A/N: SAT Prep has been dogging me for the last few days…Because of that I have not been able to update…I'm Searching for a BETA reader I Would totally appreciate if you will BETA read my story. I was also waiting for Scar Tissue to update and haven't even been on for a while...I'm really into that story and would love to make a reference to it in either this OR any other fic I do...

Disclaimer: All Characters Belonged to Their Respective Owners, I own nothing of this fan-fiction, nor am I paid for writing it

No Leaf Clover

Chapter 3

"Shinji what the hell are we watching…"

Shinji looked at the complaining Misato from his perch from his chair in the living room, Misato was frowning on the couch wearing Daisy Dukes, which seem to show a slender legs a bit more than what Shinji was usually used to, and a loose Grey T-shirt, that hung from her shoulders showing a bit more cleavage than what was needed. She stood up looking at Shinji with a tired and annoyed face, This was her two week vacation…TWO WEEKS, Ever since she took over NERV She only had about maybe an hour break…This was a miracle to her, she did not expect to watch a bizarre acid trip of a movie at home.

"Eh…I thought you were a fan of Pink Floyd Misato…Don't you remember The Wall…"

It's been like this, for the past two weeks every other Wednesday, Shinji would find some strange rock show or movie on TV and tune in without a care in the work usually blanking people out as he listened luckily No songs was on yet, and So Misato was actually being listened to at least for now, She looked at Shinji as she began to drinking her usual can of Beer, She turned to Shinji with a curious face and frowned.

"Since when did you listen to Pink Floyd?"

Shinji shrugged not answering the question, Not that he would, The Second Part of The Wall Began to blare from the speakers of the TV, Shinji closed his eyes slowly his bangs from his hair covering his face. Shinji have not cut his hair for the past two weeks, which left it a little more ragged than previously his usual white shirt was ragged and unbuttoned with carelessness. One part of Misato was worried about this change and wanted to talk to him about it, while the other part saw that this was his way of coping from the outside world.

She smiled at Shinji who had just opened his eyes to look at his watch, he nodded and got from the couch with a healthy yawn and smiled, looking at Misato, He then grabbed the key and walked to the door, Misato looked at Shinji with a questionable face drowning herself on the couch the AC Blaring in her face keeping her from become a sweaty ugly mess. She then decided to speak wondering what his response would be.

"Where are you going Shinji…"

"Just for a drive…see what I can see…Also I do need to visit Asuka Today"

Shinji was become good at hiding his own emotions, In reality he was just attempting to forget what had transpired Yesterday, He did not think that doing that would feel so good.

Flashback

"Asuka probably drove him mad and he had to go for the sake of not killing her..."

Touji spoke with no regard of the person he spoke of. Kensuke followed up with a laugh, Shinji's angers rising more and more as the laugh hung in the air. Shinji ignored it he was actually getting quite agitated over the whole situation, especially what they are saying about Asuka. He attempted to put his earphones, not wanting to hear anymore of the Asuka bashing.

"She probably laughed at him when she visited...That wretched bitch..."

Shinji groaned again attempting not to listen to his rather oblivious and ignorant friend about the whole situation. He again attempted to reach for his headphones desperate not to hear what they are saying. Shinji felt a pain of guilt as they said that, the feeling of hate when people spoke of her like that. Especially in the condition she's in, He closed his eyes attempting not to...

"She probably did one of the guards just to get in the Facility..."

That did it for Shinji...Hearing Touji said that was the breaking point Shinji did something that was totally so out of his character. He clenched his fist and slammed his fist into Touji's face, Touji quickly stumbling onto the ground as Shinji did so. Shinji fist stayed clenched seeing Touji move his jaw to see if it was broken. Looking at Shinji who was looking at him with the eyes of a murderer looking for vengeance for the people who done wrong to him.

End Flashback

"Shinji…Shinji!!!"

