Death

Keegan's POV

We ran out and bumped into a bunch of mercenaries.

"Weapons free." said Kraken

I began shooting at them and hid behind this pillar. Kraken fired back with Reaper killing them all.

"Move, we need to get to the extraction point." said Kraken

We began running up this staircase and I shot a mercenary who was on top of the staircase. The body fell down the stairs so I jumped over it.

Kraken carefully opened a door and it led us to a place with an opening on top of us. There were a bunch of mercenaries outside so I duck behind cover. I returned fire and Kraken signaled me to stay behind him.

We moved out of cover and began to advance, Kraken leading me and Reaper. We gave him cover and support from behind and advanced.

"We're almost there! Reaper, call it in." said Kraken, "Also call in some air support."

She called in pickup as we broke through and ran into the woods. We got to this place where there was an opening and we waited. That's when I heard the sound of a Sentinel Vulture coming towards us. I couldn't see it until it became visible and landed. We got on board and we took off into the air but then I felt something pierce through my back.

"Scarecrow!" gasped Reaper

I looked down and saw a grappling hook pierced through my back and through my stomach. I coughed out blood and looked at Reaper.

"No..." I whispered

I was suddenly pulled back but Reaper grabbed my arm and tried pulling me back. I screamed in pain as the grappling hook tugged against my stomach.

"Keegan hang on!" yelled Reaper

Kraken tried to help Reaper but we were being shot at so he returned fire.

"We can't hold him, you have to let go!" yelled the pilot

"We're not leaving him!" yelled Kraken

"Emma... don't let go." I whispered

But suddenly I was shot in the chest. I coughed out more blood and I slowly began to lose strength.

"Keegan!" yelled Reaper

My grip loosened and I felt my life leave my body.

Emma's POV

"KEEGAN!" I cried

His hand slipped out of my grasp and I saw him fall down.

"KEEGAN!" I cried

My heart was twisting in my chest and I began crying tears.

"We're leaving, they're going to blow this place!" yelled the pilot

"No we have to at least get his body! No please!" I yelled

But the pilot turned us away just as the woods exploded from the missiles. I gasped and I started tearing up even more.

"No no no..." I cried

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One day later

Ghost's POV

"Colonel!"

I ran through the hallways as fast as I could until I got to the morgue. Outside Emma and Kraken were there, Emma was sobbing while Kraken was just leaning against the wall. I ran towards them and Emma saw me and her eyes widened.

"Is he inside?" I desperately asked

"Dad I'm-"

I braved into the room and saw Rina standing there in front of a body covered with a sheet, crying.

"Dad..." whispered Rina

Emily entered the room and her eyes widened when she saw the body. I slowly approached it and grabbed the sheet. I slowly lifted it up hoping it wouldn't be Keegan but I saw his face, half burned. I looked away and my heart felt like it was going to explode. I clenched my fists in pain and closed my eyes.

"What happened?" I asked

"Keegan was shot with a grappling hook and then shot in the chest before falling. His body was also caught on fire during the air strike." cried Rina

Emily started bawling and she collapsed onto the floor. I couldn't hold in my emotions and my eyes began to tear up.

"Keegan..." I whispered

"Dad?"

I gasped and looked at Keegan and his eyes were open.

"Hey." he whispered

"Keegan you're..."

I was about to hug him but Rina questioned me.

"Dad what are you doing?" she asked

My head snapped back into reality and Keegan's wasn't alive, it was just my imagination again. I began sobbing as I collapsed on my knees and held Keegan's hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Keegan." I sobbed

I cried out at the top of my lungs in pain remembering every moment I had with Keegan.

"I'm sorry I wasn't the father you wanted." I cried, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Annie's POV

I was helping Ashley learn how to crystallize when Brooks came out.

"Mom I want to apologize for, you know." he said

"No it's not your fault. I was in the wrong as well." I said

Ashley came out of her titan form and sighed.

"I think I'm getting it. I'm just not that fast at it." said Ashley

"Let's go home." I said

We all got in the car and I drove us home.

"When are you two getting deployed again?" I asked

"Next week." replied Ashley

"Oh, that's soon." I replied

"I know it is." Ashley replied

We got home and when I opened the door the home phone was ringing.

"I got it." said Ashley

She answered it and listened before her eyes widened and the phone slipped out of her hand and fell on the ground.

"Ashley what's wrong?" I asked

Ashley grabs her chest, where her heart is and starts sobbing.

"Ashley?!" I gasped, "What's wrong is your heart-"

"Keegan's dead." she cried

My eyes widened, at first I thought I heard it wrong but Brooks' eyes widened as well.

"He was killed in action yesterday." cried Ashley

I didn't want to believe it so I grabbed my phone and I saw that I missed a call from Emily since I left my phone when we left to train. I quickly called Emily back and waited.

"Annie..." whispered Emily's voice

"Emily are you okay? I heard what happened." I said

I heard Emily softly crying and she took a deep breath.

"No, I'm not okay. I-I don't know what to do." cried Emily

My heart was aching a lot so I had to take a seat.

"I'm so sorry Emily." I said

Emily kept crying on the other end of the phone.

"Can you attend the funeral?" asked Emily

"Of course. I'll be there." I replied

"Thank you. I have to go." said Emily, "I'll let you know the date. Oh can you let the others know?"

