**Chapter 1: Ambush Outside the Walls**

The sun was setting over the horizon as we ventured outside the walls on a routine survey mission. I was part of the Hange Squad, an elite group of soldiers tasked with gathering intel and scouting out potential threats to our city. Armin, our squad leader, had assigned me to this mission alongside Hange, my beloved boyfriend, and a few other trusted members of our team. We had been searching for any signs of titan activity for hours, our senses on high alert as we scanned our surroundings. As we crested a small hill, I noticed something peculiar in the distance. A titan, unlike any I had seen before, emerged from the trees. It was enormous, its eyes fixed on us with an unblinking stare. I tried to shout a warning, but it was too late. The titan charged towards us, its massive strides covering a lot of ground. Hange reacted quickly, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards him. "Incoming!" he yelled, as the titan bore down on us. I tried to move, but it was too late. The titan slammed into me, its momentum sending me crashing to the ground. I felt a searing pain in my neck and head, and everything went dark. When I came to, I was disoriented and groggy. I tried to move, but my body wouldn't respond. I was paralyzed from the chest down to my waist. A wave of panic washed over me as I realized something was terribly wrong. Hange's face appeared above me, his eyes filled with worry and fear. "Hey, hey, don't try to move," he said, his voice shaking. "You've been hurt badly. I'm here, I've got you." I tried to speak, but my voice was barely a whisper. Hange's expression turned grim as he examined my injuries. "Oh no, no, no...this can't be happening," he muttered, his eyes welling up with tears. I knew I had to tell him something, but my words were incoherent. Hange gently placed a hand on my shoulder, holding me steady. "It's okay, I've got you. Just hang in there, okay?" As he spoke, I felt a growing sense of distress. My breathing was labored, and I could feel my heart racing in my chest. Hange's eyes darted to my face, and he quickly assessed the situation. "We need to get you to the infirmary, now," he said, his voice firm. "I need to get you on oxygen." With shaking hands, Hange carefully inserted an endotracheal tube deep into my throat, the sensation making me want to gag. The tube was connected to a ventilator, which began to beep and whir as it started to breathe for me. I was grateful, but also terrified. My diaphragm was weak, and any movement would cause it to fail. Hange's face was inches from mine, his eyes locked on mine. "I'm here, I'm not leaving you," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. As we began to move towards the infirmary, my heart started to falter. It stopped beating multiple times, and Hange quickly responded, performing CPR on me as we rushed through the streets. I was barely clinging to life, and Hange's quick thinking was all that kept me alive. Finally, we arrived at the infirmary, and Hange rushed to the medical staff, his face etched with desperation. "Prepare everything," he told them urgently. "The patient is in critical condition. They suffer from a severe spinal cord injury and a severe head injury." The medical staff sprang into action, rushing to attend to me. Hange's eyes never left mine, his grip on my hand tight as he whispered words of encouragement. I was trapped in a nightmare, and I didn't know if I'd ever wake up. What happens next?