All Is Right

by BrokenChosenofEva

The "All Is Right" arc of the Pilot's Table drabble series. Sequel to "I Knew You Then". The Chosen continue to grow into their abilities and the life ahead of them, but the eventual loss of the U.N. and daggers in the shadows may put a damper on their bright future.

2. Chapter 2

Neon Genesis Evangelion
Pilot's Table
By B.C.E.

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Title: Tense Triangle
Prompt: n/a
Word Count: 3k+
Rating: T
Summary: "All Is Right" Time-skip. Ritsuko and Gendo must deal with the suddenly returned Yui Ikari. Unaware of events after Third Impact, all the woman knows is the manipulations of Gendo concerning Shinji and Rei, as well as his involvement with Ritsuko. Thinking him a monster after the reveals inside Instrumentality, she is shocked at what she finds when she wakes at NERV medical after being found on the beach near Tokyo-3 a year after Gendo retook command.

Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion

Notes: Had a sudden idea reading a review left for "Returned". Thank you, leroygordon, for that review. And thank you Tasermon's Partner, for reminding me I have this adventure to continue. And worry not, I will explore -though how thoroughly, I don't yet know- the time between Arael and Kensuke arriving and Shinji becoming the Sub-Commander.

Sorry about the long A/N at the end.

Part 2 of the "All Is Right" arc.

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The surface of the small LCL lake just outside Tokyo-3 rippled, catching the gaze of the young woman that knelt beside the small monument at its shore. The pedestal had a holographic display, names slowly scrolling across its screen. Names of those lost since the Angels started attacking the city and those that never returned from Instrumentality. The lake was one of three known LCL pools, all that remained of the LCL seas that had replaced Earth's bodies of water after Third Impact.

With the seas and lakes once more a healthy blue and untainted by LCL, Monuments had been built at each of the remaining collections of LCL, marking the eternal graves of billions and the folly and hubris of Mankind's attempt at again reaching for the heavens.

The young woman, in her mid to late twenties with mousy brown hair and dressed in a pale pink yukata, watched the surface with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. To date, the LCL pools had remained untouched by time and the elements, still despite the winds that blew across their surfaces and unfrozen even in the deep winters that once again touched Earth as the seasons changed as they had before Second Impact. The first thought through her mind was that someone else was coming back, even though the last person to return was nearly a year ago. And her initial assumption was proved correct when a woman perhaps a few years her senior surfaced and splashed her way to the shore nearby, collapsing on the beach and then becoming still.

Momentarily panicked, the brunette stood and hurried over, checking the other woman and finding her merely unconscious. Sighing, she took a moment to look her over before pulling out a NERV-issued cellular phone. She had brown hair, much like herself, but where hers was relatively short-cut the new woman had nearly shoulder-length tresses weighed down by LCL. She was dressed as a lab tech, or perhaps full scientist much like her own Senpai was known to dress, but nothing stood out about her. Opening her phone, she hit a speed dial and waited.

"Hello? This is Senior Technician Ibuki. I need a VTOL to the LCL pool, someone just surfaced... Yes, that probably was the Pattern Orange... Yes, I'll alert the Commander once we reach the base...Thank you."

0o0o0o0

Stalking through the base hallways, his once threatening image ruined much to his chagrin a few months ago when he was seen multiple times with his newborn daughter asleep in his arms as he moved about the halls, the imposing figure of Gendo Akagi made its way to Eden. Eden was the name given to the base nursery and daycare by NERV employees as a sort of joke, and when his wife had jokingly mentioned it one evening after picking up their daughter he had made it the official name the next day as part of his "morning humor".

When he sensed his wife was suddenly distressed and soon after told she had hurried into the daycare and shut herself into one of the private nursing rooms, Gendo had diverted his course from the infirmary -to greet the guest Maya Ibuki had found at the monument- and easily decided Ritsuko was more important.

Reaching Eden, he stepped inside and was greeted by the quiet noise of a dozen children between the ages of two and ten. Allowing a small smile to reach his lips, his eyes hidden behind his ever-present orange shades, the older man gave a nod to the staff and made his way to the back. Knocking on the door he sensed his wife behind, he waited only a moment before triggering the lock with his Commander Override and stepping inside. Locking the door again behind him, Gendo's gaze met that of his wife and he froze in puzzlement before shedding his glasses and moving to her. The last time he'd seen her so nervous and unsure was when she'd told him of her pregnancy, something he'd mentally beaten himself over, both because he should have sensed the new life and because he'd thought she knew he wasn't going to react negatively.

