Stand By You.

Chapter 5

Since the incident involving the night terror at Erwin's everyone had been understanding and caring towards Levi, concerned when he was tired or feeling unwell. Eren stretched as he looked down at his husband, the ravenette lay asleep next to him.
Today would be Levi's first day back at work since the Black Mask incident and Eren knew his husband was excited to be going back. He'd missed work a lot. Erwin had sent a few files to him but not many, which meant Levi had finished the ones he'd been sent and then had nothing to do. Eren turned his head to look at the clock, finding it to be 05:55 am.
Time to get up, he thought, turning his head back to wake Levi only to see him awake.
"Your body clock will never cease to amaze me." Eren chuckled, leaning over and pressing a soft kiss to Levi's lips. Levi chuckled softly, placing his hand against the back of Eren's head and returning the kiss.
"I just know when to get up." Levi said.
"Come on. I'll buy us breakfast this morning." Eren said as he slipped out of bed. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Not sick." Levi answered as he slipped a white shirt on.
"Good." Eren smiled, grabbing his black trousers.
Levi had been out of hospital for one month and it had been hell. He'd been ill since then, being sick in the mornings or throughout the day but he refused to go to the doctors, saying it was probably the after effects of the medicine the hospital used.
Eren was adamant but didn't push him to go. He hadn't been sick everyday, maybe two, three times a week. But it was still enough to worry Eren.
"We've got a new case come in." Eren told Levi as he tucked his shirt into his pants.
"Yeah?" Levi looked over as he placed his cravat on.
"Two bodies turned up in the forest. Killed the exact same way, just one of the victims had more torture wounds than the other." Eren explained.
"From that I'd say the killers male, most likely a sadist, he yearns to be a in control of his victims, enjoying their suffering and inflicting as much pain as he can. He's escalating too if there were more wounds inflicted on the second victim, evolving it seems." Levi said.
"The way you work will never cease to amaze me." Eren smiled, leaning down to kiss Levi softly.
"It's seems that just myself in general will never cease to amaze you." Levi chuckled as he kissed back.
"Never."
~*~
"We have nothing." Jean said in irritation, sighing.
Eren couldn't help but to agree with him. They had nothing, absolutely nothing apart from two dead bodies which told them very little. There was no evidence on the bodies from the killer. No fingerprints, no hair fibres, no DNA of any sorts. It's like the killer didn't exist on record.
"Maybe we're looking at it the wrong way." Levi said.
All heads turned towards him, the ravenette stood in the door way with a tea in his hands.
"How so?" Erwin asked.
"I've been thinking about it and they way the marks and cuts on the victims backs are I don't think they were done like that accidental." He explained.
"You think they were done on purpose?" Bertholdt asked.
"Precisely."
"How so Levi?" Erwin asked, folding his arms.
"Well, look at them." He walked over and pointed to one on the back of the first victim, the marks dead straight. "At first I thought the killer was a sadist and that was what you profiled him to be but I don't think that's the case now. These marks are too precise, too straight but not deep enough to cause mass amounts of pain which is what a sadist enjoys. They're too neat." He told them.
"What are you thinking, babe?" Eren asked.
"I'm thinking our killers a physcopath, which would also explain why the bodies were faced laying down. He feels remorseful for what he's done." He answered.
"And we're sure it's a 'he'?" Reiner asked.
"Definitely." Levi nodded.
"How can you be sure?" Farlan asked.
"Because the killings and torture were very messy. Female killers tend to be very clean." He explained.
"Well this opens a whole load of new possibilities." Erwin said. "Alright people go get lunch then be back here by one. Hopefully we'll have a clear mind and fresh eyes."
~*~
Levi and Eren were sat in Levi's office after they'd ate lunch, enjoying some quiet time alone together. Levi was sat in his chair, gently rubbing his sore stomach. He felt sick and lightheaded, dizzy spells hitting him out of no where. But he stayed quiet, not wanting to worry Eren or the others any more than they already were about him and with the stress of the case.. It was something they didn't need.
"You okay?" Eren asked him.
Levi looked at him. "I'm fine."
"Good." Eren stood and walked over to him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Come on, we've got a case that needs us."
Levi kissed him back and smiled. "I know."
Eren turned and walked out of Levi's office and to the boardroom where they worked on all of their cases. Sighing, Levi shakily stood, a sudden dizzy spell hitting him. He waited till it passed to walk out of his office. He felt shaky, his legs feeling like they would give way at anytime. Suddenly he felt like he couldn't breath as black spots began to blur the sides of his vision, making him stop. And that was when he collapsed...
Eren smiled as he walked into the board room, looking around. "No Erwin?"
"He's just talking with an officer about researching unsolved cases like this. Seeing if there could be a connection." Erd answered.
He nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. As he was about to ask if anyone had any new thoughts on the case Erwin's voice sounded.
"Levi!" He yelled.
Eren immediately dashed out of the room in time to see Levi collapse and Erwin run forwards, catching him as he fell. The brunette ran over, eyes wide as he sat down beside his husband. Looking at Levi properly Eren could tell something was seriously wrong. He was paler than normal and felt extremely hot.
"Eren you need to get him to a hospital. Whether it's by car or ambulance he needs to go now!" Erwin told him.
Eren wasted no time in picking his husband up. "You drive."
Erwin nodded and grabbed his car keys from his office, running with Eren to his car. "Mike you're in charge till I return!" He called.
"Yes sir!" Mike called back.
The group watched them go as Bertholdt sighed. "Something is seriously wrong with Levi. Seriously wrong."
