Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Bonds of Survival-OVA ❯ Nightmares ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimers:
Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc., are property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. Let me tell you that up to chapter 24, I loved this Anime, then as so many others it turned dark and painful. I couldn't agree with the ending, so I am re-writing A/Uof my other story to show what I thought would be a different ending to the series where Rei and Asuka lived. Hopefullythe creator of the series will make more movies and hopefully they will give us a more hopeful ending. Thanks to Tex james, and John Brown for pre-reading this revision! If you read the original , this and the chapters to chapter 5 are very similar, but there are definite differences,
and after chapter 5 it will be completly different as the end will be of a different tangent.
Thanks for understanding and I hope you enjoy this story.

Bonds of Survival-OVA

Chapter 5: Nightmares!

Author's Note: If you want to help me with pre-reading my chapters, e-mail me! <dennis_d@popmail.firn.edu>

" "=Dialogue
( )= Character's thoughts!

Cold Memories

Asuka's POV:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOD IT HURTS SO MUCH!
THE LANCES!
THEIR CLAWS ARE TEARING ME APAAAART!!!
I CAN'T TAKE THE PAINNNN!
SHINJI, WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUU!!
BBBBAAAAAAAKKKKKAAAAAAA!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Oh God what happened?" I bolted up off the bed I was in!
I was confused, scared for a few moments before a pair of warm and loving hands drew me back down towards an embrace.
I had another nightmare, the same dream I have had nightly since we left Tokyo-3.
Being in his arms comforted me so much, though I didn't always tell him that much, damn my fool pride!
I was trying not to cry, and not succeeding very well.
It had become a nightly occurrence as he held me rocking me back and forth, not saying a word other than shushing me, while soothing my frazzled nerves. Then another hand rested itself on my shoulder.
I lifted up my tear stained face to see my former rival, and now friend also trying to alleviate my fear.
I smiled at the sympathetic look on her face as she squeezed my shoulder.
How could I keep having these nightmares knowing that I was with those who cared so much about me?
I just couldn't understand it! It was Sooo frustrating!
It took a few minutes, but I had finally started to calm down when Rei turned off the motion sensors,
went to the one of the trailers and came back with some water. I took it, drank it, and thanked her.
We laid back down on the makeshift bed in the on the floor of the warehouse we were in to try to get some more sleep.
But, as I was afflicted by these terrible dreams, so were both my companions.
our newfound closeness and caring have helped us all through these sleep deprived nights.
I finally laid back down and fell back to a dreamless sleep in the arms of my love and the comfort of my friend.

I tired not to think of the images, and frightening memories that bombarded my mind as I had dreamt earlier, then the realization that I was in his arms alleviated those thoughts again.
I also knew that that comfort would be reciprocated, as I knew that like clockwork, I would be there for both of them later tonight.

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

Rei's POV:

The Angel was infecting Unit-00, and my body proper, now up through my abdomen.
I was crying, and screaming with pain afflicted by the Angel's effort in attempting to merge with me,
and take control of Unit-00. . . and myself.
In my final desperate attempt, to save my love, and the rest of humanity, I hit the auto-destruct button,
and murmured my final words to my love; I love you!!
Within one hour since Asuka's nightmare, I was in tears and crying in confusion.
I did not understand why A human had to dream. I did not dream before, when I was an Eva pilot,
and the basis of the dummy plug system. But, ever since I was brought back by Shinji,
I was acting much more like a human than I ever did before Third Impact.
One of those all too human traits was having these horrible nightmares of my death play over again and again,
every night since we left Tokyo-3. I didn't have the same self control I had before.
Having all my memories restored has not help me cope with this nightly torment, if not for him . . . and her.
Shinji and Asuka have been there for me, to comfort me in their own ways, to explain things I do not understand, and to simply be there for me since we came back. They were here now again.
Especially in the nights when we all suffer through our own nightmares about how we died.
Even though I merged with Lillith and helped Shinji in his decision to return. And though I was once an angel,
I am human now, so open to human frailties, one being the ability to dream.
To have pleasant and kind dreams, to have also the opposite as I am having now, . . . is quite disheartening.
I have not been able to stop these dreams, but I am fortunate to have both of them here.
Shinji is my one reason to have returned, and the one I cherish above all others.
Asuka has made such a change, from the belligerent and violent person she was, to a caring and confident person she was becoming, she had changed as much as I have.
Though my changes are not as obvious. I have begun to, mmm how does Asuka put it, oh yes,
"I have begun to open up!" my personality. But I can't see how I have changed that much. I have to take the word of Shinji and Asuka on that. What had significantly changed is that we simply, . . . have started to become . . . friends
though it is difficult for me to understand the concept.
I have had Asuka's help in other areas of my emotional development. I am grateful for her help.
If that is so, why do we still dream about our deaths? I am trying to ascertain this now.
There may be some outside influence, or simply a reaction to our current situation.
I will try to find out more about these strange events when we come close to a community with a working computer network. But, until I have an answer, it is comforting to have both of them here. They give me a sense of . . . hope.
Hope that we can start our new lives, without such matters in our dreams, and to our future.
I would like to stay with Shinji, and Asuka for what I hope will be for my lifetime.
Whether we are friends, or more, I want to stay with them. I hope this will never change.
Though, our lives will continue to change.

