DISCLAIMER: None of the characters of NG: Evangelion belong to me, which is probably why I�m broke right now and the guys at Gainax are dining out and driving fancy cars...but, anyway, I digress. No ownership claimed, no money made.

*Author�s Note: This story takes place shortly before the Evangelion episode �Weaving a Story,� but is also before Touji�s selection as a pilot. Also--words within paratheses are flashbacks. :)

�Rise. Bow.�

By this time, the movement was automatic; the children shuffled from their desks, stood waiting for a few respective, yawning moments, then sidled back into the warm comfort of their desks to doze off during yet another of Sensei�s rambles about the Second Impact.

�Hey, Third Child.�

Shinji turned around at the sound of the harsh whisper, wondering what form of abuse the girl might have prepared for him today... �What is it, Asuka?� he asked meekly.

The girl brushed her long red hair back from her shoulders, lifting her nose carefully into the air as she folded slender arms across a chest much too bountiful for the good of any fourteen-year-old. �Hrmph. As if you don�t know.�

Shinji raised a dark eyebrow, groaning inwardly as Sensei�s droning voice began to echo through the room with drawling stubbornness. �Asuka, I really have no ide--�

�Sure, you do!� she exclaimed, a little too loudly, anger flaring brief and violent in the ice blue of her eyes. Sensei didn�t seem to notice, not surprisingly. �Oh, don�t tell me you actually don�t know what I�m talking about?� As Shinji shook his head, Asuka rolled her eyes. �Mien Gott! You really *are* clueless, aren�t you? Well, let me put it another way. Have you see Wonder Girl today?�

Shinji started, suddenly realizing that he hadn�t. In fact, he hadn�t seen any sign of Rei for several days, now that he thought of it... �No...where is she, Asuka?�

�If I knew *that* I wouldn�t be asking a moron like *you*,� the girl bit out, rolling her eyes once more, perhaps just for the satisfaction of the movement. �It all has something to do with your father, so *naturally* I assumed you might know something about it.� She exhaled briefly in amusement, raising both eyebrows high onto her head as her musical voice continued. �I guess I was wrong.�

Anger, strange and foreign, bubbled up within the boy, and for a long moment he seriously considered wrapping his fingers around that pretty throat and choking the life out of it...

No. I won�t do that...I won�t give her the satisfaction...

Nearly shuddering in anger, Shinji breathed in a calming breath. �Just because he�s my father doesn�t mean I have to like him,� he said coldly, meeting her gaze with unexpected strength. His eyes narrowed suddenly. �How would you know it had to do with him, anyway?�

Asuka shrugged. �I don�t know,� she sang. �Maybe a *real* man told me...�

�Kaji told you?�

Again, the shrug. �Maaaaybe...�

�Asuka, do you have to be so--�

�And, so that�s why I want you all to compose a paper for next week about just that.�

The two started, suddenly realizing that they�d apparently missed something rather large during their argument, and stared in horror as the remainder of the students (those who were awake, that is) hurriedly typing the old man�s instructions into their desktop computers.

�Ow!� Shinji exclaimed as the flat of Asuka�s hand connected with the side of his shoulder with surprising force. �Why�d you hit me?�

�Because! You made me miss the assignment!�

�You�re the one who--�

�Shh,� Hikari hissed, turning briefly around in her seat. �Not that I should tell you this since you weren�t paying attention, but the assignment is to write an essay about one of your parents and your relationship with them. Three pages, typed, due next Tuesday. Now, please, be quiet!�

Shinji�s mouth dropped open. �An essay about...about one of my parents?�

�Shh!�

A few hours later, Shinji sat dully at the kitchen table, a pen poised in one hand and a blank sheet of paper beneath his fist. This wasn�t working.

What can I write about? I could talk about my mother...but, I don�t even remember what she looked like. And, my father...no. What the hell am I supposed to write about??

