I don't own anything.

Splinter Cell Evangelion

-Chapter Four: Welcome Home

Shinji eyed the glowing numbers of his alarm clock. It was five fifty-nine in the morning. He reached out and turned off the alarm before it could go off. He stood and nearly toppled over. 'Must be about to rain,' he decided with a frown. His knee was always worse before a storm. He made his way to the door and pushed it open. "Misato?"

"Morning Shinji," the purple-haired woman grumbled as she shot back a beer.

"Why are you up?" Shinji asked.

"I work mornings now," Misato stated. Shinji searched the cupboards and found nothing but junk food. "Say, you wouldn't be willing to make breakfast, would you?"

"I'm making dinner," Shinji replied. "Besides, you don't have anything here to make breakfast with." He glanced at the pet dish set aside with a pile of burned ramen in it. The fridge opened and Pen Pen waddled out, looking much older and slower than when Shinji had left. In a rare moment of compassion, typically reserved for children and animals, Shinji grabbed a cup of shrimp flavored ramen, poured water into it and set it in the microwave. The bell sounded a moment later and Shinji replaced the burnt ramen in Pen Pen's dish with the shrimp ramen. The penguin perked up immediately and began chowing down. Shinji always had liked animals.

"He missed you," Misato stated cheerfully.

"I'm surprised he's still living," Shinji replied as he patted the penguin's head.

"I'm not that bad!" Misato protested. "You just spoiled him while you were here." Shinji grabbed a bottle of water and sat down at the table. "So, any plans for today?"

"I need to pick up my car from the motor pool, get my arm checked and work on a presentation," Shinji stated. No point in being uncivil.

"Why do you get a car from the motor pool?" Misato demanded. "Those cars are only for really high ranking people!"

"I'm high priority personnel," Shinji replied. He opened his bottle and took a swig. "They're probably going to give me some little piece of crap rice rocket. I'll have to see about getting a truck."

"So, what's the presentation on?" Misato pressed, trying to keep the conversation alive.

"Can't tell you," Shinji stated. The older woman sighed in defeat, but brightened a moment later.

"You want a ride to NERV?" she asked. "It's supposed to start raining soon."

"Alright," Shinji replied. He checked his OPSAT. It was quarter after six. He was temporarily surprised by how long he had been talking to the woman. "Best hurry. We'll need to leave soon."

(:ii:)

Ritsuko frowned as she stared at the X-ray. "It's not a fracture."

"Good," Shinji replied as he struggled to pull his shirt on.

"Are you familiar with the bruise harm score?" Shinji glanced back at Ritsuko with a raised eyebrow. "I'll take that as a yes," Ritsuko stated. "This bruise is bad. I'd give it a high two or a low three. You might be at risk for compartment syndrome."

"I'll keep an eye out for symptoms," Shinji stated.

"I take it you've heard of it?" Ritsuko asked.

"Yes," Shinji answered.

"Alright." Ritsuko helped the young man put on the sling.

"I finished with your medical records," she stated. Shinji glanced at her and, for a second, she was reminded of almost every soldier she had every treated. "You aren't supposed to be walking on that leg, Ikari."

"Well, I do need to get around," Shinji stated. Ritsuko frowned. He just had to be difficult.

"You could be damaging. . ."

"Nothing to damage," Shinji cut in. "It's artificial."

"Your knee may be artificial, but the muscles and tendons are not," Ritsuko stated. "You've barely given them enough time to heal. You should only now be getting off crutches. Did you ever use a wheelchair?"

"First day," Shinji admitted. "Then I was on crutches till they took the stitches out." Ritsuko scowled. That was only flying in the face of the operating doctor's strongly worded demands.

"Would it do anything if I ordered you to use crutches?" she demanded.

"You're not in the military chain of command," Shinji stated. "The leg's fine, Doc." Ritsuko frowned. He was right. Except for the stiffness and pain, which may never go away, his leg had healed up nicely. Shinji stood. "Are we done?"

"I'll give you something for the pain," Ritsuko stated. She scribbled a quick prescription. "Take this to the infirmary." Shinji nodded and walked out. He nearly walked right into a blue-haired woman walking into the office.

"Ikari," Rei Ayanami stated.

"Ayanami," Shinji returned.

"I had heard that you returned," Rei stated. "May we speak later?"

"Fine," Shinji replied. He sidestepped past her and disappeared through the door. Ritsuko studied the blue haired girl carefully.

