His vision blurred.

What was supposed to be a few seconds felt like eternity as Erwin laid on the wet grass, ticklish pricks pushing into his skin. Somewhere around his elbow, he vaguely felt something stinging. His back was sore after roughly landing on the grass beside the road, and he had to heave in heavy breaths after wind had been knocked out of his lungs.

Something was ringing in his ear, as if an explosion had blown off nearby and messed with his hearing.

It took a while for Erwin to get his bearings back, his mind still whirring as it tried to keep up with what just happened.

Rain. It was still storming, he realized, when his vision slowly regained its focus and he found himself squinting at the darkened sky. Large drops of water rained on him, unrelenting. He tried to move his arm to shield his face, only realizing it felt numb. Then he realized his foot was also throbbing. Had he sprained it when he fell?

Blazing headlights. Screeching tires. Blaring horns.

A clanging crash, loud and clear amidst the storm.

Like a snap of a finger, it all came back to him.

With newfound strength that was most likely adrenaline, Erwin forced himself to sit up, grunting like a thousand bricks had been stacked on top of him. The mud had clung to his shirt, drenching it with dirt and water and only adding to the heaviness. His neck was sore, and he wondered if he hit his head somewhere when he landed on the grass and rolled from the impact.

But, that was the least of his concern.

The last thing Erwin remembered before momentarily losing focus had been Isanna pushing him out of the way. Even when already drenched in rainwater, an instant cold washed over him.

Erwin felt the dread building up in his stomach as he frantically scanned the road where he had been pushed out of, and sure enough, he saw it.

The semi-truck had stopped in the middle of the road. Its headlights were still on, lighting the road and—

No.

A ghost of something came over him. Never taking his eyes off the road, Erwin forced himself to stand, ignoring the screaming of his arm and leg.

No.

He limped his way towards the middle of the road, faintly aware of the rising beating in his chest. He didn't blink—couldn't—afraid that a split-second would prove to him that he wasn't in a dream.

Except, he really wasn't, and no amount of prayer could turn back what had happened.

"Isanna.." Her name involuntarily left his lips as Erwin dropped to his knees beside her figure, a trembling hand reaching for her. A mixture of disbelief and shock painted his expression.

A voice in the back of his mind told him he shouldn't move her to avoid complicating whatever injuries she had sustained. That still, rational voice he always had in whatever situation was instructing him to call for help, dial an ambulance—

But when it finally dawned on him what really happened, that Isanna was here before him, lying on the road, unmoving and unconscious—he could no longer hear that rational voice.

A shuddering breath left him, and Erwin felt all his strength dissipate.

"Isanna." He could barely hear his own voice in the loud downpour. His entire body trembled, uncontrollably. Fear suddenly seized him like an iron grip. He had never known fear like this.

He wanted to hold her. He wanted to at least lift her head and cradle her close to him.

"Isanna," he repeated, never realizing he'd only said her name for the last few minutes as if he'd been bewitched. "Please, no.. I—"

He tried to move her, only to stop when he felt something warm and wet trickling behind her head. She was bleeding out. Erwin felt his own breath getting quicker at the thought.

"Hey! You!" a voice called out somewhere behind him. Erwin ignored it.

The driver of the truck had gotten down. He had the flash on his phone on, aiming at them.

"You alri—oh shit.." the man stopped himself, eyes widening when he realized. "Stay there! Don't move, I'll call an ambulance!"

Erwin didn't bother to answer. He'd realized long before that he'd lost his own voice—whether it was the shock or the throbbing in his head, he no longer cared.

Isanna wasn't responding. The longer he watched her inert frame, something itchy was crawling up his throat—Erwin fought back a choking sob. He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream. But his eyes stung and he wasn't sure if it was tears or the rain streaming down his face.

Against his will, a flash of his most dreadful nightmares came to mind. Shiganshina, Isanna bleeding out in his hold, her limp hand in his grasp—

He slowly held her face with a trembling hand, cradling her cheek; she felt cold to the touch.

At that moment, Erwin prayed like he'd never before.

Save her, he begged feverishly, don't take her away from me again please—I don't care anymore if she won't remember me—please, just save her.

