Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ So Happy Together ❯ chapter 3 ( Chapter 2 )

Morning came. Shinji woke up when he heard the shower. He sat up and looked at the empty bed. <She's showering again?> About ten minutes later Rei came out of the bathroom. It was almost like the first time he had come to her apartment. She was naked and adorned in a towel. He quickly turned his gaze away from her while she dressed in her underwear. (he really wanted to watch though)

"Ikari-kun."

"Y..yes?"

"Are you going to bathe?"

His eyes went wide. "Umm.. I'm ok."

She didn't respond, she just picked out a clean uniform and got dressed. "Are we ready?"

He slowly got up. His body was sore from sleeping on the floor but surprisingly he felt very rested. He held the pillow tightly against his chest and breathed in her scent one last time before he tossed it on her bed. He neatly folded the sheet he slept on and placed it on the edge of her bed. "Yes. I'm ready."

"Then we should get going before anyone sees us together."

Shinji reluctantly agreed. <I hope someone *does* see us together>

When they left the apartment Shinji noticed the three men again. And again they were staring at Rei. <What the *^%*&^ are you looking at!>

"Ayanami."

"Yes."

"Who are those guys?"

Rei stopped, turned around and looked at the men. "I do not know."

"Well, I don't like the way they are looking at you!" He growled.

She started walking again and didn't respond but a small smile crept on her lips because of his concern.

"Maybe you should move.... I mean, pretty young women shouldn't be living by themselves on the bad side of town and alone in a whole apartment building."

Disregarding everything else he said she focused on "Pretty. You think I'm pretty, Ikari-kun?"

He blushed heavily. < more like beautiful> "Uh... yeah .."

She nodded and kept walking. A totally embarrassed Shinji, followed closely.

"Do you know what I am, Ikari-kun?"

He swallowed hard, nodded to himself and answered "I don't care..."

"You don't care about what?" she asked knowingly

"I don't care about the cells that gave you life. You are not her."

"That is correct. I am not her."

"You are Rei Ayanami."

She smiled. "Yes. I am Rei Ayanami."

************

Shinji and Rei were the first ones to get to school. She went silently to her desk and Shinji went to his.

"Ayanami."

"Yes." She answered while she silently stared out the window.

"I..I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed myself yesterday...."

She didn't responded.

"I just wish that ... our time together could have been longer...."

A few minute went by. "Ikari-kun."

"Yes?"

<me too> "I'm glad you found your time with me pleasurable."

Shinji was about to say something else but Kensuke walked in the classroom as well as some other students.

"Shin-man, where have you been?!" Kensuke practically ran over to him. "Asuka must have called me all night looking for you!"

"I.. was...... out.."

"Out where?!" Kensuke was pissed. "Man, she called my house every hour on the hour. My father was beyond pissed!"

The third child unconsciously glanced at the first then back at his friend. "Uh.. I was.. just out..."

Aida might have worn glasses but he wasn't blind. He saw what the pilot did. "Oh.. I see." He happily smiled knowingly at the blue haired beauty who was staring out the window. "Hello Ms. Ayanami."

Rei didn't respond. She just continued staring out the window.

Aida turned his gaze back a Ikari. "I hope it was worth it, because you're a dead man!"

Shinji swallowed hard. "It's not what you think."

Kensuke looked skeptical. "Sure it isn't."

Ikari grabbed his friend by the shoulder. "For real man it isn't. Ayanami and I are just friends."

"Sure, if that's the case, then can I spend the night with her tonight?"

Rei turned her head and gave Aida a calm surprised look and Shinji... well he was just furious. He tightened his grip around his friends collar and roared.

"If you even look at her in that way, I swear you'll regret it!"

Aida grabbed his friends wrist but he could not break the hold Shinji had on him. "I was just joking man... Calm down!" He really was. He just wanted Shinji to admit his true feelings for Rei. Apparently it worked because Shinji looked like he was going to kill him.

Shinji blinked and looked like he just became aware of the hold he had on his friend. He looked into his friend's frightened eyes, then to the surprised faces of the other students in the class. Slowly he let go of Aida's collar. "I'm... I'm sorry.... It's just not what you think."

Aida hit his friend's hands away. "Then tell me what it is then?"

"While you're at it, why don't you tell me too."

Both boys turned their gaze to the door. "Touji..."

"The one and only." He said happily chimed. "So Ikari, what have you done now? Asuka's practically having a conniption fit."

"He spent the night over at Ayanami's." Kensuke informed teasingly.

