The Prices I Pay ((MIKE ZACHARIAS X ERWIN SMITH X OC))

Chapter 6

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit this passed week," he said, and Silica gingerly returned his embrace just before he pulled away to hold her at arms length. "How are you? Your wounds? Are you feeling okay?"

"I gotta say, shorty, I think this might be the most worried I've ever seen you," she couldn't help but tease him, and snickered at the scowl he gave her in return. "But I'm alright, for the most part. I have a check up with Reos later to assess whether or not I can get my stitches taken out."

"That's today?" Levi looked taken aback.

Silica tilted her head to the side. "Yeah. Is that shocking?"

Levi blinked for a moment before dropping his hands from her shoulders. "No."

"You're acting weird," Silica accused, eyes squinting as she crossed her arms. "Don't tell me you're a wreck about the Expedition too."

"What? No, that's not it," Levi shook his head. "I'm just... annoyed. I'd rather stay behind and look after you while everyone else is away."

"You really are a worry-filled shithole," Silica crinkled her nose at him. "You certainly have nothing to be concerned about while I'm stuck here."

"I've been worried since you got shot, Silica." Levi's voice sounded strained. It made her tense up.

"Levi," a silence befell them before Silica called out to him, and she placed a gentle hand on his cheek to get him to look at her. "I'm okay. I always am."

She watched him sigh, and kissed him quickly on the cheek before wrapping him in yet another hug. He gladly returned it, and the tension she felt in his shoulders slowly seeped away.

"Come back home safe, you hear?" She spoke in nothing but a whisper, and felt his grip around her tighten.

"Amelia and Mike will be here soon," Levi slowly parted from her as he spoke. "You should go meet them."

"I'll see you soon, pipsqueak."

Silica met with Mike and Amelia soon before the Survey Corps was to commence their Expedition, and stood with them at the archway of base whilst the soldiers among them buzzed around the courtyard.

"I'll be back before you girls know it," Mike was saying from his knelt position in front of Amelia, who looked to be on the brink of tears at the thought of Mike leaving. He held her cheeks in his hands. "Just two days, then I'll be back."

The sight of Amelia nodding quickly and hugging Mike made a sad warmth spread in Silica's chest, and gladly wrapped an arm around Amelia's shoulders once her daughter latched onto her side. Mike was now facing Silica, and despite the anxiety she had been feeling for the passed few days, she felt content looking upon him with his hand cupping her cheek.

"I love you," he whispered to her once his forehead was pressed against hers. Her eyes fell closed at the contact. "So much."

"I love you too." She replied in a whisper, and opened her eyes when she felt Mike lower down with his hands on both of her hips.

She rose a perplexed brow at his action of quickly pecking her stomach, and eyed him wordlessly once he was towering over her once again.

"Just two days." He said, and she offered him a silent nod.

"Zacharias," Erwin called from behind them. "It's time to ready the horses."

"I'll see you soon, kid." Mike said whilst placing one last kiss to her temple and ruffling the top of Amelia's hair.

Silica only nodded again, and hovered her free hand over the spot where Mike had just kissed, but was prevented from dwelling on it once Erwin approached them.

"I'll be sure to keep an eye on your squad as well as your fiancé while we are away," Erwin stated once stopping before Silica. "And I will fill you in on what is discovered once we return."

"Sounds like a plan," Silica agreed, and watched as Erwin nodded and turned on his heel. "Hey."

At her call, Erwin paused midstep to look back at her. A stiff breeze blew passed them.

"Make sure you watch your own back, too, Commander." She smiled softly as she spoke, and Erwin was left to stare at her for a moment before nodding one last time.

"Of course," he said. "I will see you soon, Silica."

__________

It was midday on base, and Silica laid flat on her back as Doctor Reos worked at unwinding Silica's stitches, as she had been cleared to have them removed. An irritated twitch pricked her brow as she laid there, and her eyes were glued to the ceiling above them.

"Alright," Reos said as she placed her tools — as well as Silica's old stitchings — to a metal trey on the table beside her. "You've healed up nicely, and are clear to head back home tonight."

"Yippee." Silica breathed out sarcastically as she sat up, and rolled her shirt down to cover her abdomen.

"We have one other thing to discuss while I have you here," Reos' declaration made Silica pause in her move to stand up, and she watched her as she rolled back in her chair to retrieve Silica's medical file that sat in the cubby on the foot of the bed. "I wanted to wait to inform you until your wound was fully healed."

"What is it?" Silica blinked at her, and felt another twinge of anxiety tickle her gut as she sat with her legs hanging off the side of the bed.

Reos looked up at Silica from over the rim of her glasses as she opened the file that now sat in her lap, and quickly wrote something down.

"Now, I don't want you to be alarmed," she began. Silica's heart jackhammered in her chest. "But during your surgery to remove the bullet, and through a blood test that I had taken for you while you were recovering, I discovered something."

"And?" Silica pressed impatiently.

"Silica," Reos cleared her throat as she adjusted in her seat. "You're pregnant."

"I'm what?"