He lowered his head until his forehead touched hers, and a shaky breath left him.

The next time Erwin moved, it was when the distant roaring of ambulance sirens cut through the rain. Flashing lights of red and blue filled the otherwise empty street.

Erwin watched as the medics in raincoats rushed out of the ambulance and a gurney was unfolded to transport Isanna. Swift, methodical movements screamed their expertise, yet his focus was primarily on her, scared that something would take her away if he so much took his eyes off her.

As they were about to roll Isanna into the back of the vehicle, Erwin willed his legs to stand but staggered when he felt a sharp pain shoot up his leg.

"Sir, are you alright?" one of the medics asked as they helped Erwin stand.

Through clenched jaw, Erwin managed to muster a strained reply, "I'm fine—" he grabbed the medic's arm— "Just—save her—please."

The man paused and looked at him straight in the eye, as if empathizing.

"We will, sir. Are you the patient's guardian?"

Zeke wasn't here. But Erwin knew there was no time to waste. "Yes, I am."

He was about to be guided into the ambulance when the driver from before arrived with a huff, waving something in his hand. Erwin realized it was his phone that he'd dropped.

After a string of apologies and a promise that he'll drop by the town hospital after he sorts things out, the driver went away and Erwin walked inside the back of the vehicle, where Isanna was already being tended to by a couple of medics. A space was put up for him to sit down, and Erwin took the spot beside the gurney.

The doors were shut close and the ambulance rolled down the street, driving through the storm across town.

Monitors and equipment beeped all around him, Erwin almost felt nauseous. His head was still throbbing and he felt like he was going to vomit, but he held back the urge. Even if it was out of pure adrenaline and sheer will, he'd rather focus on Isanna's condition than himself.

Erwin watched as they put on an oxygen mask on her, the sight almost making his stomach lurch. They had wiped off the blood from her head and face, but he could make out something red soaking the backrest of the gurney.

He reached for her hand and held it tight in his, furrowing his brows in a tight frown. Her eyes remained closed like a mannequin.

He never let go until they reached the local hospital. The gurney carrying Isanna was rolled out of the ambulance, and Erwin tried his best to keep up even when he was limping. The medics had given him a rough assessment on his sprained leg and had secured it in tight bandages for him during the ride.

Erwin could make out the rush of nurses in the emergency room, a few voices barking orders here and there, but his eyes never left Isanna's face until they reached the operating room and he was forced to stay behind. The doors slid close, shutting Erwin away.

The light on top of the sliding doors changed, signaling an emergency operation.

Erwin stood there, panting, neck craned and staring at the light like he was a lost stray. In a sense, he did feel that way. A discomfort rolled in his gut; he didn't want to be separated from Isanna, not even by some stupid glass doors, but this was beyond his area of control.

He didn't realize how long he'd been standing there until he heard someone call out to him from behind.

"Erwin! What happened?!"

With slow, laggard movements, Erwin turned around, coming face to face with Zeke Yeager. Adrian had come along, and the both of them were drenched in a mix of rain and sweat, panting and catching their breath and full of worry.

"You—"

Zeke stopped himself when he assessed the blond before him head to toe. If he was a mess, Erwin looked way worse. Hair all over the place, mud splashed on his pants, and his shirt looked like it had been washed in dirt water. Most of all—

"Hey—that's blood—" Adrian sounded frantic, worried, as he eyed Erwin's hands— "are you okay?"

Erwin followed Adrian's eyes and finally noticed all the red on his hands. The sight made Erwin suddenly want to make a beeline to the restroom. Isanna's blood. All he could see at that moment was the view of her lying on the road, a pool of blood spreading from her head.

Noticing Erwin's stupor, Adrian inched closer and realized the blood wasn't his. He visibly sighed, then looked at Erwin like he was contemplating something, and hesitatingly patted him on the shoulder.

"Erwin, I think you should—"

"Go back to the hotel," Zeke interrupted.

Both Erwin and Adrian turned to him, the former still seemingly out of it. Ever since leaving the ambulance, Erwin had felt like a third person, viewing the world from an outsider's perspective.

Zeke's words had snapped him out of it.