Shinji snapped out of his sudden flashback His eyes snapping toward Misato, Thinking about why exactly Shinji would be staring into the infinite unknown that is the skies. She was leaning near the wall next to the door holding the keys to the car in her hands a giant sneer on her face, which was a great cover to what she was really worried about. He smiled grabbing the keys and laughed he then waved goodbye to Misato and stepped into the car without a pure second thought on the situation.

Meanwhile

Hikari Horaki began to knock on the door of her boyfriend Touji Suzahara, Shortly after both being revived from the LCL, her and Touji quickly began dating. Though she loved Touji with all of Her heart she cannot seem to shake the events off that transpired when she was talking to Asuka about it, and How exactly it made her like she is now…But she instantly had no time to think about it as when the door to his house was finally opened she sat a very depressed Touji with a big giant black eye the size of a baseball.

"Hey Hikari how's it…"

She interrupted Touji's half assed greeting and pulled him into his house not even asking her in. Touji looked in shock as she began to examine his eye closely, recently she has been studying medical in hopes of becoming a doctor, She would have actually guessed she would used her examination skills on Touji. Seeing that his eye was not infected in anyway She pointed at the eye and looked at Touji with a Stern face, A Face that if Touji was able to think right now he would probably be afraid of.

"Touji…what happened to your eye?"

Touji looked at her for quick second and decided to lie, Even if he did tell the truth, who would believe that Shinji Ikari, Mr. 'Sorry' Would ever hit Touji Suzahara the school jock and local tough guy. Not only would nobody believe him but he will be the laughing stock of the whole city if they did. So he looked at Hikari with a quick smile and began his attempt at a lie.

"I was hit with a baseball?"

He was not very good a this, First of he said it in more of a question than an actual statement. Secondly when he did say it He said it with a rather squeaky rat voice, and finally, He didn't even look Hikari in the eye when he said it, case in point, He completely failed at lying, especially to Hikari, who was now looking down with an angry face and suddenly pulls on his ear, a slight anger can been seen through he fiery eyes and sexy yet almost as scary frown.

"Touji Suzahara…you have 10 seconds to tell me exactly what happened…"

She said it in a booming voice that put Asuka to shame, it scared the crap out of him, and that is not something Hikari was able to a lot of times. He then slowly began to lift his lone finger up. Wondering if he should tell her or not again, This time in the fear of actually being attacked he caved, oh and he caved harid.

"It was Shinji!!"

Hikari said nothing looking at Touji with a confused face, Thinking that those words did not just come out of his lips, Her cheeks began to turn red but not from anger, not by a long shot, She was trying to hold in her laughter, a slight cackle coming out of her cheekbones now and then losing the fight to not laugh at every single moment.

And finally as expected she caved, She burst into laughter, not being able to hold it in any longer, Touji sighed knowing that Hikari wouldn't take it seriously, and why should she, They we're talking about Shinji Ikari, The boy who would probably say sorry to his kidnapper for yelling too loud. Touji looked at her not really surprised on how she reacted to this moment.

"I'm serious…"

Hikari looked in plain shock, Shinji actually clocked Touji, one of his best friends, There was just no pure reason. Touji then began to remember why Shinji attacked him, He always egged on about Asuka, in his opinion she always deserved it, But hearing what happened to her yesterday and Shinji. He then looked at Hikari again with a serious and stern face, He got up and held onto her shoulders letting out a giant shy.

"Shinji before he attacked me said something about Asuka being in a mental institution…do you know anything about this?"

Hikari being the friend that she was said nothing, but Knew that Touji obviously knew about Asuka's current condition. She sighed looking about the room sitting down. Her eyes filling themselves with sadness, and in some strange way guilt and sorry for what happened to her. She sat back down on the couch and sighed.

"Asuka has been in there for about...from this day six months has been in Peaceful Forest Mental Institution..."

