Authored by Godsend777 Eva is Copyright GAINAX All situations just happen Do not post without permission ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE DEATH OF ONE CHAPTER 5 Part 3 - Tears/'Don't Cry For Me' – A Promise is a Promise ----------------------------------------------------------------- For her, it is uncomfortable. Her legs are held tight by the stirrups, and she feels she is vulnerable. Had this occurred a few months ago, she might not have been bothered by it. But now, she cannot seem to stand the cold object that Dr. Akagi is using... And suddenly she finds that she does not want to think about it. "Dr. Akagi... why is this happening?" She gasps. Thankfully, the good doctor removes the object from her... Again, she tries not to think about it. "You had sex. We have to determine what may happen. Especially since the both of you are..." Her voice trails off, leaving the implied meaning hanging in the air. However, Rei catches the meaning quite clearly, and frowns. "Because Ikari and I are 'more than human.'" She states coldly, using a term Fuuyutsuki had once said when she was younger. "You know I don't think of you like that, Rei." Ritsuko calmly says as she puts the 'sample' she had just taken from Rei underneath a microscope. "You can get dressed now." The girl does so, picking up her clothing and changing by the examination table's side. The blonde-haired scientist rolls her eyes at her friend's behavior before returning to the task at hand. "It's probably those types of actions that led to this, you know." She says sarcastically. Rei turns to her and gives her a quizzical look. "What do you mean, Ritsuko-san?" "Sigh... Rei, fasten your bra first." "Yes." She finishes dressing and goes to the doctor's side. "Anyway, I think you should be more conservative about your body. Do you always dress and undress in front of him?" "No. I only started two days ago after we had become one for the first time." "Geez..." Ritsuko mutters as she walks over to another desk. It is covered with papers and unimportant files, as well as trinkets in the shape of cats. In the center sits an average sized PC with the words 'MAGI Terminal' flashing across the screen. She types in her keyword then turns back to the girl. "How many times have you two 'become one?'" She asks, the curiosity in her voice very apparent. Rei blushes slightly before responding in a soft voice. "I... didn't hear you." Ritsuko stammers, hoping that what she thought she heard was wrong. "At least seven times." Rei responds. Ritsuko's pen drops to the ground as she starts to rub her temples. "I think I'd better call Misato..." She groans. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Asuka! Open up!" Misato yells as she pounds on the door to her charge's room. For the past two days, she had only set foot outside to either use the bathroom or to get food. At least that was what Misato thought. She hadn't actually seen her do these things. "You need to go to school! Hikari's called twice and she's worried about you!" "Leave me alone!" "No! What's wrong?" "NOTHING!" The young girl screams as the sound of something heavy hitting the door follows. Misato instinctively takes a step back and promptly trips on a discarded coffee can that causes her to fall backwards with a loud thump. "Owwwwwww." She groans as she rubs her butt. She begins to stand up when a hand presents itself in front of her face. "Are you okay?" Asuka asks. Misato stares at her and softly takes her hand, noting the worried look on the redhead's face. "I'm fine, Asuka. I'm more worried about you, though. What happened?" She asks as she allows the girl to help her stand. "I don't want to talk about it." She quickly replies. "What's for dinner?" "Ummm... okay." She dusts some dirt off her bottom and walks to the kitchen. "If you're not going to tell me about it, at least tell me why you suddenly decided to come out." She grabs a beer and two TV dinners from the fridge, then stops and replaces the beer with some orange juice. Asuka, having decided not to retreat back into her room, slowly walks to join Misato in the kitchen. "Because you sounded like you hurt yourself." She responds. "Oh. Thanks." The two stand in silence as Misato goes about preparing their dinners via the microwave. Eventually, Asuka tires of standing and sits at the table. "Misato?" She asks, her head laying flat against the table as her left hand idly taps the surface. "Hmm?" "Do you think Shinji thought I was pretty?" "What the-" She begins, but is cut off by the phone. "Hold that thought." Misato orders. "Hello, Katsuragi residence." *Misato?* "Oh, hey Rit-chan. Is this important?" *Afraid so. We've.... got a bit of a dilemma.* "Is it an Angel?" Misato asks as she begins to play around with her food. On the other side of the table, Asuka has already begun to dig into hers. *No. This involves the pilots.* Her hand suddenly tightens around her chopsticks as she asks the next question. "What's wrong." Her tone is flat; all business. She wants to know the problem, and she wants to hear any existing counter- measures against it. To her, if it threatens the Children, no, HER Children, then there will be hell to pay. *Nothing of that sort, Misato. It's just that... well... Rei and Ikari have become... 