"Yea I will, I'm sorry for your loss." I said

I heard her sigh before ending the call. I put my phone down and took a minute to let the fact sink in. Ashley was still crying and Brooks was sitting there with his hands over his head. I grabbed my phone and called Mikasa.

"Hello?" came Mikasa's voice

"Mikasa, I have some uhh... bad news." I said

"What happened?" asked Mikasa

I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

"Keegan was killed in action." I said

I heard Mikasa gasp and I heard her dropping something.

"What do you mean?" asked Mikasa

"Keegan was killed yesterday." I replied

"Oh no..." whispered Mikasa, "Do you know what happened?"

"No, Emily didn't tell me the details." I replied, "She'll tell us the funeral day soon."

"Oh okay, I hope Emily and Ajax are okay." said Mikasa

"I hope so too." I replied

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2 days later

Annie's POV

The plane landed and we all got off. Everyone who knows Ajax came even if they were busy.

"I can't believe this actually happened." said Armin, "Keegan was so ambitious."

"I wonder how Ajax is dealing with this. I hope his depression didn't worsen." said Connie

"Hey Ashley are you okay?" asked Damion

"No." she bluntly replied

We got out of the airport and outside my eyes widened when I saw Kit waiting outside with a whole convoy of Sentinel personnel in formal uniform.

"I'm glad you could all come." said Kit, "Get in."

Kit had a depressing look on his face and his shoulders were slumped down.

'He must be blaming himself for Keegan's death.'

We got into the cars and drove off towards the funeral. After about 30 minutes we got to the funeral home and we all entered the place and waited there for the former Ghost team 117 and their families. They were all quiet and sitting down on a chair but when we came in they all stood up and greeted us.

"I'm glad you could all come." said Malvik

"Where's Colonel?" asked Jean

He led us to another room where Ajax was sitting on a chair bed to a coffin with Emily sitting next to him. Emma and Rina were sitting down away from the coffin.

"Ajax." whispered Malvik

He looked up and saw us but in his eyes all I saw was depression. He stood up and nodded towards us and Ashley and the others slowly approached the coffin and we all started tearing up. Ashley was crying a lot and the others just looked away from the coffin. Half of Keegan's face was burnt and the other half was fine but he was hardly recognizable.

"Ashley..." whispered Damion as he hugged her

"Oh god, why did you have to leave so early Keegan." cried Ashley

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2 hours later

Annie's POV

"Present arms!"

A line of Sentinel soldiers saluted and the firing squad fired their guns into the air.

"Now please pay your respects." said a man in Sentinel uniform

We all got up and I saw Ajax hesitate but he placed his hand on his coffin and left. I placed my hand on his coffin and prayed that he was in a better place before leaving.

We watched as the coffin slowly began to descend and Emily had to cover her mouth to muffle her cries and Ajax just watched with his gloomy eyes. The others in Ghost team were all depressed and down. Bomber, Juggernaut, Hacker and Kit kept crying and wiping their tears away. Malvik looked up into the air and sighed but I saw tears coming out of his eyes. Riku held onto Kit's arm as she covered her mouth as she cried. Tessa stood there next to Malvik and she looked like she was on the brink of crying.

I wiped away my tears but Ashley was trying so hard not to let out screams of pain as the coffin descended. Brooks held onto her and Damion comforted her and I hugged her as well.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." I said to Ajax and Emily

Ajax looked at me then away but he slightly nodded. I've been to many funerals, but this one was the most quiet and the most depressing one. Ajax slowly walked away but he stumbled and nearly fell but Emily caught him.

"It's okay... it's okay." whispered Emily

But I knew neither of them were okay as Emily began crying into his shoulder. I didn't know what to do so I let them be.

"Reiner, are you okay?" asked Historia

"Yea I'm fine, it's just that... Keegan was so young. He had a whole life to live ahead." he sighed, "Seeing someone young go always reminds me of the battle of Trost."

"It's okay Reiner." said Historia

"I know but what happened to the man who killed Keegan?" asked Reiner

"Let's hope he stays dead." I said

"Why?" asked Jean

I looked over to Ajax and he, Emily, Malvik, Tessa, Riku and Logan were talking.

"So that the person who killed Keegan doesn't have to suffer from Ajax." I said

"Right." sighed Connie

"Who's he?" asked Mikasa

She pointed at a man in Sentinel with face tattoos talking to Emma.

"That's Kraken." said Riku

Riku approached us and sighed.

"He was the squad leader." said Riku

"What exactly happened?" asked Jean

"They found out who gave the Talibans the nuke, his name's Michail Antonov. They infiltrated their hideout for intel but they had to hide from Michail. Kraken told Keegan to stand down but Keegan disobeyed the order and tried to kill Michail only to fail and have an entire army on them." said Riku

'So, Keegan got them killed.'

"How did Keegan exactly die?" asked Sasha

"Kraken said that it was Michail. He shot a grappling hook at Keegan and it impaled his stomach. Emma tried to pull him but Michail shot him, killing him. Emma lost her grip and fell to the ground and got caught in an airstrike." said Riku

"So what's going to happen now?" asked Historia

"Let's hope that Ajax gets better soon." said Riku, "He retook his mental health yesterday and his depression and suicidal thoughts spiked the charts."

"Do you think he'll be okay?" asked Pieck

"I think he'll be okay after he does something first."said Riku