"Ritsuko, what is it?" his gruff voice filled the small room, drawing the brown-eyed gaze of their two month old daughter.

"Have you been to the infirmary?"

"A question for a question, Doctor?"

"Please, Gendo."

"I apologize, Shinji still tells me I need to work on my humor." he knelt beside her, gently brushing his finger through the tiny girl's feathery hair before turning to face Ritsuko, "No, I have yet to visit the guest. When I felt your distress, I came here instead."

Holding the baby between them, the brunette scientist and new mother leaned over and captured his lips in a chaste, slow kiss before she spoke again.

"Go to the infirmary, you'll understand." she sighed, her tense frame relaxing as she felt him reach out through their link to sooth her, "I'm alright, I just needed to hold Kei."

"As you wish." he acknowledged, kissing her, then stood and retrieved his glasses, "I will return shortly."

"I'll meet you in your office, I think I'll take off work early. Asuka can handle closing down the labs."

Nodding, Gendo unlocked the door and set out.

0o0o0o0

It was moments like this, when the unexpected occurred, that Gendo was reminded why he had stopped making long and complicated plans like his attempt at Third Impact.

Lying on the bed, still sleeping, was Yui Ikari. The woman looked no older than when he'd seen her last, her time in Unit-One and inside Instrumentality having passed her by physically.

"Someone is out to get me." he intoned, knowing his wife could sense his shock and unease from all the way back in the nursery, though anyone close enough to see his face would have only seen his typical grimace, "This is not a pleasant sensation."

Watching the woman on the bed begin to stir, he took a deep breath and settled himself. Whatever came next would be... unpleasant, for all parties involved. Yui blinked, eyes bleary and unfocused for several moments as she observed the ceiling above her, before she focused and turned to look about the room. When her eyes locked with his, her expression rapidly going from confusion to recognition, to anger, he was unprepared for her to twist violently part of the way out of the bed and slap him full across the face.

Reeling, Gendo tumbled unceremoniously to the floor as the woman on the bed leaned on her right arm to glared daggers down at him while he blinked up at her from the ground, his glasses halfway across the room and forgotten.

"You bastard," she spit, then yelled, "Get out!"

Standing, Gendo gave a nod and spun, stumbling slightly as he was still recovering from what felt like the mother-of-all-slaps, and left the room.

Debriefing could wait until later, he decided, right now he needed to get back to his family. And Yui needed to cool off. Shinji, he mentally called out in 'private channel', Would you visit the guest in the infirmary before leaving? I'm making it an early day along with Ritsuko and Kei.

Sure... his son sent back, puzzlement in the mental touch, Anything wrong?

You will understand when you get there... Gendo hesitated only a moment before sending again, Bring Asuka, you will need the back up, son.

0o0o0o0

This is my biological mother? Rei wondered, hidden for now in the corner of the room, unobserved thanks to a gentle push that said 'nothing is here'. She had wanted to see who had returned after so long, and was as unprepared as Ritsuko had been when she'd reached the room after feeling her adoptive mother suddenly panic.

She is not how I thought she would be after leaving her Instrumentality. Unlike most others who had left the LCL seas a year or more ago, Yui appeared completely walled off from her fellow humans, her AT-Field still as tightly wrapped around herself as it must have been before Third Impact. The bluenette had felt a spike of anger, quickly supressed, when the woman had attacked her father, but she had chosen to remain unnoticed until Gendo had left. Knowing it wouldn't be long before Shinji arrived, her brother having mentally told her that their father was leaving early with Ritsuko, she decided now would be a opertune time to speak with Yui.

"That was uncalled for, Ikari-san."

The woman jumped, startled, and glanced around the room before focusing on Rei as the young woman stepped away from the corner and stopped concealing herself.

"You."

"Yes, me." she acknowledged softly with a faint smirk on her lips, stepping over to the bed but remaining out of reach, the expression on her face similar to Gendo's when he knew he controlled the conversation.

