Well that sure was a fun weekend, spent Sunday painting at work out in the sun from about 10am to about 1 in the afternoon and where i was had zero shade, i was cooked. But also got Resident Evil... great game lots of fun but don't fancy the loosers who all run around with the Mob Special (Thompson) bunch of idiots.
But here's number four...

As they returned back to the village, Keith bid the castle farewell and walked away until the day he would return. It was clear to everyone there that he was serious about wanting to see how the world had changed.

It didn't take long for them to return to Prague after the villagers below the castle gave their thanks for helping them and would always remember what they did, they didn't even ask where Yuri and Keith had came from, but they were told they were welcome back anytime.

"Well I don't know about you but I could use a drink." Shinji said heading back towards the inn where he had left his bag, "Sure. I could use a bite to eat as well." Yuri said as it occurred to him that he hadn't actually eaten anything for six months and yet he wasn't starving like he thought he was going to be, but his stomach was making plenty of noise. But that was normal for him in Shinji's opinion.

As Shinji ordered the food and drinks for everyone as he filled Yuri in on what he had missed over last six months on his end of things.

"So you looking forward to having a kid? What you going to name the little bundle of joy?", "I think Misato will want to it Kaji if it's a boy, but I have no idea what to call it if it's a girl.", "What about that Asuka girl you told me about?" Shinji started to choke on his drink and Alice had to pat his back, Yuri was just surprised by the reaction he got.

"I take it she's not a nice person?" Keith asked still getting to know his new companions as much as possible, "No. But she can be when she wants too, or when it suits her. She lets her pride get in the way of making friends." Shinji answered hoarsely as he recovered his breath, "Sounds like a blast." Zhuzhen mumbled finishing off his wine.

"Hey! You guys are back." the inn keeper said coming in from the back room, "Alice, Zhuzhen. I got a message from Margarete for you. She said she wants to meet you in Rouen, north of Paris.", "Oh well guess your stuck with me a little longer then." Shinji laughed as his nudged Yuri who noticed the alarmed look on Alice's face.

"What's the matter Alice?", "Rouen is the place where my father fought Roger Bacon and died." there was an uneasy silence at the table "I'd almost forgotten about him. He was most likely Dehuai's wet work guy.".

Keith looked at Shinji with a puzzled look, "Sorry, he was his go to guy for special assignments.", "Well maybe she's finally turned up some leads? Alice did say that was were he was likely to be, there or England." Zhuzhen said while eating, earning a distant look from Keith and Shinji both thinking he could at least keep some manners at the table.

"Well it looks like France is our next stop." Yuri said leaning back on his chair, "It will take a few days to get there, but shouldn't take longer then that if we catch a carriage." Alice said looking over at Shinji who looked a little chest fallen, "Shinji…?", "I'm fine. Just wasn't expecting to be gone for so long. What with Misato being pregnant…" Yuri quickly tried too cheer up his friend, "C'mon Shinji! You're a married man, so should have all the time in the world to be together.".

Shinji couldn't of looked more embarrassed if he tried and shuttered out a reply, "Well we're not… actually married, yet." Zhuzhen looked shocked, Yuri looked surprised and Alice looked a mix of surprise and disappointment, "Your not married yet? Why not!" Alice demanded, "Look can we just find a carriage and get going? The sooner we get there the better if Bacon is lurking about." the way he said it made the conversation end as he exited the inn after grabbing his bag.

"What was that about?" Yuri asked clearly surprised at Shinji's response, "He's afraid…" Keith answered, "I believe he fears hurting her and doesn't want to get too close so soon after finding out that he is going to be a father.", "But they love each other. It's was near impossible to keep those two apart most of the time when we were in Asia." Zhuzhen said as he finished off his food. "He wouldn't do anything to hurt her.", "Without knowing them both I cannot say anything better then that." Keith said apologetically, "He truly seems an kind and honest person.".

"He is. When it was just us he always had my back." Yuri said getting to his feet, "And he was the smart one when it came to the deals with the places we stopped at. He's an all round nice guy.", "But his reaction that defiantly that of someone who is worried by something, like Keith said.", "Well maybe he'll speak up when we get on the road. Let's go old man before you order something else.".

The carriage ride to Rouen was silent for the most part, with only light conversation between everyone but Shinji who was staring out the window the whole time they had travelled, he only gave short answers when someone asked him something.

Arriving in Rouen they saw the wide cobblestone streets lined with wood and plaster buildings with a church in the corner which Alice was looking at with worry, "Is something wrong?" Keith asked as he climbed out the carriage, stretching his arms after being cramped up in the carriage for so long, it reminded him of his coffin,"Nothing…" Alice mumbled.

Together they headed for the Inn where they were welcomed warmly, "Excuse me but we're looking for a lady named Margarete. Is she staying here?" Alice asked the woman at the reception desk who quickly looked through her records and giving them a nod, "Yes she is staying here but she is out at the moment.".

Yuri ran his hand down his face, happy but also dreading the reunion with the female spy, "So she's still here." Shinji said turning to the receptionist, "Do you know where she went?", "No but this place is small enough so you could find her if you look.", "I'll see you guys in a bit then." Shinji walked out the inn without another word.

