Misato stood on the bridge of the Wunder, staring at the data readouts. "What do you mean, they stopped?" "They just stopped right now," Kitakami said, gesturing at the sonar station. All contacts had ceased movement outside of combat range.

"Since when has Ikari held his dogs back?" Hyuga muttered. "Are they waiting for reinforcements?" "No." Ritsuko stepped forwards, sneering at the screens. "Ikari likes holding things over people's heads. He's trying to exhaust us so that we're easier to finish off. I'm surprised it took him this long." "Shit", Misato spat. "Okay, change of plan. Have 50... no, 25% of personnel on standby for... six-hour shifts. The remaining 75% will be off standby, but should be ready to get to their stations ASAP when the shit hits the fan. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am," came the reply as the crew went to work. "Ma'am!" She looked down to see Maya on the deck, her face creased with worry. "Can I have a word with you? In private?"

When they had reached her cabin, Misato locked the door. "What did you want to talk about?" Maya shifted uncomfortably. "Asuka is... she's not in a good place, at all. Obviously. But I think it's gotten worse. She's having..." she trailed off, and Misato's heart sank. "What is it?!" she asked desperately.

Maya sighed. "She's... having sex with someone named Wren Bowen. I... I went to find her for a few tests with 02, and asked Mari where she was, and she said she was probably in his quarters, and that she met him just over a day ago. I went over and saw... through the porthole..."

Misato sat on her bed, silent. "Is this my fault? Did I rub off on her somehow?" Her eyes were locked on the deck. "Thank you, Maya."

Wren leaned in closer and began softly kissing Asuka's left breast, making sure to place his lips on the large diagonal scar that defaced it. She lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. "So that's what it feels like," she mumbled. Wren raised his eyes. "Hmm?" "Sex." He paused. "Did you... did you enjoy it?" he asked nervously. She looked down at him. "I guess, but mostly, I just felt... safe. As if I'm not going to die tomorrow. I felt... alive."

Wren smiled and moved up the bed. He gently caressed her cheek. "I felt the same," he whispered, and moved in for a kiss. Asuka grasped the back of his head and pulled him in. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Mari burst in. They froze and stared up at her. She looked down at the deck. "Uh, sorry guys, but... the Captain wants to see you. Both of you."

"What the hell are you doing?!" Misato yelled as Asuka and Wren stood before her in her cabin. "The same thing you do," Asuka growled. "You and Kaji are the ones who taught me that I should fuck my problems away, remember?" Misato glared at her. "That's not... that was different. Me and Kaji knew each other, you only just met this guy!" "Yeah, and I don't exactly have the same time to get to know him that you and Kaji had, now do I?!" Misato sighed. "Asuka, I know that you're in a terrible place right now, but you can't start acting rashly. Think these things through, they're important for God's sake!" Asuka stepped towards Misato, her hands shaking. "I don't fucking have time to not be rash, you stupid bitch!" She glared at her for a few seconds, then turned and stormed out of the room.

Wren turned to follow her, only for the door to slide shut in his face. "As for you," Misato growled, "you can tell me exactly why you're sleeping with her. What is it? Did you see someone easy to exploit? Want to boast about it to your friends?" "N-no ma'am!" Wren sputtered. "She came to me and s-said that she wanted c-comfort... to feel alive... and I wanted to help her... and I also just wanted some comfort." Misato said nothing, and simply stared daggers at him. "Ma'am, I would never do anything to hurt her. You're right, I don't really know her, but I want to help her in whatever way I can." "Why?" Misato asked in a harsh monotone. Wren shrugged. "Because isn't that what people should do?" Her face softened. She thought for a few minutes. "If I was in their situation, wouldn't I do the same thing?" "Alright," she sighed, unlocking the door. "But you'd better take care of her."

She watched him go. "When did I become such a cynic?"

Mari caught Asuka in the corridor. "Sorry," she grimaced. "I didn't think you were doing it when Ibuki asked where you where. You okay?" Asuka glared at her. "Of course I'm not. Misato did the same thing I just did, but the hypocritical bitch still acts as though... that stupid whore, she... fuck!" She stepped closer to Mari. "And let me guess, you think I'm a fucking slut, don't you?" Mari sighed. "No, Asuka, I don't. Hell, I've done the same thing plenty of times." She gave a faint smile at Asuka's shocked expression. "Hey, anything to keep us going. All we have otherwise is piloting the Eva and remembering the past."

Asuka's eye began to water. "What the fuck happened to us? I thought... I thought that piloting the Eva would make me special, make people respect me, but now... my body's been torn apart, I don't fucking age, and I'm so desperate for comfort - for any positivity, that I'll fuck someone I barely know!" The tears were running down her face

now, and Mari held out her arms and hugged her. "Hey, hey, it's okay. It's okay. And for what it's worth, I think Wren does genuinely care about you. And I think that everyone's desperate for comfort these days."

She waited for him in his cabin again. He was surprised to see her there, but happy. "So," she sighed, "What did that bitch say to you?" He smiled faintly. "She told me to take care of you." She was silent. "Did you hear what happened? With the Nerv forces?" "Yeah," she scowled. "Bastards. At least it gives us more time."

Gendo looked up into Lilith's hollow eyesockets. He'd come so close on that day, before Katsuragi's betrayal. "Does she regret that now, with death hanging over her head?" he thought.

Footsteps echoed behind him, and he knew instantly that it was Fuyutsuki. The only other people in Nerv HQ were Rei, who never did anything without orders, and Seele's boy, who filled his time with useless distractions such as the piano. "The launch schedule is proceeding," the older man reported. "But..." "But what, Fuyutsuki?" The older man shifted uncomfortably. "Wouldn't it be better to simply retrieve him now and wait for EVA-13 to be ready? Why put him through this torment?"

Gendo narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "The boy won't do anything to initiate Fourth Impact unless he feels he has reason too. When he experiences Wille's treatment of him, after Third Impact and the clones, he'll be desperate to pull the spears out of Lilith's corpse. Nothing else will matter to him."