"That's the first time I've every seen you initiate a conversation, Rei," she commented.

"I have questions I wish to ask Ikari," Rei stated. Now that got Ritsuko's attention.

"What kinds of questions?" she asked.

"I merely wish to know where he was," Rei stated. "When he left, there was a strange sensation in my chest. I felt. . .hollow." Ritsuko considered this and desperately wished for a strong drink.

"Hollow?"

"It felt like something was missing inside me," Rei stated. "I don't understand it and hoped that he could help me." Ritsuko frowned and eyed the prescription she had written only a few months ago. The level was steadily creeping towards a rather dangerous amount. They might have to start looking for more powerful suppressants or other options.

(:ii:)

Jen looked around the bar and frowned. Where was he? "Looking for someone?" Jen jumped and spun around.

"Damn it, Shinji! Don't do that."

"Sorry," Shinji replied. He looked like he was trying very hard not to smirk. "What have you got for me?"

"The spy laptop didn't pan out, Fisher thinks you're a mercenary, he wants me to spy on our omniscient bosses, and Sarah pulled a gun on me when my back was turned," Jen stated.

"What do you mean the spy laptop didn't pan out?" Shinji demanded. Leave it to him to focus on the matters that were most pressing; well, to himself. "I got shot and nearly blown up again to get that damn thing."

"We already knew everything he had found out," Jen stated. "It's one of the risks you take in this business."

"Fuck," Shinji grumbled. He glanced up at the bartender and pointed to the board behind her. The bartender glanced back at the chalk board showing the bar's home brewed specials. She nodded and set about filling a draft.

"Aren't you under aged?" Jen whispered.

"She doesn't know that," Shinji replied. He took the beer and slipped the bartender a few bills. He took a sip. "Not bad."

"Let me try." Shinji handed her the glass and she took a sip. "That is good." She glanced at him. "You aren't a mercenary, are you?"

"I like money just fine," Shinji replied.

"Answer the question," Jen ordered. Shinji drained his beer and stood.

"Come on, Jen. You know me."

"Why won't you just come clean?" Jen asked. "This operation would run smoother if we all trusted each other."

"Its all obligations," Shinji stated. "If people think I'm on their side, they'll think I'm obligated to help them. I have my own matters to attend to."

"Like what?"

"Can't tell you," Shinji stated. "Give me a call when the other laptop gets cracked."

"Tell me how the date with Sarah goes." Shinji's face darkened. "What? Dates can only end badly if you think they will."

"If you knew my roommates, you wouldn't say that," Shinji replied.

"They can't be that bad," Jen protested. Shinji just stared at her. "Well, maybe."

"Maybe," Shinji replied. He gave her a hug. "See you later, Jen." Jen squeezed him back, mindful of his arm.

"Take it easy."

"As easy as I can."

(:ii:)

"Has anyone seen, Jen?"

"No." Sarah jumped and spun to see the fourth member of their team sitting on the couch in front of a laptop. It scared her how easily he could get the drop on her.

"Hey, Ikari."

"Afternoon," Shinji returned without looking up.

"Isn't that the laptop you got from the spy?" Sarah asked.

"He doesn't need it anymore."

"Ah." Sarah sat down next to him. "So, what 'cha working on?"

"Feasibility presentation," Shinji stated. "Being a warrant officer is a pain in the ass, but I like the money." Sarah frowned at the comment.

"So, what's the feasibility presentation on?"

"It's the spec ops team for Section-3," Shinji stated. "I think he's hoping that I'll be distracted trying to figure out how to start a unit on the tiny budget he provided."

"Can you start it?" Sarah asked.

"Not legally and not safely," Shinji answered.

"Illegally?" Sarah ventured.

"Of course I can get it done illegally," Shinji stated. "I know a guy in Russia who can get me a hundred Kalashnikovs for almost nothing and I know a guy in South Korea who can get me uniforms and gear."

"You're a gun runner," Sarah commented.

"I'm well connected," Shinji corrected. He glanced up at her and closed his laptop. "We need to work on our story."

"I thought it was pretty clean cut," Sarah stated. "We can tell her most of the truth."

"Right," Shinji replied. "Just a few little details. Last night I was showing you around the city and I got clipped by a car going through a pedestrian walk."

"That's what you told her about your arm?" Sarah asked. "That's kind of unlikely, don't you think?" Shinji just shrugged and pulled a pack of cigarettes. "Did you get it checked?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "Doc's worried about compartment syndrome. I told her I'd keep an eye on it."