'more than friends.'* "..." *...* "..." *... Misato?* "... What?" *You heard me, right?* "Yeah." *So....* "H-how many times?" *MISATO!* "Hey, Misato. What's wrong?" Asuka asks as she shoves the last bit of her food into her mouth. "N-nothing, Asuka." She replies nervously. Asuka, not really in the mood for prying, shrugs it off. "Anyway, Ritsuko. How?" *Well, first the male's penis-* "I KNOW THAT! I mean-" *I know what you mean, Misato. And to answer your earlier, less TACTFUL question; seven times in the past two days.* "Seven? Wow." Misato absently reaches for her orange juice and chugs it in one gulp. *And she still hasn't beaten your record.* "Shuttup!" On the other end, Misato can feel Ritsuko smirking. *So do you think you could come on down here?* "Why? Do you want me to talk to her?" *Well... not exactly.* "What else then?" *We need to talk to Commander Ikari. * "..." *Misato?* "Oh... shit." ----------------------------------------------------------------- He is not pleased. Rei and Ritsuko are essentially lost to him. They will no longer go willingly along with his plans. They will no longer consider him their one and only. They can no longer be depended on. And as for Ikari... He hastily tosses the report onto the table and watches the papers spread across the surface noiselessly. While he had pretty much given up on Ikari, it has become more than apparent that he is lost to Rei. This is unacceptable. He needed at least one of them to finish his plans. And now those plans might never come to fruition. He feels exasperated. Neither of them will be useful in this state. Not with these feelings... Over and over he has thought of ways to get Rei back to his side. But the callousness he showed his son in life has finally come back to haunt him. She will not come willingly. No, he has to start again with Rei. But he can't kill her. He won't kill her. The first one was acceptable; she was not long out of the tank, so to speak. But this one.... He raised her. He watched her grow. And while his desire to be with Yui again is his prime feeling, he finds he cannot bring himself to hurt her. Possibly another by-product of his son's death. Not to mention that even if he had the will, and he could cover it up, (of course he could cover it up, he's the master of covering things up) Fuuyutsuki would suspect. And there can be no further dissention. Well, soon the good doctor and Misato will be here to further explain the report. Even if things aren't going well, he can still have a bit of fun this way... ----------------------------------------------------------------- Misato tries to keep her face straight as the two square off, unyielding. She shivers slightly as wave after wave of cold emotion is flung between the two. Had this been another world, maybe they would be flinging waves of ice at each other. After making long speeches of justice and other unimportant stuff, of course. "Perhaps she was lonely." Ritsuko says, her voice the definition of 'cold.' "I've never seen you give any real affection to anyone." God. Just what the hell was going on here? "Whatever the cause is, you aware of the repercussions of these actions?" Gendo, the man who holds the current patent on cold voices replies. However, while cold, the hints that he is giving are loud and clear. For her, this is just too weird. And the three beers she chugged in a row to help deal with the situation were not helping. "Well, perhaps she learned it from you." She suggests, her tone dropping a few more degrees, were it possible. Uh? "I would have figured that the fault may lie with your loose morals, Doctor." What? As Misato ponders Gendo's last statement, she notices her friend slightly twitch before resuming her report. "Well, what's done is done. Any problems will be dealt with. Is there anything else, Commander Ikari?" A few pieces click together in Misato's mind as Ritsuko finishes her statements. "... Nothing further is needed. You and the Major are dismissed." "Very well." Having said her piece, Ritsuko turns on her heel and begins to walk towards the door. Misato follows, but gives a quick glance behind her to Commander Ikari. He looks... angry. And it doesn't look like it has to do with Rei. But, before she contemplates that, there is another matter to attend to. ----------------------------------------------------------------- To have his intimidation lost... lost on that woman... is unacceptable. To have the fun of watching others squirm taken away from him... Is intolerable. Her earlier comment on his 'bridgework.' Her ignoring him. HIM. Is simply.... Simply... There is no word for it. There is only the simple fact that his control is slipping. And soon, Gendo Ikari holds his head in his hands, bearing a tired look as his shoulders slump. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Ummm... Ritsuko?" It has been ten minutes since they had left the Commander's office. Since then, Ritsuko has not stopped walking towards wherever destination she is heading. "Slow down!" But she doesn't listen. Her pace quickens, causing her friend to increase hers as well. "Will you tell me what's wrong?" The doctor bites her lip in concentration, then slows her pace. After a few steps, she has stopped completely and simply stands there. "'Bout damn time." Misato curses. "Now what's wrong? What was going on between you and Commander Ikari?" "Let's go to the cafeteria." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Misato can do nothing more than stare at the sandwich before her as she listens to Ritsuko practically spill her guts about her relationship with Gendo Ikari. Most of it makes her sick. Some of it makes her worried. But all of it makes her angry. "So... he was just using you?" She finally asks. Ritsuko nods in assent as she drinks a cup of coffee. "That... BASTARD!" She screams, slamming her fist into the table. Several of the other cafeteria patrons look at her in surprise, but she pays them no heed. "Misato, it's over. I feel nothing for that man anymore. The way he treated his son, the way he treated Rei, and worst of all, his obsession with that woman..." Ritsuko scowls. To him, nothing would ever be as good as his late wife. "What a bastard." She mumbles aloud. "Okay..." Misato says as she tries to decipher who Gendo's obsession was. "Well, right now, my main concern is whether or not this is going to carry over into the battle situations." She picks up the sandwich before her and takes a large bite out of it. "I quire sure I am professional enough to keep these matters away from those situations." Ritsuko replies, her voice cold, but also a little hurt. Misato raises an eyebrow to this, then swallows the bite she was chewing. "This coming from the woman who was trading ice stares with Gendo while in the middle of a debriefing about a potential situation which may damage one, possibly two of our pilots' abilities to operate an Eva?" She takes a quick breath, not used to speaking such long sentences. Ritsuko, on the other hand, looks ashamed. "Please keep the relationships out of the control center. That's all I ask." Misato continues. "I know that I'm not one to talk, but if both of us are too emotional in the middle of a tense situation, then how will we get what we need accomplished?" Ritsuko turns her stare from her coffee to her friend's face. Misato didn't have much to give on this kind of insight, but when she did, it hit you with both barrels. "We're a team, Ritsuko. And I need you out there." Misato finishes up, then gives her one of her best smiles. At this, Ritsuko can't help but to chuckle. "Okay, what movie did you get that last line from?" Misato's mouth goes slack as she realizes that she's been found out. "Hmph." She answers. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The entry plug hums with activity as Ikari goes about another synch test. Normally the Children would only be called in once or twice a week for testing, but since his superiors have deemed him a 'special case', he must come in at least every third day. When he had asked why, they simply replied with a cryptic 'To help keep you stable.' Lately he was wondering if it had anything to do with Dr. Akagi and Rei's twice-weekly trip to Central Dogma. He sighs and shifts uncomfortably in his seat. This test was cutting into time that he could be spending with Rei. She was also currently being tested, but there was no doubt in his mind that hers was more of a physical nature. 'Can we breed?' He thinks to the giant he rests inside. 'Is it possible for us to reproduce?' It replies by silently staring ahead. 'You are quiet today.' Still, it does not answer. Seeing as how conversation is currently limited to his thinking and the dull hum of mind-noise, he focuses his thoughts back to Rei. 'To be away from her is... uncomfortable.' He thinks about the way her body looks in the darkness. 'To be with her is... pleasant.' The way her hair brushed against his face as they became one for the first time. 'She is the warmth I seek.' Her calling out a name. '...' His name. '...' The thought brings a soft smile to his lips. He had half expected her to call out Shinji, but in those moments, she thought of him. After a few minutes, he relaxes into the plug's seat, content with thoughts of Rei. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "When did it appear!?" Misato shouts as she and Ritsuko run into the room. "Just a few minutes ago, Major. It just appeared in the center of the Tokai region." Hyuuga responds. "The target is cycling between patterns Orange and Blue." Maya adds. Ritsuko walks up quickly behind her to look over the display. As she does, she rests her hand on her assistant's shoulder and squeezes. "Where were you?" Maya whispers. "I was getting nervous after I heard you left the Commander's office." "With Misato. Don't worry." "What's the status of the Pilots?" "Pilot Ayanami is almost ready. Pilot Ikari is on standby. Pilot Sohryuu has not arrived yet." Aoba verbally goes down the on-screen list at Misato's question. Misato turns to face the both Sub-Commander Fuuyutsuki and Commander Ikari. She already knows the answer to the question, but yet, she feels it must be asked. Perhaps there will be a chance... "Is the freeze on Eva-01 still active?" "Yes." Commander Ikari replies. No movement, no nod, no nothing. Just a cold 'Yes.' 