"I can't."

His refusal only made the stare in Zeke's more intense. "You look like you're about to pass out any moment now. Don't give me any more trouble and freshen yourself up, in the very least."

Erwin knew just how much he looked like he'd been through hell. Still, the thought of leaving Isanna's side for even a moment was unacceptable, and Zeke's suggestion, which he knew was only out of rightful worry, spiked up an irrational annoyance in him.

"I don't need your concern, Zeke," Erwin rebutted, voice hard and low. The last thing he needed right now was someone pushing him farther away from Isanna than he already felt.

Zeke, on the other hand, was just on edge as Erwin was.

He surged forward with clenched fists at the side.

"You're being a brat, Smith," he hissed, reverting back to how he usually called him, "nothing good will come out of you losing your head like a chicken! Go home, wash up, and calm yourself down and—"

"I can't leave knowing she's in there because of me," Erwin insisted, mentally cursing when his voice shook as he felt that build of frustration come back, bit by bit, and the shortening of his breath was alerting his brain, and he was so sure any second now he was about to break—

"Alright—that's enough from you two."

Adrian stepped in between them, placing a hand on Zeke's chest and another on Erwin's shoulder.

He frowned at them. "Arguing will only make us more tense. Zeke, you're just concerned for him, I know, but Erwin's pretty shaken up already. Telling him to leave will only frustrate him. And Erwin," he paused, turning to him, "Zeke's right. You are losing your head right now. At least get changed and wash your face. Cool yourself down."

His words felt like a slap in the face. Erwin stared at him for a second, suddenly feeling the fatigue that he'd been pushing back ever since the entire ordeal.

But—

"I don't want to leave her—"

"I mean," Adrian emphasized, holding back a sigh as he placed both hands on Erwin's shoulder, looking him straight in the eye, "get changed in the restroom. Here. I'll find you some fresh clothes. You don't have to worry about leaving."

Erwin faintly realized his heavy breathing, Adrian's offer finally sinking in. He wasn't sure if he made a verbal reply, but in the next second, Adrian was leading him away from the hall. He caught Zeke's eyes before Zeke looked away and turned to the emergency room, staring at the doors with a hardened face.

The next few minutes were nothing short of a blur to Erwin. He wasn't sure how Adrian did it, but he somehow got them permission to use a more private bathroom. Adrian had briefly left Erwin to wash himself up, returning with a change of clothes.

On another occasion, with a more leveled head, Erwin would have apologized for the inconvenience and thanked him. But this time, he just accepted the clothes and put them on while his thoughts remained a cluttered ball of mess.

His hair was still damp when Erwin stood by the sink, washing the remaining dried blood from his hands. His movements almost felt robotic, and his mind had shut down during the last few minutes as he stared at his hands, absentmindedly scrubbing them monotonously.

Leaning by the door, Adrian carefully observed him with a worried stare. He wasn't sure how to deal with this, fully aware that he'd never seen Erwin like this before.

".. Have you calmed down?" he asked, treading carefully.

It took Erwin a few seconds to process his question. He turned the faucet off, staring at the way the water dripped from his wet hands, the droplets disappearing down the drain.

When he didn't answer even when seconds passed, Adrian continued, "I know what you're thinking, Erwin. Blaming yourself won't magically make Isanna better. You did what you could—let's leave it to the doctors and—

"I can't.."

Erwin's croaked reply cut him off. Adrian was struck, almost mystified at how uncharacteristically weak he'd just sounded.

Erwin's weary gaze never left the sink. His legs felt heavy.

"I.. can't lose her again, Adrian," his voice cracked, and Erwin's eyes stung. Unlike before, he didn't have the luxury of the rain to mask it.

"If anything happens to her.. I wouldn't know what I'd—" he stopped and pressed a wet palm against his eyes.

Adrian was at a loss of words as he witnessed the most stoic man he knew finally break down. Even from back then, Erwin Smith had never shown his weakness. Something tugged in his chest, and Adrian realized even a man like him had moments of vulnerability.

Walking forward, Adrian grabbed his shoulders.