"After what he did to you and Shinji, you think he doesn't deserve worse?" puzzlement and lingering anger twisted her lips into a grimace and narrowed her eyes, and she leaned back into the raised bed.

"I did not say he had not earned it, but after Instrumentality and the last year it is no longer called for." was the flat reply, smirk gone and her expression once again her old neutral mask, "If you do not open yourself to the changes of the world since Third Impact, you will be... 'in for a rude awakening', I believe would be Asuka's words."

"Sohryu's girl? Close friends with that hateful girl are you?" Yui arched an eyebrow, giving the bluenette Nephilium a once-over, "You look healthy, at least."

"I am well, thank you," Rei watched a moment, her eyes locked with Yui's until the older woman looked about the room.

"Which Hospital is this?"

"NERV Recovery Ward, in the central pyramid."

"NERV is still running? I'd have thought the UN would close it down." the brunette woman's puzzlement was clear on her face, though her tone was unconcerned, "Don't tell me Gendo is still in charge."

"The Commander was reappointed by the UN roughly one year ago," Rei stated, "and with the disbanding of the UN several months ago, NERV is now the center-piece of world government."

"But SEELE-"

"Has not returned," Rei cut in, waving her hand dismissively in a habit she had picked up from Asuka, the smirk returning more openly -and predatory, another thing she had picked up in her friendship with the redhead- as she decided on a path for the conversation as she felt Shinji and Asuka nearing, "The Akagis, along with the Sohryus, run NERV. And NERV runs Earth."

"Akagi?! What is that conniving woman doing?" Yui snarked, leaning forward and facing her younger doppleganger, "And Kyoko works with her?"

"No." the younger woman held her smirk, leaning ever so slightly towards her genetic parent, "Shinji and Asuka are betrothed, to marry once they are of age in two years."

"What-"

"And the Akagis are the ones who are my parents, the ones who chose me and I them," Rei's smirk turned feral as she twisted the knife that she knew her words were though her voice retained a disconcertingly neutral tone, "Ritsuko and Gendo."

Straightening, imprinting the image of a speechless Yui Ikari in her mind, Rei stepped to the door and paused to leave a final comment.

"Things are not what they seem, Ikari-san. I suggest you think on that." stepping out of the room and around a corner right before Shinji and Asuka rounded the opposite end of the hallway, Rei left the older woman sitting in her bed and grasping at straws while she made her way to where Kaworu waited.

0o0o0o0

"Was that Rei?" Asuka looked up at Shinji's question, dismissing her thoughts on another test she and Ritsuko would have to run in the morning and glanced down the hall.

"I don't know, I wasn't looking," she admitted, looking to the young man beside her and shrugging, hands in the pockets of her lab coat, "Might've been, she does wander NERV a lot."

"It's not a big deal, just thought I saw something." he returned the shrug, uniform jacket shifting, and paused a moment outside the hospital room, "Let's get this mystery meeting out-of-the-way and head home, I want to be able to babysit my new sister while Ritsuko cooks."

Asuka chuckled at Shinji's eagerness to be around his family, smiling at him as he triggered the door to open. Stepping in, she nearly ran over him when he froze just inside the entrance, and froze as well when the occupant spoke.

"Shinji-kun?"

Looking passed the young man in front of her, Asuka saw the brunette on the bed and nearly gasped at the woman's resemblance to Rei.

"Mom?" Shinji seemed just as shocked, unmoving as the two stared at each other across the room. Giving him a gentle shove, Asuka closed the door and waited just inside while he moved across the space. Though she felt a moment of jealousy that his mother had returned, she gently sit it aside. She had made peace with her mother inside Instrumentality.

"You've grown." Yui watched him, face pinched as she eyed the NERV uniform he wore. Shinji chuckled, left hand rubbing the back of his neck while his right clenched and relaxed in an old habit.

"I grew up." he said simply, moving near the bed and gesturing to Asuka, "I'd like you to meet my fiancé, Asuka Langley."

"You mean Sohryu?"

"No, Langley." Asuka answered as she moved up beside the young man, "I made my peace with the Sohryu name. She's the old me, part of the old world that died withThird Impact."

"So..." Yui closed her eyes, tilting her face to the ceiling for a moment before looking back at the two, "Married in two years?"

