Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Obsession ❯ Prologue

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

WARNING: This is not a WAFF. I call it romance. A friend of mine called it dark. We agreed on calling it a dark romance ^_~ So read and enjoy.. but you were warned.

Obsession

"Daddy!"

Shinji turned his head to left and smiled warmly at his daughter, who was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Yes, Eve?"

She walked into his office with Asuka.

"I just saw grandpa in the Rasa Sector!" She panted out. She was out of breath for a reason unknown to her father. She was also excited because she had been waiting for the commander for over an hour. "Can I go and meet him down stairs?"

The young second commander shook his head no. "You know not."

She frowned then sighed out "Why?" as she slumped her shoulders.

"Because you know the rules." Shinji answered warmly, then returned his gaze to his work. "I don't want to risk something happening to you. You know that NERV is a dangerous place. "

She sighed heavily. In her opinion, her dad was too over protective. "I'm ten years old, dad! I'm hardly a baby. Anyway, I was born here..."

Shinji quickly raised his head and blinked. "You're ten already?"

"Yep!" She giggled, already forgetting their almost argument.

He narrowed his eyes playfully as so did Asuka.

She gave a sheepish blush as she looked back from her mama and her dad. "Well almost."

He shook his head. "I can't believe it. You're already a preteen." He gave an awed looked at red haired woman.

Asuka gave Shinji a loving smile.

Eve giggled. "Pretty soon I'm going to want to borrow your car."

Shinji gave a warm smile, but no other response.

Before Asuka could comment, the secretary announced on the speaker. "Commander Ikari is here, sir."

Both Shinji and Asuka tensed up. The youngest Ikari zipped out the door and ran toward her grandfather.

Shinji slowly got up, walked around his large marble desk, and went to greet his father. Over the years, the two had developed a civil relationship. A close relationship would never be between them, but for Eve's and for his wife, they pretended.

Shinji walked outside his office door just in time to see his daughter jump into Gendo's waiting arms. There was only a slight strain that showed on his father's face, and Shinji wondered where his father got all the strength to carry the little girl all the time.

"Are we going to visit grandma!" Eve squealed excitedly.

The commander nodded.

She raised her brow and pressed her forehead against his. "Then we go and get my pony?!"

Gendo's chuckled softly and nodded. He rarely spoke, only when he deemed it necessary, and only to Eve when it wasn't. She looked and acted so much like Yui.

Shinji took a deep breath, shook his head no, and swallowed hard before he spoke. "No Eve, you are not getting a pony. You don't even take care of the turtle you *had* to have."

"But..." The little girl's chin started to quiver.

"But nothing." Asuka said sternly. She was the one who took care of that stinky reptile, and she did not want to take care of a stinky horse as well.

Gendo glared at the woman and said in a voice that sounded like warmed over ice. "*I* said she could have one."

Asuka snorted and looked away from her loves father.

After the commander's words, there was a very tense silence. Dark blue eyes glared at tinted glasses until one looked away. It was Shinji who relented. It was always Shinji that relented.

The boy now man turned away from his daughter and father, and walked back into his office. A low growl of "Fine" was all he said before he disappeared behind the closed door.

Eve bit her bottom lip. This was what happened almost every time she asked for something. Well, it happened every time she asked her Grandfather to get her something. Unlike her father, he never said no to her. No matter what she was asking for. However, her requests would, for some reason, always anger her dad. That's why she never let him know what she wanted. Mama said that grandpa didn't do things for her dad when he was little, so he doesn't want him to try and make penance by spoiling her. But Eve knew that her daddy's dislike for her to have stuff stemmed from something deeper. She just didn't know what. It was almost like he didn't want her to have anything, and if it wasn't for her mama and granddad she wouldn't .

Eve wiggled out of her grandfather's grasp and guiltily looked up. "I'll be right back.. ok?" She gave him a worried look.

Gendo took a deep breath as he stared into her violet eyes, then nodded. He knew why she was afraid. She was afraid that she pushed her dad away.

Eve tip toed back into her fathers office. She saw him standing by and staring at the back wall with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Daddy?"

He didn't turn toward her. "I'm not upset. So do not worry yourself."

She swallowed hard. She could tell by her father's tone that he was lying. "I don't need a pony." She reluctantly sighed.

Shinji chuckled softly. His daughter sounded like that statement was worse than pulling teeth. He gave one last glance at the hidden crack in the wall before he turned toward his little girl. He opened up his arms and she ran into his waiting embrace.

She cried out as she ran to him. "I'm sorry, daddy!"

Shinji looked down at his daughter as she sought comfort and forgiveness in his strong arms. "Shh... there's nothing to be sorry about."

She rubbed her tears away on his shirt then looked up at him. Behind his glasses, she couldn't see his eyes, but she could tell by the way his lips were pressed in a melancholy frown that she did something which made him sad.

His heart clenched when she wiped away her tears like that. It reminded him of how his love does it....did it. Shinji brushed the rest of her tears away and whispered with forced love. "I don't mind if you have a pony...I-I'm sorry I got upset."

"It's because of mother, huh?" The little girl frowned a bit.

Shinji didn't respond right off. He hated when Eve called his wife 'mother.' She blamed her mother making him sad all the time. She blamed her for....

"The commander is waiting." Informed the secretary's voice over the intercom.

The little girl stiffened and a gave an expectant look up at her dad.

"Go.." He commanded. "Have fun."

The little girl nodded and ran toward the door.

Shinji pressed his lips in a thin line as he watched the girl leave. He slowly shook his head. "Ten years."

Ten long years.

Shinji had feigned surprise, but he knew how long it had been since Eve's birthday. Not only did he know exactly how many years it had been, he knew how many days it had been. He knew how many hours it had been, and if he would glance at his watch, he would know how many seconds had passed as well. He knew_ all_ to _well.

With an irritated breath, he returned his gaze to the back wall. He walked to it slowly, then pressed a code that revealed a hidden door. He was so focused on going into that hidden room that didn't notice when Asuka slipped into to his office.

Her jaw fell slightly ajar as the door started to close behind him. Quickly, she padded across the room and stopped the door before it closed completely. Through a tiny crack, she quizzically watched her truest love.

~~~

Shinji walked deeper into the room. The small space was illuminated only by a faint orange glow. The glow came from a large cylinder tube type tank.

"Gomen, my love..." The 2nd commander whispered lovingly. "I'm sorry that I did not visit you yesterday." He rested his palm against the cool, curved glass. "I had pressing business to attend to....I think I may have found away to bring you back to me..."

Sleeping crimson eyes snapped open to the familiar voice and a warm smile that mirrored the face that was gazing lovingly at her, graced her angelic lips. Rei floated down to be at eye level with him and gently placed her hand on the glass, against his. She tilted her head to the side and smiled until her eyes became rainbow shapes.

In awe, Shinji took off his tinted glasses and gazed at his one and only love. She was so beautiful. Rei looked even more lovely than the day she... He shook that memory out of his thoughts. He was not going to let it ruin this. The former 3rd child started to take off his clothes. Then quickly turned his gaze away when she started to mimic his actions. It hurt so much to be slapped with the reality that her loving smiles and gestures were mere mimics of his own. He shook that thought out of his head.... for he couldn't bare to except that harsh reality.

Once he was undressed, he took a quick shower in disinfectant.

Shinji knew that he should stop coming to her. To stop talking to her He knew that he should...let... her body die... but.. he couldn't. He couldn't find it in himself to let go. To let *her* go. Not in life, and not in death. She was his reason to wake up every morning. Rei was his reason why he kept living. He wanted to be with her again, and he knew that if he took his own life that they would be eternally separated, for he would be punished.

<if I would have known that Eve's birth would make you like this...> He blinked his tears and that thought away as well. He knew that he shouldn't think like that anymore. He knew exactly what he would have done if he knew. It was wrong to even think about it... Since, he could not change the past... no matter how much he already tried or how much he was secretly still trying.

Doused in the disinfectant, then in distilled water, Shinji walked up the ladder that led to the top of the tank. He opened it up and slowly lowered himself in. He didn't want to hurt Rei by bumping into her.

The blue haired angel looked up at him in wonder, of what he was doing. It was the same innocent expression she always gave him every time he came to her in this fashion. And he came often, almost everyday.

Shinji allowed his lungs to be filled with LCL and he floated down to his wife. "I love you." He soulfully assured as he embraced her.

No words, but her mouth mimicked the words back to him as she gently wrapped her arms around him.

Shinji ran his fingers through her silky blue locks, tilted her head to the side and kissed her soft lips.

~~~~

Asuka felt her stomach turn. She couldn't believe that he... that he... that *she*... that Rei was.... wasn't.... The second child fought off the urge to vomit... to scream , to cry, to... confront him!! The sight before her was the absolute most disgusting thing she had ever seen in her life. REI WAS DEAD!!!! She died during childbirth and there was Shinji, kissing and ... lustfully embracing his dead wife! Asuka couldn't believe it... Somehow he had managed to preserve Rei's body after all these years.

Asuka wanted to storm in there. To stop what was going on, but her body wouldn't comply and unfortunately, she could tell by the way Shinji counteracted Rei's mimicking gestures that this was not the first time he had come to her. She could tell that this was not the first time he was going to .. make.. love...

The red headed woman shook her head savagely. She was NOT seeing this!!!

Rei was DEAD!! The former second child had gone to Rei's funeral *and* cremation. For ten years, she has been taking care of Rei's daughter as her own!

Inwardly, she bitterly laughed. Eve looked like an identical copy of the late first child. The only difference being the child's light brown hair, brilliant violet eyes and her bubbly nature. But everything else was the same. Asuka would be lying if she said that she didn't hate the child's face. For it was the face that Shinji worshiped like a goddess and his father as well.

She fought a good fight to keep him though, but in the end... she lost. Asuka refused to go to their wedding, or even speak to them after the first 4 years of their marriage. It wasn't until Rei got pregnant did she talk to either one of them again. However, she only talked to Rei once. And that one time, it was the blue haired angel who initiated it. What Rei told her chilled her to her soul. She was told to

"Take care of Shinji when I am gone."

When Rei died, Asuka knew that the first child was already aware that by having a child, it would cause her own death. It wasn't a natural birth in the least. Rei was never supposed to have children, Shinji knew that when he married her, but after all his friends started having kids, he started wanting one of his own. He didn't cheat on Rei, or even threaten to leave, instead he asked her to have a child by way of the A.E.

It wasn't until after Eve's birth and Rei's death did Asuka find out who Rei was... what she was. She took the news hard, for she couldn't believe that Shinji would actually chose to be with her blue haired rival, knowing that he was related to her!

Asuka didn't know the whole story, but Misato told her that Rei got upset when Shinji suggested cloning a child. The only time in their entire marriage did Rei get upset with Shinji. She *yelled* at him for trying to play God. She rejected his desire and told him that just because his father was able to clone her, that doesn't mean that it was right. Or even that it would work. But in the end, she relented and they cloned Eve into life. Rei even allowed him to convince her to have a uterus created and implanted in her body and have a natural childbirth.

Like the late first child predicted, Eve was still born. She was not dead, just still. The child had no soul. Man could play God and create a body, but man was not God, for he could not make a soul. The child was dead but the angelic side of her, allowed her body to remain alive as long as she was in LCL. Rei knew this would happen. That's why she gave birth in a tank of LCL.

Shinji cried out to the heavens as he cradled his still born, baby girl in his arms. His sorrow helped Rei make her decision. She knew how much he wanted this child. So she prayed, and traded her soul, for a soul for her child.

When the child started to cry with life, Shinji loving gazed at his wife, then started to cry again. This time with even more fervor. This was not what he wanted!! He would have never asked for a child, if he knew that it was going to take the life of his beloved wife!! He cried out to God to bring Rei back. To bring her back to him and take back the soul of the child.... but it was too late.

Rei denied him nothing.. even if it meant her own life. It was his fault...He gazed at his crying child and narrowed his eyes viciously. No.... it was Eve's fault! She took his beloved wife away from him because her life was the reason for Rei's death.

That's when Shinji changed. His heart became as cold as ice; even more so than his fathers. He hid his sorrow behind tinted glasses and became a slave to his job. He searched for a way to bring Rei back, even if it would cause the 4th impact. He didn't care. He only cared about Rei and reuniting with her again. Shinji's whole house turned into a shrine to his dead wife. Everything in his place remained in the exact same place as it was on the day of her death. EVERYTHING in there IS the SAME place!!