A flash of red from the doorway alerted him to the fact that Asuka had poked her head into the kitchen, although the sound of the television still blared from the other room. He didn�t look up. �Gah. Are you *still* working on that stupid essay, Shinji?�

He glanced up in surprise. �You can�t be finished already, Asuka.�

�Of *course* I�m finished. It was simple.�

Shinji frowned. �Who did you write about?�

�What does it matter? I�m done, aren�t I? Sensei won�t know whether I wrote the truth or not.�

�You made it up?�

�Of course! What are you, stupid? Sensei doesn�t want to hear about NERV commanders and dead mothers, he wants to hear something--� At this point, Asuka screwed her face up and placed her folded hands beneath her chin, smiling with almost painful-sweetness. �--nice and sweet and bursting with family values.� Abruptly, she removed her hands. �And, so that�s what I wrote. Simple.�

�Just...make something up?�

�Gaaah! I give up. You�re too stupid for words. Warum vergeuden Sie meine Zeit mit Ihnen!?� This said, Asuka retreated back to the living room and plopped loudly onto the couch, muttering in German as she went.

Yet another reason Shinji was glad he�d never bothered to learn the language.

�Just...make something up,� he murmured, frowning at the paper. �Make something up...�

My father loves me very much, and I love him, too.

�Gah! No, I can�t take this!� Angrily, Shinji grabbed the paper between his fingers and crumpled it into a small ball, then hurled the ball as far away from himself as possible, accidentally striking Pen-Pen in the head as the squat bird crossed the room. The boy paid no attention to the irate penguin, however, as he dropped his head into his hands and exhaled deeply, dropping the pen in frustration. �This is stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why should I have to write about my father? What�s he ever done for me, anyway?�

Scowling, Shinji ripped another piece of paper from a nearby notepad and retrieved his pen from the floor, glaring at the mocking blankness of the sheet even as he shook the pen slightly and began to write, his words coming in a gush of anger and frustration, fueled from the very depths of his soul.

It�s his fault I am the way I am. It�s his fault I run away from things. He ran away first! He�s a terrible man, and I hate him more than I�ve ever hated anyone else in my entire life, and I hope that he

�What the hell are you writing?� came a loud, biting voice direectly in his ear, causing him to drop his pen again and thus pause midsentence. �You can�t write about that, you moron! �Why I Hate My Father?� Boy, you *are* stupid!�

Flushing slightly from anger or embarrassment, the boy snatched up his paper and shoved his chair backwards violently, then stormed out of the room. Asuka watched him go, hands on her hips, shaking her head. �Dummkopf,� she muttered.

Massaging his bearded chin with an index finger and thumb, Gendo Ikari frowned into the monitor. �Any change?�

Maya Ibuki shook her head, sending short wisps of dark brown hair splashing across the exposed skin of her ears, and once again splayed her fingers across the keyboard to check the results of the sync test. �No, sir. Readouts are still the same. The unit seems to be refusing the connection.�

The Supreme Commander of NERV crossed the small room so he stood before the large window overlooking the test area, his gloved hands folded carefully behind his back, and stared down at the purple and green giant, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. �Yui, why do you refuse me?� He stared for a few more moments, his brow creased as the techs rushed around the monstrosity that was the evangelion, before returning to the comm unit near the desk. �Dr. Akagi.�

The blonde doctor glanced up from where she stood in the control room below. �Yes, Commander?�

�Take Rei out of Unit 01. We�ll try again in a few hours.�

�Yes, sir.�

Deep frown lines obscuring her pale features, Ritsuko Akagi turned to the new tech seated a few feet away from her, pushing her glasses absently up her nose as she did so. �Mr. Sab�ku.�

Sh� Sab�ku, a tall, swarthy green-eyed man of about twenty-eight, turned from his console and met her gaze. �Yes, Ma�am?�

�Delete Ayanami�s RAM and reconfigure Unit 01 for its usual pilot, data retrieval code A3477P426799.�

Sab�ku nodded curtly at the unexpected responsibility, exchanging pleased glances with Maya Ibuki as he did so. �Yes, Ma�am. Thank you.�

He flopped onto the bed with a small exhalation of air and allowed his body to go limp, to relax and be momentarily freed of the scrapings of tension within it. Gently, he let his eyes drift close, their dark blue depths covered by flickering lids, and begged sleep to wash over him. Of course, it didn�t work. He�d never been able to sleep when he actually wanted to.

