�Why are you even here, Major?� he asked calmly as he looked up at the screen. She hadn�t been giving out orders for the past two hours because her first had been more than enough. �Fix the district�.

Misato sighed. �I have nothing better to do than supervise, how about you?� she asked back with a wry smile.

He chuckled. �Sadly the same.�

�I see,� she replied with a slight smile. �So did you hear about Shinji�s friends?�

�Yes I did. I�m sure he�s quite happy,� Cirus answered with a more genuine smile of his own.

Misato suddenly realized something and turned around to look at Cirus with a sly smile. �Have you ever checked in on Rei at school?�

The question startled Cirus more than he would have liked to admit. He hid the pang of embarrassment and calmly raised his eyebrows. �Why would I?�

Misato chuckled. �You�re a slippery one.�

Cirus smiled back. �Thank you, I�ll take that as a compliment.�

�Well since you�ve got nothing better to do, why don�t you go check out the school? Give you a chance to meet Shinji�s friends anyway,� Misato suggested.

Cirus cleared his throat and exhaled. �If you insist, Major,� he responded quietly and started to leave.

Misato couldn�t contain her smile and so remained facing the main screen. He was so cute when Rei�s name was mentioned.

�I heard you were back, Suzuhara, so I made you lunch!� Hikari said with a bright smile as she set the lunch down in front of Toji.

�Wow, thanks, Class Rep,� Toji replied, eyeing the massive lunch in mild bewilderment.

Kensuke poked his head in with a sly smile and his video camera. �Just don�t start making out unless you want it all on tape you two!�

Hikari�s cheeks blushed violently and Toji�s entire face turned red as he almost leapt out of his wheel chair to bash Kensuke over the head. The entire class laughed at the interaction as they all settled in for lunch. Asuka was sitting with the most popular girls group, which normally included Hikari, but she�d left of her own volition to eat with Toji.

Rei, as usual, was sitting alone off to the side, without anything to eat. She was rarely hungry at lunchtime anyway. It was just too crowded for her liking, too many people in one place. The noise was piercing and obstructing, so in order to tune it out she was reading her physics textbook. She was happy for Ikari that his friends had returned though; it was good to see him smile like he used to.

They were eating in the courtyard of the school, so Rei was sitting under some bushes at her table, giving her enough shade to be comfortably cool.

�May I sit here?� a familiar voice asked softly.

Rei looked up and her face softened immediately. �Yes,� she replied.

Cirus smiled at her and sat down across from her at the table. �Am I bothering you at all?� he asked, motioning at her textbook.

Rei closed the book and set it down on the table. �No, that is all right. Why are you here today?� she asked back, her brow creased with calm curiosity.

�Well, I�ve been wanting to see your school for some time, but never had the excusable opportunity to come. I was given that by Miss Katsuragi earlier this morning,� he explained with a warm smile.

Rei let a faint smile play across her lips as she tipped her head. �It is good to see you here.�

Toji looked up from his meal and abruptly stopped eating when he saw Rei smiling and talking with some kid he�d never seen before. He let the food fall from his mouth and tapped Kensuke on the shoulder, pointing then at Rei�s table. �Hey, Kensuke? Ayanami is talking with some new kid, check it out,� he said.

Kensuke looked up with his video camera and his own eyes widened as he pushed the camera away. �I never thought I�d see it��

Shinji looked up and smiled again to himself at Toji and Kensuke�s reaction. �That�s Mr. Trent.�

The two of them abruptly looked at him. �That�s the guy?!� Toji asked back. Shinji nodded.

�I thought you said he was done with school?� Kensuke asked.

�He is, I don�t know why he�s here. Probably just to check on Ayanami,� Shinji answered.

�Wow� he�s handsome,� Hikari said softly, looking over Rei and Cirus.

Toji�s face slackened. �What? That pale guy?!�

Hikari abruptly looked back Toji, blushing. �I-I�m sorry, Suzuhara, you�re handsome too,� she said quickly with a smile.

�Why is he wearing sunglasses? It�s not that bright,� Kensuke asked.

�They�re not sunglasses, his eyes are different so he hides them,� Asuka answered as she stepped up behind Kensuke indignantly.

Kensuke flinched and dived down to the table as Asuka towered over him. �Endearing as always, Asuka,� he said dryly.

The sudden gasping and deep inhales were heard from the girls� tables. Toji, Kensuke, and Shinji all sighed and waited for the inevitable question to be shouted across the courtyard.

�Hey, Rei! Who�s your friend?� one girl shouted.

Many others spoke up agreeing that they wanted to know. Rei and Cirus both looked up suddenly and Rei was blushing slightly.