That was also when Asuka decided to take care of Eve. Shinji had, at first, hated Eve with a sadistic passion and Asuka was certain that he probably would have allowed the child to die by neglect. Until *now*, she couldn't believe or understand how Shinji could turn his back on his own child. He used to be so adamant that he wasn't going to be like his father, but when he was given with the same cards of fate that his father was dealt.... he actually turned into something worse then Gendo ever could be.

It took 2 years after Rei died, did he relent into having a funeral for her. It was forced on him by his father. It was on that same day they finally held a funeral for his mother as well. Both of the Ikari men were forced to come to terms with the death of their wives. But did they? Asuka now doubted it. Gendo may have stopped wearing his tinted glasses, but Unit 01 was the only Eva that was kept in perfect condition and now.. Shinji...

The former second child looked away when the 2nd commander started to make love to the body of his wife deceased wife and spoke a loving mantra of I love you...I will always love you...

"They're crazy...both of them.." She stifled back a sob and slowly left to room. What could she do? Even if she confronted him, she doubted it would stop him from worshiping Rei... or... going to Rei to claim her dead body.

In a daze, Asuka walked to her own office, locked the door behind her, and silently wept. She cried because she knew that for over 15 years she had wasted her time on him.

She allowed herself to fall into the same damn hole Ritsuko was in. She raised Eve because she hoped that by doing so, Shinji would eventually see her as the child saw her. The perfect mother and a good wife. She *thought* Shinji was finally coming around. He was nicer to Eve.... even nicer to her. He didn't even protest to the little girl calling her mama anymore. Well not verbally, his teeth did clench every time he heard it, but he no longer voiced his displeasure. Mostly because it was Eve's choice to address her like that. Asuka smiled slightly at that thought. She raised Rei's child like her own daughter. She loved Eve like her own daughter. She had to. Shinji *was* worse than his father. He was so bad that even Gendo had to stepped up and finally become a father figure to someone.

But why did she waist so many years on such a weak little boy? Maybe because he wasn't that weak little boy anymore. Rei's love had change him for the better made him confident and happy. Her death changed him for the worst. But it was his cool stoic nature that Asuka now found so attractive. He was cold, and he carried himself like a controlled ticking time bomb. Bottled fury always rang in his voice, and complete self confidence was always in his movements. He was in short... a bastard.

Asuka covered her face with her hands and cried. She had no idea how long. Hours most likely, because Eve came bursting through her door.

"Mama...?" The little girl gently put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Asuka quickly wiped away her tears and sniffed out. "Nothing baby..." She looked around the small office and asked. "How did you get in?"

The little brown haired girl pointed at the door. There stood Shinji, tall, proud, and cruel, with nothing about him looking out of the ordinary except his neatly combed damp hair. He stared at her with an impassive glare.

Asuka quickly turned her face away from him. She didn't know if she could look at him without disgust, but she wasn't sure if she was disgusted because of what she saw him doing or because she could tell that he didn't care about whatever was bothering her.

"I got a white pony!" The girl squealed.

Asuka looked up at the child and smiled warmly. "That's very nice. Did you tell your grandfather thank you?"

Eve nodded with child like enthusiasm. "I've named her snowball because granddad said that's what she reminds him of snow. Granddad said that some parts of the world still has snow! And one day when I get a little older, he's was going to take me to see it! Just me and him!"

As the child rambled on, Asuka maintained a forced warm smile. Eve was so happy, she didn't want to change that. However, inwardly her stomach was turning to ice. As the years went on, the 1st commander was making himself more and more apart of Eve's life. At first, it amazed her how nice the commander was to her rivals child, but now she knew the reason. It was because Eve reminded him of Yui. Eve looked more like Yui than Rei, and for that reason Asuka would extensively question the child, in private, every time Gendo took Eve out alone. She wanted to make sure that Gendo never forgot that Eve is his *grandchild* and not his late wife. She wanted to make sure that Gendo never did to Eve what he would do to Rei.

In truth, Asuka wanted to limit Gendo's visits with Eve, but she knew that she had no right to do so. She only had the right of a mother. But she wasn't Eve's legal mother. Moreover, she knew that if it was even rumored that she desired to keep Gendo away, the 1st commander would take Eve away from her completely, and Shinji wouldn't care. He didn't care who Eve lived with, as long as it wasn't him. So Asuka kept her mouth shut. She had to, because other than her, no one would be there to protect the little girl if the commander ever tried to..... Asuka shook that thought out of her head. There was no evidence to prove her suspicions about the commander's motives.

Shinji quickly grew tired of his child's seemingly endless banter. Behind his tinted glass, he rolled his eyes, then turned on his heals to leave.

Eve didn't notice her father's departure. This was what he usually did after someone would bring her to him. He told her that he was a very busy man and he didn't have the time to have his work disturbed. So almost immediately after she was brought to him, he would take her to her mama.

Asuka looked away from her child, and toward the girl's father as he fluidly walked away from her office. Her heart broke to see him leave. She loved him so much, she wished that he would return just some of it. She wished that he would_ let_ Rei_ go...

Before she could stop herself she called out. "Shinji!"

The 2nd commander stopped, not facing her.

Asuka bit her bottom lip. She wasn't sure why she called him, she only knew that she didn't want him to leave. Even after she witnessed him making love to Rei's dead body, she didn't want him to leave. "I-I wanted to know if you wanted to come to our house for dinner? <please say yes>

Eve's eyes widened hopefully. Her father never spent time with them outside of NERV.

A simple "No" was his answer before he continued to walk away from them.

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

3 months later

Shinji walked into his secret room. For the first time in 10 years, he was actually happy.

"My love!"

Rei's crimson eyes snapped open once she heard the familiar voice, and she mirrored his extreme happiness in her smiles.

Her gentle smile made him happier. He quickly shed his clothes and rushed to the shower.

The angel pressed her hands and forehead against the curve glass as she curiously watched him disinfect his body.

Shinji was excited as he watched her watch him. She looked so angelically beautiful and perfect. Her body was still youthful and perfectly crafted. One wouldn't even be able to tell that she had a child or was even old enough to have a 10 year old child. Though her body was alive, it stopped aging the day she died.

After he finished with his shower, Shinji sprinted up the steps, only stumbling twice, and quickly yet carefully lowered himself into the tank.

Rei watched him and embraced him as he embraced her.

Shinji gave her an intense open mouth kiss then pulled back so he could see her face. "I found a way to bring you back to me!" He ignored her mimicking oral gestures and continued. This was going to be the last time she did such things. After so many years of searching, delving in black magic and Holy Scriptures, and failed attempts to summon her soul, he finally found what he was searching for. He finally found a way to bring her back.

"Your soul..." He happily and lightly kissed her lips. "You traded it... but I found away to bring you back!!" He kissed her again then pulled back and smiled at her lovely face.

Rei smiled happily even though she had no rational thought to decipher what he was telling to her.

"Soon my love... We will be together again...." Shinji breathed out through the LCL right before he passionately kissed her and wrapped her slender legs around his waist.

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

Hours later, but only a few minutes after Shinji left his secret room, did his secretary announce. "Dr. Sohryu is waiting to see you sir."

Shinji smirked as he took his seat in his oversized chair. "Send her in."

A few moments later, Asuka walked into his office. "You wanted to see me?" Her hope was clearly audible. She hoped that he*wanted * to see her.

Shinji noticed her tone but chose to ignore it. "Actually, I wanted to see Eve. It is 1600 hours. I thought she would be with you."

Although heart broken, she hid it well. "Eve is with your father."

"Ahh..." The man pressed his lips together and shook his head knowingly. "They are often together." After his words, he visually ignored her presence and returned to his work "You are dismissed, Doctor." .

She didn't leave right off. Instead she asked him a question. "Shinji... don't you think it is odd that your father spends so much time with Eve?"

Without looking up, the 2nd commander smirked darkly and innocently suggested. "Maybe she reminds him of someone."

<why you son of a b*tch!> Asuka narrowed her eyes and yelled. "You knew didn't you?!.. You knew that he sees your mother in Eve!!"

Shinji knew what she was insinuating. He shifted and innocent gaze to her. "You're over reacting."

"Like hell I am!" Asuka spat out in pure disgust then continued in a tone that was laced with a sick satisfaction. "Ritsuko told me about him! About him and *Rei*! And how he would have *sex* with her and pretend she was Yui!"

"Enough!" Shinji roared through grit and slammed his palms against his marble desk top. With inhuman speed, he stood up and closed the distance between the two and grabbed her by her throat.

Asuka eyes widened in shock. She never knew he could move so quickly. She put a desperate clasp on her loves hand as she tried to pry it loose.

Shinji put more pressure on his grasp and growled. "I *never* want to hear you say that again!"

The woman choked out "Its...true... and... you know it..."

Shinji tightened his grip. "I said _SHUT_ UP!!"

Her knees started to feel weak, and the outer part of her vision grayed, but she continued. "You're going....to let..." She winced when he tightened his grip once again. She could tell that he was going to kill her, but still he continued. "What...about.. Eve?"

"What about her?" Was Shinji's cruel response.

His callous words infuriated the former pilot. With the last of her strength, she kneed him in the groin. Hard.

Groaning in pain, the 2nd commander slumped to the ground. Asuka fell to the floor with him but quickly scrambled to her feet.

She rubbed and soothed her bruised neck and yelled. "You don't even care!! He could be f*cking molesting her, and you don't even care!!"

Shinji curled up in a ball as saliva tricked out of his mouth. He was in so_ much_ pain. He had forgotten how strong his former roommate was. He forgot how much pain she could cause him.

"Yaro!" In anger, Asuka kicked him then she kicked him again and again. "You don't deserve to be her father!! You don't deserve her love!" She kicked again, then said something she knew would hurt him "Rei would hate you if she knew how you treated Eve!"

More than the blows to his body, Asuka's declaration about his beloved wife hurt him.

"Rei gave up her life so YOU could have a child!!" She kicked him again.

Shinji stopped trying to protect his body, and used his hands to cover his ears. He didn't want to hear the truth that she was telling him.

The former second child scowled and bent down and pried his hands off the sides of his face and yelled. "YOU'RE the one who KILLED Rei not EVE!! YOU!!!!"

The 2nd commander started to whimper and cry as he shook his head no and tried to hide his face.

"But yet,.. you blame your child!!" She grabbed his hair and made him face her. "Eve didn't ask to be born, Shinji!!! She didn't ask for Rei to die!" Rage consumed her insides when she felt his damp hair, for she knew exactly why it was so. "She's DEAD, Shinji!!! Rei's DEAD!! You've got to let her go!!"

"NEVER!!" He hit her hands away and started to scramble to his feet.

He didn't get far because Asuka knocked him back down and straddled his waist. "She's DEAD, Shinji, but Eve's alive!" She grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him. When she pulled back to stare into his shocked face, she breathed out. "And I'm alive!! And I love you! I've always loved you!"

When she tried to kiss him again, Shinji pushed her off of him, quickly got to his feet, and yelled. "I'm married, Asuka!! You know that!"

Asuka shook her head no, making her hair fan around her face. "She's dead! You're not married anymore!" Then shrilled. "You need to let go!"

Shinji savagely wiped his mouth and his tears away, then spat out cruelly. "I wouldn't expect *you* to understand...You have no idea what it means to love someone! You couldn't possibly understand what it means to love someone so much you can feel them in your blood!! You don't understand..."

From her sitting position she glared up at him and interrupted. "Understand what?!! Your need to f*ck a corpse?!!" She slapped her hands over her mouth. She didn't mean to let him know that she knew.

Only a flash of surprise graced his face before he composed himself and cruelly smirked. "So that's what this is about." He laughed mockingly. "You're jealous..."

The woman scrambled to her feet, closed the distance between them and tried to slap him. Shinji caught her wrist and glared daggers at her. Futilely, she tried to break his grasp as she yelled.

"I don't understand?!! YOU don't understand!... You don't understand that I *do* love you! For over fifteen years, I've loved and lived for you.... That everything I do.. I do for you. *You* don't understand that I would do anything for you...If you would only give me the chance..."

Shinji's eyes widened, and he pointed to himself. "You ...you love me?..... *You* have no idea what love is!" He laughed bitterly. "The only person who has ever loved me was Rei....Why? I have no idea, but SHE loved me....ME!! The little weak baka who no one gave a damn about, but everyone one needed!!!" He insanely glared up toward the ceiling and screamed. "SHE LOVED ME!" He stared at the ceiling as if it held to secrets to the universe. Silent tears streamed out his eyes and he whispered out desperately. "Rei was the only one whoever meant it... when she told me she loved me......"

