When her awareness of her surroundings increased enough, she was surprised to hear another�s breathing. Drifting from just a few feet to her left, the incredibly soft sound was, in fact, barely audible. Rei let her eyes flutter open, and winced them shut as the light stung her.

Cirus saw her eyes open and smiled, more relief flooding him than anyone would know, but he did not disturb her.

Rei slowly opened her eyes again, allowing them to adjust. Once they were open she turned her head and saw Cirus sitting in a chair against the wall. He smiled at her faintly and nodded. A slightly puzzled look came over Rei's face as she looked at him.

"Am I needed?" she asked.

"Not just yet, Miss Ayanami," Cirus answered softly.

Rei hadn't intended to speak as softly as she had, but her voice hadn't been used in so long that she was forced to. "Why are you sitting there?" she asked.

"Am I disturbing you?" he asked back honestly.

"No, but why are you there?" she repeated.

"Doing all I was able," he answered and started to stand up, but he stumbled and went down to his knees.

"Are you injured?" Rei asked, perking up a bit. It was as much as she could manage at the moment.

Cirus shook his head and stood up more steadily. "No, Miss Ayanami, but thank you for asking. Can I get you anything?"

Rei could tell Cirus was badly worn out. She didn't know why he was there, but she knew he couldn't get her anything without possibly doing more damage to himself. She shook her head slightly.

Cirus nodded back and supported himself against the wall. His vision started to flash and he knew he was about to collapse. "I'm glad you are well, Miss Ayanami," he said, and then fell to the floor unconscious.

Calm urgency raising her, Rei got out of her bed and knelt down beside him, turning him over to let him breathe. She checked his pulse and confirmed he was still alive. She stood up and walked over to the emergency call box.

"This is Rei Ayanami. Please come to my room," she said.

"Y-yes," the surprised voice came back over the comm.

Rei walked back over to Cirus, and picked him up by putting his arm over her shoulders. She dragged him to the bed, and put him down on it.

A doctor and two nurses burst in and quickly saw who was standing and who wasn't. They rushed over to the bed and started to examine Cirus.

"He collapsed of exhaustion," one of them said.

"And lack of food. He hasn't eaten for three days, the idiot," another added.

As they quickly set Cirus more properly into the bed and started to connect some IV tubes Rei looked on with a puzzled face. Why had he not eaten for three days?

"How far behind schedule is construction, Major Katsuragi?" Ikari asked from behind his desk.

Misato shifted her weight from one foot to the other before answering. "Not much more than a day, sir."

"That little?" Ikari questioned with a cocked eyebrow.

"When Shinji returned he and Asuka put in a redoubled effort. They did excellent work," Misato answered.

"Good. And Rei has returned?"

"Yes."

Ikari nodded his approval. "Now can you tell me why he didn't eat for three days?"

"He told me he wasn't hungry, sir," Misato answered hesitantly.

Ikari piqued an eyebrow at her faintly, but continued. "Major, I need to know everything you know about the boy. Why was he in Rei's room for those three days?"

"...He didn't want to leave her alone," Misato answered quietly.

"...I see," Ikari replied thoughtfully. "Very well, Major. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir," Misato replied with a salute and left the office.

Fuyutsuki had been standing beside Ikari the whole time of course. "An interesting turn of events," he commented.

"Yes, very much so. SEELE must be using him to get to Rei," Ikari replied.

"I'm not so sure about that, Ikari," Fuyutsuki disagreed.

"So you trust him as well?"

"I must admit that his arrival is deeply suspicious, but he appears to be a good pilot and a good soldier. Even when he has disobeyed commands it was because he saw a better avenue of attack," Fuyutsuki pointed out.

"You don't consider him a risk?" The Vice-Commander focused up on the recently used doorway. "Not as much as I did before, no."

"I can't allow him to interfere with Rei," Ikari said finally.

The old Professor looked back to Gendo wearily. "Treating her as a human is considered interference?"

"In this situation, yes."

Fuyutsuki sighed softly and met Ikari's eyes. "Gendo, for Yui's sake, let the girl live."