"Compartment syndrome?" Sarah asked. "I knew the bruise was bad, but I didn't think it was that bad."

"She says high two or low three," Shinji stated.

"Yowch." Sarah frowned. "Wait, you actually did what I asked? Marlene warned me that you ignore medical suggestions." Shinji just shrugged. "She worries a lot about that." Shinji shrugged again. "And she really doesn't like the smoking." Shinji paused, the flame from his lighter only an inch away from the tip of his cigarette.

"She also doesn't like my drinking," he stated. He lit the cigarette and took a drag.

"You military guys are the only people in the world who still smoke," Sarah commented. "Aren't you worried about someone being able to smell you on a mission?"

"I don't smoke before a mission," Shinji stated. "I normally don't smoke this much anyway, but I had to give up dipping."

"Chewing tobacco?" Sarah asked in horror. "That's disgusting!"

"People like you are why I had to give it up," Shinji stated, "well, that and the fact that it's hard to find a can of Skoal in Japan."

"So, what are we having for dinner?"

"I haven't really decided yet," Shinji stated. Sarah's jaw dropped.

"You're cooking?" she demanded. "You can cook?"

"Why wouldn't I be able to?" Shinji asked. Sarah frowned as she considered that.

"I don't remember Marlene mentioning that."

"I didn't get a chance to cook in Korea," Shinji replied. "I was a little busy, what with the war and all."

(:ii:)

Misato pushed the door to her apartment open and nearly swooned at the delicious smells floating into the hallway. "Hey Shinji!"

"Hello," the dark-haired man replied. Misato kicked off her shoes, closed the door, and made her way into the kitchen.

"Where's your sling?"

"I need both arms to cook," Shinji replied with a shrug. Misato frowned, but was too enticed to the smells in the air to remain concerned for long.

"God, that smells great!" she exclaimed. "What is it?"

"Just a roast chicken," Shinji replied. "I haven't had a lot of practice with traditional Japanese food lately, I hope you don't mind western."

"Absolutely not," Misato replied as she grabbed a beer from the fridge. She frowned as she noticed an open can already sitting on the counter.

"When did you become such a big beer drinker?" she asked.

"When I was in the States," Shinji replied. He finished the beer and turned back to the pot on the stove. He glanced at his watch. "We have about an hour before Sarah arrives."

"Ah, I'd better get changed," Misato stated as she made her way towards her room. "Asuka should be coming home soon too."

(:ii:)

Asuka kicked off her shoes and frowned as she stared at the big pair of badly worn tan combat boots next to Misato's pumps. Who had the floozy brought home now? "Asuka?"

"Yeah," Asuka replied. Misato appeared at the door of her room wearing a towel.

"I've got a surprise!" the older woman sang. Asuka scowled. What kind of woman walked around in a towel when there was a guest in the house?

"My request for a transfer went through?" the redhead asked.

"What?"

"Nothing." Asuka sighed and noticed a delicious smell in the air. Something was cooking? Nothing edible had been cooked in this apartment! Asuka almost ran to the door to the kitchen and stared. The man standing over the stove was a few inches taller than her and well built with broad shoulders. He had short military-style hair and rough stubble covering his face. He turned towards her, revealing a large white bandage above his left eye, and studied her through his sunglasses before pulling a can of beer out of the fridge.

"Sohryu."

"Shinji?" Asuka couldn't believe her eyes. The man turned back to the stove without another word.

"Looks good enough to eat, eh?" Misato whispered. Asuka jumped in surprise and turned sharply on her guardian who had dressed and slipped out of her room. Asuka desperately hoped that the heat in her face was from the sun outside and not a blush.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"The food," Misato stated, clasping her hands in front of herself innocently. "It looks good enough to eat, doesn't it?" Asuka scowled at the woman. That was not what she had meant the first time. The door bell rang and Shinji brushed past them. "Shinji's girlfriend's here!"

"Shinji's girlfriend?" Asuka repeated in shock. Shinji appeared a moment later with a tall, blond gaijin by his side.

"This is Sarah Burns," he stated. "Sarah, that's Misato and that's Asuka." He brushed past them again and began setting the table.

"It's so nice to meet you!" the blond exclaimed in slow Japanese as she shook their hands.

"Food's ready," Shinji stated from the other room.

