"They told me it was safe to wake you, I am sorry if I disturbed you," Rei said, her voice was softer and quieter than normal, but it reached Cirus' ears easily. She pulled her hand back to its resting-place at the side of the bed.

"No... no," he repeated slowly, "you didn't disturb me at all, Miss Ayanami. That was possibly the most elegant way to wake me up imaginable," he finished with a light smile.

Rei smiled again but her blush revealed her innocence in matters of this kind. "I-I am glad then."

"And I can't thank you enough for what you did for me," he added softly.

Rei had to look down at the ground to aleave her embarrassment this time. "Y-you did the same for me. I could not watch you die without at least trying."

Cirus reached out with his hand and gently took hers in it, getting her to look back into his eyes. "You still did it," he reminded her warmly.

Rei's smile brightened subtly, and tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "...I did not want to be... without you," she said slowly, not sure what word to use.

He gently brushed the back of her hand with his thumb, her willingness to let him hold it a precious gift in and of itself. "...I will never leave your side as long as you wish me there, Miss Ayanami," he replied, keeping his voice soft and appreciative.

"...Thank you."

They were both silent for some time, not sure what to say. Cirus swallowed his anxiety and smiled up at Rei.

"...Is your new home good enough still?" he asked.

Rei nodded, relaxing. "Yes, very much so."

Cirus smiled wistfully. "Wonderful."

Rei looked down at the ground again for a moment before looking back to Cirus. "I made some food for Miss Katsuragi, Ikari, and Asuka. They told me they enjoyed it very much."

Cirus' smile broadened. "I'm sure they did, you're an excellent cook, Rei." He suddenly stopped. He hadn't meant to slip out with her first name. "I-I mean, Miss Ayanami," he was swift to correct himself.

Rei hunched her shoulders and poked her head out slightly in a bashful gesture. "...Thank you." She then looked at him as if a thought had suddenly occurred to her. "...Would you like to come to my house? I can make more food very soon."

Cirus' heart jumped. Would he? He calmly smiled at her and nodded. "It would be an honor."

Rei smiled, blushing slightly again. "...I am needed by Commander Ikari, so I must leave now. I am sorry, I am glad you are well," she said with a gentle bow.

"No need to apologize, Miss Ayanami." His expression slackened for a flash. "What time would you like me to come to your home?" Cirus asked as she started to turn, realizing he didnÕt know.

"...Seven," Rei chose quickly.

Cirus nodded and bowed his head. "Sorry for keeping you. 'Til tonight, Miss Ayanami."

She bowed her head and then quietly left.

Cirus let the air rush out of his lungs as it had been begging to do since she had let him hold her hand. He truly could not have been woken up in a better, or more beautiful, way.

Rei was quiet as she opened the door to Ikari's office, and stepped in, walking toward his desk calmly. The chair was turned with its back to the door so Rei could not see Ikari as she walked up. The chair turned and Ikari leaned forward, putting his elbows on his desk and clasping his hands in front of his face.

He began in a calm voice, "How are you, Rei?"

"Well," the young woman answered in kind.

Ikari narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at her. "And Cirus?"

Rei didn't react to his question aside from a calm tilt of her head. "He is recovering."

"Many occurrences in the battle yesterday were too far beyond improbable for me not to address with you."

Rei nodded.

"You were ordered to fall back, why didn't you?"

Rei looked up, her face calmly inquisitive. She wasn't sure how to answer the question. "...I disagreed with the order," she answered finally.

"On what grounds?"

"Mr. Trent had saved Unit 00 and I several times before, despite your orders." A subtle intensity had built in her voice and naturally blazing eyes. "I did not want to betray him."

Ikari was surprised by the emotion in her voice. She was angry, but was not letting it show. Undaunted as yet, he persisted, "I need you to follow orders, Rei. Otherwise we could be wiped out."

Apparently humbled by the reminder, the blue-haired girl cast her gaze down. "...Yes."

Ikari let the words hang in the air for a short time before moving on. "...During the battle your Eva emitted one of the most powerful AT fields we have recorded. How?"

"I don't know," Rei answered.

"Your synch rate has risen fifteen points, why?"

Rei pulled herself in slightly, feeling like she was being attacked. She closed her eyes and her brow creased. "...I don't know."

"How can you not know? You are the one it is happening to."

"...I would not abandon Cirus after he had stayed with me." Intensity returned to her voice in a slow, steady, gentle wave. "I understand what it is like to not be alone thanks to him, I had to save him," Rei replied powerfully, still holding herself as if Ikari was throwing stones at her.

Ikari's mouth opened slightly in shock, though it was hidden by his hands. He had never seen Rei behave like this. "Why do you do this for him?" he asked more softly, but his manner was still cold.

Rei turned her head away somewhat; her eyes still tightly closed. "...He treats me like a human... not a doll like you do," her voice was anguished and low. She started to cry quietly, her breath quivering.

Ikari leaned back slightly in surprise. "R-Rei..."

