Stand By You.

Chapter 12.

"Oi, preggers, when do we get to see a photo of the newest member of our family?" Hanji asked as she sat down.
Levi threw his pencil at her, which she dodged, eyes narrowed. "Shitty glasses do you want to be my next target board?"
"Depends what you use?" Hanji smirked.
"My gun."
"Then no, I'll be quite happy to offer Armin as my replacement." She answered, patting the blonde haired male.
"Oh no, this is your problem, Hanji." Armin said, sitting down beside her. "You can stay as the target board."
The team laughed, smiling at them. They were all meant to be going out for a meal but work would have it otherwise and so the meal was cancelled. That was until Isabel suggest that they have the meal at the station once they finished their work, their partners who didn't work with them kind enough to bring the meal.
"Moving on before someone's covered in bullet holes,' Erwin smiled, sitting down. 'I do believe we have an announcement from Eren?"
"We do now, do we?" Levi asked, tilting his head at Eren.
"Yeah, we talked about it yesterday." Eren told his husband, standing up.
"Eren we talked about a lot of things yesterday, a lot of which involved this lot." Levi said, giving his husband a look that said 'you're a dumbass'.
"True." Eren said as the group laughed. "The thing we said about the baby."
"Ah yes, the baby. Gotcha." Levi said, leaning back in his seat.
"So today, June 21st, marks Levi's fifth month exactly. Now the doctor gave us the due date for the baby yesterday when we went." Eren began.
"When's the due date?" Armin asked.
"October 26th." Levi answered.
"Levi, however, doesn't believe that the baby will be born then. He believes the baby will be born on-"
"-October 31st.." He smirked, playing with a pencil. "Halloween."
"So we thought we should make a bet to see who gets the closest date. I agree with the doctor that the baby will be born on the 26th because well that's roughly around the time the baby was conceived in February. So we want to make a bet with you guys and see who gets the closest." Eren explained, sitting back down.
"Sounds fun. What's the prize of you get it right or closet?" Mike asked.
"Well, we thought we ought to put ten dollars down as a bet. The winner gets the money." Eren said.
"Sounds fair." Petra smiled.
"I'm down for that." Isabel said.
"So when do you think the baby will be born?" Eren asked them.
Erwin and Mike bet on October 30th. Petra, Auruo and Farlan said October 26th, like Eren. Hanji, Isabel, Sasha and Mikasa bet October 28th. Annie, Ymir, Bertholdt and Connie said October 20th. Jean, Erd, Gunter, Reiner, Armin and Historia all agreed on October 22nd.
"What about you Marco?" Armin asked as Erwin finished writing down their bets.
Marco smiled and pointed to Levi. "October 31st as well."
"Why October 31st?" Jean asked, looking to his husband.
"Because when Levi and I were talking about the day the baby would be born we both said October 31st simultaneously." He answered. "I don't believe in coincidences."
"Okay Mr Superstitious." Jean smirked.
"October 31st it is for Marco and Levi." Erwin said, writing it down.
"Isn't the 31st a little too long for the doctors to wait for the baby to start making an appearance after your due date?" Ymir asked.
Levi shook his head. "No because it's not a week after but only six days. If the baby doesn't start making an appearance by midday November 1st, Mike's birthday then I'll be induced." Levi explained.
"What a birthday that would be, eh Mike? Happy birthday to- oh shit Levi's gone into labour!" Jean said, making everyone laugh.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go get the sonogram photo's for the women before they burst." Levi said, standing up.
"Okay." Eren said.
Levi left the board room, listening to them laughing and joking about the women's excitement at seeing the baby for the first time. He smiled as he pushed the doors open and stepped out into the warm night. It was a beautiful night. The stars were shining brightly and it was reasonably warm, the light breeze barely felt.
He walked towards his car, unaware he was being followed as he pulled out his keys. Before he could reach his car he heard the crunch of gravel from someone other than him.
"Goodnight Levi."
A sharp, blinding pain shot through the back of Levi's head before he fell unconscious, someone catching him before he could hit the ground.
