Levi Ackerman's Son

The Future

It had been 6 months since Levi, Farlan, and Isabel joined the Scouts. Ophelia had been working hard every day, saving up money to open her own doctor's office. It wasn't much, a small building on the corner of a street, but it was hers. She was proud of it. It was always her mother's dream to own a practice like this, and Ophelia had followed in her footsteps, learning everything she knew about medicine from her mother. That story, though, was for another time.

She wasn't lonely anymore. Being a doctor had its perks, and one of them was that people had to talk to you when they needed help. Ophelia had met a lot of people over the months, but the person she spent the most time with was Joyce, a prostitute from the Underground. Ophelia never judged her; she understood the harsh reality of life down there. Joyce appreciated that more than she could say. There was also the fact that thieves and robbers rarely targeted someone who clearly had the backing of one of the few doctors in the Underground.

Ophelia had gotten the news about her baby's gender it was going to be a boy. But there was something that always gnawed at her: it wouldn't have a last name. Ophelia didn't know hers, and neither did Levi. Names were just that—names. In most cases, they didn't mean anything anyway.

She opened the door to her home, a little bigger now that she was preparing for Lando. She collapsed on the couch and opened a book about child-rearing. The book made everything seem so complicated. As a child, Ophelia had dreamed of having kids. Now, though, she was starting to think that maybe she only wanted one because it seemed like the thing to do. But as she sat there, the reality of raising a child hit her. It seemed like too much work. Her baby, Lando, would need a mother who knew what she was doing, but she wasn't sure if she could be that mother. Raising a child in the Underground? It was tough. The thought of something happening to him—sickness, injury, or worse—kept her awake at night.

Timeskip to the next day.

Ophelia woke up groggy. She hadn't gotten any sleep; Lando wouldn't stop squirming. She tried to get up, but her body begged for more rest. She decided to take a lazy day, sinking back into the warmth of the blankets.

Then came the unmistakable shake of someone tugging at her arm. Her eyes snapped open to see Joyce standing there with a grin.

"Wakey, wakey! You can't sleep all day, you know," Joyce teased.

"Why can't I?" Ophelia's voice came out groggy, thick with sleep. "I think I earned a break. A long one."

"I guess you've earned it." Joyce laughed. "You've been working ten-hour days for how long now?"

"To damn long, that's for sure," Ophelia muttered, rubbing her eyes.

Joyce raised an eyebrow. "And you're pregnant, too. Wouldn't that put your baby in danger?"

Ophelia grinned lazily and glanced at her stomach. "Oh, come on. Lando is a trooper. Isn't that right?"

"Speaking of Lando," Joyce continued, sitting on the edge of the bed, "when are you due?"

"Two months, at the least."

Joyce's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Are you happy? I'm excited for you. With a kid, you'll never be alone. Everyone needs a mom!"

"I'm happy... scared, excited, and dreading it all at the same time." Ophelia's smile faded. "What if I'm not a good mom? What if I mess up? What if something bad happens to him? What if something happens when he's being born?"

Joyce leaned in, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "What if this? What if that? Calm down, Ophelia. You'll be an amazing parent. I know it. And you're not doing it alone, I'm here for you."