Chapter 40: I Love You

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~Levi~

I ran, ran into the woods where the cadets said they saw her. I had to find her, stop her from leaving. She had to explain this to me... explain how she's traveled all the way... from-

~That Morning~

~(Y/N)~

I had awoken to the darkness, the warmth of Levi's arms still wrapped around me after the night we spent together. I let him get inside me, I let him own a piece of me. And now I could leave knowing a part of me would always stay.

Slowly slipping from his strong arms I tiptoe to the desk where my bag laid. Rummaging through it I found the envelope, turning back I hoped Levi would wake up and put me back into the bed... I hoped he'd make me stay. But he was still fast asleep off probably dreaming of a future that would never come between me and him.

Stepping back over to the bed I slip the envelope under his hand gently. I made sure not to wake him, with that I quickly dressed back into the clothes that came off before the events that took place.

After pulling my shirt down I snatch my bag and head for the door. With my hand on the knob I turn back one last time, the last view I'd get of him in such close range. The last real image of him, after this I'd have to look at drawings of him that could never match up.

Taking in a sharp breath I then twist the knob and slip out of the room into the dark hallway. Shutting the door behind me I quickly take off down the hall to Hanji's room. I assumed she'd still be awake since it was normal for her to have all-nighters.

Coming up to the door I knock on the door erratically hoping for her attention. Not a moment later she opened the door and let me in. "You're early." she says.

As she shuts the door I set my bag down. "I know but we need to get ready anyway... if I stayed any longer it'd be difficult to get past Levi after he's read the letter." I tell her.

She nodded once then extended her hand out waiting to take something from me. "The picture, we can burn it now." she says. Dropping to the floor on my knees I go through my bag and pull out the class photo. Standing back up I hand it to her, she takes it and head over to the counter that was overflowing with lab equipment.

She quickly lit a match and held the photo under the flame. Once it caught on fire she dropped it in a small metal bowl where it began to burn and turn into ash. After it cooled down a bit she put the contents in a small pouch after taking my blood and mixing it with the ashes.

While she was doing this I covered my hand in gauze and tied it off. "There now you're all set... I'm ready when you are." she says.

Nodding my head I took the bag and place it in my pocket. "We can wait a little bit." I tell her.

She nods and goes back to do what she was doing before I came. I decided I'd help one last time with her research while we waited.

~Time Skip~

~Levi~

I woke up to a cold breeze hitting my bare back, stretching I let out a soft groan and slowly open my eyes. Moving slightly I felt something under my hand that didn't feel soft at all. I found (Y/N)'s side empty and cold only seeing an envelope in her place.

Maneuvering myself slightly I swing my feet of the bed after taking the letter into my hand. With my feet firmly on the floor I begin to open the note, flipping the top over I pull the sheet of paper out and unfold it. My eyes quickly scanned the paper finding it was (Y/N)'s handwriting.

Levi,

Our time together may have not gone as we hoped. In fact we wasted a lot of time bickering like a married couple, even so I still managed to fall in love with you despite the times I said I hated you. It was your stubborn ass that kept me from running away along with helping Hanji with her work.

This isn't just a goodbye letter, since I am a coward I have written the truth. I am from the future. Our meeting was complete accident, that's why in the beginning I tried so hard to run away and told you that our relationship wasn't going to work. The truth is, I'm leaving to go back home, to my time.

Now, you may be confused, and I wouldn't blame you. Hanji can help you accept all this and answer any questions you have. I wish I would've told you sooner but I was afraid you'd think of me as some psycho. But everything I have written is true, I mean every word and want you to take this very seriously.

I'm sorry I could not tell you in person and answer your questions, but I'm running out of time. The more I stay the more my memory diminishes, and I fear it will be the same when I go home. It is possible I may forget our time together, but luckily I have written everything in great detail. So I can never forget you and how you loved my stubborn ass. I love you...

~(Y/N) Jaeger

She was right, I was beyond confused. At first I took it as she was joking and trying to rip my heart out but I knew Hanji and though she likes to joke, she wouldn't joke about this. Standing up from the bed the sheets fall from my waist exposing me to the cold air.

I didn't know how much time I had left but I had to stop her. How is this even possible? Time travel? Who else knew?

~(Y/N)~

Deep within the forest Hanji and I came to the trail, by now Levi must've woken up to a letter on my side. Whether he'd believe the words I wrote was something I would never know. With bag hanging from my shoulder I continued to follow Hanji through the woods growing closer to my ticket home.

With each step I took closer to the unmarked grave, the more it became difficult to breathe. I sighed a lot and I wasn't even out of breath, I was trying to keep myself under control and not be tempted to run back. "You okay?" Hanji asks as she looks back at me.

I quickly nodded my head and pursed my lips together. I continued on the dirt path forcing myself not to look back. Within a matter of minutes we came to the single stone that stuck up from the ground. Hanji stepped aside and watched me with sad eyes, stopping next to her my eyes shifted from the ground to her.

Without warning I rush in and hug her one last time. "See ya Partner." she mutters. Pulling back I smile and nod as tears start to stream down my face.

Sniffling I turn back to the grave, before I was completely ready to leave, there was a time I was desperate to get through and now here I was... hesitant. Exhaling loudly I kneel to the ground and pull out the bag of ashes and blood.

I open the bag and dump the contents on the ground in front of the grave, then with both hands I spread them all around through the grass. Then with another sharper rock I begin carving the year into the stone. 2018. Then placing both hands on the head of the stone I wait.

~Levi~

A gust of wind came up causing the trees to shake wildly as a bright light shines through the woods blinding me. I'm too late! I ran towards the blinding light not knowing what I'd run into, thinking that I was there I fell after tripping over an exposed root from a large tree.

Falling forward I land on my face into the grass. Groaning softly I push myself up finding my clothes stained in brown and green, and the bright light gone. My head shot up finding Hanji sitting on the ground, jumping to my feet I dash over to her checking her.

"You okay? Where is (Y/N)?!" I ask.

Hanji pointed out in front of her, my head looking in that direction but there was nothing other than a big rock. Leaving her there to sit I walk over to the rock closer and on it was written. (Y/N) Jaeger. I stumble back suddenly feeling weak in the legs as it dawns on me that I was too late.

I stumble back a little ways and spin around before leaning into a tree for support. Dammit. I shut my eyes tightly as tears threaten to leave my eyes. Please... come back.

~(Y/N)~

I shot up from the ground going straight into a coughing fit, my throat began to burn as I vomited onto the green grass. Like before my vision was blurred, but the nausea was new, on all fours I feel around for my bag.

Once I felt the fabric I heard twigs snapping not to far from where I was. "Over here! I think someone's hurt." I hear a male voice call.

I was then felt weak again and fell limp to the ground hearing the footsteps get closer. "Fräulein are you okay?" a man asks.

I quickly shook my head then feel someone grab my shoulder. "What is your name?" he asks. There was a bright light from there flashlight shining down at me, blinding me.

"I'm (Y/N) Jaeger."

To Be Continued...

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