"You really should have remembered my rule."
They took Levi's phone and wallet, throwing them to the ground where Levi had dropped his keys, a small picture of Eren and Levi together falling out.
"I never leave my victims alive."
~*~
"Okay, look as Levi said he'll only have the baby on November 1st if they have to induce him which I can guarantee will not happen!" Mike said.
"And you can guarantee this how?" Eren asked, laughing.
Mike smiled. "Simple Eren. Levi is quite small for a male meaning the baby will be relatively small also, even with your genes. Therefore the child will be born between the 20th and the 31st, early or late that baby will not be born on the 1st."
"He seems very certain about this." Erwin said, smirking.
"He does." Connie laughed.
"What's taking Levi so long?" Petra asked, jumping down on Auruo's lap, making the male let out an 'oof'.
Eren shrugged. "There was quite a few. He's probably looking for the best one."
"Always looking for the best." Erd smiled.
"That's why he married me." Eren smirked.
The group laughed as Erwin's phone rang, the blonde male walking out of the room to answer the call.
"Hello, Detective Smith here."
"Hi, this is Commander Harry Clifford. We spoke before regarding James McHall, the famed Black Mask."
"Of course, Commander. What can I do for you?"
"Be on alert. We're still looking into this but James McHall somehow managed to escape the prison he was in. We thought it best you know because he managed to kidnap two of your officers before."
"Well, he kidnapped our Criminal Physcologist and my husband but thanks for the heads up." Erwin said.
"No problem. I don't know if this means anything but according to the prison guards who looked in on McHall they reported him saying the same thing over and over. 'I'll never leave him alive'. Do you have any ideas?"
"I do, thank you for your help."
"Of course."
Erwin quickly hung up. Fuck, please be outside, please be outside, Erwin thought as he bolted for the doors. "Levi!"
The others turned when Erwin shouted. "Did he just say Levi?" Eren asked as he stood, running after him.
"More like screamed it." Armin said, the group following Eren.
"Erwin what's going- wheres Levi?" Eren asked, noticing his husband was absent from the car park.
"Black Mask has him." Erwin said, picking up a small card. He handed it to Eren, the brunette reading the words.
"What's it say Eren?" Jean asked.
"It says 'I told you I'd never leave him alive. Now it's time to finish my job'. He- he has Levi.." Eren whispered.
"Eren, we'll get him back. You know we will." Mikasa said, as Reiner found his discarded personal items.
"I really hope you're right, Mikasa because Black Mask threw out all of Levi's belongings he had on him that could identify him." He said.
"But why would he do that?" Historia asked.
Reiner swallowed, his mouth dry as he realised exactly why Black Mask had done this. "So he can't be identified."
~*~
"This is him isn't it?" James McHall, or rather now Black Mask asked.
"That's Levi alright." Another man said, smiling as he looked down at the unconscious male.
"Now can I kill him?" Black Mask growled, pulling out a knife.
"No, I need him alive. He's no good to me dead." He answered, his eyes trailing over Levi. "Do you know how many months into the pregnancy he is?"
"From what I heard his husband say he's five months today." Black Mask said, putting the knife back into it's case.
"So, four more months before he can deliver the little one. Well, he'll just have to get used to his new home and then once the baby's born we'll give the child to it's father and we'll be long with it's mother before they put two and two together." The man smirked, leaning down and untying Levi's wrists before picking him up.
"You plan to hide out with him until his due date?" Black Mask asked in disbelief, looking at the other man in confusion.
"No, I will wait until he hits exactly eight months. I will have him induced into labour and then once he's given birth we give the child to the father and get the hell out of Oklahoma. I don't want to be here any longer than necessary."
"Then why not get rid of the baby now and we can leave tonight? Makes more sense than waiting another three fucking months!"
"Because, Black Mask, I couldn't bring myself to harm the baby. It wouldn't survive at this age anyway. It's too young, not fully developed. No, I want to give the child a chance at life, a better life, one that doesn't involve Levi."
