That Night
Anya's eyes fluttered open slowly, and she looked up at the ceiling of the dark room she was in. Her head was on very uncomfortable pillows, and she knew this hard bed she was on was not the one she and Levi shared. She felt the familiarity of Levi's hand holding hers, but that was the only familiarity she had. She felt a pinching in her arm, and could swear there was something inside of it. Her mouth felt like sandpaper and tasted like a mixture of salt and blood. She was cold, despite the weight of what felt like a mountain of blankets on top of her. She was hungry, she was thirsty, and everything hurt. She had the worst headache she had ever had, and could swear there was a bruise on the back of her skull. Where the hell am I? She thought to herself, pulling her right arm up and investigating the clear tubing that was now coming out of her arm. The only logical conclusion she could come up with, is that she was in a hospital. But how? Why? What happened? Her mind was spinning, and she couldn't find answers for any of her questions.
The last thing she remembered was telling Mikasa, Annie, and Nat that she felt like a bride in the dress she was wearing - the dress she seemed to still be wearing - at least from the waist down, because the top half of her body was over being covered by some paper thin material that was scratchy and unfamiliar.
She let out a soft groan as she moved to sit, and felt shifting next to her on both sides. She looked to the right first, and there was Nat - slumped over and asleep with her hair in her face, her mouth agape, in a white coat. Anya couldn't help but think she looked precious there - she could see the innocence and sweetness Nat kept buried deep inside of her, written on her face. She more closely resembled a sleeping child, than the hardened Doctor Nathalie Burgess.
She looked to her left, and found Levi laying there - one arm underneath him while the other was holding her hand. His hair messy and sticking up in places, his bangs barely brushing his eyes. His mouth pursed shut, his jacket slung behind him and his shirt wrinkled and clinging to his body. She smiled as she looked at him, and thought back to the days they would fall asleep in just as interesting of positions in her backyard while looking up at the stars. She sighed as leaned back, knowing that if the two of them were there - she was safe.
As she took another glance around the room, she saw Mikasa asleep and slumped on Jean's shoulder sitting on a nearby bench, a blanket wrapped around them. Her eyes found Annie, across the room from Mikasa, asleep with a blanket around her as she laid in Armin's lap. Armin was the only other person awake, and their eyes met as he smiled at her,
Armin smiled as he looked at her, eyes finally open, "Hey,"
"Hey," Anya responded, "so this is what a hospital in Marley is like?" she asked, letting out a small laugh as she gestured with her free hand to the multitude of machines she was hooked up to
Armin shrugged, "Yeah," he let out a long sigh, "how are you feeling?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice
Anya smiled, "well, I feel like I've been hit by one of those 'cars' you all have here. I'm thirsty and my mouth tastes like shit, and I'm famished," she shrugged, "why am I here?"
"Anya, a lot... happened," Armin started before he let out a deep sigh and shifted so he could stand up without waking Annie up. He walked over to Levi, "I think Levi should probably explain, and I'll wake Doctor Burgess too..."
"No!" Anya exclaimed in a hushed voice, "they're so peaceful! We shouldn't wake them," she shook her head, but it was too late - Armin had already placed his hand on Levi's shoulder, and was gently shaking
Levi grunted as his eyes opened, first looking towards Armin - who had a soft smile on his face, before turning to look at Anya as his expression of annoyance faded into one of relief. Before Anya could even open her mouth to speak another word, he was sitting up straight and holding both of her hands with his. He leaned over and kissed the back of both her hands before releasing one, and cupping her face gently, as if she was made of glass
"My darling," he sighed out, "you're awake,"
Anya nodded, "What happened?" she asked, before the realization hit her, "oh fuck, you saw the dress didn't you?" she groaned at the thought, feeling like that magical moment she had dreamed of for so long - when he'd see her standing there in that dress, was taken from her
"I did, I'm sorry..." Levi began, before Anya's attention was quickly diverted to the other side of her, as Armin attempted to wake Nathalie
Nathalie let out a soft groan as she slapped Armin's hands off of her, "don't fucking touch me, kid,"
"Doctor, Anya is awake," Armin explained, as Nathalie sat up straight and looked at Anya.
Nathalie sighed in relief, "It's about time, Anya," she rolled her eyes, "you've been out all day and night, lazyass," She smiled, "just kidding, you've had a hell of a day, you know that? Tell me, what's the last thing you remember?"
Anya bit her lip as she tried to think, "being in the dress shop, and talking with you, and you saying it feels nostalgic..."
"Oh right," Nathalie brushed her hair out of her face and she sat straight. She let out a groan. The position she had slept had made her back ache like an eighty-year-old granny. "Levi, you do the explaining, or me?"
"You're the Doctor," Levi groaned, "But I want to tell her the last bit," He smiled, and with the glance of his smile that Anya caught, she knew it couldn't all be bad news
"Fine," Nathalie tucked her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "You had a seizure, a high blood pressure that led to a stroke and you basically fucking died, but I brought you back, you're fucking welcome," Nathalie huffed bluntly.
