Thank you all for reading my story! I hope you are enjoying it. I remember i don't own this great series.

I would like thank andysax, bigguy1234, divinedemon1, kinOnizuka and xobilesmith for favoriting me. feel free to write a review

Now on with the show!

Present Day

Asuka paced nervously, hoping each step would calm her racing heart.

She was ashamed of herself when she realized her eyes were full of tears and that some managed to spill onto her face.

She knew she looked like a wreck but at the moment she could care less about her appearance. Though if anyone had seen her, she would simply pretend to fix her hair or claim there was no tears in her eyes, only a trick of the light that only idiots fell for.

She let out a sigh.

There she goes again: Lying, pretending, and hiding behind a mask that was nothing but a hollow reflection of the truth.

She had been crying.

She was so worried she was physically sick.

She had a large and unwanted amount of guilt weighing heavily on her chest.

And worst part?

She knew it was her fault because she came to this conclusion herself.

Misato passed by her without a single comment, fear and sorrow showing in the cracks of the mask of professionalism she always wore.

Wondergirl was equally as silent as she was emotionless though Asuka could swear she saw anxiety in her eyes when their paths crossed.

Both said nothing because they all knew there was nothing to be said.

No words of comfort. No miracle going to save them. Nothing.

Asuka leaned against the far wall, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor. Hugging her knees and resting her head on top of them. Letting quiet sobs escape her lips.

Right across from her was a single door that, like the rest of this building, was futuristic, unreal and cold. Unloving. And she knew that for the last 8 hours, the best NERV had to offer was right behind that door.

Thinking desperately to find a way to defeat the angel.

The angel that she had goaded Shinji into attacking.

An attack that not only horribly failed but had led to the capture of one of their own.

Shinji was trapped in that stupid, sickeningly simple angel.

and it was her fault.

One Week Ago

"What makes me most happy?" Asuka repeated the question in a mocking tone."Baka! The CORRECT way to ask that is what object, person or thing makes you feel the happiest! NOT what makes you most happy? It sounds like something a kindergartener would say!"

Her anger boiled to familiar heights.

This baka was getting on her nerves.

Why did she even agree to this stupid game!

Shinji's heart felt like it was ready to pop and shrivel down to the size of a raisin. While he did not attend college like the spectacular red head German in front of him, he felt he had asked the question in a proper manner.

"I guess not" Shinji sadly thought.

For the first time in a long time, Shinji chose not to mumble sorry but rather continue as if nothing happened.

How people could shrug comments off with such ease he never got. He likened Asuka's comments like rocks being thrown though a car, smashing through the windshield with little resistance and smacking the driver causing them to lose control.

He shook his head and feebly mumbled "10 seconds Asuka"

Asuka shot him a deadly glare (He was use to those by now) "That is easy baka Shinji. Being an EVA pilot!"

Shinji stared at her with disbelief in his eyes.

True that he remembered she mentioned wanting to prove something to the world but he assumed that was to be done with her natural talents. It never occurred to him that she linked that goal with being a pilot.

He repressed a shuddered at the memory of being in his EVA.

While it had brought him praise from his father, that was a onetime thing. His father has yet to say another word to him since.

He also felt uneasy about the giant purple machine. He could feel something alive within the beast called EVA Unit 01 and while it did feel comforting at times, it seems to have a mind of its own. A near animalistic urge to protect Shinji at all costs….and that frightened him.

Not enough to stop piloting for he had his own mission to complete but enough to make bonding with the machine difficult. A problem that the greatAsuka Langley Sohryu has seem to conquer.

Slap.

For the second time that night, Shinji felt agony shoot through his cheek.

"STOP STARING!" Asuka shouted at him.

Shinji's rare ounce of courage had come back twice in one night, an unheard of feat.

Shinji looked directly into her clear blue eyes and asked in a quizzically tone "Really? You like being in those machines?"

Asuka glared at that stupid little boy, he was mocking her!

"What do you mean? Of course! I am the best and the best love what they do! You only hate the machines because you suck at them!"

Suddenly Asuka felt all the rage she felt towards this idiot just explode out of her

"You got lucky the last few battles. You would be useless without me! So yes I like being a pilot because I am the greatest and I earned that right! I didn't have daddy to snap his fingers and magically put me inside the one machine that could save the world! I earned my right to pilot Unit 02 Baka Shinji!"

Shinji's world was threatening to collapse under him.

He could feel every single comment stab at him like a rusty knife.

He didn't know he thought of a rusty knife but he had people say it repeatedly, so Shinji figured it must hurt worse.

Shinji did not want to play anymore. This was never fun to begin with and he never thought such a simple game could lead to the truth.

Asuka, the object of his affection….no his love…hated him.

Shinji didn't know if he should risk moving in case that triggers another movements tend to set the red head tornado off.

Regardless what Shinji would have chosen to do at that point, Asuka continued her assault.

"And what about you oh great, indomitable Mr. Ikari" Asuka asked him, her voice dripping with false sympathy "What makes you most happy!"

Shinji couldn't even stare into her eyes anymore. He stared to the ground, tears threatening to overtake him. He couldn't take any more of this.

"I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away. Imustn'trunawayimustn'trunawayimustn'trunaway!" He chanted in his mind but it was useless.

Pain and fear were creeping up on him and he wanted to run. Far away.

He wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Look at me when I am talking to you wimp! Don't you dare think YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME!"

Shinji's head popped back up and Asuka was shocked to find tears in his steel blue eyes.

"I DON'T KNOW!" he shouted, raising his voice something Asuka didn't think was possible.

"I don't know what makes me happy…" He whispered "My father sent me away when I was young. He didn't give a damn about me until he needed me to pilot Unit 1!"

Shinji shot to his feet, moving faster than Asuka had anticipated.

"And you are right Miss Sohryu"

Shinji used the exact same mocking tone she had just used. It felt wrong to hear him use such a tone.

So much that Asuka actual felt a trace amount of guilt but before she could squash that feeling into the void, Shinji went on

"You are better than me. You're happy, you're confident; you're the envy of everyone! You were chosen because you are talented. You have a purpose in life! I am unwanted. Like you say who would want a spineless, weak wimp? Nobody! I…I…"

Shinji ran.

His rage gave way to fear.

He didn't want to be here.

Anywhere but here.

"Shinji!" Asuka called after him but her moment of surprise was a moment too long. He had disappeared into his room and, slipping on his headphones, disappeared into his world.

Asuka stared silently in the direction of his room, softly whispering "Fine, whatever b-baka Shinji. Run away like you always do! S-see if I care." As Asuka sat on the couch and flipped on the TV. Try as she might to ignore the guilt in her chest, she knew deep down inside that she did care.

She cared about the boy she had brought to tears.