Tears streamed out of Asuka's eyes as she observed how fragile Shinji still was. That's when she came to the conclusion that Shinji held onto Rei's memory because inside, he was still that same little boy who was desperate for affection "I love you, Shinji... more than Rei ever could!"

With an angry jolt, Shinji returned his gaze to her. "Don't you *ever* compare yourself to her! EVER!" His voice became a sadistic growl. "You have no clue to the depths of Rei's love!" He put a bone crushing grasp on her wrist and continued. "You say you love me *more* than Rei ever could?

Asuka cried out in pain when his grasp increased in pressure.

He screamed insanely. "Would you die for me, Asuka?!!...Would you still love me if I rejected you *after* you killed yourself for me?!... Would you *kill* every_ single_ person on this f*cking planet for me?!....Would you destroy the whole world just so that no one else could hurt me...So I won't be in pain anymore?! Hmm?..... Would you give me the world back; even though, I rejected your gift and *you,* AGAIN! Would your love allow you change the out come of the 3rd impact; even though, it could have been your own death!!...Would you... would you still love me after all that, Asuka!!! Would you?!!"

Asuka could hear her bones in her wrist cracking under Shinji's grasp. In pain, the second child cried out. "What are you talking about?!.." She tried her best to embrace him with her free hand. She wanted to calm him down, but he hit her hand away. "No one destroyed the world, Shinji. ....There is no such thing as a 3rd impact,..... Shinji... you're confused....Rei never destroyed the world!" She reached out to caress his face and wipe away his tears. "Let me help you...Let me love you!"

"Asuka...." Shinji quickly turned his face to the side to avoid her touch. He did not look in the least bit appreciative to her words or gestures . "Why can't you respect that I'm married...and that I love Rei, MY WIFE!!" He hit her hand away when she tried to touch him again.

She shook her head no and sobbed out. " Shinji..."

He interrupted. "You say you love me?... If you knew *anything* about love, you would know that I will always be loyal to Rei.....That I *don't* want to be with you! Not_ now_. Not _ever....and nothing you *do* or *say* will change that."

His words destroyed her, so she did what came natural to her when she became emotionally hurt. She tried to smack him with the other hand.

He caught it and roughly let her go, making fall to the floor. He shook his head, as to scorn her use of physical violence. "Same ol Asuka."

The red haired woman swallowed back her tears and cupped her face in her hands. After about a minute, she asked defeated tone. "May I ask.... what you wanted with Eve?"

Shinji wiped away the rest of his tears with the back of his hand and answered coolly. "Not that it's any of your business... but I have a little job for her."

A chill ran through her spine and her head whipped up. "A-a a job?"

He didn't bother to repeat his answer.

"What is this job?" She asked worriedly. She wasn't sure why, but she knew this job would put Eve in danger. When he didn't answer, she asked again this time more sternly.

"It doesn't concern you." He answered icily as he finished composing himself and walked coolly to his desks.

"Like hell it does!" Asuka yelled and stood up defiantly. "I'm her mother!"

"No." Shinji commented as he sat in his plush chair. "You're her guardian. Let's not forget your place."

"My PLACE!" She sputtered. "I've raised that child as if she were my own since she was born!"

The 2nd commander sighed in a bored fashion. "Bring Eve by my office tomorrow. This is not a request. It is a comma-."

"Tomorrow?!!" Asuka raked her hand through her short auburn hair. A while ago she had cut it like Rei's in hopes to attract Shinji. "Do you even know what tomorrow is?"

He answered in a controlled growl. "Of course I do....It's the day Rei "

The woman interrupted. "Its Eve's birthday!!"

Shinji grit his teeth and responded. "I suppose it is that as well."

The red haired woman narrowed her eyes angrily and yelled. "All you can think about is your damn precious Rei!!! Rei's DEAD, but Eve's alive!!!" She got up and stomped toward his desk. "I don't care that by some god defying reason, her body can still move, she's not alive ,Shinji....but Eve is....And you should spend tomorrow with her and celebrate her BIRTHDAY with us...*her*... at least once! And not because you have some *job* for her to do!!"

Her words fell on deaf ears. The second commander clasped his fingers together and asked. "Is that all?" He smirked at her flabbergasted expression. "Then you know your orders. I will be expecting her at 1500 hours."

The former second child cringed. Shinji looked so much like his father. Then she realized something. "You really don't care do you?...." She shook her head in disbelief. "You're no better than him."

Shinji sat back and made himself comfortable in his plush chair. "Perhaps... you're right, and I am no better than him..." He smirked darkly. "Then again...Perhaps I'm worse."

Asuka felt like ice shot through her veins, and she backed up in fear and disgust. When she pressed against the door and was about to flee, he called.

"Oh and Asuka..."

She shivered when he said her name, for his hate for her was clearly audible.

Her reaction pleased him, and he continued as he pulled something out of his top desk drawer. "My father never molested my wife...I know this for a fact, because Rei was a virgin when I married her. " His eyes narrowed evilly and he pointed a gun at her. "So It would be in your best interest to never repeat that lie again."

Asuka eyed the gun fearfully as her hand fluttered to her now bruised neck and her other hand soothed her fractured wrist. Both were proof that Shinji knew her words were true, but she nodded in agreement anyway.

He gave her a warm smile and nodded as he lowered his weapon. "I'm glad we have an understanding..."

Asuka couldn't help herself from smiling back at him. His smile... she lived and would willing die for that smile. She cursed herself for not appreciating it when she was younger. When he meant it, and would freely give it to her in hopes for a little kindness. Kindness she never bestowed on him until it was too late.

Asuka was utterly in love with the young 2nd commander. She unfortunately realized this after the first child confessed her feelings of love to him. After that Shinji was Rei's devout follower and placed the blue haired girl on a pedestal as if she were a goddess. Asuka knew that she could never compete with Rei when it came to Shinji's affections, but she tried anyway.

The worst of it was that she still had hope that he would one day love her back. Even though, she knew that he would have killed her just now if she didn't comply with his denial. She still loved him; even though, over the past three months, she came to realize that Shinji was insane. Insanely obsessed with his dead wife. He was no better off than his father. But... she was no better off, than either of them as well, and she knew it.

When Asuka walked out of the office, she headed for the employee garage. She was going to the commander's place and get her *daughter*.

Just because Shinji didn't care, didn't mean she was going to turn a blind eye to the abuse.

~~~~

Gendo and Eve walked into the commander's condo.

"I need to take a shower." Ikari groaned as he pinched his shirt and smelled it.

The little girl giggled, covering her mouth with one hand and pointing with the other. "Yes, grandpa you do! You're stinky!"

"So are you, little lady!" He laughed, sat down and took off his riding boots. "Horses stink!"

Eve sat on the floor in front of him and started taking off her boots too. "Yeah they do, but they sure are fun to ride!"

Gendo presses his lips together and forced a smile. He didn't agree. He hated riding those foul smelling beast. He only did it to be with Eve. She loved riding just as much as Yui used to love it. Unfortunately, he never made time to ride with Yui.

"Granddad, can I take a bath instead of taking a shower?" She gave him her best puppy dog face. She knew that he always said no to that request. The only bathtub was in his bedroom, and no one used it, because grandma was the last to use it. She understood why he felt so protective over it. It was the same reason why her daddy doesn't allow anything to be touched in his apartment. They wanted to preserve the memory of their wives who died. But she would ask any way. Just in case he said yes. It was the only thing he denied her.

Though the man gave no facial expression, his heart both soared and broke when she made that face. She looked and acted so much like his beloved wife. Too much so. He nodded, giving her permission and got up to take a shower in the spare bathroom.

Even though she asked, she expected him to say no. He always said no. So, Eve was completely surprised when he said yes. The little girl quickly got up and ran to her grandfathers bedroom and private bath before he changed his mind.

Gendo knew why he allowed Eve to use the Yui's bath. Part of him, a large part, was starting to believe that Eve *was* Yui incarnate. Everything Yui loved, Eve loved. The two had the same sense of humor and they even laughed the same. Too many similarities to ignore, and unlike Rei, who only shared his beloved wife's face, Eve shared the same personality as well.

Gendo sighed as he shed his clothes. He decided to take a cold shower. He knew that he was going to have to stop spending time with Eve and allowing her to visit his place. It was too much temptation to...

"She's my grandchild. Not Yui!" Gendo raked his soapy hands through his hair. "She's my granddaughter!" He was determined not to do to Eve what he used to do to Rei.

The first child was about the same age when he started having 'relations' with her. Like his grandchild, Rei was so trusting, even after her first death. Actually, after her first death, Rei became dependant on Gendo and only trusted him. Unless ordered to talk to others, she only talked to him. She was scared of others, afraid that they would kill her for talking. So only in the privacy from others, she *was* still a happy trusting little girl until.... that first time.

Rei had exhibited all the tale-tale signs of an abused child, but no one *cared* to notice them. Ritsuko noticed. Misato had her suspicions. But no one cared enough about Rei to put an end to it. No one cared about the first child, and Rei knew it. So as the years of abuse continued, the young angel became withdrawn from the rest of the world. Her only *friend* was Gendo, and he betrayed her trust almost everyday.

It wasn't until Shinji tried to get to know her did she question her 'relationship' with the commander. It wasn't until after her third reawakening, did she no longer allow her body to be used as a substitute wife.

"I'm sorry, Rei." The commander truly was. Even when he claimed the child's body, he was soulfully sorry. He knew that what he was doing was wrong, but he was so grief stricken and... Rei's face looked enough like Yui's.... He just wanted to be with Yui again.

As Gendo washed his body, he allowed his tears to freely fall from his blue eyes. The tears were for his son's deceased wife. Gendo was ashamed of himself because, she forgave him. Even after all those years of abuse, Rei forgave him. She truly was an angel. But he never forgive himself. For too many years and too many times he took her for his own selfish needs.

After he finished bathing and was adorned in a plush robe, Gendo walked into his bedroom and quickly went to retrieve his clothes before he went back into the spare bedroom to get dressed.

"Geni-chan is that you?"

The commander stiffened at the bedroom door. All the color drained from his face. Only his wife ever called him Geni-chan. Why? Because she wanted to make his pet name unique. Something only for them, and it was. He never told another soul about that knick name. So how in the world did Eve know it... if she wasn't...

"She's not Yui. She's my grandchild" Gendo kept repeating that sentence like a mantra. He was trying to squash his hope and focus on the reality. He could hear the water sloshing around in the bath and the gentle slapping of tiny wet feet on a smooth marble floor.

The little girl popped her head out of the bathroom door and giggled. "I though it was you!"

Gendo didn't turn to face her, but he took a deep breath and breathed out. "Why did you call me that?"

She tilted her head to the side as she put a tighter wrap of the towel around her torso, and walked into the room and giggled. "I dunno.. you just look like a Geni-chan."

The command felt sick with hope. That was exactly what Yui said so many years ago. She walked over to the dresser and picked up a little box.

"Is this for me?" She asked sweetly.

The commander didn't turn around, but he knew what she was asking and he nodded.

"Thanks!" She ran over to him and hugged him from behind.

Gendo's body immediately felt like he was dipped in fire. His back arched uncomfortably as he gasped at her touch.

She quickly let him go; even though, she didn't notice his tense disposition. She walked over to her late grandmother's vanity and sat on the cushioned pedestal chair as if she owned it. She squealed excitedly. "Geni-chan, can you help me put them on?"

Slowly, he turned to face her. <too much temptation> She looked so much like Yui. Too much. "I don't think so." He reluctantly whispered out.

Eve turned to face him and poked out her bottom lip. Her near red, violet eyes pleaded for help. "But I don't know how to put them on. Remember how much trouble I had at the eye doctor's?"

His face looked pained as he tried to keep his resolve to say no.

"Pleeeaaase"

In a sigh, the commander slowly padded across the room and toward the vanity.

Eve giggled and wiggled in her seat as she tore open the package. It was a pair of contacts. Dark blue like her granddad's and her father's eyes, so she was told. She'd never seen her fathers eyes, for he always kept them hidden behind dark tinted glasses. Once, she asked her granddad why he always wore them. He said that her father wore them to hide his sadness from the world. He even told her that he used to wear glasses very similar to her father's for the exact same reason. She didn't believe him though. She couldn't imagine her grandfather hiding behind tinted glasses.

Gendo retrieved the cleaning and saline solution from his counter then kneeled beside Eve. "Do you remember how to prepare them?"

Eve nodded vigorously as she began to prepare her contacts. She was so excited.

The commander was nervous. He was wringing his clothes in his hands. He did not want to see her in those contacts. It was hard enough the first time, at the doctors office when she was putting on the trial pair. She looked exactly like Yui. Only because there where others in the room did he control his unnatural urges.

"I'm ready!" She chimed as she tilted her head back and opened her eyes wide.

Gendo took the contact and balanced it on the tip of his finger, but before he put it on her eye he asked "Are you sure want to wear these?"

"Uh huh!" She slightly nodded.

"But..." Gendo sighed. "But you have your mothers eyes. Are you sure you want to hide them?"

The little girl balled her tiny hands on her lap then bowed her head down and stared at them intensely. After many minutes she answered "No... I don't want to hide them... I love that they are similar to hers.. I wish they were exactly the same as hers... then.. maybe.. daddy would like me... because I would look more like her."

"Eve.." <that's not why Shinji treats you like he does...I know. I did the same to him>

The girl looked at her grandfather, so many emotions shimmered in her violet eyes. So much hurt and anger. She turned her gaze to the mirror and yelled. "But he'll never like me! Because I don't look like her! I'll never look like her! I will never be as beautiful as her!" She grabbed a fistful of her brown hair. "Because my hair is the wrong color! My eyes are the wrong color! My skin is not pale enough!...And ...because of that.. daddy hates me!"

"That's not true, Eve.... You look just like your mother." He mentally added. <and your grandmother... he hates you because he blames you... just as I blamed him for Yui's death>

She ignored him and continued. "But mama thinks I look *too* much like her! She thinks my eyes are too much like hers!" Tears started to stream out of those exotic eyes. "She hates my mother...and she wants me to hate her too....but... I don't..." She wiped away her tears and titled her head back. "But she's nicer to me...than him.... so for her...I will hide the only thing I did inherit from my mother." She sat there with her head tilted back and stared at him. Eve could tell that her grandfather wasn't going to put them in, so she begged in a sobbing whisper. "Please Geni-chan...just put them in."

Reluctantly, Gendo complied.