�I knew that would happen,� Kensuke commented wearily.

He saw the new kid motion with his head toward their table and he and Rei stood up before coming over. Shinji moved to let Rei sit down as Cirus remained standing.

�So you�re the new pilot we�ve been hearing about?� Toji asked with a raised eyebrow.

�Yes,� Cirus answered calmly.

More gasps and exclamations of surprise could be heard from all around. �So what brings you here, Mr. Trent?� Kensuke asked, raising his video camera.

Cirus flashed a smile. �Just wanted to check in on Miss Ayanami. Hadn�t had the chance before. And don�t turn that back on,� he added calmly.

Kensuke raised an eyebrow, but did so. �Just for nostalgia,� he explained.

�Not with me,� Cirus replied with a half-smile.

Toji noted that Rei seemed much more at ease than normal. A smile was still on her face, though a small one. She caught him looking at her and their eyes locked for a moment. Toji raised his eyebrows at her with a calm smile and looked at Cirus for a split-second, motioning at him with his eyes. He mouthed, �Do you like him?�

Rei tipped her head slightly in an embarrassed fashion, but then nodded in a subtle manner.

Toji smiled more broadly and looked up at Cirus. �So you�re the new big shot around here, eh?�

Cirus chuckled and shook his head. �Just a spare pilot. You were the pilot of Unit 03, right?� he asked back with one eyebrow cocked in light inquisition.

Toji nodded. �Yep. Didn�t do much though,� he added more seriously.

�I heard about what happened, I�m sorry you went through that,� Cirus responded sincerely.

Kensuke leaned across them. �Don�t worry about it, Mr. Trent, he still has an ego the size of an Evangelion!� he said with a laugh.

Toji just �hmph�-ed as Cirus smiled.

A phone ring suddenly came from Cirus� coat and he reached into it, pulling out his cellular phone as the others looked up at him calmly. He answered it and then his head shot up. �Angel.�

�Where the hell did this one come from?!� Misato shouted as the Angel appeared on the main screen.

Ayobi shook his head firmly. �I have no idea, it just appeared on the scanners five minutes ago!� he explained.

Misato�s brow creased as she shook her head and looked up at the screen.

This Angel was lithe and humanoid. The head had many long spines coming off the top where human hair would be, but they pointed straight out from wherever they originated. Its arms hung down abnormally low, past the knees, and swayed loosely back and forth as it marched toward the border of Tokyo-3.

�The pilots just arrived, they�re heading for the cages,� Hyuga reported.

�Good, launch them in a surrounding pattern around the Angel and order the attack,� Misato replied firmly.

Ritsuko and Kaji ran into the command center and quickly came up to Misato.

�My G�d, it�s been less than a week!� Ritsuko exclaimed as she ran over to Maya�s chair to see what she could.

�The Evas?� Kaji asked.

�Preparing for launch and immediate assault,� Misato answered.

Ikari and Fuyutsuki were at their usual places also, with Ikari holding his clasped hands before his face. �It knew how to hide from our sensors,� he said calmly.

�They�re getting closer and closer each time at this rate,� Fuyutsuki replied.

�Evas ready for launch!� Hyuga reported.

�Launch,� Misato ordered calmly.

The four Evas appeared in a diamond pattern around the new Angel, it�s lithe blue form halting as they did.

Unit 02 was behind it, Unit 00 to its right, and Unit 14 to its left. Shinji was facing off against it in Unit 01 with his rifle ready.

The Angel turned its head to each of the Evas before quickly glancing back to Unit 01 and starting to move forward rapidly.

�All units, destroy the target!� Misato ordered.

Units 00, 02, and 14 all opened fire, Unit 14 using a rifle of the same make as Unit 01�s. Shinji opened fire and started to strafe to the right. The Angel stopped moving forward and followed him intently with its dark eyes as all the firepower came toward it. All of the ammunition suddenly exploded prematurely and the explosions themselves dispersed away from the Angel.

Cirus looked up with wide-eyed surprise before realization hit him. �It has another defense field we can�t corrode,� he reported over the main comm.

Ritsuko looked from Maya�s screen to the main one and back. �I don�t believe it. Sensors register one AT-field, corroded, and nothing else.�

�Use direct physical attacks,� Ikari ordered calmly.

Misato nodded and relayed the order to the pilots.

Shinji threw his rifle down and pulled Unit 01�s knife out of his shoulder socket as the Angel closed in on him. Unit 14 shoulder-rammed the Angel from its left, but the Angel shot its right foot out farther out to stop the motion before Unit 14 suddenly flew back with horrific force, slamming into a hillside and shattering the ground before its limbs fell upon it, limp.