(:ii:)

Misato grinned as she watched Asuka glare at Shinji's friend. It had been a long time since the apartment had been this lively. "This is delicious! What is it?"

"Coq au vin," Shinji stated.

"I still can't believe you made it."

"I never said I couldn't cook," Shinji replied. "It's not my fault that you made false assumptions."

"I guess," Sarah acquiesced. As the evening had moved on she had begun speaking quicker, but she still had a thick American accent. "Marlene would have mentioned it if you had. Do you have any other interesting skills no one knows about?"

"I'm double jointed," Shinji replied dryly. "No, I don't have any real skills that you don't know about."

"You can play the cello!" Misato replied.

"Not very well," Shinji returned, "really, not at all anymore."

"You used to play that one song really well," Misato protested. "What was it called?"

"Bach's Cello Suite Number One," Asuka answered. Sarah's jaw dropped.

"That's supposed to be really hard!" she protested. Shinji just shrugged and continued eating.

"So," Misato began, "how long have you two known each other?"

"About six months," Sarah replied. "He dated my best friend in Korea and we used to hang out in the same group." That answer caught Misato's full attention.

"You have a girlfriend?" she demanded.

"Never said I didn't," Shinji stated. There was something akin to a smirk on his face. Misato scowled as she realized that she hadn't even asked about his personal life while he was gone.

"Alright," she stated. "So, what brings you to Japan?"

"I'm on vacation," Sarah stated. "I was stationed over in Korea and this was the closest place I could go really. I got Shinji's number from Marlene and he said he'd show me around."

"You served in the Third Korean War?" Misato asked in shock. She knew women were in the military, had been for decades, but it still struck her that such a young pretty woman could be a veteran.

"I'm not in the military," Sarah stated. "I was in Korea doing other things for one of the alphabet agencies." Misato paused and went over the conversation thus far. She turned on Shinji.

"You were in Korea?"

"You have my service record," Shinji pointed out. Misato scowled. This was getting annoying.

"So, you're friends through this Marlene woman?" she pressed, using the name they had already mentioned. Sarah glanced at Shinji.

"We aren't really friends," the blond stated.

"You aren't close?" Asuka asked, taking a sudden interest in the conversation.

"No," Sarah replied. "We know each other through Marlene and we were a part of this group that used to just kind of hang out because we were all roughly in the same age bracket. Truthfully, I don't like Shinji. Nothing personal."

"Its fine," Shinji replied absently.

"It's just that, well, he scares me." Misato stared at her charge.

"I scare a lot of people," he explained, noticing her stare. "You get used to it in my line of work."

"Shinji scares you?" Asuka demanded. "How could you be afraid of him?"

"You would be too if you knew what he'd done," Sarah stated. She turned on Shinji. "Christ, how many people did you kill, Shinji?"

"I have twenty-eight confirmed kills as a sniper during my time in Korea," Shinji stated calmly. "Good, but nothing spectacular."

"Don't start with that confirmed and unconfirmed shit," Sarah stated. "How many?"

"One hundred and seventy-six total as a sniper," Shinji stated. "I don't know how many people were killed when I called in air strikes or artillery. You send an A-10 after an armored convoy; it's kind of hard to tell just how many people were there originally."

"A lot?" Sarah ventured.

"Oh, a whole lot," Shinji agreed.

"And it never bothered you," Sarah stated. "Marlene told me that you always slept like a log. What kind of man can do that, understand it, and feel nothing?"

"Well, I had a very difficult first time," Shinji stated. "After that kill, everything else was a breeze."

"Your first kill?" Sarah repeated.

"Yeah," Shinji replied, he glanced up pointedly at Misato. "You remember him, don't you, Misato?" Misato stared at him for a moment before comprehension dawned.

"The Seventeenth."

"His name was Kaworu. He was my friend."

"That's not fair, Shinji," Misato stated. "The Seventeenth had to die. It was trying to destroy the world."

"Of course," Shinji replied. "Thanks for the advice, by the way. It helped more than you know. Do you remember?"

"Get over it," Misato whispered. Her exact words when she had seen the stated Shinji was in. The dark haired man nodded and turned back to his food. Mercifully, the doorbell shattered the thick, oppressive silence. "They're early."

"They?" Shinji echoed.

"Uh. . .welcome home, Shinji," Misato stated awkwardly.