"She exists for Yui's sake alone, Fuyutsuki. You know that," Ikari replied, finally looking up into the Vice-Commander's face.

"How can you say that? Man can create what he does not understand, the Evas prove that, so how can you know all she is?"

Ikari narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, but did not respond.

Rei stood at the window that looked in on Cirus in his bed, connected to several IV units. She had a puzzled look on her face again. So many things were strange about the situation. She didn't understand why Cirus had been there when she awoke, she didn't understand why he hadn�t eaten, she didn't understand why he looked at her so strangely, she didn't understand why he did any of it.

"Hello Rei," Misato said from behind her.

Rei turned around and nodded to Misato. "Hello, Miss Katsuragi."

"I see you're looking in on Cirus," Misato continued with a mischievous smile.

"Yes, I don't understand," Rei replied plainly.

"Don't understand what?" Misato asked.

"Why did he not eat for three days?" Rei asked back.

"He wasn't hungry. At least that's what he said to the nurses. He was just sitting there the whole time," Misato answered. "I wasn't surprised at all when he collapsed; I was surprised when I heard you'd woken up."

Rei gave the older woman another puzzled look. "Where was he sitting?"

Misato suddenly stopped short. She hadn't realized Rei had no idea. "He... was sitting in that chair... He wouldn't let anyone make him rest or eat. He refused to leave you alone."

Rei's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Her cheeks turned faintly pink and she looked back through the window. "T... thank you, Miss Katsuragi," she said in a very hushed voice, and then turned and left down the hall.

Cirus awoke to the beeping of the monitoring machines he was connected to. He opened his eyes fractionally and glanced around himself. His glasses were still on, thankfully, and so he opened his eyes fully. He was in a single medical room. To his left was the window they all had, and to his right was the back wall of the room. The entrance was, from his perspective, at the front left corner of the room. He relaxed into the bed though he was fully awake by then.

The door opened and a nurse backed in, carrying a tray full of what looked like a meal. "Ah, I thought you'd be awake by now," she said cheerfully as she brought the tray over to his bed.

"S-sorry for the inconvenience," Cirus apologized, though his voice was hoarse. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Oh about two days I think. You haven't missed any battles, don't worry," the nurse told him with a wink. She was a little older and, it appeared, much more at ease than the nurses Cirus had met so far.

"Ah good, thank you," Cirus replied with a wry grin.

"Think you'll manage to eat something this time?" she asked with her own wry smile as she put the tray down beside his bed.

"Heh, I'll try," Cirus replied with a bit of a laugh.

The nurse smiled back and then went on her way.

Cirus did in fact start to eat and found that the food was actually quite good. A rarity to say the least in a medical facility.

"Well I see you're awake," Major Katsuragi's unmistakable voice came from the doorway.

Cirus put down his fork and bowed his head to Misato. "Major, good to see you again."

"And good to see you back to your senses," Misato returned as she walked into the room. She pulled up a chair and sat down beside Cirus.

"I never lost them, Major. I simply had something to do," Cirus corrected her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Look, I'm glad you're awake, because I think you might want to know this," Misato continued, her tone becoming serious.

Cirus tilted his head in a 'go on' gesture.

"Rei knows you were with her in the room all that time," Misato said after a pause.

Cirus didn't outwardly react, but the food in his stomach quickly turned to a solid lump. "Does she?"

"Yes, I'm not sure how to explain her reaction, but she's been very... jumpy for the past two days."

"How so?"

"Well, her synch has been fluctuating quite a bit within a two-point margin. Also, in general, she's been acting as if she doesn't know what to expect from people around her."

Cirus frowned and sat up, pulling himself out of the bed. He unplugged all of his IVs and stood up.

"What are you doing?" Misato asked with a sigh as Cirus walked past her and started to change back into his clothes.

"I need to speak with her," he answered calmly as he put his coat on.

"Considering how she's acting towards everyone else, she'll be worse with you," Misato pointed out.

"That's what I need to fix," Cirus replied and started for the door.