Shinji surged up with his blade, aiming for a jab at the Angel�s mid-section, but his Eva froze in place and he couldn�t move. �What the�?�

Before he could ask a full question his Eva was shoved into the ground violently with a crash of metal. Shinji growled at the throbbing pain in his forehead and tried to get up, but his Eva was pinned down by something.

Unit 02 ran up behind the Angel with its progressive knife out and ready in its left hand. Asuka shouted a battle cry as she leapt toward the Angel�s backside. Her shout died when her Eva froze in mid-air and the Angel calmly turned around to look up at her.

Asuka�s eyes widened as she fought with the controls. �How is it doing this!?� she shouted into the comm.

Misato looked to Ritsuko with urgent expectancy on her face, but Ritsuko shook her head. �I don�t know, according to sensors there�s nothing there!� she replied desperately, her own frustration getting to her.

Misato spun back to the comm and was about to order Rei to hold back, but found the young woman already was. �Good thinking, Rei. Hold back until we think of something, help anyone when you can.�

�Yes,� Rei replied calmly in acknowledgement.

�Major Katsuragi, order Unit 00 to return to base,� Ikari ordered.

Misato looked up at in bewilderment. �What? But we need her to-�

�Do not question my orders, Major. Call her back.�

Misato looked down for a moment before looking back to the comm system controls. She touched the control she wanted slowly. ��Rei� return to base.�

��Yes,� Rei responded slowly. The fact that she delayed in response at all showed her own question of the orders.

Unit 00 turned away form the Angel and proceeded toward its launch pad. Rei touched a control to her right and it brought up a status screen for Units 14 and 01. Both pilots were alive, but their Evas could not move.

�Rei, where are you going?!� Asuka asked in shock.

�I have been ordered to return to base,� Rei answered the small window with Asuka�s horrified face.

�What?! By who?� Asuka continued, her panic evident.

�Commander Ikari,� Rei answered, knowing that Misato would never give an order of its nature of her own volition.

Asuka�s wide eyes looked down before the screen cut off. She knew as well as Rei that without a real excuse, like a pilot being in deathly danger, Rei could not disobey the order even if she wanted to.

So far the Angel was simply standing there, all three Evas in the same positions despite the physical impossibility of Unit 02�s state. It then slowly turned back around to look at Unit 01. Its movements were much slower than before, as if it were moving through water.

It�s going after Shinji. Asuka realized with a quizzical look on her face.

Shinji couldn�t see where the Angel was thanks to his Eva�s head being shoved into the ground. He strained against the force holding him down, but it just wouldn�t let him up.

�Let� go� of� me�� he said furiously as he pushed against the ground.

As the Angel started to bow down toward Unit 01 Ritsuko looked down at Maya. �Scan with all spectrums! I don�t care what they scan for, just use them all!� she ordered urgently.

Maya nodded and her hands instantly started dancing over her keyboard. Even if it will take three hours to get through all the spectrums.

Shinji�s arms suddenly flew out straight as the force holding him down released. Unit 01 rose up back up and he saw the Angel standing before him. Shinji lashed out with his knife, but his arm stopped and his Eva wouldn�t move again. Suddenly Unit 01�s arm twisted around violently, throwing the knife from its grip as Shinji shouted in pain.

�Shinji?!� Misato shouted.

Then Unit 01�s feet flew up into the air and the Eva flew back, crashing into the ground with its headfirst, slamming the rest of its body down violently. Then it rose into the air and flew to the left, crashing into the ground again and tumbling into a roll before being slammed into a cliff face.

�Pilot is unconscious!� Hyuga reported urgently. �A few more hits like that and the Eva will just fly apart. It�s not designed to handle this much force.�

�We need Rei out there!� Misato shouted up to Ikari urgently.

Fuyutsuki bent down to Ikari�s ear. �We can�t risk losing Unit 01.�

�We no longer require it with Project Seven,� Ikari replied quietly. �You have your orders, Major Katsuragi,� he said in a much louder voice.

Misato looked back to the screen with wide eyes. Shinji� come on get up�

As the Angel walked toward the Eva, it rose into the air again and was thrown to the right. Suddenly the Eva came to life, its eyes blazing and the mouth part separating as it roared at the Angel and crashed into the cliff side with its feet and one hand before hopping down and charging toward the Angel. The Angel reared back and raised both hands as Unit 01 charged toward it with both arms out and bent forward at the elbow, ready to crush the Angel. Unit 01 lurched just as it was about to grab the Angel and stopped, its arms quivering with exertion. It growled at the Angel as its arms slowly forced their way toward it. The Angel redoubled its efforts and the Eva was forced back.