"Would you shut the %&*^ up!!" Shinji screamed at Kensuke. He was hoping none of the other students in the class heard his stupid friend. He didn't want what he did to get back to Asuka.

"What?" Suzuhara couldn't believe his ears. He glanced at Rei. She gave no indication to tell whether Aida spoke the truth or not. He looked back at Shinji. "Can you run that by me again?"

Shinji pushed Aida, making him fall over a couple of desk and walked over to Touji. "It's not what you think, man."

"It isn't? ... Too bad." Touji admitted. He looked at Rei an could have sworn that he saw her smile before she turned her attention to the window. He walked into the classroom and over to Aida.

"Shin-man" Kensuke groaned as he picked himself up, "you've been hanging around Asuka too long."

Both boys smirked. Shinji looked at Rei and smiled warmly. "I think I'm going to remedy that."

"Huh?" His two friends looked at him expectantly.

Shinji just shook his head. "Don't let Asuka know what you know.... I don't want her to hurt Ayanami."

"Oh... so something *did* happen between you two." Kensuke scoffed.

"No... not what you think, anyway." He looked at his friend.

Aida narrowed his eyes. "I know you're keeping something from us. Just like when you said you never had sex with Asuka."

Shinji gave him a dumbfounded look. "I have no reason to lie about *not getting any*. You know how Asuka is. I can't even touch her without her twisting it into something nasty and her calling me a Pervert!"

Touji added in a confused tone "But... Hikari told me that Asuka told her that you two sleep together..."

Shinji fearfully glanced at Rei. He was hoping that she didn't hear what Touji just said. She was still staring out of the window, so he took that as a good sign. "We do... but its not like that..." He looked around to make sure Asuka wasn't around then began in a lower voice. "She thinks she's doing me a favor..." He shook his head and continued, "but in actuality she *makes* me sleep with her because she has nightmares about her mom..... Trust me, there is nothing sexual going on."

"Oh." The two boys said absently. They were not expecting to hear that.

Touji decided to change the subject and asked curiously. "So what did you do this time to get her so riled up?"

Shinji bitterly answered. "I didn't go home, so I could be her punching bag." Even though that wasn't the true reason he didn't go home last night.

The boys accepted his answer and nodded knowingly.

"So where were you last night anyway?" Suzuhara asked.

Shinji blushed then quickly composed himself. "I was just out, that's all."

Kensuke knew that mask Shinji put on. Because of it, he knew that the third child would not be relinquishing any more information. He turned to his other friend. "So ,Touji how was your night?"

Suzuhara gave him a nasty grin. "Can't say I can complain."

As Touji began to brag about his night with his girlfriend, Shinji was thinking of a plan to get away from Asuka. It wasn't long before his concentration was disrupted.

"Where the $^%*& were you Shinji no Baka?!!"

The rest of the class came into the classroom to see the spectacle.

Ikari almost jumped out of his skin. He made a conscious effort *not* to look in Rei's direction. "Umm.. out. I was out..."

She shook her head as if telling him that he'd better come up with a better explanation than that. The class started to chatter among themselves, commenting on the scene at hand.

He swallowed hard and was about to speak when..

"If you must know, he was with me."

Shinji's jaw hit the ground.

Everyone became silent and stared at the delicate girl who was staring out of the window.

Asuka was the first to speak. "What did you just say you $&*%*ing doll!!"

Rei slowly turned her gaze to the second child, slowly stood up and slammed her palms against her desk. "I am not a doll!" She did not scream her words, but the sharpness in her soft voice was enough slice even the largest mountain in half.

"I don't care what you $&%^ing think you are! What did you just say about you and *MY* Shinji!!"

Rei smirked and calmly repeated. "*Your* Shinji, spent the night with me."

Asuka rushed Ayanami. She was going to kill her. However, before she got to her Shinji stepped in between the two young women.

Not even flinching, and still smirking, Rei looked confidently into the other girl's eyes. Shinji did his best to hold back his girlfriend. And Asuka tried with all her might to get away from him and claw out the first child's eyes and hair .

"Woah Shinji... got two girls fighting over you!" Kensuke teased. "What a stud!"

"Shut up!" Touji yelled and bopped Aida in the back of his head.

"Rei, please go..... I don't know how long I can hold her back!"

"REI!!!" Asuka became even more vicious in her attacks at the first pilot. "When the $^&% did you two get on a first name basis?"

Shinji struggled even more to hold the irate red head.

"Ikari-kun."

He couldn't speak because of Asuka's thrashings.