"Okay… I guess we'll be staying too. Some rooms please." Yuri asked, glad that Alice and Zhuzhen had made enough money to get them some good rooms, he would have to find his own money once they picked up on Roger's trail or else they would run out of supplies quickly since he and Shinji were always getting injured.

"Of course. I have two spare rooms since there is a young lady with you, there just upstairs and are already ready.", "Thank you." Alice was about to turn to the others when the receptionist clicked her fingers as if remembering something, "Oh… Are you the young lady who stayed here with her father about half a year ago?", "…yes.", "I still remember that terrible incident. That poor priest, rest his soul. But at least your safe child. Now go along and rest.". They headed for their separate rooms silently.

Shinji wondered through the streets of Rouen trying to think of where Margarete could be, but he was lying to himself if he said he hadn't been thinking about what Alice had said back in Prague, "I want to marry Misato but…" he knew about her hatred of the Angels because of her connection to second impact and how she hated them, but here he was pretty much turning into one. Although she had said that she was fine with him having his abilities he was still having problems with the idea of being a father while still having his Angelic powers, and with the mood swings he'd been having he was beginning to question himself and his control over his powers.

"The AT field, then the cross blast. What next? I grow a red marble in my chest which makes me explode?" he let out a bitter laugh as he kicked a loose cobblestone down the street, taking his frustration out on it rather then someone else.

"Shinji…" someone whispered lustfully in his ear making him jump out of his skin as he scrambled up against a wall, "Relax hun it's just me." looking up he saw Margarete smiling at him like a Cheshire cat.

"Margarete! I was just looking for you…" Shinji said getting his breath back, "Oh really? I would of guessed that by the fact that your here instead of being in Japan.", "Well apart from this…" he pulled out the gun she had left behind and handed it back to her, she was pleased to see that he had taken good care of it and guessed Misato had a hand behind it, "You came all the way to give me this? I doubt that somehow?" he turned away and began walking to the inn, "Got someone who you might like to meet." he said smiling as she jogged to catch him up.

"What was that stuff you were talking about?" she asked leaning into him "It's… complicated.", "Try me?" Shinji sighed as he began to explain about Misato's hatred for the Angels and why he was scared that he was turning into one, adding Alice's expression when he said that they hadn't gotten married, he was scared of loosing her if he actually became an Angel.

"That's understandable… You want to be with her but your afraid of what you may become. And I'll stress the word MAY." Margarete said grabbing Shinji by the shoulders and looking at his eyes with reassurance, "Do you love her?", "Yes.", "Well there you go then? Easy…" she gave him a tight hug to help get her point across, "Shinji, just look after her and everything will be alright" nodding they entered the inn and Margarete saw Yuri standing at the top of the stairs.

Letting out an uncharacteristic squeal and clapping she ran up to Yuri, latching onto him in a hug and wrapping her legs around his waist, "I've missed you sunny boy!" clearly he didn't have a clue what to do as she hugged him, "Alright Margarete! Let go!" he tried to pry her off but got a kiss on the cheek for his trouble, as the few people in the inn began to look at what was going on.

"Well that was worth waiting for." Shinji said smiling softly, "Well I guess I'll be heading off now. Drop by whenever you have a free couple of weeks." Shinji turned and was about to leave when he felt a firm grip on his shoulder, "Shinji I…we need your help. Roger Bacon is still out there and we can be sure he's up to something. Please just stick with us a little longer…" Yuri asked softly, even as Margarete hung off him.

"It's true kiddo. Bacon being out there still on the loose could come back and bite us in the rear. And besides you'd be doing your family a favour by saving the world." Zhuzhen added, "I just… don't know." Shinji said looking away from them, "Something is happening to me. And I don't know what!" he said lowering his head, his hair falling and hiding his face when he looked up he was met with the stinging of Margarete slapping him, "What the hell did we just talk about?" she yelled.

"Whatever is happening! If it is even happening! We'll help you through it, we're your friends!" she yelled at him as he looked back at her in shock, "Don't look at me like that. Misato told me about this and I thought it would of worked itself out, but she knows you may be changing. She doesn't care! She loves you! Don't you dare start doubting yourself Shinji, we all care and we all know you can beat anything that happens to you." Margarete gently hugged him just as Shinji broke down in tears.

Yuri was about to step in but Margarete mentioned him to stay back, he walked over to Zhuzhen and waved him off to one side, "The boy is carrying some heavy loads on his shoulders, it's a wonder he's made it this far without snapping.", "He's tough, he spent a year with me before we hooked up with you and Alice, and that was easy for him except for a few close calls.", "How close?" the old man asked, "A few inches in either direction." Zhuzhen thought about what it meant for a moment before looking at him in shock, "He's gotten that close to dying?" he whispered only to have Yuri nod.

"He's still connected to the world he came from, even though he has tried to distance himself from it. It still haunts him apparently.", "Explain this please?" Keith asked and Yuri and Zhuzhen explained how Shinji had come from another world along with Misato and Yui, and how much he had suffered when he was there, "Truly some humans are beyond help or even redemption, using his own son as a tool. I would gladly rip him apart if I met him." Keith said, his voice cold but calm.