(:ii:)

Misato frowned as she watched Shinji sit quietly in the corner of the room, working his way through his second six pack. Since the start of the party he had done little other than sit there and drink. After some failed attempts to strike up a conversation, the rest of the partiers just decided to let him be. "Good party, Lieutenant Colonel." Misato turned and smiled.

"Hey, Makoto. I need you to do me a favor."

"What do you need?" Makoto Hyuga asked. Misato glanced around.

"Come with me."

"Ah, one of those favors," Makoto commented as he followed her into the kitchen. Misato fished out the thick report that made up Shinji's record.

"I need this translated and than I need you to forget everything you saw."

"I thought you spoke English," Makoto stated.

"I can speak it fine," Misato answered. "I can read it too, but I'm not fluent and it's a pain puzzling out every tenth word."

"Alright," Makoto replied. It wasn't the first time she had asked him to do such a job for her. He took the report and flipped through it. "Whoa."

"What?" Misato asked.

"The first couple of pages just confirmed half a dozen conspiracy theories about the Third Korean War," Makoto stated as he read them more carefully. "A lot of people believed that US SOCOM mobilized at the beginning of the war under the guise of military advisers. This was all when America was claiming that she wouldn't get involved militarily of course. The North Koreans were always claiming that American commandos were behind a lot of covert operations."

"Translate it," Misato ordered.

"No problem," Makoto replied. "Actually, I believe this'll be my pleasure." Misato nodded her thanks and walked back out into the living room. Shinji still hadn't moved, despite the fact that Misato had gone out of her way to invite his friends. Misato was about to make her way over when she noticed that Shinji wasn't actually alone. 'Is that Rei?'

(:ii:)

"You don't strike me as much of a party girl," Shinji commented.

"I do not like parties," Rei stated. "Crowds make me uncomfortable."

"I know that feeling," Shinji replied. He glanced at the blue-haired girl. It was hard to believe that she was the main player in the Third Impact. Without her, the world would be safe, until it was threatened against at least. Of course, the same could be said about himself. "You said you wanted to talk to me."

"Yes."

"What about?"

"While you were gone, I found myself distracted," Rei stated. "I felt empty." Shinji frowned at the implications of that. The last time he had checked, the levels of emotion suppressors she was on should have made her barely notice his absence, let alone react to it.

"Have you told anyone about that?" Shinji asked.

"I told Doctor Akaji," Rei stated. Shinji glanced around the room, his eyes coming to rest of the blond doctor.

"If no one asks, don't mention it," Shinji stated. He turned back to Rei. "Understand?"

"No," Rei stated. "Why should I keep it from others?" Shinji frowned as he considered his answer. How much could he afford to give away?

"Do you want to be replaced?" he asked. He noticed how the young woman straightened up slightly.

"How do you. . ."

"Do you?" Shinji interrupted.

"No," Rei replied.

"They will replace you if they think you're getting out of hand," Shinji stated. "Are those feelings really that uncomfortable?"

"They are strange," Rei stated. "I am unsure of them."

"That's feelings for you," Shinji stated. "An unimaginable amount of people have made it through their lives with them. You will too."

"I understand," Rei replied. She stood up. "Thank you for your warning, Ikari."

"No problem." Shinji watched her disappear through the crowd and opened another beer.

"Aw!" Shinji turned and stared at Sarah. She had a can of beer in each hand. "You're such a cute couple! I bet Marlene will get jealous if I tell her."

"Marlene and I broke up," Shinji stated. Sarah's jovial grin dropped.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Shinji shrugged. "You two seemed so happy."

"It wasn't a good idea," Shinji stated. "Two operators in a relationship, it couldn't last. We broke it off before someone got hurt."

"Ah," Sarah replied. She tried to sit down and ended up sprawled across Shinji.

"How much have you had to drink?"

"Not much," Sarah replied happily. "Warning her was different for you. You usually play everything so close to your vest. You may have just tipped your hand." Shinji was saved from having to defend himself by the OPSAT gently pulsing on his wrist. He glanced down to see that he had received a message. He opened it and glanced at the simple numerical code.

"Work time."

"Bummer," Sarah replied. She stood up and Shinji had to grab her before she fell over. "Let's go! My bike awaits!"

"My car awaits," Shinji stated.

"Can I drive?" Sarah asked hopefully.

"If you let me break both your legs before you get behind the wheel," Shinji replied.

"Deal!" Shinji pinched the bridge of his nose. This was not the ideal start to a mission.

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Yup. I brought back the scene with Rei, but tuned it down. I like this version best.