"Ikari-kun.. let her go." Rei gently commanded.

"No!!" He managed to get out.

"Ikari-kun. If she wants to fight me and honestly believes that she and beat me... then let her try ..." Ayanami did some elegant yet deadly looking hand movements and got into a fighting stance. She then glared confidently at Asuka. "Bring it on."

Everyone was shocked stiff. Even Asuka. Shinji still didn't let go. Asuka narrowed her eyes at Rei, but thought twice about fighting her. Rei did not look scared in the least, and by her own willingness to fight she proved that she truly was not afraid of her or what the outcome of the fight might be. Not to mention the skill in which she poised herself into the fighting stance.

"I'm not even going to waist my time with you!" the fiery red head spat out at both the first and third child. "If you want him b*tch then you can have him!"

"Thanks for your blessing." Rei shot back with no venom. She remained in the stance, for she did not trust that the second child had truly given up. "We'll keep that in mind tonight won't we, Ikari-kun?"

Shinji jaw dropped for a second time, as did everyone else's in the class. Asuka glared at Rei then ran out of the class room after she felt her tears swell in her eyes.

<I'm.... free....> Shinji turned and whispered "A..Ayanami?" He was still completely shocked by the first child's actions.

She looked at him then ran out of the classroom in the opposite direction of the second child.

After a few seconds Shinji's body accepted his brain's command to run after her. As he ran out of the classroom, his brains kept yelling <free at last! free at last!... thank god all mighty I'm free at last!!!!>

Kensuke turned to Touji. "See I told you there was more going on than what he was telling us!"

***********

"Ayanami wait up!"

She didn't stop running but Shinji caught up with her and grabbed her wrist. She spun around and faced him.

"What do you want?" she yelled. Not loudly but loud for her.

He was taken aback. In all the years he had know her and in all the battles, he had never heard her raise her voice.

"I..I want you to talk to me!"

She calmed herself and asked in her usual voice. "Why?"

"Because... because I care about you." He smiled warmly at her. "And I already told you... I want you to be happy... I want to make you happy."

She sighed. "Ikari-kun."

"Yes."

"I need to go to NERV."

"Oh.. why?"

She didn't answer.

".....May I walk you?"

"If you wish."

They left the school and headed towards one of the entrances of NERV.

"Ayanami."

She didn't answer.

Shinji knew that he had her attention anyway and continued. "I didn't know you knew martial arts." He looked at the side profile of her elegant face and waited for her response.

After about a minute it finally came. "Neither did I."

Shinji was taken aback by her answer. "Are you saying you don't know martial arts?"

"No."

"Oh.. then what are you saying?"

She narrowed her eyes as if she was deep in thought. "I need to speak to the commander."

Shinji stiffened and stopped walking. Rei on the other hand never skipped a step and continued on her way leaving the third child behind.

*****************

Asuka ran to the girls bathroom and threw a huge tantrum. Needless to say, NERV now had a huge cleaning bill. "REI AYANAMI I HATE YOU!!!!"

**************

Ayanami made her way through the corridors of the NERV headquarters. She had a specific destination and she was not going to be swayed from it.

Ritsuko noticed the first child walking toward the commanders office. "Rei."

The first child didn't respond.

She spoke again in a more commanding tone. "Rei, aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Rei turned to face the doctor. "Yes I am."

"Then why aren't you there?"

The first child answered coolly. "I have a question to ask the commander."

"And it couldn't wait until after school?"

Without attitude, Rei answered the doctor in her soft voice. "Yes it could, but I do not want to wait to ask it."

The doctor took a deep breathe. To her Rei was spoiled. She was allowed to do whatever she pleased and her actions were never reprimanded by the commander. "What is the question. I'll answer it for you."

"No thank you. I shall ask the commander."

"Is it something you think I can't answer?" The doctor was a bit annoyed with the blue haired angel. "Try me, I might just surprise you with what I know."

"I am sure that you do have the answer to my question. However, I'd rather ask the commander."

Ritsuko's left eye started to twitch at Ikari's favorite. "Rei, the commander is a very busy man. He does not have time to..."

The first child interrupted her. "I'm sure he will make time for me." She turned and continued on her journey.

