everything okay?"

"No..." Before I could tell him, I began crying hysterically. "Levi... I lost the baby... he's dead."

There was silence on the phone. "I..." He pulls the phone away, and I knew because his voice was distant as he cursed. Not at me... but at fate itself. "Are you okay? Where's Raven?"

"Levi... I need you... please, come to the hospital. Mary West Hospital. Please."

He hangs up without another word, and I wished he said something else to me. But knowing that I lost the baby, I'm sure he's pissed and couldn't say anything else. But that was the moment I knew he was never coming back.

Erwin brought Raven with balloons, expecting me to hold a baby. That or Levi by my side with our baby. To his disappointment, neither of them was there.

"Mommy...?"

"Hanji, what happened?"

"I lost the baby... he died. Is Levi with you?"

"What? No. He's not here?"

Realization set in as we realized he wasn't here. Doctors and nurses tried to reassure me that he might be taking some time to cool off. Saying it wasn't uncommon. But for days, he never came back. I cried for him, trying to call him, but nothing ever came on. I went home alone with Raven with Nanaba caring me for a few days. All I could hear those few days was Raven asking when she could see her little brother.

Always shouting, "brother!" over and over. I wanted to scream and ask her to stop. But it's not her fault. She doesn't understand death, nor will she understand why her father didn't come back.

When a week had passed, and there was no sign of him, we filed a police report. For months, we had nothing. Some people had claimed that Levi has been cheating on me this entire time, and once our son died, it was his excuse to run away with her. A few people said that he was probably killed. Some say he ditched me because he couldn't be home anymore. But either way, it was clear he never came back. All I ever wanted was for him to be with me.

* * *

Levi looked away in shame, twisting the ring on his finger. Did it spark a few memories?

"I... I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"What happened to you...?"

"I... all that I know was that I woke up in a hospital room with no memories and serious head trauma. Because I couldn't remember anything, the doctors said the trauma erased my memories. Even after healing, I couldn't remember anything. I only knew my first name. They tried checking the police records, but never found anything."

"The police records here?"

"Yes."

"We were in a different jurisdiction... the police wouldn't have known it," I say, realizing that's the mistake in our world. Police are too stubborn to share information. "What else?"

"My car caught on fire. Whatever I had in there, it burned up. I had nothing else. Petra took me in, nursed me, and attempted to help me find my memories again. Nothing. I began to accept that I couldn't remember my past, and I began to love Petra. If I had known before I accepted that fact, I would've come back... but now..."

"You can't come back, right?"

"I was scared to get my memories back... worried and scared that I did something stupid and it would come back and bite me. I can't choose... am I going to regret what I forgot?"

"You might, but do you want to come back into my life with Raven?"