"His only path in life was to fight these Angels, and now he fears he's turning into one. But I believe he forgets his own soul, which is strong and pure. And most important I think, its human." Zhuzhen said looking at Shinji who was still being hugged by Margarete who was slowly guiding him upstairs to get him to sleep.

"He doesn't speak about it much does he?" Alice noted, "Something so painful and recent, to him anyway, has been scarred into his mind. Didn't he have friends?", "Yeah only two really. Other then them and Misato, the rest merely used him or in a certain girls case just abused him." Yuri explained, "It sickening isn't it. Someone he tried to be friends with, turning against him." they really couldn't start to know what was going through Shinji's mind but they hoped he could get through it.

Shinji was out like a light as he was lowered onto the bed. Margarete was glad he had started letting it out, she knew that if he had kept it locked inside that it would mess him up in the future and it was better to understand and beat it.

"I'm sorry Shinji but it had to be said, I hope you can forgive me." she said softy as she gently rubbed his head.

She shut the door carefully behind her and walked to her room, wishing the others a good night before turning in, she was really worn down after the last couple of days, she had spent most of the nights looking all over the place for any signs of Roger Bacon but had found nothing, and only had lack of sleep to show for it.

Opening his eyes Shinji found himself sitting in a train carriage similar to the one that they had met Alice in, it was also reminding him of what he had experienced when he was swallowed by the Angel. "Shit…" he groaned looking around the carriage he looked for anyone else but didn't see anyone, "Why now?", "Because you need to find your path." looking around he found the owner of the voice, but had to look down as it was him aged four.

"Nice to see you again. Are you the Angel this time?" the younger Shinji smiled and shook his head, "I'm you. The you that is Shinji Ikari, nothing more or less." Shinji sat down on the edge of one of the train seats, "So why am I here exactly?", "As I said to find your path.".

"Okay but why?" the younger Shinji gave him a sceptical look, "You just bawled your eyes out because of what you fear of becoming. Do I need to replay that for you?", "No thank you. So what is my path then?".

Four year old Shinji shrugged, "You have to choose your path.", "Okay that's vague… Can I ask what is happening to me?" the younger Shinji pondered his words for a moment before answering, "It is true that you have the abilities of an Angel, the AT field and Cross Blast is evidence of that, it is also true that these abilities have grown another part of your soul which is very slowly growing, that is what you are fearing.", "So I am becoming an Angel…".

"Nothing is certain. As long as you are aware of its growth you can stop it…" he was cut off by another colder voice, "That's enough out of you." looking around he saw another four year old Shinji with silver almost white hair and red eyes, "I am annoyed at taking such a weak form, but I guess it will do for now." the Angel sighed as it hopped up on the seat opposite Shinji as his younger self stood in the isle.

"You're the Angel side of my soul?", "Yes… but soon it will be all mine.", "Doubt it." Shinji snorted, "And why is that?", "You can't own my soul. It's mine, not yours.", "What I meant was that once the Angel part of your soul grows large enough then you won't have much of a say in anything." the Angel laughed but stopped when Shinji stood up.

"I'll make sure that never happens. I'd rather die then loose my soul to you." the younger Shinji smiled as the Angel suddenly looked rather foul tempered, "Even if you managed to stay in control I'll still be there, waiting for you to loose it. Every skill that comes to you, I grow stronger.", "Fine I'll just use the AT field and cross blast then." Shinji said trying to keep the Angel frustrated.

"Shinji…", "Shut up! Leave us!" the Angel hissed but Shinji pushed him back in the chair, "My soul, my rules. So you shut up or I'll throw you down to the far end." he pointed to the end of the carriage which suddenly seemed a lot further away then it did the last time he had looked around.

"What were you saying?" Shinji asked his younger self, "As I was saying… He can't really do much at the moment. He is, at the moment, as powerful as a child." his younger self grinned as he held his hand out to the Angel, which glowed before several straps made out of light wrapped around it, "And its time for you to have a time out in the corner." the Angel quickly disappeared.

"I really hate how rude he is." his younger self sighed, "What were those straps just now?", "Angels aren't the only beings with power Shinji.".

"However you must pick what you want? Which path you will take?", "But what is it?" he stressed at his younger self, "You've just seen them." the younger version of himself said simply, "Be warned though both paths are extremely close together, you must walk carefully or else you will cross over to the other one.", "Is that all for now?" he asked walking down the isle of the carriage, "For now yes. I hope you pick the right path Shinji, if you do then nothing will be able to stop you." everything turned to white as Shinji awoke.

He found out he had been asleep until the next night and didn't see anyone else in his room which was odd. Walking down to the front desk he asked the woman there where his friends were, "They went out towards the church I believe they didn't leave all that long ago.", "Cheers." he went out and headed straight for the church hoping he would be able to catch up with them.

As he approached he heard a faint crash inside followed by swearing and quickly searched for an entrance, he had found his friends.

Well here is number four. Going to be a bit of a wait as i'm going to have to add another chapter while re-writing the others as it seems a bit rushed after the halfway point. So going to have to do a bit of a fix.