Let's Start Again

Chapter Fourteen: Taken Down

***Yes, I know! I've been gone forever. Give me a break, though.  Bronchitis can really knock you out of the ballpark for awhile. However, I'm feeling much better now, so that means...CHAPTERS! Chapters everywhere. I'm in the process of writing Chapter 15 as we speak, so it should be up no later than Monday. I promise this, so don't lose faith in me just yet!

Also, I was writing this chapter while still in a sick haze, so it may not be my best, but at least we're moving forward, right?***

                                                                                       Hanji's POV

When Levi had said two hours, he wasn't playing. Exactly two hours later (and not even two since Hanji couldn't get to sleep for half an hour), Hanji woke up to persistent banging on her cabin door.

"Zoe! Get your lazy butt up!"

"Uh...what time is it?"

"Five in the morning."

"...I'm not okay with that."

"NO ONE CARES!"

Hanji let out a dramatic groan as she rolled out of bed, but she was awake when she remembered what happened only a couple of hours ago. Erwin had looked so angry, and he had seen Hanji at the worst of times: coming out of Levi's cabin in the wee hours of the morning.

I wonder if I should tell Levi, Hanji thought, getting dressed, no. I'll only make him paranoid if I do.

Clothed and still half-asleep, Hanji stumbled outside and forced a halfhearted smile onto her face. Levi sighed, and said, "Come on. I knew you wouldn't have the ability to wake yourself up, so I took the liberty."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, get to work."

"YAY! Sawny and Bean!"

"I was not talking about them!"

Hanji didn't care, though. She finally got what she wanted out of an expedition – two healthy-looking Titans just ready for experimentation. She had left it to Moblit to have the monsters put on lockdown, but now she was ready to get her hands on them herself.

Levi wouldn't let her get to them without giving the cabins on the south side a deep cleaning, though. As she scrubbed the floors, Hanji tried to decide what her first move was going to be.

"First, I need to see if I can communicate with them. Oh, what I would do to hear them speak English!"

Too excited to care, Hanji finished her job in a rush and ran over to the south side of the military base. When her eyes landed on the two confined Titans, she let out a squeal of joy and waved at them. Not far behind her was Levi; Hanji found it sweet that the captain was interested but refused to admit it out loud.

"Nice of you to tag along, lil' Levi."

"Don't be flattered" Levi muttered, "I just wanted to see what you're going to do. This isn't exactly normal."

"And you were expecting normal from captive Titans?"

"Touché."

Hanji and Levi leaned against a railing, the former's eyes glued to Sawny and Bean. Below, Moblit and several other soldiers were tending to the Titans, tightening the restraints.