~~~~~~~~~~~`

In another part of the up scale apartment building, one Dr Sohryu was stepping out of the elevator and was storming down the hall toward the Eldest Ikari's house.

~~~~~~~~~

Eve blinked her now dark blue eyes and stared into the mirror. She really didn't like her new look and her tears started streaming down her cheeks again.

Gendo stared at her in awe. Now she really did look exactly like Yui. He slowly started to get up. He had to get out of there, and get out of there *now*! He would have made it too, if she didn't turn to face him and sob out...

"Geni-chan"

Gendo froze. He couldn't think or breath as she stared into his eyes. "Yes Yu-" He shook his head no and corrected. "Yes, Eve?"

She turned in her seat to face. "Do you think my mother would...be disappointed in me for hiding my eyes?"

Staring into her now blue eyes, the commander shook his head no. Unknowingly, his eyes started to water up as he remembered how understanding and forgiving Rei was.

She tightened her towel and leaned forward. "Are you sure?"

He nodded.

She gave him a forced smile then asked. "Do you think mama will think I'm pretty... now that I don't have my mother's eyes anymore?"

"Eve..." The commander breathed out. "You were always beautiful...."

She blushed and sniffed out. "For real?"

She really didn't believe him. She had heard that she was ugly so many times from her mama, that she suffered from low self esteem. To everyone who knew her, she seemed cheerful and confident. But inwardly, she was a tortured little girl. She was abnormally smart, but she kept that to herself. She also knew that her family was dysfunctional. VERY dysfunctional. She knew her father hated her, but she didn't understand why. No one would tell her. Instead, they pretended that he did care for her and was just too busy. Too busy to be a father to her. She knew that her mama hated her because she was Rei's child, but loved her because she was Shinji's. And her grandfather... as of late, he was becoming weird. He would stare at her with a longing that she did not understand. However, it was a longing that strangely comforted her. He seemed to be the only one who liked her. Who truly wanted to be around her.

Gendo nodded to her question as he gently wiped away her tears. He wanted to flee, but he couldn't. For some reason, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her, and for this reason his own tears started to stream down his cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Eve cried out as she used her tiny hands to mimic his actions and wipe away his tears.

"I've got to.." His words died in his mouth, and his breath caught in his throat when she leaned her face closer to him.

There faces mere inches apart. "Geni-chan?"

He closed his eyes and guiltily relished their closeness when she pressed her forehead against his. It was an innocent gesture, something they always did to force out a confession or compliance. But what Eve didn't know was that it was the same gesture that Yui and Gendo used to do for the exact same reasons. Through out the years, he was able to keep it innocent, but now.. .with her eyes blue and her looking *exactly* like his late wife... Gendo knew in his heart that he lost the battle.

The child quirked a brow curiously as she waited for her grandfather to confess. Then she smiled when he looked up at her and into her eyes. There was something strange about they way he looked at her, it made her feel... uncomfortable, so she pulled back.

"Eve.." Gendo breathed out as he timidly caressed the little girl's face with one hand. With the other, he gently held both of her hands in his large one an rested them on her lap.

Before she could even answer, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her tender lips. Eve's eyes snapped wide open and she tried to pull back. This was wrong! She didn't want this!

Gendo could feel her pulling away, and he slid his had around the back of her head and matched her movements so she couldn't break the kiss.

Eve tried to turn her head, but couldn't because he held her too tightly. The girl's eyes grew even wider when she felt his tongue push against her tightly pressed lips. With all her might, she futilely tried to pull away from him. She wished that she could use her hands, but he held them in a tight grip. She was stuck. So she did the only thing she could do. She pressed her lips even tighter together, rejecting his tongue's entrance and moaned out her protest as tears flowed down her cheeks.

That's when Gendo finally pulled back. Guilty and ashamed, he stared into the girl's eyes.

Eve stared back in shock for about ten seconds before she started to cry hysterically and demanded to know "Why?!"

Why did he do it? Why did he betray her trust?

Gendo who was on his knees, looked away from her and slumped over and sobbed into his hands as he cried out a mantra of "I'm so sorry!"

The little girl, blinked, then slowly ceased her own tears when she noticed her grandfathers sullen disposition. She apprehensively raised one of her now freed hands and brushed her fingers against her bruised lips. Slowly, very slowly, she slid off the chair and sat on her knees beside him.

Gendo cringed when he felt her place her tiny hand against his back and caress it in a forced comforting movement.

"It's ok." She whispered lovingly. When he didn't stop crying, Eve leaned over and whispered those comforting words in his ear. "It's ok my Geni-chan.....you just frightened me... Remember...this is the same thing that happened the first time you kissed me..."

Gendo stopped crying instantly. His head wiped up and he stared into her blue eyes. An adult-like knowing smirk graced the little girl's face. A facial expression that the late Yui gave him often, and one that Eve had never done. The commander's eyes widened in fear, love, hope, wonder and SHOCK. He was shocked stiffed. To the point to where he couldn't speak. Then she blinked again. Gendo noticed the not so subtle change. Eve went from looking exactly like his wife to a frightened grandchild that had been betrayed by her grandfather.

Eve's eyes widened fearfully as she wondered how she got on the floor. No more words exchanged between them as she scurried to her feet and ran out of the room.

Gendo started crying again. He wasn't sure if what had just transpired between them was truth or just another one of his obsessive desires for Yui to come back to him. He shook his head as he cried onto his hands. It had to have been his imagination...because he had never kissed Eve before...and the only one who ever reacted like that was...

~DING DONG~

Eve quickly ran to the front door and opened it up.

"Mama!"

Asuka frowned. The fact that her daughter was crying and only adorned in a loosely wrapped towel did not sit well with her. Nor did the fact that she now had BLUE EYES and she looked EXACTLY like the huge @$$ painted mural of YUI on the main wall of the living room. Without a word, the former second child reached into her purse and pulled out a .45 Glock, cocked it, and stormed into the house. When Eve tried to follow her, Asuka screamed.

"Stay there, Eve!! What I'm going to do is only going to take a minute!" She turned the hall corner and stormed toward the master bedroom.

What she found infuriated her! Gendo was on his knees his forehead pressed against the floor and he was crying guiltily into his hands. He was dressed only in a robe and like Eve, he looked like he was freshly bathed. Freshly bathed? Her trained eyes caught sight of a trail of Eve's clothes leading to the bathroom. YUI'S bathroom. Then with a slight shift of her gaze, she saw the commander's clothes. They were balled and twisted beside the chair of Yui's vanity. Contact solutions, now accompanied the religiously undisturbed, and consecrated, mementoes of the late great Yui.

That was all the proof the woman needed to confirm her suspicion about their relationship. Asuka's scowl deepened as she brought her gun up and pointed at the commander' back. She commanded in a yell.

"Turn the f*ck around!!"

Obediently, Gendo turned to face her. He didn't even bother to wipe away the tears that admitted the guilt og his crime. He was not afraid as he sat on the floor and looked into the barrel of her gun. Relieved and grateful, those were the emotions he felt. It was about time someone had the balls to kill him. He welcomed death because it would finally bring him to Yui. He tried with all his might to bring her back to him, but he failed. He wanted to die all these years. He wanted to die, rather than be forced to live without her. But fate was against him. So he lived. Suicide was not an option for him because he feared that his soul would be punished for that choice. He wasn't worried about the punishment he would receive for all the crimes he had committed. Why? Because God was forgiving and he had repented for them. Just as he had repented for his crime against his grandchild. Gendo knew that suicide was a sin that he could not repent. So he lived and waited for death, so that he could go to heaven and live out eternity with his beloved wife. Finally ... death had come for him.... beautiful and unforgiving Death.... and her name was Asuka.

Asuka felt ill as she watched a pleased smile tug at the corners of his lips. She was furious that he did not fear her, or fear what she was going to do to him. He should have been begging for her to spare his life. Crying out in hopes that she understood his reasons. But no. He just sat there.. .and waited... for her to kill him. It was almost like.... he wanted her too.

"She's not Yui!" She screamed.

In a hoarse whisper, he answered. "I know."

His answer enraged her. If he knew that Eve was not... then that meant he didn't care! Just like he didn't care when he molested Rei. He didn't care that Eve was barely 10! He didn't care that she was his biological GRANDDAUGHTER! He only cared about himself; it was all about the *physical* need. The physical need to be with *that* face! That FACE!!! The face she hated above all others! Rei's face, Yui's face and .. Eve's face. That damned face that had all the Ikari men under a spell of absolute devotion!!

<I hate you.. >A mental growl of hate was spat out in the woman's mind as she put a tighter grip on the trigger. <I hate you and I won't let you have......>

~~~~

Eve was sitting on the couch, waiting for her mama when the loud and distinct sound of a gun shot rang through her ears. She immediately jumped up and ran toward her grandfathers bedroom. When she turned the hall corner, she saw her mama standing in the bedroom doorway with her arm out and prepared to pull the trigger of her gun again.

<I won't let you have HIM!> Asuka's finished her mental proclamation of hate. However it wasn't toward Gendo, the molester of her child. It was toward Rei, the captor of Shinji's heart. HER Shinji!! Asuka pulled the trigger again. Envisioning that the man was her rival.

Eve's screamed.

On reflex, Asuka spun around and pointed her gun at the screaming child.

The little girl was crying hysterically. "How could you?!" Eve ignored that fact that a weapon was pointed at her and ran past her guardian and into the room.

Asuka shifted her direction to follow the girl but never lowered her gun. That face... she hated that face.

Eve fell to her knees and cradled her grandfather's head in her lap, leaned over and cried over him. "Why?! Why did you let her take you from me?!...." She repeated her words like a mantra as a flood of suppressed memories flooded her mind.

"Shut up!! Asuka was confused by Eve's actions and waved her gun threateningly. "He was hurting you! What did you expect me to do!! "

Eve's adamantly shook her head no as she continued to sob her mantra.

"Yes_he was!""

"He loves me... " The child cried. "He would never hurt me....and ..I love hi-

"I said _SHUT_ UP!!" Asuka interrupted venomously.

Eve ignored her command and cried out hysterically to the dieing man, "Please don't leave me!..." She scooted closer to him, then in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding and save his life, she quickly placed her tiny hands over the bloodied bullet wounds on his chest. "Please don't leave me... Not after everything I did....."

Asuka's stared at the distraught *adult* expression on the child's face as she tried to save her grandfather's life.

With pained effort, Gendo forced his eyes to focus on the girl above him.

Eve continued to sob out. "Please... please Geni-chan... please don't ....you can't die on me... Not now...." Her eyes were blurred by tears, but she refused to wipe them away. She need to use her hands to plug up his wounds. She sighed deeply, looked up at the familiar ceiling and cried out in defeat. "Not now....Now that I remember.... who I am.....Not now...after everything I did.... to come back to you..."

