What If Bertholdt had Survived

Uprising

Several days had passed since Bertholdt had seen his father. The newspapers were reporting an astounding victory in Libero.

Bertholdt felt sick anytime he caught a glimpse of a headline.

He and the rest of Levi squad were planning to meet at a restaurant to discuss next steps and what to do with Eren.

Gabi and Falco, at Sasha's request, were staying with her family.

"They need be be somewhere safe away from all this, plus some of the more zealous scouts" Sasha had reasoned.

Bertholdt wanted to confront Eren, but Hange wouldn't let him. "He nearly took me and the entire building out, who knows what would happen if you confronted him"

Bertholdt didn't argue, it seemed like Hange was just as disgusted with Eren as he was.

He was walking to the restaurant with Reiner, finally glad to have some alone time with him.

"I don't get it, why keep you alive and not steal your Titan?"

It was weird to see him the dress uniform of the Survey Corps.

"Well that was the plan originally, shockingly enough 2 people survived Zeke's little baseball game...Floch, that lovely gentleman you met in Libero, and Erwin."

"I thought Erwin died?"

"He did, but not before Floch dragged him from the field of bodies. He was barely alive. Some how, Levi had a vial of shifter spinal fluid. So the plan was to use that, and have Erwin inherit the Armored Titan"

"What stopped them?"

"Dunno...I had blacked while Levi and Hange were arguing, when I woke up I was in a cell, but had received medical care, Hange came into my cell. Let me know that as the new Commander I was under her control. Told me everything they had learned about Marley, the nine titans..."

"And they didn't hurt you?"

"Not really, when I was out all I could think about was all the people I hurt, the people who died because of me...of Marco"

They both went silent.

"Did you ever tell him?"

"About how Marco really died? No"

"Probably for the best"

The two turned the corner.

"So you started working with the scouts?"

"Yeah, with Eren's Titan and mine and the Thunder spears, we were able to clear up the island of titans...they found the seas for the first time...I swear Hange was like a little kid" Reiner laughed. "Jean thought it would be a good idea to drink sea water"

"What an idiot, figured it would either be Sasha or Connie to do that"

"It wasn't until Connie asked me to join in on their fun that I started relaxing a bit, it was soon I began to realize at the bullsh*t Marley put us through. The whole "atoning for our sins and sh*t. They just want as much power as they can."

"Yeah I could have told you that."

"I was hoping Gabi would be smart enough to see through that, but she was so angry leaving Libero. Talking about being a 'good Eldian'."

"Reiner I'm going to be honest, your mother hasn't really been a good influence on her...going on about the 'island devils' and she's convinced they killed you. Had Gabi spewing the same hate by the time she joined up with the Warrior unit"

Reiner went quite.

"Look, I tried to make sure they didn't take her, that she wouldn't join, but they saw the fire in her eyes..."