The boy rolled over onto his back and, hearing a slight crinkling as he did so, realized he still held the crumpled sheet of pen-streaked paper in his hand. He lifted it above him, blocking the ceiling light from view, and stared at his angry words once more, feeling yet another outpouring of anger as the injustices committed against him were again reaffirmed within his mind.

This is all the truth. I don�t see why I shouldn�t write about the truth.

     (�I called you because I had a use for you...�)

He hates me. He always has. And, I hate him. I won�t hide from it anymore--I truly hate him, and everyone would be better off if he would just...just...

     (�The pilot was trapped inside.  Your father opened the super-heated hatch with his bare 
hands...�)

How can he care about her so much and me so little? Why Ayanami? What is she to him?

Sighing deeply, the young pilot let the crinkled paper float gently to the ground, then covered his face tightly with the suffocating weight of his pillow and waited for sleep.

Background Music: Misato

The sun rose gently and quietly over Tokyo-3, glistening off the metallic sheens of the buildings, glinting off the quake-protected glass, sweeping through automotively-crowded streets, and, eventually, streamed through the seventh floor window of a large apartment building in the old section of town.

�Hey, dummkopf!�

WHAM!

Groaning in pain as the girl�s foot connected with his rib cage, Shinji Ikari woke, his eyes squinting and crusty, his mouth filled with the gum of sleep, his mind whirling and confused. He frowned at the irate redhead above him, wondering when he was going to be struck for his less than flattering view beneath the fabric of her skirt due to the angle she stood at...however, it seemed as if the second child had her mind on more important matters.

�Wh...whatisit, Asuka?� he slurred, dragging himself into a sitting position and rubbing the throbbing spot where he�d been kicked.

�Not that you DESERVE to be told this, Third Child...but we�ve just been called to NERV headquarters.� Asuka smiled prettily. �No school for us today.�

�Oh.�

The girl raised an eyebrow. �Oh? Is that all you have to say for yourself? Typical male response. Hrmph.� This said, the young pilot turned smartly on her heel and began to move towards the sliding door of the room, then paused just before the exit, her hand on the wood of the doorframe. �You should be happy.�

He stared at her for a moment, frowning. �Why?�

Asuka scowled. �We�re supposed to pick up Wonder Girl along the way. Seems they want us to come in together.� Her face still screwed up in the expression, the girl slid open the door and stepped out into the hallway, leaving Shinji alone with his thoughts.

�Ayanami?�

�Ohhh, Wonder Giiiirl,� Asuka sang, her knuckles rapping quickly against the pale wood of the door. �We�re heeeeeeere!�

The two stared at the unresponsive door for a few moments before Asuka shrugged and turned away. �Ah, well. I guess she left without us. Ohhh, well. Come on, Shinji, let�s--�

Without warning, the door swung open, and--clad in the neat bows and ribbons of her school uniform, Rei Ayanami stepped out, her pale blue hair combed to frame her slender face, the crimson of her eyes fastened unwaveringly on her two visitors. �I am ready.�

The Second Child�s expression darkened noticeably at the sight of the other pilot, but she said nothing--in Japanese, anyway. She did, however, mutter several comments in German beneath her breath, but both Rei and Shinji managed to ignore these rather well. Exchanging nothing more than idle greetings in the way of conversation, the group set off down the street, their feet moving in eery synchronization, each pilot wholly consumed with his or her own thoughts. It was not until they had walked several blocks and were just passing through a more business-driven section of Tokyo-3 when Asuka suddenly broke the pact of silence, skidding to an abrupt halt in front of the entrance to a squat building.

�Oh, I almost forgot--I have to get something in here.�

Shinji stared at her. �What?�

Anger, roaring and violent, flashed in the pale blue of the girl�s eyes. �Do you have a problem with that, Third Child?� she demanded, moving a step closer so the boy could suffer through the full benefit of her wrath.

The Third Child paled and stepped back, mumbling quietly in submission.