Touji looked at her in not necessarily shock but concerned shock, Asuka as far as he knew was strong to the point of arrogance, Something must have literally must have broken her in order for her to do this. He looked over at Hikari with a stern face, that was still wondering, still confused at why Asuka needed to go to the 'looney bin' as he called it. Suddenly guilt began to clutter his soul, knowing that some of his teasing could have just made the situation a lot worse than it was supposed to be.

"What happened to her...I mean she just seemed so strong before..."

Hikari sighed looking down at her feet, She knew Asuka will be peeved about her telling what happened but It wasn't as if Touji already knew, plus for what happened to Touji, She think he deserved to know why, Shinji of all people DID sock him in the face.

"Well for what Shinji said it happened eight months ago..."

With Shinji

Shinji was driving through the city streets on his way to Peaceful Forest, his brain raking itself on many things, His attack on Touji, and the events that caused it. He couldn't really blame Touji for thinking that but Shinji, being the first one to actually see her in this condition, felt that he needed to defend her actions. He could never forget seeing her like that....

Flashback

Shinji was just finishing the rest of dinner, White rice and curry and pot stickers, one of his favorite meals to make, Misato was currently in the showers and Asuka was again crawled in her room, Which had him slightly worried, Asuka would usually be out here at least to see him cook, but for the past few days she's been silent, He tucked his feelings in for now and turned the heat on the oven down He then yelled to the bathroom.

"Misato Dinner!!!"

Before he could even blink she came running from the bathroom and almost shoved him out of the way, Which Shinji was not surprised about, She acted like this alot during dinner, Hell he almost found it funny, he got up and dusted himself off chuckling to himself softly. He then walked towards Asuka's door and knocked, No answer, He began to knock again but louder, still nothing, He then decided to open the door, and gasped quickly, shocked at what he saw.

Asuka a shell of her fomer self standing on her computer desk, the noose tied to the light fixture in the room, her wrist a downward spiral of scars, Her shirt gone leaving only her bra and her school shorts, Shinji did not take any time to react he quickly ran to to her grabbing her from off her chair and clencing on her body, careful not to hurt her delicate frame. She then began to pound on his body, angry and confused, she was attempting to shove Shinji off of her but to no avail.

"Asuka...what's wrong..."

Asuka responded with fury by attempting to pound on him more and more but seeing that they was in no effect, She just begins to cry on Shinji's shoulders not sure exactly what to do Shinji decided to hug her tighter. Secretly not wanting to let go, He was still shocked and stuck at what was happening, Just seeing Asuka in this frame was just...unexplainable.

"Shinji what's going..."

Misato walked into Asuka's room with a quick gasp seeing the rope and the scars on her wrist, She looked in horror as she ran to Asuka, hoping to try and help.

"Asuka...are you okay...Hang on I'll call a doctor..."

She ran out of the room at a breakneck pace attempting to find the phone. As Misato walked out, Asuka began to struggle on words before finally saying.

"Stop it...stop protecting me..."

End flashback

Shinji stopped the car seeing that he was in front of Peaceful Forest Mental Institution, He sighed looking at the entrance it just continued to reminded him everyday of that fateful day. It saddened him to see someone he admired no...loved in such a confused and in her sense weak state. He really wished he knew how to help, really he did so, but he found the best he could do for her was be there. He grabbed his guitar bag and stepped out of his car and began to walk inside when suddenly Asuka's counselor walked from the building with a rare yet stern smile he literally yelled as he began to speak to Shinji.

"Mr. Ikari...I'm Asuka's Counselor would like to speak with you for a quick second?"

Shinji nodded at Asuka's and began to stroll inside the building the nurse automatically clearing Shinji seeing the situation. He let out a depressed sighed thinking that he was going to tell him bad news. The Counselor let Shinji to an office labeled Dr. Uzumaki opened the door showing a rather messy office, on his rosewood desk was a picture of a bubblegum pink, short haired female with green eyes a suitcase in her hand, she was wearing a black work dress and black stocking, Dr Uzumaki was behind her hugging her by the waist, a smile upon her face, It was obviously his wife. Dr. Uzumaki then looked up at Shinji with a smile and shrugged with a giant grin on his face.

