Protection

Wounded

Armin rides his horse as fast as he possibly can back to the squad.
He directly approaches Erwin and Levi.
"Something happened with Eren, he's badly injured! Mikasa took him back to the Corps base. I don't really know the full extent of what happened...." Armin said with his head down.
"What did that brat do now?" Levi said in a gritty tone.
"Thank you for letting us know, Armin. We'll wrap up our expedition and return back as soon as we can." Erwin said.
Suddenly a titan appears out of no where running straight towards the squad at full speed.
"Shit... Alright! Everyone move out, I'll take this titan out!" Levi said. 
Levi uses his ODM gear and cleanly cuts up the Titan's nape instantly killing it with his swords.
Blood is splattered onto his face as he makes the kill.
He lands safely on the ground a few feet away from the now dead titan.
"Erwin! It's time we should go back. We still don't know what happened to that brat Eren." Levi said wiping off the blood from his face.
"Woah what?!! Already? Come on Levi?! You had to kill this one titan? It would have made a wonderful specimen. We need to find out more about their capabilities and intellect!" Hange said eagerly
"Hange... there will be plenty of more titans the next go round. Right now we need to get back. From how Armin sounded, the situation sounded serious." Levi said.
"Alright." Hange said with a pouted a face.
"Let's go scouts!!!" Levi announced.
*************************************************
Back in the Survey Corps Base Infirmary...
"Eren...please stay still. I need to clean and wrap your wounds up." Mikasa said calmly.
"Leave... me... alone.... I don't... want... to... live." Eren said in shallow breaths.
Eren throws himself to the floor and begins to sob angrily.
"Why... couldn't... I do.... ANYTHING that day!!" Eren yelled.
"Mom, I'm sorry...." Eren said.
"Eren! Your losing too much blood! Please come here." Mikasa said.
"Look at me Eren." Mikasa says while grabbing Eren's head.
"You promised me that you would fight to keep living. Do you remember? You can't give up now. I need you. Armin needs you. Everyone needs you Eren. If you die, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself as a friend. I've failed you right now and I should have been there more. Please don't do this anymore. You're hurting not only me, but other people. Do you know the whole squad right now is coming back because they don't know what happened to you? You're a part of everyone's lives here. If someone dies, we are all affected. Eren... I don't think I could live with myself if you died right now. You saved me that day my parents died. Now it's my turn to save your life." Mikasa said encouragingly.
Eren smiled and collapses into Mikasa's arms.
"Eren?!!... oh no.." Mikasa says.
She immediately cleans Eren's wounds and wraps them. She carries Eren into a nearby bed and tucks Eren. Eren's breathing stabilizes after about ten minutes and Mikasa stays by his side up until Levi approaches her.
"What happened to the brat?" Levi asks her.
"...He got hurt by a titan." Mikasa lied.
"I don't believe that bullshit, his wounds look far worse than a mere titan scratch. Mikasa, as your captain I demand that you explain everything right now." Levi commands.
"Eren tried to kill himself." Mikasa said sadly.
Levi steps back in shock with his eyes wide.
"How long have you know about this?" Levi asked.
"Since last week. I noticed that he had cuts on his wrists. I should have said something. He then was acting weird during the expedition. Armin and I tried to stop him but we lost track of him. I found him in a deep part of he forest almost bleeding to death. He had a dagger covered with blood." Mikasa explained.
Levi put his head down and looked at Eren for a moment.
"Mikasa, I'm going to need you to speak to Erwin about this with me. Come immediately to his office."
Levi said in a serious manner.
"Did I do anything wrong? What about Eren?! I can't just leave him here alone?!" Mikasa's said defensively.
"Mikasa, Armin will watch him. Eren won't be going anywhere, but Erwin needs to know the situation at hand." Levi said.
Mikasa silently left Eren's side and met Armin's gaze as he came through the door with worry.
She looked back at the unconscious Eren and followed Levi.
************************************************
Flashback in Eren's past...
"Hey Eren! Look at this! I found a book that my grandpa had and it talks about the outside world." Armin said eagerly.
"Oh really?" Eren said.
"Yeah, there's even an ocean that's made up of salt!!" Armin said.
"Wow salt? That's amazing." Eren said.
"Hey Eren let's explore the outside world someday and see the ocean." Armin said.
Eren nodded his head in agreement

Back to present...
5 hours have passed since the expedition occurred and night has fallen upon the walls. All is quiet in the 104th squad at the moment.

Armin sits on a chair next to Eren's bedside. He hasn't left his side since Mikasa left to go with Levi.
Eren begins to finally stir and slowly opens his eyes to the dimly lit room.
"Hey Eren. You alright?" Armin said.
"Armin??" Eren says as he winces in pain when trying to get up.
"Eren, try not to move, I know you're hurt. Let me help you sit up." Armin said.
Armin props up a few pillows behind Eren's back for support.
"Thank you." Eren says.
"How are you feeling?" Armin finally asks.
"...A bit sore. Where's Mikasa? I need to speak with her." Eren says suddenly.
Armin felt hurt after this comment knowing he waited all this time and then Eren simply asks for Mikasa.
"She's busy right now." Armin said bitterly.
Eren knew he said the wrong thing and now he regretted.
"Armin, I'm sorry. I'm sure you've waited for me a while. I'm not thinking right at the moment. My mind is kinda foggy after what happened today." Eren said.
"It's ok. Now, Eren what happened to you. I don't know what the heck is going on. Nobody has told me anything. I'm worried about you as my friend. Who did this to you? A titan?" Armin asked.
Eren put his head down and was quiet for a moment.
"I tried killing myself." Eren said.
Armin eyes were wide and he almost fell out of the chair.
"Eren, why? Why would you do such a thing? You know Mikasa and I..." Armin said.
"I didn't accept the fact that I couldn't save my mother on the day the Titans invaded the walls. I wake up everyday playing the scene over and over in my head asking myself why she had to die. How could I have prevented her from dying and why am I even alive if I'm weak?" Eren said.
"Eren, we were just kids then. There wasn't anything we could have done. You told me your mom's last wish for you and Mikasa was to live on. You need to make sure you honor that wish, Eren. You've lost sight of hope, but it's still there. We still have to the ocean together, remember?" Armin said.
"Yeah, I guess we do." Eren said with a weak smile.
"Do you want anything to eat, Eren? I think the scouts already ate dinner, but I can bring you something." Armin said.
"Sure. Some bread and soup will do." Eren said.
Armin gets up and goes to the squad kitchen to get Eren's food. He puts it on a tray along with a cup of water and returns back to the infirmary.
************************************************
Earlier that day...
Mikasa follows Levi to Erwin's office and sits down on a nearby chair.
"Erwin, Mikasa has something to report to you." Levi said as he closes the door.
Mikasa explains the situation in depth to Erwin while he listens intently.
There is a silence that fills the room once Mikasa finishes.
"Levi, you saw the extent of Eren's injuries in the infirmary. Would you say they were life threatening if Mikasa had not brought him back in time?" Erwin asked finally after pondering over everything.
"Yes. The wounds were pretty deep in multiple areas of his body." Levi said.
"Alright, Mikasa. Please leave my office, I need to speak with Levi alone. I will make a decision on Eren by tomorrow. Please do not speak of this to anyone until my decision is announced including to Armin."
Erwin said.
Mikasa saluted herself and then left the office wondering what "decision" had to be made.