Asuka smiled sweetly. �That�s better. Now. As I was saying...I�ll be right back. I just need to pick something up, and then we can continue on our merry way.� Glaring once more with brief brutality at the only male member of the group, Asuka flounced away and into the nearby store, the flame of her hair sweeping backwards across her shoulders as she went.

Sighing, Shinji watched her go, already beginning to tap his foot from impatience. A few moments later, he risked a glance at Rei, who stood a few feet away from him. He frowned. The girl stood perfectly still, eyes staring vacantly at a spot in the nearby roadway, her face calmed of all expression, the strands of blue hair flickering in the wind the only signs of movement on the girl.

He swallowed. �Uh...so...�

Silence.

�So...uh...Ayanami...uh...�

Silence.

Nervously, he cleared his throat, frantically scanning his mind for any sort of conversational topic... Suddenly, it came to him. �Uh, Ayanami!�

�...yes?�

�Uh...for, uh...for school, you know, we have to...uh...we have to write about one of...one of our parents. And, I was just...um...just wondering...who you wrote about?�

The girl blinked, and her lips parted a centimeter to allow a response, but aside from that, she didn�t move. �I have not been in school for several days, Ikari. I thought you were aware of that.�

�Oh...oh, right...sorry...I, erm...forgot...�

Silence.

�It is...it is all right.�

Silence.

�Ikari.�

�Hrm?�

Rei turned slightly to face him, her expression flat and emotionless, yet something within the crimson of her eyes seemed to suddenly burst with life and feeling. �Did you write about Commander Ikari?�

Slowly, Shinji�s cheeks began to grow a bright red as he thought of the terrible words he�d written the night before, and a part of his mind flashed back to those few moments on the escalator so long ago, when Rei�s delicate hand had slammed across his face with stinging force...he was just opening up his mouth to answer, however, when the sound of squealing breaks caught both children�s attention.

Background Music: Life's Ruin

A long black sedan with tinted windows squeaked to a stop right in front of them, its tires smoking with the effort of the stop, and suddenly there was the sound of a door opening, of two booted feet stepping heavily onto the pavement. Shinji watched with only a touch of concern, half-thinking this was perhaps some personal escort from NERV headquarters, as had been done in the past..yet, very quickly, it became apparent that this was not the case.

Soon, a head had emerged from the door, its slender face covered by the black fabric of a ski mask, the body beneath it clad in a long dark trench coat and pants of a matching shade. And, in its hands...was a gun.

Rei did not move or otherwise alter her calm expression, her eyes fixed on the fast-moving body. She did not move even as the man stared directly at her and levelled the gun at her chest.

Shinji watched in helpless fascination, his thoughts moving much too slowly--one moment, he and Rei had been talking calmly, and the next..the next, a car pulled up and a man with a gun jumped out? That wasn�t right--it couldn�t be! Weren�t NERV security supposed to be watching over them? Wasn�t this broad daylight? And, who would want to kill Rei??

No...this can�t be real...kill Ayanami? They can�t...they...can�t...

The man with the gun emitted a harsh laugh. �See ya later, doll,� he muttered, then with only a slight movement to betray the action, he squeezed the trigger.

Shinji didn�t think. To think would be to consider the consequences of the action, and he certainly didn�t do that. He saw only the immediate problem--a man was going to shoot Rei, and that simply couldn�t be allowed to happen. Thus, with this in mind, the fourteen-year-old sprang into action. He was moving even before he noticed the spray of bullets speeding towards him, and as he collided with Rei, knocking her down to the ground and out of harm�s way, a part of him realized the obvious conclusion of his actions, yet another part truly didn�t care.

The bullets ripped into him with agonizing force, driving the young boy to his knees on the rough concrete of the sidewalk, and as he gasped for breath among the sudden suffocation of pain within his body, he watched the man--who cursed under his breath at the sound of approaching feet from just around the corner--duck back into the car and speed away in a small cloud of grey smoke, leaving the two children alone for a few moments.