"Onto Asuka's condition..."

Shinji nodded gulping slightly to get ready for the bad news, Ruffling his hands through his rough hair, while perfectly washed, His hair has not been cut for months. He was about to get a mean surprise, Mr. Uzumaki grin got slightly lower but he still kept it.

"Asuka's condition is improving..."

Shinji looked up in shock, Asuka is actually doing better, was she still talking to herself was she still violent? So many question, Which as he guessed Dr. Uzumaki was about to answer. But there is not any good news without and slightly bad news.

"But she seems to still be resisting to talk to us...but her violent tendencies are greatly reduced, she actually beginning to talk to the people around here..."

Shinji looked at him with a nod and a stern face, He was glad that Asuka was doing fine but it seemed that she was still unable to open her feelings to others, Hiding behind her walls yet again. He was saddened to actually think that but that's what it seemed. Dr. Uzumaki got up from out his seat and picked up his clipboard, turning around toward the door, Shinji followed him into Asuka's room, they walked slowly their feet making very little noise compared to the people roaming the hallways the socialization between the other paitients, a constant distraction of Shinji, his lack of attention was suddenly halted when Dr. Uzumaki began to speak.

"It's very obvious you care about her...if there was more guys like you this world would be alot better off."

Shinji only nodded, finding himself standing in front of Asuka's door, He stared intently into the door as if it was his own worst enemy Dr Uzumaki then nodded ruffling his yellow sunburst hair seeing that Shinji was mentally ready to see Asuka, He then walked off looking at Shinji with a stern but concerned face.

"I hope just as much as you do...that she get's better."

Dr. Uzumaki walked off, leaving Shinji to his own, Shinji began to hesitate for a second afaird to see Asuka's face, It was weird to be away from her but as he got closer he felt, confident and safer, he wasn't sure what it was or why, but he just felt so...powerful so ready for anything that came in his wake, He used this confidence and took a deep breath to open Asuka's room door.

The room was no longer a mess as it was the last two weeks, It was clean and it smelled of Asuka natural raspberry scent, The walls were the same color but was illuminated by the afternoon sun. He then turned around to see Asuka who was sitting in a chair, writing in a book, which was probably a diary of somewhat She was now wearing a yellow top and blue jeans, her hair seemed to be perfectly washed and smelled of her same raspberry scent. Asuka looked up at Shinji surprising him with a smile.

"Shinji...Your here..."

Shinji was surprised to say the least when Asuka gave him a hug; it was shocking to see her like this well seeing how she was lately. She was smiling if not beaming at Shinji, her face seemed a lot more vibrant and her eyes while still tinged with sadness was returning to their beautiful ocean blue color.

"Yeah I am…you seem to be…"

Asuka put her hand in his face turned away; Silencing his before he could even began to speak. She then turned her face toward him Her Burgundy brown hair swaying beautifully as it reflected off of the Afternoon sun, looking solemn and confused to say the least, This look was strangely shared by Shinji at this point having no idea what to do at this point he decided to wait for her to speak.

"I don't want to hear about my condition, I just want to go outside today, and I need someone to come along…So baka are you up for it?"

Shinji cringed hearing those words again, not only because he didn't like it, but because she could tell she was acting she was still slightly in pain, but from what exactly he was not sure of, He nodded hearing her request, she suddenly smiled. She then stepped toward him her hands behind her back as her smile grew wider, bringing her face out more as the light from the outside door shone into her face.

"Great well let's get going!?"

She ran toward the door with a quick smile, grabbing her wrist with a slight tinge of pain but just as much joy, He smiled as she began to drag him toward exit of her room Shinji had no choice but to stare at the people looking at him, The other patients seems to not care much, which was predictable, They had their own problems to deal with, But the abundance of nurses, Male and female stared in awe, some giggling as they stared at the two, He was not sure what they was smiling about, but he was sure it had something to do with a rumor mill around here.