Asuka froze.

As so did Gendo.

Eve looked back down at the man whose head rested on her lap and stared at him with an adults love and devotion. Her tears splashed against his cheeks as she cried in a broken voice. "Please... my love... don't die on me now!"

In a labored movement, he raised his bloodied hand and tenderly cupped her cheek. Eve leaned into his touch. "I knew it was you..." He breathed out lovingly "I always knew..."

She cried harder and nodded against his touch. "I'm sorry.. I had forgotten.."

"It's ok..." He whispered lovingly despite the pain of dying and knowing that in death he was going to be without his beloved wife again.

She leaned forward into a tender, heart-wrenching kiss ,and whispered against his lips. "I'm...so.. sorry" before she deepened the loving gesture. Their final kiss.

Tears streamed out the corners of Gendo's eyes as he died. Tears of sadness and of joy. Joy because she finally came back to him. After waiting for over 24 years, she had finally came back to him. The sadness was in that fact that he allowed himself to die that day. The day she was truly returned to him. "It's okay..." He breathed out against her lips and then in one last labored breath he confessed. "I love you"

His arm fell limp to the floor.

"I love you too my... Geni-chan" Eve's body racked with sobs as she cried against his mouth.

Eve, she was the young daughter of Rei and Shinji. Rei, she was the daughter of Lillith, an angel and the mother of all Lillum, and Yui. Yui, she was Gendo's wife and Shinji's mother. So Eve, the daughter of Rei, who was the daughter of Yui, was in fact.... Yui. How did the daughter give birth to the mother?

The eldest Mrs.'s Ikari had petitioned the maker for a second chance at life once she heard that Rei was going to trade her soul for a soul for her unborn child. Since the child was a clone, a clone that did not have the makers permission to be created, the child had *no soul*. The child was a vessel. An empty vessel like the Eva's. And like the Eva's, this vessel needed a soul to function. However, souls weren't easy to come by. They had to be given permission to go back to the land of the living by the maker and only the maker.

Yui was denied a second chance at life, but that didn't stop her. She had to get back. She had to get back to *him*. Yui felt that she deserved a second chance because she taken to soon. and she was put in her own personal hell inside the Eva. To be able to see her love, and not be able to interact with him, it wasn't fair and she wanted another chance at life with him!

From the confines of the Eva, Yui would watch how Gendo manipulated everyone around him just so that he could get her back. She knew what he did, and she didn't care. She loved him even more for it. She was the same, for she wanted the 3rd impact to occur. She wanted to be free and she knew that only Shinji could free her. She learned of that when Rei tried to synch with her. Yui had heard Rei's divine inner thoughts and felt the girl's emotions. So even before the first child knew it herself, Yui knew that Rei was going to give the gift of the third impact to Shinji. So from that moment on, Yui refused to synch with anyone other than her son. She was going to make sure that Shinji fulfilled his role. She was going to make sure that Shinji ensured the enactment of the 3rd impact even if it cost him his life or the lives of everyone around him.

But how did she get back? Yui tricked some poor soul, the chosen soul, into giving her their rebirth rights. She had to do it. She had to get back to her truest of love. Her only love. Her obsession, Gendo.

When Eve deepened the kiss on the lips of her dead grandfather, Asuka felt sick and shrilled. "What the hell is wrong with this family?!!" She marched over to the girl, grabbed her upper arm and jerked her to her feet.

A little more than startled, Eve glared up at the woman. "Leave me alone!" She tried to pull her arm out of her guardians grasp as she yelled. "Just leave us alone!" Once freed, the child fell onto her knees and possessively latched onto the body of the commander.

Asuka barred her teeth and dragged the girl, who was kicking and screaming, out of the room and out of the apartment. When they got into the elevator Asuka was tired of the girls behavior and pointed her gun at the child

"I said shut up!"

The child who was wrapped only in a towel that was covered in blood, ignored the woman and cried freely. As she cried, Yui cursed fate! Fate took her away from Gendo so many years ago. It foiled every plan they both orchestrated to get back together. Then, after so many years , when they truly got back together fate killed him. How cruel it was to allow her to remember... the day he died. To allow her to truly come back to him, the day he was taken away from her!

Eve/Yui slid down against the elevator wall, wrapped her arm around her knees and cried harder. She wanted to die. Kill herself so she won't have to endure the many years of life without him, but she couldn't, not if she wanted to ever get back to him.

Asuka savagely raked her hand through her hair. She was stressed, to say the least. She had just killed the commander of NERV. She might as well have killed the Emperor of Japan. Although in the worlds eyes, the commander was much more important. No one knew the truth behind anything concerning the angels. They only knew, or they believed, that they came to destroy humans and that they were heartless creatures that the Eva's destroyed. Eva's that were built and commanded under Gendo Ikari. The legendary savior of the world.

Asuka knew that she was as good as dead for killing him, no matter what the reasons were. She glared at the crying child then narrowed her eyes. <this is YOUR fault!> She reached back and slapped the crying child. "I said SHUT UP!!"

Eve cradled the now sore side of her face but didn't stop crying. Thus in turn making her guardian even more angry. Instinctively, the child curled up into a ball. She need to protect as much as her body as possible. She knew what was going to happen next, this wasn't the first time her mama had gotten angry with her. For her mama had and infamous temper.

Asuka began to attack the child with a barrage of hard open hand, sometimes close handed slaps.

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

It was late by the time Shinji made it to his apartment, about a quarter past 12am. This wasn't an unusual for him though, he often came home late and left extremely earlier. It hurt to much to be home and be surrounded by so many memories of Rei. But he felt that he had to come home, because he was afraid that he would one day accepted her death, that the pain of being without her, may lessen, or that he would one day forget her. All of those fears where unacceptable in his opinion.

However, that night was different, on his doormat was a small figure, laid curled up in a fetal position.

"Eve?"

The girl slowly began to sit up and she looked up at her father. Shinji immediately noticed the bloodied towel she was wrapped in, and the bruises on her face.

"How did you get here?" He asked as he stood in front of her. Towering over her with dispassionate eyes.

The young girl, who was really his mother, looked away from him. She didn't answer his question instead started crying and sobbed out. "Gendo is dead!"

"Hmm." That's all he said. Nothing more.

Eve's gaze whipped up toward him and she spat out. "He was your father! Don't you even care?!"

With a dead pan expression, Shinji answered. "No, no I don't."

Yui couldn't believe her son.

Shinji narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "Why are you here?"

"A-Asuka...she killed him." She was no longer calling the woman mama.

He nodded. He figured as much. It seemed that the former second child was on a war path against the Ikari family. She attacked him, and from the looks of Eve's face and body, she attacked the girl too. So of course she would kill is father. <hell, she might even kill me> With that in mind Shinji asked the child. "How did you get here?"

Staring at her father, Eve slowly started to stand up. "I-I don't know."

The second commander quirked a brow. "You don't know?"

She shook her head. "I kinda just appeared here...ma-..Asuka was punishing me..." He absently rubbed her right eye. It was sore and it burned for she had a deep scratch in her eye when her 'mama' used her fingernails to rip out the dark blue lenses from her eyes.

Shinji knew the way Asuka *punished* even though he never confronted her with it. He didn't care enough to. However his father did and for the most part, that kept her anger at bay. He pulled out his key card, swiped it and walked in. As he kicked off his shoes, he gave the child a side profile of his face. "Are you coming in?"

Cautiously Eve followed. Yui might have awakened with all her old memories, but she still held all the memories and fears of Eve. Two lives in one soul, almost like a split personality. She matched Shinji step for step. She even step in the same exact spots he stepped. It was imperative that she did not disrupt ANYTHING.

"How long were you waiting for me?" The commander asked, only slightly interested.

She answered timidly "A couple of hours."

He gave no outward response, but inwardly he felt relieved that she was ok. He didn't live in the safest of neighborhoods. Of course, being second commander, he could afford to move anywhere, even into the nicest sector of Tokyo-3. But he refused to move. This was the apartment that he and Rei shared together so many years ago; the building would have to crumble to the ground before he left.

In this rundown apartment building, he experienced the happiest moments of his life. Even though, at the time, he was also the poorest he had ever been in his life. He and Rei were financially struggling as they tried to live without NERV. To say they were broke would be the understatement of the millennium. Every thing they owned was either second or third hand, but they were happy. They might have only been able to eat one meal a day, but they were happy. And being happy and being together was all that mattered to them.

It wasn't until Shinji thought he wanted a child did they both go back to NERV. It wasn't only for the money; it was part of the deal they made with the commander. Gendo made them agree to work for NERV again in exchange for a child by use of A.E. Rei knew that the only reason he wanted them back was because he wanted to be around her, so she made sure to stay away from him.

Shinji was oblivious to that fact, until Ritsuko brought it to his attention. It was a few days before Eve was born when she told him. The doctor also told Shinji about his fathers and his wife's past 'relationship' and made suggestive lies that Eve may not really be his daughter and that the commander may have used his own DNA to impregnate his wife.

That day, the former pilot of unit 01 changed and Ritsuko died that very night. The NERV issued autopsy report wrote her death off as a suicide, caused by self inflicted bullet wounds. Eight, fatally, placed, self inflicted bullet wounds. No other investigation followed. However, the true murderer of the doctor is still debated. Almost half of the NERV personnel believe Shinji did it. The others believe the commander did it. There are those who even think Rei did it, for she desperately tried to keep that part of her past a secret from her husband. She wasn't pleased when she found out what Ritsuko did.

Shinji never *allowed* himself to believe the 'lies' Ritsuko told him. He never confronted his wife or his father to find out whether it was true or not. Instead, he pushed it out of his mind because he knew for a fact that Rei was a virgin. He broke her hymen on their wedding night. He refused to acknowledge the fact that he had married Rei III. So as far as he was concerned, Rei was a virgin....Rei was a virgin....Rei was a virgin... Rei was a VIRGIN!!!!

Shinji sighed dejectedly as he continue to try and convince himself of that lie.

Eve looked around the small apartment. It looked as if two people still lived there. She noticed her mother's clothes draped over the shabby living room furniture and in other various places. She remembered being told by her mama that her mother was a very sloppy person. A complete opposite from her dad, who was an infamous anal-retentive. Eve quickly realized that even though the small apartment looked messy, everything was meticulously in place.

"Your mother was able to do that....if she felt threatened."

The girl whipped her gaze to her father and asked. "Do what?"

"Teleport." He answered flatly. However, emotionally he was shouting with joy. The information she gave him was exactly what he needed to know. He wanted to know if she inherited any of Rei's divine abilities. Unlike his wife, Eve was created to be more human than angel. If she wasn't part angel, she would never be able to complete the job he had for. Though he did not outwardly express his emotions, he was pleased. Very pleased. Now it would only be a matter of time before he was reunited with his beloved wife again.

He walked into his small bedroom and over to the closet without disturbing the few outfits that belonged to Rei, he pulled out one of his dress shirts, then held it out to his daughter.

Hesitantly, Eve took it from him and quickly started to put it on over the towel. However, her mind wasn't on her actions it was on what her father just told her. She had powers...like her mother. That meant she was an angel too. Also ,her mind seemed to be having a war for control. The soul, that was Yui wanted to remember, but the child which was Eve wanted to forget Yui's past life, past love and past desires. Yui wanted to get back to Gendo, she wanted to morn for her husband. Eve wanted to try and forget. She wanted to pretend that everything was ok. That's how she lived her life, pretending everything was ok. Right now, she didn't want to mourn for her grandfather. She didn't want to remember that her mama beat her again. She didn't want Yui's memories! So she forced herself to forget. Eve regained control of her mind *and* what she was going to think about.

Shinji noticed his daughter in trance like state. Impatiently, he waited for her to put the shirt on so he could escort her out of his and Rei's bedroom. He wasn't going to risk anything being touched.

The towel that was caked in dried blood, slid down her legs and pooled around her feet. Nervously, she picked it up and cradled it against her chest. Her eyes wandered around the small room. Instantly, she could tell which side was her mothers. Rei's side had messy piles of papers and books all along the wall with some clothes mixed in here and there. Her father's side was impeccably neat. However, nothing was covered in dust. It was as if her dad kept *everything* clean, but put everything back in its *exact place*.

Eve took a deep breath, she was really afraid to be here. She didn't understand why she 'teleported' here. She didn't know why she stayed outside his door after she realized where she was. Then she heard it. The almost silent clink of his tinted glassed being placed on the dresser.

