My chest heaved up and down rapidly as I tried to catch my breath. I was completely caught off guard by Kenny's actions, as he violently thrust me against the wall.  At first, I was too overwhelmed to actually comprehend what he had just admitted out loud. But as his words caught up to me, I slowed my breathing and gawked at him in silence.  Releasing me from his grip, he backed away, shaking his head in defeat.

"Shit... Well, now you know..."

"You're Levi's... Uncle?"

"Tch. Yep, sure am. Uncle Kenny. Not even Levi knows that though. And he never will."

I jerked my head back up to stare at Kenny as my body grew cold.

"What do you mean, never will...?"

"Calm down. As far as I know, the little runt ain't dead yet..."

I didn't understand Kenny one bit. Right when I thought perhaps it was just his cold Ackerman exterior that made him so gruff, I was proven wrong. His motives were so unclear, and I couldn't decide whether or not I could trust him. Yet, somehow I ended up accepting everything he said to be the truth.  I still saw him as my enemy and would jump at the chance to kill him should it ever present itself, but I was also particularly surprised by his relationship with Levi. So I decided to take a gamble and tug at his heartstrings. If he even had a heart for that matter...

"Kenny... Don't you think Levi deserves to know how you're related to him? That you're his family?"

"Heh, I ain't his family, and he's lived this long without knowing, so it ain't vital to tell him now."

"Well, then, could you at least give him a chance to meet his future child? His daughter or his son? Please?"

Kenny could see how genuinely hard I was pleading with him, and I caught a brief glimmer of sympathy in his eyes before it was so harshly snuffed out.

"Tch. That runt chose his own path in life, so he can deal with the consequences. Besides, I highly doubt he wants that kid anyway."

The glare I shot Kenny could have sliced him in half. With a look of disgust, I shouted an agitated retort, "You shut your mouth, you worthless piece of shit! What the hell would you know about what Levi wants, anyway?"

The disturbing laugh that left Kenny's lips was one I would never forget.  His eyes reflected an emotion I hadn't seen before, one of sorrow, anger and amusement all wrapped into one.  To call it unpleasant would be an understatement.

"That runt's childhood was the furthest thing from ideal! Hell, to call it childhood is crazy. I'll tell you what, little mouse... Should you ever see your precious little Captain again, you ask him. Ask him what it was like growing up in that rancid trash heap referred to as the Underground City, as the bastard son of a dead whore. And when he finishes his sad little tale, see if you think he has any interest whatsoever in raising that thing!"

Following his snide remarks, Kenny pivoted on the heel of his boot and walked away grumbling angrily to himself. Stunned, I sat in silence as involuntary tears began to stream down my face. Dropping my hand from where it had been resting on my belly, I gave in. He was right... Everything he had just said was right. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but when facing the facts, a child would be the last thing Levi would ever want.

I was absolutely heartbroken.

No more had Kenny wandered away when two of his men came trudging toward me.  They bound my hands tightly behind my back and led me to where they had made camp, all while still within the monstrous, crystal cavern. Fastening my restraints to a few cold chainlinks along the wall, I had lost my chance to flee. One of Kenny's men tossed a canteen and a chunk of bread beside me, before leaving me to sit in solitude.

When I moved to reach for my measly meal, I realized what a cruel joke had been played on me. With my hands tied behind my back, locked to the wall, I could neither eat nor drink what was placed before me. A wave of defeat devoured me, as I gave in to exhaustion and shut my tear-swollen eyes. As I faded away into a sorry slumber, I whispered his name, the only thing that could comfort me. "Levi..."

---------------------------------

"Oi, wake up."

Everything was blurry at first as I tried to make out who the figure was before me. His face was so close that I could feel his breath against my lips.

"Levi?" I whispered in a rather groggy voice.

"You expecting someone else?"

His voice was so breathy and low, so calm and comforting. Deep down, I knew this all had to be a dream; even so, he felt so real. His feathered black hair fell over his strikingly beautiful gray eyes and barely brushed my cheek, as he leaned in to gently press his soft lips against mine. His warm fingertips traced their way along my skin, sending shivers down my spine. I couldn't help but arch my back, lifting my hips in response. The insatiable need to be engulfed by him was overwhelming, as I wrapped my arms around his waist tightly.

Stifling back tears, I aligned my mouth with his ear and begged for him to never let go. Caressing my neck with kisses, he pulled me into a strong embrace. But just when he had parted his lips to speak, I felt a sharp pang reverberate through me, causing my body to gradually dissolve.

"No, I don't want to go! I want to stay here with you! Within this dream! Please!" I shouted in agony.

Continuing to hold me against him as I faded, his voice echoed through my head, speaking words of reassurance.

"(Y/N), I'm right here. And I'm not letting either of you go..."

-------------------------------------

Waking with a gasp, I fought to catch my breath after such a vivid dream. But even in reality, the same sharp pang hit me again. I turned my head to discover the untouched canteen and bread still lay before me. I had been woken by my body's need for sustenance. My mouth was parched, and my stomach was roaring from starvation.

Desperate for help, I began surveying the area, hoping to catch someone's attention. But I was quite surprised to find the large, open cavern to be desolate. 

"What the hell, did those bastards seriously just leave me here alone?"

Not one to waste time, I began to shift my weight and twist my hands where they had been knotted together so taut. It wouldn't be impossible to break my restraints, but it wouldn't be an easy task either. Focusing on the goal of an eventual escape, I strived to ignore my terrible thirst and ravenous hunger, until an earth-shaking rumble tore through the cavern violently.

With a shriek, I flattened myself against the wall as shards of ceiling crumbled and crashed down around me. The tremors were soon accompanied by the sound of gunshots and explosives which were closing in fast.

Now more than ever, the need to break free was a matter of life and death. And I was running out of time.