"Yes." Shinji blinked, glancing to Asuka as they shared a thought, That was Rei we saw, "Rei told you?"

"The clone was here just before you." the woman on the bed acknowledged neutrally, then blinked in surprise at the sudden tension in the room and annoyance on their faces.

"Her name is Rei Ayanami Akagi, Doctor Ikari." Asuka spoke in clipped tones, crossing her arms, her tan NERV uniform wrinkling slightly as her lab coat shifted, "And I'd appreciate you not antagonizing my friend."

"Shinji-kun, what's going on?" Yui snapped, irratation obvious on her face as she glared at Asuka and then looked to her son.

"A lot has changed since I saw you at the beginning of Instrumentality." Shinji's tone carried an undercurrent of frustration, "Father isn't the man we knew going into Third Impact. If this is how you acted when he visited, I can see why he asked me to come down."

"Excuse me, young man?" Yui snapped, tone commanding, "Rokubungi is a cheating, cold-hearted man. He threw you and Rei to the wolves to get what he wanted."

"Past-tense, Yui." Shinji snapped, then took a calming breath while his mother stared, "Did you learn anything from your Instrumentality? None of us are who we were before. I need to go babysit my little sister while Ritsuko cooks. Good night."

Stepping back, Shinji spared a moment to give Asuka a kiss before leaving the two women alone.

"Sister? Rei's as old as he-"

"Not Rei, Kei." Asuka cut her off, expression hard and body tense, mentally sending Shinji a sense of calm, "She's two months old. Gendo and Ritsuko's daughter."

"What?!"

"Stop. Don't even try to sound betrayed, you spiteful woman." the redhead snapped, leaning towards Yui and biting out her words, "You may have had Gendo wrapped around your finger, but being around Ritsuko for ten years left a mark on his heart. After what he experienced in There, that mark and your behavior left him with only one thing: He'd fallen for her. And you might as well have been dead."

Asuka spun and moved to the door, pausing long enough to glare over her shoulder and fire off one other comment, "They made peace with their pasts, and each other. Don't you dare try to break that."

0o0o0o0

Kensuke nearly choked on his water when Shinji told the four of them the newcomer was in fact his mother, Arael watched them as usual with a serene smile.

"And she said what?"

"It does not surprise me." Arael commented, voice soft and melodic, more feminine but mirroring Kaworu, "From what I've heard of Dr. Ikari, such behavior would be normal for her if Instrumentality did not change her as it changed us."

"That doesn't excuse her behavior!" Asuka snapped from her place across from Shinji at the small table, Kensuke to her right and Arael to her left, "But... it's weird that she's still closed off."

"Perhaps her time in the Evangelion left her more isolated than you thought?"

"I could visit her if you wanted...?" Kensuke offered, hesitant, "But if Rei didn't tap her, I don't think I'll be much help."

"Don't worry, Ken." Shinji politely waved off the offer, "her AT-Field...it's...tuned right, she's just not opening up like we did, not as quickly at least."

"How is Doctor Akagi handling the reappearance of Commander Akagi's former wife?" Arael directed her curious gaze towards Shinji.

"Better than she would have if we didn't have our mental connections," the young man sighed, "Father has been leaving early to be physically near her since Yui arrived, which would be fine except it means I've had extra duty closing out the day."

"Oh don't complain," the redhead laughed, gently slapping his shoulder, "Now that you're used to it, you like being in charge."

"Doesn't do any good with you and your lab," he joked back, "I feel like you're ignoring me when I send for section close-out reports."

"With Rits on personal leave, I'm in charge more than you are," Asuka sniffed, a grin ruining the affronted attitude she put up, "I get you your reports when I'm able."

The group shared a laugh and lapsed into a comfortable silence for several minutes, enjoying the weather while they sat at the outdoor cafe.

"Anyone hear from Hikari and Touji recently?" Kensuke asked, looking to Asuka and Shinji.

"Hikari messaged me to say they've settled in over in Tokyo-2," Asuka smirked, "I teased her about married life, and wasn't disappointed by her response."

"They're as married as we are and she still gets flustered," Kensuke laughed, smiling at Arael as the Angel-Reborn sent him one of her rare full smiles, "Touji's teased her too. Think she'll still be like that once they tie the knot?"