Slowly and fearfully, she meet his gaze. The child, the Eve part of her, was surprised that his eyes were blue. The Yui part of her was taken back by his eyes as well, but for a different reason. His dark blue eyes seem to pierce her soul, they judged her, hated her and.... decided what he was going to do with her. She was afraid. Afraid of him and afraid....of this apartment.

"Are you hungry?" He asked dispassionately.

That question took her off guard. The young girl wanted to lie and say no, but at the mention of possibly getting food her stomach growled.

Not waiting for a verbal answer, he accepted her body's response and walked toward her, purposely making her back up until they were safely out of the bedroom.

Eve was told to sit at the small dining table and not to move and not to touch anything while Shinji prepared a meal for both of them. To her right, the young girl noticed a powder blue cushion at the end of the low table. She figured that her mother most likely sat there. Part of her wanted to touch it, she just wanted to touch something that belonged to her mother... but she knew better and she kept her hands demurely in her lap.

It wasn't long before Shinji came back with the food. Unlike Rei who could not eat any type of meat, Eve could eat seafood. Shinji brought out two plates and a bowl. He placed a plate of fried fish in front of his daughter and a plate at the end of the table where he sat. However, before he sat down, he placed a bowl of ramen at the end of the table adjacent to him.

Eve swallowed hard and became very interested in her food. She didn't want to think about that fact that her father made food for her deceased mother. She didn't want to wonder if he did this every time he ate a meal at this table. She didn't want to acknowledge the fact that her father was crazy.

Before he made himself comfortable in his own spot, Shinji gave melancholy glance at the empty cushion. The meal was quite, uncomfortably quite, and the tension in the room was as thick as mud.

It was too much for the young girl, she looked up from her plate and sobbed out. "I'm sorry daddy... I'm sorry that... because I was born... mother was taken away!"

The 2nd commander clenched his jaw angrily, but did not look up from his plate. He had to fight the urge to say what his heart was screaming; for he was sorry too. Sorry she was ever brought into life, since it cost him his wife.

Receiving the reaction she expected, but not the one she wanted...no needed...Eve began to cry. "I know that ..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry daddy...I wish there was a way I could bring her back to you.... I wish she was still alive so you would be happy... so we all could be happy.."

His dark eyes instantly focused on the girl in front of him, and a sardonic smile tugged at his thin lips. "Do you really mean that Eve...because I know of a way."

Her eyes widened in surprise. A chill ran down her spine as she stared at him. That smile.. it made her even more afraid. Eve roughly wiped some of her tears away and hiccupped out. "You do?"

Shinji gave a slight nod and smirked as he rested his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers.

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

It wasn't long before Shinji had brought Eve back to NERV. It was well past 2am and the headquarters were quite. Very quite, due to only guards being there at these late hours. The heals of his shoes kinked across the metal floors. Eve's bare feet made light slapping sounds as she followed her father's hurried steps. He seemed excited. Happy even. She smiled, pleased to know that she had something to do with her father's merry disposition.

They reached his large office in record time and quickly made their way toward the back wall. The small girl's eyes widened in surprised when her father pressed the buttons of a hidden key pad, and a secret door slid open.

"Come, Eve." Shinji ordered warmly. "There is someone you should meet."

<someone I should meet?> The girl didn't know who he was talking about. Why would anyone she should meet be locked away in a secret room. Her mental question was answered almost immediately. Her hand slapped over her mouth and she suppressed a scream, a cry, a shout of fear and joy. This was the first time she had ever laid eyes on her.

"MOTHER!!" The little girl ran over to the large cylinder tank which encased the deceased Rei Ikari.

The woman's eyes snapped open and she stared curiously at the unfamiliar child in front of her.

"Oh mommy!!!" The child sobbed out as she hugged the cool curved glass. She oh so wanted to wrap her hands around the angel inside, but she was stuck on the wrongs side of the glass. When Rei started to mimic her motions by spreading her arms against the glass, the child cried harder. All she saw was her mother trying to hug her; she didn't know that Rei didn't have a will of her own. Eve hugged against the glass tighter and cried out hysterically. "I knew you loved me mommy!! I knew it... I love you too!!"

That was all Eve ever wanted. To be loved, truly loved, for no other reason than just because it was *her*. Not her likeness. Not because she was someone's daughter. Not because they were forced to pretend to. She wanted someone to love her... like her mother must have loved her. Her mother gave up her life so she could live. That was true unconditional love. The type of love that Eve always secretly longed for.

Shinji looked at the two and smiled. Not because the scene was so touching; he smiled because he was so close to getting Rei back. He took off the jacket and started to up button his shirt. While doing so he called out "Eve."

Too wrapped up in this emotional reunion, the girl didn't hear him call her.

Shinji called her again with at stern voice that demanded attention. She quickly turned to face him. Her eyes widened fearfully when she noticed that her dad was topless and was undoing his pant. The first thing that flashed across her mind was what her grandfather did to her before he was.....She backed up fearfully.

"I'm not going to hurt you." The 2nd commander assured when he noticed her frightened disposition. The look she gave him told him that she didn't believe him. "Our clothes may carry bacteria that may harm your mother."

Eve turned and looked at her mom who was staring apathetically at her. She turned back to her father "How will it hurt her if we are out here?"

"We are going in there to join her."

Eve's eyes widened.

"I thought you wanted for all of us to become a family.?" He had his thumbs tucked into the sides of his pants as he stared quizzically at her. "I thought you wanted to help me bring her back ....Isn't that what you want?

"Of course I do daddy!" She cried out and quickly started to unbutton the shirt.

He smirked and pulled down his pants.

When it slid off her shoulder and fell around her ankles. Shinji directed her to the shower. Both showered quickly yet thoroughly . Eve was at first wary of her fathers attention, but quickly got over her fear when she realized that he did not care that she was naked or that he was too. She could tell by the way he almost brutally cleaned his skin that their nudity was clearly for her mothers protection, and nothing more.

She still felt uncomfortable though.

When they were finished bathing and rinsed off, Shinji lead her up the many steps that lead to the top of the large cylinder tank.

Rei watched them curiously as her husband lowered their daughter in, painstakingly slow. He did not want Rei hurt, with Eve's decent.

This was the first time Eve had been in LCL since she was born. Instinctively, she tried to hold her breath.

Shinji had lowered himself as well. It was a tight fit with three bodies so he made a more conscious effort not to bump into Rei. Unfortunately, he didn't give the same respect to his daughter.

Eve had the air, she had been holding in her puff out cheeks, knocked out of her when her father accidentally hit her on the shoulder with his elbow . Oh the pain!! She felt like her arm and her whole left side was paralyzed!! Because of the pain, she wasn't even affected when the warm thick liquid rushed in through her nose and mouth an filled her lungs and stomach.

Shinji glanced at his daughter and said. "Gomen"

Breathing heavily, she looked up at her dad and nodded. She was into much pain to do anything else, and she was willing herself not to cry. It took her about 5 minutes before the pain disappeared and for her to regain complete composure. During that time, she watched her father turn to her mom and place gentle kisses on her lips, the tip of her nose, and along her jaw line. Eve couldn't help but smile. Her dad looked like he loved her mom so much. He would star into her deep crimson eyes as if he wanted to drown in them. She could tell by his dark blue eyes that he would do anything for her mom, and do *anything* to get her back and she wanted to help him. Eve wanted to be a family with her mom and dad.

"Daddy.." She asked happily. "How can I help you bring mommy back to us?"

Shinji pealed his gaze away from his angelic wife, and smiled at his daughter. "All you have to do is call her name."

"Huh?" Eve was confused. If all she had do was call her mother's name, then she could have done that on the other side of the glass, with her clothes on.

Shinji could tell she didn't understand. At the moment, it was probably for the best. He maneuvered Rei so that she was behind him and he floated directly in front of his child.

Eve backed up slightly and found herself pressed against the cool curved glass. She swallowed hard "Ummm daddy...I'll just call mommy's name right now." She wasn't sure of his intentions with her.

"Do you know her name?" He asked innocently as he floated closer to her.

The child gave her father a frightened confused expression then answered meekly "...Rei.. Ikari?" She raised and furrowed her brow in her uncertainty. But she was fairly sure that she was correct.

Shinji shook his head no.

The girl looked confused and embarrassed, but she tried again. "Rei Ayanami?"

He shook his head no.

Eve took a deep breath and guessed again "... Lillith?" Asuka had told her about both halves of her mother's DNA.

Shinji shook his head again.

With one more try, the child squeaked out. "Lillith-Rei?"

Shinji sighed and gave her the answer she sought. "It's Kiboo. Her divine name is Kiboo."

Upon saying her name, the 2nd commander remembered the discussion he had with her and Kaworu when they revealed their true self to him. It was during the 3rd impact when Rei told him that she was hope and Kaworu admitted to being love.

Eve's eyes widened. She never knew. She stiffened again when he floated closer to her.

"Are you ready?" He asked with a wry smile.

She nodded hesitantly.

He could see fear in her eyes when he asked with false warmth. "Do you trust me?"

The logical side of the child screamed NO! Actually ,it screamed HELL NO!!! Something wasn't right in the way he was looking at her, but she forced herself to nod and say "Yes, daddy. I trust you."

He smirked, reached out and placed his hand on the top of her head, closed his eyes and started speaking a mantra in a strange language. She stiffened when he gently ran his hand over her face and rested it under her chin and around her neck. When her father opened his dark blue eyes it shined with the hate that he had always felt toward her. She felt like her blood turned to ice. She wanted to scream out, push him away get out of there.... but it was too late. The last thing she heard was him tell her...

"Do not forget to call her name out!"

Then it was over. She felt his grip tighten on her neck, and then felt her head turn sharply to the right. The sound of her own neck snapping echoed in her ears. It wasn't an instant death. For there isn't a such thing as an 'instant death' It takes time for the body to slow down and cease functioning. So as she waited for her body to die completely, her lifeless carcass sunk to the bottom of the tank.

<At least it wasn't painful> She solemnly thought to herself.

Physically painful, that is. Her mind was quickly losing rational thought, She was thankful that this last betrayal was the final scar on her already bruise heart and she mentally cried.

<I...thought...he ...wanted us....to be... a family.....>

It took about 20 mores seconds before she lost a vision and 5 seconds after that.. she felt her soul leaving her body.

She was dead. Her father had killed her... and in her death, she now understood the words he had spoken before he committed this grievance act. ... I give you... a soul for a soul... I give you back the soul of my child in exchange for the soul of my wife...... A soul for a soul...let the old deal be broken.....

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

As if being murdered by ones father wasn't enough, Eve had to deal with a new torment once she appeared in the spiritual realm. It was her alter ego. The original owner of her soul. Yui.

After being dormant for so long, Yui was determined to take control. Eve could feel the reign she had on the woman breaking, and the alter soul was fighting to come to the surface. The desire of the other woman was to find her husband. Gendo had died not so long ago, so she still had a chance to find him before he wandered too far in the infinite vastness of this realm.

Eve was tempted to allow the woman to have control. What did it matter, her father had betrayed her! Why should she help him?! Why should she call out her mothers name for *him*?!! Why should she?!...... Because she loved him. Even after what he did. She still loved him.

Eve sighed heavily. She was tired. Her life was emotionally painful, and her death not only killed her body, it emotionally killed her as well. The only comfort she had now *was* her death, and strangely she was glad to be dead. She didn't want to go back to Asuka, not after that last beating. Her grandfather was dead... and her father.... She shook her head. Once she called out her mother's name, she as going to allow Yui to have control, for all she wanted to do was disappear.

"Kiboo!"

"I AM SHE"

Eve's eyes widened when everything around her seemed to brighten. The voice was a vast as the plain she was in, as boisterous as thunder, but also as soft as a whisper. It also seemed to sing out in every language imaginable, at the same time. It was completely and utterly divine.

In a frightened whisper, Eve squeaked out. "....M-m-mother?"

Instantly, A blinding white light exploded in front of the child, and there stood Rei Ikari. Nude with six majestic wings coming out of her back that looked to be made out of pure energy.

"Why are you here?" The angel asked warmly. "It is not your time."

The girl looked up at her mother with her tired and weary eyes, but did not answer the question. She didn't want confess what her father did to her.

Eve didn't have to speak her answer, Rei knew, the sorrow that was emitting from the child's soul told her everything she needed to know. The blue haired angel gave the girl a beatific smile, drew her into her arms and embraced the child lovingly.

