**Chapter 1: Descent into Darkness**

The scorching sun beat down on us as we trudged through the desolate landscape, our eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the titan. Hanji and I, members of the Survey Corps' elite Hanji Squad, had been on expedition for days, our senses on high alert as we stalked our prey. As a member of the squad, I had grown accustomed to the thrill of the hunt, but with Hanji by my side, my girlfriend and confidante, the experience was all the more exhilarating. As the day wore on, we set up camp, pitching our tent in a small clearing surrounded by rocky outcroppings. Exhausted from the day's exertions, I collapsed onto my sleeping mat, feeling the softness of the fabric beneath me. Hanji smiled, concern etched on her face, as she covered me with a light blanket. "Sleep tight, my love," she whispered, her fingers brushing against my cheek. I smiled, already drifting off into a deep slumber. But my peace was short-lived. In the darkness of my mind, a nightmare unfolded. Memories of my abusive ex-boyfriend came flooding back, his cruel words and violent hands sending my mind reeling. I whimpered, my body trembling as I cried out in distress. My mind, once a fortress of strength and resilience, had regressed to that of a newborn baby, vulnerable and helpless. "Coo... coo... ga ga," I murmured, my vocalizations nonsensical and infantile. Hanji's gentle voice pierced the darkness, her arms wrapping around me like a warm cocoon. She stroked my hair, her touch soothing, as she rocked me back and forth. "Shh, my love, it's okay. I'm here. You're safe." But my body had other plans. My heart racing, I struggled to breathe, my lungs constricting as if suffocated. My throat muscles spasmed, and I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair. Suddenly, my eyes rolled back into my head, and I was wracked with a severe seizure. Hanji acted swiftly, intubating me with an endotracheal tube as I choked on my own saliva. The next thing I knew, I was in a medically induced coma, my body fragile and dependent on the machines keeping me alive. Hanji's face hovered above me, her eyes filled with worry and determination. To keep me stable, she placed a vibrating pad on my stomach, mimicking the sensation of movement inside the womb. But even that wasn't enough to keep me sedate. I began to stir, my body responding to the slightest changes in humidity and temperature. "Han... ji," I whispered, my voice barely audible. Hanji's face lit up with concern as she realized I was awakening too early from my medically induced coma. "Oh, you poor thing," she cooed, her arms wrapping around me once more. "You must be uncomfortable." I whimpered, my body agitated, as I lay my head against her chest. In a desperate bid for comfort, I began to suck on her nipple, a baby-like behavior that shocked even me. As we prepared to transport me back to Wall Rose, Hanji's face set in determination. She knew it wouldn't be easy, not with my fragile state and hypersensitivity. With a central line IV inserted in my neck, medication coursing through my veins, and my endotracheal tube connected to an oxygen tank and ventilator, I was ready for the long journey ahead. Hanji had even taken the drastic measure of making a cut in my chest cavity, manually pumping and squeezing my weak heart to keep it beating. But as we set out on the perilous journey, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was far from safe...