'Damn him!' Misato thinks. "Major, Pilot Ayanami is ready." Hyuuga speaks, interrupting Misato's cursing of their Commander. "Rei." "Yes, Major." "Asuka isn't here yet and the freeze is still on Unit-01. I want you to take the rifle and observe the target. If it moves, shoot it." "Yes." As Rei's comm-window flickers out, Ikari's quickly replaces it. "Why am I not out there?" He asks. "Because Unti-01 is not to be risked." Gendo answers, not wanting to let anyone interfere. "Now, be silent." "Fine." With that, his comm-window flickers out as well. "Estimated time of Asuka's arrival?" Ritsuko asks. "She has arrived and is currently changing." "I guess now we wait." Misato grimly finishes. ----------------------------------------------------------------- *I guess now we wait.* Rei hears Misato finish. She looks at the newest menace, a glowing white strand of DNA that forever loops into itself. Then, she senses something. "No. It's getting ready to attack." *What!? How do you know? Rei-* But Misato's words are cut off as the Angel begins to from one solid ring, then breaking off into a snake-like creature and heading towards her. *Rei! Take evasive action!* Misato orders, but the instant that the words are spoken, the Angel has already pierced through both the barriers of her Eva's mind and her Eva's body. She moans, as the feedback from having her ATField ripped apart momentarily stuns her. But having experienced pain greater than this, she shakes it off and grabs part of the Angel as she shoves her rifle into its soft body. She pulls the trigger, but nothing happens as the Angel absorbs each bullet into itself. After a few more tries, she is dimly aware of what the Angel has been doing to her. She looks down at her body. Starting from her stomach are veins stretching up and across her slim figure. They are clearly visible through the thin fabric of the plugsuit. And then she feels it. Pain flares all throughout her body, throughout every fiber of her being that the Angel has infected. It races through her, then, all at once, surges up to her brain. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm ready!" Asuka cries out as the final connections for Eva-02 are finished. "Great! Go out there and help Rei! I'm sending up a rifle to your immediate left!" "Roger!" She feels the familiar weight of the forces as her Eva is shot up to assist Rei's. She is pressed into her seat as the LCL around her feels heavy on her frame. As Eva-02 slams into the elevator compartment, the weighty feeling is instantaneously replaced by sudden lightness, which in turn gives way to the normal 'freedom' that gravity allows. She feels the bolts on the shoulders of her Eva's arms unlock as the door opens to a scene that, no matter how hard she may try, she will never forget. Eva-00 is flat on its back; the Angel protruding from its midsection. The Eva frantically tries to pull the Angel out of itself, but only succeeds in allowing it to infect its hands. "REI!" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Her mind feels light, and her thoughts are unusually jumbled. She is dimly aware that she is hovering over a lake of LCL. Inside the lake, a familiar figure stands, head bowed as if in prayer. And then it speaks. Not with words, but with its mind. She feels a vibration in the recesses of her brain that tells her that these are words, just not spoken aloud. 'So this is you.' It begins. 'Who... are you?' She can feel it smile in the back of her mind. She can feel its lips moving upward, much as if it were her own face that was performing that action. 'You know who I am. The real question is who are you?' 'I am Rei Ayanami, the First Child.' 'And?' 'And what?' 'Who are to others? Who are you to Gendo Ikari?' 'A tool. Something to use, then throw away. But I have overcome those bounds.' 'Then who are you to Ritsuko Akagi?' 'A friend. Someone who has been used by the Commander. Someone who I feel equal to.' 'Who are you to Shinji Ikari?' 'I... do not know. Shinji is gone. I may never know.' 'I was not referring to the dead one. I was referring to the live one.' 'I am his mate. His lover. We are equals, both in body in mind.' 'Oh? And you have found love so quick? How long have you known him?' '...' 'Can you say you've understood him completely in that time?' '...' 'Who are you to Asuka Langley Sohryu?' 'I am her friend.' 'Why?' 'Because... because we shared our pain. Because we found we had something in common. Because we both loved Shinji.' 'I thought you loved Ikari?' 'I do.' 'Why?' 'For the same reason I... love... Dr. Akagi...' 'And why did you love Shinji?' 'Because... because... he was kind...' 'Who do you love more? Shinji or Ikari?' 'I...' 'Who?' '...' 'Rei Ayanami, First Child, Pilot of Unit-00, who do you love more?' '... Shinji...' 'Then why do you love Ikari?' 'Because...' 'Why?' 'Because... I was lonely...' 