Eve wrapped her arms around her mother's slender waist and cried onto her bosom. This was exactly what she needed. To be loved and to be comforted. It was such a long day....no one cared enough to comfort her. No one cared enough to see past their own pain and look at hers...but her mother did. Her mother loved her.

Eve tightened her embrace and rested her palms on her mother back. She was surprised to discover that her mother's wings were not connected to her body, and that instead of feeling like electricity, they felt like a strong wind current. Eve half-thought she would have received the shock of her life if she touch them. She didn't care though. All she every wanted was someone to hug her and mean it.

Rei gently caressed the child's face and wiped her tears away. "I'm here now" She cooed gently. "I won't let anyone harm you anymore."

The girl nodded appreciatively and cried harder.

"Shhh.. I'm here my child..." The former first child leaned forward and gave the girl a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I will never leave you again."

Eve put a tighter grip around her mother. Rei's, or should I say Kiboo's soul.... it was a pure soul, and it radiated Gods love, God's joy, God's peace, and God's Hope. No wonder her father went insane when his wife was taken from him. To be away from her was probably like being taken out of the light and the warmth and thrown into a dark, cold, dungeon that was rat infested and disease riddled.

As angry as Eve was with her father, this little meeting with her mother made her understand her dad's determination to get her back. Eve unconsciously wiped her tears away against her mother's body.

Rei gave her child a soft smile because she knew that she would do the same thing on Shinji, the few times she did cry when they were together. Eve must have inherited that from her.

Eve looked up at her mom and said between hiccups. "Please forgive, daddy."

Rei gently brushed the last of the girls tears away. She was not going to make that promise, for she was too angry. Shinji had killed their child.

Rei looked into her daughter's violet eyes and asked. "Why did he do this to you?"

Eve was about to answer but was interrupted when her mother's eyes widened fearfully.

Rei felt her body being pulled out of the spiritual realm.

Eve started to cry again when her mom was pulled out their embrace. "Ai shiteru , mommy!!"

"EVE!!" Rei grabbed the child's hand as she was being pulled away. "What is happening?!"

"Gomen, mommy..." The girl sobbed out. "I was sent here to call out your name... so you can go back to daddy."

Rei shook her head as tears streamed down her checks. She couldn't leave yet; she had the help her daughter. She needed to spilt her soul or Eve was going to be a tortured soul. Eve and her grandmother were like a spilt personality. Yui, who was intertwined with her daughter, would never give up on finding Gendo, and once she found him, and she would find him, it would be an internal battle for control. Yui would want to live out her eternity with her husband. Eve would *not* want that relationship with her grandfather. Rei was going to rectify this, and separate the two, but now.... she didn't have time.

The former first child whispered out painfully "I love you." for it was hurting her to try and stay. She formed and energy ball in her hand and without warning she threw it at the child, only a second before she vanished. She only hoped that her hasty efforts were sufficient to separate them.

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

Shinji was still in the cylinder tank with his wife. It had been hours since Eve died, but he didn't doubt that his plan worked. Eve was partially divine. So she would be able to say Rei's true name in the spiritual realm. Lillium couldn't speak her name, or any of the angel's true names, in the spiritual realm. So there was no choice, he had to kill Eve in order to get Rei back. I was the only way...

Shinji glanced toward his feet then quickly looked away. The 2nd commander didn't want to miss his wife's reawakening, so he left the child slumped at the bottom. Eve was facing him; her neck was twisted in an awkward position and she stared at him with lifeless violet eyes.

The former third child saw the immediate change when Rei's eyes became aware of her surrounding and he quickly kissed her.

Rei pushed him back and narrowed her eyes angrily. "What have you done?!"

He knew she would react like this; although, he hoped she wouldn't. He hoped that she would understand... understand that he couldn't live without her. "I had to.." He cried. "It was the only way!"

Rei shook her head and cried out. "You killed our baby!"

"I had too...." He sobbed and tried to embrace her.

She hit his hands away and shook her head no.

"Please...Rei...." He sobbed out as he tried to embrace her again. "I am sooooo sorry..." He cried harder "But please try to understand... I had too....it was the only way..." When she hit his hands away from him again, he cupped his hands over his face and sobbed. "It was the only way....for us to be together..."

Rei pushed away from him, kicked her legs and swam up to the top of the tank. She wanted ...no needed to get away from him.

"I was just about to follow you... when I found the spell...."

She stopped her escape and looked back at the weeping man. "You would be damned if you committed suicide. You know that."

"I know.." He admitted in a broken whisper while nodding. "I didn't care...I just couldn't bare another day without you anymore.." Remorsefully, he looked up at her and cried out. "Rei...I-I love you so much........I'm sorry...I truly am...but I love you...and when I found that spell after I had given up... It was like someone was giving us a second chance... because ..." He kept his gaze with her even though he wanted to turn away. His red rimmed, dark blue eyes pleaded with her to understand. "Because they knew that ....I can't live without you..." He began to sob harder. "I just can't!"

The blue haired woman could seen in his eyes that he meant everything he said and that he was sorry. Truly sorry. However, she wasn't sure if he was sorry because of what he did, or because she was upset with him. Rei stared at him for about a minute and debated whether or not she should forgive him. She looked a little further down and noticed her daughter. Her eyes rolled angrily and she took a deep an angry breath. She had made her decision, and turned around and was about to lift her self out of the tank. Then she remembered Eve's words.

"Please forgive daddy."

"Shinji" Rei spoke sternly not bothering to turn around.

She swallowed hard. "....Yes.."

"I am very upset and disappointed with you." She paused when she heard him wail. She turned slightly and looked at him. Shinji looked as if she just ripped his heart out. She knew that he hated for her to be either of those things toward him. She knew that he would gladly turn himself inside out to please her. So for her to say that to him was almost as bad as telling him that she no longer loved him. However, she was the same. She would do anything for him; even give up her life if it would make him happy. She *did* give up her life to please him, a numerous of times.

Fearfully, the man asked in a broken sob. "D-d-do you still love me?"

Without hesitation she answered "Yes. Very much so."

He smiled despite his heartache. Despite the tears that were streaming down out of his eyes and dissolving in the LCL..

In a very similar manner he would do her in his visits with her, Rei allowed herself to float down to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Brushing her cheek against his, she whispered in his ear. "And I forgive you.....no matter what you do... I will always forgive you."

She was still utterly upset with him though, but she would keep that to herself. Eve asked her to forgive him, her heart would never stay mad at him, so it was best just let it go now.

Shinji sobbed harder and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Like always, she was so forgiving. Too forgiving, No matter what he did, she forgave him. They hugged and cried onto each other shoulders for about 5 minutes. Rei comforted him with loving reassuring words the whole time.

When Rei pulled back, Shinji panicked, fearing that she changed her mind. His fears were immediately calmed when she gave him a beautiful smile and suggested.

"Let's go home."

He nodded readily, then remembered. 'What about Ev-"

Rei's smile fell, and she shook her head no as she place a gentle finger on his lips. "Tomorrow. We will worry about Eve's body tomorrow....there is nothing we can do for her now."

Shinji nodded solemnly while he mentally whispered a prayer for forgiveness for the sin he committed against his child.

Rei could see the sorrow in his eyes. It pleased her that he was repentant and that his heart wasn't completely stone. "Ai shiteru " She assured to him softly.

He breathed out "I love you more" right before he captured her lips in a sensuous kiss.

Rei melted into the kiss. Shinji was always an excellent kisser, and he seemed to have gotten better over the years. <hmmm> She pulled back from the kiss, forked her brow and stared into his dark blue eyes.

Shinji was unsure and afraid that she changed her mind again when she broke the kiss, but understood exactly why she did what she did when he gazed into her crimson eyes. He was embarrassed but not ashamed when he admitted "I missed you, Rei-chan... so I would visit you often."

That was all he admitted to doing, but Rei understood completely. She wasn't disgusted or angered just surprised and..... kind of flattered. Even though, Shinji was 10 years older, he was still extremely handsome, even more so than when he was younger. Rei was sure that he could have had his choice of women, but he chose to stay faithful to her. She slipped her hand in his and suggested again with a beatific smile. "Lets go home."

He gave her a toothy smile and nodded as he positioned himself so he could swim ahead of her. "I'll go first and help you out okay!"

She nodded with a warm smile and kissed him.

While they kissed Shinji kept his eyes open and watched his wife. Too many years he closed his eyes, because she had no will of her own during their love making. She used to be an expert mime. But now...she initiated this kiss and every move was her own .. he didn't want to miss it. Shinji felt happily lost in love as he stared into her crimson eyes. It seemed that Rei wanted to watch him too. It had also been a long time since she had seen him. The second commander smiled against her lips; he loved to see her eyes sparkle with life and love. Then....

Rei's head leaned to the right and Shinji watched that sparkle fad.

"REI!!!!"

No response. Her body was lifeless.... sinking...... down.....hitting the bottom... slumping .....by their daughter....

Shinji's eyes were focused on Rei's eyes. Her lifeless eyes. They were open like... his gaze momentarily shifted... They were open like Eve's. Violet and scarlet eyes staring up at him.... Then Shinji noticed the blood.

There was _so_ much_ blood.....Where was it coming from?.... Then something floated in front of him...With a shaking hand, he grabbed it. It was spongy... it was..... muscle...tissue...it was ... brain.... a chuck of brain..? Whose?..

In shock, Shinji looked back at his wife.... How could he have missed it... The whole top portion of the right side of Rei's head was missing and blood was oozing out of the left side....

Shinji realized he wasn't breathing. <How?>... Shinji looked to the left, and outside of the glass tank, his answer came.

"If I can't have you...." Asuka frowned with her gun in hand. "She can't either."

"NOOOO!!!! DAMN YOU ASUKA!!!"

The 2nd commander quickly floated down to his wife, gathering all pieces of tissue matter that was floating out of large creator in her head.

Asuka watched as he franticly tried to stuff all of that destroyed tissue back into the opening. She watched him cry when he realized his efforts were futile. She watched Rei's blood saturate the tank and turn the LCL from orange to a deep red.

"REI!!!" Shinji screamed as he embraced his wife. "REI, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!!!"

But it was too late. Rei was gone and it was different this time. The blue haired angel wasn't just soulless. This time, her body was DEAD and LIFELESS. Asuka had KILLED Rei, just like he killed his daughter. Shinji cried against his wife's shoulder, making her head fall back, spilling out the contents inside.

The man screamed a soul-wrenching scream as he once again scrambled to put his wife back together again.

A sadistic smirk played across the former second child's lips. Rei was dead. Finally. And now she wouldn't have to share. Shinji was hers, at least in life. She knew that the 2nd commander wouldn't take his own life to follow Rei. She knew this because the Ikari men had a deep-rooted fear that their soul would be punished if they ever committed suicide. So they waited for death as they tried to defy the law of heaven and earth and bring their wives back to them. Asuka scowled, for it seemed that both were successful. Then she smiled because she knew that they were also too late.

She didn't know how Shinji resurrected her rival, but Asuka was never a stupid woman. So when she walked into the small hidden room, her eyes focused on the child lying limply at the bottom of the tank. She quickly came to the conclusion that Shinji had tricked Eve into giving up her soul for her mothers. That realization sickened her. How could Shinji do this to his own daughter?! And for what?! In Asuka's opinion, he traded the life of his daughter, for an abomination whose zeal for life could be compared to a doll! In her opinion, Rei was a waste of a life and she hated Rei, always did, and always will.

The former second child's eyes narrowed when her gaze focused away from her thoughts and back to her true love. Shinji was so concerned with Rei that he didn't realize that he was choking. He was drowning in that tank because Rei's blood was completely mixed with the LCL. She shook her head no, and aimed her gun at the tank,... at Rei. He was not going to leave her and follow Rei into death. He was going to live!

Shinji screamed when two more bullets found their target in Rei's body. Instinctively, he embraced his wife to protect her, He intercepted the third shot but it wasn't a fatal shot. Unfortunately.

Asuka dropped her gun to the floor when a bullet pierced right under Shinji's shoulder blade. She didn't mean to hit him. She didn't want to hurt him. However, her plan worked. The holes created by the four bullets started to crack the glass under the pressure of the LCL. The crystalline crackling sounds, created by the snowflake pattern that was quickly covering the surface of the glass, told her that it wouldn't be long before the glass faltered. She stepped back when leaks started to spring out in various places, all over the tank. A few seconds later... The tank seemed to explode. Broken glass flew out in every direction. A flood of bloodied LCL poured out, as so did the three occupants that were inside of the tank.

