Hanji's POV

Words cannot express how grateful I am to Levi and his friends. Every night, I still have nightmares so realistic that I'm questioning if I was still stuck in that realm, unable to escape to reality. The second I close my eyes, I can see my reflection deep within the darkness. My reflection shimmering on the ground like I'm standing on water. With my right hand, I reach to touch my reflection, only jolting back after hearing my own screams and pain rushing through my body. 

And then, I wake up.

I'm only comforted by Levi's bursting into my room, asking if I needed something to calm myself down. He takes me to have tea early in the morning, and I talk about my nightmares and fears of remembering who I was. There's this part inside of me, screaming at me to find the missing part of my soul and memories, but I can't do anything. The new me wants to hide everything and start anew- running away from my invisible past.

"Hanji," Levi said in his calm voice, reaching for my hand, "are you really okay?"

I nodded, sipping on my warm chamomile tea. A faux smile appeared on my face, trying to reassure Levi, but the facade failed. My hands began to shake, and I had to let go of the cup. The tears began to fall. Words fumbled out of my mouth as my brain struggled to put them in a sentence. But Levi knew me best. He wrapped his arms around me, surrounding me in his scent as his warmth engulfed me. It was his comfort that drew me close to him. He whispered words in my ears that changed my bleeding mind with a smile on my face.

"Levi..."

"What is it?"

"What... what happens if... I don't like what I remember...?"

"So what? We're human; we do things that we don't like. When you do remember it, we'll learn how to deal with it. Remember and move on. It happened in the past; there's no reason to dwell on it if it hurts us in the long run. Whatever your memory is hiding from you, it's okay. I'll still be here to take care of you."

"You promise?"

Levi reached down and kissed my cheek before caressing the other with the palm of his hand. The way his gray eyes softened with care and love made my heart skip a beat or two. "I promise, Hanji, I will always be here to take care of you. No matter what."

I couldn't sleep that night, so Levi invited me to sit on the couch and watch random TV shows with the fireplace on. I accepted it, curling up next to him with my cup of tea and a blanket covering me. Levi didn't mind my placement on him, just wrapping his arm around me and pulling me closely.

After the 3rd episode of this random drama TV show, I felt myself dozing off to sleep. Before my eyes closed for the night, I heard Levi whispering these words in a tone I cannot put into words, but I know that it made my heart warm and fuzzy, tingling every part of my body like I was shocked by electricity. 

"Hanji, I love you..."