"I fucking... died?" Anya asked, looking around the room as she noticed the rest slowly stirring awake "I DIED?"
"Yeah, but relax, you're very alive now," Nathalie stood up and headed for the door. "Now excuse me, I need my daily dose of nicotine," She said before she walked out of the room with a pack of cigarettes in her hands and a lighter.
"I died?" Anya repeated, looking from the door to Levi, "I died, in my wedding dress?"
Levi sighed as he looked around the room, hoping for someone else to speak up first, which luckily, Armin did. "Yes, but - Nathalie brought you back. Which means she can do it again,"
"Curse be damned, she did it," Mikasa smiled as she walked towards Anya's bed and sat down where Nathalie previously was, "I told you, we're not letting you die,"
"BUT I DID DIE?" Anya shouted, she was panicking.
"Shh, baby" Levi started, standing up and pressing a kiss to her forehead, "You're alive now, Doctor Burgess saved you. She saved your life," Levi was right, Nathalie had saved Anya's life - and he was eternally grateful. He never wanted to feel like that again - the terror, the pain, the loneliness that was losing her - if only for a few moments. He couldn't imagine feeling like that for the rest of his life. He couldn't imagine losing her. He couldn't imagine a life without her after barely getting her back. But, no, he could not think like that. She was pregnant with three wonderful little precious lives they created together out of love, that they would raise together, that would grow up with both of their parents right by their sides.
Anya could feel her heart beating, threatening to force itself out of her chest. She swallowed, and looked at Levi, "what else, what is it you wanted to tell me?" she asked, "Am I going to die... again ?"
Levi let out a soft laugh as he moved the hand that was holding her to her belly, still cupping her face with the other hand, "Doctor Burgess wouldn't allow you to die again, my love, and neither will I," he smiled as he looked at her, those soft blue eyes he hoped his children would end up with. Her hair - albeit messy, still framing her face so perfectly. "For more reasons than one," He smiled at her and he brought her close. "Dr. Burgess confirmed it. You're pregnant,"
Anya's eyes widened and for a moment she forgot how to breathe. She couldn't even describe the rush of emotions that crushed over her. She couldn't calculate how happy she was, but she couldn't even fathom how terrified she was all the same. Her life was at stake. She could die any moment now because of some stupid curse. She could lose her life and that innocent little life - or lives, if Mikasa's vision was correct - that was growing inside of her. She could lose it all any moment. But no, she had to stop thinking like that. She had a Burgess who had brought her back to life and she would do it again. She had two Ackermans around her almost in the entirety of the day. She was going to be okay.
Right?
"How... How far along am I? How many..." she stuttered as she formed the question, unsure of how to phrase the myriad of questions she had
Levi smiled contentedly, "nine weeks," he responded, pressing another kiss to her forehead and sighing as he did so, "how many what?" he teased, grinning and looking down at her now frustrated expression
Anya raised her hand and gently smacked Levi's arm, "how many babies! B-Because.. Mikasa's... vision..." she noticed she now had tears in her eyes, and felt Levi brush them away with his thumb before moving his lips to hers, and bringing her into a kiss she couldn't help but sigh into
He broke the kiss with another smile, "triplets," he responded with a hint of sadness, the hand on her belly rubbing her slowly, "three little wonderful babies, that we made together..." he felt a tear slip down his cheek as he brought her into another kiss
"Gross," Mikasa piped up from next to them before standing up, "gross, gross... eww," she mumbled as she walked up to Jean, and slumped in the bench next to him
"You're fucking gross, brat," Levi hissed as he pulled away slowly, and planted a string of soft kisses on Anya's forehead, cheeks, and even her eyes that were now overflowing with tears, "baby, are you okay?" he asked softly, brushing away the warm tears from her face
Anya looked up at him - this man that she loved so much and for so long. Time and distance couldn't take away how much she loved him, nothing could ever take away how much she loved him. And here she was now, ready to marry him in just two short month's time and carrying three wonderful little babies that they had made together out of an act of love. Nothing could have ever made her happier. If someone had gone back in time a year and told her this would be her life, she would have never believed them. She had given up hope of ever finding him and was content with dying alone.
But no, she wasn't going to die alone. Vision and curse be damned, she wasn't going to let anything steal this happiness from her. Her life was at stake, but she would fight until the very end if it meant she got to live whatever was left of her life with him, and bring those precious little lives into this world. She would raise hell and bring heaven to its knees if it meant she could have all of those things with him that they always dreamed of, the thoughts that would comfort her in her loneliest nights of those 22 years without him. The thoughts of being married to him, and never letting him leave her grasp again. The thoughts of building a home with him, where they could be happy and sleep safely in each other's arms every night. The thought of having children with him - raising a perfect little family, perfect combinations of the two of them.
She had that now, within her reach. She was not going to let anything, anyone - take it from her.