Rei looked up at him, her eyes set firmly despite the tears still coming out of them. "All I am to you is a key, nothing more." She stood up straight and eyed Ikari steadily, her tears stopping of her own will. "Is that not true?" her calm voice finished.

"Rei, I don't treat you like a doll. You are the only chance man-kind has of survival, but you are just a child, I must guide you!"

She saw through him, her eyes steady and direct. Utterly calm, she said, "You are lying."

...Yui, the Commander realized as he looked into those blood-colored, blazing eyes. His wife was in those eyes. Calmly, she peered straight through his pretence. Ikari narrowed his eyes thoughtfully again and leaned his head down slightly. "You are very strong, Rei."

Rei was slightly surprised by his statement. "...Why do you say that?"

"You are correct, Rei. you are not my doll... Dismissed."

Rei bowed her head, still puzzled, but she did not wish to stay. She turned and walked away from Ikari calmly. As she did, a slight smile came over her face. She was not anyone's doll anymore. She was human.

Softly rippling in the fluorescent lighting, a black coat rose up and fell down around Cirus, his hands adjusting the collar with little tugs. A click sounded from the door, the young man glancing up over his right shoulder with raised eyebrows. Misato stepped through, a light smile on her face.

"I see you're up and about," she said with a wave.

Cirus smiled. "Indeed, good to see you, too, Major," he replied calmly, turning fully around to her.

"Heh, I wasn't expecting you to be so soon. Something up?" the operations director asked in response, walking further into the room.

Cirus raised an eyebrow with a wry smile. "Afraid of being out of the loop?"

Misato's face turned dry. "Well aren't you perceptive..."

He chuckled. "I try."

Misato's smile turned mischievous. "I know how to see a few things through a controlled face, too," she said insinuatingly.

Cirus nodded to her. "Do you now?" he raised both eyebrows for a moment. "Please go on."

"Going to go chase down Rei, aren't you?" Misato asked, her evil little grin becoming almost disturbingly wide.

Cirus continued to smile. "Terribly sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not going to chase her down," he replied and started for the door.

"Hmph," Misato said, arms akimbo as she turned around with him. "Then where are you off to?"

Cirus started to rush out the door. "Sorry, Major, I have to run!" he shouted back, pretending he hadn't heard the question.

Misato shook her head with a wry smile. "If I didn't know him any better I'd say he was in love... Ah, youth..." she reminisced wistfully and then headed on her own way.

Fuyutsuki looked up at Ikari, who was standing at the window of his office. Both men were troubled, Koso because he was not certain why Gendo was behaving so abnormally. Ikari hadn't spoken since Rei had left his office.

"So what are you going to do?" the Vice-Commander asked, breaking the silence.

Gendo didn't shift his stance in the slightest. "I don't know."

"Are you afraid she was right?"

"I know she was right, I always have. It simply never became an issue until now," Ikari answered.

The Vice-Commander sighed. "Are you going to remove one of them?" It seemed the end of the discussion until a slow, "...No," reached Koso's ears.

Fuyutsuki's eyes widened. "No? I'm surprised at you, Ikari."

The Commander's brow creased faintly as he looked at the window. "...I saw Yui in her, Fuyutsuki. More than just the physical resemblance, she has Yui's strength. I can not sacrifice her again."

Fuyutsuki smiled slightly. "So you're human after all."

"A temporary weakness," Ikari replied.

"Weakness? I'd disagree, Gendo. I think you've never seemed so powerful. There is more to life than you or Yui, you're slowly realizing this."

"Of course, the Angels and SEELE-"

Koso's voice cut him off sternly at first. "Not them." The tone changed, becoming more pleading. "Ikari, why are we trying to save the planet if there is nothing to look forward to? Why not just let the Angels destroy it?"

Ikari turned around with a raised eyebrow at Koso. "What do you mean?"

"Answer that question for yourself, and then come talk to me about it."

As soon as Cirus had hurried far enough he slowed to a leisurely walk. He hadn't exactly lied to Misato, just... over-exaggerated. She probably already guessed where he was going anyway, but he didn't want to simply flat out admit it to her.

It was about three in the afternoon then, which meant two hours until the pilots, at least, could go home. Unless something 'angelic' occurred, little more was expected of them. Of course they were all told to keep close to a phone.

As Cirus looked out the windows along the hall's left side distantly, Asuka and Shinji were walking toward him down the hall. Asuka quickly thought of something and wrapped her arm around Shinji's and leaned her head down on his shoulder. Before the startled young man could reply she waved at Cirus.

"Hello, Cirus," she said, pretending to be disinterested in Cirus and staring intently at Shinji.

Cirus looked away from the window and calmly raised an eyebrow with wry smile. "Hello, Asuka."

"So I see you're awake finally," Asuka replied, pretending to force herself off of Shinji's shoulder and look at Cirus as she yanked Shinji back to her side to stand and talk.

Cirus resisted the urge to widen his smile. "Yes, though I don't think it was so long considering that fight."

Asuka waved away the point with her hand. "Yeah, yeah, sure."

