iii. A Fated Reunion

There was a brief moment of silence between the two, the woman's hands still cupping the males cheeks, his eyes still locked intensely on hers. As a Commander, especially of the Scout Regiment, dealing bad news was something he was used to, no matter how gruesome.

Yet this news, this was far different.

"So... I've already joined the Scouts and I went missing?" [F/n] finally managed to ask, though she didn't sound down or sad as she spoke.

"Yes. You joined the Scouts many years ago, one of the strongest soldiers humanity had. You were there when I was named Commander of the Scouts, when Levi joined and eventually became Humanities Strongest, and when Hanji became Section Commander and decided to devote their life to studying Titans." Erwin explained, watching the visible confusion in the woman's [e/c] eyes.

"Levi? Hanji? I'm sorry, Erwin, but I don't recognize those names." She replied, watching as her friend let out a quiet, sad sigh.

"It's alright, you've been missing for over four years, due to the nature in which you disappeared, the government ruled you as dead. Regardless of your memories, I am thoroughly so happy to see you. But let's get back to the others and return to the Walls." A smile accompanied his words, and the girl grinned brightly before pulling him into a tight hug. Though Levi... I'm not sure how he'll handle your return.

"I'm glad I remember you, Erwin. I'm glad I joined the Scouts and became strong, after all, I always wanted to follow you."

The two fully stood up, though the woman winced and nearly fell, being caught by the Commander.

"You're obviously wounded, you'll need medical treatment and a full observation once we return." Without asking, Erwin lifted the woman bridal style and went towards his horse, setting the woman down just long enough so he could mount his horse, before pulling her up with him, her sitting in the front, him in the back.

"There'll be a lot of people you don't know, not because of your memory, but because they're all new to the Scouts and very young. They're nice." Erwin explained as he rode his horse out of the wooded area and shot up a purple flair, a new one that signified that the shooter was in an unprecedented circumstance.

It wasn't long before another blonde, Armin, a boy with brown hair, Eren, and a girl with brown hair, Sasha, came into view.

Once the trios eyes landed on the woman who rode with Erwin on his horse, their mouths became agape.

"Um, Commander Erwin..." Eren began, not knowing where to go from there.

"She looks like [F/n], the woman we were told about." Armin commented, his ocean eyes locked on the woman.

"Hey, miss!" Sasha began, "I thought you died!"

The [h/c] haired woman let out a laugh. "Yeah, that appears to have been my assumed status for the past couple of years."

"Armin, Eren, Sasha, meet [F/n] [L/n], your technical superior in the Survey Corps. She's alive." Erwin stated.

"I bet Section Commander and Captain will be ecstatic!" Sasha beamed as she bit a piece of the potato she took with her.

"To be alive... You don't think she's a Shifter like me, do you, Commander?" Eren questioned, watching as the older blonde shook his head.

"Uh, what's a Shifter?" She asked, noticing how everyone started to shake their heads as if it was unimportant.

"It'll come as a real surprise to Captain and Hanji, I'm not entirely sure if ecstatic is the right word." Armin commented honestly. "Regardless, you seem to be injured, we should return to the Walls immediately."

"You know, that's exactly what Erwin said." [F/n] smiled. "Blondie, you'd be a good Team Leader or Commander."

"Pfft!" Sasha and Eren both laughed at the nickname.

"Let's go, everyone. It's going to be a long day." With that, everyone guided their horses and they made their way back towards the Walls, where the other half to the team was waiting for them.

After hours of travelling, the group finally reached the Walls, their civilization. Looking down, Erwin had noticed how the woman had seemed to fall asleep leaning back against him. She must be exhausted from whatever happened to her.

The moment the group returned to base and walked in, Levi and Hanji looked up from what they were making in the kitchen, their eyes glued on the door that practically busted open.

In walked Armin, Sasha, Eren, and Erwin, who held a sleeping body in his arms, his green cloak draped atop it.

Armin, Eren, and Sasha were real quiet, something that alerted everyone around, especially since neither Sasha nor Eren were ever really quiet.

Connie, Jean, Mikasa, Krista, Ymir, Reiner, and Bertholdt were all present in the living room and mess hall area as well.

"Hanji, Levi." Erwin stated simply. "There's no proper way to say this, so I'm just going to show you. Armin, do the honors."

With a nod, Armin gently grabbed the green cloak and slowly pulled it off from atop the persons body, and immediately, Hanji screamed.

It went unnoticed, how two cadets eyes widened, even if only for a moment, when the woman's body was revealed.

"WHA!?" Screeching, they ran towards the body in Erwin's arms and hugged it before realizing that it wasn't a corpse. Letting go, Hanji slowly turned around and looked at Levi with tears in their eyes.

"Levi, she isn't dead."

"Everyone, out!" Levi commanded, and immediately, everyone except Erwin and Hanji left the room, including [F/n] who lay asleep in Erwin's arms.

"She needs medical treatment, first and foremost, Hanji." Erwin explained, making his way towards Hanji's office, where medical equipment also resided.

Hanji and Levi followed, the male still yet to say anything regarding the woman's apparent return.

While Hanji began treating the open wounds the woman had, all three had noted how she had many healed wounds, ones that she didn't have before she went missing.

"She was face down in a lake when I found her, her breathing was faint, but she was alive." Erwin began, taking in a breath. "We spoke-"

"Did she say what happened? Where she's been these past years?" Hanji interrupted as she wrapped some bandages around [F/n]'s left ankle.