As the door closed Misato put her legs up on the bed with a sigh. "Maybe that was too mean..."

Cirus walked into the command center and up to Dr. Akagi, who was standing with the three techies at their usual posts.

"Dr. Akagi, do you know where Rei is?" he asked.

Ritsuko turned around and had a surprised look on her face. "You're awake I see. Units 00 and 01 are working on repairing the damage done by the last Angel."

"When are they do back?" Cirus continued calmly, but his voice was more rapid than usual.

"Just a few minutes. You'll probably get to the dock by the time they get down there," Ritsuko answered.

"Thank you," Cirus replied and hurried out of the command center.

Ritsuko pursed her lips to the side. "Hmm, typical boy. He probably thinks she's been acting oddly because of him," she commented.

"Well, her synch rate did go up three points yesterday," Ayobi pointed out with lightly raised eyebrows as he looked back at her.

"Shush, keep working," Ritsuko replied.

"Yes, ma'am," Ayobi said with a sigh, looking back at his console.

Rei watched the large hall pass by as her Eva was brought back down to its cage on the launch pad. When she got into the large hangar that held all the cages she saw Unit 01 across from her, already docking. Once her Eva docked and the entry plug came up, she hopped down lightly and did a system's check briefly before turning to go the locker room.

Her neck was still sore, but she was healing rapidly, so she just rubbed the side of it softly for a moment. She made her way up to the locker room silently and then disappeared within.

Cirus watched from the viewing deck above the hangar and narrowed his eyes. "You're a conniving one, Misato," he commented.

As Rei left the locker room she saw Cirus leaning against the wall. She walked closer to him and gave him a quizzical look. "You've recovered?" she asked.

Cirus had looked up when she had first come out of the locker room. "Yes, thank you. I'm glad to see you up and about, Miss Ayanami," he replied.

Her eyes scanned his again with a creased brow of curiosity. "Were you sitting in that chair while I was unconscious?" she asked finally.

Cirus let out a slight sigh; he wasn't sure how she would take this. "...Yes. Should I not have?"

"Why?" she asked curiously, ignoring his question with softly arched eyebrows.

"...I didn't want you to be alone, Miss Ayanami," he answered calmly and quietly. He was tired of lying to her.

Rei opened her mouth to reply, but closed it. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say in a situation like this, I'm sorry,� she replied finally, her delicate voice drifting into Cirus' ears.

"No response is necessary, Miss Ayanami. I wish to thank you for having possibly saved my life," Cirus changed the subject to let Rei relax.

"I just called the medical staff. I did not save your life," she replied.

"But calling the medical staff is what saved me, Miss Ayanami," Cirus corrected her with a soft smile. "Thank you again and I apologize for disturbing you," he added with a bow of his head to her and then turned and walked down the hall.

Rei followed him with her eyes for a long while. "...You are welcome," she whispered.

"I'm so glad you could come for dinner, Ritsuko," Misato said in a tone that was a little bit too energetic as she downed a can of beer.

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied dryly with a sigh.

Misato, Ritsuko, Shinji, and Asuka were sitting at the kitchen table of Misato's apartment. Eating food that was, of course, instant.

"I'm surprised you came, Dr. Akagi," Shinji began, "considering your last meal here."

"Ey!" Misato shouted.

"Sorry, sorry," Shinji replied.

"Oh don't worry, Shinji. I just hope someone else cooked it," Ritsuko said.

Misato glared at her. "For your information, my cooking is just fine."

The others looked at each other and then to Misato with smiles and nodding. "Of course it is, Misato," Ritsuko added.

"As long as you hold your nose and swallow it whole," Asuka commented quietly as she stirred the food around in its container in front of her.

Misato looked around for a moment and then frowned. "That little rat. I knew he wouldn't show up," she said sourly.

"Who?" Ritsuko asked as she pretended to take a bite.

"Kaji," Misato answered.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

"Hmm, how much?" Ritsuko asked.

"I'll get you for five," Misato replied as she stood up and went for the door.