"I doubt it," Shinji chuckled, "She adapted quickly in Instrumentality, always switching to full Maternal-Mode. Anyway, how's college been? I've been thinking of applying but I'm still not sure what to Major in..."

0o0o0o0

Yui lay in her hospital bed, mind tangled in "what-happened?/should-be.../how?" and a jumble of emotions too mixed for her to sort out just yet. Or maybe she just didn't want to sort them out. Obsessive Gendo, remarried? And a baby with his new wife? And sweet Shinji rejecting her point-blank, and engaged to the prideful and bratty Sohryu girl?

She didn't know what to make of it, any of it. And considering the clone's behavior towards her three days ago... what if the little -not so little, young woman, her brain argued back- girl had been right about the changes everyone had experienced? What if she was wrong about the people she thought she knew, having watched them from inside Unit-One and Instrumentality.

What if she was wrong.

It wasn't a pleasant thought for her. She had orchestrated the initial events that lead to Gendo going against the twisted SEELE Council and working towards "his" version of Instrumentality.

And her first clue that things were not to her plan, she realized, had been when Shinji -sweet, broken Shinji- had rejected Instrumentality and opened the door for everyone to return to the real world.

Which meant she had miscalculated. Badly. Both then and now.

But realizing she was wrong was the first, key step. She was a scientist through-and-through, and being able to admit she was wrong was part of that. So her first assumption was wrong -she knew what assuming could do-, that just meant she had to observe and make informed judgments and decisions.

And her first goal would be to get cleared to leave and actually interact with the others. She had yet to meet Ritsuko, outside a few passing encounters during NERV's days as GEHIRN and watching from inside the EVA and during Third Impact, so she could admit to being unfair in her snap judgment of the woman. And Kei, Gendo's daughter with the Akagi girl -woman, adult, her brain pointed out-, was just a baby. Preventing or twisting Instrumentality was meant, in the secret part of her heart, to make a world for children to live in and enjoy.

So, her goals -for now- were simple: Get out. Meet Ritsuko, and Kei. And pay attention.

The last was harder than it sounded. People observed all the time, but actually paying attention required mentally acknowledging what was observed. Not rejecting anything that was contrary to what she wanted, but taking it and putting effort into understanding.

She found she was actually looking forward to it. And, hopefully, mending her relationship with her son in the process -which is broken, her brain pressed, and the fault sits square on your shoulders for that-.

One thing at a time, Yui thought, leaning back to sleep, start in the morning.

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A/N: Well, I hope this was good, even if not necessarily what you were thinking of leroygordon. Let me know in the reviews. We might see more of Yui, or maybe she leaves Tokyo-3 for good after a little more interaction with The Twelve -at least the eight who work in or visit NERV-.

"The Twelve" are Gendo and Ritsuko, Misato and Ryoji, Shinji and Asuka, Rei and Kaworu, Kensuke and Arael, and Touji and Hikari. The last six are in college, either through online courses for the three Angels or actually at the university for the three Lilim.

Rank for those working at NERV is:
Supreme Commander Gendo Akagi, Commissioned Officer [Commander/General]
Tactical and Operations Chief Misato Katsuragi, Commissioned Officer [Colonel, full]
Sub-Commander Shinji Ikari, Non-Commissioned Officer [Sub-Sommander/Command-Sergeant Major]
Section-2 Head Ryoji Kaji-Katsuragi, Non-Commisioned Officer [Sergeant Major]
Technical Division-1 Head Ritsuko Akagi, Lead Scientist and Chief Medical Officer [Major]
Technical Division-1 Chief Asuka Langley [Ikari], Lead Robotics Researcher [Major, "retired"]

"Emergency" Ranking:
Pilot Rei Ayanami Akagi, Retired Pilot [Captain, "retired"]
Pilot Touji Suzuhara, Retired Pilot [1st Lieutenant, "retired"]
Pilot Kaworu Nagisa, Retired Pilot [2nd Lieutenant, "retired"]

Despite being Sub-Commander, Shinji is out-ranked by Misato during combat operations. The "retired" ranks only apply when the ones above them are unable to command, or if they miraculously get new EVAs to Pilot. IF they get new EVAs and IF Shinji Pilots, he would technically be "field commissioned" to Captain for the duration of the fight.