"No." Looking down before looking towards the woman, he continued, "She seems to have brain damage from whatever happened. Her memories, they aren't only gone from the past four years, but long before that, as well. She remembers me, and the last day she recalls is the night when she officially joined the Scouts." Erwin explained, watching as Levi's body seemed to tense, though it didn't last long before his appearance returned to it's normal state.

"She knew you before she joined the Scouts?" Hanji asked, not knowing this bit of information.

"Yes, I am why she joined the Scouts, neither of us ever really talked about it, though." He answered. "[F/n] followed after me for years, but she started meeting more and more people so that constant desire to follow me went away as she just focused on herself." Erwin explained.

"She's all fixed up." Hanji spoke as they finished up the last wrap around her right bicep. "I'll go get her some of my clothes to wear for the time being." Before Hanji actually left the room, she gently hugged the woman, smiling against her cheek. Welcome home.

Leaving the room, Erwin and Levi looked at one another before looking back to the sleeping [F/n].

"I'm sorry, Levi." Erwin spoke, letting out a breath he didn't even notice he was holding.

"You have no reason to apologize, Erwin. You found her and brought her back, whether she remembers me or not is unimportant so long as she is alive." Levi's low tone and emotionless expression was as usual as ever, but Erwin understood him past that.

"I'll leave you alone, Levi." Turning around to leave the room, the Captain's voice stopped him just as he set foot outside the door.

"Thank you." Without replying, Erwin closed the door behind him, leaving Levi and the sleeping woman alone.

Pulling a chair over next to the operating table of sorts, Levi sat down and stared at the body before him. What the hell happened to you, brat?

Sighing, he placed a hand atop hers and squeezed it gently.

"Hm?" Her voice came quietly, her eyes fluttering open. "Where am I?" Looking from side to side, her eyes landed on Levi.

"You know, to have such a short stature, you are extremely attractive." She spoke honestly, not even noticing his hand atop hers.

The man let out a very low chuckle. "You know, those were your first words to me." He stated.

"Ah, you must be Levi, then!" She smiled. "Erwin only told me about a Levi and Hanji, so I'm assuming you're Levi?"

"That's correct, I'm Levi." He answered, subconsciously gripping her hand tighter.

Just now noticing his grip on her hand, [F/n] knew that she must've been important to him prior to her disappearance, and she felt bad that she couldn't remember him.

Levi noticed that her smile softened and her gaze averted downwards. "I'm sorry that I can't remember you, Levi." She admitted.

"Don't apologize to me, brat. Just work on getting healthier and healing." He stated, his face and tone still neutral and emotionless.

"Brat?"

"Brat."

The woman laughed softly. "Okay, Captain."

"Tch."

"I know this is probably an odd question, but was there anything specific I called you, Levi?" The woman asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.

Levi was quiet for a moment, pondering how he should respond. Sure, there were nicknames she had for him, she had nicknames for just about everyone, but he wasn't so sure he was ready to hear his nicknames come from her lips, not when she didn't even remember him.

Regardless, he was not a liar.

"Yes, you called me other names besides just Levi." He answered, watching as her smile widened, her eyes brightening with wonder.

"And what would they be?" She asked with excitement.

"You were even more enthusiastic when you were younger." Levi stated, "I didn't know that was possible."

[F/n]'s smile became soft. "Well, if I don't stay positive in this crappy world, who will?"

Levi let out a small hum in response, an approving one.

"Sorry I took so long Levi, I couldn't figure out what to- oh my Walls, [F/n]!" Hanji beamed as they had busted through the door with a stack of clothing.

"I'm assuming you're Hanji?" [F/n] asked with a beaming smile, one Hanji swore could illuminate all the darkness within the world.

"Yep, that's me! Do you remember me!?" For a moment, Hanji was hopeful. That was, until they watched the woman lift up her right arm and scratch the back of her neck with a softer, more apologetic smile.

"Sorry, but I don't."

"Ah, well that's alright." Hanji smiled kindly, setting the clothes down on the table near where [F/n] was now sitting up.

"What were you trying to say before, Four Eyes?" Levi brought up with an uninterested tone.

"Oh, right! I was just apologizing for taking so long, I wanted to pick out something she'd like to wear." Hanji beamed, earning a gentle laugh from the previously mentioned woman.

"Any clothes is fine, Hanji, as long as I'm covered and dressed, I don't think it matters." [F/n] spoke honestly, both she and Levi watching as Hanji clenched their hand on their chest.

"So humble, so wholesome! You act so young-! Wait, with your memories, how old are you right now?" Hanji questioned, knowing that Levi too, must've wanted to know, even if he didn't express it.

"I'm seventeen."

Levi's eyes widened just enough for it to be noticable, yet Hanji began to choke on air.

"With the way you two are reacting, I'm going to assume I'm much older than seventeen." The girl spoke with a bit of a nervous laugh. "Hopefully not too much older, though."

"You're thirty-one years old, [F/n]." Levi informed, watching as the woman's eyes widened in utter surprise.

"So I'm missing fourteen years worth of my memories?" She asked, looking more shocked and surprised than devastated and sad.

"It seems that way." Hanji answered with a slightly sad tone.

"Well," The woman smiled at the two, "I guess you'll have to tell me all about, well, me."

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