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

Shinji's POV:

Oh no, not again! I can't keep going like this. Like clockwork, Asuka has her nightmare.
Then after calming her down, an hour later Rei has hers. Then after calming her down, I get mine as well.
It is so hard to get through the next day with this nightly grind. But, then I think of all that's happened,
and all those who haven't come back. I didn't startle the two girls I cherish, when I awoke from my disturbing dream,
still having them here in my arms asleep helped me to live through this nightly sacrifice.

I then pray to myself, hoping that these nightmares will end soon.
I then remember seeing the tired eyes of my two angels as we try to get through the day
following those sleepless nights. All I can do is hope that this will end soon,
as it will eventually brake us where ever we end up. Because I can't take much more and neither can the girls.
I know what I have decided, and the girls have agreed to living on, but why do these dreams haunt us?
Maybe when we get to The Awara Onsen, these dreams will end. Maybe by the time we get there there might be some people there. The data we got through the Magi sensors estimated that since we began our journey several dozen people have appeared around Japan. So maybe they might have a doctor to help us. I hope they do!
I am going to make a new life for me and the girls, so no bloody nightmares are going to stop me
from having our chance at happiness, NOTHING!"

Author's Notes:
(I put this as an addendum to chapter 4, simply because it did happen the night they slept in the warehouse in Nagoya
But it was separate from chapter 4's main story line. So it's presented here as a separate chapter.)

Now Back to Nagoya and our tired trio!
_________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________

Hot Springs Layover! (Shinji's POV)

After packing up, I observed Rei and Asuka looking very tired and weary just as I was feeling.
The nightmares were draining our energies, and we had slowed down considerably Since we left Nagoya proper.
We all needed a place to just chill. Of course we were headed to the Awara Onsen outside of Kyoto-2.
I knew that we needed to rest and relax for a few days until we started our plan for survival,
so I suggested my idea to Relax there before we started our new home and Asuka almost rammed me
with a hug of glee, which landed us on the ground as Rei simply smiled
and shook her head slightly enough to approve of my idea. She then helped us to our feet.

We headed back by Gifu which had the only viable road to the hot springs (onsen) which got us there by night fall.
We of course cased the compound and secured the area around the main pools and buildings there.
We then unloaded our supplies in a room near the kitchen and we then took one room for us to sleep in.
We then just stood there, taking in the sight of the pools and spa. It was seemingly untouched as if no one had been there at all. but we knew that Third Impact had reached even this isolated spot.
With a squeeze of our hands we then began to unpack.
We found a fireplace and had a good dinner of canned vegetables, with some ramen, and some hot tea.
We had located enough supplies to keep us for a around ten to twelve weeks, and we decided to live in the onsen then and there, hopefully nightmares would be alleviated now that we decided to stay and make our new home there.
We finally decided on a few day's relaxation and then we'd double our efforts to start our vegetable garden and build the portable greenhouse we found in the Nerv warehouse in Nagoya.
Then we located the nearest pool to the room we were sleeping in and decided to take a dip after dinner.
Now normally one like me would have you would think no problem, in sitting in a hotsprings with the two girls that i truly wanted to stay the rest of my life with, but they had clothes on in bed, and sleeping in a bed for comfort and sitting with towels between you, the water, and the view for them and me it can be a bit nerve racking.
Though Rei had now qualms about sitting in the pool nude, Asuka and me did make our feelings known about modesty and as Asuka always said, "not getting Shinji baka's perverted mind going". After a more detailed explanation to a confused Rei, we agreed to all wear towels
I around my more private parts, while the girls used larger towels to cover theirs.
I also located myself in a smaller pool out of eye sight, where I would go when the girls wanted to wash themselves.
Now even though we had pledged friendship to each other, we where fifteen years old, so modesty,
and my chance for a huge blood loss had to be accommodated. Asuka snickered at that thought,
I of course was red-faced and quiet.