"And why's that? What makes this child so special?" Black Mask growled, confused as to why this man was being so soft.
"Why? Because this child will be my first grandchild and I could never bring myself to harm Levi whilst he's carrying the child still." He answered.
"You're a strange man, Grisha Jaeger, you're a strange man." Black Mask said, shaking his head whilst Grisha laughed.
"Come, I don't want Levi catching a cold. It may be warm in the town but it's cold up in the hills." Grisha said, starting to walk to a large cabin within the woods that overlooked Maria. "At least we shall be able to see the police should they discover us."
"Yes, because that's a fucking relief." Black Mask muttered as he followed Grisha. "You never told me why you want this kid or what makes you hate him so much? Any particular reason or you just feel like it?"
"I don't hate Levi, I despise him. The little bastard turned my son gay and my daughter against me. I told him I'd make him pay one day but he thought I was joking. How wrong he was." He growled. "Don't worry Levi we won't be gagging you because up here, in the forest, no one, and I mean no one, can hear you scream."
~*~
Levi's head was pounding when he awoke, his vision blurred as he slowly opened his eyes.
What the fuck happened last night?
He looked around his surroundings, noticing he was in a double bed. This isn't my bed, this isn't even my room. This isn't my house!
Levi tried moving from where he was sat up in bed but found he couldn't. His wrists had been tied to the bedposts, preventing him from getting out of bed.
"Eren?" Levi called, fear coating the name. "Eren!"
"He's not here."
Levi froze at the voice. Why did it sound so familiar? I know that voice, I haven't heard it in years but.. I know it.
"Who's there?" Levi tried to make his voice seem calm but it shook slightly as he spoke.
"You don't remember me? Levi, I'm hurt."
Levi suddenly knew who the voice belonged to. Grisha Jaeger, Eren's father and the man who hates my guts.
"Grisha? What are you doing?" Levi asked as the man himself stepped inside the room, walking over to Levi's bed and sitting on a chair.
"I'm protecting you silly. We don't need you hurt whilst carrying a baby do we?" He asked, smiling at Levi like he hadn't just kidnapped him.
"Protecting me? Protecting me from who?" He asked, confused. Why would Grisha be protecting me unless..
"From me." Black Mask stepped into the room, arms folded across his chest, his mask on. Levi jumped in fright, trying to scramble away from him as he walked closer, smirking. He trailed his hand up Levi's leg and onto his thigh, Levi moving away as much as he could. He looked down and noticed then that he was only wearing his long sleeved black shirt and black boxers. His shoes, socks and skinnies had been removed and his legs were covered with a thin, white sheet. Oh, this couldn't be good.
"He won't hurt you, neither of us will. Not until you reach your eighth month in your pregnancy." Grisha said, smiling.
"Why? Why my eighth month?" Levi asked in fear.
"Because that's when I shall induce you into labour and deliver the baby, my first grandchild. So, until then I'm your doctor." Grisha answered.
"You can't do that! You have no right!" Levi yelled.
"I can and I will. After everything you've ruined I think I have every right, you little brat. You better get used to being treated and looked after by me because for the next three months you're mine. I won't hurt you though until the baby has been born. The child is innocent, you are not." Grisha growled.
"This is Eren's first child! You can't just take them away!" Levi cried, trying to make Grisha see sense.
"I know which is why once you've given birth we shall hand the baby over to Eren. Not personally because we shall be long gone with you by then but don't fret. The child shall have a good life,' Grisha stood. 'without you as the mother."
He and Black Mask left the room, closing the door and leaving Levi in the dark, the only source of light was coming in through the window from the moon. No, they can't do this, they can't take me away from Eren now, they can't.. I need him..
Levi began to sob softly, wanting more than anything to be back home, snug in Eren's arms as his husband rubbed his bump, talking to their child about everything and anything. Please, Eren, you must find me, please..
Levi turned his head, looking out the window and up at the clear night sky. "For the sake of our child Eren.. find me."