Shinji sank onto his back on the ground, his breathing harsh and labored, his eyes going rapidly unfocused as the warm flood of scarlet seeped from his holes in his flesh, soiling the carefully-starched fabric of his button-up shirt and spreading around his prone body in an ever-expanding pool of draining life. Suddenly, a face appeared in his clouding vision, and he struggled to focus on the delicate features, the fine strands of blue hair, the large crimson eyes, their shade so much like blood... Yet, now, their red depths now filled with an odd sort of puzzlement as the girl stared at him in a kind of concerned confusion.

�Ikari,� she said softly, �why did you do that?�

He coughed once, violently, feeling the warmth of blood on his lips, and managed a weak smile. �I...I couldn�t let you be...be killed, Ayanami...�

�Hrm...this one, or this one?�

Meanwhile, in the very bowels of a nearby supermarket, Asuka Langley Soryu stood before a large display of products, one item in each hand as she continued to deliberate. Suddenly, there was the sound of the supermarket�s front door swinging open with the jangling of bells, and Asuka glanced up just in time to see Rei Ayanami, her pale face contorted into an odd and unidentifiable expression, burst in through the door.

Asuka scowled, returning quickly to the task at hand. �What do YOU want, Wonder Girl?�

Silence.

�Look, tell Shinji I�ll be out in a minute. Geez, he�s so impatient..

If possible, the First Child�s voice seemed softer than usual. �It is not that.�

Growling, Asuka spun around and faced the other girl, shaking one of the cans in her hand menacingly as she did so. �Well, then what the hell do you want??�

Silence.

�Raaagh!� she exclaimed unintelligibly, turning back to the display in frustration. �I�ll say this very slowly, so try to understand--next time, don�t bother me unless you actually have something to sa--�

�Ikari has been shot.�

The girl froze where she stood, her mouth hanging unflatteringly open, and the cans slowly dropped from her fingers and fell with dull thuds to the floor. �What?!�

�He�s been WHAT?�

The voice over the phone, tinny and grainy due to the bad connection, sighed deeply. �Misato, please. Try to stay calm.�

�STAY CALM!?� the young woman exploded, her voice echoing loudly through the empty apartment. �How can I stay calm when Shinji�s been...been...� She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the ache beginning to grow within the fragile area of her heart. Setting her jaw firmly, Misato Katsuragi forced open her eyes. �How could something like this happen? Where was NERV Security?�

The voice on the other end of the line hesitated briefly before speaking. �They...they were called off assignment for today.�

�WHAT! Why? On whose orders?�

�Commander Ikari�s. They were needed elsewhere, and since it didn�t seem as if the children were in any immediate danger...�

�Well, apparently, they were!�

Ritsuko sighed. �Getting angry at me will not change the circumstances, Misato.�

The dark-haired woman stared at the phone in her hand for a long moment, her face a mask of anguish and anger, before at last allowing her expression to soften slightly. �I�m sorry,� she managed quiety, hanging her head. �I...I know it�s not your fault. I just...�

�...want someone to blame?�

�I...I guess so. Ritsuko...where is he?�

�He had to be rushed to the nearest ER--NERV hospital staff couldn�t arrive quickly enough to save him, and so non-NERV-personnel at the local hospital have him at the moment. As soon as he�s been stabilized, we�ll bring him here.� The blonde doctor paused briefly, as if contemplating whether or not to speak. Finally, she sighed. �It doesn�t look good, Misato. He was shot point blank in the chest and abdomen three times. He wasn�t breathing when the ambulance picked him up...from what I understand, they�ve put him on life support machines, but...the chances aren�t good.�

�I�ll be at headquarters in ten minutes.�

Firmly, Misato closed her thumb over the power button on the cellular phone, her teeth clenched tightly together, her cheek twitching only slightly in the face of such tension. It was with great restraint that she did not glance into the empty hole of Shinji�s room as she crossed the hallway and disappeared into her own chambers, yet she couldn�t help but wonder if the room would ever be occupied again.

Background Music: Rei 1

No visitors. Not stable...life support... Dummkopf. Had to go and get yourself shot when I�ve got more important things to do... Stupid Shinji.