Shinji never let go of Rei as they were swept out of the tank and onto the glass-strewn floor. He saw his daughter's body float past him before she stopped further into the room. When her skin contacted air, his eyes widened when he noticed what was happening to Eve. He quickly redirected his gaze to his wife. Just as he feared, Rei was experiencing rapid deterioration. He had seen it happen before, when he was fourteen and Ritsuko killed hundreds of Rei's clones in a jealous rage.

Shinji cried harder when Rei limbs fell from her body and her skin started to melt off her face revealing the muscle underneath. It wasn't long before that started to fall away too, revealing the white of her bone that was under the muscle.

Watching Rei's deterioration, Asuka felt her stomach turn The sight before her was absolutely disgusting. She could feel her insides go into reverse, and she bent over and emptied the contents of her stomach on to the LCL soaked floor. She knew Rei wasn't human, but she had no idea that her rival's body would do *that*.

She was so grossed out, and so busy with her own reaction to the scene, she didn't notice Shinji charging toward to attack. She caught off guard, in her bent over position, when he grabbed her by her short auburn hair and kneed her in the face, making her fall on her back. She became momentarily dazed when her head impacted the floor, so she was unprepared when Shinji straddled her waist and began to strangle her.

"I HATE YOU!!!" He screamed about 3 octaves higher than his usual voice. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!! I'M GOING TO F*CKING KILL YOU!!!!!"

Drenched in blood, he looked like something out of a horror movie. Only the whites of his eyes were not stained by Rei's blood. However, his eyes were stained with hate. Shinji hated Asuka with every fiber of his being and Asuka knew it. That knowledge hurt worse than the increasing pressure on her neck.

Asuka stared at him as she kicked her legs in hopes to knock him off of her and grabbed at his hands to pry them loose.

Shinji shook his head no and increased the pressure. "I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!! I HATE YOU!!!

The outer portion of her vision was starting to blacken. She was close to death. Her hand fell away limply and splashed into the inch deep bloodied LCL. "...I ... forgive ...you" she choked out, while tears streamed down her cheeks.

"F*ck your forgiveness!!" Shinji narrowed his eyes sadistically as a thick rivulet of Rei's blood streamed out of his hair, traveled across his forehead and in between his eyes. "I hope you burn in hell!!!"

Extremely hurt by his words, the former second child choked out. "After you my love" and lifted her arm out of he LCL and revealed a sharp, shard piece of glass in her hand. She didn't give Shinji the time to react before she plunged it deep into his chest.

The man didn't even cry out. He just loosened his grip around her neck and gave her an honest smile as his own blood started to trickle out of his mouth. She had punctured not only his lungs but his battered heart as well. He breathed heavily and coughed out blood before he painfully whispered out.

"Same 'ol Asuka."

Slowly and with much effort, he scooted off and away from her.

The former second child gasped for air as she rubbed and soothed her neck. She watched him crawl with the last of his strength to lay beside the dismembered carcass of his beloved wife. She watched him kiss Rei's congealed lips, not even caring that his added pressure was tearing more of her flesh away. She heard him painfully whisper out with the last of his breath...

"Wait for me my love.... I'm coming..."

As she remained lying in the shallow pool of bloodied LCL, Asuka's eyes widened in realization. Shinji had tricked her. Forced her into killing him. He knew her, and he knew that she would always be the 'same ol Asuka' the same girl who hated to lose. Whether in love or in a fight. Shinji knew that he could not kill himself, so he attacked her because he knew she would do it for him if he provoked her enough. He was correct. His last words to her rang in her ears

"Same 'ol Asuka"

The same 'ol f*cking Asuka! And with that realization, all the former second child could to was ... scream.

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

About 5 a.m.

Commander Katsuragi practically ran down the long corridors of NERV toward Shinji's office.

She was on her private jet, flying from Germany to Tokyo-3, then she got the call that the 1st commander of NERV's Japan branch, was shot and killed in his home. When Misato got the news, she had immediately tired to get in contact with Shinji. But he was neither home or in his office, nor was he picking up his cell phone. So she tried to get in contact Asuka, but she had the same results. She just hoped that whoever killed the commander did not kill them as well.

She knew that Commander Ikari's death would be grave news for the world. Gendo, as evil as he may be, was revered as the Savior of the World since he commanded over the Eva project. She snorted bitterly. People would believe anything, no one even questioned whether the lie of the 2nd impact is truth or not. They just took it at face value. Under Gendo's authority, the pilots names were kept confidential, ensuring that all the credit went to him.

Being Eve's godmother and 1st commander of the German branch, Misato took leave from her duties and traveled back to Japan to celebrate the girl's birthday. She wasn't expecting to come home to...She wasn't sure what she was coming home to but she was going to find out.

The purple haired woman slowed her pace right before she reached the 2nd commanders office. Upon entering, three nameless NERV personnel were already in there waiting for her.

"What's going on?" She asked shortly. "I thought you told me that Shin-- That 2nd commander Ikari was in here."

"He is." The smallest of the men answered solemnly and pointed toward the back wall.

Katsuragi gave the man a confused look and then looked at the wall. Her eyes focused on the small crack and her gaze trailed down to where the wall met the floor. Like the others in the room, she noticed the thick reddish liquid that was seeping underneath the base board.

The commander, felt like ice was in her stomach. She was afraid of what she was going to find on the other side of the wall. Misato took a deep breath and steeled her voice before she asked. "What's going on?"

A dark haired man answered as he gave the tallest man a crow bar. "Dr. Sohryu...We heard her screaming behind the wall. She kept screaming something about the 2nd commander's late wife and how the 2nd commander was hers."

Katsuragi's jaw slightly fell ajar and she closed her eyes and mentally prayed <please god no...> She had a bad knowing feeling of what they were going to find behind that wall.

Not knowing the second commander's code, the tall man pried the hidden door in the wall open. Bloodied LCL gushed out, soaking his shoes.

"Sh*t!" The dark haired man screamed as he quickly tiptoed away from the flow of the liquid. He didn't want his designer shoes ruined.

Misato walked over toward the open door and sloshed through the LCL as if she were in a trance. She had to see whether or not her fears were true. She slapped her hand over her mouth and choked back a sob. It was worse than she feared. It was worst that she would have ever imagined.

Once the shortest man took a look inside the small room. He was so grossed out he immediately left. The other two men were shocked into silence. They couldn't believe the sight before them.

The 2nd commander, whose skin was completely stained with blood, lied naked on the floor. Dead. In the far corner, was his daughter. She too was dead as well as nude and stained with blood. However, her body looked as if had been dead for a while. It looked as if it were rotten and it looked like it was still decomposing in from of them. Then there was another body...or at least body parts, in a congealed pile of limbs. But some of the hair that was still on the skull was ....ice blue. Clearly identifying the body as none other than the late Rei Ikari. And last but not least, was Dr. Sohryu. She was almost fully soaked in the tainted LCL and was hunched over Shinji's chest. She looked to be dead as well.

Misato stared at the destroyed room and everyone in it, in total shock. Her mind was not accepting the sight before her. Unconsciously, she squeezed the stuff animal in her hand. It was one of the many presents she bought for Eve's birthday. It was a white stuffed pony, because the little girl loved her real pony so much.

In a broken whisper Misato asked. "How did this.. happen?"

As if the former second child was trying to answer the silent question, the red haired woman gasped out painfully.

Dropping the toy, a startled Katsuragi quickly ran toward her former charge's side. "Asuka! Asuka. Hold on! I'll get you some help!" The commander whipped her gaze toward the two remaining men and barked out. "Go and get the infirmary doctor. NOW!!"

Both men nodded and quickly ran out of the small room to do as she commanded.

She turned back to Asuka, but didn't move her. She wasn't sure what happened, and she didn't want to cause the girl, now woman, any more injuries. "Asuka what happened?"

With pained effort, the former second child's eyes fluttered open and she gave her former guardian a glazed over, half-lidded stare. She tried to focus on the woman, who was like both a mother and a sister to her, but her focus was on something else.

Asuka was so close to death that she could see the other side... the spiritual realm. A smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. Soon... she would be with him.

Misato stepped back when the doctor and his assistants rushed into the hidden room with a gurney. They worked quickly and carefully as they picked her up and placed her on her back. The commander almost cried out when she noticed the deep gashes on Asuka's wrist. The former second child was trying to take her life. But why?

The doctor quickly bandaged both her wrist and connected an I.V. to her arm.

"Don't worry, Asuka..." The commander said comfortingly. "You'll be ok now."

Asuka didn't hear what the woman said to her. She didn't even notice the people who were fretting over her to ensure that she lived. What she did notice was that her vision of the nether world was fading away. She narrowed her eyes, to sharpen her focus, as she watched the happenings of what was going on in that majestic spiritual plain. Oh how she wanted to be there too. To be with...

She gasped and her crystal blue eyes widened. She could see him! Her love; he was in heaven adorned in divine robes.

"Shinji..." She called out in a dry whisper.

"Shhhh" Misato lovingly hushed Asuka as they quickly pushed her, in the gurney, down the winding NERV corridors and toward the infirmary. "Save your strength."

Asuka could hear Misato, now, and her view of heaven was quickly disappearing. She strained her eyes and focused. She could still she her truest of loves. He was laughing and holding his arms out to embrace someone.

Asuka could feel her heart clench with despair. She feared Rei was going to appear in Shinji arms. So she was utterly relieved when.... Eve flew haphazardly into his arms. Yes, she flew, with four wings which looked to be made of pure energy. She was dressed in heavenly robes, and was giggling as she embraced her dad. Then giggled even more when he lovingly tweaked her nose before giving her a bear hug.

A ghost of a smile graced the former second child's lips as she watched the loving scene.

Asuka could barely see heaven now, but she could still make out what was happening. Shinji and Eve's attention was turned toward a figure that appeared in front of them in a blinding white light. The little angel's wings spread out and flapped until she flew out of her father's loving grasp. The figure, Eve was flying toward, had six massive wings that burned brilliantly with divine energy.

Shinji was obstructing her view, so Asuka couldn't see who it was. But after he started to run over toward the figure, Asuka had a clear view of her old rival.

Not even using her wings, Rei hovered in the air with her arms wide open to embrace her husband and child. She looked like the angels of legend, ethereal, benevolent, serene, and utterly beautiful. Shinji gave his wife a libidinous happy smirk, then gave her a tender kiss where her neck met her shoulder, while Eve gave her mom a not-so-gentle, but very loving kiss on the cheek at the same time. The two didn't stay for long. Eve grabbed her dad's hand and they ran off happily.

Rei turned slightly and watched her family run off into the vastness of heaven. Then eerily, she turned back around and stared directly at Asuka.

Asuka felt her heart stop.

Rei gave the woman a beatific smile, then turned and flew effortlessly away to catch up with her family.

Not even a second later, Asuka's ability to see into the other realm was gone, and she her focus was now on Misato's worried face. They were now in the infirmary.

It was almost as if *Rei* was allowing her to glimpse inside heaven, so she could see how happy Shinji was, just to punish her. As a way of retribution for killing her. It was almost if Rei *wanted* her to know that he had changed into the loving father Eve both wanted and needed, because of *her* divine love. It was almost as if Rei allowed her to see the joy she would have *never* been able to bring out in him. Rei was punishing Asuka, as well as making sure she knew that Shinji would never be hers, because Shinji happily belonged to Rei.

"NO!" Asuka didn't want to except that . Shinji could have loved her if Rei wasn't always between them. Rei never released her hold on Shinji, not even after her death!

Asuka eyes widen with a sick realization.

She now understood *everything*..... Rei planned this. The first child knew that she would never be able to live out her life with her family. She had to choose. Eve or Death. She choose death, but he wanted Eve. She wanted Shinji. She wanted a family. *HER* family, and the only way she would be able the have them_ was_ in _death.

When the Asuka started to scream and call out Shinji's name, Katsuragi became distressed and quickly sat on the bed and placed a comforting grasp on the woman's hand. It didn't calm the doctor though, Asuka continue to cry out that it wasn't fair, because he was finally *hers* and Rei stole him again. Shinji was supposed to be hers!! He was supposed to be hers....

The commander stared helplessly at the former second child. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to help her. All she knew was that her former charge was going to have to be watched, taken care of, and protected... protected from herself.

"Its okay.." Misato loving assured. < I promise....I'll protect you Asuka... I won't let you harm yourself anymore....> She gently wiped away some of the woman's tears and whispered. "Its going to be ok... its going to be okay....."

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

I still don't own anything that deals with Evangelion.

See I told ya it wasn't a WAFF ^_~

Love ya lots I really really do

Kimberly