Unit 02 fell to the ground and Unit 14 stood back up. Unit 02 stood back, mimicking a human gesture of rubbing its head.

Ritsuko�s head shot up as she saw what happened. �It can only use so much power at one time!� she explained.

Misato smiled. �Units 02 and 14, destroy the target while its distracted!�

Wordlessly, the two Eva pilots spun their Evas around and ran toward the Angel. Unit 14�s forearm blades extended and Unit 02 had its progressive knife still in hand.

The Angel turned its head to see the other two Evas. With a suddenness that made all three Evas step back, the Angel leapt into the air and kept rising. It shimmered and distorted before disappearing completely.

Ayobi looked up from his screen in a mild form of shock. ��T-target� gone, Major,� he reported slowly.

Unit 01 roared up the sky, but calmed and then went inactive.

Misato touched the comm control key. �All Units, return to base. No point in waiting around,� she ordered calmly.

�Roger.�

�Acknowledged.�

The two Evas picked Unit 01 up before proceeding back to their launch pads.

Rei watched as the med team pulled Shinji out of the plug and lay him down on the gurney before carting him off. As Cirus walked up to her she looked at him with calm curiosity in her eyes.

�Just unconscious, he�ll be fine,� Cirus answered the unspoken question with a sincere smile.

Rei nodded in acknowledgement. �How was the target destroyed?� she asked calmly.

�It wasn�t,� Cirus admitted ruefully. �It disappeared and we were ordered back to base.�

The phrase reminded Rei and she stepped forward a bit. �I�m sorry I left, if you were hurt-�

Cirus interrupted her with a raised hand and a soft smile. �No need to apologize for following orders, Rei. Shinji just got knocked out and Asuka and I are just fine, don�t worry.�

Rei looked down at the ground. ��I still feel it was not� good to do,� she said haltingly, unsure of what words she should use.

Cirus smiled sympathetically, his lips curling softly. He wanted to reach up and stroke her cheek to let her know it was fine, but he didn�t feel that was good to do. �It�s alright, Rei. Don�t feel bad,� he said softly.

Rei looked up with a slight smile.

�Are you two at it again?!� Asuka asked sourly as she walked past in a huff.

Cirus glared at her as she walked past but said nothing. Rei followed Asuka with her eyes for a few moments before looking back to Cirus. �Does it bother you when she does that?�

�Yes,� Cirus answered honestly.

�Then why do you not ask her to stop?�

�She wouldn�t,� Cirus answered calmly.

�Are you certain?�

�In this case, yes. She walked by too fast for me to stop her,� Cirus answered with a slight smile.

Rei�s faint smile returned and the two of them walked off to the locker rooms.

�All sensors have drawn a complete blank, Sir. The target has, for all intents and purposes, disappeared,� Maya reported. She, Ayobi, Hyuga, and the command staff were in the meeting area above the Magi computers, looking down at the display table in the center.

�What were the Angel�s last known coordinates?� Command Ikari asked calmly. �Directly above Tokyo-3, Sir,� Hyuga answered.

�At what time did sensors fail to record its presence?�

�Three hours and twenty-eight minutes ago, Sir,� Maya answered.

�The Magi have been programmed to go over the recorded data with every known spectrum analysis, but even with the Magi it will take at least another hour,� Dr. Akagi reported.

Ikari nodded thoughtfully. �Major Katsuragi?�

She stood to attention. �Yes, sir?�

�We are to remain at First Stage Alert until the Angel has been destroyed or we have reason to assume it will not return. Keep the pilots on base and ready. Dr. Akagi, report to me when the Magi have completed there work. Dismissed,� he ordered calmly before he and Fuyutsuki left.

Kaji frowned subtly as he watched the two of them go. Awfully unconcerned considering the situation. They must have bigger fish to fry.

Shinji�s eyes opened haltingly, blinking several times before fully opening to the relative brightness of the sterilized white med-bay room in which he was. Having learned from past experiences, he checked to make sure he had some clothing on, which he did, before relaxing back into the bed.

The door opened, and Shinji looked up to see Asuka walking in with a broad smile on her face. �Well, well, well, hello again, Shinji. Good to see you awake,� she said dryly.

Shinji winced reflexively, but quickly changed his expression. �Good to see you too, Asuka.�

�Well I was sent to notify you of the situation,� she explained bluntly as she sat down in the chair near his bed with a slight plop. �We�re currently awaiting the Angel�s return and are still on First Stage Alert status.�

Shinji looked back down at the bed as he sat up. �I see. It beat us so easily last time. Are you sure we can beat it?� he asked, looking back up at her with concern in his eyes.