Asuka opened the door that led to the exit of the Institution and into the rather giant outside area, The area was almost like a grove, Various Trees and shrubs, laid out the rather peaceful scenery, While the rather small waterfall gave the area a bit more ambiance, She sat down in the grass with a slight smile on her face, Her hair catching the breeze softly as the winds began to blow softly near them. Shinji took this chance to sit down, The grass suddenly feeling his heart speed up, Wondering what was going on with him.

"So when did you learn to play?"

Shinji looked up as Asuka asked that question, The question overall came out of the blue and was, well in his case unexpected, and was a little difficult for him to even fathom. But he began to answer looking down slightly as he did so, his old shy ways returning slightly as he began to talk to her.

"Three weeks now...I've learned a few more things but...Nothing really impressive..."

Asuka smiled as she laid down on the grass her slender legs slung to the ground with such elegance it was difficult for Shinji to not notice, He said stationary as Asuka closed her eyes, Lifting her legs up slightly to cross them together, Shinji blushing as he seem the two legs cross, Her slender legs in full view, His heart was racing as he continue to look at the sight.

"Pl..something..."

Shinji looked up to her face as Asuka said that, Taking his googly eyes off of her legs for that slight second not being able to hear her. She looked at him with an scowl, The classic angry Asuka scowl returning for the slight second.

"I said play something Baka Shinji..."

Shinji looked up in slight panic as he saw her angry face he did a simply nod, He grabbed his Guitar and sighed, Taking the Portable Amplifier from his Backpack He Plugged his guitar in deciding NOT to play unplugged this time, He was going to like showing off his distortion skills, But he was just going to tease her, playing her a bit of a sample still slightly shy it was a simple chord progression, That was still rhythematic and a little more Stylish, He then progressed into a quickly as Asuka looked in awe.

She noticed his changes instantly, His hair was untidy yet strangely attractive, his eyes was full of confidence it never really had before, His fingers slowly along the fretboard with so much smooth transitions it was surprising to hear his strangely rough, Playing style it was slightly shocking yet completely beautiful, It was a simple practice chord obviously but it was still played amazing well.

As He finished the rather quick one minute song Asuka stood looking at Shinji with a sigh, It was amazing to hear, she felt empowered as she listened to the song. She lifted herself up and stretched out her slender arms lifting up in the air as she smiled.

"That was...good..."

Simply blushed as he heard her say this, This was actually his first compliment about his guitar abilities, He felt a sudden urge of pride, joy and a strange feeling that he could not completely rectify at this moment. He then proceeded to put his guitar, back into his carrying case, He was about put his amplifier back into his bookback when.

"Why do you come here?"

She asked that unanswerable question again, Shinji then looked at her with a sort of smile not really sure how he came up with the answer or why, but he just sort of blurted it out.

"I like seeing you smile..."

Asuka looked at him with utter confusion, She extended her index finger upward attempting to ask another question when suddenly a buzzer was sound. It was time for Shinji to go, He sighed as Asuka looked in confusion, She knew what the buzzer was, but wasn't needing of Shinji to leave She crawled to him slowly as His foot moved, he smiled not seeing her attempting to grab his legs turned back kneeling down at her with smile.

"I'll see you later..."

Asuka looks in shock as Shinji walks back into Instituion, Seeing him as a beacon of her strength, She smiled suddenly seeing him leave the area. She began to wonder about what happened to Shinji

'This must be real...'

A/N: I do not Like this Chapter...I think I tried to hard to find a good storyline With Shinji and Asuka while still adding Everybody else added in, and I think I made ASuka to OOC, I do not want her to seem so...weak...I might retype this later...I'm very busy with SAT Prep and, Attempting to move out of my parents house...there is just so much things to do...But I will continue the story...Well as long as You guys keep reviewing...