They had arrived at the base a few hours after Hael had woken up. In the back of her wagon, she had slipped off to sleep, Levi's head warm and heavy in her lap.

Sometime later an amused soldier had jostled her awake, "We're about there, but I wouldn't want to interrupt anything!" He said with a chuckle. Hael glared daggars at him and the man shut up. She begrudgingly allowed the soldier to escort her inside, aching at leaving Levi. Once inside the ancient hallways of an abandoned castle, she trudged to the infirmary. Upon seeing the rows of mortally wounded and dying soldiers all groaning and crying out for loved ones who would never come, Hael turned to leave. Suddenly she didn't think her arm was so bad.

Hael was almost out the door when a nurse grabbed her good arm. "What can I do for ya, hun?" The woman was old, but not ancient. Her eyes were shadowed by exhaustion and she looked haunted by all she'd seen. Hael replied, "My arm is broken, but it looks like you have more important matters to attend to." She attempted to pull away, but the woman's grip was like iron. "Nonsense. No injury is more important than another," Hael blinked in suprise. That wasn't a normal attitude. "Besides, if you sleep on it, it'll get worse and then I'll have to take longer to treat it!"

Hael could just see that logic enough to allow the woman to take her off to a seprate room. Once laying on the examination table, she realized just how exhausted she was. After having her arm cared for, Hael stumbled off to her room and collapsed on her bed. "I'll be asleep in no time." She thought as the world grew foggy and a cool water swept over her.

Just then, a single thought sliced right through her peaceful sleep. Levi. Captain Levi. "Nope nope nope," she thought, "I'm not his mother, he doesn't need me... No, Hael. You are not to get out of this bed. But what if I need him? Nope, I don't need him. I haven't ever needed him before, nothing has changed." Ten minutes later, Hael was sitting in a wooden chair by Levi's bed.

Soon, she was asleep in that chair, head hanging over the back of the wooden rest.

The next morning, Erwin walked into Levi's room. Erwin was Levi's only friend, so he might as well make sure he hadn't died in the night. When he swung open the door, he was astonished to see Hael, the young cadet who saved Levi, asleep in the chair that normally sat at Levi's desk. Erwin shook his head and gently nudged the girl awake. She groaned and popped her neck.

Hael looked up to find the Commander standing over her. What was she doing here? What had she been thinking, coming here in the middle of the night? Hael blushed as Erwin took her shoulder and lead her back to her room. "Just wondering, what were you doing in the Captain's room?" He asked. Hael blinked, then blushed, then said the first thing that came to her mind, "Sleeping." Then Hael realized what she had said, and turned an even brighter shade of red.

Thankfully, Smith just laughed and opened her door.

Each morning, Erwin Smith went to check on Levi, and each morning, Erwin Smith found Hael asleep in his chair. The first few times he made her leave. Then he just shook his head and sighed, then one day, he showed up with a cot. For a week, Hael slept in Levi's room. One day, she fell asleep while reading a particularly boring book. Not knowing just how long she was out or what woke her up, Hael stretched, eyes closed, in the sun filtering in from the window. Something was wrong, there was a slight change in the atmosphere of the room. She turned to look at Levi and saw him staring at her. Fighting back a squeak of suprise and joy, she stood bolt-right up. She winced as her chair clattered out behind her and saluted. "I'm so glad your awake sir! I've-" The words died in her throat when Levi grimaced, groaned, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.

Hael sighed and pushed him back onto his pillow, giving him a little water like she had been for the past week. Then she picked up her chair and slumped back into it, wondering if she would ever get to explain why she was in his room. But would she want to? It would be so awkward, and he'd probably snap at her to get out. Hael felt like she'd gotten to know him, although she had never actually talked to him, and wasn't sure if she could take that. So she sat down and decided not to think about it.

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So, I have written up to chapter 15 at this point but am just publishing one a day. Should I do two tomorrow? Comment or vote to let me know.

Ok, this is sad, but my life has started revolving around writing new chapters and seeing if anyone has, read, voted or commented. So when I say it'll make my day if you vote, I'm not kidding! Not trying to guilt you into anything here, (ok maybe a little) but seriously, it's up to you. I have an idea for a new story! I'll finish this one first.

Oh yeah! And do you like my new cover? I think it's cool. See you tomorrow, maybe twice if you let me know!