'Then let us correct that.' ----------------------------------------------------------------- "GODDAMN YOU!" Asuka screams as she pulls the trigger on her rifle. Unlike before with Rei, the shots are deflected by the Angel's ATField. Suddenly, the tail end of the Angel becomes alive and lashes out to strike Asuka. Asuka deftly moves to the side as the tail harmlessly passes by her. Casting aside the gun, she pulls out her progressive knife from its shoulder compartment and begins to charge. "DIE!" ----------------------------------------------------------------- 'What... are you doing?' 'Humans cannot understand each other unless they become one in both body and mind. I will give this to you so that you may truly understand another person.' 'But...' 'So that you may truly know love.' ----------------------------------------------------------------- She unfolds her ATField to its fullest, negating the effects of her opponent's similar barrier. But before she can stab it with her progressive knife, the tail end of the Angel tries to strike her through her armor as it did Rei. It curves around back at her, picking up the needed speed to damage her Eva. With blinding speed, Eva-02 catches the tail in its left hand. Immediately, the contamination spreads throughout it. "No! Get out! Get out of my mind!" She screams. "Not again!" She is about to bring the knife down to cut off her own hand when she sees them. It looks like a mirage, the image fading in and out slightly. It is of Rei, hovering above what appears to be a lake of LCL, and another Rei standing in the lake. Suddenly, veins spread across the body of the Rei that is hovering above the lake. "Rei!" She calls out and reaches to the girl. But the vision disappears and is replaced by the interior of the entry plug. On the screen, she sees the contamination spread further across Eva- 00, and knows that she had better act quickly. In one clean slice, she lops off the part that is embedded in her hand. ----------------------------------------------------------------- *AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!* Ritsuko's face is an emotional mess of fear, horror, and sadness as she hears Rei's screams throughout the Command Center. Her friend is in pain, and there is very little that she can do to help her. "Cut nerve connections down to 30 percent!" She orders. "Signals are being blocked!" "Eject the plug!" "Contamination has effectively glued the plug to the Eva's interior!" "Shut down the Eva!" She finally screams. The three technicians look at her as if she suddenly sprouted butterfly wings. "Then the Angel would kill the pilot, ma'am." Maya whispers. Near tears, something she'd thought would never happen in this situation, Ritsuko can only weakly mutter out, "But we've got to save her..." Misato, who had been desperately trying to think up an effective plan, finally speaks. "Asuka, get to the where the Angel is connected with Unit-00 and cut it off. It will hurt Rei, but it shouldn't kill her." *I'm on my way!* "Misato..." Misato does not turn to face her friend, but rather stares at the screen unemotionally as Ritsuko looks over at her. "Ritsuko... we're trying. Until this battle is over, remove yourself from the Command Center." "But..." "NOW." Defeated, Ritsuko slowly walks away. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Inside the entry plug of Unit-01, Pilot Ikari waits. His hand clenches and unclenches in an almost rhythmic manner, the only way he can display both his nervousness and frustration at being unable to do what he thinks is his duty. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Asuka screams another war cry as she slashes the Angel again. With each attack, a part of her soul is ripped away by Rei's cries of pain. She tries to get in close, but every time she does, she gives the Angel a chance to hit her. And the Angel has almost completely absorbed her friend. *Asuka.. please get back...* She hears her plead. "I'm not going to leave you, Rei!" Asuka calls back as she slices at the Angel again. 'Just a little closer...' she thinks to herself. 'A few more steps and I'll be able to save her...' And then the world suddenly goes black. Her momentary distraction by her thoughts allows the Angel to loop its 'tail' around her and strike directly into Eva-02's face. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Asuka's scream rips through Tokyo-3 and through the ears of everyone listening. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 'Soon now...' The Angel speaks. Its voice has suddenly become soothing, as if knowing that this will make its captive happy. '...' 'Now you will never be alone. You two will always be one.' '... And what do you get out of this?' She suddenly asks. 'A means to an end.' It replies. Rei, despite her pain, slumps back into her seat as Asuka's cries become even more frustrated and angry. If nothing happened soon, they would both probably die, and mankind would soon follow. There is no other way. "I'm sorry..." She whispers. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Rei, what are you doing!?" Misato shouts. Her business persona had been shattered when the Angel had struck Asuka in the face. *Major Katsuragi... please tell Ritsuko that I am sorry.