"Erwin," he started, feeling something lodging itself in his throat, "nothing bad will happen. You just have to believe that. You won't lose her."

It was the only assurance he could give. Still, Adrian thought that was better than leaving his friend like this without doing anything.

He stayed with Erwin, waiting for him to calm down. He could see the visible shaking of his shoulders, the quiet gasps of breaths Erwin heaved as he tried to even his own breathing. Adrian contemplated letting him sit down, but realized he had to get him out of the bathroom first, and he wasn't sure if Erwin would appreciate letting a bunch of hospital strangers see him in this state. He decided to be patient and wait it out, until he was certain Erwin could at least walk without shaking.

It was a good twenty minutes, Adrian estimated, before they left the private restroom. He kept a steady eye on Erwin as they walked back to the hall outside the emergency operation room. He was a bit relieved to know that whatever pent up emotions Erwin had the entire night seemed to have been released—he still looked listless and his eyes were puffed, but there was some improvement, Adrian thought.

He let Erwin sit on the waiting bench right outside the room. Zeke was still standing in front of the glass doors, looking like he hadn't made a single move the entire time.

The hall was empty save for them, but the heavy air of silence filled in the space. Adrian swallowed a nervous gulp, sending a worried glance at the glass doors and darting a quick prayer. He wouldn't call himself a religious guy, but he figured anything would do, so long as it gives them hope. In the worst case scenario... he had a feeling Isanna wouldn't be the only one he'd have to worry for.

He threw a worried look at Erwin's way.

Outside, the storm raged on, although Adrian thought it sounded a bit lighter now.

It felt like forever till the doors to the operating room slid open and a doctor wearing scrubs walked out. He took off his mask just as Zeke approached him, inquiring eagerly.

"She's stable. We will be moving her to another room to monitor her condition for the night, then she can be moved to a private ward afterwards."

Zeke and Adrian heaved a breath like a thorn had been plucked out. Erwin had a follow up question.

"What about any long-lasting injuries?"

The surgeon answered with professional courtesy, "She had quite a hard concussion, so expect that there could be complications when she wakes up, but current prognosis shows that nothing will be permanent that could affect her lifestyle. We are monitoring her condition as of the moment."

Adrian felt like he could finally rest his legs. He'd been standing ever since he arrived at the hospital.

They're probably staying here, he thought as he eyed the other two. Adrian thought it was for the better—he didn't think he could return to the hotel and sleep with a sound mind after tonight, either.

He read the clock in the hall. It was past midnight already.

After a few more exchanges of words with the surgeon, he called in a nurse to lead them to the room where they'll be monitoring Isanna. Adrian accompanied them until they reached the hall where a glass window pane separated the corridor and the monitoring room on the other side.

Another nurse had asked them to sign some documents, so Zeke took responsibility and left with her, leaving Erwin and Adrian in the hall.

A chilling air swept through them, sending a shiver down Adrian's spine. He glanced at Erwin, noting the unreadable expression on his face as he stared through the glass where Isanna lay on the hospital bed, a bunch of wires connecting her to various equipment Adrian wasn't familiar with and a health monitor that was beeping periodically.

He stepped closer to him.

"Hey," he gently called. Erwin didn't take his eyes off her, but he knew he was listening. "We're past the critical period. It won't hurt to rest your head for a bit, Erwin."

Adrian thought he was imagining it, but he realized Erwin rarely ever blinked ever since they moved to another location. It was as if some sort of mystifying power had taken over his autonomy and was keeping his eyes glued on Isanna.

".. I'm fine," he eventually mumbled, still not looking at him. "I'd rather... stay here."

Adrian mutely sighed, making a mental note to go buy something easy for him to eat, at the very least.

There's a bench here.. he'll sit down if he wants...... I hope.

He gave him a reassuring pat on the back before he walked away. The last thing Adrian saw was Erwin standing alone in the corridor, hands balled tight at his side, and his distant gaze piercing through the glass, unwavering.

—

It was already quarter to 4 AM when Zeke returned to the hall after closing his eyes for a bit.

He was stifling a yawn when his eyes landed on a certain lone blond standing in the hallway, staring through the glass window like a statue.

No way—

Had he been standing here the entire time?