The First Child glanced up as Asuka entered the drably-colored waiting room, her crimson eyes alight with what was almost an expression of hope. Almost. �Is Ikari going to be all right?� she asked quietly, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Asuka considered utilizing her usual sarcasm as a response, yet something in the girl�s eyes changed her mind, and the girl--much as she would never have admitted it--actually felt a sort of kinship towards the other pilot at that moment, perhaps as they both shared the joined tragedy of the day, or at least a common worry and concern. She sighed, leaning her back against the nearest wall and resisting the urge to sink wearily to her knees on the floor. �I don�t know. The doctors don�t seem to think so.�

The corners of the girl�s thin lips turned slightly downwards. �Are they giving up on him?�

The Second Child closed her eyes briefly, wondering for a few moments what life might be like without Shinji�s irritating presence within it...no one to kick out of bed in the morning, no one to call stupid, no one to swear at in German, no one to talk to, no one to share the view of Tokyo-3 with...no one to...care about... Shuddering, Asuka wrapped her slender arms around herself and let the blue of her eyes drift open. �I don�t know,� she answered softly. �I really don�t know.�

His gloved hands folded carefully in front of his nose, the Supreme Commander of NERV, Gendo Ikari, studied his visitor in the selective lighting of his office, his dark eyes expressionless beneath yellow-tinged glasses. �Hello, Major,� he said slowly. �I take it you�ve heard of the status of the Third Child?�

Misato flinched. How can he be so calm? �Y-yes...sir. About that, sir.� Inhaling a small, calming breath of the carefully-recycled air, the young woman allowed a trace of anger to creep into her voice. �Why wasn�t NERV Security on duty this morning? If they had been, perhaps this entire situation could have been avoided...�

�Major,� interjected the commander calmly, �have you forgotten the fact that there have been no human attempts on the lives of any of the pilots at any point in NERV history, and that all odds were for the fact that one day without Security would do them no harm?�

�Yes, and look what happened because of that assumption! Shinji�s lying in a hospital bed, half-dead and not getting any better!�

Ikari removed his hands, placed them palm-down on the large desk before him. �If necessary, the Third Child can be replaced. The Marduk Report can easily--�

�REPLACED?� Misato bellowed, effectively cutting him off mid-sentence. She noticed the dark orbs of the man�s eyes widen slightly, and actually felt a touch of satisfaction that she�d at last been able to pierce through the emotionless fa�ade that was the man�s primary defense against all aspects of life. �How can you be so cold? He�s your son!�

Seemingly recovered from his momentary shock, Gendo Ikari leaned forward, the oval-shaped frames of his glasses sliding slightly down his nose with the movement. �He is also a pilot of Evangelion, Major, meaning his purpose is to protect mankind from eradication by the angels. Will mankind be protected if NERV shuts down for a day to mourn him?�

Her lips set in a firm line, Misato did not reply, the salty presence of tears welling beneath her eyelids.

�Major?�

�...no, sir.�

�Very well, then, we understand each other. Dismissed.�

Wiping vaguely at the area of her eyes as the long-restrained tears threatened to spill forth, Misato Katsuragi turned quickly on her heel and walked towards the room�s only exit, cursing the man silently as she went, her mind swirling with rage and injustice and anguish...

�Major.�

The woman stopped just before the door, and such was her anger that she didn�t even bother to turn to face the man addressing her. �Yes, sir.�

There was a slight pause, and when the man spoke again, his voice seemed oddly strained. �Inform me if Shinji�s condition changes.�

She still refused to turn to so much as glance at him, yet her expression slowly softened, and the anger bled from her in a great gush, leaving behind only a weary sort of sorrow. �I will, sir.� Misato paused for a moment, deliberating. �Commander...�

�Yes, Major?�

�You know that...that the shooter wasn�t aiming for Shinji...he was aiming for Rei. Shinji pushed her out of the way... I thought you might want to put some extra security around Rei just in case...whoever it was tries again.� This said, Misato stepped through the door and out into the hallway, leaving the commander to his thoughts.

Still devoid of any show of emotion, Gendo watched calmly as the sleek grey door slid quietly shut behind Katsuragi. An infinitesimal curving of his lips, the only expression to adorn the man�s face throughout the entire course of the conversation, twisted the commander�s features into something which was almost a sour smile. �You see it in her, too, don�t you, Shinji?� he asked aloud, although of course no one was there to hear him.