"I've never been better," she responded as she pulled him down into another kiss, deep and passionate, that took his breath away and made him stumble until he crashed on the bed next to her. He relaxed into the kiss and they wrapped their arms around each other, ignoring the gagging sounds Mikasa made in the corner as everyone else shuffled out of the room - leaving the two of them there, in their loving embrace. She pulled away from the kiss, and nuzzled her head into his chest, "this is everything I've ever wanted,"
Nathalie sighed heavily as she stood outside the hospital. Goddammit, smoking was never permitted into such a place, so she and some other of her colleagues would just steal some time and slip out here in the yard of the hospital. She hadn't smoked since last night and it was driving her nuts. Especially after that scare that Anya had gotten them through. Nathalie almost thought for a moment that Anya was going to die. That the woman who had entrusted her life into her very own hands, Nathalie was going to fail her.
Nathalie sighed again. Being a Doctor was a fucking hell of a job, but being the stupid masochist that she was, she fucking loved it. She finished another cigarette and set off to start another one, and another one. She'd have to buy a new pack sometime soon but for now, she could deal with what she had.
"Oh boy, you're smoking more than I do,"
Her eyes widened. The cigarette that she had yet to light up slipped away from her lips and dropped on the floor between her heels. No way. That was definitely in her imagination. And she wouldn't be surprised. Nathalie looked ahead of her and she saw no one. If someone had talked to her in that voice. Her husband's voice. Her long gone husband who had died three years ago. No. This was just in her imagination.
But what if it wasn't?
Nathalie finally managed to muster the courage and to turn and look at the source of that voice. And she turned and looked at that smile. That cocky little smirk that spread on those familiar lips. The messy blonde hair and beard. The bright blue eyes. The white shirt and pants. Those circular glasses that once belonged to her uncle.
No. This was her imagination. It couldn't be. Her husband was dead. And there was no coming back from death, right? He had died, hadn't he? Then what the hell was he doing here? Nathalie did not question it too much. She could just feel tears running down her cheeks and she shut her eyes and shook her head in denial. Maybe her mind was too far gone. Maybe she couldn't trust her own brain to discriminate reality from imagination.
"You're not real..." she shook her head and gritted her teeth, and her tears poured down her cheeks. Nathalie made a step back, and the pack of cigarettes and lighter dropped from her hands and landed on the white marble floor. "...you're just in my head," she shut her eyes tight, and she knew that when she'd open them again, he would have disappeared. It wouldn't be the first time she had seen him like that. It wouldn't be the first time she had imagined him there with that cocky little smile on his face that sometimes infuriated her, and other times it just made her laugh till tears were running down her cheeks.
"I'm real, I'm here," Zeke took a few steps closer to her, and his arms slipped around her and he brought her close to him. Her body shook in his arms and her eyes remained shut tight, afraid to open them. He cupped her face and he wiped her tears with his rough thumb. "Open your eyes, my dear," he whispered softly to her. "I'm not going anywhere,"
It took her a moment to do it. Still too numb. Too terrified to find out that this was all just a terrible little dream that her mind had come up with to help her cope with her painful reality. He was alive? She opened her eyes, and for once, he was there. He was right there. Nathalie let out a sob. Her cold, ruthless demeanour, instantly breaking. She cupped his face shakily with her cold hand and she could feel him being there. And that was the moment she knew that he was real. He was alive.
She let out another sob when he smiled at her, and she smiled too even though she was crying. She fell in his arms right away. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders and she buried her face in his neck. She wept. She couldn't help it. Oh God- all those hours that she spent mourning him and visiting his grave. All that drinking and smoking that she did after she found out he had died. After all those unhealthy habits that caused her to miscarry.
Oh God- it was all gone now. It was all over. "Z- Zeke, o- our child... I... I lost it," she wept, for once, clutching in him and wetting his shirt with her tears. His arms tightened around her and he buried his face in her hair.
"We'll try again," He said and he chuckled. "You won't believe what I've been through,"
Annie looked at Armin, confusion clear on her face at the sight they were all looking at in front of them. "That's... Zeke," she said in astonishment, "I'd know him anywhere, That's Zeke Yeager..."
Mikasa swallowed, "no, he's dead. Levi killed him, we're all just seeing things,"
Jean shook his head, "yeah - he's dead, I saw it happen. We're all just sleep deprived. We should lay off the coffee -"
"Well, to be fair - he did just literally appear out of thin air behind Doctor Burgess," Armin said, "and it wouldn't be the strangest thing we've ever seen,"
They all looked on as Nathalie stood up, and they held each other
"Levi's gonna lose his shit," Mikasa said before letting out a laugh,
Armin frowned, "we should tell him..."
Annie turned around with a smile on her lips, before feeling Mikasa's hand grabbing her wrist, "No! I wanna tell him! I can't wait to see the look on that midget's face..." Mikasa growled as her and Annie raced back to the door of the room Anya was laying in
"Levi!" they both called out in unison, Mikasa sneaking her way into the door first,
"You're not going to believe this," She said with a smile on her face, as Levi and Anya both looked up from each other in frustration