With a hateful glare, the blond haired woman watched the receding figure of the blue haired girl. <Gawd I hate her>

Ritsuko knew that Rei spoke the truth. Gendo had already defied the laws of heaven and earth to create his favorite child. The doctor hated Rei for many reasons. The roots of her hate being the favor the commander lavished on the first child. Her similarities to Gendo's oh-so-sainted and beloved wife, Yui. And because Gendo did *not* try to replace Yui with Rei, as Gendo's *affections* <yeah right> for were. He cared deeply for her, for an entirely different reason. She hated her because in Gendo's eyes, Rei could do no wrong because she was *daddy's little girl*.

Unbeknownst to everyone, the commander had also given Rei clearance to every part of NERV. Rei was practically the unofficial third person in command of NERV. It wasn't that she wasn't qualified, for Asuka did not know how right she was when she called Rei, Wonder Girl. There wasn't anything the young girl could not do successfully. However, Rei kept her status to herself. She took commands from her *superior officers* and she never threw her weight around. Besides the fact that she took all her trivial problems straight to the *top* instead of following the rightful chain of command, no one besides Ritsuko knew that she was anything more than an EVA pilot. Only when it convenienced someone else did she pull her rank. Like when she canceled Asuka's test.

Ritsuko turned her gaze away from the first pilot and walked toward her office just to run into another one of the pilots that was supposed to be in school.

"Shinji, what are you doing here?"

"Uh... I was just walking Rei... I mean Ayanami to.." He winced and stopped talking when he noticed the doctors annoyed glare.

The doctor pointed down the hall. "She just went that way. If you hurry you can catch up with her."

Shinji bounced a little on the balls of his feet before he sped in Rei's direction. "Thanks!"

The doctor grumbled to herself. "Yeah whatever!" <Both of his children are spoiled brats!>

He caught up with her right as she was walking through the commanders door. "Rei."

She looked at him then walked through the door. He did not follow. The door slam behind her.

***********************************************

"What is it Rei?" The commander asked in a monotone voice. He didn't even bother to look up at her from his work.

"I have a question."

He didn't respond.

But she knew she had his undivided attention anyway, so she continued. "Do I know martial arts?"

He looked up from his work. Though he was clearly surprised that she seemed to remember this lost talent of hers, he didn't show it. "Yes you do."

Rei nodded. "When did I learn it? I do not remember."

Inwardly Gendo became saddened by that additional bit of information, but he didn't express it. "When you were little. You were trained in the arts of combat." He hoped that she was regaining her memory. The memory of the life she had before she died the first time. The memory of her being his happy and precious little girl.

She nodded. "It will be useful. I will once again become a better pilot with these new memories."

The commander nodded then said "That is true, but that is not why you learned it."

She raised her brow slightly.

He absently smiled at the memory then spoke. "You saw a movie. It was called Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. You were impressed by it and wanted to learned those skills yourself."

"I... saw a... movie..?"

"Yes. I took you to see it."

Rei looked at the ground but her focus was the search of her lost memories. After a minute she looked back at he commander, who was looking at her expectantly. "I do not remember."

Inwardly he seemed to deflate although his outward appearance didn't show it. "Is there anything else, Rei?"

"Yes. It seems that I have upset the second child."

He slowly clasped his hands together and brought them to rest under his nose. "How so?"

In a nervous reaction, she reached over the waist with her right hand and gabbed her left elbow. "I informed her that Ikari-kun spent the night at my home."

<WHAT!!> He mentally screamed but showed no outward response except a very calm and collected. "Proceed."

She continued. "When she tried to attack me, I accepted her challenge... because she called me a doll...."

Gendo remained calm. "So you fought the second child?"

"No. She backed down."

He nodded and was about to say something but was interrupted.

"I then taunted her about her loss of control over the third child."

Gendo inwardly laughed. He wished he had seen the spectacle. He really couldn't imagine his calm Rei doing such a thing. Outwardly he gave her an expression of indifference and said. "Rei, you know how unstable the mind of the second child is. It is imperative that we do not upset her."

"I apologize sir."

<It's ok my little Rei> Still unmoving he asked. "Is that all?"

"I believe so." She turned to leave.

"Rei."

She turned back around.

"What was the third child doing at your apartment last night?" He successfully masked the twinge of anger in his voice. She was too young to be doing the things he hoped she wasn't doing. Plus a relationship between Rei and Shinji was completely unacceptable.

Rei innocently answered. "I believe he was afraid to go home. So I allowed him to sleep on the floor."

A flood of relief spread through the commander but he didn't show it. "That will be all."

"Yes sir." The first child walked out of the office.

****************************

Shinji was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall when he noticed the door to the commander's office opening. He quickly stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of his pants.

"Is everything ok, Ayanami?"