Meanwhile, in the hospital complex of NERV Headquarters, a team of doctors and surgeons stood just outside a room whose door was guarded by two men dressed completely in black, their voices low as they discussed the state of their most recent and seemingly-hopeless patient. Their words, however, reached more ears than they might have anticipated, as a pert-featured face framed by fiery red hair peered cautiously around the nearest corner, hearing all their words with a sense very akin to dread.

Her eyes widening slightly at the diagnosis, Asuka Langley Soryu leaned away from the corner and placed her back against the cool surface of the wall, glancing behind her only briefly at her unlikely companion.

Rei Ayanami frowned slightly. �I cannot hear well from here. What are they saying?�

Asuka scowled. �Nothing good, Wonder Girl.�

The aforementioned Wonder Girl nodded slightly. �They do not expect him to survive?�

Cardiac arrest...punctured lung...little or no chance of survival...

Without a word of response, the fourteen-year-old redhead stepped away from her companion, turned the corner, and was soon fast approaching the still-conversing team of doctors and surgeons. Her back was tall and straight, her nose slightly uplifted, her mouth set in a firm, determined line as she waited for someone to notice her presence. Her slender arms folded carefully across her chest, Asuka cleared her throat loudly and was moderately pleased when the doctors started and spun around to face her.

�What the hell are you kids doing back here?� one of them cried. �This is a restricted area!�

Kids? Asuka didn�t need to turn to realize who had been following silently as she made her way down the hallway, although she did feel a burst of irritation at the other girl�s presence just behind her. Damn it, Wonder Girl... Brushing away her annoyance, Asuka glared at the speaker, giving him the full benefit of the wrath which had pushed Shinji into submission more times than the girl could count. �We�re not �kids,� dummkopf--we�re Eva pilots, and we have a right to be here. Now. Either you let us in to see Shinji, or else--�

�You can�t threaten us!� a young woman surgeon exclaimed, scowling at the girl. �And, you can�t see him, either. He�s in very unstable condition, and cannot be bothered by visitors. If you would come back in a few days, perhaps...�

Asuka raised both eyebrows. �If what you were saying a few minutes ago is true, then he doesn�t have a few days, does he?�

The woman�s confident face fell, yet stil she persisted. �He might survive until then. The point is, we can�t afford to make exceptions. It�s him we�re trying to look out for, after all. Too many visitors could damage him someho--�

Suddenly, the door to Shinji�s room swung open, and, receiving the startled stares of all who stood within the hallway, a tall man stepped out. �Let them in,� said Gendo Ikari calmly, adjusting his glasses with an index finger.

�But, sir, you can�t--�

�I am the Supreme Commander of NERV, Doctor. I can do whatever I want. Now. I will not repeat myself.�

The doctor hung her head, and let out a low growl before at last responding with a meek, �Y-yes, sir.� Angrily, she turned to the smug Asuka and the typically-emotionless Rei. �Go on. You�ve got ten minutes. Any longer, and I�ll come in there and drag you out myself, understand?�

Asuka smiled sweetly. �Yes, Ma�am.�

Her lips spread wide in a grin and her hands clasped behind her back, the redhead sauntered past Gendo Ikari and entered the hospital room, Rei following closely behind. As she entered the room, however, the smile abruptly faded from her face.

�Mein Gott,� she murmured, staring in shock at the still form lying in the bed, her feet tugging her forward even before she had recollection of commanding them to move.

Shinji lay on his back beneath a thin white blanket, his face pale and slack, his eyes tightly closed and framed in a bruising shade of unhealthy violet, his nose and mouth covered by the plastic suction of the breathing apparatus. He seemed smaller than usual, somehow, and although the thin cotton blanket covered them, his wounds were obvious from the lumps of blood-stained bandages beneath the fabric. The room was silent but for the hissing of air through plastic tubes and the occasional beep of the medical equipment in the corner.

Surprisingly, it was Rei who finally broke the silence. �Ikari must not die,� she said, drawing the startled stares of both of the other occupants of the still room.

To Be Continued...

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