Cirus looked at Shinji; he knew full well what Asuka was up to. "Hey Shinji, congratulations. She's an excellent catch," he said and then turned and started walking down the hall.

Asuka's face turned red, though it was hard for Shinji to tell if it was due to embarrassment or anger. "I'm not a catch!" she shouted after Cirus.

"You sure look like a fish on a line to me," Cirus called back without turning his head.

Asuka looked down at her arm wrapped around Shinji's and quickly yanked it free. "Oh fine! Just be rude then!"

Cirus chuckled and turned back around, walking back up to them. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I'm surprised at you, Asuka."

"Well at least you didn't ignore me completely like you usually do," Asuka replied.

"I don't ignore you, Asuka," Cirus said back calmly.

"Oh yes you do. You're always either quiet or looking after Rei," Asuka shot back.

Cirus' face gave a subtle contortion into an amused and angered visage. "Ah ha," he said slowly, "and you don't ignore everyone else when Kaji's around, eh?" Asuka blushed and her eyes widened. "I-I don't mean to, I j-just... I don't!" she suddenly cut herself off angrily.

Cirus looked to Shinji. "Wouldn't you say she acts rather distant when Kaji's around?"

Shinji looked from and angry Asuka to a calm Cirus, and quickly knew from which way damage would come. "...Uh... well, I wouldn't say that..."

Cirus cracked a smile. "Fair enough. My apologies, Asuka," he replied with a bow of his head to her.

Asuka smiled. "Ah, thank you, Shinji," she said approvingly, and then to Cirus she said, "Very well, apology accepted."

Cirus smiled wryly again. "Oh, you're too kind."

"I know, now come on!" Asuka replied, energetically wrapping her arm inside Cirus' and Shinji's.

"I take it this is what happened to you?" Cirus asked Shinji quietly.

"Yep," Shinji replied as Asuka dragged them off.

Cirus tried to get out of Asuka's grip, but she had wrapped her arm around his quite effectively. "Uh, Asuka? I do have things to do."

"Oh don't worry, there's nothing to do here!" Asuka replied.

Cirus rotated his arm around and spun around with it, twisting it out of Asuka's grip and turning around to go the other direction. "Sorry, Asuka, I'm sure Shinji will keep you company," he explained as he walked off down the hall.

Asuka looked after him with an irritated frown, but said nothing. Then she sighed and shook her head. "He's hopeless, ah well. Come on, Shinji!" she called and dragged Shinji off with her.

Ritsuko shook her head at Misato. The woman seemed to come up with more outlandish schemes than a comic book super-villain. "Misato, why on earth do you want to invite them all over for the night?" she asked wearily, holding her right hand to her forehead as if she had a migraine.

"Ritsuko, I think they'd enjoy it," Misato replied more seriously than usual for her in situations like this. "Look at what they all just went through. I think they need a break like this. Eh, besides," she added more lightly, "I won't pressure them into it this time. I'll just offer."

"Fair enough," Ritsuko replied with a slight smile. She looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Well, your first victim cometh."

Misato looked up to see what Ritsuko was talking about, and then saw Cirus walking toward them, his coat flapping behind him as he moved. "Ah, Cirus I wanted to speak with you about something," she called out, her tone casual.

Cirus seemed intrigued by her abnormal tone and raised an eyebrow as he diverted course slightly to intercept the two women. "Major, Doctor," he greeted them with a bow of his head before turning back to Misato especially. "And what would that be, Major Katsuragi?"

"I'm speaking as Misato, Cirus," Misato reminded him. "I wanted to offer you a chance to come to a little slumber party at my place. I'm going to invite Rei, but I'm not sure if she'll agree or not," she explained forthrightly.

Cirus seemed mildly surprised by her candor. "I tell you what," he started calmly, "invite Miss Ayanami by telephone at eight tonight, and if she says yes, I'll come." It was very revealing, but he knew that both Ritsuko and Misato knew about his interest in Rei, whatever form it actually took, quite well.

"You want me to call you then?" Misato asked to check.

"Oh no," Cirus started to say something else, but stopped and restarted, "Miss Ayanami will tell me."

"She'll call you?" Misato asked, somewhat bewildered.

"You could say that," Cirus answered calmly. A call from the kitchen was still defined as a call.

Misato raised an eyebrow at him with a slight sly smile. Cirus knew that she knew full well what he meant, but she could never say to anyone that he'd actually said it; the beauty of his response.

"Alright then, I'll call Rei at eight. If she says yes, be there by eight thirty, all right?" Misato told him in a tone that was similar to the one used when warning small children against a danger.

Cirus bowed his head acceptingly. "Fair enough."

Misato smiled. "Alright then, see you at eight thirty," she said finally and she and Ritsuko went on down the hall.

Cirus was curious as to what exactly Misato was up to this time. Then he realized he was being oversuspicious, even if he was right. What harm could it do to him? Nothing. Let Misato have her fun as long as it wasn't at Rei's expense. The price of being a spy... Was the loss of innocence.