Reincarnation With A Twist

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The first time Mikasa heard the name Yaeger in her new life, she was at the local clinic. Her arthritis was acting up again. The nurses were whispering about the handsome young doctor who had recently joined the staff.

"Dr. Grisha Yeager? Wasn't there some scandal about him?" a more skeptical nurse commented. "I heard about it from Dr. Tucker."

"Really? I thought he managed to cure an epidemic?" another wondered.

"Does it matter? The only thing I care about is if he's single," the one who had brought it up laughed.

"He's married," her friend said with friendly mocking. "And his wife's expecting. I heard they moved here so their kid can grow up in a nice neighborhood."

Mikasa looked down at her thin, wrinkled hands. After so many years, she couldn't believe it was true. It was just a coincidence. Just her imagination. But maybe...

On her next visit, she finally saw another person from her previous life. In all her years, she had never experienced that, never crossed paths with anyone she recognized.

The heavy rain made Mikasa's joints ache as she slowly made her way to the clinic. Looking up from beneath the edge of her umbrella, Mikasa saw a woman waiting under the clinic's awning. She was gravid, far along in her pregnancy.

As Mikasa carefully took the steps, one at a time, the woman extended her hand to help, despite her own condition. Mikasa smiled faintly. Their eyes met.

Even so many, many years later, there could be no mistake. It was Carla Yaeger, smiling at Mikasa with no recognition.

"...Thank you," Mikasa whispered, her voice dry and halting. Her eyes trailed down to the woman's swollen stomach, and without thinking, Mikasa found herself reaching forward.

Carla smiled with the patience of one who had experienced the same thing many times. People were just naturally fascinated by the creation of a new life, and she had gotten used to strangers congratulating her.

"It's a boy," she said, anticipating the most common question, and the one that followed. "We haven't chosen a name yet."

"Eren..." Mikasa whispered, somehow certain that this was her brother, finally, finally returning to the world they had fought to protect, to create.

Surprise passed over Carla's face, before her expression became thoughtful. "Eren..." she repeated. "Eren... What a wonderful name."

She almost asked what meaning it had to the old woman -- whom it had belonged to. Her husband? A friend? A family member? But something about the raw, longing look on her face made Carla hesitate.

Instead, she gently took the old woman's wrinkled hand in her own. "Would you like to...?" she offered, gesturing to her round belly.

Under their hands, as if feeling the touch, the baby kicked.

"I guess he wanted to say hello," Carla joked. Her eyes widened as the old woman bowed over, her shoulders shaking faintly. "Ma'am? Ma'am...?"

Silently, Mikasa began to cry.

'Finally... Finally, we met again, Eren...'