Misato's voice could be heard from the hall as she let Kaji have it once he was in the door. The two of them walked into the kitchen with Kaji smiling as always.

"Sorry I'm late," Kaji said as he and Misato sat down. "Who cooked?" he asked.

All three hands raised and pointed at Misato.

"Ah... yes... good..." Kaji replied, eyeing his plate warily. "Oh I just remembered I already-"

"You're going to eat every last bit of that!" Misato shouted at him.

Kaji rubbed the back of his head and stared down at the plate. "In most countries that's classified as cruel and unusual punishment."

Ritsuko and Asuka covered their mouths and tried in vain to stop laughing.

Pen-Pen looked down at his meal and stuck his tongue out in disgust before walking back to his fridge.

"He's a picky eater," Misato explained.

Kaji decided to change the subject. "So I heard what happened between the new child and Rei. Anything else of interest happen between them since then?"

Kaji looked around to different versions of head shakes until he got Asuka, who was glaring down at her plate. "Asuka?"

"Nothing," Asuka answered indignantly.

"Oh come on, Asuka. You always answer Kaji," Misato said with a slight edge.

Asuka and Misato glared at each other.

Ritsuko, Shinji, and Kaji sighed.

"Amazing how they can just keep arguing about the same things over and over again," Shinji commented.

"All too true," Kaji agreed.

"At least you two don't have to listen to their diatribes every time this happens. I'm going to be on the phone all night," Ritsuko explained.

Suddenly the phone rang. Misato leaned back with her chair and picked it up.

"Yes?"

Her face turned flat and she slid the chair back to the phone as she listened.

"What is it?" Ritsuko asked as Misato hung up.

"Angel."

"Hyuga, status!" Misato ordered as she ran into the command center, followed quickly by Dr. Akagi.

"I've never seen one this... massive," Hyuga replied, looking up at the view screen.

Misato followed his eyes, but didn't have to. The screen was completely filled with the Angel.

It hovered through the air like some sadistic balloon, but was shaped roughly like a pillar. A face was visible in the middle of one side and dozens of arms extended from all over its body with long blades at the end of each.

"My G'd, it's over a kilometer and a half tall!" Ritsuko exclaimed with wide eyes as she looked at the measurements. "I'm not sure fifty Evas could deal with this."

"We will, Dr. Akagi, because we must," Ikari said calmly from his chair.

Misato took a moment to regain her composure before looking to Ayobi. "Prepare the Evas and launch them."

"Yes, ma'am!"

All four Evas lined up at the launch pads and locked into place. Then each rocketed up the vertical tracks in turn and to the surface.

"You don't ask for much, do you?" Cirus asked dryly as he examined the Angel slowly hovering towards them.

Asuka laughed nervously. "I'm sure they know what we're doing."

"The question is, do we?" Cirus retorted to her privately over the comm.

"My father needs us to win. He'll think of something if no one else does," Shinji added, his voice very cold.

Ritsuko looked up at Ikari urgently. "Perhaps if we do enough damage over a wide area quickly enough, we can do it!"

"Try," Ikari replied calmly.

Ritsuko looked to Misato, who gave a curt nod.

"All of you, launch an immediate assault on the Angel. Attack as broad an area as you can and keep moving!"

Units 01 and 14 split off instantly, quickly followed by Units 00 and 02.

"Shinji, you want the high or the low?" Cirus asked calmly, but quickly.

"You pick!" Shinji replied quickly.

Unit 14 rocketed into the air, both of its forearm blades activating, and attacked the Angel's higher areas, quickly dashing around and along it, slashing more and more.

Unit 01 pulled a rifle from a convenient launch pad, and opened fire on the lower section of the Angel, blowing off arms and attacking different areas.

Unit 00 took aim with its rifle and fired at various areas periodically as it had ammo while Unit 02 leapt in and slashed ferociously with its progressive knife, then fell back for the pilot to catch her breath before leaping again.

"They're doing a large amount of damage, but the Angel is just too big!" Maya reported quickly.