Zeke noticed a plastic bag on the bench on the wall and caught the logo of a fast food chain on it. Adrian had probably left it there for Erwin, but it looked untouched.

"You can take a nap, you know. She's not going anywhere."

Erwin turned his head to him, allowing Zeke to glimpse the dark lines below his eyes. If he didn't know better, Zeke thought he looked more gaunt than Isanna.

It took Erwin a bit longer to reply, as if his head was still whirring and Zeke's arrival confused him.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm alright."

Zeke stared at him with a raised brow, before he scoffed out loud and stopped a few steps away from him. He turned his heel and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he stared through the glass and at the numerous machines beeping inside.

"So now you appreciate it? You really are more tolerable with a cooler head, Smith."

When Zeke first caught wind of the accident, an ice-cold bucket of water had seemingly poured all over him. He'd raced to the local hospital as fast as he could, forgetting the umbrella somewhere down the road, but as soon as he saw that Erwin had been more shaken than him, something calmed him down. Maybe it was an exchange of emotions, he thought.

The silence stretched on between them, the occasional beeping from inside the room the only sound disrupting the quietude.

"For what it's worth," Zeke started out of nowhere, "I'm glad you found her."

Erwin felt a dull thud in his chest. He squeezed his fists tighter and felt the bitterness in his tongue.

"I put her at risk," he said, more as a rebuke to himself. If he'd been more careful—

"Frankly, I don't know what happened—I wasn't there," Zeke interrupted, his eyes still on Isanna. "So I don't know why you're blaming yourself. Not that I want you to tell me, either. I'm just saying that you found her, and for me, that's good enough."

Erwin looked at him, allowing his words to settle in the air as a brief silence followed.

"You should be mad."

"Mad? Please, Smith, I'm enraged," Zeke scoffed with a shake of his head. "I'm definitely mad, but not for the same reason you think."

Confused, Erwin continued to stare at him with a perplexed frown.

Zeke finally tore his eyes from Isanna and sent him a glance.

"Don't bother thinking too deeply into it. It's just my ego talking," he vaguely explained, before he turned on his heel and started walking away. Since Erwin wasn't planning on leaving, Zeke figured his presence wasn't needed.

Erwin stared at his retreating back as he disappeared around the corner and he was once more left in the cold hallway. He returned his attention to Isanna.

There was nothing alarming about her condition anymore, Erwin deduced. The last few hours he'd spent standing here staring told him that much, but there was something soothing in seeing her with his own eyes instead of trying to sleep.

Erwin had a feeling that should he take even a nap, all he'd see would be nightmares.

He strained his eyes, observing the way her chest faintly heaved with each breath. That was all he needed to know.

She was alive. That was really all he needed, but—damn it, oh how badly he wanted to feel her. His hand was burning with the itch to hold hers. Erwin wasn't sure how long it'd take for them to move her to a private room already.

Flexing his hand, he looked down at it. It's been hours since he last felt them shake. A furrow of his brows creased his forehead.

He really was a greedy man. Before, he begged someone to just save her. Now that she was stable, he was on the verge of begging someone to let him in to at least be closer to her. Erwin realized he will never be satisfied.

He lifted his eyes to look at her once more, and saw his reflection staring back at him from the glass. His exhaustion screamed in the form of puffy eyes and heavy bags underneath them; his legs strained to carry the weight of his entire body after hours of standing.

Erwin had felt the cruelty of weariness before, mentally and physically. His days as commander were nothing short of it.

But he had never been so exhausted like this, emotionally. Only a few hours had passed, but it felt like an eternity, time agonizingly ticking on and on with no signs of Isanna waking up anytime soon.

Erwin briefly wondered whether the staff was really correct in their prognosis, but he immediately shut down the anxious thoughts. He was just paranoid. The operation went fine. It's natural to take some time to wake up, and it's only been over five hours.

Closing his eyes, Erwin tried to calm himself down by breathing in and out. In and out. Slowly.

His hands found the window panel, gripping it tight as he leaned his head against the window, facing down.