As we finally stepped into the heated and pure water, we had to get used to the temperature.
We found that The onsen and it's accompanying hotel was well stocked with freeze dried
and canned food, as well as spirits and to Asuka's delight, sodas and something called root beer.
After dinner, we had brought with us some sake' we had found in the hot springs hotel kitchen.
Though lukewarm, it still gave us a warm feeling and though we got friendly,
Rei stayed sober enough to keep us . . . decent. (Sorry you hentais!)
We did kiss and cuddle some, but eventually, the girls and I separated
and used the soap available to wash ourselves.

Since they had started to work together due to the injuries they woke up with a month back,
they washed each other as they had done before we left Tokyo-3.
Even now, with their injuries healed, their habit of helping each other clean has I think brought them closer
as friends and partners.
I thought about this as I washed in the other pool as they stayed in the main pool..
But within five minutes the girls asked me back and wanted to wash my back.
So, keeping the towel in front of me and sitting on a stool, the girls washed my back
and sides as this seem to satisfy their washing of me. What took longer and had me lose a little blood, was the fact that
they asked me to wash their backs!
I was hesitant to answer until they said that all they wanted was a massage.
I breathed a little easier as I had done that as part of their physical rehabilitation since the first week we lived in Tokyo-3. So as Rei took to soak back in the pool, Asuka and I headed for a mat near the pool's edge
I started to rub the kinks out of Asuka's back and shoulders. Her sighed and ha's had made me happier since I could bring some pleasure to her aching back,
You might want to know how I learned how to do this?
Well, my aunt whom I had stayed with before I piloted Eva, had shown me how to massage someone. Why?
Well, because my uncle had wrenched his back in an accident and needed daily massages.
So, she showed me how to do a general massage as I was used as a back-up for my aunt
to help my uncle through most of his painful recovery.
Now I was using those skills to help the girls I cared for.
Within ten minutes, Asuka had fallen asleep with a smile on her face.
It felt really good that I could give her some comfort without having to have the threat of a slap as a reward.
To be honest, With what we have all gone through, having any sort of physical contact was something we all yearned for But we knew it's limitation as well, especially where Asuka is concerned.
So, I had Rei help me get her to the bedroom we shared, and as I went back to the pool area, Rei helped a groggy Asuka to bed. By now it was night and so, I repeated the process again with massaging Rei and though she never fell asleep there on the pool's deck, like Asuka, Rei also became tired and sleepy. With Rei though, when it's just us two, she accepts my physical touch much more than Asuka. But I have a feeling that when there are more people, Most of our physical contact, even holding hands will be done at home and not out for others to see. But here we were alone and as I helped her up we hugged tightly and for a few minutes as we cuddled and sighed at the warmth and contact we shared in this private moment. I knew that It would take some more weeks, even months before Asuka would overcome her inner demons to allow this type of contact. So, holding Rei helped. I felt a great deal of satisfaction as I then led Rei to our bedroom. Asuka was laying on the right, her normal spot, fast asleep, and she didn't seem to be having her nightly nightmare. That alone made this trip worthwhile.

As Rei dressed in the bedroom, I secured the onsen building, putting up the Laser security net we procured from Nerv's warehouse, courtesy of Section-2. To give us at least a twenty second warning,
enough time to grab our weapons and be ready for anything, or anyone!
When I got back, I had a wonderful sight in front of me.
Now normally I usually when we slept, and at Asuka's insistence, I occupied the middle, between the girls when we slept, more for the girls being able to both be next to me, and having the advantage of them getting to the bathroom easier. I had no real problem with this as I noted both seem to do a once a night bathroom run.

But tonight, it seemed that Asuka will be in the center, because when Rei had fallen asleep,
Asuka had turned around and slept behind Rei in a spooning position.
Since Asuka took up the middle of the futon we where using, I laid down and spooned in behind Asuka,
and felt that for at least tonight, we could have a good night's sleep.

We did, the nightmares did not bother us and we had our first good night's sleep in weeks.!

________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________
As the ex-pilots settle into their new home the weather and an unexpected accident causes doubt in their plan.
But a miracle changes their confidence But that is in the next chapter: A New Life

A.N.- Some will argue that the pilots, especially Asuka is a bit OOC.
Well I see the events of the Third Impact as a change.
Not only the obvious changes on earth, but the views of the pilots in their trek to a new and better life.
Now I can say you'll see more of the "Old" Asuka in the future chapters, but her feelings for Shinji, as well as Rei's will become very apparent and open! Why, Well all I'll say is that they will have to. Nuff said!