Misato keyed in the private comm. "Cirus, if you have any ideas, I'm listening!"

"Sorry, Major... was hoping you... had your own," Cirus replied between slashes as he strained himself.

Suddenly, one of the Angel's arms lashed out and slashed Unit 14 across the torso. It lost control, and fell to the ground limply.

"Cirus, report!" Misato shouted into the comm.

"I'm here, Major, hold on a moment," his voice came back.

Ritsuko's eyes widened as she saw Unit 14 stand up and resume its attack as if nothing had happened. Maya looked up at the doctor in her own surprise for an explanation, but Ritsuko shook her head.

"On second thought, Major, I do have an idea," Cirus said calmly.

Unit 14 maneuvered around the Angel's mid-section by swinging between its many arms until it was right above the head. It raised one arm and an AT field focused around the forearm blade before it was slammed firmly into the Angel's face.

Cirus looked around himself for a split second to realize his idea had been very, very wrong. A flurry of arms lashed out and slashed at Unit 14 as the face healed. Unit 14 generated a shield with its AT field and it took most of the hits, but two landed solidly, slicing the power cord and almost severing the right arm completely.

Cirus gritted his teeth against the stabbing pain in his right shoulder and lost control of his Eva again, falling to the ground.

"Unit 14 down!" Hyuga shouted.

"Somebody get Cirus out of there!" Misato ordered.

"I can't get to him!" Shinji shouted.

"Neither can I!" Asuka reported.

Misato almost smiled at the twist of fate as Unit 00 broke off its attack and ran for Unit 14.

"Unit 01, cover Rei!" Misato ordered.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Unit 01 let off a more intense volley at a concentrated area as Unit 00 ran behind him and past him to get to Unit 14.

"Distance?" Misato asked as the slight break appeared.

"It's only ten kilometers away from us!" Ayobi answered.

Unit 00 dived and rolled, grabbing Unit 14 around the waistline and pulling it along with itself. "Unit 14 is recovering," Rei reported.

"Good work, Rei. Get back to the fight," Misato replied.

"Yes," Rei responded and Unit 00 ran back to the Angel, opening fire as it did.

"Miss Ibuki, what is the status of the target?" Ikari asked.

"It's barely being phased by the assault, Commander!" Maya shouted her answer.

"Any ideas?" Fuyutsuki asked Ikari quietly.

"Hyuga, give me a direct line to Unit 14," Ikari ordered suddenly.

"Y-yes, sir," Hyuga responded disjunctively, but did as ordered. "He can hear you, sir!"

"Mr. Trent, you were sent by SEELE. I know they sent you prepared to take on all of NERV alone," Ikari said.

Silence answered him.

"What about Rei?" Ikari asked in a low voice.

"Don't do this to me, Ikari," Cirus' reply came quietly.

"You are here to destroy Angels as well as whatever SEELE has in mind for you. Act now or we all die!" Ikari shouted.

Maya gasped as she looked Unit 14's stats. "Oh my gosh... it..."

"Has an S2 organ," Ritsuko finished with narrowed eyes.

Unit 14 rose up and healed completely as its eyes flashed. "Shinji, do you know how to use your S2 organ yet?" Cirus asked over the main comm.

"Uh... n-no," Shinji replied as he fired again at the Angel.

"Very well, I'll have to teach you later," Cirus replied, an undertone of anger apparent in his voice.

"I don't believe it," Misato said quietly as Unit 14 started to charge the Angel.

"I can't handle this completely, Ikari, but I will do my best," Cirus reported coldly.

"That's all I can ask," Ikari replied.

"Shinji, get down!" Cirus shouted as Unit 14 ran towards the Angel, from behind Unit 01.

The purple Eva dived as Unit 14 leapt into the air with ferocious power, its forearm blades glowing as it dove into the Angel and streaked over its surface, slashing deep cuts into the Angel's body as it appeared to ignore gravity and run all over its form. With a final running leap, while dragging his forearm blade through the Angel's body, Cirus leapt off the Angel and crashed to the ground.