It's the lack of sleep, the rational voice in his head scolded him. He tried explaining to himself that it wouldn't be the first time he lacked sleep per se, that he'd survived countless nights without a wink before; both in the past and in the present life.

This time's different, the voice retorted. It's Isanna.

Erwin slowly opened his eyes, staring at his shoes plastered firmly on the tiled floor; small specks of mud stuck on it. He lifted his face to look at her once more.

Something inside his chest twisted, like a rag had been wrung. Adrian and Zeke didn't blame him, but it was hard not to feel like a piece of shit seeing the woman he loved connected to machines by a bunch of wires, a mask over her face, and waiting like a helpless duck for her to regain consciousness. The sight was enough to zap his strength away—Erwin didn't think he was strong enough for this.

Did you feel this way, too?

He couldn't help but wonder, when he remembered how he'd been bedridden after losing his arm. He'd been asleep for days, and the sound of Isanna's sobbing when he woke up was engraved in his ears. Did she feel as helpless as him, staying by his side night after night, waiting for him to wake up? Did she, like him, cry for him and begged desperately on her knees to whatever deity existed, to save his life?

Erwin recalled how the first person he saw upon waking up had been her, sleeping soundlessly by the side of his bed, clutching onto his hand like a desperate child.

Oh, he realized. She really loved him. He was truly loved, by her.

The thought made him tear up. Erwin didn't think he could still cry after everything, but the notion that he, with all his sins and faults, had been dearly cherished by a woman so humanly perfect, moved him. There had been a time where he resented himself. The guilt had overtaken him, and death felt like a kinder option.

The saying 'Love yourself first' had never applied to Erwin Smith. He only saw the worst parts of him.

But Isanna had loved him so much, it overwrote whatever hatred he had for himself. Just by loving him, she saved him from his own darkness, saw the good in him that he couldn't, and by sheer devotion, helped him see the parts of him worth seeing.

If someone so good like Isanna could love a person like him, there must be some worth in that truth.

He released a heavy, shaky sigh, pressing a palm against the glass.

She once begged him not to leave her. Erwin was committed to keep his promise, as long as she would allow him to, he was never leaving her side.

—

Two days had passed since the accident.

Zeke had settled everything with the driver of the semi-truck, and it was the last day of the school field trip. He had told the school staff that he wouldn't be returning with them, and since they were already aware of the entire fiasco, they granted him to stay in town for the time being.

"Is Erwin still at the hospital?"

Zeke turned to Adrian, the latter hefting a duffel bag on his shoulder as he prepared to enter the school bus.

"He's doing alright, if that's what you're asking. Isanna was moved to a private room, so we're taking turns looking after her."

Zeke watched as Adrian nodded in relief, contemplating for a bit before he decided to voice his thoughts out.

"Thanks for coming with me the other day. I don't think.. Smith and I could've stayed calm without you, honestly."

Adrian blinked at him a few times before a subtle smile graced his features. "Don't mention it. Isa's my friend too. Was. I mean, still is, although she doesn't remember—ah, whatever. You get the idea."

Zeke silently laughed through his nose, which surprised him. That was the first time he actually smiled in days. "Yeah. Friends. She has lots of those."

Thoughts of Isanna's old friends came to mind. Erwin had contacted and told them everything that had happened. Apparently, Levi and Hange would find time to make the drive for a visit, together with Pieck. Porco was out of the country, and Mike was advised against moving too much since he just got out of the hospital.

Adrian chuckled as he turned to the open doors of the bus. "With a personality like hers, don't be surprised."

Zeke nodded a goodbye as Adrian stepped into the bus. A few of the students waved at him through the windows, and Zeke tried to look upbeat in front of them. As the buses rolled down the street and drove farther from the hotel, Zeke stayed until he couldn't see them anymore.

Once they were gone, he picked up his duffel bag and made his way to the local hospital. Halfway through, it had started to drizzle. Zeke picked up his pace and turned into a light jog when he could finally see the building of his destination, its logo fixed on the top of the infrastructure. It wasn't a big hospital like the ones in the city, but they had accommodating staff and quality equipment, so he opted against moving Isanna after her condition had stabilized.