Asuka frowned at him. �What are you, stupid? Of course we�ll beat it! The fabulous Asuka is here to save the world!� she said more firmly as she stood back up and raised her nose off to the side.

�Mmm, fabulous indeed,� Cirus said wryly from the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and his shoulder resting against the door-jam. �And we mustn�t forget graceful.�

Asuka eyed him warily at the second compliment. She knew he was up to something. �Of course, that too.�

Cirus nodded knowingly and pushed off of the door-jam, uncurling his arms and strolling into the room. �Yes, very graceful as you hung in mid-air like a frightened cartoon character,� he added dryly.

Asuka�s cheeks blushed violently as her eyes widened in outrage. �W-what did you just say?!�

Cirus looked at her calmly with one eyebrow perked over his glasses. �Oh you heard me just fine, and that was for your little comment back in the cage room,� he explained, pointing his finger at her firmly before looking at Shinji.

Asuka stood there, mouth agape, at Cirus as if she were in shock.

�You feeling better, Shinji?� Cirus asked calmly.

Shinji, a little shocked himself from Cirus� quick and blunt jab at Asuka, nodded numbly. Asuka looked at him, a sheen building in her eyes. Shinji�s brow creased and he looked back at Cirus with a frown. �That was rude,� he said firmly.

Cirus raised an eyebrow at Shinji curiously, then to Asuka, and then back to Shinji. �Yes, I�m aware of that Shinji. She was rude to me earlier, I was just giving her a taste of what it�s like.�

�That�s just the way she is,� Shinji replied, getting up from the bed.

Cirus� face turned quite serious as he looked at Shinji and the young man found himself faltering under the gaze. �So I should help prolong her selfish little ways because it�s �just her way�? Well that may work for you, Shinji, that�s your choice, but I won�t stand by and be insulted just because it suits,� Cirus turned around to the door, turning his head to Asuka, �your personal interest. For what it�s worth, I apologize for insulting you, Miss Soryu, but you did no less to Rei and I,� he finished calmly and proceeded out the door, closing it behind him in the same manner as he�d spoken.

Asuka looked down at the ground and blinked away the subtle tears forming in her eyes. Shinji saw her and stepped to her hesitantly. �A-Asuka�?�

He heard her swallow. �Yes?� she asked back quietly.

�I don�t think it matters what you said to him, he shouldn�t have done that to you,� he answered slowly.

Asuka let a smile curl her lips and looked up at Shinji. �Thank you� idiot,� she added with a broader smile.

Shinji couldn�t help but smile back, though his cheeks turned a little red.

Asuka sighed then and stood up right. ��But as much as I hate to say it, he wasn�t lying. I just get so sick of seeing him with that little wind-up doll Rei that it makes me go off,� she said frustratedly. Suddenly her eyes widened and she looked up at Shinji again. �Why am I telling you all this?�

Shinji shook his head. �I won�t tell anyone, I swear,� he said quickly.

Asuka just looked back down at the ground wearily. ��Shinji?�

�Yes?� he asked back softly.

�Do you know anything about my past?�

Shinji shook his head. �No, Asuka. Why?�

Asuka shook her head. �Then you wouldn�t� you wouldn�t understand�� tears started to come from her eyes and quietly run down her cheeks, dripping off her chin and onto her shirt, �why that hurt so much,� she finished weakly and a soft sob choked her for a moment.

Shinji was shocked. He�d never seen Asuka like this, aside from that nightmare, but that happened to anyone. She probably didn�t even know it had been him she�d grabbed on to. ��.A-Asuka?� he asked slowly, reaching out with his hand gently to her shoulder. �I-I�m sorry, I�m sure Cirus didn�t realize-�

Asuka suddenly grabbing him in a hug cut him off as she sobbed into his shoulder. He could feel the tears soaking into his tunic as he sat back down on the bed with her. He wanted to say something that would help her, but he couldn�t think of anything to say he was too shocked. Without any other course of action he curled his arms around her and just let her cry softly.

Asuka was just so tired of it all. She just wanted someone to hold her and say everything was fine, she didn�t care who.

�Don�t worry, Mama. I�ll be strong and grow up fast so I won�t cry.� But I�m tired of being a grown-up!

Asuka�s grip tightened around Shinji until her arms became weak from exertion and she was forced to relax them.

�I-It�s okay, Asuka,� Shinji said softly. �I know you�ll beat the Angel, everything will be fine. Really,� he said though he wasn�t sure himself at all.

The words put Asuka�s mind at ease more than anything in the world could have. Her entire body relaxed and she smiled as she hugged Shinji tightly. She didn�t care if he was such an idiot, he�d told her what she wanted to hear