* "Rei?" She questions tentatively. She has just now grasped what Rei plans to do, and hopes for the sake of both Asuka and Ritsuko that she does not do it. She looks over at the display of the other pilot, who has crumpled into her seat following a session of clawing at her face. She moans loudly in pain, and reaches her hand to her friend. *Asuka... it has to be done...* Rei states. *Nnnggg!* Comes the pained reply. *I wonder... if Shinji will welcome me home...* "Rei! Don't!" Is the only thing that escapes Misato's mouth as she watches the blue-haired girl turn on the self-destruct switch with a twist of her wrist. And then there is light. ----------------------------------------------------------------- She drops the bottle of wine beside her as she stands before The Tank. She laughs softly at the name Maya had given it after seeing it for the first time. Apparently, calling it by its given name disgusted her assistant. So, she called it The Tank. From out of her pocket she pulls a remote. Like many other important scientific instruments in NERV, The Tank also had its final safety mechanism. After all, it wouldn't do for these things to fall into the wrong hands. She runs a finger in circles around the red button, touching it lightly. She ignores the figure that had stepped up behind her five minutes ago. "Why?" He asks, gun leveled at the back of her head. "Because I promised her, and a promise is a promise." "No matter what?" "No matter what." She replies. She pauses, as if unsure if she can really do this task, but remembers the words of that fateful day, not long ago, when her kinship with the girl had been born. "Goodbye, Rei." And with that, she pushes the button on the controller, releasing the enzyme that breaks apart Rei's 'sisters...' ...Forever damning herself to endless nightmares. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Gendo scowls as all the clones in the Chamber of the Guf disintegrate before him. His look of disgust deepens even more as Ritsuko breaks down before him. He carefully aims the gun at her head, preparing her for her final journey to the unknown, but knows he cannot. He wants to shoot this woman before him and put her out of his misery, but he knows that should SEELE try anything, she would be beneficial. The gun finds its way back to his holster as he prepares to leave and let Security handle the problem. He glances behind him to the crumpled doctor before turning his head before him. However, on the turn, he catches a glimpse of himself in the reflective surfaces of the holding tank. A small crack is all that is left there from his passing. ----------------------------------------------------------------- INTERLUDE 3: 'I see... poor Rei...' Kaji thinks as he looks up from his desk. The desk itself secretly houses state of the art holographic and audio equipment, but the only thing currently being put to the test is the audio equipment. The visual end was simply showing a giant black slab. Kaji mentally shivers as it suddenly reminds him of the mass graveyard near Tokyo-3. "The loss of Evangelion Unit 00 is..." The words from SEELE shift his attention back to the matter at hand. 'Yeah, yeah, keep talking. The longer you talk, the more time we government have to trace you.' He thinks. Currently, they were all taking time to ream Commander Ikari for the loss of Unit-00. Normally this was something he enjoyed immensely, but hearing about Rei... well, he was depressed. He wanted to go and have a moment of silence, but the pressures of the job needed him. He mentally sighs as he tries to refrain from tapping his fingers on his desk. Suddenly, a light begins to blink on one of the machines under he desk. In spite of the bad news, he feels himself smile. Now at least one of these bastards can be found. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Next up: The focus returns to Asuka and Ikari as Rei's death allows Kaworu to get close to Ikari, while Asuka becomes too close to Gendo for her own comfort. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Author's Notes: To start off, please forgive me for the lateness. I know it's been a few good months since the last chapter came out, but I'll try to make the effort to finish up TDOO by May. Also, I apologize for this short chapter. I know that there was hardly any Asuka and Ikari material here, but they will be the focus of the next chapter. In fact, the next chapter will start out with some of the deleted events from this chapter. Lastly, I will be shifting to a past tense format. Writing in present tense has proven a bit annoying, as it sounds like I'm giving out stage directions than weaving a story. For a while I was trying to see what worked better, and I have found that past tense works a lot better than present in non-script format. But thank you for sticking with me so far. Inspiration for this project: Alain Gravel's 'The One I Love Is...' Axel Terizaki's various WAFFs, especially 'The Child of Love' Toh E. Loong's 'HERZ' Special thanks go out to my pre-readers: Alain Gravel Axel Terizaki Daruma Fasdar69 Greg Thomas KoalaKiller Nathan Martin The Sandman Serena Usagi Shadow's Madness Sterry Vampire Wish And of course, to all who read this. Thank you