As he walked inside, he ran a hand through his hair that had been soaked by the rain. He made a mental note to wash up once he unloaded his stuff from the bag. He passed by the reception desk and greeted the staff before he made his way to the second floor, deciding to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Zeke walked down the corridor, passing by doors with corresponding numbers on them until he stopped at room 211. He knocked before pushing it open.

"You need to check your stuff out of the hotel," was the first thing he said to Erwin, who was standing beside the bed and was in the middle of arranging a bouquet of flowers in a vase.

Erwin dropped his hands. "Oh. Right."

Zeke watched him shoot a glance at Isanna, who was still unconscious by the bed, before Erwin straightened himself and picked up his coat by the couch.

"I'll be back."

"Take an umbrella with you, it's raining outside."

Erwin paused and glimpsed out the window, only then realizing. He nodded a silent thanks at Zeke before he accepted the offered umbrella and walked out of the room.

Zeke was left in silence, staring at the door for a few moments before he turned his attention to Isanna.

Who would've thought it would take you getting into an accident for us to get along?

Although Zeke wouldn't go as far as to say they're now best buddies, but things between him and Erwin had certainly been more civil ever since that night.

He dumped his bag on the couch and began rummaging through his things, intending to at least wash up before Erwin arrived.

—

Her head felt like it was about to split open.

The storm wasn't helping, and the fact that Erwin Smith was on the other side of the road, looking at her like a helpless puppy after she told him to stay away—it was overwhelming. Isanna could no longer think straight.

Guilt was eating her up from the inside. He seemed hurt by her attempts to push him away. Then she recalled the face Zeke made when he confronted her about her feelings, and she felt the guilt double.

'Stop looking at me like that', she thought. 'Don't make it harder for me, please..'

Just when things couldn't get any worse, her head throbbed, more apparent than ever. Hand shooting to her temple, she fought back a groan as she leaned against the lamp post, fumbling her free hand around it for stability.

She vaguely heard Erwin calling for her, his voice filled with worry.

Isanna was still in the process of dealing with her increasing headache when she heard the truck's honking.

With a gasp, she forced her eyes open, watching the truck as it drove closer and closer, about to hit—

Time slowed down.

The raindrops seemed to have paused mid-air, the gushing of the storm had stopped circling in her ears, her vision had cleared, and in that moment, everything clicked.

'This is familiar,' Isanna faintly thought, staring at the scene before her with widened eyes.

As she stood there, staring at the road, only one thought remained clear: if she didn't move, he'd get hit.

Her legs moved automatically, instantly. She didn't know how she could reach him so quickly—be it her sheer will of desperation or the spring in her step, she didn't care.

She reached him, and used all her weight to push him out of the way, a grunt lodged in the back of her throat.

She caught the way Erwin looked at her with a flash of fear in his eyes, then she finally understood why.

A distant screaming rang in her mind, and amidst the mayhem, there was a faint voice of 'Advance!', yelling over and over again.

In that split-second of eye contact, it all came back to her.

The past, the walls, the titans, the soldiers, Shiganshina—him.

And then, as fast as it came, something hard and painful crashed into her, and Isanna blacked out.

The rain was the first sound she registered.

When Isanna opened her eyes, everything came blurry at first. She stayed still to allow her eyes to adjust to the off-white shade of the ceiling, then the next thing she processed was the low hum of the air conditioner. A comfortable chill kissed her face.

The rustling of clothes alerted her to another presence in the room.

Zeke had just pulled out a spare shirt from his bag when he felt a sudden shift in the air. He instinctively turned to the bed, stopping in his tracks when he came face to face with a very conscious Isanna Herrman, who had sat up and was staring back at him, seemingly equally shocked.

Zeke's voice got stuck in his throat for the first few seconds.

"Isanna—"

"Where's... Erwin?"

Her thin voice made Zeke pause. Erwin. The first name she uttered right after waking.

Once the initial shock of her waking up passed, he finally looked closer at her face. She was staring at him carefully, and he could feel her guard up. Her hands had been balled into tight fists, crumpling the fabric of the comforter in her grasp.

And, she looked pretty shaken. As if cold water had been doused on her.

It finally hit Zeke.

Isanna had remembered everything.