She looked over at him as if she did not expect him to be waiting for her. Honestly she didn't expect him to be there. "Of course."

"Oh.. I only asked because no one ever goes to my father unless there is a big problem."

She gave him a look that said Oh really? That's news to me.

Shinji could tell by the look she gave him that that didn't apply to her. "Sooo.. are you going to go back to school?"

Rei thought about it. "No."

Shinji looked shocked "But we have a test..."

She did not respond.

"Ummm...but we have to go back. We are not needed here, so if we don't go back were are committing truancy."

She replied sweetly. "Then you go back, Ikari-kun."

He sputtered out "You're not coming as well?"

"I do not feel like going to school today." She admitted innocently.

"Well neither do I, but its something we have to do. We have no choice in the matter." After he finished his words he noticed her make that That's news to me face. He gave her a bewildered look and asked "Is that why you miss so many days at school, Ayanami?... Because you just don't feel like going to school?"

She looked him directly in the eyes and said. "Yes."

Shinji blinked. HARD.

********************************

Asuka walked into the classroom. She had released not even close to the amount of anger her had pent up towards that man stealing first child. But she was in school and there was only so much she could do. And besides she had to get out and away from the girls' bathroom before anyone caught and punished her for her actions.

"You're late!" The teacher growled.

The red head rolled her eyes and walked to her seat. She was not in the mood for this. The teacher took note to the disrespectful gesture and narrowed his eye angrily at the girl as he stomped the her desk and slammed her test on it.

"Ms. Souyru since you decided to show up late, you only have the remaining ten minutes to finish the test!"

Asuka looked down at the test and flipped through the many pages. There were 105 questions! Five of them were essay. She looked up and glared at the teacher. "There's no way I can finish this test in ten minutes!"

The teacher looked smugly at the red head. "Then you should have though of that before you came in late." Usually he wouldn't of done that. But he was tired of being pushed around by the students, especially the pilots. And poor Asuka just happen to give him an attitude on the wrong day ^_^ *hehe*

*******************************************

Shinji and Rei sat on the lookout that gave a clear view of Tokyo-3. It was still early in the morning and the two were enjoying the day out of school.

Shinji stood up and rested his elbow against the railing, and sighed. "Rei."

She didn't respond.

He knew he had her attention. "It was my choice, right?"

"I do not understand."

He took a deep breath. "After third impact... it was my choice to... the world that was to come next. It was my choice on how it would turn out, right?"

"Yes."

"Then why? Why is it exactly the same as it was before it happened?"

"Is it?" She asked innocently.

"Yes." he answered back in an exasperated sigh. "I'm still in Tokyo-3 working for my father to defeat the Angels!"

"If I recall correctly... I destroyed Toyko-3 before the third impact.

Shinji's shoulders slumped at that memory. His world stopped when she died that day.

She continued. " Also, it has been two years... and no angels have attacked. That is different."

He pushed away his sorrow of that last memory. "Yes, but we still prepare to defend against them."

She looked up at him. "The angels will no longer attack. I assure you."

Shinji looked down into her knowing eyes. "H..how do you know this?"

She looked away from him and at the peaceful city. "Do you know why the angels attacked?"

"The dead sea scrolls predicted it." Though he stated that as fact, his insecurities to whether his answer was correct was clearly audible.

"Yes, that is true. But do you know why the angels attacked?"

He had a few theories but he didn't want to voice them in fear of his ideas being shot down. "No."

She nodded. "Then I will tell you." She looked up at him with a sad expression. "But you will not like it."

He swallowed hard. "It's ok... please tell me, Ayanami."

She began. Her voice was uncharacteristically sad. "They were trying to rescue the two angels that were taken by the children of lillium."

Shinji blinked. <kidnapped angels..?... who?... Adam... and ..Lillith... oh god what have I done!>

"The angels only wanted to bring the two home but were killed for their efforts.... The second impact was created by man, as the third was planned by man. The angels held no grievance against the children of lillium. They only wanted to bring their siblings home."

"Y..you mean.... we murdered them..?" She didn't respond. He couldn't believe it, yet he could. He was about to cry. "They were innocents... and we killed them!" Consumed with guilt, he cupped his face in his hands, trying to stop himself from crying in front of her. He did not want her the think of him as the same weak little boy of a two years back.

"No they did not die, Ikari-kun. They only changed."

He looked at her. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he whispered "H.h.how.. do you know this? How can you be sure?"

"I know.... because I am Lillith."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lets see,.... do I own any thing that deals with Evangelion... nope ^_~