"...That...is... all... I...can..." Cirus coughed violently and then Unit 14 collapsed again.

"All units, open fire!" Misato shouted.

Unit 02 pulled a rifle from its launch pad and joined Units 00 and 01 as they unleashed a massive salvo of ammunition into the Angel. An ear-piercing screech emanated from the Angel as it split along dozens of lines and then shattered with a violent explosion. All three Evas raised their arms against the blast to keep from being blinded.

Cirus' face appeared on the view screen. His nose was bleeding violently and he was sweating a great deal. "I've only got one last trick up my sleeve now, Ikari..."

"Cirus, return to the cage. You need medical help," Ritsuko said into the comm.

Cirus shook his head, but then the signal died and Unit 14 collapsed completely.

"Get Cirus back to the dock!" Misato ordered.

Unit 01 helped Unit 14 up and dragged it to its launch pad before going down itself. Units 00 and 02 proceeded down shortly afterwards.

Ritsuko looked up at Ikari and saw his faint smile on his face. Depending on what it meant, she suddenly felt awful.

All of the Evas docked at basically the same time, so when Cirus climbed down from his plug the others were watching as the medical unit rushed up to him. He shoved the first person aside forcibly and then walked past the others. His nose was still bleeding in a profuse manner. He had to hold his hand to it just to keep it from spreading all over his suit. The way he was walking looked as if he was injured in other ways also.

"Please, sir, you need medical attention!" one of the nurses called after him.

"Just leave me alone!" Cirus shouted back as he made his way to the locker room.

Shinji looked from Cirus across to Rei and saw that she was following it intently. He turned back just in time to see Asuka run in after Cirus.

Cirus was washing his face in the sink when Asuka ran in.

"Are you alright?!" she asked.

"I'll be fine, Asuka. Don't worry, just go," Cirus answered, his voice slightly muffled by the water.

Asuka reached out to him, but he turned his head to her and shook it. "Just go," he repeated.

"I'm worried about you, Cirus. You're not acting like you usually do!" Asuka shouted at him, but it was evident she was far more scared than angry.

Cirus supported himself on the sink with his arms, his head lulling down. "Asuka, I appreciate your concern, but don't worry, I'll be fine. Please just go."

Asuka ignored him and stepped closer, putting her hand on his shoulder. He winced and reflexively pulled away from her, but stopped short and forced himself to relax.

"You're hurt badly. Please go to the medical bay," Asuka pleaded with him.

"Asuka, please..." Cirus' voice was hoarse.

"Why don't you ever listen to me?!" she roared at him, but it was out of anguish and she was starting to cry.

"I am listening, but I can only treat this myself. Please go," Cirus repeated again.

She ran off sobbing and Cirus sighed before he slammed his fist into the mirror above the sink, shattering it.

Cirus looked up and saw Shinji standing there. "Tell them to call my apartment in two days, that's how long it will take me to recover," he told Shinji and then limped past him, clutching his right shoulder.

"How do you know they'll listen?" Shinji asked him as he walked.

"Because, if they don't, I can shut them down," Cirus answered calmly.

"Two days? Considering his injuries I find that odd," Ikari replied to Asuka's report.

"That's what he told me,� Asuka confirmed.

Shinji had relayed it to her for Cirus, not wanting to face his father at the time.

"Hmm, well done Asuka. Dismissed.�

Asuka bowed her head and quickly left his office. Ikari raised an eyebrow as the door closed. "Fuyutsuki, what do you think?"

"The boy has proved his loyalty. I see no reason why he would suddenly start lying to us now," Fuyutsuki answered.

"Unless SEELE has gotten a hold of him."

"Perhaps."

"This is foolishness, neither NERV or SEELE can do anything at the time being. The Angels are my primary concern," Ikari stated, sitting back in his chair.

"So you're going to let him take his two days, then?"

Ikari gave a faint nod as he turned the chair and looked out the large window behind his desk. "He would take at least that long in our medical facility, as you well know, Fuyutsuki. We may as well let him make himself useful," Ikari answered.

"Understood."