~*~
Eren sighed softly as he gently brushed his fingers up and down Levi's arm, knowing it was one of those small things that helped to calm Levi down, keeping him settled as he leaned against Eren. They'd been here for almost five hours, having test after test be run upon Levi, each with the same results. Negative for cancer. Negative for viruses. Negative for infection. Negative for allergic reactions. Negative this, negative that. It was making Eren feel negative. Now they were waiting for the doctor to return with the results from Levi's blood test and then they would be able to return home, the hospital staff and Eren deciding it would be best and less stressful after Levi nearly broke down when they said he may have to spend the night.
"It'll be okay. It's nothing life threatening we know that." Eren said softly.
"I hope so." Levi muttered.
The doctor entered shortly after a folder in his hands.
"Evening. How are you Levi?" He asked.
"Tired and extremely pissed off." Levi answered.
The doctor gave him a smile. "That's understandable. You'll be able to go home very shortly I just need to run over a few things with you if that's alright?"
"Certainly, go ahead." Eren nodded for him to continue.
"When were you two last intimate?" He asked.
"A while back. I'd say about six weeks ago." Eren answered.
"And Levi's been having sickness in the mornings and afternoons?" He continued.
"Yes but mainly the mornings." Eren told him.
"Okay that was just to confirm." He smiled.
"Confirm what?" Levi asked.
"You're pregnant."
Levi's eye widened as his jaw dropped, sheer shock evident on his face. Eren was just as shocked as he. They'd certainly talked about trying for a baby in the future when they were older but... this was so soon.
"How far along is he?" Eren asked seeing as Levi had lost his voice.
"Four weeks." He answered.
"One month?" Levi finally spoke. "I'm pregnant and gone by one fucking month! How the hell did the doctors not pick up on this sooner?" He snapped.
"Well you haven't visited your doctor." The doctor said.
"I meant when I was in hospital. I was released a month ago and even then I was sick in the mornings but they thought nothing of it." He said, anger lacing his tone.
"Levi, calm down. Is there anything you can do to stop his sickness?" Eren asked.
"Yes. We're prescribing him some anti-sickness tablets to help ease it. It won't stop it completely because it's a natural part of pregnancy but it will make it more easier to cope with. The other symptoms such as dizziness, light headedness, lack of appetite will wear off now he's passed his first month."
Eren nodded. "When can he leave?"
"Now if he wants."
"Good. Eren pass me my cloths and let's go." Levi said.
"Thank you. I apologise. He's very stressed and angry." Eren said as he handed Levi his bag of clothing.
"It's understandable. I'd be feeling exactly how he is if I had just gone through what he had." The doctor said softly, before bidding them good luck and leaving.
"Hey.." Eren said softly as he sat in front of Levi. "It'll be okay. Just calm down."
"How can I calm down Eren?! After all those tests and shit they did at the hospital about a month ago, not even that, and the idiots couldn't even pick up on it then!" He snapped.
Eren knew that when Levi was angry it was just best to let him vent it out instead of having him bottle it up.
"I know and I'm as angry as you are but at least we know what's been causing you to be so ill and, Levi, we're going to have a baby, a child of our own." He said, gently resting his hand on his husbands cheek.
Levi sighed and gave him a small smile. "Yeah, a baby of our own."
"Come on, get dressed and let's head over to the station. I'm sure everyone would want to know how you are." Eren said as he handed Levi his clothes.
"Another edition to the family." Levi said softly.
Yeah, another edition to a great family, Eren thought, smiling, my great family.
~*~
"God, I hope Levi's okay. What if he has a terminal illness or something serious like that? What if it's cancer? Or leukaemia? Or a brain tumour?" Isabel rambled as she paced, tears stinging her eyes.
"Isabel, calm down. If it is something like that we will all be there to help Levi through it." Erwin assured. He'd come back not long after he'd taken Levi and Eren to the hospital, not wanting to leave his team alone at a time like this.
"What if he's dying?!" She blurted out.
"Who's dying?" The team looked at the door to the board room where Levi and Eren were stood, the brunettes hand resting on the small of his husbands back.
"Levi!" Isabel flung herself at him, hugging him tightly as she cried into his shoulder. Levi smiled and hugged her, rubbing her back to calm her.
"I'm fine Izzy." He soothed. He only ever called her that when she needed calming down, like now.
"What happened? Did the doctors find out what's wrong?" Farlan asked, standing in front of the man he considered a brother.
"They did." Levi nodded, smiling up at Eren.
"So I take it it's good news?" Bertholdt asked.
"Very good." Eren smiled.
Isabel stood and wiped her eyes, standing beside Levi with Farlan as he looked his family.
"So what did they find?" Erwin asked him.
Levi smiled. "I'm pregnant. One month"
The group stared at him for a moment before everyone smiled and congratulated the couple, hugging them both. Farlan and Isabel remained by his side the entire time, waiting until they could hug and congratulate him themselves. Isabel was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she faced Levi.
"I'm gonna be an aunt?" She asked, smiling when he nodded. "I'm gonna be an aunt!" She hugged Levi close, happily saying 'I love you' and 'I love Eren' and 'congratulations' over and over. She pulled away, allowing Farlan to hug him, holding Levi close.
"Congratulations brother." He smiled.
"Thanks Farlan." Levi said softly.
"Makes me an uncle I guess." Farlan said.
"You guess correct." Levi told him with a small laugh as Eren pulled him close.
Things were really starting to look up for them all.
For now...